Kaieteur News
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Saturday September 24, 2016
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
THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE BORDER DISPUTE The United Nations (UN), which is 71 years old, is back in session. Mr.Barack Obama has addressed the world body for the last time as President of the United States. It will also be the last time that Ban Ki Moon will be presiding over the session as the UN General Secretary. His ten-year term comes to an end in December. And once again, Guyana’s border dispute with Venezuela has been raised, but there is still no solution. President David Granger had high hopes for a resolution to the dispute but it appears it would not happen at this sitting of the UN. Venezuela’s relentless effort to maintain its claim has resulted in President Maduro’s rejection of the UN decision to settle the dispute at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). President Maduro is aware that most of the evidence that would be presented to the ICJ would be based on the 1899 Tribunal Accord and would be in Guyana’s favor. While Guyana’s position is firmly rooted in the ICJ, Venezuela has thwarted every effort by the UN to have the dispute settled by the international court. Until Venezuela agrees for the dispute to be heard by the ICJ, the court has no jurisdiction to try the case. During the past year, Venezuela’s actions toward Guyana have soured relationships between the two countries to the point where Venezuela had recalled its Ambassador to Guyana and delayed the granting of accreditation to Guyana’s ambassador to that country. President Maduro has stalled all efforts by Guyana to find a peaceful resolution to the dispute. Its threat to annex two-thirds of Guyana’s territory was reinforced by its deployment of troops, tanks, missiles and gunboats on the borders. Madura’s unstatesman-like conduct has rattled the leadership in Guyana who took the case to the UN and other international and regional forums. However, this course of action by Guyana has not yielded much result. With the defeat of President Madura’s ruling party on December 6, 2015, Guyana had hoped for a change of policy from Caracas but such hopes vanished as President Maduro’s term ends in 2018. His threat to annex the county of Essequibo was in direct response to the discovery of large quantities of crude oil by the American oil giant, Exxon Mobil in the Stabroek area of Essequibo. It is known that Guyana is outmatched military, but it is highly unlikely that it would surrender any of its territory to Venezuela without a struggle, which could prove more costly than the value of the disputed area. The term “not a blade of grass” coined by the late Forbes Burnham in 1966 in opposition to Venezuela’s claim remains deeply embedded in the Guyanese psyche. In an address to the UN General Assembly a few days ago, President Granger made it clear that Guyana has accepted the 1899 Tribunal Award and remained hopeful that the 117-year-old dispute will be adjudicated by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He stated that since 1966, the border dispute has scared away potential investors from the region and this has had a negative impact on Guyana’s ability to exploit its hydro-carbon resources. He said that Guyana’s development is constrained by the territorial ambitions of Venezuela, which ratified the 1899 Tribunal Accord. The President pleaded for help from the international community for a peaceful resolution to the dispute. In the final analysis, Venezuela’s claim is a threat to Guyana’s existence as a small independent country and an assault on its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is also a grave threat to peace and security not only in Guyana but the entire region. The government should not only depend on the UN to solve the border dispute.The government has to be more proactive and intensify its efforts for a peaceful resolution.
Editor’s Note; If your sent letter was not published and you felt its contents were valid and devoid of libel or personal attacks, please contact us by phone or email.
What happens with Stabroek traffic when Budget Day begins? Dear Editor, There persist some rather irritating and annoying situations which I’m sure have been observed by the general public as well. I’m speaking about the many potholes which have been in existence on Hadfield Street between Lombard and Camp Streets and on Leopold Street between High and Lombard Streets for the past several months, and which continue to erode day by day and go unnoticed by the relevant authorities. Now as a driver, and working in close proximity to these streets, it is imperative for me to be traversing these thoroughfares on a daily basis. This causes much irritating discomfort to me
and to other commuters as well. Then there is the Budget issue. Now National Budget day 2017, is slated to be announced and read sometime in the month of December, which just happens to be one of the busiest months, if not the busiest month of the year. My question is; with the Budget being read and debates to follow a week or so after are there any systems in place to deal with the heavy traffic congestion, which already exists around the Stabroek Market and Parliament building area; more so at a time when the height of the busy Christmas shopping season will be in full effect? Finally there is the issue of the barricaded area around the Camp Street
jail on Durban Street between Camp and John Streets. This is the southern boundary of the jail, which is manned by the joint services namely the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force. It is my humble opinion and of thousands of commuters too that this inconvenience should be ceased with immediate effect and the normal flow of traffic resumed forthright. It is my suggestion that if they were to have an alert foot patrols on these streets by the combined security forces on a 24hr basis then there would be no need for the continued massive discomfort faced by commuters and residents daily. R. Green
I have heard consistent criticism against the Govt. Dear Editor; Editor’s note; this is the conclusion of this letter published in our edition yesterday. Forbes Burnham understood the need for the common worker to have an opportunity to taste of the good life. He conceived the Main Stay Lake Resort for workers. So, while senior operatives might have been able to take their families to resorts in the Caribbean or U S A o n h o l i d a y, B u r n h a m ’s contribution to equity was ensuring that the common workers’ life experience would be somewhat similar. That the small man too would have a taste of the good life - holiday at the beautiful resort located on the bank of Lake Mainstay was to be a start in this endeavor. Here in Guyana, since Burnham, the largest employer (government) has exhibited less emphasis on adopting social programs that would reduce the effects of small salaries on the poor. Both governments and workers see increase in salaries as the way to close
the gap. So when the government gave itself 50% raise on already relatively high salaries and offer 10% increase to those already receiving ridiculously low salaries, the arrangement became intolerable for members of the Y generation and Millennium. And today in Guyana members of these two generations make up the bulk of the Guyanese population and assumable the public service. In this context the offer of a mere10% increase represent to the workers nothing but a stab in the back by a trusted friend. Anger and Discontent were inevitable. Mr. Editor, it is the failure to understand and/or willingness to take on board the values prevalent among its work force today that is the source of the discontent and frustration with government. It explains government’s missteps when dealing with salaries in the public service. But why should this be so? No one can argue that the government does not have in its rank
persons who are intelligent and knowledgeable, so why are we not seeing evidence of this in their behavior? Why an understanding of the values and expectations of the bulk of those making-up the public service seemingly not taken into consideration when government acts? What happens to brilliant people when suddenly they occupy seats of power? When will the disrespect of the common man end? Since we know the PPP, where do poor people turn to with a reasonable expectation of being treated fairly? It really hurts when one contemplates what still pertains in Guyana even with a change of government. There is too much to complain about, too much confusion, too much wrong doings. When a government gave to its ministers 50% raise on their salaries and offer public servants at the bottom of the salary structure 10% increse on theirs, we know something is wrong. When we hear of the presence of a National Youth (Continued on page 5)
How safe is your bank account in Guyana? Dear Editor, Please allow me the space to make public something that is of extreme importance to me, and to others. I operate two (2) accounts in a city bank in downtown, Georgetown. This particular bank is the custodian of some the most important business transactions in my personal and professional life. I operate a chequing account, and have a sizeable mortgage,
that is being routinely serviced. Recently, I found that the saved link that I normally use to access my viewing of my online account was inoperable. However, I accessed the international link for the bank and selected ‘’Guyana’’, from the dropdown menu, and was able to access my account. To my consternation, I found that a name other than my own was listed as the owner of the account.
I really cannot think of any explanation that this bank, or any other bank for that matter, could have for such a situation occurring, and it is my intention to deal with this matter with the seriousness that it deserves. I am by means of this letter publicly conveying this intention to the relevant entity. Juliet Holder-Allen. Attorney At Law
Saturday September 24, 2016
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Kaieteur News
UG needs to emphasize Complaint about the attitude of Bartica’s Mayor History and Anthropology DEAR EDITOR; The subject of this letter, which is the unpleasant approach/behaviour of the Mayor of the Bartica Municipality, during the recent disastrous, unforeseen weather events on 7th August 2016 and 11th September 2016, has been addressed to the Minister of Communities. The letter follows; Dear Minister, with reference to the above subject, I am pleased to inform you that I am a resident living in Bartica for over 25 years. I bring this unpleasant situation of the unprofessionalism of a person whom we have elected to serve us as our Mayor of Bartica Municipality. We have experienced the recent disaster of a high wind, coupled with lightening, thunder and the heaviest rain falls in over 25 years in Bartica. The condition of the land where my house is located at 70 West Indian Housing Scheme, Bartica, is testimony that at the time of these unforeseen circumstances, when you expect person(s) in high office(s) to render some degree of comfort following an unpleasant situation, the officials pretended to pledge to render all assistance simply to make us, the Barticians
happy. I have photographs of damages I have suffered during this heavy rain fall which also caused many homes in Bartica to have about 3 feet of water which destroyed furniture and other household items. We, the residents of West Indian Housing Scheme, Bartica are not engineers, technocrats or persons with the ability to manage major construction, but from our own common sense it could have been observed that the undertakings of the Municipality are without any proper consultation with person(s) of engineering skills and governmental expertise. Then there is the project of a play field which is not right. As a matter of fact, we thought that a proper survey would have been conducted by both the regional personnel and members of the local government and out of the discussion a meeting would have been held with the residents to indicate to us the development plan intended. Neither the Mayor nor the council conducted a visit to our area to inform us of the playfield in progress. The arrogance displayed via a
telephone conversation reflected the Mayor’s unprofessionalism in handling matters that required the support from personnel of high office The Regional chairman did visit me and said that he could only sympathize; also two councilors came and recorded videos of what hadtranspired with my property during the weather disaster. It seems that I could not turn to any government official within Bartica for any help as it appears that these persons are on a different wave length. I am kindly soliciting through your office that a team of professionals visit Bartica to conduct a thorough survey to see if the decision made by the Mayor is correct in relation to the expenditure to construct a playfield that is not needed; but instead poses a threat to our livelihood, the residents of West Indian Housing Scheme, Bartica. From an evaluation conducted, it was estimated that this project’s cost was $30,000,000. This needs an investigation of government’s spending. This project would affect residents with values to properties worth hundreds of millions. Karen Bishop
Lecture on Burnham’s role in social cohesion DEAR EDITOR; September 12, 2016 marked the second death anniversary of Elvin McDavid, the Founding Patron of the Forbes Burnham Foundation (FBF). In keeping with a decision of the Foundation to commemorate his life with an annual memorial symposium, the Symposium will be held on September 25th from 3 pm at the Critchlow Labour
College. McDavid was a former Minister of Culture, a former Ambassador and a former Political Advisor to President Burnham. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Guyana National Service and was responsible for pioneering CARIFESTA which was first held in Guyana in 1972. The Memorial Symposium will be addressing the topic:
“Burnham and National Cohesion.” The speakers will be the Chairman of the Foundation and a representative from the Ministry of Social Cohesion. The Burnham Foundation is dedicated to memorializing the death of LFS Burnham, commemorating his life and keeping his legacy alive. The struggle for national cohesion is but one of his legacies. The public at large are invited to the Symposium. Vincent Alexander Chairman, FBF
I have heard consistent... From page 4 Council while never hearing of youths in Guyana voting to elect their representatives for such a council, we know something is wrong. When we hear the Government speak of the need for communities to take the initiative while hearing of no attempt to give communities the competence to carry out community assessment, we know something is wrong. When we hear leaders speak of the important role the elderly can play in national development and the need for them to ensure their
issues are placed on the table, we know something is wrong. When we witness no effort to enhance the elderly understanding of the process of policy formation and how to influence policy, we know something is wrong. When we know of no effort to introduce the elderly to modern techniques in ad-
vocacy, we know something is wrong. And when we see on the front page of one of our dailies two of our female police officers being made to climb a ladder in skirts and not a word of protest is heard from the various rights groups, we know something is wrong. Claudius Prince
DEAR EDITOR, I am an 18 year old aspiring Anthropologist with a focus on Culture and Linguistics. However, I am currently a second year Communication major at the University of Guyana. U.G. is the country’s premiere tertiary institution and even after more than half a century of work we still have a long way to go. The country has a small percentage of people who actually attend the University and that may be the reason why politicians and “those in position” turn a blind eye to many of the issues we face there. If I want to attend U.G. what exactly am I guaranteed after my two or four years stay there apart from a Certificate? I am not guaranteed a job for sure. U.G. has a set list of programs that they offer, and it is not a very diverse list and it is not a much “updated” list (in my humble opinion) Due to the unavailability of certain information and dissonance
in the various numbers being posted I cannot give a definite number of programs but what I can say is that every year hundreds of people graduate with degrees in certain popular areas and now that I want to study a course that I deem as relevant to my country as it is to me, I am not allowed to because UG does not offer it (as yet). So I am now left to choose a degree from the small list of programs to study because I want to have a Bachelor’s Degree and make myself more merchandisable on the job market. Chances are there are hundreds of people with the same degree that I am pursuing and about 200 more currently reading for the same degree (1st year to 4th year) so what exactly will happen after graduation? The issue here is not that I want to be a spoiled child and have my own way by being afforded the opportunity to gain a
recognised Undergraduate and Post Graduate Degree in Anthropology but the issue here lies in the lack of diversity of programs, low work ethic of some lecturers, and limited lecturers to teach the current (much less new programs). U.G. should be setting precedence and while I am aware that U.G can only do so much I am still of the belief that Anthropology and History need to have more emphasis placed on it. If I recall correctly, a year ago the History Degree program was in jeopardy and faced being dropped. However how can we want to progress as a country if we leave our past out of our academic arena? In order to progress, we must put our past into account and understand where we came from before we can even begin to fathom where we are going. I am quite aware that in (Continued on page 6)
My unpleasant experience as an arriving tourist in Guyana DEAR EDITOR; I am a very typical middle aged man from North-Europe, who travels a lot, both for business and for vacation and adventure. I had in fact visited over 63 countries until last September when I decided that Guyana was going to be my 64th country to visit. I do consider myself an experienced traveler and used to all sort of airports and rules regarding international traveling. I had been told that I would have to apply for a tourist visa with the immigration officers when I landed in Guyana, and this was nothing to worry about. I did ask in my own country (that is not in EU) if I could apply for the visa from home but I couldn’t, neither could I do it in the USA where I transited on my way to Guyana. The airline that took me in also reassured me that this was not an issue; it would all be clear when we landed in Guyana. Even though my stay was only about 48 hours, Guyana and Georgetown left a big and lasting impression
on me, some very positive and other less positive. My story begins when I landed in the Cheddi Jagan, international airport. The 100 passengers on the plane were not allowed to disembark for some 20 minutes because the immigration was not ready, but that was perhaps understandable since we landed over 3 hours late, and the time was well after midnight. When we disembarked and went into the immigration hall I could see two sets of lines, one for residents and on for nonresidents and I of course took the latter one. The line moved slowly, but it was not that long so I got to the booth in some 40 minutes time after I entered the hall. I handed my pre-filled out
form to the immigration officer who examined it closely and told me I needed to apply for a tourist visa. I said “I know, how do I do that?”; “You have to fill out a special form” he replied, without handing me the form or telling me where to get it until I asked him directly where I would get one. I finally got the form, from another booth, and I was sent to some tables where I could stand and fill it out. On none of the tables where there any pens that had ink, and I had given my pen to some people on board the plane so they could fill out their forms and never got it back. It took me a good while to find someone to lend me a pen but finally a nice young lady gave me a pen so I could fill (Continued on page 6)
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Acting Commissioner of Police responds to newspaper article DEAR EDITOR; I respectfully respond to the letter purportedly written by a concerned citizen “Swat Team is not being treated or utilized properly’ in the Kaieteur News of September 22, 2016 on page 5. As the members of this elite unit have all, each and every one distanced themselves from this expose, it seems rather strange and significantly so, that an unknown, of the affairs of this Unit, could peddle so much mischief and untruth, but this is the reality of the times. However the need to respond is above and much more compelling, in the light that the public, all citizens and key stakeholders, need to and will appreciate that the SWAT Unit is too important, and invaluable, particularly as a part of a holistic crime fighting strategy, in the main. Please be assured that the SWAT Unit of the Guyana Police Force is mentally and physically sound, under very good administration, focused, and ready to effectively
respond in fulfillment of its role and functions. This Unit is not idle and inactive. In fact it has successfully completed two (2) training engagements of an operational nature, one (1) in collaboration with the Joint Services in January, the other during POLICE DAY, at Durban Park in May this year. These aside, it continues to engage in the training of all the Divisional Anti Crime Patrols in the Country. Additionally on several occasions the SWAT Unit provided security for VIPs, performed High Profile escorts and played a leading role, in collaboration with over fifty (50) other officers and ranks during a major Anti Crime operation on the East Coast of Demerara, some two (2) weeks ago. So they are really very active. The issue of personal firearms has always been the Achilles’ heel of certain members of the Force, as much as it is with the average public. Police Officers are expected to be brave, courageous
dispassionate and unmoved in the face of threats to personal safety, for policing is not for the faint of heart. The Force has a policy which provides guidance on the issuance of firearms full time, to its members, and it is serving the Force quite well. Sometime soon, in fact in about six (6) weeks’ time, the Force will see a spanking new state of the art Gymnasium and all through the rank and file are expected to benefit, SWAT included. The matter of fitness for your role is oftentimes a personal choice, these days, though by requirement it is expected that members of the Force keep themselves fit and ready to respond adequately, even though, this will come at a cost, since some choose to be a member of a name brand gym, instead of doing simple exercises that are devoid of a financial consideration. In terms of the upkeep of the SWAT Unit, much has been done already. Unfortunately when those in (Continued on page 7)
My unpleasant experience as... From page 5 out my form. I then had to go back to another line so that tourist visa form could be processed. When it was my turn I was really the last person in the immigration hall, but I had no issues with that, someone has to be last any way. The officer took my form and processed it carefully asking me some question, which I thought were all fair and normal. Then he told me it costs 25 US dollars to get tourist visa for 1 month. I didn’t know that but I had some dollars on me. He then he asked me if I had a photograph, and I told him I did not. I had clearly not been reading the fine print, and no one had told me these things. The officer who by the way
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was always polite to me, hummed a bit, and I was not sure what was going to happen, but I kept on finding the cash to pay him. I found a 100 dollar bill which he quickly took and gave me 50 dollars back, and said I could enter the country now. I was not sure if I had paid the first bribe in my life or if I he just thought it is was fair since I didn’t have any photgraphs with me. In any case I decided that I was not even going to ask for my receipt, and just hoped that it was all going to be worth it. I then approached the customs people and handed them my slip, but they refused to accept it. So my only choice was to return to the immigration hall, ask for a new form (that I had filled out in
the plane) and fill it out again. Again I had to ask someone to lend me a pen because there were still no working pens at the desks. I returned to the customs officers and this time I was allowed to pass. It had taken me 2 hours and 20 minutes to clear immigration, including the time the plane had landed. Most of those delays can be written on my expense, I didn’t study the rules well enough, but not once in the whole process in the immigration was there anyone to actually help me; however no one was rude either. My first impression of Guyana was well below par, and when I was finally walking out of the terminal, I did wonder if this whole trip was a big mistake. Einar Alex
Wrong things taking place at Guyana Technical institute DEAR EDITOR, Kindly permit me to register my concerns over what is transpiring at the Government Technical Institute (GTI), Woolford Avenue, Georgetown. Sir, I have a 17-year-old nephew who has been attending the institute for quite a while now. Just recently he brought to my attention some issues and being a disciplinarian, I regarded his complaints of being locked out from the institute as “wotlessness” on his part. However, because of his persistence, he had me driving through Woolford Avenue on Thursday morning where I saw approximately 25 students standing at the institute’s gate pleading with security personnel to be allowed in. After I talked to a few of them, I learnt that they were locked out because they had arrived after 8:30 am. I chuckled at first I have to admit because I thought it served them right but after learning that these kids will have to wait until 11:15 to get into the compound, I became somewhat uneasy. I tried to shake this feeling but the thought of my nephew standing there was too much – I became agitated. What kind of draconian measure is this? Some of these students told me that they reside on the East Bank of Demerara and as a resident of that area myself, I understood immediately how hard it is for them especially, with the road expansion project still going on there and all. What draconian measure is this, Mr. Editor? Where is the flexibility? The Government of Guyana can pardon prisoners and yet children – babies in my eyes, are forced to stand in the scorching sun or to sit on a fallen lamp post or resort to bracing up against a fence to get shelter as they are laughed at by passers-by.
Is the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, aware of this? Is the Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry also aware of this? Who approved this kind of disciplinary action? Is this accepted internationally? I don’t know! But what I do know is that it is criminal and a clear violation of human rights. The institutes in Guyana have a responsibility to create a learning environment for students. The Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Education has even embarked on a mission to create a more conducive environment for children in the system. Has the GTI Administration considered what they would tell parents/ guardians should something happen to their children taking in to consideration that Woolford Avenue transforms in South Dakota Circuit after 9am? Another issue I would like to bring to your attention Mr Editor is the issue of students having to pay $20 to photocopy study material. They are required to do so “every other day.” Also, students are required to purchase booklets valued at $100. They also required to do so “every other day.” How is a poor family supposed to afford this especially if they are “banding their belly” to send their loved one (s) to learn a trade? Some kind of questionable thing is going on there. Lastly, some students are required to have a camera phone to take pictures of themselves learning. Now, should it matter why a student is required to have a camera phone? Why can’t GTI buy a camera? Can a poor family afford – in this” guava season,” a phone “with a powerful camera”? What is going on at GTI? Concerned Guardian/Citizen.
UG needs to emphasize... From page 5 most universities, if there isn’t a quantity of students pursuing a said major, then the university has all right to drop that major. However, I think we need to rectify this by starting within the schools (i.e. Primary and Secondary School). The issue goes way back to our education system and the fact that we are taught History in a “boring fashion”. While history can be boring, teachers need to at least try to make the subject fun and have a more practical “hands on” approach to it. When we look at Western films we see that students who do history
get to visit museums and historic sites, and it is my belief that if we do take that approach from them, then maybe a few more students might take a bit more interest in the “book and pen” subject. I remember in my first year in High School I did Guyanese History and we had to make maps and various models that highlighted certain aspects of our history and those were some very rewarding memories I had. From then to now history became a dreary “take me sleep” kind of subject but because of my personal reasons I still hold on to my interest in the field because I understand its importance. History and Anthropology are important because it helps us to understand the society we live in, it helps us to understand “Change”, it provides a sense of identity, it preserves us and it helps us to understand where we came from. In the current system, they are teaching our young people that we all need to become doctors, lawyers, businessmen and economists. The entire streaming logic encourages our society to take up the belief that those are the only
reputable jobs out there and parents and teachers now pressure students into wanting to be in one of those fields. As a result of this logic we now have many doctors and lawyers who are underpaid and businesses that are struggling because of the surplus of supply in those areas. High schools should encourage people to consider other fields like journalism (which I feel is extremely important), film making, teaching, nutrition and body management, food preparation and of course History and Anthropology, etc. I think if we invest more from an early age in these pertinent areas then by the time our young people become of age for university then they might be able to invest more and ultimately study History and or Anthropology. What might also be impactful is if H.E. President David A. Granger speaks to the importance of the field. As a History graduate from the University of Guyana and as a Historian himself, I think his words would have some weight if he is to speak to the issue or even address the issue through the education system. UG Student -2nd Year
Saturday September 24, 2016
There are incompetent doctors in this country DEAR EDITOR; I write this letter out of utter frustration and on behalf of the many fellow Guyanese who may have been in a similar situation and are without any recourse to stop this practice. The facts are as follows: Some time ago I started experiencing severe pain in the groin area. I went to see a doctor who placed me on medication and told me I needed surgery to correct an inguinal hernia which he scheduled for a later date. No xray was done just a physical examination. I paid for the medication and prepared myself mentally for the surgery which would have cost in excess of $200,000. Out of an abundance of caution, I sought the opinion of another doctor who told me my condition resulted from an abscess and gave me further medication which took care of the problem. No surgery was necessary. To say I was stunned at the misdiagnosis is an understatement. I felt victimized; had I not gone for a second opinion I would have had to endure an unnecessary and expensive surgery. I spoke to a friend who is a lawyer and was told that since no harm resulted no legal action against the doctor could have been maintained in a court of law. I was advised to lodge a complaint with the Medical Council. I feel further victimized. Had harm resulted and
I had died then what? Who would have known that death resulted from unnecessary surgery? How many Guyanese have had unnecessary and expensive surgery as a result of some doctor misdiagnosing their condition? How many have died from same? What action(s) can be taken against such a doctor? I know in other parts of the world, the public has recourse to sue for medical malpractice or negligence. What about Guyana? The dailies are replete with Guyanese dying from alleged malpractice. How many of those were misdiagnosed? Are doctors scamming poor persons to collect money or is that they’re not qualified to do their jobs? What can the average Guyanese do about piercing the god-like mystique that surrounds doctors and make them accountable for their actions? I, for one, feel violated and would like to see these “quacks” become accountable for their callous actions. In this day and age, doctors who violate their oath of “do no harm” should not be foisted on an unsuspecting public. Guyanese should not throw up their collective arms in resignation but start a grassroots movement to have doctors become accountable for their actions. Stan Gouveia
After two decades of service GTT can do more DEAR EDITOR; GT&T really should “Do More” to help themselves. Two decades of service can only be described as poor. Nevertheless the company ever so often tries to convince us that they have moved mountains over that time. It never occurs to them that Guyanese have paid dearly for their colossal task. It is very common that your working cell phone, in Georgetown, not in a basement or multi storied building, powered on, when dialed still sends a recording that it’s out of area or turned off. In the past two months my prepaid mobile internet, zero G, has been down even though I have been through the settings many times with GTT technicians and even left the phone with them overnight to sort it
out. First, I needed to re-subscribe, even though the month or data wasn’t exhausted, but this time to an “individual” plan instead of the “family” plan which supposedly caused my problem. Having done so and again speaking with GTT personnel, I was asked to contact Ms. Issacs, the Business Services Manager at 226 0122. I left a message for her but having not received a call back I tried repeatedly , only to find her telephone either busy or it rings and then cuts off. Ms. Isaacs herself may need help with her land line. Perhaps someone at GTT can DO MORE and help her out. But, Ms. Isaacs please don’t call GTT Customer Service. They may ask you to call yourself. S. Persaud
Acting Commissioner of Police... From page 6 direct command of subordinates neglect to pay much needed attention to little but important details of personal and habitation hygiene, the resulting situation can be depressing. However, as a call to order, and based on the elite nature of the SWAT Unit, and to maintain this “eliteness,” the Commanding Officer and the Officers below him, have been reminded to pay constant and more direct attention to the daily administration of this important Unit. To say that the external environment is an insanitary one is far from the truth, even though it is a fact that due to the rehabilitation of an important unit infrastructure, in close proximity, a level of discomfiture was envisaged, and it is being minimized. But alas, where is the much needed patience in these
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matters? Improvement has challenges and consequences. Finally, rest assured that there is no crime situation, in Berbice at this time, of the nature which will necessitates the SWAT Unit’s presence therein. ‘B’ Division is currently experiencing a thirteen percent (13%) decrease overall in serious crimes when compared with the same period in 2015. The only serious crime that has increased is murder with twenty three (23) cases this year, against seventeen (17) last year. How do you really prevent a murder/homicide, which is the killing of a human
by a human being? Maybe this concerned citizen has useful ideas. But is he/she interested in being a part of the solution? Serious crimes such as Robbery Under Arms involving the use of firearms, Robbery under Arms involving the use of other instruments, Rape, Break and Enter and Larceny, Burglary and Robbery with violence have all been reduced, by twenty five (25), five (5), thirty six (36), seventeen (17), twelve (12) and seventeen (17) percent respectively. D. Ramnarine, DSM (ag) Commissioner of Police
These streets in New Amsterdam need lights DEAR EDITOR; Please publish this letter as a reminder to the central government that the residents of New Amsterdam urgently need electric lamps on the road between Philadelphia Street, Republic Road to Lot 60 Stanleytown and Philadelphia Street, Main Street to Tacama Turn. It is more than a year since the new government assumed office and it seems as though the residents have been forgotten. I know quite well we have waited twenty three unbearable years, however, this doesn’t mean our patience must be stretched any further. We are desperately in need of lights on this particular thoroughfare now. Why is it that in such a large town such as New Amsterdam, residents have to ride and walk through these dark roads in the night, only to be pounced on by thieves who would secure themselves in the cemetery just parallel to these dark roadways. This doesn’t help to reduce crime. Is this development? Residents of New Amsterdam primarily supported this new government in the last general and local government elections, and were promised that these areas would have been given electricity but to date nothing has been forthcoming. How much longer must we wait? Further,
aren’t these persons in high office driven through these areas each day? Don’t they see the need for lamps to be installed in these strategic areas that would invariably benefit the residents of the town of New Amsterdam? The previous government had GPL installed lights from Philadelphia Street to the intersection by Vryheid Street, near to the All Saints Church. However, why only in one particular area? Isn’t this backwardness? Installing street lights in one part of the town and not the entire area. Street lamps were also installed from Telecoms adjacent to Philadelphia Street running to Locaber village in West Canje Berbice which is good, but already many of the lamps from Telecoms to B.E.I
(Berbice Educational Institute) are not working; it seems that no one sees the need for replacement or whatever the case might be. Is it GPL or the regional authority that are responsible for maintenance or replacement of these infrastructures? Are the residents to understand that after installation and it starts working, to hell with it, whatever ever will be will be? Does anyone care? I am respectfully asking that central government or GPL who has the mandate to remedy this situation act quickly to address this situation that the residents of New Amsterdam are facing. We need to feel safe whenever we go about our business on these thoroughfares too. Marlon Daniels.
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Kaieteur News
Saturday September 24, 2016
Gear for increased Local witness protection programme soon to be economic growth - AFC legislated - Minister Ramjattan The country’s witness protection programme is long overdue, and is soon to be legislated, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, told media operatives recently. That Bill is currently at the Attorney General’s Chambers to be fine-tuned before being examined by Cabinet. “…Then the recommendations that we will make in relation to that Bill will go back to the draftsperson, Cecil Dhurjon (Chief Parliamentary Counsel) and then be brought to the National Assembly,” the Minister noted. Minister Ramjattan added that the witness protection programme was long seen as very important, not because of the white collar crime that the forensic audits might have revealed, but “long
Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams
before that people (giving evidence) in narcotic offences were saying they wanted some protection because they feel narcotics persons (persons connected to the drugs trade) can kill them.” The Public Security Minister explained that the witness protection programme will require considerable
finances, since it may be necessary to safeguard witnesses in high profile cases by keeping them outside of the local jurisdiction. “The need for witness protection came long before forensic audits. What the witness plan might do, will need a lot of finances because some of the witnesses might have to be put up in
Trinidad and far off places because they might not be safe in Guyana. That will be very expensive an exercise,” Minister Ramjattan pointed out. Ramjattan said it has been difficult to get witnesses to come forward in cases involving past state operatives because Guyana currently does not have a witness protection programme. The Minister, however, noted the responsibility of citizens to aid in the prevention and prosecution of crimes. “We couldn’t give them any assurances except that they will be safe. It is the first duty of the citizenship to speak the truth about what you know and saw, but sometimes these things are harder because people are sensitive to things like what could happen to them. They get scared… There are others who will (come) forward. I’m proud of them and so charges will be brought. It will just take some time,” Ramjattan said. Consultations for the draft Protection and Protected Disclosures (Whistleblower) Bill are scheduled to begin on Monday, October 10, 2016 at the Pegasus Hotel, at 9:00 hours. In 2015, the government announced its intention to table the Bill in the National Assembly to protect witnesses who give evidence in the Courts.
Since the Government of Guyana announced some time ago that the National Economy is projected to grow by four percent at the end of this year, there has been much debate. While many feel that this projection was a tad farfetched, the Alliance for Change (AFC) – one part of the Coalition Government – is urging that the public prepare itself for an increase in economic growth. Making this assertion was an Executive of the P a r t y, a n d M i n i s t e r o f Business Dominic Gaskin, at a press conference that was h o s t e d a t t h e P a r t y ’s H e a d q u a r t e r s i n K i t ty, East Coast Demerara yesterday. Gaskin told media operatives that the party is optimistic that the projected growth rate will be realised. He said that Guyana would have achieved a two percent growth rate during the first half of the year which is known to be the “slowest” period of the year and also, that the State would have achieved this at a time
when the level of government spending had not taken a full grip. The Executive said that despite the neighbouring countries including Brazil Trinidad and Suriname facing economic c h a l l e n g e s , G u y a n a ’s economy continues to expand – but at a slower rate. Gaskin was quizzed why the claimed growth is not being reflected in the spending power of the people; he said that country is now emerging from a decline and it will take some time before this increase is reflected. The decline that Gaskin spoke about was experienced some two years ago as a result of lower commodity prices that began with the gold sector; the decrease in gold prices and the rice sector caused the decline. Gaskin reiterated that G u y a n a ’s e c o n o m y i s stable despite the c o u n t r y ’s neighbours experiencing economic issues. The reason for Guyana being in this position can be credited to the measures that were implemented in January during the National Budget presentations to curb the issues of money laundering, the narcotics trade and smuggling.
Saturday September 24, 2016
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Kaieteur News
The Bid Protest Committee must be independent The Public Procurement Act makes provision for the establishment of an independent Bid Protest Committee. The Procurement Act is clear on how the Committee should be established. No member of Cabinet should sit on the Bid Protest Committee. The intention is for the Committee to be independent of government. The law does provide for Government to appoint persons and logically those persons should not be part of either the tender evaluation process or of Cabinet, which, until the appointment of the Public Procurement Commission, still grants a noobjection on contracts. So long as there is a system of no-objection being exercised by Cabinet in relation to contracts, a member of Cabinet should not be sitting on any Bid Protest Committee. There is a simple logic about why this should not happen. If Cabinet grants no objection to a contract, then it means that Cabinet is in agreement with the award of
the contract. A member of Cabinet therefore should not be sitting on any committee which is charged with reviewing a decision which Cabinet has approved by its no-objection. It is as simple as that. Even when the Public Procurement Commission has been put in place, there is no need for a member of Cabinet to sit on any Bid Protest Committee, for the said reason that a member of Cabinet represents the government and it is the government that approves contracts and therefore a member of the government should not sit on a tribunal established as an independent body. The present legislation does still allow government ministers to make appointments to the Bid Protest Committee. Those appointments should be guided by the principle that the Committee is expected to be independent. Legislative changes may be needed to ensure that the appointments procedure achieves the ends to which it is intended. In the meantime there is no need for any government Minister to sit on
the Bid Protest Committee, however fair-minded and honourable that person is. The Public Procurement Commission was one of the main issues on which the APNU and the AFC opposed the PPP/C. The APNU and the AFC were adamant that the Public Procurement Commission should be established. They accused the PPP of filibustering on this issue. The then PPP/C government indicated that it found the Public Procurement Commission, as established under the Public Procurement Act, to have powers not contemplated by the Constitution of Guyana. This column is on record as supporting this assessment. Indeed, the role that the present parties in the ruling coalition assigned to the Public Procurement Commission does not seem to be supported by the role the Constitution ascribes for the Commission. It is interesting that against this background, the PPP/C still went ahead and nominated persons for the Public Procurement Commission.
Dem boys seh... Is spite mek people seh business bad Give some people an inch and dem gun tek a mile. That is wha happening now. Guyana give de company wha lengthening de airport runway a nice contract. De company promise to employ Guyanese people because de one that build de Marriott didn’t like Guyanese suh no local person coulda get wuk. And dem had a fat slob who born in Guyana and who use to side wid Jagdeo to hustle state funds, tell this nation how de Chinee people at de Marriott right. Anyhow, dem boys learn that de airport Chinee promise to give sub contract to Guyanese and of course, it had to tek all de sand from Guyana. But it had a plan fuh shaft Guyana. When Jagdeo people lose de
elections de same contractor get more vex. Dem boys did hear bout a plan to sabotage de economy fuh mek Soulja Bai look bad but dem didn’t know half of de story. Dem had one set off businessmen who cut down pun importing and then claim how business slow. Dem done had dem money in dem pocket so dem coulda cut some losses to hurt de government. Is when this airport contractor announce how he bringing stone from Suriname. He want to squeeze de government. He know if he don’t buy stone from Guyana then dem quarry ain’t got wuk fuh dem Guyanese. This is de same company that announce how it gun want tons and tons of stone. Now de stone deh waiting and de people switch.
De one good thing is that de stone gun offload close to de river. But think of de cost to fetch stone from Suriname when Guyana got stone. This can only happen because de same fat slob didn’t sign that particular contract. De stone part had a loophole. In case Jagdeo get kick out buy stone from somewhere else and dem quarry people gun holler. Dem boys want to know if Soulja Bai can’t intervene. He can’t tax de stone because it coming from a Caricom country but he can call in de people and threaten dem to do wha he do wid de other one that was working in de timber industry. Talk half and watch how people spiteful.
It may be waiting on the actual appointment of the Commission before it files its long anticipated challenge to the Commission. It was hardly likely that the PPP/C, when it was in power, was going to bring the Commission into being and then challenge its own decision. The PPPC has cooperated in providing for the establishment of the Commission. But for some strange reason, the government
is yet to swear in the Commission. The government has had time to swear in a tribunal but has not found it expedient to swear in the Commission. There may be some legal issues involved because there would seem to good reason why the government will be opposed to putting the Commission quickly in place. In the meantime, it is important that those persons
and entities that bid for government contracts have recourse to a Bid Protest Committee that is independent as provided for in the law.
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Kaieteur News
Saturday September 24, 2016
=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===
The WPA as a party has to officially respond This columnist has been reliably informed by two persons who sit in the WPA leadership that the WPA’s representative in the Cabinet, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine has informed the WPA executive that he cannot explain Cabinet
discussions with the WPA. I am pellucid with my words here – these two persons are in the leadership of the WPA. They told me they were present at the official executive meeting when Dr. Roopnaraine gave that
definitiveness. In a letter in this newspaper, Tacuma Ogunseye explained that Roopnaraine said that he cannot report to the WPA because Cabinet matters can get into the public domain. Ogunseye in another newspaper letter demanded to know how the WPA’s representative stood when Cabinet voted to offer ten percent increase to the lowest paid public servants. All this means is that the WPA as a party has a disconnect with Cabinet affairs. I went to the AFC office the other day and several persons commented on my analysis of the death of the WPA. I had to explain that my assessment of the WPA has absolutely nothing to do with my friendship with Dr. David Hinds, since I was asked, “Freddie how you can do David that?” I wrote on the
WPA, not on David Hinds. David is quite active in other organizations and is known nationally for his active leadership in Cuffy 250. Imran Khan asked me why I thought Roopnaraine took the position of not reporting to the WPA. I gave two answers. One is that at a Freudian level, as the WPA’s representative in Cabinet, he feels that there isn’t much of a party to report to each week. Secondly, Roopnaraine may feel that he is of strong standing nationally as an icon, to represent Cabinet by himself and not as the WPA’s representative. Whatever explanation you offer, the Roopnaraine Cabinet issue is unheard of in coalition governments anywhere in the world. If Roopnaraine has a problem with information that he imparts to the WPA getting out, then life is like that. The powerful US Government suffers from leaks on a daily basis. Most people who read
world news will know about that. Many of us in the media knew what took place in the Jagdeo Cabinet. Is Roopnaraine telling us that PNC and AFC leaders do not discuss their party’s positions in Cabinet? I don’t know about the PNC but I know party leaders in the AFC make demands on their Cabinet members to report to the party. Roopnaraine may not believe that the raison d’etre for him being in the Cabinet is the WPA. I am not too sure his position is implausible; after all he is a nationally known activist for over fortyfive years who can stand on his own. It is for the WPA to tell the nation if Roopnaraine should liaise with his party. But will we get an official statement from that party at a press conference? Or should we expect the usual? And what is the usual? Tacuma in a newspaper letter responding to this column and he will say, I speak in my individual capacity. And David writing a letter too and careful to state this is the way he, David Hinds, feels and not the WPA. So where is the WPA? It is not Freddie Kissoon who first went public with the information that WPA’s Cabinet representative said that as a matter of policy he cannot report to the WPA on Cabinet decisions. It was one of the leaders in the WPA –
Frederick Kissoon Tacuma Ogunseye. So I will not expect a letter saying Kissoon is up to mischief. In this country no matter how factual you are, once someone doesn’t like what you have written about them, their relatives, organization or government you are either up to mischief, a madman, publicity-seeker, fronting for someone or have an agenda. I recall a young man took a swipe at me in this very newspaper for saying that his father was murdered. I replied and quoted a letter from his own sister, printed in this very newspaper, stating that her father was tortured and murdered. This is what Guyana is like. There will be more analyses from me on the WPA; how it evolved, its role in Guyana’s politics, its contributions to freedom, justice and rights. This was once a glorious party whose legacy is indelibly emblazoned on the face of this nation. But as an analyst and from where I stand, I do not see a living WPA. I hope I am wrong.
Saturday September 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
City Council approves security for former Mayor Former Mayor Hamilton Green, will continue to enjoy the protection of the City Constabulary at his Durban Backlan d s residence. This information was shared with Kaieteur News during an interview w i t h t h e c i t y ’s c u r r e n t M a y o r, P a t r i c i a C h a s e Green. The interview was to ascertain whether the service that is currently not afforded to any other living Mayor, was going to be a burden on the municipality. “Without any apologies to anyone, we are talking about a former Prime Minister of this country and a former Mayor who would have served the city of Georgetown for in excess of 20 years.” The Mayor added that she moved the motion for security to be provided at
Former Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green
Mayor of Georgetown Patricia Chase-Green
t h e f o r m e r M a y o r ’s residences. “See nothing wrong w i t h it, the council unanimously agreed. All councillors who were present agree that security services be provided to the former
Mayor’s residence.” In addiction the Mayor said, it is common knowledge that the former Prime Minister/Mayor is out of the jurisdiction; and should he make a request of the Council to have
services rendered, as a former Prime Minister he is so entitled. Mayor Chase-Green was asked if the Presidential Protection Service should be the body, assuming control of the fo r m e r P r i m e Minister’s security detail. “I gave the history of this matter when I moved the motion, in 1994 when he was elected as Mayor of the city of Georgetown. He was then receiving security from the National Guard Service. An agreement was made between the then Commissioner of Police and the then town clerk that instead being afforded the service of the national police and city council, he would just be afforded one or the other.” Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan, also suggested the council come up with a more permanent package to be put in place for Mayors who demit office.
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Govt. mulls measures to ensure agriculture is not forsaken for oil - Trotman The old adage, “Out with the old in with the new,” will not apply to Guyana when oil starts pumping. That is, of course, if the government sticks to its guns and has its way. During a recent interview, Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, told Kaieteur News that the government is keen not to forsake its traditional economic stabilizers for oil— especially not agriculture. Trotman said that the government has long realized that the production of oil will bring many challenges. As a result, Cabinet has moved to set up a Ministerial Committee made up of the Ministries of Finance, Business, Public Infrastructure, Education, Agriculture, Citizenship Social Protection and Communities. Of course the Ministry of Natural Resources is also a part of the Committee. That team has to look at all possible
Saturday September 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman implications that Guyana will have to deal with when oil starts pumping. “Once production of oil starts, we will have labour issues and we will have issues of remigration
and citizenship,” said Trotman. The Minister also noted that the offshore drilling can have an impact on fishing. “We have to deal with that
too.”“Agriculture is important and we want to make sure that we do not forsake agriculture for oil. So it is very important that we maintain our levels of agricultural production. In fact, we even want to see how we can increase,” said Trotman. Trotman said that the Minister of Finance has an obvious role to play in the committee, particularly with regards to the setting up of the Sovereign Wealth Fund. Also, Trotman said that the inclusion of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure is important as it will have to deal with the issues of having onshore oil and gas facility. Trotman added that there is the need for roads, bridges, airports, and maritime regulations for the movement of ships in Guyana’s territorial waters. All of these areas fall under the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. Minister Trotman said that the team meets on a regular basis and all members are “putting our heads together.” Exxon Mobil has drilled another well in Guyana’s waters. This drill has confirmed that Guyana’s oil reserve is even larger than believed. The new well—Liza Two—is said to be just as promising as the first. Trotman had told Kaieteur News that the second find has forced the government to accelerate its preparations for oil production. Trotman said that over the last year, “we have been trying to understand what we have and how to manage it, but we now need to move at a faster pace.”
Guyana gets 56 more police ranks “Talk to people, not at people. And make your contact with them a positive one.” This was the advice from Assistant Commissioner, Brian Joseph, when he addressed 56 new recruits during their passing out parade yesterday at the Felix Austin Police College on Camp Road, Georgetown. He told the ranks to be trustworthy since their character would not develop overnight but will take less than a minute for it to be destroyed. The recruits were told that policing is not just about crime fighting but also about having a human face to problem solving and upholding the law. The ranks paraded before a number of senior officers and their relatives. Initial training commenced on May 6, last and concluded early September. During their four months of training, the new constables were exposed to the basic and essential principles of policing, practices and procedures, foot and arms drills, physical exercise, selfdefence tactics, firearm training theory and live firing exercises. Kaieteur News understands that during their classroom sessions they were exposed to topics such as Domestic Violence, Human Rights, Crime, Traffic, Information Technology, Use of Force Continuum to name a few. The ranks were also exposed to live firing at the
Timehri Rifle Ranges under the guidance and supervision of experts from the Tactical Service Unit. They visited the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and Mortuary, where they had a first-hand experience of what is to be expected at the Court when giving evidence, and how to identify a victim or someone who would have lost his or her life during a homicide and how the pathologist determines the cause of death. At the end of each lesson ranks were tested and graded based on their performances. The best students and runners up were adjudged based on their overall performances and discipline exhibited during the four months. The parade was dubbed a testimony to the return of old standards and practices of giving credence not only to training but to show an appreciation for the men and women who have withstood the rigors of training and are now equipped with the basic knowledge and skills to go forth and perform with due diligence to boost the noble organization. The parade was held under the theme, “Training to build and strengthen the competencies of ranks, through partnerships and monitoring of performances.” The ranks graduated from courses 345 and 346.
Sophia residents to have running water by October - GWI Residents of Sophia can expect access to running water through their taps by the second half of October. According to the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), this new development will signal the completion of an ongoing project in which transmission mains are being extended from a newly rehabilitated well in North Ruimveldt to supply ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ Fields Sophia. The distribution from the North Ruimveldt well will be further supported by the Turkeyen well, which is situated in the University of Guyana compound. The community of Sophia is also expected to gain relief from the
installation of transmission mains from the Sophia Water Treatment Plant. “In the meantime, GWI will be beefing up the number of trucks sent to distribute water to Sophia, even as it continues to adjust its schedule to facilitate those who are not at home during the day.” To date, four trucks filled with a number of 450-gallons black tanks of water are sent to ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘E’ Fields, Sophia to supply residents. Each truck makes at least six trips per day. GWI is appealing to all residents to be wise in their daily consumption of water.
GNBA Member forcing us to use... From page 3 the GNBA that he would have to operate on only one platform. Contacted to bring further clarity to the matter, GNBA Head, Leonard Craig, said that the issue of cable operators using one platform was raised by one Board member during a statutory meeting. Craig said, “Let me first of all make it clear that the Board never made a decision for cable operators to operate on either a wireless platform or on physically run cables. That was the idea of one member. I am not naming the member. But I am categorically stating that the board never took such a decision. Such a practice does not confirm with international
best practices.” The GNBA Head added, “You can’t have cable broadcasters on one platform because of the nuances involved with respect to Guyana’s terrain. In some communities, it might be easier and more feasible for a broadcaster to set up a physically run cables while in others it would be feasible and more practical to go with a wireless system. It would be foolish for any regulator to limit a broadcaster to any type of technology.” Craig said that he made this clear during the board meeting. He said that he was not aware that in spite of making those comments, a broadcaster was still told that he must choose one or the other.
Saturday September 24, 2016
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Kaieteur News
Livestock sector hold out much promise Guyana’s livestock sector which includes dairy and beef cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, wildlife and other animals such as rabbits and bees, has proven to be a self sufficient industry. Even though it is not a major activity in Guyana because of a shortage of adequate pasture land and the lack of adequate transportation, it has been identified by various international bodies as holding much promise to boast Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In 1987 there were an estimated 210,000 cattle, 185,000 pigs, 120,000 sheep, and 15 million chickens in the country. The country imported Cuban HolsteinZebu cattle in the mid-1980s in an effort to make it selfsufficient in milk production. By 1987 annual production had reached 32 million liters, or only half the target quantity. Meeting this is still a national goal that is on the agenda of the agriculture sector. Nonetheless, the livestock sub-sector today contributes approximately 13.6 percent of the agricultural GDP and 2.8 percent of the total GDP. This sub-sector is responsible for the production of poultry meat, eggs, beef, pork, mutton and milk. Livestock production systems are of various forms which include extensive cattle ranching in the savannahs to promote production of beef.
There are also small-size family farms to promote the production of milk, poultry, small ruminants and pigs. The poultry industry remains one of the single most important industries in the livestock sub- sector in terms of employment, contribution to GDP and production. The poultry industry is dualistic in both its spatial location and structure of production. Large-scale broiler processors are typically organized on relatively extensive areas that are highly mechanized. There are an estimated 100 independent commercial broiler farms, varying in sizes from 95 m^2 – 1,600 m^2. with the large farms accounting for 4,700 m^2. A number of processors contract farmers
to supply live birds and these ‘contract grower’ farms account for about 38,100 m^2 of farm space. In addition, it is estimated that there are some 3,000 small ‘back yard’ farmers with average sizes of 25m^2. As for the production of pigs, there are approximately 2500 pig farmers, located mainly in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six. The number of pigs reared in Guyana is approximately 200,000 head; Production is generally a ‘back yard’ type system, pursued mainly by small farmers as part of an integrated farming system. A few farmers practice large scale commercial swine production with over 100 head of pigs. A wide range of local products and by- products
Better Hope pensioner was killed during a random robbery- suspects confess Two men in their early 20s have confessed to the murder of 76-year-old David Ramkissoon, who was found in his Betterhope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home with his throat slit on August 21, last. The sus p e c t s w e r e arrested by detectives in ‘C’ Division early yesterday and during interrogation, they confessed to the murder. Kaieteur News was reliably informed that the suspects claimed that it was a normal day at work (robbery) when the pensioner was killed. They said that they were
David Ramkissoon in the area and decided to raid the house where the pensioner lived.
A police source said that detectives have been gathering intelligence for a while and decided to strike yesterday after gathering enough information. The body of David Ramkissoon, aka “Shortman”, a father of five, was discovered in a pool of blood in the living room by his son, around 19:30 hrs on August 21, last. His son had just returned home after spending the day at a creek on the Soesdyke/ Linden Highway with his family when he made the shocking discovery. Investigations are ongoing.
Shutdown at Skeldon - co-gen caused early morning outage in Berbice, Demerara At approximately 04:00hrs yesterday morning, the No. 1 & 2 Turbines at the Skeldon Co-generatio n plant, Corentyne, East Berbice, shut down during an attempt to start the shredder at the Skeldon factory. According to the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), as a result, there was a shutdown
of the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System. H o w e v e r, We s t C o a s t D e m e r a r a residents were not affected, GPL said. “Restorations efforts commenced within 12 minutes of the shutdown with the last area being repowered at 5:28 hrs. GPL regrets the inconvenience caused.”
are used for feeding pigs, these include commercial feeds, rice bran, copra meal, wheat middling, molasses, fish meal, shrimp meal, kitchen waste and swill. With regard to the small
ruminant sector, there are approximately 130,000 head of sheep and 79,000 head of goats. Guyana is one of the countries with the greatest number of sheep within the CARICOM region; however, it is perhaps the country with the lowest production parameters. The carcass dressing weight and other production parameters lag behind those of its Caribbean counterparts. The local sheep stock is predominantly of the Barbados Blackbelly breed type, and the goats Creole. There is an increased demand for breeding animals; consequently, farmers have been importing other exotic breeds of sheep such as the Katahadin and the Dorper, and there is also a programme for the introduction of the Texel. The use of the Boer breed has seen tremendous increases in the goat parameters. Furthermore, Guyana is
believed to have between 220,000 – 250,000 head of beef and dairy cattle. They are spread mainly in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Nine and Ten. The principal dairy producing Regions are Two, Three, Four, Five and Six while the main beef producing regions are Regions Three, Five, Six, Nine and Ten. A 2006 census revealed that the cattle populations of Regions Five and Six were 69,478 and 41, 148 heads, respectively. In an era where pathogens from animals are entering the oceanic as well as human internal ecosystem, a clear picture has emerged regarding emerging diseases. Man is becoming increasingly concerned about accessing safe, wholesome and affordable food, particularly food emanating from livestock. In an effort to develop the architecture that will support our drive to (Continued on page 31)
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Kaieteur News
Saturday September 24, 2016
Manufacturing output continues to dwindle - Central Bank By Kiana Wilburg The manufacturing sector has once again, displayed a dismal performance in the first half of the year. According to Central Bank, the sector’s output fell by 14.1 percent compared with a 7.1 percent growth for the same period last year. Based on its analysis, the Bank said that the decline was primarily due to lower value added production in sugar and rice by 30.3 percent and 26.2 percent respectively. It noted that other manufacturing goods also declined by 3.0 percent, on account of lower production of liquid pharmaceuticals and non-alcoholic beverages by 11.7 percent and 0.5 percent respectively. Additionally, electricity generation expanded by 7.0 percent compared with the 4.0 percent increase at the end of June 2015. GOOD NEWS In spite of this
performance, it appears that a “meaningful booster” is on the way for the sector. It is being formulated by the Ministries of Business and Finance. Both agencies have a number of initiatives planned for the sector. According to Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, Government is prepared to play its role in helping the sector make greater strides. The economist addressed a number of the complaints and challenges facing the manufacturing sector as well as how the government intends to attend to them. Addressing the complaint of high electricity costs to local manufacturers, the economist said that it was indeed a legitimate constraint. He, however, reminded that the government had made conscious efforts to alleviate the situation. It provided fiscal concessions on the acquisition of generators and increased the
Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin rebate granted by the Guyana Power and Light Company from 10 percent to 15 percent, with effect from April 1, 2016.
Finance Minister, Winston Jordan Jordan said that the Government has also completed an energy matrix, with assistance from the Inter American Development Bank, and will be pursuing cheaper and cleaner energy through the provision of hydropower. The Finance Minister said, too, that since the Government assumed office, there have been two reductions to the electricity costs for consumers. PROTECTIONISM Some members of the manufacturing sector have advocated over the past few months that the Government should move swiftly to implement some barriers, to provide a level of protectionism against foreign products which benefit from a far more enabling environment and fiscal regime. Minister Jordan made it clear that this is just not possible. He said that there are certain agreements which fall under the World Trade Organization (WTO) partnership and the Common External Tariff (CET) arrangement which Guyana has signed on to, which speak to non-discriminatory treatment in the application of tariffs on imports and domestic production. He said that very little can be done in terms of a level of protectionism through that mechanism. By way of a specific example, he made direct reference to the discriminatory application of the environmental tax on imported bottles. A bottling company successfully prosecuted its case before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), and cost the government in excess of $1.5 billion. Other bottling companies have since approached the CCJ for similar remedies. The Finance Minister said, however, that there are other measures that can and
will be considered by the administration. ACCESS TO FINANCING The Minister also made it clear that he understands the complaint by some manufacturers that access to cheap financing is difficult. He agrees that this needs to be improved, but reminded that institutions, such as Guyana Cooperative Agricultural and Industrial Development Bank (GAIBANK), which were established to make available this type of financing to the manufacturing and other sectors, were closed by the PPP/C government. Jordan said that his Government is presently pursuing technical assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank to assess the feasibility of reestablishing a financial development institution. RED TAPE As for Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, he said that his Ministry is currently engaging various State agencies with a view to reducing bureaucratic red tape and making official procedures easier to navigate. It is currently seeking financing to implement the Single Window Automated Processing System (SWAPS). When established, the SWAPS will link licencing bodies along with the Customs and Trade Administration to facilitate the sharing of information and to enhance the efficiency with which trade transactions are carried out. These improved procedures will not only reduce the length of time that private businesses spend mired in paperwork, but also increase government accountability, reduce corruption, and make data and information more accessible. The Ministry of Business has already established a
Help Desk for businesses, which acts as a single point of contact for information and advice for businesses, traders, and the Government. Furthermore, while consumers and large businesses can access loans, Gaskin said that the government is very much aware that small businesses commonly face a financing gap. He emphasized that this is being addressed by the Government through the implementation of the Micro and Small Enterprise Development (MSED) initiative which will be implemented by the Small Business Bureau of the Ministry of Business. To build both generic and sector specific skills, the Business Minister said that training opportunities for small businesses will be expanded to cover all 10 administrative regions. The politician said that this year, 400 individuals are targeted to benefit from training. He noted, too, that a newly appointed Small Business Council chaired by Commonwealth Woman Entrepreneur of the Year (2015) awardee, Ms. Valerie Grant, is now in place and tasked with significantly improving the work and expanding the reach of the Small Business Bureau over the next few years. REVAMPED GOINVEST It has also been noted by the administration that efforts must be geared towards enhancing Guyana’s brand and visibility as an investment destination. As such, it is expected that GOInvest would work towards improving agency websites and develop partnerships with other investment promotion agencies worldwide. Gaskin said that GOInvest is now overseen by a competent Board of Directors and headed by a competent and energetic new Chief Executive Officer. He said that the Ministry of Business’ Strategic Plan calls for the development of a national export strategy and the design of a sustainable national investment strategy. The Business Minister said, too, that GO-Invest will play a key role in the implementation of these initiatives. He explained that the national export strategy will also be supported by enhanced quality infrastructure made possible by the upgrading of the national laboratory network to allow for testing and certification of products by accredited facilities, thereby assisting manufacturers to meet the requirements of foreign markets.
Saturday September 24, 2016
UNDP office rescues Asian national
UNDP building on Brickdam, where victim sought shelter. A series of gunshots rang out at about 13:10hrs yesterday, on Brickdam in the vicinity of the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) building. When Kaieteur News arrived on scene, ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were conducting investigations. Jerome Khan, an Attorney
at Law, who has an office in close proximity to the incident, said that when he came out to see what was happening, he noticed spent shells on the ground. The Attorney said that an oriental man seemed to be subject of whatever attempt was made. Moreover, he could not give any information on whether the man was injured or not.
Jamaican on bail for overstaying in Guyana Marlon Brown, a Jamaican National was yesterday placed on $60,000 bail, for allegedly over staying his time in Guyana, when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. It is alleged that Brown during May 4, 2012 to September 20, 2015, in Georgetown failed to comply with the law. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge. Brown said that he came to Guyana to see his father a Guyanese national who is a dredge owner in the Interior.
Brown also claims that he was working on a house and the owner refused to pay him after the work was completed. He further stated that the individual then went to the police and reported him for being illegally in Guyana. The Police Prosecutor stated that on September 18, the police arrested Brown at Block 22, Linden, after it was made known to them that he had overstayed his sixmonth period. Brown claimed he lost his passport. The Police Prosecutor also said that Brown didn’t have any documents to show that he was legally in Guyana.
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Kaieteur News
“What I do know, he is currently under the protection of the United Nations in their building.” It was also disclosed that a vehicle hastily left the scene, with the gunmen. Khan said that Brickdam is known as a peaceful area that houses several Embassies, Government Ministries and churches. “So this is highly unusual for something like this to happen here.”
Cops capture mechanic’s killer after three months While it takes years sometimes for the relatives of murdered victims to find justice, it only took three months for family members of 28-year-old Orrett West to find closure. Friday night, police snooped down on a house at Albouystown, Georgetown and arrested the 19-year-old suspect, Kevin Garraway, who has been on the run since June 03, last. He has subsequently confessed to the murder. According to the suspect, he and the victim had a confrontation during which he stabbed him to the chest before escaping. The father of one was
stabbed to death at a popular liming spot in Vigilance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) in full view of his girlfriend, who had identified Garraway to the police. According to information received, the mechanic and his killer had an argument during which he was stabbed to death. The police said that
investigation revealed that the father of one was in company of his girlfriend, when an argument ensued between him and a man, with whom he had an ongoing dispute. During the argument, the assailant pulled out a knife and fatally stabbed West in the region of his heart and escaped.
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Kaieteur News
Petrojam Dilemma…
Jamaica, Venezuela showdown looms over upgrade
An aerial view of the Petrojam refinery. Jamaica Observer - Jamaica and Venezuela could well be headed for a confrontation next month over the ownership of the Petrojam refinery in Kingston. Petrojam’s General Manager Winston Watson told a meeting of the House of Representatives’ Economy and Production Committee Thursday that the issue of the planned upgrade and expansion of the outmoded refinery will have to be decided by the end of October. Asked by Opposition member Fitz Jackson what are Jamaica’s options if Venezuela fails to meet that deadline, Watson said the fact that PDV Caribe, a subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), owns a 49 per cent share of the Jamaican oil refinery must be an incentive for it to seek to maximise and improve its investment in Petrojam.
However, he agreed with Jackson that, despite an agreement for the upgrade and the assurances from the Venezuelans, nothing has happened since PDVSA bought the shares in the local refinery in 2008 for US$63.5 million. “We are looking that if they say no, then I guess we would have to go to the market and seek another investor,” he responded. However, he cautioned that such an option would involve “a more detailed process”. Watson said that Jamaica has not gone into detailed questioning of Venezuela’s commitment to the agreement, but has done “soundings” and was satisfied with the response. “We have asked, ‘Are you still interested in a refinery upgrade?’ And you get a response like, ‘yes’. But, now that we have the final information (reports), you don’t
have any argument now, because you now have the data; so you either put up, or shut up,” he added. Watson told the Economy and Production Committee Chairman Anthony Hylton that the refinery currently sells its products to the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS). However, with the JPS scheduled to introduce Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)powered plants in St James and St Catherine, the refinery will face a serious challenge in disposing of its heavy fuel oil (HFO), which takes up 45 per cent of its production and is sold mainly to the power company. “Once the JPS switches to LNG, then we will have a problem disposing of our HFO,” he explained. He said that the refinery has been exploring the selling of more oil to the bunker markets, and exporting as well.
Opposition Wants Stakeholder Meeting On Western Jamaica Crime The Gleaner - Opposition Spokesman on Nat i o n a l S e c u r i t y, P e t e r Bunting, is calling on the Prime Minister to immediately convene a meeting of the security forces, private sector, and civil society to craft an emergency response to address the upsurge of crime in St James and other sections of Western Jamaica. Bunting says stakeholders should discuss the issues contributing to the current violence and develop short-, medium-, and long-term responses.
He says adequate funding must be provided to the security forces to enable them to effectively patrol all affected areas. Bunting notes that although St James is responsible for 20 per cent of all murders in Jamaica, the parish gets less than five per cent of police resources. He says the Opposition People’s National Party is willing to join other stakeholders, to determine an appropriate set of actions to address the crime in Western Jamaica.
Peter Bunting
Saturday September 24, 2016
Carmona to respond to $$ spending ‘soon’ Trinidad Guardian - President Anthony Carmona is back home and spent part of the day Thursday visiting the home of his personal butler who died while he was in Guyana and in meetings. Well-placed sources said he intends to clear the air on allegations of misspending at President’s House by tomorrow. The President returned to the country just after 9 am Thursday from attending the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges Association conference. We l l - p l a c e d s o u r c e s told the T&T Guardian Carmona immediately went to the east Trinidad home of his former butler, Choy Richardson, who died of a heart attack this week. He later visited Roman Catholic Archbishop Joseph Harris in Port-of-Spain but no details of that meeting were revealed but sources said the two meet from timeto-time as the President was a devout Roman Catholic. Carmona is said to have spent the afternoon in meetings and was seeking advice on how he intended to respond to allegations being made in the public domain about wine and jewelery. Sources said Carmona planned to address the issues “soon” but that may not come before Sunday due to other commitments. His address will deal with all issues, the wine a n d j e w e l e r y, A u d i t o r General’s report, his meeting with the National Security
President Anthony Carmona Minister Edmund Dillon and the employment of Primati Noe as a member of staff at President’s House. In his report laid in Parliament in April, the Auditor General pointed to “85 instances of incorrect classification of expenditure, totalling $2,685,236.90, in contravention of financial regulation 65, which stipulates that a vote may not be applied to a purpose for which it was not intended” at President’s House. A memorandum was sent to the head of the household at President’s House, Esther Liverpool, on March 15 and according to the report a response remained outstanding as at April 15. In the report, Auditor General Majid Ali referred to a circular sent out by the Comptroller of Accounts dated August 18 last year, which, he said, provided “detailed instructions with respect to the preparation
and submission of Appropriation Accounts for the year ended September 30, 2015.” Nevertheless, he said “typographical and other errors, as well as omissions continue to be evident in certain Appropriation Accounts submitted for audit.” The Auditor General made it clear that errors or omissions which were referred to “have no material effect on the truth and fairness of the Public Accounts,” unless otherwise stated in the report. He went on to remind accounting officers “of their responsibility to ensure that the statements submitted are thoroughly checked for errors and omissions before submission.” The T&T Guardian Thursday tried unsuccessfully to contact Liverpool to find out whether a response had been submitted to the Auditor General subsequent to the laying of the report.
US To Step Up Deportations Of Haitians WASHINGTON, United States – The United States government, responding to an extraordinary wave of Haitian migrants seeking to enter the United States, said that it would fully resume deportations of undocumented Haitian immigrants. After an earthquake devastated parts of Haiti in 2010, the United States suspended deportations, saying that sending Haitians back to the country at a time of great instability would put their lives at risk. About a year later, officials partly resumed deportations, focusing on people convicted of serious crimes or those considered a threat to national
security. But since last spring, thousands of Haitian migrants who had moved to Brazil in search of work have been streaming north, mostly by land, winding up at American border crossings that lead to Southern California. Few have arrived with American visas, but nearly all have been allowed to enter the United States because immigration officials were prohibited, under the modified deportation policy, from using the socalled fast-track removal process often employed at the border for new, undocumented arrivals. Instead, the migrants
were placed in a slower deportation process and released, with an appointment to appear in immigration court at a later date, officials said. With the full resumption of deportations, which took effect Thursday morning, Haitians who arrive at the border without visas will be put into expedited removal proceedings. Jeh Johnson, the secretary of homeland security, said in a statement that conditions in Haiti had “improved sufficiently to permit the U.S. government to remove Haitian nationals on a more regular basis.” (New York Times)
Saturday September 24, 2016
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Kaieteur News
U.N. urges U.S., China, others Warplanes bomb Aleppo after to ratify nuclear test ban treaty Syrian army launches offensive
Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin speaks with China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Liu Jieyi inside the United Nations Security Council before a vote to adopt a resolution on the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, yesterday. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson Reuters - The United Nations Security Council urged China, the United States, North Korea, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel and Pakistan to ratify a treaty banning nuclear explosions, which would allow the deal negotiated 20 years ago to come into force. More than 160 countries have ratified the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Since then India, Pakistan and North Korea have conducted nuclear tests. This month Pyongyang conducted its fifth and largest test. The 15-member Security Council adopted a U.S.drafted resolution yesterday with 14 votes in favour and an abstention by Egypt. It does not impose any legal
obligations but adds political weight to the push for the treaty to be enacted. The U.N. resolution calls on all states to refrain from conducting any nuclear explosions. U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration has said it would like to ratify the treaty, but a number of U.S. lawmakers, especially Republicans, oppose ratification of a pact they fear would limit U.S. security options. “Our affirmative vote here is a sign of our unwavering commitment to a safer world in which nuclear technology is used solely for peaceful purposes and the risk of nuclear conflict is no more,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
He said the resolution does not impose a legal prohibition on testing or require governments to adopt new reporting. “But it does reinforce the core purposes and objectives of the CTBT itself: to diminish our reliance on nuclear devices, to reduce competition among nuclear powers, and to promote responsible disarmament,” Kerry told the council. U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin of Russia said Moscow hoped the next president of the United States would be “more strident in his desire to ratify it.” The United States is due to elect a new president on Nov. 8. Obama will step down in January.
Reuters - Warplanes bombed Aleppo yesterday with what residents described as unprecedented ferocity after the Russianbacked Syrian army announced an offensive to fully capture Syria’s biggest city, killing off any hope of reviving a ceasefire. Video images filmed by residents showed a young girl screaming as rescuers frantically dug her out of rubble, pulling her out alive. Another showed rescuers digging out a toddler with their bare hands, shouting “God is Great” as they lifted him from the debris. The boy showed no signs of life as he was rushed off in a rescuer’s arms. The apparent collapse of U.S.-backed peacemaking may mark a turning point in the 5-1/2-year-old war, with the government and its Russian and Iranian allies now seemingly determined to crush the rebellion in its biggest urban stronghold. “Can you hear it? The neighbourhood is getting hit right now by missiles. We can hear the planes right now,” Mohammad Abu Rajab, a radiologist, told Reuters. “The planes are not leaving the sky, helicopters, barrel bombs, warplanes.” Hamza al-Khatib, head of
A still image taken from video posted on social media web sites shows a baby being rescued from rubble of a collapsed building in Aleppo, Syria. Social Media via Reuters TV a hospital in rebel-held eastern Aleppo, said that 91 people had been killed in yesterday’s bombardment while the Civil Defence rescue group that operates in opposition areas said 40 buildings were destroyed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring body gave an initial death toll of 27. Ammar al Selmo, the head of Civil Defence, said the rescuers themselves were targeted, with three of their four centres in Aleppo hit. “What’s happening now is annihilation in every sense of the word,” he told Reuters. “Today the bombardment is more violent, with a larger number of planes.”
Water has been cut off to nearly two million people in Aleppo as a result of the attacks on Thursday and yesterday, the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF said. The Syrian army announced overnight that it was launching an operation to recapture the rebel-held sector of the city. Yesterday a Syrian military source denied the army was targeting civilians, saying it was accurately targeting “terrorist positions” in Aleppo. Western diplomats fear a bloodbath if the government unleashes a full-blown assault to capture the besieged opposition-held zone, where 250,000 civilians still are trapped.
Loaded gun found in N.C. had fingerprints matching victim – CNN
Clinton leads Trump by 4 points ahead of first U.S. presidential debate Reuters - Democrat Hillary Clinton had a four-percentage point advantage in support over Republican Donald Trump ahead of their first U.S. presidential debate, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll released yesterday. The Sept. 16-22 opinion poll showed that 41 percent of likely voters supported Clinton, while 37 percent supported Trump. Clinton has mostly led Trump in the poll during the 2016 campaign, though her advantage has narrowed since the end of the Democratic and Republican national conventions in July. With just six weeks before the Nov. 8 election, Monday’s
debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York will be the first of three between the White House rivals. It presents a major opportunity for them to appeal to voters who have yet to commit to a candidate after a mostly negative race in which Clinton and Trump have sought to brand each other as untrustworthy and dangerous for the country. The live, televised matchup is expected to draw a Super Bowl-sized television audience of 100 million Americans, according to some commentators. Among those watching will be people who so far remain on the fence. This could be a sizable group: Some 22
percent of likely voters said in the latest poll that they do not support either majorparty candidate. That was more than twice the proportion of uncommitted voters at the same point in the 2012 election between Democratic President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney. These uncommitted voters appear to be leaning more toward Trump than Clinton, according to the latest poll, though they have not been convinced enough to say they will vote for him in November. It was also possible that some of these voters would pick an alternativeparty candidate like Libertarian Gary Johnson or the Green Party’s Jill Stein.
Protesters walk in the streets downtown during another night of protests over the police shooting of Keith Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. September 22, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Blake Reuters - A gun recovered at the scene of the fatal shooting of a black man by police in Charlotte, North Carolina, was loaded and had fingerprints matching those of the victim, CNN reported yesterday as the man’s fam-
ily released its own video of the encounter. The family of shooting victim Keith Scott, whose death has sparked three days of protests, continued to urge officials to release their own recordings of the slaying.
The moment when a black police officer shoots Scott, a 43-year-old father of seven, cannot be seen in the twominute video recorded by his wife, Rakeyia, who can be heard urging officers not to fire.
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SERVICES PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY,ETC.-CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 2161043; 677-6620 Visa Application: U.S.A, C a n a da & UK; Guyana p assport application. Graphics design, advertisement. Tel: 6267040; 265-4535. INNOVATIVEMARKETING & PUBLISHING INC –TEL: 600-4212: We create A/ works, logos, business cards, posters, etc, placements of ads included. RAMDASS VISA APPLICATION & immigration services, room A-4, Maraj Building, Georgetown. Call Samantha: 227-0295; 615-9295 Passport, permanent & visitor visa application, Professional Immigrant Consultant – Sabita Immigration Services. Call: 225-6496; 662-6045 Repairs at affordable prices: fridge, air conditioner, washing machines, dryers, TV, microwaves & freezerCall: 610-5846 or 661-8158 Repairs at low cost: Fridges, air- conditioners, washing machines, TVs, microwaves, freezers- Call:629-4946 or 225-4822 We repair fridge, freezer, AC, washer, dryer-Call: 231-0655; 683-8734. Omar TAXI SERVICE GR TAXI SERVICE. CALL: 219-5000; 227-1982 & 2257878 (24HRS) LEARN TO DRIVE C. Persaud & N. Outar Driving School formerly Soman & Sons Driving School @ Maraj BuildingCall: 644-5166; 622-2872; 6150964; 689-5997 (affordable packages)
SALON - Make-up Courses with Mac, Bare Minerals, etc. - Cosmetology Courses: $120,000 - Technician Course: $45,000. Call: 647-1773/660-5257
PROPERTY FOR SALE Transported property @ Grove and Diamond $16M negotiable. Call: 625-5461 High value transported land and 2 bedrooms newly built house, Greater Diamond E.B.D -$14M negotiable. Call: 265-4338 La Parfaite Harmonie, 124 Recht Door Zee, WBD: 2 storey house, 3 bedroom upstairs, toilet & bath upstairs & downstairs & a guess room. Call: 623-5566 2 (2) Story house in Tuschen (front) - 1 for $23M negotiable, the other one for $20M negotiable. Call: 642-1252 One 2 Storey house at Non Pariel-$50M – Call: 642-1252
TO LET 3 Bedrooms Luxury apartments fully furnished long term and short term rental- Call: 665-3505 Apartment in Eccles 2 bedrooms, furnished & unfurnished short & long term-$60,000 per month-Call: 225-3234 One bedroom apartment self contained & unfurnished @ Land of Canaan E.B.D. Call Navo: 692-3617/Bob: 6420867 2 Bedrooms apartment at Timerhri. Call: 658-4754
One house and land in La Parfaite Harmonie -$3M. Call: 642-1252 Sale & Removal: 1 conventional 1 storey bungalow roof @ Plantation Walk, Vreed-en-Hoop, W.B.D (810.00 sq.ft)- $3M negotiable. Call: 617-1034 Transported 2 storey newly renovated building @ 12 Sussex Street Charlestown – Call: 219-1951/659-3597 Double lot of land with building at Festival City Entrance. Call: 665-3622/6013933 or 225-6485 One Roadside, 2 storey building @ V/Hoop (ideally business/residence). Call: 614-0107 FOR SALE/RENT American Pool Table. Call: 277-0578
EDUCATIONAL IAE – CXC Jan/June 2017 – full time school; lessons/ classes for students, adults, repeaters & beginners. Call Mr. Roberts: 683-5742 American Standard Diploma Course: HRM; Customer Service Relations. Call DTI on 616-5204 & save big in September!!
House for rent/ sale @ Lot 107 Durbana Square Lamaha Gardens with 5 bedrooms large parking. Call: 661-8908
DRESSMAKING
VEHICLE FOR SALE
VACANCY
3 TON CANTER ENCLOSE AND OPEN BACK WITH 4D ENGINE, PRICE -$3.6M, NEVER REGISTERED – CALL: 617-2891
Cashiers for supermarketCall: 624-0033, salesgirls – Call: 624-0033, Pump attendants –Call: 680-3863
A4 Audi -$3.9M, IST-$2.1M, 318i BMW-$2.9M, Fielder$2.1M, Spacio-$2.1M, Forklift-$1.2M. Contact#6500402 Toyota Sienta: AC, 17" Mags, sound system, remote start alarm, never work hire, in excellent condition -$1.450M. Call: 619-1047 1 Toyota Noah BSS seriesCall: 653-8791 One Toyota Hilux E/Cab, Gasoline, M/T, 4WD, ACCall: 676-0931 Oswin J’s Auto Imports; New Arrivals: Premio, Allion, Fielder, Axio, Rush, X-Trail. Free full coverage insurance. Call: 609-2815 3 Toyota Raum, 1 Toyota Vios- Call: 270-5059 RZ, Pit Bull, 212 Carina, IST, Verossa, Suzuki Vitaera, Premio, Allion, Fielder Wagon, Spacio- Call: 6507501/ 616-2577 2010 PREMIO -$3.3M, 2010 SIENTA- $2.5M, 2011 ALLION-$3.4M, 2010 ARIUS -$2.5M (NEGOTIABLE) UNREGISTERED & FULLY LOADED. CALL: 642-7295 1 Jaguar XJ6 Sedan Motor car, good condition, most systems working, original parts, price to sell. Call:2278448/612-8319 AT192, 212, Allion, Premio, Hilux Surf, BRR, RZ & Pitbull, Pajero Junior, Spacio: Cash / terms- Call:680-3154 We buy & sell vehicles for cash, also parts available & 30 seater buses; Extra Cab pickups; 2006 Tacoma- Call: 680-3154
CAR RENTAL
Improved your health through iridology- Contact Hazel’s Herbal Store- Call: 226-9136
PROGRESSIVE CAR RENTAL: CARS& SUV FOR RENTAL- $4,000 & UP PER DAY- CALL: 643-5122, 6560087 , EMAIL: PRO_ AUTO RENTAL@YAHOO. COM WINGS CAR & PICKUP RENTAL: LOW DOWN PAYMENT, CHEAP REATES,SPECIAL OFFER FOR THE SUMMER. CALL: 690-6494
Site, safety & electrical engineer- experienced need, age 25-45, very good salary & conditions. Call: 261-2280; 261-2280; 697-4344 Cook/baker for the Interior location, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 Salesgirl/cashier @ New Market Street- Call: 638-1106 One Driver expediter wanted urgently contact 223-5273/4 Ramnarine Mining Enterprise: welders, operators & labourers –Call: 679-0550/ 624-0501 Truck driver to travel in and out of the interior, applicants must be experienced. Call: 618-2020 One female office/sale clerk to work in Vreed-en-Hoop (W.B.D), email application to roytechgt@gmail.com Captains: Valid Certificate of competence as Master of a Power Driven Vessel – Call: 226-1100/ 226-5380 Female sales clerk, hand written application: Perfumes Dazzle 137 Regent Street. One experienced Accounts clerk, apply in person to Alabama Trading Georgetown, Ferry Stelling, Stabroek. Receptionist, desk staff, security guards (males). Call: 225-0198 or visit 233 South Road, Lacytown. 1 Admin Clerk; must have driver’s license- Call: 2181459 One Trainee A.C, Refrigerator, Technician – Call: 231-0655
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FOR SALE LARGE QUANTITIES OF HIGH PURITY MERCURY (QUICK SILVER) 99.99995% PURITY$19,000 PER POUND CALL: 592-227-4754. Cargo Trawler. Call: 682-8724; 616-5954 Gas/stove range GEAmerican made, stand up freezer, hot dog machine, supermarket mirror. Call: 680-3863 One “45” feet comp l e t e cabin cruiser, trout seines, excellent condition. Call: 654-2817/648-6815 1 55ft Fishing boat, 2 Engines, GPS, Compass & 2000 lb seine, price -$4.5M. Call: 676-1363/ 652-5184 Items for sale: water tanks, used clothing, living room suites, wares & doors. Please call for any inquiry on: 2311284 Elevator (good condition). Call: 231-1284; 223-9719 1 Perkins V8 Turbo Charge 170KVa Generator in working condition, Call 223-7380 20 Acres sandpit with creek at Loo Creek -$15M negotiable. Call: 600-1509 Dairy cowand goats, etc- Call Ramsadeen: 226-1322/6799770 Terrazzo Machine and discCall: 616-3094 25 Acres transported land, main road to Mahaicony River, suitable 800 – 18 months coconut plants. Call: 221-2075 Ashley 3X2X1 suite, microwave, gas stove, bed, AC unit, kitchen cupboard, washer, dryer, wardrobe etc. Call:658-5897/673-2692 3 Dish Plough –Call: 661-6343 One flat tray Nissan pickup, very good condition. Call: 662-3997/610-4879 175 Yahama Outboard Engine, very good condition. Call: 259-0302
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Saturday September 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
1 Empty land at Zeeburg (transported) -$4M, 1 empty land in La Parfaite Harmonie -$1.3M- Call: 642-1252 Land at Friendship, E.B.D $2.5M per lot. Call: 692-8513/ 617-0465 5 Acres coconut and other fruit bearing, no chemical, lease or sale – Demerara River across Timehri docks. Call: 261-2988
LAND FOR SALE Land at Tuschen Housing Scheme, near school, 3 minutes away from main road. Call: 261-2988 La Parfaite Harmonie - $1.2M & $1.6M, size 80ftX45ft (title available). Call: 658-5897/6732692 Land @ Tuschen School Street -$3M, La Parfaite Harmonie: $3M, $1.6M, $1.4M, $1.2M, Diamond $2.5M & V/Hoop- Call: 6046724
Great Deals on video games & all gaming consoles. PC, phone games, applications & repairs – Call: 672-2566; 2653231
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Saturday September 24, 2016
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Kaieteur News
GPSU wages increase…
AFC says Govt.’s final offer will improve public spending The Alliance for Change has commended its colleagues in government, particularly Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, on the final offer made to public servants and believes that the 10 per cent increase will improve spending power. Gaskin, who is the treasurer of the AFC, made this declaration while fielding questions from the media at his party’s bi-weekly press conference. He said, “I think a 10 per cent increase certainly does increase spending power. It’s 10 per cent more money at their disposal.” When asked if he believes the increase is sufficient, Gaskin said that ascertaining what is sufficient is relative. “Profits for businesses are never sufficient. That is the nature of business, businesses always want greater profits, and I assume that human nature is no different, we want bigger and bigger salaries every year.” Based on that line of reasoning Gaskin said that no wage increase would ever be accepted as sufficient. He said that the more important matter is what can be afforded. The Business Minister was then asked if he believes the increase will create liveable wages for the thousands of public servants. He said that this too is relative since it all depends
Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin on how persons wish to live. “It depends on how we want to live. When compared to a lot of countries Guyanese earn considerably more than other developing countries.” Despite this, the politician said that it does not mean that the increase is sufficient. “A lot of things are relative; we are not a rich country as yet. We have great natural wealth. I think part of our job as a government is to find ways to make sure natural wealth is spread among everyone and create opportunities for everyone.” The GPSU had made known its discontent with the government’s final offer, whereas 10 per cent is given
to the lowest paid employees and one per cent to the highest paid. According to Finance Minister Jordan, the offer is one which is sustainable by the state. However, the Union had responded to Jordan’s comment saying that his “affordability” and “sustainability” argument is counter to what the union’s ongoing investigations have shown. The union had made several requests to access official information which calls into question the affordability claim. These files however, are yet to be provided for analysis. According to President of the union, Patrick Yarde, Jordan appears indifferent to the importance of better pay for all categories of public servants in circumstances where quite a few contracted employees at his ministry enjoy super salaries. J o r d a n ’s s t a t e m e n t s were described by the union as being counterproductive and p o t e n t i a l l y damaging to negotiations since the union had indicated that it wishes to return to the negotiation table. Yarde said that the Finance Minister should be counselled to desist from making pronouncements that do no more than pollute the prevailing environment.
Livestock sector hold out... From page 13 satisfy this need, several entities in livestock were unified under one new armslength or semi-autonomous agency, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority. The thrust of the agency is to “promote greater efficiency in the livestock product industry and to provide enhanced services in livestock husbandry, livestock health and research so as to make provision for effective a d m i n i s t r a t ion and regulation of trade, commerce and export of livestock or livestock products and for matters related and incidental.” As one of the newest agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture, it delivers public services related to animal production, animal health, animal genetics, marketing, training and extension services as well as regulatory services. Several programmes are planned and implemented under GLDA’s mandate. One
involves protecting the gains of animal production and genetics through the provision of timely veterinary interventions and minimizing the threat of disease from internal and external sources. Veterinary drugs and the importation of animals are also regulated under this programme. Another programme involves infusing local animal stock with new genetics to enable our farmers to benefit from higher productivity. Techniques of artificial insemination and embryo transfer form part of our regular strategies. Superior genetics is supported by another programme designed to catapult our farmers into
higher levels of animal husbandry through better nutrition, housing and access to authentic and validated information. The country’s livestock population is relatively disease-free except for endoand ecto-parasitic burdens and their associated diseases. Tuberculosis in cattle has been identified in some enclaves. Poultry producers have been experiencing undiagnosed conditions of respiratory ailments and nervous (tremor) syndromes. Pigs and small ruminants continue to be affected by endo-parasitic burdens that have not been evaluated. (Taken from Guyana Inc)
From page 28
WANTED Experienced salesgirl & 1 experienced porter@ Christine’s Fashion, 23 Lambard Street. Call:2278529/233-7356 Handyman for G/T & Interior location- Call 231-0363 between Mon- Fri 8:30-11:30 & 1:30-4:30 Mature experienced couple to live in and work at a Resort at Parika. Call 231-0363 between Mon- Fri 8:30-11:30 & 1:30-4:30 Driver with minibus license for job with company. Call: 664-0802 Taxi driver; possession of a minibus license will be an asset. Call: 646-8748
WANTED We buy land in La Parfaite Harmonie, Eccles, Providence, Herstelling & Farm. (title only). Call: 6585897/673-2692 Female worker wanted sound secondary education, computer literateTel: 622-5518 1 Entertainment manager to work at Hotel in Charity, experience will be asset- Call: 226-9768/ 698-7083
FOR RENT PLANNING AN EVENT? BIRTHDAY PARTY, GRADUATION,WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARY, ETC. CALL DIAMOND TENTS: 216-1043; 677-6620 Hair station for rental, convenient location, discounted price for new customers. Call: 638-1106 Upper flat for rent: furnished or unfurnished located in Eccles- Call: 602-8703
1 Bartender, 1 waitress, 1 maid, 1 snackette attendant to work at Hotel in Charity, preferably from Essequibo – Call: 226-9768/ 698-7083
House for rent in Golden Grove, EBD - $65,000. Call:692-8513/ 617-0465
Driver/ expeditor to work with mining firm in Georgetown, must have car/van and lorry license- Call: 226-9768/6987083
Bottom flat supermarket located @ First Bridge Diamond E.B.D- Call: 6017749; 216-3069; 626-7064; 691-4808
Land to buy in Uitvlugt, Zeelugt, Tuschen and La Parfaite Harmonie. Best price offered! Call: 642-1252
Vacant lot @ Duke Street, Kingston- Call: 663-4304/ 616-3094
One domestic worker and one cashier to work in Trinidad. Call or text 1868683 1528
Fully furnished apartment in South & 2 bedrooms unfurnished apartment in Ben Street. Call: 689-5877
1 Male janitor, apply in person at Alabama Trading, Georgetown, Ferry Stelling Stabroek.
Business bottom flat for rent in New Road, Vreed-enHoop. Call: 227-4377/ 2270613/ 624-6013
Ladies to work in Suriname. Call: +597-875-4660
2 Bedroom Apartment in exclusive residential Airport, close to Ogle Airport , with all modern amenities. Call for appointment 622-5725.
Experienced male salesperson must be able to multitask, communicate well & have computer skills @ KeyFood Trading McDoom. One live in babysitter between ages 35-55, preferably out of town persons. Call: 664-3918/6707881 Welder to work in workshop on the West Coast on a percentage basis. Call: 6841247 Waitress to work in bar, ages 18-25, walk with ID cardCall: 256-4096 Live in waitress with sound secondary education$70,000 monthly, boarding & lodging free. Call: 610-3974 One AB Dick Machine Operator, one printer helper. Call: 233-2439/233-2725 Female shop worker for Interior. Call 231-0363 between Mon- Fri 8:30-11:30 & 1:30-4:30
Rooms to rent @ South Ruimveldt Gardens, working couples or single- Call: 623-0076 1-3 Bedrooms house in Grove Housing Scheme, modern convenience, semifurnished. Call: 266-2911/ 672-2121 Spacious bottom flat in Prime Business area- Call: 226-1647 4 Bedrooms bottom flat in Meadow Brook, air conditioned parking, and overhead tank. Call: 6013933/645-5757/218-0011 Apartments for rent @ Nandy Park 2 bedrooms, recently renovated, free WiFi. Call: 227-5194 One bedroom apartment to rent at Fourth Field Cummings Lodge for only UG Student- Contact: 2220401/222-3435
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Kaieteur News
Saturday September 24, 2016
Saturday September 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
New Zealand invests in geothermal energy exploration in Dominica
Francine Baron of Dominica, and Murray McCully of New Zealand signed a US$1.5 mil. partnership agreement of a 7 MW geothermal power plant in Dominica. NEW YORK, USA — The government of Dominica and the government of New Zealand expanded their cooperation in geothermal energy development with the signing of a NZ$2.05 million (US$1.5 million/EC$4 million) partnership agreement to support the construction of a 7 MW geothermal power plant in Dominica. The agreement was signed between the ministers of foreign affairs, Francine Baron of Dominica, and Murray McCully of New Zealand. Since 2014, the government of New Zealand has
been providing the government of Dominica with technical assistance for the development of Dominica’s geothermal resources. The new partnership will expand the technical assistance and be based on an implementation timeframe of 2016 to 2019. It will include: • Technical advice for the front end engineering and design; • Project management support to help progress the project through tendering and award of contracts so that construction can commence; • An environmental and social impact assessment,
management plan and management system; and • A project manager, to be seconded into the Dominica Geothermal Company to coordinate all activities to execute the project for a period of up to 24 months once the EPC contract has been signed, commencing in 2017 and concluding in 2019. The assistance from New Zealand will provide the government of Dominica with the technical expertise required to realize the construction of the 7 MW geothermal power plant to be commissioned in 2019. (Caribbean News)
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Kaieteur News
Saturday September 24, 2016
India signs deal for 36 French fighter jets to counter China, Pakistan squadrons Reuters - India signed a deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France yesterday for around $8.7 billion (6.68 billion pounds), the country’s first major acquisition of combat planes in two decades and a boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to rebuild an ageing fleet. The air force is down to 33 squadrons, against its requirement of 45 to face both China, with which it has a festering border dispute, and nuclear-armed rival Pakistan. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian signed the agreement with his Indian counterpart, Manohar Parrikar, in New Delhi, ending almost 18 months of wrangling over terms between New Delhi and manufacturer Dassault Aviation. Parrikar said the deal, which a defence ministry official said was valued at 7.8 billion euros ($8.7 billion), would “significantly improve India’s strike and defence capabilities”.
Narendra Modi Air force officials have warned for years of a major capability gap opening up with China and Pakistan without new state-of-the-art planes, as India’s outdated and largely Russian-made fleet retires and production of a locally made plane was de-
layed. India had originally awarded Dassault with an order for 126 Rafales in 2012 after the twin-engine fourthgeneration fighter beat rivals in a decade-long selection process, but subsequent talks collapsed.
Saturday September 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
Australian mining company pulls out of Jamaica
Andrew Coles Daily Observer - The Australian mining company, OZ Minerals, says it is pulling out of Jamaica after three years of exploration activities. “OZ Minerals, and especially the Bellas Gate management and geological team, would like to take this opportunity to thank Jamaica and its people for their support, hard work and friendship during the company’s time here,” the company said in a statement. OZ Minerals’ operations comprise five wholly owned tenements at Bellas Gate in Clarendon, and the Rodinia in Portland. It said the withdrawal should be completed in late 2016 after it closes out formal legal agreements and tenement transfers with Carube Copper Corp, its local partners. OZ Chief Executive Of-
ficer Andrew Coles said the company had decided to quit its operations here because the mineral deposits discovered were not satisfactory. “After a comprehensive review of exploration results, we determined that while copper porphyry style mineralisation was identified at multiple prospects, the drill intersected grades weren’t indicative of the types of deposits we are looking for. “Capital discipline is a core part of our strategy and whi l e t h e J a m a i c a n exploration programmes were completed on time and budget, we have decided not to invest further in the programme,” Coles said. “OZ Minerals is committed to building a pipeline of opportunities and rigorously progressing
these. If at any time it is determined that a project does not meet arget objectives, we will cease expenditure and withdraw from the arrangement. “We will continue to carry out due diligence of exploration projects as well as stablished projects both nationally and internationally,” he added. OZ said Carube could have to pay over up to J$14 million (One Jamaica dollar =US$0.008 cents) in cash payments and a two per cent royalty if it undertakes ommercial production. “Over the three years, OZ Minerals has based exploration activity at its office in Bella s G a t e a n d trained and employed a total of approximately 500 local workers, and four Jamaican geolog i s t s a t various times led by an international team,” OZ, said in the statement.
Gabon court rejects opposition challenge to presidential poll result Reuters - Gabon’s Constitutional Court rejected yesterday an opposition challenge to the results of an Aug. 27 election won by incumbent President Ali Bongo, whose family has ruled the central African oil producer for nearly a half century. The decision raises the prospect of a repeat of the violence that followed the announcement earlier this month of narrow victory for Bongo over opposition leader Jean Ping. In his petition to the court, Ping, who has claimed he won the poll, alleged fraud in HautOgooue province, where Bongo won 95 percent on a turnout of 99.9 percent.
He had called for a recount of votes there. The court refused to accept copies of vote tally sheets provided as evidence by Ping, many of which it said were illegible. Bongo’s allies submitted evidence to the court rejecting Ping’s allegations
and countering that the opposition leader had himself orchestrated vote fraud. The court cancelled votes in 21 constituencies in the capital Libreville, but Bongo still won the vote with 50.66 percent of ballots cast.
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Wladimir Klitschko v Tyson Fury postponed: World heavyweight rematch on hold BBC Sport - British world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has postponed his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko for a second time because he is “medically unfit”. Promoters did not disclose the problem but said “the condition is too severe to allow him to participate”. Fury, 28, beat Ukraine’s Klitschko on points in the
original bout between the pair in November last year. The original rematch, scheduled for 9 July at Manchester Arena, was postponed in June after Fury injured his ankle. The rearranged rematch had been scheduled for 29 October. “Tyson will now immediately undergo the treatment he needs to make a full recov-
ery,” Hennessey Sports added. “We and Tyson wish to express our sincerest apologies to all those concerned with the event and all the boxing fans who had been looking forward to the rematch. Tyson is understandably devastated by the development. “We will be making a further statement in due course.”
The Sacking of Phil Simmons... (From page 35) Manger of the WICB, has joined the protesting ranks by publicly calling for action against the WICB administrators. I would however implore Mr. Khan to use his influence with the APNU/AFC leadership to enforce the Cricket Administration Act which is being flouted by the current regime calling itself the GCB. This will go a long way towards re-establishing democracy and transparency in Guyana’s cricket and inevitably throughout the Caribbean. Caribbean Governments must now unite into an assertive and cohesive unit and
Saturday September 24, 2016
Kaieteur News
withhold their grounds, facilities etc from the WI as a show of disapproval and also ensure that Cricket Boards within their individual territories have legally-elected officials. Fans, organizations sports writers etc must now raise their voices collectively against the WICB’s continued infractions and high-handedness. For their part, players must now bite the bullet and withdraw their services in solidarity with their counterparts and officials against whom injustices are being meted out. After all the WICB directors are so oblivious to our cricket legacy that they do not seem to mind our consistently
poor performances at the highest level and are even sacrificing our young cricket talents like Jason Holder, Carlos Brathwaite and Kraigg Brathwaite to achieve their own narrow gains. The time has come: Our Governments must with urgency act cohesively and decisively to rid our region of the self-serving and inept WICB clique that has ignominiously taken our beloved cricket into a downward spiral of despair. Claude Raphael Former WICB Director
Fraser unbeaten... (From page 33) had eclipsed the 382 made by Lower Corentyne at Tuschen and had already bagged four batting points. Butts and Fraser (who joined four others with centuries in the League) will hope to set another record today when play is scheduled to commence at 09:30hrs since the last wicket pair is just 26 runs away from a three-figure stand. East Bank only have themselves to blame for the position that they are in since their body language and substandard fielding never suggested they had not turned up to play serious cricket.
NBS second division 40-over bowls on this weekend The Georgetown Cricket Association New Building Society 40-over second division tournament is set to continue this weekend. Today, Police will host Demerara CC (Shannon Crawford and Yougeshwar Goberdan), Everest will entertain Third Class (Randy Latif and Delvin Austin),
Gandhi Youth Organisation will stay at home to Transport SC (Cyril Garnath and Leyland Liverpool), University of Guyana will travel to Georgetown CC (Joseph Jeffery and Linden Mathews) and GNIC SC will host to Malteenoes SC (Andre Horry and Daniel Richmond).
Tomorrow, TSC will play Ace Warriors at Police (Crawford and Goberdan), MSC will journey to GYO (Garnath and Heuvel Cunha), GCC will host GNIC SC (Jeff e r y a n d M a t t h e w s ) and Sophia will take on Diplomats at DCC (Clyde Layne and Austin). All matches start at 11:00hrs.
Successful conclusion to Jhagroo family-sponsored Darts In the recently concluded Jhagroo Family darts competition the results were as follows: In the mixed doubles the winners were Sudesh Fitzgerald and Joseph Allen, second place went to Luiz Ramirez-Merlano and Sherwyn Green followed by Anthony Bissoondyal and
Delon Correia. In the team events, the winning team comprised Luiz Ramirez-Merlano, Sherwyn Green, Marvin Yaw and Christopher Fulton, while the second place team made up of Sudesh Fitzgerald, Joseph Allen, Anthony Bissoondyal and Lochan Persaud; the
third placed team was Victorine Chandro, Jamwant Bhupan, Bryan James and Delon Correia. The Jhagroo family has also expressed an interest in making this tournament an annual affair and increased monetary incentives can be expected.
Saturday September 24, 2016 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Correspondence may not clear up issues. Short trips to visit others will do the whole family a world of good. Children will be of major concern if you haven't kept the lines of communication open. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You would be best to work late in order to avoid such disharmony. You should be able to get involved in an interesting proposition today. Concentrate on getting ahead financially and let your personal life settle down for a while. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You may have a problem with someone you live with if you don't include them in your gathering. CANCER (June 21–July 22) You could find yourself having problems with coworkers and employers. Put your time and energy into travel, philosophy, and soul-searching. Your energy will be high. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) This will not be the best day to try to push your ideas or concerns. Your partner may make you feel jealous and unloved. Try to enlist the support of your coworkers first. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Delve into worthwhile causes that will show results if you put in the effort. Your intuition will be right on. Follow your feelings in matters pertaining
to financial investments. Ferret out information that will hold them responsible. LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Accept the inevitable. It's time to reconnect with some of the people you used to know. Keep tabs on your spending. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may have difficulties with someone close to you. You may be thinking of starting your own business. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Back off if you want to keep the relationship intact. Do things you enjoy instead of being a chameleon. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Your efforts will be rewarded handsomely. Don't get depressed, get busy. You can accomplish a lot if you're willing to put in a little extra time. Someone is trying to pull the wool over your eyes, and if you're gullible, it may cost you. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Your home may be in an uproar and you are best to stay out of the line of fire if at all possible. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Residential moves will be favorable, and larger quarters the most probable direction. Romantic opportunities may not be as they appear. You will feel tired and rundown if you have allowed yourself to get into a financial mess.
Kaieteur News
Saturday September 24, 2016
Fraser hits unbeaten ton batting at No.10 as West B’ce recover from 167-7 to reach 407-9 -GCB Jaguars 3-day League By Sean Devers A l a c k l u s t e r performance by East Bank, who floored at least 12 catches, allowed West Berbice to reach 407-9 by the close of the opening day of the fifth round of the GCB Jaguars Three-Day Franchise League yesterday at the Enterprise ground on the East Coast of Demerara. In a bottom of the table clash, number 10 batsman Keyron Fraser smashed seven sixes and six fours in an entertaining unbeaten 120 from 137 balls and 170 minutes to set the Enterprise ground on fire on a placid track and blistering hot day. The 2008 National U-19 pacer joined the solid Andrew Dutchin at 1 3 : 5 2 h r s , w i t h We s t Berbice, blown away for 30 in Canje, in a precarious position at 188-8 and the pair added 145 runs for the ninth wicket before Dutchin departed at 333-9. The 22-year-old Dutchin charged down the track to Steffon Browne and was skillfully stumped by West Indies U19 Keeper Tevin Imlach as he threw his wicket when 29 away from what would have been a matured and responsible century. His 71 lasted 234 minutes, 187 balls and included four boundaries. Fraser, who celebrated his 26th birthday on September 21, then featured in an unfinished 74-run last wicket partnership with Collis Butts who ended a frustrating day for East Bank, on 27. Opener, 20-year-old
Avishkar Sewkarran had earlier struck eight boundaries in an even 50 from 106 minutes and 68 balls and put on 44 for the first wicket with Leon Andrews (18) before offspinner Steven Jacobs removed Andrews and Raffael Estraido (9) in quick succession to end the day with 3-99 from 26 overs. Ali (2-65 from 12 overs) & Browne (2-39 from 14 overs) supported Jacobs. Ali, already with a seven-haul in the League, got rid of Sewkarran and Brentnol Woolford (29) to leave the Berbicians on 1394 from 41 overs by Lunch despite putting down six catches. After the interval Sherwin McPherson (20) was sent back by pacer Stephon Harris and when Kevin Jawalir (3) fell to Browne without addition to the score West Berbice were 146-6 with Dutchin slowing finding his rhythm. Steffon Adams (17) was bowled by Jacobs and Barrington Mitchell (13) had his stumps knocked out by Budhan Baksh at 188-8 and despite their sloppy fielding, East Bank were in a strong position to deny West Berbice any batting points. But Fraser walked to the crease with Dutchin on 23 and his innings had no dawn but began at high noon. Fraser got off the mark with a bullet-like straight drive off Jacobs while Dutchin, keen to use his feet to the spinners, danced into Sagar Hathiramani and lofted him for four. Fraser dumped Ali for
six and continued to go after the bowling; hammering Jacobs down the ground for four as the level-handed Dutchin showed excellent temperament and was content to play the supporting role. Fraser was given caught behind by Umpire Baker when the ball had clearly touched the ground before Imlach took it and she had to rescind the decision. Dutchin sweetly tucked National U-19 seamer Sherfane Rutherford off his legs to reach his 50 from 147 balls with just two fours before spanking the seamer for a delightful boundary. The lively pacer peppered the batsmen with bouncers on the placid track causing Fraser to fend one awkwardly off his throat. But the slimly built righthander opted to the fight fire with fire and a pugnacious hook raced for four and the decent size crowd loved it. A towering six off Jacobs brought up Fraser’s 50 from 79 balls with four fours and two sixes before he clobbered the expensive Ali for six to move to 71 and go past Dutchin, who suffering from cramps and was soon stumped. Fraser galloped into the nineties with a couple of sixes off Ali and reached his first ever century from 116 balls decorated six fours and five sixes. He found the perfect partner in Butts, the son of former Test offspinner Clyde Butts. Butts batted positively and by the end of the day the Region Five Franchise (Continued on page 32)
Regal Sport T20 continues tomorrow The inaugural Regal Sports T20 softball tournament is set to continue tomorrow at the Everest Cricket Club with several matches in the Open and Masters categories. On pitch one, Regal will play Mike’s at 09:00hrs, Savage will battle HS Masters at 11:00hrs and Albion will face Savage at 14:00hrs. On pitch two, Wolf Warrior’s will challenge Speed Boat at 09:00hrs, Ariel Masters will entertain Fisherman Maters at
11 : 0 0 h r s a n d Wo l f ’s Warriors Masters will tackle Ariel Masters at 14:00hrs. On pitch three, Success Wa r r i o r s w i l l p l a y Herstelling at 09:00hrs, Ariel Masters will face S u c c e s s Wa r r i o r s a t 11:00hrs, Regal will battle Ariel Masters at 13:00hrs and Wolf’s Warriors will entertain Herstelling at 15:00hrs. At GNIC SC, Tropical Spring play Albion at 10:00hrs and HS Masters face Tropical Springs at 13:30hrs.
Organiser Samuel Kingston is urging all teams to turn up at their respective venues at least 30 minutes prior to the start of their matches. He stated that Regal Sport is an affiliate of Regal Stationery and Computer Centre of 69 Seaforth Street, Campbellville and has a variety of sports equipment adding that this tournament is one way of giving back to the sporting fraternity since no entrance fee is being charged.
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Spanish court reopens fraud investigation against Neymar
Barcelona’s Neymar celebrates a goal. (REUTERS/Sergio Perez) (Reuters) Spain’s High Court said on Friday it had reopened a fraud and corruption investigation into Brazilian soccer player Neymar over his transfer to Barcelona from Santos, after an appeal by the public prosecutor. A High Court judge had initially dropped the charges in July against Neymar and his father-cum-agent Neymar Da Silva Santos, as well as against former Barcelona president Sandro Rossell and ex-Santos president Odilio Rodrigues. Both Brazilian club Santos and Barcelona have
come under fire for the way the transfer was handled in 2013, with several investigations carried out in both countries into whether any part of Neymar’s fee had been concealed. Barcelona agreed in June to pay a 5.5-million-euro ($6.17 million) fine to Spanish authorities to settle the case and said it recognized errors in its tax treatment of Neymar ’s signing for the fiscal years of 2011 and 2013. N e y m a r, w h o h a s extended his contract with Barcelona until 2021, has denied any wrongdoing in
the matter. The case emerged after various complaints over the transfer price paid by Barcelona to sign Neymar. A Brazilian investment group which owned part of the player’s transfer rights said that it had received less money than it was entitled to as Barcelona concealed the fee. The High Court said in its written ruling on Friday that after reviewing the case and the decision to drop it, it believed there was evidence that possible crimes had been committed. ($1 = 0.8910 euros)
Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club horserace meet pushed back to October 30th The horserace meet organised by the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facilities (RCMTC&SF) which was slated for this Sunday (25th September) at the club’s track Alness, Corentyne, Berbice has been rescheduled due to a number o f u n f o r e s e e n circumstances. According to a release from the club the race meet will now be held on the 30th October at the same venue. According to organiser Marcel Crawford Jr the same events will be contested. He said that the club is moving to standardize the level of racing in Guyana and as such will be introducing a number of new initiatives by the new date.
Over $3M in cash, trophies and other incentives are up for grabs and a total of 8 races are billed for the day’s card. The events listed are the Alness Classic over 1600M event for a first prize of $600,000 and trophy with a total purse of over $1.2M. The G and lower event over 1300M with a first prize of $300,000 and trophy. The Guyana bred two year old horses will compete for a winners money of $200,000 over 1100 M. The H and lower 1400M even will see the animals racing for a $200,000 winner’s money and trophy. The animals in the ‘J1’ class event will be competing for $140,000 winners money over 1300M.
The K and lower event will fetch a winning prize of $ 8 0 , 0 0 0 o v e r 11 0 0 M . There is a race for L1 animals over 1100M for a first prize of $60,000 and trophy. The unclassified event will see the horses galloping over 1100M for take home money of $30,000. Outstanding individual performers including top Jockey, trainer and stable will be presented with accolades compliments of the Trophy Stall of Bourda Market and the RCMTC&SF. Interested persons can make contact with Marcel Crawford Jr on 678-5342 or Compton Sancho on 602-1567 for any clarifications. (Samuel Whyte)
Kaieteur News
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Saturday September 24, 2016
Brissett, Patriots embarrass Texans (The Sports Xchange) Rookie Jacoby Brissett, making his first NFL start, got plenty of help from the visiting Texans in the New England Patriots’ 27-0 rout of Houston on Thursday. Brissett, playing for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo, who was playing for the suspended Tom Brady, ran a bootleg 27 yards for a touchdown and managed the game well in his debut, as the Patriots improved to 3-0 during B r a d y ’s f o u r-game Deflategate absence. T h e Te x a n s ( 2 - 1 ) fumbled away two kickoffs, leading to two New England touchdowns, and were also guilty of an interception. LeGarrette Blount scored from a yard out and then broke a 41-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. Stephen Gostkowski kicked two short field goals. Brissett, 6 of 9 in his debut Sunday, was 11 of 19 for 103 yards passing and ran
New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) throws under pressure from Houston Texans defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. (Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports) for 48 yards on eight carries Thursday. Charles James and
rookie Tyler Ervin fumbled the kickoffs, while quarterback Brock Osweiler
threw the interception — the second in as many games for linebacker Jamie
Sport-Cyber hack creating a “crazy scenario”, warns Cram LONDON (Reuters) The hacking of confidential medical exemptions risks tarnishing innocent athletes and turning people off elite sport, former world champion runner Steve Cram has warned. The 55-year-old Briton, the 1983 world champion at 1,500 meters and 1984 Olympic silver medalist, spoke before a fifth batch of documents were published by cyber hackers on the fancybear.net website on Friday. The data related to Therapeutic Use
Ex e m p t i o n s ( T U E s ) , which allow athletes to take banned substances for verified medical needs and are signed o f f b y s p o r t s federations. There is no suggestion any of those named have broken any rules. The w o r l d a n t i d o p i n g a g e n c y (WA D A ) has s aid it believes the hackers are Rus s ian and gained access to its antidoping administration and management system (ADAMS) via an IOCcreated account for last month’s Rio Games. Cram told BBC radio,
for whom he commentates, that the TUE system was robust and athletes were being unfairly dragged into the spotlight. “We are just normal people and normal people suffer hayfever and asthma that require long and shortterm medication,” he said. “Does that mean you cannot do sport? “I think we are getting into a crazy scenario where we are assuming everyone is cheating. T h e y a r e n ’t . We a r e frightening people away from top-level sport.” His words echoed those of British hockey gold medalist Sam Quek, who wrote last week about her fears that athletes could risk their health rather than applying for an exemption. Blasting the “pathetic and faceless hackers attempting to drag athletes through the mud”, she said her use of an inhaler for asthma had allowed her to perform and stay healthy. “I am concerned that the next generation of athletes could turn away from using TUEs because they have been tarnished by these
stories,” she wrote on the Guardian website (www.theguardian.com). “It’s worrying that in future Olympic cycles there could well be a hockey player like me, chasing her Olympic dream and pushing her body to its limit in search of success. What happens if she becomes out of breath and needs an inhaler?” Those named in the leaked documents have included U.S. gymnast Simone Biles, tennis players Serena and Venus Williams and Britain’s Tour de France winning cyclists Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome. Friday’s batch featured 41 athletes from 13 countries, including Australian and South African swimmers Cate Campbell and Cameron Van der Burgh, Swiss cyclist and Rio gold medalist Fabian Cancellara and U.S. longdistance runner Galen Rupp. Many of the exemptions were for asthma medication via inhalers, and the drug salbutamol which is no longer on WADA’s banned list.
Collins. Osweiler, who backstopped the Patriots’ first loss last season when he made his second NFL start with the Denver Broncos, was 24 of 41 for 196 yards. Lamar Miller ran for 80 yards on 21 carries in the loss. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, making his 2106 debut after missing two games with a hamstring injury, played sparingly and did not have a catch. Blount ran for 105 yards on 24 carries and has four touchdowns in three games. It was the 12th 100-yard game of his career, his second in five days. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels designed an o ff e n s e t h a t i n c l u d e d running plays for wide receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Martellus Bennett and even option plays for Brissett, a third-round pick this year. The touchdown run was the second-longest by a
Patriots quarterback since 1976. In improving to 6-1 against the Texans, the Patriots recorded the 226th regular season victory of coach Bill Belichick’s career, tying him with Curly Lambeau for fourth place all-time. It was New England’s first shutout since Dec. 30, 2012, and it was the first time the Texans were blanked since Dec. 7, 2003. Brissett, who ran for nine touchdowns over the last two years at North Carolina State, ran the option on that drive, gaining 13 yards. That was just a prelude to his 27yard bootleg that made it 10-0. After Gostkowski’s field goal, James fumbled the ensuing kickoff — it wasn’t called until New England challenged — setting up Brissett’s touchdown. Duron Harmon recovered the fumble, forced by Brandon Bolden.
Bangladesh: Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed have actions cleared by ICC
Arafat Sunny (pictured) and Taskin Ahmed were reported during the World Twenty20 for suspect actions. (Getty Images) B B C S p o r t Bangladesh bowlers Arafat Sunny and Taskin Ahmed could face England after having their actions cleared by the International Cricket Council. Left-arm spinner Arafat, 29, and pace bowler Taskin, 21, were reported in March for suspect actions during the ICC World Twenty20.
However, the pair were cleared after being assessed in Brisbane. England will play three one-day internationals and t w o Te s t m a t c h e s i n Bangladesh, starting on 7 October. One-day captain Eoin Morgan and batsman Alex Hales opted out of the tour because of security concerns.
Kaieteur News
Saturday September 24, 2016
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70 year old Ashraf Ali Swims 7 miles back and forth across Demerara River By Samuel Whyte Persons across the world have undertaken many unbelievable feats, but for 70 year old overseas based Guyanese Ashraf Ali to travel over 90 miles and then swim back and forth over the murky, muddy and choppy waters of the Demerara River without stopping is no mean accomplishment. Ali swam without a boat and no one accompanying. To think that the mission was undertaken in the hot sun when the tide was rough with the current pulling heavily is unnatural, and could be some sort of record. In total Ali would have swam for approximately seven miles and being in the water for close to three hours. Ali known as the “River Conqueror” had vowed to swim the Might Essequibo, the Berbice and Demerara River within two weeks in the month of September
before heading back to the USA where he resides. After travelling from his Canefield East Canje, Berbice base, Ali arrived at Friendship, East Bank Berbice from where he intended to start his journey. Encountering a little hiccup in finding a suitable place to begin his swim, he began his swim around 14:40 hrs. He was soon on his way and subsequently disappeared into the distance as the water kept drifting him further upstream. Ali was not seen again until some three hours after when he was found by members of his team standing all alone on the other side a little distance away from his starting base. During the time he passed a number of boats anchored in the river and stated that he saw some of the sailors looking at him through their binoculars. He stated that when he
reached the other side of the river, about two miles upstream from where he started on the opposite side at Friendship. He did not panic despite being all alone in the muddy and bushy location. He climbed a tree and signal to his support team on the other side of the shore so that they could see him. However this did not work, because of the distance and no one was armed with binoculars. Ali beginning his return journey from the west bank, it was not certain where he was located. Around that time panic stepped in among his support team who after not seeing him decided to traverse up and down the East Bank corridor. In the meanwhile, Ali was calmly swimming across the river with the current at its strongest and the water rising steadily he was drifting further and f u r t h e r u p r i v e r. B u t
according to Ali he was not bothered. He never panicked, but kept swimming, eventually ending at Land of Canaan approximately seven miles from where he started. A number of ships docked at the various wharves were contacted to look out for him. He was not seen since he had long passed those locations. At Supply the team asked a few fishing boats and even boarded an old boat and took to the Demerara in search of Ali. However, Ali by then had reached in the vicinity of Land Of Canaan and had emerged from the river, in the vicinity of a popular Gas Station. Ali, a man of GOD came home to be a part of Guyana’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations and his Alma Mata Berbice High School centenary celebrations. He has since returned to the USA.
Ali during his Demerara River swim.
Letter to the Sports Editor
WDFA/STAG Senior League
Double header on tomorrow; The Sacking of Phil Simmons! A wake up call for Caricom/Regional Den Amstel, Stewartville and Governments to act urgently and decisively Wales are latest winners Dear Sports Editor,
Two more matches in the ongoing West Demerara Football Association / Stag sponsored Senior League will be played tomorrow at the Den Amstel Community Centre ground from 14:00hrs when Stewartville will be locking horns with Wales United. Both sides have recorded contrasting wins in their previous encounters last weekend and will each fancy their chances of building on that when they face off. The feature attraction brings together Uitvlugt Warriors and Beavers. Meantime, in latest results, Den Amstel, coming
from behind edged Eagles FC in a thrilling 5 goal battle, 3-2. Eagles applied early pressure on the home team when they took the lead six minutes on through the first of two goals that came off the boot of Orlanzo Henry. Den Amstel, after settling down responded in like manner when Aklister Lynch also scored the first of two goals to draw his team level in the 19th minute. The home team would then take the lead in the 32nd minute thanks to a Kevaughn Ward strike but Eagles cancelled that advantage with one minute to half time when Henry completed his double. The second half was all set to be a thrilling affair and that it was as both teams showed that they were not ready to give in as the exchanges were even. But it was the home team that would ease ahead on 67 minutes courtesy of Lynch’s second goal of the match; it turned out to be the game winner.
Seon Lynch In the other match on Sunday last, Stewartville were winners via the walk over route as a result of Vegae Boys’ non-appearance. In the lone match on Saturday, a lone goal from Seon Lynch was all that was needed for Wales United to take full points in their clash with Jetty Gunners. Lynch rocked the nets in the 39th minute to seal the deal for his side.
The sacking of Coach Phil Simmons clearly illustrates the uncaring attitude of an incompetent and dictatorial WICB directorship blinded by its penchant for vindictiveness regardless of how it affects the performance and morale of WI cricket and cricketers both past and present. For the CEO of the WICB to suggest that Simmons’ vision was not in alignment with preapproved WICB strategic plans is an unacceptable and illogical excuse. After all Simmons is the technical expert, the man who should be responsible for charting the course of the WI teams to on-field success, not Pybus, Cameron or even the Board. Simmons must therefore be provided with the “tools” to get his work done. The fact of the matter is that the WICB directorship is so intent on preserving its status quo that it is doing whatever it takes to ensure that President Dave
Cameron and his cohorts are re-elected next year. That is the plan that Simmons cannot align himself with and, in that regard, the WICB Directors have gone overboard to entice Joel Garner, the No 1 challenger t o D a v e C a m e r o n ’s presidency, to accept the WI managership even with his obvious conflicting positions as Director of WICB and Head of the Barbados Cricket Association. Suddenly and interestingly there is an abundance of Barbadians in the various WI cricket teams as well as in the various leadership roles of manager, captains, coaches, asst. coaches etc, while particularly the Trinidadians have been deliberately marginalized. Clive Lloyd, Curtley Ambrose, Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Keiron Pollard, Dinesh Ramdin and now Phil Simmons are all pawns in the WICB chess game. Victims of the well-crafted “plan”. The continued
unflinching support of Cameron and his cronies to the illegal and catastrophic disorganization and mismanagement of Guyana’s Cricket provides nothing but insurance for the preservation of their group within the WI cricket directorship. They have made no attempt to meet with the Guyanese cricketing membership to resolve the recurring issues for fear that the self-servicing Guyanese support they enjoy would be defeated and replaced in any legal democratic elections. It is indeed sad that Caribbean Governments continue to sit idly by and allow this madness to prevail unhindered instead of taking positive and pragmatic actions and properly represent the people of the Caribbean by protecting our cricket – the single most important aspect of Caribbean unity. It is commendable to see that Mr. Imran Khan, former Media/Communication (Continued on page 32)
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Saturday September 24, 2016
Out-of-sorts Windies humbled in opener DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Reigning World champions West Indies were humbled by Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 International h e r e F r i d a y, a f t e r virtually condemning themselves with a feeble b a t t i n g e ff o r t a t t h e D ubai International Stadium. Sent in, they recovered from a shocking position of 48 for eight in the 12th over to stumble to 115 all out with a ball remaining in the innings, and Pakistan wasted little time in cruising to their target i n t h e 1 5 t h o v e r, t o c o m p l e t e a n uncomplicated nine-wicket victory and take a valuable 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo was the only one to emerge from the encounter with any semblance of pride, striking a top score of 55 from 54 balls under pressure. He put on a 66 in an alltime record ninth wicket stand with Jerome Taylor who made 21, but the Caribbean side never really recovered from the damage done by left-arm spinner Imad Wa s i m w h o r i p p e d through the innings with a Man-of-the-Match spell of five for 14 from his four overs.
Imad Wasim picked up career-best figures of 5 for 14, Pakistan v West Indies, 1st T20I, Dubai, September 23, 2016 ©AFP/Getty Images In reply, Pakistan never looked in danger of botching their run chase and Babar Azam made sure of this with a fluent unbeaten 55 off 37 deliveries. In only his second T20 International, the righthander smashed six fours and two sixes and posted a match-winning, unbroken 88-run, second wicket stand with opener Khalid Latif who made a
patient 34 not out from 32 balls. With the second T20 International scheduled for Saturday at the same venue, West Indies were left with several problems to solve in a short space of time. W i t h o u t t h e experience of axed captain Darren Sammy and the unavailable Chris Gayle and Andre R u s s e l l , We s t I n d i e s
stumbled and stuttered from the outset. Lef t - h a n d e r E v i n Lewis holed out in the deep for one off the fifth ball of the innings from Imad Wasim who then removed both Andre Fletcher (2) and Marlon Samuels (4) within the space of three deliveries in his next over. Fletcher missed a slog at the second delivery and was bowled and
Serena Williams out of Wuhan tournament and China Open with shoulder injury BBC Sport - Serena Williams has withdrawn from next week’s Wuhan Open, as well as the China Open, with a shoulder injury. Williams, 34, has been troubled by the problem with her right shoulder since winning Wimbledon, her 22nd Grand Slam singles title, in July. She says her focus is now on being fit enough to play in the seasonending WTA Finals in Singapore from 23 October. Her recent defeat by Karolina Pliskova at the US Open ended Williams’ 186week run as world number one. She had equalled Steffi Graf’s record for the longest reign at the top of the women’s rankings. The defeat against Pliskova in
Serena Williams won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 1999, when she beat Switzerland’s Martina Hingis in straight sets. (AFP) the semi-final at Flushing Meadows, though, saw Williams’ place taken by eventual champion Angelique Kerber. The Wuhan Open starts
tomorrow and runs to next Saturday, with the China Open starting the following Monday. The American’s withdrawal from the
tournaments in Wuhan and Beijing has reduced her chances of reclaiming the number one spot from Kerber before the end of 2016.
Samuels pushed forward defensively, missed one that came on with the arm, and was adjudged lbw. In the very next over – the fourth of the innings – opener Johnson Charles gave himself too much room, missed a cut and was bowled for seven by another left-arme r, M o h a m m a d N a w a z , a s We s t Indies crashed to 17 f o r f our. When debutant Nicholas Pooran feathered a catch behind off left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir for five at 22 for five, the Windies seemed in serious danger of their lowest T20I score but Bravo combined with Kieron Pollard (9) to settle the innings down in a 25-run, sixth wicket stand. They seemed to be laying the groundwork for a recovery when Imad returned in a second spell to break the stand, bowling Pollard as the right-hander looked to play through the on-side, at 47 for six in the 11th over. And Imad became the first Pakistani spinner to take a five-wicket haul in T20s when he removed c a p t a i n C a r l o s Brathwaite two balls later without scoring, top-edging a paddle sweep to Khalid Latif who ran around to leg
gully from slip to pouch the catch. When Sunil Narine (1) failed to beat Latif’s direct hit from mid-off on a badly judged quick single, West Indies were in a deep hole but Bravo bailed them out with a quality knock which included four fours and two sixes. He started slowly with his first 18 runs requiring 32 balls but accelerated to reach his fourth T20I half-century off 50 balls. He took 13 runs from the 15th over bowled by Tanvir and combined with Tylor to garner 19 from the following over from seamer Hasan Ali – the most expensive over of the innings. Bravo raised his halfcentury in the 19th over by clearing the ropes at cover with left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz but perished in the deep off the penultimate delivery of the innings, with West Indies desperately chasing runs. The Windies then needed an early breakthrough to remain in the game but none came, as Sharjeel Khan hammered three fours and a six in a 17-ball 22, to dominate an opening stand of 28 with Latif. And even when he bowled by leg-spinner Samuel Badree in the fourth over, Latif and Babar kept Pakistan on course with positive stroke-play.
Saturday September 24, 2016
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Latham, Williamson lead strong New Zealand reply KANPUR, INDIA (Reuters) Captain Kane Williamson and opener Tom Latham led a strong New Zealand reply with unbeaten half-centuries before rain washed out the final session of the second day of the first test against India on Friday. The pair shared an unbroken 117-run stand to take New Zealand to 152 for one at tea before it started drizzling at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium and no further play was possible. Having bowled out the hosts for 318, New Zealand lost Martin Guptill (21) before lunch but the leftright combination of Latham and Williamson negated the home spinners with aplomb. Latham was unbeaten on 56 with Williamson on 65 as New Zealand trailing India by 166 runs with nine wickets in hand. “We were disciplined, we stuck to the game plans. When the Indian bowlers missed, we jumped all over,” New Zealand batting coach Craig McMillan told reporters. “The way they rotated the strike, their left handright hand combination throughout the partnership
was crucial.” Guptill could not convert the start he got and was trapped lbw by a full, swinging delivery from Umesh Yadav. Latham and Williamson, however, looked comfortable against the spinners who did manage a few leg-before appeals but could not separate them. The batsmen brought up their individual fifties in successive overs, but not before Latham had survived a scare. He went for a sweep shot against Ravindra Jadeja and the deflection hit his boot and popped up for Lokesh Rahul to take the catch at short leg. The decision was referred to the third umpire who ruled in the batsman’s favour after replays suggested the ball had touched the chin strap of Rahul’s helmet. A c c o r d i n g t o regulations, parts of protective gear must not come into play while taking a catch. India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar said an early wicket was all the home team needed when play
Lower Corentyne looking to press home advantage At the end of day one Lower Corentyne were responding strongly to the 277 made by East Coast Demerara and have raced to 70 for 1 in just 13 overs. The two teams are engaged in the match being played at the Albion Community Centre in the ongoing Jaguars Franchise Cricket Competition. East Coast won the toss and elected to take first strike. Aided by a number of drop catches by the usually slick Lower Corentyne unit, the East Coast lads rode their luck to prosper with Chanderpaul Hemraj batting at No5 leading the way with 91(11X4, 1x6). Bashkar Yadram who opened the batting made 71( 4x4, 1x6) as the two came together with their team struggling at 48-3 to take the score to 156, putting together 113 for the fourth wicket. Steven Sankar batting at No10 scored a breezy 41 (3x6, 3x4), while Paul Wintz was unbeaten on 24.
Bowling for Lower Corentyne, off spinner Gajanand Singh captures 448, while the pacey Raun Johnson who had a number of chances floored off his bowling ended with 3-70. There was one wicket each for Kassim Khan, Royston Crandon and Sharaz Ramsarran. Lower Corentyne were off to a bad start with the out of form Akeem Hinds failing again, being caught behind for 0 with the score on 8. Since then the inform batsmen Jonathan Foo and Khandasami Surujnarine were continuing their good showing for the season so far on an easy paced pitch. Foo, who offered one difficult chance on the midwicket boundary, was undefeated on 36 with 8x4, while opening batsman Surujnarine undefeated on 27 with 3x4. Wintz has so far taken the wicket that fell. (Samuel Whyte)
resumes on Saturday. “It’s a matter of getting that breakthrough and putting the pressure back on them,” said Bangar. “We were in a similar position wherein we were 150-odd for one at one point of time. Obviously when the ball starts to get older and the batsmen tire a bit, you get a breakthrough and it can be a different ball game.” Resuming on 291 for nine, the Indian tail wagged to take the hosts past 300. With number 11 Yadav (nine) at the other end, Jadeja
(42 not out) took the onus of scoring on himself, contributing 26 of the 27 runs India added to their overnight score. Jadeja hit Mitchell Santner for a six but could not get to his second test half century as Neil Wagner had Yadav caught behind to end a 41-run partnership for the last wicket. Scores: New Zealand 152 for 1 (Williamson 66*, Latham 56*) trail India 318 (Vijay 65, Pujara 62, Jadeja 42*, Boult 3-67, Santner 394) by 166 runs.
New Zealand’s Tom Latham and Kane Williamson run between wickets. (REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui)
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Saturday September 24, 2016
Chanderpaul unbeaten 94 gives West Demerara upper hand at Lusignan Left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul struck an unbeaten 94 to put West Demerara in the d r i v e r ’s s e a t a g a i n s t Georgetown when the fifthround Guyana Cricket Board Jaguars three-day league commenced yesterday. Chanderpaul batted with authority and together with Akshaya Persaud who is unbeaten on 49, added an unbroken 115 for the thirdwicket as West Demerara closed the day on 165-2 in reply to Georgetown first innings total of 170 all out at Lusignan. Following consistent bowling by off-spinner Richie Looknauth and Romario Shepherd, both sharing seven wickets between them to help bowl out Georgetown, West Demerara began their innings in the second session and lost opener Ronaldo Renee (00) caught off Andre Stoll in the first over. Safraz Esau played a few shots before he was taken off Gajanan Suknanan for 21 with the score on 40. However, the levelheaded Chanderpaul and Persaud frustrated their opponents as they mixed aggression with defence on a decent pitch in favourable sunshine. Chanderpaul slowly got into his stride and pulled Christopher Barnwell for a six before smashing Ronaldo Alimohamed for two more sixes over longon. Persaud drove Barnwell for four before hoisting left arm spinner Devon Lord for a straight six as they pair continued to bat unruffled. Chanderpaul then brought up his fifty off 110 balls with one four and three sixes; he continued to bat positively and took a boundary off Barnwell before Smashing Stoll for two sixes, while Persaud drove Barnwell down the ground for consecutive fours. Just before the close,
Barnwell found the edge of Persaud’s bat, but the ball dropped just short of Robin Bacchus at first slip. Chanderpaul has so far hit two fours and five sixes and Persaud five fours and one six. Earlier, Georgetown decided to bat and pacer Shepherd trapped Robin Bacchus lbw off the first ball before Sunil Singh who dumped Mahindra Dhanpaul for a six, was caught at the wicket by Kemol Savory off the said bowler for 16. Barnwell was then taken off Shepherd for two before Andrew Lyght Jr and Jahon Byron shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 47. Lyght was up to the challenge and deposited left arm spinner Keshram Seyhodan for consecutive sixes before smashing Ye t e s h D h a n p a u l f o r another. Byron looked solid before he was dismissed off Yetesh Dhanpaul for 17. Lyght continued to play his shots but was caught off offspinner Richie Looknauth for 47 after facing 59 balls in 112 minutes. Shepherd then bowled Dexter Solomon for 12, while Looknauth sent back Alimohamed and Suknanan for 10 and zero respectively. However, Kellon Carmichael and Devon Lord steadied the innings fairly as they shared in a ninth-wicket stand of 59. Carmichael timed the ball well as he smashed Shepherd for three consecutive fours and a six before hoisting Looknauth over the cover and long-off boundaries. The Malteenoes all-rounder attempted another big shot but didn’t time the ball as he would have liked and was taken at long-off for 40. Lord was then removed by Seyhodan for 18 in an otherwise disappointing batting display by the city side. Looknauth claimed 4-34
and Shepherd 3-56. At Port Mourant, Upper Corentyne batted first and declared on 213-9 with Rajiv Ivan scoring 93 and Dellon Anderson 33; Kevin Gordon claimed 3-40 and Anthony Adams 3-46. In reply Essequibo were 90-4 at stumps with Shivnarine Chanderpaul on 21 and Ricardo Adams on one. Keemo Paul made 29. However, it was understood that the coach, manager and other members of the Essequibo team were left stranded for over two hours after the game at Port Mourant as they awaited their transportation to return to the hostel at LBI.
Tagenarine Chanderpaul plays through the off-side
Banks DIH on board with Courts 10km road race
Banks DIH Brand Manager Errol Nelson hands over the sponsor cheque to Courts Marketing Assistant Roberta Ferguson, while AAG President Aubrey Hutson (right), Troy Peters (centre) and Clive Pellew of Banks DIH look on. Banks DIH Limited will once again be partnering with Courts for its Annual 10 and 3K athletics road races set for tomorrow. Banks DIH will be sponsoring the races under its Rainforest Waters and Powerade brands. Courts Marketing
Assistant Roberta Ferguson and AAG President Aubrey Hutson both expressed gratitude to Banks DIH for sponsoring the races. Communications Manager Troy Peters said Banks DIH is once again proud to be associated with the annual event as its
helps to foster closer relationship with the n a t i o n ’s a t h l e t e s and business partner Courts. Athletes and officials will be provided with Rain Forest Water and Powerade, a Sports drink with Electrolytes along the route and at the completion of the event.
Starting time is at 06:00 hours tomorrow. The races which start and end in front of Courts Furniture Store of Main Street will attract the country’s top athletes in the feature 10K, while employees of Courts and corporate entities will be featured in the 3K.
Saturday September 24, 2016
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Scotia Bank golfing for charities event set for Lusignan Golf Club today Scotia Bbank, a strong supporter of various community initiatives with contributions ranging from sports causes and HIV/AIDS, to education and arts & culture with a focus geared towards children, non-profit organisations, and the aged, will today sponsor another exciting tournament at the Lusignan Golf Course. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive as part of their prize packages, cash donations of $150,000, $100,000 and $75,000 towards a children’s charity of their choice under Scotia Bank’s Bright Future Programme. Golfers will indicate before the start of the tournament which children’s charity they would identify to benefit from Scotia Bank’s donation should they be one of the top three winners. Scotiabank - Canada’s most international bank and a lead i n g f i n a n c i a l services provider in over 55 countries - operating in Guyana since 1968, operates five branches 2 in Georgetown and one each in Bartica, New Amsterdam and Parika, and offers a complete range of retail and commercial banking services — including online banking and electronic cash
management. However, in addition to its banking services, Scotiabank is unique in its community contribution. So far, the Scotiabank sponsored tournament is the only one with a philanthropic component. Both Robb Street Branch Manager, Brian Hackett and Branch Marketing Manager, Jennifer Cipriani, in making the presentation of a cheque and prizes for the tournament, expressed Scotiabank’s willingness to sponsor golf and also be involved in contributing much to assist in the improvement of life in communities. Ms Cipriani noted that “Under its Global Bright Future philanthropic programme, the Bank channels funds and employee volunteer hours towards initiatives that benefit children in the areas of education, health, social well-being and sports. Scotiabank has contributed on average some $50 million annually to community causes around the world over the last 6 years.” This year the sponsors have added consideration for the good coverage of media houses by including a Raffle c o m p o n e n t f o r representatives of all the media houses who will be on
hand to cover the tournament. Up for grabs by the golfers are prizes for 1st – 3rdBest Net, Best Gross, Nearest to The Pin, Longest Putt, and Most Honest Golfer. Prizes include trophies, clubs, balls, hats, and umbrellas. Meanwhile, last year’s winner Mahendra Bhagwandin has staked his claim to being in the top 3 again, but the keenness of the competition means that the floor is wide open for upsets or new winners. 2015 Guyana Open female champion, Shanella Webster who brought 2nd at Scotiabank’s tournament last year will again be in contention along with Dr Philbert London who placed 3rd. Close contenders last year - Carlos Adams, Maurice Solomon, and Ian Gouveia – are all expected to participate in this year’s tournament. 1st to 3rd place winners over the last three years were 2014 - Imran Khan, Haresh Tewari and Roy Cummings; 2013 - Andre Cummings, Kishan Bacchus and Haresh Tewari; and 2012 - Jorge Medina, Rawle Moore and Mohanlall Dinanauth Tee-off time is 12:30 p.m., and the public is
$325,000 to go to charity projects
Branch Marketing Manager, Jennifer Cipriani hands over the cheque to Golf Club President, Oncar Ramroop in the presence of three female bank staff, along with Branch Manager, Brian Hackett, and Golf Club PRO, Guy Griffith. invited to view this tournament free of charge. Some charities that were identified in previous years i n c l u d e d S t A n n ’s Orphanage, Joshua House,
Step by Step Foundation, Red Cross, Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre and Cheshire home. Golf Club President, Oncar Ramroop expressed
L u s i g n a n G o l f Club’sgratitude for the continued good support of golfing by Scotiabank, and for its philanthropic initiative.
Nile Wilson, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey & Steve Cummings named after Wada hack BBC Sport – The medical records of six British athletes are among the latest to be made public by hackers. Nile Wilson, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Steve Cummings, Saskia Clark, Richard Chambers and Sophie Ainsworth were named by hackers Fancy Bears on Friday. Rio 2016 gold medalwinning cyclist Fabian Cancellara is also named. The records mostly detail therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs), which allow banned substances to be taken for athletes’ verified medical needs. There is no suggestion athletes named are involved in any wrongdoing. American golfer Patrick
Reed, who will play in the Ryder Cup next week, is also on the list as is South African swimmer Cameron van den Burgh, who won gold in the 100m breaststroke at London 2012. The files were stolen from a World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) database. Olympic champions Mo Farah, Laura Trott and Nicola Adams, current Tour de France champion Chris Froome and 2012 Tour winner Sir Bradley Wiggins are among the British athletes to have had their records made public in four previous batches of hacked data. Cummings won the Tour Of Britain in early September, having also claimed stage seven of this
year’s Tour de France. Clark took gold in the 470 women’s sailing at Rio 2016, along with partner Hannah Miles, while gymnast Wilson took bronze in the horizontal bar. Aikines-Aryeetey was part of the GB relay team that finished fifth in the 4x100m at this year ’s Olympics. Chambers made the semi-finals of lightweight men’s double sculls and Ainsworth was 10th in the 49ers FX sailing. What are therapeutic use exemptions? A TUE allows an athlete, for medical reasons, to take a prescribed substance or have treatment that is otherwise prohibited. British athletes must contact their national
The medical records of six British athletes are among the latest to be made public by hackers.
governing body or follow UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) guidance before applying for a TUE. There are strict criteria for one to be granted: § The athlete would suffer significant health
problems without taking the substance § It would not be significantly performanceenhancing § There is no reasonable therapeutic alternative to its use
§ The need to use it is not due to prior use without a TUE Ukad says it has “a number of robust controls in place to make it as difficult as possible” for athletes to misuse the system.
t r o Sp
Out-of-sorts Windies humbled in opener
Babar Azam sends one racing through the off side, Pakistan v West Indies, 1st T20I, Dubai, September 23, 2016 ©Getty Images
Dwayne Bravo throws bat at ball - to good effect, Pakistan v West Indies, 1st T20I, Dubai, September 23, 2016 ©Getty Images
Fraser hits unbeaten ton batting at No.10 as West B’ce recover from 167-7 to reach 407-9 -GCB Jaguars 3-day League
Andrew Dutchin who made 71 yesterday, cuts Steven Jacobs, who was the most successful East Bank bowler. (Sean Devers photo)
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