Guyana Times Daily

Top performers for 2016 rewarded P6

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyana-times.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3015

Saturday, October 22, 2016

NICIL must account for missing US$5M from GT&T shares – Harmon Page 7

Fire razes Triumph house, 6 homeless Coconut Festival 2016 opens

Security guard shot while attempting to prevent robbery

Page 11

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Maniram Prashad is Philippines Honorary Consul to Guyana P10

P6 P6 50% of Guyanese trafficked are children – UNICEF

Page 7

Suspected thief shot after botched P7 robbery

Page 9

Awakening a sleeping giant: Coconut Festival 2016 opened at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, on Friday evening with a grand exhibition. The event will run for three nights (Marceano Narine photo)

Guyana Times sets the record straight

PRICE

Man freed for using P10 pregnant teen to traffic narcotics P2 Cabinet investigates ‘illegal’ drug purchases by Public Health Ministry

Page 3

KN reporter storms out of press conference, pens erroneous attack

… reporters have a responsibility to reflect issues in a truthful manner – Jagdeo

Lindener jailed for assaulting wife, damaging P8 phone

2 news

saturDAY, october 22, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Cabinet investigates ‘illegal’ drug purchases

by Public Health Ministry

T

he Cabinet Council of Ministers, chaired

by Head of State President David Granger, has called on Public Health Minister Dr George Norton to give an explanation over reports that there may have been some illegalities perpetrated with regards to the purchase of drugs and medical supplies by that entity.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, confirmed the state of affairs on Friday when he hosted a Post-cabinet press briefing following its meeting on

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

Tuesday.

According to Minister Harmon, the council has been in receipt of the reports with regards to the purchase of drugs by the Public Health Ministry.

He told the media that Cabinet has since demanded an investigation firstly at the level of the Ministry prior to any further action to be taken at the executive level.

Efforts by Guyana Times to make contact with Minister Norton proved futile as numerous calls to his

mobile phone went unanswered.

Minister Norton is quoted in sections of the media – reports referred to by Minister Harmon – as saying that there has been a recommendation for the investigation which may warrant some persons being sent on leave in the interim.

This is the second major investigation into the Public Health Ministry since the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) took

office.

A Cabinet Subcommittee was appointed

by Head of State Granger to investigate the transaction which saw the Public Health Ministry agreeing to pay in excess of $12 million for the rental of a Sussex Street, Georgetown, property for the storage of drugs and medical supplies.

While a decision is still to be made on this matter, that Sub Committee, which was chaired by Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, had recommended that the contract be terminated since another facility could be had at a cheaper rate.

The questionable Sussex Street facility is owned by Linden Holdings Inc whose principal is Larry Singh – a

key financier of the APNU/ AFC administration; a revelation that also accelerated public furore over the transaction.

The 2015 Auditor

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

General Report recently made public by Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland, is but another such report that documents these infractions.

In the 2015 Report, Sharma has had cause

to highlight the fact that the Ministry has in fact been breaching the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.

Training, guidance essential for teachers performing management duties

C

hairman of the Education Committee within the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) Denise Belgrave, has asserted that in order for the region's teachers to perform effectively at the level of management and administration, there has to be some form of training or guidance.

She made the assertion while addressing Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the education system, Ed Caesar and Councillors at a recent consultation held in the region.

Belgrave said she has recognised that teachers who act in the roles of administrators, more so at the nursery level, have serious issues with managing schools and blamed the lack of knowledge on their part. She said she is uncertain when issues of vacancies would be addressed in the region, so it appears as though the teachers who are presently acting in these positions would be acting for some time. The Education Committee Chairman then suggested that the teachers should in the meantime be guided from the level of the Department of Education.

"I think that these teachers need some amount of guidance – seminars, work-

Chairman of the Education Committee, Denise Belgrave

shops should be done to give them some leverage… because there is a difference between classroom teachers and being a manager, an administrator. I've seen a lot, because we have a lot of issues and conflicts," Belgrave said.

She added that there are a lot of retired educators in the region that would be happy to assist, stressing that they should be given an opportunity. Belgrave, who was also scheduled to retire, said she was willing to continue to assist the region in whatever way possible. "We have a passion for education, use us back so we can work," she said.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, October 22 – 10:30h-12:00h and Sunday, October 23 – 12:00h-13:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, October 22 – 09:30h-11:00h and Sunday, October 23 – 10:50h-12:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Heavy rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout most of the day, while sunny weather is expected in the late afternoon hours.

Clear skies with chances of cloudy conditions can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly to East North-easterly ranging from 1.34 metres to 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 09:08h and 21:28h reaching maximum heights of 2.25 metres and 2.26 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 02:33h and 14:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.80 metre and 1.05 metres respectively.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016

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Guyana Times sets the record straight

KN reporter storms out of press conference, pens erroneous attack … reporters have a responsibility to reflect issues in a truthful manner – Jagdeo

F

ormer President Bharrat Jagdeo on Friday rubbished a glaringly inaccurate report in the Kaieteur News, which sought to give the erroneous impression that that publication’s reporters at a press conference he hosted on Thursday were somehow restrained from asking questions.

In the article headlined “Jagdeo bars Kaieteur News from asking questions at press conference,” the reporter sought to convey the impression that she had been somehow restrained when in fact, she opted to storm out of the press conference when not allowed to pose questions at the time she wanted to pose her question. Subsequently, her colleague from the same news entity followed her.

In the article published in the Kaieteur News, it was reported that the first question Jagdeo entertained was posed by a reporter attached to the Guyana Times newspaper. This publication wishes to place on record the fact that its journalist had in fact signalled an intention to ask questions even before the Opposition Leader had finished making his opening remarks.

The Kaieteur News report suggested that Jagdeo entertained two questions from that reporter. What in fact did transpire is that the Guyana Times reporter sought clarification on a matter raised by the former President in his opening statements – a question that sought clarification on two fronts.

The Kaieteur News article then went on to say that the moderator, Zulfikar Mustapha, then asked if any other reporter wished to pose further questions and that the two reporters representing Kaieteur News at the press conference simultaneously indicated, by raised hands, that they wished to question the Opposition Leader.

What the Kaieteur News report did not detail is the fact that when the reporter from that publication was given her chance, the reporter posed five separate initial

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

questions to the Opposition Leader and was also afforded follow-up clarifications.

A reporter from HGP Nightly News was also afforded an opportunity at this point in time to get in a quick clarification.

Kaieteur News conveniently left out these details from its report but went on to say that when their representative attempted to pose questions to Jagdeo, he responded by saying, “No, no, no, you cannot ask any questions. Your colleague already asked questions.”

What in fact transpired is when the second reporter from Kaieteur News attempted to pose a question, she was informed that a representative from the newspaper had already posed a number of questions and as such, she should allow other media houses present to be given an opportunity to have their questions fielded also.

The moderator at the time identified a reporter from Stabroek News followed by a representative from an online media house at which point in time, the Kaieteur News reporter quipped “discrimination.”

The former President responded to the ‘discrimination’ quip by pointing out that Kaieteur News had already had a chance to pose five questions and opted instead to field a question from Stabroek News saying “no, no, no, let me go with (SN reporters).”

Kaieteur News Editor in Chief Adam Harris

That reporter was allowed to pose questions to clarify something the Opposition Leader had said.

By the time the former President had finished addressing the Stabroek News reporter, the Guyana Times reporter attempted to solicit a clarification but was quickly objected to by the Kaieteur News reporter who was immediately told by the Guyana Times reporter, “go ahead (Name), go ahead (Name).”

The former Head of State intervened, however, and reminded that the reporter from the online media house was identified for the next substantive question but this person declined at this point since the question was already answered.

The upset Kaieteur News reporter – who coincidentally waltzed into the press conference several minutes late – opted to instead storm out of the press conference to no doubt write an emotionally charged and wholly inaccurate report. The Opposition Leader has since called the

report by that publication as “reflective of uninspired hyperbole, as is characteristic of the Kaieteur News.”

Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader by way of a public missive on Friday also lambasted a second article in the Kaieteur News’ Friday, October 21, 2016, edition, where that newspaper contends that in addressing Guyana’s current economic challenges, no solutions were offered by the Opposition Leader. According to Jagdeo, “Again, the newspaper ignored facts… I defined elements of a matrix that could address the current slowdown in the economy.”

He recalled too that “Of note is that I gave this explanation after a question was posed by the Kaieteur News… I explained that the matrix would feature three primary factors – consistent policies and incentives; uniformed applicability of policies; and a focus by the Minister of Finance on growth rather than managing for ratios. I also pointed out that to define this matrix further would take up a great deal of time which I was prepared to do, but not at a press conference.”

The former President has since remarked that “Of note too is that the misrepresentations published by the Kaieteur news followed my explanation for the consistent personal attacks, as well as attacks on the political Opposition.”

According to Jagdeo, “The role of the media has been accepted as a critical one in a democracy. However, reporters also have a responsibility to reflect issues in a truthful manner.”

4

guyana-times.com

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2016

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

Editorial

Importation of chicken

T

he importation of chicken has always been a controversial issue in Guyana since local farmers feel that once they are given the opportunity they would be able to meet the demand, hence there is no need to import the product which is usually substandard in any case.

This newspaper recently broke the news that the Guyana Government had granted licences for the importation of over 800,000 pounds of chicken, allegedly because there would be a shortage of locally produced chicken during the Christmas season.

Based on some prior investigation, we understand that the responsible Governmental officials only met with the local producers after the licences had been issued. Some local producers have queried exactly how 19 companies were granted licenses by the Government without any consultation with the local industry.

Certainly, this is unacceptable when one considers the fact that it takes three months to produce meat birds and if the local producers were given timely notice, they would have been able to meet any shortfall. To date, the authorities have not explained to the Nation the reasons it took this approach to handling the matter.

This precipitate importation of foreign chicken is not in the interest either of the Guyanese consumer or of the national interest as a whole. In the past, chicken imports consisted on the lowest grade of chicken, some of which was designated as pet-food.

Other chicken imports were birds which had been kept in refrigeration from 10 to 12 years or even longer and were not meant for human consumption. The local importers go after the cheapest chicken they could find, little aware that it is sub-standard meat the exporters are dumping on them.

If chicken would be imported, then the Bureau of Standards and the Food and Drugs office must be involved in ascertaining the standard of the chicken from the foreign sources and also to inspect the chicken when it would have arrived here. By doing this, the Government would be protecting the health of the citizens and preventing them from being exploited, since sub-standard meat could result in a number of ailments and diseases.

In addition to the dangers to consumers mentioned above, we consider the importation of large quantities of foreign chicken not to be in the best interest of the national interest for the following reasons: (i) The chicken industry has been a large and reliable customer of the rice industry. The rice industry has been going through a crisis and requires all the support it could get and to diminish such support is not in the national interest. (ii) The chicken industry is one of the largest employers in the countryside. If the industry is damaged or minimised, people in the rural areas would suffer greatly since the industry provides employment for thousands of workers.

One well-known producer, Bounty Farms for example, employs more than 500 workers. (iii) The industry employs more women than men and leads the way towards gender equality and respect and is something of a pioneer in this regard.

The chicken industry has many other beneficial spinoffs to the country’s economy and among these are the following: (a) It provides a high quality fertiliser. (b) The chicken industry helps to provide Guyana with Food Security. Food Security is something which all countries are striving to achieve and Guyana is well within sight of it. (c) Once the chicken industry is allowed to satisfy local needs without disturbance, it will eventually be in surplus and ready to join the league of exporters.

On one hand the Administration is talking about creating opportunities for small businesses to grow, but its policies are contrary to allow for this to happen. It is quite unfortunate that the Government has had to take this route in dealing with an alleged chicken ‘shortage’.

However, even at this late hour, we believe that if local producers were given the opportunity, they would be able to meet the shortfall, if it should occur. On the other hand, if Government has no wish to modify its licence policy, it should at least meet all the importers and ascertain their sources and quality of imports and do direct checks in the interest of the health of Guyanese consumers.

Wear Pink Day: The staff of Guyana Times/TVG/Radio Guyana joined the Wear Pink Day observation in standing together against breast cancer.

"The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it" – CC Scott

The ship is sinking fast Dear Editor, The half-year report from the Finance Minister underscores the dismal performance of the forestry sector under the new Government and new Board. The Ministry of Finance reported a decline in performance by over 15 per cent. The board has done everything to stymie the development of the forest sector. Analysts have exclaimed that this is perhaps the worst performance of the forestry sector in 20 years.

In less than one year of the board’s existence everything has gone through the window. Many companies have closed down or are in the process of closing down; investors’ lands are being repossessed without due process and basically leading to a total shutdown of the sector. It would be good for the board to release information on how many new investors they have attracted, how many new jobs have

been created, how many new mills have been developed, how much new roads have been developed, how many new markets have been established, how much investments have been done. The answer is simply negative.

We agree that the Chinese were perhaps benefitting from some concessions, but what happened to the rest of the sector? The small man’s produces are not selling while the board seems unaware of the reality of the situation. If you go the length and breadth of this country small producers, as well as large operators are crying out there is no programme or plan to re-invigorate the sector; communities in the government stronghold of Linden and Kwakwani are crying out for help—what is the board doing?

In addition we are not hearing anything on the LCDS phase 2. We heard the board and government de-

veloping a new plan to replace the LCDS but where is it? Has Norway given any money since the new government took office? I suspect not. Given the record decline in the forest sector and the mismanagement of the sector under the new board and administration, I would urge Norway not to send any more funds to Guyana and to close off the agreement. Norway should read the Auditor General’s Report for the period when the APNU/AFC took office and see the shocking mismanagement and misuse of public funds over such a short period of time, particularly at the Ministry of Finance. So why put money into a system that is destined to misuse and mismanage the funds as it has proven while in office just over a year?

When the PPP/C was in office a particular board member was a constant critic of the President and

Minister for Forestry, as well as Forestry Commissioner James Singh. But she is currently a board member so what she has to show of her knowledge and expertise of the forestry sector? A record decline in performance, while being on the GFC board! The public is calling on this particular expert to bring out all her plans and ideas she has or had for the development of the sector and Guyana as a whole. It’s time to walk the talk.

Seems to me the only solution is to get more competent people on the board, or more so in Government.

So board Chair and Minister, the ship is sinking fast; the public is waiting for Government to present A PLAN. The public is watching and slowly getting fed up.

Yours sincerely, Carlos DeBarros, Sr Forest Ranger (ret’d)

CoI urgently needed at M&CC

Dear Editor, Well the litmus test has been done at the Georgetown Municipality. And by this I mean the very limited audit of the $300,000,000 that was given to City Hall by the Government was scrutinised to ascertain whether sound fiscal principles and methods were applied by the council in expending this sum.

Of course coming as no surprise there was colossal mismanagement, deliberate violations of tender procedures, non-adherence to their own financial regulations, favouritism in the engagement of contractors, etc.

This proves that there could be no greater need for a comprehensive, forensic audit to be done of the entire finan-

cial system for at least the last ten years, of the entire Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown.

The citizens of Georgetown need to be provided with access to the full report that was compiled by the Audit Office of Guyana.

It must be part of public records, for which the citizens who are the stakeholders have an interest.

But make no mistake, the Town Clerk and the Mayor would never ever voluntarily agree to a ten-year, far-reaching, deep and thorough forensic audit of the Council’s accounts, assets and human resources.

One should not forget that perfunctory examinations done in the past have

shown that loans and advances taken by some of these very senior administrators were found to have never been repaid. That one contractor, a well-known friend of a senior administrator, was awarded contracts to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, without any adherence to tender rules, for the weeding of parapets and clearing of drains; that scores of employees who are on the payroll are close relatives and family of the ‘Gang of Four’ and other senior officers; clear acts of nepotism and cronyism; that large sums are being doled out to facilitate unnecessary foreign travel; that large sums are being wasted on needless projects such

as the ‘Presidential Park, the Green Conference, and Expo; and the maintenance of a large staff assigned to a former Mayor, including cooks, gardeners, chauffeurs, bodyguards, and clerical staff that operate out of another agency, but all of whom are paid for by the Council.

There are many Commissions of Inquiries being carried out across Guyana, sometimes for things far less egregious than what is and has been going on at City Hall. Could we please have a Commission of Inquiry set up to examine the workings of City Hall?

With thanks, Riley Matthews

guyana-times.com

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2016

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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

Lacking basic amenities Aren’t we all basically human at Kitty Market beings?

Dear Editor, There is a real wisdom and power in Bob Dylan’s work; no one else comes even remotely close. At many different points in my life his words and music have been with me, and I know for many many others, too.

Personally, I would have just given him his own prize for being him.

I wonder if he will turn up to collect it?

If Bob Dylan thinks that this accolade needs not to be loudly proclaimed, that is good.

While winning a noble prize is a wonderful rec-

ognition, in his life journey, Dylan has reached where he is due to his inner strength. The media and others give such characterisations such as superstars, supermodels, poet laureate, honourable member, celebrity, etc that really do not mean much, for we are all basically humans and fallible.

Woe betides if the people we put on pedestals do no turn out so, for whatever reason.

Aren’t we all basically human beings?

Yours faithfully, Rooplall Dudhnath

Re-hiring outstanding coach Dear Editor, The dust has settled and the Guyana Male National Football Team has been eliminated from the 2016 Scotia Bank Caribbean Cup qualifiers. Coach Jamaal Shabazz is set to resign. Will Coach Wayne Dover be given the chance to return as the national coach for the third time to lead Guyana to historic moments again?

Coach Dover was appointed national coach of Guyana in 2009 for the second time and immediately led the national team to victory in an international mini-tournament in Suriname, who were celebrating their Independence that year. The tournament was named Independence Cup. Suriname, French Guiana, Curacao and Guyana took part. Guyana won all three games by a 1 goal margin to lift the Ronald Venetian, the then President of Suriname, trophy.

Dover was retained as national coach for the 2010 Digicel Caribbean Cup and led the team in round one in Suriname, topping the group with three wins against Suriname, Curacao and St Lucia, where the team qualified for the second round in Trinidad and Tobago, in a group with Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, and St Vincent.

Guyana qualified as the second place team in that group and moved on to the quarter-final of the 2010 Digicel Caribbean Cup in Martinique of that year where they faced Jamaica, Antigua and Guadeloupe.

That year Guyana ranked it’s highest ever in its history, with 86.

This excellent performance by Dover should be looked at seriously for consideration of him being rehired as national coach by the President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde. This young talented Guyanese coach has excelled over the years with club and country and deserves the recognition.

Respectfully, Mark Xavier Former Senior Male National Team Manager

Dear Editor, Is it that the Town Clerk of Georgetown is just plain obtuse and a law onto himself, or is it that he is just simply uncaring for vendors, businesspersons and the citizenry of Georgetown?

Speaking with a number of vendors from the Kitty Market, I was advised of grave concerns they have with the design of the new Kitty Market, which is simply being ignored by the Town Clerk and the Council.

The design of the building does not allow for natural airflow and ventilation as the old design did, and when persons in the architectural field enquire as to why this was so, they were advised by the Town Clerk that this was because the entire facility would have been centrally air-conditioned for the shoppers and vendors, consistent with modern standards of shopping centres and malls.

Alas! The Town Clerk has just given an edict that only the area selling meat and seafood should be air-conditioned whilst everywhere else must be left to swelter in the heat and humidity of a virtually sealed building, as he can no longer afford to control the temperature of the rest of the building! Unbelievable!

Did he not have a budget for the construction of this facility? Is this just his call or is it the call of the entire City Council? What does the City Engineer’s, Markets and Public Health Departments have to say?

What does the Central Housing and Planning Authority have to say about this? And the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry? Will all of the vendors whether in the meat and seafood section or otherwise not be required to pay a substantial rent?

Does King expect the shoppers to leave the comfort of

all the modern supermarkets, malls and stores in Guyana to put up with the discomfort of the hot and humid Kitty Market?

Does King realise that this is a public building and not one of his private homes, all of which incidentally are air-conditioned? What is the vendors union, the Ministry of

Business and the Ministry of Communities going to do about this short-changing?

What they need to find out is why the cost of constructing the Kitty Market was so enormous, yet so lacking in basic amenities and facilities?

Sincerely, James Mc Onnell

6 NEws

saturday, october 22, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Top performers for 2016 rewarded 50% of Guyanese

trafficked are children – UNICEF

The 2016 top performers on Friday were honoured for exemplarity performances

S

tudents who excelled at the various examinations during 2016 were on Friday honoured for exemplary performances at the National Cultural Centre.

Over 40 students who excelled at this year’s National Grand Six Assessment (NGSA), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), were awarded for outstanding performances.

Themed, “Each Child Matters: Stakeholders Unite for the Enhancement of Education”, the event

saw the achievements of the awardees being recognised.

Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo referred to the awardees as ‘Stars of the new generation’.

“When you look up to the sky, you see many stars but the brightest always stands out so you all should strive to be like that brightest star; stars of the new generation,” he encouraged.

He noted that the top students are to become exemplars; the ones that others would strive to be like.

“Today therefore is a day of celebration, a day of accomplishment, for those who

have stood out for those that are being recognised today, you are the exemplars.”

Best performers named at this year’s NGSA were Anthony Ferreira of Mae’s Secondary School, Aryan Singh of Dharmic Rama Krishna, Serena Razak of Graham’s Hall Primary and Chelsea Barnes of Success Elementary.

Ramkumarie Ramdass and Kimberley Najab of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan, Joshua Indarjit of Skeldon Line Path Secondary and Kevall Lall of Anna Regina Secondary were all awarded the best Junior Secondary performers while Fatima

Karim of St Roses High, Kayshav Tewari, Aadilah Ali and Sariah Singh all of Queen’s College were awarded the best Senior Performers at this year’s CXC. At the CAPE examinations, Deenauth Mohabeer, Carissa Kissoon, Joash Gobin, Larissa Wiltshire and Shannon Woodroffe of Queen’s College and Ashley Anthony of St Roses High were awarded with the best performance prize.

The Carnegie School of Home Economics was also recognised with Nikeita Allicock and Shaunell Wilson being awarded the best Craft Production and Designs students.

The most improved Junior School went to Bush Lot Secondary, while the most improved Senior School was copped by Mackenzie High. Hirannie Persuad of the Anna Regina centre copped the best graduating award from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). The Desrey Fox Scholarship award went to Lennox Hernandez of the North West Secondary, while Presidential Scholarship awards went to Larissa Wiltshire, Sarah Hack, Kayshav Tewari and Fatima Karim.

T

he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed concern that Guyana’s economy’s heavy reliance on its extractive and timber industries might generate violations of children’s rights, and have found that 50 per cent of trafficked persons in the country are children under the age of 18.

In a recent released Report, UNICEF highlighted that the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child have articulated this concern, especially relating the impact of these businesses on the living conditions of children and their families in the regions directly affected, along with issues related to child protection such as child abuse, child labour, and child trafficking, among others.

Guyana is considered by the US Department of State as a Tier 2 Watch List Country – that is, it does not fully comply with the United Sates 2000 Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) minimum standards, but is making significant efforts for it.

According to UNICEF, Guyana is a source and destination for men, women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour.

Worldwide the number of persons and children as victims of human trafficking are difficult monitor, so many cases are underreported. So far, the Ministry of Labour, Human Services, and Social Security reported 80 suspected cases, and 179 confirmed victims of human trafficking between 2013 and 2015. Out of that number, 91 per cent of the victims were women and among the victims, 50 per cent were children under the age of 18, with some as young as 11 and 13.

The report stated that human trafficking in Guyana is partially connected to the extractive industries that move a significant part of the country’s GDP. It stated that while communities can benefit from such industries by using these natural resources for sustainable development, the naked truth is that mining, drilling, and

quarrying activities often occur in relatively remote areas with minimal infrastructure and limited rule of law, leading to development of makeshift communities, such as mining “boom towns,” that are vulnerable to crime.

“There are evidence of sex trafficking near gold mines in Guyana, as well as in the mines near the borders of Brazil, Suriname and Venezuela,” the Report said, adding that children are particularly vulnerable to sex trafficking and forced labour, mainly due to limited government presence, and the unethical activities involving some police officers.

In the same line, Guyanese nationals are subjected to sex and labour trafficking in Suriname, Jamaica, and other countries in the Caribbean, the US Department of State 2015 Country Report said.

Meanwhile, UNICEF stated that although child trafficking is a concern, it is not yet seen as being the consequence of organise criminal groups in the country. “For most of those involved in fighting the problem, it happens through referrals and invitations,” it noted, highlighting that child trafficking is fuelled by a myriad of underlying and structural causes that involve cultural attitudes, disintegration of the family structure, lack of parents’ knowledge on the schemes used by traffickers, lack of work opportunities, and lack of adequate law enforcement, legal protection, prosecution or sanction, among other causes.

On the background of all these causes, it added, is the financial situation of individuals and families – it is common understanding among stakeholders in Guyana that child and adult human trafficking is entrenched and selfenforced by poverty.

On the other hand, while girls are the main victims of trafficking, UNICEF stated that qualitative information collected in Guyana reveal that boys are also sent by their families to work in illegal mining areas, logging, or on farms.

news

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saturday, october 22, 2016 | guyana-times.com

NICIL must account for missing US$5M Security guard shot while attempting from GT&T shares – Harmon

T

he National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) is the body to make pronouncements on the shares that it had held in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T) and not the Minister of State.

Substantive Minister, Joseph Harmon, made this disclosure on Friday when he met with members of the local media corps in the Kairuni Room of the Ministry of the Presidency for a post-Cabinet briefing.

Harmon was at the time responding to queries that Government might be in receipt of a document from Hong Kong Telecoms that may have outlined what obtained with the missing US$5 million due to NICIL. The Minster of State told media operatives that when it comes to the matter involving the GT&T shares, the matter is for NICIL as a corporate body and that his engagement in the matter was on behalf of NICIL, since he is a Director of the Government-owned compa-

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

ny.

According to Harmon, all of the documents were handed to NICIL, which holds responsibility and within whose jurisdiction the matter rests.

According to Harmon, he is but a Director at NICIL, and as such, is not at liberty to discuss matters of the Board. He said it is the Chairman and Executive

Secretary that are vested with the authority to make pronouncements on behalf of the NICIL Board.

He said all of the relevant documents pertaining to the outstanding US$5 million have been turned over to the NICIL Board of Directors.

The missing US$5 million that was supposed to be paid to NICIL by a Chinesebased company for shares held in GT&T was also flagged by Auditor General Deodat Sharma, in his 2015 report on the audits of the national accounts.

According to Sharma, NICIL was the registered holder of 4125 shares, representing 20 per cent of the holdings in GT&T but this was sold in November 2012.

“On November 8, 2012, upon signing of the agreement, an amount of $4.9 billion was transferred to NICIL… the balance of US$5 million remaining should have been paid by the company within two years.

At the time of reporting, no payment was made with respect to the outstanding bal-

Suspected thief shot after botched robbery

F

ollowing a robbery attempt on a security guard at a city bank, members of a patrol attached to the Professional Guards Service shot a teenage suspect early Friday morning.

According to reports, a female security guard was on duty in the compound of Republic Bank Limited at Waterloo and New Market Streets, Georgetown, around 04:00h when she observed the suspect in the compound in possession of her handbag, which was left on a table.

The guard raised an alarm and the suspect dropped the bag and escaped by scaling the fence.

However, the guard alerted her supervisor at the

Professional Guard Service office and shortly after a patrol was dispatched.

A young male fitting the description of the suspect was subsequently seen in the area and confronted by the patrol. During the intervening process, a round was discharged from the

shotgun that was in possession of one of the patrol members, hitting the suspect to his face and body.

The injured teenager was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he underwent surgery and is recovering under Police guard.

ance.”

Sharma reported that with respect to the audits of NICIL as an entity, the audit for 2014 is still being finalised.

With regards to the company’s consolidated financial statements, “these have been completed and reports issued up to the year 2006.”

Meanwhile, the Auditor General found also that NICIL – another of the state-owned institutions, which the APNU/AFC has in the past criticised as a slush fund – continues to function in a manner where it retains significant bulks of its proceeds.

This state of affairs has since been adversely reflected on the national accounts since a shortfall of $1 billion from NICIL represented more than half of what was supposed to be collected

by Government as part of its revenues on dividends from non-financial institutions.

According to the 2015 Audit Report, an amount of just over $1 billion was reflected as dividends from non-financial institutions, as received from NICIL for the Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil) for 2015 as an interim payment.

It was found after an examination of the financial statements for Guyoil that in 2015, just over $2 billion was in fact handed over to NICIL, which in turn only handed over half of that amount to the Treasury.

to prevent robbery

A

security guard attached to Electronic City, Water Street, Georgetown branch was on Friday morning shot to his left side ribcage after he attempted to prevent a robbery. The injured man has been identified only as D Joseph.

Reports are Abdel Odie, an employee attached to Unique Apartments, in Laluni Street, Queenstown, had just left a city bank after transacting business and was heading to his parked vehicle when he got the intuition he was being followed.

Without hesitation, the man walked into the store thinking the feeling would subside but it turned out to be true. As he entered the store, he reportedly felt someone pulling away the package he was carrying and as he turned around, he saw the lone gunman.

The man then placed a gun to his back and instructed the he hand over the package, which contained at least $1.2 million.

Manager of the store, Curlis James, explained that the gunman grabbed the package and was about to run out of the establishment but at that time, a security guard realised what had occurred and attempted

to stop the bandit.

In retaliation, the gunman discharged a round in the direction of the security guard, hitting him to the upper region of the body. The gunman, James noted, ran out of the store and fled the scene on a motorcycle that was parked a short distance away.

The injured man was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted. Up to late Friday evening, his condition was listed as stable.

A visibly traumatised Odie confirmed that he had withdrawn $1.2 million from the bank and was heading back to work when the incident occurred. The Police were called and an investigation has been launched.

Though the Guyana Police Force has announced a significant 20 per cent decrease in serious crime, citizens and members of the Opposition are contending otherwise. On Thursday, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo told media operatives that crime has drastically increased regardless of what has been announced.

He explained that despite the Government’s claims that crime is under control, from all indication it is spiralling out of control.

8 NEWS

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

IN THE COURTS

20-year-old committed to stand trial in High Court

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wenty-year-old Nicholas Hercules of Lot 44 Princes Street, Georgetown, was on Friday committed to stand trial at the High Court by Magistrate Judy Latchman, who ruled that a prima facie case was made out against him for the murder of Carlos Solomon.

Magistrate Latchman noted while handing down her ruling that the prosecution provided substantial evidence to the court against the defendant, who failed to negate the prosecution’s case.

It is alleged that on April 1, 2015, at Princes Street, Hercules murdered 21-year-old Solomon.

In response to the Magistrate’s ruling, the defendant blurted out in the packed court that he is innocent of the charge. In a previous court hearing, the defendant’s Attorney, Lyndon Amsterdam, argued that it was the deceased – Solomon – who inflicted injuries on his client with a knife.

Police Prosecutor Simone Payne told the court that Hercules and

Solomon knew each other and resided together.

She added that on the day in question, the defendant and Solomon were involved in an argument that spiralled out of control and Hercules pulled out a knife and dealt Solomon a stab to his armpit.

Payne revealed that Solomon succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The court heard that Solomon received a fatal stab in the region of his heart by the accused who is

said to be his stepfather’s grandson.

According to reports, Hercules was nabbed at the Alberttown Police Station after he went to report the matter. The Police were forced to chase after the accused after he sprinted from officers when he learnt of Solomon’s demise.

Initial reports from family members indicate that Solomon and Hercules never got along with one other. It was reported that Solomon received several threats from the accused before his death.

Lindener jailed for assaulting wife, damaging phone

A

Lindener was jailed for three weeks after he admitted assaulting his wife and damaging her cellular phone.

Joylon Stephens, a construction worker of Victory Valley, Wismar, pleaded guilty to both offences when

he appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

The court heard that on October 18, his wife Collette Reid, was sitting on a bench with a friend when the defendant came up to her and pushed her into a nearby creek.

The prosecution informed the court that when the Reid got up, Stephens cuffed her in the back, removed her cell phone, broke it and threw it away. Reid later reported the incident to the Wismar Police Station.

The court was told that the defendant was subsequently arrested and admitted to the offences.

He was fined $20,000 for the offence of damage to property with default to pay will result in a one-month prison sentence.

Eyew tness Certifying death...

H

...of sugar

as the hubris of this man Tony Vieira no end? Is he competing with Finance Minister Winston Jordan to show how "big" he is by cutting down others? After his missive in which he declares Lennox Craig "incompetent" - his ability to steal TV content from US providers and then charge Guyanese to receive same through his "black boxes" presumably qualified him to pass that judgement - Vieira is revealed with another foot firmly stuck in his mouth.

Seems for some reason this newspaper and the Stabber excised Vieira's claim that he didn't look down on Craig or others of his ilk because of "class and colour". But the Muckraker let it all hang out and quoted the former field Overseer of Versailles Estate in full: "To accuse me of being above others in class and colour is completely ludicrous, I spoke up for the Afro Guyanese since I saw a vicious attack on them by the PPP, since 1992 and when I sat in Parliament, I sat between Basil Williams and Debby Backer of the PNC/One/G, that speaks for itself."

Now that should shut up Vieira's detractors, shouldn't it? How could a man who sat between Basil Williams and Debbie Backer - both evidently completely bereft of "class and colour" - for five years in Parliament be accused of classism and colourism??!! Well Basil Williams is around and kicking so maybe he can defend himself against Vieira's charge of being a "low life" but poor Ms Backer isn't. So this Eyewitness will say this - Vieira doesn't even have the class of the clippings of Ms Backer finger nails!

But like most folks filled with hubris, Vieira doesn't know when to stop. Keeping up his boorishness and crassness on the GNBA matter, he claimed it's not he couldn't have been Chairman - but with his appointment as the man to diversify sugar he'd rather focus on the latter. And, dear readers, if there were any lingering doubts about the death of sugar in Guyana, this announcement - if true should put them to rest. RIP! Sugar after 400 years!

Vieira diversifying sugar? What qualifies him for that job? That he was an Overseer on his father's estate at Versailles? Your Eyewitness may be missing something here...doesn't that experience MAYBE qualify him for trying to suggest how they'd be moving cane from Wales to Uitvlugt? Or whether they're just throwing good money after bad?

But what the heck? According to the Greeks who knew a thing or two about hubris, Vieira's tale will end tragically.

Your Eyewitness just hopes the tragedy won't be GuySuCo's, or Guyana's.

...of Democracy?

Your Eyewitness doesn't want to be hyperbolic...but the old folks did say "you don't need flash light to see what's clear in daylight". Or "if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, you might as well accept you've got a duck on your hands"! When the PPP/C was in power, because of the way the parliamentary system functions with the Executive also controlling the Legislature, the Opposition ideologues educated us to the possibility that this might be an "elected dictatorship".

Why? Well it doesn't matter what the Opposition says, does it? The Government will always have its way with them - especially when, as with the incumbent Speaker who's supposed to guarantee "fair play", he's in cahoots with the Government. Has this fella even tried to appear impartial? What do you call the rejection of the PPP's call for sending Minister Norton to the Privileges Committee for lying through his teeth in that honourable house? Or Prezzie traducing Constitutional protocols?

What do you call the Finance Minister berating the AG over committing the same act for which they'd demanded his predecessor be jailed? Etc etc...

...of fairness

The Muckraker a big "to do" about Opposition Leader Jagdeo accepting that mistakes were made by the PPP/C in sugar? Didn't he say that before last elections?

But like "Voldemort", that can't be mentioned!

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

news

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saturday, october 22, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Coconut Festival Govt invites public to donate to relief efforts for Haiti 2016 opens M T

he Business Ministry in collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry on Friday evening launched the widely anticipated Coconut Festival at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

The festival is being hosted with the intent of reeducating Guyanese of the diverse benefits of coconuts, known as the “super fruit”.

To be held for three nights, the festival is expected to attract a wide audience who can expect to learn of the health and cosmetic benefits, the nutritional values, as well as numerous ways this product can be manufactured.

Exhibitors from as far as Brazil, Suriname, Mexico, Indian and Switzerland, are expected to participate in the event, showcasing how coconut is being utilised in their respective homelands.

Speaking at the opening, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said he is very pleased that an event such as this has been launched.

He noted that the launch of the festival is more than just about coconuts but more so about the recovery of the lost esteem of the coconut.

“The coconut had fallen victim to one of the most vicious cultural attacks, some

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo breaking the coconut thus officially declaring open Coconut Festival 2016

may call it a victim of cultural imperialism. We didn’t have the technology to advertise coconut or to change it into exotic oils and perfumes and lipstick and creams, we didn’t have the technology to put it on the international market and so we were told that coconut wasn’t good for us, for our bodies and our beauty because there were other superior oils and ours was deemed not good quality, that is why I said that today is a day of self esteem”.

According to the Prime Minister, coconut is considered a product which comes from a healthy ancestry.

“I consider coconut as a product of a healthy ancestry for those of us who grew

up with it. It was used to do many things in the olden days and it was utilised to the fullest”.

The festival saw numerous creative uses of coconut being displayed, a highlight being the coconut machine.

Although not made from coconut, is can be used to make using the coconut much easier. With just one press, a coconut is sliced in two and with one push, one would be able to extract the coconut water.

Also in attendance at the opening ceremony was Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder and Business Minister Dominic Gaskin.

inister of State and National Disaster Management Coordinator, Joseph Harmon, invited members of the Guyanese public to donate to the relief efforts for the hurricane-ravaged island of Haiti, even as he announced that the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) will be moving to open several bank accounts at Republic Bank Limited to receive donations.

Minister Harmon, who was at the time addressing participants of a recently concluded Mass Casualty Management Systems Workshop held by the CDC in collaboration with the World Health Organisation/Pan American Health Organisation (WHO/ PAHO), said the nation needs help now more than ever.

The Minister noted that Haiti has suffered tragic losses and urged Guyanese to come together to show

solidarity by contributing to the rebuilding efforts. At this time, with many of the locations still cut off and inaccessible to the Haitian authorities, monetary relief, he said, is most appropriate.

“It is part of our responsibility as a Caricom country, as a member of the United Nations system to respond in a way that is consistent with our own circumstances, to a country affected in this way as Haiti has been affected. I want to lay out the response that Government has actually put in place already and some additional responses we want to put in place. We have pledged US$50,000 initially, but we would like to have a much stronger response to this situation, so we are asking the Guyanese people to rally to the cause of the people of Haiti,” Minister Harmon said.

He noted that based on information from the Haitian Emergency

Operations Centre and the Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), monetary donations are preferred since other forms of aid could take weeks and months before it reaches the country.

There are no guarantees too that the aid would be able to reach the areas which have been significantly affected in a timely manner, while the specific needs for many of those areas have not yet been identified.

While the bank accounts will be opened on Monday, October 24, at the Republic Bank Limited, there is a 24hour hotline at the CDC, which persons can call to make donations. The telephone numbers are 2261114, 226-1117 (extension 228) and 600-7500.

“I am asking that we cast our minds on the people of Haiti and to see how blessed and fortunate we are. Stay focused and connected,” Minister Harmon said.

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guyana-times.com

saturday, october 22, 2016

News

Maniram Prashad is Philippines Honorary Consul to Guyana

T

he Government of Guyana has given its approval to a request made by the Government of the Philippines for Maniram Prashad to be appointed as the Honorary Consul of the Philippines to Guyana.

This announcement was made by Minister of State Joseph Harmon during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Friday at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Prashad, a former Minister under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration, is the first to be appointed to the post since the two countries established diplomatic ties.

Harmon, in making the announcement, said the move is expected to boost relations between the two countries.

Philippine Honorary Consul to Guyana, Maniram Prashad

Prashad served as Guyana’s Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister; he also served as the Presidential Advisor on Investment and Trade at the Office of the President prior to his appointment as Minister.

Education Minister reiterates call for students to be well rounded

E

ducation Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine on Friday reiterated the need for students to be well rounded individuals upon their completion of school life.

Dr Roopnaraine said it has been proven that extra circular activities should compliment academic pursuits.

The call was again made at the National Cultural Centre as students who excelled academically in 2016 were awarded.

The Minister noted that there is no disconnect between the “playing field and the classroom”.

“The playing field can reinforce the classroom and I think we need to recognise sports and I also urge that we restore music in the

A cultural performance at the awards ceremony on Friday

schools. Children need to participate in these in addition to their academics works” The Minister said he wished to reinforce his position that students should not be one dimensional upon completion of their

Man freed for using pregnant teen to traffic narcotics

A

man who was accused of using a pregnant 17-year-old to traffic narcotics in sanitary napkins, was on Friday freed of the charge at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Shemar Morrison of Lot 6 Durban Street, Lodge, Georgetown, walked out

of court a free man after Magistrate Leron Daly declared that a prima facie case was not made out against him.

It was alleged that Morrison, also known as ‘Damage Skull’, between March 1 and July 3, 2016 within Georgetown procured Patricia Isaacs to traffic 698

grammes of cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

The Magistrate ruled on the grounds that the prosecution failed to prove that the substance was cocaine.

Morrison was represented by Attorney Adrian Thompson.

Isaacs had pleaded

guilty to having 698 grams of cocaine in her possession for the purpose of trafficking on July 3, 2016 and was jailed. She was an outgoing passenger at the airport and was scheduled to board Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flight BW 526 destined for JFK International Airport, New York, United States.

school life.

“I take this opportunity to restate my position that the system should offer our students a well-rounded education. This comes at a time when we have embarked in the Ministry on a curricular review process that provides an opportunity for this particular issue to be addressed”.

Roopnaraine noted his great dissatisfaction that awards were not being handed out to students for non-academic performances.

“May I reiterate my observation that these awards are all about academia and I am disappointed that in addition to the academic awards, that there is no award being handed out for non-academic performances”.

He further noted that he is indeed proud of the achievements of the awardees.

“I bask in your achievements but bemoan the limitations of what we have offered you. Further, I recognise the strain that the system is subjected to when it seeks to provide tuition for as many as 60 subjects,

G

the result is less time for extracurricular activities, less time for core subjects and greater need for extra lessons to supplement the work done in schools that some cannot afford and in some situations, these lessons commence at five in

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

the morning and end as late at 10 in the evenings, what manner of person emerges from such exposure?”

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo endorsed the call made by the Education Minister, noting that students need to be well rounded.

Apology

uyana Times hereby apologises to Dr Steve Surujbally for a photograph that was published in our Friday, October 21, 2016, edition by a protester, labelled “Steve stole a whole elections, now money.” This newspaper apologises for the embarrassment and inconvenience this unsubstantiated photograph may have caused Dr Surujball.

saturDAY, october 22, 2016

guyana-times.com

11

News

Fire razes Triumph house, 6 homeless ter the fire started, his only option was to make sure that his family was secured and it was a neighbour who drove his motorcar out of

The entire house engulfed in flames on Friday morning

A

fire, suspected to be electrical in origin, completely razed the dwelling of a Triumph, East Coast Demerara (ECD), family on Friday morning, leaving at least $20 million in losses.

The fire reportedly started in the vicinity of the circuit breaker in the upper flat of the two-storey wooden structure located at Lot 4 Railway Street, Triumph, ECD and rapidly spread to other parts of the house.

At the time of the blaze, the owner of house, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ramesh Singh was at home along with his wife, daughter-in-law and grand-

son. Two other members of the house had already left for work. The occupants of the house at the time ran to safety and were not able to salvage any household items.

Reports are that by the time the Guyana Fire Service arrived at the scene, the building was already engulfed in flames. Speaking with Guyana Times, Assistant Superintendent Singh explained that he along with the other family members were in the lower flat of the house when he heard a sound as if dried leaves were on fire followed by the smell of smoke.

At that time, he thought

that the smell and sound were coming from the cemetery which was being cleared. Soon after, he explained that his neighbours raised an alarm informing him that the house was on fire.

The neighbours rushed to the scene and formed a bucket brigade in an attempt to put out the blaze but their efforts proved futile. They were forced to retreat due to the intensity of the fire. “The neighbors later told me that the electric wire that runs from the main pole was sparking and then they see smoke and fire,� Singh noted.

He further stated that af-

the yard. A report was made to the Guyana Power and Light but up to late Friday evening, officials from the utility company were still to

visit the family.

An investigation has been launched into the fire by members of the Guyana Fire Service.

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GUYANA-TIMES.COM

saturday, october 22, 2016

Inter Guiana Games 2016...

Mixed Fortunes for volleyball

UP IN RIVALRY! A Guyanese player (yellow and black) about the tip the ball over the net while a Surinamese player aims to block.

T

he Guyana male volleyball team turned in an extraordinary display to triumph over Suriname while the females were disappointing and suffered heavily yesterday at the National Gymnasium on the opening day of Inter Guiana Games 2016.

It was no surprise when reigning volleyball champions, Guyana male team raced to an 8-1 lead by the first technical time out and it was no shock when they won the match to go ahead in the best of three series. As it was predicted by both the President of the Volleyball Federation John Flores and captain of the team Samuel Fraser that Guyana will retain the title.

That they are yet to do but surely looked on the path of getting there after an outstanding display which proved too much for

their opponents.

Guyana won the first set 25-14 and closed the game in successive sets with the other two ending 25-17 and 2510.

The second set started in favour of the Dutch but by time it was at the half way stage, Guyana had gained the lead and broke away thereafter.

Like the first set, the Guyanese dominated the Surinamese in the third set which turned out to be the final one as well.

They will play their second game tomorrow at the said venue from 17:00h.

Meanwhile, the female unit suffered a disappointing start to the more experienced Suriname team losing in straight sets.

The sets ended 25-12, 25-12 and 25-13 in favour of Suriname.

The Dutch team was firm

in ball handling, techniques and play and from the opening set the visitors looked on path to win the match.

The teams will return to the court at 15:00h today for the second match of the three match series.

The 2016 edition of the Inter Guiana Games is being hosted by Guyana and opened yesterday with male and female Volleyball and Basketball at the National Gymnasium and the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall respectively. The official opening ceremony was held last evening at the National Track and Field Facility at Leonora after which there were track and field events.

The three-day event which concludes tomorrow traditionally involves Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana but the French are not participating this year.

Pee-Wee Boys Under-11 Schools football Championship...

WI A surrender series after 138-run defeat L

egspinner Jeffrey Vandersay took 6 for 47 in the final innings to lead Sri Lanka A to victory in Dambulla. West Indies A were set a target of 333 but with no one even managing a fifty, the hosts wrapped up a 138-run victory, and with it the series 2-1.

The chase had begun positively with Kieran Powell, who had briefly flirted with a career in baseball, back at the top of the order and kicking things off with a 41-ball 44.

West Indies A were 124 for 3 - chugging along at a runrate just under four - when Vandersay blitzed through their middle order to bowl them out for 194. He took two wickets in the 48th over, including that of captain and top-scorer Shamarh Brooks for 46, handed the opposition five of their six single-digit scores and completed his ninth five-for in 29 first-class matches.

While the bowling they faced was good, West Indies A would rue the fact that they collapsed from reasonably strong positions. In the first innings they had Shimron Hetmyer - 94 off 91 balls, with 17 fours - and Brooks 54 off 100 balls - doing well before they lost eight wickets for 104 runs to concede a lead of 75. In the second innings, West Indies lost seven wickets for 70 runs to concede the match.

Another measure of where West Indies A lost the match lay in the number of partnerships over 50. There were eight overall - and they contributed only two of them.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka A had begun the game with an agenda-setting 133-run stand between openers Kusal Perera (69) and Sandun Weerakkody (79) in the first innings. It was key to building a total of 318.

Then fast bowler Kasun Madushanka and left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan took three wickets each and left-arm seamer Lahiru Gamage chipped in with two of his own to bowl West Indies A out for 243.

Rakheem Cornwall finished the match with figures of 54-12184-7 to cap a good series picking up 23 wickets in three matches

All three were picked in Sri Lanka’s Test squad to play against Zimbabwe in Harare next Saturday.

Sri Lanka A swelled a lead of 75 to match-and-series-winning proportions in their second innings with Weerakkody smacking 48 off

36 balls and Asela Gunaratne collecting 69 off 126 balls.

Rahkeem Cornwall was the only opposition they faced, the offspinner picking up 4 for 87 from 26 overs to finish with 23 wickets from three matches. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka A 1st Innings 318 West Indies A 1st Innings 243 Sri Lanka A 2nd innings DS Weerakkody lbw bCornwall 48 MDKJ Perera† c †Hamilton b Cornwall 20 HDRL Thirimanne* c Hetmyer b Cornwall 27 c DAS Gunaratne †Hamilton b Joseph 69 KIC Asalanka c Johnson b Cornwall 4 ARS Silva c Chandrika b Joseph 44 not out 33 MD Shanaka Extras (b-6, lb-2, w-3, nb-1) 12 Total (6 wickets dec; 74.2 ove rs) 257 Did not bat: JDF Vandersay, PADLR Sandakan, PLS Gamage, HUK Madushanka Fall of wickets 1-67 (Perera, 10.2 ov), 2-72 (Weerakkody, 12.1 ov), 3-135 (Thirimanne, 34.5 ov), 4-141 (Asalanka, 36.4 ov), 5-192 (Gunaratne, 51.4 ov), 6-257 (Silva, 74.2 ov) Bowling: KAJ Roach 10-0-430 (w-2), DE Johnson 18-4-57-0, RRS Cornwall 26-8-87-4 (nb-1), DK Jacobs 9-0-32-0, K Joseph 11.2-3-30-2 (w-1)

West Indies A 2nd innings (target: 333 runs) R Chandrika lbw b Sandakan 30 KOA Powell lbw b Sandakan 44 SO Hetmyer c Sandakan b Asalanka 18 SSJ Brooks* c Thirimanne b Vandersay 46 VA Singh c Gunaratne b Vandersay 6 JN Hamilton† c Asalanka b Vandersay 25 RRS Cornwall lbw b Vandersay 0 KAJ Roach b Sandakan 4 DE Johnson c Gunaratne b Vandersay 0 DK Jacobs c Asalanka b Vandersay 5 K Joseph not out

4 Extras (b-6, lb-1, nb-5) 12 Total (all out; 67.2 overs) 194 Fall of wickets 1-63 (Powell, 14.5 ov), 2-88 (Hetmyer, 19.1 ov), 3-108 (Chandrika, 26.5 ov), 4-124 (Singh, 33.3 ov), 5-171 (Brooks, 47.1 ov), 6-171 (Cornwall, 47.2 ov), 7-184 (Hamilton, 55.2 ov), 8-184 (Johnson, 59.2 ov), 9-186 (Roach, 64.2 ov), 10-194 (Jacobs, 67.2 ov) Bowling: PLS Gamage 9-4-330, HUK Madushanka 3-0-23-0, KIC Asalanka 8-1-16-1, PADLR Sandakan 21-6-61-3 (nb-5), JDF Vandersay 21.2-5-47-6, MD Shanaka 5-1-7-0

Third Class seeks vital points against GDF

T

Round two action last Saturday at Thirst Park

he Pee-Wee Boys Under-11 Schools football Championship will continue today with round three action at the Banks DIH Thirst Park Ground

and defending Champions St. Angela’s will be looking to make it three wins from three matches when they face the formidable Tucville Primary in the day’s first

match at 10:00 hrs.

Neighbours St. Agnes Primary will also look to notch another win after trouncing aside Rama Krishna 4-0.

A

ction in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) Tournaments will continue this weekend with one match in the Noble House Seafoods two-day second division and several matches in the New Building Society (NBS) 40 overs second division.

The Noble House Seafoods will see Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and Third Class battle over two days at the Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) ground.

So far the military unit played one game against group leaders Malteenoes Sport Clubs (MSC), winning first innings on that occasion. They look a strong unit and with the likes of Leon Andrews in their batting much is going to be on his shoulders.

He scored a century in the match against MSC and

found form at the latter stage of the recently concluded Jaguars Franchise League.

Apart from him the GDF side is very experience with the presence of players like Jeremiah Harris and Randy Lindore among others.

Meanwhile, Third Class is not could be described as one of the traditional powerhouses of GCA but they have been competitive in recent years. A win in this match could also give them a solid opportunity to advance to the next round.

Alvin Castello has recorded two centuries in the tournament already (both against MSC) while Trevor Hossein continues to be their leading bowler with the ball as he has done over the years.

The match is expected to be keenly contested and the small GYO ground could provide even more anxiety to both teams. There

will also be three matches in the GCA/ NBS tournament on today and tomorrow. Today, Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) will host Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) while GNIC ground will host the game featuring Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) against Ace Warriors.

Meanwhile, on Sunday the students from University of Guyana (UG) will journey to the MYO ground to play against the home team.

Some of the top players that are expected to be on show over the next two days include; GNICJoshua Persaud, Kurt Lovell, Gajanand Suknanan.

GCC- Stefan Wilson, Martin Pestano Belle, Ravi Sarwan.

Ace WarriorsAbzaad Gafoor, Clayon Halley. UGLeon Williams, Ray Newton, Dennis Heywood.

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sports Inter Guiana Games 2016...

saturDAY, october 22, 2016 | www.guyana-times.com

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GTTA names formidable 8-member team

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T

he Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) have announced the names of the players selected to represent Guyana at the ongoing Inter Guyana Games.

Table Tennis will be played at the Cliff Anderson

Shemar Britton

Sports Hall on Sunday beginning at 10:00h. Guyana Junior Boys and Girls team

will pit their skills against their counterparts from Suriname for IGG supremacy.

The team has been going through their paces over the last two weeks under the tutelage of coaches Idi Lewis, Linden Johnson, Xenopiah Goliath and Godfrey Munroe and from all indications

Neveah Clarkston

their prospects look great to repel the Surinamese racquet wielders.

The Boys team reads; Shemar Britton, Miguel Wong, Elishaba Johnson and Nicholas Romain.

The Girls team comprises; Priscilla Greaves, Neveah Clarkston, Selenas Jackman and Aneka Philips

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President of Lusignan Golf Club Oncar Ramroop (second from right) receives the sponsorship cheque from Demerara Mutual Assurance Company, Geoffrey Brewster in the presence of representatives from LGC and Demerara Mutual Assurance

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emerara Mutual Insurance Company continues to make an input to golf locally and today at the Lusignan Golf Course, the entity will brand the golf challenge set to take place among top local golfers.

As the Guyana Open Golf Tournament looms, this weekend is expected to be a very eventful one as golfers look to sharpen their edges ahead of Guyana’s premier golf tournament.

In 2015, the Dem Mutual sponsored tournament was played under the Medal Play system and the top three finishers were Laksmana Ramroop 63/28; Patanjalee Persaud 65/20; Parmanand Max Persaud 67/20 in that order and without doubt they will look to finish atop the field for another suc-

cessive outing. Meanwhile, best gross was achieved by former Captain Patrick Prashad, nearest to the pin was Gavin Todd, and most honest golfer was rookie output of the 2015 summer Golf Clinic, Leslie Kellman.

Golf Club President, Oncar Ramroop expressed appreciation to Chief Executive Officer of Demerara Mutual Assurance Co., Geoffrey Brewster, for the more than two decades (20 years) of sponsorship of tournaments

by Demerara Mutual.

Brewster shared Dem Mutual’s willingness and pleasure to continue to support golfing in Guyana and added that he is interested in taking up the sport himself, having had only a brief introduction to the amazing ‘stationary ball’ sport.

Demerara Mutual Assurance Society (Dem Life) - serving the peoples in the Caribbean for over 12 decades having been established since 1891- one of the main providers of Life, Health, Loss and other financial indemnities in Guyana, where the society is headquartered. The Caribbean islands of St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenandines and Grenada are also home to Dem Mutual. The company has been supportive of golf in Guyana for nearly 25 years.

Golfers can look forward to another refreshing and keenly contested tournament this weekend, as the grounds have been particularly tuned up for excellent greens, well cut fairways, accessible roughs and playable bunkers.

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

saturday, october 22, 2016

Pakistan punish WI bowlers as 2nd Test begins

–Younis recovered from dengue to score ton

Sami Aslam was bowled by Devendra Bishoo

Y

ounis Khan’s 33rd Test hundred gave Pakistan the ideal first-day platform in the second Test against West Indies, lifting them from an uneasy 42 for 2 to a commanding 304 for 4 at stumps. Returning to the side after missing the day-night Test in Dubai to recover from a bout of dengue fever, Younis looked like he had never been away. He added 87 with Asad Shafiq for the third wicket, and 175 for the fourth with Misbah-ul-Haq, as Pakistan ground down a limited West Indies attack in typically benign first-day conditions in Abu Dhabi.

Younis made 127 before he fell in the 84th over of the day, slog-sweeping Kraigg Brathwaite’s part-time offspin to deep midwicket. It turned out to be the last ball of the day, with the umpires ruling that the light had faded too much to continue just as the nightwatchman Yasir Shah walked in to the middle. Misbah, who already has five hundreds in Abu Dhabi and averaged 99.77 at the ground before this innings, went to stumps batting on 90.

West Indies’ bowlers endured a long and largely thankless day on the field, made worse by two costly misses. In the last over before tea, Kraigg Brathwaite failed to hold on to a return catch off a firmly-hit flat-bat drive when Younis was on 83.

Then, batting on 54 in the eleventh over after tea, Misbah

nicked a ball from Shannon Gabriel that straightened in the corridor. Wicketkeeper Shai Hope, having initially moved in the wrong d i r e c tion, dived low to his right behind the stumps, and the ball bounced out of his right glove.

Gabriel bowled impressively in patches, picking up two wickets and generating reverse-swing with the old ball, but the rest of West Indies’ bowling didn’t make much of an impact.

M i g u e l Cummins and Jason Holder made up somewhat for their lack of incision by conceding less than three runs an over, but the spinners were neither threatening nor economical. Among them, Devendra Bishoo, Roston Chase and Brathwaite conceded 181 runs at an economy rate of 4.41.

Having chosen to bat first, Pakistan lost their first wicket in the fifth over o f the morni n g , Azhar Ali playing on while looking to drive Younis Khan recovered from dengue fever to score a century on day one

Gabriel through the covers. Walking in at No. 3, Shafiq got going almost immediately, rising to his toes to cut Gabriel for four off the second ball he faced.

Sami Aslam played a strange innings at the other. He seldom got the strike, and barely scored any runs when he did, while not looking particularly troubled by any of West Indies’ bowlers. By the end of the 13th over, he was batting on 6 off 28 balls and Shafiq on 32 off 44. Then, off the second ball of the 14th over, he looked to drive Bishoo through the covers, against the turn, and was bowled through the gate by a dipping legbreak.

In walked Younis, back in the side after missing the first Test to recover from a bout of dengue fever. He got an early freebie from Bishoo, wide and overpitched, to smear through the covers.

Shafiq fell in the ninth over after lunch, chopping on while trying to force Gabriel through the covers off the back foot. Gabriel was reversing the ball both ways in this spell, and beat both of Misbah’s edges soon after he

Misbah-ul-Haq (left) and Younis Khan punished the West Indies bowlers with a 175-run fourth wicket partnership

came to the crease, but Holder took him off after a spell of only three overs. The longest spell Gabriel bowled all day lasted four overs.

With West Indies’ main threat out of the way, Misbah began enjoying himself, greeting Bishoo’s reintroduction by pulling his third ball, a rank long-hop, over midwicket for four, and then, three balls later, launching a flighted ball high over the long-on boundary. Younis and Misbah took 40 runs off Bishoo’s eight-over spell before tea, shutting the door in West Indies’ faces right after Gabriel had opened it a crack with the wicket of Shafiq. Misbah only hit six boundaries in his innings: four of them came off Bishoo, of whom he took 37 runs in 40 balls.

Post-tea, West Indies went into defensive mode, getting Cummins to bowl wide outside off stump with a packed offside field. But the tactic didn’t really stem Pakistan’s run flow; there was no movement available to him, and plenty of large spaces in the vast outfield for Misbah and Younis to push the ball into for twos. After four overs, Cummins gave way to Gabriel; he found Misbah’s edge in his second over, and Hope - playing this Test match because Shane Dowrich pulled up injured in training - put the chance down. Pakistan were 242 for 3 at that stage, and 242 for 4 may just have rattled them given they were playing five bowlers. Instead, Misbah and Younis added a further 62.

SCOREBOARD Pakistan 1st innings 6 Sami Aslam b Bishoo 0 Azhar Ali b Gabriel Asad Shafiq b Gabriel 68 Younis Khan Chase b Brathwaite 127 Misbah-ul-Haq* not out 90 Extras (lb-6, nb-7) 13 To bat: Sarfraz Ahmed†, Mohammad Nawaz (3), Yasir Shah, Sohail Khan, Zulfiqar Babar, Rahat Ali

Fall of wickets 1-6 (Azhar Ali, 4.2 ov), 2-42 (Sami Aslam, 13.2 ov), 3-129 (Asad Shafiq, 39.6 ov), 4-304 (Younis Khan, 83.6 ov) Bowling: ST Gabriel 14-1-43-2 (nb-7), ML Cummins 15-1-43-0, JO Holder 14-4-31-0, D Bishoo 20-0-92-1, RL Chase 12-0-53-0, KC Brathwaite 9-0-36-1 West Indies team; KC Brathwaite, LR Johnson, DM Bravo, MN Samuels, J Blackwood, RL Chase, SD Hope†, JO Holder*, D Bishoo, ML Cummins, ST Gabriel

WBCC hosts cricket for charity T he West Berbice Chamber of Commerce (WBCC) will host a 10/10 cricket show down on Sunday November 6, 2016 at the Blairmont Community Centre Ground West Bank Berbice.

The much anticipated and fun filled one day tournament will be contested among six teams; Cotton Tree Die Hard, Blairmont Blazers , West Berbice Achievers, Universal DVD

Port Mourant, Albion and D’Edward Cricket Club.

An admission fee will be charged which will go directly to the less fortunate children.

The Chamber is delighted to be part of this initiative since it believes that investment in youth and sport represents investment for the future.

The Chamber welcomes the undertaking and is urging members of the various communities to

come out and support the day’s event.

Interested partners and sponsors are asked to support this initiative and are urged to contact 592-3287977, 687-9009 or email wbcic2015@gmail.com for more details.

Sponsors so far on board include Universal DVD Club, Big B’s Restaurant, Leah’s Homes and Assets, Eworth Auto Sales and Feroze Auto Sales.

guyana-times.com

saturday, october 22, 2016

23

Guyana storms ahead

– as IGG officially opens

By R omario S amaroo

T

he 2016 edition of the Inter-Guiana Games, renamed the ‘Goodwill Games’ 2016 was officially declared open by Guyana’s Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine at the National Track and Field Facility, Leonara West Coast Demerara on Friday evening.

After the official opening ceremony Guyana dominated the early exchanges in both track and field events.

The evening began with a march pass of athletes much to the delight of delegations from both Guyana and Suriname. Positive words of encouragement and confirmation of the longevity of the games were given by the Director of Sport of both countries, as well as Dr. Roopnarine.

After the formality, the females opened the competition on the track with the 3000m race between the

two nations. In the curtain raiser, the athletes pushed with everything in the tank as they were energized by the cheers and vibrant drumming from the spectators.

Guyana’s Tabitha Bowman romped to the top spot in a time of 11.49sec, well ahead of Suriname’s Marielle Blanker (12:24sec) in the 8.5 lap race. There was no 3000m race for boys.

Kenisha Phillips (Guy) won the girls 100m in 11:98 as her partner, Onasha Rogers raced in a time of 12:18sec to come second. The Guyanese boys also dominated the 100m sprint as Compton Ceaser (10:57sec) and Tyrell Peters (10:69sec) made it look easy under the moonlight.

In the female 400m Suriname’s Miquel Shepper downed Guyana’s Laurindo Prince by 0.4sec which immediately muted the gyrating home crowd, however Avon Samuels

(58.09sec) and Deshana Skeete (1.01.33min) revived the raving crowds.

In the longer version of the track meet, team Guyana’s Joanna Archer (5:23sec) and Kezra Murry (5:25sec) were unstoppable in the female 1500m.

Similarly Guyana’s Odwin Tudor (4:11sec) and Anfernee Headecker (4:16sec) predictably distanced the Surinamese in the boys 1500m.

Closing off the first leg of the three-day action, in the girls 4x100 Deshana Skeete’s second leg pull away allowed Guyana to win in a time of 49.63sec while their male counter parts extended their dominance in 42.62sec.

Moving over to field events, Suriname dominated the high jump with Pika Dave leaping to 1.95m, which was good enough to stop local boy Daniel Williams (1.90m).

Meanwhile, Donnafieve Pobosie (1.55m) of Suriname edged Guyana’s

Compton Caeser and Tyrell Peters stunned the visitors in the 100m

Tatyanna Blair (1.50m) to win the female high jump.

Only Guyana girls participated in the Javelin Throw with Andriska throwing 32.80m.

Guyanese duo Tramaine Beckles (63.38m) and Jamaine Simons (49.98m) haulted the Dutch nation.

Also on the opening day, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, both the boys

and girls teams went down to the visitors in basketball action. The girls were completely outplayed in the first match of the two best in three contest, losing 25-69 while the males produced a spirited competition but suffered a hard fought defeat 68-74.

The action continues at the Leonora stadium from 16:00h today and at 17:00h

at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

At the National Gymnasium, badminton opens at 9:00h while volleyball will continue from 15:00h.

The newest discipline at IGG is futsal which opens today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from 13:00h.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2016

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

Guyana storms ahead Pg 23

Surinamese were no match for Guyana's Kenisha Phillips in the 100m

– as IGG offically opens

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