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Kaieteur News
Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
STEALING ELECTRICITY Stealing is common in every country, but in Guyana it has become a habitual practice for many who believe that it is the only way for them to survive. However stealing from the government has become a major problem, especially the theft of electricity from Guyana Power and Light (GPL). It is done not only by the poor, but also by the working class and the business elite, many of whom had been doing so for years. When caught, in some cases, a bribe is offered and the illegal practice continues. The theft of electricity is widespread, especially in the rural areas of the country where there is hardly any proper monitoring of the system. The theft of electricity has placed GPL between a rock and a hard place because the company does not have the wherewithal to put an end to this scourge. In fact, a report issued about a year ago stated that electricity theft along with power losses due to line resistance was costing GPL an estimated US$2 million per month. We are certain that this amount has since increased. Based on data which we cannot validate, it is estimated that more than 50,000 homes and about 20 percent of businesses are fuelled by electricity theft. The general public is fully aware that the theft of electricity is, of course, a criminal act, but that does not seem to deter those individuals who willingly engage in a kind of Russian roulette in the hope that if they are caught they can probably talk their way out of being charged. They may also be of the view that they could bribe the individual who made the discovery. Some rationalize their theft of electricity with corruption by public officials. Some believe that they have not seen anything wrong with stealing a little electricity when the “big ones” in government are stealing millions of dollars from the treasury. But the fact that people continue to steal electricity from GPL is indicative of a much deeper problem in the country. It is a total disregard for the law and GPL and the misguided belief among many people that there is nothing wrong with taking and utilizing property of others without their consent. Therefore, the first reaction of many who are caught stealing electricity is that the authorities should give them a break and not prosecute them. It is this kind of illogical thinking that has spawned socially deviant practices in the country—-squatting, theft of utilities in general, and the reckless driving by drunk and errant drivers. GPL officials are frustrated by the level and persistence of the problem and have promised to start naming and prosecuting offenders. However, while there may be legal concerns to publicly name an offender, GPL should aggressively prosecute those who steal electricity regardless of their socio-economic position or status in society. People must know that if they break the law they will be punished, not only for electricity theft, but for everything else, including corruption because the most effective deterrent to crime is the fear of being caught, successfully prosecuted and placed in jail. Outside of that, GPL and the powers that be are merely wasting time and resources on a problem that will continue to be the bane of our existence. Asking law-abiding citizens to report electricity theft is like asking the public to call the police with information on criminals. Most have not complied with the request because of fear of reprisals and moreover, if not the nature of Guyanese to report on their neighbours or friends. It is called “snitching.” If GPL is to make any significant headway in dealing with the theft of electricity, it cannot rely on informers. It must implement a proper monitoring system and prosecute offenders.
Saturday November 04, 2017
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email
Misplaced priorities and party paramountcy DEAR EDITOR, A former US Judge and Religious leader, Dallin H. Oaks said: “Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions.” The Coalition Government is fast approaching the median of its term in office. As a result, there is more than sufficient evidence and empirical data available for one to surmise what the desires of this Government are, its priorities and indeed, the resultant actions flowing therefrom. What must be obvious to any objective bystander is that there is no desire by this Government to do that, which is necessary to bring about economic progress, to forge
ethnic and national unity, to promote democracy and constitutionality, or to improve the social and financial welfare of the people of this country, moreover, the poor and the powerless. Therefore, these are not matters that enjoy priority status on the agenda of this Government. Indeed, what we have witnessed from the inception is a desire reflective in a plethora of policies directed at witchhunting and persecuting political opponents, widespread discriminatory practices against those whom the Administration perceive as supporters of the PPP, blatant violations of democratic norms and practices at every level of the governmental and state institutions, egregious viola-
tions and manipulations of the Constitution, and an array of tax measures and governmental policies that have brought the economy to its knees. All this, coupled with reckless neglect of the productive sectors with the cumulative effect of devastating consequences on the disposable income and indeed, the welfare of Guyanese of every class. Inherent in these policies and practices, one can cull the priorities of this Government. Naturally, this approach has created a very poisoned political atmosphere, a depressing economic climate and a society where the population, including supporters of the Government, is quickly losing hope in the future of
their country. A situation that is now historically synonymous with PNC Governments. What is inexplicable, even to supporters of this Administration, is that the Administration is either oblivious to the realities around them or they simply do not care. I am not sure which is worse. CALLS FALLEN ON DEAF EARS So against the dismal backdrop outlined above, we are witnessing the Government proceeding merrily along its decidedly self-destructive path. In so doing, it continues at every turn, to ignore the calls of every major stakeholder organisation in the country. These calls came to reverse the over 200 tax Continued on page 6
Impact of road closure for Parliament DEAR EDITOR, I have penned this important letter in order to bring awareness to those in high offices about the suffering of citizens when closing off roads in the busiest district in the country. I have noticed that whenever there are parliament sessions, the government authorizes the closure of major roadways to facilitate the sessions. The previous administration used to do the same, but somehow, for the last year, the impact is heavily noticed in the capital city by the mass inconvenience never experienced before. Georgetown is by far the largest municipality in Guyana and around Parliament is the busiest section, hence we can safely say that, the Government is willing to close off the busiest district in the entire country to facilitate parliament.
The impact of the closure is tremendous from an economic perspective. Thousands of citizens plying their daily trade are affected. Not only vendors, but the entire transportation sector in this area is forced into chaos. When transportation is affected, the thousands of commuters are also affected. When thousands of commuters are affected, businesses will lose thousands of sales. Employees will reach to work late and here again thousands of labour hours are lost. Vehicles spend 10 times the time in lines, hence 10 times gas usage, which means the importation gas bill will also increase. There is a massive spinoff into other sectors that are affected from an economic standpoint. The economic loss for a single day in parliament would
near one billion dollars for the country and this would multiply by the number of days the parliament is held. Guyana being a small country can do a lot with three billion if parliament is in session for three days. Is the country in a position to lose one billion a day from these sessions? Our country is in a sorry state already with dwindling jobs and businesses, almost in a recession. To compound this agony, the kings and queens in Parliament are willing to further lose billions from these parliamentary sessions by closing off the busiest streets. This shows that they are not in touch with the population and further, not very competent in understanding the impact of lost billions for the country. Egos are so high that they will see this letter as criticizing rather than educating.
I don’t see the need to close off any roadway as a matter of fact, just educate the traffic ranks to use their intelligence. No one wants to assassinate parliamentarians, even the President can walk without bodyguards without fear. Secondly, there is no sensible reason to lose billions for simple discussions in Parliament. These discussions can be held elsewhere where there is no disruption in the traffic. Other countries have relocated their entire capital cities when governmental affairs become a burden to the infrastructure of one city. So why not relocate parliament, after all, the business of parliament is to discuss a vibrant economy and better life for the citizens, but it seems the other way around in Guyana. Sonia Misir
We must not allow those days to return DEAR EDITOR, The news has been rightly dominated in the last weeks with the President’s unilateral appointment of the GECOM Chairman. It is a matter which has evoked a lot of concern and persons and organisations have expressed, in a most passionate manner, their strongest disagreement with the President’s decision. While the Administration’s apologists have sought to create a smokescreen and called attention to a number of red herrings, the President’s act for all intents and purposes remains unconstitutional and
plainly wrong. But this act by the President, Editor, must be seen in the context of the bigger picture. The GECOM Chairman selection/appointment is part of a wider plan executed with military-precision to usurp democracy, contain dissent and control all arms of the State. It mimics the modus operandi of many military/security-based Governments the world over. We have seen that efforts are being made to tarnish and undermine political opposition through the widely perceived politically-controlled SARA and SOCU. Flimsy, trumped-up charges are insti-
tuted to intimidate and harass many considered as opponents. At the same time, longstanding norms and practices have been disregarded and replaced by a top-down approach to address and deal with issues. Alongside those developments, we have seen former, military men and women who are no doubt supportive of the Administration placed in almost every facet of the state apparatus to obviously to assure control. Note should be taken also of the recent amendments to the Broadcasting legislation
which established mandatory programming for the Administration on privately-owned television and radio stations. It is not too late to nip these developments. Such actions require the people to stand up staunchly and strongly oppose such developments. Dictatorship in the past put our country at the brink, aggravated poverty, chased away our needed and required skills for development and advancement, and took away our dignity and pride. At this time, I call on all fellow Guyanese to not allow those days to return. Patricia Persaud
Saturday November 04, 2017
The omission in my CV was a trifling slip of the pen DEAR EDITOR, The headlines on the front page of the Friday edition of the Kaieteur News screamed: “New GECOM Chairman misled President on CV.” That by itself and bereft of context carries an unsavory connotation. The use of the word ‘misled’ connotes an evil intent on my part which, I am sure, is the result of misreporting by your reporter. I did concede, at the press interview, that my Curriculum Vitae, hastily written for the first time in three decades, did
not contain the word “acting”. I explained that the omission was a lapsus calami, a trifling slip of the pen, and unworthy of further discourse. This storm in a teacup could best be described as de minimis. A publication of this letter with like or sufficient prominence would cure your publication of any evil intent inimical to my character. I abide by the old saying “a half-truth is a whole lie.” Justice James Patterson Chairman Guyana Elections Commission
How can you show so much disrespect to the President of a country? DEAR EDITOR, The leaders of our country are a disgrace to us. On Thursday I was watching the President’s address to Parliament and indeed the world was watching (one can watch it anywhere around the world), and I could not believe my eyes and ears. In the presence of members of the Diplomatic Corps and other dignitaries, the Leader of the Opposition and his merry-men embarrassed us all. How low can these people get? Their antics must be condemned by all fair-minded Guyanese. How can you show so much disrespect to the President of a country? Even if you do not subscribe to his policy or his government, common human decency demands that we give due respect to the President when he speaks. The action of the PPP parliamentarians is shameful and must not be condoned.
Take a page out of the US Congress. When the President addresses that body, they all sit and listen, sometimes standing, clapping and acknowledging what the President says. Why have we descended to the gutter in Guyana? The PPP parliamentarians did not have to show up in parliament to hear the President’s address, but having attended, they should have given due respect to the President. Whether we like it or not, he is the President for all of Guyana. We have seen the same low gutter politics in our Regional Administration. One side would disrupt the meeting when called to order. Where are we heading? Are we going to the bottomless pit? I know that the Guyanese voters are watching. As we hear often in our country, “the longest rope has an end.” Charles Sugrim
Opposition leader, cohorts stoop to new low!! DEAR EDITOR, I must register my dismay over the behaviour of the opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo and members of the 0pposition in the hallowed walls of Guyana’s parliament on Thursday, November 2nd, 2017. It was total disrespect to the president, Mr. David Granger, for Mr. Jagdeo and his cohorts to turn august chambers into a place of intimidation. Their placards, loud shouts and crude banging on tables drowned out the President’s address. Mr. Jagdeo needs to act more responsibly and set an example. It’s everyone’s right to
protest, but it’s the manner in which it was done that has, in my view, made him appear childish and utterly disrespectful! As the opposition leader, Jagdeo needs to be deferential. He should do well to remember that he was once a president. I hope when his time comes to speak in Parliament, that he would stand bold, tall and unbreakable like President Granger, and take it like a man! Earl Hamilton
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It’s not about new taxes Mr. Jordan, it’s break. The demand of the on education. about tax relief VAT on Education is a sopeople is for tax relief. DEAR EDITOR, APNU+AFC’s Finance Minister made a huge deal recently and his colleagues are parroting the meaningless Budget 2018 promise that there would be no new taxes in the 2018 budget. It is a meaningless promise. The problem is not simply how many more taxes APNU+AFC will increase in its fourth budget since assuming office, given that the most noteworthy feature of the three previous ones is that each massively increased taxes for the people. What the Guyanese people from all walks of life, but particularly the working class people are looking for, is a tax relief. In its 2015, 2016 and 2017 budgets, budgets that were supposed to establish frameworks for “a good life”, APNU+AFC and Jordan increased taxes through higher rates for existing taxes and the introduction of new taxes. The Guyanese people were subjected to burdensome taxes, whether old or
new, with unbearable increases in cost-of-living. There were new taxes, for instance, through VAT for education, water and electricity, all of which were always treated in Guyana by the previous PPP governments as public good, things exempted from taxation. Even donkey carts had to pay increased licensing fees. Farmers were forced to pay taxes for the small scale cashcrops they either sold from their homes or at community markets. House-front vendors, selling sugar cake and cane juice had to pay taxes. This is what concerns the Guyanese people. This track record of Jordan and APNU+AFC is what stirs fear among people. The truth is that there is little in terms of new taxes that can be introduced, since there were so many in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 budgets. There isn’t any room for new taxes. What the people are looking for and what business is looking for in order to catalyze the economy is a tax
Jordan, Nagamootoo and their colleagues are playing wordsmith - they say no new taxes, but do not mention anything about reducing taxes. But reducing taxes is the crux of the matter. Since 2015, there have been robust protests and dissatisfaction relating to the burdensome taxes. Workers, poor families, the business community, particularly the small, village-level businesses, professionals, across the political divide, have all protested in vain about the new taxes. Indeed, there has been across-the-board condemnation and protracted public protest and public-shaming of APNU+AFC for introducing taxes on private education, including school fees, and educational materials. It forced the AFC and the WPA to publicly, but shamelessly, disown the taxes, even though they voted for it at Cabinet level and in Parliament. Recently, APNU+AFC officials have hinted that Budget 2018 will rescind VAT
cial justice issue. The PPP moved a motion for rescinding the education on VAT, but the Speaker did not allow the motion to proceed. The 2018 Budget might see a removal of VAT on education, but it will not remove the stain on APNU+AFC. It must return the money it collected on the education VAT to the people. Moreover, APNU+AFC and Jordan must restore the $10,000 per child in school “Because We Care” subsidy. While not technically a tax, its removal is like taxing every child. This was a program introduced by the PPP and was supposed to be increased annually. The PPP had promised that by 2020, the annual subsidy would have been increased to about $50,000 per child. These are meaningful proposals, not merely empty words. Then there is the VAT on electricity and Continued on page 6
PPP’s consultation process is democratic DEAR EDITOR, The consultation process which is currently being done by the PPP to evaluate the performance of the Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of the NDCs controlled by them must be highly applauded. Our Constitution clearly states that sovereignty belongs to the people and local government organs give meaning to this. The consultation process by the PPP is ensure that democracy prevails within these NDCs and that these elected officials who are not performing should be replaced by persons who are able to efficiently run these local government bodies. I have been part of this process and it was completely devoid of political interference as would have been expressed by Mr Raj Lakram in one of his letters to the press. None of the PPP officials he mentioned was present at this consultation. The Consultation was
done by Mr Vickram Bharrat, a PPP Parliamentarian and former Chairman of the Grove/ Diamond NDC. At the inception he requested me to outline what the Kilcoy/Hampshire NDC has achieved under my Chairmanship. When I finished outlining the achievements of the NDC due to the collaborative team effort of the entire council, there was a resounding applause from the councilors and it became clear that myself and the Vice-Chairperson can count on the continuing support of the NDC councilors. Despite this however, councilors were then requested by Mr Bharrat to make their contributions. They agreed that the NDC team has been successful. However this consultation process was criticized by Mr Lakram as being political. But I want to assure him that this performance evaluation of the NDCs is vital to ensure that these NDCs continue to perform in the interest of their various constituencies.
These councilors ran for their respective constituencies under the banner of the PPP ,so why should they not be accountable to the Party. It must also be borne in mind that at these consultations, residents from the NDCs are invited to make comments on the performance on the NDC as well. This makes the entire process a democratic one which respects the fact that sovereignty indeed belongs to the people. Can we imagine what would happen if this consul-
tation is not done? The possibility is that we can end up with a Chairman and Vice Chairman who no longer serve the interest of the people. This will result in the people losing confidence in the PPP and its ability to serve them. What councilors and elected officials must carefully note is that Chapter 28:02 clearly outlines the various functions which the NDCs must perform and these elected officials must ensure that these functions are Continued on page 6
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Misplaced priorities and party paramountcy From page 4 measures imposed; to reconsider the decision to close GuySuCo; to withdraw the SARA Bill; to stop the executive interference with independent constitutional bodies, including the Judiciary and the Service Commissions; to cease the widespread racial and political discrimination; to assist the rice farmers; to reinstate the regime of incentives designed to attract foreign and local investments; to direct SOCU to its real mandate of investigating suspicious AML/CFT transactions and to stop using it as a weapon against the political Opposition and the business community. Also, to remove the burdensome impositions from our small and medium scale miners; to withdraw the
Broadcasting (Amendment) Law; to curb the massive corruption in Government; to stop the colossal wastage of taxpayers’ dollars on meaningless exercises like commissions of inquiry; to launch stimuli packages to energize a slothful economy and to rescind the unilateral appointment of the Chairman of GECOM. All these calls have fallen on deaf ears. No Government in a democracy can survive with such a track record of public neglect, unparalleled incompetence and diabolical levels of corruption. In fact, instead of heeding the calls emanating from every corner of civil society and across the political spectrum, the Government seems to get more obstinate in its
ways with each passing day. Indeed, with the unilateral appointment of a Chairman of GECOM, the Government has abandoned all charades of acting democratically, has tossed the Constitution aside and has signaled a clear and settled intention to formerly descend into the abyss of authoritarianism and political dictatorship. At the same time, the Government continues to accord priority to ceremonies, celebrations, the hosting of local and international conferences and embark upon projects that continue to hemorrhage the Treasury without earning a dollar for the nation. So we have had an abundance of awards ceremonies, celebrations and commemorations, the hosting of international meetings and confer-
PPP’s consultation process is... From page 5 carried out efficiently and effectively. Of course, adequate finance is the constraint to do everything the residents would have wanted, but consultation and communication will resolve many issues. This is where the NDC must also engage the Regional Democratic Council to assist in matters which may be beyond their limited resources. Moreover, certain capital works can be done through the RDC budget. Effective rates collection and proper budgeting are important aspects of the administration of the NDC and subventions must be properly utilized.
It is a fact that some NDCs have huge arrears rates and taxes so the answer is not about raising rates and taxes as Mr Lakram would have suggested in his letter. There are ways by which the NDC can engage the rates defaulters and get them to pay, even though Chapter 28:02 gives legal solutions. If Chairpersons and ViceChairpersons want to retain their status quo then they must fulfill these functions. The councilors and residents are part of this consultation process so the aim is not to control and give ‘political twists’, but to fulfill their mandates as required by Chapter 28:02 in conjunction with the Constitution.
In conclusion, the Chairman of the APNU-controlled Lancaster/Hogstye NDC was recently removed for allegedly corrupt practices, was this because of ‘control’ and political twist’? No, that was seen as a move in the interest of the NDC and the residents. Why should this consultation be seen as a process to get rid of certain people? Poor performance and corrupt practices is the recipe for removal from office! The PPP is a grass root Party that fully understands the needs of people! ‘Micromanaging, manipulating and dominating’ are characteristics of this APNU/ AFC Government and Mr Lakram should do an analysis of what is currently taking place in the country. He should start with the appointment of the GECOM Chairman. That’s a perfect example of ‘micromanaging, manipulating and dominating’ by none other than the President. Haseef Yusuf RDC Councilor –Region 6 Chairman –Kilcoy / Hampshire NDC
ences and a host of projects like the building of arches, monuments, the construction of walkways, roundabouts, anniversary celebrations and such “bread and circus events” – all of which consume billions of dollars from the Treasury – while at the same time, there is almost, a criminal neglect of the productive sectors, which earn for this country. For example, the Attorney General has hosted a number of international conferences, which other countries have declined to host because of financial constraints. He mindlessly slaps himself on the back in self-congratulations for hosting these events, quixotically perceived as major accomplishments. BANKRUPTCY If you are to simply translate this into your personal life, perhaps you will get a clearer picture. Just imagine you holding parties, celebrations and such social events, coupled with redecorating and repainting your house at regular intervals, while at the same time you neglect your earning capacity. So you do not go to work regularly and you do not con-
Saturday November 04, 2017
centrate on efforts and endeavours, which either earn you an income or augment your current income. The result is inevitable bankruptcy. It is along this very path that this Government is taking the nation and it is manifestly blind to the consequences. I just returned from the United States, where I learnt that a huge delegation from the PNC, headed by the President will be jetting off this weekend to attend social events and parties in Atlanta, Georgia, in celebrating two and half years in Government. Of course, we will be told that the funds for these wining and dining events will come from the PNC or from donors. But sensible Guyanese know differently. The truth is that this party, while in Government, does not ideologically see itself as separate and apart from the Government. This is precisely why it promulgated the concept of party paramountcy in the past, where the party’s General Secretary managed and financed the party with taxpayers dollars from within a Ministry established for this very purpose, styled “the Ministry of National Mobilization”.
This is the very Ministry that Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and Dr. Walter Rodney were charged for torching. I have no doubt that this Ministry was chosen as a target for arson, specifically because it was the conduit through which the PNC fed like a parasite, off the Treasury. From all indications, much has not changed. A party that is born and bred with that mentality can only stay in power through rigged elections, because its ideas and philosophy do not permit it to deliver goods and services to an electorate. Therefore, it’s very survival depends upon something other than dispassionate and objective popular support from the masses. Race and ethnicity have been and will continue to be the source of sustenance of the PNC. A rigged election is the only vehicle through which such a party can access and remain in government. Once elections are democratic, the PNC will be out of Government, as night follows day. Needless to say, once tribal and racial politics end in Guyana, the PNC is bound to die a natural death. Mohabir Anil Nandlall, MP Attorney-at-Law
It’s not about new taxes Mr. Jordan... From page 5 water. Electricity and water are public good services and part of the social justice agenda that the 2015, 2016 and 2017 budgets changed to punish people. Not only must they remove these VAT charges, they must restore the subsidies that provided relief for Guyana’s senior population. In addition, people have not paid any attention to the financial relief the PPP government implemented throughout the period 1993 to 2015 when they reduced electricity rates based on fuel cost for GPL. In fact, for sugar estates which have been closed, the 2018 budget must cater for a special electricity and water
subsidy for families, similar to what has been provided for Region 10 for decades now. After criticizing the PPP for almost two decades for not increasing the tax threshold enough, APNU+AFC has become ultra-conservative in managing tax thresholds. In a remarkable turnaround, the PPP embarked on significant increases of the low tax threshold (about $6,000 in 1993) they inherited from the PNC after they assumed office in October 1992. By 2015, the tax threshold was increased to over $50,000 per month. In the 2012 Budget, APNU+AFC demanded the threshold be increased to over $100,000 per month. This demand was made
previously also, and in the 2013 and 2014 budgets. In fact, they promised that in their first 100 days in government, they would revolutionize the tax threshold. This will be their fourth budget since assuming office. The 100 days promise has been jettisoned by greed. They betrayed the working class. The working class of Guyana expects to see a tax threshold of $100,000 per month and nothing less, because a promise is a promise. Jordan, Nagamootoo and APNU+AFC have made a big deal about consultations and have been critical of the PPP not attending consultations. We know the history. The supposed consultations have been a charade. We must commend the PPP for taking the practical and transparent approach of introducing a Parliamentary motion with their proposals for Budget 2018. APNU+AFC has blocked this motion from moving forward. Now they must consider the proposals and include them in Budget 2018. The people are looking for concrete action, not empty rhetoric. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
Saturday November 04, 2017
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PPP/C ‘latrine behaviour’ in Parliament heavily criticised The Bharrat Jagdeo-led People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) displayed what has been referred to as ‘latrine behaviour’. The party sought to drown out the voice of President David Granger’s opening address at the 71st sitting of the Parliament on Thursday. Speaking at his post cabinet press briefing, yesterday, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, criticised that the behaviour of the opposition which sought to wave placards and shout slogans during the President’s address, represented a significant departure from what is known as legitimate protest. “The occasion itself was not a proper forum to exhibit that kind of behaviour before your President and before all of those persons whom you invited into your house. It’s like if you invite somebody into the home you try to show them the best, but when they come there you give them the latrine,” Harmon stated. Prime Minister and First Vice President, Moses
Nagamootoo, said President Granger discharged his responsibility well by delivering his address despite the noise from the opposition. “I believe it is unprecedented…I have never seen political domestic terrorism introduced in the House the way I saw it [Thursday] because it was to terrorize the President from continuing, hoping that he would stop and walk away,” Nagamootoo stated. He noted that Jagdeo and the PPP/C MPs were hiding behind platforms with babble, groaning, screaming, shouting and lamenting. It is infantile behaviour, Nagamootoo said. “They have brought the House into disrepute and shame. I think that Jagdeo has much to answer for his leadership right now. He has proven to decent people who support the PPP that he has brought the party down to a level that it has never been. This is called gutter politics; trench-bottom politics,” Nagamoottoo said.
A PPP/C MP holds up a placard during President David Granger’s address to the National Assembly on Thursday. He said he believes that the Speaker, Dr. Bartland
Scotland, will have to decide how to respond to the PPP/C
2016 Auditor General report finds …
GRA fails to submit records to support $30B in exemptions to businesses Auditor General, Deodat Sharma, is disappointed that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has failed to produce records to support $30B in exemptions it gave away to businesses last year. In his latest report, Sharma noted that tax exemptions granted to companies were equivalent to 54 percent or $30.287B of the total exemptions granted for the year 2016. Sharma said that total exemptions came up to $56.073B. The Auditor General noted, however, that the total value of tax exemptions granted in respect of Investment Agreements facilitated through the Guyana Office for Investment and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission could not have been determined. In this regard, he said that
a review of the records of the Authority revealed that a total of 59 agreements in respect of 41 investors were approved during the year 2016. The Auditor General said it should be noted that in accordance with the Investment Act of 2004, a procedural audit of the incentives granted to an investor or an investment enterprise is required to be carried out annually by the Auditor General. He noted however, that no records or documentations were submitted to facilitate these audits. GRA, in response, said that the categories of tax exemptions in the report are those that were built into the system several years ago and are subject to limitations. Nevertheless, it said that the IT Division is in the process of implementing a system that will facilitate a breakdown of the ‘Companies/Businesses’ category so that more informative
reports can be generated. The Audit Office recommended that the tax agency submit for audit, the reports once available. Sharma noted that exemptions from duties and taxes totaled $56.073 billion for the period under review, as compared to $92.425 billion in 2015. He said that this represents a decrease of $36.352 billion over the corre-
sponding period. Notwithstanding this, Sharma said that the value of revenue foregone for the year 2016 represents 36.89% of actual revenue collections by the Authority. In addition, tax exemptions of $26.399 billion granted in respect of Customs and Trade Taxes exceeded actual collections by $10.017 billion.
behaviour in the Parliament. “You have a head of state coming to address your national assembly on almost a formal opening of the national assembly. You’d expect your best decorum in the face of diplomats and envoys from different countries that if you have a disagreement with what the president said, then you would schedule a press conference after the President’s address and state your disagreement.” Harmon recalled the swelling of national pride displayed by Guyanese following the May 2015 elections. “It is this pride that we have to protect and we want
to ensure that our national institutions and our national leaders are given that level of civility and courtesy in public life, particularly when you have to go to the National Assembly...it is our House and therefore, we should not allow this behaviour in the Parliament yesterday of parliamentary protestors in the House,” Harmon stated. He stated that Guyanese are civil and courtesy people. He said that the behaviour displayed by the PPP/C was imported from the Stabroek Market. “Let us not tear down national institutions,” Harmon cautioned.
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23 million internet service for Kato School
Saturday November 04, 2017
Gold sector spurs modest economic growth ...$187 billion in investment projects facilitated
Kato Secondary School A whopping $23 million has been approved by Cabinet for the provision of internet service to the Kato Secondary School. This disclosure was yesterday made by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, when he hosted a post Cabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency. Based on Harmon’s disclosure, Cabinet has granted no objection for the provision of internet service for the Region Eight [Potaro-Siparuni] school, through the Ministry of Public Telecommunication. A contract amounting to $23.3 million has been awarded to Imon Wireless Solutions Inc. for the provision of internet service for the Kato Secondary school. The construction of the Kato Secondary had for a number of years been a controversial subject. The school was constructed under the People’s
Progressive Party (PPP) administration to facilitate those students in the region, who had to travel long distances to access secondary education. However, due to the substandard work done by the contractor, the school up to earlier this year was not yet occupied. The contract for the construction of the school received approval on December 27, 2012 and was reportedly awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) to the lowest of four bidders. The $728.2 million contract was signed on December 31, 2012, with a commencement date of January 21, 2013. The contract provided for a two-year period for defects liability, one year after completion. However after assuming power, the APNU+AFC government not only demanded
that the contractor engage remedial work, but at his expense too. The school was ready to open at the start of the new school year. But even as he spoke of the new internet development from which the school will benefit, Harmon revealed that it is even farther reaching. He informed that the internet project is in fact part of an ongoing programme to provide internet service to schools across the coastland and in the hinterland. This service, the Minister of State said, will be provided at secondary schools at Mabaruma, Port Kaituma, Santa Rosa, Aishalton, Annai, Paramakatoi, Waramadong, Kwakwani, Mahdia and Bartica. “These schools in the hinterland are outside of the Government’s e-network reach and requires service providers to connect them by way of broad-band satellite service so that all of these schools will have the same facilities in the hinterland as those that are provided for the schools on the coast,” Harmon said.
President David Granger has credited Guyana’s moderate economic growth to gold production. Addressing the opening of 71st sitting of the National Assembly on Thursday, President Granger said that Guyana’s economy has been managed prudently over the past 30 months. He said this has allowed for moderate economic growth of 3.1 per cent in 2015 and 3.3 per cent in 2016, despite the unfavourable external environment. According to President Granger, gold was the main contributor to this growth, with 712,707 ounces being produced last year, the highest in the country’s history. “Economic growth would not have been possible without the achievement of macroeconomic stability,” President Granger outlined. He said the Ministry of Finance has acted to create a favourable environment for business development, to protect investments, to moderate inflation and to maintain a stable exchange rate. President Granger boasted that Government has adopted measures to improve the living standards of workers. He said that the minimum wage of public servants has increased within the past 26 months by over 50 per cent, from $39,540 to $60,000. Government, he said, has reduced the income-tax rate and increased the income tax threshold by a minimum of 20 per cent as part of measures which boosted working people’s disposable income. National competitiveness has been enhanced by the reduction of the corporation tax rate for manufacturing and non-commercial companies from 30 per cent to 27.5 per
President, David Granger cent. The Value-Added Tax (VAT) was reduced to 14 per cent and the VAT threshold increased from $10 million to $15 million. He said Government will continue to support the traditional sectors of the economy, particularly the sugar industry. According to the President, Government has provided $31B in financial support to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) in order to protect the livelihood of workers and to arrest the corporation’s financial haemorrhaging. “The sugar industry is being consolidated; it is not being closed. We will explore all options in the new financial year, 2018, to ensure a viable industry, mindful of its impact on the Nation’s rural economy and its residents,” President Granger outlined. He said measures have been taken to improve the business environment and these include reducing the processing time for investment agreements; implementing a trusted-trader programme, establishing business registration hubs in the Potaro-Siparuni and the Rupununi (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) Regions.
He said Government has been promoting increased investment, improving the business environment, increasing value-added production and exports and developing the tourism sector. President Granger outlined that the Guyana Office for Investment has facilitated, since May 2015, some 240 investment projects valued at $187 billion. The tourism sector continues to show promise with a 14 percent increase in tourist arrivals between 2014 and 2016. Since taking the reins of Government, the Granger administration has been focused on rebalancing the economy, horizontally, through support of the micro, small, and medium-scale enterprise sector. According to President Granger, loans and grants have been issued under the Hinterland Employment Youth Scheme (HEYS), the Linden Enterprise Network (LEN), the Micro- and SmallEnterprise Development (MSED), the Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED), the Women of Worth (WOW) initiative and the People of Worth Entrepreneurial Resources (POWER) initiative.
Saturday November 04, 2017
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Kaieteur News
ANOTHER TWO STEPS BACKWARD We have a much bigger constitutional crisis on our hands. The unilateral appointment of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) which has caused a furor pales in comparison to a more blatant constitutional intrusion which has gone by without so much as whimper. Earlier this year, the Government of Guyana advertised for applications for the positions of Chief Justice and Chancellor, the first time in recent history this has happened. According to a report in the state- owned media, those persons interested in the jobs were required to submit their applications to an email address which originates in the Ministry of the Presidency, the seat of Executive authority. There are two things
which are flagrantly unconstitutional about this approach. Firstly, the Constitution makes no provision for any such advertisement for the job. Secondly, it is in violation of a most revered constitutional principle. The Constitution states that the positions are to be filled by persons appointed by the President with the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition. As is well known, the PNCR was opposed to the appointment of the former acting Chancellor, Justice Carl Singh; (he therefore held the substantive position of Chief Justice). The former acting Chief Justice, Ian Chang could not therefore be confirmed. The AFC has never supported the PNCR on the position it took with regards the non-confirmation of Justices Chang and
Singh. The now President, David Granger, when he was Leader of the Opposition, had simply continued the policy of Robert Corbin of not agreeing to the appointment of Justice Singh. As such, the positions remained vacant. The Constitution does not provide for a mechanism to break the deadlock which may arise when there is no agreement between the Leader of the Opposition and the President. The reason is that these appointments are intended to be consensual, just like the Chairman of GECOM. Incidentally, this form of shared governance, regarding the appointment of the Chancellor and Chief Justice, was also proposed by former US President, Jimmy Carter as means of promoting greater political consensus and giving the opposition a greater role in appointments.
Dem boys seh... MPs behave like market whores When Jagdeo was in office de opposition use to protest. Soulja Bai and he kavakamites dem use to go and stand up wid placards in dem hand fuh one hour. Some hold de placard up in de air; some hold it in front dem face and some use to cover dem waist. Dem never think bout carrying dem placard into parliament. Now Soulja Bai in office, de opposition who use to laugh and get de police to remove dem now doing de same thing. Dem boys seh de now opposition carry de protest thing li’l too far. Dem behavior and dem attitude in parliament spell disaster fuh this nation, especially to de young people. Dem boys watch de reaction on de faces of de diplomats who did get invite to parliament. Dem boys feel shame; one diplomat tell dem boys it was nasty and distasteful. It was downright low to watch how de leaders carry on inside de parliament.
De diplomat seh it was like if you invite a man to you house and when he come you put de latrine next to de chair wheh he sit down. Dem boys seh dem behaviour was wuss than dem market whores. Everybody know Parliament deh near de market but dem never expect de market woulda move inside parliament. Everybody seh dem attitude, de way dem carry on, and de things dem did mek some market people tek de behavior to a new level. Some of dem pull down dem pants, pull out dem prick and wave it at dem. That is de level to which de leaders of dis country can drive de ordinary man and market whores to behave in front dem eyes for de world to see. Dem boys never hear or see any such behavior inside or near parliament. Is a shame. Wid such behavior is only time will tell if dem gun mek parliament into a brothel. Talk half and shame pun dem leaders.
Granger, when in opposition, had pushed the line that there should be advertisements for the top posts. When pressured by those who felt this would amount to extra-constitutional measure, he put it as a means of breaking the deadlock. There is at present, no deadlock over who is to be appointed as Chancellor or Chief Justice because there has been no consultation on this issue between the President and the Leader of the Opposition. Yet, the government has gone ahead and advertised for the posts of the two top positions and among those who were said to have constituted the panel, to examine the applications was the person who has now been appointed as Chairman of GECOM. The government there is trampling on the Constitution. There is no provision for advertising of positions. Yet, the government has gone ahead and done this. What this could mean is if, as expected, the court challenges to the appointment of GECOM and it goes all the way to the Appeal Court, we could in all probability have someone hearing the appeal who was appointed based on the recommendation of a panel which comprised the very person whose appointment is being challenged. That is assuming, of course, that the appointees to
the posts of Chancellor and Chief Justice will come from that process which the government has initiated. There is no need for persons outside of Guyana to have been invited to apply for the posts of Chancellor and Chief Justice. Traditionally, those posts were held by persons practising in our justice system. We have a history of producing some of the best jurists in the Caribbean. When the names of the first batch of Justices of the Caribbean Court of Justice were announced, two persons who practised here were among that cohort. We have never been short of quality and qualified jurists. Why then has it been deemed necessary to seek advertisements for the jobs when this could mean persons who practise outside of Guyana and non- Guyanese being able to apply? However, the more substantive concern is that there is no requirement, under our Constitution, for advertisements, and there is no disagreement as yet requiring a
deadlock-breaking mechanism. The second major problem with this approach to filling the positions of Chief Justice and Chancellor is that it is violation of a sacred principle of constitutionalism: the principle of the separation of powers. The Executive should have no role to play in advertising for these positions and in establishing any panel to consider the applications. This is unconstitutional because it violates the principle of the separation of powers. There is no provision for such an approach under our Constitution. The independence of the judiciary is threatened when the executive arm of the government can decide to advertise for judicial appointments and then sets up its own panel to consider those applications.
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Saturday November 04, 2017
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
I didn’t believe in ghosts until know If I tell you the things my mom told her children when we were growing up about ghosts (jumbies in local dialect) you would either start believing that jumbies do exist and are ubiquitous or my mother had the most uncontrollable imagination since human civilization emerged. My mom and dad and my siblings believe in supernatural things; my siblings believed my mom. I was the last of seven children and grew up in the age of the hippies and was the only sibling that went beyond primary school so naturally I really didn’t care for those nocturnal horrors my mother indoctrinated us in. So do ghosts exist?
I didn’t think so until I read the WPA press release in which the WPA accepted that the president acted in accordance with the constitution. Who or what is the WPA? For years I have been asking this question. I got it wrong when in making that enquiry in one of these columns I stated that women’s right activist, Andaiye, was in the WPA leadership. She emailed to say she resigned from the WPA twenty years ago and would like me to correct that misconception. I did so in a subsequent column. I am not concerned about the press release. I am curious about the leaders of the
WPA. Who are they? Why don’t they speak publicly to the press or on camera? Why does the WPA exist in the sphere of press releases only? Take the AFC. Its Canadian group may have withdrawn from the party over the GECOM chairman controversy. Khemraj Ramjattan has spoken to the press on behalf of the AFC of the party’s acceptance of Mr. Granger’s action. There was no press release and citizens were not unaware of who was saying what on behalf of the AFC. On a vital and sensitive matter that has created a whirlpool of controversy, the WPA issued a press release and to date no one from the
Frederick Kissoon leadership has faced the media. Let us try to ascertain who is in the WPA based on snippets of information. The most high profile face of the WPA is Dr. David Hinds. He is featured in the media almost weekly and the media always refer to his designation as “WPA executive member.” During the little quarrel over the resignation of Dr. Roopnaraine, the public was informed that the WPA has a co-leadership structure with the dual authority of Roopnaraine and Clive Thomas. In the delegation that met the President over the contretemps with Roopnaraine was
Thomas. In two press conferences since then, Dr. David Hinds was the front man. The co-leaders were not there. Another well know face in the WPA leadership is Tacuma Ogunseye. One can say that Hinds, Ogunseye, Roopnaraine and Thomas are the top names in the WPA. Let’s go to the press release on the GECOM chairman. Dr. David Hinds wrote; “The decision by the President represents another colossal failure on the part of our political leaderships. The President should have avoided making a unilateral decision. But while the decision is constitutionally sound, it is politically senseless.” Tacuma Ogunseye, appearing on the WPA television programme “Walter Rodney Groundings” took the position that in an ethnically sensitive country like Guyana, the President should have avoided the direction of a unilateral appointment. There is not even one line, just one line in the WPA press release, that captures the sentiments of these two gentlemen yet these two personalities are known throughout
Guyana to be the influential voices in the WPA. One of the areas of politics in this land that continues to bother me is the WPA’s existence. Is there a ghost in the Cabinet and we mortals cannot see it? How can you have a multi-party government in a country and the population never sees the leaders of one of the parties talking to the media or the people in general? One of those leaders is not a shy person. In fact he holds two highly placed positions in the land. He is the head of the assets recovery agency (SARA) that is a body with police power. He is the chairman of the board of the country’s largest state owned company, GuySuco. He is a weekly columnist in another newspaper. Yet this gentleman – Clive Thomasapart from being in the WPA delegation in July to meet with the president, does not meet with the press to discuss WPA’s politics. Roopnaraine hardly ever talks to the press. Does the WPA exist? Yes it does. It is a ghost. I now believe in the existence of ghosts.
Saturday November 04, 2017
Digicel’s owner plays up landing fibre-optic cable in Guyana Jamaica (Jamaica Gleaner) - Deep Blue Cable, the new telecoms operation backed by Irishman Denis O’Brien, plans to extend its fibre-optic cable project beyond the Caribbean into the Americas. The company foresees that roughly half of existing cable layers in the region would have outdated or failing technology within a decade, and had originally planned to connect its cable to 12 countries. But now it is adding Colombia and Panama to the route, and will be expanding to additional landing points throughout the region, under the phase-one plans. “In total, Deep Blue has 40 landings planned in the Caribbean, mainland United States, and South America,” said Andrea Forder, Deep Blue’s head of marketing and public relations, in response to Financial Gleaner queries. “We also continue to evaluate Mexico; and Suriname. Guyana landings are being developed through a number of cooperative strategies. However, a delivery timeframe has not yet been determined for the latter two landings,” she said. The phase-one extension to Colombia and Panama will “necessitate” an adjustment to the project timeline. Route survey activities for the panCaribbean undersea cable will commence in the first quarter of 2018, with manufacturing and installation continuing through 2018 and into 2019, the company explained. “There are terrestrial and marine construction elements
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Kaieteur News
Prison deaths COI reveals…
Inmates live with roaches, centipedes, lice and rats
Denis O’Brien, backer of Deep Blue Cable. and certainly work will be under way, subject to licence and permit availability, by the fourth quarter 2018. The projected ready-for-service date of the Deep Blue subsea cable system is second quarter 2020,” Forder said. Other markets for landing points previously disclosed by Deep Blue include British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, and Turks & Caicos Islands. The cable system will also have dual diverse landings in the US, which will include the first landing of a cable on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The company continues to avoid direct reference to the size of the overall investment, even though Irish media reported that the expanded plans have bumped up the investment around US$450 million. “The investment is substantial and sufficient to deliver a resilient subsea cable system to many island nations in order to meet their long-term capacity require-
ments. It’s important to note that by providing advanced subsea connectivity across the Caribbean and to the Americas, the Deep Blue subsea cable network will have a profound impact not only on the communications ecosystem of the Caribbean, but also on the economic growth potential of an entire region,” Forder said. The financing structure remains “confidential”, she added. “And doubtless, throughout the construction and well into operations, the make-up will be considered and improved upon from time to time. It is not possible to say whether or not a bond will ultimately become part of the debt package, which will be a future matter for the shareholder.” O’Brien, an Irish billionaire and founder of Digicel Group, holds the largest stake in Deep Blue Cable. Deep Blue is not connected to Digicel, which itself provides mobile, data and cable television services. Digicel’s markets span the Caribbean, Central America and Pacific Islands.
This picture was taken shortly after the fire. A Commissioner of Inquiry (COI) into the fiery deaths of 18 prisoners on March 3, 2016 at the Camp Street prison has described the daily life inside the facility as harsh—with roaches, centipedes, lice and rats living among the inmates. The COI was ordered by President David Granger and was made available to the media yesterday. The report found that inmates spend most of their day in spaces which are occupied by three, four and five times more people than they intended to accommodate. “Roaches, centipedes, lice and rats flourish,” the report stated. The report revealed that men trying in the night to get to the toilet, would step on sleeping prisoners and falling
on them, causing fights. As the population increases, internal mobility in the prison decreases. “A chronically under-strength staff, the majority of whom are females, are outnumbered, rehabilitation activities are suspended and inmates remain locked down,” the report stated. Information provided by the COI and the Guyana Prison Service showed that sixty percent of the prisoners living in these conditions have not been found guilty of any crimes. The COI recommended the creation of a high level committee representing all of the agencies with responsibility to the prison system with the purpose of creating and overseeing implementation of a coordinated strategy for re-
ducing and sustaining the prison population to levels compatible with the United Nations Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Offenders. Custodial staff was recommended to be increased to match the operational and management readiness of the Guyana Prison Service. “The current staffing is a recipe for continuous disturbances and security threats to the community at large.” Kaieteur News was informed that it was recommended for the capacity of the custodial supervisory staff to be increased in the short term by recruiting retired senior Non Commission Officers from the Guyana Defence Force. “They must be carefully Continued on page 23
Saturday November 04, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Trump, dogged at home, heads on IMF warns Venezuela over gaps longest presidential Asia trip in years in economic data, transparency
U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet visitors as they depart the White House for Asia, in Washington D.C., yesterday. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Beset by challenges at home, President Donald Trump yesterday embarked on the longest trip to Asia by an American president in more than a quarter century, looking for help to pressure North Korea to stand down from a nuclear crisis. Trump’s tour of Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines from yesterday to Nov. 14 will take him out of Washington, where he has been beset by several issues. These include an intensifying federal investigation into Russian meddling in last year’s e l e c t i o n , N e w Yo r k ’s recovery from an attack that killed eight people and debate over a tax-cut plan that if approved by Congress would be his first major legislative victory. The trip began just days a f t e r Tr u m p ’s f o r m e r campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was indicted in the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and his a t t o r n e y g e n e r a l , J e ff Sessions, faced Democratic calls to appear before Congress again to clarify his previous testimony a b o u t t h e c a m p a i g n ’s Russia contacts. Amid the furor caused by the revelations, the Kremlin said yesterday a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was being discussed and Trump said it might happen. “We may have a meeting
with Putin,” Trump told Fox News. “And, again – Putin is very important because they can help us with North Korea. They can help us with Syria. We have to talk about Ukraine.” Court documents made public on Monday also disclosed a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, G e o rg e P a p a d o p o u l o s , pleaded guilty last month to lying to the FBI. They cited a March 2016 meeting, attended by Trump and Sessions, in which Papadopoulos offered to help arrange a meeting between candidate Trump and Putin. While tweeting about developments vigorously this week, Trump told the N e w Yo r k T i m e s o n Wednesday that he was “not angry at anybody” about the case and there was nothing to suggest any collusion by his campaign and Russia. FIRST STOP: HAWAII Trump’s plan for an extended absence from Washington has alarmed allies who, after seeing a healthcare reform bid fizzle, worry the tax effort could suffer without him to keep momentum going. Trump will fly on Friday morning to Hawaii, stopping for a briefing on U.S. military forces in the Pacific and a visit to Pearl Harbor. Trump then will visit Japan and South Korea in search of a united front against North Korea before going to Beijing, where he will push Chinese President
Xi Jinping to get tougher with Pyongyang. In the Fox interview, Trump was asked if he planned to be tough on China over thorny issues including trade, intellectual property theft and subsidies. “You have to understand something - very important,” he responded. “We have a problem called North Korea.” Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping “has been pretty terrific” in cutting Pyongyang off from banking and oil systems. He added that Japan had reason to be worried about North Korea and alluded to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s campaign for a military buildup against that threat. “Well, you know Japan is a warrior nation,” he said. “I tell China and I tell everyone else that, listen, you’re going to have yourself a big problem with Japan pretty soon if you allow this to continue with North Korea.” Trump will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam, make a state visit to Hanoi and end his trip with the Association of South East Asia Nations summit in Manila. Trump told reporters before leaving on Friday he would spend an extra day in the Philippines. The last time a U.S. president was in Asia for so long was in late 1991 and early 1992, when President George H.W. Bush became ill at a Japanese state dinner.
(Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund issued a warning to Venezuela yesterday for failing to provide the institution with economic data on time and gave it six months to address the lack of some statistics. The decision was not unanimous with Russia objecting to the move and others abstaining, according to two sources familiar with the IMF board discussion. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that if the Venezuela did not improve the flow of data, the IMF could issue a “declaration of censure” under Article 8 of the fund’s rules on furnishing of information. An IMF statement said Venezuela was late on data related to the operations of the social security institute, and total exports and imports of merchandise. The data is used as part of the IMF’s monitoring of economies around the world. The IMF complained last month that projecting an economic outlook for Venezuela was complicated by long gaps in receiving data from the government and data was often incomplete. The IMF finding,
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS although unrelated to an announcement on Thursday by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro that he wants to restructure the country’s foreign debt, comes as investors worry the government is on the verge of a default. The country is locked in a bruising economic crisis that has sparked a wave of protests against Maduro’s government amid calls by the international community for political mediation. Maduro on Thursday vowed to make a $1.1. billion payment on a maturing bond but also created a commission to study the restructuring of payments. The cash-strapped government invited
bondholders to a Nov. 13 meeting in Caracas, although some have indicated they were first waiting to see whether the South American OPEC nation makes the $1.1. billion payment and another due next week. Venezuela, which was a founding member of the fund in 1946, remains a voting member of the IMF, but it has not had any formal engagement with the international institution for more than a decade. The IMF conducted its last economic review of Venezuela’s economy in 2004. The IMF said it was “hopeful” that its decision will encourage Venezuela to re-engage with the IMF by making the data available.
Islamic State on verge of defeat after fresh losses in Syria, Iraq BEIRUT/ERBIL (Reuters) - Islamic State’s self-proclaimed caliphate was on the verge of final defeat yesterday, with Syrian government forces capturing its last major city on one side of the border and Iraqi forces taking its last substantial town on the other. The losses on either side of the frontier appear to reduce the caliphate that once ruled over millions of people to a single Syrian border town, a village on a bank of the Euphrates in Iraq and some patches of nearby desert. Officials on both sides of the border said its final defeat could come swiftly, although they still fear it will reconstitute as a guerrilla force, capable of waging attacks without territory to defend. Iraq’s Prime Minister Haidar Abadi announced that government forces had captured al-Qaim, the border town where the Euphrates
spills from Syria into Iraq. That leaves just the village of Rawa further down river on the opposite bank still in the hands of the ultra-hardline militants, who swept through a third of Iraq in 2014. On the Syrian side, government forces declared victory in Deir al-Zor, the last major city in the country’s eastern desert where the militants still had a presence. Government forces are now about 40 km away from Albu Kamal, the Syrian town across the border from al-Qaim, and preparing for a final confrontation. A U.S.-led international coalition which has been bombing Islamic State and supporting ground allies on both sides of the frontier said before the fall of al-Qaim that the militant group had just a few thousand fighters left, holed up in the two towns on either side of the border. “We do expect them now
to try to flee, but we are cognisant of that and will do all we can to annihilate IS leaders,” spokesman U.S. Colonel Ryan Dillon said. “As IS continues to be hunted into these smallest areas ... we see them fleeing into the desert and hiding there in an attempt to devolve back into an insurgent terrorist group,” said Dillon. “The idea of IS and the virtual caliphate, that will not be defeated in the near term. There is still going to be an IS threat.” The group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is believed to be hiding in the desert near the frontier. BESIEGED IN ALL DIRECTIONS Driven this year from its two de facto capitals — Iraq’s Mosul and Syria’s Raqqa — Islamic State has been squeezed into an ever-shrinking pocket of desert straddling the frontier by enemies that include most regional states and global powers.
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Meadow Bank, long term rental. Fully furnished 3 bedrooms apartment, parking, cameras etc- Call: 671-4221 Property for rent - 2 storey house at Republic Park, E.B.D$1200US. Call 647-1773 Two Bedroom apartment at Stewartville West Coast Demerara. Tel# 613-5261 Space in Charlotte Street, central Georgetown .Ground floor. Call #608-5303 Two bedroom bottom flat, fully grilled, fenced, concrete yard @ Tuschen Housing Scheme. Call: 692-5525/2663973/660-0483 Rent Business. Contact :6722580/223-7771 Two bedroom bottom flat, fully grilled. $50,000 per month. Call# 687-3017
Female babysitter age 35-50 in Georgetown, 6 days per week Call 614-5711 to apply. One live-in female housekeeper for Georgetown. Tel# 223-0654, 225-0605 Experienced Curry cook, Roti/ Puri cook, Cleaners. Apply Hack Halaal. 5 Commerce St. American Variety Store. 140 Regent & Light street Georgetown. Experience Cashier & Sales girl apply with application. 1 Female Cleaner for office in eccles. Contact # 614-4358 Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic- Call: 223-7500 Monday to Saturday 8:15am-4:15pm 1 Driver/ Purchaser. Must give valid driver’s license&( Mc, Mv, Ml) &over 15 years’ experience. Call 227-7528/ 226-9768 Want Land & House. ParfaiteHarmonie, Tuschen, Herstelling, Province, West Coast, East Bank. Call:6046724/ 686-9608 Apprentice for machine shop. Sound Secondary education & one (1) experienced welder. Tel #222-3844
PASSPORT, PERMANENT & VISITOR VISA APPLICATION, PROFESSIONAL IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT – SABITAIMMIGRATION SERVICES. CALL: 613-3920/6253767. Eagle’s: Re-gas –low prices, washing machine repairs, gas stove, plasma flat Screen, computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966
Saturday November 04, 2017
Kaieteur News
FOR RENT Apartment to Rent.ParfaiteHarmonie Tel# 673-2484 Two bedroom bottom flat, fully grilled. $50,000 per month. Call# 687-3017 Apartment to Rent.ParfaiteHarmonie Tel# 673-2484 Top Flat, 3 Bedroom. 1314 Golden Grove, Housing Scheme E.B.D $60,000 Contact 619-4490 CAR RENTAL AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 6987807 WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP RATES,SPECIAL OFFERS! . CALL: 690-6494
Security guard & Housekeeper, apply in person @ Millenium Manor Hotel, 43 Hadfield Street, Werk-enRust One Live-in Female housekeeper for Georgetown. Tel# 223-0654, 225-0605 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665
VACANCY Deskstaff Age 25-40. Tel #225-0198 or visit 233 South roadLacytown Male Security Guards. Age 27-50. Must be fit & able bodied. Attractive salary & benefits. Call 625-3301 for appointment. General maintenance man. Age 25-50 Tel: 225-0198 or visit 233 South Rd, Lacytown.
LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud& N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman& Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).
VACANCY
Eccles (Corner Lot) $5M Herstelling (100ft X 50ft) ParfaiteHarmonie (High Income Area) 100ft X 50ft $2M Tel# 656-0701/ 611-7223
Chef and assistant chef. Please call 225-7933 or visit 172 Sheriff St.
BLOCK X SECTION A DIAMOND HOUSING SCHEME. CONTACT: 6115273/ 601-4217, 2330159/216-3093
Porters, Wood mizer, Re-saw and Ripsaw operator, Moulder operator. Eccles Industrial Site E.B.Dem. Call Richard 609-7675/ 674-1705/ 233-2614 Male Security Guards. Age 27-50. Must be fit & able bodied. Attractive salary & benefits. Call 625-3301 for appointment.
Eccles (Corner Lot) $5M Herstelling (100ft X 50ft) ParfaiteHarmonie (High Income Area) 100ft X 50ft $2M Tel# 656-0701/ 611-7223 Farm(East Bank) New Scheme $3.5m, ParfaiteHarmonie (upfront)$1.5m,Uivlugt $3.5m(high income).Tel:6511969/667-1960
General Maintenance man Age 25- 50. Tel#225-0198 or visit South Road, Lacytown
Land for Sale in gated community at land of Canaan 50 x 100. Contact # 694-7817/ 612-1351
Deskstaff Age 25-40. Tel# 225-0198 or visit South Road, Lacytown. One Tig-welder/ fabricator, One fitter machinist for Lathe and Mill. Call 664-2670, 6970703, Email: havin_ramnauth@yahoo.com
ParfaiteHarmonie Business spot $3.5m, $1.3m, $2.5m. ParfaiteHarmonieten year up $3.5m, Tuschen $2.5m, Herstelling $3.3m, $2.8m. Call:666-2326
Cook/ baker and Kitchen Assistant for interior location. Applicants must have experience. Call:618-2020 One General domestic must be able to prepare vegetarian meals. Apply Alabama Trading. 65 Robb Street or call 6231615
EDUCATION Day Care and Pre-K classes available in Diamond Call Canadian School 2166921,216-6922 Register your child for after school classes for slow learners in Mathematics, Reading, Phonics, Spelling, etc. Call: 675-4379
1 Driver/ Purchaser. Must give valid driver’s license ( Mc, Mv, Ml) & over 15 years’ experience. Call 227-7528/ 226-9768 Female general domestic.Must have cooking experience. Age 25-45. Call: 629-9450
LAND FOR SALE ParfaiteHarmonie $1.4m,$3.5m,$2.5m,$1.6m, Tuschen $2.7m, Hersteling $3.5m,$3m, Province $3.5m, V-Hoop $45m. Call: 6046724/ 686-9608.
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR R E N TA L : S U V F O R RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL:6560 0 8 7 , 6 4 3 - 5 1 2 2 ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM DOLLY’SCARRENTAL-CALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM
TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS) FOR SALE 70 head cows. 219-3384, 6886353
Saturday November 04, 2017
Kaieteur News
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More pencil accounting discovered…
National Parks ordered to get books in order The National Parks Commission (NPC), in the past, appeared not to be taking seriously its responsibility of keeping its books in order. In fact, auditors, perusing records of 2008, found some highly worrying things. There were some records that were made in pencil. The findings were noted and brought to the attention of the administration. NPC is now tasked with ensuring that it presents audited financial figures for eight years to the administration. The commission is in charge of the National Park, Botanical Gardens, Zoological Park, Joe Vieira Park and Kaieteur National Park. It is being granted millions of dollars annually to upkeep the parks and zoo and pay salaries and other expenses. However, according to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, the entity has been tardy with its books. Harmon on Tuesday presented the 2008 audited financial statements of the commission to the Cabinet.
The Minister also holds responsibility for NPC. The entity still has to present reports from 20092016- eight years. The current commission has expressed its intentions to make the reports a priority. Speaking to the media yesterday at the postCabinet briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency, Harmon said that the qualified audit opinion on the 2008 figures also found some other things. For example, there was an overstatement of the commission’s fix assets by $9M or more. “And that statement of cash flow and changes in equity were not presented for an audit examination.” That meant auditors could not be sure how monies were spent. “The auditor also alluded to the fact that some entries were made in pencil in the book, and that that of course presented opportunities for people to erase figures…change figures and so on. It is something that we have been speaking about
since we came into office that audited financial statements must be presented,” Minister Harmon said. Commending the current commission for its attempts to clean up the backlog, Harmon pointed out that these were never presented under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic, the previous administration which lost the 2015 general elections after two decades in office. “Cabinet approved the report and directed it be laid in the National Assembly as required by law.” The main goal of the NPC is to manage the natural and cultural resources of the National Parks on behalf of the people of Guyana through conservation, education and awareness while affording the opportunity for open-air recreation for future generations. The National Parks Commission was established in March 1972 to manage and control and develop park areas. It is also to work in collaboration with the Local Government Authorities in the establishment of new parks.
AFC objects to PPP ‘unparliamentarily’ behaviour The Alliance For Change strongly objects to yesterday’s vulgar display of “un-parliamentary behaviour” unleashed by the opposition at the formal opening of the 71st session of Parliament, as Head of State, His Excellency, President David Granger addressed the house. The AFC said that this disruptive behaviour violated the Standing Orders, and marked a descent into chaos, as it was the first time that such gross disrespect was extended to a sitting President while he was addressing the Parliament and his citizens at large. Of concern also was the disrespect shown to the highest members of the Diplomatic Community, representatives of regional and international
organisations, members of the judiciary and other invited guests. It is clear that such uncouth behavior in recent times has come to define the Leader and members of the Opposition who shamelessly embarrassed themselves and Guyana to the world, the AFC said. The AFC said that it recognises the opposition’s right to protest as its members and supporters did outside the Parliamentary Chamber but found the s c r e a m i n g and shouting within the Chamber totally unacceptable. The tirade could not qualify as free speech that is protected by parliamentary privilege, the party stated. The AFC stated that as
religious leaders and citizens from all walks of life took to social media in their numbers in disgust, they highlighted that the Opposition set a poor example for young Guyanese to emulate. “Many stated that the Leader of the Opposition should be held responsible for misconduct and contempt in the face of Parliament and that the Opposition Leader should expect no less treatment in the house when he gets up to speak.” The Alliance for Change remains committed to the highest standards of mutual respect and decency, civil debate and discourse within the hallowed wall of the Parliament at all times, the party said.
Inmates live with roaches, centipedes... From page 11 selected and appropriately trained to perform their new duties in keeping with modern prison philosophy.” It further recommended for the prison service to adopt a management philosophy that encompasses modern principles of justice, management, training, humane conditions, discipline and use of force. The prison unrest left 18
prisoners dead and five injured. The deadly fire was started by inmates housed in the Capital Offences section of the prison during the riot. It is believed that the men were burnt to death. Confirmed dead were Jermaine Otto, Rayon Paddy, Sherwin Trotman, Anthony Primo, Shaka McKenzie, Kirk Clarke, Latchman Partap, Chaitram Dharamdat, Aaron Eastman, Andrew Philander,
Randolph Marks, Rohan Teekaran, Hilary Amos, Ashraf Ali, Delroy Williams, Clifton Joseph and Richard Hubbard.
Call our Advertising Department on Tel: 225-8465
The Head Office of the National Parks Commission, Thomas Lands.
Kaieteur News
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Belize Govt. to meet CCJ deadline to pay $$M to two companies
Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) – The Belize government says it will honour a Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling that it pays more than US$62 million by November 10 to two companies following a settlement agreement dating back to 2015. “I repeat that the money is money that we have long since set aside because we knew what the balance of what the second payment would be. We set it aside in Belize dollars. We did in fact reserve a portion in US which accorded with our sense of what the liabilities were likely to be,” Prime Minister Dean Barrow told reporters. “We will make the entirety of the foreign currency payments by the date given in the order of the court,” he added. On Wednesday, the Trinidad-based Caribbean CCJ, which is the country’s highest court, said that the Barrow government would have to pay Dunkeld International Investment Ltd and the Belize Telemedia Employees Trust US$62.8 million and BZ$245,155 (One Belize dollar=US$0.49 cents) respectively. The monies due to the
B e l i z e Te l e m e d i a Employees Trust were determined to be US$15.3 million and BZ$10.3 million and the CCJ ruled that the November 10 deadline was sufficient time for the government to make the payment. The matter arose from a Settlement Agreement made between the parties and, by consent, made an order of the CCJ in 2015. The agreement provided for calculating payment of compensation arising from the nationalization of Belize Telemedia Ltd (BTL) and associated companies. A dispute arose as to the calculation of the amounts of US dollars and Belize dollars that should be remitted to the claimants, though they were to hold the funds provided in Belize dollars on trust to fund projects for the benefit of the Belize population. The parties returned to the CCJ to settle the issue. In a statement, the main opposition People’s United Party (PUP) described the judgment as an “absolute disaster” for Belize. It said that the timing of the CCJ ruling comes in the run-up to the Christmas season, when demands on foreign reserves are highest,
and warned that the government must ensure that the Belizean dollar is not threatened and that the business community should have access to foreign reserves in the ordinary course notwithstanding the court order. It repeated the position that the “one-sided Settlement Agreement” signed in September of 2015, two months before general elections, was a gimmick in the case of the promise by the prime minister that tens of millions of funds would be left for charitable purposes. “The nationalization of Telemedia has turned out to be an extremely expensive blunder by the Government and a get rich scheme for U . D . P. f a m i l i e s a n d cronies… the P.U.P. assures the Belizean people that it will take legal advice in order to find out who should be held responsible for this scandalous disaster that has caused the Belizean people to have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for Telemedia. There has been clear misfeasance in public office and we will insist on accountability.” Prime Minister Barrow told a news conference that what the CCJ ruling did was to say “no interest is to run because of certain actions on behalf of the … clients, no costs are ordered…but the court approved and upheld their quantum in terms of their calculations of the liabilities as certified by two accounting firms… “The bottom line is we are going to pay these people everything by November 10 and so there will be no question of this 8.34 per cent running,” Prime Minister Barrow said, adding that ‘already an informal approach was made to us to talk about the possibility of instalment payments…
Saturday November 04, 2017
T&T Prison officers seeking asylum in Canada Prison officers stage silent protest outside Canadian Embassy
P O R T O F S PA I N , Trinidad (CMC) – Prisoner officers in Trinidad and Tobago are seeking asylum in Canada citing fears over the personal safety following the murder of at least two officers in recent weeks. “Prison officers and by extension their families no longer feel safe in Trinidad and Tobago and there is no indication that anything will change anytime soon. We are going through with what could be the only lifesaving step for both our members and their families,” said the president of the Prison Officers Association (POA) Ceron Richards. Richards, who led more than 50 officers and their families to the Canadian High Commission here on Thursday to request asylum in Canada, said that he is disappointed in government’s response to increasing attacks and even the murder of several officers He said that the association exhausted all its options in trying to meet
National Security Minister Edmund Dillon but despite repeated assurances from officials, they are no closer to a meeting to address security concerns. “We have been trying to get this government to treat with safety and security of our officers. We are not of the belief that the government is taking our issues seriously. We have recommended introduction and implementation of laws to treat with the protection of not just prison officers but all law enforcement officials. All our cries have fallen on deaf ears,” Richards said. Richards hinted that if asylum is granted prison officers may leave en masse. “We have done all that we can under the sun. This is not a matter that has only now come about…it is one that has spanned decades we are now at the mercy of the criminal element.” Speaking on a radio programme here on Friday, Richards said that the government should also look at providing a licenced
firearm to prison officers after going through stringent measures. “Trinidad and Tobago has the highest per capita for prison officers killed in the Commonwealth, “ he told radio listeners, adding” we have the highest per capita of p r i s o n o ff i c e r s k i l l e d anywhere in the world”. “Prison officers are an arm of the state and any attack on the prison officer is an attack on the state,” he said, criticizing the government for not taking measures to protect his members. Last month, a prison officer was shot and killed less than a month after another was murdered at a bar by a former prisoner. Glenford Gardener 44, was gunned down outside his home in Diego Martin, west of here and media reports said that he may have been killed because of a search which happened at the Port of Spain Remand Facility resulting in the seizure of several smart phones and weapons.
DB provides millions to enhance agriculture, agroforestry in Haiti WASHINGTON (CMC) – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is providing a grant of US$55 million to help Haiti with new technologies to develop its agricultural and agroforestry sectors, improve productivity and boost food security. The Washington-based financial institution said that the main focus of Haiti’s Technological Innovation for Agriculture and
Agroforestry Programme (PITAG) is to “boost up small agricultural producers’ revenues and food security.” In particular, the IDB said the programme seeks to raise farm productivity and improve the use of natural resources, with the creation and transfer o f s u s t a i n a b l e agricultural and a g r o f o r e s t r y technologies. The IDB said that, in
2016, Haiti was ranked 115 out of the 118 nations listed in the Global Hunger Index. A report published in 2015 by the World Food Program showed that about 47 percent of Haiti’s households are affected by moderate to severe food insecurity, according to the IDB. In addition, it said onefifth of Haitian children under five years of age suffer
chronic malnutrition. The IDB said the new project will help raise farmers’ revenues and food security in selected areas. To this end, it will promote the creation and adoption of innovative and sustainable agricultural and agroforestry technologies. Additionally, the IDB said the programme will finance applied agricultural research programs to help
with the transfer of knowhow to small producers. The IDB said the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development Ministry (MARNDR) will be the main executor of the project, “which will also strengthen the ministry’s institutional capabilities through the Innovation Directorate.” The IDB said its donation will be added to
contributions from other partners, suc h a s t h e Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), which will finance US$10 million, and the International Fund for Agricultural D e v e l o p m e n t ( I FA D ) , which will contribute U S $ 11 m i l l i o n . H a i t i will provide one million US dollars t o w a r d s t h e p r o j ect.
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Saturday November 04, 2017
Dominica celebrates 39 years of political independence from Britain ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) – Hurricane battered Dominica celebrated 39 years of political independence from Britain yesterday with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit urging citizens not to
be daunted by the tasking of rebuilding the island. Hurricane Maria hit Dominica on September 18 as a Category 5 storm, killing at least 28 people and leaving billions of dollars in damage.
Unlike previous years when nationals were honoured for their contribution to the socio-economic development of the island, this year’s national awards ceremony has been post-
poned to next year. In his address to the nation marking the independence celebrations, Skerrit said that the Dominica ‘is still standing” despite facing the “fiercest floods, the most fe-
rocious winds. “We are sorrow-stricken; we swallow hard, but it still catches in our throat; and we are still standing! Difficulties envelope every aspect of life, uncertainties swirl; and we are still standing! The outside world wondered aloud whether this is the kind of devastation from which you don’t recover. We are still standing. “We, the children of Dominica, have shown the world that disaster is finite; but, hope is infinite! Maria stole everything money can buy, everything you can put a price on; but left what you cannot but… that which is priceless! We will determine the value of those things through our actions in coming days and weeks. A moment comes, but rarely in history, when a nation’s soul is revealed” He told the Independence Day rally at the Windsor Park Stadium attended by thousands of people that how the island responds to the storm “will define us, will make us; will become us. “In this solemn moment, let us all, Dominicans who reside here or abroad, let us chose today to renew our pledge to the service of Dominica, her people and to all humanity. Let us together renew our pledge to
fight poverty and ignorance; build a prosperous, progressive nation; and to invest in institutions that safeguard justice and opportunity for all. “Our nation’s doubters will say what is the point of such a small country having such high ambition at such a low time like this? We say that the measure of the greatness of a nation is not its size or what it aims for in comfort, but what it strives for in crisis.” Skerrit said that the day following the hurricane he witnessed “total destruction” adding “I saw corrugated iron mangled and tossed aside, with everything else as if we had been ransacked by a giant burglar. “I sensed uncertainty spiralling. I smelled fear. I also breathed in the deep indefatigable determination of the vast majority of our people to carry on and stand up. When faced with grave danger humans have evolved an instinct to fight or flee. We chose to fight! We chose to rise”. He said he is confident that people who would have fled the island after the storm as they did in 1979 when Dominica was hit by Hurricane David, would soon return.
Saturday November 04, 2017
Boots All stars, Farm, Corriverton, Floodlights... (From page 31) 80 runs. Floodlights scored 191-5, taking first strike. Ramo Malone 59, Ramesh Narine 45 and Unnis Yusuf 28 were the principal scorers. V. Moonsammy took two wickets. Albion managed 111-9 in reply. Jagdesh Bhoj made 39; Ravi Lutchman had 3-16 and Clive Canterbury 3-23. Ontario Masters overcame NY President’s XI by 66 runs. Ontario Masters took first strike and mustered 1817. Jaimini Singh got 41, Brijmohan Harritar 29 and Shazam Baksh 22; Eric Jeffrey, Peter Persaud and Rudy Myers had two wickets apiece. NY President’s XI were bowled out for 115 in 16.5 overs in reply. Mohamed
Rafeek got 25 and M. Babb 18 not out. Baksh claimed 318, M. Singh 3-25 and Rajendra Parsnauth 2-17. NYSCL Masters trounced Marine Masters by 200 runs. NYSCL Masters rattled up 260-4, batting first. Ronald Khan slammed 100 and Ravi Sahadeo made 57. Marine Masters were bowled out for 60 in 13.1 overs in reply. R. khan grabbed 4-2. Floodlights beat NYSCL Masters by 28 runs. Floodlights scored 187-3, taking first knock. Jagdesh Persaud 47, Ramesh Narine 45 and Ramo Malone 44 were the leading batsmen; Richmond Fraser had 2-44. NYSCL Masters were restricted to 159-8 in response. Ravi Sahadeo
stroked 66 and Tony Fernandes 36; Jagdesh Persaud claimed 4-34, Narine 2-37 and Malone 2-39. Albion Masters defeated Ontario Masters by 21 runs. Batting first, Albion Masters managed 169 all out in 19 overs. K. Samaroo made 67, Heeraj Harris 31 and Jagdesh Baksh 22. Fazal Sahun had 336, Khemraj Budhai 2-9 and Terry Mathura 2-9. Ontario Masters got to 148-7 in reply. Bobby Parsnauth made 34, Josh Parsnauth and Shayam Baksh 25 each. Imran Hussain grabbed 4-25. Regal Masters and Mike’s Wellman won their other fixtures played in the afternoon. The competition continues today.
Saturday November 04, 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Sudden romantic encounters are quite likely, but discretion will be a must. Educational courses will be stimulating and successful. Your passionate nature may make you jealous if your mate has been too busy to take care of your needs. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Discuss your objectives with partners or peers. Don't let others bait you into arguments. You may experience financial loss if you don't use good judgment. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your ideas will be well received. Visitors may drop by unexpectedly, resulting in tension with your lover. Deception and doubts may surround your involvement with friends and relatives. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You may want to talk to your boss about your future goals. You can get into self awareness groups or look into physical enhancement programs. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) If you're in the mood, go out and socialize, or get involved in sports activities. You will have a little more energy than usual. Compromising could be on the agenda today. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your partner may be somewhat irritable today. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunities that exist. You can make a serious attempt at quitting those
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bad habits that you've picked up over the years. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Erratic behavior may confuse others, and mood swings may result in isolation. You could overreact to emotional situations regarding your relationship. You can help a close friend find solutions to personal problems. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may interest some of them in a service you have to offer. You can make financial gains through your unique and creative approach to business. Your partner may make you feel jealous and unloved. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Invite friends or relatives into your home. Entertainment should include your whole family. You will have to make some changes regarding your direction if you wish to keep on top of your career expectations. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may want to try your hand at a little creative writing. Don't let your boss get the better of you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Don't overreact to someone's advances. Don't confide in anyone for the time being. Be primed to use your intellect in order to get what you want. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You might get behind if you spend too much time debating senseless issues. Deception is probable if you don't use discrimination.
Law backs unchanged squad for NZ... (From page 29) Zealand as well. To bring someone else in or a number of players in, I don’t think would be a great move in the sense that we would have to start again with those players.” West Indies beat Zimbabwe in the first Test by 117 runs at the same venue almost two weeks ago but were frustrated on Thursday in their bid for a clean sweep when the hosts batted the entire day to force a stalemate. The Test win was their fourth in successive series, following a run of 11 matches without a single victory. They beat Pakistan in the final Test in Sharjah last November, trounced them again in Bridgetown in the second Test of the return home series in May before stunning England in the second Test at Headingley last August. Law, who took over the unit at the start of the year, said those results reflected a gelling of the current side and performances would only
get better if the unit were kept together. “The players we’ve got here, we’re starting to make strides, we’re starting to go forward. We competed very well in England [and] we’ve now come to Zimbabwe away from home and won a series.” Law argued. “I would think it would be great of we could keep the same group of guys together. Those guys who have struggled, in the next Test match they might be our heroes – they’ve got that type of ability.” Top order batsman Kyle Hope is perhaps one of the players whose place will come under scrutiny. The righthander managed 41 runs in six Test innings on the England tour, including scores of 3, 0, 0 and 1 in his last four outings. The Zimbabwe series saw no change of fortunes for the 28-year-old as he scraped together 60 runs from three innings. Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich’s place had also
come under the microscope following a poor England tour where he scored 24 runs from six Test innings and struggled with his glovework. He managed 11 and 12 in the first Test against Zimbabwe but then produced a maiden hundred in the second match, to ease the pressure. With New Zealand expected to be challenging series, Law reiterated the importance of resisting the “need to chop and change” at such an important time. “It’s a fine line. I understand that some people out there are saying we need to chop and change and do this,” he stressed. “But if we keep the same group together, we learn together and we start becoming one, we’ll start putting more results on the board.” West Indies are expected to travel to a preparation camp in Australia before heading to New Zealand for the series which bowls off with a three-day tour match on November 25.
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Saturday November 04, 2017
Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ G/town Zone starts Nov.22 -qualifiers to commence on Nov.17 As interest grows for the commencement of the 7th Edition of the local street futsal phenomenon labeled the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition, teams have intensified preparations in an effort to treat fans to a fantastic display. With the concentration of fans now focused on the shorter version, Organisers Banks DIH under its Guinness brand is promising to create an exciting and colourful atmosphere for supporters and teams. They’ve decided to outfit every team in the tournament with colourful uniforms from opening day, while the balls will also have a vibrant outlook and these new developments will occur for the first time. Three Peat Promotions who’ve been chosen by the Organisers to supervise this year’s Georgetown Zone has commenced an aggressive registration drive to have more teams participate in the qualifying phase set to be played over three days from November 17, at the
Meadow Brook Tarmac. Registration closes on November 16. The teams will be battling for 16 spots to join the 16 automatic choices for the November 22 start. The other confirmed playing dates are: November 23rd, 25th, 30th, December 2nd, 7th, 9th, and 14th with the grand final scheduled for Saturday 16th. The venues identified to host are Demerara Park, National Cultural Centre Ta r m a c , B u r n h a m Basketball Court, Albouystown Tarmac and the East Ruimveldt Tarmac. Winner of the overall event will walk-away with $500,000 and the championship trophy along w i t h a u t o m a t i c qualification for the National Playoffs. The runner-up, third and fourth placed finishers will receive $250,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively. Forms can be uplifted from Banks DIH Limited ‘Caesars Place’ D’Urban Street location or Referee
The action in this tournament promises its usual entertaining excitement that usually brings out the fans.
Coordinator Wayne Griffith on 697-7777 or Three Peat Promotions Rawle Welch on tele: 688-1776.
Mohamed’s Enterprise/New Era Entertainment 4th Futsal tourney kicks off in two weeks The fourth annual Mohamed’s Enterprise sponsored New Era Entertainment Futsal tournament was launched yesterday at Mohamed’s Enterprise Lombard Street business place. This year the competition will see a record 25 teams vying for a whopping total of $1million in cash and prizes with all the games set for the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court in Linden, from November 24th to December 26th. Out of the 25 teams, seven of those will be Georgetown based in the anticipated brutal straight
knockout format. The champion team is set to receive $500,000, the second place team will pick up $150,000, while third place is set to receive $50,000 and 4th finishers will be fashioned with a trophy. Nazar Mohamed, proprietor of Mohamed’s Enterprise, stated that his entity will continue their sponsorship for as long as possible, since sports, more so in the Linden community, holds a very special place for him. Mohamed’s involvement in football dates back to over 25 years, having been one of the
primary sponsors of the famed Kashif and Shanghai football tournament. Gold sponsor of the tournament that has been involved since the initial year, Cell Smart, through their representative Linden Gomes, expressed happiness to be associated with the tournament again, since Digicel is well-loved in the Linden community. Acting President of the Guyana Futsal Association ( G FA ) K e n r i c k N o e l , pointed out that this year, saw the most Futsal tournament being played, and it is only fitting that the New Era Tournament bring the curtains down on a fruitful year for the sport. S p a r t a B o s s , Meadowbrook, Customs, Bent Street and West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’ are among the city teams who will be participating in the event for the first time. Each match night they will be give-a-ways from Ansa Mcal Trading Company.
2017 COURTS Pee wee tournament
Semi Final action on today at Thirst Park The courts Pee wee football tournament resumes today with eight matches at the Banks DIH, Thirst Park ground inclusive of the semifinals. The first six games will be 5 t h to 16 t h placing encounters from 11:00hrs,
while the first semifinal between Sophia Primary and West Ruimveldt will begin at 13:15hrs and Enterprise Primary will clash with inaugural winners Marian Academy. Sophia Primary and Marian Academy that both
emerged from the group of death, which also saw twotime defending champions St. Angela’s being booted, are the favourites to contest the final which will be played next Friday. See the day’s complete fixtures below.
Kaieteur News
Saturday November 04, 2017
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Seaboard Marine, ReadyMix sponsorships for GMR&SC Race of Champions ReadyMix and Seaboard Marine are the latest two companies to join forces with the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) for their International Race of Champions. Both entities handed over sponsorship cheques to GMR&SC’s Saurica Singh at their respective offices signalling their elation to be on-board. Seaboard Marine’s Peter Peroune did the handing over on behalf of the shipping company, while ReadyMix Concrete had Kanhai Sewnarine, their Marketing Manager, doing the
pleasantries. A 27 race programme was unveiled recently which will encompass racing on both Saturday and Sunday, according to the GMR&SC. The club has confirmed the participation of two professional drift cars from Trinidad and Tobago, as well as, four SR-3 Radicals from Barbados, in addition to the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship (CMRC) competitors that are expected. Saturday, will be treated as just another race day, with adults being charged $1000 per entry and children 12 -18 being charged $500. On
ReadyMix Marketing Manager Kanhai Sewnarine hands over his sponsorship to GMR&SC’s Saurica Singh. Sunday, adults will be
ICC officials inspect National Stadium ahead of 2018 Women’s t/20 World Cup A team of officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC) arrived in Guyana yesterday and did inspections at the National Stadium, Providence, which is one of the potential venues for the 2018 Women’s T/20 World Cup that will be hosted by Cricket West Indies (CWI). The event will bowl off in one year’s time from November 3-24, featuring 23 matches between 10 teams playing in eight CWI member countries. ICC Media and Communication Manager Sami Ul Hassan explained that the officials are inspecting a total of 11 venues from the eight countries and some of the things they’re looking at will be from playing, broadcast, spectator and operational perspectives. Upon completion of the inspections, the ICC team of inspectors will submit their reports to CWI that will make the final decision on which venues will be used for the 2018 tournament, in a few weeks. Ul Hassan shared with Kaieteur Sport his satisfaction with a lot of the provisions at Guyana’s National Stadium and explained that, “The tournament is going to be extremely important to us (ICC) coming off the very successful 2017 50-over World Cup and the 2016 Women’s T/20 World Cup that saw packed stands.” Reigning t/20 world champions, West Indies women, will relish the home support and fans all around the world will have the
charged $2000 and children 12-18, $1000. Qualification will also be held on Saturday morning from 10:00hrs with races
Peter Peroune of Seaboard Marine presents the company’s support to the International Race of Champions. beginning from 14:00hrs. Scrutineering will take place on Thursday and Friday and before the qualification on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the club is organising weekend passes for those patrons desirous of viewing both days of action as well as VIP passes.
Regal businesses, Steve’s Jewelry, Minister Ramjattan bring cheer to Corentyne residents
Ruchika Rana, ICC Broadcast Production manager and Sami Ul Hasan, ICC Media and Communication Manager. opportunity to view every single match. Ruchika Rana, Broadcast Production manager of the ICC, stated that they were only scheduled to broadcast 10 games from the 2016 Women’s t/20 World Cup but they changed plans and televised all the games which was a good move because of the huge success of that and the following 50over tournament. She stated that production wise, all systems appear satisfactory at the Providence Stadium and hinted that next year’s event, which will be produced in Hi-definition, may see the inclusion of the umpire decision review system (DRS) along with spidercameras. Meanwhile, Marketing Manager of the Guyana Cricket Board, Raj Singh, in
an invited comment, shared with Kaieteur some of the additional work that needs to be completed to bring the Stadium up to standard for their successful bid to host some of the games in the 2018 tournament. “There is a lot of work that needs to be done inclusive of repairs on seating, installing of an electronic scoreboard and a big screen. The projected cost of all the works is an estimated US$150,000 and Government’s support will be very pivotal.” Along with Guyana, the other seven nations which will see their prospective venues inspected for an opportunity to host games in the 2018 Women’s t/20 World Cup are Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda and Grenada. (Calvin Chapman)
The ever popular Regal Stationary and Computer Supplies and Regal Sports along with the Steve’s Jewelry Establishment have been teaming up with Minister of National Security Khemraj Ramjattan to bring smiles to the faces of sports organisations and individuals. The two business entities through their proprietors Mahendra Hardyal of the Regal Business group and Steve Narain of Steve’s Jewellery have been house hold names in sports and charity ventures in Guyana. They recently joined hands with the overseas based Florida/Guyana Hope Charity Foundation and the l o c a l l y b a s e d Guyana/Florida Hope organisation in a number of recent charity events across Guyana. Now they have joined Minister Ramjattan on his Crusade to assists the less fortunate across Guyana. According to Minister Ramjattan, he was recently asked by Mr. Hardyal to assist in the worthwhile ventures and he readily agreed. “Knowing the gentlemen, I know they are into good things and I don’t regret one minute being on board with them,” the Minister said. Minister Ramjattan, who is also a well know attorney at law and a former all-round sports man especially in the
Promising Skeldon Community Center Cricket Club and Upper Corentyne all-rounder Sherwin Murray was also a beneficiary of the Minister’s and Regal and Steve’s Jewelery benevolence. area of cricket, recently donated a set of sports gear to the Scottsburg United Sports Club of Corriverton. The Minister said that the new strategy is to keep members of the community, especially youths gainfully occupied so there would be less idle time. He reasoned that if persons are assisted in getting involved in sports and community activities. There would be less idle time and opportunity for persons to be involved in all kinds of
Social Ills and Illicit activities. Among the items handed over were bats, balls, pads, gloves, guards, helmets, footballs, basketball, basketball rings, dominoes and chess. (Samuel Whyte)
Kaieteur News
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Saturday November 04, 2017
CWI Digicel Regional 4-Day C/Ships
Singh (119), Bramble (90), Rutherford put Jaguars in command By Sean Devers in St Lucia In association with Vnet Communications & Regal Stationary A magnificent 180-run fifth wicket stand between Vishaul Singh and Anthony Bramble, an explosive halfcentury from Sherfane Rutherford and the late afternoon wicket of Devon Smith put Guyana Jaguars in a commanding position on day two of the second round CWI Digicel Regional Four-Day Championship game against Windwards Volcanoes at the Daren Sammy Stadium yesterday. The 28-year-old Singh hit 11 fours from 252 balls in his responsible 119 and shared in a century stand with the 26-year-old Bramble who faced 162 balls and had 10 fours before falling 10 short of a maiden First-Class hundred, while Rutherford followed up his 6-32 with a shot filled 59ball 51 decorated with seven fours and four sixes as the Jaguars reached 357 all out replying the Volcanoes 153. Obed McCoy (3-56) and
Sherman Lewis (2-81) were the main wicket takers for Volcanoes who ended the day on 54-1 with Skipper Tyrone Teophile on 35 with five fours and a six and Kirk Edwards on 12 with their team still needing another 150 to avoid an innings defeat. Jaguars resumed on 1174 and Singh, who began the day on 34 and Bramble, who resumed on 12, both batted solidly with Bramble being the more dominant of the two. Lewis, McCoy and Ray Jordon all produced lively spells of quality fast bowling on a track which seemed to get better for batting but still had enough in it to keep the pacers interested, while the slow outfield did not give the batsmen value for their shots. In sunny conditions Singh reached his 11th firstclass fifty first, from 109 balls decorated with four fours with a tuck for a single, while Bramble pulled Lewis for a commanding seventh boundary. His seventh halfcentury at this level came from 74 balls. Singh used his feet to hit Shillingford sweetly past
Anthony Bramble faces Shane Shillingford yesterday during his century. (Sean Devers photo)
mid-off for four before gloriously cutting Jordon and square driving Audy Alexander to the backward point boundary, while Bramble smashed a couple off boundaries as they batted out the entire opening session yesterday without being separated. At Lunch Jaguars were 218-4 with Singh 79 and Bramble on 64 as the pair added 101 runs in the morning session with
Brusche’s Classic final
Georgetown’s Ravens fly against Linden’s Amelia’s Ward Jets tonight for $300,000 Colts meet Royals for third place The big question is can the Amelia’s Ward Jets retain their Brusche’s Classic title when they face Ravens in the final tonight at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court for the $300,000 winner’s purse. Jets, two years ago, were quarter-backed by the brilliance of their guest player Akeem Kanhai and newly acquired shooting guard Orin Rose who were the architects that gave the Linden town its first hold of the crown which had eluded them the previous four outings. Rose is arguably one of the most dangerous shooters around and with Kanhai, undoubtedly among the cleverest players in the land, they will have a ready unit which includes Adrian Webster, Nathan Saul and Joel Webster among others to put up a defence of worth tonight. It was Rose’s late surge
of shots from down town which capped a good fourth quarter game by Jets who romped home eventually by two points. However, the Jets would know that this Ravens’ side once again has great experience and led by the solid game of Ryan Stephney who has been in great form and Ryan Gullen who is one of the best shooting guard/forward around. They are joined by the young Dominic Vincent, the versatile Jermain Slater and high jumping Tyrone Hamid, all capable of playing Ravens into a winning position. The supporting game is for the third place which has $100,000 and that also is why this game between losing semifinalists Colts of Georgetown and Linden’s Victory Valley Royals, pre-tournament favourites, will not be an easy one to call.
sensible and attractive stroke-play. After the interval, the pair which joined forces at 88-4 when Chanderpaul Hemraj was caught behind off Shillingford, continued to play confidently until Bramble seemed to lose concentration and lofted Shillingford just over the head of mid-off for four after getting himself bogged off the previous deliveries. Bramble passed his previous best of 77, while Singh got closer to his first hundred in 12 innings since making an unbeaten 135 for West Indies X1 against Pakistan in April. But Bramble seemed to have developed a mental block as he approached uncharted waters and completely lost concentration; playing a few wild swipes at McCoy, who delivered an early Christmas gift and Bramble feasted on the juicy full toss stroking it to the cover boundary to take
him to 90. S i n g h p l a y e d Shillingford just short of cover when in the nineties before Bramble threw his wicket away when he lofted Jordon high to cover to leave the Jaguars on 263-5. First match centurion Kemo Paul (3) played a loose drive to mid-off and was removed by Teophile in the last over before Tea at 284-6 before Singh (117) and Sherfane Rutherford (1) saw Guyana to 287-6 at the break. After Tea, Singh pulled a long-hop from Teophile to short mid-wicket 301-7, while Rutherford got going with three boundaries off Shillingford and hit four more fours and two sixes off Teophile. Rutherford galloped to his maiden 50 but in the interest off getting as many batting points as possible was brilliantly taken at third man by Alexander upper cutting McCoy at 353-8 before Shillingford and
McCoy wrapped up the tail. When Volcanoes began their second innings, Te o p h i l e h i t R o m a r i o Shepherd for two fours, before they lost danger man Devon Smith for a duck as Keon Joseph struck at 10-1. Edwards got going with a boundary, while Teophile played three imperious drives of Joseph in the same over as the West Indies ‘A’ bowler over-pitched before he dumped Paul for six over long-off in his first over as the pair survived an excellent new ball spell from Joseph to see their team to the close. Scores: VOLCANOES 151 (Kavem Hodge 48, Gian Benjamin 24, Kirk Edwards 24; Sherfane Rutherford 632, Keemo Paul 2-28) and 54 for one (Tyrone Theophile 33 not out). JAGUARS 357 (Vishaul Singh 119, Anthony Bramble 90, Chanderpaul Hemraj 50; Obed McCoy 3-56, Tyrone Theophile 2-48).
Van Niekerk says knee surgery ‘successful’
Akeem Kanhai The championship winners this year will collect $300,000 and the right to be called Brusche’s Classic champions and the right to a two year reign. But the first game at 19.00hrs is between Colts and Royals and the final’s at 21:00hrs featuring Ravens of Georgetown and Linden’s defending champions Amelia’s Ward Jets.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — Olympic Games and world 400-metre champion Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa said Thursday that surgery on his right knee in the United States had been successful. “Successful op done and dusted. Rehab already started. Ready for the hard work ahead,” tweeted the 25year-old star. His agent, Peet van Zyl, said in a statement: “We are pleased to have received positive news from the d o c t o r, w h o s a y s t h e operation went well.
“Wayde had his first rehab session on Wednesday and it went well.” Van Niekerk suffered multiple knee tears last month playing in a celebrities’ touch rugby match, one of the curtainraisers to a South AfricaNew Zealand Test in Cape Town. The South African will undergo rehabilitation in Colorado town Vail, where the surgery was performed, and also in Qatar and South Africa. He could be sidelined for nine months, and among
events he is certain to miss is the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Australian Gold Coast. Van Niekerk won 400m gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics in 43.03 seconds, smashing a world record set by American Michael Johnson in 1999. He is the only athlete to run the 100m in under 10 seconds, the 200m in under 20 seconds, and the 400m in under 44 seconds. The South African had planned to compete in the 100m, 200m and 400m at the Commonwealth Games.
Saturday November 04, 2017
Kaieteur News
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GCB/DMLAS/NSC/NSSCL
Caribbean Junior Road Cycling Championships – Barbados
Mae’s Secondary and Bush Lot Secondary win
Meet the Team Guyana
The 2017/2018 Guyana Cricket Board/Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited/National Sport Commission/National Secondary School Cricket League (GCB/DMLAS/NSC/NSSCL) continued with matches being played in Georgetown and the East Coast of Demerara. Over at the MYO ground in Woolford Avenue, Mae’s Academy batted first and posted a competitive score of 146, before being all out off 16.4 of their allotted overs. Batting for Mae’s Yeudistir Persaud, top score with 44, Uslondeva Balogobin 14, Rafaan Azeez 16 and Ekram Ramdass 12. Bowling for St. Winifred Fizal, Hussain grabbed the superb figures 6-27, while Joshua Thompson took 3-12. In reply St. Winifred Secondary could only muster 68 all out in 11.1 overs. Joshua Thompson top scored with 23. Bowling for Mae’s, Triston Rodrigues took 4 top order wickets for just 5 runs, while Ushandeva Balgobin supported with 2-29. Mae’s Academy won by 78 runs. Over at the Bush Lot ground in West Berbice, Rosignol Secondary won the toss and elected to take first strike against Bush lot Secondary. However, Rosignol decision to bat proved futile, as they only managed to make 64 all out of 20.2 of their allotted 30 overs. Shakir Saffie and Antwane Alexander were the only two batsmen to meet double figures with 16 and 11 respectively. Bowling for Bush Lot, Hemraj Lalsa returned remarkable figures of 5 for 5, while Tamesh Persaud took 2 for 24. In reply, Bush Lot Secondary batted with much freedom and ease to reach 65 for 2 off just 7 overs. Marvan Prasad made 38 and Komal Brigmohan 10 not out. Bush Lot Secondary won by 8 wickets. Matches in the GCB/DMLAS/NSC/NSSCL continue on Monday on the East Coast of Demerara, where School Of The Nations compete with Queen’s College at the Ogle Ground and Bladen Hall will oppose Golden Grove at Enterprise ground. In Georgetown, Valmiki Vidyalaya will do battle with Mae’s at the GNIC, in Woolford Avenue. All matches commence from 11:00 hours.
Scorpions (431) vs Red Force 133-4 – 2nd day, 2nd round TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, replying to Jamaica Scorpions’ 431, were 133 for four in their first innings at the close on the second day of their second round match in the Regional four-day championship at the Brian Lara Stadium here yesterday.
Scores: SCORPIONS 431 (Fabian Allen 169 not out, Brandon King 98, Derval Green 29, Dennis Bulli 28; Bryan Charles 364, Roshon Primus 2-69, Imran Khan 2-127). RED FORCE 133 for four (Yannic Cariah 52 not out, Tion Webster 49 not out; Dervan Green 3-36).
Law backs unchanged squad for NZ tour B U L A W A Y O , Zimbabwe, CMC – If West Indies head coach Stuart Law had his way, the 15man squad which toured Zimbabwe would remain unchanged for the two-Test Test series in New Zealand starting later this month. The Australian told reporters here that the current group, retained from the England tour last August, were developing nicely as a unit and to make any changes would be
disruptive going forward. “I’ve made it pretty open and pretty clear to the chairman of selectors (Courtney Browne) and the selection panel that I think that this group we have together is worth working with,” Law said following the drawn second Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club here Thursday. “It’s a short turnaround between now and New (Continued on page 25)
By Franklin Wilson in Barbados In association with Queensway Security Service and Secure Innovations
&
Concepts
Inc.
Guyana will begin its quest for top honours at the 2017 edition of the Junior Caribbean Cycling
Championships being hosted by the Barbados Cycling Union under the auspices of the Caribbean Cycling Union. Kaieteur Sports is pleased to
present to you the team that would be seeking to emulate previous winners at this prestigious event for cyclists under the age of 18.
Name: Jonathan Ramshuchit Club: Trojan/PSL Age: 14 years Category: Juvenile Experience: Debut
Name: David Hicks Club: United We Stand Age: 14 year Category: Juvenile Experience: Debut
Name: Curtis Dey Club: Trojan – Berbice Age: 18 years Category: Junior Experience: Debut
Name: Nigel Duguid Jnr. Club: Unattached Age: 18 years Category: Junior Experience: Debut
Name: Briton John Club: United We Stand Age: 17 years Category: Junior Experience: Debut
Name: Steve Ramshuchit Club: Trojan/PSL Age:42 years Position: Manager – Debut
Kaieteur News
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Saturday November 04, 2017
Guyana hockey men and women off to CAC qualifier The Guyana Hockey Board has selected 16 females and 17 males to participate in the upcoming qualifiers f o r t h e Central American & Caribbean Games 2018 b e i n g h e l d i n K i n g s t o n , J a m a i ca. The qualifiers are being held at the Mona Complex in Kingston from tomorrow, Sunday 5th to 12th November and will feature both male and female c o m p e t i t i o n s simultaneously. As a result of their absence from international outdoor competition recently, Guyana finds both its teams vying for the final two places in the CAC Games with those spots going to the top two finishers of the qualifiers. The men’s team last competed in international competition when they narrowly missed silver medals in the Pan Am Challenge held in Peru in 2015. In this qualifier, they will face challenges from hosts Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Panama. The women last competed in the CAC games
Guyanese sweeper Ulrica Sutherland (green shirt) wins her duel with a Jamaican striker.
Jamarj Assanah controls the ball for Guyana against Puerto Rico. of 2014 in Vera Cruz, Mexico where they finished 6th of eight teams. Qualifier hosts Jamaica, will be looking to avenge their penalty shootout loss to Guyana at the last games, while Bermuda, Guatemala, Panama and Puerto Rico have also entered the competition. The teams travel to Jamaica today on Fly Jamaica and the airline has provided part sponsorship through a special discounted package offer to the teams. The full schedule of
matches in local time are as follows: 5th Nov Men – vs. Puerto Rico at 7:30AM Women – vs. Panama at 11:30PM 6th Nov Women – vs Puerto Rico at 11:30PM 7th Nov Rest day 8th Nov Women – vs Jamaica at 11:30PM Men – vs Guatemala at 1:30PM 9th Nov
Women – vs Bermuda at 9:30AM Men – vs Panama at 1:30PM 10th Nov Rest day 11th Nov Women – vs Guatemala at 7:00AM Men – vs Jamaica at 3:00PM 12th Nov Final placement matches Matches will be streaming live on www.panamhockey.org The teams are: Men’s Team
Manager – Hubert Forrester Coach – Robert Fernandes Players – Jamarj Assanah, Aroydy Branford, Rayon Branford, Hilton Chester, Marvin Dannett, Robert France, Jael Gaskin, Randy Hope, Kareem McKenzie, Mark Sargeant, Meshach Sargeant, Medroy Scotland, Dwayne Scott, Orland Semple, Andrew Stewart, David Williams, Steven Xavier. Women’s Team Manager – Latoya
Fordyce Coach – Philip Fernandes Videographer – Dwayne Alleyne Players – Maria Munroe, Shebiki Baptiste, Latacia Chung, Minsodia Culpepper, Ashley DeGroot, Nicole Eastman, Kerensa Fernandes, Marisha Fernandes, Marzana Feidtkou, Tamala Glenn, Aliuyah Gordon, Briawna Gordon, Bushani Kaladeen, Ulrica Sutherland, Trisha Wo o d r o f f e , G a b r i e l l a Xavier.
Caribbean Junior Road Cycling Championships – Barbados
Guyana has a chance like every other country – Manager Ramshuchit By Franklin Wilson in Barbados In association with Queensway Security Service and Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc. Manager of the Guyana Team that would be hunting for medals at this year’s Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships here in Barbados, Steve Ramshuchit, is of the view that his charges have a chance to finish on the podium just like any other country represented here in the Land of the Flying Fish. Speaking with Kaieteur Sport last night from the team hotel, Tropical Winds in St. Phillips, Ramshuchit noted that once the riders stick to team plans and execute as they have discussed, Guyana will do well. ”Our guys are all in good shape and they have been competing consistently during this ongoing season.
From right, Horace Burrowes, Nigel Duguid, Curtis Dey, Briton John, Jonathan Ramshuchit, David Hicks and Steve Ramshuchit yesterday. They have all held their own at the national championships and are all eager to do well for themselves and country. One challenge might be the steep climbs along the course but even with such a
challenge, I am of the firm view that we will hold our own and compete with the rest of the Caribbean members here.” Kaieteur Sport understands that close to a dozen countries will be
facing starters orders and only three (3) females would be in contention. Fourteen year-old Jonathan Ramshuchit will be contesting the Juvenile Time Trials today as will Junior’s, Curtis Dey and
Briton John. As is the norm at these championships, the other nations will be looking strongly at the Guyanese riders despite the fact that they are all making their respective debuts at this
level. Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) President Horace Burrowes who is also in Barbados to lend support commented: “I am really, really proud of these guys and the fact that the respective clubs would have been able to step up and ensure they are here. The federation has been doing its best to get top quality exposure for these talented lads and will continue to do so. Like the Manager, I am also confident that we will do very well this year.” Burrowes also extended gratitude to all the parents of the riders who also played their part in ensuring that they allowed them to compete not only here but all through the season. Race time today is 08:00hrs, while the Road Race tomorrow will also pedal off at 08:00hrs when all five cyclists will be in action.
Kaieteur News
Saturday November 04, 2017
GFSCA Guyana Cup 7
Ganesh Mangal
Boots All stars, Farm, Corriverton, Floodlights, Regal Masters, Mike’s Wellman in driver’s seat
Roy Persaud
Ravindra Ramnauth
Persaud, Khan slam tons, Mangal grabs 6 By Zaheer Mohamed Boots All stars, Farm and Corriverton have played unbeaten in the Open
PAGE 33
category, while in the Masters segment, Floodlights, Regal Masters and Mike’s Wellman made strong claims for places in
the final four when the Guyana Floodlight Softball Cricket Association Guyana Cup 7 commenced yesterday in Georgetown.
Troy Gobin In the Open division at Eve Leary, Boots All stars beat Speedboat by 17 runs. Boots All stars took first strike and scored 136-7. Jonathan Fernandes made 31
World Archery Barbados’ Coaches arrive in Guyana to assist the sport here
Ms. London from the Department of Tourism, Ministry of Business presents the Welcome Bag to Ms. Rebecca Wiltshire of World Archery Barbados. Looking on from left are Ms. Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, Mr. Ronald Field, Mr. Thomas Field and Mr. Dwayne Grovesnor. Pursuant to the recent collaboration between the two regional entities, both of which are duly affiliated to the international governing body, World Archery Federation and World Archery Americas, World Archery Barbados made the necessary arrangements to provide Archery Guyana with the assistance of four (4) coaches, intended to aid in the further development of local Archers. Mr. Ronald Field, Mr. Thomas Field, Ms. Rebecca Wiltshire and Mr. Dwayne Grovesnor arrived yesterday afternoon to conduct coaching/training sessions
with Archery Guyana this weekend. President Richard Morris of World Archery Barbados noted that, “As we seek to strengthen relations between Federations, WAB takes this opportunity to wish Archery Guyana the best of luck with the training session, and looks forward to receiving some positive feedback from this and future collaborations.” President of Archery Guyana, Mrs. Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, expressed delight to have the Coaches here in Guyana as she welcomed them, she
noted that Mr. Dwayne Grovesnor also happens to be a Guyanese living in Barbados and she is happy to have him back home to help his country. Mrs. Persaud-McKinnon hopes that in the near future our Guyanese Archers can travel regionally and internationally to participate in competitions. Another successful collaboration was made with the Department of Tourism, Ministry of Business and Archery Guyana. It is envisioned that Guyana can host major regional competitions which is an area which will
tremendously boost Guyana’s visibility and encourage sports tourism. Present also to greet the Coaches was Ms. Lizanne L o n d o n , t h e To u r i s m Development Officer (Public Relations) of the Ministry of Business Department of Tourism who presented the Coaches with a welcome bag. Coaching sessions will be both Indoor starting this evening at the National Gymnasium from 5:00pm to 8:00pm and Outdoor Archery at the Carifesta Sports Complex on Sunday from 2:30pm to 5:30pm.
Mahase Chunilall and Brian Mangar 21; Mark Harold claimed 4-29 and Kishore Smith 2-20. Speedboat were limited to 111-9 in reply. Anand Bharat made 38 and Greg Singh 37; Fernandes had 3-21, C. Ramdhanie 2-13 and Yodhanlall Sooklall 2-33. Corriverton defeated Amazon by 115 runs. Corriverton batted first and posted 236 all out in 20 overs. Eon Hooper struck 55, J. Diaram 47, A. Narine 42 and K. Sobhai 22; R. Narine took 2-7. Amazon were bowled out for 121 in 18.3 overs in reply. Anthony Ifill made 32 and Ganesh Mangal 23. David Lukenauth snared 3-24 and Hooper 2-12. Boots All stars overcame Ontario SCL All stars by 60 runs. Boots All stars managed 104 all out in 15.4 overs, taking first strike. Ejaz Mohamed made 24 and D. Williams 15; Amir Khan claimed 4-28, Amit Pooran 2-6 and Steve Ramdass 2-21. Ontario SCL All stars were sent packing for 44 in 15 o v e r s i n r e p l y. Tr o y Gonsalves got 15 as Roy Persaud picked up 3-11, Yodhanlall Sooklall 2-4 and A. Sookdeo 2-10. Farm XI got the better of Amazon by 129 runs. Farm XI batted first and posted 203-9 with Ravindra Ramnauth scoring 54, Quazie Yusuf 29, Rajesh Reddy 24 and Sheldon Adams 23. Ganesh Mangal bagged 6-32. Amazon were bowled out for 74 in 13.5 overs in reply. Adams had 311. At GDF, Corriverton beat NYSCL All stars by 40 runs. Corriverton took first strike and scored 125 all out. Delbert Hicks and David Lukenauth made 35 and 22 respectively as J. Wessel and A. Singh captured three wickets each. NYSCL All stars made 85 all out in reply. A. Singh got 20 and
Lloyd Ruplall Lukenauth grabbed 4-10 while A. Narine, Eon Hooper and K. Gangaram had two each. At GDF, NY Hustlers beat Tristate by nine wickets. Tristate batted first and got to 120 all out in 20 overs. R. Mathura made 20. NY Hustlers scored 124-1 in 19 overs in reply. Troy Gobin stroked 52 and Debo Sankar 46. Regal Masters defeated Parika Defenders by nine wickets. Parika Defenders took first turn in the middle and were bowled out for 89 in 19 overs. Lalchand Madhu led with 42 as Raymond Harper grabbed 3-8, Parsram Persaud 2-8 and Laurie Singh 2-23. Regal Masters replied with 90-1 in 10.1 overs. Mahase Chunilall made 48 and Mahendra Hardyal 32. Parika Defenders thumped Tristate by 137 runs. Parika Defenders piled up 214-8, batting first. Oswald Chandler smashed 83. A. DeRoop 52 and S. Mohamed 30. Tristate were skittled for 77 in 17 overs in reply. K. Baksh had 3-24. At GCC, Wellman beat Savage by four runs. Wellman took first strike and got to 156-4 with Lloyd Ruplall getting 74 and Wayne Jones 28. Savage were restricted to 152-6 in reply. Seemangal Yadram made 44, Seeraj Bhimsain 40 and Kennard Luke 24. Paul Premchand had 2-28 and Lester Thom 2-31. Fisherman XI beat Orlando SCL Masters by 73 runs. Fisherman XI batted first and rattled up 208-3. B. Persaud hammered 103, Robert Mohan 46 and S. Budhoo 32. Orlando SCL Masters were limited to 1359 in reply. W. Layne made 53; P. Singh had 3-13. At DCC, Floodlights defeated Albion Masters by (Continued on page 25)
t r o Sp ICC officials inspect National Stadium ahead of 2018 Women’s t/20 World Cup
The ICC team of inspectors along with Guyana Cricket Board officials during yesterday’s proceedings.
Mohamed’s Enterprise/New Era Entertainment 4th Futsal tourney kicks off in two weeks
New Era Entertainment representative Andrew Major (third left) receives the sponsorship cheque and first place trophy from owner of Mohamed’s Enterprise, Nazar Mohamed in the presence of other officials.
CWI Digicel Regional 4-Day C/Ships
Caribbean Junior Road Cycling Championships – Barbados
Guyana has a chance like every Singh (119), Bramble (90), Rutherford put Jaguars in command other country – Manager Ramshuchit Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210