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Kaieteur News
Tuesday September 18, 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
HUMAN TRAFFICKING ON THE RISE In Guyana, trafficking-in-persons seems to be on the rise, despite the United States State Department upgrading Guyana’s status from last year’s Tier 2 ranking to a Tier 1 ranking, which is the highest ranking bestowed on a country. Guyana has met the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking in person. The recent raids by police and GRA Enforcement officers who arrested more than two dozen female foreign nationals at a strip-club at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice and another at Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara proved the justification. For years, the U.S. Department of State criticized the last administration for not doing enough to eliminate Trafficking in Persons. But the last administration repeatedly rejected the U.S. admonition. The Granger government has recognized that trafficking in persons is prevalent in Guyana. As a result, in 2016, it developed a national plan to combat it by widening the investigations and increasing prosecutions. Traffickers tend to target the most vulnerable persons in society, some of them to work as prostitutes in the remote areas of the country where it is difficult for them to escape and where investigations are tough to conduct. Because most of the victims operate in the mining areas of the country, the government has engaged the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Women Miners Organization (GWMO) to deal with the problem. So far, efforts by the government to combat TIP have been successful. This was reinforced by the Minister of Social Protection who in observance of World Trafficking Day this year, disclosed that between January 5 and July 3, the government rescued 77 victims. Most were provided with jobs, educational and training opportunities and with psychosocial counselling by her Ministry. The Minister stated that the protection of human rights and dignity of all the citizens of Guyana is an essential component of good governance.She noted that in 2017, the government arrested 98 traffickers of which 80 were for sex trafficking and 18 for labour trafficking. In spite of the progress made by the government to combat TIP, the U.S. report recommended that victims be provided with protection to enable them to testify against traffickers in a way that minimizes re-traumatization and threats against their lives or those of their families. The United Nations (UN) has defined the trafficking in persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons by means of threat, use of force or other forms of coercion or having control over a person without his or her consent for the purpose of exploitation. It includes, at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual abuse, forced labour or services, or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal and sale of organs without the person’s consent. TIP is not confined to Guyana or the developing countries. It is a worldwide phenomenon that is practised in the developed countries as well. The reason the public does not hear of cases in those countries is because it is done covertly by the people who perpetrate the crime. Victims are usually kept in confined spaces and are warned not to say anything because if they do their family members would be harmed. Eventually, when they are discovered, it is usually found that the crime had been going on for a long period of time. Simply put, trafficking in persons is inhumane and a violation of human rights.
Poor management on major road projects is an indictment Dear Editor, It is with much dismay that I pen this correspondence. I have been involved in the environmental monitoring of construction projects for the past 15 years and much hasn’t changed in the way projects are executed. At the conceptual stages of projects, a lot of effort and money is spent on conducting an environmental impact assessment (EIA) and preparing an environmental management plan (EMP). The EMP is essentially the blueprint, which details mitigation measures to address all possible impacts of the project on the biophysical and social environment. During the constructionstage of some projects very little effort is placed on implementing the recommendations of the EMP. Also, at the bidding stage, it is common knowledge that the lowest responsive bidder is usually awarded the project, to remain competitive most
contractors underbid for environmental, health and safety, etc., this simply means that there aren’t sufficient funds to implement the EMP. Coupled with very little involvement from agencies responsible for monitoring, we have projects that generate significant social distress and environmental damage. The East Coast Expansion roadway is a very good example to illustrate this. Construction is spread out in large sections instead of smaller phased sections, which will reduce the traffic backup. The traffic bottleneck is exacerbated by the unpaved diversion with numerous potholes and uneven sections; this creates havoc at peak hour. A paved diversion would allow for smoother traffic flow, diverting traffic onto the railway embankment cannot solve the current problem since this road cannot accommodate the volume of
traffic. Dust levels are excessive in areas including Better Hope, which has many schools; very little effort is made to abate this nuisance. We all know the danger of dust, especially for asthmatic patients. In terms of safety, there is an absence of advisory and warning signs throughout the corridor, the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) provides a list of the type of signs that are needed for construction projects. The roadway is poorly lit at night, this is hazardous and increases the risk of accidents. Large excavated sections and drop-offs are not cordoned, this is extremely dangerous. Traffic management is absent entirely on this project, many times trucks and excavators cross the roadway without any flagmen present to assist with traffic control. Road users are left to
negotiate the roadway at their own risk. There is a great need for better planning and execution of construction projects in Guyana. The Sheriff Mandela commencement of construction coincided with school reopening and this created major inconveniences. Work is done on the Railway Embankment by the Conference Centre simultaneously with the main road, the traffic lines are extremely long in the afternoons. Some mornings at peak hour the police would close off the main road to facilitate construction, this results in an hour wait from Better Hope to Georgetown. I implore the relevant agencies to address the plight of commuters and the people living in close proximity to construction project sites. We deserve better. An Environmentalist
President Granger should visit sugar communities hard hit by layoffs Dear Editor, From reports appearing in several sections of the media, our union, and more so thousands of jobless sugar workers, learnt that President David Granger reportedly said, according to one newspaper that “…payment of severance to thousands of ex-sugar workers is drawing funding away from services”. We found the President’s remarks most unfortunate and we see it as yet another means to find a scapegoat for his administration’s failure to deliver on its promises and commitments. Added to that, it serves to remind us about the Government’s uncaring and scant concern for the thousands of Guyanese who have been affected by the APNU+AFC ill-considered policy to minimize the sugar industry. For us, it is saddening, that while the President is going around saying that his administration’s settlement of its statutory obligation to the workers is taking away from other areas, he seems to ignore, maybe conveniently, that he heads the largest and most expensive bureaucracy in our nation’s history. Today, our people are forced to sustain 15 ministries headed by 27 Ministers who are accompanied by a platoon of advisors, assistants and other support staff.
Today, our people are made to fund a super-salaried Cabinet who apart from a 50 per cent pay rise receive superb benefits such as medical treatment in exotic locales like Ireland; stupendous allowances when travelling abroad, in addition to state-paid various services including security and not to mentio n governmentprovided vehicles. Today, our people are footing the bills for the ‘greening’ of perfectly good buildings; the construction of immaculate fences; a rarely used drill square, or the hefty rental of a drug bond. To d a y, w h i l e t h e administration is ignoring its legal obligations to the beleaguered workers of Skeldon, Rose Hall, East Demerara, and Wales, His Excellency, now the Head of State for 40 months, has, reportedly, been abroad for more than 40 occasions and his administration, t h i s y e a r, b u d g e t e d t o expend a billion dollars on overseas travel. Are these the priorities that the workers obligations are sucking from? But more than that, President Granger, who has said he is very busy with several matters, should heed calls and find the time to visit the communities of the now-closed estates
and engage the workers and their families. From those visits, he will learn from the people what the closure decision sucked away from them. From those engagements, he would come to know that workers have serious difficulties to eat; that they are unable to pay their bills; or they cannot simply afford to send their children to school. From those visits, he would have hear about the family separations and their impact; he would come to know of the physiological and physical toll of losing the only job you know about; and he would be told a b o u t emptiness that has been created since the closure. It is indeed dismaying t h a t H i s E x c e llency seemingly cannot find the time to visit these Guyanese who are facing the most difficult of times. We also saw the President saying he didn’t blame the workers or the corporation or the previous administration. We believe it would be disingenuous for the President to cast blame in that direction. The President, we hold, can only point a finger of blame at himself or his colleagues who sit around the Cabinet table with him. It was his Government that chose
the shutter the estates, in the first place. Certainly, the shortsighted decision gave rise to the legal obligation to pay severance to those who stood to be affected. T here are no ifs, buts or maybes and this is clear as day and without doubt. A prudent administration would have recognized this reality and accordingly provided the payment but, as we have seen time and again, our Government continues to show us how inept and illconsiderate it can be. We cannot ignore too, that the administration, it seems, is preparing to wash its hands of the workers and their families and their communities when and after it settles the outstanding payments. If this is indeed the case, then this would be a most disturbing development. The Government has a moral obligation to ensure that the workers and their communities return to their feet and have a sustainable future especially recognizing that it was their decision that snatched away a livelihood from the people. This is the role of any Government and the administration should not ignore this important responsibility. Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU
Tuesday September 18, 2018
These donations by ExxonMobil Dear Editor, I read in a recent print media, an article from the Department of Public Information that Dr. Mark Bynoe, Head of the Department of Energy, has said that his first task is to find an international company to assist the GRA and the Auditor General to examine the oil company costs submissions. Sir, I was shocked to have read that statement attributed to Dr. Bynoe. Dr. Bynoe has had his supporters and detractors writing in the media regarding his appointment. I had reserved my comments. However, his statement shows his lack of readiness for such a high office. As far as I understand it, the Department of Energy (DOE), would look after the government’s business as a partner and a licenser with the oil companies. In the first instant, the GRA’s mission is to examine the expenses of the taxpayers (whether that taxpayer is private or government). It would thus be a conflict of interest for the taxpayer (Government) to provide to GRA with an accountant to examine the taxpayers’ returns. Another and more fundamental error in Dr. Bynoe’s statement is looking for a company to assist the Auditor General’s Office. That office is a constitutional and
independent office. It reports directly to Parliament, and the laws provide for the office to determine who it wants to farm audits out to. In fact, The DOE would be audited by the Auditor General’s office and it would be highly irregular for the office to accept any such service from a Ministry or Department which it must audit. Dr. Bynoe is out of his authority here. You are not on the mark, but you are dead wrong, Mark! The state has three opportunities to peruse and challenge the expenses of the oil companies. First the DOE has to have its own accountants to look at these submissions before they are sent with the returns to the GRA. The government (DOE) has a contract with Exxon and that is in the contract between the government and the oil company. The Government has to have its own accountants to determine the legitimacy of all the expenses which will be submitted to it by the oil companies. In fact, that article in the contract between the oil company and Exxon (re: the time period to examine the financials of Exxon) only applies to these two contractors. Secondly, GRA has its own laws as pertaining to tax returns. I stand to be corrected but I haven’t heard
Why are we petitioning ExxonMobil when we are supposed to be demanding? Dear Mr. Editor, I was appalled and left in a state of concern after reading a story in the Stabroek News with the headline, “Harmon petitions ExxonMobil for help in city restoration efforts.”
A number of things jumped out at me: 1) Why are we “petitioning” ExxonMobil to help in the restoration of Georgetown, insteadof“demanding” that the company does this as part of its corporate social (Continued on page 6)
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of any contract between GRA and Exxon. GRA can audit you anytime and can go back up to seven years. GRA can and must hire or retain specific expertise to deal with the submissions from the oil companies and their state partners Thirdly, the Auditor General’s Office has to audit the DOE and the Ministry of the Presidency. In so doing it has the constitutional duty to request and audit any and everything. Parliament must provide the resources to the office to execute its work. It is so inconsistent, that the Government voted down an increase in the allocation to the office which had applied for funds in the 2018 budget to establish the capacity to audit the oil and gas expenses. Now Dr. Bynoe is arrogating the responsibility to the DOE for providing the company to assist the Auditor General’s Office. Thus we can have three firms assisting us. Such would provide for checks and balances. On another note, I see Exxon being very generous with donations, (UG, CI, sponsorship). These are not oil related expenses. They are expenses relating to image building and branding for Exxon. I bet once we start to challenge such items, you will see how quickly this freehanded generosity of Exxon will disappear. I challenge our perusers of the oil expenses to separate Exxon’s PR expenses from the expenses for the development of the oil. Manzoor Nadir
Disgusted with these articles Dear Editor, I am writing this letter and trusting that it will be published in your newspaper for I am utterly disgusted with articles written on stories coming out of the agency and this week-end was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Most of the information in the newspapers are not a true portrayal of what really was said and in the context it was said. There are statements made and put in quotes but are not the words used by the speaker. An example: “the child is to be screened by a psychologist becomes a child to be screened by a”physiologist.” This is taken from an article in another newspaper on Sunday. This should never have passed the sub-editor and proofreaders. There was another article in the Chronicle recently on one of our programmes where “years” was used instead of months and the claim was I said years, but it clearly did not fit in the context and any skilled editor should have asked for the writer to do a re-check with the speaker. Since this was published I have been trying to have it corrected but to no avail. Getting editors to make corrections in their newspaper is like pulling teeth. So the
inaccuracies are allowed to remain and become history. No longer can students and researchers rely on newspapers for accurate information. Further, many of the stories taken from clients of the agency are misleading and written to serve the purpose of the writer and the client. There is hardly any effort to strive for accuracy and the truth to be written, it is more for sensational news and to cast doubt on person’s integrity and character. I have often been bitten. There is need in Guyana for a small claims court where persons can seek quick redress which will result in writers and their editors taking more care in presenting news.In my world of work, I had exposure to working with editors and I always say that if I did not do social work and chose the profession of a Probation Officer, I would have become a journalist. I have been writing court reports for years and know a thing or two about writing. Interviews can be done conversationally but the writer is expected to write standard English and to ensure that they have the facts, not casting aspersions. Ann Greene Director of Childcare & Protection Agency
78 Carib villagers have hanged themselves Dear Editor, Residents of Baramita Village (Barima- Waini) are calling on His Excellency, President David Granger, to urgently appoint a task force into the mysterious hangingsuicides currently taking place in their village. This may sound strange b u t s o f a r, 7 8 C a r i b villagers have committed suicide by hanging themselves. Quite recently on the 12th and 13th September 2018, a 24 year old mother of 4 children and a 16 year old youth in less than 72 hours hanged themselves. Last Saturday night (15thSeptember), a lady attempted to hang herself for no explicable reason like
the previous hangings. It is important to note as well that it is alleged that a 15-year-old Port Kaituma secondary school student of Baramita was impregnated by a police officer who was subsequently transferred to Kamarang, Upper Mazaruni. The impregnated school child dropped out of school. This warrants the urgent attention and intervention of the Commissioner of
Police, the Commander of F’ Division and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA). But so , nothing is being done to have this police officer arrested and charged under the sexual offences act. What is going on? Peter Persaud
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Putting context to integrity, relative to Granger’s leadership Dear Editor, I find a recent missive in “hindsight” captioned, “Granger’s candidacy in 2020. A mixed bag, a more provocative than altruistic in reality. Dr Hinds gives my head a pendulum swing on the meaning of integrity, for writing, “Granger’s strength is his personal integrity, which in our political environment is a tremendous asset.” To regain my center of gravity, I was compelled to check the meaning of integrity from all three versions of my dictionaries. Basically, I got, “the quality of having strong moral principles”. So I delved to “moral”- the dictionary gave me ”concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior”. I don’t see any complexity in this definition so I sought to put context to Granger’s action since his ascension to the presidency, relative to Hinds’ pontification of his integrity. At his swearing in, Granger was required to hold aloft a Holy Book and repeat, “I will honour, uphold and preserve the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.” Did we get that from him?
I think not. As early as May 2015, he instructed a Constitutionally enshrined independent Public Service Commission to cease operation then he move on to revoke the leases of a few farmers in Berbice. The CJ ruled this unconstitutional. He then went against a procedure that had been adhered to for 23 years- the Carter/Price formula for the appointment of GECOM Chairman and unilaterally appoints 84-year-old James Patterson. He had previously asked two younger men, from the Police Complaints Authority and the Public Utilities Commission to retire because they were too old. Does the above actions of Granger showed him to be conducive to be “concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior?” (definition of moral). I think not. I am flabbergasted at Dr Hinds for writing, “Granger’s strength is his personal integrity.” I wonder if Dr. Hinds uses the same dictionary that I use, or is he on a mission to conjure back his column at The Chronicle? Constitutional matters aside, The Auditor General is still waiting for the audited
figures of cost estimated at close to $1B for the controversial D’urban Park. The rental to the tune of millions of dollars per month continues to be paid for the rent of the controversial Sussex Street bond. Sole sourcing of over $500 million of pharmaceuticals without the going through the orthodox tendering process, are just a few highly questionable actions that had razed the public’s confidence in the Coalition. Silence or inaction is construed as a sign of acceptance. Could Granger’s silence on these matters be alluded to his integrity? I think not. Leaders with integrity do not condone “wrong behaviour” from the people they entrusted to do a job. When the signing bonus letter surfaced after the Coalition’s vehement denial of the existence of a signing bonus, Granger’s response was, “I did it.” That was a show of autocracy- not integrity. If Dr Hinds gets the authority to rewrite the English dictionary, I don’t think that I would need a copy. Rudolph Singh
Some clarity needed from GWI on new rates Dear Editor, I note that the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) has been publishing a series of advertisements indicating that the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved changes in rates with effect from October 01,
2018. Could GWI, in future advertisements conveying that information, please indicate what it proposes to do to give concrete effect to the PUC approval? Will it charge the new rates on all bills it sends out
on and after October 01, 2018? Will it apply the new rates only in respect of water consumed on and after October 01, 2018? And if this is going to be the strategy, how will it differentiate on the bill the amount of water consumed prior to October 01, 2018 and the amount of water consumed on and after October 01, 2018? Incidentally, the last bill delivered at my home on August 29, 2018 was for the period June 19, 2018 to July 12, 2018. I shall not raise issues such as charges, say, for a new water connection, or for some service that takes two or more days to complete. Will GWI charge in relation to the date on which the work commenced or in relation to the date on which the work was completed? The devil is in the detail. Could I ask GWI to be more helpful and more customer-friendly please? After all, water is life. George N. Cave
Tuesday September 18, 2018
The authoritarian posture of President David Granger Dear Editor, This past week, we witnessed two brazen examples of sheer, mindnumbing hypocrisy practised by President David Granger and APNU+AFC. It is not simply the hypocrisy that bothers me, it is the clear and present threats to Guyana’s democracy. Firstly, President Granger demanded justification for the Leader of the Opposition’s rejection of the President’s nominee for the Chancellor of the Judiciary, ignoring his own rejection of eighteen nominees for the GECOM Chair without any explanation. Secondly, the Granger-led APNU+AFC flatly rejected the nominees of the Guyana Teachers Union for the chair of the salary arbitration panel without any reasons given. This is clear evidence of double standards practiced by this government on a daily basis. The rejection of the nominees for the teachers’ arbitration panel, without any explanation, by APNU+AFC, is curious and capricious. The names of each of the persons is someone close to the People’s National Congress and one of them previously headed an arbitration in 1999 that addressed a salary dispute between public servants and the PPP. The union, to their credit, provided detailed credentials to support each of their nominees. The union also rejected the names proposed by the government, but they gave a sound reason why they found the names proposed by the government “not-fit-and-proper” - both nominees work in senior positions in the government. The truth is the government wants a person to carry out its bidding, just as they did for GECOM and other positions. Arbitrary, capricious rejection of nominees to serve
in important positions, insisting they do not owe anyone an explanation, has become a norm for President Granger and APNU+AFC. They act as dictators, always rejecting accountability. The President rejected the names of 18 distinguished Guyanese proposed by the Leader of the Opposition, persons whose qualifications were comprehensively presented, for the position of Chair of GECOM. The President refused to provide any explanation, insisting that he has no constitutional requirement to do so. As with the arbitration panel to adjudicate on salaries of teachers, Granger wanted a sycophant for GECOM. Thus, he acted arbitrarily, imperially rejecting the national cry for an explanation. The same modus operandi applies to naming the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice. The persons presently serving enjoy widespread confidence across the political spectrum. The President has ignored the incumbents and proposed a candidate for the position of Chancellor who has been serving outside of Guyana for decades. He has not offered the nation an explanation for rejecting both persons who presently perform the duties of Chancellor and Chief Justice. He has proposed a demotion for the person acting as the Chancellor, asking her to move downward from the Chancellor of the Judiciary to the Chief Justice and has no place for the distinguished incumbent Chief Justice. What makes the incumbent Chancellor unqualified for the Chancellor’s position, but makes her suitable for the position of Chief Justice? The same authoritarian posture guides the selection of a new police commissioner.
The President appointed a person who might well be a person “fit and proper” for this position. But the President diminishes the new COP by not giving an explanation why the man who was acting in that position for almost a year was by-passed for the position of COP or any of the Deputy Police Commissioners. It might well be that the man acting as the Police Commissioner for the last year is not qualified for any senior position, but the President needs to inform the nation what made this person qualified to serve at the highest level for more than a year, a person his own Minister of Public Security pushed into the position, while hastily forcing the previous commissioner into prematurely forced retirement. It is sheer, mind-numbing hypocrisy, therefore, that the same president wants the Leader of the Opposition to provide a reason for rejecting the President’s nominee for the Chancellor’s position. It should be noted that the Leader of the Opposition has signalled he is not addressing the suitability or non-suitability of the candidate nominated for the Chief Justice position. It is just that the Leader of the Opposition is not in a position to address the Chief Justice nomination until the confirmation of the nominee for the Chancellor’s position. The President and his cloying sycophants demand that the Constitution does not explicitly requires him to provide an explanation. While this is steaming garbage, can he and his sycophants point us to the Constitutional requirement for the Leader of the Opposition to provide an explanation? What is good for the goose must be good for the gander. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
Why are we petitioning ExxonMobil when... From page 5 responsibility efforts? 2) Of all the things that Guyana needs in preparation for the oil and gas industry, why are we “petitioning” for aid with the restoration of projects when we need aid in establishing oil-related learning institutions and programmes? The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) lacks the funds to improve its Petroleum Division so that it can be properly equipped to
manage the growing sector and the issues that come with it. The Environmental Protection Agency is also in need of funds to build its capacity to carry out effective management and monitoring of the sector. The Auditor General’s office is in serious need of funds to boost its auditing capacity and to carry out a range of environmental audits. These are all pressing is-
sues or areas, which need the Government’s attention. The APNU+AFC administration needs to get its priorities in order. And most importantly, Minister Harmon needs to refrain from engaging with ExxonMobil, if the he or the government are going to continue to beg for “low hanging fruits” when it comes to corporate social responsibility. It is time we start demanding what we deserve! Mike Singh Sr.
Tuesday September 18, 2018
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Teachers’ multi-year salary package… Social Protection Ministry asked to intervene in naming chair of arbitration panel Having failed to agree on a nominee to chair the Arbitration Tribunal to negotiate a multi-year salary package for public school teachers, the Ministry of Education has decided to seek intervention. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Social Protection’s Labour Department, it was revealed that the Education Ministry has sought the intervention of the Social Protection Ministry to nominate the chairperson. This move, it was noted, is in keeping with the Terms of Resumption agreed to by the Education Ministry and the Guyana Teachers Union on Thursday, September 6, 2018. “The parties met on Friday, September 14, 2018 and held discussions, which were intended to mutually determine a Chairman to a Panel of Arbitrations to address the cause of a strike which started on September 27, 2018,” the Social Protection Ministry said. “The parties failed to agree on a common Chairman…(and) in keeping with the provisions of the extant Collective Labour Agreement between themselves, the Ministry of Education sought the intervention of the Ministry of Social Protection to
nominate the Chairman.” In accepting the Education Ministry’s request for its intervention, the Social Protection Ministry said that it has since written to President of the Union indicating its acceptance of the Ministry of Education’s request. It was revealed, too, that the Union was advised that it would be informed of future development(s) on the matter in due course. However, GTU President, Mr. Mark Lyte, said that up to last evening, he was not aware that the Social Protection Ministry was asked to intervene in naming the chairperson. Last week Friday, the union and the Education Ministry met to finalise Terms of Reference [tor] for the arbitration process and decide on a nominee to chair the panel. While the meeting saw the two sides agreeing on the TOR, the move to identify a chairperson was entirely unsuccessful. Both parties were expected to agree on the chairperson; each side was entitled to submit the name of one member to the three-member panel. But the parties did not even reach to the point of naming
their respective member on Friday as they were unable to agree on the name of the chairperson. The GTU submitted the names of three possible candidates including Rashleigh Jackson, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Aubrey Armstrong who in 1999 chaired the Arbitration Tribunal between the Guyana Public Service Union and Federated Union of Government Employees and the Government of Guyana and Mr. Jeffrey Thomas, a former Minister of Education, Labour and Regional Development. But the names of these individuals who have been described by the union as “persons of integrity, wealth of experiences and record of proven competencies which is crucial and necessary for the arbitration panel” were all rejected by the Ministry of Education’s team. According to Lyte, those representing the Education Ministry, including Chief Education Officer, Mr. Marcel Hutson, and Permanent Secretary, Ms. Adele Clarke, did not even qualify their rejection with any reason. They did, however, submit the names of two possible candidates to chair the arbi-
‘Stop and search’ policy not effective as random searches-- Ramjattan
Police carry out stop and search exercise The rant by Attorney-atlaw Ryan Crawford, which sparked a countrywide debate on the police policy on stop and search laws, as well as revelations of police harassment, continues to provoke discussions. Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan addressing members of the media yesterday, after the opening ceremony of CANU Training Exercise, said, “Indeed, the policy is that you have to have reasonable suspicion before you can stop.” However, the Public Secu-
rity Minister said that random searches are more effective in unearthing guns and drugs. “We have done a lot of random searches that have caught people with guns and all of that, especially when we do random searches at night time.” Ramjattan added that so far for the year, random searches were responsible for about 30 people being caught. The Public Security Minister took the opportunity to urge citizens to complain to the Office of Professional Re-
sponsibility (OPR) on police wrongdoing. Hundreds of police ranks were dismissed because of complaints being made to the OPR, said Rmajattan. Last week, a video emerged on Facebook, involving a traffic rank and Attorney-at-law Crawford. Crawford was pulled over and demanded to know why he was stopped. The rank said he could not see the driver properly and therefore stopped the car. However, this angered (Continued on page 8)
tration panel. The names of Mr. Derrick Cummings, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Telecommunications and Mr. Glendon Harris, the
Human Resource Manager of the Guyana Revenue Authority were brought to the table by the Education officials. According to Lyte, the
union was forced to reject these names for the simple reason that “These are both serving members of the State.”
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Tuesday September 18, 2018
Casino robbery trial…
Magistrate recuses self after accused outcry - Chief Magistrate overturns decision “I don’t trust this court and I don’t want you to continue dealing with the matter,” said Wayne Griffith, one of the three men charged with a multi-million-dollar robbery at the Princess Casino. Griffith was at the time speaking to Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman who is presiding over the trial at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Griffith, 29, of Bagotville, West Bank Demerara; Junior Stuart, 30, of Thomas Street, Kitty, Georgetown and Andre Blackman, 35, of Middle Street, McDoom, East Bank Demerara, are accused of robbing Daniel Roberts and Alfea Gajadhar of $8,951,000 – property of the Princess Casino –
on April 29, at Providence, East Bank Demerara. The three men pleaded not guilty to the charge and are currently out on bail. With 56 witnesses already called by Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves, the last witness was supposed to testify yesterday. However, this did not happen as Griffith, in a loud tone, told Magistrate Latchman that he does not trust her court. Further, Griffith accused the Magistrate of siding with the prosecution by only documenting the testimonies of State witnesses. These accusations did not sit well with Magistrate Latchman who said to Griffith, “You have an attitude. I have
spent long hours here dealing with this matter and I have
‘Stop and search’ policy not effective... From page 7 the lawyer who insisted that he was behind two trucks and was not buying that explanation. He then launched into an expletive-laced tirade on the traffic rank. The incident had sparked a debate over who was in the right. The Attorney’s actions became known when the traffic rank that pulled him over, recorded the exchange and posted it on social media. An apology was later issued by Crawford on his Facebook page. In his apology, Mr. Crawford stated that it was his frustration that led to the excessive use of expletives to get his point across to the officer for what he alleged is an illegal stop, and that
there were things said prior to the filming of the video. The Guyana Bar Association also issued an official statement on the matter. While the Association refrained from commenting on the matter, it informed Guyanese of the procedure for being pulled over by the police. Commander of ‘D’ Division, Calvin Brutus, said that he had requested the assistance of the ‘B’ Division, in East Berbice, for a statement to be taken from the lawyer. The Guyana Police Force has since indicated that the investigation of the incident is completed and the file sent to the Police Force’s legal advisor for further advice.
taken copious notes. I have already filled three minutes books dealing with the matter.” Consequently, Principal Magistrate Latchman said that due to Griffith’s contentions, she will have to recuse herself from hearing the trial. The Magistrate then turned to other defendants and said. “Because of Griffith, your matter will have to start all over again because he (Griffith) does not trust the court.” Magistrate Latchman then transferred the matter to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan with the hope of having it reassigned to another Magis-
trate. However, the Chief Magistrate ruled that there were not sufficient grounds for Magistrate Latchman to recuse herself from the case. The Chief Magistrate pointed out that for Griffith to make such statements, he would need sufficient grounds as to why the matter should be moved to another court. The matter was then returned to Magistrate Latchman. The trial continues on September 20, when the final witness to testify. Initially, the three robbery accused were on trial before Magistrate Leron Daly. However, after a few months, Mag-
istrate Daly recused herself from hearing the matter. Hence, it was transferred to Magistrate Latchman who started a new trial. According to police, four men arrived at the Ramada Hotel in a white motorcar bearing a fake number plate. They were armed with guns and entered the Princess Casino, discharging several rounds in the process. They relieved a security guard of his shotgun and ordered patrons and staffers to lie on the ground. It was reported that the gunmen held a cashier at gunpoint and made off with local and foreign currency. Three of the alleged bandits reportedly escaped on foot, while police were able to apprehend one of them who was reportedly trapped in the casino. One of the men was reportedly arrested in a house a few days after the robbery with a large quantity of wet money and other valuables. Another defendant, who was a former security guard at the Casino, allegedly provided the gunmen with vital information about the gambling spot’s operations. During the ordeal, Police Lance Corporal Andrew Richardson and four hotel staffers sustained gunshot wounds.
Tuesday September 18, 2018
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The powers of the Local Government Commission are too broad and general The Local Government Commission (LGC) has indicated that it is launching a Commission of Inquiry into City Hall. This, according to the Commission, is because of the numerous complaints that it has received from residents. That decision is likely to be challenged to determine whether the LGC has the authority to order investigations into the management of local democratic organs such as municipalities and neighbourhood democratic councils.
Guyana is very litigious society. People challenge public authority every day. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is healthy development for persons to be able to challenge authority but also if such challenges are heard expeditiously. The LGC has quoted the Constitution and the Local Government Commission Act as empowering it to order a commission of inquiry. First, therefore, we must examine the relevant legislation to decide whether they give authority to the LGC launch a Com-
mission of Inquiry into complaints about the functioning of the municipalities. According to the Constitution, the LGC is empowered to deal with all matters relating to the regulation and staffing of local government organs and with dispute resolution between local democratic organs, such as between a regional democratic council and a neighbourhood democratic council. Regulation and staffing do not, on the surface, seem to confer any powers of investigation into performance
Dem boys seh ...
Joe ah beg Exxon fuh $100 channa without sowah Day by day de govt sounding like a pack of jokers. Jagdeo of all people flouncing all over de place laughing at Soulja Bai and he followers. Jagdeo now taunting dem how dem can find de thiefing money. Imagine a thief telling de police how to find de money wha he thief. He know dat no charges can come against him because he know dem who use to talk up bout corruption suddenly find demself sitting in de same chair and using dem fingers. Jagdeo seh dem too stupid fuh ketch him but he gon ketch dem when he party get back in power. And to prove dem stupid, Joe had a meeting wid some senior Exxon executives and all he can ask for is a few
cents to clean some gutter in Georgetown. Dat confirm dat he and all de politicians of dis country only settle fuh low hanging fruits, de fruits wha people don’t have to use no effort to get. Asking fuh something like dat from Exxon is like a senior manager at Gafoors walking up to Sattaur and begging him fuh $500 to weed ee yard. Is de same thing if Uncle Adam guh to de Waterfalls boss man and beg him fuh $100 fuh buy channa without sowah. Dem boys could understand if Joe did ask Exxon to build couple harbour bridge, one in Demerara, one to Leguan, one to Essequibo and one to Bartica. He should also ask fuh a few skyscraper in de city and three City Hall.
Instead, he ask fuh couple cent to clean dem gutter. Dem executives must be gone back in de plane clinking champagne glass and smiling at de fools Guyana produce. Joe even go so far as to thank Exxon fuh bringing cricket. Cricket was coming to Guyana long before Joe born and Exxon exist. Nobody thank anybody. Dem boys want Joe fuh know when Exxon didn’t come cricket never stop coming. Why he got to thank Exxon? He forget dat de sponsorship is money wha Exxon will collect back in de cost recovery from de oil and he, Joe, will have to sign it too. Talk half and pray fuh get proppa leaders in Guyana.
of local democratic organs. However, the LGC Act is more specific. It allows for the review and monitoring of the performance of local democratic organs. As such, it may be reasonably concluded that the LGC can launch COI’s into the performance of local municipalities. But is this so and, if so, should this power be constrained? Should the LGC have the power to investigate the performance of NDCs, municipalities and RDCs? Does the authority to monitor and review impose a power to investigate? The LGC Act does grant it such powers. So the Commission can investigate local democratic organs. The LGC has the same powers as the Public Service Commission, the Police Service Commission and the Teaching Service Commission. The framers of the Constitution clearly intended for local democratic organs to have their own independent service commissions responsible for employment, discipline and dismissal. But the LGC Act goes much further and gives the LGC powers to monitor and review the performance of the
local democratic organs. This creates some problems, which may require legal interpretation from Guyana’s Courts. The LGC Act places enormous powers in the hands of the LGC. But is this what the Constitution intended? The Court should be asked to determine whether the intention was to place so much powers in the hands of the LGC. The LGC is an elected body. Its members are selected. The local democratic organs, on the other hand are headed by councils who are elected council. The actions of an elected body should not be subject to such vast control by the Council. But there is also another anomaly. The Council of the various local democratic or-
40
gans are collectively responsible for the management of these organs. It therefore means that a Council, a democratically elected body, could have taken a decision only to find that this decision is subject to review by the LGC. What all of this suggests is that the LGC powers are too general and too broad. These powers can present headaches for elected bodies. What is needed is a rule-based system for both the LGC and for the various local democratic organs. But Guyana may be light years away from such a system.
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Tuesday September 18, 2018
Kaieteur News
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
The amount was $845 G I told my daughter when I die, I want every scrap of paper that relates to me; ones that I wrote, ones that people wrote on me, ones that have some bearing on me to be given to the University of Guyana. They say ‘never say never’ but I will never give my papers to any other place than my beloved University
of Guyana. Three persons made me – my mother, father and UG. I will clip that cheque of 845 Guyana dollars that my daughter won onto the printed column of last Sunday and make it part of my collected papers. Long from now, if researchers are looking for an understanding of what
Guyana was like at the beginning of the 21st century and they stumble onto the printed version of last Sunday column then they will have an insight into what Guyanese society was like back then. I did a s k r e a d e r s t o guess the amount that was awarded to my daughter for topping the class in the second year of her degree programme at UG. The sum was 845 dollars awarded by the UG Guild of Graduates, in Ontario, Canada. Those who emailed and called me thought that my daughter was still at UG. She has already graduated. I was literally deluged by people who wanted to know the amount. You are not going to believe this. Only one person out of dozens and dozens came close to the right figure. A call from Jamaica put it at $40,000 Guyana. What would my daughter have done with 845 Guyana dollars from that organization? So why did they give that small sum? I don’t know but as academics, we have to give answers to people. Academics do analyses and people will want to know our thoughts on why a Ca-
nadian organization would give four American dollars to a UG student who excelled in her class? Here is my analysis as someone who lived in a developed country for more than five years. When you migrate to Europe, Canada and the US at a young age, there is a Freudian ghost that occupies residency in your mind. You become part of the psychology of White folks who see the Third World as a basket case. It is not that you are bigoted like the White folks; it is just that you live long in those societies with such people and you come to accept their stereotyping of the Third World. I always think of that seminal book, “Orientalism” by Edward Said when I write on such subjects. As part of the stereotyping, there is a condescending way of looking at Third World people. You are incapable of understanding that Third World people are just as bright, perceptive, imaginative, philosophical and productive as White people in developed countries are. What accompanies this be-
lief-system is a Freudian contempt for Third World people, which you don’t understand is contempt. But is it contempt pure and simple? So you think that Third World people do not get books. So you send down thousands of worthless things for them to read, things that are irrelevant to the Third World. My guess is that the Ontario Guild of Graduates meant no insult. They live far away from the reality of Guyana and the Third World so they figure out that a token 800 Guyana dollars would be welcomed because after all, it is better than nothing at all. T h e y s e e T h i r d Wo r l d people as needing every cent they can get. The perception of a UG graduate who left in the seventies and now works at a Canadian, European or American company is that UG is broken and a show of appreciation to their students by a monetary reward should not be a problem. One must understand that at the psychological level, the Guyanese overseas does not see 800 dollars as an act of contempt. This therefore is my explana-
Frederick Kissoon tion as to why there is this yearly 800 dollars gift. I didn’t change the cheque because I honestly felt in the context of my life and my country’s development, it was an insult. UG, the Ontario Guild of Graduates and the Guyanese people may not feel that way. Since I reported on that cheque issue, there are two other things to report on arising from two columns. I asked readers if they thought Canada would have released two Guyanese girls, charged for murdering their father at the request of the Guyana High Commission in Canada. Not one person answered yes. The other one is the envelope issue at the post office. A feedback on that is forthcoming.
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E’bo rice farmers halt harvesting due to poor roads Heavy rains and the poor dam preparations are reportedly the cause of the weeklong delay in the harvesting of rice on the Essequibo Coast. This is according to the president of the Essequibo Paddy Association Mr. Naith Ram. Naith Ram said that it is the responsibility of the Regional Democratic Council to ensure that all access dams are well prepared for each crop. He noted, however, that several machineries used by the RDC for land preparation, have been nonfunctioning for quite some time. Naith Ram said that as a result, the access dams were not prepared ahead of the harvesting season. The inclement weather on the other hand contributed to the rapid erosion of these dams. He added, “The regional administration is aware that harvesting is soon to commence and it is supposed to prepare these dams. Now the rains came, the tractors with
trailers, grader, and front end loader all down and the dams continue to wash away.” Kaieteur News understands that due to its eroded state, most access dams throughout the Essequibo Coast are considered impassable during the raining seasons. Additional reports also indicate that harvesting has been delayed momentarily in some parts of the coast until the access dams are dry. Based on a report from the Guyana Rice Development Board [GRDB], Region two is of particular interest largely because it has the largest percentage of smaller rice farmers. Commenting on the deplorable conditions of the region’s access dams, Regional Chairman Acting, Ms. Nandranie Coonjah said that “agriculture in Region Two is in a limbo since there were no machines available for the dam preparations.” She added, “Farmers from as far as Better Success have been complaining about se-
“View of a deplorable dam on the Essequibo Coast.” vere water in the back dam. Just the other day, three tractors were pulling out one load
of paddy because of how deplorable the dams are.” In the meantime, farmers
are also being urged by the Essequibo Paddy Farmer Association, to aid in the pres-
ervation of access dams, by simply making outlets to drain them.
Omar Shariff case should have been SOCU to question Patterson on heard by a Judge and not Magistrate $148M DHB consultancy contract - lawyer contends Administration Board The Special Organised (NPTAB). Crime Unit (SOCU) is forging As the trial of former Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Public Service continued y e s t e r d a y, A t t o r n e y - a t Law Sanjiv Datadin, made a no-case submission before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. During the submission, Datadin contended that the Magistrates’ Court does not have the jurisdiction to handle the case, and thus it should have been sent before the High Court. Shariff, 46, and his wife, Savitri Hardeo, both of Lot 36 Dowding Street, K i t t y, Georgetown are accused of failing to comply with a production ordered issued by former Chief J u s t i c e ( a g ) Yo n e t t e Cummings-Edwards. This charge is contrary to Section 26 (a) of the AntiMoney Laundering and Financing Terrorism Act. It is alleged that on or after October 14, 2016, in the Georgetown Magisterial District, Shariff failed to comply with a production order dated October, 6, 2016 made by then Chief J u s t i c e ( C J ) Yo n e t t e Cummings-Edwards to produce certain named documents to Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sydney James (Head of the Special Organized
Omar Shariff Crime Unit) not later seven days after service. The order was served by a marshal of the High Court, on Shariff by leaving same with him, who contravened the said order without reasonable cause, which he failed to produce. His wife was slapped with a similar charge. Shariff is currently out on $1M bail. Initially, he and his wife were both granted self-bail and were ordered to lodge their passports. However, last week, Datadin made an application before the c o u r t t o h a v e S h a r i ff ’s passport returned to him as he desired to pursue a scholarship at the Hugh Wo o d i n g L a w S c h o o l , Trinidad and Tobago. After no objections were raised by the court and Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) Prosecutor, Patrice Henry,
D a t a d i n ’s r e q u e s t w a s grant. In the meantime, his wife remains on self-bail. In October 2016, the former Chief Justice granted a production order, which compels individuals or organizations to produce information to help assist in an investigation. The order was for both the former PS and his wife. The two apparently did not c o m p l y, d e s p i t e b e i n g reminded and written to by SOCU to provide the requested information. On June 30, 2016, Minister of State Joseph Harmon sent Shariff on leave, pending investigation by SOCU. Shariff has been under investigation where over $500M could not have been accounted for in payment to the Pub l i c S e r v i c e Ministry. Investigators found several large sums passing through bank accounts and launched a s e p a r a t e p r o b e . That investigation was probing how billions of dollars passed through Shariff ’s bank account from as far back as 2010, following records showing that he and his wife purchased shares in companies, which were placed in her name. There were hundreds of transaction in several bank accounts, which were held at different commercial banks.
ahead with the investigation into the $148M consultancy contract approved for a feasibility study for a new bridge across the Demerara River. Head of SOCU, Sydney James, met yesterday with Police Legal Advisor, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, to discuss aspects of the investigation. James was tightlipped about steps being taken, but Kaieteur News understands that there are plans to have Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, visit SOCU to meet with investigators. This was confirmed by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, who met with James and other investigators at SOCU in relation to the Pradoville 2 probe. “I was told that he [Patterson] will be called here [at SOCU] for an interview and other members of the Cabinet will be invited to SOCU. We are very pleased about that; that the same standard is going to be used,” Jagdeo stated. He indicated that the bridge contract is only the first of approximately five complaints, which the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will make to SOCU, involving the Coalition G o v e r n m e n t ’s C a b i n e t , participating in what is considered to be highly corrupt transactions. These constitute various criminal offences, the PPP
Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson said. Chief Whip Gail Teixeira had submitted a letter to SOCU requesting the investigation along with the findings from a probe conducted by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) into the bridge contract, which was awarded in December 2016 to LievenseCSO Engineering Contracting BV, a Dutch company. The PPC found that the procurement procedure used to select the company did not meet the requirement of any of the methods described in the Procurement Act. The PPC in its investigation found that the Minister’s request to Cabinet was not forwarded through the National Procurement and Tender
Based on the PPC report, the submission by Patterson, directly to Cabinet, was in breach of the Procurement Act. The Ministry admitted that it received an unsolicited proposal from LievenseCSO. Additionally, the PPC probe highlighted that the General Manager of the DHBC, Rawlston Adams, signed the agreement without the approval of the DHBC Board. According to the PPC, Patterson, by way of a Memorandum dated November 18, 2016, made a request to Cabinet seeking consideration and approval to use funds from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC). Specifically, Patterson requested funds from the company’s asphalt plant accounts to fund the feasibility study and commence a contractual arrangement with Dutch company, as of January 1, 2017. In December 2016, General Manager of the DHBC, Rawlston Adams, signed the agreement with LievenseCSO Engineering Contracting BV to provide the required services. The report stated that Adams informed the PPC that the Board of the DHBC was not a party to the decision to use the funds approved by the Cabinet. He further informed the PPC that he (Continued on page 12)
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Tuesday September 18, 2018
Jagdeo offers tips for government agencies to catch up with PPP ‘offenders’ Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is convinced that the APNU+AFC Coalition’s success at the last General and Regional elections was hinged on the fact that officials were able to convince the masses that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C)
Government was wholly corrupt. However, at his last press conference, Jagdeo noted that three years since the change of Government, the mass corruption that was promulgated as being perpetuated by PPP/C officials is still
to be proven. Jagdeo said it is either a case where corruption did not exist in the proportions claimed or the government is going about its business to get the evidence—to prove corruption—all wrong. Giving the benefit of the
doubt that maybe, the technique is wrong, Jagdeo sought to offer some guidance to the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) and “the others.” He told the media, “I heard that SARA said that by the
third or fourth quarter of this year, they would be going to recover money from people who have bank accounts abroad over US$10M. But, I do not see them filing any case. I hope that they will do that. They said they were collaborating with the people abroad who should have found this money by now.” Jagdeo continued, “I urge the President to hire an internationally reputable firm specialized in this area to trace people’s assets in banks, real estate, shares and so on. They can do that quickly and make a report to the nation about all of that. But nothing is being done there. “That is where the big bucks are supposed to be. Then there is the procurement fraud, which should be easy to address. They said we were stealing $28B to $35B a year, it must have happened through contracts awarded because it is fraud. Why not go back to those contracts and see which one that happened with?” Jagdeo said that $35B is
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo no little amount and should be easy to trace. He said too, “They did 50 audits. Sharma said there is no evidence to charge. The President (at his last press conference) said people do not leave evidence lying around but I thought the forensic audit was meant to dig the evidence and to get the people.”
SOCU to question... From page 11 ‘had not signed the contract on behalf of the DHBC, but only because he was requested to do so by the Minister of Public Infrastructure’. LievenseCSO had submitted a 57-page final report, in which it
recommended that the proposed location of Houston-Versailles was the most ideal – with a three-lane structure and moveable parts to allow for ships to pass through. It was the best model, at the least cost, the consultant recommended.
Tuesday September 18, 2018
Kaieteur News
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Intense cross-examination expected…
Stabroek Market As $550M cocaine-in-lumber trial continues tomorrow wharf Vendors to build own stalls to relocate
Sherwin De Abreu, Stephen Vieira, Nazim Gafoor and Tazim Gafoor Two officers attached to the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) are expected to face cross-examination tomorrow, when the trial of four men who are accused of aiding the trafficking over $550M in cocaine continues before Magistrate Rushelle Liverpool at the Leonora Magistrate’s Courts. On trial are Nazim Gafoor and his father Tazim Gafoor, both of Menzies Street, Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara; motorbike racer, Stephen Vieira of 37 Middle Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, and former Customs Officer Sherwayne De Abreu of 262 Street Eight
Section A Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown It is alleged that between March 1 and May 2, 2017 at a sawmill belonging to Narine Lall located at Lookout, East Bank Essequibo, they aided Hakim Mohamed to traffic 84.986 kilograms of cocaine. They have denied the charge and were each released on $5M bail by the High Court. The four defendants are being represented by Attorneys-at-Law Everston Lammy-Singh, Glenn Hanoman, Latchmie Rahamat and Nigel Hughes respectively. Appearing for the State is CANU Prosecutor
Konyo Sandiford. After tomorrow’s hearing, the trial will continue on October 2 and October 5 respectively. Kaieteur News understands that the cocaine bust was made after CANU officials received a tip off on May 12, 2017. When the ranks acted, lumber with cocaine concealed within were being packed onto a truck. CANU in a release said that ranks conducted a search at the parapet in front of the premises of Mohamed and searched a truck laden with several pallets of 1×6 dressed lumber boards prepared for export. Several pieces of boards were drilled randomly
31 inducted to Forbes Burnham Mentorship Scheme Thirty-one young persons were inducted into the Forbes Burnham Mentorship Scheme (FBAMS), on Saturday. The programme is designed to aid young persons capable of effectively handling the tasks ahead. FBAMS is a 2013 successor scheme of the Georgetown District Awards and Mentorship Scheme of 2001. The Scheme provides youths and their parents with various indoor and outdoor exposure that could impact positively on their all-round development, and the sharing and acquisition of parenting skills by parents. The programme is intended to complement the school system and supplement the role of the family. The mentees are chosen based on their performances at the annual National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). They will avail themselves to meet with their respective mentors whenever the need arises, must produce their academic records for discussion with mentors, to arrive at ways and means to improve performance where necessary.
The mentees must also be prepared to work for the task of working towards their own success. Chairman of the Mentorship Scheme, Vincent Alexander, said the scheme was birthed in 2001 to meet the needs of those youths and ensure their socialization into society unfolded smoothly. Director of Youth, Melissa Carmichael-Haynes, said a youth mentored positively, is a youth that will be successful. She said as society evolves, the youths must be mentored so they can take the
reins. The youth Director said, with new development, there will be new issues and challenges, hence the need to empower the youths. “It is beyond important that their needs are met, and their abilities expressed. Good mentorship programmes bring out the best in the youth, the youth that is willing to accept the change and I have no doubt that this is a good programme,”. She encouraged both mentees and their parents to put their best foot forward and make the best of the opportunity available.
by the ranks and cocaine was unearthed. The lumber was packed at a sawmill located at Lookout, East Bank Essequibo belonging to Lall to be transported to a wharf in Georgetown and then shipped to the United States of America, CANU stated. CANU, in a statement, said that Vieira was listed on the shipping documents as a representative of the shipper, Lall, who an arrest warrant has since been issued for.
Eighteen Councillors of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council have voted in support of the conditions under which vendors will be relocated to the Route 42 minibus park during an extraordinary statutory meeting held at City Hall yesterday. The Councillors agreed that 82 stalls would be built at the new facility. The wooden structures to be constructed are estimated to cost $400,000 each. Council is still expected to provide washroom facilities. However in the interim, the Cevon‘s Disposal sanitary unit will be available to the vendors. The decision came in light of Town Clerk Royston King telling the Council that the vendors agreed to construct their own stalls following discussions with officers of the Council. He noted that the Council is not financially capable to facilitate the construction. “We already face a challenge in this regard; the Council is just not in a place financially to support this type of
activity.” Only those registered by the Council will be granted a spot at the new location, which excludes those who walk and sell, and have mobile vending activities on the wharf. Mayor Patricia ChaseGreen noted that each vendor would receive a written agreement as it relates the new facility. “It must be made clear this is a temporary move until the new wharf and boardwalk are built. That must be spelt out in the contract or memorandum of understanding each vendor will be given to sign. “ City Engineer Colvern Venture told the Council that City Hall has already utilized $23M preparing the facility where the stalls will be relocated. City Hall had originally agreed to construct 88 stalls to facilitate the relocation of the stallholders from the Stabroek Market wharf, which is in desperate need of repairs. The works are expected to last at least two years.
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Former Argentina president indicted on corruption charges Argentina (Reuters) Argentina’s former president Cristina Fernandez was indicted on Monday on charges that her administration accepted bribes from construction companies in exchange for public works contracts, according to an indictment released by a federal judge. Argentina’s Justice Department is seeking to determine whether Fernandez headed a broad corruption network that involved politicians and businessmen during her two terms as president from 2007-15. The corruption scandal erupted in August when a local newspaper published notebooks kept by a chauffer of Fernandez’s former planning minister. The notebooks cataloged bags of cash allegedly delivered to government offices and the private residence of Fernandez and her late husband and former President Nestor Kirchner. A spokesperson for Fernandez did not immediately reply to a request for comment. As a senator, Fernandez enjoys immunity from arrest, although she is not immune from prosecution. Federal judge Claudio
Tuesday September 18, 2018
Typhoon Mangkhut ravages Philippines, Hong Kong, and southern China
Former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner arrives at the Justice building in Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 3, 2018. (REUTERS/Alberto Raggio) Bonadio, who is heading the investigation, asked that Fernandez be impeached, a move that is unlikely to garner the support necessary to pass a Senate vote. “It is necessary to continue this investigation until we have completely clarified how these illegal payments were structured, at least in regards to the officials who were part of the former planning
ministry and the entrepreneurs associated with them,” the indictment said. The scandal has implicated dozens of former officials and business owners in the construction sector, shaking confidence in an industry already burdened by an ailing economy, government cuts to public works and crippling interest rates at 60 percent.
The aftermath of Typhoon Mangkhut on September 17, 2018, in Hong Kong. Typhoon Mangkhut made its deadly march across the Philippines, Hong Kong, and southern China over the weekend, unleashing flooding, dangerous winds, and landslides, and killing dozens. Mangkhut was the world’s most powerful storm this year so far, according to meteorologists, reaching sustained winds as high as 170 miles per hour — about the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane — and spanning as wide as 550 miles. (Hurricanes and typhoons are both tropical cyclones, but called different names based on the regions where they form; hurricanes exist in the Atlantic or northeastern Pacific, and typhoons originate in the northwest Pacific.) The typhoon slammed into the region around the same time Hurricane Florence was battering the Carolinas. Florence was a Category 2 storm (winds between 96 and 110 miles per hour) when it made landfall — though the slow-moving storm and its
relentless rains created different hazards. The typhoon slammed into the northern Philippines early Saturday morning, where the death toll stands at 66, though it’s expected to rise. Many were killed by landslides, including more than 34 miners who were buried when a mountain collapsed on a bunkhouse in the remote mining town of Itogon. Dozens remain missing, including children who were working at the illegal mining site, Philippines authorities said. The mayor of the town, Victorio Palangdan, said it was likely that those who had not yet been recovered were dead. “I am 99% sure the people there are dead,” he said, according to the Guardian. Tens of thousands are said to have been affected by the storm, and the government is still trying to assess the extent of the damage. After devastating the Philippines, Mangkhut veered toward Hong Kong, making it one of the strongest storms
to make landfall there in decades. The storm had weakened, with sustained winds of about 96 miles per hour, but the still-powerful gusts blasted out windows and downed trees, crippling the city and its transportation network.Storm surge threatened the coastal areas, and reached as high as 11 feet — which broke a more than century-old record, according to the BBC. The seaside town of Heng Fa Chuen was particularly hard-hit, with rapid flooding and wind damage. Mangkhut arrived in China late Sunday into early Monday morning, killing at least four people and forcing millions to evacuate from the province of Guangdong and other coastal areas. Macau, the autonomous region also in its path, was forced to shut down its casinos, as the area was inundated with flood waters. The storm was downgraded to a tropical depression on Monday afternoon as it moved west from Guangdong, on the southern coast of mainland China.
US imposes new $200bn tariffs on China US (BBC)- The US is imposing new tariffs on $200bn (£150bn) worth of Chinese goods as it escalates its trade war with Beijing. The higher import taxes will apply to more than 5,000 items, marking the biggest round of US tariffs so far. Handbags, rice, and textiles will be included, but
some items expected to be targeted such as smart watches and play pens have been excluded. China had already vowed to retaliate if the US imposed further tariffs. The taxes will take effect from 24 September, starting at 10% and increasing to 25% from the start of next year.
President Donald Trump said the latest round of tariffs was in response to China’s “unfair trade practices, including subsidies and rules that require foreign companies in some sectors to bring on local partners. “We have been very clear about the type of changes that need to be made, and we have given China every opportunity to treat us more fairly. “But, so far, China has been unwilling to change its practices,” he said.
Tuesday September 18, 2018
Kaieteur News
Golden State hero Steph Curry braced for ‘war’ as he shows off his skills in London... From page 26 That 82-game slog is just the regular season. Winning a championship necessitates four best-of-seven playoff series against the game’s elite. With the Warriors becoming the modern masters of navigating that tricky terrain, the whole league is shifting in an attempt to take their crown. Last season, Houston Rockets almost shocked the Warriors in the Western Conference finals, having had the best record in the regular season, largely down to their own version of Curry, the enigmatic James Harden.
This time around, Curry will have to contend with another host of challengers, not least LeBron James, whose switch from Cleveland Cavaliers to a resurgent LA Lakers will see the league’s star duo face off more often, thanks to James now being in the Western Conference. ‘The best thing about the league is how competitive it is. We can’t just show up and expect to win even coming into this season. Every year it is improving and it is different. That keeps us on our toes,’ Curry says.
‘Teams are gunning for us and changing their rosters to match up with us and they’re not shy about saying it. ‘The same thing will happen this year no matter who we play – it’s a war and that makes standing on that podium with the trophy that much more special.’ Curry’s stop in London is the last leg of a world tour with his sponsors Under Armour, with whom he has another highly sought-after range of basketball shoes for the new season. He wowed commuter
Tuesday September 18, 2018 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Romance continues to soar today, Aries. You should feel especially sexy. You're likely to attract admiring glances from those around you, including strangers. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You could feel like a millionaire today. Money matters seem to surpass your expectations. You might want to spend time fixing up your home or perhaps shopping for yourself. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Someone you've never met before who you find exceedingly attractive could pass you today. You might decide to go say hello and discover not only a physical attraction but an intellectual compatibility as well. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Career and money matters continue to go well for you, and probably romance, too. Your life may be the envy of others, but you probably feel there's still something missing. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Romance and creativity are the driving forces in your life today, Leo. You might find that feelings for a special person provide lots of inspiration for creative projects. Your creative energy makes you that much more attractive VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You tend to be down to Earth and practical, Virgo, but now you feel like indulging in some flights of fancy. Romance or fantasy novels could be especially appealing right now. You might even toy with the idea of writing one of your own.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) An affectionate letter, phone call, or email could come to you from an old friend, Libra, expressing gratitude for past favors. This is going to make you feel warm and loving toward this person SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Have you been thinking about changing careers, Scorpio? You might hear of some opportunities today, possibly through a colleague. This could be the right time to make a change. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You may feel especially warm and loving, Sagittarius, and romance could be on your mind. Time spent with a love partner from another state or country might seem especially appealing. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Erotic dreams could wake you up in a strange mood. You could long for a romantic encounter, but the impact is likely to be stronger than that. These i n t e n s e dreams might stimulate your creative juices. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You might find yourself reeling from shock when an old friend suddenly seems to show romantic interest in you. Conflicting emotions could come up, but don't write it off if you're available. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today you may be asked to speak to a gathering or lead a discussion group, Pisces. You tend to be shy, but today you'll be all for it and enjoy being in the limelight, albeit temporarily. You'll certainly shine.
crowds with his legendary shooting skills on the bank of the Thames before moving to more humble surroundings – a ramshackle court just off Brick Lane to put on a masterclass for east London school children. ‘Growing up in Virginia, we played on a rim almost like that,’ he laughed. ‘You had to shoot almost perfect shots – there’s something to be said for putting time on a court like this. ‘It’s an interesting experience for me, being in the NBA for 12 years, I don’t get that very much, it brought me back to the roots of my family where my family grew up.’ Curry will now head back into an intense training camp for another assault on the title with the Warriors in anticipation of the season starting in mid-October, but makes no apologies for keeping one eye on his other passion.
Savory’s century... From page 30 consistency. Ricardo Adams disturbed the stumps of Safraz Esau for 12 while Anthony Adams bowled Travis Persaud (00) to leave the score at 58-4. Hubbard (04) was then caught off Ricardo Adams before Samuels was bowled by Anthony Adams without scoring. Tevin Imlach played his shots and smashed Ricardo Adams and Chetram Persaud for maximums but was caught behind off Akieni Adams for a top score of 37. The rest of the batting didn’t offer much resistance with only Mahendra Dhanpaul (18*) and Looknauth (10) reaching double figures; West Demerara were bowled out for 127 in 38.5 overs. Anthony Adams captured 3-22, Ricardo Adams 3-44 and Akieni Adams 2-9. Savory was named man-of-the-match. At Enmore, East Coast Demerara defeated East Bank Demerara by 55 runs. East Coast Demerara batted first and managed 182 all out in 46.1 overs. Amir Khan scored 39, Kamesh Yadram 33 and Ramnarine Chatura 18. Ronaldo Alimohamed claimed 3-16, Trevon France 3-43 and Trevon Griffith 2-34. East Bank Demerara were sent packing for 127 in 39.3 overs. Griffith struck 78; he was the only batsman to reach double figures as Chanderpaul Hemraj grabbed 3-8, Bhaskar Yadram 3-20, Khan 2-24 and Gajanan Sukhnanan 2-31.
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Rahmat, spinners knock Sri Lanka out of Asia Cup ESPNcricinfo - Three days into the tournament, Sri Lanka have become the first team to crash out of the Asia Cup, hurtling to a shock 91-run defeat against Afghanistan, who had hauled themselves to 249 on the back of Rahmat Shah’s 72, then defended doggedly with the ball, extracting maximum benefit from Sri Lanka’s copious batting mistakes. It was in the field and with the bat that Sri Lanka dug their own grave, as had been the case on Saturday against Bangladesh. Another catch was dropped off the opposition’s top-scorer, while run-out chances were missed, and ground fielding continued to be slopy. Then, with bat in hand, Sri Lanka never seemed to have the measure of the target. Kusal Mendis was out second ball, trapped lbw by a drifting Mujeeb Ur Rahman delivery. And although at times Sri Lanka threatened to build partnerships, they somehow found ways to self-destruct. There were two runouts in the innings, several strange and fatal shot choices, and an overall theme of inadequacy and mayhem to the innings. As expected, Afghanistan’s trio of matchturning spinners wreaked havoc, but right-arm seamer Gulbadin Naib also shared in the fun. Naib, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb and Mohammad Nabi took two wickets apiece, with all four of these bowlers conceding comfortably less than four an over. So comprehensive was this victory, that you would never guess Sri Lanka were the team who has won this tournament five times, and the
Rashid Khan wheels away in celebration © AFP opposition was the upstarts. Afghanistan seemed in control of this game from the very outset, when they put on 57 for the first wicket. Their only wobble was in the final 10 overs of their innings, when they managed only 66 runs, and lost seven wickets. Twice, Sri Lanka suggested they would set about calmly knocking off this score, only for disaster to strike. Tharanga and Dhananjaya de Silva put on 54 for the second wicket, without being too sorely tested by the oppostion’s bowlers, until de Silva attempted a very poorly second run despite the strong protestations of his partner, and got himself runout in a scenario in which both batsmen ended up at the same end. Later, after a second running mix-up - for which Angelo Mathews was largely to blame - Sri Lanka were tottering at 108 for 5. Mathews and Thisara Perera seemed to dig in and start a rescue, only
for Mathews to hole out to long-on attempting to hit a much-needed boundary. It is true that Sri Lanka’s batsmen often attempted poorly-conceived strokes Kusal Perera was a prime example, attempting a pre-meditated slog sweep off Rashid’s very first over, which ended with his off stump pegged back. But they were usually bullied into a panic by a disciplined and relentless Afghanistan attack, which gave away very few loose deliveries, while their fielders backed the bowlers up in clinical fashion. If there is some kind of modest defence of the Sri Lanka batsmen, it is that they generally tried to pierce the field before losing their wicket trying to hit over it. In the end, Sri Lanka didn’t even get close - the last five wickets falling for 15 runs - with Rashid landing the final blow. In their own innings, Afghanistan had been steady, right up until the 42nd over.
Rahmat Shah celebrates a half-century © Associated Press Mohammad Shahzad hit 34 occasionally flirting with disaster, without embracing it like several Sri Lanka batsman would do later in the evening. His opening partner Ihsanullah hit 45 off 65 balls, before eventually being dismissed lbw by Akila Dananjaya, just like Shahzad. Although neither opener reached a half-century, they had left Afghanistan in a decent position - at 107 for 2 in the 25th over, at Ishanullah’s departure. Shah took over after that, and his was mostly a controlled innings - the likes of which he has played many times over the last 18 months, as Afghanistan’s most consistent batsman. Though first scoring shot was streaky - an outside edge off Dananjaya evading first slip - he settled nicely there-
after, finding singles and twos into a now-spread field. Afghanistan’s first three dismissals were all lbws, but Shah ensured he blocked out the majority of the straight deliveries the spinners delivered to him. He was so conservative, in fact, that he didn’t hit his first boundary until his 44th ball, crashing Shehan Jayasuriya’s offspin through the covers after backing away and making room. He was more adventurous later in his innings, reaching fifty off the 63rd ball he faced with a four over mid-on, and then venturing a couple more boundaries square, on either side of the pitch. Attempting to raise the tempo in the 42nd over, he could only hit a slower ball from Dushmantha Chameera as far as long on, where
Thisara completed an overhead catch. Sri Lanka’s bowlers would regroup through the last nine overs, with Thisara proving penetrative in particular, completing his first five-wicket haul since 2012, relying mostly on yorkers for those wickets. Three of Thisara’s dismissals, however, came in the final over of the innings and so as five-fors go, this one did not have a substantial effect on the opposition’s score. In any case, Sri Lanka batted so poorly against a spirited Afghanistan attack, there was perhaps little their bowlers could have done to save them. Afghanistan 249 (Rahmat 72, Ihsanullah 45, Thisara 555) beat Sri Lanka 158 (Tharanga 36, Rashid 2-26, Naib 2-29) by 91 runs.
Golden State hero Steph Curry braced for ‘war’ as he shows off his skills in London How do you keep winning? It’s a question that has plagued some of sport’s greatest. Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were masters of it in the 1990s and 2000s. Tiger Woods in his heyday. Lewis Hamilton, currently. But most struggle – they can pull off one or two years of brilliance, but find sustained dominance hard to come by. Even Steph Curry, the cornerstone of the most dominant team in any sport – the NBA’s Golden State Warriors – admits they have trouble focusing. The Warriors have won three of the last four NBA titles – and are aiming for their third on the trot when the new season starts next month. Their fluid, quick-paced,
long-range shooting style has defined the modern game, valuing technical brilliance – Curry is a relatively short 6ft 3in – over physicality. The question for the other 29 teams in the league for the past five years has been how they can possibly copy the blueprint. And for Curry, the biggest challenge is responding year after year. ‘Human nature is tough to fight sometimes,’ he says. ‘You show up in October coming off of a championship and all you can think about is “how can we get back to June and another finals as soon as possible?” ‘But there’s a process to it - 82 games is a long season with a lot of ups and downs so that’s the hardest part.’ (Continued on page 25)
Curry then went to Brick Lane to give a basketball skills master class to schoolchildren from east London.
Tuesday September 18, 2018
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Kaieteur News
Fifa Club World Cup 2018
Europe’s finest get back in the saddle While UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid may have their trip to United Arab Emirates and the FIFA Club World Cup in December at the back of their minds, beginning their third-successive title defence is very much at the forefront. Europe’s premier club competition returns today with the continent’s top 32 sides gearing up on the path to reach Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on 1 June 2019. Ahead of the action, we look over the standout narratives, the players who could make a difference and some of the records on the line this season. What to watch out for Inter re-enter Seven years since the 2010 winners last set foot in the Champions League – and five since any Milan team featured – Inter Milan return with a feeling of them being back where they belong. Snatching their spot on the final day of the Italian season, beating Lazio to dramatically pip them to fourth, it will give captain Mauro Icardi a long-awaited taste of Europe’s top tier. Re-United with Ronaldo While it’s nine years since Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United, he has only returned to Old Trafford once, back in the Round of 16 in 2013. He ultimately scored the goal that sent Real Madrid through, having also struck at the Bernabeu. With Juventus paired with Manchester United, he’ll be warmly welcomed in Novem-
ber, but will his input be as pivotal as five years ago? No Zizou, no problem? Julen Lopetegui’s task is a thankless one in the Champions League this season. Win? The team which has swept to glory for the last three years will likely garner most of the plaudits. Fall short? The former Spain boss will likely foot much of the blame for not continuing Zinedine Zidane’s astonishing record. How Lopetegui’s side approach their title defence – without star forward Ronaldo – will be intriguing to see. Parisian progress? While domestic dominance has been near-unwavering – winning 16 of the last 17 trophies on offer – European success has evaded Paris Saint-Germain. A convincing defeat by Real in the last 16 in March put their hopes on hold for another year. With Thomas Tuchel now at the reins, Kylian Mbappe’s star continuing to rise and Neymar intent on reminding the world of his class, could they finally climb to the top of the continental tree? Players in the spotlight An intriguing new signing. A young star set to step up. An established understudy looking to take the helm. The leading underdog figure who could inflict an upset. We give you one player from each side who is worth keeping your eyes on, potentially set to provide something fresh and interesting this season in Europe.
Players to watch© Getty Images Awaiting records and fresh faces 6 - With five titles now to his name, Cristiano Ronaldo stands one behind Francisco Gento’s tally of six, but should he triumph this season, he will also equal another record. Having won titles with both Manchester United and Real, glory with Juventus would see him match Clarence Seedorf (Ajax, Real Madrid, AC Milan) as the only men to win it with three different sides. 4 - No side has won four successive European titles since Real Madrid’s dominance of the late 1950s. Johan Cruyff ’s Ajax and Franz
Groups in full Group A Atletico Madrid Borussia Dortmund Club Brugge Monaco Group E AEK Athens Ajax Bayern Munich Benfica
Group B Barcelona Inter Milan PSV Eindhoven Tottenham Hotspur Group F Hoffenheim Manchester City Olympique Lyonnais Shakhtar Donetsk
Beckenbauer’s Bayern Munich could only manage three in a row, but will Sergio Ramos’s Real eclipse them both? With Spanish sides having clinched the last five trophies, another would also match England’s run – from
Group C Group D Liverpool Galatasaray Napoli Lokomotiv Moscow Paris Saint-Germain Porto Red Star Belgrade Schalke 04 Group G Group H AS Roma Juventus CSKA Moscow Manchester United Real Madrid Valencia Viktoria Plzen Young Boys
1977-82 – as the most successive wins by any one nation. 1 - Three sides are taking their debut bows in the Champions League group stage. While Julian Nagelsmann has taken Hoffenheim to new heights, Young Boys ended
a 32-year wait to lift the Swiss title. Red Star Belgrade of course won the European Cup in 1991, but the Serbian champions are set for their first taste of the group stage format.
53 more Ghanaian referees banned after bribery probe The Referees’ Association of Ghana (RAG) has handed life-time bans to six more referees in the wake of an investigation into bribery. It also banned 47 match officials for 10 years each, while another 14 were exonerated. RAG also confirmed the sanctions handed down by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) last month - two for life and six others for 10 years. It brings the total with life bans to eight and those with 10-year bans to 53. Those on the list released by RAG have until 1 October to appeal against the rulings. The investigation was launched after the officials were secretly filmed accepting money by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas. In a statement RAG said
those facing lifetime bans “were found culpable for seriously breaching various portions of the Disciplinary Code, Code of the Ethics and Regulations of the football controlling bodies by their actions and inactions.” David Laryea and Reginald Lathbridge had already been banned for life by Caf, they have been joined by Safo Adade, Samuel Sukah, Dally Gagba, Furella Barnie, Charles Duwona and Umar Teni. This is the latest fallout from Anas’ film that has seen the Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi resign from his post, as well as from positions he held with Caf and Fifa. He has also been suspended for 135 days by
football’s world governing body, Fifa, as it investigates corruption allegations, Nyantakyi has denied any wrongdoing. On Thursday Fifa and Caf announced a 4 member normalisation committee to take charge of the football affairs in Ghana for the next six months. Former football association board member Dr Kofi Amoah will head up the committee, he was in charge of the organising committee when Ghana hosted the 2008 Nations Cup. The other members are Lucy Quist, a former chief executive of a telecoms company, Dua Adonten, a former Asante Kotoko board member and director general of Ghana Post as well as lawyer Naa Odofoley Nortey.
RAG has handed life-time bans to six more referees in the wake of an investigation into bribery. (Getty Images)
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Tuesday September 18, 2018
Kaieteur News
Conquerors clinch Championship after Sunday’s draws
Sherwayne Caesar - GDF FC
Jamaal Harvey Den Amstel FC
Ryan Adolph Western Tigers
Fruta Conquerors Football Club (FCFC) has been very competitive in recent years, placing major emphasis on developing young players. Under the stewardship of new coach Sampson Gilbert, the Tucville based club has won the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League in the competition’s third season with one game to spare. Heading into Sund a y n i g h t ’s h y p e d d o u b l e
header at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground where, in order to win the league Conquerors needed a win against season two champions, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) or Western Tigers dropping points in the feature clash against the free scoring Den Amstel FC, and they enjoyed the latter. Western Tigers needed to win all three of their re-
maining matches if they were to pry the Elite League from point’s leaders Conquerors which has already secured the championship cup and the $5million cash prize. An equaliser from Den Amstel’s Jamal Harvey just eleven minutes from stoppage time was enough to end Tigers’ title hopes. A fair sized crowd at the GFC ground witnessed Western Tigers fluff a good opportunity to defeat Den
WADA must not pander to Russia over RUSADA reinstatement – iNADO Reuters - The World AntiDoping Agency must not pander to the will of a powerful nation when it decides this week whether to reinstate Russia’s anti-doping agency (RUSADA), the umbrella group of national anti-doping agencies said yesterday. The Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations (iNADO) said it looked forward to RUSADA’s return to compliance but it was hard not to be cynical that after months of silence WADA’s compliance review committee recommended a reinstatement. ”Any reasonable person would conclude that Russia has not yet fulfilled its obligations to the global sporting community,” iNADO said in a statement. ”WADA must make its decisions based on consistent application of principles and not simply out of expedience pandering to the will of a powerful nation.”
RUSADA was suspended in November 2015 over a WADA report outlining evidence of state-backed, systematic doping in Russian athletics. It has since undertaken broad reforms in a bid to revamp Russia’s anti-doping system and restore international tru s t i n t h e country’s sport. For the agency to regain accreditation, Russian authorities must acknowledge the findings of a WADA-commissioned report that found more than 1,000 Russian athletes benefited from a state-run scheme to conceal positive tests over a five-year period. Russia has vehemently denied those allegations. The authorities must also provide access to urine samples stored at the suspended Moscow antidoping laboratory. WADA said last week that its compliance review committee
had reviewed a letter from the Russian sports ministry it said had “sufficiently acknowledged the issues identified in Russia,” thus fulfilling the first of two remaining criteria for its reinstatement. It also said the compliance review committee accepted that a new commitment to provide access to the data and samples in the Moscow laboratory to WADA via an independent expert would be sufficient to justify reinstatement. WA D A’s e x e c u t i v e committee will meet on Sept. 20 to review RUSADA’s efforts toward reinstatement. iNADO called the upcoming discussion “perhaps the most crucial decision” WADA has ever faced. “The sporting community is eager to see Russia return as an equal participant but not at any cost,” said iNADO. ”When the satisfactory conclusion of the current Russian sanction occurs, it is something that should be able to withstand wide scrutiny and be accepted broadly by that sporting community. The present situation does anything but.”
GDF’s Darrell George (2nd left) tussles with Conquerors’ Ryan Hackett, the game ended 1-1. Amstel in the feature game after Ryan Adolf had fired them into the lead in the 64th minute but Harvey had other ideas and his 79th minute goal was enough to salvage a point for the potent West Coast Demerara team. In the build up, it was noted that Western Tigers would have needed to score at least two goals to get past Den Amstel and the Ruimveldt based club had an excellent opportunity in the first half through their striker Hubert Pedro after he was played through on goal by Pernell Schultz. However, the number nine who is nicknamed ‘Berty’ rounded Den Amstel’s number one but failed to pull the trigger. In the opening clash, a visibly upset Gilbert was on
edge after his side Conquerors had conceded a stoppage time goal which was squeezed in by GDF’s Sherwayne Caesar following an unnecessary but blistering counter-attack that stemmed from a Conquerors’ set-piece. Before Caesar’s goal, Conquerors had gone ahead in the 66th minute. With the instructions of fans on the touchline, Ryan Hackett had switched from the right to the wide-left midfield position and immediately after, he served up a perfectly weighed cross to his teammate Domini Garnett who made no mistake in smashing the ball into the back of the net. The former Grove Hi Tech skipper and forward made no mistake with his thundering power-header
from close range. With the result, Conquerors will enter their final match against Western Tigers on Friday as champions after gaining 42 points from their 17 matches played with an incredible goal difference of +44. GDF, Den Amstel and Western Tigers, second, third and fourth respectively on the points table will still be looking to finish the tournament strong with the runners’ up cash prize of $2million still up for grabs while third place will pocket $1million. Matches continue tomorrow at the same venue with two more matches featuring GDF against the relegated Cougars first at 19:00hrs followed by Western Tigers against Victoria Kings at 21:00hrs. (Calvin Chapman)
Benfica women claim 28-0 victory on debut in Portuguese second division BBCsport - Benfica women’s team claimed a 28-0 victory over Ponte de Frielas as they made their debut in the second division of the Portuguese women’s league. Benfica, who opened the scoring after just two minutes, led 16-0 at half-time, and finished the match with nine different goalscorers. The side was formed at the end of 2017 and has several international players in their squad. However, as a new team, they have to compete in the second division. Darlene de Souza - who joined the club in April - scored eight of the side’s goals. The result is the largest margin of victory in senior football in Portugal - the previous highest was Sporting’s 21-0 win in the Portuguese Cup in 1971. The club’s directors congratulated the players on their attitude, adding: “together we are stronger”.
Portugal and Benfica player Matilde Fidalgo. (Getty Images)
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Hero CPL ‘All Star’ Team of Tournament The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have announced the “CPL All Stars” team of the tournament for 2018. The team was selected by Tom Moody, Mark Butcher, Daren Ganga, Ian Bishop, Danny Morrison and Michael Slater. The team features three Windies players aged 25 and under in Rovman Powell (330 runs), Shimron Hetmyer (440 runs) and Oshane Thomas (18 wickets), all of whom have had an outstanding tournament in 2018. Experienced Caribbean
Shimron Hetmyer (R) hits 4. CPL T20/Getty Images
cricketers Andre Russell (163 runs and 14 wickets), Kieron Pollard (330 runs and four wickets) and Darren Bravo (353 runs) are also in the side. The overseas players that have made it into the team are Colin Munro (567 runs) and Glenn Phillips (457 runs) of New Zealand, Imran Tahir (16 wickets) of South Africa, Fawad Ahmed (22 wickets) of Australia and Ali Khan (16 wickets) of the USA. Tom Moody, Hero CPL’s Director, International Cricket, said: “We have seen some outstanding perfor-
mances in this year’s Hero CPL, but what has stood out is the emergence of young local talent. The performances of both Hetmyer and Thomas have been a highlight of the tournament, they are both set for a bright future with the Windies.” The full team of the tournament is as follows: 1. Colin Munro 2. Glenn Phillips 3. Shimron Hetmyer 4. Rovman Powell 5. Darren Bravo 6. Kieron Pollard 7. Andre Russell 8. Ali Khan 9. Imran Tahir 10. Oshane Thomas 11. Fawad Ahmed.
Dwyane Wade: Miami Heat legend to return for 16th NBA season
GABA/Banks DIH League
Pacesetters stamp authority with 30-point win In second-division play of the Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA)/Rainforest Water/ Malta Supreme League, Pacesetters Basketball Club bounced past whipping boys Pepsi Sonics 84-54 on Sunday night at the Burnham Hard Court, Middle and Carmichael Streets. It was yet another disappointing result for the struggling Sonics side which is coached by old-guard Yannick Dundas, they trailed the winners from the second quarter onwards after a tied first quarter score of 16-16. Zion Gray, who recently won the Milo Schools’ Football Tournament with Sir Leon Lessons, continued to be one of the leading players for Pacesetters after pouring in the joint game-high 14 points with support from his teammates Mark Rose (13), Troy David (12) and Jude Corlette (10). Troy Corlette also had 14 points, but in a losing effort with the only other significant contribution coming from Lemuel Grant with 12 points for Sonics.
Dwyane Wade, pictured alongside team-mates LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Norris Cole, last won an NBA Championship in 2013 BBCsport - Three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade is set to return to Miami Heat for a 16th and final season. The shooting guard, who is the Heat’s career leader in points, assists, steals and games played, confirmed the news in a 10-minute video. ”I feel it’s right to ask you guys to join me for one last
Zion Gray
dance, for one last season,” said American Wade, 36. “I’ve given this game everything that I have. I’m going to give it for one last season.” Wade spent the 2016-17 season playing in his hometown of Chicago for the Bulls, before joining former Miami team-mate LeBron James at the Cleveland Cavaliers. In February, Wade was traded
back to Miami, who narrowly missed out on a place in the NBA play-offs after finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference. Wade is expected to sign a $2.4m (£1.84m) deal for the 2018-19 season later this week. Heat’s first game of the regular season is at the Orlando Magic on 17 October.
Karibe Rice Basketball Tourney
Rose Hall Town Jammers advance to final
The opening game was a first-division matched which Plaisance Guardians won 5939 against University of Guyana (UG) Trojans. Nikkolai Smith (15) and Neckezkiel Yisrael (12) were the main men for the East Coast based Guardians during the 20-point victory. Selvaughn Mosely (12) was the only player who got
into double figures for the students who are underperforming in the open division. Matches continue at Burnham Court tomorrow when Sonics oppose Pacesetters in the Under-23 division from 18:30hrs followed by Vikings taking on Eagles in the feature, a second-division clash from 20:30hrs.
The Rose Hall Town Jammers has continued their unbeaten run in the Karibe Rice Basketball Tournament which is being played among teams in Berbice. In latest play on Sunday last at Rose Hall Court, Rose Hall Town Jammers jammed their way past Fyrish Black Shark to book their place in the final. Rayborne Murray tipped in 19 points to guide Jammers to a 67-45 trouncing of Fyrish Black Shark. Murray got valuable support from Mickel Lewis who had 17 points and 7 rebounds and Kwesi Mickle with 11. For Fyrish, Jamal Felix had
17 points and Tyrone Dey 14. The Black Shark held the upper hand earlier in the match and even outscored the Jammers, 20 to 18 points in the second quarter but the third quarter saw the Jammers taking control and with their home court advantage kicking in and by the end were 49-37 ahead.The second finalist would be known on Sunday when the second semi final is contested at the New Amsterdam Basketball Court from 16:00hrs between Canje Knight and Ithaca Hardliners.
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Tuesday September 18, 2018
Kaieteur News
CGI/GCB Jaguars 50over Franchise League
Barnwell, Johnson powers GT to victory
Jamaican off-spinner Ramaal Lewis who took 4-26 bowls to Algoo at Everest yesterday. Story and photos by Sean Devers On a truncated day at Everest yesterday, good bowling from Ramaal Lewis and Andre Stoll, making a return to cricket for the first time in two years and an unfinished 146-run partnership between Skipper Leon Johnson and Christopher Barnwell lifted Georgetown to a sevenwicket win over Upper Corentyne in the opening round of the CGI/GCB Jaguars 50-over Franchise League. Half-centuries from Clinton Pestano (51) and Alex Algoo (50) and a quick-fire 35 from Joshua Ramsammy had helped Upper Corentyne to 177 all out, Jamaican off spinner Lewis captured 4-26, leftarm seamer Andre Stoll grabbed 3-28 and 17-year-old Windies U-19 Left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd had 2-31 for Georgetown. Johnson and man-of-the-
Jonathan Foo match Barnwell joined forces at 32-3 and their unfinished fourth wicket stand powered Georgetown to 178-3 in 27 overs. Barnwell smashed eight fours and three sixes in a shot filled unbeaten 83 from 53 while Johnson, who reached his fifty first, hit eight fours and three sixes in his
undefeated run-a-ball 70. Pestano followed up his 52 by removing both openers; Raymond Perez (1) and Quincy Ovid-Richardson (4) to leave the defending champions on 12-2 to finish with 221. Robin Bacchus (7) was then removed by pacer Demetri Cameron at 32-3 to begin the Johnson/Barnwell show. The left-handed Test batsman launched into spinner Omesh Matura and dispatched him for three boundaries in an over and got to his 50 from 45 balls while Barnwell’s 50 came from 44 balls before he put his foot on the gas to dominate the stand with his captain and help his team to four points for the victory which was achieved in fading light. Earlier, a slight shower just before the scheduled 09:00hrs start resulted in 90 minutes being lost and the overs re-
Leon Johnson on-drives for four in his 70 not out. duced to 44 overs. When the contest eventually commenced at 11:00hrs Upper Corentyne was asked to bat to on a slow track and sluggish outfield in sunny conditions. Andy Mohan was bowled by the 26-year-old left-arm pacer Stoll in the first over for a duck at 1-1 before National U-19 player Alex Algoo was joined by Joshua Ramsammy who stroked Barnwell for four before edging him for four more. Ramsammy then clobbered Steven Jacobs for six and a four off successive balls, before he was caught and bowled by Lewis who watched in dismay at Quincy Richardson, on the deep mid-wicket boundary put down Anthony Bramble before he had scored. But Bramble did not last long as he impetuously swung Nedd to mid-wicket to throw his wicket away after making just two runs
to leave the score on 73-3. It was soon 84-4 when Ramesh Chatterpaul was removed by Nedd for a duck before Algoo, who reached his 50 from 85 balls with one four and a six fell to Stoll at 119-5. Eon Hooper (11) and Clinton Pestano carried the score 141-6 before Hooper was bowled by Jacobs while Stoll got rid of Shawn Perriera (0) at 150-7. The 25-year-old Pestano who got 38 against Barbados on his FirstClass debut in Barbados, played several entertaining shots on both sides if the wicket, including brutal six off Barnwell which ended on roof of the commentary booth before he was removed by Stoll at 1678 before Lewis wrapped up the tail. Meanwhile, at Albion in a match reduced to 36 overs due a delay of 180 minutes, Lower Corentyne edged West Berbice by three runs in the only game played in Berbice.
Lower Corentyne, led a 59 from man-of-match Johnathon Foo and 30 from National U-19 player Junior Sinclair, reached 166-7 in 36 overs. West Berbice in reply made 163 with Adrian Dutchin, who was run out, top scoring with 35 from 52 balls with one boundary, Kevin Sinclair hit two fours in 30 from 37 balls and Kasim Khan reached the boundary twice in 22. Foo had three wickets in the last over with six required to win with three wickets in hand while Khan had three and Umroa took two for Lower Corentyne. The eight teams in the League accepted CWI’s decision not to pay the players for this tournament since they have not secured sponsorship for the teams while the next round is fixed for tomorrow with four matches.
Savory’s century, spinners propel Essequibo to 90-run win over West Demerara Story and photos by Zaheer Mohamed A well complied century by wicket-keeper batsman Kemol Savory backed up by a decent bowling performance handed last year’s finalist Essequibo a 90-run victory over West Demerara when the Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI)/Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Jaguars 50-over Franchise League commenced yesterday. Savory anchored his team’s innings, sharing in crucial partnerships with Chetram Persaud and Anthony Adams to lead Essequibo to 217 all out in 48.5 overs after they decided to bat at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. Openers Kevon Boodie and Ricardo Peters put on 22 before Peters was caught off Navindra Persaud for three,
Boodie who hit two fours and one six was bowled by Ewert Samuels for 23 with the score on 56. Ricardo Adams was then lbw to off-spinner Richie Looknauth for six before Savory and Chetram Persaud added 58 for the fourth wicket with level-headed batting. Savory started cautiously but blossomed well taking boundaries off Travis Persaud and soon reached his fifty off 68 balls. Travis Persaud then uprooted the stumps of Chetram Persaud for 22, but Savory kept the score board ticking and dominated a fifth-wicket stand of 45 with Anthony Adams. The left-handed Savory smashed Malcolm Hubbard for two sixes and continued to carefully gather his runs on both sides of the pitch without much hiccups. Adams was run out for
nine, but Ronsford Beaton weighed in nicely dumping Hubbard and Travis Persaud for sixes as he and Savory propped up Essequibo’s total. However, soon after reaching his well deserved century, Savory was caught at the wicket off Richie Looknauth for 101 after facing 120 balls and hitting four fours and three sixes. Beaton was caught in the deep for 29; Looknauth claimed 3-39, Samuels 2-11 and Travis Persaud 2-50. Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Ronaldo Renee added 36 for the first wicket before the former was bowled by pacer Neilan Cadogan for 11 while Renee was dismissed in similar fashion by Joshua Jones for 18. The Essequibo spinners then strangled the West Demerara batting with their (Continued on page 25)
Ricardo Adams
Anthony Adams
Kaieteur News
Tuesday September 18, 2018
PAGE 31
FIFA publishes first-ever report on women’s transfers For the first time ever, official information on international transfers of female professional players is presented in a new report entitled Women’s Transfers in ITMS. The report is a summary of global transfer activity since 1 January 2018, when the International Transfer Matching System (ITMS) became mandatory for transfers of female professional players. Key statistics on global transfer activity from 1 January to 1 September 2018: - So far, 577 international transfers of professional female players have been completed around the world, with about USD 0.5 million spent on transfer fees - 198 clubs and 65 FIFA member associations were actively involved in international transfers, the majority of them in UEFA - Players from the USA were involved in almost twice as many transfers as those of any other nationality - Trends in transfer streams show where women’s football is more developed and also indicate that transfers tend to be affected by the timing of domestic competitions ”This report helps reflect the reality of the current financial landscape in club football, which is an important part of the overall women’s football environment,” said Emily Shaw, FIFA’s Head of
Women’s Football Development & Governance. ”Transfer activity is so far relatively limited, but this is a normal consequence of the fact that the market for female professional players is still in the early stages of its development. That said, consistent investments from all
stakeholders in recent years have contributed to the rapid growth of the women’s game at all levels. There are therefore clear signs that these numbers will only grow in future. In this context, the introduction of ITMS sends a strong message to encourage the further professionalisation of
women‘s football.” The report also includes detailed information on transfer types, the origins and destinations of transfers, and player nationality. The Women’s Transfers in ITMS report is available for free d o w n l o a d a t : https://www.fifatms.com/data-
reports/reports/. The data published in this report is extracted from ITMS, which is used by all 211 FIFA member associations and over 7,500 professional football clubs around the globe for the international transfer of professional football players.
Swan dispose of St Cuthbert’s Mission in Region Four Heritage playoff Swan FC goal scorers from right, Eran Hussain, Mellon Joseph, Ishmeal Pulsram and Edson Williams.
St Cuthbert’s Mission goal scorers, Zack Ferriera and Leo Evans
S
wan Football Club which saw a number of players drawn from its Under-15 and 18 teams stood firmly to the challenge when they disposed of St Cuthbert’s Mission in a three way competition to select a team to represent Region Four at the 2018 Heritage Football competition. Playing at the St Cuthbert’s Mission ground, Sawn stood firm in the clash against the home team, St Cuthbert’s Mission in a clash that was dubbed, David vs Goliath. Swan opened the scoring in the 11th minute through Eran Hussain who skilfully dribbled three opposing players before hitting the
ball into the nets with a solid right foot shot. St Cuthbert’s Mission had a perfect opportunity to level the score four minutes later through a penalty taken by Lorenzo Clenkian who sent the ball over the cross bar. However, 23 minutes on, St Cuthbert’s found the equalising goal when Zack Ferreira stunned Swan’s goalkeeper with a terrific shot. Enjoying the better of the exchanges, Swan retook the lead score in the 31st minute through a Mellon Joseph goal. That advantage was further increased in the 53rd minute when
Ishmeal Pulsram fired home. Swan was on target yet again in the 57th minute, this time it was Edson Williams who added his name to the score sheet to put the game beyond the reach of Cuthbert’s Mission, the score reading 4-1. Not giving up though, the home team tried their best to reduce the score and got their second in the 59th compliments of Leo Evans’ strike but that would not be enough as the final whistle sounded with Swan large and in charge, 4-2. Manager/Coach of Swan FC, Andre Gonsalves expressed
satisfaction with the performance of his team noting that the players stuck to the game plan of seeking to control the ball while looking for opportunities to score. ”I think we may have missed about two or three scoring opportunities but overall we played very well and it is reflective in the results.” Gonsalves expressed confidence that his team would win the playoffs and earn the right to represent Region Four at the National Heritage competition. ”This is our first year playing in the competition as we pulled out
last year before the playoffs owing to what we termed as unprofessional and unsportsmanlike behaviour of some of the players representing other teams. However, this year we are here and I can assure you that while we are fielding a young team the guys are very determined to win this playoff,” Gonsalves declared. St Cuthbert’s Mission will now play Laluni football team with the winner playing Swan in the final for the opportunity to represent Region Four at the National Heritage Games slated for this weekend in Georgetown.
rt o p S
Conquerors clinch C/Ship after Sunday’s draws P. 28
Domini Garnett – Fruta Conquerors FC
Savory’s century, CGI/GCB Jaguars 50-over Franchise League spinners propel Barnwell, Johnson . 30 Essequibo . 30 powers GT to 90-run win over to victory West Demerara P
P
Kemol Savory accepts his prize from match referee Grantley Culbard
Swan dispose of St Cuthbert’s Mission in Region Four P. 31 Heritage playoff
Man-of-the-Match Chris Barnwell hits a towering six in his unbeaten 83 at Everest yesterday.
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