Wednesday October 12, 2016
Anil Nandlall refutes Attorney-General's claims Dear Editor; My attention was drawn to a most bizarre article published in the Guyana Chronicle, Saturday, October 8, 2016, at page 8, under the caption “PPP initiated process to acquire Carmichael St lotsAG.” In that article, the following statement is attributed to the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Basil Williams, “The nation should know that when we [APNU+AFC] entered Government, I inherited that proposal by the PPP to acquire those said lots. And the staff I inherited recommended those lots…So the issue of the compulsory acquisition was something inherited from the PPP. So perhaps the problem Mr. Nandlall has is that he didn't get to do the transaction.” I wish to make it unequivocally clear, that as AttorneyGeneral, I had no intention whatsoever of compulsorily acquiring the said two lots of land and that no step whatsoever was ever taken by the PPP Civic Government to compulsorily acquire the said two lots of land; that all I did in relation thereto, was to make contact with the owners of the two plots of land and enquired from them, whether the lands were for sale. Both owners answered in
the negative and that was the end of the transaction. I never even took a proposal to Cabinet in relation to this matter. The article next outrageously quotes Mr. Williams, as recalling that I raised the issue in Parliament and “the project was then approved by the Ministry of Finance and Cabinet, after which it was passed and approved by the National Assembly.”I am flabbergasted! I raised no such issue in Parliament. In fact, there was no issue to be raised. The story becomes even more sinister. The article next informs that Mr. Williams disclosed that if the PPP had remained in office, the PPP would have paid five hundred and sixty million dollars ($560,000,000) more than the current Government for the same two plots of land. The article quotes Mr. Williams, as saying that I told him that the lots are worth six hundred million dollars ($600,000,000). Mr. Williams must be hallucinating! I had no such discussion with Mr. Williams about these plots of land. If this was not a serious matter, I would have found it hilarious. I challenge Mr. Williams to produce one shred of evidence to support any of the contentions that he has made.
I do so knowing fully well that a person who is of the iniquitous propensity to contrive and concoct such an elaborate tale is quite capable of falsifying documents to support these preposterous claims. This is not the first time that this Attorney-General has been caught manufacturing stories to blame me and the PPP Civic Administration as part of his clumsy strategy to defend himself. Readers will recall that he alleged that the PPP Government had agreed to pay B.K International when he was publicly pounded for paying millions of dollars on a mere letter threatening litigation. I challenged him then to produce evidence of this Agreement to pay. He never did. Again, the imbecilic contention is that the PPP had begun the compulsory acquisition process in respect of these two plots of land. Assuming that he is correct, this Attorney-General appears to lack a mind of his own and seems incapable of doing anything other than robotically follow PPP initiatives. Whatever it is, that the President has a serious problem on his hand, I am in no doubt. Mohabir Anil Nandlall, Attorney-at-Law, MP
Urgent need for an all-weather road to the interior Dear Editor; I'm well aware of the multitude of problems this government is required to sort through, having inherited the cesspool created by the last government. However, one of the projects that the government should prioritize is an allweather road to the interior. Until this is built our population will continue to be crowded on the coastline and be reluctant to venture inland. There are, however, a few brave souls who have settled in the interior locations but are hampered by the deteriorating track which connects them to the coast. In a flourishing town like Lethem goods are available at very high prices due to the difficulty in transporting them from the coastal areas. During the rainy season this track is often impassable if one is traveling in anything short of a hovercraft. Until we have inserted that all weather road, there must be a way of getting goods to places like Lethem without the stress of maneuvering down that track. I have a suggestion
which, on the surface, seems simple and workable, though a substantial investment is required to get it started. There are now hybrid airships that are available for transporting commercial cargo. I'm well aware that many associate airships with the Hindenburg disaster in 1937, but airships have come a long way since then. No longer is hydrogen used but the safer inert gases. The advantages of using a hybrid airship include the ability to transport lots of cargo along with passengers in relative comfort. Moreover, it does not require any infrastructure like a runway. It is suitable for reaching any remote area and is capable
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of transporting even heavy machinery. There may be many others like this one. This could very well be an efficient way for government to provide transportation between the coastal areas and our remote communities in the interior. Details such as maintenance, piloting, wind speed and direction reports can be worked out once the decision is made to pursue this avenue of transportation. I hope some enterprising government official reads this letter and follow up in pursuing whether or not this is a workable solution to our interior transportation problems. Malcolm Alves
Accusations against Transport and Harbours Department Dear Editor; We the concerned employees of T&HD would like to express our view on several matters that we think are wrong; that are taking place in the department. 1. People are being promoted without the necessary qualifications and experience and are friends of the senior staff. Only staff within that circle are being promoted – drinking pals of the seniors. 2. The big ones are employing their family members and friends and outsiders who are applying for jobs are told there is no vacancy, but finding and creating jobs for their family members and friends. For example one of the big wigs has a brother working on a boat; another, a son in the central workshop and a cousin, in the office in the workshop. We want to know if this government department is a private or a public department. It reminds us of the PPP as one writer puts it; it's a party for friends and family. So we the concerned employees want to know if T&HD is like that. A lot of things are happening at the department. We will highlight them. The selling of priority passes. Priority pass is for Government, members of the Diplomatic Corp, senior officers of the Joint Services, etc. What has been happening is that Tom, Dick and Harry are coming for passes and paying between $10,000 to $25,000 for a pass - this needs to be investigated. Monies are being deducted from the salaries of staff and not paid over to NIS. When staff members go to NIS to query about benefits, they are told that for months the department has not paid any
contribution on their behalf. Same is being done for credit unions deductions. All this can be considered as terrible wrongs being committed by the T&HD and should be stopped. There are some staff members who are claiming monies for working through lunch when in fact they do not work. Staff involved should be made to repay same or be dismissed. Senior staff members are part of it (it's a ring). Some staff members are untouchable because they are close to the senior staff. Customers shipping goods to the North West are being harassed by staff. They are told that if they want the goods to go on the boat they have to pay. Customers suffer a lot through theft when the boat reaches North West. Goods are missing. An officer in charge was removed by the previous Minister (Benn) for corrupt practices, yet this person was sent back there after the PPP lost the elections in 2015. She and a certain person are best of friends, or what the old people say 'hand in glove'; they are drinking pals. A senior staff is very insulting, telling employees all sorts of things, calling them names, like hard head, thief etc. We the staff cannot take it anymore. The fuel and drugs are big businesses. Drugs are being shipped on the boat to the North West District. Customers and employees are in collusion. We want to see the Police and CANU come and search the boat before sail every time. Drugs will be found. With the fuel; illegal fuel comes from the North West District on the boat in seven
and five gallon containers. Police and GEA officials need to come when the boat returns from the North West District and search it before customers get the goods off. Sometimes you may get one or two drums. There are staff members who retire and come back in the same positions; this is unacceptable. For example, the Shore Chief returned and he is back in the same position. The officer in charge of Parika is about to retire and he too is coming back in that position. The Chief Stores Keeper (CSK) retired and she is back. Some seniors are aware of a lot of things but playing blind, deaf and dumb on them. We know they are part of the wrong doings that are taking place at the department. The present system is keeping down young qualified staff. It is time for the government to act. It is the tax payers' monies running the T&HD. The department does not make money; it's not a profit making department. It depends on money from the government to keep it afloat and that money is the tax payers' money. We the concerned staff would like to see a forensic audit into T&HD. A lot of audit taking place; what about T&HD? We are calling on the President and the Ministers to help save T&HD now! Too much wrong things are taking place. It has become a money making organization. Concerned employees
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Union writes Parliament for changes to the union recognition law Dear Editor; The People United and General Workers Union (PUGWU) on September 30, 2016 via email made submissions to the Two (2) Parliamentary Political Parties (APNU+AFC and PPP/C) and His Excellency David Granger President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, urgently requesting that the parties(MP) of the National Assembly on the next sitting of the National Assembly (tentatively set for October 13) table and pass a Motion that will pave the way for the Parliament to amend/modify the Guyana Trade Union Recognition Act CHAPTER 98:07. Present Union dues deduction and remittance procedures used in Guyana; (1) The present union dues deduction and remittance that is conducted in Guyana through Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) made between Companies and Trade Unions is being done based on the principle of the Union being issued with a Certificate of Recognition by the Guyana Trade Union Recognition and Certification Board but this principle is not law, in some instances companies ask trade unions to give up items from the CLA before they grant the Union's request for deduction and remittance of union dues. Whenever a Union gives up an item(s) from its CLA, every item(s) given up by the union is a loss for the workers. (2) Trade Unions are mandated in keeping with their registered constitutions/rules to issue Union dues form that will provide for membership
and monthly/weekly/fortnightly dues. (3) It is at the discretion of an employer whether to allow the Union executives or its representatives (who are not employed by the employer) to visit, and if allowed to visit the worksite the employer decides the number and which Union executive officers or its representatives (to visit), the time period and place for any meeting(s). Also the frequencies of the meeting(s). Proposed Amendments (a) Check-off of union dues-An employer to deduct dues of a registered trade union from an employee's wages if that employee has authorized the employer to do so and remit dues to the Union. (b) Union dues form- a registered trade Union to print and furnish membership dues forms after it is approved by the Union in accordance with the provision of the Union's registered constitution. (c) Agency Shop Agreements- A recognised trade union and employer to conclude a collective agreement that provides for an Agency Shop deduction and remittance. (d) Trade Union access to the workplace - Any officebearer or official of a representative trade union is entitled to enter the employer's premises in order to communicate with an employee who comprises the trade union bargaining unit and generally to provide service to members. Some of the Benefits that the proposed amendments will bring to workers and their unions. Check-off of union dues With the employer legally mandated to deduct authorised workers' union dues and remit same to the Union, this will ensure a timely and orderly delivery of deducted dues to the Union and will ensure the smooth operation and delivery of services to members and work-
ers who fall within the Union bargaining unit. Similarly as employers are legally mandated to deducted workers (P.A.Y.E) and to remit same to Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)/Government. Dues Deductions form Prior to signing the Union dues deductions forms, the workers are given a detailed explanation on the rules, the Union's purpose, and representation policies, to such worker(s) and the general services and benefits the union will provide within the context of the agreed to be paid union dues. Agency Shop Agreements (a) It is extremely unfair for some workers (Union members) to pay Union dues, while others are not paying but are enjoying and benefiting from the dues paid by members to the Union to conduct said functions etc. therefore it is important for non-members to equally share the expenses arising from the before mentioned functions and services to be provided by the Union. (b) With the maximum income to be acquired from union dues plus agency shop dues, the union would be able to provide a greater service and provided more benefits e.g. training and capacity building etc. Trade Union Access to workplace To have a very healthy in-
dustrial relations environment, it is an imperative that the Union executive/representatives be given access to visit the worksite(s) this will provide the following benefit; (a) The Union executives/ representatives will get a firsthand insight of the general working conditions and where there are deficiencies will make recommendations to the Company site managements for corrections and improvement. (b) Being on regular site visits the Union executives/ representatives will be able to deal with issues, grievances, industrial accidents or death that can lead to serious industrial unrest for which the Union executives/representatives would meet with the workers/branch officers and site management in an effort to defuse the impending industrial unrest. (c) A trade union cannot make effective and productive representation and negotiate proper draft CLA (including improved working conditions for its members/workers who falls within the Union bargaining unit) if the Union just meet with the employer and conduct the meeting without first visiting the worksite in which its members work so as to get a firsthand look and assess the conditions that the said workers are working under. Micah Williams
Wednesday October 12, 2016
The forestry sector has done well Dear Editor; I am a concerned forestry sector stakeholder and I am really sad at what a GFC board member Dr. Bulkan is doing to the forest industry. I know that she came from a background of logging and her family is still in the logging and processing. I want Bulkan to remember that it was the profits from the forest industry that provided monies for her school foundation. That provided food for her and her family. And in those days there were no rules and laws and guidelines like now. There was not so much detailed monitoring and inspections. I remind Ms Bulkan that everyone but she recognized that forestry has done well in Guyana. A forestry sector fellow worker wrote about all the audits and investigations done by outside experts. Does she want us to believe that these people are fooling Norway and FAO and UN? That does not seem possible because these experts would lose their status and reputation. If Guyana was doing badly they would say so. They hold no sympathy for us. They come to do a job and they know that they have to tell the truth or their reputation will go down the drain with their career. These experts operate on the basis of facts. They come and check and this checking
is in the field; in the actual logging area. That is the only way in which they can make their reports which they know have to be based on facts. They don't sit in a fancy air conditioned office and do uninformed articles based on interviews with environment people and people who don't prefer to see trees cut. There are people who say untruthful things because they want to paint a bad picture. If Guyana was doing so badly how come we have a rate of deforesting that is less than 0.1 %? Ms Bulkan needs to stop being an armchair critic who operates on the basis of interview and reports; reports which are biased and come from environment NGO's two of which operate in Guyana. Bulkan needs to remember where she came from and let other people get up in life too. Not kill our markets with her nonsense which most likely has the international experts laughing. The university she works for should question her. No respectable university would have an employee publishing wrong information which results in increased poverty because people lose their markets. She should shut up or resign as a board member. As a board member she has to support the sector not destroy it. I call on the board to take action. Saleem Hamid Essequibo Logger
Questions for the Mayor in Region 9 Dear Editor; Please let me try to express the magnitude of my disappointment and frustration. For the second time in a short while, the Mayor's office is responsible for the circulation of a petition for the removal of the REO of Region 9. There is so much to be done for this region, but this is how the Mayor and his councillors feel that their time is best spent. The actions of his office are unacceptable. What about
the deplorable condition of the roads? How about you lobbying for the roads to be given priority instead of the Kupokari bridge? What about a proper garbage disposal system? What about our passport office? What about our business registration office? How about getting these animals off the streets of our Town? What about the rest of street lights? There is so much that needs your attention sir and this is what you and your
councillors spend your time doing? All of this is exactly what the opposition wants to prove to the people that this administration is no better than the last and that is ammunition for them to win the next elections. Where is your humility? Where is your team spirit? Where is your sense of responsibility and commitment to the people of this Town and your party? This is unacceptable. Mr. Carlton Beckles; you are not
deserving of the office you so have and I appeal to you sir, be the bigger person and resign immediately. Were I a senior member of this party, I would see you as a liability and not an asset. A liability that will be the dutty that is helping to build up a whole dam that will prevent the free flow of young voters from putting their X next to the KEY OR PALM TREE in the next election! Resident of Lethem
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Ethics and Environmental audits in the pipeline The nation’s Audit Office is currently making significant moves to modernize the manner in which it conducts audits on Government’s spending of tax dollars on an annual basis. This is according to the Audit Office which is headed by Auditor General, Deodat Sharma. Kaieteur News understands that over the years, the office has implemented a number of units such as its forensic and fraud departments in an effort to strengthen and improve its services so that it can produce more effective reports. A senior Audit officer explained that the Office intends to execute in the coming years, more performance audits on certain Government agencies. In addition to this, it was explained that the Audit Office is making moves to start conducting environmental and IT audits. The officer said that moves are being made in this regard since that is how auditing of national accounts is being done at the international level. He said that at first, there was emphasis on the three E’s – Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness- and two others have been added recently — Ethics and the Environment.
- Auditor General
Auditor General, Deodat Sharma The shape and form the ethics audit will take is still being discussed but “we are swiftly moving towards the implementation of environmental audits.” The Audit Officer said that it is important for Guyana to have modernized audit practices. The audit officer noted that performance audits have been done thus far on the Old Age Pension and the Palms. He said that a few others are in the pipeline. Regarding the performance audit report on the Palms, it was explained that, the Auditor General examines the extent to which a public entity is applying its resources and carrying out its activities economically, efficiently and effectively with due regard to effective
internal management control. The Auditor General said that the performance report on the Palms therefore sought to provide an assessment of the living conditions of the residents there. Sharma said that the performance audit was conducted for the period January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 and the report was laid in the National Assembly on December 3, 2009. He said, “We conducted a follow-up audit on the Palms Institution for the period January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2013. Subsequent audit checks were conducted in 2014 and 2015 to determine what action was taken by the Ministry of Social Protection and the Palms Administration, in implementing the recommendations in the report.” The Auditor General stated that the audit report contained a total of 75 recommendations in the areas of accountability, responsibility and funding, health and well-being, food and dietary services, facilities
and working environment and staff management. Sharma indicated that the recommendations were designed to strengthen financial accountability and oversight, improve the health and well-being of the residents and address staffing issues. He said that up to the time of reporting, only 46 (62%) of the 75 recommendations were fully implemented, while 16 (21%) were partially implemented, and 13 (17%) were not implemented. “We expect the Ministry and the Palms Administration Institution will actively pursue the recommendations made in our report since 2008 with a view of implementing those that were not implemented and to continue working on fully implementing those that were partially implemented in a timely manner,” the Auditor General. Sharma said that there were some worrying areas which are still to be addressed. He said that the Palms did not have the required number
of qualified and trained combination of staff and a comprehensive review of the Institutions’ staff strength was not done in an effort to identify staffing needs and recruit staff in order to rectify the situation. In comparison with World Health Organization (WHO) standard, which requires a ratio of one nurse to four patients, he said that the ratio at the Palms stood at one nurse to nine residents. The Auditor General said that this is inadequate and can impair the Institution’s ability to effectively care for each resident and facilitate recreational activities, which require nursing supervision. Furthermore, Sharma said that assistance was not sought from the Ministry of Public Health to have a Dietician/Nutritionist attached to the Palms to assess the dietary needs of residents, nor was the staff of the Palms trained by a Nutritionist in providing nutritional care for residents. As a result, Sharma said that diets supplied to residents may lack the required nutritional value. He said, too, that there was no emergency policy document established. Staff
and residents of the Palms were still not trained in emergency preparedness. Furthermore, the Auditor General asserted that there were still no alarms, buzzers or bells in wards to alert the occupants in the event of an emergency. Sharma believes that this situation would result in a tragedy should an emergency occur, as residents will take uncoordinated action. Additionally, Sharma said that bedridden residents are at risk of being left unattended. He said that it should be reiterated that the recommendations were made to correct identified deficiencies and improve operations. Given the significance of the recommendations, particularly in the areas of Health and Well-Being, Food and Dietary and Facilities and Working Environment, which directly impacted the quality of life of the residents and their overall well-being, Sharma said it is important that the Ministry and the Palms Administration fully implement those recommendations on a priority basis to address the issues raised in the audit report.
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Wednesday October 12, 2016
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CARICOM grapples with Matthew’s devastations CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador, Irwin LaRocque, has expressed sadness with the loss of lives, homes and property during the passage of Hurricane Matthew. In a statement Monday, he gave the assurance that CARICOM is fully engaged in assisting affected countries with their recovery and rebuilding efforts. Haiti was the most seriously affected CARICOM Member State with more than 800 deaths, thousands displaced and widespread devastation. Hurricane Matthew also affected Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines where there was one death reported, St. Lucia, Dominica, Jamaica, The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Secretary-General said CDEMA – the CARIBBEAN Disaster Emergency Management Agency- is leading the CARICOM response, working with national relief organisations to assess damage, determine priority needs and provide relief. He said he has been in discussions with the leadership of the affected countries and the head of CDEMA. Ambassador LaRocque said the early response to the aftermath of Matthew and the support put in place to resource the recovery effort underline the critical importance of the regional institutional frameworks established by the Community. In addition to CDEMA’s work, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk
Insurance Facility (CCRIF) has already processed payment to two affected countries, including more than US$20M to Haiti. Below is his full statement: It is with deep sadness that I extend my sympathy and condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the passage of Hurricane Matthew. I also empathise with the thousands who have lost their homes and property on account of the storm. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) expresses its solidarity with the governments and people of the many States affected by Hurricane Matthew, a hurricane of exceptional strength, as it swept through the Region. The catastrophic storm has affected our members, from Barbados to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, and Dominica to Haiti, Jamaica, The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It has also affected the Cuba and Dominican Republic and left in its wake significant loss of life, property and infrastructure. To date, Haiti has been the most seriously affected with more than 800 deaths, thousands displaced and widespread flooding and devastation in parts of the country raising concerns about a resurgence of cholera. Moreover, the full scale of fatalities and destruction has not yet been assessed as the isolation of the most affected areas has been
In Jeremie, Haiti, Hurricane Matthew claimed the life of a pregnant woman, whose remains were carried in a coffin by local residents on Friday, October 7, 2016. (CNN photo)
exacerbated by the damage of key road and the communications infrastructure. We are also concerned about reports of extensive damage in The Bahamas. The CARICOM response is being led by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) which has been working with national relief organisations to assess damage, determine priority needs and provide relief. The Secretary-General has been in discussions with the leadership of the countries affected as well with the Executive Director of CDEMA
as the Community faces this serious and recurring challenge. The passage of Matthew underlines once again the vulnerability of Caribbean Small Island Developing and Low Lying Coastal States (SIDS) to the vagaries of climate action and the reversals they bring to sustainable development efforts. The early response to the aftermath of Matthew as well as the supportive facility put in place to help resource the required recovery and rebuilding effort also underline the critical importance of the regional
institutional frameworks established by the Community, CDEMA and the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) which has already processed payment to two of the affected countries, Barbados and Haiti. On behalf of the Community, I once again extend heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and to the Governments and peoples of the affected countries. They can be assured that CARICOM is fully engaged in assisting their recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Poor people are punishing! I do not know what is going to happen to poor people in Guyana. Things are becoming more difficult for them in Guyana, even though things should have been improving. It was shocking to discover the sort of house rentals that are being charged today. Rentals should have fallen to rock bottom because of the fact that more than fifty thousand housing units were established over the past twenty years. Yet despite this massive increase in houses, rentals are still sky-high. This is hurting poor people in Guyana because many of them cannot afford to buy a government house lot much less to put up a structure on it. They are forced to rent and they are finding that they cannot afford the high cost of rent. Landlords are exploiting
poor people in Guyana. Rentals are very high and the poor people simply cannot pay the high rentals being charged. In other cases, property owners are afraid to rent their property because tenants are not paying and to get them evicted involves a lengthy and costly legal process. The poor people are hurting from the high cost of living. You go to the supermarket or market and you are returning with fewer goods than before. A small bundle of items is costing. People are hurting because they do not have the money to pay for these goods. Money is not circulating and many poor persons are not having jobs. They cannot afford the groceries each month. The 10% increase that the government is paying to the workers in the lower tiers of
the salary scale is not going to stretch that far. Not with the way prices are increasing in the supermarket. Yet we are told that inflation in 2015 was negative. Tell that to the poor man when he goes to buy his monthly grocery supplies. Even prices at the green grocers have increased. Chicken and fish prices have still not been slashed to make them more readily affordable to the poor man. Food is not the only expense people have. Transportation is also a problem. The fares for public transportation have also increased. Short drops which used to be $60 are now $80 per trip. It may seem a small amount but for the average worker having to pay an extra $20 per day, it adds up, especially when you have one or two children. If you have to travel a little further, the
Dem boys seh...
Soulja Bai screwing dem kantractah Dem boys beginning to like wha dem seeing and wha dem hearing. Dem see how de govt manners BaiShanLin by tekking away three-quarter of Guyana wha Jagdeo, that scamp, give dem fuh nutten. Dem boys see how Soulja Bai tek way Vulture land wha he and all get fuh next to nutten. Dem tek way de well from Babbie and that is only one of de many things he thief. Dem already seh dem gun tek back de scampish contract deal that Dr Nutten try fuh mek something and end up getting nutten, just like he name. Dem boys now hear that de govt buy over Dr Yesu shares secretly and get control of de Berbice Bridge.
Babbie and Jagdeo get a dose of dem own medicine. Everything dem do was in secret. Guyana tek two years to find out that Jagdeo give Babbie de Sanata Complex fuh next nutten in 2009. Seven years after de 2009 tek over dem now telling people that dem get de well in de deal. Soulja Bai order GWI fuh tek it way. Before that, dem did tek way de title wha Joe Shan put round BK neck. Soulja Bai drag de title so hard that it bruise BK face and ee ears. Dem boys can’t forget that dem clean up de entire country, from top to bottom. Georgetown so clean that nobody can’t find dem contract document and
concession papers wha Jagdeo give ee friends and family. Dem repairing all dem road in de city; dem put up arch, dem build up Durban Park and put Babbie pole wha he use to give Jagdeo, in de middle. Dem tek way all dem drug contract from Babbie and dem end de Learning Channel wholesale robbery. Dem tighten up pun all dem kantractah and dem boys hear dem putting screw in dem behind. De Chinee one who doing de airport; de Jamaicans who seh dem doing roads; BK who can’t done de East Bank road, all of dem get tighten. Talk half and watch how dem walking.
fare increases and this is one of the main reasons why many parents cannot send their children to school. They cannot afford the additional cost, especially since there is a slowdown in business activity in the economy. Christmas is around the corner and the poor man needs an extra dollar. At this time of the year, it is always difficult to get handymen to do jobs. They are usually fully booked from September right through to January. Well, not anymore. A lot of poor artisans who would
usually have their hands full at this time are finding it difficult to get jobs. People are not repairing and repainting as much this year as in the past and therefore a lot of handymen are going to have it tough this Christmas. People are holding back. They are afraid to spend their money because they do not know what the future brings. They are therefore not spending because they are uncertain about the business climate in Guyana. Overseas Guyanese are also holding back what they
used to send because a lot of their relatives are now getting visas and are making regular holiday trips overseas. Remittances are down. If remittances are down, it means that poor people who are accustomed to these transfers are going to be in a worse situation that they were before.
Barbadian jailed for cocaine strapped to body The Barbadian national who was found with cocaine strapped to his body has been identified as Kyle Archer. He was on Monday sentenced to four years’ imprisonment and fined $30,000 after pleading guilty to having 914 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking on October 9, at Eugene F. Correira International Airport, Ogle, East Coast Demerara. The custodial sentence was handed down by Magistrate Zamilla AllySeepaul in the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
The cocaine in white packets According to reports, Archer was arrested by narcotics ranks after he was
found with the cocaine wrapped in undergarment strapped to his leg.
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Wednesday October 12, 2016
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN...
The Ramson Affair; only in Guyana Bharrat Jagdeo came to power in August 1999. By the time he won his second national election in 2006, Mr. Jagdeo had graphically proven the right an old perception of human nature – it is better to give a rich man power than a poor fellow; the poor fellow will most likely steal to get rich. I worked closely with Guyana’s best legal brain at the University of Guyana. I was close to J.O.F. Haynes also because he knew my mother-in-law well and shopped at her supermarket for decades. One day in his office at UG, he answered a question of mine with his customary, funny facial gesticulation. He leaned his face to one side, looked down to the floor and said; “because he has money.” My question was why he took Rex McKay to Grenada to be his assistant prosecutor after the American invasion and the arrest of the ruling party. JOF said that he believed McKay would not be enticed by money because he already had it. Jagdeo, the poor, semi-educated boy from Unity, Mahaica, became tempted by money and ended up having most of the rich men in Guyana as his enduring intimates. Jagdeo literally handed over this country to his relatives, friends and PPP cronies. Seventeen months after the Coalition came to power, we
are still to see legal action against the oceans of illegal things Jagdeo and company perpetuated in this land and we are still to see the dismantling of the incestuously driven, publicly funded institutions Jagdeo created. One of the reasons that best explain why the dismantling has not occurred as yet is because of the new rulers’ ineptness in politically strategizing. The parties that make up the Coalition had fifteen years to see the incestuous use of power by Jagdeo and Ramotar. The PNC, AFC and WPA didn’t need a torch light to see how Jagdeo and Ramotar were creating a country run and enjoyed by family, relatives and friends. Perhaps the lowest level of this moral poison was the creation of oligarchic power for Kwame McCoy and the appointment of Bibi Shadick as Pro-Chancellor of UG. When it came to power in May 2015, one of the key strategies of the new regime was to appoint a committee of competent persons to study the areas of incestuousness and dissolve them. It never did so, thus Charles Ramson Sr remained as the Commissioner of Information doing absolutely nothing and drawing down $2 million monthly. The story of the retention of Charles Ramson as Commissioner of Information is the story of a fiction that could only be found
in a country like Guyana and there is no other disheveled country like Guyana. The Coalition regime is seventeen months old and throughout that period, Mr. Ramson sat in his office which is located inside his home and collected 2 million dollars monthly. During this time, he became embroiled in terrible controversies. Here are two examples. When requested for information, Mr. Ramson declined on the basis that the address on the envelope by Transparency International (Guyana Branch) did not spell out his full titles to include his seniority as a former Court of Appeal Justice. That was sufficient evidence of unbecoming conduct to have him removed after the Coalition came to power. The second example was Frederick when he rejected request for information on the basis that his office could not function since funds for the office in the National Budget was cut by the parliamentary opposition of APNU and AFC. This was not true because the cut item was restored unilaterally by the PPP
Government and Mr. Ramson’s office had finances to work with. The law under which the Director of Information functions prescribes no term limits. The law itself is so flawed that it is literally designed to create headaches for those who request information. Perhaps the only government that does not know that laws can be amended or scrapped is the present administration in this land. A simple amendment could have sent Ramson packing. The APNU and AFC inherited a troubled country. One AFC leader said it will take time to correct all the terrible things the PPP cabal did. But the leaders of this very troubled country do not behave as if Guyana has profound, extensive problems. Parliament hardly meets and when Kissoon it does meet its schedule is similar to other countries which do not have even ten percent of the dilemmas we face. So Parliament meets this week and dozens and dozens of totalitarian legislations that the PPP enacted will be left intact; they will take decades to undo.
Wednesday October 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
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Expressions of Interest submitted to determine impact of Aviation Industry on the economy - Turkeyen, Carmelita Nursery Schools to be constructed - Mabaruma Town Hall to be rehabilitated
Tenders were opened for the construction and installation of pipe works and structure at the No. 66 Village, Berbice Drainage Pump. The procuring entity was listed as the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA). The engineer’s estimate was announced at $49.5M
During the opening of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Ministry of Finance, Georgetown, Expressions of Interest were received for a study to determine the impact of Air Transport on Guyana’s economy. The procuring entity was announced as the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
Several contractors vied for the contract to construct a nursery school at Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara. The procuring entity was listed as the Ministry of Education. The engineer’s estimate was announced at $ 34.4M
The Ministry of Communities was listed as the procuring entity for several projects. Amongst some of these contracts was the rehabilitation of the Blairmont/Gelderland children’s playground in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice). The engineer’s estimate was announced at $4.131.875
The contract to upgrade the Whim Community Centre Ground in Berbice attracted nine bidders. The engineer’s estimate was announced at $5.8M.
The Ministry of Education was also listed as the procuring entity for the construction of Carmelita Nursery School, Sheriff Street. The engineer’s estimate was announced at $35.6M.
Tenders were also opened for the rehabilitation of bridges in Woodlands/Bel Air, Region Five. The engineer’s estimate was announced at $3.3M.
Six Contractors submitted bids for the rehabilitation of the Mabaruma Town Hall, Region One (Barima/Waini). The procuring entity was listed as the Ministry of Communities and the engineer’s estimate was announced at $29.5M Also, tenders were opened for the rehabilitation of roads in New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne). The engineer’s estimate is $46M.
Tenders were opened for the procurement of a computer tomography (CT) scan machine. The procuring entity was listed as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
Tenders were also opened for supervisory services for the construction of pump stations at Lusignan, Buxton/Vigilance and Hope/Enmore, East Coast Demerara. The procuring entity was listed as Ministry of Agriculture- Agricultural Sector Development Unit (ASDU). Tenders to construct a community centre ground and a pavilion at Barakara, Canje River, Region Six, were also opened. The engineer’s estimate was announced at $41.8M. (continued on page 27)
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 12, 2016
Bauxite industry shows promising improvements Over the years, the bauxite industry has performed poorly, with local economists foreseeing no positive development signs in the near future. It appears however, that the sector is poised to make a comeback. According to officials within the Economic Policy Analysis Unit (EPAU) of the Ministry of Finance, production in the bauxite industry has regained
momentum. The officials said that this is after slowing production rates in April and May, giving rise to cautious optimism that the industry will return to positive growth in 2016. Kaieteur News understands that the most recently analyzed figures for the sector showed that bauxite production for July last was 122,157 tonnes compared to 117,883 tonnes
in July, 2015. The analysts said that this brings bauxite production from January to July, 2016 to 882,847 tonnes compared to 864,707 tonnes produced during the same period in 2015. They said that this represents an increase of 2.1 percent. Additionally, the officials said that except for the months of April and May, bauxite production has been
consistently higher in 2016 compared to 2015. They said that this consistency is mainly attributed to improved efficiency. Regarding production for June, last, figures were pegged at 89,534 tonnes compared to 73,352 tonnes in June, 2015. The Ministry of Finance officials said that this brings bauxite production from January to June, 2016 to 760,689 tonnes compared to
- Ministry of Finance 746,824 tonnes during the same period in 2015. As for May, last, the analysts said that bauxite production was 96,772 tonnes compared to 122,237 tonnes in May, 2015. It was in 2015 that Finance Minister, Winston Jordan had said that bauxite continued to experience unfavourable global markets, resulting in both bauxite companies in the industry producing below capacity. He said that encouragingly however, Canadian-owned First Bauxite is going ahead with opening a new mine in the Bonasika area, having recently completed the feasibility study for mining bauxite in that area. The Finance Minister said it is important to note that the bauxite sector underperformed in 2015, largely due to low commodity prices. During 2016, he said that the sector will continue to face challenges, as commodity prices are expected to remain low. The economist said that work is presently underway
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan to stimulate greater foreign and local investment in the forestry sector, especially in value added activities. The Economic Policy Analysis Unit is one which on a monthly basis provides an update on some of the important developments within Guyana’s economy. It also provides an update on the forecast of key economic variables within Guyana’s economy.
2005 ‘bow and arrow’ murder accused gets hung jury After about one week before a judge and jury in the High Court, the trial of accused murderer, Alvin Gounga, ended yesterday in hung jury. Gounga was on trial for the murder of Desmond Henry which occurred at Five Star Backdam, Port Kaituma, North West District on May 14, 2005. Following the announcement of the verdict by the jury yesterday, it was announced that Gounga, who has been incarcerated since 2005, will return to prison until his case comes up again for a second trial at the next possible sitting of the Demerara Criminal Assizes. Gounga called “Orvin” or “Captain” appeared before Justice Roxanne George and a mixed 12-member jury at the Georgetown Supreme Court. He was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Dexter Todd. According to the allegation, the accused is said to have shot Henry to death with his bow and arrow. The accused reportedly shot Henry following an argument over stolen gold. Gounga was arrested shortly after the incident. He has therefore been incarcerated for the murder since 2005. At the beginning of the case, Gounga pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors Tuanna Hardy and Narissa Leander represented the state. At the opening of the trial, Prosecutor Leander advised the jury to return a verdict of guilty once they were satisfied that the case had been proven against the accused. During the trial, the Prosecution called several witnesses. There was Detective Sergeant Emrick Winter, who read the caution statement of the accused. According to the statement which Gounga gave police, on the day of the incident he was having an argument with his wife over the missing pieces of gold when his wife’s father (Henry) attacked him with an axe and a pitchfork. Gounga said that at first the man advanced towards him with the pitchfork and after he failed to injure him, he picked up an axe. The accused said that was when he reached for an arrow and bow and shot at the man. After two hours of deliberations yesterday, the jury announced that they could not arrive at a unanimous decision in relation to the accused person. In light of the verdict, Justice George told the accused that he will likely face another trial.
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Kaieteur News
UG Vice Chancellor must be given scope to work did give the go ahead for this to happen,” Alexander noted. The new leadership team, A needful transformation towards examining its which was proposed by Vice at the University of Guyana curriculum in order to meet the Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw (UG) must go hand in hand needs of the nation. Griffith, became effective on with a metamorphosis of the Alexander’s remarks were Saturday October 1, 2016. It academic staff. This assertion made, recently, when he includes three Deputy Vice was recently made by spoke of the recently Chancellors – Vice Chancellor Technical Adviser on Tertiary implemented leadership team of Academic Engagement; Education to the Minister of at the university. Vice Chancellor of Planning Education, Vincent Alexander. The Technical Adviser, and International Alexander is of the firm who is a member of the Engagement and Vice opinion that the academic university Council, has Chancellor of Philanthropy, staff of the national tertiary disclosed that while the Alumni and Civic institution must embrace a implementation of a new Engagement. change in the way they carry leadership team was The leadership team also out their duties. approved by the relevant includes a newly established “They need to position of Chief “...the new Vice Chancellor is understand that of Staff of the Vice their commitments Chancellery and bringing new ideas, new approaches have to be to the there is also a and you have to give him some time to Director students; efforts of have been made to S t r a t e g i c see what he does. We can’t start enhance their Initiatives. encroaching him and handicapping “There is salaries and they him at the start of the process.” have got to commit obviously going to be additional to giving service to the university and not short body of the university it was, cost; there is no question change the university,” said however, not without some about that but I think that you Alexander. concerns. have got to give leaders the “There were people who scope to pursue the course But the metamorphosis of which Alexander spoke is shared different views in of action that they think will only one of three things he terms of the availability of the work unless what they are believes must occur at the finances to get it off the doing is out of the ordinary,” university to aid its ground...but at the end of the said Alexander of the recent transformation. He also day they have to take development. spoke of the need for the collective responsibility. He continued, “...I think the that is the framework with university to be recapitalised Notwithstanding and to embrace moves individual views, the Council which I would approach this
- Technical Adviser
Mr. Vincent Alexander matter...the new Vice Chancellor he is bringing new ideas, new approaches and you have to give him some time to see what he does. We can’t start encroaching him and handicapping him at the start of the process.” The Technical Adviser said that he will maintain the disposition that the Vice Chancellor must be given a chance to implement what he has proposed once it is not deemed outrageous. “I wouldn’t consider it outrageous so in that context I would say give him a chance
and see what works,” asserted Alexander. A number of persons have vocalised their views on the leadership team. President of the University of Guyana Workers Union (UGWU), Mr. Bruce Haynes, like Alexander, has called for the changes to be given a chance since they were not introduced in a dictatorial manner but rather received the blessings of the financial arm of the University – the Finance and General Purpose Committee (F&GPC). The F&GPC is a policy making body of the University second only to the University Council. According to Haynes, he has no qualms with the leadership team since based on what has been proposed, the Vice Chancellor has made use of persons who are already within the employ of the University. “What I understand is that these changes have not cost the University anything in the extreme...He (the Vice Chancellor) has basically reworked the system to accommodate new initiatives. Taking the University to where it needs to b e c a l l s f o r changes and a reworking of the system to accommodate
this. “Persons in the leadership team have basically been redeployed. The Vice Chancellor has redeployed the resources effectively so that they can be maximised,” said Haynes as he suggested that those against this move are fewer than those supporting it. Very vocal about his opposing view has been former UG lecturer and Kaieteur News Columnist, Mr. Frederick Kissoon. Kissoon believes that the decision to put the team in place is a mistake. “The University has not got that kind of student and employee populations to warrant such a vast outlay of personnel....that by any global standard is highly irregular,” underscored Kissoon. He is therefore convinced that instead of creating new positions and increasing the leadership, team efforts could have in fact been made to distribute duties to the existing Deans.
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Wednesday October 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
Post Offices will not become obsolete
Minister of Public Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , Catherine Hughes, in an address in observance of ‘World Post Day 2016’ said, “Times have changed, methods of communication have changed. This particular source of national revenue has undergone some changes which is why we are recalibrating our focus to more efficiently accommodate
our people’s 21st century needs.” The minister assured, “Post Offices will not become obsolete.” It was recognised that the use of postal services has declined significantly over the past few years due to developments in the areas of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). The ICT sector is being utilized for its speed, efficiency, availability and in
some cases, low cost. “Postal services in Guyana are already undergoing very dramatic changes, even to the physical amenities and facilities that will benefit our pensioners, first of all,” Minister Hughes added. Since persons worldwide no longer use the local postal systems as a first choice for sending mail, other information and packages,
- Min. Hughes systems are being put in place, in Guyana, for the effects of such changes. Chairman of the Guyana Post Office Corporation Board, Reverend Raphael Massiah, in his message stated, “Over the next two years, we plan to hone all the available skills of our human capital coupled with the maximum use of ICT to offer an improved service with greater efficiency and reliability.” Massiah said the GPOC needs to take a bold step forward and recalibrate its operations in order to remain relevant to the everyday lives of people and business.
With the establishment of the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, Guyana is expected to move forward with the implementation of state of the art telecommunication and internet facilities. Guyana will be preparing to confront fast advancing communication technology that has overtime, diminished the quantity of handdelivered mail which the post offices have been mailing across the world for more than 200 years. The 64 branches of the GPOC will soon be rehabilitated to meet international standards to keep up with the changes
in the direction of postal services. Services offered by this public facility include money transfer services, government or social assistance services, registration of birth, death and marriage, bill payments and, postage and revenue stamps. This year World Post Day was celebrated on October 9, under the theme, ‘Serving a new society: delivering beyond your doorstep.’ Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), on Monday last commemorated World Post Day 2016. The observance was declared by the 1969 Universal Postal Congress in Tokyo as a means to mark the anniversary of the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) creation in 1974.
The desire of one woman to end an intimate relationship with another did not go down well with her partner. The confrontation ended in a street fight. The brawl landed one in hospital and the other in jail. Roshana Hunte, 31, of Lot 177 Bermine Housing Scheme, New Amsterdam appeared on Monday before Magistrate Alex Moore in the New Amsterdam Magistrate Court on a charge of felonious wounding. She had wounded Annalisa Giddings. Around 14:30hrs on October 7, last, at Main Street and Lad lane, New Amsterdam, Hunte unlawfully and maliciously wounded Giddings, 24, of Lot 211 Koker Dam, Sixth Street, Fyrish, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause her grievously bodily harm. Bail was refused and the woman was remanded to jail until November 3.
Inspector Godfrey Playter stated that the accused and the virtual complainant had been living together for over a year at the home of the accused. Playter told the court that the accused is always jealous of the virtual complainant. They would usually get problems from time to time and end up in fights. Hunte would usually accuse Giddings of seeking heterosexual relationships. Around 14:45 hours on the day in question they both ended up at a popular bar and
were consuming alcohol when an argument ensued over a man. Hunte is accused slapping Giddings across her face; she then pushed her to the ground. After which she picked her up and slammed her against a wall to which a sink is attached. Giddings sustained serious injuries. She was picked up and rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where she was admitted. The matter was subsequently reported and Hunte was arrested and charged.
Lesbian brawl lands one in jail and the other in hospital
Man remanded for illegal gun and ammunition Cleveland Lovell appeared before Magistrate Annette Singh, on Monday, to answer to the charge of illegal possession of gun and ammunition. The court heard that on September 13 at Jamoon Drive, Meadowbrook, Georgetown, he was found in possession of a firearm and matching rounds without being a licenced firearm owner. On the day in question, the police acting on
information went to the man’s home and upon searching the premises found the gun under a mattress. A further search was conducted in the kitchen and one .38 ammunition was found concealed in his refrigerator. When the charge was read to him by Magistrate Singh he pleaded not guilty. Lovell was remanded to prison and will make his next court appearance on October 18.
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Key Club raises awareness in Children with Cancer - with the National Rugby Team assisting The Key Club of Georgetown International Academy (GTA), President Gabriel Beharry-Strand, yesterday teamed up with the National Rugby Team in a tree wrapping exercise. The exercise was in support of kids with cancer. This project was introduced about one month ago. It involved wrapping a cancer awareness banner around the trees that lined Main Street Georgetown. The club was assisted by team members and the Manager, Robin Roberts, of the National Rugby Team. Roberts stated that the Beharry Group of Companies has been the main sponsor for them and it was just great to assist this cause. The Manager added that he has friends that are cancer survivors and that he really enjoyed seeing the young persons out supporting this movement. This is the main project so
Members of Key Club with the National Rugby Team and Manager far for this empowering group. Their main objective is to raise funds and awareness in kids with cancer for the Giving Hope Foundation. The Giving Hope Foundation mission is to help cancer patients achieve a sense of normalcy while battling cancer, and to assist them financially. The funds would help the children go overseas for operations and medications. The club has raised $11M for
the Hope Foundation. The group walked from tree to tree along Main Street wrapping the cancer banner around them. Each person was given an opportunity to assist in some way. The major sponsors of
this activity were Continental Group of Companies; Sterling Products Limited; Beharry Group of Companies; Nalico, Nafico Guyana; Cummings Electrical; and Impressions Branding. The Key Club was
established four years ago by the energy-spirited BeharryStrand. The club includes activities that aid the less fortunate and under privileged children. September last, they held an International Coastal Clean-
up exercise and the Nickelodeon Day of play. This activity involved the St. John Bosco Boys Orphanage, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara and the Ruimveldt Children’s Home and Care Center.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 12, 2016
Top Gov’t ministers, regulators participate in historic energy conference Several top Government officials were represented at the historic EU-CARIBBEAN Sustainable Energy Conference that was held at Barbados’ Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. The two-day event, which ended yesterday, saw Guyana fielding a team that included Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson; Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman; Justice (ret’d) Prem Persaud, Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission; Horace Williams of the Hinterland Electrification Programme and Dolwin Khan of the Guyana Energy Agency. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, the conference, the first of its kind, brought together Ministers of Caribbean governments, CARICOM’s Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque and team; energy experts,
Barbados PM, Freundel Stuart financiers and private sector representatives, to discuss how the Caribbean can achieve its energy transformation goals with European Union support.
The keynote address was delivered by Prime Minister of Barbados, Freundel Stuart, with areas covered including opportunities for investment; regulatory frameworks;
Some of the participants of the energy conference in Barbados. technology, innovation and cooperation; and regional interconnection. During the conference, Minister Trotman participated in a ministerial panel on sustainable energy policies. Bilateral discussions were held with various ministers and representatives of the European Investment Bank (EIB), among others. With the Caribbean region particularly vulnerable to external shocks due to its scattered insularity, the impact of climate change and high energy costs has been a major challenge. Despite the significant
availability of domestic renewable energy resources, the region remains highly dependent on imported fossil fuels, which exposes it to volatile oil prices, poses an additional burden to highly indebted countries and limits economic development. Transition to clean, affordable and efficient modern energy services is a cornerstone for sustainable development in the Caribbean region. According to the organizers, by acting on the major renewable energy potential through a conducive regulatory environment and an
A mini health check is the first step to donating blood
integrated market, with the EU’s support, the Caribbean can assume a leading role in the global effort to combat climate change, in line with the commitments taken in Paris at COP21 and with the Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development. Key expected outcomes of the event include the signing of a “Joint Declaration between the European Union and the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) on reinforced cooperation in the field of sustainable energy” and the signature of five new support programmes in the renewable energy sector for the region, totalling EUR 54 million. The forum would have brought together the EU, Caribbean countries, donors and the private sector to identify the opportunities for increased cooperation.
Wednesday October 12, 2016
DPP denies receiving police file in Sheriff St. fatal accident The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has denied receiving a file from police in connection with investigations into a Sheriff Street, Georgetown accident which claimed the life of fouryear-old Ambeka Providence, last month. Last week a senior police official had told Kaieteur News that investigators were awaiting advice from the DPP, having completed investigations. In a release yesterday, the DPP said, “Pursuant to published articles in the Kaieteur News, October 11, and Stabroek News September 28 editions, reference to the Sheriff Street, fatal accident in which fouryear-old Ambeka Providence was killed. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions herein state that the police file in this matter has not been forwarded to
the DPP for legal advice.” According to reports, Providence, her mother Abiola Trotman, and a relative were returning home by car on September 10, last, after visiting the Giftland Mall when tragedy struck. It was reported that the accident occurred at around 22:00hrs when an alleged drunk driver rammed a Toyota Tacoma (SUV) into a car on Sheriff Street. Based on reports, Providence and her family were in the back seat of vehicle PMM 1426, which was proceeding south along Sheriff Street. The driver then stopped at the Sheriff and Garnett Streets junction. It was in this moment that the SUV, which was reportedly heading north on Sheriff Street, struck the side of the car. The four-yearold girl was flung through the window of the vehicle and
onto the roadway. She died on the spot. The driver of the SUV has since been identified as 21year-old Heeranand Boodhram, of First Street, Sachi Bazaar, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown. He has since been released on station bail. Trotman, who was also injured in the accident, had told this newspaper that she made several attempts to get information on investigations in the matter. She added that she had placed several phone calls and made numerous visits to the police station. The grieving mother said that she has also had no communication with the driver of the SUV, who was allegedly drunk when he slammed into the vehicle in which she and her daughter were travelling. P r o v i d e n c e ’s
Man jailed for fraudulent conversion Gangadeen Mahase appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly, on Monday, in the Georgetown Magistrate court, and was found guilty of the charge fraudulent conversion. The result is that he will spend the next nine months in jail. Mahase fraudulently
converted three pairs of Panasonic Air Conditioners, property of Rajeshwar Singh. The air conditioners units were solely entrusted to him by Singh for him to sell and return the p r o c e e ds. The incident occurred between January 11, and January 26, last.
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Kaieteur News
Police Prosecutor Kevin London told the court that Mahase and Singh are known to each other. The court heard that Mahase instead converted the articles into his own use and benefit. Mahase admitted to the offence and was subsequently arrested.
grandmother stated that while she was in the vehicle with her daughter and grandchild when the accident occurred, she has no recollection of what happened. She said she has been reading conflicting reports in the media about how the accident happened. She however added that the story being told by the SUV driver is a “lie”. “There is a God. You could run from man but you can’t run from God. Let him be truthful,” she said. The woman added that her daughter still has not come to grips with the loss of her child and would constantly look at the little girl’s photographs. Contrary to reports, Boodhram in an interview with Kaieteur News said that it was the car in which Providence was travelling that caused the accident. Police said that a breathalyzer test performed on the SUV driver revealed that his breath alcohol content was above the prescribed limit. However, Boodhram has denied driving under the influence.
Education Ministry pays tribute to Lord Canary The Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport expressed heartfelt condolences to the family of Guyanese Calypsonian Malcom “Lord Canary,” Corrica. A statement from the Education Ministry contended that during his illustrious career, Lord Canary won several Mashramani competitions and represented Guyana on the international stage with his defying lyrics. His most popular tunes such as “Cockle,” “A Woman is a Woman”, “Tribute to Woman”, “Wicked Cricket”, “Doctor Beckles” and “The People will Talk,” tell stories of Guyana’s rich culture and have no doubt amused many.
Lord Canary’s ascent to the international stage, in the early years, set a precedence for the art form, its enhancement and endurance. Mr. Corrica also made a recognizable contribution to the development and sustainability of the Mashramani celebrations while he was Minister of Culture under the Forbes Burnham administration. He also served as a judge for several calypso competitions nationally and regionally. “As we prepare to launch the Mash 2017 activities, we at the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport will endeavor to remember and honour the work and contributions by Lord Canary,” the Education Ministry said.
Guyana attends ICAO... (From page 23) level of effective implementation is 44.21 percent as it relates to the eight critical elements of safety oversight as established by ICAO. The Government and GCAA Board of Directors are working with the newly appointed Director General, Lt. Col. (Rtd.) Egbert Field to remedy Guyana’s low level of compliance. To move the process forward, work has already commenced on modernizing the civil aviation regulations in order to be compliant with ICAO’s Standards and Recommended Practices.
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2005 Tacoma -$2.4M, Massey Tractor from Canada: MF 165 $1.7M, MF 135 $1.2M –MF 265 $2.2M, 165 Loader -$2.3M – Call: 682-5230; 628-9596
New Executive European style four bedrooms house at Eccles, all modern conveniences. Call: 6097766
Blowout Car Sale!!! IST$2.1M, Spacio-$2.1M, Fielder-$2.1M, Audi A4$3.7M. Contact#650-0402/ 260-4988
House & land for sale $22.5M @ La Parfaite Harmonie, W.B.D. Call: Alex: 630-9479
Toyota Avensis, PRR Series -$2.650M negotiable. Call: 641-7474
Property at South Ruimveldt Park -$39.5M, 6 Bedrooms & 2 & half bathrooms. Call: 6162871/699-6161 Stanford Soloman.
Repairs at low cost: Fridges, airconditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers-Call:629-4946or225-4822 Need a fast & reliable delivery service? Delivery of meals, documents, groceries & more. SmartCart Delivery. Call: 2259727/679-7575/619-6218
Wednesday October 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Cargo Trawler. Call: 682-8724; 616-5954 Vehicle lights, parts, mud flap and bumper on sale: Premio, Allion, Bus, Spacio, Raum, 212 Rav 4. Call:628-5000 Muscovy Ducks- $360 per lb. Call: 671-2474 Taxi service for sale, prime location, serious inquiries only. Call: 695-0704 GE Gas Range/Stove, stand up freezer, supermarket mirror, hot dog machine, 2 Stihl Brush Cutters. Call: 680-3863 Empty 20’ container in excellent condition, please call: 225-7352/690-3575 XBOX one with four great games and controller. Call: 683-8386 Items for sale panel doors (36" x 83"), living room set, used clothing. Call 231-1284 Household items at reasonable price: microwave, blenders, music systems, etc. Call: 665-4944
WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP R E AT E S , S P E C I A L OFFERFOR THE SUMMER. CALL: 690-6494
HEALTH Your health can improve. Contact Hazel’s Herbal Store. Call: 226-9136
Land to buy @ Tuschen, Zeelugt, Uitvlugt, La Parfaite Harmonie, best price offered. Call: 642-1252 One live- in or live out maid. Call: 603-5416/ 644-9802 Experienced taxi drivers (hire car) and dispatcher at Princess Ramada Hotel. Call: 265-7076/ 616-5419 Attractive live in waitressCall: 327-0252/674-4665 Male sales assistant /porters with sound secondary education & recommendation @ KeyFood Trading, Mc Doom Village. Jet men for land dredge + 1 male cook to work in the interior -$100,000 monthly. Call: 694-2310
One Arc/Acetylene welder, Live in couple, husband – driving, wife- domestic, very good rates. Call: 227-1813/ 227-1830 Live in waitresses to work in bar– Call:692-4649/604-6606
PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Upper flat for rent 3 bedrooms in Atlantic Gardens- Call: 227-4377/2270613/624-6013 Business bottom flat for rent in New Road, Vreed-enHoop. Call: 227-4377/ 2270613/ 624-6013 Fully furnished apartment to rent: two bedrooms & three bedrooms (self-contained). Call: 672-1906 / 216- 2299 Office space to rent in Queenstown. Call: 615-2615 Space for rent at Ashmin’s Building. 50% off first month’s rent. Call today: 6837954 3 Bedrooms apartment fully furnished; located in Section ‘K’ C/Ville, price $140,000 monthly. Call: 645-6498 Two bedrooms bottom flat in Sophia -$35,000, no children. Call: 613-1847 1 Bedroom apartment to rent with toilet & bath at Grove, EBD. Call: 2660892/ 681-1047
C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 615-0964; 689-5997 (affordable packages).
LAND FOR SALE Zeeburg 50X100, Zeelugt $2.5M, La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.3M, Tuschen (house & land) -$3.3M. Call: 642-1252 Land for sale at Eccles and Diamond reasonably price. Call:609-7766
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL: 225-7126/226-3693 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL@ YA H O O . C O M / W W W. DOLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM ACCOMMODATION Harmony Inn: furnished air conditioned apartments & rooms, from $30USD. Call: 218-1400/668-0306/ 694-7817
EDUCATIONAL Classes for slow learners in Reading, Spelling, Mathematics, and much more for children all ages. Call: 675-4379 IAE – CXC Jan/June 2017 – full time school; lessons/ classes for students, adults, repeaters & beginners. Call Mr. Roberts: 683-5742
LEARN TO DRIVE
CAR RENTAL
AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL: 4WD PICKUP,. CHEAPEST RATE & SPECIAL RATE FOR LONG TERM . CALL: 698-7807
Carnegie trained cook, male & female workers, bond clerk, accountants & maid. Contact RA Soda Factory: 330-2399/ 623-5920/330-2772
FOR RENT
1 Domestic worker @ Dr. Miller Street Must be hardworking and trustworthy, ages40-55. Call: 220-7747
CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM
1 Male or female to look after layer birds in the Interior. Call:678-0565
1 Driver for office in Eccles. Call: 233-2745
1 Pitbull, BVV series, never worked hire, 1 RZ BHH series, 1 Honda, Generator. Call: 678-1511 Oswin J’s Auto Imports: New Arrivals: Premio, Allion, Fielder, Axio, Rush, X-Trail. Free full coverage insurance. Call: 609-2815
WANTED 1 Experienced general domestic, must know to prepare all Indian Dishes, must be trustworthy & have pleasant personality – Call: 615-3379
81X115 Located in Providence, high income section, price $8.3M. Call: 645-6498 FOR SALE/RENT House for rent/ sale @ Lot 107 Durbana Square Lamaha Gardens with 5 bedrooms large parking. Call: 661-8908
Advanced computer classes, 9 course Diploma, Computerized Accounting, PC repairs, special deals, register now @ MicroGraphics, Vreed-enHoop. Call: 264-3057 Qualify yourself in computers; register now, 9 Course Diploma, Computerized Accounting @ Cybertron, Parika. Call: 2604850 Study/live/work in Canada or USA, visitor’s visas. Call 2604850 Visa Processing Center, Parika Continued on page 27
Wednesday October 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
Herstelling accident leaves three injured The number of road accident keeps increasing. A route 42 (East Bank Demerara) minibus was the latest to be involved in yet another accident. At the time the bus was travelling to the city. At Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, the bus slammed into the divider. It was reported that the
driver lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a utility pole. Three persons were seriously injured. Leonard Henry, 41, Juing Hin Su, 52, and 16-year-old, Jessica Faywarnauth, a Fifth Form student of the Camille’s Institute, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, are now patients at the Georgetown
Public Hospital. They were among the passengers in the bus at the time of the accident. Faywarnauth’s mother, who raced to the hospital, stated that she was still to see her daughter but she doesn’t believe the girl is doing so bad. The driver of the minibus is in police custody.
Shot Charlestown robbery victim succumbs Gregory Garraway, 25, of Charlestown, Georgetown succumbed yesterday morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, nine days after sustaining a gunshot wound during a robbery. The young man was shot and robbed of a gold chain while in the company of his brother outside the Dynasty Sports Club, Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt. According to reports, the incident occurred around 2:00Hrs on October 1, 2016. Garraway was at the time crossing the Aubrey Barker Road to make a purchase at a shop. A man confronted him and proceeded to relieve him of his chain. A scuffle ensued and Garraway was shot in the chest. He then fell to the ground and the gunman made good his escape with Garraway’s chain. Initially, the now dead man was taken to the Balwant Singh Hospital after which he was transferred to the GPHC. The police have not yet caught the gunman.
PAGE 27
Ministry of Education begins distributing Rudisa juices (From page 21) and administrative requirements of the contract. The government’s Department of Public Information had issued a statement saying that it was recommended by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) that the contract be awarded to Rudisa, which was the highest bidder. The recommendation was apparently based on the Surinamese company having met all the technical and administrative requirements.
From page 26
VACANCY Ramnarine Mining Enterprise: welders, operators & labourers –Call: 679-0550/ 624-0501 Site, safety & electrical engineer- experienced need, age 25-45, very good salary & conditions. Call: 261-2280; 261-2280; 697-4344 One experienced dispatcher – Call: 231-5784/ 231-4000 1 Office administrator must be over 25yrs, email CV to georgetownvacancy@out look.com Experienced cook to work in Restaurant at Annabel Bistro, La Grange, W.B.D. Call: 592678-3400 Driver for water truck $5,000 per day plus commission. Call: 680-3863
Dead: Gregory Garraway
Expressions of Interest submitted to determine impact of Aviation ... From page 11
Store sales/customer assistant. Call: 624-0033/6803863 Secretary/Sales Clerk & Security. Interested person can email us: chungsoffice@gmail.com LORRY DRIVER, MINIMUM 3 YEARS EXPERIENCE, FACTORY ASSISTANT 266 5569 Security officers wanted by security company-Contact: 689-6225, between 8:00am5:00pm
Tenders of the rehabilitation of the West Indian Housing Scheme Access Road in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) were also opened. The engineer’s estimate was announced at $13.7M.
H o u s e k e e p e r / c l e a n e r, vacancy @ Aagman Indian Restaurant, 28-A Sheriff Street. Call: 219-0158 One efficient legal computer clerk. Call: 624-7087/258-0213
Finally, tenders were opened for the Rehabilitation/Construction of urban roads in Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice). The contract was divided into two lots: Lot Six, the rehabilitation/ construction of a second Access Road at Amelia’s Ward and the rehabilitation/ construction of the Main Access Road at Richmond Hill, Linden. The procuring entity is the Ministry of Public Infrastructure.
TO LET Newly constructed building having three kitchenettes for single persons on West Side. Call:617-0055/689-9898
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 12, 2016
Trump assails U.S. House speaker Hurricane Matthew toll in Haiti rises Ryan, McCain as ‘disloyal’ to 1,000, dead buried in mass graves
Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, Monday. REUTERS/Mike Segar Reuters - Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump lashed out at U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and other “disloyal” Republicans yesterday and vowed to campaign in whatever style he wants now that the party establishment has largely abandoned him. Trump, in a barrage of stinging Twitter posts, condemned the Republicans who have backed away from his White House run, deepening a dramatic rift in the party over his struggling campaign for the Nov. 8 election. “It is so nice that the shackles have been taken off me and I can now fight for America the way I want to,” Trump said on Twitter, adding he would engage Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on his own terms. Describing “disloyal” Republicans as more difficult than Clinton, he said: “They come at you from all sides. They don’t know how to win - I will teach them!” A string of Republican of-
ficials and officeholders have distanced themselves from Trump since a 2005 video surfaced on Friday showing him bragging crudely to a reporter about groping women and making unwanted sexual advances. Despite the turn away from Trump by some elected Republicans, a Reuters/Ipsos poll of likely voters, released yesterday, found 58 percent of Republicans wanted Trump to stay atop their party’s ticket and 68 percent said the Republican leadership should stand by him. The poll, which was conducted after the second presidential debate on Sunday, showed Clinton’s lead over Trump widening to 8 points from 5 points last week, before the release of the video. Ryan, the top Republican in Congress, told party lawmakers on Monday he was breaking with Trump and would not campaign for him, all but conceding Clinton would win the presidency. The move angered some
Trump supporters, although Ryan said he would not withdraw his endorsement of the New York businessman. Trump slammed Ryan as a “very weak and ineffective leader” and complained in another tweet that it was hard to do well with “zero support” from Ryan and others. Ryan’s spokesman, Brendan Buck, said yesterday that the speaker “is focusing the next month on defeating Democrats, and all Republicans running for office should probably do the same.” Trump also took aim at U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, who said on Saturday that he could not vote for Trump. “The very foul mouthed Sen. John McCain begged for my support during his primary (I gave, he won), then dropped me over locker room remarks,” Trump said. There was no immediate reaction from McCain, who secured his primary election win in August. Many Republicans worry that Trump’s chaotic campaign could hurt their chances of holding majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate in next month’s election, and will inflict long-term damage on the party. In an extraordinary party revolt, nearly half of all 331 incumbent Republican senators, House members and governors have condemned Trump’s lewd remarks on the video, and roughly one in 10 has called for him to drop out of the race, a Reuters review of official statements and local news coverage indicates.
South Korea’s Park urges preparations for mass North defections South Korean President Park Geun-Hye yesterday told her government to prepare for large-scale defections from North Korea, just days after direct appealing to its citizens to flee their country. A recent spate of highprofile North Korean defections have provided a propaganda windfall for Seoul, which has spun them into a narrative of a Pyongyang leadership in crisis and riven with descent. Notable defections have included the North’s deputy
ambassador to Britain and a rare, group escape by a dozen waitresses from a North Korean-run restaurant in China. In an address to mark Armed Forced Day earlier this month, Park had vowed to “keep the road open” for future escapees and urged North Koreans to “come to the bosom of freedom in the South.” Pyongyang’s response was to call Park a “bare-faced and impudent bitch” in a commentary carried by the ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun. Speaking at a cabinet meet-
ing yesterday, Park reiterated her defection appeal, and stressed the importance of preparing the ground for any new arrivals. “Defectors are like unification that has arrived early, and a test bed for unification,” Park said. “I hope we can swiftly secure sufficient system and capacity to accommodate North Korean citizens who come seeking freedom,” she added. The government currently runs two resettlement centres for defectors with a combined capacity of around 1,100 people. Over the years, nearly 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression in their country and settled in the South. (AFP)
People are being treated at the cholera treatment centre at the hospital after Hurricane Matthew passes in Jeremie, Haiti. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins P O RT- A U - P R I N C E (Reuters) - Haiti started burying some of its dead in mass graves in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, a government official said, as cholera spread in the devastated southwest and the death toll from the storm rose to 1,000 people. The powerful hurricane, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, slammed into Haiti last week Tuesday with 145 mile-per-hour (233 kph) winds and torrential rains that left 1.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said. A Reuters tally of numbers from local officials showed that 1,000 people were killed by the storm in Haiti, which has a population
of about 10 million and is the poorest country in the Americas. The official death toll from the central civil protection agency is 336, a slower count because officials must visit each village to confirm the numbers. Authorities had to start burying the dead in mass graves in Jeremie because the bodies were starting to decompose, said Kedner Frenel, the most senior central government official in the Grand’Anse region on Haiti’s western peninsula. Frenel said 522 people were killed in Grand’Anse alone. A tally of deaths reported by mayors from 15 of 18 municipalities in Sud Department on the south side of
the peninsula showed 386 people there. In the rest of the country, 92 people were killed, the same tally showed. Frenel said there was great concern about cholera spreading, and that authorities were focused on getting water, food and medication to the thousands of people living in shelters. Cholera causes severe diarrhea and can kill within hours if untreated. It is spread through contaminated water and has a short incubation period, which leads to rapid outbreaks. Government teams fanned out across the hardhit southwestern tip of the country over the weekend to repair treatment centers and reach the epicentre of one outbreak.
T&T on brink of economic danger, says PM PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Declaring that Trinidad and Tobago is on the brink of the danger zone economically, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley listed a series of construction projects due to come on stream shortly that are aimed at kick starting the economy. Rowley said the proposed initiatives would help pull Trinidad and Tobago out of its grim economic state,
resulting in much needed job opportunities. He said it was the construction industry that had been proven worldwide to stimulate economic growth, the Trinidad Guardian reported. Rowley said that Trinidad and Tobago’s debt increased by $40 billion (US$5.97 billion) over the last six years, while revenues pointed downward. The external public debt now stands at $23 billion which
must be paid back in US currency, he added Commenting on the devastation suffered by Haiti from Hurricane Matthew, Rowley also urged citizens to head to banks to donate. “It doesn’t matter how bad your circumstances, there is somebody who is worse. We talk about pressure and poverty here until you think about Haiti,” he said. (Caribbean News)
Peruvian ex-president Humala subject of money laundering inquiry LIMA (Reuters) - The Peruvian attorney general’s office said yesterday it was investigating former president Ollanta Humala and his wife for possible money laundering linked to past campaign contributions. Prosecutors have asked a judge to lift Humala’s banking secrecy in Peru and abroad from the year 2009 until now, the attorney general’s office said.
A Peruvian prosecutor said earlier this year that the late Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, and two Brazilian construction companies may have bankrolled Humala’s presidential campaigns before he took office in 2011. Representatives for Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Both have previously
denied any wrongdoing linked to party fundraising. Humala finished his fiveyear on July 28, ending his right to presidential immunity from investigations. Humala still enjoys immunity from inquiries into activities during his presidency. Earlier this year prosecutors barred Heredia from leaving Peru as they probed her finances for evidence of undeclared contributions.
Wednesday October 12, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Manufacturers get CARICOM waivers on raw materials from extra-regional Manufacturing companies which were faced with the enforcement of import duties on raw materials from out of the region and which had appeared on the list of ineligible items have good news. They will no longer have to pay the duties. They were granted suspensions through the CARICOM Secretariat. According to the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), they were first made aware of the enforcement regulation last April by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). The list of ineligible items was developed in the late 70s early 80s and was designed to protect the CARICOM region. Many of the items were available in the region at that time and as such attracted import duties if they were imported. The list of ineligible items is enshrined in the tax laws of Guyana and is also part of The Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. GMSA said that it is “pleased to be informed by its
GMSA members meeting with representatives of the GRA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs a while back. membership that with the necessary support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the CARICOM Secretariat, their application for the suspension of the import duties on the raw materials had been
successful.” The companies identified to benefit were Twins Manufacturing Chemists; Edward B. Beharry & Company Limited; Sterling Products Limited, Umami
and Toolsie Persaud Limited. Of the five companies that had applied, four of them were granted full suspension, while Sterling Products Ltd was granted full suspension for
five of the six items they had applied for. “The single item rejected was Soya Bean Oil, based on an objection by Roberts Manufacturing in Barbados on the grounds that
they are presently producing soya bean oil. This fulfills the short term goals as reported previously by the GMSA. The long term goal of the association is to work with the relevant agencies to have these ineligible items along with many others removed from the list since many of them are no longer available in the region.” Under CARICOM regulations, goods that are available in region but are being imported from out of the area, automatically attract a tariff. Over the years, there have been conflicts about whether a particular product can be considered coming from the region, once a certain percentage of its raw materials come from extra-regional sources. “The GMSA wishes to thank the relevant Ministers, Government agencies and the CARICOM Secretariat for their support in bringing relief to our manufacturers,” the statement said yesterday.
Guyana still has to close gaps in preparation for EU licensed timber Guyana is making grounds when it comes to putting systems into place to support the legal trade in timber. Last month, a regional seminar- “Sharing Regional Lessons on FLEGT V PA p ro c e s s e s : Transitioning from Negotiations to Implementation”- was held over two days from September 28, last, at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown, Guyana. This seminar was convened to share experiences and lessons learned around the processes of Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPA) with the European Union (EU) under the auspices of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and
Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan. The FLEGT Action Plan was developed in response to the problem of illegal logging and trade in associated timber products. Approximately, 90 persons participated in the event, among them Guyanese resource persons from civil society, the different scales of forest sector operators, the NGO community including Indigenous organizations, academia and Government agencies; and international participants from Suriname, Honduras, Guatemala, Liberia, Ghana and the EU. The regional FLEGT seminar allowed for the interactive exchange of experiences and lessons learnt from countries now in the
implementation phase of their VPAs. According to the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), the meeting was provided with an update on the implementation of the VPA in Indonesia, which highlighted its success in being the first country in the world to issue FLEGT licensed timber that will enter the European market this November. Whilst it was appreciated that Guyana has done significant work in these areas, there were useful suggestions from working groups on how the effectiveness of these processes may be further improved. Deliberating on the role of Guyana’s indigenous people during the VPA implementa-
South African finance minister to be prosecuted for fraud Johannesburg (AFP) South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will be prosecuted for fraud, officials said yesterday, in a move that sent the rand tumbling over concerns about political in-fighting and the country’s fragile economy. Gordhan, an internationally-respected technocrat, was appointed only last year to calm panicked investors after President Jacob Zuma sacked two finance ministers within four days. Since then, Gordhan has regularly clashed with Zuma
loyalists when vowing to battle poor governance and graft in a government that has been engulfed by regular corruption scandals. Gordhan was summoned to appear in court in Pretoria on November 2. Shaun Abrahams, head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), told reporters that Gordhan would be prosecuted for alleged misconduct over a retirement package paid to a colleague in 2010. Gordhan and two others “must be prosecuted and arraigned” for fraud, Abrahams said.
Abrahams repeatedly denied that the NPA was being politically influenced, and he lashed out at criticism that it was not independent. Gordhan, who first served as finance minister from 2009 to 2014, is widely seen as engaged in a months-long battle within the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party over control of the treasury. He has often clashed with Zuma and senior ministers over alleged excessive spending, particularly at cash-bleeding state-run entities such as South African Airways.
Participants during the recent EU-FLEGT meeting at Pegasus Hotel. tion, representatives noted the extensive engagements done but reemphasized the need for the active engagement of indigenous groups in every stage of the deliberations while applying the principle of Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC). A special call was made by some participants to further integrate the rights of indigenous peoples into the negotiations of the FLEGT VPA between Guyana and the EU. The seminar participants recognized that there was a need for more discussion on this topic, and possibly channel non-VPA related issues to other relevant fora. At the conclusion of the seminar, the Chairperson of the GFC, Jocelyn Dow, noted that whilst this process may not be the forum to resolve
all issues, one output of this seminar must be a formalized public process where these issues are acknowledged and forwarded to the relevant body for further deliberation. There was a broad consensus that this seminar provided a good platform to share experiences, as well as a transparent setting where participants could speak freely. It was recommended that there should be other such engagements on a regular basis. Guyana’s VPA process traced its commencement in 2012 with the formation of a National Technical Working Group followed by consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and the subsequent development of a road map. Four negotiations with the EU have since been
held – in Guyana in 2012, 2015, and 2016 and in Brussels in 2013. This seminar is the second such event to be held in Guyana; the first was in 2014. The event was organized by the National Technical Working Group and the FLEGT Facilitation Support Office in collaboration with other partners (APA, EFI, FAO, Iwokrama and IUCN). Inspired by the illegal logging update and stakeholder consultation meetings hosted by The Royal Institute for International Affairs Chatham House in London, Palladium (which acquired the IDL group in 2013), a series of global experience sharing seminars and conference events was launched in 2011.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 12, 2016
THE VOICE OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS...
ARE THE RIGHT SKILLS BEING CULTIVATED FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR? By: Sase Singh Introduction: Every time I start researching for my columns, I always attempt to hunt for the opportunity to illustrate that the Granger administration has done something tangible for the people. But as the topic explains, I am disappointed yet again, this time, because of what is happening at UG and in our general system of education. The policy disarray in the education sector has been a feature for years now, especially when people during the PPP reign, were offered positions in institutions that were way beyond their core competence. But when we thought this tide of mediocrity would have been stemmed with the arrival of a well-
educated appointed in the education sector – Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, we are now faced with new waves of neoVictorian indignations. The ideology of “geriatric-ism” and “friends and family-ism” seems to be the overwhelming criteria in choosing candidates to serve all over the system leading me to ask what has really changed? I am in constant contact with some of the key players in the private sector and every single one of them continues to say to me that they are struggling to find the quality of employees that they need. But when one communicates with the UG graduates, the common theme remains (even with a UG degree), “we cannot find a job”. So why this disconnect between the demand and supply in the labor market in Guyana? Several lecturers reliably advised me that UG is pushing out graduates, who in the majority cannot comprehend basic high school calculus or geometry. Say what! No nation cannot progress or offer any hope to its young people until and unless that country fixes its system of education. What is happening in this sector will directly unleash our potential or condemn our nation to backwardness – the choice is ours. I must say the new Vice Chancellor is sending some positive signals that he wants to act by using the lessons
from the recent past as his guide. But until and unless he gain political support at the highest level, his ambition to reform and refocus UG will fail. Does he have that support? THE SKILLS GAPDEBATE Guyana’s skills gap refuses to shrink. Why is this so? Who should take the lead in bridging the gap? Again, all are responsible especially the post-2005 PPP government, the current Granger government, NCERD, the high school administrators, the technical institutes, and UG. All of these institutions have collectively failed Guyana for the last 15 years. They have not provided the right kind of leadership to influence the right kinds of training in the right fields so that our students can upskill to fill the gaps in the marketplace. I went to high school in some of the worst days of Guyana’s history when we did not have adequate books and we wore “Burnham bedding” but none of that mattered because we had teachers who were our second parents. They were our mentors, our guidance counselors and we respected and trusted them. I always said if it was not for a lady called Mrs. Shirley Greene with her deep Christian principles and stern forms of education, I may never have been where I am today. This is the missing link in Guyana today. Too little attention is being paid to the
well-being and economic welfare of our teachers by the successive administrations in the Education Ministry and too little support is being offered to them to empower them to do their job. This has to be fixed now, not next year or the year after. That is why I firmly reject the position of President David Granger when he refuses to meet the GTU (KN 30/09/2016). Which reasonable, balanced, engaging and practical leader refuses to meet the teachers union? Why are the politicians ignoring the teachers even as the system of education continues to crumble? The evidence will show that most of the credit for this mess in the education system has to borne by former Ministers Sheik Baksh and Priya Manickchand. However, there has been no respite since May-2015 for the educators and students. With the appointment of a professional educator to the post of Minister of Education, all felt relieved. Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine ought to know, act and lead more competently at transforming the fledgling education system in Guyana. However, after 16 months, sadly, his performance is even worse than his PPP predecessor. His first failure is not effectively engaging the GTU and UGWU as vital tools in crafting solutions to the problems in the system. It is turning out to be one of the greatest inhibitors to our national development. Most of the signals being sent by most of the relevant senior players in the education system since May 2015,
including the Minister Technical Advisor, Mr. Vincent Alexander (former PNC leadership candidate), illustrates that they are clearly “out to lunch” on the key issues. Show me one policy under this new team that places the primary focus on investing in students and teachers. I am not talking buildings, I am not talking about physical things; I am talking about real human investments. But even worse is that their performance is at variance with Foundation 12 of the APNU/AFC manifesto, which to date has been kicked about in such a callous and cavalier manner, so much so, that the document is not even worth the paper it is written on today. When the real representatives of the wealth in the sector (the educators) are treated as second-class citizens, we have to be dismayed. But why Dr. Roopnaraine? As a graduate of Cambridge and Cornell, much is expected. So why this paucity in executive performance? Why this perilously performance that is so out of focus? Why such low levels of energy at education policy construction? Has this superbly brilliant scholar been castrated politically to the point that he cannot act and make decisions? So, as we continue to produce an increasing number of functionally illiterate graduates from the high school and university system who are ill equipped to skillfully engage the working world, we will continue to not effectively transform our economy. One only has to look at one subject – Mathematics. Until Guyana gets it right with Mathematics, it will always struggle to morph into
Sase Singh, M.Sc. - Finance, ACCA a value added, the competitive economic trendsetter with a progressive growth rate of 7-8%. Only a mediocre mind celebrates a growth rate of 4% and less and we know what we have in the Office of the Minister of Finance. CONCLUSION The Guyanese system of education urgently needs a kick-start in action, not in words. This problem has to be owned by the President and he ought to meet and empower the educators with a tangible salary increase with relevant non-monetary benefits like low-cost house lots, mortgage collateral support letters and so on. More importantly, let us focus on the educators and the students for once and really find out what they need collectively to allow them to do their job. Anyone looking at the scholastic performance in Mathematics across Guyana at any level will agree that the current system yields unacceptable results. That has to change! But the leadership for that change starts with the President. If this problem is not owned at the top, the Guyana will not be prepared today, to carry out the important work that is needed tomorrow. Is this the Granger legacy?
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Barbados minister wants Caribbean to adopt new attitude to trade BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - CMC – Barbados has told Caribbean countries that the region needs to focus on making a difference in driving forward the process for better facilitation of business within the Caribbean. Addressing the regional consultation on the “CARICOM Strategy for Regional Implementation of the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Trade Facilitation,” Industry Minister Donville Inniss said that far too often he has heard the cries of legitimate business persons who were frustrated with the tardiness of agencies responsible for the smooth movement of goods. “This region really needs to adopt an attitude that no one owes us a favour and that we have to get up and earn our way in life in a sustainable manner. Hence, inordinate delays at the airports and sea ports not only frustrate buyers and sellers, but certainly add to the cost of living in this region,” he told
Donville Inniss delegates to the conference that ended yesterday. Inniss said that when goods are not released from the Bridgetown Port in an adequate time, someone had to pay the price for such delays. “When importers have to pay high fees to have containers inspected outside of “normal” business hours, someone has to pay that ad-
ditional cost. “I look forward to the day in this region when normal work hours means that critical businesses operate on a 24/7 basis with reduced overtimes at exorbitant rates and a true shift system. I am afraid that most of our ports in this region are controlled by an antiquated labour group and a style that continues to inject fear sometimes without being reasonable,” he said. Inniss said that “we frustrate, not facilitate, trade” when exporters have to pay workers to stand up with folded arms and watch others load vessels. “When officers take their cool time to inspect items as a means of protesting new work arrangements, I say we frustrate, not facilitate, trade. When importers follow all known rules and regulations and yet weeks or months later cannot get an explanation as to why goods are being held up, we frustrate, not facilitate, trade.
Lula charged over Odebrecht Angola work in Brazil graft probe SAO PAULO (Reuters) Corruption charges against former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva piled up on Monday as prosecutors accused him and Marcelo Odebrecht, ex-CEO of engineering group Odebrecht SA, in an alleged bribery scheme related to contracts in Angola. Lula already faced several other charges related to a sweeping kickback probe at state-run oil company Petrobras, and Odebrecht is serving a 19-year sentence after his conviction on other corruption allegations in the investigation. Brazil’s top prosecutor Rodrigo Janot is investigating 66 politicians many sitting lawmakers - for alleged participation in the Petrobras scheme, a number that could grow significantly with possible testimony from Odebrecht executives. To date, nearly 200 executives and former politicians have been charged in the Petrobras probe and 83 have already been found guilty. Prosecutors are seeking 38 billion reais ($12 billion) in damages from companies and individuals involved. Federal prosecutors in Brasilia said the latest charges are related to alleged crimes carried out from “at least” 2008 - when Lula was still president - until 2015. They allege Lula used his
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva influence while in office to secure financing from Brazil’s state development bank BNDES for undisclosed Odebrecht projects in Angola - and that Odebrecht in return paid 30 million reais in kickbacks to Lula and others. Lawyers for Lula did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors also said in their statement they are looking into Odebrecht projects elsewhere in Africa and Latin America to see if the company received low-interest BNDES loans in the same manner as the alleged scheme in Angola. Lula was charged on Monday with corruption, influence peddling and money laundering - the latter of which prosecutors say they found on 44 occasions, often by Odebrecht paying inflated
prices to subcontractor Exergia Brasil, which was run by a Lula confidant who was also charged in the case. It is now up to a federal judge in Brasilia whether or not to accept the prosecutor’ charges against Lula and the others and put them on trial. Lula had already been charged twice for various counts of corruption in connection with a massive antigraft investigation centered on state oil company Petrobras, known formally as Petroleo Brasileiro SA. Prosecutors wrote in their Monday indictment that Lula also received kickbacks for an unspecified sum from Odebrecht for delivering lectures to business leaders abroad, although it is not clear if the speeches actually took place.
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Barbados highly values relations with UK
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart in conversation with Baroness Joyce Anelay. (GIS) Daily Nation - Prime Minister Freundel Stuart has reiterated that Barbados highly values its relationship with the United Kingdom (UK), describing it as “rich and mutually edifying”. Stuart made the comments recently as he met with Foreign Office Minister, Baroness Joyce Anelay, who visited Barbados for the first time as Minister of State for the Caribbean. Those present at the courtesy call at Government Headquarters included Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Sonja Welch; Chargé d’affaires at the British High Commission(BHC), Colin Dick; Assistant Private Secretary, Beth Carson and Head of Political Section at the BHC, Martin Robinson. The Prime Minister said: “The relationship between Barbados and the United Kingdom is on very firm ground and it can only get better. We are in for some exciting times.”
He reminded those present that the two countries had a 339-year-old unbroken colonial relationship. He pointed out that since Barbados’ Independence nearly 50 years ago, that friendship had deepened in many ways. He highlighted the area of security and stressed that the Regional Security System’s Fusion Centre was an important feature of that relationship. He explained that the centre, which is funded by the United Kingdom, brought together law enforcement and other agencies involved in crime and security work across RSS member states, so that they could share intelligence and capabilities in the fight against organised crime threats. “The Fusion Centre is a very important addition to our security,” he asserted, adding that it had registered a lot of gains in its short life. Stuart also highlighted renewable energy as another area on which both countries
could cooperate. He said that within recent years, Barbados had to absorb some painful lessons because of escalating oil prices, and it was therefore seeking a judicious mix between fossil fuel and renewable energy. Baroness Anelay said the UK was interested in deepening and strengthening its association with the Caribbean. She added that the UK was keen on developing new trading relationships as well as strengthening existing ones, while noting that there was significant potential for economic prosperity. She also spoke about the climate change challenges facing Small Island Developing States, and Prime Minister Stuart indicated that Barbados has been a leader on issues relating to their vulnerability. During the meeting, Prime Minister Stuart and Baroness Anelay also discussed issues relating to Britain’s exit from the European Union. (BGIS)
Wednesday October 12, 2016
Inspired Hart earns sloppy England a point in Slovenia (Reuters) England were indebted to inspired keeper Joe Hart as they stumbled to a 0-0 draw in Slovenia in World Cup qualifying Group F on Tuesday — a result which ended their 14-game winning sequence in qualifying matches. Hart on loan with Torino after falling out of favour at Manchester City, was by far England’s most impressive player as he made several fine saves to keep out a vibrant home side. With captain Wayne Rooney watching from the bench until the 73rd minute after being dropped by interim manager Gareth Southgate, England pro-
duced a disjointed display and Slovenia will rue failing to punish the visitors for some slipshod errors. That was largely down to Hart whose clawing save from Jasmin Kurtic’s near-post header shortly after halftime was stunning. “It was my best game (for England) for a while,” Hart said having helped his side move on to seven points at the top of the group with Slovenia on five. “I was asked to do quite a bit which was down to a few errors from us. But we dug in on an intense night and took a point. “My body is in pieces, I will struggle to get up tomor-
row,” added the over-worked stopper who appeared to defy gravity to stop Kurtic’s header creeping under the crossbar before landing painfully against the goal frame. All the pre-match talk was about the decision to drop Rooney, England’s all-time record scorer, and play Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier in his place. Dier had a mixed night, having his blushes saved by Hart after 15 minutes when his careless back pass let in Roman Bezjak. Seconds later Kurtic beat Hart but his right-foot curler bounced back off the post.
Wednesday October 12, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You could experience delays in shipments or mail, and should be careful while traveling. Opportunities for romance may develop through dealing with groups that have a purpose. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You might be overly emotional when dealing with your partner. You should be making plans to spend some time with the ones you love. Be aware that you might be at fault as well. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You need to get out and challenge yourself. Don't get depressed, get busy. You can accomplish a lot if you're willing to put in a little extra time. A passionate party for two might be just the remedy. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Friends and relatives may be hard to take today. Keep your wits about you and be sure that you can trust those you confide in Ask others to help, or you may feel that a burden is weighing you down. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Don't let your emotional upset interfere with your professional objectives. Acknowledge your lover's needs. Use your high energy and dynamic approach to win favors from superiors. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Romance will be on your mind, and chances for ideal connections are in the works. Don't overextend yourself in the process. Ease the an-
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guish by offering assistance. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Don't reveal anything about your personal life that could be used adversely. You should consider submitting some of your written work for publication. Your partner may make you feel jealous and unloved. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) New romantic partners may attend a function that puts you in the limelight. Give everyone in the house a physical chore that will help burn off some of the excess energy. SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) Don't be afraid to lay your cards on the table. Visitors may drop by unexpectedly, resulting in tension with your lover. Your time, not your cash, will do a lot more for your relationship. CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) The danger of minor accidents will increase with the turmoil. Jealous colleagues may try to undermine you. Opportunities to go out with clients or colleagues will be in your best interest. AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Don't overindulge in anyway. Your diplomacy will be of utmost importance today. You should make special plans for you and your lover. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You can get ahead if you present your ideas to superiors. If you can, try to work out of your home today. Visit friends or relatives who have been confirmed.
Courageous 10-man Golden Jaguars... (From page 32) Anthony Abrams fired the first shot on goal in the match as the home team looked a sharp unit. By the 7th minute Adrian Butters had the fans screaming in delight as his world class header was drilled into the back of the nets to hand Guyana the lead. It all started when Trayon Bobb, who had an excellent game, threw the ball over but Jamaica’s goalkeeper Andre Blake was not able to keep the ball in play which resulted in the Referee signaling for a corner which Butters clinically drilled past Blake. As the momentum continued with the home team, Butters again drilled another header past Blake in the 30th minute, this time it was from a free-kick which was won when Brandon Beresford, another of the players that had a good game, was fouled just outside the area. The lead emboldened the Guyanese players, Technical staff and fans to the extent that all felt that this would have been a repeat of the 1973 victory when Guyana had defeated the Jamaicans at GFC, 2-1. But that was never to be as the Jamaicans dug in deep and never gave up. The Reggae Boyz’ determination paid dividends when their Captain himself tucked in their first goal in the 63rd minute form a throw-in deep into the attacking third. Even before that though, the visitors added fresh legs with a double change that saw Dino Williams and Owayne Gordon coming in for Michael Binns and Oneil Fisher. Their introduction changed the fortunes of their team. Guyana made its first change in the 67th minute
Ryder Cup rookie Wood... (From page 39) practice-wise, gym, all that sort of thing, nobody knows and he never gives on. “He doesn’t deserve for his career to come to a finish in this way. He deserves to go out in all the style that his records still deserve.” Wood is dreaming of joining Nick Faldo (1989), Seve Ballesteros (1991) and Colin Montgomerie (1998) as the only players to achieve the PGA Championship-British Masters double in the same year. “That’s quite a big thing for me to take in,” said the 6foot-6 Englishman. “And extra motivation to try. “That would be a hell of a thing to have on your CV, to be associated with those three players.”
when Vurlon Mills replaced Abrams and one minute later, Walter Moore was issued marching orders. Beresford was yellow carded in the 76th minute for fouling Jamaica’s Cory Burke which resulted in a penalty being awarded. But McKenzie-Lyle stepped up to the challenge and saved Damien Lowe’s shot, the fans erupting in applause for the young custodian who has a bright future ahead of him. As the minutes winded down and the confidence levels of all grew even more in honing thoughts of a Guyana win, poor judgement again from goalie McKenzie–Lyle allowed the Jamaicans to score the equalizing goal with just two minutes to fulltime. Dicoy Williams was the scorer for the boys from Reggae Land. As was the case in Suriname on Saturday, the fitness levels of the Guyanese players would have been cause for concern, and it did as Jamaica totally dominated the 10-man Guyana unit. The home team did have a few opportunities including a ripping
show from midway the Jamaican half that saw Blake flying to his left to parry the ball away for a corner. Jamaica took the lead for the first time in the match in the 116th minute when Shaun Francis scored, while the winning goal was banged in from off the left boot of Cory Burke in the 120th minute to seal a memorable win for Jamaica. Jamaica’s Coach Theodore Whitmore said his charges sho w e d a l o t o f character in grinding out the win while Captain Wa t s o n also c o m p l i m e n t e d his team whilst also noting that Guyana is a good team. Golden Jaguars Captain Samuel Cox said that his boys give it their utmost as they fought hard and were spirited in their play noting that individual errors cost them the match. Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz, who has confirmed that this was his last game in this capacity, stated that he is taking full responsibility for the loss. He said that the game must be viewed as a memorable one for the nation.
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Pujara, Ashwin lead India to series sweep against New Zealand (Reuters) Cheteshwar Pujara struck his eighth test century and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin engineered another spectacular batting collapse to help India crush New Zealand by 321 runs in the third test and complete a 3-0 series sweep on Tuesday. Ashwin, who claimed 681 in the first innings, resumed his role as New Zealand’s wrecker-in-chief, claiming 7-59 as the tourists, chasing 475 for an improbable win, were dismissed for 153 to lose inside four days. After Umesh Yadav dismissed Tom Latham to earn an early breakthrough, Ashwin spun a web around the batsmen as New Zealand lost nine wickets in the final session. Ashwin dismissed captain Kane Williamson (27) for the second time in the match, ended Ross Taylor’s breezy 32 and sent back Luke Ronchi to rip out the Kiwi top order before returning to blow away the tail.
Fittingly, Ashwin caught Trent Boult off his own bowling to end New Zealand’s innings with career-best bowling figures. The spinner finished the series with 27 wickets and was the obvious choice for the man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series awards. “Could not have asked for anything better,” India captain Virat Kohli said at
5th Annual Flying Stars Cycling Club/ Mohamed Kadir Ounce of Gold cycle road race
Top cyclists go after one ounce of gold first prize One year has passed and now the nation’s top cyclists are getting ready to once again throw down the gauntlet when the Flying Stars Cycling Club stages the 5th Annual Mohamed Kadir Ounce of Gold cycle road race this Sunday, October 16. The eagerly anticipated event has been a key component on the yearly cycling agenda of the club and has attracted some of the top guns ever since its inauguration. The race will be competed in five categories, Open, Juniors, two categories of veterans (Under and over 45 years old) and Juveniles. The riders will assemble
Cheteshwar Pujara acknowledges the applause after scoring his half-century, India v New Zealand, 3rd Test, Indore, 4th day ©BCCI
R Ashwin got Kane Williamson again, India v New Zealand, 3rd Test, Indore, 4th day ©BCCI
at the old Ministry of Housing building, Homestretch Avenue, to facilitate an early start at 07:30hrs. The Seniors, Juniors and Veterans (U-45 years) will proceed to Dora, Linden Soesdyke Highway before turning back while Veterans over 45, juveniles and mountain bikers would culminate their upward journey to the hill after the Splashmins Fun Park before retracing their wheels. The overall winner would cart off one ounce of gold, while other categories of winners will receive other lucrative prizes. The respective defending champions are Raynauth Jeffery (Open), Andrew Hicks (Junior), Horace Burrows (Veterans U-25), Ian Jackson (Veterans over 25) and Deeraj Ghobaran (Juvenile). Queries may be directed to William Howard on telephone # 649-1162.
the presentation ceremony. “The bowlers have responded beautifully in the series every time we’ve been under a bit of pressure. Every time the Kiwis had a partnership, someone put his hands up and brought those breakthroughs for us.” Earlier, Gautam Gambhir struck 50 on his test return and Pujara scored 101 not out as India declared
their second innings on 216 for three around an hour before tea. Resuming on 18-0, the hosts lost opener Murali Vijay cheaply but Gambhir, who had retired hurt with an injured shoulder on Monday, returned to score fluently. Gambhir hit six boundaries before completing his 22nd test fifty off 54 balls but was
dismissed when he drove off-spinner Jeetan Patel to Guptill at cover. Patel removed Kohli (17) lbw for the second time in the match but Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane (23 not out) added 58 quick runs before India declared. “It was important that we get a big total in the first innings but it was not to be,” Williamson said.
“Credit to India, obviously they’re the number one in the world now. A fantastic effort and well-deserved.” Scores: India 577 for 5 dec (Kohli 211, Rahane 188) and 216 for 3 dec (Pujara 101*, Gambhir 50) beatNew Zealand 299 (Guptill 72, Neesham 71, Latham 53, Ashwin 6-81) and 153 (Ashwin 7-59) by 321 runs.
Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup 2016
Courageous 10-man Golden Jaguars fall to Reggae Boyz 2-4 in extra time at Leonora By Franklin Wilson A spirited performance from Guyana’s Golden Jaguars was not enough to deny defending Caribbean champions Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz from dancing to a 2-4 extra-time win when the two nations collided last evening in the second game of Group 1, Round 3 play in the Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup 2016 championship. For the second consecutive match the Golden Jaguars took the lead but allowed their opponent back onto the match and eventually extra-time to lose in the end. Watched by a colourful crowd which was loud at times urging on their Jaguars, Guyana on account of a double from defender Adrian Butters cantered to a 2-0 lead by the end of the first 45 minutes only to allow the Reggae Boyz back into the match in the second half.
Goal scorers for Jamaica from right, Je-Vaughn Watson, Dicoy Williams, Shaun Francis and Cory Burke Not even the heroics of 18 year-old Guyanese goalkeeper Kai McKenzieLyle who saved a penalty in the 76th minute apart from a few blinding saves could have saved the home team from losing whilst also crashing out of the Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup 2016 championship,
effectively ending their hopes of qualifying for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The home team which played an almost flawless first half were put under severe pressure in the 68th minute when experienced defender Walter Moore received a straight red card from Referee Kerry Skepple
for a dangerous tackle. This setback effectively ended the hopes of the home team as Jamaica capitalized fully on the one-man advantage and was also aided by some lapses at the back by the Guyanese. The perfect start was had by the Guyana when (Continued on page 31)
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Richard Ishmael, St. John’s College chalk up Inter-School athletics wins
The winners of Zone 1 of the North Georgetown Inter-School Track and Field Championships, Richard Ishmael pose for a photo opportunity following their title win.
Richard Ishmael Secondary School and St. John’s College won Zone 1 and Zone 2 of the North Georgetown Inter-School Athletics Championships yesterday at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary. Richard Ishmael secured 495 points to win the Zone 1 track and field title, narrowly ahead of Chase Academic Foundation that finished on 480 points. Queen’s College was third on 368 points with Kingston Secondary School fourth on 328 points. Marian Academy was fifth on 205 points, while Government Technical Institute ended sixth in the zone with 133 points. Meanwhile, in Zone 2, St. John’s College won with 546 points ahead of Bishops’ High School on 517 points and Christ Church on 333 points. School of the Nations (209 points) edged Rising Star Academy that finished on 207 points for fourth place. The ultimate showdown to determine the ‘Champions of Champions’ of the North Georgetown Zone will be held on Friday at the same venue before a team is selected to represent the Zone at the National Schools’ Championships in November.
Winners of Zone 2 of North Georgetown’s Inter-School Championships, St. John’s College take a photo opportunity yesterday at claiming the accolade.
BCB/New York Business Group Under-19 Tournament
Rose Hall Town Pepsi crush Young Achievers by innings and 33 runs The Rose Hall Town Pepsi Under-19 teams crushed Young Achievers of West Berbice by an innings and 33 runs to advance into semi-finals of the Berbice Cricket Board/New York Business Group Under-19 two innings Cricket To u r n a m e n t . T h e Quarterfinals was scheduled for two days at the Area ‘H’ Ground but was completed
in one day. RHT Pepsi won the toss in steaming heat and invited Young Achievers to take first strike. The visitors were bowled out for 90 as only Rickey Daniels 29, Berbice Under19 player Randy Wade 17 and Titus Webster 16 reached double figures. Bowling for Rose Hall Town Pepsi, off spinner Brandon
Corlette took 3 wickets for 7 runs, skipper Brandon Prashad 2 for 6, Junior Sinclair 2 for 22 and medium pacer David Prahalad 1 for 8. In response RHT Pepsi lost opener Surendra Budhoo, bowled for 03 by pacer Titus Webster at 11 for 1, but prolific opener Junior Sinclair and Brandon Prashad added 70 for the
second wicket before Prashad was caught at midoff for a well-played 28 off t h e b o w l i n g o f T. Carmichael. Sinclair was then joined by Keith Simpson and together they shared a 65 runs partnership before Sinclair was dismissed for an attractive 57 from 83 balls with nine boundaries. Simpson 41 not out and Sylus Tyndall 15 not
-advance to semi-finals out were together when the home team declared at 181 for 3 with a lead of 91 runs. Batting a second time with 33 overs remaining in the day’s play, the Young Achievers batsmen failed to apply them and were dismissed for 58 off just 19.4 overs. Titus Webster was the only batsman to offer
resistance with an aggressive 27 as pacer Sylus Tyndall took 2 for 6, while off spinners Joel Pike 2 for 10, Junior Sinclair 2 for 11 and Joshua Gobin 2 for 13 also bowled well. The Rose Hall Pepsi Under-19 would play their semi-finals match on 22nd and 23rd of October.
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King Medas athletics Bush Lot United Sports meet set for November 13 Club vs. Floodlights set for Friday Night @ DCC
Bush Lot United Sports Club of West Coast Berbice will clash with Floodlights in a feature cricket matches at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground on Friday evening starting at 6:30pm. Keen competition is anticipated. Bush Lot United Sports Club of West Coast Berbice Squad: Rajbance Hemraj -
Captain , Joel Dilchand, Ryan Thakur Ram, Asgar Matabheek, Christopher Bissoon, Chris Ramnarine, Heeralall Darsan, Dhanraj Ganesh, Yuvendra Bodhoo, Ajnadar Sooklall, Brandon Balkisoon, Rajiv Kishun, Ta m e s h P e r s a u d a n d Shreekanth Neelkhant . Lakhram Darshan is the Manager.
Floodlights Squad: Ricky Deonarain, Christopher Barnwell, Dharam Persaud, Surendra Nauth, Patrick Khan, Lalta Gainda, Reyaz Hussein, Wa y n e J o n e s , Tu l s h i Sahadeo, Rakesh Arjune, Khalid Baksh, Romeo Deonarain and Richard Persaud. With Anil Beharry as Manager/ Coach.
Mercedes drivers celebrate dream team triple
Promoter Andy Medas-King (right) and family members including talented daughter Kcaysha (2nd right) after one of her triumphs. The King Medas-Pansy Adonis Classic athletics meet will be staged on the 13th of November at Paradise Village on the East Coast. A variety of events would be staged and the organiser, Andy MedasKing, has indicated that there would be an increase in cash prizes across in every division. He noted that a new category has been added and that is the Teacher’s Category. The teachers category will be a 2k race with prizes for the youngest and oldest teacher along with cash and trophies at stake overall. “The King Medas-Pansy Adonis classic has grown over the years and as the founder and organiser I am happy to give back and at the same time welcome our nation builders the teachers,” Medas-King
stated. According to the organiser the route for the events would see the 1k starting at Enmore, which is for children 8 & under and 12 & under boys and girls. The 13-16 category is a 3k for boys and girls starting from Nabacalis, while the 17-20, male and female, seniors male and female, along with the masters male and female will be a 5k and that will start at Belfield on the East Coast of Demerara and they all will finish in the Paradise Community Centre ground. “In trying to make this event better we are asking athletes to register early because the late start we get every year is something we want to cut out. Please be advised that the race starts promptly at 6:00am,” Medas-King informed. He is
encouraging all schools to register for the event and come out and support. The prizes range from lap top computers for the top athletes who did well in the CXC exams, 7" tablets, SD cards, flash drives and also special presentation of running shoes. Athletes and coaches need to walk with the results of athletes’ CXC and O levels exams. Medas-King expressed thanks to the many sponsors for the event including Ansal Mcal, Fly Jamaica, Shelmac Photo Studio, Banks DIH, Sybils Bakery, Daddy’s Enterprises, Nostrand Ave Paint Shop and the hundreds of individuals who came out to support this great event. Andy Medas-King is the father of talented young track sensation Kcaysha Medas-King who has been making a big mark on the US Junior circuit in the 10-12 years department. More information can be accessed by calling 6746328 or contact the organiser amedas1000@yahoo.com.
Mercedes’ drivers Nico Rosberg of Germany and Lewis Hamilton of Britain attend a news conference after the race. (REUTERS/Toru Hanai) B R I X W O RT H , ENGLAND (Reuters) Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg took time out from their title battle on Tuesday to join Mercedes bosses and factory staff in celebrating the team’s third successive Formula One constructors’ world championship. “The smallest guy here, with the smallest part into our engine, is a winner,” non-executive chairman Niki Lauda told staff crowded into the ‘pitstop’ canteen for a champagne celebration at the Brixworth engine facility. “I know how many hours you have to work, especially after Malaysia,” added the Austrian, himself a triple world champion as a driver. “We have to keep on going at the same pace and work...to make sure that none of our cars in the last races have any problems.” If Hamilton winced inside at the mention of a Malaysian race that blew a mighty hole in his championship chances nine
days ago then he did not show it. Instead, the Briton focused on the fact that his 49 wins to date - with McLaren and Mercedes had been powered by the German manufacturer ’s engines and looked forward to more success. “Today is about all of you guys. I am so proud of everyone,” said Hamilton, whose engine failed at Sepang just as he was heading for a victory that would have put him back in the championship lead. Instead, after a subsequent troubled weekend in Japan, he trails Rosberg by 33 points with four races remaining and the knowledge that even four wins may not suffice. “I’m just looking forward, there’s still four races to go and I’ve got an incredible amount of support,” the triple champion told Reuters when asked about the Suzuka weekend. H e j o i n e d s t a ff i n
punching the air in triumph for a team photograph next to the cars, signed autographs and posed for selfies. Another celebration followed at the nearby Brackley team headquarters. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who traveled back from Japan with Hamilton on Lauda’s plane, said the driver was in good shape. “It’s very difficult to fly back from a race that has been very difficult for you and where your team mate has scored a lot of points. But...he’s a three times world champion, he’s able to recover from that difficult moment,” he said. Asked whether winning the constructors’ title meant the drivers were now unleashed for a full-on battle, Wolff told Reuters nothing had changed. “We have always kept them racing, actually we have had no team orders and that is exactly the same way we want to continue - and hopefully not let them down with mechanical issues.”
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 12, 2016
GRFU shortlists thirty-five for RAN 7s assignment The Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) has announced the names of players called to training in preparation for the Rugby America North 7s Championships on the 12th &13th November 2 0 1 6 , i n Tr i n i d a d & Tobago. The players called up for t r a i n i n g o n Tu e s d a y, Wednesdays, Thursday Friday , 15:45 p.m – 18:30 hrs and game practice on Saturday 14:30 hrs – 18:30 hrs and Sunday from 08:00 hrs to 11:00 hrs, at the National Park Rugby Ground.are:
1.Richard Staglon 2.Ryan Gonsalves 3.Rickford Cummings 4.Ronald Mayers 5.Rondell Mc Arthur 6.Dwayne Schroeder 7.Claudius Butts 8.Godfrey Broomes 9.Lancelot Adonis 10.Peabo Hamilton 11.Patrick King 12.Avery Corbin 13.Blaise Bayley 14. Akeem Fraser 15. Ryan Dey 16. A. Jarvis 17 Kevon David 18. Troy Bascom 19. P. Joseph 20. K. Mars
21. Leon Greaves 22. Osei McKenzie 23. Grantley Williams 24. Jamal Angus 25. Jason Tyrell 26. Kevin Mc Kenzie 27. Rupert Giles 28 Dominique Lesprier 29. Vallon Adams 30. Daine Parks 31. Sean Phillips 32. T. Selman 33. O’Neil Charles 34. Cyon Kitt 35. Toby David
PAGE 39
Infantino’s grand World Cup plan under scrutiny
Head coach Kenneth Grant – Stuart Trainer; Barrington Browne Manager Robin Roberts
Keen battles as Guyana Draughts Association concludes National Championship FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the World Summit on Ethics and Leadership in Sports at the headquarters of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland. (REUTERS/Ruben Sprich)
From right: Steve Bacchus, Khemraj Pooranmall and Jiaram, missing is Floyd Cumberbatch. The Guyana Draughts Association concluded its Annual National Championship last Sunday in the compound of the National Gymnasium. The game was played on the International ‘100 Square Boards’. It was a superb display of brain and talent throughout the day. The action was prolonged until 10.30pm that evening. Despite the exhausted and mentally worked out brains, the players battled in a keenly contested competition right down to the end. The finish was close. In the final rounds Khemraj Pooranmall defeated Mark Braithwaite in a thrilling finish to move from 8 to 10 points and emerged the winner. Linden player Floyd Cumberbatch who was on 7 points defeated the
newcomer in this format of the game Edgar Downer in a simple game to amass 9 points. Steve Bacchus on 8 points saw the opportunity to go into a tie-breaker with Pooranmall to vie for the Champion’s position, but his intention was shattered by the stubborn Michael Francis who held him to a draw, earning him only 1 point to tie on 9 points for the second and third places with Cumberbatch. Jiaram moved into the last round with 6 points. His only chance to claim the 4th prize was to have an outright win over the patience of Michael Francis. Displaying experience and tactics, Jiaram stroked his opponent into the final moves to successfully complete his task and put claim to that prize. President and other
executives of the Association lamented on the lengthy duration of time these games are taking. Whilst some players are playing within the time frame a few are occupying longer time and this is because the games are played without clocks. The Association is soliciting the help of Corporate Guyana to assist with the purchasing of these clocks. The cost for one clock is approximately US$50. Contact can be made with the Coordinator Mr. Paul D’Anjou tel. 645-1002 or Mr. Jiaram 614-6671, 619-5296. The Association would like to extend gratitude to the sponsors for the tournament; Lalta Gainda of Rubis Bel Air, Berbice Bridge Inc., Attorney at Law Elias Gentle, Khemraj Pooranmall, Ansa McAL and John Lewis Styles.
ZURICH (Reuters) FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s controversial proposal for a 48-team tournament will come under the microscope when the decision makers at soccer’s governing body discuss the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup this week. The FIFA Council, which meets on Thursday and Friday in Zurich, still has to decide on basic questions such as the size of the tournament and which continents are eligible. A decision was due this week under the timeline drawn up in May but Infantino has now said that discussions will continue until January. The number of participating teams is the biggest issue. Infantino, elected in February to replace the disgraced Sepp Blatter, promised during his campaign to increase the World Cup to 40 teams, an idea opposed by Europe’s biggest clubs. He went even further last week, however, when he suggested adding another eight teams. Infantino’s plan is for 32 teams to take part in a preliminary knockout round played in the host country, with the 16 winners progressing to the group stage, where they would join 16 more teams who would
get byes. The tournament would then continue as it does now with a 32-team group stage followed by knockout rounds. French sports paper L’Equipe described the idea as ridiculous and Germany coach Joachim Loew said it would dilute the sporting strength of the tournament. Critics said the move could also be interpreted as yielding to the 211 national soccer federations which elect the FIFA president. “He certainly has the example of Blatter holding on to power by pandering to the FAs,” said Alexandra Wrage, an anti-corruption expert who is president of TRACE International which specializes in anti-bribery compliance. “Some of that is to be expected, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of the game, the clubs, the players and the fans,” she told Reuters. GOOD IDEA Infantino must also convince the Council that it is a good idea to send teams across the world to possibly play just one game before returning home. It could also be hard to sell to broadcasters and there is the contentious issue of how to decide which teams get byes. “The whole suddendeath approach for the early
rounds seems a bit souldestroying to me. The key, though, is whether all key stakeholders will be consulted or whether Infantino will just ram this through for reasons of his own,” said Wrage. F I FA m u s t a l s o effectively confirm whether or not European countries will be able to bid. At present, continental confederations must wait eight years between hosting World Cups but FIFA could decide to increase this to 12. With Russia hosting the tournament in 2018, that would mean Europe having to wait until 2030 before bidding again. The hosts were originally due to be chosen next May but the whole process was put on hold last year because of the corruption scandal that led to Blatter’s downfall. That date will now mark only the end of the consultation phase and the final decision will be made in May 2020. FIFA was forced to reform its bidding process after the 2018 and 2022 tournaments were awarded to Russia and Qatar at the same vote in 2010. That vote is the subject of a criminal investigation by Swiss authorities and Infantino has said that this time round the process must be “bullet proof.”
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday October 12, 2016
GCF National Junior Chess Qualifiers
Roberto Neto captures qualification honours as final hurdle looms In what could be considered a raging battle for honours, Roberto Neto turned in his local best performance to date, amassing 6.5 points from 7 games to win the National Junior Chess Qualifiers when that tournament concluded with two days of intense rivalry at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue, over the past weekend. However, the battle is only halfway won as Neto will join several other players within two weeks for a round robin showdown to determine who will be the 2016 National Junior Champion; the current champion, Haifeng Su has outgrown the tournament and is currently engaged in academic studies in Canada. Saeed Anwar Ali chalked up 5 ½ points to take the second place, while tournament favourite, Woman Candidate Master (WCM), Sheriffa Ali, closed off the podium spots with 5 points. Neto travelled as the reserve player on the national team that attended the recently concluded 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan and was always a threat to tournament
At the conclusion of the tournament several of the participants pose with National Coach CM Wendell Meusa (extreme right) Others in the photo are (from left) Joshua Gopaul, WCM Sheriffa Ali, Saeed Ali, Roberto Neto and Aravinda Singh. favourite, WCM Sheriffa Ali, who had recently earned her new accreditation after a sterling performance at the Baku, Azerbaijan tournament.
Meanwhile, Joshua Gopaul scored 5 points to finish 4th while Ghansham Allijohn and Jaden Taylor both amassed 4 points to occupy the 5th and 6thplace
positions respectively with Allijohn benefitting from the tie breaker. The latter two are budding players of the Saints Chess Club of the St Stanislaus College.
Some of the qualified players might not have been in the top bunch but would have recorded satisfactory personal performances. Former Queen’s College
student, Aravinda Singh, was one such player and he finished with a fighting 4 points following a return after a self-imposed hiatus, while Nellisha Johnson of Christ Church Secondary closed off the qualifying group after fighting ferociously in the final game to claim her spot against her equally game sibling, Waveney Johnson; both amassed 4 points and the winner had to be decided on the tie breaker. Meanwhile, President of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), Irshad Mohamed, was the Tournament Director and complimented the players for the exceptionally high quality of play. He feels that this is indicative of the many tournaments planned in the run up to the tournament along with the international exposure of the Baku, Azerbaijan tournament. He also extended sincere thanks to Director of Sports, Christopher Jones for his input towards a successful tournament as well as the officials of the National Sports Commission for allowing the usage of the National Resource Center and the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Djokovic storms through in Shanghai (Reuters) World number one Novak Djokovic cruised into the Shanghai Masters third round with a 6-3 6-3 win over Italy’s Fabio Fognini on Tuesday, the Serbian’s first match since his loss to Stan Wawrinka in last month’s U.S. Open final. The defending champion, who withdrew from last week’s China Open with an elbow problem, showed little sign of injury against his unseeded
opponent, winning 83 percent of his first serve points in a match that lasted an hour and 15 minutes. Djokovic started strongly, opening up a 3-0 lead to take control of the first set, but displayed signs of rust with 18 unforced errors. He suffered a minor blip when he was broken in the first game of the second set, but held his nerve and hit back with two successive
breaks to seal the win, helped by his opponent making 40 unforced errors. Spaniard David Ferrer, the No. 10 seed, suffered a first-round upset loss to unseeded Feliciano Lopez who beat his compatriot 76(3) 4-6 7-6(4). Unseeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov served up another upset when he beat Frenchman Richard Gasquet, seeded 14th, 6-4 64, and 19-year-old A l e x a n d e r Z v e r e v ’s produced another shock when he defeated eighth seed Marin Cilic of Croatia. The German, who is the youngest player in the world’s top 50, battled back to see off the vastly more experienced Cilic 3-6 6-3 6-2 in the day’s final match. Australian Nick Kyrgios, ranked 14th in the world, brushed off the challenge of
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays against Fabio Fognini of Italy. (REUTERS/Aly Song) American Sam Querrey 6-4 6-4 in under an hour, firing down 14 aces and not facing a break point.
Ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat unseeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 63 7-6(6) to reach the third
round while his compatriot and sixth seed Gael Monfils beat South African Kevin Anderson 7-6(4) 6-3.
Kaieteur News
Wednesday October 12, 2016
PAGE 41
GCB’s 3-Day League review
A great concept marred by sub-standard cricket & disrespect for the game By Sean Devers After seven rounds, the inaugural GCB Jaguars three-day Franchise League has been completed with defending 50-over Champions Lower Corentyne, the strongest team on paper, dominating the League with six wins and a draw to take the Championship trophy and $500,000. L o w e r C o r e n t y n e ’s Jonathon Foo scored 150 and 127 in the first two rounds, while former National U-19 batsman and elder brother of Shemron Hetymer, Seon (215) and Surujnarine Kandasammy (212) both scored double centuries in the same innings when the Berbicians rattled up the League’s highest total of 649-9 declared against West Berbice at Port Mourant. West Demerara’s team i n c l u d e d Ta g e n a r i n e Chanderpaul, the batsman with the most runs (635) and Bajan Raymond Reifer the most successful All-rounder (434 runs & 28) to finish as runners-up to collect $300,000 in the eight-team League which could described as fairly successful. Highest Total: Lower Corentyne 649-9 declared Highest Scores: Chanderpaul Hemraj (250), Seon Hetmyer (215) Surujnarine Kandasammy (212): Most 100s: Jonathon Foo (2) Bhaskar Yadram (2 in 1 match), Assad Fudadin (2) To p B a t s m e n : Tagenarine Chanderpaul (635), Surujnarine Kandasammy (607) Jonathon Foo (580) Chanderpaul Hemraj (562) Bhaskar Yadram (514) Top Bowlers: Eon Hooper (44) Gajanand Suknanan (42), Romario Shepherd (34), Kasim Khan (30) Raymon Reifer (28) Best Bowling figures: Romario Shepherd (8-49) Most five-wkts hauls: Eon Hooper (5) L e t ’s l o o k a t t h e positives and negatives of the League which concluded on Sunday with the presentation at the Port Mourant ground in Corentyne Berbice.
Anand Sanasie POSITIVES: I believe the League’s formation, used to pick the Guyana team for the next WICB First-Class tournament is a great concept. It will expose more players to National selectors in contrast to now defunct senior four-day InterCounty Competition which included a Rest Team and a usually underprepared Essequibo side which struggled to compete despite having talented players. The GBC must be commended for playing a Franchise tournament in which they have inserted the top players into the eight teams thus strengthening the weaker teams. S e n d i n g S h i v Chanderpaul to play for Essequibo was a wonderful idea. Despite Chanderpaul playing just three matches in League, his presence in the team made a big difference. Both Coach Michael Hyles Franco (a Berbician) and Manager Forbes Daniels, related how impacting was the presence of the second highest West Indian run-scorer and most experienced West Indian Test player to the batsmen. While both agreed that Chanderpaul would be better severed as a batting mentor instead of a player in the Guyana for the upcoming season, they stated that Chanderpaul has tremendous Knowledge of cricket. “When Shiv walked into the dressing room for the first time I told him he would make my job easier. I said Shiv you work with the batsmen and jokingly told him to starting earning his
Colin Stuart $5,000 per day. He was a great asset to the team and would tell the batsman if they don’t hit the ball in the air they can’t get caught,” the Coach said. Sending Reifer and Shepherd to open the bowling for West Demerara played a huge role in them finishing second. The pair shared 62 wickets between them and contributed crucial runs. Another positive for the GCB was that 104 players, eight Coaches and Eight Managers were paid $5,000 per day for the 21 days which meant $12.6 Million was spent on salaries for teams. Former Test pacer Colin Stuart the TDO of the GCB informed that the local Board gets funding for development programmes and a part of that funding is spent on the League which includes meals and transportation from the GCB hostel to grounds and back. “We are using a similar format to what the WICB is doing with Regional Franchise four-day competition. In addition to the match fees, the contract players still get whatever their contract offer per month and this includes the Academy contracted players. So now players who are not picked for West Indies could still earn a comfortable living from Cricket,” Stuart disclosed. The players with ‘A’ contracts get $500,000 per month, those with ‘B’ contracts receive $340,000 and those with ‘C’ contracts get $240,000 with the 14 players with Academy contracts takes home approximately $70,000
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
every month for training for four days per week. According the GCB’s secretary and WICB Director Anand Sanasie, the Board is looking for sponsors for next year’s League which will cost $5Million for each Franchise owner and will cover both the 3-day and 50over format. Teams will be provided with a home ground, one overseas player will be allowed in each team and entrance fee could be charged for matches by the Franchise owner. Another positive is that games are played in all three Counties which provide fans in the rural communities an opportunity to see the best cricketers in Guyana play and hopefully create an interest for cricket among
the youngsters. The quality of the ground and pitches at the Imam Bacchus ground in Essequibo was reportedly the best in the League despite its lack highstandard facilities and stands. The Tuschen ground and pitch was also among the best in the League and according to the Tuschen ground committee, if they are guaranteed more matches they would make improvements to their facilities which are presently a d e q u a t e . T h e Yo u n g Warriors ground in Canje Berbice, while on the small side has one of the quicker tracks. The emergence of 21 year-old Shepherd and 18year-old Kemo Paul as quality all-rounders and the consistency of 20-year-old
Eon Hooper Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 23-year-old Hemraj, Foo, B h a s k a r Ya d r a m , Kandasammy and Akshaya Persaud, Sherfane Rutherford are all positives from the League in terms as the future of Guyana’s cricket. Fudadin scored two tons and a 93 and demonstrated that he had gained something from the Sri Lanka one-day series preparation in Barbados, while at a time when quality off-spinners are hard to find the success of Eon Hooper and Gajanand Suknanan are encouraging as is the return to form of Seon Hetymer. Tomorrow we will look at the negatives of the tournament including the sub standard cricket and disrespect of the game by players.
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday October 12, 2016
Johnson wants better Club structure in E/Bank E’bo Plans to promote ‘home’ players with eligibility rule for EBECC tournaments
Alvin Johnson at the Farm Multiplex which be primarily a Football ground.
The Parika ground has the best facilities in East Bank E’bo. By Sean Devers Chairman of the East Bank Essequibo Cricket Committee (EBECC) 59year-old Alvin Johnson, who is employed by GECOM as an Assistant Registration Officer, was also the President of Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) and Vi c e - P r e s i d e n t o f t h e Guyana Cricket Board. Johnson, who enjoyed a successful career in Teaching from May 1973 to April 2012 during which time he was Headmaster at eight schools, could be considered the most experienced Essequibian Cricket Administrator. Last Saturday, Johnson, the Chairman of the Parika Community Playground Management Committee, took Kaieteur Sports on a
tour of Cricket grounds in Parika, Vergenoegen and Tuschen. The first round of an Under-19 Tournament at Ve r g e n o e g e n w a s i n progress and will be played every Saturday until November 11. This tournament is being used to select players for next year’s Essequibo U-19 trials. Johnson also informed that the Annual 10-team Mohamed Memorial senior 40-over Competition will start this weekend. Johnson noted that in an effort to promote home grown talent, it was agreed that in East Bank Essequibo Competitions, no more than four players from outside of the area (senior level) and no more than two (Junior level) will be allowed to participate, adding that they
must be registered with the clubs. Johnson, who said the Hydronie ground which has already been chipped, should be ready to become Parika newest cricket ground by this month. The ground is next to the Parika Market and shares the compound with the GECOM office. The Parika ground, next to the Parika Backdam Road, has the best facilities on the East Bank of Essequibo with a concrete Pavilion, dressing rooms, a Bar, Toilet facilities, two concrete sightscreens and two stands for spectators. This ground, like the much smaller Parika Back ground has already been chipped with rolling being the final stage. According to Johnson the Farm Multiplex ground is ready but will be used for
Football while Tiny Ruby ground is like a landmark spot and is ideal for youth cricket. T h e Ve r g e n o e g e n , Tuschen and Zeelugt grounds are the playable grounds in the area while the Parika ground will soon be used. But Johnson laments that not enough Cricket is played on East Bank Essequibo while the excessive rain this y e a r i s a ff e c t i n g t h e preparation of grounds. Philadelphia, Ruby, Farm, Parika Backdam, St Lawrence and Zeelugt are the six small grounds, while the Parika ground and the o n e s a t Ve rg e n o e g e n , Tuschen and one being developed at Hydronie for the first time are the large grounds on the East Bank Essequibo. There are also other big but less developed
grounds in Tuschen New Scheme. Johnson has lived all his all of his life at 13 Old Road Parika and says the NDC has all the equipment needed for Ground preparations including a Slasher and will be available to the EBECC once they are not in use. “Mr Linden Fowler, an RDC Councilor of Region 3 and Vice-Chairman of the Hydronie/Good Hope NDC and is the main person responsible for most of the grounds of the East Bank Essequibo being presently developed. Of course he is getting full support from Regional Executive Officer Region 3 Denis Jaikarran who has to make the RDC Slasher and the NDC tractor available,” Johnson said. “I am not satisfied with the state of cricket here. We
need more support from the clubs. We have groups of players and teams but no well structured clubs,” Johnson stated. Johnson reveled that every two years on the second Friday in November, the EBECC holds its AGM and Elections. He informed that because the GCB and its members are prevented from holding Elections by the Court following an injunction by the BCB, no ECB elections can be held for this term and the same persons will continue to run cricket until the injunction is lifted or the matter is settled. “We have passed a code of conduct for officials and players. The final draft of the selection policy document will be on the agenda at the AGM in November,” said Johnson.
Jaguars’ three-day league- a wonderful initiative, but senior players should lead by example By Zaheer Mohamed The recently concluded Jaguars three-day league was a wonderful initiative by the Guyana Cricket Board- this tournament gave more players an opportunity to showcase their talent since there were eight teams involved as compared to the inter-county competition. Hosting a competition of such magnitude will always be challenging since acquiring venues for matches is never an easy task and players should be thankful for the opportunity. Lower Corentyne were crowned champions after seven-round of matches
which saw many outstanding performances by both batsmen and bowlers. Chanderpaul H e m r a j , Ta g e n a r i n e Chanderpaul, Akshaya Persaud, Keemo Paul Assad Fudadin, Christopher Barnwell, Kevon Boodie, Seon Hetmyer, Devon Clements, Raymond Reifer, Keyron Fraser, Bhaskar Yadram, Jonathan Foo were among those outstanding with the bat, while Romario Shepherd, Eon Hooper, Gajanand Suknanan, Anthony Adams, Veerasammy Permaul and Kamesh Yadram were some who excelled with the ball. While there were a
number of positives that came out of the inaugural tournament there is always room for improvement and the senior players need to lead by example in future such tournaments. While Guyana has won the WICB PCL four-day tournament for the past two years, the selectors can help to improve the performance of the players by increasing the competition for places in the team. However, when one think of a professional tournament you think of professional players who should conduct themselves in a manner that would not hurt the game, but this was
not the case in many matches. The spirit of cricket includes respect for your opponents, your own captain and team, the role of umpires and the games traditional values. Additionally the captains are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted within the spirit of the game as well as within the laws. The behavior of many cricketers especially the senior players who are ambassadors for the game was unacceptable throughout the tournament and the GCB should not encourage such actions. Players were involved in
verbal and physical exchanges which prompted umpires to intervene. Many players lacked respect for their teammates and opponents - this defeated the purpose of the tournament since it will not encourage but discourage the younger players. The use of indecent language by players could have been heard by spectators at several venues and this underlines the lack of respect for the game, and one is left to wonder if these players are really serious of representing the West Indies. The fact that players wore coloured footwear and turned up late for matches is highly unacceptable.
Players should be reminded that it is against the spirit of the game to d i s p u t e a n d u m p i r e ’s decision by word, action or gesture, to direct abusive language towards an opponent or an umpire, and there is no place for violence on the field of play. Captains and umpires together set the tone for the game and every player should make an important contribution to this. Talent wise, the future of Guyana’s cricket looks bright and while some players have excelled, others must recognise the fact that cricket is played 70% above the shoulders.
Wednesday October 12, 2016
Kaieteur News
PAGE 43
Hamilton misses, Singh in sight of century as Windies A surge PA L L E K E L E , S r i Lanka, CMC – Jahmar Hamilton missed a century and Visual Singh is in sight of one as West Indies A dominated the opening day of their second four-day “Test” against Sri Lanka A at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday. Hamilton and Singh posted solid half centuries that allowed West Indies A to surge to 331 for five, after Sri Lanka A won the toss and asked them to bat. Hamilton missed his century by a single run while Singh continued his impressive form to be unbeaten on 81 as the regional side finished the day in a strong position after losing the first “Test” by seven wickets in Colombo
Visual Singh
Hamilton missed his century by a single.
last week. The other batsman to score a half century was
d r o p p e d Te s t o p e n e r Rajendra Chandrika who has been struggling to find form.
Chandrika scored six fours in reaching 51 before he was forced to retire hurt.
Hamilton, the 26-yearold Leeward Island cricketer, was run out
following a dominant batting display during which he counted 15 boundaries from his141 ball occupation of the crease. He amassed a solid fifth wicket stand of 188 with Singh, the prolific Guyanese batsman who missed his century by four runs in the opening fixture. Singh has so far picked up nine boundaries and looked set to press on for a triple figure score. There were other significant contributions from Kieran Powell and Shimron Hetmyer who scored 29 and 48 before they were caught and bowled respectively. Anuk Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Charith Asalanka and Dimuth Karunaratne picked up a wicket each for Sri Lanka A.
Ryder Cup rookie Wood gutted hero Tiger is delaying return WATFORD, ENGLAND (Reuters) Ryder Cup rookie Chris Wood is gutted his hero Tiger Woods has scrapped plans to make a comeback this week, calling it a blow to the European Tour as well as to the millions of golf fans around the world. Fourteen-times major champion Woods announced on Monday that his game was not sharp enough for him to compete in the PGA Tour event starting in Napa, California, on Thursday or at n e x t m o n t h ’s Tu r k i s h Airlines Open. The 40-year-old American has been sidelined for 14 months because of back-related injuries. “It would have been great for the European Tour for
him to play in Turkey,” Wood told a news conference on Tuesday ahead of this week’s British Masters on the outskirts of London. “There would have been that buzz of Tiger’s back ... and he’s playing on the European Tour so it is really disappointing for myself as a golf fan ... because he was my golfing hero. “He won the U.S. Masters when I was 10 years old. From that point on he’s the only guy I’ve ever looked up to.” Wood won this year’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the European Tour’s flagship event, and he was asked if he felt the former world number one’s playing days had come to an
Team USA vice-captain Tiger Woods talk at the 13th green during the practice round for the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. (Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports/File photo) end. “I don’t think he’ll ever say it’s over,” said the 28year-old Briton. “But you never know with Tiger.
“Nobody’s ever known, really, throughout his whole career what he really does golf-wise when he’s at home, (Continued on page 31)
t r o Sp Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup 2016
Jamaica’s Captain Je-Vaughn Watson scores their first goal against Guyana as goalie Kai McKenzie -Lyle and colleagues watch on in disbelief.
Courageous 10-man Golden Jaguars fall to Reggae Boyz 2-4 in extra time at Leonora
Team Jamaica
Adrian Butters scored both goals for Guyana
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