Kaieteur News

K

Barge owners to Thursday Edition NEWS pay over $100M for damage to Harbour Bridge AIETEUR

October 03, 2019 - Vol. 12 No. 40

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

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

Price $80

Online readership yesterday 115,215

Cash transfers from oil...

Granger prefers to ‘teach citizens to fish’ ICJ will listen World observes one year death to Venezuela anniversary of journalist Jamal Khashoggi if it changes its position Man stabs neighbour for wasting water, remanded Dignitaries join India's High Commission for 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

GTT unveils “fastest” mobile Turkey erects monument outside Saudi Embassy in memory of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi internet

Guyana to pay almost US$3B to lease two oil storage vessels

Kaieteur News

PAGE 02

Thursday October 03, 2019

Greenidge will determine Guyana to pay almost $3B for political future in 48 hours leasing two oil storage vessels

F

oreign Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, said that he will give an answer about his citizenship in the next 48 hours.

His comment was made yesterday at a press conference held in the main conference office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs located on South Road and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown. Greenidge was asked whether he will relinquish his citizenship given the ruling on dual citizenship and parliamentary membership. He responded, “I will give you an answer on that within the next 48 hours.”

He was further questioned whether he would be a potential candidate in the upcoming March 2, 2020 Regional and General Elections? Greenidge responded, “When I've answered the question as to citizenship…Then I would be prepared to consider answering that question.”

Greenidge, along with three other Members of Parliament (MP) who are holders of dual citizenship, was forced to resign from their respective posts due to a ruling from the Court of Appeal back in March 22, 2019.

The three other MPs are Director General of the Ministry of Presidency Joseph Harmon, and Ministers Dominic Gaskin, and Rupert Roopnaraine.

The issue of MPs and their holding of dual citizenship took centre stage following a vote made by former MP Charrandass Persaud of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU + AFC) Coalition Government, which resulted in the Opposition's no confidence motion being

The Liza Unity under construction

Carl Greenidge passed on December 21, 2018.

The no confidence motion against the Coalition Government triggered the filing of a court action by a private citizen, Compton Reid. His argument was that if you are a dual citizenship there are implications by law that deems ones parliamentary status as void. In that case, since Charrandass Persaud possesses a dual citizenship, he is clearly in breach of the constitution and thus his vote did not count.

However, the High Court and Court of Appeal both ruled that Charrandass's vote was valid which made the no confidence motion valid as well. The courts also ruled that according to the Constitution that if parliamentarians are holding allegiance to foreign states then they are not eligible to be elected to serve in the National Assembly.

Article 155 (1) (a) of the Constitution states, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who is, by virtue of his or own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”

By Kiana Wilburg

T

he Liza Destiny w h i c h i s Guyana's first Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel will be leased for approximately US$1.2B while the second FPSO, called the Liza Unity, will be leased for approximately US$1.6B. ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL), and its partners on the Stabroek Block, Hess Corporation and CNOOC/NEXEN, will be handling these costs but will recover same.

Just recently, Country Manager for ExxonMobil, Rod Henson, noted that the Liza Unity is already under construction by Dutch firm, SBM Offshore, at yards in China and Singapore.

SBM in its 2019 half year earnings report states that the Liza Destiny contract covers 10 years of lease and operate but based on discussion with the client (ExxonMobil), it is expected that the client will purchase the unit after a period of up to two years of operations.

As for the Liza Unity contract, SBM said that it covers a maximum period of two years of lease and operate within which the unit will be purchased by the client.

Kaieteur News understands that the Liza Unity FPSO design is based on SBM Offshore industry l e a d i n g F a s t 4 Wa r d T M programme as it incorporates the company's new build, multi-purpose hull combined with several standardized topsides modules.

It was further noted by the company that the FPSO will be designed to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day

and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.

Additionally, the FPSO will be moored in water depth of about 1,600 meters and will be able to store around two million barrels of crude oil.

US$720M Liza Destiny Kaieteur News had previously reported that SBM Offshore was able to put together the Liza Destiny at a cost of US$720M after project financing was secured by a consortium of 12 international banks.

Kaieteur News understands that FPSO Liza Destiny is owned and will be operated by SBM Offshore for a couple of years. In fact , the lease and operate contract it has with ExxonMobil's subsidiary, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, includes an initial period of 10 years with extension options up to an additional 10 years.

Kaieteur News understands that the FPSO is designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of circa 170 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of circa 200,000 barrels per day.

The converted Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) FPSO will be spread moored at the Liza field located in the Stabroek Block circa 200 kilometers offshore Guyana, in water depth of 1,525 meters and will be able to store 1.6 million barrels of crude oil.

LONG-TERM AGREEMENT A few weeks ago, SBM Offshore also inked a LongTerm Agreement with ExxonMobil covering potential future FPSO orders. SBM noted in a missive to the media that this agreement is non-exclusive and establishes the general legal framework and specific terms in relation to the engineering, procurement, construction (continued on page 14)

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 03, 2019

Cash transfers from oil…

Granger prefers to ‘teach Guyanese to fish’

G

overnment is not immediately looking to dole out oil proceeds directly into the hands of Guyanese.

Yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings, made it clear that education is where the Coalition Government prefers to invest in. The issue of cash transfers, as it is known, surfaced months ago with Professor Clive Thomas being the first to float the idea.

There was immediate interest but the big question that remained was how much money would be needed to sustain such a programme.

In New York recently, the

Foreign Minister reportedly told attendees that the issue of cash transfer was one under active consideration by the administration.

Yesterday, during a press conference at her South Road office, Dr. Cummings disclosed that there is no shift in the stance of the Government.

“Not at all…What my President (David Granger) is saying that education is the key…education is the key…education is the key.”

She said that Government is not going to give a man “fish handouts”. “ We d o n ' t w a n t Guyanese to say give me this, give me that, having

them line up. We want to empower our women, empower people. Teach them to fish. So that is where we are going.”

Some of the money is going towards educationfree education from nursery to university, she said.

“So those who had not a chance to go to university will have a chance.”

She said when her government is returned to power, Foreign Ministry staffers will be going to the university for more education.

However, she said that Government is looking at all the possibilities of ensuring the Guyanese benefit.

The Guyana-Venezuela territorial issue...

ICJ will listen to Venezuela if it changes its position “What they have said to Ve n e z u e l a a l t h o u g h Venezuela said they will not participate is that if you change your mind during the Course of the deliberations, we will hear you” These were words of the Foreign Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, as he responded to a question about the development of the case between Guyana and Venezuela over the border issue. Yesterday at a press conference held in the main conference office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs located at South Road and Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Greenidge updated the media about the ICJ matter.

The Foreign Secretary told reporters that although it is not necessary for the ICJ to have a contribution from Venezuela in order to issue a ruling, the court said that if the country considers to participate, then the Court will be willing to listen to it.

Greenidge added that Venezuela must contribute or submit a written presentation before the actual date of the ruling.

He also said that Venezuela had indicated that “they don't think” that the ICJ has jurisdiction over the matter.

Greenidge explained that the ICJ possesses the authority to make a ruling or decision by itself without any input from Venezuela since “it is a routine thing.”

“It looks at the issues presented and makes a decision,” stated Greenidge.

For many years there have been territorial issues between the two countries over the ownership of the Essequibo.

On March 29, 2018 Guyana filed an application against Venezuela before the ICJ concerning longstanding dispute between the two countries.

While the United Nations and Caribbean

countries supported Guyana's move, Venezuela, with hostility, refused to participate and cooperate.

However, it is believed by supporting countries and the United Nations that the only way to end the controversy between the neighbouring countries is a decision which will be made by the ICJ. According to recent reports, the Guyana/Venezuela border hearing is set for March 23 to March 27, 2020.

PAGE 03

Guyana Fire Service saves the day

A

number of persons would have been left homeless and a business and other buildings flattened yesterday if a fire had been allowed to rage out of hand.

Luckily, the Guyana Fire Service was prompt in responding to the call and the tender was heavily laden with water, hence the GFS was effectively able to extinguish the fire at a residential building next door to 104.1 FM at United Nations Place Georgetown.

The origin of the fire was a huge upright generator, which apparently powered the yellow three-storey building and according to many, has not been maintained or checked on for quite some time now.

An occupant of the building opposite related that a female security guard saw smoke coming from the generator and alerted her other colleagues as well as the occupants of the business next to the building.

Meanwhile, by the time the fire tender arrived, flames had erupted but the GFS managed to get the fire under control.

By this time, however a number of wires were already burnt out.

By the time this publication arrived on the scene, all that could be seen was wispy tendrils of smoke emanating from the damaged appliance.

Two of the buildings that could have been burnt

The damaged generator

PAGE 4

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The elevator revelation If one elevator could cause us so much trouble, then the future looks most unpromising. If one airport exposes the perverse ways of doing business in this country, by government after overlapping government, then we are in more of a hole than we know.

And if one election can come to represent such a life and death undertaking, then maybe we are not worth the air that we breathe. It is because if these things are giving us so much trouble, then there is the high probability that a world of failure awaits on the other things that beg for attention and the singular visions that determine where we go, and how we will be.

The ‘we’ in all of this would be we the people. We who, in one depressing, inglorious season after another, line up to anoint those who promise to lead us to some kind of Promised Land, only for them to deliver to the gates of purgatory.

If we can’t get an elevator right after stops and stalls and suspensions, and almost nothing else, for some 365 longdays, then what can we get right? The idea of nationbuilding comes to mind. Merely the smattering of an idea, where warring races could be wooed and motivated and attracted to seeing the light that comes from harmony.

Where are the people committed to such movement?

Where are the leaders who are engaged in such a backbreaking, spirit curdling undertaking? Who are genuinely enmeshed and engrossed in bringing the hostile, far apart ends together by patient bridging, in an inspiring and intrepid vision of what could be? For anything remotely approaching thinking of the oneness of a blended voice, the singleness of an inseparable body, and the moving spirit of a national force field overpowering everything and everyone in its path, there must be those willing to invest all.

We gave them a country, we trusted them with our destiny, and all we did get in return, is the standing record of folly and catastrophe, and only tragedy after selfdefeating tragedy. Look at that elevator! We don’t have to, because it laughs at us and mocks us in the unending farces heaped upon the peoples of this land.

It stands as a monument to futility, so much wasted currency, and misplaced energy.

We need an elevator and we start out with people who, from all appearances, are better suited to being minibus conductors. They are more equipped to deal with the mundane and manual undertaking of giving a hand up and a foot down from the pedestrian height of a low-slung passenger bus.

Why do these things have to be testimonials to the inefficiency, insipidity, and indecency of those who seek our votes, only for them to turn around and join forces with barbarians bent on selling us down the river?

There is that airport. That cannot be about engineering expertise. Clearly, it is about some wicked experiment with the hapless Guyanese taxpayer dollar used and misused to deliver one abomination following the other. It is either this does not work, or the other working for a time only, or in still other instances, the workings of contractors committed to cheating citizens out of pocket and pride.

The current government blames the previous one, while the previous one stands on the sidelines, in the longstanding tradition of useless critics, to heckle and to hassle after every public failure and fallout. The concoction is supposed to be modern.

The only thing modern about this must be the price and the pains still to come from its presence.

Get these darned things moving, move the people out, stop tying bundles with those who come to plunder this country.

There is zero likelihood of that happening, since the local predators are partners in the crimes committed.

Then there is the elections mangling. This one is all local. It is bigger than the existential border matter, bigger than all the oil discoveries, bigger than the fate of this nation.

Because the winner gets to rule the roost and build more elevators and airports like the ones causing so much embarrassments now.

What can we expect from Granger in the 2019/20 campaign?

DEAR EDITOR, With the issue of the elections proclamation, Presidential candidate David Granger has to face his ‘promise kept’ problem. Mr. Granger made a lot of promises in 2015 and did not keep most, he did promise a ‘good life’ and some are living that for sure, but those are Ministers and cronies, I doubt that the electorate will see the 50% salary increase as a promise kept. What then can we expect from Granger in the 2019/20 campaign?

The country has been plastered with snippets of PPP manifesto information; 50 thousand new jobs; reverse the 200 new taxes and get the money flowing again; lowcost house lots; government support for single parents; cash grants for schoolchildren and other promises are boldly declared. The PPP can do this because many of these promises are reversals of Granger’s policies that have caused hardships, 30 thousand jobs were lost under the Granger regime, and the cash grants to schoolchildren were already a feature of life. The PPP has a plan to return to parity before kicking on with progress.

Granger cannot promise a return to parity, as that would be an admission of great failure; and Granger has a history of making promises that are not backed by planning. The adage ‘failing to prepare is to prepare to fail’ applies, but even when plans are prepared, Granger was not able to execute at a high level, the Jubilee celebrations fell flat and were clouded as the D‘Urban park project was mired in corruption; 600 Million is still to be accounted for according to the Auditor General’s report.

The CJIA Expansion project is suffering the same fate, a fixed-price contract was renegotiated and instead of a new airport terminal, we have a renovated building, fewer air-bridges and inexplicably at USD 30 Million higher cost. Every foot of road paved seems to come with a higher than normal bill, a scaled kickback scheme along the Mr. 10% lines.

Granger cannot sell himself as an Anti-corruption candidate this time around, after failing to find evidence of corruption in 40 forensic audits of PPP administered ministries and agencies, any

corruption he promises to fight will be of his administration’s doing.

Granger knows the taint of corruption hangs heavily in almost every ministry and department of Government; The Attorney General’s Chambers has settled matters for billions of taxpayers’ dollars on a simple demand note, the GRA gave DDL a $3.8 billion tax write off which has led to Banks DIH suing the GRA for $28.4 billion as they demand equal consideration and this demand covers only one period, it could end up costing $80 billon when all is said and done. Cathy Hughes gave her company contracts; Valerie Patterson gave her husband contracts; GLSC engaged in the distribution of over 20,000 acres of prime state lands to Granger ’s cronies and Ministry of the Presidency employees. David Patterson’s explanation of how USD 9,000 was deposited into his account defies ethics, norms, and logic. Simona Broomes’ children were given direct cash transfers from the Ministry of the Presidency totaling over $20 million, the corruption scandals roll on and on. Faced with these acts of corruption and ethical

violations, David Granger did nothing but shuffle his pack, his silence speaks of approval or acquiescence.

Granger the corruption fighter will not fly.

Can we see Granger, the staunch advocate for Rule of Law surface? Would the only President in our history to be cited by the courts as acting in breach of the constitution try such an audacious bluff? Would the President who allowed a challenge to be made on the basis that 33 was not a majority of 65 even consider running on a Law and Order platform? Can a President who issued a Prerogative of Mercy to his Finance Minister to keep him out of jail even contemplate such a move? Stranger things have happened in the silly season, but any move like this would invite ridicule from all quarters.

Granger the Security expert may surface, however, he may not be able to call on British Senior Security Sector Reform Advisor, Mr. Russell Combe, who served as his Advisor, relations with the UK have rather broken down since Granger has moved away from the Rule of law (see above) and a system of (Continued on page 6)

Kaieteur News applauded for SN solidarity DEAR EDITOR, Kaieteur News is applauded for the principled position it has taken on the withdrawal of advertisements (ads) to its competitor Stabroek News (SN). I recall that a withdrawal of ads to KN by a previous government did not receive the support of other media houses. KN has acted maturely in fidgeting the past and in standing with SN. An attack on one media could spiral out of control and becomes an attack on the other media houses. One remembers what happened to the media houses during the Burnham dictatorship. The cut in government advertisements to SN must be condemned in unison.

The response from government suggesting that SN does not want to assume further debt for ads is unacceptable.

The government should have paid its debts already at $22M. Money had been budgeted and available for ads. Why not pay media bills? Since government had continued to place ads without clearing the enormous debt suggests the debt was not the issue.

Clearly, withholding ads is an attempt to muzzle the free press for (critical) reporting and commenting (critiquing) the government. It is very

troubling that government has moved to suppress (unfriendly) speech against it. Not all unfriendly speech is unwelcomed or is bad speech. One US Chief Justice had ruled many years ago that bad press is better than no press. I assailed the last government for punishing SN for its right to criticise the government and I am equally against this government for reducing ads to SN as an act of punishment for its strong position on violations of democratic norms. Reduction of government ads is a threat to speech critical of government and must be condemned by all advocates of democracy. We must defend and sustain freedom of speech regardless of which party is in government.

Why is the voice of David Hinds, Lincoln Lewis, Nigel Westmass, among others, silent?

No government or public figure like bad press but most, if not all of it, is its own doing.

Government has not been following the law on a variety of issues. It seems like a repeat of Burnhamism.

Instead of seeking to penalise the media by withdrawing ads for critical appraisals, government should welcome critiques that will help it to improve its performance and

delivery of service and to embrace democratic governance.

I remember a decade ago, another government sought to stifle SN and Sharma TV for similar reasons. Those who now seek to silence SN were critical of that government. But they turn out to be no different or even worse. They are hypocrites.

SN was in the forefront of institutionalizing the free media post Burnhamism. This was followed by KN. It is because of SN and KN, among others, there is a free speech culture that has been institutionalised in the country. And those who were critical of the previous government for penalizing SN with ADS reduction are the ones who have withdrawn ads from SN. Isn’t this hypocrisy of the highest order? I don’t think President Granger gave order to reduce ads to SN. But to think that Moses Nagamootoo, the champion of the free press during the Burnham era and when he was Information Minister under PPP has responsibility for placement of ads and it is under his watch that SN has been penalized. Moses opposed the withdrawal of ads to SN when he was with PPP. PM Moses must urgently move to

restore normal amount of ads to SN. Using ads to punish the media for its stance against government behaviour is unacceptable. It must not be allowed to continue or else it will pose a threat to a democratic press.

Burnhamism started that way.

The country has not reached the point of verbal authoritarianism. But it could be a beginning in that direction. It is reminiscent of Burnhamism and Hoyteism to control the media.

The hallmark of a free society is one’s freedom of speech. The press and the public should be able to speak freely without fear of recrimination. Freedom of expression results in a stronger society. Using ads to control speech puts our democracy on trial.

I urge the government to pay its bills to all media and restore normal amount of ads to SN and any other media.

Money has been budgeted for ads. Why not pay the bills rather than play games with the media over payment as a means to strangle them and censor their reporting and commentaries against the government. Thanks KN for your support for a free press.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 5

Kaieteur News

Pure electoral gimmicky DEAR EDITOR, Three occurrences impacting the Guyana Police Force were recently announced.

All three occurrences were undoubtedly, politically motivated; as such, they are unlikely to bring about any improvement in the public’s confidence or image of the police force nor its effectiveness in fighting crime.

First was the case of the embattled Assistant Commissioner who allegedly, got himself entangled with criminal elements in Region Six resulting in him being sent on administrative leave and eventually being put on trial internally but only after the matter hit the press.

Calculating the furore the press reports had generated would die down in light of impending elections and, hoping that the story would eventually disappear from the front pages of mainstream media, the GPF decided to lie low on the matter.

However, with time running out in respect to the entitlements of the embattled officer and with a ‘nosey’ press ‘breathing down their necks’, the GPF finally cracked, making it known that the Assistant Commissioner was found not guilty and freed of all charges.

But the verdict only made matters worse.

Secrecy and lack of transparency being trademarks of the current police/civilian administration, the public was left in the dark about who had actually tried the embattled police officer, which witnesses had been called and what were the charges put to the embattled policeman.

Worse yet, the verdict simply reinforced the long held perception about unswerving loyalty of officers to one another.

After all, perception is nothing else than what reality is to the perceiver.

And as though that was not enough, unbridled favouritism emanating from those who strut the corridors of power, tilted the scales in favour of the embattled Assistant Commissioner allowing one of their own, in police uniform, to prolong the

travesty that was committed over a year ago allowing him to continue in service for an additional year because the political directorate had instructed that certain discrepancies appearing on his birth certificate be ignored.

That aside, the embattled Assistant Commissioner is one of the several Assistant Commissioners in Police Divisions A and B who are due to retire in 2020 to make way for others.

In his particular case, the embattled police officer’s extended controversial tenure will end in February next year.

Incidentally, his extended tenure had ‘browned off’ other senior ranks, one of whom was hoping, quite justifiably so, to fill the position that should have become vacant had it not be filled by the officer whose tenure was mired in controversy.

The second occurrence relative to the GPF has to do with the recently announced promotions to the rank of Assistant Commissioners (2) Senior Superintendent (1) and Assistant Superintendent (1).

That these promotions were surreptitiously done, and later announced as a move, ‘to make way for the approaching retirement’ of other senior ranks.’

Suffice it to say, these promotions are a matter of strategic interest to which the public should pay a keen interest in light of coming elections.

The four promotions were orchestrated to make them appear as if they were a normal course of things in the GPF when in fact, they were a camouflage for the promotion of a particular Superintendent by way of supersession, to the rank of Assistant Commissioner.

The Superintendent had proceeded on an unauthorised Chevening scholarship in the UK and whilst there, had requested successive rounds of no pay leave on medical grounds while pursuing the said scholarship.

The Superintendent who had been hankering out on the periphery for almost twelve years, suddenly found himself catapulted to the rank

of Assistant Commissioner superseding a number of deserving Senior Superintendents who were labouring professionally and dutifully, hoping that day would come when they would find themselves in the hard earned position of an Assistant Commissioner of the GPF. But alas that was not to be, coming events had already begun to cast a long shadow.

Clearly, beyond the shadow of a doubt, there must have been political direction to situate the supersession of the Superintendent in a way to make it appear noncontroversial.

Supersession is too important an aspect of organisational existence to be dismissed lightly especially when it is politically inspired.

It is indeed strange that this particular officer after an absence of twelve years of active service from the force, was deemed fit for promotion based on supersession ahead of other well deserving colleagues.

Further, his rapid promotion should be considered a grave injustice to the superseded ranks who, after all, are individuals with aspirations and members of the same organisation.

Whether the Force and the architect of these politically inspired supersessions/promotions are capable of managing from a human resource perspective, the widespread ramifications of their actions is a matter that is left to be seen.

The caretaker grouping wanted to reward the Superintendent for his supportive political convictions but they did not want to make it appear as if it was exclusive to him, so what they did was to promote him along with three others to senior positions. In effect, it coated a bitter pill with some sweetener for others to swallow.

The third occurrence has to do with the regime’s trumpeting of the so-called ‘10 for 10’ or Ten Commanders for the ten regions.

The fact of the matter is that of the ten regions, six and

three regions combined, called station districts or police divisions always had dedicated commanders at the level of a Senior Superintendent with the exception of Divisions A, B and C where Assistant Commissioners are to serve in accordance with the Standing Orders of the GPF. Interestingly, a former Crime Chief who is currently serving at Region One as a sub-divisional officer and not even as the Second-in-Charge or 2IC will now be made a Commander but with the same substantive rank.

Contrary to the bleating of the caretaker grouping, this ten for ten project is actually aimed at giving Guyanese ‘a six for a nine’ since it has nothing to do with enhanced security for the regions.

This is pure electoral gimmicky.

The necessity to implement a commitment made almost four years ago at this time must have come from the National Security Council which the caretaker president chairs.

Thus, we heard Mr.

Ramjattan in typical tongue in cheek fashion describing the process as the “regionalisation of the Police Force.”

According to Mr. Ramjattan, at some point in time, there will be a “kind of an official launch” of the exercise.

One anomaly that stands out in exercise is there is no uniformity in the rankings of those who have been identified to serve as commanders of the ten regions.

In this respect, Assistant Commissioners, Senior Superintendents and Superintendents have been identified to head these regions which begs the question whether there was any political considerations in respect to the selection of the ranks.

From his language, Mr. Ramjattan makes it clear for all to conclude that in this ‘regionalisation of the GPF’ there is more in the mortar than on the pestle.

The outgoing Minister leaves no doubt in any one’s mind that the deployment

exercise is being rolled out to heighten the local security arrangements for the caretaker president during the elections season.

In this regard, personal security for the caretaker president has been elevated to one of national security.

And to make this implementable, a dedicated commander is being placed in each region to ensure the command and span of control of the security apparatus in each region is at the disposal of the president and in preparations for “any trouble” the Opposition might be contemplating before and after March 2, 2020.

Operation ‘Containment’ seems to be the appropriate title for the regime’s considered response to deal with any “civil strife” in the regions knowing according to Mr. Ramjattan that they (APNU+AFC), “Have what it takes to ensure that we have stability and security in the country,” because of the declared policy of the PPP/C to organise protests wherever (Continued on page 6)

PAGE 6

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

The Master Strategist DEAR EDITOR, The Master Strategist, Statesman par excellence and a matchless leader of the Guyanese people are just some of the many complimentary remarks made by both the local and the international communities and people of all races even those who are his political opponents. Recently, on social media a strong supporter of the Coalition referred to him as a true leader.

By now you know whom I am referring to – Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo!

Since he took up the mantle of the Leader of the Opposition, he has relentlessly exposed the massive corruption and gross ineptitude of the Coalition. He has been persistent in his pursuit and never has this country seen a more effective

leader than this man. He has singlehandedly pronounce on each of the failed economic policies of the Coalition and they have never been able to counterattack or rebut his incisive arguments. He has expertly unmasked each and every act of corruption by providing detailed facts and figures which the Coalition cannot dispute. For the first time, Guyanese have an opportunity to sift through tangible evidences of corruption quite unlike what the Coalition failed to do. The Guyanese populace was appalled by the enormous level of corruption by the Coalition.

I could recall that when the Coalition was the Opposition they uttered endless streams of rhetoric about massive corruption of the PPP/C Government but

until now and after spending $133 million on about 45 forensic audits they cannot successfully prosecute even one such instance of corruption.

Yet they regurgitated the corruption platform ad nauseam and it was used also ceaselessly during the 2011 Elections which more pronounced during the 2015 Elections campaign when it was actually used to camouflage their fictitious manifesto. But the people would have known that something was amiss when the PNC failed to take part in the NCN’s Corruption Debate in 2012. The PNC knew that they were just playing mind games with the Guyanese public and all they were interested in was to enrich themselves, cronies and families though corrupt practices.

What can we expect from Granger in the 2019/20...

From page 4 Parliamentary democracy.

Guyanese are less safe than we have ever been, crime ranging from petty theft to murder have proliferated since 2015. Nowhere is safe, school children are held up at gunpoint; home invasions and murder are commonplace and store owners live in fear of ‘customers’.

The establishment of a Venezuelan homestead on Guyanese soil is an error that may yet blow up in our faces literally. We can do without Granger’s security ‘expertise’, the plethora of attendance and completion certificates non-withstanding.

The Auditor General’s reports delivered to parliament on the 30th September, 2019 are of great interest to the people of the nation; if/when Parliament comes out of recess, these reports will have to be laid and made public for examination by the people’s representatives. There have been no audited reports for NICIL or GUYSUCO since 2015. The $30 Billion GUYSUCO bond is being frittered away without any of the capitalizations of projects being undertaken; no routine expenses are being paid from

the bond, the location and allocation of bond funds remain mysteries that the AG’s reports may shed light upon.

Granger ‘the transparency advocate’ will not fly.

David Granger visited the Amerindian village of Pakuri, or as he insensitively referred to it “St. Cuthbert’s Mission”; he was accompanied by a large contingent of heavily armed policemen in addition to his praetorian guard.

Granger the ‘Man of the People’ will not fly.

The arrest of social media guru Alston Stewart on his way to Guyana is a blow to the Mark Kirton team working out of the Bertram Collins campus.

This team is currently bombarding the populace with ads containing glorious tales of the Brigadier and Mrs. Granger as they save the world for snails and whales; with ads of roads yet to be built as a ‘promise kept’; the harsh economic reality precludes belief in such delusions; no amount of sponsored ads will fool Guyanese into voting for the incompetent incumbent.

Editor, the tale of the Granger administration is one of lavish lifestyles; jet setting’

high salaries; plenty perks; abuse of power; little work and corruption with impunity; corruption on a super large scale that defies belief. Mr. Granger has a credibility problem that cannot be solved with slogans and jingles; Granger’s lack of ability to govern effectively has been thoroughly exposed and he has no leg left upon which to stand before the populace and proclaim his worthiness to be President of the Republic ever again.

The PPP is carefully rolling out its manifesto which contains the plans behind the promises, for should they let it out carelessly, it will be grabbed by Granger’s APNU/ AFC and touted as their own, after all the CJIA as an International hub; Guyana as an Oil producing country; the Marriott as a centre for commercial tourism and conferences; a bridge over the Berbice River; a paved road from Georgetown to Lethem, those were all whose ideas and projects again? I cannot wait to see how Granger manifests himself for the 2020 Presidential run and what false promises accompany him.

Respectfully Robin Singh

However, Dr. Jagdeo did not stop at exposing the corruption and incompetency of the Coalition tricksters and fraudsters with his trade mark weekly press conferences but he skillfully maneuvered his party to a massive win in the 2018 Local Government which became the catalyst for the now famous No Confidence which successfully toppled the Coalition government on 21st December, 2018. The Coalition thought he was biting more than he can chew when they mockingly sang in chorus, ‘Bring it on’! I guess they will never sing that refrain again! They then recanted their acceptance of defeat and embarked on an ignominious journey which would expose the true nature of the Coalition-the old PNC has returned with a vengeance and this time with some AFC converts! The PNC thought that they were buying time to rig the next Election but what they have done is irreparable damage to their image both locally and internationally to the extent that the USA, the UK, the EU, the Commonwealth and

many local organisations demanded that the Granger Administration respect the Guyana’s Constitution and call the Elections which is long overdue. The Coalition has now lost whatever shred of credibility they had. In the process of delaying the elections Jagdeo expertly decimated the Coalition resulting in many supporters of the Coalition crossing the floor. Jagdeo’s wisdom, perseverance and tenacity bore fruit!

Moreover, like a true leader of the Guyanese people he marshaled and deployed his forces on a daily basis to fight and counterattack each and every devious stratagem which the PNC attempted to foist on this nation to hoodwink and deceive them. Not only that but he restrained, guide and educate them on a peaceful course to fight against the ugly head of dictatorship which has once again threatened to engulf this nation. It was not an easy task. Some criticized his decision when it had appeared that he made a

wrong move in the selection of the GECOM’s Chairperson but Jagdeo maintained that he has full confidence in her and so be it. Once again he proved that he was absolutely right. The PNC could not have forced her to act illegally against the Court’s decision and for GECOM to embark on a new form of ‘verification’. In addition she has not only corrected the Claims and Objections period but has accepted technical assistance from the international community to avoid similar pitfalls.

Jagdeo’s foresight again pays off!

It had taken 28 year to get rid of the PNC dictatorship but this time the fall is swift and I am sure that in the final analysis the Master Strategist will be successful in bringing back his people once again on the road to prosperity, which the Coalition comprehensively destroyed in just 4 years. His support to the PPP/C’s Presidential candidate will ensure this.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Kudos to the Editor/Editorial Staff DEAR EDITOR, Please allow me this opportunity in extending a well deserved congratulation to you and your Editorial Staff. On so many occasions, too numerous to count I have read your most insightful, reasoned, balanced and thought provoking analysis of topics deserving of our consideration and attention.

Case in point, today’s Editorial “Leadership

Crises”.

My only push back to this analysis is your kindness in describing Trump and his Mini Mite in Britain. Bozo and his sidekick, two jokers belong in a circus. Back to my main point, I have often wondered about the author of these absolutely fantastic pieces of journalism, whether your work or a collaborative effort, I know you are responsible for the final product, which we are

privileged to absorb on a daily basis.

My congrats to you and your staff are in order. I have finally accomplished a much delayed assignment, extending my thank you to you and the staff of the Kaieteur News. You are a testimony of good ‘ole’ Guyanese Education. Pay attention Young Guyanese.

Respectfully, Claudeston G. Massiah Washington DC

Pure electoral gimmicky...

From page 5 the caretaker president might be and, primarily, because of the ‘Pegasus incident’ for which ‘’someone has to pay,’’ the caretaker administration has decided to ratchet up security arrangements at the Green House, the Ministry of the Presidency and at all locations and venues where the caretaker president is billed to make an appearance during his elections campaign.

No one should be fooled about the real intent behind the so-called ‘regionalisation of the GPF’ by having a Commander at each region.

It has nothing to do with bringing greater safety and security to the people in their respective regions rather, it is more to do with enhancing the personal security for the caretaker president in response to the PPP/C’s declared policy to organise

protests wherever and whenever the caretaker president wishes.

These three occurrences taken together, demonstrate in no uncertain terms, the continuing efforts of the outgoing caretaker administration to misuse the Guyana Police Force to deprive the Guyanese people of their civil and political rights.

Yours faithfully, Clement J. Rohee

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 7

Kaieteur News

Skeldon Heritage Resort successfully hosts Judiciary retreat The recently concluded three-day judiciary retreat held at the Skeldon Heritage Resort has been described as a success. This is according to NICIL’s Privatisation Specialist, Rachael Henry.

Henry said that the resort catered for some 70 members of the judiciary. She is very pleased that despite a few challenges, the response to the facilities and opportunities being offered at the resort are certainly of a high standard.

She said that from the resort’s end, the retreat was successful and they are confident that similar retreats by other organisations and institutions will be held at the resort.

“When we were approached to host this retreat, we recognised immediately that there were a number of repairs, renovations and additions that had to be done to get the resort ready for such a very important activity. I must confess however that while it took a few months to enhance and improve the fa-

cilities, we were able to successfully pull it off,” Henry stated.

“We spent millions to get this place ready and I am happy to say that we remain confident that in time the Skeldon Heritage Resort will reap the long-term benefits of the works done,” Henry noted.

She is confident that the refurbishment will further enhance the resort’s marketability.

Among works undertaken was making a number of the rooms self-contained with ACs and other amenities being added.

The idea is to make the facilities top class and one of the best in the country.

Persons attending the resort feel that it is an ideal environment as it affords them an opportunity to enjoy the country breeze and calm atmosphere.

Patrons staying at the resort also are able to partake in both indoor and outdoor games, while being able to be part of a tour of the former

sugar factory.

“Our efforts are geared towards further improving and increasing the standards so that persons whether lo-

cal or overseas can have an experience of what this heritage resort has to offer.”

Persons are being encouraged to visit the facility so as

to get a better understand of some of the excellent and appealing scenery that Guyana has to offer.

According to Ms. Henry,

a number of additional works are being planned for the resort which will further enhance its capacity and competitiveness.

World observes one year death anniversary of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

By Kareem Fahim ISTANBUL The memorial service for Jamal Khashoggi was held in the shadow of the Saudi Consulate on Wednesday, on the first anniversary of his death, at the minute he walked through the consulate door, the last time that anyone who cared about the journalist saw him alive.

A s p e a k e r, D a v i d Hearst, asked for silence to mark the occasion. Then participants began to shout: for justice, for remembrance, for this death to resonate, on behalf of others whose deaths, disappearances or imprisonments had passed without notice.

The service started with Khashoggis own words, in a video broadcast on a screen behind the stage, voicing demands that were both routine and impossible.

“I am 60 years old,” the Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributing columnist said in the recording.

“I want to enjoy life,

and I want to be free to speak for my country.”

T h e c o u n t r y, S a u d i Arabia, had no representatives on a dais that hosted a chorus of its critics.

It would have been strange had any been invited. Saudi government agents are accused of killing Khashoggi on that Tuesday last year, of dismembering his body, of concealing the location of his remains.

The agents were dispatched by top Saudi officials, convinced that Khashoggis words, written in columns for The Post, were a grave threat to the state.

The officials worked for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who almost certainly authori s e d t h e killing, according to the CIA and other intelligence agencies, but who has steadfastly denied it.

“Absolutely not,” was Mohammeds answer when asked recently whether he had ordered Khashoggis death.

None of Khashoggis Saudi relatives attended

Wednesday, either, including his children, but that, too, was expected.

Khashoggis killing aggravated arguments between Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and to travel to the Istanbul memorial was to take a side in that argument, something no Saudi citizen could afford to do.

A son, Salah Khashoggi, who lives in the kingdom, warned in a Twitter post Monday that Saudi Arabias “opponents and enemies” were exploit-

ing his fathers killing and added that he had “absolute confidence” in the kingdoms judiciary to prosecute the killers.

With his immediate family absent, Jamal Khashoggis life and legacy were celebrated Wednesday by friends, colleagues and supporters, including Arab political exiles, whose ranks he had reluctantly joined.

Among others in attendance were his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who had

paced outside the consulate, waiting fruitlessly for him to emerge; Jeff Bezos, the owner of The Post; Frederick J. Ry a n J r. , t h e p a p e r s publisher; and Agnès Callamard, a United Nations human rights investigator who wrote a report that provided the most thorough accounting to date of Khashoggis death.

Callamards has been an unexpectedly loud voice in the year after Khashoggis death. With incessant de-

mands for accountability, she has inserted herself into a conversation dominated by powerful governments, criticising all of them, including Saudi Arabia, the United States and Turkey, for their conduct.

“No one should get away with murder,” she said Wednesday, this time clearly focusing on the Saudi government and the crown prince, the kingdoms young (Continued on page 22)

PAGE 8

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

Barge owners to pay over $100M for damage to Harbour Bridge

The owners of the tug and barge that rammed into the Demerara Harbour Bridge last month will have to repay over $100M to Government for repairs to the damaged structure.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson told Kaieteur News yesterday that the bill has already been submitted to the owners of the vessels.

Patterson said that the Panama-registered barge remains impounded in Guyana.

“I also asked the Demerara Harbour Bridge lawyers to file civil suit against them. That will be added to the bridge cost,” Patterson said.

He had indicated that the owners would also be billed for revenue lost when the bridge was out of operation, and for damage to a woman’s car.

It was on Monday, September 2, that a tug, Marina Oceanic and a barge, manned by Cubans, and

registered in Panama, rammed into the Demerara Harbour Bridge, badly damaging the 40-year-old structure and leaving hundreds of commuters stranded for several hours.

The bridge remained inoperable for almost 36 hours.

Initial reports had suggested that the vessels had drifted and slammed into the bridge after the crew experienced mechanical problems while anchoring in the Grove/Diamond area of the river.

But sources close to the investigation said that it appeared that the individuals operating the tug had shut the engine off, and anchored the vessel “out of the anchorage point” (in an area where vessels are prohibited from anchoring) It is believed that the crew wanted to be among the first to pass when

the bridge was opened for vessels to traverse.

H o w e v e r, t h e y a p p a rently didnt reckon with the strong tides.

“They may have wanted to be first when the bridge opens, (but) the current and the force of the water pushed them into the bridge and they lost control of the tug,” a source had said.

The Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) has since recommended several stringent regulations for vessels traversing the nations rivers.

MARAD officials explained that there are already regulations in place, which require the captains of vessels to notify authorities 72 hours before they come into port. “ B u t n o w, t h e y w i l l have to also send information about the registration of the vessel, whether it is insured, whether the captain has

This section of the bridge had to be strapped with cables to keep it from separating. a certified Masters Licence; and whether the crew is also licensed.”

This also goes for vessels that are going beyond the Harbour Bridge.

MARAD is also seeking

to ensure that all barges are piloted by tugs that are adequate in size.

“Most barges cant be operated by themselves.

The size of the barge must correspond with the size of

the tug. Some also need two tugs. “ MARAD is proposing that the owners of vessels notify officials about the size of tugs, which they require to haul vessels.

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

Payment at the time of placement The Department of Public Information (DPI) has been unable to offer a plausible explanation as to why since June it did not restore the usual amount of advertisements to the Stabroek News. Instead, the DPI has shamelessly sought to shift the focus from its own terrible actions to the value of advertisements which the Stabroek News has received from the State.

This was unethical. The DPI is a client of Stabroek News. It is not supposed to make public the sums which it has paid to any media house. That is privileged information which ought to have been protected from knowledge by the newspaper’s competitors.

The information is now in the public domain. Everyone knows

the value of advertisements which media houses have been receiving over the past years.

DPI was more interested in making a point about Government’s generosity to the private media than about protecting privileged information.

The revelations have excited some so-called social media journalists. They are suggesting that they too should be entitled to advertisements. They have not said, however, what investments they have made to be considered bona fide publishers. Ads are placed with publishers, not editors or journalists.

The so-called social media journalists are operating on publicly available platforms such as Facebook. The government has

not reported if and how much it ever paid to social media journalists for advertisements. But it is believed that some of them would have received payments for carrying social media messages.

The DPI is not doing any media house a favour by its placement of Government ads.

The newspapers are providing a service. It is not a donation from the government. It costs money to publish a newspaper. It is not free. It costs a hell of a lot of money. Advertisements are not cash transfers or grants. So when the government says that it provides $X for ads to a particular newspaper, it should have also indicated that it got a service for that sum, a service which it

Dem boys seh ...

One telephone company getting goadie Soulja Bai is a genius when he want to shoot down one idea dat could cause confusion. He mek dem boys sit up and tek notice when he seh dat he rather teach people to fish than to give dem a fish.

Dat is de old saying dat seh when you give a man a fish; you feed him for day but when you teach him to fish you feed him for a lifetime. Soulja Bai decide dat to give every poor house US$5,000 a year, I like giving a man a fish. Is better he tek de money and teach dem a skill dat gon feed dem fuh life.

But some people don’t like dat especially when it promise to mek life better fuh people. One telephone company was giving Guyana hernia. People use to have to pay through dem nose fuh mek local and overseas phone calls.

When cellphone come in, dem use to fetch a price. Nuff people couldn’t buy food and cell phone at de same time. De only people who was happy was de telephone company.

Things change as soon as anodda telephone company come to Guyana. Right away cell phone price drop; de cost of phone calls drop and all of a sudden once you get a problem, de telephone company would respond

real quick.

Things get even better when anodda telephone company begin to offer internet. Right away people start to get a fast internet.

Dem boys nearly kill demself wid laugh. ENetworks giving de telephone company hernia. Old people always seh ‘Do fuh do, nah obeah’. Dem English people does seh ‘Do unto others et cetera’.

E-Networks bringing in some sub-sea cable. Dis cable can give internet, cable TV, cell calls and all kind a thing. Two weeks after de E-Networks announcement, one telephone company announcing how it providing a faster 4G. Dis telephone company didn’t even go nowhere because it couldn’t source de equipment so fast. But because of E-Networks, it suddenly know dat it can provide 4G. Dem boys seh man wid seed mustn’t laugh goadie man. But dem seh, dem gon laugh because when dem get, dem own people gon laugh. E-Networks giving a telephone company goadie just like wha de telephone company use to give Guyanese.

Talk half and enjoy de competition.

needed and which it paid for.

It takes money to run a newspaper. Debt and ‘receivables’add to the cash flow problems of publishers. This is why newspaper are concerned when their ‘receivables’ are high because it means that they will be short on cash. You cannot tell your staff that you will pay them until those who owe you decide to settle their indebtedness. Newspapers have a right to demand payment before any further advertisements are published. They are justified in being circumspect during period when elections may be held. There is no guarantee that if a government loses office that a new government will want to honour the debt obligations of the outgoing one.

Many media houses have been burnt by the failure of political parties to pay up their campaign debts. Newspapers therefore are in order to ask that be-

fore any further ads are carried that there be a reduction in the amount owed to them. In fact, they should insist on a policy of payment at the time of placement.

The advertisement controversy has exposed the risk, which media houses face when dealing with governments. It suggests strongly that there is a need for the placement of government advertisements to be liberalised.

The DPI should not be responsible for placing all government ads. Each Ministry or corporation or agency should place its own ads because each would be better placed to know what sort of audience they are seeking to reach and whether they are obtaining value for money.

The actions of the DPI suggest that it cannot be trusted any longer with a role in the placement of government ads. It has offered no credible explanation for the massive reduction in col-

umn inches of advertisements provided to Stabroek News as compared with that of Kaieteur News and the Guyana Chronicle.

A fair system of allocating Government ads needs to be developed, one that is not centrally controlled and which factors in circulation and reach.

The Guyana Times deserves more than the 10% of state advertisements that it receives. That newspaper is much fairer and more balanced than the Guyana Chronicle, and probably has a bigger circulation. Its share of the total value of government ads does suggest that it is being short-changed.

PAGE 10

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

In Guyana, there are inevitable signs of power decay It is not wise to apply scientific methodologies in the study of humans. They say the future will be ruled by artificial intelligence (AI) but the ubiquity of AI will never replace the mystery and inexplicability of the human mind.

At the end of the day, it is irreplaceable and will continue to determine the shape of life.

Against this theoretical background, one should be careful in applying scientific concepts to understand human behaviour.

Any philosophy textbook will instruct you on that.

But some forms of societal occurrences make you think that humans are governed by science.

In politics everywhere in the modern world, there seems to be an esoteric scientific law about power decay. It situates itself in rulers and you want to think that science can be applied to understanding the mind.

Take Trump. From the time the inquiry of Russian inter-

ference started, psychological degeneration began.

Since then, Trump has not done one thing that endears people to him.

As soon as Boris Johnson became Prime Minister, political craziness overtook him.

Johnson keeps stumbling from one mad act to the other.

Sensing he was losing grip on power, Salvini in Italy kept doing and saying the most unpalatable things that eventually led to two sworn enemies putting aside their perennial animosities to oust Salvini.

It was the same in Guyana with Burnham. As Rodney’s challenge grew stronger, as his support grew deeper, Burnham failed to counter Rodney. On the contrary, Burnham lost it and went into directions like compulsory national service, banning popular foods, etc.

Contrary to what Indian haters of Burnham have said about the flour ban, it hit African Guyanese just as hard

as it did Indians.

Hoyte, Jagdeo and Ramotar followed the same pattern. In fact, Jagdeo lost touch with reality and when he did come back to earth, he had lost power. He will never be president again and even if Irfaan Ali wins, he will not fear a return of Jagdeo so he will eventually become his own man.

Since the no-confidence vote (NCV) in December 2018, political rut has seeped into the deportment, policies and semantics of both the leadership of the PNC and AFC. The manifestations are disturbing but sad. Mr. Granger met the diplomatic community at State House and did the unthinkable.

Why? Decay had already started. Granger told the nation and the diplomats that based on what the chairman of the CCJ had said, he, Granger can submit six names to the Opposition Leader for GECOM chairman. In other words, Granger told the na-

tion, the CCJ rewrote the Guyana constitution.

Granger slips from one repugnant indiscretion to another in quick time. Talking to reporters after the presentation of the credentials of the ambassador of Lesotho, he said that it is his duty to make sure that GECOM is ready and that its decisions are in sync with the laws of the country.

Granger has lifted himself above GECOM and arrogated to himself constitutional authority he does not have. Election has been called and we will never know if he did confront GECOM and GECOM bowed to his questions but if GECOM did, it should not have done so.

Moses Nagamootoo went into self-destructive overdrive since the NCV. Political degeneracy has virtually canopied Nagamootoo in 2019. He arrogated to himself the privilege of reinstating an unpopular General Manager

of the Chronicle in the process calling into question the integrity and mental stability of the Chairman of the Board.

Nagamootoo has finally vanished from history with the Stabroek News imbroglio.

It is unthinkable to every human on Planet Earth that after the PPP fell that the new government can reduce its advertisements to the private media. Against the background of the Stabroek News contretemps, one can pronounce on the death of Nagamootoo’s legacy. Prior to 2015, he had one, it is gone now.

At the junction of Brickdam and Vlissengen Road, where the Ministry of Health is, there is a huge billboard with the visage of the ministers and 25 other staff members. Never before has one seen this kind of thing from a government in Guyana. It is a waste of taxpayers’ money. But the rut explains it all.

Finally, there is Khemraj

Frederick Kissoon Ramjattan. A million experts steeped in Freudian philosophy will not be able to fathom the mind of this politician. He joyfully endorsed the wrong edict from GECOM that all citizens over 18 must go to GECOM and present identification to confirm their registration.

Never in Guyana’s history has such a thing was ever contemplated by election officials. It was an abominable mistake that GECOM quickly repudiated. Manifestation of the decay is ubiquitous.

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 03, 2019

With new regulations…

Crackdown begins on sub-standard electrical products after February The Government Electrical Inspectorate arm of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure yesterday launched an awareness campaign, with electricians and importers of electrical products, in collaboration with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) and the Guyana Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) along with other key stakeholders.

During the launch at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown, the participants were told that the new standards will be used as a threshold to commence monitoring of the importation of electrical equipment.

The equipment which will now be monitored by the GNBS, is in addition to the 15 other types of products currently being monitored.

The products include seasonal and holiday decorative products; lamp holders; armoured cables; panel boards; surge protective

devices; cords sets and power-supply cords and thermoplastic-insulated wires and cables, among several others.

The standards can be accessed on the GNBS website and the MoPI website.

“Importers of the products listed above must register with the Bureau of Standards. Furthermore, these items will be flagged at importers bonds and even sale outlets for inspection,” the Ministry disclosed.

Head of the Product Compliance Department at GNBS, Shailendra Rai, pointed out during his presentation that substandard electrical products, after February 2020, will not be allowed to enter the jurisdiction.

However, it was noted, that inspections will be conducted at electrical stores before and after the implementation of the standards to ensure compli-

(From left) Chief Electrical Inspector, Government Electrical Inspectorate, Mr. Roland Barclay, Executive Director, CCAC, Ms. Dawn Cush, Head of Product Compliance Department, GNBS, Mr. Shailendra Rai, Minister of Business, Hon. Haimraj Rajkumar, Councillor at GCCI, Mr. Keon Howard and Chairperson of the National Electro Technical Committee, GNBS, Mr. Rowen Willabus ance.

“Substandard products will not be seized after the timeline would have elapsed if inspectors observe

that stocks were reduced and not restocked.”

Minister of Business, Hemraj Rajkumar, said, “I really believe that the Guyanese public, the Guyanese consumers must be given an opportunity to access products of the highest quality and hence, the urgency of me having these standards passing through cabinet and being approved.”

He said that he “has taken note of the several fires in Guyana which were caused by faulty electrical appliances and products, which will now hopefully be reduced with the implementation of the new standards.”

Executive Director at

CCAC, Dawn Cush, during her brief remarks assured the stakeholders: “We w o r k along with the other agencies to ensure we lend them the knowledge of the legislation to ensure that the development of these standards are in compliance with the law.”

She added that the Commission is presently not in receipt of “an alarming number of complaints” as compared with the other agencies, as she noted that the body believes in taking a proactive approach rather than a reactive one.

Meanwhile, Councilor at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Ind u s t r y, K e o n H o w a r d

pointed out the importance of having electrical standards.

According to him: “When buying materials, you need to be careful…when you are buying electrical devices its important to be aware of the overall voltage rating of equipment as well as the power source you are using.”

The new standards, will seek to improve the products being sold to customers, and were developed in just over a year by Chairperson of the National Electro Technical Committee at GNBS, Rowen Willabus.

He foresees the standards to be “very beneficial.”

US Ambassador visits Namilco The United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, took the opportunity to join the Captain and Crew onboard the MV African Jacaranda on September 30, 2019 to observe the discharging process. The statement had said that this occurred while she was on a tour of the flour milling operations of the National Milling Company (Namilco) of Guyana.

It was her first experience of a vessel discharging wheat and she was impressed with the operations, the statement claimed.

Bert Sukhai, Managing

Director of Namilco; Ralf Hemsing, Operations Manager; and Fitzroy McLeod, Financial Controller, accompanied Lynch on the tour, the statement added.

Ernesto Aguila, captain of the vessel, led a guided tour from the engine room located below to the control bridge at the top.

At the time of the Ambassadors visit, the impressive 20,000 dwt, 140-meter vessel was in the process of discharging 9,062 metric tons of wheat at Namilcos wharf.

According to the statement, the facility can dis-

charge in excess of 2,000 metric tons of wheat per day using grabs. Namilco imports three types of wheat which are blended to the specifications of consumers.

In May, the National Milling Company (Namilco) celebrated 50 years of operations.

During this time, it has produced and sold some of the finest flours including Thunderbolt and Maid Marian in the Caribbean.

Namilco is owned and operated by US-based parent company, Seaboard Corporation.

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

GTT unveils “fastest” mobile internet T

he promise of competition in the telecoms business has in recent years sparked the big player, Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT), to announce a number of new services.

They would have included its “4G” network for mobiles and Blaze, its fibre optic cable services for homes and offices.

Now, GTT has announced that it has another service for mobile phone when it comes to internet…and it is fastest yet.

The development comes as the Government of Guyana continues to negotiate with the US company to end its monopoly on the telecoms market.

GTT's stranglehold remains on it being the only telephone company to sell data from its three subsea cables that it has bringing data to Guyana.

The company also has the monopoly on

international calls and landlines.

However, free calls on Whatsapp and Facebook Messengers have seriously eroded the income from international calls.

Government wants new players to enter the market to end complaints of delays in new services and faster internet for a country that has been hungry for it.

The use of smart phones as the main internet source has been feeding the hunger.

Yesterday, GTT gave more details on its 4G/LTE (Long Term Evolution).

GTT said its subscribers can now enjoy faster browsing, high definition with online gaming, improved app performances and much more.

The 4G/LTE service was launched on September 22.

“The network, said to be the fastest data network in Guyana, extends from Georgetown to Diamond on the East Bank of Demerara and to Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara. In

Berbice, the network extends from Rosignal to Blairmont and also covers the New Amsterdam area,” GTT said.

The unveiling of the new service comes as news that E-Networks Inc. is moving to bring its own subsea fibre cable to enhance its television services.

GTT had expressed concerns about the landing of the cable but E-Network has assured it is for Cable TV users. With regards to the 4G/LTE launch, Jamal D elp h , P r o d u ct Development Executive at GTT, said that the company is proud to launch its new network at a time when innovation through technological advancement is the company's primary focus.

“We have already started upgrading SIM cards for customers. The SIM swap is absolutely free; customers just need to walk with the necessary documents to prove ownership and get the new SIM,” Delph said. He

GTT has announced that it has launched 4G/LTE, its fastest internet for mobile phones. also indicated that the response from customers has been overwhelming. “This is the fastest data network in Guyana. Persons have been waiting to experience the 4G moment and that moment is here. We want to encourage all our customers to upgrade their SIM and benefit from the enhanced data speed.

“Even if you do not live in Georgetown or Berbice, you can still upgrade your SIM to take advantage of the enhanced data service when

you are in an LTE coverage area.”

Additionally, Delph clarified that the customer's mobile number will remain the same and they will not lose any information stored on their phone when the SIM is upgraded. However, he stated that in order for the service to be effective, customers must have a mobile device that is compatible with the 4GLTE network. “ O u r s e r v i c e

representatives in the stores will help you to determine if your handset is compatible.

Remember, technology is constantly evolving, and we should be all equipped with the right technology that's ready for the future,” Delph encouraged.

Customers can upgrade their SIM cards at the retail store locations, including GTT Giftland Mall, 55 Brickdam, GTT Camp and Robb, Fogarty's Store and New Amsterdam.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Former QC students come to rescue drug-addicted colleague

I

n commemorating their 175th Anniversary, the members of the QC Guyana 175th Group joined hands to help a former student, Ryan Hing, in rehab.

The 38 year old who was allegedly charged for simple larceny on August 26, 2019 was admitted to the Salvation Army Rehabilitation Centre on October 1 to commence his treatment.

In a Facebook post, Hing said he was grateful for the opportunity and expressed his gratitude to those who supported him in one way or another.

A member of the group, Martina McDonald-Johnson, called for more assistance: “This is just the beginning. The need still exists for donations to cover future fees and ration. By the end of the week I should have more information on how folks

can donate locally and from abroad.”

She also thanked the “QC family” for looking out for their “brother”.

Ryan Hing pleaded guilty to the charge which alleged that on August 24, 2019 at Regent Street, Bourda, he stole two deodorants valued at $1,990 which were items of the Bounty Supermarket.

In court, the Prosecutor, Gordon Mansfield, disclosed that on the day in question, Hing went to the Bounty Supermarket and was seen acting in a suspicious manner by the security guard.

He was approached and searched, and in his bag the stolen items were found.

The police were summoned and Hing was arrested. The items were given back to the supermarket. He was not represented at the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts by an

NPTAB responds to Kaieteur News

F

ollowing an article published in Wednesday's Edition of the Kaieteur News the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) says that the “Staff members of the NPTA record the minutes of the tender opening process as part of their mandate for use by the NPTA. Members of the media attending tender openings are

expected to take their own notes .” In a releas ed statement NPTAB added, “On occasions when members of the media are late to tender openings, NPTA will share its notes by way of a photograph at their request.

We will continue to facilitate same when called upon.”

NPTAB claims to have followed “established standard procedures for the opening of tenders.”

“It is advisable that the media familiarises itself as far as possible with these procedures,” and they are welcoming discussions with members of the media to “clarify any misunderstanding of the process that he or she may have.”

The statement was sent out by the Deputy Chairman, National Procurement and Te n d e r A d m inistration Board, Mr. Mark Bender.

attorney.

However, he had said: “I am asking the court to be lenient with me because it is hard to get a police clearance so that I can get a job. I have been doing all kind of jobs but it's just one thing to the next and I can't get money.”

The defendant told the court that he is a graduate from Queen's College, and completed the Caribbean Secondary Education Council (CSEC) exams where he acquired a pass in the French language.

Magistrate McLennan sentenced the defendant to 80 hours of community service or in default, to spend two weeks in prison.

She also gave him a stern warning noting that despite of his financial state he knows what is right from wrong and he should act accordingly. During that appearance in court, Hing had a chance to redeem himself after the need arose for an interpreter.

He was deemed competent and was sworn after the police encountered difficulties to find

Thursday October 03, 2019 Another chance to turn his life around: Ryan Hing

a French interpreter regarding a matter in which a Haitian national was charged.

Hing had said: “Your worship, I see that you guys are struggling and you want to move on with your matters. Given that you have been so lenient with me, I would like to be of service to my country and I can do the interpretation for the matter.”

Guyana to pay almost $3B for...

From page 2 and installation work regarding potential future contracts relating to leased FPSOs, which includes Build-Operate-Transfer projects that generally cover a short lease term.

The company noted that the relationship between SBM Offshore and ExxonMobil is well-established and goes back over four decades, starting in the 1970s. During this period, SBM Offshore said it has supplied more than 10 floating systems to

ExxonMobil in five countries, including five FPSOs, deep water offloading systems and an FSO. Additionally, multiple major projects are currently in various stages of progress.

Currently, ExxonMobil is ramping up efforts to secure an environmental permit for its third field development project in the Stabroek Block called Payara.

It recently noted that the FPSO for this field will be bigger than the Liza Destiny and will be called “Prosperity.”

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 15

Chris Gayle donates cash for School-age Guyanese Ipads at special needs school stage climate protest

A

n over-flowing c r o w d o f overwhelmingly school-age young Guyanese staged a well-attended 'Guardians of the Earth' Rally last Sunday. The activity coincided with the closing of the week-long 'Climate Strike' activities by students around the world.

Sponsored by Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) and two University of Guyana student organisations – the UG Geography Society (UGGS) and the UG Female Empowerment Movement (UGFEM)-- the rally commenced from the National Library and found its way to the Sea-wall Bandstand via Camp Street.

W

est Indian legend, cricketer Chris Gayle, yesterday made a special visit to the students of Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre for his 40th birthday which was celebrated on October 1, 2019.

During his visit, Gayle made a donation towards the purchase of iPads for the students, and also toured the complex, learning about services and interacting with staff and students. (Guyana Live photos)

The event attracted ten educational institutions, which brought their banners,

messages, costumes and enthusiasm. They focused (continued on page 18)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 16

Thursday October 03, 2019

Dignitaries join India's High Commission of India th for 150 Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

T

he High Commission of India celebrated the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and also commemorated International Day of Non-Violence yesterday at Promenade Gardens, Georgetown.

Members of the cabinet were present, including Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo; Minister of Public of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan; Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Sydney Allicock; Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan; and Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes.

Other dignitaries were former President, Donald Ramotar; former First Lady, Deolatchmee Ramotar, former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; High Commissioner of Guyana to India, Dr. David Pollard; High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. K. J Srinivasa; and Ashwini Srinivasa; Member of Parliament and Representative of the Leader of the Opposition, Vickram Bharrat; Mayor of the City

The Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, Chairman of the Indian Commemoration Trust and Demerara Bank, Dr. Yesu Persaud, High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. K. J. Srinivasa and his wife among other members of the High Commission of India. of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine; Chairman of the Indian

C o m m e m o r a t i o n Tr u s t a n d Demerara Bank, Dr. Yesu Persaud,

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of Public Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes unveiled the postage stamp commemorating Mahatma Gandhi

and other Members of Parliament.

P r i m e M i n i s t e r, M o s e s Nagamootoo, highlighted the extraordinary work and principles of Mahatma Gandhi. He explained some of the historical experiences Gandhi encountered as an individual and activist.

This included the suppressions Gandhi faced in both India and Africa due to colonialism by the British. He even explained that Gandhi led the poor people from exploitation by the British in the cotton industry.

Nagamootoo said, “We must not separate anytime the Great Mahatma from politics and from ideologies and philosophies.”

He highlighted that one of Gandhi's ideologies brought forth philanthropies.

“Gandhi was unique in trying to blend economics with ethics. He tried to demonstrate the rich were holding the wealth of the world for the poor,” Nagamootoo stated.

He elaborated that there had been since then, philanthropists people who share their wealth with the less fortunate. The Prime Minister mentioned Bill Gates in efforts to convey his statement effectively. He noted that Dr. Yesu Persaud is one such person who uses his own funds towards creating learning centres.

He added that, “We have learnt in the years of Gandhi Ji's life and teaching, tremendous lessons that have guide us, those of us particularly in Government.”

The Prime Minister reflected on Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence and stated how pleased he was to pay his respect and tributes to Gandhi on this occasion.

High Commissioner, Dr. K. J Srinivasa also addressed the gathering where he majorly talked about the moralities and wisdom of Gandhi.

He further added, “Today, the definition of democracy has limited

meaning. Back then, Mahatma Gandhi had emphasized the real power of democracy.”

Dr. K. J Srinivasa explained the greatness of Gandhi was that he put a sense of confidence in the common man to fight against any wrong with just three weapons; truth, non-violence and the policy of passive political resistance.

He added that Gandhi was one of the first environmentalists of the world and this aided the direction of youths being capable of assembling sturdy solar panels.

Dr. Yesu Persaud, Chairman of the Indian Commemoration Trust and Demerara Bank, also made a presentation.

He shared his love for Gandhi's work regarding non-violence and especially his role as an environmentalist. He noted that with Gandhi's principles, the conflicts of today can be resolved and the future generations will prevail.

Pandit Ubraj Narine, Mayor of the City of Georgetown highlighted that the United Nations declared October 2, Gandhi's birth anniversary, as the International Day of Non-violence. As such, it will be observed globally.

The Mahatma Gandhi commemorative postage stamp was unveiled during the programme by the Prime Minister alongside Minister of Public Telecommunications.

Each dignitary paid floral tributes to the Statue of Mahatma Gandhi which is a monumental structure erected at the Promenade Gardens in honour of Mahatma Gandhi.

In commemorating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the High Commission of India hosted an essay competition based on the biography of Gandhi.

During the programme, they presented prizes to winners who participated from several schools.

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 17

11 murder accused requesting early trials - DPP

MURDER ACCUSED: Lennox Wayne called 'Two Colours'

T

he jail delivery f o r t h e Georgetown Prison assizes shows that 261 male prisoners are awaiting trial as at October.

Eleven murder accused are requesting an early trial, according to information released by the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The October session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes opened on Tuesday. A total of 322 cases are listed to be heard by three judges.

Of the 11 prisoners, 22year-old Sherwin Nero is the youngest. While records show that Nero was found not guilty of the August 30, 2007 murder of businessman Kumar Singh, called 'Mango Man', it is unclear what other murder charge he is yet to be indicted for.

Nero was committed to stand trial for the murder

MURDER ACCUSED: Regan Rodrigues called 'Grey Boy'

MURDER ACCUSED: Sherwin Nero

MURDER ACCUSED: Colin Bailey

MURDER ACCUSED: Melroy Doris

MURDER ACCUSED: Colin Grant

charge since April 28, 2010.

Deonauth Ketwaru, 27, Toney Thomas, also 27, and Michael Lewis, 37, are also requesting an early trial. They were committed to stand trial on May 22, 2015. It is alleged that between April 5, 2014 and April 9, 2014 they murdered businessman Rajendra Singh. They have been jointly charged with another man, Adony James.

According to reports, Singh, a spare parts auto dealer was kidnapped by two gunmen on April 5, 2014 at his Foulis, East Coast Demerara business place. His kidnappers had demanded a ransom of $50M from his family, but they later reduced that amount by half. The ransom was never paid.

Subsequently, Singh's car was found abandoned in Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara by his wife. Still hopeful that her husband

might return home, the wife got news of her husband's lifeless body being found in an isolated part of Le Repentir Cemetery. Singh was discovered with his mouth and nose tied with a jersey. His hands were bound with what appeared to be a belt. He was stuffed in an alcove created by some fallen trees.

Also on the list requesting an early trial are Lennox Wayne, called 'Two Colours' and Melroy Doris, who are accused of the July 10, 2014 murder of Lusignan, East Bank Demerara cosmetologist, Ashmini Harriram.

Both murder accused have been listed for a retrial since their initial trial ended in a hung jury. Based on reports, Harriram was shot once to the neck moments after she disembarked a minibus along the Lusignan

Railway, Embankment, East Coast Demerara.

On the day of the incident, the shooter reportedly exited a burgundy-coloured motorcar, whipped out a gun, shot the teen, then took away her cell phone and fled.

Wayne and Doris, a taxi driver, were subsequently arrested and charged with the capital offence. Doris was committed to stand trial for the woman's murder in 2015, while Wayne was committed the following year.

Regan Rodrigues, 39, also known as 'Grey Boy' who is accused of the March 10, 2015 murder of political activist, Courtney CrumEwing, is also seeking an early trial. According to reports, the bullet-riddled body of Crum-Ewing was found at Third Avenue, Diamond, East Bank Demerara on March 10,

2015. The 40-year-old was shot twice to the temple, once to the back of the head and twice to the stomach.

The police, in a statement, had said that the political activist was accosted by four men in a car.

One of them discharged several rounds, hitting him about the body. It was reported that the killer(s) used a .32 pistol to execute Crum-Ewing. The political activist was well known for his one-man protest outside the office of former Attorney General Anil Nandlall.

Minutes before he was gunned down, he was reportedly heard via bullhorn urging residents of the neighbourhood to vote against then ruling PPP/C. Former police sergeant Colin Bailey, 52, along with his co-accused Colin Grant, 32, are requesting to be tried early for the murder of Bailey's reputed wife, Sirmattie Ramnaress. It is alleged that between August 30 and August 31, 2013 at Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, Bailey and Grant murdered

Ramnaress.

According to reports, the body of 36-year-old Ramnaress was found lying face down in the garage of her home on August 31, 2013.

It was a blaze coming from the woman's home that led firefighters to a bond, when they stumbled upon her body.

Her body reportedly bore two stab wounds- one to the neck and another to the hip.

The police, in a statement had said that Ramnaress's house was ransacked and drenched with a flammable liquid, and a storage bond at the rear of the building was destroyed by fire.

A post mortem examination performed on her remains revealed that she died as a result of a ruptured spleen and brain haemorrhaging.

Police charged Grant, who was Ramnaress's neighbour in 2015. Bailey was charged the following year. Of these 11 inmates, only Rodrigues and Nero have received their depositions, a statement by the DPP chambers said.

Student arrested for stabbing classmate at the Technical Institute

A

n 18-year-old first-year student from the New Amsterdam Technical Institute is currently in police custody after he reportedly stabbed his classmate near his heart in the compound of the institution on Monday.

The incident reportedly took place in the presence of a lecturer and other students.

In police custody is Gregory Hector, of Cumberland Village, East Canje, Berbice and listed as stable at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital is Nikeem Noble, 17.

Reports are that there was an argument between the two when Hector allegedly whipped out a sharp object and stabbed Noble near his heart.

Father of the injured teen, Neville Noble, told Kaieteur News that his son and the suspect are in the same class and are first-year students pursuing plumbing.

On Monday, senior Noble said that he was told that his son was standing not too far from the accused and some other students but noticed that the wheels of his bicycle were punctured so he approached Hector to inquire if he knew what happened to his bicycle. An argument ensued between the two.

Hospitalised: Nikeem Noble The argument led to a scuffle and the lecturer who was standing nearby intervened and stopped the fight but shortly after the accused reportedly lunged towards his son and whipped out a "shiny, sharp object" and dealt a stab under his son's left arm, close to the region of his heart and ran away.

Noble was rushed to the New

Amsterdam Public Hospital and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He underwent surgery and is currently stable, his father said.

The father of the injured student believes that the incident could have been avoided because "the measures that they probably have in place are not adequate to avoid these incidents."

He referenced an incident that took place a few months ago at the said institution where three students were assaulted by another student. Noble suggested having a vetting process carried out before students are enrolled in the institution.

"I attended that institution on many occasions and pursued programmes and came out successful but as a parent, it leaves much to be desired about what is happening there.

As a parent, I share the concerns of any other parent like myself because it gives me much to think about as it relates to the type of persons they are enrolling there", Noble said.

He stated that he will be pursuing the matter until his son is given justice.

He also confirmed that no one from the Ministry of Education has contacted him in relation to the incident. The police are investigating.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Thursday October 03, 2019

Wakenaam residents grapple with spring tide aftermath

H

undreds of residents living on the island of Wakenaam, Essequibo River, are still dealing with the aftermath of last Sunday's spring tide.

Some time around 16:00 hrs last Sunday afternoon, water from the Essequibo River flowed over the island's sea defence, affecting multiple communities. This publication also understands that residents living in the Good Success community were mostly affected by water as deep as five feet in places.

Residents, yesterday, said that the community seawall is outdated, and is incapable of putting up any proper defence against the river.

Residents also pointed out that about a week prior to the spring tides, works were done on the wall; it was raised by an additional two feet.

“The engineer did come and they put up an extra piece on the wall after we get warning about the spring tide. Plus they put up sand bags. But Sunday afternoon, the work look thin when the water just rush over.

Within just thirty minutes, water just ride over the wall and flood the whole neighbourhood like if it didn't even had a wall,” said one resident.

Information reaching Kaieteur News also suggests that persons suffered tremendous losses since the bottom flats to most homes were

flooded knee-deep water. A 55year-old woman living in one household said that she almost suffered a heart attack when she saw the water rushing over the river defence.

“I been living here for 35 years; I'm 55 years old and this is the first time I experience something like this. When I see the water coming in, I rush to go try move the fridge. I rush come back, I just panic and freeze.”

Reflecting on her losses she said, “So far, we got four amplifiers damaged, the entire downstairs was under water so the small appliances and utensils in the cupboard damage. The car was downstairs and the water raise and reach inside the car.”

The small island of Wakenaam has a population of some 3,000 residents, and is heavily dependent on agriculture. Residents believe that the Government needs to execute an emergency plan and have a number of key river defences around the island upgraded ahead of the next spring tide, which they fear may be even more severe.

The NDC Chairman said that most of the island's sea defence was constructed during the Dutch administration.

The Chairman also pointed out that the San Souci area was not affected by spring tides, since works on the seawall were recently completed by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.

One of the seawalls that the tide rode over A resident pressure washing the bottom flat of her home

A resident pointing out the depth at which the water rose The seawall that was constructed a week prior to the high tides

School-age Guyanese stage climate protest From page 15 on demanding greater urgency around the climate crisis.

Primary, secondary and tertiary students joined hinterland participants, along with UG students, nursing and technical institutions in a wake-up call to the adult world.

The students were joined by nine non-governmental organisations, including faith-based and disabilities organisations along with private sector participants and individuals.

Popular themes on placards and speeches focused on the need for young people to assume the burden of creating a response to the climate crisis. Following an enthusiastic competition for 'best chant' -- won by The Bishops High, - prizes were distributed for 'best banner', 'best placard' and 'largest contingent'.

Winners in the respective category were Georgetown Technical Institute, Marian Academy and Lusignan Good Hope Learning Center and LBI Primary.

Guyana's newest PhD Michelle Kalamadeen, a specialist in remote sensing of de-forestation, warned “Climate change is here whether we like it or not. This isn't about saving the planet for our children or grandchildren anymore.

“The future has come to meet us. We're not waiting for it or for someone to rescue us, we're not trying to fend it off – we're living in it. It is NOW and it is US!” Key messages of the rally announced throughout the programme reflected sentiments expressed in a letter delivered by the sponsoring organisations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week, prior to her departure for the UN Climate Summit.

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 19

Murder, sexual offences dominate last session of Demerara Criminal Assizes

A

total of 30 of 301 cases were completed at the June session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes, says the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The DPP stated that 24 of them were presented at the Demerara High Court, while the remaining six were not prosecuted by the State. Of the 24 cases presented, 11 were for murder and 13 for sexual offences.

There were 12 guilty pleas, two formal verdicts of not guilty, six convictions, two acquittals, and one aborted trial. One matter still remains in progress. State Counsel Tuanna Hardy, Sarah Martin, Abigail Gibbs a n d Ter i q M o h a mme d

completed eight cases for the offence of murder before Justice Navindra Singh.

In four of the murder cases, nine accused persons pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter. In one of the cases, two accused were indicted together and were each sentenced to eight years' imprisonment.

In another one, there were five accused indicted together, three of them pleaded guilty; one was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, while the other two were each sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment. The other two accused pleaded not guilty and will go to trial. In the other two matters, one accused was sentence to 20

years' imprisonment and, in the other, the judge made a sentence of the time the accused spent on remand.

In another two separate murder trials, the accused were both found guilty by jury verdicts; one was sentenced to 25 years' imprisonment and the other was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve 50 years before becoming eligible for parole.

In the other two cases, there were two accused indicted together.

In one case, the trial judge directed the jury to return formal verdicts of not guilty for both accused. In the other case, the trial judge upheld a no case submission for the number one accused

Family of 4 reportedly poisoned, 5-year-old hospitalized

A

five-year-old from Number 64 Village, Upper Corentyne, Berbice has been hospitalised since Thursday after consuming water that contained a poisonous substance.

The child's mother, Nikita Moniz, and her father Trevor Moniz and her one-year-old brother, Matthias Moniz, also consumed the water reportedly contaminated with the poisonous substance.

According to Trevor Moniz, 28, a mason, he left his home on Thursday at just around 17:00 hrs and returned home about an hour later.

Moniz told police that he was thirsty and went to have a drink of water from a plastic barrel located aback of the home, which he shared with his wife and two children.

Immediately after consuming the water, he said there was a bitter after taste and suspected that it may be a poisonous substance.

He added that his first thought was whether his wife and children had also consumed the water so he rushed back into the house and inquired from his wife and she admitted that they did have a drink of the water as well.

Moniz said he raised an alarm and they were all taken to the Skeldon Hospital where they were admitted for observation. They were subsequently released but the five-yearold still remains hospitalised.

The matter was reported and samples of the water were taken by the police for analysis.

and directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty. His co-accused was further remanded to prison to await a new trial after the jury failed to reach a verdict.

State Counsel Seeta Bishundial, Abigail Gibbs and Lisa Cave presented seven matters before Justice Brassington Reynolds. Of these matters, five were for sexual offences and two for murder.

In three of the sexual offences cases, there was one accused that faced separate trials; he pleaded guilty in each one and was sentenced respectively to 15 years, 22 years and 35 years' imprisonment.

In the other two cases, both accused were convicted by jury verdicts; one accused was sentence to 16 years' imprisonment. The other accused will be sentenced tomorrow.

One of the two murder trials was aborted after the Court was informed that family members of the number one accused were seen speaking with a member of the jury. The other murder case is in progress.

State Counsel Tuanna Hardy and Teriq Mohammed prosecuted one case for the offence of Murder before Justice James BovellDrakes. The accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of Manslaughter and was sentenced 30 years' imprisonment.

Further, State Counsel Teriq Mohammed, Sarah Martin and Tuanna Hardy completed eight matters for sexual offences before Justice Simone Ramlall in the Sexual Offences Court.

In four of these cases, the accused all pleaded guilty.

Two of them were each

sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment and must serve 15 years before being eligible for parole. While the other two who were each indicted on two counts of sexual activity with a child f a m i l y m e m b e r, w e r e respectively sentenced to 43 years and 18 years' imprisonment.

In the other four cases, two accused were found guilty by jury verdicts; one was sentenced to 23 years' imprisonment, while the other will be sentenced today. The two others were acquitted after the juries returned verdicts of not guilty. In the six matters nolle prosequi by the DPP, four of the complainants submitted written statements in which they indicated that they did not wish to proceed with the evidence, while two of the accused persons are deceased.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Thursday October 03, 2019

Two Guyanese indicted in large-scale Medicaid fraud

N

EW YORK (https://ag.ny.g ov) – Attorney General Letitia James on September 17 announced the indictment and arrest of the owner of Purple Heart Transportation (“Purple Heart”), Sean Ally, 44, as well as the indictment and arrest of a driver of the company, Lissette Joza, 31, for stealing over $1 million from the New York Medicaid programme for billing fake transportation services that were never provided.

Ally and Joza were arrested upon their arrival at JFK airport from Guyana.

Both defendants as well as a third indicted defendant, Shamiza Ally, fled the United States some months earlier.

Shamiza Ally, the third indicted defendant, remains at large abroad.

“Medicaid fraud hits those who can least afford it the hardest,” said Attorney General James. “My office will not allow those who are

driven by greed to corrupt a system that is designed to support the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable.

“We will continue to hold accountable health care providers who forsake their responsibility to their patients and our society, and chose to instead line their pockets.”

Prosecutors from the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) outlined in court a scheme whereby the defendants, together, using a number of different techniques, billed Medicaid for transportation services that never occurred.

Medicaid reimburses transportation providers for transporting Medicaid patients to and from covered medical services.

Between late September 2017 and early May 2019, Purple Heart submitted claims to and collected from Medicaid over $29 million for allegedly providing transportation services to

The Ozone Park, Queens transportation company was said to be headquartered here.

Medicaid patients in and around New York City.

However, prosecutors found and allege that over $19 million of that amount was for unmatched services -services for which there no corresponding bill for medical treatment for the patients who purportedly received the transportation services.

D u r i n g t h e i r investigation, prosecutors uncovered a number of different techniques allegedly used by the defendants to

'Tarzan' jailed for 19 years over shallow grave murder of Brazilian

W

ycliff Smith, the man accused of killing Brazilian miner Armando Da Silva, in Moco Moco, Central Rupununi, was onTuesday sentenced to 19 years' imprisonment after admitting to the crime through a plea to the lesser count manslaughter.

Smith, 40, admitted to killing Da Silva on January 21, 2011. According to reports, Da Silva and Smith were known to each other. On the day in question, they had a confrontation during which Da Silva pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot at Smith.

It was revealed by State Prosecutor Sarah Martin, that Smith ambushed Da Silva and shot at him. Reports indicate that Smith then dug a shallow grave, in which he buried Da Silva.

During her address to the court, Prosecutor Martin said that Da Silva's cause of death was given as perforation of the lungs. The prosecutor said, too, that several pellets were recovered from the now dead man's body. It was revealed by the prosecutor that Smith gave a caution statement admitting to the crime.

Smith's lawyer, Maxwell McKay, in a plea in mitigation told the court that his is a clear case of provocation. He, too, said that his client collected a gun from his friend and ambushed Da Silva and shot him. The lawyer, nevertheless, urged the court that his client pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and has been incarcerated for eight years.

Smith expressed that he was sorry for what happened and he suffers from arthritis.

As it relates to sentencing, Justice Barlow said that the use of firearms has become prevalent “when people get upset with each

JAILED: Wycliff Smith other.” She said that the court cannot condone such acts and needs to send a strong message; hence she imposed the 19 year custodial sentence.

The judge ordered that the prison authorities are to deduct the time Smith served in pretrial custody. The judge further ordered that he is to undergo anger management classes. Had Smith been convicted by a jury for the offence, Justice Barlow indicated that the court would have imposed a 25-year sentence instead.

submit claims to Medicaid for fake trips.

For example, prosecutors assert that the defendants allegedly paid numerous Medicaid patients a weekly kickback to use their Medicaid identification numbers so that they could then bill for non-existent transportation services in the name of these patients.

New York State law strictly prohibits all medical providers, including transportation companies, from paying or offering to pay cash kickbacks to anyone in return for the referral of medical services ultimately paid for by Medicaid.

As a result, according to claims data analyzed by prosecutors and outlined today in court, Purple Heart billed Medicaid for fake transportation services supposedly provided to dozens of patients daily by numerous drivers, who Purple Heart claimed repeatedly drove upwards of a thousand miles a day in and around New York City's crowded highways and city streets.

Large sums of that money were then purportedly funneled through bank accounts to the individual defendants and to defendants Heart Holdings, Inc. and SA & SB Enterprises, LLC, both of which are shell companies controlled by several of the defendants.

Additionally, portions of the money were then allegedly used by several defendants to make multiple real estate purchases, while further sums were transferred out of the United States.

Sean Ally and Shamiza Ally, along with Purple Heart, were charged in an indictment unsealed in Supreme Court, Queens County with the crime of Grand Larceny in the First Degree. Each was also charged along with Lissette Joza and the two suspected shell companies, Heart Holdings, Inc. and SA & SB Enterprises, LLC, with one

count of Money Laundering in the First Degree. Sean Ally, Shamiza Ally, and Purple Heart were additionally charged with a second count of Money Laundering in the First Degree.

Finally, Sean Ally was charged with two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree.

The charges filed in this case are accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Grand Larceny in the First Degree and Money Laundering in the First Degree are both class “B” felonies for which the maximum state prison sentence is twenty-five years.

Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree is a class “E” felony carrying maximum prison term of 4 years. Sean Ally and Lissette Joza were arraigned this morning before the Honorable Barry Kron, Justice of the Supreme Court, Queens County.

Defendants were remanded and their cases were adjourned until tomorrow in Part K-5 Queens Supreme Court.

In conjunction with the criminal case, the Attorney General also obtained court orders to restrain the assets of the criminal defendants Sean Ally, Lissette Joza, Shamiza Ally, Purple Heart, SA & SB Enterprises, LLC, and Heart Holdings Corp., and filed a civil asset forfeiture and New York State False Claims Act action against the criminal defendants.

The asset forfeiture action and civil recovery action seeks to recover over $57 million in damages from the defendants for defrauding the State Medicaid programme.

The Attorney General thanks the New York State Department of Health, the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, Medical Answering Services, and the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission for their assistance and cooperation during the

investigation. Additionally, the Attorney General expresses her thanks for the assistance and cooperation provided by the New York City Police Department as well as the Departments of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the apprehension of defendants Sean Alley and Lissette Joza Friday night at JFK airport.

MFCU's investigation was conducted by Investigators Anthony Caban, Dan McCarron, Aleksandr Lipkin, and Bikens Pierre with the assistance of Supervising Investigator Ronald Lynch and Deputy Chief Investigator Kenneth Morgan.

The audit investigation was conducted by Senior Auditor Investigator KizzyAnn Waldropt and AuditorInvestigator Klodjan Gjegji and Kizzy-Ann Waldropt with the assistance of NYC Regional Deputy Chief Auditor Jonathan Romano and NYC Regional Chief Auditor Thomasina Smith.

Also assisting in the investigation were Legal Assistants Chrisalys DeJesus and Kelvin Caraballo, and Data Scientist Si Lok Chao.

The criminal case is being prosecuted by NYC Deputy Regional Director Erin Kelsh along with Special Assistant Attorneys General Jonathan Reiner and David Arias with assistance from NYC Regional Director Christopher M. Shaw and Chief of Criminal InvestigationsDownstate Thomas O'Hanlon.

The civil action was litigated by Senior Counsel Konrad Payne with the assistance of Civil Enforcement Chief Alee N. Scott and Special Assistant Attorney General Diana Elkind. MFCU is led by Director Amy Held and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Paul J. Mahoney. The Division of Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice José Maldonado.

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

President, PM photos taken down, damaged…

NDC Chairman being investigated

Region Seven has highest rate of reported child sexual abuse - CPA attributes increase to awareness

A complaint has been filed against NDC Chairman, Anil Ramgahan A police report has been filed at the Number 51 Police Station against the number 52/74 Neighbourhood Democratic Council Chairman, Anil Ramgahan.

APNU Councillor at the NDC, Lakram Singh, told Kaieteur News that the actions carried out by the NDC Chairman were “disrespectful and uncalled for”. This prompted him to file a report.

He disclosed that he was informed by the Overseer at the NDC that Ramgahan showed up around 10:00 am Tuesday and instructed him to remove the pictures of the President and the Prime Min-

The images on the floor of the NDC

ister that were affixed to the wall.

He said that after he refused, Ramgahan reportedly took it off himself “and throw it on the ground”. Ramgahan left immediately after, Singh said. Singh also said that Ramgahan took a pair of scissors and ripped off posters of the cabinet team.

The NDC Chairman said that he indeed took the images off of the wall but “never threw it on the ground”. He said he placed the images that were framed on a cupboard

and left. He reasoned that his actions were premised on the fact that “the government is unconstitutional and there is no need for the pictures to be there”.

Ramgahan refused to speak further on the matter over the phone and opted to speak in person if “any other information is needed”.

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman Dennis Deroop has since told this publication that, “there is nothing illegal about what the NDC Chairman did”. He opined that if the council

made a collective decision that the government is unconstitutional then he sees no reason to have the images brandished on the interior walls of the public building.

He further explained, “When (Donald) Ramotar prorogued parliament all of them PNC people took down his picture so I don’t see nothing wrong with doing that. But you didn’t hear us kicking up a storm and exaggerating.”

The police are said to be investigating the matter.

The Cuyuni- Mazaruni, Region Seven, has recorded the highest reported number of sexual abuse against children, with a 5.6 per 1000. This new overwhelming data is according to a half-year report conducted by the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA).

During an interview yesterday, Director of the CPA, Ms. Ann Greene, stated that even though there has been an increase in the reporting aspect, it does not mean that there is a higher percentage of sexual abuse against children.

She stated, “When you see that people report a high rate, it does not mean that there is more abuse. It says that we are getting people to report more and bring more awareness.”

The January to August 2019 report further revealed that Region Nine, Upper Takatu - Upper Essequibo, attracted a rate of 3 per 1000; Region Ten, Upper DemeraraBerbice, 2.9; Region Three, Essequibo Islands- West Demerara, 2.7; Region Four, Demerara Mahaica, 2.5; Region Five, Mahaica- Berbice; Region Eight, Potaro Siparuni, 1.8; Region Six, East Corentyne - Berbice, 1.7 and Region One, Barima- Waini, 0.8, respectively.

The Director was keen to note that for years the department was affected by a lack in reporting. However, due to the consistent awareness campaigning and new channels such as hotlines, Greene stated that the agency has seen a breakthrough.

“We attribute the more reports on what we do at the community level, the work we are doing with awareness, even social media. We have even done child abuse messages in Amerindian languages, going on radio stations, and every week, we have officers going to these radio stations.”

There are two social workers officers in Region Nine and from their work “…they hit up a storm; they went to all the schools with the children and explained to them about “good and bad” touches.”

The CPA Director revealed that from that awareness campaign, the reported cases of child abuse exponentially increased in Upper Takatu- Upper Essequibo.

“Now Region Nine is on the list. It was never there before. Just by placing two officers there with the awareness agenda in mind and we saw a drastic change. We also went down there and did a (Continued on page 22)

PAGE 22

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

At Istanbul memorial...

FOR RENT Business space for rent 660 sq, available parking, opposite license office (US $1200 negotiable) #658-2677/ 685-0448 SERVICES

FOR SALE

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

All in one Music System.Bluetooth, USB,Memory Card, Auxiliary.Price:$12,000.Call:6977575.

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

1 Display Fridge $80,000 2 Hair dryers $20,000 2 Nail tables $60,000 each 7 Salon chairs $25,000 each # 638-1106, 6151872

PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION, W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Eagle’s re-gas AC, Fridge, Washing machine & computer repairs, Gas stove, Plasma flatscreen, Electrical installation & more. Call: 6972969/646-0966

1 Facial steamer, 1 Facial/ Massage bed $40,000 each 1 50 acre coconut farm 50m, 500 plants Laluni # 638-1106, 6151872 2 Spa & Massage chairs $230,000 each 2 Fiat 110 tractors 4M 1 BMV 320i (black) 2.5M female driven 638-1106, 615-1872 LAND FOR SALE Sarah Johanna Public Road, East Bank Demerara. #2615072/667-8870 V/Hoop WCD. 48ftx1300ft.Call:609-5672 LEARN TO DRIVE N. Outar Driving School, Learn to Drive the right way @ Cuffy Square. Affordable package. Call: 644-5166/6912561/681-2808 PROPERTY FOR SALE

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

VEHICLE FOR SALE Mazda Truck, Mitsubishi Engine 4D33 10 1/2 FT Tray $950K.Tel#693-3003.

(1) 3 bedroom house located at Middle St, Stewartville.

Tel#625-3299/268-3129 Property New Scheme Zeelugt New Scheme, Self contain rooms. Call: 660-1353 Two Storey house and land, Lot 3 Durban Street, Prime Business Spot .Phone # 6251505 Whatsapp #625-1505 For sale by owner. House and land of 294 Dartmout Essequibo. Contact # 6645972/690-9659 FOR RENT

Business Space for rent 354 sq, Available parking, opposite license office (US $350 negotiable) #658-2677/ 685-0448 PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, G R A D U AT I O N , W E D D I N G S , ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Self contain rooms for working couple/single person $32,000 monthly,light & water. Lodge.

Call: 623-0076 2 months security WANTED One General Worker to work shift system.Tel#225-6337/ 668-0306.

Labourer and Planer operator to work at Sawmill. Tel#6199143 (1) family person to work on a ranch Bobcat & Mini-excavator operator, must have 3 to 5 yrs experience, Contact #6090766/655-0938 Experienced Driver, Cashier, Handy boy, Kitchen Assistant, Apply Hack’s Halaal Restaurant with Handwritten application 5 Commerce St VACANCY Vacancies- Nirva Superstore for Cashiers/Supermarket helpers, Apply in person with written application at 49 Sheriff & Craig St. Tel#2275771 Lorry Driver with sales experience, Porters & Part time gardener. Submit applications to 257 Block X Section A Diamond EBD. Tel#216-3152/ 617-5632 Security Officer & yard maintenance personnel.

Apply @ ACDA 9 Thomas Lands. Tel#231-6224, 2 year’s experience, 2 reference & police clearance.

Linden- Commercial & Residential building ideal for supermarket, hardware, bill Laboratory/ payment centre or general Medical store. Tel#444-5883/693-7079 Technician, needed to work in Trinidad, must be experienced qualified.

Tel# One bedroom apartment for and couple, Middle Road La 18686836492 Penitence #686-4564 Looking for a job & educational services? Contact House for Rent at Public Road The Job Centre 43 Croal & La Grange.Contact#665-7636/ Alexander Street or call 502691-5101.

4002/600-8457

VACANCY Vacancy exist for one head cook and one supervisor for food establishment in Georgetown,Call:231-8737.

Experienced Female Accounts clerk. Apply in person at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda Nexus Machining & Fabrication Inc- 4 Fitter Machinist, 2 Mill Wright. Call: 266-0309, Working experience will be an asset Experienced Mason. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda Office Assistant.Proficient in Excel.2 Yrs Experience minimum.Knowledge of NIS/ PAY E / PAY R O L L . mimadecor12@gmail.com 2260176.

Porters. Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda One shop attendant. Tel#6917123 Experienced Sales girl. Apply person at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda Experienced Carpenters.

Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb St Bourda Welder/Fabricator.

Tig Welder-Aluminium & Stainless steel, CNC Machinist, CNC Programmer, CAD/CAM. Tel#261-5401/ 680-2095/697-3682 Vacancy exist for Experienced Pharmacy assistants to work @ reputable pharmacy in G/ town. Interested persons call #645-5008/696-5098 between 8am-4pm Office Asst/Accounts Clerk, 5 subjects, quickbooks, NIS, PAYE. Teamplayer, Customer Service experience. #2270176/227-0186. mimadecor12@gmail.com Operations to work in Fisheries. Contact #223-7168 Clerk & Domestic live-in Facilities for Berbicians and Essequibians 219-5354.

1 music teacher (piano & guitar) to do at home teaching for two boys. Perferably from East Bank. #698-4432 One (1) Clerk for TSI Eccles Industrial site office English1 Mathematics -2 Quickbooks. Call: 615-7132

From page 7 leader. “No matter who they are or how high their station in life.”

Like other speakers, she also addressed what she said was a threat to the global news media that Khashoggis death had laid bare. “My call to you,” she said, speaking to journalists around the world, “persist, insist, expose for Jamal and the other Jamals around the world.”

The setting added resonance to Callamards plea.

Turkeys government, which has vigorously demanded that Saudi Arabia account for Khashoggis death, is itself one of the most prolific jailers of journalists around the world, according to press freedom groups.

Protesters gather outside Saudi embassies worldwide to remember Khashoggis killing Soldiers watched from the rooftops as the sun baked those on the stage.

One of them, Turan Kislakci, called on the Saudi government to hand over the consulate, so it could be turned into a museum honoring Khashoggis life.

At the end of the ceremony, a small monument of white stone was unveiled in the garden in front of the consulate, bearing Khashoggis name, his birth date and Oct. 2, 2018, the day he died.

For all the celebration of Khashoggis legacy, the service Wednesday was also a tribute to Cengiz, forced into the public spotlight as she grieved. It was she who had to respond to questions she could not

answer after her fiance disappeared, and who was subjected to mockery on social media when Saudi loyalists tried to deny Khashoggis killing had occurred.

“No one should ever have to endure what you did,” Bezos said, in brief comments before embracing her.

Ryan, The Posts publisher, also thanked Cengiz, “whose time of great joy was transformed into a terr i f y i n g n i g h t m a r e . Yo u have searched unceasingly for answers.”

The answers, held by secretive governments, have been hard to come by.

A trial underway in Saudi Arabia is held behind closed doors. A CIA assessment of the killing has not been released. Audio recordings made by Turkey of the killing have been shared with a few people but not the public.

“Last year today, I was standing here,” Cengiz said Wednesday. “I was a girl in love, waiting for my man to come out of the consulate. We wanted to go to dinner. We wanted to invite our friends to our wedding. Now after the worst year in my life, I stand here broken but proud proud to see you all here.”

A drone hovered. Photographers crowded toward the stage.

“I still seek justice,” she said. “I want to know what happened to his body. I want his friends to be released from jail. I want those in power to be held accountable for their actions.”

Region Seven has highest rate of reported...

From page 11 whole training for women.

“We brought them out to Lethem and we did a whole training thingI expect that the level of awareness will go up. I am very pleased with our awareness work, we have been communicating for development,” she said.

To add to the issue of sexual abuse, Greene stated that they are still battling with the issue sexual grooming of children.

“Most times, the people who are sexually abusing these children are the people in the house. They are the

people who the children trust. Children are groomed but they are groomed by the people they trust,” she related.

The Director reveals that grooming can alter the childs sexual preference “because we have men grooming boys, women grooming girls. It robs the child of the person that child was meant to be.”

Moving forward, Greene relates that the Child Protection Agency is looking to create a child protection policy for persons who have daily interactions with children, such as coaches and teachers.

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

Main suspect in Charity robbery Barber placed on $75,000 bail for exposing himself to customer being processed for court The main suspect who is believed to be the mastermind behind the robbery of the Mansoor General store on the Essequibo Coast, has been caught and is being processed for court. This is according to a senior police source within the G’ Division.

This publication understands that the suspect has since been identified as Marlon, from the Cotton F i e l d Vi l l a g e o n t h e Essequibo Coast. According to information, Marlon and an accomplice disguised themselves as customers, before robbing the

General Store, which is located in Charity.

The suspect was caught in Dredge Creek by ranks of the Criminals Investigation Department [CID], mere hours after committing the robbery.

T h e m a n ’s a c c o m p l i c e , who police say is identifiable, has not yet been arrested.

During the robbery, a teenage girl was shot to the head. According to a close family member, the 18-yearold went into surgery last Tuesday, and is now in a stable condition at a private hospital.

The alleged mastermind.

Jamaican who helped Coalition win elections, arrested for ammo in luggage LoopJamaica -People’s National Party (PNP) activist and former Chairman of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Alston Stewart, was reprimanded when he appeared in court in Trinidad after several rounds of ammunition and a magazine were reportedly found in his luggage in the

Twin-Island Republic last Thursday.

The Jamaican businessman was discharged following the reprimand on Monday, and, according to media reports, will not have a criminal record against his name.

Stewart was held overnight at a police station in Trinidad after the items were found in his luggage.

He had appeared in court last Friday and was offered bail.

He was in Trinidad, en route to Guyana when the incident unfolded.

As part of his defence, Stewart is reported to have said that the ammunition, which was legally obtained in Jamaica, ended up in his luggage in error.

Teen caught in viral video jumping on police motorcycle, charged Days after a video surfaced on social media with a police officer while he was riding, the motorcycle a man jumped on the back of the said motorcycle.

The defendant, Anthony Clarke, 19, a bartender of Lot 564 B Field Sophia, Georgetown, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts after being slapped with four charges, relating to the incident that happened in the video.

Clarke pleaded guilty to all four charges, but based on what came out during his explanation Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty, entered two not guilty pleas on his behalf.

On September 28, last, between Robb and Wellington Streets, Georgetown, Clarke allegedly assaulted police constable Joel Samuels who was acting in the execution of his duties.

The second charge stated that on the said date and at the same location, Clarke maliciously damaged a flashlight valued at $24,480, property of Guyana Police Force.

The remaining two charges stated that on September 28, 2019, between R o b b a n d We l l i n g t o n Streets, Georgetown, Clarke used abusive lan-

Charged: Anthony Clarke guage towards police constable Samuels and in public hearing, he behaved disorderly.

With tears streaming down his face, Clarke explained to the court that he accidentally damaged the flashlight on the motorcycle when he jumped on the back while police constable Samuels was riding, Clarke then stated that he never cuss police constable Samuels.

Principal Magistrate McGusty then entered not guilty plea for Clarke for the malicious damage to property and abusive lan-

guage charge.

Police prosecutor Seon Blackman objected to bail being granted to the defendant based on the prevalence of the offence.

However, Clarke told the court that he is willing to compensate the Guyana Police Force for the flashlight and he also took a few minutes of the court time and apologised to police constable Samuels for assaulting him.

According to information, the defendant was caught riding a motorcycle without a safety helmet and he was told to go to Brickdam Police Station, when he refused, a scuffle started between Samuels and Clarke.

The court heard that when Clarke jumped on the back of the motorcycle, his right foot came into contact with the light at the back of the motorcycle, damaging it.

The matters were reported and the defendant was charged and later brought before the court.

Principal Magistrate McGusty ordered Clarke to pay a $20,000, fine for the two offences to which he p l e a d e d guilty. He was placed on $20,000 bail on the remaining charges. The matter was adjourned to October 16, 2019.

A barber of Henry Street, Lamaha Spring, Georgetown, was yesterday granted bail after he appeared in court to answer to an indecent exposure charge in which he allegedly showed a female customer his penis and touched her in a sexual way.

Forty-one-year-old Ceon Cantzlaar pleaded not guilty to both charges when he appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, where his matter was held-in- camera.

The first charge stated

that on September 24, 2019, at Aubrey Barker Road and Festival City Entrance North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, he exposed his penis to a woman.

It was also alleged that on the same date and location, he touched the thigh of a woman in a sexual way without her consent. According to reports, on the day the incident happened, the victim went to the barber shop where Cantzlaar works to cut her hair, when the defendant started playing vulgar music.

The defendant, Cantzlaar, started dancing and took out

his penis and showed the victim while attempting to kiss her and touched her thigh.

The victim left the barber shop and the defendant sent her several messages via WhatsApp apologising for exposing himself to her.

The matter was later reported and an investigation was carried out. Cantzlaar was subsequently arrested and charged for the offences.

Chief Magistrate McLennan released the defendant on $75,000 bail and the matter was adjourned to later on in this month.

Man remanded for allegedly stabbing neighbour who waste water Forty-four-year-old Brian Matheson, an Art/Agricultural Teacher of Lot 48 Princes Street, Wortmanville, Georgetown, yesterday appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer to an attempted murder charge. Matheson was not allowed to plead to the indictable charge.

The charge stated that on September 27, 2019, at Princes Street, Georgetown, Matheson wounded Ronald Bettencourt, with intent to commit murder.

According to Matheson, his neighbour, Bettencourt, is a very

noisy person. “He always making a set of noise, waking me up out my bed. I have never wake up on my own. Its always the noise that he does be making and leaving on his pipe dripping all the time. Sometimes, I caught him throwing his garbage over in my yard.”

Police prosecutor, Neville Jeffers, objected to bail being granted to the defendant based on the fact that the victim is his neighbour and that the defendant was charged on several occasions for interfering with the victim.

Prosecutor Jeffers also stated that the victim is currently

still hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) and his condition is listed as critical.

According to reports, on the day in question, Matheson armed himself with a knife and went over into the victims yard and dealt him several stabs to his abdomen.

Bettencourt was then rushed to the hospital where he remains a patient.

Chief Magistrate McLennan remanded the defendant to prison and ordered that he receives psychiatric evaluation. The matter was then adjourned to October 16, 2019.

Man jailed 3 years after loosing pit-bull, robbing pensioner in wheelchair A man was yesterday sentenced to spend the next three years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to robbing a pensioner in wheelchair of a sum of cash and his pension book with the use of a pit-bull.

Thirty-eight-year-old Michael White appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates Courts before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty when the charge was related to him and he admitted to the offence. The charge stated that on September 27, 2019, at Robb Street, Georgetown, he robbed Compton Caesar, 77, a pensioner of $28,000, cash.

The court heard that on the day in question, about 07:00hrs, Compton Caesar, was in his wheelchair heading west along Robb Street, to conduct business when the defendant approached him with a pit-bull.

White then allowed the pitbull to attack Caesar whose legs are amputated. Caesar then fell out of the wheelchair onto the ground. White then reached into the mans pocket and relieved him of $28,000, and his pension book.

An alarm was then raised and public-spirited persons who were in the area caught the defendant and later handed him over to the police.

Yesterday, the defendant told the court that he didnt allow the dog to attack Caesar. He stated

that the dog is very strong and it was pulling him so he couldnt prevent that from happening.

“After the dog jumped on the man, I took his money after it fall out of his pocket, and is not even my dog so I couldnt really control the dog…I already spend out his money too,” White told the court while showing no remorse

for his actions.

The court was informed by Police prosecutor Annalisa Brummell that the defendant was previously charged for robbery and his matter was dismissed.

Principal Magistrate McGusty then informed the defendant that he will spend the next three years behind bars.

PAGE 24

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

Ex-Dallas cop sentenced to 10 years for killing You can now be fined up to $250,000 if you unarmed black man in his own apartment call someone an ‘illegal alien’ in New York City

Sentenced: Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger AUSTIN, Te x a s (Reuters) - Former Dallas p o l i c e o ff i c e r A m b e r Guyger was sentenced by a Texas jury to 10 years in prison on Wednesday after finding her guilty of murder for walking into a n e i g h b o u r ’s a p a r t m e n t thinking it was her own and shooting him as he ate ice cream.

The same jury took less than six hours on Tuesday to find Guyger, who is white, guilty in the 2018 killing of Botham Jean, a 26year-old black PwC accountant. His death sparked street protests last year, particularly when prosecutors initially opted to bring the lesser charge of manslaughter against Guyger, 31.

The sentence was less than the 28 years prosecutors had sought. Judge Tammy Kemp said the jury had imposed no fine.

Lawyers for the victim’s family said they believed the verdict was the first time a white female police officer had been found guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of an unarmed black man.

“This is a historic case and history provides us with a teachable moment,” said civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who also rep-

resented the family of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager shot and killed in 2012 by a civilian neighborhood watchman who was later cleared in court.

This case was unlike other recent high-profile killings, such as those of Michael Brown in Missouri and Philando Castile in Minnesota, since Guyger was not on duty or responding to a reported crime when she fired.

FORGIVENESS WITHIN, ANGER WITHOUT After the sentence was h a n d e d d o w n , J e a n ’s younger brother Brandt, offered Guyger his forgiveness.

“I forgive you, and I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you. I’m speaking for myself, not my family, but I love you just like anyone else,” Brandt Jean told Guyger. He then asked the judge’s permission to hug Guyger and the two embraced for about a minute.

Outside the courthouse, the mood was less forgiving.

Protesters blasted the sentence as too short, shouting, “No justice, no peace!” and “This is so wrong!”

Guyger, who had spent four years on the force be-

fore the killing, took the rare step of testifying in her own defense during her trial, tearfully expressing regret for shooting Jean but saying she had believed her life was in danger when she pulled the trigger.

Prosecutors also argued that Guyger did little to help Jean even after realizing her mistake, calling the 911 emergency phone number for an ambulance but not administering first aid.

They also showed the jury several text messages that painted Guyger as racist. Guyger wrote in one January 2018 message that she would like to use pepper spray on the crowd at a Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Dallas, while in another she wrote that her black police colleagues “just have a different way of working and it shows.”

Guyger also shared a post on Pinterest that stated: “I wear all black to remind you not to mess with me, because I’m already dressed for your funeral.”

During the trial, Guyger’s defense attorney said she was “on autopilot” after a long work day, when she mistakenly parked on the wrong floor in the garage and was able to enter Jean’s apartment because he had left the door slightly ajar.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. I have to live with this every single day,” Guyger told the jury of eight women and four men.

In cross-examination, Assistant District Attorney Jason Hermus asked her, “When you shot him twice, you intended to kill him, didn’t you?”

(CNN) - New York City has banned the term “illegal alien” when used “with intent to demean, humiliate or harass a person,” the city said.

The city’s new guidelines, announced last week, also ban discrimination against someone based on their English proficiency and threats to call immigration authorities on someone “based on a discriminatory motive.” These violations can result in fines up to $250,000.

The guidance is for all public accommodations, employment and housing, the city’s Commission on Human Rights said.

“We are proud to have worked with the NYC Commission on Human Rights to produce and release this important guidance as we combat the federal government’s rhetoric of fear and xenophobic policies that have threatened the health and well-being of immigrant communities,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office and Immigrant Affairs.

The Department of Homeland Security defines “alien” as “any person not a citizens or national of the United States.”

In a 29-page directive, the commission outlined the ways discrimination can be based on someone’s “actual or perceived ‘alienage and citizenship status,’ and ‘national origin.’”

The commission listed hypothetical examples of violations, including: A hotel prohibiting its housekeepers from speaking another language because it would “offend” guests.

A landlord threatens to call US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement if an Indian immigrant family complains in housing court, after they find mold and cockroaches in their unit.

A store owner tells two people speaking Thai to “speak English” or “go back to your country.”

Earlier this month, a New York judge recommended a landlord pay $17,000 after

threatening to call immigration authorities on an undocumented tenant. The city’s Commission on Human Rights represented the tenant and filed a complaint on her behalf in January 2018, citing the landlord’s discrimination against her.

According to the judge’s written report, some of the texts the landlord said included “HAVE MY MONEY OR IM CALLING ICES [sic] THAT DAY PERIOD,” and “I REPORTED YOU TO IMMIGRATION BOO THEY KNOW IM THE LANDLORD TO PROVIDE THEM KEYS COME DIRECTLY TO YOU.” And following ICE raids in July across major US cities, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called for a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants in the US. The president’s slogan, the mayor said, should be “Make America hate again, because he’s trying to foment division as a political campaign.”

Tsunamis linked to spread of deadly fungal disease

The tsunamis that followed a huge earthquake in Alaska in 1964 caused massive damage (BBC) - A major earthquake in Alaska in 1964 triggered tsunamis that washed ashore a deadly tropical fungus, scientists say.

Researchers believe it then evolved to survive in the coasts and forest of the Pacific Northwest.

More than 300 people have been infected with the p n e u m o n i a - l i k e cryptococcosis since the first case was discovered in the region in 1999, about 10% fatally.

If true the theory, published in the journal mBio, has implications for other areas hit by tsunamis.

- Fungal ‘threat’ to human health - Candida auris: The new superbug on the block - Probe after ‘hospital infection death’ Cryptococcus gattii is a fungal pathogen that mainly appears in the warmer regions of the world such as Australia, Papua New Guinea and in parts of Europe, Africa and South America, namely Brazil.

Researchers have theorised that it has moved around the world via the ballast water used by ships.

The scientists say the molecular age of the fungus

that’s been found off the coasts of British Columbia and Washington state coincides with the start of shipping from South American ports, which boomed after the opening of the Panama canal in 1914.

However, greater curiosity about the fungus was aroused when the first infections in humans were detected in the area in 1999.

The researchers were puzzled as to how they became ill, as the normal route of infection is by breathing in spores that allow the pathogen to settle in the lungs.

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25

PAGE 26

Kaieteur News

Criticism of govt.’s move to make it harder to lay hands on Cabinet documents KINGSTON, Jamaica CMC – President of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ), George Davis, yesterday described as “arcane,” a move by the government to increase by 50 years, the time period citizens utilising the Access to Information Act could have to wait in order to lay their hands on Cabinet documents.

Leader of Government Business, Karl Samuda, Tuesday tabled the Access to Information (Cabinet Document) (Extension of Exemption Period) Order, 2019, and The Access to Information (Cabinet Documents) (Extension of Exemption Period) Order Resolution.

Samuda, the Minister without portfolio with responsibility for Education, Youth and Information, moved the affirmative resolution seeking to amend the Access to Information Act, which would move the exemption from 20 to 70 years.

The Access to Information Act was passed in 2002 and came into operation in 2004 and the government has indicated that the debate on the matter could begin as early as next week.

But speaking on a local radio programme here, Davis described the proposed amendment as a “classic twopunch attack.

He said it was a mortal two-punch attack, a backward step and urged the government to withdraw the resolution.

“With one punch you are hitting transparency in the solar plexus, and even graver than that, you’re wrapping a rope around the neck of transparency, and by killing transparency you also take accountability with you.”

He told radio listeners that if the extension to 70 years is approved, those who were part of the Cabinet decision making process would in all likelihood no longer be alive to give account for or explain the controversial decisions they might have been party to.

“I can’t imagine what would have informed this 70.

It seems arcane; some secret consideration, some secret justification around 70,” he added.

The resolution seeks to extend the facility provided in Section 6(2) of the Access to Information Act, which allows for the exemption of an official document that has been in existence for 20 years, “or such shorter or longer period as the minister may specify by order, subject to affirmative action, and seeks to have the order affirmed to exempt these documents from

public access for 70 years after they have been in existence”.

Human Rights Advocate, Susan Goffe, was also critical of the move by the Andrew Holness government, saying that the measure goes against the objective of the present legislation.

Mrs Goffe, speaking with RJR News yesterday, said the proposal does not augur well for transparency, accountability and public participation.

“It means that we are barred from an important avenue of government accountability. Documents which show what decisions were made by the government, the issues will be long past, probably no longer live or relevant and those documents would only be of historical interest,” she said.

“A blanket exemption for 70 years cannot be supported in a modern constitutional democracy,” she added.

Opposition legislator, Ronald Thwaites has describing the move by the government as “a shock,” adding “the period of secrecy asked for is extortionate and bears little relationship to the principle of access to information and freedom of information which are enshrined in our laws, indeed in our Constitution.”

Jamaica on course for record visitor spending KINGSTON, Jamaica - CMC – More than three million visitors, including just over one million cruise ship passengers have visited Jamaica start of the year, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has said.

He said the island has earned an increase of 10.2 per cent in revenue and is on course to surpass the projected year-end target of US$3.7 billion.

Bartlett said the out-turn for stopover arrivals represents an increase of 150,000 or an estimated 8.6 per cent over the corresponding period in 2018, describing this

as a “really impressive performance”.

He said the out-turns put Jamaica “firmly on track to meet and exceed our end of year targets… notwithstanding the fallout from cruise ship arrivals.

“We [also believe we] will still be able to make our targets, insofar as the ‘5x5x5’ key performance indicators (KPIs) that we have established are concerned.”

The Ministry’s 5x5x5 growth agenda aims to attract five million tourists by 2021; generate five billion US dollars in earnings; increase total direct jobs to

125,000 and add 15,000 hotel rooms.

Bartlett announced that he would be travelling to Canada to join Tourism Director, Donovan White, and other Ministry and Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) team members for the start of the JTB’s marketing campaign in that North American country.

He said Canada has been Jamaica’s second largest source market with an average of 400,000 visitors and that the JTB has crafted a “very strong marketing programme” to retrieve some of the recent fallout in arrivals and “set the Canadian market back on track”.

Thursday October 03, 2019

Govt. looking at “evening courts” to deal with high number of cases BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – The Barbados government has hinted at the possibility of having “evening courts” as it relates to the magistracy.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Dale Marshall, says attention will be paid to the magistracy in the coming weeks following the swearing in of four new judges to the High Court, two temporary judges of the High Court and one Court of Appeal judge earlier this week.

“We have to come up with some new responses to allow our Magistrates’ Courts to function more efficiently. Now that we have put things in place to solve matters in the High Court, we will turn our attention to the Magistrates’ Courts,” he said.

Marshall said that those responses will include “swelling the ranks of the magistracy” and having magistrates who will work in shifts.

“We are going to have to look seriously at the question

Dale Marshall of evening courts as it relates to the magistracy. We have a small number of magistrates, but every year about 22,000 cases get filed in the Magistrates’ Courts,” he said.

The Attorney General noted that the government has held fast to its commitment to increase the size of the judiciary in Barbados in a bid to improve the movement of cases through the judicial system.

The government said that

the appointment and swearing in of the seven judges means that there will now be five criminal courts in operation at the High Court, with the two temporary judges being mandated to work on reducing the backlog.

Marshall said that government was also seeking to introduce new Criminal Procedure Rules which would bring predictability and enhance a judge’s ability to manage his or her criminal portfolio.

No action against protesting teachers NEWSDAY - The Ministry of Education is not contemplating any action against the teachers involved in Tuesday’s protest action led by the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA).

The teachers were calling on the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO)Angela Gervais to start the negotiations for the period 20142017 to improve their salaries.

Minister of Education Anthony Garcia told Newsday, after the opening of Parliament at Tower D at the International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, that his ministry will do all in its power “to ensure students do not suffer a disadvantage.”

“The Ministry of Education, in recognising teachers’ rights – which is a part of the law – will not be contemplating any action,” he said.

Hundreds of teachers abandoned classes on Tuesday to gather on the Brian Lara Promenade, Port of

Anthony Garcia Spain, wearing red, demanding a counter-proposal for their collective agreement.

In November 2015, TTUTA submitted its proposal to Stephanie Lewis, past CPO, for a new collective agreement under former TTUTA president Davanand Sinanan. Since 2015, TTUTA has made several unsuccessful attempts to get the CPO to begin discussions.

TTUTA president Lynsley Doodhai urged teachers to “get ready to battle even more” as they were tired of the disrespect and neglect

from the CPO and the Finance Ministry and were not prepared to wait any longer.

Garcia told Newsday he understood there are “fundamental rights teachers enjoy” and among those rights are to join a trade union of their choice and “to stage protest action so that their claims can be ventilated in the public domain.” Garcia assured parents, amid the industrial action by teachers, that children will be taken care of and “whatever time is lost going into the protest, that time will be made up.”

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

New stars emerge at IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019

Halimah Nakaayi, Noah Lyles and Tajay Gayles at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 (Getty Images) © Copyright

Thursday October 03, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Efforts to advance your career that you've made over the past few weeks could finally bear fruit. Success and good fortune are strongly indicated where business and money are concerned.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) A long-awaited vacation or move you've been hoping to make could finally be possible today. Before you go, there may be some paperwork to take care of.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Heightened imagination and ingenuity could bring new ideas for advancing yourself in money and business affairs.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Social events, especially those unrelated to business, could bring exciting new contacts. Relationships with partners should be mutually beneficial, particularly when the people you're dealing with are friends.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Your efficient and practical abilities are operating at a very high level. A long-term goal that you've been working toward could finally be reached today.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Your strong business head and practical skills couple with imagination and innovation to bring advancement your way. Information received from far away could prove especially valuable now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Business colleagues or prospective partners could visit today. The meeting promises to be cooperative, rewarding, and fruitful.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A social event in your neighborhood, perhaps in your home, could bring practical information your way that you can put to use to advance your business. You could meet some valuable contacts.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Your business and financial interests could suddenly take a turn for the better. Any difficulties you've been having may disappear as if by magic.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You feel mentally and physically great, and your business and financial interests may take a sudden turn for the better. A contract could be involved.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You can overcome difficulties with business and money through the help of someone older. Helpful advice makes a future course of action seem clearer and more practical than before.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today a piece of information for which y o u ' v e b e e n searching could suddenly become known. You might use your business and money-management skills to help a friend or a group with which you're affiliated.

IAAF - Some of the biggest names in the sport have cemented their legendary status by adding to their career medal haul at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.

But along with the established stars, several new names have emerged over the first five days of competition at the Khalifa International Stadium.

Having dominated the event on the international circuit over the past two years, USA’s Noah Lyles became the youngest ever winner of the men’s 200m at the World Championships, earning his maiden senior global title on Tuesday with a 19.83 run.

“Don’t say I’m the new Bolt,” said Lyles. “I’m me. If you like me, I’ll happily entertain you. It’s my time.”

Earlier that evening, Lyles’ teammate and fellow 22-yearold Donavan Brazier broke the championship and North American records to win the 800m in 1:42.34.

“I’ve said all season that my goal was to get the gold here and to break this record, and that’s what I did,” said Brazier, who had a winning margin of 1.13. “It means the world to me. To be world champion at 22 years old, I can’t believe it.”

The women’s 800m had a surprise winner in the form of Uganda’s Halimah Nakaayi.

The 24-year-old produced the performance of her life to pass the pre-race favourites on the home straight, winning in 1:58.04. Compatriot Winnie Nanyondo, the fourth-place finisher, joined Nakaayi on a lap of honour, stopping every now and again to perform a celebratory dance.

“They will be very happy back home in Uganda, especially in the central part,” said Nakaayi. “They are dancing now. It is a historic day.”

Nakaayi’s gold medal was as much of a surprise as Tajay Gayle’s victory in the men’s long jump. The Jamaican had only just scraped through the first round as the 12th and last qualifier, but he dominated the final to win with 8.69m.

In the women’s throws, USA’s DeAnna Price and Australia’s Kelsey-Lee Barber won maiden global titles, Price winning the hammer with 77.54m and Barber launching a last-round effort of 66.56m to take the javelin.

Other medallists have emerged as a future force, too.

Ethiopia’s 5000m silver medallist Selemon Barega and Ukraine’s high jump runnerup Yaroslava Mahuchikh became the first athletes born this century to win senior global medals.

“There’s a really big difference between junior and senior global competitions,” observed Mahuchikh, who

set a world U20 record of 2.04m. “I have competed with these girls all season, but to jump with them at the World Championships is a very special feeling.”

It’s not just the athletes breaking new ground; certain nations – such as Burkina Faso and The Gambia – have made it on to the medals and placings table for the first time in World Championships history. Already, with fewer than half of the finals having been contested, 28 nations have made it on to the medals table and 52 teams have had athletes achieve a top-eight finish.

The likes of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Christian Taylor may have achieved alltime great status here in Doha, but with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games just 10 months way, there appears to be many up-and-coming athletes also on the brink of super stardom.

PAGE 28

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 03, 2019

Dina Asher-Smith wins 200m gold at World Athletics Championships BBCsport - Dina-Asher Smith became the first British woman to win a major global sprint title as she stormed to victory in 200m at the World Championships. The 23-yearold, who won silver in the 100m, was the outstanding favourite and outclassed the field to take gold in a British record of 21.88 seconds.

“I’m lost for words. I dreamed of this and now it’s real,” she told BBC Sport. “I don’t think it’s properly sunk in.” Brittany Brown took silver (22.22) and Swiss Mujinga Kambundji bronze (22.51).

Asher-Smith is also the first Briton to win a world or Olympic sprint title since Linford Christie at Stuttgart 1993. “I woke up today thinking, ‘This is it. This is the moment you did all your work for’.

The tiredness disappeared,” she added. “[My coach] John [Blackie] and I knew I could do it, it means so much.”

There was no light show as seen in some other showpiece finals here in Doha, but instead a loud cheer greeted Asher-Smith as she smiled on her way to her

starting blocks. The race itself was formality. Asher-Smith came off the bend with her nose in front before powering away from the rest of the pack in the final 60m.

Like on the celebration lap following the women’s 100m final there were rows of empty seats in the Khalifa Stadium, but Asher-Smith - who paraded the flag after winning silver on Sunday - enjoyed her victory with a large British contingent in one corner.

Many had already placed the gold medal around the European champion’s neck after the pre-event withdrawal of 100m champion ShellyAnn Fraser-Pryce followed by that of fellow Jamaican and Olympic champion Elaine Thompson.

And before the championships Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo, unbeaten in the 200m this season, opted only to run in the 400m because of the tight scheduling.

But bar the Bahamian, Asher-Smith had got the better of her other rivals during the Diamond League season. The lack of

Dina Asher-Smith leads on her way to winning the Women’s 200m final. (AFP via Getty Images) competition simply made the task easier for the Kent athlete.

It has been a six-year period for the Briton between winning the European youth 200m title in 2013 to becoming the senior world champion in the Doha event.

By her side since the age of eight has been Coach John

Murray wins battle of Britons to set up Thiem clash in Beijing Reuters - Andy Murray extended his winning run in Beijing by beating fellow Briton Cameron Norrie 7-6(6) 6-7(4) 6-1 on Wednesday to seal a spot in the China Open quarter-finals where he will face top seed Dominic Thiem of Austria.

Murray, who won his first ATP tour singles encounter in nine months at Zhuhai last week, was made to fight for two hours and 52 minutes and won consecutive tour matches for the first time since his hip resurfacing surgery in January.

The Scot beat eighthseeded Italian Matteo Berrettini 7-6(2) 7-6(7) in the first round on Tuesday and now meets world number five Thiem who beat Chinese wildcard Zhizhen Zhang 6-3 6-3.

“I’m really tired, I just had a sleep before coming,” Murray said. “That’s the first time I’ve had to do that since I came back.

It’s something that I need to kind of get used to again, especially playing at this level and that intensity.

“It was a good step for me, it’s great that I won the match. Whether I’d won or lost it, I was able to come out... and be competitive and play some good tennis... I’m

Andy Murray

happy I’ve got the day off tomorrow to recover.”

Norrie served poorly compared to the former world number one but 32-year-old Murray only managed to convert four of 13 break points in the match. Serving for the opening set at 5-3, Murray was broken by Norrie, who then saved three set points in the ensuing tiebreak before he double faulted on the Scot’s fourth set point.

Norrie turned the tables in the second and, although Murray saved a set point on serve, the 24-year-old ranked 69 in the world then held his

nerve in the tiebreak.

Murray then switched tactics, coming up to the net more often to dictate rallies and shorten points, and won the first five games in a row to set up a meeting with Thiem.

The Austrian fired five aces, won 84% of his first service points and needed only three breaks to beat Zhang in 69 minutes.

Italy’s Fabio Fognini beat Russian Andrey Rublev 6-3 64 to set up a quarter-final clash with fourth seed Karen Khachanov, who dispatched Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 76(0) 7-6(5).

Blackie, who had spotted her potential at the Blackheath

and Bromley Athletics Club.

Their partnership has

produced titles at European and now global level.

Liverpool let slip three-goal lead before Salah hits winner BBCsport - Liverpool held off a stunning fightback

by Red Bull Salzburg to get their Champions League defence up and running with victory in an incredible game at Anfield. The visitors trailed 3-0 in the first half but battled back to 3-3 before Mohamed Salah grabbed the winner midway through the second half.

Liverpool lost their Group E opener to Napoli last month but got off to the ideal start in this game when former Salzburg player Sadio Mane struck inside 10 minutes, sweeping home at the near post.

Andrew Robertson turned in a cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold before Salah poked a third under keeper Cican Stanokovic. It seemed as though the game was over as a contest 10 minutes before half-time.

But Salzburg, like Liverpool, have scored goals for fun this season 40 in nine league games and began their fightback when Hwang Hee-chan got the better of Virgil van Dijk before scoring with a powerful strike.

The visitors reduced the deficit further when Takumi Minamino volleyed in and the away fans erupted when substitute Erling Braut Haaland tapped in an equaliser - his 18th goal of the season.

Salah finally got Liverpool over the line when he latched on to Roberto Firmino’s header and scored with a fierce strike. Liverpool have

Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino embraces team-mate Mohamed Salah after he settled a seven-goal thriller at Anfield. (Andy Hooper/Dally Mall) not lost at Anfield in Europe since 2014, winning 16 and drawing seven of their games before Salzburg’s visit.

It looked like win number 17 was going to be a formality with the Reds at their clinical best in a devastating first-half display, scoring from three of their four shots on target.

While scoring is undoubtedly Liverpool’s strength, this game once again raised concerns about their defence.

They have kept only three clean sheets this season against Burnley and Sheffield United in the Premier League and against MK Dons in the

Carabao Cup - and against an attack as prolific as Salzburg’s they struggled to cope.

Van Dijk has undoubtedly been a rock for Liverpool but this game perhaps underlined the importance of Joel Matip to their defence as well - the Cameroon international missed the match through injury.

Following are the other results: KRC Genk 0 Napoli 0, Slavia Prague 0 B Dortmund 2, Barcelona 2 Inter Milan 1, RB Leipzig 0 Lyon 2, Zenit St Petersburg 3 Benfica 1, Lille 1 Chelsea 2, Valencia 0 Ajax 3.

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

Barrett brothers Beauden, Scott and Jordie all score as All Blacks rack up nine tries in RWC demolition MailOnline - New Zealand delivered a masterclass as they demolished World Cup opponents Canada 63-0 in their second Pool B game in Oita. The reigning world champions ran in eight tries and were awarded a penalty try against out-classed Canada, with the All Blacks’ Barrett brothers, Beauden, Jordie and Scott, all touching down.

The All Blacks, bidding for a record third-straight World Cup crown, ground out a 23-13 victory over South Africa in their opening match but produced all their dazzling line-breaking skills against the Canadians, who had lost their opening game 48-7 to Italy.

New Zealand coach Steve Hansen made 11 changes with Beauden, Jordie and Scott Barrett becoming the first trio of brothers to appear

Rieko Ioane scores New Zealand’s fifth try as they demolished Canada at the Rugby World Cup. for the country at a World Cup. The Barretts also became

only the second trio of brothers to start a World Cup

match for any nation, following Tongan siblings

Gael Fickou, Baptiste Serin and Jefferson Poirot score 2nd -half tries but below-par French stutter to victory France are desperate not to fall into the traps of the past by entering their England game ‘too cocky and confident’ after an unconvincing start at the Wo r l d C u p . L e s B l u e s stumbled past the USA in a shoddy showing – just about saving face with three second-half tries from Gael Fickou, Baptiste Serin and Jefferson Poirot.

But despite exciting early scores — assisted twice by clever kicks from fly-half Camille Lopez — f r o m Yo a n n H u g e t a n d Alivereti Raka they lacked precision, planning and execution.

Just about sealing a bonus-point win they sit one behind England in Pool C and play Tonga next on Sunday before ‘Le Crunch’ to finish the group. And France insist they will be ready to shock Eddie Jones’ men.

‘The next game is a really important one, so we don’t want to get too cocky and confident,’ man of the match Bernard Le Roux told Sportsmail. ‘It wasn’t our best performance – we lacked in a lot of areas, so we will keep on working.

We want to go all the way.

‘England is a big one for us.

We have three games in 10 days which is really tough.

‘We are well prepared, up for the challenge, want to win the Pool.

‘No team has ever won

Elisi, Manu and Fe’ao Vunipola in the 1995 clash with Scotland.

Centres Sonny Bill Williams and Jack Goodhue, wing Rieko Ioane and scrumhalf TJ Perenara were among the other changes. The All Blacks powered into a fifthminute lead when they were awarded a penalty try after skipper Kieran Reid had picked up from a five-metre scrum.

Right-wing Jordie Barrett went over after catching Richie Mo’unga’s pin-point cross-field kick and the reigning world champions led 21-0 after Williams burst through a tackle to score their third try from close range.

Scott Barrett let Canada off the hook when he dropped the ball while diving to touch down, but brother Beauden scored New Zealand’s fourth try after racing onto Williams’ neat kick ahead. The All

Blacks picked up where they left off in the second half, going over for their fifth try inside the first minute when Williams sent Ioane in at the corner and it was soon 42-0 after Scott Barrett charged over.

Flanker Shannon Frizzell was next to touch down as Hansen’s side shifted through the gears.

Replacement scrum-half Brad Weber twice raced over for his first New Zealand tries before flanker Ardie Savea became the first player at a World Cup to wear protective goggles when he replaced Matt Todd with 10 minutes left.

New Zealand, for whom Beauden Barrett also dropped the ball when po i s e d t o score in the dying moments, maintained their record of never having lost a pool game at a World Cup, which now stretches to 30 matches.

Djokovic, Pouille through to Japan Open quarter-finals Novak Djokovic

Gael Fickou dummied his way to the try line on 66 minutes to make it 16-9 to France. the World Cup and lost in the Pool stage, so hopefully we can get to four wins. If we do hopefully we can go all the w a y. We a r e r e a l l y confident. ‘England is always a tough one. We are looking forward to it but really need the points against Tonga first. France v England is always a massive thing. ‘ We h a d a l o t o f negatives against the US, so there is a lot of work to do.’

And captain Guilhem Guirado concurred with his fellow forward. ‘We are “Frenchies” - we need to stay focused,’ he said.

‘Before England have To n g a . We a r e v e r y confident for that and want to prove we are not “Frenchies” and then afterwards we have the final against England.

‘There were a lot of knockons and forward passes.

There were too many penalties too. The USA played well. We need to

improve our discipline. I hope we’ll get better.’

On ITV former All Black skipper Sean Fitzpatrick said France played like ‘spoilt brats’ for 66 minutes – when they only led 12-9 after AJ MacGinty had kicked three penalties for the Eagles.

France made 13 handling errors and conceded 10 penalties – but US coach Gary Gold said: ‘When France fire any team in the world can be in trouble.’

Reuters - World number one Novak Djokovic beat Japanese wildcard Go Soeda 6-3 7-5 to move into the quarter-finals of the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo yesterday. Djokovic, who returned to the tour after nursing a shoulder injury that led to his U.S. Open fourth round withdrawal, was on point with his serve, firing 10 aces and winning a remarkable 81% of his first service points.

Soeda is ranked 133rd in the world and did manage to break Djokovic once in the second set when the top seeded Serb served for the match at 5-3 before displaying his resilience once again by saving three match points in the following game.

But despite the home crowd’s support, he was no match for Djokovic who

broke the 35-year-old veteran for the fourth time in the one hour, 34 minute contest before serving out the match.

Djokovic next plays fifth seeded Frenchman Lucas Pouille who breezed past the other home favorite Yoshihito Nishioka 6-1 6-2, breaking the 24-year-old four times in a 49minute encounter.

Japan had a reason to cheer, however, after Yasutaka Uchiyama beat Moldova’s Radu Albot who is ranked 91 places above the Japanese in the ATP rankings.

The 27-year-old Uchiyama battled back from a set down to win 6-7(2) 6-3 64 in two hours and 25 minutes to move into the quarters where he will face American Reilly Opelka. Opelka held his nerve in two tiebreaks to beat Frenchman Gilles Simon 76(4) 7-6(2).

PAGE 30

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 03, 2019

Guyana Amazon Warriors looking to go all the way; Take on Tallawahs tonight at Providence

By Zaheer Mohamed Leaders Guyana Amazon Warriors will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak when they face bottom of the table Jamaica Tallawahs from 18:00hrs tonight at Providence as the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League continues.

The Warriors have eight wins from as many matches and their Coach Johan Botha is confident they can go all the way. Speaking at a press conference held yesterday at the Guyana Marriott, Botha noted that they have played really good cricket throughout the tournament.

“Everyone is fit and healthy and we are looking forward to playing at home again which is great. The guys did an excellent job on

the road and it’s great to be back at Providence.”

Botha added that the players are supporting each other to do better. “We know what we want to achieve at the end of the day, our aim is to go all the way and now we know which four teams will be there coming towards the end of the tournament, we still want to play good cricket and compete with Jamaica tomorrow (today). They have a good team and things may not have gone the way they wanted, but we still want to keep playing the way we are playing and our guys are looking forward to it.”

The playoffs will be held on Sunday at Providence and Botha added that they will need to play their best team.

“It will be hard to play all the

guys three games in a row, we saw how hard it was at the start of the tournament when we played three games in four days and the guys really had to dig in against Barbados early on, we need to give the right players a break at the right time.”

Jamaica Coach Donovan Miller stated that this tournament hasn’t been their greatest campaign.

“It’s been a tough road, we haven’t played some of the best cricket, and in terms of fitness, at one stage we had six fit players, it hasn’t been the greatest, but we are looking forward to tonight’s game so that we could give the fans back home something to cheer about.”

Miller admitted that they weren’t as consistent as they would have wanted. “At times we had games to win and we

let the opposition back in and in this tournament you can’t afford to do that. Once you let the opposition back in and start losing it can become a habit and I think that’s what has happen to us this season,” he added.

Miller said that despite being at the bottom of the table, there are still a lot of positives from their campaign.

“If you look young Ramaal Lewis who plays his cricket here in Guyana, Shamar Springer, young Derval Green coming through, those young players getting the opportunity to showcase their talent are among the positives from this tournament.

Tallawahs opener Glenn Phillips said loosing so many matches is this year is a big

disappointment.

“We would have loved to be on top, but that’s one of the things that happen in sport, sometimes it’s not going to be your tournament.

A few things that went on in the tournament didn’t go our way; those things have a big impact especially in T20 tournament where the margin for error is so small.”

Phillips noted that a win against the Warriors, arguably the best team this year, will do a great deal for the players. “Everyone is a bit down because we had huge expectations at the start of the tournament so a win here will do a lot for us.”

Guyanese batting star Shimron Hetmyer, arguably one of the finest talents around said he wants to play for his team rather than for

himself. “I just try to play according to the situation, playing for my team rather than for myself, now I am trying to open up, be more flexible and help the team. It’s always great playing in front the Guyana crowd, knowing that we already qualified for the play offs is going to be even better for us, we just give our best efforts and entertain the fans.”

Hetmyer acknowledged that there is always room for improvement. “I gave away my wicket a few times, so its kind a two way streak as we come down to the latter part of the tournament, I will try to put my hands up and make sure that we take the title this year,” he said.

The Warriors will take on Trinbago Knight Riders tomorrow night from 20:00hrs.

Tridents jump to second after extending TKR’s winless run to five Barbados Tridents kept their hopes of a top-two 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finish alive with a sevenwicket victory over their rivals and defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders.

Having restricted TKR to just 134/8, the Tridents got home on the back of Johnson Charles’ 47-ball 55 to leapfrog their opponents and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the Hero CPL table.

The Knight Riders, without a win in their last five after starting the season with four straight victories, now need to beat the runaway leaders Guyana Amazon Warriors in the final match of the league phase at Providence Stadium tomorrow night to edge back above the Tridents and reclaim second place.

While both teams are safely through to the playoffs, second place is still a big prize.

It brings a place in Qualifier 1 against the Warriors and two shots at a place in next weekend’s final. The team that misses out faces going straight to the Eliminator against the Patriots and no second chances.

Alex Hales showed some glimpses of his best form in a 54-run opening partnership with Charles, hitting six crisp fours and making 33 to get the Tridents well ahead of the required rate early.

While the run-rate slowed after the Tridents had raced to 31/0 after the

first three overs and though the chase going right into the final over might not have been exactly the plan, JP Duminy and Ashley Nurse held their nerve to collect the seven runs they needed f r o m K i e r o n P o l l a r d ’s closing over without much alarm.

With wickets in hand, the Tridents always seemed to be in control of a relatively small chase.

Although Hales chipped Mark Deyal to cover and Shakib Al Hasan was caught behind, the required rate was always in hand. By the time Chris Jordan yorked Charles for 55, the target was just 25 from 25 balls.

Nurse and Duminy used 23 of those balls but got the job done.

The Tridents’ star bowlers Shakib Al Hasan, Harry Gurney and Hayden Walsh Jnr. were all once again impressive as the Knight Riders were restricted on a sluggish pitch. Shakib bowled the opening over and ensured the Knight Riders’ experiment of sending in Jimmy Neesham as a pinchhitting opener would not pay off.

He made just a single before skying a slog-sweep to be caught and bowled.

Walsh Jnr. struck twice in quick succession to bag the key wickets of Colin Munro and Darren Bravo before Shakib returned to clean up Lendl Simmons, the mainstay of the TKR innings and the one TKR batsman to really come to grips with the pitch. He

Embassy staff enjoying cricket, lovely cricket at the QP Oval last night between the Trinidad Knight Riders and Barbados Tridents @CPL made 60 from 45 with three fours and four sixes with none of his team-mates able to pass 23.

Then it was over to G u r n e y, w h o s e s u b t l e changes of pace and control of line made him

close to unhittable. He didn’t concede a single boundary in his four overs despite bowling both in the powerplay and then at the death. The Knight Riders scrambled just 14 runs from his four overs

and lost Kieron Pollard to a slower ball and Denesh Ramdin lbw in the process.

Wa l s h J n r. a d d e d a direct hit run out to his n i g h t ’s w o r k a s J a v o n Searles fell for a duck, while Raymon Reifer got in the

wickets column thanks to one of the stranger catches of the season as Duminy misjudged a Deyal hoik as it swirled high in the air and fumbled the catch only for Jonathan Carter to grab the rebound.

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

GCC and Saints triumph in Bounty Paper Towel Hockey Leagues The Bounty Paper/ Quicker Picker Upper Second Division Outdoor Development Hockey male and female leagues will conclude this Saturday with the final round of matches at the St. Stanislaus College (SSC) Ground, Carifesta Avenue.

These games will be nothing more than a formality since the championship has already been decided following last weekend’s play at the same venue. GCC The Sequel have 28 points from 11 games with one match to play while Saints Hockey Club (SHC) Savages are second with 20 points from 10 games.

A win gives three points which mathematically means that the veteran GCC The Sequel team have already won the Quicker Picker Upper men’s second division league. GCC’s Phillip Fernandes currently leads the goal scorers’ table with 15 consisting of 13 field goals (FG) and two penalty corners (PC) while SHC Savages Hilton Chester has 13 goals.

On the distaff side, Saints’ draw with GCC Bingo Spartans last weekend saw them clinching the title. Only round of matches remain and Saints are perched on the top of the points table with 13 points while GBTI GCC are second with nine and a massive goal difference of 21.

Princessa Wilkie is the

leading goal scorer with 10 FG while her teammate Macalea Harding is second on that ranking with 5 FG. The presentation of trophy and medals will be done on Saturday afternoon following the on field play.

The hockey players will get one week’s rest before the commencement of the GTT National Indoor Championships which is scheduled to hit off on Monday October 14 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Homestretch Avenue.

The National Championship will last just over two weeks with the respective finals of the first division men and women, second division men and women and the over-35 categories set for Sunday October 20th.

Following the National Championships, the Junior National Indoors will get underway at the National Gymnasium from Wednesday November 6 to Sunday, November 10th (Youman Nabi) with play in the Under10, 13, 16 and 21 categories.

The highly anticipated Diamond Mineral Water International Indoor Hockey Festival which has already seen interest shown by Canadian and Trinidadian clubs is slated for November 27 to December 1 at the CASH.

Old Fort’s Ivor Thompson (center) tries to get the ball off Saints’ Robert Fernandes (on the ball) during second division play last weekend at Saints ground.

IOC plans boxing qualifiers with the help of suspended AIBA Lausanne, Switzerland (Reuters) - The International Olympic Committee has been cooperating with boxing’s suspended international federation AIBA as the Olympic body plans the

sport’s qualifiers and tournament at next year’s Tokyo 2020 Games.

The IOC in June officially took over the boxing qualification and competition for the Tokyo Games,

Bacchus Bulls claim Central E’bo T20 title Bacchus Bulls defeated Reliance Hustlers by 70 runs to win the final of the Central Essequibo T20 cricket competition which was contested on Sunday last at Imam Bacchus ground.

Batting first, Bacchus Bulls

managed 175-4.

Skipper Yogeshwar Lall made 59 with two fours and three sixes while Navendra Persaud scored 33, Latchman Rohit 28 and Neiland Cadogan 27.

Anthony Ifill had 2-30.

Reliance Hustlers were bowled out for 105 in 18.5 overs in reply.

Beesham Narine made 19 and Travis Simon 17; Parmesh Parsotam captured 4-18 and Cadogan 2-15. Lall was named man-of-the-match

while Parsotam received the best bowler accolade and Mark Austin was voted the most valuable player.

Bacchus Bulls received a trophy and $50,000 and Reliance Hustlers a trophy and $20,000.

The victorious Bacchus Bulls team

suspending the international boxing federation AIBA over issues surrounding its finances and governance.

“Lots is still going on. We have just enough time for this project. There is a lot that needs to be done but a lot has been done already,” IOC sports director Kit McConnell told reporters on Wednesday.

The IOC is racing to organize a series of continental qualifiers early next year while also preparing the tournament in Tokyo and going through a process to select judges and referees following background checks.

“AIBA has been very supportive when needed on information we sought such as refereeing, judging, technical and rules.

We have to recognize AIBA staffing has been reduced significantly but when we have gone to them they have been supportive,” he said.

“In that regard they have engaged with us and have provided information but let’s be clear about this: the qualification events are done through the IOC and by the IOC.” AIBA largely depends on Olympic revenues to survive between Games and has started letting staff go as a result of its Olympic exclusion.

The boxing body has been in turmoil over its finances and governance for years with the federation $16 million in debt. It has also been split internally by an ongoing bitter battle over the presidency.

Serbian IOC member Nenad Lalovic, who heads an IOC task force to monitor AIBA, had said in June the association’s debt could rise as high as $29 million. The IOC is not planning to review its suspension of AIBA in the coming months, McConnell said. Any review would take place after Tokyo.

PAGE 32

Thursday October 03, 2019

Kaieteur News

Will Guyana’s Golfers also conquer Suriname?

Golf rivalry between border countries Guyana and Suriname will be at a peak this weekend as top golfers from this nation descend on Suriname soil to participate in that country’s annual Republic Bank International Invitational Golf tournament from tomorrow to Sunday with just one warrior thought “... bring home the trophies to G u y a n a ! ” Ta k i n g t h e inspiration from Guyana’s recent cricketing victories!

The stage was set as Captain Chen Deo on Tuesday night last when he submitted the final handicaps and names of players who are all excited about representing Guyana. Defending Suriname Open Ladies champion and former Guyana Open champion (2016) Dr. Joaan Deo intends to repeat her win, while former Guyana Open Ladies champion (2015) and historic winner of the Suriname Ladies ‘A’ Flight of 2016 - Shanella London, and first time contestant in the Suriname Open – rookie Eureka Giddings, also have

their minds bent on winning in their Flights.

The men’s category will feature 9-time Guyana Open champion Avinash Persaud, one-time Guyana O p e n c h a m p i o n Av i n d a Kishore, along with Rakesh Harry, Lakram Ramsundar (Panko), George Bulkan, Robert Bulkan, PopeEmanuel London, head of Ansa McAl Troy Cadogan and LGC President Aleem Hussain.

Guyana performed creditably in 2018 when a team of 22 players represented the country and captured more than half of the prizes. Several of the regular representatives of Guyana such as Patrick Prashad, Brian Hackett, Bridgelall Harry and Kalyan Tiwari are unavailable for the Suriname tournament this year, but are keeping in form for the massive Guyana Open tournament set for October 26-27.

“The main challenge of the Suriname Open will be the fact that the tournament is being played under the Stableford scoring system, which generally allows

Flashback! Some of Guyana’s representatives at the Suriname Invitational last October, From left: Pope-Emanuel London, Peton George, Troy Cadogan, Joaan Deo, Brian Hackett, Videsh Persaud, Shanella London, Parmanand Persaud, Patrick Prashad and Lakram Ramsundar. golfers with higher handicaps to score well” said LGC President Hussain, who also believes the Guyanese golfers will again adapt and perform very well.

Meanwhile, 2nd place winner in the Men’s C Flight last year, Troy Cadogan said,

“I plan to do even better this year, so I scheduled an early arrival to get accustomed to the course.”

Newcomer to the Suriname tour, Rakesh Harry, taking the challenge seriously confessed that he hopes to contribute to Guyana’s great

performance. All the golfers have been practicing for this tournament over several weeks.

The Suriname tournament is the tee-off for major golf tournaments for 2019 in the Caricom Region as annual Invitational Tournaments in

Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados will follow in rapid order.

President Hussain expects that Guyana’s golfers will not only perform well in Suriname, but will also claim to titles in the other territories.

UCCA/Bharat & Family U-17 Inter School Tourney

Skeldon High dethrone Skeldon Linepath Sec. to be crowned champions

Chaitnarine Sarwan of Skeldon High receives his man-of-the-match trophy.

The winning Skeldon High School team pose with their silverware along with teachers, sponsors and organisers.

Skeldon High School (SHS) defeated last year’s champion Skeldon Line Path Secondary (SLPS) on first innings to be crowned the 2019 champions of the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association (UCCA) and Bharat and Family Under-17 Inter Secondary Cricket Tournament.

In the final which was played at the Crabwood Creek Ground, SHS batted first

and made 154 with Raul Jabar 33and Chaitnarine Sarwan 21.

Bowling for SLPS, Trevon Sookhoo bagged 7 wickets.

In their turn at the crease SLPS were dismissed for 67, Voctorie Latchman top scored with 25.

Sarwan snared 7 wickets for SHS. With a lead of 87, SHS reached 42-8 declared second time around with Sarwan hitting 25. T. Leitch picked up four (4) wickets

with T. Sookhoo taking 3 for a match haul of 10.

Needing 130 for a come from behind victory, SLPS were tottering at 46-6 when the game ended with V. Latchman on 25. All-rounder Sarwan returned to take four (4) more wickets for a match haul of 11 while P. Neradj grabbed 2.

The winning SHS team was presented with a cash incentive and the winning trophy from members of the

Bharat family.

The runners-up, SLPS also received a trophy and cash. Chaitnarine Sarwan of the SHS was named man-ofthe-match for his 11 wickets and 46 runs.

Five schools participated in the competition, the others being Tagore Memorial Secondary School (TMSS), Central Corentyne Secondary School (CCSS) and Black Bush Polder Secondary

(BBPS).

A number of other players were recognised for their outstanding performances during the competition.

Leg Spinner Talim Khan of TMSS took 32 wickets; Trevon Sukhoo of SLPS was the best all-rounder on show taking 34 wickets with his right arm medium pace while scoring 106 runs.

Victorie Latchman scored 108, which was the first and

only century in the history of the competition. The competition had the blessings of the Ministry of Education, The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and the UCCA. The Competitions Committee of the UCCA ran off the competition led by its Chairman, former National wicketkeeper/batsman Sydney Jackman. (Samuel Whyte)

Kaieteur News

Thursday October 03, 2019

PAGE 33

KMPA/3rd Annual Junior Olympic Games shoots off today at LCCG Some of the participants of the 2018 Junior Olympic Games waiting to receive their trophies and medals at the Lusignan Community Center Ground.

Over 300 athletes are expected to take to the Lusignan Community Center Ground (LCCG) t o d a y f o r t h e commencement of the Third Annual King-Medas Pansy Adonis (KMPA) Junior Olympic Games which is set to get underway from 09:45hrs with strictly field events.

In addition to discuss,

shotput, javelin and turbo javelin, the long jump and triple jump events will be contested this year for the first time in the history of the f o u r- d a y c o m p e t i t i o n .

According to founder of the KMPA and organiser of the event; Andy Medas-King, the long jump pits were dug since last year but heavy rainfall prevented the event from being contested.

All the field events are scheduled to begin and conclude today with athletes from Under-8 to the Masters’ categories expected to be part of the action. In addition, scores of participants from Berbice and Linden will travel to the East Coast of Demerara to compete.

Following the conclusion of the field

events, the day will end with the heats of the 4x100m, 4x400m and 4x800m.

Tomorrow, the finals of the 1500m, 800m and 100m will speed off along with heats in the 800m and 100m hurdles, 400m and 200m.

O n S a t u r d a y, t h e remaining sprint finals along with the hurdles will get underway. Sunday will mark the eight edition of the

Banks onboard Medas Junior Olympics

L

ocal beverage giant, Banks DIH Limited is once again the main sponsor of the 8th Annual King Medas/Pansy Adonis Foundation Junior Olympic Games which will take place from today to Sunday at the Lusignan Community Centre ground on the East Coast of Demerara.

The Company presented its sponsorship cheque during a simple ceremony

yesterday at Thirst Park during which Shenisa Fredericks, Brand Manager of Triskits Crackers and Cookies made the presentation to Andy Medas, Founder/Promoter of the event.

Banks DIH Limited Communications Manager Troy Peters said that the Company was extremely delighted to be sponsoring the athletics showcase under the following brands –

Tr i s k i t s C r a c k e r s a n d Cookies, Rain Forest Waters and Malta Supreme nonalcoholic beverage.

“This is a very wonderful programme organised by the King Medas Foundation and we are delighted to be on board once again in a big way as we remain committed to the development of athletics in Guyana,” he added.

Also present at the handing over were Colin

K i n g , Wa t e r s B r a n d Manager, Shaquille Adonis and Ras Kent of the King Medas/Pansy Adonis Foundation.

Medas expressed gratitude to Banks for its continued support of the Games.

The four-day Games will feature track and field events, relays and a road race on Sunday for athletes three years old to masters. Starting time each day is 09:45hrs.

Shenisa Fredericks, Brand Manager of Triskits Crackers and Cookies makes the presentation to Andy Medas in the presence of other officials.

KMPA 5K road race classic which is scheduled to begin at Bachelor’s Adventure and finish at the LCC. In the senior male and female, male and female under-21 and the Teachers’ Male and Female along with the Government officials’ male and female categories, there will be cash prizes awarded from 1st to 10th place finsihers. The biggest

race, the senior male 5k will carry a winning purse of $50,000, 2nd $40,000, 3rd $30,000 while the senior females will see the winner running away with $40,000, 2nd $30,000, 3rd $15,000.

In addition to cash prizes, the 1st to 10th place finishers will receive a trophy while some lucky student-athletes will receive sponsorships from the KMPA Memorial.

GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power U-17 League – Berbice FA Weekend Fixtures at the Esplanade Park October 5th Mt. Team Team Time 11 Cougars FC Monedderlust FC 13:00hrs 12 Arsenal FC NA United 13:00hrs Teams are asked to be on time to facilitate a prompt start.

Guyana Amazon Warriors rt o p S looking to go all the way; Take on Tallawahs tonight at Providence

From left Warriors Coach Johan Botha, Shimron Hetmyer, Tallawahs Coach Donovan Miller and Glenn Phillips.

The victorious Barbados Tridents celebrate the fall of a Trinbago Knight Riders wicket @CPL.

Tridents jump to second after extending TKR’s winless run to five KMPA/3rd Annual Junior Olympic Games shoots off today at LCCG

Will Guyana’s Golfers also conquer Suriname?

Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.