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PYO celebrates 64 years of political activism P16 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyana-times.com

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2971

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

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Govt seizes BaiShanLin’s forestry concessions

GPSU calls on Govt to resume talks for 2016 P9 pay hike

Cambio dealer shot, robbed Medical students held hostage by “bogus” administrator

M&CC evicts Robb Street vendors P17

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

– after company repeatedly fails to produce investor or plan to pay $80M debt

1 killed, another critical in EBD smash-up Page 11

Page 7

Page 12

P2 NAPS Programme Manager calls it quits after 11 years SARU sets sights on logging P2 companies …says State robbed of hundreds of millions of US dollars annually – Phillips

In composite photo: Police ranks were forced to use a ladder to gain entry to the “bogus nursing school” after K Singh, the administrator, barricaded herself in the building as she held two of the medical students hostage in a four-hour standoff on Tuesday on Lamaha Street, Georgetown (Dexter Ceres photos)

NCN buckles under pressure – rescinds decision to remove pregnant News Anchor

Page 11

Guyana Ambassador called on by Govt to explain US fraud conviction Page 9

Tumatumari ‘thieves’ on $30,000 P8 bail

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

SARU sets sights on logging companies …says State robbed of hundreds of millions of US dollars annually – Phillips

SARU’s head, Dr Eric Phillips

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he Government’s State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) has set its sights firmly on Guyana’s logging sector, since the State is being robbed of hundreds of millions of US dollars on an annual basis through underpricing and price transfers among other unscrupulous practices.

This is according to SARU Executive Member, Dr Eric Phillips. The SARU operative was at the time re-

sponding to assertions made

by Janette Bulkan and John Palmer that Government has been losing millions annually through the shady practices and called on SARU to investigate with a view to recovering what they termed lost State assets.

Speaking exclusively with Guyana Times on Tuesday, Dr Phillips said Bulkan is right and the matter is something that entity will be vigorously pursuing in the coming days.

He told this publication that the entity has already begun having monthly meetings with land stakeholders in Guyana, such as the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), the Guyana Land and Surveys Commission, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Mahaica Mahaicony/Abary land development group among others, to begin to rectify the annual losses being incurred by the State

through varying anomalies.

Monthly meetings

He said the monthly meetings are already being held with about eight such bodies and are looking at issues such as the negligible leases being paid for large swaths of land across the country for logging and mining among other activities.

According to Phillips, the entities have begun to look at ways to have many of the applicable rates be revised so that Government can be able to benefit from its fair share of the natural resources being exploited by the many large companies – many of which are overseasbased.

On the matter of the price transfers and underpricing, Dr Phillips told Guyana Times that this is a matter that will be taking prominence on SARU’s agenda.

Phillips went on to say that Bulkan has already submitted a range of documents

related to the matter at hand which the investigative body has begun looking at.

Bulkan, along with Palmer, was quoted in sections of the media on Tuesday questioning “which Government Ministry or agency deals with persistent underpricing of public assets.”

Bulkan is of the view that the matter should be dealt with by SARU and argues that the monies lost by the State through the unscrupulous practice does in fact constitute lost State assets that must be recovered.

Wamara logs

She used as an example the export of Wamara logs – one of Guyana’s premier high-priced wood species – and said that over 100,000 cubic metres (m3) of Wamara logs were exported to China in 2014 alone.

According to Bulkan, the Freight on Board (FoB) price for Wamara logs de-

A section of the BaiShanLin operations in Guyana

clared in Georgetown was in the range US$200-220/m3 in 2014.

Containerised log freight and insurance Georgetown to China is in the range US$25-36/m3 according to the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association and Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) reported by China Customs US$7001000/m3.

Bulkan in pointing out the glaring inconsistencies, explains that “the equation FoB+freight+ insurance=CIF, clearly does not work with these values, and the obvious explanation for the US$500/m3 discrepancy is transfer pricing….100,000 m3 X US$500/ m3 = US$50 million.”

According to Bulkan, no part of this sum was returned to Guyana’s Consolidated Fund and the GFC has over the years denied that large scale logging companies operating locally such as BaiShanLin, have been engaged in the practice despite the fact it offers no contrary evidence.

“Underpricing leads to lower export commissions on the logs than the law provides, and on this massive

scale the loss of revenue is considerable,” said Bulkan The illicit financial flows out of Guyana have since been estimated by the Washington-based Global Financial Integrity at US$84 million in 2003 rising almost continuously to US$440 million in 2012 It has been reported that around half of the illicit flows between 2003 and 2012 are as a result of export under-invoicing.

Bulkan in her assessment has stated that the logs harvested from State forests and shipped to China cannot be retrieved and restored to be living trees again, so to that extent, these State assets cannot be recovered, “but the lost revenue can be recovered.”

She said too that the private property and other assets acquired through the contraventions of the civil service Code of Conduct (Integrity Commission Act) would surely come under the purview of SARU and if this is the case, “let us hope to see them high up in the list for early prosecution,” a commitment now given by SARU’s head, Dr Phillips.

NAPS Programme Manager calls it quits after 11 years

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aving served for just over a decade as the Programme Manager of the National AIDS Programme at the Public Health Ministry, Dr Shanti Singh has resigned.

Guyana Times understands Dr Singh’s resignation was submitted on Friday last and takes effect on October 1, 2016, bringing to an end an 11-year tenure as the NAPS Programme Manager.

The NAPS Director in a missive circulated to colleagues on Tuesday said “I have tendered my resignation as the Programme Manager of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat, Ministry of Public Health effective October 1st, 2016… I wish to thank you for the support that you have given to me over the 11 years that I have served the programme.”

Efforts to contact Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton for a comment

NAPS Programme Manager, Dr Shanti Singh

proved futile. This publication understands Dr Rhonda Moore of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has since been seconded to fill the post as NAPS Programme Manager.

Sources close to Dr Singh, told Guyana Times that her decision was not as a result of any untoward developments but rather she had decided that it was time for her to move on.

news

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wednesDAY, september 7, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, September 7 – 08:30h-10:00h and Thursday, September 8 – 09:00h-10:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, September 7 – 07:15h-08:45h and Thursday, September 8 – 07:55h-09:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Heavy to light rain showers will prevail throughout the day with chances of sunny weather. Clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to South-easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 07:49h and 20:04h reaching maximum heights of 2.44 metres and 2.43 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 01:22h and 13:39h reaching minimum heights of 0.69 metre and 0.83 metre respectively.

Saturday, september 3, 2016

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

04 07 08 09 14 16 20 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

Daily Millions Tuesday, September 6, 2016

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

Govt seizes BaiShanLin’s forestry concessions

– after company repeatedly fails to produce investor or plan to pay $80M debt

T

he Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has repossessed concessions currently being held by BaiShanLin International Forest Development Inc (BIFDI), since it has continued to fail to produce its proposed investor or a clear plan on how it intended to pay off an $80 million debt owed to the State.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by the GFC. It was reported earlier this year that the Long Jiang Forest Industries Group, a Chinese Stateowned company, had acquired 55 per cent of the shares in BaiShanLin and had intended to fully take over the company in 2016.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon had indicated following a trip to China that he had met with the Vice Director of the Company, Wong Dong Xu, along with officials of BaiShanLin, who had assured that the company’s officials would be in Guyana by May 2016 to complete due diligence for the takeover, and to satisfy and expand on the obligations of BaiShanLin to Guyana.

This is yet to obtain, hence the decision by the GFC to immediately repossess the forestry concessions held by BaiShanLin. According to a public statement issued on Tuesday by the Commission, the decision came after the company “failed to deliver on agreed actions to introduce investors to the Commission and having been given time to prove that it had an acceptable plan to clear an approximately GY$80 million debt”.

The GFC said, in an effort to conclude the mat-

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

ter, representatives of BaiShanLin were invited to a meeting on April 8, 2016 to provide an update on its plans to clear the debt.

The Commission said during the meeting company representatives had indicated that BaiShanLin suffered financial constraints, which affected the establishing of the wood processing facility, and the company was engaging a new partner that would contribute significantly to its investment in Guyana.

The GFC Board said it was, at the time, assured of the financial strength of the new partner, who had committed to pay off the debt owed by the company to the Commission.

“To date, the BIFDI has failed to fulfil any of its commitments to the Government of Guyana, effectively failing on the obligations it made, which were accepted in good faith.”

As such, the GFC said, “In keeping with Forest Governance Practices, the GFC will be formally repossessing the concessions owned by the company and accelerating efforts to recover the debt owed.”

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) in April

BaiShanLin’s log yard

seized a Lexus SUV bearing licence plate number PRR 2888 and a Nissan minivan with licence plate number PRR 3888 from the Chinese logging company after it had failed to pay import taxes for the two luxury vehicles.

Earlier this year, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman indicated that Government was moving to up the ante in order to recover outstanding monies owed to the State.

The Administration had also banned the logging company from exporting any logs from Guyana until a resolution could be met.

BaiShanLin has repeatedly been accused of unscrupulous and sometimes illegal practices in Guyana’s forests and its export of logs.

When the company started its operations locally, it had also committed under its investment agreement to establish a US$100 million wood processing plant in order to engage in value added exports – this too was never built.

Government has also repeatedly over the years been accused of acting in collusion with BaiShanLin to flout Guyana’s laws in its operations.

The Chinese company

has also been accused of contravening local laws to get around logging quotas by purchasing from small loggers and exporting those logs to China under their names.

BaiShanLin has, over the course of the years, been operating in Guyana benefiting from hundreds of millions in concessions, including duty-free imports for vehicles such as heavy-duty trucks and luxury vehicles, as well as cement, steel and fuel for its operations.

Over its years of operating in Guyana, the Chinese logging company had also extended its business interest into gold mining, transporting sand and stone, barge construction for transport of logs and quarried stone, duty-free imported steel sales, real estate, construction of residential housing, a government ministry car park and a shopping mall— Sunset Lakes.

BaiShanLin began its operations in Guyana in 2007.

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guyana-times.com

wednesday, september 7, 2016

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

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

Editorial

Community’s role in education

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hildren deserve every opportunity for success, and education paves the way for this success. However, for many across Guyana, access to education still remains a challenge.

Despite the many programmes instituted by the Education Ministry, the fact remains that many across this nation still cannot benefit due to many factors, key among which is poverty.

Quite recently, one television station aired a feature on a community in Region One, where many residents told the sad tale of not attending or not being able to finish school, because of affordability issues. It was heartwrenching to listen to one mother explain that although she was never given the opportunity to attend school, she was trying her best to provide for her children so that they can have the prospects that she never did.

Most parents want the best for their children, but this mother lives in an already impoverished community where jobs are almost non-existent, as she explained; how then will she be able to ensure that her children have access to the necessary skills that will equip them to be productive members of society? This was her first priority when asked what was most important to her.

Let us be reminded that not only is education important in reducing poverty, it is also a key to wealth creation. This is just one example. Then there was the case of the 18-year-old who told of having to drop out of school so that her siblings could attend. These are two examples taken from a small community in one part of this country.

School reopened for the new term a few days ago and many other stories surfaced on social media of children missing out because their parents lacked the resources to adequately equip them for school; again these are stories about the situation in impoverished communities.

Although this state of affairs is indeed grim, it is heartening to know that all is not lost and that organisations and businesses are stepping in to assist where they can and are providing the much-needed support to many parents.

Children need books, clothes, stationery and the list goes on.

It is time that we remember the significance and benefits of community participation in education, and recognise that community participation is one of the strategies to improve educational access and quality. As a society, it is imperative that we band together to ensure that all of Guyana’s children are given a fighting chance.

Education takes place not only in schools but also within communities and societies. Since each group plays a different role in contributing to children’s education, there must be efforts to bridge the existing divides between them for the overall benefit of our nation’s children.

Many research studies have identified various ways of community participation in education, providing specific channels through which communities can be involved in children’s education. Let us make a concerted effort to learn about successful programmes which have been employed in other countries. It has been said before, but it needs to be said again, we will never eradicate poverty without quality education for all.

Education is a vital human right, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Every girl and every boy should have the right to a quality education so that they can have more chances in life, including employment opportunities, better health and also to participate in the political process.

This right also extends to persons living in poor communities; they are no less important, and family and communities need to work together to ensure that our future as a nation is built on a strong foundation of educated young people. Let us not turn a blind eye. The future is in our hands.

London ‘alight’ for Great Fire retelling: A giant wooden replica of 17th Century London was set ablaze on the River Thames in a retelling of the Great Fire of London 350 years ago (BBC News)

Corruption and Government propagandists Dear Editor, Sympathisers of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) regime in the media have changed their tactics in relation to their publications on corruption in the country. They are now forced to admit that serious and big corrupt practices are taking place.

However, they are saying that it was worse under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration (in a lame attempt to pour a little salt over the wound).

David Hinds is reported to have been deeply “disappointed in the Government’s handling of the controversial Sussex Street bond deal.” However, he went on to add that this is a… “stark reminder of Guyana’s darkest days under the former regime.”

These statements are being made without any evidence being provided. This has been the pattern – repeating accusations of corruption under the PPP/C

Administration in a bid to make the populace believe them. While strong on words, these statements are weak in facts.

The regime carried out many forensic audits and has thus far come up with no serious evidence of corruption. These audits were conducted by persons who are highly critical of the PPP/C and who are supporters of the regime. In no way can they be described as being objective, and the fact that they did not manage to produce any evidence of corrupt practices is testimony of the PPP/C’s clean record.

It is the PPP/C that challenged the regime to an open public debate on corruption, while they (the current Government) were in opposition and they came up empty-handed.

Indeed, after the first encounter, the APNU failed to show up for the other sessions.

The PPP/C urged this regime to invite international forensic auditors to

examine the records of the PPP/C Administration for corruption. They declined to do so, preferring to continue with the slanderous statements.

The PPP/C moved a motion in Parliament calling on all members of the House to make public their assets, both local and foreign. False declarations would carry a penalty of compulsory jail term.

The APNU/AFC members of the National Assembly voted against this motion. PPP/C leaders, while in Government, declared their assets to the Integrity Commission. The APNU and the AFC never did so.

This clearly indicates that PPP/C leaders are prepared to be scrutinised (publicly), but the APNU and AFC seem deathly afraid of doing do. Why? The PPP/C Government returned accountability to our country by conducting audits of Government finances/books every year.

This was done without fail.

This was done after

a lapse by the People’s National Congress regime of more than 10 years.

All the accusations made against the PPP/C have been clarified and future accusations will continue to be clarified, yet the regime’s sympathisers continue to speak of ‘corruption’ under the PPP/C. They refuse to face facts, resorting instead to throw mud at the excellent reputation of the PPP/C Administration.

It is time for the democratic forces in this country to demand integrity from all commentators. It is time that editors of media houses demand evidence before making false published reports. After all, corruption is concrete, so let’s stop dealing with it in an abstract manner.

The fact is that the PPP/C Administration was the most transparent and accountable administration in the post-independence history of Guyana.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar

Outburst by Pandit Tillack completely ridiculous Dear Editor, The outburst by Pandit Tillack at the annual prayer ceremony during the commencement of Amerindian Heritage Month, was ridiculous and without merit. It has brought great pain to the undersigned and, in my opinion, to the Government, the InterReligious Organisation of Guyana and the entire nation. It was most humiliating to Guyana’s first peoples; our Indigenous brothers and sisters, men and women of great repute, social standing and patriotism, for them

to face such molestation by someone who considers himself to be a Pandit.

A Pandit is supposed to be a wise man; a learned man; a scholarly person; an educated person; a person that serves as an example and leader in the community.

To have uttered such molestation to these honoured citizens of this country in the presence of no other that his Excellency, the President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the First Lady, the Diplomats and the citizens, truly was a moment of

shame on his behalf.

To the elegant Non-Governmental Organisations to which Pandit Tillack belongs, he has placed them in a negative light and therefore in my opinion, should not carry any portfolio or appointment of dignity. I believe these institutions of service and unity should create internal tribunals or trial committees for person committing such infractions to state their cases, be suspended, terminated or provided the chance to withdraw honourably or apologise depending on the

severity of the matter.

I wish to state also, that the fact he would make such ludicrous comments on a matter of great excitement, such as the discovery of vast deposits of oil and gas in our country. It is known that this discovery will lead to the upliftment of the standard of living of our people and our country as well as providing international recognition. To the opinion of this writer, his remarks displayed a lack of intelligence and wisdom that is expected from a Pandit. continued on page 5

guyana-times.com

wednesday, september 7, 2016

5

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

Agriculture Ministry not doing enough to help farmers Dear Editor, Rice farmers are once again tasked with the struggle to repel the ever advancing infestation of paddy bugs in their rice fields. These insects are the farmers’ greatest fear in every rice-farming community. They evolve unnoticed and reach maturity in a short space of time, then spread rapidly leaving behind massive destruction to farmers’ rice crops. If left unchecked, the financial losses can go into the hundreds of millions and pose a serious threat to the general well-being of the rice industry.

To eradicate paddy bugs, we must have a ho-

listic effort by the relevant branches of the Ministry of Agriculture, more specifically the Entomology Service Department. This very important scientific establishment deludes the farmers with its services. We are only keen and committed farmers; we are not all entomologists or insect exterminators.

With such a devastating outbreak of paddy bug infestation, the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) has been very mean with rice farmers everywhere; there have been few notifications in the print and electronic media and the wool is pulled over the farmers’ eyes.

Extension field visits take the form of touch and go.

Poor fellows, they have limited man power.

Would it be too much to ask the GRDB Board of Directors to print enough flyers on how to manage the infestation of paddy bugs?

A flyer would be written instructions in the farmers’ hands that can be used for reference any time. Very few rice farmers are totally illiterate. Remember how well lit the Ministry of Agriculture building was not so long ago and it was adjudged the winner and got the first prize? A fraction of what was spent there could print all the fly-

ers we need. But then who cares?

The negligible information on electronic media comes at times not convenient to the rice farmers, and to our dismay, there is no programme guide. We are not asking for prime time, but reasonable time; beyond eight o’clock is not the appropriate time to air such vital programmes for rice farmers. At the above time, most rice farmers would be in bed in deep sleep rejuvenating enough body energy for the next day’s tasks.

Editor, a question for all stakeholders in the rice industry- have we ever seen

or heard of a time when the importers of agro-chemicals applied for permission from the Environmental Protection Agency to dispose of expired toxic agro-chemicals? Intuitive knowledge and shared common experience tells me that these obviously do not have to take this course of action. They usually dump their obsolete products on unsuspecting rice farmers – at a premium price too. This very mean act takes place under the eyes of the Bureau of Standards. The resilience of insects to such chemicals can lead to continuous damage.

We had used Breston

powder to kill snails immediately after sowing this current crop. The results were very poor.

The chemical failure caused all the plots to sustain similar damage. Every good farmer will tell you when the snails did the damage by looking at the internal drainage systems.

At this juncture, I am making a citizen’s appeal to the Bureau of Standards and the Environmental Agency for them to do their respective agency’s work the way it should be done.

Sincerely, Ganga Persaud

Is the Region 6 Chairman running a parallel NDC? Outburst by Pandit...

Dear Editor, The Regional Chairman of Region Six, Dennis Deoroop, is ensuring that his tentacles remain tight on the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDC) within the region and in some cases, is running a parallel NDC, with the assistance of a few NDC Councillors, in his attempt to stymie the effective functioning of that NDC. Recently, the Kilcoy/ Hampshire NDC has been the prime target of the Regional Vice Chairman, since I objected to his criticism of the officials of the said NDC, whom he said, should have been more proactive in order to avoid the severe flooding at Nigg South. I pointed out that we had requested the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) to clean these drainage canals months before but to no avail. However, my recent criticisms of the Region Six 2017 Estimates have caused Deoroop to accelerate his vindictiveness towards my NDC.

On August 30, The Regional Vice Chairman with the assistance of a Councillor of the NDC convened a meeting with the residents of High Reef Albion and Anil Nandlall to ventilate ‘some issues’ affecting them. The main issue was the removal of the small excavator from the area. The said Councillor knew that the excavator was relocated to emergency areas such as Kilcoy South, Topoo, and Nigg South, yet he used this as an opportunity to cause unnecessary problems at the behest of the Regional Vice Chairman.

Their plans failed since I informed Nandlall about the situation and the fact that I was not invited to that meeting. It must be noted that an emergency meeting was held and the deploying of the excavator was explained to the entire Council.

But what is more alarming is the fact that the Regional Vice Chairman is now completely ignoring the work schedule planned by the NDC and is deploying the

said excavator as though it is his private property! In fact, on September 3, he deployed the excavator to do the private work of a resident at High Reef Albion while residents at Chesney were being flooded out after just two hours of heavy rainfall. The cleaning of the drainage in this area was slated as an emergency, yet the Regional Vice Chairman saw it fit to deploy the Region’s excavator to do private work, allegedly for financial gains.

Is this not corruption? This man is totally unfit for the job and should be sacked immediately. It is rotten apples like these that give the impression to some people that the People’s Progressive Party is corrupted! The residents of the area alleged that this was done for money and this is not the first time that allegations of this nature have being made. It must also be recalled that recently, he was accused of deploying the region’s excavator to desecrate a cemetery at the 52-74 NDC much to the cha-

grin of the deceased persons’ relatives! Even our dead are no longer safe!

Lastly, I would like the Communities Minister to intervene to stem the lawless and dictatorial behaviour of the Regional Vice Chairman.

I recommend that a committee should be set up to oversee the deployment of the machines within the region with immediate effect, to stop corruption. In addition, there should be proper supervision of works since operators are absent sometimes for an entire week and yet receive their full pay, not to mention sub-standard works.

Moreover, it is a regular feature where these operators would turn up to work as late as 10:00h, leave early and still get the full day’s pay. Dr Ramayya spoke out against these corrupt practices and was unceremoniously forced to resign due to the pressure unleashed by the corruptors within the RDC. Regards, Haseef Yusuf

It is my personal opinion that such individuals need to be prevented from representing multi-faith organisations and peace institutions of this country.

Once again, as a citizen of this country, a patriot who loves dearly all peoples and all religions, I offer a humble apology to the administrators of the indigenous organisations, and to the Indigenous brothers and sisters of our country and all persons who felt offended.

It would appear to me personally that this was a calculated move to humiliate the President and Government; Exxon Mobil and the Amerindians of Guyana. I wish to state from my experience with Pandit Tillack, he likes to molest his hosts at their various functions. I have seen him molest open minded Christians at their church-

from page 4

es. At one church, where I sat and made a presentation, I used the opportunity to bolster and encourage the great works of that Christian organisation and church. I saw him do similar, more than once at an Islamic function. He always quotes an unknown temple and organisation, using them to represent a national multi-faith institution and at times, a major Peace Institution in Guyana.

Such persons with such cantankerous personalities should not be allowed to speak or pray at any event.

It is my opinion that if such persons are representing a Muslim, Christian or Hindu organisation, the prayer or message should be vetted by the senior member of such organisations.

Sincerely, Haji Roshan Khan

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BY MAURICE J ELIAS

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or students who have had trouble in school, or who have had a negative summer, it is especially important to get the school year off to a fresh start. And for all students, having a positive mindset makes learning much more likely. Here are four activities to help accomplish these goals.

Identity and purpose: Who am I?

Now that students are back in school, it’s a good time to help them refocus on learning, their strengths, and the personal and other resources that will help them succeed.

Students can individually fill out the grid below, and then pairshare, discuss in small groups, and finally share with the class some of their responses.

You may also wish to use other creative forms of sharing, such as having students create a collage or chart with all of their answers to each question or the top three answers to each question.

Consider integrating this activity into any journal writing your students do. * What motivates me? * What are my best abilities? * How do peers influence me? * When and with whom

guyana-times.com

Foundation am I at my best? * Who are my best sources of help? * How can I do more of what will best help me to succeed?

A living poll

Read each statement and, based on students’ opinions, have them move to a part of the room that you designate to represent each of the answers below.

The three areas of the room are for those who believe any of these three answers: * It’s mostly true for me. * It’s partly true and not

3. “I think that trying doesn’t matter.” OR “I believe that the more I try, the more I can succeed.”

4. “I do what makes me popular with others in school.” OR “I do what I want and what I think is the right thing to do.”

5. “I come to class to pass the time.” OR “I am someone who wants to be involved in school and learn.”

After each statement (or others that you may wish to add), ask students in each area of the room to share why they be-

end with a discussion of the challenges of sharing honest opinions.

Journaling about beliefs and mindset

As a supplement to the above or as an activity in its own right, have students respond in their journals to at least one of each stem: * I used to be _______ but now I am _______ * I used to think _______ but now I think _______ * I used to do _______ but now I do _______ There is added benefit to revisiting these activities mid-year, or even after each marking period, to see how ideas are changing (positively or negatively).

Make a good first impression

true. * It’s mostly not true for me.

You can choose to present the following questions positively or negatively: 1. “I think school is pointless.” OR “I think school is important, and I need to learn so that I can succeed.”

2. “I can be violent in some situations.” OR “I am more peaceful and would only use violence where there is a real danger.”

l i e v e as they do. There is great value in students hearing peers’ views about why they have turned to a more positive mindset.

And it’s instructive for the teacher to get a sense of students’ views. Note that students may move to an area where they “think” that the teacher wants them to be.

Asking them to articulate why they believe as they do is your check – and their reality check – on whether they really do have the belief that they’ve endorsed. You may want to

Presentation and its importance

First impressions matter. Teachers have told me the importance of decorating classrooms in ways that catch students’ attention and gives them something to think about at the same time. Give your students clipboards and a questionnaire asking them to notice different aspects of how the room is decorated. Come together to discuss what differences students noticed, why they think you made those choices, and what they would add if they were you. You can adapt this for younger children, as well.

Share with us in the comments section below your experiences with these activities and especially your more effective adaptations. (www.edutopia.org)

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rowing up, most of us have been lectured on our posture – not only for keeping our backs straight, but also because the way we stand as we enter a room is the first portrayal of information from our bodies.

Throughout our lives, we’ve been groomed over and over again to present ourselves (be it our bodies, ideas, Ashley Anthony or personalities) in a manner that is “socially acceptable”. However, of course, what is socially acceptable is constantly evolving, and is subjective to one’s culture.

With the dawn of social media, a new dynamic has been introduced into our lives. This media is “controlled” by us, but at the same time, we are equally as controlled by it. This new world of profiles can be useful and can be harmful. Due to its relative novelty, social media poses the problem in that we have yet to determine what is “socially acceptable” to publish. For many, it is a welcome distraction, and it is used to share what we’re having for lunch, or our new promotion, but it’s critical to remember that nothing is ever completely private on the Internet.

Social media opens us up to criticism from the general public. Although, we may have some amount of control over who can view and comment on our posts, for the most part, it’s now easy to access a wide array of personal information just by a simple Google search. How we conduct ourselves online has become, in a sense, the new “posture”. It is one of the first indications of who we are. For example, as an applicant for a job, your online profiles could be the making or breaking points for your employer. If you left your previous job and posted a long Facebook status dragging down your employer, it’s unlikely that a new company will jump to hire you. Whilst your statements might be true, if asked why you had left the job in an interview, would you have responded in such a manner or would you have tried to be more diplomatic? Of course, the situations are vastly different; the first, a tense room with a potential employer, and the second, solitude and a computer screen –most times, the latter is a better reflection of your true feelings.

The problem lies therein. Are our profiles something we should treat as informal? Something we should treat lightly, sharing our every whimsy? Personally, I think not, for a simple reason – nobody truly has a hundred friends in real life. So if we’re going to post, as though we are talking only among friends, maybe we should only add persons we know. However, it’s possible, even then to have your information shared with strangers. It’s a difficult line to walk, but a necessary one. In a world that is destined for continued technological advancement, there’s no way to “beat ‘em”. The only way is to join them…responsibly.

NEWS

7

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Cambio dealer Terminate drug bond contract or face court shot, robbed Pharmagate

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overnment has been given seven days to terminate the controversial drug bond contract or face being dragged into the courts.

A letter, in the name of a private citizen, was dispatched to the Public Health Permanent Ministry’s Secretary on Tuesday that threatened legal action against the Government if it failed to rescind the tenancy agreement with Linden Holdings Inc – the company which owns the house on Sussex Street that has been rented by the State for $12.5 million monthly for storage of medical supplies.

Majeed Hussain of Diamond, East Bank Demerara, registered his concerns about the shady deal in the correspondence, where he laid out his case for demanding that the agreement be quashed.

Chronicling the series of events that unfolded in this scandal, the taxpayer outlined several reasons why the legality of the contract could be challenged.

He posited that the monthly rental agreed upon was “unreasonable, irrational, excessive, arbitrary, capricious, constitutes a fraud upon public funds, is unlawful, null and void and of no effect”.

Hussain also contended

The Sussex Street "House" Bond

that the premises was “absolutely unfit and unsuitable for the purpose of storing drugs and pharmaceuticals for the public health system of Guyana, and, therefore, the decision to rent the said demised premises for that purpose is unreasonable, irrational, whimsical, arbitrary, capricious, constitutes a fraud upon public funds, is unlawful, null and void and of no effect”.

He added that the procurement of the premises was done “in absolute disregard and in violation of the Procurement Act, Chapter 73:05, and, therefore, the said rental agreement is ultra vires, unreasonable, irrational, whimsical, arbitrary, capricious, constitutes a fraud upon public funds, is unlawful, null and void and of no effect.”

Against this backdrop, the taxpayer called on the Government to immediately terminate the contract.

“If you fail to do so, I have firm instructions to institute legal proceedings challenging the legality of the said agreement without further notice,” Hussain warned in the correspondence.

Hussain is being guided by Mohabir A Nandlall & Associates, operated by former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil

Nandlall, who himself has since labelled the issue as one of the major acts of corruption by the Government thus far.

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton, notwithstanding the public flak, his public apology and the numerous questions surrounding the entire affair, maintained that there was no need for the contract to be retendered.

Dr Norton conceded that he was not comfortable with the way the entire affair played out, hence his apology but glowingly stated: “I am comfortable with the bond…

I think it has what it takes to store the medication in a proper way.”

According to the lease agreement, in addition to the $12.5 million monthly rent for usage of the building, Government will pay the required Value Added Tax (VAT) to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Inclusive of VAT, the rent would total $14.5 million instead of the $12.5 million that Government was touting.

The contract stipulates also that Government would be responsible for paying utility bills to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and Guyana Water Inc (GWI).

The Government also agreed to stand the expenses to maintain the building, including cleaning, regular and

emergency repairs, the servicing of the air conditioning units, etc.

The contract stipulates that if the Government fails to execute the functions within a stipulated timeframe, the landlord will take up the responsibility and all costs incurred will be recoverable from the Government as if it were rent in arrears.

Furthermore, while Government was adamant that the building was certified by the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) for the storage of pharmaceutical supplies, the contract did not confirm this assertion.

And while Government continues to defend this decision, critics continue to question why the Administration would opt to exhaust such exorbitant amounts on a house under renovation for the storage of medical supplies when better options are available.

Former President and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had pointed out that no competent Cabinet would approve a contract of $12.5 million VAT exclusive ($14.5 million) for a 6000-square-foot residential building versus $237 per sq foot (VAT inclusive) for a 70,000-square-foot modern internationally certified pharmaceutical bond.

Additionally, others pointed out that Government owned a drug bond in Diamond, East Coast Demerara which has more than enough space to store the country’s pharmaceutical supplies.

Distraught family members at the Woodlands Hospital

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cambio dealer is currently battling for his life at the Woodlands Hospital after he was shot to his abdomen Tuesday morning by a lone gunman at the Georgetown/Vreed-en-Hoop Ferry Stelling.

The victim has been identified as Mahendra Deonarine, 40, of Vreed-enHoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

The incident occurred around 09:30h on Tuesday during the rush hour.

According to reports reaching Guyana Times, the man was returning home after transacting business when he was attacked.

Reports are that the man was carrying a bag with a quantity of cash when the perpetrator walked up to him, whipped out a gun and shot him before carting off the bag.

An eyewitness told this publication that the victim was just about to step from the Stelling to catch a boat to Vreed-en-Hoop when the incident occurred.

She explained that the perpetrator casually walked up to Deonarine and asked him for the bag, but the man did not comply.

“After the man refused to give him the bag, he just took out the gun, shoot the man, pick up the bag and ran away,” the woman related.

Reports are that the man was assisted by public-spirited persons and was rushed to the Woodlands Hospital.

Policemen who were in the vicinity gave chase, but were unsuccessful in nabbing the perpetrator.

According to other eyewitnesses, the entire incident took less than a minute to unfold. They, however, could not give describe the man, who they said had his cap in his face.

When this publication visited the victim’s distraught family members, they were in shock.

Deonarine’s mother confirmed that the father of four underwent surgery to have the bullet removed.

8 news

wednesDAY, september 7, 2016 | guyana-times.com

IN THE COURTS Tumatumari ‘thieves’ on $30,000 bail

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evon Gounga, 23; Marlon Gounga, 22; Damion Gounga, 20; and Uwe Joseph, 27; of Tumatumari, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a charge of theft.

It is alleged that the quartet between September 3 and 6, stole welding rods, a gravel pump, mining hoses and a land dredge water pump amounting to $695,000 belonging to Kerry Ambrose.

Initially, the four men pleaded guilty with explanation but after Chief Magistrate McLennan listened to the men, a not guilty plea was entered.

The Prosecution contended that on the day in questioned the Virtual Complainant (VC), who is a dredge owner, secured the equipment at his camp and left for the landing.

The defendants were seen by workers of another camp moving the items and

Uwe Joseph

The Gounga brothers

they informed the dredge owner. When the VC arrived at his camp, he noticed all of the equipment missing and called the Police. The defendants were arrested and they led Police to where the items were

hidden.

The unrepresented defendants told the court that the items were given to them by the Virtual Complainant in return of moving a dredge for him.

The four men were

granted bail in the sum of $30,000 each.

The matter was transferred to the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court where the defendants will make their next appearance on October 17.

Corentyne man given 24 hours to find lawyer

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Corentyne man, who appeared in the Berbice Assizes on Tuesday, was given 24 hours to find an attorney to defend him.

Justice Jo Ann Barlow only allowed the defendant, Robert Rollings, one day to get legal representation after the defendant related that he would be representing himself at the Preliminary Inquiry (PI).

A jury was empanelled on Tuesday for the trial of Rollings. The State’s case, which is being presented by Prosecutor Stacy Goodings, states that on

Accused -Robert Rollings

Accused- Vivanand Chandar

July 3, 2014, Rollings wounded Sharmila Singh in an attempt to commit murder. The incident is

said to have been committed on the Corentyne.

Rollings is also indicted for the wounding of Singh

with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, maim or disfigure.

The State is expected to call two witnesses during the trial.

Meanwhile, another jury was empanelled on Tuesday for the trial of Vivanand Chandar, who attempted to murder Chobbidat Tajram on August 16, 2012. It is also alleged that on the same day Chandar wounded Tajram with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, maim or disfigure.

The trial of Chandar is scheduled to commence on Thursday.

Eyew tness This is the dark time...

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...for Guyana ust when your Eyewitness thought it couldn’t get any worse, up comes news that some smart cock at GECOM evidently decided to slurp off the gravy train that’s been rolling through Guyana since May 2015. $100M worth of slurping!! Now, Dear Readers, you may say, with Ministers renting drug warehouses just in case a meteor MIGHT hit the Government’s brand new warehouse – and not so incidentally setting back the Government $450M – and billion-dollar write-offs and settlements flowing fast and furious, what’s the big deal about $100M? Well, it’s not just the $100M...it’s the fact that this has happened at GECOM. And in case some have forgotten what GECOM stands for in Guyana – let your Eyewitness give you a quick refresher. GECOM represents the return to law and order to a land that was raped for 28 years – political, social, economic and physical rape – plus, of course, “kick down the door bandits” to add the finishing touch to the degradation of the lawlessness.

All of the above was due to the Government of Forbes Burnham keeping himself in power through the rigging of elections. Why? Well, if those Big Ones who were controlling all the resources of the State - and its ultimate power to snuff out the lives of citizens – got and kept that power illegally, what was the rest of the country to do? It ranged from those working in factories who literally stripped the buildings of even light bulbs and fixtures to sell on the black market to the Ministers who sold licences to the highest bidder.

It was every thief for himself and the devil take Guyana. So when we had free and fair elections in 1992 through the good offices of Jimmy Carter who helped to create an INDEPENDENT GECOM – which DID lead to a change of government, not unnaturally lots of folks – including this Eyewitness had a soft spot for the elections body. He’d heard of the Indian Elections Commission, which was able to do so much for democracy in that fractious country by standing above the fray – and the graft – and insisting on harking to the rule of law.

So when we now hear about even this organisation getting tainted with the brush of corruption, it brings the feeling invoked by Martin Carter when he spoke to his most intimate partner – to who one obviously expresses one’s innermost thoughts – that “it’s a dark time, my love”.

In this case, the “love” is Guyana and it would appear that yes, we all should cry for our beloved land. ...for the USA Can you imagine the President of Philippines – a fella by the name of Duterte – had the temerity to call President Obama of the US a “son of a bitch”?? What has the world come to, when a former colony that’s still out in the global boondocks can describe the most powerful man on planet earth in such terms?? Don’t people know their place anymore? Was he taking a cue from all those US rednecks who called Obama all sorts of names..and not just “Hussein”!!

Only presidents of the US can call other leaders of countries “sons of bitches”. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt – obviously not the Roosevelt who “talked softly but carried a big stick” – said of the leader of Nicaragua, “Somoza may be a son of a bitch, but he’s our son of a bitch.” And everyone took this as a compliment!

But then who gets to define others has the power, nuh?

Look at how fast Duterte stuck his tail between his legs and said he REALLY didn’t mean to insult Obama!! ...for fowlcocks Ever seen fowlcocks in front of a henhouse? Jumping up and down, crowing at the top of their airbags as if the sky were falling? But the hens? They couldn’t care less!!

And that’s the story of Patrick Yarde and the Government with the GPSU wage negotiations!!

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

news

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wednesday, september 7, 2016 | guyana-times.com

GPSU calls on Govt to resume Guyana Ambassador called on by Govt to explain US talks for 2016 pay hike fraud conviction

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he Guyana Government has been formally notified of the Guyana Public Service Union’s (GPSU) rejection of its one to 10 per cent differential approach to increases for public servants and the Union.

GPSU has also formally invited the Government through its negotiating team to resume negotiations “within the spirit of what is just, consistent with its 2015 manifesto commitment and with due respect for the Union’s representation in pursuit of a living wage being paid as the basic pay for an employee of the Guyana public service.”

The GPSU, in releasing its missive to Government, said, “it is the intention of the Union to ensure that its members continue to be well-informed regarding the progress of the negotiations through the media and by way of other channels of communication available to the Union.

It is the firm intention of the GPSU to continue to take the negotiations in a direction that results in an outcome that allows for public servants to attain the goal of a living wage and adequate related allowances and conditions of service,” the Union stated.

Government Chief negotiator, Reginald Brotherson, the Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry of the Presidency, was written to

by GPSU’s acting General Secretary, Kempton Alexander, with the missive copied to President David Granger, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

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GPSU President Patrick Yarde

GPSU in its letter to Government said the Union “hereby informs you that at its General Council Meeting held on September 2, 2016, a unanimous decision was taken to reject the offer of 10 per cent – one per cent differentiated approach proposed by the Government of Guyana.”

The GPSU has since called on Government to resume negotiations.

GPSU President Patrick Yarde had over the weekend cautioned Government to return to the bargaining table, saying it should be guided by history, including the infamous 1999 public servants strike which lasted for 57 days and had to be resolved through arbitration.

Yarde during the recent meeting of the GPSU’s General Council Meeting had cause to point out that more than $6.8 billion was set aside in the 2016 Budget to cater for salary increases for public servants – none of which was spent.

He had also accused Government of horse-trading over its publicly stated position that it will go ahead and make an arbi-

Government chief negotiator, Reginald Brotherson

trary award in face of the Union’s refusal of the differentiated 10 per cent to one per cent salary increases for public servants.

Yarde has since also sought to remind the parties that form the coalition Government, that it had campaigned on a promise to pay public servants decent wages/salaries.

“Rather than address workers’ wages/salaries and conditions of work, the Government instead opted to increase its own salaries by as much as 50 per cent,” Yarde said.

Yarde, in his public missive over the weekend, said the outcome of any negotiation that is considered just, is one where the results are agreed upon by the parties involved.

He said the GPSU rejected the wage/salary offer and for the Government to state that the position put forward to the Union is final; and it will go ahead and implement it even if the Union has not accepted same, is a breach of trust and can be described as evidence of bad faith negotiations.

o v e r n m e n t ’ s Ambassador to Kuwait, Dr Shamir Ally has been written to by the Guyana Government to explain his 2003 conviction for financial crimes in the United States of America.

Well-placed sources in the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU) Government have confirmed that Dr Ally, its Kuwaiti Ambassador, has been called on to provide clarification.

Guyana Times was told that the Administration would not be making any formal pronouncements on the matter until a full determination was had, since Dr Ally could very well had found himself wrongfully implicated.

Dr Ally is but another of the coalition’s high-ranking members found to have been implicated in, and convicted of financial crimes.

Dr Ally was in 2003 investigated and found guilty of dissemination of false financial information through a US registered company, Acrodyne Communications, Inc. He had copped a plea bargain agreement with the United States Government for a lesser sentence, and also paid a fine.

Dr Ally was appointed Guyana’s Ambassador to Switzerland under the current APNU/AFC Government, but was later seconded to Kuwait instead.

According to the United States Securities and

Guyana’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Dr Shamir Ally

Exchange Commission, Dr Ally was convicted of “the dissemination of false financial information” using his company, Acrodyne.

According to the SEC, Acrodyne's former Finance Comptroller, Dr Ally and others “were aware of numerous and significant problems with Acrodyne's accounting controls, but failed to assure that Acrodyne's financial transactions were accurately recorded”.

The SEC stated that as a result of Dr Ally and others, Acrodyne engaged in inaccurate and improper cost accounting and revenue recognition.

It also alleged that, starting in the second quarter of 1999 and continuing through the first quarter of 2000, Dr Ally directed that unsupported journal entries be made to the cost of sales and inventory accounts to bring Acrodyne's financial statements in line with the gross margin percentage he had

estimated for that period.

The SEC claimed that another of Dr Ally’s co-conspirators approved these fraudulent adjustments.

The US securities body had also claimed that another of Dr Ally’s co-conspirators recklessly provided false information to Acrodyne's auditors relating to its guarantee of a customer's debt.

In a related matter, in March 6, 2003, the SEC had also ordered Acrodyne to cease and desist from future violations of the antifraud, periodic reporting, and books and records provisions of the Exchange Act. Ambassador Ally was among a number of diplomats that had been appointed in July last during a ceremony and orientation ceremony attended by Head of State, President David Granger.

At the time he had told the Government Information Agency, “I’ve already hinted, both to the President and the Vice (President) that I am looking forward to talking with them on getting vision and to help them to add value to surpass expectations…

People are ready to help Guyana in many ways and the possibilities are endless.”

He was at the time speaking to his portfolio during his stint overseas.

Dr Ally also served as a director of the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Guyana’s premier hub for the solicitation of foreign investors.

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

NCN buckles under pressure – rescinds decision to remove pregnant News Anchor

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Happy Prince Harry S

Part of the protest in front of the National Communications Network (NCN)

he National Communications Network (NCN) has rescinded its decision to pull News Anchor Natasha Smith from her post because of her pregnancy and marital status. The decision came on Tuesday after representatives of the Guyana Press Association (GPA) met with the management and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lennox Cornette of NCN. Earlier in the day, scores of media practitioners, Union leaders and rights activists staged a protest outside the NCN headquarters on Homestretch Avenue as they called on management to reverse its decisions in relation to Smith and Sports Editor Jocelle ArchibaldHawke, who was suspended days earlier on account of a Facebook post where she criticised a colleague’s deci-

However, given the present condition of Ms Natasha Smith, the CEO asked that a tight shot be done to remedy the view….” According to all of the senior executives of NCN who spoke to the GPA, they understood Cornette to be speaking of Smith’s pregnancy, hence the decision was communicated to her.

Smith was relieved of her duties as News Anchor on August 12 while ArchibaldHawke was suspended on August 29.

NCN CEO, Lennox Cornette

NCN Chairman, Bish Panday

sion to ask the President of Guyana about Pokémon Go on the “Public Interest” television programme.

Cornette, who had previously denied giving directives for Smith to be removed from her post as a result of her pregnancy, appears to have been misrepresented.

The GPA managed to secure a copy of the minutes of the August 8, 2016 management meeting, which centred on the production of a news montage. The minutes read “With regards to this, the CEO stated that the anchor and wardrobe should coincide with the montage.

Protest

At the protest, Executive Member of the Guyana Press Association (GPA), Denis Chabrol condemned the decisions taken by the State-run agency, saying: “We believe that those actions by management are unacceptable and, therefore, ought to be reversed.”

Region 2 Toshaos complain about new ID requirement − RDC dissatisfied no consultations were held

Several Toshaos various Amerindian munities in Region (Pomeroon-Supenaam)

from comTwo have

vented their concerns over the new requirement needed for pensioners to uplift their pension.

The Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is dissatisfied with the action taken by the Social

Protection Ministry, which requires pensioners to get a new National Identification (ID) card for the purpose of collecting future pensions.

According to Head of the RDC, Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt, he received several complaints from Amerindians and Toshaos over the new requirement.

Ramdatt said scores of pensioners have expressed their frustration with regard to the new decision, which was suddenly foisted

atiricus was positively quivering with excitement.

As he and his buddy Cappo walked into the Back Street Bar, he struggled to contain himself.

“OK Sato...Yuh betta tell me wha’ deh pan yuh mine befo’ yuh buss!” said Cappo as they were about to reach their table.

“Cappo, you wouldn’t believe what I am about to tell you!” exclaimed Satiricus as they sat down. The waitress was already bringing over two beers for her regulars.

“Suh tell me na, bai!” Cappo mumbled as he started to down his first drink of the day.

“Prince Harry is coming to Guyana!!” Satiricus almost screamed. “A real live Prince in our country!”

“Suh wha ‘e ah come fah?” asked Cappo laconically and without much interest. “Fuh bring Reparation fuh wha’ ‘e fambly do abee?”

“Cappo, why you have to be so cynical?” Satiricus said with a hurt expression. “This is a Prince of the realm who will inspire all our youths in our Jubilee year to strive ever upward!”

“Yes, bai! Me hear how good ‘e bin do in school,” Capoo said slyly. “Dem seh ‘e cheat fuh pass ‘e two subject, Art and Jaag-rafee!”

“Cappo, you’re being very unfair to the Prince of Wales,” said Satiricus sternly. “The investigating committee just said he “received help” in art. For Geography, he got a grade D all on his own.”

“Now na get me wraang, Sato. Me like de bai,” said Cappo.

“Really?” replied Satiricus in surprise.

“De bai like billiard jus’ like me,” grinned Cappo.

“But billiard na like he!”

“You mean that time he was caught on camera playing strip poker with some girl in Las Vegas and was stark naked?” asked Satiricus.

“Dat’s right!” cackled Cappo. “Eve’y time ‘e lose, ‘e bin gat fuh tek af wan piece a clothes!”

“C’mon, Cappo! Boys will be boys!” said Satiricus.

“And boys like to have fun.”

“Well, ‘e na guh get fun in Guyana,” Cappo said firmly.

“Why?” Inquired Satiricus.

“Yuh na see dem police a raid all dem place wid girls?!”

upon them.

He is of the view that consultations should have been held with pensioners before arriving at such a decision.

“It is very unfortunate that such actions were taken by the Ministry of Social Protection without carefully considering the challenges faced by the indigenous peoples in securing a birth

certificate, which creates difficulties for Amerindians to get the new National Identification card,” Ramdatt explained.

The RDC is, therefore, calling on the Ministry to carefully consult with the beneficiaries of such services in an effort to review a decision that will affect many pensioners, particularly Amerindians.

Man arrested, to serve sentence for 2nd time −10 years after offence

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West Berbice man was arrested on Monday on a bench warrant issued

by Magistrate Rhondell Weaver to serve a one-year prison sentence for possession of smoking instruments. He was taken to the New Amsterdam Prison to begin his sentence.

However, Andy Hamilton, 48, of Washington Village, told the court he already served

the sentence.

Hamilton was charged on September 22, 2004, for possession of a smoking utensil and was found guilty on November 11, 2005, at the Welded Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Kym Kite.

An Attorney acting on behalf of Hamilton said he was released from prison on July 10, 2006.

Prisons officials on Tuesday confirmed that

Hamilton was again taken to the prison on a warrant signed on Monday, in relation to being sentenced on November 11, 2005. According to a prison source, Hamilton has been convicted on several occasions over the past decade.

Meanwhile, Hamilton’s legal camp says attempts are being made for his release and they will be suing for damages and wrongful dismissal.

11 1 killed, another Thief jailed for 18 months critical in EBD A smash-up A news

wednesday, september 7, 2016 | guyana-times.com

man is now dead and another is in critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital following a two-lorry smash-up at Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Dead is Dhanraj Datturam, 51, of Lot 146 Marshon Street, Annandale, East Coast Demerara, while the identity of the injured man, of reportedly the same address, remains unknown.

According to reports, the accident occurred around 04:30h.

This publication understands that one of the trucks was travelling along the East Bank Highway when it hit the other vehicle, which was parked a short distance away from the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The two men were pulled from the wreckage and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where Datturam

man was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he admitted to a robbery charge when he appeared before Magistrate Dylan Best at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Orlando Klass pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on September 2, 2016, at Wellington Street, Georgetown, he robbed Denise Griffith of $75,000 in cash

The prosecution’s case contended that on the day in question, the Virtual Complainant visited a Robb Street, Georgetown bank and shortly afterwards the accused walked up to her and grabbed the cash out of her hand. A Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer witnessed what transpired and gave chase.

Klass was apprehended by the GDF officer and the money was recovered from

his right pants pocket.

The defendant was remorseful and pleaded with the court for leniency.

Griffith, who was present in court, told the defendant that he could not be stealing people’s money that they worked hard to acquire.

Magistrate Best took into account that the fact the defendant was remorseful and it was his first conviction, hence for the lenient sentencing.

Man, teen accused of stealing ATV

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man and a 14-yearold appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to a charge of simple larceny.

One of the ill-fated lorries

succumbed.

The injured man is said to have sustained severe injuries to his left foot. He was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.

It is still unclear what

caused the driver of the truck to lose control of the vehicle.

Police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Roberto Higgins and the teen pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on September 3, 2016, they stole one All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) valued $3.2 million, property of Edna

Dejesus De Santos.

The unrepresented defendants were placed on $50,000 bail each. They will make their next court appearance on November 2, 2016.

12 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Medical students held hostage Keeping it real by “bogus” administrator

K Singh being escorted by Police after holding two students hostage for four hours

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private medical school administrator, on Tuesday, held two students hostage in a locked building after Police turned up to arrest her for allegedly ripping off hundreds of students.

The woman, K Singh, who also goes by several other names, is the owner of the North Shore Medical College on Lamaha Street. She had locked herself and two students in the upper flat of the building when scores of other students turned up and demanded refunds on the grounds that she was operating a bogus medical institution. It was high drama after Singh allegedly said that she will not release the students unless the media and the Police leave.

However, after four tense hours the students were released and the Police managed to gain entry into the building by climbing throw an open window to arrest the woman. Singh was escorted out of the compound by two Police women and a Policeman, into a vehicle and taken to the Alberttown Police Station for questioning.

“We had a calm assurance that the school was accredited but we didn’t know that the woman was a fraud,” one concerned parent said, noting that she had

student shouted.

They stated that it was after they read an article in the Guyana Times where Health Minister, Dr George Norton, was cautioning students about fake medical schools that they became suspicious that the woman may be bogus.

One student, identified only as Casandra, said that the administrator would instruct them to mark their own test papers, while promising to send the grades to the board overseas. “She keep talking about the board and board but we keeping

A Policeman climbing a ladder to gain entry into the building

enquired about the school and was told that it was accredited by the Ministry of Education and so she felt secured and enrolled her son.

“I can’t believe this… every month we are paying $23,000 for him to study and that is not all. We have to pay money for handouts and text books and other things,” she said.

When Guyana Times arrived on the scene, several students were seen standing outside of the building, knocking on the door, demanding that Singh open up. Incensed that they were shut out of the building, the students demanded answers and their money back.

“We want our money.

She come to rip us off. Let her come out here and if we don’t get our money…,” one

asking to see the board and we never hear from them or see any of them,” she said.

In 2009, former Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy had accused Singh of operating a fake nursing school, which went under the name “InterAmerican Nursing School”.

He had stated that hundreds of students were scammed into releasing large sums of money to her. She was arrested and placed on bail.

However, sometime later, the Director of Public Prosecution had recommended that no charges be laid against her.

Four years later, another medical school surfaced— this time under a different name and under the same woman who was using a dif-

ferent alias. In 2014, another set of students took to the streets in protest against the woman and her school— insisting that they were being scammed. It was reported that Singh, who went by the name Gita Kisson, never turned up to supervise their examination.

In both instances, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Health were notified but nothing was done to seriously address the matter.

However, this time Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton, is urging students to beware of these offshore medical schools and consult the ministry before registering with them.

Contrarily, the students claimed that they had visited the Ministry several times and had asked for an audience with Dr Norton, but were told he was in a meeting. “All we want to know is if this school is accredited and if not, how can we get our money back,” the students told the media.

Meanwhile, Singh had openly refused to unlock the doors for a team of Police who attempted several times to enter the building.

The students, who were inside, were seen at a window mouthing for the reporters and the other students to leave so that they woman would release them.

Hours later when the Police started pounding against the door and screaming for the woman to open, she unlocked the door and let them out. She then locked herself in the building.

One of the students, a young man, stated that the woman had told them that the other students had filed a report against her and that the Police was coming to arrest her and that they should stay until the Police and the media leave.

TURN TO PAGE 14

Let's decriminalise medical marijuana, not legalise ganja

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n June 15, 2016, I wrote a piece in which I argued against the legalisation of marijuana (cannabis or ganja). I opposed legalisation because Guyana is not ready to embark on such a path.

I wish to revisit this topic in light of calls by social activists who support a more expansive policy to legalise the popular herb. President David Granger himself recognises that the Government cannot pass laws restricting smoking in public places, while at the same time decriminalising the use of marijuana, while allowing Dr Baytoram Ramharack the United Stated Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to assist in anti-narcotics trafficking.

In response to that piece, I received an email from The Guyana Hemp Association, Neurvana International and Green Acre. They are currently lobbying the Granger led-Administration for permission to commercialise industrial hemp. Their members cautioned me on an obvious confusion between medical marijuana and industrial hemp.

I acknowledge that misunderstanding. But I am not convinced that Guyana is ready for either the legalisation of marijuana or the production of industrial hemp, although a strong argument can be made for industrial hemp production. The two plants share the same origin. Marijuana plants contain greater levels of tetrahydrocannabino (THC) – the “high” content – but hemp contains very little of this psychoactive chemical. This single difference is what mostly distinguishes industrial hemp from marijuana.

Anyone familiar with the Vibert Butts case could easily be convinced to support the decriminalisation of marijuana. Vibert Butts, renowned for scoring Guyana’s first World Cup qualifier goal against Suriname in 1976, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to possession of 46 grams of cannabis (translates to one and a half ounces). Under Guyana’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, possession of over 15 grams of cannabis is illegal and anyone convicted of the offence (possession or trafficking) can be sentenced to three years in jail and a fine of $30,000. Butts’ arrest and conviction set off a firestorm among Rastafarians – so much so that Ras Simeon, President of the Rastafari Council of Guyana, argued that disallowing use of the “holy herb” was a violation of his “religious” rights.

The use of medical marijuana is becoming common in countries around the world. In the US, medical marijuana is legal in about 25 states (possession or growing the plant), but there is opposition to legalisation of the narcotics because of its effects. The US National Academy of Science concluded that cannabis and its derivatives (hashish and hashish oil) have shown promise for the treatment of glaucoma, asthma, seizures, nervous system disorders and nausea and vomiting resulting from cancer chemotherapy. However, potential long-term effects of marijuana include euphoria, loss of memory, paranoid delusions, laughter, visual illusions, hallucinations, cancer, emphysema and bronchitis.

The Mayo Clinic shared a somewhat similar view. As stated in its August 25, 2006, article "Marijuana as Medicine: Consider the Pros and Cons," published on its website, it stated "Marijuana contains at least 60 chemicals called cannabinoids. Researchers are evaluating how effective some of these cannabinoids might be in controlling symptoms of certain medical conditions”… and marijuana “may help treat signs and symptoms such as nausea and vomiting that are associated with a number of medical conditions” and… “marijuana smoke contains 50 per cent to 70 per cent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than does tobacco smoke and has the potential to cause cancer of the lungs and respiratory tract. Marijuana smoke is commonly inhaled deeper and held longer than tobacco smoke, increasing the lungs' exposure to carcinogens."

Governmental policy to legitimise large-scale production of marijuana will encourage narco-traffickers to shift attention to illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin. Guyana is already a trans-shipment point for illicit drugs destined for other countries, primarily the US. The US International Narcotics Control Strategy Report has argued that Guyana is a long way from controlling the illicit drug trade and domestic resources to address addiction are limited. Despite a more aggressive role by the Guyana Police Force, the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit, the Guyana Revenue Authority, strengthening the Financial Action Task Force and the Anti-Money Laundering/ Countering the Financing of Terrorism laws, and the presence of the US DEA in Guyana, weak enforcement measures and endemic corruption within the Police Force make it difficult to engage in illicit narcotics control. Sophisticated and organisational networks and resources controlled by traffickers can wreak havoc on developing countries like Guyana.

The legalisation of marijuana must be carefully weighed against the forces of globalisation. It would not be unusual for the Government to decriminalise small amounts of marijuana, end mandatory prison term and legalise medicinal marijuana. And, of course, what people do in their private domain, should remain private.

(Send comments to BRamharack60@gmail.com)

NEWS

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wednesday, september 7, 2016 | guyana-times.com

2016 Human Rights Summit

Youths spread message through education

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ducation is one of the key tools being used to fight many of the tenets of human rights violations.

This was noted by the Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) at this year’s Human Rights summit. Guyana’s representative, Steven Singh revealed that youth volunteers were using education to curb violations such as “human trafficking, police brutality, bullying, poverty, and war and gang violence”.

The 13th annu-

al International Human Rights Summit was hosted at the United Nations in New York, US, from August 25 to 26, 2016, and included 72 young men and women from 41 countries.

At this year’s observance, Singh opined that the “full realisation” of human rights could only be achieved if people were “aware of their rights and the rights of others”, which, he stated, were means to ensure protection.

He further explained that education built the req-

Steven Singh, Guyana’s representative at the UN Headquarters, New York

uisite knowledge, skills and attitudes which would propel citizens to uphold the rights as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration for Human Rights.

“It is given the fact that a very large percentage of the Guyanese population is living in complete lack of knowledge of their 30 basic human rights; this underscores the need for mass community and countrywide sensitisation,” Singh told the New York gathering, adding that human rights education should be included in Guyana’s schools.

“Education is one of the most powerful tools Governments have in ensuring that young people develop a sense and appreciation for diversity and respect for others, especially in a country like [Guyana], where there is vast multicultural and multiracial differences among the people, all originating from six different races. I am convinced that the most powerful and impacting message about human rights education is that human rights apply to everyone, everywhere, irregardless of one’s background, ethnicity and social status,” Singh told the gathering.

Former UN Human Rights Protection Adviser, Ambassador Irenee Omositson Namboka told the youth delegates that the right to education was second to the right to life.

“Education is the prima-

Fighting human rights violations through education, the youth delegation

ry vehicle by which economically and socially marginalised adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty and obtain the means to participate fully in their communities,” the Ambassador pointed out.

Meanwhile, Vineet Kapoor, Police Adviser and Aide de Camp to the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, India, addressed the importance of human rights education, stating that youths in vulnerable

positions, such as extreme poverty, human and drug trafficking and substance abuse, should “claim their rights”.

According to an issued statement, Kapoor stressed the importance of Youth for Human Rights International’s educational materials in the training of Police Officers, civil servants, Government health staff and others in social services.

“It is the duty of the

State to deliver the claims of the rights-holding citizens whom they are duty bound to serve,” Kapoor stressed.

Youth for Human Rights International was founded in 2001 in Los Angeles, and there are currently more than 100 volunteers around the world. Their award-winning educational materials were said to be available in 27 languages, bringing the message of human rights to 195 nations.

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guyana-times.com

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

News

Colombia’s Santos says Barbados taking steps to become a commercial peace deal will pass, arbitration centre more war a disaster

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olombians are sure to approve a peace deal with Marxist FARC rebels in a referendum next month because they see the enormous economic opportunity and know renewed war would be a “catastrophe,” President Juan Manuel Santos told Reuters.

Santos has spent about six years trying to make the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) hand in weapons and end a half-century conflict that has killed more than 220,000 people and limited economic growth.

The final obstacle is a single-question vote on Oct. 2 dividing Colombians between those who believe in forgiving the FARC for the national good and those who prefer to see the rebels de-

Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos

feated on the battlefield and jailed.

“I’m sure ‘Yes’ will win,” Santos, 65, said in an interview on Monday, days after reaching a final the peace deal. “If ‘No’ wins, we will

return to what we had at the beginning of this government, six years ago. We return to armed conflict. That would be a catastrophe for the country.”

While most polls see voters approving the peace deal, the 297-page accord allows FARC leaders to serve alternative punishments – like clearing land mines – and gives some of them congressional seats without election. Neither is popular.

“I hope the nation understands the great opportunity we have... if we harness that potential positively no one can stop us,” Santos said at the presidential palace.

Apart from the loss of life he hopes to end, he heralded an era of investment that could come from peace. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

Medical students held...

“When we asked to leave she said we can’t go until the Police and the reporters gone.

We asked her several times but she said no,” he said.

The other student, however, was too shaken up to speak and was quickly taken away in a vehicle.

The Police, on the other hand, had to climb a ladder to gain entry through an open window to arrest the woman.

“Bring her down here let we beat her till she can’t rob anyone else,” one woman yelled, while the Police was

escorting her to the Police vehicle.

When Guyana Times attempted to establish the authenticity of the institution’s USA Branch, through a foreign number provided on the medical school’s website, a woman answered and refused to divulge the location of the overseas branch.

She stated that all information required could be provided via telephone and, if a prospective student wished to meet with her, they would be required to pay $4800 con-

sultation fee. Students are charged US$100 for registration, while semester fees start at US$500.

Singh was issued an eviction letter by the landlords of the building a month ago and has since changed the locks to the building.

Dr Norton stated that one of the reasons why students seek out private medical schools for tertiary education is because the entry requirements are far less than that of the University of Guyana.

NCN buckles under...

Other members present agreed with Chabrol and even went as far as to say that the two women were being discriminated against, since other employees of NCN have been in similar situations as the women and were never penalised.

With regard to Smith’s pregnancy, one member of the rights groups described the decision of the CEO as “despicable”.

“For a person in authority to issue a policy to say that a woman must come off the air because of a pregnancy, or she must tighten up because he doesn’t like the way she looks is fully disheartening, and disconcerting, and despicable. It’s an abomination and should be condemned.”

GPA meets with NCN management

The General Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress, Lincoln Lewis also stated that “if the policy of the Government is not to discriminate under these circumstances, then the State agency ought not to be involved in conducting business in that manner”.

According to the GPA’s statement, released on Tuesday night, following its meeting with NCN management, Smith was apologised to by the Human Resources Manager of NCN and was instructed to return to her post as anchor, with immediate effect.

Pokémon Go

Meanwhile, NCN’s management refused to rescind the decision to send Archibald-Hawke on a month’s suspension with no pay, highlighting to the GPA that the decision was not based solely on that “Pokémon Go” incident, as it included “previous infractions management perceived”.

The GPA had argued that the sole reason given by NCN for Archibald-Hawke’s suspension was the issue of her comments on Facebook.

“We maintained that the suspension was harsh and needed to be rescinded,” the GPA stated.

The CEO, however, gave no undertaking to review the decision, but noted the GPA’s demand.

FROM PAGE 12

FROM PAGE 10

The GPA release also highlighted that NCN, as a State broadcaster which is heavily funded by taxpayers, has an obligation to uphold the highest tenets of industrial relations practices, including providing equal opportunity and ensuring freedom from harassment, intimidation and discrimination.

Therefore, “the GPA hereby issues a call for the intervention of the Chairman and Board of Directors of NCN and the Office of the Prime Minister to look into the operations of NCN”.

The State broadcaster and its CEO in recent days came under intense criticism over the decision to penalise the two female journalists.

There has been an outpouring of support in the public domain, with some also calling for the immediate dismissal of Cornette from the helm of the Staterun institution.

Cornette’s appointment to NCN had been shrouded in controversy from the inception and had even led to the resignation of Director of Public Information, Imran Khan, from the NCN Board.

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arbados’ Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator Maxine McClean, recently revealed that Barbados has made concrete steps to promote, both internally and externally, its reasonable ambition to become a commercial arbitration centre.

However, the Senator, who was at the time addressing the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Young Arbitrators Forum (YAF) Caribbean Series, held at Hilton Barbados Resort, made it clear that the country is under no illusion as to the competition that already exists in the market.

Senator McClean also acknowledged that the private settlement of fiscal disputes under tax treaties is a niche

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Maxine McClean

in arbitration that Barbados could do well to focus on.

She said that already there are a number of treaty arrangements with African countries, which now include at least three varia-

tions of tax treaty arbitration.

“Given Barbados’ accelerated programme of relationship building in Africa and our facility with issues related to international tax, we are keen to explore how we could build out such an agenda,” she indicated.

Friday’s forum was the second event in the series of educational conferences and workshops held by the ICC on contemporary arbitration issues.The major themes for this Barbados workshop were “Entrepreneurship and Commercial Arbitration”, which explored the relationship between starting a business or firm and the uses of international commercial arbitration; as well as “Barbados Entities as Vehicles for Investment Disputes”. (Excerpt from Barbados Advocate)

Rain shuts down Antigua and Barbuda

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he public school system in Antigua and Barbuda was only one of many sectors that was forced to abandon regular operations on Monday after moisture and instability associated with a vigorous tropical wave dumped some much needed showers on the country.

On the 21st anniversary of the devastation caused by Hurricane Luis, the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services issued a flash flood warning after continued rainfall overwhelmed drains, flooded business

and residential properties, spilled onto roadways and impeded the flow of traffic as motorists cautiously negotiated what appeared to be murky ponds.

Acting Deputy Director of the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services Dale Destin said that while it was still too early to make a definite determination, based on the readings received from the 20 sites around the country, on Monday would be recorded as the country’s wettest day in three years.

The acting Deputy Director said that at 03:00h

on Monday, the reading from Orange Valley was 7.3 inches, while, up to 16:00h, the amount of rain that fell in Swetes Village stood at just over 4 inches, and about 5.64 inches in Bethesda.

A flash flood warning was in effect for Antigua and Barbuda until 20:00h last night, according to the Met Office, and the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) urged residents to remain indoors, avoid sightseeing and take the necessary precautions to be safe.

(Excerpt from Antigua observer)

Integrity Commission boss hits PM: We are not sleeping on the job – Hosein

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he Chairman of the Integrity Commission retired Justice Zainool Hosein has described as “unfair” criticisms levelled against the commission by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

“We are not sleeping on our work. It is unfair especially when criticisms are made in the absence of any details to support it,” Hosein said yesterday.

It was during a radio call in programme on Sunday that Rowley criticised the Commission for the length of time which it was taking to investigate allegations made against former housing minister Marlene Mc Donald which led to her dismissal from the Cabinet.

Rowley told i95.5 FM that “in the spirit of integ-

Integrity Commission Chairman, Justice Zainool Hosein

rity in public life when allegations are made against public officials, especially parliamentarians, the Integrity Commission must act expeditiously to deal with those investigations,

determine whether there’s a case to answer or whether the person’s name should be cleared and the person continue without a cloud.

But those investigations are dragging on too long.”

Hosein said the commission was “exposed to adverse criticism and slander on no facts,” but he said: “We are not sleeping on any matter that we have on our files but it does take time to investigate because the information and the evidence may not be easily forthcoming.”

He said investigations were “time-consuming and to use the old cliché ‘We don’t have the benefit of low hanging fruit.’” Hosein was appointed chairman of the commission 18 months ago.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

wednesday, september 7, 2016

guyana-times.com

Around the world

Syria conflict: Government helicopters ‘drop chlorine’ on Aleppo

Images taken by the rescuers show civilians with breathing masks in an unidentified local hospital

S

yrian government forces have been accused of dropping barrel bombs containing chlorine from helicopters on a suburb of Aleppo, injuring 80 people. Volunteer emergency workers say people suffered breathing difficulties after an attack on the Sukari area. The reports could not be inde-

15

pendently verified. A UNled investigation in August found the government had used chlorine on at least two occasions. The Syrian government has always denied using chemical weapons.

Ibrahem Alhaj, a Syrian Civil Defence rescue worker, said he had reached the scene of the attack shortly

after a helicopter dropped barrels containing what he said were four chlorine cylinders.

Syrian Civil Defence – a volunteer emergency response team that operates in opposition-held areas – accused the government of another chlorine attack in August. The UN said on Tuesday that a brief period of relief early this year for civilians caught up in the war in Syria had been replaced by an even more brutal resumption in fighting. In its 12th report on Syria, it said the cessation of hostilities in February had allowed some towns to receive their first aid in years but it only lasted a few weeks.

The report says 600,000 Syrians now live under siege with a further 300,000 trapped in the city of Aleppo. (Excerpt from BBC News)

India nearly doubles budget for digitisation of land records

I

ndia will nearly double the budget and extend the deadline for a programme to digitise land records as states struggle to survey land and property, large chunks of which have not been mapped in a century, a senior official said.

The national land record modernisation programme, launched in 2008, was aimed at surveying lands, upgrading records and establishing ownership.

Scheduled to be completed in 2016 with a budget of 56 billion rupees ($841 million), the project will now conclude in 2021 at a projected cost of 110 billion ru-

pees.

The process includes mapping of land with aerial surveys, satellite imagery, drones, as well as physical markers. Existing land records are also verified and put online and linked to landowners.

The programme aims to provide clear titles of ownership that should result in Government officials being able to monitor land more easily, speedier transactions, fewer disputes over ownership and less corruption in administration, Phull said.

Matters related to land and property make up about

two thirds of all civil cases in the country, according to a recent study by Daksh, a legal advocacy group based in Bengaluru. India has introduced several land laws in the past decade to give more rights to farmers and indigenous people. But the complex web of legislation has not always helped the most vulnerable, with the lack of clear title deeds also a challenge.

One of the main goals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India campaign launched last year was the digitisation of land records. (Excerpt from Reuters)

China warns new Hong Kong politicians not to back independence

SA citizenship granted to ‘stateless’ girl with Cuban parents

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top South African court has cleared the way for an eightyear-old girl, born to Cuban parents, to be granted South African citizenship.

This entitles her to access to health care, education and other welfare services which she had been denied. As her parents have been out of Cuba for some time, the girl had been unable to claim Cuban citizenship and she had been effectively left “stateless”.

This test case will affect other children in such legal limbo. The case has been

going through the South African courts for several years, and the Supreme Court of Appeal’s decision came after the government challenged a ruling brought by a lower court.

The BBC’s Karen Allen in Johannesburg says the home affairs ministry had argued that granting the girl a South African birth certificate would open the floodgates to new applications.

The court’s judgement is a reaffirmation of existing laws in South Africa which give citizenship to state-

less children. The Supreme Court of Appeal gave the government 18 months to get its house in order and put in place a mechanism for processing similar claims.

Lawyers say the implementation of this ruling would bring South Africa into line with many other countries. It could also help many of the thousands of stateless youngsters born in South Africa, who are now being put up for adoption and whose birth parents were foreign migrants or refugees, our reporter says.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Swedish Nobel judges fired in Karolinska medical scandal

T

wo judges have been asked to leave a panel that picks the Nobel prize for medicine in a scandal surrounding a disgraced Italian transplant surgeon.

The decision to drop Harriet Wallberg and Anders Hamsten came after the Swedish government sacked the entire board of the prestigious Karolinska Institute, where the scientist worked.

Paolo Macchiarini was seen as a leading specialist on windpipe transplants.

But two of his patients died and he was accused of falsifying his work record.

Dr Macchiarini denies all the charges against him.

The 50-member Nobel panel is due to announce the winner of the annual prize next month.

Paolo Macchiarini was hired in 2010, two years after he was part of a team that carried out the first

Pro-democracy candidates Lam Cheuk-ting, Alvin Yeung Ngok-kiu, Raymond Chan Chi-chuen, Fernando Cheung and Leung Kwok-hung (left to right) celebrate after winning seats

B

eijing has told newly elected politicians in Hong Kong not to back independence for the semi-autonomous territory, after young anti-China activists won seats for the first time at the weekend.

Sunday’s vote saw activists pushing for more autonomy from Beijing secure a crucial foothold in the city’s Legislative Council (LegCo), as fears grow that China is tightening its grip.

It was the first major poll since pro-democracy rallies

in 2014 failed to win concessions on political reform from Beijing.

Some student protest leaders were among those winning seats in the landmark vote. Five candidates advocating independence or self-determination for Hong Kong are to sit in the 70-seat assembly.

In a statement late on Monday, China said it would not tolerate any talk of independence inside or outside LegCo. The vote saw the high-

est turnout since Hong Kong was handed back to China

by Britain in 1997 under a “one country, two systems” deal to protect the territory’s freedoms for 50 years. Fears that Beijing interference is threatening those liberties in a range of areas – from politics to education and media – have sparked the birth of the independence movement. It has been attacked by authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing as illegal and unconstitutional. (Excerpt from The

Guardian)

Saudi Arabia and Iran spar over Hajj pilgrimage S Paolo Macchiarini is a renowned stem cell scientist and has denied all allegations made against him

windpipe transplant partly made of the patient’s stem cells. In 2011 he was hailed for leading a team that carried out the first synthetic organ transplant.

But he lost his job earlier this year after a TV documentary by Swedish broadcaster SVT showed footage of operations he carried

out in Russia which the Karolinska Institute itself described as “truly alarming”. Prosecutors in Sweden said in June they were investigating the stem cell surgeon on suspicion of two cases of involuntary manslaughter at Swedish hospitals in 2011 and 2012. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

audi Arabia’s grand mufti has said Tehran’s leaders are “not Muslims”, a day after Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Saudi authorities of being responsible for the deaths of Muslims during last year’s deadly crush at the Hajj pilgrimage.

The rhetoric from the regional rivals – mostly Sunni Saudi Arabia and majority Shia Iran – comes as preparations are under way for the start of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, and Islam’s holiest festival Eid al-Adha on Monday. In comments

to the Makkah newspaper published on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Al Sheikh was quoted as saying that Khamenei’s remarks blaming Riyadh for last year’s tragedy were “not surprising” because Iranians are descendants of “Majuws”.

“Majuws” refers to Zoroastrians and those who worship fire.

Predating Christianity and Islam, Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion in Persia before the Arab conquest.

“We must understand they are not Muslims, for they are the descendants of

Majuws, and their enmity towards Muslims, especially the Sunnis, is very old,” Saudi’s grand mufti said, according to the AP news agency. Khamenei, in remarks published on his website on Monday, started the verbal jousting, accusing Saudi Arabia of denying medical treatment to the victims of the 2015 Hajj crush.

Khamenei also urged Muslims around the world to reconsider Saudi Arabia’s custodianship and management of Islam’s holiest sites, including in Mecca where the Hajj is performed. (Excerpt

from Al Jazeera)

16 News PSC presses for establishment of PPC, Integrity Commission T wednesDay, september 7, 2016 | guyana-times.com

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) is once again calling on Government to convene an extra-parliamentary meeting to address the establishment of the Public Procurement and Integrity Commissions.

The PSC said it was time an end was brought to procrastination on such matters, noting that both Government and the political Opposition need to give effect to the promises they made for the setting up of the Commissions.

It said failure to so do would create an all-time

lack of interest by society in politics on a whole.

The PSC was speaking directly to the long delay in the establishment of the Public Procurement and the Integrity Commissions.

According to the PSC, there must be compromise on both sides as those Commissions are not political institutions but are meant to add to transparency and accountability.

It said good civil society members (regardless of how they are regarded politically) should be placed on these Commissions.

The Private Sector body

said the failure to establish the entities posed a threat to legitimate business activities, created unfair business-to-business competition and was most certainly the reason why some legitimate businesses could not stand up to new competition.

Meanwhile, the Commission also called on Government to fully operationalise the Financial Intelligence Unit and to equip the entity with the necessary personnel to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.

PPCs are usually made

up of Government and Opposition parliamentarians, and traditionally chaired by an Opposition member of the House.

Government itself had come under fire for failing to establish the PPC earlier; a promise it made in its manifesto. The absence of the PPC had caused even more outrage against Government, particularly because of its move to carry out a number of forensic audits at State entities across Guyana without carrying the requisite tendering process.

PYO celebrates 64 years of political activism T

he Progressive Youth Organisation of Guyana (PYO) on Tuesday marked its 64th anniversary by reflecting on its sterling contributions to the overall development of Guyanese youth and the country’s thrust for sustained socio-economic progress and equality in the preand post-independence eras.

The PYO, which was established on September 6, 1952, also reflected on the struggles and sacrifices made by many of its young leaders in the fight for social justice and democracy in Guyana, over the past few decades.

The body expressed heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the scores of youth organisations and pressure groups that have worked tirelessly side-byside with the PYO to ensure that young people were part of the country’s decisionmaking process at every level and the general political process.

In addition, the PYO congratulated the People’s Progressive Party/Civic

(PPP/C) on its excellent track record in and out of office, as far as laying the foundation for youths to play an integral role in the country’s political system was concerned, while creating opportunities for them to reach their full potential in every area of life.

Today, the PYO remains strong and more committed than ever before to working with youths from all across the country to improve their standard of living, access to

equal educational opportunities and well-paying jobs.

The PYO, as the youth arm of the PPP and a strong youth advocacy organisation, has stated that it would continue over the next few years, to speak out against the injustices committed against youths, and the current Government’s apparent policy of reducing them to puppets and silent minions.

The PYO further contended that all young people, regardless of their race,

class, creed or social background, must be treated with respect and dignity by those who wield political power, as was demonstrated by the actions of many former presidents, inclusive of Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar, Janet Jagan, Samuel Hinds and Cheddi Jagan.

The PYO also used the opportunity to call all young people to action and to urge them to pay attention to the actions of the new Government which threaten to reverse the gains made in youth activism and socioeconomic progress.

Even as the PYO acknowledged the current hostile environment in which young people are being dismissed from their jobs, discriminated against, subjected to rising levels of unemployment, increasing levels of criminality and economic hardship, the body expressed optimism that a bright future still lies ahead once the right policy measures are taken to reverse or reduce the aforementioned plights facing the country.

Unsanitary conditions affecting Region 10 schools

L

eaking roofs, dysfunctional washroom facilities and the lack of potable water are among the existing issues facing some schools in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), These concerns were brought to the fore by Chairman of the Education Committee of Region 10 Denise Belgrave, after visiting some schools in the region.

Belgrave explained that her Committee has been engaged in school visits and has extended the schedule for visits to schools along the Berbice River.

She noted that based on what was observed at Linden schools, there is need for more work, partic-

ularly in the sanitary area, so that both teachers and students can be comfortable.

Another area of concern is a broken septic tank at Coomacka Primary School which is also overrun by vegetation. She noted that water from a nearby clinic also flows into the school’s compound.

Addressing these concerns, Regional Chairman Renis Morian said the issue of sanitary blocks is one which has been raised since the beginning of his tenure as Chairman but to date, it has not been addressed effectively.

“Since we take office, we have been talking about sanitary conditions

at schools... We have been asking for upgrade in sanitary conditions in schools...

I even asked the question if the officers in education visit these schools, because if they do visit, that’s a serious affront to the visits because nothing is changing”, the Regional Chairman asserted.

Meanwhile, Regional Executive Officer (REO) Gavin Clarke has assured that works have been ongoing through the Regional Works Department to remedy the situation.

“From the administration’s perspective, I can say work is ongoing in various schools as is reported to us.

There are some that have been worked on and even as

I speak work is being done...

Once we get the information, we act on it,” he noted.

Clarke said he would have implored head teachers, that if there are issues, they should be made known, adding that the administration would have been working on contracts during the summer vacation and if there are issues regarding sanitary blocks then the onus would be on head teachers to highlight these.

Morian has requested a schedule of the programme for visits to schools in the Region so that Councillors can participate in the school visits. He has also urged head teachers to write to the Department of Education in such instances.

Ramsammy’s Ruminations The health of our people is under crisis

W

hen the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) took office in May 2015, I wished them well and wanted them to succeed, in spite of our political differences. After all, it is not about the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and APNU/AFC; it is about the people of Guyana.

I was hopeful that the gains we had made between 1992 and 2015 would be further improved, for the sake of our people.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy It is for this reason that I mostly avoided commenting on the health sector of Guyana since APNU/AFC took over government. I wanted to give both Ministers in the Public Health Ministry the space they needed to stamp their own vision on the health sector. Both Ministers were supportive when I was the Health Minister and both had worked under my leadership.

They both conceded that Guyana made significant progress in health under my leadership. I have never doubted that both Dr George Norton and Dr Karen Cummings really wanted to protect the gains we made and to further enhance the health sector of Guyana.

But it has become increasingly difficult for me to maintain my relative silence. While I understand that the political instinct would be to attack me for my comments, I am pleading with Dr Norton and Dr Cummings to remember that as Public Health Ministers, we work to better the health and lives of our people.

We must score political points, but never forget that the health of our people is not a political football.

After just over a year under APNU/AFC, the health sector of Guyana is in crisis. The recent and ongoing warehouse rental scandal is merely one more negative in an accumulating stack of negatives in the sector. I know that Minister Norton is the fall guy in this scandal and rather the corruption at the level of the Public Health Ministry, I am convinced that the scandalous and disgraceful contract to rent a house as a warehouse is a contract that emanated from other parts of the APNU/AFC Cabinet.

As horrendous as the warehouse contract is, the crisis in the health sector is an even greater scandal and the health and lives of ordinary Guyanese citizens have been compromised. Even as you read this article, the physical and technological infrastructure of the health sector is rapidly deteriorating. All regional hospitals and many of the health centres require urgent attention to repair and reconstruct the physical infrastructure. Not only has the plans to reconstruct hospitals like Skeldon and West Demerara seemed to have been shelved, but the other hospitals and health centres across the country have been neglected and routine repairs and maintenance have been ignored.

Across the health sector, operating rooms are frequently inoperable. Far too often surgeries are deferred or patients referred to other hospitals because operating rooms have been closed. Whether it is because of physical infrastructural problems, equipment malfunctioning or simply the lack of supplies, patients' well-being have been compromised. On a daily basis, one or more of the operating rooms in the public health sector is not working.

As you read this statement, any check will show that somewhere in the public health sector, the operating room is not working.

There have been so many excuses when it comes to the unavailability of medicines and medical supplies; it is exhausting to recall them. As I am writing this note, the public health sector is experiencing a life-threatening shortage of insulin across the country. But this is only one of the life-threatening shortages of supplies. There are routine shortages of vaccines; diabetes, blood pressure and heart medicines; antibiotics; and laboratory supplies.

It is kind of ironic that as the Public Health Ministry rented a house to store supplies at a cost of almost $16 million per month, it has not been diligent in procuring the supplies the sector needs.

With the increase in malaria and other infectious diseases and the appearance of new infectious illnesses, the Public Health Ministry appears clueless. The Ministry has not made optimal use of the public health laboratory which in my time was one of the top public health facilities in the Caribbean Community (Caricom). It is equipped to perform high-level testing and was internationally certified. The fact that we still depend on CARPHA or other international laboratories for testing of ZIKA demonstrates how poor we have been in putting together adequate public health responses. The public health lab is equipped with PCR technology that should have allowed the Ministry to develop testing protocols for ZIKA. Space does not allow me to detail the full scope of what is wrong with the public health response, but make no mistake, the gains we made in the sector between 1992 and 2015 are rapidly being squandered. My hope is that there will be more intense scrutiny of the State of public health in Guyana and that this will prompt the Government to heed the deterioration before we see dramatic impacts on life expectancies, child and maternal health and worsening impacts of diseases such as cancer, heart and kidney diseases, diabetes and hypertension.

(Send comments to doc_ram@hotmail.com)

17

news

wednesday, september 7, 2016 | guyana-times.com

M&CC evicts Robb Street vendors Daughter of slain fuel dealer robbed

T

V

Some of the displaced vendors on Robb Street

endors plying their trade outside Bourda Market on Robb Street are pleading for help as the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) on Tuesday descended on what was regarded as the Caribbean’s only “drive through” market and removed vendors without any prior notice.

Vendors told Guyana Times that they were given no warning before the eviction, and Town Clerk Royston King, along with City Constabulary Officers showed up during the afternoon and ordered everyone to remove their stalls and goods vehicles from the area.

“They never tell we anything. Royston King just

come and shut the place down and tell everybody move out,” one distraught vendor said.

The vendors complained that they have incurred hundreds of thousands in losses as a result, since most of their merchandise is perishable.

“I now come here; I ain’t even sell a load yet. All me goods gon spoil. Watch the plantain them getting black, black, cause everything ga deh in the sun. The cassava ga throw way, it get blue.

All that is money down the drain!” another merchant said.

While lamenting the injustice of the Mayor and City Council’s most recent action, the vendors explained that

they had run out of options on how to maintain their families.

Additionally, there was mention of a fee that the vendors would pay on a daily basis to ply their trade at the location, but Guyana Times was able to understand that this fee was only a “landing fee” for persons to off-load their goods and remove them within a specific period.

At the scene, the Deputy Mayor of Georgetown, Sherod Duncan was seen speaking to vendors, who voiced their complaints.

He disclosed that he was completely unaware of the new situation and his visit to the scene was “a fact-finding” mission.

he daughter of Seeram Singh, a fuel dealer who was killed last April, was on Tuesday evening robbed when bandits invaded her Parika Outfall, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) home.

The incident occurred around 18:50h while 27-year-old Bonita Lallaram was at home alone.

According to reports, the woman was on her bed when she was startled by a hand on her neck. Before she could react, a tissue was placed over her nose and she passed out.

The bandits then ransacked the entire house carting off an undisclosed sum of money and jewellery.

Lallaram’s husband, who had gone to pick up the couple’s nine-year-old, returned home and sent the child in search of his mother, while he parked his car.

The boy then reportedly stumbled upon his mother passed out on her bed with the tissue stuffed in her mouth. He then alerted his father who ran upstairs.

The man related to Guyana Times that he removed the tissue after which he applied Limacol to his wife’s face.

“When she regained consciousness, she started to hold on me in a traumatised

A section of the house that was ransacked

state,” he recounted.

According to the man, his wife related that she did not hear anything before she was attacked and only felt the tissue being placed on her face.

Neighbours reportedly did not hear or see anyone entering or leaving the house.

The matter was reported to the Parika Police Station; however, the family was displeased with their response.

According to Lallaram’s husband, two Police Officers went to the house, but spent a limited amount of time be-

fore leaving.

The man also disclosed that currently, the men charged with the killing of his father-in-law were on trial and the family has received numerous threats.

His father-in-law was attacked by armed bandits and shot three times to his body and head.

He succumbed while en route to the Leonora Hospital, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

The family is calling on the authorities to carefully investigate the matter.

Canada seeks to advance Guyana’s indigenous interests Sanitary inspector orders

closure of Port Mourant Market

Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock and Minister Valerie Garrido-Lowe with the delegation from the Aboriginal Consultation Office in Alberta

O

ver 200 Toshaos from across Guyana last week benefited from a partnership between Canada’s provincial Government of Alberta and the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry which sought to leverage developments in Canada’s aboriginal communities to advance Guyana’s indigenous interests.

The partnership was organised by the High Commission of Canada in collaboration with the office of Valerie GarridoLowe, Minister within the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry.

The Canadian delegation comprised Directors of the Aboriginal Consultation Office in Alberta, Lawrence Aimoe and Robert Kopecky.

Canada is world renowned for its progress in improving the social well-being and economic prosperity of its indigenous people, and has made several strides in securing their participation in shaping its political, social and economic development at community, provincial and national levels.

The visiting delegation was present at the weeklong Toshaos Conference which provided them with the opportunity to better understand the local context.

Members of the delegation shared Canada’s aboriginal experience in managing natural resources for the advancement of such communities. The team also presented on legislative reforms that benefit aboriginal communities and associated consultation process with aboriginals.

There was heightened interest over Canadian experiences in negotiating impact agreements with businesses seeking to invest in aboriginal jurisdictions.

The presenters reflected on the role of subcontracting from industry to aboriginal businesses as an important mechanism to ensure benefits accrue to the community and to align the interests of all stakeholders.

Such mechanisms help to secure a stable stream of benefits from businesses to the communities, while also allowing the active participation of communities in the

environmental and social performance of the business ventures.

The community-business partnership helps to build business acumen in aboriginal communities with little or no experience working with industries, and this allows for knowledge transfer from community to community.

The Toshaos noted that they found the peer-to-peer knowledge exchange with the Canadian delegation to be an effective mechanism which would be instrumental in helping them to derive community-owned solutions for building viable businesses, environmental protection and sustainable livelihoods.

They lauded the initiative as one that helped to bridge the traditional and contemporary aboriginal worlds.

Canadian companies, such as Guyana Goldfields, which are working in the Guyanese market, have been working with indigenous communities on socioeconomic initiatives through partnerships with community leaders and Government offices.

Some of the carcasses which have been left to rot outside of the market

A

sanitary inspector on Tuesday afternoon ordered that the Port Mourant Market be closed and cleaned before reopening.

Both the exterior and interior of the market will have to be cleaned; the sanitary inspector also ordered that the interior walls be scrubbed in an effort to sanitise the facility.

The decision by the sanitary department has angered vendors who are said to have been experiencing reduced sales over the past two months.

This, they claimed, is on account of other vendors who operate outside the market on Friday nights and retail vegetables at wholesale pric-

es.

Meanwhile, a standoff between the Port Mourant/ Johns Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Overseer and cleaners attached to the Port Mourant Market has resulted in the market not being cleaned.

Huge piles of garbage, including carcasses, were not removed from inside and outside of the market.

The situation has resulted in some residents in the area temporally moving out.

Sanitation workers have not been able to remove the waste, which has been left by fish vendors and other huskers who utilise the facility on Friday and Saturday.

According to a source close to the market, the six

cleaners have been requesting to have equipment to work with for the past four weeks and have been told that funds were not available to purchase rakes.

Some of the workers have been using their personal tools to clean the market. According to the source, one of the workers had to purchase a bucket so that the toilet could be flushed after vendors use it.

On Saturday, the workers were allegedly asked whether they wanted their August salaries, which they were still to collect, or tools since money was not available for both.

According to the source, the workers were only requesting hand rakes which cost $2000 each.

Meanwhile, the stench in the area has forced many persons to relocate. Richie Ramdehol says the current situation is making it uncomfortable for residents.

Villagers say a few weeks ago a similar situation existed which resulted in the Port Mourant NIS office being closed for two days.

Angela Newinkurk, a caretaker for a church next to the Market, said the stench has affected church attendance on Sundays.

Meanwhile, the NDC has been collecting $10,000 from vendors weekly for the use of the sanitary facility. That money should be used for the welfare of the market.

18

guyana-times.com

wednesday, september 7, 2016

ARCHIE

Find a way to bring yourself closer to a loved one.

(March 21- Working alongside someone April 19) will help you find peace of mind and a plan to build a better future.

ARIES

Don’t fold under pressure,

dilbert

TAURUS or it will cost you financially or (April 20- emotionally. Draw on your exMay 20) perience and call the shots instead in order to gain respect and avoid an uncomfortable situation.

Don’t let emotional matGEMINI ters escalate. Whether deal(May 21ing with children, a colleague June 20) or a partner, you are best off being kind and understanding, and offering positive gestures, not a verbal bashing.

Take pride in what you do CANCER and dominate whatever situ(June 21- ation you face. An event that July 22) gives you a platform to speak and share your ideas will result in an interesting encounter

Peanuts

Listen attentively, but LEO don’t feel the need to give in (July 23to someone who doesn’t share Aug. 22) your values or ideals. Focus on self-improvement instead of trying to control or change others.

Get back to basics and VIRGO make a point to reconnect (Aug. 23Sept. 22) with someone you miss or who you feel can contribute something to your life. A partnership looks promising. Don’t make unnecessary purchases. ou’ll have an awakening if LIBRA you are willing to make chang(Sept. 23es. Doing things differently or Oct. 23) updating the way you think will lead to progress. Don’t back down.

Calvin and Hobbes

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Emotions will surface SCORPIO and provide the energy and (Oct. 24wherewithal required to get Nov. 22) things done. Push forward and don’t stop until you feel satisfied with your accomplishments.

Stop hiding out and evadSAGITTARIUS ing issues that need to be ad(Nov. 23- dressed. You can’t move forDec. 21) ward until you tie up loose ends and rid yourself of the situation that is holding you back.

Walk away from a bully CAPRICORN or a situation that can lead to (Dec. 22- injury. Caution will help you Jan. 19) avoid a mishap. Protect your home, word and reputation.

solution for Last Published Puzzle Consider how your actions AQUARIUS will influence the lives of the (Jan. 20people you love. It’s imporFeb. 19) tant not to act in haste, even if someone pressures you.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

PISCES You will have the edge if (Feb. 20- you use emotional pleas and March 20) offer incentives to get others to see things your way. A partnership looks promising.

WEDNesDAY, september 7, 2016

19

Australia canter to win after record 263, Maxwell slams 145* I

n 90 minutes of outlandish clean-striking, Glenn Maxwell marked a monumental return to form, sent Sri Lanka into freefall, and stole their T20I world record from under their noses.

The scorecard says he hit nine sixes in his 65-ball 145 not out, but it felt like he had hit so many more. It says there were 14 fours in this Maxwell mauling, but so quickly did they come, one after the other, that who is to tell when one boundary ended and another began?

It was a blur of bludgeoned sweeps, of wallops down the ground and, occasionally, of enterprising strokes behind the wicket. Australia made 263 for 3. This is the jointhighest T20 score, in addition to being the biggest score in T20 internationals, beating the 260 Sri Lanka had hit against Kenya.

Maxwell had opened the innings in place of the injured Aaron Finch, and he quickly set about knocking Sri Lanka’s bowlers out of shape. So battered were they by the end of the Powerplay, in which Australia had cracked 73 for 1, that they soon became helplessly complicit in Maxwell’s plunder.

Thigh-high full tosses were sent down with masochistic abandon. Errors bred further errors in the outfield.

In the 18th over, a catch was dropped, though that was off Travis Head, who was the second-highest scorer with 45 off 18 balls. Each of Sri Lanka’s four main bowlers

Glenn Maxwell raised his century in 49 balls

conceded at least 12.75 per over.

The hosts’ batting went much better, though they were never really in the hunt. The top three fell cheaply, but Dinesh Chandimal hit 58 off 43 and Chamara Kapugedera 43 off 25. Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland took three wickets apiece, as Sri Lanka finished on 178 for 9 - 86 runs short of the 264-run target.

The first over had cost Sri Lanka only three runs, and though Maxwell hit the innings’ first boundary - smoking an overpitched Suranga Lakmal delivery through cover - it was David Warner who doused the scene with petrol, and began the raging fire. Warner eyed up seamer Kasun Rajitha, playing his third international, and banged four consecutive fours in the third over, three of those coming on the off side. It was not long before

Maxwell matched that aggression. The first six of the match was a reverse-sweep off Sachithra Senanayake.

A four followed next ball, off the same shot.

Neither Warner’s dismissal by Senanayake nor the end of the Powerplay made much difference to Maxwell’s approach. Decent balls - like Rajitha’s slower one on the stumps in the ninth over - where whacked disdainfully over long-on.

Then when the bad balls came, like the full toss from Rajitha immediately after, Maxwell biffed that over the boundary as well.

The first of those consecutive sixes brought him his half-century, off 27 balls. He took a further 22 to reach his hundred. Sri Lanka rifled through bowlers in this period, trying off spin, left-arm spin, seam, and whatever it is that Thisara Perera bowls.

None of this could make so

much as a dent in Maxwell’s confidence, which by now was magnetic. Thisara, in fact, came closest to getting him out, in the 13th over, though that wasn’t particularly close: Kapugedera, who caught Maxwell on the deep midwicket boundary, had trod on the rope and had to abandon the catch anyway as his momentum was taking him over the rope.

Having reached his first T20 century, and second in international cricket (both have come against Sri Lanka), Maxwell set his sights on the records. His first six in triple figures was perhaps the best of the lot, as he sliced Lakmal beautifully over the deep-cover boundary, immediately after having hit a four to fine leg.

Finch, running the drinks in this match, holds the individual T20 record of 156, and Maxwell was in pursuit.

When he biffed three consecutive sixes over long-on, off Senanayake, he moved to 134, with 19 balls still remaining in the innings.

Head, though, indulged in some brutality of his own, hitting three sixes and four fours in his innings. One of those sixes came over longon, off Thisara Perera. It was that shot which gave Australia the team total record.

Tillakaratne Dilshan has led outrageous chases before, but when he was bowled trying to clang a Mitchell Starc ball through the leg side in the first over, Sri Lanka’s al-

ready slim chances became even slimmer. Kusal Perera was out slashing Boland to third man, soon after. By the end of the Powerplay, Sri Lanka had mustered 56 for 3, but with the required rate almost 15, the chase just became about limiting the severity of the loss.

Kusal Mendis made an attractive 22 replete with a pulled six off James Faulkner, and an imperious, lofted off-drive off Moises Henriques, but he was out in the eighth over.

Chandimal pulled his team through those early overs,

scoring heavily with his horizontal bat shots, the flat-batted four down the ground off Boland in the fourth over the most memorable among them.

Chandimal and Kapugedera put on Sri Lanka’s best partnership, taking a particular liking to the spinners as they made 44 from 29 balls. But they both holed out soon enough.

Sri Lanka hit 100 runs in boundaries. Maxwell, who had been dropped from the squad entirely for the ODIs, struck 110 in boundaries by himself. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Australia innings (20 overs maximum) 145 GJ Maxwell not out DA Warner* b Senanayake 28 UT Khawaja c NLTC Perera b Pathirana 36 TM Head c de Silva b NLTC Perera 45 Extras (b 4, lb 2, 2-wd, 1-nb) 9 Total (3 wickets; 20 overs) 263 Did not bat: GJ Bailey, MC Henriques, PM Nevill†, JP Faulkner, MA Starc, A Zampa, SM Boland Fall of wickets 1-57 (Warner, 4.5 ov), 2-154 (Khawaja, 13.2 ov), 3-263 (Head, 19.6 ov) Bowling: SMSM Senanayake 4-0-49-1, RAS Lakmal 4-0-510 (1-nb, 2-wd), CAK Rajitha 3-0-46-0, NLTC Perera 4-058-1, DM de Silva 1-0-80,SS Pathirana 4-0-45-1 Sri Lanka innings (target: 264 runs from 20 overs) MDKJ Perera† c Starc b Boland 4 b Starc 4 TM Dilshan

12 DM de Silva b Faulkner LD Chandimal* c Henriques b Boland 58 BKG Mendis c Maxwell b Henriques 22 NLTC Perera c Boland b Zampa 7 CK Kapugedera c Bailey b Sta rc 43 SS Pathirana c Head b Boland 2 SMSM Senanayake not out 6 c & b Starc 1 RAS Lakmal CAK Rajitha not out 0 5 19 Extras (b 8, lb 8, 3-wd) Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 178 Fall of wickets 1-9 (Dilshan, 0.5 ov), 2-15 (MDKJ Perera, 1.4 ov), 3-45 (de Silva, 4.2 ov), 4-76 (Mendis, 7.5 ov), 5-94 (NLTC Perera, 10.3 ov), 6-138 (Chandimal, 15.2 ov), 7-142 (Pathirana, 15.6 ov), 8-174 (Kapugedera, 18.1 ov), 9-177 (Lakmal, 18.6 ov) Bowling: MA Starc 4-0-26-3, SM Boland 4-0-26-3 (2-wd), JP Faulkner 4-0-38-1, MC Henriques 2-0-24-1, A Zampa 4-0-27-1 (1-wd) GJ Maxwell 2-0-21-0

World Cup 2018 Qualifiers

European champions Portugal beaten by Switzerland

― Ronaldo missing due to injury

S

witzerland beat European champions Portugal 2-0 in their opening World Cup 2018 Group B qualifier on Tuesday.

Breel Embolo and Ahmed Mehmedi scored first-half goals for the hosts, who had Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka sent off in stoppage time.

Portugal was missing Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Real Madrid forward injured since July’s Euro 2016 final.

Beaten finalists France got their own campaign off

to a slow start with a 0-0 Group A draw in Belarus.

Elsewhere in that group, Sweden held the Netherlands to a 1-1 draw with a Wesley Sneijder goal cancelling out a chip from Marcus Berg, while Bulgaria beat Luxembourg 4-3 thanks to an injury-time winner from former Aston Villa winger Aleksandar Tonev.

Former Everton boss Roberto Martinez won his first competitive match as Belgium manager with a 3-0 victory in Cyprus.

Martinez’s side had been

Breel Embolo joined Bundesliga side Schalke in the summer

booed by some Belgian fans after a 2-0 defeat by Spain in a friendly last week, but a double from Toffees striker Romelu Lukaku and a late third from Yannick Carrasco gave them three points.

Despite the comfortable win they are third in their group after the first round of matches after former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko was among the scorers as Bosnia-Herzegovina hammered Estonia 5-0 and Greece eased to a 4-1 win in Gibraltar. (BBC SPORT)

20

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

wednesdAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

TENELEC INC of the USA pumps sponsorship into Berbice cricket T

enelec Inc. of Washington USA has once again renewed its sponsorship of the Berbice Cricket Board two innings under 15 inter-club and first division fifth over round robin cricket competitions in the ancient county.

Speaking at the launch of the tournament President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Anil Beharry, Bobby Deonarine and Tom Gruntzel of Tenelec Inc., a company based in Washington for their continued support to the BCB. He noted that the company has been providing vital support for the board for over a decade and is a major player in the success of Berbice cricket. He said that all the Berbicians currently representing the West Indies, Guyana and Berbice are product of these competitions, making special mention of Narsingh Deonarine, Devindra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Assad Fudadin, Brandon

Bess, Keon Joseph, Royston Crandon, Shimron Hetmyer and Gudakesh Motie among many others. He closed by saying that while the BCB is in favor of the national league, he called on the GCB to bring back the intercounty senior cricket competition, emphasizing that it is the pinnacle of career of any local cricketer that doesn't make the national team.

Vice President of BCB and Human Resource Manager of Guysuco, Albion Estate, Vemen Walter spoke of the importance of human resource in the success of businesses and private individuals. He urged the gathering, made up of many young and aspiring cricketers, to make full use of this opportunity provided by the board through this sponsorship. He advised them to be disciplined, work hard and commit themselves to the game. He further mentioned that even those who do not make it to the top, can still lead a comfort-

Bobby Deonarine, third from right, hands over the sponsorship cheque to Anil Beharry, President of the BCB, in the presence of other Board members and representatives of GCB

able life financially. Imtiaz Bacchus; member of BCB and President of Albion Cricket Club expressed his gratitude to the sponsors and reminded the gathering that the most important stakeholder of the game is sponsorship.

US Open 2016…

Kerber, Monfils through to semis

G

erman second seed Angelique Kerber reached the semi-finals of the US Open with a comprehensive straightset win over Italian Roberta Vinci.

Kerber, 29, defeated the 2015 finalist 7-5 6-0 and will next face Caroline Wozniacki or Anastasija Sevastova.

In the men’s draw, France’s Gael Monfils outplayed compatriot Lucas Pouille in a 6-4 6-3 6-3 win.

Monfils, seeded 10th, will play fellow Frenchman JoWilfried Tsonga or top seed Novak Djokovic in the last four.

Kerber remains in with a chance of overtaking Serena Williams as world number one at the end of the tournament, and she is also on course for a third Grand Slam final in 2016.

Williams must reach the final again in New York to have a chance of staying world number one and if she plays Kerber, the American would have to win.

“When I was a kid I was always dreaming to being the number one,” said Kerber.

“Let’s see. I mean, there

Angelique Kerber

are still matches to go. Also, Serena has to play as well very good.”

Vinci caused one of the greatest upsets in tennis history when she ended Williams’ calendar Grand Slam hopes in last year’s semi-final, but a foot fault on set point all but ended her challenge against Kerber.

The Italian, 33, broke Kerber’s serve three times in the first set but each time was broken back - and Vinci was then called for a foot fault facing set point with a second serve.

She sarcastically applauded the line judge, before Kerber raced through the second set in 24 min-

utes.

Pouille made 44 unforced errors as the five-set win over Rafael Nadal appeared to take its toll on the 22-year-old, with Monfils dominating across three sets.

Monfils, 30, maintained his momentum either side of a 15-minute rain delay to secure his first Grand Slam semi-final appearance since the 2008 French Open.

“It’s a court I love,” he told the New York crowd. “I always say that the French is my home, but this one is my second.”

Monfils has yet to drop a set in five matches at Flushing Meadows.(BBC)

Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board and Director of West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Anand Sanasie, graced the occasion and commended the BCB for securing such a significant sponsorship during these times when sponsors are

hard to come by. He stated that the BCB has to be doing something good to impress their sponsors, forging long-lasting partnerships.

He also thanked Deonarine for his continued input into the game in Berbice giving many youngsters an oppor-

tunity to change their lives for good. He promised that very soon the GCB will build a modern Hostel, Indoor Facility and Board Office in Berbice to benefit all.

In response, Deonarine, a partner of Tenelec Inc, who was short in his speech, praised the work of the BCB and expressed the confidence his company has in the work of the board. He said that he is happy that he can make a difference in the lives of his fellow human being and sponsoring this lovely game in his county of birth is a perfect way to do so. First Vice President of the BCB, former international umpire Dhireindranath Somwaru did the vote of thanks and thanked the management and staff of Guysuco, Albion Estate for making the venue readily available, the media for their excellent coverage of all BCB cricket competitions and other related activities and most of all, Tenelec Inc. for their sponsorship.

El Salvador players refuse 'financial incentives' for Canada World Cup qualifier

E

l Salvador players were offered financial incentives before Tuesday's World Cup 2018 qualifying game against Canada, the country's football association has confirmed.

It said Salvadoran businessman Ricardo Padilla offered the players rewards to win, draw or avoid a heavy loss.

A heavy defeat could see Canada progress at the expense of El Salvador's neighbours Honduras.

World football governing body Fifa has confirmed it is investigating The amounts ranged from $30 (£22) a minute for a win to $10 (£7) a minute for a 1-0 defeat.

"In reference to what we heard, we want to make it clear that we are against anything of this kind," Bonilla added.

"We want to be transparent about everything that has happened with the national team."

Fourteen El Salvador players were previously banned for life in 2013 after being found guilty of matchfixing. Padilla, a former president of El Salvador club Alianza FC, told a newspaper in the country that he was not asking the players

El Salvador cannot qualify for the 2018 World Cup

to match-fix.

"Let them investigate.

Those who want to see it as something bad can see it that way and those who want to see it as something good then they can too," he told La Prensa Grafica.

Investigative journalist Declan Hill told the BBC World Service it is "most dramatic thing in football" for some time.

"The entire team came in with their coaches and said they had been approached on Saturday," he said.

"They played an 11-minute conversation with the attempted match-fixer. He was offering each player a variety of money per minute depending on the result they could get. The most they would have got for allegedly fixing the match would have

been about $3,000 per player."

There has been no comment from the Honduran or Canadian football associations.

A Fifa spokesman said it is "aware of the claims" and that "in co-operation with the respective organisations and authorities, Fifa is looking into this matter".

While Padilla's offers to players appear to help Honduras - who face group leaders Mexico - the neighbouring countries have had difficult relations in the past.

The two Central American nations briefly went to war in 1969 and as the conflict coincided with bad-tempered World Cup matches between the two, it became known as the Football War.

Rio Paralympics 2016

Brazil gold more difficult than London ― Jonnie Peacock

L

ondon Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock insists he is not the favourite for the T44 100m crown in Rio, despite being ranked world number one.

The Briton has struggled with injury over the past 18 months and missed the 2015 Doha World Championships.

He returned to form by

setting the world's best time this year - 10.68 seconds - in July, but says Jarryd Wallace is the leading contender.

"In my eyes he's the one to beat," Peacock, 23, told BBC Sport.

"I went into London 2012 as clear fastest; it's a very a different pressure this time, but I'm more relaxed."

Britain's Jonnie Peacock won T44 100m gold at the 2012 London Games and goes for gold this Thursday

The final of the Games' blue riband event is held on Friday night (23:59) and is stacked with talented sprinters despite the loss of USA's multiple world champion Richard Browne to injury, and the absence of Oscar Pistorius, who is serving six years in jail for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Aside from American

Wallace, who has run 10.71, German Felix Streng (10.89) and Amu Fourie of South Africa (11.00) have also performed well this season.

Brazil's Paralympic pinup Alan Fonteles Oliveira is also being backed by some to recapture the form which saw him become a triple world champion in 2013. (BBC

SPORT)

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eggae Boyz head coach Winfried Schaefer will be absent from the sideline when Jamaica plays Haiti in their dead-rubber match at the National Stadium in Kingston on Tuesday night.

The German national has been suspended by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) pending an investigation into an incident on Saturday that involved the head coach and a cameraman filming the arrival of the Jamaican team from Panama.

Schaefer, whose contract with the JFF expires in 2018, unplugged a camera while the team’s manager, Roy Simpson, was being interviewed.

The head coach had declined an earlier request for an interview following Jamaica’s 2-0 loss to Panama in Panama on Friday night. The loss ended the country’s World Cup 2018 campaign.

The Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) said the

Winfried Schaefer

behavior of the head coach was out of order.

Arising from the incident and the PAJ’s reaction, the JFF issued the following statement: “Following on a formal complaint and expression of concern from the PAJ and the RJR Group regarding the behaviour of National Senior team coach, Winfried Schaefer to a videographer from TVJ at the airport on September 3, the Jamaica Football

Federation (JFF) has relieved Mr. Schaefer of his coaching duties until an investigation by the JFF is complete.

This position was outlined to Mr. Schaefer in a letter dated September 5, 2016.

Assistant National Senior team Coach, Mr. Miguel Coley will assume coaching responsibilities for the World Cup qualifying game tonight, Jamaica vs Haiti.”(Sportsmax)

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

WEDNEsday, september 7, 2016

Thumbs up for inaugural indoor hockey league

BY ROMARIO SAMAROO

P

resident of the Guyana Hockey Board, Philip Fernandes has given a positive review of the recently concluded Guyana Hockey Board/Lucozade Indoor Hockey League which was hosted at the National Gymnasium over the last two months.

The league saw a split division as seven male teams and four female teams competing for top honors with Hikers dominating the male category where they played unbeaten throughout the league to lift the title while Pizza Hut GCC were crowned female champions in a very competitive field.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sport Fernandes indicated that the tournament could be used as a stepping stone for the development of the sport, point out the fact that this was the first time a league of this nature was organized in the country.

Looking back at the success of the tournament, Fernandes said “I thought this tournament was fantastic for Hockey.” Adding, “this is the first time we had an indoor league which meant that on a weekly basis we had matches scheduled and was different from the normal tournaments whereby all the matches were bundled into one weekend.”

The GCC Vintage play-

Philip Fernandes

er went on to speak on the impact the tournament has had on the young prospects of the sport saying, “the

tournament gave the younger players an opportunity to improve as they went throughout the league.”

He went on to say that the league gave a lot more exposure to players and has provided a solid season of hockey.” As a developmental ground for players, Fernandes pointed out that this tournament has done an extraordinary feat for the development of both the sport and players.

“It is different from anything we have done before as it provides teams with the possibility of actually playing the game then go back to the drawing board and analyse their matches, then try improve on their previous performance in their future matches, so from a tactical stand point it developed the sport more. As a

result, players understand the game better and become better players as a result.”

Fernandes said.

The tournament, which concluded on Saturday last had also attracted a wide variety of new and vibrant supporters, which the Guyana Hockey Board president attributed to the structure of the tournament with as much as five matches being played per night.

Fernandes extended appreciation to league sponsors, Ansa McAl through their league brand, Lucozade for their dedication to the sport as well as other companies that sponsored individual teams such as Bounty and Pizza Hut.

DeSinco 11-race programme Lower Corentyne lead Jaguars Premier League point standings pedals off Saturday

Defending Champion, Junior Niles

C

ompetitive cycling returns to the inner circuit of the national park when the 16th DeSinco Trading 11-race cycling programme pedals off with the first race for the BMX cy-

clists from 09:00h.

The event which is being run under the Degree deodorant brand is once again organized by National cycling coach, Hassan Mohamed.

The feature race of the day will see the seniors throwing down the gauntlet at each other. Team Coco’s Junior Niles will be looking to successfully defend the title he won last year in the main race, the 35-lap School Boys and Invitational.

Other events of the day will feature Guyana’s emerging and experienced riders who will look to dominate the track for 16th occasion of the event. These races include; the 12-14 three-lap race, the veterans Under 50 over a distance of five laps, Veterans over 50 also five laps, Veterans over 60 five laps, Juveniles 10 laps, Mountain Bike five laps, BMX 6-9 two laps, BMX 9-12 three laps, BMX Open three laps and the featured 35-lap affair with the School Boys and Invitational cyclists.

Veteran rider Junior Niles will be aiming to repeat his feat from last year and cop the first prize in the days’ main event.

GBFA shortlists 25 for World Cup qualifiers

T

he Guyana Beach Football Association (GBFA) in collaboration with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has released the names of players selected to participate in two trial beach soccer matches on Sunday September 11 in Linden.

The matches are intended for the selection of players to form part of a national Beach Soccer team to participate in the upcoming CONCACAF Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifier from January 29 to February 5 2017 in Miami, Florida. The trial matches will take place at the local beach soccer facility at the Bayroc ground at Wismar, Linden.

President of the GBFA, Rollin Tappin said 25 of

Rollin Tappin

the best talents have been selected from across the country for participation in the trial matches after which the list will be further trimmed to 20 players.

“What we did was we

selected the best talents from the league that we had, which was played between January and April of this year and we selected the best 25 talents and they will play two trial games... After the two trial games, the squad will be reduced to 20 and they would go into training... as we intensify towards January of 2017 where the World Cup will take place in Miami, Florida. We’re working in conjunction with the Guyana Football Federation to ensure that we pull out all the stops for this upcoming event,” Tappin said.

Players for the trial matches are drawn mainly from Linden, East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and Georgetown.

Lennox Blackmoore

Lennox Blackmoore

Lennox Blackmoore

t the end of the second round of action in the Jaguars Franchise League which concluded on Sunday, Lower Corentyne is in the lead on 36.5 points compliments of two outright victories.

In the first round they crushed Essequibo by an innings and 122 runs inside two days while in the second round they thrashed Georgetown by nine wickets to remain in the lead after two rounds.

Meanwhile, in second place on 31.5 points is East Coast Demerara with two wins, firstly against West Demerara then Upper

Corentyne.

Trailing in a distant third place is West Demerara on 21.5 points after one win and a loss. While following are Essequibo, Georgetown 10.6, West Berbice 10.1, Upper Demerara/ East Bank 9.7 and Upper Corentyne 9.5 in that order.

The third round of matches commences on Thursday 8 September, 2016 from 0930 hours at four (4) venues across the country.

The semi-professional league will see Essequibo coming up against Upper Demerara/ East Bank at the Everest Cricket Club

ground, West Berbice competing against West Demerara at the Young Warriors Cricket Club ground at Cumberland, Upper Corentyne doing battle with Lower Corentyne at the Port Mourant Community Centre and Georgetown challenging East Coast Demeraraat the Georgetown Cricket Club ground, Bourda.

Other ways in which points may be awarded are Abandoned match (without any play taking place), Abandoned match due to dangerous pitch conditions, and Referee awarding match.

A

Lennox Blackmoore National Intermediate boxing carded for this weekend

T

he intermediate boxing card which was named after Guyana’s first Commonwealth champion Lennox Blackmore will commence on Friday at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue which will see defending gym Guyana Defence Force (GDF) seeking to fend-off its title against several gyms around the country.

The intermediate is the second statutory competition on the annual calendar of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) and precedes the National Open which is scheduled for early November.

Last year the GABA renamed the competi-

Lennox Blackmoore

tion after Guyana’s first Commonwealth champion, Blackmoore, who had a professional record of 25 wins and five losses. The dapper counter puncher won the British Commonwealth lightweight title on October 1, 1977. He won on points against Nigerian Jonathan Dele in Lagos, Nigeria.

The 66-year-old Blackmoore later challenged for the World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight title against Aaron Pryor and World Boxing Council (WBC) FECARBOX light welterweight title against Antonio Cervantes in 1981.

Diwani Lampkin of the Forgotten Youth Foundation gym was adjudged Best Boxer of the last tournament after he secured a unanimous points-decision victory over GDF’s Jamal Brisport on the opening night in the lightweight division, then returned on two days later to defeat another soldier, Akeem Henry, in like manner.

guyana-times.com

WEDNESDAY, september 7, 2016

Caribbean Motor Racing Championships 2016...

Matthew Vieira rates Bushy Park performance as amazing

By Akeem G reene

O

ne of Guyana’s top motor bikers Matthew Vieira rated his performance last weekend at the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) at the Bushy Park Circuit, Barbados, as one which was simply amazing.

Heading into the third leg, Mathew was 17 points behind his cousin Stephen but raced to a first and two second place finishes.

In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport on Tuesday, the young Vieira disclosed he was surprised with his performance since he was simply trying to reduce the lead of his cousin.

“I was trying to cut the gap in points and basically I thought we could have fought it out here [Guyana] but I did not expect to be leading by so much points; unofficially I currently lead by 42 points,” he explained.

That “lead” did not come easy, since during the qualifying rounds, the rainy weather hampered his performance.

He explained, “ I did not walk with rain tyres, because we generally don’t use those tyres but I was on slicks in the wet which made the other riders way

Matthew Vieira

faster; I was in third from the first qualifier but I was pushed down to fifth after all the rounds.”

Vieira, who uses a Yamaha R6 to do battle, explained that the two previous rounds which were held in Jamaica at the Jamwest Speedway then Trinidad at Wallerfield International Raceway were both testing and fruitful.

“Jamwest was difficult because I was arriving as a new rider, I did know the track but my competition Elliot and Stephen raced their before and they had the edge over me but what happened is that I pushed a bit too hard in the last race and fell so that is how Stephen got his gap over me,” the racer disclosed.

He furthered stated, “however, in Wallerfield

that went very well for me, I won all three races and I got the lap record and that and put me back in the standings; my cousin Elliot had mechanical problems so we could not compete.”

In closing, the motor biker was extremely thankful for the support of his sponsors Rio Inn, Cyril’s Taxi, H.A.B International, E-Networks, Truck Masters, Game Express and Fast Graphics.

Though his cousin Elliot is the defending champion, mathematically speaking, he has fallen out of championship contention but the battle that is expected will between Matthew and Stephen come November 13 at the South Dakota Circuit. (akeemg@guyanatimesgy.com)

NAMILCO rewards Boyce and Jefford top athletes

Jaguars Franchise League 2016…

Former Windies Youth Player remains hopeful of representing Guyana ― utilising league to stake claim

F

ormer West Indies youth player Kwame Crosse aims to utilize the Jaguars Franchise League to be back on the radar as he aspires to play for the national senior team in the near future.

Crosse represented the West Indies under-19 team in 2011 in Dubai but has seen minimal returns in his performance since.

However, he has been playing cricket professionally in Trinidad and Tobago as well as periodically in local competitions.

Thus, in an interview with Guyana Times Sport Crosse welcomed the initiative by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) to implement a league which he sees as an opportunity for a player like him, who has been off the radar, to make an impact and stake a claim for national selection.

The 23 year old considers himself a utility player duly because he could bat, bowl medium pace and keep wicket and although he is yet to make a significant contribution in Georgetown team, he is confident by the end of the tournament he will be among the top performers with the bat. This he plan to do through confidence, longer times at the crease and obviously producing the goods, that is, scoring lots of runs.

T

he National Milling Company (NAMILCO) on Tuesday rewarded Winston George and Alita Moore for their top performances at the recently concluded Boyce and Jefford Classic.

George and Moore

swept the sprint events and led the Police Progressive Athletics Club to its third consecutive championship.

They each a received a cheque valued G$50,000. from the milling company.

The Milling Company has been in existence since

1969 and produces several heath oriented products such as Maid Marian Harvest High Fibre Whole Wheat Flour, Maid Marian Wheat-Up Breakfast Porridge, and Maid Marian Multigrain Flour among many other products.

Kwame Crosse

Prior to the league the left handed batsman said he was not in the best of form but believes he will be given ample opportunity by his team to be impactful with the bat. “I have been working hard on my game, I know my potential and I believe I have what it takes to reach the international stage, especially in the longest format. This year in Trinidad was not the best for me but I continue to work on my game. However, it is about opportunities as I mentioned earlier and I’m hopeful I would be granted with

the opportunity to bat so I could do what’s necessary to represent Guyana at the senior level.”

To date Crosse has batted thrice for Georgetown but has failed to produce the goods. Going forward, if he improves he will have a maximum of 10 innings or a minimum of five to achieve his batting goals.

It is not impossible for him to achieve what he says he would like to but he must first be consistent and efficient for Georgetown before he is selected for higher levels of the game.

Senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championships…

Spirited Guyana team eliminated

Shemar Britton

Elishaba Johnson

Nigel Bryan

he national table tennis team competing in the Dominican Republic will now have to turn its attention to the men’s doubles and under 21 singles after they were disappointed by Puerto Rico in quest for team honours at the Senior Caribbean Table Tennis Championships.

Guyana lost in the semifinals in close encounter after the teams were locked 2-2 with a final round to play. Nigel Bryan began proceedings for Guyana against Puerto Rico strong man Hector Berrios and lost by a 3-0 margin (7-11, 8-11 and 9-11).

Shemar Britton then pulled back things for Guyana by beating Gustavo Gonzalez 3-1 (11-3 11-9 9-11 and 11-6). Subsequently Elishaba Johnson then took Guyana into the lead with

a skilful and tactical defeat of Luis Echivarria by a 3-1 margin (11-9 11-8 10-12 and 11-9).

Shemar Britton then lost to Hector Berrios by a 3-0 margin in a closely contested encounter which made it Guyana 2- Puerto Rico 2 with all to play for in the finals.

Nigel Bryan in the final and deciding match lost to Gustavo Gonzalez by a 3-0 margin (7-11 10-12 and 9-11) which gave Puerto Rico the victory and ticket to the final.

Action will now switch to the Men’s doubles and under 21 singles where Guyana men’s doubles pairs of Shemar Britton and Nigel Bryan will come against number one seeds Emil Santos and Samuel Galvez of the Dominican Republic and Kyle Edghill and

Elishaba Johnson will play against Omarie Ferdinand and Adriean Albert of St Lucia in the first round of the elimination competition.

In the 21 years and under Shemar Britton, Elishaba Johnson and Kyle Edghill will compete for honours in a very competitive field.

Britton is in group two (2) with Arun Roopnarine of Trinidad and Tobago, Mariano Lockward of Dom Republic and Kristian Doughty Barbados Elishaba Johnson is in group three (3) with Tyrese Knights of Barbados, Glen Smith of the Dominican Republic and Samuel Delepne.

While Kyle Edghill is grouped with Luis Echivarra of Puerto Rico Jose Toribo of the Dominican Republic and Andrew Daniels of St Lucia.

T NAMILCO’s Public Relations Consultant Hafeez Khan (left), Co-Chairman of the meet Colin Boyce (second from left), Alita Moore (third from left), NAMILCO’s Finance Controller Fitzroy McLeod (centre), Winston George (third from right) and Assistant to the Managing Director Autamaram Lakeram along with another two company representatives at the presentation ceremony

23

wednesday, september 7, 2016

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

Thumbs up for inaugural indoor hockey league

Pg 22

Hikers and Bounty GCC played competitive hockey throughout the league at the National Gymnasium

Australia canter to Matthew Vieira rates Bushy Park performance win after record 263, Maxwell slams 145* as amazing Caribbean Motor Racing Championships 2016...

Pg 23

Pg 19

Copping a first and two second place finishes, Matthew Vieira was deemed the Champion Rider at Bushy Park

Glenn Maxwell raised his century in 49 balls

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