Kaieteur News

Monday October 08, 2018

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Kaieteur News

“These Are Troubling Times What’s the fate of the UF? For Elections In Guyana” DEAR EDITOR, I observe with mixed emotions, the sentiments expressed by retired Justice James Patterson, the Chairman of The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as reported in the Press, recently. Justice Patterson has boldly mounted the horse of morality and integrity and has accused politicians of using the race card. He accused the Judiciary of becoming “a tool of disruption” and expresses the hope that a member of the legal profession might mount a challenge against “the misuse of the legal system.” He also posits “that the Commission has been experiencing at every turn designs and machinations to stymie the elections coming fore… It is self-evident that the objective is to stall the forthcoming elections.” These are both profound and courageous contentions for anyone to advance, more so, Justice Patterson. The truth of the matter is that a major part of the problems at GECOM is Mr. Justice Patterson himself, having regard to the manner of and circumstances under which he was unilaterally imposed as the Chairman of GECOM by the President. Both him and the process by which he was appointed were widely and condignly condemned by almost every major organisation/public commentator in this country other than the President, the Government and the political outfit which he heads. In short, a majority of the electorate have already demonstrated their public mistrust of Justice Patterson. One cannot forget the inaccurate assertion on his CV that he was appointed the Chief Justice of Grenada. One cannot forget that after reviewing the resume of 18 outstanding Guyanese, for a period spanning nearly a year, the President rejected them all as “unfit and improper” and proceeded to appoint Justice Patterson during the darkest night in 2017. Minutes after his swearing-in, Mr. Justice Patterson, himself, confirmed to the Press that only a few hours prior, he was invited to submit his résumé. So just after a few hours of reviewing

his résumé, the President found him to be fit and proper but rejected 18 qualified Guyanese after reviewing their résumés for several months. Fortunately, the appointment is the subject of an ongoing legal challenge now at the Court of Appeal. Since his controversial appointment, Justice Patterson has done nothing to boost public confidence in him. It cannot be a mere coincidence that on every occasion that his casting vote was required at GECOM, he cast it in favour of the Government Commissioners. It cannot be mere coincidence that he refused to meet with UNDP whose only interest was to contribute expert human resources to improve the IT Department at GECOM and to assist in a number of other ways to strengthen the integrity of the electoral machinery. Any conscientious chairman would have happily embraced such assistance. It is against that backdrop that Mr. Justice Patterson’s comments must be examined. I am not surprised that he has invoked the oldest trick in the book of accusing those who called for greater ethnic diversity at GECOM, of racism. It is a welltrodden track in this country with which we are all familiar. Neither am I surprised that his position coincides, identically, with the PNC’s public posture on this issue. I can appreciate his abhorrence to resorts to the Courts. After all, his own appointment constitutes one. However, in a democratic society one’s right to approach the Court to seek redress against the infringement of the Constitution and the laws of the land, whether real or perceived, is a fundamental one. Anyone who regards the justice system and access to the justice system by the citizenry as a “tool of disruption”, is innately and inherently autocratic and authoritarian. Such a person has no place close to an organisation like GECOM, more so to head it. What other matters relative to GECOM have been referred to the Courts? I set them out hereunder. 1. An Elections Petition challenging the validity of the

Raymond Persaud was omitted DEAR EDITOR, The Column ‘My Turn ‘ of Sunday, October 7 2018 in ‘Guyana Chronicle’ which dealt with the Cubana Air Disaster, omitted Raymond Persaud, a young student on his way to study in Cuba, among the eleven Guyanese who also perished in the disaster. Gone but never forgotten. Shamshun Mohamed

2015 General and Regional Elections. To do so, is the undoubted right of any registered elector of this land. Other than the 2011 Elections, every elections since independence in this country has attracted an Elections Petition. 2. A challenge has been field against the creation of new Local Authority Areas and the alteration of external and internal boundaries within existing Local Authority Areas on the grounds that the relevant statutory procedures have not been followed and the stakeholders, including the political parties and the electors, have not been consulted. Is it the Chairman’s view that the actions of the Minister and the Chief Elections Officer beyond the review of the Courts; that they are infallible? Are the political parties and the electors not entitled to be consulted in the process? 3. The latest challenge seeks to remove from the lists of certain political parties, the names of those whom have contended that their signatures were fraudulently procured or forged and placed on those lists. Are these not serious allegations? Yet the Chief Elections Officer refused to remove these names from the lists or even to investigate the allegations. Is the Chairman comfortable with such state of affairs? Should he not be most anxious to have these matters conclusively determined in a Court of law, in the interest of preserving and promoting the integrity of the organisation which he heads? The Press also reports Justice Patterson as saying “These are troubling times for elections in Guyana.” Having regard to what I have said above, to that statement, I offer my absolute concurrence. Anil Nandlall

DEAR EDITOR, I see Mr. Peter Persaud is somewhat busy with his letters tainting only certain people with some serious unverified accusations. I see he is not using his other name Trevor Atkinson. Makes me wonder! Questions for Mr. Persaud. What is the status of The United Force party of which he is the immediate past Presidential Candidate? Where can diehard UF supporters go to renew their membership since the building known as the UF headquarters has been torn down? Mr. Persaud should recall that many

Amerindians supported the UF. One of them was the late Stephen Campbell. When questioned about the building, the response was that there was a court issue over ownership of the building and the court ruled in favour of the other party. Sorry, but Peter D’Aguiar was too astute a businessman to leave loose ends. Who is the ‘other party’? How many members comprise The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana of which Peter Persaud is President? Being a Paid Pen, Peter, seems to be a very lucrative business. Peter, your pen nib is showing. A supporter of the UF

City Hall’s Internal Auditor has been sadly lacking DEAR EDITOR, Whenever one is faced with an explanation of what’s going on at the Georgetown Municipality, the choice is always between incompetence, corruption and conspiracy. The latest news is that the Mayor and City Council has not had financial audits into its affairs for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. This is, according to its Internal Auditor in complete violation of Chapter 28:01 of the Laws of Guyana which states, “The City Council and the Town Council shall, not later than the thirty-first day of March in every year submit to the Minister a report in writing containing an account of all monies received, expended and applied during the preceding financial year.” Of course this is not the most shocking, unusual or monumental of revelations coming out of City Hall as everyone in Georgetown except maybe for the thirty city’s fathers and mothers sitting around the horseshoe table, is well aware of this, but the question to be asked is what work and tasks the Internal Auditor and the not insignificant number of staff assigned to her, did for the last three years since according to her, the requisite documents are never submitted to her for auditing. Has the Auditor and the

staff of her division just been twiddling their thumbs for the last three years whilst being well compensated? And the next question is what did she then do about it? Did she formally bring to the attention of the Town Clerk, the Mayor, the Minister of Communities and the Auditor General of Guyana the existence of this indefensible and appalling state of affairs? Or is she only raising the alarm now that there is a Commission of Inquiry? But most worrying in all of this, is that during the period referred to, 20162018, central government pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into the system, property rates and other municipal charges have risen sharply, new taxes such as the container tax have been levied upon the citizenry bringing in hundreds of millions additionally, and yet still the Council over the last three years has been and is always broke and bankrupt. Citizens would like to know whether the Internal

Auditor has been afforded the opportunity to audit the income and expenditure of the recently held 175th anniversary celebrations of the city? I seriously doubt it. This present City Council will never willingly allow an audit there, as all hell will break loose when one is forcibly done. It would be interesting to know how the internal Auditor was recruited and whether she is competent and qualified to carry out those responsibilities effectively. Such a determination should also be of the competencies of the other staff of the internal audit section. The most egregious of all these goings-on is the fact that some the thirty Councillors who sat idly by in key positions and allowed such a travesty to occur, are now seeking to be re-elected to another three-year term with the usual pie in the sky promises. These persons are in effect just seeking to insult the intelligence of the citizenry. Regards Jermain Johnson

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Kaieteur News

Monday October 08, 2018

Social cohesion is Opposition leader and PPP are the blockade to a Dictatorship government lacking in Mabaruma DEAR EDITOR, After almost three years of Local Government Elections in Guyana, Guyanese believe that many local issues would have been resolved. Unfortunately that was not the case. The question is what differences have local government elections and governance made to your lives and communities? I am absolutely sure that nothing much has changed in your communities or lives, but it is absolutely necessary to ensure that you continue to vote in ordered for you to be protected against any increases in rates and taxes or any additional burdens

by this coalition government. The government policies of modernizing the country local system of democracy is nothing but increased hardship and burdens. Since the local government elections in 2016 the coalition government refused to increase and delayed subventions to assist LAA areas, but insisted that rates and taxes increases are the solutions to various issues within these areas. This contributed significantly to the decline of the local authority areas. Some area are even worse than before 2016. Clogged drains, deplorable streets,

garbage disposal crisis etc.; and this continues to plague all the NDC and Municipalities across the country. Even the municipalities and NDC that are governed by the APNU/AFC coalition government, where they imposed 100% increases in rates and taxes nothing has changed . The reasons why the APNU/AFC coalition government is trying to impose local democracy pressure on the Guyanese people is because of the numerous failure of the government to delivered. As such they are using the local authorities’ management as a scapegoat to hide their

incompetence and mismanagement. If the APNU/AFC was serious about the success of the LAA areas then more resources must be pumped into the LAA areas to satisfy the needs of the grassroots people. Remember that Local Government Elections are just the renewal of Local Democracy. Guyanese should recognize that the only hindrance for the APNU/ AFC to become a Total Dictatorship government is the Opposition leader, Cde Bharrat Jagdeo and the People Progressive Party. Regards Zamal Hussain

SEEKING AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the Stabroek News article, “Cops Probing Complaint against Gov’t Cultural Advisor…” published on October 05, 2018. It was with great shock that I recently learnt that the said advisor has a personal interest in the case brought before the High Court against The Bishops’ High School teacher. Now that the police have turned up at his place of work in response to a complaint lodged by the teacher and his fiancée for

allegedly breaching a section of the new Cyber Crime Act, my initial suspicions are confirmed. It seems to me Johnson is determined on achieving his end no matter the consequences, even if it means causing this government great embarrassment. That he would suggest the teacher is taking advantage of the law purely because it’s new, is ludicrous. It matters not whether the law is two minutes or five

years old, if a breach has occurred, the wronged party has the right to legal redress, as is provided by the law. What Johnson seems to be saying is that the law is only valid when it serves his purpose. Further, that he would contend that Jackson and his fiancée’s complaints are a reflection of the relative strength of Jackson’s High Court matter, is equally puerile. Clearly, the two cases are distinct and separate and should be judged on their

Let us celebrate the AFC DEAR EDITOR, This year Guyana will be hosting Local Government Elections 2018. After a period of almost two decades, local Government Elections has returned to Guyana in 2016 when the Coalition Government ascended to Office in 2015 after defeating the PPP who ruled for 23 years. When the AFC ran in 2015 for Local Government Elections, they ran together with the Coalition Parties thus fulfilling the return of Local Government Elections after an absence of at least two decades. This time around the Alliance for Change is running alone. But a number of youths are running

for the various constituencies across the country. At the recent launch of the Party’s Local Government Elections candidacy, the atmosphere was electrified with energy as the candidates were encouraged to display the same energy on the campaign trail. As the atmosphere was charged, the AFC is poised to win a landslide victory at this year’s polls. As Candidates were encouraged by the Party Leaders to be energized, the party is showcasing the young candidates. The AFC must lead the revolution in transforming Guyana from the bottom up. Best Regards, Dillon Goring

own merit. If this is the kind of faulty thinking that Johnson provides to his employers in his role as advisor, then the tax-payers of this country are being taken for a ride. Following Johnson’s logic, one can take the other side and argue that the alleged public slander of the named individuals is indicative of the relative strength of the case in which Johnson has a vested interest. How else can he explain the urge to offer public pronouncements on the matter which is before the court, and in which he is a witness? Mr. Editor, because of loose cannons like Ruel Johnson there needs to be some kind of social media policy for public officials. Can you imagine how awkward it must have been for the Permanent Secretary to attempt an explanation to the police for Johnson’s refusal to go down to the station? This government must do better. Yours respectfully, Kevin Samaroo

DEAR EDITOR, Minister of Social Cohesion Dr. George Norton has a Social Cohesion officer working in the Mabaruma sub-region (Barima-Waini). But this officer currently does not engage in the promotion of social cohesion in the Mabaruma sub-region since she is a treasurer of the school feeding programme (SFP) of the Mabaruma primary school. She was recently voted out and is not accepting the results of the elections and is refusing to step down. Can Minister Norton say when last a work evaluation of his cohesion officer in Mabaruma was being conducted? I do not think this cohesion officer is serving any purpose at Mabaruma and an investigation urgently needs to be conducted by the Ministry of Social Cohesion so as to give justice to taxpayers’ money. But as I was writing this short letter more information come in from Mabaruma which states that the Mabaruma Primary School is in a state of disgrace where the school currently lacks furniture and as a result the school children have nowhere to sit, only in the hot meals kitchen. Further the school’s

environment is disgraceful where grass and bushes may soon be found growing in the Mabaruma primary school. It seems that the Ministry of Education (MOE) does not have school inspectors. But if they do then the inspectors at Mabaruma are not doing the work they are being paid to do. Further, the Ministry of Education (MOE) it seems, does not care about the management of the school feeding programmes (SFPs). I am receiving lots of complaints about the rundown state of these programme where corruption and accountability seem to be the order of the day in the Mabaruma and Moruca subregions. The nutritional diet of their SFPs is not even been inspected by the Ministry of Education. I am of the opinion that the MOE doesn’t even know what is the main objective of these SFPs, hence its don’t care attitude towards these programmes. The run-down state of these SFPs will have a negative effect on school children’s performance in schools. This is what the Ministry of Education needs to know, but unfortunately it does not know. Yours Sincerely, Peter Persaud

A poem to the victims of CU455 SET THEM FREE. As they had begun to bloom, crumbled between jealous palm’s They all waved and said goodbye as the aircraft ascended into the skies Friends and relatives, they were all there, hoping that they would achieve what they were going for and come back soon to stay But they fell as petals, into an unknown, watery home, like thunderbolts descending from the skies And all that echoes were there cries Set them free, please set them free, for what have they done thee? God created them capable of exercising freedom and had wanted them to exercise it to the fullest So by the primrose stars on the shadowy grass Let Guyanese be free to achieve and pass. Devised By: JC Grant-Stuart. Snr. (October 1976). Dedicated in Memory to the eleven Guyanese that perished In the Cubana Air Disaster. October 06, 1976.

Monday October 08, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Robust EPA necessary to ensure oil does not become a curse for Guyana By Kiana Wilburg “Yes, you have to get the contracts right, you have to get the bidding rounds right, but you must get safety and environmental protection right. A robust Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is critical to ensuring oil does not become a curse for Guyana.” Those words were recently expressed by Carlos de Regules, the founding Director of Mexico’s Agency for Security, Energy and the Environment (ASEA). During a recent interview with Kaieteur News at the Mexican Embassy, Regules stressed the importance of Guyana strengthening the capacity at the EPA. He said, “Guyana has a very special and professional team at the Environmental Protection Agency and with new leadership too which is very timely. Its new head, Dr. Vincent Adams, has astounding experience in the oil and gas industry and those are a few perfect elements for success. I believe that Guyana is already paying some attention to the EPA but greater focus will take Guyana to where it needs to be.” The Mexican advisor added, “The Government should not lose visibility of the EPA because it is a key element of oil and gas success. Yes, you have to get the contracts right, you have to get the bidding rounds right, but you must get safety and environmental protection right…And I think they (EPA) are ready for being transformed into a new and innovative institution that incorporates a new mandate for safety.” Regules asserted that it is

- Mexico’s Energy Advisor

Executive Director of Agency for Security, Energy and the Environment (ASEA) of Mexico, Carlos De Regules also imperative for the EPA to be able to collaborate with the newly created Department of Energy and that they are able to work together to produce an integral regulatory framework where environment and safety concerns are part of the strategic decisions being made for the oil and gas industry. Further to this, the founding Director said that Guyana’s regulator for the environment will need to have a firm understanding of the oil and gas business as well as the willingness to be robust with operators. He noted that this will come with training and Mexico is ready to help in this regard. TRAINING TO COMMENCE As it relates to training for Guyana, Regules recently revealed that Mexico will soon be welcoming officials from Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy for internships.

He said, “An EPA official will be going to a four to five week training programme with ASEA and three officers from the Department of Energy will be going to the Petroleum Institute of Mexico. I think a take away from that internship would be to identify a critical pathway to regulation in Guyana.” The ASEA Executive Director said that Mexico, which has been in the industry for over a century, will help Guyana identify the top five regulations it needs to have in place and “then work that backwards and see what needs to be done immediately, in the next few weeks and in the months to come…” He added, “This will help Guyana arrive at the appropriate regulatory framework. We will also ensure that the Guyanese representatives get a chance to go into the field and they are able to smell the oil and listen to the pipes and really have a feel of the oil and gas industry.” Regules said that he is also proud of the experiences Mexico was able to share with

Guyana during the recently concluded training workshop on best practices in the oil industry. BEING ROBUST AND INDEPENDENT A robust and proactive regulatory body is a central part of the institutional framework needed for a petroleum sector. But if this authority is to do its job effectively, it must be independent. It must be free from any instance of political interference. This point was also made pellucid by ASEA’s Executive Director. In an interview with Kaieteur News, Regules said, “You have a very interesting situation in Guyana. You are at the beginning of a new moment in history. The country is going to move from being dependent on certain economic activities and it is going to become a regional hub; a very important place for oil and gas in the region. And Guyana has an opportunity to make it right from the start because you have a clean sheet of paper for this sector.” The Executive Director of ASEA continued, “So before

Man found dead near Lethem night club The body of a man was found on the outskirts of Lethem, yesterday, in the early hours of the morning. Reports indicate that the body, with what appeared to be marks of violence, was found at Tabatinga Housing Scheme in Upper Takutu – Upper Essequibo, Region Nine. It was Tabatinga residents that discovered the man’s body and alerted Lethem Police, who arrived and took the body to the Lethem mortuary. Sources related to Kaieteur News that there was a party at Marlon’s Night Club, the night before the body was found, alluding to the possibility of the unidentified man may have been slain during a drunken disagreement. Tabatinga Housing Scheme is located just off Lethem towards the Takutu Bridge that links Guyana to Brazil.

achieving full scale development of the oil and gas resources, Guyana has the opportunity to create an institutional framework that make the sector stakeholders operate in a responsible manner…” The Mexican official added, “But I can’t stress enough that one of the ingredients of this institutional framework will be astute and honourable regulators. One of the characteristics of a good regulator is independence. You want regulators who are defining the rules for the long run, to be independent from the political cycle. They should also be financially independent so they can plan for the long term and have the resources to do so.” The Oil and Gas Expert said that the sooner Guyana can have strengthened systems for environmental regulation in place, then it would be better off in terms of managing the sector. Regules said, “The sooner you are able to provide the rules of the game then the sooner oil and gas investors will be able to make investment decisions that are based on a

sound regulatory framework.” In addition to this, the Executive Director of ASEA said that the Government would be able to provide the people of Guyana with the certainty that there are regulators and institutions in place that will take care of their interest. Regules concluded, “It is a good moment for Guyana but don’t wait too long to regulate it.” Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency has faced criticisms from various sections of society, all of which highlight the fact that it is unprepared to deal with the challenges of an oil sector. EPA’s laws are not only outdated in several respects but fail to address the needs of a demanding oil industry. The Authority also lacks capacity to properly review Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for oil companies. In fact, it had to leave the evaluation of ExxonMobil’s EIA for the Liza Phase Two Project in the hands of another foreign company. The contract for that project was awarded several weeks ago.

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Monday October 08, 2018

Govt. faces triple challenge Guyanese lost US$440M in in preparing for Natural absence of Local Content Law Resource Fund - IDB - Ramson

Guyana faces a triple challenge in attempting to establish its Natural Resource Fund (NRF). The Government has to decipher how to rapidly build stronger institutions; how to save for future generations and smooth consumption; and how to assure that the oil revenue spent in the short term, is planned and spent well to boost productivity and improve living standards. This was noted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in one of its reports on Guyana’s readiness for the oil sector. Given the nation’s weak institutions and poor capac-

cautioned Guyana’s authorities on the importance of having a robust Natural Resource Fund. The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) for example, believes that there are several key factors emerging oil producers like

ity to execute projects well, the IDB said it would be recommended that Guyana saves as much as possible until the quality and capacity of institutions improve. Further to this, the IDB sought to highlight that simply establishing a Natural Resource Fund is not a guarantee for fiscal stability. The Bank said, “In the first instance, the appropriate mechanisms to manage the Fund, clear and simple rules for withdrawals and deposits, and issues related to governance and transparency, will be important to ensure that the Fund achieves its objectives.” In this regard, the IDB said that the Santiago Principles, a list of 24 generally accepted principles and practices voluntarily endorsed by the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds provides some general guidance for countries. More substantially, the Fund needs to be supported by a strong fiscal framework. SET STRICT STANDARDS The IDB is not the only international body, which has

Guyana must consider as it moves to establish a Natural Resource Fund. According to the Fund, the Government of Guyana must set clear fund objective(s) (e.g., saving for future generations; stabilizing the budget; earmarking natural resource revenue for development priorities). It said that the government must establish fiscal rules—for deposit and withdrawal—that align with the objective(s); establish investment rules (e.g., a maximum of 20 percent can be invested in equities) that align with the objective(s); clarify a division of responsibilities between the ultimate authority over the fund; the fund manager, the day-to-day o p e r a t i o n a l manager, and the different offices within the operational manager, and set and enforce strict ethical and conflict of interest standards. Further to this, it said that the oversight bodies for the Fund must require regular and extensive disclosures of key information (e.g., a list of specific investments; names of fund managers) and audits. It

said, too, that oversight bodies must be allowed to do their work without a shred of political interference. The Fund said, “We wish to stress that the government should establish these and other rules and institutions governing natural resource funds through a process that generates broad political consensus. Governments may not comply with even the best rules unless key stakeholders and the broader citizenry have bought into the need for government savings and constantly apply pressure to follow the rules.” “This has become apparent not just in natural resource-rich economies, but also in places like Europe where, from time to time, most member states breached the fiscal rules outlined in the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact even prior to the 2007-08 global financial crisis. We would also call on international institutions and advisors to carefully consider the implications of recommending the establishment of funds where public financial management systems are opaque and poorly functioning.” In this regard, NRGI said that international advisors should recognize that the establishment of a Fund by itself will not improve resource governance. The Governance Institute stressed that Natural Resource Funds ought to be products of fiscal rules or macroeconomic frameworks that call for savings of oil, gas or mineral revenues. It said that the minimum conditions, such as clear objectives, operational rules, investment risk limitations, effective oversight, and transparency, must be present in order to improve natural resource governance.

There are several issues in the oil and gas industry that are technical or can be deemed intricate. Therefore, Attorney-at-law, Charles Ramson said that most can understand the hard time being experienced by the APNU+AFC Government in addressing some oil related issues. In fact, Ramson said that the measures that government needs to take to secure local content for its people are fairly simple, “but they are still failing with even that.” The Oil and Gas Consultant said that there is no reason why Guyana should have found itself a year and a half away from oil production but is still without Local Content legislation, or a policy at the very least. He maintains that that is one of the government’s biggest failures thus far. Ramson, who has a Masters’ Degree in Oil and Gas Management, noted that most oil producing countries across the world have Local Content Legislation. He said that there are quite a few countries that are still gearing for oil production years down the line but already have such legislation in place. Further, Ramson, who recently returned from an oil and gas course at the University of Oxford, pointed out that many countries have ring-fenced particular goods and services to be procured by oil companies operating there, “meaning those compa-

nies can only buy the items from locals.” Ramson said that such measures allow for the direct injection of money into the local economy. Also, the Oil and Gas Consultant said that it forces foreign business to partner with locals “because where we are lacking the expertise, which may be certification or the transfer of knowledge and technology—it forces foreign supply companies to come on board.” Ramson said that in countries that have ringfenced goods and services, services like security is secured for locals and food stuff are bought locally. “We have foreign helicopter services, but guess what? That could have been a partnership. That is what I am saying; legislation to secure these things is what Guyana needs. It forces partnerships where businesses can benefit, we need that transfer of knowledge, technology and so on, but that can only happen through legislation.” Ramson said that a large share of the money that could have gone into the economy from Liza Phase one has already slipped through the fingers of Guyanese. He said that Guyana’s Local Content Legislation could specify that, at minimum, 10 percent of the cost for any project should be injected into the local economy.

Attorney-at-law, Charles Ramson Ramson posited, “If we only had 10 percent of Liza Phase one spending in the economy between now and 2020, it would be equivalent to US$440M or GY $90B.” He added, “You then have to consider the multiplier effect on that and add another 1.5 percent. So here we are talking in excess of $100B. That would have translated to direct impact on big and small businesses. It would impact even the shops, hair salons, restaurants and taxi services.” Ramson said that, “in capturing 10 percent, even if it creates minor inefficiencies or project losses, at least we know there is a direct impact in the local economy where our people, the masses, are benefitting.” The Lawyer said that unfortunately, it does not seem as if the government will act right any time soon.

DREO, RIO refute wash-bay claims Accusations of disturbance within Windsor Forest by an illegal wash bay are due to a personal vendetta by a particular neighbour, This is the claim by Regional Information Officer, Ganesh Mahipaul and Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Jennifer FerreiraDougall. He said that upon receiving reports by a villager, an investigation was launched into the matter, and the reports seemed to have been false. “When the information got to us (the regional level) that a wash bay illegally located was causing disturbances, an investigation was launched to find out on what basis the wash bay was built

there and what were the problems affecting the neighbours.” Mahipaul said that upon completing the investigation, he revealed that there had been a contract between the former NDC Chairman and the present owner of the wash bay’s brother (who previously operated the wash bay). There were also allegedly letters from the Neighbourhood Democratic Council saying they have “no objection” to the owner of the wash bay acquiring legal electricity and water for his wash bay signed by the Chairman. Mahipaul also highlighted that in terms of disturbances, he observed that the complainants’ house was too far

off to be affected by the vapour from the washing of vehicles. Nevertheless, he recommended the use of plastic as a barrier for the water and that the owner places the generator into an enclosed room, both of which were implemented. When inquiries were made about the allegations of drinking and smoking in the area, the DREO who is the immediate neighbour told this newspaper that she has never had any disturbances of the sort. The DREO said “Definitely No” and would have had the NDC deal with the matter. Both the RIO and DREO told this newspaper that the matter is by a “personal vendetta.”

Monday October 08, 2018

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Kaieteur News

Investiture is only for the moment The mouthpieces of the APNU+AFC have very little to cheer about when it comes to the performance of their government. As such, they have to get excited about the intangibles such as ceremonial titles and awards. The mouthpieces are now trumpeting the fact that national awards are now an annual happening, in stark contrast with what occurred under the PPPC when awards were not held for an extend period of time, a development which was painted as being inconsiderate on the part of the former administration. The return of national awards, however, is nothing to celebrate. In fact, the awards are being devalued not by the irregularity in their distribution but because of the sheer volume of persons who are now receiving awards each year. The law of supply and demand states that as quantity increases, the price of good declines. The

converse is true: as quantity decreases, the price (value) increases. In the case of national awards, if there are too many recipients, relative to the population, the awards become too common and are cheapened. In 2015, fifty-four persons were given national awards; in 2016, 86 awards were made, in 2017, 69 persons were honoured; and this year a total of 93 awards were handed out. At this rate, within thirty years, there can be as many as 3000 living recipients. The PPPC understood what was likely to happen if each year they distributed awards. After a time, they will be difficulties in finding deserving recipients without cheapening the awards. It makes no sense, either, giving out twenty awards a year. It is best to wait five years and give out a hundred. This may not have been

the PPPCs thinking they may have been opposed to the awards of ideological grounds but there are downside risks to too many awardees in a small society. Not only are too many awards given out but too many of the awardees are controversial. This was the same under the PPPC where it was pointed out that some persons received higher awards than other more deserving awardees. The honours system is British inheritance. National awards are part of the imperialist practice of establishing and sustaining class-based and classdifferentiated societies. It is part of the obsession with rank and class, which is a feature of imperial and colonial societies. It is way of letting people know who represent the crème of society and who represent the base. It has always been about differentiation. Burnhams retention of

DEM BOYS SEH

Baker is Mazaruni prisons beat man and businessman There is a saying dat jail ain’t mek fuh cat and dog. Dem boys understand dat mean jail mek fuh people and you can’t treat people like dog and cat. You got to have some respect. Is not everybody who deh in jail is a criminal. Some land in jail by accident. Dem knock down somebody pon de road and kill dem. You got people who deh in jail because dem really can’t pay child support. And some deh in deh fuh fighting because somebody try to tek advantage pon dem. Nuff people also deh in jail fuh smoking a spliff. These people, dem boys believe should and must be treated differently from hardcore bandits and criminals. Dem boys hear, yesterday, de prison people search and find couple cell phone and lighters in de small jail at Mazaruni. You will believe de prison people find AK 47 and bulletproof vest and grenades de way Baker and he team beat dem prisoner. And dem boys hear dis is not de first time Baker name calling fuh beating up prisoners. Dem boys ain’t have a problem if he beat dem who deh in deh fuh kick down door and rape people. But not de soft core ones. And dat beating is not de only thing going on in de prison. Dem boys hear dem prisoners deh planting crops and de prison officers reaping

and selling de crops at Bartica from Monday to Saturday and pocketing de money. And when dem done sell dem sending de prisoners to pick up all dem spoil greens and carry dem back to de prison fuh feed de pigs. Dem boys wondering what else dem pilfering at de prisons. Dem know de prison officers thiefing de ration and no prisoner can talk. If dem only talk is trouble. If Ramjattan go to prison to hold an investigation and call on de prisoner to talk in de auditorium when he gone is blows and more blows than dem age. Dem prisoners also seh dat when dem beat you and bruk you up, dem lock you away and have you on nonassociation so you can’t make

no contact. Dat is like solitary confinement and you got to stay deh till you heal. Baker tun a barber. He does cut people beard when he want spite dem. Dem boys sending a message. Dem know Baker gon puff up and swell ee mouth and twitch ee face but he better don’t touch anybody else. Dem boys gon hear and dem gon ketch him and give him a dose of dat same medicine what he does give dem prisoner. Ramjattan got to intervene. He got to go to Mazaruni and find out wha happening deh. Talk half and hope Ramjattan ain’t get a bill fuh de spoil greens wha de prisoners picking from de Bartica market.

national awards after independence was part of the culture of imitation, which still resides in post-colonial societies. Burnham merely changed the names and the titles and, as in Britain, there was some amount of democratization with some awards being handed out to the “small man”. But you can bet your bottom dollar that the small man will be confined to the lower rungs of the honours hierarchy. Which working class Guyanese have ever received the Order of Excellence or the Order of Roraima? Their places are lower down the ladder. In Guyana, the national awards system has been criticized as being used to reward the party faithful and friends. This was one of the strongest criticisms made in 2015 when a number of persons linked to the PNCR were given awards. The same criticisms were made under the PPPC. National awards are an

anachronism. They do nothing for anybody, except to add to the length of the suffixes behind your name. The awards do not affect the size of your take-home pay. They do not bring any additional benefit nor grant ant greater respect from within society, unlike in other jurisdictions where, for example, knighthood has its benefits. A national award is not going to get you invited to any place where you were not invited before. And if perchance, a recipient should

be a victim of a random traffic police stop, do not dare believe that your national medal will buy you in any favours. The benefits of investiture lasts only a few seconds. You get a deluge of congratulations and backpatting but when that is over, it is over. The glory lasts only for the moment.

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Licences, duty-free firearms delivered to Indigenous communities

Some of the residents awaiting their licences and firearms. Residents of 12 villages in Region Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni) were on Friday issued their firearms and licences by Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock. The distribution was said to be a historical one, according to Minister Ramjattan, as never before has any government made firearms and licences available to Indigenous communities. It was the first time too that, as Minister, he signed off on 130 licences at once. Minister Ramjattan said the government was able to negotiate with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to

have the guns exempted from duty. Residents of Kako, Wa r a m a d o n g , J a w a l l a , Phillipai, Kamarang, Wa r w a t a , P a r i m a , Wa x Creek, Chinoweing, Imbaimadai and Wyling gathered at the Kamarang Sports Complex to receive their weapons. Back in 2015, residents had turned in their unlicensed firearms during the Ministry of Public S e c u r i t y ’s amnesty programme. The Ministry’s plan was to regularise the system, to allow for every firearm holder to be licensed. Minister Ramjattan said he was pleased to be delivering on another of the

Coalition Government’s promises of returning the firearms and issuing licences to the communities. He described it as yet another effort to ensure the Indigenous community gets what it deserves. “Whatever else must come your way, because you so deserve it definitely will come your way through this Coalition government,” Minister Ramjattan said. He informed that he will be working with the Commissioner of Police to have a safe house established at the Kamarang Police Station for persons to purchase ammunition. The new licensed firearm holders were supplied with 100 rounds of ammunition.

Some of the new shotguns.

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Conduct thorough assessment of country’s needs before finalizing Local Content Policy - World Bank By Kiana Wilburg A Local Content Policy is one mechanism that can contribute to ensuring oil industry benefits reach the population. But it would be pointless to adopt or finalize such a policy without first conducting an assessment of the nation’s deficiencies in serving this sector. This was recently noted by the World Bank. In fact, the financial institution said that one of its assessment tools called the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA), can give a comprehensive diagnostics of vulnerable populations in producing areas, with baseline data on skill levels and local business capacities in responding to the oil sector. Further to this, the financial institution noted that this data would also be useful to determine the type of vocational skills training programmes linked to the oil industry that the local population could benefit from. It said, too, that the assessment tool is crucial since the information obtained from it, contributes to sustainable economic growth in the area where the oil or gas project is developed by: generating awareness of environmental and social issues; improving transparency in relation to hydrocarbons developments; increasing trust among local stakeholders; and giving a voice to some stakeholders who might have been sidelined in the past. It said that these tools are also functional for preparing the field for participatory development planning. CRITICAL ELEMENTS MISSING In its current state, the second draft of

Guyana’s Local Content Policy has been criticized for missing critical elements. In fact, the document is more a statement of principles. This was noted by Mark Wenner, Elton Bollers, and Roger Hosein; the authors of a special report that was sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). In the report, the authors recall that in April 2017, the Ministry of Natural Resources formulated a draft Local Content Policy that promoted the use of local goods and services in the oil sector, as well as training of Guyanese for the industry. The authors of the IDB report noted however that the language in the draft policy is general and vague. The report says, “No concrete targets or performance metrics are provided. The draft calls for some regulatory body to be established to establish metrics and to ask ExxonMobil to give preference. (But) much more specificity and elaboration are needed in this area.” It adds, “Other countries for example, require an increased percentage of local purchases of goods and services, the placement of nationals in training/shadowing technical positions, specific amounts to be devoted by the oil/gas operator to scholarships and job training programmes, affirmative action employment programmes, set-asides for local engineering, accounting, and surveying firms, and others.” The IDB report stressed that none of these elements are included in the draft, which is more a statement of principles. It also notes that the state must ensure that there is an adequate local content policy and that it does not just import everything it needs, or every

worker required. LOCAL CONTENT POLICY STATUS Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin has acknowledged on several occasions that Guyana’s Local Content Policy should have been completed a long time ago. He noted however that there are certain challenges, which are affecting the process to finalize the document. The most significant he said relates to finding the funds to pay a consultant to complete the task. Gaskin said, “When we took on the job of finishing this document, we did not budget

for it. It was handed to us in early 2018, months after we had put together our budget. Plus, when we got it, the contract with Trinidadian Oil Expert, Anthony Paul came to an end. Paul fulfilled his terms. We are in need of a consultant. But we just don’t have the funds.” The Business Minister said that he is now looking to the Ministry of Finance or international aid to help fund finalization process for the policy. He also emphasized that ExxonMobil would not be approached for funds. In the meantime, Gaskin said that several stakeholders such as the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) were consulted on the second draft policy. He said that the Chamber is supposed to make a presentation to the Business Ministry on their amendments for the second draft. The Minister said, “But in the absence of a Local Content Policy, I don’t think our businesses need to be scared or fearful that countries are going to come and hijack everything. I am not paranoid about it and they don’t have to be. Don’t think all foreigners are your enemies. People will go where there are opportunities and we need to start doing the same thing and be aggressive…” Gaskin assured that the Local Content Policy will be ready in early 2019.

GECOM to kick start voter education campaign this week With 35 days to Local Government Elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is set to launch its Voter Education Programme within the new week. Public Relations Officer Yolanda Warde says that emphasis will be on the electors now that the nomination process in over. “Prior to nomination, we focused on contestants and the preparation of their list of candidates… We have since started our programme as it relates to the voter education aspect … Our audio visual element will commence next week focusing primarily on the voter education aspects; rights and responsibilities, eligibility, the voting process and all that’s required for the elector to be aware of as it relates to participating in the local government elections process,” Warde said. In addition, the PRO says GECOM has identified a company to commence work on

its social media education awareness. She clarified that the voter education campaign is being managed by GECOM itself and not by an advertising agency. “For each individual production which ever company emerged as the successful bidder, that’s the company that was selected so there is no one individual company. As it relates to placement of advertisements, that is being done by GECOM so it’s not

an advertising company that is managing that process for us. So, we have already commenced that process in terms of the placement as it relates to the television process and so,” Warde said. Meanwhile, there have been requests for withdrawal from the Local Government Elections (LGE) process by candidates in four constituencies, while an entire list has been withdrawn from constituency two in Wakenaam, Region Three.

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Body found on Linden Highway identified as La Grange man

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FOR SALE

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

Generac Pressure Wash for sale 3100 PSI. Tel#654-5267/ 652-2244/220-4203

Visa Application: U.S.A, Canada & UK; Guyana passport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 626-7040; 265-4535.

Roof clay tiles 1,700 sq feet for sale. Call 624-8894

ICONIC MARKETING & PRINTING –TEL: 6006887: We create A/works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. Installations, Repairs and parts for AC, Fridge, Washing machine, Stove etc call Nick 627-3206, 630-1600 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Have your yard, fence, mat to pressure wash? Yard to weed? Call: 666-2326 Repairs at low cost: fridges, air conditioners, washing machines, freezers,sale of ac’s tel:6294946,225-4822

Three apartment building in Diamond. Call: 680-5944/6564211

9-Wheel pneumatic roller. Mack concrete mixer truck - 8 cu. yds. 450 - Honda ATV Bike. 650 - Gals. Spray Kettle. 275-0367, 683-7225 Cat 215 Excavator. Cat 215Excavator spares. Cat 428 Back-Hoe. Double steel wheeled 8-tons roller. Tel# 275-0367, 683-7225 1 complete 6'’ Dredge operation. Tel# 611-0884 1 Iceplant 2x6 tons with holding room, filters system tank, cummins generator, fuel tank, electrical system #6110884 Leatherette in many colors @ R. Sookraj & Sons (Regent St) Special prices for wholesalers. Tel# 226-4173/ 223-6147 1 Transported property, 1 Farm land, 1 Hilux pickup, Music Equipment. #2653586

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Live in waitress to work in a bar, age 18 yrs to 22 yrs, must have ID. Contact #221-2785/ 692-3877 Manager to work @ 704. Contact : 223-5273/74, 2275003 One experienced Diesel Mechanic to work interior. Contact #680-2702 One Welder to work interior. Contact #680-2702 One live-in Domestic must know to cook (Indian Dishes) 25-45 yrs $20,000 weekly #6103974 Space in Georgetown that can accomodate 2 cars, 1 truck and a lorry. Call Roberto 2-5pm #660-4841 1 experienced mechanic to work in the interior, must know about Cummings engine #6994718

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The body of “Osafo” as it was found on the Linden Soesdyke Highway. The mutilated body of a male of African descent was

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discovered on Saturday morning at Low Creek on the Linden Soesdyke Highway with multiple injuries on his body. Relatives who viewed photographs of the body on social media identified the victim as “Osafo”, a mentally challenged man from La Grange West Bank Demerara. Kaieteur News understands that ‘Osafo’ did odd jobs in La Grange. One individual said someone had taken “Osafo” from the area some two weeks ago, under the pretext that he would take the mentally challenged man to work at a fishing establishment. Police received reports of a body on the Highway around 07:00 hours on Saturday morning and dispatched investigators to the location. The victim had injuries about the head, left arm and leg. He was clad in a black jersey, white boxer shorts and blue jeans. The ranks also noticed fragments next to the body, which apparently came from a vehicle. This led to suspicions that the man was a hit-and-run victim. The area is said to be lonely with the closest community about three miles away. Relatives were preparing yesterday to visit the Wismar Hospital Mortuary to view the body.

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Arrests after Nurmagomedov beats McGregor

Conor McGregor taps out in his fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov during their UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports) LAS VEGAS (Reuters) Chaos erupted after Khabib Nurmagomedov retained his UFC lightweight title with a submission victory over Ireland’s Conor McGregor on Saturday with members of his support team arrested after an all-in brawl broke out after the bout. The Russian ended McGregor’s attempt to win back the title when he sealed a brutal submission victory with a rear naked choke hold in the fourth round, which then sparked a mass brawl. Fights broke out in and around the cage, with a redshirted fan landing several blows on McGregor before security intervened. Both fighters were escorted from the arena by police and security. UFC boss Dana White later told Fox Sports that three members of Nurmagomedov’s team were arrested. The fight had been highlighted by bad blood between both camps, with

McGregor pleading guilty in July as part of a deal with prosecutors to resolve charges over an April melee in which he attacked a bus the Russian was traveling on. The situation boiled over after referee Herb Dean waved off the fight, which prompted Nurmagomedov to jump out of the cage and head straight for McGregor’s teammate and corner-man Dillon Danis, prompting a series of violent scuffles. One man jumped the fence, swinging blows at McGregor before being bundled away by security and there were punches thrown in the crowd as police and security struggled to deal with the angry crowd, most of whom had been backing the Irishman. White entered the octagon to try to placate Nurmagomedov, who was not presented with the belt, although he was announced as the winner. The Russian’s fans chanted his name and

danced in the street outside the T-Mobile Arena, but rather than the fight bringing to the end the feud, it only poured more fuel on the fire. WRESTLING STRENGTH McGregor, making a comeback to the octagon after nearly two years away, had looked dangerous in the early striking exchanges but as expected, Nurmagomedov quickly took the fight to the ground. The Russian smothered him with his wrestling skills and prevented him from getting back to his feet for the rest of the first round. The Irishman was then wobbled by an early right cross from the Russian in the second round and the fight was soon on the floor again, but this time the Russian champion was able to keep the challenger from getting his back to the cage. McGregor survived until the end of the round, giving a tired smile as the horn went, and in the third period he

(Reuters) - Mohammad Hafeez marked his return to test cricket with a century as Pakistan reached 255-3 at stumps on the first day of the series-opening test match against Australia yesterday. Veteran all-rounder Hafeez, playing in his first test since 2016 and his 51st overall, frustrated Australia en route to his 10th century before being trapped in front of the wicket for 126 by pace bowler Peter Siddle in the final session. His fellow opener Imamul-Haq was a lot more aggressive in his knock of 76, as the first-wicket pair added 205 runs after Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed won

the toss and opted to bat on a dry wicket at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Australia’s attack then tightened things up after the two openers were back in the dressing room. Haris Sohail was batting on 15 with night watchman Mohammad Abbas on one at the end of the day’s play. Earlier, Australia captain Tim Paine brought on offspinner Nathan Lyon after only eight overs and leftarmer Jon Holland shortly afterwards. Holland could have had Hafeez caught in the deep for 74 but Mitchell Marsh dropped a difficult chance in the 45th over. Barring that

error, Hafeez looked in full control during his 208-ball knock which contained 15 hits to the fence. Imam, meanwhile, used his feet well against the spinners and smashed seven boundaries and two sixes to notch up his second test fifty, before being caught behind by Paine off the tireless Lyon. The 30-year-old Lyon bowled 33 overs in the day. Azhar Ali departed with a little over three overs remaining, caught at mid-off by Mitchell Starc for an 80ball 18 while trying to hit Holland out of the ground. Score: Pakistan 255 for 3 (Hafeez 126, Imam 76, Siddle 1-23) v Australia.

Khabib Nurmagomedov (right) fights Conor McGregor during UFC 229 at T-Mobile Arena. (Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports) managed to keep the fight standing, tripping off shots to the head and body as he rediscovered his range. However, it proved to be too little, too late, and Nurmagomedov was once again on top in the fourth, sapping McGregor’s energy

with his excruciating pressure before the choke ended the fight 3:03 into the fourth round. Despite McGregor tapping his arm to indicate his submission, Nurmagomedov seemed to hold on to the winning choke rather than

releasing it, encapsulating the bad blood between the pair. The victory stretched Nurmagomedov’s professional record to 27-0 and handed the Irishman his second defeat in the UFC, both to the same choke hold, before the chaos began.

Wozniacki swats aside Sevastova to wear Beijing crown Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia pose for a photo. (REUTERS/Jason Lee)

Pakistan’s Hafeez hits ton as Australia toil on first day

(Reuters) - Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki defeated Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova 6-3 6-3 in the China Open final to claim her third title of the season. The Dane, who did not drop a set throughout the tournament, hit 12 winners and won four out of eight break point chances to beat the unseeded Sevastova in 87 minutes. It was Wozniacki’s second title in Beijing, following her success in 2010 which had taken her to the top of the world rankings for the first time in her career. “I feel great being here. Having won again... eight is my lucky number and it is eight years ago I won here so I felt like it was my year,” world number two Wozniacki said. After easing through the first set, Wozniacki raced to a 4-1 lead in the second. Sevastova, who has been managing a stomach muscle injury since the round of 16, broke

back to give herself a chance to mount a comeback. But Wozniacki saved three break points to take a 5-3 lead as Sevastova struggled for consistency. The world number 20 made 35 unforced errors in the match, including 21 in the second set, to allow Wozniacki to close out the victory. Sevastova, who has not beaten Wozniacki in five attempts, said was pleased with her performance this week despite missing out on a second title of the season. “It was one of my best tournaments ever. Caroline played amazing today, it’s always tough playing against her and I have never won. I hope that we will continue to have good matches,” Sevastova said. Wozniacki’s victory is bound to boost her confidence ahead of this month’s seasonending WTA Finals in Singapore, where the 28-year-old is the defending champion.

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Proteas hold nerve to stun Gayle signs off on Super50 career Windies and earn series draw with hundred as Scorpions win Opener Hayley Matthews top-scored with 70.

TAROUBA, Trinidad, CMC – Saarah Smith and Masabata Klaas scrambled a near suicide single off the penultimate ball of the match as South Africa stunned West Indies by three wickets to win the final Twenty20 International and steal a 2-2 draw in the five-match series here Saturday night. Chasing a difficult 156 for victory at the Brian Lara Stadium, the South Africans got 42 from opener Lizelle Lee, 31 from Chloe Tryon and 25 from Mignon du Preez, to enter the last over of the contest requiring three runs for the series-tying win. Marizanne Kapp (18) steered the first ball from speedster Shamilia Connell to short third man for a single before Smith (two not out) was held scoreless from the second ball. However, Smith then swung the third delivery to wide mid on to level the scores but more drama ensued when Kapp holed out to a straightish mid on, leaving South Africa still needing one run from the last two deliveries of the match. Smith, though, held her nerve and drilled the next delivery straight to mid-off, setting off for a sharp single as the fielder missed a direct hit at the non-striker’s end

that would have left her short of her ground. The result was a disappointing one for West Indies especially after they led the series 2-0, following wins in the opening two games. They looked to be safe bets to complete the series win when opener Hayley Matthews top-scored with 70 from 52 balls to get them up to 155 for five off their 20 overs, after they had been sent in. She struck eight fours and three sixes and added 42 for the first wicket with the inform Natasha McLean who made 23 off 33 deliveries. When the Windies lost three quick wickets for 15 runs in the space of 15 balls, Matthews combined with Shemaine Campbelle (28) in a crucial 53-run fourth wicket stand which rebuilt the innings. Campbelle hammered four fours in a 17-ball cameo before perishing in the 16th over but Matthews found an ally in former captain Merissa Aguilleira (14 not out) to put on a further 36 for the fifth wicket. Matthews was out with three balls left in the innings, caught on the ropes at wide long on by Mignon du Preez off same Klass, aiming for her

fourth six. In reply, Lee ensured a solid start to South Africa’s run chase, posting 37 for the first wicket with Laura Wolvaardt whose 23 came from 13 balls and included three fours and a six, and a further 30 with Robyn Searle (14) for the second wicket. Three wickets tumbled for 17 runs to leave South Africa wobbling on 84 for four in the 11th but they rallied through two key partnerships, anchored by Tryon. Firstly, she added 31 off 22 balls for the fifth wicket with du Preez and then put on another 37 off 27 balls for the sixth wicket with Kapp. Tryon faced 22 deliveries and struck one four and a couple of sixes – both coming at the start of the 17th over from off-spinner Anisa Mohammed which leaked 19 runs all told, and gave the Proteas the edge. Scores: WEST INDIES 155 for five off 20 overs (Hayley Matthews 70, Shemaine Campbelle 28, Natasha McLean 23; Saarah Smith 2-20). SOUTH AFRICA 156 for seven off 19.5 overs (Lizelle Lee 42, Chloe Tryon 31, Mignon du Preez 25, Laura Wolvaardt 23; Shamalia Connell 2-20).

Basilashvili stuns ailing Del Potro for Beijing title

(Reuters) - Nikoloz Basilashvili stunned an off-color Juan Martin del Potro 6-4 6-4 in the China Open final yesterday to claim his second trophy of the season. Hamburg champion Basilashvili broke Del Potro in the third game with a series of powerful shots from the baseline before taking the opening set. U.S. Open finalist Del Potro was clearly feeling the effects of illness as he struggled to move freely on the court during the early exchanges. Del Potro, who has reportedly been fighting a cold, came out all guns blazing in the second set and relied on his big serves to match the world number 34 up to 4-4.

Georgia’s Basilashvili held firm, however, and got the vital break in the seventh game to close out the victory on his third match point in an hour and 39 minutes. The 26-year-old Basilashvili, who saved all seven break points he faced in the contest, took his head-to-head record with world number four Del Potro to 1-1. Despite missing out on a third title of the year, Del Potro can be satisfied with his performance in Beijing, as the 30-year-old qualified for next month’s season-ending ATP Finals in London, joining Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Superstar Chris Gayle fittingly lowered the curtain on his domestic 50-overs career with an audacious hundred as Jamaica Scorpions brushed aside Barbados Pride by 33 runs in their Group B clash of the Regional Super50 here Saturday. Playing at Kensington Oval in his 356th List A match, the 39-year-old plundered 122 off 114 deliveries as Scorpions were dismissed for 226 in the 48th over. Andre McCarthy chipped in with 48 from 49 balls but Scorpions declined following his departure, losing their last eight wickets for 74 runs. Gayle held the innings together, hammering 10 fours and eight sixes to mark his 27th triple figure score in the shorter form of the game. In reply, Pride slipped from 93 for two to 193 all out in the 48th over, losing their last eight wickets for exactly 100 runs, to remain win-less in two matches following their rained-out opener against Leeward Islands Hurricanes last Thursday. Left-hander Jonathan Carter impressed with a responsible 77 while captain Shamarh Brooks got 26 but no other front-line batsman passed 15. Fast bowler Oshane Thomas picked up three for 53 while left-arm spinners Nikita Miller (2-23) and Christopher Lamont (2-45), along with pacer Gordon Bryan (2-28) all claimed two wickets each. While the victory was Jamaica’s second and left them top of the standings, the real story surrounded veteran Gayle who could not have asked for a better finale, which included two catches and a wicket from a 10-over spell costing 31 runs. Given a guard of honour by both teams at the start of the innings, Gayle put aside the sentimentality to pull Scorpions out of trouble after fast bowler Miguel Cummins accounted for opener Chadwick Walton (5) and Jermaine Blackwood (2) cheaply with just 21 on the board in the sixth over. He partnered with McCarthy in an entertaining third wicket stand of 131 off 110 deliveries which powered Scorpions to 152 for two in the 24th over. Pride were running out of answers when seamer Kevin Stoute (3-33) broke the stand, removing McCarthy after the batsman had struck seven fours. Gayle carried the innings,

Jamaican opener Chris Gayle drives during his 122 against Barbados Pride at Kensington Oval on Saturday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media) however, taking a special liking to Ashley Nurse (2-49) who he blasted for two sixes in the 18th over and another three consecutively in the 20th over. The West Indies star was eventually sixth out in the 35th over with wickets tumbling around him, falling to 20-year-old seamer Shamar Springer who ended with two for 35 from an excellent 10over spell. Pride also suffered two setbacks at the start of their innings when Lamont removed both openers Shayne Moseley (10) and Leniko Boucher (9) with 32 on the board in the seventh over. Carter and Brooks then came together in a 61-run, third wicket partnership to consolidate the innings and deny Scorpions any further immediate breakthroughs. However, it was Gayle who eventually struck, gaining an lbw decision against Brooks in the 21st over and his dismissal saw

Pride’s run chase unravel as wickets fell steadily. Carter, who faced 125 balls and struck four boundaries, was ninth out in the 48th over with Scorpions already all but secure. Scores: SCORPIONS 226 off 47.4 overs (Chris Gayle 122, Andre McCarthy 48; Kevin Stoute 3-33, Shamar Springer 2-35). PRIDE 192 off 47.5 overs (Jonathan Carter 77, Shamarh Brooks 26; Oshane Thomas 353, Nikita Miller 2-23). Meanwhile – Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners defeated USA Cricket by 59 runs in their Group B match of the Regional Super50 at 3W’s Oval. Scores: MAROONERS 221 for nine off 50 overs (Carlos Brathwaite 69, Amir Jango 69, Kjorn Ottley 47; Elmore Hutchinson 5-42). USA 162 off 45.4 overs (Monank Patel 53, Steven Taylor 32; Keron Cottoy 340).

Chiefs dump Jaguars... From page 27 Another pivotal stop came with 7:39 left in the half when Jacksonville opted to convert fourth-and-1 from the Kansas City 3-yard line, but Chiefs safety Armani Watts broke up a pass. The Chiefs drove 73 yards for a TD on their first possession after the Jaguars had allowed no first-half touchdowns and only 12 first-half points in their first four games. Mahomes completed six of seven passes before scoring on a 4-yard keeper. A string of 188 consecutive pass attempts without an interception for Mahomes was snapped on a pick by Jaguars safety Tashaun Gipson with 4:21 remaining in the half. The game began in a downpour before the skies cleared and the sun broke out to begin the second half. (Field Level Media)

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Stunning Farah claims Chicago Marathon in European record Mo Farah during the press conference. (Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra)

(Reuters) - Mo Farah scored a stunning Chicago Marathon victory as he won in two hours five minutes and 11 seconds in only his third race over the distance yesterday. After biding his time for much of the race, the British four-time Olympic track champion surged to the lead in the final four miles and broke Ethiopian Mosinet Geremew to shatter the European marathon record of 2:05:48 despite wet, cool and sometimes windy conditions. Farah, 35, thrust his right arm into the air as he neared the finish line and delightedly celebrated the victory with his ‘Mobot’ pose. “It was amazing to cross the finish line first,” he told reporters. “This is a major marathon.” Geremew finished second in 2:05:24 with Japan’s Suguru Osako third in a national record of 2:05:50.

Farah’s former training partner and the defending champion Galen Rupp was fifth in 2:06:21. Last year’s runner-up, Kenyan Brigid Kosgei won the women’s race in 2:18:35. Kosgei, 24, won by more than two minutes as she defeated Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje. The men’s wheelchair race produced a major surprise, with 20-year-old American Daniel Romanchuk edging Swiss double defending Chicago winner Marcel Hug to win in 1:31:34. In the women’s race, world-record holder Manuela Schaer of Switzerland clocked 1:41:38 to end American Tatyana McFadden’s sevenrace Chicago streak. McFadden finished seventh. TRANSITION COMPLETE Farah’s victory sealed his transition from track to roads. The double Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 meters champion had run the marathon only

twice — in the 2014 and 2018 London races — but in defeating a strong international field he showed he has the stamina and tactics to do well at the longer distance. “We weren’t sure about the pace because the conditions weren’t great,” he said of the early stages of the race. “Everyone was thinking go for position rather than time. Then toward the end we picked it up.” Only Geremew, the fastest man in the field with a 2:04.00 marathon, was able to stay with Farah and even he succumbed to the Briton’s kick. Farah’s winning time shattered his personal best by more than 70 seconds and added to his collection of European records. He is now the fastest European at 1,500m (3:28.81), 10,000m (26:46.57) and the marathon. “He ran unbelievable,” said Rupp, the 2016 marathon bronze medalist. The two men worked together for six years in Oregon under Alberto Salazar before Farah returned to England last year to train with Gary Lough, the husband and former coach of women’s world marathon record-holder Paula Radcliffe. After a break, Farah is likely to turn his attention to more gold, first at the 2019 Doha world championships and then the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Hemraj & Barnwell power Jaguars to... From page 31 the biggest win so far. Earlier, West Indies ‘B’ were asked to bat in overcast conditions on a descent track and with a strong breeze blowing across the lush green and fast outfield, Melius and Simmons were kept on a tight rein by Clinton Pestano and Raymon Reifer. Watched by a handful of fans which included Simmons’ family, Melius edged Reifer for a couple boundaries from balls that bounced and when Permaul was introduced in the sixth over he was greeted by a glorious cover drive for four by Melius before Simmons, the nephew of Lendl Simmons clipped for four to ease the pressure. When Romario Shepherd replaced Permaul and Simmons pulled him disdainfully for four but Melius (20) was caught behind off Reifer at 37-1 and after 10 overs WI ‘B’ were 371. Ramaal Lewis started with a maiden before Kallicharran slapped Barnwell for four

Monday October 08, 2018

Kaieteur News

when he bowled short and wide to post the 50 in 13.2 overs. Permaul was swept for four by left-handed Simmons before Kallicharran (18) was miss-stumped by Anthony Bramble off Permaul on 82-1 and Kallicharran flicked the left-arm spinner for four as the partnership flourished. But with the score on 94 and Simmons six away from his maiden fifty, the teenager, in only his second match at this level, lifted his head and missed a big swing and was bowled by Pestano to break the second wicket stand. Skipper Marlon Samuels got going with an imperious extra cover drive off Shepherd which raced to the boundary like a shot from a gun before Kallicharran was dropped by Hemraj on 26 off Pestano with the score 102-2. The 37-year-old Jamaican, on the back of 101 in the last match, was removed by Sherfane Rutherford for six to leave WI ‘B’ on 106-3 after the 100 was posted in 26 overs. Cariah joined Kallicharran

but when on nine was forced to retire hurt at 134-3 before Kallicharran fell to Lewis without addition to the score. Lenardo Julian (5) was then LBW and Guyanese Tevin Imlach (6) was caught at the wicket as Permaul struck twice to leave the score on 162-6. Odean Smith hit a couple of sixes in a cameo 32 before he was last out after Hemraj had removed Joseph (10) and Bryan Charles (2) in the space of six runs to leave to score on 191-8 before Reifer ended the innings. The Jaguars will oppose Canada tomorrow at the same venue from 14:00hrs in their third match. Scores: WINDIES B 192 for eight off 50 overs (Kirstan Kallicharan 44, Keagan Simmonds 44, Odean Smith 32; Raymon Reifer 2-30, Veerasammy Permaul 2-47). JAGUARS 193 for one off 28.2 overs (Chandrapaul Hemraj 103 not out, Christopher Barnwell 61 not out).

Hamilton on brink of fifth title after Japan win

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Japanese Grand Prix on the podium. (REUTERS/Issei Kato) SUZUKA, Japan (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton won the Japanese Grand Prix to stand on the brink of a fifth Formula One title yesterday while Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel finished sixth after colliding with Max Verstappen. Hamilton led from pole to flag, crossing the line 12.9 seconds ahead of team mate Valtteri Bottas in a second successive Mercedes one-two. Verstappen finished third. The Briton now has a 67-point lead over Vettel with four races remaining and can sew up the championship next week with victory in Austin should the German finish lower than second. Hamilton will fancy his chances of doing just that given his record at the U.S. Grand Prix, where he has won every race but one since 2012. “We’ve gone from strength to strength as a team this year. Austin is generally a good track for us and I can’t wait to unleash this beast there,” said Hamilton after leading every lap at Suzuka for his 71st career win. He is now only 20 victories off Michael Schumacher’s all-time record. “I hope you guys are not getting bored of this, because I’m definitely not,” added Hamilton, who has now won six of the last seven races and four in a row. “I loved it.” Vettel, who had started eighth after a failed tyre gamble in qualifying, made contact with Verstappen’s Red Bull and spun while trying to pass the young Dutch driver for third on the eighth lap. The German resumed in 19th and scythed his way back through the field, setting the fastest lap of the race in the process. Stewards reviewed the Verstappen contact and took no action. “If I don’t go for that gap and that gap was there, I might as well go home. Sorry for the result,” said Vettel.

Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene said the podium had been within the team’s grasp. “I know the situation looks impossible but our job is to challenge the impossible, this is what we are going to do in the next four races,” the Italian told Sky Sports television. Hamilton now has 331 points to Vettel’s 264, while Mercedes lead Ferrari in the constructors’ standings with 538 points to 460 for the Italians. Verstappen pushed the other Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen off the track in an eventful race. He was penalised five seconds and could well have finished second without it, having crossed the line 1.3 seconds behind Bottas. “The touch with Sebastian ... in that corner you can’t overtake. I even gave him space but he understeered into my car,” said Verstappen. Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who started 15th after an engine failure in qualifying, finished fourth for Red Bull and ahead of Raikkonen after making the jump during the pitstops. Mexican Sergio Perez took best of the rest honours for Force India in seventh while Romain Grosjean was eighth for Haas. Esteban Ocon completed a double points finish for Force India in ninth while Carlos Sainz took the final point for Renault. Honda-powered Toro Rosso were unable to convert their impressive qualifying in the manufacturer’s home race into points. Frenchman Pierre Gasly, who started seventh on the grid, finished 11th after losing out to Sainz two laps from the end while New Zealander Brendon Hartley, who lined up sixth, fell to 13th at the finish. The safety car was deployed early on after Kevin Magnussen’s Haas suffered a puncture, scattering debris on the track as rhe Dane limped back to the pits on a rim and a flailing tyre carcass.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton drives during the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzaka. (REUTERS/Issei Kato)

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Guyana Chess teams record Joseph retains Open title; best performances in recently concluded Olympiad Verwey best in category A Lucozade/GSA handicap 2018

The curtains fell on the Lucozade/Guyana Squash Association (GSA) handicap tournament yesterday at the Georgetown Club courts on Camp Street with Nyron Joseph retaining the Open category title and Nicholas Verwey winning his first major title with his victory in the Category A final. Nyron Joseph (-22) was matched up against Deje Dias (-8) in the open final. Both players had advanced to the finals with their semifinal wins the previous evening with Nyron beating Steven Xavier (-6) in two straight games but Deje had to go the full distance in his match against Regan Pollard (-12) after Regan had won the first game on Saturday. In the finals the handicap was 14 points which meant that for Nyron to be victorious he had to win two points to every one point that Deje won. The match started at a furious pace with both players attacking the ball and Deje really holding his own and with the score reading 7 to -7, the difference was still fourteen points and Deje was only eight points away from winning the first game but the fast pace of the game had started to take its toll on him. With Deje leading 12 – 6, Nyron won the next six points to even the score at 12 all and after both players had each won two points to set up sudden death at 14 all, Deje went for a winner but anticlimactically hit the ball into the tin to give Nyron the first game 15 – 14. After the loss of the first game it was always going to be difficult for Deje to win the match as he had exerted a tremendous amount of energy in that game. Nyron won the first six points in the second game and eventually evened the game at six all. He then closed out the match 15 – 10 to retain his crown. In category A, Nicholas Verwey (-1) contested his first major final when he came up against Kirsten Gomes (-2). Both players had won their semifinal matches the previous evening in straight games. Nicholas had upset Abosaide Cadogan (-4) and Kirsten had beaten Mohyryan Baksh (2). In the first game, Nicholas always seemed to be in control of the game and even though the game went back and forth with each player having their moments, Nicholas eventually closed

Nyron Joseph collects his trophy from David Fernandes (right).

Nicholas Verwey receives his category A winner’s trophy from GSA executive David Fernandes. out the game 15 – 13. In the second game Kirsten came out with renewed energy attempting to volley every ball and putting added pressure on Nicholas. This early taking of the ball paid dividends as she was able to win the game 15 – 11. In the third game, Nicholas jumped out to an early lead at 12 – 6 and it seemed as if he would easily win this game. However, Kirsten demonstrated that she is a fighter and she clawed her way back to within one point at 11 – 12. This was a close as she would get as Nicholas won the game 15 – 12 and claimed his first major squash title. In the open category plate final Josh Abdool (4) easily disposed of Ian Mekdeci (5)

winning 15 – 3, 15 – 9. In the Category A plate final Zachary Persaud (7) also claimed a straight set victory over Kamir Khan (8) securing the win 15 – 7, 15 – 14. Final placing in the categories was as follows: Open Category Nyron Joseph – Winner Deje Dias – Second Steven Xavier – Third Open Category Plate Josh Abdool – Winner Ian Mekdeci – Second John Maikoo – Third Category A Nicholas Verwey – Winner Kirsten Gomes – Second AbosaideCadogan – Third Category A Plate Zachary Persaud – Winner Kamir Khan – Second Louis Da Silva - Third

Guyana’s Open and Women teams recorded improved performances at the just concluded 43rd Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia. The Women’s team recorded 7 team points compared with 6 team points in the previous Olympiad held in Baku Azerbaijan in Year 2016. Women Chess Masters Maria Thomas and Sheriffa Alli led the scoring with 6.5 match points and 4.5 match points respectively, first time debutants Nelisha Johnson and 14-YearOld Sasha Shariff scored 3.0 and 1.5 points respectively. The Open team scored 9 points compared to 5 points at the last Olympiad and 6 points in the 2014 Olympiad held in Tromso Norway. The Open team brought 4th place in their Category, the first time in the last three Olympiads that Guyana managed to place in the Top 10 for their Category. Overall Guyana placed 138th out of the 184 countries that participated, an improvement of 26 places from the 164th placed finish in 2016. The table below compares the performance of the Caricom countries that participated in the last two Olympiads:

match points respectively. In the General Assembly of FIDE, President of the Guyana Chess Federation Mr. James A. Bond nominated Ms. Yolander Persaud to be a member of the Ethics Commission. It took a bit of on floor campaigning as there were fifteen (15) nominees it this hotly contested election. However, after two (2) rounds voting Ms. Persaud was amongst the top five (5). This is historic in itself as no Guyanese has ever been a part of the administration of FIDE. Commenting on this feat President of the GCF remarked that it was our sole purpose to put Guyana on the map of FIDE and this is the start. We have now made strategic alliances and the Federation is poised for impacting administrative changes in the months ahead. The President and Executive Committee of the Guyana Chess Federation expresses thanks to the Government of Guyana, the Ministry of Sport, Sports Director Mr. Christopher Jones, Corporate Guyana, FIDE, and the many other well-wishers of Chess who made the participation of the Guyana team to the Chess Olympiad possible.

As the table shows Guyana had the most improved performance of all the Caricom countries, improving from the bottom of the list to the middle of the table. This performance was led by young Chess Masters Taffin Khan 6.5 match points and Anthony Draytron 6.0 Match points, debutants Glenford Corlette and Loris Nathoo chipped in with 3.5 and 2.5

The Federation has a Calendar of events planned for Year 2019 that aims to continue the development of Chess, including in the schools and communities in all parts of Guyana. This plan we are sure will see continued improved performances by Guyana in International events such as the just concluded Chess Olympiad.

CHIEFS DUMP JAGUARS TO REMAIN UNBEATEN Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes continued to sparkle yesterday, passing for 313 yards and rushing for a touchdown as the undefeated Chiefs thumped the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-14 in soggy Kansas City, Mo. The 300-yard performance was the fourth straight for Mahomes and marked the first time in 16 games the Jaguars (3-2) allowed a passer to fire for 300 yards. Mahomes, who had two interceptions and no touchdown strikes, distributed the ball to 10 receivers. The 5-0 start matched a similar getaway last season when the Chiefs were quarterbacked by Alex Smith. Kansas City capitalized on five takeaways, scoring on a 20-yard interception Chris Jones returned after the defensive tackle jumped a screen pass attempted by Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles.

Bortles threw for his first 400-yard game with 430 yards and set a team record with 61 pass attempts but had a career-high four picks. Jones was later ejected for throwing a punch after the Jaguars’ first touchdown, a 14-yard pass by Bortles to running back T.J. Yeldon with 3:10 left in the third quarter. Kansas City answered that score with a 79-yard touchdown drive as running back Kareem Hunt capped it with a 4-yard rush to make it 30-7. A 20-0 halftime lead the Chiefs established was spearheaded by a defense ranked last in the NFL in yards allowed. In addition to the pick-six by Jones, cornerback Steven Nelson halted a scoring opportunity with 12 seconds remaining in the half on an end zone interception. Continued on page 25

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Kaieteur News

Monday October 08, 2018

90 Percent Pass Rate achieved in Golden Jaguars shortlisted squad announced Concacaf D License Programme

President Wayne Forde (centre) makes remarks at presentation of Concacaf D License and FIFA Goalkeeping Programme Certificates. A total of 63 coaches on October 5 received their certificates from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) following the successful completion of a Goalkeeping course and a Concacaf D Licence course. At a simple ceremony held on the GFF’s lawns, 20 Goalkeepers, who had completed their course in September 2017, collected their FIFA certificates and 43 Concacaf D Licensed coaches, who in March this year completed their course, received their certificates from GFF’s President Wayne Forde and Technical Director, Ian Greenwood. In opening comments, Greenwood said he was pleased with the number of qualified coaches available, including current and former national players, which will aid the improvement of the quality of football in Guyana: “The only way we will improve Guyanese football is to improve the quality of our coaches; so, taking this step to become a licensed coach is a massive one. We have a long way to go but we do have a lot of talented coaches, both

male and female, who will really take us forward. You have now hit the first round of the coaching ladder with the Concacaf D Licence. The next step will be to push towards the Concacaf C and B Licences. We ask that you continue working with your clubs, the Academy Training Centres and the work which will be done at the level of the Coaching Education Department.” He urged the coaches to reach out should they feel the need to have support: “The office doors are always open. We want you to engage with us as much as possible. Anytime you want any assistance, if you’d like to have someone come out and help with your sessions, please come and speak to us.” President Forde, in congratulating the coaches, challenged them to commit to a lifetime of learning: “In every aspect of learning, the quality of the teacher oftentimes determines the quality of the student. We have recognized over the years that the fundamentals of the game have not produced the quality of players that we would like

to see ply their craft in some of the most advanced and developed corners of the football world. We’ve recognized this as a challenge and we have embarked on an agenda to educate our coaches as much as possible. Some of you are transitioning from a career of playing into a career of teaching. In that transition you must also transition yourself into a journey of learning.” “In 2015, we had our first (Concacaf D Licence) training programme, which resulted in a 20 percent pass rate,” said Forde. “The pleasing news is that for the 2017 – 2018 programmes, we have had 90 percent pass rate. When you look at the great distance we have covered in a matter of months, it is an indication of how far we can go if we really commit ourselves.” He encouraged the coaches to continue to be of service to the game with honour, distinction and be proud of it: “While everyone would be happy to be compensated for the work they do, many of us will have to continue to work in the trenches just giving service to the game. Each and every act of service will amount to something great at some point in our lives. Guyana’s football still needs service. The time will come when many of us will be compensated for the work we do, whether within these shores, within CFU, Concacaf or further afield but, at this moment, we need service. Don’t just hang your certificates on a wall, go out there and do the difficult work. Those young boys and girls need to benefit from the education that you would have received over the past few courses we have had.”

Michael Johnson - Head Coach (Senior Men’s National Team) A 26-man squad has been named by Michael Johnson, Head Coach of the National Senior Men’s team, to face the Turks and Caicos on October 13 as Guyana look to cement a victory in its second appearance of the Concacaf Nations League. The squad, which includes three Goalkeepers, seven Defenders, seven Midfielders and six Forwards, will see the return of seasoned players Walter Moore and Emery Welshman as well as a debutante Stephen DukeMcKenna. Duke-McKenna, an 18-year-old from Bolton Wanderers FC in England, has been described as a “versatile attacking option who can play across the forward line.” Johnson said he looks forward to his presence in the squad as “he will bring professionalism, energy and a freshness to an already good team spirit.” In previewing the match, which is scheduled for 16:00hrs at the TCIFA National Academy, the Head Coach said it will be no easy feat: “It’s a game that we know will be tough if we don’t prepare right given their most recent results in previous games. I’m expecting an improvement from them so we need to be ready. The team spirit fostered since our last meeting together has been a huge bonus, which will hold us in good stead for this game.” Speaking about the team’s preparation, Guyana Football Federation Technical SENIOR SQUAD: – # Name Position 1 Jason Cromwell Goalkeeper 2 Kai McKenzie-Lyle Goalkeeper 3 Akel Clarke Goalkeeper 4 Terence Vancooten Defender 5 Sam Cox Defender 6 Kevin Layne Defender 7 Jake Newton Defender 8 Walter Moore Defender 9 Jelani Smith Defender 10 Ronayne Marsh-Brown Defender 11 Curtez Kellman Midfielder 12 Delwin Fraser Midfielder 13 Ryan Hackett Midfielder 14 Anthony Benfield Midfielder 15 Daniel Wilson Midfielder 16 Vurlon Mills Midfielder 17 Stephen Duke-McKenna Midfielder 18 Emery Welshman Forward 19 Dellon Lanferman Forward 20 Kelsey Benjamin Forward 21 Trayon Bobb Forward 22 Kadell Daniel Forward 23 Sheldon Holder Forward

Stephen Duke McKenna. (Bolton Wanderers) Director, Ian Greenwood, said continuous work has been done: “The Guyana-based players have been preparing themselves by following their individual and specific training programme set by our Head of Sports Science alongside squad practices. All the players understand the importance of earning the right on and off the field to wear the badge. The Turks & Caicos fixture offers another opportunity for the Golden Jaguars to build their growing reputation in the CNL.” This will be the first away match for Guyana in the qualifiers with the second being in French Guiana on November 20 at 21:00hrs. Guyana will play its final qualifier against Belize in March 2019 in Guyana. Club Country Buxton United FC Guyana Liverpool FC England Fruta Conquerors FC Guyana Stevenage FC England Wealdstone FC England NA United FC Guyana Hamble Club FC England AC Oulu Finland Sigma FC Canada Whitehawk FC England Western Tigers Guyana Guyana Defence Force FC Guyana Fruta Conquerors FC Guyana Fruta Conquerors FC Guyana Western Tigers FC Guyana Western Tigers FC Guyana Bolton Wanderers FC England FC Cincinnati USA Den Amstel FC Guyana Western Tigers FC Guyana 1st Dezembro Portugal Dover Athletic England Caledonia AIA Trinidad & Tobago