Kaieteur News

Monday November 26, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Correction inaccuracies about the URP

DEAR EDITOR, I respond to letter published in your newspaper captioned, “Is this the same Max Mohammed” (KN Nov 12) derogating and making unsubstantiated charges against United Republican Party (URP) and myself. It is replete with inaccuracies. In fact, it is fake news as may be the name of the writer. I write to set the record straight. Let me state at the outset that United Republican Party (URP) did not and has not received funds from any source (government of) the United States as suggested by this letter writer. Also, the URP never received funding from Mr. Max Mohammed or

the PNC or AFC or PPP. I, Vishnu Bandhu, as political leader, have provided much of the funding for the activities of the organization (party) since its founding in 1985 and till now. The URP also received some funding from Guyanese Americans and a few others and the party is grateful for that assistance. I thank our supporters. Max Mohammed never recruited me to form or join a party. He was never a source of funding for URP. He was not a founding member of URP. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy was a member of URP before Max. Dr. Prem Misir was also a member of URP. I met Max

after the URP was launched. I know he was in the oil business and believe he is qualified to provide guidance to the oil industry in Guyana. I have not seen Max Mohammed for years. The URP’s founding was a joint idea of several individuals; it was not Robert Gangadeen’s idea. I approached several Guyanese living in the USA, including Bob Gangadeen, to form the party to fight for free and fair elections in Guyana. It was launched in March 1985 at my business location on Broadway, East New York, Brooklyn. The party lobbied the US Congress and Presidents Reagan and Bush

Corruption will continue, because Govts are a never ending stream of patronage DEAR EDITOR, The declaration of assets by public officials to the Integrity Commission was designed to act as a deterrent to corruption by public officials. Recent disclosure by an article,” Integrity Commission to take MPs, state officials to court over undeclared assets,” SN Nov 14th, was enough to send shock waves amongst the citizenry. That did not happen. Prior to this disclosure, the Auditor General was keeping the public on a daily diet of discrepancies unleashed by public officers on the treasury, in the form of late or no submission of audited cost for projects, granting of contracts to the highest bidder, payment to contractors for works not completed and a slew of other asinine financial malpractices. The Auditor General should consider taking some of these miscreants to court too. Did the Integrity Commission chairman follow through on his threat to take these MPs and state official to court? I think not. Some huge names were cited from the Govt’s side (C Greenidge, R Bulkan, G Norton, V Lawrence, J Harmon, N

Henry, K Scott). On the opposition MP bench, there was M.A Nandlall and F Anthony etc. Even Speaker of the House, B. Scotland, and Clerk of the National Assembly, S. Isaacs made the list. Names like Nandlall and Anthony, two presidential candidate hopefuls for the PPP, appearing on the list, do not auger well for a return to the PPP in 2020, from the standpoint of corruption that plagues this Nation. Now that Nandlall has to stand trial for his alleged removal of the Lexus Nexus law books from the Attorney General’s office, a can of worms is opened for the PPP. Soundness of character has never been a consideration of the communist-styled, central and executive committees of the PPP, in choosing presidential candidates. Once a member makes it to one of these two committees, he/she remains there for life. Taking that as a known. How can the PPP deny being an elitist party? When these top names in the highest echelon of the state’s bureaucracy (Govt and parliament) fail to comply on the simplest of procedure intended as a deterrent to

corruption, it paints a bleak picture of how trivial the concept of fighting corruption is being treated, from the top. It is of little wonder that the Auditor General is finding so much discrepancies in his realm-from the top, the stench of corruption has a way of filtering down. The Govt seems unwilling to attempt to address corruption that is ongoing even at the RDC’s level despite the yearly pronouncements of irregularities of multiple sorts by the Auditor General at the Public Accounts Committee. The main reason for Governments, past and present, being unwilling to fight corruption stems from the fact that they (govts) are a never ending stream of sweet patronage.” Skeletons in closets” are tolerated as all in position scramble to fill their pockets. Corruption was prevalent in the PPP reign. Corruption has increased significantly since the advent of the Coalition. If the recent motion of no confidence filed against the Govt by Jagdeo, on the grounds of corruption succeeds that will not stop or impede corruption. We need Constitutional reform to tackle corruption. Rudolph Singh

to help us obtain free and fair elections in Guyana. We also approached former President Jimmy Carter and the Carter Center. The URP was launched as and is still pro-American. How could Guyanese living in America, that have been so kind and generous to Guyanese, be anti-American like the PNC, PPP, AFC, and WPA? That is the epitome of neemakharamism (ingratitude). America has provided a home, food and clothing for Guyanese during the period of the PNC ethnic dictatorship. Almost every Guyanese wanted to migrate to America during the 1980s and they still do in light of what passes as governance over the last four years. Yet, Lisa Ally, a PPP supporter, remains anti-American while receiving benefits from the US. President Trump is right to close the border to the Lisa Allys of the world. America is the guarantor of democracy, and as such URP is proud to be pro-American. We are thankful and grateful to America to come to our rescue.

I do not know of any Guyana People’s Party (GPP). The GPP was not a constituent of URP; URP had no linkage with any party. It is true URP was founded on democratic and capitalist principles as Ms. Ally charged, unlike PNC and PPP. We are proud of our democratic credentials. The URP remains anti-communist and anti-socialist. We believe in free press and peoples’ right to own businesses. We are proud to be a capitalist oriented party like America. How could we be anticapitalist when so many Guyanese are living in capitalist America and when most Guyanese support capitalism? There are more Guyanese living in America than in Guyana; few Guyanese live in socialist Cuba and Soviet Union. The USA was so kind and generous to Guyana and responsible for our democracy. What else could we be but capitalist and democratic? To be otherwise is to disrespect USA. PNC, AFC and PPP have proved to be ungrateful to America; they are not reliable to defend America’s interests or to

protect democracy in Guyana. I am not aware of Dr. Leslie Ramsammy being a member of National Republican Party (NRP) as claimed by Ms. Ally. He was always a member of URP. The NRP was a spin off from URP. In late 1986, Max Mohammed joined the URP; he was not a founding member. He became secretary replacing Deo Gangandeen, brother of Robert, when he fell ill. Rohan Somnarine was elected as Treasurer at the party’s founding. I was elected as Chairman. Dr. Kamal Roy Narine of Chicago and Mr. James Melbourne (former Chief Inspector in Guyana) were members. The URP participated in rallies and marches in Washington DC, at United Nations, and at the India Day Parades in Manhattan. We also held other activities like Diwali pageants, Phagwah and Indian Arrival Day celebrations. And we organized Guyanese concerts featuring local artistes including one (Beauty Pageant and Cultural Evening) at Brooklyn College in May 1986. We worked with Continued on page 6

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Kaieteur News

Monday November 26, 2018

CONTINUOUS ABUSE OF AUTHORITY AT THE GUYANA SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE DEAR EDITOR, It seems as the situation mentioned above will continue to occur in diverse ways even with all that has been published in this newspaper. After all the articles there was an evident calm to the storms faced by both students and workers. Since Amanda B is dealing with the student issues I will take up the staff issues. Management of the institution seems a bit relaxed and Mr. Powerful (Director) seems to be regaining his strides simply because the rubberstamp is wearing out.

Even though the following were highlighted, nothing has been done to fix them since Management is just concerned with receiving exorbitant salaries—the salaries that no one received in all the years of the institution’s existence. These guys are even less qualified and experienced than the previous persons. For example, Lynette Cunha the previous Principal, her salary was not much in excess of two hundred thousand dollars, Mr. Compton Hinds the former Deputy Principal, his salary was a bit lower. During those

days based on information, GSA used to make money and the place had good management. There was a Personnel Officer and staff were placed according to their qualification. Now if you are employed in one capacity, depending on who you upset you are placed somewhere else and expected to do that job and many times the jobs of others that were there before and you are expected to do it efficiently and without complaints. Persons are leaving the job and very little to no replacements were done in many sections. Oh beautiful

GSA. Today the Rubberstamp and Mr. Powerful are both receiving in excess of six hundred thousand dollars and the management leaves much to be desired. Mr. Powerful is trying but his selfish and bullish behavior is his downfall. No people skills but he does try a little. On the other hand, the Rubberstamp is at sea. He seems not to know where his left hand or his right foot is. All the staff and even students know that. They know he can’t work without Bully telling he wah fu duh. The sad part about that is

IS THE LAW UNBALANCED?

DEAR EDITOR, Well, this was inevitable when you understand that in every case where crime goes unpunished, criminals become more emboldened! In this particular case, Jagdeo has come to the realization that he is now immune to prosecution for the many crimes he committed while he was president (since he is still on the streets as there has been no successful effort to prosecute him to date). Now he is encouraged to push his luck and poke the Government in the eye with a ‘No-confidence Motion’. I could never understand why the legal system in Guyana would tolerate this outrage. It is universally known that Jagdeo headed an outfit that operated outside the law, committing fraud, extra-judicial killings, drug

dealings and any other illegal activity imaginable. We all accept that some crimes are much more difficult to prosecute than others, but when you have a suspect who has run the gamut, those of us who still believe in The Rule of Law remain bewildered that the entire Judicial System in Guyana is still unable (or unwilling) to indict Jagdeo on even the minor ones. Everywhere else in the world witnesses get immunity or other forms of judicial discretion to nail known kingpins. What about Guyana? And now he is suggesting that one (or more) Government Member(s) of Parliament might have been bought by him to support his ridiculous ‘vote’. Bribery! Another crime! Does it not occur to the

any of the legal minds in our Judicial System that there might be criminal motive in that suggestion? Why does Jagdeo continue to feel that he is above the law? Has Jagdeo been able to neutralize the entire Law Enforcement apparatus in Guyana to the extent that he can say and do anything with impunity? If the Judiciary can’t act, or won’t act because its members have been compromised in some way, then it is left to whomever else that has political power or the will to act. With so many ways to purge Law Enforcement (and the Judiciary for that matter) at their disposal, the remaining upright, selfrespecting, law-abiding holders of power must act now. Hopefully there are enough of that breed among

us who will put Guyana above self. If that is not the case, Guyanese will continue to live with the fear that the Legal System is rigged and cannot be expected to be applied fairly across the board. We know that for twenty-three years under the PPP there was uneven application of the law and we voted to change that in 2015, but now it seems that our lives in Guyana will continue to be clouded with that fear of being chained to unequal susceptibility to our laws. Jagdeo needs to be taken off the streets for Guyana to start breathing easily again. He is more dangerous now if he becomes comfortable in the knowledge that he has done what he has done without retribution. He must be stopped. Name withheld

Why postpone the debate on the no confidence motion? DEAR EDITOR, I have listened to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo talking about the no confidence motion put forward by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and after all of it, the question must be asked: If the Prime Minister is so confident about a government win in the no confidence motion why not debate it early? Why propose a debate after the 15th or 16th of December? Why debate it after the

national budget? What happens if the no confidence motion succeeds? The Prime Minister said the government is not running away from the no confidence motion, but then says there are other things that must take precedence. The Prime Minister has been in Parliament for a long time. Is he not familiar with the urgency that no confidence motions are treated with in other Parliaments? Another thing the Prime Minister said is that the

recent Local Government Elections did not pass a judgment on the government and was not a referendum on the APNU+AFC Coalition. Did the Prime Minister not see the results of the LGE? Or is he still thinking that his party the AFC won over 10 per cent of the votes at the Local Government Elections? Even if he wants to say that voter turnout was low, has he not read the newspapers where letter writers lamented the issue of voter apathy? In the middle of his response, the Prime Minister also misleads Guyanese. He claims that the Opposition says they do not want the no confidence motion approved – false. Starting off with this

misleading statement, he questions the logic in bringing a no confidence motion and claims that the Opposition wants to “psychologically harass the Guyanese people.” How can this be taken seriously by the Guyanese people? He also repeats that the Opposition has no prospect for success with the no confidence motion. Again I ask, if he is so confident, why not debate it early? The Prime Minister boasts too about the APNU/ AFC Coalition winning by a majority of votes in 2015. He should remember that it was a slim win, a one-seat win that the APNU/AFC Coalition secured. Regards Baldeo Mathura

that he collecting almost seven hundred grand a month in salary and benefits and the institution and some staff suffering like hell. Just to mention a few….. Okay, let’s get back on shore. Sources have informed me that the issues that have been outlined in my letters have not yet been addressed. 1. No vacancy for personnel officer/ human resource manager has been posted even though the institution needs one to deal with the enormous amount of staff issues. 2. Inadequate representation from the union and shop stewards. Regarding the union, the workers are in a situation where their hands are in Tiger’s mouth. Several benefits are owed to them but they are afraid to go slow or protest since they are not sure what will happen. The communication process between the union and the workers have been very slow and dicey. Many opine that the union is just there for formal representation for quite a while now. There is information that Greenidge (the Facilitator / CEO/ Rubberstamp) and the union representative congregate at the same Church and that may cause the union rep to be

lenient with Management once he gets his dues. This situation makes it absolutely horrible for the workers. 3. No information has been disseminated to the workers regarding future appointments. The present Government does not want contract but the workers are on a contract that concludes December 2018. Nothing about contract or anything else and now that there is not an active board sets things in place for Management to remain complacent and just let workers continue to suffer. To make things more interesting no severance pay has yet been given to the workers who were almost forced by a SECRETARY to sign because she was instructed by her boss. This is almost four years and Management has not been forthcoming with the information. Once their salary don’t get affected, to hell with the workers. Mr. Editor, we are gradually moving along the tip of the iceberg but it is rather unfortunate that this information even though public, has not attracted the attention of the Granger administration. Paul Anthony John

Too much is at stake From page 4 working for them. Let us not be like Emperor Nero who sat fiddling whilst Rome burnt. 2020 is on the horizon and disenchanted people will have their say then. Can my Government afford to take that chance? It will be one of the most historical years for Guyana. Too much is at stake. While awaiting the reading of the 2019 budget, my gut feeling signals that I should not hold my breath for it is said “He who never expects is never disappointed.” Orin Major

Correction inaccuracies... From page 5 other organizations to bring about free and fair elections in Guyana. Without URP’s contribution in the struggle, Guyana would not have experienced FFE and PPP would not have come to power in October 1992. The URP was launched in Guyana in March 1987. The executives of the party had committed to remigrate to Guyana. I was the only one to honor that commitment resettling in Guyana and being harassed by the dictatorship. There was a conflict in the URP in 1989. Bob Gangadeen was brought up on charges and a trial held by the members. He was disciplined with expulsion according to the party’s constitution. Max

Mohammed left the party with Bob Gangadeen, and they formed the NRP. The URP was without a leader for a brief period. Dr. Ramsammy, who was a member of the party since early 1986, was subsequently chosen as leader in 1990. As best as I know, Ramsammy was not a member of NRP. I never had Real Estate Business in Queens. Ms. Ally must be condemned for scandalizing names of reputable people and the URP. Her attack on me and URP will not discourage us from continuing to educate Guyanese about the misrule we are experiencing. Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bandhu URP Political Leader and Founding Executive Member

Monday November 26, 2018

Ignoring Public Service Advice…

Ministry of Presidency pays out almost $1.B to contract employees Despite recommendations of the Public Service Commission (PSC) to minimize the number of staff employed on a contractual basis, the Ministry of Presidency last year, expended over $969 M on payment for 309 contract workers. The information was recorded in the Auditor General Report of 2017. The report noted that an amount of $1.112 B was set to be expended on four employment projects under the Ministry of the Presidency in Regions one, two, five and six. According to the report, of the $1.112 B set to expended on four employment programmes, 87 per cent was spent on contract workers employed under the Ministry of the Presidency. The report further highlighted that last year February a Public Service Commission circular was sent out recommending that all Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Department and Regional Executive Officers submit a list of all officers on contract/gratuity to be appointed on the pensionable establishment. However, as of December 31, 2017, the Ministry still had 309 contract employees on its payroll. In response to the concerns raised, Head of the Budget Agency indicated that the Ministry of Presidency had promised that action will be taken to have eligible contracted employees transferred

- AG report to the fixed establishment as required. However, due to the expiration of the tenure of the Public Service Commission tenure, the process was put on hold. “Given that the Commission has been reactivated, the process for transferring the remaining staff will be actively pursued,” the Ministry had said in a response. The Audit Office, therefore, recommended that the Ministry minimize the number of staff being employed on a contractual basis and continues with the process of moving its current eligible employee over to the pensionable establishment in keeping with the instructions. Within the Ministry of the Presidency itself, contracted cleaners account for a net salary of over $206,000 per month; inclusive of gratuity and vacation allowance. A typist clerk is paid over $170,000 per month, inclusive of these benefits as well, while a contracted driver makes $219,000. In the case of administrative assistants, their net salary range is $492,000; while an administrative officer makes $551,000 and the administrative manager makes almost $1.5 million, inclusive of gratuity and vacation allowance. The two highest paid contracted staff within the Ministry are Senior Executive Director of the Public Service Col-

lege, Retired Colonel Lawrence Paul ($1.9 million); and Director of Training, Calvin Benn ($1.8 million), the document highlighted. The issue of contracted employees has been a sore one for successive Governments. While in Opposition, the coalition Government had been heavily critical of the presence of these classes of workers and had promised to cut out the practice of having contracted employees. In 2016, chartered accounting firm Ram and McRae pointed out that too much strain was being placed on the public coffers with the employment of contracted workers. It made the finding following the delivery of this year’s National Budget. The firm had noted the Ministry of the Presidency’s increase in contract employees from 298 in 2015 to 505 in 2016, as well as an increase in the cost of wages and salaries for contract employees from $142 million to $798 million. In the case of the Office of the Prime Minister, it had noted that the cost of wages and salaries for contracted employees rose from $21 million to $82 million. It also addressed the Public Infrastructure Ministry, which saw an increase from $9 million to $51 million in a particular programme, and from $182 million to $533 million under its Public Works Programme.

Northwest cargo boat sinks, millions in goods lost

MV Shivita II in its sunken state

Several passengers on the cargo boat the MV Shivita II escaped unhurt after the Northwest-bound vessel sank in the vicinity of the Waini River early yesterday. The vessel was transporting goods from Georgetown to Mabaruma

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Kaieteur News

and Port Kaituma, and losses are estimated to be in the millions. It is alleged that the boat capsized due to strong winds that caused it to drift off course while entering the channel of the Waini River. According to officials, the Guyana Defence Force

Coastguard responded to the distress call, which was received at around 05.00 hrs on Sunday. Kaieteur News understands that a Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara resident owns the boat. It was reportedly captained by Rupert Patterson.

New JSC board should be given active consideration It‘s been over a year since the life of the Judicial Service Commission, (JSC) has expired. The JSC is the only body which is mandated by the constitution to make recommendations to fill vacancies within the Judiciary. As such, social and political commentators have lamented that the absence of the board is creating a constitutional vacuum. Retired Judge Oslen Small are among those who highlighted the implications of not having the JSC board in place. “That is something that should receive active consideration,” Justice Small told Kaieteur news during a recent interview. “I really don’t know what the holdup is but the JSC should be given priority, given its role in the constitution.” Justice Small noted however that JSC is made up of ex-officio members of the JSC and had included acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, the Chief Justice, Chairman of the Guyana Public Service Union, (GPSU) , a member appointed by Parliament and one by the President. “These persons must be selected before the JSC is in place. I should hope that the Government is working on ensuring those persons are in place so that the new JSC board can be selected.” The life of the membership of the last JSC expired since September 30, 2017. Opposition parliamentarian and former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall has been among those calling for public condemnation of the

- retired judge government’s stance on the issue Nandlall has been criticizing the government over the failure to appoint a new JSC Board. Outlining the authority of the government under the current structure, the former Attorney General noted that the executive branch of Government enjoys a significant advantage over the two legislative and judicial arms of governance because it controls the financial machinery of the State, and therefore the other two organs depend upon it for their funding. “In recognition of being in this peculiarly advantageous position, it is incumbent upon the Executive branch of Government, in Guyana’s constitutional structure, to ensure that it does not abuse this advantage, and that at all times, it magnanimously ensures that these constitutional institutions are adequately resourced and appointments to offices within them are timely made,” Nandlall said. On the contrary, the former Attorney General believes that the current Administration has been exploiting

that advantage. He noted that several articles have been written detailing the Attorney General’s public refusal to recognise the JSC’s constitutional power to appoint certain officers within the Deeds and Commercial Registry Authority and his refusal to allow those officers to discharge their functional responsibilities. “I also wrote several articles highlighting the President’s failure to act, for nearly a year, upon recommendations made by the then JSC to elevate certain puisne Judges to the Court of Appeal and to elevate and to appoint persons as High Court Judges and Commissioners of Title. “The shocking response of the Government to my criticisms was that the Constitution does not stipulate any time period for the President to act upon these recommendations. “ However, Nandlall says those who truly understand the language and spirit of the Constitution and the law, “would tell you that the President is expected to act in those circumstances with every convenient speed.”

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Exxon will work with Govt. on review of Development Plan ...Liza Phase 2 will be on track - PRO says By Kiana Wilburg Although the coalition Government has taken a decision to increase its scrutiny of ExxonMobil’s Field Development Plans (FDP), it will have no impact on plans for the Liza Phase Two project as envisioned by Exxon. Specifically making this point to Kaieteur News yesterday was ExxonMobil’s Senior Director of Public and Government Affairs, Deedra Moe. The official said, “We’ve been in close communication with the government about the development plan timing and will continue to work closely with them throughout the review process. We remain on track for first oil from Liza Phase Two in 2022.” Asked if this move by government will delay the company’s investment for Phase Two, Moe said, “We will make our final investment decision following approval of the development plan.” Speaking on the Government’s decision to increase its scrutiny of FDPs was Head of the Energy Department, Dr. Mark Bynoe. The Official said that the Government is interested in ensuring that its approval is premised on the knowledge of experts in the field. “We are reviewing a FDP for Liza Two…We have been advertising in the local media for some time now for experts in the area of FDP and cost recovery. As I indicated, Government wishes to make decisions based on knowledge…” Dr. Bynoe added, “But there is a lot of misinformation and people not seeking to understand processes…I heard some people complaining about why we are taking so long to review a FDP but these things (review of the FDP and cost recovery au-

ExxonMobil’s Public Relations Officer, Deedra Moe

Energy Dept. Head, Dr. Mark Bynoe

dits) are being financed by multinational institutions. They require us to go through a process of Expression of Interest then we shortlist and ask companies to provide technical and financial proposals and so forth. Procurement has a process by which we follow and if we sole source we are going to be torn to shreds again about why you sole sourced…” The issue of Exxon’s investment in the Liza Phase Two project being delayed by Government’s review process came to light through an article published by Upstream Online. The media outfit said, “ExxonMobil has delayed a final investment decision on the second-phase development of the giant Liza play off Guyana as President David Granger’s government tries to reconcile an aggressive development schedule with domestic complaints about terms granted to the US super major.” It noted that ExxonMobil said in July that it was aiming to sanction the Liza 2 development by the end of this year, chasing first oil by mid-2022, but the final investment decision target has slipped back to the first quarter of 2019.

Upstream Online attributed this to “industry sources.” Upstream said it understands that the delay actually relates to the first Liza floater, already under construction following a contractual award to SBM Offshore. The media outfit said, “This first phase of development, featuring a floating production, storage and offloading unit with a production capacity of 120,000 barrels per day of oil, has already received government approvals and project sanction, and is expected to start producing in 2020. “Cost recovery arrangements for Liza 1 were never fully reviewed, however, and this element continues to come under scrutiny. The Granger administration recently put out a tender for consultancy services in order to obtain an independent analysis of this aspect of the cost oil aspects of the production-sharing agreement that governs the Liza development, slowing the approvals process on Liza 2.” (SEE LINK FOR FULL ARTICLE h t t p s : / / www.upstreamonline.com/ hardcopy/1637799/liza-2sanction-slips-as-guyanaworkload-grows)

President Granger’s public engagements reduced President David Granger, consistent with advice from his team of specialist doctors at the Centro de Investigaciones Medico Quirugicas (CIMEQ) in Havana, Cuba, continues to take precautionary measures in light of his recent diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. As such, due to his continued treatment, the Head of State’s public engagements have been reduced. Notwithstanding, President Granger continues to perform his duties. This was revealed yester-

- as he continues treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma day via a Government press statement. President Granger and his wife, Mrs. Sandra Granger returned to Guyana from the Republic of Cuba on November 20, 2018 after spending approximately three weeks there. Given the diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, the “President’s medical team performed a number of medical

interventions including the first round of chemotherapy treatment. The President has responded well to the treatment and was given approval to return to Guyana,” the statement noted. President Granger once again expresses profound gratitude to all those who sent their well-wishes for his full and complete recovery.

Monday November 26, 2018

After building spree, just how much does the Maldives owe China? MALE (Reuters) - One week after taking power, the new government of the Maldives says it has no idea how much it owes China, which has led a construction spree in the tiny Indian Ocean nation, but fears the debts run up in the past five years could be unsustainable. Mohamed Nasheed, a former president now serving as advisor to new President Mohamed Ibrahim Solih, said that the Chinese ambassador to the Maldives, Zhang Lizhong, handed the government an invoice for $3.2 billion - equivalent to around $8,000 for every inhabitant of the archipelago. China denies that, however, and says the number is closer to $1.5 billion. “It was an invoice. It just had a figure, $3.2 billion. It was shocking,” said Nasheed. “It wasn’t just a conversation, it was a written note handed over, it was clear, you owe us this much.” Nasheed said Zhang gave Solih the note at a meeting on Oct. 6, days after his stunning election victory over former President Abdulla Yameen. He did not give further details of exactly how the note was worded. Asked about Nasheed’s comments, China’s Foreign Ministry said that its ambassador in the Maldives had rejected “this untruth” in statements to local media, referring to an interview with news website Avas in which Zhang was quoted as saying reports of debt of around $3 billion were “deeply exaggerated”. China has underwritten millions of dollars in loans for infrastructure in the Maldives, located along its busy shipping route to the Middle East. But the unprecedented building boom in the island chain of around 400,000 people - known for its white sand beaches and luminous cyan water - stoked fears it was loading up on debt and prompted a strident opposition campaign that helped Solih defeat Yameen in an election in September. CONFLICTING FIGURES After taking office at the weekend, Solih’s administration has said the country’s finances are in worse shape than expected, and that it will take weeks or months to untangle details of all the deals struck with Chinese firms. “We are at a loss to understand how much we really owe to China,” said Nasheed. “Direct debt, or direct bilateral government-to-government debt is one thing, but there is on top of that sovereign guarantees for the private sector. And there is also on top of that our state owned enterprises who have gone into debt.”

Chinese Ambassador to the Maldives, Zhang Lizhong and Mohamed Nasheed Yameen could not be reached for comment. But he said during the campaign that more work had occurred over the last few years than at any point in the past, and for that he had taken on debt. “Years of development have come during a short period of four or five years. But if we didn’t take on debt as I said, and waited to do it with the income the Maldives earns this wouldn’t have been possible,” he said. In the Avas interview, Zhang said the Maldives’ debt to China was $600 million to construct a sea bridge linking the capital Male with the airport, expand the airport, and build residential tower blocks on land reclaimed from the sea. Another $900 million had been earmarked as commercial loans to some state owned companies to fund projects from power to housing, the ambassador said, but much of that had not yet been issued. That was broadly supported by the governor of the Maldives central bank in testimony before the parliament’s public finance committee on Wednesday, in which he estimated the country’s liabilities to China at $1.5 billion. Maldives Monetary Authority’ Governor Ahmed Naseer, who was appointed by the previous government, said he believed total of government-to-government debt from China amounted to $600 million. The remaining $900 million was an estimate of loans financed by Chinese banks with sovereign guarantees from the Maldives government, he said. Nasheed said the Chinese ambassador’s public statements were at variance with what the Chinese side had conveyed to Solih. The ambassador had since requested a meeting with him, he said. Maldives’ Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid said on Thursday he planned to visit China soon to discuss bilateral issues. Taiwan president casts ballot in polls highlighting social and political rifts SOVEREIGN GUARANTEES

An official who was in Solih’s transition team and who joined the government this week said he too had been told about the Chinese note submitted last month, and that the figure may have swelled because of sovereign guarantees that were given. “We are trying to unravel this. It looks like lots of IOUs were issued, pieces of paper. We are trying to find out, how many and to whom,” the official said, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. With annual revenues of $1.5 billion and an annual gross domestic product of around $3.9 billion, it would be hard for the Maldives to service such a high debt, another incoming official, who is reviewing the liabilities of state-run enterprises, said. “We cannot go into default. We will face a default situation if we agree the debt to be what the sovereign guarantees are saying,” the official said, asking not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to reporters. Signs of the infrastructure boom are everywhere in Male, from where tourists are whisked off in high speed boats to luxury resorts built on atolls. Yameen also leased Chinese developers an unspecified number of islands to build resorts for tourists, a fifth of whom are Chinese, in a dramatic expansion of ties since Beijing opened its embassy in the Maldives eight years ago. “We would like to reiterate, mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the Maldives takes place on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, and has already achieved results that are plain for all to see, and has been welcomed by the people of the Maldives,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement sent to Reuters. “We believe that under the leadership of the new Maldives government, ChinaMaldives friendly cooperation will continue to advance, and will keep making new achievements.”

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Kaieteur News

The concerns which the Budget must address Budget 2019 which will be read today, aside from the basket of goodies which it will provide to placate the public, must address certain fundamental questions as well as some issues of concern about the management of the economy. In the days of state control of much of the economy, Budgets were looked upon with trepidation and anticipation. The Budget set the tenor of the citizen’s lives; they would determine wages and prices in the economy and in fact whether persons would be laid off and if the dollar will be devalued and by how much. These days, Budgets are looked upon in terms of the

level of taxation, pensions, public service wages and concessions to the private sector. Also, they send signals as to what will take place in the economy and how well it is going to be managed. Much needs to be said, at this stage of Guyana’s development as to how oil and gas is going to be managed because this is the centre of attraction in the economy. The first of these concerns is the overdraft which the government is running. The government must provide credible reasons for having such a high overdraft. It must be able to provide explanations as to why having inherited a

surplus it is now running an overdraft. This is driving fears that the government may be forced into heavy borrowing in the future to finance government operations or may be forced to increased taxes even more than at present. The second measure which should be explained is the reducing international reserves. In 2012, Guyana’s international reserves were as high as US$ 825M, they have now fallen to a level which is hovering around three months of imports. Guyana can find itself having to tread water in case of major rise in oil prices before 2020. The Minister has to explain why his policy in terms of the level

DEM BOYS SEH

De Maldives owe China nuff nuff money. How much we owe dem Jagdeo? An advice to all brothers. Marry a woman that can cook; love may die, beauty will fade but hunger is constant. De new govt of de Maldives come to power one week now and de president holding he head and hollering. He seeing constant hunger fuh de whole country. Six days after de Govt tek office de Chinese ambassador give ee Foreign Minister a note wid a figure. De note seh that Maldives owe China US$3.2 billion. That is wheh de headache start because when de country do de Maths it wuk out to US$8000 fuh each citizen—man women and children, even baby wha just born. China carry dem lending spree to de people and de previous Govt stretch dem hand like prostitutes. Dem go pun a building spree. When a prostitute tek you money she go to deliver if she can’t give you back. De Maldives find demself in a similar situation. De Chinese like dem boys that don’t like see skirt. De difference is that de Chinese don’t like see land that has worth. It never offer to lend or lend any country that don’t have anything. Everybody remember Jagdeo and Robeson Benn tell de nation that a Chinese Vice President was passing through de region waving billions and like a prostitute, dem tek. Dem boys seh up to now de nation don’t know how much money Jagdeo tek from de Chinese. De only thing dem boys know about is de US$138 million fuh de airport. Soulja Bai save de day otherwise de few cent

Guyana expect fuh every barrel of oil woulda go to pay de Chinese loan. By the time China, India, de Canadians and de rest done with Guyana de country wouldn’t have enough oil to pay debt. Everybody know when a prostitute can’t pay back she got to give up something. De Chinese already done tek over some of de 1900 islands in de country. De old president of de Maldives, according to de new ministah, already give up an unspecified number of islands to de Chinese. And China suh bareface

it seh de people of Maldives welcome de Chinese, just like wha Jagdeo did seh when he give BaiShanLin three-quarter of Guyana. Dem boys want to know wha odda deals Jagdeo sign that de country don’t know about. Dem also want to know if de Shaat Baccoo in de coalition sign away anything that Soulja Bai don’t know about. After all we love Guyana and we need to love and protect every inch of it. Talk half and hope Soulja Bai keep Guyana away from constant hunger.

of international reserves being maintained. The third issue which should be addressed concerns the steps which are being taken to increase investment in the economy. Markers suggest that private investment is falling, despite the claims by GOINVEST about the increased investor interests. Without investment, jobs simply cannot be created without a bloated government bureaucracy. The fourth concern is the size of the government and the enormous cost of administering the bureaucracy, now estimated at $500M per day. The size of government is much too bloated and there is a need to prune expenses and to make it more efficient. The

government keeps creating new agencies each day while continuing others which are as much as drag on revenues as was the sugar company. The fifth concern is about the US$30B which the government has borrowed for the sugar industry but for which most of it is parked attracting a stinking amount of interest while both the Minister of Agriculture and the sugar company have complained about not seeing much of these funds. These monies are guaranteed by the government. The Budget can be used for the Minister of Finance to debunk concerns that this US$30B will not turn out to be Ponzi scheme financed by taxpayers. Other issues which the public is hoping that the

Minister will provide clarification are the future of the Berbice River Bridge, the fate of the Marriot Hotel, the new bridge across the Demerara River, the road link to Brazil and jobs for young people. The Minister has had his honeymoon period with his first four Budgets. He will find the public less sparing of criticisms, now that he has jumped on the political platform. He has a full plate this time around and unless he can provide answers to those issues mentioned before, he will find public sympathy and understanding quickly evaporating.

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Kaieteur News

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Monday November 26, 2018

Journalist…teacher…coach…advocate for the disabled…

Remembering ‘Sir’ Walcott, the ultimate all-rounder By Michael Jordan I guess most boys have their heroes. Mine were martial artist Bruce Lee and master batsman Rohan Kanhai. But as I grew older, I realised that there were other heroes in my life who were right within my reach. There was my brother, Vibart, with his incredible zest for life despite his handicaps. There was my father, who educated himself despite growing up without a father, and in poverty. And looming large as a hero was Leon Walcott; former teacher, sports organiser and coach, journalist, small businessman, and spokesperson for the disabled. Mr. Walcott, who passed away recently, was born on August 12, 1949 at Enmore Estate, East Coast Demerara. But from age two to 12 he lived at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, with his aunt, Ivy Patterson, and uncle. You could say that Mr. Walcott (‘Wally’ to close friends) had challenges from the moment he entered this world. In an extensive ‘special person’ interview in 2011, Mr. Walcott revealed that he was born with peroneal muscular atrophy, which causes the muscles to waste away. It later left him unable to walk unaided and partially paralysed in one hand. He was also born with an excessively curved spine. But the aunt he grew up with was always telling him how special he was. “Were it not for my friends and peers, and a mirror, I would not have known I had a hunchback. My aunt, Ivy Patterson, never mentioned it, and always told me ‘boy you bright, you will be somebody important.’ And she kept saying this thing to me all the time.” “My aunt and uncle had a son, but there was no distinction made between us. We were treated equally, treated with respect. My uncle was a remarkable man in his own quiet way. We were the only two boys in the whole of that Diamond scheme who were free to stay out as long as we wanted. We would play in pastures, play in trenches, steal the white people’s cane; catch crabs, catch fish…put it on a stick and roast it, anything that boys would do. “These things build your self-confidence. As a country boy you face a lot of challenges. I remember running from an alligator, and a boy holding me and we galloping down the dam.” Of course, some friends teased him ‘mercilessly’ about his ‘hunchback’. But any out-

The late ‘Sir’ Leon Walcott

sider who did risked a licking from those same friends. The family’s acceptance of him gave him the confidence to partake in other boyhood activities. “I knew from about the age of six, seven, that I could not run as fast as other boys, my peers. I could play cricket, I was a pretty good opening batsman. I opened for ‘A’ House. I think I was selected because I was difficult to get out. “While I could play cricket fairly well, fielding was the problem, and running between the wickets, so I focused on slip fielding.” He attended the Diamond Primary School, and after writing the Common Entrance exams, he attended Indian Education Trust College for four years, then East Ruimveldt Secondary for two years. “I think that it was at East Ruimveldt Secondary that I really found myself, because about three months after, the then headmaster, Horace L. Tate, appointed me head prefect. Those students were so warm and nice, they made me feel welcome. That was a wonderful school.” He graduated from high school in 1968, and started to teach in 1969 at his alma mater. He gets emotional when he recalls those days. “I was 19. Imagine me, just finished school, teaching students who were sometimes two years younger than me.” He taught geography, but then also turned to his childhood passion: sports. He began assisting with the school’s sports programme. “When Samuel Moffatt came on as headmaster, he saw that I was assisting the games-master, and discovered that my input was greater, and the students trusted me more. Basically, Mr. Moffatt believed in results and I was getting results. I got the children interested in sports and they

liked it. Almost every child wanted to participate in some sports activity. “I think my greatest contribution to East Ruimveldt Secondary was in the field of sports and football. It was a joy for me to work with national athletes like the Lewis brothers (Vigil and Gordon), Wilton Angoy (the national high jumping champion); the late Horace David, Oliver Alves, Ronald Lee- Bing. “During what you could call the Moffat-Walcott era we excelled in sports. I was the PE teacher until Mr. Lloyd Kingston took over. Our sports programme was so good that other schools used to come to Mr. Moffatt and ask that we run their course for them.” Years later, many of these former athletes would confide in Mr. Walcott that he inspired them through his response to the physical challenges that he faced. “A lot of former athletes said that they patterned themselves from me, since I was disabled and didn’t give up.” He also earned their respect in the classroom. “On some of them I used reverse psychology. I told one student, Hilton Forde, that he would never do well in geography.” His words gave the student the determination to prove Mr. Walcott wrong. “Hilton later followed me into UG and got a degree in geography.” So loved and respected was he that some students were literally prepared to lay their lives on the line for him. He recounted the time when a former government official turned up at ‘back school’ to beat a female student who had fought with his daughter. When Mr. Walcott intervened, the former MP drew his firearm and pointed it at Mr. Walcott’s chest.

“The schoolboys lifted me up and ran with me…my feet never touched the ground.” Another time, Mr. Walcott went to part a fight between females from East Ruimveldt and another school, only to learn that the girls from his alma mater were fighting because a student had spoken insultingly about him. “East Ruimveldt had a bad reputation. But that was just a mistaken perception, because it is located near to Warlock. But all the parents were interested in their children getting a good education.” “I used to boast that my name used to part fights. I didn’t know this until a couple of parents told me this. But I don’t think it was because the students were afraid of me, because remember I was tiny, small-built, shorter than them, and sometimes parents used to mistake me for one of the students. I think that it was a respect at the way that I conducted myself.” But he eventually left teaching in 1981. “I started to become jaded. I used to teach academics, carry the sports programme almost single-handedly; I was attending UG. As one former student who became a doctor told me, ‘you were the first in school and last to leave.’” He took up a position as a senior journalist with the Guyana News Agency. “I had started freelancing with the Guyana Chronicle in 1976 (sports), and the persons who encouraged me were Godfrey Wray and the late Quentin Taylor. I then shifted a bit from sports to current affairs. “I know that God has blessed me. I never had a job I didn’t like. I loved journalism. I covered parliament, Caricom and economic development. In fact, between 1981 and 1984, I was the only journalist authorised to cover the central incentives area at the Planning Secretariat. “There are two events that stand out in my days as a journalist. One was in 1983 when the US invaded Grenada. Burnham had called a press conference. At the time, I was a stringer for Radio Antilles, and journalists were asking a barrage of questions. I got up and asked the President if he would rule out military support for Grenada. He said ‘Grenada is our friend, a member of Caricom…I would not rule it out, if that request comes, I would consider it.’” Radio Antilles was to start at 7pm. They pulled down the format. I can remember the introduction went like this: ‘Guyana’s President Forbes Burnham will not rule out military assistance to

Grenada…Leon Walcott has more.’ My colleagues were cheering and I felt good.” The other incident that stands out happened while he was working as Special Assistant to the late President Burnham (later with President Hoyte) in the Public Relations department. “About a month later I went into Chronicle for something in the Editorial Department, and as I was leaving the Chief Information Officer Alan Fenty, was coming in, and he said ‘you is the chap that used to write and tell Forbes Burnham when he doing stupidness? I want you tell he that now.’ It shocked me. I used to write what I considered the truth…I felt good that this was the perception from the Chief Information Officer,

able to me and made arrangements to pick me up and bring me back home. They used me as a motivational speaker. The CBR really helped get me out of depression.” “Here was I, living in denial and feeling sorry for myself because walking became increasingly difficult. When I saw so many persons bravely carrying on with their lives, I realised that I had a lot for which I have to be thankful to God. “Being a volunteer placed me at the head of the national disability movement. I am now the Chairman of the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities. I can safely say that over the past seven years, I have helped to increase the self-esteem, and

With the victorious ERSS Road Relay Team. Standing, from left: Gordon Lewis, Lloyd Kingston (PE Teacher), Brian 'Chinaman' Griffith. Sitting, from left: Leon Walcott (Coach), Theron Velloza, Wayne Mathurin and Vigil Lewis. that Walcott wasn’t afraid to tell the Government where it was going wrong.” But in 2001, Mr. Walcott suffered a significant setback. The muscular condition with which he was born worsened to the point where he was unable to walk unassisted or without holding on. “I had to fight depression, because I used to be very active, and I could not go to places that I used to. I was wondering what was going to happen to me.” It was at that point that members of the CommunityBased Rehabilitation (CBR) Programme, came to his assistance. “I knew some of the people there and they came around and started talking with me, and they realised that I could make a contribution and started taking me out. They made a wheelchair avail-

increased the earning capacity of many Guyanese living with disabilities.” Married, and the father of three children ( two boys and a girl), Mr. Walcott, who was also the Director of the Support Group for Deaf Persons, runs a small business from his Norton Street home. He got around in a wheelchair or a battery-operated scooter. What advice did he have for the disabled? “Believe in God. Try to acquire a skill, and always tell yourself that you can do it. Respect yourself and things will fall into place. “I have been blessed by God. I have been blessed with a good brain, good friends, good students, many of whom regard me as a big brother. “There are people without disabilities who do not have what I have, so it has to be a blessing.”

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Monday November 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

Project to target absenteeism, school exclusion at Berbice

FOR RENT

SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Graphics design, advertisement, Wedding arch rentals. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535. ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Installations, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc call Nick 627-3206, 630-1600 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezer-Call: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Have your yard, fence, mat to pressure wash? Yard to weed? Call: 666-2326

FOR SALE Generac Pressure Wash for sale 3100 PSI. Tel#654-5267/ 652-2244/220-4203 Combines 7300 John Deere (2000 hrs) Fiatagri L413 (2500hs), Laverda 132 & Massey 399 & 290, Fiat 110/ 90, Ford 6610. Call: 695-2220/ 338-4354 One Ford explore sportage jeep, fully loaded $3.7M. Call# 684-4636/676-4810 2 - 6 Ton Ice Plant with holding room turnkey operation with spares #611-0884 1- 6'’ Land Dredge complete operation #611-0884 Imported bedroom, Living room, Bathroom: Furniture/ A c c e s s o r i e s Beds,Dressers,Lamps, Carpets, Tv Stand etc. Owner leaving #655-3070 1 Short Base Land Rover, 1 Generator, serious enquiries. #684-1880/646-6786

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Attendance intervention for chronically absent students will soon be implemented at the Line Path Secondary and Skeldon High Schools, both in Corriverton, Berbice. The programme is being implement by Creative Associates through the USAID funded Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) programme. In an advertisement published in yesterday’s edition, CFYR said that it is seeking suitably qualified agencies or individuals to respond to a request for a proposal for technical support in providing the leadership of the schools to develop systems to reduce absenteeism, truancy and school exclusion of selected students over a nine-month period. The mandate of the CFYR programme will identify and work with families and their youth who are empirically at the highest risk of becoming involved in crime and violence. The programme assesses youth risk through the Youth Service Eligibility Tool (YSET), which measures risk across nine factors at a family, peer and individual level. Youth will be matched with interventions based on their level of risk and these interventions will seek to increase protective factors or “resilience”. These initiatives include civic activities to build social and leadership skills, workshops to increase youth workforce readiness,

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community activities that promote positive youthpolice contact, and campaigns to challenge those gender norms which contribute to an environment permissive of violence. The programme will also reach youth at higher levels of risk—those who are leaving the juvenile justice system—with targeted support to improve their chances of reintegration. Based on evidence and proven success in Central America, including the USAID-funded Proponte Mas programme, CFYR aims to reduce rates of juvenile detention and build community safety and cohesion in the areas where it operates. Creative Associates is implementing the programme in partnership with international and local organizations with expertise in evidence-based approaches to building the capacity of governments, communities, and local service providers to deliver prevention services to at-risk youth. These groups include the Pan American Development Foundation, the University of Southern California and YouthBuild International.

CARICOM to bring back... (From page 13) liberalization. The ambassador said that the actions being taken by CARICOM are not just for the betterment of the region’s domestic travel, but with a view to develop global tourism links for the benefit of the region’s tourism product. In attendance at the air transport meeting were over 150 ministers, officials and high ranking delegates from states and organizations from the Caribbean, Africa, America, Canada and Singapore. The ICAO held the meeting to discuss removing regulatory impediments on air transport between CARICOM and African states. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy of the African Union Commission, said that the African Union is deliberating on how to promote air transport across the region, and that the Declaration of the Global African Diaspora Summit expresses Africa’s desire for continental integration and connectivity for Africans in the diaspora. She said that, by 2050, the African population will be about 2.5 billion, and that CARICOM and the African Union will need to create conducive environments for investment between the African continent and CARICOM states, in anticipation of the regions’ growth.

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Guyana’s Young Voters: Ignorant or Apathetic? Young people are not known for their love of politics. In fact, for the 2015 General Election and 2016 Local Government Elections, political parties saw it fit to pander heavily to this demographic, since persons between the ages 18 and 35 made up almost half of the eligible voter population, and for some time, this group has had a reputation for disinterest in political loyalties. This year, that demographic amounts to a demanding majority of eligible voters. While older generations were known to vote strictly along racial and party lines, with fierce loyalty to a binary of political veterans, young voters seem to be choosing another option: Neither. As the youth population grows over the years, it has been a challenge for political veterans who make up the bulk of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and the A Partnership for National Unity - Alliance For Change coalition (APNU+AFC) to come up with the best methods of galvanizing this demographic. The voter turnout for the 2018 Loc a l G o v e r n m e n t Election was 36 percent, an 11 percent drop from 47% in the 2016 election. Last week, Attorney-At-Law and AFC stalwart Nigel Hughes, posted photos on Facebook of a crowd of young people at a party and said “The youth are otherwise engaged. In the same week that the young people rejected the current political environment by staying away from the polls, they crossed all barriers to gather at a Block Party event at Giftland. They need a new day and a different way. Better Must Come.” To understand why young Guyanese appear so disinterested in political systems, Kaieteur News interviewed a few young changemakers to figure out how they view the relationship between young, eligible voters and the political climate. Why aren’t young people turning out to the polls? University of Guyana Student Society President, Devta Ramroop, said bluntly that “[Young people] feel like the younger generation should take over. Only the other day, I had a few friends who were talking about starting a party. But we know we won’t get the support.

Dennis Glasgow, Director of ASPIRE Youth Network, 20

Devta Ramroop, UGSS President, 24

Ryan Hoppie, Chairman of Come Alive Network Inc., 31

Some of them don’t have confidence in the people in [government] and they’re tired of the same promises. No action, different party.” For Ramroop, it’s not that youth aren’t involved. It’s that they’re ready to lead, rather than follow. H o w e v e r, R a m r o o p ’s predecessor, Ron Glasgow, has o t h e r v i e w s : “ Yo u n g p e o p l e aren’t showing up for the polls (non-National Elections) because we fail to understand how important the elections are, ergo, don’t assign our time and effort to going out and voting. In the case of the LGE, most youths are unable to appreciate the importance because they weren’t conscious enough when LGE ‘was important.’ For many, I think it’s simply a knowledge and experience deficit.” Devica Uditram, Head of the Youth Arm of Guyana Pandits’ Council agrees that there is a knowledge deficit. She believes that voter education about LGE is important, because young voters, who’ve had very little exposure to it, just don’t know why it’s important. She also said that young people aren’t seeing enough real development. “Some young people refuse to go and vote simply because they see no improvement in their communities.” Lastly, she said that there is little opportunity for youth involvement, which is being stifled by the political

behemoths. “For example, in my constituency, one person has been contesting for a particular party for several years. The older folks are not allowing the younger persons to get involved.” Ryan Hoppie, Chairman of Come Alive Network Inc. told Kaieteur News, “I engaged with young people from across the political spectrum and many of them feel disenfranchised. If youth cannot trust you, they will not support you.”

Grace Hutson, Radio Host, 21

Devica Uditram, Head of Youth Arm at Guyana Pandits’ Council, 23

What would it take to get more youths involved in social and political movements? Tony Bowen, a popular DJ around Georgetown, has a lot of exposure to young people, and has built quite the reputation for himself. When asked what it would take to get youth more involved, he said: “Elections are just like anything in the world. It needs valid and proactive promotion to get anywhere. This is an era of the millennial and as such, I don’t think many of them are properly educated on what local government elections actually are and what the benefits are (myself included). The young people aren’t going out because they aren’t educated and it doesn’t seem relevant. If we want them to vote, we need to educate them. That’s all.” Juliana Lopes, a staunch advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights for young people, believes that

“To get young people involved in social and political movements, there needs to be focus on diminishing party politics. Young people do have opinions but they may feel that they need to conform to one societal view of politics” According to Hoppie, “Politics are much more complex and bureaucratic and it will take creating new spaces for youth to operate in that can support already established visions within parties. These spaces need to be crafted through consultation with youth. They need to have that genuine sense of comfort with our political leaders and there is no better way to build this rapport than to listen to them and address their priority issues or at least try to.” On that very note of giving young people a voice, Director o f A S P I R E Yo u t h N e t w o r k , Dennis Glasgow said, “The same way we’ve made progress in party politics to have quotas for women to be in leadership positions, we need to have quotas for youth in party leadership and the positions they hold. Until we can see ourselves reflected in those positions, in the main parties then we will continue to remain disengaged. My call is for parties to include quotas for youth in their 2020 manifestos and stay true to it. We don’t want to be merely used to hype our peers at Fish Shop rallies and be forgotten when parties take office and fill seats

Derwayne Wills, Interim Chairman of Guyana National Youth Council, 25

Ron Glasgow, Former UGSS President, 21

Tony Bowen, DJ, 23 with senior citizens.” What are the issues most important to youths? Grace Hutson is a radio host at 21. She’s known for stimulating conversations on a wide range of social issues that affect youth in Guyana. She said, “Young people need jobs. I have friends who have graduated and are struggling. It’s sad that we are not guaranteed a job when we graduate, unless we know people. We also need a thriving social community. But every other organisation that caters to enhancing your social life with merits is an NGO. (GRPA, SASOD etc..) What about investing in those? Even if it’s sports or the arts, these are things young people gravitate towards. Make it an essential provision.” According to Interim Chairman of Guyana National Youth Council, Derwayne Wills, “Young people are invested in their survival. They demand jobs, access to financing and financial intelligence, access to reasonable incomes and scholarship opportunities which allow them to live and save altogether. They demand respect for their crafts and the lifting of the standard and remuneration for more vocational skills.” Uditram concurs: “Job s e c u r i t y, f i n a n c i a l s e c u r i t y, social security, affordable and accessible tertiary education and scope for academic and professional development” are the most pressing issues for the youth population.”

Juliana Lopes, SRHR Advocate, 21

Monday November 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

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Aubameyang goal gives Arsenal Sri Lanka top order crumbles, England eye series sweep 2-1 win at Bournemouth

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores their second goal. (Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley) (Reuters)- - Arsenal extended their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions on Sunday with a 2-1 victory at Bournemouth that moved them within a point of the Premier League’s top four. The home team’s record signing Jefferson Lerma, who cost 25 million pounds ($32 million) in August, scored a spectacular own goal to give Arsenal the lead but Norwegian international Josh King, back for Bournemouth after injury, equalised just before halftime. That meant Unai Emery’s team have still not led at the halfway stage of a league game since he joined in the close-season. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang slid in the Gunners’ second goal in the 68th minute and their three-man back line held out, although Lerma hit a post. Arsenal can make up ground on their big local rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are still three points ahead of them, by winning the north London derby next weekend. Bournemouth stayed eighth after a third successive defeat in a testing period, with fixtures against leaders Manchester City and secondplaced Liverpool to come in the first eight days of December. They felt unfortunate in having an early effort by David Brooks controversially disallowed for offside, but tended to cause their own problems by losing possession too easily. Arsenal’s Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira took advantage following the Brooks incident and shot against a post. Soon afterwards, however, the ball was lost again and there was no reprieve as Lerma volleyed a

cutback from Sead Kolasinac into his own net. It was a turnaround in fortunes for the Colombia international, who scored his first goal for the club in the previous game at Newcastle United. Arsenal were denied a rare halftime lead when Callum Wilson and Brooks broke to feed King for a fine finish. Another mistake by Lerma gave Aubameyang a good chance but he shot carelessly high, before scoring his eighth league goal of the season following a short free kick. Alex Iwobi fed Kolasinac for another assist from the left flank. “We knew it would be a tough game,” Aubameyang said. “We spoke at halftime and knew we had to come back with intensity and aggression.” Emery, who went down the tunnel clenching his fists in

delight, emphasised how important it was not to lose touch with the top four after the three successive draws that had preceded Sunday’s game. “It was very important to win and stay near Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool. I think Manchester City are very big,” he said. “Next week we are playing at home to Tottenham who have three points more than us. “First we are playing in the Europa League on Thursday and we want to finish first, but Sunday is a very big match for us.” Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe felt his players were to blame for the winning goal because of a lack of concentration. “I was disappointed because we seemed to just switch off as a team,” he said. ($1 = 0.7801 pounds)

England’s Jack Leach celebrates with his teammates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva (not pictured). (REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte) COLOMBO (Reuters) - England set Sri Lanka a daunting victory target of 327 in the third and final test and then reduced the hosts to 53 for four wickets to stay on course for a 3-0 series sweep yesterday. The tourists, who had taken a 96-run firstinnings lead, overcame a top-order collapse of their own to post 230 all out in their second innings on day three of the contest. Their spinners then wrecked the Sri Lankan top order to drive home the advantage at the Sinhalese Sports Club. For the hosts, Kusal Mendis was batting on 15 at stumps with Lakshan Sandakan on one at the other end with Sri Lanka staring at a series whitewash. Earlier, resuming on 3-0 and with an overall lead of 99, England lost Keaton Jennings leg before wicket for one off the first delivery of the day from Dilruwan Perera (5-88), which seemed to unhinge their top order. The off-spinner dismissed Rory Burns for seven in an identical manner and substitute fielder Kaushal Silva took a sharp catch at short leg to dismiss Jonny Bairstow, who followed his first innings 110 with 15 in the second. England’s crisis deepened further when captain Joe Root offered a return catch to Malinda Pushpakumara to depart for seven, before Sri Lankan sloppiness and a solid middle order partnership worked in the

tourists’ favour. Jos Buttler had reached 27 when he was given out leg-before to Dhananjaya de Silva, but the batsman managed to overturn the decision after replays confirmed the ball would have sailed over the stumps. Stokes had an even more eventful and fortuitous stay before he was finally dismissed for a vital 42-run contribution. The all-rounder was first caught at cover for 22 and then in the slip after adding 10 more runs but survived both times after replays confirmed spinner Sandakan had overstepped. The wrist-spinner went on to dismiss Buttler but the hosts looked demoralised after his no-ball nightmares allowed England’s overall lead to swell towards an almost impossible target for the side batting fourth. Ben Foakes remained not out on 36 as the home spinners shared 10 English wickets among them for the second time in the match. Their batting colleagues, however, let them down again with the Sri Lankan top order coming quickly unstuck in their chase. Off-spinner Moeen Ali dismissed both the openers, Danushka Gunathilaka and Dimuth Karunaratne, and left-arm spinner Jack Leach sent back de Silva. Angelo Mathews then played a reckless pull shot to depart for five with a premature defeat looming.

DOTTIN LONE WEST INDIES PLAYER IN ALL-STAR XI

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring their second goal. (REUTERS/David Klein)

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Veteran allrounder Deandra Dottin was the only West Indies player named to the all-star team for the just concluded ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup. While the hosts under-performed in failing to defend their title, Dottin stood out especially with the ball as she claimed the joint most wickets with 10, along with Australian seamer Megan Schutt and teammate, off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner. The 27-year-old, a sharp medium pacer, produced career-best figures of five for five against Bangladesh as West Indies got their campaign up and running with a convincing 60-run victory in Guyana. With the bat, the right-hander scored 121 runs – the most by a West Indies player – which was good enough to place her in the top 10 for the tournament. Dottin had a top score of 49 against Sri Lanka in St Lucia and also struck 46 as West Indies pulled off a dramatic last-over victory

over nemesis England in their final preliminary match at the same venue. The Barbadian has remained one of the Caribbean side’s leading players in both formats, since making her debut as a 17-yearold. Despite going down by eight wickets to Australia in Saturday’s final, England boast the most players in the XI with three – wicketkeeper Amy Jones, left-arm spinner Kirstie Gordon and seamer Anya Shrubsole. Player-of-the-Tournament Alyssa Healy, who topped the batting aggregates with 225 runs, was one of two Australian players in the XI with seamer Ellyse Perry included for her nine wickets. SQUAD – Alyssa Healy (Australia), Smriti Mandhana (India), Amy Jones (England), Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Deandra Dottin (Windies), Javeria Khan (Pakistan), Ellyse Perry (Australia), Leigh Kasperek (New Zealand), Anya Shrubsole (England), Kirstie Gordon (England), Poonam Yadav (India).

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NBA ROUNDUP: Warriors edge Kings in final seconds Klay Thompson capped a 31-point performance with a put-back of his own miss with 5.8 seconds remaining Saturday night to give the Golden State Warriors a 117116 victory over the Sacramento Kings in Oakland, Calif. Kevin Durant poured in a game-high 44 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, to help the Warriors outrace their Northern California rivals down the stretch en route to their second home win in two nights. Golden State snapped a four-game losing streak with a 125-97 triumph over Portland on Friday. Buddy Hield had a teamhigh 28 points for the Kings, and Marvin Bagley III added 20 points and 17 rebounds off the bench. With the Kings leading 116-115, Durant missed a jumper with about 20 seconds to go. Andre Iguodala got the offensive rebound, and Thompson’s 6-foot jumper was blocked by the Kings’ Willie Cauley-Stein, but Thompson got the ball back and made the layup. Bucks 135, Spurs 129 Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists as host Milwaukee rallied past San Antonio. Milwaukee outscored San Antonio 40-27 in the fourth quarter for its fourth win in its past five games. Malcolm Brogdon had 23 points on 10of-15 shooting, Khris Middleton chipped in 21 and Eric Bledsoe had 20 points and 10 assists as the Bucks’ starting five combined for 107 points. DeMar DeRozan scored 34 points for the Spurs, who lost for the sixth time in their last eight games. Bryn Forbes had 18 points, Davis Bertans scored 17 and LaMarcus Aldridge added 15. Nuggets 105, Thunder 98 Jamal Murray scored 22 points with eight rebounds and eight assists while Nikola Jokic and Trey Lyles added 16 points each as Denver got off to a hot start and held off host Oklahoma City. Juan Hernangomez had 15 points for the Nuggets, who have won three games in four days, having won at Minnesota on Wednesday and at home against Orlando on Friday. Paul George had 24 points with 11 rebounds, a n d R u s s e l l We s t b r o o k finished with a tripledouble — 16 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists — as the Thunder lost for just

Monday November 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

the second time in their last seven games. Mavericks 113, Celtics 104 J.J. Barea finished with 20 points, eight assists and a pair of steals in 26 minutes off the bench as host Dallas won for the seventh time in nine games, beating Boston. Barea scored seven points in the definitive opening seven minutes of the fourth quarter, including a 3pointer with 5:44 to go putting Dallas ahead 103-90. The lead grew to 16 moments later, and struggling Boston was unable to recover. The win got the Mavericks to .500 for the first time this season, and Boston, playing without Gordon Hayward due to ankle soreness, fell back to a .500 record after 20 games. Jayson Tatum led five Celtics in

Wall added 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and host Washington defeated New Orleans. Austin Rivers scored 18 points off the bench, and Bradley Beal had 18 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who had lost three of their last four games. Porter made 12 of 15 field-goal attempts, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range. The Pelicans, playing without leading scorer Anthony Davis (right hip strain), completed an 0-3 road trip and fell to 2-9 away from home. Julius Randle, starting for Davis, led New Orleans with 29 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists. Timberwolves 111, Bulls 96 Karl-Anthony Towns scored 35 points and pulled down 22 rebounds for his 10th

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots the basketball against Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein (00) during the fourth quarter at Oracle Arena. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports) double figure with 21 points. Cavaliers 117, Rockets 108 Rookie Collin Sexton scored a career-high 29 points in his eighth consecutive start, and Tristan Thompson recorded his third consecutive double-double as host Cleveland defeated Houston. Sexton, starting for the injured George Hill, shot 14for-21 to lead a balanced Cleveland offense. Thompson finished with 16 points and 20 rebounds. Chris Paul had the night off for the Rockets. James Harden took over the point guard position, scoring 40 points with 13 assists. Wizards 124, Pelicans 114 Otto Porter Jr. scored a season-high 29 points, John

double-double of the season, and Minnesota pulled away to beat Chicago in Minneapolis. Derrick Rose added 22 points on 9-for-13 shooting off the bench to help knock off his former team. Jeff Teague finished with 18 points for Minnesota, which has won back-to-back contests to climb two games within .500. Zach LaVine scored 28 points to lead Chicago, which lost for the sixth time in seven games. Jabari Parker had a season-high 27 points, and Justin Holiday registered his second consecutive doubledouble with 14 points and 11 rebounds. (Field Level Media)

Hamilton ends season with a win in Abu Dhabi

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton leads during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed)

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Five times world champion Lewis Hamilton signed off on the Formula One season in style and a cloud of tyre smoke yesterday after a pole-to-flag victory in Abu Dhabi, his 11th win of the campaign. Ferrari’s overall runner-up Sebastian Vettel finished second, and also set the fastest lap, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third in a race that also saw a rare sprinkling of desert rain. “I am so happy right now,” said Hamilton after Hollywood actor Will Smith brought down the chequered flag at the floodlit Yas Marina circuit on the Mercedes driver’s 73rd career win. The 33-year-old Briton, who has won 51 of the 100 races in the V6 turbo hybrid era, became the first driver to score more than 400 points in a single season with a final tally of 408. Hamilton’s victory also left him 18 wins away from Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91 and he celebrated on the podium by stripping down to his waist and showing off his tattooed torso as the fizz was sprayed. Two times world champion Fernando Alonso, in his farewell race with McLaren, had hoped to sign off in the points but finished 11th and with his final tally at 1,899. With both championships already won, Hamilton taking his in Mexico with two races to spare and Mercedes sealing their fifth successive constructors’ and drivers’ double in Brazil, Sunday’s focus was on the race and those moving on — particularly Alonso. Hamilton, Vettel and the Spaniard — three great champions — spun their cars in a cloud of smoke at the end of their slowing down lap, before stepping out for hugs and words of mutual respect. “Fernando is a true legend. It’s been a privilege to race when he is racing,” Hamilton said. “The sport will miss him and I will miss

him from the sport.” Australian Daniel Ricciardo was another saying goodbye, to his Red Bull team before moving to Renault, and he finished fourth after leading for a long stint when Hamilton pitted early. TOUGH YEAR Hamilton’s team mate and 2017 race winner Valtteri Bottas was fifth, after starting on the front row, and ended the season winless and fifth overall. He and Verstappen banged wheels as they fought for position, forcing Bottas to make another pitstop for a suspected slow puncture. “It’s been a mentally pretty tough year so I need a break,” said the Finn. Compatriot Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, retired seven laps into his final race with Ferrari as his car cruised to a halt on the pit straight, triggering a virtual safety car and Hamilton’s early stop. The 39-year-old, joining Sauber next season, still ended third overall in the championship, two points ahead of Verstappen. McLaren-bound Carlos Sainz finished sixth in his last race for Renault ahead of Sauber’s Charles Leclerc, who now heads to Ferrari, and Force India’s Sergio Perez. The Haas pairing of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen took ninth and 10th. The safety car was deployed at the end of the opening lap when Nico Hulkenberg’s Renault was sent barrel-rolling several times before coming to rest upside down on the tyre wall after a collision with Romain Grosjean’s Haas. “Get me out of this car. There’s fire,” the shaken German shouted over the radio. Hulkenberg remained inside as marshals doused flames at the rear, finally clambering out through the halo head protection device after the Renault was turned over.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the podium with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel (left) and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (right). (REUTERS/ Ahmed Jadallah)

Monday November 26, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Aussies dispose of England Copa Libertadores final postponed again following bus attack to clinch fourth title

After taking three wickets in the ball, Ashleigh Gardner struck an unbeaten 33 to lift Australia to their fourth title ©Associated Press. NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Favourites Australia brushed aside England by eight wickets here Saturday night to wrap up their fourth ICC Women’s Twenty20 title and make amends for their failure two years ago. In a lopsided final at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, the Aussies clinically chased down an uncomplicated 106 to spark celebrations before a full house and make history by winning the first ICC women’s stand-alone tournament. England chose to bat but were bundled out for 105 with two balls remaining in the innings, after suffering a stunning collapse. Opener Danielle Wyatt struck a fluent 43 off 37 balls while captain Heather Knight chipped in with 25 from 28 deliveries but England capitulated from 64 for three in the 11th over, losing their last seven

wickets for 41 runs. Off-spinner Ash Gardner produced magical figures of three for 22 to earn Player-ofthe-Match honours while legspinner Georgia Wareham (211) and new-ball seamer Megan Schutt (2-13) supported with two wickets apiece. In reply, England believed they were still in with a chance at 44 for two in the eighth over but the 21-yearold Gardner and captain Meg Lanning combined in an unbroken 62-run third wicket stand to put the Aussies over the line. Gardner struck an unbeaten 33 from 26 deliveries with a four and three sixes to propel the innings while Lanning stroked three boundaries in a 30-ball innings. Opener Alyssa Healy, voted Player-of-theTournament, had earlier gathered a busy 22 from 20 balls to give the innings a

Persaud, Hussain centuries... From page 28 R. Mohamed, R. Gill and D. Fraser. Spinner Divesh Ramjattan then produced an incisive spell to help bowl out Diplomats for 170 in reply. A. Foster made 33, while K. Fraser contributed 26 and H. Blackman and D. Fraser 22 each. Ramjattan finished with 4-33, while Trevon France had 2-22. At Everest, Sophia took first strike and were sent packing for 84 in 21 overs. C. Seepaul made 29 as Clayon Halley picked up 3-4 from two overs, Yukini Favourite 3-19 from six overs and Murtland Ward 2-17 off six. Ace Warriors responded with 85-5 in 17 overs. Selwin Collier struck 33 not out while Roger Aaron made 17 and Favourite 14.

flying start. “We haven’t had the success we’d have liked last couple of years – the last two World Cups really hurt,” Lanning said afterwards. “We had to change a few things, move things forward, play a little differently, and this is a really satisfying win.” She added: “The loss to India [in the preliminaries] didn’t affect the team. We knew we came up against a very good side. A couple of years ago, that might have robbed us. But we stayed calm.” Knight conceded that Australia had played the better cricket and deserved the success. “We wanted to put runs on the board, we knew there’d be dew,” she explained. “We probably didn’t quite adapt to conditions as well as we could have. Obviously, Australia are the better team on the day, and congratulations to them.” Australia reached the final of the 2016 final before going down to eventual champions West Indies, who they beat this time around in last Thursday’s semi-final. Scores: ENGLAND 105 off 19.4 overs (Danielle Wyatt 43, Heather Knight 25; Ashleigh Gardner 3-22, Georgia Wareham 2-11, Megan Schutt 2-13. AUSTRALIA 106 for two off 15.1 overs (Ashleigh Gardner 33 not out, Meg Lanning 28 not out, Alyssa Healy 22).

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The rescheduled second leg of the Copa Libertadores soccer final between River Plate and Boca Juniors was postponed again yesterday hours before it was due to start, after Boca complained the match could not be played under fair conditions. The decisive leg had been set to be played on Saturday but was suspended until yesterday after Boca players were injured when their bus was attacked by River fans outside their Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. “We don’t want there to be any excuses that conditions were not equal for both teams,” Alejandro Dominguez, the president of the South American soccer confederation CONMEBOL, said on TV. “We want both teams to have time to recover.” “A sad day for South American soccer,” he later tweeted. CONMEBOL said officials would meet with the heads of both clubs tomorrow to discuss a date for rescheduling. Saturday’s mayhem and questionable management of the stadium caused a national outcry. “Embarrassing” rang out top headline of the news site of local paper Clarin. The front page of a Peruvian sports tabloid called El Bocon went with a blunt one-word headline: “IDIOTS”. The stadium was shut for several hours late on Saturday when city authorities said it apparently violated safety rules by allowing too many fans to enter, and by locking emergency exits. Early on Sunday the Boca Juniors club requested the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final be suspended, saying the game could not take place unless conditions were equal for both teams. It was the first time Argentina’s two biggest

clubs had met for the title. The crosstown showdown had been billed as the greatest final in the competition’s 58-year history. But Saturday’s scheduled final will instead be remembered for the violence that left players bleeding and almost all the windows on one side of the Boca bus shattered. The incident was a black eye for some of the Argentine security forces who will be responsible for keeping the city calm during a meeting of the leaders of the G20 bloc of industrialized nations on Friday. “We are prepared for the G20. We have faith,” Jorge Faurie, Argentina’s foreign minister, said on television. Faith in CONMEBOL was meanwhile running short among fans. “We’re furious. You waste so much time and money. It takes a while to get here. The police treat you badly. You have to park far away. You don’t know if your car is going to get broken into,” said Ayrton da Silva, who was at the stadium when the postponement was announced. “CONMEBOL’s organization?” said his exasperated father Luiz da Silva. “The likelihood of this game being postponed was 85 per cent. How do you take this decision now? It should have been made at 10 o’clock this morning. But well, this is Argentina.” Some fans came from overseas to see the game. City authorities scrambled to explain what had happened. “There is something that is very difficult to guard against. Human stupidity,” Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodriguez Larreta told reporters. He blamed soccer hooligans, known as the “barras bravas” in Argentina for the mess. “They are the mafia of Argentine soccer,” he said.

General view of fans inside the stadium before the match. (REUTERS/Martin Acosta)

RHT Poonai Pharmacy, Port Mourant... From page 28 innings quota of 25 Overs. Avishkar Persaud 29, Sanjay Algoo 24. R. Gaffar 2 for 19, Romeo Deonarine 1 for 11. Blairmont Community Centre 96 all out. T. Dookram 21, J. Denluye 25, Bhaskar Dhani 5 for 22. Aaron Craig 2 for 25 and Romario Ramdihal 2 for 9. Rose Hall Canje 36 for 2. Avishkar Persaud 19 not out. 4. At Bush Lot: Rose Hall Canje got first innings points against Achievers Cricket Club. Achievers 91 for 7 in 25 Overs. Javon Duncan 24, Saglain Mc Almont 16, Aaron Craig 3 for 26. Rose Hall Canje 118 for 7. Romario Ramdihal 24, Zadeen

La Rose 23, Parsram Doobay 22. Renata Liverpool 4 for 19, Toussaint Connelly 2 for 9. Achievers 75 all out. Javon Duncan 27, Toolsieram Ramcharran 14. Sanjay Algoo 4 for 12 and Romario Ramdihal 3 for 24. Rose Hall Canje 7 for no loss. 5. At Area ‘H’: Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy defeated Albion Community Centre by 10 wickets. Albion Com Cenetre 33 all out in 15.3 Overs. Khemraj Tika 4 for 11, Matthew Pottaya 4 for 12. Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy 80 for 7 in 25 Overs. Tyron Smartt 21. Albion Com Centre 49 all

out. Matthew Pottaya 6 for 9, Nyron Hicks 3 for 27. Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy 4 without loss. 6. At Hampshire: Port Mourant Cricket Club gained first innings points from Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy. Rose Hall Town Poonai 43 all out. Tyrese Smartt 12, S. Khan 5 for 12. Port Mourant Cricket Club 109 for 8. Rampertab Ramnauth 23 and R. Bharray 13. Matthew Pottaya 4 for 32, T. Smartt 2 for 22. Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy 65 for 9 when game was called off at 17.00 hours. Matthew Pottaya 29. T. Shandeo 4 for 08 and S. Latchman 3 for 5.

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Monday November 26, 2018

Kaieteur News

GFA/STAG Revival Cup

BCB/Da Silva Motor Spares Under-13 Cricket Tournament

RHT Poonai Pharmacy, Port GT Panthers and GFC into semis; remaining ¼ Finals on tomorrow Mourant, Blairmont and Rose Hall – Buxton, Conquerors, Santos, Police to battle

Joel Humphrey (left), Lavanghu Enniss and Edmonds Rockford – GFC scorers The remaining two semi final spots are at stake tomorrow evening at the GFC Ground when play in the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) / Stag Revival Cup continues. Buxton, an affiliate of the East Demerara Football Association will come up against Fruta Conquerors from 18:00hrs with the final match of the night between Santos and Police, two hours later. Already booking their spots in the final four are Georgetown Football Club (GFC) which tamed Western Tigers 4-0. The Tigers never threatened the GFC boys who, behind a double off the boot of Lavanghu Enniss in the 60th and 79th minutes romped to victory and a place in the semis. Following a tight first half where no goals

were scored, GFC broke the deadlock on 53 minutes when Joel Humphrey found the back of the nets and they never looked back from that moment. The final goal was scored on the stroke of full time, compliments of Rockford Edmonds. In the other match, a humdinger of clash saw GT Panthers pulling on their experience to outduel their younger Beacon rivals. Beacon had run out 3-1 leaders 62 minutes into the clash but a 67th minute free kick from elder statesman Elroy Parks not only narrowed the advantage but paved the way for the equalising goal. The ensuing 30 minutes of extra time failed to separate the two sides and it was kicks from the penalty mark which saw GT Panthers prevailing to reach the semi finals.

Canje advance to Semis

Play in the historic Berbice Cricket Board/ Da Silva Motor Spares Under-13 Tournament continued with the latest round of matches, four teams have qualified for the Semifinals of the Tournament. Blairmont Community Centre topped Zone A, while Rose Hall Canje emerged as the Runner-up ahead of Tucber Park Cricket Club. Port Mourant Cricket Club topped Zone B as the leader, while Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy came in second. Blairmont Community Centre would clash with Rose Hall Town Pharmacy in the first semifinal at the D’Edward Ground, while Port Mourant Cricket Club would host Rose Hall Canje at the Port Mourant Ground. Scores from matches played: 1. Port Mourant Cricket Club defeated Kendall’s Union by an innings and 117 runs. Kendall’s Union 39 all out. S. Khan 4 for 4 and 29. Tuvraj Shandoo 5 for 3 and K. Kassinauth

3 for 3. Port Mourant 185 for 5 declared. Rampertab Ramnauth 55, S. Khan 36. 2. Tucber Park Cricket Club gained first innings from Rose Hall Canje. Tucber Park 70 all out. C. Arokium 12, D. Hartcourt 11. Bhaskar Dhani 2 for 14. Romario Ramdihal 3 for 14. Sanjay Algoo 3 for 07. Rose Hall Canje 59 all out. Romario Ramdihal 12, Bhaskar Dhani 08. C. Arokium 4 for 19 and K. Kisten 4 for 13. Tucber Park 32 all out. Bhaskar Dhani 3 for 19, Romario Ramdihal 3 for 4, A. Persaud 2 for 6 and Sanjay Algoo 2 for 6. Rose Hall Canje 40 for 7 when time expired, Avishkar Persaud 27, K. Kisten 2 for 26 and C. Arokium 4 for 7. 3. Rose Hall Canje gained first innings points from Blairmont Community Centre. Rose Hall Canje 123 for 3 from allotted first Continued on page 27

Balram Shane Inter Club Volleyball competition in Berbice

Port Mourant Training School 1 once again take top honours

Persaud, Hussain centuries hand GYO huge victory, Ace Warriors overcome Sophia Led by contrasting centuries from Navindra Persaud and Wazeer Hussain, Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) defeated Diplomats by 209 runs, while Ace Warriors overcame Sophia by five wickets when the Georgetown Cricket Association/New Building Society Second Division 40over tournament continued on Saturday. Persaud struck 110, while Hussain slammed 141 as host GYO piled up a mammoth 379-5, batting first. Persaud added 134 for the second wicket with T. Liverpool after GYO lost opener Michael Deonarine for 19. Persaud struck 14 fours and one six before he was dismissed by R. Mohamed, while Liverpool hit nine fours and two sixes in scoring 70. Hussain attacked from the onset and frustrated their opponents; he stroked 15 fours and six sixes before he was bowled by D. Fraser in the later stages of the innings. H. Blackman claimed 2-57, while there was one each for Continued on page 27

The female Castrol VB team and officials receiving their accolade from GVF and BVA President Levi Nedd.

Wazeer Hussain

Navindra Persaud

Clayton Halley

Selwin Collier

The Port Mourant Training School (PMTC1) continued their dominance in the Volleyball arena by winning yet another competition. They took top honours when the sixth annual Balram Shane Inter club Volleyball competition organised by the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) and sponsored by the Businessman Deonarine Balram of The Balram Shane General store, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne was played at the Albion Sports Complex hard court. There were three categories of play with competition in the senior, novices and a female matchup between a Berbice selection and Castrol of Demerara. In the senior category five teams took part namely PMTC1, PMTC2, Rollers of New Amsterdam, Black Bush Polder and Corriverton Jets. After an intense preliminary round of competition, PMTC 1 and Rollers clashed in the final with PMTC1 easily disposing of Rollers 30-21. For the win PMTC1 collected $20,000 and the Balram Shane Trophy, Rollers received $10,000 and trophy for placing

second. In the Novice category, Black Bush, Corriverton Jets, and No 47 Challengers participated with Black Bush Polder defeating Corriverton Jets 30- 22 in the final. Black Bush received $10,000 and trophy, while Corriverton Jets collected $5,000 and a trophy. The female match between Berbice and Castrol was an exciting and closely fought encounter with Berbice holding their nerve to win 2-1, the scores being 25-17, 22-25, 16-14. Berbice collected and $10,000 and trophy and Castrol $5,000 and trophy. Each team that participated and lost collected $5,000 as a goodwill gesture from Mr. Balram. Mr. Levi Nedd, GVF and BVA President along with the volleyball fraternity would like to thank each and every supporter for their sterling contribution, especially Mr. Deonarine Balram for his supported and continued sponsorship over the years. Mr. Balram on behalf of his family in return thanked the BVA, teams and players for participating in the game and putting on a good show during the day. (Samuel Whyte)