Kaieteur News
PAGE 04
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
STANDING THEIR GROUND
U
nlike previous years, this year has not been a smooth start to the new school year for students, as hundreds of teachers throughout the country took to the streets in protest against the government’s refusal to grant them salary increases and non-salaried benefits. It is the first time in a long time that students could not begin the new school year on time. It is the most uncomfortable feeling for tens of thousands of students across the country, especially beginners in their new environment and those entering new classes not to have teachers greet and welcome them to their classes. In the past, there was always the usual litany of complaints and problems with schools not being ready, or teachers being absent at the start of the school year. Unfortunately, this has not been the case this year due to the teachers’ strike. Several weeks ago negotiations between the government and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) reached an impasse, and the GTU had painstakingly warned the government that its members would strike at the beginning of the new school year. This government which has always been very slow to act and has been ill-advised on many issues did not take the warning seriously. Its refusal to heed the Union’s warnings stem from its intransigence to respect teachers and to acknowledge that teachers have been without a contract since 2015, during which time, the cost of living had increased significantly. With less than a week before the commencement of the new school year, the government realised that the union was serious about strike action and asked the Ministry of Social Protection which is responsible for the department of Labour and Industrial Relations to intervene with conciliation. But the President of the GTU, Mark Lyte has insisted that the Union has absolutely no confidence in the Ministry of Social Protection to mediate the dispute in an impartial manner, because the Chief Labour Officer and the Ministry have, in the union’s opinion, compromised their positions by clearly being on the side of the Education ministry. As reported in this newspaper, a majority of teachers are on strike, causing school disruptions all across the country. In some communities, parents and children have joined with teachers on the picket line to protest against the government’s inaction. In New Amsterdam, hundreds of teachers held placards prominently citing their disillusionment with the way the government has treated them over the years. Many vociferously chanted” No retreat, no surrender” through the streets. As teachers picketed the Education Department in Linden, they have unanimously agreed to strike until their demands for an increase in salaries are met. According to Former Member of Parliament and teacher, Vanessa Kissoon, during the 2015 election campaign, the government had promised to increase the salaries of teachers significantly, but after three years in office, it has not done so as yet. Throughout the country, the spirit of the teachers are upbeat and their unwavering support for the strike clearly shows they are in it for the long haul. Whereas, plans by the Ministry of Education to have trainee and retired teachers replaced the striking teachers seemed to have failed because the few trainee-teachers who showed-up at the schools were not pleased to substitute for the striking teachers. Others have expressed the view that it is unfair and that they are being used as pawns against the striking teachers who are fighting for progress and development in the education system.The retired teachers whom the government attempted to recruit to replace those on strike have refused because they did not want to interfere with the strike. But even if the government’s plan had worked, many parents had decided to keep their children at home in support of the teachers. The few students who turned up for school were sent home, as most teachers were on strike. However, the government attempts to use substitute teachers is disgraceful and disrespectful to the teachers who are prepared to stand their ground.
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.
Teachers are encouraged to lend full support to the GTU DEAR EDITOR, Sasenarine Singh (SN 03/09/18) adds his name to the list of social commentators, the most recent being GHK Lall, who unabashedly try to undermine the efforts of the GTU in securing increased salaries and other welfare benefits for teachers. These individuals, who often extend their knowledge and experience to provide justifiable criticism of our administration, by offering a r b i t r a r y, g e n e r a l l y unsubstantiated percentages which go nowhere in helping the cause of teachers, are adding to the prevailing gossip and conjecture on the subject, and inadvertently overstep the limits of their
qualifications. Teachers and their union should by now realize that Granger and his administration had no intention of addressing their concerns from the beginning, until forced to do so, at the risk of increased hardships for teachers as they proceed on strike for what is now owed to them.We have been going to great lengths to shed light on resolving teachers’ concerns. We maintain that discussions should focus on determining a living wage, versus the appropriateness of arbitrary percentages which attempt to reflect what government can ‘afford’. Wages and salaries of teachers are an important and necessary cost of
government expenditure, and the true value of this item must be determined and funded. At this point in time also, they are a social priority, and this should be reflected in government policy.Singh’s proposition, and his assertion that the GTU would accept same, we consider presumptuous, and disrespectful to both the union and teachers. Using a monthly salary of $60,000 as a proxy for that of a junior teacher in 2016, Singh is proposing that $69,000 as acceptable. This compares with our proposal of $146,000/mth, which we have demonstrated using generalized estimates of fixed household expenses, is yet still inadequate to meet
the financial commitments of teachers and workers in general.This analysis is applied to the full range of the GTU’s initial proposal in the adjoining table. We reiterate our unreserved support for the union’s proposals (excluding miscellaneous items for now), and we encourage all teachers to throw their full support behind the Union’s effort at this important time of their negotiations. While the revised salary amounts might initially appear large, they continue to be wholly insufficient until around 2020, when the gross salary has reached $200,000, as demonstrated in the lower section of the table. (Continued on page 6)
Give our teachers what they deserve DEAR EDITOR, With much interest, I have been following the discussions on the ‘negotiation process’ between the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union [GTU] on the ‘Teachers’ Multi-Year Agreement Package for 2016-2020'. A high level committee, consisting of government and union representatives, was established, to fast-track the negotiation process. This negotiation process lasted from November 2017 through April 2018. After several meetings, a report detailing the recommendations was handed over to the Minister of Education, Ms. Nicolette Henry. The submission of that report indicates that the ‘negotiation process’ had ended. It is very disheartening and depressing to know that three years have elapsed since this Government took office, yet teachers haven’t received a salary increase or any clothing allowance. We were only paid a 6% interim. Even though the bargaining process ended with the ‘Task Force’, the Guyana Teachers’ Union acquiesced to open the door for further discussions, since they were solicitous about the welfare of teachers. However, the Education Ministry failed us miserably and is continuing to fail us daily. Because of these ‘failed talks’ between the union and the government, regarding a salary package for public
school teachers, we are now at a point where a decision was made for teachers to strike, so that their demands can be met. Many people, including teachers have criticized this movement and are not in support of it. Most of the teachers who are not participating in this strike action questioned ‘Why support the union?’ This is ludicrous of them. I wish to make it clear to these teachers, to participate in the ‘strike’ doesn’t mean you are supporting the union, you are actually struggling for yourself with the advancement of prosperity and well-being so that you can live a comfortable and better life. This is only possible with the support of the union. Who is supporting whom? Where is the reasoning educators? It is a fact that every teacher would welcome a salary increase, but not ALL of them are ready to struggle for this cause. It will be good if those teachers who boycotted the strike be ostracized when the increase is granted. But as we all know, at the end, every teacher will benefit from whatever the union is now seeking. The teachers who are not a part of this ‘struggle’ send a clear message, that they are comfortable with what they earn and are not seeking any increase in their salaries. Henceforth, they should never complain about working for a meagre salary, under unfavourable conditions while completing
multitudinous records and at the same time being held accountable for the ‘poor performances’ of learners. On the other hand, teachers who are on strike have been accused of being “selfish” and “uncaring” by a government Minister. To r e c o g n i z e t h e ‘uncaring’ and ‘selfish’ ones is easy. Who took a 50 per cent pay rise in 2015? The selfish and inconsiderate ones! Sadly, teachers are still awaiting an increase in salary and are labelled as ‘selfish’ and ‘uncaring’. Tell me, who are the self-seeking ones here? Then the [CEO] Mr. Marcel Hutson mentioned
that “sometimes we have to put the children above ourselves.” I agree with him fully, but I think these officials are the ones who need to put the children above themselves by honoring the needs of the teachers, so that they can all return to the classrooms and continue to mould the nation’s children. In addition, I heard the Minister of Education mentioning at a press conference that they will be recruiting 2,500 persons as part of the contingency plan to replace the striking teachers. This lacks reasoning and (Continued on page 6)
Was it the Gold Curse? DEAR EDITOR, It was on one of my many trips to Guyana, that a good friend of mine, paid me a visit We were enjoying a few drinks when he told me of his clever way of making extra cash, from his employer. The company was one of the largest gold mining companies in Guyana. It bothered me for many years before I decided to write this letter. I am hoping it would save the lives of others, with similar ideas, if it was indeed, “The Gold Curse.” He said he worked in one of the main buildings and described the way the gold would pass over his head in a sealed section, with a rotating conveyor belt system. He and others made an opening, big enough, to take out a little gold at times, then they would wrap it in plastic,
tie the the head and swallow it, to elude the tight security system the company had in place. This went on for a very long time. I had even forgotten about our conversation, until one summer, I called my family in Guyana to say hello, and I was told that my friend was very sick and was in a private hospital in Georgetown. He was having severe stomach pains and was stooling in bead form, the way goats’ droppings are. The doctors did not diagnose the cause; he passed away a few weeks later. I had totally forgotten about our conversation at the time, but months after, it dawned upon me, “What about the chemicals they use to wash the gold?”I wonder, “Was it the Gold Curse.?” J.C. Grant-Stuart Snr Toronto. Canada
Wednesday September 05, 2018
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Proposed sale of sugar lands would be unpatriotic DEAR EDITOR, The September 02 Guyana Times reports that President David Granger, at his press conference on August 31, said in relation to lands taken out of sugar, that they would be “…first subjected to the jurisdiction of a State Land Sales Commission…” The President went on to say that “[t]he idea is that we wouldn’t sell off the family jewels, we’ll make sure that the lands that are being taken out of sugar are placed to benefit of the people of Guyana as a whole”. Further the President is quoted as saying “…the State Land Sales Commission is going to make a profit from the disposal of those lands which may not be going back into sugar”. The President’s an-
nouncement, to say the least, is a marked departure regarding lands that were and are being used by the sugar industry. On this score, we recall, Administration spokespersons and advertisements seeking investors for the estates identified for divestment had informed that lands would have been leased. Now the President, without any justification being advanced, is saying, seemingly, that lands could very well be sold off. Neither did the President, as far as we saw, provide any elaboration on the State Land Sales Commission, save and except that the NICIL-SPU would be involved and would resolve demands for lands by investors. The sugar industry, as the nation well knows, occupies large plots of prime lands,
plots undoubtedly that would attract speculative interests. Moreover, while the President is saying we “…wouldn’t sell off the family jewels,” in the next breath he is saying the Government is desirous of making “…a profit from the disposal of those lands…”. The two statements stand in stark contradiction of one another. Moreover, the sale of those valuable and prime lands to investors, whether it be local or foreign, is a move for which Guyana and Guyanese, now and in the future, would have regrets. The world has provided several examples of instances where land holdings have been sold off and the implications it has had for the citizens of such countries where those practices were pursued. Countries and people have lived through instances
where lands sold for one purpose were used for other purposes or resold for significant profits while locals remain landless.The sale of those lands would be, in our view, the most unpatriotic decision ever taken by a Government in our more than half a century as an independent nation. We recall, former President Hugh Desmond Hoyte outrightly refusing to sell sugar lands when he gave thought to the sale of the sugar industry in the latter 1980s. Our country’s people have lived under the wretched system of colonialism and their sustained struggles brought our country’s freedom. We need not return to those days. Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU
THERE WAS MISINFORMED INTERPRETATION OF ASPECTS OF THIS GREEN PAPER DEAR EDITOR, The Ministry of Finance notes with concern your article “Guyana’s proposed Natural Resource Fund…Govt. ignores IMF’s advice to have rules which prevent reckless spending”, KN, August 29th, 2018. We take this opportunity to correct what amounts to a misinformed interpretation of aspects of the Green Paper “Managing Future Petroleum Revenues and Establishment of a Fiscal Rule and a Sovereign Wealth Fund” in which a proposed framework for the management of Guyana’s petroleum revenues is outlined in considerable detail. Indeed, one important piece of the framework is the withdrawal rule (referred to as the fiscal rule in the Green Paper) which needs to be robust to ensure that the three objectives of the sovereign wealth fund (SWF) – stabilisation, savings and domestic spending – are achieved, while safeguarding against the resource curse.
The proposed fiscal rule that will govern withdrawals from Guyana’s SWF is described in paragraphs 50 to 57 and Annex Two of the Green Paper. The proposed fiscal rule benefitted from the input of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during several missions, including one as recent as March, 2018. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Finance actively sought out the advice and support of the IMF on petroleum revenue management since the preceding year. As a result, the draft legislation has been revised to incorporate feedback received from both entities contrary to what your article claims. In addition, the fiscal rule has been subject to rigorous sensitivity analysis to ensure its robustness to price shocks, a variety of production scenarios, as well as shocks to Guyana’s non-oil GDP. The fiscal rule has been found to be robust to these shocks, which would allow
for the objectives of the SWF to be achieved in even the worst case scenarios. Given the engagements to date, the Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) team of the IMF, have noted that: the proposed fiscal rule provides relatively prudent front-loading of budget transfers of oil revenue, while maintaining long term fiscal sustainability; the rule provides an incentive to continuously diversify the non-oil economy and increase non-oil revenue; the rule also provides for significant accumulation over the long term of financial savings in scenarios of either high production or high prices. The Ministry of Finance recognises that various components of the SWF outlined in the Green Paper, including the fiscal rule, may be difficult to understand at first glance. This is why the Ministry has undertaken to provide further explanations of critical aspects of the SWF and will continue to engage with the public on the SWF.
We welcome feedback and comments. Moreover, we acknowledge that journalists have an important role to play in explaining the importance of the SWF to the wider public. As such, we encourage them, should they not be clear on any issue, to contact us prior to the publication of related articles so that they do not promote distortions about national issues. Public Relations Ministry of Finance
It is time for GTT to honour their customers with a proper service DEAR EDITOR, I am writing you in the interest of the Guyanese Public that utilize the services of GTT (Guyana Telephone & Telegraph). Over the past six to eight months I have been utilizing the thirty (30)-day unlimited bundle plan offered by GTT. This service is a great initiative for business users. However if one is to carefully follow-up on their account balance, they would find that subsequently, after selecting the service which offers unlimited voice calls to GTT, free minutes to other networks, data and free text, credit has been further deducted on calls. I have now grown tired of the endless calls to GTT’s Customer Service Centre, filled with the many unnecessary sugarcoated apologies and greetings that have been mentally automated into these CSR. Every single month I would have to endure time wasted to rectify this issue. The outlying problem on a national level is that there exist many unsuspecting customers who may not be aware of this issue and as such, GTT deducts credit which is neither queried by nor returned to customers. I have tested this over my six months endurance of what in my opinion is GTT’s carefully crafted scheme dis-
We would do well to take the lessons from this tragedy DEAR EDITOR, The recent destruction of the National Museum in Brazil has many lessons for us in Guyana. From reports the historical repository suffered from successive governments’ financial neglect, making it vulnerable and a “tragedy foretold”We would do well to take the lessons from this tragedy for when an edifice of this sort is destroyed, part of a nation is destroyed, and rising from the ashes like a phoenix might not be easy for generations to come. Shamshun Mohamed
guised as a system glitch to extort money from unsuspecting customers to boost their revenues, since monies were further deducted subsequently for calls made that have never been refunded. This intentional glitch may well be making money in the hundreds of millions of dollars towards GTT as they scramble to deal with the looming monopoly issue that may very well see GTT declaring bankruptcy and leaving Guyana for failure to provide a proper service long overdue to their customers. One would only be left to wonder which other service offered by GTT has this issue. It is definitely unfair to persons who are not so tech savvy and unaware to have to bear this cost that profits GTT. All their yearly audits need to be resifted and these monies returned to Guyanese. It is time for GTT to honour their customers with a proper service rather than have these CSR try to sell sugar-coated words to customers who are subsequently given a sugar-coated runaround of a crappy service intended to frustrate customers that eventually abandon their queries, and thus GTT profits from this frustration. I would like to request that the Public Utilities Commission investigate GTT thoroughly in all the services they are offering, and the monies owed to customers - which I am sure is in the hundreds of millions of dollars - are returned to customers without the regular inconvenience and at no cost to customers. Yours Truly Joel Oudkerk
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I felt a profound sense of sadness with this glaring omission DEAR EDITOR, My attention was drawn to an article in the Monday, September 3, 2018 edition of the Guyana Chronicle headlined: ‘Bringing joy through music - celebrating 160 years of the Guyana Police Force Band’s legacy.’ As I perused the article, I searched over and over again for any mention of the name Clement Edward Nathaniel Nichols and what transpired during his tenure as Bandmaster of the British Guiana Police Force Military Band. Alas! I was deeply disappointed, to the extent that I felt a profound sense of sadness to find that a huge gap existed in the historical review, from Henwood to Small as Bandmasters of the B.G. Police Force Military Band, and it was without any mention whatsoever about Clement Nichols who, along with other outstanding musicians, had traveled to England as a member of the forty-piece band in 1924 to play at concerts as part of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley under the direction of Capt. A.W. Fawcett. This was musical diplomacy at work in the early days. On returning to British Guiana, and following the departure of Fawcett and
Clement Edward Nathaniel Nichols t h e p a s s i n g o f Vi n c e n t DeAbreu, the first Guyanese bandmaster, Edward Oscar Fredrick Rogers assumed leadership of the band. The baton was later passed to Barney Small. Throughout this entire period Clement E. N. Nichols remained steadfast while many others had either retired or had left the Band. Nichols trained many junior ranks who eventually assumed prominent roles in the Guyana Police Force Band.To his credit, Clement Nichols composed several beautiful pieces such as: ‘Dear Demerara,’ ‘Good Lusignan,’ ‘ Scotland in West Demerara.’ ‘ Berbice on Parade’ and ‘Wake up
Demerara.’ Furthermore, what I found missing, was absolutely no reference to the following interesting section captured in John Campbell’s ‘History of Policing in Guyana’: “Later, the Police Drum and Fife Band was formed in 1925. Its instruments were originally purchased out of private funds, while fifty pounds was voted for its annual upkeep. Members of the Band, on many occasions entertained guests of the Governor at Government House Drawing Room Concerts. The instrumentalists usually performed on fife, drum, violin and ukelele.” E d i t o r, I b e l i e f t h a t when persons write or speak in order to do a historical review/assessment of an institution such as the Guyana Police Force and its various branches, they should refrain from embellishing, revising or omitting certain historical facts and names of outstanding officers who made formidable contributions to the development of music in Guyana and the Guyana Police Force Band in their early stages.Clement Edward Nathaniel Nichols was my grandfather from my mother’s side. He was born on June 15, 1896. He was the son of William and Isabela Nichols. He grew up in South Cummingsburg, Georgetown. Clement Nichols was a tall, heavily-built, handsome Black man.Like so many policemen, he developed a huge tummy later on in life. As a young boy growing up in Georgetown, I saw him perform in the band on many occasions at the ‘Bandstand’ at the Botanical Gardens. He was a well trained musician, a great composer and conductor dedicated to the musical branch of the Guyana Police Force. His music lives on. Clement J. Rohee
Wednesday September 05, 2018
UG must be guided by its own standards DEAR EDITOR, I write in support of the position taken by Dr. Mark Kirton regarding the award of Honorary Doctorate by the University of Guyana. As a former member of the University Council, I am concerned that the University has taken such a hasty decision, having regard to the fact that the University is not offering and, as far as I know, is not in a position to offer, the Doctoral degree anytime soon. I think the suggestion by Dr. Kirton that the University should at this time focus on consolidating existing programmes at the un-
dergraduate and post-graduate levels has considerable merit. I am of the strong opinion that any attempt to offer a Degree beyond that offered by the University will diminish the quality of that offering. It matters little to me that other tertiary institutions in similar situations are offering honorary doctorates. The University of Guyana must be guided by its own standards and do not copycat other institutions. Hydar Ally
Teachers are encouraged to lend...
From page 4 The amount of $30,000 for rent has been applied since this is about the cost of a house valued at three million dollars, which we in Guyana know is enough to complete only three quarters of a home
in some areas of the country. Line 20 shows the weekly amount available to teachers to meet expenses for their dependents, food, clothing and other miscellaneous items. Once again, we urge teachers to come out in full
support of their Union, and hold fast to their demands for improvedcompensation. This will be the last in a long time before any such negotiations are possible. Respectfully, Craig Sylvester
GIVE OUR TEACHERS WHAT THEY DESERVE From page 4 will certainly cost the Government. What will they do with those people after the strike action comes to an end and teachers resume duty? Is she on a ‘hire and fire’ spree? This move defies logic.Furthermore, on April 18, 2015, filed in Kaieteur News captioned “Granger plans to curb the exodus of teachers by increasing salaries, if elected”, our President, Mr. Granger, who was the presidential candidate for the APNU +
AFC coalition at that time stated, “I have always been saying that, at this point in Guyana’s development, teachers should be the best paid public servants.” What is happening now? Why is the Government ‘beating around the bush’ as it relates to salary increases for teachers? Mr. President, I am appealing to you, please act in accordance with your words by making teachers the ‘best paid public servants’. Give our teachers what they deserve. Ashan Bacchus
Wednesday September 05, 2018
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Three Region Four doctors secure Master’s degree scholarships
Dr. Rhyan Henry, Dr. Quincy Jones RHO, Dr. Adoniyah Benjamin and Dr. Gregory Harris – ready to undertake their Master’s programmes.
D
elivering on a promise made ear lier this year to create more opportunities for training of health care professionals, Regional Health Officer [RHO], Dr. Quincy Jones, has announced the awarding of training opportunities for some of his staff. He disclosed that three doctors will be proceeding on overseas scholarships where they would be pursuing their Master’s Degrees. He also disclosed that two other staff within the Health Department would be pursuing a Degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Guyana and another would form part of the Ministry of Public Health Medex Programme. At a very significant but simple ceremony Dr. Jones revealed that the three doctors leaving to pursue their Master’s Degrees would be doing so in Israel and the
United Kingdom. The doctors Dr. Rhyan Henry, Dr. Adoniyah Benjamin and Dr. Gregory Harris will be pursuing a Master’s in Public Health Degree in Israel, a Master’s in Global Public Health in the UK and a Master’s in Healthcare Policy and Management in the UK respectively. Dr. Jones said that he is overwhelmed by the continuous achievements being made by his health staff and as such, he is deeply excited by the fact that these three doctors were able to secure scholarships to pursue what he dibbed as ‘critically important’ area of studies within the medical profession. He congratulated the three doctors urging them to uphold the very high standards that they have set for themselves expressing confidence that they would all excel in their respective area of
studies. He told them that it’s important that they remain focused at the task at hand noting that upon their return to Region Four, and by extension the country, will significantly benefit from their advancement of skill and knowledge. “It’s important to note that you three doctors are stepping into a new area of your continuous developmental journey and therefore upon your return you would be more valuable to the people of this region and more so this country than before you had left Guyana. Therefore, let me remind you that as you continue to develop so would your previous achievements be less and less of importance,” he said. He drew reference to a child writing CXC and gaining several subjects stating that that child’s most important achievement would have been his/her CXC results.
An elated Jano Wickham, Dr. Quincy Jones and Michelline Fraser-Adams.
However, he noted that as the child progresses his/her CXC would no longer be of any major significance on their CV. “As you continue to develop so would your achievements academically be valued, meaning that your CXC would not need to be mention as you would have gotten your first degree and when you gain your master’s, your first degree is not as significant as it would have been before you achieved your master’s.
Therefore, you can continue to aim high as you grow you would realise that your goals are measured by your last accomplishment,” Dr, Jones said. He stressed that someone’s future is not determined by an exam but rather how they adapt to what they have learnt or gained over the years. “You are moving to a higher stage in life and that is to secure your Master’s Degrees, pursue it
with the same vigour and determination that you utilise each day in executing your duties,” he warned. Dr. Jones reminded all in attendance that his policy continues to be one whereby he would like to see every staff member being able to pursue higher learning and/ or training, noting that it’s a commitment that he made at the start of the year. “I am someone who firmly believes (Continued on page 26)
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Wednesday September 05, 2018
Nandlall has opened way for his former colleague ministers, Jagdeo to be charged for Pradoville 2 - Minister Sharma
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here are grounds for the entire Cabinet of Ministers along with its former president, Bharrat Jagdeo to be charged for the Pradoville Two land sales. That’s according to Junior Minister of Finance, Jaipaul Sharma. He said the grounds have been made possible by former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who in a recent letter to the editor argued that the current Cabinet, under President David Granger, is inextricably complicit in breach of procurement law for the Demerara River bridge feasibility study. “Mr, Nandlall said, not me, he said so, that the expenditure of those funds for the study is not only in violation of the Procurement Act, but is also in violation of a series of criminal statutory and common law provisions and principles.” Sharma noted that the former Attorney General has
insisted that the entire Cabinet is intimately and inextricably complicit and that the transaction must constitute the most vulgar abuse of the laws of this land by a Government. “Nandlal said it is criminal. He said too in his letter to the editor that constitutionally, Cabinet’s responsibility is collective. In the commission of a crime, they would all be acting in concert and aiding and abetting each other.” According to Sharma, with such an “abundance of legal advice” from the former Attorney General, there is clearly a path for the investigative and prosecutorial authorities to proceed with charges against Jagdeo and his former ministers. Sharma argued that while there is immunity for a president while in office for his actions, that immunity does not offer protection for illegal or criminal acts.
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo “When Mr. Jagdeo was President of Guyana and now Leader of the Opposition, he always challenged critics that accused his government of corruption to provide concrete evidence. Well you have Jadgeo’s concrete mansion as the evidence.
Minister Jaipaul Sharma
Jadgeo needs to tell this nation when and where he put his hand in a bag and pulled out a two-acre houselot and how come his Minister of Housing was personally involved in allocating houselots to special persons consisting of colleague ministers, and friends and supporters of the PPP/C and the DPP when Pradoville 2 was never made as a public offering.” In fact, all 19 of the former ministers and Jagdeo himself
have to be charged, Sharma said. Sharma urged the Police, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack; and Police Legal Adviser, Retired Justice Claudette Singh to put fit and proper criminal charges to members of Jagdeo’s cabinet. “From indications they sat and deliberated on the illegal vesting and subsequent transfer of property by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA)
to themselves at below market price when the property was not even legally the property of the authority.” Sharma would be referring to the investigations by the police’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) into the sale and development of about 15 acres of seaside property at Sparendaam. It was cynically dubbed Pradoville Two by the public for the SUVs that are parked there. There lands were reportedly sold to persons close to the administration, including a few sitting ministers in the Jagdeo cabinet that ended in 2011. The fact that the lands were never opened to public offers and that state resources were used in a questionable manner to develop the properties before it was parcelled and sold below value is what SOCU has investigated.Several of the files are now before that Police Legal Advisor for advice. It is said to be one of the biggest case of corruption that the administration is pursuing against the previous administration for corruption.
Wednesday September 05, 2018
O
ne of the criticisms of the Bridge and Road Initiative is that these loans come with certain conditions attached. Because these loans are granted by China, they are tied to use of Chinese construction firms, goods and services including labour. In his response to the Kaieteur News, the Minister of Foreign Affairs argued that tied loans are not unusual; they are practiced by most bilateral donors and even multilateral lending comes with certain prescriptions. While the Minister is right, he understates the risks associated with loans from China. It is true that all countries
and international financial institutions demand certain things in return for loans. Recently, some financial Bills were passed in the National Assembly. The parliamentary Opposition was of the view that the passage of these Bills was a condition for receiving assistance from the World Bank. Multilateral financial institution such as the IMF and World Bank do impose conditions on their loans. These conditions are directed at reducing a role of government in the economy, reducing public spending and increasing exports and private sector participation. But merely saying that tied-loans is not only
practiced by China does not mean that we should not be worried about the conditions which will be extracted. China’s imposition of conditions to its loans is a major problem. There have been allegations that China often overstates the value of projects and then demands up-front disbursements which can reach as high as 70% of total project costs. When this very newspaper uncovered in 2013 that Chinese labour was almost exclusively being used in the construction of the Marriot Hotel there were protests by the APNU outside of the hotel. The APNU rejected the explanation provided by
DEM BOYS SEH
Watch how you jumping into bed Old people always seh you should watch who you going to bed with. Nuff people jump into bed wid people dem didn’t really know and dem sorry today. Last week Soulja Bai seh he ain’t jumping into bed wildly when it come to de Belt and Road programme that de Chinese pushing all over de place. That always got problem because when you jump so wild you could end up in de wrong position. De wrong thing can happen to you. People don’t have respect fuh Chinee men but when is nuff of dem you in trouble. Over six years China pour US$125 billion into Africa. Some of de leaders
smile but when was time to pay back dem wish dem didn’t tun dem back and bend over. Nuff of dem lose everything. There was a time when dem boys believe Soulja Bai was sleeping and when he open he eye he never use to see. Some odda people believe that he was dumb but he mek all of dem know that he don’t jump wild. Dem boys seh that China really got she eye pun Guyana especially since Guyana find oil. And everybody know that China don’t like to see nutten waste. Dem got a way of sucking in people then mek offers de person can’t refuse. If a place renting fuh $200,000 dem Chine gun offer
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$300,000. That is how dem mek some no interest loan to Jagdeo. He think he was getting a bargain till de people begin to ask him to start paying back de loan. That is de same one who now trying to advise Soulja Bai bout loan. And he know from experience. He was one who jump into bed and end up in de wrong position. Of course dem got people in de coalition who are not happy wid Soulja Bai because he cutting up dem runnings. Dem can’t cut no deal pun de side. That is why dem boys want Soulja Bai to shut down some of dem. Talk half and watch who bed you jumping into.
NICIL that the use of Chinese labour was a condition of the contract. The APNU+AFC is now using the same logic about tied-loans. Then, APNU had said that its protests outside of the hotel site was because Guyanese were not employed. APNU wanted to know why locals were being sidelined. Another risk associated with Chinese-funded loans is the limitations on international bidding. The difference between projects financed by multilateral financial banks and bilateral loans is that the former utilize a wider pool of competitive bidding in the award of contracts. In respect to loans from China, only Chinese companies are allowed to qualify for the award of the contracts. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the best contractor will be awarded the contract, nor is there any possibility that a local construction firm will be selected. Chinese construction companies are presently executing Chinese-funded contracts locally. The APNU+AFC must indicate, in light of its protests of five years ago over the Marriot Hotel, whether in the new agreements that it signed with Chinese firms, including for the multimillion dollars repairs to the International
Convention Center, whether there were stipulations about local content. During the construction of the Marriot Hotel, it was reported that the few locals who were employed were undertaking menial jobs. The government must therefore explain how, in relation to existing Chinafinanced projects, it has addressed local content. Projects under the Bridge and Road Initiative are not going to be small-scale projects. They will be massive and China is going to insist on certain conditions, including the use of its construction services and labour. But China also does not limit itself to imposing conditions in relation to specific projects. China uses soft power to extract other concessions from governments. It forced the PPPC to relax its regulations in relation to the granting of citizenship to Chinese nationals. It has also ensured that Chinese enterprises are facilitated in establishing businesses. It managed also to secure forestry and land concessions. The conditions of Chinese loans, under the Bridge and Road Initiative, therefore cannot be excused. They have just as serious implications as taking a loan from the IMF and World Bank. Guyana’s pet project
under the Bridge and Road Initiative seems to be a road link to Brazil. This will cost billions of dollars and there is no guarantee that the road link can generate the revenues to repay the Chinese loans. As such, some other form of payment will have to be demanded. What if China insists on owning lands alongside the road route? What if after gaining possession of these lands, it decides to sell them … to Ve n e z u e l a n s ? I n t h e Bahamas, a major hotel was sold to a Hong Kong businessman. Therefore the government cannot be nonchalant about tiedloans. The Bridge and Road Initiative can leave us in knots.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday September 05, 2018
THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN
LEADERSHIP: From Independence to Granger In a forthcoming column, I will analyze the inelegant situation in Guyana’s politics where President Granger is being favoured to be his party’s 2020 presidential
candidate and the only factor cited in commentators’ choice is his financial integrity; more on that later. For now, one just has to look at what is taking place at UG and with the
teachers’ strike to see that Mr. Granger is not leading Guyana, not in the least. The nightmarish problem with Guyana is that it never had admirable political
leadership. Colossal mistakes were made since Independence and since then each president has been essentially a disappointing one. Burnham personified the
dichotomy between economic radicalization and political vision. Burnham knew the economy in postcolonial Guyana had to move away from its traditional fulcrums, and he went on a pathway that was completely innovative and good for the country. But Burnham had an ugly obsession with power. Burnham’s bad politics killed his good economics. Hoyte was the opposite of Burnham. His economics were bad. His politics was good. Hoyte was dangerously poor in his intellectual understanding of Guyana’s sociology and class structure. He is credited with earning the name, Desmond Persaud, meaning he reached out to other races, particularly Indians. Nothing is further from the truth. Whoever thinks Hoyte earned the nickname, Desmond Persaud, is deceiving him/herself. Hoyte embraced very rich Indians that had no time for Hoyte and his policies, but to use Hoyte to make money. Hoyte had no time for the bulk of the Indian population and perhaps never shook the hand of a sugar worker during his presidency. Hoyte’s complete capitulation to the IMF was a destructive mistake. Cheddi Jagan, more than any other major politician in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean, was financially an honest man. Jagan had immense flaws, but you will be dishonest if you accuse him of financial wrongdoing. His wife, Janet, who became president had no interest whatsoever in material things and money. Cheddi Jagan’s economics and politics were not revolutionary. He did not possess leadership qualities. Lady luck smiled on him. Had he continued in office, he would have damaged his legacy. Bharrat Jagdeo to my mind is the least performer of our past presidents. I will not include Ramotar in this enumeration because he was a clone of Jagdeo and only lasted three years, during which time he merely continued Jagdeo’s policies. The mistakes of Jagdeo were terrible, horrible, catastrophic, disastrous and tsunamic. Whenever I write about Jagdeo’s presidency, right away, the presence of Chinua Achebe’s famous book, “Things Fall Apart” falls right at the top of my mind. The sugar industry, UG,
Frederick Kissoon the NIS, the crime situation, the ethnic volcano, the GRA, the forestry sector, tax evasion, industrial relations, the education sector, public delivery of medicine, state of the judiciary, youth unemployment, corruption, political incestuousness, financial nepotism, state victimization, you name it, all took on tragic dimensions under Jagdeo. If there was a clause in our constitution that enabled the state to charge a former head of government for abuse of power, then Jagdeo would have been in jail long before Brazil moved on Lula. Finally, David Granger. It is forty months he has been at the top of the hierarchy and the French saying is bitingly relevant; “the more things change, the more they remain the same.” Which institution has improved under Granger? In fact, there is more nonsense going on in certain institutions under Granger than during Jagdeo’s tenure. I say in all seriousness, from all my journalistic investigations, ostentations and reckless spending that Granger tolerates, Jagdeo would have read the Riot Act to his ministers. Jagdeo’s Finance Minister would not have gone that far in spending dozens of millions in billboards with the face of the Finance Minister announcing the coming of the national budget. Jagdeo would not have accepted the colossal sums being spent on a top heavy administration at UG, with huge amounts going on frequent foreign trips and foreign hotel accommodation and other expensive ceremonies including a lavish inauguration ceremony where I was told the invitations each cost $500 to print. Granger attended the ceremony. Granger is currently looking for ways to find money to pay our badly exploited public teachers. If he gets his Finance Minister to demand a financial statement from UG as to what is the salary bill for that top heavy administration and how much has been spent yearly on tips and entertainment, he would see where his leadership has let down Guyana badly. The question is, does he care, or is interested in how UG and other state institutions are being administered?
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
PAGE 11
UK Firm sole bidder for Linden-Lethem Road Project Consultancy The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) yesterday opened a single bid for the Feasibility Design for the Linden Mabura Hills Road Upgrade and River Crossing at Kurupukari. This is a part of collaboration between the UK Government and the Government of Guyana where some 52$Billion was secured for developmental projects. One of these major projects is the Linden to Lethem Road, which incorporates the Kurupukari crossing. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure has indicated that the first phase of the Linden-Lethem Road Project is expected to include the upgrade of approximately 122.5 km of road between Linden and Mabura Hill (including drainage) and construction of a new single or dual lane fixed bridge across the Essequibo River at the Kurupukari ferry crossing (approximately 600m long). The sole bid opened was:
The Ministry of Public Infrastructure also invited Expression of Interests for a number of Projects, which saw multiple tenders coming in for each. The tenders opened were: Expression of Interests (EOI) for Consultancy Services for Conducting Feasibility Study and Preparing Detailed Designs for the Construction of New Stelling at Parika
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Security invited Technical Proposals for the Consultancy to Provide Job Readiness and Job Placement Services The tenders opened were:
There were just two tenders opened for the second phase of works on the Construction of the Tabatinga Bridge Approach in Upper Takatu – Upper Essequibo. The Tabatinga Bridge, which links Lethem and Tabatinga, two villages within Region 9, was constructed to the tune of $60M only to become swamped mere months after. The wooden bridge was built with lumber and with uprights encased in concrete. The bids tendered for this project were: Ministry of Communities Community Infrastructural Improvement Project - Construction of Tabatinga Bridge Approach Upper Takatu – Upper Essequibo (Phase 2)
The Ministry of Communities would have also received one Technical Proposal for Capacity Building for Local Government reform Project:
Expression of Interest (EOI) for Consultancy Services for Conducting a Feasibility Study and Preparing Detailed Designs for the Construction of a New Bridge at Wismar
Expression of Interests (EOI) for Consultancy Services for Conducting a Feasibility Study and Preparing Detailed Designs for the Upgrading of the Lethem Aerodrome
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Scrutiny of Natural Resource Fund must not be left up to political appointees alone – World Bank says Independent actors critical to transparency process By Kiana Wilburg
Scrutiny of a nation’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF) cannot rest with the government alone. Oversight bodies which are independent of political influence must also have a role in ensuring transparency of the Fund. For some time, this has been the message of the World Bank to nations like Guyana which are embarking on a NRF. This Fund will hold moneys earned from the petroleum sector. The institution’s advice is predicated on
the well documented cases of resource funds which are not properly managed due to lack of oversight by independent actors. The Bank said that too often, Natural Resource Funds are only accountable to only a few persons, who are political appointments. It said that in most countries, constraint and accountability are ideally spelled out in legislation. And most governments know that independent and regular audits are also essential. It stressed however that these are often times not practiced. For nations interested in ensuring accountability of their NRFs, the World Bank advised that good governance practices must
have several layers of transparency mechanisms. It said that these would include both vertical and horizontal accountability. The World Bank explained that vertical accountability comes with management reporting that leads, ultimately, to a minister. Horizontal accountability however, is provided by regular reporting on the Fund’s performance to elected officials who are independent of government. The Bank said that this type of accountability also includes widely available and readily accessible public information on the Fund. The Bank said, “Transparency with respect to all aspects of fund operation and performance is generally regarded as indispensable to achieving good governance. This can be achieved through press releases, publications and audits which are available on the internet.” Further to this, the Bank said that the presence of watchdog nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
strengthens horizontal accountability. As with most Funds, the World Bank said that the management process will often involve the use of asset managers as well as internal and external managers. It stressed however that the recruitment of any asset manager should be made as independent as possible. It stressed too that regular, independent audits are essential if confidence in the Fund is to be established and maintained. The World Bank said that Norway is a prime example of the independent process that is needed to manage a Fund. In the case of Norway, an external performance audit is carried out and published. This is in addition to the internal audit on the country’s NRF. The Bank said that these systems of control are essential to making any NRF a success. (See link for more details http:// www.eisourcebook.org/uploads/files/ 146340875221568.3ResourceFunds and their PopularityEISB.pdf)
Wednesday September 05, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Region Ten teachers meet GTU General Secretary Striking teachers at the Lichas Hall meeting.
- advised to continue strike
Teachers yesterday converged in the streets of Linden in even greater numbers in protest action and picketed the Region Ten Education Department before once again heading to Lichas Hall for a meeting with GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald. Mc Donald exhorted the teachers to remain in the streets until they are properly remunerated. She further told the teachers to keep the faith and consolidate the strike action as they are not paving the way for themselves, but for those teachers that are
Son charged for robbery, mom for sending him ganja in tennis rolls It was a family affair at the Providence Magistrates’ Court yesterday, with a son, Teon Chester, appearing for armed robbery, and his mom, Shonnet Chester, being charged in the same court for allegedly trying to smuggle marijuana in tennis rolls to him. Teon Chester, a 23-year-old miner of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, accused of robbing the Number One Supermarket at Grove, East Bank Demerara. Chester, of Diamond, East Bank Demerara pleaded not guilty to the charge, which alleged that on August 30, at Lot 18 Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara, while being in the company of others, and armed with a gun, he robbed Fu Zhilin of $100,000 he was remanded and ordered to return to court on September 25. According to reports, two bandits, including one with a handgun, invaded the business place at around 14:00 hrs on the day in question. Witnesses claim the two men walked into the supermarket, and one pulled a gun from his waist and pointed it to an employee, while demanding money. His accomplice then took all the moneys from the cash register, along with several phone cards. The bandits then fled. Shortly after the robbery, Chester was arrested by police while travelling in a Route 42 minibus at a roadblock near the Grove Police Station. He was searched and the money was allegedly found in his possession. And after the accused was remanded, his
ROBBERY ACCUSED: Teon Chester mother, Shonnet Chester, the 44-year-old housewife, also appeared at the Providence Magistrates’ Court. She was charged with possession of narcotics and was released on $20,000 bail after pleading not guilty to the charge. It is alleged that while her son was in custody at the Grove Police Station, Shonnet Chester brought a meal consisting of five tennis rolls and a can of juice for him. A corporal on duty at the time checked the food items and allegedly found cannabis concealed in the tennis rolls.
now being trained. Alluding to the 40% that the teachers are currently striking for, McDonald said that “it is just a proposal, it is not written in stone, and it is negotiable since the GTU is willing to talk around it.” Mc Donald further posited that teachers cannot “take care and selflessness to the banks, to pay their mortgages, or to the supermarkets; and so the issue remains a bread and butter one.” The teachers consequently pledged to continue the strike action, for the rest of the week.
Later in the day McDonald on a radio programme on 104.3 Power Fm exhorted parents to come out in support of teachers in their strike action. “I want you to say to the Ministry of Education and to this Government that our children’s interest is of paramount importance to us and we want to have an amicable solution to this whole situation.” McDonald said that what is happening now, did not start yesterday or last week but has been going on for three years and that it has reached the stage where the Union and its members have had enough. “So please understand and be considerate and supportive and let us work to resolve this issue.” Though the GTU has proposed a forty percent increase for Teachers, the Union subsequently said that it is prepared to negotiate. Yesterday teachers across Guyana again took to the streets protesting for an increase in salaries, while the Education Ministry engaged trainees and retirees to man several schools. Here in Linden teachers converged in front the Education Department and vowed to continue the strike action until their demands are met. (Enid Joaquin)
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Govt. to pay outstanding sugar workers severance by year-end Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, yesterday said that the issues of the Guyana Sugar Corporation and the sugar industry are not taken lightly by the Government of Guyana as he noted that the Government has a clear direction in which the industry must go. Further, he noted that the Government has undertaken to ensure that outstanding severance payments are made to sugar workers before the end of the year. Speaking at the opening of a one day Conference convened by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) at the Grand Coastal Inn, East Coast Demerara, Minister Harmon, who was asked to speak on the Government’s position with regard to sugar, said that all of Government’s efforts, since its assumption to office in 2015 have been focused on consolidating the sugar industry so that it can eventually become financially viable. “It is important that we
Some of the persons at the sugar forum yesterday.
put issues on the table as a nation and this is why, I said that I will be here because I feel that we as a nation, we need to put issues on the table and address them frontally. I have seen a couple of letters in the media concerning the Government’s position on sugar. I have heard Mr. Komal Chand this morning himself on the Government’ position on sugar that it is not clear
and so on. I will posit that the Government’s position has been extremely clear from the start when we came into office. The theme of today’s Conference is “Sugar-too big to fail”. The phrase ”too-big to fail” means or may be applied to an entity or business that is so important that its principals must take measures to prevent it from going bankrupt or out of
existence. If there is an entity in Guyana that suits this definition, it is GuySuCo and by extension, the sugar industry,” Minister Harmon noted. The Minister of State noted that when the Government took office in 2015, GuySuCo had a debt of $82 billion; US$ 82 million of GuySuCo’s reserves invested in the Skeldon Sugar estate
and US$112 million in loans committed to its extension and development. This Skeldon Project, which he said, failed to achieve its most basic objectives, was operationally inefficient and in the process of its implementation, created a drag on the other sections of the sugar industry. This, coupled with high levels of inefficiency across the rest of the industry with huge declines in both cane yields and factory recovery, resulted in severe financial difficulties, in fact the industry only survived because of the massive injections of subsidies – some $32 billion dollars of State resources
from 2015 to date. “Being faced with these realities, which we inherited as a Government, we made a decision that this important national institution and the largest single employer in Guyana, needed a closer look at it and a carefully considered policy to ensure its survival and a return to viability. This was clear to us because besides the reports, writings, political ‘back and forth’, statistics, numbers and technical arguments, we were dealing with lives, real human situations that translated into ‘day to day’ bread and butter issues. We therefore took the prudent decision to appoint a Commission of Inquiry into the Guyana Sugar Corporation in July 2015 to make recommendations on charting the way forward and returning the industry to financial viability,” he said. Through this evidence based approach to policy making, which saw consultations with the Unions and other stakeholders, Minister Harmon said that the Commission made several important recommendations among which, were that the Corporation should be privatized within three years, a serious evaluation of all diversification options be Continued on page 28
Birthday Girl wins GTT/ CAL LOL Grand Prize
LOL Winner, Deoranie Dewnath Yesterday, GTT and Caribbean Airlines (CAL) announced their second and final grand prize winner to bring a close to the Lots of Love (LOL) summer promotion. Deoranie Dewnath, clueless about what she had won from GTT, walked in to the GTT Forgarty’s store location to the amazing news. Dewnath, who celebrated her birthday yesterday [September 4], was overjoyed after hearing she was the second grand prize winner for the LOL promotion. “I’ve never won anything before; this is the best birthday gift I could have asked for” – Dewnath noted. She further stated “I’m never leaving GTT” with much delight. Dewnath has won a trip for two to any of the 20 Caribbean Airlines destination of her choice, just by participating in the Lots of Love (LOL) this summer promotion. Dion Inniss, Sales Executive at CAL, made the presentation to the birthday girl and congratulated her on the big win. There’s definitely Lots of Love with GTT!
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
PAGE 15
AFTER TURNING UP AT EMPTY SCHOOL…
Anna Regina students reportedly prevented from returning home As tensions continue to rise between the Guyana Teachers Union and the Government of Guyana, the teachers of Region Two [Pomeroon/Supenaam] have now intensified their strike action. Yesterday, teachers from the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary chose to stay away from school, leaving almost 900 students unsupervised. According to reports reaching this publication, students were very much surprised when they tuned up to a locked building without teachers. After 9:45hrs, a number of students became anxious and worried; some of whom even attempted to return home. Security guards who were stationed at the school gates, however, were reportedly instructed by the Department of Education to keep all school children in school. Parents who were terrified at the thought of leaving their children unsupervised at school, quickly turned up to the school gates demanding that their children be released from the ‘hostage like’
situation. Some of the comments from frustrated parents yesterday included, “Why the guards didn’t turn back the children since there is no teacher in the building…If yuh leave yuh child inside there yuh ain’t know what can happen… Let the government pay up and let the teacher’s get dem money… Teachers should be paid because they are the foundation… We willing to back them. Why they can’t get 40 percent and the government can get so much increase.” Kaieteur News was reliably informed that the Department of Education intervened yesterday and had supervision placed over the students. According to reports, three teachers along with the secretary and dorms parents were ordered by the Department of Education to supervise. The Department on last Monday said that it was prepared to deploy temporary teachers to the affected schools. Since the department did not speak to the media yesterday, it is still unclear
Students being locked in at the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary yesterday unsupervised. whether or not these three teacher’s were from other schools. Kaieteur News understands, however, that there were two additional secondary schools on the Coast, which did not open for students yesterday. The strike is expected to continue today in Region Two, and it is anticipated to be bigger than before.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Ex GDF Captain to face High Court GTT sacks 12 staffers over alleged trial for reputed wife’s murder manipulation of Mobile Money Nearly six months after facing a murder charge over the shooting of his reputed wife, former GDF Captain Orwain Sandy was yesterday committed to stand trial at the High Court in Georgetown for the offence. Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, before whom Sandy faced a Preliminary Inquiry (PI), ruled that after reviewing the evidence led by Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves, a prima facie case was made out against him. It is alleged that on March 31, last, at Alexander Village, Georgetown, Sandy murdered 32-year-old Reona Payne. According to reports, the incident occurred between 10:15 hours and 10:45 hours near a Masjid. It is alleged that Sandy and Payne were in Payne’s car when the two got into an argument during which Sandy whipped out his firearm and shot his spouse. Sandy then drove himself to the Ruimveldt Police Station where he reported the matter to the police then taken into custody. Payne, a mother of three, had worked as a Travel Agent at the Muneshwers Travel Service. Payne and Sandy were not married, but were living together for about three
Orwain Sandy and Reona Payne in happier times years. The Guyana Defence Force, in a release said that Sandy was immediately interdicted from duty. The GDF said that it was saddened by the incident, but noted that Sandy’s action was not reflective of the values and standards of the GDF. At yesterday’s court hearing, Magistrate Latchman admitted a caution statement given by Sandy into evidence after ruling that she believed it was made freely and voluntarily. Subsequently, the Magistrate asked Sandy if he had anything to say in answer to the charge or if he wished to call witnesses.
After seeking advice from his Attorney-at-Law James Bond, Sandy said that he would reserve his defence for the High Court. Sandy will go on trial at the next practicable sitting of the Demerara assizes.Before the hearing concluded, the lawyer thanked the Magistrate for the efficient way in which the matter was dispensed. He also praised the Magistrate for the robust scheduling the matter received.Prior to the start of the PI, Government Psychiatrist, Dr. Bhiro Harry evaluated Sandy on several occasions and deemed him fit to stand trial for the capital offence.
GTT has sacked 12 staffers over alleged fraud.
T
he Guyana Telephone and Te l e g r a p h Company (GTT) has sacked 12 staffers for alleged fraud with its Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) service. According to the company yesterday, suspicious activities were picked up during a routine internal review of financial procedures.The red flags were serious enough to warrant further investigation. While GTT did not immediately delve into details or even mention MMG, sources disclosed that about four or five months ago, the company found a number of strange transactions by staffers authorised to deal with MMG.A number of them allegedly took “loans” and
even lent to persons they knew.The amounts involved were said to be in the millions, the sources said. According to GTT yesterday, consequently, reorganisation of staff resources was required to ensure and maintain integrity and smooth operation. “As part of this process, 12 staffers were terminated. GTT would like to assure the public that no adverse impact to any customer was realised and the review and findings bode well for the customers and are necessary for the evolution of organisation.” The company said that it constantly reviews systems, procedures and resources to maintain an organisation that operates at the highest standard of transparency and
integrity. “This means that our actions must align with a strong value system and high ethical benchmarks as we strive to make GTT the best place to work in Guyana by 2020,” Justin Nedd, Chief Executive Officer noted.In August 2018, Nedd announced that the company has taken steps to get international quality management systems certification as the company pivots to be much more customer oriented and quality focused.Mobile Money promotes the use of mobile phones to take care of everyday transactions at any time of day, using an app. It was supposed to reduce the long lines at utilities and travel to a business to complete payments.
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
7,000 AFFECTED BY CLOSURE OF ESTATES - GAWU President - Jagdeo says Granger commits to pay severance, but gave no timeline Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo said that he was pleased that the government has finally decided to pay off the severances to all sugar workers affected by the closures of estates. Jagdeo said that during a meeting between him and President David Granger last week, the President said that all the workers will be paid. The Opposition Leader told the media, “I raised the question of the sugar workers and their struggle to get the remainder of their severance. I said to the President, ‘this is money that is due to them, they worked for this, this is not a hand out; they should not be struggling for or begging for this. It is mandated by a law.” “I asked when they (the workers) will receive the severance. So he said to me that they have taken a position to pay the severance but I could not get a time when they will pay. He only
said they took a decision.” Jagdeo said that he also spoke to the President about the “confusion” with the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). He said that the President told him that GuySuCo now falls squarely under the Ministry of Agriculture and not the Special Purpose Unit of the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL). Jagdeo told the media, “And I said to him, ‘but Mr. President you have, by order, transferred all the assets of the closed estates from GuySuCo to NICIL and you have also transferred 100 percent of the shares of GuySuCo to NICIL. Further, NICIL has borrowed $17M that they already have in an account and they are out in the market to borr o w another $13 or $14M. So they have money they were borrowing on behalf of GuySuCo and you are saying they have no
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo responsibility and that it is the Ministry of Agriculture.” Further, Jagdeo said that he pointed out to the President that NICIL reported that it gave $2B to GuySuCo “so what are they doing with the $15M, what are they going to spend it on, if they are not responsible for GuySuCo what are they doing with the money. So I told him we would like to see the severance paid early to the workers who have been laid off.
GuySuCo lands will not be sold - Granger assures It is unlikely that Government will contemplate selling sugar lands at the closed estates that are up for privatisation in any wholesale manner. Rather, other than allocating small portions for housing and public infrastructure, the idea is to keep the lands for continued sugar related activities. The lands for the four sugar estates, when Government goes ahead with the privatisations, involves thousands of acres of prime farm lands on the coastlands, stretching from West Bank Demerara to Corentyne, East Berbice. It has been in sugar cultivation for decades and decades. Officials have been saying that it will look favourably at leasing the sugar lands attached to the four closed- Skeldon, Rose Hall, Enmore and Wales- with sales not likely. The lands are valued in the billions and billions of dollars. Last week, President David Granger was clear that lands were beyond valuable. In fact, he said that it was like the “family jewels”, he told reporters in response to
questions from Kaieteur News, about the privatisations process. “The idea is that we will not sell off the family jewels...we will make sure that the lands which are being taken out of sugar are placed to the benefit of the people of Guyana as a whole. Now, several anomalies and several contradictions may emerge. For example, the Ministry of Agriculture may need some lands in order to settle sugar workers who are interested in settling. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure would need some lands in terms of its highways and bridges. The Ministry of Communities may need some lands in terms of housing and other ministries may need land.” The president also noted that private citizens might need lands. He disclosed that the State Land Sales Commission is meant to reconcile the differences among these various agencies while at the same time make a profit on those lands which will not be going back into sugar. “So there is a future for sugar, a very clear future, we have put out a green paper. It has gone to the National Assembly. We have had
President David Granger meetings with the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union and with NAACIE (The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees) and we want to see the sugar industry survive a more compact, better-managed sugar industry.” Admitting the difficulties facing the industry, Granger said that it is a very competitive one in terms of the international environment in which many people are moving away from sugar and going into artificial sweeteners. “...but we feel it is something the industry and that (Guyana Sugar) Corporation can survive.” According to the Continued on page 27
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Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
Three Region Four doctors secure...
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Parafaite Harmonie, Eccles, Uivlugt, Tuschen, Covent Garden, Herstelling, Diamond, Providence, Zeelugt. Tel# 686-9608
CAR RENTAL
Phase (2) Tuschen $1.3M Uitvlugt $2.9M Zeelugt $2.3M Tel#697-6311
DOLLY’S CAR RENTALCALL:225-7126/ 2263 6 9 3 DOLLYSAUTORENTAL @ YA H O O . C O M / W W W . D OLLYSAUTORENTAL.COM
Prime business spot for sale, located behind Mon Repos Market. For more information, Tel#609-0827/ 615-7084
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS FROM $4000 & UP, SUV’S PER DAY- CALL:643-5122/ 6 5 6 - 0 0 8 7 , ,EMAIL:PRO_AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO.COM EDUCATION IAE- Register for full time school (Grade 7-11) Lessons, Day & Evening CSEC adult classes. Call/Whatsapp #683-5742
WING’S CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP R AT E S , S P E C I A L OFFERS! . CALL: 6906494
Register your child for after school classes for slow learners in Phonics, Reading, Maths etc, #6754379 ACCOMMODATION Secret Villa & Harmony Inn, Ideal for local & overseas guest. Tel#225-6337, 2181400/ 694-7817/668-0306
SALON September Cosmetology Courses $40,000 Nail Technology $25,000 Advance Make-up $15,000, All products provided. Abby #614-6749
Brokerage/Logistics Officer. Requirements: Secondary Education, Must have a drivers’ license. Contact#665-3676/226-0395 sales@tradelinc.com Wanted land to buy in Parfaite Harmonie or anywhere on the West Coast. Tel#642-1252 1 Guard for Private Residence. Contact # 6289268 1 Diesel Mechanic to work with mining company in interior. Knowledge of Perkins & Doosan equipment required. 226-9768/500-5923 Security personnel to work with private security firm in interior. Must have military/ police background. 500-5923/ 226-9768 Live in or live out babysitter/ domestic- Call: 223-7500 Monday to Saturday 8:15am4:15pm Land to buy in Parafaite Harmonie, Eccles, Uitvlugt, Tuschen,Covent Garden, Herstelling, Diamond, Providence & Zeelugt. Tel#686-9608 Female Babysitter age 35-50 in Georgetown, 6 days per week, call 614-5711 to apply. 1 Experienced male or female to look after layer birds in the interior. Contact#699-4718
AIDAN’S CAR RENTAL:PICKUP,9-11 SEAT MINI BUS, GOOD FORAIRPORT & FAMILY OUTINGS, CHEAPEST RATE . Call: 698-7807
TAXI SERVICE
LEARN TO DRIVE
VACANCY
Two bedroom Apt upstairs, 1st Street Lot 56 Alexander Village. Tel#688-9132
Verossa in excellent condition. Price: Negotiable, call 647-1074 for info.
GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 225-7878 (24HRS)
WANTED
Generac Pressure Wash for sale 3100 PSI. Tel#654-5267/ 652-2244/220-4203
Eagle’s: Re-gas –low prices, washing machine repairs, gas stove, plasma flat screen, computer repairs & more. Call: 697-2969/646-0966 R&C Imports- Online shopping at the comfort of your home. Whatsapp or call Tel# 218-0007/692-6065/6007853
FOR RENT
WANTED Experienced cooks, cashiers, cleaners, pastry makers & cake decorators. Apply in person @ 112 3rd & Albert St, Albertown G/town, Guyana. Tel#225-6255/226-9000
Wanted experienced Hire car drivers at Ramada Princess Hotel. Contact# 265-7075/ 616-5419 Experienced shop workers (Female) to work in the interior. Call: 231-0363 8:304:30 pm One live-in Domestic, must know to cook 25-50 yrs. Salary 20,000 wkly. #610-3974 1 Maid. #225-3234, 225-9223. Live in family or single male. Duties driving & parts purchasing. 1- 2 tons electrical chain hoist. Tel#227-1813 We buy soursop leaves, saijan/moringa and lemon grass. Contact Mr Waaldijk #609-8281/693-3003 Care-giver for 74 year old lady, Call 658-4443, for more information, between hours 9am-4pm
Room Attendant, Deskstaff, Supervisor 25-45 years old Tel#225-0198 or visit 233 South Rd, Lacytown. 1 Female kitchen assistant to work at Itaballi #665-6444 One Tutor/Nanny to teach a 3 year old boy from 7:3012:30pm Pay $70,000 monthly. Call: 623-1615 One welder, Apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street, Bourda Vacancy for assistant manager & shop manager at Wencai Trading. Phone 6179513 Experienced Handyman with 2 yrs experience. Apply @ Christine’s Variety, Lombard St. Contact: 227-8529 Female cleaner office & home age 25 to 50. Call: 233-2745 Maid for East Bank area to cook & clean age 25 to 50. Call: 614-4358 Big Kahuna Hot Dogs is looking for team members. Ages 25-35 Males and Females. Call: 614-2412 Cashier- CXC Required, Porters, Cleaners, Drivers. Survival Supermarket 16 Vlissengen Rd, Newtown One experienced driver, apply at Alabama Trading 65 Robb Street, Bourda Office Assistant: 5 subjects CXC (Mathematics & English), Computer Literate. Submit application to P.O box 16005 Georgetown, Guyana / jobapp9051@gmail.com Vacancy exist for 2 nail technician at Natural Beauty Salon & Spa- Please contact Ms. Rasharie #652-5800 PROPERTY FOR SALE Lot 15 Public road #2 Vill. WCB 3 House Lots. Rice Cultivation 49ftx10,314ft length. Price $18M. Contact# 648-7109/686-4818 Lot 89 Robb Street, Lacytown, Georgetown. Next door to Mike’s Pharmacy. Phone: 617-5323, 666-8052 3 storey commercial building. Location- Lot 1486 Plot B Herstelling (2 Bridge) EBD. Suitable for school/ apartments. Contact #6093777/686-0522
From page 7 in the holistic professional development of those under my charge and it is my responsibility to ensure that avenues and opportunities are created so that my team can be enhanced with improved and enhanced skills and knowledge,” he said. He promised to continue exploring more opportunities for training, declaring that the three doctors and two other staff members going off to further their studies is just a start, adding that he is confident that there is more to come. The RHO thanked the doctors for what he dubbed as their invaluable service thus far to Region Four, declaring that Region Four would certainly be enhanced upon their return. “Today three of our doctors are going off but I can assure you that the skills and knowledge that they will return with would be one that will further enhance and advance the services being given by this region,” Dr. Jones said. It was disclosed that the environmental health department employee, Michelline Fraser-Adams, will be pursuing an Environmental Studies degree at the University of Guyana starting this academic year, while Jano Wickham will be pursuing the Ministry of Public Health Medex programme. PROPERTY FOR SALE Concrete house 51' x 30' in residential area on EBD. Buliding incomplete. Price negotiable. Call: 647-1074
Wednesday September 05, 2018
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Oil companies file application to join legal challenge over environmental permits Oil companies have requested to join the proceedings for which local activist Raymond Gaskin is challenging the legality of the environmental permit granted to them to conduct explorations here. Earlier this year, Gaskin sought to challenge the State, particularly the Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman’s decision to authorise oil companies, Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd (“Hess”) and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Ltd. (“Nexen”) to conduct explorations here, without proper environmental permit(s). More specifically, Gaskin sought to block the companies from proceeding with their exploration and production on the grounds that Hess and Nexen have not been issued separate environmental permits. Gaskin does not agree that Hess and Nexen are covered by the environmental permits issued to ExxonMobil,
Raymond Gaskin through its local subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited. “They are three separate companies and they have to have permits,” argues Gaskin who is represented by Attorney-at-Law, Melinda Janki. Although the oil companies are the subject of the case, they are not listed
as parties in the proceedings. The matter is essentially between Gaskin and the State. However given its interest in the matter, the oil companies have filed an application in the High Court to join the proceedings. The application by Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd (Hess) and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Ltd (Nexen) came up before Chief Justice (Ag) Roxane George yesterday. During a chamber (private) hearing before the Chief Justice, the application was presented by Attorneyat- law Andrew Pollard, S.C appearing on behalf of the oil subsidiaries. Following the hearing, a date was set for a ruling on whether the companies can partake in the matter, as interested parties. The matter was therefore adjourned to October 25, 2018. Earlier this year, the case thrown out of the High Court after it came up before Justice Franklyn Holder. Justice
GuySuCo lands will not be...
President Granger has assured that it will not sell out any lands that are part of the close sugar estates. From page 25 president, GuySuCo is critical to Guyana. “...we have said that we are not shutting down the sugar industry... it is being reformed, and we are bent on maintaining larger estates in East Berbice, West Berbice....at Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt.” In fact, he said, it is the hope to produce between 147,000 to 150,000 tonnes of sugar. “...we are aiming at producing those volumes of sugar and we are aiming at maintaining a working population of about 10,000. So the industry has been placed under a new CEO, and we are selecting a board of directors, the members of which would be more knowledgeable in sugar production.” According to the President, there has been a tendency or temptation in the
past to put persons who might be socially prominent. However, this practice was frowned on by Granger. “...but this is a business, this is an international industry... we have to compete with other sugar producers, efficient sugar producers, in...India, Vietnam, elsewhere around the world, and we need to have a serious board and a serious CEO and we are working towards having an industry which could profitably produce about 150,000 tonnes of sugar annually.” The three estates that
now comprise GuySuCo are Albion on the Corentyne, Blairmont on West Berbice, and Uitvlugt, We s t Demerara. The fortunes of GuySuCo have fallen from once bring ‘King Sugar’ to now being a thorn in the side of consecutive governments. It has been producing less and less over the years at thrice what it was selling for, yet demanding billions of dollars in bailouts. There are several offers on the table including a total buyout of the sugar industry.
Holder, who among other things, ruled in favour of the three companies in his finding that the companies constituted a single developer. Gaskin, nonetheless, through his attorneys, had moved to the Appeal Court, asking for a speedy hearing and determination of the case. He had argued that Justice Holder exceeded his jurisdiction and erred in finding that “the form of the joint arrangement had to have been set down in an application for the Petroleum Production Licence.” During a hearing in the Appeal Court, Gaskin’s lawyer Trinidad-based Guyanese Senior Counsel,
Seenath Jairam sought to convince the Appellate Judges that the Court should hear the appeal urgently, since it has to do with liability for environmental impact on Guyana and the Caribbean and neighbouring countries. “If there is an environmental disaster, God forbid, we are saying there are grave consequences not only for Guyana but the Caribbean, given where the Liza wells are near the Caribbean Sea and our neighbouring countries,” he said. Appellate Judges however ruled that the matter should be heard in the High Court before it reaches the Court of Appeal. Appellate Judge Dawn
Gregory pointed out that Gaskin had put forth a twoprong argument; one to do with the ability of Hess and Nexen to carry out the licence safely; and the other procedural – calling for the matter to be dealt with urgently. She noted that while the court was not satisfied with urgency on the first count, merits in the second prong of the argument is that the matter should be dealt with expeditiously. “So we grant the application to treat it with urgency.” The matter was therefore reverted to the High Court for the Chief Justice to fix a date for the matter to start again before a Full Court.
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Wednesday September 05, 2018
Patrons treated to evening of Special Branch Cop loses Indigenous dances, songs, poems, skits gun to girlfriend’s lover A special branch police corporal is now under close arrest, after losing his gun and being shot at by his girlfriend’s lover, in a showdown at the woman’s Pineapple Street, Ruimveldt residence.This publication learnt from neighbours, that the rank’s troubles began when he arrived at the Pineapple Street location, around 15:30 hrs and found his girlfriend in the arms of another man.The woman immediately claimed it was her cousin, and an argument ensued. The police corporal was
said to have drawn his service revolver and was threatening the woman’s ‘cousin’ while the woman was attempting to pacify the two men. In the midst of the confusion the lover managed to wrest the firearm away from the policeman. It is said the woman’s lover discharged a round behind the corporal, who was then seen running out of the yard at Pineapple Street. The terrified police corporal ran to the East Ruimveldt Outpost and reported the matter. Two high ranking police
officers reportedly then coordinated an effort to recover the Force-issued firearm.The woman at the centre of the confrontation was arrested and she confirmed the policeman’s account of the incident. She also confirmed that the man who disarmed the corporal is known as “Caesar”.The firearm was said to have been handed over to two police ranks in Leopold Street, by an individual who, along with o t h e r s , was taken into custody. Charges are likely to be laid soon.
Govt. to pay outstanding sugar workers ... Patrons were treated to an evening of Indigenous dances, songs, poems and skits on the second day of the Indigenous Heritage Cultural Extravaganza at the Heritage Village Sophia Exhibition Complex yesterday. This event was organised by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and saw approximately 12 Indigenous groups participating. Guyanese from all ethnicities and backgrounds gathered at the Village Benab to witness the cultural show which got underway with an ‘invitation dance’ from the Rupertee Cultural Group. This was followed by a song titled ‘Tribeman’ from the Waramuri Cultural group. Dances depicting the way of life and the
legends of the various Indigenous groups in Guyana were performed by the Batavia, Surama, Jawalla and Nappi Cultural Groups. Acting in the skit ‘Piaman’ was the Kraudar Cultural Group. Indigenous calypsonians King Harpy and Marcia King treated the audience to renditions of their songs and a contingent from neighbouring Suriname entertained the gathering with several songs and dances. The food exhibition saw Guyanese sampling a wide variety of Indigenous dishes such as casiri, piwari and fly, farine and tuma pot, and the ever-popular cassava bread. Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock and other officials were also at the event
From page 14 conducted to avoid total reliance on sugar for GuySuCo’s revenues; an evaluation on the options for GuySuCo should be done; amalgamation of the Wales and Uitvlugt estates and assign all their cane to the Uitvlugt factory which was operating at 50 percent capacity and the Corporation should divest itself of the Skeldon estate. Despite these recommendations by the Commission, Minister Harmon said that the Government opted to ask GuySuCo to come up with a Plan of Action based on these recommendations and how the issues identified will be dealt with. “After many weeks, GuySuCo came up with a Plan of Action on how they will deal with these issues. The Plan was aggressively interrogated by the Cabinet and eventually a document was put out. That document in itself became t h e b a s i s o f Government’s position, which was laid on the table with the Unions, with the political Opposition, with the representatives of the estates. That is what we called putting the issues on the t a b l e . G AW U p u t t h e i r issues on the table. NAACIE in fact said that they concurred with the p o s i t i o n o f G AW U . T h e political Opposition said they needed to have a study done. They never put a n y t hing on the table. So what we had on the table was the position by the Government and the position by GAWU. The Government then looked at these positions, pu t t h e m t o g e t h e r, extracted the main issues out of them together and prepared a State paper, which was laid in the National Assembly. That State Paper, Mr. Chairman, spoke to
several issues, which we have to deal with. Apart from what GAWU has put on the table, there is nothing else coming from anybody else except for letters in the newspapers,” Minister Harmon noted. The Minister of State noted that if Guyana is to advance, then issues would have to be placed on the table and discussed in a coherent and organised manner with the aim of arriving at a workable solution. He noted that this is what the Government has done as it has had several eng a g e m e n t s w i t h t h e various Unions and other stakeholders before a decision was made. “We cannot wait on a Conference or whatever form of Conference it is, or a letter to the Editor to put our issues there. Study the issues and let us agree, let us discuss that and I believe that this has always been the focus of the Government; that we have to discuss these issues. Sugar is not something w e t a k e lightly. The issue of the condition of our sugar workers is not something we take very lightly and so when the issues of severance came up, we invited the Unions again to consultations. GAWU and NAACIE were invited to consultations in 2018 on the question of severance and what were some of the issues as it related to the workers. Again, at the table, sitting in the Cabinet room and GAWU and NAACIE made their positions very clear. I must say that at every point along the way that there have b e e n a g g r e s s i v e representation on behalf of the workers by the Union. Not only the Unions were there, the representatives from the factories were also present and they made
their positions clear as well. Whatever shape or form we arrived at, consultation has always been the bedrock of what we do as a Government,” he said. In addition to these consultations and arising out of some of the foundations of the State Paper, a Special Purposes Unit for sugar was established with some very clear guidelines as to what is to be done about divestment, what is to be done about sugar lands and what is to be done about the valuation of some of the Corporation’s assets going forward, he also noted. “This is the Government’s view Mr. Chairman on the future of the sugar industry. We are of the view that the industry can survive and we wish to posit here that there is a distinct clarity on the way that the government has dealt and is dealing with the future of the sugar industry. We are committed to ensuring that it survives. The Government under P r e s i d e n t G r a n g e r, t h e entire Cabinet we want to wish this Conference here a success and to commit to continue working with the Unions and all stakeholders to ensure that this sugar industry survives and that the lives and livelihoods of those workers who continue to be in the industry and those who will be employed when the industry is divested in a certain way, that we will c o n t i n u e t o e n s u r e that the livelihoods of the Guyanese worker is of paramount consideration,” the State Minister stated. The Conference was also addressed by President of GAWU, Mr. Komal Chand, Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo and Head of the Special Projects Unit, Colvin HeathLondon.
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
Officer facing charges for manipulating ... (From page 3) jet Number N119tc arrived from Aruba for an emergency fuel stop. Subsequently, the aircraft departed with Juan Carlos Maquilon Perez along with two others whose nationalities and pass records are unknown. The court heard that apart from landing in Guyana, the aircraft made stops in Columbia and Florida without any foregoing notices or documentations, as required by the laws governing Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (G.C.A.A). This aroused the suspicion of officials at the airport
and an investigation was launched. The investigation revealed that Perez’s name along with the two others were in the BMA, although they were not arriving passengers who were onboard another aircraft, flight COPA CM 254 (an aircraft known to fly from Guyana to Panama) which had arrived at CJIA five days earlier. Further investigation revealed that none of the three names was featured on the manifest; neither were there any embarkement or disembarkment cards in favour of these persons as is
prescribed by law. Due to this abnormality a thorough check of the BMS was done. It was discovered that Rausch, the immigration officer on duty at the time, used his personal username to access the BMS and made entries to show that Perez and the two others entered Guyana on March 27, aboard the COPA flight #Cm245. However, the trio arrived here on April 1. Nevertheless, legal advice was sought resulting in the arrest and charges being laid against the immigration officer.
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Wednesday September 05, 2018
Region Six parents to join striking teachers today
P
arents from Region Six are expected to take to the streets today in support of striking teachers from nursery, primary and s e c o n d a r y schools. This is according to the Guyana Teacher’s Union President Mark Lyte. According to one teacher, the parents are prepared to stand with the educators “to fight the good fight.” Meanwhile, while a few children turned up at some schools, the doors were shut tight at other schools as the strike entered its second day. Five teachers, including the principal, were present at
Berbice High School. The headteacher on Monday had walked out with other teachers as the Minister of Education entered the school compound. She was at the time making checks to schools in Region Six. Additionally, Kaieteur News has learnt that the Rose Hall Town Primary School is on complete shut-down, along with the Albion Front Nursery School. Students from the New Amsterdam Multilateral were reportedly told by teachers to remain at home until further notice. Rose Hall Canje Primary had five teachers present out of twelve, while the
Cumberland Primary School had a full staff turn out together with Cropper Primary. While all of the teachers have indicated that they are in support of the strike, some stated that they are still committed to the children but will dedicate a day of strike. Meanwhile, Regional Chairman David Armogan during a brief interview said that although the Ministry announced that they have in place substitutes and volunteers, “I saw all the children outside on the tarmacs for most of the schools and it was a big problem to supervise them.” He stated that he empa-
thizes with the teachers and believes it is a legitimate issue, “so even though I agree that schools will be affected and children will be affected, we also have to look at the bigger picture too and the teachers’ problems. One of the grave issues is that the government has allowed the negotiations to break down. Unfortunately it has reached the stage of conciliation and the next stage, arbitration which the union rightfully called for. The government is hesitant to go to arbitration because they are probably remembering what happened in the Armstrong Tribunal where teacher’s were given hefty increases.”
Armogan said he was heartened when the President stated that he is looking to cut certain aspects of the national budget to allow another proposal. ”But up to now that is just talk and we haven’t heard anything else since then and so the government needs to move very quickly instead of making excuses; that is all that they have.” He mentioned that based on what the Opposition Leader had stated that the money can be easily found by making some basic cuts. According to Armogan, the teachers deserve a better pay “because they have to live and they have
expenses”. The Regional Chairman also stated that he was disappointed in the statements made by Keith Scott, Minister responsible for Labour who is also heading the conciliation team. However, Scott has since issued an apology for his words uttered loosely recently. Thousands of teachers hit the streets across the country; with some bearing placards with slogans such as “No money, No wuk”, “Teachers are important, yes we are” and “Henry is a yard fowl, we gon pressure she.” Teachers and head-teachers from Linden are expected to protest the Ministry in Georgetown today as well.
Granger at CSME meeting on movement of persons, automatic entry for Haitians President David Granger will lead a delegation, including Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, to the Ninth Meeting of the Prime Ministerial SubCommittee on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) in St. Michael, Barbados today. Matters to be discussed include a stakeholder’s perspective and recommendations for an effective CSME, which will include the Protocol on Contingent Rights, Simplified Administrative Procedures for Movement of Persons, Procedures on the Refusal of Entry of CARICOM Nationals, and the Entitlement of Haitian Nationals to an Automatic Stay of Six Months upon arrival in CARICOM Member States. Further, the meeting will take into consideration Macro-Economic Support measures, specific key considerations for CSME effectiveness and also addressing non-compliance. On his expectations of the outcome of the meeting, Minister Greenidge expressed that, “Hopefully, the Member States have been able to move forward and will come to a conclusion on a number of outstanding critical is-
President David Granger sues.” He further outlined movement of persons as one of importance. This meeting was preceded by The Sixth Special Meeting of the Council for Finance and Planning, which was held yesterday.
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Unseeded Millman sends Federer crashing out of U.S. Open New York (Reuters) Roger Federer failed to cope with stifling conditions at the U.S. Open on Monday and suffered a shock 3-6 7-5 7-6(7) 7-6(3) defeat to unseeded Australian John Millman in the last 16. Second seed Federer, who had not dropped a set in his first three matches, was uncharacteristically sloppy, committing 77 unforced errors and 10 double faults while landing just 49 percent of his first serves. There was little sign of what was in store for the five-times champion when he took the first set with ease, before world No. 55
Millman turned the tables to win the second then held his nerve through two tiebreaks to secure the victory in three hours and 34 minutes. While the temperature i n N e w Yo r k h o v e r e d around 78 Fahrenheit (25C), Federer said high humidity was the problem at Arthur Ashe Stadium. ”I just thought it was very hot tonight,” Federer s a i d . “ Wa s j u s t o n e o f those nights where I felt I couldn’t get air. There was no circulation at all. “It’s one of the first times it’s happened to me... John was able to deal with it better.
He maybe comes from one of the most humid places on earth, Brisbane. “Some days it’s just not the day where the body can cope with it.” Millman, who trained with Federer in Switzerland before the grass-court season, was in shock at having beaten one of his idols. ”I’m probably in a little bit of disbelief,” he said. “I have so much respect for Roger and everything he’s done for the game. “He’s a hero of mine. Today he was definitely not at his best but I’ll take it.” Federer started well, racing through the first set
and unsettling Millman by dropping the ball short. He looked to be cruising as he opened up a 5-3 lead in the second but squandered two set points when serving at 5-4 before making two unforced errors and a double fault that allowed Millman to draw level. The 29-year-old Australian held serve and suddenly Federer found himself serving to force a tiebreak. He cracked, double faulting again and making two more unforced errors, as Millman roared back to level the match at 1-1. ”I felt like a deer in the
Enmore, Enterprise... Wednesday September 05, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21- April 20) Get on with business. Praise will be yours if you have been pursuing your goals. Changes to your self image will be to your benefit as long as you don't over pay. TAURUS (Apr. 21- may 21) Your need to obtain additional details will lead you into strange topics of conversation. Help if you can, but more than likely it will be sufficient just to listen. Try to accommodate them without infringing on your own responsibilities. GEMINI (May 22-June 21) Be cautious not to get involved in office chatter that will cause problems for others. Don't overextend yourself in the process. Now is a good time to ask for favors. CANCER (June 22-July 22) Don't overspend or give too freely to others. You will be a bit of a spendthrift today. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Don't let your partner get you going. You are best to travel or attend lectures or seminars. Professionalism will be of utmost importance. Concentrate on work and on making money. VIRGO (Aug. 23 -Sept. 23) Rely on the one you love for support and affection. You may find that getting together with colleagues after hours will be worthwhile.
LIBRA (Sept. 24 -Oct. 23) Self-deception about relationships is a problem. Only bite off what you can chew. You may want to try your hand at a little creative writing. Don't let your boss get the better of you. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) Evasion is likely if you aren't direct about your feelings. Be careful what you consume today. Relatives may not be telling you the whole truth about a family situation. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 -Dec. 21) Rewards for past good deeds will highlight your day. Use your quick wit to win points and friends. Go out shopping today. CAPRICORN (Dec 22.- Jan. 20) Make plans that will take you to exotic destinations. You can make amends by taking them somewhere special. You may find your self a bit frazzled if you allow someone to goad you into an unsavory debate. AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 -Feb. 19) Romance may be likely if you travel. A passionate party for two might be just the remedy. PISCES (Feb. 20-Mar. 20) Someone you care about may not be too well. You will be able to enlist the help of colleagues who believe in your ideas.
From page38 and 27 respectively. O. Gardener and Richie Woolford grabbed two wickets each. In reply, Golden Grove were bowled out for 44. Amir Khan grabbed 4-12 and Rudolph Singh 2-6. Enterprise overcame Better Hope ‘B’ by six wickets at Enterprise. Better Hope batted first and were bowled out for 56 with R. Singh and Clive Rampersaud scoring 15 each; Kamesh Yadram captured 4-10 and Pradesh Balkishun 2-7. In reply Enterprise reached 57-4. Kamesh Yadram scored 16. At Lusignan, the home team got past Paradise by 19 runs. Lusignan won the toss and elected to bat first posting 112-9 after the game was reduced to 16 overs due to rain. Kumar Bishundyal made 27 and Tameshwar Motiram 24. Jermaine Martin grabbed 3-21 while W. Ramsammy took 2-16. Paradise were limited to 93-8 from 16 overs in reply. Q. Douglas got 24; Jason Heyliger took 3-28 and Kumar Bishundyal took 214. At Ogle, Lusignan ‘B’ got the better of the host by 10 runs. Lusignan ‘B’ managed 117-9, taking first strike. Marvin Persaud scored 28 and Azad Mohamed 24; Andrew Samaroo and Andrew Gomes grabbed two wickets each. In reply, Ogle were limited to 107-8, Samaroo struck 31 and A. Sinclair 21; Navin Persaud and Imran Khan took two wickets each. The competition continues on Sunday at Lusignan Community Center ground when Lusignan ‘A’ will face Enterprise ‘A’ and Lusignan ‘B’ will take on Enmore. Better Hope will tackle host Strathavon at 13:00hrs.
headlights to begin with, to be honest,” Millman added. “Roger had me on a string. He was manipulating me around the court. “But I got out of a tough second set, really found my feet and started to be a little bit more aggressive.” After being caught out by the drop shot earlier in the match, Millman began to read it better and improved from a single net point won in the first set to 17 from a possible 30 by the end of the match. Federer, who won five straight titles at Flushing Meadows between 2004 and 2008, continued to
struggle with his serve, double faulting twice in a row in the final tiebreak and conceding the match with a forehand error. Next up for Millman is a quarter-final match-up against Novak Djokovic, and Federer said the sixth seed will have a fight on his hands. “I think (Millman has) got a great backhand... When you attack there in the wrong way, he will punish you every time for it,” said the Swiss. ”I think against Novak, he just has to bring it again, try to worry Novak, hope for another hot day maybe.”
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Serena Williams reaches US Open semi-finals with win over Karolina Pliskova BBCsport - Serena Wi l l i a m s p a s s e d h e r toughest test so far at the US Open to beat Karolina Pliskova and reach the semi-finals for a ninth consecutive time. Wi l l i a m s , s e e d e d 1 7 t h , trailed 4- 2 i n t h e f i r s t set but hit back to win 6-4 6-3 against the Czech eighth seed. The American, 36, is s e e k i n g her first Grand Slam trophy since giving birth to daughter Olympia last September. If she wins it would be her 24th major title - equalling Australian Margaret Court’s all-time record. ”The crowd was really rooting for me and I felt so bad because everyone ou t h e r e w a s c h e e r ing and I wasn’t winning so I thought I had to try harder,” said Wi l l i a m s . “ I r e a l l y f e e l like right now I’m playing free. I was having a baby this time last
year so I have nothing to prove.” Wi l l i a m s faces L a t v i a ’s 1 9 t h s e e d A n a s t asija Sevastova, who knocked out defending champion Sloane Stephens earlier on Tuesday, in the last four tomorrow. Williams is only playing her eighth tournament since becoming a mum, but had o n l y d r o p p e d o n e set in her last-16 match a g a i n s t L a t v i a ’s K a i a Kanepi - on her way to the last eight. However, having lost to Angelique Kerber in t h e Wi m b l e d o n f i n a l , there were question marks how she would fare against another high-calibre player. After a slow start against the bigserving former number one, Williams grew into the match as she responded to some vociferous backing from Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Serena Williams is the only Grand Slam champion left in the women’s draw. The six-time US champion won eight games in a row - four at the end of the first and four at the start of the second - to help her secure victory in one hour 26 minutes. It was her first win over
a top-10 ranked player s i n c e b e a t i n g B r i t a i n ’s Johanna Konta at the 2017 Australian Open. Wi l l i a m s s u f f e r e d a chastening defeat by Pliskova, who had a brief spell as world number
one last year, when they last met each other in the 2016 US Open semi-finals. And it looked like she could face more trouble when 26-year-old Pliskova threatened to go a double break up in
the first set. The tall Czech was unable to convert either for a 4-2 lead with her service game next - and that was the momentumchanging moment in what had promised to be an engrossing match. Williams upped her number of winners as Pliskova’s unforced error c o u n t g r e w, a p a t t e r n which continued in the early part of the second set. Little danger seemed apparent for Williams when Pliskova clawed one break back for 4-1, only for the tension to grow when the world number eight moved 40- 0 a h e a d o n t h e American’s serve in the seventh game. Wi l l i a m s r e s p o n d e d with some huge serving to see off four break points, averting danger for a 5-2 lead and allowing her to wrap up victory in her next service game.
Guyana will be facing Barbados in their first CNL match tomorrow, Kaieteur...
Name: Ryan Hackett Age: 18 Club: Fruta Conquerors Position: Center Midfield
Name: Kai Mackenzie-Lyle Age: 20 Club: Barnet Position: Goalkeeper
Name: Kelsey Benjamin Age: 19 Club: Western Tigers Position: Center Forward
Name: Wilson Toledo Age: 51 Role: Coaching Education Director
Name: Eon DeViera Age: 41 Role: Assistant Goalkeeper Coach
Name: James Keenan Name: Age: 40 Role: Head of Sports Science
Name: Mike Jones Age: 33 Role: Head of People and Culture
Name: Michael Johnson Age: 45 Role: Head Coach
Name: Ademola Bankole Age: 49 Role: Goalkeeper Coach
Name: Faizal Khan Age: 36 Role: Head of Recruitment
Patriots beat Tridents by two wickets – 26th match Basseterre, St Kitts, CMC – St Kitts and Nevis Patriots defeated Barbados Tridents by two wickets in their Caribbean Premier League match at Warner Park here last night. Scores: TRIDENTS 168 for five off 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 44, Roston Chase 38 not out, Jason Holder 30 not out, Dwayne Smith 26; Tabraiz Shamsi 2-16). PATRIOTS 169 for eight off 19.4 overs (Fabian Allen 64 not out, Chris Gayle 22; Mohammed Irfan 3-37, Imran Khan 2-19). Details in tomorrow’s edition.
Wednesday September 05, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Guyana will be facing Barbados in their first CNL match tomorrow, Kaieteur Sport is pleaed to introduce you to the players and staff that would be aiming to takle the nation to glory.
Name: Delon Lanferman Age: 22 Club: Den Amstel FC Position: Right Wing
Name: Kevin Dundas Club: Den Amstel Age: 22 Position: Center Back
Name: Akel Clarke Club: Fruta Conquerors Age: 29 Position: Goal Keeper
Name: Jason Cromwell Age: 21 Club: Buxton United Position: Goalkeeper
Name: Sese Norville Age: 18 Club: Milerock FC Position: Goalkeeper
Name: Kevin Layne Age: 20 Club: New Amsterdam United Position: Center Back
Name: Andrew Murray Age: 27 Club: Caledonia AIA Position: Center Midfield
Name: Brandon Beresford Age: 26 Club: 1st Dezembro Position: Defensive midfield
Name: Jake Newton Age: 34 Club: Hamble Position: Center Back
Name: Samuel Cox Age: 27 Club: Wealdstone Position: Right Back
Name: Kester Jacobs Age: 31 Club: Den Amstel FC Position: Center Back
Name: Cecil Jackman Club: Fruta Conqueors Age: 18 Position: Right Back
Name: Daniel Wilson Club: Western Tigers Age: 24 years Position: Center Midfield
Name: Pernell Schultz Age: 24 Club: Western Tigers Position: Center Forward
Name: Jelani Smith Age: 27 Club: Sigma FC Position: Center Back
Name: Ronayne Marsh-Brown Age: 33 Club: Whitehwak FC Position: Left Back
Name: Vurlon Mills Age: 30 Club: Western Tigers Position: Center Midfield
Name: Delwin Fraser Age: 30 Club: Guyana Defence Force Position: Center Midfield
Name: Anthony Benfield Age: 27 Club: Fruta Conquerors Position: Center Back
Name: Neil Danns Age: 35 Club: Bury Position: Center Midfield
Name: Trevor Burnett Age: 55 Role: Equipment Manager
Name: Taff Rahman Age: 34 Role: Senior Coach
Name: Paul Williams Age: 47 Role: Assistant Head Coach
Name: Duane Saunders Age: 31 Role: Physiotherapist
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Former skipper Enterprise Legends honour Yadram Sammy to promote on U-19 success, triple hundred T20 World Cup
Darren Sammy St John’s, Antigua, CMC – Discarded former West Indies captain, Darren Sammy, will feature prominently in promoting the upcoming Women’s Twenty20 World Cup, after joining the Windies Ambassador Programme. Cricket West Indies said yesterday the 34-year-old would use his star appeal to create awareness in the buildup to the ICC event scheduled for November 9-24 in Guyana, St Lucia and Antigua. CWI’s Ambassadors Programme involves using current and past players in the promotion of cricket events and related commercial activities. ”It is an honour and a huge pleasure to join the team for the ICC Women’s World T20,” said Sammy, who led West Indies to two T20 World Cup titles. ”This is going to be a great event for our region and for our women, who have for generations helped to build our communities … in St Lucia and across the West Indies. In doing so, they have made an outstanding contribution to our cricket.” He added: “This tournament will also go a long way to boost women’s cricket.
The sport is on the rise and we want to see it grow even more when the tournament comes to our doorsteps. ”As a proud son of the soil, I just want to play my part in this wonderful campaign called #WatchThis as we prepare to host the cricketing world.” Sammy presided over the Windies capture of the 2016 T20 World Cup in India but was sacked four months later without playing another game for the regional side. Since then, the former Test and one-day captain has focussed his energies on the lucrative global domestic T20 circuit. He is currently representing St Lucia Stars in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League. The St Lucian is expected to make several public appearances on behalf of the Women’s T20 World Cup and is expected to be present on match days to greet fans and players. West Indies Women are defending champions in the upcoming tournament and will face England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Group A of the preliminary round. Group B will comprise 2016 losing finalists Australia along with India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland.
BhaskarYadram (centre) with members of the Enterprise Legends team after being presented with the band. All-rounder Bhaskar Yadram was recently honoured by the Enterprise Legends Cricket Team on the East Coast of Demerara for leading Guyana to their fifth straight Cricket West Indies U19 50-over title in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Members of the Enterprise
Legends Cricket Team played a specially arranged softball match in honour of Yadram, before presenting him with a cricket band in recognition of his achievements this year. NK Omar of Enterprise Legends said the members thought it best to honourYadram, since apart
from captaining Guyana, he also created history earlier this year by scoring 301 not out against the Select Under-17 squad at the Everest Cricket Club in the Guyana Cricket Board Inter County U19 three-day tournament. It was the first triple hundred ever scored at this level.
Omar said that the Legends are indeed proud of the strides made by the young cricketer and they are confident he will continue to excel. Yadram expressed gratitude to the members of the Enterprise Legends team adding that he will continue to do his best.
Windies to clash with South Africa at Oval
West Indies Women … set to face South Africa at Kensington Oval. Bridgetown, Barbados, CMC – Kensington Oval here will play host to the West Indies’ next outing in the ICC Women’s Championship, beginning later this month. West Indies take on South Africa in the first One-Day International on September 16 before following up with matches on September 19 and 22.
The three ODIs are part of a tour which will see West Indies clash with South Africa in a five-match Twenty20 International series at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad from September 24 to October 6. West Indies currently lie fifth on six points in the eightteam Championship stand-
ings, after sweeping Sri Lanka 3-0 in the Caribbean last October and then going down by a similar margin away to New Zealand last March. South Africa are one from bottom on four points. The series against South Africa is one of two home series for the Windies before they defend their title in the
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup from November 9-24 in Guyana, St Lucia and Antigua, with India also expected to arrive in early October. A West Indies squad has been in training in recent months and were expected to resume camp last weekend following a break.
Wednesday September 05, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Coach Chan-a-Sue elated with their showing at Caribbean C/Ships Guyanese girls qualify for Pan Am C/Ships for 1st time By Sean Debers Guyana’s Squash Coach Raymon Chan-a-Sue is elated with the outstanding performances of his female charges at the just concluded Caribbean Squash Championships in the Cayman Islands where they achieved their highest ranking (6th) and qualified for the first time ever for next year’s Pan American Championships to be held in Peru. The Penultimate day of the Championships did not start as the Guyanese girls would have hoped as they faced the Colombian ladies’ in the team quarter-finals. Despite a win from their most experienced player; Nicolette Fernandes, the ladies failed win one more match to advance to the semi-finals and gain automatic qualification to Peru. However, they were placed in the 5/8 draw for another chance to qualify, with a matchup against Brazil. Nicolette Fernandes won 3-0 before Guyana’s National Champion Mary Fung-A-Fat also registered a 3-0 win while Taylor Fernandes won 2-0 to qualify for Peru which sparked joyous celebrations. In 2014, the Guyanese Women lost out on Pan American Championship qualification on a match ball situation and the memories of that close defeat is now behind them as they advanced for the first time ever. The Men’s team qualified on three previous occasions; 1995, 1999 and 2015 but failed to do so this year. “The qualification was very exciting for the ladies and was great for our squash programme and its development,” declared Presi-
David Fernandes
Guyana’s Girs sqaush team qualifed for next year’s Pan American games in Peru. dent of the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) David Fernandes. Fernandes added that this success is a definite motivation for the juniors that are currently coming through the system to emulate what this group has done. ”The tournament in Cayman was well organised and attracted one of the highest number of entries ever for this championships with 17 countries for the men and 15 for the women participat-
ing” informed Coach Chana-Sue, a former International Squash player. Chan-a-Sue whose first love was cricket which he played at the third division level for GCC, said the standard of the Championships was extremely high, with twenty players ranked in the top 100 in the world, including three in the top ten in the world. ”Guyana did extremely well considering that most of the athletes from these
countries train full time together and are funded” said Chan-a-Sue who switched to Squash as a teenager. ” We k n e w t h a t o u r depth would be good on the women’s side, so we had a good chance of qualifying but, we did not know how our draw would pan out. As it was, the women ended up with a good draw. The men weren’t so lucky, as they drew Jamaica then El Salvador, who were some of the deeper teams in the draw” added
Chan-a-Sue, who resides in Canada. Fernandes said the GSA would have liked to have both teams qualify for the Games but was still proud of being one of three Caribbean countries to earn berths at the Games; Jamaica and Bermuda’s men being the others. When asked what were the highs and lows in the Championship the GSA head said the Women qualifying was the high while the low was
Guyana’s Men’s loss against El Salvador. ”However, our men’s team includes two promising young players in Jason Khalil and Nyron Joseph who have the tools to be really good players but need to be exposed to this level more” Fernandes stressed. ”Our players need to play on the professional circuit more, so they are exposed to this level of play more often. Also they need to train together more often, which is a challenge because many of them are based in various parts of the world and it is not always easy or feasible to get them together” Fernandes added. When questioned about preparations for Peru, Fernandes informed that the GSA is going to have a combination of training camps, challenge matches and PSA tournaments to select and get the team ready for Lima. ”We think we have the ability to finish in the top five, so that would be our goal” the GSA President concluded.
BCB/Raffik’s Construction 100 Ball Tourney
Kildonan. Chesney and Courtland advance The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) historic Raffik Construction 100 Balls tournament for teams in the Lower Corentyne area has r e started after a lengthy delay due to the weather. Kildonan Cricket Club, Chesney and Courtland have advance to the next round of the knockout competition after registering victories over Belvedere United, Jai Hind and Fyrish, respectively. The match between Albion and Tamarind Root was post-
poned due to Albion’s participation in the BCB U-19 semifinals. At the Fyrish Ground, Courtland spearheaded by an attacking 62 from Jamal Cort (3x4 7x6) reached 173-9 from their 100 balls. Seon Crandon scored 39 as Imran Ally 2-38 and R. Ramcharran 3-17 bowled well for the home team. Fyrish in reply were bolwed out for 155 in 19 overs, losing by 18 runs. Y. Chinapen 38, J. Ali 32 and Reaz Khan 32 were the principal scorers. J. Johnson 2-2 and Eon Gibson
2-20 were the best bowlers for the winning Courtland team. At the Chesney Ground, 2008 Stanford T20 star Imran Khan rolled back the years to spearhead the home team to an easy 28 run win over neighbours Jai Hind Cricket Club. Khan struck a composed 50 and together with S. Latchana 62 not out led Chesney to 157-6 from their allotted 100 balls. R. Mangali claimed 2-18 from three overs while Adrian Singh, a former Guyana U-15 Captain took 2-19 from three
overs. Jai Hind in response was bowled out for 129 in 15.3 overs despite Mangali returning with the bat to top score with 46. Medium pacer Khan took 419 and veteran Narine Deonarine 2-21 to lead Chesney to the semifinals. At the Hampshire Ground, Kildonan defeated Belvedere United by three wickets. Belvedere United scored 126-6 while Kildonan reached 130-7 from 18.1 overs to advance. Kildonan would now play Rose Hall Town Bakewell
with the winner going on to play Courtland in the semis. Chesney would play the winner of the Albion and Tamarind Root match. The tournament is being organised by the BCB as part of its effort to promote cricket at the grass root level in the Lower Corentyne area. A total of sixteen teams started the tournament which is being sponsored by Contractor, Mohamed Raffik of Williamsburg, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice.
Jamal Cort
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Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
Guyana’s CNL campaign kicks off with crucial game against Barbados tomorrow Story and photos by Calvin Chapman Guyana’s ‘Golden Jaguars’ will play their first match of the Concacaf Nations League (CNL) tomorrow night at the National Track and Field Center (NTFC), Leonora where they will face Barbados from 19:00hrs. The CNL is the avenue in which the Golden Jaguars will seek to qualify for their first ever Concacaf Gold Cup and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) had employed a highly qualified Coach in Michael Johnson to help streamline that aim before an historic ‘Train and Play’ Camp in Brazil last month which was facilitated to help prepare the squad for tomorrow’s clash against the ‘Bajans’. During the ‘Jags’ training session yesterday morning at the NTFC, Kaieteur Sport had the opportunity to chat with Coach Johnson, some members of his support staff and a few players, ahead of tomorrow’s crucial game. ”We need everybody to be playing to the maximum of their potential, I’ve seen our players in Brazil and I’m actually expecting a wonderful performance by the lads which will do the country proud”, the former Jamaica
Michael Johnson Golden Jaguars Head Coach
James Keenan - Golden Jaguars Sports Scientist
Samuel Cox - Golden Jaguars Captain
defender noted on his expectations of what will be the outcome of his first real game in charge of the Golden Jaguars. He further shared that the Brazil Train and Play Camp has proven to be a major factor: “Because it was an opportunity for the players to understand me and how I work. Now it’s an easier transaction rather than meeting the team now for the first time and having to now instill my coaching philosophy, so the Brazil camp was really important.” Come tomorrow, Johnson explained that fans
can expect a team with an identity that is fully committed to getting a win while he will encourage his troops to, “Play a brand of football that is exciting and physical.” Meanwhile, James Keenan, the Sports Scientist attached to Johnson’s support staff, shared with Kaieteur Sport that he is impressed with the current fitness level of the entire squad. Sports science is new to Guyana and Keenan who has over 10 years of experience working with the likes of former English Championship side, Coventry FC, explained that, “In an ef-
fort to monitor what the players are doing and how hard they are doing it, one of the things we’ve implemented is the GPS system. That means that we will be able to understand every aspect of the player training including how hard and intensive it is, relative to them.” Guyana’s and current Captain of Wealdstone FC (sixth tier English club), Samuel Cox, was visibly happy with the makeup of the team and his words sounded no different, “Currently the squad has a feeling of opti-
mism; I think everybody is excited to work with the new regime (coaching staff). I think everyone has a full understanding of what the League of Nations (CNL) brings to us and we are inevitably four games away from qualifying for the Gold Cup for the first time ever. We just need to apply ourselves and we will do well.” Current top goal scorer of the GFF Elite League, 23-yearold right winger; Delon Lanferman, who has 15 goals from less than 10 games this season, related that he is happy with the opportunity granted to him and he will make the best of it since he wants to remain a permanent fixture in the national setup. He articulated that unlike many players, who have fallen by the wayside due to indiscipline, he will not follow that path and he intends to stay in line and follow instructions with the aim of achieving his goal of playing football at the highest level. Custodian of the team, 20year-old; 6’ 5" Kai MackenzieLyle, who plays for fifth tier English side, Barnet, may certainly be a major factor in Guyana’s CNL opener against Barbados and the towering lad who has been around first team professional football in
England for about half a decade, noted that he believes he is experienced enough to have an opportunity with the Golden Jaguars during this potentially historic quest. A word from the midfield through 26-year-old Canadian-based Brandon Beresford, who in his eighth year after his Golden Jaguars debut, feels that Guyana has their best chance since of qualifying for the Gold Cup, “We have a strong core of players that have been coming back consistently for the last couple years and as long as we continue to grow as a team and with the new coaching staff, I believe we can do some damage tomorrow night.” Meanwhile, head of the GFF, Wayne Forde, has called on the fans to support their team: “The Golden Jaguars will take its first step towards the Nation’s historic Gold Cup qualification on Thursday night. It is my honour to invite every man, woman and child to be part of this extraordinary experience, as we roar towards a remarkable journey.” Tickets to game costs $1000 and are available at the GFF Secretariat, Dadanawa Street, Scetion ‘K’, Campbellville.
FACC/GBC/Oasis Water Cycle Road Race
De Nobrega (open), Niles (masters), Seenarine (juniors) emerge winners Team Evolutions Paul De Nobrega outhusteled an experienced field to emerge winner of the Flying Ace Cycle Club of Berbice, annual Guyana Beverage Company/ Oasis Water sponsored 70mile Cycle Road Race which was contested on Sunday last in the Ancient County. De Nobrega completed the race in Two Hours 50 Minutes 37.99 Seconds, crossing the line ahead of Andre Green, Andrew Hicks, Balram Narine, Romello Crawford, Michael Anthony, Rastaff Oselmo, Alanzo Ambrose, Kemuel Moses and Jornel Yearwood. Ralph Seenarine was the top junior cyclist on show and he was followed to the line by Denzil Huntley and David Hicks in that order. Junior Niles was the winner of the Masters category in Three Hours 04 Minutes 11 Seconds. Clement Doris placed second with Sybourne Fernandes third. The event pedaled off from the Guyana Beverage Company’s office at Palmyra, Eats Berbice proceeded to the Corentyne be-
The respective winners and other top prerformers display their prizes in the presence of the sponsor and organiser. fore returning to the strating line for the finish. The 12-14 race was won by J. Joseph with Mario Washington and Steve Bhimson, 2nd and 3rd,
respectibvely while the top two club riders were Balram Narine and Clement Doris. Brand Manager Raymond Govinda thanked the cyclists
for participating in the race and congratulated the winners. He had words of commendation for the FACC and Roberts for the good work
done. He said that the company is pleased with the way the event has been organised over the years and pledged that it will continue to spon-
sor the event. Roberts was also happy that the company came on board to sponsor the race and of their future commitment.
Wednesday September 05, 2018
Kaieteur News
Page 39
Limacol Football Tourney
Pouderoyen edge Beacons, Police needle Rangers Police Football Club (PFC) reversed their fortunes during the second round of play in the Limacol Football Tournament on Monday evening at the Ministry of Education (MOE) ground after needling Northern Rangers in the feature match of the night. L a s t y e a r ’s l o s i n g finalist, Police, had gotten
off this year’s competition to a bad start after going down to Mahaica Determinators 01 in their opening group match last Friday but a late goal by Rawle Haynes in the 70th minute helped calm the nerves of the Police camp and their many fans that attened the match. Meanwhile, in the opening game, Pouderoyen were able to open on a
Quessey Alleyne
This Police player takes the attack to Northern Rangers during their clash on Monday night.
positive note by securing three points despite a threatening fight back from Beacons FC which had a few opportunities to go ahead first with their best chance coming 20 minutes into the encounter, they failed to convert a penalty. Unfazed by the pressure, Esan Nelson squeezed in the
first goal for the winners in the 38th minute from close range after he was served up the opportunity on a platter following an excellent, low cross. A few minutes after the start of the second half, Quessey Alleyne doubled the lead for the West Demerara based team while
Beacons continued to s q u a n d e r g o o d opportunities. Kimba Braithwaite, who defended resolutely for Beacons, pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute and the losing side was unfortunate to not equalise as they hit the cross bar a few times during the remainder of the round-robin
clash. T h i s F r i d a y, t h e tournament continues with two more games with the teams’ ultimate aim of claiming the top cash prize of $600,000 while the runners up will pocket $300,000, third $150,000 and fourth $75,000. (Calvin Chapman)
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday September 05, 2018
BCB Magic Moments T20 Tourney - Upper Corentyne
No. 48 Challengers advance to finals, Skeldon and No. 72 All Star reach semifinal
No. 72 All Stars Cricket Team. The final of the Berbice Cricket Board/Magic Moments T20 Tournament in the Upper Corentyne area would be played this Sunday at the Cut and Load Ground. No. 48 Challengers booke dtheir place in the final after defeating No. 64 Fighting Star while No. 72 All Stars and Skeldon Community Centre earne dteh right to contest the lone semi final after defeating Cut and Load Cricket Club and Scottsburg
United Cricket Club, respectively. These two teams will face off at 09:30hrs with the winner going on to play No. 48 Challengers in the final. Playing at the No. 73 Ground, Scottsburg United Cricket Club was dismissed for 108; Rajendra Sooknandan and Alex Burnett each topscoring with 15 while extras contributed a healthy 30. Kelvin Maynard 3-8 and Junior Blair 2-16 were the best bowlers for Skeldon which reached the winning target, ending on 109-4 from just 10.4 overs. George Davis led with an unbeaten 20 with Edward Julian hitting 19 not out. Rayman Lowenfield 217 and Adrian Jeffrey 2-22 bowled well in a losing cause for Scottsburg United. No. 48 Challengers held their nerves to defeat arch rivals No. 64 Fighting Marines by 15 runs. Challengers made 111 all out in 19.2 overs; Munesh Lalu 27, Devin Baldeo 18 being the principal scorers. Devindra Budhoo 3-14 and Leonard Sandy 2-28 bowled well for NO. 64 which in reply fought to the end before they were dismissed for 96 with two overs remaining. Leonard Sandy 26 and Devindra Budhoo 16 batted well but excellent bowling from Jaipaul Baijnauth 3-4, Balram Samaroo 3-11 and
Samie Dharoop 3-32 led No. 48 Challengers to the final. Earlier in the day, No. 72 All Stars broke the hearts of the supporters of the home team, Cut and Load to register a close four run win. No. 72 were bowled out for 100 in 19.2 overs; Sanjay Deschan 22, Mahendra Bhoj 17 and Trishan Ramdass 11 being the main scorers. Abdullah Ajib 4-16, Ramesh Persaud 2-7 and Imram Khan 2-17 were the best bowlers for the home team. Cut and Load in response was bowled out for 96 in 19 overs. Ramesh Persaud topscored with 18 while Ramesh Joseph contributed 16. The bowlers responsible for No. 72 All Stars’ victory were Pradeep Gobin 3-13, Trishan Ramdass 2 for 15, Taleshwar Baichand 2 for 17 and Wayne Garrett 2-26. BCB President Hilbert Foster is urging all fans in the Upper Corentyne area to turn out at the popular Cut and Load Ground in the No. 72 Village for Sunday’s final which would be the first of four under the popular, Magic Moments brand. The Upper Corentyne final would be followed by finals for Second Division Te a m s i n t h e L o w e r Corentyne, New Amsterdam/Canje and West Berbice areas.
ECCC/Bargain Supermarket T20
Enmore, Enterprise, Lusignan, Lusignan ‘B’ triumph
Amir Khan Enmore, Enterprise and Lusignan recorded victories when the East Coast Cricket Committee (ECCC) / Bargain Supermarket T20
Kamesh Yadram tournament commenced on Sunday last. Host Enmore defeated Golden Grove by 119 runs. Enmore won the toss and
Kumar Bishundyal elected to bat scoring 163-9. Brian Sattaur top scored with 48 while Amir Khan and Chris Surat contributed 37 (Continued on page 31)
t r o Sp
Guyana’s CNL campaign kicks off with crucial game against Barbados tomorrow P.36
The Jags going through their warmup session yesterday morning at NTFC, Leonora.
Coach Chan-a-Sue elated with their showing at Caribbean C/Ships P.35
Guyanese girls qualify for Pan Am C/Ships for 1st time
Guyana’s Team which particpated at the Caribbbean Squash Champoinships in the Cayman Islands. Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.