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Liliendaal P Bridge repairs 65% complete – Patterson 14

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3193

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

PRICE

Govt introduces new pharmaceutical importation system

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Parking meter burden

SCSI downsizes as 3-month suspension bites P11

Page 3

…wardens out of work

…privileges brand-name medication …more expenses for ordinary citizens

Man killed in row over water

Assassination allegation

Complainant bribes‘witness’ to confirm story Page 9

Page 2

$80 vat included

Monument base crumbles

Psychiatric Hospital P14 turning away patients

...institution filled to capacity – source Law books vendetta

High Court blocks SOCU from seizing P15 books

Robb Street vendors to be regularised – Mayor P12 Woman jailed for killing P12 best friend …sentenced to 8 years behind bars

The base of the Indian Arrival Monument, at Palmyra Village, East Berbice, Corentyne, whose site was commissioned by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo last month crumbled on Tuesday. The base of the monument, which was expected to be ready for May 5, collapsed as workers were getting ready to add a three-tonne $35M bronze structure on it

Protests against closure of sugar estates gain momentum Page 11

Gold Board probe

PPP will await outcome of probe – Dr Luncheon P7

…consequences must be borne if law was broken – Jagdeo

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news

wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Man killed in row over water O

ne person is now in Police custody following the murder of a Georgetown resident in Water Street, Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara (EBD) on Tuesday morning.

Dead is Mark Ifill of Norton Street, Georgetown.

According to eyewitnesses, at approximately 10:45h on Tuesday, Ifill – who was described as the neighbourhood “junkie” – was stabbed

to death by a Bagotstown resident.

Based on reports received, Ifill was filling bottles of water along a pathway which led to the house of the accused.

The 31-year-old accused reportedly approached him and demanded that he remove from the location and “stop fulling water”.

However, Ifill ignored him and continued to fill his con-

Investigators at the crime scene

tainers and load them into his wheelbarrow. This enraged the alleged perpetrator who reportedly started a fight with the now dead man.

This newspaper understands that the two were engaged in a fist fight for a few minutes when a gun fell out of the accused’s clothing.

The alleged perpetrator reportedly attempted to shoot the “neighbourhood handyman”, but soon realised that he had no bullets.

As such, the fist fight continued and a neighbour reportedly went out to ‘part the fight’, telling the two men to “take a break”, The men stopped fighting and Ifill reportedly went back to filling his bottles until a woman described as “the sergeant’s wife” told him to leave. Ifill then responded: “Okay, madam. I respect you, so I won’t full water here.”

Upon hearing this, the accused rushed into his yard, but was stopped by the same woman – who is also his neighbour – and she reportedly tried to calm him down before letting him go home to his pregnant wife and five children.

The neighbour reportedly told the suspect to think

about his family before doing “anything stupid”. She also cautioned him that “the junkie ain’t got nothing to lose” but he does –referencing his pregnant wife and children.

Nevertheless, the alleged perpetrator refused to heed the woman’s advice and went into his home, armed himself with a knife, and went out to confront the “junkie” again.

It was during this ‘faceoff’ that Ifill hit the accused numerous times with a bat, as he tried to defend himself against the knife in the hands of the perpetrator.

However, this attempt by the now dead man proved futile, as he was stabbed once to his abdomen and succumbed shortly after, since no one in the neighbourhood wanted to transport him to the hospital in their vehicle.

The Police were informed and the accused was detained, after he reportedly hid the murder weapon.

The accused is said to be no stranger to breaching the law, since he was involved in another incident back in 2012 which left the then 26-year-old Mark Solomon of Nonpariel, East Coast Demerara (ECD), dead.

(Ramona Luthi)

news

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wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Wednesday, April 26 – 04:30h and 14:30h-16:00h and Thursday, April 27 – 05:00h-06:30h.

…privileges brand-name medication …more expense for ordinary citizens

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, April 26 –16:40h-18:10h and Thursday, April 27 – 17:00h-18:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions are expected to prevail with light rain showers in the late morning and early afternoon hours. Partly cloudy skies are predicted for the evening hours.

Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 3.12 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 04:19h and 16:44h reaching maximum heights of 2.91 metres and 2.87 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:17h and 23:34h reaching minimum heights of 0.26 metre and 0.37 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, April 22, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS C

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8 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017

DAILY MILLIONS 06 11 12 22

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LUCKY 3 0 4 5

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Afternoon Draw

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

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07 14

Govt introduces new pharmaceutical importation system

16 17 19

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

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regional hub will now recommend approval for pharmaceuticals to be imported into Guyana and other member States.

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) will HOST the Caribbean Registration System (CRS) – a body established to assess drugs for importation into various Caricom countries. This is according to Government Analyst-Food and Drug Department (GAFDD) Head, Marlan Cole.

The measure was signed

by Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence on March 3, 2017 without consultation with stakeholders.

But even as Cole made the new measures known, local importers are up in arms over the move, which will now be more favourable to large foreign companies, such as Ansa Mcal.

This newspaper was told that this new measure will now mean that majority of generic medicines, from India, China, Brazil will now be banned from entering Guyana. This according to one local importer will mean additionally expenses for ordinary citizens since only costly “brand-named” medicines will be permitted in the country.

Previously, suppliers would have submitted dossiers to local regulatory bodies for review and approval of the drugs they wanted to sell on the market.

With the new system in place, suppliers will now have to make electronic submissions to the CRS, for it to peruse and do an assessment of the drug.

Following the assessment, the CRS would make recommendations for that drug to be registered in the respective territory.

In Guyana’s case, Cole told reporters during a public meeting with drug importers at Cara Lodge on Tuesday, the CRS is using a system of reliance whereby it would

depend on the certification from either a World Health Organisation (WHO) prequalified site or the particular medicine’s marketing authorisation issued in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Argentina, Cuba or Mexico.

“They now would do an assessment based on WHO format of assessing the drug and ensuring there is all the checks and balances as it relates to the drug bioavailability, dissolution test, acid test, disintegration test,” he explained.

Cole continued, “And then they would make a recommendation to the member states and then you have a sovereign right now to issue or not to issue a market authorisation.”

In addition to that objective, the CRS has other mandates, Cole noted which includes to conduct assessments for rapid review of dossiers, assessments to make generic drugs available on the market and pharmacovigilance as it relates to adverse drug reactions in order to keep checks on drugs that are spurious, falsely labelled, substandard, falsified or counterfeit.

Moreover, Cole further explained that the CRS project would only deal with generic drugs at this point in time.

“They will be strictly focusing on generic…they will be concentrating on drugs that are on the essential drug list in the Caribbean, drugs that are for HIV, malaria, TB, and drugs that would have been prequalified by the WHO, so that is their criteria,” he stated.

“So, if you come with a drug that is a brand name drug; they (CRS) would not be assessing those currently.

We (Food and Drug) would have to continue to; if you have a brand name drug, we would have to still continue our methodology of trying to do an assessment.”

Addressing concerns

GA-FDD Head Marlan Cole

about the implications of this new project on the importation of drugs from major countries like India, Cole assured that there would be no adverse effects.

He explained that most of the generic drugs were manufactured in India and most of the manufacturing sites were prequalified by WHO, or they were manufactured on behalf of companies in countries that can do full assessment.

He warned, however, of some concerns when it comes to importing drugs from India.

“The issue with India – this is listed anecdotally and this is not proven or tested – [there is] in excess of 3500 clandestine operating facilities in India, or sometimes they say it is more than that.

So, in order to safeguard your society against those facilities, you depend on them being either certified by one of the ABC countries, WHO or in some cases, Argentina, Mexico and Cuba,” he explained.

He noted too that the CRS was relying on documents and certification from Cuba, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil as well, so drugs could come from those countries.

Company favoured However, Former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, in a letter to the press, has pointed out that by design this new policy benefits Ansa McAl since this Trinidadian-based company represents several branded drug companies selling their products at exorbitant prices, which was publicly exposed in the recent Georgetown Public Hospital Corportaion (GPHC) sole-sourcing fiasco.

Dr Ramsammy pointed out that not registering a generic medicine in America does not automatically mean that these medicines are inferior. “For many non-US, non-Canada, non-UK generic companies, the high cost of meeting the barrage of ever changing import barriers designed to protect American, Canadian, British pharmaceutical companies make marketing low-cost medicines in those markets uneconomical.”

He added that it is noteworthy that citizens from America, Canada, the UK, Europe and other countries travel to India to procure medicines because they cannot afford to purchase these medicines in their own countries.

The Caricom Ministerial Body for Health gave its approval to implement the CARPHA CRS programme in 2014.

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wednesDAY, april 26, 2017

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Politics of spite T

hroughout history the human condition has traversed colliding pathways of good and evil, as well as progressive and regressive leadership. Guyana is a country that has experienced both, but it seems as though the current coalition Administration, led by the People’s National Congress (PNC), is all set to outdo its past record during its first 28 years in Government.

Above all is its determined and seemingly blatant campaign to destabilise and marginalise opponents and non-supporters.

Arresting a former President on trumped-up charges that cannot withstand legal and/or moral scrutiny is merely the tip of the iceberg.

The latest victim of this ‘political witch-hunt’ is former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament Mohabir Anil Nandlall.

The very popular Nandlall is the nemesis of current Attorney General Basil Williams, who has been bested by the former, time and again, in matters of jurisprudence in which they have both been engaged, and this has not sat well with Williams, who seems to be determined to use all his newfound powers to, if not vanquish Nandlall in the courtrooms of the land, at least use other methods to overcome his most hated adversary.

Thus it was that, subsequent to Nandlall exposing Williams on utterances criminal in nature in a courtroom: to wit, openly threatening a sitting judge for not providing him satisfaction in a legal matter before him, which was being prosecuted

by Williams and defended by Nandlall, Williams threatened Nandlall with consequences, as well as impugned his character as a thief who purloined State assets – a set of law books.

The repercussions soon followed and on the morning of April 24, 2017, ranks of the undeniably Government-controlled Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) arrested Nandlall and took him to SOCU’s Camp Street headquarters for questioning.

It was also reported that former President Donald Ramotar was also scheduled to be questioned on the matter.

Williams has allegedly resorted to relieving his angst over constant defeat via the legal expertise of Nandlall by accusing him of stealing State assets in the form of the Commonwealth Law Reports during his tenure as Attorney General, even while he (Williams) was aware that the purchase by Government for his (Nandlall’s) personal use and archival purposes was part of his contractual agreement for service in his capacity of Legal Affairs Minister.

Recognising that his personal and professional reputation was being greatly harmed by Williams’ repetitious accusations, Nandlall eventually resorted to the legal system to seek redress by suing Williams over his allegations of theft of the Commonwealth Law Reports, which were irreparably impugning his character and casting doubts on his integrity, and professional and ethical conduct.

According to Nandlall, his acquisition of the Commonwealth Law Reports began with his personal subscription to Lexis Nexis (UK), publishers of the disputed law reports, approximately 12 years ago; the reports were shipped to him at his law office and paid for upon delivery. This has been a continuous arrangement until extant times.

However, as a condition of his service as Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Nandlall requested of then President Donald Ramotar, and was granted as part of his benefits, the acquisition by the Government, of the Commonwealth Law Reports for his personal use and ownership during his tenure.

Upon demitting office, Nandlall informed the publishers and the prior arrangements for personal payments of the Commonwealth Law Reports resumed.

It is a sad day for Guyana when personal vengeance is pursued through the use of the State apparatus, in this instance, SOCU. The office of the Attorney General has many responsibilities, and service to the nation should be prioritised above any other issue. Seeking vengeance on a personal matter by using State apparatus that falls under Mr Basil Williams’ purview does not become such a high office and undermines the mandate of the highest office for protection of the legislative matters in the land.

The Guyana Consul General, Florida, Ramzan Roshanali (second from right) sharing a photo moment with overseas-based Guyanese at an Easter picnic, hosted by Guyana Day USA, Inc in Royal Palm Beach

Re-engineering the pharmaceutical system for one company Dear Editor, Something sinister is happening at the Food and Drug Analyst Department and it will affect ALL Guyanese.

It will lead to a massive increases in cost of medicines and supplies in the public health system, a cost that will be borne by taxpayers. Government will have to spend more on medicines, but will receive less, leading to sustained shortages in the public health system. But it will also lead to higher cost of medicines in the private health system. Without full access to medicines healthcare will suffer.

At a special meeting held by the Ministry of Public Health at the regency Suite last week, the Director of the Food and Drug Analyst Department, Marlan Cole, informed suppliers that the department will only register medicines for entry into Guyana, which are already registered in America, Canada, the UK and Australia, banning generic medicines from India and other countries. This policy change dismisses the World Health Organization (WHO), the world's premier health organization, and the UN, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS etc. which have assisted countries around the world to procure safe, quality medicines through the WHO PreQualification System, medicines mostly not registered in America, Canada, the UK and Australia.

At the meeting, at the Head Table, were the Permanent Secretary and the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, the Head of the Food and Drug Analyst Department, Mr Marlon Cole, Ms. Carolyn Healy of the USAID Global Health Supply Chain and other Ministry of Public Health officials. It is interesting that the USAID was present at the

head table. The US has increased its production of generic medicines to compete with India and other countries.

This new architecture will effectively favor one company.

Need a clue which of the existing suppliers will benefit?

Think of the $606M GPHC scandal. Is the new pharmaceutical procurement system designed to benefit one company? You judge.

The Ministry of Public Health is abandoning a system that has worked well for Guyana for decades.

It is ignoring that WHOPrequalification System for Pharmaceuticals was designed to assist countries in accessing safe, quality, affordable medicines. WHOPrequalified medicines are used in all developing countries and several developed countries. But most of the WHO-Pre-qualified medicines are NOT registered in America, Canada, the UK and Australia. These medicines have saved millions of lives and prevented morbidity and disability for hundreds of millions of people around the world.

Importantly, these medicines have saved thousands of lives and prevented hundreds of thousands of morbidity and disability events in Guyana.

These medicines are presently found in all public health institutions and in all private hospitals and private pharmacies in Guyana today. They will now be banned in favor of medicines made by large companies in America, Canada, the UK and Australia.

The majority of generic medicines, especially from India, Brazil, China, a number of European countries will now be banned from entering Guyana. Only expensive brand name medicines will be allowed into Guyana.

By design this new policy benefits Ansa McAl since this

Trinidadian-based company represents several branded drug companies selling their products at exorbitant prices which was publicly exposed in the recent GPHC sole-sourcing fiasco. For reference, GPHC paid $606M for medicines which could have been procured from WHOPrequalified Companies for about $200M. Some of the Indian generic companies, like CIPLA, RANBAXXY, AUROBINDO, and several others have become the world's pharmacy.

They supply medicines to all countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, South America and most of Europe. These companies are WHO-PreQualified and their medicines have successfully undergone scrutiny for safety and quality. Notably, most of the active ingredients in medicines, manufactured in developing and developed countries, come from Indian companies.

Not registering a generic medicine in America does not automatically mean that these medicines are inferior. If this were so, these medicines would not have been pre-qualified by the WHO. For many non-US, non-Canada, non-UK generic companies, the high cost of meeting the barrage of ever changing import barriers designed to protect American, Canadian, British pharmaceutical companies make marketing low-cost medicines in those markets uneconomical.

It is noteworthy that citizens from America, Canada, the UK, Europe and other countries travel to India to procure medicines because they cannot afford to purchase these medicines in their own countries.

The Food and Drug Analyst Department Head explained that his department wants "Mercedes and not Tata", comparing medicines from America, Canada, and the UK to medicines com-

ing from India. Has he forgotten that when we could not procure HIV medicines from America, Canada and the UK for $US15,000 per patient per year, thousands of lives were saved in Guyana because of WHO-Approved Medicines for under $US300 per year? In fact, today, more than 80% of the patients on HIV, TB and Malaria, diabetes and blood pressure treatment around the world are treated with WHO-Prequalified medicines supplied by Indian generic manufacturers and these medicines are not registered in America, the UK, Canada or Australia. He should also know that Tata today owns and exports brands such as Jaguar and Land Rover to more than 150 countries.

In fact, the only documented counterfeit medicines in Guyana in the last decade were malaria medicines which were imported into Guyana from non-WHO-Prequalified Companies and the diabetes medicine metformin which was imported into Guyana from a generic company in Canada. Cole needs to provide evidence of the "massive amount of fake medicines" that came from India, China and other countries and identify the suppliers that brought these products into the country.

I urge the government to review this change in policy since Guyana is going in the opposite direction that most countries, including developed countries, are now going.

In all these countries preference is given to generic medicines. Requiring imported medicines to be registered in America, Canada and the UK is a regressive move to stack the deck in favor of one supplier.

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy Former Health Minister

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, april 26, 2017

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Can someone please pass a headache A lie detection tablet to President Granger? test may be helpful

Dear Editor, Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd (RBGL) has this week released its unaudited half year 2017 performance as at the March 2017. That document clearly could not have been great reading for the shareholders, who I am advised are now principally Republic Finance and Merchant Bank Limited which according to Bloomberg is the merchant bank arm of the Republic Bank Group.

What is concerning to me as a financial analyst is the state of the loan provisioning net of recoveries at this institution since 2015? Between 2015 and 2016, the ratio of provision for bad debt to the total loan portfolio deteriorated by some 23%. At the end of the 2016 financial year in September, loan impairment expenses net of recoveries was G$786 million. But to really understand the effect of what is happening, one must consider the ratio of the loan impairment expense net of recoveries to total loans and advances between 2015 and the trended projection for 2017 (which is substantiated with 6 months of actual performance).

From the graph below, one can observe the rapid expansion of the pool of good cash that has to be set aside to fund the write-off of potential bad loans in the bank’s loan portfolio. In 2017, this ratio of good cash set aside to fund the write-off of bad loans is expected to be slightly more than 1.5% of the to-

tal loan portfolio, compared to 1.1% in 2015 (see graph below).That is almost a 40% expansion in this ratio and cannot be great news for the shareholders.

I have had cause to write about an even worst performance in their main competitor (GBTI) on April 8, 2017 and this discovery this week confirmed we do have a systemic problem in the banking sector. Houston, we do have a problem!

It is now almost May 2017 and we are still awaiting the Annual Report of the Bank of Guyana for 2016 to confirm

loan portfolio deteriorate between September 2015 and September 2016 by 1.9% which translated to over $2.5 billion in debts being reclassified from “Acceptable” to “Substandard”. Some G$519 million (20%) of that figure came from RBGL, the biggest bank in the industry. This means that the smaller indigenous banks like Demerara Bank and Citizen’s Bank who do not have an international head office to back them up with capital will definitely be at greater risk than RBGL. What can be deduced from this situation?

President

how much of the industry’s loan portfolio is categorized as sub-standard according to the Banking Supervision Guidelines. However, with the dataset at our disposal, we can confirm that with respect to RBGL, at the end of their financial year in September 2016, their non-performing loans to total loans were 11% compared to the industry level of 11.3%. Mind you the industry saw the quality of its

David Granger has to wake up! This country is burning financially under his watch and he has to be held accountable for leading a team that seems hell-bent on driving the regression of the investment climate as they seek to build a new “BREED” of private sector players. As chief executive, he should not allow Minister Winston Jordan to continue to “brukup” and determine the future

Dear Editor, This “PNCoalition” went into office on a lie and motivated by much political spite. After continuing the PPP’s efforts to confound the sugar industry by moving to prematurely close some of its sugar estates, the Government is now trying to create the impression of saving it by belatedly approaching external expertise. The question is, what can you expect Czarnicov to tell them after they just about destroyed the sugar industry in the first place?

Let’s see.

The Minister of State probably stands as the only Minister in the current Administration who seems to be managing his portfolio in a capable manner. He will unfortunately watch his Government fail because of the incompetence of the very ministers under him. This is the practice of PNC lackeyism over which he very probably has no control. Times have changed, Mr Harmon!

After 32 years, Guyanese are now ahead by a generation of education. ‘Not to be fooled by ministerial/political incompetents’ was the major course completed.

Carrying the protest on education VAT to the AFC is the right thing in principle, but it’s barking up the wrong tree. Although the AFC was supposed to be the political balance, the real steam has to be carried at the place of origination and baptism of this nonsense – the Finance Ministry and Congress Place. I still am amazed that we have bought into VAT on water and electricity.

The perennial ruckus over the GPSU with Yarde’s persistent hold on power in the GPSU over the years says that something very wrong is going on at this organisation. His own ineffectiveness is clear enough indication that the GPSU needs new leadership...

Caught in the vice of its own incompetence, the “PNCoalition” is now carrying out personal vendettas against the PPP. This is the kind of limited capacity that is a part of the PNCoalition we had been hoping against hope would deliver the change needed.

The Coalition isn’t interested in doing what was supposed to have been done.

They’re creating polit-

ical fodder to mask their gross incompetence across all the functional areas of Government. You name it – health, education, finance, municipalities, natural resources – this is no joke, but a serious indictment of the performance of the Coalition, and is a precursor to what we can expect in the remainder of its term...

Guyanese have to prepare for the long haul into 2020...

If the PNCoalition aren’t going to recall the 2017 budget, they’re going to continue to wreak havoc on the economy to maintain political control.

The recent declarations by two of our major commercial banks only underline what has already been pointed out in the public domain – the economy has slowed down. People cut down on their consumption patterns by the end of 2016, and the VAT in the 2017 budget is continuing to shrink their appetite. We can be sure that businesses took a beating this first half.

Will it improve in the second? We can expect a kick at Christmas time and maybe some spending in August, but that’s it. And the Finance

financial condition of this economy. President Granger should own up to his mistake and promptly correct himself by appointed someone who really knows how to frame an economic process and turnaround an economy. As I have said before, my choice in the Cabinet Room remains Carl Barrington Greenidge and I am sure as the desperation of the people increases, many in the private sector will quickly arrive at the conclusion that even Jaipaul Sharma would deliver a better investment climate that Winston Jordan.

In the case of RBGL, posttax profit declined by some 4% over their 2016 financial year to G$2.7 billion. If one look at these March 2017 published data from RBGL, one will recognize a trend that will see the loan portfolio growing at a quarter of the annualized rate that it grew in the previous year. How do banks make profits? Yes, the loan portfolio. What does that say about the profitability of this bank for 2017?

Those who have eyes will see that not only GBTI and RBGL are in a conservative lending mode, the entire industry is and if the private sector cannot access loans then that single measure will do much damage to the economy in 2017 and beyond. Can someone please pass the a headache tablet to President Granger?

Regards, Sase Singh

Some thoughts to ponder

Minister can go abroad and curse the Private Sector for not taking more risks. The things you can say on a podium. Well, Mr Granger can keep that man right there.

Do not let him loose. This Administration is very well destined to be booted in 2020. There’s nothing to be done about it, because, unfortunately, the politics of the PNC, like the PPP, happens to be the problem.

Yours faithfully, Lance Cumberbatch

Dear Editor, I wish to thank the media for their expeditious handling of my letter on the Cox matter, albeit in different ways. I, however, wish to clarify some issues raised by Cox, since they represent his trend of trying to mislead and bamboozle the public.

Cox is reported as saying that 'Alexander wrote him to the effect that since he was not a student, the University hadn't any examination results for him; however, simultaneously, he received additional letters from UG officials acknowledging that he was a student who needed to settle all his outstanding balances before receiving his examination results'.

It is true that some time in the 2012-2013 academic year, he received the latter letter which was issued at the behest of the new Vice Chancellor. It is not true that the contradictory letters were issued simultaneously. However, the said Vice Chancellor, subsequently, in his affidavit to the court, indicated that the issuance of the letter was a mistake on his part and that in fact Cox was not a student and was not entitled to examination results. Cox seeks to mislead the public by omitting to tell the entire story.

Secondly, rather than producing some document of 2012 in relation to a 2000 transaction, Cox should produce the 2000 agreement, which clearly stipulated his obligation and commitment to repay the loan, granted in 2000, in monthly instalments immediately thereafter. He defaulted on that agreement and was not granted loans in 2001 and 2002.

Let's assume that Cox is right that he had six years to repay the loan grant-

ed in 2000, why is the document to that effect dated 2012? And why if that was the case, he failed to acquire loans for the years 2001 and 2002?

Further to that, the repayment of the loan and payment to UG are quite different transactions. As a loan student, Cox was required to acquire a loan at the commencement of each academic year. The transmission of the loan document to the University would have been his payment of his fees and would have had nothing to do with when the loan is to be repaid to the Ministry of Finance. UG's regulations clearly and publicly stipulates the deadline for payment, be it by cash or loan; that non-payment by the deadline incurs a late fee for which there is also a deadline; and that, at the time of examinations, if the fee is not paid, the student is not entitled to write the examinations.

Cox's claim, after defaulting for two years (2001 and 2002), that he still had the latitude of time to pay in 2012 is clearly a figment of his imagination. In fact, under the law of contract, which would have established Cox's relationship with the University, by 2012 and much earlier, the University would have lost its claim on his debt due to the statutes of limitation.

This case provides a good opportunity for investigative journalism, using primary sources, thus pulling the rug from under the feet of Cox or Alexander, whoever is the stranger to the truth. A lie detection test may also be helpful. On all fronts, I am game. Is Cox? Yours truly, Vincent Alexander

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

– why some teenage boys opt-out of the competition

By Adam Price, PhD

M

uch has been written about the kind of pressure today’s adolescents are under. But the media coverage tends to focus on the problems of a super-achieving academic elite—those kids enrolled in multiple advanced courses who are volunteering, while mastering a classical instrument and holding down spots on several sports teams. Though these children, whose parents take a “Harvard or bust” mentality, are under real pressures – as evidenced by the very disturbing rise in the abuse of stimulant drugs as study aids – there is another, typically overlooked class – of boys who manifest their stress in different, less obvious ways. These are the boys I worry about. The boys who make time for television, video games, Facebook, Twitter, and friends, but not for school. Many do the minimum that’s required in order to get by, flying under the radar of official “trouble” while causing their parents plenty of grief and consternation.

Though on the outside, they look like they’re impervious to academic pressures, in fact their behaviour is a direct response to the stress they’re experiencing.

Contrary to appearances, these children aren’t just lazy – they’re overcome by demands that they fear they simply cannot meet. And so, in the face of pressures they feel they cannot handle, they choose to “opt-out” of the competition altogether. These “optouts” are the subject of this blog, of my upcoming book He’s Not Lazy, and the core of my practice.

While many parents tell me that their sons are just lazy, the boys I know really do want to do better in school.

On the surface, opt-outs do look lazy; but dig a little deeper and you will often find a very conflicted boy. One who wants to do well but is afraid to fail, and so does not try. It is crucial for parents to understand that opt-outs do not lack motivation to do well in school; in fact, they have mixed feelings about trying

their hardest. Over and over again, I find that the underperforming teens I meet really do care about their futures and want better grades. However, at 16 or 15 or 13 they are already worried that they will not be able to meet the expectations of their parents, teachers, or of society in general. This worry is hidden beneath the fortress of defences they have built to shield themselves from criticism and failure. You can hear it in their statements: “Tests don’t measure intelligence or help you learn, so what’s the point of studying?” or “I am not going to be one of those nerds

who have no life.”

The world through which these boys are navigating is infinitely more complex than that experienced by their parents. Regardless of the quality of their schools, children these days are being asked to juggle like never before.

Over the past 20 years, high school students have added an extra class to their school days, with seven per cent also taking more rigorous courses. Their extracurricular activities are generally plentiful and varied – part of a hyperextended college prep process begun as early as elementary school.

Meanwhile, their friends are texting (incessantly) and their online world of choice awaits, buzzing with messages and notifications as soon as the dis-

missal bell rings.

This increased volume of work, stimulus, and play requires the organisational skill of a business executive.

But teenaged brains aren’t maturing any faster these days. The adolescent brain is a developing entity, with many boys still in the process of obtaining the focus, the attention to detail, and the planning capabilities these increased obligations call for. And so it’s no surprise when the obligations go unmet, particularly by boys. Nationwide, there’s been a well-documented decline in the number of boys who attend college – with girls more likely not only to be accepted, but also to earn better grades and to graduate. Boys are also much more likely than are girls to be diagnosed with learning disabilities and with behaviour disorders like ADHD—diagnoses I see in many of my patients.

In my experience, the parents of these teen boys are themselves left floundering, engaging in superhuman acts as they struggle to become the engine of their sons’ motivation. They may get overly involved in micromanaging their son’s homework, checking in on his assignments on a nightly basis – a great recipe for increasing tension and fighting while decreasing academic motivation.

They may hold their sons to unrealistic standards, believing they are being realistic about what it takes to get into a top college (even if such an outcome is unrealistic for their particular son).

They may beg. They may cajole. They may threaten. Sometimes (more often than they care to admit) they even do the work themselves. Despite their best intentions, worry and fear cause them to make worse the very problems they seek to ameliorate.

What I have learned in over 20 years as a clinical psychologist is that above all else, these children need less pressure and more time to develop.

Yet, this not what most parents give them, and the pressure to grow up is fierce. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

Earth Day! A

pril 22 (Saturday last) was a rather special day; it was dedicated to the Earth. Earth Day is an annual worldwide event designed to celebrate the planet and raise environmental awareness.

The day has its roots in 1970, proposed by the then Senator of Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson. The idea was inspired by the devastating oil spill in Santa Barbara, California and about 20 million people in the United States participated. Since then, the movement has only grown. By 1990, Earth Day had expanded to other countries, specifically, 141 countries with 10 times as many people as it started with, and by 2000, there were 5000 environmental groups taking part from 184 countries. Today, about a billion people participate.

This year’s Earth Day saw scientists and science Ashley Anthony enthusiasts alike becoming political. In light of the recent election of US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly denied climate change and proposed to cut funding for many environmental agencies, the scientific community took to the streets to make their concerns heard. At the event, one of the speakers, scientist Bill Nye stated: “Today, we have a great many lawmakers – not just here but around the world – deliberately ignoring and actively suppressing science.”

Unsurprisingly, the Earth Day campaign for 2017 was “Environmental and Climate Change Literacy”, and about 600 marches were run under the theme. Although most of the marches will be dubbed “anti-Trump”, there is a larger message underlying them – the function of science is to improve humanity, but if it is not enabled to do so through law and policy, then it cannot. The people in power are the ones who affect these policies. The aim of the protests and activities on Earth Day 2017 was to educate. The Earth Day Network said, “Education is the foundation for progress.

We need to build a global citizenry fluent in the concepts of climate change and aware of its unprecedented threat to our planet. We need to empower everyone with the knowledge to inspire action in defence of environmental protection. Environmental and climate literacy is the engine not only for creating green voters and advancing environmental and climate laws and policies but also for accelerating green technologies and jobs.”

These ideas can be translated into a Guyanese context. What are the threats to our environment? What are the stances of the politicians to these threats? What are the potential environmental impacts of the upcoming oil rig? Of course, though, we shouldn’t just be concerned with our own country. Every thing is related and interconnected. We all share the Earth. The extinction of one species of fish could cause the death of millions of birds, and the melting of ice caps could cause the flooding of our coastlines. Although we cannot possibly see all the direct ramifications and we might not even be able to see how climate change will specifically affect us, it does not mean that it won’t, and it definitely doesn’t mean that we should do nothing about it.

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wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Assassination allegation

Complainant bribes ‘witness’to confirm story

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s the probe into the alleged assassination plot against the Guyanese Head of State deepens, Police have discovered new information which may change the entire direction of the investigation.

Guyana Times understands that the complainant, who is a well-known barber of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), had offered a significant sum of money to someone to support his claim of being approached by two businessmen to kill President David Granger.

The complainant, who up to Monday evening was being hunted by Police, finally showed up at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters on Tuesday for a confrontation with the ‘witness’, who he had said had information to corroborate the assassination plot.

When contracted on Tuesday, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that there was indeed a confrontation between the ‘witness’ and the complainant. He said this was necessary based on recommendations from the Police’s legal advisers.

In a confrontation, the accused and the virtual complainant (in this case the witness and complainant) would relate their version of events in the presence of officers; and the accused either denies or confirms the statements.

The complainant who claimed that two local businessmen hired him to assassinate President David Granger

Given the sensitive nature of the case, Blanhum did not divulge more information; however, he disclosed that the new statements were submitted to the Police’s legal advisers for further recommendations.

The statements initially submitted by the complainant and the alleged witness did not match, and as such, Police advisers had recommended a confrontation to clarify the situation.

Monetary offer

This publication understands from reliable sources close to the probe that the alleged witness told Police investigators during the confrontation that the complainant had contacted him, and offered a sum of money in exchange for

him giving a statement claiming that he (the alleged witness) was present when the two businessmen contacted the complainant about allegedly assassinating the President.

According to the source, the complainant had only made the monetary offer after he informed the Police of the assassination plot.

Guyana Times was told that the alleged witness refused the offer and had made contact with the Police when the investigation was launched. This publication was unable to determine whether or not the complainant conceded to the statements provided by the alleged witness.

Fear

Meanwhile, another source close to the investigation told Guyana Times that the complainant allegedly owes the businessmen whom he accused in excess of $8 million, which he had borrowed to pay off debts when he first started a mining operation.

Independent investigations revealed that his creditors had approached him to enquire about their money; and based on his inability to repay the money and more so out of fear of what the men may be capable of doing, he allegedly levelled the allegation against them.

This barber had reportedly worked with the busi-

nessmen he implicated for some time prior to opening his own mining concession a few years ago. These businessmen have already been interrogated by members of the Major Crimes Unit

of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Mischief

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud had told reporters that the Police’s le-

gal minds were to make a determination on whether there was enough evidence to support the allegation of an assassination plot or whether it was just a ploy to create mischief.

TURN TO PAGE 9

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wednesdAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Man charged for wife’s death in 2015 accident …when truck ran off Lethem Pirara Bridge

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wo years after his wife was killed in a gruesome accident on a remote trail in the Lethem area (Region Nine), 37-yearold Safraz Amir of Helena Number Two, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara was on Tuesday afternoon arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, and charged with the offence of causing death by dangerous driving.

The charge stated that Amir on March 8, 2015 at Pirara Trail, Lethem, in the Central Rupununi District, drove motor van PRR 6731 in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of Vimala Balgobin.

Safraz Amir with his Attorney

Defence Attorney Jerome Khan related that his client was currently employed with Abdool Trading as a salesman, and described the incident as the “most unfortunate accident to take place”, re-

portedly occurring as the couple were making their way to Lethem. Khan, in making a bail application for his client, pointed out that Amir was charged some two years after the occurrence and had nev-

er left the jurisdiction during that period, hence making him no flight risk. He added that his client was as innocent as he pleaded and had suffered tremendously from the loss of his wife.

Khan expressed his absolute confidence that the case against Amir was “weak”, attesting that if the Police were sure of his client’s guilt, they would have charged him within the shortest possible time post-accident. The prosecution made no motion to object to bail, which was granted in the sum of $200,000.

The matter stands adjourned to June 6, 2017 at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.

Cuban national to be deported for overstaying time – also fined $20,000

C

hief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Tuesday fined yet another Cuban for overstaying his time in Guyana when he appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Daniel Palma Ramierez,

of Havana, Cuba, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that between March 1 and April 21, 2017, he failed to comply with conditions subject to which any permit had been granted, that is to say having been permitted to stay from January 31,

2017 to February 28, 2017, he overstayed the said period.

A sorry Ramierez told the court that while he was guilty of the offence, he was only a mason looking to better provide for and maintain his family back in Cuba. He accepted full responsibility

for his actions, stating that he only wished to return to his home country at this time. Magistrate McLennan ordered that the defendant be escorted to the nearest port of exit after paying a fine of $20,000 or serving a default sentence of four weeks behind bars.

Notorious fraudster Clinton Allen remanded

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usinessman and Micro Business Developers and Consultant Inc Chairman Clinton Allen has once again found himself before the Chief Magistrate just over a month after he was hauled before the courts in relation to a $6 million fraud.

It was alleged that he uttered one forged Republic Bank manager’s cheque to Fantasy Auto Sales for the purchase of six motor vehicles valued at $26.3 million.

The first of the three new charges stated that Allen, between January 31 and February, 2017 at Sheriff Street, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, obtained $516,000 from Virtual Complainant (VC) Samuel Mango by falsely pretending that he was in a position to

grant a loan of $4 million to the said VC. In addition, the accused, on a previous occasion in late 2016, at the same location, obtained some $700,000 from one Mohan Lalchand under the pretence that he was in a position to grant a loan of $5 million. Finally, between November 4 and December 9, 2016, he defrauded Kizzy Shepherd of $415, 000 by falsely pretending that he was in a position to loan her some $3.4 million.

The court heard that Allen has upcoming matters of a similar nature for which he is expected to be charged shortly. The unrepresented man pleaded not guilty to all three charges, and was remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The mountain strained…

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…and produced some law books ack in primary school, your Eyewitness heard the Aesop Tale about “The Mountain in Labour” who then produced a measly mouse! The tale goes way back to the beginning of the species boastful politicianicus! One hoary version by Phaedrus went this way: 'A mountain had gone into labour and was groaning terribly. Such rumours excited great expectations all over the country. In the end, however, the mountain gave birth to a mouse.'

In the modern version, politicians who are quite mountainous shower people with glossy manifestos promising the moon and stars but finally deliver – at the very best – flambeau lamps!! Shall we mention some doozies of mountains that produced mice? Constitutional reform? Long-term economic development programme?

Public Procurement Commission? PPP members to join the Cabinet? PM to share more executive powers?

Strengthening the Ethnic Relations Commission? Witness Protection Programme? Enough squeaking mice running underfoot???!!! OK!!

And now for the mountain/mouse du jour – the Law Books Seizure. Now, here it is, for years, all we heard about was BILLIONS AND BILLIONS “siphoned off” from the treasury by those dastardly PPP types and we’d all be living the “good life” when those assets were recovered!!

So, the Government went all out and launched a State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) – and belatedly, even passed the necessary legislation!!! (better late than never??) as an expectant citizenry waited for the State Assets to be “repatriated” and our depleted coffers to overflow.

And what happens as soon after the Bill’s passed? The Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) springs into action and orders ex-Attorney General Anil Nandlall to cough up some law books the State had paid for when he was the AG!! The books were worth $2 million or so!! Now your Eyewitness has heard about “one, one dutty build dam” and expects the analogous “one, one dollar” must also hold. But this is ridiculous!!

First of all, it wasn’t even SARA that tried to repatriate the State assets – but SOCU!! Did Nandlall use “organised crime” elements to purloin the law books? Was SOCU used because the 79-year-old Thomas who heads SARA is incapable of “springing” into action - or “springing”, period?? But your Eyewitness is happy SOCU didn’t engage in any high-speed chase to recover the law books before Nandlall was able to sell them off in the hot market for legal reading matter!

So, back to the agonising labour of the Government on recovering State assets. Is this the best they can do??

Law books?? Sheesh!

From where your Eyewitness stands, it looks awfully like another petty ploy by AG Williams to get even with his bête noir!!

…on sexual harassment Right off the bat, your Eyewitness is pleased with Minister of Social Protection Amna Ally’s obligatory statement on “Sexual Assault Awareness Week”, with the theme “Engaging New Voices to End Sexual Violence”.

Last year, around the same time, on behalf of the PNC, Ally issued a stout defence of her colleague Volda Lawrence for supporting a PNC Local Government candidate, whose sister accused him of child molestation. Volda Lawrence was then occupying Ally’s portfolio of social protection!!

However, your Eyewitness read Ally’s statement on “engaging new voices” twice to find out if she included LGBT victims of sexual violence. Now while she railed against “women and children” being violated – and some of these might be “gay” – why didn’t Ally mention male victims of sexual assault? They don’t exist? Would that’ve mean the Government was acknowledging LGBT as persons who had a right not to expect violence??

In case she forgot, a year and a half ago, a young man was gang raped for days at Vreed-en-Hoop.

Gays are people too. And owed protection.

…on investment courting Prezzie’s gone a courting investors in Europe. So he doesn’t come back empty-handed, can his PM brief him on his expensive courting in New York (Harvard Club) and Toronto (Riverstoen Golf Club)??

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

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wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Gold Board probe

2 armed robbery suspects remanded

PPP will await outcome A of probe – Dr Luncheon …consequences must be borne if law was broken – Jagdeo

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

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he People’s Progressive Party is awaiting the completion of the investigation being carried out into the operations of the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) before it makes a pronouncement.

Investigations are currently underway into the operations of the Gold Board following reports that staff members might be linked to gold dealer Saddiqi Rafeek Mohamed Rasul, who was charged earlier this month for a $956 million fraud.

Three persons have

since been sent on administrative leave pending the completion of the probe – the daughter of former President Donald Ramotar, Lisaveta Ramotar; Legal Officer Suzanne Bullen and Deputy General Manager, Andrea Seelochan.

Speaking to the media on Monday, PPP Central Executive Member, Dr Roger Luncheon said it was way too early for a pronouncement.

He said to make a pronouncement now with the inconclusive findings would be most inappropriate.

Meanwhile, PPP General Secretary and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, addressing the issue also on Monday, said the Police had to carry out their investigations, as his Party was not against any probe carried out professionally.

“The Police seem to be very public in these matters. If you have a major problem with gold smuggling, investigate it thoroughly. The PPP is not against professional, thorough investigations and wherever the chips fall,

PPP’s Central Executive Member, Dr Roger Luncheon

then the consequences have to be borne by people if they break the law,” he told Journalists on Monday.

He said, however, that this could not be done conveniently, since he was aware that there might be connections to Ministers in this whole affair.

“I guess they would sterilise the ministerial connections in this matter and just allow the technical staff to face the music in this case.

I am all for thorough investigations, but including the Ministers,” he said.

Complainant offers ‘witness’...

FROM PAGE 7

He, nevertheless, said if the allegation was indeed true, the guilty parties involved could be charged for treason, but if it was a mischievous act, the person who made the allegation could be charged for providing false information to the Police.

TV interview

Shortly after news broke of the investigations into an alleged assassination plot against the Head of State, the complainant appeared on a local private television station to relate his story.

The matter involving the alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger was first brought to light by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, at a weekly post-Cabinet press briefing.

In that interview, the barber revealed that he was of-

fered $7 million and given a “long black gun” by a businessman to carry out the job of assassinating the President, but he had declined the offer.

Reports indicate that he subsequently filed a complaint with the Police, prompting the investigation which has been ongoing for approximately three weeks.

Laing Avenue youth was on Tuesday charged in Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan’s court following the recent armed robbery of a city businessman, during which he was shot to the left leg in an exchange of gunfire by Police Officers, who were in pursuit.

It is alleged that Nykoseye Gittens, while being in the company of another at Pike Street, Kitty, Georgetown, and armed with a gun, robbed Ganpat Seepersaud of $400,000 in cash and other valuables, a total value of $494,000, property of one Kartak Kumar.

The 23-year-old then fled the scene on a waiting motorcycle and was chased by Police ranks through the area after the VC raised an alarm. Gittens reportedly shot at the pursuing ranks who returned fire, hitting him to the leg. The accused was subsequently hospitalised and later discharged.

He was arrested and charged with the offence shortly af-

ter.

In an unsuccessful application for bail, defence counsel Stanley Moore related that his client was employed in his mother’s shop in Laing Avenue and was shot while he was at a barber shop getting a haircut, contrary to Police facts. The Attorney added that the injured man was hospitalised and was presently in immobile owing to the injuries received. These injuries, Moore contended, were aggravated when Gittens attempted to use the washroom at the Police Station where he was detained.

Bail was denied. The defendant will remain incarcerated until May 19, 2017 when the matter is expected to continue at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Meanwhile, court continued throughout the lunch period as the Chief Magistrate (for reasons unspecified) left her chambers in Court One to preside over a matter of similar nature in Court Ten. The charge against Alfred

Hescott read that on March 28, 2017 at West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, in the company of others while being armed with a gun, he relieved Virtual Complainant (VC) Junior Liverpool of a gold chain valued $48,000.

Moreover, the accused, on the same day at the same location, robbed a second VC, Albourne Parker, of a gold chain valued $175,000.

Hescott stood casually in the prisoner’s dock as the charges were read to him by the Magistrate, denying any knowledge of same when given a chance to speak.

The Prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that the defendant reportedly confessed to the crime in a caution statement. The court heard that the prosecution’s file was incomplete as a result of ongoing investigations of the other persons allegedly involved in the robbery.

The 22-year-old was remanded to the Camp Street Prison pending trial, and was expected to return to court on May 15, 2017.

10 news Protests against closure of sugar estates gain momentum wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

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The peaceful protest at the Rose Hall Estate

he protests against the impending closure of sugar estates across the country have gained momentum on the ground, as hundreds of workers of Rose Hall Estate staged a picketing exercise on Tuesday.

The Estate, which employs some 2400 persons, has not taken lightly the proposal made by President David Granger to have Albion, Blairmont, and Uitvlugt Estates remain open.

Many workers believe this is a clear indication that Rose Hall is one of the Estates that could be next to close its operation, and workers there are likely to be placed on the breadline.

The workers backed by their Union, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) displayed placards as they vented their anger at the announcement of the President.

The otherwise peaceful protest was disturbed momentarily when former workers’ union representa-

tive Paul Austin, who was fired from the Estate and was now an Alliance For Change (AFC) activist, engaged protesters.

Traffic was stopped along the East Canje road-

a placard which read “Your own words, ‘Sugar too big to fail’”, called on the President not to close the Estate.

Another worker holding a placard which read “What about the 20 percent promise?” said they were all fooled by the coalition when its promise of a 20 per cent increase was made. “They raise they pay 100 per cent.

The treasury isn’t running down with all the Minister’s pay since they double they salary? They are milking the taxpayers to full their pockets…”

The protest caused the Estate to cease grinding operations, as no cane was burnt on Monday in anticipation of the workers’ protest action.

Several hundred protesters at the Berbice estate on Tuesday

way for a few minutes as the protest took over the road.

Austin was taken away by the Police, and the several hundred protesters continued their peaceful protest.

One protester carrying

Workers also reminded that just a few weeks ago, acting President Moses Nagamootoo in his substantial position as Prime Minister, while speaking at the remembrance event for the Rose Hall Martyrs, promised that “sugar will

never die”. However, they say they are now faced with the real prospect of joblessness and impoverishment.

Furthermore, the workers are convinced that the plans touted by Administration and Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) officials offer little hope for a secure and bright future.

They say the closure of Rose Hall Estate – should it proceed, would take a heavy toll on many communities.

The town of New Amsterdam would also be affected adversely in a big way.

According to one of the protesters, if the Estate is closed, there will be nothing for the more than 2000 workers to do as well as those who operate businesses that serve estate workers, as there will be no money to sustain those businesses.

“They talking about education – where you gon get money fo send the children to school? Two years they in there and they ain’t do anything fo sugar… nothing at all. Now they trying to take away bread from we.”

The emotions exhibited by the worried workers showed that it was not a politically motivated protest but one in which the workers were pleading with the Government to rethink a decision it has made which would adversely affect generations. More particularly, the effects of that decision would almost be irreparable, at least for decades. turn to page 17

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Asses

atiricus was going to be in the hot seat. He knew the fellas would’ve read the interview in the paper for which he laboured – and would give him stick for the interview his Leader Rum Jhaat had given. But he wasn’t going to miss his opportunity to unwind, so here he was sidling into the Back Street Bar to face the music. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Hey Sato!!” Bungi called out before he even had a chance to sit down. “Wha’ yuh leadah gat ‘gainst yuh paypah?!”

“Well, for one, he’s not the KFC leader anymore,” Satiricus pointed out. “He was voted out.”

“But he IS your leader, isn’t he?” asked Hari. “What did your paper do to Rum Jhaat for him to tell your reporter, “I don’t speak to Gtimes. Y’all are asses”?”

“Da include you, Sato!!” gloated Bungi. “Asses!!”

“All right, let me tell you straight,” said Satiricus.

“He didn’t like how my paper covered his crime-fighting strategy.”

“Really?” asked Hari. “And what was that strategy, pray tell?”

“OK, guys, quit fooling around,” said Satiricus. “You sound just like my editor.”

“Na…abee serious,” assured Bungi. “Wha’ ‘e strategy fuh fight crime?”

“Well, his curfew, of course,” said Satiricus. “Haven’t you noticed since he imposed the 2 am curfew crime has gone down?’’

“I thought that was due to Operation Greenheart!” smiled Hari. “Or Wallaba!! But that’s no reason to call you guys “asses”.”

“Yuh repo’tah shoulda tell Rum Jhaat, ‘e tek waan fuh know waan’!!” suggested Bungi with a wide grin.

“But the man learning to take criticisms, you know,” suggested Satiricus.

“Really?” asked Hari with his eyebrows touching his hairline.

“Yeah,” nodded Satiricus. “In the past, he would’ve shouted at our reporter: ‘Haul yuh ass’!”

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wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Parking meter burden

SCSI downsizes as 3-month suspension bites …wardens out of work

ect, Bulkan had cited the M&CC’s independence.

After unrelenting protests and popular outcry, Bulkan suspended the by-laws on March 17, for a three-month period. This was in order to

S

mart City Solutions Incorporated (SCSI) has downsized its operations in the wake of the three-month suspension imposed following outcry from citizens that parking meters in Georgetown were an additional financial burden.

Guyana Times understands that the contracts of wardens, who were once tasked with clamping the vehicle wheels of motorists who fell afoul of the city by-laws, have been terminated. This publication was also told that the major players in the project have since left the country. On Tuesday, several calls to SCSI’s office went unanswered and, according to reports, the office work has also ground to a standstill.

The parking meter contract was subjected to reviews from both the Finance Ministry and the Attorney General’s Chambers, after concerns were raised about the project. Those reviews were not favourable, but the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) went ahead with the project.

Among the concerns raised about the contract were the division of profits, the exorbitant amount being charged for parking, the development, as well as the terms of the agreement and

Wardens frequently clashed with motorists over disputed booting

the company undertaking the project.

An estimated 400 parking meters were expected to be installed along selected streets in the central business district of the capital city of Georgetown.

Concerns had abounded over the criteria used for the selection of the streets, with some seeing it as a discriminatory move, as some persons would have been mandated to pay for parking, while others did not.

Opposition

The parliamentary Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had strongly criticised the project, especially in light of the fact that there were no consultations on the matter beforehand.

Despite the flaws high-

lighted in the contract, Government discovered nothing illegal and gave the green light for the commencement of the project once certain recommendations were implemented. These included a reduced fee for parking, which was eventually changed in the contract.

These appeasement efforts did little to dissuade protesters from taking to the streets outside City Hall on a weekly basis. In addition, there was a visible drive to boycott the parking meters by city motorists.

In January, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan had approved the parking meter by-laws, which had been presented to him by the company. When asked why he would sign the by-laws when there were prevailing concerns about the proj-

give SCSI and the city time to arrive at a settlement more amenable to the populace.

Those negotiations are being spearheaded by a delegation from the M&CC, which would include the Finance

Committee and most likely other Councillors. Mayor Patricia Chase Green has already publicly recused herself from the proceedings, ostensibly to give the project a fresh perspective.

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wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Robb Street vendors to be regularised – Mayor

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he Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will be moving to regularise vending along Robb Street, Georgetown following complaints of wholesalers that those vendors are affecting retailers in the Bourda Market.

On Tuesday, Mayor Patricia Chase Green confirmed that the Council has ordered the Clerk of Market to have the area regularised.

“I would have raised that issue, because on my visit there on Saturday, I have received complaints from the retail vendors that the wholesalers are no longer occupying the Merriman Mall, that area that we would have provided for them with a shelter, but they come out actually all day and wholesalers are not allowed to sell all day,” Chase Green told Guyana Times.

The Mayor added that the wholesalers were supposed to be vending between the hours of 17:00h and 06:00h.

However, this is not so according to the stallholders who informed that the wholesalers were vending all day and night and were retailing at wholesale prices.

“The Clerk of Markets, along with the City Constabulary, is expected to go and to regularise that area once again and [ensure] that the wholesalers return to their place,” she informed.

Stallholders from inside

they receive a receipt for the money they are paying.”

She added that the vendors were not supposed to pay a charge every three hours, rather they paid a onetime

charge for the duration of their vending time, which is between the hours of 17:00h and 06:00h.

However, the Robb Street vendors complained that they

were forced to sell beyond their allotted time, since their produce was not sold out and they would be the ones to incur a loss if they did not continue vending.

Woman jailed for killing best friend …sentenced to 8 years behind bars

Wholesale vendors along Robb Street, Georgetown

the Bourda Market are further alleging that wholesalers from Parika and other areas are setting up stalls along Robb Street and retailing goods at wholesale prices to customers.

“The wholesalers outside on Robb Street are selling the goods, the same goods we buy from them at the wholesale price and this is affecting us and customers are not coming into the market,” stallholder Himwattie Barry said.

Barry added that vendors were finding it hard to pay their stall rental fees since they were subjected to unfair competition. She noted that they had brought the issue to the attention of the Market Clerk, who promised to have the issue addressed since Friday last.

The vegetable vendor noted that she incurred losses on a daily basis, since customers were not coming into the

Market to shop. “These are perishable goods I have here, and we have to be dumping it and we are the ones who are feeling the pressure,” she complained.

Collectively, the stallholders inside the Market reiterated Barry’s concerns and noted that very little action was being taken by the City Council.

When this publication visited the Robb Street area, the wholesalers informed that they were plying a legal trade since they make payments, ranging from $500 to $1000, to the City Constables every three hours.

When asked about this, Chase Green said, “It is not the responsibility of the Constable to collect revenue… revenue clerks are assigned by the Clerk of Market and they are the only persons who are to be paid and the vendors are expected to ensure that

T

he now 20-year-old Angelique Williams, who was charged with murdering her pregnant best friend in 2015, was on Tuesday sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment when she appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the Georgetown High Court.

Williams had pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter on April 6, 2017.

While handing down his sentence to the visibly remorseful young woman, Justice Singh advised her to utilise the educational system while in prison and to abstain from consuming alcohol.

As she was escorted out of the courtroom, the young woman was heard extending seemingly sincere apologies to her best friend’s family as well as her own.

On May 21, 2015, the accused, who was 18 years old at the time, reportedly stabbed her best friend, Renita Thomas, who was then 20, at Versailles on the West Bank of Demerara.

According to reports, the two women had been best friends for over five years.

Dead: Renita Thomas

However, on the day of the incident, the duo, in the company of Thomas’ oneyear-old child and some friends, went to the Aracari Resort on the West Bank of Demerara.

While they were leaving the location, the two girls got involved in an argument which escalated into a physical altercation. The altercation turned deadly when Williams armed herself with a broken bottle and repeatedly stabbed her best friend to the chest, stomach and head.

This happened in full view of the duo’s friends and Thomas’ child.

Reports in the media at

Convicted: Angelique Williams

the time indicated that the cause of the entire incident was jealousy on Williams’s part.

According to relatives, the best friends had made a pact to become pregnant at the same time and raise their children together.

However, as they worked to make their plan a reality, Thomas got pregnant with her first child and Williams did not.

This angered Williams, but she reportedly “got over it” until the day in question when she accidentally learnt that Thomas was pregnant again and she had been “left in the dark”. (Ramona Luthi)

news

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wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

If passed in present form

M&CC discipline motion can be used to intimidate, silence – Councillor

T

he introduction of a motion to penalise Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) members for any “misconduct” against the Mayor of Georgetown is not going down well with some Councillors.

According to Councillors, the ambiguity in the wording of the proposal is an attempt to intimidate and silence.

The motion, which was moved by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Councillor Heston Bostwick and was supposed to have been debated on Monday, seeks to have Councillors penalised for “gross misconduct” against Mayor Patricia Chase Green. It references Sections 27 to 31 of the Municipal and District Council Act, Chapter 28:01.

According to one councillor who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the motion lacks a Code of Conduct, which would provide a guide for which behaviour constitutes misconduct. He noted that while the concept was a good one that would create discipline and order, the motion was so poorly formed, it could be used in an arbitrary manner to silence critics.

“It was supposed to

be a motion and when we reached to it, the seconder had already left and the Mayor asked for it to be brought forward to another time. It’s a motion to pave the way for anybody deemed to be committing misconduct to the Mayor … [being] sanctioned according to the law. First of all, there was no code of conduct. And secondly, if you’re quoting sections of the 28:01 laws, you ought to include in the motion what rights the individual have to redress. You can’t send a motion without any rights of the individual and even if you quote the law, you have to include in the motion what it says, together with the rights,” the Councillor stated.

He queried exactly who would determine what could be construed as gross misconduct. In light of this, the Councillor stated that if passed, the motion could most likely be used to silence any criticism or probing questions at the Council level.

“It is a motion that will make people intimidated and fearful. It refers to the law, so the law is fairly specific. But if they expand it to include what the law says about the penalties and the rights of the individual to

City Hall

be heard, it might then (be more acceptable).”

“But it lacks specifics.

It’s being deemed as a motion, but whether it can stand as a motion is another thing.”

The motion lays out that “any Councillor or Officer of the Mayor and City Councillors of Georgetown who, hereafter this motion so passed, conducts him or herself in any manner deemed to be gross misconduct to the Mayor or Presiding member of Council shall have the enforcements of Sections 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 of the Municipal and District Councils Act against that or any member.”

A perusal of the Municipal and District

Councils Act, Chapter 28:01, revealed that Section 27 states that “the Town Council may sue and be sued in the name of The Town Clerk”. Section 28 speaks of the extent of the town, while Section 29 speaks of the composition of the Town Council.

Section 30 references Sections nine to 22, which in turn reference the election and succession process for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Section 31 speaks of the power of the Minister to amend the Third Schedule.

The actual relevant section to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council is Section Six, under the listing ‘Legal proceedings’. It merely states that “the City Council may sue and be sued by and in the name of The Town Clerk of Georgetown”.

Relations on the City Council have been thorny of late, with the advent of the Georgetown parking meter project. The issue has divided the Council and has prompted unprecedented terse exchanges at some statutory meetings.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesdAY, april 26, 2017

News

Psychiatric Hospital turning away patients

Liliendaal Bridge repairs 65% complete – Patterson

….institution full to capacity – source

T

he National Psychiatric Hospital (NPH), Guyana’s only psychiatric institution, is said to be full and cannot accept any more patients.

Senior sources from the Public Health Ministry’s Mental Health Unit told Guyana Times that patients with chronic mental illnesses who require institutionalised care and monitoring were unable to access the critical treatment since the NPH was currently filled to capacity.

In 2016, then Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton signalled his intention to reconstruct the institution, since it was plagued by non-functional buildings.

However, the Ministry is yet to begin any rehabilitative or reconstruction works on the institution.

Several governmental and health organisations have condemned the state

of the NPH and the delivery of mental health services in Guyana. However, the source noted that since the implementation of the National Mental Health Action Plan 2015-2020, there has been a drastic improvement in the delivery of mental health care in Guyana.

The Mental Health Action Plan includes the delivery of mental health care at the community level and the engagement of all stake-

holders.

A source from the Georgetown Psychiatric Clinic noted that there was an increase in the number of young patients accessing mental health care, but noted that there was a need for greater sensitisation and training as it related to the detection of mental health issues. The source added that since the Mental Health Action Plan was developed, the Clinic has been keeping records of all the

W

Works on going at the Liliendaal Bridge, Greater Georgetown

The National Psychiatric Hospital, Fort Canje, Berbice

cases of suicide and suicide attempts to determine the state of mental health in Guyana. Currently, there are five psychiatrists in Guyana’s public healthcare systems and they have clinics throughout the country.

They have also embarked on the sensitisation campaigns and plans to go into schools to raise awareness and eradicate the stigma attached to mental health issues.

Efforts to contact the Health Ministers, Volda Lawrence and Dr Karen Cummings, along with Director of the Mental Health Unit, Dr Util Richmond-Thomas were unsuccessful.

orks at the L i l i e n d a a l Bridge, Greater Georgetown are some 65 per cent completed – as the Public Infrastructure Ministry pushes to wrap up the rehabilitation before the deadline of July 2017.

This is according to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson who was at the time responding to concerns expressed on social media about the pace of the works on the Bridge.

In his comments on social media, Patterson noted that all the piling and crossbeams have been completed, and the decking, which was prefabricated, would soon be “dropped in”.

Minister Patterson disclosed that the new completion date for the works is May 22, 2017.

The Bridge had shown signs of imminent failure.

One of the panels had been detached making the structure unstable.

The rehabilitation of the Liliendaal Bridge is being carried out based on recommendations from the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) Inspection Team and engineers attached to the Ministry.

The $89 million project is being undertaken

by H Nauth & Sons Civil Engineering Contractors.

wednesDAY, april 26, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

News

Law books vendetta

High Court blocks SOCU from seizing books

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

F

ormer Attorney General Anil Nandlall filed legal action in the High Court on Tuesday and was granted an order effectively blocking ranks of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) from seizing several law books, which are now the subject of a Police investigation.

The conservatory order was granted by acting Chief Justice Roxane George.

It states that the Guyana Police Force has 14 days within which to apply for the order to be varied or set aside.

Nandlall presented documents to support his arguments that the Government had taken over the payment of his personal subscription to the 14 Commonwealth Law Books as a condition of his service.

The incumbent Attorney General, Basil Williams

has, however, accused him of stealing the books and had threatened to have him arrested.

After Nandlall filed a lawsuit against Williams for libel and slander, SOCU launched an investigation into the ownership of the law books and has since questioned the Opposition parliamentarian on the matter. SOCU ranks also visited former President Donald Ramotar at the Leader of the Opposition Office to verify if indeed an arrangement was made for

Attorney General Basil Williams

the Government to pay for Nandlall’s law books, which he confirmed.

SOCU officers had obtained a warrant to take possession of the law books, but Nandlall disclosed that they were in his possession at one of his premises, and he was unable to access the

premises, because the person who had the keys was currently overseas.

Last year, Minister Williams announced that the books were missing, and he subsequently launched an audit after sending home the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Indira Anandjit.

But Nandlall contended that the Minister knew about the whereabouts of the books since 2015 during

the transition period from one political administration to another.

Nandlall said the issue of the “missing books” was raised months later, after he had begun criticising Williams’s work.

The former Attorney General claimed the matter reached an explosive stage after he called out Williams over his courtroom outburst and following the legal pro-

ceedings he brought against him.

Nandlall, during a press conference following his release from SOCU on Monday, raised concerns regarding SOCU operating outside of its legal mandate to investigate financial crimes.

When questioned, the shadow legal affairs minister said he did not rule out the option of bringing legal

proceedings against the entity in this regard.

Meanwhile, Nandlall is being represented by Attorneys-at-Law Mursaline Bacchus, Bibi Shaddick, Odai Ramischand, Priya Manickchand, Adrian Anamayah, Euclin Gomes, Sase Gunraj, Manoj Narayan, CV Satram, L Mark Conway, Sasha S Mahadeo-Narayan, and Rajendra R Jaigobin.

16

wednesDAY, april 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramsammy’s Ruminations The tragedy is that Ms Carol Joseph had enablers – willing or coerced?

P

ethidine is an old medicine, similar to morphine. It is the same narcotic substance that a doctor was overprescribing to Michael Jackson, and it is suspected that Michael Jackson died because of the abuse of pethidine. Pethidine abuse and addiction is a serious problem, not only globally, but also in Guyana.

There are too many persons whose lives have become miserable and whose Dr Leslie Ramsammy families endure unbelievable agony because of pethidine addiction.

Ms Carol Joseph has had to resign her position as a senior A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) member on the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice). This is a personal tragedy for Ms Joseph. I have fierce disagreements with Ms Joseph's political views and her political activities. I find Ms Joseph's behaviour and her political machinations to be abhorrent, but in this battle with pethidine addiction, I empathise with her. Ms Joseph's battle with pethidine is a battle that has come home to too many families in Guyana.

Whatever our politics, those persons who struggle to survive with pethidine addiction deserve our prayers and our support. Ms Joseph has my prayers and my best wishes as she battles the agony of pethidine addiction.

But if Ms Joseph's pethidine abuse and addiction is a personal tragedy, there are other compelling tragedies in this story. One tragedy is that of Nurse Marks, a nurse at the Fort Wellington Hospital, who was unfortunate to be a nurse on duty on several occasions when Ms Joseph showed up at the hospital for a pethidine fix. She refused to be an enabler. The tragedy of opioid abuse and addiction is the many enablers in the health system. Ms Marks had the professional and moral strength to refuse the role of an enabler for Ms Joseph, refusing to help her sink deeper into the abyss of pethidine addiction. But there were many others in the system, either more than willing to be an enabler or too intimidated to refuse.

Unlike Ms Joseph, Nurse Marks' tragedy is not selfinflicted. It is tragic that Ms Marks was transferred against her will as a punishment for doing her job. Nurse Marks stood up on a moral, ethical, medical and legal principle, adhering to her Nightingale vow "to do no harm", refusing to provide an addictive medicine for a patient already seriously hooked on the drug. She was being a responsible professional, willing to provide health care, but not willing to be an enabler to promote substance abuse.

It is repugnant, therefore, for the Regional Executive Officer (REO), with full complicity of the APNU/AFC, to transfer Ms Marks from the Fort Wellington Hospital to a health centre in Bath Settlement, a transfer she objects to. Clearly, Ms Marks is being harassed and punished for standing up to Ms Joseph, a senior APNU member in Region Five. It took courage for this young professional to stand up against the political brand Ms Joseph promotes, a brand that stamps itself with brutal political vindictiveness. While the Region Five Administration which has jurisdiction for Fort Wellington Hospital and the PPP have objected to the treatment of Ms Marks, the Public Health Minister, President David Granger and APNU/AFC are arrogantly silent.

Ms Marks’ story is a genuine example of petty political vindictiveness that permeates almost every action of APNU.AFC. That is the kind of political intimidation that also accounts for some of the persons who served as Ms Joseph's enablers. The REO of Region Five, Ms Joseph's APNU/AFC colleagues at the regional and national levels who knew of Ms Joseph's ugly abuse of pethidine might have been willing enablers, but I suspect that some of the public health officials might have been reluctant enablers, people intimidated to become enablers. The Regional Health Officer (RHO) abrogated his Hippocratic Oath of "doing no harm".

Did he act out of fear and as a result of political intimidation? When one sees the sheer ugliness of political vindictiveness at the national level carried out against political leaders like Bharrat Jagdeo and Anil Nandlall, one could understand the fear and intimidation local professionals operate under.

One tragedy often compounds itself by attendant tragedies. This is such a story. Ms Marks was punished for doing the right thing; others like the REO and the RHO keep their jobs for being enablers. We need more nurses and healthcare providers like Ms Marks. One young lady has bravely exposed a powerful political machinery. APNU/ AFC might have used its powers to punish her, but unlike its shame, she stands tall with honour. APNU/AFC is finding out that there are many who will not succumb to bullies.

news

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wednesDAY, APRIL 26, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

High Court dismisses injunction GTT to upgrade broadband network blocking GPSU elections G

L

ess than a week after a Branch Chairman of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) secured an interim injunction blocking it from holding executive elections until an audit of monies utilised by the Union for the past 12 years was conducted, a High Court decision on Tuesday saw the matter being dismissed.

The interim injunction was granted by Justice Nareshwar Harnanan on Thursday. The injunction sought to restrain the respondents or their servants or agents “from holding or attempting to hold an election for office bearers for the Executive Council of the Guyana Public Service Union until the 3rd day of May, 2017 or sooner on the production by the respondents of the Auditor General’s report to the applicant and members of the Guyana Public Service Union and the audited treasurer’s report for the Guyana Public Service Union for the past 12 years to date.”

The application was made by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes on behalf of Gregory Gaspar, who is the Chairman of GPSU’s Branch 72.

However, a statement from the GPSU on Tuesday said that the “application by Mr Gregory Gaspar of the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission has been discharged today, Tuesday 25th April, 2017”.

The statement continued that after hearing submissions by the Union's Attorney-at-Law, Roysdale Forde and relying on evidence adduced by the Union, the Judge found that the allegations by Gaspar of the Union's non-compliance with its rules and its obligations

GPSU President Patrick Yarde

under the Trade Unions Act were erroneous and misconceived.

The GPSU Attorney-atLaw's submissions included evidence of Annual Returns to the Registrar of Trade Unions which had Income and Expenditure Statements and Balance Sheets for the entire period up to December 31, 2016. Also presented was a statement from the Auditor General confirming the audit of the Union's accounts up to 2005 and Income and that Expenditure Statements and Balance Sheets up to December 31, 2016 were in his possession.

According to the GPSU, both Gaspar and his “instigator”, Jermain Hermanstyne, were fully aware of these facts, but deliberately set out to publicly misrepresent them for “personal and petty reasons”.

The Union went on to point out that the duo also advocated that their backward views should supersede rights of members in accordance with the rules of the Union.

“Investigations would reveal that both Mr Gaspar and Mr Hermanstyne were amongst the poorest per-

formers and achievers as members in the Guyana Public Service Union,” the release from the GPSU outlined.

It was also indicated that the Elections Officer has been advised that the Union was now free to proceed with the elections.

The Elections Officer and supporting personnel are working assiduously to hold the elections on Thursday, April 27, 2017. The General Secretary has issued a circular calling on all members notwithstanding the obvious inconvenience caused to make every effort to discharge their civic responsibilities towards the Union and meaningfully participate in the upcoming elections.

Over the past weeks, a rift developed between the current Executive of the GPSU and certain branches of the Union over various issues, including President Patrick Yarde’s longstanding appointment to the post and his inability to “effectively” represent Union members, as well as issues relating to transparency and accountable.

Yarde has been serving at the helm of the Union for over 30 years after consistently being re-elected to the post. However, some members are of the view that he is illegally in the position and is “holding a leash” to the post. To this end, a protest was held by several members calling for his resignation. Moreover, front runners of the protest against Yarde, Hermanstyne and Karen Vansluytman had stated that the GPSU President had adopted certain “intimidation tactics” against members who protested against him.

Protests against closure...

GAWU’s Berbice Representative, Harvey Tambron, who stood with the more than 600 workers Tuesday morning, noted that the Wales Estate was ordered closed without any consultation with the Union, the legal bargaining agent for the workers.

He says the Union is fearful that the Government is planning to do the same thing in Berbice.

“And you go to Wales, you will see the entire area is a ghost town, people are without jobs and this is what will happen here if they close Rose Hall. If there is a proposal or an announcement to close Rose Hall, they should look at it and do a feasibility study.

If they are to sell Skeldon, then they should do a study.

A study will reveal how people will live if they are to sell the Estate, what will be the result and that will tell you what the alternatives are. So, it is important that they should do a feasibility study before any announce-

ment,” Tambron said.

A statement from GAWU on Tuesday said the workers were worried about the issues they may face should the closure plans be implemented.

“The workers are convinced that the plans touted by Government and the (Guyana Sugar Corporation) GuySuCo officials offer little hope for a secured and bright future,” the statement said.

GAWU said too that if these plans materialised, the town of New Amsterdam would also be particularly affected given that sugar workers and their families were the source of much business there.

“The GAWU finds it puzzling, indeed disheartening, that such plans are contemplated when other jobs, especially in the East Canje area, are simply unavailable,” the Union added.

GAWU has vowed to cripple planned efforts to close other estates, including the East Demerara

from page 10

Estate (Enmore Estate), in the name of restructuring.

GAWU President Komal Chand had told Guyana Times that the Union would begin amassing workers to take to the streets in massive protests against this move.

While the Union has been engaged in some level of protests over the past weeks, particularly in Enmore, Chand stated that the numbers were likely to grow in coming weeks and months.

“They hope that they will draw support from the residents and others, with the view to build a strong protest because that might be one of the ways to get Government to rethink its position,” he added.

GAWU said if the protest attracted enormous crowds like the parking meter project protests in Georgetown, it would send a strong message to the coalition Government.

TT has announced that major works are underway to install the latest generation of networking technologies and equipment to its broadband network.

These investments are expected to provide faster speeds, more capacity and enhanced network reliability, the company said in a public missive on Tuesday.

According to the local telecoms giant, it is partnering with General Datatech (GDT) – a leading systems integrator and tier 1 Cisco partner – to upgrade systems and architecture to a level consistent with the best practices of leading global service providers around the world.

“These investments will not only provide for faster and better services today, but will also allow GTT to easily manage aggressive traffic growth scenarios for many years to come.

“GDT is an award-winning technology integration partner with expertise in the delivery of enterprise network, collaboration, mobility and data centre technologies to service providers, large enterprises, and busi-

GTT main office, Brickdam

nesses of all sizes,” the company said.

GTT’s broadband network provides access to the Internet for more than 50,000 customers, including residential customers, businesses, healthcare providers, schools and government agencies across the country.

This system upgrade, coupled with GTT’s substantial undersea capacity, will facilitate a substantial improvement in broadband and data connectivity services through provision of faster speeds and more secure and reliable connections. These improvements will allow users of GTT services to experience all that the Internet

offers today and the possibilities of the future.

The project for upgrading the network is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2017. During this time, some customers may experience intermittent outages.

GTT deeply regrets any inconvenience experienced, and commits to making all efforts to minimise the outages during the business day and early evening.

These upgrades come on the heels of ongoing public bickering between GTT and its lone competitor, Digicel Guyana, over who is better able and capable of meeting the country’s telecommunications’ needs.

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guyanatimesgy.com

WednesDAY, April 26, 2017

ARCHIE

Get involved in a program that will encourage good (March 21- health, fitness and longeviApril 19) ty. Taking better care of your physical and financial needs is highlighted. Think before you spend money or take a risk.

ARIES

Personal gains are heading TAURUS in your direction. Accept the (April 20- inevitable and welcome the May 20) changes that will give you the push you need to pursue more ambitious goals.

dilbert

Deal with unfinished busiGEMINI ness.

Take on institutions or (May 21government agencies that June 20) are taking advantage of you or your community. Get the facts and speak up.

Take charge and don’t budge if you feel it’s not in (June 21- your best interest. Don’t worJuly 22) ry about a stalemate. The results will turn in your favor.

Let your intuition guide you.

CANCER

Peanuts

Look at all aspects of an LEO agreement, and negotiate on (July 23your own behalf. Knowing Aug. 22) what you want and what’s expected of you will help you find success. Initiate change.

Calvin and Hobbes

Set up a meeting, interVIRGO view or talk with an expert in (Aug. 23Sept. 22) order to help you make decisions regarding your current position and future pursuits.

An internship or apprenticeship looks promising.

Changes at home can be LIBRA made that will help you save (Sept. 23money or cut your overhead.

Oct. 23) A move or change in the way you handle your financial affairs should stabilize your life.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

A personal connection with SCORPIO someone close to you will en(Oct. 24courage you to explore the Nov. 22) unknown and consider doing things differently. Personal gains look promising. Aim to get fit and fabulous.

You know what’s best, and SAGITTARIUS you know what to do, so don’t (Nov. 23- allow anyone to play emotionDec. 21) al mind games with you. Put your trust in yourself.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Build your assets, take CAPRICORN care of investments and (Dec. 22make changes at home that Jan. 19) will help cut costs or boost your home’s value. Financial growth is good, but indulgence is not.

Emotions will surface if AQUARIUS things don’t go your way fi(Jan. 20nancially. Use common sense Feb. 19) and be practical when dealing with change that could get costly. Call in favors to compensate for a setback.

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Plan your actions with prePISCES cision and look over the fine (Feb. 20print when dealing with perMarch 20) sonal documents. Discuss your concerns or potential problems, but don’t disclose information that will incriminate you.

wednesDAY, aPRIL 26, 2017

Cyclists anxious to take on Boyce & Jefford Relay Festival S

ome of Guyana’s best cyclists are gearing to compete on Sunday in two highly anticipated races when the second annual Boyce and Jefford Relay Festival and Family Fun Day gets going at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary from 10:00h. This is according to a media release from the organisers of the event.

The two races that will be contested for the first time this year include ‘The Devil Takes the Hindmost’ and Mountain Bike event. Each race will fetch lucrative cash prizes, compliments of Jude Bike Shop on Robb Street, Bourda. Proprietor of the Shop, former national cyclist, Jude Bentley said he is happy to partner with the organisers to host a tangible race for the wheelsmen.

Bentley extended an invitation to all cyclists to compete

Hamzah Eastman

Shaquel Agard

in the race.

“If you have a bicycle and you want to ride, there is nothing stopping you from entering; cyclists don’t let anyone stop you. These events are for you to come and ride and I am happy that there is such a big occasion for cyclist to compete,”

Bentley said. The release also stated that the races will have the seasoned campaigners, including Alonzo Ambrose, Shaquel Agard, Paul DeNobrega, Hamzah Eastman, Orville Hinds, Michael Anthony, Jamaal John, Christopher Griffith, Mark Harris, Raphael

Leung, Andrew Hicks and Britton John.

The races are open to others who wish to compete. The Devil Takes the Hindmost carries a total cash prize of $50,000 with $25,000 for the winner; $15,000 for second and $10,000 third place. The number of laps of this race will be decided on the day based on the amount of entrants to the event.

Meanwhile, the Mountain Bike event will carry a total purse of $90,000 with $25,000 for the winner; $20,000 for second place; $15,000 third place; $12,000 fourth place; $10,000 fifth place and $8,000 for sixth place. Jude Bike Shop is the sponsor of the cycle races.

Guyana lose again, Windwards beat Jamaica

A

memorable spell from West Indies Women’s leg-spinner Afy Fletcher set up Windward Islands for a two-wicket victory over Jamaica in the Women’s Regional Super50 Tournament on Monday in St. Vincent.

Fletcher, the Windward Islands captain, collected 7-13 from 9.2 overs, including incumbent Windies Women’s captain and batting superstar Stafanie Taylor for six, as the Jamaicans, sent in to bat, were bowled out for 84 in 35.2 overs in the third round match contested at Sion Hill.

It was the second straight double-figure total for the Jamaicans, whose line-up also includes internationals Shanel Daley,Chedean Nation and Chinelle Henry, after their opening match in the tournament against Leeward Islands was completely washed out.

The Jamaicans however, made a fight of it with Nation grabbing 3-19 from nine overs and Vanessa Watts 2-25 from her allotted 10 overs, but Fletcher, the diminutive Grenadian, and opener Swayline Williams scored 23 each, as the host team successfully chased down their target with 82 balls remaining.

Tremayne Smartt

The result meant that the Windwards claimed their third straight bonus-point victory of the tournament, moving them to 15 at the top of the standings.

At Park Hill: Windies Women’s fast bowler Shamilia Connell demolished the bottom half of the Guyana batting and fired Barbados to their third straight victory in the tournament by 41 runs.

Connell ended with 4-16 from eight overs, Aaliyah Alleyne finished with 3-13 from 7.4 overs and leg-spinner Keila Elliott took 2-35 from seven overs, as the Guyanese were bowled out for 104 in 39.4 overs, chasing 146 for victory.

The match looked poised for an intriguing conclusion, when Guyana reached 98 for five, but Connell transformed the complexion of the match in the space of seven deliveries.

She removed Akaze Thompson for five, Subrina Munroe for one and Plaffiana Millington for a duck, as the Guyanese lost their last five wickets for six runs.

Earlier, dynamic Windies Women’s all-rounder Deandra Dottin gathered 47 from 85 balls, her captain and Windies Women’s teammate Shakera Selman was not out on 30 and Windies Women’s opener Hayley Matthews made 20, as the Barbadians were dismissed for 145 in 44.3 overs.

Windies Women’s fast-medium bowler Tremayne Smartt was the most successful Guyanese bowler with 3-15 from 10 overs, her Windies Women’s teammate Erva Giddings and fellow international Munroe snared two apiece.

At the Arnos Vale Sports Complex: A destructive spell from long-standing Windies Women’s off-spinner Anisa Mohammed undermined the Leeward Islands batting to set up Trinidad & Tobago for an eight-wicket victory.

Mohammed grabbed

4-18 from 8.3 overs, as the Leewards, choosing to bat, were bowled out for 76 in 28.3 overs to give T&T their second victory of the tournament.

No Leewards batsman reached 20, as Karishma Ramharack and Caniesha Isaac shared the demolition job with two wickets apiece and the defending champions continued to get their campaign back on track.

Windies Women’s batsman Britney Cooper then led the run chase with 27 and T&T crossed the finish line with 39.2 overs remaining before the scheduled lunch interval.

The #WS50 gives the region’s best female players a final opportunity to showcase their talent in the hope of making the Windies Women’s squad heading to the ICC Women’s World Cup to be staged from June 24 to July 23 in England.

Taylor’s Windies Women’s side earned automatic qualification to the Women’s World Cup following their fourth place finish in the ICC Women’s Championship – a tournament contested between the top eight sides in the World over the last two years.

19

Munroe appointed 1st GFF women’s development officer

A

ccording to a release “As the GFF works agon Monday from the gressively to expand the Guyana Football scope and impact of our Federation (GFF) former football development proLady Jaguars National team grammes, we are delightcaptain Tricia Munroe has been appointed their first Women’s Development Officer.

The appointment is a landmark move for the progress of women’s football in Guyana and a central part of the delivery of the new, national football development strategy.

The creation of a dedicated, full-time women’s football position within the GFF’s Technical Department opens up a range of exciting pos- Tricia Munroe sibilities for the development and organisa- ed to be able to bring Tricia tion of the sport across the on board to help us take country, including improved girls’ and women’s football leagues and competitions, an to the next level in Guyana,” increased number of female said Technical Director coaching and refereeing ac- Greenwood. tivities, more programmes “Tricia is fully aware of for girls’ football, greater the challenges that women’s support for the nationwide football faces in Guyana, GFF-Scotiabank Academy and she is bursting with the Training Centres, and an en- ideas and energy that we are hanced youth and senior na- looking for as the GFF works tional team programme. to break down those barri“I want to see women’s ers, through greater investfootball grow more, as much ment and a specific focus on as the men’s game, and get the needs of women’s footthe attention it deserves,” ball, from grassroots to elite said Munroe, who played in level. The GFF is committed central defence for the Lady to giving girls and women Jaguars for more than a de- every opportunity to reach cade during the 1990s and their full potential in foot2000s. ball, on and off the pitch, and “I hope that I can encour- we look forward to working age more former players to with Tricia to improve stanget involved in the work of dards and to create a more the GFF, so that we can har- level playing field.” ness their skill and passion The GFF is actively reto inspire the next genera- cruiting more women in foottion of players, coaches, ref- ball governance and manageerees and administrators as ment positions in a concerted we develop the sport.” effort to change the culture Munroe, who has also of football in Guyana. This served as assistant coach includes three positions for at Fruta Conquerors, will women on the nine-membe based at GFF head- ber Executive Committee – quarters in Georgetown as Thandi McAllister, Carmel part of the newly-expanded Williams and Magzene Technical Department, run Stewart – and GFF General

by Technical Director Ian Secretary Althea Scipio Greenwood. and GFF Deputy General The expanded depart- Secretary (acting) Rennella ment features a Youth Bourne.

Development Officer, a Two of the GFF’s Coach Education and nine, full-time Technical Development Officer, a Development Officer posiSchools Development Officer, tions are also occupied by a Technical Secretary, women – Akilah Castello nine regional Technical (Upper Demerara FA) and Development Officers Leah Smith (Bartica FA). and 14 part-time Youth Development Coaches.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesDAY, april 26, 2017

GCB Igloo Ice Cream U-17…

Demerara clinch victory over Nat’l U-15s ‒ Algu spearheads Berbice's big win

A

Jeremiah Scott

weakened Demerara Under-17 team clinched victory over Guyana Under-15 by 20 runs in their opening bout of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Igloo Ice Cream Under-17 Inter County Tournament on Tuesday at the Georgetown Cricke Club (GCC) Ground, Bourda.

Playing without two of their marquee players, Ashmead Nedd and Sachin Singh, who arrived at the venue minutes after they were asked to arrive, Demerara opting to bat first crawled to 168-9 in 50 overs. Hemnauth Dindyal 25 and Jeremiah Scott 22, who batted in the middle order along with Pradesh Ballkishun 18, were the main contributors in the innings.

Sheldon Charles 3-39 and Hansraj Harilall were outstanding with the ball

for the U15s who impressed throughout the day.

Their reply was off to a reasonable start as Sheldon Yearwood (12) and Ricardo Ramdehol (43), who was the top scorer, added 35 for the first wicket before the former was dismissed. Charles made 21 batting at three.

The U15 batsmen kept their team in the hunt for the target but no one capitalized on good starts to play a match winning innings to ensure an upset.

Ballkishun who was named man of the match for his efforts with bat and ball took 2-12 from 10 im-

pressive overs while Kester McAllister 2-6 claimed two scalps.

West Indies U-16 player Qumar Torrington and Jeremiah Scott also bowled well in the latter overs for the eventual winners, combining to restrict the flow of runs to create pressure

G

Alex Algu during his top score of 81 for Berbice

which enable a few run outs and some reckless shot se-

lections.

Meanwhile, across at the Everest Cricket Club Ground Berbice had an easier task against Essequibo, who lost by 115 runs in a lopsided affair.

The Ancient County made 215 all out in 49.1 overs, compliment of ag-

Check Mate begins on May 3

gressive opener Alex Algu who accounted for eight fours and three sixes in a top score of 81. Gevon Shultz and Kevin Omroa supported with 32 and 26 respectively.

Reyaz Khan, Lance Roberts and Bodesh Parsatan captured two wickets apiece for the Cinderella County, who was dismissed for a paltry 100 in 28.5 overs replying to Berbice. Roberts made 28.

Shultz completed a good day at the office with figures of 4-21 to add to his performance with the bat. Omroa also enjoy a good all round day, snaring 3-21 while Nigel Deodat took 2-28.

The second round will be played on Thursday with the third set for Saturday.

uyana Times Sport have introduced a weekly Chess Column, Check Mate, mainly for fans and prospective fans of the game.

The column will be authored by 22 year old Jessica Clementson.

The young Guyanese student was introduced to chess in 2009, and after she took a liking Jessica Clementson to the board game she Later that year, she underwent personal training to participated in the Inter-School improve her skills. She played Chess Championships where her first tournament that same she led School of the Nations year and gained the awe of her to the title. Clementson was competitors. Over time, she has also awarded the title of Best expanded upon her range and Female. a player and figure of the game In 2013, she again took part in Guyana, especially towards in the Sagicor Open in Barbados, females. and in the following year, she In 2010, she joined the Royal was part of the Guyana team to Chess Academy and worked with the Inter Guiana Games, where the underprivileged residents they placed second. of Albouystown for quite some Keeping up with her time. She also established a competitive nature, she also chess club at School of the participated in the UMADA Cup Nations. In 2012, she formed and Guyana's National Junior The U-Knighted Chess Club with Chess Championship Qualifiers. the mission to promote this Last year proved to be intriguing game to youths. eventful as she continued to Even though she is kept play in the Barbados SCL Rated busy with studies, she has been Tournament, Sub-Zonal 2.3.5 in quite active as a competitive Barbados. She was also a part of player. In 2011, she played in the the Guyana's first Female team regional conglomerate of team at the World Chess Olympiad sports, the Inter Guiana Games held in Baku, Azerbaijan. She (IGG), and the Sagicor Open in volunteered as a Chess Arbiter Barbados. The next year she for the Massy Barbados Interonce again participated in the School Championships.

Inter Guiana Games, the Sagicor The weekly column, Check Open, as well as the Barbados Mate will be published on Nationals, where she garnered Wednesdays. the coveted award of Best Female.

Lady Jags encamped ahead of Caribbean Cup – international players to join in May

A

ccording to a press release for the Guyana Football Federation, 25 of the most talented national female football players have been called to a five-day camp in New Amsterdam, Berbice in preparation for the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Women’s Caribbean Cup scheduled for May 24 to 28.

This is the first time since the new executive is at the helm of football administration in Guyana that the female national team will participate in the CFU Women’s Caribbean Cup and speaks to the renewed focus of the new administration to women’s football development in Guyana.

The players, selected via the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Technical Development programme, include those from Linden, Berbice, Rupununi, West Demerara and Georgetown according to the release. All of the players were also part of the

The National Women’s squad along with GFF TDO Ian Greenwood (left)

recently concluded inaugural Women’s Development League.

This is the first of two camps for the team, commonly referred to as “Lady Jags”, and features two goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and eight forwards from the following Member Associations – Georgetown – 10, West

Demerara – five, Berbice –one, Upper Demerara – three and Rupununi – six.

The second camp, scheduled for May 12 to 22, will include overseas-based players after which the squad will be announced.

Encampment for the “Lady Jags” is managed by Head Coach designate and Technical Development Officer, Akilah

Castello assisted by recently-appointed GFF’s Women’s Development Officer, Trisha Munroe.

This initial camp, which began on April 24 will seek to introduce the new national playing philosophy as implemented by the GFF Technical Department and will cover a range of technical areas of assessment.

The encamped players are; Goalkeepers: Ruth George (Fruta Conquerors) and Nataile Nedd (Fruta Conquerors) Defenders: Anastacia Horsham ( Fruta Conquerors), Keshauna McRae (Foxy Ladies), Rebekah Nurse (West Side Conquerors), Ronecia Lewis

(Demerara Q u e e n s ) , Odessa Romeo (GDF), Collette Hope (Fruta Conquerors), Ameka Semple (Saints Sports Club) and Jillian Hawker (Paiwomak Warriors) Midfielders: Terryka Joseph (Fruta Conquerors), Lakeisha Pearson (Fruta Conquerors), Siacy Adams (Foxy Ladies), Tiandi Smith (Foxy Ladies), Shamika Marcus (Foxy Ladies), Vanissa Sacapieo (Saints Sports Club), Roshanna Grandison (Demerara Queens) Forward: Sasha James (GDF), Anulissa Johnson (Fruta Conquerors), Chante Leacock (NA United), Sherrilyn Kingston (Demerara Queens), Samantha Roberts (Paiwomak Warriors), Helen Domingo (Snatchers), Sonia Griffith (Saints Sports Club) and Shennel Daniels (Fruta Conquerors)

21

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22

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wednESdAY, april 26, 2017

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2017

fixed for Providence ... 5th instalment will be ‘the year of the fan’ ‒ O’ Donohoe

T

he stage is set for the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to be the biggest and best party tournament to date, after tournament organisers confirmed that the fifth instalment will start on Friday, August 4 with St. Lucia Stars welcoming 2015 champions Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) to the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.

The 34-game competition, which will be staged in seven countries over a six-week period, will conclude with the finals on Saturday, September 9, with the name of the host country set to be announced in due course.

The times for the Florida swing of matches have been confirmed, while the remaining start times will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

There will be the usual blend of day and night games, with the starting times to be announced shortly, and the St. Lucia opener will lead into two keenly-contested double-headers in Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida (on the weekend of 5-6 August) where Guyana Amazon Warriors will face Chris Gayle’s St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Barbados Tridents squaring off against reigning champions Jamaica Tallawahs in backto-back games. The action will then

move to Port of Spain in Trinidad & Tobago which will run simultaneously with the St. Lucia leg of matches (from the week of 7 to 15 August), before Guyana and St. Kitts & Nevis host the middle legs of the biggest party in sport (from 17-23 August).

As the race for one of the coveted finals berths heats up, the final rounds of matches will be held in Jamaica (from 25 August – 1 September) and Barbados (from 29 August – 3 September). Finals week will begin with a play-off on Tuesday, 5 September before the two eliminators and the finals, which will round off the 2017 tournament on Saturday, 9 Damien O’Donohoe September. ing an even better experience for Looking ahead to the 2017 cam- the many thousands of fans who paign, Hero CPL CEO Damien will descend on each of our seven O’Donohoe said; “We are delighted host countries. to announce the dates of the Hero “Once more we have the best CPL fixtures earlier than usual this talent in world cricket across our year which we believe will enable six teams. There has been a lot fans, sponsors, media and all of our of eye-catching transfers, with key stakeholders ample opportuni- Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons and ty to plan their trips and holidays Dwayne Smith moving sides in for the biggest party in sport. the close season and the likes of “Last year was the tourna- Afghanistan’s exciting leg-spinment’s biggest, with a global TV ner Rashid Khan, Chris Morris and online audience of almost 150 and Kane Williamson set to make million and in the region of 250,000 their tournament bows. We are exfans attending our games. We are cited to welcome such a high calidetermined to enhance the fan par- bre of talented, local and internaticipation across each venue, ensur- tional players to the Hero CPL

Athlete-sponsor relations to improve – Marks

GABBFF President Coel Marks

By Romario Samaroo

P

resident of the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF), Coel Marks made the intention clear that the Federation intends to have their athletes registered in order to benefit from the positive relationship between sponsors and athletes.

Hinting this at the Novice Championships on Saturday, the fairly new president in an exclusive interview with this publication related that it is all part of the plans the GABBFF has to improve investments in the sport through the marketing of their athletes.

“Part of our approach to im-

proving the marketability of our competitive athletes is to make sure we put out a professional outlook with a professional profile so we are undertaking a national registry of our athletes,” Marks said.

He went on to point out that this form of registration will not only include information that is relevant to current time but also the history of the athlete, making it easier to put forward a supporting position.

“It will include our athletes getting a profile card with their pictures, their bios and all their accomplishments within a given period which gives us the ability to market our athletes more appropriately,” The GABBFF President stated.

The 30-year body builder had also indicated that the Federation has already begun works on this plan while receiving positive feedbacks from corporate Guyana.

“We have been in conversations with companies to basically rent out athletes to be brand rep-

resentatives for them and in turn give the companies the ability to buy into the builders progression via some kind of secured sponsorship because it is a very d i f f i cult sport in terms of cost, meal preparation, supplementations and other factors involved i n getting you ready for a show,” Marks noted.

This, Marks highlighted is all part and parcel of the bigger picture which improves the relations of the sport and investors who are willing to develop Guyana in this department.

“Once we are serious and we approach corporate sponsors to convey we want to represent out athletes adequately, we should be able to garner support and I think this will help create reciprocity by giving them a brand representative fit of their company,” Marks said.

The Novice Championships was the first event hosted under the newly elected body and is quickly initiating a number of new ideas and changes in an effort to continue the upward progression of the bodybuilding locally.

in just a few months’ time.

“It is our pledge to make the 2017 Hero CPL the ‘Year of the Fan’ and there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes to showcase

all that is great about Caribbean culture, society and sport around the world.” Tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks online from www.

cplt20.com.

Hero CPL Fixtures 2017 Date

Match

Friday, 4

August St. Lucia Stars v Trinbago (St. Lucia) Knight Riders

Saturday, 5 August

Guyana Amazon Warriors v St. Kitts (Lauderhill, 11:00h) & Nevis Patriots Barbados Tallawahs

Sunday, 6 August

Tridents

v

Jamaica (Lauderhill, 15:00h)

St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Guyana (Lauderhill, 11:00h) Amazon Warriors Jamaica Tallawahs v Barbados (Lauderhill, 15:00h) Tridents

Monday, 7 August

Trinbago Knight Riders v St. Lucia (Trinidad) Stars

Wednesday, 9 August Trinbago Knight Riders v Jamaica (Trinidad) Tallawahs Thursday, 10 August

St. Lucia Stars v Barbados Tridents

(St. Lucia)

Friday, 11 August

Trinbago Knight Riders v Guyana (Trinidad) Amazon Warriors

Saturday, 12 August

St. Lucia Stars v St. Kitts & Nevis (St. Lucia) Patriots Trinbago Knight Riders v Barbados (Trinidad) Tridents

Sunday, 13 August

St. Lucia Stars v Guyana Amazon (St. Lucia) Warriors

Monday, 14 August

Trinbago Knight Riders v St. Kitts & (Trinidad) Nevis Patriots

Tuesday, 15 August

St. Lucia Stars v Jamaica Tallawahs

Thursday, 17August

Guyana Amazon Warriors v Jamaica (Guyana) Tallawahs

Friday, 18 August

St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Barbados (St. Kitts & Nevis) Tridents

Saturday, 19 August

Guyana Amazon Warriors v Trinbago (Guyana) Knight Riders

(St. Lucia)

St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots v St. Lucia (St. Kitts & Nevis) Stars Sunday, 20 August

Guyana Amazon Barbados Tridents

Monday, 21 August

St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Jamaica (St. Kitts & Nevis) Tallawahs

Tuesday, 22 August

Guyana Amazon Warriors v St. Lucia (Guyana) Stars

Wednesday, August

Warriors

v (Guyana)

23 St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Trinbago (St. Kitts & Nevis) Knight Riders

Friday, 25 August

Jamaica Tallawahs v St. Lucia Stars

Saturday, 26 August

Jamaica Tallawahs v Trinbago Knight (Jamaica) Riders

Tuesday, 29 August

Barbados Tridents v Guyana Amazon (Barbados) Warriors

Wednesday, August

(Jamaica)

30 Jamaica Tallawahs v St. Kitts & Nevis (Jamaica) Patriots

Thursday, 31 August

Barbados Tridents v St. Lucia Stars

Friday, 1 September

Jamaica Tallawahs v Guyana (Jamaica) Amazon Warriors

Saturday, September

(Barbados)

2 Barbados Tridents v Trinbago Knight (Barbados) Riders

Sunday, 3 September Barbados Tridents v St. Kitts & Nevis (Barbados) Patriots Tuesday, 5 September Play-Off (venue tbc) Wednesday, September

6 Eliminator 1 (venue tbc)

Thursday, September

7 Eliminator 2 (venue tbc)

Saturday, September

9 Hero CPL Final (venue tbc)

guyanatimesgy.com

wednESDAY, april 26, 2017

23

Brighto Paints presents West Indies vs Pakistan Q Mobile Test Series

GHB/Farfen & Mendes, Woodpecker Products 1st Division Outdoor Hockey League….

West Indies crash to another heavy defeat

Pizza Hut GCC whip

‒ Yasir Shah takes 6

Woodpecker Hikers

P

akistan took a giant stride towards each other to take six wickets this Test winning their first-ever Test se- match, bolstering his ever-burgeoning creries in the Caribbean, after an effi- dentials as a lethal second-innings bowler. cient bowling performance helped ease to This was the fifth time two Pakistan bowlseven-wicket win in Kingston. After Yasir ers had taken six wickets in a Test innings Shah’s six-for in the second innings left of a Test, and the first since 2002.

Pakistan chasing 32, Misbah-ul-Haq, who The chase of 32 was one perhaps walked in at the fall of Younis Khan’s not even Pakistan could stuff up, wicket with the side needing eight, hit but they can’t be accused of not two successive six- e s t o com- trying to make things interesting. plete the formalAhmed Shehzad tentatively ities. pushed at the Gabriel delivPakistan, ery outemboldened side off by pushing stump West Indies for a simto a tight corple catch to the ner last evewicketkeeper in ning, spent the third over. the morning Three session closing in. They picked balls latup six wickets for 59 as West er, Azhar Ali was Indies, resuming 93 for 4, were bowled making the walk back, out for 152. having made a mess of tryMisbah was in no mood to experiment, ing to leave a ball from getting his two best bowlers - Mohammad Joseph, only t o Amir and Yasir Shah - into the attack somehow end up straight away. At perhaps no stage of dragging it the Test did a wicket look as imminent onto h i s as it did in the first 10 overs. Amir tormented nightwatchman Devendra stumps.

Bishoo with an unwavering line outside After off stump. Or perhaps it was the other l u n c h , way round, as Bishoo kept missYounis fell ing, somehow managing to trying to keep his outside edge from work Bishoo making contact with the to the leg side ball. with the side Lesser bowlers - or intwo boundaries deed, Amir with lower levaway. But Misbah els of confidence - may needed just three have been frustrated, balls to put West but Amir kept plugging Indies out of away, and was duly r e - their misery. Thirty six warded.

Vishaul for three may not Singh had just cut a look too clinical, but, rare poor Amir delivas is so often the case, ery away for four, but their bowlers had left the bowler’s comeback was dethe batsmen ample room structive. He went slightly wide for error. (ESPNcricinfo) of the crease to the left-hander, the ball shaping in sharply Night watchman from the moment it pitched, Devendra Bishoo destination: top of off. Singh, made a fighting 18 who had seen Amir move the early on the final day ball the other way all morning, shouldered arms, and was every bit as much a spectator as everyone else when the off stump cartwheeled. ov), 9-152 (Joseph, 52.1 ov), West Indies 1st Innings 286 Yasir was menacing 10-152 (Gabriel, 52.4 ov) Pakistan 1st innings 407 from the other end, getting Bowling Mohammad Amir 14West Indies 2nd innings sharp turn off what was be4-20-1, Mohammad Abbas (Overnight 93/4) ginning to look like a stanKC Brathwaite b Yasir Shah 14 11-1-35-2, Yasir Shah 21.4-4dard day-five pitch, but 63-6, Wahab Riaz 6-0-29-1 KOA Powell c Younis Khan b it was Mohamamd Abbas Yasir Shah 49 who struck the next damPakistan 2nd innings 20 SO Hetmyer b Yasir Shah aging blows with two wick(target: 32 runs) lbw 6 SD Hope b Yasir Shah ets off three balls. Bishoo Azhar Ali b Joseph 1 D Bishoo c Younis Khan b was the first to go, flashing 18 Ahmed Shehzad c †Dowrich b Mohammad Abbas Gabriel 6 at a short and wide delivery VA Singh b Mohammad Amir 9 not out 9 Babar Azam with Younis Khan pouching RL Chase not out 16 Younis Khan lbw b Bishoo 6 it in the slips. Two balls latSO Dowrich† lbw b Mohammad Misbah-ul-Haq* not out 12 er, Shane Dowrich played Abbas 0 2 Extras (lb-2) across a straight ball that JO Holder* c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Total (3 wickets; 10.5 overs) 36 struck his pads in front of Wahab Riaz 14 Did not bat Asad Shafiq, middle stump.

1 AS Joseph lbw b Yasir Shah Sarfraz Ahmed†, Mohammad Wahab, who has had a ST Gabriel c Mohammad Abbas slightly disappointing Test 0 Amir, Yasir Shah, Wahab b Yasir Shah Riaz, Mohammad Abbas with the ball, then got into 5 Extras (lb-5) Fall of wickets 1-7 (Ahmed the act, removing Jason Total (all out; 52.4 overs) 152 Shehzad, 2.4 ov), 2-7 Holder, West Indies’ highest Fall of wickets 1-22 (Brathwaite, (Azhar Ali, 3.1 ov), 3-24 10.1 ov), 2-72 (Hetmyer, 20.3 (Younis Khan, 10.2 ov) scorer in the first innings. ov), 3-84 (Hope, 24.2 ov), Yasir came in to clean up Bowling ST Gabriel 3-1-7-1, AS 4-89 (Powell, 26.6 ov), 5-110 Joseph 3-1-6-1, D Bishoo the lower order, just like he (Singh, 35.5 ov), 6-129 (Bishoo, 2.5-0-19-1, JO Holder 2-1-2-0 had the top order, removing 43.1 ov), 7-129 (Dowrich, Alzarri Joseph and Shannon 43.3 ov), 8-151 (Holder, 51.3 Gabriel within four balls of

Sonia Jardine (15) was all over the Woodpecker Hikers in scoring four goals

By Romario Samaroo

A

packed four days of high class first division outdoor hockey organised by the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) saw Pizza Hut GCC tearing into Woodpecker Hikers on Monday as one of the most commanding performances over the four day period.

Playing at home at the GCC ground Bourda, Pizza Hut raced to a 6-0 win over Woodpecker Hikers in the 1st division women’s class which is sponsored by Woodpecker products. The main destroyer of Hikers was Sonia Jardine who began her four goal assault in the 11th minute where she blasted two goals. She then returned for another two goals in the second quarter, scoring in the 27th and

some good plays.

Meanwhile on Friday, the Hikers club would have felt confident of their club’s performance throughout the competition with Pepsi Hikers beating Bounty GCC at home 2-1. The gruelling contest say Bounty take

the first jump with Kareem McKenzie already finding the back of Hikers net in the 5th minute. However, they were unable to score

ing 10 stitches as well as sitting out a few games in the men’s division which is sponsored by Farfan and Mendes.

Also, the action took to Saints Ground, Carifesta Avenue where the Woodpecker Hikers found Old Fort Shooting Stars to produce a marvellous showing holding them off for a considerable period, however Laticia Chung managed to bore through the Old Fort defence and secure the 1-0 victory.

Old Fort men found better luck on the same day, disposing Saints 4-1 thanks to a Hat trick from Aderemi Simon and one from Chris Low. Ato Green was the only Saints player to find the back of the net.

On Sunday, Pepsi Hikers needled Saints 1-0 thanks

SCOREBOARD

Minosoda Culpepper (9) battles through the GCC Spartans defence to lead Old Fort Shooting Stars to victory (Photos by Marceano Narine)

28th minutes.

Jardine was assisted by Kerensa Fernandes who scored a double of her own with both coming in the 37th minute. While GCC found it easy to work their way through the field, Hikers seemed to have been struggling to capitalize on

anymore goals in the match as Hikers’ Jamarj Assanah and Travon Young secured the two goals needed to win the match.

But it was a bittersweet day for Hikers as their captain Robert France was injured and receiv-

to Tivesarid Garnett’s goal in the 57th minute while Old Fort shooting stars defeated GCC Spartans 2-1.

The action continues again on Friday with Bounty GCC hosting Old Fort.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

guyanatimesgy.com

Hero Caribbean Premier League 2017

fixed for Providence Pg 22

... 5th instalment will be ‘the year of the fan’ ‒ O’ Donohoe Hero Caribbean Premier League matches at Providence have attracted sold-out crowds

Brighto Paints presents West Indies vs Pakistan Q Mobile Test Series

West Indies crash to another heavy defeat

Pg 23

‒ Yasir Shah takes 6

Misbah-ul-Haq finishes the game with back-to-back sixes after Yasir Shah took 6-63

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