Guyana Times Daily

Republic Bank opens 1st Trade Mission to Guyana P10 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 3054

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

$250B Budget to be financed with new taxes guyanatimesgy.com

‒ VAT reduced to 14% but added to water, electricity bills ‒ Passport fee, departure tax increase

‒ Old Age Pension up by $800

‒ Income threshold raised by $5000 ‒ GRA now empowered to access bank accounts to collect debts Pages 3&13

Worst budget in history of budgets – Jagdeo Page 7

…will cripple economy, kill Private Sector

Govt believes billions injected into GuySuCo is money wasted Page 12

…as education delivery gets lion’s share of 2017 Budget

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

ECD resident shot after drunken man opens fire P2

2016 records P7 dismal economic performance …real growth only 2%

Bee Hive man shot while urinating P10 near car Linden airstrip must become a reality – Chairman P16

GAWU decries P2 political interference in sugar industry Stray animals causing chaos on Berbice roadways P16 ... stiffer penalties needed ‒ Police

PSC concerned

by City Hall’s no-show at tripartite P9 meetings

2 news GAWU decries political interference in sugar industry tuesDAY, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

T

he Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) has cited that there is an increasing amount of political interference in the sugar industry.

The union said Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman’s statement that the “administrative staff of the Wales Sugar Estate, West Bank Demerara, would have to wait a bit longer as government continues to identify alternative estates for their placement” is revealing that there is mounting political interference in the industry.

On Monday in a strongly worded statement GAWU said it finds the minister’s announcement startling, revealing, and at odds with previous pronouncements by the Government.

According to the union, in 2015 the Government had advised that the

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) would operate autonomously while its administration would be restricted to the board and management.

Further, it highlighted that the corporation’s Chairman, Professor Clive Thomas, had stated that “GuySuCo’s recent success is also proof that political interference was a severe

toxic element in the industry and to the Corporation.

That is done with.”

On that note, the union underscored that with the “toxic” repercussions that political interference brings, it was alarming that straight-forward, administrative decisions concerning the Corporation have attracted the attention of Cabinet.

Thus, the union said this illustrates a major shift in attitude by the Government to the sugar industry.

“It would be interesting to learn of the motivations behind the seeming change.

We also wonder what other decisions are being addressed about the industry at the Camp Ayangana meetings,” it added, noting that Trotman also stated that, “The question becomes now, what to do with lands, so government is looking at several options”.

“This revelation, though

Professor Clive Thomas

significant and depressing, confirms our Union’s suspicion that there was and still is no clear roadmap regarding the future of Wales Estate. It is incredulous that the Government had adopted such a flippant approach to this issue which threatens the livelihoods of thousands of ordinary Guyanese,” it stated.

Consequently, the union added that this develop-

ment is not only concerning to the union but also thousands of sugar workers. It stated that if simplistic and straightforward decisions are being considered at the highest levels then the industry can very well be on a perilous path in which political considerations could very well take precedence over other important considerations vital to the industry’s success.

“We urge our decisionmakers to carefully consider the path they have embarked and the serious repercussions they can have on morale and the

GAWU President Komal Chand

proper functioning of the all-important sugar industry,” it said.

ECD resident shot after drunken man opens fire

A

n East Coast Demerara resident is now hospitalised after he was shot by an armed drunken man who opened fire indiscriminately during an argument with another man at a popular service station along the East Coast Highway.

Shanis Persaud was shot to his left hand by the suspect who has since gone into hiding. Based on reports, the suspect was imbibing in the company of several others when a heated argument broke out and quickly escalated into a scuffle.

In retaliation, the suspect took out his fire-

arm and discharged several rounds, one of which struck Persaud who was standing a short distance away. After the suspect realised that the man was shot, he immediately scrambled into his car and fled.

The injured man was taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where he was admitted. His condition is said to be stable.

The Police have launched an investigation into the matter and have since retrieved five spent shells from the scene. In addition, Police are working diligently to arrest the suspect.

news

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tuesDAY, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, November 29 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, November 30 –05:00h-06:30h The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, November 29 – 16:20h-17:50h and Wednesday, November 30– 16:40h-18:10h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions, interrupted by light rain showers in the early afternoon hours, can be expected throughout the day. Clear to partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 26 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-easterly to East North-easterly between 4.02 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 04:09h and 16:20h reaching maximum heights of 2.55 metres and 2.67 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 09:56h and 22:18h reaching minimum heights of 0.67 metre and 0.54 metre respectively. ly.

$250B Budget to be financed with new taxes

F

inance Minister Winston Jordan on Monday presented to the nation a $250B Budget for 2017 under the theme —“Building a Diversified, Green Economy: Delivering the Good Life to All Guyanese” — the Budget however, is to be financed through the imposition of a range of new taxes, penalties and fees increases in addition to competing with the local private sector for scarcely available resources.

During his more than three-hour long presentation to the National Assembly, the Finance Minister sought to regale the House of the many virtues of the early presentation of the 2017 Budget, which he said is not only a signal achievement, but it is also a testament to the stated resolve to return budgeting to its deserved place within the accountability and governance framework.

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He announced too that in keeping with its objectives the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Government is considering a fixed date for the delivery of future budgets.

On the matter financing its ambitious $250B Budget, the largest to date in Guyana’s history, the Finance Minister spoke on the issue of improved revenue collection through a suite of measures.

He said in 2017, Central Government revenue is expected to increase by 6.4 per cent to $186B. Tax revenue, according

New Tax

The National Assembly on Monday

to Jordan, is expected to increase by 8.9 per cent to $162.6B, reflecting a considerable increase in collections of Value Added Tax (VAT), due to the measures to be implemented, in 2017.

He said higher revenues are also supported by an increase of 15.1 per cent in excise tax collections, which are projected to reach $34.4 billion in 2017. Non-tax revenue is expected to decrease by 8.2 per cent to $23.4 billion.

VAT on electricity, water

On the matter of the range of tax reforms to be implemented the Finance Minister announced that Government has decided to reduce the VAT rate from 16 per cent to 14 per cent.

The excitement was extremely short-lived however since Jordan almost immediately announced that not only will VAT now be charged on electricity and water but the band of zero rated items has been disbanded.

According Jordan in his presentation, “I propose to introduce a VAT of 14 per cent on electricity consumption in excess of $10,000 per month.”

As it relates to water consumption, Jordan announced that the introduction of a VAT of 14 per cent on water consumption in excess of $1500 per month.

The Minister announced too that there will be an increase in the VAT threshold saying, “I propose to increase the VAT threshold from $10M to $15M.” According to Jordan it was found that a significant number of persons were unable to maintain proper records to meet the minimum threshold requirement for VAT registration.

As such, this measure will allow the GRA to concentrate on the cohort that makes the bulk of VAT payments, since there will be a smaller tax base and consequently less VAT registrants to administer.

With regards the zero rated provisions for VAT, Jordan declared: “I propose to expand the list of exempt items and eliminate all zero-rated items, with the exception of those pertaining to exports and manufacturing inputs.”

On the matter of new taxes, Jordan announced that Government will be introducing an environmental levy on the manufacturers and distributors of products that use non-returnable metal, plastic, and glass beverage containers.

The amount to be charged is $10 on each bottled product to be applied across the board (importers and manufacturers)—something the local private sector and manufacturers association had vehemently opposed over the years.

GRA powers

Speaking to his revamped taxation system, Jordan announced several new measures to be implemented by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), including empowering that body to access any taxpayers’ bank account in order to ‘garnish’ monies it claims to be owed.

TURN TO PAGE 11

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

Editorial

In solidarity with Palestinian people

T

he International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is observed by the United Nations on or around 29 November each year, in accordance with General Assembly mandates contained in resolutions 32/40 B of 2 December 1977, 34/65 D of 12 December 1979, and subsequent resolutions adopted under agenda item “Question of Palestine.”

According to the UN, the date of 29 November was chosen because of its meaning and significance to the Palestinian people.

On that day in 1947, the General Assembly adopted resolution 181 (II), which came to be known as the Partition Resolution.

That resolution provided for the establishment in Palestine of a “Jewish State” and an “Arab State”, with Jerusalem as a corpus separatum under a special international regime. Of the two States to be created under this resolution, only one, Israel, has so far come into being.

The Palestinian people, who now number more than eight million, live primarily in the Palestinian territory occupied

by Israel since 1967, including East Jerusalem; in Israel; in neighbouring Arab States; and in refugee camps in the region.

Guyana and Palestine formally established diplomatic relations in 2013, with the signing of a Communiqué by Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador George Talbot and the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine Ambassador Riyad Mansour.

The two countries committed to enhance their existing friendly and cooperative relations. Guyana is the first member of Caribbean Community (Caricom) to establish diplomatic ties with Palestine. In January 2011, Guyana was also the first Caricom country to recognise Palestine as a free, independent and sovereign State based on its 1967 borders.

During the establishment of formal ties, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had reminded that Guyana is a member of the United Nations Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian people. The government has been a longstanding supporter of the people of Palestine in their struggle to realise their rights to self-determination, an independent state and permanent homeland.

Back in November of 2012, Guyana also supported Palestine’s bid for Non-Member State Observer Status in the United Nations.

Guyana was among UN Member States that voted in favour of what was dubbed the de facto recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state and it used the occasion to reiterate its solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for recognition.

The International Day of Solidarity has traditionally provided an opportunity for the international community to focus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine remained unresolved and that the Palestinian people are yet to attain their inalienable rights as defined by the General Assembly, namely, the right to self-determination without external interference, the right to national independence and sovereignty, and the right to return to their homes and property from which they had been displaced.

In response to the call of the United Nations, various activities are undertaken annually by governments and civil society in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

These activities include, among other things, the issuance of special messages of solidarity with the Palestinian people, the organisation of meetings, the dissemination of publications and other information material, and the screening of films.

In his message, the UN Secretary–General reminded that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not just one of many conflicts in the region. It is in many ways a long-standing, gaping wound that has fed tension and conflict throughout the Middle East.

“Israeli and Palestinian leaders still voice their support for the two-State solution. However, without urgent steps to revive a political perspective, they risk entrenching a one-state reality. Recent years have witnessed two unsuccessful attempts at negotiating a peaceful settlement, three armed conflicts, thousands of dead – the vast majority of them Palestinian civilians – rampant incitement, terror attacks, thousands of rockets and bombs fired at Israel from Gaza, and an expanding, illegal Israeli settlement enterprise that risks undermining Israel’s democratic values and the character of its society.

This year, the number of demolitions of Palestinian houses and other structures by Israeli forces has doubled, compared to 2015.

Gaza remains a humanitarian emergency, with two million Palestinians struggling with crumbling infrastructure and a paralysed economy, and tens of thousands still displaced, awaiting reconstruction of homes destroyed by conflict.”

Huddled comfortably on white sandy hills and surrounded by contrasting flowing black water, the village of Santa Mission is the perfect example of "Guyana beautiful", as the captivating rich flora lining the creek will mesmerise you

Cease indiscriminate mining operations in our rivers Dear Editor, On Monday, October 17, 2016, I informed the relevant regulatory and enforcement agencies of the serious degradation being done to the river banks of the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers between Tumatumari and Omai as a result of irresponsible gold dredging activities. I submitted the photographic evidence and was informed that action would be taken to deal with obvious breaches of the regulations.

On Sunday, November 27, 2016, while on aerial reconnaissance over Regions Seven and Eight, I observed that the indiscriminate mining of river banks and also the dumping of tailings in the channels were not confined to the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers, but were taking place in the middle Cuyuni (just below the confluence of the Ekereku River with the Cuyuni River), in the Wenamu River (on both the Guyana and Venezuela banks), in the Ekereku River (opposite the Ekereku Airstrip), and in the middle Mazaruni River (below Tamakay Landing). The situation in the Potaro and Essequibo Rivers has also worsened as seen in the accompanying photographs of mining activities on the right and left banks of the Potaro River and on the left bank of the Essequibo River

by Omai Landing.

Another photograph also shows the heavy sediment

Mining activities on the left bank of the Essequibo River immediately outside Omai

loading of the Cuyuni River (from the cumulative impact of mining activities in the upper Cuyuni located in Venezuela, and in the middle and lower Cuyuni River (in Guyana) at its confluence with the Mazaruni River by Kartabu Point.

Surely, the regulatory and law enforcement agencies, some of which actually have personnel deployed within striking distance of the impacted areas, cannot be unaware of these breaches.

Added to the mining illegalities are the build-up of detritus (human waste and abandoned mining camps and equipment), indiscrim-

inate dumping of tailings proving to be hazards to navigation in the rivers, deterioration of the quality of fresh water for downstream communities, and the degradation of aquatic life.

The impacts of the mining activities on river banks such as on the left bank of the Cuyuni River below Ankoko island, and on the river channel of the Wenamu River also have strategic implications as these apply to the alignment of the Thalweg (or middle of the river channel) and the delineation of the international border.

The contribution of the gold mining community to

the development of Guyana and Guyanese is undeniable. The pioneering efforts, courage, risk-taking and technological advances initiated by miners and service providers in the mining sector are to be applauded.

However, mining operations in our rivers or contiguous land areas have to be compliant with the regulations, including those relating to the health and safety of mining crews and downstream communities, and for the sustainability of ecosystems and services.

I had reported to the authorities on aberrations in the gold mining operations in our rivers and contiguous land areas six weeks ago. I have not seen any evidence of any reduction of these breaches, but, more alarmingly, I have witnessed the escalation of breaches and on a much wider scale.

Through this medium, I am appealing to the mining community, the regulatory and enforcement agencies and the affected communities to work collaboratively to put a stop to this madness, which, if unchecked, will contradict our efforts at sustainable development through a green economic pathway, compromise our stewardship of Guyana's natural capital, and undermine the integrity of our legacy to future generations.

Yours sincerely, Joseph G Singh Major General (ret’d)

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESday, november 29, 2016

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

Let Int’l Commission decide Nagamootoo has totally on Green’s pension betrayed sugar workers

Dear Editor, Since the issue of parliamentary approval of additional monetary pension and benefits to Hamilton Green has been questioned, an international commission of jurists should be set up to determine whether the former PNC dictator is eligible for a pension for services rendered before Guyana became a democracy in 1992. If the commission rules he is entitled to a pension, then he should get it. If the commission recommends prosecution for criminal allegations, then he could be indicted. Green should submit himself to such conditions. It is noted that Green is currently receiving a salary as head of CHPA (Housing Authority).

Can he get a pension for State service while he is CEO of a State company? Isn’t that double dipping?

Every country has rules governing pension benefits for those who served the State; there are minimum qualifications (time served) for a State pension. For example, in Trinidad, a MP gets a pension based on eight years of service. I am told that similar criteria applies to Guyana and other Caribbean territories for pension for MPs or other government officials. The amount of pension one receives is tied to position, title, salary and time served.

No government official who meets the minimum criteria in serving the State has been denied a pension in the Caribbean except in two cases noted below. Those who don’t meet the minimum threshold can still receive a pension based on an act of Parliament.

Such an act was passed in the1960s to enable several MPs who served during the colonial era to get a pension.

Balram Singh Rai was excluded from the act allegedly because of his personal conflict with Dr Jagan; Rai served as Home Affairs Minister under Premier Jagan. Burnham

was approached post-independence to approve a pension for Rai. He stated he would do it if Jagan or PPP introduces or backs the bill. There was no way Jagan would support an act beneficial to Rai. Dr Fenton Ramsahoye was also denied a pension although he served almost ten years as a MP and Attorney General under Jagan - allegedly because of differences with Jagan and Forbes Burnham. Ramsahoye told me that Burnham requested certification that he, Ramsahoye, was alive. Ramsahoye certified in 1973 that he was alive, but Burnham denied him the pension saying Ramsahoye did not certify he was alive in 1972 - that is one for the books.

What is clear in the democratic Caribbean and other democracies like the US or UK or India, etc is if you served the State as an official under the minimum period of time, you are entitled to a pension. However, some countries deny pension benefits to officials who were or are engaged in criminal acts.

In New York and other states, for example, if you commit a crime as a state employee or Government official you forfeit pension benefits. The same is true in other democracies like India or UK. Did Green commit any crime? If you become a MP or Minister or Prime Minister through electoral fraud, do you qualify for a pension? Was Green linked to a group that murdered Indians and raped women during the 1960s? He was accused of racial violence in the 1992 elections. Ogunseye and Hinds linked him to the murder of Rodney. He was also accused in the shooting of Dr Josh Ramsammy, Vincent Teekah and the death of Shirley Field Ridley. No investigations were ever carried into the countless allegations against Green.

Now is the opportunity for Green to clear his name by submitting himself before a

commission.

Does Green meet the criteria for a pension? Can he get more than one pension? How many pensions is he entitled to since he served in several capacities? Can he get a State salary (CHPA) and a pension at the same time?

In Guyana, after Bharrat Jagdeo became Opposition Leader, the coalition said Jagdeo had to choose between Presidential pension and Opposition Leader salary. The State said Jagdeo could not get two State incomes (salary and pension) simultaneously.

So under this rule, Green also should not get two or more State incomes at the same time.

It is noted that Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo are supporting this special pension package for Green. But they have not acted consistently on pension matters. On the denial of pension to Rai and Ramsahoye as noted above, Ramjattan had committed to introducing a bill in Parliament in 2006 to give the two gentlemen their due benefits - right a historic wrong. He broke his promise and never introduced the bill. In 2011, Nagamootoo also committed to introducing a bill to grant Rai and Ramsahoye their deserved pension. He also broke his promise. Ramjattan and Nagamootoo have found time to argue in support of a pension for a controversial political figure like Green but not decent ex-politicians like Rai and Ramsahoye. They latter two are more deserving and more entitled to State pensions than Green. Where is the sense of fairness that Nagamootoo has been known for? It is not too late for the AFC leadership to introduce a bill to correct a pension injustice against Rai and Ramsahoye.

Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram

Dear Editor, Moses Nagamootoo this past week demanded that sugar workers should be grateful that the APNU/AFC has “raided” the treasury on their behalf. I wonder what he thinks about the annual electricity subvention of $5 billion to Linden. Is this also “raiding” the treasury?

Should Lindeners bow in gratitude to APNU/AFC? In 2012, Nagamootoo and his APNU/AFC colleagues, in inciting the people of Linden, proclaimed the electricity subvention as an obligation of the government and something the country owes to Linden. A subvention to GuySuCo is raiding of the treasury; the subvention to Linden is an obligation.

Nagamootoo does not go to the sugar belt communities to address sugar workers anymore because he knows that they know he has totally betrayed them.

He presented himself as the champion of sugar workers, promising them before the 2015 election that sugar in Guyana will always be number 1 and he will ensure sugar workers get an annual pay increase of 20 per cent, doubling their wages in a single APNU/AFC term.

Today he is busy working with the APNU/AFC to end sugar in Guyana.

Even as APNU/AFC/ GuySuCo denied sugar workers any increase in 2015 and 2016, Nagamootoo is quiet as a mouse, not a sound from him. Zero pay increase for two successive years and Nagamootoo has amnesia, forgetting that he and his colleagues prom-

Will President Granger be knighted

by Barbados Government?

Dear Editor, Barbados will on Wednesday join Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana in celebrating its golden jubilee as an independent nation, and the 166 square mile country has started activities since January to mark the occasion. Guyana’s President, David Granger, will journey to Bridgetown for the celebrations since Freundel Stuart, that country’s Prime Minister, was in Georgetown for Guyana’s celebrations last May. Stuart was honoured by the Guyana government when the country’s second highest award, the Order of Roraima (OR) was bestowed upon him.

Barbados now has its own national awards. In

fact, knighthoods (Sirs) and Dames are awarded to persons for their meritorious services. Several outstanding cricketers, such as Wesley Hall, Everton Weekes, Conrad Hunte and others, as well as academics and even trade unionists, have been knighted and one wonders if Stuart will reciprocate by honouring the Guyanese leader.

There is a close link between Guyana and Barbados for several decades long before independence. Errol Barrow, the man who led the country to independence was very close to Forbes Burnham in the pre-independence era and the friendship between the two countries continues up to this day. I recall as a boy there

were several Bajans who were living in the country - most of them were in the hinterland engaged in agriculture. Scores of Guyanese migrated to Barbados. Some of them are medical doctors, businessmen, lawyers and journalists, including Rickey Singh and Hubert Williams.

They have contributed significantly to their adopted homes and few were honoured by the Barbadian government, including Professor Bishundat Persaud who died a few months ago in London and his niece Dr Shirley Hanoman. Radio personality Olga Lopes Seales lived for decades in Barbados where she eventually died.

The standard of living in Barbados is relatively high, and unlike Guyana and most

of the Caribbean islands, it is almost crime-free and as a result a few Guyanese retired there, including Sir Shridath Ramphal.

Sir Fenton Ramsahoye who has toned down his legal practice, also has a home there.

The 50th independence celebrations started on January 6 with the launch “Barbados We Come From” at Independence Square and will culminate on November 30 with activities being held in Barbados and across the global diaspora. The celebrations are not only entertaining, but also multi-dimensional and educational with special emphasis on youth audience.

Sincerely, Oscar Ramjeet

ised 20 per cent annual increases to sugar workers.

Indeed, before the 2015 elections, I heard him assure sugar workers, with his usual pomposity and bombast, that the APNU/AFC’s 20 per cent proposal for sugar workers was not a promise, but a contract. Today, the “contract” with sugar workers has been disavowed. He has now completely acquiesced to the mistreatment of the sugar workers by the APNU/AFC. His silence is adding salt to grievous open wounds.

APNU/AFC for two successive years has imposed a zero wage increase for sugar workers, joining the PNC, which after nationalisation in 1976 imposed a zero wage increase for workers in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

The PPP between 1992 and 2014, always granted a wage increase, even when times were not good and even if sugar workers thought they deserved more. In its first two years in charge, APNU/ AFC has joined its founding party, the PNC, as the only entity to hold sugar workers at ransom and imposed a wage freeze on them.

The workers gambled and Nagamootoo and APNU/ AFC now reward them with silence, arrogance and abandonment and call them ungrateful.

APNU/AFC, as Nagamootoo contends, has raided the public treasury in an unprecedented manner, greedily and recklessly, but definitely not on behalf of sugar workers. They have raided the public treasury, on themselves. While denying sugar workers a wage increase, they raided the public treasury to give themselves (the Cabinet) a hefty pay increase of about 50 to 75 per cent over 2015 and 2016.

Not only is he silent on the zero wage increase, Nagamootoo is silent on the shutting down of Wales and LBI by the end of 2016. He has not said a world about the plans to close Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore before 2018. When he dares open his mouth in the plush comfort of his office in Georgetown, he justifies APNU/AFC’s plan to close sugar and calls sugar workers ungrateful. He has totally betrayed the sugar workers. In the meantime, Khemraj Ramjattan has been similarly silent. Their silence is the ultimate betrayal of sugar workers.

Sugar workers will not forget.

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy Former Agriculture Minister

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Foundation

Safeguarding students in an age of disinformation – think vaccination, not protection…

By Paula J Schwanenflugel, PhD, and Nancy Flanagan Knapp, PhD

For every challenge facing this nation, there are scores of websites pretending to be something they are not. Ordinary people once relied on publishers, editors, and subject matter experts to vet the information they consumed. But on the unregulated Internet, all bets are off.

(Stanford History Education Group, 2016)

sites is, for the first time ever, used by over 50 per cent of the population of the world (http://www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing. html).

Today, unlike just 20 short years ago, you can compare home prices in your town or across the nation, check on potential side effects of the medicine your doctor just prescribed, find out if

Because along with all the wonderful information available on the Internet comes a whole lot of misinformation, and even disinformation, from people and organisations who have a vested interest in getting us to believe partial truths and even outright falsehoods. Such disinformation is a problem not only for individuals, but

I

n 1969, the same year that mankind first landed on the moon, the first, experimental multisite computer network was created, linking computers at UCLA, Stanford Research Institute, UC-Santa Barbara and the University of Utah. For the first time, the potential existed for scientists in one place to communicate directly with a computer hundreds of miles away. Even though that experimental system crashed halfway through the first remote login attempt (definite foreshadowing!), it was arguably the first step toward the Internet as we know it today.

The moon landing got all the publicity that year; this first networking attempt was covered by only a few local papers on back pages.

But the impact of this second, unheralded event on our lives, and our civilisation, has grown to be far beyond even that of the first.

170 million-plus websites

As of September, 2016, Netcraft, the well-known internet tracking company, estimates that there are over 170 million active websites, and information from these

your car is subject to a safety recall, look for the best vacation bargains, purchase goods from all over the world, and even research the history of the Internet (as we just did) – all from your home computer.

But to make use of this incredible wealth of information, you have to able to read, and read well; not just be able to decipher words or even comprehend meaning, but also be able to combine and compare information from different sources, and above all, to accurately assess the validity of the information you find and the reliability of the people and places it is coming from.

Partial truths and even outright falsehoods

for our society as a whole; for example, news outlets from Facebook to the New York Times are voicing increasing concerns about the possible impact of “fake news” on the recent US presidential election.

In their just-published report called Evaluating Information: The Cornerstone of Civic Online Reasoning, scholars from Stanford University, one of the birthplaces of the Internet, call attention to this new societal challenge while also, unfortunately, demonstrating that students at all levels are ill-prepared to meet it.

Members of the Stanford History Education Group designed a series of assessments to measure the ability of students from middle school through college to judge the reliability of Internet-style information.

Part 1

They administered these assessments to nearly 8000 students in 12 different states; students from big and small, well-off and under-resourced, rural, urban and suburban schools, and, as they reported, the results “shocked” them.

Over 80 per cent of middle school students identified a text-heavy advertisement, clearly labelled as “sponsored content”, as a legitimate news story.

Forty per cent of high school students felt that an unsourced photo of distorted daisies, titled Fukushima Nuclear Flowers, was “strong evidence” of the damage done by the meltdown at the Fukishima power plant.

Many others faulted it only because it did not include any damage done to animals or humans – only 20 per cent challenged it on the correct grounds that there was no evidence of when or where the photo had been taken, nor of why the flowers were deformed.

Easily duped

When presented with a tweet from MoveOn.org, claiming that, “New polling shows the @NRA is out of touch with gun owners and their own members”, less than a third of university undergraduates noted that the liberal political agenda of MoveOn.org might make them a biased source of information on the NRA and its members.

Over half failed to click on the link that led to the actual poll at all, apparently taking the headline in the tweet at face value. Students performed just as badly on 12 other, similar tasks (a to-

tal of five at each level, all drawn f r o m actual web c o n tent), l e a d i n g the researchers to conclude that: Overall, young people’s ability to reason about information on the Internet can be summed up in one word: bleak…. they are easily duped.

Ill-prepared students

In every case and at every level, we were taken aback by students’ lack of preparation….

Many assume that because young people are fluent in social media they are equally savvy about what they find there. Our work shows the opposite.

So, how did we get here, and how can we fix it?

The Stanford group report does not address these questions, except to suggest that we need to draw attention to the problem and incorporate better instruction in what they are calling civic online reasoning (aka information literacy, aka critical

literacy) into t h e curriculum at all levels.

But Dr Sam Weinburg, one of the report’s authors, went further in a follow up interview with Kelly McEvers on NPR. He suggests that one reason students are so unskilled at judging the quality of information and information sources is that they are rarely given the opportunity to do this in school.

Most schools block many social media and other websites – Nancy was recently at one that even blocked Google’s main search engine because it could lead to “unauthorised results”.

For so-called “research” assignments, students are often given a list of five to ten pre-vetted websites to use as their only sources, with the implication that all the information on those sites has already been adjudged “reliable” by the teacher. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

To be continued

Assessing credibility

A

sking questions like the following can help students to determine the credibility of information.

1) Who (person or organisation) is offering me this information?

–Are they probably well-informed? Do they have experience and/or credentials that suggest they may know what they are talking about?

–Are they probably truthful? What is their reputation? Do they have a known bias? Do they stand to gain materially if I believe their information?

2) What is the quality of the information itself?

– Is the information clear and consistent, or are parts of it self-contradictory or unclear? Are there multiple grammatical errors that suggest less-thancareful writing?

–Is the information in appropriate detail, or full of vague generalities?

– Are assertions backed up with sound evidence?

Can I check this evidence with other sources? Does it check out?

3) Does this information make sense?

–Does it go along with my other knowledge and experience? If not, it may be still be true, but it certainly calls for increased scrutiny…

–Are diverse sites and sources reporting similar information? Again, similar information on other sites doesn’t guarantee validity, but a single report of an alien invasion of California, unnoticed by any other news site for days, is probably false.

–Does it seem just plain unlikely, given the way the world works? For example, a well-known right wing website recently headlined “UN Backs Secret Obama Takeover of Local Police.” But our laws just don’t allow for the federal government to take over local police departments, and besides, why would the UN care?

The habit of asking such questions will help students do better in school and stand them in good stead as adults, not only in their future careers, which are increasingly likely to involve reading, assessing, and using information, but also whenever they buy a car or go on a diet or vote.

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tuesday, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Worst budget in history 2016 records dismal of budgets – Jagdeo …will cripple economy, kill Private Sector

F

ollowing an almost joyous declaration of a reduction on Value Added Tax (VAT) and then swiftly the announcement on the extension of VAT payments on water and electricity bills, Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo at a press conference immediately after the presentation of the 2017 National Budget, remarked that the Budget will kill the private sector and unleash untold hardships on the nation.

Citing that this was the worse Budget he has ever had to sit through, Jagdeo argued that the incorporation of taxes is the highest he has ever seen with the capability to destroy any possibility of a recovery of the country’s economy.

“We have heard over three hours of budget presentations and we have not heard of a single set of activities that the ordinary man can think about or bring more jobs to them or address their concerns,” he said, adding that the Government has established several slush funds that are being used for partisan political activities. “Like how they used $50 million for Local Government Elections just to travel to the interior…,” he highlighted.

He questioned if there was anything within the Finance Minister Winston Jordon’s 2017 Budget presentation that represented the interest of the people, remarking that it is nothing but a “taxation budget” that will destroy the nation and people.

He stated that when he began to listen to the presentation, he did not intend to make a derisive appraisal on it; however noticed that the Budget was immensely unresourceful.

According to the Opposition Leader, when the presentation was winding down, his assessment changed from immensely unresourceful to “immensely ominous for the future of Guyana, for the future of job creation and growth and business development and

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

for the future of welfare of ordinary people.”

Terming it clichéd, Jagdeo stated that the presentation was “rehashes of old information,” inclusive of project ideas that were indistinct.

He commented on the proposal to start the road from Georgetown to Lethem, stating that no feasibility study has been done and even the pre-feasibility study that was carried out pointed out that given the traffic flow between Brazil and Guyana that it is unsustainable to spend US$400 million to build the road.

“A lot of these ideas were not well thought out… a lot of them, as you look at the framework of the budget, you would see that it is not supportive of growth,” he explained to the media.

He stated that Jordon mentioned that Guyana will be issuing local bonds to finance the fiscal deficit, and while it appeared to be an innocuous statement, behind it is a fundamental economic philosophy and a departure from the norm.

“The minister talks about creating more opportunities for the private sector but now the Government having announced this new budget will be going into the local capital markets to raise funds to finance the Budget. What this will do is that it will compete with the private sector for funds because they will both be seeking funds from the same

market.”

He also stated that a lot of people will be discouraged in investing because the State will be sucking most of the liquidity in the system.

While he stated that people will not address this issue, it has the possibility to destroy any economic and long-term growth: “They will talk mainly about the tax measures introduced in the Budget and the implications of a lot of these measures will not be recognised for several days into the future.”

“We heard for example the minister fulfilling a promise to the electorate on reducing Value Added Tax (VAT) from 16 per cent to 14 per cent but in the same breath they have decided to extend VAT payments to water bills and electricity bills above a certain level,” he added, arguing that there is a long list of exemption items that the former PPP government had put in place because they affected poor people and now these items have now removed.

“So those items like baby milk and things people consume on a daily basis now become VAT-able. Now they have to pay 14 per cent VAT on it. When your electricity bill goes above $10,000 you now have to pay VAT on the full amount. How could this be helpful to anyone?

There are so many issues, it is impossible to mention,” he said.

Jordan in his Budget 2017 presentation has proposed the reduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT) from 16 to 14 per cent and in the same breath proposed 14 per cent VAT to be added to electricity bills exceeding $10,000 monthly and water bills exceeding $1500 monthly.

Jordan’s announcement was received by angry shots of reproof from the Opposition benches, however he held forth that the application is a promise to alter the arrangements for VAT made in his party’s Manifesto.

economic performance …real growth only 2% – Minister Jordan

G

uyana’s economic performance this past year was “dismal”, according to Finance Minister Winston Jordan, and the country has even failed to meet the projected targets that were already revised downwards at midyear.

The bleak report on the state of the nation’s finances was laid bare in the National Assembly as the Finance Minister on Monday presented a $250 billion Budget for 2017.

During his presentation to the members of the National Assembly which was broadcast live across the country, Minister Jordan indicated that gold continued to be the only boon, since “the economy felt the drag of dismal output performances in sugar, rice, forestry, and construction, including housing”.

Meagre growth

Jordan used the occasion to recall that the budget for 2016 projected an overall real growth rate of 4.4 per cent. At mid-year, a real economic growth rate of two per cent was achieved.

“However, since several industries and sectors, including sugar, rice, construction, and wholesale and retail

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

trade, were showing signs of distress, already, the projected growth rate for 2016 was revised downwards to four per cent”.

According to Jordan, “since then, several unexpected developments, including the downsizing of Barama and Demerara Timbers Limited’s operations in the forestry sector; structural changes and ongoing strikes in the sugar industry; and the slow pace of implementation of the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) conspired to reduce the real growth rate to 2.6 per cent.”

Agri returns dismal

In an update on the various sectoral performances,

Minister Jordan noted that the agricultural sector has contracted and was expected to continue its downward spiral. He said a dismal performance was expected for all sub-sectors, except fishing and other crops.

“Despite an encouraging recovery in 2015, sugar is projected to decline by 18.7 per cent, to reach 188,000 metric tonnes in 2016.” He has blamed the low production on the El Niño dry spell experienced earlier in the year which resulted in lower yields, combined with late planting and the frequency of strikes, during the second half of the year.

TURN TO PAGE 12

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News

tuesday, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Men charged with causing death of 4-year-old Off the wall…

T G wo men were granted $400,000 bail each when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

Derick Bailey, 21, of Lot 336 Satchi Bazar, Prashad Nagar, pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on September 10, at Sheriff and Garnett Streets, he drove motor car GPP 3500 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of Abiola Providence, aged 4.

Heranand Boodram, 22, also pleaded not guilty

to driving motor car PMM 1426 in a dangerous manner thereby causing the death of Abiola Providence.

According to the facts, Bailey was backing out of the parking lot of a Royal Castle outlet when Boodram slammed into his vehicle. The deceased, who was an occupant of Boodram’s vehicle, was flung through the window and onto the road. The little girl and two of her relatives were in the back seat of the car which was proceeding south on Sheriff Street.

The car had stopped at the junction of the aforementioned streets and was, in the process of

Dead: Four-year-old Ambeka Providence

turning west when GPP 3500, which was proceeding north, collided with the left side of the car.

Providence was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

However, their Attorney successfully petitioned for bail and requested a speedy trial.

After the defendants were granted bail, family members of Providence were heard screaming threats in their direction.

One woman was heard wishing for the death of Bailey’s baby who is said to be only a few months old.

Sterling robbery, murder

Accused committed to face judge, jury

O

rin Aurthur and Uree Voswick, the two men charged with murdering Wilfred Stewart, a Sterling Products Limited guard during the course of robbing Sterling Products Limited, were both sentenced to stand trial in the High Court.

The two men along with

Ryan Paddy, who died in the Camp Street Prison fire earlier this year, had the charge brought against them which alleged that on December 8, 2016, at Providence, and during the course of a robbery, they killed Stewart.

The duo appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore who said that the evidence

Orin Aurthur

Ryan Paddy

Uree Voswick

against them is sufficient and ruled they will stand trial before a Judge and Jury.

On the day of the incident, the security guard, of Graham’s Hall, East Coast Demerara, was shot by gunmen who were, at the time, forcing their way into the Sterling Products Limited compound.

…on Presidential discretion od help Guyana if the prolix missive Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams hurled off to the dailies is reflective of the advice he offers to the President and the rest of the Executive.

Williams took on Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran on the latter's explication of the imperative "shall" which was inserted into Article 128 (1) of our Constitution back in 2001.

Ramkarran, unusual for a lawyer, didn't use any legalese in making his point that the President had absolutely no discretion when it came to appointing Judges. The said article reads: "The Judges, other than the Chancellor and the Chief Justice, shall be appointed by the President who shall act in accordance with the advice of the Judicial Service Commission".

He pointed out that prior to 2001, the language deployed was discretionary "may appoint" but this was specifically excised because the whole impetus of the 2001 Constitutional changes insisted on and agreed to by the PNC - was to reduce the powers of the President. Williams displayed a complete disregard for historical truth when he complained that not giving the President the discretion on appointing judges was NOT furthering the principle of "separation of powers"!!

We don't even need Hansard to know that this was the exact opposite of what Parliament intended!! Not allowing the President to have a say in the selection of judges obviously (to everyone but Basil Williams) increases judicial independence! And really, one doesn't need to go further with this non-issue raised by Williams, save to point out that Williams was so heavy handed, that he went on to misstate the Constitution even more blatantly.

He said, "Moreover, Article 111 of the Constitution clearly gives the President a discretion when he is required to act in accordance with the advice, or on the recommendation of any person or Authority by providing that he could refer any such advice or recommendation, back for reconsideration." But what Williams dishonestly fails to mention is Art 111 goes on to state that if (in this case the JSC) doesn't change its returned recommendation, the President SHALL act as they recommend!!

Finally, in one of the most specious arguments (if it can be called that!!) your Eyewitness ever heard, Williams claims that Article 128(1) is ultra vires! Why, you ask?

Well, if Ramkarran's point is taken, then the Judiciary would be "commanding" the president and this isn't allowed by the Constitution. Separation of power and all that.

So in one fell swoop, Williams wants to also do away with Judicial Review?

In Guyana we have Supremacy of Constitution not the President!! And the courts interpret the constitution especially against the Leviathan President! …PNC argument The editor-in-chief of the Muckraker weighed in to justify the extraordinary pension the PNC-led coalition Government's railroading through Parliament for Hamilton Green - PNC enforcer, extraordinaire! Not surprisingly, he sees nothing wrong about a bill specifically named after Green to allow him to get a pension equivalent to that of the incumbent Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo. With all the attendant benefits - duty free car, maids, gardeners, first-class ticket to anywhere in the world etc, etc, he said Green’s detractors are "racists.”

On the surface, nothing's wrong with this. But when looked at from the principle of the "rule of law" – everything’s wrong. The latter explicitly states that if a law applies to one - it has to apply to all. So if Green's to get a PM's pension AT TODAYS RATE - why shouldn't all the other Parliamentarians, Ministers and officials from the past get the same treatment?

Don't they have the right to live high off the hog? Or are some pigs more equal than others? …Trumpism on Cuba Surely Trump can't go through with his threat to reverse Obama's opening with Cuba! But like the apocryphal 600lb gorilla, a US President can do anything he darn well pleases, no?

And here some hoped that the embargo would be lifted!!

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

Dead: Wilfred Stewart

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tuesday, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

PSC concerned by City Hall’s Jagdeo questions why no-show at tripartite meetings D’Urban Park saga

no probe by President …PPP explores penalties for Govt

P

resident David Granger’s priorities appear to be backwards following his decision to launch an investigation into allegations of corruption against Guyana’s Government-Analyst Food and Drug Department (GAFDD) Head, Marlon Cole, instead of acting on evidence of legal breaches in the D’Urban Park scandal.

This is according to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who was at the time responding to questions from media operatives on Monday.

Jagdeo pointed out that the D’Urban Park fiasco was of much more significance and contained heavier concerns, which warranted a full-fledged probe into the undertaking, as opposed to disgruntled manufacturers who felt wronged by the GAFDD for banning the import of products deemed bad for public consumption.

Meanwhile, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is contemplating whether it should push for Government to face repercussions for what it believes was criminal activity concerning the D’Urban Park Project.

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee told a news conference on Monday that once a proposal was brought to the Executive Committee of the Party, its members would deliberate on the option of pursuing legal penalties.

“The PPP would have to consider whether it wants to take these matters further.

This is a matter for Mr Anil Nandlall to make recommendation on whether he considers we should take the matter further. So he and the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Whip would discuss whether the matter should be taken further and it will be brought to the Executive if that is the case and it will proceed from there,” he explained.

Rohee asserted that the entire undertaking was laced with elements of criminality, contrary to assurances by President Granger.

D’Urban Park

“This specious justification advanced by the President in respect to this particular project is tantamount to a cover-up of horrendous proportions. It is a national scandal beyond the imagination of any decentminded citizen,” Rohee said.

The General Secretary expressed concern over this incident being the “umpteenth” time Granger had to “stick his neck out in defence of his untamed and get-rich-quick Ministers” who, according to Rohee, are developing a reputation for becoming involved in one scandal after another.

Criminalities

Commenting on the criminalities in the D’Urban Park saga, Rohee outlined that the Project breached Section 16 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act and Section 216 of the Constitution as an “unusual course of action”, claiming that the statements the “establishment of a company was expedient at the time” and was “not a secret one” were all excuses and justification for a series of illegal acts to plunder the Force Account, at the Infrastructure Ministry.

“Had it not been for a motion by the parliamentary Opposition on Private Members’ Day, this revelation would have never seen the light of the day. The establishment of a ghost company branded Homestretch Development Inc (HDI) populated with persons close to Government and a Cabinet Minister was never made public by the Granger Administration until questions were asked in the

National Assembly,” he stated.

Rohee said this brought into focus the transparency and accountability deficit of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Administration.

“The Government has failed to reveal to the National Assembly who are the ‘private citizens’ that came forward to ‘give their time and resources’. This gives the lie about budgetary uncertainties. No one knows how much ‘time’ and how much ‘resources’ were given to this project,” he posited.

According to Rohee, the PPP is observing the tactics of the Government to resort to the thread-worn excuse about the previous Administration’s track record in Government as a reason for its failure to be transparent and accountable currently.

The General Secretary said, “Little does the APNU/ AFC Government realise that such specious arguments mean little or nothing to the people of Guyana.

What the people would like to know is precisely the answers to the questions posed in the National Assembly by the PPP/C Members of Parliament.” Controversies surrounding the project include the fact that Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine is a director of a private company that was established to solicit donations from private individuals for the construction of a government project. The entire undertaking has been shrouded in secrecy since its inception.

S

ome months after agreeing to work in a tripartite committee aimed at developing and modernising the capital city, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has been dragging its foot in participating in the initiative.

The committee, which consists of representatives of the M&CC, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and Central Government, was expected to discuss matters in relation to the institutionalising of a solid partnership to develop the capital city.

Following several nonappearances by the M&CC, the PSC wrote Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan expressing concerns over City Hall’s apparent unwillingness to partake in this meaningful venture. “The PSC is disappointed in the lack of commitment shown on behalf of the M&CC representatives as reflected in their absence and request for postponement of the meetings scheduled for such dialogue, and hopes that this situation can be reversed so that effective dialogue can be facilitated,” the Private Sector body penned in a letter to the Communities Minister. The letter, seen by Guyana Times, noted that the PSC underscored the importance of this dialogue forum, and despite the un-

willingness demonstrated by the M&CC, recommitted itself to the process for the betterment of Georgetown. “(We) hope that the M&CC can join us around the table as a meaningful partner,” the PSC stated.

The organisation also expressed gratitude to the Minister for coordinating and facilitating a structure for these meetings, as was recommended by President David Granger.

The PSC said it was cognisant of the financial challenges faced by the M&CC and on this basis agreed to be part of a tripartite committee to arrive at solutions for revenue generation and sustainable development of the capital city.

The decision to form a tripartite committee came out of a meeting between the two entities following City Hall’s imposition of a container fee and a cargo fee for all cargo within vehicles of specific weight traversing the streets of the city.

City Hall recently made a decision at a statutory meeting to ask Central Government for a $600 million bailout in order to pay its debts.

Reports indicate that the City Hall delegation is yet to formally make the request of the Communities Minister; however, the subject Minister has already made it clear that he is not desirous of granting approval for such a venture.

“This $600 million bailout that we all have read about in the newspapers, where that particular council is looking for that support, what I can say… and from my own understanding and the limited current engagement that I have had with colleagues in the Administration, is that I do not think that there is any appetite on the part of the Central Government to be favourably disposed towards that request,” Bulkan recently asserted at a forum in Berbice.

10

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, november 29, 2016

News

Republic Bank opens 1st Trade Mission to Guyana

W

ith the objective of “Building Strong and Sustainable Business Relationships across borders”, three Caricom countries have collaborated with Guyana to share and explore commercial business prospects.

The first ever Trade Mission by the financial institution saw employees from Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname converging at the Marriot International Hotel.

Back in September, the recently established Republic Bank Suriname approached the bank here in Guyana with the idea of mobilising a small contingent of Surinamese businesses to explore trade prospects with businesses here.

Managing Director of Republic Bank Guyana Limited Richard Sammy said the local bank reached out to its customers and an invitation was extended to the Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago clientele.

He said the Trade Mission initiative comes at a time of global and economic challenges and a critical juncture in the history of all nations.

“Notwithstanding, Guyana remains strong in the face of these circumstances, with a promising outlook where, according to a recent World Bank overview, the economy is expected to grow by approximately

Participants at the two-day event

4 per cent in 2016-17. Most of this growth is expected to come from continued rapid growth of gold production and rebounding performance in construction, as well as the wholesale and retail trade industries.

Coupled with this favourable forecast is the growing oil and gas momentum,” he told the room of Bankers.

According to him, Republic Bank's rich history, vast institutional knowledge base and geographical presence uniquely positions it to offer delegates of all territories the opportunity to engage, network and share knowledge with a view to collaborating for stronger regional, mutually beneficial business relations, and by extension regional development.

“Our mission is to provide the practical, purposeful means to ‘Make it Happen’. ExxonMobil recently voiced its intention

to fast-track the Liza discovery on the 6.6 million acre Stabroek Block, having given the Government of Guyana official notice of the discovery's commercial quantities.

Undoubtedly, the implications of this development for this nation, and the Region are transformational,” he said.

“At Republic Bank, we believe in the power of building relationships with our customers, communities and all of our stakeholders.

As the Caribbean financial institution of choice, we remain focused on expanding and strengthening our local and Regional alliances, and this forum is intended to serve as the catalyst for realising our vision of bridging economies and highlighting synergies.”

Republic Bank’s group Executive Director Roopnarine Singh told the gathering that he was confident about the high number

of business relations that would be had from the twoday meet.

“Our vision for this and subsequent Trade Missions is to bring together our corporate and commercial customers across all jurisdiction in which we operate, to establish beneficial relationships, positive multilateral trade, open up new markets and create additional revenues generating avenue for our customers beyond the existing national boundaries and business modules.”

Singh said the vision of Republic Bank remains to build successful communities, and one of the means of accomplishing this was through leveraging its significant customer base throughout the Region.

The bank, he said, has always prided itself on supporting the development of the communities in which it operates. The Executive Director sees the Trade Mission as a significant milestone in achieving this goal.

“Our goal is to provide a seamless experience throughout the jurisdiction in which we operate. We recognise that we do have some work to do in that regard.

We have in every jurisdiction, we run a different IT platform… as you find the ease of doing business with Republic Bank itself.”

The event concludes today.

Bee Hive man shot while urinating near car

A

November 30, 2016

farmer was on Sunday evening shot as he went to ease his bladder a short distance from the function he was attending at Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Khemraj Gangaram, 22, of Bee Hive, ECD, was shot to his left hand and right thigh and is presently in a stable condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Reports are that the man was attending a function and at about 23:45h he left and ventured across the road tourinate close to a parked car.

It was while urinating that he heard two loud explosions and observed a man pointing a handgun at him. He attempted to run but immediately felt a burning sensation on his left hand and right thigh and realised he was shot.

He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted.

No arrests were made but Police are continuing their investigations.

Alleged Mastermind: Turn yourself in to the Police

T

he rise of crime coupled with feelings of fear that it will not subside during the most festive season of the year, whether in practice or perception, has certainly tumbleset this nation into unprecedented levels of uneasiness. In some ways, fear of crime is more damaging to the public than the actual act of crime. Who will be the next victim of crime is not predictable but the ever lurking feel of crime is.

This feeling places enormous pressure on the human psyche, including the lack of rest and poor performance at Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine the work place.

The reports, however, emanating from the dailies about the arrest and charge of seven individuals and a posting of a wanted bulletin by the Police and Interpol for the alleged mastermind in the murder of Faiyaz Narinedatt at No 70 village should provide a sigh of relief from the public that the Police Force has started to be more robust in solving some serious crime.

The Police must be commended for their work and the public must support the Police in solving this crime so that a message can be delivered that no one is above law, including those we trust to protect the public.

I am very much cognizant of the fact that there is much more to be done in order to have a more functional and trustworthy Police Force. One area that needs attention badly is the gap between the community and Police. Rural villagers, in particular, do not trust the Police and some Police ranks do not listen or list in their investigation what villagers have to offer in solving crimes. They are often dismissed as village crimes of passion, developed over a long period. Yet, tight-knit communities like along the Corentyne agricultural belt have more information about themselves than anyone else.

In this regard, the Police should be trained to be more culturally sensitive to communities they serve so that a friendly rather than a fractured and fragmented relationship between the Police and community can be fostered. This approach has worked well in the US and I think it can be a win-win situation in Guyana because it will not only build trust between community and Police but also reduce, prevent or even solve crime.

Interestingly, the murder of Faiyaz Narinedatt reminds me of another murder that occurred in this village in 2013 that went unceremoniously cold. The Police and community have different views as to why and who murdered a USbased medical doctor Max Kungel on the backlands at No 70 Village. The Police arrested a young man in this case who apparently committed suicide while in custody at No 51 Police Station. The case was then dropped like a hot potato.

Information provided to me while I was conducting research on a project unrelated to crime and criminality on the villages around No 70 suggested otherwise. May I ask Minister Khemraj Ramjattan to reopen this case given the alleged cover-up of Narinedatt’s murder from some ranks in the Police Force?

Meanwhile, I ask Marcus Brian Bisram, the alleged mastermind in the murder of Faiyez Narinedatt to do the right thing, which is, get a lawyer and turn yourself in to the Police.

The longer you stay in hiding, the more damaging your case of defence will become. I know you are wise enough to know that this case will simply not vanish in thin air if you are not questioned about your role in the murder of Narinedatt. You have misjudged your power in Guyana.

Furthermore, too many resources have already been expended on trying to bring justice to an unjust act. In some ways, the judicial system is being murdered financially in trying to solve this crime. Guyana can surely use these resources elsewhere. I must commend the family of Narinedatt for standing firm on this case and for resisting millions of dollars to “duck” the story. My message to the family is this: justice will prevail, the nation is supporting you. Finally, and I repeat, Marcus Brian Bisram turn yourself in to the Police.

(Send comments to lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu)

11 International tax, audit company eyes Guyana news

tuesday, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

…major development being explored

A

n international tax, audit, and advisory company has set its eyes on Guyana to make its services available for what could soon be an influx of investors, owing to Guyana’s promising oil and gas sector.

KPMG, a global network of professional services firms, operates in 155 countries and has an employment count of some 174,000 persons worldwide.

A two-member team visited Guyana recently and spoke with Guyana Times about the company’s objectives.

KPMG Trinidad and Tobago Director of Tax, Gillian Wolffe O’Neil, along with Tax Assistant Manager

Saskeia Carmichael, in an interview last Friday, said the company, which operated in Guyana years ago, was back owing to the recent oil find.

“It is well known that due to the recent oil find, many investors will be coming to Guyana. We thought that we should do our best to help those investors coming here. The company offers both tax and audit and advisory services and they need to know, which is the most efficient way to set up a business. That is one of the reasons,” Wolffe O’Neil said.

She said after the setting-up of a business and with the tax impact of the company carrying out busi-

ness in Guyana, it may need advice on the most efficient way of carrying out their business.

Assistant Tax Manager Carmichael said a lot of persons have tax related misunderstandings and fears. She

said the aim of KPMG was to simplify the process, to bring issues to the fore and “hold their hands and show that if they are compliant, they tend to sidetrack the normal route of compliance”.

She said there was no fear

or backlash in being compliant, noting that it was something that they were hoping to push.

“In my experience, people think that tax is so complex, they are intimidated by it. We are here to make it simple as possible; it is nothing to be afraid of. What we know is once you are compliant, you will have the peace of mind to know that your financial affairs are being adequate addressed.”

Carmichael added that there were many benefits in being compliant. She said from the perspective of foreign investors coming into Guyana, some of whom would want to do business with local companies, the

investors more than likely would have high standards and would want the local companies to be above board and compliant with their tax and corporate obligations.

This makes it quite easy for them to partner with local companies, she added.

Alluding to what makes KPMG stand out from other companies, Wolffe O’Neil said, “We don’t just offer a service, what we pride ourselves is that we always understand our clients. We believe that we need to understand your specific issues, your concerns, your facts and then we will devise on a solution to your concerns.”

TURN TO PAGE 12

$250B Budget to be financed...

According to Minster Jordan: “The provisions of Section 102 of the Income Tax Act Chapter 81:01 will be revised to provide authority to the GRA to garnish funds from bank accounts held by taxpayers who have outstanding tax arrears…

This provision would assist to improve compliance with demands issued by the GRA for outstanding payments.”

Empowering GRA further, Minister Jordan announced too that failure to ensure compliance with the tax authority provisions could see a person being prevented from leaving the country until outstanding arrears are settled.

GRA will no longer be required to secure a court order in order to enforce this provision, according to Minister Jordan.

Jordan announced too that GRA will be looking to put in place an “Excise Stamp Programme”, based on an Agreement with Canadian Bank Note (CBN).

An excise stamp is a type of revenue stamp affixed to excisable goods to indicate that the required excise (and other) taxes have been paid on the product.

“This will see the stamping of alcohol and tobacco products with high-security stamps, which can be read

by barcode scanners.”

No extensions

He used the opportunity to announce too that the Commissioner General of GRA will no longer be allowed to provide extensions for the payment of VAT. Explaining his rationale, Jordan told the House “VAT is funds held in trust, no such right should be given to taxpayers regarding payment…Therefore, this provision will be repealed.”

Another of the glaring announcements made by the Finance Minister is the fact that all Budget agencies, such as ministries, constitutional bodies and such like entities will now be subjected to paying VAT. This effectively means that Government has set aside 14 per cent of the entire $250B budget to be remitted back to itself in the form of VAT payments—a scenario that never existed before.

He announced a range of increased penalties related to the late filing of Income Tax, Corporation tax and property tax returns, failure to keep proper books and records, failure to present books and records when requested – and the failure to inform the GRA about the commencement of business,

among a host of other penalties.

Increased fees

He also announced increased fees for acquiring a passport, transferring of vehicles, departure tax and a range of other categories.

Measures were also announced imposing the restriction on used tyres.

According to Minster Jordan, the importation of used tyres for cars, vans, pickups, SUVs, and minibuses, will be restricted from entering Guyana, with effect from April 1, 2017.

Incentives have been put in place for the importation of hybrid and electric vehicles as well as for persons looking to import accessories related to the development of renewable energy such as wind and solar power.

With regards competing with the private sector in order to secure finances for its $250B Budget, the Minister said, “we must also mobilise domestic resources in support of our development goals.”

To this end, Jordan said Government is pursuing policies to encourage a deep and liquid domestic bond market, which will increase fiscal space and give government more flexibility to

respond to external shocks, while reducing our reliance on external borrowing.

According to Jordan: “I

am pleased to announce that Government will, in 2017, pursue the issuance of medium-term Government bonds

FROM PAGE 3

specifically dedicated to the financing of the fiscal deficit.” (Gary Eleazar)

12

news

tuesDay, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt believes billions injected into GuySuCo is money wasted

…as education delivery gets lion’s share of 2017 Budget

D

espite announcing a $9B bailout for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), Government believes the stark reality of the situation is that money injected into sugar, in its current state, is money wasted and it would make no impact on the operating losses and cash deficit status of the industry.

This was the damning report given to the National Assembly by Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, when he on Monday presented the $250B Budget for 2017—the third budget to be presented by the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Government in just over a year and a half in office.

The Minister reported to the House that sugar has in fact recorded a dismal performance this year and it is projected to decline further in the coming year.

According to Minister Jordan, the status quo of the sugar industry can neither be sustained nor maintained.

He said as current-

tion, Minister Jordan said the radical reorganising of the sugar industry is required as a matter of urgency, since the continued postponement of the hard decisions on GuySuCo’s future would result in the corporation incurring even more debts (estimated currently at $80B) and an escalation of the demands on the Treasury.

He has since announced that “recognising this grave situation, a Cabinet Subcommittee has been established, tasked with making definitive recommendations for implementation by the end of 2016.”

According to Jordan, “this Committee has been examining all options and will make a full report to the Cabinet of Ministers shortly.”

Jordan announced nonetheless that for 2017, the Government has made an allocation of $9B to support the financing of GuySuCo’s operations.

This he said “brings to $32B, the amount of resources that would have been provided to the Corporation since August 2015.”

Education Minister, Rupert Roopnaraine

ly structured, the industry would require Government’s support to the tune of $18.6B and $21.4B for 2017 and 2018, respectively.

“This is an untenable position, one that would seriously jeopardise the fiscal stance of the Government, while compromising resource allocation to other critical and important areas.”

Lamenting the situa-

Lion’s share

Speaking of allocations in the 2017 Budget, Minister Jordan recalled the appalling mathematics and English results fielded at this year’s national Grade Six Assessment and the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate.

To this end, the minster announced that education delivery will be receiving the lion’s share of the 2017 Budget, to the tune of just

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

over $43B, representing just over 17 per cent of the $250B National estimates for the coming year.

According to Jordan, “the priority which we have given to the education sector and the increased emphasis that we will be placing on the delivery of quality education across all levels is reflected in the budgetary allocation of $43.1 billion, or 17.2 per cent of the 2017 Budget.”

He said it is expected to have a more definitive role in changing our development trajectory.

Included in this allocation, according to Jordan is a sum of $1.9B for the school feeding programme and $578 million to purchase textbooks.

“Together with the President’s 5 B’s Programme, these measures are expected to result in improved attendance, attentiveness, and productivity.”

He said too that over $3.5B has been allocated to construct, extend, rehabilitate and maintain schools, teachers’ quarters and other buildings.

Within this, several new schools are slated for completion, including Yurong Paru Nursery and Hiowa Nursery in Region 9, Bamia Nursery and Primary in Region 10, and Baramita Nursery in Region One. “We cannot afford to fail our children, who are our leaders of tomorrow, for to do so would be tantamount to undermining every sector of our economy and, ultimately, condemning our nation and future generations to a life of pessimism and poverty…We, therefore, have to ensure that we properly diagnose

International tax, audit company...

FROM PAGE 11

Carmichael added that there were many other aspects of taxation that the company focused on. Among its main objectives, however, is to seek to ascertain how it can help the business to become more tax efficient and bring the business up to an optimum level of taxation. She said it may be a situation where the company is not accessing the reductions and incentives that are available.

“It is really about having

that one-on-one with the client and deciding on your operations, transactions and interaction with other companies, how best you can tailor resolution to suit a particular situation.”

According to Wolffe O’Neil, Guyana is one of the favoured jurisdictions, and the company has always provided consultancy service here (after closing operations here). She said while they have clients and conduct audits in Guyana, they

are seeking to expand the services.

KPMG responds to clients’ complex business challenges with consistent methodologies and common tools across industry sectors and national boundaries.

The company’s history spans some three centuries. KPMG (Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler) itself was formed in 1987 with the merger of Peat Marwick International and Klynveld Main Goerdeler.

the problems and apply solutions that seek to structurally change the mode, scale, and regional appropriateness of interventions…Our Government will not fail our children,” said Minster Jordan.

Public Security

Another sector to re-

expansion of offices, inmate living facilities, staff and family living facilities, training facilities, as well as the construction of a school, daycare centre and places of worship.

He announced too that for the first time, a port Georgetown fireboat will be added to the fleet of fire vehicles, at a cost $250 million, to service port Georgetown.

“In addition, expanded fire protection services have resulted in $49.4M being allocated for two water tenders in Leguan and Wakenaam as well as two ambulances to augment the integrated 912 and 913 emergency services to improve response time.”

He announced too that three new fire stations, costing about $77.5M, will be constructed at Mahdia, Mabaruma, and Melanie

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

ceive a substantial chunk of the Budget is the security sector which has been allocated in 2017 $29.1B “to restore public confidence in our security sector.”

Among some of the initiatives targeted by the Ministry with responsibility for Public Security is increasing the recruitment of Police, by approximately 20 per cent, to boost Police presence as a deterrent to crime.

Jordan said too that the monies will also be used to equip the Police with vehicles and specialised equipment aimed at improving mobility and response times to reported crimes.

He said too that the allocations will go towards expanding patrols in key areas to deter criminal activity, for which over $740M has been budgeted, complemented by expansion of the mounted branch in key hinterland locations.

He spoke too of re-establishing and operationalizing the 911 service to restore public confidence in the response capability of the security services.

According to Minister Jordan, in order to offset the overcrowding of the Georgetown Prison, the complex at the Mazaruni Prisons will be expanded at a cost of $2.2B, of which $369M is budgeted, in 2017, and will see the

Damishana.

Public Health

As it relates to the delivery of healthcare services across the country, the Minister announced too that this sector will also benefit from a hefty chunk

tor,” while in 2017, this will increase to $31.2 billion, or 12.5 per cent.

According to Jordan, the Public Health Ministry will in 2017 pay greater attention to equipping and upgrading district hospitals to deliver the full suite of mandated services, “as this would lead to greater equity between the hinterland and coastland.”

He said too that additional specialists, in areas such as paediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, dental, and general surgery, will be deployed in Regions One, Eight, and Nine.

Government, he said, has also allocated $2B for the improvement and maintenance of health infrastructure countrywide.

“Particular emphasis will be placed on upgrading health facilities for district level hospitals and comfortable living quarters to attract the necessary medical personnel in the hinterland, in areas such as Baramita, Bartica, Kamarang, Mahdia, Port Kaituma, and Annai.”

According to Minister Jordan, over $6.5B has been allocated in this Budget to procure drugs and medical supplies for our citizens who access public health facilities.

“Although we have been budgeting adequate sums of money, our population continues to experience frequent non-availability of drugs and medical supplies at almost every public health facility, suggesting a number of problems in the procurement, storage, and distribution systems.”

This problem, he said, will be arrested by ensuring that the process is informed by data driven health information sys-

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

of the Budget.

According to Minster Jordan, “this Government continues to prioritise the health and wellbeing of the people as a pillar for ensuring economic development, happiness, productivity, and prosperity.”

He reminded that in 2016, “we expect to expend over $27 billion, or 12 per cent of the National Budget, in the health sec-

tems in order to ensure more consistent supplies and avoidance of waste.

He used the occasion to also provide highlights on investments to be made in areas of youth, families, the elderly and vulnerable, culture and arts in addition to gender equality, and hinterland development, among other sectors.

(Gary Eleazar)

news

13

tuesday, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Old Age pensioners to get $800 increase ……as income tax threshold gets adjusted upwards marginally

O

ld Age Pensioners can look forward to a ‘whopping’ $800 (US$4) increase from next year, while workers across the spectrum will also benefit from an increase in the income tax threshold, which has been moved from its current limit of $55,000 monthly to $60,000.

These are among the measures announced by Finance Minister Winston Jordan when he presented the 2017 National Estimates to the members of the National Assembly on Monday.

Jordan was at the time speaking to the measures proposed by Government to reduce inequality and increase disposable income for 2017.

Minister Jordan, in announcing the adjustment in the income tax threshold, said Government proposed to increase the current threshold of $660,000 per annum to $720,000 per annum or one-third (1/3) of the employee’s salary.

He said this would result in an additional 7600 persons being taken off the tax register.

The Minister announced

troduced by the previous Administration, Minister Jordan has now announced a restriction saying that only persons taking loans up to $15 million will be allowed to benefit.

He suggested nonetheless that “this measure will ensure that only low- to middle-income earners benefit, as was intended.”

Separate books

Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence

an element of progressiveness in the tax system…A new rate of 40 per cent will be applied to the incomes of individuals earning in excess of $2,160,000 per annum,” he added.

Explaining the proposal, Minister Jordan said, “These measures will allow for an annual increase in take-home pay for persons earning under $720,000 or $180,000 and for persons earning $2,160,000 to benefit from an additional annual take-home pay of $46,800.”

In the case of the higher

PPP/C MPs as they are about to exit the Parliament chambers on Monday

too that there would be a reduction in the Personal Income Tax rate from 30 per cent to 28 per cent for individuals earning less than $2,160,000 per annum or $180,000 per month.

“I propose to introduce

paid employees, “by allowing for one-third of their income to be tax-free, the incidence of tax will not exceed 25 per cent, thereby allowing for a higher take-home pay”.

According to Jordan, “this would reduce the need

for tax-free benefits, in kind, now being paid to employees in the Private Sector in lieu of salaries, and claimed by self-employed persons in lieu of income.”

He said the measures would result in Government forgoing almost $4 billion.

Old Age Pension

Meanwhile, as it relates to the increase in the Old Age Pension, the Minister said this would be increased to $19,000 per month, up from $18,200, an increase of $800, the equivalent of US$4.

The fiscal measures announced by the Finance Minister, however, are not all aimed at increasing disposable incomes, since Government is now looking to impose a two per cent withholding tax on the gross payments made to all contractors.

The two per cent shall be deducted from every payment made to contractors by contractees and shall be remitted to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The amounts, he said, will be deducted and would be allowed as a credit against the final taxes payable by the contractors.

This means that contractors will now be required to make a two per cent tax payment upfront.

Adjusting the Mortgage Interest Relief that was in-

2016 records dismal economic...

As it relates to rice, the Minister said due to continued uncertainty in the rice industry, output was expected to reach 600,000 metric tonnes in 2016, representing a decline of 12.8 per cent from the target achieved in 2015.

Rice production will remain stagnant for 2017, he added.

“The El Niño weather phenomenon and the loss of the lucrative Venezuelan market contributed significantly to the decline in production level.”

With regard to the forestry sector, which, over the years, had contributed significantly to overall economic growth, the Minister reported that this was not the case for 2016.

With regard to measures aimed at spurring economic growth, Minister Jordan said for many years, the manufacturing sector has clamoured for a reduction in the corporate tax rate, in order to improve their competitiveness locally and overseas. Further, companies that conduct both commercial and non-commercial operations engage in income shifting in order to meet the 75 per cent criteria, thereby allowing them to be taxed at the lower corporate tax rate applicable to manufacturing concerns.

According to Jordan, “In relation to the two per cent

minimum tax on commercial operations, certain companies are at a disadvantage whereby their effective tax rate exceeds the commercial tax rate of 40 per cent.”

As such, Jordan has proposed a reduction in the corporation tax rate, from 30 per cent to 27.5 per cent, for manufacturing and noncommercial companies.

He explained that there would be a dual tax-rate for companies carrying out both

Minister

Moses

counts to so benefit.”

He pointed out that the two measures would result in a loss of $752 million in taxes, but “we anticipate this amount being invested in renewal and expansion of businesses”.

Automatic compliance

The Minister also announced budgetary measures aimed at easing the red tape for contractors look-

ing to take on Government contracts.

Currently, bidders for contracts are required to have valid Income Tax and NIS compliance certificates and according to Jordan, this has especially hampered small contractors from participating in the procurement process.

As such, Jordan has announced that while these requirements will remain, he proposed to make it easier for potential bidders to access these documents.

He has since announced that Government will be pursuing the automatic issuance of Temporary Income Tax and NIS Compliance Certificates.

According to Jordan, prospective bidders will be given a one-off, three-month, temporary certificate, regardless of their status with GRA and NIS. “During the three months, they are expected to make the necessary arrangements to become compliant.”

He announced too that there will be the issuance of Trusted Trader Compliance Certificates and these will be valid for three years and will be issued to companies that have a demonstrated track record of compliance.

These measures, according to Jordan, will take effect from January 1, 2017.

FROM PAGE 7

Gold boon

PPP/C MP Juan Edghill during a press briefing after the 2017 Budget Presentation

medium-sized miners responding to the concessions granted by Government and rising global gold prices, and the two foreign-owned companies reaching full capacity.

commercial and non-commercial activities.

“This means that the non-commercial part of the business will benefit from the lower corporate tax rate of 27.5 per cent, but will pay the commercial tax rate of 40 per cent for their commercial operations…companies must, therefore, engage in segment accounting and keep separate books of ac-

Clement Rohee interacting with Prime Nagamootoo after the Budget Presentation

Minister Jordan stated that “the forestry sub-sector is expected to contract significantly by 33.3 per cent, principally as a result of Barama halting the production of logs and the UK's restriction on greenheart logs originating from Guyana”.

The mining and quarrying sector has continued to provide buoyancy for the national economy. Minister Jordan reported to the House that “the mining and quarrying sector is projected to grow by 35.7 per cent in 2016, the highest in over a decade”.

Gold production, he said, is expected to reach 644,814 ounces as a result of the combined efforts of small and

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and PPP/C MP Irfaan Ali at the post-Budget Presentation press briefing

“The bauxite industry is expected to grow by 9.6 per cent, while the other mining and quarrying sector is projected to rise by 22 per cent, mainly on account of a 92.5 per cent increase in sand pro-

duction and a 9.2 per cent increase in stone production.”

He did use the opportunity to announce that despite the fears that were promulgated by some suggesting that concessions would be removed, this was not the case.

On the matter of the manufacturing sector, Jordan said this was projected to contract by 7.1 per cent, as a result of the dismal performance of the sugar and rice sectors, as well as a small decline in other manufacturing and construction.

Construction, he said, declined from a budgeted 10.5 per cent to a projected 3.2 per cent in 2016.

“This performance is related to a decline in activity in the housing sector and

PSIP…the services sector is expected to expand by 1.3 per cent, with growth driven by the electricity, water, finance and insurance, and transport and storage sectors. The sector’s share of GDP continues to remain above 40 per cent.”

Inflation

The Minister did report favourably on the inflation rate, which he said remained moderate in 2016.

The 12-month inflation rate stood at 1.1 per cent as of October 2016, according to Minister Jordan.

He reported too that prices were projected to remain relatively stable through the end of the year, resulting in an inflation rate of 1.3 per cent.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, NOVEMber 29, 2016

Regional

Tens of thousands of Cubans pay last respects to Fidel Castro

G

alvanised by a 21gun salute that thundered across Havana, tens of thousands of Cubans paid final respects on Monday to Fidel Castro, who led a leftist revolution, ruled for half a century and resisted the United States throughout the Cold War. Castro died on Friday at the age of 90, a decade after stepping down due to poor health and ceding power to his brother Raul Castro.

While he had been retired as an active leader, his death removed any impediment on his brother to pursue deeper relations with Washington if US President-elect Donald Trump warms to the idea of improved ties.

Castro was admired by leftists and people of the developing world who saw him

People stand in line to pay tribute to Cuba's late President Fidel Castro in Revolution Square in Havana, Cuba, November 28, 2016

as a revolutionary champion of the poor, but vilified by those who viewed him as a dictator who oppressed Cubans and ruined the economy through socialism.

"For me, he continues living in the hearts of the

Cubans," said Misleidys Rivero, 47, a service station employee with a small Cuban flag in her hand. She arrived early Monday morning at Havana's Revolution Square to be among the first in line.

The Government invited people to the square for a two-day commemoration that started with cannon blasts heard throughout much of the capital.

Castro was cremated on Saturday and the Government has declared a nine-day period of mourning. His ashes will be carried in a cortege to a final resting place in Santiago de Cuba, the city in eastern Cuba where he launched the revolution.

While many Cubans report a certain pressure to attend the government's many staged events and Castro was hated by many who fled for Miami, he was also widely loved and people appeared to shed genuine tears on Monday. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Former Barbados PM says Sandals concessions were a bad move

F

ormer Prime Minister Owen Arthur is contending that tax concessions granted to the Caribbean hotel chain Sandals are hurting the island’s finances, already reeling from a decline in revenue from the offshore financial services sector.

Presenting a lecture recently, he said an already eroding tax base occasioned by changes to the second largest revenue earner – the offshore sector – was made worse by the concessions, not only to Sandals, but to the entire tourism sector, the island’s primary money earner.

Former Prime Minister Owen Arthur

“The Government of Barbados . . . has set an extraordinary precedent by extending complete duty and tax free status

to Sandals for 40 years, with the intention of making such a status available to other enterprises in our main sector – tourism,” Arthur said.

Sandals, which began operations in Barbados in 2013 at the former Almond Casuarina hotel in Dover, Christ Church, has been granted a 25-year tax holiday that includes a waiver on all import duties, taxes, imposts and levies on capital goods such as building materials, as well as food, alcohol and beverages. The waiver also extends to duties on the importation of motor vehicles and personal and household effects for

senior hotel staff and nonBarbadian workers. At the end of the 25-year tax holiday the rate on concessions will be cut by 50 per cent for an additional 15 years.

Faced with mounting pressure from the accommodation sector for a similar deal, Government eventually announced that the hotel sector would be eligible for similar concessions.

Arthur said the loss of revenue as a result of these concessions had come after Barbados’ main financial trading partner, Canada, had drastically reduced the island’s once lucrative offshore business. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Illness hits Liat’s bottom line L

IAT pilots have blamed a Region-wide flu outbreak and the Zika Virus for crew-affected illnesses that the airline said is costing it millions in revenue and affecting thousands of passengers.

OBSERVER media was recently afforded the opportunity to peruse documents that showed just how the absence of pilots and cabin crew – due to the illness – has taken a toll on the carrier’s already stretched resources.

According to the documents, so far, for this month alone, roughly 175 flights have been cancelled due to pilots calling in sick.

“To put this into perspective, LIAT operated around 1600 flights so the pilots’ sickness caused the cancellation of 11 per cent, caus-

ing around 6500 passengers’ flights to be cancelled,” the document revealed.

“In addition these cancellations caused significant delays and disruptions to over 15,000 passengers,” it added.

According to LIAT, the average number of flight cancellations for most airlines is around one per cent.

But as a result the LIAT

data, over 1000 passengers have had to stay overnight in hotels because of the cancellations in November after approximately 200 pilots called in sick.

“This equates to around 14 per cent sickness with the industry average being between three and five per cent,” the leaked LIAT document stated.

It also revealed the num-

ber of sick days reported by cabin crew stood at 83 so far this November. “This equates to around 11 per cent sickness with the industry average being four per cent.

In total, LIAT estimates that these disruptions caused by crew sickness cost over EC$1 million in the past few weeks. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

US deports over 200 Haitians in past several weeks

T

he United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says more than 200 Haitians have been deported in the last several weeks, as the Barack Obama Administration has resumed deportation of Haitians living illegally in the country.

DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, also “plans to significantly expand removal operations in the coming weeks”.

But Johnson said Haitian nationals currently covered by Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are unaffected by the resumption of deportation to the French-speaking Caribbean country.

“Specifically, those Haitian nationals who have been continuously residing in the United States since January 12, 2011 and currently hold TPS may re-

main in the United States and are not subject to removal,” he said in a statement.

“These beneficiaries also remain eligible for employment authorization.”

Johnson said TPS for Haitian nationals has been extended through July 22, 2017, adding, however, that “recently, we have seen an increase in the numbers of those apprehended on the southern border”.

He said he has instructed border security and immigration enforcement personnel “to take steps to keep pace with this increase”.

As a result, the DHS secretary said there are currently about 41,000 immigrants in US immigration detention facilities, including over 4,400 Haitians. Typically, the number in immigration detention is about 31,000 to 34,000, he said. (Excerpt from CMC)

Trinis vote in Local Government Elections

T

Prime Minister Keith Rowley

rinidadians on Monday headed to the polls in the country’s Local Government Elections.

Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) chairman, Mark Ramkerrysingh, said the EBC had fine-tuned systems for Monday’s polls.

"We've examined aspects and processes and feel confident – keeping fingers crossed –that everything will run to plan," "T&T is a much more mature electoral democracy and we're comfortable in the knowledge of that electoral process. It is citizens' democratic right to vote. We trust the law will be observed," Ramkerrysingh added.

And rain or not, there's no question of extended voting hours following recent court rulings that the EBC exceeded its power in extending hours in the September 2015 general poll.

Polls were scheduled to open at 06:00h and close at 18:00h.

Seven political parties and four Independents are contesting the elections.

Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Campaigning climaxed on Sunday with motorcades in the 14 corporation areas.

Prime Minister Keith Rowley led a motorcade in Sangre Grande while Opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was in Felicity. Both Sangre Grande and Chaguanas are election battlegrounds The fight is largely between Rowley's ruling People's National Movement (PNM) which controls eight corporations and PersadBissessar's Opposition United National Congress (UNC) which holds six.

Each is trying to gain ground or take each other's turf. The PNM has a full slate of 137 candidates. The UNC has 134.

The PNM has already won Mon Repos/Navet by default.

PNM's candidate Patricia Victor-Wilson is unopposed following the withdrawal of UNC candidate Daryl Soodeen, due to ill health.

Soodeen and Victor-Wilson were the only contestants there. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

tuesday, November 29, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Syria conflict: Rebels lose White House rebuts 3rd of east Aleppo territory Trump vote fraud claim

S

yrian Government forces have captured more than a third of rebel-held territory in eastern Aleppo.

The advance, after heavy bombing from the air, is a major blow for the armed opponents of President Bashar al-Assad.

State TV said Government troops were dismantling mines and explosives and continuing their advance.

Thousands of civilians have fled the besieged districts after a weekend of heavy fighting. Hundreds of families have been displaced.

Rebel fighters have been driven out of more neighbourhoods of their long-held enclave in eastern Aleppo, as Syrian Government forc-

East Aleppo was the site of heavy fighting over the weekend

es continue to advance.

After further fighting on Monday, the rebels are reported to have lost all of the northern neighbourhoods they controlled before the weekend, leaving them with under two-thirds of the ter-

ritory they had in the city.

Two rebel officials told Reuters their forces had withdrawn to a more defendable front line after Government advances risked splitting the rebelheld area in two.

Syrian Government troops now control the section of east Aleppo north of the Sakhour highway, according to monitors.

Russia’s Defence Ministry says Syrian Government troops have captured 12 districts, or 40 per cent of the territory, from the rebels.

It says that more than 100 rebels have laid down their arms and left the city.

Aerial bombardment of rebel-held areas was continuing on Monday, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Syrian army and its allies launched a major offensive to retake control of Aleppo in September. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Great Barrier Reef suffered worst bleaching on record in 2016, report finds

H

igher water temperatures in 2016 caused the worst destruction of corals ever recorded on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, a study has found.

Some 67 per cent of corals died in the reef’s worsthit northern section, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies report said.

The situation was better in the central section, where six perished perished, while the southern reef is in good health.

But scientists warn recovery could be difficult if climate change continues.

Coral bleaching happens when water temperatures

Warmer waters has led to the worst destruction of coral ever recorded on the Great Barrier Reef

rise for a sustained period of time.

In February, March and April, sea surface temperatures across the Great Barrier Reef were the hottest on record, at least one

UN Security Council to vote Wednesday on North Korea sanctions – diplomats

T

he United Nations Security Council is set to vote on Wednesday morning on a US-drafted resolution to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its fifth and largest nuclear test conducted in September, diplomats said on Monday.

Diplomats said the council’s five veto-wielding powers – the United States, China, Britain, Russia and France – had agreed to new measures, seen by Reuters on Friday, that target Pyongyang’s export earnings.

North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006. It conducted its latest nuclear test on September 9, and the United States and China, a North Korean ally, then spent more than two months negotiating

new sanctions. The draft resolution was given to the full 15-member council on Friday.

It intends to close loopholes in sanctions imposed in March, following Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test in January.

That resolution banned the 193 UN member states from importing North Korean coal, iron and iron ore unless such transactions were for “livelihood purposes” and would not generate revenue for Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes.

The new sanctions to be voted on Wednesday would cap North Korean coal exports at US$400.9 million or 7.5 million metric tonnes annually, whichever is lower, starting on January 1.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

degree Celsius higher than the monthly average.

“Some of the initial mortality was down to heat stress,” said study leader Professor Terry Hughes.

“The coral was cooked.”

Far more has been lost through gradual starvation, after the coral expelled the colourful algae zooxanthella, which turns sunlight into food.

This is what leads to the white, skeletal appearance of the coral, which is left without its main source of energy.

The study also found that the coral which survived the bleaching have now come under greater threat from predators such as snails and crown of thorns starfish.

This year’s mass bleaching was the worst-ever recorded on the Great Barrier Reef, following two previous events in 1998 and 2002.

P

ter the camp of Mrs Clinton, his Democratic rival, said it would support a vote recount in Wisconsin initiated by Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

Stein also moved to issue a recount in Pennsylvania and is expected to do the same in Michigan, where Trump’s 16 electoral votes were certified on Monday.

Trump won by two-tenths of a percentage point out of nearly 4.8 million votes, making it the closest presidential race in Michigan in more than 75 years.

He is the first Republican presidential nominee to win Michigan since 1988.

Results would need to be overturned in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania to alter the outcome of the November presidential election – something analysts say is highly unlikely.

Concerns over the possibility of Russian interference were expressed in the run-up to the vote. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

Facebook Express Wifi goes live in India

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Pope urges world leaders not to hobble climate change pact ope Francis urged national leaders on Monday to implement global environmental agreements without delay, a message that looked to be squarely aimed at US President-elect Donald Trump.

Addressing a group of scientists that included theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, the Pope gave his strongest speech on the environment since the election of Trump, who has threatened to pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

“The ‘distraction’ or delay in implementing global agreements on the environment shows that politics has become submissive to a technology and economy which seek profit above all else,” Francis said.

Francis, who wrote an

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he White House says there is no evidence to support Donald Trump’s claim of widespread voter fraud in the 2016 US presidential election.

Press Secretary Josh Earnest dismissed the President-elect’s unsubstantiated allegations that millions of people had cast illegal votes.

Trump also alleged voter fraud in Virginia, New Hampshire and California, states which Hillary Clinton won.

Earnest deferred to Trump’s team for further comment.

“What I can say, as an objective fact, is that there has been no evidence produced to substantiate a claim like that,” he told reporters at a White House briefing.

Trump, who won the allimportant electoral college count, aired his grievances with the election result in a tweet on Sunday.

The president-elect’s Twitter outburst comes af-

encyclical, or papal letter, on the environment last year, took a swipe at those who dispute that climate change is caused by human activity, criticising “the ease with which well-founded scientific opinion about the state of our planet is disregarded”.

During the campaign, Trump called climate change a hoax.

Last week he appeared to soften his stance, telling The New York Times he was keeping “an open mind” and that there might be “some connectivity” between human activity and global warming.

But days later, Reince Priebus, Trump’s designated White House chief-ofstaff, told Fox News that the President-elect still believed climate change was mostly “a bunch of bunk”. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Users have access to a variety of services, including news and weather reports

F

acebook has launched a scheme to bring Internet access to underserved locations in India.

Express Wi-fi offers software to local entrepreneurs to allow them to work with service providers and share their Internet connection with the public for a fee.

Users have access to a variety of services, including news and weather reports.

One critic of Facebook’s previous plans was more receptive to this one.

“I think it’s a great initiative, we need more companies providing access to the Internet in India,” said Nikhil Pahwa, editor and publisher of MediaNama, an Indian news site.

“So long as they don’t only provide access to certain websites or under certain conditions, then this is a great thing.”

Pahwa had previously criticised Facebook’s proposal to bring more lim-

ited Internet access to regions where getting online can be next to impossible.

He helped organise the Save the Internet campaign in India.

In February, India’s telecoms regulation blocked Facebook’s Free Basics internet service app due to the restricted nature of the service provided.

The app offered access to only a limited number of websites.

It was opposed on principles of net neutrality, with protestors arguing that data providers should not favour some online services over others.

The new system makes no mention of limitations on the sites accessible.

“Express Wi-fi empowers local entrepreneurs to help provide quality Internet access to their neighbours and make a steady income,” its website states. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

16 news

tuesDay, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Linden airstrip must Stray animals causing chaos become a reality on Berbice roadways ...stiffer penalties needed ‒ Police – Chairman

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Regional Chairman Renis Morian and Councillors at the Linden airstrip in July

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he Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Democratic Council (RDC) currently has its eyes set on the rehabilitation of the Linden airstrip, and according to Regional Chairman Renis Morian, engineers who have visited the site have asserted that it is one of the best that they have seen.

Just a few months ago, the Council had expressed interest in bringing the partially abandoned airstrip back on stream, as a means to drive economic development in the Region.

Morian told Guyana Times that the RDC had sent a concept note to the Public Infrastructure Ministry and is looking forward to having the project become a reality.

“With the airstrip at Ogle overcrowded, the next frontier for small craft is Region 10. We’ve sent the concept note to the Ministry of infrastructure and we’re looking forward to seeing work done on the airstrip.

Not only works done, but Lindeners being a part of the work force upgrading the airstrip. We would have taken engineers and they said that it’s the best they have seen...so we would like to see the airstrip up and running,” the Regional Chairman outlined.

He said too that the RDC was now working to send letters out to the Aircraft Owners’ Association, in an effort to facilitate dialogue and visits to the site.

“We would like to carry them on a tour to view the airstrip, with the view that this airstrip will be working by Government in 2017,” he added.

Back in September, Morian had disclosed that Councillors had visited the site and had sent off a proposal after meeting with officials from the Public Infrastructure Ministry, adding that the proposal would be injected into plans of the relevant Ministry for the 2017 budget.

“So we won’t see any-

thing now in 2016, but all the proposals for the airstrips right across the lengths and breadths of Guyana will be fed into that Ministry’s budget for 2017. But we did send the proposal based on what we’ve come up with on the ground,” the Regional Chairman had said.

In July, regional officials sought to have the partially abandoned airstrip at Linden be made fully operational once again and embarked on preparing the proposal in that regard.

According to information coming out of the RDC, a meeting was planned in an effort to foster the way forward, so that the airstrip could be made operational as the Council had agreed that it is a project which it would like to embark on. Councillor Gordon Callender has disclosed that the airstrip was considered one of the best in the country and $200 million was expected to go towards its upgrade.

raffic Chief of Berbice, Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud is calling for stray animals to be removed from the roadways at nights, as they cause many accidents in Berbice, Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Most of the animals, Persaud explained, do not carry brands and as such the owners cannot be found. He added that on the Upper Corentyne there are scores of horses and cows traversing the roadways which contribute to road accidents.

He explained: “If owners need to transport livestock from one location to another, they must have approved vehicles to do so.

Because under our laws the pounds close at nights, most of the accidents involving animals where persons are injured occur at nights.”

Last year three persons died as a result of collision with animals, and for 2016, two persons have so far tragically lost their lives in similar manner.

On Tuesday, a Police officer collided with a cow and its calf on the Susana Road, Corentyne. The officer sustained multiple injuries including broken arms.

The Traffic Chief further explained that the owner of the animals is well known, as his animals are frequently impounded.

He noted too that the penalties are not as harsh as they should be to act as a deterrent.

“Our law is not so serious, it is a just a serious fine between $5000 and $10,000 for suffering the

Traffic Chief of Berbice, Superintendent Boodnarine Persaud

animals to stray. Animal owners need to pay more attention to the safety of others. They need to ensure that their animals graze in pastures. Some of these persons are locking the animals in the day and releasing them at nights because the pounds are closed at nights,” Superintendent Persaud pointed out.

The Traffic Chief is urging cattle farmers/owners to guide their animals while on the roadways and to take the animals to their farms in the evening in an effort to protect roadusers.

news

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tuesday, november 29, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Corentyne carpenter’s murder

Ramjattan meets Corentyne residents, promises further investigations

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he two Police officers currently under close arrest for corrupt practices in the Corentyne carpenter’s murder could be criminally charged.

This is according to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who made this pronouncement on Saturday when he met with residents of Upper Corentyne at the home of the slain Corentyne carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt.

Narinedatt’s body was discovered on November 1 along the Corentyne Highway at Number 70 Village, Berbice, at a scene set to be that of a hit-and-

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

run accident.

Meanwhile, the deceased’s uncle is now alleging that he was offered $50 million by the alleged mastermind for the family not to press the Police to conduct an investigation. “$50 million gonna bring back my nephew life? No way! We aren’t accepting it cause we want justice and we want a neutral prosecutor and magistrate to deal with this matter until it end and it reach to the judge court,” he told the minister at the meeting.

A constable and a corporal were arrested last week after six men were charged for the murder of Narinedatt, aged 27.

While speaking to the media following the meeting, the Public Security Minister related that the Director of

Minister Ramjattan addressing residents at the home of Faiyaz Narinedatt

Public Prosecutions (DPP) could advise that the two officers face criminal charges.

Some residents of Number 70 Village who have been pushing for the Police to dig deeper, were forced to contact the minister following the perceived reluctance of investigators in Berbice to pursue the matter as a homicide.

A few hours after the body was discovered, it is alleged that the mastermind, Marcus Bisram, had gone to the Springlands Police Station and allegedly offered to pay the two officers.

However, Minister Ramjattan has assured that the investigations will not stop at the two officers.

The minister revealed to this publication that other officers are also being investigated in connection with the same matter.

Thorough investigation

“The whole Police Station, an institution must not fall apart like that; you can have your one and two cops and so doing their mischief, but not the whole thing collapsing and then you have to bring in another institution, the Major Crime Unit (MCU), to clean up, then that Police Station is rotten, so the whole set of cops must be investigated,” he asserted.

“I have asked that there be a complete investigation of that Police Station because we have had other sets of allegations emanating from that Police Station in relation to some people we had to send across to Suriname…

we have to transform that Police Station.”

Meanwhile, Ramjattan said he was unaware of the $2.5 million which the Marcus Bisram Foundation donated to the Community Policing Group (CPG) and which was collected by a Community Policing liaison officer, who claimed that the Public Security Ministry had authorised it.

He explained: “It could have been honestly collected because CPGs around the country sometimes ask businessmen for fuel and other things to ensure that they do their jobs; but they must never lose their professionalism because somebody give them $2.5 million.”

The minister further added that when one of the CPG groups is collecting that quantity of funding they should report it to his ministry.

“I never gave her that kind of authorisation; not that kind of money, because when them money big like that, I want to know if is some dope man give them…” he said.

Addressing residents’ concerns that the CPG official had allegedly threatened some members of Narinedatt’s family, the minister said that the matter is being investigated and urged those who were threatened to come forward and give statements.

According to Ramjattan, the MCU will be in Berbice this week to continue their investigations into the allegations of threats.

Another person charged for Rohee robbery

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man was on Monday charged with carrying out a daring robbery at the home of former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Dellon Wills, 28, of Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

It is alleged that on November 9, 2016, at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD) while being in the company of others and armed with a gun, Wills robbed Anjanie and Anika Layne of jewellery and cash totalling $2.6 million, property of Clement Rohee.

It is also alleged that on the same day, at the same location, Wills robbed Anjanie and Anika Layne of jewellery valued $1 million, property of Chandanie Rohee.

The defendant was previously charged for causing death by dangerous driving.

On the day of the incident, the two maids (the Laynes) were in the home which the men, who were carrying guns and a knife, invaded.

After confronting the two women, the bandits held them at gunpoint and ordered them into the upper flat of the building, where they gagged and bound them with duct tape.

The men then ransacked

the home and found a quantity of jewellery belonging to the Rohees, after which they made good their escape.

The prosecution stated that currently the Police were in possession of CCTV footage which showed the accused carrying out the act along with others.

Bail was granted at $100,000 for each charge, and the matter was transferred to the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

Wills is scheduled to return on January 11, 2017 to court, and is expected to lodge his passport.

A woman whose car was used in the robbery was recently charged with the crime.

Bribe accused further remanded

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hinella Indarally, 45, and Mary Anne Lionel, 25, the mother and daughter who allegedly attempted to obstruct the course of justice by offering a bribe to Police to stop investigations into the murder of Corentyne carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt, on Monday reappeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Both women appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, during which their Attorney, Stanley Moore, made a lengthy petition for bail.

Moore said in his application that the defendants are sorry for the crime that they have committed and will, if granted bail, refrain from doing anything that will further obstruct investigations.

However, McLennan after listening to his request said that if the defendants are granted bail they will tamper with witnesses in the matter and as such she denied the request.

The matter will return to Court Two on December 14.

Six persons have been charged for Narinedatt’s murder.

Excavator operator Radesh Motie, 39; Harripaul Parsram, a labourer, 49; hire-car driver Nirone Yacoob, 37; and Diodat Datt, 18, were first charged after they allegedly confessed to the killing and told Police what had occurred.

Days later Orlando Dickie, the body guard of the alleged mastermind Marcus Bisram, was also slapped with a murder charge. Brian Marcus Bisram was charged in absentia.

Two days after Bisram was charged, the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) issued a wanted bulletin for his arrest. The bulletin came two days after the Guyana Police Force had issued a similar bulletin.

Interpol in its bulletin urged persons in the United States to contact the nearest Police Station or 911 once the wanted man is sighted.

Guyana Times was told that Bisram has

Shinella Indarally and Mary Anne Lionel

two stores in the Queens, New York area and one in Manhattan.

It is believed that the man is now in hiding, but local law enforcement officers have confidence in the assistance being provided

by Interpol to locate the wanted man.

Bisram became the central point of attraction after he was fingered in the murder of the 26-year-old man by several persons who had confessed.

It is believed that the now wanted man might have made sexual advances towards Narinedatt but was blatantly rejected.

It was due to the embarrassment that he allegedly told his body guard and others who were at a party to kill carpenter. The carpenter was snatched and beaten into an unconscious state then his body dumped on the roadside and ran over with a car to make it appear as if he was the victim of a hit-andrun accident.

Police had initially treated the incident as such but reopened investigations after relatives of the dead man kept calling on the Police to further investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, november 29, 2016

ARCHIE

Set your strategy to advance and start working (March 21- your way toward your goal.

April 19) Consider adding to your qualifications, negotiating a deal or investing in something you want to pursue.

ARIES

Don’t get involved in joint TAURUS ventures or lend or borrow (April 20- money or possessions. Protect May 20) what you have and refuse to give in to someone pressuring you for a donation or help.

dilbert

Set high standards and GEMINI proceed with passion. Your (May 21June 20) actions will make a statement that will lead to recognition and new opportunities.

Youngsters and seniors will play a role in your decisions.

Don’t trust your peers.

Sharing personal information (June 21- will put you in a precarious July 22) position. Don’t feel the need to make changes just because someone else does. Moderation is in your best interest.

CANCER

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Don’t get angry when you can get moving. Making alterations to your home or job will be rejuvenating. Children and elders will contribute insight that will help you make a decision.

Emotional matters will VIRGO flare up, causing you to miss (Aug. 23opportunities.

Put Sept. 22) other things in perspective and distance yourself from whatever is causing frustration, stress or personal unhappiness.

Calvin and Hobbes

You need to step up your LIBRA game and bring about chang(Sept. 23es that will make you feel good Oct. 23) about who you are and what you do. Jump at an opportunity. Indecision will lead to regret.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

A missed opportunity will SCORPIO encourage a new idea. Reuse (Oct. 24old material to construct someNov. 22) thing unique and applicable to current trends. Romance is encouraged and will improve your personal life.

Set up interviews or collabSAGITTARIUS orate with someone who is as (Nov. 23- aggressive and hardworking Dec. 21) as you are. There are gains to be made if you take the initiative. Progressive thinking will bring good results.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Stick to simple changes CAPRICORN that will not result in uncer(Dec. 22tainty with friends or relaJan. 19) tives. Understanding the impact of change and offering people incentives and options will pay off.

You need to set high stanAQUARIUS dards and goals for yourself (Jan. 20and others. Strive for equalFeb. 19) ity, peace and happiness.

Don’t back away from change or controversy. You can and will make a difference.

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

PISCES Too much input from out(Feb. 20- siders will confuse you. If you March 20) feel uncertain about something, take the time to do some research before you make a decision. Don’t give in to pressure.

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

India tighten grip against struggling visitors

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Jadeja’s half-century ndia gave a lesson in how to the reprieve was brief as Ashwin Virat Kohli then pulled one of his take a grip on a Test match worked him over by sliding a Midas touches when he recalled came off 104 balls and was that was in the balance. straighter delivery between bat Ashwin in the dying moments accompanied by the familiar Firstly their lower order built and pad. of the session and, with his swordsman celebration but it a commanding lead of 134, Moeen Ali batted at No. 3, first delivery, he spun one past was the only bat throwing on anchored around Ravindra the only spot in the top nine he Stokes’ edge to take the back display. The disappointment of Jadeja’s career-best 90 and had yet to occupy in Tests, and pad. It was initially given not him missing a century meant we Jayant Yadav’s maiden Test fifty, added to the list of England’s out by Chris Gaffaney but, with did not see what the follow-up then R Ashwin’s three wickets inglorious dismissals in the the seconds ticking down, Kohli would be. Stokes tried to prey on his patience by sending the left England floundering on 78 match when he chipped Ashwin reviewed and was justified. for 4, still 56 behind. to mid-on. It was a lovely piece India were 12 behind when ball wide outside off, as he had The runs from the bottom of deception from the bowler, play resumed but England made done to Kohli, but Jadeja ignored half of India’s order has been who defeated Moeen in the an insipid start to the day. Chris those balls. He benefited from a a feature of their recent Test flight, but regardless it was a Woakes’ opening delivery was bonus four runs when he took a success and here they enjoyed limp shot. Just as Root and Jonny a leg-stump half volley which sharp single to mid-on and Jake one of their more stellar days. In Bairstow were eyeing the close, Ashwin clipped to the boundary Ball’s throw was not backed up.

Ashwin had continued to total, the last four wickets added the latter fell to a catch that, and Moeen was oddly given 213 to turn a precarious 204 for as a fellow wicketkeeper, he two exploratory overs ahead of time the ball elegantly until he 6 into a three-figure advantage and it was the first time India’s Nos 7, 8 and 9 had scored halfcenturies in the same innings.

From a position at the start of the day where England would have hoped for something near parity - a manageable deficit of around 50 at worst - by the close it felt as though India had made the definitive moves of the series. Joe Root, who had been promoted to open in place of the injured Haseeb Hameed, remained unbeaten on 36 but Ashwin’s dismissal of Ben Stokes in the final over capped a perfect day for India.

Alastair Cook’s stay was tortuous. In the space of four deliveries he survived two close DRS calls. The first was an India review for an appeal given not out against Jadeja which was, and bowled. England Captain Alastair Cook loses his stumps after playing down the eventually after some problems Beaten wrong line forming the Hawk-Eye graphics, shown to be missing leg. The second was after he had been would acknowledge for its skill either James Anderson or Stokes. was lured into a wider delivery given lbw to Ashwin only for as Parthiv Patel stayed low to Until Jadeja picked out long-on by Stokes, in his first over of the review to show the ball take a ball that skidding through when he tried to up the tempo the day, and spooned a catch pitched outside leg. However, low to graze the outside edge. after tea it had been an innings to Jos Buttler at backward largely out of character to how point to end a stand of 97 with he is perceived as a batsman. In Jadeja. However, Jayant, in so terms of balls faced it was the many ways a younger model seventh-longest innings of his of Ashwin, from his role in the first-class career and one of his team to punching deliveries most significant in Tests. Even through the off side, collected 4-48-0, CR Woakes 24-7Stumps - Day 3 when he departed the end did two sweetly-timed boundaries 13-1-33-0 86-0, MM Ali England 1st innings 283 not come swiftly for England as off Anderson to set him on his (nb-1), AU Rashid 38-6-118India 1st innings Jayant, who played with barely way, but there was no hurry 4, BA Stokes 26.2-5-73-5 (w(Overnight 271/6) an alarm, ticked over to a 134- from India.

3), GJ Batty 16-0-47-0 M Vijayc †Bairstow b Stoke 12 England’s frustrations - and ball fifty. Jadeja only had two PA Patel† lbw b Rashid 42 previous fifties in Test cricket: his specifically Stokes’ - almost England 2nd innings CA Pujara c Woakes b Rashid 51 swashbuckling effort at Lord’s reached boiling point as they AN Cook* b Ashwin 12 V Kohli*c †Bairstow b Stokes 62 in 2014, which helped build a worked to break the ninthJE Root not out 36 AM Rahane lbw b Rashid 0 match-winning lead, and a brisk wicket stand. Umesh Yadav was MM Ali c J Yadav b Ashwin 5 KK Nair run out (Buttler) 4 innings against New Zealand dropped on 9 by Cook, to his JM Bairstow† c †Patel b J Yadav 15 R Ashwin c Buttler b Stokes 72 earlier this season, which right at a lone slip, then in the BA Stokes lbw b Ashwin 5 RA Jadeja c Woakes b Rashid 90 hastened a declaration. This was same over Jayant nicked past GJ Batty not out 0 certainly not a tail-end jolly. On Bairstow’s right glove, leading J Yadav c Ali b Stokes 55 Extras (b-4, lb-1) 5 the second evening, after India to an angered roar from Stokes.

UT Yadav c †Bairstow Stokes 12 Total (4 wickets; 38 overs) 78 had suffered a wobble of 4 for But before the over was done, Mohammed Shami not out 1 To bat: H Hameed, JC 56, Jadeja allowed Ashwin to Jayant heaved low to midwicket.

Extras (b-8, lb-4, w-3, nb-1) 16 Buttler, CR Woakes, AU Stokes and Adil Rashid take the lead and moved to 8 Total (all out; 138.2 overs) 417 Rashid, JM Anderson shared the nine wickets taken by off 34 balls.

He then sensed a Fall of wickets 1-39 (Vijay, Fall of wickets 1-27 (Cook, moment to attack shortly before the bowlers with Stokes winning 14.4 ov), 2-73 (Patel, 25.6 13.6 ov), 2-39 (Ali, 19.5 ov), the new ball, but, on the third the race to a five-wicket haul, his ov), 3-148 (Pujara, 51.2 ov), 3-70 (Bairstow, 31.3 ov), 4-152 (Rahane, 53.2 ov), 5-156 day, except for a skip down the third in Tests, when he removed 4-78 (Stokes, 37.1 ov) (Nair, 54.2 ov), 6-204 (Kohli, pitch against Moeen, he did not Umesh. The catch for Bairstow Bowling: Mohammed Shami 64.3 ov), 7-301 (Ashwin, 94.5 7-2-17-0, UT Yadav 1-0-7-0, R attempt anything expansive meant he set a new record for ov), 8-381 (Jadeja, 123.1 ov), Ashwin 12-3-19-3, RA Jadeja until taking four boundaries off wicketkeeping dismissals in a 9-414 (J Yadav, 136.6 ov), 1012-4-18-0, J Yadav 6-1-12-1 a Woakes over shortly before his year. It was as good as the day 417 (UT Yadav, 138.2 ov) got for England. (ESPNcricinfo) dismissal.

Bowling: JM Anderson 21-

SCOREBOARD

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2016

19

“Axe Man” throws in towel, Lomachenko retains WBO title

Axe Man was unable to continue and the fight was stopped and ruled a TKO for Lomachenko

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asyl Lomachenko successfully defended his WBO junior lightweight title, winning when Nicholas Walters was unable to continue after seven rounds Saturday night at the Cosmopolitan.

Lomachenko, the 28-year-old Ukrainian star who won two Olympic gold medals, improved to 7-1. Lomachenko dropped to 26-1-1.

“My goal is to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” Lomachenko said.

Lomachenko had his best round of the fight in the seventh, landing multiple power shots, including a hard shot to the temple that ultimately led Walters to stop fighting.

“He’s a good fighter, really strong,” Lomachenko said.

“But he stood there and made it easy for me, then in the end he just quit.”

The pace quickened in the third, with Lomachenko leading the action and Walters looking to counter.

Lomachenko landed a hard straight left, the best punch of the fight up until that point and began to establish himself as the aggressor by the end of the fourth.

Walters battled back in the fifth landing a few power shots, only to be matched by Lomachenko combination for combination.

“He’s a great fighter,” Walters said. “He’s very fast, a great puncher. He caught me with a hard shot to the temple.”

Lomachenko began to take control in the sixth, displaying superior technical skills and controlling the ring.

By the end of the seventh, Lomachenko had the fans on their feet as he looked to finish the fight, landing a number of powerful combinations.

Walters survived the flurry and appeared fine as the round ended and he headed back to his corner. However, between rounds, Walters’ corner informed the referee that he was unable to continue and the fight was stopped and ruled a TKO for Lomachenko.

Lomachenko captured his first word title, the IBF featherweight crown, in just his third fight. That tied a record for the fewest fights needed to win a championship. He defended the belt three times before winning the junior lightweight title, earning his second title in as many weight classes. (Sportsmax)

Vasyl Lomachenko, of Ukraine, celebrates after defeating Nicholas Walters, of Jamaica

20 Lanferman leads Den Amstel to 9-a-side glory P

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2016

laying on their home ground, Den Amstel, West Coast Demerara, the home team capped a high skilled contest whereby Dillon Lanferman’s sudden death goal sealed Den Amstel’s title victory in the former Prime Minister, Hamilton Green’s 82nd Birth Anniversary ninea-side inter-ward/village knock-out soccer tournament on Sunday.

In the scorching sun, the footballers battled in the round of 16 before advancing to the quarter finals, semifinals and final. During the preliminary games, Tucville defeated Wales in the opening match of the one day while Kitty took advantage of a hapless Stewartville side before Pouderoyen made light work of Alexander Village. As the tournament went on, Crane emerged victorious in a close encounter with Kuru Kururu, Uitvlugt defeated Soesdyke, South Sophia edged Bagotstown,

Delon Lanferman was the man of the day with a winning penalty in the final

Den Amstel hammered Herstelling and Mocha beat Sara Lodge with the winners advancing to the final eight.

Crane were booked to play Tucville who they easily defeated in what was one of the upsets of the one day affair while Pouderoyen conquered Uitvulgt, Kitty eased

past South Sophia and Den Amstel won against Mocha, with the winners advancing to the semi finals.

Lanferman showed his experience in pressure situations against Kitty as he sent Den Amstel in the lead with just seven minutes on the clock before booking their spot in the final with a brace 10 minutes later. Den Amstel’s tight defence then ensured that the contest ended 2-0.

In the second semi final, Pouderoyen and Crane battled hard to end the full time in a stalemate before going into a penalty shootout and then sudden death with Pouderoyen just getting in.

When Pouderoyen battled Den Amstel, the electrifying contest also entered a sudden death shootout but this time Pouderoyen could not continue their miracle run as Lanferman’s skill and experience made the difference.

GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National U-17 League

Steele’s helmet-trick leads CV Jaguars past Diamond as 1st Rd ends

Holder makes upward strides in player rankings

T

he West Indies captain is 15th among bowlers and has also reached career-best rankings among batsmen and all-rounder. West Indies captain Jason Holder has shot up in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for ODI Bowlers and also moved up in the lists for batsmen and all-rounders after a fine show in a One-Day International triseries in Zimbabwe that Sri Lanka won on Sunday. Holder’s nine wickets in the tournament were not enough to help the World Twenty20 champions reach the final as Zimbabwe edged them out in a rain-reduced last league match, but the haul was enough to propel him nine places up to 15th in the rankings for bowlers.

Holder, who held a careerhigh ranking of 14th among bowlers in March last year, has also gained seven slots to reach a career-best 80th position in the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings for ODI Batsmen and now enjoys

a career-best ranking of sixth among all-rounders.

Holder, who was the leading wicket-taker for the West Indies with 13 wickets in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2010 in New Zealand, has made a steady rise as he was ranked 53rd among bowlers and 182nd among batsmen at the beginning of 2015.

West Indies opener Evin Lewis, who topped the run-aggregate in the triseries with 202 runs, has made big gains, moving up 177 slots to 108. Others to gain in the batting rankings include Z i m b a b w e ’s Sikandar Raza (up 13 places to reach 49th) and Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya De Silva (up 48 places to reach 98th).

The list for bowlers saw Sri Lanka’s Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Kulasekara make significant movement. Lakmal has moved up 15 slots to reach 20th place while Kulasekara has moved up 23 slots to take 45th position. The West Indies missed a chance to overtake Pakistan in the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Team Rankings as it slipped one point to 87 points whereas it could have gone up to 94 points.

Pakistan remains in eighth position with 89 points.

These points are important because host England and the seven highest-ranked sides on the ICC ODI team rankings as on 30 September 2017 will qualify directly for the World Cup while the bottom four sides will compete with six other sides from the ICC World Cricket

League in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018. The top two sides from the Qualifier will complete the 10-team line-up for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

Australia v New Zealand ODI series World champion and topranked Australia will take on third-ranked New Zealand in a three-match home series from December 4 to 9. Following are the possible team rankings scenarios with different results: · If New Zealand wins 2-1: New Zealand goes up from 112 to 113 but remains third; Australia slips from 118 to 117 points · If New Zealand wins 3-0: New Zealand ties with Australia at 115 points but remains behind on decimal points; South Africa moves to the top with 116 points · If Australia wins 2-1: Australia goes up to 119 points, New Zealand slips to fourth behind India on decimals at 111 points · If Australia wins 3-0: Australia goes up to 120 points, New Zealand slips to fourth behind India at 109 points The ODI team rankings, unlike the Test rankings, are updated after each match. The ICC ODI predictor function is available here. In the individual rankings, Australia’s David Warner is the top-ranked batsman from either side at third with New Zealand captain Kane Williamson the other batsman in the top-10 at fifth position. New Zealand’s Trent Boult leads the bowlers’ rankings while his team-mate Matt Henry (fifth) and Australia’s Mitchell Starc (fourth) are the others inside the top 10. (Windies cricket)

Bravo serves WICB with pre-action protocol letter There was a keen tussle for possession between Diamond United and Circuit Ville Jaguars at the Grove Playfield

T

he Linden Soesdyke Highway based duo of Kuru Kururu Warriors and Circuit Ville Jaguars of Yarrowkabra recorded contrasting wins to bring the curtains down on the first round of the GFF/ NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Intra Association Under-17 League, East Bank leg at the Grove Playfield on Saturday afternoon.

The Warriors which got full points without breaking a sweat as Agricola Red

TEAM

P

Triangle their scheduled opponent failed to show up ended the first round in the second place position ahead of Circuit Ville Jaguars with a better goal difference of +15 to the Jaguars’ +10.

Competing in their first season as an EBFA affiliate, Circuit Ville Jaguars have sounded a warning to all and sundry that they are here to compete. They ended the first round with their biggest margin of victory to date, demolishing Diamond United, 6-0.

W

L

D

GF

Leading the rampant Jaguars was Shawn Steele who lashed in a helmettrick, netting in the 11th, 20th, 30th and 44th minute.

Complimenting Steele’s efforts were Tyron David who scored in the 40th minute and Isaiah Dodson in the 68th minute.

The teams will enjoy a much needed break before resuming rivalry in January as they keep aim on the overall championship crown and bragging rights as the best U-17 side on the East Bank.

GA

GD

POINTS

Grove Hi Tech

8

8

0

0

22

2

+20

24

K.K Warriors

8

5

2

1

25

10

+15

16

C.V Jaguars

8

5

2

1

19

9

+10

16

Soesdyke Falcons

8

5

3

0

21

8

+13

15

Agricola Red triangle

8

4

4

0

15

15

0

12

Diamond United

8

3

4

1

8

20

-12

10

Herstelling Raiders

8

3

4

1

11

29

-13

10

Mocha Champs

8

1

7

0

2

14

-12

3

Friendship

8

0

8

0

0

16

-16

0

W

est Indies batsman Darren Bravo has made a claim against the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for unlawful dismissal from the team that was in Zimbabwe taking part in the tri-series.

Bravo was sent home by the on- tour management committee after he allegedly sent out an offensive Tweet against Embattled West Indies batsman Darren Bravo the president of the WICB, Dave Cameron, has sent a pre-action protocol letter to the WICB last week.

T&T Guardian understands that Bravo’s lawyer has made a claim that the WICB sent him home unlawfully from Zimbabwe and as such they have decided to take the matter to court. Bravo’s lawyer’s letter was received by the Board last week and it will meet on the way to treat with it.

The left-handed Bravo is alleged to have made the tweet in frustration after he was given a grade “C” retainer contract by the WICB for the next financial year. Bravo who is the team’s premier batsman was not in agreement with this and hence he did not accept the retainer.

The WICB explained the reason behind it saying that there was a formula which governed which grade of retainer the players get and hence Bravo only qualified for a “C” grade. Many former players and officials have remarked that the Board should also have taken into account the player’s value to the team as a senior batsman and not only a statistical formula.

In the tweet, Bravo was alleged to have referred to the WICB President as a “a big idiot.”

The player was later summoned by the tour committee which included manager Joel Garner and coaches Roddy Estwick and Henderson Springer. He was immediately sent home from the tour and further to that asked by cricket operations manager Richard Pybus to apologise and take down the Tweet.

No apology was forthcoming and the tweet remained. Since then Bravo has been meeting with his lawyer and his domestic club, Queen’s Park Cricket Club. (Guardian)

21

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DCC dispose of GCC to advance to final

G

eorgetown powerhouse and reigning champions, the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) dispose of arch rivals Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) to advance to the final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/ New Building Society Second Division 40 overs competition.

It was an excellent day for the champions, who made light work of their opponents as they recorded a 10 wicket win at the GCC ground, Bourda.

The host batted first and were bundled out for 69 runs in 22 overs in a game that was reduced to 28 overs per side. National youth player, Sherfane Rutherford claimed three wickets while experience player Antonnel Atwell collected two scalps in a supportive role.

Martin Pestano Belle top scored with 23 while Devon Lord scored 19 in the lower order for the host, who had they worst outing of the tournament after a series of

Sherfane Rutherford

Sachin Singh

quality performances in the group stage.

At the half way stage a win was more imminent for the visitors than at the start of the match, especially with the number of talented players that were included in their squad. They wasted little time and during the 13th over of their innings they won the match.

Emerging talent, 14 year old Sachin Singh looked developed beyond his age as he hit three thunderous sixes to go along with three well timed fours to remain un-

beaten on 43 while his opening partner and national under-19 player Raymond Perez played the supporting role in his innings of 23 not out.

With the win DCC remained unbeaten in the tournament and are still favourites to win successive titles. They will now await the winner of semifinal two between Transport Sports Club (TSC) and Everest Cricket Club which is expected to be played this weekend weather permitting.

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trikers Delroy Fraser and Delwin Fraser combined for three goals for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) in their Sunday night home game against Buxton United as action continued in the Guyana Football Federation’s second edition of the Stag Elite League.

Delroy Fraser, who scored a goal and missed several opportunities in his team’s opening 7-1 drubbing of Victoria Kings was on spot from as early as the ninth minute this time around.

His brilliance continued throughout the first half as he added one more goals in the 20th before Delwin Fraser converted in the 28th minute. Frasers’ dominance inspired GDF’s dominance in the first half which ended

3-0. The military unit looked a fitter unit than the Buxton United side, who also opened their campaign with a win over Monedderlust.

In the second half Buxton United played much better football, but by that time the host was already insight of a victory and rallying on from their first half dominance, GDF managed another goal compliment of Sherwyn Caesar.

With the 4-0 win, GDF moved to two wins from as many matches while Buxton United is currently with one win from two games.

In the other match, which was the night’s first encounter, Bakewell Top XX was off to an inspirational start as Terrence Aaron found the back of the net early against Monedderlust. He opened

Linden’s account in the 12th minute.

However, the Berbice unit of Monedderlust fought their way back into the match and by time the 30th minute were ahead 2-1.

Kenston Lindely in the 27th and Akeema Watts in the 29th minutes provided their team with required skill and finish that was needed to set them on the positive side.

After those two goals the spectators were provided with intense football for the rest of the first half and throughout the second but both teams failed to beat the custodians as the match went to the side from the Ancient County.

The 2-1 victory was Monedderlust first win while Top XX is still to open their account.

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2016

WICB/PCL Digicel Regional 4-Day Tournament 2016-17

Stag Beer Grass Track Finals…

Another day dampened by rain

Newly-crowned Grass track champion Andrew Wong gives a ‘thumbs up’ to the day’s event

A

nother grass track meet in Guyana, another win for Andrew Wong. That was the script for daredevil ‘Andy’ Wong who rode away with the overall title of grass track champion on Sunday at the Stag Beer Grass Track finals at the Ogle Community Centre, East Coast Demerara.

In the presence of a pulsating crowd in blistering sunshine, dirt was the order of the day and when the dust was settled it was Andrew Wong standing tall over the other competitors. During the day’s event, Wong took the points lead from Ravin Ramcoomar as he amassed at total of 120 points.

It was as early as the second race of the day, Wong domi-

nated Junior Da Silva, who came in second and Stephen Nobrega (3rd) to win the first professional race. Wong went on to win two more professional races as Jerry Da Silva and Marlon Baksh came in second and third respectively as well as Stephen Nobrega and Andy Rajkaran copped second and third in that order of the third professional race.

However, Jerry Da Silva won the final professional race as Stephen Nobrega copped second once more and Rajkaran, third.

Wong was crowned champion while Ramcoomar trailed as runner up and Stephen Nobrega third.

Up and coming Avo Ramkumar, conquered the circuit in the novice division winning all three of his races while Daniel Hardeen and N. Mohamed shared the podium to round off the top three.

Also riding in the Veterans category, Sheik Yaseen demolished the competition after some 16 year out of competitive riding as he blazed the trail ahead of Alvin Balgobin in second and Paul Satnarine in third place.

Newcommer, Nick Baksh ruled his category leading the way ahead of Shaun Small (2nd) and Nathanial Persaud (3rd).

Chairman of the Guyana Grass track Committee of hall of fame and Organiser of the event, Yaseen expressed heartfelt gratitude to spectators and sponsors such as Ricks and Sari, Roraima Group of Companies who provided a trip for two to the famous Arrow point Nature Resort, Trans Guyana Aviation, Regal Sport, Hurry’s Bakery, Crazy Auto Works, B.M. Soat Auto Sales, RRT Tyre Service for making the day’s event the success it was. Yaseen went on to say that he is eagerly looking forward to the 2017 season and will be looking to make grass the popular sport as it was in the days once more.”

The calm before the storm! Six starters took to the line in the professional category which turned out to be very competitive and exciting (Photo courtesy of Akeem Thomas Photography)

Guyana Jaguars trample Libertyville Vipers

G

uyana bounced back from their first night defeat to beat Libertyville Vipers on Saturday, the second night of the MegaMart/ Sports Development Foundation inaugural JamRockerz Tri-Nation Invitational Basketball Series Classic at the National Indoor Sports Centre, Jamaica.

While the Jamaica national basketball team defeated Guyana national basketball team, the Golden Jaguars 83-77 on the opening night, The Guyanese amassed 91 points while Vipers only managed 84 to emerge victorious.

The local guys were once again led by Terron Welch who produced 20 points and he was assisted by Dominique Vincente (14 points, five rebounds and four assists) while Yurio Tomnlin’s 28 points and 10 rebounds could not stop the Guyanese.

Guyana dominated early in the first period; marching to a 12 point lead with the score locked in at 23-11 and remained so until the close of the second period with both teams adding 19 points.

However, the third quarter saw Vipers closed the gap down to just four points with the score 61-57, setting the stage for a thrilling last quarter.

The men from the land of many waters did not disappoint and managed to outscore the Vipers by three points in a quarter where they added 30 points to their total and inevitably winning the match by seven points.

The Jaguars were expected to be in action on Monday but up to press time no scores were available.

John Campbell

A

s the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League Digicel Regional Four Day Tournament continued on Monday across three venues, rain played a major part in the outcome resulting in two venues having no play.

At the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, the entire final day was washed out without a ball being bowled.

This follows the opening day which was also completely washed out. In the 92 overs possible in between days one and four, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force worked their way to 287/8 with openers Kyle Hope and Isaiah Rajah stroking half centuries while Kieran Powell with 3 for 29 leading the Hurricanes charges with the ball.

In the drawn encounter the Leeward Islands Hurricanes got 5.2 points (3 for the in complete game; 2 bowling bonus points and 0.2 fast bowling bonus points) while the Red Force got five points including 3 for the incomplete game and

two for going past 250 runs before 110 overs in their innings.

At Sabina Park in Kingston Jamaica, the Barbados Pride began the final day on 153/4 in reply to 224 made by the hosts and were eventually bowled out for 273 enjoying a slim 49run lead.

Batting a second time,

the Jamaica Scorpions faced 33 overs in getting to 110/2 before the match was called off as a tame draw. Man of the Match, John Campbell missed a half century but added 92 with Shacaya Thomas for the opening stand before left arm spinner, Jomel Warrican removed both of them.

While at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, in Gros Islet St. Lucia no play was possible after rain left the outfield unsuitable for play.

At the end of the rain interrupted second day, the Windward Islands Volcanoes were 90/4 in their second innings enjoying a slim lead of 63 with six second innings wickets in hand.

Scores in the match; Windward Islands Volcanoes 192 and 90/4; Guyana Jaguars 219. Today is the final day.

The six teams will now enjoy the first break of the season before getting back in action on December 9.

SCOREBOARD

Stumps day 4 Jamaica Scorpions 1st Innings 224 Barbados Pride 1st Innings (Overnight 153/4) O Phillips c Campbell b Green 4 A Alleyne b Allen 66 S Brooks b Jacobs 44 R Chase b Miller 23 K Stoute* c Leveridge b Miller 31 M Rampersaud+ c Campbell b Leveridge 36 K Williams b Allen 2 J Greaves not out 22 K Roach c wkpr D Thomas b Leveridge 0 J Warrican LBW b Jacobs 19 N Charles c S Thomas b Allen 2 Extras (b-10, lb-11, w-3) 24 Total (All out, 103.5 Overs) 273 FOW: 1-5, 2-116, 3-153, 4-153, 5-220, 6-233, 7-236, 8-238, 9-268, 10-273

Bowling: R Leveridge 11-228-2 (w-2, nb-1), D Green 144-28-1, J Blackwood 1-0-1-0, D Jacobs 22-3-68-2, N Miller 35-11-65-2 (nb-2), F Allen 12.5-2-34-3, A McCarthy 5-110-0, J Campbell 3-0-14-0 Jamaica Scorpions 2nd Innings J Campbell c Stoute b Warrican 49 S Thomas LBW b Warrican 43 J Blackwood not out 13 D Thomas+ not out 4 Extras (lb-2, nb-1) 3 Total (For 2 wickets, 33 overs) 112 FOW: 1-92, 2-101 Bowling: K Roach 4-0-320 (nb-1), J Greaves 3-019-0, J Warrican 13-3-292, N Charles 13-1-30-0 Result: Match Drawn Man of the Match: John Campbell (Scorpions) Points: Pride 9; Scorpions 7.6

GFF supports Masters FUTSAL Classic ― registration closes tomorrow

GFF’s Executive Committee member Keith O’Jeer (left) makes a presentation on behalf of the GFF to Chief Tournament Organiser Ras Wadada in the presence of GFF’s GS (ag), Trevor King

T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF), on Monday handed over a cheque to chief organizer of the upcoming Masters FUTSAL Classic, Ras Wadada to assist with offsetting costs for the December 2 to 18 competition which will be played at the National Gymnasium.

The competition to be played on three consecutive

weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) will consist of three different age groups and is open to all teams throughout the country. The Junior Masters will be for 35 to 39 years, the masters for 40 to 49 years and the Grand Masters will be for 50 years and over. All team and individual trophies have been donated by the National Sports

Commission and the match balls have been provided by German’s Restaurant.

The Organisers are currently awaiting a positive response with regards to Prize monies for the competition.

Meanwhile, teams have until tomorrow to register for participation. A meeting of all representatives of teams will be held tomorrow night at GFC where the draw for the various groups will be done.

Registration can be done between 17:00h and 18:45h before tomorrow’s meeting, beginning at 19:00h.

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2016

23

Goalkeeper’s clinic “Shark” feasts on Humming Birds best thing for local hockey – Fernandes T T New Era/Cell Smart 3rd Annual Mohammed’s Enterprise Futsal Tournament…

― “Brown Boy” stars in exhibition game

he 3rd annual New Era & Cell Smart Mohamed’s Enterprise Futsal Tournament got off to an emphatic start with Good Fellers keeping fans on the edge of their seats in a packed McKenzie Sports Club hard court, Linden on Saturday where star player, Clarence “Shark” Huggins unruffled the Roraima Humming Birds.

The energetic crowd wit-

ize. Two minutes later, the youngster sent another goal rocking the back of the net to put Good Fellers in the lead.

Heading into 13 minutes of play, ‘Shark’ assisted Oraney Wills to blast a third for their side as the toll of a five-hour long travel to the games was visible on the Humming Birds. However, Tariq Hally was able to squeeze one past the Good Fellers’ keeper and show

Easy does it! “Brown Boy” (#4) and the goalie alone

Clarence Huggins and Mark McLean made the difference on a busy night

nessed an unsettling start to the main event as Humming Bird’s N. DuPolliter sent a powerful shot past the Good Fellers’ goalkeeper in the first half of the 40-minute affair, but it didn’t take long for last year’s Most Valuable Player, ‘Shark’ to equal-

that they were still in the contest, closing off the first half with the score 3-2.

Early in the second half, Humming Birds were early to take strike an DuPolliter worked his way past the Good Fellers defence line and squeeze a close goal

levelling the score before R. Houston’s goal sent the Roraima team in the lead.

However, their lead was short lived as lack of substitutions took effect on their players causing them to become sluggish and opening the door for ‘Shark’ to blast two more goals.

Mark McLean and R. Deshawn also scored a goal apiece and ensured that Humming Birds would take the long route back home in the knock out competition.

Meanwhile, prior to the start of the main event, One Touch demolished Spikeland 7-3 and returned to beat Chelsea 9-7 in another high scoring match up.

In the first match, three goals by John ‘Brown Boy’ Waldron and two goals by Keon Sears proved lethal

as Spikeland only managed to capitalize on one of their three penalty attempts.

‘Brown Boy’ returned in the second match to score four more goals along with two assists, capping off his crowd-pleasing display of skills and ball handling showcase by all the teams.

The action returns to the same venue next weekend with four more exciting matches as the teams try to win the first prize of $400,000 along with trophies and replicas, as well as second place $150,000 and trophy, third $75,000 and trophy and fourth, a trophy.

Other prizes are on offer for the MVP, Best goalkeeper and Best young player.

Records tumble in senior powerlifting finale

Chesney who was also amongst the record breakers when he shattered the national bench press record of 230kg, held by John ‘Big John’ Edwards in the 120+ class as he added 10 kg more on his way to recording 499.507 wilks points which also includes a squat of 355kg and a dead lift of 272.5kg but was not enough to win the title as he competed in the same division as Rahim.

In the male 59kg, Romario Gonsalves squatted 220kg, Bench Pressed 100 and Dead Lifted 227.5kg to won his class

Top athletes strike a pose after receiving their spoils

T

he end of the power lifting season could not have ended in a brighter fashion as fans witnessed record breaking performances at the Guyana Amateur Power lifting Federations’ (GAPF) third and final event of the season, when the 32 athletes went head to head in the Seniors National at the St. Stanislaus Auditorium on Sunday.

As the athletes competed across the three disciplines of power lifting (squat, dead lift and bench press), Carlos Peterson, who powered his way to the male overall unequipped winner, was outstanding after he dominated his opponents on

his way to a new 93KG (Junior) class dead lift record of 300kg.

In the day dedicated to muscles, Peterson also went on to add a squatting total of 250kg and bench pressing 140 kg, all of which tallied to 433.527 wilks points.

While Peterson dominated the unequipped category, Vijai Rahim demolished the other contenders and was crowned the male overall equipped winner with a total of 545.158 wilks points after squatting 250kg, bench pressing 160kg and dead lifting 285kg in the 74kg class.

However, notable is the heroics of Colin ‘Mr. Clean’

he 13th Annual Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival concluded on Sunday with Guyana’s Pepsi Hikers winning for the seventh time in the Men’s division and their female counterparts, Woodpecker Hikers going down fighting in their final.

However, at the conclusion of the tournament, Head Coach of Guyana’s Hockey team, Robert Fernandes has expressed his view that the goal keeper’s clinic held prior to the start of the tournament was “Probably the best thing in recent years to happen to hockey in Guyana.”

Before the tournament began, Canadian national goal keeper, Shankar Premakanthan had hosted a four day camp where the local goal keepers benefited from his (Premakanthan) teachings and drills of which he had acquired in his 20-year long career as a goal keeper.

“A goal keeping clinic was probably the best thing that could happen to hockey in Guyana.” Fernandes said as he explained the strategic move to help lift what was lacking in Guyana’s hockey.

Fernandes highlighted the fact that “We [Guyana] have consistently put out exceptional national teams but our goal keeping wasn’t up to par, so we would match them in our outfield play but would struggle in penalty corners and so forth and we lost a lot of games we should have won because our goal keeping was not up to par.”

However, there could be a change in the winds for the local side as there has been positives from, the clinic as

John Edwards powering through the Bench Press routine

Robert Fernandes

it can be seen, according to Fernandes that “in just from the four days of training with Premakanthan the level of goal keeping has advanced tremendously.”

Premakanthan, at the end of the clinic had assessed the participants and said that “based on what I would have seen I was very impressed by some of the local keepers especially in their athleticism and am confident that they will excel as they grow.”

This had made Fernandes confident of the future of the sport as the highpoint of the training was that that it attracted a significant number of goalkeepers who were below the age of 20 years.

“What is really good is that a bunch of the goal keepers are 20 years old and younger so to get that kind of exposure and knowledge at this age can go well for the future of our goal keepers.” Fernandes mentioned.

The coach went on to add that this will do well for the future of Guyana’s national side and will definitely come in handy when the team participate in the annual Pan American Games next year. with a total of 481.088 wilks points while Arif Immamdeen amassed 430.636 wilks points from a 210kg squat, 107.5 Bench Press and 225 dead lift.

Meanwhile in the female divisions, Nadina Taharally was adjudged the overall female unequipped winner and young powerhouse, Tinesha Toney capped off an excellent season of power lifting when she was named the overall female equipped winner.

Toney totaled 365kg, giving her 427.086 wilks points after squatting 160 kg, bench pressing 55kg and dead lifting 150kg while Taharally earned 347.5 wilks points for her total of 332.5 kg following a 122.5 kg best squat, 67.5 kg bench press and 142.5 kg dead lift.

The GAPF will kick start next season’s local calendar with the traditional novice competition in March. The competition which was run by the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPF) in combination with Fitness Express and Ticket Master Travel Agency, was used a yardstick to select athletes for international competitions next year.

The GAPF will kick start next season’s local calendar with the traditional novice competition in March.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2016

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

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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