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Guyana, Iran meet on infrastructure development Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3093

Friday, January 13, 2017

Felix’s control of birth certificates setting stage for rigging – Jagdeo Page 3

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Natural Resources Ministry brokers one-off deal between Bosai, Rusal P13

... on GECOM chairmanship

– Granger relying on provisions in ‘Burnham Constitution’ – prepares to take matter to CCJ for interpretation

Bandits torch NIS WBD safe, cart off $6M

Page Page 12 7

‒ several questioned

M&CC demolishes sections of Sheriff Street business

Fire razes Cummings Lodge houses

Region 2 pensioners struggling to P16 uplift money – RDC Councillors ‒ requesting home assistance

Page 2

Page 14

Suspects P10 in Berbice Supermarket robbery caught ‒ linked to other robberies

Prisoner stabbed in holding cell at Magistrate’s Court

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The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Thursday afternoon tore down a section of this Sheriff Street building, citing an illegal extension at the southern end of the establishment

Page 7

ExxonMobil discovers more oil offshore Guyana

$30M water harvesting facilities for Region P16 9 soon

2 news

friDAY, january 13, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Fire razes Cummings Lodge houses − owner estimates losses in excess of $30M

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wo families were rendered homeless on Thursday after a midday fire destroyed two houses at Lot 328 Fifth Field, SouthEast Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown. The blaze commenced sometime around 12:00h and gutted two homes, which were located in the same yard. The front house was a two-storey concrete building, while the back building was a wooden structure, rented to two brothers. Guyana Times understands that the fire emanated from the wooden house at the back and quickly spread onto to the front house, destroying both buildings. Only the concrete section on the ground floor of the front house was left standing after the blaze was put out. At the time of the fire, no one was home in either of the two buildings. However, a neighbour related to this

The burnt remains of the two houses destroyed during the midday fire

newspaper that they saw smoke coming from the back house and within 10 minutes

time, the blaze engulfed the wooden structure and moved over to the front house.

“We just saw the back house on fire, we don’t know how it caught fire, but it spread to the upstairs onto the front house… Everybody tried to put out the fire, all the boys around throw water to out the fire but they couldn’t do it,” the woman explained.

so they immediately went into action to contain the fire. To prevent the blaze from spreading further, the fire fighters also drenched the neighbour’s house, during which many of their belongings were destroyed by the water. Meanwhile, Guyana Times also spoke with the owner of the two houses which were destroyed, Roopnarine Sukhram, who explained to reporters that he was at Wales, West Bank Demerara, repairing his car when he got a call from one of his daughters, who informed him that their house was on fire. “One of the neighbours called and tell her that the house is on fire and when I come, the house done burn down and the fire service was here but they done out the fire,” he stated. The traumatised man noted that he is not sure what might have caused the blaze but was told by neighbours that it originated from the tenants’ quarters. Sukhram and his two daughters occupied the two storey concrete house, which he said was ful-

The traumatised owner of the destroyed houses

Meanwhile, the two tenants, one of whom is a teacher attached to the St Stanislaus College, were at the scene and appeared visibly shaken as they realised that they too lost all of their belongings. The men have been renting the property for about three years now. This publication understands one of the brothers was at home earlier in the day and left to go pick up his daughter from school. However, at the time there

A neighbour assisting to extinguish the blaze

She continued that by the time the fire service arrived at the scene, the two houses were already engulfed, and

ly furnished with all modern amenities. He estimated his loses to be somewhere around $30 million.

was a female in the house, who disappeared after the fire.

news

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FRIDAY, january 13, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, January 13 – 05:00h-06:30 and Saturday, January 14 – 05:00h-06:30.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

...on GECOM Chairmanship

Friday, January 13 – 16:00h-17:30h and Saturday, January 14 – 05:45h-07:15h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Heavy rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout most of the day, while light rain showers can be expected in the afternoon. Partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees and 27 degrees Celsius. Winds: Northerly to North-North Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres. High Tide: 05:02h and 17:17h reaching maximum heights of 2.66 metres and 2.79 metres respectively. Low Tide: 10:50h and 23:18h reaching minimum heights of 0.56 metre and 0.44 metre respectively.

wednesday, January 11, 2017

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Felix’s control of birth certificates setting stage for rigging – Jagdeo

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− Granger relying on ‘Burnham Constitution’ − prepares to take matter to CCJ for interpretation

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo warned that government is setting the stage for rigging the next General and Regional Elections with its position on the appointment of the Guyana Elections Commisson (GECOM) Chairman together with Citizenship Minister Winston Felix’s control of the issuance of birth certificates. He made this assertion during a press conference on Thursday, where he also announced that he is prepared to approach the highest court in the Region to rule on the correct interpretation of the Constitution of Guyana. Further the Opposion Leader strongly believes that President David Granger is playing politics with the matter and therefore announced his intention to have the issue resolved at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). He contended that Attorney General Basil Williams is erroneous in his assertion that the interpretation of the Constitution is at the discretion of the President. Jagdeo also suspects that Granger is relying on the “Burnham Constitution” – the 1980 Constitution which stipulates that the person to be appointed as GECOM Chairman has to be a Judge or eligible to be a judge only to be appointed by the President unilaterally. But, he explained that with the process of constitutional reform, the provisions were expanded to include a list of any eligible persons to be nominated as GECOM Chairman and the process by which he/she is to be appointed. The Opposition Leader highlighted that while individuals would have their own understandings, only the courts can make a determination of the most right-

President David Granger

ful interpretation. Jagdeo also believes that the Attorney General is wrong in his interpretation of the constitutional provision which allows for the President to unilaterally appoint a GECOM Chairman. Williams expressed that the Opposition Leader will have to submit the list several times until “he gets it right… failing which the President will be forced to make an appointment.” But Jagdeo believes that provision is designed to ensure the country moves forward in the event the Opposition party refuses to participate in the process. The Opposition Leader proffered these comments during his first press conference of the year on Thursday, at the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Headquarters, Freedom House, Robb Street.

Background

The Government and the parliamentary Opposition have differing interpretations of the Constitution regarding the appointment of the GECOM Chairman – a situation that has never occurred before in the country’s history. Article 161 (2) states,

“Subject to the provision of paragraph (4), the Chairman of the Elections Commission shall be a person who holds or who has held office as a Judge of a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in some part of the Commonwealth or a court having jurisdiction in appeals from any such court, or who is qualified to be appointed as any such Judge, or any other fit and proper person, to be appointed by the President from a list of six persons, not unacceptable to the President, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition after meaningful consultation with the non-governmental political parties represented in the National Assembly.” President David Granger initially rejected the six nominees submitted by the Opposition Leader following consultations with civil society on the grounds that they do not meet the constitutional requirement of being a Judge or being eligible to become one. After it was pointed out that the Constitution also caters for persons being “fit and proper”, Government argued that none of the nominees are fit and proper, however no justifications were offered. President Granger recently contended that the Constitution was breached previously when persons who lacked legal qualifications were appointed as GECOM Chairman. This means he admitted to participating in an act which violated the Constitution when he accepted the nomination by then Opposition Leader Desmond Hoyte to be the next GECOM Chairman. After publicly rejecting the list of nominees, the President then formally informed the Opposition Leader of his rejection and

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

requested that a second list be submitted. In response, Jagdeo requested an urgent meeting with the Head of State to clarify the misinterpretations of the Constitution. A few days have elapsed and up to press time, Jagdeo indicated that he has not yet received any word from the President on the matter.

Playing politics

Even though the President swore that he was not playing politics in this regard, the Opposition Leader strongly believes otherwise. Jagdeo contended that Granger’s decision to make his position public instead of formally approaching him on the matter is a demonstration of unprofessionalism. “The President says he is not playing politics, but I thought that that was a political act because it was done on a Sunday at a media brunch and he knew that by the time we got around to addressing the issue… that an impression would be created that somehow my list that I submitted to him did not meet the constitutional requirement,” Jagdeo argued. TURN TO PAGE 7

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friday, January 13, 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

Editorial

Speaking out

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omestic violence has always been a pressing issue in Guyana. It was recently announced that the Social Protection Ministry will be embarking on a community-based development programme to encourage victims of domestic violence to speak out. This new programme would empower victims to overcome their fear about speaking out against abuse. Programmes such as this are commendable and will undoubtedly go a long way towards addressing the issue, which has historically been a taboo subject. The issue of domestic violence is a global one, reaching across national boundaries as well as socio-economic, cultural, racial and class distinctions. This problem is not only widely dispersed geographically, but its incidence is also extensive, making it a typical and accepted behaviour (The WHO Multicountry Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence Against Women. Geneva: World Health Organisation; 2007). The findings of a United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) report released last year, revealed that in Guyana, domestic violence is widely accepted in local communities and that the highest level of acceptance of wife beating occurs in the indigenous community, where one in every four adults believe that it is justifiable to hit the woman. A combination of social norms and social and cultural practices have been identified as the main factors that influence violence against women in this country. In many communities across Guyana, incidents of domestic violence continue to be “nobody’s business” and are too often the excuse of “justified punishment” or “discipline” is used to excuse the act itself. Notwithstanding the other exiting factors that contribute to the perpetuation of domestic violence, communities need to understand that the effects of domestic violence are widespread; it is not just physical – but emotional, mental, and financial as well. The Sexual and Domestic Violence Unit has recognised that members of the community are usually the first responders to many social issues in their communities. In 2016, the National Task Force for Domestic Violence was launched after which several protocols for medical practitioners, Police Officers and prosecutors, among others, were signed; the Task Force was needed since there were no mechanisms in place for partners to follow guidelines on how to respond to victims of domestic and sexual violence. The Unit will also embark on training partners which include members of the Guyana Police Force. The Unit is now moving towards equipping individuals within communities with the necessary skills, knowledge, and tools so that they can respond to domestic violence. They will be empowered to take ownership and more importantly, they will see the benefits of taking a stand against all forms of violence. Another step in the right direction is the fact that the authorities have recognised that the work of eradicating all forms of violence, particularly domestic and sexual violence, must be done in collaborative way, with the involvement of all stakeholders. And with the advent of social media, more persons are willing to talk about it, and become outraged over how prevalent domestic violence is. Survivors are now believed, rather than treated as if nothing had happened. It is important to acknowledge that women are not the only victims of domestic violence; men, children, the disabled, and the elderly, can also become victims. The rich, as well as the poor, can become victims. In fact, domestic violence doesn’t distinguish between victims. Nor does it distinguish between perpetrators. It is time for society to focus on changing cultural norms and attitudes that promote the acceptance of and even encourage domestic violence, which undermine the victims’ enjoyment of their full human rights and freedoms. The issues therefore should be aired openly, not tucked away in hushed tones as if it never happens. Ending domestic violence will not happen overnight, but the Social Protection Ministry’s programme is definitely a step in the right direction and additional funding and support will always be needed to widen the reach and to encourage persons to see the benefits of speaking out.

Snow covers the Lebanese village of Baskinta, in the Mount Lebanon Governorate (Reuters)

Competency of Agriculture Ministry to manage floods Dear Editor, In a letter which appeared in the news media of January 10, Engineer Charles Ceres opined that due to race, marginalisation of the Afro-Guyanese community has had adverse effects on the recent flooding of large sections of Buxton, East Coast Demerara. He was also critical of the technical competency of the Agriculture Ministry (MoA) and it’s Division the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to deal with flooding of coastal areas and their seeming bias in allocating drainage pumps to East Demerara communities. The facts, however, suggest otherwise. According to Deon Abrams, Chairman of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), the recent flooding of sections of Buxton was due to the doors of two Kokers left open at high tide and ocean water entered Buxton’s drainage channels, overflowed Company Dam and then over the East Sideline Dam which was breached, flooding large sections of the village. Buxton has a pump

station with two pumps which apparently were unable to remove the flood water expeditiously and therefore the NDIA sent a mobile pump to complement the existing pumps. Lusignan has no pump station and the one at Enmore is owned and operated by the Guyana Sugar Corporation. Buxton has a pump station with two pumps which is managed by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). In a Flood Management Study (FMS) conducted by Engineers from The Netherlands and which was commissioned by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, several recommendations were made to deal with flooding of coastal areas including Georgetown due to heavy rainfall. Among these were the strategic placements of drainage pumps at several locations. It is inconceivable that The Netherlands Engineers would have used race as one of the parameters to determine the placement of pumps and their numbers in specific coastal locations

to relieve flood water, as Mr Ceres claims. Pump size and their numbers for drainage requirement are determined by the volume of water to be removed within a specified time. Therefore land area to be drained and rainfall intensity are among the parameters which have to be taken into account for pumps selection which would be based on their output capacity in cubic feet per second at specified differential heads and not on base slab dimensions as stated by Mr Ceres. The reason for recurring flooding of coastal lowlands due to heavy rainfall is because of poor and lax management by the MoA/ NDIA which is responsible for drainage and irrigation (D&I) in declared D&I areas – the Mayor and City Council in Georgetown and the NDCs. The Public Infrastructure Ministry also dabbles with drainage problems particularly when they impact on the river and sea defences. The APNU/AFC Government has no coordinated strategic plan to deal

with the regular flooding of coastal areas. Flooding will continue to be dealt with in an ad hoc manner with the several agencies handling drainage “doing their own thing” with no one responsible for anything and for that matter answerable to anyone. Much of the lands on the Essequibo Coast are declared D&I areas, with statutory responsibility by the M0A/NDIA to provide farmers with irrigation when needed and adequate drainage for their lands as is necessary. Do farmers get the service they pay for annually? The evidence suggests not and as Mr Ceres observed at Buxton that due to neglect and incompetence by the MoA/NDIA and probably marginalisation and lack of reliable and appropriate response by the APNU/AFC Governemt, to provide the services they pay for in rates and taxes, they are left to the mercy of the weather to grow their crops and protect their homesteads as best as they can. Yours truly, Charles Sohan

Can we have a ‘Palms’ (geriatric home) for Berbice? Dear Editor, As indicated in the media last Friday, the Social Protection Ministry will expend $60 million on the ‘Palms’ in Georgetown, particularly to install “elevators at the Brickdam, Georgetown facility”. Implicit in the report

was that the elevators will more specifically serve the staff attached to the Palms by sparing them the effort of climbing the stairs connecting the three floors of the building in order to deliver laundry and food for the residents. We must compliment

the Government for trying to improve working and living conditions of the staff and the residents; but given the need to properly prioritise the expenditure of the limited taxpayers’ funds available, one is tempted to question the wisdom of

providing more ‘sophisticated’ conditions for ‘privileged’ citizens in/around Georgetown when citizens in other locations, for example in/around New Amsterdam have no such facility. continues on page 5

guyanatimesgy.com

friDAY, january 13, 2017

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

M&CC plans are simply preposterous! Dear Editor, Reading a headline story in the local print media recently regarding plans by the Georgetown Municipality to throw up in the near future two modern malls in our capital city provided me with the joke of the year, the most amusing since 2017 began. The suggestion by the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown of all entities in Guyana that they shall not be just putting up one but two malls, and not any conventional shopping complex but two modern, cutting-edge facil-

ities is just simply preposterous. Are we talking about the same entity that was responsible for making a complete mess of the rehabilitation of the Kitty Market structure? Using inferior materials, massive cost over runs etc. Designing it to be a fully air conditioned then after completing it, deciding not to air condition it, leaving vendors and customers to swelter. Is this the same entity that started the infamous ‘Presidential Park’ that has been left incomplete and hanging in midair?

But aside from those, let us look at the state of their own buildings in which they accommodate themselves. If they are prepared to sit and work in a crumbling City Hall, derelict public health, solid waste buildings and City Police Training Centre, should one believe that they would accommodate vendors and their clientele to modern mall amenities? Let us look for one minute at the current treatment of vendors, which would give an indication of the level of respect and concern they have for

them. The Hairstylists and Cosmetologists are a terrible indicator as they have been dumped on Merriman Mall in sheer squalor under some makeshift tents in most unhygienic conditions. Then there is the Farmer’s Market, rows of stalls on this same mall that are better suited to house animals than humans. An important question to be asked is whatever happened to the grandiose plans that were unveiled more than a year ago for a modernised design for the Stabroek Wharf that

Law school proposal in Guyana seems to get unfavourable response Dear Editor, The move by the Government to set up a law school in Guyana seems to get a negative response from top lawyers in the diaspora; one of whom based in London said, “This is madness beyond comprehension.” It is myopic thinking. “The demand for legal education has fallen with the collapse of world economy,” another wrote, “There would be little or no cross fertilisation of ideas. Caribbean students would not want to attend law school in Guyana. The Guyanese students who attend would receive a parochial legal education and the Guyana economy would not be able to absorb them.” My view is that Guyana has enough lawyers and moreover Guyana has

a quota of 25 every two years to attend the Hugh Wooding Law School. The country needs engineers, scientists, accountants, doctors and other fields other than law. The medical school in Guyana had a shaky start, but bounced back and produced several recognised specialists, however, I was informed that it has lost its accreditation, but it is working to regain it. The authorities should concentrate in this important area rather move into a new venture. It is true that scores of LLB graduates are waiting to gain admission to the law schools. Belizean students who gained their LLB degrees at the University of Guyana (UG) do not automatically gain entry to the Norman Manley Law School because of the lim-

ited space and are required to write an entry examination. Jamaican students also have to wait quite some time to gain entry and a few years ago the then Principal of the Norman Manley Law School, Stephen Vascianne, advocated a double shift in order to facilitate the students. The terms of the MOU have not been released and at this point it is not known if the Government is contributing financially to the project, and if so, what is known is that an outside agency is setting up the school with permission from the Government. The Advisor of the Law

School venture spoke of specialisation in areas such as Environmental Law, Intellectual Property, Civil Aviation, Maritime Law and Tax Law. He also touched on the important area of Continuing Education. Continuing legal education is being encouraged in all the Districts in the United States and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has embarked on judicial education and President Sir Denis Byron said that he will do everything possible to assist in the furtherance of judicial education in the region. Sincerely, Oscar Ramjeet

was created by a Kabila Hollingsworth and which featured a two-storied building with a terrace on the top flat and a stelling and boardwalk for boats to dock? Has that been put on the back burner? Or is the Town Clerk just in the habit of making childish promises to the citizenry at the beginning of each new year? Should the citizens trust the Council whose idea of a mall was the ‘Parliament View Mall, to construct two modern shopping malls in Georgetown? Do the even know what a mall is? An

agency that allowed the Stabroek Market Stelling, a priceless heritage site to collapse and has not repaired it since? I think not. But how are they paying for the construction and maintenance of these two modern facilities? With the income from the parking meters? If they are serious then they should leave it to the Private Sector, but then again there would be no kickbacks from the contractors who will be constructing them. Sincerely, Nadine Jerrick

Can we have a ‘Palms’... As far as I know, the ‘Dharamshala’ in Berbice situated under the Canje Bridge which connects New Amsterdam with the Corentyne Coast is the only facility in Berbice that attempts to provide the kind of service available at the Palms in Georgetown. However, this facility is in a most deplorable state. Added to the constantly damp, bleak physical conditions is the constant noise and banging sounds from the steady 24-hour day and night traffic over the Canje Bridge which overhangs the Dharamshala structure. Thanks are indeed due to the Ramsaroop family in Georgetown who have been assuming responsibility for the Dharamshala over the many decades of its existence; thanks are also due to the countless other benevolent persons who have been making contributions and volunteering in other ways to keep the Dharamshala going. However, their magnan-

from page 4

imous efforts in maintaining the structure at its current location are now tantamount to throwing good money into a site and structure that has long hit rock bottom and is now unsalvageable. The $60 million earmarked for elevators at the Georgetown Palms might be all that is required to construct a Palms for Berbice in a more appropriate location; the old New Amsterdam Hospital site readily comes to mind; better still might be the open space available around the old Mental Hospital compound which is between the current Dharamshala and the current New Amsterdam Hospital compound. I am personally prepared to work along with a team of Berbicians to raise any supplementary funds that may be required. Over to you, our new Minister of Social Protection, who I think is a fellow Berbician! Sincerely, Nowrang Persaud

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Foundation

continued

Homework must be meaningful – if given at all

”We are very busy at night – ease up on the tremendous homework. Studies don’t support the benefits of excessive homework.” ”We are very busy! Two parents working full time, three kids, school, activities, etc. School is top priority, but kids are already in school/daycare eight-plus hours per day. They need some downtime at home. So, please only homework that is relevant, not just busy.” • Conversation starter: If you read any of Alfie Kohn’s work, you know that homework has little if any impact on student achievement until the students reach high school. Our families are now paying attention and are pushing back for good reason. With this in mind, it’s extremely important to know that our parents want to support their children’s education, but not to the point where they are sacrificing the little family time they have at night to watch their kid struggle through a worksheet when concepts haven’t been mastered yet. ”We’ve learned over the years that homework is not always reviewed by teachers. There are frequent times when I don’t feel like the child is ‘getting’ the concept and I try to help, knowing that this problem will not be obvious to the teacher because the homework isn’t being looked at.” • Conversation starter: If you assign homework, how do you assess it, if at all? Is it the job of the parent to “teach” the concept to the child if he or she does not get it? How would you respond if parents called to ask you? As kids get older, parents often do not have the skills to help their children with the curriculum or the English skills to communicate back to the teacher. Does your current structure support these types of challenges? If you choose to grade homework, aren’t you in fact grading the support system the child has at home?

How can I be an advocate without being overbearing?

”Sometimes it’s hard for a parent to

know where to draw the line between a ‘pushy, helicopter parent’ and an advocate for our child. We never wish to overstep a teacher’s authority, but if teachers would encourage parents to communicate with them about their child, we’d really appreciate the offer.” • Conversation starter: I’ve never been fond of any labels for parents. I strongly believe that all parents are doing the best they

must be mindful that some families have already made major life decisions just to be a part of our schools. Ask them to share their stories and details about the situation their children were a part of in the previous country. Use this information from the start to make decisions on how to meet these needs of the family and the student. Identify other families from similar locations and reach out to them about becoming a mentor family.

Meet us where we are

know how to support the needs of their children. I ask my teachers to teach as if the parents of their students were in the back of the room, and to work with parents as if the students were their own children. Seeing through the lens of the parent in varying situations is imperative to building a strong and open partnership between home and school.

We’re here for a better life

”We are a family of four in our household now. It is myself, my husband and our two sons. In order to educate our children in a better way and to give them a better life, we came all the way to USA from Bangladesh.” • Conversation starter: Before we even engage with school parents, we

”We like to stay involved and appreciate when the teachers communicate with us (via letters sent home, emails, Facebook, Twitter, etc.).” • Conversation starter: Does your school have a high- and low-tech menu of communications for families? In diverse schools like mine, the modes of communication our families use in daily life are a mile wide. We know this because we solicit information via a two-minute, hard copy technology survey every September at Back to School Night. Those families without access to technology at home or at work are known as HCPs (Hard Copy Parents). We make it a point to send them hard copies of our digital communications. The beginning of the year holds the greatest window of opportunity for getting to know our students and families. It is these relationships we build throughout the year, starting with a sustainable first impression that we will leverage in the best interests of our students. We must always be working toward a comprehensive and inclusive family and community engagement plan for our respective populations. This approach takes more listening to the needs of our families through their own unique and important lens, and less offering of one-sizefits-all solutions on our part as teachers and administrators. Working toward a strong home-school partnership is hard, and you should never feel like you’ve reached the summit. This work is ongoing. (Excerpt from edutopia.org)

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etting natural consequences teach your child to make right choices is a powerful learning tool to shape children’s behaviour. Experience is the best teacher: He’s careless, he falls; he grabs something hot, he gets burned; he leaves his bicycle in the driveway, it gets stolen. Wise parents protect their children so they don’t get seriously hurt, but do not overprotect to the extent the child doesn’t learn the consequences of his folly. Some bruises and scrapes along the way are unavoidable and educational. Children make unwise choices on the way to becoming responsible adults. Children must experience the consequences of their actions in order to learn from them. Within reason and safe limits, let your infant explore, fail, bump, and learn. Expect your preschooler to help clean up his messes. Let your school-age child experience the penalty for not completing homework

by bedtime. After years of small inoculations of consequences, the child enters adolescence at least partially immunised against bad choices, having had some genuine experience with decision-making. Children learn better from their own mistakes than from your preventive preaching. Adolescence is a time when the consequences of wrong choices are serious. The child who has learned to deal with smallies is more likely to be successful with biggies. Being a wise immuniser means keeping a balance between overprotecting your child and being negligent (“Let him get hurt, he’ll learn.”) In the first case, the child enters adolescence with little practice at handling inevitable conflicts and risks. In the second case, the child feels no one cares. Either way, there are rough times ahead. Sometimes the best solution to shape children’s behaviour is to offer your child guidance, state your opinion, and then back off and let the consequence teach your child. Use each consequence as a teachable moment, not an opportunity to gloat. Avoid sentences that begin with “I told you so…” or “If you would have listened to me…” But to be sure that your child learns these little lessons of life, talk through each situation. Replay the tape so that your child gets the point that choices count, and his actions affect what happens. You want your child to realise that he is happier and his life runs more smoothly when he makes wise, though perhaps not easy, choices. Let the consequence speak for itself. The child spills her soda and there’s no more soda – without your commentary.(Excerpt fromaskdrsears.com)

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friday, january 13, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

ExxonMobil discovers more oil offshore Guyana

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nited States oil giant ExxonMobil on Thursday announced positive results from its Payara-1 well offshore Guyana. The Texas-based oil and gas company said the Payara is the second oil discovery on the Stabroek Block and was drilled in a new reservoir. The Payara-1 well targeted similar aged reservoirs that were proven successful at the company’s Liza discovery.

The well was drilled by ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, and encountered more than 95 feet of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs. It was safely drilled to 18,080 feet in 6660 feet of water. The Payara field discovery is about 10 miles North-West of the 2015 Liza discovery. “This important discovery further establishes the area as a significant exploration prov-

ince,” said Steve Greenlee, President of ExxonMobil Exploration Company. “We look forward to working with the Government and our coventurers to continue evaluating broader exploration potential on the block and the greater Liza area.” In addition to the Payara discovery, appraisal drilling at Liza-3 has identified an additional high quality, deeper reservoir directly below the Liza field, which is estimated

Felix’s control of birth... FROM PAGE 3

Meeting

According to Jagdeo, the President’s absence of haste in having the meeting is disappointing and a demonstration of his disinterest in working together for the betterment of the country. “In almost two years, I never requested a meeting with the President. And I am not requesting a meeting to deal with personal issues. It is to deal with a matter so important to our country and he does not want to meet on the matter,” Jagdeo pointed out. Justly however, the President did promise to respond to Jagdeo; however, he is yet to do so. Jagdeo also outlined that at the meeting, if both parties were unable to resolve their differences regarding the interpretation of the Constitution, he would have proposed that both the Opposition and the Government

approach the CCJ together seeking a resolution. However, Jagdeo indicated if Government is unwilling to take this route, then he is prepared to take the matter to the CCJ alone. Moreover, the Attorney General had argued that “all six persons are required to be acceptable,” but Jagdeo highlighted that he cannot possibly just guess what the President considers to be acceptable. “He is implying that I must somehow do some astral travel, go into the head of the President and find out how he will assess this ‘fit and proper’. Either that or I should give him a voters list and he should tick off all the names on the voters list that he will find acceptable and then I will select from one of those names on the voters list,” Jagdeo remarked. Jagdeo

Rigging also

reiterated

his concerns about the stage being set to rig the upcoming General and Regional Elections in 2020. He said his suspicions are compounded by Citizenship Minister Winston Felix having control over the issuance of birth certificates and how Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield remaining at GECOM, despite the discrepancies which occurred in the 2015 Elections. He argued that if the President moves to unilaterally appoint a GECOM Chairman, he will not break the equilibrium the Carter Formula (which was incorporated in the Constitution) seeks to achieve. Jagdeo said he has already alerted the international community to keep its eyes on Guyana with particular interest on these developments.

to contain between 100-150 million oil equivalent barrels. This additional resource is currently being evaluated for development in conjunction with the world-class Liza discovery. “These latest exploration successes are examples of ExxonMobil’s technological capabilities in ultra-deepwater environments, which will enable effective development of the resource for the benefit of the people of Guyana and our shareholders,” Greenlee said. Drilling on Payara began on November 12, 2016, with initial total depth reached on December 2, 2016. Two sidetracks have been drilled to rapidly evaluate the discovery, and a well test is underway to further evaluate the successful well results. The well data will be analysed in the coming months to better determine the full resource potential. The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres (26,800 square kilometres). Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is operator and holds 45 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30 per cent interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 per cent interest. Back in October 2016,

the company made its third significant discovery in its drilling explorations offshore

Guyana, with its partner, Hess Corporation, noting that the Liza 3 exploratory well’s net value could be US$6.2 billion based on calculations from the Bank of Montreal (BMO) Capital Markets. In late June 2016, Exxon’s drilling results at Liza 2 revealed more than 58 metres of oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs in Upper Cretaceous formations. The well was drilled to 5475 metres at 1692 metres water depth. Drilling results confirmed recoverable resources to be between 800 million and 1.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Data from the Liza 2 well test is being assessed. In May 2015, Exxon confirmed its significant oil discovery at its Liza 1 exploration well, where more than 295 feet of high-quality oilbearing sandstone reservoirs was encountered. The Liza wells are be-

ing drilled with the Stena Carron harsh environment drillship. On September 8, ExxonMobil announced that its third exploratory well, Skipjack (the third well drilled and not Liza 3 as reported in the local media) was unsuccessful since it did not yield commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. ExxonMobil spud Liza 3 after Skipjack turned up unfavourable results. Skipjack was a separate prospect 25 miles North-West of the Liza wells. The Liza 3 well, like Liza 2, will be focused on testing the flank of the Liza structure to determine the aerial extent of the reservoir. In July 2016, ExxonMobil submitted a development plan for Liza to Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency to begin the environmental review process. That plan calls for a pair of rigs to drill development wells from two drill centres, each with a corresponding water injection site to the East. Business site Bloomberg, in June of this year, reported that ExxonMobil’s oil discovery off the coast of Guyana may hold as much as 1.4 billion barrels, twice the size of the previous estimate, making it potentially worth about US$70 billion based on current prices.

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friDAY, january 13, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Precedents…

T

…on GECOM Head

he proclivity of the Government not to coordinate its responses on contentious national issues has moved from the tiresome to the “alarming”. Apart from confusing the populace to no end, it betrays a muddled mindset at the top. It’s elementary PoliSci 101 that leader huddle with their advisers – official and official – come to an agreement on the line to be taken and this is the hymn every sings. Not with this PNC-led coalition Government. We won’t rehash prior instances like the pharma “warehouse” snafu but plunge directly on the “muddle du jour” – the GECOM vacancy. Now here it was, everyone thought the way we went about choosing the Chairman of this critical outfit was settled. After the PNC had been dragged, kicking and screaming, to accept “free and fair” elections in 1992, the formula was fixed by President Carter and accepted by Hoyte and the Jagan. In the seven-person Elections Commissions, three Commissioners were to be chosen by the Government, three from the Opposition and the deciding vote in the event of a tie was the Chairman – who obviously had to be acceptable to both sides. In the end, he was THE MAN! Coming back to his qualifications, this harked back to the old criterion that he be “as sober as a judge”. It had given us the infamous Sir Harry Bollers – so subservient to the PNC’s first rigging machinations of 1968, Jagan called him a “toothless poodle”! Seems even a “sober” judge didn’t confer immunity to “inducements”. Thus in 1992, Desmond Hoyte agreed to ADD an alternative to being qualified for the bench – “a fit and proper person”. Now if ANYONE should know what was meant by the formula – which was incorporated into the Constitution – it’d be Hoyte, wouldn’t it? He helped formulate it! Well, going along with the “fit and proper person” criterion he accepted Collins, Hopkinson et al…and in 2000 submitted the name of one David Granger! Who did attend UG, but NOT its law school! And yet now comes the same David Granger, presently in a Presidential incarnation, and says Hoyte didn’t know what he agreed to and was committing illegalities!! What Hoyte REALLY agreed to was even the “fit and proper person” must be of judicial material! So Cheddi, Carter, Hoyte who accepted Collins didn’t REALLY know what they crafted! Who advised Prezzie? Basil Williams, realising his principal’s faux pas, blurted out that Prezzie doesn’t REALLY mean what he’s saying. He should also advise Prezzie that analogous to “judge made law, what we have is “President made law’ in selecting the GECOM Chair! Prezzie must follow these precedents.

…on Chinese Day

At long last, good sense is prevailing and we’re commemorating the arrival of the Chinese to Guyana on its own merits rather than sneaking them in the weasel-worded, omnibus “Arrival Day”. This Eyewitness knows if he were Chinese or Portuguese, he’d resent being shoehorned with the Indians on May 5. Nothing to do with Indians per se…but that’s THEIR date, nuh? Now the Chinese weren’t that many…but boy, did they make their mark of Guyana. What would we (or Policemen asking for a raise) do without fried rice??! But seriously, very early one the Chinese showed the nation what hard work and perseverance can do. If the factors of production are land, labour and capital, the Chinese showed how to leverage their labour and their time into capital. Because they had almost no women in the early days being shipped as indentureds, the Chinese also intermarried with the local freed African population. Guyana has been made far richer (and beautiful) for their descendants!

…and law school

Basil Williams did keep his word and Guyana seems to be one step closer to a law school. But why a public-private institution in legal education? Your Eyewitness is wagering, the costs will be greater than Hugh Wooding. Mark his words! Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

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M&CC dismantles stalls at Merriman Mall

... no notice was ever given – vendors

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everal vendors who operate at the Merriman Mall were left in a state of shock, as they arrived on Thursday morning to find their stalls, located between Cummings Street and North Road completely destroyed. The dismantling operation, which reportedly occurred on Wednesday evening at approximately 22:30h (long after the vendors had finished working for the day), was carried out by a team of City Constables led by Town Clerk Royston King. The vendors, who were all adamant that no notice was given to them prior to the dismantling exercise, denounced the clandestine nature of the operation. They questioned their next move, as for many, this was their only source of income. “No one came with a formal notice to us,” one vendor, who was identified as Abby, lamented. “(They took) us off of the streets, bringing us here and then giving us empty promises

GVU President Eon Andrews

that we are not maintaining the spots but we were maintaining our areas. If it was a case where the place is being looked after they could have told us and put persons in spots that are not being looked after.” Abby denounced the actions of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), describing it as a“deception”. She explained that she just came and met her dismantled stall on the road. George Adolph, anoth-

The strip where the cosmetologists and barbers once plied their trade

that they are going to build, eventually.” “Now they are saying

er vendor, claimed that contrary to what Mayor Patricia Chase-Green had

said in a televised interview on Wednesday, no notice was given for them to move. “Last night nobody ain’t know what going on. I listened the news and I heard her saying she gave us a month’s notice. Nobody here ain’t got any notice. I am appealing to the President to come and look into this situation,” the man related. According to Adolph, they were told that the Council could not build anything before the Jubilee as the time was too short. He claimed that they were promised a more permanent structure afterwards. The vendor questioned the manner in which self-employed persons, who are already struggling to make a living, are being treated by the municipal Council, which they helped to elect. He said, “It appears as though these people bullying poor people. And in any country poor people are the electorate. Before these people become Mayor and Town Clerk, these people come out on the road and tell us we know where to put our X.” “They give us all assurances that they will help us. And this is what they turn out to (be). After we finish vote and they get what they want, they turn their back on us,” he said. “The people in this country ain’t got rights. They bringing foreign people who benefiting more than us.” President of the Guyana Vendors Union (GVU) and former M&CC Councillor Eon Andrews, was on hand to weigh in on the issue. He called for a sit down with the authorities in order to reach an amicable solution. “We would like to have discussions on the way forward, as it relates to vend-

Vendors stand inside the shell of one of the structures

ing,” he said. “To prevent these kinds of embarrassments and draconian attitudes, (so it) does not occur. When they had the crisis in town they just dumped them here, so as to ease the pressure on them. A lot of things about this spot is not really conducive to this kind of business. So if you are going to bring people here, you must put proper infrastructure so that they can operate,” Andrews said. He questioned where the vendors would go now. The GVU President also echoed the sentiments of other vendors who pointed out that, with the sluggish performance of the economy, add-

ing more persons to the breadline would be detrimental. “The President (Granger) is speaking about self-employment. They are trying to be employed. All they need is a bit of help from City Council. That’s why if they could sit with us, where they could sit on one side of the table and (us on the other, this can be resolved),” Andrews stated. Several of the irate vendors brandished receipts showing that their payments each week to City Council were up to date. One single parent of three children was rendered speechless at the sight of her wrecked stall.

Last year, the vendors were moved from their previous location as part of the clean-up campaign for the Jubilee celebrations. Some of the vendors went to Parliament View, so named for the location opposite Parliament Building. And in the case of barbers and cosmetologists, some went to the Cummings Street and North Road location. When questioned on Thursday, Town Clerk Royston King confirmed that the operation occurred on Wednesday night. However, he emphasised that the decision was taken because of the unsanitary conditions of the Merriman Mall strip.

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Farmers, Agri Minister clash over Region 2 flooding A

griculture Minister Noel Holder seems to be oblivious to the struggles of farmers in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) who are severely affected by the widespread flooding. Alliance For Change (AFC) Councillor in Region Two, Hardat Narine, asserted that countless farmlands are inundated and that the subject Minister is erroneous in his claims that the residents have not suffered major losses. Narine, in an interview with Guyana Times, expressed disappointment with the Ministry’s reaction to the flood problem which he believes is an indication of his disinterest in heeding to the plight and concerns of the people he vowed to serve. “It's very hurtful to hear that coming from a Minister. We visited the fields, they were flooded, pictures were taken and yet Minister Holder is denying such fact, this is unacceptable,” Narine declared. Some of the farmers who suffered tremendous losses hailed from Hampton Court, Devonshire Castle, Walton Hall, Windsor Castle and Lima Sands areas. The Councillor reported that over 2500 acres of rice is currently under threat in those areas alone. He is urging the

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder

Minister to visit the communities to see for himself the disaster that his struck the region and to offer immediate assistance to the farmers.

Holder’s position

Minister Holder maintains that there have not been any major losses in the farming community in Region Two. According to the Minister, there were less than 11,000 hectares of rice cultivated so far, of which 1608 hectares were under excess water, while 1055 hectares were under real threat. However, information available from the rice export board shows there were no losses incurred. Providing further fig-

Region Two AFC Councillor Hardat Narine

ures, Holder reported that farmers in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) sowed 6700 hectares of rice. Of that 1700 inundated and 1700 hectares under threat. In Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), a total of 3500 hectares sown, of which 156 hectares is under threat, with no losses. In the Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) areas there were 31,000 hectares sown, with 6100 hectares under threat. In Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) some 15,276 hectares were sown with 140 hectares inundated, however no losses. Meanwhile, the Minister said one solution to the excess flooding in some com-

munities is improvement in the outfall channels. This can be done by the installation of groynes at these channels. A groyne is a rigid hydraulic structure built from an ocean shore (in coastal engineering) or from a bank (in rivers) that interrupts water flow and limits the movement of sediment. It is usually made out of wood, concrete or stone. Holder said too that one of the problems the Ministry faces is the clearance of the outfall channels from sluices. “They get silted up very rapidly because of the tidal flow. The solution is to install groynes. Currently we are cleaning channels during the wet season. But if we have those groynes and we are currently in talks with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, because the responsibility of sea defences lie with that Ministry.” He said if the channels could be cleared, then the drainage canals could be drained to a lower level and we could catch the water that run-off. He said his Ministry also plans to purchase a dredger this year, which will allow for cleaning the outfall channels and groynes. The dredge will also be able to clean the outfall channels of the Pomeroon River. Further, the Regional Democratic Council recently expressed deep concerns about the general lack of interest and slow response by the Government regarding the floods in the region.

Suspects in Berbice supermarket robbery caught − linked to other robberies

Robbery accused: Daniel Grant

Robbery accused: Shawn Thompson

olice on the Corentyne have been able to apprehend two suspects as they continue their investigation into a robbery, which occurred on Tuesday at the Good Life Supermarket, located at Belvedere on the Corentyne. Police have also found other items linking the suspects to another robbery. Police on Thursday released the identities of the two suspects, whose names were given as Shawn Thompson, 19, of Rose Hall, Corentyne, Berbice; and Daniel Grant, 20, of Williamsburg, Corentyne. The men were masked during the daring robbery; however, based on their physical appearance, the officers were able to arrest the two suspects. The mother of one of the suspects told the officers who visited the home, what her son was wearing when he left home. When the man was apprehended, he was wearing the same clothing. Police searched an abandoned house at Rose Hall and found a motorcycle believed to be the one used during the

robbery; they also discovered a DVD player and later contacted a man from Topu, at Albion, who was robbed on Old Year’s Day by two men; one with a handgun and the other with a cutlass. The man, Permaul Latchno, confirmed that the DVD player belonged to him. Latchno told Guyana Times that he was attacked by two masked bandits at the Nigg Drainage Pump where he worked. Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam told this publication that the Police have since dusted the motorcycle and helmet for fingerprints to link the suspects to the Good Life Supermarket robbery. He said the motorcycle is owned by Latchno and was taken from him during the Old Year’s Day robbery. The colour was changed from its original blue to black. The two will be charged with that robbery, while Police are searching for the firearm, which could be linked to other robberies on the Corentyne.

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NCN Chairman Bish Panday resigns

Police unearth high-powered weapon in Tucville apartment

− cites time as a major factor

C

hairman of the Board of the National Communication Network (NCN) Bishwa Panday resigned from the post, effective December 31, 2016. Panday, who was appointed back in September 2015, told Guyana Times on Thursday that he has not been able to dedicate valuable time to the task. He said someone who has the time should be allowed the position. According to him, he has given almost a year and a half in service to the organiSation. He stressed however, that there has not been any problem. Panday, a renowned insurance broker, was appointed to the post on September 5, 2015. The State-owned National Communications Network has been in the spotlight of late. Only recently, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lennox Corlette came under fire for removing veteran broadcaster Ron Robinson as the Programme Manager. Robinson, who was on extended probation, said he received a letter from the entity’s Board of Directors indicating that he was not confirmed for the position as Programme Manager and was told his last day would be Friday, January 6, 2016. According to the veteran broadcaster, following his ap-

The high-powered weapon that was found in the apartment

A

Former NCN Chairman Bishwa Panday

pointment back in May last year, he was placed on probation and in September, he was informed that the probation period would be extended to December 31, 2016. However, instead of a confirmation letter, he was given a dismissal notice. While the letter did not state the reason behind the decision, he believes that it was a “personal” attack by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lennox Cornette. Moreover, he asserted that the CEO may have an issue with him over his (Robinson’s) close friendship with former Deputy General Manager of GTT and now deceased, Terry Holder. Upon his appointment last year, Cornette was accused of forging Holder’s signature almost two decades ago while being employed with GTT.

The organisation’s Director, Imran Khan, also resigned last year in protest of the appointment of Corlette. Back in March 2016, Panday was bashed for appointing the very Corlette as CEO of the company. An online media outlet reported on a leaked email exchange which suggested that the Chairman took it upon himself to appoint Cornette, despite objections from other Board members who reportedly argued that his candidacy should be disqualified since his employment at the Guyana Telephone Telegraph (GTT) came to an end in 1999, after it was discovered he forged the signature of then Deputy General Manager, Terry Holder. Panday had however denied those claims.

28-year-old mechanic was on Thursday afternoon taken into Police custody following the discovery of a high-powered weapon in his Tucville, Georgetown apartment. Based on reports received, Police swooped down on the apartment building after receiving a tip-off. Guyana Times understands that the Police turned up at the man’s apartment with a search warrant. As they rapped on his door, he opened and

without any questions, he was shown the warrant and the ranks barged into the apartment. The man reportedly took a seat in a chair and attempted to question the reason for storming his house. Initially the search proved futile, but it was one Police rank who noticed that the suspect was sitting in one position all the time and as such, requested that a search be conducted on the chair. The man stood in a corner and as the ranks turned over

the chair a .45 rifle and one round of 9mm ammunition were found. He was immediately taken into custody. A ballistics test is expected to be conducted on the weapon to determine whether or not it was used in the execution of any crime. Persons in the area are of the belief that the suspect was carrying out illegal activities for a “big one” due to the fact that he would have frequent visitors who appeared at the location in “high-end” vehicles.

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friDAY, january 13, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Bandits torch NIS WBD safe, cart off $6M

− several questioned

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everal persons attached to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) branch at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara (WBD), were taken into Police custody for questioning on Thursday, following a $6 million robbery in the wee hours of the morning. The robbery occurred sometime around 02:30h and the ordeal lasted for almost an hour. According to reports reaching Guyana Times, six armed men entered the compound by cutting the chainlink fence in the rear, after which they attacked the

cape. This newspaper understands that the Police in D Division (West DemeraraEast Bank Essequibo) are now working on the theory that it might have been an inside job, stating that someone from the inside might have divulged information to the perpetrators, since the money was only placed there the day before. Guyana Times was told that the NIS Office is currently collecting payments from self-employed persons. Meanwhile, among those taken into custody for questioning were the male se-

I

Bandits hit NIS Pouderoyen Office

pensioners who turned up to collect their monies. On the other hand, while none of the neighbours knew of the robbery until daybreak, one woman recalled hearing screams during the morning hours, but thought it was a domestic violence disturbance. “I woke up because I heard a screaming so I thought some man beating up his wife on the road. This person hollering and screaming and then all of a

The ripped chain-link fence which the bandits used to enter the compound

two security guards on duty. The female and male guards were then bound and a service weapon, along with six rounds of ammunition was taken away from the male guard. The perpetrators also disconnected the alarm system, as well as the telephone lines before forcing their way into the building by kicking down the door. While inside, the men torched the safe and bagged the money before making good their es-

curity guard and three other employees attached to the NIS Pouderoyen Office. Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Leslie James, told this newspaper that investigators have questioned nine employees in connection with the robbery. When this publication visited the scene, the office was closed for the day; however, many of the staffers remained in the building and were seen turning away

Portugal’s PM Costa, “I am Proud to be a IO”

Police arriving at the scene

sudden it stopped, so I fall back to sleep. I did not get up, but then this morning my son told me that NIS was robbed and then I realised that it was the guard who was screaming,” the woman related. She noted for the past 13 years she has been living there, this is the first time such an incident has occurred. Meanwhile, investigations into the $6 million robbery are ongoing.

f there was one takeaway from the just concluded 14th Pravasi Bharitiya Divas (PBD January 7-9) it was India’s determination to connect with People of Indian Origin (PIO’s). They certainly pulled out all the stops at this largest even PBD held in Bangalore, its world famous IT capital. Unlike the previous PBDs, this inaugural biennial conclave was preceded by Ravi Dev a yearlong series of focused discussions chaired by foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and her top Ministry officials, with specially invited members of the Indian Diaspora. Some of the recommendations from those discussions were already evident, especially an emphasis on youth – exemplified by the Youth PBD. These Diaspora youth delegates (there were nine from Guyana) were given the opportunity to interact and network with their peers – including Indian students from across India studying in Bangalore. There were, of course, exposed to the curated and living civilisational response of this southern region of India, igniting an appreciation for the tremendous diversity of India, of which they are part. For myself, a member of the panel addressing the plenary session, “Connecting Contemporary India to the Diaspora in Girmitiya Countries: Link to the Past for a Shared Future”, the highlight was the address by the Chief Guest of PBD 2017, Antonio Costa, the Prime Minister of Portugal. During his speech, he whipped out his “People of Indian Origin (PIO) card, held it aloft and announced, “I am proud to be a Person of Indian origin (PIO) – the first to lead a European country!” His origin was in Goa, the part of India that had been a colony of Portugal subsequent to Vasco da Gama’s historic discovery of a sea route to the East from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope of Africa. What was remarkable to me was his enthusiastic embrace of his Indian Origin, even though, in his case, Portugal had been expelled from Goa by an armed Indian invasion in 1961. Full diplomatic relations had only been resumed in 1975. It also reinforced a point I have been making in our country: we have to re-examine the narratives we have inherited from the colonial era. Those narratives came out of different contexts and answered what may be irrelevant in the present. Costa’s act reminds us that changes since then might have made some old labels like “enemy”, and “coloniser” anachronistic in the modern era. His declaration of being a PIO, while being a Portuguese, emphasises that accepting one’s origin in no way conflicts with one’s present nationality. As India’s PM Narendra Modi said to resounding, prolonged applause: The colour of the passports may be different; but not the ties of origin (blood). Costa also pragmatically played up his Indian origin to make a pitch for India to consider Portugal as a beachhead to interact with the rest of Europe in whatever field it chooses. The PIOs who had emigrated from India as indentured servants between 1834 (Mauritius) and March 12, 1917, when it was brought to a halt, did so after signing a contract or “agreement” that purported to describe their conditions and terms of employment in the new lands. The word “Girmit” is a Bhojpuri corruption of the world “agreement” and was first used by Fijian Indians to describe those who had decided to remain in their new countries: Girmitiya – People of the Agreement. This March, Girmitiyas from across the globe will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of the abolition of Indentureship and PBD 2017 provided a platform to coordinate and support activities. The Social Cohesion Minister from Mauritius, for instance, committed his country’s help with digitisation of immigrants’ records, which can all be fed into an interactive database at the newly launched Girmitiya Research Centre in New Delhi. Going beyond the ongoing exchange of “cultural ambassadors”, India will also host events to commemorate the landmark event by highlighting the efforts of Gandhi, Gokhale and Maliviya to end indentureship. Quite significantly, in terms of their unfortunate later history, the Muslim League and Congress reunited for one last time to achieve this goal.

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New model to access Global Fund grants A

one-day dialogue on the new model to access grants from Global Fund was conducted on Thursday at the Regency Hotel, Hadfield Street, Georgetown. The event was organised by the Public Health Ministry and the Guyana Global Fund-Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), and attracted representatives from the Private and Public Sectors, civil society, academia and from the network of key affected populations, including women’s organisations. The dialogue is aimed at strengthening stakeholders’ knowledge of the series of reform in the funding mechanism, including the introduction of a more flexible funding system and allowing countries to apply for Global Fund grants at a period that is synchronised with their national budget cycle and needs, a release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) stated. Minister within the Education Ministry, Nicolette Henry, in her address to the gathering, noted that Guyana has come a far way in dealing with HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria over the past decade. Henry, who also serves as chairperson of the CCM, said with support from Global

Minister within the Education Ministry Nicolette Henry delivering remarks at the Guyana Global Fund HIV-Country dialogue on the new funding model at the Regency Hotel

of millions of people currently on treatment in jeopardy, and millions of pregnant women in a position where they would not be able to protect their unborn babies from becoming infected. Global Fund grants have been used to reduce the largest causes of mortality among women and children globally. Henry said that the hope is that this commitment from Global Fund continues so that the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 to end the HIV epidemic, TB and malaria by 2030 will be achieved. Henry assured that Government will continue to partner with all stakeholders to help the HIV Country

premised on the goal to invest more strategically. This new approach changes the way countries apply for funding, obtain approval of their proposals and manage their grants. It also presented an opportunity for the Fund to scale up its commitment to promote and protect human rights. Coordinator, Guyana Global Fund – Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), Maria Miles, said that the new funding model allows for a differentiation application process, that provides for flexible and tailored funding request “which are the right size to match the needs and context of a country.”

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Guyana, Iran meet on infrastructure development

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ollowing his accreditation on Wednesday, Iranian Ambassador to Guyana Mostafa Alaei met with Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson to discuss possible collaborations between the two nations in the area of infrastructure. During the meeting, the diplomat expressed his intention to foster better ties between Guyana and Iran. He noted that the two nations have different capacities and potential, and could therefore work together to foster development, despite their geographic distance. Ambassador Alaei further indicated particular interest in the diversifying of production abilities and also said that Iran has “strong capacity” in the area of infrastructure. In response, Minister Ferguson expressed optimism over the strengthened relationship between the two countries. “Naturally, Guyana has great potential as well, so we can use this opportunity to see how our countries can complement each other,” she said. She further explained the wide-ranging portfolios of the Ministry and said that

Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson, receives a token from Iranian Ambassador Mostafa Alaei

high on the Ministry’s agenda is ensuring that the necessary infrastructural works are in place to foster comfort and satisfaction within the Guyanese populace. The Junior Minister also outlined some of the Ministry’s projects for 2017 and suggested to Ambassador Alaei that Guyana and Iran work together to improve capacity through training, to ultimately better the infrastructural services provided. Ambassador Alaei indicated that such training is indeed a possibility. He said, “Any field the Government

of Guyana wishes to have training in… we are very much interested in working along with the Government of Guyana to train.” He further indicated that a needs assessment should be done to determine relevant fields within the Ministry for capacity building. Ambassador Alaei was accredited on Tuesday following the presentation of his credentials to President David Granger and the Public Infrastructure Ministry was among one of his first courtesy calls before he returns to his official station in Caracas, Venezuela.

Natural Resources Ministry brokers one-off deal between Bosai, Rusal − 24,000 tonnes of bauxite for China

Stakeholders at the Guyana Global Fund HIV-Country dialogue on the new funding model held at the Regency Hotel

Fund and Government’s other partners and stakeholders, many lives have been saved and transformed. Speaking specifically to the support the country would have received over the years from Global Fund, Henry said Government is very appreciative. Further, she said that Government has been assured of continued funding to help fight against HIV, TB and malaria. She added that Government is “very thankful for the commitment made by this entity in helping to build resilient and sustainable health systems that offer quality healthcare services for the Guyanese people.” The Minister pointed out that without a fully funded Global Fund, the shared dream of universal access to HIV treatment, care and support could become a nightmare, putting the lives

Dialogue achieve its objectives. “There are many challenges ahead, but if we all work together we will be able to surmount those challenges, thus bringing to an end the HIV/AIDS epidemic and building a resilient and sustainable health system that offers quality healthcare services for all Guyanese,” the Minister said. After allegations that recipient countries misused donor funds and the global recession led to decreased contributions from donor countries, the Global Fund was forced to suspend new investments in 2011. With the Fund’s survival uncertain, a year-long transition process took place to conceptualise a new and improved funding model to restore donor confidence. In November 2012, the Global Fund officially adopted a new funding model,

Miles said that the differentiation application process also ensures that greater time is spent implementing grant to save lives. Miles explained that there are three different approaches; programme continuation, a tailored review (which includes challenging operating environment, transition, national strategic pilot or material programme) and a full review. Global Fund is a 21st century financing partnership organisation that is designed to accelerate the end of HIV, TB and malaria. Founded in 2002, Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, Private Sector and the people affected by the diseases. Global Fund raises and invests nearly $4 billion each year to support programmes run by local experts in the countries and communities that are most in need.

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he Natural Resources Ministry announced that it has successfully brokered a one-off agreement between Chineseowned bauxite company, Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc and Russian-owned Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI), a subsidiary of bauxite giant, RUSAL. The Ministry in a statement issued on Thursday, hailed the efforts of the companies in recognising the value of the manifold benefits and synergies that can emerge from cooperation and sharing of facilities. “This agreement, brokered over the past few days, will allow for Bosai Minerals Inc to utilise – for one shipment only – the services of the transhipment station located in the mouth of the Berbice River and which is operated by Oldendorff

Carriers – a sub-contractor of BCGI,” the Ministry said in the statement. As a result of the agreement, Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc will be able to dispatch a 24,000-tonne shipment of bauxite to China. The vessel, the HuaAn Sheng, into which the bauxite will be loaded, is expected in Port New Amsterdam today. This vessel has been deemed too large to transit the Demerara River to Bosai’s Linden operations. According to information released by the Ministry, four smaller vessels will be transporting shipments of between 5000 and 6000 tonnes each from Bosai’s operations in Linden to Port New Amsterdam where their cargo will be transferred onto the HuaAn Sheng. The Ministry explained

that through this arrangement, Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc will utilise a transhipment station located in Trinidad before onward shipment of the bauxite to Bosai’s international markets. “It is hoped that this one-off use of the Oldendorff Carriers’ transhipment facility between Bosai Minerals (Guyana) Inc and Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc will evolve into a longer term arrangement to the benefit of not only the two parties involved, but also to the people of Guyana.” The Ministry said it is happy to have played a part in brokering the arrangement between the two bauxite companies, and hopes that it is able to assist Bosai in meeting and exceeding targets that both its principals and the Government of Guyana have set.

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M&CC demolishes sections of Sheriff Street business T

he Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Thursday afternoon demolished a section of a multicomplex building on Sheriff Street, citing an illegal extension at the southern end of the building. Town Clerk Royston King led the demolition exercise of the Sheriff Street building, which houses Electronics City and fashion stores, along with several other fast-food outlets. The officers also removed a container, which the Council said was illegally placed at the head of Fifth Avenue, Subryanville, and left for several years. According to the Supervisor of Building Inspection (acting), Marlon Harris, the extension of the building at the head of Fifth Avenue, Subryanville, was constructed without the permission of the City Council. He explained that “Notices were served several times to the developer and owner of the property here but they never complied. So the City, in an effort to rectify all the breaches throughout the length and breadth of (Georgetown) has moved to remove the illegal con-

Prisoner stabbed in holding cell at Magistrates' Court

A M&CC workers tore down the “illegal” extension on this Sheriff Street business on Thursday

struction there.” Meanwhile, the Town Clerk and the city officers also highlighted another breach on the northern side of the building, where an extension was built several inches off the ground, to facilitate an outdoor sitting area for the food outlets. However, it was noted that the extension is sitting on the Council’s drainage reserve. The City workers pointed out excess fat in the drain-

age system, which they noted is owing to the fact that the grease trap of the building may not be functioning. Harris noted that an inspection will have to be carried out to determine the cause. Nevertheless, the Town Clerk informed the owner of the building, Shareef Ahmad, that he should take steps to remove the extension. “We would need back this space here… We don’t want to disrupt your nice work so I’m asking you to

arrange for your own work people to come here within 24 hours and remove this,” King indicated to the businessman. However, Ahmad told reporters that he is being victimised. “It is clearly victimising… because what goes to one supposed to go for all; if you drive around the city you will see how many places way over built and they’re not taking any actions,” the businessman stated.

prisoner was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) on Thursday morning after he was stabbed while in the holding cell at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. Reports indicate that 34-year-old Colvin Johnson was before the court on a murder charge and was remanded; he was reportedly scheduled to appear before a Magistrate today. Details surrounding the incident remain unclear as other prisoners in the holding cell were unwilling to say what transpired. Johnson was visibly battered and sustained a broken nose as well as a stab wound to his abdomen. He is presently in the Intensive Care Unit of the GPHC. Johnson of Lot 145 East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme,

Georgetown, and another man, Joshua Meredith were charged with the murders Paul Rodney and Gregory Garraway. Rodney, 31, of Lot 530 West Ruimveldt, was reportedly gunned down on November 21, 2016, while returning from a dance in his community. It was previously reported that Rodney had been involved in an argument with the suspects prior to leaving the venue and had attempted to escape, but was pursued and shot. It was said that the assailants made their escape on a CG motorcycle. Meredith was arrested for Rodney’s murder and was subsequently linked to the robbery/murder of Garraway, who was shot and robbed of his gold chain on Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt, on October 11, 2016.

Bartica Massacre trial

Police witness hid, shot 5 times … identified number 3 accused in ID parade

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t Thursday’s hearing into the ongoing Bartica massacre trial at the High Court, Police Constable Chester Benjamin took the stand and testified to being shot five times about the body, as he was found by a gunman moments before the bandits retreated. During the February 17, 2008 attack, the Policeman was taking his dinner in station quarters upstairs when he heard a loud explosion and discovered that he was shot in the right arm shortly after. Constable Benjamin recalled that he then ran over to the kitchen window where he peeped and saw a “Rastaman” with long beard, long dread locks and camouflage clothing standing over the road by a shop – armed with a rifle. Benjamin told the court that after he moved from the window, he and a few other Constables went into a cupboard. A man then came into the kitchen and started firing, shouting “I gan kill yall ‘S’!” The 12-member jury heard that after the gunfire stopped, one of the bandits removed him from the cupboard and placed his foot on his stomach. In a turn of

events, however, Benjamin noted that a voice downstairs shouted “Rehab!” After this, the men left the room and the Constable later told Inspector Sutton that he was shot more times. In the following moments, Benjamin claimed he had heard a vehicle drive away from the scene and shots were fired; while he, Sutton and several other ranks hid under Sutton’s bed. Thereafter, Benjamin said that he heard five or six gunshots in the direction of the Bartica Stelling. After the coast was clear, the men went downstairs and the Police rank testified to witnessing the injured and motionless bodies of several ranks, including Constable Osborne, who appeared to be dead. Sometime after, Benjamin left Bartica for the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted and treated for his injuries.

Roger Simon identified

Led by State Prosecutor Diana Kaulesar, Constable Benjamin testified further that while being stationed at Mackenzie, Linden in April 2008, he saw a “Rasta man” in the Police Station lockups. The Police wit-

Simon was not implicated in the attack. Additionally, Benjamin admitted that he could not recall what Simon was wearing on the day that he (Simon) was at the Mackenzie Police Station.

Boat worker’s diversion saves his life

The accused: Dennis Williams, Mark Williams and Roger Simon

ness recalled that this was the same man which he had seen on the night of the ghastly Bartica incident. Sometime afterwards, Benjamin noted that he was called to an identification parade (ID) at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) where he pointed out that the number seven person in the line-up was a “rasta man”. At Thursday’s court session, this individual was pointed out as Roger Simon, a co-accused in the 2008 massacre. Chester’s testimony contradicts that of other witnesses, who tes-

tified that Simon was never there. This had been the account of both Clebert Reece, who in November last year plead guilty to manslaughter for the Bartica attack and Dwane Williams, a gang member who was 15 years old at the time.

Cross-examination

Under cross-examination by Roger Simon’s Attorney, Peter Hugh, the Police Constable noted that he gave two statements to Police, but that in the original statement dated February 18, 2008,

At the morning session of the trial, Chester brothers, Ishmael and Wilbert, who were boat workers attached to the Boodhoo General Store at Bartica, also testified. Wilbert testified that after leaving the boat, he met up with a friend and purchased two beverages at a “Chiney” shop. Moments later, he heard gunfire and darted into the business, after which two men locked the door and he hid on the ground. After the ordeal ended, the man returned to the stelling, but became alarmed when he could not locate his brother on the boat. Recalling these events, Chester almost broke down in tears on the witness stand, but the court heard that he had later learnt that his brother was safe. However, other crew members on the boat encountered a different fate. Wilbert Chester recount-

ed that the first two persons he checked had no pulse, but noted that Errol Thomas had a pulse. He took Thomas to the First Avenue monument, near the Police Station, but the man later died. Meanwhile, Chester told the court of witnessing the motionless bodies of two other persons. Other witness testified to five men being shot at the Stelling by “Fineman”, while it was also revealed that one man was allowed to go free. All three attorneys declined cross-examination of Wilbert Chester. The trial continues before Justice Roxanne George, SC this morning. In addition to Errol Thomas, 11 other persons were slaughtered during the Bartica attack. These included Police Lance Corporal ZaheerZakir, Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne; and civilians Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, and Baldeo Singh. Mark Williams, Dennis Williams, and Roger Simon are the three standing accused for the Bartica massacre.

friDAY, january 13, 2017

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News

Govt must insulate Wealth Fund from Justice department to political influence – former T&T Minister review FBI's conduct in Clinton email inquiry T he Guyana Oil and Gas Association hosted its first lecture in a planned series on best practices to develop an oil wealth management framework, at the Savannah Suite, Pegasus, on Thursday evening. Former Trinidad and Tobago Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine, was the featured speaker at the event, which was attended by other Government officials, as he made key recommendations on how Guyana could optimise results from its blossoming oil and gas sector. Touching on Guyana’s

at will. Ramnarine spoke about the importance of the SWF Fund in averting Dutch Disease. This is the term given to a situation whereby a boost in a country’s foreign currency revenues from one sector can lead to the decline in the country’s other sectors. “It has to be independently managed and insulated from politics. In Trinidad we have been able to do that. The board of the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund is appointed by the President of the country, but the President is acting on the advice of

Former T&T Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine

such as nepotism can creep in when this is not catered for. Ramnarine was asked, however, about the methodology used in Trinidad to

The gathering in the Savannah Suite of Pegasus

Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), Ramnarine stressed the importance of keeping it insulated from political interference and also establishing safeguards, including legislative, in order to ensure that the Funds’ contents are not extracted

the Minister of Finance,” Ramnarine said.

State companies

Ramnarine also pointed to the importance of the creation of a flagship national oil company, also free from politics. He stated that acts

keep such ventures free of political interference and he acknowledged that this still remained a challenge. “I think that the methodology for appointing the boards has to change,” he said. “We had a (consultant) doing some work

for us, and I asked them to tell me how Statoil (a Norwegian-based national oil company) appoints their board. Statoil’s board is appointed from different sources.” On the discovery announced on Thursday by ExxonMobil of further oil reserves in its Payara-1 well, Ramnarine was optimistic of its value to the Government. He stated that this latest in oil discoveries has further de-risked oil exploration in Guyana and puts the Government in a much stronger position than ever before, when negotiating terms with oil companies. Last year, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and Finance Minister Winston Jordan, spent time in Uganda in order to examine that country’s wealth fund model. In addition, the Extractive Industries Transparency Index (EITI) has been holding consultations in Guyana regarding building a framework to manage Guyana’s burgeoning oil and gas sector. It is anticipated that if managed correctly, the revenue generated by oil and gas will boost Guyana’s standard of living. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, an ExxonMobil affiliate, is the company responsible for drilling in the Stabroek Block off Guyana’s shores. Oil has already discovered in three other wells – the Liza 1, 2 and 3 – in addition to the Payara- 1 well.

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he justice department’s Office of the Inspector General announced on Thursday that it will conduct a review of the handling of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a personal email server during her time as Secretary of State. The independent auditor said the sprawling review would include an examination of whether the FBI Director, James Comey, violated policy or procedure when he sent Congress notification about new evidence his department had discovered, 11 days before the presidential election. Clinton has argued that this disclosure played a pivotal role in her losing the election to Donald Trump, due to negative media coverage.

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The mission is one of the largest deployments of US forces in Europe since the Cold War

he arrival of thousands of US soldiers in Poland as part of a NATO build-up is a threat to Russia's national security, the Kremlin has said. The mission, one of the largest deployments of US forces in Europe since the Cold War, will eventually see more than 3000 troops

and heavy equipment deployed in Poland and other nearby NATO partners on a rotational basis. "This operation threatens our interests and our security," Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, said in a statement on Thursday. "This is even more pronounced when a third party

[US] reinforces its military presence on our doorstep in Europe." The Atlantic Resolve mission, agreed on at a NATO 2016 summit in 2016, comes as a series of measures led by outgoing US P”resident Barack Obama's administration aimed at calming US allies

Guardian)

Tata Sons names Natarajan Chandrasekaran new chairman

Natarajan Chandrasekaran is currently head of Tata Consultancy Services

I US troops in Poland 'a threat to Russia's security' in Europe after Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine. Russian actions alarmed the Baltic states, which worry they could be the next targets of Russian pressure and intervention as Moscow has increased its presence in the Baltic Sea area over the past two years. The operation comes a week before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, who has announced that his Republican Administration will work to ease tensions with the Kremlin amid concern over accusations of Russian intervention in the 2016 US elections. Alexei Mechkov, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, described the deployment as a "factor destabilising European security". (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Three days before the election, Comey publicly conceded that none of the new material was pertinent to the investigation, which concluded Clinton was not criminally responsible for the use of the personal server. The new emails were discovered during a nonrelated FBI investigation into disgraced former New York congressman Anthony Weiner, whose estranged wife, Huma Abedin, is a close Clinton adviser. The Department of Justice’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, an Obama appointee, said on Thursday the review would also examine whether justice officials and FBI employees “improperly disclosed nonpublic information” during the investigation. (Excerpt from The

ndian industrial giant Tata Sons has named a new Chairman after the previous incumbent was ousted sparking a bitter management feud. The role will be taken by Natarajan Chandrasekaran, who is currently Chief Executive of Tata Consultancy Services. He

will replace Cyrus Mistry, who was suddenly removed from the post in October 2016, in February. Mistry resigned from all boards in December having led the conglomerate for four years. Tata Sons is the holding company for a business empire ranging from Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Steel to aviation and salt pans. IT outsourcing giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is India's most-valuable company with a market capitalisation of US$67 billion (£55 billion). Chandrasekaran started as TCS Chief Executive in 2009, having joined Tata in 1987. The board described him as a "Tata lifer". He will take over as the Executive Chairman from February 21, having been unanimously recommended for the role by the selection committee, the company said in a statement. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Kenyan boy Kelvin Muriuki goes to school in helicopter

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poor 14-year-old boy in Kenya has been flown to school in a helicopter after air force veterans offered to pay for his secondary education. Kelvin Muriuki was top of his class in 2016, but poverty forced him to go and work in a quarry, his family said. The Kenya Air Force Veteran Officers Association then stepped in to pay his school fees and to give him a helicopter ride to his new school. Kelvin's dreams are now back on track – he says he

wants to become a pilot. Many children regularly drop out of school in Kenya because of poverty. The Association said it would pay Kelvin's annual school fee of US$530 (£430) until he completes his secondary education in 2020. He arrived at his new school in the central Kenyan town of Karicheni after a helicopter ride of about 20 minutes from his previous school, reports the BBC's Abdinoor Aden from the capital, Nairobi. (BBC News)

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friDAY, january 13, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana gets China Eximbank loan Region 2 pensioners struggling to to complete ECD Road Expansion uplift money – RDC Councillors

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ome two years after preliminary works were completed along the East Coast Demerara (ECD) Highway, the Guyana Government has received the US$45 million concessional loan from the China Eximbank to complete the road project. According to a release from the Finance Ministry on Thursday, Minister Winston Jordan on Monday last signed the Concessional Loan Agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China for RMB Yuan 313,838,800 or approximately US$45,318,337. This concessional loan was achieved less than two months after the inking of the Framework Agreement between the Governments of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the People’s Republic of China that took place on November 23, 2016. Works are expected to commence during the first quarter of this year. The Ministry noted that residents along the East Coast can begin to look forward to reduced travel time and transport costs and less traffic congestion following the widening and improvement of the East Coast Demerara Highway. “Importantly, this section of the roadway between Better Hope and Belfield links numerous highly populated villages to the Capital City. When completed, the road will enhance the mobility and accessibility of commuters to and from Georgetown. It will also positively impact the accident rate and vehicular maintenance,” the release from the Finance Minister details. The ECD Road Expansion project entails a four-lane

− requesting home assistance

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The expansion of the public road at Better Hope

extension from Better Hope to Annandale, and two-lane upgrade from Annandale to Belfield with a total length of 16,998 kilometres of roads and 33,996 kilometres of drains to be built. Apart from the road expansion, the residents were also going to benefit from the project, which included improved drainage since the East Coast is usually susceptible to floods. Initially, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government had tried to finance the road expansion project, but the funding was not readily available; hence, the Administration decided to use local funds for preliminary works and use the funds from the Chinese to complete the works. The preliminary works for the four-lane upgrade were completed at the end of 2014. This included the widening of the roads and installation of drainage facilities. The project was divided into seven lots which were awarded to different contractors. Lot one was initially awarded to Falcon Transportation and Construction Services; however, the contract was terminated by the Public Works Ministry in 2012 and

awarded last year to Dipcon Engineering Services, which is also tasked with works on Lot Two. The two lots, which covered from Better Hope to La Bonne Intention (LBI), were joined into one. Dipcon also worked on Lot Five (Triumph to Mon Repos). Courtney Benn Contracting Services Limited worked on Lot Three, covering LBI and Beterverwagting. Preliminary works on Lot Four (Beterverwagting to Triumph) were done by Compustruct Engineering Inc. Lot Six covers Mon Repos to De Endragt and was awarded to Colin Talbot Contracting Services. This construction company also handled works on Lot Seven (De Endragt to Good Hope). With the China Eximbank putting up most of the finances for the road expansion, Guyana had awarded the contract to China Railway First Group for some US$42.7 million. The Chinese construction company reportedly put in the lowest bid of US$46.994 million. The PPP/C Administration had stated that it was saving some $2.8 billion by giving the contract to China Railway First Group.

Region 6 health department records outstanding performance – Director − rubbishes RDC’s claim of poor performance in 2016

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he Health Services Department of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has refuted claims by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), that the department has been performing poorly. Director of Regional Health Services Jevaughn Stephens, during a press conference, refuted reports which appeared in the media last week, following the RDC’s monthly meeting, while he pointed out that for the past year, the Health Services Department attended to more patients that ever before in a calendar year. Of the five programmes which falls under the regional administration, health was the most outstanding with a 99.8 per cent of its current expenditure programme completed, he noted. He boasted that in a region with a population of 109,498 persons, 103,250 persons attended clinics at 26 health centres and two

Director of Regional Health Services, Jevaughn Stephens

health posts. “We have health posts at Siparuta up the Corentyne River and at Barakara up the Canje River,” Stephens explained. The figure represents an increase of more than 16,000 patients above the previous highest which was recorded in 2014. He further highlighted that there were 1358 surgeries performed in the

Region last year, while there were no maternal and infant deaths recorded during 2016. However, there were 16 neonatal deaths recorded and 13 stillbirths. The Director was high in his praise for midwives in the region who had 2184 successful deliveries last year. Speaking of diagnostic services offered in the region, Stephens said 12,122 X-rays were done on 102,263 patients, while 190,414 laboratory tests were done on 69,841 patients in Region Six last year. Meanwhile, at the New Amsterdam Hospital last year, there was a recordbreaking 6520 persons admitted to the institution. Of that figure, 2401 were in the maternity unit, 593 in the female surgical ward, 701 in the male surgical and 674 in the male medical ward. The paediatric ward had an intake of 443 children.

enior citizens of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) continue to struggle to uplift their pension money and Councillors from both the Government and Opposition side of the Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC) brought this issue to the fore during the last statutory RDC meeting. Government Councillor Julian Cummings, who is a pensioner, testified that he has been struggling for quite some time to uplift his pension. The Councillor pointed out that, like him, many persons living in the Pomeroon River face the same challenges. He explained that elders and the less fortunate living in the riverine and far flung areas have to pay exorbitant fees to get to Anna Regina just to verify their information before they could receive their money. Cummings stressed that it is “unfair” for those persons who are bed ridden; further questioning the service provided by the Social Protection Ministry. He also suggested that the Charity Post Office become a main hub for pensioners living in the area. “Why we have to travel so far and when we go, we are often told the office do not have money, come on, by the time we receive our money it finished with expenses,” Cummings related.

Government Councillor and pensioner, Julian Cummings

Home assistance

Meanwhile, Vilma Da Silva, a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor, said many families in the Pomeroon River have expressed the same concern. She said it is unjust for families that have differently able and bedridden individuals to travel such long distances. Da Silva therefore requested that home assistance be provided to those families, as a form of subsidy. “If home assistance is given to these families, at least it can assist them with transportation to carry the elders to uplift their pension money, to come out the Pomeroon River alone is $3000 one side passage, when these people take out travelling, they’re left with nothing,” Da Silva said. She also questioned why senior citizens should have

to sit and wait for long periods at the post offices to uplift their money. Many senior citizens can be seen lining up as early as 06:00h in the morning. Da Silva pointed out that these persons should be honoured and respected since many of them made invaluable contributions to society. During the discussion, Regional Chairperson Nandranie Coonjah added that numerous reports were brought before her relating to the way senior citizens are being treated whenever they go to the Anna Regina office for their pension. She said too that the way senior citizens are being treated in Region Two by the Social Welfare Board is “saddening”. Coonjah, who served on the Board in the past, reminded that there was a “shut-in system” in place, which enabled workers from the office to visit the elders and sick at home. She therefore questioned why the sick and the old have to venture to the office to do a simple review, and what has become of the “shut-in system”. The Councillors from both the Government and the Opposition side then unanimously agreed to write the Board stating all the suggestions and issues that were raised. Toshaos from the various communities have also echoed similar sentiments.

$30M water harvesting facilities for Region 9 soon

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he Government of Guyana is working to ensure that residents of villages in the North Rupununi, Region Nine have a year round water supply. This will be done by developing water harvesting facilities. A total of $30M has been approved in the 2017 Budget for the execution of this project. Chief Executive Officer of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), Fredrick Flatts, explained that the project is one of NDIA’s major capital projects for 2017, the Government Information Agency (GINA) said in a release. Flatts said they will be trying to capture rainfall during the rainy season and keep it so as to have water during the sunny months. “To do that we have carried out a number of studies in the areas and we have come up with solutions or things that we can do like utilize water from springs, some of the creeks and we can create dams and capture water without affecting what’s happening upstream and downstream.” Flatts explained. The rainy weather period usually lasts from April to August.

A model of a water harvesting building facility

Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder, while defending the Ministry’s 2017 budget had noted that water harvesting facilities will be the first set of capital expenditure works that will be executed by the NDIA. North and South Rupununi villages usually suffer from inadequate water supply for crops, livestock and living purposes during the dry season. In the past, this resulted in loss of crops and livestock. Villages, where these water harvesting facilities are expected to be established include, Woweta, Rupertee, Annai, Massara, Toka, Parashara and Nappi The NDIA CEO said

that the project is expected to commence in the latter part of January. “We are just waiting to send in our equipment and in terms of the larger programme, there is the one at Perara. We are right now preparing to go through the design we have, working in collaboration with the IDB (InterAmerican Development Bank),” he said. The Ministry of Agriculture is also expected to establish an agriculture station. This station will overlook vast acres of crops and livestock in the region, while helping to promote the area as an example of sustainable hinterland agriculture and development.

guyanatimesgy.com

friday, january 13, 2017

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wenty-six-year-old Miss Universe Guyana, Soyini Fraser joined her 86 other sisters in pageantry in the Philippines for the 65th Miss Universe Pageant, with the grand coronation billed for January 29. The Guyanese beauty left New York City earlier in the week and arrived in the Philippines to a grand welcome and reception in her honour. Since her arrival in that country, the support has been overwhelming. She was the guest of honour at a reception hosted by Mr and Mrs D’Oliveira, the Honorary Consul of Guyana in the Philippines where she interacted with the Guyanese Diaspora there. She was also a special guest at Our Lady of Mercy School in Quezon City. Fraser was also a part of the food tasting event for the Governor’s Ball slated for January 16. However, the preliminary competitions for the Miss Universe Pageant will commence this weekend and will include national costume, evening gown, swimsuit, intelligence and talent. Guyana’s national costume this year is entitled ‘The Coconut Queen’ and was inspired by a painting at the Guyana Coconut festival 2016 done by Courtney Douglas. As the appointed Ambassador for the Coconut Movement by the Guyana Tourism Authority, Miss Universe Guyana will be proudly displaying this piece in The Philippines. The head piece which was done in the form of branches, signifies growth and development, while Fraser facilitates the function of the roots, which firmly hold the plant in the soil. This concept was very fitting for our queen since she believes “she boldly embodies the role which is a reflection of strength of our Guyanese people.”

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fter three warnings both verbally and written, Miss Guyana India, Brittany Singh, was stripped of her title by the Miss India Organisation in November 2016. Singh was selected to represent Guyana following an audition at the Princess Hotel on September 4, 2016. She travelled to the New Jersey, USA, in October where she represented Guyana with pride and dignity and would have copped the award for Miss Photogenic and placed in the top 10. Immediately after the pageant, franchise holder, Umadevi Bux praised Singh for keeping the Golden Arrowhead flying and now with this announcement of the dethroning, it has left many wondering what went wrong. Bux did not send out an official release to the media, but instead posted one on the Organisation’s Facebook page, citing misconduct demeanours as the main cause for stripping the

queen of her title. Upon the posting to the release, Singh was contacted and refused to comment on the issue and related that a release will be sent via her Attorney. However, after some digging, the conflict allegedly started something back and surrounds collecting finances from sponsors without informing the committee, screaming and shouting at committee members and sponsors in New York and Guyana but more importantly, allegedly having an inappropriate relationship. The dethroned queen would have also inserted a tattoo on her back although the committee warned against it. When contacted for an official comment, Bux stated that she wished not to list the numerous reasons for the committee stripping Singh but redirected Guyana Times Entertainment to the release. The release stated that “The Miss India Guyana

Organisation will like the public to be informed Ms Brittany Singh is no longer Miss India Guyana 2016 and is in no way associated with the Organisation and its affiliates. She is not authorised to use, display and/or identify herself under the Miss India brand (Miss India Guyana 2016, Miss India Worldwide top 10, Miss Worldwide Photogenic)”. The release stated that she was dethroned on November 16, 2016, for breach of contract. The release added that on October 6, 2016, Singh was warned in New Jersey followed by another warning on October 14, 2016, in Guyana and the final warning was done on November 16, 2016, the day she was stripped. This was done after consulting with the legal minds. “It is the exclusive judgment of Miss India Guyana Organisation, that in recent months Singh has not conducted herself in accordance with the standards and dignity expected by the prestigious title and standards as agreed to by her under the Contract”, the release added.

Miss Guyana India, Brittany Singh

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friday, january 13, 2017

his year marks the second annual ‘Women in Business Expo’, organised by the Sonia Noel Foundation for Creative Arts (SNFCA), in collaboration with the Women’s Association For Sustainable Development (WASD) and will be held on March 25 and 26, at the Pegasus Hotel. International Women’s Day is celebrated in March and the spotlight will be on women all over the world; as such, a number of activities are planned with the Expo being the climax. The mission of SNFCA is to create access for talented individuals, not only in Guyana, its home base, but through the wider Caribbean. It is hoped that through this medium, an avenue for the development of the creative industries, so relevant to current socioeconomic life changes, will be fostered. The Foundation hopes to encourage and nurture raw talent – performing arts (dance/drama/music), visual arts, fashion arts, culinary arts and other creative energies. However, the Women’s Association for Sustainable Development is a social group set up to empower women. Some of the objectives of WASD are providing a forum for business and professional women to relax, renew and rejuvenate while providing support and mentorship to youth. Wo m e n in Business 2 0 1 6 afforded more than 4 0

female entrepreneurs, 36 of whom are Guyanese, an opportunity to showcase their craft and services. These women are farmers, environmentalists, up-cyclers and recycling crafters, event planners, artists, immigration consultants, barristers, fashion designers, wood crafters, body and hair care consultants etc. Two workshops were hosted by Scotia Bank and Eric Phillips ahead of the exhibition aimed at assisting to equip entrepreneurs with the requisite tools to develop and market their individual brands. “The Expo was one of the highlights for 2016. So many businesses and personal relations were forged because of this event. This year, the programme has expanded and we are looking forward to partnering with businesses, other NGOs and Ministries to execute these empowering events,” ? SNFCA Chairwoman, Sonia Noel related. This year, the SNFCA and WASD are planning to continue the work started and to implement additional

projects to benefit woman in the prison system. This year’s event will feature motivational speakers, workshops, a brunch and fashion shows. Exhibitions and networking opportunities are vital for the development of women in business and on a personal level thus benefiting their homes and communities in which they live and operate. Those who wish to be a part of the Expo are asked to get registration by visiting ‘Women’s Association For Sustainable Development’ on Facebook or sending an email to snffca@gmail.com

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ormer Guyanese Chutney King, Prince JP who now resides in the United States, recently released his latest single titled “Wine that Sexy Body”. The song which was written by the Guyanese artiste is a groovy soca hit that will definitely have an impact on Mashramani celebrations 2017. The expectant first-time father still manages to find the time to write and record his music – something that remains in his blood. The music for the this new release was arranged by Shastri Music out of Orlando, Florida but the vocals were recorded at Prince JP’s Home Studio in New York. “Wine that Sexy Body” is basically a party song for “the ladies’ who love to ‘get on bad’. The artiste would have gotten the concept after visiting several clubs in the New York area and recognised that women are in love with soca music and can hardly control their bodies as it booms through the speakers. Planning to return to the land of his birth sometime soon, Prince JP can be followed on his website www.princejpmusic.com for all the latest in videos, photos and music. The website was designed by Colour Set Designs operated by Chris Hakim and Ricky Seepersaud. Meanwhile, Prince JP will continue to record music and eagerly announced that come August, he will be releasing his first R&B album as well a mixed one. He will also be working on a few chutney songs for his fans.

s Guyana prepares to celebrate Mashramani 2017 under the theme “Celebration with Dignity, Liberty and Greater Unity”, several activities are planned which will see the event being celebrated in grandeur. Following a one year hiatus, Mash 2017 will see several competitions being rolled out to attract every Guyanese. From chutney to calypso and the sweet rhythm of steel pan music will definitely set the tone for a great mash celebration. In order to make Republic Day celebrations one to remember, musicians, dancers, masqueraders and others are already in competition mode to cop the various titles that are out there to be grabbed. In doing so, not only will they entertain the Guyanese populace by rather the thousands of tourists who are expected to travel to Guyana to witness the main event – the costume and float parade. Defending his calypso monarch title will be “The Professor”. Since November last, auditions were held and the finalists were selected. With one step closer to the title, the calypsonians began rehearsals on De Professor January 9. The heat will become intense as the

semi-final for the adults is slated for Saturday, February 11 at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, Linden. There the best of the best will engage in musical delivery but only the best will survive since the list of contenders will be cut dramatically as a prelude to the main clash for the adult Calypso Monarchy. The latter is slated for staging at the Demerara Park, Greater Georgetown, on February 17. In addition, the reigning Chutney Monarch, Bunty Singh will also defend his title. The chutney auditions are scheduled to be held today and January 14 at the Shakti Strings Band Room after which it will be full steam ahead with rehearsals on January 16 as a prelude to the final, carded for February 10 at the Canje Ground, Berbice. However, New Amsterdam is promised a spectacular serving of steel pan music through a steel band concert organised by Music Development Unit, which is also slated for January 14. Bartica, Region Seven; Region 10; and Parika, East Bank Essequibo steel pan lovers need not be afraid of exclusion as they will have an opportunity to indulge and soak up the steel pan vibes as these locations are all on the schedule for live steel pan concerts on January 21, 29 and February 5 respectively. Finally, on Thursday, February 16, the Steel Band Minor Category Competition drums off at the Theatre Guild while the big bands will do battle o n Sunday February 19 at the same location. These are just a fe w teasers of what Guyanese can expect as Guyana celebrates 46 years as a Republic. Bunty Singh

friDAY, december 13, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

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– DCC’s rising star

wenty-year-old Kemol Nial Jared Savory, also called “Savas”, is presently representing the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) in the UWI T20 Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago. This talented Guyanese cricketer has been a part of the DCC for the past nine years and it has definitely been a successful journey. Born at the Woodlands Hospital to Joseph Savory and Wendy Callender, he was blessed to have grown up with two amazing siblings, Carlos and Romona Savory. His early childhood was spent in Essequibo, after which he moved to Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara and later to Tuschen Housing Scheme, on the East Bank of Essequibo. He had an amazing and ‘spoilt’ childhood because he was the youngest. He attributed his humble upbringing to his parents, adding that they were always supportive, especially when it came to the game of cricket. He is the third child for his patents – his father, a Chief Engineer who was often at work at sea. His days are basically spent with his siblings and mother. His nursery school life was spent in Essequibo but after moving to Vreed-enHoop, he began his primary school education there. Reminiscing on his childhood, Savory recalled waiting on the school bell to ring – signalling the end of session – so he could play with his friends. When the family moved to Tuschen, he joined his first cricket club, the Parika/Salem Cricket Club where he received formal training under a coach. After completing his National Grade Six Assessment, he was awarded a place at Stewartville Secondary School. He recalled those were some of the best days – he and his best friend at the time, Ravin, would escape during the recess period to hang out or play cricket with other friends. After recognising his interest in the sport, his mother got him enrolled at DCC. Being a part of the Club, he participated in the Guyana U-15, U-17 and U-19 competitions; the local franchise league Club tournament and currently, he his is in Trinidad for the UWI T20 Tournament which he described as a major achievement. He feels elated and humbled to have been called upon to represent his club in the tournament – an experience that he will defiantly use to his advantage. Savory nevertheless

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s the Education Ministry, through the Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, prepares for what is expected to be a Costume and Float Parade with a difference, the parade route will be the same when the Jubilee Float Parade was held. The floats will assemble at Stabroek Market Square and proceed down Brickdam and

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for Umana Yana on Sunday says t h a t being able to play for Guyana in the U-15 and U-17 levels was a great accomplishment. It got even better when he was selected to be a part of the Cricket Guyana Inc Academy (CGI). In the next 10 years, this young and talented cricketer is optimistic in representing Guyana at the senior level; local and international leagues such as the Caribbean Premier League and more importantly, playing for the West Indies Cricket Board. His advice to young people is to take a lot of training and be dedicated to the game but above all, respect your seniors and always maintain self-discipline. “Love what you do,” he stated. Meanwhile, he had high praises for the Board of the CGI Academy and to the coaches who work very hard with the cricketers to realise their full potential. Apart from playing cricket, he would be a part of the masquerade celebration during the Christmas festivities. His favourite colour is white while his favourite dishes are definitely his mother’s steamed fish with steamed greens and her soup. He also loves KFC, Royal Castle chicken and Chinese fried rice and lowmein.

culminate at D’Urban Park. This year, several businesses are expected to participate while some are still to confirm their participation. However, this year, apart from the chutney, calypso and steel pan competitions, there will be several others that will undoubtedly add some excitement to Mash celebrations. The children’s competitions will get

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uyanese will be treated to the serenading sounds of drums as the Majek Fingers Drumming School will on Sunday host its signature event, “Feel the Rhythm of the Drums” at the Unama Yana. The event was initially supposed to be held at the Botanical Gardens but due to the weather patterns, it is now being held at the Umana Yana. The event is the annual feature of the Majek Fingers Drumming School and portrays a fusion of culture and music. This include steel pans, drums, a touch of dance and others that will leave those in attending swaying to the sweet sounds of the drums. Another aspect that one can look forward to is the masqueraders in their full glory. The event is promoted to bring the nation together as one people, despite cultural backgrounds and identities. According to Orlando Primo, the group will start off 2017 with a bang and for the first time, masquerade and steel pan are added to the event to add more flare to the activity. However, this time around several other groups will be participating in the event. These include, Music Unlimited, Hebrew Family, Phenomenal school of Dance, X Factor and many others. Admission to the event is absolutely free and the public is encouraged to come out and be a part of bridging our cultural differences.

underway in the coming weeks and will see schools from across the country competing in several competitions, including dramatic poetry, dance, poems, costumes, calypso and others. These competitions will culminate with the annual children costume and float parade. In addition, there will be a “Concert

for the Elderly” and other events to attract senior citizens. The highlight of the Republic celebrations this year will be the crowning of Miss Mash 2017. Interested girls are getting registered to be a part of the glitz and glamour. The crowned queen will be featured on the Costume and Float Parade on February 23.

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friDAY, january 13, 2017

scores magnificent Test

century in ― Duminy hits 6th ton, South Africa reach 338/3

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ew players in the modern age can bend Test cricket to their will in the manner of Hashim Amla. Coming into his 100th Test, Amla had gone ten innings without reaching fifty - one of the longest droughts of a career that began more than a decade to go. He walked off as the eighth man to have marked his century with a century, having joined JP Duminy in reaching three figures to put South Africa in a dominant position at the Wanderers. This was Amla’s day - it began with presentations of a commemorative shirt, plaque and gold medal and ended w i t h him leaving the field to an ovation - but Duminy deserved more than a passing mention for his sixth Test century. Between them they put on a stand of 292, South Africa’s highest for JP Duminy celebrates his 6th any wickTest century

SCOREBOARD Stumps - Day 1 South Africa 1st innings SC Cook lbw b Mathews 10 D Elgarc Karunaratne b Kumara 27 125 HM Amla not out JP Duminy c Mendis b Kumara 155 0 D Olivier not out Extras (b-9, lb-8, w-3, nb-1) 21 Total (3 wickets; 90 overs) 338 To batF du Plessis*, T Bavuma, Q de Kock†, WD Parnell, VD Philander, K Rabada Fall of wickets 1-45 (Cook,

15.3 ov), 2-45 (Elgar, 16.2 ov), 3-337 (Duminy, 88.4 ov) Bowling RAS Lakmal 20-3-700, N Pradeep 18-4-58-0 (w-2), 12-4-25-1 AD Mathews (nb-1), CBRLS Kumara 18-1-79-2 (w-1), HMRKB Herath 14-0-67-0, DM de Silva 8-1-22-0 Sri Lanka team FDM Karunaratne, JK Silva, BKG Mendis, DM de Silva, AD Mathews*, LD Chandimal†, WU Tharanga, HMRKB Herath, RAS Lakmal, CBRLS Kumara, N Pradeep

et against Sri Lanka and fully justifying the decision by Faf to put the tourfield in purseries white-

du Plessis ists into the suit of a 3-0 wash. As keen Amla students will know, it does not pay to drop him; Sri Lanka duly did, a gift gratefully accepted. He strugg l e d through the initial stages of his innings, hit on t h e thumb third ball and then sending a thick, low edge toward gully in the final over before lunch. He was on 5 at the time but Dhananjaya de Silva could not hold on to the chance. It was to cast a shadow over the rest of Sri Lanka’s day. Angelo Mathews surely smiled to himself at the toss when du Plessis chose not to insert, despite S o u t h Africa’s decision to field a four-man pace attack including the debutant Duanne Olivier. But Sri Lanka’s pain on Hashim Amla brought up his 100 this tour has been with a lofted shot over mid-off manifold and being put to sleep by Amla was not necessarily the kinder fate. Sri Lanka did have some early success, with Mathews himself taking his first wicket in six Tests as South Africa stuttered to 45 for 2 in the 17th over, but Duminy went swiftly on the counterattack either side of lunch. Mathews ended up taking the second new ball and finished as the most economical bowler but there was little else to cheer Sri Lanka’s captain after the early exchanges. (ESPNcricinfo)

Sammy signs with Hung Hom Jaguars

Former West Indies Captain Darren Sammy

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ormer West Indies captain Darren Sammy will head back to Asia for the Hong Kong T20 Blitz after signing a contract with the Hung Hom JD Jaguars. The 33-year old will join two other high profile Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara for the second edition of the tournament, which will run from March 8-12. Jaguars team coach Afzaal Haider said the team was happy to acquire the services of the two-time World Cup winning West Indies T20 captain. “Darren Sammy is a stalwart of the game. His celebrations with the pacifier and champion dances have won him countless fans across the globe,” said Jaguars team coach Afzaal Haider. “More than that, he is a very astute cricketer, who can contribute with the bat, ball and strategies,” he said. Sammy recently took part in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) where he captained Peshawar Zalmi. Pakistan’s Afridi will represent the Kowloon Cantons, while the Galaxy Gladiators Lantau announced the signing of Sri Lanka’s Sangakara.  Two other teams taking part in the tournament Hong Kong Island United and City Kaitak, are both expected to announce their signings over the next few days. (Sportsmax)

India A wallop England in warm up match

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ngland were heavily beaten by India A in their second and final warm-up match before the one-day international series begins on Sunday. Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina came into the second practice match needing a decent hit in the middle ahead of the limited-overs series against England. By the end of the match, they had the satisfaction of playing substantial knocks that helped India A saunter to a six-wicket victory over England XI with 10.2 overs to spare. While captain Rahane’s 83-ball 91 set the base for India A’s chase, Raina dashed to 45 off 34 before being dismissed with the game nearly in the bag. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant, who has earned his maiden national call-up for the T20Is against England, has had no shortage of hitting time: he followed up his unbeaten 32ball 84 in a club game two days ago with a nerveless 59 off 36 balls to rattle England XI, who underachieved with the bat. England squandered a strong start to collapse from 115 for 1 to 211 for 9 before a 71-run alliance between Adil Rashid and David Willey ensured they came close to playing out 50 overs. It wasn’t always reckless batting, however, as India A’s spinners Parvez Rasool and Shahbaz Nadeem and seamer Ashok

Dinda bowled stifling spells to claim seven wickets between them on a pitch Jonny Bairstow described as twopaced with some lateral movement. That Rahane was playing his first competitive game in two months - he missed the last two Tests against England with a finger injury - wasn’t apparent given the free-stroking rhythm he was in. He played out a maiden and wasn’t off the mark until the 10th delivery, but once he produced his patented straight drive to Willey in the fourth over, the floodgates opened. A serious of drives, pulls and cuts - one square cut off Jake Ball went screeching over point for a six - followed, and his opening partner Sheldon Jackson did not hold back either. England XI’s morning began well as they won their second consecutive toss, and they decided to test their ability to defend a total. Like in the first game, Alex Hales and Jason Roy provided a zippy burst at the top. After Roy was hit wicket in the fifth over - an unusual dismissal in that the stemguard on Roy’s helmet detached and dislodged a bail - Hales and Jonny Bairstow, who replaced Sam Billings in the XI, settled in with crisp drives, and forceful pulls and cuts. With the seamers bleeding runs, Rahane turned to left-arm spinner Nadeem, the highest wicket-taker in

the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy. Nadeem wasn’t easy to take runs off - he bowled at the stumps, varied his pace well and threatened both the edges. The wicket-taking opportunity, though, came at the other end when Hales, on 46, drove one powerfully at the direction of Vinay Kumar, who couldn’t latch on to a tough return catch. Nadeem, however, covered up for the lapse with wickets in successive overs. First, he removed

Hales in the 17th over after the batsman clipped the ball to Rahane at short mid-wicket, and then sent back captain Eoin Morgan for a first-ball duck. It was a soft dismissal: Nadeem bowled a slow, loopy delivery and Morgan lobbed a feeble shot back to the bowler. At the other end, offspinner Rasool was introduced in the 20th over and he bowled 10 overs on the trot to pick up three wickets for 38 runs. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD England XI innings (50 overs maximum) JJ Roy hit wicket b Sangwan 25 AD Hales c Rahane b Nadeem 51 JM Bairstow c †Pant b Dinda 64 EJG Morgan* c & b Nadeem 0 BA Stokes c Ishan Kishan b Parvez Rasool 38 JC Buttler† c & b Parvez Rasool 0 MM Ali c †Pant b Dinda 1 CR Woakes b Parvez Rasool 16 AU Rashid c †Pant b Sangwan 39 LE Plunkett c †Pant b Kaul 8 DJ Willey not out 38 Extras (w-2) 2 Total (all out; 48.5 overs) 282 Did not bat JT Ball Fall of wickets 1-42 (Roy, 4.6 ov), 2-116 (Hales, 16.6 ov), 3-116 (Morgan, 18.1 ov), 4-163 (Bairstow, 26.6 ov), 5-164 (Buttler, 27.2 ov), 6-165 (Ali, 28.1 ov), 7-190 (Woakes, 33.6 ov), 8-198 (Stokes, 35.6 ov), 9-211 (Plunkett, 38.6 ov), 10-282 (Rashid, 48.5 ov) Bowling PJ Sangwan 6.5-0-

64-2, S Kaul 6-0-31-1, AB Dinda 8-1-55-2 (w-1), S Nadeem 10-0-41-2, R Vinay Kumar 7-1-47-0, Parvez Rasool 101-38-3, DJ Hooda 1-0-6-0 India A innings (target: 283 runs from 50 overs) AM Rahane* b Willey 91 SP Jackson c Bairstow b Ali 59 RR Pant† c Hales b Rashid 59 SK Raina c Hales b Ball 45 DJ Hooda not out 23 Ishan Kishannot out 5 Extras(w-1) 1 Total(4 wickets; 39.4 overs) 283 Did not bat S Nadeem, R Vinay Kumar, PJ Sangwan, AB Dinda, S Kaul, Parvez Rasool Fall of wickets 1-119 (Jackson, 18.5 ov), 2-197 (Pant, 27.3 ov), 3-233 (Rahane, 32.1 ov), 4-268 (Raina, 36.4 ov) Bowling CR Woakes 7-1-54-0, DJ Willey 5-0-32-1, JT Ball 6-046-1 (w-1), BA Stokes 4.4-0-300, AU Rashid 7-0-51-1, MM Ali 7-0-46-1, LE Plunkett 3-0-24-0

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Lost

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sports

in the A

s the Region prepares for its premier limited overs tournament, which will be played in Barbados and Antigua from January 24, Guyana Times Sport has decided to review some cricketers that were dominant at the youth level and were earmarked to progress to the senior division but have failed to do so. Such talents have either washed away totally from cricket or have migrated thus ending their bid for higher cricket calling. In this chapter of Lost in the Mix, we will look at Richard Ramdeen, Jeremiah Harris and Totaram Bishun. Richard Ramdeen is an opening batsman, who was known to be destructive at the youth levels. He hails from Berbice, where he played most of his cricket with the Young Warriors Cricket team. He was a part of a West Indies U-15 training camp in 2003 and went on to play for the West Indies U-19 at the 2006 World Cup. That World Cup side included the likes of Kieron Pollard and Andre Fletcher and was captained by his fellow countryman Leon Johnson. Ramdeen resides and plays in the United States of America. If not a product for Regional First Class or Test Cricket he was ideal for limited overs especially T20 cricket. He was a member of

Guyana T 2 0 team to the Champions League in 2010. However, he never lived up to expectation or was never given a chance to do so. Nevertheless, he managed to play one First class game, three List As and two T20s. Jeremiah Harris was once told by India captain Sourav Ganguly in 2002 that he is destined for Test cricket but injuries have undone him. During the Regional U-19 tournament in 2001 in

Jeremiah Harris

Guyana and 2002 in Jamaica he spearheaded Guyana’s pace bowling attack, but a back injury prematurely ended the latter tour. He was advised by local doctors not to bowled fast again thus he had to resort to off spin. As an off-spinner he collected abundance of wickets for his then

Stone. Totaram Bishun is a left arm chinaman bowler, who mesmerized junior batsmen for years at the regional level. Dubbed the Dave Mohammed of his era, the petite spinner outfoxed all batsmen he

bowled against and was part of several successful Guyana youth teams that relied heavily on his contribution with the ball. He currently plays for the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) as a key member of their first division team and is still destructive with the ball.

Richard Ramdeeen plays the drive

club, Malteenoes Sport Club (MSC) and became a valuable lower order batsman. He now bowls medium pace for his club team Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in Georgetown Cricket Association cricket. He also had a stint with English Club Watton-at-

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Totaram Bishun leads Guyana U-19 off the field after a career best 7-64 against Windward 2009

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West Indies proposal to tour Pakistan for T20Is

West Indies last played Pakistan in T20s in the United Arab Emirates and were beaten 3-0

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friDAY, january 13, 2017

est Indies’ proposed tour to Pakistan for two T20Is in mid-March is off the table, multiple sources have confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. The WICB rejected the PCB’s proposal for the tour after receiving advice on security from the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations. The WICB has also cancelled an expected security recce, which was planned for later this month. The two boards, however, continue to discuss the possibility of two T20 internationals in Florida on March 19 and 20. It is understood that earlier this week the West Indies Players Association wrote to FICA, seeking advice on the current security situation in Pakistan. FICA reportedly gave WIPA the latest security advisory from its security consultants, Eastern Star International, who provide security for various international boards including the ECB, Cricket Australia, New Zealand Cricket and the ICC. In the report, FICA warned that the risk level in Pakistan remains “at an extremely elevated state” and that “an acceptable level of participant security and safety cannot be expected or guaranteed”. Earlier this month, FICA’s report on player safety and security strongly discouraged players from traveling to Lahore for the Pakistan Super League final, scheduled for March 5. According to the proposal, Lahore was likely to host the two matches on March 18 and 19, followed by two matches in Florida, which are still being discussed and are likely to go ahead. On Wednesday, the WICB released the schedule of Pakistan’s seven-week tour of the Caribbean, beginning from March, which comprises two T20Is, three ODIs and three Tests across five venues. As per the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP), four Tests had been originally slated for this series, but one Test was dropped from the itinerary to accommodate the proposed tour of Pakistan and the T20Is in the USA. West Indies are the third team - after Ireland and Sri Lanka - to reject travelling to Pakistan in the last two years. In 2015, Zimbabwe became the first the first Testplaying nation to tour Pakistan since 2009, when an attack on the Sri Lankan team bus resulted in the suspension of international cricket from Pakistan. The ICC, however, had refused to send its match officials for the series. The PCB appointed its own match officials, and hoped the Zimbabwe series would serve as a stepping stone to reviving international cricket in the country. That ambition, however, suffered a setback when a suicide attack took place near the Gaddafi Stadium during the second ODI. Zimbabwe, though, played the third and final ODI two days later and completed the tour. The PCB remains firm in its plan to host the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore on March 5, and has drawn up contingency plans to replace those overseas players unwilling to travel to the country due to security reasons. The board has decided to hold a new draft in the last week of February to bring in foreign players who will be willing to travel to Pakistan in place of those who will opt out. (ESPNcricinfo)

Linden Futsal MVPs cash in W

ith the 3rd Annual New Era Entertainment Cell Smart Mohamed’s Enterprise Futsal Tournament done and dusted the outstanding players were lucratively rewarded on Wednesday. Last year’s MVP, Jermain “Brown Boy” Scotland who turned out for the tournament winners, Dave and Celena Hustlers was awarded for his stellar performances which included being in the top five goal scorers as well as leading his team from the front as captain. Meanwhile, Clarence “Shark” Huggins who played for Good Fellas and was the leading goal scorer for the 2016 season was also rewarded for his performance in the 2015 season where he lead Magic Stars to the title. However, due to technical issues between the MVP and the sponsor, the award was not presented in the year it was won but all issues have been cleared and Huggins received what he had earned. The Presentation was made at Linden Enterprise Network Building in the mining town and the recipients received their prizes of one pair of turf sneakers from sponsor Deron Adams. The 2016 edition of the tournament ran from November into the Christmas season, ending on Boxing night at the court tarmac to the belly up against S ta rs . M V P, a n d

Rugby returns to the National Park this Saturday

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he Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) will begin their domestic season on Saturday at the National Park rugby field with a sevens tournament. The tournament dubbed as ‘North versus South’ will be nothing short of excitement, as the national players along with the vibrant young ruggers will be combining for heated rivalry. Due to the intensive rainy season, the union was forced to halt all scheduled matches as the inclement weather adversely affected the conditions of the pitch, rendering it unsafe. Nevertheless, during the Christmas holiday, players were urged to keep fit in anticipation of both the domestic and international seasons’ resumption. The sevens season has been extended to January 21 with the Guinness sevens, followed by four other sevens one day tournaments which is expected to be concluded by February 12. Guyana will play the winner out of the pool of Curacao/Martinique & Barbados in April, in an away game before locking horns with arch nemesis Trinidad and Tobago in June at home. Players and officials from all clubs are asked to turn up on time for kick off at 16:00h at the National Park’s Rugby Field.

2016 MVP Jermain Brown Boy Scotland (right) receives his prize from Deron Adams

McKenzie Sports Club hard where Brown Boy lead his men of the beast as Hustlers came defending champions, Magic Even with four goals from the the match was too close to call the score stood at 8-8. Even after 10 minutes of extra time 2015 MVP Clarence Shark Huggins there was no clear winner as (right) receiving his prize from the game ended 11-11 before Deron Adams entering a penalty shootout of which Hustlers won 2-1 in the early hours of December 27. The organizers extended heartfelt thanks to the sponsors Mohamed’s Enterprise, Cell Smart, Bakewell, Ansa McAl under the Mackeson brand, Bumper to Bumper Services, Dave and Celena’s, Sankars Auto Works, Tony’s Auto Spares first and foremost for their continued dedication to the development of the sport as well as the players who produced some spectacular nights of entertainment and skills and the fans who turned out in their numbers to witness action that the region had been missing for some time.

Subhan

shows good form in Blairmont CC U-15 practice matches

― Nowrangilall among the wickets

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icketkeeper batsman Farook Subhan has so far made the best use of the Blairmont Cricket Club under-15 practice matches with some brilliant batting. Subhan scored a maiden century (131 not out) against Young Warriors and two half centuries 79 and 53 not out respectively against D’Edward Sports Club and Achievers Cricket Club. Another player in good form was Berbice U-15 player Marvan Prashad with scores of 85 and 57 against Young Warriors

and Achievers. Left-arm spinner Gourav Nowrangilall took 5 for 5 and 8/14 and was supported by Shahid Baksh who also had a five wicket haul. At the D’Edward Ground, the home side won the toss and inserted Blairmont who scored 206 all out with Subhan (77), Vishwar Adin (43) and Prashad (34) leading the scores; Akash Heeralall with 4/45 was leading bowler. D’Edward in reply were bundled out for 51 all out with Nowrangilall 5/8 and Baksh 2/10. Blairmont reached 69-2 declared in their second innings with Aryan Prashad 44 and Fizal Subhan 22. D’Edward in their second innings ended at 64/9 with Nowrangilall taking 5/12.

Marvan Persaud

In a next game at the Blairmont ground, the host batted first and made 2644 in 40 overs with Subhan stroking 131 not out, Marvan Prashad made 83 and Vishwar Adin 18. Bowling for Young Warriors Dennis Kirtbith

collected 2 wickets. They were then bundled out for 75. Nowrangilall 8/14 and Baksh 2 were the destroyers. In their final match played verses Achievers at the Blairmont ground. Blairmont were bowled out for 145 with Marvan Prashad 57 and Vishwar Adin 31. Bowling for Achievers K. Sewlall 3 and L. Williams 2 were the main wicket takers. Achievers were skittled out for 62.  Shahid Baksh 5-14 and Travis Jawahir 3 did the damage. The host in their second knock declared at 100-1 with Farook Subhan 53 not out and Marvan Prashad 22. Achievers were 363. Nowrangilall was once again among the wickets.

guyanatimesgy.com

friDAY, january 13, 2017

Petra/Limacol KnockAaron says GFF out football kick off now move ‘Vindictive’ set for January 22 ― predicts dissolution of clubs

― teams’ draw on this Saturday

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s the saga with four elite clubs and the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), intensifies, General Manager for Slingerz Football Club, Colin “BL” Aaron has sounded his voice on his club’s position after they were not given the green light to be a part of the Caribbean Club Championships. Aaron confirmed that he has indeed received a letter along with an attachment letter from Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) which stated that the clubs are no longer in good standFlashback! New Guyana Pharmaceutical Finance Manager Dwayne Lovell (left) does the ceremonial hand over of sponsorship to Co-Director of Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca in ing with the GFF, ultimately affecting their participathe presence Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Wayne Forde he second Petra Saturday in either West (Linden), Mendonca is tion in the championships. Organised Limacol Demerara or East Coast of pleased with the interest The clubs are Slingers FC, Round Robin Knock Demerara. shown by teams thus far and Alpha United FC, Pele FC out Football Tournament is Mendonca was quizzed said that he is happy to be and Georgetown Football slated to kick-off on January on his viewpoint of having part of an activity aimed at Club. 22 at the Georgetown the tournament in the fu- enhancing the sport. “Yes we did receive a Football Club (GFC), ture reach the standard of The top teams will com- letter via the Federation Bourda. The teams will possible parallel league to pete for a $500,000 first [GFF] with an attachment know their group plac- the Elite League as a way of place prize while second to from CONCACAF to the ing this Saturday, when being the avenue for relega- third will receive $250,000, Federation’s letter dated the organizing body host a tion and promotion of teams. $125,000 and $75,000 re- December 30 which says to drawing from 14:30h at the He stated, “There are spectively. CONCACAF that the four Spice Garden Restaurant, plans that the Guyana In addition, the top three clubs that withdrew from Campbellville. Football [GFF] have in teams in the groups will be According to Co-Director stream but that is for them rewarded $100,000, $50,000 the league has no standing with the GFF meaning we of the Petra Organisation to disclose, but it is our and $25,000. Troy Mendonca, the inclem- dream, that is just where we The teams participating are no members, we are just ent weather was the reason want this tournament to go are: Winners Connection, outsiders” Aaron stated. The Slingerz boss went for the shuffle in commence- and hopefully over the next Ann’s Grove FC, defendment dates and that after two or three years the stan- ing champions Milerock, on to say that “based on the drawing, the hope is to dard will raise and the GFF New Amsterdam United, this, CONCACAF will not have the fixtures for the first can consider this as such a Grove Hi Tech, Mahaicia allow any club which is not round on Monday. league.” Determinators, Western in good standing to particiThe three-weeks of With matches being set Tigers, Campton FC, Police pate in an official tournaround robin football will to play at GFC, Victoria FC, Northern Rangers, ment.” see matches being played Ground on the East Coast Santos FC, Riddim Squad, But Aaron is of the every Monday or Sunday of Demerara, Leonora Eagles United FC, Den opinion that this move in Georgetown, Friday Stadium (West Demerara) Amstell FC, Pourderyen FC by President of the GFF, or Sunday in Linden and and McKenzie Sports Club and Uitvulgt. Wayne Forde was one designated to destroy the clubs. “That is being vindictive again by Mr. Forde

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Warner calls on TTFA boss John Williams to step down F

Former FIFA vice president Jack Warner

ormer FIFA vice president Jack Warner has called on current Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) boss David John Williams to step down following the recent coaching debacle. Belgian coach Tom Saintfeit resigned earlier this week after less than a month in charge, with several having questioned the decision to appoint him in the first place. Saintfiet replaced longtime coach Stephen

General Manager of Slingerz FC, Colin “BL” Aaron

and his administration because based on the Guyana Football Federation constitution, Mr. Forde and his executives have no authority to revoke any membership of the Federation, which lies with the congress. To date the four clubs have not been suspended or anything, faced with no disciplinary issues.” Aaron pointed out. “BL” notes that this is not something new by Forde but is a deliberate act to have those who oppose his authority and management skills stifled. “Mr. Forde tried everything behind the scene to ensure you fall in line because clubs standing up against wrong doing by him and his administration to do everything possible to ensure these four teams don’t get a chance to participate” Aaron stated. The General Manager agreed that the clubs did withdraw from the League but it was based on the conditions that the clubs were forced to take such ac-

Hart last month, but saw his tenure in charge immediately beset by contention. The coach was involved in dispute with several high profile players and in the end excluded the likes of Daniel Cyrus, Jomal Williams, Joevin Jones and Kevin Molino from the national squad.

David John Williams

Saintfiet went on to

lose three of his first four games, which included being eliminated from the Gold Cup qualifiers following losses to Suriname and Haiti. Warner believes the axing of Hart and hiring of Saintfiet was evidence of poor judgment on the part of the TTFA boss. “The person who should

23

tions after continuously going through the right channels to seek justice but to no avail. “Now you’re saying we did not participate, we withdraw from the league. Yes we withdrew; the four clubs withdrew based on the conditions. We have an issue too with the breaking of the rules and an infraction against the Guyana Football Federation to extend the league. Meaning the elite league is only for members of the federation and there are eight members of the elite and to expand will require congress decision to amend the constitution to allow the membership to move from 22 to 24 and elite from eight to 10 and we will withdraw until we have a hearing on this matter. We try after everything possible based on the mechanism in the constitution including arbitration and has been pushed one side by Mr. Forde. We wrote many letters from September to now and the only response we get is directive,” the General Manager explained. Based on these decisions, Aaron, speaking on the position of Alpha FC and Slingerz FC predicted that the two clubs will have no choice but to be forced into dissolution. “Speaking for two clubs Alpha and Slingers, they have players who are employed and earning a monthly salary and those two clubs will definitely dissolve because both owners pushing their hands in their pockets and they are not being sponsored” the General Manager said.

be fired is David JohnWilliams,” Warner told T&T Newsday. “They should fire him now. The guy has poor judgement, he doesn’t understand football...He believes football is of course like Nescafe - quick fix. He doesn’t know that in football there is no quick fix. There is instant coffee, there is instant chocolate, there is not instant in football.” Warner is also of the opinion that the coach was fired, in order to spare the association some amount of embarrassment. “I feel like he and Williams came to some agreement whereby he would resign and save Williams the embarrassment. But the fact is he was fired yesterday and they are dressing it up as if it was a resignation,” he said. (Sportsmax)

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

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 22

Rugby returns to the National Park this Saturday With the Hong Kong Sevens in sight, players will be using the season to get into tip top shape

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Amla scores magnificent century in 100th Test ― Duminy hits 6th ton, South Africa reach 338/3

JP Duminy and Hashim Amla put on 292 for the third wicket, the best ever stand against Sri Lanka

Pg 23 Pg 23

Petra/Limacol Knock-out football kick off now set for January 22 ― teams’ draw on this Saturday

Part of the action at the Mc Kenzie Sports Club, Linden in the inaugural year of the tournament

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