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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3172

guyanatimesgy.com

Monday, April 3, 2017

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High Court drama

Williams could have been jailed – Ramkarran

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Vendors mull shutting up P13 shop …as foreign exchange shortage takes toll on markets

Page 3

Black Bush murder update

21-year-old woman opens up about living with a ‘selfconfessed’ killer

Page 10

President flouts order of High Page Court Judge 11 – Nandlall

...dubs it latest onslaught on rule of law, Judiciary and democracy

Middle Road house destroyed by fire – arson suspected Page 8

Firefighters and public-spirited persons failed in their desperate efforts to save the house from being destroyed (Carl Croker photos)

Alleged negligence at West Dem Hospital P9

Ramsammy calls for probe into death of premature baby

VAT on lumber, local air travel

Govt rhetoric vs reality P7 contradictory – Jagdeo

Dynamic P8 Airways cancels flight after aircraft leakage

Latest NACTA poll

‘Jagdeo will win next elections’ Page 11

…if he runs again for office

P17 Region 5 farmers remain resolute against REO’s orders

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monDAY, APRIL 3, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, April 3 – 09:30h-11:00h and Tuesday, April 4 – 11:00h-12:30h.

Monday, April 3 – 08:45h-10:15h and Tuesday, April 4 – 10:10h-11:40h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Sunny conditions interrupted by light rain showers in the late morning to early afternoon period can be expected. Clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 25 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-Easterly to Easterly, ranging between 4.47 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 09:13h and 22:04h reaching maximum heights of 2.38 metres and 2.21 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 15:25h reaching a minimum height of 0.85 metre.

SATURDAY, April 1, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS 03

06 10

15

21 27

09 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

DAILY MILLIONS 09 13 16 20 23 LUCKY 3 6 3 5 Afternoon Draw

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Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

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Williams could have been jailed – Ramkarran …rubbishes AG’s “transferred frustration” claims

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

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High Court drama

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

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ormer Speaker of the National Assembly, Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran has stated that Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams could have been fined or jailed for his recent outbursts before High Court Judge, Justice Franklin Holder.

Following an exchange between the Attorney General and the High Court Judge on March 23, Justice Holder stormed out of the courtroom without adjourning the matter before him.

The AG was quoted as having said, “I could say what I want to say and however I want to say it, I have always been like that” and “…The last Magistrate who did that to me was later found dead.”

However, according to Ramkarran, there are certain rules about how lawyers ought to behave in court. He cited the Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Act 2010, Rule VII (3), which states that “an Attorney-at-Law shall treat the court with courtesy and respect…”, and Rule VII (5), which states that “Attorneyat-Laws shall not engage in angry verbal exchanges in Court even if made sotto voce.” Additionally, the Senior Counsel referred to Section 34 (2), which outlines that “n Attorney-atLaw who breaches the code of conduct counts as an act of professional misconduct”.

To this end, Ramkarran said in this week’s “Conversation Tree” column that “the Judge could, there and then, have cited Mr Williams for contempt in the face of the Court…

(And) if Mr Williams pleads or is found guilty, he could have been fined or worse, imprisoned.” turn to page 9

Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran

Justice Franklin Holder

Attorney General Basil Williams

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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

The post-2000 Guyana Constitution

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s the Government is being reminded it should be held to its Manifesto promise to initiate changes to the Constitution to curb Executive excesses, it might be useful to review changes already incorporated by the constitutional reform process initiated in 1999 and implemented in 2000.

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government had initiated the process for constitutional change as early as 1995, when a Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) was formed and hearings were held across the country, as well as in a parliamentary Select Committee. The process was interrupted by the 1997 elections, which the PPP/C won according to all foreign and domestic observers.

The People’s National Congress (PNC), however, claimed the poll was flawed and launched massive street protests that segued into ethnically directed riots and violence.

The Caricom-brokered Herdmanston Accord of January 17, 1998, included an agreement to complete reform of the 1980 Constitution.

A new 20-person CRC, acceptable to all parliamentary parties, was assembled and included individuals drawn from the widest possible cross-section of society. For six months, the CRC conducted hearings and took submissions from every Guyanese individual or organisation that expressed a wish to do so. Their more than 4000 submissions were reviewed by a parliamentary Joint Select Committee, which then winnowed out and furthered 182 recommendations (drawn from 32 subject areas) to the Oversight Committee of the National Assembly. The final changes were approved unanimously in 2000, by all the parties in the National Assembly, including the PNC. The question must be raised as to why, after 182 alterations were made to the 1980 Constitution, there are now new demands for changes.

The most criticised feature of the 1980 Constitution had been the powers allocated to the President: he was a de facto dictator, who, for the first time in the history of the Commonwealth, had complete veto power over legislation.

He could be President for life and could hire and fire at will most public officials (Art 232) and determine the length of tenure of others whom he might not have even appointed.

In the new Constitution, the powers of the President were diminished considerably, while those of the Opposition Leader (who had been derided as ‘Minority Leader’ in the 1980 Constitution) and the Parliament increased.

The President was limited to two terms in office, but this has now been ruled as “unconstitutional”. His power to fire was restricted only to those individuals not appointed by the Service Commissions, but the incumbent has now challenged this rule. On those offices he created, if their salaries are charged to the Consolidated Fund, the appointments must be reviewed by the National Assembly, but this requirement has lapsed.

In critical constitutional appointments such as the Commissioner of Police, the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice, the Opposition Leader’s agreement is necessary for confirmation. It is for this reason that some constitutional offices have been occupied by individuals in an “acting” capacity, when there is no agreement. But experience has shown all of these changes are still tested by Executive overreach, when the consultation has reverted to being perfunctory.

The Elections Commission had been the vehicle for rigging elections in the past, but the President had to now appoint its Chairman from a list submitted by the Opposition Leader. But this is now being challenged by the President, who has insisted on arbitrarily defining the constitutional stipulations. Under the 1980 Constitution, the President merely had to call the Minority Leader and that was considered as a “consultation” to satisfy that requirement. But even though the term “meaningful consultation” has been constitutionally defined to ensure that the President obtains the opinion of the Opposition Leader, in reality the consultation has remained pro forma.

It is clear the powers of the presidency have to be further curbed as a threshold issue: even the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Manifesto demanded this. There is no need to initiate wider changes at this time, since many of the other claimed “shortcomings” of the Constitution are actually the result of Executive overreach.

First Lady Sandra Granger, General Manager of Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Denise Hobbs and the Bank’s Managing Director, Richard Sammy during the “Light it up Blue” Autism Awareness Walk in commemoration of Autism Awareness Day held on Sunday.

Among the other officials who participated in the walk was United Nations Resident Representative to Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka

Neo-liberalising UG Dear Editor, The plan to raise tuition fees at the University of Guyana by a whopping 35% is a part of the shameful project to neo-liberalise the university. This is not something peculiar to Guyana; it is affecting universities in every country that is pursuing the neo-liberal capitalist agenda. The plan is to reshape the university from academy to corporate entity, where the profit motive reigns supreme and where any discipline that is not considered ‘marketable’ is marginalised with the aim of eventually removing it all together.

Describing the neo-liberal university, Michael Rustin, a fierce critic of this commercialisation of higher education, said that “the university has to adopt the mind-set of a commercial provider or retailer…”

Our current ViceChancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, is an advocate of this mindset, and I daresay was appointed to drive this agenda. This policy will have the same devastating effects at

UG that it has had in so many other universities worldwide; that is, the restriction of access to higher education to a wealthy minority, coupled with a severe limiting of the entire scope and notion of education on offer. When this happens, it is our young people who suffer. Many will not be able to afford to attend university, and those who manage to attend would lack the ability to think critically because critical thinking can only be developed when education is holistic, integrative, comprehensive, and culturally relevant. To develop critical thinking, universities must provide knowledge not only in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, referred to as the STEM subjects, but also in such disciplines as philosophy, theology, history, political science, etc.

However, the neo-liberal order has no desire to promote critical thinking. Rather, under its auspices, education has been reduced to mere certification to enter the marketplace.

Who would have believed that self-proclaimed progressive politicians such as Minister of Education Rupert Roopnaraine and his adviser Vincent Alexander would allow for such a reactionary education agenda to be rolled out under their watch?

Education is not a commodity to be determined by market forces. Do not be fooled by those who tell us that free education in Guyana is not viable and sustainable. Forbes Burnham was once asked by one of his cabinet ministers, “Can we afford free education?” His answer was, “Can we afford not to afford it?” Burnham was correct. Studies on the relationship between education and economic growth and development confirm what we already know from common sense: that there is a strong correlation between access to education, the ability of the educated populace to critically think and problem-solve, and economic growth and prosperity.

With Guyana’s resources and the size of our popu-

lation, free education is most definitely viable, and is a necessity if we are to build a real democracy. However, free education can only be realised when we have a government that has the courage and vision to move beyond the existing neo-liberal capitalist arrangement.

Across the globe, university lecturers and students are resisting the neo-liberalisation of their universities, and we in Guyana must do the same. Organisation for the Victory of the People (OVP), along with UG lecturers, UGSS, UG students and all Guyanese youths who are hoping to pursue tertiary education, opposes the raising of tuition fees and other draconian measures being pursued.

It is time to not only make education at the University of Guyana free, but also to use the wealth of this country to make UG a leading academic institution, respected regionally and globally. Believe me when I say it can be done.

Sincerely, Gerald A Perreira

Peeved at M&CC’s refusal to heed advice

Dear Editor, The blatant disregard by the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown of the advice given to it by Government in the form of the concerns expressed by the ministries of Finance and Public Infrastructure and the Attorney General’s Office; the flouting of a decision made by Cabinet, and the contempt shown to the Minister of Communities in the suspension of the parking meter contract are astounding and unacceptable to say the least.

But more worrying are the circumstances that seem to suggest that Georgetown has become a City-State like

Rome, Athens and Carthage were in the ancient world, with its own government and sovereignty.

With the absence of a Local Government Commission, which in itself is a calamity and which goes against the pretension of local autonomy, the function and responsibility of disciplining the Town Clerk lies with the Minister of Communities. The reason why the minister is not seeking to ‘rein in this unruly horse’ is beyond the imagination of any citizen.

How much longer must the vendors be ‘chased from pillar to post’ around town at the fancies of this gentleman, who has total disdain

for their representative, the Guyana Market Vendors Union? And what of the Kitty Market vendors? When will they get their home back in comfortable circumstances and not as a sweatshop?

How much longer must the citizens of Georgetown be subjected to having to pay increased property rates when the Council’s budget, for the second year in a row, has not been published for public scrutiny, nor have their accounts been audited or qualified in more than a decade?

How much longer will municipal workers be forced to operate in dilapidated buildings and receive their paltry salaries and wages late, ex-

cept for the bigwigs with the super-salaries, whilst a few contractors cart off hundreds of millions of dollars each month in suspected violation of tender and procurement procedures?

When will the Deputy Mayor’s pleadings be heeded and this Town Clerk be stopped in his ‘march of folly’?

Is it going to be when the municipality is totally destroyed and its finances decimated? Or when the city is abandoned by the business sector and all the citizens left on their knees?

Best regards, Jermain Johnson

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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

The fallacy of replacing septic tanks Jordan does not have what it takes with water treatment plants Dear Editor, An article which appeared in the news media recently reported on the deliberations of the Wastewater Conference held at the head office of the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). At that meeting, junior Minister of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams, stated that future housing schemes in Guyana would have centrally installed water treatment plants, instead of septic tanks for individual premises. The objective for this proposed upgrade, as claimed, is to address the growing threat of water pollution.

Dr. Van West Charles, GWI’s Managing Director, in his presentation to the Conference, was non-committal with respect to the introduction of central treatment of wastewater from homes, as opposed to septic tanks, as is presently the widespread practice in Guyana. He correctly noted that many of the

installed septic tanks are not performing as intended because of poor design and construction, and stated that his staff was preparing designs for efficiently-operated septic tanks; and where possible, their replacement with the best water treatment plant option available will be examined.

Unfortunately, he failed to recognise that soak-away pits are necessary accessories for the efficient operation of septic tanks, and that there is urgent need for countrywide regulatory oversight of septic tanks’ system design and construction.

Water/sewage treatment plants are expensive to construct, operate and maintain, and Guyana does not have the resources to introduce this system for waste disposal from its populated areas anytime soon. Because of the lack of finance, Georgetown does not have a central treatment plant, and its waste-

water is pumped directly into the Atlantic Ocean.

Therefore, well-designed septic tanks with soak away pits will have to be the modus operandi to treat wastewater/sewage from human activities in Guyana for the foreseeable future. Where applicable, industries generating toxic wastes should install in-house treatment facilities in accordance with WHO Standards.

It is worth noting that many homes in the United States and elsewhere still rely on septic tank systems for their wastewater treatment. Contrary to the claim made by GWI Sanitation Manager Joseph, wastewater sludge generated by any proposed Guyanese treatment facility will be uneconomic for conversion into fertiliser for the agricultural sector and/or to harness its chemical energy to generate electricity for the National Grid. New York City pays to dump its waste-

water sludge onto landfills and in the Atlantic Ocean, as there are no markets available for it as a fertiliser for agricultural crops, or to harness its chemical energy to generate electricity.

Ms Hasting-Williams and Dr Van West Charles no doubt have ambitious ideas to deal with the treatment of wastewater before it becomes a major health issue.

However, they have failed to comprehend that contaminated drinking water poses a far greater danger to the health of all Guyanese.

Therefore, they should direct their energies and limited Government resources at their disposal to provide safe and reliable drinking (potable) water for all the people.

This is not the case presently, as much of the water produced is distributed untreated and unfiltered.

Yours truly, Charles Sohan

Geographical indicators and trademarking Dear Editor, I would like to congratulate DDL for having their rum certified as The Geographical Indicator “Demerara Rum”.

This means no one else can use the prefix “Demerara” on their Rum. Back in 2003, before the EU slashed its prices on our bulk sugar and as GuySuCo was embarking on its “Demerara Gold” marketing of packaged sugar, I raised the issue of our position on GIs in Parliament. I was advised it was being handled by the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM) headed by Mr Carl Greenidge. They had issued a paper on WTO regulated GIs in 2002, but there was no follow-up activity.

For instance, since the WTO agreements specified that GIs must be used in conformity with the law of the country of origin (re-application of the law of the country of origin) they had not advised the Guyana Government to enact the necessary legislation. I pointed out that since the WTO negotiations were ongoing within the Doha timetable, Guyana still had ample time to get its act together, so that we may have another arrow in our bow to save the highcost Demerara Plantations’ sugar.

I noted that for some decades, Europe led the way in carving out the right to use

a particular name for a product that came from a specific region - and became associated with the name of that region - such as “Bordeaux Wine”. By 1995, it was able to have it incorporated into the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) as “Geographical Indications (GIs)” protection. The latter were defined

by Article 22(1) as “indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a Member, or a region or locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or other characteristic of the good is essentially attributed to its geographic origin.” Initially utilised only for wines, it was extended to include other foodstuffs: “Florida” for oranges, “Idaho” for potatoes, “Washington State” for apples, etc. So I asked why not “Demerara Sugar” for brown sugar from Demerara, Guyana?

Booker Tate (hired in 1990 when the GI issue rose to the fore) was earning huge incentive bonuses based on overall production of our raw sugar. It pushed the 1998 Strategic Plan which stressed increased overall total production, and only mentioned en passant possible packaging of our sugar as “Demerara Gold” - but only for Caricom and local markets. None of the proposed certifications mentioned GI’s

protection.

I was told the Government was advised by its lawyers to protect the value of the “Demerara” name through the trademark route. However, a trademark “is a word, symbol, or phrase used to identify a particular manufacturer or seller’s products and distinguish them from the products of another; for example, ‘Coca Cola’ and ‘Pepsi’.” I said that while there is nothing wrong with pursuing this option, it does not have to be at the expense of ignoring the GI’s window of opportunity. Creating a brand name takes time, and while

we can boast about ours being the “real thing”, it will be very expensive and time consuming to move the fake Demerara Sugar off the lucrative supermarket shelves in the developed countries.

In the meantime, I said we cannot sue anyone unless they call their product “Demerara Gold” – especially if some of our products originate from outside the Demerara plantations. I had not realised Bedessie from Berbice had already done so.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Ravi Dev

to protect economy Dear Editor, The country’s wounds will heal, I believe, only when Guyana acknowledges the truth of what happened from October 9, 1953 (the date when the Constitution was suspended) to present.

As a nation, we have not worked hard enough for true healing and reconciliation to be achieved. Every successive Government since then has applied a cosmetic balm to this festering wound. But under the surface, the situation is boiling and it is feeding into the operations of the economy. Thus it is utterly foolish that Government officials continue to make ornamental calls for Social Cohesion roundtables when the right policies are not being put in place to achieve social harmony.

Truth telling and reconciliation must be part of an overall response to the injustices of the past and present, but these must be designed with a mandate to shape a more engaging future with minimal recrimination and no with-hunting.

No nation can progress when a government appoints 15 out of 16 CEOs of the Government Ministries (Permanent Secretary) from one ethnic group, totally ignoring all other parts of the society. This happened under this Granger administration in March 2017. Such a policy action will make the Government less effective, because large swaths of people will start to reject their legitimacy in their minds. As one writer once said, “Whatever the mind conceives, it achieves”.

Therefore, these mistakes will have long-term ramifi-

cations as more people start to reject the policies of this Government, and this will undermine economic and social growth.

Those who have eyes will see that the economic troubles have recommenced. We are on a clear path to 1982, when the country was first deemed bankrupt and uncreditworthy.

Ordinary people have to settle their minds around these realities -- banning of products and exchange control. Falling real wages is now in progress. People’s real disposable income is buying less in the market as the sun rises every new day, because the currency continues to slide and Team Jordan continues to tax the living daylights out of them. An outcome from this situation will be increased poverty for the first time since 1990. This will then lead to a further collapse in the social infrastructure in the society, and then a reduction in real national consumption -- a key ingredient for economic growth. So, clearly, the economic management of the nation is in a mess.

So, Editor, this letter is calling for two things: (1) the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and, (2) for new leadership in the Ministry of Finance with the appointment of Vice President Carl Greenidge as the Minister of Finance. It is clear as day that Minister Winston Jordan does not have what it take to protect this economy.

Regards, Sase Singh MSc - Finance, ACCA

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Foundation

How does multitasking change the way children learn?

By Annie Murphy Paul

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sing tech tools that students are familiar with and already enjoy using is attractive to educators, but getting students focused on the project at hand might be more difficult because of it.

Living rooms, dens, kitchens, even bedrooms: Investigators followed students into the spaces where homework gets done. Pens poised over their “study observation forms,” the observers watched intently as the students – in middle school, high school, and college, 263 in all – opened their books and turned on their computers.

For a quarter of an hour, the investigators from the lab of Larry Rosen, a psychology professor at California State UniversityDominguez Hills, marked down once a minute what the students were doing as they studied. A checklist on the form included: reading a book, writing on paper, typing on the computer— and also using email, looking at Facebook, engaging in instant messaging, texting, talking on the phone, watching television, listening to music, surfing the web. Sitting unobtrusively at the back of the room, the observers counted the number of windows open on the students’ screens and noted whether the students were wearing ear-buds.

Although the students had been told at the outset that they should “study something important, in-

cluding homework, an upcoming examination or project, or reading a book for a course,” it wasn’t long before their attention drifted: Students’ “on-task behaviour” started declining around the two-minute mark as they began responding to arriving texts or checking their Facebook feeds. By the time the 15 minutes were up, they had spent only about 65 per cent of the observation period actually doing their schoolwork.

“We were amazed at how frequently they multitasked, even though they

learning. Attending to multiple streams of information and entertainment while studying, doing homework, or even sitting in class has become common behaviour among young people—so common that many of them rarely write a paper or complete a problem set any other way.

But evidence from psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience suggests

knew someone was watching,” Rosen says. “It really seems that they could not go for 15 minutes without engaging their devices,” adding, “It was kind of scary, actually.”

Concern about young people’s use of technology is nothing new, of course. But Rosen’s study, published in the May issue of Computers in Human Behaviour, is part of a growing body of research focused on a very particular use of technology: media multitasking while

that when students multitask while doing schoolwork, their learning is far spottier and shallower than if the work had their full attention. They understand and remember less, and they have greater difficulty transferring their learning to new contexts. So detrimental is this practice that some researchers are proposing that a new prerequisite for academic and even professional success – the new marshmallow test of self-discipline – is the abil-

By Tina Barseghian

ity to resist a blinking inbox or a buzzing phone.

The media multitasking habit starts early. In “Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8- to 18-YearOlds,” a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and published in 2010, almost a third of those surveyed said that when they were doing homework, “most of the time” they were also watching TV, texting, listening to music, or using some other medium. The lead author of the study was Victoria Rideout, then a vice president at Kaiser and now an independent research and policy consultant. Although the study looked at all aspects of kids’ media use, Rideout told me she was particularly troubled by its findings regarding media multitasking while doing schoolwork.

“This is a concern we should have distinct from worrying about how much kids are online or how much kids are media multitasking overall. It’s multitasking while learning that has the biggest potential downside,” she says. “I don’t care if a kid wants to tweet while she’s watching American Idol, or have music on while he plays a video game. But when students are doing serious work with their minds, they have to have focus.” (ww2.kqed.org)

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here’s no question that for both kids and adults, our attention is divided. Texts, emails, Twitter, Facebook are all chiming, ringing, beeping, and chirping for our attention.

How does this affect kids? The media has covered the subject in terms of fear of multitasking leading to ADD, losing control to digital devices, and the dangers of not being able to focus. And in most cases, the Internet (and technology in general) has been declared the culprit.

But rather than blaming the medium, David Levy, author of Scrolling Forward: Making Sense of Documents in the Digital Age, and a professor at the Information School at the University of Washington, believes the challenges of multitasking present us with an opportunity to take control of the situation, starting at a young age.

“We’re led to believe that we’re victims and we don’t have a choice in the matter and it’s the Internet’s fault,” L e v y said at

t h e I n n o v a t i v e Learning Conference last week. “But the problem is bigger than technology.”

Levy cited a 2009 Stanford study, “Impacts of Media Multitasking on Children’s Learning and Development “, which concluded that schools have yet to meet the challenge of dealing with stretched attention that media multitasking requires. USC Professor Henry Jenkins, author of multiple books on media and pop culture, has also emphasised the importance of teaching multitasking as a skill.

Levy’s proposal to parents and to the education system: Teach the tools that will teach kids to focus, avoid distraction, and judge what to pay attention to as they’re exposed to a slew of diversions. It’s a matter of training the brain.

“We need a culture of education that teaches these kinds of skills,” he said.

Levy recently completed a study on mindful-

ness training, testing the ability to narrow or widen the mind’s focus at will — whether to focus on one thing or survey the larger scene. The results were not surprising: the group that received meditation training was far less stressed than those who didn’t after completing a highly stressful 20-minute multitasking exercise during which they were asked to deal with simultaneous demands like instant messages, alarms, phone calls, texts, and people asking them questions.

Those taught to meditate showed longer periods of time on specific tasks.

“Something about their training caused them to change their strategy,” Levy said. “They decided to focus on tasks and ignore what they thought wasn’t important.”

The meditators said they practised the breathing they’d learned and listened to the little voice in their head saying “slow down.”

They focused on the immediate experience and less on their evaluation. “They realised they didn’t have to respond to

everything right away, not everything is urgent,” Levy said. “They felt more in control, less tense, less afraid.”

Attention is like a muscle that needs to be trained. If the muscle is untrained, the mind wanders all over the place all day long. The same thing applies to any skill — it takes practice. Media multitasking involves the ability to attend to something and to make a decision. Part of what kids should learn is that they can make a choice.

“When they get a text, they could ignore it, or have a look at it to see if it’s important, then come back to it later if they need to,” he said. “But for a lot of people, they don’t have the strength of mind to ignore the text.”

The key is choice.

Training the mind gives the mind more choice about what it’ll do, and make more skilful choices. Rather than assuming that kids will figure this out on their own, Levy said we “need to be talking to young people about it”. (ww2.kqed.org)

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monDAY, APRIL 3, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

VAT on lumber, local air travel

Govt rhetoric vs reality contradictory – Jagdeo

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has said that the imposition of Value Added Tax (VAT) on lumber at different stages of production is in direct conflict with the Government’s stated objective of promoting value-added production. In his opinion, taxing the sale of plywood will in fact deter individuals from buying the commodity.

During a recent interview with this publication, Jagdeo said the coalition government had previously been critical of loggers and logging companies summarily cutting down trees and exporting them, but now the Government is not giving loggers any incentive to add value to the product.

“Let me give you an indication of how contradic-

tory the Government’s policy is: The Government said it wants to support more value-added activities in the forestry sector, that we export too much lumber,” Jagdeo said. “And then simultaneously it put on processed lumber -- (such as) plywood and a whole range of value-added products in the forestry sector -- the 14 percent Value Added Tax. That’s a disincentive to value-added. Why would anyone want to add value when they now attract a 14 percent VAT that they never had to pay before? And similarly, VAT (has been put) on heavy-duty equipment for processing and (on) everything else. So it’s contradictory,” the former President said.

The Forest Products Association (FPA) has been

vociferous against any taxation measures on lumber.

It has stated that taxes, including the ones placed on lumberyards, will drive up the cost of lumber. The group has also complained about the removal of certain concessions.

“The FPA is very concerned and alarmed at the recent imposition of VAT on lumber at all stages in the production chain -- be it intermediary or final sale.

In addition, locally produced items, including plywood, are also subject to VAT. Previously there was no VAT on final sale of lumber and plywood,” the group stated earlier in the month.

“Further, the concession whereby if 50 percent or more of your products was exported you would have been exempted from VAT has also been removed.

These measures are very punitive, anti-development and frightening for the forest sector,” the FPA has argued.

Interior travel taxes The application of 14 per cent VAT on local airfares was also a source of concern for Jagdeo. He said Government’s pledge to open up the interior does not accord with taxes being borne for airfares. Moreover, the mining and hinterland communities would have seen

an increase in the prices of commodities, since much of the mining goods going to the hinterland regions are transported via planes.

“They said they want to open up the interior. That’s one of the President’s main

Association (NATA), which had said that this additional financial burden makes it prohibitive for persons seeking to travel to the interior.

NATA President Annette Arjoon-Martins was quoted in the media as saying: “The

terland airstrips to be exempted from the VAT. Commissioner General of the GRA, Godfrey Statia, has said that some 60 locations have been identified for this exemption.

In a brief interview with

Concerns are being raised about VAT being applied in the forestry sector

planks that he operates on -- the green economy; the interior should be opened up,” Jagdeo said. “And then they put VAT on local travel to the interior; and not just travel, but freight too! So it pushes up costs in the interior. How are (they) going to do that?” he asked rhetorically.

The tax measures have also been criticised by the National Air Transportation

big challenge to us is all of our customers who depend on hinterland transportation. For example, our tourism clientele and our mining clientele will be affected because the cost of interior travel will go up. We feel as well that this will have an effect on those sectors.”

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has, however, announced that it has approved a number of hin-

Guyana Times yesterday, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roraima Airways, Captain Gerald “Gerry” Gouveia, noted that it was still too early for a comprehensive evaluation of the impact the tax has had on business. He said an analysis of the situation is underway, but as a preliminary, he has opined that the cost of doing business would likely increase.

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monDAY, APRIL 3, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Middle Road house destroyed by fire – arson suspected

The owner of the home, Colin Clarke speaking to reporters

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olice have launched an investigation into the suspected arson of a two-storey wooden and concrete house at Lot 183 Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, which occurred at about 14:00hrs on Sunday and has left two persons

homeless.

The fire reportedly started while the owner of the building, Colin Clarke, was eating mangoes in front of his two-storey house.

The man told Guyana Times that while he was standing in front of his yard, he noticed smoke coming from behind the house but wasn’t alarmed “because [I] didn’t think it was coming from [my] home.” However, as time passed and the smoke got thicker, he walked towards the entrance of his home but found that it was blocked by the blazing fire.

He explained that he tried with all his might to enter the home in order to retrieve his licensed shotgun, since, according to him, he feared it would “go off” if the fire touched it.

He asserted that he tried with all his might, but could not find the gun; moreover, he said he could save nothing in the home.

When is…

A Firefighters and public-spirited persons failed in their desperate efforts to save the house from being destroyed

He therefore called the Fire Service and simultaneously alerted his neighbours.

Public-spirited persons formed a bucket brigade in an attempt to save his home, the distraught man said, but even though the Guyana Fire Service worked diligently in this regard, his home was completely destroyed by the disastrous blaze.

“My wife and I had just

returned from church, and she left to go by her mother, as we are celebrating two birthdays in the family.

So I parked my car and stood outside at the fence, and I was eating a mango when I noticed the smoke. I wasn’t worried at first, but then I noticed the smoke getting thick and I she, ‘This is fire!’” Clarke relayed.

Dynamic Airways cancels flight after aircraft leakage

D

ozens of Dynamic Airways’ passengers scheduled to depart Guyana on Sunday were left stranded after the 767 aircraft suffered a leakage.

This was announced in a statement by local representative for Dynamic

International Airways, Captain Gerry Gouveia, of Roraima Group, on Sunday.

According to Gouveia, flight 2D 402 out of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, bound for the John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in

New York on Sunday afternoon had to be cancelled owing to a hydraulic leak of the 767 aircraft.

“Dynamic maintenance engineers worked diligently in an effort to correct the problem, but were unable to complete their task before nightfall, forcing the cancellation of the flight,” the local representative explained.

Nevertheless, Gouveia noted that the 150 passengers were being offered transportation vouchers to get home and return to the airport today afternoon.

Meanwhile, passengers from remote areas are being offered hotel accommodation and meals.

The local Dynamic representative added that the airline would be sending another aircraft to Guyana this morning to facilitate the departure of af-

fected passengers this afternoon.

The company regrets any inconvenience which this 24-hour delay has caused its passengers.

Moreover, Gouveia noted that this was the first cancellation for 2017 of a Dynamic International Airways flight serving the Guyana route. The airline has come under heavy criticism since its operations here began with a long list of disruptions in flights which left passengers stranded for hours both at the CJIA and JFK Airport.

In fact, back in December, Dynamic Airways was ordered to submit a report to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for the regulation entity to consider the most effective way forward giving its history of disruptions.

…a threat not a threat?

ttorney General Basil Williams has sent a legal letter to the Guyana Times threatening to sue for libel on its report about his altercation with Justice Holder, which it reported under the headline “Judge walks off after threats from AG Williams”. The claimed libellous portion of the report according to the legal letter was: “…as the cross examination was coming to end, a frustrated Williams accused the Judge of not accurately recording the evidence, and Justice Holder took umbrage (at) the accusation…” and “… an angry Williams, in a loud tone of voice, repeated the accusation and the Judge again admonished him about the accusation and about his tone of voice…but Williams then blurted out loudly, “the last Magistrate who did that to me was later found dead”.”

Not so incidentally, AG Williams had initially threatened to sue all the newspapers that had carried the report. But it appears that he chose not to sue the Muckraker which had headlined even more bluntly: “AG threatens High Court Judge” and reported, “The Judge took umbrage to the accusation. Williams then blurted out loudly, “The last Magistrate who did that to me was later found dead.” The Judge immediately walked off the bench, without adjourning the matter.”

But now that Justice Holder has issued a letter (sent to the heads of the Judiciary), we have an opportunity to compare his account from the Guyana Times and Williams’: “I then told Mr Williams that I took umbrage to his tone and what he was insinuating, which was in effect, that the Court was being selective in recording the evidence. Mr Williams, in a truculent manner, while standing in the well of the court, responded by saying that the last person who told him what he should not say was a magistrate AND he is now dead.” He further said that “all morning Mr Nandlall disrespecting you, and you have not done anything about it”. …This was followed by a most egregious statement by Mr Williams, that “I could say what I want to say and when I want to say it, I have always been like that.”

Immediately after hearing these words, I rose from the Bench and went into my Chambers.”

Williams, however, claimed at a press conference what he actually said was, “Incidentally, that Magistrate is dead now, and I moved on; and the Judge and I continued addressing issues.”

The law of negligence has a concept called “Res ipsa loquitur” – which means “the thing speaks for itself”. Your Eyewitness believes to anyone reading the above accounts of the infamous incident, “the threat speaks for itself”.

Don’t you, Dear Reader?

…protest proper?

Your Eyewitness has to hand it to the Guyanese people for suddenly discovering they’ve got the right to protest – PEACEFULLY – against actions of Governments at whatever level they don’t agree with. For too long the ethos of protests had been defined by the PNC that started out fighting a rearguard action before the 1992 results were officially announced! While Desmond Hoyte stood down the eruption by fading strongman Hamilton Green then; unfortunately, he completely lost it a decade later with his “slow fyaah, mo fyaah” protests segueing from the 1997 elections into the millennium.

We saw even heads of the Police and the Army – now full-fledged members of the PNC Govt – disobeying the protocols of peaceful protests - and having the forces of law and order use pellets. The dénouement was when PNC politicians egged on protesters at Linden to illegally set fire to and block a bridge and Police tragically shot four Lindeners.

…Wales taking centre stage?

Of all the protests going on, the one against the parking meters seems to’ve gained the most traction. Some say it’s because the protesters came from all races and classes.

Well, the Wales protesters are from all races and the working class. So, now we know what makes protests successful!!

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

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monDAY, APRIL 3, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Amid accusations of negligence

Ramsammy calls for probe into death of premature baby – at West Dem Hospital

A

recent revelation has indicated that a premature baby died after reportedly being neglected at the West Demerara Regional Hospital, and former Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, is calling for an investigation to be launched to determine the veracity of this revelation.

Irate family members of the newborn have posted pictures and videos of the premature baby on social media, and have herein explained their tragic experience at the medical facility.

One relative has indicated publicly that, just over 5 months of conception, the baby was born at 10:30hrs on March 30, 2017, and doctors at the institution had predicted that

the child would not live since its organs were not fully developed. They were prepared to discard the baby in a trash can, but, importantly, the premature baby was born breathing and the child’s mother demanded that it be placed on oxygen.

The doctor at the facility reportedly gave instructions to a porter to monitor the baby’s oxygen. This, family members contend, showed absolute negligence, and had probably contributed to the child dying the following morning.

Grieving family members are calling for justice since, according to them, “The doctors at the West Demerara Hospital did not even try to save the baby.” Efforts made by this newspaper to confirm

Former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

these claims made by the family members of the new born have proved futile.

However, Dr Ramsammy yesterday released a state-

ment calling on the Ministry of Public Health to launch an immediate investigation to determine the particulars of this matter. “I cannot independently verify the circumstances, but I do know that, as Minister of Health, I would have already sent my senior staff to investigate the story that we see with videos on Facebook about a premature baby born at West Demerara Hospital,” Ramsammy said in the statement.

“Those who worked with me would know that while I would have not made any judgment, I would have insisted that we urgently check out the circumstances that led to the death of the pre-matured baby. The videos of the baby and the circumstanc-

West Demerara Regional Hospital

es surrounding the death are damning and are searing and heart-rending.”

The Former Health Minister also noted that the video regarding the baby has gone viral and has since crossed international boards.

Williams could have been jailed...

According to Ramkarran, while the Attorney General, a highly visible public figure holding one of the most important positions in Government, can avoid the sanction of the Judge by not appearing before him again, this is not an option for a person holding his offices and especially since the matter has reached the Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) and the President.

“Since a private apology is now out of the question, because the Judge’s letter demanding an apology in open court is in the public domain, Mr Williams could now be forced to consider a public apology. Failing this, the Chancellor (ag) can convene the Full Court and set in motion the process to hear a complaint of misconduct against Mr Williams. The Full Court can impose a penalty as severe as disbarment,” the

Senior Counsel noted.

He went on to point out that the President has no business in how the courts treat with the matter or in mediating an outcome, although, representing the Government, which is the Attorney General’s client, the President may suggest a course of conduct to Williams. Even if the matter is concluded to the satisfaction of the Judge, the President may have additional political concerns, Ramkarran asserted.

“A long time ago, Mr Williams and I exchanged sharp and angry words before a judge in open court.

We were both wrong, because we both participated. The next time I saw Mr Williams in the Supreme Court corridor, he approached me with outstretched hand. He can bring this matter to an end,” Ramkarran noted.

Furthermore, the Senior Counsel outlined in his column that the

Attorney General has accused Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall, who was the defence lawyer in court during the incident and who publicly revealed the matter, of “iniquity” and suggested that the Judge’s reaction against him was one of “transferred frustration”.

“The Judge, who seemed unaware of this highly innovative concept, denied Mr Williams’s allegation against Mr Nandlall,” the former Speaker stated, dismissing the AG’s “transferred frustration” claim.

Despite the Judge saying that the Attorney General was the cause for him to walk off the Bench, Williams is holding out that he is not to be blamed for what happened. In fact, the Attorney General even defended his actions and his statements. He believed that the Judge fell prey to “transferred frustration” as a result of

Nandlall’s “barracking” of nearly three hours.

Moreover, Williams also insisted that his comment was not a threat and refused to apologise to the Judge saying to reporters at a subsequent press conference that “I don’t know about apology” and that “…the Judge and I will resolve the issue.”

However, in a formal complaint to the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, the day after the incident, Justice Holder said that

he felt disrespected by the Attorney General, whose behaviour he called despicable and contemptuous, while calling for an apology in open court.

“I am not prepared to sit and hear Mr Williams as an attorney-at-law in any matter whatsoever, unless he makes a genuine and meaningful apology to my satisfaction, in open court, both to me and to members of the Bar since they too were scandalised by his despicable conduct,” the High Court Judge outlined in his com-

As such, he is unable to understand why the Public Health Ministry has not said anything on the matter, given that it has been over two days since the post has been made public.

from page 3

plaint, which has since been made public.

Acting Chancellor Cummings-Edwards had told reporters earlier last week that she was in receipt of information about the matter and it was being “addressed”. In addition, President David Granger subsequently told reporters that he had asked AG Williams to submit a detailed explanation of what transpired, which was done. However, the Head of State said at the time, he was yet to review the document.

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monDAY, APRIL 3, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Black Bush murder update

21-year-old woman opens up about living with a ‘self-confessed’ killer

By Andrew Carmichael

T

he 21-year-old woman who was living with the self-confessed Black Bush Polder murderer said she did not know that he murdered his wife, but confessed that she was wearing the dead woman’s clothing.

Following the arrest of the couple after a missing person’s report was filed at the Whim Police Station on Wednesday, Uma-Davie Nathoo told investigators that she knew “nothing of the crime” and was in disbelief that it had even taken place.

When the remains of the body were unearthed, thereby confirming the victim’s demise, this young woman maintained her innocence.

“He (partner) can’t put me in that one!” she said. “I wasn’t there! He will have to face it!” she told the Police.

The young woman was on Friday evening released from custody on $25,000 station bail after Police were convinced that she was not a participant in the crime. Her paramour’s relatives paid the bail.

That same Friday was when the skeletal remains of Wilwantie Balack, also called “Darling”, 39, of Mibicuri North, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, were dug up from a grave at the back of her yard in the agricultural community. Balack had gone missing in September

Uma-Davie Nathoo

last year, and her husband had repeatedly told their children that his wife had migrated to the USA. The woman had been last seen by her children on September 3, 2016.

At approximately 11:30h on Friday, her remains were found in a four-foot grave about 120 metres behind the family’s house.

Relatives had been searching for her since September 6, the day it is believed she was killed.

Her 21-year-old daughter, Dharshni Davi Balack, said her father had given them conflicting information about the whereabouts of their mother, telling the three children that she was in the USA and other relatives that she was in living in different parts of the country.

Suspicion grew as no phone calls were re-

ceived from Wilwantie; and her husband, 43-year-old Sunildat Balack, also called “Red Man”, brought the 21-year-old woman to live with him. The three Balack children soon discovered that their father’s new partner was wearing their mother’s wedding band.

Speaking with <<Guyana Times>> on Sunday, Nathoo said her entire insides began to tingle when she learnt that she was living with a man who had killed and buried his wife and had told no one. “Is like something start cutting up me whole inside when I hear. You know, like when people drink Gramoxone. Ah heavy, heavy burning start come, and I feel upset,” she declared.

She explained that her relationship with Balack lasted for three months, during which she had returned to her mother’s home on three occasions because of abuse.

Nathoo said Balack had indicated his interest in her while she was still a schoolgirl, but she had never given him a favourable response.

She said he would normally visit his mother’s home, which was two houses from where she lived with her parents at Albion, Corentyne.

Her father told this publication that in December last year, when he was attending a religious function in the village, Balack asked him for his home telephone number.

He said when he got home,

Dead: Wilwantie Balack

his daughter was on the telephone with someone.

According to Nathoo, Balack told her that he and his wife had separated and she had migrated and was now working as a cook at a restaurant in Florida. “So we make arrangement that he gon pick me up at 12:30h the next day… I meet he on the road and I tell he that before we go to he family, let us go and eat something because I hungry.”

Following that, she was introduced to some of Balack’s relatives, who were very friendly. “They tell me that if I gon live with him as husband and wife, they gon support me; and if he wife come back, they gon back me and don’t let she go back in the house, because is she go away and lef he,” the woman explained.

Meanwhile, Nathoo’s father said she had telephoned the family to say that she was happy and was living with a man, and she explained who he was.

Clothing

The young woman said that when she entered the Balack house, she was shown around and told that

the clothing belonged to Balack’s wife. “He tell me that I could wear whatever I want.”

Nathoo had gone to live with Balack without taking much clothing. She had taken only a small bag with her. “I wear some of her sari to go to functions that his family had and he carry me,” she explained.

A week after leaving home, Nathoo visited her parents at their Albion home on the company Balack.

Balack’s family had by then already indicated that they would arrange a wedding ceremony for the couple.

Abuse

She said the first incident of abuse occurred in January, a mere two weeks into the relationship. She was called names and told that his previous wife took care of certain responsibilities. “I tell he that I is not a farm girl and that I frighten snakes and it gon take some time fo me to get use to going in the farm…”

Following the abuse, the woman said she returned to her mother’s home, but two days later, she was back in Black Bush Polder. A month later, she received her first slap. “He slap me and I slap he back, and this man whole face change and he run me and I get away from he…

Ah tell he that I sorry and I would not do it again, but he was different from then,” she related.

“He bring me on the road and he start slap me up again. He asking why me leff and go at me Mummy house; that is he biggest problem,” Uma related.

The woman said Balack once threatened to drive his car into a canal with her and jump out, leaving her to per-

ish and then he would report that it was an accident.

“Me start to beg and tell am say that me wan live long an that Ah nah go back to me mummy. He said, ‘Alright, Ah hope you stick to that now’…,” she related.

According to her, on more than one occasion Balack asked her to leave, claiming that she was not what he wanted. “I tell he that I ain’t leaving, because he done spoil me already and I staying, so we gon live like husband and wife.”

She said that on one occasion he had threatened her by saying that he was expecting his wife to return. One neighbour was also told that Wilwantie Balack was returning in time for Phagwah.

Nathoo said she stood her ground. “I tell he that I ain’t going back home, because nobody ain’t gon want me now.”

The wedding band

The day after Nathoo moved into the Mibicuri home, she was asked to take the car keys and put them into a bag in which Balack had his licences. “When Ah go in the bag Ah see this ring, is a lady ring and it get a heart, so I ask him who is that ring for. Is a female ring, so Ah start pressuring him: Why he get a ring like that in his bag? He tell me to lef it, that it is not for me.

So I start demanding that if he make it for another girl or so, and he say it gon remain there. But I keep pressuring he, and like he just want to satisfy me (so) he give me the ring to wear.”

Contrary to rumours, Nathoo denied that she also wore other pieces of jewellery which belonged to the dead woman.

Meanwhile, Balack is expected to soon be charged with the murder of his wife.

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MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

President flouts order of High ‘Jagdeo will win next elections’ Court Judge – Nandlall Latest NACTA poll

…if he runs again for office

T

he findings of an opinion poll conducted earlier this month by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) show that a majority of voters endorse the judicial ruling of the (now retired) Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh, in the Appeal Court.

That ruling states that the people are sovereign over the Parliament, and should exercise their vote in a referendum to amend the Constitution.

The latest NACTA poll also reveals that former President, Bharrat Jagdeo “will win the next general election” if he were to be presidential candidate of the opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C).

“However, a majority of eligible voters expressed serious reservations over whether the next election will be free and fair,” the poll stated.

The poll, of 402 respondents, was conducted by wellknown and internationally acclaimed pollster Dr Vishnu Bisram for the reputable NACTA polling organisation.

Bisram said voters were interviewed to reflect the diversity of the demographic composition (43% Indian, 31% African, 16% Mixed, 9% Amerindian, and others 1%) of the population.

Asked if they support the (2-1 majority) ruling of Chancellor Carl Singh’s Appeal Court upholding the judgment of the (now retired) Chief Justice Ian Chang: that Presidential term limit is unconstitutional without a referendum, 58% said “yes”, 30% said “no”, and others did not offer a response. Respondents are divided largely along party and racial affiliation in

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

their answers.

Ironically, many voters who endorse the courts’ ruling on the unconstitutionality of the amendment on Presidential term limits are generally supportive of term limits, but like the learned judges, they feel it should be done in a referendum. The overwhelming majority (73%) of respondents feel there is need for a new constitution; one approved by the population in a free and fair referendum to limit the powers of the executive and empower the population. ‘ Only PNC supporters are supportive of the current Burnham constitution that was foisted on the population through fraud in 1980. Asked if they feel the next general election will be free and fair, 60% said “No” with 31% saying “Yes”, and the others not offering an opinion. Voters do not feel that the dominant PNC in the governing coalition would allow a free and fair election. They also feel the AFC and WPA elements in the coalition regime would endorse a fraudulent election so as to continue their enjoyment of the perks of being in office.

Asked who should be the

PPP’s Presidential candidate for the next general election, almost every PPP supporter said, “Jagdeo”. Asked which party would win the next election if Jagdeo were the PPP Presidential candidate, every PPP supporter said Jagdeo would easily defeat incumbent president, David Granger; or Moses Nagamootoo or any other PNC or coalition candidate.

Many supporters of other (PNC and AFC) parties also feel Jagdeo would win the next election. Some 54% of all respondents say PPP (Jagdeo) would win the next election; only 32% of respondents feel the coalition would win the next election, with the others saying, “Not sure” or not offering a response.

Many of those traditional supporters who crossed over to the AFC and the coalition in the previous three elections have indicated they would return to the PPP because of the mismanagement and corruption of the ruling coalition. However, some 7% of traditional PPP supporters, who defected to the AFC in 2011 and 2015 say they will not return to the PPP unless they party undergoes significant reformation and transformation and unite all the opposition forces. These disgruntled former traditional PPPites and other non-committed voters who supported the (AFC faction of the) coalition in May 2015 and the AFC in 2011 say they are looking for (or seeking to form) a third party.

According to the NACTA poll, they say the AFC has betrayed them by abandoning its founding principles, but they are not “going PPP”, and sticking with the coalition is out of the question.

...dubs it latest onslaught on rule of law, Judiciary and democracy

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

F

ormer Attorney General Anil Nandlall has said that the disregard for the rule of law, the Constitution and the judicial process by the APNU+AFC Coalition Government continues with impunity, as they continue to assault the democratic process and trample upon the free will of the Guyanese electorate.

Nandlall believes that President David Granger has himself committed the latest of such egregious actions when he swore in Rupert Henry Smith as the Mayor of the municipality of Mabaruma, one of the Local Authorities Organs whose results tied between the APNU+AFC and the PPP at the Local Government Elections held in March, 2016.

“Instead of going back to the electorate for their vote,

as is required by the law to break this tie, Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, in violation of the law, unilaterally appointed Rupert Henry Smith as the Mayor,” Nandlall said in a statement.

Nandlall said the Honourable Madam Justice Diana Insanally had, on April 5, 2016, granted a series of Orders, including an Order Rule Nisi of Certiorari quashing the decision of Minister of Communities, Mr Ronald Bulkan, to appoint Rupert Henry Smith the Mayor of the municipality of Mabaruma, and the said Order called upon Minister Bulkan to show cause why the said Order Rule Nisi of Certiorari should not be made absolute.

He said an Order or Rule Nisi of Prohibition was also granted, restraining the said Rupert Henry Smith from preforming the functions of Mayor of the municipality of Mabaruma, and the Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan was directed to show cause why the said Order or Rule Nisi of Prohibition should not be made absolute.

“The hearing of this matter was concluded before Chief Justice (Ag), Honourable Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and we are now awaiting the Court’s ruling,” Nandlall

President David Granger

said. He noted that the legal effect of an Order Rule Nisi of Certiorari is that it puts the decision which it impugns or challenges on hold, or stays the decision until the case is heard and determined. The Order or Rule Nisi of Prohibition has a similar legal effect. Therefore, he argued, the appointment of Smith by Minister Bulkhan has been placed on hold, or is stayed by the Order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari.

This stay, he said, was further consolidated and solidified by the Order or Rule of Prohibition.

Notwithstanding, in clear violation of these Orders of the High Court, and in absolute disregard of the judicial process, the President has chosen to swear in Mr Smith as the Mayor of the municipality of Mabaruma. turn to page 17

12 News

monDAY, APRIL 3, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Chinese investments must be aligned to local employment – President

P

resident David Granger told members of the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Guyana (ACEG) that, with the establishment of a five-point plan designed to attract more Chinese investments here, such investments must be more closely aligned to local employment and national development.

He said that deepened integration between Guyana and China should also see increased partnerships between Chinese and Guyanese businesses, and this would, in turn, spur employment opportunities.

Speaking at the 2017 ACEG Annual Dinner and launch of its 2017 business magazine, held at the New Thriving Restaurant on Main Street, Georgetown, the President said that, over the years, Guyana has been seeing an increase in Chinese investments – including in restaurants, retail stores, and construction, bauxite and timber companies – thus he is assuring the ACEG of his Administration’s commitment to supporting foreign direct investment.

“We are committed to the protection of foreign citizens, visitors and investment through improved public security and human safety measures. We will continue to provide a business climate that is favourable and friendly to all investors.

We assure you of the Government’s support for investment which can advance our economic development,” the President said.

Referring to a meeting he had with Chinese Ambassador Cui Jianchun, who proposed a five-point agenda that focuses on infrastructure, information communication technology (ICT), investment, industry and integration, the Head of State noted that this plan -- which he fondly referred to as the ‘Jianchun Initiative’ -- is consistent with Guyana’s green agenda and its overall development policy, and can form

and senior citizens’ homes.

The ACEG was established in April 2013 with 11 Chinese companies. Today, that number has grown to 19. Its members include China Harbour Engineering Company, China Trading, Baishanlin, China Railway First Group, Standard Agroforestry Incorporated, Bosai Minerals, Rongan Incorporated, Huawei Technologies, Lonh Hi Centre, Guyana Green

Farm Incorporated, Guyana Hansom International, Sunset Lakes, China Dalian International Cooperation, Hi-Tech Construction, Power China International, Nutech Company and China Railway 17 Bureau Group.

Also in attendance at the ACEG Annual Dinner were First Lady Mrs Sandra Granger, Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams and Agriculture Minister Noel Holder.

President David Granger addressing the gathering at the ACEG Annual Dinner held at the New Thriving Restaurant on Main Street, Georgetown

the basis for increased investment and trade between Guyana and China.

The President noted that while Guyana has an abundance of natural resources, it needs capital. “Guyana is becoming a ‘green state’, and development of the renewable energy sector is a central pillar of our ‘green’ development agenda. Guyana is excited by the interest which has been shown so far in the development of our sustainable energy sector, including hydro-electric, solar, wind, and biomass sources of energy development…

The Government of Guyana remains open to working with the Association, to our mutual benefit and profit,” President Granger said.

The Head of State also took the opportunity to place on record his Administration’s appreciation of, and gratitude to, former Chinese Ambassador Mr. Zhang Limin, whose support for the ‘One Laptop per Teacher’ initiative last year did much to advance information technology in the education system.

The President said investments in ICT would not only transform the way education is delivered in classrooms, but would also increase the speed and scale of business transactions.

And President of ACEG, Mr. Kevin Liu, said even though members of the organisation have been experiencing difficult economic times over the past three

years, they have not been swayed from their objective.

“Guyana continues to attract an increasing number of Chinese enterprises to invest in the economic development of Guyana, resulting in strengthened relationship between Guyana and China…We at the ACEG consider ourselves very fortunate and privileged to be operating our businesses here in Guyana,” he said.

He also spoke of the Association’s commitment to fulfilling its social obligation, and informed that they have conducted medical outreaches and made several donations to orphanages

President Granger and Chinese Ambassador Cui Jianchun unveiling the 2017 Business Magazine of the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Guyana

Constitutional Reform Confab

More accountability for campaign financing needed – panellist

D

uring a symposium on constitutional reform, held at the Education Lecture Theatre of the University of Guyana (UG), the spotlight was thrown on the need for increased financial accountability to be exhibited by political parties, especially during the elections period.

Considering the important role political parties play in the overall scheme of the constitution, Lachmansingh noted that fiscal accountability of political parties could also benefit from reform. He

called for affirmative action in this regard.

“Elections are one part of it, so how do we fix those things? I’ve said this for a long time: political parties are the most important organisations in our political system without regulations, without any kind of insistence on things like financial accountability,” he said.

He noted that while there has been discourse between the parties around election time, there is a need for the parties to take that final step in regard to financial ac-

countability. He said there are also constraints on how much time the country can afford before real change is introduced.

Constitutional reform had featured prominently in the APNU+AFC coalition’s pre-elections manifesto, but according to Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran, those changes have not come quickly enough after almost two years of the coalition in office.

Ramkarran noted that the electoral promise was to advance reform in the first year in office. However, he observed that there have just been expressions of the need for countrywide consultations and the budgetary allocation of $80M in the 2017 budget for the hearings.

“There is no mechanism to encourage that conversation,” Ramkarran said. “The structure that we have now does not encourage political parties to have conversations with each other. They talk a lot in Parliament. Outside…”

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) had had political parties contesting the 2015 General and Regional elections sign a code of conduct that included commitments on financial accountability. The document had the parties affirm their “commitment to adhere to strict standards of financial probity, accountabil-

ity and transparency, and to submit in a timely manner to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) a Declaration of Election Expenses.”

It was not enough, however, to prevent complaints from the Opposition that the coalition’s commitments to financial donors to its campaign had influenced several questionable decisions it had made afterwards.

Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc. had called on the coalition Government to reveal the identities of all its donors pre- and post-elections 2015, and the amount and/or value of their contributions.

This demand had come after statements had been made by senior Government officials suggesting that individuals who had contributed to the coalition’s election campaign were being rewarded and there was nothing odd or wrong about that.

Prompted for a respond in this regard, President David Granger had made it clear that he will not be releasing the names of his party’s donors, since it is not a requirement of the law. Insisting that it was not dirty money, he added that the donors, for fear of victimisation, had also requested that their identities not be disclosed. continued on page 13

News

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monDAY, APRIL 3, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Vendors mull shutting up shop …as foreign exchange shortage takes toll on markets

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he shortage of US currency on the local market is beginning to take its toll at the grassroots level. This was evident this past week when Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo led a small delegation on a walkabout of the Stabroek Market in downtown Georgetown and engaged particularly those in the business community, including vendors and other hucksters.

Jagdeo was joined by his economic advisor, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, who subsequently briefed this publication on the findings of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) team.

According to Dr Ramsaroop, the PPP leaders heard numerous complaints of the calamitous effects of the APNU/AFC Administration’s handling of the economy, which are now having a trickledown effect on even hucksters, many of whom are thinking about shutting shop.

Dr Ramsaroop said the Opposition Leader undertook the engagement in part to get a direct appreciation of the economic impact of Government’s policies at all levels of society.

In an interview with this publication, during which he spoke on the findings, Dr Ramsaroop said, “The mood of consumers and business owners, including vendors,

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo visited the Stabroek Market and its immediate environs. During his interaction with vendors, stall holders, members of the business community and providers of public transportation, a number of concerns were raised. These include slow market sales fuelled by increased taxation and other factors; the parking meter project and its severe impact on businesses and the ban on used tyres which, according to providers of public transportation, will lead to a severe increase in operational costs

was at an all-time low”.

According to him, many small business owners and vendors complained bitterly that the Government had not just cleaned up the city, “but also cleaned them out of any economic gains they were having prior to (Government) taking over; and many said they did vote for the change, but now regret it.”

Dr Ramsaroop told this publication that vendors complained vociferously about the lack of sales and increased prices for produce.

According to the economist, “Ultimately, the foreign exchange money scarcity is affecting the small businesses. The purchasing

power of the Guyana dollar has reduced significantly.”

He cautioned businesses “to develop business relationships with multiple banks in order to maintain alternative avenues for currency exchange”.

Government has blamed the hoarding of US currency by some in the private sector as being responsible for the shortage, while others point to the decline in foreign earnings on exports in recent years; but according to Dr Ramsaroop, “With exchange rates on the rise in our nation, and given (that) our dollar is pegged to the US dollar for exports and imports, we are now seeing the rise of

Essequibo Dharmic Nawjawan distributes kites to children

goods all around us…Given the heavy taxation already upon us (200+new taxes), (the) cost of living going up, and now having to pay more on water, electricity, education, etc., our money at the end of the month cannot feed our families. Foreign direct investment has dried up.”

The economic advisor said Finance Minister Winston Jordan “is the only Finance Minister in the world who would say ‘the economy will right itself’ even without any sound economic development plan for the nation.” This, Ramsaroop believes, is “a trend of simply ignoring the inevitable of the economic collapse.”

Looming Increase

Using the occasion to warn of another looming crisis to compound the situation, Dr Ramsaroop since the cost of transportation by road is bound to increase in the coming days.

He told this publication that during the engagement by the PPP leaders, many of the minibus drivers who gathered around Dr Jagdeo complained vehemently about the ban on used tyres.

They explained that the roads in Guyana are not meant for new tyres at the price they have to pay.

According to Dr Ramsaroop, many said that when they have to do offroad runs, and potholes or other debris cut their tyres, they have to find in excess of $20,000 to buy a new one — the equivalent of a month-

ly mortgage for some. He said that the drivers, including those working taxis, have said the policies of the Government are gravely affecting their economic well-being.

“Some even complain that the new tyre dealers were ripping them off by bringing in expired new tyres and charging excess cost, when the used tyres can last longer, as many of the new tyres coming in have expired dates,” Dr Ramsaroop said.

He, accordingly, is of the view that the cost of transportation across the spectrum will undoubtedly increase in the near future.

The economist posited out that in light of the coalition government’s track record of intransigence when it comes to even addressing the pleas of the poor and vulnerable, he does not envisage Government reversing its decision to ban the importation of used tyres.

According to Ramsaroop, “Heavy taxation has already negatively affected consumer spending, and many stores seem empty of customers.

As jobs are cut in major sectors such as sugar and forestry, many are reducing their spending simply because they have no money, and others are trying to conserve whatever little they have since the future appears very uncertain.”

According to Jagdeo’s economic advisor, “When there is VAT on education, lumber, electricity, water, UG fees on the rise…these tectonic pressures and an in-

competent government have tanked our economy. In the almost two years that David Granger has been President of Guyana, we have seen too many things slaughtered, including our booming economy he inherited in 2015.”

He said “As in the Bible and the story of David and Goliath, another prophecy seems to have come true: that someone can actually take a healthy economy, where jobs, money and investments were evident -- decades of GDP growth -- and transform (it) to an economy with heavy taxation, no foreign investments, major scandals by Government officials, and capital flight as the exchange rate skyrockets….”

According to Dr Ramsaroop, there isn’t good news from any of the other pillars of the economy either, since “not just David, but here comes Moses; he parted the Red Sea and dried up the rivers for the Israelites to evade Pharaoh’s Army…

Fast forward to 2017 and we have another Moses with plans to close the sugar estates (and) put hundreds of workers out of jobs with not a serious thought about their long-term welfare and the breakup of settled communities.”

Dr Ramsaroop surmises that Government’s “bet is on oil”, but he said that “given market prices, production and refinery costs, Exxon having to recover all their expenses first, we may all be swimming down the Jordan River…This cannot be allowed to take place.”

More accountability for...

T

Some of the children with their kites after receiving them from members of the group

he Dharmic Nawjawan in Essequibo has distributed kites to the pupils of Fisher Nursery in an effort to foster love and harmony among youths.

The distribution of the kites on Friday was part of the youths’ quarterly activities for the year. Vice president of the group, Reema Natram, accompanied by executive members Sursattie Singh and Romesh Singh,

handed over the kites to the children.

During the simple ceremony held at Bacchus playfield, Natram emphasised the need for children to know about Guyana's national holidays and their significance. She said the activity was decided on after the youth group felt it was important to spread cheer during the Easter holidays.

Headmistress of the

Fisher Nursery School, Miss Lucy (only name given), thanked the group for choosing Fisher Nursery to be beneficiaries of the exercise.

During the distribution exercise, the youths helped the children to fly their kites, and also used the opportunity to interact with them.

The group is slated to distribute kites to the Capoey Amerindian community on the Essequibo Coast.

“It is not dirty money, but I know very well that some people can be very vindictive… Certain people in political parties could be very vindictive, and once they discover that corporations give money to parties, they can bring economic sanctions against those companies,” he had said.

“It has been requested by some people, although we are sure the money is clean, that their identities not be disclosed simply because their businesses will be sanctioned, or black-

mailed, or boycotted by other political parties,” he explained.

On that note, President Granger had reaffirmed Government’s commitment to introduce modern campaign financing laws in time for the next General and Regional Elections in 2020.

Organised by the Carter Center, the symposium was held under the theme ‘Perspectives on Guyana’s Constitutional Reform Process’. The panel featured Conflict Resolution Specialist Dr Lawrence

from page 12

Lachmansingh, UG’s Deputy Vice Chancellor Dr Paloma Mohammed, Elections Commissioner Vincent Alexander, Attorney-at-Law Gino Persaud, and former Constitutional Reform Commissioner Ralph Ramkarran, SC. There were no government ministers present at Friday’s symposium, which was supported by the United Kingdom (UK) High Commission. However, the parliamentary opposition was amply represented.

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guyanatimesgy.com

mondAY, april 3, 2017

Regional

Rescuers, locals dig for Vote brings end to Correa Colombia flood victims, era in Ecuador at least 210 dead

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cuadoreans are voting to elect a successor to President Rafael Correa, after three terms of what he and his Administration have dubbed “21st-Century socialism”.

The vote is a run-off between left-wing Lenin Moreno, who is backed by President Correa, and conservative Guillermo Lasso.

Moreno is ahead in the latest opinion poll.

But with 16 per cent of voters saying they are undecided, the result is hard to call.

Moreno won the first

F

amilies and rescuers searched desperately on Sunday through mud-plastered rubble for victims of flooding and landslides in Colombia that have killed at least 210 people, injured hundreds and devastated entire neighbourhoods.

Several rivers burst their banks near the south-western city of Mocoa in the early hours of Saturday, sending water, mud and debris crashing down streets and into houses as people slept.

Volunteers and fire-fighters tended to 82 bodies downstream in the town of Villagarzon and said many corpses were still caught in debris.

“We had to recover them ourselves. We think we’ll find more,” Villagarzon Mayor Jhon Ever Calderon told Reuters, adding that the town had no coffins or sanitary storage.

Many families in Mocoa stayed up through the night to search in the debris, despite lack of electricity in the city.

“I need to know where they are, if they are injured

People walk on a street destroyed after flooding and mudslides.

The floods were caused by heavy rains overfilling several rivers, with the overflow pushing sediment and rocks into buildings and roads, in Mocoa, Colombia, April 2, 2017

or where to find them,” sobbed Maria Lilia Tisoy, 37, looking for her two daughters, one pregnant, and a four-year-old granddaughter in the rubble.

“If they are dead, please God, deliver them to me.”

President Juan Manuel Santos made a second visit to the area on Sunday. He said water and energy services would be restored as soon as possible.

Santos blamed climate change for the disaster, saying Mocoa had received onethird of its usual monthly rain in just one night, causing the rivers to burst their banks.

Families of the dead will receive about US$6400 in aid, Santos has said. The Government will cover hospital and funeral costs. (Excerpt

A

grammes.

But the protesters’ collective (Pou La Gwiyann dékolé) dismissed the offer as insufficient to tackle the persistent social problems French Guiana is facing.

Instead, activists are demanding a “new status” for the territory, which they say has “too centralised and too vertical” a relationship with Paris that has prevented it from “moving forward”.

Davy Rimane, a spokesman for the group, said the protesters are “asking the President of the Republic and the Government to begin open discussions with Guyanese society on endow-

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Venezuelan Opposition turns ire on Supreme Court Judges

ing our country – which is too far from the centres of French decision-making – with a special status”.

Speaking on the steps of the regional prefecture in Cayenne, where activists held negotiations with the French ministers, Rimane added: “With another kind of system, we could decide for ourselves what is good for us [rather than] asking for permission for everything” from metropolitan France.

Interior Minister Fekl tried to assuage protester concerns by underscoring France’s long-term commitment to the territory. (Excerpt

from AFP)

The lawyer Juan Manuel Rafalli (second left) speaks, next to the deputies of the Venezuelan coalition of Opposition parties (MUD) Eudoro Gonzalez (left) and Juan Miguel Matheus (centre), and the lawyers Roman Duque (right) and Eugenio Hernandez-Breton (second right), during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela, April 2, 2017

V

enezuela’s Opposition lawmakers said on Sunday they would push for the removal of Supreme Court Judges whom they accuse of acting on behalf of the ruling Socialists after the top tribunal briefly assumed control of Congress last week.

While the move by the Opposition-led Congress would only be symbolic because it remains powerless, it could add to pressure on unpopular President Nicolas Máduro as he tries to defuse the furore over what critics saw as a lurch into dictatorship.

Ship vanishes in South Atlantic

A

huge South Korean cargo ship which had 24 people on board has gone missing in the South Atlantic.

Two Filipino sailors found on a life raft were rescued, AFP reported, citing a Uruguayan navy spokesman.

On Friday, a crew member sent a text saying the 312 metre-long (1024 foot) Stellar Daisy freighter was taking on water.

The Uruguayan navy alerted merchant ships in the area, which began a search.

A navy spokesman said they had reported a strong smell of fuel.

Castro, Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega and Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez.

A decade on, Argentina and Brazil are led by conservative presidents, Venezuela is in political turmoil, and Evo Morales is on his last term after Bolivians rejected a proposal to change the Constitution to allow him to run again.

The election winner will also decide on the fate of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has being living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since 2012.

from Reuters)

French Guiana protesters reject 1B-euro assistance offer protest group that has led two weeks of general strikes in French Guiana has dismissed France’s offer of €1 billion to tackle persistent social problems as “unsatisfactory” and is instead demanding a “new status” for the overseas territory.

Interior Minister Matthias Fekl and France’s Minister of Overseas Departments, Ericka Bareigts, announced a renewed commitment to the overseas territory to the tune of more than €1 billion on Saturday, mainly slated for projects to improve security, the justice system, and education and health pro-

round, and an opinion poll released last week put him on 52.4 per cent, next to Lasso’s 47.6 per cent.

Voting is mandatory in Ecuador and the winner will take office on May 24.

President Correa cast his vote in the capital Quito. He has campaigned for Moreno, his former Vice President.

When he was first elected in 2007, Correa was one of a group of left-wing leaders in power in Latin America, including Argentina’s Nestor Kirchner, Bolivia’s Evo Morales, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Cuba’s Raul

The Supreme Court’s ruling last week that it would take over functions of the National Assembly triggered international condemnation and Opposition protests at home.

Even the country’s Attorney General, a longtime Government ally, said the decision was unconstitutional in a rare public rebuke from Maduro’s ranks.

On Saturday, at the request of the Government, the Supreme Court eliminated the offending ruling.

But Maduro opponents said no one should believe that row-back meant democracy had been restored in the nation of 30 million people with the world’s largest

oil reserves.

“Despite a supposed retraction by the Government after creating a coup d’etat, and apart from the clarification by the Supreme Court, the coup persists,” lawmaker Juan Matheus said on behalf of the opposition.

“The rupture of the constitutional order continues,” he added at a news conference inside the legislative building, flanked by pro-Opposition legal and constitutional experts.

Matheus said they will begin proceedings to remove the Judges on Tuesday but he did not give further details. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Colombia: More than 6 tonnes of cocaine seized

C The two people rescued had been found by commercial ships aiding the search, Yonhap news agency said.

“A search operation is continuing for the 22 people,” a South Korean foreign minis-

try official told Reuters.

South Korea also requested assistance in the search from Brazil and Uruguay, the official said. The ship, a Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC) with a capacity of 260,000

tonnes, was being operated by a South Korean company but was flagged to the Marshall Islands, and had 16 Filipinos and 8 South Koreans on board.

It had departed from Brazil, reports said. (BBC News)

olombian Police have seized more than six tonnes of cocaine in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla, the Defence Minister said on Sunday.

The shipment, the third-largest seizure in the history of continental Colombia, was found on Friday and belonged to several drug gangs, among them the so-called

Urabenos, Defence Minister Luis Carlos Villegas told journalists.

The shipment would have been worth about 200 million euros in Spain, its final destination.

Authorities have already confiscated 103 tonnes of cocaine this year, the Minister added. Last year, a record 378.3 tonnes were seized.

(Reuters)

monDAY, april 3, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Serbia elects Prime Minister Pakistan Sufi Aleksandar Vucic as President shrine: 20 murdered

S

erbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic is projected to have won a clear victory in the country’s presidential election.

With most votes counted in Sunday’s poll, he has won well over 50 per cent of the vote, the threshold to avoid a run-off.

His closest challenger, Sasa Jankovic, had 14 per cent, while satirical candidate Ljubisa Preletacevic was third with nine per cent.

Vucic is pro-European Union (EU), but is accused by his rivals of using the election to tighten his grip

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic looks set to be President

on power.

Up until now, the role of the President has been largely ceremonial, but it is thought it will become more

influential under Vucic.

But he denied the suggestion as he cast his vote on Sunday in the capital Belgrade.

“They can say whatever they want. I will respect Serbia’s Constitution. That is my obligation and that is what I will do,” he said.

Vucic became Prime Minister after his pro-EU nationalist Progressive Party won a landslide victory in early parliamentary elections in 2014.

In the latest campaign, he highlighted Serbia’s economic growth under tenure.

He was previously a radical Serb nationalist who served under the-President Slobodan Milosevic in the late 1990s. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

Concern in India over voting machine flaw

T

wo election officials in India have been transferred over apparent mistakes made by an electronic voting machine, media report.

By-elections will be held in the central Madhya Pradesh state next week.

But a test of a voting machine in the state appeared to show it printing out votes for the Prime Minister’s party, regardless of what button was pressed.

The election commission said it was sending more officials from Delhi to oversee the vote.

The problem was spotted in a video widely circulated on social media in India last week.

It showed a mandato-

The video showing election officials testing the machine went viral

ry test of a Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine, which dispenses a slip of paper with the symbol of the party the voter selected.

In the test, the image

representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was printed on every slip.

A spokesman for India’s election commission said it

had requested “a detailed report” from the district election officer and that it would send two teams, headed by senior officials, to Madhya Pradesh. They will stay until the final votes of the April 9 by-election are counted.

Indian media reported that one election official and a senior Police Officer in the state’s Bindh district, where the video was filmed, had been transferred. The move has not been confirmed by the election commission.

The Times of India newspaper said demonstrators had gathered on Sunday to protest against the decision to remove staff. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

2nd Moscow Opposition protest leads to arrests

A

t least 31 people have been arrested during Opposition protests in Moscow, the second Sunday in succession to see such demonstrations.

Last week, at least 1000 people were held during protests in Moscow, reportedly the largest in five years.

The Opposition has called for the resignation of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev over corruption allegations.

A smaller group of about 100 people began marching through Moscow on Sunday, but were blocked by Police.

While Police said 31 people had been detained for “breaches of public order”, OVD-Info, a website monitoring detentions, said 56 people, including four minors, were arrested.

Those who organised the protest via social media are now facing an investigation.

Last Sunday’s demonstrations in Moscow and across the country were prompted by main Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was later ar-

Police Officers had lined Red Square in anticipation of new protests

rested.

Police said 500 people were held, but OVD-Info said at least 1000 people were arrested in Moscow alone.

Navalny had published reports claiming that Medvedev controlled mansions, yachts and vineyards – a fortune that far out-

stripped his official salary.

The Prime Minister’s spokeswoman called the allegations “propagandistic attacks”, but the Prime Minister himself has not commented on the claims.

Navalny has announced his intention to run for President in 2018 against Vladimir Putin. But he is

barred from doing so after being found guilty in a case he said was politicised.

Navalny was sentenced to 15 days in prison for his role in last Sunday’s demonstrations. His spokesman said on Twitter that he had nothing to do with the new protest. (Excerpt from BBC News)

in Punjab

T

wenty people have been murdered and others wounded at a Sufi shrine near the city of Sargodha, in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Police say.

Deputy Police Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta said the main suspect was the shrine’s custodian, Abdul Waheed.

One survivor told police Waheed had called followers into his chamber one by one, and gave them poisoned food.

He and his companions then killed them with a dagger and a stick.

“As they kept arriving, they were torturing and murdering them,” Chattha told Pakistan’s Geo TV. The alarm was raised by an injured woman who was among several victims who managed to escape.

Local Police then rushed to the shrine and arrested Waheed, along with several others believed to be his accomplices.

One senior Police Officer said the suspect appeared to be mentally unstable, and that the killings could be related to rivalry for control of the shrine.

“The 50-year-old shrine custodian Abdul Waheed has confessed that he killed these people because he feared that they had come to kill him,” Zulfiqar Hameed told AFP news agency.

The BBC’s Secunder Kermani in Islamabad says the custodian had set himself up as a Sufi spiritual leader.

“Residents have been reported as saying he would regularly beat his disciples.

He would make them strip off... and would burn their clothes,” he said.

According to a survivor, the alarm was raised by children who had witnessed the violence through a door. Adult devotees then attacked the suspects. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Anti-racism campaigner Darcus Howe dies aged 74

D

arcus Howe, one of Britain’s most prominent anti-racism campaigners, has died in London aged 74.

An uncompromising champion for racial justice and fierce opponent of Police brutality, Howe was born in British-ruled Trinidad in 1943 and moved to the United Kingdom in 1961.

He intended to study law at London’s Middle Temple, but abandoned his plans for activism, joining the Black Panthers – a movement inspired by the American group of the same name – after experiencing racist abuse and prejudice from white Britons towards the Afro-Caribbean community.

Howe would later begin a successful career in journalism, writing a regular column for the New Statesman magazine, but gained public attention in 1970 as a member of a group that marched on a west London police station to protest against repeated police raids on Mangrove, a popular Caribbean restaurant.

Howe and the eight others – known as the “Mangrove Nine” – endured a 55-day trial before finally being acquitted of the main

Darcus Howe

charge: incitement to riot.

The trial managed to successfully highlight tensions between the black community and the British legal process.

Weyman Bennett, the joint national convener for Stand Up Against Racism, told Al Jazeera that Howe’s actions shaped and defined the debate on how to stop and resist racism.

“He led the fight against the [far-right] National Front in the 1970s and 1980s, a fore-runner to today’s organisations that are Islamophobic and fascist,” Bennett said.

“He was a living example to many people on why you should speak out when you see injustice, his fire to defeat such groups never died out. He was fearless.”

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

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MONDAY, april 3, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

VOX POPULI

What the people say

I SAY...

How do you feel about the proposed 35% hike in UG tuition fees?

Colwyn Abrams “It’s nonsense. I don’t understand why they are raising everything for the same crappy facilities, and you pay sometimes $2000 for a twoinch piece of paper. If the facility was upgraded, I would have agreed yes, but come on, where is a 17-year-old finding all that money just out of high school? This raise is unfair and uncalled for.”

Patrick BenjaminHuntley – UG student “Students would have no issue paying an increased tuition if there was visible benefit to our facilities going on since the last promise to provide a boost to our university campus. The raise of tuition fees is unjust and unfair to the current students at the university and can be compared to being treated poorly and expected to pay more for it. More work needs to be done before we should have to pay more tuition.”

Joseph Fraser “Well, I think it is too much for the students to bear due to the fact that they increase fees from $120,000 to $210,000 only three years ago and 35 per cent is too sudden and too high, plus more of students’ concerns should be looked into like timely release of grades as I’m still awaiting results from last semester. Also, the upkeeping of classrooms and washrooms, materials for labs, these things should be looked at first.”

Nawaaz Singh “Oh boy, that sucks! Such a tragedy. I think that it is okay for the middle- and high-income persons, but what about lowincome persons? Especially the ones who work to maintain themselves while studying?

This country isn’t doing well; for example the rate of exchange is skyrocketing and as such, prices in the country will increase. Moreover, when prices increase, persons on fixed income lose, so it’s really not that good to increase the tuition.”

Nateshia Isaacs – UG student “Honestly, the increase wouldn’t be a bad idea and all. We have a very low tuition.

However, that eventual 35 per cent increase is way too high relative to our income. We simply don’t make enough to spend that much. Some departments’ tuitions will raise by more than $100,000.

UG needs to raise standards and not fees right now. There’s always blackout; the Internet is either scarce or locked or slow, and canteens close too early, so I’m left hungry after 6:30.

There’s always some issue and I’m not willing to pay any increase with those sorts of conditions.”

Tewanna Douglas “I think UG needs to be developed; if this increase is going to go towards that development, then fine. We also need the lecturers to be properly compensated for their jobs so that they can discharge their duties effectively, which in turn would see students benefiting more. In short, if we are to have quality education then we must be willing to pay the price that comes with it; making sacrifices in the process. I’m a loan student so, I have to pay back later, but for now I don’t feel the strain.”

Arifa Mohammed “I am not on board with the proposed increase in tuition fees. It is no secret they need finances to pay for a whole lot of stuff and to cover additional costs in order for the Guyanese populace to have a quality education, but 35 per cent increase within three years might just be too much at the moment.”

Orlando Surge “In my opinion, this move to hike the fees is ludicrous; students will be at a great disadvantage. Many may be incompetent to comply with the hike which will result in them dropping out and the dropout rate at UG is already very high. This is a great misfortune!”

Shivanie Singh “Well, if they do raise the fees, there should be improvements, but if things continue on the same path, then there is no need for the increase. It’s not fair to the majority of persons who struggle to pay their tuition as it is; but if major improvements are to be made to the standard of education, then they just might be more willing to pay.”

Zoe Frank “As regards the increase, I have no problem with it, providing that the purpose is really what they say it is for and I see a drastic change in our current situation in this light. However, the amount of increase is a problem; 20 per cent is a little unfair in the middle of a semester and the fact that it’ll total up to 35 per cent in two years’ time is just outrageous. Most of us can’t afford that and that added to faculty or miscellaneous fees, it’s a huge total for a middle of the semester.”

Andrew Chapman “I feel that the increase in tuition fees at the University of Guyana should not be. More students are now trying to get a proper education. In many cases, these students have families and friends that are supporting them with finances and they have to pay them back in the long run. What I suggest is that the fees should remain the same. It is too punishable.”

Elton Newton “Well, the increase was a shocker. All I got was an email informing me of this new development. I believe it is beyond inconsiderate to make such a proposal without including or consulting with the students as this is something that will have a direct impact on them. University is already burdensome as it is; courses are expensive and transportation is costly. This is an oppressive and inconvenient imposition on me as well as my fellow colleagues who study there.”

news

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monDAY, APRIL 3, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

President attends Guyana Veterans Legion’s anniversary service – the Seventh Manifestation of Devi Durga

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he most horrendous appearance of Durga is in form of Kalratri. Devi Kalratri is the seventh aspect of Durga and worshiped among Navdurga.

She is also glorified with name ‘Kali Maa’.

She is believed to be the most violent Devi among Navdurga. She has dark krishna (black) complexion and her appearance is extremely fearful. Her large red eyes, open red tongue, and sobre on hand violently demolish devils and monsters. Devi Kalratri has President David Granger joins in holding hands with the congregation as they sing hymns to promote harmony

P

resident David Granger on Sunday attended the third anniversary church service of the Guyana Veterans Legion (GVL) at the St Sidwell's Anglican Church.

The service was also attended by members of the Legion as well as Chief-ofStaff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Patrick West, other senior GDF officers and the Director of Prisons, Carl Graham.

The GVL was established in April 2014 as a result of the amalgamation of the Guyana Legion and the X-GDF Association of Guyana. GVL President, Lieutenant Colonel (ret'd) George Gomes, in an invited comment after the service, said that since the merge of the organisations, a church service has been hosted every year.

“We need as much of God’s blessings as possible, so we always ensure we have a church service. I wish the general membership and our well-wishers in the wider community God’s blessings and we call on all old soldiers who are not mem-

bers of the Legion to come join us. In unity, there is strength,” he said.

According to a report from the Ministry of the Presidency, Gomes said that the GVL inherited 20 World War II veterans from the Guyana Legion and 85 GDF veteran ‘shut-ins’ from the X-GDF Association and the GVL is working with the Government to ensure that the needs of these persons are met.

“We are eagerly awaiting the report of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that was headed by Colonel Desmond Roberts. We know that that includes good things for us and we are waiting for the results to be published and for the implementation of what would be beneficial to us,” he said.

The CoI was the initiative of President Granger, who called for its establishment in order to examine the conditions and circumstances facing veterans of the GDF, the Guyana People’s Militia and the Guyana National Service (GNS); and to look into the living conditions of veterans and make recommenda-

tions for improvements. In 2013, a motion for the creation of the Commission was approved in the National Assembly under the previous Administration. The final report of the CoI was handed to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon by Colonel Roberts on March 3, 2017.

President Granger has, since taking office, pledged to ensure that the needs of Guyana’s veterans are better served in return for their service to country. At a Remembrance Day reception in November 2015, the President donated $1 million to the GVL and announced that the Legion would benefit from an annual state subvention. The President also announced the establishment of a National Veterans Commission, a Veterans’ Trust and a Veterans’ Department (located at Base Camp Ayanganna). "The State acknowledges and accepts its obligation to assist our veterans to ensure that they, too, can enjoy a good life. The State will help to open opportunities for veterans when they leave active military service," the President said at that event.

three round eyes, and scattered long black hair. She wears a bead that gleams like fire of electric power.

Durga manifested herself as completely destroy the dirt and demons from existence.

She is revered with name Kalratri, because she represents herself as a death of Kaal appeared like a dark night for demons. Donkey is her procession, as she rides on gadarbh.

Goddess Kalratri also has four arms. She holds sobre in her upper left hand and thorn of iron in lower left hand. Her upper right hand is in Var Mudra and lower right hand is in Abhay Mudra.

During seventh day of Navaratri, Sadhak or devotee enters in Sahastrar chakra. After immersing oneself in Sahastrar Chakra, devotees are able to see the entrance of getting complete perfection in Universe.

However, appearance of Maa Kalratri is so

dreadful, but her grace is generous toward devotees. Worshipping Maa Kalratri on the seventh day gives abundant fruitful result. With her grace, devotees get power, position and eminent status on earth. She protects her devotees against evil influence of demons and wrong people.

Worshiping her devotees get complete protection and long life.

In Hindu mythology, it is believed that it is only Goddess Kalratri who could demolish the extreme agony of devil Raktabeej. No one could kill Raktabeej, as even one drop of his scattered blood was able to form another embodiment of Raktabeej. And that way, scattered blood of Raktabeej formed other billions of Raktabeej.

Devi Bhagwati manifested herself in Kalratri, and kept a Patra (vessel) to keep and imbibe entire blood of his body. Her extreme violent appearance while destroying Raktabeej and other demons hugely terrified all organisms of Universe. But still, she is a generous Goddess for her great devotees.

During Navratri, Saptami Pooja of Devi Kalratri is considered as Maha Pooja or great worship of Goddess Durga. Delighting this deity, devotees certainly get enormous happiness, power and comforts in life. Maa Kalratri is worshiped to destroy agony of awry influence from life of mankind.

On the seventh day of Navratri Pooja, Saptami fast is observed to please this deity.

Tantra-mantra practices are also performed and accomplished under blessings of this Goddess. Seventh day of Navratri pooja is envisaged as one of the great days in Durga Pooja. Worship Maa Kalratri on the seventh day of Navratri Pooja and obtain her enormous grace.

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu, Kalratri Rupena Sansthita, Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namaha Meaning: The Goddess who is omnipresent as the divine Maa Kalratri, I now to Her again and again.

Her splendor is limitless. She removes any kind of fear in life and protects all her devotees.

Jai Maa Kalratri!

Region 5 farmers remain resolute against REO’s orders

R

egion Five farmers are reacting to a decision by Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison to have them removed from lands they have for years been occupying at Naarstigheid and Catherine’s Lust, West Coast Berbice.

Notices were placed at the entrances to their farms on October 27 last, denying the farmers access to their farms. The notices carried the telephone number of the REO as the contact person, but the farmers contend that the RDC was not privy to this development.

A notice placed in the newspaper by the REO on Wednesday gave some of the farmers until midnight on Friday to vacate the lands.

This notice also indicates that the Police Divisional Commander has been informed of this development.

The REO has since contracted an individual to have the farmers displaced. This contractor will not be paid until the farmers are moved.

Following this development, a delegation of 12 farmers met with the REO and was informed that they would each be given one acre of land. Each member of this 12-person delegation had earlier been sent notices by the REO to vacate the lands on which they were farming, but each has now been promised one acre of land, whereas the REO is deeming the other farmers who did not meet with him as not being interested in retaining lands for farming purposes.

Contending that they are not going to adhere to the REO’s notice, the affected farmers are calling on President David Granger to intervene in this matter.

They say that despite being

given notice, they are not removing from the land.

“This farming that we are doing is our daily livelihood; we depend on this for our support. If we don’t farm, where are we going to get money to buy food to eat and to send our kids to school?

How are we going to pay our bills? We depend on this, and we are not going to move,” one farmer has said.

Another farmer, Mellissa Persaud, said the farmers have been on the land for seventeen years and have been depending on farming ever since. With children now being a part of the family, she explained, it is very inconsiderate of the REO to now ask them to vacate their farms.

Tara Singh said he has been a Bath Settlement farmer for the past twenty-four years, and since the coalition government took office, farmers are receiving

no support, and are now being treated like aliens. “A few days ago we see the notice in the newspaper to evacuate the land, and then he (REO) tell we that he gon share the land and give (each person) one acre. If he do give one acre per each person, it will be unfair. We have more than an acre of fruit trees.”

The single parent noted that even with the current size of his farm he is finding it difficult to make ends meet. He displayed a notice from a financial institution from which he had taken a loan to invest in the farm and said, “The land was leased to the Regional Democratic Council. The REO don’t have the authority (to evict anybody from the land), he is just bullying his way. I am quite sure that the President and the Prime Minister know nothing about this. I would like them to

look into this matter as early as possible.”

Also of concern to the farmers is the fact that none of the farmers at Hopetown, considered a stronghold of the Peoples National Congress (PNC) arm of the coalition, is being asked to vacate their farm lands.

One sentiment expressed by the farmers is that the Region Five Administration is an uncaring government which has no regard for the policies of President David Granger, who has been “preaching” the need to plant more food.

The total acreage under cultivation by the farmers who have been threatened with eviction from the land is 50 acres. They say they are now being told that it is a criminal offence to cultivate the land with food which is sold on the market. (Andrew

Carmichael)

President flouts order of... from page 11

“Quite apart from the contempt exhibited towards the judicial process and two Judges of the High Court, including the Chief Justice (Ag), who is now the Chancellor (Ag), every act performed by Mr. Smith as mayor would be unlawful and tainted with illegality,” Nandlall posited. “Needless to say, the PPP and its councillors do not, and will not, regard Rupert Henry Smith as the Mayor of the municipality of Mabaruma,” he avowed.

“We call upon the diplomatic and international community to take note of this latest onslaught on the rule of law, the judiciary and the democratic process by the Government,” the PPP/C Member of Parliament added.

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monDAY, April 3, 2017

ARCHIE

Channel your emotions into your work. Get things (March 21- done behind the scenes and April 19) master what you want to pursue. An overreaction will cause problems with relationships.

ARIES

Discuss your choices with TAURUS someone you look up to and (April 20- trust. Learn from people with May 20) experience, but thoroughly examine the information offered to you before you choose what works best.

dilbert

Stay on top of what others GEMINI say, and get offers or promis(May 21es in writing. If you want to June 20) bring about change, get approval before you begin. Avoid conflicts with partners.

Settle down and refrain from making an erratic move (June 21- based on hearsay or peer presJuly 22) sure. Channel your energy into creative, innovative ideas and plans that will help you get ahead.

CANCER

Peanuts

Don’t complain or critiLEO cize. It’s in your best interest (July 23to make personal changes. Put Aug. 22) more time into learning and applying what you discover to improve your life and future.

Calvin and Hobbes

A little give-and-take and VIRGO sincerity will bring you closer (Aug. 23Sept. 22) to your family, friends and colleagues. Don’t be afraid to be different. Home and health issues should be taken seriously.

Don’t give up, retreat or let LIBRA your emotions take control.

(Sept. 23Keep your feet on the ground Oct. 23) and stick to basics. Walk away from excessive people, and don’t make compensations.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

A creative outlet will stimSCORPIO ulate your mind and lead to (Oct. 24all sorts of new possibilities.

Nov. 22) Serious discussions and personal changes look rewarding.

Excursions and learning are highlighted.

Indecisiveness will surface SAGITTARIUS if you can’t decide how you (Nov. 23- feel about someone. Consider Dec. 21) the consequences and do your best to quantify the ideal way to move forward.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Don’t let others’ actions CAPRICORN discourage you. Do your own (Dec. 22thing and don’t feel obligatJan. 19) ed to take part in something you find risky. Make personal changes that will add to your entertainment options.

Don’t let the past come back AQUARIUS to haunt you. You need to rec(Jan. 20ognize certain insincere gesFeb. 19) tures of friendliness. Children, institutions and someone using emotional blackmail will try to take advantage of you.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Do your thing and stop PISCES (Feb. 20- worrying about what others March 20) think. You cannot please everyone, but you can master the art of personal happiness.

Show strength and command respect.

MONDAY, aPRIL 3, 2017

19

West Indies, Pakistan arrive today GNIC crowned champions 2016-17 GCA/Nobel House Seafoods 2-day cricket

– despite Rafael Singh’s 13-wkt match haul

T

oday West Indies and Pakistan will arrive in Guyana at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, at Timehri. The highly competitive Pakistan side – which has given the West Indies a fierce challenge so far, winning the T20 series that concluded in Trinidad on Sunday – will arrive with their buoyant West Indian competitors, on the Caribbean Airlines chartered flight BW 8000 at 13:55h.

The arrival will leave both teams with just three days of preparation, before the first One-Day International encounter at Providence on Friday, April 7. A situation that gives the West Indies team amplified confidence, since they are more familiar

with the match conditions at Providence which generally require high levels of versatility and adaptability.

With all West Indians upbeat and eagerly awaiting a West Indian dominance of the remainder of the season, cricket enthusiasts are predicting increased levels of professional application, outstanding performances and winning results from the maroon guys.

The other two matches in Guyana will be played at the said venue, the National Stadium at Providence on Sunday, April 9 and Tuesday, April 11.

All matches in Guyana are scheduled to commence at 09:30h, and prospective spectators are asked to up-

lift their tickets before the match days, so as to reduce the congestion at the frequently stringent Providence ground entrances.

As the West Indies team look to build on their recent exploits to stun Pakistan and astonish their critics, prospective spectators are reminded that tickets and car passes can be acquired online or at the Guyana Cricket Board office, situated on Regent Street, Bourda between 08:00h and 18:00h on all days preceding the match dates.

Tickets cost $4000 for the Red and Green Stands, $3000 for the Orange Stand and $2000 for the Grass Mound.

The champions GNIC with GCA and Nobel House Seafoods representatives at the conclusion of the Second Division final at GCC, Bourda, on Sunday

F

or a second successive year, Transport Sports Club (TSC) failed to win the final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Nobel House Seafoods Second Division two-day cricket competition, as the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) claimed the title after securing first innings points despite an outstanding individual performance by Rafael Singh, who bagged 13-87 in the match.

Scores in the match: GNIC 167 and 138, while TSC batted once for 124.

Resuming day two on 68-6 with skipper Shaun Massiah and Azeem Azeez at the

crease, TSC only muster another 56 runs before they were eventually dismissed in the first session.

Gajanan Suknanan, in his return match, snared 4-29 with his off spin, while former West Indies spinner Clyde Butts collected 3-8 and Deswin Butts took 2-24.

Massiah topscored with 26.

GNIC extended their first innings lead to 182 after being dismissed for 138 in their second innings. Kurt Lovell hit 40, while Mark Nicholson scored 35.

The two pushed the score past 50 in the 28th over after the interval; Nicholson, however, fell for 35 from 94 balls which included two fours and a six when he pushed a

full delivery back to off-spinner Singh to leave GNIC on 64 for 2.

Singh captured his second five-wicket haul for the match, 7-58 in 20.2 overs to follow up his first innings figures of 6-29 ending the match with 13-87. He was named player of the match for his performance.

Owing to the amount of time remaining in the day’s play, the two captains decided to call off the match before its scheduled closure.

TSC won the title in 2015, but finished as runners up in 2016 and 2017.

GNIC are the champions after a solid display throughout the tournament.

No improvement from the Caribbean side - Sir Curtly

Boodoosingh ready for Grand Prix challenge T E

he second Georgetown Grand Prix, organised

by GT Motorsports, is set to speed off on April 7 at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club, Albert Street and Thomas Lands, and the inclusion of Trinidad and Tobago’s Group Four driver Kristian Boodoosingh should make the event even more intriguing.

Boodoosingh is not the first overseas driver to compete at the event. In the inaugural staging in February, the Trinidad and Tobago father/daughter combination of Ravi Singh and Bridget Singh, Barbados’ Orry Hunte and Canada’s Darryl Timmers were in Guyana to showcase their skills for local fans. Boodoosingh said he has received positive reviews of the facility and the atmosphere on race night from Bridget Singh, who incidentally was the champion driver in the 125cc Senior Cup, having won both her races. “She gave the event and facility very high praise, saying that it is world class in her

book and the atmosphere was amazing, so I can’t wait to get on track and experience it firsthand under the lights Friday night,” Boodoosingh related.

The 2015 Caribbean Motor Racing Championships’ Group Four runner-up is eagerly anticipating testing out the newly-refurbished track and hopefully cop some podium finishes.

“I am ecstatic about this opportunity given to me by Vishok (Persaud) to compete at the GT Motorsports (Georgetown) Grand Prix this coming Friday. Having competed in Guyana on three previous occasions in the Group Four class and coming out with several podium finishes, I am looking forward to racing at this new facility and hopefully, I can put on a great show for the fans and come out with some more podium finishes,” the Trinidadian stated.

Engines will start at the Georgetown Grand Prix at 18:00h. Among the categories to

A dominating force in the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships, Kristian Boodoosingh will treat the locals to his skills in go-karting

be contested are the 60cc, 125cc Junior, 125cc Senior, 4-Stroke Light, 4-Stroke Heavy and Shifter Karts. A new addition would be the Easy Cup Rookies, targeting newcomers.

The champion drivers from February’s meet were: 60cc – Jeremy Tenpow (2 wins, 1 third-place finish); 125cc Junior – Mikhail Persaud (2 wins, 1 third-place finish); 125cc Senior – Bridget Singh (2 wins); 4-Stroke Light – Stephen Vieira (1 win, 2 second-place finish);

4-Stroke Heavy – Shan Seejattan (2 wins); and Shifter Karts – Kristian Jeffrey (3 wins).

The event has received backing from Stag Beer, Sun Burst Juices, E-Networks, ISG, Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club, Optique Vision Care, King’s Jewellery World, Truck Masters, Trophy Stall, Prem’s Electrical Store, Honda Powersports, Super Bet Sport Betting, Vishal Auto Toy Store and Cyril’s Taxi Service.

ven before the West Indies disappointingly lost out in the final game of their T20 series to Pakistan, giving the visitors a 3-1 victory, former standout paceman and bowling coach for the regional side, Sir Curtly Ambrose, had said there didn’t seem to be any improvement.

Ambrose was responding to claims from West Indies T20 captain, Carlos Brathwaite, and coach Stuart Law, that there were signs of improvement.

West Indies lost the first game in Barbados by six wickets, the second in Trinidad and Tobago by three runs, before a big seven-wicket victory was to come, setting up an opportunity for the Caribbean team to level the series in the final game.

However, a massive sevenwicket defeat was to follow, the West Indies falling quite meekly to a Pakistan side that seem to have frailties.

“This is getting worse and worse and I’ve started believing that these guys don’t know

Sir Curtly Ambrose

or have the know-how to win games,” said Sir Curtly.

Speaking specifically about the three-run defeat at the Queen’s Park Oval, Ambrose had said, the team sets itself up well on many occasions, only to lose the plot.

“Too many times they find themselves in a winning position and then for some strange or unknown reason, it’s just like they lose their focus, they lose their tain of thought and end up losing and it’s like they don’t have the know-how anymore,” said Ambrose.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monDAY, april 3, 2017

Jaguars embrace GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres

T

op football stars from the Golden Jaguars took part in coaching up and coming talent at Guyana Football Federation (GFF)-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres this weekend, as part of efforts to help young players reach their potential within the new nationwide youth football development programme.

National team goalkeeper Andrew Durant and forward Vurlon Mills trained boys at the East Coast Demerara Academy Training Centre in Golden Grove, while winger Eon Alleyne visited the Georgetown Academy Training Centre at Tucville Ground, running through drills with Under-13 players as the GFF rolled out its national football philosophy.

“You can see the joy in the players, in their faces, in their actions – just before they come and they see the national players here – you know – the excitement,” said Mills, fresh from the Golden Jaguars’ hard-fought draw against Martinique in Linden on March 28.

“I think it’s very important for the national players’ presence to be around for the youths’ development. I enjoy coaching youths, it’s something I have been doing for a while – it improves me as well as an individual and as a developing coach. As I am teaching them, they are teaching me. In the community, we, as national players, have to set the right example, because

Experienced Golden Jaguars forward Vurlon Mills engaged in drills with some of the Academy players

there are a lot of youths who look up to us and look to us for ideas and examples.”

The GFF has created the country’s first nationwide network of 13 training centres, in collaborating with Scotiabank, across its nine-member associations, delivering free, weekly and professional sessions for boys and girls in order to discover and more effectively develop young talent.

Each association hosts opendoor grassroots sessions for boys and girls aged 5-12, as well as elite youth training for specially-selected U-13 boys, U-15 boys, U-17 boys and U-17 girls, creating a clear pathway for young players to progress into the national teams and to

reach their potential.

“It’s a pleasure working with these kids and I think this programme will benefit these kids in a very good way,” said Alleyne. “In my young, youthful days, we didn’t have such a programme for us to develop and I think it is going to benefit them in a good way in developing their football.

“It is important for me and many other national players to be here, because we can share our experience with the young kids and help them to develop their football, so that they could be better players in the future.”

The GFF is focusing on youth development across the country to

Jaguars’ winger Eon Alleyne teaching a young player how it’s done

build solid foundations for future success and the administration is also working to include Guyana’s senior national players in the delivery of its programmes to help to inspire greater participation and engagement.

“Having these guys here with the younger players, it’s such a boost for us by raising their enthusiasm for the game,” said GFF Technical Development Officer for the East Coast Demerara region and national goalkeeping coach Eon DeViera.

“It was such a privilege to have them here to encourage the younger ones and to also work with them – for them to be able to see how these guys could really move with the ball. I think it was such a good thing for us to have them here at the Academy.”

GFF grassroots sessions are open to all boys and girls between the ages of five and 12 at the GFFScotiabank Academy Training Centre in Georgetown; East Coast Demerara; West Coast Demerara; Berbice (2); Rupununi (4); East Bank Demerara; Essequibo; Upper Demerara and Bartica.

“There is so much talent out here in Guyana,” said Mills.

“Guyana has so much talent that we don’t really recognise until we go into the communities.”

For more information about the programme, please contact the GFF Secretariat.

GHB Under-18/ 2nd Division Outdoor Hockey League…

GABA elections set for Sunday GCC teams take U-18/2nd Division outdoor titles

By Romario Samaroo

the table. In second position was debutant St. Joseph High School, who have played he GCC teams have maintained six games and earned themselves eight their domination of the Guyana points. Saint Stanislaus (Saints), the other Hockey Board’s (GHB) Under-18/ school-based team in the division, was Second Division Outdoor Hockey League, in third position with seven points, while securing the titles in all of the formats Hikers sit at the bottom of the pile with after the round-robin-style tournament only one point from six games. concluded on Saturday at the St. Stanislaus The GCC U-18 Boys have similarly been College Ground on Carifesta Avenue in dominating their category, gathering 22 Georgetown. points from eight games. They lead the After two entertaining rounds of action, competition with 47 goals, the most by any GCC won the Boys and Girls Under-18 as team, with Kareem McKenzie scoring 22 of well as the Men’s and Women’s Second those goals. McKenzie has maintained the support of, and has worked well with, the regular goalkeeper, but playing in the field for the competition, Rahim Oliver has scored 10 goals to date.

Saints defeated Hikers in the U-18 Boys’ clash. Nicholas Nervais scored a double and Joshua Joseph and Edmond Chinan contributed one goal each to GCC demolished the competition in every category secure a 4-0 win for of the GHB U-18/2nd Division League the Saints, but this Division to cap off a good tournament, was not enough to prevent Old Fort from the second GHB tournament in just four securing the second place in this grouping. months into the year.

In the Second Division women’s match, On the final day of play in the GCC closed on a high note, emphasizing Under-18 matches, the GCC Girls’ U-18 their position at the top of the tree with team secured a comfortable 4-0 victory a 5-0 win over Old Fort. This victory over Hikers. Leading goal scorer in this came from the calculated efforts of category, Abosaide Cadogan, added two Aliyah Gordon, who scored twice; and more to her tally, to finish on 11 goals and Corina Muller, who scored a hat trick to maintain her team’s position at the top of

T

Flashback! Junior Hercules (centre) along with his new Executive Board following the 2015 elections

T

he Georgetown Amateur Basketball Federation (GABA) is set to host its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Cara Lodge Hotel in Quamina Street, Georgetown from 13:00h on Sunday, and high on the agenda will be the election of executives.

As is customary, the event will commence with the opening remarks from President of the GABA, Junior Hercules, followed by the Report from the Secretary/ Treasurer, after which the President will give his report.

At conclusion of the President’s Report, the returning officer will give instructions on the elections before the election of new office bearers is held. Then there will be the welcoming of the new GABA executives.

Hercules assumed office in 2015, succeeding Michael Singh. Adrian Hooper was appointed Vice-President after defeating Ewart Williams with six votes to three, while Cheryl Thomas was elected Secretary of the Association after defeating Nadine LuthersWilliams.

Joyce Sullivan was elected unopposed as Treasurer, while LuthersWilliams was unchallenged as the Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer.

The clubs that voted were the Colts, Republic Bank Nets, Eagles, UG Trojans, Plaisance Guardians, Knights and Melanie Patriots; while the Dynas Ravens, TGH Pacesetters and Pepsi Sonics were not represented at the proceedings.

Kareem McKenzie and Abosaide Cadogan, both of GCC, are the leading goal scorers in the U-18 Boys’ and Girls’ divisions respectively

underscore the team’s dominance; while Hikers downed Saints 3-1 as Laticia Chung scored twice for Hikers. Hikers have maintained their second position with this victory.

Additionally, Old Fort defeated GCC ‘A’ 3-2 in the Men’s 2nd Division showdown.

Akeem Hope and Jason Clarke placed Old Fort in a very good position at the end of the first half, scoring in the 4th and 10th minute respectively; while Rafael Robertson scored in the 28th minute to give Old Fort a 3-0 lead at that point.

However, with two goals scored by the 36 minute, GCC seemed to have bounced back in contention in the competition, but Old Fort managed to hold on to their advantage and come out with a win.

In the clash of the table-toppers, GCC ‘B’ squeezed past Hikers in a 2-1 win, thanks to the efforts of Patrick Edgehill and Damon Woodroffe.

YELLOW PAGES

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John powers to Powerade

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eam Coco’s Jamaul John has again emerged victorious in a nail-biting finish to snatch victory in the 7th Banks DIH-sponsored Powerade Road Race on Sunday.

Held on the West side, the race began slightly after the scheduled time of 08:00h on the roadway in front of the Wales Police Station, West Bank Demerara, and 48 wheelers took to the starting line on a journey that saw them heading to Parika and back to Schoonord to finish.

John, who won his second race of the year on this route, enjoyed the spoils of a close victory that saw him edging Team Evoution’s Paul DeNobrega to take the title in a time of one hour, 57 minutes and 16 seconds (01:57:16). The duo was followed by Akeem Wilkinson of Evolution and Team Alanis’s Alanzo Ambrose in third and fourth respectively, while the Berbice pair of Jason Cameron and Romello Crawford completed the top six of the senior category in that order. This had been the breakaway pack that began the sprint from about 500 metres from the finishing line.

After winning the race, John spoke with Guyana Times Sport and related that he was not feeling well despite coming out with the victory. He attributed this victory to good luck, pointing out that he was suffering from a “wind pain in my side.”

John and his club mate Hamza Eastman both received two prime prizes, while We Stand United’s

Andrew Hicks, Crawford, De Nobrega and Christopher Griffith received one each.

By virtue of Cameron’s overall placing, he was awarded the winner of the junior category, while Christopher Cornelius and Curtis Dey finished in that category in second and third position respectively.

What has become the expected of recent times, Coco’s veteran rider Junior Niles again dominated the competition in a time of 01h:20min:50sec to take first place in that division, with a challenge coming from Leer Nunes who trailed closely for second position, as Ralph Williams took the third spot.

In the Mountain Bike category, Keon Thomas repeated his winning performance of last year, racing to the finish line well ahead of the competition; while Shane Bourne copped second and Ozia McAulay secured third.

Deance Welch was the lone female rider in this competition.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, National Cycling Coach and organizer of the event, Hassan Mohammed, noted that the event was accident-free, and extended gratitude to Powerade for their efforts in the development of the sport as well as for providing refreshments for the riders at the end of the race.

Representing the sponsors, Marissa Moonsammy congratulated the riders for a spectacular showing of fitness and clean competition, and recommitted the efforts of the company to continue supporting the development of cycling in the country.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

mondAY, april 3, 2017

West Indies v Pakistan, 4th T20I…

Pakistan pummel Windies to seal series W

est Indies were un- Lewis - the match-winner able to build on in Saturday’s third T20 - fell Saturday’s victo- cheaply to Imad Wasim afry over Pakistan as they ter Pakistan had elected to slumped to a heavy loss in field, Chadwick Walton proTrinidad on Sunday. vided initial encouragement Hasan Ali starred for the Windies with a 31with the ball as Pakistan ball 40 containing four maxwrapped up a series victo- imums. ry over West Indies with an However, Walton’s deemphatic seven-wicket tri- parture to Shadab at the umph in Sunday’s fourth start of the ninth over trigand final Twenty20 interna- gered an alarming slump tional in Trinidad.

Victory at the same venue 24 hours earlier had seen the Windies retain hope of earning a 2-2 draw, but the hosts were restricted to a modest total of 124-8 on Sunday as Hasan returned superb figures of 2-12 from four overs.

The seamer also ran out Lendl Simmons during a middle-order collapse from the Windies, while Shadab Khan claimed 2-16.

Pakistan had little trouble in hunting down their target, Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam striking 53 and 38 respectively to help the tourists home with Carlos Brathwaite’s late an over to spare. impetus was in vain© AFP Although Evin

as Hasan came to the fore, bowling Marlon Samuels (22) and Jason Mohammed (1) either side of running out Simmons in his follow-through.

The Windies were in disarray at 83-7 before some late resistance from skipper Carlos Brathwaite (37 off 24 balls) boosted their total.

Nevertheless, it was smooth sailing for Pakistan during a run-chase that featured an early injury scare for Kieron Pollard, the powerful all-rounder seemingly hurting his left knee in the first over.

Kamran Akmal fell for 20 when he clipped Samuels straight to midwicket, but Shehzad and Babar shared 70 for the second wicket to all but secure victory.

Kesrick Williams was on a hat-trick after he bowled Shehzad behind his legs at the end of the 16th over and then ousted Babar at the start of his next set of six.

Yet those wickets only delayed the inevitable, Shoaib

West Indies middle and lower-order once again failed to deliver as Pakistan cruised to 3-1 series victory (Photo by WICB Media/Randy Brooks)

Malik - who was dropped off Williams - and Sarfraz Ahmed completing the job for Pakistan.

The tour now heads to Guyana for the three-match One-Day International Series which begins on Friday at the National Stadium, Providence.

(Sportsmax)

GCA/Carib Beer T20

Forde, fast bowlers inspire big win for MSC

A

er to recover as they were creeping at 49-3 at the halfway stage.

Opener Leon Andrews made 25 while Ishwar Singh and Jermaine Moe scored 20 apiece in the middle and late overs of their team’s innings.

Mars bowled his four overs up front, capturing 3-16, while Burnette was good in the middle and depth overs as he also claimed three wickets for 19 runs.

Stephan Brown had another good outing with the ball, picking up 1-28 from four overs, while Jacobs sent down four overs for just 11 runs.

MSC’s reply suffered an early setback when Surujnarine Kandasammy was removed for four, caught behind by Dexter Solomon off the bowling of former youth player Dennis Legay for four. However, his opening partner Nichosie Barker and Kefa Naughton, who was promoted to bat at number three, added 38 runs to push their team closer to victory, before the latter was brilliantly bowled by Legay.

Continuing on, the hosts

West Indies innings (20 overs maximum) E Lewis c Hasan Ali b Imad Wasim 7 C Walton† c Shoaib Malik b Shadab Khan 40 22 M Samuels b Hasan Ali J Mohammed b Hasan Ali 1 L Simmons run out (Hasan Ali) 1 K Pollard b Rumman Raees 3 C Brathwaite* not out 37 J Holder c sub (Mohammad 0 Nawaz (3)) b Shadab Khan S Narine b Wahab Riaz 9 S Badree not out 1 3 Extras (lb 2, w 1) Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 124 Did not bat: KOK Williams Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Lewis, 2.5 ov), 2-52 (Walton, 8.1 ov), 3-59 (Mohammed, 10.6 ov), 4-73 (Simmons, 12.1 ov), 5-73 (Samuels, 12.2 ov), 6-82 (Pollard, 14.4 ov), 7-83 (Holder, 15.2 ov), 8-121 (Narine, 18.6 ov) Bowling: Imad Wasim 4-0-25-1, Hasan Ali 4-2-12-2 (1w), Rumman Raees 4-1-25-1,

Wahab Riaz 4-0-44-1, 4-0-16-2 Shadab Khan

Pakistan innings (target: 125 runs from 20 overs) Ahmed Shehzad b Williams 53 Kamran Akmal c Williams 20 b Samuels Babar Azam c sub (R Powell) 38 b Williams Shoaib Malik not out 9 Sarfraz Ahmed*† not out 3 4 Extras (lb 1, w 3) Total (3 wickets; 19 overs) 127 Did not bat: Imad Wasim, Fakhar Zaman, Rumman Raees, Wahab Riaz, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Kamran Akmal, 6.2 ov), 2-110 (Ahmed Shehzad, 15.6 ov), 3-115 (Babar Azam, 17.1 ov) Bowling: Badree 4-0-38-0, Holder 3-0-24-0, Williams 3-0-16-2 (1w), Narine 4-019-0, Samuels 2-0-11-1, C RBrathwaite 2-0-13-0 (2w), Mohammed 1-0-5-0

Gayle looks to youngsters to help snap RCB IPL title drought

Orin Forde hits Kwame Crosse for a biggie during MSC’s win over GDF

n explosive half-century by former national T20 player Orin Forde, coupled with quality bowling from pacers Cordell Mars and Edwin Burnette, enhanced Malteenoes Sports Club’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Carib Beer T20 Tournament after they defeated the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) by six wickets.

Forde, who was a member of the Guyana squad who played in the first Stanford T20 Regional Tournament in 2006, hit seven sixes and a solitary four in an unbeaten innings of 58 from 20 deliveries as hosts MSC successfully scored the required 114 to achieve victory, with five overs to spare and six wickets remaining. GDF were restricted to 113-7 after being inserted.

Seeking their third win, MSC bowled well in their initial overs as the new ball pair of Mars and spinner Steven Jacobs provided limited scoring options for the batsmen. That restriction saw GDF slip to 35-3, nev-

SCOREBOARD

W Orin Forde (centre) flanked by fast bowlers Cordell Mars (left) and Edwin Burnette

lost two more wickets.

Barker was run out for 24, wandering too far out of his crease when Jacobs drove a ball down the ground only for it to deflect off the bowler and catch the batsman short of his ground, and Jacobs was caught on the long on boundary attempting to hit a six off Jeremiah Harris.

However, it was Forde’s innings which was the highlight of the day. The right-handed batsman was severe on anything in his zone as he demonstrated some ideal hitting for T20 cricket. His half century

came up in just 17 deliveries and he closed the game with another maximum.

Left-arm orthodox bowler Legay bowled well to close with figures of 2-14 from his quota of four overs.

The win was an important one for MSC, who will now have to wait to see the outcome of the rest of group B’s matches to know their fate in the coming weeks.

Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) and Everest Cricket Club are the other teams that are in contention to move on to the semis.

est Indies star batsman Chris Gayle is hopeful a new generation of cricketers led by England bowler Tymal Mills can aid in helping Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to its first Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 title.

Despite having Gayle, one of the most explosive batsman in the world, RCB have consistently played the role of bridesmaids after making three finals.

A high power batting lineup, which includes Gayle, team captain Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will once again give the team a good chance to end the title drought this season. RCB, however, look a less explosive unit when it comes to the bowling lineup, with the £1.2 million Mills thought to be the main weapon.

“Mills has been very good all around the world since he started playing international cricket,” Gayle said.

Chris Gayle

“Hopefully, he will lead from the front and fit in nicely. There are quite a few young guys who’ve been in the team as well and I’m sure they will fit in well.

“We have a great captain and a lot of senior guys to actually gel with the youngsters and hopefully we’ll get a good start in the tournament and take it from there.” (SportsMax)

23

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, april 3, 2017

GMR&SC National Race of Champions…

C

Jeffrey, Persaud simply unstoppable

ircuit racing returned to the South Dakota Circuit on Sunday and there was no change in the script for group four driver Kristian Jeffrey as he annihilated the field at the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) National Race of Champions.

Jeffrey and his Mitsubishi Evolution gave the sizable crowd in attendance a trill with is aggressive racing style which allowed him to comfortably win all of his three races while Motor biker Kevin Persaud had an identical feat in the Super stock category.

Jeffrey for most of the day toyed with his oppo-

nents leading the 10-lap event from start to finish.

The competition was certainly for any position from second downwards.

The second group four race was arguably the most trilling as it also featured Andrew King, who had a late appearance due to mechanical issues. While Jeffrey led from the front, Danny Persaud and his Mazda Miata which is most known for its exploits in the group three class had King’s Mazda RX 7 watching his rare lights for the large portion of the race.

That all changed in lap eight when the duo entered the “goose-neck” and King showed who is boss, swop-

ping pass Persaud, much to the delight of the those in attendance to finish in second.

The third race in that group saw Rupie Shewjattan who drives a similar Evolution to that of Jeffrey, kept the pressure on the two-time Caribbean champion until Shewjattan veered off the track approaching the “goose-neck” in lap eight.

In the group 3 three action, Persaud, who had hit the sands banks by the club house earlier in the , swiftly did repair works and returned to the track. Himself and Stefan Jeffery who was clocking around the 37seconds lap time, had an epic battle in race three.

Danny Persaud’s Mazda Miata leads Andrew King’s Mazda RX7 at the club house turn (Marceano Narine photo)

For most of the race, it seemed to be a cat-mouse pursuit, with Persaud stopping any chance of Jeffery slipping ahead. Jeffery patience brought virtue as on turn four, he took the lead in emphatic fashion, taking down Persaud in the inside with one lap to go.

Simialrly, Daniel Deokie in his Honda Civic had an impressive day winning his three races in the Sports

Tuner category while Shan Seejattan and Chet Singh shared the honors in the Group two races.

Meanwhile, the twowheel action did not have the large participating contingent as norm but in the absence of the Vieira’s, Persaud dusted all of his competitors such as John Bennett and Ravi Singh to clock a fastest lap time of 36.759s.

In addition, to the circuit racing, there was also a drifting display by local and Suriname drivers.

The attention will now be turned to the first leg of the Caribbean Motor Racing Champions (CMRC) in Jamaica at the Jamwest Circuit on May 21, where at least eight cars and fours bikes from Guyana should be participating.

GT Beer/ NAMILCO/ Star Party Rentals Futsal…

The drifting segment certainly brought a buzz for some fans (Marceano Narine photo)

Petra/Milo Schools’ U-18 Football…

Chase Academy, Sir Leon’s to clash in semi-finals

Quarter-final fixtures hint at thrilling matches

– Morgan’s oppose Masters Academy

The massive crowds that have turned up at the National Stadium have by no means been short of riveting futsal action

T

Chase Academy (yellow) have looked one of the most wellrounded teams in this year’s tournament

F

ollowing Sunday’s conclusion of the quarter-finals of the Petra-organised Milo Schools’ Under-18 Football Tournament at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta, twotime defending champions Chase Academy will meet the talented Sir Leon’s Lesson in the semi-finals on Wednesday, while Morgan’s Learning Centre clash with Masters Academy in the other match.

For Chase, their passage came after a resounding 7-0 drubbing of Pure Masters Academy. On point for the

victors, who so far have looked most assured of copping a third successive title, was Ryan Hackett with a double. Hackett netted in the 70th and 90th minute respectively, and received support from the heels of Reshawn Ritch (24th); Job Caesar (29th); Nicholas McArthur (30th); Jeremy Garrett (36th) and Malachi Adonis (67th).

The other match was less than straight forward, as Akeem Giddings’ 67th minute goal allowed Masters Academy to edge Buxton Youth Developers 2-1.

Giddings’ conversion came

after the scores were locked after an equaliser from teammate Calvin Peters in the 45th. Buxton had taken the lead in the 29th minute after Ablamy Robertson breached Masters’ defence.

The first semi-final gets underway from 17:00h followed by the second at 19:00h.

Teams are battling for the $500,000 first prize on offer, while the second, third and fourth place finishers will pocket $300,000; $200,000 and $100,000 respectively – money that will go towards a school project.

he fixtures for the quarter-final matches of the 2nd GT Beer/ Petra Organised Futsal Championships have been released and it pits some top teams against each other which send the message that fans will be in for treat Tuesday evening at the National Gymnasium.

After the two exhibition matches, the main draw will begin when the compact Tucville clash with Sophia followed by West Front Road and Broad Street.

The defending champions Broad Street will then oppose the evergreen Back Circle after which Sparta Boss face North East La Penitence.

In addition to the title sponsor, NAMILCCO and Star Party Rentals have pledged support towards the tournament.

The winner of the tournament is set to pocket $400,000 and the championship trophy while the second, third and fourth place finishers will collect $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively and the correspondingly accolade.

4/4/2017 Quarter Finals

Gymnasium

Match #

19;30 hrs Green Ice Taxi

vs Pretty posse

Exb

20:15 hrs Upper level

vs Customs

Exb

21:00 hrs Sophia

vs Tucville

31

21:45 hrs West Front Road

vs Bent Street

32

22:30 hrs Back Circle

vs Broad Street Ballerz

33

23:15 hrs Sparta Boss

vs North East 34 Lapenetance

4/8/2017 Semi Finals

Gymnasium

Match #

22:30 hrs Winner of 31 vs Winner of 34 35 23:15 hrs Winner of 32 vs winner of 33 4/15/2017 Finals

36

MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

GMR&SC National Race of Champions…

Jeffrey, Persaud simply unstoppable

Pg 23

Motorbiker Kevin Persaud and group four driver Kristian Jeffrey annihilated the field at the South Dakota Circuit on Sunday (Marceano Narine photos)

John powers

West Indies v Pakistan, 4th T20I…

Pg 21 Pg 22

to Powerade Road Race title Pakistan

pummel

Windies to seal series

Jamaul John winning the sprint to the finish line ahead of Paul DeNobrega in the seventh Powerade Road Race

Hasan Ali bowled back-to-back maidens and picked up two wickets to wreck West Indies © AFP

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