Kaieteur News
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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
Independence
F
reedom! Freedom is here, but freedom from what? The yoke of former colonial masters, maybe. Freedom from the narrowness that hobbles a mightily blessed land? Or the confines that retard potential and people? Another story that is. Freedom is another word for those with nothing to lose. Thus, there is the freedom to experiment with truth, to dissemble through motives that are sometimes not wholesome. Self-sabotaging.Freedom is a double-edged as obvious from some undermining liberties lived in Guyana. For some uncontrolled freedoms seized here have led to the degradation and enslavement of individual, community, and society. Genies have flowed from bottles with unintended consequences: narcotics and money laundering. This is the face of the new slavery; the ships and whips and chains of new masters. Freedom to dream is here, too. It is a big, expansive, and the sweetest of unmatched dreams. This can be compressed into the majesty and electricity of a single mono-syllabic word: oil. Large lakes of oil slosh around underwater; there is a very tiny number of people around which to spread that huge bounty. It should touch all (all) the citizens of this starved, pained land. This could go a far way. The oil is impatient to be freed from its natural restraints; the people are even more passionately impatient. Freedom to dream about this vast oil blessing must be accompanied by the sister freedom to participate in the sharing through fair and equitable distribution. So much discovered. So much sensitive to the machinations of the mind. So much to tempt the calculating, the deceiving, and then the grabbing. For as regards the latter, it is easy to think of, then embark upon, and last convert dreams into nightmares; the blessings into the worst of curses. There is that kind of freedom, too, (distorted and crippling mostly) that must be monitored unendingly and leashed ever so tightly. This comes from the freedom to access power, the freedom to share in power, the freedom to taste the nectars of this gushing patrimony. Freedom to support is what this means. To support and identify with any political group or vision; it comes with one limiting nonnegotiable caveat: that group, that vision must be national in scope as to intention, embrace, and practice. And in so doing, there must be the freedom from stigma, from demonization and the marginalization that cascades with such vicious stings. In sum, there must be freedom from social and racial excommunications. Freedom to find recognition and acceptance; and the enhancing inclusivity that is powered by merit, hardearned record, confirmed ability, and the undeniable persuasions of promise. It cannot be any longer that freedom which is selective, sparse, and slick in its absence of abundant diversity, of good intentions, of greater goodwill. This is freedom; freedom of entry that is neither imaginary nor deceptive. It cannot be of the variety that limits through invisibility and the unuttered as to who can apply and who are allowed.Freedom from fear: The working poor, the honest salts apprehensive about the next meal; next expense coming; next burden that can’t be carried. They are the walking stiffs, who must scale the treacherous slopes of daily Guyanese existence.Freedom from another fear is needed: from the many advancing on the city streets and in rural villages with heinous intents; and from those seemingly lily-white commercial and professional and ecclesiastical characters who practice a different kind of predation on the innocent and naïve.Freedom to dissent. It is a symbol of newfound and growing power, the maturity and confidence in the liberty to express the caustic, idealistic, and patriotic. It is healthy. It is freedom to be treasured, this reality of freedom of conscience, even allowing for warped ones. Free Guyana! Free self first.
Sunday May 26, 2019
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.
I am now accused of lawlessness and destruction Dear Editor The man who cries out at foreigners coming here to take our “economic greatness” (his words), has accused me of playing a dangerous game with Guyana, a country that I have struggled to change for the better since I was sixteen. The man who says these foreigners do not speak English and will vitiate our culture when they come here has accused me of thriving on lawlessness. You know this country produces the world’s most amazing ironies. Here are some condemnatory words on me by the long-serving TUC General-Secretary, Lincoln Lewis, a position he has held for more than 25 years without being elected. Maybe I should compose an essay for Lewis on the meaning of term limits. Lewis noted; “Kissoon … thrive on lawlessness, tension and division, to validate (his) thinking….” What is the irony here? Lewis was removed as a columnist from the Chronicle by his own friends in government. One of the indications that his friends thought he was irresponsible in the Chronicle was the intonation by the President in February 2018 at the media brunch at State House that he took objection to a caption of one of Lewis’ column having the words, “testicular fortitude.” Lewis was accused of recklessness and irresponsibility in his columns by his powerful friends that they kicked
him out of the state newspaper. The same Lewis is making accusations of recklessness against me for my critical thoughts on what is taking place at UG and the role the TUC Council member, his friend, Ivor English, is playing in those affairs at UG. Here is more of Lewis on me; “In his recklessness, he cares not who he destroys, whose character he tarnishes, which institution he ‘breaks up’, once he gets his way.” Lewis has an obsession with using two phrases. They appear ad naseum in all his wild, hypocritical ranting on the use of power. One is that there are timehonoured principles which people who hold power must recognize and employ in the use of power. The second one is that he has the habit of calling on policymakers to show testicular fortitude in defending themselves against charges of bad governance. The rest of this commentary here shows where Lewis is a far more egregious violator of time-honoured principles and lacks testicular fortitude in defending himself against accusations of the betrayal of workers’ rights at UG. Several TUC past presidents have told me that Lewis doesn’t recognize collective decisionmaking but loves the unilateral approach. One of them I have known a very long time and regard him as a trade unionist with integrity. He told me that as president of the TUC, he would read about statements put out on behalf of the
TUC that he never saw or approved of. I remember at one time, he was so incensed that he requested an emergency meeting with me on Hadfield Street outside White Castle Fish Shop. Lewis is a one-man show at the TUC. He is virtually the controller and owner of Critchlow Labour College. He should have the testicular fortitude to explain to all workers in Guyana why the government since 2015 has refused to restore full state subvention to the college. If he doesn’t reply, I will display testicular fortitude and tell the nation the truth.Lewis should have the testicular fortitude to adumbrate for all Guyanese his attitude to term limits. Does he believe the post of General-Secretary should have terms limits? When is he thinking of demitting office or is he going to stay until the empire of Timbuktu is restored? The simple truth about politics in this country, since the advent of perestroika in October 1992, is that those who lambast people in office for poor quality of democratic character ,have democratic credentials that are even more sour than turn-milk. I did a column recently that stated that I would vote for Bharrat Jagdeo in front of Ramon Gaskin (AKA, Rambo). I honestly mean that. When you see Rambo on television you would think he is a radical democrat. He is an enduring oligarch. A recently formed party, A (Continued on page 6)
“We don’t want THAT on OUR 53rd Independence Anniversary, We’re not stupid
Sunday May 26, 2019
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I WAS THERE WHEN HISTORY WAS CREATED DEAR EDITOR Please publish this letter for me so that those who were not ‘There’ would have an idea of how it was previous to that night on May 26, 1966 – from British Guyana (Colonial Territory) to GUYANA – an independent nation. I am now sitting on one of the benches at the ‘Square of the Revolution’ penning this letter. I will be right in this vicinity on the night of May 26, 2019, celebrating our 53rd independency anniversary. Independence to or for Guyana did not come easily– it was not given to our leaders on a “platter.” Burnham (PNC) and Jagan (PPP) and Peter D’Aguiar (UF) were invited by the then Colonial Secretary, Duncan Sandys to Lancaster House in England for our independence talks. Two years before our independence our country was the home of many British regiments. There was the ‘Black Watch’ and other regiments. If my memory serves me right, I think the Black Watch were Scottish Soldiers who wore kilts and blew bagpipes. They were sent to British Guyana “bearing arms” to see that the ‘natives’ behave themselves. Then the Governor, on behalf of his country, installed a curfew stating that Guyanese must be in their homes by 6 PM and not come out before 6 AM. It was called the dusk to dawn curfew. We
defied them. Here I am speaking of the ‘foot soldiers’ of the three political parties – PPP PYO PNC (PNCYO), AND UF (GUYS- Guyana United Youth Society). Though we were politically divided, there were instances when those foreign soldiers found themselves in confrontation with us. We would be on the streets way beyond the time when we were supposed to be in our homes. I can remember a night in 1965, we were in Regent street opposite the Guyoil gas station around 8 PM defying the ‘Blue Eye Soldiers,’ when one of our youths from the UF (GUYS) was shot dead. He was about seventeen years of age and lived in Wortmanville (opposite the Constabulary), I was twenty four years, defiant and revolutionary. I could remember Harold Snagg, his brother Teff, Coffee Mitchell, the Premdass brothers, and others from the PYO; Peter Stevenson, Sam and others from the PNCYO
and from the GUYS, Michael Gonsalves, ‘Boy’ Persaud, Maurice Hendy, Puni and myself. I have been politically active for sixty five years. Yes we fought physically and emotionally for independence but none of us were given any token of appreciation for our efforts of ‘DEFIANCE’. We took tear gas in our struggle for what we are about to celebrate but none of the then or even now, political parties show or bestow any honour on us. I feel I am the only one from that era, the only ‘political foot soldier’ still standing at the age of 80. I can go back in history because I was there on the streets with others from all the political parties of that era, fighting for independence for my own country. How many would know that the British told Cheddi and Janet that they must not leave Georgetown. They the ‘Jagans’ defied them and travelled to Port Mourant. The British went up there arrested
and imprisoned them. Yes, we like Cheddi and Janet defied the Colonial Masters. I remember the night when the British flag, the ‘Union Jack’ was removed from the flag pole and the Golden Arrowhead went up. The hands of Robert Roberts and Burnham and Jagan embraced. There were tears of joy by many of the thousands who were there that night, that midnight, We who were in the physical struggle for independence for our country accepted that the end justified the means. Today I ask where is the pride – I did not ‘google’ what I have related here, I was there and I am proud of our participation for independence – it did not come easy. I am proud to be Guyanese and was there when history was created!! Murtland “Slugger’ Williams Veteran Political Activist
Happy Independence Guyana DEAR EDITOR, Our beautiful Guyana became an independent nation on a Thursday 26th May, I966 and the flag of Guyana, was designed with the golden arrowhead, with narrow white and black along its sides, was set on a green and red back ground with narrow white and black strips along the sides of the arrowhead. The five colours were also seen as symbolic to our country various assets : green for the agriculture and forest; red for the zeal of the nation-building; black border, depicting the people’s endurance; and white symbolising the natural water potential of the country.To all Guyanese let us live and celebrate as “ One People, One Nation, One Destiny “ Happy Independence Guyana. Yours Sincerely,Parmanand Ram.
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Sunday May 26, 2019
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The embattled Chairman omitted to address the issues raised in my letter
This adversarial relationship does not auger well for UG’s image
DEAR EDITOR, I refer to a letter of Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson, Chairman of GECOM, published by Kaieteur News on 25th May, 2019, in response to mine published by Kaieteur News on 24th My, 2019. The vitriolic characterization of my missive as an “annoying creed”, “cowardly and reprehensible”, “puerile interruptions” and “unnecessary political humbug”, inter alia, repulses the aura of sophistication that the author so anxiously intended to convey in his epistle. In the end, vituperative aside, the readers were left with a litany of condescending and supercilious self-proclamations. The tutored are not impressed by such hubris. The truth is that one who professes such immaculate probity and inviolable political detachment should never have accepted that aberrant unilateral appointment of the Chair-
manship of GECOM, amidst the turbulent political controversies that engulfed the antecedents to the eventual appointment. That he has used the pivotal casting vote to espouse the cause of the Government nominated Commissioners on every issue of moment renders his dubious appointment evidently more ominous and jaundiced. The incontrovertible acclamation that he was the Chief Justice of Grenada has left an ineradicable scar on his personage. In the circumstances, the plea that he is neither a minion nor a factor of any, and the gloat that he executes his mandate “sans favour”, rings hollow to the attuned ear and is sans credibility to the adroit mind. It is most unfortunate that the embattled Chairman omitted to address the cardinal issues raised in my letter. Yours faithfully, Mohabir Anil Nandlall MP Attorney-at-Law
DEAR EDITOR, The University of Guyana is the premier tertiary institution in the country. It has a key role to play in terms of teaching and research. It was established in 1963 by the PPP government with a view to providing a critical mass of trained and skilled personnel to man the country’s development process especially in view of our impending status as an independent nation which was eventually attained in May 1966. Dubbed ‘Jagan Night School’ by the then political opposition, the University of Guyana has evolved over the decades to a national institution offering an expanded range of disciplines including Medicine, Law, Engineering, Arts and Sciences among others. To a large extent the University has been successful in fulfilling its mandate as a teaching and research institution, even though I believe
much more can be done in the area of research. The Institute of Development Studies, the research arm of the University has regrettably not been generating research on issues critical to our development needs. It is disheartening to read in the media of the continuing tense situation between the Vice-chancellor and two unions representing academic and non-academic staff. This adversarial relationship does not auger well for the image of the University. In the final analysis it is the students who are made to suffer. Only recently examinations at the University had to be rescheduled because of bomb threat.The industrial relations climate is getting from bad to worse which I believe is due primarily to inadequate staff compensation. The salary gap between senior management and other staff members are too high and should be reviewed with
a view to narrowing the salary differential that currently exists and, more particularly, to lift the salaries of those at the lower end of the salary scales. The University of Guyana is one of our flagship institutions which have made a positive contribution over the decades to our national development. As a former student and member of the University Council, I urge the relevant authorities to intervene in order to bring a speedy resolution to the impasse that currently exists. Hydar Ally
I am now... From page 4 New and United Guyana (ANUG) has two politicians among their ranks that do not deserve even half of a vote from the Guyanese people because these two are not better than any leader in the AFC, PNC and PPP that they love to criticize.Lewis has gone berserk in his condemnation of me (I am waiting for his facts rather than his broad generalizations) because I have accused him in a telephone conversation two years ago, which I recorded and gave to the vice-President of the UGWU, Khemraj Naraine, of betraying workers’ interests at UG. Frederick Kissoon
Sunday May 26, 2019
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There are many countries that have oil refineries and do not have crude DEAR EDITOR In an article in the Kaieteur News dated May 14 and captioned, “Even with 5.5 barrels, oil refinery not feasible …” Kiana Wilburg said “about three years ago, the APNU+AFC administration hired Mr. Pedro Hass, … to conduct a study on the feasibility of an oil refinery here.” His report categorically stated that this was not practical”. According to Minister Trotman, Mr. Hass was hired to determine whether it was feasible for the government to invest in an oil refinery and this is what he had to pronounce on. The gentleman proceeded to advise that it would not even be feasible for the private sector. Who asked him to advise the private sector? The article continued saying that at that time the reserve was estimated to be some 120,000 barrels of oil per day but is now pegged to be over 5.5B. He suggests that because of these numbers “many may want to rethink the “potential of having an oil refinery” but he maintains a refinery is just not economical in Guyana case. I beg his pardon. I have not met a single Guyanese or chatted with any Guyanese on social media who believes that we should not have a refinery in Guyana so there are no “want to rethink” My question is, “what has a refinery in Guyana to do with how many barrels of reserve we have?”. The answer is, absolutely nothing! There are many countries that have oil refineries and do not have crude or do not have enough. So, to me feasibility has nothing to do with whether one has crude or not. From information I have received we have an Australian consultant who advises that we should export our crude. Well Australia imports about 75% of the crude that it refines. Maybe Australia has an interest in buying our crude.The issue for the investor is whether he can recover his investment and whether
he can make a profit. Mr. Hass uses, in my opinion, a bloated figure of 5 Billion USD for a 120,000 barrel refinery. A 60,000 BPD would cost around 700,000 USD. With added complexity built in to produce more byproducts and reducing the waste we are looking at about one point two billion USD. The second 60,000 would cost less. These countries transport crude over great distances so the transportation cost has to be factored in. Would it be positive for us here if we were to be able to purchase crude from our local wells as the transportation cost would be less? I am also questioning the time frame he suggested for the construction of the oil refinery. Would it be stick built with qualified labour or would be assembled with modules built offsite? To use his house analogy. It might take three months to build a residential house but the same house using prefab modules can be built in a few days. We also know that he included the administrative requirements. Now if the present government were to facilitate, I am sure the administrative aspects can be expedited. If this government is tired of Guyana being a primary producing country and is serious about value added, then it would and should become proactive in assisting private sector efforts to transform this economy. Mr. Hass suggests that more efficient engines, hybrid and electric cars in the US would liberate more fuel for export. I am wondering if the
same would be happening in other countries. I would like Mr. Hass under the circumstances of reduced consumption of fuel he predicts to say what would happen to all the crude. He also suggests that the refinery in Guyana would have to compete with the very efficient refineries in the US. Well do we have Caricom as an available market especially since the transportation cost of crude and refined product would be in our favour. In addition, we would have cheaper fuel in Guyana because of the low transportation cost. This would definitely be a boost for the business sector. Now why would we want to send all of our crude to be refined elsewhere. We do not value add upon our gold, our bauxite, diamond, sugar, rice and now the expert is saying no to value added oil. So, we would continue to be a backward primary producing third world countries. These experts and consultants are patriots to their country. Hence proposals in the interest of their country. So, this gentleman suggests we allow the US refineries to refine our oil via joint venture. He suggests we buy stocks in refining companies. So why not buy in to a local company to make the refinery achievable Why not joint venture with a local company. The construction alone would employ thousands. Then the transportation of sand the logging and transportation of piles would add even more jobs. The local refinery would
accomplish the diversification of our economy and it would make so many products cheaper and this includes fuel which is vital to manufacturing and of course our electricity bills would be much less. Down stream companies, fertiliser which would enhance agriculture. Farmers and Guysuco would benefit. Bitumen for our roads. Fibreglass and Sulphur based medical products and sulphuric acid etc. and even Lipstick for our females; natural Gas for GPL. All of these would create additional Jobs. In addition, as I wrote in a previous article, the oil refinery usually utilises Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) which is used to oxygenate the gasoline so as to raise the octane level that is required for your car to run. MTBE is a carcinogen which is highly cancerous. Ethanol can be used instead of MTBE and this would serve to reduce our carbon foot print. Guysuco can produce the ethanol that the refinery would need. It’s a “Win Win” situation. Let me say this categorically and unequivocally that
none of the potential investors in a refinery has ever suggested that they be sold crude at subsidized prices. However, let them look at the level of subsidies the rich countries pay out. It is my opinion that the government, because of the spin off good to the economy should make
some effort to improve the playing field for local investors. Government needs to listen to its own people. And I am positive we have a lot of Guyanese experts in the Diaspora. Use them. Rajendra Bisessar BSc Sociology LLB
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Sunday May 26, 2019
141 persons received mining blocks in Region One lottery Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, on Friday, oversaw the holding of a mining lottery conducted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) at Port Kaituma, Region 1, and Mining District 5. This is the second lottery for the year and follows a similar exercise held in Georgetown in March.The Minister, who was accompanied by Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe,
and Regional Member of Parliament, Richard Allen, explained to the scores who had gathered, that this was the fulfillment of a promise made to make more mining lands available to small miners in the Region One (Matarkai) Sub-District, and elsewhere. “The Minister, though bemoaning the fact that more lands were not readily available, undertook to keep the search open for mining opportunities. He called on the successful applicants to use the lands beneficially and
with respect for the environment and mining laws. “The Minister also took the time to thank the diligent and hardworking staff of GGMC for making the lottery possible.” Minister Garrido-Lowe congratulated the miners and residents of Port Kaituma, while reminding them that the APNU+AFC government was working assiduously to address their needs and to provide a good life, and pointed to the ongoing road construction as one such
“good life” project. At the completion of the lottery, some 141 persons had received one mining block each in District 5 and several of the other mining districts.
Residents at the Region One lottery
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Unregistered vehicles spotted Four more ferries to be rehabilitated on the road after 6pm. The newly rehabilitated For the past weeks a lot of unregistered vehicles have been spotted traversing the road with their trade plates after the permitted time on the roadways in several different locations. Traffic Chief Lyndon Isles, when asked about the matter, said “I have no idea about that. This is the first time I’m hearing about this.” He was then asked what actions he would take now that he is aware of such drivers, driving after the hours they are allowed to be on the roadways without their vehicles being fully registered. Traffic Chief Lyndon Isles vowed to talk to the officers in the different police stations to get the matter resolved.
Dem boys seh ... De secret airport deal featuring PPP, PNC and AFC Guyana still want to see de plan wha dem use to build de airport. Dem had a plan wha had glass roof and eight air bridges and odda fancy things. De plan had a fancy car park and a storage bond. It had big office space and space fuh restaurant and things like that. Dem boys only see it because dem hammer Jagdeo bout de airport wha he cut a secret deal to build. Nobody coulda get de contract because de fat crook, Brassy, always talk bout confidentiality clause. If wasn’t fuh de elections dem boys woulda never know that Jagdeo fork out US$90 million when only seven per cent of de wuk done. People realize that he had to do that fuh get he cut. When de government change and a new set come in, dem boys hear bout de change in plans fuh de airport. But up to this day dem can’t see de new plan. Of course dem boys believe this new set had to get dem cut from de same airport project. Fatterson or Fatty fuh short, in charge of de project. Dem cut down de number of air
M.V. Kimbia has already started servicing the Northwest
One of the vehicles with the trade plate
bridges, de glass roof change to zinc. De car park disappear and a place fun restaurant was something in people imagination. When Jagdeo can call pun dem to release de plan you got to understand that he want see how much dem tek. Of course when dem boys ask Fatty wha happen to de car park and de office space and dem odda things he didn’t seh nutten.Is when dem boys ask Jagdeo that he tell dem is he cut that from de original plan. Now dem boys really want see de plan. Cathy did promise to talk to Fatty fuh give dem de planWhen dem buys call she yesterday she ask dem why dem don’t molest Fatty. She swing round suh fast that she slip show. And all this time Soulja Bai ain’t saying nutten. Is like he in de thick of things. Ten Edghill done seh he build a mansion pun de East Bank. Some people pelting mud hoping something gun stick. And Soulja Bai ain’t even ducking. That is why dem boys ain’t gun done wid de airport wha Jagdeo sign in secret and Fatty still keeping secret. Talk half and call fuh de airport plan
Government has announced plans to rehabilitate four more marine vessels this year. These are the M.L. Allan Young, M.L. Thompson, M.L. Setter and M.T. Aruka. This announcement came after the M.V. Kimbia got a carnival welcome from residents of Kumaka. That boat completed its maiden run to Kumaka last week.It hadn’t made a successful run in four years, and the lack of service from it had resulted in a sharp decline in the trafficking of goods from Georgetown to Kumaka. It had serviced communities along the Berbice River and the North West District. But with age, it began to break down before it could complete a voyage. In one case, it had to be towed in to the wharf, after being stalled miles away in the Atlantic. But now, after a $488M rehabilitation, the boat will vastly improve service to Region One
because it is bigger and faster than the other boats servicing those communities. The boat was retired three years ago for major rehabilitation that included works to its steering mechanism, which were done by Brenco Shipping & Trading Company Limited, in collaboration with Damen Shipyards of the Netherlands.Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, said that the boat should be able to service with no issues for about 20 more years.Last week, the National Assembly approved $400 M as provision for additional resources to augment allocations for the acquisition of spares to facilitate rehabilitation of the four other marine vessels. Patterson, who requested the appropriation, told the assembly that the works are critical to improve safety, reliability and seaworthiness of the vehicles.
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Sunday May 26, 2019
From land to sea: First amphibious excavator sets sail
G
uyana’s first am phibious excava tor has been commissioned at the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC) in Flagstaff, Cane Grove, East Coast of Demerara.
This is in keeping with commitments made last year by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, to acquire the landmark piece of machinery which costs more than $60M and will be used exclusively for works in the conservancy.
The excavator is capable of working in waterways as deep as sixteen feet and is fully self-propelled. According to a government statement, this gives the machine the ability to work in (Continued on page 60)
The brand-new amphibious excavator was put straight to work, clearing out a section of the conservancy.
The amphibious excavator as it pushes off from shore, anchors raised.
Sunday May 26, 2019
Kaieteur News
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Sunday May 26, 2019
Kaieteur News
Two female prisoners granted Presidential pardons
Pardoned: Bibi Parjohn
Pardoned: Unique Hope
Two women prisoners, Bibi Parjohn, 40 years old, and Unique Hope, 30, have received Presidential pardons from President David Granger. The pardons will take effect from today, May 26, in observance of Guyana’s 53rd Independence anniversary, according to a release from the Ministry of Public Security. Both women served a portion of their prison sentences at the New Amsterdam Prison.
Parjohn served time for larceny while Hope was imprisoned for forgery. According to the release, “It is expected that this expression of compassion and humanity by His Excellency will result in these prisoners reuniting with their families and leading good and useful lives here on.” The women received their pardons from President Granger under Article 188 (2) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Teacher allegedly tampers with evidence in sex scandal of girl, 14 The 34-year-old teacher, in the middle of a West Demerara District sex scandal with a 14-year-old student, has reportedly tried to tamper with evidence, according to credible sources. A source at the Region Three Department of Education yesterday, said that the teacher, fearing penalties, had met with the young girl and her mother and manipulated them into submitting a statement declaring the girl’s allegations were all imaginary. Kaieteur News was informed that upon learning this, the child and mother were called in before a panel at the Region Three Department of Education Officer, and grilled until they confessed the teacher’s doing. They were asked to rewrite the statement about what had actually occurred. These statements were submitted to the relevant authorities. Yesterday officials at the Education Department were very disappointed at the teacher’s actions and vowed that they will do everything to ensure that the matter is professionally investigated. Yesterday angry relatives told this newspaper that they were very displeased with the level of investigation carried out at the police station, since police ranks there reportedly kept the accused in custody for 24 hours before allowing him to leave on $100,000 station bail. Associates of the 14-yearold girl in the middle of the controversy said that after the man was released, they protested, and were told by police ranks at the station that the matter will take six months of investigation until a decisive position is taken. Many residents from the Westside declared that any delay by police are reasons why many sex offenders (who prey on young girls) are allowed to remain in a position to carry out more attacks on innocent teenagers.Sources at the ministry informed that the teacher has been sent on leave by the department, and is receiving a full monthly salary as investigations are pending. Ministry of Education sources explained that it’s the Ministry of Education’s policy that in cases like these the teacher be sent off, and will only be dismissed after the DPP and police arrive at a decision.This publication
contacted the La Grange Police Station recently, and was told by an officer there that the matter will take six months to investigate, since the file has been sent to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for
advice.The incident came to light when a close associate of the young girl told teachers, after the victim had confided in her about what transpired. It is said that the teacher was ‘preening and pruning’ the young girl since
she entered secondary school, and apparently having sexual intercourse with her when she became fourteen. Reports suggest that the teacher would often lure the young girl to his home.Two teachers who
prefer to remain anonymous have expressed their fears that there may be more young girls who could have been molested in the same fashion, and may be afraid or ashamed to come forward. They also expressed concerns that,
should the matter not be dealt with professionally, it will create an atmosphere where the accused, and other sex offenders, can begin to think it’s quite okay to seek out, target and prey on young females in their schools.
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Sunday May 26, 2019
Kaieteur News
US$150M and counting CJIA renovation…
Jagdeo calls for immediate release of modified plan It’s time for the people to decide whether they got their money’s worth. The government must release the modified design on the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) renovation to the public, immediately, says Leader of the political Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo. With $30B (and counting) going into a renovation that some contractors say could have been done for just $1B, Government has a lot to answer for, on that airport renovation. It’s awful enough that the original design excluded a cargo facility, a parking lot, an office space for airlines, and a commercial centre. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has accepted some criticism for that since the original contract was inked by Jagdeo’s administration. He has claimed that those facilities were left out so that the construction works could be procured locally. But now, even what was left inside that original design isn’t all there. The government claimed that, when it assumed office in 2015, it noted several issues with the plan as it was. Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, said that Government found a mere seven percent of the work done with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) laying claims to more
Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo than half the money – US$90M. It claimed that drastic changes needed to be made. It then made those changes and didn’t even announce them until recently. Instead of a brand new terminal building for the Arrivals and Departures along with a longer runway, there was renovation of the old terminal buildings and a smaller structure for the Arrivals. The number of passenger bridges has been reduced from eight to four and the fancy, energy–saving glass roof that CHEC, the contractor, promised is now zinc sheets. The Opposition insisted that Government illegally modified the fixed price contract with CHEC. It seems that time after time, the airport encounters some new issue. One day, it
Old Timehri Airport
“Brand New” Timehri Airport
was flooding. Another, it was air bridges that were out of order. And throughout this, travelers have been required to pay an additional fee, which will automatically be included in the ticket price, from July 1, 2019. Kaieteur News has compared the airport prerenovation to the current structure, but it’s up the citizens, now, to determine if Guyana got its money’s worth. In an interview with this publication yesterday, Jagdeo said that if the modified design is released, the people will see massive alterations to it. “The Minister keeps creating the impression that he did better than what the original contract was. So this will disprove his entire assertion,” the former President said. Jagdeo added that because of this, Patterson is extremely unlikely to release the modified design. Calls have been made before, by the political opposition, for the modified design to be released, and government has not done so. During a recent press conference, Kaieteur News posed the question to the coalition’s lesser partner, the Alliance for Change (AFC) whether it would hold Patterson accountable and (Continued on page 63)
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Kaieteur News
Proposed laws give Gold Board more powers on trading -heavier fines for illegal selling, hoarding Government last week tabled a Bill in the National Assembly to strengthen trading in the gold sector. If the Guyana Gold Board (Amendment) Bill 2019 goes through, it will see miners getting more than two months to hold onto their gold, but shop owners and other having up to two weeks to report on persons they are selling supplies to, in return for payments in gold. There will be more restrictions on how applications are made to export gold and heavier fines, jail and even seizures for any breaches when the amendments to existing laws are passed and take effect. The illegal buying or selling of gold without a licence will attract up to $300,000 in penalties, according to proposed amendments. Gold is the biggest foreign currency earner for Guyana but in recent years, the sector has been dogged by smuggling, under-reporting and manipulations of the trade. This particular amendment would have seen government working hard to push through to the National Assembly.
The Bill, signed by Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, and dated May 21, had its last round of consultations with stakeholders on Monday. Present were representatives of the Gold Board, the ministry, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association, the mining syndicates, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Guyana Women Miners Organisation. According to a ministry statement, the draft Bill was approved by the stakeholder before it went to Cabinet on Tuesday and then tabled in the National Assembly on Thursday. The Explanatory Memorandum of the Guyana Gold Board (Amendment) Bill 2019 said that the new regulations seek to amend the Guyana Gold Board, Act Cap 66:01 and certain provisions of the Tax Act, Cap 80:01 in an effort to strengthen the regulating regime of the gold trade. Under the proposed laws, there will be increased oversight responsibilities for the Gold Board when it comes to trading. Clause 3 of the Bill amends Section 6 of the Act
Stakeholder meeting with government officials on the proposed Bill last week before it was given the blessing to be tabled in the National Assembly. to extend the period within which a producer must sell to the Guyana Gold Board any quantity of gold in his possession.- this means that miners will have up to 75 days to declare their gold, up from the 28 days. The Bill also gives persons, other than miners, up to 75 days to sell their gold to licensed traders. However, the amendment will not apply to a registered goldsmith or a dentist. It will also not be applicable to a person who is in transit in Guyana and has in his possession gold that
was not obtained in Guyana. Clause 5 of the Bill seeks to amend the act by increasing the number of days within which a person licensed to sell, barter, or expose for sale goods at any place in the mining district. The time to do so has moved from 10 to 14 days. Clause 6 seeks to insert a
new section into the act. “This section will provide for the making of a special application to export bars or a quantity of gold which does not exceed 2,000 ounces in a prescribed manner to the board which grants that application subject to the conditions the board thinks fit�.
Punishment With regards to punishment, the proposed amendments provide for the imposition of higher fines of $1M and $3M and imprisonment for a term of five years as a penalty for any breaches. It is also being proposed (Continued on page 16)
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Sunday May 26, 2019
Kaieteur News
Proposed laws give Gold Board more powers on trading... From page 15 that if any breaches are found, the gold in question can be seized. “However,” it was explained, “the amendment also provides that any gold forfeited may be recovered through summary proceedings.” Under the amendment, application for a trading licence for gold will be made to the General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board. The application to trade in all other valuable mineral and precious stones will
continue to be made to Guyana Geology and Mines Commission. There will also be increased in the deposits for traders’s licence but this depends where the offices are located. If the premises of the applicant is situated in Georgetown, New Amsterdam or Bartica the deposit will increase from $5,000 to $200,000 to trade in valuable minerals only; $10,000 to $225,000 to trade in precious stones only and $15,000 to $250,000 to trade in both valuable minerals and precious stones.” If the applicant’s premises are elsewhere, then the requirements will move from $2,500 to $50,000. It is also being proposed
that there will be an increase in the fines for which a person may be liable on summary conviction if that person sells or purchases valuable minerals or precious stones, without a licence- from $3,000 to $300,000. “The amendment of section 58 will now provide for a goldsmith, who desires to purchase gold for the purpose of his business or trade as a goldsmith, to make an application for a licence to do so directly to the General Manager of the Gold Board instead of the Commissioner of Geological Surveys and Mines. And, the duty payable on that licence will be increased from $1,000 to $50,000.”
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Kaieteur News
---Hinds’ Sight by Dr. David Hinds---
Perspectives on our Independence: Have we expanded the Freedom-Space since 1966? This week Guyana observes fifty-three years of independence or political freedom from colonial rule. As is the case with most recent post-colonial societies, the debate over whether we are truly independent is as fresh as it was five decades ago. It is an inevitable debate, given the fact that independence ended almost four centuries of institutionalized bondage by the other—the colonizer who reduced his subjects to mere chattel. That is a fact that should never be lost in our debate over the condition of our independence. You do not undo four centuries of bondage in five decades; the formal end of a system does not translate into a cessation of the practice of that system. As Brother Bob Marley, our musical prophet, reminds us: “No chains around my feet/But I am not free.” Guyana and the Anglophone Caribbean became independent amidst great challenges. As the Caribbean approached independence after the Second World War, we were entering a world that was not created for us. When the big countries at the end of the Second World War got together at Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, they constructed a world order for themselves. Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, Guyana and the Caribbean were not on their minds. But we were coming into that world with some things that would become important for us in the Caribbean and important for the world. First, we brought a history of bondage – never forget that. Most of the history of the Caribbean has been a history of bondage. We cannot define who we are outside of that; to do so is suicidal and nonsensical. And out of that history, we were able to carve an identity and a praxis that would help us to see oppression when others failed to do so. We also brought a history
of overcoming. We often talk about slavery and colonialism, but do not often talk enough about how we overcame slavery and colonialism and we are here today. Four hundred years, and we are still here. The history of overcoming and the link between bondage and overcoming is the history of resistance. We in the Caribbean wrote the primer for resistance – always resisting and overcoming. And if you are in bondage as I said, you are constantly thinking about freedom. So, we brought to the world a freedom instinct – an instinct for freedom. Professor Rex Nettleford reminded us that we have not built towers and pyramids and skyscrapers, but that we brought to the world what he describes as our” creative intellect” and our “creative imagination.” When you look around the world and you see Caribbean people doing things and building the world and informing the world and teaching the world and sensitizing the world, it is no accident. It is the fertile Caribbean mind at work. It is why a Bob Marley, a little boy from rural Jamaica could speak to the world, all over the world, to all kinds of people in the world and get them to listen – in the middle of the dancehall amid their celebration, getting them to think about humanity. That was our gift to the world. And if we are thinking about freedom, we are also thinking about democracy. Often, we think about democracy as the invention of the Greeks—that the Greeks gave us democracy. And we teach that to our students all the time. If people say that you are unequal and treat you as unequal, you are constantly struggling for equality; and if you are nurtured in an unjust space, you are constantly thinking about justice. If you are beat down, then in order to stand up, you have got to link hands and link minds. We gave the world democracy. And we must own
democracy. For our democracy comes out of our yearning for freedom and for equality and for justice. When our foreparents were planning to escape from the plantation, they sat around the fire, sat wherever they could find space and they planned. They were engaging in democracy. Let us not surrender these things to other people. We too are democrats. We brought to independence a sense of integration; they enslaved us and colonized us — not just as Barbadians and Grenadians and Guyanese. It was a plantation system in these Caribbean waters. Slavery and colonialism were the epitome of what they now call globalization. We in the Caribbean understand what globalization is and was. We have always been globalized. Again, I borrow from Nettleford, who reminded us that what they now call globalization is “a new designation for an old obscenity.” So, if you are suppressed and oppressed by a global framework, you resist that suppression and that oppression with a global resistance — a resistance of integration. Integration did not start with the Federation in 1958 — integration started on the plantations. As they were planning to break out of the plantation, they made sure that they did not plan to escape from one plantation. They sent the message to other plantations. They were integrating, always seeking to be plural. We brought to independence a radical instinct — getting to the roots. Not the top, not the surface, because to beat the system you had to uproot the system. Slavery was not about half slave and quarter people, or half slave and half people — you were a full slave in the eyes of the slave master; you were not a human being. And so, to beat slavery you had to get to the root. And so, we brought radicalism, a radical instinct to our
The Baccoo Speaks Holidays always cause people to drop inhibitions to the extent that some become reckless. One reckless driver will overdo things with his car and kill a man. Not satisfied, he would drive away having come to the realization that his recklessness has landed him trouble. Unfortunately people would record his number plate. ** Some less than enter-
prising people would try to take advantage of some people who are accommodating visitors at this time. They would attempt a robbery while the people are
out enjoying themselves. They would be apprehended because security videos would capture them. One would be a person who had recently been released from prison. ** A news story about a massive expenditure on tickets for a show would spark another round of politics. The truth is that while tickets would be distributed to a few these tickets were obtained at no cost to the state.
independence. And finally, we brought to our independence a knowledge of the world. Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican, led the largest black mass movement, a global movement in the early part of the 20th century. Many of the leading Pan Africanists from Henry Sylvester Williams, George Padmore, Garvey himself, Frantz Fanon coming right through to Walter Rodney, thought locally and globally. They had a sense of the world. When the trade unionists came back in the early part of the century from a conference in Europe, they were not talking about Barbadian independence and Trinidadian independence. They were talking about Caribbean independence. But even as we celebrate our independence and our contribution to the world, we are still grappling with the legacy of colonialism. Another of our musical icons, David Rudder, tells us a bitter truth—that we live in a world “that don’t need islands no more.” Our islands once made Europe rich—the root of their wealth lies in our little islands or as Walter Rodney would say, their development is a function of our underdevelopment. So, as we celebrate, we must also reflect on our condition, in all its manifestations. We Caribbean people like to party—for good reason—but we have at all times a duty to engage in a “conscious party.” In other words, we must dance to the rhythm of freedom, for if you are/were bound in captivity, your dance can only be a dance of freedom. The question before us this independence is whether we have done enough to translate our independence into a deliberate quest for freedom. Have we expanded the freedom-space since 1966? Are our people — especially the least among us — freer today than they were in 1966? If socio-economic poverty was the most damning consequence of colonization, what have we done to decrease its grip on our society? What have we done to turn the plantation model into its opposite? Any fair observer must answer those questions more in the negative that the positive. After fifty-three years of independence, our country still resembles a plantation society. Our former colonial masters still control the drift of our collective motion. But we know enough now to know that that outcome was inevitable. The question is whether we have mustered the collective will to negotiate that in-
evitability. Again, the answer has to be more a no than a yes. Note, I am not saying that we have not attempted to deal with those inherent maladies, but in the end, we have to conclude that we have not been as persistent and consistent as we should have been. Yes, our people in Guyana and the wider Caribbean have survived the last six decades —they have, in their native ways, tried to give character and dignity to our independence. They turned plantations into villages and areas of darkness into points of light. Many of us can today lift our gazes to the mountain top, not because of the freedom given to us by some political party or government, but because the people turned themselves into ladders for us to climb. But amid those noble moves, our elites have let us down badly, especially the political elites. We hear the supporters of the various political leaders sing their praises. From Burnham and Jagan to Jagdeo and Granger, we construct these political deities and, in the process, diminish ourselves as an independent people. Not that these men and their governments do not have virtues, but they also have political vices—sometimes these vices are more the rule than the exception. I have long dismissed the Jagan-Jagdeo and BurnhamHoyte regimes as less than transformational. Their attempts at transformation were outweighed by a propensity for plantation-like dictatorship. I acknowledge all the admirable attempts they made, but in the end our independence is poorer—the price we paid for those positives is too high for a post-plantation society to pay. They all—all of them—ended up loving power more than using power to free our society from what the Kwayanas call “the scars of bondage.” I know that I am offending
Dr David Hinds my Jaganite and Burnhamite friends, but the other narrative must be told. As Brother Bob Marley again reminds us: “Half the story has never been told.” I come to our latest government. When it came to power in 2015, I said it was best poised to correct the wrongs of the past—to write that other half of the story. Our society has thrown up social formations at different junctures in our history, but as CLR James would argue, those formations have to be conscious of what they represent and must have the capacity to absorb the positive energies that are responsible for their evolution. On the cricket field, we saw that with Frank Worrell, Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards, but not with Brian Lara and Chris Gayle. The latter two did not have the capacity to absorb the energies that made them possible. Hence, while they shone individually, the West Indian light rapidly faded. I am afraid that if the Granger government does not come to an appreciation of its historical calling, we may end up like the West Indies cricket team. Vision matters. A sense of your government’s place in the historical trajectory of the society matters. I observe the elected leaderships and I see little sign of a willingness to engage history; to engage the present as the past and the future. President Granger is a historian who must know what I am driving at. Should the Coalition return to power, he has to inspire his troops more. More of Dr. Hinds’ writings and commentaries can be found on his YouTube Channel Hinds’ Sight: Dr. David Hinds’ Guyana-Caribbean Politics and on his website www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.news. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com
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Sunday May 26, 2019
Kaieteur News
Murdered mom, vanished car By Michael Jordan
A
t around nine o’clock on the morning of Sunday, May 19, 2019, residents from a new housing scheme in La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, came across a shocking sight. The body of a woman lay face-down in a trench, in a bushy and desolate area. The victim was of East Indian ancestry, and was wearing a pair of blue pants and white top. A pair of slippers lay near the corpse. Ranks from La Grange Police Station arrived and cordoned off the area. Soon after, a young man also arrived. The distraught youth immediately identified the victim. She was his mother, Jennifer Bipat. The 48-year-old Bipat was a widow with two children, and resided at Samaroo Dam Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara. At one time, she had worked as a security guard. A woman working as a security guard is particularly vulnerable at night, and relatives had expressed concern about her safety. Mrs. Bipat then switched careers and began driving a taxi. Some six months ago, she bought a Toyota Premio, PXX 4114, and began operating from a Goed Fortuin, West Coast Demerara taxi service. It is alleged that on the afternoon of Saturday, May 18, at around 04.30 p.m., Mrs.
Detectives scour the crime scene
Bipat received a call on her cell phone. The call was reportedly from someone who wished to hire her. Mrs. Bipat allegedly told the dispatcher that she would not be returning to the base for the rest of the night. She then left. Seemingly wary about working late into the night, Mrs. Bipat would always return home at around seven in the evening, When she failed to show up, her daughter, Tharisma Samaroo, became worried. She became even more concerned when her mom failed to answer her phone or respond to messages. As night fell, the daughter, her brother, an aunt and grandmother contacted ranks at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police
Jennifer Bipat
Station and reported Mrs. Bipat missing.
The following day, they received reports about the
discovery of a woman’s body at the back of Dairy, a section of La Parfaite Harmonie. Her 24-year-old son, Deokhan Samaroo, went to the scene and immediately confirmed that the victim was his missing mom. A post mortem revealed that she had been strangled and struck on the head. Almost a week has passed and there has still been no trace of Mrs. Bipat’s car. So far, police have not detained a single suspect, and seem to have few leads. Investigators appear to have not ruled out the possibility that this killing may not be a carjacking. But could someone have lured or forced Mrs. Bipat to drive to the desolate area where she was found? It is practically unlikely that the victim would have willingly ventured there. A resident who spoke with me said that most taxi drivers are reluctant to enter that desolate section of Parfait Harmonie, particularly at sundown. Another question that some are asking is, if the motive was merely robbery, why would the individual also kill Mrs. Bipat? And did the fact that the
victim was beaten and strangled suggest that the ‘carjacker’ did not possess a weapon? Asked if she had sensed anything unusual in her mom’s behaviour, the daughter, Tharisma Samaroo, says that Mrs. Bipat had left home in a ‘happy’ mood. She knows of no one who would have wanted to harm her mother. As the days pass with no new leads, she is pleading for a breakthrough that would lead to the apprehending of her mom’s killer. “I need justice for my mom. I am asking if they wanted her car, you could have just taken it, why beat her? I am begging the police, and the public, to help us get justice.” If you have any information on this case incidents or any other unsolved murders, please write to us at our Lot 24 Saffon Street Charlestown office or you can contact us on telephone numbers 22-58458, 2258465, 22-58473, or 2258491. You need not disclose your identity. You can also contact Michael Jordan on +592 645-2447 or via his email a d d r e s s kamarangnight@gmail.com
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Kaieteur News
==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==
After 53 years, Guyana needs a higher civilization
O
ne of the scientific, deterministic traits in the functionalism of civilization is the movement, from lower to higher, of a person, group and nation. If after a university degree, a good job, and access to money, when a person reaches age sixty, he/she has nowhere to live and nothing to eat, then that person did not progress to a higher stage. If in 1920, the police force of a country fitted out its ranks with bicycles for them to go the crime scenes and forty years after, they are doing the same in an age of highspeed vehicles, then that country has not moved from lower to higher growth. On this day, Guyana has achieved 53 years of Independence. Just take two countries that were at the same stage as Guyana in 1966, and the comparison is extremely painful – Trinidad and Singapore. Guyana is larger than both combined. Guyana is far more endowed with natural riches than both. On this day of Independence, with over seventy percent of the population under forty years of age, the people of this country must either move to a higher civilization or do the decent thing and give the country away to other nations that have a higher civilization. I have been doing newspaper analyses and commentaries since 1988, and the backwardness I wrote about back then, I am lamenting in identical language 30 years after. Rewind the clock 25 years ago, and the acquisition of a birth certificate was almost
impossible. On Thursday afternoon, a friend pleaded with me to help, after showing me a reply acknowledging his application for a birth certificate. That was since last June and he is still waiting. But that is not all. He needs the birth certificate to engage in a process that would make his life a better one. In Canal Polder, GWI disconnected a customer for owing $5,000. He solicited my help because he has his bill to show he paid off that sum months ago. I intervened and wrote a column about the headaches I had in making telephonic contact with GWI office in Region 3. I had to ask the secretary of the CEO in Georgetown to help. This was last year. Since then the bill comes back every month with the same $5,000 debt. He has given up and I have given up. Que sera, sera - whatever will be. This is Guyana. I joined the UG staff in 1986 where I saw the atrocious washroom conditions. On Monday, May 20, 2019, I heard Christopher Ram say that in the Department of Law, the washrooms are nonexistent. Let me remind you that Ram made that assertion 29 years after I saw the same horror show at UG. I came back in 1984 from studies abroad and took up residence in the Georgetown ward I was born into Wortmanville. All the alleyways in Wortmanville were clogged up then and looked like a jungle. All the alleyways in Wortmanville in 2019 are in the identical state. This is one in the count-
less columns I have done in my 31-year-old media career on Independence; it is only natural to look at Guyana on the day of the anniversary of its Independence. When I look back at those commentaries, I see an unchanging country. You cannot help wondering what has happened during those 53 years. After 53 years, a country has to move from a lower level to higher levels of development.
My wife is living proof of what I am about to write. After my daughter went to Europe to study, the first correspondence she sent to us, she mentioned how easy it was to get things done. And she contrasted the bureaucracy at her current university with what she experienced at UG. This is where the young people must demand a higher civilization in this country. Why does a young man
that needs a birth certificate to improve his chances of life have to beg someone to help him get it? Why does a young person who is given time off from her unreasonable boss to renew her driver’s licence have to spend four hours in a line of a hundred persons? And when she goes back to work, stress takes over her, because of the wrath of her boss? All of this happens in a country where only about 100,000 persons have to inter-
Frederick Kissoon face with the bureaucracy. Come May 2020, will Guyana get a higher civilization?
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Sunday May 26, 2019
Kaieteur News
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE, GUYANA! The Alliance For Change wishes all of Guyana a happy 53rd Independence Anniversary. We are very proud of the strides Guyana has made in just the last four years, and we can truly say, “Guyana comin’ back!” Over the past few weeks we have been laying out just a few of the accomplishments that this APNU+AFC Coalition Government has chalked up since the historic general elections of May 11, 2015. We have literally placed Guyana on the world map. This Government now has an obligation to every single Guyanese to make sure that we continue to earn the respect we now receive from current and would-be foreign investors, from technical advisory bodies, regulatory bodies, financial organizations and from Guyanese who have done well in their careers and wish to come back home to contribute. We hope that you took the opportunity to participate in the Guyana Carnival and
the splendid events organised by our local promoters. Celebrations are going on among Guyanese all over the world. Our friends in Brooklyn, New York tell us that their Guyana Independence Celebration Committee will host the annual New York celebrations on Sunday June 2 in Brooklyn, under the theme: “Fan The Flame of Guyanese Patriotism”. They expect to fete thousands of Guyanese from the New York City tri-state area and throughout North America as they flock Brooklyn for the parades, cultural events and parties. This outpouring of support expands with each passing year, and today it is the second largest Caribbean celebration in New York City, after the Labor Day Parade. On a more serious note, the AFC is very proud of the developmental works that the APNU+AFC Coalition Government has done in just four years. Everything that has been accomplished has
transformed the lives of people. The quality of life for the working man has improved with increases in the salaries of public servants and employees in the private sector, with better health care facilities and some essential services like water being modernized and expanded. Education remains priority Number 1 and much better facilities have been implemented to get more of our children easy access to their education, and to the services such as the Internet to aid the learning processes. The rebuilding of the nation’s infrastructure continues with better roads and bridges, and we are close to eradicating the dread of floods every time the rain falls. We’re not quite there as yet but this is a shortterm goal. Today, the rights of citizens are respected and honoured with improved and assured access to the justice system. The capital city remains a work in progress and we expect that all of the players holding some
responsibility, even if it is a moral one, to keep our city cleaned, zoned, disciplined and orderly, will get on the train so that our Garden City could be restored, i.e. including the City Hall. The Promenade Gardens is certainly getting ready to play their part. This Government has named and is still developing new townships; we have brought to our people living in hinterland and outlying regions access to information with at least 6 new regional radio stations. We now live in a safer, democratic country where the rights of citizens are respected and upheld, and the media are free to function without interference or intimidation. The Coalition Government has worked tirelessly since 2015 to prepare Guyana for our big Transformation, our Economic Renaissance with a whole new sector – Oil and Gas, and while we maneuver ourselves into position with a slew of new legislation and regulations, agencies and advanced international technical support, we are simultaneously staging a robust defence of our territorial borders. Under the leadership of President David Granger and
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Guyana’s positive reputation and image have been restored on the regional and international stages. The AFC is pleased and satisfied with the work of its ministers in Government and with the government as a whole. The party acknowledges that there is much more work to be done to achieve the goal we are aiming for, that is to give all Guyanese “the Good Life”. This promise we intend to keep despite all the odds, despite every barrier that the unrelenting, unreasonable and vicious opposition throws up, despite limited financial resources, despite the threats by our neighbor to the west, Venezuela. Here we have to express our gratitude to the entire Caribbean Community for standing with us in this our time of need. There is so much work still left to be done, but we can take comfort in the hope that our people are really benefitting from what this Government has done so far, so much so that you are willing to see it through. We would like our young citizens who had no previous experience of a good, caring
Government to experience it. We would like them to continue to have faith and hope in a forward, modern nation that designs its programmes for their benefit, for their growth. We know for sure that President David Granger would run again for the Presidency since he is now healthy, fit and ready to campaign. The AFC expects to hold its congress soon to make the very important decisions on our way forward. Nevertheless, we all have one very clear objective, i.e. to prevent the rampaging, corrupt PPP from taking up where it left off in 2015, prevent it from coming back to destroy what has been built up, to run this nation back into the ground with high levels of corruption, nepotism and pillaging of the State’s resources. So, until we begin to reap the real benefits from our Oil and Gas sector, Guyana will continue to struggle to earn enough money to keep this ship of state from failure. In May 2015, we were way past the edge of becoming a failed economy, but the Coalition pulled us back. Guyana is indeed comin’ back!
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Kaieteur News
My column
Fifty-three years have gone as have many things
M
ost people in Guyana today know nothing about May 26, 1966. They simply were not around. I was and I remember the day as if it were yesterday. For starters, I was born when this country was still a British colony. I sang God Save the Queen and Britannia Rule the Waves, Britons shall never be slaves. And like many my age, we sang lustily not knowing what we were singing. The rulers were white. There was the Police Commissioner, the Governor, the principal of my school and to my eyes, the people working behind the counter at the commercial banks. Buildings all flew the Union Jack. As Boy Scouts we mounted that flag, sometimes incorrectly. I still remember being corrected that a broad white band marked the top of the flag. To fly it upside down was to indicate distress. The police stations were manned by people who looked like me but who came out on the road to salute when the commissioner had to pass by. If they felt any bitterness they never made it known. I was a teenager when the announcement came that the country would become independent. Of course we did not know what it meant except, that we would be ruling ourselves. A Governor General would be the supervisor. There was a competition to name the flag. I remember seeing the name of a schoolmate against an entry that said the Golden Arrowhead. But there were names such as the Guyana Penticolour. We know what the name of our flag is today. Another schoolmate, later a world renowned pianist, Ray Luck, played the national anthem on a piano. It was recorded. As May 26, 1966 approached the excitement was there. Flags were flown all over the country; steelbands were there in galore and of course, the Police Force Band practised to a frenzy. But even before that Queen Elizabeth came to Guyana that February. In dock was the Royal Yacht Britannia. Britannia rule the waves. School children came out in droves to welcome her wherever she went. I remember sitting in the sun on the police ground at Eve Leary when her sister, Princess Margaret came in 1962. I was one of the boys selected to form the outline of Guyana. The Queen was visiting. I got a glass of drink and a piece of cake for my contri-
bution. I was much older when the Queen came. I remember a big event, a fair, at the British Guiana Sports Club Ground adjoining Queens College. May 25, 1966 saw me borrowing my uncle’s bicycle, putting it on a train and travelling to Georgetown for the flag raising ceremony. What a night it was. I saw my schoolmates who formed the QC Cadet Corps playing toy soldiers. The flag went up and the tramping through the streets began. I switched from band to band having left my bike at a house at Albert and Lamaha Streets. The homeowner assured that my bike would be safe and so I joined a band. I remember tramping all night and riding to Beterverwagting the next day to meet a most furious uncle. I never got his bike again but I didn’t care. The day looked the same to me, except that the flags had changed. Gradually the face of the leadership of the country changed. More locals were beginning to gain top positions. Felix Austin became the first Guyanese police Commissioner, replacing a Mr. Owen. Many things have gone. The segregation that kept people like me from certain clubs disappeared. And to remove any semblance of racism even the names of some clubs had to be changed. The Chinese Sports Club became Cosmos Sports Club. East Indian Cricket Club became Everest and BG Cricket Club became Guyana Sports Club. The East Indian Education Trust College became the Richard Ishmael Trust College. Everything that happened over those fifty-three years were not for the better. There was a railway, the first in South America. It moved hundreds of people along the coast daily. In places where the roads were so atrocious that people simply put their cars on the train. It is hard to imagine that cars could not drive easily to either Rosignol or Parika. We scrapped the railway when fuel was cheap and the roads improved. That was a terrible mistake, something that the late Ptolemy Reid later admitted. Law enforcement is a thing of the past. People display utter disregard for cleanliness. We still dump garbage in the streets; we disregard authority and bribery is a culture. We swear regardless of where we are and elders are no longer respected. Schools,
at least some of them, have become doors through which some children pass without learning anything. Guyana was at one time the most literate society in the region. Illiteracy was rare. Today the number of illiterate young people is astonishing. I enter police stations and hear young people saying that they cannot read or write. We complain about grammar, something that was a must in the pre-independence days. We nationalized some industries not realizing the consequences. Foreigners con-
trolled them. When we took over those, we suddenly found problems with the marketing. I still do not regret nationalization. There was a change in dress. Our women dressed like the white ladies with hats and fans. Men wore tight suits with waistcoats and tie choking them in this sweltering heat. The dashiki came and the ties were actually scrapped by Forbes Burnham.They came back with Desmond Hoyte, as did the suits which we still wear to formal occasions. Of
course, some of us make the tie optional. I have dozens but simply can’t bring myself to wear them. And so we celebrate fiftythree years of independence with joie de vivre. By the end of today many of us will be tired or drunk or both. Fortunately, we have a whole day to recover, although people like me will be working just as I do all year. I don’t see the decorated buildings anymore for this occasion. There are no Best Garden competitions and there are no music festivals. Instead we
Adam Harris have Buju Banton and Machel Montano and Kes and the Band. One good thing is that we have not lost of right to live and have fun.
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Kaieteur News
A troubled Presidency that ended with the loss of political power The 8th President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Donald Ramotar and several high-ranking members of his cabinet, have developed a penchant for criticizing the APNU+AFC administration by writing letters to the Editors of the independent dailies. The former President must know that a person who is vulnerable to criticism regarding certain issues should be extremely careful when launching verbal attacks on similar issues. It is way too early for the former Chief Executive to claim political amnesia. However, if that is the case, here is a reminder why APNU labeled him ‘Man of the Year’ in 2014. In 2014, the Latin American Public Opinion (LAPOP) Project confirmed widely-held perceptions about Guyana’s 8th President. The Report determined that there had been a decline in Ramotar’s approval rating and an increase in the number of those who thought the economy worsened that year [Stabroek News 19th November 2014]. LAPOP also found that, refer-
ring to President Ramotar’s decision to suspend Parliament, fewer than 9 per cent of people agreed that the National Assembly should be suspended in a time of crisis. The LAPOP Report added that “…the political outlook for the Guyanese regime suffered a moderate but general reversal in legitimacy levels in 2014.” It attributed loss of confidence in Ramotar to several factors including “…popular perception of economic performance, citizens’ sensing that the government may not be able to successfully negotiate agreements with opposition members in the parliament, or a broader public perception of a government inability to satisfy citizen demands.” Ramotar’s prorogation of parliament on Monday 10th November enraged the nation. This ‘Proclamation’ effectively paralysed the parliamentary process and smothered the voices of the people’s legitimate representatives in the National Assembly – an affront to the Guyanese electorate who, three years earlier in November 2011, voted for
A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change to have the majority of seats in the National Assembly. Ramotar, as President, had earlier displayed gross disrespect for the National Assembly by refusing to assent to the Local Government (Amendment) Bill which had been passed by the National Assembly along with the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Bill, the Local Government Commission Bill and the Fiscal Transfers Bill. These had all been scrutinised by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government before passage. He withheld his assent to the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2013 which stated that elections must be held on or before August 1, 2014. Ramotar tactlessly told his supporters at a town hall meeting in New York that he did indeed promise ¯ in the PPPC 2011 election manifesto ¯ that, once his party was returned to office, local government elections would be held within the first year. He then
admitted reneging on his own promise explaining, fatuously, “… I did not anticipate that we would have had a one-seat minority in Parliament and that created political uncertainty… within what we call the politics of the country.” Ramotar’s low rating in terms of public security was consistent with his rating on governance. Ramotar himself had raised the alarm over the state of human safety and the rate of murders. He warned the Guyana Police Force, on 24th April 2014, that the country might be facing an “avalanche of crimes.” The Global Status Report on Violence Prevention 2014, compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), had cited Guyana as having one of the highest homicide rates in the world with just over 20 deaths per 100,000 of the country’s population. This country was listed as “the 16th most homicidal country globally.”The Report pointed out that Guyana’s estimated rate of homicide per 100,000 of the population was 20.2 persons for 2012. Ramotar, in the wake of the publication of the Report, summoned Guyana Defence Force Chief-of-Staff Brigadier
Mark Phillips and Guyana Police Force Commissioner Seelall Persaud to the Office of the President. Ramotar, according to the Government Information Agency, instructed his security chiefs, rather implausibly, if not impossibly, to “get on top” of the crime situation. Ramotar, apart from his busy schedule of cutting ribbons, delivering ‘keynote’ speeches, holding press conferences and opening exhibitions, was actually doing very little about solving the country’s day-to-day problems. His tenure was rocked by eruptions of angry public protests, both on the coastland and in hinterland communities. The Barima-Waini Region saw public protests over the deplorable condition of schools’ toilets, roadways and the unstable electricity supply.The PomeroonSupenaam Region saw protests by paddy farmers about payments for paddy and services to the industry. The Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara Region saw protests against torture and extra-judicial killings by members of the Police Force. The Demerara-Mahaica Region saw protests over the failure to hold local government elections. The East Berbice-
Corentyne Region saw protest over crime on the Corentyne and, on the East Bank Berbice, bad roads. The Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region’s regional administrative centre, Bartica, saw residents protesting about losing electricity for several days in July. Transport operators also protested about the delay in the reconstruction of the Bartica-Potaro Road. The Potaro-Siparuni Region’s regional administrative centre, Mahdia, once again saw protests against poor roads, electricity, water and other services. The Rupununi Region’s regional administrative centre, Lethem, saw residents converging outside the Lethem Power Company Inc. compound protesting against the hike in electricity tariffs for the community. The Upper DemeraraBerbice Region saw protests, including the blockage of the Linden-Kwakwani Road, to call attention to the deplorable state of the vital roadway which had been deteriorating for years without serious long-term repairs. The record shows that this was a troubled Presidency that ended with the loss of political power. No amount of letter writing or empty pontification can erase these facts.
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Fighting Death, Impacting lives: Emergency Medicine By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine At any point of the day, there is a sick, dying patient that the emergency room staff is fighting to keep alive. Over the years, acute medical care was slowly improving but then came the specialty of emergency medicine, and the practice of emergent medical care has drastically improved since. Life-threatening illnesses and injuries are now detected much earlier and managed more efficiently and effectively. The emergency medicine doctors see the very sick and injured patients, impact their lives, and rarely ever get to see them when they regain their senses. The nurses and doctors in this field work under intense pressure against the unpredictable and always attempt to come out on top. The sad reality of life is that they cannot always come out on top, but they will try to: lives often depend on the efforts of these professionals. This, along with the opportunity to be the first to get a chance to impact patient’s lives, is what drives the emergency medicine specialists, often against the odds. As we prepare to celebrate World Emergency Medicine Day tomorrow, I thought it would be fitting to let you know a little more about this vital specialty of medicine. WHAT IS EMERGENCY MEDICINE? According to the International Federation for Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine is a medical specialty based on the knowledge and skills required for the prevention, diagnosis and management of acute and urgent aspects of illness and injury affecting patients of all age groups with a full spectrum of undifferentiated physical and behavioral disorders. It further encompasses an understanding of the development of pre-hospital and inhospital emergency medical systems and the skills necessary for this development. This still new specialty has tremendously impacted healthcare and to the benefit of the population. Establishment of this specialty began in the late 1960s to early 1970s and its growth is now easily recognized worldwide. Emergency specialists staff most
emergency departments in hospitals and studies have proven the benefit of their presence to the sick and injured patient population. The last census in the US showed that the rate of emergency department visits per 100 people rose from 34.2 to 40.5 from years 1996 to 2006. This emphasizes the need for emergency medicine specialists but also the impact of their presence on patient visits. WHAT IS IT THAT EMERGENCY DOCTORS DO? The reality is a sick or injured individual on average has the best chance of survival if they encounter an emergency physician first. These specialists are required to keep a strong knowledge of all the aspects of medicine because of the differing and unknown nature of the patient that may present to them. Emergency physicians must have the skills of many specialists. They must have the ability to resuscitate a patient (critical care medicine), manage a difficult airway (anesthesia), suture a complex laceration (plastic surgery), reduce (set) a fractured bone or dislocated joint (orthopedic surgery), treat a heart attack (cardiology), work-up a pregnant patient with vaginal bleeding (Obstetrics and Gynecology), stop a bad nosebleed (Ear Nose and Throat), place a chest tube(cardiothoracic surgery), and to conduct and interpret x r a y s and ultrasounds (radiology). They must be able deliver these and many other skills at any point in time to any patient according to the setting they are provided. What makes it even more remarkable is the fact that they multi-task and prioritize so that they can be managing multiple patients at any given time. These doctors are required to function in emergency departments and sometimes wards, events (any large gathering who are at risk of being injured or getting sick), disasters/ mass casualties, ambulances, air medevacs, and are also often required to assist in medical administration of these settings. WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GUYANA? In 2010 this specialty migrated to Guyana and it has blossomed strongly under the leadership of faculties from
Vanderbilt Medical Center and Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation. Emergency specialists are present at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Accident & Emergency Department (GPHC A&E) year round, training budding doctors to become emergency medicine specialists. The critically ill and injured Guyanese patient in need of emergent medical care now have the opportunity to access specialized emergent medical care at this emergency room. Medical conditions ranging from a heart attack to stroke, pneumonia, complications from a motor vehicle ac-
cident, an abscess or even a sick patient who doesn’t know what’s the cause, can be seen and effectively managed by these emergency physicians. Administering advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to a dying patient is often regarded as the hallmark of practice for emergency physicians. There are at least two of these specialists on every shift at the GPHC A&E. As we progress, you will have more access to these specialists and benefit from more advanced emergency care earlier. More importantly, as we train more of these specialists, you will be able to access their service at other
regional hospitals in the near future. But we are not done, we have also embarked on training specialist emergency nurses and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). We are building a strong team of emergency professionals who will initiate care at the site of your illness (home or an accident scene) and efficiently transport you to the specialist nurses and doctors in the emergency departments who will make your emergency their emergency. Emergency care in Guyana is improving rapidly. Once there are critically sick or injured patients in need, then there will always be reason for
Dr Zulfikar Bux the enhancement of the emergency medicine specialty. So the next time you come across an emergency medical provider tending to the sick, know that they have a packed plate, but if you have a real emergency, they will find space on that plate for you.
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Sunday May 26, 2019
SUNDAY $30B AND COUNTING NEW AIRPORT AND RUNWAY EXTENSION…‘NEW’ CJIA STILL LACKS CARGO AREA, OFFICE SPACE, NEW PARKING LOT, ETC. –AFC commits to releasing modified airport designs –insists corruption is a cultural problem in Guyana The smaller faction in the coalition government, the Alliance For Change (AFC), on Friday said it has no problem lobbying Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, to release t h e modified airport designs. The party has also admitted that Guyana faces severe challenges in the fight against corruption. Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, also Vice-Chairperson of AFC, made the comments on Friday during the party’s press conference. The press conference was being hosted by Hughes and executive member, former Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin. The issue of the corruption fight was brought to the fore recently in a statement by the Coalition Government celebrating four years since the historic May 2015 general elections which saw them entering office. According to the Coalition Government, it is still facing hurdles in the fight against corruption. Questioned about the AFC stance, Gaskin admitted that one can never completely eradicate corruption. ”…And certainly it remains a problem in Guyana. I don’t think we, as a government, are denying that there is still a lot of work to be done…I think we acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to be done. I believe that corruption has been reduced over the last few years …There is less tolerance for corruption at the highest level and I believe there is a lot more transparency and I think there is more accountability.” According to the party, the things that are being reported today and disclosed, were things that were not known about four or five years ago. ”As I said, that is a work in progress and there remains a lot of work to be done.” The officials challenged the private sector, media and other persons to report persons who are involved in corruption. Gaskin acknowledged that citizens are reluctant to do so for many reasons. With regards to the ongoing US$150M project at the
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Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Minister Hughes said that the party has “no objections at all” in asking her colleague of the AFC, Minister Patterson to release the modified plans. DON’T BE FEARFUL OF RENEGOTIATION…EXXON WILL NOT WALK AWAY FROM GUYANA, NO MATTER WHAT – SAYS HOUSTON UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTOR The APNU+AFC Administration has taken the position that renegotiation of the highly criticized Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Hess Corporation and CNOOC/NEXEN, would send the wrong impression to investors. Like Exxon, it stressed that there must be respect for the sanctity of contracts. But Tom Mitro, Instructor and the Co-Director at the University of Houston, told Kaieteur News in unambiguous terms, that the renegotiation of contracts is quite normal in the petroleum industry. And when it comes to the uneasiness over contract renegotiation in Guyana, the Instructor categorically stated that ExxonMobil and its partners would not walk away from Guyana because the people want better terms. The Senior Fellow with the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) said, “You can safely say, and write this down, ‘Exxon will not walk away from Guyana, no matter what. They have no other opportunity like this in the world…” The Consultant who has 45 years of experience in management and instruction of petroleum financial, commercial and government related
activities said that even if ExxonMobil walked, which is highly unlikely, there are many other reputable companies that would willingly come into the sector. Mitro who previously worked for 32 years for Gulf Oil and Chevron said, “The best way for Government to do it (renegotiation) is to say ‘Let’s try to find a way forward that works for all of us’ because ExxonMobil is facing criticisms on this deal from different observers and the government too…” Mitro who teaches contract negotiation and studies the personalities of oil conglomerates said that criticisms of the current PSA poses risks for both the State and ExxonMobil. He said that ExxonMobil could face the risk of being excluded by some countries, for example, because they are not dealing fairly. The University Professor said, “Even the government can be at risk, because who knows…it may cause them to lose elections or cause unrest…” Furthermore, the Senior Fellow with the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment said that this project under current terms and relatively low oil prices will bring great returns for ExxonMobil. As such, Mitro said that Guyana can adjust and tweak terms in the contract so that it works for both parties. He said that trying to force a deal that does not work for both parties has implications. MONDAY BLOODY END TO BERBICE ‘TERROR GANG’…THREE GUNMEN KILLED IN BLACK BUSH POLDER SHOOTOUT – HIGH-POWERED RIFLE AMONG WEAPONS
RECOVERED The manhunt for a gang suspected to be behind a spate of brutal attacks in Berbice ended in a bloody shootout Sunday, with police killing three wanted men during a shootout at the Joanna,
Black Bush Polder back-dam. Kelvin Shivgobin called ‘Kelly’ who was wanted for the murder of the Samaroo brothers from Bushlot Village; Sewchand Seelall, who was charged and later released on a robbery under arms charge
in 2015, and Ramnarine Jagmohan, were identified as the slain bandits. Ramnarine Jagmohan was previously charged for the murder of Devendra Deodat called ‘Dave’, a businessman who lived at Hampshire Village. He was released from prison in March following a no-case submission by his attorney Chandra Sohan. Ramnarine was charged along with another brother Neshan Jagmohan who was killed during a prison brawl at the New Amsterdam Prison some time ago. Police in bullet-proof vests brought the bodies out of the muddy back-dam. Several residents converged at the area to catch a glimpse of the slain men. Berbice Divisional Commander Paul Langevine, speaking with reporters at the Port Mourant Hospital, where the bodies were taken, confirmed the identities of the slain gunmen. No policeman (Continued on page 42)
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From page 41 was injured during the period of continuous gunfire. Langevine commended his ranks for a job well done and said. WITH TWO INT’L BANKS EAGERTO RETREAT FROM GUYANA… FINANCE MINISTER HOPES OIL WILL LURE ALTERNATIVE WESTERN BANKING SERVICES Two international banks are poised to make a clean cut from Guyana. Bank of Baroda which is headquartered in India has informed the Government that it will be selling its operations here. Canada’s Bank of Nova Scotia is also selling off its branch here to Republic Bank, pending the approval of Government. Speaking with Kaieteur News recently, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan noted that the exit of the two banks from these shores will have implications. He said that the absence of the correspondent banking services provided by these banks would leave the system more cumbersome in terms of automaticity. The economist said that going forward; government will have to seek new or more nontraditional partners. The Minister said, “We have to see what alternative western banking service we can get and also to look and see what nontraditional banking service might be available. Right now we are using Crowns Agents Banking…We are looking for more banks to come in but we believe that once the oil starts flowing and business starts picking up then we would or may start to see more coming in.” Minister Jordan was keen to note that he was at no point in time, informed of Scotia’s intention to sell its assets to Republic Bank prior to when it came to the media’s attention in November last year. Considering this, Kaieteur News asked Jordan to say who is monitoring and/or may have dropped the ball in adequately forewarning the government about this tremor in the banking sector. Jordan said, “You are hardly forewarned when you are dealing with these kinds of institutions. One of the reasons these banks are pulling out is because of de-risking… And the American banks were pulling out early from the region. It was only a matter of time before the other international banks started pulling out.” The Minister said that in addition to having to operate on small margins, these margins are also being eroded by all the paper work pertaining to meeting rigid anti-money
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laundering requirements. ”They are not going to operate in the small markets, and it is unfortunate because banking has to go on in these territories,” expressed the economist. Further to this, Jordan said that the move by Scotia to sell its assets to Republic Bank is unlike what took place in the past. In this regard, Jordan recalled that when the Royal Bank of Canada wanted out of Guyana’s market, they sold the assets to the government for a dollar. When Chase Manhattan wanted to pull out, Jordan reminded that they approached the government. The economist said that the same was done by Barclays too. ”Because of their approach, Chase and Barclays were then merged and we called it Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI),” the Minister said. In the case of RBC, the Minister noted that it became the National Bank for Industry and Commerce, which is now Republic Bank. FEMALE TAXI DRIVER MURDERED, DUMPED IN TRENCH – CAR STOLEN Concerned for her safety, Jennifer Bipat quit her security guard job for the more lucrative profession of taxi driver. On Saturday night, someone murdered the 48-year-old mother of two, stole her car, and dumped her face-down in a trench aback of a desolate, West Bank Demerara community. Residents of a new housing scheme at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, found Bipat at around 09:00 hrs Sunday, several hours after she had failed to return to her home at Lot 18 Samaroo Dam Pouderyen,
West Bank Demerara. She was fully clothed in a pair of blue pants and a white top, while her slippers were nearby. Her vehicle, a Toyota Premio, PXX 4114, which was purchased a mere six months ago, was missing. Bipat, who operated from Fortune Taxi Service in Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, was reportedly last seen alive at around 18:00 hrs on Saturday. It was at around this time that she received a phone call on her mobile phone, reportedly from someone who had wished to hire her. She then told the dispatcher at the base that she was going to attend to that call and that she would not be returning to the base for the rest of the night. Tharisma Samaroo, her daughter, told Kaieteur News that her mother would always return home around seven in the evening. After that time had passed, and calls and messages to her mother’s phone went unanswered, the
daughter, her brother, an aunt and grandmother contacted ranks at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station and reported Mrs. Bipat missing. At around 9:00 hrs Sunday, the family received a phone call from police ranks who said that had found Bipat’s body in bushy fields at the back of Dairy, a section of La Parfaite Harmonie. One resident who spoke to Kaieteur News suggested that someone who was unfamiliar with the area had disposed of the body. According to the resident, someone who knew that area well would have hidden the body in the bushes that abound in that section of the community. The relative said that most taxi drivers are reluctant to enter the new housing scheme at night, since the area is desolate and has no streetlights. TUESDAY RENEGOTIATE EXXON, GUYANA PSA NOW-SAYS HOUSTON, TEXAS UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTOR Now is the ideal time for Guyana to renegotiate its highly criticized Production Sharing Agreement with ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), Hess Corporation and CNOOC/NEXEN says Tom Mitro, Instructor and Co-Director at the University of Houston. During an interview with Kaieteur News, the Senior Fellow with the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), said that contract renegotiation at this point, before further significant investments are made, is fair to the contractor and would be in Guyana’s best interests. The Consultant who has 45 years of experience in management and instruction of petroleum financial, commercial and government related activities said, “This is the
ideal time to do it. Not only is it a time when the company needs approvals but it is fair for the company too. ”If there is going to be a change of contract terms, do it now. It is better to do it before a vast majority of investment is made.” Mitro, who previously worked for 32 years for Gulf Oil and Chevron, reminded that agreements around the world are always changing. The University Instructor said that operators always push for Stabilization clauses to be embedded in contracts. He explained that those clauses are there to ensure that if the government agrees to certain concessions and that it will take a certain share of profits along with royalty, then they can never change those terms no matter what happens. ”But the reality is, as soon as something happens in the market, the companies are first to knock on governments door asking for changes,” the Instructor added. While noting that contract renegotiation based on mutual agreement is the normal way to do it, the Consultant stressed that the ideal time for Guyana to get this done is now. In addressing apprehensions to broaching Exxon with the topic of renegotiation, Mitro categorically stated that the American super major and its partners would not walk away because better terms are being demanded. In this newspaper’s Sunday publication, the Senior Fellow with the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) said, “You can safely say, and write this down, ‘Exxon will not walk away from Guyana, no matter what. They have no other opportunity like this in the world…” The Consultant said that even if ExxonMobil walked, which is highly unlikely; there are many other reputable companies that would will-
ingly come into the sector. The Senior Fellow with the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment said that this project under current terms and relatively low oil prices will bring great returns for ExxonMobil. Mitro said that Guyana can adjust and tweak terms in the contract so that it works for both parties. ‘GUN YOUTH’ EXECUTED IN EAST LA PENITENCE A man, who was known as Gun Youth, but whose real name was not clear up to press time last night, was gunned down at East La Penitence, Georgetown, in what appears to be a drug-related matter. According to reports, the incident happened just after 20:00 hours. The man, dressed in a lime-green short-pants and multi-colored tee-shirt, appeared to have been executed. He appeared to have been kneeling when he was shot as his body was slumped backwards. The man appeared to be in his late 30s.. Residents and other persons reported hearing three rapid shots. The killing took place in an alleyway said to be located a stone’s throw from the East La Penitence Police Station. THREE SLAIN BANDITS…POLICE DEMOLISH BERBICE CRIMINAL GANG …BULLET-PROOF VESTS, GUNS, AMMUNITION AMONG OTHER ITEMS DISCOVERED It was just after 3:00 Sunday afternoon when the quiet village of Johanna, Black Bush Polder, was interrupted by the sounds of rapid gunfire in the backlands. As the news got out quickly, residents left their homes and converged on a bridge connecting Mibicuri and Joanna Villages. Several jeep loads of police ranks had descended down the muddy dam leading (Continued on page 43)
Sunday May 26, 2019
From page 42 to the location where the gunshots were heard. Three armed men had been shot dead by ranks of the Guyana Police Force, Berbice. The team was led by Senior Superintendent Wayne DeHearte who got down and dirty in the swampy sections, guiding his ranks. The operation for the police was dubbed a major success. Initially, police had stated that Tameshwar Jagmohan was among the three that were shot dead, however relatives of the man have since clarified that it was his brother Ramnarine Jagmohan called ‘Andrew’ that was killed. The other two men have been identified as Sewchand Sewlall, 52, called One Eye Pappy, of Joanna, Black Bush Polder and Kelvin ‘Kelly’ Shivgobin of Belvedere Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Tameshwar Jagmohan is in jail having been committed in March to stand trial for murder. Police in a release, disclosed that ranks in Berbice received intelligence that strange persons were in the backlands of Mibicuri, BBP, a team of ranks led by Senior Superintendent Wayne DeHearte ventured to the location at approximately 15:35 hrs Sunday and whilst scouring the area, came under fire. The ranks immediately took up tactical positions and returned fire in the direction
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Kaieteur News
where the gunshots came from. The exchange of gunshots lasted for a few minutes but it was after it ceased and while combing the said perimeter that the bullet-riddled bodies of the men were discovered sprawled in the muddy area cocooned by vegetation. Beside their bloody bodies were haversacks and the weapons they were armed with. An AR-15 rifle, a pistol, two revolvers, three magazines, 253 live rounds and seven spent shells were found in close proximity to the men. HUSBAND IN CRANE SHALLOW GRAVE MURDER CHARGED Ryan Sugrim, who was accused of shooting his exwife to the head, burning her body and then burying the remains in a shallow grave, was Monday arraigned in the Leonora Magistrate Court. Sugrim, 38, appeared before Magistrate Zameena Ali where the murder charge was read to him. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge. It was alleged that between May 11, 2019 and May 14, 2019 at La Union, West Coast Demerara, he murdered Zaila Sugrim, 36, of Lot 569 Section A Block Y Grove/Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. The defendant was represented by attorney-at-law
Sanjeev Datadin. He told the court that Sugrim is denying the allegation against him and the police are not being helpful with information. As a result they had to make a report to the Police Complaints Authority. The attorney added that in certain parts of the media the police are reporting two different stories in relation to what occurred. He asked for the court to send out a warning to desist from these actions that will affect his client’s trial. As Sugrim was escorted out of the courtroom, his children who were down in the courtyard, sang happy birthday to him. His birthday is today. The defendant calmly smiled at them, waved and walked into the prisoner’s van waiting for him. On Tuesday last, detectives dug up Zaila Sugrim’s bound, wrapped, and decomposing body from a shallow grave behind a Crane, West Coast Demerara gas station where her husband is employed. According to reports, Mrs. Sugrim visited one of her sons on Saturday. She reportedly later left with her estranged spouse. When she failed to return home, relatives tried to contact her. After several futile attempts they reported her missing. WEDNESDAY OPPOSITION COMMISSIONERS ARGUE ERC REPORT INTO GECOM’S HIRING PRACTICES SABOTAGED The report by the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) into the hiring practices of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has been entered into the commission’s record, according to government-aligned commissioner Vincent Alexander, and no decision has been made to
take action otherwise, unless it is discussed at another statutory meeting of the Commission. But Opposition-aligned Commissioner Robeson Benn argued, during Tuesday’s meeting, that the issues which prompted the investigation can’t be concluded on, due to the “non-appearances” of three key persons named by the sub-committee in the report. They are Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers; Human Resources Manager, Marcia Crawford; and GECOM Chairman, Justice James Patterson who, according to the report, failed to produce documents concerning the alleged “shiftiness” of Vishnu Persaud, the person who Myers was chosen over for Deputy Chief Elections Officer. The three persons (Myers, Crawford and Patterson) reportedly were required to and had promised to make available the necessary information, and the report stated that the failure to cooperate with the investigation couldn’t be anything other than deliberate and willful. ”So in effect,” Benn told reporters, “the work of the ERC on this report – the true intent and results which one would have expected – were sabotaged by no other persons than the Chairman of the Commission, who promised to provide documentation, though he now says he gave instructions that that information should be provided.” Commissioner Sase Gunraj told reporters he found it disappointing that staffers of the Commission would so flagrantly disobey an instruction by the Chairman to provide documents necessary for the investigation. Benn said that the issues that prompted the investiga-
tion can’t stand as resolved, because of these non-appearances, as “these are very important and critical issues in respect of the work of the Commission and in respect of how we go forward in our country.” One of the concerns was that there may be an ethnic bias influencing the hiring practices of GECOM. NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTRY DEFENDS CONSULTATIONS TO RESTRUCTURE FORESTRY COMMISSION -SAYS THERE ARE NO ULTERIOR MOTIVES The Ministry of Natural Resources has made it clear that there are no ulterior motives in the ongoing consultations for the restructuring of the Guyana Forestry Commission. There has been a slew of letters complaining about the ongoing process, which is supposed to last until July. According to the Ministry, it has taken note of the letters and commentaries regarding the functioning of the task force. The Ministry reiterated the Cabinet’s direction on the matter. It was explained that in view of the national objective of moving towards a ‘green’ economy and the consequent realignment of critical agencies of state, Cabinet had approved a proposal for the restructuring of the Guyana Forestry Commission. ”Consequently, a task force has been established jointly between the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and the Board of Directors of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) to address the reorganising and restructuring of the Forestry Commission.” Already the Task Force has met with staffers and
management. Among other things, there were questions about the security of jobs of employees. According to the Ministry Tuesday, the Task Force included the technical and administrative talent and personnel of the MNR, the Board, and the Commission who will examine the structure and functioning of the GFC to make recommendations to the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, who in turn, is mandated to present a report to Cabinet. ”The Task Force’s mandate shall include, but will not be limited to, an examination and evaluation of current job descriptions and performance standards, personnel procedures, conditions of employment and appointment, wages and salary structures and payroll administration. It will further aim at improving the efficient performance and effective management of the commission by identifying training and development opportunities for staff,” the Ministry noted. The Task Force is expected to submit to the Minister a work schedule with timelines and a preliminary report that would complete the assignment no later than July 2019. HYMAC SOLD AS SCRAP METAL FOR $35,000 WITHOUT NDC’S APPROVAL Officials of a Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) on the East Coast of Demerara are investigating the sale of excavator by an employee without the necessary procedures being followed. The excavator, despite being stripped over time, belongs to the state and cannot (Continued on page 44)
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From page 43 be sold just like that, the officials insisted. However, it appears that is exactly what an official of the Buxton/Foulis NDC did. The 580C-model Hymac was sold for a mere $35,000 on April 18th, according to the copy of a receipt numbered 100825, which was issued by the NDC in question. The Hymac was sold to one David Hardy. Tuesday, the NDC’s Chairman, Neirpaul Purai, when contacted, admitted that the matter was raised last week, during a statutory meeting of the council. He said that he was shown a receipt for the purported sale of a piece of equipment and there were queries. The Chairman also said that an investigation has commenced. Kaieteur News was told that the piece of equipment was given by a previous administration about 20 years ago. However, during the crime spree of the early 2000s, the excavator was parked in front of a councillor’s home. Thieves stripped parts of it. According to officials, even if state assets are not operational, there is a procedure to be followed for it to be sold. The ministries have to be written and valuation has to be done before it is advertised for sale. In this case, the instructions were given to an office staffer at the NDC and a receipt was prepared for sale of the excavator. An official of the NDC reportedly told councillors that she was given the green light by someone in the Ministry of Communities to sell the excavator. The councillors have reportedly been asking around, without much progress. THURSDAY MAGISTRATE JAILS POLICE INSPECTOR,
Sunday May 26, 2019
Kaieteur News
CHIEF JUSTICE ORDERS HIS IMMEDIATE RELEASE In an order granted late Wednesday afternoon, Chief Justice Roxane GeorgeWiltshire ordered that Police Inspector Prem Narine be immediately released from detention. He was jailed for seven days by Magistrate Rondel Weever who found him guilty of misconduct in court. Wednesday, Magistrate Weever found Inspector Prem Narine guilty of misconduct in court, without even conducting a trial, and sentenced him to imprisonment at the Camp Street jail. This was following the senior law enforcement official’s request of the Magistrate to “address him with respect” after she reportedly spoke to him in a loud tone. After the Magistrate’s order of sentence, Inspector Narine complained of feeling unwell and was rushed to a private hospital where he was admitted under police guard. Subsequent to the Magistrate’s order, Attorneys-at-Law Siand Dhurjon and Everton Singh-Lammy moved to the High Court where they petitioned for Inspector Narine’s release. In her ruling, Justice George-Wiltshire held that the punishment of seven days imprisonment was excessive, and as such set aside the Magistrate’s order. The Chief Justice ordered that there be a partial remission of the sentence to reflect detention from the time the order of sentence was passed (Wednesday) to no later than 16:30hours of the said day. In essence, Justice George-Wiltshire said that the time Inspector Narine spent in police custody was sufficient punishment. Inspector Narine was called to testify Wednesday in an ongoing trial before
Magistrate Weever at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Kaieteur News was reliably informed that Inspector Narine had attended court to testify in the matter of Police vs Mohamed Ali who is on trial for obtaining $2.1M in phone credit by falsely pretending to be Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence. During the court proceedings, while testifying Inspector Narine had a lapse in memory and requested to refresh from his two-page statement. Certain sections of the Evidence Act make provisions for a witness to refresh from his/her statement. PRESIDENT STILL TO DECLARE ASSETS TO INTEGRITY COMMISSION President David Granger has not yet declared his assets to the Integrity Commission. He told reporters this at the Ministry of the Presidency’s Shiv Chanderpaul Drive office. “I have not submitted all of my declarations. [The documents] are taking some time. But I am in touch with (the commission). The commission has heard from me.” The President said that he has had some challenges over the period leading down to the annual deadline of June 30 for officials to declare their assets, but he has assured that he is working on it. He noted that the commission is aware of his interest in ensuring that they’re submitted as quickly as possible. The President had travelled to Cuba frequently for treatment for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the blood. He only lately returned to Guyana, with a warning from his medical team not to take on too much strenuous work. The integrity commission had noted that over a hundred officials have failed to declare their assets, and the
President indicated his concern. Public officers listed under the Integrity Commission Act have to disclose their financial assets and liabilities on or before June 30, each year. ”As far as the Cabinet is concerned the general opinion or general rule is that we should all comply. So, it’s just a matter of time. Some of the details, I think, may have taken some Members time, but I cannot say if all of them are compliant… but that is the policy of the Cabinet, that every Minister should comply.” The entities targeted for scrutiny in a recent publication in the official gazette, by the commission, include the Bureau of Statistics; the Burrowes School of Art; Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation; Cyril Potter College of Education; Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation; Dependent Pension Fund; Environmental Protection Agency; Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation; Guyana Civil Aviation Authority; Guyana Gold Board; Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission; Guyana Livestock Development Authority and the Guyana National Broadcast-
ing Authority. BEWARE OF EXXON’S SKILLFUL NON-COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS, PENALTIESINDUSTRY EXPERTS ExxonMobil is one of the world’s most affluent oil companies with all manner of skills at its disposal. Therefore, if a country’s regulators and politicians are not vigilant and resolute in the decisions made, they could be easily outmanoeuvred by this oil king. Just recently, Oil and Gas Consultant and Local Content Expert, Anthony Paul, conducted an interview with the Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) where he shared an example of how Trinidad and Tobago’s regulators were outmanoeuvred by ExxonMobil back in 2002. Paul said that Exxon was able to skillfully avoid paying a hefty US$50M penalty it was slapped with after failing to honour a commitment to drill two wells. The Industry Expert noted that even though the penalty was handed down by the TT’s regulators, Exxon did not accept it. Instead, the oil giant went above the heads of the technocrats and straight to the government to negoti-
ate its own deal which Paul also highlighted, “had limited inputs from the technical or commercial experts.” The negotiation turned out to be a success for Exxon as it was able to avoid paying the penalty. In exchange, Exxon said it would perform some seismic interpretation and development drilling in TT’s Trinmar acreage and partner with Petrotrin to produce any additional reserves it is able to identify. During a follow-up interview with Kaieteur News on the foregoing case, Paul was careful to note that what he described to CCSI is not unique to TT, the oil industry, nor is it the sole domain of international firms. The Energy and Strategy Advisor said that local companies and individuals engage in similar techniques to earn favour. While there are often legitimate reasons for sidelining established norms, Paul stressed that those doing so should always be doing it in the country’s best interest and should be able to demonstrate this to the public. He said the lesson for Guyana and other countries new to oil and gas, is that, (Continued on page 45)
Sunday May 26, 2019
From page 44 there will always be the need for a higher authority to make a decision ‘above the pay grade’ of operations personnel in the regulatory body. FRIDAY SARA’S PROBE OF OIL BLOCKS NECESSARY -TIGI HEAD CALLS FOR AGENCY TO SEEK TECHNICAL EXPERTISE FOR SUCCESS Head of Transparency International Guyana Inc. (TIGI), Dr. Troy Thomas, is pleased with the recent disclosure that the award of offshore oil blocks to the likes of ExxonMobil is being probed by the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA). The news of the investigation by SARA was first reported by Bloomberg.com, which quoted the agency’s head, Dr. Clive Thomas, as saying that the Stabroek, Kaieteur and Canje Blocks, all operated by ExxonMobil, will be part of the inquiry, as well as Orinduik Block operated by Tullow. The Kaieteur and Canje Blocks were given out by the Ramotar administration just days before the 2015 General and Regional Elections. Speaking with this newspaper last night, TIGI’s head said he is supportive of the probe since the circumstances under which the blocks were given out do raise concerns. The TIGI Head said, “…I know former President Donald Ramotar had rebutted arguments about the giveaway of our assets just before elections. But I think a full investigation would serve us well…The award of contracts should be an open process, especially as it relates to oil. I don’t think we can afford for contracts to be done in the dark.” The official added, “At the end of the day, people have a right to know how their resources are being given out. So SARA is doing the right thing in this regard…” The TIGI Head said that SARA’s investigation should also ascertain what scope there might be for reclaiming any of the offshore assets that were not awarded in a fair manner. He said too, that the anticorruption body should hire all the technical help it needs to en-
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Kaieteur News
sure this investigation it is pursuing is a success as it is a matter of national interest. WORRYING QUESTIONS AS EXPELLED CUBAN ACTIVIST SURFACES IN GUYANA – POLICE ARRESTED, PLACED HIM ON PLANE WITH US$50; TOLD HIM TO ASK US EMBASSY TO GIVE HIM VISA – EXPELLED MAN WANTS GUYANA TO PROVIDE PROTECTION It has been confirmed. A popular Cuban activist described as the ‘Flag Man’ has been expelled to Guyana, in highly controversial circumstances. Police there told him last week that he was being expelled so that he can ask the local US Embassy here to give him a visa. It would raise alarming questions about Cuba’s tolerance to human rights, at a time when the Spanish-speaking country is under pressure by the US for widespread reforms. It would also raise questions about that country’s respect for Guyana’s sovereignty, as local authorities were not even aware that the man was here. The local embassy of Cuba has not responded to requests for a comment on the issue. Thursday, Daniel Miranda Llorente, 55, came to Kaieteur News to tell a shocking story of being picked up with a mere handbag, his passport, voter’s
ID and a Bible. He cannot speak English. But he did see a story of his “deportation” to Guyana in Kaieteur News. He has been residing here since last week, surviving on donations from a few Cubans who recognised him. He has enough money to last him for 10 days, and is hoping for a job. At the airport in Cuba, he was handed the cash equivalent of US$50 by police personnel and told that where he is going, he would be able to seek closer relations with the US by having them grant a visa. He only knew on the plane that he was en route to Guyana. Llorente is known for participating in protests and other forms of activism in Cuba wearing a US flag. There are many videos and photos
online. He has been arrested several times, jailed and even placed in a hospital to determine whether he is mentally stable. Dressed in red Chinos and a t-shirt depicting a flag of Cuba and the US and President Donald Trump, Llorente was calm and collected while being interviewed by Kaieteur News and US-based online news, Brietbart.com. It was the same T-shirt, which he was wearing when he was sent here. He said that in Cuba, he is known as a dissident. He has over time been worrying authorities with his activism fighting the Communist government there. More so for openly stating his respect for US. JAILED Over the years, Llorente was arrested and even went to jail for nine years. Recently, he was even forcibly placed on a tour bus so he would not be present during government-sponsored events. He was locked up for a few days before being released. He was detained again May 16 at his home. He just managed to grab a handbag and his Bible and a Voter’s ID. He was taken to the José Martí International Airport and placed on a plane. On the aircraft, he was given an immigration form, which would have required that he fill out the reasons for the visit in Guyana. According to Llorente, as he could not speak and write English, he left some parts of the form blank. He said at the airport, he was stamped in without much questions asked. SATURDAY US EMBASSY CONFIRMS IT IS ENGAGING “EXPELLED” CUBAN ACTIVIST The United States embassy in Georgetown on Friday confirmed that it is being engaged in the matter involving Daniel Llorente, a 55-yearold Cuban activist who claimed he was illegally bundled on a plane and dumped in Guyana last week. Known for adorning himself with the US flag, and par-
ticipating in protests in Cuba, much to the anger of authorities there, Llorente claimed to local and international media, including Kaieteur News, that he was told by police who detained him in his country that he should ask for a visa at the Georgetown embassy. Llorente had never been to Guyana and knows no one here. In essence, he was kicked out of his own country. On Friday, a spokesperson for the US embassy disclosed that Llorente has engaged them. There were no disclosures what those engagements were. However, Llorente on Thursday said that it is his intentions to ask the US for political asylum as he is fearful of what would happen to
him if he is sent back to Cuba. SEVERAL PARTS OF MAHDIA FLOODED FOLLOWINGHEAVY RAINS Due to torrential rains, almost two dozen homes have been affected by flooding in Aishalton and Sand Creek of Mahdia in Potaro Siparuni, Region Eight. Based on reports, those two dozen homes that were affected are in immediate need of assistance. The CDC is currently engaging with the municipality to identify available shelters. Furthermore, a damage assessment team is expected to be deployed to those areas to supply those in need. The General Director of the Civil Defense Commission (CDC), Lt. Col. Kester Craig,
stated that the CDC through the National Emergency Monitoring System (NEMS) is currently monitoring the situation. According to Craig, “These institutions are advising the public to take all necessary precautions to protect against the imminent threat of flooding. The public is also advised to remain alert and aware of the water levels and weather situation at all times.” UG EXAMS POSTPONED AFTER THIRD BOMB THREAT The University of Guyana on Friday afternoon had to postpone sessions of its final examinations, after reported bomb threats to the institution. Inevitably, students and staff were demanded to evacuate the premises. No one was allowed onto university premises until yesterday. On Facebook, a post was circulated after an anonymous individual indicated that they had planted 20 hidden bombs all over the university campus. These bombs were claimed to be remotely activated and were set to explode at 3:00pm on Friday. Members of the Guyana Police Force and the Fire Department conducted a thorough check of each building and surrounding areas, but nothing remotely close to bombs or anything threatening was found. This has been the third time that bomb threats were made against this intuition. Last February, threats of bombs being strategically planted on the Turkeyen campus of UG had resulted in the complete shutdown of the tertiary institution.
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Kaieteur News
Bad Habits
wealthy businessman was worried about his son’s bad habits. He sought counsel from a wise, old man. The old man met the man’s son and took him out for a stroll. They walked into the woods, and the old man showed the boy a small sapling and asked him to pull it out. The boy did so with ease, and they walked on. The old man then asked the boy to pull out a small plant. The boy did that too, with a little effort. As they walked, the old man asked the boy to pull out the bush, which he did. The next was a small tree, which the child had to struggle a lot to pull out. Finally, the old man showed him a bigger tree and asked the child to pull it out. The child failed to pull it out even after trying several times, in different ways. The old man looks at the boy, smiles and says, “So is the case with habits, good or bad”. Moral Bad habits are hard to get rid of once they have settled in our system. It is best to get rid of them early on. Good Company, Bad Company Two parrots built a nest in a banyan tree. They lived with their two young ones, which they took good care of. The mother and the father parrot went out to gather food in the morning and came back home by evening. One day, when their parents were away, the young parrots were taken by a cruel hunter.
One of the birds managed to escape and flew away from the hunter. He ended up at a hermitage and grew up listening to kind words and compassion. The hunter put the other parrot in a cage, and soon it learned a few words and phrases. The hunter and his family were crude and didn’t care much about kind words. One day, a passerby was resting outside the hunter’s hut. Sensing someone outside, the parrot said, “Fool, why are you here? Fool! Leave! I’ll cut your throat”. Scared, the traveler went away, and on his journey, he reached the hermitage where the other parrot was. The parrot at the hermitage spoke, “Welcome traveler. You are free to stay here as long as you want”. Surprised, the traveler told the parrot that he encountered a similar parrot elsewhere and it was very cruel. How is that you are so kind?” The parrot replied, “That must be my brother. I live with the sages, and my brother lives with hunters. I learned the sage’s
language, and my brother learned the hunter’s language. The company we keep decides who we will be”. Moral Keep good company if you want to be a good person.
Sunday May 26, 2019
Junior page Homemade microwave puffy paint Materials: Flour; baking powder; water; salt; Ziploc; food colouring; rubber band; microwave.
W
e started with one cup of flour and mixed in 3 teaspoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt and enough water to make it the consistency of pancake batter. We divided our mix into four parts and put them into snack size Ziploc baggies along with some food coloring. Part of the fun was squishing it all around to mix up the colors! Rubber band the baggies like you would if you were icing a cake and snip off the teeniest little bit of the tip. Paint away! When you’re finished, pop the
painting into the microwave for 30-45 seconds and watch the paint puff up and grow – such fun! I loved that it was completely dry out of the microwave so we didn’t have to worry about any extra messes or accidents as our pile of paintings grew.
Let's Mash together
FUN WITH POETRY
Of all the holidays in Guyana, More than all the rest, We must agree that Mashramani Is in many ways the best. It is the special time of the year, When all Guyanese come together, To celebrate as one great people Our republic status and power. There will be so many celebrations All over our large country, That everyone will find some way To take part in this festivity. So let us all join our hands, As we enjoy this great occasion, And determine to strive for peace and progress To fulfil our national aspiration.
(BY UNCLE ROY)
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 26, 2019
Get the most out of the time and effort you spend at studying
F
or the next few weeks we will be passing on some tips on how to become most efficient at studying towards your examinations. Study isn’t just for the night before an assignment’s due or the night before an exam. It’s never too early – or too late – to develop good study habits. The sooner you get into a good study groove, the easier everything will be and the more your chances of getting good marks will improve. Here are our first two tips for getting the most out of your studies: 1. Pick a place and time Everyone has his/her own idea about the best place and time to study. Whether it’s your bedroom at night or the library after school, find a convenient study space and a regular study time that works for you and stick with it. Set up your study space – Your study space should be quiet, comfortable and distraction-free. It should make you feel happy and inspired. Decorate it with your favourite pictures or objects. If you want to listen to music or burn incense, pick a space that lets you do that. Find your best time – Some people work better in the morning while others work better at night. Work out which time suits you and plan to study then. Don’t study much later than your usual bedtime – pushing yourself late at night can make you too
tired to study properly. 2. Study every day If you study a little bit every day you’ll be continually reviewing things in your mind. This helps you understand things. It also helps you avoid the stress of lastminute cramming. In the early days before your examinations an hour or two a night might be enough to stay on top of things. Later in the year you might need to study more each day, according to your present assignments, and some extra time to catch up on past lessons. If you’re finding it hard to find time to study, cut back on some (but not all!) of your other activities. Prioritising study might mean
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Mash in Guyana Mash in Guyana is celebrated by all, The young, the old, the large, the small; It is usually commemorated by all types and races, On Mash day you see all manner of faces, Mash is enjoyed by all Guyanese, So fighting, stealing, murder must all cease, And we is God's people are begging for peace, For it will bring blessings and give us great ease. We have great love and respect for Mash, While others are thinking to burn others to ash; Some wish Mash was celebrated in the month of May, Then all of us would have a more enjoyable day.
spending less time online, or giving up sports and other hobbies for a while.
However, we are all prepared to join in the fun, Make sure you are there, don't be left out; All you country folks come down to Georgetown, And show the G.T. people how to enjoy clean fun.
In the same way that we enjoy ourselves together at this national holiday, let us resolve to act likewise for the THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK rest of the year.
SUBADDO PYRAMID Each gray triangle connects a set of three numbers Two numbers must add or subtract to equal the third. All numbers must be between 1 and 12 and no number can be repeated in a horizontal row.
Goodluck!
Color by number Solutions to last week’s
Cryptogram We may sit in our library and yet be in all quarters of the earth. The fight ended. For both was victory. For both there was defeat. What is moral is what you feel good after, and what is immoral is what you feel bad after. Adapt or perish, now as ever, is Nature's inexorable imperative.
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How to Get Clear, Smooth Skin Pick an appropriate cleanser. Skin can range from dry to oily and in between. When picking out a cleanser, choose one that matches your skin type. It will say on the bottle whether it’s for oily skin, dry skin, combination skin, or all skin types. Wash your face twice per day. Wash your face twice a day, in the morning and at night. It’s especially important to wash it at night, as you’re removing the bacteria from the day.If you have oily skin, you may want to wash it twice a day with a non-comedogenic face wash to help prevent pore clogging. Moisturize your skin. When your skin is dry, apply moisturizer. For best practice, apply a facial moisturizer after every time you wash your face. It’s also a good idea to apply it before you put on makeup. Pick a moisturizer that’s meant for your skin type, by looking for the oily, medium skin, or dry skin label on the bottle In the morning, try choosing a moisturizer with a sunscreen in it. Exfoliate your skin. Some people have good luck with exfoliation creating smoother, clearer skin. You shouldn’t exfoliate too often, as it can damage your skin. Generally, you can exfoliate a few times a week, though you may need to do more aggressive treatments less often. Also, you may not want to exfoliate while on acne treatments, as it can make the problems worse. Don’t pop pimples. It’s definitely tempting to pop pimples. You may have even heard someone say you should. However, it’s best to just leave your pimples alone. If you pop them, you could end up with scars instead. Also, if you pop a pimple, you are introducing bacteria to your face, which can cause more pimples and skin inflammation.[6] Reduce pressure on your skin. Any kind of pressure on your skin, especially on your face, can lead to an outbreak of pimples. Headphones and cell phones can cause outbreaks, as can hats. If your shirt is too tight at the neck, you may develop acne there. Similarly, a backpack can put pressure on your back, causing an acne outbreak. Keep your hands off your face. Touching your face introduces bacteria. In turn, that bacteria can lead to more breakouts. Therefore, to keep your skin as clear as possible, try not to touch your face throughout the day. Wash acne-covered areas twice a day. You’re already washing your face twice a day, but it can also help to wash any area that has acne twice a day. Just use your hands, water, and a gentle cleanser. Wash your hair everyday if you get acne in your hair or along the hairline. Choose water-based products. Pimples develop from clogged pores, and greasy lotions can clog your pores. When choosing products, look for ones that say “noncomedogenic” or water-based, as these products are less likely to clog your pores. Also, make sure your makeup also says “noncomedogenic,” so that it will be less likely to clog pores. Choose salicylic acid for clogged pores. Salicylic acid is an over-the-counter treatment that you can get as a wash or a leave-on treatment. Look for a concentration of 0.5 percent to begin with.
SOLUTION TO LAST WEEK’S WORD SEARCH
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 26, 2019
Sunday May 26, 2019
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STANDARDS IN FOCUS
BULK FUEL CARRIERS SHOULD MEET STANDARD The transport of petroleum and petroleum products using bulk transportation carriers is a daily business for many truck owners in Guyana. Because of the volatility of these products and the threat they pose to the safety of their transporter and other road users, a national standard was developed by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). The standard was developed to be enforced by the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA). According to the standard “Requirements for
the transport of petroleum and petroleum products by bulk transportation carriers” (GYS 513:2016), a bulk transportation carrier is a “vehicle or vessel capable of transporting 2000 litres or more of petroleum and petroleum products”. Usually, these bulk carriers transport containment such as drums, bottles and similar containers of petroleum products from terminals or bulk storages to retail outlets. In many instances, these carriers, which are trucks and canters with modified trays, are used to sell directly to the
Jail, fine for bar owner slapped with TIP charges - Further sentencing on the way
Sentenced Savita Persaud Savita Persaud, the owner of the Liquid Love Bar located at Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was on Friday jailed and fined following the completion of her trial in connection with five Trafficking in Persons (TIP) charges made out against her. The defendant received three out of five sentences after being found guilty of all charges by the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where the matter was being conducted. The 33-year-old woman was not required to plead to the five charges when she first appeared before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The first two charges stated that between January 31, 2019 and March 8, 2019, at Station Street, Kitty, Georgetown, she engaged in trafficking in persons, in that she recruited, transported and harboured two Venezuelans, for the purpose of sexual exploitation. It was further alleged that during the same period, Persaud unlawfully withheld the identification cards of two
Venezuelan nationals in aid of trafficking in persons. The last charge stated that during the same period, she employed a 17-year-old child to sell liquor at her premises. Persaud is expected to receive the remaining sentence for recruiting, transporting and harbouring two Venezuelans, for the purpose of sexual exploitation on June 14, next. In relation to the other three charges she was sentenced to 12 months in prison and fined $1.1M. Her sentence will run concurrently. Persaud’s lawyer was trying to contend that his client rented the Venezuelans, including the 17-year-old, an apartment on her premises. However, the lawyer said that the Venezuelans were unable to pay the rent. Hence, the woman told them to leave, and they went and reported to the police that they were being held against their will. Moreover, it was reported that the businesswoman employed the Venezuelans to work at her business place as prostitutes, and she confiscated their travel documents.
consumers. To reduce risks in the transport of petroleum and petroleum products, particularly by those taking such products into the interior and other unfavourable terrains, the standard adequately addresses a number of crucial aspects. Firstly, it addresses the condition of containment and clearly states that containment shall not be used if they have evidence of dents corrosions, leakages or any other condition that may
render them unsafe for the transport of products. The types of materials from which such containments are constructed, are also indicated. The use of glass containment is strictly prohibited by the standard. The standard also outlines requirements for the storage and security of containment during transport, including the railings of trays and the manner in which the transporting crew handles
products. Requirements for maintenance and repairs of bulk transportation carriers are also included. Owners of bulk transportation carriers used for the transport of petroleum and petroleum products are also required to ensure that their carriers are fitted with fire extinguishers, appropriate warning signs, placards, and illuminating lights. Operators must have the relevant training and contingency plan to deal with emergencies, if they are to
comply with the national standard. The acquisition of this standard and conformance to the requirements therein, no doubt will ensure safety in the transport of petroleum and petroleum products on our roadways and it will also ensure that dealers meet regulatory requirements. For further information, please contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190062, 219-0065, and 2190066 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org
Kaieteur News
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Sunday May 26, 2019
Linden the mining town of jovial people and picturesque beauty
FOCUS By Alex Wayne
I
was indeed very excited to be heading to the mining town of Linden. Actually I had only visited Linden three times in my entire life, but the memory of lush green scenery, cascading hills and sprawling valleys, certainly brought on a rush of adrenaline with the very thought of it. Soon I was in a bus, winding in and out of the busy East Bank Demerara traffic, taking in my fill of colourful cottage houses, with fruit trees of almost every kind in the yards that glided by. As we rounded the intersection that people call the Timehri junction, I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of the highway that wove in and out of lush dense foliage. As we approached the highway, I braced myself for that exhilarating sensation as the bus seemed to dive downwards, giving that feeling as if one was soaring like an eagle. I almost screamed aloud with its intensity, as that sensation travelled up my spine, evoking the desire to giggle, or shout aloud just to ease the sensation. But it was all over before I knew it, and soon after we began the uphill climb before finally leveling out on flat, smooth terrain. Linden is said to be the second largest city in Guyana after Georgetown, and capital of the Upper Demerara-Berbice region. It's located at 6°0′0″N 58°18′0″W, with altitude at 48 metres (160 feet). It was declared a town in 1970, and includes the communities of Mackenzie, Christianburg, and Wismar. It lies on the Demerara River and has a population of over forty thousand residents. It is primarily a bauxite mining town, containing many mines 60 to 90 metres deep, with many other pits presently not in operation. The three villages that made up Linden were previously known as Wismar-Mackenzie-Christianburg, but was renamed/unified in 1970 as a township under the name Linden by the late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. The journey was indeed tiring. It seemed as if the never ending highway was increasing in length as the bus sped on. Of course we received several jolts and bumps along the way, caused by the 'waves' in the highways as the driver called them. Actually they were 'wave like formations' on the road caused by the shifting of the asphalt under
pressure of heavy lumber trucks that often traversed the area. Without realizing it I had dozed off. I woke up the very minute the bus turned the junction in the road, where a large Digicel welcome signboard indicated that we had arrived at our destination. As we rolled into Linden, women stood by the roadside chatting in groups, while young boys chatted noisily alongside the sandy parapets of the main access road. Older men could be seen riding bicycles, while teachers and nurses were already making their way home from a day's toil. The Bauxite tale I had been certainly taken back with the picturesque view what was called Linmine. It did not look promising like years before, but the scenery was astounding. I was very curious to learn much about Linden and its intriguing bauxite tale, and I was directed to 72-year-old, Vestus Simmons, a former supervisor when the bauxite trade was booming. He was rather excited as we sat under his home quite close to the Wismar River banks; actually he was literally beaming over his somewhat very outdated spectacles. “Bauxite mining began in Linden more than a hundred years
1914, bought lands for mining, and built many large wooden barges to transport the bauxite to and from Three Friends Mine, which was the first mine to be opened. In those times men worked the bauxite ore with shovels and pick axes and mule carts which they used to remove the overburden. The bauxite was shipped in its unfinished state on barges, which were towed down the river to ships midstream, then to the Georgetown harbour. As time went by, DEMBA brought in machines to do the crushing, washing, drying, and other processes that were done to the ore before arriving at the final product. They also provided living accommodation for most of their
The river boat transport is still popular in Linden
The Linden Museum of Industrial and Socio Cultural Heritage still remains ago. In 1916 the Demerara Bauxite Company Limited, (DEMBA), which was a subsidiary of the Aluminium Company of Canada Limited, came into being and began mining, processing and selling bauxite in the Demerara River. At that time Linden was not the attractive location it is today, and only had three wards, Wismar, Christianburg and Mackenzie. Actually Mackenzie was the name given to one of the wards, and it was named after an American geologist of Scottish descent, George Bain Mackenzie, who came here in search of Bauxite in 1913. As the story goes, he returned in
Need's Wings and Fries outlet serves up some of the most delicious fast food choices.
employees. They even developed a hospital as well. In no time the town of Makenzie was fully developed. In 1971 the Government nationalized DEMBA and soon after called it Guyana Bauxite Company Limited (GUYBAU) The Bauxite Industry Development Company (BIDCO) was then established in 1976, in Georgetown, as the holding Company of the bauxite industry. Nationalisation also took place in Berbice in 1975 and the Reynolds Metal Company became Berbice Mining Enterprise Limited (BERMINE).
As a result, the two entities were merged in October 1977, under the name of Guyana Mining Enterprise Limited (GUYMINE). The entities were subdivided into Berbice Operations and Linden Operations. BIDCO and BERMINE were made one 1992 when the Government signed an order under the Public Corporation Act to dissolve GUYMINE and convert the Berbice Operations and Linden operations into separate entities. Berbice Operations was then reverted to the original name of Berbice Mining Enterprise Limited (BERMINE), and the Linden Operations was renamed Linden Mining Enterprise (LINMINE). “If I can recall directly LINMINE was placed under the management of an Australian firm, Mining and Processing Engineers known as MINPROC for about a three years period,” Vestus Simmons said. Livelihood of Lindeners In years gone by most Lindeners were employed in bauxite mining which offered bountiful job opportunities, but as
that thriving trade dwindled, many were forced to actually create meaningful employment. Speaking on this issue was resident Tamika Henry. “During the bauxite days there were enough jobs for everyone, but as things became less flourishing, many were actually forced to create jobs to earn a living. Many persons took to the streets and built stalls, which is why you will see so many persons selling vegetable and ground provision all around. “Some built cook shops too, and the younger males went off in large groups to the interior regions to try their hand at porkknocking. Some began selling water coconuts, and you can still see signs of that today. “Quite a number of persons began farming as a means of surviving, but not many of them were successful because of the soil type we have here in some areas. Soon came the hire cars, and minibuses in large numbers. “The commercial banks came too, and with it a new school, and even quite a few variety shops. So in time there were jobs for almost everyone. People do not really sit down in Linden. We are a very hard working people, and everyone would normally get up and hustle. We ain't get lazy people here.” The hustle and bustle never ends As I walked through streets and alleyways, I was caught up in the car horns blaring, and the cries of vendors trading fruits or vegetables. Girlish peals of laughter pierced the air as young school girls huddled together certainly not discussing anything (continued on page 59)
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 26, 2019 From page 58 academic. Every now and then one of them would burst out in laughter. On the bus parks touts, conductors and drivers were darting to and fro soliciting passengers, and the spectacle was the same at parks reserved for taxi and hire cars. I have certainly never seen so many food stalls in one location, all booming loud music from stereo boxes. Males gathered around in large groups playing card and sipping on rather chilled beers or in some cases stronger spirits. The small hair salons seemed filled to capacity with the Linden divas having manicures, facials, or some getting the most extraordinary weave additions or extensions. The coconut vendors were making the best of the rush hour crowds, and all around they were stuffing dollar bills into their pockets as thirsty residents rush to purchase this nourish 'cool down' supplement. On the river banks, a large crowd had gathered at the 'Nedd's Wings and Chip' outlet where delicious selling chicken wings and potato chips were being fried to perfection. This open cooking really impressed me, and their presentation was certainly of the best. From the well attired very
mostly involved in balata and rubber bleeding and later the planting of sugarcane. It was later renamed Christianburg in honour of Governor Christian Finette who joined his first name with his wife's family name Burg. Wismar is also located on the west bank of the Demerara River and owes its origin and name to German migration during the period 1830-1840, when over 500 German migrants ventured on to the shores of British Guiana after the emancipation of the enslaved Africans. Many of the migrants died while on the lower coast of British Guiana, those who lived moved up the Demerara River settling at Wismar. Wismar became a vital central point for the men and women (Pork-knockers) who plied the gold and diamond areas of the Essequibo-Potaro district./ It was also the headquarters of Sproston's Limited, the company that operated a steamer service from Georgetown to Wismar. In 1916, with the discovery of bauxite, the economic balance shifted among the settlements and major activities were now occurring at the new settlement on the east bank of the Demerara River, known as Mackenzie. Mackenzie was named after the geologist Mr. George Bain Mackenzie. It has been suggested that Mr.
The remains of the once thriving Bauxite Company
What better way to cool down than to replenish with some fresh coconut water
This mango vendor plys her trade quite contently in the shades by the roadside. busy staffers to the sound of tender juicy wings in scorching hot deep oil, this fast food outlet was doing everything it could to keep its many supporters. I was informed by employees that a mobile chicken outlet is also available for major outdoor events. At nights the streets are filled with either persons searching for a place to revel, or maybe 'tek a lil drink', as the older folks would put it over. Linden as of old As suggested from information taken from www.google.com , Linden was the complete opposite of what it appears to be today. Christianburg, located on the west bank of the Demerara River is Linden's first settlement, and was known as Stabroek in the 19th century. Originally, a Dutch settlement, the inhabitants were
Mackenzie secured the area for mining operations under the pretence of cultivating oranges on the land. Some historians go as far as saying that “he stole the land.� Mackenzie became popular when the Demerara Bauxite Company Limited (DEMBA), a subsidiary of the Aluminium Company of Canada (ALCAN), invested in the settlement, and the population of the area increased significantly with the production of bauxite. DEMBA's contributions to the co mmu n ity w er e n u mer o u s ranging from construction of schools, churches, clubs, a hospital, a recreational hall, and houses for employees. On April 19, 1967, the Local Authority established a Supernumerary Constabulary whose members were constituted
PAGE 59
as Town Constables. On April 29, 1970, the town of Linden was constituted with an area of about 89 square kilometres (34.36 square miles). Historical Land Marks The olden days of Linden are still reflected in many historical features. The "Linden Museum of Socio-Cultural Heritage" is located in the centre of Linden and displays artifacts and pictures of the culture and heritage of the Linden community. One can also certainly still visit the site of Gluck Island which is an uninhabited island off Rockstone in the Essequibo River. It is situated at a distance of some 70 km from the Essequibo River mouth. It can be viewed as an eco-tourist destination site. It has several species of birds, animals and flora.
One can still visit the site of the Christianburg Waterwheel located on Burnham Drive, Christianburg, Linden. This feature was installed as part of a hydro-powered sawmill on the plantation some time during the latter half of the 1800s. This hydro-powered sawmill was needed to improve the production of logs and reduced the cost associated with it. It is regarded as one of the earliest engineering structures to be built in the town. This landmark also dictates that the waterwheel was built by Mirrlees, Tait & Watson from Glasgow, and the company's name is embossed and can be seen numerous places along the structure. This company started as an engineering partnership to manufacture sugar cane processing machinery in 1840. It was known then as P. and W. McOnie. Over the years, partnerships with other individuals caused changes in the company's name; in 1858 it became Mirrlees & Tait, and in 1868 it was renamed Mirrlees, Tait & Watson. The hydro-powered sawmill ceased operations in the 1950s, however the waterwheel still remains as a tangible reminder and part of Linden's industrial heritage. The Watooka Guest House is still a dream to behold. This threestorey early 20th century colonial building, started out as a privately owned establishment. During the early 1900s, it was renovated by the Demerara Bauxite Company (DEMBA) to accommodate its managers. In the 1940s, it was renamed Watooka House, the name Watooka
originating from the nearby Watooka Creek. The front façade of the guest house faces the Demerara River, whilst access can be gained from Casuarina Drive, Mackenzie. Architectural features on the first and second floors include the wide overhangs, enclosed corridors on most facades, extended galleries, dormer and jalousied windows. The guest house has a pool which was once considered one of the finest in Guyana The St. Mathews Church can be remembered as quite an attraction. It was established in November 25, 1898. It was constructed by the Presbyterians. The church is located on Burnham Drive, Christianburg, and it is said by residents to have played an important role in the cultural and social development of the community. Villagers still rave about the St. Aidan's Anglican Church, one of the earliest churches in Linden. It was established in 1897 at Malai, a settlement located up the Demerara River. It was then moved to a new building, across the river to Burnham Drive, Wismar, in 1913. The first church building was originally a dance hall. This church was consecrated by Bishop Swaby in 1913, but was later dismantled and rebuilt in 1941. The second church, a colonial style building was dismantled in 1968, and the third church built in 1969. The famous Blue Lake at Linden caused me to remain riveted at its glorious beauty. I could barely resist plunging in but decided against it when my chaperone informed that a few people with excitement had plunged in and never surfaced. This sent shudders up my spine and I unconsciously retreated a few steps away from this rather enthralling spectacle Thought to be the remains of an old bauxite mine, the lake was, according to locals, immeasurably deep in places and got its color from the sky's reflection against the white sandy bottom. This very mystical feature is one that ignites awe and amazement from those that are privileged to visit. Join us next Sunday, when Alex Wayne puts on his slacks and sandals to delve into the nooks and crannies of Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice.
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Sunday May 26, 2019
Kaieteur News
From land to sea: First ....
SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. I N S TA L L AT I O N S , REPAIRS AND PARTS FOR AC, FRIDGE, WASHING MACHINE, STOVE ETC. CALL NICK 627-3206, 630-1600 Bookland Gardens is the new outdoor place for social/special events. On facebook. Email: booklandguyana@gmail.com #680-7354 Bedrooms and shopping in Central Georgetown. Email: caribamercare2014@gmail.com. Tel#226-2409/223-4159/6442388/687-5448
FOR SALE Porcelain tiles. Huge reduction. 12x12, 12x24, 10x14, 24x24, 716 & 3/8 thickness.Tel 695-4785/643-1000/265-3541. 1 (250) Gen set power by NT55.Cummings.Contact#2690603/609-2350/644-1190. Plants on sale @ Bookland Gardens : Foxtail, Manilla Palms 1 to 4 ft tall, plus ornamental plants. Call: 6301925 1 Honda 450 Atv bike, 1 Cat 215 excavator, 1 Cat 428 back hoe, 1 Mack mixer truck 8 cuyds Tel#275-0367/683-7225 1 Double steel wheel roller, 1 pnuematic 9 wheel roller, 2- tar kettles, small &large. 215-excavator spares, 1-3304 Cat Di engine Tel#275-0367/683-7225 2 - 6 Ton Ice Plant with holding room turnkey operation with spares, Lot V1,V2 Houston Estate EBD. Used imported glass showcase L 72'’ x H 39'’ x W 24'’$30,000 each. Tel#625-1514 Used imported metal supermarket shelves, Height 6ft x Length 4ft x 8 Shelves $30,000 each. Tel#625-1514
Jacob’s Jewellery and Pawnshop. Tel#227-8748/622- Entire Boutique closing down 4970 16 Pike Street, Kitty. sale.All ladies clothing JL brand, over 2000 Georgetown pieces.Tel:225-0571 Professional Repair Service: Computers, Tv’s (LCD & 1 Samsung 65" Smart TV, 1 LED), Cellphones & Other Element 55" Smart TV, 1 Electronics.Ph#629-6470/ Computer system 32" display 6 9 6 - 2 8 4 3 . E m a i l screen slim, 1 Machine Cabinet.Tel#225-0571/600:akinscott@outlook.com 5076 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar Seegobin construction from rough to finish. Specialize in house construction, swimming pools, fences and concrete textures. Tel# 6939327 TO LET A Newly refurbished one bedroom apartment in Great Diamond, EBD. Contact#6966463/621-0352
WANTED
VACANCY
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620
Salesgirls & porters. Apply with written application at Best Buy Food Supplies 1E Dennis & Middleton Sts, Campbellville
DemBake @ Land of Canaan is seeking distributors & experienced drivers & sales agents. Email CV: admin@demerarabakery.com / 266-5848
One (2) bedroom apt for rent @ Colligen, One (3) Bedroom Apt for rent @ Diamond. Tel#602-2563/609-4365 Building at Coverden, East Bank Demerara. Call #6231615 (1) Spacious (3) bedroom upper flat apartment, (1) master bedroom, Bent St between Camp & George $100,000 monthly. Tel#6097826 or 218-1688 Two well-appointed in Belvoir Court, Bel Air, Georgetown. Tel#592-627-3650/223-0654/ 225-0605 One apartment for rent Mon Repos market street, EBD Tel#602-4105/220-7330 PROPERTY FOR SALE House for sale, Eccles Housing Scheme. 7 bedrooms, 3 toilets and bathrooms enclosed. $28.5M. Call 642-0391/ 001447587233657/ yasharabhola4@gmail.com Lot 89 Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown. Next door to Mike’s Pharmacy.Land size- 3431.25 Sq.ft. Phone: 617-5323, 6668052. Roxanne Burnham $20M, South Gardens $10M, $35M (100x100), Norton St $18M, Alberttown $35M, Diamond $14M #231-2199/618-7483
VEHICLE FOR SALE 1 Rav 4 PHH series. Price negotiable. Contact #6462131,630-0915 One 2014-2015 Honda Vezel Pxx series, good as new. Price $4.7M Neg #689-5103 5 Leyland DAF Flatbed Lorries, 10 Guysuco Lorry Heppiecycle & axle for 60 DAF Lorries.Excellent condition 228-5655/615-6683
Wanted experienced hire car drivers at Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel. Contact 616-5419, 265-7075
One domestic. Contact #2235273/74 CAR RENTAL DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL CALL: 225-7126 & 2263693 -DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL @ YAHOO.COM/ W W W . D O L L Y SAUTORENTAL.COM PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’sPER DAY- CALL: 656-0087 / 6435122,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N T A L @YAHOO.COM AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807 WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIALOFFERS! . CALL: 690-6494
One Building with four apartment for sale. Mon Repos Market Street EBD. Tel#220-7330/602-4105/203850-5235
LAND FOR SALE
Interested in learning chess? Call Agnus Chess Institute on Tel#630-6458 or Whatsapp 657-7543. Classes commence June 1,2019 WANTED Caregiver for elderly female required to cook , clean. Call: 675-6723, recommendation required Experienced Driver. Phone #231-6256/608-3839
Experienced male sales attendant, stocktaking knowledge, computer literate, excellent service attitude, able bodied.Key Food McDoom Village.
Family to work on a farm on the East Bank Dem, Providence. Shivana #653Miners (Pit workers) to work 6770 in Konawaruk location. Call: (1) Security and (1) Driver to 618-2020 work in Georgetown. Call #227Taxation Personnel: 3 yrs 1717 experience.Minimum qualification C AT / Diploma in Accountancy. S e n d ap p l i c a t i o n t o bs.vacany @gmail.com.
Transported Property in Regent St, between Wellington & Camp St. Tel#655-3332 Opposite Guyoil Gas Station
EDUCATION
LEARN TO DRIVE N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way @ Cuffy Square. Affordable package. Call: 644-5166/6912561
FOR RENT
Parfaite Harmonie $1.5M $3M $2.7M Herstelling $4M $5.5M Providence Eccles $6.5M Farm $5M. Parfaite ten year up $2.5M Call: 666-2326 V/Hoop WCD. 48ft x 1300ft. Call: 609-5672 Transported land 11.6 acres. Lot 15 public road. #2 Village W.C.B. Price $18M. Contact 686-4818, 648-7109 Parfaite Harmonie $1.3M Dairy $1.8M Schnoord $3.6M #651-1969/611-7223 Farm (East Bank) Main road $5.5M Prime location for business. Tel#648-1635
Urgently need one land to buy 2 acre- V/Hoop WCD. Tel# in Herstelling #648-1635 621-6918/697-7731
Accounts clerk to work at the office. Contact barry@adamantiumholdings.com or Tel#654-7162
From page 10 critical areas bringing significant relief to drainage and irrigation in those very hard to reach areas. Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, who commissioned the excavator, shared thoughts on the expectations of the machine. “This acquisition is expected to assist in executing works in those hard to reach areas that are at risks of flooding and will bring relief to residents and farmers whose economic activities are usually disrupted by flooding caused by intense rainfall and overtopping of the sea defence.” The machinery was acquired with the use of residual funds from Phase two of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JCIA) sponsored project aimed at rehabilitating the East Demerara Water Conservancy (EDWC). These rehabilitation works are critical as the EDWC supplies water to all the plantations and estates on the East Coast Demerara and the East Bank of Demerara. It also provides water for 80 per cent of Georgetown.
Cook: to cook and manage the A&S Fast food. Contact barry@adamantiumholdings.com or Tel#654-7162
Uganda proves Guyana can...
Sales clerk to work at A&S General Store and Gaulin Supermarket. Contact barry@adamantiumholdings.com or Tel#654-7162
From page 11 and all other institutions involved such as the National Environment Management Authority, and the Uganda Wildlife Authority for activities in national parks. It said that the monitoring reports are important for the audit as they give firsthand accounts of what happened in the field in addition to the reports from the companies. The Organization stressed that real time monitoring is important for both the company and the Government. To provide an example to support its case, it said, “If a well is drilled and it was expected to use 100 casings but it uses only 80 casings, both the Government and the drilling team will immediately be aware of the number of casings used rather than wait for a stocktaking exercise.” The transparency body said that this improves inventory movement on the company’s part. It said, too, that it ensures that by the time the final cost audit is undertaken, most of the costs have been reviewed through this mechanism.
English & Maths Tutor. Contact #223-5273/74 General domestic. 3 Days work. Must know to cook. Apply with 2 references. KeyFood McDoom village Receptionist. Send application to PO box #101447 Vacancy exist for 1 cook for a family, must have experience between 25-40 yrs old. Call: 231-8737 Accounts Clerk. Requirements: CAT/ACCA Level 2, Quickbooks POS & Accounts proficient, salary negotiable. (2) Driver/ Salesman. Tel#623-8780 Female to help a 3- year old boy learn to play musical instrument: piano, guitar etc. Call: 623-1615 One secretary 28-40 years. One trainee refrigeration/ AC technician #683-8734/2310655 Customer Service Rep, Two shifts rotated weekly (6am3pm & 3pm-11pm), Shell Station Providence, EBD. E m a i l : Shellramsburg@gmail.com
VACANCY Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 25-45, Car/Van license. Call #642-9823
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Kaieteur News
HAPPY 53RD INDEPENDENCE TO ALL OF GUYANA Fifty-three years ago today [May 26, 1966] Guyana gained its independence from British rule effectively setting this South American nation on course to embrace the motto of One People, One Nation and One Destiny.Today Kaieteur News joins the rest of the nation to
PRESIDENT DAVID GRANGER Guyana’s Independence on 26th May 1966 was a transformative experience that opened opportunities for everyone but, particularly, for young people. Independence was transformative. It brought forwardlooking changes which improved the living and working conditions for all, including our youth. It laid the foundation for a better life for future generations. The immediate post-Independence decade was a period of effective efforts aimed at expanding the country’s infrastructure and improving public services. These nation-building initiatives propelled rapid improvements in the country’s economic, physical and social infrastructure. Infrastructure – such as aerodromes, bridge across the Demerara River, highways and wharves – was expanded. Community centres, health clinics, housing schemes and many new schools were established. The economy was set on a path of growth. Public services – water and electricity – were extended to unserved areas. Economic and financial institutions, such as the Guyana National Cooperative Bank and the Guyana Agricultural Development Bank provided much needed access to capital for households, farmers and manufacturers. The Guyana Marketing Corporation assisted farmers to transport their produce to markets. Social protection was revamped, including through the establishment of the National Insurance Scheme. Social cohesion was advanced. Recognition was accorded to all of our main religious groups and steps taken to reduce the divisiveness of the period just prior to Independence.
The introduction of free education from nursery to university emphasized the importance of ensuring a sound education for our young people and of reducing distinctions of class, gender and geography. The newly-independent state strolled onto the global stage with confidence. It became respected and recognized for its efforts at advancing the cause of the developing countries, particularly of the small African, Caribbean and Pacific states. Guyana, today, is poised for another transformative moment. The commencement of petroleum production, next year, and the transition towards becoming a ‘green’ state, will increase economic growth and provide greater resources for development. The future belongs to young people. The resources derived from economic expansion and diversification will be deployed, primarily, to secure and safeguard our children’s and grandchildren’s future. Young people can be assured of greater opportunities as a result of oil production and the policies of the Guyana Green State Development Strategy. Young people have started to play a pivotal role in driving development. Your government is preparing young people to assume responsibility for our nation’s future. A National Youth Policy has been promulgated. The ‘Policy’ explains Government’s vision as: … a nation in which young people are united, educated, trained, safe, happy, healthy and integrally involved in the decision-making processes, while enjoying equality of opportunity and equal access to the resources of our country and are politically,
economically and socially empowered. Education, equality, empowerment and employment are the four pillars of our national youth policy. The good life, regardless of the resources available to us, will be unattainable unless young people have access to better education, enjoy greater equality, are provided with expanded employment opportunities and are empowered to make decisions which determine their future. Education is a bedrock of government’s youth development policy. Government’s policy of every child in school aims at ensuring that no one is left behind. Young people are being equipped with the knowledge and skills to become productive citizens. An ‘education nation’ is being established. Education is being enhanced at all levels – nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary. Equality is integral for youth development. Your Government, already, is creating a fairer, friendlier framework for ensuring greater equality by providing improved access to public services – business registration, immigration, legal services, public education, public health, public information, public infrastructure, public security, public telecommunications, electricity and water. Young people in the hinterland can look forward, one day, to having access to the same public services as those on our coastland. Employment for all is possible. The Guyana Youth Corps is retraining our youth to improve their ‘marketability’ and to make easier the transition between school and the workforce. The Corps reflects Government’s emphasis on consolidating its youth (Continued on page 63)
PEOPLE’S PROGRESSIVE PARTY Our attainment of Independence resulted from sustained struggles during which selfless sacrifices were made. It was a moment of tremendous joy for all Guyanese. On May 26th, 1966 our national flag, the Golden Arrowhead, was hoisted for the first time, heralding the birth of our beautiful nation. It brought freedom from the shackles of colonialism whilst an independent Guyana through self-governance emerged with hope and expectations abundant in its people. During the fifty-three years our country faced many challenges and experi-
enced a period of unprecedented progress and prosperity. Throughout that time, our resilient and patriotic Guyanese people remained resolute towards the building of a better nation through hard work and dedication for the advancement of their fellow men and women. Those selfless efforts continue with every passing day despite prevailing adversities. The People’ s Progressive Party (PPP), in taking this opportunity to extend warmest greetings to all Guyanese both at home and in the Diaspora, on the occasion of our nation’s 53rd Independence Anniversary, would like to recognize and commend
those invaluable efforts. In observing another milestone in our independence, our Party urges reflection on the valiant efforts of those who made untold sacrifices during the struggles for self-rule. Those sacrifices must continue to be valued and remain a source to imbue us all with pride and patriotism. We must also remain cognizant of our nation’s vast potential which, through prudent management, can create the brighter future we all desire. Let’s continue to remain hopeful so that our challenges can be overcome. Happy Independence to all Guyanese! People’s Progressive Party
commemorate this auspicious day in our history and hope that we will continue to live our motto without reservation. Also sharing sentiments, as seen below, are President David Granger, US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo, and a few organizations.
THE INDIAN ACTION COMMITTEE The Indian Action Committee (IAC) wishes to convey greetings to all Guyanese citizens, on the occasion of the Independence of Guyana from British colonial rule on 26th May 1966, fifty-three years ago. The IAC calls upon all Guyanese citizens to remember and recognize all those persons who contributed to the ending of British colonial rule in Guyana including former Presidents Cheddi Jagan, Forbes Burnham and Janet Jagan, and stalwarts of the struggle for national liberation like Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow, Jocelyn Hubbard, Joseph Pollydore, Ramkarran, Ashton Chase SC, Jainarine Singh, E.M.G. Wilson, Cedric Vernon Nunes, Martin Carter, Rory Westmaas, Eusi Kwayana, Brindley Benn, Moses Bhagwan and Reepu Daman Persaud. The IAC, in recognition of the challenging history of Guyana during the past fifty three years dominated by authoritarian rule (1968-1992) and, especially the period from 1962 to 1964 when there was a state of undeclared civil war which resulted in: 1. Over 200 persons losing their lives
2. Over 900 persons suffering physical injuries 3. About 2700 terrorized families being displaced from their homes as villages were engulfed in orgies of ethnic cleansing 4. Over 1700 cases of arson in which over 300 business places and houses were completely destroyed by fire during wanton acts of terror 5. Losses of over US$ 20 million in the local economy as opposed to an investment of US$2.2 million used to destabilize pre- Independence British Guiana according to U.S. declassified documents. 6. The destruction of the Indo-Guyanese community at the adjoining villages of Wismar and Christianburg, where all 87 business premises and 215 homes owned and occupied by IndoGuyanese were deliberately destroyed by fire between 24th and 25th May 1964 followed by the evacuation of almost 3400 Indo- Guyanese persons under the protection of British military forces on 26th May 1964, exactly two years before Independence. The IAC is of the view that the national economy is in rapid and serious decline including the rice industry
which is suffering greatly from the paddy bug infestation and is calling upon all of the Parliamentarians to work together to reverse this dangerous trend. The IAC is cognizant of the upsurge in crime within the past four years and while recognizing that in Berbice there is a high amount of criminal activity perpetrated by persons of Indo-Guyanese origin against other persons of Indo-Guyanese origin; elsewhere there have been many brutal robberies on Indo- Guyanese and Chinese business persons who have been deprived of hundreds of millions of dollars in cash, jewellery, electronic devices and vehicles by criminals. The IAC also recognizes criminal activity impacting other ethnicities including rapidly increasing attacks on Chinese business places. While the IAC reiterates its call for inclusion of Guyanese, in the drive towards economic development and prosperity, the organization is extremely concerned about the constant political warfare that is destabilizing the country which is on the verge of a new and (Continued on page 63)
THE ETHNIC RELATIONS COMMISSION The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) takes this opportunity to extend greetings to all Guyanese on the occasion of Guyana’s 53rd Independence anniversary. The attainment of our Independence entailed a prolonged period of sustained struggles by many patriotic sons and daughters of this dear land. Their selfless efforts were focused on the betterment for all of their compatriots; for the realization of a nation free from the bonds of colonialism and one that will always remain the cherished home of its diverse people. Their success remains that beacon of inspiration epitomizing what can be achieved when we work together in the best interest of Guyana and Guyanese. This must become an accessible source of motivation for us to
renew our commitment to work assiduously for the realization of the goal enshrined in our national motto of One People, One Nation, One Destiny. Every anniversary of our nation’s Independence brings that pertinent reminder of the freedom that was birthed out of patriotic struggle sustained by the underlying bonds of brotherhood. It is those bonds that we all must endeavour to build upon and strengthen so as to expunge the seeds of division from our society. While our history will reflect the challenges in this regard, it must also serve as an impetus to fortify us with tolerance, to fully understand and appreciate our invaluable diversity and what it means to us as a nation. This enhances our capacity to shed prejudices
thereby creating an environment in which harmony can prevail. History also provides the framework to help build a better society. Activities for the observance of the 53rd Independence anniversary will no doubt continue to see the participation of Guyanese from all backgrounds as pride and patriotism take centre stage. Let us all together commit to build upon this with the objective of attaining a more harmonious society which we all desire. Let us also use this opportunity to renew our sense of value for the efforts of those who toiled for an independent Guyana. Let’s not forget that those efforts were in the interest of all despite from where our ancestors originated. Once again Happy Independence to all Guyanese!
MICHAEL R. POMPEO, US SECRETARY OF STATE On behalf of the Government of the United States, congratulations to the people of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on your 53rd anniversary of independence on May 26.The United States and Guyana have been friends and partners for decades, and we commend and encourage Guyana’s continued leadership on matters of
regional concern. The American Chamber of CommerceGuyana continues to create trade partnerships and opportunities, resulting in greater prosperity for both our countries. As Guyana looks toward production of its oil resources, the United States stands ready to assist to ensure all Guyanese will benefit. The United States looks forward
to a future of strong ties and collaboration based on our shared democratic values. The United States joins you in celebrating Guyana’s diversity, freedom, and natural beauty. On behalf of the citizens of the United States, I wish the citizens of Guyana a prosperous year and a happy Independence Day celebration.
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8 killers get smaller sentences in return for early guilty pleas The ongoing session of the Demerara criminal assizes has seen eight persons accused of murder opting to plead guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. They were encouraged by their lawyers to admit their guilt in
return for shorter jail terms. This option is however available to all accused persons who wish to own up that they acted contrary to the law and will to do the punishment. The April session of the
assizes comes to an end on Friday, and the three judges who have been roistered to sit have already completed a number of cases for murder, manslaughter and various types of sexual offences. Justice Navindra Singh
has accepted guilty pleas for manslaughter from eight persons who were initially indicted for the capital offence murder. These confessed killers were handed terms of imprisonment ranging from 16, to 14 to 12 to 10 years. Justice Singh in arriving at an appropriate sentence for these criminals considered aggravating and mitigating factors. Aggravating factors may include the brutality of the crime and the accused person’s criminal history. On the other hand, mitigating factors tend to reduce sentences and may include the accused person’s lack of criminal history and his acceptance of responsibility for the crime. The Judge allowed each of the accused to address the court. Most of them expressed that they were sorry for their actions and vowed to change when they are released from prison. Justice Singh advised the criminals to use their time in prison to better develop themselves for release back into society. In addition, the judge ordered that the prison authorities are to deduct the time the confessed killers spent in pre-trial custody from their respective sentence.
Marc Angoy
Tyrone Rowe
Rondell Bacchus
Ignatius France
Last week Friday, Rondel Bacchus who was charged with the July 2008 murder of scrap metal dealer Akbar Alli, was sentenced to 16 years’ and eight months’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. On May 14, a 47-year-old farmer admitted to stabbing his neighbour to death
during a fight and was sent to prison for 14 years. Though initially charged for murder, Godfrey Dass, of Port Kaituma, North West District, appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown where he pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. Dass confessed that on (Continued on page 64)
Sunday May 26, 2019
THE GUYANAAGRICULTURALAND GENERAL WORKERS UNION The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) is, once again, happy to join in extending best wishes to all Guyanese as our nation celebrates its 53rd year of Independence. The independence achievement, now more than a half a century ago, is a moment that all Guyanese take immense pride in. History recorded that the struggle to achieve nationhood was long and, at times, daunting but the strong will and perseverance of our people triumphed as the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted for the first time at the midnight hour of May 26th, 1966. GAWU feels certain that the attainment of Independence, which we fought for, motivated the social and economic progress of our country and was a decisive turning point for our all-round development. There are successes in several fields nationally while, at the regional and international level our country has earned recognition and respect in spite of certain deficits experienced in governance. Our democratic culture which resurfaced over twenty (20) years ago, still, today again faces new challenges. Notwithstanding, the
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trials and setbacks the nation experienced and, most likely will face, we cannot deny the very many significant achievements as we steadily overcame the negative legacy of colonialism. The GAWU is aware that several key objectives are yet to be reached. One of these is our economic sovereignty which we see as crucial to safeguard our political independence especially in the context and circumstances that we see unfolding in today’s world.The prospects for our country to grow and develop, despite, current setbacks, remain encouraging and we need to tackle the various tasks before us in a collective and united spirit. In this respect, our people, especially our working people needs to be encouraged and become involved in the decision-making levels of our society.
As we celebrate this historic anniversary, GAWU urges that we all recognize that we have a responsibility to let our democratic culture prevail. It is one of the strong strands that binds our nation and makes it united and free. Additionally, we share the belief that our independence will be secured and strengthened over time when every citizen is given to enjoy the fruits, benefits and opportunities of our collective efforts and work.It is unfortunate to observe that our 53rd Independence Anniversary finds us as a nation poised with further declining economic fortunes with the sugar industry being an example of this reality. While this has certainly cast a pall over the nation, we must, nevertheless, lift high the banner of freedom and celebrate our Independence. Happy Independence Anniversary to all Guyanese!
THE INDIAN ACTION COMMITTEE From page 61 exciting national oil industry. The IAC joins its voice with those of the political parties, religious bodies, trade unions and other civil society groups in a nationwide call for peace and unity.Let us all resolve to realize the dream of our fore parents and Independence heroes and heroines to make our 53rd Anniversary a true national event. The IAC wishes all Guyanese citizens a Happy Independence Day.
PRESIDENT DAVID GRANGER From page 61 initiatives so as to have a stronger focus on employment and job creation. Your government also is committed to reducing the numbers of young people who are not in education, employment or in training (NEET). The Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED); the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS); and the Youth Innovation Project of Guyana (YIPoG) initiatives are other examples of how government is helping to promote self-employment for young people. Empowerment of young people has become a reality.
Local Government Elections, held twice in three years has evinced a surge in youth involvement in local democracy. Young candidates contested and campaigned in local government elections in 2016 and 2018. Youth today have a greater say in decision-making. Young professionals and entrepreneurs are being consulted in the fashioning of our national Budget. Young people’s opinions and interests are taken into consideration in the development of Government policies. The future belongs to young people. This axiom is true today as it was 53 years
ago when Guyana attained its Independence. The central aspiration of the independence generation was to secure a better future for their children and grandchildren. Young people, today, can look to a bright future with greater confidence, enthusiasm and hope knowing that their government is laying a stronger foundation for the good life for them and their children. I extend to all Guyanese, but especially to our young people, greetings and best wishes on the occasion of the 53rd Independence anniversary. Happy Independence Day 2019!
Jagdeo calls for immediate... From page 14 demand the release of the modified design, in light of the structural issues CJIA currently faces. Cathy Hughes, Minister of Public Telecommunications, said that Patterson would be “on top of” any issues being faced at the airport, and that she would raise the question with Patterson, asking him to respond to the publication. Minister Hughes had stressed that Guyana has a terrible history of corruption,
but that this administration is committed to working on and changing it. Yet, when Kaieteur News brought up the topic last Thursday with Hughes, she said that she hasn’t spoken to Patterson about the release of the modified design. She
had said “Why don’t you ask Patterson?” Jagdeo once said that it’s likely there has been collusion by the government and the contractor. What do you think? Should Government release the modified design?
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Hundreds of $$million in contracts available at GECOM The National Assembly on Thursday approved $3.4 billion for holding of elections. A significant portion of that money could spell opportunities for contractors and others to cash in. It would spell a different time from pre-2015 when procurement at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was largely shrouded in secrecy. Questions had been raised about hundreds of millions of dollars in purchases, including pliers, batteries, radio sets and printing cartridges. The Auditor General had completed a probe on the spending of GECOM but there has not been any clear word that any investigations were launched by the
police despite the absence of evidence that proper procurement procedures were followed in many of the contracts. With elections coming up sharply, and not necessarily dependent on the looming ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice, this time round, suppliers and other service providers will have a chance. That is because all eyes will be on GECOM. According to capital sum of $182M, GECOM will require three double cabs pickups for Regions One, Four and Eight and is willing to spend $13.3M for each. It also wants two all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and is willing to pay up to $8M. There will also be need for boats
and engines, office desks, and folding tables for which $21M has been allocated. GECOM also is upgrading its ID card document issuing system and is willing to spend another $75M. There will be another $24M available for the supply of 20 tents. Also required for 2019, according to the section of Field Materials and Supplies, as submitted by GECOM, there will be need for 25 raincoats, 2,500 finger printing kits, battery charger for printers, umbrellas. For these supplies, the big ticket one will be the finger printing kits 2,500 costing $10,000 each- a total of $25M has been allocated for this cost alone.
For the procurement of forms for house-to-house, GECOM is willing to spend $34.6M. A contract alone for teslin and laminate for ID cards – 18,000 cards can be worth up to $14.4M. For grease and fuel for GECOM’s vehicles during the claims and objections period, an amount of $18M has been set aside. GECOM said that for the conduct of the Claims and Objections exercise, including registration, verification and public hearings, it is spending up to $45M. It explained in asking the National Assembly for the money that officials will have to travel to conduct hearings. It said that expenses will be incurred and all persons will have to
be reimbursed. This will go on for about two months. During the claims and objections period GECOM said it will spend up to $37M for hiring vehicles to safely move registration materials to and from the main offices. Another $15M has been set aside for aircraft charters for Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine.Additionally, $24M will be used to hire boats. Another $19M has been set aside also for the purchase of 120 cell phones along with activation cost and for used by 300 cluster offices and 1,200 team leaders for three months.GECOM also said it will be paying up to $673M to temporary staffers for three months.
8 killers get smaller sentences in return for early guilty pleas From page 62 June 5, 2009, he unlawfully killed Kenneth Kennedy, his neighbour. The court was told that the two men were imbibing when a fight broke out between them. Dass armed himself with a knife and stabbed his neighbour to the head, resulting in his death. Then on April 25, Mark Creame, 24, pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge, thereby admitting that on December 1, 2013, he unlawfully killed Terry Henry, c/d Terrence Henry. Creame was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for the crime. According to the facts, Creame and Henry had an ongoing dispute. On the day in question, Creame, who was intoxicated, saw Henry at a shop and confronted him. They had an argument and Creame left the scene and returned with a cutlass which he used to chop Henry, who was lying in a hammock. The killing occurred at 8 miles North West District, Port Kaituma. A 14-year jail sentence was handed to Marc Angoy, a former soldier, after he admitted to killing 13-month old Arianne Gill, the
granddaughter of his ex-lover, Shelly Norton. Angoy, 48, had appeared before Justice Singh on April 2 and admitted to killing the toddler on October 18, 2015. According to reports, Angoy shot and killed his ex-lover ’s grandbaby and wounded the woman’s daughter, Ashley Wellington. The incident occurred around 13:45 hrs at Lot 38 East Ville, Annandale, East Coast Demerara. According to reports, Norton, who was the toddler’s grandmother and Wellington’s mother, had ended an abusive three-year-old relationship with Angoy. Since then, he reportedly started to harass her. At times he even threatened to kill her. This forced her to seek a restraining order to keep him away from her family. However, on the day in question he showed up at her home and pushed his hand through a window and opened fire on Norton’s daughter and grand baby while they were watching television in the living room. Tyrone Rowe, also known as ‘Cobra’, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for the almost decade-
old killing of Troy Collymore who was shot dead on August 5, 2010 at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara. Rowe appeared before Justice Navindra Singh who had in 2013 sentenced him to 78 years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty by a jury for the murder of Collymore, 35. However, the conviction and sentence were overturned and a new trial was ordered by the Court of Appeal last July. That trial was aborted and a new trial was once again ordered by the High Court According to reports, on the day in question, Collymore and two other men were outside a business place owned by Datt at Plaisance, East Coast Demerara, when they were attacked by gunmen. During that time, one of them was shot and relieved of cash and a quantity of jewellery. Collymore was shot to the head and was declared ‘brain dead’ by doctors. He succumbed two days later. Similarly, 35-year-old Ignatius France had a change of heart as his murder trial wound down before Justice Singh and a 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown. He
threw himself at the mercy of the court when he discontinued the trial, after opting to plead guilty to the lesser charge manslaughter. He, too, was sentenced to 12 years’ behind bars for the crime. France admitted that on May 11, 2012 at Canal Bank, Port Kaituma, he unlawfully killed Mark Ashby. According to information, on the day in question, France and his brother were out drinking when they got into an argument. Both brothers were reportedly intoxicated and during the argument, they began to fight. While they fought, the now dead Ashby reportedly came up to the brothers, allegedly drunk himself, and ordered the brothers to stop fighting. Subsequently, a fight erupted between France and Ashby. France left the fight and returned with a cutlass, which he used to chop Ashby to the neck. John Hetsberger,23, who was described as a “model prisoner” by his lawyer was on April 5 handed a 10-year sentence after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge, admitting that on August 08, 2014, he unlawfully killed 57-year-old Jennifer Mendonca, formerly of
Prince William Street, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara.Based on information, Mendonca was found dead in her bed by her son. Her hands were bound with duct-tape and a plastic bag was tied over her head, two pillows were also placed on her face. A post mortem examination determined the cause of death to be asphyxia due to strangulation and blunt trauma to the head.Also, Martin Salvadore, 54, was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment for chopping a man to death during a drunken brawl on October 16, 2014 in Essequibo. Initially, Salvadore was charged with the capital offence, murder. He, however, opted to plead guilty to the lesser count manslaughter when he appeared in court.According to facts presented by State Prosecutor Teriq Mohamed, on the day in question the now deceased Wilson James was at Salvadore’s home imbibing when they became involved in a fight. During that time, Wilson picked up a bicycle bar which he used to lash Salvadore. In turn, Salvadore armed himself with a cutlass which he used to chop Wilson about his body.
Sunday May 26, 2019
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Uganda proves Guyana can have real time monitoring of Exxon’s costs By Kiana Wilburg One of the most tedious jobs for oil producing countries is cost recovery audits. These are done to ensure that the costs a company said it incurred in the search of the petroleum are necessary and economical. But not all countries are equipped and experienced enough to audit such costs in that fashion. As such, they can be easily duped by sly oil firms. Understanding this reality, the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) has compiled and shared for the benefit of newcomers to the
sector, such as Guyana, the experience of Uganda. This African state, it said, has been successful in ensuring cost control in the oil sector. The Organization reminded that cost recovery audits are undertaken after an activity has been done or after the close of the year. But to ensure efficiency, the international body pointed out that Uganda mandates that all oil companies submit real time data to the regulator for any drilling campaign. The transparency body said that this keeps the Regulator informed of all activities
as they occur. It said, too, that the daily drilling and operations report which is submitted is required to have at least a 24-hour forecast. The global body said that this gives an estimation of the costs expected to be incurred in the next 24 hours. The INTOSAI said that this is an important step for cost control by the Regulator. It explained that this data, once submitted, can be reviewed early enough before the final cost recovery audit. It also helps to save time when the final cost recovery audit has to be done. But this is not the only
cost control mechanism that Uganda has in place. The International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions pointed out that Uganda has monitoring officials assigned to each of the licensed com-
panies. It explained that a monitor employed by the Regulator stays in the field and sends his/her own reports about each activity on a daily basis to the Regulator. The monitors
are rotated regularly too. The International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions said that the monitoring role is undertaken by staff of the Petroleum Authority (Continued on page 60)
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India v New Zealand: Virat Kohli’s All systems in place... side thrashed in World Cup warm-up From page 71 BBC Sport - India suffered a surprise loss against New Zealand in t h e i r f i r s t Wo r l d C u p warm-up match at The Oval. Virat Kohli’s side were bowled out for 179, after initially falling to 39-4 against the new ball. Trent Boult (4-33) and Jimmy Neesham (3-26) did the damage, with Ravindra Jadeja’s 54 the only innings of note. The Blacks Caps knocked off their target with ease - Ross Taylor
(71) and Kane Williamson (67) putting on 114 for the third wicket. “Facing a quality side like India and scoring some runs is always good,” Williamson said. Both sides return to action on Tuesday, with India facing Bangladesh in Cardiff and the Kiwis taking on West Indies in Bristol. “We bowled well,” said Kohli. “They were going at four, 4.5 [runs] per over and looking at that in isolation we did well.
“From 50-4, to get to 180 was a good effort. And of course, there wasn’t much in the pitch when we came to bowl.” New Zealand’s opening game in the World Cup proper is against Sri Lanka in Cardiff on 1 June, with India up against South Africa in Southampton on 5 June. Scores: New Zealand 180 for 4 (Taylor 71, Williamson 67) beat India 179 (Jadeja 54, Boult 4 for 33, Neesham 3 for 26) by six wickets.
Sunday May 26, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Review your day as you watch the sunset and observe the clouds turning from white to purple, Aries. Make sure that your head is in tune with your heart. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Your mind is buzzing like a bee, Taurus. You're apt to find that there's very little you can do to slow it down. Make sure you add compassion to the chain that's holding everything together. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Mornings aren't usually your best time, Gemini. You aren't fully awake until afternoon. Try not to discount the events of this particular morning, however. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your world may seem rather tight and rigid this morning, Cancer, but the good news is that difficulties are apt to melt away as the day progresses. Don't assume that opinions are fixed in stone. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) This is one of those days in which you're better able to stand back and look at your emotions intellectually, Leo. Your freedom-loving nature isn't built to deal with heavy emotional baggage and turmoil, so don't bother trying. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Prepare for a surprise today, Virgo. Perhaps it will come from someone else or perhaps it will come from you. Either way, by evening you're apt to be feeling quite lovey-dovey and rather spaced out. Give in to the lethargic attitude that might sweep over you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Things seem to be going quite well for you in many respects, Libra. Your thinking is clear, your emotions are under control, and the puzzle pieces are fitting into place. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your engine may sputter this morning as your gears begin to turn, Scorpio. It could be that you're working out something important in you mind that's helping clarify your emotions. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Be careful not to overdo things today, Sagittarius. You may so zealously want to meet your goals that you overshoot the mark by quite a bit. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Tempers may get hot today when someone says something that pierces you to your core. Address this problem right away, Capricorn, instead of letting it fester through the rest of the day. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Don't be surprised if you leap out of bed with a spark of inspiration that wasn't there last night, Aquarius. Let your dreams linger a bit before you face the world. This flash of genius is likely to strike quickly and unexpectedly PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Sometimes your emotions overtake your rational thoughts, Pisces, and you end up acting on impulse. Today you'll find that your head and heart are aligned on significant issues, and that they're working well together.
consideration that those who would have represented either school, will as old students, be allowed to be on the same stage and compete in the short sprints, give an added attraction to the meeting. They will be featured in the Over 30, Over 40 and Over 50 races which are tailored to meet their individual needs while they will also gain medals and trophies for their efforts.
Quarterfinal action kicks... From page 71 Tiger Bay (Group C) each walked away with $30,000 for topping their respective groups. Sparta Boss (Group A), Bent Street (Group B) and West Front Road (Group C), carted off $20,000 for placing second in the groups while California Square (Group A), Leopold Street (Group B) and North East La Penitence (Group C) snagged $15,000 for third place. Beacons (Group A), Mocha (Group B) and Tucville (Group C) got $10,000.
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Smith hundred sets up Australia... From page 67 including eight fours, prompting yet more boos as well as clapping to acknowledge his century before he was dismissed off the penultimate ball of the innings. England’s reply saw James Vince, on his Hampshire home ground, make 64 and stand-in captain Jos Buttler a blistering 52. But both batsmen got out when well set as England, top of the one-day international rankings and fresh from a 4-0 series win over Pakistan, suffered their first defeat of the season. “There’s been some good work for some of the bowlers,” said Buttler. “We’re disappointed not to win but we’re in good shape.” Buttler, leading England in the absence of the injured Morgan, hit 24 off one over from fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile. A fierce cut for four was
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Australia’s Steve Smith hits out during his 116 against England in a World Cup warm-up match. (AFP Glyn Kirk) followed by an 84-metre straight six before Buttler cut another boundary. He didn’t score off the fourth ball of the 27th over but made amends off the last two, with a huge pulled six off the fifth delivery followed by an edged four past wicket-
keeper Alex Carey. But Coulter-Nile had his revenge when Buttler chipped him to short midwicket. Vince then guided paceman Jason Behrendorff straight to Nathan Lyon at short third man.
Versatility makes me an asset, says Brathwaite BRISTOL, England, CMC – Fresh from scoring a half-century in a losing cause for the West Indies in an unofficial warm-up game, all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite is looking to get some more runs under his belt when they face off against South Africa today. It will be the first of two official warm-up matches for the Windies, before they play Pakistan in their opening ICC World Cup on May 31 at Trent Bridge. T h e Wi n d i e s w e n t down by seven wickets to Australia on Wednesday, with Brathwaite topscoring with 60 runs. Brathwaite, who will be playing in his first World Cup, said he was looking forward to scoring some more runs against the Proteas. “Form is relevant I
guess because if you get nought the next game you’re considered out of form so you don’t want to count your chickens before they hatch, but it felt really good batting in the last game and looking forward to tomorrow [today] again,” Brathwaite said. “It’s another challenge and whatever situation presents itself is for me to use that versatility again and to adapt to it. We may need another knock like against Australia or we may need a knock where they only have three overs and I’m supporting one of the batters that is in, so it’s another good challenge for the team a n d p u t s u s one step closer to the ultimate goal which is winning the tournament.” Brathwaite said he
considered himself valuable to the team because he could adapt to any scenario which presented itself. He said if he was chosen to produce with either bat or ball, he was more than up to the task. “When chosen, my skillset suits bowling very tight in the middle, offering some support at the death and then with the bat picking up the slack. “If I need to come in the last three, four overs to give us a boost to the total then fine, or the odd game where I can come in and play a longer knock, so I think it’s about working on all facets of my game so my versatility makes me an asset that can be chosen at any point during the tournament,” Brathwaite said.
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Kaieteur News
Smith hundred sets up Australia Lewis looking to make name for himself at World Cup warm-up win over England AFP - Steve Smith ignored the jeers of the crowd to mark his first match against England since a balltampering ban with a century that set up Australia’s 12-run win in a World Cup warm-up clash at Southampton yesterday. Smith’s 116 was the centrepiece of world champions Australia’s 297 for nine. A target of 298 proved just beyond England, without four firstchoice players including captain Eoin Morgan and fellow batsman Joe Root, as the World Cup hosts and favourites were dismissed for 285 with three balls left. “I’m pretty chilled, everyone’s entitled to their opinion,” Smith told Sky Sports during the innings break when asked about the crowd’s taunts. “I’m just happy to be back playing. Fortunately, I was able to contribute today and hopefully I can take this form into the World Cup.” Afterwards, Australia captain Aaron Finch said: “Overall the way we batted was a good effort. I
thought Steve Smith played a really impressive knock.” Smith and David Warner only returned to international duty earlier this month after they both completed year-long suspensions for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. The disgraced duo’s first match in England this tour was a hastily arranged, unofficial warm-up match against the West Indies on the nursery ground at Southampton on Wednesday. But that fixture was played in front of fewer than 30 spectators whereas there were several thousand in the main arena on Saturday for the first of several Anglo-Australian clashes in a season featuring both the World Cup and a five-Test Ashes series. Warner was booed first by spectators on Saturday when he walked out to open with Finch after Australia lost the toss. - ‘Get ‘em Stevie!’ And when the left-hander
arrived at the crease, one fan shouted: “Get off Warner you cheat.” Warner’s dismissal for 43, caught in the deep by Jonny Bairstow off Liam Plunkett, was greeted by immediate cheers from England fans. But there were more boos as he returned to the pavilion to be replaced by Smith, coming in with Australia 82 for two. The BBC reported there were a few chants of “cheat, cheat, cheat”, although a lone Australia fan shouted “Get ‘em Stevie!”. There was, however, the customary round of applause from the crowd for a batsman reaching his fifty when Smith got to the landmark. Long a thorn in England’s side, Smith went to 99 with a superb carved six over third man off Ben Stokes. The next delivery saw Smith complete a 94-ball hundred, (Continued on page 66)
BRISTOL, England, CMC – West Indies opener Even Lewis intends to use the upcoming ICC World Cup to announce himself as one of the world’s best opening batsmen. The 27-year-old Lewis will be playing in his first World Cup and is set to bat at the top of the order with fellow left hander Chris Gayle. In his 35 One Day Internationals for the West Indies, Lewis averages 32.58 and has scored two centuries and three halfcenturies. However, having recorded his highest ODI score of 176 not out in England back in 2017, he is confident the conditions will suit him. “Of course you know that the World Cup is the biggest stage and it’s just a matter of being yourself, being relaxed, being comfortable, backing your ability and when you do get off to a good start it’s important to carry the team down as much as possible, get big scores
and get a double hundred if you can get it, so I’m really looking forward to it,” Lewis said, when asked if he intended to make a name for himself at the tournament. “The conditions are very well, a little bit chilly at times but in terms of the wickets, they are pretty good.” With just two official warmup games remaining before the start of the World Cup, Lewis said the team was in high spirits and was looking forward to putting their best feet forward “We are just looking to do our best in this tournament, go out there as a team and play hard cricket, play the cricket we know we can play and just hope for the best,” he said.
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Kaieteur News
“You have a strong partner in Development” -CWI President tells Minister Norton Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton, was on Friday last reassured of Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) commitment to Guyana. This assurance was given by the newly elected President of CWI, Mr. Richard Skerritt, in light of the circumstances surrounding the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB). “You have a strong partner in development…we want to see the continued development of cricket in Guyana,” Skerritt said. The engagement, which was held at Minister Norton’s office, also comprised of CWI’s Chief Executive Officer, Jonny Grave; CWI’s Development Manager, Fawwaz Baksh; along with the Director of Sport, Christopher Jones and Assistant Director of Sport, Melissa DowRichardson.
As the engagement commenced, Minister Norton congratulated Skerritt on his recent appointment, expressing confidence in the development of West Indies Cricket. Dr. Norton was particularly persistent about the hosting of the Under 19 Tournament in Guyana. “I believe this would really go a far way in inspiring young cricketers, and that is what we want, young Guyanese to nurture their talents and make their country, and the West Indies proud,” Dr. Norton said. The meeting discussed the challenges involving the GCB and ways of minimizing its impacts on the hosting of international tournaments here in Guyana; the most immediate of these being India’s Tour of the Caribbean, which is slated to begin in
August. In this regard, given the current situation, Minister Norton has given his commitment to ensuring that CWI is equipped with all that it needs to successfully host these matches in Guyana, with agreements for India’s Tour being confirmed by the Government of Guyana. The meeting also discussed the development of cricket programmes for youths in grassroots communities and the Hinterland regions. Herein, President Skerritt informed the meeting of CWI’s intention to develop the sport using approaches that will allow for greater productivity in West Indies cricket. “…We want to have a bottom–up approach. Especially when it comes to youths in the rural areas; they are always so appreciative and willing to work with what
The Hon. Minister of Social Cohesion with Responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. George Norton poses with President of Cricket West Indies, Richard Skerritt. is provided,” Skerritt said. Assistant Director of Sport, Melissa DowRichardson also emphasized the need for CWI to ensure that its programmes are geared towards gender parity.
Skerritt responded favorably, noting that the CWI is certainly becoming more gender-conscious. As the meeting wrapped up, Skerritt lauded Guyana for its Cricket Administration Act.
“As far as the Act is concerned, Guyana is way ahead of many other countries…it is important to properly regulate sports … it just needs to sort out this situation with the GCB,” Skerritt said.
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 26, 2019
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‘Green Machine’ to tackle for RAN sevens championship this July in Cayman Islands
Guyana’s green machine will be looking to break their duck and claim the RAN sevens title this July in the Cayman Islands after losing the final in two consecutive years.
T
he Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) senior men’s sevens team have been placed in Pool B alongside their rivals and defending champions Jamaica, hosts Cayman Islands and Trinidad and Tobago for the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens championships that will scrum on July 6 and 7. Pool A consists of Canada, Bermuda, Mexico and Barbados and the tournament
will serve as a regional qualification event Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This year’s July 6-7 tournament will be at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex, a 3,000 seat stadium that is no stranger to international events. The 2018 RAN Sevens was last held in Barbados with Jamaica Men and Mexico Women grabbing the first place titles; Guyana went down 22-17 to Jamaica in the final.
Corona Futsal Tournament
Quarterfinal action kicks off tomorrow at Gymnasium The fourth annual Corona Futsal tournament continues tomorrow night at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue and Princes Street with knockout matches as quarterfinal action is set to kickoff from 21:00hrs. The first match will be sure to provide fireworks with Future Stars (group B winner) matching skills with West Front Road (Gold Is Money). All the fixtures are potential blockbusters, California Square will be pitted with the dangerous and fan favourite Bent Street in the game two which is scheduled for a 22:00hrs kick off. The penultimate clash will feature Back Circle and North East La Penitence going all out for a place in the semifinals of the tournament which will see
Four anticipated quarterfinal matches set for National Gymnasium tomorrow night in Corona Futsal tourney. the champion pocketing $500,000. The Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson led Sparta Boss side, which can easily boast as being one of the more successful ‘small goal’ teams in Guyana, will face a tough opposition in Tiger Bay that topped Group C. The second place
See detailed fixtures below. 5/27/2019 Quarter Finals 21:00 hrs Future Stars 22:00 hrs Bent Street 23:00 hrs Back Circle 00:00 hrs Sparta Boss 6/1/2019 Semifinals 22:30 hrs Winner of 32 23:30 hrs Winner of 31
finishers in the tournament will pocket $250,000 and third will receive $125,000. Last Tuesday, teams were awarded with cash incentives for their respective finishes after the group stage. Back circle (Group A), Future Stars (Group B) and (Continued on page 65)
Gymnasium Match # West Front Road 31 California Square 32 North East La Penitence 33 Tiger Bay 34 Gymnasium Match # Winner of 33 35 Winner of 34 36
As was the case for the Rio 2016 Olympics, the top four teams in the Men’s and Women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2019 will confirm their places in Tokyo and an additional six teams will qualify through regional association tournaments. The final opportunity for Olympic qualification will be at the World Rugby Olympic Repechage tournament that is scheduled for June 2020.
Twelve teams, comprising of the next two highest ranked teams based on 2019 regional qualification rankings from each region, will be invited to participate in these Olympic Repechage tournaments. At the time of release, USA Rugby Men’s Sevens sit at the top of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, while USA Rugby Women’s Sevens and Rugby Canada Women’s Sevens are ranked two and three respectively.
All systems in place for today’s ‘Mackenzie High vs Multi’ Independence Athletics C/ship Team McNeil/Cameron were last evening trying their utmost to put the final touches, against the odds of the rainy weather, to have a prompt start today from 9.00hrs when the inaugural ‘Mackenzie High versus Multi’ Independence Day track and field championship takes place at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden. The planners, Mackenzie High School’s former athlete Shawn McNeil and Floyd Cameron past sprinter from ‘Multi’, said that there were no thoughts of postponing the activity and regardless the two arch rivals will battle it out over 35 events including relays to see who will emerge winners even though both schools will get $100,000 and a smart 50 inch television at the end of the day. The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) has given its backing through the intended presence of AAG president Aubrey Hutson, who likes the idea of inter school rivalry and will be there as an official along with Member of Parliament Audwin Rutherford among other top officials will witness the one day championship. The two schools named
Shawn McNeil
Floyd Cameron
some of their athletes for today’s clash and the C h r i s t i a n b u rg Wi s m a r Secondary ‘Multi’ will be led by coach Moses Pantlitz his charges includes the present CARIFTA Games Bronze medalist Shaqua Tyrrell who will be competing in her pet event the 1,500m, while Tuqua Wilson will be in the 100 and 200m sprints, Daniela Hackett in the long and triple jumps, Jonathan Copeland, who is well known in the field events, will run the relays and the triple jump, Deon Richards will compete in the long and triple jumps. Their opponents for the day, Mackenzie High School have named some of their athletes who will be under the watchful eyes of Coach Johnny Gravesande. Among them are the outstanding
Deshanna Skeete, who will be involved in the 100, 200 and 400m races, Jasey Copeland who is one of the most promising female field athletes and who will be throwing the shot put and discus, Seon Johnson who will be featured in the sprints 100, 200 and 400m races, Omar Jones in the 100, 200 and 400m races and the long jump also and Shenia Liverpool who will be contesting the triple and long jumps and the 200m race. Knowing that both schools have been integral in the reasons behind why the Upper Demerara / Kwakwani District 10 are the most decorated districts in the history of the nationals, it will be a sampling of these athletes who have done the region proud. Take into (Continued on page 65)
Kaieteur News
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Sunday May 26, 2019
Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter Ward Ariel overcome HS Masters to Cup final postponed from today take Edwards T20 softball title
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rganisers of this year’s Hamilton Green Cup Inter Ward/Village 9a-side Knockout Football Tournament has indicated that the scheduled finals action, fixed for tomorrow, has been postponed to a date with will be announced. Lennox Arthur, the former national player and coach, disclosed that the persistent rainfall over the past few days has left the Den Amstel ground, West Coast Demerara in an unsuitable state for play hence the rescheduling. This is the second such rescheduling. A new date will be disclosed shortly after consultations with the various stakeholders. The action was set to feature quarterfinals, semi-finals, and the final, which will be the order of things when the new date is announced. Matches were set to feature Timehri against Vreed-en-Hoop, Soesdyke take on De Kindren, Mocha face Lilliendaal, Pouderoyen engage Bagotsville, Goed Fortuin collide with the Bourda Blues, Sophia go up against Mahaicony, Host Den Amstel Back Street challenge Charlestown and the final game of the quarter-finals is between Uitvlugt and Zeelugt. Teams will be battling for a chance to claim the John Fernandes $300,000 first prize and Prime Minister trophy along with hampers from Ricks and Sari. The second placed team will take away the Courtney Benn sponsored $100,000, third $60,000 put up by Techno mills and fourth $40,000 donated by Ready Mix along with the respective trophies. All the trophies
A
riel defeated HS Masters by four wickets to win the final of the Patrick Edwards T20 softball cricket tournament which was contested recently at Malteenoes Sports Club. HS Masters batted first and were bowled out for 89 with Troy Lewis scoring 42. Dharam Persaud grabbed 412 and Shaheed Gittens 224. Ariel responded with 916. Ron Ramnauth made 30, while Gittens scored 25 to
Troy Lewis earn the man-of-the-match award. Earlier, HS Masters beat Fisherman by five wickets. Fisherman took first strike
and managed 162-6. Zameer Hassan struck eight fours and two sixes in a top scored with 59, while Ewie Sharma made 48. Manoj Arjune and L. Sookdeo had one wicket each. HS Masters responded with 163-5. Troy Lewis hammered four fours and 10 sixes in a robust unbeaten 88; Hassan took 2-30 and Danny Thomas 1-17. Ariel, led by a fine 81 from Gittens and 53 not out from Ron Ramnauth, defeated Regal Masters in their encounter.
Lennox Arthur have been sponsored by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. Also at stake are the individual rewards for the Most Goals, who will take home a Dinette Chair from China Trading, while runner-up will be presented with a Lazy Boy chair from AH&L Kissoon, along with the Best Goalkeeper who will claim the Minister of Natural Resources trophy. Among the sponsors are Techno mills, Ready mix, Sataur Gafoor, E.C Veira, BEV Enterprises, BK International, IPA, New Thriving, Ricks and Sari, E-Networks, Star Computers, NAMILCO, Cummings Electrical, National Sports Commission, Star Entertainment, Alfro Alphonso, the Guyana Police Force, GuyOil, Minister of State, Prime Minister and Ministry of Legal Affairs.
Shaheed Mohamed accepts his man-of-the-match award from Ian John.
Malvern Sports Club overcome Rising Stars B in T20 fixture Malvern Sports Club defeated Rising Stars by four wickets when the teams collided in a T20 fixture played recently at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo. Malvern won the toss and elected to bowl first on a sticky wicket, restricting Rising Stars B for 83 all out in 10.4 overs. Tamesh Jagroop made 21 and Elroy Fernandes 19. Bowling for Malvern Lesroy Persaud bagged 6-17 in 4 overs. Malvern Sports Club reached their target in 16.2 overs with Khem Wong scoring 38 and Ajay Basdeo 32. Bowling for Rising Stars B Elroy Fernandes claimed 4-20 from three overs and Shane Persaud 2-6.
Lesroy Persaud
Ariel Masters skipper Oslyn Batson (right) collects the winning prize from Ian John.
Grand Central Sports bar ‘Saints’ win in women’s division to host pools tourney today YBG NSBF Georgetown/East Coast regionals
Y
outh Basketball Guyana’s (YBG) National Schools’ Basketball Festival (NSBF) that is currently being contested at the Georgetown/East Coast Regional zone, resumed on Friday last following a one-week break, with four scheduled games. Only three of those games had a result with only one being contested.
St. Stanislaus College soundly beat Tutorial High 34-1. Sharay Johnson (six rebounds and four steals) and Leanna Beron both netted eight points during the win. Queen’s College got a walkover victory over Bladen Hall, while defending zone champions Marian Academy also got a walkover victory, this time against Plaisance Secondary.
The Grand Central Sports Bar located on Grove, Public Road on the East Bank of Demerara, will host an Independence Pools tournament today at the establishment which is also popularly known as Jerries Bar from 17:00hrs sharp. There will be no reentry into the event and prizes will be awarded as $60,000 (first),
second place $40,000 and third $20,000, to go along with the respective trophies. The event is sponsored by Grand Central Sports Bar in association with Peerless Solutions and Red Stand Fish & Chicken. This annual tournament is organised by the Guyana Pools and Snooker Club & Royalty Billards.
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Sunday May 26, 2019
CWI President assures Guyana will be featured on India tour - % CWI team pays a courtesy call on PM Nagamootoo
OPM’s Coordinator of Governance Office, Tamara Khan, Director of Public Information, Imran Khan, Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, CWI’s President, Richard Skerritt, CWI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jonny Grave and CWI’s Logistics Manager, Fawwaz Baksh. (Keno George)
Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo and Cricket West Indies (CWI) President, Richard Skerritt. (Keno George) DPI, Guyana, President of Cricket West Indies (CWI), Richard Skerritt has assured that Guyanese cricket fans will see the West Indies and India teams in action in August at the Guyana National Stadium. This assurance was made during a meeting with Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo to discuss matters of mutual interest towards the development and growth of West Indies Cricket. Accompanying Skerritt were CWI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jonny Grave and CWI’s
Logistics Manager, Fawaaz Baksh. The Prime Minister ’s team comprised of the Director of Public Information (DPI), Imran Khan and Coordinator of the Governance Office at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Tamara Khan. The India team is scheduled to tour the West Indies in August following the Cricket World Cup which will commence next week in England. Prime Minister Nagamootoo again congratulated Skerritt on his new appointment as the President of the Cricket West Indies.
“We are heartened by your elevation,” he relayed to the CWI president. He highlighted that Guyanese people are passionate and unwavering fans of West Indies cricket and look forward to annual international cricket in our country. He assured Skerritt of the g o v e r n m e n t ’s c o m m i t m e n t towards the development and growth of cricket in both Guyana and the Caribbean. Prime Minister Nagamootoo revealed to the CWI president that the Government of Guyana will shortly embark on a multi-hundred
million-dollar programme to upgrade dozens of grounds all across the country which will be used by various sports, most especially cricket, the national sport. Skerritt congratulated the government on this initiative and expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for his hospitality as well as his sincere congratulations on his new appointment. He explained that while here for a short visit, it was necessary for him to engage the Prime Minister on his vast knowledge and involvement in
cricket. “I came here to pay tribute to your longstanding cricket interest, and you have always been a big cricket supporter,” President Skerritt said. “Cricket is so powerful, cricket brings people together,” Skerritt stressed. He explained that he will be engaging the various cricket stakeholders in Guyana on the way forward for cricket governance in the country. The two leaders also discussed matters related to the hosting of the Regional Under 19 tour.
Exciting Joe Solomon Classic Golf tournament set for tomorrow Tomorrow, local and visiting golfers team up to take away the prizes in what promises to be an exciting Joe Solomon Classic hosted in honor of the Guyanese cricketing legend who is currently in Guyana. The tournament, initially scheduled for yesterday, was deferred to tomorrow, as the Lusignan Golf Club executive and members honored the passing of a faithful long serving employee, the late Kampta Ramdhan, aka ‘Manny’, whose cremation took place yesterday. Joseph Stanislaus Solomon, born 26 August 1930, at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice, is a former Guyanese and West
Indian cricketer contemporary with Sir Gary Sobers and Frank Worrell – who played 27 Tests for the West Indies from 1958 to 1965, scoring 1326 runs, mainly from number six and seven in the batting line-up. Joe stamped his name in Test Cricket history at what one sports writer in 2011 considered “probably the most dramatic international cricket match ever played –
1960’s tied Test at Brisbane: Australia v West Indies.” Joe Solomon also played first-class cricket for British Guiana/Guyana from 1956 to 1969 and is the only player in first-class cricket history to score centuries in their first three innings for British Guiana – doing so in the 1957–1958 series. After 1969 Joe maintained his cricketing involvement being on the selection panel for the West
Indies team, serving as Chairman of the Guyana Cricket Board and coaching a local team in Guyana. Joe, who is an honorary life member of the Lusignan Golf Club, still plays golf. Today’s medal-play 18hole tournament tees-off at 9:00 a.m. and prizes for 1st and 2nd in each Flight, as well as Longest Drive, Best Gross and Nearest the Pin will be up for grabs.
Joe Solomon close-up, October 2016 © ESPNcricinfo Ltd
t r o Sp
The Hon. Minister of Social Cohesion with Responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Norton and his team meet with Cricket West Indies.
“You have a strong partner in Development� - CWI President tells Minister Norton
Lewis looking to make name for himself at World Cup
Evin Lewis is looking for some big scores at the upcoming World Cup.
P.
Versatility makes me an asset, says Brathwaite Carlos Brathwaite will be looking for more runs against South Africa today.
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