Sunday May 27, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
GuySuCo will never get better with the likes of Paul Bhim
THAT AFC PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE NARCOTICS ACT
DEAR EDITOR, I read with alarm and dismay sentiments expressed by Audreyanna Thomas on behalf of GuySuCo Staff, signed by Paul Bhim, sent to the Minister of Agriculture and deliberately leaked to Stabroek News quite recently. This, relative to the discord of the staffers, I wish to state is erroneous and not a representation of the sentiments and belief of the staff but instead, quite to the contrary. It is well known that staff discord is because of continual management that lacks vision, imagination and which strives only to maintain the plantocracy system. There was a meeting held on May 22 and not May 17
as was stated. This meeting was called and chaired by Ms. Audreyanna Thomas, a nonexecutive member of staff with Paul Bhim by her side where she expressed the sentiments stated in the letter which we all now believe was prepared before the meeting. This letter was obviously sent to the Minister of Agriculture and leaked by her the very same day. Ms. Thomas has always been known as Guysuco’s Propaganda Machine, used for damage control and to pull wool over the employees’ eyes. How important she must feel addressing the Executive Management from a position of ‘authority’. Now that there are persons unlike the others who are
obviously here to work and not to be influenced into the norms of GuySuCo, we complain when all of us across the industry know the revelations are true. Identify the staffers and we will come forward with evidence since enough is enough. GuySuCo is complaining of leaked information and this can only come from the sensibly disgruntled. Audreyanna Thomas should leave immediately and so too should Paul Bhim. This company will never get better with the likes of them. You both have brought GuySuCo to a new low. Shame on you Paul Bhim shame on you too, Audreyanna Thomas. Mike Singh Sr.
DEAR EDITOR, In a discussion in Kaieteur News edition of 26 May about the AFC’s intention to table a private member’s bill to amend the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Act, there is this statement: “Despite the AFC’s position on the issue, the Government’s official position is that the law is the law”. The first time that I saw this statement made by a Minister of the Government, I was perplexed. What on earth did that mean? That the law is the law and cannot be changed? Therefore, I searched for just what the Minister had said. What I found was that the statement had been made in relation to the sentence handed down by the Magistrate in a case
THE JAILING OF PERSONS FOR SMALL GANJA QUANTITIES AND THE CRIME SITUATION DEAR EDITOR, In the book Freakonomics, written by two economists- Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner- who dug through seemingly unrelated data, the phenomenon of rising crime statistics in the early 1990s in New York City, specifically murders by teenagers was discussed. Despite their best efforts, the city of New York had grappled with increasing crime rates for many years. Increased penalties, tougher policing methods and others strategies failed to arrest (pun intended) the crime situation.
Then circa 2000, the stats began falling and continued falling. Nothing significant had changed that year that could explain the sudden but welcomed decrease in crime. The two economists took a broader view and tried to find out what situation or circumstance was responsible for the change. Roe V. Wade - In 1973, the Supreme Court of the United States passed landmark legislation making it legal for women across the United States to terminate pregnancies legally. Harsh as it seems, the
resulting effects of the legislation did not become apparent until 2000. The economists suggested that the change to allow legal termination of pregnancies resulted in hundreds or possibly thousands of unwanted pregnancies, many of whom would have been born into the socioeconomic conditions that foster or encourage a life of crime, simply were not born. So by 2000 many of the persons that would have reached the age of maturity and entered the criminal
networks were not here to do so. This is a harsh lesson, but a lesson nonetheless. The law in Guyana stipulates mandatory custodial sentences (three to five years) for persons found with small amounts of marijuana. We have read many stories about young men and women who are now locked away in prison for three years or more for being in possession of a simple “spliff/joint”. I remember a case of a nursing mother in Albouystown who was (Continued on page 6)
of possession of a relatively small quantity of marijuana. What he was saying, as I understood it, was that if a law specifies a specific punishment, then the magistrate has to follow that law. In other words, she/he cannot change the law and vary the punishment. I saw a subsequent opinion that the magistrate can indeed take into account the special circumstances of an individual case. I am not a lawyer, nor do I at present have access to either the Narcotics Act or whatever rules apply to magistrates’ sentencing powers, so I cannot say which opinion is correct.However, this article of 26 May was not discussing the powers of magistrates to vary sentences. It was about a possible Parliamentary amendment, by means of a private member’s bill, to the Act under which the
individual was imprisoned. MPs can introduce private members’ bills. Nobody in the Government, as far as I am aware, has said that they cannot. So how do we get to the assumption that “the Government’s official position is that the law is the law”, when the subject of the article is the AFC’s intention to seek to amend the relevant legislation? About which I have seen no opinion expressed by any Minister of the Government. Yes, there were amendments tabled in 2015 about which nothing has been done so far. But that is par for the course. That is, no doubt, why the AFC has resorted to a private member’s bill. Whether that bill will be handled more efficiently than the 2015 proposed amendments, we shall have to wait and see. Pat Robinson Commissiong
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Sunday May 27, 2018
Kaieteur News
Kaieteur M@ilbox
Kaieteur M@ilbox
IN BRITISH GUIANA, WE HAD…
Legalise it and I will advertise it
DEAR EDITOR, Please permit some space in your most informative newspaper to release some of the pains from my aching heart. Sir, I was born in 1944 and lived in British Guiana which was ruled by the Queen of England.I wish to say those days were indeed beautiful ones to remember. I wish to mention some services and benefits we used to enjoy, even with limited offices and staffers as compared to after Independence from 1966 to today. We had one Governor and just a limited number of offices in Georgetown running the administration of our country. Today, we have senior and junior ministers yet nothing is going the way it should. We used to have one District Commissioner to take care of what was called then
the District Administration. Today, we have several officers and offices and yet nothing seems to be done in the interest of the citizens— it appears only to satisfy the whims and fancy of the politicians. We seldom heard of corruption. As for education, in our primary school districts, there were what we called School Inspectors who will visit schools on a monthly basis and after a short meeting with Head Master, he or she would proceed to the classes and speak to the teachers.The pupils register would be examined. Teachers had to explain absences and the follow-ups with parents. Today, I see primary school children playing around during school hours. Two weeks ago, I called one official of the Ministry of Education and informed her
An intention to injure ... From page 4 AG, which the Court awarded a judgment of $1.7 billion dollars against the state. Finally, any leader worth their salt would appreciate a smooth transition of office. Upon leaving office as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr Anil Nandlall should have informed his successor of the status of all matters in the Chambers and if any matters had been outsourced, and who they were outsourced to. That would have been the right thing to do. That would have been the honourable thing to do. Sam Boodram Attorney General Chambers
of the situation and the area I am calling from and my contact number. To my surprise, she told me to call New Amsterdam and inform the officers there. I said to her- “sorry madam, because if you are an employee from the Ministry’s office and you cannot do your work then I cannot, this is why education is dying now.” But who cares? During those days, we had the public hospitals and every sugar estate had a hospital. Government also had a District Doctor who will drive through the area on special days. Our day in Canje was Wednesday. I grew up in Betsy Ground, Canje, and whenever my mother or anyone was sick, we would put a white flag by the roadside and the doctor will see it and stop and attend to the patient. The same went for our animals when we had to summon the vet. The Sanitary Inspector (SI) as they were called then would ride their bicycles through the villages taking complaints and acting on them. Today, nobody cares. Milk vendors had to carry their milk in specially made cans along with specially stamped measure cups with long handles dipped inside the milk can to prevent dust from passing vehicles. The vendor must be examined by the Government doctor and be issued with a Health Certificate every three months before he or she (Continued on page 7)
DEAR EDITOR, My attention was drawn to a missive by Mr. Rooplall Dudhnath titled ‘Legalising marijuana has serious disadvantages’.Let me begin by saying that I have never smoked or took marijuana in any form. It is just a personal choice combined with the fact that as a doctor if I am caught doing anything illegal, I can lose my licence to practise. Mr. Dudhnath argued that smoking marijuana has lots of problems but failed to outline these many problems. Quite frankly, the only problem associated with marijuana is probable psychosis and paranoia. Quite frankly, being paranoid in Guyana is not a bad thing. It may just make the populace less trusting of politicians. Also, I’m a very paranoid person and never smoked weed.
My question is, is that a justifiable reason not to legalise marijuana? Mr. Editor, I’ve been a medical doctor, albeit not a psychiatrist, practising for 17 years. I am still to see a single case of a patient with medical side effects from marijuana. The psychiatrists may or may not have a different opinion. I have practised in both Guyana and St. Lucia and presently practising in the UK.Let’s look at other psycho-active substances and their associated problems. Alcohol has very serious problems. I have literally seen lots of patients with alcohol-related problems. I will name a few. Cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, delirium tremens, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, kordakoff syndrome, cerebellar
atrophy, cerebellar ataxia, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, portal hypertension, gastric erosion, gastric ulcers, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, gastric cancer, oesophageal varicies, oesophageal cancer, oropharyngeal cancers, death, etc. Mr. Editor, this is not one tenth of the medical problems associated with alcohol yet it is legal. Also, I have not touched on the social consequences of alcoholism, the broken families, morbid jealousy, poverty, motor vehicular accidents, etc. Can we really defend alcohol use yet demonise marijuana? Let’s look at another commonly used psychoactive substancesnamely tobacco. Again tobacco smoking has lots of (Continued on page 7)
THE JAILING OF PERSONS FOR ... From page 5 sentenced to three years for possession of marijuana. In her case, the drug was not found on her, it was in the shop that she managed or owned. I can go on to list dozens of other cases, including the most recent, of the father of three that caught the nation’s attention. But, more than the personal impact on the mother or father or the kids that are left behind, what is the impact that this archaic and oppressive law has on our society? In a developing country like ours, where single parenting is already too common and its adverse
effects already well documented - what effect has this law had on families across this country?What effect has it had on the young men and women that have been imprisoned for three years? What rehabilitation programmes do we have to help then re-enter society as productive, contributing members?I am not in possession of hard evidence, but I would be more than willing to wager that a check into the background of many bandits that terrorize us today will reveal a stint in jail for possession of marijuana. Is their life of crime in later years directly linked to their
incarceration or the difficulties they encountered thereafter?These are issues that must be thoughtfully examined by our leaders. It must be more than a taking point for 2020, it must come from a sincere place, from someone who has the foresight to see the long-term impact this law has on our youth and our society. I’m calling on all our leaders to repeal the current law of mandatory custodial sentencing for small amounts of marijuana. We must, as a society, find a better way. Michael Leonard AFC Region 4 Chairman
Sunday May 27, 2018
Kaieteur M@ilbox IS ENRICO WOOLFORD THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF NCN? DEAR EDITOR, I am aware Mr. Lennox Cornette was asked to resign as CEO of NCN. I am also aware that Mr. Enrico Woolford was appointed Chairman of a revamped board of directors. I am not aware of any advertisement for a new CEO. I have been reliably informed that Mr. Enrico Woolford is
signing documents and may be performing as Executive Chairman. My question is, is Mr. Woolford the Executive Chairman of NCN, and if so does the company’s articles make provision for that? And if he is not the Executive Chairman, when will the vacancy for Chief Executive be advertised?
Thank you Merlin Richards Editor’s note: Section 81 (i) of the Company Act states inter alia that any company from within its number can appoint a Managing Director or a Chief Executive Officer. NCN is a company under the Company Act.
Legalise it and I will advertise ... From page 6 medical side effects. I have seen many patients presenting to me with lots of problems associated with smoking. Some of these problems include chronic bronchitis, emphysema, oropharyngeal cancers, oesophageal cancers, lung cancers, predisposition to pneumonias, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, oxygen dependence, acute
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myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral vascular disease , limb amputation and death, to name a few. And what about the social consequencesnamely oxygen dependencewhich can result in unemployment.Mr. Editor, the two mentioned psychoactive substances (tobacco and alcohol) have serious medical and social problems yet they are legal. How can one argue for
IN BRITISH GUIANA, ... From page 6 could have operated.The vendor, ever so often, would be stopped and the milk tested. If it fails to meet the bar, there could be charges. Today, people are moving around with a used plastic oil pail and an enamel cup held in their hand collecting the dust from passing vehicles.We did not hear about stealing then because the penalty was a deterrent. There was whipping for lesser crimes. Flogging by cat-o-nine was reserved for more serious crimes and hanging for murders were present. Back then, robberies and murders were extremely rare. Today, not a day goes by without reports. Yet millions of dollars will be spent for the 52 years of political dogfight celebrations. Last week, I spoke with a young woman who is employed with a telephone company who wished the queen could rule the country again as every politician that rule this country is not improving the situationI truly share that view. Harri P. Beharry
legalising these substances yet making marijuana illegal, a drug that has lots of medicinal purposes but we ignore them. I will ask Mr Dudhnath a simple question, in those countries that have legalised marijuana use, have they reported any problems? The answer is no. I personally think there are very strong arguments for making both tobacco and alcohol illegal. To me, they are much more detrimental than marijuana.As I have said before, I do not smoke marijuana and have never smoked it but I have many friends who do. I think making marijuana illegal was more political rather than medical. I would say quite frankly, let the people smoke in peace. To each his own. In closing, I will say legalise it and I will advertise it. Dr. Mark Devonish
Kaieteur M@ilbox We have to monitor suspicious characters entering Guyana DEAR EDITOR, For quite a number of years, I would always get angry whenever illegal immigrants caught in Guyana are being hauled before the courts. A number of them are fined and deported and I cannot recall any being jailed. I am always of the opinion that it is wrong and after reading Thursday’s papers, I felt a great relief when reading the article where our Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that steps would be in place to accommodate those desirous of entering Guyana. There are many reasons that caused people to enter another country, illegally for better opportunities, among other reasons. We are witnessing problems in neighbouring countries. I must applaud Mr. Greenidge and say it’s a much welcomed move. However, Mr. Editor, I urge that even though we
would be allowing immigrants, I hope that before this plan is executed, the authorities should install proper mechanisms in place to prevent lawlessness to occur. No doubt, once the floodgate is open many would utilize the opportunity especially criminals/fugitives and drugs mules/dealers/ barons. Our country is being kept back from development by means of technology because of our dinosaur’s era internet service we are getting for ages and I hope that all ports of entry would be equipped with internet ready computers and have network access so that proper background checks could be made on those desirous of entering Guyana. Plans should be in place for monitoring suspicious characters and the various
offenders who would use the opportunity to enter here. Over the years, I’ve witnessed many deportees returning in Guyana and they would amass followers and boasting of the country they got deported from and comparing Guyana with them. Sadly, many would believe these disgraced criminals. Many of our ignorant youths would end up looking at these as saviours. I’ve personally witnessed more than one such incident so I am just using that as an example so that the authorities would put mechanisms in place to protect our youths. Not everyone entering Guyana would be bad and I am quite sure we would be getting many talented people also. Sahadeo Bates
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Kaieteur News
Suriname cops posing as pirates detain Guyanese fishermen The Guyanese fishermen.
S
ixteen fishermen were intercepted just before noon yesterday in neighbouring Suriname in an area called Bigipan. The men in separate vessels reported that the
scoutoo (police) were disguised as sea pirates and some were masked. After shooting up in the air, the vessels were taken ashore and grounded. Twelve were taken in for questioning and items on
board the boats confiscated. Reports are that a few Guyanese are among the crew of mostly Surinamese fishermen. The Surinamese authorities have not confirmed any move of this
kind but when contacted, a source indicated that the officers may have been involved in a random undercover operation. This, he said, is part of an intensified policing of the waterways to intercept vessels carrying pirates, illegal operators and smuggled items. However, a few fishermen
who were released with their licence intact are furious and fearful of how the men operated. In an interview with the Surinamese media, they blame the police for damaging their vessels and submerging their engines. The fishermen questioned why the police came masked and disguised if they were involved in a legitimate
operation. They were able to salvage a few items including outboard engines after the raid. After the bloody pirate attacks of May 3, last, that left over a dozen fishermen dead, authorities in Guyana and Suriname have intensified security along the waterways bordering the two neighbouring countries.
Mining, forestry contracts to... From page 2 take into account the billions of dollars in concessions it received on fuel, lube oil and other chemicals and spare parts.There are also major foreign-owned bauxite companies operating here including the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc./RUSAL and Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Inc. FORESTRY
There has also been a major public outcry about the contract with Bai Shan Lin Forest Development Inc., and Vaitarna Holdings Private Inc. Bai Shan Lin grew in prominence after 2010, with its forestry company said to be co-owned by the Government of China. Shortly after taking office, the Coalition Government appointed a new Board at GFC,
chaired by Jocelyn Dow. The Board seized the forest concessions of Bai Shan Lin, including some it had acquired under questionable joint venture means.In all, Bai Shan Lin had grown to be one of the biggest holders of State forests in Guyana. There was evidence that little was done to curtail its activities here, many of them illegal.
Sunday May 27, 2018
EXPECTATION OF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR IN REPORTING TO MANAGEMENT Introduction May is designated International Internal Audit Awareness Month by the Institute of Internal Auditors Global (IIAG). The IIA Guyana Chapter (IIAGC), which is affiliated to the IIAG is participating, as with other Chapters globally this month with a programme of activities. One such activity is the writing of articles pertaining to the practice of this esteemed profession in Guyana. This article is focused on the communication between the internal auditor and its executive management (client) in working towards its goal of adding value to the organisation they serve. The views expressed are based on my experience over the years as a practitioner and as an executive of the IIAGC.The Reporting Process Requirements. As part of the audit engagement, the internal auditor is required to submit an audit report which will contain, among other things, the findings and recommendations to its client, that is, executive management. The auditor is guided by the IIAG’s International Standards on Quality of Communications which state that it must be accurate, objective, clear, constructive, complete and timely. In doing so, the internal auditor must remain professional, objective, and independent at all times in conformity with the Standard on Independence and Objectivity. Even when auditors are kind and positive, they should not abandon their fact-based findings in exchange for good cooperation from management. Auditors at all times
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should have a positive attitude towards management. This might be one of the most important aspects of their work. They should avoid presenting their findings by restraining themselves from sensationalism, and try as much as possible to present positive aspects of their work. They should explain to management how implementing corrective actions on the findings will be indeed benefit the organisations. Even though internal auditors do their job based on facts, they need to have good working relationships with other employees in the organisation in order to ensure a long lasting cooperation. When management understands what internal audit does, it is less likely to respond by making statements such as “Your findings are not true”, “We don’t have time for you’’, or “We are not implementing your recommendations”.Auditors have been successful in their relationship with management by talking face to face as often as possible. Emails will not convey moods, feelings or body language. They must use every opportunity to have direct contact and communication with management. In so doing, it will not only enable them to talk to management more easily, but also put them in a position to get additional information if the situation warrants it.Another critical element of a successful audit is cooperation. A willingness to cooperate makes it easier for internal auditors to establish trust with management. They should always avail themselves to management in order to provide relevant information on time, organise
regular meetings, send reminders, and be ready for meetings at management’s request. The efficiency of internal auditors is centered on delivering quality work to management, being cost-effectively, and on a timely basis. Efficiency is measured by determining whether the auditors: · Provided valuable recommendations both within and outside the audit engagements. · Meet regular and special audit deadlines. · Deliver high quality reports. · Maintain strong relationships and communication with management. Concluding Remarks Maintaining a strong relationship is building trust, which is a long-term process. Auditors may encounter many obstacles, unpleasant people, and bad days, however they share with management a commitment to the same goal, and that is the success of the organisation. By building trust, management is more likely to view auditors as advisors and partners that they are. The better the auditor’s relationship with management, the more open it will be to the auditor’s critiques and suggestions for improvements. Since both the auditors and management have the same objective, which is to add value to the organisation, hence this will require an excellent teamwork relationship approach. The challenge is to get our act together to establish and to maintain this management/auditor working relationship for the success of the organisation.(John Seeram—IIA – Guyana Chapter)
Dem boys seh... Aurora getting de gold and Guyana gets de pole Everybody know when people get ketch wid dem pants down, dem does mek all kinda flimsy excuse. Tek Exxon, de oil company. When dem get expose, dem does respond through ads. Dem never want to sit down and have a one on one discussion wid reporters. And if dem go to a forum and reporters present who desirous of talking to dem, and they don’t want to talk to dem, dem does find a way to mek demself busy. Unlike de oil company, de gold company, Aurora, when dem get expose, does respond through letters in de newspapers. But guess what? None is signed by de owners. Dem don’t sign no letter or put dem name. All de letters got ex-employee and although de info in de letters can only come from de owners of de company, de facts don’t match de reality. Dem seh dem bring US$30 million in lighting towers. With that number of lighting towers, de country don’t need hydro because that is quarter de hydro money. Guyana put down a whole power station in Kingston fuh less than dat to provide
power fuh de whole of Demerara and Berbice. Aurora US$30 million would light up de whole interior till to Venezuela and Brazil. And is not dem boys seh suh. De document wha dem use to apply and get concessions seh suh. Dem boys believe dem kacking de books fuh rob dem shareholders and inflate de investment fuh look good in de eyes of de politicians. Inflating de investment is like when a man go to a woman wid a bucketful of money. But de top of de money pile got couple $5,000 bill and de rest of de bucket full up wid $20 bill. Dem boys know wha she gon do. De woman gon do any and everything. Dat is wha dem foreign companies do wid dem politicians.De only difference between de two is dat politicians got a tendency to open dem pocket. Dem boys seh wid this kind of arrangement is only one side does get shaft and it ain’t de gold company or de man wid de bucket. Dem boys also seh Aurora getting de gold and Guyana getting de pole. Talk half and wait fuh more exposure.
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Mediation vital for reducing backlog - Chancellor Not only is mediation vital for reducing backlog, it also assists the judiciary in their mandate for greater access to and delivery of justice. This is the position of Madame Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chancellor of the Judiciary, who was at the time speaking at the opening ceremony of the Mediation Refresher Training Course for mediators. The workshop was held during last week in Berbice and Georgetown. According to the Chancellor, over the years it has been recognised that although parties file actions against each other, some cases are not suited for the court process. “For disputes between family members, spouses and contentious issues between neighbours, mediation appears to be the better route for the resolution of such matters.” She added that in Guyana, judges have recognised that certain matters are better ventilated through mediation than through the court process. The new Guyana Civil Proceedings Rules (CPR) 2016 makes provisions for court annexed mediation. Part
26.01 of the Rules gives the court the power to order parties to participate in mediation. Non-compliance can result in the claim being dismissed where the claimant does not appear at mediation, or the defence being struck out when the defendant does not appear at mediation. She said that it was against this backdrop that the judiciary of Guyana along with the JURIST Project decided to embark on the refresher training, so that all mediators on the roster would be able to sharpen their skills. It was her hope that through the training, that all mediators would take away substance that would greatly assist in the conduct of their mediations. Ms. Jamela Ali, Director, Mediation Services International Inc (MSI), which is conducting the training gave some history about mediation in Berbice and noted that in 2011, a group of persons were trained as mediators. However, she lamented that mediators in Berbice have not been given the opportunity to utilize their skill. “Since interest in mediation in Berbice has been low key, it is not surprising that in 2018, the number of
mediators have dwindled a bit, for various reasons. But what is of significance is that mediation seems not to have been developed or encouraged in Berbice and mediators not given much opportunity to utilize their skills acquired since 2011,” she said. It is in this regard, that MSI is confident that at the end of the two-day session, the mediation skills of the participants would have been strengthened and sharpened and there will be renewed interest for mediation in Berbice so that
persons in that county can utilize the newly constructed Berbice Mediation Centre and benefit from the skills of the mediators. The aim of the workshops is to reduce the current backlog that exists in the Guyana Supreme Courts under the old Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) by enhancing the use of mediation to reduce delays. Additionally, it will enhance the mediation services in Guyana by building the capacity of staff. There will also be a judicial, legal and public awareness campaign on mediation to sensitize judges and
attorneys in their roles for mediation. The JURIST Project, which commenced in 2014, is a five-year regional Caribbean judicial reform initiative funded under an arrangement with the Government of Canada. The Project is being implemented on behalf of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the Conference of Heads of Judiciary of CARICOM, by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which was appointed by the Conference as its Regional Executing Agency.
Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Madame Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards
Chatham House warns ...
Be open with nation about looming challenges to oil revenue
O
ne of the first and most difficult chal lenges Governments of emerging oil countries face is managing the expectations of its people. There is no silver bullet solution for this issue. But Chatham House, a London-based organization concerned with anti-corruption, notes that one way that is guaranteed not to work is keeping the citizenry in the dark. This is especially as it relates to how the government
intends to prepare to spend and save the oil revenue to come. Chatham House made this pellucid at one of its meetings with 15 emerging oil countries. Guyana was part of that session. There, Chatham House officials stressed that honesty is needed regarding the realities facing the country and the factors that can have an impact on oil revenues. Chatham House said there is a need for Governments to be more forthcom-
ing about the steep drop in global oil and gas prices that threaten to dramatically impact countries that have staked s i g n i f i c a n t e c o nomic hopes on new projects as an engine for econ o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t . Providing further context, the officials explained that the commodities boom that began in 2004 spurred a wave of new investments in exploration and development, as the potential value of new discoveries rose and
complex projects that would have previously been uneconomical became viable. The boom led to announcements of major new projects in countries including Guyana, Ghana, Ta n z a n i a , a n d U g a n d a . Chatham House said that with these announcements came a flood of citizen expectations about the transformative power of the hydrocarbon industry. It said that managing these public expectations is one of the toughest challenges that Governments of various hotspots face now that prices have declined by 45 percent. Understanding this big picture, Chatham House said it brought together public officials from 15 emerging producers to discuss the implications of the price drop on their strategies to save and spend oil revenue in the future. The forum presented no ‘catch-all’ solution, but a common element permeated many comments, “the importance of being upfront with citizens about looming challenges”. The Organization said, “Honesty is critical in the wake of falling prices, even when the reality is bitter because it helps manage expectations. A government can’t wait for people to ask you for the full picture, you have to give it to the public proactively.” Among the suggested communication priorities were frank discussions about price uncertainty and potential project delays, as well as what they may mean for projections of public revenues.
Sunday May 27, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Do not count your chickens…learn from Ghana’s experience By Abena RockcliffeCampbell “Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.” That is a lesson taught to children at a very young age. Yet, Attorney-at-law, and Oil and Gas consultant, Charles Ramson, strongly feels that the Coalition Government should revisit this lesson lest it ends up having to learn the hard way and the nation suffers as a result. Ramson recalled what Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, told the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee about projected oil revenues. At least three times during the meeting, Trotman said, “We are going to be rich.” He even said that one can easily multiply the current oil price by 3.2 billion barrels of oil that Guyana has in its proven reserve, “and half of that money will be coming to Guyana.” Ramson said that from those and other utterances by Government officials, it is becoming more and more obvious that the Government of Guyana (GoG) is already banking on the revenue from oil even before production begins. Ramson said, “This is unwise and I am sadly foreseeing trouble for Guyana if the government does not take stock and understand that the promised revenue is only a projection. “We do not know if we will ever get what is promised to be the yearly rate of return from the Liza project.” Ramson said, for example, there are many factors that can potentially harm production and lead to reduced revenue if oil prices remain stable. “Also, oil prices can dip again.” With that view, the former People’s Progressive Party/ Civic parliamentarian said that it would be prudent for the government to hold back on
major borrowing and fancy spending until the promised oil money is in hand. Ramson said that it is bad enough that Guyana’s contract did not secure what the nation really deserves to get from the exploitation of its natural resource. “We understand that even though we are not going to be getting what we deserve, the nation’s revenue can increase tremendously; but we are not sure.” Ramson said that at this stage, the government should be studying and learning everything about the experiences of other countries. “If we have to, let us make our own mistakes; we should not make mistakes made by other countries. We should be learning from them.” If the government were doing this, it would have learned about the experience of Ghana. Ramson said, “The Ghanaian production and revenue volatility is a lesson for Guyana.” LOW PRODUCTION Ramson recalled that Ghana discovered around three billion barrels of oil in June 2007. Production started November 2010 with an estimated production of 120,000 barrels of oil a day. However, the average level of production was 38,000 barrels per day in December 2010. Ramson said that Tullow Oil then projected that Ghana would produce approximately 120,000 barrels of oil per day by June 2011. However, even by the end of 2011, this production level was not achieved due to “technical production challenges” faced with the wells. The reported average daily production by the end of 2011 in Ghana was 64,000 barrels. In 2012, the average daily production for the year was 72,000 barrels. Ramson indicated that it wasn’t until 2013 that average
Aurora Gold Mines 'spend'... From page 3 effect inflating its costs, which will have an impact on its shareholders' dividends. Suppliers of the lighting towers said that the cost of each in Guyana is upwards of $2M and not more than $2.6M. Buying 100 would attract discounts. Under the engagements of the Guyana Revenue Authorities, all imports coming to Guyana are supposed to be checked to ensure that prices are realistic. Whether this was done in the case of the Aurora application last September is unclear. Aurora is under fire as it appears that it is readying to bring in a Peruvian company to conduct major contract works, including moving stripped gold rocks from its mines to its mills. The contracts were being managed by local contractors in combination with a number of equipment that the company owns. Under its agreement with Guyana, Aurora has to provide as much opportunities as possible for locals. The company is also under fire for bringing in a TwinOtter plane while local operators who were benefitting have been left out in the cold.
- Ramson warns Govt. daily production reached about 100,000 barrels per day. That average was maintained until 2016 when average production fell to 74,000 barrels of oil per day. http://www.piacghana.org/ portal/5/25/piac-reports. LOWER REVENUE THAN PROJECTED At the end of 2012, declining productivity led to a decline in revenues for the government, who had budgeted for oil revenue of more than $650M. Actual revenue ended up
being $240M, a shortfall of more than $410M. Ramson recalled that the oil producing firm blamed the decline on “sand contamination of the flow lines that carry the oil from the underwater wells” into the storage facility on the surface. Further, Ramson noted that in 2015, the revenue from petroleum amounted to $396.1M but declined to $247.18M in 2016 representing 44 percent yearon-year decline and percent Continued on page 13
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman
Attorney-at-law and Oil and Gas Consultant, Charles Ramson
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Dedicate a special organ to transparency in oil and gas By Kiana Wilburg Guyana has just about two years to prepare for first oil. In that time frame, it must establish several institutions, policies, and strategies all aimed at protecting the oil money from mismanagement. But there is a reality that all Guyanese must embrace; Government’s attempt at preparing a robust environment for oil and gas will not be right on the first try. There are, however, a few key things that can ensure that the country stays clear of the horrors of the resource curse. According to Thiago de Aragao, Director of the Latin American Political Risk Analysis (the leading political analysis company in Brazil), Guyana would be wise to dedicate an organ to transparency in oil and gas. In his interview with Kaieteur News in California, the Director said, “Most of the solutions to avoid corruption in the oil and gas sector will be long-term practices. These involve education, strong institutions, and an efficient judiciary, etc. “But when you don’t have time to prepare
- says Brazil’s Leading Political Analyst all those things efficiently, especially when a new sector is being developed in the country, one thing the government can do from day one is be transparent.” Aragao continued, “For example, in Brazil, we have a dedicated organ to accountability called the Ministry of Transparency. This entity ensures there is open data, transparent information from all areas of the government and the daily agenda of each Minister is there on the site too. “This is something very interesting because it enables the citizenry to make checks as it desires, the press is not in the dark and people can have better accountability from the government.” The Brazilian Director added, “In oil and gas, transparency is key. If Guyana creates an organ of Government that enables transparency, it will demonstrate that it is serious about being a leading example to the rest of its emerging oilproducing counterparts. I am sure this is
something that will benefit society and remove distrust.” He noted that given Guyana’s history with issues of corruption, such a move will go a far way and send “a fantastic signal of ensuring accountability” to the international market. For more than 20 years, Guyana has struggled with the fight against corruption. In fact, when the coalition administration came into office in May 2015, a series of forensic audits were launched. More than 30 of the reports on those probes revealed just how deep the roots of corruption ran in various state agencies and even projects intended to improve the lives of the citizenry. To date, access to information by the press about crucial issues regarding the oil and gas sector still remains a challenge.
Thiago de Aragao, Director of the Latin American Political Risk Analysis
Do not count your chickens… From page 12 lower than revenues that accrued in 2014. The 2016 decline was also 29 percent lower than the government’s budgeted revenue of $348.42M. In the 2016 budget statement, the petroleum sector was projected to bring in $502.1M based on the projected benchmark crude oil output of 38.73M and benchmark price of $53.05 per barrel. https:// www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/ business/Ghana-Oil-revenue-drops-by-149min-2016-PIAC-report-548828. LOWER DEVELOPMENT THAN PROJECTED Despite earning over $3B since production started in 2010, Ghana’s GDP has moved from US$39B in 2011 to just US$42B in 2016. This lower than projected economic growth happened despite the government taking on
additional debt where its debt to GDP ratio moved from 36 percent in 2009 to now over 70 percent in 2017. https://tradingeconomics.com/ ghana/government-debt-to-gdp. Participants at a forum on management of petroleum revenue in the Ashanti Region have expressed disappointment over the management of Ghana’s oil revenue for the past six years. According to them, they are yet to feel the impact of the money accrued from oil since 2011 in their communities. http:/ /www.piacghana.org/portal/12/13/98/someghanaians-dissatisfied-with-management-of$34bn-oil-revenue. Ramson said that the government would be wise to invest in and support the productive sectors, “we cannot bank on oil alone. Mining, agriculture, fishery and retail all need attention and investment now. Let oil complement our traditional sectors.”
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Alleged human trafficking victims from David Street in protective custody Eight of 16 women- (14 Venezuelans, one Cuban and one from the Dominican Republic)- rescued during a raid executed by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), are currently under protective care and are assisting with investigations for alleged Trafficking in Persons. The young ladies between ages 15 and 35, were rescued from a house in David Street, Kitty, Georgetown on Tuesday. According to Coordinator, Countering
- assisting with investigations Trafficking in Persons Unit, Ministry of Social Protection, Tanisha Williams-Corbin, the victims are now in benefitting from psycho-social support. Williams-Corbin told the Department of Public Information (DPI), that the Ministry is also collaborating with the Department of Citi-
zenship to ensure measures are in place to allow the females to extend their stay in Guyana so as to further assist with the investigation. Williams-Corbin said this is in keeping the Combating of Trafficking In Persons Act Section 19-1, which mandates that “victims who cooperate with the investigation or any other part of the crime of trafficking are to be extended the opportunity to extend their time in Guyana if they want.� The intelligence-driven raid also resulted in a security guard and four other suspects taken into custody for questioning.
Tanisha Williams-Corbin, Coordinator, Countering Trafficking in Persons Unit, Ministry of Social Protection
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Watchdog body criticizes silence over transfer of whistle-blowing nurse Watchdog body, Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) has criticized the silence of two major bodies over the transfer of a West Berbice murder who allegedly blew the whistle on senior official said to be involved in abuses. TIGI disclosed that on June 25 and June 26, 2017, it issued a statement on the treatment of Nurse Sherilyn Marks which was published in the press. “TIGI added its voice to the voices of many that were raised in opposition to the act of transferring her from the Fort Wellington Hospital in response to her exposing the abuse of power by a Councillor attached to the APNU (a major component of the
APNU-AFC Coalition Government), to access prescription narcotic injections. “Ms. Marks was transferred from her post on April 19, 2017 and she remains in that state to date.” TIGI said that in the meantime, the government tabled a Protected Disclosure (Whistleblower Protection) legislation and it was passed unanimously in Parliament. However, laws will not be effective when there is a lack of will to make them work and the fact that Ms. Marks’s situation has not been rectified is ominous of the kind of dissonance in the political class that can render whistleblower legislation inconsequential if it does become law.”
The body said that in relation to actions taken by Marks, there were promises of investigations to determine whether she, in fact, breached any rules of the public service. “The Guyana Nursing Council, the Guyana Medial Council and the Ministry of Public Health, were to conduct investigations. These investigations would have uncovered whether Ms. Marks was in breach of the public service rules, whether doctors were complicit and whether the actions against her were inappropriate.” TIGI noted that the Guyana Public Service Union is on record as indicating that it stands with Nurse Marks in
asserting that she was not in breach of any rules. “It asserts that Nurse Marks acted professionally. The Union also indicated that it held discussions with various entities on behalf of Ms. Marks but has been unable to secure a reversal of the actions taken against her.” TIGI said that it wrote to both the Guyana Nursing Council (delivered on November 20, 2017) and the Guyana Medical Council (initially delivered on December 21, 2017) to enquire about the status of investigations. The Guyana Nursing Council responded, received on December 18, 2017, to indicate that it is not in a position to provide an update. “This response failed to even indicate whether or not investigations were initiated. We find this to be appalling.
Even if the council does not wish to divulge details of the investigation, there is nothing preventing it from indicating whether or not there was an investigation and whether or not it was completed. There is a difference between confidentiality and secrecy. The former is thoughtout and key information can be deleted; the latter lacks such finesse.” However, this response, or lack thereof, is more than that received from the Guyana Medical Council to date, the body said. A January 10, 2018 a phone call from TIGI to the Council revealed that its letter that was delivered on December 21, 2017 was misplaced. “We then sent an electronic copy on January 10, and receipt was acknowledged the
following day. We followedup by email on February 8, 2018 (no response) and again on February 28, 2018 and a response was received on February 28, 2018 indicating that the matter was still engaging the attention of the Council. To date (now May 26, 2018) we have not received a response to the content of the letter from the Guyana Medical Council.” The failure of both the Guyana Nursing Council and the Guyana Medical Council to take action in this matter— or, at the very least, to respond to TIGI’s legitimate questions on behalf of the Guyanese public—smacks of a coverup, the body insisted. “Leading health care professionals should surely be anxious to provide appropriate treatment for the Councillor, and to support Nurse Marks for having followed correct procedures in an admittedly difficult situation. “Indeed, we at TIGI believe that Nurse Sherilyn Marks should be given a national award in recognition of her courage especially in context of the lack of protection for whistleblowers in Guyana.” Nurse Marks reportedly raised attention to the councillor, Carol Joseph, receiving medication, addictive ones, under questionable circumstances.
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---Hinds’ Sight by Dr. David Hinds---
Our Independence 52 years later: Where is the love to be found? BROTHER BOB Yesterday Guyana observed its 52nd anniversary as a sovereign nation. Bob Marley, one of the poetic geniuses of our Caribbean Independence, was moved in the 1970s in the song “Rebel Music” to ask of the powers that be: “Why can’t we roam this open country/Oh why can’t we be what we want to be/We want to be free.” Marley asks a very serious question in that verse: Why can’t we be free? This is the question I want to pose today. If you come out of the bowels of slavery, indentureship and colonialism, your appetite for freedom is bound to be large. We Guyanese are no different. That is why when May 1966 arrived, we sang the freedom song in a land that was no longer strange to us. We had turned a “strange land” into a freedom space. The challenges were many, but in the end, we overcame. You see, Independence was not about who the father of the nation is, or which party led us to 1966. It was and is more profound than that. It was and is about FREEDOM — the opportunity for the sufferers to suffer no more. Bob Marley’s chant pierces our consciousness: we want to be free. But have we really been free? Can we roam the open country? Fifty-two years later, are we what we want to be? Marley would simultaneously proclaim: “No chains around my feet/But I am not free/I have never known what happiness is/I have never known what sweet caress is.” We have survived the plantation and we have survived the harshness of Independence, but as Brother Eusi Kwayana, our own sage, would say, the scars of bondage are raw. And I submit that bondage is not a thing of the past, it is very much in our present. Marley asks: “where is the love to be found?” In Guyana, we have not known what happiness is these fiftytwo years; we have not known what sweet caress is.
It is not that some of our leaders have not meant well. It is not that our people have not raised their voices in protest against the agents of unhappiness. It is not that there have been no worthy socio-economic initiatives. It is not that our collective creative imagination has not soared. We have done right in the sight of God and humanity, but still we are not free to be what we want to be.So, to quote Marley again, “we forward in this generation.” But is it triumphantly? On this 52nd independence anniversary, what songs will we sing? Will we join Brother Bob to sing redemption songs? Or will we party as if we are fully free? Please let us leave some time and space to reflect on our journey and our present condition. Let us not depend on Google to explain our history — our story — we are better than that. Our own Martin Carter speaks for all of us: “From the niggeryard of yesterday I come with my burden/To the world of tomorrow I turn with my strength.”Our current government finds itself in a tight spot; it is a rare product: it has the burden of facilitating that love and happiness and sweet caress which Brother Bob talked about. President Granger calls it the “good life.” All our people ask for is some love and respect, some sweet caress, some happiness. I see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices, and feel it when I touch flesh with them. Our politics have never been easy. However, we have got to face our demons and cast them out. IS THERE MUCH TO CELEBRATE? As we observe independence this year, is there much to celebrate? It would be dishonest not to agree with the President that the government has made some laudable moves over the last three years. But one must make a distinction between routine delivery of government services and progress in meeting the big challenges facing the country. At the end of the day, one must convince the country
that the projects and initiatives undertaken by the government have led to a qualitative change in the circumstances of the citizenry. I think this is where the government cannot claim any achievementsThere has been little headway on the country’s major systemic problems. Crime is still a big problem in the country; it may have gotten worse. And that would have a big impact on attracting investments, on the security of citizens, on the overall security of the country, on small and medium size businesses. Poor education outcomes have remained a big problem. There have been small improvements in exam results. But high levels of functional illiteracy persist. There has been no aggressive coordinated policy aimed at rooting out these problems. In other words, our education sector continues to limp along. Despite raising the minimum wage, workers still do not have a living wage. The small salary raises have not kept up with the cost of living. This is a structural problem with a long history. The government, in its manifesto vowed to fix it. But after three years, the situation has remained the same. And better wages have implications for the larger economy, proper delivery of government services, migration, corruption, the state of the family and poverty. The government has at least gotten the oil sector going. But there is no overall policy direction. We seem to be getting less from the contracts than other countries in similar circumstances. At the end of the day the government will be judged not by how many concessions it gives to foreign companies, but by how much it gets for its people in return. Sugar is a bright light. The government has tackled the problem. It has shown sensitivity to Indian Guyanese interests in the process. GuySuCo has come up with a plan. But government’s implementation and explanation of that plan have been woeful.
The Baccoo Speaks There is no end to the domestic violence and there is no copycat behaviour here. It is just a case of men assuming that women are property that can be treated in any manner. A man is going to assault another woman who would retaliate in anger. The result would be near fatal. However the financial cost would be high. ** The gunmen are always on the hunt. They are
constantly prowling, but the ordinary person simply does not identify them because they are so many.
One group would target a household as seems to be the case. This would be harsh for the home owners, but the difference is that one of the attackers would be caught at the scene. ** Suicide is never far away and there seems to be no solution. A frustrated man would ingest some noxious substance then try to get medical help to reverse the situation. There would be tears as is always the case.
Local Government elections have been held, but the poor delivery of services by the elected bodies has not ended. The Local bodies are still dominated by partisan considerations rather than community concerns. The central government still calls the shots. So, there is no positive change there. Ethnic relations have not improved. Although there is a Ministry of Social Cohesion, the emphasis has been on symbolic things, rather than a systematic attempt to deal with the structural impediments to social, cultural and ethnic reconciliation. Constitutional reform has been a “no show”. This is so pivotal an area. It affects almost every area of governance and politics. At the very minimum, the government should have been trying to negotiate the issue of post-election coalitions. GOVERNMENT ANDTHE MEDIA I completely agree that sections of the media have not been friendly to the government in recent times. But those media outfits to which the President refers were not always hostile. In fact, they played a major role in sensitizing the society to the ills of the previous government, which in the long run benefitted the Coalition. At least two of the media houses, which are now unfriendly to the government, were openly supportive of parties within
the Coalition. Yes, some of the media have become very cozy with anti-government forces. But, the government should ask why this shift has occurred— what went wrong? I think the government, by its aloofness, the arrogance of some ministers, bad decisions, and its handling of the State-owned media, has alienated sections of the media So, the government is not a victim as the president’s reported remarks seem to suggest. I know the President has been very supportive of journalists, but at the end of the day the media is an oversight institution. In an era when the media have a 24-hour presence, any sensible government would not want to alienate the media My fear is that this narrative of a hostile media could lead the government to crackdown on the media. We have been down that road before under the PNC and PPP governments. And elements in this government have already shown intolerance for criticism. So, I would urge the calmer minds to try to stem the tide of alienation. Government supporters don’t get their news and opinions from the State-owned media. So,
Dr David Hinds they need the independent media to reach their own supporters.Ultimately, news outlets gather and sell news and opinions. If the government constantly makes mistakes, they will report those and spin them as part of an editorial policy. If the government does transformative things, I am sure the media would also sell those. Unfortunately, for government, routine government actions do not amount to news. The government must package those as big policy to catch the attention of the media. 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 w e b s i t e www.guyanacaribbeanpolitics.news. Send comments to dhinds6106@aol.com
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By Michael Jordan Flying over Guyana’s interior in one of those tiny, flimsy-looking planes, you look down on that vast jungle so far down below, and you can’t help wondering: What would happen if this plane went down? Will I survive, slamming into trees and hurtling down like a stone? And if I were to survive, would I ever be found? Or will I wander through square mile upon square mile of jungle, lost forever? For sure, looking for that tiny plane would be like searching for a needle in a large green haystack. And you would be right, because that has been the fate of many an unfortunate pilot who has ventured into Guyana’s rugged interior. The old-timers will tell you that one pilot crashed in the
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Kaieteur News
- will the Mazaruni ever reveal its secret about the three men who vanished nine years ago? Mazaruni area over two and a half decades ago. Neither plane nor man was found. They will reminisce that another plane, with its pilot and about six European passengers, vanished without trace while flying between Anna Regina and Mount Roraima. A third disappeared while flying to Kaieteur. And that would bring them to speculating about the fate of three men who ventured into the Mazaruni in a plane over nine years ago and were never seen again. At around 14:14 hrs on Saturday, November 1, 2008, a Beechcraft King Air plane
departed the Cheddi Jagan International Airport for the interior. On board were pilot, Captain James Wesley Barker, 28, First Officer Chris Paris, 23, both US citizens, and Canadian Patrick Murphy, a Geophysics technician. Their mission: to conduct aerial surveys on behalf of Prometheus Resources (Guyana) Inc., a Canadian Company that was hoping to locate uranium deposits in the vicinity of Chi Chi, Cuyuni/ Mazaruni. The aircraft had enough fuel for five hours 30 minutes and the crew was scheduled to conduct their survey in the Chi-Chi/ Imbaimadai area for approxi-
mately four hours 30 minutes before returning to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport. At 15:06 hrs, the crew reported to the Control Tower at the airport that they were commencing normal operations over the survey area. No further reports were received from the aircraft. When the plane failed to return at the scheduled time, or report on their whereabouts, Air Traffic Control staff alerted other aircraft in the vicinity to try to establish contact with the Beechcraft. The US MCC Southern Command was also contacted for any reports of distress signals from the area. But no one had heard from the crew and by afternoon, there was no doubt that they were missing. Officials from the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) were alerted to the crisis, and one of the longest and most intense searches for a missing aircraft in Guyana began. The initial search team included the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Air Corps and Special Forces, along with two British helicopters also involved along with five other planes. These were supported by two aircraft chartered by GCAA from Air Services Limited and two private aircraft. But cloud cover and bad weather caused the search to be delayed until the following day.Ground searches were also conducted by the army. Officials of Prometheus Resources (Guyana) Inc., the company, which had sent the men on the survey expedition,
also organised its own search party.But no trace of the plane was found the following day, or the next. At first, the rescue team had been picking up signals from the missing plane’s Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).An expert in locating ELT signals arrived in the country with sophisticated equipment. But he was unable to locate the area from which the ELT signals were emanating.After seven days, the ELT signals ceased, and hope of finding the men alive began to fade. Veteran Guyanese pilot Captain Gerald ‘Gerry’ Gouveia who had survived a crash some miles from Timehri, knew that hope was running out for the crew. The Mazaruni area where they had disappeared was harsh terrain. Even uninjured survivors would be exposed to cold, to inclement weather, and a shortage of food and water. And they would also be running out of hope. On November 16, 2009, some two weeks after the Beechcraft King Air plane disappeared, the then- Minister of Transport, Works and Communication Robeson Benn reluctantly announced that the aerial search had been called off. “As difficult as it may seem, we have expended all the resources, the time and the effort that we could at this stage. There is nothing more that we can do…We aren’t in a position to recover them. We have no specific knowledge of their whereabouts. The basis of our calling off the search is that we believe that
they have perished.” Nevertheless, officials from Prometheus Resources (Guyana) Inc. decided to continue the search, even if that meant merely recovering the wrecked plane and the bodies of its crew. Flyers were distributed to residents of the Middle Mazaruni, where the plane was believed to have crashed.Pilots took aerial pictures, which were later posted online and scrutinized by a barrage of other pilots. This was backed up by a team conducting ground searches. In late November, the search shifted to an area in the Kurupung after a Brazilian miner claimed to have heard an explosion in the location shortly after seeing a plane flying overhead. But they found nothing. Hope rose again in December 2008, when some pilots examining aerial photographs identified what appeared to be the tail of the Beech King aircraft protruding from trees in an area in the Middle Mazaruni jungle. This information led to suggestions that the pilot had crashed while flying over the escarpment, which borders the Middle and the Upper Mazaruni. According to this theory, the pilot underestimated the steepness of the escarpment and was forced to climb faster than he actually could. But the aircraft stalled and then dived down into the dense vegetation. It had most likely plummeted nose-first, hence the failure to create any significant clearance in the vegetation and so make the crash site easily visible. However, to their immense disappointment, when the search party reached the suspected crash site, they discovered that the “tail” of the aircraft was actually part of a dead tree. Undaunted, the team continued searching into the new year. In August 2009, aided by specially trained cadaver dogs, a US search-and-rescue team of ex-army personnel ventured into the MidMazaruni area for one final attempt to recover the victims. But, like others before them, they found no trace of the plane or victims. They finally acknowledged that the victims may never be found. The team then dropped wreaths over the area where the plane is believed to have disappeared. That was acknowledgment that the treacherous Mazaruni jungle would be their final resting place.
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==THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN==
The Khemraj Ramjattan I once knew and admired
T
here are people you meet in an encoun ter, you look and listen, and there is this thing that tells you this person is bound to stand out above the crowd. In 1989, the WPA labeled the national estimates as the “vampire budget.” President Hoyte’s budget attracted widespread protest and strike action. In that year, the UGWU held the longest strike in its history. As a lecturer, I was part of the union and forcefully participated in strike action. We burned tyres outside the UG gate. I did bring tyres. I did burn them. The UG authorities charged me for arson. I appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court. The union secured the free service of a new lawyer on the scene - Nigel Hughes. I watched the performance of Hughes in that courtroom and I saw a man destined to become a great lawyer. The charge was dismissed. When I was his lecturer at
UG, I looked at Anil Nandlall’s performance in tutorials, and there was this thing about Anil that stood out. You knew a brilliant lawyer was in the making. Don’t ever think you can predict life. The two lawyers that I knew were destined for excellent futures turned up on opposing sides in the Jagdeo libel writ against me. Recently, I did say to Anil that he should have insisted to Jagdeo that presidents do not sue academics for their political analyses. I hope Anil doesn’t mind me saying this, but he did tell me in that telephone conversation that he did suggest to the president that he should let it go. But Jagdeo went ahead. I guess Jagdeo wanted money from Glenn Lall. It was the same with Khemraj Ramjattan. I was introduced to Khemraj as soon as he returned to Guyana as an attorney. At that time, I worked closely at UG with JOF Haynes, who was the head of the Department of
Law and Political Science. JOF and I became very close. He was a longstanding customer at my mother-in-law’s supermarket in Wortmanville/ Werk-en-Rust. When he died, the big shots rushed in to get their five minutes (or fifteen minutes) of fame. I wasn’t even issued with an invitation to the funeral service. The eulogies were given by the fame-seekers. Up to this day, no one knew about our solid friendship at UG. But such is life. JOF said to me that he needed a junior law lecturer urgently to do one of the first year courses, and in his own inimitable style he ordered me to find one. At that time, I was living at my mother-in-law’s. I thought Khemraj was the fittest choice. At that time, he was chairman of the youth arm of the PPP. I invited him to my home and we discussed the UG appointment. It didn’t happen, because the then Vice Chancellor, Dr. George Walcott, I suspect didn’t want
Khemraj because of his PPP connections. Khemraj showed all the qualities of being a maverick and dissident in the PPP. I knew he was going to stand out politically in the country and he did. Khemraj openly challenged President Cheddi at a central committee meeting over the continued employment of Police Commissioner, Laurie Lewis. Mrs. Jagan hated Khemraj and when she became president let loose the tax man on him. One day, I went to visit him in his office and the tax people were overturning the place. Today, Khemraj Ramjattan has become a disappointment to me and I am being honest. I said the same thing to him in his office when I met him last February for the first time since he became a Minister. I
thought of captioning this article, “Khemraj Ramjattan: From mavrodaphne to mauvette” (from sweet wine to pale colour). This was the radical politician, the radical youth that openly defied two nationally admired presidents and paid the price for it. This was the radical politician that with his friend Raphael Trotman brought down the most vicious government leader in the history of Guyana – President Jagdeo. Today, this brilliant politician I once knew is protecting David Granger on the President’s refusal to approve changing the penalties relating to small possessions of ganja. AFC parliamentarian Michael Carrington gave permission to be quoted. He said Amna Ally requested
Frederick Kissoon from him that the Bill be put in abeyance because of the President’s discomfort. Carrington said he conveyed Ally’s request to the AFC leadership. Carrington told me that he expressed that situation to HGPTV Nightly News last Wednesday. Khemraj’s duty to his country is to inform Mr. Granger that he, Khemraj, cares about Guyana and the Bill must be passed.
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he Alliance for Change (AFC) must once again use this valuable space to address the very strange positions adopted/adumbrated by the Private Sector Business Support Organizations (BSO). Last week, the umbrella Private Sector Commission (PSC) asked for a meeting with government officials to discuss their “problems relat(ed) to investor confidence in the economy”. So let us get straight to the point. There is little doubt that the BSOs want opportunities to sit down with the government’s representatives to most likely ask about plans by certain state agencies, e.g. SOCU and SARA,
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to recover the acknowledged Billions of dollars worth of stolen state assets, and the means of recovery, whether through civil action or criminal proceedings. The message coming across says that people seem to be jumpy about the progress being made by the aforenamed agencies. The latest request by the PSC for a sit-down does have some connection to the criminal charges laid and continuing investigations into the actions and behaviours of certain ministers and cohorts in the last PPP government. In a recent statement, SOCU said that they are preparing dozens of cases linked
to alleged misconduct while these people were in office. The private sector BSOs have led the general public to believe that more than a few of their leaders and players remain closely aligned with the PPP party. Many of them hold on to the opinions expressed by that party that their leaders are being persecuted and prosecuted. But SOCU and their overseas-based counterparts are finding more and more evidence of alleged wrongdoing during the PPP’s time in office, from 1992 to 2015. This is a good time to point out that Guyana did record a record low of 25/100 points on Transparency
International’s Corruption Index by country in 2006. From then to 2016, the country maintained an average score of 28.15 points. Finally in 2017 our ratings began an upward climb and reached 38 Points. There is still a very long way to go before we could say with surety that Guyana has the unmitigated confidence of foreign investors. It is worth repeating what we said two weeks ago, that had the Coalition government in 2015/6 removed the PPP’s lieutenants from public office after their party was booted out of Government, the very unpleasant taint of corruption would not still be dogging our progress. The 2017 TGI score of 38 percent is not enough, and we know that there is a mountain to climb as we work to remove corrupt practices from the various systems. We said that we would engender Change and that promise must be kept. Did you know that Guyana used to be called ‘Lawless’, “Dodge City”, “The OK Corral” and the “Wild Wild West/South” by the international community? One potential investor in the mining sector had complained that getting a business started in Guyana was like ‘pulling teeth’, with a large number of palms to grease just to get advice and Permissions. One could only imagine what they had to give up to receive some concessions, i.e. those who were not Bai Shan
Lin with deep pockets. The most recent SOCU cases are premised on ‘selling off state lands below market prices’, and SOCU says that there are about 30 additional public misconduct charges pending against the two men. Ironically, the private sector and BSOs were very quiet pre-2015 when the PPP was giving away state assets to its supporters at home and in the diaspora. Back then, despite objections from rights organizations, civil society, the media, opposition parties and religious groups, absolutely nothing was done to improve investor confidence. Instead, bribes were demanded from those same foreign and domestic investors in return for official favours. Investor confidence went into a coma when a high-ranking foreign diplomat, complained that large amounts of cocaine were very likely hidden in every export from Guyana during that era. Thereafter, narcotics were listed as a ‘major economic export’ from Guyana alongside gold, sugar, bauxite and rice. We were known as the narcotics transshipment port for South America. Things have changed but the private sector is not happy. Political commentator Ramon Gaskin said last week that “a climate of hostility and confrontation is in the air”, and he links this atmosphere to the recent charges, fear of the charges to come, and the
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possibility of jail time for offenders. Gaskin said, “It is whether they (PSC) have the moral authority to speak on these matters. They don’t. The government has every right to investigate any person in Guyana who steals state property … and place them before the court”. Lest we forget, Gaskin’s association with the PPP dates back to the 1960s. He was once an advisor to the late Cheddi Jagan. He insisted that the private sector has no moral ground to pontificate, and he has no sympathy for those who abused power in office and enriched themselves “in American dollars”. Gaskin also advised the current PSC Chairman to remember that the cases are sub judice and should not be discussed in much detail, not even the disputed piece of prime, under-valued land near Turkeyen. The Government’s team sitting down with the PSC should point out these bits of hypocrisy. When the PSC does have genuine concerns, Government remains obligated to address them to everyone’s satisfaction. After all, the business community is indisputably a key stakeholder in any nation’s development. But the PSC must be fair and balanced to erase the belief that their complaints are self-serving, and that they have precious little to do with investor confidence in Guyana.
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My column
Mae’s made an Amerindian boy feel out of place The school is the next best place after the home. In fact, the school is becoming increasingly important in the lives of children, because these days, more parents are away from home. The result is that there is often not too much contact between parent and child. Those who have some disposable income would entrust their children to the care of teachers in the private school system. And because of the level of supervision in the private schools, the teachers do pay more attention to the child. The child feels comfortable. That is why I became incensed when I learnt that Mae’s, a private school operating in Subryanville, caused harm to a little boy who is proud of his ancestry. And to think that the parent was paying $70,000 a term for her child to take his place in this society. Next term the fee is going to be $80,000 a term. The school sent a note to parents asking that children dress in their cultural wear as part of the school’s observance of Guyana’s Independence celebration. I spoke with the boy’s mother who said that her child was over the moon when he left home. On his way to school, the people who saw him lauded him. A child was proud of his ancestry; he was proud to showcase his ethnicity. After all, he was a descendant of the first Guyanese. His world came crashing down when he entered this school. His class teacher, a Ms. Mangar, told him that his dress was inappropriate. He was wearing a grass outfit. This teacher was telling him
that his cultural wear did not have a place in the school alongside those of African, Indian, Chinese and Portuguese ancestry. The boy’s mother went to the head of the school who told her that the occasion was not a Mashramani event. What nonsense! What arrogance! What stupidity! I imagined this boy crying his heart out because he was being rejected for being Amerindian. Every other mode of dress was appropriate, and was accepted, except his. Immediately some memories came flooding back. In 1972, when Guyana hosted the first Carifesta, we invited some Djukas from Suriname to perform on stage. The women apparently do not wear brassieres, but being the society Guyana is, the organisers bought a raft of brassieres for the women. They appeared on stage with their brassieres and skirts. Meghan Markle told the story of her going to school and to tick a box to determine her ethnicity. Her father is white and her mother black. There was no box for her, so she asked her teacher which box to tick. The teacher told her to tick the white box, since she looked white. Meghan opted not to do that because she would be distancing herself from her mother. At the end of the day, she approached her father who told her to draw her own box. He recognized his daughter ’s predicament. Mae’s refused to recognize one of its pupils. Some of us are arrogant enough to believe that we determine the ethnic group
The Amerindian boy at the centre of the unimaginable controversy that should be portrayed. I placed a phone call to the school on Friday and got a staff member. I identified myself to her and told her what I was calling about. I heard her whisper to someone in the background that Adam Harris was calling. Then she came back to inform me that no one was there, that school was closed for the half day. No one there wanted to address the issue; the fee had already been collected. I propose to call the school again tomorrow. I hope the headmistress could tell me about the ethnicities that are
permitted to showcase their culture and their ethnicity in the school. I want her to give me a lesson on what is appropriate dress when one is
asked to display one’s ethnic wear. I also remember my days at secondary school. The tie was compulsory wear, but we had a head teacher who recognized the discomfort in this hot weather. Doodnauth Hetram had just replaced Vivian Sanger-Davies. Sanger-Davies was British, while Hetram was Guyanese. He ruled that the tie should be hung no lower than the first button on the shirt. He had broken with tradition. At the national level, we try to showcase the various ethnicities in our society. When we have cultural displays, we trot out our Amerindians dresses as we believe they did way back when. We applaud them and we relish their dances. We make a lot of effort to reintegrate the Amerindians, because we recognize that they were shortchanged. They tended to move away from what we called civilization and so lied in the remote parts of the country. With time, they began to return to live among us, but they had to deal with issues like acceptance in many quarters. There was Harold Brown, a young man who was brought out from a hinterland
Adam Harris location to attend St. John the Baptist Anglican School at Bartica. The late West Indian opening batsman, Conrad Hunte, spotted him as an off spinner and caused him to make the national team to travel to Barbados. Amerindians became teachers in our society. Soon they were in almost every aspect of national life. They were Ministers and pastors and priests. Now we have a school that is trying to tell an Amerindian boy that he is out of place once he decides to showcase his identity. I have been told that the boy now resents the aspect of his life that deals with his dress. I want the parent to encourage him to be what he is and I expect the school to offer him an apology.
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APNU Committed to Coalition – We ar e Better Together are
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Partnership for Na tional Unity (APNU) is committed to Coalition government. Our ten partners, Associate Members and Affiliate Members came together in 2011 with a single vision and common mission. We were then and remain now, committed to giving full meaning to our national Constitution by creating an inclusionary democracy. Our Constitution enjoins: The principal objective of the political system of the state is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens and their organisations in the
management and decisionmaking processes of the state. Recognising that the tide of ideas in Guyanese politics had turned, APNU brought a new politics into being. We expressed our commitment to ending ‘winner-take-all’ politics and building inclusive, responsive and accountable governance. This we believe will ensure that our multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society succeed through respect for the diversity, hard work, thrift and sacrifice of all of our citizens. The pillars upon which this commitment rest is strong. Several of our Partners and Affiliate members
were part of coalition arrangements or have always articulated this form of governance. The Peoples National Congress (PNC), the largest political party in the Partnership, entered government as part of a coalition administration in December 1964 and started the transformation of colonial Guyana into modern statehood. The PNC led Guyana to Independence 18 months later, on 26th May 1966, under the inspirational national motto – One People, One Nation, One Destiny. The PNCR today is the heir of those who fought for national Independence. On numerous occasions the
Party has stated unequivocally its commitment to actualise the vision of our nation’s founders by continuing their work to make Guyana ‘OneNation.’ It was with that commitment and vision that Forbes Burnham, the first leader of the PNC, started talks with the People’s Progressive Party – PPP – in 1976 and resumed talks in 1984. His aim was to establish a government of national unity. It was with that commitment and vision that the second leader Desmond Hoyte invited members of civil society into the PNC, resulting in the Party’s name being changed to PNC Reform. His aim was to promote national unity through shared governance. It was with that vision that the third leader Robert Corbin toiled to bring the joint opposition political parties together and to forge the PNCROne Guyana alliance. His aim was to create a coalition that would promote national unity. It is with that commitment and vision that, today the fourth leader of the PNC, David Granger, proudly continues the PNCR’s tradition of leadership in advancing the One Nation programme and in reaffirming A Partnership for National Unity’s commitment to Coalition governance. The Partnership subscribes to six core principles: 1. Active promotion of a healthy political and democratic culture in the workplace, places of worship and recre-
ation and in organisations; 2. Consensus in decisionmaking and respect for dissenting views; 3. Steadfast rejection of discrimination in all forms; 4. Commitment to defend the sovereignty of Guyana at all times; 5. Commitment to the reasoned and peaceful resolution of conflicts and rejection of all forms of violence as a means for the settlement of disputes; and 6. Open membership to all Guyanese parties, organisations and citizens who subscribe to these core principles and to its social, political and economic programme. It was with this rich legacy of commitment to advancing the One Nation programme and respect for our core principles that representatives of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change (AFC) signed the historic ‘Cummingsburg Accord’ which combined the energies of six political parties in a preelection coalition for the first time in Guyana’s political history. In a message on the formation of this historic coalition, Chairman of APNU Brigadier David Granger said “we- the Alliance for Change; Guyana Action Party; Justice For All Party; National Front Alliance; Peoples National Congress Reform and Working People’s Alliance, shall together lead the majority of citizens who struggle daily against disunity and against a dictatorial government (the
then ruling Peoples Progressive Party-PPP), and who seek a good life in this, the land of their birth…. “The APNU+AFC Coalition is the boldest step taken in six decades to replace political hostility with unity; confrontation with cooperation; dictatorship with democracy. The Coalition has chosen hope over despair and faith over fear….. The APNU+AFC Coalition is actually more than six parties. It has already become a national movement for transformation. The whole is Greater than the sum of all its parts. The momentum that the Coalition has generated is evidence of the people’s satisfaction and their desire for change. United, we stand a better chance to fulfil our destiny. Divided, we fall victims to the tactics of the PPP which could return to office.” Perhaps nothing is more important to Coalition governance than being a change agent for healing and reconciliation in our beloved Guyana. Since the beginning of our recorded history, we have known conflict and strife, most notably in the deliberate manipulation of the races by our colonial rulers to ensure that, until today, we remain distrustful, disrespectful and disdainful of each other. Thankfully most Guyanese are committed to working towards a unified Guyana, they know and like APNU they believe - we are better together.
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Feeling bloated? Ensure it’s not something more serious By Dr Zulfikar Bux Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine loating is that un comfortable feeling you get in your belly that makes you feel full and often, gassy. When you are bloated, you feel as if you’ve eaten a big meal and there is no room in your stomach. It can be painful or uncomfortable. Your stomach may actually look bigger and it can make your clothes fit tighter. Excess gas is often the cause, but it is not the only cause. There are other causes that may be dangerous to your health that we will highlight today. WHATARE SYMPTOMS OF BLOATING? Symptoms include stomach pain, discomfort, and gas. Severe bloating may occur along with other serious symptoms, such as: · Blood in your stool. · Noticeable weight loss (without trying). · Vaginal bleeding (between your periods, or if you are postmenopausal). · Nausea. · Vomiting. · Fever (due to an infection).If you have these symptoms, see your doctor
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as soon as possible. WHAT CAUSES BLOATING? Bloating can be caused by something as simple as the food you eat and lactose intolerance (problems with dairy). Other simple reasons include: · Swallowing air (which can happen when you chew gum). · Constipation. · Overeating. · Eating too fast. · Eating sugary, fried, spicy and fast foods in general · Vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, turnips, beans, and lentils. · Reflux (GERD). · Irritable bowel syndrome. · Weight gain. · Menstruation (in some women). More serious causes include: · Infection. · Inflammation (such as a condition called diverticulitis). · Infection of the female reproductive system. · Liver disease causing abnormal buildup of fluid in your stomach or pelvis. · Crohn’s disease. · Blockage in your bowel or bladder.
·Cancer (ovarian, uterine, colon, pancreatic, stomach). Some medicines used to treat diabetes can also cause bloating. WILL I NEED TESTS? This will depend on what your doctor finds when he examines you. He also will ask you questions about your symptoms. Your doctor will want to know if your bloating is occasional or if it occurs all the time. Temporary bloating is usually not serious. If it happens all the time, your doctor may order an imaging test, such as an X-ray or CT scan, to look inside your stomach. If the imaging tests show a blockage, you may need a biopsy to sample it. This involves inserting a certain type of needle into the blockage to collect a tissue sample. Depending upon the cause of the blockage, major surgery may be necessary to remove it. ARE THERE WAYS TO PREVENT BLOATING? There are many ways to prevent and avoid bloating, including: · Avoid the foods that are known to cause gas · Avoid chewing gum for long periods of time. · Reduce or avoid drinking carbonated drinks (such
as soda). · Reduce or avoid eating and drinking foods and drinks that include fructose or sorbitol. These artificial sweeteners are often found in sugar-free foods. · Slow down when you eat. · Eat more foods high in fibre to prevent constipation. If foods alone don’t help, consider taking a fibre supplement. · Ask your doctor about over-the-counter medicines that relieve gas and bloating. · Avoid dairy products if you notice they cause gas and bloating.
HOW CAN BLOATING BE TREATED? For temporary bloating, ask your doctor about overthe-counter medicines that relieve gas and bloating. Probiotics (such as yogurt) and certain herbal ingredients can relieve your discomfort, too. Herbal ingredients include peppermint and chamomile tea, anise, caraway, coriander, fennel, and turmeric. If your bloating is caused by something more serious, your doctor will treat the underlying cause. Living with bloating can be uncomfortable. You may
Dr. Zulfikar Bux have stomach pain or just a sense of fullness. When it affects how your clothes fit, it can be frustrating. If your bloating is constant, don’t suffer unnecessarily. See your doctor to determine if the cause of the bloating is something more serious
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SUNDAY In four years, GuySuCo spends $$M on outdated spare parts Growing evidence continues to suggest that the management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is not without blame for huge debt the company finds itself in. Kaieteur News recently perused an inventory list of spare parts that GuySuCo bought during 2008 and 2012. According to the list, GuySuCo spent millions on various pieces of spare equipment. While the amount of money spent on spares alone seems alarming, it is not the worst part. Apparently, GuySuCo had no need for the spares. Most of the spares are for FIAT tractors. GuySuCo does not have working FIAT tractors. GuySuCo stopped using FIAT equipment, for which the spare parts were bought, over a decade ago. Numerous purchases were continually made annually but the majority of the outdated spares were bought in 2008. Kaieteur News understands that most of items remain in the stores. Spares were bought for all seven estates that existed prior to 2016—Albion, Blairmont, Enmore, Rose Hall, Skeldon, Wales and Uitvlugt. Kaieteur News has learnt that the various estates did not request these parts. A source who spoke to this newspaper said, “GuySuCo cannot make a comeback. Too much nonsense was done and the company is in too much debt. “We do not know why management would have procured these parts knowing that we stopped using FIAT equipment over a decade ago. There are speculations that maybe there was a kickback system.”All sorts of spares were bought, “They bought spares like they were trying to build FIAT equipment from scratch.” GuySuCo bought several switches, sender units, fuses, Gasket lens, screw, shafts, bearings, nuts; seal water pump, tarter motor, gear angle drive, hose, fan, steering cylinders and clutches. Norway’s Auditor General rips into rainforest billions-risk of fraud not well managed, payment were delayed Over the past ten years, Norway has handed out almost US$3 billion (NOK 23.5 billion) on stopping tropical deforestation. In November 2009, the administration of Bharrat Jagdeo signed a historic forest deal with the European
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country that saw the Scandinavian country invest US$250m (£150m) to preserve the rainforests in this South American country. It was hailed as one of the biggest forest conservation deals ever signed. Both sides signaled their intention to “provide the world with a working example of how partnerships between developed and developing countries can save the world’s tropical forests.” Under the terms of the agreement with Norway, Guyana was to accelerate its efforts to limit forest-based greenhouse gas emissions and protect its rainforest as an asset for the world. The accelerating destruction of the rainforests that form a cooling band around the earth’s equator is recognised as one the main causes of climate change. Five years later, the deal was supposed to have expired.However, Guyana was granted an extension to complete its obligations. About US$80M is sitting in an account after it was earmarked for the Amaila Falls project.Guyana has collected a significant portion but lost at least US$18M because of penalties.On May 15, Norway’s Office of the Auditor General completed its investigation into Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI). The report is critical of the arrangements with the countries that Norway signed the deal with. According to the findings, “The Office of the Auditor General’s investigation shows that progress and results are delayed, that current measures have uncertain feasibility and effect, and that the risk of fraud is not well-managed.” Per-Kristian Foss, National Auditor, was clear that “there is a need to ensure better control of the use and results of these funds.” ”International efforts to preserve tropical forest have not found solutions to address these global challenges. There is therefore uncertainty about further implementation and whether the measures give lasting effect.” According to Norway’s Audit Office, there were cases where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and Environment have not prevented and followed up the risk of financial fraud. MONDAY Two years later… Tax Reform Commission’s call for review of “exorbitant” exemptions goes unanswered More than two years ago,
Norway did little to prevent fraud with its climate funds, the country’s audit office said last week
the Tax Reform Commission (TRC), which was set up by the Granger Administration, called for the review of the “exorbitant” concessions granted to companies in various sectors. But that call is yet to be answered by the Coalition Government. The Commission comprises National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) head, Maurice Odle; Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram; Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia and economist Dr. Thomas Singh. In its report, the Commission noted that Guyana is one of the leading countries with massive overlay of tax exemptions and remissions that ultimately make tax administration difficult and revenue losses significant. The Commission pointed out that the relatively weak revenue buoyancy in Guyana in recent years is related to the spate of tax incentives that have been granted to companies. The Commission stressed that more detailed studies of the economic efficiency and revenue costs of these exemptions should be undertaken in order to plan a transition away from use-based exemptions to more limitedautomated exemptions. Furthermore, the Commission said that the losses from the granting of Investment Development Agreements are a cause for some concern. The TRC pointed out that many sectors receive concessions, far more than they contribute in taxes. The Commission also said that while this fact itself does not per se justify the abolition or the withdrawal of the
concessions, “it is clear that an urgent review is required.” In this regard, the Committee recommended that clearer parameters be established along with guidelines for the entering into Investment Development Agreements, so as to reduce the discretionary powers of the Minister. The Commission commented, ‘We understand that in some cases, IDA’s have been granted to long-established, profitable companies.” Significantly, the Commission called for the introduction of a post-audit system for concessions granted including the posting of a bond/ guarantee to ensure that commitments are met. It called too for a periodic audit and publication of reports of tax holidays granted and investment agreements entered into. Additionally, the Commission said that there is a need for a review of the fiscal regime governing petroleum products specifically with a view to rationalizing exemptions, as Guyana is currently losing approximately $20B in exemptions (Import Duty, Excise Duty and VAT). Guyana is key to ExxonMobil’s plan to double company earnings by 2025 ExxonMobil has outlined an “aggressive growth strategy” to more than double earnings and cash flow from operations. The 100 percent increase is expected to be achieved by 2025 and Guyana is expected to play an integral role in that achievement. The projections are based on current oil prices. The plan was unveiled a few weeks ago at the
company’s annual meeting of investment analysts at the New York Stock Exchange. At that meeting, ExxonMobil’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Darren W. Woods, said, “We’ve got the best portfolio of high-quality, high-return investment opportunities that we’ve seen in two decades.” He added, “Our plan takes full advantage of the company’s unique strengths and financial capabilities, using innovation, technology and integration to drive longterm shareholder value and industry-leading returns.” Growth plans include steps to increase earnings by more than 100 percent – to $31 billion by 2025 at 2017 prices – from last year’s adjusted profit of $15 billion. Woods said this plan projects double-digit rates of return in all three segments of ExxonMobil’s business – upstream, downstream and chemical. ExxonMobil said that upstream growth will benefit from the company’s industryleading exploration success and strategic acquisitions. In 2017 alone, the company added 10 billion oilequivalent barrels to its resource based on locations including the Permian, Guyana, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea and Brazil. ExxonMobil said that key drivers of growth are in Guyana, where exploration success has added 3.2 billion gross oil equivalent barrels of recoverable resource and plans are in place for development and further exploration, and in the Permian, where the company has increased the size of its resource to 9.5 billion oil-
equivalent barrels from less than 3 billion in the past year. Read full statement at: http://news.exxonmobil.com/ press-release/exxonmobiloutlines-aggressive-growthplans-more-double-earnings. TUESDAY Local contractors accuse Aurora Gold Mine of violating obligations – “we are being shafted all around” Guyanese companies that are au fait with the local content obligations of Aurora Gold Mine are crying foul. Owners of some of these companies, who spoke to Kaieteur News on the grounds of anonymity, are of the opinion that there is a movement to scale down the number of contracts being given to locals. Just recently, Aurora discontinued its contract with Morrison Trucking and Equipment Rental. At least two other contractors have been told that their contracts that are coming to an end will not be renewed. However, these businessmen are adamant that they have a right to be hired once they can adequately provide the services being sought by the gold company. “And we have been doing so for some time now… years in fact. We weren’t receiving complaints about our services, so we cannot see what has changed.” The businessmen have referred to the local content provisions of the contract that Aurora has signed with Guyana. One businessman said, “This is not a situation like (Continued on page 33)
Sunday May 27, 2018
From page 32 the ExxonMobil contract where we were not protected. We have legal standing.” This newspaper is in procession of the Aurora contract which is indeed strict on local content. The contract states, “In Guyana, the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to give preference—to the maximum extent compatible with efficient Operations and good mining practices using standards applicable in the international mining industry—to products and services produced and offered in Guyana, provided these are offered at competitive terms and conditions.” Further, the contract states, “the Company shall give preference to Guyanese construction enterprises and to the use of buildings which can be constructed by using materials and skill available in Guyana, to the employment of Guyanese subcontractors for road construction and transportation and to the purchase of household products and furniture in Guyana.” The contract also stipulates that within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, the company must submit a report to the Government “setting forth (i) the relative percentages of foreign-sourced and Guyanese-sourced goods and services used by the Company, (ii) measures taken to enhance the role of Guyanese-sourced goods and services in the Project and (ii) measures to be implemented so as to improve such performance. The report will show the performance of the Company in connection with its contribution to the economic development of Guyana over the years. The
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Company shall constantly use all reasonable efforts to improve such performance.” Based on this provision, the Ministry of Natural Resources should be armed with relevant information that can tell a clear story of how much local content is being used. The contract also makes demands on Aurora to steadily enhance its local content. But on the contrary, the company seems to be scaling its local content. High Court halts criminal proceedings against Singh, Brassington Justice Franklyn Holder on Monday handed down a ruling at the Georgetown High Court, which has temporarily halted the criminal proceedings against former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh and former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Winston Brassington. Singh and Brassington are facing a trial in the Magistrates’ Court for alleged Misconduct in Public Office. Following a private hearing at the Court Monday, Defence Attorney, Anil Nandlall told reporters that Justice Holder granted an interim stay of proceedings pending before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in relation to Singh and Brassington, until the hearing and determination of the substantive challenge over the validity of the charges which is before Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George. In addition to the application to temporarily stay the proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court, Nandlall had also filed a Fixed Date Application, (FDA) before the Chief
The twin Otter being used by Aurora Gold Mine
Justice to challenge the basis and legality of the charges against the two former public officials. Meanwhile, Solicitor General Kim Kyte, who presented the State’s case against the two men, noted that the Judge granted the application in the interest of protecting the judicial process. ”The Judge’s only reason for granting the application is to protect the judicial process. The Magistrate cannot be dealing with the matter at the same time that the Chief Justice is hearing the case in the High Court,” Kyte stated, adding that the Supreme Court takes precedence over the lower Courts. The Solicitor General nevertheless expressed confidence that “the substantive case has no realistic prospect of success.” The Solicitor General noted that the State has argued extensively that the DPP was within her power to institute the charges. Added to that, Kyte said that it is their contention that “the Magistrate has not acted in bad faith nor are the charges brought against Singh and Brassington bad in law.” ”We have argued extensively that the charge is very good in law. It’s a common law charge and it is provided for under the laws of Guyana.” WEDNESDAY Aurora Gold Mine aborts locals; hires Canadian airline to fly domestic trips For years, it used to be Air Services Limited (ASL), Wings Aviation, Trans Guyana Limited and Roraima Airways.
Ashni Singh All those companies provided Aurora Gold Mine with domestic flying services. However, they are all now replaced by one foreign airline—Canadian Flyers. Daily, more and more Guyanese entrepreneurs are coming forth with information about how they have been abandoned by Aurora Gold Mine, without reason. Businessmen now believe that the company has schemed to minimize local content. About six months ago, Aurora let go of the local aviation companies. The cry of the aviation operatives is similar to those of other companies that have been let go by Aurora. They are all contending that it is not a case where Aurora had complaints of the services that they were providing. “All we knew was that they no longer needed our service.”
Winston Brassington Aurora imported the services of Canadian Flyers that is operating a single Twin Otter. The aircraft now makes about five trips daily for Aurora. Those trips used to be divided among local operators. However, the operators did not know about the strict terms of Aurora’s contract as regard local content. “If we knew, we would have raised the issue a long time ago. But after seeing (Tuesday’s) article about what the contract says, we had to let you guys know what they did to us.” Businessmen in the aviation industry are not the only ones feeling the squeeze from Aurora’s preference for foreign goods and services. Just recently, Aurora discontinued its contract with Morrison Trucking and Equipment Rental. At least two other contractors have been told that their contracts are coming to an end and will not be renewed. The company also no longer uses Guyana as its main buying market. Aurora moved its procurement office from Guyana to Canada. The company claimed that it had to move the office as it was getting a hard time procuring some goods from Guyana. However, the contract that the company signed with Guyana is strict on local content. The contract says, “In Guyana, the Company shall use all reasonable efforts to give preference—to the maximum extent compatible with efficient Operations and good mining practices using standards applicable in the international mining industry—to products and services produced and offered in Guyana, provided these are offered at competitive terms and conditions.” Further, the contract states, “the Company shall
give preference to Guyanese construction enterprises and to the use of buildings which can be constructed by using materials and skills available in Guyana, to the employment of Guyanese subcontractors for road construction and transportation and to the purchase of household products and furniture in Guyana.” The contract also stipulates that within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, the company must submit a report to the Government “setting forth (i) the relative percentages of foreign-sourced and Guyanese-sourced goods and services used by the Company, (ii) measures taken to enhance the role of Guyanese-sourced goods and services in the Project and (ii) measures to be implemented so as to improve such performance. Govt. to hire international law firm to negotiate future oil contracts What’s done is done. The APNU+AFC Government has been taking that approach in the handling of the concerns being raised about existing oil contracts. The Coalition has been firm that there will be no reviews or renegotiations. However, the government has vowed to ensure that the nation benefits from the establishment of better financial regimes in future oil contracts in order that higher revenues can be secured. To this extent, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman recently announced that the government will be hiring an international law firm to help with the negotiations of future oil contracts. Minister Trotman’s comments came recently before the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources.Minister Trotman (Continued on page 34)
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From page 33 told the Committee that the “time is coming soon when we will have to issue some new licences but we will do so with the benefit of the services of an international law firm…They have worked up a list of international law firms and we are going to choose one of those soon.” Minister Trotman said that Guyana seems to be on the radar of most major oil companies around the world. The Minister told the committee, “We have received applications from a number of companies. Minister Trotman said that some of these companies are “Total—the French major, ENI—the Italian major and Chevron—the American major. We are in discussion with Petrobras of Brazil; and, there are applications from Repsol and a few others. Several recommendations were made to the coalition government for it to ensure that the remaining oil blocks are auctioned. However, based on the utterances, Trotman said that the government will not go down this path. At one of his weekly Press Conferences, Opposition leader, Bharrat Jagdeo acknowledged that Petroleum Advisor to President David Granger, Dr. Jan Mangal’s recommended that the best approach to the remaining oil blocks would be to auction
them. ”You don’t need to bring anyone in to tell you what your advisor already said, ‘Auction the blocks’. That is the best way that the government gets value,” Jagdeo stated. Auctioning of oil blocks is nothing new in the oil industry because countries believe it brings the best value for money since operators compete to secure rights. Last year, Mexico moved to liberalize its industry by placing 19 oil and gas blocks for auction. The South American country is eyeing earnings of $93B from auction. In the case of Guyana, considered a frontier oil nation, experts believed that auctioning the blocks prior to oil discovery would not have attracted great interest from firms. Guyana opted to allocate the blocks to investors based on one-on-one negotiations. Mangal noted that this creates the serious risk of corruption due to the lack of transparency and accountability. Guyanese-Canadian murdered in Thomas Street apartment A manager for one of the largest mining companies in Guyana was found murdered in his 258 Thomas Street, North Cummingsburg, apartment Monday night.
The body of Neil Whyte, a 42-year-old male of 1608-141 Adelaide Street, West Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was found by the security guard attached to the apartment complex in which he stayed. Whyte’s body was discovered naked and bound, with multiple stab wounds to the body and neck, around 23:45 hrs Monday, after a male friend he had taken up to his apartment was seen leaving in a hurry. The security guard claimed that Whyte left his apartment around 22:30 hrs, and told him he was going to the corner (Middle street) to get a friend. (Whyte) returned not long after with a male friend and they went up to his apartment, around 23:25 hours. Not long after, Whyte’s male friend came up to the security and told him that he was leaving to come back. The guard opened the gate and let him out, but was suspicious of him, since he seemed anxious to leave and had a black bag that he did not come with. Adding to the security guard’s suspicions was the fact that Whyte did not come to let his visitor out, since that was the protocol. Nevertheless, the security guard let the individual out and then ventured up to Whyte’s top floor apartment to find out what was the reason for him not coming to see
The apartment where Neil Whyte’s body was found
his guest out. What the security guard found was the last thing he expected, Whyte’s naked body lay across his bed in a pool of blood. There was some cloth on the ground just at the side of the bed. The guard said that he called out to Whyte, but got no response. From the amount of blood that was visible, the security guard said that he assumed Whyte was dead. He said that he then went down stairs and called his security Manager who in turn called 911. The police arrived a short time after and commenced their investigation, at which time a description of the suspect was given to them. Acting on information received, the police were able to apprehend the 25-year-old male suspect who was the guest of the victim. He was apprehended Tuesday morning at his Vryheid Village, West Canje, Berbice, home around 06:30 hrs. At the scene of the crime, the Administrative Manager of Guyana Gold Fields, Mr. Peter Benny, issued a short statement on what the Company knew about the Supply Chain Manager (Neil Whyte) being found dead in his apartment. THURSDAY Brazil institutes enormous fines for local content breaches …Consultant says this is but one important lesson for emerging oil producers like Guyana Even without legislation in place, Guyana’s neighbour to the South, Brazil, has a most rigid approach when it comes to local content. The country ensures that companies put local goods and services first and by a significant percentage too. A failure to honour such commitments would lead to enormous fines. This was pointed out Wednesday during a Local Content workshop that was organized by the Institute of Americas at its headquarters in San Diego, California. Participants have been drawn from Guyana, Brazil, Venezuela, and Argentina. The session saw two speakers. Experienced engineer and Oil and Gas consultant, Brazilian Nelson Narciso, was one of them. During his presentation, Narciso explained that local content is of strategic importance to a country because of the lasting benefits it brings to the nation, such as enhancing the domestic industry and generating more income and jobs for the population. He said that local content
Oil and Gas consultant: Nelson Narciso is more than “lip-service” for Brazil. Operators are expected to say up front what percentage of local goods and services they will use for specific projects. If the company says, for example, that it will use 50 percent of locals for repairs to be done at one of its offices, failure to honour that commitment would lead to an immediate fine by the regulator. He said, too, that there are specific local content requirements that are outlined in the contracts of the oil operators in Brazil. Narciso also gave the case where BG Group Plc., the U.K.’s third-largest naturalgas producer, paid US$71M in fines in Brazil for breaching local-content rules at an offshore project where it didn’t find commercial volumes of oil. This was back in 2015. The Energy Consultant said that there have been many other fines of this nature. Ahead of high level meeting with GT&T…Greenidge non-committal on auction of lucrative telecoms spectrum The Government is preparing for high-level talks with US-controlled Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) early next month on liberalization of the sector. The talks will take place at a time when the rest of the world has moved towards auctioning of lucrative telecoms spectrums to get value for money. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, was identified to lead Guyana’s team into the high-level talks with the company. When questioned by Kaieteur News on Wednesday about auctioning of the spectrum, Greenidge did not commit Government to undertaking
this now popular approach. He pointed out that the issue of the spectrum and the allocation was raised at the level of the joint Parliamentary Select Committee on Telecommunication in 2014 and 2015. ”Amongst the things that were considered was an auction and it was also recognised that it wasn’t perfect in all circumstances, and there may be the need to try and utilize that mechanism in limited or special circumstances to begin with, to be sure that it is appropriate,” Greenidge stated. He explained that Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, will have something to say on the spectrum allocation at a later stage. Asked about the ongoing negotiations, Greenidge stated that his own engagement in terms of meeting with GTT has not yet started. ”The engagements proceed at a technical level. They break, they come back again. I would expect early in the new month we will re-engage at the highest level,” Greenidge stated. Marijuana law reform gains traction…Hughes files appeal for farmer jailed for 3 years for 8 grams-says languishing bill can be supported by AFC, Opposition The pressure to change the law that allows for automatic jail sentence for certain quantities of marijuana is gaining traction. This week, the case of a 27-year-old farmer, Carl Mangal, who was jailed for three years by a city magistrate for just over 8 grams of marijuana, elicited significant anger in society, with Government urged to address the matter.The sentencing has (Continued on page 35)
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From page 34 brought the spotlight sharply back on a contentious issue, with deep division as to whether marijuana should be legalized and to what extent. Wednesday, after reportedly being asked by social activist Mark Benschop, prominent attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes, decided to take the case pro bono (without charge), filing an appeal against the conviction and sentence of Mangal. In a statement after the filing, Hughes said that there has been considerable, justified alarm at the imprisonment of this and other citizens for a lengthy periods of time for user quantities of cannabis. He noted that it was only two years ago when another citizen was imprisoned for possession of user quantities and smoking utensils. A draft Bill was presented by Michael Carrington, a Member of Parliament for the Alliance For Change, for consideration in the National Assembly.According to Hughes, in an effort to seek national consensus and across-the-floor support for the Bill, the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, was approached to support the draft.”He agreed to permit a conscience vote on the Bill, as he expressed the view that sentencing was harsh. The Leader of the Opposition publicly articulated this position.”Hughes pointed to Tuesday’s statement of the AFC, the smaller of two factions that make up the governing coalition, which called for no jail for small ganja possession cases.”Now that the AFC have said that their party supports the amendment to the Act, perhaps the AFC along with those members of the Opposition who are sufficiently aggrieved by this odious piece of legislation, should vote to amend the Act, instead of waiting on further travesties of justice to occur,” Hughes urged. He believes that the AFC coupled with a plurality of members of the Opposition can amend the Narcotics Act. Wednesday afternoon, the lawyer met with the parents and other relatives of the convicted man to discuss the way forward. Present was Mangal’s baby and wife, his mother and father and another relative. FRIDAY
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needs to get a fair deal; otherwise, Aurora Gold Mine, would have gotten away with paying Guyana less than it should. In fact, the company almost did not sign its agreement with Guyana. Jagdeo made this revelation Thursday during his weekly Press Conference. Responding to queries about the gold company, Jagdeo said, “Guyana Goldfields (parent company of Aurora Gold Mine) did not want to sign the agreement with us (the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government) because I argued that they should pay an eight percent royalty.”Jagdeo said that during the era of the signing of the Aurora contract, the PPP/ C government had made a decision to compel all big companies to pay eight percent royalties, representing a three percent increase on what royalties were at the time. Jagdeo said, “We were changing from five to eight for big companies and they refused to sign the contract for a while and I said well fine, we are not going to sign the contract.”Jagdeo indicated that after the company realized that he was unwavering, they started to rethink. ”Then I had a meeting (with the company) and I asked, ‘What numbers did you run to get an acceptable rate of return on the project.” The former President said that it was then that the company revealed that it was using a model that assumed the price of gold was under US$1000 per ounce. ”And I said to them, ‘here it is you do not want to pay an eight percent royalty; but, the eight percent kicks in only if gold is above US$1000. So your financial model was run on a price below US$1000 so you are not losing anything; and eventually they signed.” Jagdeo said that while there has been much in the news about concessions given to the company versus what Guyana receives from that company in royalties, he would not come down hard on the government. ”Some of the elements of the big outcry of concessions are right but concessions are a part of the daily life of government…I will not beat up on this government for giving concessions to any company once it is done fairly, transparently and administrated by GRA,” said Jagdeo.
Jagdeo reveals… Aurora Gold Mine wanted to shortchange Guyana from start
Second suspect held in Aurora Gold Mine Manager Murder
Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, revealed that seven years ago he had to stand firm in his position that Guyana
A second suspect has been held as investigations continue into the murder of Neil Whyte, the Supply Chain
Neil Whyte
Manager for Aurora Gold Mine. Whyte’s body was discovered in his Thomas Street, South Cummingsburg apartment by a security guard attached to the company. Sources close to the investigation confirmed the arrest of a second individual. He was the taxi driver who took the first accused to Whyte’s home. The police went to his home to effect the arrest but they eventually found him at Giftland Mall. Whyte had just an hour before taken a male friend up to his apartment. The individual later left in a hurry telling the security guard that he was coming back. Whyte a 42-year-old Guyanese-Canadian citizen was found bound and naked; after the security guard went to Whyte’s room to find out why he did not come down to see his guest out. Former SWAT head ordered on leave -questions raised over why he was singled out Deputy Superintendent of Police and former head of the SWAT unit, Motie Dookie, has been sent off on administrative leave effective Tuesday, with full pay, but there are questions over the circumstances of that decision. Dookie was the subject of police investigations after he was nabbed on December 30, last year, with 30 cases of Johnny Walker whiskey, in a minibus that was stopped by police, on the Corentyne coast, East Berbice. After then, he was reassigned to a sub-division with the police ‘A’ Division, Georgetown/East Bank Demerara. There were no reported charges or whether the Guyana Revenue Authority acted on the case. What is known, though, is that according to a letter
dated May 21, Minister with responsibility for Citizenship, Winston Felix, directed that Dookie be sent on special leave.
Felix at the time was performing the duties of Minister of Public Security. Khemraj Ramjattan, was out of the jurisdiction.Minister Felix, in performing the duties, reportedly instructed the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Danielle McCalmon, to take the necessary actions. According to Felix, Thursday, in confirming the decision, having Dookie around while the issue was hanging over his head and him being in a position of authority, sends the wrong message to the junior ranks whom he had to preside over. Felix said that at the time of the arrest, Dookie not only left the jurisdiction but was caught with contraband.In effect, the transfer was seen by junior ranks as a promotion. Minister Felix said that it appeared to the junior ranks that Dookie was being rewarded for his indiscretion. This is contrary to the office and “inimical” to the office, the Minister said.
According to Felix, he saw people making a comparison to another case, involving another head of SWAT, Deputy Superintendent Lonsdale Withrite. Withrite was robbed at gun point of his service revolver and vehicle- the revolver contained 16 live rounds—while he was on a tryst on the seawalls. SATURDAY Taxi driver confesses to mining company manager’s murder-leads Police to stolen items, murder weapon The second suspect, who was arrested in relation to the murder of Neil Whyte, has since reportedly confessed to killing the Supply Chain Manager of Aurora Gold Mine. The suspect, who is a taxi driver, has since led Police to a house in Fifth Street, Alberttown, where they have (Continued on page 36)
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From page 35 been able to recover the murder weapon and a number of personal items belonging to Whyte. Police in a statement said a post mortem that was conducted on Whyte’s body by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh on the 25th of May, revealed the cause of death as being from multiple stab wounds to the body. The first suspect is expected to be released on bail while investigations continue. Police will be going ahead with charges against the second suspect on Monday. Whyte’s body has been turned over to his family, who are in the process of planning his cremation. Whyte who was a Guyanese/Canadian citizen was found in his Thomas Street apartment naked and bound with plastic straps, in a pool of blood in his apartment after taking a male friend to his apartment, who left in a hurry with a black bag. This raised suspicions with the security guard, who went to Whyte’s apartment to question why he didn’t follow protocol, which stipulated (Whyte) should have seen his guest out. The security guard found Whyte dead. Pregnant Soesdyke woman admits to strangling husband on Mother’s Day Almost two weeks after she reportedly lied to the police about her husband’s death, 28-year-old Melissa Silos told detectives that she strangled him on Mother’s Day. Thirty-two year-old Julian Anthony Ribeiro called “Yankee” was laid to rest on Thursday last as relatives questioned the unexplained circumstances of his demise. The crime was kept a secret until early this week when questions were raised about the various statements given by the wife, which did not add up. She said the man had come home intoxicated on the evening of May 11th, fell and hit his head, while in another statement she said she tried waking him up from the bed and he was unresponsive. What raised eyebrows
SUSPECT: Melissa Silos and blew the case wide open were the findings of the autopsy done by Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh, which indicated that the victim died of asphyxiation caused by compression injuries to the neck, in other words death by strangulation. There was no head injury listed on the autopsy report. The police initially made no statement on the matter for almost two weeks but between Thursday and Friday they were able to get a confession out of the woman. She told detectives after hours of interrogation on Friday at the Timehri Police Station that the two of them got into an argument and in her anger she strangled him. The reputed wife, who is a few months pregnant, will remain in custody and is likely to be charged with the death of her husband on Monday. The two-year-old child will be placed in the custody of her grandmother, the victim’s mother. Former SWAT Head should have still been working Ramjattan As questions continue to linger over the decision to send the former head of the SWAT unit, Motie Dookie, on special leave with pay, Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, has downplayed whether there was racism involved.Dookie’s case raised that spectre, as there were other senior officers who were investigated for wrongdoing but still on the job. Ramjattan was overseas on Monday when Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, reportedly directed through the Commissioner of Police
(ag), David Ramnarine, that Dookie be sent home. During a press conference Friday, Ramjattan was pressed on the issue. He refused to comment on whether the decision could be linked to racism. He said that he does not think that it is racism. He pointed out when he had heard of Dookie’s arrest last year, he had indicated that policemen like him should be fired. Ramjattan admitted that based on messages he has received, the sending home of Dookie could be construed as a racist decision. In fact, there are other cases of senior officers who committed some very “egregious” acts and who were moved around. Dookie was nabbed on December 30 with 30 cases of Johnny Walker in a minibus. The minibus was stopped by police in Corentyne, Berbice. Dookie was said to be out of the jurisdiction, without permission from his superiors at the time of the seizures. He was sent on leave and later placed in a sub-division of the ‘A’ Division. ‘A’ Division covers the city and wards on the East Bank Demerara. Ramjattan said that he did not touch the Dookie case, as he was waiting on the new Police Service Commission, which is still to be appointed. The commission is charged with disciplining senior officers. However, the reality is that in his absence, Minister Felix “touched” it, Ramjattan said. Insisting that the actions of Felix, a former top cop, were valid and legal, Minister Ramjattan said it is a fact that his colleague minister was performing his duties. Making a case for the legitimacy of the decision to send Dookie off on leave, Ramjattan pointed to the decision of Ramnarine, who while performing the duties of the Top Cop, promoted a number of policemen. On his return from level, Top Cop Seelall Persaud reversed the promotions. Ramjattan said that he “restored” the promotions as Ramnarine was performing a legitimate role.
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Importance of medical research emphasised as TAU hosts inaugural Medical Conference “Studies on longevity, lifestyle changes and healthy centenarians deserve special scrutiny to find what aids longevity accompanied by wellbeing.” This was the assertion of Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings on Thursday, as she addressed the opening of the inaugural two-day Medical Conference for medical students being hosted by the Texila American University [TAU]. Modern medicine, she explained, has done much in the field of infectious diseases and emergencies to aid cure. Although it can lend to palliation too, Dr. Cummings added that modern medicine must also turn decisively to prevention and cure as well as longevity with wellbeing. The Minister noted that in addition to helping to develop the clinicians/scientists of the future, the conference was one designed to promote interactions between health care students from different countries as they exchange research knowledge and experiences. “[This is] an excellent initiative by Texila Ameri-
Some of the participants at the forum can University,” Minister Cummings continued, as she highlighted that “this conference is intended to promote and encourage innovative thinking by exposing medical students to current cutting edge topics, educating them on the importance of research in the broader medical fields and exposing them to future research opportunities.” But not only did the medical students benefit from pre-
sentations that address some of the new and emerging issues in medicine, they were also furnished with a platform for career development, Minister Cummings told the inaugural Medical Conference. Medical conferences are an assemblage of scientists and research professionals in the field of medicine where the latest achievements and upcoming challenges in the field are discussed. Moreover,
such conferences, the Minister underscored, present information about diseases, medical conditions, tests, symptoms, injuries and surgeries, and also facilitate the presentations on the history of diseases and the development of medical technology used to detect diseases. Minister Cummings noted that a closer look at complementary and alternative medicine is needed to find any suit-
Minister Karen Cummings addresses TAU’s Medical Conference. able models that can be applied in mainstream medicine. Essentially, she added, “research helps one understand the fundamental building blocks of a phenomenon. Research investigates causality, establishes correlation and pushes the boundaries of established paradigms.” Moreover, Minister Cummings emphasised that “it is only through research that academic knowledge is tested and further refined. Therefore
it is imperative that you all develop an indissoluble attachment to research, particularly research in your respective fields.” As she expressed hope that the conference would help to cultivate in the medical students a desire to enrich their intellect, the Minister said “this is just a precursor to continuous medical education – a forum that many of you will attend after graduation and [when] you become medical professionals.” But even as she preached the importance of research and continuing medical education, the Minister further urged the students to “always remember that your professionalism, high ethical standards and compassion should forever remain the driving forces propelling you forward in your journey as competent medical practitioners, regardless of the speciality areas you will eventually choose.” “Strive at all times to convert the science and the art of being an exemplary medical professional into a life-changing legacy for generations to come,” urged Minister Cummings.
Guyana seeking to close trade facilitation gaps Guyana along with other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries on Thursday concluded a review of the implementation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge indicated that Guyana has established a national committee that is jointly coordinated by the Ministry and the Guyana Revenue Authority. He said that in response to the WTO agreement, the Government of Guyana is committed to a consultative process and also focused on public/private dialogue such as the National Trade Facilitation Committee. He said Government is working to enhance the understanding and involvement of the Guyanese public in the development of the country’s trade policy and to encourage the broad benefits and impact of trade and trade liberalization. The WTO agreement, according to Greenidge, will help to cut red tape associated with the processing of import and exports which will contribute to the country’s ability to increase and expand exports and imports. It is envisaged that the WTO agreement will reduce cost on average by 14.3% and boost global trade by $1 tril-
lion per year. “Developing countries like ours are expected to see the biggest gains for both consumer and supply, since we are faced with some of the largest procedural obstacles at ports of entry and hinterland ports,” Greenidge stated. The two-day review which concluded on Thursday was held at the Marriot Hotel in Georgetown. Guyana ratified the WTO agreement on November 30, 2015. The Islamic Development Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank facilitated the regional dialogue. CDB’s Projects Department Director, Daniel Best outlined that international performance has contributed to the growing discount with the inequitable distribution of cost and benefits of globalization and international trade. “This trend has strengthened the appeal of protectionism and inward looking policies in several developed countries. On the current trajectory it is imperative that our region continues to craft bold and innovative strategies to ensure that progress towards the 2013 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain on track,” Best stated. He explained that regional competitiveness continues to be stymied by the relatively flat performance of inter-re-
Attendees at the CARICOM’s dialogue on the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement. gional trade which is due to a largely unimplemented trade facilitation agenda which goes beyond the typical border issues. Best noted that access to testing and accreditation services, and the ability of traders to meet mandatory standards, are variables that impact the region’s doing busi-
ness ranking and ability to attract much needed investment. Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary General for Trade and Economic Integration at the CARICOM Secretariat, indicated that there is a regional approved strategy for regional implementation of the WTO agreement which will guide the implementation of 18 tech-
nical measures of the agreement. Cox explained that the agreement will be the main tool
of mobilizing technical and financial support for the implementation of the WTO agreement by CARICOM countries.
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8 Reasons Probiotics Should Be Part of Your Diet ( Wo m a n ’s D a y. c o m ) Probiotics are live microorganisms (usually bacteria) similar to the beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut.These useful bacteria help us digest food, produce vitamins, and destroy bad microorganisms that might cause disease. When the body’s ratio of good to bad bacteria is in balance, our immune systems and digestive health improve. Yogurts, keffir, and lactofermented vegetables such as sauerkraut, lacto-fermented pickles, and kimchi are all good sources of natural occurring probiotics. Get the optimal benefits from yogurt by choosing those with no sugar or low sugar, as sugar can nourish the bad bacteria in the gut.When choosing a dietary supplement, it’s important to know that different strains of probiotics serve different needs. The strain of probiotic that Fasig might recommend for someone on an antibiotic for strep throat would be a different strain than the one she’d recommend to someone diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for example.“Most of us have been exposed to at least one antibiotic in our lives — usually more than that for most of us — and that automatically decreases our ratio of so-called good to bad bacteria,” says naturopathic physician Amy Fasig, N.D., adding that recent research shows when that ratio of good to bad bacteria is out of sync it may put us at higher risk for chronic disease, inflammation, and even chronic infections.Not convinced? Taking probiotics on a regular basis may help with all of the following: 1) Restore good bacteria You know antibiotics can help fight off bacterial infections, but unfortunately overusing them can deplete all the good bacteria in your body in the process, says Harvard Medical School. That’s why doctors
- These living microorganisms can be particularly beneficial for women
recommend not taking antibiotics unless you really need them - but if you must go on meds, probiotics can help recover beneficial microorganisms afterward. 2) Prevent urinary tract infectionsMany patients with a tendency toward urinary tract infections experienced a decrease in frequency and intensity after taking probiotics regularly 3) Bolster immunity If you get sick often, probiotics might be the immune booster you’ve been looking for. According to the Cleveland Clinic, they’ve been shown to strengthen immunity by enriching and replenishing the good bacteria in the body. And when you eat probiotics on the regular, you can better “synthesize minerals and produce vitamins and enzymes that help the immune system and keep the intestines healthy.” 4) Improve fertility Looking to expand your family? “For my patients either thinking about trying to get pregnant or thinking about fertility issues, there’s a lot of evidence now that making sure there’s good ratios of certain strains of probiotics can also help with fertility,” says Fasig. 5) Prevent traveler’s diarrhea Fasig recommends a shelfstable probiotic that contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus sporogenes, Bifidophilus bifidum, and Sacchromyces boulardii
when traveling to preempt bathroom emergencies. For everyday use, many of Fasig’s female patients who’ve suffered from constipation or diarrhea reported improvement of symptoms when on a probiotic regimen. Probiotics can also improve IBS symptoms, though Fasig cautions that IBS patients shouldn’t take dairy-based probiotics. 6) Treat vaginal infectionsProbiotics can ward off vaginal yeast infections, urogenital infections, and bacterial vaginosis by keeping the vaginal microbiome in balance. Studies have shown that taking Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus fermentum daily can positively improve vaginal flora. 7) Clear up skin problems The benefits of probiotics don’t stop with internal health. Recent research shows that, whether applied topically or taken orally, probiotics might also help with acne, rosacea, and eczema too. 8) Boost digestion Those microbes in your lower intestinal tract are responsible for helping you digest your food, and taking probiotics can do a lot of good for keeping everything running, umm, smoothly. According to Harvard Medical School, taking them on the regular can help reduce gastrointestinal symptoms, like gas, bloating, and constipation.
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Kaieteur News
Nicki Minaj Says New Album ‘Queen’ Is Inspired by Princess Diana (ET) Nicki Minaj is putting off her coronation. The rapper’s new album, ‘Queen’, which was supposed to be released on June 15, is being pushed back another two months, and will now drop on August 10. The rapper announced the new date on Instagram Live on Thursday, and later revealed in a post the inspiration behind her new music. Minaj slipped in the news about the album’s release date when she hopped on the social media platform to explain that she wouldn’t be appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show due to the flu. “The album itself I think I want to put out on August 10. I want to put out my second single, which I’m really, really excited about, and I want to now start an official countdown,” she said, adding that she wants to do things differently this time around. The “Chun-Li” rapper, who confirmed Queen’s new release date on Twitter, also revealed during her Instagram live that fans will still be treated to a few surprises between June 11 and June 15, with one of them being her new album cover. Her tour is not being pushed back, and will still begin in September. She later shared that Queen is inspired by the late Princess Diana. “Queen THE ALBUM ~ It’s the strength that causes the confusion and fear. Why is she strong? Where does she get it from? Where is she going to use it? #WhyDoThePublicStillSupportHer,” she captioned a video on Instagram of Prince Harry
Nicki Minaj and Prince William’s mother. “God bless this woman’s legacy and every woman who’s ever felt like this.” Minaj briefly spoke to ET about her album at the 2018 Met Gala earlier this month, where she reunited with Cardi B, and appeared to put their feud behind them. “[I have] a collab or two that I’m excited about,” she teased. “I do feel like a queen.”
Harvey Weinstein Pleads Not Guilty to Rape in New York (ET) Harvey Weinstein was taken into custody on Friday morning in New York, where he pleaded not guilty to rape and other sex crime charges filed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. The 66-year-old former movie mogul turned himself in to police in New York City just before 7:30 a.m. ET. “Today, at the NYPD’s 1st Precinct, Harvey Weinstein was arrested, processed and charged with rape, criminal sex act, sex abuse and sexual misconduct for incidents involving two separate women,” read a statement from the New York City Police Department. “The NYPD thanks these brave survivors for their courage to come forward and seek justice. The arrest and ensuing charges are the result of a joint investigation between the NYPD and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.” Weinstein surrendered to police after the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and NYPD’s months-long investigation into allegations of sexual abuse. He was arraigned later that morning, and was charged with rape in the first degree for two alleged incidences involving two different women in 2013 and 2014. “Today’s charges reflect significant progress in this active, ongoing investiga-
Harvey Weinstein (with books in hand) surrenders to authorities on Friday in New York. (Getty Images) tion,” said District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. “I thank the brave survivors who have come forward, and my office’s prosecutors who have worked tirelessly on this investigation. I would also like to thank Commissioner James O’Neill and our dedicated partners at the NYPD. We urge additional survivors and others with relevant information to call our sex crimes hotline...” Weinstein’s attorney, Ben Brafman, released a statement to ET following the arraignment, which reads: “Mr. Weinstein has always maintained that he has never engaged in non-consensual sexual behavior with anyone. Nothing about today’s proceedings changes Mr.
Weinstein’s position. He has entered a plea of not guilty and fully expects to be exonerated.”A source tells ET that Weinstein did post bail and left the courthouse following his arraignment. According to an earlier CBS News report, one woman, actress Lucia Evans — who went public with her accusations in an article written by Ronan Farrow for The New Yorker in October 2017 — told investigators that Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him during a business meeting in 2004. Prosecutors have also reportedly spoken with actress Paz de la Huerta, who claimed in an interview with Vanity Fair that Weinstein raped her twice in 2010.
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Lawyers fighting extradition for US murder suspect to re-file defective affidavit
Troy Thomas
A ruling by High Court Judge Jo Ann Barlow on whether a Magistrate has the authority to hear extradition proceedings for US murder suspect Marvin Williams also referred to as Troy Thomas by local police, has been delayed as a result of an incomplete affidavit filed by lawyers for the murder suspect.
The ruling, which was scheduled for yesterday, will be announced in due course. This was as a result of Attorneys-at-Law Nigel Hughes, Bernard DaSilva and Darren Wade, who are all representing Thomas, being asked by the court to re-file an incomplete affidavit which contained arguments in support of their Fixed Date
Application (FDA). When the FDA came up for hearing on Friday at the High Court in Georgetown, it was revealed that the affidavit filed by the lawyers for the murder suspect was missing a key component, its commencement—this is the beginning of the document where the affiant or the person making the affidavit is
identified. As a result, Solicitor General Kim Kyte asked that the lawyers “cure the defect” in the legal document. The lawyers were ordered to re-file the affidavit on or before June 1. The FDA then comes up again on June 4, for further addresses on arguments excluded from the affidavit. Thereafter, another date will be set for ruling. In the FDA, the lawyers argued, that among other things, the Magistrates’ Courts have no jurisdiction to hear the extradition proceedings for their client. In 2012, US Law Enforcement issued a wanted bulletin for Thomas in relation to the December 11, 2011 murder of 20-year-old Keith Frank, who was a Guyanese. Frank, who moved Queens, New York from Guyana when he was just 12, was shot and killed outside a South Richmond Hill, New York party where he ran into some other men with whom he had an ongoing “beef”. Thomas was apprehended by local police in March at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. He was hauled before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, who was at the time acting as Chief Magistrate, before whom he was expected to face extradition proceedings. He is currently a remand prisoner. However, weeks after Thomas’ lawyer moved to the High Court in a bid to block the Magistrate from hearing the proceedings. Consequently, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus put a hold on
the matter pending the hearing and determination of the FDA by the High Court Judge. The FDA outlines a total of 27 grounds in support of the lawyers’ request. Besides arguing that the Magistrates’ Courts do not have the jurisdiction to hear the extradition proceedings, the lawyers are contending that Thomas is a citizen of Guyana and entitled to the protections of the provisions of the Constitution of Guyana. Advancing further arguments, the lawyers stated that on December 22, 1931 the United Kingdom and the United States entered into a treaty for the mutual extradition of fugitive criminals and that the said treaty was by way of order in council made applicable to British Guiana, a colony of the United Kingdom at the time of the execution of the treaty. The lawyers are contending that Guyana gained independence in 1966 from the United Kingdom and that the treaty remained in force and that in 1988, Guyana passed the Fugitive Offenders Act which was subsequently assented to by the President. “The said Act purported to establish the procedure for the extradition from Guyana of fugitive offenders. The said Act was amended in 2009 by the Fugitive Offenders (amendment) Act 2009.” It continues, “The Act as amended purported to include jurisdiction to extradite Continued on page 69
BV miner stabbed to death
A miner was yesterday morning stabbed to death by his friend during an altercation in Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara. The dead man has been identified as 23-year-old Edward Bevney of Triumph, East Coast Demerara. Bevney was stabbed several times about his body, reportedly by his assailant who hails from Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, with whom he had ongoing feud. According to reports, the suspect is currently a patient at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) under security guard. Information reaching this newspaper stated that the suspect went to a nearby shop on his bicycle to conduct business. He left his bicycle outside; when he returned, he discovered it was gone. He inquired about his bike and was told that Bevney had taken it. This publication was told that the suspect armed himself with a cutlass and a “jucker” and confronted Bevney. He allegedly stabbed him Bevney several times with the ‘jucker’. In an attempt to defend himself, an eyewitness said, Bevney chopped his killer to his hand. During the altercation, both men fell to the ground. When police officers arrived at the scene both Bevney and his killer were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where Bevney was pronounced dead on arrival. His assailant was admitted as a patient. According to reports, the men worked together in the interior some time ago and had a misunderstanding over the sale of narcotics. The feud was ongoing ever since.
Sunday May 27, 2018
STANDARDS IN FOCUS
Bread and rolls standard can improve product consistency and quality The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) has developed a standard for bread and rolls to ensure that products emanating from bakeries around the country are produced with quality and consistency. The Specification for Bread and Rolls (GYS 192:2000) sets out the requirements for bread and rolls and methods of test for these requirements. The implementation of this standard is necessary, as consumers are raising concerns regarding the inconsistent quality of bread and rolls that are available in the market. Some of these products, are too hard, too dry, too soft, too raw, easily spoiled, poorly packaged and purely labelled. The bread and roll standard addresses products prepared by baking the kneaded yeast-leavened dough made by moistening flour with water. These products are classified into groups (bread and rolls), types (soft dough and hard dough) and classes (white, enriched, whole wheat, etc.) The description and methods of preparation and the ingredients for making bread and rolls are clearly outlined in the standard. In addition, general requirements relating to the finished product such as crust, crumb, flavour and aroma and condition for packing and sanitation are specified in the document. By acquiring a copy of this standard, bakers and other producers of bread and rolls can also improve the quality and presentation of their products by adhering to requirements for packaging and preparation for delivery, labelling, analysis and sampling. Finally, the standard outlines procedures for determining volume to ratio of bread and the nutritional content including riboflavin, niacinamide, thiamine and iron content. As many local businesses strive to improve their offerings to consumers, bakers need not be left behind. They too can improve the quality and consistency of their products overtime through the adoption and implementation of the national standard in their production processes and ultimately consumers will be satisfied. Call or visit the GNBS and acquire your copy of the standard today. For further information, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 592-219-0064-66. Please visit our website: www.gnbsgy.org and like our Facebook page: gnbsgy
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Jury deadlocked in trial of brothers accused of near death attack on man Around 19:10hrs on Thursday, jurors announced that they were deadlocked in the trial of 29-year-old Brian Joseph and his younger brother Dequan Small, who are both charged for the near fatal beating of a Diamond, East Bank Demerara man. The beating occurred over a decade ago. The declaration from the 12- member mixed jury came in almost five hours after they retired for deliberations during which, at some stage, they requested further directions from trial Judge Sandil Kissoon. Joseph is accused of wounding Shawn Hussain, also known as ‘Chubby’ on June 24, 2007, at Lot 63 Diamond, East Bank Demerara, with intent to commit murder. In the alternative, he is charged with wounding Hussain, with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm, or to maim, disfigure or disable him. On the other hand, the charge against Small alleged that on June 24, 2007, he did aid, abet, counsel and procure Joseph to commit an offence. Upon their arraignment, both of them pleaded not guilty to the allegations. The jury forewoman disclosed that she and the other jurors were unable to arrive at verdicts for any of the offences for which the brothers were indicted. When asked by the trial judge
whether further directions would assist the jury in arriving at a verdict, the jury forewoman responded in the negative. As such, Justice Kissoon informed the brothers that they will remain on bail pending another trial which will be announced in due course by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). During his testimony, Hussain who is currently serving a jail sentence for an unrelated offence, told the court that the brothers are known “trouble makers” in the community, and are in the habit of bullying people. He said that on the day in question, the brothers passed by his home where he was lying in a hammock and called out for him. According to Hussain, he raised his hands in acknowledgement. He recalled that sometime after, the brothers passed by his home again and requested to speak with him, and he went out of his yard to do so. Once outside, he said that it was Joseph who lashed him to the side of his head knocking him unconscious. The witness recalled being beaten about the body and that he only regained consciousness while undergoing treatment in the hospital. When questioned by Prosecutor Lisa Cave whether he had any problems with the
Brian Joseph brothers, Hussain replied in the negative, adding that neither was he armed with any weapon. He, however disclosed that an argument erupted between him and one of the brothers over cash he had in his pocket, and that it was Small who approached him to clarify the problem after which he was severely beaten. While under crossexamination by defence counsel Michael Sommersall, who was retained by both brothers, Hussain dismissed claims that he was under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, or that he was armed with a gun when the incident occurred. Questioned about a dent in his head, Hussain sought to explain that he sustained the injury because of the
beating. According to the complainant, he underwent surgery for his injuries and although the incident happened 11 years ago, he is still under medication. Dr. Dwayne Kellman, who was also called as a witness, told the court that the injuries Hussain sustained were lifethreatening. It was at this point that the State closed its case and defence counsel put forward a no-case submission, which was overruled by the trial Judge. Consequently, the brothers were called on to tell their side of the story. They elected to give unsworn testimony. Joseph, who addressed the court for over 25 minutes, claimed that he was attacked by Hussain who was armed with a gun. He added that he feared for his life and picked a length of wood and lashed Hussain – who had uttered certain racist and derogatory remarks to him. Small, in his address to the court, made it clear that he was nowhere around when the alleged beating occurred and that police visited his home where they arrested him. Joseph called a few witnesses to substantiate his story, one of them being his sister, who told the court that police took a statement from her, but she was never called to testify.
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CONSUMER CONCERNS
Ensuring hygienic food-vending By PAT DIAL In the capital city of Georgetown and in all the other towns, in varying degrees, cooked food and services (e.g. roadside barbering) which may be unhygienic or even toxic are on offer. The institutions which are entrusted by Law to protect citizens from being exposed to such perils are the Food and Drugs Department, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards and the Georgetown City Council. In the last generation, Guyanese always preferred and used home-prepared food. Even if they had to be away from home for a day or two, as would have been the
Sunday May 27, 2018
Kaieteur News
case of Public Servants or travelling salesmen, they always traveled with their home-prepared food. School children either went home for lunch or carried packed lunches but never bought lunches as most of them do now. Now the culture has changed and citizens tend to have their lunches at restaurants, fast-food outlets, food-vending snackettes or roadside food sellers. The restaurants and fast-food outlets sell what Americans call “junk food” which contains a great deal of sugar and salt. The food sold in these restaurants and fastfood outlets are prepared fairly hygienically; it is the “junk food” they sell, which
is deleterious to health. We will return to the subject of “junk food” in another article but in this article we are focusing on the hygienic preparation of foods. In the food-vending snackettes, we would include the small Chinese “restaurants” and together with the roadside food sellers we will examine the conditions in which their food is prepared. In the first place, these food sellers should all have food-handlers’ certificates, which would ascertain that they do not suffer from any infectious diseases. Such certificates are absolutely necessary for those who vend outside of the schools.
The place of preparation of the food should be inspected periodically by officers from the responsible agencies. Many of these foodsellers prepare their food in slummy tenement yards. They do not have running water available or clean water with which to cook. Without these basic facilities, food is prepared in unhygienic conditions and would be a danger to users’ health. Chinese “restaurants” operate mostly from rented premises, which were not designed for restaurant or eating-house purposes. Water and toilet facilities are often absent from these rented lower flats of buildings and as such crockery could not be washed. This sometimes results, for example, in plates being “swished” with a piece of wet paper dipped in a water bucket kept for that purpose. But the fundamental problem regarding Chinese “restaurants” is that Eastern and Western concepts of hygiene differ in many ways and Guyana practices Western hygiene. The owners and workers at these restaurants should be taught Western concepts of hygiene by the responsible agencies as well as the layout of the basic kitchen with regular water supply. And we reiterate that in these Chinese
“restaurants” as in the case of the local food sellers and handlers, they should all have food-handlers’ certificates and be licensed to prepare and sell food commercially. People who buy food from the roadside food sellers and food-vending snackettes, including the small Chinese “restaurants”, run the risk of being infected or with stomach ailments like gastroenteritis or even food poisoning. The three institutions, which are mentioned above are entrusted with enforcing the Law and ensuring that these food sellers prepare and vend their food hygienically, only act sporadically. For example, within the last half year, the major report of the Food and Drugs activity was removing Asian produced sardines where the packaging was designed to mislead buyers that they were purchasing Canadian Brunswick sardines. And similarly, the Georgetown City Council acting under Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Councils Act, in October last year temporarily closed five food businesses. When these closures were discussed by the Council, councillors pertinently questioned why more businesses in breach had not been brought before the Council and why Chinese “restaurants” seem to be exempted from inspection. This situation has grown so enormous that prosecutions and closures could not be effective and, in any case, the three enforcing
institutions do not have the staff or resources to take such action on the scale required. It would seem that the first step would be to list the sellers and then carry out a compulsory programme of educating them about the requirements for persons who prepare food for commercial purposes. The next step would be to register those who may satisfy the minimum criteria including all foodhandlers having foodhandlers’ certificates. And then a more comprehensive educational programme should be mounted by the three enforcing bodies enlisting the help of the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Education. After giving sellers a grace period, prosecutions and closures could then be proceeded with. Such a programme needs proactive and tactful action by those who are responsible for enforcing the Law and would involve much time and commitment but the problem could be brought under control in three or four months. Barbados has successfully brought this problem under control; licensing of food sellers and food handlers is a norm in that island. When food preparation, handling and selling are brought within the ambit of hygienic conditions, citizens who buy from food vendors and particularly children who buy food from vendors outside their schools would be safer.
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WANT
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;Guyanapassport application. G r a p h i c s design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6004212: We create A/works, logos, busi ness cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 USA Graduate. Hair, Waxing, Eyebrow threading & Colour. 39 Greenwich Park, Public Road EBE. Tel: 661-0019 Customized Salon Furniture, Kitchen cupboards, Drawface, Cabinets, Doors etc. 39 Greenwich Park Public road EBE. #661-0019 We rid your body of poisonous germs, bacteria and diseases that comes from Diabetes & others. Tel# 678-4856
SALON Make-up Courses with Mac, B a r e M i n e r a l s , etc.Cosmetology Courses: $90,000 Nail Technician Course: $35,000. Call: 647-1773/688-0009
TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS) NOTICE Ian Griffith of 430 North East LaPenitence, Please make contact with Cherril Henry on Tel# 664-9325/696-1680 FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table for sale & rent. Tel# 277-0578
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Apartment buliding includes (1) 3 bedroom, (1) 2 bedroom 1 studio location Lamaha Park, Georgetown, $60,000,000 Neg. Call: 681-2500 Live meat bird (large amount) Call: 600-5573 Delivery available. Pluck chicken (Fresh & Frozen) Call: 225-6665/6439088 (2) 1993 Toyota Hilux single cab pickup, 2 generator, 1 compressor #682-8424 1 Long base canter, very good condition, owner leaving country or 1 canter driver needed for hire. #6091040
FOR RENT
WANTED
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
1 Air compressor 15HP 3 Phase 230/220 volts. Call: 6281486
Prime Office on Camp Street, next to Shell gas station #6447724/639-4499/622-9560. Prime Business Place 1680 Sq Ft located at 36 Grove Public Road EBD. Contact No: 2662605/672-8017 2 & 3 bedroom fully furnished luxury apartments short and long term rental Tel# 6642143,691-1432,666-7028 529 Section ‘B’ Block ‘X’ Diamond H/s EBD 10th St Back half, 2 bedroom Apt, secured parking, professionals/working couple. Contact: 216-4200/ 689-1518 1 & 2 bedoom house to rent unfurnish & unfurnished with parking. #786-1017 Whatsapp, 688-1068 Whatsapp, 868-313-0456 Whatsapp. 1 (3) bedroom house to rent in Parfaite Harmonie #223-6637 Cell 616-6764
Wanted experience hire car drivers at Princess Ramada Hotel. Contact: 616-5419/ 265-7076 Immediate Vacancy exist for operators to work shift system & 1 night security @ Del Ice Co. Tel# 642-9191/ 231-1408 Looking to buy a house or empty land, Preferences-EBD Public road. Buyer #1917-6225810/694-3331 Live in waitress to work in bar. 18-25 yrs old, must have ID Contact No: 221-2785 1 experience cook wanted and one counter staff. Call: 6238654 Parfaite Harmonie, Farm, Herstelling, Uitvlugt, Eccles, Tuschen, Diamond, Zeelugt, Best price pay. Call: 666-2326 Procurement officer, Valid license MC/MV/ML 30-55. Call: 226-1100/629-9450 Male Office clerk 30-55 yrs, East Bank Preferable. Call: 2261100/629-9450. Handyman/Gardener to work at Friendship, EBD. Tel# 2662217
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL:643-5122/ 6 5 6 - 0 0 8 7 , ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL:225-7126/ 226-3693DOLLYSAUTORENTAL @YAHOO.COM/ WWW.D OLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM PROPERTY FOR SALE Lot 15 Public road #2 Village. West Coast Berbice. 49ft by 10,314ft. $18M. Contact:6487109/686-4818 3 story commercial building,120ftX60ft Building 62ftX30ft Location- Lot 1486, Plot B Herstelling, EBD, reduced price Contact: 6093777/686-0522 Transport property for sale, Eccles H/s EBD. Tel#6169490 or 616-0499 New building with two apartment downstairs for sale.10 minutes from Georgetown .Call:675-1510/ 613-7964 PEN PAL 29 years old East Indian male, seeking female friends, message Tel# 691-5905
EDUCATION Electronic course, Practical beginning 1st June. Learn to fix flat screen TV’s etc. Abdul Electronics. 225-0391/2266551 Jean offers courses in Dressmaking, curtains, floral, cake decoration, 153 Barr St Kitty Tel#670-2653/638-844 Care for the elderly, Care for children, First aid and CPR G/town 227-4881 Berbice 232-38789 IAE- Register for CXC, full time evening & adult classes. Mathematics, English, Business & Science subjects #683-5742/621-7365 TOLET Rooms in Albertown. Tel# 2259223 Self contain rooms Tolet for UG & Cyril Potter College students. Call: 223-9677 2 bedroom house fully A/c in Somerset court. Herstelling EBD Tel#6614849 Grilled 2 bedroom A/c Bottom flat, Back up electricity, DSL, Optional alarm- South Riumveldt Gardens. #6188436
1 Mechanic to work in the interior, must know about Cummings/Perkins & Deutz engine. #699-4718 Experienced shop workers & handyman to work in interior. #231-0363. (8:30am-4:30pm) One Live-in maid. Contact: 675-5256 1 Sales girl, 1 Domestic worker. Contact: 223-9677 Experience Cashier, Drivers, Roti/Puri cook. Apply Hack’s Halaal with H/written application 5 Commerce St. Yardman. Contact#2235273/74 Chef/Cook. Contact#2235273/74 Diesel Mechanic. Contact#223-5273/74
VACANCY Experienced male sales attendant, stocktaking knowledge, computer literate, excellent service attitude, able bodied. Key Food McDoom Village. Exist for a female Pharmacist preferably on the East Coast. Call: 626-3008 Articulated hauler/ dump truck operator for interior, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 Experienced salesgirls with CXC qualifications & 5 yrs experience. Apply @ Christine’s Variety, Lombard St. Contact: 227-8529 Exist for one cashier/sales clerk, previous experience an asset, apply Mike’s Pharmacy, Bel Air Vacancy exist for (1) pastry maker, interested persons can send application to Beacon Cafe. Call: 227-9409 for info. One Salesperson for General Store on the ECD. Call: 6421141 LAND FOR SALE Prime land to build that dream home. Not far from Princess, New Thriving, Massy, HJ water world $13M neg- Call: 669-8397 Parfaite Harmonie $2.5M $3M $1.5M $1.3M Uitvlugt $2.8M Zeelugt $1.4M Schnoord $2.8M Tuschen $5M $1.4M. Call:666-2326 Herstelling 2nd Bridge Lot $4M Tuschen $1.5M $5.5M Farm $4M Diamond 8 street $4.5M Call: 666-2326 Herstelling (110ftx60ft) main road 2nd bridge $5M (4th bridge )$2M Parfaite Harmonie $1.5M Tel#6560701/651-1969 2 acres of title land situated @ 1st St Garden of Eden EBD $6.5M Neg. Call Terrence #6387836. email: Latchmanrich@gmail.com Farm(East Bank) -$3M Schnoord (100ftx50ft) $3M Uivlugt (100ftx50ft) $3M Tel# 656-0701/651-1969
Lawyers fighting extradition for US murder suspect... From page 66 persons who were captured by the provisions, inter alia, of any arrangement made between the government of the United Kingdom and the government of a foreign territory relating to the extradition of fugitives offenders, prior to the 26th May, 1966, extends to and remained in force in Guyana.” The murder suspect legal representatives are contending that Thomas is being unlawfully detained and subject to the legal process unsupported by any legal basis of foundation. Among other arguments, the lawyers advanced that certain Sections of the Act purports to vest in the Minister of Public Security the power to issue an authority to proceed with the extradition proceedings to the Chief Magistrate.
Major treated net distribution... From page 61 the mining and logging industries and are understandably fearful of seeking help at the nearest government health facility lest they run the risk of facing the local law-enforcement system. Under the NMP monitoring of LLINs, distribution will be “on-going and continuous, working to ensure that planned distribution activities are completed in the specified time and meeting the stated objectives,” according to information shared by the Ministry. Further, Ministry officials have revealed that, “All distribution will have an assigned supervisor/activity lead who will be responsible for overseeing the implementation, reporting and other activity-specific work.”
1 Experienced waitress & livein domestic, must know to cook, 18-25 & 35 from East Coast. $20,000 weekly respectively. #610-3974 Live in waitress to work in bar. Call: 692-4649 We buy high & low income residential lands on the East Bank and West Coast. Tel#651-1969 Labourers for wood concession -$5,000 per dayCall: 618-0487
VEHICLE FOR SALE VEHICLE FOR SALE Tractor (foreign used) Massey Ferguson excellent condition 165 $1.6M MF 135 $1.1M MF 265 $2.2M 165 loader, tractor $2.4M @ Vreed-en-hoop. Call: 6825230/615-4414
Pickup truck from Canada,double cab 2005 Tacoma $2.1 M, Ford F150 sport $1.5M, Ford ranger sport $1.2M. Call: 682-5230, 615-4414. 1 RZ Minibus BNN excellent condition. Call: 233-3430
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E’bo fishermen feeling brunt of catfish ban
Fishermen who came out on last Tuesday to raise their concerns with CEO of the Fisheries Department, Denzel Roberts. Since the ban on catfish fish by the United States in March, fishermen on the Essequibo Coast have been very quiet as it relates to the challenges initiated by this ban. Since there is no firm or organization that represents the fishing industry in Region Two, the voices of these fishermen often go unheard. Recently, however, more than 60 fishermen within the Pomeroon-Supenaam Region met to discuss key issues plaguing the local industry. One of the major issues raised, was the rapid reduction in the price for catfish and gilbackar. The reason for this reduction, they claim, is the heavy ban, which was placed on these fish by the United States. Commenting on the challenges they now face, one fisherman explained, “We work mainly catfish and since the ban, we nah selling
much it because we nah got nobody fo assist we in buying it. If a man do buy it, sometime he pay $100 or sometimes $200 per pound. Before, we use to get $500 and $600. Now to add to the pressure, the gasoline price raise too and so like the business not payable.” Another fisherman who usually fish for gilbackar, noted that the price has dropped from $800 to $300 and $200 per pound. Addressing these fishermen’s concern last Tuesday, was CEO of the Fisheries Department under the Ministry of Agriculture, Denzel Roberts. Roberts noted that ban on catfish was enforced because of a change in the US Regulations on the import of certain species of fish. He added that there were changes in the agencies that regulate the imports of fish.
“First, it was the US Department of Agriculture that handled the imports of our catfish into the US. Now, it has moved into the food safety inspection services, and according to them, catfish is now classified as meat and not fish…As soon as you take the fish out of the water, it becomes food… so the Public Health Unit would now take charge.” For the ban to be lifted, however, Roberts noted that the US has presented a list of questions that will aid in identifying certain processing plants, capable of processing catfish according to US requirements. Roberts made claims on Tuesday that Guyana has already made most of the changes by identifying eligible processing plants, and that the US –via teleconferencing- said that the plants were ok. He added that in order to move ahead
Fishing vessels at Charity, Region Two with the second step, a number of documents to be redone are still to be sent by the US. Roberts noted that once these documents are redone, the US will most likely visit to inspect these processing plants.He said that the Public
Health Department is already making efforts to ensure this last step of the deal goes smoothly so that the ban can be lifted. “Public Health had a meeting with some of these processors and they lay down the facts and told them
that if they don’t up their game, they would be out of operation. We can’t have a ‘bottom house plant’ because when the guys from the US come, they will look at the list and select a plant randomly. If one of them goes out then the entire industry goes out.”
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Kaieteur News
AG adamant that attorneys liable for unreported State cases
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, has refuted allegations by the Guyana Bar Association that he attacked members of the Bar in his recent remarks on private lawyers representing the State. The Bar Association had called out the Attorney General on his statement in which he referenced the conduct of private lawyers representing the State as criminal. The AG was commenting
on the issue of cases outsourced from his Chambers to private lawyers. Williams had told a Press Conference, earlier this month that on many occasions attorneys with these cases in their possession have not been forthcoming with information. The AG called for legal action to be taken against lawyers for withholding information. However, the Bar Association contended that lawyers at the private Bar have
always conducted litigation for the State of Guyana and throughout the Commonwealth, and continue to do so today. Responding to the contentions of the Bar Association, Williams says that the issue at hand is not the outsourcing of cases but the failure to inform the Attorney General’s Chambers in a timely manner of outsourced cases in the possession of Attorneys.”
Bond financing for GuySuCo…
US$85M secured entirely from local market
M
ore details are emerging of the US$150M syndicated bond secured for the four sugar estates which were closed by the end of last year. The state-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) received the first tranche, roughly US$85M which was disbursed on May 24, 2018, with the residual tranche to be issued to NICIL as is needed. The full bond which was arranged by Republic Bank Limited exclusively through its Investment Banking Division represents Guyana’s aggressive reentry into the capital markets arena. According to information, the Government guaranteed bond has been issued for a five-year term with a rate of return of 4.75 percent per annum. NICIL is expected to raise the remaining US$65M within the next few months through a combination of local and regional investors, including those in Trinidad and Jamaica. Officials are planning a targeted road show to be launched within the coming weeks to raise the remaining amounts needed by NICIL. Republic Bank was reportedly able to successfully tap the local investor market to
raise mutually beneficial financing for the Guyana Government and investing subscribers. Reports indicated that the bond was oversubscribed by the local investor market shortly after its announcement. The funds raised are to be used towards the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) capital expenditure and general operations. NICIL’s team lead by Colvin Health-London, the head of the Special Purpose Unit (SPU), structured the bond to recapitalize GuySuCo’s operations. GuySuCo has struggled to raise the funds needed to revamp its operations and has relied heavily on Government bailouts to stay afloat. The estates have been placed under the SPU which is tasked by Government to execute privatization plans for the Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales Estates that were closed in keeping with Government’s ‘rightsized’ approach for the sugar corporation. Observers have noted that through the Government’s local content mandate, the transaction was consummated entirely using Guyanese companies and local legal counsel, Hand-inHand Trust Corporation acting as Trustee, Guyana
Americas Merchant Bank Inc as paying agent. According to information, in the negotiations, the Attorney General’s Office represented the Government; NICIL represented by its InHouse counsel; the Ministry of Finance through its debt management team; and Republic Bank Limited represented by Devindra Kissoon of London House Chambers. It was noted that this demonstrates the capacity of Guyanese to handle the sophisticated transaction to close the deal. Last year, Government established the SPU, hiring Heath-London to supervise the privatization and divestment process of the four closed estates, which also included Wales. Heath-London has been lending advice to the Government of Jamaica and had helped put together the Timehri airport US$150M expansion project that is supposed to be completed this year. GuySuCo has been racking up a decade of losses despite over $30B in bailouts by Government in the last three years. An inquiry ordered by the Coalition Government after it came to office in 2015, recommended actions to be taken to reverse the fortunes.
According to Williams, the Attorney General’s Chambers under the last administration, outsourced several cases to private Attorneys. Those Attorneys refused to hand over the cases and the Attorney General’s Chambers only became aware of those cases after judgment was passed. In this regard, he referenced the Dipcon case in 2016, where a $400 million judgment was made against the Government—— the Attorney General was only informed three months after judgment was passed. Additionally, Williams contends that any prudent lawyer would, upon a change of Government, see it fit to communicate to the Attorney General’s Chambers if they are in possession of any Government matter outsourced to them by former Attorney General. “The fact that Attorneys choose to retain possession of matters even after the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs wrote letters and made a public announcement that they must relinquish those matters, demonstrates an intention to injure the State.
“It is simply a matter of honesty and courtesy, after all, it should be up to the new Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs to determine if he wishes them to continue being Counsel on the matter.” Williams noted, too, that letters were written after the Dipcon case to the following persons on March 1, 2016 requesting that if they were retained to represent the Attorney General in any matter to provide the chambers with a list of matters and copies of the files to attorneys, Roysdale Forde, Ashton Chase, SC, Bernard De Santos, SC, Manoj Narayan, Neil Boston, SC, Ralph Ramkarran, SC, Robin Stoby, SC, and Sase Gunraj. “To date, only Mr Ralph Ramkarran, SC, Mr. Nigel Hughes and Mr. Neil Boston, SC have responded to the letter and the urgent call by the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs.” Hughes said that he was never given a case. “None of the abovementioned lawyers responded that they had Toolsie Persaud Limited-vAG, which the Court awarded a judgment of $1.7 billion
Sunday May 27, 2018
Attorney General: Basil Williams against the State.” It is on this basis, that the Attorney General said that he believes such lawyers should be questioned by the police and charges brought against them.Added to that Williams said that as Attorney General he is the Head of the Bar and has and will always hold the Bar and its members in the highest regard. “However, as the Chief Government Legal Advisor, he has a responsibility to the President, the Government and more importantly to the people of Guyana, to give the best legal representation possible. “Legal representation of the highest standard cannot be possible when cases, outsourced to private Attorneys by the former Attorney General of the last administration, are kept in the bosom of those Attorneys unknown to the new Attorney General.”
Incoming CCJ President recommends a multi-stakeholder approach to improve the criminal justice system President-elect of the Caribbean Court of Justice, (CCJ), Justice Adrian Saunders, has recommended a multi-stakeholder approach to tackle issues hampering the improvement of the Criminal Justice System in the Caribbean. Addressing a gathering of judicial officers on the topic of “The Rule of Law and the Caribbean Court of Justice” at the University of Guyana’s 4th Conversation on Law and Society, Justice Saunders noted the deficiencies identified in the criminal justice system, threatens the rule of law. During his presentation, Justice Saunders, listed insufficient investigations, limited forensic evidence and the inordinate lengths of time prisoners spend on remand pending trial among those deficiencies. In this regard, he highlighted statistics released in 2013 which shows that 35 percent of Guyana’s prison population was on pretrial detention.The figures, Justice Saunders called “very high” and having very serious human rights implications. “We need to do something about it.”Justice Saunders said too that no effective criminal case management system and insufficient mechanisms to serve the needs of women, young girls and vulnerable persons. Justice Saunders believes there should be a multi-stakeholder approach in tackling the issue. “We have a criminal justice system in the region that is broken in many countries and tackling it is difficult because it requires the coordination of several different systems, each with its own priorities. The CCJ judge, therefore called for a collective policy to help deal with the issue.
CCJ President-elect, Adrian Saunders As such, he recommended that the prisons authorities, police, executive, Bar Association, prosecutorial, and defence lawyers across the Caribbean to sit together and be on the same page and agree to a raft of policy proposals that will carry the system forward and that kind of conversation needs to take place among those various stakeholders. Commenting further on strengthening the rule of law, Justice Saunders noted that several elements of must be dealt with including procedural fairness, access to justice, independent and impartial judiciary, and protection against abuse and arbitrary use of power.
Sunday May 27, 2018
Kaieteur News
Attempted murder PI for teen to commence next month
T
he Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the attempted murder of a man who was stabbed several times to his abdomen after an argument with a teen will commence on June 14. Nineteen-year-old Calvin George of 859 Grove, East Bank Demerara was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on April 11 at Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, with intent to commit murder, he unlawfully wounded Orwin Peters. On Friday, when the matter was called in Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan courtroom, Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield stated that the file is completed and that he intends to call a total of nine witnesses. According to reports, on the day in question, the victim and the accused were known to each other had an argument after George allegedly used his toilet, which is situated in the victim’s yard. As a result of the argument, George became annoyed and armed himself with a knife and dealt the victim several stabs to his abdomen. The victim was picked up by publicspirited persons and was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he underwent surgery. George was granted bail in the sum of
Charged Calvin George $200,000. Conditions of the bail are that the defendant must lodge his passport with the court. He was instructed to not contact any of the witnesses in the matter or cause anyone to contact them. George was also instructed to report to the Grove Police Station every Friday until the completion of the trail.
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LeBron scores 46 against Celtics Froome poised for as Cavs force Game 7 in Boston historic Giro victory LeBron James’ 46 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists Friday night carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 109-99 win over the Boston Celtics at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, tying the Eastern Conference finals at 3-3. Game 7 of the series is tonight in Boston, with the winner meeting either Houston or Golden State in the NBA Finals. The Rockets took a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 of the Western Conference finals in Oakland last night. “Feels good just to be able to play for another game,” James said after the game. “I’ve always said Game 7 is the best two hours in sports, so let’s go have fun with it.” George Hill enjoyed his best game of the series for the
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) reacts after a play against Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) during the fourth quarter. (Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports) Cavaliers with 20 points, while reserve Jeff Green chipped in
14 and Larry Nance Jr. hit for 10 points. They helped make
Sunday May 27, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Recent opposition standing in the way of long-term goals is apt to ease a bit today, Aries. Situations surrounding these issues should become clearer
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You may have had a hard time launching long-term personal projects lately, Libra. Today marks a critical starting point toward attaining your goals.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) It's time to review your dreams and fantasies, Taurus. It could be that you've been neglecting them lately.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Shake off the dust of the past few weeks and put the confusion behind you, Scorpio. Your tremendous imagination and creative ability have been dormant lately
GEMINI(May 21–June 20) Things that have been out of whack in your life should begin to come back into balance, Gemini. The bad news is that it may take a while for the pendulum to return to the optimal point. CANCER (June 21–July 22) The tide will start to ebb today just after it reaches its highest point. There is a pause now, Cancer, and you'll find that things are about to pick up considerably again. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You may have been engaged in a battle with the facts lately, Leo. Perhaps new information has forced you to take a step back as you contemplate the next move in your game plan. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Goals that may have seemed unreachable in the recent past are finally starting to come into focus, Virgo. It could be that you've been neglecting your dreams
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Long-term projects that you've been working on are apt to shift into forward gear today, Sagittarius. This change may be subtle, but it's quite powerful CAPRI (Dec.22–Jan.19) Parts of your life that may have recently taken a backward turn now get back on track, Capricorn. You should find that large projects involving electricity AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Issues involving fashion, magazines, and the spoken or written word will all slowly begin to take a turn in a positive direction today, Aquarius. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) It could be that you've been losing faith in your dreams and fantasies lately, Pisces. Now is the time to refocus on what you want and move forward with confidence.
up for the loss of forward Kevin Love, who lasted five minutes before leaving with a possible concussion after a collision with Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum. Love’s status for Game 7 is uncertain. Terry Rozier pumped in six 3-pointers and led Boston with 28 points while Jaylen Brown gunned in 27. Tatum finished with 15 but was largely a non-entity during the first half. Reserves Marcus Morris and Marcus Smart scored 10 points each. “This troupe’s resilient,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters postgame. “We’ll be ready to go on Sunday.”Cleveland led for most of the last 2 1/2 quarters, although the Celtics made things interesting in the fourth quarter when they cut the deficit to seven on multiple occasions. But James drilled back-to-back 3-pointers in a 43-second span to up the lead to 107-96 and quash remaining suspense. “Does that ever come into our minds? Yeah, like every time we’re out there,” Stevens said of James’ greatness. “Best player in the game, special night tonight. I can’t say enough good things about him.”Things turned for good in the second quarter, when the Celtics could only manage 18 points. James’ floater with 21.8 seconds remaining wrapped up a 25point half and helped usher the Cavaliers into the locker room with a 54-43 advantage.“Been fortunate enough to play some good basketball through my career,” James said. “Hopefully, I’ll get myself in a position to play great once again on Sunday.” (Field Level Media)
(Reuters) - Chris Froome all but assured himself of becoming the first Briton to win the Giro d’Italia after comfortably resisting some last-ditch attacks by defending champion Tom Dumoulin yesterday’s 20th and penultimate stage. Team Sky’s Froome backed up his astonishing solo attack of Friday, when he turned the race on its head, with a controlled ride and will take a 46second lead into Sunday’s final processional stage into Rome. Barring a calamity Froome, 33, will celebrate victory and add the one Grand Tour missing from his collection, joining cycling icons Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault as one of only three riders to win all three Grand Tours in succession. “Just incredible feelings, quite emotional,” said Froome, who crashed even before turning a wheel in anger in the first stage in Israel and was off the pace for the first week.
Until Friday he was still more than three minutes adrift of long-time leader Simon Yates but in the space of 24 hours he has taken an ironfisted grip on the race. “It has been such a brutal race but I have to say, it has been a beautiful, beautiful event,” he said. “There were attacks I had to follow in the final, but I felt in control and capable of following today... everyone had such a hard day yesterday no one really had the legs to go anywhere.” Froome, who is still under investigation over an adverse doping test result following a urine sample at last year’s Vuelta which showed excessive use of an asthma inhaler, again showed his class in the mountains. With Spain’s Mikel Nieve celebrating his 34th birthday in style by winning Saturday’s stage — a 214-km ride from Susa to Cervinia — after an attack with 30km to go, the real action was unfolding back down the road.
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From page 77 Doris, received a special award, while Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Sport, Dr. George Norton, delivered the feature address. DENOBREGATAKES TROPHY & CASH AFTER WINNING OG SHIPPING 56-MILE RACE Paul DeNobrega carted off the winner’s Trophy and $40,000 when he was first to the finish line in the OG Shipping 56-Mile Cycle Road race which entailed riding 20 laps around the outer Circuit of National Park. DeNobrega, who rides for Team Evolution, won in a time 1:52:13.8, while Jamal John of Team CoCo finished second and Berbician Curtis Dey, representing Trojan PSL, had to settle for third after easily winning the 35-lap race inside the Park on Saturday. In sweltering heat on another day of very strong winds, the trio of DeNobrega, John and Dey made a break away on the second lap and maintained the lead throughout the other 19 laps as the pack never caught them. DeNobrega, who captured six prime point prizes, led the two others lap after lap as the break-away pack gradually extended their lead, ‘lapping’ many riders on the way. The day’s event, run-off by Team Analie Cycling, saw a fair size gathering of cycling fans assembling near the finish line opposite the GDF ground.Jaikarran Sookhai, who finished third in the Veterans category, was lapped by DeNobrega and Jones just
Sunday May 27, 2018
Kaieteur News
before the finish line, while Junior Niles and Paul ChoWee-Naam finished first and second respectively among the Veterans. Brighton John, Adelie Hodge and Ajay Gobilall crossed the finish line in that order in the ‘Juniors’ division, while the Mountain Bike Category was won by Mario King with Ivan Jackson riding in first in the over-45 and over-50 division which was contested over five laps. The second place finisher in the ‘seniors’ received $30,000, while the third place took home $23,000. BISHOO, MUNROE COP MAJOR AWARDS AS BCB HOLDS IMPRESSIVE BRIAN RAMPHAL AWARDS West Indies Players Devendra Bishoo of the Albion Cricket Club and Sabrina Munroe of the Tucber Park Cricket Club copped the two major awards when the Berbice Cricket Board hosted its Brian Ramphal Annual Award Ceremony after an absence of three years. Bishoo took home the International Cricketer of the Year and Berbice Cricketer of the Year Awards, while Munroe copped the Female Cricketer of the Year Award. The Berbice Cricket Board during the ceremony honoured the winning Under19 boys team who were double champions at the Inter County level and the winning female team which won the Guyana Cricket Board Female 50-Overs Tournament. The MVP of both teams Erva Giddings and Kevlon Ander-
WIFBSC Individual Champion, Ransford Goodluck. son received trophies, medals and a bicycle valued $18,000 each. Five Educational Cricket Posters were also launched as part of the Berbice Cricket Board developmental programme, while Ms Ruthel Henry, a long time employee of the Board received a financial contribution under the Board’s Charity Programme. The Berbice Cricket Board also honoured Patrick Gray, Anil Beharry and Joseph Simon for their contributions to Berbice Cricket, while Coaches Julian Moore and Winston Smith were recognised for attaining the status of Level III in Coaching. For the first time also, the Berbice Cricket Board introduced a Role Model Cricket-
ers Award segment. Members of the Berbice public were invited to vote for the cricketer they admired at the Junior, Female and Senior levels. Javed Karim received the Junior Role Model Award, Shabika Gajnabi the Female Award, while West Indies player Shimron Hetmyer took home the Senior Role Model Award. GOA HONOURS COMMONWEALTH GAMES GOLD MEDALIST DORIS Guyana’s triple jump 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Troy Doris was honoured by the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) for the achievement. At a simple ceremony held at the
Olympic House, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, Doris received a commemorative Plaque from President of the GOA K. Jumman Yassin in the presence of members of the Guyana team. Doris, who is born to Guyanese parents resides in the USA, he won the gold medal with a leap of 16.88m at the Commonwealth Games held in Gold Coast, Australia last month. Yassin said Troy has made all Guyana proud and the GOA has been supporting Troy before and after RIO Olympics and are so happy that he was able to do it because we have seen the success. “I sincerely hope the Government or the NSC will now come on board because they were not onboard at all previously. They hnoured him, brining him to Guyana is good but I only hope that it is not only a photo opportunity because we have had too many photo opportunity from politicians and our athletes need something more constructive, so I hope that this visit will cement something for him as an athlete and for other elite athletes and coaches. The GOA is giving him a cheque for US$5,000; I also wish to indicate hopefully that from June he should be receiving from Olympic Solidarity scholarships sum of US$1,000 per month.” Doris said his achievement is for his team and the nation at large. “It’s not about me anymore, about sports shining some spot spotlight on Guyana.” He expressed gratitude to the GOA who has been very supportive
All the awardees pose for a group photo following the awards ceremony and dinner.
throughout his career. TROY DORIS RECOGNISED FOR ‘PUTTING GUYANAON THE MAP’ DPI, Guyana - John Adams MP presented an award to Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist Troy Doris on behalf of Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence. The gesture was in recognition of Doris’ performance at the 2018 Commonwealth Games held in Australia.Adams told Doris that, “You were able to place Guyana on the map and place the country’s name, Guyana, on the lips of people… Guyana is particularly proud, so is the minister and the Ministry of Public Health hence this gesture.” It was further noted that the award will act as a form of motivation for improved performance from Doris while encouraging local national athletes to emulate that sportsman. Troy Doris thanked the Public Health Ministry for recognising his achievement, “Things that are big and spectacular like accomplishments do not go unnoticed. I do appreciate this award and I thank the Ministry of Public Health.” He said it is an honour to represent Guyana and looks forward to continuing making the country proud. The Gold medalist also met with the Georgetown Mayor, Her Worship Patricia Chase-Green and City Councillors. They also presented him with a plaque in recognition of his achievement.
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We take a look back at the key events that took place and made the news in the local sporting arena over the past week GOODLUCK IS NEW KING OF THE CARIBBEAN RANGE PERSAUD ENDS 2ND IN O-CLASS; JAMAICADOMINATE T-CLASS Guyanese marksmen turned in a sterling performance led by the indefatigable Ransford Goodluck who owned the Individual XClass to ensure that the title stays in Guyana as 2017 champion Mahendra Persaud was not able to defend his title due to him still recovering from illness. Goodluck’s performance which saw him dominating from the first day to the end of the 3-day championship, tallying a commanding 390 points and 27Vs after 9 competitive ranges, brought the curtains down of the 2018 edition of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championships Individual competition in Barbados. Lennox Braithwaite (379.26) ensured a Guyanese one/two finish by taking the 2nd place, while countryman Leo Romalho ended 5th, Fullbore Captain Dylan Fields 10th, Sherwin Felicien 11th and Roberto Tiwari 18th of 22 shooters in the marquee, XClass battle. In the O-Class, Peter Persaud had to settle for the 2nd place with 355 points and 16Vs behind Jamaica’s Karen Anderson who shot her way to the top position in this class with a total of 370 points and 19Vs. The Guyanese USA based duo of Sigmond Douglas and John Fraser ended 5th and 8th, while Ryan Sampson, Dane Blair, Terrance Stuart and Paul Slowe placed 10th, 15th, 19th and 20th of 27 shooters.
Kings of the Long Range! Team Guyana, successfully defending their WIFBSC Milex, Crown Mining Long Range Trophy yesterday in Barbados. Jamaica dominated the top three spots in the T (Tyro or First Timers) category. GUYANACOMFORTABLY OUTSHOOTS OPPOSITION TO RETAIN SHORT RANGE TITLE IN DIFFICULT CONDITIONS By a margin of 36 points, led by Sherwin Felicien who recorded the highest score of 95 out of a possible 100 at the at the 900 and 1000 yards ranges combined, defending champions Guyana successfully defended their Long Range championship trophy (Milex/Crown Mining) when the 2018 edition of the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council Long Range Championship was contested at the Paragon Ranges in Barbados. It was not an easy task according to Head Wind Coach Paul Slowe who de-
scribed the conditions as very challenging: “Perhaps the most difficult conditions I have ever coached in,” the experienced Coach noted. Nonetheless, the experience of the Guyanese marksmen delivered the required results at the end of the shoot as they collectively accumulated 691 points along with 38Vs to win ahead of men and lady from the ‘Land of Wood and Water’ Jamaica, which ended as the runner-up on 655.36. Guyana had won the 2017 champions on Vs from Barbados (both with 712 points) on Vs, 36 to 27 but this time around the Bajans had to settle for the 3rd place with 620 points and 29 Vs, Jamaica did not compete last year. Antigua and Barbuda ended 4th (617.22), with Trinidad and Tobago bringing up the rear on 602.26.
Guyana Goal scorers (L-R) Brianne Desa, Tiandi Smith, Sydney Cummings, Calaigh Copland and Brittany Persaud (twice). (Sean Devers photo)
CONCACAF CARIBBEAN WOMEN’S QUALIFIERS GROUP E LADY JAGS PUNISH SURINAME 6-1 TO TOP GROUP HEADING INTO FINAL MATCH BERMUDAEDGE BARBADOS 3-2 Locally based player, Tiandi Smith made her first international start, while first choice goalkeeper, Natalie Nedd who had a shaky opening game against Bermuda, was replaced by Taylor White in goal in Guyana’s second CONCACAF Caribbean women’s qualifiers Group E match against Suriname. At the National Track and Field Center (NTFC) at Leonora, on the West Coast of Demerara, the two CARICOM nations battled through a heavy downpour in the initial minutes of the match which Suriname dominated. However, it was Guyana who came out on top. Eventual 6-1 winners of the match after drawing with Bermuda in their opening match 2-2. Captain Nikita Persuad and company oozed confidence. Attacking Dutch midfielder Sabrina Rigters troubled the Guyanese almost every time she got the ball during the first half and, in the 38th minute, Rigters added the dazzle of a fine finish; a low driven shot from 22 yards out on the left after dribbling past 5 defenders to deservedly place the Dutchwomen ahead at 1-0. As was the case against the Bermudans in their opening game, the Jags responded right after falling behind, this time through Persaud that curled a free-kick over the wall
from the left side of the field and into the back of the net from about 20-yards in the 40th minute to register her first of two goals. Ghilene Joseph ensured the Jags finished the first half leading 2-1 by smashing home a leftfooted volley, following two consecutive corner set pieces. On resumption of the game, the Lady Jags doubled their lead. In the 58thminute, Brianne Desa demonstrated great sprint speed to be first to a through ball in the box before sending a low cross for Calaigh Copland to head home, which took the score to 3-1. Suriname proved weak with set pieces and Sydney Cummings along with Persaud scored in the 65th and 67th minutes respectively, both following corners before Tiandi Smith, Guyana’s female footballer of the year, netted her first international goal of her career in the 88thminute to lock the score at 6-1. A total of four goals were conceded by Suriname from set pieces. In the opening fixture Bermuda’s Akeyla Furbert, Teyah Lindo, who now has three goals from two games, and Deshae Darrel scored once each to better Barbados’ two goal effort that saw Felicia Jarvis and Caitlyn Padmore scoring one goal apiece. MINGAND FIEDTKOU WIN MARQUEE NSC SPORTS AWARDS KAIETEUR NEWS ZAHEER MOHAMED WINS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR! F4 driver Calvin Ming and top female hockey player
Marzana Fiedtkou copped the top awards when the National Sports Commission (NSC) hosted the annual Awards and Dinner for 2017 at the Pegasus Hotel. Ming was named Senior Sportsman-of-the-Year, while Fiedtkou collected the female equivalent. On the junior side, athlete Compton Caesar and boxer Keevin Allicock were declared joint winners in the Male category, while athlete Chantoba Bright won the Female segment. Other awardees were: Most Improved Association– Guyana Hockey Board Association of the Year– Athletics Association of Guyana Female Sport Personality– Latisha Mokutnauth Male Sport Personality– Norman ‘Juice Man’ Welch Male Coach– Esaun Crandon Female Coach– Candacie McKenzie Male Sport Official– Philip Fernandes Female Sport Official– Dion Cush-Barnwell Sportsman PWDs– Ganesh Singh Sportswoman PWDs– Faith King Sports Team– Guyana Under-19 cricket team Journalist (Print) – Zaheer Mohamed Journalist (TV) – Akeem Greene Journalist (Online) – Royston Alkins Photographer – Adrian Narine Commonwealth gold medalist, Triple Jumper Troy (Continued on page 76)
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Kaieteur News
WIFBSC Cup 2018 Short Range Match
Barbados dethrone Guyana; first win in 52 years By Franklin Wilson in Barbados in association withIndustrial Safety Supplies Inc. and Fitness Express A calculated challenge by home team Barbados at the last range (600 yards) saw them romping to a huge victory in the West Indies Fullbore Shooting Council Short Range Match yesterday at the Paragon Range to end the 2018 edition of the marquee event on a high. The win for Barbados, trailing Guyana by a single point going into the final range, came after a 52 year wait; the Bajans would not have won this prestigious trophy ever since it was increased from a 6-member to an 8-member team. The Guyanese shot out the blocks in style as they racked up 376 points and 27 Vs after the 300 yards, Barbados was in striking distance on 368.18. The countries had agreed to shoot all three ranges rather than taking a break after the first two. When the final shot was fired at 500 yards, Guyana was still ahead but by a single point 746 to 745 but the Bajans had boosted their confidence having won the range with a score of 377.24 to Guyana’s, 370.26. It was at the final range, 600 yards that the home team turned up the ante and shot their way to victory outshooting Guyana, 372 to 363 to win the trophy by 8points. Marlon King was the top marksman for Barbados with 147.9, while for Guyana Peter Persaud led for the Guyanese with 144.11. Trinidad and Tobago’s Justin Lall was 2nd overall with 146.12, his efforts taking the Twin Island Republic to the second place. Head Wind Coach for the
most dominant team in Caribbean Fullbore shooting, Paul Slowe accepted that on the day, Barbados was the team. “The shooters did their best but we ended up short. We are all disappointed but we just have to understand that we cannot win all the time, even though we would love to do that. Barbados made full use of the home conditions and congratulations are in order for them.” Already looking ahead, Slowe stated that they are determined to prepare harder so that they can regain the trophy next year. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all donors without whose support we would not have been able to make this tour and did as well as we did in the individual and long range shoots.” Guyana Captain Dylan Fields noted, “Today we did not win the short range trophy, and even though we made a valiant effort, in the end we came up short. I think that we were not at our best today, and as a result our normal excellent performance was not there and errors were made. Today Barbados performed better and the result was that they came up with a well deserved win. Congrats to them.” Kaieteur Sport caught up with young Bajan Captain Jason Wood, one of the emerging top shots in the Caribbean. The 41year-old Wood was ecstatic about his nation’s achievement.“I’m very, very proud of my team, it is a very young team too. What took us through is team work, every year we travel we try to come together as a unit and then practice on our flaws and as we go by we are getting stronger and stronger.” Wood informed that they recently changed some equipment that would have
Team Guyana focusing at the 300 yards range yesterday. contributed to their success. “This victory would certainly raise our morale as a team and nation, we would be looking forward to continue in this progress into next year, hopefully we can win the long range as well. We came very close to winning it last year in Guyana, I know we were not looking to win but we surprise ourselves, but in saying that, we know we can still do it.” He expressed gratitude to the more senior marksmen the likes of Richard Arthur (Wind Coach), Louis King (Wind Coach), Marlon King and Shelly-Ann Hinds, two of the seasoned shooters. Wood also noted that most of the team members have been around only for four years and their progression in the sport has been very encouraging.
Imran Hamid organised softball re-scheduled The much anticipated softball tournament which is being organised by Imran Hamid has been re-scheduled due to the current inclement weather. The tournament was set to be played on Sunday last on the West Coast of Demerara and according the
organiser the venue was left waterlogged. Hamid said that the new venue and date for the tournament will be announced later. Entrance fee is $10,000 and the winning team will pocket a trophy and $100,000 and runner up a trophy and $30,000. The man-of-the-
match in the final, the player that take the best catch, best bowler and best batsman in the tournament, bowler that takes the most wickets in an over, most sixes by a batman in an innings, best bowling figure and batman with the highest individual score will all be rewarded. The first 10 teams will be accepted and among them set to battle for supremacy are Speedboat, Farm XI, Canal, Young Warriors, MetenMeer-Zorg, Leonora and Success All stars. Action will get under way at 10:00hrs.
Name
300
500
600
Day Agg. Position
Sherwin Felicien Peter Persaud Leo Romalho Dylan Fields Ransford Goodluck Lennox Braithwaite Roberto Tiwari Ryan Sampson Guyana
48.4 49.5 46.3 46.5 46.2 49.5 47.1 45.2 376.27
48.5 48,4 46.2 44.3 48.4 49.4 45.1 43.3 370.26
47.3 47.2 45.3 40.6 49.5 46.3 47.4 42.2 363.28
143.12 144.11 137.8 130.14 143.11 143.12 139.6 130.7 1,109.81
3rd
Barbados Trinidad & Tobago Jamaica Antigua & Barbuda Canada
368.18 360.1 362.20 348.16 354.18
377.24 380.24 374.23 369.17 362.21
372.18 372.27 368.18 349.13 340.11
1,117.60 1,112.61 1,104.61 1,066.46 1,056.50
1st 2nd 4th 5th 6th
Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo powers to dominant pole BBC Sport - Daniel Ricciardo will start the Monaco Grand Prix from pole after dominating qualifying while Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen will line up at the back. Red Bull could not repair Verstappen’s car in time to get him out after a practice crash, leaving Ricciardo to blitz Mercedes and Ferrari. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel beat Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to second. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen was fourth ahead of Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas as Force India’s Esteban Ocon took sixth. Red Bull have dominated the weekend so far and looked set to lock out the front row until Verstappen’s costly error in final practice.
The Dutchman caught the inside wall at the second Swimming Pool chicane with his right front tyre and catapulted into the barriers on the outside. The impact damaged both front and rear suspension on the right-hand side of the car and the damage was too extensive to be fixed in the two hours and 15 minutes between the end of practice and when he would have needed to get out to do a lap in first qualifying. To add insult to injury, Verstappen has a five-place grid penalty for an unauthorised gearbox change because the team discovered a leak from a crack in the gearbox as they were preparing the car for qualifying, but it is academic as he will start from the back anyway.
Ricciardo in control One Red Bull driver always looked set for pole after Ricciardo set the pace in all the practice sessions leading up to qualifying, each time just pipping Verstappen. After Verstappen ruled himself out, making an error for the sixth race in a row and raising questions about whether he needs to change his approach to his racing, Ricciardo was in a league of his own and was fastest in all three parts of qualifying. His pole time of one minute 10.846 seconds came on his first run in the top-10 shootout and at the time was more than 0.4secs clear of anyone else, a huge margin. Vettel closed in on his final run to end the session 0.229secs adrift, and was 0.193secs ahead of Hamilton.
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 27, 2018
PAGE 79
High scoring games as N/A Canje teams makes a start in Unity Cup
T
he Unity Cup, the N a t i o n a l Championships organized by the Guyana Softball League (GSL) continued last weekend with several teams recording wins across the country as areas were able to get some matches in after extensive work on the grounds. The following are the results: In N/A Canje: Scott School Ground: Edingurgh XI crushed Angoy’s Avenue Young Achievers by 40 runs: Edinburgh batted first and recorded a match winning 157-3 in 10 overs with Rameez Khan top scoring with 45 (4x6;3x4) in an entertaining knock. No bowlers were spared. In reply Young Achievers limped to 117-9 in their 10 overs. All the bowlers were economical with Khan returning to grab 2-12 in 2 overs. Flying Stars defeated Rotterdam XI by 17 runs: Flying Stars batted first and made 149-5 in 10 overs with Jason McCalmont top scoring with 50 (5x6;2x4) in 19 balls. In reply Rotterdam got off to a good start as Julian Bennett led the way
w i t h 6 9 o ff 2 4 b a l l s (3x6;5x4) but it was in vain as the bowlers kept their cool and scythed through the middle order with 5 wickets going down for 29 runs in the middle overs. Three run outs did not help Rotterdam’s cause. They ended on 132-8 in their 10 overs. N/A Rising Stars got a walkover from West Canje Sports Club. Lower East Coast: Enterprise Ground: E n t e r p r i s e Yo u t h s shocked Success Enforcers by 9 wkts: Success Enforcers batted first and rattled up a challenging 100 for 3 wkts in 10 overs Zakier Basksh top scoring with 47 (2x6;2x4) off 15 balls. Chris Sookram also contributed 30 (4x4) off 12 balls. Gavin Andrew took 2-2 off his two overs. In reply Enterprise Youths knocked off the runs by scoring 102-1 in 8.3 overs with Vincent Beepat scoring an unbeaten 40 (1x6;6x4) to take his team to victory. Farm defeated Success Youths by 29 runs: Farm batted first and made 99-8 in their 10 overs w i t h Ly n e l A l p h o n s o clobbering 46 (5x6;1x4) off
One ball a hit among fans
Action during the tournament is heating up. 9 balls to take his team to its eventual score batting at number 5. Vishal Geewan took 3-14 off 2 overs. In reply Success Youths struggled from the onset and could only muster 90 being all out in the process as the bowling was too tight for them to go after. Riaz Ramchand 3-9; Ameer Khan 2-7 and Sheldon Adam 2-3 were the bowlers that did
the damage. Better Hope defeated El Dorado by 4 wkts in a nail biter: Better Hope batted first and made 80-8 in 10 overs Sunil Seeraj top scoring with 16 (1x4). In reply El Dorado were on their way even though they lost wickets regularly. They required 9 in the last over, but the last pair could
only get 8 and therefore they ended on 78-9 in their 10 overs. S u c c e s s Yo u t h s defeated El Dorado by 9 wkts: El Dorado playing their second game for the day made it two loses in a row after making 96-9 in their 10 overs with Khemraj Parmanand top scoring with 21 (2x4),Rajin Budhu took 2-17 from 2 overs. In reply Success Youths raced to 97-1 in 5 overs Rajin Budhu returning to clobber 51 (6x6;1x4) off just 16 balls. West Coast Demerara: Leonora Primary School Ground: Omesh XI won from Superbet by 15 runs but lost to Crossbreed in a nail biter by one run. Eleven one ball matches were concluded in N/A Canje as it was a hit with the teams as well as the fans. Incentives are high for this category as the organisers try to promote the game as a side show for the fans and individuals alike. Meanwhile, the fixtures for this weekend are as follows: N/A Canje: Scot School Ground:
11am - Canje Sports Club will replay N/A Rising Stars 1pm - Angoy’s Avenue Achievers versus Rotterdam 3pm: Female match P.Y.A.R.G United versus All Stars The under 15 tournament will run off during the week in a two day session. West Coast Demerara Leonora Primary School: 9.30 am - Superbet versus Crossbreed 12 noon - Anna Catherina XI versus Marics XI Under 15 male Leonora Primary School versus Meter- Mer- Zorg Primary Lower East Coast: Enterprise Sports Club vs Success Youths Enterprise Youths vs Farm Enterprise Sports Club vs Durban Quarry Success Enforcers vs Better Hope Success Warriors vs El Dorado XI The under 15 school Matches will be played during the week on Wednesday and Friday.
CONCACAF Caribbean Women’s Qualifiers
Lady Jags to face Barbados in decisive match tonight at 19:00hrs Following their 6-1 mauling of Suriname on Friday night, Guyana senior women’s football team, the ‘Lady Jags’, are in a very comfortable position sitting atop group E of the CONCACAF Caribbean women’s qualifier round one and are pegged to move on to the next stage of qualifications for the Gold Cup.The Guyanese are top of the points table with four points ahead of Bermuda, who they had drawn their first game against, on goal difference. In tonight’s feature match at the National Track and Field Center (NTFC), the Jags will play B a r b a d o s t h a t controversially defeated Suriname 2-1 in their first group match, while being edged out 3-2 by Bermuda in their second. Centre Midfielder Brittany Persaud has been an excellent box to box player for the Lady Jags, her Team Guyana Bermuda Barbados Suriname
W 1 1 1 0
L D 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 0
defensive game was more astute in the first group game but she showed that she had an eye for goal in the 6-1 thrashing of Suriname by netting a brace. Wide player, Brianne Desa, has been another standout in the Jaguars lineup. Her sprint speed has been unrivalled and that attribute coupled with her flair has made her a very exciting player to watch. The Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) female player of the year, Tiandi Smith, earned her first senior international start on Friday and appeared as comfortable as a seasoned player. The midfielder was a goal threat and could’ve easily added to her solitary goal but squandered a couple good opportunities. Barbados’ 17-year-old winger, Caitlyn Padmore, has been effective with two great goals and will be one of the main threats to Guyana’s GF 8 5 4 2
GA GD Pts 3 +5 4 4 +1 4 4 0 3 8 -6 0
Lady Jags new Custodian Taylor White had a good night at the office. (Sean Devers photo) goalkeeper, Taylor White who will be expected to start in front of Natalie Nedd. In the opening game which will kick off at 17:00hrs, the pointless Suriname, led by skillful Sabrina Rigters, will be looking to register their first victory of the qualifiers against Bermuda, which will serve as a moral victory since they are already out of contention for qualification. Teyah Lindo is the danger woman for Bermuda; she currently leads the individual scoring in the Group E qualifiers with three goals.
Diamond Secondary advance to final Diamond Secondary have advanced to the final of the REO/Lloyd Britton/Devcon Construction Inter secondary schools knock out 40-over two-innings cricket competition. Diamond Secondary earned their passage to the final following a tie against Friendship which took their points tally to 28; both teams received eight points from the game.
Constant rain fall reduced the game to a seven-over affair and Diamond Secondary managed 62-4, batting first. Friendship Secondary responded with 62-6. Friendship Secondary ended on 26 points. Friendship plays in third place playoff today, while Diamond will take on Annandale in the final on Wednesday.
Kaieteur News
PAGE 80
Sunday May 27, 2018
Steve Ninvalle —- beating the mandatory count en route to amateur boxing’s success
When Michael Anthony Parris won a bronze medal for Guyana at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the feat represented the first from any Guyanese athlete and evoked countrywide celebration. It was around that time when Guyana enjoyed fruitful exchange programmes with Cuba with our boxers visiting the Spanish country to engage in fistic confrontations in the noble sport. Who could forget the Anthony Andrews/Joaquin Campanioni affair that had the crowd on its feet for its entire duration? Who could forget the fistic encounters that saw our pugilists overcoming the strength of their Latin American and Caribbean counterparts and ultimately, the mighty Cubans? Names such as John Brummell, Darius Forde, Anthony Barrow and Winston Richards all remain etched in the hearts of boxing aficionados and retain the rich local boxing culture. However, amidst the vicious uppercuts, acute right hooks and sensational knockouts, a reputable group remained concealed behind the curtains and though its members are seldom mentioned, their contributions to the fistic sport remain almost indispensable yet hardly mentioned; these are the executives of the Guyana Boxing Association. The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) has always had a vibrant executive body which in large part was, and still is, the driving force behind the boxers’ many successes. Though its membership is not derived from an ‘en bloc’ module of voting where a one slate arrangement would guarantee some level of unity of ideas, the GABA executive has managed to arrive at common consensus in the development of its charges. There is the common belief that the success of the boxers depends heavily on the drive of the executives which redounds to the President. This view is further endorsed when one reflects on the input of past Presidents, Colonel Martindale, Attorney-at-Law, Stanley Moore, the late Laurie Lewis’ K A Juman Yassin and the many others that have been at the helm of the GABA. Journalists are key stakeholders in the development of boxers as they report on their feats, while maintaining checks and balances of executives. Steve Ninvalle had served in this capacity as a journalist of the Stabroek News Newspapers and possessed more than a working knowledge of the sport when he decided to contest for the prestigious position in 2009. His competitor was incumbent, Afeeze Khan, who had managed to solidify his position at the helm and seemed set to retain the coveted
spot. At the end of the elections Ninvalle lost out by a single vote. He never wavered and less than 6 months after his narrow, and some may say dubious defeat he ascended to the throne when Mr. Khan resigned after several clubs lodged a no confidence vote against him (Khan). By then, the sport was experiencing fluctuating fortunes with administrators and boxers alike in lost hope and despair. N i n v a l l e ’s f i r s t mission was to revitalize the sport which was literally ‘down for the count.’ He decided to place emphasis on the nursery sector. “I always felt that the talent was among the youngsters and the plan was to plug the bulk of our resources into this sector,” Ninvalle explained. That was some years ago and since then the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA), since rechristened the GBA, has partnered with beverage giants, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) for a yearly U-16 boxing championships which has produced notable stalwarts the likes of Flyweight boxer, Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Shaquincy Wright, Jamal Eastman and Christopher Moore. Allicock went on to win a silver medal at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Bahamas. Allicock also procured valuable experience boxing in tournaments in Chile, Mexico and s u b s e q u e n t l y, t h e r e c e n t Commonwealth Games in Australia. With the success of the DDL programme, aptly named the Pepsi Mike Parris Under-16 Tournament, Ninvalle felt it apposite to spread the youth initiative and in 2016 staged the first regional tournament for Schoolboys and Juniors. The now annual tournament has grown from its humble start with three countries and this year the expectation is that 10 states within CARICOM will be participating. “There must be a vision when we attempt to solve any issue. If there is no vision then there will be chaos. Our vision at the level of the executive of the GBA is to plough resources in our youth sector. We started that six years ago with the help of DDL and we are seeing the results today through Keevin Allicock, Isaiah Moore, Christopher Moore and others,” Ninvalle said. In 2015 Boxing was also on the decline in many Caricom countries
sport. Such efforts produced gyms in the Steve Ninvalle interior savannahs –Mabaruma, Lethem, and Mahdia. Wakenaam, a community on the Essequibo River, was also targeted and for the first time in local history a team of those boxers participated in tournaments in Central Georgetown, chalking up a few historical victories. Mr. Ninvalle fostered the decentralization of tournaments and residents of Buxton were entertained in the inaugural ‘Nuff Cuff’ affair. Consequently, a training team also visited Bartica but that venture failed to gain the requisite traction due to lack of adequate finances. The new crop of fighters emanating from Rogers’ training input was subsequently channeled to the national grid and many of them continue to make great strides in the sport. True leaders lead by example and Ninvalle and the poor support resulted in those boxing administrators enforced this view in 2016 when aborting efforts to host the faced with a paucity of funding to inaugural Caribbean Development send a team to the Caribbean tournament. Aruba had agreed in C h a m p i o n s h i p s . T h e G B A principle to take up the slack but president undertook a 100-mile had to renege on that commitment walk in two days from the Corentyne to the Capital City. This due to inadequate finances. The associate members turned activity was organized to raise to Guyana and despite the obvious funds to facilitate a team of 11 challenges, like the knight in boxers and officials to the shining armor, Ninvalle rose to the C a r i b b e a n D e v e l o p m e n t a l occasion; 15 countries participated Championships in Barbados. Those making it arguably the largest pugilists went on to win 10 golds gathering of countries in Guyana and one silver, while retaining the for a sporting event. That event has status of Caribbean champions. “In being elected to any post in left an indelible mark on the the executive you have undertaken memory of the local administrator. “It was a very challenging to do whatever is legally necessary period. We dug, scrapped and for the good of the sport. Our back begged in order to make that was against the wall hence the tournament a reality but in the end, unorthodox means of gathering it was successful and the Caribbean funds. I must say that I also need the heaped praise on Guyana for being exercise,” The GBA boss joked. Boxing cannot progress devoid there when it mattered most,” of the referees’ input and realizing Ninvalle remembered. There was much work to be this, Ninvalle mandated the done if Guyanese boxers were to formation of the Referees/Judges regain the status of being the Commission that saw a distinct Caribbean Powerhouses. Realizing improvement of officiating the importance of broad based standards; top referee, Romona inclusivity, Ninvalle then joined Agard heads that entity. In two with the Ministry of Social years Guyana moved from not Cohesion and ventured into the having a single One Star official to Guyanese rural communities as three at present. Ninvalle is well as the far flung interior confident that Guyana will have its savannahs. With the Support of first ever Two Star Referee/Judge Minister Dr. George Norton there in 2019.In addition local coaches was last year an implementation of also benefitted from Ninvalle’s a decentralizing programme where ‘developmental sweep’ when former professional pugilist, Sebert Blake and Terrence Poole Orland Rogers, commenced an clinched ‘Three Star’ honours (the expedition into rural Guyana to highest level held by AIBA) after tutor interested youngsters in the successfully attending the requisite
courses. The GBA President could also thump his chest after successfully completing several notable initiatives including organizing stipends for boxers through the generosity of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) as well as commencement of a process of recognition and renaming tournaments in honour of past stalwarts who have given yeoman service to the sport. Those benefiting from the initiative include Guyana’s first world champion, Andrew Lewis, former Commonwealth Champions, Lennox Blackmore and Patrick Forde, renowned ESPN champion and former world rater, Terrence Alli and Olympic bronze medalist, Mike Parris. The experts say that hard work produces success and this sentiment has been effectively endorsed when Ninvalle’s efforts were recognized by his Caribbean and Latin American counterparts who, at a congress in South Korea in 2014, joined forces to make sure he became the first from CARICOM to be elected to the prestigious and powerful AIBA Executive Committee. Three years later the Aries-born native of Beterverwagting was appointed to AIBA Executive Bureau, a powerful five-man body of the 202-nation AIBA, which makes decisions of world boxing between any two congresses. That same year the GBA was named Most Improved Association at the National Sports Awards. Ninvalle’s tenure at the helm of the GBA might have been short in comparison to many of his predecessors. He has encountered many challenges but his achievements are meritorious and will outweigh any criticism detractors may want to throw. Quizzed of his future plans and projections, Ninvalle softly replied, “I undertook this job, uncertain of the difficulties but had committed myself to press on. We need a home for boxing and the realization of this is the priority. “ He was high in praise of his fellow executives who worked assiduously in support of his dreams and projections. “And I am gratified for their input as well as those of the corporate community, the National Sports Commission and the Guyana Olympic Association which has been the catalyst for the little I’ve achieved so far,” Ninvalle stated. “The road is still uncertain but you only fail when you don’t make an attempt. I will continue pressing on for the benefit of those young boxers.” He took the proverbial knee when the going was rough. Now President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle is back in the fray to beat the mandatory eight count and win the battle.
Kaieteur News
Sunday May 27, 2018
PAGE 81
Super Bale sinks Liverpool as Madrid make it three in a row
Real Madrid celebrate winning the Champions League with the trophy. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)
K
IEV (Reuters) A sensational overhead goal from Real Madrid substitute Gareth Bale and two calamitous errors by Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius gave the Spanish side a third straight Champions League crown with a 3-1 win in an incident-packed final yesterday. Welshman Bale came on just past the hour with the score at 1-1 and after three minutes produced an astonishing bicycle kick finish and then netted with a speculative long-range effort that somehow went through
the hands of the unfortunate Karius. The German keeper had earlier handed Real a 51st minute lead when he threw the ball straight at striker Karim Benzema and the ball rolled into the unguarded net off the Frenchman’s leg. Liverpool, who crucially lost their leading scorer Mohamed Salah to a suspected dislocated shoulder in the 31st minute, had equalised in the 55th when Sadio Mane followed in to knock the ball home after getting on the end of a Dejan Lovren header. In truth though, despite
their efforts Liverpool never looked as much of a threat once Egyptian international Salah went down under a challenge from Real captain Sergio Ramos. It was a night which confirmed Real’s ability to superbly manage the biggest of games and highlighted L i v e r p o o l ’s c o n t i n u e d problems with the goalkeeping position. Bale, who has not been first-choice at Real this season after injury and whose future has been the subject of much speculation, was named man of the match while 24-year-old Karius
Senior female cricket team to commence encampment for 2018 Regional tourney today
T
he National female senior cricket team will be encamped at the Chetram Singh Center of Excellence Hostel at LBI from today in preparation for the 2018 Regional 50-over and T20 tournaments. They will be engaged in a number of preparatory exercises ahead of the Regional tournaments which is slated to take place in Jamaica from Thursday 7th June to Monday 25th June. Fourteen players have been selected along with six stand-bys. The team
Shemaine Campbelle
Manager is Carol Nurse and the Coach is Bharat Mangru. The fourteen players are:
Shemaine Campbelle (Captain), Sheneta Grimmond, Mandy Mangru, Shabika Gajnabi, Lashuna Toussaint, Melanie Henry, Tremayne Smartt, CherryAnn Fraser, Erva Giddings, Kaysia Shultz, Subrina Munroe, Akaze Thompson, Plaffiana Millington and Katana Mentore. The above players are asked to report to the Hostel from 16:00 hours today. The stand- by players are: Heema Singh, Shenika Campbell, Latoya Smith, Dian Prahalad, Althea Newark and Casey Charles.
ended the night in tears looking utterly distraught. Real become the first side since Bayern Munich in 1976 to win Europe’s elite club trophy three years in a row and Zinedine Zidane the first coach to win three backto-back titles. DESERVED TRIUMPH The Spanish club’s fourth Champions League triumph in five years, and 13th European Cup success in total, was fully deserved despite Liverpool, the competition’s top scorers this season, making an aggressive start to the game. The English side attacked with intent and Trent Alexander-Arnold tested Navas with a low drive but Real looked in charge following the
departure, in tears, of Salah. Real had their own injury blow with right-back Dani Carvajal having to go off, replaced by Nacho in the 37th, and ended the half with Benzema’s effort being disallowed for offside after Cristiano Ronaldo’s header was saved by Karius. France striker Benzema was to get compensation though when he was alert to Karius’s ill-advised attempt to throw the ball out quickly, although Real’s lead lasted for just four minutes. Liverpool’s Senegal forward Mane was sharp to react when Lovren rose to head the ball goalwards and their travelling fans sensed the Anfield side’s spirit could turn the game around. But then came Bale,
leaping to produce a jawdropping left-foot overhead volley from Marcelo’s cross before trying his luck with a speculative long-range shot that defied Karius’s hamfisted attempt to keep it out and put the result beyond doubt. Cristiano Ronaldo, who now has five Champions League winners medals, could have added a fourth goal for Real near the end but the Portugal forward was distracted as he burst goalwards when a fan ran onto the pitch before being stopped by security. This time it was Bale who had grabbed all the headlines as Real and Zidane continued their continental dominance.
Teary Salah goes off injured in Champions League final
K
IEV (Reuters) - Liverpool’s talismanic striker Mohamed Salah’s first appearance in a Champions League final ended in tears as the Egyptian international was forced off with a suspected shoulder injury in the 31st minute of yesterday’s final against Real Madrid. Salah, who scored 44 goals in all competitions for Juergen Klopp’s side this season, took a tumble following a challenge from Real captain Sergio Ramos and required treatment on the pitch although he came back on moments later.
Salah, who will carry Egypt’s hopes at next month’s World Cup in Russia, then crumbled to the ground for a second time and was seen crying when he got up and then left the field to be replaced by Liverpool’s England international Adam Lallana. The Madrid side were also forced to make a change in the first half shortly after Salah went off when defender Dani Carvajal injured himself as he attempted a backheel. The Spain international was also seen crying as he left the pitch to be replaced by Nacho in the 37th minute.
rt o p S CONCACAF Caribbean Women’s Qualifiers
P. 79
Lady Jags to face Barbados in decisive match tonight at 19:00hrs
Lady Jags’ Mariam El-Masri’s shot is about to be saved by Suriname’s Nathhalle Benjamine Friday night. (Sean Devers photo)
WIFBSC Cup 2018 Short Range Match
Barbados dethrone Guyana; first win in 52 years P. 78
WIFBSC 2018 Short Range Champions, Barbados. Stooping at left is Captain Jason Wood. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.