Friday October 27, 2017
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Kaieteur News
‘China Town’ supermarket Guyanese-born Brexit lady tops 2018 list of powerful people robbed for the sixth time
Robbed yet again: China Town supermarket A Chinese Supermarket, popularly known as “China Town” operated by a 26-yearold Chinese national was on Wednesday night robbed by two unidentified perpetrators. The business, located at Number Two Village, East Canje, Berbice is one of the main shopping spots in Canje. A quantity of phone cards and cash were stolen from the business. Zhou Chunmin and his uncle, Chang Sang, a 43-yearold labourer who lives in the upper flat of the building, had secured the premises at around 20:50 hrs. According to the victim,
Chang had placed the articles in the building’s storeroom under a pallet and had ventured to the upper flat but as he entered he felt a lash to his head. He immediately rushed back downstairs to the supermarket. Zhou stated that he was in the storeroom when one of the suspects, armed with a cutlass ordered him to not move or he would be shot. The other suspect who reportedly hit Chang on his head came down from the upper flat and ordered both men to hand over the phone cards and cash that was placed under the pallet earlier.
The business owners, fearful for their lives, handed over the articles. Both perpetrators returned upstairs and made good their escape. Police sources revealed that the men entered and exited the building by removing zinc sheets from the roof of the upper flat in the washroom area. Over $100,000 in Digicel and GTT phone cards were stolen along with $210,000 in cash. Both men were reportedly armed with a cutlass and gun. This is the sixth recorded robbery at the business. Investigations are ongoing.
L O N D O N (WWW.NDTV.COM): An Indian-origin campaigner has been named the UK's most influential black person of the year for winning a legal challenge that prevented British Prime Minister Theresa May from triggering Brexit without Parliament's approval. Gina Miller, 52, topped the 2018 'Powerlist' of 100 people of African and African Caribbean heritage, published in London by Powerful Media yesterday. Ms Miller, born Gina Nadira Singh in Guyana to Guyana's former AttorneyGeneral Doodnauth Singh, has been a vocal campaigner as part of a 'Best for Britain' drive. She lives under 24-hour security with her husband and three children in London after being targeted by Brexiters on social media for her stance against Britain's exit from the European Union (EU). "It's amazing to get an accolade when what I've done has solicited a huge amount of abuse. To have somebody acknowledge me is extraordinarily kind and counters a lot of what I still get on a daily
A powerful woman: Gina Miller basis," the businesswoman said. In August, a British aristocrat, Rhodri Phillips, was jailed for 12 weeks for offering "5,000 pounds for the first person to 'accidentally' run over this bloody troublesome first-generation immigrant" in reference to Gina Miller on social media. He had made a series of threatening Facebook posts against Miller before she took him to court over the attacks. The 'Powerlist', first published in 2006, is picked by an independent panel of judges. In a statement, 'Powerlist' 2018 editor Eva Simpson
praised Miller's strength and resolve. "One of the main aims of the Powerlist is to provide role models for young people across the country. It's important to shine a light on success stories that are often ignored. Gina is a history maker and an inspirational number one. She has shown what can be achieved with singlemindedness and determination," the statement said. Publisher Michael Eboda said he was "proud" about the number of women on this year's list, with women accounting for almost half of the top 100 and six of the top 10. "Gina was a shoo-in this year for number one. Brexit is the most important political event to happen this century. Gina's role in ensuring a sovereignty of Parliament was recognised by the courts has been monumental and has set a precedent that will last hundreds of years," he said. Entrants from across various industries were judged on their "ability to change lives and alter events, as demonstrated over a protracted period of time and in a positive manner".
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Thursday October 27, 2017
Kaieteur News
GGDMA rejects mercury phase-out deadline; urges revamped GGMC -Adams returned as President Miners are lobbying for a revamped Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and better maintenance of hinterland roads. The call was made, Wednesday, when the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) held its 33rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the North Road headquarters. New executives for the association’s Committee of Management for period 20172019, were also elected. Terrence Adams has been returned as President with Andron Alphonso, as Vice President; Mahendra Persaud as Secretary; Azeem Baksh as Treasurer; Hilbert Shield as Organising Secretary; and Immediate Past President, Patrick Harding. The Committee Members elected were Alfro Alphonso, Charles DaSilva, David Bacchus and Terry Singh. In his report to the members of the association, Avalon Jagnandan, Administrative Manager, disclosed that the challenges have been many over the past year but there were some measurable successes. Over the past year, the association lobbied the
The new executives of GGDMA who were elected Wednesday. Seated left is returning President Terrence Adams. Government on numerous tax issues, including the Tributors’ Tax and the Tax Rate. The officials said that for the year, it has made budget submissions to the Minister of Finance, proposing why the industry should be treated differently when it comes to taxes. GGMC COMMISSIONER Over the last 12 months, the association also lobbied for a stronger GGMC
Commissioner; raised issues about the Land Management Division, poor services and sudden changes to systems and procedures affecting miners. According to Jagnandan, the association managed to secure a meeting with Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman. At that meeting the go-ahead was given for a committee to be established to review the functions and operations of GGMC. It was agreed that the mining bodies would be part of the process. “The GGDMA has since appointed Mr. Terrence Adams to serve on this Committee to review the functions and operations of the GGMC. The GGDMA has made its position known to the Ministries of Public Infrastructure and Natural
Resources that poor roads and bridges that miners have to cope with are severely increasing their operational cost, through lost time and damage to their equipment,” the official told the members. GGDMA also has an issue with the state of the Issano/ Puruni/Karrau to Buck Hall Roads. The repairs started nine months after $500M was allocated in the 2017 budget. This is an insult to miners, Jagnandan said. It was disclosed that the GGDMA had met with Trotman on the state of the roads. At that meeting it was announced that GGMC will now work along with the Ministry of Infrastructure to boost the hinterland road program. The association also vowed to lobby Government to ensure that a larger portion
of royalties and rentals be utilized for the maintenance and construction of proper roads and bridges for the mining sector. ROAD REPAIRS “The GGDMA is of the view, that if individual miners are equipped to repair and maintain the interior roads, then they should be given first priority by the government on these projects, since the project will be close to their hearts and they will have a better understanding and appreciation of the terrain.” The association is also moving to have a road users’ agreement in place to avoid truckers from overloading their vehicles and causing damage to the interior roads. GGDMA also noted that there were successes in bringing down a $4,000 per ounce Gold Board fee that was proposed. After several meetings this was adjusted to a processing fee of $1300 per ounce from one ounce and up to and including 100 ounces; $1400 per ounce for every
ounce starting from 101 ounces and for every additional ounce up to 200 ounces; a downward sliding scale of $1300 per ounce from 201 ounces to 300 ounces; and then $1200 per ounce for all additional ounces between 301 ounces and 500 ounces, will be charged. There will also be a ceiling or maximum of $400,000 for all sales up to 1,000 ounces and for sales greater than 1000 ounces, the processing fee will be $400 per ounce, for every ounce above 1,000 ounces. The association said it is also proud that that the ministry now has employed 25 wardens to work alongside the GGMC team and the security sector to more effectively address the issues of raiders, illegal shops and crime. Meanwhile, in a major move, GGDMA said it will be collaborating with the Guyana Women Miners Organization (GWMO) and the National Mining Syndicate (NMS) which have Continued on page 31
Thursday October 27, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Gospel promoter jailed for trafficking ganja
Bad faith The Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo, has said that it was previously agreed between himself and the President, that should the third list of nominees for the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission be rejected, a bipartisan committee would be established to find a solution to the impasse. In fact, this ‘gentleman’s agreement’ formed part of the joint press released which had been issued between the government and the opposition. There is therefore a public record to substantiate the claim by the Leader of the Opposition. The question is why has the President not kept his word? The President is being accused of acting in bad faith, not only because of the unilateral appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, but also because of the dishonoring of this ‘gentleman’s agreement’ which was allegedly made and which was made public. When a President and a government stand accused of acting in bad faith, it creates an atmosphere of mistrust. The mistrust leads to a loss of credibility and a lack of confidence. There is a sense of betrayal when agreements
are not honored or when people are made to feel that they were victims of political mamaguy. The bad faith, however, is not confined only to the government’s dealings with the opposition leader. The Guyana Public Service Union has remained mum over the unilateral imposition, yet again, of wages increases for public servants. It has not said how it feels about this as yet. But surely it must also feel, like the Leader of the Opposition, that it is dealing with an untrustworthy government. A government which does not honor its word cannot be trusted. The union must certainly feel that the government has yet again acted in bad faith. There have only been a few meetings between the government and the union over wages agreement this year. These can hardly be said to constitute any meaningful negotiations. No agreement was reached. Yet, in flagrant breach of the collective bargaining process, the government has gone ahead and imposed salary increases. If this is not bad faith, what is? The most egregious example of bad faith, however, has been the government’s dealings with the Working People’s Alliance. Following
a flare up earlier this year when Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine was removed as Minister of Education, the WPA called attention to what it said was the fact the APNU had not met since the elections of May 2015. The WPA complained about not being involved in government decision-making. The WPA raised a fuss and managed to get a commitment from the government that this situation would be rectified. Well, it has not been rectified because the WPA clearly could not have been consulted on the decision of the President to appoint a Chairperson of GECOM. The AFC’s Chairman was said to have said on television that the decision was the President’s prerogative. But it was the very President who had stated that he had to consult with his political partners on the list submitted by Jagdeo. The WPA has not said whether it was consulted on the third list submitted by the Leader of the Opposition. But what is certain is that it was not consulted on the President’s choice. Here again bad faith was at work. But what about other issues within the government? Has the WPA been consulted on these issues? Has the WPA been
consulted on government’s plans on other matters of state? Has it been consulted on the Budget which is soon to be read? The WPA has to consider its future within the government. The AFC has done so already. The AFC has clearly decided that it is comfortable being kicked around by the APNU. It sees no problem being a political football. It has shamelessly defended the President’s actions on which it was not consulted. The AFC boasted in 2011 that it held the balance of power within parliament. The AFC now has lost its balance. In the meantime, the President faces a credibility crisis in the eyes of the opposition. It is not likely that they will take anything he says seriously anymore. As far as they are concerned, he has acted in bad faith and they have no confidence in his word anymore. But what about the WPA? How can it continue to sit within the government given the disregard with which it has been shown? Or is the WPA comfortable becoming, like the AFC, a doormat of the APNU?
Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess yesterday sentenced a Gospel promoter to three years and six months imprisonment and fined him $500,000 for trafficking 834 grams of marijuana. The matter was heard in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Thirty-one-year-old Trinidadian Cornelius Thomas was jailed. 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. They reportedly found the marijuana in small Ziploc packets in the refrigerator. Magistrate Bess, in coming to his decision told the court that the three witnesses called by Police Prosecutor Christopher Morris, evidence were all cred-
ible. He added that based on the evidence he is of the opinion that Thomas had control of the narcotics and he did give the police a caution statement accepting ownership of the narcotics which was found in his refrigerator. Magistrate Bess further outlined the fact that prosecutor Morris was able to prove his case beyond reasonable doubt and the three witnesses gave solid evidence in the matter against Thomas.When Thomas was asked if he had anything to say to the court he stated, “Your Worship I would like to spend my sentence in the Lusignan prison and not Camp Street because I am fearful for my life.” The magistrate ordered that Thomas spend his sentence either at the Lusignan or the Mazaruni Prison. Failure to pay the fine, Thomas will spend an additional six months imprisonment.
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Thursday October 27, 2017
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
Shocking proof of the PPP regime’s mistreatment of house lot applicants The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) has issued a notice to 100 house lot applicants between 1991-1993 to come in on or before November 10 to discuss their respective submissions. Just in case you think 1993 is a typographical mistake, it is not. The PPP came to power in 1992 and started a housing programme with the initial location being Eccles. From thereon, the corruption began. This columnist has evidence that a senior female party leader (not Mrs. Jagan; she was Stalinist alright but not corrupt) took millions from working people to get lots. And how do I know that? Because two of my relatives paid her. Donald Ramotar as General-Secretary of the PPP can deny what will follow in the next few lines right now. I went to his home in Alberttown in 1994. It was a long yard corridor and his house was the last one in the stretch. I told him what the lady was doing, because she
Frederick Kissoon took money from my relatives. Ramotar and I knew each other well before 1992 and he told me there and then he knew what was taking place with the allocation of house lots. Let us get into the shocking part of this notice. If you were a soldier, police, nurse, teacher, civil servant between 1991 and 1993, it means as we are about to close 2017 (just two months remaining), you will more than likely be reaching 55 years of age – the required time of retirement. You will now read a notice from CHPA asking you to come in to discuss your house lot prospects. If 25 years after you signed the document, you are still interested, then, what did you do with your life the past 25 years? There are 83 applicants
for 1993 (along with 1 for 1991 and 16 for 1992) that are being summoned to CHPA. Where are those persons now? Surely, they could not still be waiting. But there is tragic dimension to the lives of these 83 persons if they are still interested. If they were 30 years and over, they are no longer in receipt of a salary. As civil servants, teachers, soldiers and policemen, they would have retired. Now we must assume that at 30 years, they would have sought a mortgage and paid from their salaries or secured a bank loan. At 55, the banks do not lend money to employees, the reason being is that they feel you have little time left in your occupation and you may default on your payment schedule. If you are still thinking of building, you will be turned away from the banks because they do not lend money to persons who are not gainfully employed. I would assume very junior ranks in the police and army that retire would not be earning lots of money in their post-retirement status. Do the citizens of this country know that in 1988 when Dr. George Walcott retired as Vice Chancellor of UG, his pension created a scan-
dal in this country? It was just under 4000 Guyanese dollars. Don’t take my word for it; research it. So here we are as 2017 is about to close, 83 house lot applicants from 1993 are being asked to visit CHPA. Where are those people now? I doubt whether one percent of that number is still interested. So we come to the inevitable question – What was the PPP Government doing with those persons’ documents since 1993? The answer is that they were tossed aside in favour of the friends of the PPP and their middle class supporters.
Look who has become a rising prince in the PPP leadership –former Minister of Housing, Irfaan Ally. Since 1993, do you know how many housing areas have been secured by private developers, most of whom were friends of Bharrat Jagdeo. I walk my dog at the back of Giftland Mall every night, including last night, and I park just outside the entrance of Eddie Boyer’s private gated community. No need to repeat the colossal profits he made from that purchase. Kaieteur News has all the details; just Google it.
President Jagdeo telephoned a man in Barbados who at the time earned a Wall Street salary as President of the Caribbean Development Bank. He offered Dr. Compton Bourne a one-acre house lot in Pradoville 2. During all this time, working class folks who applied in 1993 never heard back from the Government of Guyana, a government that Donald Ramotar wrote about last week, saying it was the most glorious government in the history of Guyana. If the PPP ever returns to power in this country, I will participate in its removal, even if I am in a wheelchair.
Dem boys seh...
People call Patto chief, but not chief justice Is years now, since de days of Columbus Guyanese always begging. One Prime Minister insult Jagdeo, at a forum. He seh Jagdeo always walking wid ee begging bowl. De PNC use to beg and he learn that from dem. De begging still continuing. De Clown Clerk now begging de international community fuh money to repair Sh**ty Hall. Dem boys seh this thing getting overbearing. De begging got all Guyanese looking like paupers. And dem is not. Dem boys seh if dem leaders stop thiefing and stop wasting money on urinals and toilets fuh dem guards dem can repair de whole city. This type of kakishness, scampishness and dishonesty trickle down from de top to de ordinary man in de street. And while that getting dem boys vex dem had to laugh when dem read bout that boat captain. Imagine that boat captain get arrested wid some foreign scamps. Dem had high power machine guns and de boat captain
tell we police how he buy de guns in Venezuela to protect himself. Dem boys seh he got to be doing something bigger than guarding Bank of Guyana. If he buy two AK fuh protect he paddle boat imagine how much AK de captains of Malali, Makouria and Torani got to buy. Dem boys know he didn’t have nutten proppa to seh to de police to defend de two AK in ee possession. He seh wha come to ee mouth, Is de same thing wid de new GECOM Chairman wha Soulja Bai swear in. Dem boys hear Soulja Bai wake de man out he bed and ask him if he gun tek de wuk. Then he ask him wheh is de last place he wuk. De only thing old Patto coulda remember was that he been in Grenada and people use to call him chief. He believe he was de chief justice. Soulja Bai write it down and tell Jagdeo, that scamp de man is fit and proppa. Talk half and wait fuh Soulja Bai eat back dem words.
Thursday October 27, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Education Minister condemns ‘third party’ Guyanese captain says he purchased presence at meeting with sweeper/ cleaners Nine arrested for guns, ammo…
guns, ammo for protection
Dexter Valenzuela (inset) and the guns and ammo that were found hidden. A 44-year-old boat captain has told ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF)’s Major Crimes Unit that he purchased the two high-powered rifles and ammunitions that were found on a vessel at Barima River, North West District on Tuesday, for protection. The police unearthed two high powered rifles with 19 matching ammunitions, 1.5 kilogram of marijuana and a black bullet proof vest after receiving intelligence. Kaieteur News has been informed that the boat captain, Dexter Valenzuela, of Bent Road, Crane, West Coast Demerara (WCD), informed the ranks that he had been robbed many times and as a result, he purchased the items from Venezuela. Valenzuela claimed that he buys fuel and sells in the interior location. He said that he employed Cuban National Samuel Alvaroz, 25; Jamaican National Delroy Mairs, 53, a mason of Albouystown and Venezuelan National Rafael Ramon, 33 to assist him. However, he has no documentation to prove that he is a fuel dealer. “He said he get rob some time back and then recently, he was almost robbed again,” a police source said. This newspaper was informed that the 62-year-old captain and his three crew members were only helping out Valenzuela after his vessel broke down in the river. The nine persons remained in custody as the probe continues. According to information received, a party of lawmen went to Barima River, North West District, after receiving intelligence that foreigners were in the area with illegal weapons. Kaieteur News was informed that the ranks were
immediately deployed to the area where they intercepted a metal boat measuring 25 feet in length powered by a 40horsepower Yamaha engine, captained by a 62-year-old man, with three occupants. That vessel was towing a blue and grey fibre glass boat measuring 23 feet in length powered by a 240-horsepower Yamaha engine, and carrying five passengers. A search was carried out on the fibreglass boat and the two high-powered rifles with ammunition and the bulletproof vest were found under the bow. A further search was conducted around the stern area of the vessel and a black handbag was found with a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems
suspected to be cannabis. It was later tested, weighed and amounted to be 1.5 kilogram. The suspects were identified as Junior Jack, 19, a sailor of Mabaruma; Donstant Rodrigues, 38, a captain of Mora Moruca; Cuban National Samuel Alvaroz, 25; Shawn Phang, 49, a miner of School Road, Port Kaituma; Dexter Valenzuela, 44, a captain of Lot 8 Bent Road, Crane, West Coast Demerara; Corvin Griffith, 48, a captain of lot 187 Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara; Jamaican National Delroy Mairs, 53, a mason of Albouystown; Venezuelan National Rafael Ramon, 33, and Carrigon Khan, 62, a boat captain of Jacklow, Pomeroon River.
Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, recently made a declaration that she was not going to address the sweeper/cleaners in the presence of any third party, be it the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) or media. At a recent press conference held by the Union, great displeasure was demonstrated as the Ministry would have once again failed to meet the expectation of its people. The Union explained that a series of meetings have been going on over a period of time, commencing after the workers took to the streets for a protest. After the protest action, the Ministry and the GPSU prepared a proposal for the “fair treatment” of the workers and was submitted to the Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, for approval and ratification by Cabinet. The proposal sought to address the working hours, rate of pay, annual leave and NIS deductions among other related issues that affect sweeper/cleaners. GPSU in a statement said subsequent to the meeting, the Union wrote to the Minister requesting a meeting for an update on the situation. The Secretary to the Minister, via telephone, told offi-
cials at the GPSU that the meeting was scheduled for September 26, last. However, to their dismay another telephone call was received, informing the union that the Minister would not attend the meeting with GPSU since the matter had been discussed with the Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally. Representatives of the union said they were overjoyed when a local newspaper highlighted that Minister Ally made a recommendation for the regularization of the employment of sweepers/ cleaners in the public sector and particularly the school system. That proposal was approved by Cabinet. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, told reporters that Cabinet agreed to a proposal made by the Minister of Education to the Ministry of Finance to be placed in the 2018 budget presentation. He added, “We trust that these interventions will bring to an end this situation.” Following this statement, a group of frustrated sweeper/ cleaners were summoned to a meeting at GPSU by Minister Henry who advised, that she is not prepared to meet with a third party. The Minister therefore
condemned the presence of the media as well as the GPSU representative for the sweeper/cleaners. The Union sought to highlight this issue and termed the behaviour ‘disturbing’ and ‘disrespectful’. Additionally, the union said, “The GPSU entered negotiations on behalf of the Sweepers/Cleaners with the Ministry of Education through the Permanent Secretary. Any communication to the Sweepers/Cleaners should be through the GPSU and to say that she will not meet with a third party flies in the face of, and is a blatant disregard of, the Agreement for the Avoidance and settlement of Disputes between the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Public Service Union”. The GPSU is unaware of the conditions to which Cabinet has agreed. The feedback that the GPSU got from some of those who attended the meeting, seems to vary from what was discussed and agreed to, according to the union. Despite the many talks that GPSU and the Ministry of Education has been engaging in, no decision has been made surrounding the plights of sweeper/cleaners.
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Kaieteur News
Thursday October 27, 2017
Local Govt commission to probe City Venez. gunmen bury Guyanese dredge owner after riddling him with bullets Hall’s handling of sexual assault of minor A gang of young Venezuelan gunmen riddled 25-yearold Guyanese miner Davinda Saywack, buried him in a shallow grave, and made off with an undisclosed quantity of gold from his camp in the Spanish-speaking territory. Relatives said that a survivor said that the brutal attack occurred last Tuesday. Sources identified the area as Polvo de Oro (Gold Dust), located not far from the Guyana/Venezuela border. A female relative of the slain man said that he travelled to Venezuela just four months ago. Kaieteur News understands that the dredge was previously operated by an elder brother. Reports suggest that the gunmen entered the camp solely to execute Saywack. Relatives alleged that the gunmen belonged to an organization known as the
-survivor tells family ‘sindicato’ (syndicate), which provides medication and other services to mining operations, while demanding a percentage from their earnings. “They came and robbed, then riddled him with bullets. They shot behind the workers, then they buried him in a three-foot grave, and then ‘wash down’ the gold,” the relative said. One of the workers who fled the scene notified Saywack’s relatives about the attack. The relative who spoke with Kaieteur News said that the Venezuelan authorities have given them permission to have the remains returned to Guyana. Ranks at the Mabaruma Police Station have been notified about the killing.
While no clear motive has been given, there are suggestions that the killing might be linked to the death of a man, known as ‘African’, in the same area some four months ago. A sibling of the victim had reportedly vowed revenge. Last July, gunmen with high-powered weapons killed Guyanese miners Vernon Eudoxie, 51; Cologne Solomon, 23; and Samuel Moses, 19; storming a mining camp at Imataka Mining Backdam, Venezuela. Two others were wounded. A survivor who spoke to Kaieteur News said that the gunmen fled without taking anything. He stated that the killing stemmed from a prolonged dispute of the mining claim and ownership of an excavator. A police release stated that the miners were part of a team employed by a Brazilian miner, operating a land dredge at Imataka Mining Backdam, Venezuela, when four armed men “with foreign accents,” entered the camp and began shooting indiscriminately. And in September, gunmen tied up Brazilian dredge owner Siviomar Antônio de Oliveira, also called “Lorão, before shooting him dead in his Akaiwanna, Cuyuni mining camp. Police later learnt that de Oliveira was wanted in Brazil for the murder of his first wife, and had even murdered some of his fellow inmates in prison.
Guyana’s first Local Government Commission is likely to take up the sexual assault case at the Mayor & City Council (M&CC) that involved a 15-year-old boy and a city police Lance Corporal. This led to the surprise firing of a Corporal who blew the whistle on the incident. The commissioners are preparing for their first meeting at the Ministry of the Communities Boardroom where they will appoint a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and look into the hiring of a secretary which will enable the commission to begin working. Marlon Williams, who was nominated by the Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, to sit on the Commission, said that the City Hall case falls under the remit of the commission which is appointed to oversee, monitor, investigate and examine the actions of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and the municipalities. “This thing is a very critical issue,” Williams told Kaieteur News. On October 17, the Lance Corporal accused of forcing a detained 15-year-old boy into a sexual act was fired and arrested. This occurred some hours after the M&CC dismissed him for “gross misconduct.” At the same time, the City Constabulary Corporal who had witnessed the act was also been given marching orders. A letter issued to him by Town Clerk, Royston King, stated that he was being dismissed for “dereliction of duty,” since he had not made a note of the incident in the occurrence book. City Mayor, Patricia
Local Government Commissioner, Marlon Williams Chase-Green also told case as to why the officer was Kaieteur News that the Cor- not dismissed two months ago, poral had “failed to protect a when the facts of his alleged ‘derjuvenile,” since he had not eliction of duty’ were known. intervened while witnessing Mayor Chase-Green had stated his junior colleague’s actions. that she only became aware of There are suggestions the case after Kaieteur News exthat the officer may have been posed the issue in its “Dem Boys fired for blowing the whistle Seh” column. on the junior rank. She has refuted claims that There are reports that the there was a cover-up on the part culprit, who was implicated in of the council. Chase- Green said a similar act, last year, had that it was she who had insisted close ties with officials on the on an investigation, after learnGeorgetown M&CC. ing of the allegation. “Before we reach to the point In the statement he gave to of addressing issues like that; a City Constable, the juvenile, of and that is a very critical issue. It no fixed place of abode, said he is by no means something to be was arrested on August 22, for brushed aside, but unfortunately loitering and placed on the priswe have many levels to reach oners’ bench at the Regent Street before we get there,” Williams Enquiries Outpost at City Hall explained. before the unfortunate incident He said the Commission is unfolded. new and he believes the spirit of Other members of the Lothe Constitution was to get a bi- cal Government Commission partisan collective group to look are former Region Ten chairat issues like the M&CC case. man, Mortimer Mingo; former “I must commend the Presi- Region Four chairman, Clemdent and the Minister for taking ent Corlette; educator, Joan the initiative to initiate this com- Ann Romascindo; union mission as quickly as possible. leader, Andrew Garnett; It is a landmark decision of the former Town Clerk of current Government,” Williams Georgetown, Carol Sooba, noted. and former government minMany questions have isters, Norman Whittaker and swirled about the sexual abuse Clinton Collymore.
Friday October 27, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Eminent Muslim scholar to visit Guyana Once again, the Muslim community in Guyana will be hosting prominent SunniMuslim Scholar, His Eminence Shaykh Faisal Hamid Abdur Razak. The scholar, who hails from Brampton, Ontario, Canada, will be in Guyana on Friday evening for a short visit. His visit was made possible by the Al-Faisaliyyah Foundation in Guyana under the theme “Sacred Knowledge Retreat”. The Islamic Scholar studied from 1977 to 1986 in Saudi Arabia, first at Umm al-Qurra University in Makkah, then at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. He also studied at York University, Toronto, Canada. While in Saudi Arabia, in addition to University studies, he studied under many
Scholars and Shaykhs, including Shaykh Hasan Ayub, Shaykh Muhammad alGhazali, Shaykh Muhammad Qutb, Shaykh Abdur-Rahman Barood, Shaykh Muhammad al-Wasfi, Shaykh Farooq alBatal, Shaykh Muhammad Ali al-Sabuni, Shaykh Abdullah Nasih ‘Alwan, Shaykh Maw’il Ezziddin al-Samura’ee. After completing his studies in Saudi Arabia in 1986, he returned to Canada where he became actively involved in Islamic Da‘wah and education. He served as Imam/Khatib of several Masjids and Islamic Centres, including the Islamic Society of Peel, the Islamic Centre of Brampton, and the Toronto and Region Islamic Centre (TARIC). Shaykh Faisal served on the Government of Canada Interfaith Committee, the Prov-
ince of Ontario Multifaith Council, and the City of Brampton Multifaith Committee. He is also the President of the Islamic Forum of Canada, Vice-President of the Islamic Council of Imams of Canada, and a member of the al-Shura Muslim Consultative Council. Apart from lecturing on a wide range of topics to gatherings in Guyana, he has lectured in many other countries including Canada, U.S.A., England, Germany, Norway, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Turkey, Syria, Barbados, and Trinidad. He is also the Founder of the Al-Faisaliyyah Foundation in many countries of the world. Shaykh Faisal received ijazas in many of the sacred Islamic sciences from several Scholars and Shaykhs. His
Hijacked car recovered in Albouystown Following a hijacking and robbery in Westminster, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, ranks have been able to locate the red Runx Toyota motor car, bearing registration number PPP 8667. The car was taken when four men stormed the business place and home of a family. According to reports, ranks identified the vehicle in
Albouystown and took it to the West Ruimveldt Police Station for further investigations. The owner of the car related that she was informed by police at the La Grange Police Station that two men were arrested on Thursday and were subsequently released after questioning. On Monday night a home and business place was
stormed by four men, three of whom were armed with guns. The men took off with jewelry, cash and shop items in addition to one of the nine victims’ car. The men were caught on surveillance cameras. The footage is currently with ranks from the La Grange Police Station where investigations are ongoing into the matter.
most prominent ijazas come from the noble and remarkable scholar, his eminence al‘Allamah Shaykh Muhammad Abul Huda ibn Ibrahim alYaqoubi al-Hasani, and his eminence Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani. The Eminent Scholar is expected to host two major training programmes for Imaams and his students. Tomorrow, he will be at the Louisa Row Masjid from 10:00hrs -15:00hrs The following day, he will be at the Blairmont Masjid from 10:00hrs - 15:00hrs. He will also be doing a number of private functions during his stay.
Shaykh Faisal Hamid Abdur Razak
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Kaieteur News
Govt. allocates $19M for West Berbice playgrounds
Technical Officer, Mrs. Natasha Lewis, hands over the $19M warrant Ovid Morison, REO, Region Five. Government has allocated some $19 million for the rehabilitation of a number of playgrounds in West Berbice, as part of its effort to foster social cohesion through sports. The announcement was made by Mrs. Natasha SinghLewis, Technical Officer, within the Ministry of Social Cohesion, with responsibility for Regions Five and Six. She was addressing a social cohesion forum at the Rosignol Primary School, on Wednesday. The playgrounds to benefit at this time under the programme are Lovely Lass, $4milion; Paradise, $8 million; Seafield$3 million; Blairmont$2 million; and Ithaca $2 million. Works to be done,range from land filling and erecting bleachers, to constructing fences. According to Mrs. Lewis, the various sums of money have been made available to the recipients on account of them submitting requests highlighting their needs. And she advised those representing other communities to which funds would be made available,to provide suitable proposals like the others have done. The Government is aware of the role sports can play in fostering social cohesion, and that is one of the reasons why President David Granger has placed youth and sports under the Ministry of Social Cohesion.The subject minister, Dr. George Norton,
Natasha Singh-Lewis, Technical Officer for Regions Five and Six has a passion for social cohesion, she added. The money would be available immediately. Region Five Executive Officer, Ovid Morison, was presented with the warrant for the money by Mrs. Lewis, on behalf of Minister Norton. The Minister was actually bound for West Berbice, to take part in the proceedings, but was forced to return to Georgetown. The gathering was reminded that wherever Government money is spent there has got to be responsibility and accountability. The event was a consultation with key stakeholders within the West Bank Berbicecommunities. It was organized by the Ministry of Social Cohesion, under the theme, ‘Fostering Social Cohesion Through Community Initiatives’.
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GECOM chair appointment…
Business leaders warn of economic instability Business leaders under the umbrella group, Private Sector Commission (PSC), have warned of economic instability as fallout from the unilateral decision by President David Granger to appoint retired Justice James Patterson as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Late Thursday evening, Patterson, 84, was sworn in by President Granger at State House, a move Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, described as unconstitutional and threatened to withdraw his party’s participation at the national level. “The decision of the President to act unilaterally and independently of the submissions of the Leader of the Opposition, poses a clear threat to democracy and will inevitably divide the nation and lead to economic instability. It is a dangerous deci-
Edward Boyer, Chairman, PSC sion,” the PSC stated. Jagdeo submitted 18 names for the president’s consideration. The most recent was on August 25, when he submitted a third list of
names that included Major General Joseph Singh; Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Teni Housty; Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Sanjeev Datadin; Mrs. Annette Arjoon-Martins; Pastor Onesi La Fleur; and former Magistrate Mr. Krishnadatt Persaud. “It is extremely unfortunate that his Excellency the President and the Leader of the Opposition has failed to find agreement on the appointment of the Chairman of the Elections Commission,” the PSC said. Further, the PSC noted that throughout the entire process of exchange between the President and the Leader of the Opposition, it was hoped that the appointment of the Chairman would continue in an open and transparent manner and in accord with the requirements of the Constitution. Since 1991, a formula established by former U.S. Presi-
Business registrations now easier... From page 20 President, Mr. David Adams, on signing the document highlighted the readiness to serve that has been adopted by the MCCI over its 15 months of existence. "Like every other organization, the MCCI has had its setbacks and will continue to do so, but there is a will, a determination to forge forward,. to forge through. This will does not rest in all of its directors, but the few will resolutely do what obtains to ensure an uncompromising drive to fulfill the goals to our objective," the President said. The MCCI will be tempo-
rarily housed in a building oblique to the Mahdia Police Station where its business will be conducted. Already, the Commercial Registry has embarked on a training programme to see personnel from the MCCI trained in the proper completion of their aspect of respon-
sibility. A delegation from the Commerce Department of the Ministry of Business was also present. It is headed by Commerce Officer, Akeila Glasgow. Members of the business community and the RDC were also present during the signing yesterday.
dent, Jimmy Carter of the Carter Center, was used in the selection of the chairman. This formula establishes the selection of six commissioners chosen by the president and the opposition leader. The president selects three commissioners and the opposition selects three while a seventh person, the Chairperson, is selected based on between the opposition and government. The opposition leader has said the president has gone against a formula that has
been in place for the past 20 years, and maintained that the constitution is clear that the appointee must originate from the leader of the opposition. DISTURBING The National Association of Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) stated that it was very disturbed and most upset when it learnt of the appointment, referring to it as ‘a seemingly high-handed move by President Granger. NAACIE noted that the President, who, on several
occasions, committed himself to act in accordance with the Constitution, has waded into murky political waters which Guyana and its people need not enter into. “The President, who must have been advised by his comrades, is heading down a perilous path which we believe is not in the interest of our country and all Guyanese. It is our view that the President’s actions represent a reversal of the democratic advances we have made over the years,” FTIUG stated.
M&CC launches fund to restore City Hall The Council at its last Statutory Meeting endorsed a proposal by Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green, to set up a Restoration Fund to begin the process of restoring City Hall. This fund will be managed by a special civic committee, which will include corporate leaders, investors and other stakeholders from civic society. The idea is to begin a process that would actively engage stakeholders to re-
store this building to its pristine stage when a section was used for civic and other social functions. As a result, the administration of the Mayor and City Council is in the process of working out the modalities with a view to launching this restoration fund by mid-November 2017. The Council will announce a special forum to invite local communities to participate in identifying the best possible approach to estab-
lish and manage this fund. ‘’Victorian Exuberance in time’’ as some have often described it, and by others, as “the most handsome building in Georgetown”, City Hall was designed by Father Ignatius Scoles S.J., a trained architect. The foundation stone was laid by governor Sir Henry Turner Irving, on December 23, 1887. The building was opened in July, 1889, by Lord Gormanston.
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Thursday October 27, 2017
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LAND FOR SALE VACANCY Experience accounts clerk between the age 23-50 years. Apply at Alabama Trading.65-66 Robb street bourda. SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620
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Cook/ baker and Kitchen Assistant for interior location. Applicants must have experience. Call:618-2020 Counter Attendants apply to Dian’s Deli. Barr Street Kitty next to the Fish shop. Call: 225-3700 E x p e r i e n c e d salesman,generaldomestic,porter. Apply with hand written application & recommendation @ Keyfood, McDoom Village.
WANTED Responsible Hire Car Drivers. Call: 231-7200 Sales persons. Apply at Shantas .225 Camp and New Market Street. Live in waitress to work in a bar.Call:604-6606/692-4649 Wanted to buy one house & land on the East Bank or East Coast between $10 to $12 million cash.Call:6811312 Cashier, pump attendant to work in mahadia.Call:6446366/699-9458 Taxi Service 225-5075/ 2261200.Hire Care Drivers Wanted
Experience sales girl. Apply in person to Alabama Trading. 65-66 Robb streetbourda.
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2 bedroom bottom front apartment for rent in Station Street Kitty. Working professionals preferred. Please contact 652-3587/652-3593 Two bedroom apartment for rent with private bath & toilet. Lagrange W.B.Dem. For more info call:592-667-8896/ 663-1280.
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SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. -CosmetologyCourses:$90,000 Technician Course: $35,000. Call: 647-1773/660-5257 TOLET FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Meadow Bank, long term rental. Fully furnished 3 bedrooms apartment, parking, cameras etc- Call: 671-4221 Property for rent - 2 storey house at Republic Park, E.B.D$1200US. Call 647-1773 Apartment for rent , 7-8 Plantain Walk,West Bank Demerara. Call:264-2639
LAND FOR SALE Farm(East Bank)New Scheme $3.5m, ParfaiteHarmonie (upfront)$1.5m,Uivlugt $3.5m(high income).Tel:6511969/667-1960
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Captains valid certificate of competence as Master of Power Driven Vessel.Call:226-1100,2265380 CAR RENTAL PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL:656-0087,6435122 ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM
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Prime land to build that dream home. Not far from Princess, New Thriving, Massy, HJ water world $13M neg- Call: 669-8397 PROPERTY FOR SALE Large 3 bedroom house on spacious land. All amenities in tact. Versailles Public Road W.B.D. Call: 609-7766/ 264-1141. Spacious 4 bedrooms concrete home with modern amenities @ New Amsterdam Berbice opposite N/A police station. $79M negotiable- Call: 718683-0884, 682-2046
Thursday October 27, 2017
South Road senior citizens murders...
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Alleged “mastermind” willing to tell the truth
Released on bail Seeta Khan
Remanded to prison for murder Christopher Khan
Remanded to prison for murder Phillip Suffrien
Remanded to prison for murder Steven Andrews
The alleged mastermind behind the strangling of two elderly women for cash and other valuables yesterday made his second appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. When the matter was called before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, the Prosecutor told the court that the prosecution file is incomplete and that the accused men be further remanded to prison.\ Imran Khan called Christopher Khan, 25, of Independence Boulevard, Albouystown, stood in the prisoners’ dock and told the Chief Magistrate that he does not want to waste the court time and he want to speak the truth as to what transpired on the day in question. “I want to tell the court the part I play in the murder.” The magistrate after listening to the accused told him that he will get an opportunity to tell his side of the story when the trial begin. Khan and his alleged accomplices, Steven Andrews, 26, of 86 Hunter Street, Albouystown; and Phillip Suffrien, 23, of 66 Hunter Street, Albouystown, were not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that between October 2 and October 3, last, at Lot 243 South Road and Albert Street, Georgetown, they murdered
Linden taxi-driver freed on 16 lbs ganja bust A Linden taxi-driver who was allegedly transporting a passenger to Linden when he was busted with over 16 pounds of marijuana hidden in compartments and in the trunk of the vehicle, yesterday got the matter against him dismissed. Glenmore Mc Bean, also known as ‘Small Man’ ,34, a taxi driver, of Lot 78 Wismar Housing Scheme, Linden denied the allegation that on July 16, last, at Soesdyke Junction, East Bank Demerara, he had 7.388 kilograms of cannabis sativa (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking. He was intercepted by ranks from the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU). Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan dismissed the
matter against the taxi- driver on the grounds that the evidence by the prosecution witness was discredited. She added that the witnesses told different versions of what transpired. She added that most of the prosecution witnesses changed their evidence under cross examination. The court heard that in one instance a police photographer admitted that he withheld some of the photographs that he took at the scene when he was grilled by defence council under cross examination. Magistrate McLennan said that the court was left in doubt after the police witnesses gave conflicting evidence throughout the trial. For that reason Customs
Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) Prosecutor; Konyo Sandiford, was unable to prove her case beyond reasonable doubt. The magistrate, therefore, upheld the no case submission which was made by defence attorney, Glenn Hanoman. According to reports, ranks from CANU received certain information at Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, and as a result set up a road block at Soesdyke Junction, East Bank Demerara. There they stopped motorcar, HC 7963 which was being driven by Mc Bean. Upon searching the vehicle the prosecutor said that ranks found parcels of marijuana hidden in a compartment.
From page 8 been meeting and have agreed to form themselves as one voice for all miners in Guyana. Known as the Miners United Movement (MUM), the group says it represents all the miners in Guyana. On the issue of eliminating mercury releases into the environment, GGDMA said it will be adhering and complying with
codes of practices and environmental health and safety standards and regulations. “We urge all miners to use a retort and to comply with all regulations relating to the use of mercury.” Jagnandan said that there are no viable comparable alternatives proposed. “As a consequence, the GGMDA cannot support the total elimination which is
projected by Government for 2027 and the legal banning and trade of mercury. To do such at this time will be tantamount to support the end of alluvial mining in Guyana.” Gold declarations, the biggest foreign currency earner for Guyana, over the last few years, are on track to surpass the 700,000ounce mark yet again this year.
GGDMA rejects mercury...
Phyllis Caesar and Constance Fraser, during the course of a robbery. The three accused will make their next court appearance on November 20. The bound and gagged bodies of the two elderly women were found in their home by members of the South Road Full Gospel Assembly. The gruesome discovery was made after the women
failed to attend a church service. Caesar was the church’s caretaker, and had the code for the church alarm. She also kept the keys for a nearby school in Regent Street. Khan’s girlfriend, Seeta Khan, 36, a mother of three, was also charged after she was taken on a shopping spree with the money he had allegedly stolen from the eld-
erly women. The Lot 142 Cooper Street, Albouystown resident denied the charge which alleged that between October 2 and October 3, at Cooper Street, Albouystown, she received $60,000 from Imran Khan, knowing that the monies were stolen– property of Constance Fraser. She was released on $25,000 bail by Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
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Friday October 27, 2017
Billion$ fuel purchase racket… Did GECOM Chairman Investigators swoop down on GEA lie about serving as –after agency refuses to hand over documents Grenada’s Chief Justice?
GECOM Chair, James Patterson Newly appointed Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice James Patterson, may need to publicly explain to the nation why there is no official confirmation to date that he served as Chief Justice of Grenada as stated on his official curriculum vitae (CV). This was presented to President David Grainger and shared with Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo. Numerous calls by Kaieteur News to the Chairman were not returned yesterday, a day after Jagdeo said that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was digging deeper into Patterson’s claims that he served as Chief Justice in
1987. “There have been some serious concerns raised about whether justice Patterson was ever the Chief Justice of Grenada. Many people have called me about this matter and we are going to dig into it a bit more; we are going to try to confirm it because that is on his CV that I have received,” Jagdeo stated. If it turns out that Justice Patterson indeed lied about his tenure as Chief Justice, it would be embarrassing for him and the Government, providing grounds for his possible resignation from the office since his hiring was based on false information provided to the President. Granger had told the m e d i a a t P a t t e r s o n ’s
swearing-in that he has served as Chief Justice in Grenada. On Monday when asked about the brewing c o n t r o v e r s y, P r e s i d e n t Granger did not repeat the claim, but instead said Justice Patterson was a judge of the High Court of Guyana. “His Curriculum Vitae is not a secret. You can examine it for yourself. He was a judge in Guyana; that’s important,” the President said. Kaieteur News has also been unable to verify Justice Patterson’s Grenada claims although there are suggestions that he may have acted briefly in the post. Records shared with Kaieteur News suggested that Justice Robert Archibald Nedd served as Chief Justice of Grenada from 1979 to 1986. He was succeeded by Sir Denis Byron who acted as Chief Justice until 1987 when Sir Samuel Horatio Graham was appointed substantive Chief Justice. “All that we are hearing from individuals who work in Grenada, who were lawyers in Grenada during that period said they don’t know about (Patterson),’ Jagdeo noted. The former President stated that if turns out to be untrue then Justice Patterson would immediately be disqualified as it would prevent him from acting impartially and with integrity at GECOM.
Travel agent pockets $9M, flees country
Priya Lall A 29-year- old woman is said to be on the run after she allegedly cashed in ticket sales at a popular travel agency, where she was once employed. The woman who has been identified as Priya Lall is believed to have since fled the country. Reports reaching this newspaper indicate that more than 30 passengers paid monies for tickets to the travel agent (Lall) that she
would book flights. Instead she issued the customers with flight itineraries and disappeared. Lall is said to have pocketed some US$45,000 which equivalent to $9 million. Approximately $7 million of the amount represents monies for tickets for flights on Fly Jamaica Airlines. The matter became public after several persons turned up at the company’s
Georgetown main office with their itineraries. The disgruntled customers had inquired about the flights, with some persons even requesting a refund. Officials close to the agency noted Lall had been working at the agency for the past six years and the agency never had any issues with her and monies prior to this incident. Kaieteur News understands that Lall had been employed with Travel Span, Globe Span and Fly Jamaica prior to working with the agency “We don’t know what could have triggered her to do this. However we are working with the airline to have the matter rectified,” the official stated. The matter has since been reported to the police and is under investigation by the Fraud Department of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
The challenges of the police Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) to investigate a number of state agencies are continuing. Yesterday, the unit, which focuses on financial crimes and money laundering, was forced once again to turn to the courts after the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) did not cooperate in the handing over of a number of critical documents. GEA is a state-controlled entity that regulates the fuel trade, with duties including the licensing of operators and retailers. Shortly after 10:00hrs yesterday, SOCU officials, led by Assistant Commissioner, Sydney James, entered the Quamina Street, Georgetown headquarters of GEA. There were a number of police ranks with his team. Around 11:00hrs, James on exiting the compound, explained that he had obtained a search warrant from a magistrate yesterday. He admitted that SOCU had asked the energy agency for some documents but encountered “challenges”. The documents relate to two investigations that SOCU is handling. One has to do with the findings of a forensic audit that the Coalition Government had ordered into the operations of GEA in the years, under the last administration, leading up to the 2015 general elections. The other has to do with an investigation by the Ministry of the Presidency last year to alleged m a l p r a c t i c e , mismanagement and the purchases of hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel handled by both GEA and the Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil). The SOCU head c o n f i r m e d t h a t D r. Mahender Sharma, head of GEA, was in office and was
An investigator with a cardboard box to remove records from the GEA office.
SOCU’s chief, Assistant Commissioner, Sydney James “cooperating”. There were no signs of Sharma. James said that the documents were requested but some challenges came up. “That is all I care to comment…” He declined to delve into details. However, while the SOCU official was tightlipped, Kaieteur News was reliably informed that the unit has been engaging the energy agency but Dr. Sharma refused to hand over the documents. Rather, he insisted that investigators visit his office and sift through the documents there. SOCU then took the course of approaching the court for a search warrant yesterday and it was granted. The GEA challenge would follow the highprofile one with the privately-controlled Guyana Bank For Trade and Industry (GBTI). SOCU was tracking where US$500M went. That was money representing payment for farmers in the Venezuela rice-for-oil deal w i t h G u y a n a . The investigators questioned where some of the US$500M went. The trail suggested some foreign banks, under the direction of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB). However, SOCU was unable to proceed with the
investigations as GBTI did not hand over the documents, despite four court orders. In defence, the bank claimed it could not locate some of the documents. Some 9,000 was being asked for. Some of the documents may have also been destroyed. On Monday, the impasse with the bank culminated in a highly-embarrassing court appearance of the directors and chief, to answer contempt charges, in relation to the four court orders. The attention is on SOCU as it has been handed several highly complex investigations, from the much publicized Pradoville Two land sale to former ministers and government officials, to alleged misappropriation of billions of dollars at the GRDB. Several persons have been charged, including former General Manager, Jagnarine Singh, and his deputy, Ricky Ramraj. There are multiple other investigations being run by SOCU into transactions of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), which sold several state properties under suspicious circumstances. Government has hired a number of special prosecutors but some of the completed files have been in limbo for a number of months now.
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Lawyers for opposition party reject proposal to inspect only four ballot boxes KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent - CMC – Lawyers representing the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) have rejected a draft consent order that would have allowed the petitioners in two election petition matters to inspect
the unused ballots from four polling stations in the December 2015 general election in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The NDP had filed the election petitions challenging the outcome of the December 9 election in the North
Windward and Central Leeward constituencies. The ruling Unity L a b o u r P a r t y (ULP) won the election by an 8-7 margin giving Prime Minister D r. R a l p h G o n s a l v e s a fourth consecutive term in office.
“I must say…that I would be surprised if counsel on the other side is surprised by us not agreeing that we would not restrict ourselves on the petitioners’ side to the inspection of only four boxes,” Queen’s Counsel Stanley “Stalky” John told the court
after the consent order fell through and the respondents asked for an adjournment. John, who is heading the petitioner’s legal team, told the court that he would not attempt to say anything about the discussion between him and Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, one of the respondents’ lawyers, which led to the draft consent order. “I’d rather not address that here. I don’t think it is appropriate,” John said. The High Court had earlier granted a one-hour adjournment to allow both sides to discuss amendments to the draft order. But after the adjournment, John told the court that lawyers for the petitioners have always made it abundantly clear that the petitioners wish to inspect all 15 ballot boxes, and, where possible, used ballots, counterfoils used in the Central Leeward constituency during the December 9, 2015 general election. “It appears from where we wrapped up that that understanding we thought would have been open to us is not open to us. Therefore, there is no basis on which to consider the consent order,” John told the court in rejecting the proposed consent order. Lawyers representing the ULP administration had presented the proposed consent
order to the court on Tuesday, when High Court judge Justice Esco Henry was scheduled to begin hearing arguments on a motion by the petitioners to allow them to inspect documents related to the general election. After the proposed consent order was rejected, judge told the court that she would hear arguments on the June 29, 2017 motion to inspect the ballot boxes. But the ULP attorneys led by Mendes, however, told the court that they were seeking an adjournment after they felt that they had a consent order to present to the court and the normal preparations for the motion did not take place. Mendes told the court that he appeared before the High Court in St. Kitts on Monday in another matter and because of the number of documents he had to travel with, “and because I took my learned friend at his word, indeed his written word, that we had a consent order, I did not bring my papers with me”. He said that on the basis of the email communications between himself and John, and because they had arrived at a consent order, he did not expect that there would be oral submissions on the matter.
Kaieteur News
Friday October 27, 2017
MoU on lobster export won’t allow Chinese to fish in J’can waters, assures Govt. KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries is assuring that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Chinese Government on September 22, allowing fishery processing establishments to export live lobsters to China, will not allow Chinese vessels or fishers to fish in local waters. The assurance comes on the heels of what the ministry said are discussions in the press about the nature of the MoU it signed with Ministry of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China. In a release a short while ago, the ministry said the MOU deals specifically with hygiene, sanitation and
Karl Samuda certification matters to allow for cooperation between Jamaica and China on sanitary and phytosanitary issues in order to permit the export of Jamaican live lobsters to China. It emphasised that it does not allow Chinese vessels or fishers to fish in Jamaican waters. Members of the local fishing industry have
repeatedly appealed to the Government of Jamaica for assistance in accessing diverse markets, including China, for the export of their fishery products, the ministry contended. It said the Government has been working closely with the Chinese government to allow for easier access of Jamaican live lobsters into the Chinese market. “The signing of this MOU, paves the way for duly licenced Jamaican fishery processing establishments to be able to export live lobsters to China.” The ministry said its decision to assist fishermen with accessing this new market was taken with careful consideration for the sustainable management of the nation’s fisheries. (Jamaica Observer)
Venezuelan anti-Maduro governor sacked, opposition in chaos
Juan Pablo Guanipa (C), elected governor of Zulia state, attends a rally with supporters in Maracaibo, Venezuela Tuesday. REUTERS/Isaac Urrutia/File Photo MARACAIBO, Venezuela (Reuters) - The newly-elected opposition governor of Venezuela’s western Zulia state was dismissed yesterday by the pro-government local state legislature, adding to disarray among foes of the ruling socialists. The sacking of Juan Pablo Guanipa, one of five opposition governors in Venezuela’s 23 states, came after he refused to swear loyalty to an all-powerful national legislative superbody aligned with President Nicolas Maduro’s ruling socialists. “They held a secret, express session to remove
him,” Guanipa’s spokeswoman Erika Gutierrez told Reuters of yesterday morning meeting of Zulia’s state legislature. Venezuela’s opposition Democratic Unity coalition, which groups several dozen anti-Maduro parties, has been in crisis since a surprise defeat at this month’s state elections. Despite polls showing it would win a comfortable majority due to widespread public anger over Venezuela’s brutal economic crisis, the opposition only took five states compared to 18 for Maduro’s Socialist Party candidates. Opposition leaders
blamed dirty tricks by the government, including the last-minute moving of many vote centers in opposition areas, along with abstention by supporters disillusioned at the failure of protests earlier this year. Driving home its advantage, the government said only governors who recognize the supremacy of the pro-Maduro Constituent Assembly could take office. Four opposition governors did that this w e e k , s p a r k i n g recriminations and bickering within the coalition, but Guanipa said he would never “kneel before the dictatorship.”
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GTU threatens twoday strike next week ... following “unfavourable” meeting with Ministry A meeting with the Ministry of Education ended on a sour note, yesterday. The Guyana Teachers Union [GTU] has announced that it will engage an initial bout of strike action next week. Strike action, according to GTU President Mark Lyte, will be held on Thursday and Friday. “That communiqué will be passed out to the teachers,” the GTU President informed. Yesterday’s meeting, according to him, was convened at the behest of the Ministry of Education. He revealed that following reports of plans by the GTU to agitate public school teachers to strike [since the Ministry has failed to complete negotiations for a multi-year remuneration package, among other pressing issues,] a request was made by the Ministry’s public relations officials for the union to meet with Ministry officials to resolve all concerns. But the meeting came to a rapid end yesterday. According to reports minutes after it started the meeting ended with union members walking out firm in their belief that the union’s concerns, primarily those of a financial nature, were not being immediately addressed. Lyte intimated that the first ‘turn off’ for the union was when chairperson of the meeting, Minister Nicolette Henry, in her opening remarks, suggested that the meeting was being held because it was requested by the GTU. Lyte, however reiterated that “the Ministry’s PR individuals came till to the [Woolford Avenue] office of the union and requested the meeting for us to resolve this matter. We attended in good faith only to hear that the Minister seemingly was unprepared for the meeting.”
Those representing the Ministry yesterday were Minister Henry; Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson and other senior education officials. On the Union side were Lyte, General Secretary, Coretta McDonald; Field Officer; Lancelot Baptiste A.A., among others. Speaking from the lawns of the 26 Brickdam, Georgetown Ministry of Education office where the union members congregated after the ‘walk-out’, Lyte said that from all indication, “the Minister was unprepared to deal with the most important issue that we had on the agenda which had to do with the financial matters on the proposal.” Lyte was at the time referring to the unions multiyear proposal which was submitted to the Ministry since December 2015 when a previous multi-year agreement came to an end. There were several sessions of negotiations which started in 2016 but to date the Ministry has not signed off on the entire proposal. “We had gone past the non-financial matters and those were sorted out with the former Permanent Secretary, Ms. Delma Nedd, but the financial matter seems to be the issue for them,” Lyte underscored. In its proposal, the union asked for, among other things, a 40 percent across the board increase for teachers for last year; 45 percent increase for this year and 50 percent for the following three years (20182020) for all categories of teachers. The union in its proposal, too, took into consideration inflation and had made it clear that “should there be inflation higher than the percentage agreed upon, then the teachers/teachereducators must get the
Minister of Education, Minister Nicolette Henry benefit of the difference.” But Lyte had confided that since the union was only making a proposal, the Ministry was well within its right to offer completely different percentages. Coming out from yesterday’s meeting, Lyte said that the Minister merely advised the union that teachers will benefit from the recently announced pay increase as other public servants. “This seems to be another imposition and the union will not accept this,” said Lyte. M i r r o r i n g Ly t e ’s comments yesterday was McDonald who observed that the Education Minister’s disclosure had in fact contradicted statements made by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon. “We saw in a newspaper article the Minister of State is quoted as stating GTU’s proposal is separate and apart from the GPSU because we have a multiyear agreement and our business is going to be dealt with later on,” McDonald emphasised. “We said will give the Minister up to Thursday to decide on something,” said McDonald. Vocalising her concern about the stance taken by the union, Henry said, “I have to say, for me it was quite sobering to see persons who have a responsibility to advocate and represent persons under their charge and they missed an opportunity to do that.”
GTU members after walking out of yesterday’s meeting.
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Friday October 27, 2017
Kaieteur News
Hamilton wants to seal title with a...
(From page 36) so, such is his advantage. The 32-year-old is in the form of his life, winning five of the last six races to build up a 66-point advantage over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel with three rounds remaining.
“I plan to win. I‘m not here for anything else but number one,” Hamilton told a news conference in Mexico City on Wednesday evening. “I was just thinking about it as I was walking in here. It is true that I only
need to finish fifth. But I thought, I think to myself, ‘How would I feel if I was to finish fifth and win the world championship?’ It wouldn’t feel great.” Hamilton actually felt pretty good the last time
Swiss great Hingis announces... (From page 34) injuries after picking up all five of her singles crowns as a teenager, comprising three Australian Opens, as well as lone Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles from 1997-99. The Swiss returned to the tour in 2006 and although she found more success in doubles than singles, she retired for a second time a year later after being handed a twoyear ban for testing positive for cocaine. The right-hander returned to the sport for a third time in 2013 and has enjoyed another successful spell of doubles tennis in the latest comeback, winning four women’s and six mixed grand slam titles from 2015-17.
ALWAYS CONNECTED Hingis and Chan opened their WTA Finals campaign with a 6-3 6-2 quarter-final victory over German-Czech duo Anna-Lena Gronefeld and Kveta Peschke, following which the Swiss elaborated on the decision to end her playing career. “I’ll be always part of the game of tennis. Somehow we will be connected. I will definitely take some time out. I have done coaching before. I can help my mom, her tennis school. I will be connected,” she said. “I am really looking forward to the things and challenges which will be ahead of me, but I think I also deserve some time away from the
game, although I‘m not going to walk away. I will be always part and this will always be part of my life. “I‘m definitely not going to miss that day-in, day-out grind, practicing, waking up. Maybe I will miss it after a while but in a different way. And the traveling, it’s also one thing at the start I definitely won’t miss anymore.” The Swiss also spent 209 weeks as world number one and has won the season-ending WTA Finals twice in singles, three times in doubles and claimed a 2016 Olympic silver medal in women’s doubles with compatriot Timea Bacsinszky. “Well, I think now it’s definite,” she added. “So it’s different, because before I was, like, okay, I walked away, thinking I might come back, and if I didn‘t, so that was it. “So it’s a different way now and I think it’s the right thing to do this time around.”
Excited White Ferns... (From page 33) executive David White said the upcoming tour would also help create the platform for the next Women’s World Cup set to be staged here. “It’s widely acknowledged that the standard of women’s cricket is the best it’s ever been and so we’re thrilled to be able to showcase our elite women’s players competing on the world stage in our own backyard,” he said. “With the Women’s World Cup here in New Zealand in 2021, it’s important we start building the momentum behind Suzie Bates and the team.” The first two ODIs will be played at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval on March 4 and 8, with the final match set for Hagley Oval three days later. Meanwhile, Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui will host the two opening T20s on March 14 and 16 while Pukekura Park in New Plymouth will be the stage for the third and fourth games on March 20 and 22. The final match is set for Seddon Park in Hamilton on March 25.
that happened, albeit in different circumstances. He won his first championship with McLaren in 2008 by the skin of his teeth after finishing fifth in the last race of the season in Brazil with an overtake on the last corner of the final lap. The circumstances are very different now, with the Briton sure to lead all the way to the final race in Abu Dhabi next month even if he does not score in Mexico or Brazil. Mexico is his second
chance to wrap up the title after the mathematical possibility first arose in Texas last weekend. Vettel finished second in that race, staving off the seemingly inevitable for one more week at least. “I want to be on the top of the podium. You want to be up there... as a racing driver, you constantly want to show your performance and your strength and you never want that to waiver,” Hamilton said. “So, that’s my goal this weekend. “It’s going to be diffi-
cult I think... a lot closer between Red Bull and Ferrari and us. But I love that. And so I‘m hoping that if I‘m able to drive like I did in the last race, last week, I think it could be a good weekend.” “I‘m very, very proud to raise the British flag every time I‘m on the podium. And to be up there with the greats, now potentially one step ahead of the greats in the U.K... it’s beyond my dreams and beyond my family’s wildest dreams.”
Friday October 27 , 2017 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Raise your self esteem and your confidence if you want to get back into the mainstream again. Jealous attitudes may lead you astray. You should consider getting into self improvement endeavors. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Enjoy the company of relatives today. Put your plans into motion by presenting your intentions to those who should be able to give you financial support. Get help to finish a project if you need it. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Don't get so wrapped up in being rich that you overlook the fact that your plan may not be as solid as you thought. You will have the getup and go to contribute a great deal to groups of interest. Opportunities for romance will develop through activities with large groups. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Avoid any over indulgences. Make the necessary changes that will enable you to advance financially. Get involved in sports groups or hobbies that attract you. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Look at your options before making commitments that could jeopardize your financial position. Emotional up and downs have caused doubts in your personal life. Residential moves are evident. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Put your time and energy into home improvement. Try not to be so demonstrative. Look into projects
that you feel would contribute something to your appearance. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Make some notes regarding the changes that you should make. Implement your ideas into your projects at work. Opportunities for partnerships are present; but get every detail in writing. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You can make a big difference to children if you are understanding of the difficulties they are experiencing. Eliminate situations that are no longer to your advantage. Be sure not to burn any bridges. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You will be able to borrow money in order to invest. Hobbies will be good for your emotional well being. Your tendency to overreact could get you into trouble. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The locks, stove, gas, or electric wires may not be secure. You can make gains if you look at long-term investments. Get out and rub shoulders with people in high positions if possible. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Stop telling others about your problems. You will do well if you mingle with the brass today. You will be in an overly generous mood today. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) You may want to clear the air where older relatives are concerned. Sign up for seminars that will expand your business awareness. Money may slip through your fingers.
Kaieteur News
Friday October 27, 2017
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Excited White Ferns anticipating Windies series CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, CMC – New Zealand Cricket are anxiously anticipating the arrival of West Indies Women, with preparations
already underway for the one-day and Twenty20 series starting next March. The White Ferns host the Caribbean side in three ICC Women’s Championship
matches from March 4-11 before clashing again with the tourists in five T20 Internationals from March 14-25. New Zealand Women
head coach, Haidee Tiffen, said the presence of the r e i g n i n g T 2 0 Wo r l d champions would be a massive boost. “If we want to keep up with the elite sides internationally, we have to be playing top cricket on a regular basis and in different conditions,” Tiffen said. “The West Indies will provide a stern challenge across both formats. They a r e n ’t t h e w o r l d T 2 0
champions for no reason. They’ve got plenty of power and have match-winners throughout their line-up. “There’s plenty of new ground being broken in women’s cricket in this country. It’s an exciting time to be involved.” Like West Indies, New Zealand were one four sides gaining direct qualification for the 50-overs World Cup in England last July, but finished fifth in the
preliminary round to miss out on the semi-finals. They thrashed West Indies by eight wickets in their group stage contest at Taunton. Windies Women’s last tour New Zealand three years ago was a disastrous one as they lost every international – swept 3-0 in the ODI series and 4-0 in the five-match T20 series. NZ cricket chief (Continued on page 32)
White Tiger Martial Arts Academy hosts Taekwondo exams
GSCL Inc Prime Minister’s T20 Cup bowls off today Banks DIH onboard The inaugural Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc (GSCL Inc) P r i m e M i n i s t e r ’s C u p commences today at several venues in Georgetown with several overseas and local teams battling for supremacy. The tournament is being played in two categories; All stars (Open) and Masters with the winning teams in the All stars segment taking home a trophy and $600,000 and the runner up a trophy and $100,000, while the victors in the Masters (0-45) division will pocket a trophy and $500,000 and the runner up a trophy and $100,000. Medals will also be given members of the winning teams. Local powerhouses Regal All stars and Speedboat will look to keep the Golden Arrow head aloft in the All stars division in which 12 teams are set to do battle. The other teams listed are Dutch 4 Warriors, Success All stars, Spartan All stars, Hillfoot Warriors, SVC All stars (New York), Queen’s All Stars (New York), De Hoop All stars, Ross Kill Stars, Farm All
stars and Boots All stars. Regal Masters, Amazon Masters, New York Hustlers, Enterprise Masters, HS Masters and Tropical Spring Masters are the teams that will vie for supremacy in the Masters segment. Individual awards in both categories will be given for five wicket-hauls, centuries scored, Hat-tricks, man-ofthe-match in the finals and the MVP. The four teams with the highest points will go through to the semi finals. Preliminary matches will continue on Saturday with Everest, YMCA, DCC, Malteenoes SC and GNIC SC being the venues. The semi finals will be played on Saturday from 13:00hrs at DCC, MSC, YMCA and Everest, while the finals will be contested on Sunday; the Masters final will commence at 10:30hrs and the All stars will bowl off at 14:00hrs at Everest CC. The tournament is being held in collaboration the National Sports Commission (NSC). Lighted bails will be used in the finals, while added entertainment will be provided by Crossover band
and cheerleaders. There will also be lots of giveaways for the fans. Banks DIH yesterday announced their partnership with GSCL Inc, and Banks Beer Brand manager Raul Nedd handed over the trophies to GSCL Inc president Ian John at GNIC SC where several teams winded down their preparations. The competition is being sponsored by Banks DIH, Hero Motorcycles, Regal Stationery and Computer, Regal Sports, C. Mohan General Contracting Inc., Crown Mining Supplies, Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, Ink Plus, Industrial Sullpies and Services, P and P Insurance Brokers and Consultants Ltd., Starr Party Rentals, Pyeo General Store, Clear Waters, Chungs Global E n t e r p r i s e , G a f s o n ’s Industries Ltd., WJ Enterprise, Lucky Star, Ryan and Reuben General StoreBartica, Massy industries, Guysons Engineering, Dino Enterprise- Bartica, Scott Service Station- Bartica, Swiss Machinery Establishment, Fly Jamaica Airways, Express International, Office of the Prime Minister and Jap Restoration Inc of New York.
The White Tiger Martial Arts Academy hosted its first Ta e k w o n d o g r a d i n g examinations on October 15th last at the New Amsterdam Town Hall. Ten students took part in the examination and on October 20th a graduation ceremony was held to honor the 10 students who passed the exams averaging over 60% with the highest at 80%. The exams were based on both written and practical. Student who gained marks between 60% and 70 % were promoted to yellow tip and those who gained 70% and above, to yellow belt in keeping with the system of martial arts practice in taekwondo which a Korean form. Founder and senior instructor of the White Tiger Martial Arts Academy is Master Marcello Small. Students also received awards for most punctual, most discipline and first place in both Tiny Tigers and Young Tigers. Tiny Tigers are from age
4-8, which includes Andrew Layne, Amaru Moseley, Malachi Sinclair and Aiden Kirton with Andrew Layne gaining first place. Aiden Kirotn was the most discipline student and Amaru Moseley most punctual in the term ending October 13th 2017. The Young Tigers are: Ty r e s e H a l l , J o s h u a Hamilton, Ryan Burgess, Adrian LaRose, Anthony LaRose and Nathan Sankar with Tyrese Hall in first
The successful students of the White Tiger Martial Arts Academy display their certificates following the graduation programme.
place, Anthony LaRose the Most disciplined and Joshua Hamilton Most punctual student for the term. The WTMAA will be staging a tournament on November 26, while a picnic and training programme is scheduled before that on November 12. A Christmas party, exhibition in front of Banks DIH New Amsterdam and a feeding programme in December are also part of their programme of activities for the remainder of this year.
Kaieteur News
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Guyana Open 2017 The 2017 Guyana Open Golf Cup is set to be one of the biggest editions yet with stiff competition from players representing nine (9) countries with some travelling as far as Fiji. The tournament themed “Who’s got the ‘balls’ to win” was officially launched yesterday at the Guyana Marriot hotel and the Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Youth, Sports and Culture, Dr. George Norton, was present at the ceremony, along with sponsors, golf officials and local top players. The tournament will be held at Guyana’s lone golf course at Lusignan on the East Coast of Demerara over two days on the 4th and 5th of November and Social Cohesion Minister expressed satisfaction with the works of the Club. “I would like to commend the Lusignan Golf Club for sustaining this tournament for so many years which certainly could’ve only been done with hard work and determination and now with so many countries gracing
Guyana Premier Golf Tournament launched
From front left, Minister George Norton, Lusignan Golf Club head Hilbert Shields and Ganesh Auto Parts owner Chatram Persaud flanked by some of Guyana’s top golfers at the back. our shores for this tournament this is another great opportunity to
capitalize on sports tourism,” stated Norton who is an Optometrist.
In addition, the Lusignan Golf Club will be hosting a putting competition which
Inter-Guiana Games
Guyana Tennis Association launches Cup of Guianas The Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) last evening launched the inaugural Cup of the Guianas, Inter-Guiana Games, under-18 competition at the GBTI tennis courts in Bel Air Park. Three nations namely hosts Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname will be clashing in three (3) age categories, Under-18, 12, and 14 to claim the coveted Guianas Cup Trophy. At the simple but significant ceremony, head of the National Sports Commission, Christopher Jones, stated that his office along with the department of Culture, Youth and Sports are always willing to lend assistance to hardworking associations such as the GTA and he expressed confidence in a successfully run tournament. “I know that it’s a competitive tournament but I believe that all the participants are winners and 50 years on its heartwarming to see the Inter-Guiana Solidarity
Friday October 27, 2017
will see participation from secondary schools and tertiary intuitions as part of
an initiative to raise golf awareness in Guyana. Some of the schools that will be participating include Queen’s College, Bishops’ High and St. Rose’s High School. “This initiative is good since I believe that sports need to begin at the school level, regardless of the discipline,” Dr. Norton added in support of the motion. Head of the Lusignan Golf Club, Hilbert Shields, stated that Golf is not an elitist sport and that a few of the current top golfers in Guyana were once Caddies. He further stated that, “Most tournaments held during the year are members only but the Open tournament affords the opportunity for anyone to participate. This year there will be Guests from Suriname, Caribbean, USA and Canada.” Ganesh Auto Parts through their Bridgestone brand have signed on as one of the major sponsors of the tournament. It’s an honour to be part of this tournament. We welcome all of overseas guests.
Swiss great Hingis announces retirement
Hingis won this year’s Wimbledon and US Open mixed doubles with Jamie Murray. (Getty Images)
DOS Chris Jones hitting the first serve to declare the tournament open last evening.
Games which was the brainchild of former president Forbes Burnham still being competed,” Jones stated at the opening. Head of the GTA Jamal Goodluck thanked all the
teams for their participation with special mention to the sponsors that included the NSC, GBTI, BANKS DIH, the Guyana Olympic Association and Assuria among others for their
continued support. Matches will commence from today at 8:30hrs at the GBTI and Harry Panday tennis courts in Bel Air, with Sunday being the day of the finals.
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Swiss great Martina Hingis has announced she will retire from tennis at the end of this week’s WTA Finals, where the 37-year-old multiple grand slam champion is playing in the doubles tournament alongside Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan. “Looking back now, it’s hard to believe that almost exactly 23 years ago I made my professional debut,” Hingis said on Facebook yesterday. “The years that followed have been some of the most rewarding years of my life,
both personally and professionally, but I believe the time has come for me to retire, which I will be doing after my last match here in Singapore.” The retirement will be Hingis’s third in a long and illustrious career during which she claimed 25 grand slam titles since her WTA Tour debut in 1994, five in singles, seven in mixed doubles and 13 in women’s doubles. Hingis first decided to end her career as a 22-yearold in 2003 due to persistent (Continued on page 32)
Kaieteur News
Friday October 27, 2017
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CWI/ Digicel Regional 4-Day C/Ships
Fifties from Bramble & Hemraj lead Jaguars’ recovery By Sean Devers An 83-run seventh wicket stand between Anthony Bramble (62) and Sherfane Rutherford (45) spearheaded a Guyana Jaguars recovery to see them to 258-8 against Jamaica Scorpions when day one of their CWI/ Digicel Regional Four-Day encounter ended at Providence yesterday under lights. The 26-year-old Bramble, reached the boundary six times, faced 122 balls and batted for 165 minutes in his aggressive innings, while Rutherford made a consorted effort to temper his aggression; stroking six fours in his 105-ball and 150-minute innings after he joined Bramble with the hosts in a hole on 150-6. Chanderpaul Hemraj, the 24-year-old left-hander hit seven fours and a six in his 60 from 101 balls and 179 minutes, while Rajendra Chandrika who made 25 with four boundaries and Skipper Leon Johnson, whose 20 contained four fours, were the other batsmen to reach 20. Debutant off-spinner Damani Sewell captured 369, pacer Derval Green had 2-60 and left-arm Chinaman bowler Dennis Bulli, who left the field after bowling 17.4 overs with a shoulder injury, took 2-51. Scorpions asked Jaguars to bat on a track which offered plenty of bounce and turn for the spinners in overcast conditions and a gathering of less than 20 fans watched as Chandrika and Tagenarine Chanderpaul laboured to 38. Chandrika, who played five Tests, cover-drove Green for a couple of boundaries in the same over, while Chanderpaul tucked Green off his hips for rare boundary before Chandrika edged Derval Green to debutant Wicket-Keeper Romaine Morris after batting for 79 minutes. Hemraj joined the sedate Chanderpaul and hit Bulli, who confused all the batsmen with his both ways turn, over mid-off’s head and past mid-on for boundaries and together they took the score to 51 before Chanderpaul, who struggled the get the ball away and took 111 minutes for his 14, edged Bulli to slip.
Trevon Griffith watches as Anthony Bramble pulls during his 62 yesterday. (Sean Devers photo)
Chanderpaul Hemraj plays to silly point during his 60 at Providence yesterday. (Sean Devers photo) At Lunch the Jaguars were 65-2 from 28 overs with Hemraj unbeaten on 22 and Johnson on 2. After the interval, Hemraj and his skipper took the score to 96 before Johnson was bowled with a quicker ball to give Sewell his first wicket at this level and five runs later Bhaskar Ya d r a m , w h o s e e m e d befuddled by the spin, reached for a drive and was bowled through the ‘gate’ for a duck by Bulli, who extracted tremendous bounce and turned his ‘Chinamans’ square. Hemraj pulled Bulli for four to reach his third FirstClass fifty from 89 balls, 126 minutes with six fours and a six but he soon pushed forward to one that bounced from Sewell to be caught at
silly mid-off and leave Jaguars on 135-5. When Kemo Paul, who hit the first ball for six off Sewell, hung his bat at one which left him from Green and was caught behind for 12, the three-times defending Champions were in trouble on 150-6 and it seemed that Jamaica would bat yesterday. From a position of 151-6 a t Te a , B r a m b l e a n d Rutherford, who battled r e s p o n s i b l y, s t a g e d ‘operation rebuild’ with their crucial partnership which resurrected the innings. Bramble hammered Green for three boundaries in t h e s a m e o v e r, w h i l e Rutherford smashed left-arm spinner Fabien Allen like a bullet over the slow outfield due to overnight rain.
When Morris left the field for ‘comfort break’ Guyanese Trevon Griffith was handed the gloves. Bramble then pulled a long hop behind square for four and Bulli left the field with a shoulder problem and his over had to be completed by Guyanese Assad Fudadin making his First-Class debut for Jamaica. When well set for a maiden ton, Bramble lost concentration and threw his wicket away when he recklessly skied Jason Dawes to Fudadin at mid-off at 233-7. Rutherford was bowled just before the close with another quicker ball from Sewell to leave the score on 2518 but Romario Shepherd (17) and Veerasammy
Permaul (0) saw Jaguars to the close hoping to reach at least 300 before
unleashing their spinners on the team from Reggae Country.
Bhaskar Yadram is bowled by Dennis Bulli. (Sean Devers photo)
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Friday October 27, 2017
Final four showdown in 6th Brushce’s Classic tonight at MSC hard court Gt’s Ravens face Colts, Linden’s Royals collide with Jets It’s down to the final four and after tonight’s battles only two will be standing for the first prize of $300,000 when the Sixth Brusche’s Classic Biennial Basketball Championship staged by the Brusche Basketball Foundation takes place at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court. Ravens the former undisputed Champions will face the current Georgetown and National Champions Colts as they face off for what should be a gripping affair. The Ravens reportedly failed to contest the last Georgetown League
championship after some concerns and finished outside the top ranking which was taken by the Colts as number one. However, despite that, Ravens have shown some mettle going into this game and with Ryan Stephney looking in awesome form with Travis Burnett and such names like Jermain Skater Dominic Vincent, Ryan Gullen and the high rising Tyrone Hamid, one can bet that Ravens will be there to topple the Colts. But the Colts, who will once again showcase their full repertoire tonight, even without Stanton Rose, were
Hamilton wants to seal title with a win MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton says he wants to secure his fourth Formula One title by winning Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix, rather than finishing fifth. The Mercedes driver is on the brink of becoming Britain’s first four-times world champion, one more than Jackie Stewart, and needs only a fifth place to do (Continued on page 32)
Adrian Webster of Jets able to knock out the challenge of Plaisance Guardians, the second rated club in Georgetown. Colts will most likely have Stanton Rose available as they may need him this time around, but with
Ryan Stephney captain Shelroy Thomas in good form and Dennis Niles coming into his own in the last game, along with centre Shane Webster plying his trade down below and Timothy Thompson getting in there, Colts will want to
Lewis Hamilton won the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix and could clinch his fourth drivers’ world title there in 2017. (Getty Images)
Dennis Niles of Colts make a statement also. Following this will be the match between the hottest team in Linden and the one that has been unbeaten in the last Linden tournament, Victory Valley Royals, who must be confident facing Amelia’s Ward Jets. They will come knowing that they did eliminate Retrieve Raiders without Orlando Glasgow who is one of their best players. If they take on Jets they will put some amount of onus on Harold Adams and captain Chris Williams to shoulder the scoring load along with Trevor Profitt, but must seek help from the young Yannick Tappin and Alwyn Rodney who played well in his return game in the opening of this tournament. But the Jets would relish beating Royals and will have the confidence as they seek
Chris Williams of Royals to retain this crown they won in 2015 for the first time. As the defending champions they will want allround player Akeem Kanhai quarterback their defence and directing the plays with guard Orin Rose still among the best shooting from outside. They also have the promising Adrian Webster playing tough inside and his brother Joel in the midst the Jets side could prevail once they play within their limits. However, the defending champions will have to be up to their game should they prevail against this current Riyals side. The losing finalist gets $200,000 and the third place finisher will also get cash amounting to $100,000, while several trophies and replicas are on offer also.
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PNCR 60th Anniversary Day of Sports / Family Fun Day
Futsal teams eager to thrill Linden on Sunday -other disciplines promise to be similarly exciting The selection of teams desirous of participating in S u n d a y ’s P N C R 6 0 t h Anniversary Day of Sports / Family Fun Day is becoming increasingly difficult for Coordinator of the futsal segment Wayne ‘Harry’ Griffith. According to Griffith, who spoke with the event co-ordinators yesterday, more and more teams are calling him begging to be part of the day’s activity and the overwhelming response is creating headache for him since he can only accommodate a certain number because of the oneday nature of the celebration. “I’ve had representatives from at least fifteen teams contact me via telephone asking that they be part of the tournament and it is proving a difficult task for me to tell them no, but because we are only playing for one day I’ve had to refuse some of them,” Griffith stated. The most popular referee
in the futsal format informed that originally he has selected eight teams each from Georgetown and Linden, but has had to increase that number to accommodate three more teams from the respective communities to make it a total of twenty-two teams that will vie for top honours throughout the day. G r i ff i t h s a i d Georgetown’s composition will include Sparta Boss, who is undoubtedly the most popular team in the shorter format, while the new kids on the block Future Stars are also included in the lineup. The other teams invited are Leopold Street, Tiger Bay, Albouystown ‘A’, Back Circle, West Front Road ‘Gold is Money’, Bent Street, Hustlers, OL Skool Ballers, and Broad Street. They will join Linden’s Silver Bullets, High Rollers, Swag Entertainment, Plantain & Cheese All Stars,
The Futsal action promises to be intense in Linden this weekend. Magics, Team 25, Blue Berry Hill, Mike’s Stars and Amelia’s Ward Russians. Meanwhile, a similar sort of buzz is permeating the dominoes, athletics and basketball disciplines. The dominoes fraternity is challenging the futsal
group to see which discipline will provide more support for the day’s activity and according to the event’s organisers it is too close to call. The caretakers of the sport promise to have teams from all across the country
compete in the competition so it is clear that the community of Linden will be flooded by Guyanese from every Region. The Organisers are reminding all participants who will be using the transportation provided that
buses are scheduled to depart the Square of the Revolution at 07:30 hrs so teams and representatives will have to be at the location 30 minutes before departure time to cater for a prompt 10:00 hrs start in Linden.
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Kaieteur News
Friday October 27, 2017
Highway United on the go against Herstelling Raiders FC at the Grove Playfield on Sunday last.
GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power U-17 League – EDFA
Grove closer to formalising championship honours; Highway Utd & Mocha win Grove Hi Tech is a single match away from securing the inaugural East Bank Football Association (EBFA), GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17 Intra Association League. In their penultimate match of the league, the yet to be defeated Grove side trounced Kuru Kururu Warriors on Sunday last at the Grove Playfield. In the other two matches, Highway United, formerly Circuitville Jaguars, defeated Herstelling Raiders 3-0, while Mocha Champs gained a walk over from Agricola Red Triangle. The win for Grove was their 15th successive win of the league and they are one away from finishing with an unblemished record and have only been scored upon three times, once this round and twice in the first round. Kashif Tinnee led his side with two goals which set the perfect cushion by the end of the first half. Tinnee was on target in the 8th and 19th minutes. The Warriors with three wins, two losses and a draw so far couldn’t keep the home team from
entering their defensive third as two more goals were scored in the second half. National defender Kevin Padmore added his name yet again to the score sheet in the 66th minute, his second goal of this round and 7th overall, while the final goal came off the boot of Orwin Hunter in the 77th minute. Recording their third win in their debut year as an affiliate of the EBFA, Highway United made it two out of two against Herstelling Raiders with a 31 triumph to follow on their 3-1 win in the First Round. Ishmael Pulsuran found the back of the net in the 21st minute from the penalty spot, beating Herstelling’s goalkeeper, Nikita Winter to her right. Winter, who has been playing from pee wee level, brought off some fine saves but was not able to keep the busy Yarrowkabra boys at bay, altogether. Tyrone David doubled the advantage in the 24th minute with Junior Williams sealing the deal in the 60th minute. No matches would be played this Sunday due to the ground being used for the Grove Village Day activities.
Friday October 27, 2017
Kaieteur News
The GDF contingent waiting to do their medical and weigh-in at the Gymnasium.
National intermediate Boxing Championships
Weigh-in completed, Fights punch off tonight at Gymnasium The Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate Championships begins this evening from 6:00pm at the National Gymnasium following a successful weigh in process last evening at the host venue. The Savannah Boxing Gym (SBG) fighters James Anderson and Ravine Fraser expressed excitement to get into the ring after successfully passing their medical and weigh-in, while the large contingent of the boisterous Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Gym, which is the defending champion, made their presence well known at the Mandela Avenue location. Along with the SBG, reigning champions GDF will come against Young Achievers’, Forgotten Youth Foundation, Guyana Police Force, Harpy Eagles, Vergenoegen Boxing Gym (Formerly Essequibo), Pocket Rocket Boxing Gym, Rose Hall Jammers and the Republican Boxing Gym in a bid to retain their title. The National Intermediate will run from today to Sunday at the National Gymnasium. Tournament co-coordinator, Terrence Poole, who is also the head coach of GDF, related to Kaieteur Sport that although he is confident in his Gym doing well, he is not underestimating any of the opposition especially the newcomers from the SBG who he is yet to see in action. This amateur boxing event will have 12 bouts each night in the Youth, Elite and Female categories and admission to the venue is an easy $500 on each night. Some of the top fighters that will be on show include GDF’s Akimo Watts (Junior Flyweight Champion), Kevin Moore (Bantamweight Champion), Okimey Baker (Middleweight Champion) and Jirl Peters (Light Heavyweight) champion.
Savannah boxing Gym fighter, James Anderson (left) and Ravine Fraser.
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t r o Sp
GSCL Inc Prime Minister’s T20 Cup bowls off today Banks DIH onboard
President of GSCL Inc Ian John (right) accepts one of the trophies from Banks Beer Brand Manager Raul Nedd in the presence of members of participating teams.
Inter-Guiana Games
Guyana Tennis Association launches Cup of Guianas
The teams stand for a group photo following the opening ceremony last evening at the GBTI courts.
National intermediate Boxing Championships CWI/ Digicel Regional 4-Day C/Ships
Weigh-in completed, Fights Fifties from Bramble & punch off tonight at Gymnasium Hemraj lead Jaguars’ recovery Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Limited, 24 Saffon St.Charlestown, Georgetown.Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/ 226-8210