Kaieteur News

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Civil Society Saturday Edition NEWS demands oversight role in Oil & Gas sector AIETEUR

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November 09, 2019 - Vol. 13 No. 44

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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

Price $80

…says current state of unreadiness a matter of major concern

Online readership yesterday 119,159

650,000+ registered to vote in upcoming elections p.

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… Former Chief Election Officers of Canada, India, Ghana to advise GECOM

GPL's board reverses decision to sack two directors

Anonth Boodridge (left) and O'Brian Fraser

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Probe launched after soldier's body recovered p. from New River 13 Brazil's former President Lula released from jail p. after court ruling 24

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gestures after being released from prison, in Curitiba, Brazil yesterday. REUTERS/Rodolfo Buhrer

Accused pirates charged with murders of four fishermen p.

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Irfaan Ali wants Jagdeo as his Vice President p.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday November 09, 2019

Accused pirates charged with murders of four fishermen

Anonth Boodridge (left) and O'Brian Fraser

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he two men who were captured by S u r i n a m e authorities and handed over to law enforcement officers in Guyana, yesterday appeared at the Albion Magistrate's Court to answer to the charge of murder committed on four fishermen.

O'Brian Fraser of Epsom Vi l l a g e a n d A n o n t h Boodridge of Belvedere Village, Corentyne, Berbice, stood before Magistrate Renita Singh. The charge read that the men, between October 5th and 6th, murdered Kawal Ajai Kissoon, Vishnu Seeram, Lamar Petrie and Marvin Tamasar, in Corentyne waters.

They were not required to plead to the indictable charge and were remanded to prison until the 14th November, when they will make their second appearance at the Whim Magistrate's Court, with the three other men that were previously charged for the said crime.

Fraser and Boodridge, before being handed over to local authorities, were charged in Suriname for an immigration offence.

The men are accused of attacking the SARA-1 fishing vessel with crewmen Kawal Ajai Kissoon, Marvin Tamasar, Lamar Petrie and captained by Vishnu Seeram c a l l e d " K e v i n " approximately 8 miles from

the Number 58 foreshore.

Fraser and Boodridge in the company of three others, Narine Dhanraj aka "ChuChu-bai, Suresh Sumdatt aka "Buckman and Lennox Grimmond called "Breeze" are accused of attacking the vessel, chopping the men, tying them up, and dumping them overboard before stealing their fish that was caught. Dhanraj, Sumdatt and Grimmond were charged with murder and remanded to prison.

On October 5th 2019, the four fishermen set out to work at sea for two weeks but were instead attacked by men who were on another boat.

They were killed and dumped overboard after they put up a fight for their fish. A week later a bound body washed up on the Abary shore, two days later police in Berbice visited the homes of the families to inform them that a boat was found along the Wellington Park foreshore, and just a few days later another bound body washed up at the Abary shore. The remains were identified as those of Lamar Petrie and Kawal Ajai Kissoon by their relatives, while the two other fishermen - Marvin Tamasar and Vishnu Seeram - remain missing.

A post mortem examination conducted on the bodies revealed that they died from drowning and blunt trauma to the head.

Saturday November 09, 2019

Kaieteur News

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GPL's board reverses decision to sack two directors T

he Board of Directors for the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has reversed a decision to sack two senior executives earlier this week.

Ye s t e r d a y, d u r i n g a n emergency meeting of the board, a motion was tabled to have the men reinstated.

However, it was reported, at least two directors wanted the men gone.

Sacked earlier this week were Human Resources Director, Bal Persaud, and Deputy Chief Executive Officer with responsibility for administration, Renford

Homer.

A few members of the board, who said that they were in the dark, had requested that an urgent board meeting be convened, as they were not aware of the decisions.

It was disclosed yesterday, by GPL sources, that the Chief Executive Officer, Albert Gordon, will now have to recall the two executives, who were also board members.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure, which has charge of the power sector, had said it was unaware of the decision, according to officials familiar with the

situation.

Reportedly asked to hand over his keys and Nissan Xtrail vehicle on Thursday was Persaud. His contract would have been expiring in December.

He was reportedly summoned to the CEO's office and handed a letter ending his contract.

Homer, who performed the CEO's functions for months before Gordon, a Jamaican, was hired, did not have a contract, as this had expired a few months ago.

Sources disclosed that on Wednesday, GPL Chairman, Rawle Lucas, wrote Board members and informed them

GPL Chairman, Rawle Lucas that based on the advice of the CEO, a decision had been

Guyana gets US$1.7M to develop low-emission energy technologies

G

uyana, through the Office of Climate Change (OCC), has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to implement a project titled the “Mainstreaming Low Emissions Technologies to build Guyana's Green Economy,” by way of US$1.7M financing from the GEF. While the grant was facilitated by the OCC, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, through the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL), the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and the Hinterland Electrification Company, are the main implementation partners.

At the opening of the Project Inception Workshop, held on Thursday morning at the Pegasus Hotel, Head of the OCC, Ms. Janelle Christian said the 'The Low Emissions Project' aims to accelerate the uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies to reduce national dependency on imported fossil fuels and support Guyana on its path towards more decentralized, inclusive and resilient development.

The Project is designed to address the barriers in Guyana's energy sector in order to develop reliable and efficient low emission energy systems that are required for building a

'green' state.

Christian noted that in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement in 2015, Guyana committed to eliminating its dependence on fossil fuels for power generation by developing an energy mix consisting of wind, solar, biomass and hydropower to supply both the demand of the national g r i d s a n d t h e e n e rg y requirements for towns and villages in the country's hinterland.

However, for this vision to be realized, there are several enabling conditions which must be put in place, including the right legislative, policy and institutional framework complemented by technological and human capacity support. Through collaboration with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and its sub agencies, the OCC and the U N D P, G u y a n a w a s successful in its proposal to the GEF. Under the recently crafted development agenda, “Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040”, Guyana has further articulated its renewable energy ambitions, in accordance with its international commitments.

“Having made this commitment, it was necessary to identify a roadmap to get there. We knew that there were some barriers that had to be addressed, since a shift had

to be made from pilot-type initiatives to investment projects of scale. The OCC partnered with the UNDP to access the GEF funds under the allocation for climate change, which is in keeping with Office's mandate to unlock support, whether through the mobilization of finance, technology transfer

or capacity building, in the furtherance of our national climate change ambitions.

Today is the Inception Workshop, which will trigger the actual implementation of actions on the ground by the relevant agencies,” she said.

The Project will look at (continued on page 14)

Director of Human Resources, Bal Persaud

Deputy CEO, Renford Homer

taken not to renew the contracts of the two officials.

One member questioned whether the decisions were in keeping with the proper procedures.

One official told Kaieteur News that one thing is sure - there was no meeting of the Board of Directors to okay the decisions.

GPL has been coming under fire for decades now for failure to halt the blackout plague due to generator failures as well as transmission and distribution problems.

As recent as over the weekend, the state-owned company announced that it had ran out of fuel, forcing a

decision to cut power to several communities on the coastland.

GPL blamed the problem on a delay in a fuel shipment of Heavy Fuel Oil. The company has been asking for over US$100M to solve generation problems and fix other faults in the medium term.

Government has said that it is looking at natural gas from its oil fields and renewable energy in the long term to fulfill its energy needs.

In the case of GPL, under consecutive administrations, the company has been rated as the worst utility in terms of service.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday November 09, 2019

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

To the Guyana Robotics team – a hearty thank you The thinking was that there was going to be a round of cheering. A long and loud round for the local robotic team that did so well in Dubai and made us so proud here in little Guyana. That placement in the upper 25% of participants in an international tussle does say something about what we have among the homebred. It is a group that bears watching, as they could be going places.

Yet, from all indications, the response here has been ho-hum, one prolonged yawning and yearning (The First Lady’s recognition notwithstanding) for one of the few exciting developments in Guyana.

Truth be told, exciting would be the sexy games that mesmerize, like the thrill of a chair selection, the herkyjerky of a list that lists to starboard and then port, clear as day for a time, then cobwebbed in tense murkiness, and all the while an endless series of appeals to one tribunal after another.

It is judicial window-shopping in action and, in the hope, that, sooner or later, the jackpot will be found, through stumbling upon a bargain that is deemed favourable. It is a numbers game: the more rolls of the appeals dice, the better the chance of the success pursued.

Those are the things that engage and enthrall Guyanese round the clock. The few things that are positive do not register on the scale of interest, not even a rare good thing, not even an extraordinary happening, like competing with the better-equipped, the bigger dogs, and holding own in sterling fashion. The Guyanese robotic team’s performance is like a tree falling in the deep forest with nothing stirred, nothing noticed, nothing that means something. Sad! Regrettable as to how much we have diminished, keep fading, when our champions -young, industrious, talented - go begging into the night. Unheralded and largely unrecognized for what was a singular achievement. Thus, educational strivers, our scientific and technological pioneers languish. On the other hand, and as a grotesque example of how depraved this nation has become, political people who have made losers of land and layman stand as lauded heroes, are slavishly followed, and every utterance and deed swallowed and digested, as though they possessed mystical powers. It is a fiercely competitive crowd of the tribally and socially robotic that is bound to finish in the top 1% of any competition, against universal comers.When the craven can command centre stage, the untouched criminally successful lecture us about visions and principle and ethics, then there should be realization as to the darkness that now blankets this land.

Where does this leave our internationally tested overachievers? What pride of place do they have here?

What priority of opportunity is theirs for the asking, so that they be, not in the first 25%, but in the very first one?

The talents and skills are there; the energies, efforts and applications are there. They need patient encouraging and should be used as poster children, as to what aptitude and determination can deliver, possibly lead. The world of Guyana should be at their feet: scholarships from now, facilities upgraded, guidance streamlined. It appears that we are too busy campaigning, mauling each other on social media, or counting the oil chickens before they rush to the fore.The success of the few, a major first, could be leveraged to attract other youngsters of like mind and aptitude. From the group that starred in Dubai, a pantheon of promise could be thought of, pursued vigorously, and then set free to work the magic of their individual and collective versatility, the cerebral and hands-on unfolding of visions that only they can see. Six can become sixty, and if so, then why not six hundred? Oil needs science and engineering.

Guyanese parents don’t have to go overseas to give their children a piece of that dream. The dream lives right here through positioning them, pointing them, preparing them, pushing them, so that these children thrive. They are our own homegrown laboratory characterized by endless experimentation in varying stages of motion. To the Guyana Robotics team - thank you. Thanks for making us proud. Nicely done!

WHOSE OIL IS IT?

DEAR EDITOR, Where in the Stabroek petroleum agreement is it stated that the oil companies receive 98% of revenues per month?

On Thursday November 7th, 2019, the press reported that the Exxon will take the first three liftings of oil. The press indicated each lifting is one million barrels. Assuming oil price per barrel of US$60, the total value of oil removed from Guyana’s waters will be US$180 million.

In the press report, it stated Guyana would only receive 2% of the revenues from these first 3 liftings. That

is about US$3.6 million.

But what doesn’t compute is the implied cost of 98%. According to the contract, the cost should only be a maximum of 75% of revenue per month. Then, there is the 50/50 profit sharing.

If oil extraction is projected to start in December and Guyana’s lift of oil is slated for March, then the 2% paid to Guyana seems to contradict Article 11 section 11.3 of the Stabroek Petroleum Agreement.

Here is the snippet from Article 11: “All Recoverable Contract Costs incurred by the Contractor shall, …, lim-

ited in any Month to an amount which equals seventy-five percent (75%) of the total production from the Contract Area for such Month excluding any Crude Oil and/ or Natural Gas used in Petroleum Operations or which is lost.”

A searchable copy of the contract can be found here: http://www.oggn.website/ wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ Oct2016-PetroleumAgreement.docx That should mean Guyana receives a minimum of 14.25% per month. Can the Government of Guyana explain if, when, and how we would re-

ceive the missing 12.25%, about US$22.5 million, on these first 3 million barrels of oil?The optics of these first extracts gives the impression the oil is owned by the oil companies not Guyana.

The Government of Guyana should indicate where in Stabroek Petroleum Agreement it states that the oil companies receive 98% of revenues in any month?

When an entity takes a 98% share of the pie for all reasonable purposes it is theirs. Is the oil ours or the oil companies?

Darshanand Khusial …On behalf of OGGN

THE BLOATED LIST BEGAN UNDER PPP/C DEAR EDITOR, In his article ‘Showdown seems to be looming over voters list and use of id cards:’ (KN: 07/11/2019), Mr. Clement Rohee made quite misleading references to me to which I need to respond. I could associate myself with his contention that any electoral list deemed unacceptable by opposition parties is unlikely to lead to free and fair elections but I need to add that the list must be acceptable to all parties particularly the major ones.

Also, in the current situation where the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is largely the constitutional agent of the two larger parties this position, which speaks directly of the parties, is muted for, with very few exceptions, in any binding arbitration/adjudication whether or not the parties believe that the court decisions are just, they must adhere to them.

With this as a background, Mr. Rohee stated that “Henry Jeffrey is wrong to link unclaimed ID cards to multiple voting.”

Jeffrey did not link ID cards with multiple voting; he linked a bloated list with multiple voting and it is Rohee that alarmingly failed to grasp my position. So let me briefly restate it for the public he may have unwittingly misled.

I claimed that in dealing with social issues, delivering justice has been my major concern. GECOM believes that the elections list is bloated and over 25,000 persons need to be removed from it.

How GECOM came to that conclusion or intends to solve it is not my concern, but as Mr. Rohee said, free and fair elections depend upon a clean list acceptable to the parties, and as such the bloat should be removed.

Indeed, it could have and should have long been removed but instead was left to grow under the PPP/C regime.

Now, placed in a position by the Caribbean Court of Justice and GECOM to deal with this clearly unacceptable situation, the PPP/C is using its parliamentary position to maintain the status quo.

This suggests that it benefitted from the development and maintenance of a condition that could and possibly did lead to electoral fraud that diminished the constitutional rights of all Guyanese. Justice demands that GECOM deprive the PPP/C of any opportunity to benefit from this insidious position. If it loses the 2020 elections and takes to the courts, the ‘clean hands doctrine’ is also likely to lose.

Mr. Rohee also said that Jeffrey ‘asserts that the PPP is opposing the matter with ‘unclean hands’ yet he fails

to point to those of the APNU+AFC which began to decay and rot since December 2018.’

Again Mr. Rohee fails to grasp what is clearly before him. Jeffrey did not say that the PPP is opposing the matter with ‘unclean hands’; what I said is that if the PPP lose the coming elections and approach the courts, its behaviour will most likely lead to its losing the case based upon the clean hands doctrine.

I did also suggest that the events of December 2019 may have been an effort of the PPP/C to maintain the bloated status quo and as such that event should be viewed as merely an aspect of a PPP/C plan that has gone badly wrong.

In this context it would appear that the decay and rot of which Mr. Rohee spoke began long ago under the PPP regime and has little to do with APNU+AFC. Also, let me make it clear that whether or not the PPP/ C actually benefitted, the bloat began under its watch.

It may have benefitted from it; it failed to dismantle it and even when this clearly unacceptable situation was brought to its attention by GECOM, the body it established, it refused to participate in its removal!

I believe that this is enough to leave sufficient doubt in the mind of any objective observer as to the cleanliness of the hands of the PPP/C in this matter.

Henry B Jeffrey

Lowenfield cannot serve 2 masters DEAR EDITOR, It is public knowledge that the Attorney General filed an appeal to the Guyana Court of Appeal against the decision of Chief Justice (ag) Roxanne George, in the legal challenge filed in the High Court by Christopher Ram, challenging, inter alia, the house-to-house registration exercise commenced and later aborted by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Currently, an Application for a Stay of Execution of the Chief Justice’s Ruling is pending before the Court of Appeal.

Having regard to the fact that GECOM is piloting Guyana’s electoral machinery in preparation for elections announced by putative President, Mr. David Granger, to be held on the 2nd March 2020, and with the process far advanced towards the preparation of an Official List of Electors (OLE), the reason and rationale for this appeal and the Application for a Stay of Execution must bewilder the rationale mind.

For if successful, the house-to-house registration

exercise will, presumably, resume and names from the National Register of Registrants (NRR) would be removed on the ground of residency. To facilitate the implementation of such a Court Ruling, expectedly, all preparations for a 2nd March 2020 polls would have to be halted and start all over again.

That this concatenation of events is exceptionally preposterous, if not incomprehensible, must be clear to all, except of course, the Attorney General, known to orbit in his own peculiar world.

What is equally reprehensible is the duplicitous role being played by Keith Lowenfield. Holding the two pivotal offices of the Commissioner of Registration and that of Chief Elections Officer (CEO), the laws of this land concatenate to place Mr. Lowenfield in the driving seat of Guyana’s electoral machinery, as the executor of decisions of the Commission, as well as the statutory Czar of the entire electoral network.

In short, it is Mr. Lowenfield, who is the architect of all the preparatory

works being done for the 2020 elections, as prescribed by law.

On the other hand, on the 5th day of November 2019, in the very appeal filed by the Attorney General, Mr. Lowenfield, who is not even an Appellant in the proceedings, swears a 24 pages Affidavit comprising of 57 paragraphs, mirroring and supporting the positions of the Attorney General, who is seeking a Stay of Execution of the Chief Justice’s Ruling, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

In effect, Mr. Lowenfield is advocating for the houseto-house registration exercise to resume and for names to be removed from the NRR on the ground of residency.

In that Affidavit, the position articulated by Mr. Lowenfield, under oath, and his posture in the proceedings as a whole, place him on a collision course, not only with the Commission, as it discharges its constitutional responsibilities, but also with Lowenfield, himself, in the discharge of his statutory (Continued on page 6)

Saturday November 09, 2019

TIME FOR A NATIONAL TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION INTERVENTION DEAR EDITOR, A letter and a news item published in a local newspaper moved me to pen this missive to suggest that the time is nigh for consensus by elected officials for a National Truth and Reconciliation intervention.

The letter by my friend Earl John was printed on October 30, 2019 under the caption “I will smash a glass in Vybert Young Kong’s memory”.

Earl wrote: “There was the turbulent year of 1964 when an industry-wide strike also struck a rage of fires across the estates of the sugar industry…The coastline was lit up by fires almost every night, and one could see from Blairmont the reddened sky along the East Coast of Demerara...In that year, in addition to several thousands of acres of cane being burnt, along with dozens of houses of workers of both ethnicities, was the memorably tragic termination of one hundred and forty two lives. 1964 was a year of such hostility amongst ethnic communities.”

Earl alluded to a sordid period of racially motivated destruction and killings in 1962 to 1964.

My research suggests the disturbances started around January 31, 1962 following the “Kaldor” budget; and continued: February 16 black Friday; May 25th, 1964 “Wismar Massacre”; June 12, 1964 “Sun Chapman Explosion”; July 6, ghastly murder of the Abrahams family; to name a few.

Persons still alive and may be able to provide firsthand information concerning this period, if willing, include:Ashton Chase O.E, Hamilton Green O.R, Miles Fitzpatrick C.C.H, Llewellyn John CCH, Elder Eusi Kwayana, Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento A.A, Harripersaud Nokta C.C.H, and Clement Rohee.

The news item referenced earlier appeared on November

4, 2019.

It announced an upcoming publication of an investigation outcome into “those who died in the violence following Camp St. jailbreak”.

It states: “For more than 15 years, the number of persons who died in the violence that followed the February 23rd, 2002 Camp Street jailbreak and the circumstances of their deaths have been the sources of heated disputation.

As part of a public service journalism project to shed more light on that period, another newspaper has compiled from its archives a list of persons killed between February 23, 2002 and September 2006, their photographs where available and basic facts surrounding their cases… It is hoped that this record will aid in fact-based discussion of that period.”

Editor, there are numerous stories about atrocities committed during 1962- 64, and 2002-2006. Because of my physical attributes and surroundings, my exposure to such wrongs would be skewed through lens inflicted on persons of my ilk.

This is equally likely to be the case for others who don’t look like me (same for social media exposure). I believe those soon-to-be-published details of persons who died between 2002 and 2006, though informative and edifying, could evoke divisive sentiments within our politically charged, hypersensitive environment at a time when we are on the cusp of being catapulted to reap the fruits

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Kaieteur News

of an economic prosperous country.

Unfortunately, we haven’t shaken off vestiges of the societal deliberately destabilizing ‘divide and rule’ tactic employed by our colonial masters. And it will be naive not to assume that a morphed version of imperialism ‘chomping at the bit’ with vested material interest in this El Dorado resurgence wouldn’t be inclined and committed to devise strategies to guarantee sustained economic dominance.

In a similar way, colonialism promoted and protected the landed gentry.

I submit that our ethnically divisive culture can provide fertile breathing ground for such stratagem to perpetuate to our disadvantage.

The writing is on the wall.

However, once managed well, there will soon be enough for Guyanese to enjoy a vastly improved standard of living.

Building trust within a unifying framework is a definite helpful option.

Hence, my humble suggestion for consideration of an acceptable process across the divide and with the inclusion of civil society, designed to collectively exorcise the ghost of divisiveness via a Truth and Reconciliation undertaking; as a timely, useful and restorative idea.

If Rwanda could bounce back by leaps and bounds, so could our dear Land of Guyana as one people, one nation, one destiny.

Happy Youman-Nabi!

Derrick Cummings

More Deference on Oil and Politics DEAR EDITOR, Should or will the population defer to the politicians (government) on oil and political decision making? If the politicians think so, they better think again. The people are not sleeping on oil politics. They are gradually waking up to the realities of oil and will demand a fair contract and distribution of the revenues.

They are wiser today than four years ago when they learned about the presence of oil on their shores. They know royalty is below global norm. They are dissatisfied with the oil contract.

That is what they revealed in a recent survey to be released soon.

In addition, Kaieteur News has taken the lead role in calling out (exposing) the oil companies and the government (politicians) on the onesided contract they signed.

The people are grateful for the education provided by media houses.

Through the many KN exposures and investigative reports, they learn that the oil deal benefits the energy companies at the expense of the nation. The population is victim of a raw deal that gives them less than two percent royalties and in one case it seems like a negative royalty.

The masses were quiet on the oil contract until they rebelled two years ago demanding to see the contract forcing the government to disclose it to the media houses for public exposure.

Then there was a secretive bonus pact (a mere US $18M) in a hidden bank account.

For months, the govern-

ment denied the existence of such a secretive account only to relent under intense pressure from the public that the funds are in an account for safe-keeping for emergencies.

Since then, the government has lost the trust of the people. But it does not mean that the population trust politicians from other parties; the people are suspicious of them also.

They have not come out clearly and stated their position on the oil contract.

Nigel Hinds is the only one who explicitly and consistently stated that the oil contract must be renegotiated for higher royalties, percentage of oil given to Guyana, and profit sharing.

But is his presidential candidate in agreement?

The population may defer to others (leadership and or party elite) on party matters and candidate selection but they are not unlikely to go down that road on oil.

A party can throw any candidate (any crapaud, as they say) on them and they will vote for it or him or her.

(In this election, many voters say they will not vote because they can’t bring themselves to vote for any kind of crapaud.

Politicians or leaders better rethink who they put up for Presidential and Prime Ministerial candidates — they may not get a seat or will do so poorly in the election as to become an ineffective opposition).

But the stakes are high on oil. The revenues are large – potentially tens of billions in American dollars. The population don’t trust their politi-

cians who have taken them for a ride on oil contracts.

The population wants to be beneficiaries of that large amount of money; they know the politicians will seek selfenrichment at the expense of the population as experience revealed.

To be clear, the politicians squandered the deference they had traditionally enjoyed from the population on candidate selection and oil. There is increasing outrage.

The population is getting wiser. They know something is being hidden from them about oil.

They know they are not getting a fair deal. They think the worst about our politicians- that a few are beneficiaries of corrupt underhand deals compromising the integrity of the negotiations for a fair oil contract.

Deference to party leaders is dissipating. The leadership should consult with their supporters, if not the nation at large, on oil and even on politics (selection of their candidates for the top slots.

Too many traditional supporters are not deferring to the leadership; they will stay home. Internal party democracy and fair negotiations provide them the best shot to win the election or seats). Oil has political currency to win minor parties seats; they must play their hand well.

Dr. Vishnu Bisram

PAGE 6

Can the President say he really did a happy…” when thou- off the house…”. good job? “…very sands of Guyanese, his fellow She said that”…we na get Dear Editor, The Department of Public Information (DPI), in an excerpt from President David Granger’s interview of November 01 with Kaieteur Radio, quotes the President to say “My legacy is written on the faces of the people of this country and I’m very happy that I have been accepted as their President. I go to communities and they realise we have been doing a good job”.

While the President is obviously entitled to his opinion, it is hard not to wonder whether his feet were firmly on the ground when he spoke.

While the President’s contribution, and ultimate legacy, can be assessed from several points-of-view, how can he, with all seriousness and a straight face, pat himself and administration on the back for a job apparently welldone?

Just consider the President’s and his Government’s concern for the nation’s sugar workers.

In the era of the Granger administration, the President and his cohorts have chosen, without hesitation or even a seeming second glance, to put some 7,000 sugar workers on the breadline. It has been described as the single largest retrenchment in our postindependent history.

How can the President be

countrymen and women, right, at this very time, have a hard, if not difficult, time to live a normal life.

Just consider 13-year old Devina Budwah of Wales who is quoted as saying “I really want to go back to school, but sugar plantation close down…when I was in school, I always wanted to become a nurse, the estate is closed now, so my dream is fall apart”.

Think about how many Devinas are there now and how their dreams to become nurses, doctors, lawyers, other professionals, some even aspiring to be President, have now fallen apart.

How can he “…as their President” say his Government has “…been doing a good job” when Guyanese like Avinash Singh, who according to a September 30, 2018 article, doesn’t “…want to wake up in the night and your kids tell you that they are hungry and you don’t have anything to give them”.

They are fathers and mothers, right now, in the same situation as Avinash.

How many are like Bindmattie Hardatt Mala who, according to a September 29, 2018 report is forced to eat one meal per day.

This is the real situation for many. Then there are a few like Stephanie Adams who takes “…a blind to part

money to do nothing, we na get water and light”.

These are the real cries of Guyanese who have been placed in a miserable life by the Granger administration.

These are people who have given their life and efforts to Guyana and for their contribution they are forgotten, cast aside and simply ignored.

As Granger blows his trumpet, the late Andaiye with Eusi Kwayana and Moses Bhagwan in the on January 08, 2018 summed it up appropriately when they deemed the Government’s sugar policy as “…disastrous... callous, foolish, ill-advised and economically unfeasible”.

Mr Christopher Ram, in a December 19, 2018 report, said the Government’s actions were “…callous and… cruel”.

Today, the President, who has chosen to surround himself with a battalion of security per s o n n e l , e r e c t s barricades around him and employs a host of extra-ordinary security measures, really should not try to rewrite or misrepresent the facts and ignore the reality.

There is hardly been anything close to a “…good job” by the Granger administration as it regards sugar as in many other areas of national life.

Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

Shuman’s statements were misleading DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Chronicle publish an article under the headline ‘PPP abused and exploited Toshaos’ which were concluded from statements made by the leader of the Liberty and Justice Party, Lennox Shuman, at a press conference at Duke lodge on November 6th, 2019.

Editor, according to the article, Mr. Lennox Shuman states that the present Peoples Progressive Party’s Member of Parliament, Nigel Dharamlall, cussed and chased and verbally abuse many Amerindian Toshaos and indigenous peoples who visited the ministry when he was the then Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.

Editor, as an Amerindian representative of an indigenous community, I know Nigel Dharamlall is a very good person who fought and continues to fight for indigenous people’s rights and livelihoods.

The People’s Progressive Party in general from its inception and even up today has Amerindian rights and the preservation of their culture, traditions, land -and the

Saturday November 09, 2019

Kaieteur News

list continues- as the core of their party mandates.

Amerindian people have seen significant economic developments from where they were as soon as former President Cheddi Jagan took over the country as the president.

If you could travel to many indigenous villages, you can see the positive developments and transformations that indigenous villages have experienced all because of the People’s Progressive Party.

Mr. Lennox Shuman goes on to state “that the community support officers programme implemented by the then People’s Progressive Party government was put in place to pay these young people- to vote for them and to spy on communities so they weren’t public servantsthey were party spies who were being paid. They were paying people to spy on small communities.

Editor, I would personally like to say that the community support programme was not a one party programme or a PPP-spies programme as claimed by Lennox Shuman since these persons were given the opportunity from

the community, not handpicked to be a part of the programme, but were based on their interest.

There were many school dropouts; students who have graduated from secondary schools and could not find a job or other interested persons irrespective of their political affiliation, religion, physical appearance etc.

Those persons played a major role towards the community development since many were in the educational, environmental, health and other areas where they contributed towards the community meaningfully.

Editor, I must say that I do not know whether Mr. Lennox Shuman made these remarks to score political votes from the Amerindian peoples who are supporters of the People’s Progressive Party. Amerindians today are far sensible than our ancestors and we have seen where our developments, culture, traditions and rights are being respected, uphold and embraced.

We will support that political party who are enabling us to enjoy those rights.

Robin Joseph

BLOOMBERG’S 86 % DEAR EDITOR, Bloomberg’s truth is not Guyana’s- the business news corporation is looking at oil production figures and projected earnings with a focus on how those will impact profitability and share prices of the oil companies.

This is Bloomberg’s market; Bloomberg delivers business and markets news, data, analysis, and video to the world, featuring stories from Businessweek and Bloomberg News.

The figures quoted for Guyana’s growth are not carefully studied with every factor considered before releasea forecast of 86% growth in Guyana’s economy is an error that has no consequence for Bloomberg, but would be consequential in extremis for Guyanese if we accept these figures without interrogation.

Those touting an 86% growth rate are mistakenly conflating revenue with growth, it is false, as most of this revenue will accrue to the oil companies, and only about 12% of those revenues will flow into Guyana’s coffers.

Guyanese have to ask how this growth translates into local prosperity.

Hess boasts of massive tax-free profits, of the utopian cash cow that Guyana has become for them, what can Guyanese boast of?

Our government continues to stumble from one fiasco to the next- local content policy is in its fourth draft and still, a far way off legislative reality and companies are working to expedite contractual agreements to capitalize on the Granger administration’s legendary incompetence.

Guyana is expected to earn US$200M from oil in 20200.

Our Gross Domestic Product was $3,610M for 2018, and this represents a 5.5% increase.

There are other factors to consider such as new Foreign Direct Investment or if ExxonMobil purchase of local goods and services increases dramatically, the cost of border security will increase and create drag, it is not a simple calculation of oil revenue to automatic growth.

There is also the major factor of who wins the 2020 Election and is charged with administering the government and economy.

The PPP inherited a bankrupt treasury and a GDP of US$538M in 1992, with a debt service ratio of 153%.

It left in 2015 with a GDP of US$3197M and a debt service ratio of 40%.

Electricity generation moved from 25MW to 158MW; the Berbice River was bridged; sporting venues

such as the athletics center at Leonora, the Aquatic Center and the national cricket stadium were delivered to the people; The Marriott Hotel was completed and the CJIA expansion was started.

Sadly, the Amaila Falls hydro-electric project was thwarted by the APNU/AFC who were then in opposition.

APNU/AFC, in contrast, inherited US$968M in the treasury and a GDP of US$3197M. Significantly, 11 days into office, they were buoyed with the announcement of a major commercial oil discovery offshore.

In four and a half years, APNU/AFC reduced the reserves to US$485M, with an overdraft of US$321M (GYD 69B). When this is cleared, our reserves will be US$164M. APNU/AFC grew the GDP to US$3610M, or $80B by levying 200 new taxes on the populace. The oil companies and satellite service companies have walked onto our shores and set up shop. There has been no significant growth from these companies as they have been given lavish tax and duty concessions.

Growth of 3.5% and the reduction of reserves by 83% after the discovery of oil is indisputable evidence of incompetence.

David Granger touts 32 school buses to transport a population of 170,000 schoolchildren as an achievement.

The figures above provide a broad overview of administrative performance. I will use the issue of job creation to illustrate the choice facing the electorate in 2020.

David Granger recently visited Linden and promised to create 150 new jobs in the

next five years.

Granger made no mention of the 88 jobs lost due to his administration’s closure of the call center in September of 2015.

Given that Granger failed to deliver even one of the promises made on his ’11 point plan’ for Linden, the residents have much to think about.

Irfaan Ali has outlined a detailed plan to provide over 50,000 jobs, in his own words “a conservative figure”.

They include restoration and enhancement of the Community Service Officer program within the indigenous villages; jobs from the construction of 10,000 plus homes per year; large construction projects such as bridging the Corentyne River and the Amaila Falls hydro; restarting the sugar industry and other large scale agricultural ventures, a program of revitalization of the mining and logging industries is envisioned and of course the oil and gas service sector.

The PPP has an enviable record of 85% delivery of promises outlined in its manifestos.

The Granger administration has been digging a hole and calling it progress, the deeper they dig, the more progress is claimed.

The numbers and facts do not lie as much as Bloomberg’s applies to global corporations, these apply to our shores.

Guyana is not a traded on any stock exchange. If it was, the prudent and wise advice would be to dump APNU/ AFC and buy PPP with alacrity.

Robin Singh

HATS OFF TO YOU DEAR EDITOR, My letter in your column dated November 4th, 2019 was captioned “Customer Satisfaction is first”.

I am very much pleased with our telecommunications company (GTT) for giving top priority to my phone line service.

Despite the bad weather, the head of the Engineering Department and his crew came and fixed the problems within hours. He proved his professionalism.

Hats off to Kaieteur News. We are back together.

Yours Sincerely, Parmanand Ram.

Lowenfield cannot...

From page 4 functions in the current electoral process.

This incestuous and amphibious position that Mr. Lowenfield has assumed have placed him in a violent conflict of interest conundrum with his oath of office that can be regarded as undermining, if not betraying, the work of the Commission.

The matter is compounded by his failure to disclose to the Commission, his role in the Court of Appeal.

Indeed, the Opposition Commissioners with whom I have spoken, have informed me that the Commission was not even aware that he was part of those proceedings.

In a nutshell, Mr. Lowenfield wants to serve two masters, but the law does will not countenance that. He must choose one, or resign.

Mohabir Anil Nandlall MP, Attorney-at-Law

Saturday November 09, 2019

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Kaieteur News

650,000+ registered to vote in upcoming elections ‌ Former Chief Election Officers of Canada, India, Ghana to advise GECOM

[From left] GECOM Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward; Chairperson, Justice Claudette Singh and Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield

By Kemol King Recent estimates of Guyanas population tend to place it at 750,000. Sometimes, it hits 800,000 if those doing the assessment are generous.

It has not gotten much higher because Guyanas emigration rate is unusually high.

Thats why it would raise quite an alarm that the Revised List of Electors (RLE) is shaping up to have more than 650,000 eligible voters, calculated based on information shared with the media by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday.

That figure doesnt even consider new registrants from the House-to-House data, which are likely to add tens of thousands more.

The Chair, Justice Claudette Singh S.C. held a press conference yesterday at the Commissions Kingston office, joined by Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward and Chief Elections Of-

ficer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield.

It was the first time that the Chair held a press engagement with the full media corps, after appearing on Kaieteur Radio the day before.

During that interview, Justice Singh made it clear, despite certain public utterances about members of the Commission and Secretariat purported to be acting out of line, that she is in control of GECOM. THOUSANDS OF NEW VOTERS Speaking on the operational matters of the Secretariat, Lowenfield provided an update on the House-toHouse data cross-matching.

It is known that the first of two tranches of that data was already returned from the international supplier, Gemalto, who had been awarded the contract to cross-match the data.

Lowenfield said that, of

that batch, about 150,000 are duplicated registrations. That means that they already appear in the National Register of Registrants (NRR). As for new registrations, the CEO said that they number 29,082.

It should be noted that this figure includes, not just adults, but persons aging from 14 to 17. The second tranche, which is even bigger than the first, is due back soon with the likelihood of adding thousands of new voters to the mix.

On the Claims exercise which recently ended, Lowenfield said that the Secretariat received 6,394 new registrants. That number may change, as he explained that it is subject to cross-matching. The CEO did not, however, disaggregate how many of those transactions were based on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) and the House to House data.

The PLE already has a to-

tal of 646,625 registrants. The objections received by GECOM are not expected to substantively relieve that list.

18,512 UNVERIFIED REGISTRANTS The number of unverified registrants has been watered down to 18,124. The names of all those persons, along with their addresses, are published today in this newspaper. An attached order from Lowenfield noted that the publication of the names and the procedure in which it is entrenched is provided for in accordance with a proviso to section 6(6A) of the National Registration Act, Cap 19:08, as amended by Act 14 of 2005.

That act requires all persons whose names are listed in the Schedule attached to this notice to be verified.

Those persons are expected to take their birth certificate, certificate of registration of a foreign birth, or valid Guyana passport; and any other sup-

porting documents which may be requested by the registration officer at the GECOM Registration office serving their area. If they fulfill this requirement, their names will appear in a special section, supplementing the Official List of Electors (OLE) on Election Day, while the verified registrants will have their names listed in the main section of the OLE. Lowenfield provided that 12,079 of the uncollected ID cards were from the 2008 registration cycle, while the two phases of continuous registration in 2018 account for 364 and 1,040 of those uncollected cards.

Singh also said that a folio will be provided for those voters so that the voting process for them is made clear.

Justice Singh yesterday explained that it is necessary for those unverified registrants to be subjected to additional scrutiny because of their unverified status. They appear as 29 separate lists, divided into towns/villages. A disaggregation of those numbers by region is as follows: 1 (313), 2 (548), 3 (2,401), 4 (9,446), 5 (1,094), 6 (3,267), 7 (280), 8 (124), 9 (263), and 10 (776).

A disaggregation of those numbers by town/village goes like this: Mabaruma (140), Port Kaituma (29), Moruca (144), Charity (184), Anna Regina (364), Parika (837), Pouderoyen (809), La Grange (755), Soesdyke (578), Diamond (1,176), South Georgetown Main (1,305), South Georgetown Sub (1,231), North Georgetown Main (950), North Georgetown Sub (938), Better Hope (858), Coldingen (2,410), Mahaicony (265), Fort Wellington (829), New Amsterdam (1,060), Whim (1,357), Corriverton (850), Bartica (261), Kamarang (19), Paramakatoi (67), Mahdia (57), Lethem (190), Annai (73) and Mackenzie (386).

HOUSE TO HOUSE DATA The political opposition had raised much concern over how the House-toHouse data would be used.

At present, the Commission has not completely sorted out the merger. But what was made clear at yesterdays conference by the CEO and the PRO is that the data, during the Claims and Objections exercise, was and is meant to be treated as if it were a supplement to the PLE. That means that persons could make transactions based on that. Ward told Kaieteur News that a clear procedure was set out through which persons could scrutinize the data and communicate their concerns to GECOM. OBJECTIONS An alarming number of objections are reported to have come out of region nine so far. During the Opposition Leaders press conference on Thursday, he had noted that the objections coming out of region nine were in large part filed by Opposition scrutineers. Jagdeo told Kaieteur News that many of those objections were eventually withdrawn. This is because, he said, most of the objections were to deaths.

Hence, GECOM would have to liaise with the General Registrars Office (GRO) to have deceased persons removed from the list after their death certificates are verified.

Asked about this yesterday, Lowenfield explained that the reason for those objections has to do with the fact that many persons are not living in the districts in which they are registered.

On the same matter of objections, the political opposition has raised another matter with a claim of a large number of unsubstantiated objections being made by the APNU+AFC coalition in region five. The Opposition claims that GECOM has (Continued on page 19)

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Kaieteur News

Saturday November 09, 2019

Saturday November 09, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Placing the cart before the horse Guyana has not yet signed a Crude Lifting Agreement with Exxon Mobil and its partners. Yet, we are being told that Exxon Mobil will take the first million barrels of our crude oil.

Last July, government agencies were invited to a workshop on the Crude Lifting Agreement. According to reports, it was explained that the Crude Lift-

ing Agreement refers to the agreement which will govern the removal of the crude from the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel into a tanker which will then transport it to global markets. The agreement, it was said, is a means of ensuring transparency in the process.

The Agreement has not

been signed as yet.

The agreement is expected to be signed this coming week. So if no agreement has been signed, then under what arrangement has it been decided who will get what? You would have presumed that who gets what would have been part of that agreement.

The government’s explanation is that the first

Dem boys seh ...

Guyana suffering reverse prostitution Poor countries does always give concessions to encourage farrin investors. De belief is that if de pot sweet enough then more investors gun come. Guyana good at attracting investors but de only thing is that it does do wha old people always warn about.

Dem boys know that if a Guyanese go to a farrin country to invest nobody ain’t giving him any concession.

He got to battle wid all who live in de farrin country and share de same conditions.

De Waterfalls boss man got a business in Uncle Sam. He never get any concession.

Guyana got bauxite but it don’t have de tools to bring up that same bauxite. That is

how it encourage dem farrin companies to come. De Chinese come wid Bosai and de Russians come wid Rusal.

Jagdeo was de president and he really encourage dem farrin companies.

De thing end up like when a man going after a prostitute, only different. Instead of de man paying de prostitute doing de paying. Guyana paying Rusal fuh tek de bauxite and fuh rob de country. Rusal shipping out 4,000 tonnes of bauxite every day and declaring how it only mine 40 tonnes.

Guyana give Rusal concession fuh fuel. Guyanese buying fuel at $1,000 a gallon because of de tax and Rusal buying de same fuel fuh $600 a gallon and tun round and

selling it to dem miners at $900 a gallon.

When dem boys talk Rusal play dead fuh see wha funeral it gun get. It decide to move out dem trucks it buy duty free. But dem boys see.

Statia done decide that if dem want to sell dem gun pay every cent in duty that dem rob Guyana.

If is one thing, dem boys looking out fuh de country.

Dem have people who don’t care and some wouldn’t even lift a straw to help build de country. But dem boys done know that no farriner should come in and enjoy de sweet.

Dem rather dem same don’tcare-damn Guyanese enjoy it.

Talk half and watch how Guyana suffering reverse prostitution.

lift normally has impurities and therefore it is best that this be given to Exxon. But what is the basis for assuming that subsequent lifts will not have equal or more impurities? And why would Exxon want to accept a lift which is likely to have greater impurities than subsequent lifts.

Guyana should have received the first lift. It is Guyana’s oil and the country should have been the first, just as a reminder to the oil companies that the resource which they are extracting is not theirs but belongs to the people of this country.

In early October, the Department of Energy indicated that every eight or so days, an entitlement to a lift can be created. It also said that four entities, including the government, are entitled to lift and can take turns as to how the lifts are apportioned. However, it is possible for parties to cede their turn.

There are reasons, though, why Guyana cannot accept the first million barrels. In fact it may not be able to accept the first 10 million barrels. It may have to cede more than one turn.

Guyana has to pay precontract costs, which is ex-

pected to be close to US$900M. Exxon will most likely reclaim its pre-contract costs in crude oil which will be about 17 million barrels (using US$55 per barrel). If Exxon is to take all its pre-contract costs at one go, it would mean that, at an average daily production of 120,000 barrels, Guyana would not receive a drop of crude oil until about four months after production begins. But most likely Exxon will take its pre-contract costs in stages and not all at one go. Or so the government may be hoping.

The other reason why Exxon may be taking the first million barrels is because two years after signing the production sharing agreement, the government has not yet entered into any deal as to who will buy its share of oil. One has to ask why this has not yet been done, given that the Department of Energy was established since last year.

Guyana has nowhere to store its share of the oil if it has no buyer. And the buyers out there know this and will use this to their negotiating advantage.

The finding of a buyer should have been a priority. You cannot wait until the last minute then to go out to look for a buyer. You will get a poor deal, be-

cause buyers will know that you are under pressure to quickly sign an agreement.

Guyana is only now looking for someone to help it determine how it will sell its oil. The person is not going to buy the oil, but only tell the government how to best approach the problem.

It is not going to be easy to find a buyer at short notice. And with one of the partners saying that production is likely to start in December, one month away and four months ahead of schedule, Guyana may end up rushing into a poor deal.

But that is nothing new.

It has been the norm of this government.

Exxon gets the first million barrels. Let us hope by the time it is our turn to get our first million, we have a buyer and a good price.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Guyana not having substantive Chancellor in over a decade concerns regional body Over the last 14 years, Guyana has failed to appoint a substantive office holder to the position of Chancellor of the Judiciary. This deficiency was a concern raised by the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (CAJO) when it held its sixth Biennial Conference from October 31November 2, in Belize City, Belize. This years Conference was hosted under the theme “Judicial Integrity - the Pathway to Public Trust and Confidence.”

The conference was attended by Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justice Roxane George, S.C., who are acting in the positions of Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice, respectively.

In a press statement released by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on the conference, it was noted that, “the Association [CAJO]

Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards expressed concerns over lengthy acting appointments for Heads of Judiciaries and singled out the position of Chancellor of Guyana which has not had a substantive

office holder since 2005. The CAJO also reasserted that it is the duty of all courts to guarantee integrity and to secure the trust and confidence of the people of

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George S.C. the Caribbean.”

Guyana last substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary was Justice Desiree Bernard who served from 2001-2005.

After then, several other

judges were appointed to act in the position including the current Chancellor, Justice Cummings-Edwards, who was sworn in by President David Granger on March 27, 2018

following the retirement of Justice Carl Singh, who was also never confirmed in the post.

Justice George was also sworn in to act as Chief Justice then, too. She was appointed to the post in December 2015, following the retirement of Justice Ian Chang, S.C. Both Justices Cummings-Edwards and George worked in the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) before their elevation to Judges.

The countrys inability to appoint a substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary has been bemoaned by the countrys highest court, the CCJ. In fact, in May 2018, President of the CCJ, Justice Dennis Byron, as he then was, expressed that having judges acting in the position of Chancellor and Chief (Continued on page 12)

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Saturday November 09, 2019

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

History of the PPP: Part 1 In my column of Tuesday, October 15, 2019, “History of the PNC: Part 1,” I indicated that there would be a brief five-part history of both parties. Here now is the first segment for the PPP. I will do a three-part series of the AFC, the first one to be done within days.

The analysis begins from the separate PPP under Cheddi Jagan, distinct from the PPP under Burnham and Jagan at the beginning of the 1950s. I will start with Jagan in power in 1957. But a caveat

is in order.

The negative reactions to the government of Premier Jagan were born in the circumstances of the 1957 elections.

Both Jagan and Burnham fought under the PPP banner but separate parties, but it was the role of a man named Sydney King (long known by his legally changed name, Eusi Kwayana) in the election drama that has changed Guyana’s future for the worse, the past 65 years.

It is outside the scope of this article to describe the

seeds of discord between Jagan and Kwayana that has tormented successive PPP governments between 1957 and 1964.

After the split between Burnham and Jagan and the racial suspicions that accompanied the schism, Kwayana remained with the Jagan faction of the PPP; the two were always close and Kwayana was never big on Burnham.

Kwayana declined nomination for the Jaganite PPP in the election, preferring to run as an independent. Some his-

torians attributed Kwayana’s action to Jagan’s critique of a group in the PPP referred to as the “ultra-leftist” which included Kwayana himself (for the best account of that Jagan versus ultra-leftist battle, see Jay Mandle’s, “Cheddi Jagan and the “ultraleftists” in Guyana,” paper delivered at Moray House, Georgetown, Guyana, February 2019.)

Kwayana also accused Jagan of subtle appeal to racial consciousness in his 1956 congress speech. Those who are researchers on Kwayana’s legacy, claim that Jagan promised Kwayana that the PPP would not field a candidate against him, as the Burnhamite PPP did not, but Jagan reneged and put Balram Singh Rai to oppose Kwayana in the Central Demerara constituency.

Jagan aggravated the chasm between him and Kwayana when the PPP filed a court case against the validity of Kwayana’s nomination papers. Kwayana won that case, but lost to Rai. This was to be the birth of a racial sore that has not healed as yet. Burnham campaigned for Kwayana and the two who were never close became close, with Kwayana doing the unthinkable that drives

home the point that in politics the incredible happens – Kwayana became the GeneralSecretary of the party Burnham founded - the People’s National Congress.

The PPP from 1957 until it lost power in 1964 was bedeviled by a number of misplaced and twisted instincts. First, Jagan relied too heavily on a non-Guyanese person to help shape his party’s philosophy - his wife Janet Jagan. For a brilliant account of the terrible role Mrs. Jagan played in the weakening of the PPP in this period, see the analysis of the iconic Trinidadian scholar (deceased), Lloyd Best in “The People’s Progressive Party of Guyana, 1950-1992: An Oral History” by Frank Birbalsingh.

Secondly, Dr. Jagan was a devotee of Leninist thinking, not the type of Marxism that came from the founding father himself – Karl Marx. He could not see that the dialectics do not necessarily work themselves out in linear modes. His could not and did not want to understand that class struggle could be vitiated by nationalist and ethnic rivalries.

The PPP governments of 1957 and 1961 locked out from its world view, the brutal reality that half of the working class did not appreciate the

Frederick Kissoon PPP. The PPP had itself to blame for the heightening of racial tension. Why put a devoted Hindu to run against a popular Black politician – Kwayana – that was well respected among Blacks and was not seen as hostile to East Indians, and to crown it all was a protégé of Jagan himself.

Thirdly, the PPP for all its Marxist knowledge was foolish not to understand the nature of the class forces ringed around it from 1957-1964. The economy was in the hands of the Europeans and Portuguese.

The working class was divided along race lines. The imperialist forces were far stronger than the USSR and were close geographically to Guyana. Living in such a Hobbesian nightmare, the PPP sought to do the impossible – confront rather than strategise.

Obviously, great nuances in this period in the PPP’s evolution will have to be omitted because of space.

Part 2 will take up from 1964 when the PPP became the major opposition party. Sorry for the severe truncation, but these are just brief research notes.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Saturday November 09, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Saturday November 09, 2019

Phone thief tries to negotiate jail time with magistrate After a failed attempt at negotiating his jail time, Fizal Mohamed was yesterday further remanded to prison on a robbery charge. Mohamed who has a love for other peoples cell phones is before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates Court.

It was this magistrate the accused tried to bargain his way through for a small sentence.

He is accused of stealing one Samsung J7 cell phone

valued at $67,000 and $60,000 cash from Dindial Abrahim on October 11, 2019, at Regent Street, Georgetown.

Mohamed had denied the charge on his first appearance before the court, however yesterday when his matter was recalled the accused attempted to change his plea.

He said, “I am already serving a four month sentence for tiefin a phone so I would change my plea to this charge

if you [magistrate] give me four months again.”

This request did not register to the magistrate as she duly informed the accused she cannot grant him four months on the remaining charge, and in fact, that it will be higher, as he is currently serving a sentence for the same offence and was previously convicted on similar offences.

To this Mohamed said,

“Then I change me mind; I will keep my not guilty plea.” He is expected to return to court later this month for the continuation of his matter.

The 44-year-old man is currently in prison for stealing a taxi drivers cell phone.

That charge had stated that

on September 18, 2019, at Regent Street, Georgetown, he stole a cell phone valued at $250,000, from Daveanand Rampaul. On the day in question the victim was hired by Mohamed to take him to Georgetown.

When Mohamed arrived at the loca-

tion he asked the taxi driver to borrow his cell phone to make a phone call.

On being handed the cell phone, Mohamed exited the car and fled. The matter was then reported and Mohamed was later arrested and charged.

Guyana not having substantive...

From page 9 Justice is a most unfortunate state of affairs.

Among other things, Justice Byron complained that prolonged acting appointments pose a genuine risk to the promise to citizens of an independent and impartial judiciary. Current President of the CCJ Justice Adrian Saunders had called out Guyana for this issue.

Justice Saunders pointed out that the countrys failure to make substantive judicial appointment is a significant strain on the rule of law.

The procedure for the appointment of Chancellor and Chief Justice are outlined in Article 127 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of Guyana.

Article 127 (1) states: “The Chancellor and the Chief Justice shall be appointed by the President after obtaining the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition”.

President Grangers appointments of acting Chancellor and Chief Justice were made in conformity with Article 127 (2) which states: “If the office of Chancellor or Chief Justice is vacant, or

if the person holding the office of Chancellor is performing the functions of the office of President or i s f o r a n y o ther reason unable to perform the functions of his or her office, or if the person holding the office of Chief Justice is for any reason unable to perform the functions of his or her office, then, until such a person has been appointed to and assumed the functions of such office or until the person holding such office has assumed those functions, as the case may be, those functions shall be performed by such other of the Judges as shall be appointed by the President after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition”.

President Granger and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo could not come to an agreement on the appointment of a Chancellor.

The Presidents choice for Chancellor was Guyanaborn, Belizean Chief Justice Kenneth B e n j a m i n ; h i s nominee for Chief Justice was Justice CummingsEdwards. These nominees were not favourable to Ja gdeo, so the President Granger went ahead with the acting appointments. T he Office of the Chancellor and Chief Justice are the most senior in the countrys judiciary. The Chancellor of the Judiciary is the chief representative of the judicial authority of Guyana.

Saturday November 09, 2019

Civil Society demands oversight role in Oil & Gas sector …says current state of unreadiness a matter of major concern

By Gary Eleazar ‘First Oil’ in Guyana, comes at a time of intensified political polarisation, fostered by the upcoming General and Regional Elections, and this rules out political bipartisanship at the level of political actors.

As such, Civil Society members have begun to ramp up calls for an interim mechanism or initiative to oversee the decisionmaking process with respect to Guyana’s oil and gas industry.

This, since the intended safeguards engendered in the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee (PAOC) under the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) Act, cannot be fully achieved prior to elections.

‘First Oil’ is due in a matter of days, while General Elections is slated for March 2, 2020, and according to civil society members, the prevailing circumstances dictate the urgent need to find a formula which will encourage civic and business as well as political energies “to both preserve the progressive intentions of the NRF Act.” The civil society organizations that have begun consolidating their efforts include Policy Forum Guyana (PFG), the Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA), the East Coast Clean-Up

Committees (ECD), the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), the Guyana Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP), Red Thread and Transparency Institute Guyana Inc. (TIGI).

In a joint statement yesterday, the grouping said “any attempt to implement the legal provisions of the Act in their current form with respect to the PAOC, risks alienation of a significant sector of the business, civic and political sectors.”

It was pointed out that at a recent meeting, senior members of the Ministry were in favour of a proposal that an interim arrangement would be superior to having nothing in place.

“We understand this to mean the Act could be viewed as aspirational, rather than be legally binding and approached flexibly in the interim period…

This approach in the opinion of Policy Forum Guyana is realistic and should be pursued.”

It was noted that the difficulty in creating a successful interim public interest and oversight mechanism in an electoral atmosphere should not be underestimated.

The group suggests, “that same electoral context provides space to seek public endorsements of a national civic

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Kaieteur News

consensus from contending parties.”

It was pointed out that “recognizing the historical and current price being paid for the failure of bipartisan politics i n t h e past, particular care must be paid to developing collective forms of decision-making in both the interim and substantive mechanisms.”

According to the grouping, the state of unreadiness for the advent of ‘first oil’ in Guyana in both technical and political terms is a matter of major concern.

It was observed that the Ministry of Finance is to be credited for making a Sovereign Wealth Fund the centrepiece of its fiscal structure with

respect to management of oil revenues, accompanied by the PA O C t o m o n i t o r i t s performance.

According to the civil society bodies however, “both elements are generally sound, but politically wanting.”

Critically too, the group reminded that Parliamentary approval of the NRF Act took place without the presence of the opposition, doing little for bi-partisanship and even less for a sense of urgency around ‘first oil’.

M o r e o v e r, “the proposed PAOC process reflects excessive control on the part of the Ministry, thereby weakening interest from significant sectors of civil society.”

Probe launched after soldier’s body recovered from New River A team comprising members of the 31 Specialist Divers from the Coast Guard at 13:35hrs yesterday recovered the body of a soldier in the river aback of the Medical Centre at Base Camp Jaguar, New River.

Lance Corporal Dwayne Johnson, along with eight other ranks, was at the river at approximately 13:55hrs on Thursday when he went underwater.

According to the army in a statement, an alarm was raised which prompted an immediate search to locate Johnson.

The Defence Headquarters ordered the deployment of the teams and also reached out to the members of the local Amerindian community to assist in the search.

According to the army, the soldier’s family has since been informed and a board of inquiry has been convened to investigate the circumstances

Drowned soldier: Dwayne Johnson surrounding the incident.

“The Commander-inChief, Defence Board, Chiefof-Staff, officers and ranks of the Guyana Defence Force extend sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,” a statement from the army said.

Kaieteur News

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Saturday November 09, 2019

Agriculture, tourism in Region Seven …as Air Services Limited adds receive timely boost scheduled flights to serve communities M

inister of S tate, M rs .

D a w n Hastings-Williams, yesterday morning, joined Air Services Limited (ASL) Guyana at the launch of their Cuyuni Mazaruni (Region Seven)-scheduled service, which will cater to the needs

of several communities in the Upper and Middle Mazaruni.

The service, which will be available every Tuesday and Thursday, will cater to residents of Kamarang, Imbaimadai, Phillipai, Chi Chi East, Chi Chi West, Paruima, Kaikan and

Ekereku Bottom, among others. Previously, flights were only available to these villages through a charter, which is very costly.

Minister HastingsWilliams, who hails from Kako Village, Region Seven, in her remarks, said that she is quite pleased to see the

Minister of State, Mrs. Dawn Hastings-Williams, addressing the small gathering, which included ASL officials (at right)

Annual reports of Indigenous Peoples' Commission submitted to Parliament

Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Barton Scotland receives the reports from Chairperson of the Indigenous Peoples' Commission, Doreen Jacobis

T

he Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Barton Scotland, yesterday received annual reports spanning 2013 to 2016 from the Indigenous Peoples' Commission.

The simple ceremony was held in the Committee Two chambers at the Public Buildings, where Chairperson Doreen Jacobis, who represented the commission,

presented the documents.

The reports are a critical part of the functions of the commission and contain information on the achievements and challenges they would have faced over the stipulated time frame. The House Speaker outlined, directly from the Constitution of Guyana, the importance of this and other commissions.

introduction of the scheduled flights, since it is oftentimes difficult for residents to travel from their villages to Georgetown and vice versa.

“I wish to congratulate you, because you have taken a bold step at this time of the year. I think this is a Christmas gift to our brothers and sisters in the Upper Mazaruni. Having been born in Region Seven and growing up there, I have recognised that one of the biggest challenges we have in getting from the City to the Mazaruni is the mode of

transportation.

I can say that this demonstrates that you are very serious about your role in bridging the gaps in terms of services between the hinterland and the coastland.

Air Services as a private entity, has taken the role. You are showing and telling us that you are very serious in what you do. On behalf of the Government, I want to say thank you for coming in to partner with us to provide critical services to the people,” she said.

The Minister noted that the Government is

committed to ensuring that every citizen of Guyana has access to services, and it is therefore important for the existing gaps between the coastland and the hinterland to be reduced. This is one way, she noted, that these gaps are being bridged.

She further stated that the scheduled service will improve the lives of residents, by allowing tourism to take place and farming produce to be transported.

“The President is always talking about bridging the (continued on page 23)

Guyana gets US$1.7M to develop...

From page 3 three areas of support; addressing policy framework and institutional

capacities; sustainable business and financing models for low-carbon energy technologies and deployment of low-emission energy technologies.

This entails working with key institutions such as the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board to advance 'green' procurement policy directive; the Guyana National Bureau of Standards to establish Minimum Energy Performance Standards; and the Ministry of Education, Council for Technical Vocational and Education Training, Board of Industrial Training, and the technical institutes for training and certification in PV installation, repairs and maintenance, as areas of priority.

M eanwhile, Mr. Navindra Persaud, Representative of UNDP Guyana, in his remarks, noted that the UNDP remains committed to working with member states to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

and the 2030 agenda.

“In our strategic plan, we have particularly prioritized the reduction of poverty in all its forms and build countries to address developmental and interconnected challenges.

One of these outputs speaks to the transition to more sustainable solutions for increased energy efficiency and access from renewable sources.

This helps us to tackle climate change while promoting cheaper and more stable energy options,” he said.

He noted that through the project, it is expected that 7000MWh [megawatt hour] of electricity will be produced annually from renewable energy sources; 10,000 individuals will benefit from installed solar photovoltaic systems; US$850,000 will be saved by the country, annually, on public expenditure and greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 271,000 Tco2eq (Carbon dioxide equivalence) over 10 years.

Saturday November 09, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Saturday November 09, 2019

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Irfaan Ali wants Jagdeo as his Vice President

P

residential Candidate for the P e o p l e ' s Progressive Party (PPP), Irfaan Ali, says that he wants Bharrat Jagdeo as his vicepresident.

During an exclusive interview yesterday on Kaieteur Radio, with host of 'The Political Show', Senior Reporter, Leonard Gildarie, the 39-year-old Ali, who was selected to run for President by his party in January, asserted that former president Jagdeo would bring skills and experience to the table that are unquestionable. Jagdeo and the PPP leadership have remained silent in the past about a likely role.

Ali, a former Minister of Housing and Water under the government of the PPP/C, said that while there have been no discussions with Jagdeo, the party would not lock out any skills. PPP/C, whose 23 continuous years of governance ended in 2015 with the David Granger-led

Coalition taking office, is vying to regain power in elections slated for March 2nd 2020, at a time when Guyana is set to start commercially producing oil.

There is much riding for the PPP which has been revamping its image.

According to Ali, constitutionally, there is nothing stopping him from appointing Jagdeo as vice president. Under the constitution, there is a limit of two terms for the president.

Appointing Jagdeo as vice president could open the door of him performing the duties of the president.

Ali, a Central Committee member of his party, was asked pointedly what role Jagdeo would play if his party is returned to power.

He said that it is a fact that it is a question that has been raised across the country from the common man to the most sophisticated - about the role would Jagdeo would play.

PPP's Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali, during his interview with host of 'The Political Show, Leonard Gildarie in the studio of Kaieteur Radio yesterday.

Ali said that the issue of what Jagdeo wants to do if the PPP gets back in power has not been discussed.

“That is not his style. His style is getting things done… his style is results. His style is having the best measures, menu of measures for his party. His style is about Guyana. That is his style.”

Ali said that as a

president, he would want a man with the experience, skills and competence of Jagdeo to serve with him.

“I would love to have him serving my government. I want my government to be successful in ensuring its manifesto is implemented, and to do that we have to have the best skills, the best competence, not only in the

party, but nationally.”

The former minister said that his government will not “lock out” any individual skills.

“The skills and experience he brings onto the table is unquestionable. So let me tell you. Irfaan Ali as president I would love to, and I have not discussed this with him… I would love to have

Bharrat Jagdeo as my vice president.” Asked whether it is allowed constitutionally, Ali said yes.

“I want to have the best team… competent team taking this country forward and I want to tell you… that my style of leadership and management and at (the Ministry) of Housing and Water, it included inclusiveness…”

Retailer denies allegations by Food and Drug Dept.

- Claims items exposed were never imported by him

A

Mon Repos Retailer has denied the allegations that he knowingly imported four containers packed with expired goods from Canada for the purpose of distribution to the local market.

The Government Analyst Food and Drug Department sent out a release on Wednesday with images attached stating that they had seized the containers.

Upon checking, they

revealed a shocking find; expiry dates were deliberately removed and extended with a datemarking machine.

Damaged areas on boxes where the original date was removed were hidden with stickers of the Canadian flag.

Among the allegations was that most, if not all of the food items were close dated, with less than 75% shelf life remaining.

For these reasons, the FDD said, the containers were denied entry. However, the businessman, Mr. Faizal

Alli, through his attorney, Anil Nandlall, denied the allegations.

In a statement issued, Nandlall stated that his client has been importing a variety of food items, beverages and other consumables on a large scale basis but has never been the subject of such an allegation, except for one incident.

The FDD in its press statement pointed out that the move to seize the containers came as a result of several complaints of malpractice from

consumers, along with attempts to locate and inspect the businessman's storage bond.

But according to Nandlall, the distributor accepted the responsibility for the aforementioned incident, and his client was cleared of any wrongdoing.

He further pointed out that the allegations also involved and questioned the integrity of distributors in Canada, along with the Canada Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada.

Nandlall stated that the

businessman is willing to address and resolve the allegations, since he has more containers to be shipped to Guyana.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Department had revealed that the businessman would be charged for the offence. It also cautioned Guyanese to be on the lookout for items

where the date and labels appear to be tampered with.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e department also urged that citizens purchase food items that are “properly labelled in English, have clearly written date marks with a complete address of the manufacture and with font sizes that are clearly legible to the naked eye”.

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Self-declared psychiatric patient jailed A self-declared psychiatric patient who told the court that he needs an evaluation, was yesterday sentenced on four charges when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts for the ruling on the matters.

Forty-one-year-old Gary Grant of 24 Norton Street, Lodge, had pleaded not guilty to all four charges that were read to him on his first court appearance.

However, Magistrate Annette Singh found him guilty of the charges and sentenced him to three months on each charge.

The charges will run concurrently, therefore Grant will only spend three months.

Magistrate Singh added that the time Grant was on remand would be deducted from the three months.

The first charge stated that on September 19, last, at the Stabroek Market Police Outpost, while in lawful custody for the offence of simple larceny, he escaped.

It was further alleged that on the same date he stole a cell phone valued at $35,000 - property of Nadina Maloney.

Also it was alleged that he (Grant) damaged a quantity of articles valued at $39,000 - property of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) - on September 19, last, at the Stabroek Market Police Outpost.

And the third charge was that on September 19, last at the Stabroek Market Police Outpost, he behaved in a disorderly manner.

Previously Grant had

stated while before another Magistrate, “Me aint do nothing. The officer lash me in my head so I cant remember nothing. I am a patient of Dr. Harry and I need ah evaluation.”

The defendant went on to say, “My name is not Grant. I am Randy, so the police best go find this Grant person so he can come and answer dem charges.”

According to information, on the day in question around 16:30 hours, police ranks arrested Grant for allegedly stealing a cellular phone from a female.

He was placed in custody at the Stabroek Market Police Outpost where he was handcuffed to a metal bar attached to a wall inside the building and

placed to sit on a bench.

Kaieteur News had reported that ranks at the Outpost informed that all through the afternoon the man kept kicking the walls of the facility and was throwing items (food bowl, books and wooden objects) at them while shouting that he is very strong and is a very good sprinter.

At around 22:20 hours, all hell broke loose as the prisoner exploded into action.

Ranks said the man suddenly jumped into the air (like a karate fighter), kicking down the entire enquiries counter of the outpost, which was made of plywood. Sources indicated that as books and pens flew in all directions, a cutlass that ranks had secured un-

650,000+ registered to vote in upcoming...

From page 7 received over 3000 objections in that region, including almost 500 from the Indigenous settlement, Marakabai in the Mahaicony River.

It also claims that two hearings have been suspended in region five due to lack of supporting evidence from the coalition. It specifically named Carol Joseph as having failed to produce evidence to support the objections she has made.

Efforts to reach Ward and Lowenfield for clarity on this matter were unsuccessful.

ADVISORS AND OBSERVERS Justice Singh told the press that three international advisors have been agreed on, thus far. These include Jean-Pierre Kingsley who has served in Canada as a Chief Elections Officer. The Commonwealth has also promised, Singh said, to send two senior electoral advisors, from Ghana and India. She added that both of them have served as Chief Election Officer in their respective home countries.

On the matter of observers, Justice Singh made it a point that persons criticising the Commissions dealings with international observers should know that it is not the responsibility of GECOM to accredit international observers; that is the function of the Executive President. She said that GECOM only accredits local observers. Four of those have already indicated their interest in providing that service, namely the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), the Public Service Commission (PSC), and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

Justice Singh told reporters that GECOM is welcoming to international observers, and that the public should have no doubt in their minds that GECOM will do everything it can to produce free, fair and credible elections.

E-DAY Lowenfield said during yesterdays press conference that GECOM is currently looking at having 2,350 polling stations. However, that number is a tentative one, depending on whether GECOM decides to use private residences as polling stations as well.

The hiring of polling day staff is complete and they have been trained. Kaieteur News understands that a second set of training will be done to ensure that those persons are well acquainted with polling day procedure.

GECOM has also acquired paraphernalia for use on Election Day, including stationery and other like ma-

terials.

SMALL PARTIES GECOM anticipates that about 15 political parties will participate in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

A recent meeting between A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and the Commission, saw GECOM being told that small parties deserved assistance from them to give all parties a fair and equitable standing in the upcoming elections.

Asked what assistance could be given to small parties by GECOM, Alexander had said that some of them are yet to be properly briefed on what is required of a party, to participate in the electoral process. He added that GECOM can help to make them aware of what is needed.

Justice Singh said yesterday that those parties will be briefed long before Nomination Day on the current protocols. However, GECOM has

not yet decided when Nomination Day would be.

CLARITY ON COMMISSION MEETINGS, MOVING FORWARD Yesterdays meeting was the first full meeting held by the Chair with the press. She had been urged by the Opposition Leader and the Guyana Press Association (GPA) to make herself more accessible. This is because reports from Commissioners to the media after the weekly statutory meetings of the Commission tended not to give the whole story.

Justice Singh told reporters yesterday that she would prefer that Ward sit in on the meetings, moving forward. She has committed to raising that matter with the Commissioners at the next statutory meeting.

Justice Singh also said that she hopes to have meetings with the media corps, like yesterdays press conference, once per month.

der the counter became exposed.

It was this cutlass that the prisoner used to chop off the chain of the handcuff and escape. However, before leaving, the prisoner caused the structure to be plunged into darkness when he used the cutlass to chop and sever electrical wires attached together to provide lighting.

The prisoner eventually managed to make good his escape.

While leaving the courtroom the defendant said “I escape and come back and still get charge for escaping, is best I pick this handcuff and escape again.”

Grant is also charged for escaping from the Lusignan prison. That matter is still ongoing.

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Saturday November 09, 2019

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Kaieteur News

Death sentence appeal for ex-GDF Coast Guardsmen further delayed - Trial Judge’s minute book found, court still to locate records by shorthand reporters

There has been another delay in the start of the hearing of an appeal for former Guyana Defence Force Coast Guardsmen, Sherwin Hart, Devon Gordon and Deon Greenidge, who are challenging their death sentence for the August 20, 2009 murder of Bartica gold

miner, Dwieve Kant Ramdass.

Records by shorthand reporters are still missing.

So far, the court has been able to find the minute book of trial Judge Franklyn Holder which contains a record of the summation of the evidence he gave to the jury, among other important aspects of the trial. Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who is on the panel of judges hearing the appeal, has reassured that every effort is being made by the court to locate the missing records.

As it is, the trial records from the judge’s minute book have to be typed up in order to form part of the records of appeal. This matter comes up for another hearing on December 17, which was set as a report date. In August 2009, the three former GDF Coast Guardsmen were charged and remanded to prison for Ramdass.

Following a preliminary

inquiry, a Magistrate ruled that there was sufficient evidence against the men for them to stand trial for the killing before a judge and jury.

And in May 2013, the men went on trial before Justice Franklyn Holder and a 12person jury.

They were found guilty of the crime, and were sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Holder.

The prosecution’s case was that on the day in question at Caiman Hole in the Essequibo River, the three men forced Ramdass into their boat and took him to the aforementioned location where they relieved him of $17M in cash, which he was carrying in a box to Bartica for his employer, before dumping him overboard.

Initially, the Court of Appeal had fixed October 18, for the hearing of the appeal. At that hearing, lawyers Nigel Hughes and Latchmie Rahamat raised preliminary issues as it related to the state

Devon Gordon

Deon Greenidge

Sherwin Hart

Dwieve Kant Ramdass

of the records of appeal.

Hughes had brought to the court’s attention that the records of appeal do not reflect a ruling on a Voir Dire made by the trial judge in relation to two of the appellants. Gordon’s lawyer, Rahamat, who represented him at the trial stage, had told the court that she could recall the judge making a ruling

after the Voir Dire was concluded. She however pointed out that this ruling could not be cross-referenced with the court’s typewritten records of appeal.

Apart from this, Rahamat pointed out that some of the evidence in the judge’s summing up was inaccurately reflected. For example, among other things, Rahamat said

that what was said by one of the witnesses is recorded as being said by another witness. At that hearing, too, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Dionne McCammon admitted that in the typewritten records of appeal the judge’s summing up seems disjointed and “some of the pages do not flow.”

PAGE 22

Saturday November 09, 2019

Kaieteur News LEGALNOTICE

SERVICES

FOR SALE

Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisements, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040

Courtney’s Boutique- Ladies & Gents formal and casual attire. Unbeatable prices, Stall B Bourda market/Post office entrance

ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included.

German Shepherds for sale. #655-2342/629-3372/218-2383

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Austin Powers Repairs & Services- We repair AC, Washers, Fridge, Freezers, Dryers, Gas stoves. Located at Vigilance ECD. Tel# 6852588/613-1711 HOUSE PLAN TO DRAW OR YOU JUST ESTIMATE. CALL: 216-0671/692-8464.

WHATSAPP #622-0267 Eagle’s re-gas AC, Fridge, Washing machine & computer repairs, Gas stove, Plasma flatscreen, Electrical installation & more. Call: 6972969/646-0966 IT’S THE CLEAN UP SEASON! GET YOUR YARD, HOUSE, CARPET ETC PRESSURE WASH. CONTACT KENDALL KLEANERS #650-2383 BEST RATES Personal Training/TrainorBodybuilding, body sculpting, weight loss diet plans, one on one. Contact# 612-3525

LAND FOR SALE Transported land 11.6 acres, Lot 15 Public road #2 Village W.C. B/ce 5 mins from B/ce Bridge. Contact# 686-4818/ 648-7109 Farm lands: Agriculture Road ECD, Double Lot $5M #6122522 TO LET East Street, Furnished three bedrooms, top flat near Georgetown Hospital.

Tel#225-3756/671-0690 1 bedroom apartment for working couple/single person $35,000 monthly, light & water included. 2 months security.

Tel#623-0076 1/2 bedroom apartment Tolet. $40,000 per month, Lyng St Charlestown. #693-2911

Care for elderly, care for children. First Aid & CPR. #227-4881 Learn the magic of grapahic designing, film making and photography. Mark Chand #646-7494

WANTED One Part time cooking maid required and a full time cleaning maid. Call: 231-0734/ 653-4537

House to rent-Diamond, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, library, living space, 1/2 bath, porch, carport, water storage-filter.

Call: 638-2482/655-0370

1 Security Guard, Waiter, Waitresses, Servers. Apply at Herdmanston, Anira & Peter Rose Sts, Queenstown Tel#225-0808 Ex-100

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620

1 admin assistant must know to drive car/van and have knowledge of basic accounting. Tel# 675-0587/ 225-9304

(2) bedroom furnished apartment in Charlestown, fully secure, students/ overseas visitor. Call 8am-9pm #225-1418/601-1585/625-0266 One three bedroom house located at J29 Tucville, opposite Uncle Eddie’s home, price $60,000. Phone# 6719972 3 bedroom apartment WBD. #267-1446/604-1469 2 bedroom house with large garage space, hot & cold shower in Blankenburg gated community WCD. Contact# 650-5345 $350US One (2) bedroom, 1 bathroom, upper flat at Friendship, East Bank Demerara. Call: 696-7924 for more information 3 bedroom house in 4th Bridge, Golden Grove,EBD. Tel# 689-8896 VEHICLE FOR SALE

CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL: 656-0087 / 6435122 ,EMAIL:PRO_ A U T O R E N T A L @YAHOO.COM DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL CALL: 225-7126 & 2263693 -DOLLYS AUTO RENTAL @ YAHOO.COM/ W W W . D O L L Y SAUTORENTAL.COM

EDUCATION

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Serious enquiries only.

Tel#639-7934

AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FOR AIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807 HEALTH

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Live-in waitress to work in a bar, must have experience, must have ID. Call: 221-2785/ 659-1930

Part time handyman to do errands, having a cycle would be an asset. Call: 226-2322 Experienced whole day domestic to work 3 days per week. Good Salary. Call: 2262322 Models needed for advertising campaigns- Print, TV commericlas etc. Call: 6467494 (1) Commercial supervisor, must have drivers’ license.

Call: 227-1717. Email: andre@cevons.com Bus drivers-44 Route, Car drivers, Maid. #225-9223 Logistics personnel & 2 office staff with accounting skills and security guards. #2237165/225-8645 Wanted (1) One Handyman for Auto Sales. Call #645-5760 for details between 8-5 Mon to Friday Experienced Workers for 6" land dredge. Cook for interior (Preferbaly male) $100,000 monthly. Contact # 672-3359 during working hours Experienced hire car drivers and dispatcher at Ramada Princess Hotel.Contact 2657075/616-5419.

Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665/6493750 LEGALNOTICE

2019-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-803 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF (1) 2005 Black Jeep Cherokee JUDICATURE (right hand drive) in excellent FAMILY, DIVORCE AND condition (37OL Engine) M A T R I M O N I A L Lady Driven. Contact# 622- JURISDICTION FAMILY 4746 DIVISION PETITION NO. FD-803 BETWEEN :(1) 2005 Audi Q5 Tfsi Quattro (FRASER) YONETTE Lady driven, fully loaded.

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Call: 644-5166/691-2561/681- La Bonne Intention, East Bank Demerara 2808

TAKE NOTICE that on the 21st day of June 2019 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by YONETTE PATRICIA FRASER nee HUGHES, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 21st day of July ,2019 the Petitioner was directed to effect service of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issue of the Kaieteur News Newspaper, a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorneyat-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

AND FUTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry) Answer and/ or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 28(twenty-eight) days after the date of the second and final publication of this Notice TAKE NOTICE that the matter is fixed for Directions Hearing on Friday the 18th day December 2019 at 10:00 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Sandra Kurtizious in the Directions Hearing Room of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts, [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 24th day of August, 2019

VACANCY One (1) Clerk for TSI Eccles Industrial Site Office. English -1, Mathematics-2, Quickbooks. Call: 615-9132 1 maid to cook and clean for East Bank area. Call: 615-9132 Security to work in the interior. Age required 30-55.

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Call: 642-9823 PROPERTY FOR SALE One 3 Story building at 97 Sugar Cane St, S/Rveldt Gdns. $125,000,000. Tel#674-9905/ 695-1356/225-2971 Property for sale at 15A Craig Village EBD, house 3 bedroom (1) self contain house #6177691/718-213-6496 7 bedroom house & land for sale in Better Hope ECD. Size of land 150x100 House 35x70. #617-5737 One wooden/concrete building located North Riumveldt $18M. #258-0280/ 642-0336/655-6643 FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Tables. Tel #651-9039

Saturday November 09, 2019

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White House official says he heard U.S. envoy push for investigation of Bidens WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An official on the White House’s National Security Council said he heard the U.S. ambassador to the European Union explicitly press Ukrainian officials to investigate Joe Biden and his son, according to a transcript released on Friday by Democrats leading the impeachment probe of President Donald Trump.

Alexander Vindman, a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and Ukraine expert on the NSC, said Ambassador Gordon Sondland made it clear in a July 10 meeting at the White House that the investigations of the Bidens and Ukrainian gas company Burisma would have to be opened for Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to get an Oval Office meeting with Trump.

“He was calling for something, calling for an investigation that didn’t exist into the Bidens and Burisma,” Vindman said. “My visceral reaction to what was being called for suggested that it was explicit. There was no ambiguity.” His comments could give Democrats further ammunition in their push to determine whether Trump misused U.S. foreign policy to pressure Ukraine into carrying out a corruption probe into Democrat Joe Biden, a potential rival in the 2020 presidential election. The inquiry enters a critical phase

next week when House committees hold impeachment hearings in public.

Vindman was among the U.S. officials in the White House Situation Room monitoring Trump’s call two weeks later on July 25 with Zelenskiy, a main focus of the impeachment probe.

He said he had no doubt that Trump demanded that Ukraine open the investigations in return for an Oval Office visit for the Ukrainian leader.

“This was about getting a White House meeting,” he said. “It was a demand for him to...fulfill this particular prerequisite.”

Vindman told lawmakers that he believes ties between the U.S. and Ukraine have been damaged by the administration’s actions.

“It undercuts U.S. resolve to support Ukraine and certainly puts a question into their mind whether they in fact have U.S. support,” he said.

Also on Friday, an attorney for Trump’s former National Security Adviser John Bolton sent a lawyer to House lawmakers that suggested Bolton knows about “many relevant meetings and conversations” concerning Trump’s actions toward Ukraine. Democrats have sought Bolton’s testimony, but his lawyer, Charles Cooper, said in the letter that Bolton would not appear until a court rules on whether he should

testify over objections from the White House.

With public hearings getting underway, House Republicans made a move to bolster their response to the impeachment probe.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced that Representative Jim Jordan, an aggressive Trump defender, had been assigned to the House Intelligence Committee.

NO-SHOWS Vindman’s account of the July 10 meeting at the White House was corroborated by Fiona Hill, the former senior director for European and Russian affairs on Trump’s

Agriculture, tourism in Region...

From page 14 gap between the hinterland and the coastland, and when he speaks about that, he is not talking about just roads, bridges and aerodromes, but Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hubs as well.

With services like Wi-Fi available in these areas, especially at the top of Mount Roraima where ASL is offering helicopter rides to tourists, you can promote the country from there. So, there are so many opportunities that can be had from bridging these gaps and offering these services.

I know the people are excited. This will mean so much to the residents and also help in the development of the communities, tourism and agriculture,” the Minister said.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure with responsibility for Aviation, Mr. Jaipaul Sharma, in brief remarks said that the company must indeed be commended for the step it has taken to extend its services to communities that are presently underserved. He noted

that the investment speaks not only to the company's confidence in the economy, but also demonstrates a commitment to serving all Guyanese.

“The achievement that Air Services has had over the past 50 years and their contributions to building our hinterland communities is no small achievement. When these flights come on board, it will add so much to the residents, because chartering itself is very expensive and it is not something you can always do, because you have to wait on the funds to be available. So, with the scheduled flights, the residents can now plan their lives, livelihoods and activities in a more programmed way,” he said.

Minister Sharma said that with the Government through the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) announcing VATfree flights to numerous indigenous communities, residents will now be able to access the service for less.

Manager of ASL, Mrs. Annette Arjoon- Martins, in her remarks, said that the company was started 50 years ago in a little wooden shed. From

then to now, she noted, ASL has made great strides and is pleased to now add the region to its roster.

The Manager noted that at present, the company offers helicopter trips to the top of Mount Roraima and tourists have been clamouring to visit other parts of the region as well. She therefore anticipates that with the introduction of the new flights, a tourism product which will be beneficial to the entire region, can be developed.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lee Williams, Toshao of Paruima, said that he is most pleased with the service coming on board, since it will significantly assist his community as well others to boost their tourism and farming products.

“We have to charter flights usually and so we are happy and I have to commend Air Services. Paruima has the only Arecuna people in Guyana so it is unique and we are trying to develop our tourism product to bring economic activities in our community. So now this service is here, it can really boost our tourism,” he said.

NSC. Hill testified she heard Sondland bring up Burisma at the meeting, according to a separate transcript of her testimony released on Friday.

Vindman’s testimony, in particular, highlighted fresh discrepancies of what occurred as recounted by Sondland, who told investigators he did not remember taking part in any effort to investigate the Bidens.

Sondland, a Trump donorturned-diplomat, acknowledged he encouraged Ukraine to investigate Burisma but said he did not know that Hunter Biden had served on the company’s board.

Vindman testified that Sondland told the July 10 gathering he coordinated the request with acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, who is Trump’s top aide as well as the director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.

Mulvaney was subpoe-

naed on Thursday night to testify but did not show up on Friday.

Mark Sandy, associate director for national security programs at OMB, also was called to testify and did not appear.

The White House previously has said it would not cooperate with the congressional investigation, which was triggered by a whistleblower complaint about a phone call on July 25 between Trump and Zelenskiy.

Lawmakers wanted to question the two officials about their knowledge of OMB’s decision last summer to block nearly $400 million in security aid for Ukraine that had been approved by lawmakers.

Trump’s defenders say there is no evidence of him and the Ukrainian president engaging in a quid pro quo or exchanging a favor for a favor - because the aid to Ukraine was released and Zelenskiy never explicitly promised to investigate Burisma, the Bidens, or any Ukraine involvement in the 2016 election.

40

A quid pro quo is not necessary, however, to prove high crimes or misdemeanors, which is the standard the U.S. Constitution requires for the impeachment of a president.

Earlier on Friday, Trump said he was unconcerned about the impeachment inquiry and criticized House Democrats for moving their inquiry into the public eye with open, televised hearings next week.

“They shouldn’t be having public hearings; this is a hoax,” Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing, told reporters.

The House committees conducting the inquiry are wrapping up the closed-door phase of their investigation before open hearings start next Wednesday with testimony from two diplomats who have been interviewed behind closed doors: William Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent.

Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, who was abruptly recalled by Trump in May, will testify on Nov. 15.

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Earthquake rocks sections of Trinidad and Tobago PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 rocked sections of the twin island republic early Friday.

According to the Seismic Research Centre at the University of the West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine campus, the

Saturday November 09, 2019

US immigration agents nab Jamaican nationals during Operation SOAR

earthquake occurred around 4:11am (local time).

The tremor, that was felt in the cities of Port of Spain, San Fernando and Arima, had a depth of 10 kilometres.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries or damage.

Belize signs loan agreement with IDB to strengthen tax administration BELIZE CITY, Belize, CMC – The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) says Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow and IDB Country Representative Cassandra T. Rogers have signed a loan agreement to the tune of US$14 million to strengthen tax administration in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-member state.

The Washington-based financial institution said the project will strengthen tax administration governance, improve operational processes, through the modernization of technological infrastructure, “with the aim of maximizing government revenue generating potential.”

“The financing will support the Government of Belize in its ongoing efforts to modernize, restructure and integrate its Tax Administration,” the IDB said.

It said the project will implement a new business model through a series of integrated processes and services for the taxpayers.

“It will provide for a complete modernization of its technological infrastructure that will support newer technologies and methods to improve tax collection and provide assistance to taxpayers,” the IDB said.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow “When implemented, it will increase tax revenue and reduce evasion not only by improving the efficiency of the technical assistance but also making it easier for the taxpayers to comply,” it added.

In addition, the IDB said the project will have “a positive impact on economic growth and development, and provide the authorities with better and more complete tax data for decision-making.”

The IDB said the first steps have already been taken, with the amalgamation

of the Income Tax Department and Department of General Sales Tax into the newly formed Belize Tax Service Department — a department under the Ministry of Finance.

“The project is aligned with and helps to achieve the goals of the fiscal consolidation program that the Government initiated in fiscal year 2017/2018 and is also closely aligned with technical assistance that Belize has been receiving from the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Center (CARTAC),” the IDB said.

General Assembly calls for end to embargo against Cuba UNITED NATIONS – For the 28th consecutive year, the UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba.

During a vote held on Wednesday, 187 Member States underlined their support for the resolution while Brazil and Israel joined the US in voting no.

Colombia and Ukraine abstained.

“Like all nations, we get to choose which countries we trade with. This is our sovereign right,” Kelly Craft, the

US Ambassador to the UN, said prior to the vote.

“So, it is worrying that the international community, in the name of protecting sovereignty, continues to challenge this right.”

The embargo is rooted in the Cold War, when Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries seized power.

Tensions only eased more than a half-century later when the Obama administration established diplomatic relations with Cuba, modifying several aspects of the embargo such as lifting some travel restrictions. As the resolution states, these policies “con-

trast” with measures implemented by the current President, Donald Trump, in 2017.

Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, reported that in recent months Washington has begun to “escalate aggression”, including by preventing international fuel shipments to the island, scaling down consular services, and attacking national programmes that support other developing countries.

“The blockade has caused incalculable humanitarian damage. It is a flagrant, massive and systematic violation of human rights,” he charged.

NEW YORK, CMC – The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says officers from its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Long Island, New York, SubOffice have arrested Jamaican nationals among 23 sexual predators during a six-day operation in Long Island, a New York City suburb.

On Thursday, ICE said that the enforcement effort, dubbed “Operation SOAR” (Sex Offender Alien Removal), ended on November 2.

ICE did not identify the Jamaican nationals arrested but said that, in the course of Operation SOAR, ERO deportation officers apprehended the individuals with past criminal convictions, ranging from sexual abuse to rape.

Several of those arrested are registered sexual offenders, ICE said.

It said that each taken into custody is currently being detained pending the completion of removal proceedings, criminal prosecution or removal from the United States.

Besides Jamaica, ICE said the arrestees include nationals from Canada, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines and Portugal.

ERO deportation officers made arrests throughout Long Island, specifically in Nassau County: Mineola,

Port Washington, Roosevelt, Uniondale; and in Suffolk County: Brentwood, Central Islip, Copiague, Huntington Station, Manorville, Riverhead, Rocky Point, Wheatley Heights and Wyandanch.

Additionally, ICE said two arrests were made in Brooklyn, and one each in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens – counties in New York City.

ICE said one Jamaican national arrested in Uniondale is a 52-year-old with a prior US federal conviction for receiving material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor for which a sentence of 120 months imprisonment was imposed.

“When we talk about the safety of our communities, it should not be politics, it should be common sense,” said Thomas R. Decker, field office director for ERO New York.

“We arrested nearly two dozen convicted sex offenders this past week, including many who conducted heinous acts against children, and could have been turned over to ICE instead of released back into our n e i g h b o r hoods,” he added.

ICE said the criminal histories of those arrested during the operation include acting in manner injure child, aggravated Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), aggravated unlicensed opera-

tion of a motor vehicle, attempted forcible touching, attempted petit larceny, attempted sexual misconduct, criminal contempt, criminal mischief, criminal obstruction of breathing, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal sexual act, disorderly conduct, endangering the welfare of a child, false impersonation, harassment, petit larceny, possession of a forged instrument, receiving material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual abuse, DWI and sexual misconduct.

Five of the individuals arrested during this operation will face US federal criminal prosecutions for illegal entry and illegal reentry after removal, ICE said.

It said an immigrant who illegally reenters the United States has committed a felony punishable by up to 20 years in US federal prison.

The arrestees who are not being federally prosecuted are being detained in ICE custody, and will be processed administratively for removal from the United States, ICE said.

It said those arrestees who have outstanding orders of removal are subject to immediate removal from the country.

ICE said the remaining individuals are in its custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge.

Brazil not going to cap oil output, set prices as OPEC does: Guedes RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Brazil is willing to have discussions about the future of the energy industry with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), but has no interest in joining a cartel to set prices

and cap production, its economy minister said on Friday.

“You have to be there to discuss and inform yourself,” Economy Minister Paulo Guedes told Reuters in an interview. “But to put the squeeze on Western

democracies with an oil shock ... No way! President (Jair) Bolsonaro has principles and values and won’t change them for a fistful of cash,” he added, following comments last week by the president that Brazil could join OPEC.

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Brazil’s former President Lula released from jail after court ruling Brazil’s former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been freed from jail. A judge ordered the release of Lula after the Supreme Court ruled that convicted criminals should go to prison only if they have exhausted their appeal options.

He was greeted by supporters outside a prison in the city of Curitiba where he has been held for a year and a half on corruption charges.

The left-winger led Brazil between 2003 and 2010 and remains popular.

He was favourite to win last year’s presidential election but was imprisoned after being implicated in a major corruption scandal. The race was won instead by far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula will be barred from standing for office because of his criminal record.

He has consistently denied all the accusations against him and claims they are politically motivated.

Justices voted to reinterpret the country’s penal code in a decision issued on Thursday. It overturns a three-year-old rule which mandated immediate prison time for convicted crimi-

Lula’s supporters waited outside the prison where he has been held nals after they lost their first appeal.

Brazil’s corruption scandal, known as Operation Car Wash, initially centered on the staterun oil company Petrobras,

but subsequently billions of dollars of bribes were uncovered - and dozens of high-profile business leaders and politicians were jailed.

The mandatory imprison-

ment rule was seen as helping prosecutors secure convictions and unravel the scandal by encouraging suspects to negotiate plea deals.

But critics claimed it violated

Brazil’s constitution - which states that no one can be deprived of their liberty without due process of law.

Lula was jailed in 2018 after being sentenced to more than 12

years in prison, later reduced to eight years and 10 months, for receiving a beachside apartment from an engineering company implicated in the Car Wash investigation.

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Australia crush Pakistan by 10 wickets in final T20 AFP - Ruthless opening pair Aaron Finch and David Warner ran riot as Australia routed Pakistan by 10 wickets in Perth to wrap up their Twenty20 series 2-0 yesterday in emphatic fashion.

After restricting the visitors to 106 for eight, Finch (52) and Warner (48) whacked five sixes and eight fours between them as they raced to the finish line without loss.

The home team won in Canberra by seven wickets, thanks to a brilliant 80 not out

by Steve Smith, and were on track to also triumph in Sydney only for rain to save the visitors.

Their victory in Perth has them on an impressive eightgame winning streak in the short format as they build towards the T20 World Cup on home soil next year.

David Warner gets Australia off to a flying start. (Getty Images) “Really proud of the boys with the way we applied ourselves in the last couple of weeks. Each time we turn up at training, we are improving ourselves and that is very important,” said captain Finch.

“We are growing as a team and hopefully some big

things to come.”

In contrast, Pakistan are struggling and have now lost five of their last six.

Despite the poor run, which included an embarrassing 3-0 home series defeat to an under-strength Sri Lanka that cost Sarfaraz Ahmed the captaincy, they remain num-

Saturday November 09, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You may feel the urge to put your loved one on a pedestal today. You want to see him or her as the perfect mate for you. You're willing to go to great lengths to bring this person pleasure.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) When it comes to issues regarding romance, don't hold back today. Things are working in your favor. You shouldn't hesitate to act forcefully and confidently.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) Romance isn't going perfectly for you. Things may be a bit unclear in this realm. Events may crop up today that will make it hard for you to ignore the issue any longer.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) The center of your power might find it difficult to commit to anything today. Issues regarding love and romance could arise, and you may feel the need to start something moving in this department.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Love and romance are most certainly in the cards today. Play the hand you're dealt and you should come away from the table victorious.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Issues regarding romance could be a big part of the picture today. The scales could tip either way in terms of your success at this game.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Matters of the heart are in your favor today. You should prepare for a day full of social activities and good conversation. Your creative spirit may also be heightened.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You might focus on romance today, but it's possible that you're having problems figuring out a way to express your feelings. There's power influencing the scene, and certainly no shortage of passion.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) In matters involving love and romance, things might get a little sticky today. You might want to charge ahead with a plan, while a close partner wants to sit, discuss, and work things out together.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Love will probably be on your mind most of today, so give your heart your full attention.

You're having trouble communicating with a loved one now, so try to be patient.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Issues regarding love and romance are in your favor.

There's a strong force spurring you to take action. Heed this helpful energy.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Tension in the romance department may arise for you.

You want to get things started in a relationship that's important to you, yet something always seems to stand in the way of the plan.

Iftikhar Ahmed top-scored for Pakistan with 45. (AFP / Tony ASHBY) ber one in the rankings.

But their cricket chiefs will be worried about the two Tests against Australia to come, starting this month in Brisbane.

“Very disappointed, but we lost to a good team. We have learnt a lot from this series and we’ll take the posi-

tives and come back hard in the next series,” said skipper Babar Azam.

“As captain, I learnt a lot personally too, but there’s a long way to go.”

After being sent in to bat at the Perth Arena, Iftikhar Ahmed’s 45 was the only resistance by Pakistan in a re-

peat performance of poor batting against quality bowling, led by Kane Richardson who took three wickets.

On a fast, bouncy pitch, Finch and Warner showed no pity in reply, exposing Pakistan’s young and fragile attack.

The explosive Warner hit Mohammad Amir for six in the first over and there was no looking back in a display of power-hitting from the two men.Pakistan made four changes with Imam ul-Haq and Mohammad Hasnain coming in and debuts handed to batsman Khushdil Shah and bowler Muhammad Musa.Only Azam and Ahmed have shown signs of life in the batting department this series and, again, no one else stood up.Azam had hit consecutive 50s in the previous games, but he fell early, out lbw to Mitchell Starc for six.

The Australian fast bowler then smashed the stumps of Mohammad Rizwan next ball with a searing inswinger, leaving Pakistan at 15 for two.Opener ulHaq, in for out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, didn’t fare much better.

He hit two boundaries in his 14 before mis-hitting a pull shot off Sean Abbott, playing his first international since 2014, for Ben McDermott to take an easy catch.

Haris Sohail again failed, mistiming a shot off-spinner Ashton Agar, while Shah lasted 11 balls for his eight runs. Imad Wasim also fell cheaply.

When Ahmed — who scored a quickfire 62 in Canberra — finally went looking for a boundary off Richardson, it was left to the tailenders to at least ensure their team made it to three figures.

Scores: Australia 0 for 109 (Finch 52*, Warner 48*) beat Pakistan 8 for 106 (Iftikhar 45, Richardson 318, Abbott 2-14, Starc 2-29) by 10 wickets.

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Ex-UEFA chief Platini taking action to recoup back pay, legal fees AFP - Former UEFA president Michel Platini is taking action to obtain substantial amounts of back pay as well as a bonus and legal fees, he told AFP yesterday.

According to sources close to Platini, whose fouryear suspension from football ended in October, the former France international is seeking to recoup around 7.2 million euros ($7.9 million), including 5.5 million euros in back pay.

The same sources said Platini was hoping to reclaim a bonus worth some 1.8 million euros “for his contribution to the success of Euro 2016 in France”, despite the fact he was suspended when the tournament was staged.

Platini was expected to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2016 but fell spec-

tacularly from grace a few months earlier.

The 64-year-old was suspended by world football’s governing body in late 2015 over a controversial payment of two million Swiss francs (1.8 million euros, $2 million) from Blatter.

The payment, made in 2011 when Blatter was seeking re-election as president, was related to work carried out by Platini between 1999 and 2002. Platini has always insisted he did nothing wrong.Speaking to AFP by telephone, Platini said: “Through my lawyer, I am asking for the contractual elements to be applied.”

Platini contested the claims that he is seeking 7.2 million euros. His Swiss lawyer, Vincent Solari, argues he “is entitled to a year’s salary

as well as a contractually agreed bonus, that is to say three million Swiss francs ($3 million, 2.7 million euros).”

Solari added that European football’s governing body — over which Platini presided from 2007 until his ban in 2015 — were contractually obliged to pay him for almost two years even if he was unable to work “for whatever reason” and had, “on that basis”, already paid him one year’s salary.

They had, he insisted, “thereby acknowledged that the salary was owed regardless of the suspension”.

However, the matter appears likely to end in a court battle. Solari said UEFA were now contesting the claim “without any motivation”.

One source said Platini had first taken action to re-

NBA roundup: Clippers rally past Blazers for Rivers’ 900th win Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from an eightpoint, fourth-quarter hole to defeat the visiting Portland Trail Blazers 107-101 on Thursday night.

Lou Williams scored 26 points and recorded eight assists while Montrezl Harrell and Ivica Zubac each scored 15 points for the Clippers.

Zubac also had 13 rebounds, nine on the offensive end.

Leonard contributed 18 points to the fourth-quarter comeback.

The victory was the 900th of Clippers coach Doc Rivers career. He is the 13th coach to reach the milestone.

Celtics 108, Hornets 87 Jayson Tatum scored 23 points, Kemba Walker added 14 in his return to Charlotte, and Boston cruised past host Charlotte.

Gordon Hayward added 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Celtics won their sixth straight. Jaylen Brown chipped in 12 points after missing the teams previous three games due to an illness.

Miles Bridges had 18 points, and Devonte Graham added 15 for the Hornets, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Terry Rozier, playing against Boston for the first time after four seasons with the Celtics, was held to three points on 1-of11 shooting.

Spurs 121, Thunder 112 LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 39 points on 19-for-23 shooting as San Antonio snapped a two-game losing streak with a win over visiting Oklahoma City.

The Spurs led by eight

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) controls the ball against Portland Trail Blazers forward Rodney Hood (5) during the first half at Staples Center. (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports) heading into the fourth quarter and never allowed the Thunder to get closer than five points the rest of the way.

When Aldridge is on his game, the Spurs win. In San Antonios five victories this season, he has averaged 25 points per game; in its three losses, he has managed just nine points per contest. Last season, Aldridge scored a career-high 56 points against Oklahoma City.

Heat 124, Suns 108 Jimmy Butler scored 30 of his 34 points in the first half and Goran Dragic scored 20 of his 25 points in the second half as Miami beat host Phoenix to stop the Suns threegame winning streak.

Bam Adebayo had 15

points, 10 rebounds, six assists and five steals, Tyler Herro scored 15 points off the bench, and Kendrick Nunn added 11 for the Heat, who at 6-2 are off to their best start since the 2012-13 team won six of its first eight.

Butler made 11 of 16 field-goal attempts and Dragic made 9 of 16 to help the Heat shoot 54.9 percent from the field and 53.6 percent from the 3-point line, where they made 15 of 28. Dragic tied his season high in points and made 3pointers (five) as the Heat became the first team to outshoot the Suns this season. The Suns shot 44.0 percent.

(Field Level Media)

claim the money in the autumn of 2016 but said the triple Ballon d’Or winner had not yet gone to court “because he knows he has no chance of winning”.

- Return to football? Blatter, also speaking to AFP, said he found the Frenchman’s demands “shocking, because I thought he was fighting above all else to save his honour, his integrity, his values”.

Blatter was suspended for six years in the wake of the scandal over the payment to Platini, having presided over world football for 17 years.

Platini’s suspension ended on October 6 and he has said he now hopes to find a new role in football.

The revelations about his pay dispute with UEFA come in the same week that he released a new book, the title of which translates as “Between

Michel Platini was once considered a future FIFA president but fell from grace. (AFP/File / Sebastian Derungs) Us”.French President Emmanuel Macron this week backed Platini to return to the game, telling radio station RTL: “If you are ready to get involved again in football, in sport, in our country, that

would make me happy.”

However, the former Juventus and Saint-Etienne playmaker remains linked to a corruption investigation in his home country relating to awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

In June this year he was held and questioned by French anti-corruption police investigating the 2010 vote to award the tournament to the Gulf state.According to France Football magazine, a “secret meeting” took place in November 2010 at the Elysee Palace in Paris between former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, Qatar’s then-Prince (now Emir) Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and Platini, who was then both UEFA president and FIFA vice-president.

Just over a week later, FIFA voted to give Qatar the 2022 hosting rights.

NBA fines Clippers $50K over Kawhi-related comments

The NBA fined the Los Angeles Clippers $50,000 on Thursday for comments made about Kawhi Leonard and his injury status.On Wednesday, the league said it accepted the Clippers plan to sit Leonard, who was listed on the injury report with an ailing knee, in the first of back-to-back games. He did not play in a 129-124 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks - a game that was nationally televised by ESPN. But a remark later made by coach Doc Rivers caught the attention of the NBA. “I think Kawhi made a statement that hes never felt better. Its our job to make sure he stays that way. Thats important. But he played a lot of minutes in the playoffs last year,” Rivers said. “So, its not, uh, a health thing really. It is in some ways. We want him to just keep feeling better and getting better.”In a statement announcing the fine on Thursday, the league said it continued to believe that Leonard has an injury but questioned Rivers remarks.“Following additional review of the LA Clippers not playing Kawhi Leonard in last nights game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA has confirmed that the teams decision to sit Leonard for management of an injury was consistent with league rules,” the statement read. “The team has reasonably determined that Leonard is suffering from an ongoing injury to the patella tendon in his left knee and has been placed by the team at this time on an injury protocol for backto-back games.“The NBA has fined the Clippers $50,000 for

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers and forward Kawhi Leonard (2) against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo) statements, including by head coach Doc Rivers, that were inconsistent with Leonards health status.”The Clippers host the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night on TNT, and Leonard is expected to play. The forward, who signed as a free agent with the Clippers in the offseason, has yet to play both games

of a back-to-back this season and last played in a set in April 2017, when he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs.Leonard played in just nine games for the Spurs in 2017-18 due to a quadriceps injury and played in just 60 of 82 regular-season games for the Toronto Raptors last season.(Field Level Media)

Nadal optimistic on fitness...

From page 27 to be on Sunday serving normal.”

Nadal has qualified for the ATP Finals for the 15th time in his career but has only actually played on eight occasions because of a career-long battle with various injuries.His most recent appearance was in 2017 when he played only one of his group matches, limping to defeat against David Goffin. He has twice made the final since the tournament moved to London, in 2010 when he lost to Federer and in 2013 when he was beaten by Djokovic.“Yeah Ive qualified for 15 years but I dont know how many years Ive completed the tournament,” Nadal said. “But I would love to have the opportunity to (win the title).”Even if Nadal withdrew or failed to win a group match, Djokovic would still need to reach the final to claim the yearend ranking for a record-equaling sixth time a feat only American Pete Sampras has achieved.Djokovic begins his quest for a sixth ATP Finals title tomorrow against Italian debutant Matteo Berretini.

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RESULTS CWI Regional Super50

Letter to the Sports Editor

Bravo, Solozano hundreds give Red Force Solozano followed him at the winning start end of the 42nd, reaching his

State of Football in Guyana

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC West Indies left-hander Darren Bravo wasted little time in reminding selectors of his immense talent, smashing an unbeaten hundred to lift Trinidad and Tobago Red Force to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Windward Islands Volcanoes in the Super50 Cup here Thursday.

In pursuit of a competitive 239 under lights at Queens Park Oval, Red Force stormed to their target in the 43rd over with Bravo carving out a handsome 115 and fellow lefthander Jeremy Solozano hitting 102 not out.

Together, they posted a record 226-run for the third wicket to pull their side around from danger at 13 for two in the fourth over.

Bravo, left out of the West Indies side currently in India for the Afghanistan series, struck five fours and eight sixes in 127 balls at the crease to mark his seventh List A hundred and clinch Man-ofthe-Match honours.

Solozano, meanwhile, notched his maiden regional one-day hundred, facing 118 balls and counting nine fours and two sixes all told.

Asked to bat first in the Group B contest, Volcanoes did well to get up to 238 for eight off their 50 overs, after a late flourish from Alick Athanaze who smashed a 23ball 28 and Kerron Cottoy who lashed a 15-ball unbeaten 27.Desron Maloney had earlier marked his debut with a half-century, stroking 56 off 81 balls with five fours as he put on 46 off 42 balls for the first wicket with veteran lefthander Devon Smith (24).

When Smith missed a wild heave at seamer Anderson

Darren Bravo celebrates his hundred at Queens Park Oval on Thursday night.

Phillip and had his stumps rattled in the seventh over, Maloney found an ally in Kavem Hodge (57) to add a further 62 for the second wicket.

Hodges knock was a slow one, requiring 105 balls and including one four and a six, and it put the innings under pressure, leaving Volcanoes struggling especially after they lost three wickets for 15 runs in the space of 31 balls to be 123 for four in the 33rd over.Emmanuel Stewart arrived to punch two fours and sixes in a 34-ball 31, adding a vital 48 for the fifth wicket with Hodge who eventually perished after adding a further 28 for the sixth wicket with Athanaze, bowled by leftarm spinner Yannick Ottley in the 46th over.

In reply, Red Force stumbled early when Tion Webster (5) feathered one from off-spinner Shane Shillingford through to wicketkeeper Stewart in the second over and Kyle Hope followed two overs later for five.But that was the end of Volcanoes success as Bravo and Solozano dominated the attack. Bravo brought up his hundred off 113 balls at the start of the 39th over with a giant six over mid-wicket off leg-spinner Cottoy and

landmark by clearing the midwicket ropes with left-arm spinner Hodge.

Results of matches played: Group A At Warner Park (BASSETERRE): Pride beat Scorpions by 75 runs.

BARBADOS PRIDE 265 off 50 overs (Nicholas Kirton 55, Kyle Mayers 52, Ashley Nurse 38, Jonathan Carter 33, Tevyn Walcott 32, Kjorn Ottley 25; Andre McCarthy 441, Oshane Thomas 4-52) JAMAICA SCORPIONS 190 all out off 39.5 overs (Andre McCarthy 95, Aldaine Thomas 41; Ashley Nurse 426, Chemar Holder 3-37) Group B At Queens Park Oval (PORT OF SPAIN): Red Force beat Volcanoes by eight wickets.

WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES 238 for eight off 50 overs (Kavem Hodge 57, Desron Maloney 56, Emmanuel Stewart 31, Justin Athanaze 28, Kerron Cottoy 27 not out, Devon Smith 24; Imran Khan 2-28, Yannic Ottley 2-34) T&T RED FORCE 239 for two of 42.5 overs (Darren Bravo 115 not out, Jeremy Solozano 102 not out) At Brian Lara Stadium (TAROUBA): Jaguars beat Emerging Players by two wickets.

WI EMERGING PLAYERS 185 for eight off 50 overs (Justin Greaves 55, Roland Cato 37, Kevin Sinclair 34 not out; Veerasammy Permaul 334, Ramaal Lewis 2-17) GUYANA JAGUARS 189 for eight 50 overs (Kemol Savory 71 not out, Chris Barnwell 36, Jonathan Foo 28; Keon Harding 4-35, Dominic Drakes 2-32)

DEAR SIR, It is with continued disgust and a sense of betrayal that I pen this letter to you once again. With a snap election called by Mr. Forde for the 9thNovember where the few legal members of the GFF were not given adequate opportunity and time to put forward more suitable candidates to form the new executive, I shudder to think what will the future of football and our youths be in Guyana.

In the history of the GFF there has never been a snap election under the umbrella of an Extraordinary Congress.

Ordinary Congresses were the forum even at FIFA etc. for an AGM. The Ordinary provides for fairness with advance notice so that the best persons can be nominated and elected for the Good of the Game. Fear, incompetence and power grabbing seems to be evident in this move. No self-confidence, no integrity, no fair play and no gentlemanly conduct to name a few.

An Extraordinary Congress is normally held to address issues which are outside the normal constitutional mode, emergency and or extraordinary in nature. None of which is consistent with this snap November 9, 2019 election among others.

Clearly under Mr. Forde leadership, football is at its worst ever in Guyana. The last public utterance made by him in the News was so loaded with lies that this guys integrity leaves much to be desired.

It seems to me that this is a direct mirror of The US President, Lies seems to be the only form of truth he speaks.

Guyana Football fraternity and I have been asking for the past year about the monies sent to the GFF for referees.

To date the referees have not benefitted from it in any form or fashion. Mr. Forde where is the US$50,000 plus.

Because of your mismanagement of our football and the referees, we are in a state of disrepair. It is no longer a pride to be a referee but instead the disrespect and mistreatment have caused many to leave the fraternity. The best have left and as such management of the game is at its worse.

Let me highlight some of your lies recently for Guyana: President Forde borrowed monies from the referees in order to offset Gold Cup expenses.

The referees who officiated at the Linden end of year tournament have not been paid to date. Additionally the following monies are outstanding for other tournaments.

1. Mayors Cup 2016 2. Port Kaituma Cup 3. Bartica League and KO 4. Elite League 5. Futsal Tournament 6. GFA League 7. East Bank League 8.West Demerara League 9. Buxton Inter Village 10. Caribbean Shield Cup 11. Referees Committee stipend 12. And it goes on.

I have attached a copy of a letter send by the President of the GFF to Mr. Brian Hall, Director of Refereeing, CONCACAF, where he seeks to confirm his destruction of the careers of three of our best referees without due process.

The Referees are Mr. Sherwin Moore, Mr. Venton Mars and Mr. Trevor Porter.

Evidence of further attempts to destroy the Referees Association is the fact that, of the Five (5) FIFA offi-

Nadal optimistic on fitness ahead of ATP Finals LONDON (Reuters) Rafael Nadal is optimistic he will be 100 percent fit for the ATP Finals as he bids to seal the year-end world number one ranking for the fifth time in his career.The 33-year-old Mallorcan took over at the summit from Novak Djokovic this week but suffered an abdominal injury at the Paris Masters where he withdrew from his semi-final on Saturday.Although he leads Djokovic by 640 points heading into the London climax, he is likely to need a strong finish at an event he is yet to win to prevent the Serb reclaiming the top spot.

“I need to go day by day,” Nadal told reporters after ar-

riving at Londons Thamesside O2 Arena by boat on Friday.“Im happy to be here because after last Saturday in Paris I didnt know if I would have the chance to be here.

“So Im excited to be here after a couple of years without being able to play. I need to see how things evolve every single day. I have good hopes to be 100 percent ready for Monday.”Nadal has been placed in the Andre Agassi group alongside defending champion Alexander Zverev and debutants Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece and Russian Daniil Medvedev.He is scheduled to begin on Monday evening against Zverev but admits serving is still the

biggest worry.“I started (serving) yesterday, very slow,” Nadal, who won this years French and U.S. Opens to move to 19 Grand Slam titles, one behind Roger Federers record, said.“I know I have been playing well in Paris and for me the main goal is to be healthy for Monday.“I have been serving very well in Bercy, I had good matches, so I am confident that I can be very competitive but of course its a tournament that you will face the top guys from the beginning so you need to be 100 percent ready.

“But I really hope I will be able to serve every single day a little better and my hope is (Continued on page 26)

Spain’s Rafael Nadal in action during his quarter final match against France’s Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in the ATP 1000 - Paris Masters. (REUTERS/ Christian Hartmann)

cials in Guyana, Three was suspended by Mr. Forde indefinitely since December 2018 without due process.

These three officials were suspended by Mr. Forde and supported by his executives, however according to Article 14 (Suspension) a provisional suspension by the executive committee shall only last for a period of not exceeding six (6) months, which time the disciplinary committee or congress meet, failing to the suspension ends immediately, but yet still these three Referees are still serving an unknown period of suspension.

This in itself is vindictive and abuse of authority (power).

To date these Referees remained suspended without any hearing and appointments for these officials are being returned by Forde and the GFF based on the attachment letter sent to Concacaf Refereeing Department.

The financial statement seems to suggest that the GFF is bankrupt with a large list of creditors etc. Are these accounts audited, dont the Auditors ask questions regarding use of funds based on FIFA circular etc.

Also what is the position with the Administrator for Referees, since the unceremonious departure of Mr. Lancaster? After, a cowboy enquiry it was taken to dismiss Mr. Lancaster. Where is the evidence to justify their conclusion? I am still waiting your response regarding Lancaster unceremonious departure.

If this is not enough, most of the Association and Affiliates are either underperforming or not performing at all, no structures and very, very poor and ineffective administrators. A few teams comprise the Association, no meeting during the year and little or no football in the Association. In some cases there are no minutes of the few get together which are held from time to time. Could Mr. Forde show us any real evidence of players, referees, administrators, club structure, Coaches and any other development for the past four years with all the monies received from FIFA? Winning a few matches with non locals is not development. What is the vision for the Likes of France and Dover…?

Please Sir Leave before it is too late, now is the time.

FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAMEAND FAIR PLAY IN GUYANA Respectfully, Thomas Bowen Businessman / former footballer.

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Saturday November 09, 2019

Kaieteur News

Sunshine Snacks/Farfan & Mendes Junior Indoor Hockey Championships

GCC Clubs dominate night two

YMCA Old Fort U16 Captain Shaquan Favourite on the attack against Joseph Warriors.

Saints Livewire’s Oshazay Savoury in control for Saints against the GCC War Dogs.

The Sunshine Snacks Under-21 girls competition of the Junior Indoor Hockey Championships produced a nailbiting finish when the pretournament favourites, GBTI GCC Spartans scored a lone goal in the final seconds of play against Saints. The GBTI

girls seemed to have the upper hand from the outset of the match but the sturdy defence of Saints held the lethal strike force of Abosaide Cadogan and Sarah Klautky at bay. Klautky seemed to have put the Spartans up by one at the halftime buzzer but

the whistle had gone for a Saints infringement just a second earlier to leave the halftime score at 0-0.Saints goalkeeper Donyale Nurse had made some fine saves in the first half of play and continued this performance in the second half as GCC earned

Kenyan steeplechase world champions criticise Diamond League omission AFP - Kenya’s world reigning 3,000 metres steeplechase champions Conseslus Kipruto and Beatrice Chepkoech say the decision to remove their race from the “core” events in the 2020 Diamond League could hold back their career.

World record-holder Chepkoech, who won the Diamond League for the second time this season and claimed her first world title in Doha, said the move came as a complete surprise.

“It came as a total shocker for me when I heard that the women’s steeplechase will not feature in the calendar next season,” she told AFP. “This is the time when I feel I am at the top of my running career.

“But it will come to nothing if I am not able to compete at the Diamond League, which I consider as the most lucrative competition and helps us to develop into well-rounded athletes.”Two-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist Kipruto says the race’s omission will hit the development of Kenyan athletics.“I’m so disappointed that the IAAF has taken such a drastic step to scrap the 3,000m steeplechase from the Diamond League,” said Kipruto, who stretched Kenya’s world championship winning streak in the event to 31 years when he won in Doha in September.“The 3,000m steeplechase has made me what I have become and many Kenyan youngsters have been motivated to take up running as a career.”

Athletics Kenya (AK) has however defended the IAAF decision, saying Kenyan athletes will still have high-quality meetings to choose from in 2020 with good earning potential.

“The 3,000m steeplechase will also feature strongly in the (African) continental tour which will be announced later after Confederation of African Athletics council approval,” AK said in a statement.

Beatrice Chepkoech said the IAAF’s decision to remove the 3,000m steeplechase from the Diamond League’s “core” events came as a “total shocker”.

(AFP/File / Kirill Kudryavtsev) The International Association of Athletics Federation announced on Thursday that the steeplechase, discus throw, triple jump and the 200m will not be contested in the Diamond League as it shortens the programme to allow for a 90-minute international broadcast window.“Our objective is to create a fasterpaced, more exciting global league that will be the showcase for our sport. A league that broadcasters want to show and fans want to watch,” said IAAF President Sebastian Coe. The IAAF said the steeplechase would still be run at the meetings in Rome, Oslo and Doha, but will neither be broadcast nor count towards the overall Diamond League prize money.

Earlier this year, the IAAF said it would be scrapping the 10,000m and 5,000m from the Diamond League, with the 3,000m being the longest distance event.

several penalty corners. With time running out for both sides, a skilful solo run by striker Sarah Klautky produced a penalty corner for GCC at the final buzzer.

Midfielder Madison Fernandes stepped up with what would be the final chance to score in the match and broke the deadlock with a powerful flick into the left corner of the net for the 1-0 GCC win.Although the Saints boys put in a sound team performance, the experienced leadership by Kareem McKenzie, Meshach Sargeant and Samuel Woodroffe, along with solid goalkeeping from Michael Hing saw the GCC Pitbulls come away with a 4-2 victory.

Captain McKenzie would hammer in two penalty corner

goals for GCC in the first seven minutes of play before Tivesard Garnett could respond in similar fashion for Saints in the tenth. Halftime found the score at 2-1 for the Pitbulls. Sargeant then took over in the second half to put the match beyond reach for Saints with two field goals in the 11th and 13th minutes to end with a 4-2 victory for GCC. The Farfan & Mendes Under-16 competition saw the Bingo GCC Her-ricanes make their tournament debut against YMCA Old Fort in the girls division. Both teams featured several newcomers to the game and, despite some near misses, resulted in a 0-0 stalemate producing the first points of the competition for both sides. The GBTI GCC Spartans in true dominant

fashion then made light work of the SHC Sensations by 30. Madison Fernandes scored a double for the Spartans while Sarah Klautky added a single.

In the boys division, the SHC Silencers drew 0-0 against YMCA Old Fort but the latter would rebound in their second match of the evening to drown the Joseph Warriors by 4-0. Yusuf Branot and Daniel Woolford were the heroes for YMCA, scoring two goals each. The SHC Shockwave shocked the GCC War Dogs by 3-0 in the remaining U16 boys match.

The entertaining Shakeem Fausette was in fine form, scoring the first two goals for Shockwave while Oshazay Savory added the third in the final minutes.

Trophy Stall supports Boodhoo and Ali dominoes

Mark Wiltshire (left) and one of the organisers display the trophies.

Trophy Stall has supported the Ryan B o o d h o o a n d R a y mond Ali birth anniversary dominoes competition which is

set for tomorrow at Air Strip Road, Ogle.

Entrance fee is $12,000 and the double six time is 14:30 hrs.

Proprietor of Trophy Stall Ramesh Sunich wished the teams well, while organiser Mark Wiltshire expressed gratitude to the sponsor.

Saturday November 09, 2019

Trophy Stall sponsors B Class Draughts Tournament Trophy Stall of Bourda Market continues to lend support to Sport Organisations.

Recent sports awardee Mr. Ramesh Sunich yesterday came on board and donated three trophies to the Guyana Draughts Association.

The trophies would be used for the National B Class tournament slated for tomorrow at the National Gymnasium. Other sponsors are expected to be on board shortly for the other games the following two weekends.

Sachin Singh’s ton highlights last round action

S

achin Singh regis tered the only cen tury in the latest round in the ECCBs Elizabeth Styles 40-over cricket tournament on Sunday last, while Alex Persaud and Brandon Jordon made half-centuries AT BETTER HOPE In what could be described as an upset, 2017 Elizabeth Styles Champions Better-Hope Cricket Club B (BCCB) succumbed to BetterHope Raptors (BHR) in an exciting encounter. Batting first in bright sunshine with the match being reduced to 25 overs, the visitors amassed 243 all out in the final over.

Mustafa Azimulla 34 with 5 X 4 and 3 x 6, Alex Persaud stroking a magnificent 73 striking 5 X 4 and 4 X 6 and Brandon Jordon chipped in with an even 50 not out which included 3 X 4 and 3 X 6. Bowling for BCCB were Ryan Premchand, Ravi Singh, Kevin Singh and Anand Persaud who took one wicket each.

BCCB started the reply shakily until the explosive Sachin Singh arrived at the crease who blasted 110 with 10 X 4 and 8 X 6. Roy Persaud 54 with 4 X 4 and 5 X 6 worked the bowling beautifully but

Dawid Malan hits century as tourists win fourth T20

A representative of the Trophy Stall hands over one of the trophies to President of the Guyana Draughts Association, Mr. Jiaram.

ECCBs Elizabeth Styles 40-over Continues tomorrow

Sachin Singh

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Kaieteur News

Brandon Jordon

Alex Persaud

were unable to reach the target when the 25th over ended as BCCB reached 239 for 5, just 5 runs short of victory.

Bowling for BHR were Deoram Narine, Reeaz Mohamed and Brandon Jordon who claimed one wicket each.

AT BUXTON COMMUNITY CENTRE Defending Champions Buxton Carl Hooper Cricket Club A (BCCA) demolished Mon Repos Cricket Club A (MCCA) in 14.3 overs. Winning the toss BCCA invited the visitors MCCA to bat first on a bouncy track and were rattled out for 30. Rawle Merrel 4 10 and Andre McFarlane 4 11 were too much for the boys from Mon Repos. It took 4.5 overs as BCCA erased the 30 runs but not before losing 5 wickets (31 for 5). MCCA Roopnarine Singh collected 3 6 and Navindra Kishan 1 12.

AT ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY CENTRE Enterprise Busta Cricket Club B (ECCB) won the toss and inserted Lowland Cricket Club (LCC) to bat first. LCC slid to 96 all out with Khusal Beepat hauling 5 wickets for 18 runs and Vis Mangru 2 8.

Zamamadeen Khan contrib-

uted 26 for Lowland. ECCB in reply reached 97 for 1 in the 23rd over. Vishwanauth Gobin was left not out on 37 2 X 4, 1 X 6, while Mankat Balkushun 3 X 4 contributed 24. Bowling for LCC Romesh Singh took 1 4. ECCB won by 9 wickets.

The competition continues tomorrow, November 10, Golden Grove Cricket Club B will clash with Better Hope Cricket Club (B) at Golden Grove Community Centre, Umpire will be Imran Khan.

At Buxton Community Centre Ground, Buxton Carl Hooper Cricket Club (B) verses Clonbrook Cricket Club Umpire Ava Baker will be officiating.

At Enterprise Community Centre Ground, Enterprise Busta Cricket Club (A) will host Buxton Carl Hooper Cricket Club A Umpire will be Gavin DAguiar.

Meanwhile, the East Coast Cricket Umpires Association in collaboration with the East Coast Cricket Board will be holding Umpires Training Classes across the East Coast of Demerara. Please Contact Mr. Davteerth Anandjit on 617-8502 for further information and registration.

Eoin Morgan and Dawid Malan shared an England record 182-run stand in the fourth T20 against New Zealand. (Getty Images) BBC Sport - Dawid Malan hit the fastest T20 century by an England batsman as the tourists crushed New Zealand by 76 runs in Napier to level the five-match series with one game remaining.

On an astonishing night, Malan struck 103 from 51 balls to become the second England player to make a T20 ton.

Captain Eoin Morgan made 91 from just 41 balls as England posted their highest T20 total of 241-3.

Leg-spinner Matt Parkinson took 4-47 as New Zealand were dismissed for 165.The final match takes place in Auckland tomorrow at 01:00 GMT. In a brutal display, Malan reached three figures from just 48 balls, hitting a ragged New Zealand attack for nine fours and six sixes.

He and Morgan put on 182 runs - the highest stand for England in a T20 international - in just 12.2 overs.

Alex Hales is the only other England international to make a T20 century, having made an unbeaten 116 from 64 balls against Sri Lanka in 2014.

New Zealand could not match England’s hitting as they were dismissed with 19 balls remaining, with all five of England’s bowlers claiming at least one wicket.

England were 18-1 in the early stages of the match but that was a distant memory by the time Morgan was dismissed in the final over.

Napier might be a small ground but Morgan and Malan produced a stunning display of hitting to power England to their match-winning total.

No bowler was allowed to settle. Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi had his final over smashed for 28 by Malan while Blair Tickner, so economical in the third T20, was taken for 50 from his four overs.

Dawid Malan hit 15 boundaries in his 51-ball innings. (Getty Images)

The two came together in the eighth over and Morgan showed his intent as he dispatched his sixth ball for six.

Helped by New Zealand’s poor discipline, the two plundered the bowling - Morgan hit straight while Malan went square.

They never looked troubled, their hard hitting allowing the ball to evade the fielders. Malan’s half-century came from 31 balls, while Morgan’s, brought up just three balls after Malan, was from 21. From there, the pace only accelerated.

Dot balls were a rarity in the final few overs as Malan moved smoothly towards his century. His sixth six of the evening, brought up off New Zealand’s premier bowler Trent Boult, took him to a superb century.

It looked as though Morgan would match him as he swiped the third ball of the final over for six, but he holed out in the deep to fall nine runs short.The England captain had said at the toss that he would have bowled first.

As he left the field, he may have been relieved that the decision was taken out of his

hands.

New Zealand had the chance to clinch a series victory and, having dismissed Jonny Bairstow cheaply and trapped Tom Banton lbw just as his innings began to fire after opting to bowl, they were in a strong position.

However, their discipline crumbled as Malan and Morgan attacked, with even the returning Boult unable to stop the boundaries from flowing.

They made a frenetic start with the bat, racing to 49-0 inside the first four overs as Martin Guptill hit Chris Jordan out of the ground, but the innings stuttered along.

Only five players reached double figures and stand-in captain Tim Southee was the top-scorer as he hit out from the number eight spot.

England’s fielding was not at its best, with Pat Brown dropping two chances off Parkinson, but ultimately it was enough to take the series into a deciding match.

Scores: England 241 for 3 (Malan 103*, Morgan 91) beat New Zealand 165 (Southee 39, Parkinson 447) by 76 runs.

Meten-Meer-Zorg Masters to visit Laluni for limited over cricket match A selected Meten-Meer-Zorg Masters will travel to Laluni, which a picturesque exciting Amerindian village located on the Soesdyke, Linden Highway, to play the host in what is expected to be an exciting 30 overs match tomorrow, Sunday 10th November.

The host who have already played and beaten several teams at the home venue will start as favourites against an equally balanced Masters team from the West Side.

This weekend match is set to begin at 12:30 pm Sharp.Umpire for Match is Ravindra Rangobin.

Trophies on offer are sponsored by Demerara Stationary Supply.

The Masters team comprise of Troy Khan (Captain), Vinod Rajkumar, Avinash Shardanandan, Mohan Chaitram, Hemendra Kowlessar, Abid Haniff, Imtiaz Sadiq, Lalta Suknanand, Shawn McKay, Levroy Miggings, Sheldon Alexander, Seymour Evans, Zamal Khan and Ziyad Khan.

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Kaieteur News

Saturday November 09, 2019

Guyana place third in Cup of Guianas Tennis Tournament 2019 in French Guiana The eleven member team and two coaches returned to Guyana on November 4th, 2019 after participating in the 8th annual TRI-Nation tennis tournament hosted by French Guiana. This years competition saw the inclusion of Martinique as a guest team. The competition accommodated U12, U14 and U18 boys and girls in single and double categories. Guyana placed third in this years competition, however with the exclusion of Martinique as a guest team Guyanas position would be second.

Exceptional performance was exhibited by the U18 girls, Afruica Gentle who played unbeaten, winning all of her singles matches.

Kalyca Fraser won two of three singles matches. The duo them teamed up and won all their doubles matches. In the U18 boys, Joshua Kalekyezi won a singles match and then teamed up with Viraj Sharma

and won a doubles match.

In the U14 girls, Saskia Persaud and Sekia Jones won one singles match each and teamed up for a doubles win. Vadeanand Resaul U14 boy won one singles match.

As it relates to the U12 category, there was a narrow chance of great performance, since the players were relatively new to international competition. However, it was a good exposure for the entire team.Coach Andre Lopes commented that the team played to the best of their ability however there is major room for improvement in all the players going forward in the immediate future as Guyana is hosting the 2020 event.Meanwhile, the GLTA remains sincerely grateful to Guyana Water Inc, Sheltez Tennis Club, Assuria General (GY) Inc., Camex Restaurant Inc., Pumas Tennis Club, Mrs. Annabelle CarterSharma, United Tennis Club,

The Guyana Tennis team which participated in the Cup of Guianas tournament in French Guiana following their third place finish.

Mr. Amar Ally (GUYOILFriendship E.B.D), Mr. Derrick Gobin, Hassan Tractor Spares, Mr. Lewis Katerick, Bakewell, PAS Cargo Guyana Inc, Republic Bank and Mr. Lineu DePaula for their contributions made towards the teams expenses.

Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup

Jaguars battle Red Force and rain today in POS as batsmen must pull their weight

By Sean Devers in Trinidad The Weather forecast for today is not good as arch rivals Guyana Jaguars will battle Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and the rain here when they square off from 13:30hrs today at the Queens Park Oval in Port-of-Spain in the second round of the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cupwill feature another Day/ Nighter.

Guyana, who lost to the CCC in last years final, has nine titles but none since 2005, while T&T has won the most (11) but have not tasted success since they beat Barbados in 2016.

The Red Force, led by unbeaten centuries from Daren Bravo and Jeremy Solozano beat 2018 champions the Windwards by eight wickets with eight overs to spare, while Jaguars struggled to a last ball win against the West Indies Emerging Players in their opening matches on Thursday.

Debutant Kemol Savorys 71 was the Jaguars top score but took 146 balls in another sub-standard batting performance as only Chris Barnwell (37), Johnathon Foo (27) and Chanderpaul Hemraj, the batsman in the Jaguars team

to score a century at this level, making 18.

Hemraj became the 14th Guyanese to score a Regional 50 overs ton in last years tournament and will hope to give his team a solid foundation with Tagenarine Chanderpaul who made just three runs in the last match. Skipper Leon Johnson could join Clive Lloyd and Roger Harper as Captains to win the double, but for that to happen he needs to contribute with the bat.

Savory looked solid but used up too many dot balls and if the Emerging Players had managed to reach 200 the Jaguars would have lost.

Foo, back in regional cricket, looked good as did Barnwell, but both failed carry on from good starts, while Raymond Reifer, Ramaal Lewis and Veerasammy Permaul all failed against a good, but by no means an outstanding bowling attack in their last game.

Anthony Bramble needs more rest to be ready as the tournament gets deep and Savory will have to don the gloves again.

The bowlers all had a good day on Thursday with the spinners; Lewis, Permaul and part time left-arm spinner

Hemraj all producing economical spells, while pacers Ronsford Beaton, Rifer and Clinton Pestano never allowed the batsmen to get on top of them. There was need for Barnwell, another pace option.

Today the Guyanese bowlers will have to contend with an in-form Solozano and Bravo who has returned to form with his seventh List A century with three of them coming in ODIs. Opener Tion Webster will want some runs as will Bajan Kyle Hope, who both fell cheaply, before Bravo and Solozano featured in an unfinished double century third wicket stand as they reached 238-2 and just missed a bonus point by two overs.

Steven Katwaroo, Jason Mohammed, Khesan Ottley and Imran Khan, who started as an opener, are all capable of runs.

The 23-year-old pacer pair of Anderson Phillip, who made his 50-over debut in the las t m a t c h , O d e n Smith will provide the quick stuff on what should be a slow track, while Off-Spinner John R u s s J a g g e s a r, Ottley, Mohammed and Khan will do the spinning.

Coach Crandon impressed with WI Emerging Players bowling Says Savory played match winning innings

By Sean Devers in Trinidad An unbeaten 71 from debutant Kemol Savory, which earned him the Manof-the-Match Award in Thursdays Guyana Jaguars opening game, which ended in a last ball victory against the West Indies Emerging Players, was described by Jaguars head Coach Esuan Crandon as a match winning innings.

Savorys carefully constructed innings lasted 146 balls and included six fours along with a Dilscoop off the final ball with the scores tied.

The Police left hander also hit a six.“Savory played a match winning innings for us, he’s in good batting form at the moment and was able to apply himself and stay to the end.”

But the Essequibian, who did the Wicketkeeping duties after replacing an injured Anthony Bramble, faced 102 dots batting at number three and the 37-year-old Coach from Rose Hall Town had some issues with the Jaguars batting as they took 50 overs to reach 189-8 to win by two wickets.

“Our batting obviously wasn’t the best last night (Thursday night) and although conditions were difficult to bat I honestly thought we could’ve done much better in rotating the strike and demonstrate a more positive intent to score,” said Crandon, who has 90 FirstClass wickets from 38 games and 29 in 50-overs cricket from 28 matches in an 11-year career which ended in 2011.

“It was an important win for us last night. Starting with a win was always one of our

Former T&T and West Indies pacer Tony Gray (right) wishes Jaguars’ Head Coach Esuan Crandon well during their net session at the indoor nets at the National Cricket Centre. plans going into the tournament but the emerging players didn’t make it any easy for us. It was a hard fought victory to the last ball,” explained Crandon.

Crandon, who was first appointed National Coach in 2012, said the Jaguars bowlers did well to restrict the opposition below two hundred (185-8) on a slow pitch which was very difficult to bat on.

“The emerging bowlers were very good, they assessed the conditions well and executed their plans effectively. There were also two crucial stages in the innings when we batted we failed to capitalize on those two partnerships with Savory and (Chris) Barnwell and Savory and (Johnathon) Foo. One of those partnerships should’ve won the game for us but it didn’t happen so,”

reasoned Crandon.

Looking ahead to today s match against arch rivals Trinidad Red Force, Crandon revealed that their plans for Trinidad are clear and simple.

“We know what to expect from them and we’re aware of the brand of cricket they play.

Trinidad have a decent team on paper and are expected to play well at home at Queen’s Park Oval but we will have to improve and lift our standards and be really competitive and consistent with good all round performances,” concluded Crandon.

Crandon has coached the Jaguars to consecutive FirstClass titles, their last of nine 50-over titles was achieved in 2005 at Bourda when Crandon was a player and his Assistant Coach Shiv Chanderpaul was Captain.

Kaieteur News

Saturday November 09, 2019

PAGE 35

GT Beer / Keep Your Five Alive Futsal

D-Day has arrived D-Day has arrived for the four remaining teams in this years GT Beer / Keep Your Five Alive Futsal Competition labeled Battle of the Ballers.

The venue for tonights showdown between the four survivors of what has been another exciting edition of the tournament is the National Gymnasium and the reverberation being heard in the streets is that the setting will be electric and boisterous.

It is expected that fans from the respective communities will come out in large numbers to offer support to their teams as they battle for prize monies in excess of $1million along with some beautiful trophies.

The four semi-finalists Sparta Boss, Future Stars, Bent Street and Gold is Money will be on show to battle for prize monies in

excess of $1million along with bragging rights for the next year.

Promoter Kevin Adonis told the media that all systems are in place for fans to enjoy a riveting night of action between the four best teams in the format in the country.

To add to what he said, all four captains are predicting success in the final, making the semi-finals mouthwatering encounters as they seek places for the championship game.

Defending champs Sparta Boss headline the lists of teams scheduled to go toe to toe in what many pundits are touting as the most competitive semi-finals in a long time. The champs are set to tackle a rejuvenated Future Stars unit that has turned back challenge after challenge throughout the competition, but many believe it could be a case of a

bridge too far this time around.Spartas chances of winning will rest on the performances of Gregory Richardson, Sheldon Shepherd, Ryan Hackett and Eusi Phillips.

On the other hand, the Stars will hope that players such as Keiron Solomon, Kevin Cummings and Jamal Cozier continue to shine to get them to the final.

In the other semi-final, Bent Street, the team that has looked unstoppable throughout the tournament go up against a slightly weakened Gold is Money side missing their inspirational captain Hubert Pedro.However, after a shaky start, they rebounded to beat a stubborn LA Ballers in overtime and many will know that their experience at this stage of competitions has always proved to be a thorn for many opponents.

Gold is Money will be

Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers under-18 school football league

Lodge and Annandale flying high The Guyoil-Tradewind tankers Schools’ football league continues tomorrow at the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Lodge Secondary and Annandale Secondary are tied at the top of the points table following the completion of round two of t h e G u y o i l / Tr a d e w i n d Takers Secondary School league that is being contested exclusively at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on Carifesta Avenue.

Lodge Secondary pushed their tally to two wins from as many games after defeating Queens College 4-1 on Wednesday evening. Queens College had started the competition on a high, having thumped

Charlestown Secondary 3-1, and had seemingly brought the winning momentum to their encounter against Lodge.The first goal of the encounter came off the boots of Lodges Curt Edwards in the 17th minute, and the scores remained at 1-0 for the remainder of the first half. The equalizer came in the 40th minute when Diarra Thomas, found the back of the net for what was eventually his teams only g o a l . H o w e v e r, L o d g e eventually found their momentum, and three more goals were sunk in the QC net in rapid fire.

The Bishops High School secured their first victory when they faced off against Cummings Lodge S e c o n d a r y. B i s h o p s goalkeeper Makayah Smith scored a penalty just before half time, and Malachi Richards netted the second from open play in the 53rd minute as Bishops recorded a 2-0 win.Also in winners circle was Marian Academy that needled St. Johns College. The under-18 schools football league which is also supported by Ansa McAl continues tomorrow at the MOE ground.

Futsal football action tonight promises to be entertaining for the fans turning up. led by leading marksman Jermin Junor, while his support will no doubt come from the experienced Phillip Rowley, Solomon Austin and Randolph Wagner.

On the other hand, Bent

Street a team loaded with national standouts will be aiming to take full advantage in the absence of Pedro to reach the championship game.

The likes of Pernel

Schultz, Daniel Wilson and William Europe are in their lineup and their only focus will be to dominate their opponents.

Two exhibition games will precede the semi-finals.

Forde proud with GFFs achievement during 1st term at helm

The current Executive Committee (ExCo) of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) that is being headed

by Wayne Forde will return to office unopposed today when the ordinary congress and elections is held at the Pegasus Hotel.

Speaking to Kaieteur Sport yesterday, Forde explained that he is happy with all that his ExCo have achieved in their tenure that began in 2015 while noting that the Elite League and their overambitious approach to international engagements as some shortcomings of the body.

However, Forde alluded to the fact that during his first term, the GFF has achieved many firsts for Guyanas Football including a clearly identified youth structure, completion of phase one of the FIFA Forward Project, a debut appearance for the mens team at the Concacaf Gold Cup, development of strategic relations with Denmark Football Union and acquisition of vehicles that alleviates operational costs.

From 2017 to now, there has been over 25 international fixtures with an average cost of around $15million a match. Forde explained that although playing international football is important, the GFFs commitment to such had saw funds that were allocated for other projects being used to supplement the international engagements.

But, in the new and more balanced budget that will be submitted to congress for approval today, has seen

Executive to return unopposed

Wayne Forde

some cuts from the international programme, Forde confirmed.

Still on rectifying shortcomings, the GFF Elite League that never reached its full potential will resume in early February with a revamped format which will feature 10 teams.

President Forde explained that what he has been most proud off during the first term is the stability within the football fraternity and the good working relationships with the nine member associations (MAs) which has been fostered by the high level of transparency within the Federation.

Coaching education has been taken seriously by the GFF with over 50 coaches

with Concacaf D license certifications, three C licensed officials and three Concacaf instructors.

The support of the Government/State has been important to the GFF from assistance with logistical matters to the leasing of land.

Meanwhile, the relationship with the corporate community has been tremendous with Namilco, KFC, and the Pele Alumni associations among sponsors that have signed on to support programmes on a long term basis.

In conclusion, Forde thanked all stakeholders for their contribution to the beautiful sport and vowed to keep the sport on an upward curve in Guyana during the next four years.

Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup

Jaguars battle Red rt o p S Force and rain today in POS as batsmen must pull their weight Chris Barnwell made an attacking 37 for the Jaguars’ on Thursday Night.

Jaguars Captain Leon Johnson will have to lead from the front with the bat tonight.

Kemol Savory followed up a good domestic season with an unbeaten 71 on his Regional debut on Thursday.

Chanderpaul Hemraj will have to be built on starts after making 18 on Thursday Night.

Sunshine Snacks/Farfan & Mendes Junior Indoor Hockey Championships

GCC Clubs dominate night two

Jason Gomes counterattacks for GCC War Dogs against Saints.

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