Kaieteur News
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Friday October 20, 2017
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
ALLEVIATING HUNGER AND POVERTY
Last Monday, Guyana joined more than 150 other nations to celebrate World Food Day. As is customary, numerous events were organized around the world for one of the most celebrated days on the United Nations’ calendar. These events promoted awareness and action against poverty and hunger, and the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all. WFD essentially gives nations a chance to show their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030. It is also a day for all to celebrate the progress that has already been made to end poverty and hunger globally. WFD was established by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)’s Member Countries at the body’s 20th General Conference in November 1979 in Hungary. In the United States and several other developed countries, World Food Day has been a tradition since 1982 and is sponsored by governments, as well as national, private voluntary organizations to educate their populations about the devastating effects of poverty and hunger on the poor. Since 1981, World Food Day has adopted a different theme each year in order to provide a common focus, and to highlight areas needed for the reduction of poverty and hunger. Most of the themes revolve around agriculture, because only substantial investment in agriculture and education by the private sector and governments could lessen poverty and hunger around the world. This year’s theme was ‘Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development’. Today, hunger and poverty are on the increase around the world, due to extreme weather events that experts suggest are linked to climate change and global warming. Hurricanes Irma and Maria which ravaged Dominica, Puerto Rico, Barbuda and several other Caribbean islands, are compelling evidence of this. Another important factor that has contributed to poverty and hunger globally is migration. In the last two decades, more people have been forced to flee their homes than at any time since the Second World War due to increased conflict and political instability in several countries. The migration of millions of people today is presenting serious challenges to the destination countries because of scarce resources. Guyana does not have any of the aforementioned problems, which makes us somewhat fortunate and some would say blessed. However, poverty and in some cases hunger are on the rise due largely to the lack of decent paying jobs and the cost for food and housing which have increased significantly over the years. More than half of the poor in Guyana base their livelihoods on agriculture in the rural areas of the country. Addressing a World Food Day event which was held at the Bayrock Community Centre Ground under the theme: “Food Security and Hinterland Development…Our National Priority”, President David Granger declared that “there must be zero hunger…all citizens must at all times have sufficient food and access to nutritious food.” These are powerful words which must be matched by actions. In the past, not much has been done to create conditions that allow particularly rural people, and especially youth, to have more resilient livelihoods in their communities. This must change. There really is no discernible plan or strategy in place to stem the migration of youth from the rural areas to the city. A crucial component of any plan to tackle the migration challenge would require investment in rural development, which is now barely at a trickle. Such investment would create business opportunities and jobs for young people that are not only crop-based, but small dairy or poultry production, food processing or horticulture enterprises. It would also lead to food security. We believe that meaningful action will alleviate hunger and poverty.
Funny to know that 98 percent of the Guyanese nation is mad Editor, I liked the funny, ha, ha, letter about a 98 per cent people in Guyana being “mad” in your last Sunday edition. The letter writer was expanding on the daily unsavoury things Freddie Kissoon writes about in Guyana. I would not
describe many of those people as “mad” - they are self-serving. It suits them to act in that particular way, to try to ensure more money for themselves. Greedy, such greed causing harm to others, sometimes gravely so. I speak from personal
experience. In 1983, when a B.G. work colleague told me that her father in London had just posted a £2,000.00 “trolley van” to a relative, to “sell ice cream to school children”, the money as a loan to be repaid in time, I voiced my suspicions: it would take years of ice
cream sales to realize that much money. However, let every “satan” remember that “the mills of God grind slowly and exceedingly fine” - and we all will one day get our comeuppance. Let them all beware. Geralda Dennison.
BOSAI and Ministry officials rigged this union recognition election Dear Editor, This letter is addressed To: Mr. Charles Ogle, Secretary Guyana Trade Union Recognition And Certification Board. We kindly ask that you publish it in your newspaper. . The letter follows. Due to the procedural errors or irregularities that took place during the October 11, 2017 poll between The People United and General Workers Union (TPU&GWU)and National Association of Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) at Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Inc, TPU&GWU hereby respectfully request that the G u y a n a Tr a d e U n i o n Recognition and Certification Board issue to TPU&GWU a Certificate of Recognition to become the bargaining agent for the nonmanagement workers of Bosai or order a second poll to be carried out. Section 21-3 of the G u y a n a Tr a d e U n i o n Recognition Act states as follows;’ “Where the results of the poll show a tie or are inconclusive, a second poll shall be carried out within seven days, and in the event of a second tie or the results inconclusive, a further poll shall be conducted within fourteen days’’ Result of poll conducted on October 11, 2017 are as follows: (a) To t a l e l i g i b l e voters 378(Names stated on the first/ original list). (b) Total workers voted for TPU&GWU-132. © Total workers voted for NAACIE-89. (d) Total votes spoiled-3 (e) Grand total of workers who voted 224 The procedural error and/or irregularities that took place during the proceedings of October 11, 2017 poll are as follows: (1) Breach of signed Modality Agreement dated
September 4, 2017consistent with the Modality Agreement that the Ministry Labour/TUR&CB, TPU&GWU and Bosai signed and agreed to, stated that there will be three(3) polling station, but on the day of the poll(October 11, 2017) Mr. Dexter Semple ( w h o h e a d t h e Ministry/TUR&CB team) told the PU&GWU that he changed/reduced the polling station from three (3) to two(2). (2) Second, Breach of signed Modality Agreement-The Modality Agreement provides that after the voters’ list is approved it will be posted on the Company’s three (3) notice boards at the polling stations on September 30, 2017 which was done, but on the day of the poll, Mr. Semple presented to TPU&GWU and NAACIE two (2) new voters’ lists that were used at plant polling stations and one list that was used at the mines polling station (3) Inconsistency and inequality with the 2 voters lists -The first original voters’ list comprised a list of eligible voters of 378 but the second voters list comprised 369 of which of 9 person were short from the original list. (4) illegality of second list- the second list did not past through the objection period as agreed to in the Modality Agreement dated September 4, 2017 and in keeping with elections laws which guided the process since the list was presented on the day of the poll. (5) The Third breach of Modality Agreement dated September 4, 2017when mines workers showed up at the plant polling station to cast their votes they were told that things have changed and as such, they have to go to the mines polling station to vote, which is a long way from the plant polling
station. The workers argued that this was not in keeping with the first/original voters list that was posted on all three of the polling stations on September 30, 2017 and how come the change was made on the very day of the poll? And why they were not notified earlier? They furthered stated that they do not have any transportation to go to the mines to vote and as such it leaves them with no other choice but to go back home since some of them was on off duty for days/weeks. (6) Transgressing on PU&GWU rights to elected scrutineers of its choice- a few days before the poll via telephone conversation Mr. Semple informed the TPU&GWU that it have to summit not more than three (3) Scrutineers /persons who will work at the three(3) polling station on behalf of the TPU&GWU but the Union cannot and must not submit Mr. Winswarth Blair/Union member name since Bosai do not want him present at any of the polling stations but NAACIE was given the full privilege to elect any three persons/members as scrutineers. (7) Breach of normal election protocol-on the day of the poll at the plant polling station, NAACIE had two (2) scrutineers who were interchanging and going around the work site(campaigning and soliciting support) telling workers to vote for NAACIE and accompany most/all of the same workers to the polling station. (8) Second Breach of normal election protocol-a worker moved around the worksite and walked into the plant polling station with a jersey that had NAACIE name stated on it and he was allowed to vote and was not put out of the polling station etc.
(9) Intimidation by management to solicit votes in favor of NAACIEa number of workers complained to the TPU&GWU that they felt intimidated/fearful of losing their job after they were instructed by management, supervisor and General Manager of Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Inc. that they must vote for NAACIE Union. (10) S e c o n d intimidation by management to solicit votes in favor of NAACIEa number of workers complained to TPU&GWU that they were instructed by Management,supervisors, etc. of Bosai that they must vote for NAACIE and if they do not do same they will not receive a 6.5% wage increase in year 2017 that was already agreed to between NAACIE and Bosai. (11) T h i r d intimidation by management to solicit votes in favor of NAACIEa number of workers complained to TPU&GWU that they were told by Management, supervisors, etc. of Bosai that if they vote for TPU&GWU and TPU&GWU win the poll they will not receive the 6.5% wage increase for 2017 that the Company and NAACIE already agreed to since if the TPU&GWU wins the poll TPU&GWU and the Bosai will have to start fresh wages negotiations for year 2017 and said negotiations will prolong until year 2018. (12) Bosai did not issue cards for vote to all workers-During the Modality Agreement on September 4, 2017 Bosai stated that all the workers employed with Bosai have a Company Identification Card and if any of the worker cards are misplaced or damaged they should make a (Continued on page 5)
Friday October 20, 2017
These cadets have not graduated as marine pilots Dear Editor, It was reported in the media that the country has made history by having four females among sixteen cadets graduate as Marine Pilots. This statement is misleading. These Cadets have not graduated as pilots; they were successful at the Guyana Coastal Masters Examination. They are now licensed as Captains of vessels engaged on Guyana Coastal Trade only. MARAD in its endeavor to upgrade the professional competence of its maritime officers has successfully trained these young men and women for five years to be in command of coastal vessels. Five years of training is the minimum time in which one can qualify as a Coastal Master when the numerous sub-
jects to deal with, time spent at sea and attendance at a recognized nautical institution are taken into consideration. It must be noted that even though they were successful at the examination this does not mean that they will be appointed Captains immediately, but will most likely be appointed Mates as they still need more practical experience. The practice is that an officer must be in possession of a certificate one above his appointment. Attendance at a nautical institution coupled with the requisite period of sea time on international voyages during the five year period would have made them eligible to sit International Examinations. However regardless of the level of qualification acquired, whether international
or local, they would still be required to undergo six months training as a trainee pilot under the watchful eyes of a licensed pilot. On completion of this training which includes one hundred and fifty Bar Crossings, fifty berthings and fifty unberthings they become eligible to sit the One District Pilotage Examination (Demerara).This examination which is conducted, and the performance assessed by three qualified mariners/pilots consists of three parts, practical ship handling, oral and written. Successful candidates will then be issued a junior Second Class Pilots License and commence piloting ocean going vessels in and out of Georgetown. It must be understood that modern ves-
sels engaged on International voyages are mandated to carry very sophisticated electronic equipment. Our pilots must be able to handle this sophistication, pilot these ships blind (blind pilotage) when the situation so warrants and deal with electronic navigation etc. I am aware that not all of these graduates will be pilots, some will be placed in the Marine Section of Transport & Harbours Department, some will become Ship Inspectors while others will pursue other maritime related fields. There is no short cut to this profession. Pilots have to get it right the first time and every time they handle a foreign going vessel. There is no room for error. Rouchie W.Adams
ARE WE BACK IN THE BURNHAM ERA? Dear Editor, For the past months the East Coast Demerara stretch has been p l a g u e d b y blackouts several times during the day and night. Electrical appliances are malfunctioning and are being damaged. GPL AND ITS SUBJECT MINISTER ARE SILENT! OR ARE THEY UNAWARE? Is this the good life we were promised? Is this the benefit of marking my X for the AFC? It is difficult not to feel that certain AFC leaders are either muzzled or downright frightened to speak of the concerns of their constituencies. I suppose the gravy is delicious for them,
and we were merely the tickets to get them into the kitchen. GPL is a bundle of incompetents. They complain of losses but do nothing to curb stealing of electricity. I have written before and I will say again: 80% of the loss through theft is happening in the villages of this country - Sophia, Cummings Lodge, P l a i s a n c e , Beterverwagting, Buxton, B a c h e l o r ’s A d v e n t u r e / Dazzel, Haslington/Golden Grove, Nabaclis, Victoria, Belfield, Ann’s Grove, etc. Is there a pattern here? Definitely! Does GPL know that many residents in some of
BOSAI and Ministry officials... (From page 4) request to Bosai and Bosai will immediately replace their cards but before the polling date workers approached and made request to Bosai for the cards to be replaced or issued but all of them did not receive cards. Some of the workers on the polling day asked Bosai for company ID cards so they can vote but they was told they cannot get any of the card since the photographer is not available. The result of the poll
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dated October 11, 2017 show clearly that a majority of the workers in the bargaining unit that was given the opportunity to vote give their full support to elect TPU&GWU as the bargaining agent but if the election was or is conducted in a free and fair manner the workers’ rights of electing a Union of their choice in keeping with the laws of Guyana would be honoured. Micah Williams General Secretary The People United and General Workers Union
these places I mentioned have hot & cold water, A/C running 24/7? AFC leaders, this is the reality and you are part of it! Why must I obey the law when so many are allowed to break it without fear of penalty? Easy! Browbeat a security guard who was offering protection to GPL workers and BINGO, free power to the thieves!
I am not certain my letter will see the light of day. I would not even be surprised, since those who pretend to be the watchdogs of fair play are enjoying the fear play. I must support Freddie Kissoon: WE ARE A LAND OF THE DOOMED! BACK TO THE DAYS! C. Selman
No financial statement presented to the football federation for 2016 Dear Editor, Congratulations to the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on the good work of starting construction of the football facility at Providence. The future of football looks bright. However, of great concern to me is an article I read; “Qualified opinion issued on GFF 2016 accounts”. Besides the serious allegations of financial mismanagement by the qualified opinion of the auditors, is the fact that no financial statements were presented to the Guyana Football Federation’s Congress (its highest decision making body) for 2016 This is a gross violation of the GFF constitution and
possibly the Companies Act of Guyana. The GFF board must explain to its members and the public why after five months there has been no account given for the non completion of the financial statements. Also, and much more worrying, why the organization has changed five different General Secretaries (equivalent to a CEO) and five different finance directors in less than two years. Those occurrences certainly do not shout financial and administrative best practices. The members of the GFF deserve adequate answers to these questions. Chamine Lovell
The church wishes to thank the Kaieteur News Dear Editor, Just a short note to thank you and your staff for intervening in the matter of very loud music played publicly in the vicinity of All Saints Anglican Church at the corner of Main and Trinity Streets in New Amsterdam. The increased police patrols, the noise abatement citations, the visible presence of patrol cars have all made a difference in this particular neighborhood.
I commend highly the active support of the Mayor and Town Council as well as the Divisional Commander of the Police Department and his staff in the Township of New Amsterdam, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Father William Guthrie Priest-in-Charge Priest-in-Charge/Incumbent: Rev. Dr. Andrew Hoyte
Something to think about with the new harbour bridge Dear Editor Please publish this short comment on the location of the New Demerara Harbour Bridge. I note in the local news that the feasibility study of the new Demerara Harbour Bridge has been completed, inclusive of its location. It is sincerely hoped that the negative impact which the bridge will have on the harbour of Georgetown in its proposed location relative to its limited anchorage areas and
manoeuvring space available to ocean going vessels as (highlighted by the team of Mariners which represented the Maritime Administration Department) was seriously taken into consideration. MARAD’s team also offered a projection of increased marine traffic as a result of the oil and gas industry and possibly increased bauxite shipping activity. Capt. R.E.W. Adams
What is this man doing at Guyana Football Federation? Dear Editor, Being a great fan of Guyana’s sports, and football in particular, I would be grateful if you can publish this letter of inquiry so we can have a response from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF). Many local football fans are curious to know what is Mr. Richard Groden currently doing at the GFF? As you may recall, Mr. Groden was at the helm of the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation as General Secretary for several years during the Jack Warner era. In 2015, Groden was appointed by FIFA to serve as the General Secretary of the GFF during the Normalization Committee’s (NC) helm, where he was in charge of all administrative and financial matters. At the time, his appointed attracted much public and
media scrutiny and was unpopular with several members of the GFF. His contract ended when the NC’s term concluded. Fast forward today, and after the changing of five general secretaries in the past two years, Mr. Groden has returned, unannounced to the public, to the GFF hierarchy. It would be a welcome move, in the spirit of transparency, if the executive committee of the GFF can inform the public and members of the GFF what is Groden’s current role with the federation. Chamine Lovell
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No new taxes in 2018 budget; what is left to tax? Dear Editor, Finance Minister Jordan, was quoted as saying that “there will be no new taxes” in The 2018 Budget. Now that pronouncement was made with the expressed intention to placate the poor and dispossessed in our midst. Benign at best and diversionary as the Finance Minister continues on that eel-like, slippery, evasive slope when it comes to the management of the nation’s finances. Of course Mr Jordan can afford the luxuries of an excuse that there would not be any new taxes because the truth of the matter is, there is nothing more to be taxed. Over two plus years in office and more than two hundred taxes that is record breaking by any standards. One hundred taxes for each year. Fantastic! And you call this good management. So, The Finance Minister has had his fill on taxes the only move left is to consolidate on what he has
in his arsenal and make these mundane platitudes. At least the budget would be balanced, there is no doubt about that, with so many taxes floating around the treasury would be inundated with what I call “cry money” from those monies squeezed out of a tax fatigued nation. But at the end of the day would the lives of The Guyanese People be any better, I hasten to give a resounding no! What the minister should be talking about is a reduction in taxes, the creation of income generated investment, while giving the nation hope on job security. There is no guarantee of the lessening of the hardships Guyanese face as industries are arbitrarily shut down by this government and more and more join the ranks of the jobless. How on earth can those families sustain themselves? So, dear sir, your latest comments are mere empty words. Everton Adams
Charges should be filed against the Town Clerk Dear Editor, A popular American politician once boasted that he could stand on New York’s Fifth Avenue and “shoot somebody” and still not lose voters. Well in Guyana I am convinced that the Town Clerk of Georgetown could break any law, violate anybody’s rights, commit the most heinous crimes, breach all rules and nobody would touch him. How is it that the Town Clerk could so patently mishandle the appalling case regarding the juvenile that was statutorily raped by a Lance Corporal of the City Constabulary and yet nothing happens to him? Those in authority over the Town Clerk need to ask him a number of questions including the following. Why did he re-employ the Lance Corporal after he was dismissed a few months before for similar sexually deviant behavior? Why did he keep the Lance Corporal on the job after receiving the report of his misconduct since August, placing him at remote locations to keep him out of the view of the public but where he could have attacked other juveniles, and not interdict him? Why did he not fire him a few months ago when he got the report? Why did he not call in the police immediately like he did on the previous occasion, but instead waited
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Kaieteur News
for two months and only after much pressure to do so? Why did he not contact the Ministry of Social Protection’s Child Protection Department as he was required to? Why did he have an interview and confrontation with the victim and the perpetrator which is against the law and then withhold that information from the investigating Legal Affairs and Security Committee? Why did he tell Councilors at their last statutory meeting to disregard what is published in the media, since it cannot be taken as facts, that nothing has been proven and that the matter is one of mere allegation, when he was in possession of facts to the contrary and was able to fire the constable the very next day? An investigation needs to be urgently undertaken to ascertain whether the Town Clerk is guilty of condoning or trying to cover up a situation that impaired the morals, the mental and physical wellbeing of a child. But then again if they cannot even get the Town Clerk to proceed on his accumulated leave, it is very unlikely that they would get to subject him to an investigation. But the police, the child protection unit or the child’s relatives should file charges against the Town Clerk. Anu Bihari
Questions swirling around Royston King on this sex case Dear Editor, Could someone in authority tell the citizens of Georgetown how it is possible that the Town Clerk of Georgetown could have been in possession of reports of a serious crime being commissioned by one of the members of his staff and at a municipal location and took two whole months to report it to the national police. Is it not illegal to knowingly fail to report a felony in a timely manner? Can the Town Clerk not be charged for failing to re-
port an offense that resulted in the statutory rape of a juvenile? How is the Town Clerk who is not legally trained and who is not a police officer is allowed to carry out his own investigation about the matter? And worse hold a confrontation with the victim and the perpetrator which could have only exacerbated the trauma that is being experienced by the juvenile, and then withhold this information from the Council and the authorities for two months?
How is the Town Clerk allowed to exclude the Child Protection Department of the Ministry of Social Protection from the matter. Is he not required under the laws of Guyana to report such an incident to this agency? How was the Town Clerk allowed to keep the sexual deviant on the job for a whole two months after the incident hiding him at a remote municipal location in order to avoid him being seen to be working by his colleagues and workmates? Was he not obli-
gated to interdict the man immediately upon the receipt of such a serious report while the investigation was being undertaken? How was the Town Clerk allowed to so glibly dismiss all the media reports and to ignore the concerns being expressed by Coucillors on the matter? And finally, how is it that the Town Clerk was allowed to re-employ this sex offender to the City Constabulary after he was dismissed for committing a similar act. James Mc Onnell
At the Georgetown City Council, there is an emperor Dear Editor, A Corporal of the Georgetown City Constabulary reported to his functional superiors his discovery of a colleague engaged in gross misconduct, that is, performing a sexual act on a prisoner who is a juvenile. And what happened to the whistleblowing corporal? He gets fired for his handiwork. Unbelievable, but true! It seems that at the City Council, there is no law that protects employees who disclose illegal
or improper activities that are ongoing at the municipality. And this is clearly the case in order to intimidate other employees who would be clearly reluctant to report the many wrongdoings of their seniors for fear of being fired as well. Everywhere else in the world employees are shielded from retaliatory action once the employee voluntarily discloses information regarding dishonest or illegal activities within an organization. The administrators can’t take ac-
tion against, or threaten to take action against, the employee. Generally, this means the administration can’t fire, demote, suspend, threaten, harass, or discriminate against a whistleblower. But at the Georgetown City Council, the Town Clerk, without the Council’s fiat, without the Minister’s overt endorsement, like an imperial overlord can just nonchalantly fire a whistleblower, giving the absurd excuse that he did not
make an entry in the station diary of the incident. Why is the Georgetown City Council allowed to make up its own rules to protect the interests of the senior cabal there, to the detriment of the lower level oppressed municipal workers wh o a r e s u b j u gated, persecuted, subdued, repressed, tyrannized, ground down, crushed, enslaved, burdened, weighed down, and exploited daily? Amber Valentine
That person at City Hall was in collusion with a sex deviant Dear Editor, If the Georgetown city councilors were worth their salt, they would send home all of the senior administrators that were involved in some way or the other with regard to the depraved sexual act that was committed by a City Constable on a hapless juvenile. Starting with the official who brought this Lance Corporal back to the job and had him reemployed after he was dismissed for engaging in a similar depraved sexual act
should be held responsible for what happened to this latest victim. The puerile excuse that he was not charged due to a lack of evidence and therefore should be reemployed is immoral. The City Constabulary in employing law enforcement officers should ensure that they do not exhibit any type of mental or behavioral disorder, should be emotionally stable and capable of exercising good judgment. Persons who display addictive behavior
patterns are not good candidates for a law enforcement career. The administrative officer who was responsible for having this officer remain on duty since the incident occurred, hiding him at remote locations rather than having him interdicted, should be sent home. That person is in collusion with the sexual deviant. The persons who deliberately had this investigation drag on by failing to submit reports in a
timely manner or at all, who refused to call in the national police for more than two months, and the administrator who has equated the level of misconduct committed by the two constables one for failing to simply make a diary entry as opposed to the other far more grave act of sexually molesting a juvenile by firing them, both are just disgusting and should be fired himself. Sambu Jacobus
Quoting Winston Churchill to indict the Town Clerk Dear Editor. If anyone had any doubt before, it has now been made crystal clear that the Mayor and Councilors of the City of Georgetown are nothing more than a bunch of rubber stamps. On October 17, 2017 the Town Clerk dispatched two letters to two members of the City Constabulary, arbitrarily and unilaterally dismissing them for what he deemed to be ‘gross misconduct’ and for ‘dereliction of duty’. Whether the Town Clerk who is only the Chief Administrative Officer and not the Chief Executive Officer, possesses the legal au-
thority or force to dismiss these two employees on his own is a different matter which should be challenged in the courts, but it is the absurdity of the Town Clerk’s actions is what this letter is addressing. Just the day before, the Town Clerk had the thirty city fathers and mothers all adults, sit for hours and pontificate on the issue, during which time Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen called on the Legal Affairs Committee to do a thorough investigation and to obtain more statements that were not earlier taken, all the while leading them to believe
that they would be making the decision about the future of the constable. Why did the Town Clerk waste the time and energy of the members of the Legal Affairs and Security Committee, whilst he went off and was doing his own investigation, even interviewing the victim? And how come an investigation that was taking months to be undertaken could suddenly be done overnight? Why did the Town Clerk tell the Council just a day before that absolutely nothing was proven and that the council should not be carried away by news
reports on the matter, then the following day proceeds to fire the Lance Corporal where he said in his letter that the accused had engaged in a sexual act with a juvenile? The great Winston Churchill once said: Want of foresight, unwillingness to act when action would be simple and effective, lack of clear thinking, confusion of counsel until the emergency comes, until self-preservation strikes its jarring gong - these are the features which constitute the endless repetition of history. Modi Sankar
Friday October 20, 2017
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‘Disrespected’ GTU threatens ‘full blown’ strike action A ‘full blown’ strike could be initiated by next week and the public education system is likely to feel the brunt of it. At a press conference yesterday, executives of the Guyana Teachers’ Union [GTU] threw down the gauntlet when they threatened strike action unless the ruling administration, not only takes note, but outlines how several issues faced by public school teachers will be addressed. When asked if the Union will be given the full backing of the 6,000-odd teachers it represents, Lyte, without hesitation, assured that teachers will be on the frontline of any strike action initiated. This is in light of the fact, he noted, that “every teacher wants the debunching that was promised; every teacher is desirous of their clothing allowance that was given in the past; every teacher wants to see added incentives given for their qualifications...and we have not had this in the last two years and that gives me confidence.” “Having gone around to the various [union] branches, teachers have said to us in no uncertain terms ‘if the union calls us out we will be behind them,’” Lyte added, as he amplified “the days for passive action are over and this is going to be very active.” But halting the proposed strike action is not impossible at this point. “What will stop this strike action will be an immediate response and decisive action as to what will be given to our teachers. Nothing else will stop it! They have had two years to talk and nothing has materialised over the talks,” Lyte stressed. Moreover, the response that Lyte anticipates must be swift in coming. Sharing the spotlight with Lyte yesterday were GTU General Secretary, Ms. Coretta McDonald, First Vice President, Ms Leslyn Collins and Field Officer, Mr. Lancelot Baptiste A.A. They revealed that the issues of concern to the union range from the non-progressive negotiation between the union and the Ministry of Education for increased teachers’ remuneration to the outstanding debunching payments. Among the most recent concerns of the union includes the fact that the Education Ministry has issued a circular that could see teachers having to work during their designated lunch period, and issues surrounding the national cycling, swimming and track and field championships. As he listed the many issues faced by teachers, Lyte said that for too long teachers have been neglected in spite of the noble role that
The GTU presser in session. From left: Ms Leslyn Collins, Ms. Coretta McDonald, Mr. Mark Lyte andMr. Lancelot Baptiste A.A. they have to play. “We feel disrespected, because there have been talks between the Public Service Ministry and the [Guyana] Public Service Union, and that is nationally publicised, and nothing is coming out from the talks between the Guyana Teachers’ Union and the Ministry of Education. We consider this to be absolutely disrespectful,” insisted Lyte. He added, “The union has reached a point of no return and definitely there is going to be some action,” said Lyte. He pointed out that the union has written a number of letters to the relevant authorities, but there has been no response, and seemingly no attempts to address the union concerns. “We have written even to the Minister responsible for labour, Mr Keith Scott; the Minister of Social Cohesion [Dr. George Norton] who has responsibility for Sports with regards to the national championships. We even wrote to the President [David Granger] on several occasions; we have written to the Prime Minister [Moses Nagamootoo], [Minister of State] Joseph Harmon and even Finance Minister, Winston Jordan....I don’t know where else we can send a letter to get some help...We have gotten no answers,” Lyte said. It is for this very reason, Lyte said, that “we have decided that we will not continue to be taken for granted.” Commenting on the state of affairs yesterday too was McDonald who said, “These issues are of concern to us. We have been talking with our counterpart, but it seems as if some of those words
have gone on deaf ears.” She added, “We want the public to understand the plight that we have found ourselves in, and the situation that our teachers are finding themselves in. In some cases they are being placed in a box or they are being backed into a wall.” Lyte said that the union is convinced that “the ruling administration has gone to the extent to frustrate our teachers and to frustrate the administration of this union.” Even as he noted that the International Labour Organisation [ILO]’s declaration which specifically addresses three principal rights of all categories of workers, Lyte underscored that “the first one that has been disregarded by this present administration [is the] freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining.” Lyte made reference to a letter inked in 2011 by President David Granger [then APNU Presidential Candidate] to former GTU President Colin Bynoe, which states, among other things, “APNU iterates its commitment to increase salaried and non-salaried benefits [and] improve the incentive systems in place for teachers...” But according to Lyte, although the administration has been speaking about the importance of collective bargaining, “we have not seen any such thing manifested over the last two, two and a half years, since this administration came into power.” “We are coming to the end of another fiscal year and yet our teachers have not been recognised for their contributions by way of an increase
in salary,” said Lyte, as he pointed out that teachers have been without their due, ever since the last Memorandum of Understanding came to an end at the end of 2015. The union is convinced that “there is a deliberate effort on the part of the administration to address the proposal which was submitted since 2015 December to the Ministry of Education and to almost every other
Ministry...we have produced and replicated that particular document, supplied it to all of these Ministries and yet another budget will be presented, and we are not able to come to an agreement for the proposal for the teachers of this nation,” Lyte lamented. He moreover reiterated that “this is very disrespectful and it is in direct contravention to the labour
agreement...this fact is a clear indication that this administration is not seeking to properly remunerate our teachers.” But even as the union executives were venting their concerns, Government was yesterday proposing an increase for public servants, to which Lyte said, “this union is not aware of the fact that there is any consensus on that payout or any payout for that matter.”
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Former GRDB boss, deputy face 30-plus new fraud charges
Charged: Peter Ramcharran Two former senior officials of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) are set to face at least 30 new fraud charges today in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Yesterday, both former General Manager, Jagnarine Singh, and his deputy, Madanlall ‘Ricky’ Ramraj, were at the Camp Road office of the police’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), with their lawyer, Glen Hanoman. Missing is Peter Ramcharran, a former accountant, who is arrested and in custody in Canada, pending extradition. Charges could be read in his absence. This would be the second case, with SOCU expected to lay more charges in a number
Friday October 20, 2017
Kaieteur News
Former GRDB’s head, Jagnarine Singh; attorney-at-law, Glen Hanoman, and former deputy head, ‘Ricky’ Ramraj at SOCU yesterday. of other cases, involving billions of dollars. GRDB is the agency which regulates the country’s rice industry, one of the top three foreign currency earners for Guyana. SOCU is investigating the findings of a forensic audit report which was handed over to the police by the Coalition Government several months ago. Already, in one case, six former high-ranking officials of GRDB, including Jagnarine
and Ramraj have been charged and placed on $500,000 bail each for allegedly failing to make a proper entry into a register of a company with the intent to defraud $362M from the entity’s Republic Bank account. The six officials also included General Secretary of the Producers Association (RPA) and PPP/C Member of Parliament, Dharamkumar Seeraj; former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and PPP/ C Member of Parliament, Nigel Dharamlall; former General Manager of the Guyana Oil Company Badrie Persaud and the Deputy
Permanent Secretary, Finance Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine. The accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges which alleged that between January 1 and December 31, 2012, with intent to defraud, they omitted or concurred to be omitted $77.3M from the general ledger of the GRDB’s Republic Bank account. Similarly, between January 1 and December 31 of the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 with intent to defraud the entity, they are alleged to have omitted or concurred to be omitted from the said Republic Bank account, $9.7M, $130M and $145M for three respective years.
Guyana yet to develop oil spill response plan Harmon admits Minister of State, Joseph Harmon has admitted that Guyana is a far way from being prepared to handle the effects of environmental pollution that can result from oil production. Harmon is also the Minister responsible for the Environment. The Minister spoke to the media about this matter yesterday as he hosted a postCabinet press briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency. Kaieteur News asked Harmon about the government’s readiness to handle disasters that may arise as a result of oil production. The main issue highlighted by this newspaper was a possible oil spill. Harmon said that the government is not ready, but has ample time to prepare for 2020. “I would not say that we are ready. We are not ready for that as yet, but I believe that we are in the process of acquiring sufficient information that we will be able to put processes and structures in place to deal with the eventuality of an oil spill,” said Harmon. He continued, “Oil spills are basically accidents, and therefore it is how you prepare for these accidents that is important.” Harmon pointed out that some of the most developed countries in the world that have processes and plans in place, still have issues when faced with oil spills. The Minister said, “We are looking at the capacity within the Ministry of Natu-
ral Resources and we are looking at the capacity in our environmental agencies, namely the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of the Environment and the Office of Climate Change, all of these entities that are focusing on that issue. So it hasn’t escaped us.” Harmon reiterated that the establishment of the response plan is a priority for the government. “It is something that is on the front burner, there are discussions going on all the time. Yesterday or a day before, the Minister of Natural Resources (Raphael Trotman) was engaged with some conversations from Chatham House in that regard.” Harmon said that the EPA and the Department of Environment are focusing on the response plan. He indicated that there is expected to be a retreat later on this month. At that forum, there will be focus on processes to be put in place for all things relating to oil and the environment. “The EPA is gearing up. There is a lot of training for EPA personnel. The headquarters is almost complete, the building work is going on and so there is going to be an increased focus on environmental protection, just as we focus on expanding our protected areas. You have heard the auditor general speak of the environmental audits,” said Harmon.
Friday October 20, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Escaped Guyanese killer back home after serving time in Suriname
WORDS OF CONDEMNATION HAVE NO MEANING TO THE UNJUST The Indian Action Committee (IAC) needs to do more than protest about injustice, victimization and uneven treatment. It must follow-up its protests by providing support to those who its feels have been unjustly and unfairly treated in our society. Guyanese organizations, for too long, have been satisfied with protesting, condemning and pleading for redress from public authorities. It is futile and a waste of time calling for justice for the unjust. Attention has to be now shifted to supporting the victims of unfair and unjust actions. These persons should not be left to pursue legal redress on their own. It is also time for those humiliated to be provided with support. The IAC recently came out with a statement in which it compared the treatment meted out to the former Deputy Solicitor General of Guyana with that meted out to the chief press officer of the President. The IAC, in its statement, said that based on what was been published by the media, there can be a perception of
uneven treatment of these two officers and given their distinct ethnic backgrounds, this can cause much unease and lack of confidence and faith in the established systems. It said that if these two matters are not dealt with judiciously they can convey a perception of unequal or unfair treatment and, therefore, should be taken very seriously in the interest of social cohesion and national unity. The IAC had previously registered its unease over reports about the contents of a social media text which were attributed to the chief press officer to the President. The IAC in a media release stated that it had taken note of the alleged racial utterances purportedly attributed to the President’s Press Officer. It expressed its concern “given the uneasiness that such alleged comments can precipitate and the negative impact it can have on the fragile fabric of social harmony.” The IAC reiterated its condemnation of the use of racial slurs and racial bashing since, in its estimation, these types of utterances humiliate those whom they target. It is out of the recognition
that persons may have been humiliated that the IAC and all those who support the just treatment of persons should do more than simply register their concern or protest. The IAC has placed itself on record as registering its concern in these two instances. In so doing, it appears to be protesting against the actions of the government. But is that enough? What about the humiliation faced by the victims of injustice, victimization and uneven treatment? Should these persons not be supported in their attempts at justice and in reversing the humiliation they face? The test messages which were made by the chief press officer of the President referred to some employees of the press division of the Ministry of the Presidency. It would be uncomfortable for those to whom the comments referred, to continue to work in that office, knowing what was said, and the decision of the President not to impose even a minimal sanction of a warning letter to the offending party. The victims may not be
able to afford to leave the job to escape that environment. This is why organizations such as the IAC need to do more than simply protest, condemn and call for action. The IAC has to offer support to persons who its feels have been humiliated. In the present case, the IAC should be trying to help those staff members of the President’s press division who were subjected to alleged derogatory texts. The IAC should be meeting with them and organizing for them to find alternative employment in a less distasteful environment. In the instance of the Deputy Solicitor General, the IAC should mobilize public support for the now dismissed office holder, since it is most likely that the individual concerned will be able to afford legal representation, but may be in need of moral support. Action, not just words, is needed for those who are alleged to be victims of a cruel and uncaring government.
Rickford La Fleur
Rickford La Fleur, who broke jail and fled to Suriname while facing trial for two murders, is back in Guyana. A police release stated that the 43-year-old was returned to Guyana yesterday. La Fleur, also called Rickford Williams or Rickford Sabola, ‘Bragga,’ or ‘Rastaman’ of Vryheid’s Lust, Smithfield and Canje River, was accused, with three others, of clubbing Sebastian Clato, 24, to death in the New Amsterdam Prison. La Fleur was at the time also on remand for the killing of Cleveland Hetmyer, called ‘Water Dog,’ who was shot
dead some 90 miles up the Canje River on November 4, 2010. In June 2011, La Fleur and three others broke out of the New Amsterdam Prison. They used a cement strap to scale down the side of the prison wall before ripping a hole in the fence. That escape was captured on camera. The rope, it was revealed, was taken into the prison a few days before the escape and was given to one of the escapees. La Fleur then fled to Suriname where he was arrested and served a four-year sentence for robbery under arms.
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Friday October 20, 2017
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
In the Court of Appeal yesterday facing a contempt writ It was more than just an ordinary day for me in the Court of Appeal yesterday. The people I met and the things I heard in the court have caused me to pen this piece. First there was the appeal by Juan Edghill against the High Court dismissal in 2012 of the contempt of court charge he brought against me. As they say in American lingo; “the man doesn’t play.” Juan Edghill doesn’t play. Attorney Ashton Chase framed the writ in such a way that it was a writ for the committal to prison without alternatives. It meant that if the High Court had found me guilty, there could have been no reprimand or fine or community
service. Edghill contended before Justice Insanally in 2012 that while there was a court matter involving the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) - of which he was head - and the Opposition Leader Robert Corbin, I had commented on the ERC. Edghill’s writ was bizarre, because I did not write on that particular court case, but on the ERC. If there is a case before the court on parking between Jonestown company and Georgetown company , once I do not write on the specific contents of the court case, then it is one’s right to comment on Jonestown company. My lawyers were Khemraj Ramjattan and Nigel Hughes in the High Court. Mr. Hughes appeared yesterday for the appeal. Here is an interesting dimension when the case was before the High Court. Four times it was called before Justice William Ramlal, and Edghill was never in court. The judge never ordered his appearance. This is just a mind-boggling, crazy country. A citizen filed a writ to commit me to prison and never saw it “fit
Frederick Kissoon and proper” to appear in person. It was when the trial started in front of Justice Insanally that Edghill was commanded to be present. Yesterday in the Court of Appeal, I was there and Mr. Hughes and the plaintiff’s lawyer, Ashton Chase. Edghill failed to show. Mr. Chase told the three Appeal Court judges that he was not going ahead with the case. So I am a free man. This contempt of court writ needs to be highlighted because if today, in the year 2017, a minister (Edghill was Junior Finance Minister when he filed court papers) of the APNU+AFC formation was to do to a Guyana Times, or iNews or
Mirror reporter what Edghill did to me, the cry of witchhunt would reverberate throughout Guyana. I wrote here about this case so Guyanese could know what this country went through with the PPP - the very PPP that are condemning the present administration for crimes a million times lesser than what they perpetrated on the Guyanese people. All those jokers, clowns, fools and morons that fill newspaper pages daily with what the government is doing need to look at their pathetic images in their mirrors. The Junior Minister of Finance in the Ramotar regime tried to put me in jail. Yet Ramotar extols the glorious days of the PPP in power, as if Ramotar knows the difference between the two adjectives - glorious and inglori-
ous. It was an absorbing day in the courts, and I will end with three encounters. Ralph Ramkarran and I had a friendly, pleasant exchange. He told me I looked lonely, to which I replied, “I have always been a loner,” to which he responded; “you look like you have the world on your shoulders.” We shook hands and I tapped him on the shoulder. I hope he never threatens me with libel writs any longer. Secondly, a lawyer came up to me and gave me an interesting judgement by the Caribbean Court of Justice. The presiding judges were harsh on Guyanese magistrates for unreasonable, irrelevant sentencing of first offenders. I will form a column on the contents from that court decision and quote the relevant
section. Finally, a lawyer from a devout PPP family showed me, in the presence of attorney Patrice Henry, how long it takes for an appeal to be heard. Many of the cases he showed me were from 2002 and 2003. This is a big man in the PPP. Patrice Henry laughed when I told him that his party was in government for twenty-three years, so why didn’t it attempt to get rid of the sick backlog. He said he wasn’t interested in that angle, only the angle of justice being denied because of the long delay. He suggested I do a column on the disease. I agreed and asked that I quote him. He said no, while laughing, and Patrice Henry was laughing too.
Dem boys seh...
Ban Diwali and leh old people sleep early Dem got a remedy fuh all confusion. Successful people have a solution to every problem but failures have a problem for every solution. That is how Guyana going these days. Confusion surrounds Diwali right now. De govt seh one day and a big Hindu organization seh another day. Wednesday had a sprinkle of Diwali. Few people light diya. Last night dem had a shower of people who light diya. Is clear dem got confusion as to which day is Diwali and dem boys have de solution. Ban Diwali until de two sides agree pun a date. If that don’t wuk dem boys recommend that de govt give two holidays fuh Diwali— one fuh de Maha Sabha and de other fuh de Dharmic Sabha. If Soulja Bai don’t want to go down that road dem boys will start dem own Diwali and dem Diwali gun last from January to December. Uncle Glenn gun light diya fuh de fuss six months and Uncle Adam gun light de last six months. By then GPL gun run out of fuel and
de entire country gun be dark. Dem boys seh dem got more confusion than Diwali. Soulja Bai since he tek office creating nuff confusion. He extend de age of retirement. Then he create a special organization RDOG—Recruit Dem Old Geezers. All of dem before dem go to wuk, does line up at de post office to collect dem old age pension. People tell dem boys who nah deh at de post office door deh pun de dentist chair replacing dem dentures. Last night Soulja Bai call a man fuh swear him in as GECOM chairman. Soulja Bai fix de time fuh 8:30 in de night. Dem man seh I done got on me pajamas and about to pull down de net because 8 o’clock is me bedtime. Soulja Bai tell him don’t worry. You can sleep by me in State House. This man was ee daady friend but de man didn’t remember until Soulja Bai seh Uncle James. Talk half and watch how Soulja Bai employing all ee daady friends.
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Friday October 20, 2017
Kaieteur News
Harmon wants media to be more respectful
Even as the Minister of State, Joseph Harmon thanked the media for its role in informing the nation and holding the feet of those in high offices to the proverbial fire, he has asked that there
be an employment of greater levels of respect. Harmon was speaking specifically about reporting about matters relating to the nation’s oil. He said, “I have read the
articles in the newspapers and I read the articles that your newspaper carry very often. I want to thank them for at least keeping people on their toes so that you stay abreast on these things.”
Harmon continued, “I believe that as a nation we have to take advantage of all the opportunities offered by our Guyanese citizens irrespective of who they are. We will take the information offered to us.” Harmon said that the government will take the information offered into consideration “when we are devising our processes to deal with oil and gas, because ultimately it is for all of us and generations to come.”
The Minister admitted that the government does not have infinite knowledge and can therefore be guided by the media on matters or issues of which it was not previously au fait. “So we welcome the intervention; we welcome all of it, but all we ask sometimes is that you at least be a little respectful in the way you provide this information. We are aware of what you are doing and we accept that.” Harmon said that the com-
mon cause should be the development of Guyana, and while the media plays its role, it should understand that the government has a role to play as well. “It is healthy for is, it is healthy for our democracy. But what I hope is that at the end of all of this we can benefit from procedures and processes to guide on the way forward not just dealing with ExxonMobil, but all companies operating in Guyana,” said Harmon.
From page 11 others. That issue arose as the DPP, Shalimar Ali-Hack, has retained GBTI’s Chairman Stoby as her lawyer in a case being investigated by SOCU. The DPP is one of several persons, including ex-ministers, and former President Bharrat Jagdeo, who it has been reported, benefitted from what was described as prime land at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara, which was sold below market value. The DPP, in relation to the fallout from the GBTI case, said that the police unit should focus on how to conduct “proper investigations”. Last month, SOCU, which is tracking down US$500M that the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) handled as far back as 2010, submitted files to the DPP recommending contempt charges against GBTI’s eight directors, including Stoby, the chairman. This was after the bank and SOCU were locked in a battle over information concerning the GRDB accounts, since February. SOCU is contending that the bank failed or stalled and gave all kinds of excuses, and even destroyed pertinent records relating to GRDB. SOCU reportedly argued that other banks complied, but it was finding it hard going with GBTI. SOCU received four court orders, including one from the High Court, asking that GBTI hand over the information.
In late August, the acting Chief Justice granted production orders to SOCU, giving the bank a week to hand over certain information. That deadline expired in early September, and the bank was reportedly granted some extra time. However, the deadline elapsed and SOCU prepared files recommending the highly unusual charges of contempt against the directors. Under tough anti-money laundering laws, once court orders are granted, financial institutions are reportedly bound to provide information. In this case, the monies are not from private accounts, but rather from the US dollar and other accounts of GRDB, a state entity. Since coming into office in May 2015, the administration has ordered several forensic audits into a number of state agencies, including GRDB, the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Guyana Gold Board, the Guyana Marketing Corporation and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL). The reports found several questionable transactions up to May 2015, under the previous administration – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic. SOCU, an arm of the police, was handed those files to carry out the investigations Several persons, including top GRDB officials, were hauled in for questions. Several of them were charged. Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and several persons, including former Cabinet Sec-
retary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, were also detained. According to officials, SOCU’s is conducting over 150 separate investigations into financial crimes with at least 40 probes in the NICIL file. With limited personnel, a number of files have been handed over to the Police Legal Advisor and the DPP, recommending charges. With regard to the GRDB case, the SOCU investigators were reportedly tracking down where US$500M went. Those monies represented transfers from the Ministry of Finance to pay rice farmer and millers who participated in a lucrative rice-for-oil deal with neighbouring Venezuela. Farmers and millers, up to 2015, would supply rice, through GRDB. Under the deal, Guyana received oil, at concessional rates and conditions…Guyana would pay part of the money upfront and the rest over a number of years. The delayed oil money was what the Ministry of Finance paid over to the GRDB to pay rice farmers and millers. SOCU is reportedly contending that GRDB used those monies to grant illegal loans to some rice millers and even organizations close to the former ruling party. GRDB is being investigated also about a number of transfers overseas to a number of banks. Investigators in the case are also reportedly looking at the linkage between GBTI and the rice board.
GBTI directors, CEO heading to court as...
Jagdeo threatens to destabilize country... From page 3 the appointee must originate from the leader of the opposition. Jagdeo, who himself has been accused in the past of being untrustworthy, said the President and 'his minions' are unreliable and have lied to the country. He said that the president's plan all along was to frustrate the process, hoping that at some stage the leader of the opposition would stop submitting names for consideration. “We are going to say to our entire support base that
they must not cooperate with this government on any issue. We hope that the civil society in Guyana will see this for what it is, an attempt to take our country back to the past; an attempt to denude us of rights and freedoms that we have won, an attempt to rig the next elections starting now, they're getting a person of his (Granger's) choice to be there in GECOM,” Jagdeo stated. He maintained that government “will not have our cooperation on any issue in this country until they start complying with our Constitution”.
The Opposition, People's Progressive Party/Civic, plans to approach the international community, including the United Nations, and also seek legal redress. Jagdeo refused to weigh in on whether Justice Patterson is 'fit and proper' to serve as Chairman, opting instead to point out that he was employed by the Government as part of the advisory group to the Attorney General's Chambers and was also Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into the 2016 unrest at the Georgetown Prisons at Camp Street.
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Friday October 20, 2017
Kaieteur News
Freeman St. murder accused to undergo counselling Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan yesterday ordered that the two t e e n a g e r s charged with the murder of 55-year-old Fazal Shaheed, who was shot and killed after bandits stormed a house at Lot 194 Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, be placed under the supervision of a probation officer, and that they undergo counselling until the completion of the trial.
The Chief Magistrate made this ruling after Police P r o s e c u t o r, I n s p e c t o r Neville Jeffers told the court that the prosecution will call a total of 27 witnesses in the trial. Shawn Da Santos, 19 and Stephen Howard, 18, both of Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, made their second court appearance yesterday. Both teens are on remand
for the capital offence, the charge of which states that on September 24, last, they murdered Shaheed during the course of a robbery. Chief Magistrate adjourned the matter until October 25, after the prosecutor told the court that there is still one outstanding statement from the police crime lab. Howard is the brother of Jason Howard, who is on remand for the murders of
Mohamed Munir and his wife, Bibi Jamila Munir, who were allegedly burnt to death by bandits in their Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo home in April 2016. Shaheed, of Lot 61 Cropper Street, Albion, Berbice, was shot four times after
Dead: Fazal Shaheed
gunmen stormed the home where he and other relatives were preparing a memorial service for their father. His younger brothers Talim Shaheed, 50, of Toronto, Canada and Shalim Shaheed, 53, of New York were both shot in the back.
Police said that three bandits gained entry to the concrete structure via the southern door which was left open and exited through the north western bedroom. Detectives recovered three spent shells and three bullets from the scene.
Murder accused: Stephen Howard and Shawn Da Santos making their way into the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts
Defence witness causes delay in ganja trafficking trial Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess yesterday set a peremptory date for 31-year-old Trinidadian Cornelius Thomas, who is accused of trafficking 834 grams of marijuana, to call his final witness to testify on his behalf in the trial. When the matter was called yesterday the defendant continued to plead his innocence, saying that he knew nothing about the alleged drug find. He added “Your worship, my witness was here all day waiting for the matter to be called. She had an emergency a few minutes before the matter was called and she had to leave. It’s up to you sir, I know I
am innocent and I am not scared of anything, so whenever you want to make your decision just do it.” Police Prosecutor Christopher Morris objected to the defendant getting another date to present his witness in court, citing that he had a long time to do so. It is alleged that on May 28, at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, Thomas had the marijuana in his possession for the purpose of trafficking. According to reports, ranks acting on information received went to a house at Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, where they conducted a search in the defendant’s presence. The ranks reportedly found the marijuana in small
Cornelius Thomas Ziploc packets. The defendant remains on remanded until October 25.
8-member Local Govt. Commission... From page 13 investigate and examine the actions of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the municipalities. Local Government Elections (LGE) are slated for 2018. They were held last year, after more than two decades without any. With the Coalition Government promising to place more power in the hands of the local government organs, the appointment of LGC members have been seen as critical as part of the process. The job of the LGC is to, among other things, deal with as it deems fit, all matters related to the regulation and staffing of local government organs and with dispute resolution within and between local government organs. Parliament’s intention was to reduce the influence of the central government by placing the oversight of local
democratic organs under the purview of a Commission and not a government Ministry. The objective was to allow for the management of towns and communities, free from central government’s control, which in the past frequently proved oppressive or suffocating. Citizens, in this way, were expected to play a more meaningful role in addressing local issues and solving problems. The Bill to enable the establishing of the Commission was eventually passed in the National Assembly in August 2013. Among other things the Commission shall have power to deal with all matters relating to the regulation and staffing of local government organs including employment and dismissal of staff and with dispute resolution within and between local government organs, and in particular, shall
monitor and review the performance and implementation of policies of all local government organs, including policies of taxation and protection of the environment. It will also have the power to monitor, evaluate and make recommendations on policies, procedures and practices of all local government organs in order to promote effective local governance and investigate any matter under its purview and propose remedial action to the Minister. The Commission, once established, will take over most of the current oversight role exercised by the Ministry of Communities. The Ministry, therefore, will no longer have the ability to degrade the capacity of local government organs which will now be able to exercise executive authority in keeping with the autonomy guaranteed by the constitution.
Friday October 20, 2017
Kaieteur News
Gov’t to payout $3.5B to public servants -Increases minimum wage to $60,000
Reginald Brotherson speaking with reporters. Government has made a final offer to the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), announcing plans to increase the new minimum wage to $60,000, which is an increase of $5,555, retroactive from January 2017. Head of the Department of Public Service and Permanent Secretary, Reginald Brotherson, told reporters yesterday that some 14,000 public servants will benefit from the increases which will cost Government approxi-
mately $3.5 billion. Brotherson said that negotiations with the GPSU began about a month ago, but no proposals were put forward by the Union, whose representatives said that negotiations for 2016 were incomplete. The union pointed to a letter from President David Granger; however, Brotherson said the Government’s negotiating team rejected this position. “In our clarifications with
From page 3 of the new GECOM Commissioner, which has come up as an issue for discussion. Granger asserted that he believes Patterson is up for the task. He stated that Patterson has a track record of long judicial service. He noted that Patterson is also a former Chief Justice of Grenada. Given his experience, Patterson is indeed a fit and proper person, the President expressed. Granger said, “We are looking for persons with integrity, impartiality and independence, and I think he is a person who has all of the qualities which we require.” He said it is important that the search comes to an end, and that the business of the Guyana Elections Commission gets moving. The President was also asked to state his reasons for rejecting Jagdeo's third list which included Major General (Ret'd) Joe Singh, a former Chairman of GECOM. Granger said that he was not prepared to discuss the individual qualities of certain persons but taken as a whole, Jagdeo's third list was unacceptable. “That is all I need to say in accordance with the Constitution,” the President added.
Bharrat Jagdeo held an emergency press conference to which he expressed his anger and frustration with the manner in which the President sought to appoint the new GECOM Chairman. In fact, Jagdeo in no uncertain terms stated that he would be withdrawing all forms of cooperation with the Government, including participating in an upcoming border committee meeting. Granger said, however, that this does not seem to be in the public interest if Jagdeo were to do this. The Head of State said, nonetheless, that it is the Opposition Leader who would have to account to his supporters. Granger unreservedly stated that while he does not agree with this course of action by Jagdeo, he is absolutely certain that he (Granger) has acted in alignment with the Constitution. “He must accept that decision,” expressed Granger. The President was also informed of Jagdeo's other theory which is rooted in the belief that Granger had long selected Patterson, but was only dragging out the process over the last few months. Granger said, “I have never approached Justice Patterson prior to the reception of the third list and I have not dragged on the process. He has been the one who brought three lists before me
His Excellency, he clearly was referring to allowances, but from the Government’s side a final offer was given in 2016, so the union has decided that they are going to write His Excellency for that level of clarification. The Government’s negotiating team was very clear that we had concluded 2016 negotiations, in so far as wages and salaries were concerned,” Brotherson said. On Monday, October 16, the two sides met to discuss wage increases; however, the offer put forward by the Government was rejected by the union. Final Offer *8 % increase for persons earning between GYD$55,555 to GYD$99,999; *6 % increase for persons earning between GYD$100,000 to GYD$299,999; *5 % increase for persons earning GYD$500,000 to GYD$699,999; *2 % increase for persons earning GYD$700,000 to GYD$799,000 *0.5% increase for persons earning GYD$800,000 to GYD$1 million.
Retired Justice James Patterson is...
JAGDEO'S TANTRUM Opposition Leader,
and all were unacceptable.” Additionally, the President had no interest in dignifying comments from the Opposition Leader that the manner in which Patterson was appointed puts him in a category of “untrustworthiness.” Granger said he does not even know what Jagdeo knows about “trustworthiness.” He added, “I am not going to go down into the gutter to respond to Jagdeo.” UP TO THE TASK With the President's blessings, the new GECOM Commissioner is of the firm belief that he can handle the rigours of his new job. Patterson also sought to address those commentators who would seek to make snide remarks regarding his age. He said, “One of the most fertile intellects in law at the moment is a lady. Just four months separate us and her name is Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is a Justice in the American Supreme Court. She would do 20 push-ups at my age, so I don't think it matters.” The former Judge also noted that he was called upon to serve in the position only last night. Asked if he was caught by surprise, Patterson said, “No, there is hope eternal in the human breast.” His message to Guyana's politicians is, “Try and fight for the unity of this nation.”
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Business Ministry set to roll out transformative measures to stimulate economy Concerns regarding the lull in the nation’s economic growth continue to be raised time and again. The Ministry of Business, however, is on a mission to roll out number of transformative measures which would without a doubt, address this state of affairs. This is according to Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin. The politician recently noted that the Guyana National Bureau of Standards is working on developing building codes for the construction sector which are expected to bring it into greater compliance with international standards and best practices. Gaskin insisted that this initiative will surely improve the quality and standard of construction works in Guyana. Speaking to another measure, Gaskin noted that the Ministry of Business is in the process of drafting a Small and Micro-enterprise policy; National Entrepreneurship Policy; and a concept paper on the designation of special economic zones in which they are proposing that a study be undertaken. He said, “This is actually very important in the light of a number of developments including the possibility availability of gas from Exxon Mobil’s Liza-1 well and the road link from Brazil with a deep water port on the Atlantic.” The Minister also revealed said that a Small Business Procurement Programme is almost complete. The initiative is expected to allow for better access to the public procurement pipeline by small businesses in keeping with the 20% target set by the Small Business Act. As it relates to the Single Window Automated Processing System (SWAPS), Minister Gaskin expressed that this is an important trade facilitation initiative that will propel businesses into a whole new world when it comes to transacting business with government. He commented that the time and cost for processing trade transactions are key factors that influence Guyana’s
Business Minister, Dominic Gaskin competitiveness on the global market. He noted that SWAPS will help to drastically reduce these processing times. Gaskin said, “Work on this project had paused to give way to the installation of Guyana Revenue Authority’s ASYCUDA system, but now the government is accessing technical Assistance from the Inter-American Development Bank to conduct a technical review of works done to date and to prepare our trade regulatory agencies for the implementation of SWAPS within the next two years.” Furthermore, the Business Minister said that efforts are being made in the direction of establishing Business Registration Hubs. In this regard he said, “Thanks to efforts by our department of commerce, persons in Region Nine do not have to travel all the way to the Essequibo Coast to register a business. This is now being done via collaboration between the Ministry of Business, Rupununi Chamber of Commerce and the Commercial Registry. A similar programme is being replicated in Mahdia, Region Eight.” Additionally, Minister Gaskin revealed that the Ministry of Business has been working with the World Bank and other stakeholders to de-
velop and implement key reforms that would improve the ease of doing business in Guyana. In the last ranking Guyana improved in the area of access to credit due to an amendment to the Credit Reporting Act which now mandates banks to provide data to a credit bureau. He said that a project for the development of a webportal for registries in Guyana is currently underway. Gaskin said that it would allow for greater transparency in information and will enhance efficiency in the areas of registering property and starting a business. Specifically, the Business Minister said that the new civil procedure rules adopted in November 2016 now makes enforcing contracts easier and will be favourably reflected in Guyana’s doing business scores. Additionally, Gaskin said that personnel changes and increased resources have streamlined the process for transferring property at the Lands Registry and this will also be favourably reflected in doing business scores. Gaskin told the media that just recently, the coalition government signed a collaborative agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank to develop a secure transaction system. Once completed, this will allow for moveable property to be accepted as collateral by lending institutions, paving the way for easier access to credit. Additionally, the allocation of lands for industrial and agricultural use is being pursued by GO-Invest through arrangements with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and the Central Housing and Planning Authority. This will allow GO-Invest to offer investors appropriate lands for their investments.
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Friday October 20, 2017
HPV vaccine provides ammunition against deadly cervical cancer – UNICEF Rep. Although it is said to be the second leading cause of cancer in developing countries, health officials in
Guyana have labelled cervical cancer as the one that results in the most deaths among women.
In order to reduce its prevalence, the Ministry of Public Health has engaged preventative measures,
including a vaccination campaign aimed at combating the Human papillomavirus [HPV] which is known to cause cervical cancer. U N I C E F Representative, Sylvie Fouet has amplified that the HPV vaccine is capable of “giving the body the ammunition to fight the deadly cervical cancer”. She assured that combating cervical cancer is insurance for the future. On Monday last, the Ministry launched a national distribution campaign for the HPV vaccination programme. The renewed fight got started at the Bartica Community Centre in Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) for school girls 9 to 13 years old. It was at a ceremony to launch the campaign that Fouet offered her remarks. The campaign is slated to target some 36,000 future female adults over the next 12 months. In order to see the desired results materialise, Fouet said, “Lets’ join hands together to get a successful vaccination programme in Guyana (because this) is an investment in the future.” Guyana is noted for its successful vaccination campaigns over the last 47 years and thus has been able to see the elimination of polio, yellow fever and measles. Under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) , more than 95 per cent of the targeted groups have been immunised against various diseases since 1970. Dr Janice Woolford, Specialist, Maternal and Child Health at the PAHO/WHO Guyana office, reiterated that the EPI effort is a “priority programme” for the hemispheric and global body, and through its support, Guyana has achieved a 100 per cent elimination of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) over the last four decades. She cautioned however that Guyana must “maintain surveillance” since there have been reports of the MMR disease outbreaks in some neighbouring countries bordering the South American Republic. Since Guyana has a successful track record of combating diseases, Dr. Woolford argued that the Public Health Ministry can achieve similar results with the HPV campaign. She recalled that between 2012 and 2014, Guyana targeted the killer-disease, but
UNICEF Representative, Sylvie Fouet sustained, negative media coverage threatened to hamper the effort. In addition, there was a lack of public education and conviction by the previous administration, which also helped to ambush the local effort, although some 21,600 Guyanese received the HPV vaccine during the threeyear period. This time around, “there must be a concerted effort to debunk the myths that surround the administration of the vaccine so that there will be successful implementation of the programme. We cannot deny the importance of effective public awareness and education,” said Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings, in a candid address. Citing global statistics, she observed that the WHO has disclosed that HPV Types 16 and 18 are the cause of approximately “70 percent of both cervical cancerous and precancerous cervical lesions.” T h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organisation [WHO] has reported that cervical cancer, linked to HPV, is the second most common cause of cancer among women living in the developing countries. In 2012, there were approximately 445,000 new cases of cervical cancers in the developing countries, in which Guyana is a member. It was estimated that some 270,000 women died from cervical cancer. More than 85 per cent of these deaths occurred among women living in low and middleincome countries. In the case of Guyana, the highest incidence and prevalence rate of cervical cancer is among AfroGuyanese women, Dr. Cummings said. She said the data demonstrated that approximately two-thirds (66 per cent) of all of the cases of cervical cancer occurred among women below the age of 60 and the highest percentage occurred in the 15-39 years age group. The Minister was at the
time making reference to research conducted by Dr. Morris Edwards. His findings are contained in the Public Health Ministry’s 2015 Surveillance Report. The data demonstrated that a mere four per cent of the cervical cancers that occurred among Guyanese women over a 10-year period were diagnosed at stage one, where it is possible to reverse the condition. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e majority of the patients were diagnosed at stage four which contributed to an average annual mortality of 27 per 100,000. “It was calculated that in Guyana, cervical cancer is a leading contributor to Years of Potential Life Lost, as between 2003-2012, the number of years of potential life lost was 8,152 years,” the Minister underscored. Cummings emphasised that the government will not relent in its fight to beat back the march of HPV and cervical cancer, and added that “we are looking for a dramatic decrease in the HPV-related cancers” in Guyana. To do so, she said, the ongoing campaign will focus on health literacy, school-based vaccination clinics, mapping of target audiences which include parents, social media and face-to face communication. “Each One, Reach One, Teach One,” is the slogan that must be embraced, Dr Cummings said, to effectively combat HPV. Regional Executive Officer (REO) of C u y u n i / M a z a r u n i , M r. Roderick Edinboro, has assured the Public Health Ministry that the mining community is fully behind the HPV campaign initiative. He said that similar sentiments have come from PAHO/WHO; the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB); the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisation (GAVI); local private sector agencies and the Ministry of Education among other bodies.
Kaieteur News
Friday October 20, 2017
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Guyana moves to manufacture fish food Guyana is one step closer to producing locally manufactured fish food. Efforts toward this end are being spearheaded by the M i n i s t r y o f Agriculture's Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD.) Fisheries Officer, Nakita Dookie, told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that the production of fish food from local inputs is o n e o f t h r e e experimental projects being undertaken by the aquaculture station. “We had two feed trials. One concerns us producing a locally made feed and comparing that to the imported,” Dookie explained. She added that the other feed trail is aimed at investigating the effect of alternate days
Fisheries Officer with responsibility for aquaculture, Nakita Dookie.
feeding. In addition, Dookie w h o h a s responsibilities for aquaculture said the research on producing locally manufactured fish food is being aided by the Government of Japan. “We worked along with a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) volunteer this year to produce a local
f e e d . We w e r e successful in terms of the feed's physical characteristic remaining intact, that is it won't disintegrate too quickly into the water. That trial is ongoing,” the aquaculture specialist explained. The production of fish food locally will be done using local input, and will aid in government's drive to diversify agriculture in the hinterland regions and reduce cost of production. “ We w o u l d b e sourcing local ingredients that are pretty dominant in areas so that they can use it as fish feed, especially in interior locations, where importing a commercial feed would be very costly. Utilising those ingredients that are local to them in a fish feed to promote fish rearing activities would
Lethem turns township today Anticipation is rife as Lethem prepares to be officially declared a Township by President David Granger today. In an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Mayor of Lethem, Carlton Beckles, said that he is satisfied with the preparations. He added that among arrangements, the Masters of Ceremonies and the route to be taken by the President have all been identified, with the rehearsals by the Disciplined Forces going smoothly. P r e v i o u s l y, M a y o r Beckles has described the concept of the Town Week as being similar to the birth of a baby. He explained that
Lethem was born as a town on October 21, 2015 in the Parliament of Guyana, and “what we will be doing is christening that baby with the declaration and the plaque being unveiled to officially declare Lethem as a town by his E x c e l l e n c y, P r e s i d e n t David Granger.” Several Ministers of Government and members of the Diplomatic Corps will also be in attendance at the Declaration Ceremony. Lethem Town Week kicked off on Sunday with several activities including an exposition, cricket and football competitions, horseback riding, an interfaith service and concert.
Last evening, the Miss Lethem Pageant was set to be hosted as the exhibition continues. The Mayor noted that the objective of the Town Week is to foster unity and togetherness between the people of Region Nine, promote Lethem as a tourism destination and showcase the agricultural potential of the Region. “We see town week as a pride of the people of Lethem. We want everybody to cherish it since it is historic and there won't be another declaration.” Lethem borders Guyana with Brazil and links the two countries via the Takutu Bridge.
Attendees at the Inter-Faith service and concert for Lethem's township, over the past weekend.
be a boost.” Dookie added. In 2001, the Mon Repos Aquaculture Station was established with the main aim of
producing fingerlings and advancing aquaculture technology. The station consisted of one residence, one laboratory and ten
concrete ponds. The station was dedicated to slain Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh in August 2009.
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Marudi miners, shop owners urged to relocate to allocated areas VACANCY 1 rooms maid- call 2271131, or text 664-7412
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The Ministry of Natural Resources said that it is continuing to work with the parties to the Marudi Mediation Agreement to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes for the Romanex Guyana Exploration Limited, itinerant miners working on Marudi Mountain and South Rupununi Indigenous communities. As part of an agreed menu of measures, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) facilitated the movement of miners to a new area that will accommodate structures and shops, so as to facilitate the smooth conduct of an ongoing Environment and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) in the area, which Romanex Guyana Exploration Limited is required by law to complete before full-fledged operations can commence. To date, the overwhelming majority of miners have moved to the new “landing” while the remaining few were given notice to follow likewise or face enforcement action. “The Ministry of Natural Resources and the GGMC have every reason to believe that there will be total compliance. The area identified had been mutually agreed upon and all commitments made by government to facilitate the move have been kept.” In April 2016, the Government of Guyana through Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, intervened in a standoff between small miners from the Marudi Mountain area, representatives of indigenous communities and Romanex Guyana Exploration Limited and facilitated a historic mediation process with the help of Major-General (ret’d) Joe Singh. The successful mediation resulted in all parties signing the ‘Mediation of the Marudi Mountain Dispute Agreement’ that would guide future engagements to finalize a solution. The Ministry said yesterday it is thankful to those who have responded positively to Government’s request to operate within the ambit of the law and takes the opportunity to assure these persons that they will be granted first priority to benefit from alternative land allocations, currently being identified, to facilitate their mining activities. The miners have been clashing with the mining company over the area, sparking protests.
Friday October 20, 2017
Kaieteur News
GTU calls on Education Ministry to retract ‘supervisory memo’ The Ministry of Education recently sent out a memorandum to schools across the country, with clear instructions that they are expected to supervise children during their lunch break. The memo has efficiently managed to cause much frustration for teachers and head teachers of several schools and resulted in the Guyana Teachers’ Union taking a stance on the issue. President of the Union, Mark Lyte yesterday announced his dissatisfaction on the memo at a press conference, while saying that it takes away the lunch break that teachers are by law entitled to. He explained that teachers usually break for lunch around 11:30hrs to 12:30hrs or 12:00hrs to 13:00hrs. It is during this period of time that teachers are now mandated to ‘supervise’ pupils and students. This, he said, in itself is a breach of the laws of Guyana. Lyte made reference to the fact that teachers as well as other employees are entitled to at least an hour lunch as well as a short coffee break. He stated, “This is direct contravention of the labour law which says that our teachers, and all workers in general, are required to have breaks and usually the break can either be a coffee break, a tea break (or) lunch break in particular.” Despite the supervision of children being conducted on a roster, the representative pointed out that teachers are very much in need of the break, since it helps them to prepare mentally for the upcoming periods. Lyte said, “I want to highlight specifically that the breaks are there because it allows our teachers to get the necessary opportunity to recuperate from the mental and physical stress that they go through.” He went on to say that he is asking for the Chief Educa-
tion Officer to retract the memorandum and amend it, therefore excluding the lunch break out of the supervisory session. It was pointed out that the very memorandum states that one teacher is responsible for 20 students/pupils. This he mentioned is “unrealistic,” since classrooms currently have over this specified amount of children that teachers are expected to supervise. He shared that he was even made aware of a distasteful situation, whereby one teacher was managing over 70 students. In this regard, the official said that the Ministry is reluctant to reduce the class sizes, although it will promote better management of children. These new policies are birthed as a result of a recent incident where a six-year old boy died at an outdoor school activity. The Ministry has since stepped up the game to ensure the safety of pupils and students while in the care of their teachers. Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson, sent out a circular to schools sometime last month, with mandatory instructions of the act taking immediate effect. The circular read, “The students must be supervised at all times during play and at lunch, while at school.” It further stated that a ‘schedule’ is expected to be developed, which will clearly state the responsible teachers for supervision over these periods, whether on a daily or weekly basis. “The rule of one teacher to 20 students must be observed if students are to be taken to any event/ activity outside of school,” the circular said. Additionally, it sought to remind teachers and head teachers that parental consent must be sought whenever students are required to leave the premises of the school for any event.
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CNN report sparks probe of drugmaker (CNN) Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer has launched an investigation into California-based d r u g m a k e r Av a n i r Pharmaceuticals, the subject of a CNN report into its aggressive targeting of nursing home residents with a drug called Nuedexta that may be unnecessary or unsafe for this population. Feuer confirmed the investigation to CNN, saying that his office is seeking information and tips from the public to help determine whether state or federal laws have been broken in the sale, marketing or prescribing of Nuedexta. CNN’s reporting on Avanir revealed inappropriate and potentially fraudulent use of the medication — in some cases by doctors who have received tens of thousands of dollars to help promote the drug. “Those to whom this medication is being administered are as vulnerable as anyone can be. They rely on other people to make decisions for them,”
Feuer said in an interview. “If there is a possibility they are being administered a medication not because it is in their best interest, but because it is in the financial interest of, say, the drug manufacturer, then it is important for us to intervene.” B e c a u s e o f C N N ’s findings, Feuer said he will be on the lookout for illegal activity including potential patient privacy violations, kickbacks paid to doctors and off-label marketing, where a drug is improperly hawked for a purpose that hasn’t been approved by the federal government. Avanir declined to be interviewed for CNN’s report and didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the Los Angeles investigation. In a previously emailed statement, the company said it was committed to “an ethical culture,” uses methods “that are consistent with the law” and that its goal is “to give doctors truthful, accurate and balanced information so
they can decide on the proper treatment for their patients.” Feuer previously made headlines when he took on Wells Fargo over allegations the bank had opened hundreds of thousands of fake accounts. Last year, Wells Fargo was required to pay $50 million in civil penalties. The main focus of the current probe will be on Avanir, but nursing homes where the medication has been administered will also be examined. Nuedexta is approved by the federal government for a rare condition characterized by uncontrollable laughing and crying, known as pseudobulbar affect, or PBA. While this can occur in patients with neurological conditions such as dementia, medical experts interviewed by CNN have said that it is not common in this group of people. And the drugmaker itself acknowledges in prescribing information that Nuedexta has not been systematically tested in the elderly.
Where is the leader of ISIS?
Friday October 20, 2017
China calls on US to ‘abandon its prejudices’ after Tillerson rebuke
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. Beijing (CNN) China has called on the US to “abandon its prejudices” after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson claimed Beijing was subverting the global order and pursuing predatory economic policies. “China firmly upholds the international order with the United Nations at its core,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Thursday. “China is dedicated to developing long-term
healthy and stable relations with the United States.” Speaking Wednesday at a forum for US-India ties, Tillerson said Beijing’s “provocative actions in the South China Sea directly challenge the international law and norms that the United States and India both stand for.” China has reclaimed a large amount of land in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, turning reefs into military bases in defiance of an international
court ruling. Lu said the country would “never give up its legitimate rights and interests.” Ti l l e r s o n ’s l a t e s t comments represent something of a return to form for the top US diplomat, who was a strident critic of China during his confirmation hearings in January. He called on China to be denied access to islands it was occupying in the South China Sea, and compared Beijing’s actions to Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine. “Building islands and then putting military assets on those islands is akin to Russia’s taking of Crimea. Its taking of territory that others lay claim to,” Tillerson said, sparking an angry reaction from Chinese state media. In a subsequent visit to Beijing however, he took a far softer tone, echoing Chinese language on the need to “expand cooperative areas and achieve win-win results.”
Bush takes veiled swipe at Trump, defends immigration and trade
(CNN) As US-backed forces this week announced they’d ousted ISIS from its self-declared capital in Syria, the fate of the terror group’s reclusive leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, remains a mystery. Even with a $25 million State Department bounty on his head, Baghdadi has managed to avoid detection from the US coalition, which worked with Syrian Democratic Forces to retake Raqqa. Baghdadi was first declared the leader of the caliphate in June 2014, after ISIS had made considerable territorial gains in Iraq. Shortly after, the first and only footage emerged of Baghdadi leading prayers at the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul. ISIS later
destroyed the historic mosque. In early November 2016, ISIS released an audio recording of Baghdadi ahead of the battle for Mosul, in which he addressed ISIS fighters and told them “holding your ground in honor is a thousand times better than retreating in disgrace.” The Russian Defense Ministry claimed in June that Baghdadi might have been killed in an airstrike it launched on May 28 in Syria, but the US military remained skeptical. If Baghdadi were dead, US intelligence would have expected more chatter in ISIS communications and social media accounts, US officials told CNN. But no
communications confirming his death were intercepted. “I really don’t know where he is,” Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend told reporters on August 31, in his final press conference as the top US commander in Baghdad, adding he hadn’t seen convincing evidence that Baghdadi was dead. “So, therefore, I believe he’s alive.” A month later, Townsend’s skepticism was validated when a 45-minute audio recording surfaced of the ISIS leader mocking the United States, rallying remaining jihadis against the Syrian regime and insisting that ISIS “remains,” despite mounting casualties and the loss of large swaths of its territory.
(Reuters) - Former President George W. Bush decried “bullying and prejudice” while defending immigrants and trade on Thursday in a New York speech that appeared to be a sweeping, thinly veiled critique of President Donald Trump. Bush, 71, used a rare public address to discuss nationalism, racial divisions and Russia’s intervention in the 2016 election, all flashpoints of his fellow
Republican’s nine-month White House tenure. He did not mention Trump by name. “Bullying and prejudice in our public life sets a national tone, provides permission for cruelty and bigotry, and compromises the moral education of children. The only way to pass along civic values is to first live up to them,” Bush said at the Bush Institute’s National Forum on Freedom, Free Markets and Security.
Trump has used nicknames to demean opponents, such as “Crooked Hillary” for Democrat Hillary Clinton and, more recently, “Liddle” Bob Corker for a Republican senator who dared to challenge him. Bush, president from 2001 to 2009, emphasized the important role of immigrants and of international trade, two policy areas that Trump has cracked down on while in office.
Anger over Mogadishu bomb attack boils over into streets A red bandana has become the new symbol of protest in Mogadishu as anger over the city’s most destructive bomb attack is boiling over on to the streets. Men and women in the city, security officers, even government officials - all are wearing a piece of red cloth around their foreheads to show unity and solidarity for the hundreds of people killed and injured in Saturday’s massive truck bombing.
“It represents the blood of my people who have been killed in the explosion,” said one girl pressed up against the fence at the national stadium for a demonstration organised by the city. “If the Somali people unite they can defeat everything,” another said, red cloth wrapped around her hijab. The crowd chanted antial-Shabab slogans as they waited for the mayor of Mogadishu, the prime minister and the president to
arrive. Thousands came. It was something never seen before in the aftermath of a bomb attack. There have been small protests in the past but people have been afraid of being targeted by the Islamist group. This demonstration, and the rioting in the streets at the scene of Saturday’s blast, betrayed a real change of atmosphere in Mogadishu - from fear to anger.
Friday October 20, 2017
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Friday October 20, 2017
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J’cans urged to avoid imports containing lead KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Caribbean Poison Information Network
(CARPIN) is warning that persons may unknowingly be bringing products containing
lead into the country. Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS)
Think Tank at the agency’s head office in Kingston We d n e s d a y, C A R P I N ’s
Poison Information Coordinator, Sherika WhitelockeBallingsingh, said while Jamaica does not have a major concern with one of the most commonly used products globally that contains the hazardous element, lead paint, as it is no longer used in the mainstream locally, there are other imports through which lead can enter the island. “ We r e a l i s e t h a t J a maica has become a global marketplace where persons are purchasing things online… (and) although measures have been set up at the ports to monitor what is coming in, we can’t definitively say that nothing (with lead) has come in; so we may actually find (that there are such) products here. Additionally, although we do not produce (or use) lead paint in Jamaica (in the mainstream), we can’t say that it does not come into the island,” she said. W h i t e l o c k e Ballingsingh emphasised that with Jamaicans importing goods from all over the world, it is imperative that they be enlightened on the
prevailing dangers lead poses, so that they make informed decisions on the things they plan to bring in. To this end, she encourages persons to read the labels of their purchases to ensure there is no lead present in the compositions. Meanwhile, WhitelockeBallingsingh is expressing the hope that a strengthened surveillance programme will be instituted that facilitates legislation and policies that prevent the importation of products containing lead, and the appropriate safeguards against potential poisoning resulting from persons’ exposure to the hazardous element. “If we have programmes in place to test or monitor samples of the persons who come in (with products suspected of containing or determined to contain lead), then we can trace and pick up where it is coming from (and put the necessary preventative measures in place),” she said. The Think Tank was a precursor to International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action, which will be observed from October 22 to 28.
Kaieteur News
Friday October 20, 2017
Deosaran: No magic formula to fix TTPS
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, left, receives the final report of the police manpower audit from the chairman of the audit committee Professor Ramesh Deosaran at the Noor Hassanali room of the Parliament. PICTURE KERWIN PIERRE Trinidad Guardian Former Police Service Commission chairman Ramesh Deosaran is advising the incoming Commissioner of Police (CoP) that under him there will be “no magic formula” to “set the T&T Police Service” straight. Speaking with the T&T Guardian following the handing over of the T&T Police Service Manpower Audit Committee Report to Prime Minister Dr Keith
R o w l e y o n T u e s d a y, Deosaran said whoever will be appointed the new CoP will have to work against the severe challenges now plaguing the institution. “The work will now start under him…the appointment of a Commissioner of Police will not solve the challenges that the police service face…there is no magic formula in that,” Deosaran said. Deosaran said he knew that interviews had started in
the search for the CoP and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) but was not sure if the PSC had reached that point of selection. He also could not comment on the quality of applications coming in to the PSC, but said he hoped that “the best is selected.” Taxpayers are expected to pay an estimated $3.2 million to local consulting firm KPMG in the search for a new CoP and new DCP. Advertisements for the positions were placed in local newspapers from September 4-29. No one has held the substantive post since the departure of former head, Canadian Dwayne Gibbs, in 2012, when Stephen Williams was appointed as Acting CoP, a position for which he has received 11 sixmonth extensions since that time. Williams is said to be one of the applicants for the substantive post. Police S o c i a l a n d We l f a r e Association executive members Michael Seales and Anand Ramesar, as well as former national security minister Gary Griffith are said to have applied as well.
Finance Minister confident of growth for fiscal year KINGSTON, Jamaica CMC – Finance Minister Audley Shaw has expressed optimism about the economy, stating that it will record positive growth for 2017/18, despite a contraction in the first financial quarter. “We are still holding to an economic growth for the fiscal year of about 1.7 to two per cent, which will still be above the 1.3 per cent that we had last year,” said Shaw who was journalists following the opening ceremony of the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) business and wellness expo here on Wednesday. The Statistical Institute o f J a m a i c a ( S TAT I N ) reported that the economy recorded negative growth of 0.1 per cent in the April to June quarter. Shaw explained that the negative growth was due to a combination of drought at the start of the calendar year and flood rains at the beginning of the fiscal year.
“When we did a further analysis of the areas of growth and lack of growth, there were only two sectors that did not grow in the June q u a r t e r. T h o s e w e r e agriculture and mining. Both of them should show improvement in the third quarter, because we had favourable weather conditions,” he pointed out. “ Yo u c a n ’ t j u d g e anything by one quarter. You have to judge it by the overall picture of what is happening in the economy (and the overall picture) continues to be positive,” he added. Meanwhile, the Finance Minister noted that the new owner of the Alpart alumina plant in Nain in the southern parish of St. Elizabeth, Jiuquan Iron & Steel Company Limited (JISCO) intends to invest US$2 billion in the sector over time, including a new alumina plant. He noted that this was a positive for the economy, as, already, the company has
invested in excess of US$360 million on its Jamaican operations. “We have other projects in the pipeline, like a major project we have slated for Vernamfield. When all of these are put together, including the addition of 14,000 hotel rooms over the next four years – 3,000 of that are in place already – you are looking at between US$16 billion to US$20 billion worth of investment. The Finance Minister also said said the Government will be looking at changing the method of measuring economic growth in Jamaica. “The way that STATIN is measuring it now, they are using a base year of 1998. The developed world is using a base year of 2008; that is a 10-year difference. What are some of the major sectors you ensure that you implant into the measurement process… that has to be reviewed as well,” he noted.
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ECLAC urges China and the Caribbean to advance towards digital revolution, green economy SANTIAGO, Chile CMC – The executive secretary of the United N a t i o n ’s E c o n o m i c Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Bárcena, has urged the region and China to “advance together” towards the digital revolution and the green economy. “ We m u s t w o r k diligently so that Latin America and the Caribbean, hand in hand with China, advances toward the digital revolution, the green economy and on social policies that are connected to industrial policies in order to create employment and fight inequality,” said Bárcena, speaking on Wednesday at the conclusion of the twoday debates of the First Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)-China Highlevel Academic Forum, held at ECLAC headquarters here. The event, which also included the Fourth ChinaLatin America and the Caribbean Think Tanks Forum, brought together authorities, renowned specialists and international professors who debated the opportunities for cooperation between both sides, ECLAC said. It said the aim was to contribute to the upcoming CELAC-China Cooperation Plan 2019-2021, which will
Alicia Bárcena be discussed during the Second Meeting of CELAC foreign ministers on January 21-22, 2018 in Santiago, Chile. During her speech at the forum’s closing session, Bárcena called on both sides to unite their visions for fostering sustainable development with prosperity for their people. “Just as President Xi Jinping said when he visited us at ECLAC in November 2016, this is the time to build bridges, not walls; to open markets, not close them; to respect differences and erect a shared house for the generations to come,” Bárcena said. She noted that Jinping had affirmed that his country is actively fighting corruption and poverty, speaking at the inauguration of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China being held in
Beijing on Wednesday. “That is the same battle that we must wage in our region,” Bárcena said. “If we do not eradicate those afflictions and the culture of privilege, we will not be a b l e t o f o rg e a n e w generation of constructive agreements for our mutual benefit, nor will we be able to work on the provision of global public goods as China has demonstrated with its commitment to fostering peace, equality, multilateralism and financial stability.” Bárcena said that since both China and Latin America and the Caribbean belong to the “emerging world,” they have very similar problems. She underscored China’s ability to produce big changes in an environment o f g r e a t u n c e r t a i n t y, “changes that serve as an example to our region.”
Exiled Venezuelan opposition magistrates resurface in Chile SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A group of oppositiona p p o i n t e d Ve n e z u e l a n judges arrived yesterday in Chile as exiles after more than two months holed up at the Chilean ambassador’s residence in Caracas to avoid arrest in the crisis-hit country. Chile’s Foreign Ministry had granted the five parallel magistrates asylum in August. Threatened with jail by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, they remained in Venezuela until last week, when they said they fled the country. Four of the five resurfaced in Santiago yesterday morning. Another is expected to arrive later in the day. “All we can say today is that we were forced to abandon our beloved home
of Venezuela, but that another nation has embraced us, and will protect our freedom,” Beatriz Ruiz, one of the five, told reporters at Santiago airport. Ruiz is one of 33 unofficial magistrates who were threatened with jail by Maduro after the oppositionled National Assembly appointed them in July to challenge the country’s Supreme Court, which has heavily favoured the ruling Socialist Party. Maduro and the Supreme Court, however, contend that the designation of the opposition magistrates was illegal. The status of the remaining unofficial magistrates remains unclear. Three were detained, although local media
reported they were subsequently freed. Others have fled to the United States and Colombia. Chile is among 12 countries in the Americas that form the so-called Lima group that criticized Venezuela’s entirely progovernment 545-member l e g i s l a t i v e s u p e r b o d y, known as the Constituent Assembly, elected in July. The Lima group this week criticized a nationwide election held in Venezuela on Sunday, when the ruling Socialist Party took 18 of 23 governorships in a nationwide vote despite widespread anger over economic hardship, that has left millions suffering food shortages, a currency collapse and soaring inflation.
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Kaieteur News
Highlights of Wednesday’s NBA games (The Sports Xchange) Highlights from National Basketball Association games on Wednesday: Bucks 108, Celtics 100 Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 16 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as the Milwaukee Bucks spoiled the Boston Celtics’ emotional home opener with a 108-100 victory Wednesday night. Boston, which lost for the second straight night under the cloud of the gruesome injury sustained by newcomer Gordon Hayward in Cleveland on Tuesday, appeared to tire late as the Bucks turned a sixpoint, fourth-quarter deficit into a win. Hayward addressed the crowd pregame from his hospital bed, stating, “I‘m gonna be all right.” Hayward was undergoing surgery on Wednesday night, his father Tweeted. Trail Blazers 124, Suns
76 Damian Lillard scored 27 points and Portland handed Phoenix its worst loss in the 50-year history of the franchise. The previous worst loss by a Suns team was by 44 points (151-107) to the Seattle SuperSonics on April 2, 1988. Phoenix trailed by as many as 58 points (118-60) midway through the fourth quarter and more than 50 until the final minute. Rockets 105, Kings 100 James Harden scored nine of his 27 points during a decisive fourth-quarter spurt as Houston topped Sacramento. Harden, playing 38 minutes one night after scoring a game-high 27 in a 122-121 victory over the defending champion Golden State Warriors, nailed three 3-pointers as the Rockets stretched a 7574 lead to 92-81 over a fiveminute stretch of the final
quarter. Wizards 120, 76ers 115 John Wall scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half, Bradley Beal had 25 and Washington opened the season with a victory over Philadelphia. Marcin Gortat had 16 points and 17 rebounds for the Wizards. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Jodie Meeks each scored 14 points off the bench for Washington, which opened at home for the first time since 2011. Pacers 140, Nets 131 Victor Oladipo scored 22 points to lead eight Indiana players in double figures as the Pacers topped Brooklyn in the season opener for both teams. Oladipo, a former Indiana University standout, was making his regular-season debut after coming to Indiana from Oklahoma City with Domantas Sabonis in the
Paul George trade. Sabonis scored 16 points. Spurs 107, Timberwolves 99 LaMarcus Aldridge scored 25 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead San Antonio over Minnesota in the season opener for both teams. Danny Green added 17 points for the Spurs, who won the first game of their season for the 19th time in the 21 years Gregg Popovich has been coach. Dejounte Murray hit for 16 while Rudy Gay scored 14, and Kyle Anderson tallied 12 points and took nine rebounds for San Antonio. Grizzlies 103, Pelicans 91 Mike Conley scored 27 points as Memphis defeated New Orleans in the season opener for both teams. The Pelicans got doubledoubles from Anthony Davis (33 points, 18 rebounds) and DeMarcus Cousins (28 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks).
Cousins also picked up his first technical of the season with 50 seconds left. Jazz 106, Nuggets 96 Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Alec Burks added 16 points off the bench to lift Utah over Denver in the opener for both teams. Derrick Favors added 14 points and Joe Johnson chipped in 13 for the Jazz. Utah used hot fourth-quarter shooting to rally after trailing by as many as 15 points, going 9 of 18 from the field in the final 12 minutes. Hawks 117, Mavericks 111 Dennis Schroder scored 28 points to lead Atlanta past Dallas in the season opener for both teams. Marco Belinelli and John Collins combined to add 34 points off the bench as Atlanta extended its winning streak to eight against Dallas. With the score tied at 111, Dewayne Dedmon gave Atlanta the lead for good with a
rebound and putback with 58 seconds left. Pistons 102, Hornets 90 Tobias Harris poured in 27 points, and Detroit celebrated its first regular-season game at Little Caesars Arena with a victory over Charlotte. Harris also grabbed 10 rebounds in the new downtown building. Avery Bradley, who was acquired in a trade with Boston during the summer, had 15 points in his Pistons debut. Langston Galloway contributed 16 points off the bench. Magic 116, Heat 109 Evan Fournier scored 23 points, including seven in the last two minutes, to lead Orlando over Miami. It was the first time since 2012 the Magic won their season opener. Orlando rode a well-balanced attack with six players scoring at least 12 points. Nikola Vucevic led the way with 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Terrence Ross had 15 points. DAY Sports)
Hayward receives encouragement from NBA... Friday October 20 , 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Listen, but don't make any rash decisions. You can come up with future trends in creative fields. Disappointments regarding partners will be subject to the way you react to their personal comments. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Be prepared to take advantage of your good fortune. You should put your efforts into creative projects. Contracts will not be as lucrative as you think. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) It will be all around you. Don't get involved in secret affairs or underhanded involvements. You will be prone to carelessness that could result in accidents. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Be prepared to lose friends or alienate loved ones due to your stubborn nature lately. This is a wonderful day to look into courses or hobbies that interest you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your ideas may be a little ahead of their time; don't push them, instead just continue working on development. Compromising could be on the agenda today. Digestive disorders will be a result of family squabbles. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) One sided attractions are likely. Unstable relationships are likely. Make amends if you can. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Focus your efforts on your work. Enlist the aid of family members and consider the feelings of your mate. Be sure to take time for old friends or relatives you don't get to see that often. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You can expect to feel confused about your personal prospects. Don't put limitations on yourself. You have more than enough on your plate already.
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Spend time with your lover today. Discuss your objectives with peers or lovers. Groups you belong to will not only enjoy your company, but they will also share your interests.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Social events may lead to a romantic interlude. You could come into extra cash. Put your money into a safe place that will ensure a profit if you let it sit long enough.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Believe in yourself and so will those who count. You should visit a friend or relative who hasn't been well. Children will want to help, too.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) New hair, new outfit, new you. Plan your social events carefully. Take the time to do your job correctly or you may find yourself looking for a new one.
(From page 37) took me back to that place.” George, who returned to lead the Indiana Pacers to the playoffs during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, said he spoke to Hayward by phone on Tuesday night. “I tried to give him words of encouragement and tried to be there for him,” he said. George said the injury forced him to take a new approach to the game after it robbed him of some of his explosiveness and bounce. “I have a bump on my leg for the rest of my life now so I’ll always think about it. It’s always there,” he said. “It’s something I’ve got to live with now.” Hayward also received support from Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston, who as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2007 broke his leg and dislocated his left knee cap in what is regarded as one of the most horrific injuries in NBA history. Doctors even considered amputating the leg of the then 21-year-old but ultimately decided against it. “Only God has ALL the answers,” Livingston wrote in a Twitter message to Hayward that included three prayer emojis. Livingston, who had to relearn to walk as part of his recovery, ultimately returned to the league and has since won two championships as a key reserve for the Warriors. Five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, who tore his Achilles tendon in 2013 only to return to the hardcourt be-
fore retiring in 2016, also gave Hayward a pep talk on Wednesday in the form of an Instagram post. “It’s a long journey but if you focus on the mini milestones along the way you will find beauty in the struggle of doing simple things that prior to this injury were taken for granted,” Bryant said.
“You will be so appreciative of being able to stand, walk, run that you will train harder than you ever have. You see the belief within you grow with each mini milestone and you will come back a better player for it.” “Best of luck to you on this journey my brother,” he said.
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Friday October 20, 2017
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RHTYSC/Busta Champion of Champions Softball Cricket Tournament bowls off The 2017 Edition of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Busta Champion of Champions Cricket tournament bowled off on Sunday last at the Area ‘H’ Ground in front of a capacity crowd. The 14th Edition of the popular tournament is being played for the first time using the Softball format. After the first round of matches, eight teams advanced to next weekend Quarterfinals at the Area ‘H’ Ground. The eight teams advancing are Grill Master of Canje, Toopoo of Albion, Sparta of Cumberland, Hard Knock of Ulverston, Rising Star of Port Mourant, Terry Grocery XI of Rose Hall Town, Set Up of Rose Hall Town and Jai Hind Cricket Club of Chesney.
Jai Hind drew the bye to the Quarterfinals, while Grill Master, Sparta, Hard Knock, Rising Star and Toopoo qualified by winning their matches. Terry’s Grocery and Set Up, despite losing, qualified for the Quarterfinals by having the best batting average of the five losing teams in the opening round. In the opening match, Sparta defeated Fyrish by 8 wickets after restricting Fyrish to 62 for 7 from their allotted ten Overs. Amit Mohamed 20 and Hemand Samaroo 16 top scored for Fyrish as Sunil Madramootoo claimed 3 wickets for 8 runs. In response Kishan Sankt 29 and David Luknauth 16 not out batted well to lead Sparta to victory.
Toopoo defeated Terry Pike Grocery by seven runs. Toopoo, batting first reached 98 for 7 from 10 Overs with V. Kandasammy topscoring with 22 (2 sixes) and V. Narain 20 not out. Michael Hicks took two wickets for 11, while Keith Simpson and Jamal Jarvis each took a wicket for 11 and 14 respectively. In response, Terry Grocery was restricted to 91 for 6 despite an unbeaten 45 and an attacking 20 not out from Berbice junior cricketer Keith Simpson. Grill Master easily defeated Ta m a r i n d R o o t o f Hampshire by 42 runs after hitting 113 for 3. Keith Fraser scored 32 opening the batting, while Balram Samaroo 25 not out and Davendra Ramoutar supported with 27 not out. In
- Eight teams advance to Quarterfinals response, Tamarind Root could only muster 71 as Keon Sinclair 3 for 10 and Ray Jaferally 2 for 14 bowled well for the winners. Shamie Grocery XI was beaten by Rising Star by 10 wickets after being kept on a tight rein and being limited to 46 all out in 8.3 Overs. Five of Shamie Grocery batsmen were dismissed via the run out route as Rising Star fielded well. In response, the boys from Port Mourant blasted their way to 49 without loss in just 3.2 Overs. In the final match of an exciting day, Hard Knock held their nerves to squeeze past Set Up by four runs. S e t U p , h o w e v e r,
Nauth Motor Spares, Well Teen, Trophy Stall, Tropical Springs U13 cricket
Lovell, Ramsammy shine as GCC, Blairmont claim final berths
qualified for the quarterfinals by passing the 71 posted by Tamarind Root, to go through along with Terry Grocery XI. Hard Knock reached 82 for 9 from 10 Overs with R. Braithwaite 26 and E. Tyndall being the principal scorers. Set Up in response reached 78 for 5 when their allotted Overs expired. Co-ordinator of the 14th Edition of the Busta Champion of Champions Tournament Mark Papannah expressed satisfaction at the standard of play, discipline of every team and the large number of spectators who turned up to witness the first round. Papannah disclosed that
the Quarterfinals would be played on Sunday 22 n d October, 2017 at the Area ‘H’ Ground. Teams are required to be at the Area ‘H’ Ground by 10:00 hours for a 10:30 hours start. Each of the teams would be uniformed in Busta coloured T/Shirts. The Final is scheduled for Sunday 29th October at the same venue from 11.00 hours. The organisers would also be arranging a special cricket match between the RHTYSC King Solomon Logistics Under-12 Team and the Poonai Pharmacy Under13 Cricket Team.
East Coast Cricket Board mourns the passing of Judister Rampersaud
Judister Rampersaud
Organizer Shawn Massiah hands over Man of the Match trophy to Tallius Lovell in the presence of his GCC team mates.
Tallius Lovell and Zinnal Ramsammy struck half centuries as Georgetown Cricket Club and Blairmont registered victories in their respective semi final games when the Nauth Motor Spares, Well Teen, Trophy Stall and Tropical Springs U13 25-over cricket competition continued recently at DCC. Georgetown Cricket Club overcame Demerara
Cricket Club by one wicket. Batting first, DCC scored 144 all out in 19.2 overs. Joel Gilkes made 47 and Daniel Mootoo 19; extras contributed 38 as Rivaldo Phillips claimed 2-19 and Zackhery Jodah 2-22. GCC responded with 145-9 in 24.5 overs with 31 extras. Lovell struck 74, while Jodah got 17. Pacer Jason Holder and Jaffar Pinder captured 3-9 each, while
Ezekiel Wilson had 2-23. Lovell was named man-ofthe-match. Blairmont beat Transport SC by one run. Blairmont took first strike and managed 139-9 with Ramsammy scoring 57 and Shakir Saffie 26. Jonathan Adams picked up 3-29 and Alvin Mohabir 2-19. Extras supported with 20. TSC were limited to 138-8 in reply. Shamar Yearwood
struck 55 and Rudranauth Kissoon 23; Ramsammy snared 3-17 to take the manof-the-match prize and Sreedath Roopnarine had 231. The final is tentatively set for November 05 at DCC at 19:00hrs. The 3rd place play-off will be between Transport and DCC and will be played on Saturday October 29 at 18:00hrs at DCC.
The president, executives and clubs of the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) announces with regret, the passing of their Assistant Secretary Judister (Rampy) Rampersaud who died shortly after feeling unwell on Wednesday. He was 66 years old. Rampersaud was recently elected to serve in the position of assistant secretary after serving as secretary for in excess of twenty-five years of the ECCB, he was the current secretary of the Clonbrook Sports Club. “It is with great shock, sadness and disbelief that our dear Father and Brother Rampy has left us as his vast experience in cricket administration will be sadly missed. His untimely passing will greatly affect all of us and has unquestionably created a huge vacuum in the
Administration of Cricket on the East Coast, Demerara and by extension Guyana,” a release from the ECCB stated. A teacher by profession, Rampersaud also owns a General Store. He was also a qualified match referee and officiated in several regional matches. Rampy served Guyana’s cricket diligently and with distinction in several capacities. He was a selfeffacing individual who always put his priorities in order but chose cricket in particular, above everything else. He was an able cricket administrator who did everything for the betterment of the sport, the ECCB noted. Kaieteur Sport joins in expressing condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Rampersaud.
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Friday October 20, 2017
Injured Lin set to miss season, say Nets NEW YORK (Reuters) Jeremy Lin is expected to miss the entire 2017-18 NBA season after suffering a serious right knee injury in the Brooklyn Nets’ regularseason opener on
Wednesday night, his team said. Guard Lin has been diagnosed with a ruptured patella tendon of the right knee. He sustained the injury on a drive to the basket
during the fourth quarter of the Nets’ 140-131 road loss to the Indiana Pacers. He limped back to the locker room under his own power after initially being assisted. Before exiting the game, Lin had totaled 18 points and
Allicock for Barbados engagement -Nat Intermediate on next Friday Youth Commonwealth Games silver medalist Keevin Allicock will travel to Barbados next week Friday to participate in an Independence International boxing competition there. Allicock would be accompanied by long- time coach Sebert Blake and is scheduled to fight top Barbadian flyweight Jamaal Breedy. President of the Guyana Boxing Association Steve Ninvalle said that the association is attempting to expose Allicock to as much international competition as possible leading up to next year. “We are trying to have both Allicock and lightweight Christopher Moore engage in as much international battles as possible since these two youths are likely to be the future face of Guyana’s boxing,” Ninvalle said. Both boxers represented G u y a n a a t t h e Yo u t h Commonwealth Games held in Bahamas this year with Moore reaching the quarter
Jeremy Lin to miss the rest of the season with an injury. (Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)
Hamilton Green Cup continues this weekend with 4 quarterfinal matches
Keevin Allicock
final stage. Meanwhile, the GBA will be staging the three-day Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate championship beginning on
Friday at the National Gymnasium. Gyms from across the country are expected to participate for bragging rights and trophies.
Future Stars make light work of Gold is Money to cop National Futsal Championship Future Stars secured the c o v e t e d S t r e e t Vi b e s Entertainment ‘National Futsal Championship’, dismissing Gold is Money by a 4-1 scoreline on Wednesday at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue. It was the Curtez Kellman show in the fixture which was a rematch of the previous Futsal Tournament. The Georgetown Football Club (GFC) midfielder made his presence felt, banging in a hat-trick on either side of halftime. Kellman rifled a right foot shot into the right side in the 15th minute to break the deadlock, before lashing another powerful effort into the back of the net in the 28th
four assists in 25 minutes. He is in the second season of a three-year, $36 million contract he signed with Brooklyn before last season. The Nets General Manager Sean Marks said: “Jeremy worked tremendously hard during the offseason and in training camp and was excited for the prospects of the team this season. “We feel awful that the injury will cost him the season, however our entire organization will be there to support Jeremy in every way possible throughout h i s r e c o v e r y. J e r e m y remains an important part of this team and will continue to contribute in a leadership role.”
minute to make it 2-0. Gold is Money eventually pulled one back in the 35th minute through the evergreen Michael Pedro. H o w e v e r, K e l l m a n restored his side’s advantage two minutes later, thumping a right foot strike into the roof of the goal from the right side of the field. The final nail in the coffin was applied in the 45th minute, as Akeemo Anthony etched his name on the scorer’s sheet. With the win, Future Stars copped the championship trophy and $700,000. On the other hand, Gold is Money collected the runners-up package of $250,000 and a trophy. Meanwhile, Sparta Boss
secured the third place accolade, embarrassing fierce rival Back Circle 7-0. Eusi Phillips led the rout with a double in the fourth and 19th minutes. Adding goals were Daniel Wilson, Gregory Richardson, Solomon Austin, Jerome Richardson and Courtney Britton in the seventh, 10th, 22nd, 24th and 29th minutes respectively. Due to the result, Sparta Boss walked away with $150,000 and the third place trophy, while the loser pocketed $100,000 and the corresponding accolade. The sponsors of the event were the Guyana Police Force, Windjammer International Hotel and Cuisine and 94.1 Boom FM.
The Hamilton Green Cup knockout football tournament continues tomorrow evening at the Victoria Community Centre ground with four (4) matches. The first three (3) matches will have 30 minutes per half and will be played in recognition of Hamilton Green’s 83 r d birthday. Those initial fixtures will see Golden Grove vs. Buxton Youth developers at 18:00hrs, Plaisance vs. Victoria
Scorpions at 19:00hrs and Lima Dam vs. Bagotsville at 20:00hrs. The feature match of the night will be a quarterfinal match up that will see East Coast side Ann’s Grove matching skills with East Bank’s Soesdyke Falcons at 21:00hrs. O n S u n d a y, t h r e e quarterfinal matches will keep football fans on the East Coast buzzing as action at Victoria ground will continue with Uitvlugt vs.
Mile Rock at 17:00hrs, Police vs. Silver Shattas at 19:00hrs and Den Amstel vs. Winners’ Connection at 21:00hrs. The winners’ of the tournament will receive a top prize of $500,000.The runner up team will receive $250,000, 3rd place $150,000, while loser of the third place playoff will receive $100,000 to round off the $1 Million total prize purse.
COURTS Under-11 Pee wee Football tournament continues tomorrow at Thirst Park The 2017 COURTS Peewee tournament has reached the round of 16 stage and competitive matchups in this knockout round will continue tomorrow at the Banks DIH, Thirst Park ground from 10:45hrs. Some of the marquee games will imclude Den Amstel vs. West Ruimveldt Primary in the day’s opener, Enterprise Primary vs. St. Ambroes and Sophia vs. Tucville. Den Amstel will be
the favourite in their encounter and will be hoping that their star striker Keilshon Humphrey, who has 5 goals in three (3) games, continues his goal scoring form. Jacob Rodney of St. Ambrose is second on the tournament’s goal scoring table with an impressive average of 2 goals per game having scored 6 in his three (3) matches played. St. Ambrose will look to him as they seek to overcome
former finalists Enterprise Primary during tomorrow’s action. Sophia Primary will be the favourites not only against Tucville primary in their match tomorrow but for the entire tournament after notching impressive wins including a 1-0 edging of two-time defending champions St. Angela’s who were unbeaten for two years in the tournament. See tomorrow’s full fixtures below.
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Layne, Wynne strike twice as T&T girls overcome Guyana By Zaheer Mohamed Krizia Layne and Blair Wynne netted twice as Trinidad and Tobago women defeated Guyana women 6-3 when the Pam American I n d o o r H o c k e y championships continued yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The visitors took the lead in the 2nd minute when Arielle Williams found the back of the net with a penalty corner before Layne netted her first three minutes later. Guyana fought back and Nicole Eastman reduced the deficit in the 6th minute with a powerful shot. Both teams continued to share possession almost
equally and Guyana drew level when Marzana Fiedtkou fired home in the 18th minute, she then scored her second two minutes later as the home team took a 3-2 lead at the break; both of her goals resulted from penalty corners. Trinidad and Tobago fought back in the second half and Blair drew them level in the 22nd minute. However, although the Guyanese kept on fighting, with Gabriella Xavier and Minsoldia Culpepper making encouraging runs, their opponents dominated much of this period and Layne put the visitors ahead in the 36th minute with her second. Alanna Lewis
increased the lead in the lead in 37th from a penalty corner before Wynne completed the rout in the 40th. Earlier, Canada defeated Uruguay 2-1 with Alison Lee scoring in the 27th and 40th minutes, while Maria Viana pulled one back for Uruguay in the 30th. United States of America thumped Barbados 10-0. Alli Campbell netted a helmettrick scoring in the 7th, 9th, 12th and 35th minutes, while Sammy Popper scored a hattrick with her goals coming in the 1st, 21st and 35th minutes. Paityn Wirth netted in the 18th, Mary Beth Barham in the 38th and Madison Orobono in the 40th.
One point all Windies can gain from clean sweep
Marzana Fiedtkou (left) scored twice for Guyana.
Brian Lara Stadium to be crowned first class venue after fixture change
West Indies … set to face Zimbabwe in two-Test series.
B U L A W A Y O , Zimbabwe, CMC – West Indies stand to gain precious little from their two-Test series tour of Zimbabwe starting here Saturday, even if they make a clean sweep of the series. According to an International Cricket Council release on Thursday, the most the eighth-ranked Caribbean side can achieve with a 2-0 victory is a single point, which would take them up to 76 points in the ICC Test rankings. A 1-0 series win, however will see West Indies remain on 75 points but the danger comes with a
drawn series, as they could lose up to three points and slip behind ninth-ranked Bangladesh on decimal points. In the case of an unlikely series defeat, the Windies will slip to 69 points and lose two further points with a 2-0 loss. West Indies are heavy favourites to win the series, having never lost a Test to the African nation in eight previous meetings. Zimbabwe are a struggling international side, losing 10 of their last 11 Tests inside the last three years. Though team ratings points will be limited, key
West Indies players can made significant progress in the individual rankings. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite, the only Windies batsman in the top20 at 18th, can make further strides with heaving scoring while Shai Hope, who lies 31st, can also achieve a higher ranking if he continues his good form from the recent England tour. Fast bowlers Shannon st Gabriel, 21 in the bowlers rankings and Kemar Roach, th 26 , can also climb higher with strong performances. Both Tests are set for Queens Sports Club here.
ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – The Brian Lara Stadium will become the region’s newest first class venue when it hosts three of Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s home matches in the Regional first class campaign which bowls off next week. Cricket West Indies said yesterday it had approved the change for the second, fourth and seventh round matches, which had previously been scheduled for historic Queen’s Park Oval, to be now played at the
spanking new south Trinidad facility. “This change means that we can now return the game to the south of Trinidad, which again has a venue to stage first-class matches,” said CWI cricket o p e r a t i o n s m a n a g e r, Roland Holder. Red Force will now take on Jamaica Scorpions from November 2-5 in a fixture that will crown the Tarouba venue as a first class venue. The hosts will also meet three-time reigning
champions Guyana Jaguars in the fourth round from November 16-19 before clashing in the seventh round with perennial archrivals Barbados Pride from December 14-17. Since the Brian Lara Stadium was opened in May this year, it has hosted several high profile matches, including the playoff and final of the Caribbean Premier League and last week’s opening matches of t h e I C C Wo m e n ’s Championship between West Indies and Sri Lanka.
Brian Lara Stadium … to stage first class matches for the first time.
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Friday October 20, 2017
Turbo Knockout Football Competition
Police and Pele enjoy contrasting wins on opening night
Pele’s left back Lloyd Anderson (10) jostles Sunil Logan of Northern Rangers for possession in his team’s 2-1 victory.
Play during the feature match which Pele won 2-1 over Northern Rangers. The battle for the top prize of $500,000 began on Diwali night at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground on Carifesta Avenue as the 16-team Turbo Knockout Football tourney kicked off with two matches.
Police FC fresh off their victory in the Corona Invitational tournament christened the newly installed lights, which are the fruits of a public/private partnership between Petra and the MOE, with a 6-0 drubbing of Eagles FC in the
first match that began at 18:30hrs. By the 63rd minute, Police were up 3-0 with goals from Junior Gordon in the 34th, Travis Jones in the 48th and Kester Dundas in the 63rd. As Eagles pressed hard
to bring themselves back into the game, Rawle Haynes capitalized on the holes in Eagles defence and added a further hat-trick of goals in 64th, 75th & 77th minutes to further clip the wings of Eagles. The second game was a
clash between two developing squads, Northern Rangers and Pele FC. The younger of the two teams, Pele FC, fought back after being a goal down to overcome Northern Rangers 2-1 in the feature game of the night.
After Sherwin Vincent had put Rangers ahead in the 12th minute, Darrhan Persaud equalized in the 35 minute to have the game in a deadlock up to injury time when Akosi Jarvis scored in the 90+2 minute.
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Friday October 20, 2017
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Jaguars begins preparations for PCL Crandon says one day of T20 cricket will not hurt team By Sean Devers Three times defending Regional four-day Champions Guyana Jaguars began preparations for their title defence on Wednesday with a two-day simulation match at Everest. The Jaguars open their campaign against Jamaica at Providence on October 26 and Chairman of selectors, former National pacer Rayon Griffith informed that the PCL squad will be known next week. There will be three practice sessions next week and performance in the recently concluded GCB/CGI three-day Franchise League which was won by Essequibo, would be taken into account in the selection of the team. Head Coach Esuan Crandon says the team has been together as a unit for the past few years and says he is confident of doing well this season, adding that team spirit is very important to success. T h e G C B h a s collaborated with Keen’s Foundation in a special T20 game on Sunday to help raise funds for those affected by the Hurricanes which devastated Dominica, Barbuda and St Martin. Crandon said that although the team is now in four-day mode after reaching the final of the Antigua Independence T20 tri-nation tournament last week in Antigua, one day of T20 cricket won’t hurt the team’s preparations. “We are professionals
and one day of T20 cricket should not affect us since helping others in need is an important character of any human being. The same T20 team which went to Antigua will play on Sunday. Although the reason for the game is more important than cricket we will play hard cricket since we have a reputation to protect and from the names I am hearing coming to play against us it will be a very competitive game and we are playing to win,” Crandon said. The event, under the tag line ‘Cricket Cares’ is set to start at 17:00hrs on Sunday and the Jaguars will oppose a Caribbean All Stars side with includes 10 players from the Caribbean. Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Andre Fletcher, Nicolas Pooran, Rayad Emrit, Fidel Edwards, Kjorn Otley, Kesrick Williams, Jevon Searles and Kevin Cooper will provide a stern test for the Jaguars. “We will have a fight on our hands and the crowd will expect to see a real match and will give them that. This is a great concept by the Cricket Board and the (Keem’s) Foundation and I proud that my players can be great professionals not only on the field but also by contributing in some way in helping people rebuild their Island and their lives,” Crandon said. The Jaguars Coach encouraged everyone to turn up on Sunday to show the rest of the Caribbean the helpful spirit of Guyanese people.
Hayward receives encouragement from NBA players who overcame injuries (Reuters) - After suffering a devastating ankle fracture just five minutes into his debut as a Boston Celtic on Tuesday, forward Gordon Hayward received encouragement from NBA players who overcame gruesome injuries of their own before returning to the league. Hayward, who signed a blockbuster four-year, $128 million contract with the Celtics during the offseason, snapped the left ankle during the team’s season
opener in Cleveland after landing awkwardly while trying to catch a pass at the rim. “It brought me back to Vegas and when it happened to me,” Oklahoma City forward Paul George, who suffered a compound leg fracture in 2014 while playing in a scrimmage for Team USA in Las Vegas, told reporters on Wednesday. “Immediately I felt devastated and nauseous. It (Continued on page 32)
Tagenarine Chanderpaul turns Steven Jacobs into the on-side as Skipper Leon Johnson watches from the non-striker’s end at Everest during Wednesday’s simulation game. (Sean Devers photo)
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Friday October 20, 2017
Upper Demerara capture GT Beer Inter Association football title Upper Demerara delivered the inaugural GT Beer Inter Association Sunday Night Cup title with a classic 3-0 demolition of West Demerara Wednesday night in front of cheering football fans at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden. P l a y i n g t h e championship game the new breed of talented players exposed to this level did not disappoint their coach Anthony ‘Toto’ Stephens and came away deserving of being crowned Inter Association champions. But they began their quest with some butterflies in their chest and it showed early on. But they settled into a rhythm that allowed them to get an early chance as Kellon Primo would saunter down the right and setting up teammate Jashwan Moore who was guilty of muffing a chance from on top the box and before long West Demerara could not deliver, being denied by Shaquile Frank in goal for the Linden team. Then Jomain Samuels had another try for the Lindeners as they took the game to their opponents, with the ball running free, he brought it back to finish with a nice shot to goal in the 30th
Beat West Demerara 3-0
MVP and lead scorer Kellon Primo minute. With that 1-0 advantage it was no stopping the gyrating in the stands as this support gave this young brigade of footballers from Upper Demerara the impetus to carry out an offensive onslaught to their opponents as the first half ended 1-0. With the tempo in their favour and West Demerara under pressure, Upper Demerara would go 2-0 up as the result of a foul in the
Randy Small
West Demerara half. The subsequent Randy Small free kick from outside the 18 yards box was pacey and it breached the shaky defensive wall to score in the 67th minute. Now with their game plan being orchestrated well and a hesitant opponent in front of an expectant crowd, Upper Demerara scored goal number three in the 81st minute, this time from the
combination of Denzil Fordyce, who with Kellon Primo would open the defence of West Demerara. This time Primo, the eventual Most Valuable Player with a top score of five goals, would deliver the final nail in the coffin of West Demerara with a beautiful goal; dashing any hopes the visitors had of getting back into the game. Eventually, that 3-0
Jomain Samuels score would in fact remain for the Upper Demerara side when the final whistle came and wild celebrations erupted in the stands. For the third place match Georgetown failed to turn up thus giving Essequibo Pomeroon that prize which was worth $400,000 as they played an exhibition game against a Select XI which they won 4-2. Among those who witnessed the final were
Mayor of Linden Carwyn Holland, President of the Guyana Football Federation Wayne Forde, Technical Director of the GFF Mr. Greenwood and sponsors Banks DIH Senior Supervisor Shawn Grant, President of the UDFA Terrence Mitchell and other UDFA officials. It was announced that the official presentation will be at a date to be announced.
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Friday October 20, 2017
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Tenpow brothers ready to rule the track at ‘Caribbean Showdown’ They may be small in stature, but the Tenpow brothers are certainly big on sustaining their dominance on the race track. Backing down from a challenge is alien to them and that trend is set to continue tomorrow (October 21) when GT Motorsports stages the Georgetown Grand Prix ‘Caribbean Showdown.’ Jeremy and Justin of Pure Racing are once again billed to line up against their rivals in what is usually a hotly-contested Sun Burst Kids Cup 60cc. In previous Grand Prix events, the Kids Cup was an all-local field, but it will have the presence of foreign competition this time around with Jamaican Ryan Lue set to showcase his
skills. “To the Jamaican team, welcome to Guyana and watch out for Pure Racing,” Jeremy said. Justin added, “Welcome everybody. I’m ready for some epic racing.” The two are among the brightest prospects in the sport, and tomorrow’s Grand Prix is another opportunity for them to further enhance their growing reputation. Jeremy, the older of the two, has a record to maintain as he is the points leader of the Sun Burst Kids Cup after three Grand Prix events and a total of nine races. He has chalked up five wins and two second place finishes and has amassed a whopping 188 points for his remarkable consistency.
The only female in the category, the indomitable Paige Mendonca, is second on 158, followed by Nathan Rahaman in third spot on 155. Justin, with two second place finishes and three thirds, occupies fourth position on 129 points. Josh Khan is way back in fifth on 30 points, but he has only participated in one Grand Prix- a total of just three races. Action will speed off at 18:00hrs and admission to the venue is $1,000 for adults, $500 for children and $4,000 for the VIP experience. The event will set the stage for the ultimate motorsport event of the yearthe final leg of the Caribbean
Jeremy (right) and Justin Tenpow
M o t o r R a c i n g Championship on November 12 at the South Dakota Circuit. It is being supported by Sun Burst Juices, Rent-ATent, Fly Jamaica, Stag Beer, Monster Energy Drink, Exxon Mobil, Hand-in-
Hand Insurance, Readymix Concrete, Scotiabank, Cloud 9, Optique Vision Care, Toucan Industries, Ticket Master Travel Agency, ENetworks, King’s Jewellery World, Hero Motor Cycles, Ray’s Motor Spares, Cyril’s Taxi Service, Bounty,
Tr o p h y S t a l l , P r e m ’s Electrical Store, Impressions, Truck Masters, Windjammer, Super Bet, The Track Bar, Ocean Spray Hotel, Secure Innovation and Concept, Clear Waters, Marics, Rid-O-Pest and Karcher.
UDFA and MSC partnership exceeds GFF’s expectations
From left; Aubrey Major (1st VP MSC), Marlon Pierson (Sec MSC), Avery Trimm (Presi MSC), Wayne Forde (GFF), Terrence Mitchell (President UDFA), Verona Hunter (PRO UDFA) and Answatt Bharrot (Treasurer UDFA) at the meeting. The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) met with the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) and the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Executive Committee at the Linden Enterprise Network
(LEN) building on the 14th October to negotiate the cost of using the ground. This intervention was necessitated following the request of the MSC to have the GFF intervene on its behalf in the interest of
football development in the region. Among the key decisions reached were a negotiated reduced price per night for the rental of the ground, coupled with a reduced cost for the usage of the lights at
the ground. In an invited comment, President of the GFF, Wayne Forde stated: “I am very pleased that the management at the MSC has recommitted themselves to the development of football in
the UDFA. This is yet another step of stakeholders recognizing the value that can be derived from working hand in hand with the GFF and its members.” Present at the meeting were MSC President, Avery
Trimm; MSC First Vice President, Aubrey Major; MSC Secretary, Marlon Pierson; UDFA President, Terrence Mitchell; UDFA Public Relations Officer, Verona Hunter, and UDFA Treasurer, Answatt Bharrot.
t r o Sp Layne, Wynne strike twice as T&T girls overcome Guyana
Guyana’s Gabriella Xavier (Center) battles for possession.
Future Stars make light work of Gold is Money to cop National Futsal Championship
The victorious Future Stars side
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