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Schools’ Physical Display Competition creates flare Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3114

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Citizens, business community protest parking meter burden

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WHAT'S INSIDE: Attacks on Judiciary

AG threatens media for reporting on issue P7

…peaceful picketing interrupted by remunerated City Council supporters …PSC reports decline in sales; GCCI calls for Govt’s intervention See stories on pages 3 and 10

AFC positioning self for new Cummingsburg Accord P12 Police nab main suspect in Kaneville fatal fire P10

Citizens on Friday made their way to City Hall in downtown Georgetown to protest the pay-to-park initiative, which has thus far created much hardship and has inconvenienced motorists and the business community alike (Marceano Narine Photo)

Banks DIH $28B claim

Govt must take responsibility for lawsuit ― Jagdeo … set precedence with “horrendous” $3.8B tax write-off Page 9

Foreign exchange fiasco

New policies will drive away investors – Private Sector Page 7

Major drug shortages reported in Region 10

Driver jailed for 56 months on causing P8 death charge Pensioners robbed during home invasions P10

Page 11

– Chairman calls for enhanced monitoring

Prithima Kissoon sent on administrative leave Page 14

Goolsarran, P17 Stabroek News slapped with $20M lawsuit

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SATURDAY, february 4, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, February 4 – 10:30h-12:00h and Sunday, February 5 –11:30h-13:00h.

Citizens, business community protest parking meter burden …peaceful picketing interrupted by remunerated City Council supporters

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, February 4 – 09:25h-10:55h and Sunday, February 5 – 10:45h-12:15h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Early morning sunny weather is expected to give way to heavy rain showers, with light rain showers in the afternoon. Clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 25 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 4.47 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 10:08h and 22:49h reaching maximum heights of 2.41 metres and 2.31 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 03:35h and 16:14h reaching minimum heights of 0.84 metre and 0.82 metre respectively.

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Anti-parking meter protesters stood in solidarity before chaos ensued

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hile Guyanese convened to protest the unreasonable conditions brought on by the implementation of the parking meter system, Mayor Patricia Chase-Green defended the City Council, stating that only the affluent are being affected.

Just two weeks after the introduction of parking meters in Guyana, citizens gathered to protest the City Council’s pay-to-park initiative. A crowd consisting of parliamentarians, business owners and civil society members all assembled opposite City Hall in support of the “Say NO to Parking Meters in Guyana” demonstration on Friday. This gathering was the result of a public event created via social media, to express the continuous distress experienced by many, following the installation of Smart City Solutions’ parking meters. The event was intended to be a silent protest, however, the anticipated peaceful action quickly transformed into chaos, as alleged paid pro-parking meters supporters staged a counter protest.

When questioned as to what motivated the demonstration on Friday, activists pointed to the numerous concerns over paid parking around the city. Feasibility, transparency and the cost

for parking were some of the foremost concerns of the City Council’s new method of taxation. While some call for the immediate removal of the parking meters, given the

Lionel Jaikaran, justified his reason for joining the protest, as he explained that the initiative lacked proper implementation. He said too that the lack of consultation

the people.

However, Mayor ChaseGreen clapped back, claiming that persons failed to engage the Council on matters concerning the parking meters, and chose various forms of demonstration instead.

Supported by the Town Clerk Royston King, the duo highlighted the advantages of the initiative. King labelled the protestors actions as “backwards thinking,” stating that the meters will ensure the restoration and development of the country. He further reported that the system employed citizens as street patrol officers and instances of breaches have been eradicated since the installation.

Despite the intentions of a passive demonstration, chaos quickly followed, as supporters of the parking meter initiative accumulated alongside the front of the City Hall compound. Activists were accused of partisan intentions and fuelling verbal

Pro-parking meter protesters

added expense and disruption to businesses, others expressed their understanding of the reasons for the existence of these meters.

However, they are merely requesting a reduction in the cost, as the current rates do not cater for working class citizens and the poor.

The recently elected Deputy Mayor of Georgetown,

prior to the implementation of the parking meter system and the unanswered questions pertaining to Smart City Solutions Inc (SSCI), were reasons for the outburst of disapproval.

The outgoing Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan, was also present and in support of the citizens. He implored the City Council to listen to

attacks. The situation escalated when threats were exchanged and even with both parties’ involvement, only an anti-parking meter protestor was arrested by City Constabulary Officers.

The protest came to an end with the activists uniting in the singing of Guyana’s National Anthem, indicating that their actions were in the interest of the entire nation.

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SATURday, February 4, 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

Guyana’s cricket

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t the end of January, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) held their respective Annual General Meetings (AGM) three days apart, maybe coincidental or not. It is always the understanding that after such important pillars of organisational strengths, that the stakeholders will feel the sense of hope. However, some ants’ nests were dug up.

Cricket stakeholders, the fans, will ask whether there is a functional Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) and if so, who its operatives are? What is the duty of the cricket Ombudsman?

What is going on in Berbice Cricket?

It is no secret that several cases are in the courts that involve county boards, as well as the governing board, the GCB, which has contributed to the downfall of the sport gradually over a few years.

Last Tuesday, for the first time in three years, the GCA was allowed to host elections following the dismissal of an injunction that was granted to the applicant Nazimul Drepaul, a life member of the Everest Cricket Club.

After the election process, re-elected President of the GCA, Roger Harper, said there is an injunction against the DCB, so there is no legal DCB. Due to this, his association does not select a team to participate in any tournament hosted by anyone that tries to host matches under the “DCB” banner.

Harper made it clear that his entity (GCA) will always respect the orders of the court and will do nothing other than to operate in those directions of the court and its orders.

However, subsequent to the GCB’s AGM, Secretary of the Board, Anand Sanasie, informed that the AGM was attended by 13 representatives from Berbice, excluding officials of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB).

He further stated that the other areas county board were represented; “Both of the other areas, the county boards were present, with the full amount of delegates, everything were discussed and resolved at the meeting.”

In this case the other areas county board could only be the DCB and the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB), since it is those two Boards, along with the BCB, which makes it three boards which falls under the GCB umbrella.

It is unclear who represented the DCB, because there is no legitimate DCB, due to an ongoing court matter which has been ongoing since 2011 and that is a matter for grave concern. However, with the Cricket Act in place, the situation was expected to be resolved some time ago, which to date is not the case because the Act is yet to be implemented. The Act came about to regularise cricket in the country, especially from the administrative position, so there would not be any issues with elections or the cause for any confusions.

Dr Winston McGowan is the Cricket Ombudsman whose appointment came in the wake of the crisis between the current GCB executives and stakeholders of cricket, who wrote to Parliament seeking a resolution to the problem, allowing the Cricket Administration Bill (CAB) to be introduced into law.

In a previous public statement, Dr McGowan said his only duty is to organise and conduct the poll. However, he is yet to conduct a poll since he was appointed.

Then we have to look east to arguably the most productive and cricket-strong county, Berbice. However, over the past year, the governing state of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has been thrown into turmoil with an injunction placed against the board by Godwyn Allicock and David Black.

The rational being the injunction stemmed from the fact that Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, along with Young Achievers were inadvertently omitted from the Guyana Cricket Administration Act 2014 as voting members and would have participated in the elections to elect Anil Beharry and other executives, which the plaintiffs of the injunction deemed to be illegal.

Be that as it may, the Beharry-led executive term in office expired on December 31, 2016, with the injunction still intact. It begs the question now as how will the cricket affairs of the county be governed with no legitimate office bearers.

With all the issues in our cricket, I will have to ask one more question, where is our cricket going? The answer may be soon arrived to once the Ombudsman intervenes.

These young ladies displayed their physical ability at the first leg of the National Schools Physical Display Competition on Friday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (Marceano Narine photo)

Ms Prithima Kissoon must be congratulated for her courage Dear Editor, The media has recently been dominated by the case of Ms Prithima Kissoon, Deputy Solicitor General, and Mr Basil Williams, Attorney General.

Ms Kissoon must be congratulated for the brave stance she has taken to defend her integrity and her professionalism. She has taken the matter up with the Public Service Commission.

From all the information available in the media, it is clear that Ms Kissoon has done nothing wrong.

The problem lies with the Attorney General who made a huge mistake, even though an elementary one, in the filing of the appeal in a case involving the Leader of the Opposition.

Williams had the appeal filed in his name, although he was not a party in the

original case. According to Ms Kissoon and Ms Sita Ramlall, Williams was advised that it was not in his place to appeal. He, however, insisted.

Now having been exposed for his incompetence, he is attempting to cast blame on an obviously bright, competent professional, Ms Kissoon. She has alleged that he abused and harassed her, and is now trying to have her dismissed.

She has already been sent on leave.

Ms Kissoon is not the only young professional to have been treated that way by the Attorney General and his office. Many others have been fired, harassed and forced to resign.

The following is a short list of earlier victims: 1.

Indira Ananjit (Permanent Secretary,

Legal Affairs Ministry) 2.

Seeta Ramlall (Solicitor General, Legal Affairs Ministry) 3. Prithima Kissoon (Deputy Solicitor General) 4. Cecil Durjohn (Chief Legal Draftsman, Legal Affairs Ministry) 5. Sasha Mahadeo (State Council) 6. Rajendra Jaigobin (State Council) 7. Fareeda Baksh 8. Dwajendra Rooplall (Personal Assistant) 9. Kemraj Mangroo 10.

Deborah Chan (Clerk) 11. Chandradat Mangroo (Driver) The ministry is a small one and the ethnic cleansing is noticeable.

Four Guyanese of African descent were also forced out of their jobs Adrian Smith, Stephen Roberts, Beulah Williams

and Vonette Atwell. Their issue is that they are suspected PPP/C supporters.

This case involving Ms Kissoon has highlighted and exposed the behaviour of one Minister, Basil Williams. This has been exposed because of the arrogance of Mr Williams.

Once again, IndoGuyanese and non IndoGuyanese, PPP/C supporters are being made to feel that they are aliens in their own country. Many are being forced to migrate.

That is why Ms Prithima Kissoon must be congratulated for her courage. She has stood up to the bullyism. All Guyanese need to stand-up to prevent further deterioration before it is too late.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former President

Anxiety, fear gripping Guyana Dear Editor, Please publish this letter of concern to many citizens of Guyana on the anxiety and fear gripping the country over the Government’s approach and actions on many matters since coming to Office, including: * The massive increases in remuneration for the executive within weeks of coming into Office. * The abandonment of major development projects, including the Amelia Falls Hydro Project and the Specialty Hospital. * Political witch-hunt-

ing through numerous forensic audits, excluding the City Council of Georgetown and the University of Guyana. * Extravagance in public expenditure; ie, D’Urban Park and 50th Anniversary celebration. * The pressure on businesses to make contributions (donations). * Widespread perception of corruption in the execution of public contracts and sole sourcing, and the Sussex Street bond deal (despite its strong objection and position while in opposition). * The abuse of contract

employment to friends and associates, and over staffing of public agencies. * Political intimidation of the judiciary by Attorney General Basil Williams and Minister Raphael Trotman “of Cabinet taking note” fame by their public attacks of the Chancellor, Justice Carl Singh, and the Deputy Solicitor General, Ms Kissoon * The legal advice given and taken by the Executive from the Attorney General (of Guyana or the PNC) is below expectation * Apparently, age and racial discrimination on the

constitutional - and other appointments of senior persons by asking or manifestly pressuring them to vacate office * The new, heavy, unjust and burdensome taxes, and their consequences on the general population.

The list goes on.

Please Excellency, President Granger, govern with fairness, non-discrimination, and equitable justice for all; bring peace, racial harmony, unity and reconciliation to the dear land of ours.

Regards, Joshua John

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guyanatimesgy.com

News

The removal of Justice Cecil Kennard Dear Editor, The removal of Justice Cecil Kennard as Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) on the grounds of his age is a clear case of racial discrimination.

Mr Kennard has been in the position for a while with no complaints against his conduct.

To now tell him that he is too old at a time when the regime is recruiting people as old as, or older than Justice Kennard is a very, very lame excuse.

We know, for instance, that Mr Hamilton Green, who is well into his eighties, has been recently appointed as Head of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). Note

that Mr Kennard was on the job for years, but Green was relatively recently appointed.

Look also at other appointments that the regime has been making and you will see that age is really not a consideration.

Professor Clive Thomas, for instance, has been given a top position to mainly harass opponents of the regime as well as business persons who may be resisting the regime’s shakedown position.

It is also instructive to see the “new” recruits at GuySuCo. Earl John is in his early nineties; Joe Alfred is in his mid to late eighties, George Haynes in his eighties.

There are many oth-

ers on the various Boards.

Even in the Cabinet, most are in their seventies.

The use of age seems only to apply to IndoGuyanese and those non-Indians who are suspected to be PPP/C sympathisers.

Many others from all race groups who display fairness and impartiality are also being hounded out of employment by a regime that is bent on total control over the lives of all our people.

The use of age to purge the Public Service is just another rouse at ethnic and political cleansing.

Donald Ramotar Fmr President

Change in Mash route Dear Editor, I am a concerned citizen; one who has gone to, and enjoyed the Mashramani celebrations over the years.

I am also security conscious, especially when it involves quite a large number of people, including children, attending activities where there is fun and frolic.

I, therefore, have no choice but to respond to a letter published on February 1, 2017, in another section of the media by Mr Clayton F Halley, who has taken issue with the change of the Mash route and the “security risks” mentioned by Minister Henry as one of the considerations that warranted

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such a change. People oppose change(s), even if such a change results in something better.

The change of the route could never have been done unilaterally; stakeholders had to be involved.

Therefore, any insinuation that the Minister changed the route should not be entertained.

Mr Halley is harping on having seen various stakeholders complaining about how the route will affect them, but fails to recognise and mention that stakeholders have also expressed security concerns about the route; these concerns had to be addressed sooner or later; the sooner, the better. I am quite sure

that the wisdom behind the change of route will be appreciated in time to come.

I was also concerned about the short route, but I am heartened by the fact that it has been extended, and so are many persons with whom I have interacted.

Let us look at the bigger picture. Mash is “our thing”, so let us all go out and have fun.

Sincerely, F Meusa

Parking meters unfairly thrust upon populace Dear Editor, The recent attempt by the Town Clerk, via the letters column, to cajole residents and visitors to Georgetown into supporting the beleaguered parking meter project that has been unfairly thrust upon motorists, is pathetic, aggravating and sardonic.

He should be the last to attempt such a sleight of hand trick. To attempt to say that this is a part of a wider initiative to use cutting-edge technology to modernise our capital is simply a sick joke. With old refurbished third-hand meters he is modernising the Garden City? Why can’t he be honest and say simply that this is another tax measure to further financially stress our people, the revenue from which they will use to fund the continued fat cat lifestyle of the Council’s Big Wigs, such as for more first-class travel around the world, bodyguards, drivers, personal assistants and a retinue of other staff trailing behind them, fancy sports utility vehicles to transport them in, employment for their relatives and friends at super salaries and with allowances, fancy dinners at exclusive restaurants, etc.

The truth is the Georgetown City Government would bring

last in any index that shows the ranking of cities and their use of modern technology for the provision of services to residents and visitors. At City Hall to pay for anything whether it is property rates, processing fees, licences or stall rentals, one has to be in line rather than online. Animals are slaughtered in a most brutish and inhumane way in stark contrast to modern abattoirs elsewhere in the world. All of their buildings are falling apart and lack basic infrastructure. None of their gardens or open spaces has Wi-Fi to help bridge the digital divide in our city. Just look at Merriman Mall, is that modernisation?

What technological advancement are they talking about? Do they even know what a smart city is? Where is the research and development effort the Town Clerk talks about? Where is the scientific and research talent at City Hall and where is the level of innovation needed?

The Town Clerk needs to understand that vision without action is merely a

dream, but action without vision is a nightmare.

To all at City Hall, I use the famous Bob Marley quote “You can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.”

Why are people being forced to pay for parking when there are hardly any street lights, when trunkers freely break into parked cars or steal their mirrors and lights, when the roads are so narrow and potholed, when stray animals roam all over, when junkies persecute you for a raise each time you park, when the roads and parking spaces flood each time there is a little rainfall. When there is garbage strewn all over?

Why? To satisfy City Hall’s abominable greed?

I have decided and I think others should consider like me to shop at the supermarkets, shopping malls, gas stations and other such facilities outside of the downtown area, where there is free and secured parking.

Sincerely, James Mc Onnell

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Foundation

By Eli H illman

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hen parents are attuned to their children and clearly convey their caring feelings, children develop the ability to express themselves, t o trust and have confidence i n t h e m -

selves and to be comfortable in their own skin.

However, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. When a parent hovers, trying to anticipate their child’s every need, the child may not develop adequate confidence in their own judgment and ability.

Care needs to be provided in a balanced and measured way to promote a child’s sense of agency. Parents need to communicate that it is OK to try and not succeed; and OK to make mistakes.

When parents provide sufficient – not excessive--care and interest, children learn to listen to themselves and use their feelings as a guide when making decisions.

An example of a mom who cares too much Sally loves her son, but uses him to fulfill her own needs for affection. She is unaware of this, but is able to use my observations to modify her behavior towards him.

Her son, Keith, is a six-yearold boy full of curiosity and excitement. But Sally worries because he expresses a lot of self-doubt and, at times, becomes aggressive towards her.

She reports, “I wish I could keep Keith home with me all day and not send him to school.

He’s so cute.” She then discloses, “Keith often says ‘I wish I wasn’t alive. I want to die.’ And sometimes he is aggressive towards me and gets fresh. I worry about him” I listen to Sally’s dilemma.

She continues, “I want Keith to feel good. Every

morning, as soon as he wakes up I bring his cereal right to his bed. I want him to know how precious he is to me – he seems to doubt himself so much. I love to be comforting – and I like to have the opportunity of giving him something he likes.”

As I listen to Sally, I can feel her love and concern. But I also suspect that she is over-caring.

The way she anxiously focuses on Keith might make him feel uncertain about himself. He also might find it annoying.

I tell Sally, “I think your intentions are good. But perhaps your caring is interfering with Keith’s ability to do things for himself and that doesn’t feel good to him.”

Sally listens attentively and says, “You mean because he needs his independence?”

I say, “Yes.” (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

By Luis F Morales Knight, PhD? (Continued from Friday)

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Recognising the warning signs

s a parent, it’s up to you to recognise the warning signs of prescription drug abuse in your teen.

The most obvious sign is a marked change in behaviour. This can manifest in a sudden change in mood, such as outbursts of irritability or periods of withdrawal and silence. (Please note that behaviours such as these may be signs of issues other than drug abuse.)

You may also see things like your child appearing “out of it” or unable to carry on a normal conversation.

You may notice slurred speech or the appearance of being drunk.

One classic sign of drug abuse, both prescription and non-prescription, is a sudden change in the group of friends your teen hangs out with, the places they go and the things they do.

Regardless of the issue, when major things change in your child’s life, and those changes are not positive, it may be a good time to ask a professional for help. At the very least, it’s time to have a conversation with your child.

Addressing the problem in your own home

The final thing you can do to address prescription drug abuse is to take a look inside your own medicine cabinet. Take an inventory of any prescription drugs you or your spouse may have. Make sure they’re all there, down to the pill. Dispose of any drugs that are no longer needed and do so in a way that they cannot be found and ingested. (Experts suggest mixing them with coffee grounds, kitty litter or some other foul-tast-

ing substance, sealing the mixture in a plastic bag and putting it in the garbage.)

Remember, most abused prescription drugs come from an adult’s medicine cabinet. If you suspect your teen is using drugs, I recommend buying the best home drug test kit you can afford – the one that screens for the widest possible variety of drugs – and require your teen to use it. If your teen has tested positive for drugs in the past, it makes sense to administer tests at random and to look out for methods of beating the tests, such as using fake or substitute urine.

As a parent, you are on the front lines of this battle. It’s up to you to recognise the signs of prescription drug abuse in your teen and respond appropriately.

Thankfully, you likely already possess the keys to victory. In fact, they’re probably the same parenting skills you’ve been using all along: observation, engagement and empathy.

Remember, too, if you feel overwhelmed or in any way unable to address teen substance abuse on your own, there is no shame in asking for help. There are professionals like myself around the country who are trained in child and adolescent behaviour issues, including chemical dependency. (boystown.org)

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SATURDAY, february 4, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Attacks on the Judiciary

AG threatens media for reporting on issue

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ttorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams in denying that he never attacked acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, has threatened to “exercise his options” against media entities that fail to provide evidence of him “attacking” the Chancellor.

At a press conference on Thursday morning, Williams told reporters that he will be giving media entities one week to provide statements in which he attacked the Chancellor and by extension, the Judiciary.

“I have all the relevant media and their claims of my attacks, and I am proposing that the relevant media who claimed that I attacked the Judiciary and the Chancellor – I gave them a week to attribute to me what were the statements that I made attacking the Judiciary and failing which I’ll exercise my options,” he posited.

Asked what those options he referred to are, Williams said “when I was in private practice the media is very familiar with my options…you can draw your conclusions,

I said I will exercise my options.”

He went on to point out that persons believe that because of his position as Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, he has become weak and hamstrung in protecting his name. “I’m not prepared for anyone to filch my good name. I’ve practiced 33 years as a lawyer and there is no report that I have tampered with a witness or a jury or any corrupt practices in my 33 years and I’m very proud of that,” he declared.

AG Williams had come under heavy criticism following an article published in the State-owned Guyana Chronicle newspaper on January 19, 2017, attributing comments to him ridiculing a decision handed down

by Justice Singh in the Appeal Court, dismissing a private criminal charge case against Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

He also blasted his Deputy Solicitor General, Prithima Kissoon, whose concession to Jagdeo’s lawyer’s claim that the Attorney General was not

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams

a proper party to the proceeding caused the Chancellor to throw out the case against the Opposition Leader.

During Thursday’s press conference, Williams admitted to Guyana Times that he did in fact tell the Chronicle newspaper that, “the move by the Chancellor is not without remedy, we will take the case to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ); the case was dismissed on form and not substance… he hasn’t determined the substantive issue there.”

Foreign exchange fiasco

New policies will drive away investors – Private Sector

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he Private Sector Commission (PSC) has condemned the new regulations announced by the Government to stabilise the foreign exchange markets.

According to the Commission, the new policies announced will only drive investors away.

According to the PSC, which made a statement on Friday, stricter regulations and closer monitoring of the exchange market are policies which affect the free flow of money and do not bode well for an already slow economy.

It expressed consternation at Minister of State Joseph Harmon’s pronouncement on Thursday at a post-Cabinet press briefing.

“The Private Sector Commission strongly condemns this move by the Government which would have the certain effect of accelerating the capital flight, which has already begun

PSC Chairman Edward Boyer

with the erosion of confidence in the economy.”

The Commission warned that the stated intentions of Government to introduce restrictions will specifically affect the repatriation of earnings of foreign companies operating in Guyana.

“Foreign direct investment in the economy has already slowed and a policy which prevents the repatria-

tion of the earnings of these companies has the potential to move the influx of investment from a trickle to a halt.”

The PSC stated that it wishes to remind Government that the country has gone down this path before with disastrous consequences to the economy.

“The Guyana economy can ill afford the certain deleterious effects of history repeating itself.”

Recently, there have been reports of a shortage of foreign currency in the system.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan and Bank of Guyana Governor, Gobind Ganga, have consistently denied this.

It was at the opening of Citizens Bank on January 20 that Jordan had announced that on the supply side, some exporters have been withholding sales of foreign currency to the system. turn to page 9

However, when this newspaper highlighted another paragraph in the said Guyana Chronicle article which attributed the AG saying, “The Attorney General believes the move by the Deputy Solicitor General and the Chancellor is a “vain attempt to free Jagdeo of those cases,” Williams immediately denied making this statement to the State-owned publication.

“I don’t admit to that,” he immediately declared, refuting the quote attributed to him that sparked a widespread conversation on the boundaries between the Judiciary and the Executive arms of Government.

Furthermore, the Attorney General went on to single out Guyana Times as one of the media entities that he is putting on verbal notice before “exercising his options”, refusing to name the other media houses.

“I don’t have to disclose, they know themselves… (but) if its Guyana Times, you have a week (to attribute statements that he attacked the Chancellor and the Judiciary)… I have your papers in the stacks,” he pointed out.

On the other hand, the Attorney General rejected claims that he attacked the

conditions would be applied to the Chancellor.

Justice Carl Singh

Chancellor, noting that he was merely informing the public about the nature of the case and the actions he would take.

“I don’t have to do or say anything about Mr Carl Singh… Is it an attack by the way if you notice that just before he leaves office, matters involving Jagdeo have accelerated over thousands that exist,” the AG asserted.

Moreover, Williams explained that with regards to the acting Chancellor’s retirement, the precedence was already set when Justice Singh informed him about the conditions on which former acting Chief Justice Ian Chang had to retire last year.

The AG noted that the same

Chancellor unmoved However, Chancellor Singh has since posited that he intends to continue functioning in the post until his constitutional tenure expires at the end of this month.

“Not when the Chronicle says I must leave. My constitutional tenure expires on the 23rd of February, 2017, and until such time, unless my appointment is revoked, I intend to exercise my functions as a Judge,” he remarked.

According to the Constitution, the Chancellor demits office at age 68, however that has no bearing on Justice Singh as he is acting Chancellor and not substantive Chancellor. Justice Singh will be turning 65 on February 23, 2017. Justice Singh has been acting Chancellor since 2005, after Justice Desiree Bernard demitted office; she served from 2001-2005.

Last week, Government Spokesperson, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, has stated that Government was aware of the Chancellor’s impending retirement and would hold discussions on same.

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SATURDAY, february 4, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS Driver jailed for 56 months on causing death charge

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inibus driver Robert Grant was on Friday jailed for 56 months after he was found guilty on a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

Grant was jailed by Magistrate Judy Latchman when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The court found the mini-

bus driver guilty of causing the death of Keith Simon on May 23, 2016, at Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The 41-year-old minibus driver, having been charged in 2016, was granted $1 million bail after he had denied the charge.

Reports are Simon was an employee of the Guyana Sugar

Lindener remanded on narco trafficking charge

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26-year-old miner of Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) was remanded to prison after he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, to answer to a charge of narcotics possession.

The charge alleged that Collis Jerrick, on February 1, 2017, at Black Water Creek, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), was found to be in possession of 145 grams of cannabis for the purposes of trafficking.

On the day in question, Jerrick was reportedly searched by Police Officers and busted with a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis.

The accused, who was unrepresented, denied the charge when it was read to him and entered a not guilty plea.

The man was then remanded by the presiding Magistrate to the Camp Street penitentiary until April 18, when the matter will continue at the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court.

Corporation and a farmer of Grove Housing Scheme, EBD. On the day of the accident, he was walking along the public road heading South, when he was fatally struck by the speeding minibus driven by Grant, and which was heading

in the same direction. Simon was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

During the trial, the prosecution successfully built a strong case against Grant.

Trio on $30,000 bail for unlawful wounding

The three accused; Patrick Dickson, Rayon Damadeen and Noah Wilburg

T

hree men of Yarikita Village, Region One (Barima-Waini) were each placed on $30,000 bail after they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday, to answer to cross charges of unlawful wounding.

The accused – Patrick Dickson, 34; Noah Wilburg, 21; and Rayon Damadeen, 19 – are all from the remote village of Yarikita in the North West District, Region One. The first charge stated that Dickson and Wilburg on January 24, 2017, at Yarikita Village, unlawfully and maliciously wounded Rayon Damadeen. The duo entered a not guilty plea when the charge was read.

The second charge brought against Damadeen stated that he on the same day and location, unlawfully and maliciously wounded Noah Wilburg; a charge which he

plead not guilty to.

Police Prosecutor Deniro Jones told the court that the number two and three accused – Wilburg and Damadeen – were close acquaintances, whose friendship turned sour due to an ongoing dispute. He further stated that on the said day, the first and second accused – Dickson and Wilburg – while under the influence of alcohol, attacked Damadeen, who at the time was walking past the shop where they were drinking.

The injured man then went for a cutlass, with which he dealt Wilburg a chop to his neck. The men were subsequently arrested by the Police and charged with the said offence.

The trio was released on bail and will reappear at the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court on February 21, when the matter will proceed to trial.

No Favours…

D …for political investors?

ominic Gaskin’s a funny guy. He has to be… for claiming there will be no favours given to the businessmen who shelled out $43 million to the AFC’s campaign war chest. Yeah right! And if you believe that, dear reader, there’s a bridge across the Essequibo River, I can sell you - on the cheap!!

What this Eyewitness would like Gaskin to do if he’s serious, is release the list of creditors so we can erect some statues in their honour for these paragons of selflessness!!

Fact of the matter is the new Leader of the AFC explicitly announced that folks who spend on political parties are “political investors” - who expect a return on their investment. So is Gaskin - who’s still wet behind the ears where politics is concerned - contradicting a man who has to be the sharpest political operator in the land? And don’t think your Eyewitness is being hyperbolic about Trotman!

This is a fella who boasts Burnham’s his hero. So just like Burnham joined the PPP because he’d already decided he was going to be President of Guyana, Trotman signed up for the PNC of Desmond Hoyte because he figured he had the “right pedigree” - unlike Corbin - for the job. But when Corbin proved too much for him because he didn’t play by the Marquis of Queensbury rules, like his hero, he promptly left to form his own party.

Playing Ramjattan like a well-tuned fiddle, he made his point to the PNC and now he’s back home, courtesy of the Nassau Accord. So Trotman knows what he’s talking about when it comes to political manoeuvring, OK? And we return to the AFC and its debts that’s the topic de jour. What Gaskin should’ve said is the AFC has absolutely no power in the Government and is in no position to pay-off anyone. They’ve already shot most of their wad with their Wind Farm PPA to the fella who Ramjattan confessed had built the new AFC headquarters. Whatever remained went to the friend they sent to GPL, and who’s busy playing CHINESE Chequers with a mega contract that has more holes than Swiss cheese!

Now you may object, dear reader, there are still AFC Ministers who can play footsies under the table with the campaign funders. But you have to understand, that most of these have also returned to the fold. Do you think it’s a coincidence none of these “big ones” had any time to attend AFC meetings over the last year-and-a-half? Or none of them really put up a fight to get on to the national executive?

There’s no percentage in repaying the debts of “dead meat”!

…for the parking public

The outrage by this Government and its minions at City Hall against the citizenry continues to mount. The nonsense peddled when they oleaginously claimed they couldn’t mess with the decisions made at the Municipal level, was exposed by their admission that the by-laws authorising Smart City to operate, haven’t yet been approved by Cabinet!!

They admitted that the by-laws had to be signed by the Communities Minister Bulkan - but that’d only hold up matters for a day. What say they, now that Cabinet has to give its OK? Or is the Government just a rubber stamp for whatever City Hall does? This doesn’t appear so far-fetched when you observe the way King operates.

One big illegality in those by-laws - as revealed by Smart Solutions’ flak - is to “authorise” the company to go way beyond collecting and enforcing parking fees, and “enforce traffic by-laws”!!

This is a Policing function that’s waaaay above local government’s pay grade!

…the truth

Seems our Honourable Attorney General isn’t so honourable after all. He claimed the Dep Solicitor General made an illegal “feral blast” against him forcing him to respond!!

All the Statutorily-protected officer did was to follow procedures and file her complaint with the Public Service Commission!

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

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SATURDAY, february 4, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Banks DIH $28B claim

Govt must take responsibility for lawsuit – Jagdeo … set precedence with “horrendous” $3.8B tax write-off

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

T

he Government has taken a tough stance against Banks DIH Limited’s multibillion-dollar lawsuit against the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

According to Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, the fault lies not with Banks DIH but with Government for the “horrendous” $3.8 billion tax write off to competitor, Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

That write-off, which was granted by the coalition to Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), followed over 15 years of litigation with the GRA over its tax payments. Jagdeo expressed skepticism of Finance Minister Winston Jordan and Attorney General Basil Williams’ posturing, stating that Banks DIH would never have made the claim were it not for that write-off.

“I saw the Attorney General and the Minister of Finance pledge that they will vigorously oppose Bank’s DIH claim in the courts. And there is one point that both of these gentlemen missed. This claim

by Banks DIH for refund from the Treasury was triggered by an action of the Government,” Jagdeo said.

“And had that action, that event, not taken place, then Bank’s DIH would have never made such a claim. And so, until now the questions remain unanswered. Who gave the horrendous writeoff to DDL that triggered this claim?”

“Was it the Commissioner

General? Was it the Board of Directors? Was it the Minister of Finance? Or was it the Cabinet? And when we have an answer to that question, then we will be able to examine whether this claim or this write-off was done by the au-

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

thorised party and was legal.”

According to Jagdeo, Banks DIH is only looking out for its shareholders’ interest and was not at fault

for seeking this resolution.

Approaching the issue from the company’s perspective, Jagdeo said that the two companies (Banks and DDL) are in the same sector, and if one got preferential treatment to the tune of billions, then the other would protest.

The former Head of State noted that rather than the AG and the Finance Minister criticise Banks DIH, they should examine why it happened. According to Jagdeo, Government has not been transparent on this issue. The Opposition Leader further accused the Government of skirting responsibility.

“It happened because of this Government’s action, but they will not take responsibility for it. And if you think this is $3.8 billion, it’s going to mount. A year and a half ago I said this action (write-off) is going to cost us $80 billion in the Treasury. And it’s going to happen.”

Govt’s position

Just a few days ago, Williams declared that Banks

New policies will drive away...

This, he had stated, was possibly with the hope of provoking a depreciation of the domestic currency in order to maximise their Guyana-dollar profits. “Aggravating this untenable situation is the action of some net foreign exchange earners, who are demanding foreign currency from the market, while hoarding their foreign currency holdings.

Some companies are even purchasing foreign exchange to facilitate trade for their counterparts outside of Guyana, while a few exporters and importers are conducting foreign exchange transactions bilaterally, outside of the foreign exchange market,” the Finance Minister stated.

According to Jordan, the gap between the buying and selling rates for foreign currency, especially in bigger banks, had led to some level of disin-

termediation.

“These banks act as the pacesetters in the pricing of foreign currency and interest rates. They have great influence in creating uneven competition for smaller banks.

These developments have artificially stressed the foreign exchange market,” he said, Jordan had then issued an ominous warning. He stated that if the Government’s entreaties to those involved did not work, then action would be taken against the guilty parties.

New measures At the post-Cabinet press briefing on Thursday, Harmon projected the Government’s will when he announced upcoming measures aimed at ensuring that exporters repatriate their export earnings.

“The Bank of Guyana is

therefore expected to issue a number of guidelines with regards to the new regulations and monitoring,” he said.

Harmon added that these will include ensuring that exporters repatriate their export earnings at the banking system as is required and conducting close monitoring and examination of bank and nonbank cambios to maintain orderly market behaviour and stability.

According to the Minister of State, measures were also taken to ensure that all foreign loans and grants issued are disbursed on time, so as to increase the flow of foreign currency in the country.

Meanwhile, addressing reports of commercial banks syphoning foreign exchange to selective clients, Harmon posited that these new guidelines are aimed at preventing such

from page 7

practices. He noted that previously, Central Bank could not have stopped this practice because of the quality of oversight it had then; however, he noted that this situation will soon be reversed.

DIH will be fighting a lost cause against the GRA. He had stated that all efforts will be exhausted to ensure that not a dime comes out of the public purse to refund Banks DIH. This comes despite the fact that DDL, last year, benefited from a whopping $3.8 billion tax write-off. Back in 2002, DDL filed a legal challenge against the GRA over the Commissioner General’s assessment that consumption taxes owed by that company exceeded $1 billion, for the period January 2001 to September 2002.

It was eventually quashed by the High Court on February 1, 2005. The GRA then moved to the court of Appeal. On July 31, 2008, the Court of Appeal dismissed this appeal on the ground that the Commissioner General had used a wrong formula for the calculation of the consumption taxes.

In 2009, the Commissioner General then assessed DDL’s consumption tax liabilities for the period 2001-2007. The newly assessed liability of DDL for that period came up to $5.3 billion. Again, DDL filed legal proceedings challenging this assessment.

GRA then retained an external Senior Counsel (SC) and was in the process of defending this challenge when the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coali-

tion assumed office.

Instead of the new Government continuing to defend against DDL, the beverage company was granted a $3.8 billion tax write-off and only paid $1.5 billion.

Banks DIH, in December 2016, proceeded to file legal proceedings against the Attorney General and the GRA, claiming over $28 billion in repayments in light of the tax write-off granted to its competitor.

Banks DIH had paid some $12.8 billion in taxes over the period 2001 to 2006. But in light of the DDL tax write-off last year, the beverage giant calculated that it should have only paid some $3 billion.

The company argued that the Government would be “unjustly enriched” if it retained approximately $9 billion (the difference between the paid amount in taxes and the net figure Banks DIH estimated it should have paid).

In this regard, Banks DIH claimed that it is entitled to some $9 billion plus 10 per cent interest compounded over the period 2001 to 2006 resulting in a total of some $28 billion after taking into account the settlement figure payable by DDL of $1.5 billion.

The GRA, in a statement on Wednesday, said it will respect the court’s jurisdiction by not litigating issues of law in the public domain.

10 news

SATURDAY, February 4, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Parking meter burden

PSC reports decline in economic activities …GCCI calls for Govt's intervention

F

ollowing the continued stand-off between a seemingly majority citizenry and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) over the controversial Parking Meter Project, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has expressed concerns about the situation.

The body said in a statement on Friday that it is alarmed at the potentially escalating impasse between the M&CC and citizens regarding the implementation of parking meters, without appropriate consultation and transparent procurement.

“What is even more startling is the fact the M&CC is prepared to support the booting and impounding of vehicles without the enactment of the By-laws signed by the Minister of Communities.

This is, in any jurisdiction, unlawful and unacceptable,” the GCCI asserted.

In light of this current state of affairs, the Chambers noted that it is compelled to call upon the Government to intervene and facilitate a solution that would be fair and acceptable to both the M&CC and citizens.

“The City’s economy is struggling long enough as it is, and therefore does not need any further disruptions

as a result of poor planning, obstinacy and resultant push back,” GCCI highlighted.

The parking meter project is being implemented by Smart City Solutions (SCS) and the company has been meeting with stakeholders and various groupings in order to iron out concerns.

However, in a whole page advertisement published in a local newspaper on Friday, it was alleged that the Private Sector refused to meet with SCS. This prompted an immediate response from the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the umbrella body for a broad swathe of businesses, as well as the members of the Business Support Organisations across the country.

According to the PSC, it met with SCS on two occasions. On the first occasion, the company requested, and was granted, a courtesy call during which the principal of the company gave a broad overview of its background.

During the second meeting, the Commission said that the company requested the opportunity to make a presentation to the Private Sector umbrella body. An appointment was subsequently made and communicated to the members of

Former PSC Chairman Ramesh Persaud

the Commission. However on that day, the members of the Private Sector exercised their democratic right and, with the exception of two persons, chose not to attend the presentation.

Also on Friday, the PSC said that the business community has recorded declining sales since the implementation of the parking meters.

In a statement to the press on Friday, the PSC noted that it has received impassioned pleas from businesses which have seen their sales decline by as much as 50 per cent since the introduction of metered parking in the city.

"The Mayor and City

Council have displayed unmatched arrogance in their refusal to engage businesses in any attempt to compromise and mitigate the ill effects of this scheme. The citizens, on whom the full brunt of this new de facto tax would fall, have made clear their refusal to be further burdened," the statement noted.

It added, "Our Government is aware that the failure of the retail sector would have a direct impact on the country’s Gross Domestic Product since the Wholesale/Retail Sector is an important contributor to growth. Is this local government organ now free to make policies which run counter to the national interest?"

While efforts are afoot to mend the appease the citizenry and get them to accept the parking meters, which have already been installed and are in operation across the Capital City, there have been renewed concerns following the disclosure by Government that the Bylaws governing the operations of the parking meters

are still be reviewed, despite the project having rolled out.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon on Thursday told reporters at the post-Cabinet press briefing that the By-laws are currently being reviewed by the Attorney General before Cabinet approves the documents for gazetting.

However, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall in an interview with <<<Guyana Times>>> on Friday explained that without the Bylaws being gazetted, it is illegal to be soliciting monies from the public.

“The operation of the parking and the charging of monies by those parking meters or for those parking meters is unlawful because if the activating mechanism, which I understand to be the By-laws, have not yet been properly promulgated then on what basis are you extracting money and charging money. The State can only levy charges, monies, taxes, fees and anything of that description – they can only do so by the authority of a law or a By-law and based upon the Government’s own disclosure, those By-laws are not yet enforced,” he posited.

Furthermore according to Nandlall, By-laws get their legal validity only after they are published in the official gazette.

He pointed out too that the publication in the gazette needs to outline the date it takes effect and that date cannot be backdated when money is being charged.

“Once you are affecting the proprietary interests and rights of people, then you cannot do so retroactively or retrospectively; it becomes

unlawful. Once it deprives anyone of their property or it takes away the liberty of the subject, a law or By-law that operates retroactively and has the impact of depriving people of their property, in this case money, it would be unlawful and unconstitutional,” Nandlall underscored.

He noted that Section 21 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act Chapter 201, Laws of Guyana, provides that all By-laws must be published in the Gazette and shall come into operation on the date of publication, unless, it expressly provides that they shall come into operations on some other date.

Section 21 (3) also provides that while subsidiary legislation, of which By-laws are one, may be made to operate retrospectively, “… no person shall be made or shall become liable to any penalty whatsoever in respect of any act committed or the failure to do anything before the date on which the subsidiary legislation was published in the Gazette.”

Meanwhile, Minister Harmon previously told media operatives that nothing was wrong with the Communities Minister signing off on the By-laws for paid parking to be implemented, since the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is authorised to implement the project regardless.

However, Nandlall posited that despite its independence, the City Council is nevertheless bound by the laws of the country, which requires for the By-laws to be gazetted in order for them to be enforced.

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SATURDAY, february 4, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Major drug shortages reported in Region 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Chairman calls for enhanced monitoring

R

egion 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), Chairman Renis Morian has announced that the time has come for enhanced monitoring of drugs at hospitals and health posts within the region.

He made this assertion in response to the reports of drug shortages affecting health institutions within Region 10.

On Thursday, while addressing Councillors and Regional officials at a statutory meeting, Morian revealed that major drugs

were recently reported missing in the region. He said that while there have been drug shortages over the years; the issue needs to be addressed at some point.

He also acknowledged that persons have requesting diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) medication in particular. He said too that while these cases have been reported, he has not received the information.

"The thing that troubled me is that I am here and I never even knew that we

had that kind of drug problem in Region 10...All the complaints come at my office, and I can't give informed information to anybody, because I wasn't told or notified that we had a drug shortage. So I'm like the chief sitting without an answer or a clue...

Whenever there's a shortage, the Chairman needs to know...," Morian stated.

The Regional Chairman however informed that there was a supply of medication delivered to the region last weekend, and he

Pensioners robbed during home invasions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; residents call for frequent patrolling

T

The hammer and torchlight that thieves left behind

wo pensioners living in Perseverance Village, on the Essequibo Coast, were robbed of cash and a quantity of groceries in two separate incidents. The robberies reportedly occurred on Thursday night while they were both asleep. Following the robberies, residents called on G Division (Essequibo Coast-Islands) Commander Khalid Pareshram, to increase Police patrols in the area.

Eighty-six-year-old Rajkumarie Persaud of Lot K Perseverance related that she was asleep when the

robbery occurred.

She explained that when she awoke around 04:00h Friday morning, she discovered that her drawers were open and her house ransacked.

The pensioner, who recently returned from the United States, related that she knew something was amiss and when she ventured downstairs, she discovered that a window was broken. At that moment, the woman said she realised that she had been robbed.

After making checks, Persaud realised that $10,000 along with a quan-

Please feel free to share your comments at sasesin1@yahoo.com.

tity of groceries were missing.

The woman also found a hammer and a flashlight, which she assumed were used by the thieves to break into her home. The pensioner said she has lived in the area for the past 62 years and was never robbed.

Meanwhile, another pensioner who lives a short distance from Persaud, also reported that her home was broken into.

Daris Persaud, 85, who lives alone, said thieves carted off with all her groceries and a quantity of cash. Daris said when she awoke on Friday morning, she also discovered that her house was ransacked; the thieves may have gained access from the front of the house.

Police were summoned and fingerprints were taken; however, no one has yet been taken into custody. Both pensioners went to Anna Regina on Thursday to uplift their pension money and they expressed concern that someone might be preying on unsuspecting pensioners.

Region 10 Chairman Renis Morian

assured that the new Public Health Minister is addressing the countrywide issue.

Councillor Gordon Callender, in addressing members of the Council, noted that while he understood that drugs were recently dispatched to the region, certain drugs were still unavailable.

Expressing skepticism, Callender said he is certain that a trip to the Linden Hospital would reveal the unavailability of drugs. This, he said has se-

rious effects on those persons who cannot afford to purchase such medication, especially those suffering from hypertension.

"I am concerned...let us go to the hospital, you'll find the amount of drugs that is missing from there or are short. But when you come out and you go to the various pharmacies that they have out here, they have all the drugs, but the Government institutions does not have it. Some persons, they don't even have a penny to go and purchase these drugs out there. So, it is saying something to us, that by the time them people get money or by the time them drug people come, how many dead people we get... because this blood pressure thing is a very serious thing," Callender added.

He requested that an invitation be extended to the new Health Minister to meet with the RDC to address such issues.

In response, the Regional

Chairman said that while he cannot attest that all required medication was delivered to the region last weekend, the issue of drug shortages is currently being addressed by the Public Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, Councillor Gregory Harris, who is attached to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), confirmed that there are occasional shortages and that the hospital does not always receive all of the requested medication, including insulin.

Dr Harris further opined that a private entity within the region should be given the opportunity to assist in such times, since the hospital can then make purchases using emergency funds. Councillor Sandra Adams also added that there is a way in which the hospital can receive insulin for free, similarly to the way in which it is received at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

12news

SATURDAY, february 4, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

AFC positioning self for new Safety of Corentyne primary school students Cummingsburg Accord

N

ewly elected leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Raphael Trotman said his party is moving head on, positioning itself for a new Cummingsburg Accord.

Speaking at his party’s bi-weekly press conference on Thursday, Trotman said the accord which was first signed in February 2015, between the AFC party and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), will again have to be signed in February 2018.

He said what is most important, however, is working cohesively within a coalition to return the administration to Government.

“The Accord will expire in 2018 and we will have to renew them and we will position ourselves strategically within the coalition to ensure we are relevant, respected and appreciated and we are united to take that coalition forward,” Trotman told journalists.

AFC Leader Raphael Trotman

Last week, former AFC General Secretary David Patterson said the Cummingsburg agreement has been “much less than desirable”.

He said since its signing, the day-to-day administration of the Accord has been problematic, especially at the local level.

“The day-to-day admin-

istration of the Accord is much less than desirable.

The interface between the coalition partners at all levels has not been the best.

Although at the Cabinet and ministerial level, the working relations have been excellent, at the lower levels, it has not been so.”

Patterson noted that in order to contest the 2015

General and Regional elections, when the party leadership entered into discussions with APNU, some “tough patches” were experienced.

He added that not every element of the Cummingsburg Accord functioned as the framers intended, and a number of issues have arisen that need to be addressed in an effort to enhance its effectiveness.

Meanwhile, when asked what he wants to see going forward in the new Accord, party Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan had said “I would want to see continuity. There will be areas that we can deal with at the engagement level better, when there are disputes of some sort that they could be resolved quicker”.

He said it is very “subjective” and has been a relationship that has been very sound and unjustifiably criticised.

a major concern

– as head teacher padlocks school’s back gate

Bicycles locked out of the compound

T

he Acting head teacher of the Auchlyne Primary School on the Corentyne, in Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) Shireen Ali, has reportedly padlocked the back gate leading to the school’s compound and this has caused an uproar from concerned students and regional officials.

The Secretary of the Central Corentyne Road Safety Council, Nandlall Manikchand, explained that many of the children attending the school do not have adequate road safety training and the move by Ali has forced the children from Letter Kenny, Auchlyne and Whim to use the Corentyne Highway to get to and from school. He added that by refusing access to the school compound from the back gate, the children are being placed at risk.

According to Manickchand, since the primary concern is the safety of the children, from Monday, the Council will be holding training sessions with some students of that school in an effort to establish a school road safety patrol.

The former Police Officer is appealing with senior education officials in the region to place the safety of children first. Additionally, the Auchlyne Primary School students are not being allowed to take their bicycles

Secretary of the Central Corentyne Road Safety Council, Nandlall Manikchand

into the school compound and many have reported that their cycles have been stolen.

According to reports, Ali made the decision two weeks ago to bar the cycles from the school compound, after she assumed her position as acting head teacher; the substantive head teacher is currently on sick leave.

The issues were discussed at the Regional Democratic Council’s meeting on Thursday, and Councilor Zaman Husain, who is the Chairman of the Regional Education Committee told the Council that the situation is worrying and urged Regional Chairman David Armogan to raise the matter with the Department of Education. “It is very serious because children are involved,” he said.

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SATURDAY, February 4, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Schools’ Physical Display Competition creates flare

T

he first leg of the National Schools Physical Display Competition kicked off at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Friday morning, with much pomp and celebration – the event forms part of the activities for Mashramani celebrations.

The audience exuded energy and the performances in the various categories matched the mood of the spectators gathered, as the students gyrated to some of the rousing sounds, including the popular “bang bing” song.

There were shouts of excitement as each group

ical display 12-17 years; skip-be-fit 12-17 years; and individual 12-17 years.

Some of the participating schools were St Angela’s Primary, Anais Private School, F E Pollard Primary, St Johns College,

These primary school students were proud to showcase their formation during the Physical Display Competition

piece titled “the Amazon Warriors”, which was undoubtedly one of the their favourite performances

These students incorporated jump ropes in their routine

took centre court; however, the crowd erupted in loud cheers when the South Ruimveldt Secondary School preformed their

during the competition.

Clad from head to toe in Amazon Warriors costume, the students danced to the popular warriors’ theme

song with cricket bats in hand.

The competition displayed innovation, as most of the schools brought new moves to the stage, which included double dutching (with jump ropes) – a North American leisure time activity.

However, the students put a new twist to the move, as they danced and performed push-ups, while jumping rope.

The event generated great excitement and allowed the students to display their talents.

The Children’s Mashramani Competition saw students at the nursery, primary and secondary level preforming in categories, such as the physical display six-11 years; phys-

Lodge Secondary and Charlestown Secondary.

The National Physical Display Competition began as a part of the Children’s Mashramani Events in 1992. This is a display of gymnastic movements put

together for its aesthetic expression.

The competition continues next week where the winners in each of the regions travel to Georgetown to compete for top prizes and trophies.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, february 4, 2017

News

Prithima Kissoon sent on Albouystown shooting administrative leave – AG Police hunting 2 known suspects

Attorney General Basil Williams

D

eputy Solicitor General Prithima Kissoon has been sent on three months administrative leave, pending a review of all the cases she represented the State on, according to Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams.

The AG told reporters at a press conference on Friday that based upon advice sought from the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Deputy Solicitor General was sent on 72 days leave by the Permanent Secretary of the Legal Affairs Ministry to facilitate a review of the cases she was involved in.

The probe into cases which Deputy Solicitor General Kissoon was involved in, stemmed from a recent ruling handed by the Court of Appeal, dismissing a State-sponsored appeal against a High Court decision that quashed a private criminal charge against Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

The Appeal Court ruled that the appeal was null after Kissoon had conceded to a claim by Jagdeo’s lawyer that the Attorney General was not a proper party to the proceeding.

AG Williams had since blamed Kissoon for the outcome of the case. However, although he has blamed Kissoon for the case, Solicitor General Sita Ramlall, in a letter to the Editor, pointed out that Williams had in-

sisted to Kissoon and herself, that he be named as the Plaintiff in the appeal when he was not a party.

Kissoon has since alleged that she has been subjected to abuse from the AG and filed a formal complaint with the Public Service Commission, outlining among other things, that the AG had been frustrating her office by refusing to cooperate with her on several cases, while at the same time publicly questioning her performance.

She also claimed that Williams, who was recently made a Senior Counsel by President David Granger, instructed his assistants to refuse to accept any documents or correspondence from her.

However, Williams, who subsequently responded to the complaint in a public statement, told reporters on Friday that the Deputy Solicitor General’s complaint was dismissed by the Commission.

“The PS has informed me she has received communications from the PSC… The communication rejected the application by Ms Kissoon, which she purported to complain against the Attorney General. I don’t think they entertained that,” he stated.

However, Guyana Times was unable to independently verify AG’s claim that the PSC dismissed Kissoon’s complaint.

The Attorney General had come in for much criticism over the past week for his attacks on Kissoon, with commentators bashing the manner in which he dealt with the matter.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the Editor published in local newspapers on Friday, the Deputy Solicitor General’s father, prominent Attorney Jailall Kissoon, pointed out that this is the first time in legal history that an AG has levelled such a blast of terror and fear upon the Judiciary or his own legal officer.

“The fallout from this scurrilous blast has radiated its tremulous fear through the spinal cord of the en-

… dead man’s father calls on President for better security strategy

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Deputy Solicitor Prithima Kissoon

General

tire body of the Judiciary in Guyana and elsewhere,” he pointed out.

According to the senior Kissoon, there are recorded documents in court to support that the ruling against the State-sponsored appeal was a pure stream of justice was flowing uninterruptedly, that is, until it was polluted by the Attorney General in an article published in the State-owned Guyana Chronicle newspaper.

“Your prejudiced perception is that the Chancellor, together with applicant Bharrat Jagdeo, his Attorney at Law, Mr (Mursaline) Bacchus and the Deputy Solicitor General Prithima Kissoon, all of common ethnicity caused the Attorney General and the Editor to fall in the dark mud of malice and partiality that Jagdeo must receive the benefit from the court unjustly. But the law does not recognise skin colour, the law is the law,” the Attorney penned.

He went on to say that, “the Attorney General, who has such legal wisdom and foresight, ought to have seen the unholy conspiracy of the Bench and Bar and should have appeared in person, as Leader of the Bar, filed his Affidavit in Answer, argued his case as a legal luminary and Eminent Counsel and crushed the Applicant’s case to smithereens.”

Regional leaders console Brazil’s ex-President Lula

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egional leaders have sent their condolences to Brazil’s ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. His wife of 43 years, Marisa Leticia da Silva, has been pronounced brain-dead a week after she was taken to hospital with a brain haemorrhage.

Several Latin American presidents have sent messages and there was a minute’s silence in Brazil’s Congress.

Marisa Leticia had helped Lula found the Worker’s

Party and is said to have made its first flag. Doctors said the family had authorised the donation of her organs.

The left-wing presidents of Bolivia and Nicaragua both expressed their condolences.

Former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso visited the hospital where she had been taken. Once adored by many in Brazil, Lula ended his second term in 2011 with an 83 per cent approval rating.

He had boosted Brazil’s global profile and overseen rapid economic growth during a commodities boom. But last year Lula and his wife became ensnared in a far-reaching corruption investigation involving the state oil company, Petrobras.

They have said the accusations against them are politically motivated and designed to prevent Lula standing for president again in 2018 elections. (BBC News)

rime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Friday told Guyana Times that Police are hunting two known characters in connection with the gunning down of 39-year-old Paul Anthony Daniels at Independence Boulevard, Albouystown, Georgetown on Thursday.

He explained that the fiancé of the now dead man provided a description of the two men to the Police, who would have immediately resorted to their database for assistance. In addition, he noted that the Police are working with several leads and are hopeful to apprehend the perpetrators.

However, the father of the dead man has accused President David Granger of encouraging the bloodshed in the country.

He noted that the Head of State is a religious man, but yet he is not doing much in terms of a crime fighting strategy to curb the violence in Guyana. The grieving father said that in most crime cases, the perpetrators are released easily.

“When they come out, they go back and do the same thing because they ain’t mean to work… the President got to set an example, he got to hang some of them,” he noted. Another relative claimed that the President should “step up his game” and deploy Police

Dead: Paul Anthony Daniels

ranks not only along Regent Street, but also in the “ghetto”.

“People coming in you house and kill you and then he claiming he go help poor people… this boy is an innocent boy who does work hard for he money,” he noted.

He further stated that since the coalition Government took office, the crime situation has escalated. Relatives also lashed out at Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, pleading for the Minister to roll out a proper crime fighting strategy.

The footballer attached at the Georgetown Football Club was on Thursday morning gunned down moments after dropping his fiancé at her Independence

Boulevard home.

The man reportedly went to drop home his fiancé and sat down to look at television for a while when he was gunned down. Based on reports received, the two armed men entered the home through a northern door which was left open.

Upon entering the house, Daniels and his fiancé were held at gunpoint. The gun men relieved him of a gold chain that he was wearing at the time and an undisclosed sum of cash, after which they exited the house.

Daniels, a construction worker, went in pursuit of the men, with the suspects discharging several rounds at him, one hitting him in the region of his stomach.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. At the scene on Thursday morning, persons recalled only a few days ago two men had visited the area enquiring about Daniels’ whereabouts, leaving them to believe that the shooting might have stemmed from an old grievance.

It is also suspected that the now dead man might have known his killers, since they called out his name as they made their way into the house. After the shooting, the two men escaped on two pedal cycles.

Police nab main suspect in Kaneville fatal fire

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lmost two weeks after being on the run, the 21-year-old suspect who reportedly set a Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home on fire, resulting in the death of a seven-month-old baby, was arrested on Friday.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that the 21-year-old of Lot 906 4th Field, Kaneville, EBD, was arrested at a mining camp in Mahdia, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), after Police received information about his whereabouts.

Blanhum noted that the suspect will be transported to the city where he will be grilled and processed for court. Nevertheless, he noted that with the main suspect in custody, detectives are optimistic that he will provide the names of the others who were involved in the heinous crime.

On the morning of January 23, 2017, the charred remains of seven-month-old Romain Levi Seth were pulled from among the debris hours after the suspect and his accomplices set the Lot 462 Third Field, Kaneville, EBD house on fire.

The infant’s remains were found in the same area where he was left sleeping after he was put to bed by his grandmother the evening before.

The fire reportedly started in the same bedroom the child was in, after an explosive device was hurled through the window by the suspect.

Dead baby: Romain Levi Seth

Guyana Times was told that the young man and his friends had threatened to set the house alight after the owner, Michelle Menez, had made a report to the Police station about their marijuana business close to her home.

The young men were reportedly arrested but later released by Police. It was upon their release that they threatened to kill each member of the house and accused Menez of being a Police informant.

After the fire, none of them were seen.

saturDAY, february 4, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

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News

Govt seeks to amend court order on Red House

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overnment is seeking to amend a Consent Order granted by the High Court last month, barring the State from interfering with or removing belongings of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Incorporation (CJRCI) from Red House, located on Main Street, Kingston, Georgetown.

The summons seeking the amendment was filed with the High Court by Attorney General Basil Williams on behalf of the State and the Lands and Surveys Commission (L&SC). The matter was heard by Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards on Friday morning.

Following the brief in-Chambers hearing, Attorney Anil Nandlall, who is representing the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre, gave an overview of what transpired during the hearing.

He told the press that at Friday’s session, the Attorney General filed a summons in which he is seeking the order, which was granted by the Chief Justice on the last occasion, to be amended and varied.

Red House, Main Street, Kingston, Georgetown.

“I’m not sure what he wants to amend now, it’s a very unique application… How he’s going to achieve that is a completely different matter. He consented to those Orders and there are principles which govern the variation and or amendment of a Consent Order…,” Nandlall pointed out.

According to the Attorney, he has requested and was granted 14 days to file an Affidavit in Answer

to the summons, while the AG was given an additional 14 days to respond to his (Nandlall’s) affidavit.

To this end, the matter was scheduled for March 8, when the parties will commence legal arguments.

Meanwhile, the substantive hearing on the court action filed by the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Inc, blocking an executive order to remove them from the premises of Red House, is set for February 20.

Nandlall explained that the Attorney General has indicated that on that day, he will be making certain submissions relating to the jurisdiction or lack of jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.

Back in December, President David Granger had ordered that the lease for Red House, which houses the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Inc, be revoked

on the grounds that it was invalid because the President of the day had not approved it.

However, former President Donald Ramotar recently came forward and disclosed that he did in fact approve the lease for the Red House to be leased to CJRCI. But according to Williams at a press conference on Friday, this move by the former President can be described as a “late bid” since there were months of silence on the matter.

“Mr Ramotar is a founding member of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Incorporated (CJRCI) and a shareholder and is prepared to accept the charge of conflict of interest in giving approval in his own interest for the lease. Ramotar was the person who applied in 2006 for a lease of the Red House,” Williams stated.

According to the Attorney General, Government rejects Ramotar’s “late bid” as a veiled attempt to plug a lacuna in the application filed by the CJRCI, in which no mention was made of the Red House lease being approved by the former President.

US slaps new sanctions on Iran over missile test

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he United States has announced new sanctions against Iran after its recent missile test, a move denounced by Tehran which said it would impose its own legal restrictions on American individuals and entities.

In a statement on its website on Friday, the US Treasury said it had added 13 Iranians and 12 companies, some of which are based in Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and China, to its sanctions list.

“Iran’s continued support for terrorism and development of its ballistic missile program poses a threat to the region, to our partners worldwide, and to the United States,” said John Smith, acting director of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Among those sanctioned were companies, individuals, and brokers the US Treasury said support a trade network run

by Iranian businessman Abdollah Asgharzadeh.

Myanmar’s Suu Kyi vows to investigate crimes against Rohingya

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he top United Nations human rights official said Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi promised on Friday to investigate United Nations (UN) allegations of atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.

Security forces and Police have committed mass killings and gang rapes and burned villages in northern Rakhine state, a UN investigation published on Friday found.

“I did speak to Aung San Suu Kyi about an hour and a half ago. I called upon her to use every means available to exert pressure on the military and the security services to end this operation,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein said in an interview with Reuters in Geneva.

“She informed me that an investigation will be

launched. She said that they would require further information.”

In Yangon, presidential spokesman Zaw Htay said: “These are extremely serious allegations, and we are deeply concerned. We will be immediately investigating these allegations through the investigation commission led by Vice-President U Myint Swe. “Where there is clear evidence of abuses and violations, we will take all necessary action.” Myanmar, a mostly Buddhist country, has previously denied almost all allegations of human rights abuses against Muslims in northern Rakhine and says a lawful counterinsurgency campaign is under way. Since it began on October 9, 2016, about 69,000 Rohingya have fled to neighboring Bangladesh. (Excerpt from Reuters)

The Treasury said the businessman supported Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group, which, according to the US, is a subsidiary of an Iranian entity that runs Iran’s ballistic missile programme.

The Treasury also sanctioned what it said was a Lebanon-based network run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite military body that is also powerful in Iranian politics and the economy.

Later on Friday, Iran’s

Iran has confirmed that it had tested a ballistic missile

foreign ministry condemned the sanctions as illegal and

vowed to reciprocate any measures taken against

Tehran by the US. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

16 news

saturDAY, february 4, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Bartica Massacre

Roger Simon granted $900,000 bail on terrorism, other charges … while Dennis Williams gets life imprisonment for manslaughter

Roger “Goat Man” Simon was placed on $900,000 bail

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fter being acquitted of all 12 counts of murder in relation to the February 17, 2008 massacre at Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), former accused, Roger “Goat Man” Simon was finally afforded his bail privilege, a sum which amounted to $900,000. His Defence Attorney, Peter Hugh, on Friday afternoon appealed for bail on the grounds that his client spent a considerable amount of time in prison awaiting trial.

State Prosecutor Diana Kaulesar objected to bail on the grounds of the grav-

ity of the offence, and the fact that some of the charges had multiple counts. Simon, along with five others, is facing several charges related to the 2008 Bartica attack.

These include, one count of terrorism, one count unlawful wounding and three counts break and enter and larceny.

The prosecution, when asked by presiding Judge Roxanne George, SC, was unable to indicate when the State would proceed on the terrorism indictment.

As such, the judge granted bail in the sum of $500,000.

Simon was additionally placed on $100,000 bail each for the three break and enter and larceny charges and the unlawful wounding charge. Simon, when leaving the court escorted by law enforcement ranks, shouted to his sister and other relatives to ensure that they take steps to ensure that his bail is paid.

Death penalty & life imprisonment

One day after being issued the death penalty for seven counts of murder, Dennis “Anaconda” Williams was on Friday

Mark Royden Williams was sentenced to death on Thursday, February 2

sentenced, in absentia, to life imprisonment for each of the five counts for manslaughter. It was noted that it was Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins who was identified as the one who shot five persons dead at the Bartica Ferry Stelling.

Justice George, however, stressed that the evidence in the trial showed that the convict, Mark Williams, was part of the joint enterprise that executed the Bartica attack, via “indiscriminate shooting”.

“It was a callous disregard for life,” the Judge told the court.

Denis Royden Williams was sentenced to death on Thursday, February 2

Chief Prison Officer Patrick Crawford testified that Dennis Williams refused to attend court despite being informed on “numerous occasions”.

Mark Williams’ manslaughter sentence deferred

Meanwhile, Mark Williams’ manslaughter sentence was deferred to February 10, following a discrepancy with the number of counts upon which he was convicted for the said offence. Williams was found guilty on multiple counts of murder late Thursday eve-

M&CC removes Giftland parking signs

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arking signs attached to the access road and compound of the Giftland Mall were removed by the City Council on Friday. These signs include Diplomatic Parking allocations and parking notices that were installed for the benefit and safety of staff and customers of the mall.

The signs were removed to facilitate access to construction sites in the area.

A delegation of guards and workers of the City Council were sent to

Giftland parking signs removed

Giftland Mall at noon on Friday to detach and remove the parking signs from the compound with-

out any prior notice. This led the management of the mall, in a statement to the media, to conclude that the

action by City Hall is anti-business; as creating a safety hazard may affect their customers.

This incident has caused the management of the mall to place special attention on the actions of the City Council. Given the current uproar regarding parking meters in the city and disapproval thrown at the Council for this initiative, the mall is suspicious of the actions on the Council’s behalf as a result of their current free parking campaign.

ning and was sentenced to death by hanging. When the death sentence was read, Justice George had noted that the two Williams will be hung by the neck until they are dead.

On the night of the fatal attack, 12 persons, including three Policemen, were slaughtered as gunmen carried out a deadly rampage, while members of the community were watching a game of 20/20 cricket on television.

Police Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir and Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne were fatally shot, while Edwin Gilkes, Dexter

Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas and Baldeo Singh were the civilians killed.

Over 30 witnesses testified in the case that lasted over three months. The prosecution’s case was led

by Diana Kaulesar and assisted by Stacy Goodings.

Defence Counsel Roger Yearwood, who was absent from Friday’s sentencing, represented Mark Williams, called “Smallie”; while Shaphier Husain, under protest in latter moments, represented Dennis Williams.

Policeman under investigation for attempted rape

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olice on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) are investigating one of their own after a mother of two alleged that a Police Officer attempted to rape her.

The 30-year-old woman from Richmond Housing Scheme alleged that on Sunday evening, the Policeman offered her a drop with a Guyana Police Force (GPF) minibus. She related that it was while in the vehicle that the Policeman started touching her and attempted to kiss her.

During an interview with Guyana Times, the mother related that her husband was arrested for an offence and she went to the station with her children. She said that it was getting late and she was stranded on the road when the officer (name withheld) offered her a ride home.

On the journey, she said the officer asked her if she

ever cheated on her husband. The mother said she was so ashamed because her children were in the vehicle.

She said she refused the officer’s advances after he began touching her.

According to the woman, she and her children exited the vehicle but when she reached into her home, she noticed that Policeman was still parked outside.

“I was so scared, I had a cutlass next to me, I keep looking at all the doors, I was scared if that officer came and do anything to me,” the woman related. She subsequently reported the matter at the Anna Regina Police Station.

When contacted, Commander of G Division (Essequibo Coast-Islands), Khalid Pareshram, said an investigation has been launched and the file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

Region 2 Department of Education hosts Maths Fair - free exam papers, flash drives distributed

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he Department of Education in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) on Friday hosted a Mathematics Fair in an effort to provide students with much needed resources.

In addressing par-

ents gathered at the activity at the Anna Regina car park, Regional Education Officer (REO) Baramadai Seepersaud, stressed that the primary aim of the activity was to equip parents, and by extension students,

Parents gathered at the Mathematics Fair

with the necessary information to better handle the subject area.

"You need to make sacrifices, sit with your children and help them practice Mathematics, we are helping you to help your children,"

Seepersaud said.

The REO also explained that several parents were given free flash drives and past Mathematics examination papers. The parents were also assured by education officers that the programmes are updated according to the present curriculum. Primary, nursery and secondary schools benefited from the exercise.

The parents present lauded the efforts, which they noted would go a long way towards boosting Mathematics within the region. More importantly, it would assist the students in their preparation for upcoming examinations.

Parents are advised to visit the Department of Education anytime for the programmes and Mathematics problems and answers, which would be transferred to their flash drives.

Parents gather to uplift copies of the Mathematics questions papers

Regional Education Officer, Baramadai Seepersaud

news

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saturDAY, February 4, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Goolsarran, Stabroek News Stakeholders to slapped with $20M lawsuit examine GGMC

Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran

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ommissioner of Information and former Attorney General, Charles Ramson Sr, has filed a $20 million lawsuit against former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran and Guyana Publications Inc (Stabroek News). The writ, which was filed on his behalf by his attorneys, is also seeking costs of the legal process.

According to the writ, which was seen by Guyana Times on Friday, Ramson is seeking these damages from the former Auditor General for libel and for

“knowingly and intentionally inducing a breach of contract.”

The writ makes a joint claim against the defendants for “Damages in excess of $10 million for libel contained and published on the 23rd day of January, 2017 in the Stabroek News, a daily newspaper circulating in Guyana and internationally, more specifically in a column entitled ‘Forensic audits, NICIL and the Commissioner of Information’.”

It also claims for “Damages in excess of $10 million for knowingly and intentionally inducing a breach of contract committed by the first names defendant and published by the second named Defendant, with respect to the contract executed between the State of Guyana and the Plaintiff as Commissioner of Information, whereby the Plaintiff has suffered loss and damage.”

Ramson Sr, through his attorneys Ashton and Pauline Chase, is also seeking “an injunction restrain-

Commissioner of Information Charles Ramson Sr

ing the defendant from re-publishing any or similar libel and/or inducing a breach of the aforesaid contract, any other order as may be just and costs.”

The writ is dated January 26 and gives the defendants 10 days after service of the writ to make an appearance, failing which judgment would be granted in their absence. According to the writ, such an appearance has to be made at the Supreme Court.

In the feature article, Goolsarran had noted how important it was

for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to engage special prosecutors.

Goolsarran had stated their knowledge, skills and reputation could better match those who represent the defence’s side.

He had also called on the Government to strengthen the investigative capacity of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in order to truly fulfil its remit. It is, however, the article’s specific references towards the Commissioner of Information which have incurred the lawsuit.

Ramson Sr is a former Attorney General, having served in that position under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Administration. He was appointed as Commissioner of Information by former President Donald Ramotar in 2013.

Goolsarran, who has taken on the role of an anti-corruption advocate, using his background in financial matters, is a long-time columnist with Stabroek News.

Comprehensive assessment of NOC being conducted M inister within the Education Ministry Nicolette Henry, said that having the right set of staff is the first step towards ensuring that the New Opportunity Corp (NOC) can fulfil its mandate.

Henry said staff should be properly trained to ensure that the psychological and social aspects of the students’ welfare are taken care of and not only the remedial aspect, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said in a release.

“You want to ensure that these young people will be able to fully integrate back into society and if the transition from NOC back into

Minister within the Education Ministry Nicolette Henry

society can be seamless, we would have been able to achieve our mandate,” Henry stated.

To achieve this objective, the Education Ministry is collaborating with several stakeholders, including UNICEF and the Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) programme.

“This is not something we can do on our own and we are working towards really professionalising the NOC, so lots of work got to be put in place at that institution in terms of staffing, in terms of content, in terms of procedures, in terms of SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures), you name it.

It’s a full overhaul of the New Opportunity Corp that we are looking towards executing,” the Minister contin-

ued.

A Juvenile Justice Officer from the United States of America is currently conducting an assessment of the NOC and will soon be making recommendations on the way forward. The NOC houses close to 150 students between the ages of 10 and 18.

The students are subject to full time schooling in a number of skills training areas. These include electrical installation, handicraft, joinery, Information Technology, tailoring and garment construction, welding and fabrication, carpentry and masonry, and these are complemented by English and Mathematics.

Employees residing in Government buildings to pay for rental

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he Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) administration has registered its disapproval over attempts being made to have employees residing in Government buildings pay for rental.

According to Councillor Zaman Husain, copies of a 2001 correspondence were recently sent to persons who are occupying Government quarters in the region. An advisory dated June 8, 2001, states that there will be rentals attached to Government quarters.

Under the Public Service rule N3, occupants

of Government quarters and public servants are required to pay rent, to be fixed by the Public Service Ministry, except where entitlement to Government quarters have been approved previously as a condition of service.

For unfurnished quarters, employees are required to pay 10 per cent of his or her salary, while they are required to pay 12 per cent for a furnished apartment.

The letter was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Ministry, Nanda Gopaul, in 2001.

Husain explained that

the conditions were never implemented, however, circulars were recently sent to workers who occupy Government quarters in the region.

“I think this will be affecting not only public servants on the outside, but internally; this will affect the workers at the sluice in the Canje River area and this will lead to persons leaving the job. They have said if they have to pay 10 per cent of their wages, then they will be working for nothing and they will leave the job,” he said.

According to the People’s Progressive Party

(PPP) Councillor, many of those who are forced to occupy Government quarters can ill afford to pay the rent. He explained that many of them are in those quarters because of the functions they carry out at a specific location.

He also argued that many of those workers, at the time of their appointment, were not aware of this requirement.

Doctors are among the persons being asked to pay rental for Government quarters.

Regional Chairman David Armogan told the RDC that some doctors

Act to enhance local mining school

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he Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Inc Consultancy Project hosted a one-day workshop to engage stakeholders with matters relating to the gold mining sector and its environmental impacts on Friday. After the consultations concluded, it was agreed that there would be an examination of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Act, focusing on the areas of providing training opportunities, self-financing considerations for the school, and to employ “revised organisational structure for the said Mining School”.

ment of tailings, little rehabilitation of mined-out areas and various other practices pose increased threats to the extremely high levels of biodiversity endemic to Guyana.” Other challenges highlighted included: “barriers hampering the mainstreaming of biodiversity in the gold mining sector; non-compliance with mining related environmental regulations and illegal mining, insufficient personnel and capacity to implement regulations and codes of practice.”

On this basis, the Ministry explained that it is committed to “strengthening

Stakeholders gathered on Friday where they examined matters related to the gold mining sector

According to the Natural Resources Ministry, the workshop was coined to create awareness of the current issues that the mining school faces, to present findings of a curriculum audit that had been undertaken by the University of Guyana’s Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences (FEES); and to present recommendations and to provide a forum for feedback.

Among the stakeholders present at Friday’s workshop were representatives from the Natural Resources Ministry, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA), the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guyana and Conservation International (CI) Guyana.

According to the Ministry, the gold mining issues include “inadequate manage-

the enabling environment” for the monitoring and enforcement of mining related regulations and codes of practice and the reorganisation of the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre.

The University of Guyana’s Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences was noted as “assisting to enhance the capacity of the Guyana Mining School and Training Centre Inc, with a view of making the school more effective in preparing persons to mine gold in a sustainable, compliant and more efficient way”.

It was explained that the initiative resulted from collaborations between the Government of Guyana, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to implement the ‘Enhancing Biodiversity Protection through Strengthened Monitoring, Enforcement and Uptake of Environmental Regulations in Guyana’s Gold Mining Sector’ Project.

have threatened to leave, if this system is implemented. He called on the entire RDC to reject the implementation.

“When the messages we sent to the doctors, they threatened to leave the job because they are not prepared to pay 12 per cent of their salaries in rental.

Now I noticed that recently the REO sent out notice that all those persons who are living in Government quarters to say that the law will now be implemented whereby you will

to pay 10 per cent… So this thing will also affect those guys at the pump stations.

Those guys live in small houses and some of them are in a bad state too and then they will charge these young fellas 10 per cent of their pay for renting those things. We are now putting additional burden on those people.”

According to Armogan, many of those who are employed in outlying areas live in what can be considered shacks and are paid minimum wage.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, February 4, 2017

ARCHIE

ARIES Do something that will make you and the ones you love (March 21- happy. Plan a trip or an outApril 19) ing that will bring you closer together. Love and romance are featured.

Share your knowledge and TAURUS learn from information offered (April 20- to you in return. You’ll be enMay 20) lightened if you interact with people who come from a different background than you.

dilbert

GEMINI Be a Good Samaritan.

(May 21- Indulge in activities that are June 20) geared toward helping others in order to feel satisfaction as well as have the good fortune to meet people who will influence your future.

Don’t expect everyone to agree with you. Arguing will not (June 21- solve problems, but offering July 22) incentives and finding ways to compromise will help you reach your goals.

CANCER

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Travel, education and personal improvements are all highlighted. The way you present yourself will have a bearing on the people you attract.

Romance is in the stars.

VIRGO Protect your home, family and (Aug. 23- finances. Be smart when it Sept. 22) comes to investments. Not all deals will be in your best interest. Travel and communication will lead to valuable information.

Calvin and Hobbes

LIBRA Look for unique solutions to (Sept. 23- any problems that transpire.

Oct. 23) Getting along with your peers and your family or roommates will make the difference between success and failure.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — CLOTHES

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

(CLOTHES: KLOZE: Wearing apparel.)

Average mark 27 words Time limit 40 minutes Can you find 36 or more words in CLOTHES? The list will be published Monday.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — SAMISEN same sans seam seism semi sine

amen amiss anise main mane manse

mass masse mean means mesa mess

SCORPIO Be brave and ready to express your feelings. You won’t (Oct. 24be able to clear up what isn’t Nov. 22) working if you aren’t honest about what you want out of life.

mien mine miss inseam name ness

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

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Physical alterations to your surroundings or personal appearance will encourage you to bring about positive changes to your lifestyle. Love and romance will improve your existence.

CAPRICORN Avoid excessive behavior or impulsive actions. A stable, steady (Dec. 22pace toward a safe and happy Jan. 19) lifestyle is in your best interest, regardless of what anyone else does. Distance yourself from self-destructive people.

Size up situations and make AQUARIUS your move based on what you (Jan. 20discover. Refuse to get inFeb. 19) volved in other people’s problems or let anyone meddle in your affairs.

PISCES Thinking about days gone by (Feb. 20- will help you reflect on what March 20) and whom you miss from your past. If you plan a get-together for old friends, you’ll encourage new beginnings.

saturDAY, february 4, 2017

19

pulls out

T

iger Woods has withdrawn from the Dubai Desert Classic before the second round, because of a back problem.

The 14-time major winner only returned to action in December after 15 months out following two back operations.

Woods, 41, struggled in the first round in Dubai as he shot a five-over 77.

His agent Mark Steinberg

Woods of Dubai Desert Classic said

the

American suffered a back spasm on Thursday night but was told by Woods that it was not "the nerve pain that's kept him out for so long".

Steinberg explained: "He feels terrible for the tournament. He wants to be here.

He can move around. He

can't make a full rotation on the swing.

"The fact he feels it's not the nerve pain is very encouraging for him.

"He doesn't have the strongest back in the world so it's probably easier to spasm because of the issues he's had."

Woods had won the Dubai tournament twice before, but was 12 shots behind overnight leader Sergio Garcia after day one.

"I wasn't in pain at all. I was just trying to hit shots

and I wasn't doing a very good job," Woods said after his opening round.

Woods' first return to competitive action after his lengthy lay-off came at the Hero World Challenge - an 18-man tournament in the Bahamas - in December and he finished 15th at the PGA Tour event.

Afterwards, he expressed concerns over the physical challenge of being scheduled to play four full-field tournaments over the next five weeks. His next outing came

at the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines where a first round 76 and level-par second round of 72 meant he missed the cut.

The former world number one's next two tournaments were to be the Genesis Open at Riviera from 16-19 February and the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens from 23-26 February but his participation now appears in doubt.

Woods, who has won 79 titles on the PGA Tour, has not won a tournament anywhere

since 2013, while his title drought in the major championships dates back to 2008.

Meanwhile, play in Dubai was abandoned on Friday because of high winds which blew trees over and whipped sand across the course.

Round two is scheduled to restart on Saturday morning.

South Africa's George Coetzee had completed eight holes of his second round as he moved into the lead on nine under, while Garcia was one shot behind having completed five holes. (BBC Sport)

Magic Johnson NSSCL resumes Monday

returns to Lakers

B

asketball great Magic Johnson has returned to the Los Angeles Lakers as an adviser to owner Jeanie Buss.

The Lakers are struggling again this season after three years of decline in which they have posted the worst results in their history.

Three-time Most Valuable Player Johnson spent his entire 13-year NBA career with the Lakers, winning five championships with the franchise.

"I'm overjoyed to be back home with the Lakers," Johnson said.

"I will do everything in my power to help return them to their rightful place among the elite teams of the NBA," added the 57-year-old.

He will assist Buss "in all areas of basketball and business", the franchise announced.

"We are thrilled and honoured to add Magic's expertise and abilities," Buss added.

Johnson was an honorary vice president of the Lakers until last year and held an ownership stake until selling it in 2010.

He was also part of the USA 'Dream Team' which won Olympic gold in 1992. (BBC Sport)

Magic Johnson (won five championships as a player with the LA Lakers

KP pulls out of IPL auction

F

ormer England batsman Kevin Pietersen says he will not be entering this year's Indian Premier League auction.

Pietersen was released by Rising Pune Supergiants in December after injury restricted him to only four games for them in the Twenty20 series last year.

"My winter has been too busy with all my travel and I don't want to spend April/May away too," he tweeted.

This winter, the

36-year-old has played in South Africa's T20 Challenge and Australia's T20 Big Bash League.

He is also to play a second season with Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League in February and March.

This year's IPL auction will take place in Bangalore on Monday, 20 February.

Pietersen played in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009 and 2010, and Delhi Daredevils in 2012 and 2014. (BBC Sport)

− Players under the radar in extended season

T

he Guyana Cricket Board and Ministry of Education collaboration for the National Secondary School’s Cricket League will resume on Monday after an extended break.

This is according to Territorial Development Officer (TDO), Colin Stuart as the League received sponsorship to the tune of $2.5 million from the Demerara Mutual Life, Fire and General Insurance Company on Thursday.

As the competition began in 2016, the League is now in the latter stages, as Stuart explained at what point the tournament is expected to resume.

“We are going to be continuing [the League] from Monday with the first phase which is schools versus other schools in their zone, so the two zones to be competed are Upper Demerara/Linden and Wismar areas and the whole Corentyne, Upper and Lower,” the TDO explained. After all zone champions have been known there will be the zone play-offs.

Immediately following this, Stuart announced that the competition will enter the phase which is called the combined phase whereby the selectors will pick the better players from each zone and form a combined team.

“Thereafter, the winners from each zone will play each other and well we have selectors in all the zones so they will come up with a squad so we can have combined schools within zones playing other zones or districts,” Stuart said.

According to Stuart, “the two major districts in the combined phases which are Upper Demerara, the Highway/East Bank and Upper Essequibo right down to the Essequibo coast.”

Therefore, Upper Demerara will play the Highway then they will select players from those two zones to play East Bank and then Upper Demerara to East Bank the better players will play those from West Demerara and then they will play those from Essequibo.

Similarly, “the other major zones Georgetown and Berbice , Georgetown

GCB’s Territorial Development Officer Colin Stuart has three districts, North, South and East and they play East Coast and Georgetown/ East Coast will merge to play Mahaica/ Mahicony and then they will merge to play West Berbice,” Stuart stated.

Meanwhile, Stuart confirmed that the GCB is doing everything in its power to avoid having the talents spotted in this League to fall victim of the system, but rather the authorities will have an elite programme for the players who excel.

“With the school league we utilizing the GTU [Guyana Teachers Union] format at least to a large extent, it is similarly related to the Guyana cricket board, so for example under the GTU format the three area locations for Georgetown and with this format we have a Georgetown Cricket Association so the better players for Georgetown will enter an elite programme for Georgetown and so for east coast and so on so its closely related. Basically those doing the talent identification will be the ones picking out the talent and put them in the programmes we have,” Stuart highlighted.

Both aspects as the interschool and the combined phase will be completed by the end of March.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, february 4, 2017

2nd T20 World Cup Cricket Tournament for the Blind

Australia beat West Indies in rain affected match I

−Douglas hits 87

t was another tough outing for the West Indies Blind Cricket Team as they were beaten by Australia by eight wickets in a rain affected contest.

The defeat is the Caribbean side’s fifth in a row and chances for a top half of the 10-team tournament looks slim. It was Australia’s fourth consecutive victory which took them to third on the points table behind Pakistan and India who have played five matches each.

After being sent in, West Indies got 87 from the inform Kevin Douglas who followed up his 123 against Bangladesh with a pugnacious 87 (47b; 14x4). It was a historic match since two Guyanese players opened the batting for the West Indies as Douglas (B3) was joined by Leroy Phillips (B1) at the top of the order.

After Phillips was dismissed for eight, Douglas continued and found a good partner in Lo-Shane Myles (72) and they added 142 for the third wicket. Gregory Stewart then took 16 balls for his unbeaten 30 towards the end of the innings as the West Indians put up a respectable 229-5 score.

Australian B3 bowler, Raymond Moxly picked up two wickets for 30 runs.

Australia were off to a good start with the openers putting on 101 in under seven overs. Matthew Cameron was then run out for 32 before the third Guyanese in the team, Ganesh Singh got rid of Brendan Spencer for a duck at 113-2 but rain and an Australian victory were on the horizon.

Stephen Palmer (77 not out) and Steffan Nero (14 not out) were together with the score on 136-2 after 10 overs when the game ended.

West Indies will next play Nepal who have one victory from their four matches played so far while Australia meet Bangladesh in Mumbai.

Bangladesh has four wins from five matches.

Pakistan are the points leaders in the World Cup so far

Going out with 750 in IPL player auction on February 20 9.7s would be good look – Bolt T

-targets lightning fast 2017

W

orld’s fastest man Usain Bolt is hopeful of turning in a lighting fast final season on the track after being encouraged by an early season clean bill of health.

Bolt, the highly decorated Olympic and World Champion, is expected to call it quits this year, with the World Championships in London earmarked as his final meet.

The world 100m and 200m world record holder will, however, only compete over the shorter distance where he hopes to clock a few fast times. Bolt is the holder of three of the five sub-9.7 second clockings in history and believes it could be possible to add to that mark.

“Normally (in February) I’m injured, so I’m in Europe at the doctor or in Jamaica trying to find ways to get back into shape,’’ he said.

“I can’t remember when last I ran in February. I don’t know, probably four years ago, maybe.

“I think to be able to run early in the season is always good. The fact that I have no injuries is ­always good.

Most of the time in February, January, I have niggles so the fact that I have no problem is always a good sign.

“If everything goes smoothly and I continue to train as I think I can, at the level that I want to, it definitely will help me to get as close as possible to where I want to be (in August).

“It would be great to go out running 9.7, 9.6, it would look good.’’

Bolt has suffered several injury plagued seasons over the past few years, in part due to the effects of scoliosis.

he player auction ahead of the 2017 season of the IPL will be held on February 20 in Bangalore, with the tournament scheduled to begin on April 5.

"So far, more than 750 players have registered for the Player Auction 2017," the BCCI said in a release. The deadline for player registration ended Friday February 3, 2017."

Each IPL franchise can have up to 27 players in its squad, with a maximum of nine overseas players. The purse for each team has been capped at INR 66 crore (approximately $10 million).

Originally proposed for February 4, the auction was delayed as the BCCI grappled with the fallout of the Supreme Court removing its president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke on January 2.

This will be the last IPL season before teams overhaul their player rosters for 2018 and beyond. All existing player contracts will expire after IPL 2017 and most players - apart from those the franchises are allowed to retain - will have to go into the auction ahead of the 2018 season. (ESPNcricinfo)

Pietersen fined for calling umpire’s decision ‘shocker’

M

elbourne Stars batsman Kevin Pietersen has been fined AUD 5000 for criticising an umpiring decision on air while fielding during the BBL semi-final against Perth Scorchers on January 24.

The incident occurred during the Scorchers' chase, when opener Sam Whiteman was given not out when he appeared to bottom edge Scott Boland to the wicketkeeper. Pietersen was wearing a microphone on the field at the time to be part of the BBL's commentary broadcast and he made a comment on the umpire's decision.

"That was a shocker, an absolute shocker,'' Pietersen said. "He says it could have been glove or pad, and I said, 'well, he's got big gloves and big pads to reach that'. Massive nick.''

Cricket Australia said Pietersen "was reported for breaching CA's Code of Conduct Article 2.2.3 - public or media comment that is detrimental to the interests of cricket, irrespective of when or where such comment is made - a level 2 offence. As per the CA Code of Conduct procedure, the Match Referee, David Talalla, considered the umpires' written report, and the proposed sanction was a $5000 fine."

On January 27, Pietersen decided to "dispute the sanction" and after a hearing, which included "additional submissions from Pietersen along with video footage and the umpires' written report," on February 2, Talalla upheld the AUD 5000 fine.

Melbourne Stars Pietersen has 48 hours to appeal the match referee's decision and take the issue batsman to a CA Code of Conduct Commissioner. (ESPNCRICINFO) Kevin Pietersen

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21

Bess seeks 3rd term as GABBFF holds elections

T

he Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) will be hosting their Annual General Meeting on Saturday February 18 at the Federation’s head office located at Olympic House, High Street Kingston.

The meeting is expected to feature the President’s report, the treasurer’s report and equally as important, the election of office bearers for the next term.

The current body of officials include Attorney-at-Law Keavon Bess as President. Bess has been heading the Federation for two terms now.

Holding other posts are Hugh Ross as Vice-President, Stacy McKinnon as General Secretary, Videsh Sookram as Organising Secretary and Moressa Oscar as Treasurer.

Keavon Bess will be running for a next term at the helm of GABBFF

The election, which is held every two years, is particularly important as it will see those elected usher Guyana’s bodybuilding future into a stage where Guyana can be with the top countries of the world as it has seen tremendous growth over the last few years with a number of records being broken.

According to incumbent President, Bess, “Bodybuilding has grown tremendously over the past five years and we have seen a sport on a yearly basis returning with medals from International and Regional Competitions.”

He noted that “We are on the right trajectory of upward movements but more has to be done, from the certification of our Judges to the financial support of our athletes. I am confident that we will get to a position of financial security once corporate Guyana and the Government come on board.”

Bess who has signaled his intentions for running again for the post he currently holds indicated that for the 2017 season, works are already in the pipeline for the season to be unfolded in emphatic fashion with the sport kicking off the year with their annual Novice Competition which is billed for April 8 at Theater Guild, Parade Street.

The AGM is expected to commence at 10:00h.

$5+VAT per word Call: 226-9921

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BVA season serves off today

op local volleyball teams in the Berbice area will compete today in the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) season opener at Blairmont Community Centre ground.

The cream of the county’s players will gather for the second edition of the Ashwell “Pumpkin” Mohabir volleyball competition at the Blairmont No 2 ground, West Bank Berbice from 10:00h.

Among the top teams that have registered so far are Port Mourant Training Center- One and Two, and PMTC Juniors, Rollers of New Amsterdam, Three Door Strikers of De Edwards, Black Bush Polder, Tain Humanitarian seniors and juniors The female teams expected to participate are, Corriverton Jets, Orealla Females and Port Mourant females.

More teams are expected. Teams are asked to turn up with their uniforms and balls if possible for early registration.

Prizes, trophies and other memorabilia’s are up for grabs and will be presented to the top teams on show.

The outstanding individuals will also be rewarded including the best setter, best spiker, most disciplined team and the best uniformed team.

The day’s competition will be played in three categories -Senior, females and juniors.

Ashwell Mohabir who hails from Blairmont is a former national player who enjoyed a long run with Castrol Strikers and is giving back to the sport he loves.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, february 4, 2017

Stag Nations Cup KO Football

City sides Western Tigers, Santos clash for $2M

recent Christmas season. However, the wait would be worth it as the arch rivals who have both played flawless football would each walk away millionaires since the losing finalist will pocket $1,000,000.

The third place match tomorrow features losing semifinalists, the Guyana Police Force and Riddim Squad, another all Georgetown affair with the winner set to receive $500,000 and the loser, $300,000.

Both Western and Santos features a number of young and exciting ball weavers who no doubt would be going all out to ensure that their combined efforts deliver the winning prize for their club, but only one will walk away as the winner. Fans can be assured of a riveting finale.

Western Tigers downed Police, Pouderoyen, and Flamingo on their way to the final while Santos took care of Riddim Squad, Uitvlugt and Herstelling Raiders en route to their final date.

This match would be a test for each of the team’s defense as well as their forwards as they must defend to the utmost even as they come up with strategies to be effective in the attacking third.

The Tigers were pushed to the hilt in their semi fiAfter a good semi-final victory over Riddim Squad, Santos FC are nal match against arch rivals Police but held their nerves Western Tigers will be hunting glory tonight at GFC confident of going one step further to beat the Lawmen via sudden kicks from the penalty Randolph Wagner will lead the Tigers along with mark. Prior to that match, they were relentless against he curtains will come down tonight in the 2016-17 Pouderoyen, the match ending 9-1 while they were equally Rensford Colridge, Shamar Wilson, Darren Benjamin, edition of the Stag Nations Cup Knock out Football Anthony Sancho, Andre Webber, Dwayne Mc Lennon, dismissive in their win over Flamingo, 8-0. tournament at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) Santos have not been that efficient goal wise but have Joshua Britton, Troy Carrington, Jamal Pedro and Jorell Ground, Bourda. been dominant; they needled Riddim Squad in their semi Tyrell.

When the championship kicked off on December 14, 2016 Santos’ Captain Samuel Hunte will again lead from the final showdown, got past Uitvlugt 3-1 whilst trouncing with 20 teams from five associations it was anybody guess front and would hope to stand firm as he marshals the deHerstelling Raiders 4-0. as to which of the two teams would have been contesting the The Tigers would start with the advantage of taking the fense with the hope of Job Caesar, Keith Cains and Delon final. Well, as it has turned out, City sides Western Tigers crown but Santos will not be intimidated and are equally David holding their own when it comes to scoring goals. and Santos, two clubs with a rich history on and off the field Other players who would be shouldering responsibility hungry for success as they each aim to start the year on a will battle for the top prize of $2,000,000 and the championhigh and what better way than a cheque for 2Million dollars are Sheldon Profitt, Trevor Lewis, Omar Jones, Orin Yard, ship trophy.

Ryan October and Lionel Holder among others. compliments of Ansa McAl. It has been an extended journey due to rain during the

T

CWI/ Regional Super50 2017

Johnson, Chanderpaul guides Jaguars to 2nd place

Bayroc is latest recipient of GCB brush cutter

… Shiv becomes leading run scorer in Regional Super50

S

hivnarine Chanderpaul hit an unbeaten 58 to see the Guyana Jaguars comfortably home by six wickets over the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) Marooners on Friday evening at the Kensington Oval in Group B of the Regional Super50. In the process the champion left handed

SCOREBOARD CCC Marooners Innings (Maximum 50 overs) A Jangoo run out (Jacobs) 30 V Mohan c Barnwell b Wintz 8 K Corbin c Wintz b Jacobs 11 C Burton run out (Chanderpaul) 20 R Hinds c wkpr Hetmyer b Beaton 25 A Jones c Johnson b Permaul 9 J Smith*+ not out 28 N Henry b Beaton 26 K Harding c Reifer b Permaul 4 R Bynoe c Chanderpaul b Reifer 5 J Levy b Beaton 1 Extras (b-4, lb-2, w-11, nb-4) 21 Total (All out, 49. Overs) 188 FOW: 1-17, 2-42, 3-72, 4-89, 5-106, 6-117, 7-158, 8-163, 9-186, 10-188 Bowling Beaton 9.2-0-523 (w-2), Wintz 10-0-41-1 (w-6, nb-4), Jacobs 10-122-1, Reifer 10-0-38-1 (w-

3), Permaul 10-1-29-2 Guyana Jaguars Innings (Target 189 from 50 overs) A Fudadin c Levy b Hinds 25 R Chandrika c Corbin b Levy 9 S Hetmyer c Jangoo b Harding 5 L Johnson* c Burton b Mohan 71 S Chanderpaul not out 58 C Barnwell not out 11 Extras (lb-2, w-7, nb-1) Total (For 4 wickets, 45.5) 189 Did not bat R Reifer, S Jacobs, V Permaul, R Beaton, P Wintz Bowling Harding 8-3-22-1 (w-2), Henry 5-1-20-0 (w-1), Levy 8-0-37-1 (w-1, nb-1), Bynoe 3-0-19-0 (w-1), Mohan 10-1-32-1, Hinds 9.5-0-431 (w-2), Jones 2-0-14-0 Result: Guyana Jaguars won by 6 wickets with 31 balls remaining Points: Jaguars 4, Marooners 0 Player of the Match: Leon Johnson (Jaguars)

batsman became the Region’s all-time leading run-scorer in the 50 over format.

“Tiger” as he is fondly called achieved the landmark when he pulled a short ball from Nino Henry to go to 10. He now has 2,927 runs, surpassing the mark of 2,878 held by Floyd Reifer.

The win, the Jaguars third from five matches puts them in second position behind the Barbados Pride but ahead of the Jamaica Scorpions who will next play the Marooners on Sunday. The top two team will emerge from the group and advance to the semifinals which will be played in Antigua on February 15 and 16 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

The Marooners opted to bat first and were bowled out for 188 in the final over of their innings with opener Amir Jangoo hitting 30. Ronsford Beaton, who continues to have a good tournament bagged 3-52. Left arm spinner, Veerasammy Permaul had 2-29 while the was one a-piece for Steven Jacobs (1-22), Ramon Reifer (1-38) and Paul Wintz (1-41) who got his first game where he replaced Devendra Bishoo.

After a slight wobble during the run chase, the Jaguars Captain stabilized the innings with two half century partnership. First to go was Rajendra Chandrika for 9 in the sixth over at 11-1 then the Jaguars were in further trouble when Shimron Hetmyer was sent back for 5 at 19-2 in the ninth over. Hetmyer was playing as the wicketkeeper instead of the injured Anthony Bramble.

Leon Johnson first put on 54 with opener, Assad Fudadin (25) then 85 with the reliable Chanderpaul that took the game away from the students. When Johnson was caught at third man in the 42nd over for 71 his team was just 31 runs away. Christopher Barnwell and Chanderpaul then hit off the runs without further drama to take four points and the second spot in the table.

It means that the Jaguars next match against table leaders, Barbados Pride on Sunday is a top of the table clash at the 3ws Oval on Sunday morning.

Leon Johnson who copped the Man of the Match award will be looking to continue in the same form to put book the Jaguars’ place in the final four.

President of Bayroc Club Lancelot Easton (left) shakes hand with Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Territorial Development Officer (TDO) Colin Stuart. GCB staff Anthony D’Anrade looks on

B

ayroc Sports Club in Linden received a Honda Brush Cutter compliments of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB). The brush cutter is intended to be utilized for the maintenance of the Club and Training Centre ground.

Lancelot Easton, President of Bayroc Club, received the equipment from GCB’s Territorial Development Officer, Colin Stuart. The presentation was done at the GCB office on Regent Road, Bourda.

This initiative of donating brush cutters to cricket clubs started last year.

Thirteen Clubs in Berbice and the eight Associations in Essequibo already received theirs. Mackenzie Sports Club in Linden is also earmarked to benefit from the donation of a Brush Cutter from the GCB. Easton thanked the Board for its continuous support to Bayroc and Linden.

He assured that the equipment would be properly taken care of and be used for its intended purpose and will definitely benefit the community Centre tremendous-

ly. He noted that a brush cutter is a necessity at any sports ground and they are happy to have a brand new one.

Bayroc Community Centre is home, to a number of organized matches, ranging from club matches to secondary and primary school cricket competition games.

From Monday, February 6, 2017, Bayroc Sports and Training Centre will begin hosting the 2016/17 GCB/ MOE NSSCL for Secondary Schools in the Upper Demerara Zone.

Thereafter, the winning school from the Upper Demerara Zone as well as the Combine School team from the area, will join other zone winners from across the country to compete for the 2016/2017 GCB/ MOE NSSCL nationwide winners’ Trophy. Upper Demerara District will also participate in phase two of the 2016/2017 GCB/ MOE NSSCL which will see Combine Teams from districts nationwide competing for Championship honors.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, febRuary 4, 2017

CWI/ Regional Super50 2017

Pride still unbeaten

after Brathwaite’s 108

Port Mourant day & Gymkhana on tomorrow

L

ed by Kraigg Braithwaite’s second List A century, Barbados Pride continue their unbeaten run in this year’s Regional Super50 with a comfortable 171 run win over ICC Americas at Windward Park, Barbados on Friday.

Braithwaite hit 108 from 134 balls with seven fours and a six in Pride’s innings of 282-9 in 50 overs. He received support from inform batsmen Jonathan Carter 56 and Roston Chase 40. Bowling for ICC Americas Timil Patel and Cecil Pervez were the leading bowlers with three wickets apiece while Singh captured two victims.

ICC Americas were off to a horrible start as they lost three wickets for seven runs in the early stages of their chase. After the early damage, former Guyana youth player Alex Amsterdam rallied for 30 to prop up the middle order. However, his stubborn stance ended when he was bowled by skipper Jason Holder at 39-6.

At that point ICC Americas innings seem to be approaching its end, however, a stubborn 35-run seventh wicket partnership between Timroy Allen (36) and Saad Bin Zafar kept ICC Americas Innings (Target Pride at bay until the latter Barbados Pride Innings 283 from 50 overs) (Maximum 50 overs) was out lbw by Ashley Nurse K Leverock c Warrican b Roach 1 K Brathwaite stp wkpr Tariq b for four.

Patel 108 A Dodson c wkpr Hope b Roach 0 ICC Americas were even- A Alleyne c Wijeyeratne b N Kumar* b Holder 1 tually dismissed for 111 in Pervez 2 A Amsterdam b Holder 30 33.4 overs. Holder took three S Hope+ stp wkpr Tariq b Patel 27 wickets while Kemar Roach J Carter c wkpr Tariq b Singh 57 S Wijeyeratne c wkpr Hope b Holder 1 and Jomel Warrican got two R Chase b Pervez 40 H Tariq+ run out (Chase) 1 each.

J Holder* stp wkpr Tariq b T Allen c Nurse b Warrican 36 Pride have extended their Patel 13 S Bin Zafar LBW b Nurse 4 reigns on Group B with 24 C Brathwaite c Dodson b Sin T Patel c&b Warrican 8 points from their five straight gh 13 J Singh c Dowrich b K Brathwai wins. ICC Americas are on the A Nurse c Allen b Pervez 0 te 17 opposite end of the table with S Dowrich not out 7 C Pervez not out 0 five consecutive defeats.

K Roach run out (Tariq) 0 Extras (lb-5, w-6) 11 The hosts next match is Extras (lb-2, w-8, nb-5) 15 Total (All out, 33.4 overs) 111 on Sunday against the hot Total (For 9 wickets, FOW: 1-3, 2-4, 3-7, 4-36, 5-39, and cold Guyana Jaguars 50 overs) 282 6-39, 7-71, 8-85, 9-105, 10-111 in a day match beginning Did not bat J Warrican Bowling: Roach 5-1-22-2, at 09:00h at the 3Ws Oval. FOW: 1-3, 2-82, 3-174, Holder 10-2-25-3 (w-4), C The ICC Americas will have 4-240, 5-244, 6-259, Brathwaite 4-0-21-0, Nurse a few days off but will bat- 7-260, 8-273, 9-282 6-0-14-1 (w-2), Warrican 8-418-2, K. Brathwaite 0.4-0-6-1 tle the Combined Campuses Bowling: Allen 8-0-46-0 (w1), Pervez 10-0-59-3 (w-1), Result: Pride won by 171 runs and Colleges Marooners on Points: Pride 5, ICC Americas 0 Tuesday at Windward Park in Zafar 9-0-42-0 (w-4), Singh 10-0-63-2 (w-2, nb-5), Patel Player of the Match: Kraigg another day game beginning 10-0-57-3, Kumar 3-0-14-0 Brathwaite (Barbados Pride) at 09:00h as well.

23

SCOREBOARD

Port Mourant Turf Club is known to attract the biggest and best horse races locally

T

he Sha’veh Business entity of Port Mourant Corentyne Berbice in association with the Port Mourant Turf Club (PMTC) will be staging the first ever Port Mourant Family Fun day and Gymkhana. The event is set for Sunday at the Port Mourant Turf Club, Corentyne Berbice.

According to the organ-

isers, the activity promises to be one with a difference and one of the biggest Gymkhana’s held in Berbice.

The event he said is planned with the residents in mind especially since the Port Mourant facility was left by the British for the people of Port Mourant. He feels that it is fitting to do something that would in-

volve as many persons as possible.

Apart from horse and donkey races, there will be a host of novelty activities including the climbing the greasy pole, catching the greasy pig, fowl cock, Bun eating, bag and dog races Gymnastics among others.

There are also flat races involving the top athletics clubs in Berbice.

There is an impressive lineup of horse racing listed for the day which includes- events for horses classified H and Lower over 6 ½ Furlongs for a winning purse of $200,000.

Other events will be for horses classified J and Lower, three Years old Guyana Bred non-winners, K and Lower, L and Lower, L non-winners.

In an effort to involve everyone, the organisers have included two special events. The first is for horses classified J, K and L that participated during the day but did not place and the other is for animals that are used to pull carts and have never raced on a track before.

Another cyclist struck down T

he roads in Guyana are becoming more and more dangerous as the time goes by. Another local cyclist has been struck down by a motor vehicle while training.

According to information gathered, the cyclist has been identified as Nigel Duguid who rides for team Gillette Evolution. Duguid was struck by a motor car while training in the vicinity of Conversation Tree, Rupert Craig Highway, East Coast Demerara on Wednesday.

As a result of the accident, Duguid suffered a fractured forearm and several lacerations about the body, forcing him into surgery.

When contacted, Duguid said he will be back in a month or two and as it relates to the accident, the matter has been resolved.

Back in On November 16, 2016, fellow Evolution rider, Raul Leal, for the second time in his career, was one of two men involved in a collision which left him hospitalized. Leal collided with another motorcyclist along the West Ruimveldt Front Road as he was heading to a ‘wake house’ in South Ruimveldt close to his home at about 21:15h. The young cyclist suffered injuries to his back, face as well as a broken right arm and toes on his right foot and is still off the saddle.

Both riders have been exceptional and prospects for the future of cycling with much excitement surrounding their talents.

The entire cycling body is urging road users to be more vigilant and pay special attention to the athletes as well as every other cyclist, pedestrian and fellow drivers.

Evolution’s Nigel Duguid (centre) was part of the season opener last Saturday in the national park and is now out of action

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

CWI/ Regional Super50 2017 Pg 22

Johnson, Chanderpaul guide Jaguars to 2nd place … Shiv becomes leading run scorer in Regional Super50

Guinness Rugby 7s on today

Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s 58 not out takes the Jaguars within touching distance of a semifinal place

All set! The inaugural Guinness Rugby Sevens will scrum-off today at 15:30h in the National Park and will go into the night. There are a total of 15 matches in male and female categories with more than $300,000 will be up for grabs

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