Monday September 25, 2017
We have to stop voting for racial reasons DEAR EDITOR, There seems to be some Guyanese who want to continually blame Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham for Guyana’s present problems. Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan have done a lot for Guyanese. They fought to make us into an independent nation. It is time for us to take responsibility for our current problems rather than blaming the past generations. We all need to acknowledge, whether we like it or not, that we are contributing to Guyana’s development in a positive and in a negative way. It is up to the current generation, us, to chart a different course than
previous generations. We can start by ending racial voting. That is, by not choosing to vote for a party because we perceived them to be working in the best interest of our race/ethnicity. We need to choose to vote for political parties on their merits. That is, their policies, programmes and performance. Only by doing this can we get the politicians to govern in the best interest of all Guyanese rather than govern in the best interest of our own race/ethnicity. Like I said before, it is up to us to chart a different course than previous generations. Sean Ori
PPP Govt. did not alleviate the poverty of the poor in Region 6 DEAR EDITOR, Permit me to reply to Mr Jaipaul Suenarine’s letter captioned ‘Prime Minister’s Representative in Region 6 under fire’. I do feel that I need to dissect his letter piece by piece so that his ulterior motives can be highlighted. This man began well in the first paragraph but thereafter he descended into mere diatribe and drivel which is quite unbecoming of a person who seems to be trying to impress his readers that he is on a quest for his Region’s development. He spent most of his letter attacking me personally but in the end the question is what has he gained? Has he proven his intelligence? His personal attack is understandable since he exposes his low intelligence level and his penchant to suck to his masters but I will not dwell on that any further. I must remind Mr.Suenarine that the vicious circle of poverty that he mentioned has always been there. The poor will always get poorer in Region 6 since the PPP wants it that way. They have given us the Skeldon ‘white elephant’, they have pauperized Guysuco, they have impoverished the workers by not finding the correct solutions to Guysuco’s problems, they were only interested in getting kickbacks and drawbacks from each and every contract and they never brought any real development to the Region. If it was not for the Private Sector Region 6 would have fallen a long time ago. It is because of the sacrifice and commitment of enterprising and hardworking individuals like the individual he mentioned that Region 6 keeps going. Why have many PPP members and supporters moved to the AFC? He was correct when he admitted that ‘there is poor management of infrastructural
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works, poor management of D & I works, poor representation from both NDC and RDC Councilors and sheer politicking’. All of these were highlighted by me and others numerous times in the Press. Also in my whatsapp group which I have created called “Issues & Ideas for Berbice” where others participate and whose objective is to foster social and economic development in Berbice. I wish to ask this man a few simple questions: Who runs and controls the NDC and RDC in Region 6? Why would the NDCs councilors take instructions from political party members whose objectives are to stifle progress? Why are only ‘political’ twists taken at these meetings? This is ‘sheer politicking’. It’s all about the political mileage to be gained. I would like for Mr. Suenarine to tell me how many workers have lost their jobs at Rose Hall and Skeldon? Not one. In fact there is a shortage of workers at these estates and even at Albion. So it is hard to see how this has affected vendors at Rose Hall and Port Mourant markets. This man has an overactive imagination. Why is this man keep on talking about closure? Rose hall is to be merged and Skeldon privatized. Please can someone spell it out for these ‘brilliant minds’? I have simply stated facts in my letter and gave supporting evidences and statistic to support my argument but Mr.Suenarine has failed miserable to do the same. The only number he has submitted is the ‘6’ found in ‘Region 6’. His letter is empty and void. Since the PM’s office was established at Port Mourant we have received over 1,859 complaints which we have investigated and forwarded to the relevant government agencies in the region and the subject ministries such as
NDCs, GPL, GWI, NIS, the agriculture sector( rice farmers, cattle farmers, cash crop farmers), social problems, crimes, etc. I also attended some NDC meetings are antidevelopmental. I must add that over 90% of these complaints came from strongholds of the PPP but my office sees beyond religion, race and party affiliation. We are a Government for all peoples.I have visited many farmers during the last flood and I have been engaging the relevant authorities to alleviate the plight of these people. For your information I’m a Guyanese. I have a commitment to these farmers and to understand their problems and the problems of Guysuco you do not need to be a ‘rocket scientist’ or have an MBA. Even the average cane-cutter knows what is happening but is being brainwashed by so called Politician and GAWU. In trying to link me as the facilitator for the privatization of Skeldon and linking me to one of the Companies who have shown an expression of interest to purchase it shows the many assumptions that Mr.Suenarine is willing to make himself newsworthy. This is not unlike his mentor, the man who wants to be a third-term President of Guyana. This is ‘power drunk’ sir. I am a humble man who wants the best for his fellowmen and my needs are satisfied and my wants are few. My office has been fulfilling a vitally important function in this Region and you know it. You know what? I enjoy people chasing me since to do that they have to follow me. GobinHarbhajan R e g i o n a l Representative- Office of the Prime Minister Regional Democratic Councilor Region 6
Another manifestation of APNU+AFC conspiracy DEAR EDITOR, This week we see another mind-boggling APNU+AFC conspiracy. It is not hyperbole, but each new day exposes yet another shameless act. What is even more reprehensible is that leaders of APNU+AFC so bare-facedly defend APNU+AFC with reckless and arrogant excuses. Citizens of Guyana are genuinely concerned that the Procurement Commission is on the sidelines, SOCU is taking another convenient hibernating nap, significant members of civil society, such as Transparency International and the Private Sector Commission, and the diplomatic community is silent. The latest scandal is the exposure that the feasibility study for the Demerara Harbour Bridge which cost more than $146M was solesourced to a Dutch Company. The facts are clear: · The government tendered for a feasibility study for the Demerara Harbour Bridge. A prefeasibility for this bridge was completed under the PPP previously. · 22 companies submitted expressions of interests · APNU+AFC considered the 22 submissions and short-listed 12 of these 22 companies as having met the legal and technical requirements to bid for this contract · Two of the 12 shortlisted companies submitted bids · APNU+AFC considered the two bids and disqualified one because the price exceeded $US800,000. I have to presume that APNU+AFC had indicated that the price-tag could not exceed $US800,000. · This must mean that the second bidder, one which was previously cleared as legally and technically eligible, must have submitted a bid under $US800,000. · Instead of awarding the contract to this company, APNU+AFC SECRETLY annulled (cancelled) the bidding process. · APNU+AFC then
proceeded to SECRETLY sole-sourced a company that never expressed interest in the feasibility study for the bridge and SECRETLY awarded them a contract for $146M · No one in Guyana, other than Patterson and some of his APNU+AFC colleagues, appears to know where and how the Dutch Company became part of this process. There are many questions. · Why was there a need to annul the original bidding? · Why was there a need to sole-source a new contractor? · Why was all of this a BIG SECRET? · Why is it that Minister Patterson is only now informing the Guyanese people that the original tender and bidding was annulled for APNU+AFC to sole-source the Dutch Company? Clearly, the process is so bad, that it is threatening Guyana’s democracy and good governance. The stench from this corrupted deal is emanating from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, the Ministry of Finance. Various Guyanese institutions are required to become engaged. The PPP, through its Parliamentary Whip, Gail Teixeria, has called upon the Public Procurement Commission to immediately investigate the circumstances surrounding the solesourcing of the Feasibility Study for the Demerara Harbour Bridge. The Public Procurement Commission cannot continue its silence on this matter. It is their obligation to question why $146M of taxpayers’ money was expended with clear abrogation of the procurement laws of Guyana. The Public Procurement Commission is a constitutional arrangement that many people proclaimed
as an anti-corruption imperative. In Opposition, APNU+AFC demanded its establishment. Today, there are many among us who are becoming disillusioned thinking that the Public Procurement Commission is not playing its role as an anticorruption instrument. This is a transaction that must be immediately publicly debated in Parliament. None of us should hold our breath for this or we will surely die. First APNU+AFC will never agree to a public debate and second, the Speaker will never allow a motion to urgently debate this matter. Civic Society also must play its role and all of us must speak up. The Private Sector Commission, Transparency International, other organizations must allow their voices to be heard. In the midst of the everyday orgy of corruption playing out in Guyana, the diplomatic corp whose voices were loud pre-May 2015 is totally silent today. They have no eyes to see, no ears to hear and definitely no heart to feel the pain of the nation. The diplomatic corp., particularly the ABC countries, each passing day is further confirming their complicity with APNU+AFC in solidifying dictatorship in Guyana. Lastly, where is SOCU? It is in hibernation presently. It only wakes up to harass and intimidate people it sees as former or present PPP supporters. If there is a matter that clearly calls for a SOCU investigation, it is this matter. This is not just a simple case of corruption goneamok. Based on what SOCU has been investigating as criminal matters or potential criminal matters, this present transaction is more than qualified to make its case-list. Dr. Leslie Ramsammy
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Small amount of marijuana Police Service Commission should not have promoted these ranks must be decriminalised DEAR EDITOR, The current legal regime, as contained in the “Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (control) Act”, against the possession of small amounts of marijuana attempts to prevent a low quantum of harm to society at a very high cost. In other words, the costs imposed on the health care and welfare systems by marijuana use are negligible compared to the costs associated with enforcing current marijuana possession laws. Specifically, the provisions that mandate imprisonment as punishment are not appropriate in the circumstances. The societal interest in prohibiting marijuana possession must take into account, one the one hand, the burden that marijuana use imposes on the health care system, and, on the other, the costs incurred by society because of enforcing the
current laws. A cursory observation shows that the costs imposed on the health care system by marijuana are negligible compared to the costs associated with enforcing the current imprisonment regime. While this opinion is based on observations, the state, via the Parliament, should fund and commission empirical studies to ascertain the extent of this, so as to be guided accordingly and act proportionately with respect to the penalties imposed. Additionally, it can be argued that the current laws stand in violation of the harm principle and civil liberties of individuals. As postulated by John Stuart Mill in his seminal work On Liberty: “The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.” In this regard, a criminal sanction of imprisonment should be reserved for those
whose conduct causes a risk of harm to others and infringes on the rights or freedoms of other individuals. The choice of using marijuana is a strictly personal decision, because it is the individual who suffers the change in perception, mood and state of consciousness brought about by the use of marijuana. It is the individual who deals with the consequences of his or her decision, without disturbing or affecting the rest of society. This becomes more so admissible when taken together with the establishment of similar legislation as the recently signed Tobacco Control Bill that prohibits public smoking. It is time that our policy makers enact legislation to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. Clinton Urling Society of Marijuana Advocates for Reform and Treatment (SMART)
Freddie is afraid to lose his Black friends over Nicholas-Garrett DEAR EDITOR, Ok Freddie, your Sunday’s edition was digested as you condoned the behaviour of Ms. Garrett. Yes, there are words that we don’t use in our society when we are among people of different circles and you know just as well as others including myself, had an East Indian Guyanese used the term ‘Blackman’ in the same circle would you have made your critique vocal - guess not. It’s not the behaviour you dispensed in any environment or forum where they are people of all categories. It just depicts your taste as well as those who used it. Is this how you expect a nation to develop by calling them names? We have
many more important issues to deal with living in Guyana day to day and you just add another one. Would the ‘N’ word ever be used in any Western nation in public places and don’t get the attention or a fight in the judicial system? No, will never happen, and you know it. Mind your tongue. Yes, you do compare Guyana with the North America we know today and yesterday. Good for you! I’ve read so much of your criticism of the Guyanese society and here you agreed upon an obnoxious behaviour. How come you don’t call a spade a spade? Are you somewhat afraid you’re going lose your friendship with the black
man? Say who you are, be proud of who you are and speak up against the values and principles you claim you uphold as a good and caring citizen of a faltered society and nation with no moral concepts. Indians, like me, will certainly agree this is not the way you address us and we are not going to sit easy with it. There will be no COI. That, I can say much of! Had it been the other way around, certainly the monster would have raised its ugly head. Guess it’s OK to address the Preze as ‘da old Blackman’? What’s good for the goose must be good for the gander. Something to digest Freddie! Harry B Ontario- Canada
DEAR EDITOR, I accept as generally correct and sound, former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Satyanand’s point about article 212(1) of the Constitution, the Police (Discipline) Act Cap 17:01, the Police Compliants Authority Act, Cap 17:02 and the respective roles/functions of the PSC, the DPP, PCA and the CoP, including matters of delegation, and appeals. However, he conveniently omits to mention that the PSc has absolutely no role or function as regards the recommending, charging or prosecuting of CRIMINAL offences (such as theft of fuel) as in the Criminal Law (offences) Act Cap 8:01; and/ or Summary Jurisdiction (offences) Act Cap 8:01; and so its recommendation to the CoP in relation to that theft of fuel allegation was constitutionally misconceived, and outside its constitutional ambit. I know that the theft of fuel allegation involves both a criminal and a disciplinary offence; but the DPPs recommendation must have been in respect of the criminal offence. And the PSC did not err on the side of taking disciplinary action, but rather, on the side of not taking disciplinary action. I mentioned one other aspect not mentioned in the GCs editorial, or Clinton
Conway’s letter. Readers (who are not lawyers) would be astonished to know that by article 226 (6), the Constitution itself has made the PSC to all practical purposes and intent, (if no fundamental right is involved) a law unto itself. Because of article 226(6) as confirmed in case law (Thomas – dismissal of ASP by a PSC for disciplinary offences) even the Supreme Courts have no jurisdiction, or right, to inquire into the validity of the PSCs decision, once it is performing its article 212(1) functions/powers of, inter alia, “to exercise disciplinary control” (ie in relation to offences against discipline involving Inspector to Assistant Commissioner). No matter how the conduct of senior ranks may be a discredit to the reputation of the force; no matter how senior ranks may have misconducted themselves in investigations touching and concerning the Head of State’s security, if ex hypothesi, the PSC instead of disciplining those ranks, rewards them with promotion, that PSC decision because of article 226(6) is final. It cannot be successfully challenged in the Courts by the Government! And I submit that it is just such finality that also, implicitly, creates in the PSC, a correlative duty to vindicate
the public trust, and avoid abuses of it. Such avoidance did not happen in this matter. Where so much for reaching power is entrusted, much is expected in its exercise. I end with this: there seems to have been nurtured an Orwellian syndrome of unaccountability and irreproachability in some members of the GPF (as in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” ‘pigs’ being more equal than the other animals). That presents a clear and grave danger to our national security? Ranks could have been induced and permitted to think that they are not disciplinable. Society is the casualty. And it may well be the case, that this Orwellian syndrome explains the audacity of the now infamous phrase of “inherently incredible” in the just concluded Paul Slowe chaired COI. In life, nothing is too farfetched; those misconducting ranks should all be made to watch a movie based on the real life Rwandan genocide of 1994.The notion might seem novel, but for me the Omesh Satyanand chaired PSC abuses of public trust are such as to amount to the crime of misfeasance/misconduct in public office (in a subsequent letter I will stir some points about this). Maxwell E. Edwards
Public Procurement Commission, can... From page 4 dissenting opinion was not included in the report of the Commission. The reason proffered is that a dissenting opinion is not permissible. As a result, the issue of whether a member of the Commission can lawfully and properly submit a dissenting opinion has arisen. The fact that this Commission is “independent and impartial” necessarily means that outside of the Constitution, which creates it, this Commission is self-regulatory. Therefore, it can formulate its own rules of procedure to govern it. The Constitution is silent on these procedural matters. As far as I am aware, the PPC has not yet formulated any procedural regulations to govern the way it is to function. Therefore, currently, there is no prohibition against a member of the Commission expressing a dissenting opinion or preparing a report, which is inconsistent with a report of the other members. It would be advisable, that the PPC formulate its own regulations, which will guide its future work, both in terms of procedure and substance, as soon as possible. It is of fundamental importance that those rules be intra vires and consistent with the Constitution and any other law governing the PPC. If not, those regulations will be ultra vires, unconstitutional and unlawful. Significantly, these regulations cannot be designed, either in their letter or in their spirit, to compromise or in any manner whatsoever, affect or interfere with, the independence and impartiality of the Commission. I must emphasize that the impartiality and independence with which the Constitution
imbue this Commission, is not confined to the Commission as a unitary whole but apply with equal force to each of its constituent part. What this means, is that not only is the Commission as a body independent and impartial vis-a-vis extraneous influences, it is equally intrinsically independent. Therefore, each individual member of the Commission is independent of the other and is entitled to hold views and opinions, which are independent of other Commissioners. In other words, even the chairperson has no authority to silence the view of any Commissioner; neither do four commissioners have the authority to silence the view of one. In the end, therefore, with or without Regulations, a dissenting view or a minority report would be permissible. This same principle applies in and to the Judiciary. The Judiciary is not only independent as a unitary whole against extraneous influences but each judge enjoys individual independence from other judges in the discharge of his or her judicial functions. This is the reason why in a Court comprising of more than one judges, there is sometimes a dissenting judgement. It is perfectly proper and lawful for same to obtain and this practice dates back centuries. Therefore, any intended regulation that would attempt to prohibit a dissenting view from a member of the Commission would be unconstitutional and unlawful. The PPC is a public body and its work is public. Regulations, which are designed to cloud the work of this Commission in secrecy, would again, run afoul of the Constitution. Anil Nandlall
Monday September 25, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Sophia consultations continue on Road Network Upgrade and Expansion Programme Residents of Block ‘F’ and Block ‘R’ Sophia were engaged in consultations as the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) moves closer to securing a loan which will facilitate community development in these and other areas. Residents highlighted issues relating to inadequate drainage; poor infrastructure along with squatting which continue to be longstanding issues in Sophia. Even as works are expected to be soon completed in these areas, persons were concerned about regularisation of squatters, since most of them are squatting. Andy Drepaul, a resident of Block ‘R’ Extension noted that he, along with other persons, is aware that the government is seeking to regularise the area, but wanted an update as to when this will be possible. Senior Community Development officer of the CH&PA, Donell Bess-Bascom, who led these consultations, sought a response from the person responsible for this aspect, related that the process is still ongoing. However, she was unable to say when Block ‘R’ Extension will be reached. Included in the project is drainage rehabilitation. It is expected that even as the programme is rolled out, some degree of flooding is to be alleviated. Several residents have complained of severe flooding during rainy season. Government has earmarked Sophia as one of the communities to benefit from the Road Network Upgrade and Expansion Programme. Under this initiative, $30M US
Senior Community Development Officer, Central Housing and Planning Authority, Donell Bess-Bascom will be loaned to Guyana to conduct infrastructural upgrades in communities. Discussions are currently in the pipeline at the technical level with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to ensure that some works begin in 2018. Bess-Bascom told residents that this programme will see the community benefitting from road and sidewalk construction, streetlight installation, upgrades to community grounds and building and will also provide subsidies for the construction of core homes as well as for home improvement projects. She further explained that the approval of this programme is expected by December. “The project is currently in negotiation stage. We will be signing off on this project by December so that is why we are talking to you now rather than after the project is
signed.” Bess-Bascom explained that the home improvement and core home subsidies will only be granted to eligible persons. “These subsidies, the core house and home improvement are intended for persons who have challenges in being able to afford to improve their living conditions.” CH&PA engineer, Shaud Majeed further clarified what the core home project hopes to accomplish. “This is if you have a home which you have started, like you see most Guyanese do and cannot complete it, the ministry is now taking it upon themselves, with the help of the IDB to assist you to complete your home whether it be concrete or wood.” Adding to this, BessBascom disclosed livelihoods will be disrupted when the infrastructural works will commence. She cited examples of owners of roadside businesses not being able to efficiently carry out their day to day operations and drivers having to comply with diversions when the road construction begins. Upgrades to community grounds basically include rehabilitation and installation of amenities such as spectator stands and washroom facilities which will allow residents of the communities to utilise the space for recreational activities. Before the consultations came to a close, residents recommended that more meetings of this nature be facilitated whenever there are plans to conduct infrastructural development to the area.
Monday September 25, 2017
Guyana will remain stuck unless there is real Constitutional Reform By Abena Rockcliffe- Campbell Political scientist, Dr. David Hinds thinks that no amount of oil money can save Guyana from its current trajectory. Dr. Hinds thinks that Constitutional Reform is imperative to the dismantling of racial divide which in turn is vital for progress in Guyana. In airing his views, Dr. Hinds has added to the echoing call for constitutional reform. His voice is added to that of the United Kingdom, Carter Center, attorney-at law Nigel Hughes, and several other prominent names in the Guyanese society. In fact even the current government promised constitutional reform. But the progress along this line, to many, seems slow. Yesterday, Dr. Hinds said that a constitution ought to be a living document that is constantly adjusted to meet the social, political, economic and cultural realities of the society. He said that downplaying constitutional reform assumes that the society is stuck in time, that it is not dynamic. Dr. Hinds opined, “You don’t move from colonialism to freedom without constantly adjusting your constitutions to achieve the latter. It is a constant process in which you strengthen just laws, stamp out unjust ones and replace them with progressive ones.” The political scientist said that the proof of an effective constitution is its ability to guarantee political and social stability while protecting citizens from the wrath of institutional power and from
Racial inequality, winner takes all politics must be addressed - Dr. Hinds
Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall
Political Scientist, Dr. David Hinds
their fellow citizens. He said, “A just constitution in our case must simultaneously guarantee rights and liberty to individuals and groups and promote democracy and ethnic equality.” Dr. Hinds noted that Guyana was given a constitution at independence that in the final analysis enabled rather that contained our ethnic divide. “Were there good things in that independence constitution? Yes. But there were aspects of it that were invariably exploited by the political elites in their pursuit of normalizing an authoritarian state.” Hinds acknowledged the fact that the 1980 constitution enshrined rights that were not expressed in the independence constitution. He said however that it simultaneously strengthened the authoritarian state, “in particular the powers of the executive. It also continued to enable ethnic dominance by
keeping in place the winnertake-all device.” Dr. Hinds said that the 2001 reforms were aimed at dismantling that authoritarian state and doing something about the winner-take-all system. However, he said that, “While there were some modifications, it did not treat in any fundamental way with the twin-problem of executive tyranny and ethnic dominance. Two decades later, the society cries out for corrective measures on these fronts.” Dr. Hinds referred to an article published in this newspaper where former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall aired his views on the need for constitutional reform. That article can be read here: https:/ / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2017/09/23/political-maturityconstitutional-compliancemore-vital-than-their-reforms. Dr. Hinds said that he completely agrees with (Continued on page 24)
Monday September 25, 2017
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WHAT ABOUT THE PARENTS? Violence in schools is not a major problem in every school. Only a handful of schools in the country have reached the stage where violence is a serious problem. And while there must be attempts to highlight and discuss this plague, the problem should not be generalised as one afflicting the entire educational system in Guyana. It is a problem limited to a small number of schools and it can be dealt with without massive anti-violence programmes being initiated by the educational authorities. The educational system should not be blamed for this problem. And since much of the problematic violence that takes place has its roots outside of the school system, parents should bear a greater responsibility in seeking solutions to the problems, rather than simply leaving the question of violence in schools as one for the educational authorities to address. The students that engage in violent criminal acts, such as stabbing and assaulting other students, need help. They are products of their
environment and in many cases, this includes their homes. Many of them have an attitude, one that shows little respect for authority and in this case, the authority of their teachers. This disrespect for teachers is a much more pervasive problem and is not limited only to those who are prone to violence. Teachers suffer a great deal of indignity in their workplace, not least of which is a certain disrespect which comes from the fact that they can no longer command the sort of respect they had in the past because their poor incomes often see them being poorer than the very children they have to teach. But when it comes to violence, the real disrespect stems not from considerations of class, but rather from the home training that many of the violent kids receive, or rather the lack of such training. Too many parents are not taking a keen interest in the wellbeing of their kids. They are leaving too much of the upbringing of these kids to social institutions such as schools. And whenever there is a problem, the public wants
DEM BOYS SEH
to blame the educational system and expect the educational system to take remedial action, when in fact the parents should be the ones who should be leading the way in bringing about improvements. This is not to dismiss the positive role that can be played by teachers. The public school system does not provide sufficient opportunities for parents to interact on a one-on-one basis. General parent-teacher meetings are not the best way to proceed. These meetings are about general issues in the school, but when it comes to assessing individual students what is required is for twice every term for meetings to be held between teachers and parents so that teachers can discuss with parents the problems that their child may be having in school. A great many parents do not know what is going on with their children. Often when they know about a problem it is far gone. Parents also have to share the blame because often the virus of deviant behaviour is spread from what the children are seeing in their home environment. Thus a child
THIS MAN AND MAN THING RAMPANT A man lef Nigeria and went to Uncle Sam many moons ago. He seh at first marriage between two man was illegal. He seh later, that kind of man and man thing become acceptable. Then de damn thing become legal. He tell dem boys he betta get out de country before Uncle Sam mek it compulsory. Guyana quick to pick up wha happen in de States faster than how de US citizens demself. De man and man thing deh in Guyana and it becoming worrying. Two of dem heading fuh court fuh that li’l boy who dem sodomise and kill. Dem boys sympathise wid de family. De two of dem was doing this man and man thing fuh a lang time. A lot of young boys complain bout de attack and when dem report de police didn’t do nutten. Dem boys only hope that wha happen to that li’l boy open up all de police eyes. It could happen to dem family. It could even happen to dem. That man and man thing really rampant. Couple morning back two man get married and upset some
people. A man was so upset and annoyed that he shoot at dem during de wedding reception. De people seh dem didn’t know who was bride and who was groom. All dem hear is one holler how he get shoot in he breast. Dem boys seh this kind of behavior come from Uncle Sam. Other things come too. In Robb Street dem got stores that does have signboard talking bout Summer Sale. One and two got signboard saying Spring sale.
Don’t be surprised come Christmas time when snow falling in de States Guyana will have signboards that seh Snow sales. And come January some gun even seh Slow sales when all de people money done. But de States does copy from Guyana, too. Guyana had a president name Donald Dumb and dem go and elect one and name Donald Dump. Talk half and hope de people from these two nations stop this copying from each other.
who is exposed to abusive behaviour and rambunctious behaviour at home is likely to display similar trends while at school. Many parents are also not adequately supervising their children when they are home. They are simply allowing them to do as they please. All play needs to be supervised because while it may not have disastrous consequences when children are unsupervised at home, unmanaged play outside of the home involve huge risks. There is growing tendency in this country for
parents to leave their children to do as they please during playtime. And what happens invariably is that these children hook up with other children and begin to roam. This is where the trouble starts because often when children move around purposelessly on the streets in groups, it is an invitation for mischief making. The younger ones are easily led astray and what begins as innocent playtime turns out the wrong way and the children can find themselves in bad company. These children are
products of their environment and therefore the Ministry of Education should not shoulder the sole responsibility for reforming these children. The parents should be held responsible and should also be forced to undergo counselling since very often it is parental neglect that has created the truant. This is something which should be considered.
Monday September 25, 2017
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Gaming Authority has every right to ensure the integrity of individuals seeking casino licenses By Abena RockcliffeCampbell Nigel Hinds, the auditor of Sleep-In International and Casino Inc., recently wrote a letter expressing disgust over the manner in which he claimed Clifton Bacchus is being treated in his attempt to “make his dream a reality.” Hinds’ letter of almost 1000 words reflected some of the information being required of the hotel from the Gaming Authority. He essentially said that the Gaming Authority is frustrating the application process and his overstepping its authority in some of the requirements. That entire letter can be read following this link: https:/ / www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/ 2017/09/24/the-casinolicense-application-of-sleepin-international-hotel/. Subsequent to the publication of the letter in yesterday’s newspaper, Kaieteur News contacted the Chairman of the Gaming Authority, Roysdale Forde. Forde refused to comment on the letter in its entirety. He said, “The authority will not be responding to the content of the letter, if they (Sleep-In) want to make this application process public they can but we will not.” However, Forde was keen to note that, “no amount of media publicity and sensationalism will throw us off our mandate and that is to ensure that those who are granted license fulfill all necessary requirements.” He stressed that the Authority is required by law to fulfill its mandate. Forde said, “The one
thing I will say is that there is no attempt to frustrate the process.” The Guyana Constitution dictates that any company that is to be granted a casino license must be deemed wholly “fit and proper.” In making sure companies are fit and proper, it would be incumbent on the Authority to make sure that the principals of the applying company are also fit and proper. Hinds is peeved over the fact that the Gaming Authority issued a letter dated August 3, 2017, addressed to Sleep Inn International Casino and Hotel Inc., and another letter dated August 21, 2017, requesting seven years of Individual Income Tax Returns of the Directors and Shareholders. There was also a request for seven years of tax returns for Sleep-In International Hotel and Casino Inc. Hinds said that this request should not have been made simply because the casino licence application clearly stated and showed the certificate that Sleep Inn International Hotel and Casino was incorporated in 2015. Hinds said, “We learnt during the week ending September 23, 2017, from a pillar of the mainstream media that the Government of Guyana is seeking casino partners for the Marriott. I do wonder whether these partners will be asked to provide their Individual Income Tax Returns and whether this absurd request for Individual Income Tax returns extends to all investors – local and overseas.” He continued, “Mr.
Bacchus is a Guyanese who has supported all and sundry; be they from the red party or the green party. It seems that Mr. Bacchus dream is being made impossible to achieve; frustrated by unauthorized, unmerited or ridiculous requests. Some of these requests are not covered by the Gaming Authority Act.” Hinds also noted that Bacchus’ personal Income Tax returns are requested. “It seems to me that the Board of the Gaming Authority has acted beyond the remit of the Gaming Authority Act. My understanding of tax law is that only GRA has right of access to an individual’s tax return or same can be provided based on a request sanctioned by the President of Guyana. I appeal to President Granger to put an end to the tortuous and seemingly malicious process…” Hinds made note of the fact that the government of Guyana under former President Donald Ramotar signed off on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a hotel and casino. He said that this was followed by Goinvest, Guyana Revenue Authority, the Ministry of Finance under former President Ramotar and President Granger approving and granting duty and taxfree imports for the hotel and casino. “Our Government officials must include all Guyanese in their mission to serve and provide the good life.”
Auditor, Nigel Hinds
Chairman of Gaming Authority, Roysdale Forde
Owner of Sleep-In, Clifton Bacchus
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Kaieteur News
Monday September 25, 2017
Monday September 25, 2017
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Kaieteur News
T&T joins call for multi-dimensional St. Kitts Nevis signs visa waiver approach for development assistance agreement with Russian Federation UNITED NATIONS, United States - (CMC) - The twin island republic of Trinidad and Tobago has joined other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states in calling for a multidimensional approach for development assistance. Dennis Moses, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, told the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly Debate on Saturday that this approach takes into consideration “real national needs and priorities, and takes into account these extraordinary circumstances, to provide access to development assistance, aid and debt relief.” From shifting weather patterns, to global warming, to sea level rise, Moses said the impacts of climate change are “global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Noting that while Trinidad and Tobago, which is in the southernmost part of Caribbean, was spared from the ravages of these hurricanes, Moses said “it is with empathy that I extend, on behalf of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago, heartfelt condolences to our Caribbean family. But the Foreign and
Dennis Moses CARICOM Affairs Minister said rebuilding will require resources, as well as the cooperation and collaboration of the international community, “because we simply cannot do it alone.” But Moses said CDEMA will need additional resources and funding to enable the organization to do even more to facilitate its immediate responses to natural disaster. Through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC], Moses said Trinidad and Tobago has indicated its intention to reduce its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions in its public transportation sector by 30 percent by December 31,
2030, compared to 2013 levels. He said Trinidad and Tobago has, therefore, framed its national development plan for the period 2016 to 2030, titled “Vision 2030” with its thematic focus, “Many hearts. Many Voices, One Vision” in keeping with the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. In this context, Moses said Trinidad and Tobago has mapped its national development goals in accordance with global priorities and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He said Trinidad and Tobago and the United Nations signed the MultiCountry Strategic Development Framework (MSDF) in April 2017. The twin-island republic is also “pleased” that the recently completed Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) has initiated a recalibration of the United Nations Development System (UNDS), Moses said. He said this would better support developing countries, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS), in the implementation of the programs of action, including the SAMOA Pathway and the 2030 Agenda.
Tourism sector to be back on track by November TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands - CMC – Premier Dr. Orlando Smith says the territory’s tourism sector will reopen for business as early as November. Smith, who is also the Minister of Tourism, made reference to the charter industry, noting that every effort is being made to accommodate guests in the coming weeks. “Despite losses, charter companies are already working to ensure guests enjoy the sailing capital of the world this coming tourist season. By the end of November, at least one property had made it clear that they will have 120 boats in the water. I have no doubt that others will do the same.” He said the tourism sector, which accounts for one in four jobs in the British Overseas territory, was suspended after Hurricane, Irma hit the BVI, followed by Hurricane Maria that passed near the territory two weeks after.
Dr. Orlando Smith Meanwhile, the government is concerned about the possibility of oil spilling into the ocean from several yachts and boats that were sunken during the passage of Hurricane Irma. According to Minister for Natural Resources, Dr. Kedrick Pickering, meetings are being held with yacht owners to seek out preventative measures.
“You are well aware that there are a number of sunken yachts in our waters and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour, with due concern for the environment, have been holding m e e t i n g s with the charter yacht industry and other related individuals to see how best we can mitigate against, especially oil spills from the boats that have sunk,” Pickering said. He added that careful attention must be paid to the environment even as work is being done to have the charter yacht industry up and running as quickly as possible.
Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Serguey Lavrov (left) and Foreign Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis H.E. Mark Brantley (right) sign visa waiver agreement. NEW YORK - CMC – A waiver agreement has been signed between the Dr. Timothy Harris led administration and the Russian Federation. The agreement, signed on Friday by St. Kitts Nevis Foreign Minister Mark Brantley and his Russian counterpart H.E. Serguey Lavrov allows citizens of both countries to travel for up to 90 days to each other’s countries without the need for a visa. The government of St. Kitts Nevis says the signing signals a significant deepening of the bilateral relations between the two
countries and affords a platform for continued engagement between both countries. During the signing, Brantley and Lavrov spoke at length to the relationship already existing between the two countries and the ongoing efforts to grow that relationship. The visa waiver signing brings to 12 the number of countries which have recently signaled similar agreements with Kitts and Nevis. The visa waiver takes effect 60 days from the date of signing.
Venezuela slams Canada sanctions, says Ottawa submitting to Trump CARACAS (Reuters) Venezuela’s government criticized C a n a d a ’s weekend announcement of targeted sanctions against 40 of its senior officials, accusing Ottawa of “submission” to U.S. President Donald Trump in a bid to overthrow the South American country’s leftist administration. Canada’s move, which followed a similar decision by the United States, came after months of protests against President Nicolas Maduro’s government. At least 125 people were killed in the demonstrations. Critics say Maduro has plunged the nation into its worst economic crisis ever and brought it to the brink of dictatorship. Maduro says he was facing a U.S.-backed “armed insurrection” seeking to foment a coup.
Nicolas Maduro C a n a d a ’s m e a s u r e s include freezing the assets of the officials and banning Canadians from having any dealings with them. Caracas late on Friday night decried the sanctions as a sign of external
meddling and an attempt to churn up turmoil in Venezuela. “Canada’s government established ... an immoral association of subordination with the government of President Donald Trump with the clear aim of overthrowing Venezuela’s constitutional government using economic sanctions as political weapons,” the government said in a statement. Last month, Trump signed an executive order that prohibits dealings in new debt from the Venezuelan government or its state oil company in an effort to halt financing that the White House said fuels M a d u r o ’s “dictatorship.” The Trump administration also sanctioned Maduro in July.
PM urges citizens to unite around common purpose Trinidad Express – Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is urging citizens to remain united around a common purpose, which should be to move the country in the direction of excellence. He said achieving Independence and Republican status are not in themselves the final goal. “Rather, it is how we use these milestones to benefit all
our citizens that will distinguish us on the world stage,” Rowley said. In his Republic Day message to the nation Saturday, Rowley stressed that upholding democra-tic principles and institutions may not always be easy. But he said with hard work and faith in God, the journey will be successful.
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Monday September 25, 2017
Kaieteur News
Petroleum law sets limit of 60 oil blocks per company
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But PPP gave ExxonMobil 10 times that number - Ram According to Guyana’s laws, companies are to be awarded 60 oil blocks. But under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), USA oil giant, ExxonMobil was granted approximately 10 times the amount. This was unearthed recently by Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram. In his recent writings, the lawyer noted that it was on June 14, 1999 that a Petroleum Agreement and Prospecting Licence was signed by former President Janet Jagan granting approximately 600 blocks. Ram noted that this was an obvious error by the then PPP/C Government. He said, “In the first place, Janet Jagan granted the company a Prospecting Licence over approximately six hundred blocks when the law sets a limit of 60 blocks, except where special reasons exist for a larger number.” The Chartered
Chartered Accountant, Chris Ram Accountant stressed that it would not be easy to justify an excess of nine times. He also stated that those who granted such an excess should be called upon to explain to the nation what were the special circumstances under which it was granted.
London mayor says Britain should not host President Trump on state visit LONDON (Reuters) - London Mayor Sadiq Khan said yesterday that it would be wrong for Britain to host U.S. President Donald Trump on a state visit, describing some of the U.S. leader’s views on Islam as “ignorant”. Khan and Trump have a history. During the U.S. presidential election campaign, Khan was among many people who spoke out against Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States, an idea he said would play into the hands of extremists. Trump has criticised Khan, accusing the mayor of making a “pathetic excuse” over his statement urging Londoners not to be alarmed by the presence of additional police on the streets in response to an attack in June. At the annual conference of his opposition Labour Party, Khan told an audience with GuardianLive that he thought having a state visit, which Prime Minister Theresa May has said is still planned, was “wrong”. “I sometimes think people are ignorant,” he said, adding that it was his job to educate them.
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Monday September 25, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Merkel hangs on to power but Investors wary as Tanzania moves bleeds support to surging far right to assert more control over mines
German Chancellor Angela Merkel react in Berlin after the first exit polls. (Credit: Reuters) BERLIN (Reuters) -German Chancellor Angela Merkel won a fourth term in office yesterday but Europe’s most powerful leader will have to govern with a far less stable coalition in a fractured parliament after her conservatives haemorrhaged support to a surging far right. Two years after Merkel left German borders open to more than 1 million migrants, the antiimmigration. Alternative for Germany (AfD) stunned the establishment by becoming the first far-right party to enter parliament in more than half a century. The AfD won 13.0 percent of the vote - more than expected and one of many shocks on a night of drama that saw Merkel’s conservatives get their worst result since 1949, and her main Social Democrat (SPD) rivals their worst since 1933. Describing the far right’s success as a test for Germans, Merkel insisted she had a mandate to govern - a formidable challenge as she has little choice but to cobble together a three-way coalition with a pro-business group and the Greens. “Of course we had hoped for a slightly better result,” a humbled Merkel said after her conservative bloc slumped to 32.9 percent of the vote down from 41.5 percent at the last election in 2013. But she added: “We are the strongest party, we have the mandate to build the next government - and there cannot be a coalition government built against us.” The euro EUR=E4 slipped around 0.4 percent in early Asian trading as it became clear the results would make forming a coalition tricky for Merkel. Coalition building could take months as Merkel’s only straightforward path to a majority in parliament would be a three-way tie-up with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens - an arrangement untested at national level. The Social Democrats, who
have served with Merkel’s conservatives as junior partners in a “grand coalition” for the past four years, won just 20.6 percent of the vote, as nearly half of voters repudiated the two parties that have dominated Germany since World War Two. SPD leader Martin Schulz said the party would refuse to rejoin a coalition and instead take up its position as the main opposition. The Social Democrats appear to have been hurt badly by being in government, making it difficult to distinguish themselves from Merkel’s conservatives. After shock election results last year, from Britain’s vote to leave the EU to the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, leaders of Europe’s establishment have looked to Merkel to rally the liberal Western order. A pastor’s daughter who grew up in Communist East Germany, she has acted as an anchor of stability in Europe and
beyond. Now, she faces an unstable situation at home as she must form a coalition, an arduous process that could take months. Monday’s election, fought against the tense backdrop of surging support for far left and far right parties across Europe, delivered a fractured German parliament with six party groups, up from four previously. Josef Joffe, publishereditor of Germany weekly Die Zeit, said the vote marked a “tectonic shift in German politics” and that the threeway coalition Merkel looks likely to try to forge will be “highly unstable”. Leading AfD candidate Alexander Gauland vowed his party would “hunt” the new government, whatever its make-up, adding: “We’ll get our country and our people back.” In France, far-right leader Marine Le Pen congratulated the AfD, tweeting: “Bravo to our AfD allies for this historic showing!”
NAIROBI/LONDON (Reuters) - New laws and a crackdown on mining firms in Tanzania has slowed fresh investment in what has long been seen as one of Africa’s brightest mining prospects as companies assess the consequences of government efforts to claim a bigger slice of the pie. Takeover bids and exploration plans have been cancelled and workers laid off. The share prices of many firms listed in Australia, Britain, South Africa and Canada with interests in Tanzania have halved as the value of their investments tumble. The tumult follows the passage of three laws in July that, among other things, hike taxes on mineral exports, mandate a higher government stake in some mining operations and force the construction of local smelters to bring Tanzania higher up the mining food chain. The regulations aim to stamp out what President John Magufuli, nicknamed “the Bulldozer”, has called years of corrupt practices and tax evasion that have robbed the country of revenue from a sector accounting for about four percent of GDP. Many of the changes were first suggested by the political opposition and have proved wildly popular with voters in Tanzania, where GDP per capita is still only $880. International investors are not happy, however, especially because the details remain unclear. Magufuli fired the minister of mining in May
Tanzania President John Magufuli and he has not been replaced. Junior explorer Manas Resources (MSR.AX) expected to complete its acquisition of the Victoria Gold Project from Cienega Sarl by early 2018, but the company told Reuters it may run out of time if there is no clarity soon. “Because of the changes in legislation and the time being taken to implement new regulations, the sector has slowed down to a point where it is impacting exploration activities and our capacity to finalise the deal,” said Manas CEO Phil Reese. The director of one minerals company said he is shutting his Tanzanian office because he believes the laws will make it illegal for him to recoup the cost of his many unsuccessful exploration projects against the few successful ones, and require him to share his valuable geological data with the government for free. “There will be no nickel and gold exploration in Tanzania for the foreseeable
future,” the head of another company said. Both men asked not to be named to avoid jeopardising their relations with the government. One mining services company said it had laid off more than 50 employees in the last 18 months. Miners in Tanzania vs AU mining index - reut.rs/ 2jEzQpH The first serious blow to mining companies this year came in March, when Tanzania banned the export of gold and copper ore over a tax dispute with the country’s biggest gold miner, Londonlisted Acacia (ACAA.L), and to encourage the construction of domestic smelters. The government says Acacia, majority-owned by Barrick Gold (ABX.TO), owes $190 billion in tax, penalties and interest for the period between 2000 and 2017. But miners say it would be impossible for listed and independently audited companies to hide billions of dollars in extra revenue. They also argue Tanzania does not produce enough ore to make building a smelter commercially viable. Africa’s fourth-largest gold producer, the country is also a source of graphite, diamonds, tanzanite and rare earth minerals. Under the new regulations, the government can force mining and energy companies to renegotiate contracts to give the state at least 16 percent in projects, rising to 50 percent in some cases, and raise export royalties.
Trump weighs replacement to travel ban SOMERSET, N.J. (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday was considering a replacement to his executive order temporarily barring travel to the United States from several majority-Muslim countries. The current ban, enacted in March and set to expire yesterday evening, extended to travellers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. The new order could fall short of a complete ban, instead tailoring travel restrictions on a country-by-country basis. Trump received a set of policy recommendations on Friday from acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke and was briefed on the matter by other administration officials, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Rex
President Donald Trump Tillerson, a White House aide said. Trump offered little insight yesterday about what might come next, telling reporters only: “The travel
ban: The tougher, the better.” As of Friday, the president had not made a final decision as to the contents of the new order and which nations would be affected, leaving open the possibility the list could be expanded. Rather than a total ban on entry to the United States, the proposed restrictions would differ by nation, based on cooperation with American security mandates, the threat the United States believes each country presents and other variables, Miles Taylor, an aide to Duke, said on Friday. After the Sept. 15 bombing attack on a London train, Trump wrote on Twitter that the new ban “should be far larger, tougher and more specific - but stupidly, that would not be politically
correct.” The expiring ban blocked entry into the United States by people from the six countries for 90 days and locked out most aspiring refugees for 120 days to give Trump’s administration time to conduct a worldwide review of U.S. vetting procedures for foreign visitors. Critics have accused the Republican president of discriminating against Muslims in violation of constitutional guarantees of
religious liberty and equal protection under the law, breaking existing U.S. immigration law and stoking religious hatred. Some federal courts blocked the ban, but the U.S. Supreme Court allowed it to take effect in June with some restrictions. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Oct. 10 on whether the current ban discriminates against Muslims in violation of the U.S. Constitution, as lower courts previously ruled.
Monday September 25, 2017
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Kaieteur News
Don’t ‘fall sweet’ on the quick bucks By: Kiana Wilburg Many countries which are on the verge of developing an oil and gas sector for the first time are often caught up in the sweet rapture of earning billions of dollars in revenue. The leaders of these very states quickly forget to keep their agriculture or manufacturing sectors on the developmental trajectory, leaving the citizenry to feel the economic consequences when the oil market faces a hard time. There are territories however, which have taken stock of the mistakes made by such nations. Guyana’s Caricom sister, Trinidad and Tobago (TT), is a prime example of this. In an interview with Kaieteur News recently, one of TT’s formidable energy leaders, Mr. Ashley John, is warning the Guyanese authorities to seriously consider getting into downstream activities. John has been the President of the Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Ltd. (PLIPDECO) for the past eight years. PLIPDECO is the manager for one of Trinidad’s leading ports which is a hub for downstream activities and makes a 30 percent contribution to the Caribbean island’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The PLIPDECO President told Kaieteur News that the emphasis for many countries that have gotten involved in the oil and gas sector has been “to go after the quick bucks”. He said that Guyana should not fall sweet on the quick money that will come. “The investors would come in and promise the moon and stars and the country could fall into the trap of failing to look at what the long term vision should be and the long term benefits to the country is. I would suggest that the government really surround itself with very good
- TT Energy Leader encourages Guyana to seriously consider downstream activities
Mr. Ashley Taylor, President of Point Lisas Industrial Port Development Corporation Ltd. advisors who are knowledgeable in the industry, be it local or international and work with them on developing a long term strategic plan for the energy sector.” John said that this long term plan would take into account, what information is available from companies of the likes of USA oil giant, ExxonMobil. From that, he opined that they would be able to determine what the short term or the medium term opportunities should be. On that basis, the experienced businessman of the downstream sector said that the country can then be able to lay out a proper road map which would therefore focus usage of the raw materials and resources of the country so as to ensure sustainable development for Guyana. John also noted that there are many other downstream activities that one can get involved in when it comes to oil and gas. He noted however that regardless of the direction the country heads in, be it the production of methanol or ammonia, a number of factors must be considered. “The thing about it, ideally, is that the country should look as much as possible at getting into downstream type
operations because at the end of the day, the further downstream you go, the higher the margins you would stand to make for each molecule of oil extracted.” “If I extracted the gas and I just sold it, the mark up you make on that is marginal. But if you use raw materials to manufacture different things like, methanol, ammonia or plastics, you are able to put a much greater mark up on those things. But they require more input. It is not just a matter of saying I am going to get into it…there has to be a critical mass in terms of how much of this raw material you are actually producing to facilitate implementation of a major downstream sector.” “So for example, if you are only producing five hundred million cubic feet of gas per day, that in itself would not warrant or give you the ability to establish a major downstream and energy sector and put in place a large company of the likes of what is going on with Trinidad and Tobago because one plant or two plants can utilize your entire production…” With this in mind, he said that Guyana’s authorities would have to determine based on what is available, if it wants to establish a major plant. He noted that while he advocates for it, Guyana must decide the best way to go based on analyzing all the available data before plunging head first into downstream activities. GUYANA’S DESIRE The Government of Guyana has already indicated a desire to head into the downstream sector based on findings of associated natural gas by ExxonMobil in the Liza off-
shore well in 2015. As such, the Guyana Government commenced and continues preliminary discussions with ExxonMobil on bringing gas to shore for the purpose of meeting the country’s domestic power and energy demands in the medium term. It was only recently that technical officers attached to various Government bodies as well as ExxonMobil were engaged in another round of discussions for two days at the Marriott Hotel. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon noted that the working group comprised of technical officers from the Ministries of Finance, Natural Resources, Infrastructure, and Business. There were also representatives from the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest), the Guyana Power and Light, the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) and of course, ExxonMobil’s power generation analysts and commercial specialists. Harmon emphasized, “No decisions have been taken at the Governmental level nor have negotiations ensued regarding the development of this project. Discussions were on the commercial use of natural gas as a transitional fuel for Guyana’s economy.” The Cabinet Secretary
said that this could involve the landing of a pipeline to bring gas onshore, the possibility of a power generation facility as well as the design and mapping of an industrial park creating the nexus for other industrial facilities and community development. The Minister said, “No site has been selected for this potential industrial concept and government officers will continue to engage and exercise due diligence in the evaluation and assessment of possible site locations fit for these purposes. Discussions also highlighted the complementary role of natural gas to other renewable sources of energy such as hydro and solar bearing in mind Guyana’s international obligations to becoming a green state economy.” He added, “Natural gas is
a cleaner burning source of energy and therefore provides an alternative option to Guyana’s historical reliance of fuel….” Further, Minister Harmon said that presentations were conducted on local and international power generation experiences particularly as it relates to commercial structures and approaches to power investment. The Minister said that moving forward; the group is expected to review all information in alignment with national priorities and objectives. He said that the group will continue to engage ministers and the relevant entities so as to conduct further works on the areas presented and develop a further understanding of gas exportation from a regulatory financial and policy perspective. The Cabinet Secretary said that the Government is encouraged by the potential to bring natural gas to shore and remains committed to cleaner energy.
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----Opinion by Freddie Kissoon----
The silence of Guyana will bring more Leonard Archibald tragedies The story of the rape and murder of a 13 year old boy in Sisters’ Village in Berbice is not the kind of nihilistic horror you read about in a country with a population of less than 800, 000. Such sadistic evils occur in large industrial societies where untold numbers are alienated from mainstream society and humans commit unspeaking bestialities. What happened to 13 year old Leonard was an unspeakable act of gross inhumanity. But is not the act itself that warrants analysis, it is the entire story that began long before Leonard was raped and murdered. Citizens of Sisters
Village are telling the press, with compelling evidence, that there was a serial rapist who had done his uncivilised deeds at least seven times before and the police knew about it. There was a High Court case last year in which a judge sentenced a man to forty five consecutive years for inserting his fingers in the vagina an underaged girl. Yet in Sisters Village, a serial rapist was on the loose and the police treated him with kid gloves. Now he sodomised and killed a thirteen year old boy. There are two problems here. The nature of policing in Guyana is one - the police, before the
new government came into power and during the reign of the PPP Government, treated the complaints of violations of poor people with disdain and contempt. A young unemployed woman told the police, a man slapped her because she protested his touching her buttocks and she is brushed aside. She is the channa and puri woman that sells by the rum shop. A female lawyer makes the same complaint and the police go with big guns to the home of the accused. I know a female lawyer that ran a ‘red light’, struck a UG taxi driver and the police have bluntly
Abigail Archibald (middle) and two of her daughters at her side after the discovery of her son’s body refused to release the surveillance tape. I could name the officer and no amount of evidence will result in his removal. This has been the pattern of the Guyana’s police for ages. It will not stop unless good, visionary political leaders transform the police force. We have no such people at present. A man is running around a village, committing crimes that in any other country would be arrested and jailed for more than forty years and the police just did not act. The second problem is the psychological death of the people of this country. Analysts used banal terms like, “fear,” “silence,” fright,” etc. But the disease goes deeper than that. It is psychological death. Commuters are trembling in a bus while a stupid, idiotic driver is using the wheels wildly. Even if they were afraid there and then, they could have reported him subsequently. This country has seen some terrifying deaths from minibus speeding, but fearful passengers remain fearful and more commuters will die. There are dentists and doctors who have left patients disfigured. Talk to these victims; their tearful response is; “I don’t want publicity, I’m afraid, nothing will come out of it.” It is left to the media to help these people. And when
the media do their job, it ends up with countless libel writs. People have come up to me and Mark Benschop and were ragingly mad about the inaction of the folks who live near to the Le Repentir Dumpsite. The dump inferno was seriously affecting their health. Benschop and I protested, spent three days in the Brickdam lock-ups, and these residents didn’t even walk pass Brickdam Station while we were incarcerated. Mae’s School abruptly terminated the status of children found with mobile phones. Some of these children came from prominent homes. Twice I wrote about the traumas these children suffered at being kicked out. But the Rights of the Child Commission was silent. Society was silent. If I only hear about another sudden expulsion from Mae, I promise that school they will get a court order. No one wants to speak up about impending disasters and these catastrophes are going to destroy Guyana sooner than later. No one cared about the warning signs from the Camp Street Prison long before 2016. No one cares about the brutal violations of vendors by the City Police. And we know one of these vendors is going to freak out one day with horrifying consequences. Remember a disgruntled student almost
Raped and murdered: Leonard Archibald.: Did a community’s silence cause this tragedy? burned Queen’s College to the ground. A plague of diseased fear has taken over the psychology of this hapless nation and that was the direct cause of the sodomy and murder of Leonard Archibald. There will be more Leonard Archibalds. There will be more prison riots. There will be more homeless people roaming the streets killing people. There will be more container trucks running wild at rush hour, killing paedestrians and cyclists. There will be more doctors killing patients. Can we stop this nihilism? I honestly think it is too late. My suggestion? Get out while you can.
Monday September 25, 2017
Kaieteur News
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Monday September 25, 2017
CARICOM to launch community online platforms THE CARICOM SECRETARIAT will officially launch four online platforms next week, designed to make the benefits of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) more accessible to persons in the region. The launch takes place today, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St Michael, at 9 a.m. Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM, Robert Morris, as well as officials from the CARICOM Secretariat, and representatives of the International Development Partners will deliver remarks. The online platforms were created with the assistance of the Tenth European Development Fund (EDF) Grant Agreement between the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the European Union (EU). They are the Labour Market Information Systems; the regional platform for Online Companies’ Registries; the Community Public Procurement Notice Board and National Advertising Portals for 13 Member States; and the CARICOM Rapid Alert System for the Exchange of Information on Dangerous (non-food) Consumer Goods Upgraded Platform and Public Portal. They are intended to provide an online database and repository of regional labour market statistics, public procurement opportunities, information on the registration of companies, business names and other entities; and alerts and notifications on dangerous and harmful products in the Community. Presentations on the platforms will be made by the technical officers from the CARICOM Secretariat, with interventions where necessary by project consultants who will join via the online streaming platforms. (CSME UNIT/ BGIS)
Monday September 25, 2017
Kaieteur News
Expert warns Caribbean to heed lessons from Hurricane Maria
One of the devastated areas of Dominica ROSEAU, Dominica - CMC – A senior lecturer at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) says one of the “biggest lessons” from the Hurricane Maria experience in Dominica is that it is important for the Caribbean to now “seriously consider the impact of global warming on the level of the hurricane”. Dr. Richard Clarke of the Department of Civil Engineering, who is here as part of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), it was also necessary for the region to examine the wind speeds of designs for constructing buildings in the Caribbean. Hurricane Maria slammed into Dominica on Monday last week as a Category 5 storm with winds in excess of 180 miles per hour. The storm has been blamed for more than 25 deaths officially, even though the unofficial figure is put as high as 60 and millions of dollars in damages with more than 80 per cent of the housing sector severely damaged. Clarke said while this would be among the recommendations he would be submitting to
the authorities following his early assessment of the impact of Hurricane Maria on Dominica, it is nonetheless well known to engineers worldwide. “The issue would be to get the differing engineering organisations to form groups that would try and impact or impress upon government the need for modernising or treating differently the effect of global warming and other natural phenomena on the design process to mitigate the effect of this,” he said. Clarke told CMC the other recommendation to the authorities is “a traditional one in the sense that we know that it happens and why it happens but it doesn’t make sense having a building code and it is sitting down on a shelve. “If we want to seriously avoid the problems of the impact of the hurricane on people’s lives we simply have to enforce the building codes,” Clarke told CMC. Meanwhile, the authorities began the herculean task of cleaning up the debris caused by the hurricane that has made many roads here impassable restricting access to some of the outlying districts and villages.
Kamla: No improvement from current govt.
Trinidad Guardian Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar says even as this country celebrates its 41st anniversary as a Republic, under the current administration, T&T had seen no movement towards improving public institutions for the benefit of the people. In her Republic Day message, Persad-Bissesar said the current approach to governance is authoritarian and citizens feel excluded and demoralized. “We are seeing crime spiralling at an alarming rate, with citizens living in fear as they go about their daily activities. Our economy is in a downward spiral, with thousands having lost their jobs since this Government took office,” she said. Persad-Bissessar said investment was drying up, and business people are facing tough financial circumstances. “In all this, I want to remind the people of this
Kamla PersadBissessar country of the importance of our Republican status—the power lies in your hands. It is up to each of us to work together to bring about positive change in our society.” She said although we are a young Republic, T&T has made significant progress in building a democracy and public institutions to serve
the interests of the people. “As a Parliamentarian and a citizen, I will continue to work towards serving the people of this country, and I maintain my call for all citizens to join with me and my team as we seek to continue to build our nation, and to build a brighter future for us all.” Persad-Bissessar said citizens must continue to work to protect hard-won freedoms, and demand leaders take their responsibilities seriously, and work in the interest of all citizens. “It cannot be that those holding high office seek the interests of a few while ignoring the needs of the majority. The people of Trinidad and Tobago deserve more, and I call on all rightthinking citizens to stand up for your rights and let your voices be heard. I will stand with you as we seek to further the development of our nation.”
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China confirms will limit oil exports to North Korea Beijing (AFP) - China will limit exports of refined petroleum products to North Korea starting October 1, its commerce ministry said, confirming Beijing’s participation in new UN sanctions intended to rein in its rogue neighbour. The United Nations Security Council, including permanent member Beijing, approved tough sanctions against Pyongyang last week in response to its sixth and most powerful nuclear test. Washington had initially sought a full oil embargo, but softened its stance to secure backing from Russia and China — the North’s sole ally and main trading partner, responsible for around 90 percent of its commerce. In a statement posted to its website late Friday night, the ministry reiterated the terms of the latest resolution, writing that UN member states would not export more than 500,000 barrels of refined petroleum products to the North in the final three months of 2017, and 2 million annually starting next year. “Chinese government authorities will issue a notice based on the export situation when approaching the upper limit, and from that date implement a prohibition on exports of refined oil products to North Korea for the year,”
Kim-Jong-un it said. It added that China has issued a “comprehensive ban on imported textiles” from North Korea, reiterating another clause of the new sanctions that prohibits trade in both fabric and clothing. Experts say this move could cut off a major source of foreign currency for Pyongyang, as textiles are one of country’s major exports, estimated by IHS Markit analysts to value $750 million. China supplies materials to the North, where they are made into clothing in factories using cheap labour, and often re-exported to China. The announcement follows days of increasingly bellicose rhetoric between US
President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un’s regime, which has raised international alarm. The US has accused Beijing of not doing enough to pressure Pyongyang into abandoning its nuclear programme. China halted iron, iron ore and seafood imports after the previous round of sanctions against North Korea in August. But Beijing fears pressuring Kim’s regime into collapse, triggering a flood of refugees across its border and eliminating a strategic buffer separating China from the US military in South Korea. Beijing has condemned the North’s missile tests, but hopes to resolve the nuclear crisis through diplomatic means, pleading for a resumption of long-dormant six-nation talks. It has pushed a tit-for-tat proposal in which North Korea suspends its arms programmes in return for a halt to US military drills in the region — which has been ignored. The majority of North Korea’s oil likely comes from China, but the exact tally of oil exports remains unknown, as Beijing has not published such data since 2014. According to UN customs data, China sent 6,000 barrels a day of oil products to North Korea in 2016.
UCC to host educational conference on innovation, technology and leadership KINGSTON, Jamaica — The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) is set to hold its inaugural academic conference under the theme ‘Innovation, Technology and Leadership: A Paradigm Shift’. The conference is set for Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at UCC’s main campus on Worthington Avenue in Kingston. According to a release from UCC yesterday, the keynote speaker will be scientist and entrepreneur, Professor Henry Lowe. Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator Ruel Reid is also slated to speak at the event alongside stakeholders from Jamaica’s and the United States’ education, science, medical, and business sectors.
Professor Henry Lowe UCC Executive Chancellor, Professor Dennis Gayle said the conference aimed to deliver a diverse array of perspectives on the best practice sectoral policies
that will foster national and indeed regional economic growth and sustainable development. “It is our intent that all participants will leave this conference with an enhanced understanding of, and commitment to, their own roles in promoting effective leadership and dynamic innovation within our nation and the region,” he was quoted in the release as saying. Noting that UCC is marking 25 years of operation, the chancellor said the conference has come to fruition as a result of the unremitting efforts of the entire UCC community to implement such a seminal event, especially during the past three years of new Campus building construction challenges. “It is our hope that all participants will long remember this event as an example of time well spent in sharing ideas, interesting academic perspectives, and in interdisciplinary discussions, as well as collegial encounters,” Gayle added. (Jamaica Observer)
Monday September 25, 2017
Perfect timing for Sagan as Slovakian takes third straight title BERGEN, Norway (Reuters) - Peter Sagan stayed quiet all day before timing his effort to perfection in the final sprint to become the first rider to claim three road race world championship titles in a row yesterday. The Slovakian surged ahead with less than 50 metres left and pipped local favourite Alexander Kristoff to the line. Australian Michael Matthews took third place. “It was not easy. It came down to a sprint, that was unbelievable,” said Sagan, who joined Italian Alfredo Binda, Belgians Rik van Steenbergen and Eddy Merckx, and Spain’s Oscar Freire in an elite club of triple world champions. “I‘m sorry (for the Norwegian fans) but I‘m happy to be world champion again.” Kristoff said he was just not fast enough in the sprint to the line. “I did my maximum but I must be happy with the result. It’s not easy to beat him,” he added. Matthews regretted that he had attacked on the last climb. “If I could take something back I would not attack so many times in the final climb, I lost energy,” he said. It seemed that France’s Julian Alaphilippe and Italian Gianni Moscon would fight it out for gold when both jumped away from the leading group 11km from the line on the ascent to Salmon Hill, a 1.4-km effort at an average gradient of 6.4 percent. But they were eventually reined in and most of the top sprinters contested the win in front of huge, flag-waving
Rossi fifth as Marquez wins Aragon GP Spaniard Marc Marquez also won at San Marino two weeks ago. (Getty images)
Peter Sagan (sport- tv.si) crowds in the port city of Bergen. Sagan, who was kicked out of the Tour de France this year for sending Mark Cavendish crashing in a sprint, was clearly the strongest as he added to his titles in Doha and Richmond, Virginia. Belgium had no pure sprinters and they tried to blow up the race to avoid a mass finish. Tim Wellens broke away with 70 km left and was followed by seven riders — Spain’s David De La Cruz, Dutch Lars Boom, Italian Alessandro De Marchi, Colombian Jarlinson Pantano, Austrian Maro Haller, Australian Jack Haig and Norway’s Odd Christian Eiking. They built up a maximum gap of 45 seconds as France tried to take control at the front of the peloton. The break was ended 25 km from the finish after the
peloton was split in the penultimate passage up to Salmon Hill. In the final ascent, Alaphilippe burst away from the leading pack and only Moscon could follow as they opened up a 10-second gap. France were looking for a first senior road race world champion since Laurent Brochard prevailed in 1997. They came up just short, though. The Frenchman contested the sprint but ended up 10th. “We did everything perfectly, except that we did not win,” said France coach Cyrille Guimard, who led Lucien van Impe, Bernard Hinault, Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon to Tour de France titles in the 1970s and 1980s. Moscon was later disqualified for taking a tow from his team car as he was trying to make his way back into the peloton after a crash.
MADRID (Reuters) Defending champion Marc Marquez won the Aragon MotoGP yesterday to take a 16-point lead in the world championship standings. It was an all Spanish podium, as Honda team mate Dani Pedrosa was second and Jorge Lorenzo third for Ducati. Italian Valentino Rossi, making a remarkable comeback barely three weeks after suffering a broken leg, finished fifth on his Yamaha after lying second earlier on. Team mate Maverick Vinales of Spain, who started on pole, was fourth and compatriot Aleix Espargaro of Aprilia sixth. Briton Cal Crutchlow was in contention for a top-six place but crashed and had to retire on lap 17. Marquez started the race in fifth position after crashing in qualifying and had a slow start but quickly gained on his rivals, taking the lead from Lorenzo in the 16th lap and charging to his fifth title of the season. “It was a difficult race. At the beginning I didn’t have the feeling. I tried to come back with the feeling but even in the last part of the race I
Wozniacki powers to Pan Pacific title in Tokyo TOKYO (Reuters) Caroline Wozniacki ended her string of final failures by beating Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-0 7-5 in Tokyo yesterday to win her second straight Pan Pacific Open title. The former world number one, who has now won the event three times, was contesting her seventh final of the season after losing the previous six. The 27-year-old Dane, seeded third, burst out of the gate behind a strong service game with two aces in a 21-minute first-set rout, looking fresh after her straight-sets triumph over world number one Garbine Muguruza the previous day. By contrast,
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Caroline Wozniacki (Getty Images) Pavlyuchenkova’s grueling three-set semifinal win over Angelique Kerber appeared to have taken its toll and she struggled with accuracy,
registering three double faults in the set. After being swept aside in the opener, Pavlyuchenkova was far more competitive in the second and held her serve throughout until Wozniacki converted her third match point to break once more and seal victory in the 12th game of the set. “It was my seventh final of the year and obviously after a while it gets harder and harder to get that last one,” Wozniacki said in a courtside interview at the Ariake Coliseum, which will host the tennis events at the 2020 Olympics. “But I went out there and I just stayed focused and stayed aggressive, especially in the beginning and then it was going my
way,” added Wozniacki, now ranked sixth in the world. Overall, Wozniacki sent down six aces and failed to register a double fault or offer up a single break point, while her unseeded opponent coughed up five double faults without managing an ace. Wozniacki’s 26th career title also ensured that the Dane maintained her streak of winning at least one WTA t o u r n a m e n t e v e r y year since 2008 as she became the fourth player to h a v e c a p t u r e d the Pan Pacific Open title three or more times. The 26-year-old Pavlyuchenkova had been seeking her third title of the year and the 11th of her career.
didn’t feel great. I struggled more than other years here. But it’s great,” Marquez said. Lorenzo came close to claiming his first win of the season but faded as the race entered the final stages. “It’s a pity to lose the victory by not so much. In the last 10 laps we needed more grip in the rear. With the medium of Dani and the hard of Marc I couldn’t follow them. Anyway, I‘m happy with this 3rd position,” Lorenzo told reporters. By winning with four rounds remaining Marquez was able to take a clear lead in the standings as Andrea Dovizioso, previously the joint leader, managed only seventh place. Marquez, who also won in San Marino two weeks ago,
now has 224 points, Dovizioso 208 and Vinales 196. The next race is the Japan Grand Prix in Motegi on Oct. 15. Standings 1. Marc Marquez (Spa/ Honda) 224 points 2. Andrea Dovizioso (Ita/ Ducati) 208 3. Maverick Vinales (Spa/ Yamaha) 196 4. Dani Pedrosa (Spa/ Honda) 170 5. Valentino Rossi (Ita/ Yamaha) 168 6. Johann Zarco (Fra/ Yamaha) 117 7. Jorge Lorenzo (Spa/ Ducati) 106 8. Danilo Petrucci (Ita/ Ducati) 95 9. Cal Crutchlow (GB/ Honda) 92 10. Jonas Folger (Ger/ Yamaha) 84
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Monday September 25, 2017
NFL players, owners defy Trump on anthem protests SOMERSET, N.J.,/ WASHINGTON (Reuters) National Football League players sat out, knelt and linked arms during pre-game national anthems played across the country and in London yesterday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump called on fans to boycott teams that do not discipline players who protest. In the first few games since Trump stepped up his criticism of NFL players, dozens of players and coaches of teams including the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins did not stand for the anthem and took a knee, a gesture that began last year as a protest over police treatment of AfricanAmericans and other minorities. The Pittsburgh Steelers waited off the field during the national anthem before their game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago to avoid “playing politics” in divisive times, coach Mike Tomlin said. In Detroit, several members of the Lions knelt while singer Rico Lavelle dropped to one knee and pumped a fist in the air at the end of his performance of the national anthem. And in Philadelphia, city police officers joined with Eagles and rival New York Giants players and Eagles team owner Jeffrey Lurie to link arms during the anthem in a sign of solidarity. Trump made a series of comments over the weekend criticizing players who refuse to stand for the national anthem. “If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast,” Trump wrote yesterday morning on Twitter. “Fire or suspend!” In another tweet, Trump, who is spending the weekend at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, said that the “league should back” fans who are upset about the protests. The form of protest began
Baltimore Ravens players, including former player Ray Lewis, second from right, kneel during the playing of the U.S. national anthem before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London. (AP) in 2016 when then San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick put one knee to the ground during pregame renditions of the “Star Spangled Banner.” Several players have since made similar gestures. Kaepernick initially started his protests last year by sitting during the anthem but when critics said it was a sign of disrespect, he instead took to kneeling. At a political rally on Friday in support of his favored Senate candidate in a special election in Alabama, Trump suggested any protesting football player was a “son of a bitch” and should lose his job. The comments criticizing African-American athletes, who are taking a stand against institutional racism and inequality, stirred up Trump’s conservative base as he grapples with North Korea’s nuclear threats, an investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and ties to Trump associates while also struggling for a legislative win on healthcare in Congress. As the NFL community began to speak out against Trump’s comments yesterday, including people he considers friends and allies, Trump took to Twitter again yesterday afternoon. “Great solidarity for our National Anthem and for our Country. Standing with
locked arms is good, kneeling is not acceptable. Bad ratings!” he wrote. In a follow-up Tweet, Trump announced that the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team, which won the Stanley Cup, accepted his invitation to the White House. “Great team!” he wrote. DEFYING TRUMP Yesterday morning, NFL managers, coaches and owners began to weigh in on the feud, criticizing the president for calling out players’ political dissent. New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, who has dined with Trump and who the president considers a friend, criticized Trump and defended players’ right to protest. “I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the president on Friday,” Kraft said in a statement. Kraft said he supports his players’ “right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner they feel is most impactful.”
Over a dozen Patriots players and coaches knelt or linked arms, including quarterback Tom Brady, who Trump had namedropped as a friend when he was on the campaign trail. Brady placed one hand on his chest and used the other to link arms with his teammates. Jaguars owner Shad Khan linked arms with team players in solidarity at the game against the Ravens in London’s Wembley Stadium. Khan donated $1 million to the Trump inauguration fund. And Robert McNair, chairman of the Houston Texans team, said Trump’s comments were “divisive and counterproductive to what our country needs right now.” McNair also donated $1 million to Trump. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Trump’s comments in Alabama revealed an “unfortunate lack of respect” for the NFL and its players. As commissioner, Goodell reports to NFL
owners, some of whom have supported Trump. New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, a major Trump presidential campaign donor, was confirmed by the Senate last month as Trump’s pick to serve as U.S. ambassador to Britain. The union representing professional football players also rejected Trump’s comments, saying it would defend their right to freedom of expression. In Chicago, Trump’s feud was the main topic of conversation at the South Loop Club sports bar. “This is a first amendment issue and the president is supposed to uphold that right,” said Sam Cunningham, 55, who was watching the Pittsburgh-Chicago game with his wife. “He should know better than anyone that to fire someone because of their opinion is not right.” One patron at a sports bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Trump supporter Tim Kull, 67, said: “Do it on your time, not when you are wearing that
uniform.” National Basketball Association players also struck back against comments by the president on Saturday after Trump clashed with one of the biggest stars in the NBA, Stephen Curry. Then on Saturday evening, Oakland As rookie Bruce Maxwell became the first Major League Baseball player to kneel for the national anthem in protest. In a Twitter message, Trump rescinded a White House invitation to Curry, who had said he would “vote” against the planned visit by the NBA champion Golden State Warriors. Curry told a news conference in Oakland, California: “It’s beneath the leader of a country to go that route.” Singer Stevie Wonder also appeared to evoke protests by Kaepernick and other athletes when he put one knee to the stage during a concert in New York on Saturday.
Kipchoge misses record in... From page 33 attempted an audacious bid to break clear after 37km but Kipchoge kept his cool and caught back up with the Ethiopian four minutes later. A revived Kipchoge then surged clear of Adola as they approached the iconic Brandenburg Gate, leaving the rookie with the consolation of setting the fastest ever debut time on a record-eligible course. Cherono was unchallenged en route to her second win in the German capital but was a minute slower than two years ago. Ruti Aga of Ethiopia was second, 19 seconds behind, and Kenya’s Valary Aiyabei was third.
New England Patriots players were among those to protest during the US national anthem on Sunday. Quarterback Tom Brady stood but locked arms with team-mate Phillip Dorsett.(Getty Images)
Monday September 25, 2017
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Crushing loss for Windies after Ali’s assault, Plunkett’s ODI best — 3rd ODI
Gayle kept popping sixes into the crowd... ©Getty Images
Miguel Cummins struck in the middle overs to bring West Indies back into the match ©AFP BRISTOL, England, CMC — A blistering 94 from Chris Gayle and a career-best spell from Miguel Cummins failed to top Moeen Ali’s third Oneday International hundred and Liam Plunkett’s best ODI bowling that swept England to a 124-run victory over West Indies in the third ODI yesterday. The talismanic Gayle struck nine fours and six sixes from 78 balls to lead the Windies’ batting, but the Caribbean side were dismissed for 245 in 39.1 overs, chasing 370 for victory, at the Gloucestershire County Ground. Gayle dominated two halfcentury stands with Shai Hope and Jason Mohammed for the second and fourth wickets respectively before he was run out going for a single in the 27th over with West Indies needing 194 from the remaining 139 balls. None of the other batsmen could match the explosive batting of Gayle nor showed enough prolonged resistance to get the Windies anywhere close to their target. The Caribbean side lost their last six wickets for 53 in the space of 55 deliveries with Plunkett starring for England with the ball, taking 5-52 from 8.1 overs, and Adil Rashid showing support with 3-34 from six overs. The result meant that West Indies now trail 0-2 in the five-match series, following an eight-wicket defeat in the first ODI at Old Trafford and a no-result in the second ODI at Trent Bridge. Cummins had taken 3-82 from nine overs and skipper Jason Holder snared 2-81 from 10 overs before Ali
marauded the Windies attack for 102 off just 57 balls to catapult England to 369 for nine from their allocation of 50 overs. Joe Root hit 84 from 79 balls, Ben Stokes made 73 from 63 balls, Alex Hales added 36 and Chris Woakes got 34 to beef up the England batting. West Indies then suffered an early setback, when lefthanded opener Evin Lewis was caught at mid-on off leftarm fast-medium bowler David Willey for 13 off the last delivery of the second over of the chase, after smashing the same bowler for two leg-side sixes off the second and fifth balls of the over. Hope arrived, but was a mere passenger, as Gayle unleashed a volley of strokes to put the England bowlers on their heels and race West Indies to 73 for one at the end of the first Power Play — well ahead of the required run rate. Hope too, reeled off a few rasping strokes to share 64 with Gayle before he was caught behind for 20 in Plunkett’s second over, the 12th of the chase, and Marlon Samuels suffered a similar fate four overs later to leave the Windies 109 for three. Jason Mohammed came to the crease and a period of consolidation was broken, when Gayle hit Ali’s uncomplicated off-spin for three successive sixes in the 23rd over. Mohammed brought up the 50 stand with a cut through backward point for four off Ben Stokes, as the Caribbean side continued to stay ahead of the run rate. But the course of the match was ultimately changed, when Gayle
narrowly failed to beat Adil Rashid’s direct hit at the bowler’s end from mid-wicket — and the rest of the batting collapsed under the weight of scoreboard pressure. Earlier, twice West Indies had England on the ropes, but each time through inconsistent bowling and shoddy fielding the home team were able to wriggle free to post their fifth highest ODI total, as Ali reached his milestone from 53 balls — the second fastest by an
Englishman — when he cleared long-off with Cummins for his eighth six. West Indies conceded 123 in the last 10 overs of the innings during which time they coughed up five fours and nine sixes, and dropped Ali no less than three times, as he added 117 from just 77 balls for the seventh wicket with Woakes. Holder had made the initial breakthrough when he held a return catch to dismiss Jonny Bairstow for 13 in the
sixth over, but England continued merrily to reach 65 for one at the end of the first Power Play. Two wickets — one apiece to Cummins and Holder — in the space of three deliveries left the English 74 for three in the 12th over, but Root and Stokes started the recovery for England with a 132-run, fourth-wicket stand. Rovman Powell struck in the 32nd over to remove Stokes caught at deep point before Cummins returned to have Jos Buttler bowled for two and Root lbw in successive overs, leaving England 217 for six in the 35th over. But the Windies let themselves down badly in the
remaining overs in the field and failed to overcome the mountain of runs they required, though they scored briskly in the chase. The series continues on Wednesday at the Oval before it concludes two days later at the Rose Bowl. Scores: ENGLAND 369 for nine off 50 overs (Moeen Ali 102, Joe Root 84, Ben Stokes 73, Alex Hales 36, Chris Woakes 34; Miguel Cummins 3-82, Jason Holder 2-81). WEST INDIES 245 off 39.1 overs (Chris Gayle 94, Jason Mohammed 38, Jason Holder 34, Shai Hope 20; Liam Plunkett 8.1-0-52-5, Adil Rashid 3-34).
Kipchoge misses record in rainy Berlin triumph BERLIN (Reuters) Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge staved off a surprise challenge from Ethiopian debutant Guye Adola to win an enthralling Berlin marathon yesterday, but missed out on his bid to set a new world record. Prior to the race, Kipchoge, fellow Kenyan Wilson Kipsang and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele had all set their sights on breaking Dennis Kimetto’s leading marathon mark of two hours, two minutes and 57 seconds along the flat, innercity course. Instead, Kipchoge ended up becoming embroiled in a classic tussle with the 26year-old Adola, making his marathon debut, and needed until the 41st kilometer of the damp course to shake off his last surviving rival and cross the line in 2:03:32. Adola finished 14 seconds adrift of the winner, with his Ethiopian compatriot Mosinet Geremew finishing third in 2:06:09. Kipchoge’s victory was
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge wins the Berlin race. his second in Berlin and Gladys Cherono helped recreate the roll of honor from 2015, with the Kenyan winning the women’s race in 2:20:23 to also record a second win in the event. “I am happy to have run this race. The conditions were not friendly because of the rain,” Kipchoge told reporters. “Luckily there was not strong wind. “I didn’t expect Adolo but I am happy for him. This is sport.”
The star-studded trio made their intentions clear from the start, running at a blistering early pace that was well inside the time Kenya’s Kimetto set in the same race three years ago. The rainy conditions soon took their toll, however, and the elite men had drifted outside world record pace by the 12km mark. Reaching halfway in 61:29, Bekele was the first of the big names to fall back, his bid to become the first man to
hold the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon world records dashed in the spray kicked up from Kipsang and Kipchoge as they sped away. Former world record holder Kipsang was the next to run out of steam and walked off the course shortly after the 30km mark, setting the stage for a stunning duel between Kipchoge and Adola. Adola was determined to upstage the favorite and Continued on page 32
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Kaieteur News
Monday September 25, 2017
India clinch series with hat-trick Two-day Commonwealth Games Federation meeting hosted by Guyana concludes of wins against Australia The Commonwealth Games Federation
Aaron Finch, returning in place of Hilton Cartwright , though laid a strong platform for Australia ©BCCI INDORE, India (Reuters) - All-rounder Hardik Pandya celebrated his promotion in the batting order with a breezy
78 to help secure India’s series-clinching five-wicket victory in the third one-day international against
Hardik Pandya then put India’s chase back on track with some adventurous shots ©BCCI
Regional Chairman David... From page 35 NGO. The Club has also managed and organised over 50 cricket tournaments and numerous programmes on social ills among others. Hundreds of players have been turned out by the club, both males and females and gone on to represent Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies at both the Junior and Senior levels. Among those wearing West Indies colours are Assad Fudadin, Royston Crandon, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings and Esuan Crandon. It is the only club in Guyana with a female cricket programme. The club has also won a Medal of Service (MS) award and the Guyana Cricket Club of the Year award five times. As such, Armogan is fully endorsing Foster for the presidency of the BCB and is calling on all the clubs in Berbice to support the call for Foster to contest the Presidency and help cricket in Berbice. (Samuel Whyte)
Australia yesterday. Three of India’s top four batsmen scored 70 or more as the hosts chased down a 294-run victory target with 13 balls to spare for their third successive victory in the fivematch series. Earlier, Aaron Finch smashed 124 on his return but Australia, cruising at 2241 at one stage, suffered a minicollapse to settle for 293-6 in the Holkar Stadium. India’s ninth consecutive ODI win also ensured they are now the top ranked team both in tests and the one-day format. Bangalore hosts the fourth match on Thursday. Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss for the first time in the series and opted to bat first. Openers Finch and David Warner give Australia a solid, if not spectacular, start with a 70-run stand as the tourists looked determined to preserve wickets. Pandya bowled Warner for 42 but Finch and Smith added 154 runs for the second wicket with a 325plus total looking well within Australia’s reach. If Finch, who smacked five sixes and 12 boundaries in his nearly run-a-ball knock, plundered his runs, Smith accumulated them quietly, hitting five boundaries in his 63. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav dismissed both to trigger a collapse as Australia lost five wickets for 51 runs to fall short of the 300mark. India reached the 100 mark in 15 overs without losing a wicket with Rohit Sharma leading their robust reply with a blistering 71. The opener smacked four sixes, one of them sailed over the stadium, as he and Ajinkya Rahane (70) scored 139 runs to take the hosts nearly halfway down the target. India soon suffered a mini-collapse of their own, losing four wickets, including their openers and skipper Virat Kohli, for 67 runs. Batting at number four, Pandya hit four sixes and five boundaries in his aggressive knock to take India close to victory. Manish Pandey completed the formality with a quickfire 36 not out to see his side home. Scores: India 294 for 5 (Pandya 78, Rohit 71, Rahane 70, Cummins 2-54) beat Australia 293 for 6 (Finch 124, Smith 63, Bumrah 2-52, Kuldeep 2-75) by five wickets.
(CGF) concluded its two-day regional meeting of the Americas and the Caribbean yesterday at the Guyana Olympic Association’s head office at Lilliendaal, where the meeting was held. Guyana hosted 16 countries, while 4 countries were unable to attend due to the recent hurricanes. The initial day, Saturday, saw the commonwealth representatives of the Americas and Caribbean participating in workshops. Those workshops included procedures in getting the Caribbean and Americas in line with the new governance structures of the Commonwealth Games Federation, match-fixing, gender equity in addition to setting up a fund for the hurricane affected member countries. Yesterday, the final day of the meeting, the CGF Americas and Caribbean group heard from the Regional Anti-Doping Agency (RADO) and representatives from the Gold Coast; the host for next year ’s 21st Commonwealth Games. The 21st Commonwealth Games will be held in the Gold Coast, Queensland,Australia fromApril 4-15, 2018. When quizzed on the Guyana’s chances of hosting a Commonwealth Games of their own in the near future, head of the CGF Louise Martin, tepidly replied, “I would love to see the games coming here (in Guyana) but it may be a while before the senior games can be hosted in Guyana because these are huge events with 6000 athletes and officials. The junior Games which were last hosted in the Bahamas would be the right size for the small countries.” In addition, Louise Martin, gleefully expressed to the press yesterday afternoon at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) board room, “It’s been a very good two days and we (CGF Americas and Caribbean group) have got a lot of work done in this short space of time. It’s been a good experience in Guyana.” Louise Martin who was the first woman to be appointed as the CGF’s Honorary Secretary,
Head of the Commonwealth Games Federation Louise Martin at the GOA boardroom yesterday. a role she has held since 1999 before stepping up as President in 2015, posited that she was impressed with the elaborate structure of the new multimillion dollar GOA head office. “This is second to none, this is unbelievable and I’m quite sure that the other CGA’s (commonwealth games associations) will go back home with intent in trying to achieve something like this”, Martin explained.
Winner of ‘dirtiest race in history’ Alptekin banned for life: Anadolu
Gold medallist Turkey’s Asli Cakir Alptekin. (REUTERS/Eddie Keogh) ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Asli Cakir Alptekin, who won Olympic gold at London 2012 before being stripped of the title, has been banned for life by the Turkish Athletics Federation for a third doping offence, state-run Anadolu news agency have reported. Alptekin won the 1500 meters title in London, a race where six of the first nine finishers have served drugs bans before or since, leading some to refer to it as the “dirtiest race in history”. The 32-year-old was stripped of her 2012 Olympic and European titles in 2015 and suspended for eight years by the Turkish Athletics Federation. She returned to the track this year,
however, after the ban was halved and its start date backdated to 2013. She finished 11th in the European Champion Clubs Cup Cross Country event in Portugal in February. “Asli Cakir, who wrote history by winning a gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics, has received her third punishment for doping,” Anadolu said on Friday. “We will never ever give ground to those who become involved in doping. Everyone should know this,” Turkish Athletics Federation Chairman Fatih Cintimar told Anadolu. The IAAF, athletics’ governing body, have not responded to a Reuters request to confirm the suspension.