Guyana Times Daily

48 graduate from aeronautical training school P13

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3072

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, December 17, 2016

PRICE

Guyana/Venezuela border controversy

One final year for Good Officer Process – UN Page 10

WHAT'S INSIDE:

NIS records over $200M deficit in 2016 P13

Page 3

Soesdyke man crushed to death on chicken farm

$80 vat included

Antiguan busted at CJIA with cocaine

Page 12

Brazil, Europe, China among frontrunners to finance Corentyne Bridge

GNBA head resigns P13

Indigenous peoples land rights under threat – APA

P9

Citizens dutybound to file tax returns – GRA Commissioner General P7

Govt finally P2 announces DHB toll hike

…as Bouterse laments slothful cooperation progress

As crime spirals out of control

Guyana’s Head of State David Granger and Surinamese President Désiré Bouterse greeted each other with a warm embrace at the Eugene F Correia International Airport (See story on page 16)

PPP Congress opens today

Page 2

Police stats accurate – Top Cop P11

“Popeyes” sails off to jailed

P8

2 news

saturDAY, december 17, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

PPP Congress opens today T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will today open its 31st Congress, at Cotton Field Secondary School, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

This congress opens at a critical time for the party as it is the first congress since the party lost the General and Regional Elections in May 2015. At the event, the Party is expected to elect a new 32-member Central Committee. Among the top runners for governance of the Party are Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, Irfaan

Ali, PPP Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, Frank Anthony and Anil Nandall. This congress comes at a critical juncture for the 66-year-old Party as a number of new youthful faces are expected to be elected to the frontline.

Essential to note is the fact that the frontrunners elected at this congress will be an indicator as to the direction the Party is heading towards for its presidential candidate in 2020. Critical discussions are expected on topical issues affecting the country, along with in-depth analysis of the results of the 2015

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

elections. Guyana Times understands that a number of

Irfaan Ali

Dr Frank Anthony

Anil Nandall

delegates arrived from the Diaspora in the United States

and Canada for this historic event. Among those who will be attending the opening cer-

emony today are members of the diplomatic community and the Private Sector.

Govt finally announces DHB toll hike

The Demerara Harbour Bridge

J

unior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson on Friday announced that the Demerara Harbour Bridge tolls would be increased since without subvention the bridge would be operating at a drastic shortfall. Ferguson stated that effective from January 1, 2017, the Demerara Harbour Bridge will implement a new toll structure for most of the vehicular classifications.

The minister’s announcement comes days after the issue arose in the Committee of Supply during the consideration of the 2017 Estimates for the Public Infrastructure Ministry. It was during the examination of the estimates that Opposition parliamentarian Komal Chand enquired whether the Demerara Harbour Bridge would be selffinancing, since the subsidy has been reduced from $150 million last year to a mere $2 million this year.

In response, Minister Ferguson revealed the intention to hike the tolls. She fur-

ther disclosed the new fees, and the increases ranged from 50 to 200 per cent. These are: motorcycles – from $20 to $40; cars – from $100 to $200; cars (hire) – from $100 to $200; tractors – from $200 to $300; one-axle trailers – from $200 to $300; hearses – from $100 to $300; lorries (class 1) – from $500 to $700; lorries (class 3) – from $600 to $700; goods vehicles (up to 2200 pounds) – from $100 to $400, and goods vehicles (up to 4400 pounds) – from $200 to $400. This resulted in the Opposition kicking up a storm, which it says is “another broadside from the Government” even as the populace is still reeling from the “shock and horror” of the 2017 Budget. Pinpointing that there was no increase for toll on public transportation, Ferguson at a press conference on Friday stated that this decision was made because more often than not, the pressures are transferred to the public when bus operators experience any increase in expenditure.

TURN TO PAGE 14

news

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SATURDAY, december 17, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, December 17 – 05:30h-07:00h and Sunday, December 18 – 08:30h-10:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, December 17 – 06:55h-08:25h and Sunday, December 18 – 07:35h-09:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day, while partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly between 3.12 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tides: 06:42h and 18:56h reaching maximum heights of 2.58 metres and 2.64 metres respectively.

Low Tides: 00:14h and 12:30h reaching minimum heights of 0.48 metre and 0.68 metre respectively.

wednesday, december 14, 2016

LOTTERY NUMBERS D 04 05 06 13 14 25 22 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16

Daily Millions

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

Guyana/Venezuela border controversy

One final year for Good Officer Process – UN

…World Court to follow if all else fails

A

fter months of waiting the office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations has finally pronounced on its decision over the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy, announcing that it will be extending the Good Offices Process for another year to have the matter settled.

Guyana had back in 2014 indicated that it was opting out of the very process, which was on the other hand fully embraced by its Spanish speaking counterpart. Guyana’s position was that the process was doing very little to bring satisfaction and closure to the issue which has been prevailing for decades.

Making its official announcement Friday evening, the Secretary-General said it has reached the conclusion that the Good Offices Process will continue for one final year, with a new personal representative of the Secretary-General, with a strengthened mandate of mediation, who will be appointed by the Secretary-General designate shortly after he takes office.

The release said if, by the end of 2017, the SG concludes that significant progress has not been made toward arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy, he will choose the International Court of Justice as the next means of settlement, unless both parties jointly request that he refrain from doing so.

According to the release, within the framework of the Geneva Agreement, a Good Offices Process under the Secretary-General has been in place for the last 25 years in order to find a solution to the controversy. This process it said has so far involved three Personal Representatives of the Secretary-General. In spite of these efforts, it has not been possible to bridge the differences between the parties.

“The Secretary General has engaged in intensive efforts to find a way forward that would be most conducive to finding a solution. To that end, the Secretary-General held a trilateral meeting with President David Granger of Guyana and President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela in the margins of the 70th General Assembly.

The Secretary-General has subsequently dispatched several high-level missions to both capitals and held meetings at the highest level with both parties. In November of this year, he conducted an extensive stocktaking of the Good Offices Process,” the UN said in its statement Friday.

The Secretary-General has discussed the conclusions with the Secretary-Generaldesignate, who has expressed concurrence with them.

“The Secretary-General and the Secretary-General designate applaud Guyana and Venezuela for addressing the controversy

Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro along with President David Granger pictured with outgoing United Nation’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

through peaceful means. The Secretary-General and the Secretary-General-designate are committed to see the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela resolved,” the statement said.

Fifty years ago, shortly before Guyana’s independence in 1966, the Geneva Agreement was signed with the aim of amicably resolving the controversy that had arisen as the result of the Venezuelan contention that the Arbitral Award of 1899 about the frontier between Venezuela and what is now Guyana is null and void. The 1966 Geneva Agreement confers on the Secretary-General of the United Nations the power to choose means of settlement of the controversy from among those that are contemplated in Article 33 of the United Nations Charter.

With Guyana on the verge of becoming a lucrative oil-producing nation, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a decree in May last year purporting to claim the majority of Guyana’s waters off the Essequibo shore.

The decree was seen as a flagrant violation of international law and was inconsistent with the principle that all states should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states.

In an effort to defend its sovereignty, Guyana made it clear to the Venezuelan Government that the Essequibo and its offshore waters belong to Guyana, and strengthened its push for judicial settlement of the issue, as the Good Officer process had yielded little result.

The border dispute between the two countries was set by an international tribunal in 1899, in an award the parties, including Venezuela, had agreed would be the final settlement. Since the belligerence from Venezuela, moves have been made by the international community, including the UN SecretaryGeneral, to push for a peaceful resolution of the issue.

The Guyanese leader and President Maduro had

met with the outgoing UN Secretary-General for the first time in September last year to discuss the controversy. The meeting was dubbed fruitful as both Heads pledged to mend the bilateral relationship while attempts are being made to resolve the border controversy.

Meanwhile, the Government of Guyana in a statement late Friday evening said that it is pleased to be able to convey to the people of Guyana that a new point of promise in relations with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has been reached.

“It has long been the accepted position of all Governments in Guyana that the best means of settlement of our controversy with Venezuela should be a reference of it to the International Court of Justice. We consider that controversy to be essentially a legal question and one eminently susceptible to a legal process of settlement,” the statement said. It noted that there can be no higher tribunal for this purpose than the International Court of Justice to determine this matter on a definite basis.

The Secretary General of the United Nations acting under the 1966 Geneva Agreement

has informed the President of his decision to give the ‘good offices’ process one last period of twelve months, that is to the end of 2017.

“If, at the end of that period, the Secretary-General concludes that significant progress has not been made towards arriving at a full agreement for the solution of the controversy, he will choose the International Court of Justice as the next means of settlement, unless the Governments of Guyana and Venezuela jointly request that he refrain from doing so.”

The Government said that it accepts the decision of the Secretary General. “We stand committed to using our best endeavours to fulfil its highest expectations. The Government will be writing formally to him as well as to the President of Venezuela to indicate our acceptance of this decision.”

It also noted that the Government believe that, in taking this decision, the Secretary General has remained loyal to the sacred mission of the United Nations to uphold the law and maintain the peace between nations – small and large.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, december 17, 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

It is time for sport, athletes to benefit

I

n the past, sport used to be about talent; however, it was never limited to aptitude but mostly recognised for an individual or team’s ability. That is not the case today because the sport industry has evolved.

And the evolution garners much gains for persons involved, whether it be the coach, manager, player or some official or administrator. There is so much to benefit from.

In fact, Jamaican and the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt – between August 2015 and August 2016 – made US$32.5 million.

Serena Williams earned $28.9 million between June of 2015 and June 2016. That makes her the world’s highest-paid female athlete over that span. Bolt is the number one ranked in his sport while Williams is currently ranked at number two in hers.

Beyond the playing area, Bill Belichick, New England Patriots coach takes home US$7.5 million annually while standing at seven million strong Celtic Boston’s coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers is the leading earner among coaches in the NBA. When it comes to sports, it pays to be at the top of your game.

Today, professional athletes stand alongside hedge fund managers, private equity managers, and business tycoons as some of the wealthiest people on the planet.

According to Forbes Magazine, the highest paid athletes in 2014 were Floyd Mayweather (boxer) – $105 million total earnings; Cristiano Ronaldo (soccer) – $80 million total earnings; LeBron James (basketball) – $72.3 million total earnings; Lionel Messi (soccer) – $64.7 million total earnings; and Kobe Bryant (basketball) – $61.5 million total earnings.

However, the salaries of professional athletes did not always looks like this. In the last 50 years or so, a number of industry developments have impacted players’ earnings.

Almost a century ago in the 1920’s, the term “professional” sportsmen had a very different meaning. The earliest teams in professional football, for example, earned as little as US$100 to $300 a game, and often traded for similar sums.

“Iconic baseball superstar, Babe Ruth was paid just $80,000 per year. Most other players made just a fraction of that, averaging $5000, and supplementing their income with off-season jobs, such as selling cars or insurance. Professional golfers were among the best paid athletes during this era, with earnings coming from tournaments and contracts with upscale country clubs. Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen each received between US$25,000 and US$30,000 a year.

However, this didn’t change much over the next few decades. In 1955, golfing legend Arnold Palmer had his first professional win at the Canadian Open at Weston Golf and Country Club, pocketing just US$2400. In contrast, Australian golfer Adam Scott won US$1.44 million at the Masters championship in 2013.”

The 1960’s is where the evolution started due to the introduction of television in the 1950’s, along with lucrative broadcasting deals, had begun to make many professional athletes significantly wealthier.

Audience inflation went from thousands in stadiums to millions via the television. This trend continued over decades and today most athletes retire as athletes, who did not had to find themselves off season jobs.

Whether it be in a first class, developing or third world nation, athletes, officials and administrators are making gains out of sport.

Not too far from Guyana in tiny Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica this is the case.

Unfortunately, this is not the case here, unless, you have managed to make it to the West Indies team or gain a contract to a professional club outside Guyana.

Surprisingly with all the chaos surrounding the sport, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) pays its contracted players somewhere between $240,000 to $500,000 per month, while its academy players (some 33) earn $75,000 per month.

Although that amount, based on the money the GCB receives from the West Indies Cricket Board (GCB) is questionable, no other sport association or Board pays its athletes anything close to the sums listed above.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) as recent as 2014 were receiving US$250,000 annually from Fifa but the players and the sport were and still are suffering. The GFF is now seeking a huge jump in its annual Fifa fundings, somewhere around US$1.2 million, hopefully the sport and players will gain from that mammoth amount. And the list goes on with Guyana Olympics Association (GOA) and other associations that receive huge amounts from international bodies.

With the initiative implemented by the GCB, cricketers are now able to make cricket a career and can focus on harnessing their skills.

This should be an area other administrators could use.

The end of 2016 is just a few days away from its conclusion but in 2017 like most places around the world, Guyanese sport administrators should try their best to make sport a career for the athletes who yearn for it; it is time for the sport and athletes to benefit, not just the administrators.

First Lady Sandra Granger on Friday honoured over 200 senior citizens across Guyana at a luncheon and gift distribution on the lawns of State House. In photo, the First Lady shares a light moment with women of the Lutheran Church

GOA position has halted progress made by GSSF for Archery Dear Editor, I am humbled by the confidence reposed in me after having read, over the past few months, the rumblings started by a very valiant and idealistic Rawle Welch that I will be contesting the position of the presidency of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA).

Regrettably, such confidence was misplaced. T Pemberton repeatedly mentioned in his earlier letters to the media that the presidency is a serious position not to be taken lightly and needs a good active dedicated Captain. I certainly agree with Pemberton and envisioned that any candidates for the position would be actively lobbying for support closer to the elections. At this defining moment of sports and specifically Olympic Sports for our beloved Guyana, I wish to point out as with everything there are rules, guidelines and policies to guide us and ensure that fairness always prevail. Within the Guyana Olympic Association the Constitution is clear as to the General Meetings.

Article 5(A) of the GOA Constitution sets out that notice must be given to the member associations and sub-section 5 goes on to specify clearly who are to be the eligible attendees of this meeting.

Earlier recommendations were publicly made for all sports journalists to at-

tend, but this is still in limbo. The Council itself is constitutionally supposed to be comprised of representatives elected from the various Olympic sporting associations/federations “approved by the IOC and accepted by the Committee.”

From 2011 to 2014, I was a member of the Council of GOA, representing the sport of Squash. That position on the Council has now been assumed by David Fernandes.

I have since been focusing my energies on the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation (GSSF), which has under its disciplines, a well-defined and structured Olympic sport which is Archery.

I recall an earlier letter to the media from one Lester Sealey who rightly opined that “I do think the time is now ripe for non-traditional sports, ie Archery….”

Most of Guyana by now should be aware of the significant strides the GSSF has been taking to launch and introduce Archery to Guyana. Support for the GSSF as it relates to this prominent Olympic sport has been gained from the Government, via the Education Ministry’s Department of Sport, and the National Sports Commission to ensure that our local Archers are given a fair chance to compete internationally and later at the Olympic level. It has been crushingly disappoint-

ing that our request for affiliation and approval made to the GOA since 2014 is still pending.

This position taken over the years by the GOA has all but halted the progress made by the GSSF for Archery. The GSSF, having gained international recognition and affiliation to the Swiss based World Archery Federation, is viewed as the recognised body for the sport of Archery in Guyana.

This international affiliation was granted, and is currently maintained by the GSSF after having fulfilled all the criteria set out by the IOC’s governing body for Archery. Additionally, Guyana is now enlisted as active for the Olympic sport within the zone of World Archery Americas, and is officially represented by the Guyana Sport Shooting Federation in this regard.

Despite numerous reminders and attempts over the past years to engage GOA’s attention, along with the provision of documentation from the World Archery Federation confirming us as a legitimate affiliate, we have, on a now monthly basis, been asking the GOA to revisit our request.

The GSSF went on to secure additional letters sent from World Archery Americas to the National Olympic Committee of Guyana (ie GOA) so as to facilitate our affiliation to

Guyana’s NOC, which is a requirement for our local Archers to participate in qualifying World events and to begin training for the Olympics, where there is a real chance Archery can bring home Olympic medals in years to come, but to no avail. Hence, because of the silence of the current executive committee of the GOA to the GSSF’s request for affiliation to the Guyana Olympic Association only as it related to the sport of Archery in Guyana, there can be no representative of this Olympic Sport on the GOA executive. This in turn renders me ineligible to run for any post on the committee of the GOA in their upcoming general elections.

Thank you, however, again for the confidence placed in me. I am continuing to learn more about the sport and will endeavour to continue to see how best we can ensure Guyanese archers will one day reach the Olympic level and bring home medals!

Best of luck to all the contenders and I hope that the new board will realise that Archery, as an Olympic sport, needs all the support it can get.

Yours sincerely, Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon President of the GSSF

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saturDAY, december 17, 2016

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

Deeper analysis of realities of sugar industry Dear Editor, The Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc (GuySuCo) would like to respond to Mr Hydar Ally’s letter that was published on December 16, 2016 titled ‘What the sugar industry needs is a higher level of efficiency’.

We would like to invite the author to undertake a deeper analysis of the realities of the Guyana sugar industry so that his contribution to the debate on the best possible solutions can be reflective of a more objective understanding of the issues.

It is important to note that Booker Tate Limited was brought in by the Desmond Hoyte Government to reposition GuySuCo for possible divestment. Its mandate was the “sugar” business.

Contrary to views expressed, GuySuCo was making real progress with its diversification activities through the Other Crops Division, but given the mandate of Booker Tate, this was discontinued.

The management of the Guyanese economy was regulated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program that was in place at the time, and Booker Tate, with the support of the then Guyana Government, obtained the approval of the IMF to increase wages up to 75 per cent in order to attract workers back into the Corporation.

What is noteworthy is that the state of GuySuCo’s agricultural infrastructure in 1990 was significantly better than it is at the moment. Also, the cadre of technical skills and experience which obtained in 1990

was significantly greater than that which currently exists.

In order to successfully deliver its mandate, Booker Tate brought in a team of expatriate administrative and technical staff, which peaked at over twenty in number.

This team was supported by Booker Tate’s corporate office in the United Kingdom which had some of the best technical expertise in the sugar world.

Fundamental to this review is that GuySuCo and Booker Tate in those years had the benefit of the EU Preferential market. Given the direction in which sugar prices and costs were trending, in particular the latter, the Booker Tate management during the mid-1990s recommended the rationalisation of the industry - fewer factories and the rationalisation of cane hectares – to reduce cost, increase productivity and better secure the future of the industry.

However, this strategic plan was not approved.

The dominant criterion was increasing production, while the restructuring of costs was not entertained.

Over the years Booker Tate was required to reduce their numbers. At the same time skilled, experienced Guyanese were leaving - retiring, resigning or migrating.

The local and international environment, within which sugar as a business exists, has been changing over the years, particularly over the past 10 years.

During this period, the EU preferential price was lost; there was the loss of skills and experience as a result of the reduction in the num-

ber of Booker Tate technical staff, the exodus of Guyanese skills and experience, both of which resulted in the overall weakening of the technical and management team across the industry; the under-capitalisation of the sugar industry was severe; there was the granting of increases in wages and salaries, despite the financial difficulties being experienced by the Corporation; not to be underestimated was the havoc wreaked by the floods of 2005, the effects of which were felt in subsequent years; the escalation of cost of production and financial losses including cash deficits continued.

Additionally, another area which has impacted negatively on the sugar industry is the adversarial industrial relations environment. Man-days lost due to strikes from January 2000 to end September 2016 exceeded 1 million. From 2005 to 2015, there were 2,019 strikes with an average of 150 per year. The number of strikes to October 31, 2016 is 139; as of October 31, 2016 43,693 man-days were lost. This situation continues to have a significant negative impact on the industry’s health.

Cane yields reported on the basis of tonnes cane per hectare (tc/ha) is an important indicator measuring the health of the cultivation. For the period May 1976 to December 1979 the tc/ha was approximately 71.5; from January 1980 to December 1989, it was approximately 71.0; from January 1990 to December 1999 it was approximately 66.8; January 2000 to

December 2009 approximately 66.2; and for the period January 2010 to 2016 to date the average yield approximates 57.6 tc/ha.

Finally, it is important to note that significant rationalisation/reorganisation is necessary to become viable.

Mr Ally is correct, that higher production will reduce unit cost but this is only to a

degree. With the best of marketing strategies the existing preferential markets cater for about 70,000 tonnes of sugar, with any additional production having to be sold at prices which are based on the World market.

The world to which Mr Ally alludes, albeit very incompletely, is very different from that which pres-

ently obtains. In the interest of the employees of the industry and the economy at large, different remedies are required.

Yours faithfully, Audreyanna Thomas Senior Communications Officer Communications Unit

Is GuySuCo prepared to defend its position in court?

Dear Editor, The letter captioned “Brijwalla’s case is yet another of GuySuCo’s anti-workers’ thrust” that was published on December 16, 2016 has again demonstrated the sugar corporation’s scant regard for enlightened, prudent and open labour relations practices.

I do not wish to comment on either the merit or demerit of Dharamdeo Brijwalla’s dismissal because I do not know the facts and circumstances, but on the corporation’s stance of refusing to acquiesce to the Chief Labour Officer’s (CLO), Charles Ogle, advise to have the dismissal dispute be “adjudicated by an arbitrator”. The CLO deliberated on the said matter at conciliation as such the next stage in the procedure is arbitration.

The mere fact that notwithstanding the union being willing to proceed to arbitration, the need for the corporation to agree to this course meant that the collective labour contract between the corporation and union

requires mutual consent by both parties to proceed to arbitration.

This is an obvious defect on this contract, because here is the union having had the Chief Labour Office, Charles Ogle, declaring a “deadlock” to the dispute at hand, and willing to proceed to arbitration, but the corporation as per its letter dated December 6, 2016, is refusing to have the said dispute being “considered at arbitration”.

Editor, one could only assume that the corporation would have conducted the required due diligence and critical reviews with respect to the facts and circumstances of the case before it took the decision to dismiss Brijwalla; so why is it refusing to defend its decision at arbitration if it is confident that its decision could be scrutinised at this proceeding?

Was it that Brijwalla was dismissed without due process being followed, and for the corporation to avoid scrutiny or embar-

rassment is to bluntly refuse to go along with the union’s choice?

The letter stated that at the meeting on September 20, 2016, Ogle after presentations by the union and corporation, recommended that the latter review its decision. It is obvious that Ogle must have informed his recommendation based on what was presented to him by both parties, and he must have recognised that the corporation’s decision was defective.

Editor, it is highly improper, and rather unethical, for the corporation to dismiss an employee, and unionised for that matter, and either hide behind a defective collective labour contract or arrogantly defying the CLO’s advice; rather than go to the full length to defend its decision.

Would GuySuCo have refused to defend its decision in the court of law if Brijwalla has taken legal recourse?

Yours faithfully, Selwyn Narinedatt

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saturday, december 17, 2016

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Foundation

BY R MORGAN GRIFFIN (Continued from Friday)

Controlling holiday stress

Experts say that the holidays can make people feel out of control. We feel at the mercy of our relatives or steamrolled by the sheer force of family tradition. But you have a say. The key is to take some control over the holidays, instead of letting them control you.

For instance, you may find the family obligations of the holidays overwhelming.

You have to make the rum balls according to your grandmother’s recipe, even though you personally find them inedible. You have to go over to your aunt’s for the holiday dinner, even though she always drinks too much, makes a scene, and freaks out your children. You have to leave a poinsettia on your grandfather’s grave, even though it’s three hours and two states away. You don’t exactly want to do any of these things. You just have to.

Duckworth encourages people to stop right there. Do you really have to?

“Ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing things that make me miserable?’” Duckworth tells WebMD. “Think about the reasons.”

He suggests that you draw up a list of reasons why you engage in these holiday traditions, and then a list of reasons why you shouldn’t. Just making a simple pro and con list will remind you that you do have a choice.

Changing your outlook

guyanatimesgy.com

The next step is to challenge some of your assumptions. If you enjoyed the holidays differently this year, what would happen? What if you didn’t go to your aunt’s for dinner? What if you didn’t bring the poinsettias to your grandfather’s grave?

Your gut feeling might be: Calamity!

Disaster! But get past that initial reaction.

Think about what would really happen.

Maybe your aunt would be annoyed. Is that

really such a big deal? Could you make it up to her later with a brunch in February?

Instead of trekking to your grandfather’s grave, could you honour him in a different way – lighting a candle or saying a prayer?

The key is to be conscious about what you’re doing. This holiday season, don’t unthinkingly do things the same way just because that’s how you always do them. If the old holiday traditions aren’t working, if they’re not making you happy and causing holiday stress, it’s time to do something different.

couple of hours instead of staying all night.

Don’t worry about how things should be. “There’s a lot of cultural pressure during the holidays,” says Duckworth. “We tend to compare ourselves with these idealised notions of perfect families and perfect holidays.” But in fact, most people have less than perfect holiday gatherings – they have family tension, melancholy, and dry turkey too. If you have negative feelings, don’t try to deny them. Remember that there’s nothing wrong or shameful or unusual about feeling down during the holidays.

Tips for beating holiday stress

Depression during the holidays: Getting help

Once you’ve taken a clear look at the holidays – about what works and what doesn’t – it’s time to make some changes.

Focus on the holiday stresses that you can control. That includes making different plans and changing your responses to situations. Here are four key don’ts for the holidays.

Don’t do the same old thing. If the usual family gathering is causing holiday stress, try something else. If you’re too overwhelmed to host, discuss other possibilities with family members. Maybe a sibling could have the dinner this year.

Don’t expect miracles. If your holiday anxiety stems from a deeper history of family conflict, don’t expect that you’ll be able to resolve any big underlying issues now. Sure, it’s supposed to be a season of forgiveness and good will. But in the midst of a hectic holiday season, you can’t pin your hopes on leading family members to big emotional breakthroughs. You may be better off focusing on your own state of mind and confronting difficult issues during a less volatile time of year.

Don’t overdo it. To reduce holiday stress, you have to pace yourself. Long before the family gatherings actually happen, decide on some limits and stick to them. Stay one or two nights at your parents’ house instead of three or four.

Plan to drop by the holiday party for a

For many people battling holiday stress, changing expectations and behavior can make a big difference. But not always. David Dunner, MD, director of the Centre for Anxiety and Depression in Mercer Island, Washington, DC, says that sometimes the apparent connections between the holidays and depression may just be coincidental.

“I tend to take a fairly agnostic approach toward the cause of depression because I’m never sure what it really is,” says Dunner.

“Even though it might seem like that the holiday trip to Cleveland to see family is what’s making you feel down, it could have nothing to do with it.” Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a medical condition, a drug side effect, or something else entirely could be the real culprit.

Dunner also worries that some people may write off signs of serious depression as mere holiday stress. It’s unwise – even dangerous – to ignore depression symptoms for weeks or months in the hopes that they’ll just disappear come January.

So while holiday stress may be seasonal, depression can be year-round.

If your holiday anxiety seems severe or is interfering with your job or home life, talk to your doctor or to a counsellor. (www. webmd.com)

BY SUSAN RAKO MD

M

y legendary mentor, Dr Elvin Semrad, observed that “there are three choices in life: to kill yourself, go crazy, or learn to live with what you have in life”. This can be a particular challenge at Christmas.

“There’s no place like home for the Holidays” promises a more universal experience of warmth and joy than reality serves up for many, and fuels and ignites longings that the efforts of grieving have let settle to ash. The gap between what we have and what we wish we had is wider and deeper at Holiday time. Many people may not be dreaming of a White Christmas as much as hoping for a Christmas that isn’t blue.

One of the challenges to holding one’s emotional balance is the experience of spending Holiday time with very difficult family members. I find myself reminding particular patients of the importance of maintaining hard-won appropriate boundaries for selfprotection. Sometimes this amounts to avoiding being alone with a particular person. The temptation to repeat old patterns with the hope that “it will be different this time” is an invitation to regression and subsequent pain.

Over the years, several of my patients have presented a wide-ranging set of issues that generated for each of them particular difficulties at Christmas time. One woman struggled with feeling inadequate to the task of choosing gifts that could please family members.

Shopping became a nearly overwhelming challenge for her, which she dreaded with painful anticipation for weeks. While we did not identify a focussed memory or specific interpretation to explain her holiday trouble, as we worked intensively and patiently on developing her sense of self, her capacity to relate to others naturally grew, and she became comfortable with choosing gifts. She no longer dreads the Holidays. Even her memory of this former suffering has now faded.

Having expectations of joy and fulfilment at the Holidays (or any particular time, for that matter) is an invitation to let-down. I believe that the most wholesome way to approach Christmas is to remember that each day is an adven-

ture, an opportunity to learn and to feel and to love, to have compassion for one’s self and for others, and, unpredictably, to experience magic.

My personal experience of magic did once happen on a particular Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve l943.

Worcester, Massachusetts.

I am four years old. It is Friday night, Shabbas — the Jewish Sabbath — at my grandmother’s house, in the kitchen with the green enamel Glenwood stove, the waxed linoleum, the maple table and chairs, the mahogany clock on the mantle that chimes and is wound with a key, and the radio with the war news. My mother, aunt, and grandmother have on cardigans over their patterned house dresses, and ankle socks with their laced up, black-for-winter, Cubanheeled shoes. My father is, as he was required to do most Fridays, working late. After supper, when it’s time for my mother and me to walk back up the hill to our home, where I’ve hung my stocking for Santa to fill (an ecumenical heritage from my Jewish Orthodox grandfather, who wanted his eight children to grow up “American”) Auntie Rosie looks into my face and says, “Sussaleh, you must be old enough now to know that there really isn’t any Santa Claus.” My chest feels cold.

The night goes dead.

I don’t remember much of the trek home, but when we are nearly there, oh my goodness...there...he... is. Big and red and a shiny black belt and a bushy white beard and a hat and a sack.

“Ho, ho, ho, little girl. You’d better get home and get to bed before I get there.” I remember my mother dialling the telephone and putting me on with Auntie Rosie.

“There is, too, Santa Claus.

I just saw him.”

Sometimes I wonder if this really happened, just as I wonder whether, once when I was snorkelling in the Caribbean, I really saw the sea horse holding by its tail to sea grasses.

My work in the world includes the honour of accompanying my patients through the daily adventures of their lives and helping them as best I can to know what they have to know, to feel what they have to feel, to think what they have to think – to be alive to their lives with as much courage and peace as possible – at Christmas and every day. (Psychologytoday.com)

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saturDAY, december 17, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Citizens duty- bound to file tax returns – GRA Commissioner General Statia denied the assertions made by the Opposition Leader, insisting that every person, especially those holding such high offices as Members of Parliament, have a duty to file their tax returns.

“We are here to administer the law fairly and with-

GRA Commissioner General Godfrey Statia

R

esponding to claims

by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) was out to victimise People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Members of Parliament, Commissioner General of the Revenue Authority, Godfrey Statia, has stated that this was far from the truth. In fact he said the Revenue body’s action was in keeping with efforts to ensure that the tax laws are adhered to.

The Opposition Leader on Thursday lashed out at Government, claiming it was using the GRA to work against his party and its members because of their stance against the 2017 National Estimates.

According to Jagdeo, at least five members of the party’s Executive received letters from the GRA, which stated that they have outstanding property taxes.

He told the media that the members have denied owing the GRA any outstanding taxes.

Addressing the media on Friday for the first time since his appointment, Commissioner General

PPP/C MP Joseph Hamilton

out any political intervention. As far as I’m aware we have gotten no political intervention so far, no one has spoken to me about it,” the Commissioner General told members of the media.

He said holding a public office means that one must be held at a higher standard. He noted that demand notices were similarly sent to Government Members of Parliament and other public servants.

“We need to understand that we have an obligation as public officers, MP’s or whoever it may be; we have an obligation to file their taxes on or before April 30 the following year. The Integrity Commission requires that they file,” he said.

Statia stated that it is very unfortunate that the demand letters reached the five MP’s during the examination of the Budget Estimates.

According to him, the letters were sent out immediately after he occupied office.

“When I ascended this office in July, my staff knows it well, in August when I was going through the listings of persons who ought to be sent out notices Members of Parliament across the board, all Permanent Secretaries, everybody at the top of Government agencies, I instructed that they must submit all their outstanding returns,” he noted.

The PPP Members of Parliament who were served

as a collective, or on the part of Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

“They think by threatening investigations to lockup people, that they will intimidate people,” Jagdeo charged, as he defiantly declared “they are never going to muzzle us.”

According to the Opposition Leader, if the Government were to be

PPP/C MP Frank Anthony

PPP/C MP Indra Chandarpal

with demand notices are Dr Frank Anthony, Indra Chandarpal, Irfaan Ali, Joseph Hamilton and Juan Edghill.

The letters were dispatched on Wednesday and Thursday.

Meanwhile, lashing out at the move by the GRA, Jagdeo called the move an act of vindictiveness on the part of Government, either

PPP/C MP, Bishop Juan Edghill

judged by their own standards, half of the Cabinet would be placed in jail over the drug bond and D’Urban Park fiascos alone.

Calling the move by Government a diversionary tactic, the Opposition Leader told the media that the PPP/C members written to, will be responding to the

GRA. He called the action by the GRA a continuing trend on the part of Government, saying “every time we expose them, they then go after us.”

A defiant Jagdeo has since challenged the Government to, “come after us, it is no problem, you should have done that already, it has been two years, do the worse that you can do.” According to Jagdeo, the Administration has been in Office for close to two years and has completed a number of forensic audits which it has claimed, proves illegalities.

Jagdeo, said to the Administration: “Charge who you have to charge, we will not be intimidated by Government.”

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SATURDAY, december 17, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ice-pick robbery accused to spend Christmas behind bars

“Popeye” jailed for theft

Timing…

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man who allegedly armed himself with an ice-pick and carried out a robbery, was on Friday remanded to prison when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Magistrate Annette Singh.

Cheddie Bacchus, 29, was charged with robbery under arms, but denied the charge when it was read to him.

The charge stated that on December 12 at D’Urban Street, Georgetown, Bacchus

while in the company of another and armed with an ice-picker, robbed Troy Braithwaite of two cellular phones valued $200,000.

Prosecutor, Christopher Morris, objected to bail based on the prevalence of the offence and due to the fact that a dangerous weapon was used in its course.

As such Magistrate Singh denied bail and Bacchus was sent to spend his Christmas behind bars.

The case will continue on December 30.

A

Kitty, Georgetown, man is sailing to the Camp Street penitentiary where he will be serving a 12-month sentence after being charged and admitting to stealing a pressure washer.

Sheriff Azeez, called “Popeye”, 36, pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Annette Singh at Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday.

The charge against him

stated that on December 1, 2016, at Kitty, Georgetown, he stole one pressure washer valued $150,000 from Mitrau Rooplall.

Prosecutor Christopher Morris noted to the Court that after his arrest, the defendant admitted to carrying out the act and took Police Officers to where the item was hidden.

Magistrate Singh after hearing the facts of the matter sentenced the accused to 12 months in prison.

W

…isn’t right

ho’s the man? Nagamootoo’s the man – if you listen to him, of course. Even though he didn’t get to chair Cabinet meetings as was promised to him when he was being courted to deliver his 11 per cent to the PNC, Nagamootoo believes the political solar system still revolves around him. He does get to sit on the left hand of President Granger, and even though they’re pretty tight-lipped on these things, we do assume he gets to speak at Cabinet meetings.

So when the Private Sector (being the “engine of growth”) and the Trade Union bodies (being the fuel for the “engine of growth”) requested some of his time to discuss a number of discomfiting proposals in the latest Budget, your Eyewitness figured Nagamootoo would jump at the opportunity to show what a BMIG he was. That’s “Big Man In Government” for you readers who aren’t too au fait with the lexicon of governance.

But Nagamootoo coyly declined the rendezvous and averred as to how the “timing wasn’t right for talks on the Budget with the social partners”. What the heck’s going on? After all, being the “representative of the President in the National Assembly” is about all the “power” that’s left to Nagamootoo after he was spayed following the elections. Which power gives him the authority to speak ‘as if he was the President’ in those hallowed chambers! Has this also been plucked from him? And he has to content himself with speaking after Jagdeo – albeit to empty Opposition benches?

Anyhow, Nagamootoo came up with some cockamamie excuse about not wanting to violate “the separation of powers” doctrine and deny the “legislative branch” their day in the sun!! What a crock!! When the Executive has a majority in a Parliamentary Legislature – as they do now – the legislature’s just a glorified rubber stamp. Or, in the vernacular, a “Christmas Blow Blow”!!

The Social Partners - as Nagamootoo called them, know this – and were conceding the only possibility of introducing any change to the universally condemned Budget is to have the Executive take a second look.

That they equated “the Executive” with Nagamootoo should have been seized by him as a bargaining chip with the PNC types that are running the show. He’s the man!! As for Nagamootoo’s point that the social partners could’ve met the Budget Team before, that’s beside the point! They did in fact meet – to no avail.

But then what else is new? The Government actually appointed a Tax Review Committee (TRC) – with their blue-eyed accountant Chris Ram on board - and didn’t incorporate their major recommendations!

What Nagamootoo rejected was a face saving “out” – both for himself and his Government.

…and the Mayoralty

They do say hope beats eternal and all that. Even in the heart of your adamantine Eyewitness! But seems it died on the vine with Sherod Duncan on his promise to challenge the gang of Four at City Hall. Now not many expected him to wrest the mayoralty from Patricia Chase Green – since, as Burnham was wont to say, this was ‘tzAZzzzhe’ occasion for the war and not the cause of the war.

The “cause” of the war is to keep control of Georgetown in the hands of the PNC. Duncan’s quest to have the City Council function more transparently is seen as “Quixotic” by the fellas at the centre pulling the strings of their marionettes. As Burnham was also wont to say, when it came to “democracy”, Duncan was reading ON the lines and not BETWEEN the lines.

Someone from his own AFC party must’ve hauled him behind the woodshed and explained the lay of the land.

The AFC has no cojones to rock the boat!! …and scholarships Imagine the Government supported the raising of fees at UG, but yet can see fit to award two Ministers – earning more than $695,000/monthly, plus perks scholarships worth more than $3 million annually!!

Brother, can you spare a dollar?

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

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Indigenous peoples land rights under threat – APA

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lmost one/third of the indigenous villages in Regions One and Two have no legal land rights, while only one community out of 29 titled Amerindian villages considers its title to be adequate for its people, an Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) new report finds.

The report, which was launched on Friday at the Cara Lodge Hotel in Georgetown, provided detailed evidence of land rights violations and land conflicts affecting indigenous peoples in Regions One and Two. The authors of the report conducted surveys on the land

rights situation of 35 indigenous villages and communities in Region One and seven villages in Region Two. It discovered that two/thirds of titled villages highlighted that settlements and homesteads are also left outside their title.

Nevertheless, the report made a series of grassroots proposals for action to address indigenous peoples’ land claims and grievances with specific recommendations for Village Councils and the National Toshaos Council, the Government of Guyana and international agencies.

In 2011, the APA was tasked by its members to conduct a participatory study on

APA President Mario Hastings (right) handing over the report to DFID’s FLEGT facilitator, Dr Alhassan Attah

Master plan launched to fight drug trafficking

Members of the Diplomatic Corps among invitees at the launching ceremony on Friday

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan at the drug strategy launch on Friday

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four-year master plan aimed at tackling the rising use and transport of licit and illicit drugs was on Friday launched by Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.

Following a review and modification of the 20142018 master plan, a need was found for it to be brought in line with the most recent national and internal dynamics of the drug problem.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who also led the review of the master plan, said that a drug use in school survey and the recommendations made had also influenced the new master plan.

According to Ramjattan, the master plan has as its aims to reduce the use of

drugs in the communities and realise they cause to the community at large and the individual users.

“This involves what the experts have talked about extensively namely, a multipawned strategy in that first reducing demand, reducing supply, reducing drug related harm, providing treatment options, developing a scaled workforce to reduce drug use, cooperate internationally and then adopting controlled measures especially the distribution of pharmaceutical products and monitoring the activities to prevent diversion of those products.”

According to the master plan, Government is committed to ensuring that sustained safety and security of its citizens well into the future against the drug problem. The master plan also utilises as balanced approach between public health and public security. It addresses demand and supply reduction, control measures, intuitional strengthening and policy coordination, as well as international cooperation.

Equally the master plan

brings into focus all national concerns about drug control.

It explains national policies, identifies priorities and assigns responsibility for drug control efforts.

The strategies expressed are based on the existing national situation but also take into account several international treaties and agreements, including those proposed by regional, hemispheric and global agencies.

Ramjattan at the launching stated that the drug problem clearly requires holistic, balanced and multidisciplinary responses and in order to deliver, the plan was fashioned utilising a common and shared sense of responsibility among all sectors and stakeholder agencies. It is therefore based on the principle of the shared responsibilities.

The launching ceremony, which was held at the Police Officer Training Centre, was also attended by the diplomatic corps including US Ambassador Perry Holloway, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Ministers of State and Public Health Joseph Harmon and George Norton.

the land rights situation facing indigenous communities.

The aim was to help Village Councils advance their land claims and to provide information for national projects and initiatives that address indigenous peoples’ lands and forests.

It was highlighted that weak land governance and flawed boundary survey practices along with discriminatory national laws on land and resource ownership often prevent satisfactory and fair land titling for indigenous communities.

“Evidence presented in the study shows how the extractive sector contributes to violations of customary land rights of indigenous peoples,” said APA President, Mario Hastings during his presentation at the report launch.

In 2015, over 30 percent

of titled villages and 80 per cent of untitled customary lands were found to have mining concessions. Similar data emerged for forestry activities with 34 per cent of titled villages and 79 per cent of untitled lands being affected by State Forest Permits or other logging concessions.

It indicated further that mining and logging allocations done without FPIC resulted in destructive mining and logging practices causing heavy contamination and pollution of waters, heavy degradation of riverbanks and forests resulting in water shortages, food insecurity and health problems.

Some of the more seriously affected communities are Baramita, Eclipse Falls, Arakaka, Big Creek, Oronoque, Citrus Grove and Canal Bank.

She added “When we say land we don’t mean the surface alone. We mean everything above and beneath it from the flora and the fauna that depend on it. For indigenous people land is life.”

In its recommendations, the report proposed that

Government and authorities move forward reviewing and amending the 2006 Amerindian Act so that it will align with articles in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and related international human rights treaties to which Guyana is a signatory.

Additionally, it recommended that an independent national tribunal to address indigenous peoples’ grievances and concerns to territorial claims be established. The report also emphasised the urgent need to postpone destructive mining and logging operations which directly impact communities, especially in places where FPIC has not been respected.

Meanwhile, the Forest Peoples Programme representative Tom Griffith congratulated the works of the authors and the work of the APA to compile the report. The authors of the report are Sharon Atkinson, David Wilson, Andrew Da Silva, Paul Benjamin, Charles Peters, Roger Alfred and Devroy Thomas.

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SATURDAY, december 17, 2016

News

man crushed NIS records over $200M Soesdyke to death on chicken farm deficit in 2016 T

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lthough the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has recorded a deficit of $238,163,000 in its year-to-date figures; the Scheme is expected to rake in a surplus of $518,072,000 at the end of 2017. This is according to Acting General Manager Holly Greaves.

Greaves stated that the NIS is delivering on its work plan as it continues to manage its finances in a more prudent manner, achieving some of its objectives and investing in infrastructure to support long-term growth.

She noted that a brief examination of the income and expenditure figures for 2016 shows that NIS income from contributions was $17.3 billion or 97.4 per cent of the budgetary allocation; while total expenditure over the same period was approximately $17.5 billion or 99.5 per cent of its budgetary allocation for current expenditure, and approximately $34 million for Capital Expenditure.

Thus, the scheme recorded a year-todate deficit of $238,163,000.

The NIS will also fall short of its budgetary target for Collectable Arrears by $644,273,000 or 49 per cent and Investment Income of $1,053,807,000 is projected from the Scheme's portfolio of $31,356,410,000.

Despite this, 2016 shows that the NIS collected a further $2,249,962,000 in revenue in December and as a re-

sult, will surpass its revenue target by $1,804,005,000.

This, according to Greaves, is mainly because the NIS has been aggressively pursuing delinquent contributors – the minimum insurable earnings ceiling for self-employed persons contributing to the NIS was increased from $53,335 to $62,400 with effect from January 1, 2016.

Meanwhile, NIS is expected to expend a further $1,701,355,673 in the month of December, taking the total expenditure to $19,240,846,673.

As such, current expenditure is projected to surpass its budgetary allocation by $1,604,444,673. The projected expenditure includes $17,443,188,625 for benefit payments.

Worthy of mention here is that inclusive in this figure is pension payments of $14,455,625,000, benefiting approximately 47,372 persons. Of this figure 34,640 persons are old-age pensioners. “We have also paid out as of November 2016,

$296,815,000 in sickness benefits; $605,540,000 in sickness medical care expenses, inclusive in this is payment for dialysis for approximately 200 cases and $366,590,000 in maternity benefits, just to name a few,” she said, adding that benefit payment is expected to surpass its allocation by $1,711,637,625, mainly because the scheme has been continuously clearing its backlog benefit Claims and Appeals. Funeral grants were increased from $33,385 to $36,725 from January 1, 2016; the minimum rate for Old Age and Invalidity Pensions was increased from $21,352 to $25,000 per month from January 1, 2016.

Challenges faced

Greaves stated that an assessment of the current business and operating environments during the 2016 budgeted period revealed that there are other key issues that had an impact on the entity’s income and operations.

“Foremost is our inabil-

ity to adequately capture the self-employed population; thus, it is projected that this Sub-head will fall short of its budgetary target by $395,241,000 or 35 per cent,” she added, stating that other challenges included the development of an informal work force that is not complying with the National Insurance regulations; and an increase in the practice of employers to deem workers who are under their supervision and control as self-employed persons rather than employees.

Meanwhile, Greaves indicated that the budget for 2017 included targeted income of $20,214,532,000, Current Expenditure of 19.6 per cent and a Budgeted Surplus of $551,769,000.

The targeted income comprises $18,698,382,000 in Contribution Income, $63,035,000 in other Income and Investment Income of $1,453,115,000.

She stated that a survey has shown a relatively small increase in both the employed and self-employed populations that should be contributing to the Scheme at a higher rate, due to increased salaries/wages. Other income as budgeted would result from increased fines and penalties paid in to the Scheme by defaulters through increased compliance efforts and internal loan interest “With the assistance of the Government of Guyana, Investment income is expected to be enhanced by $85,931,053 in 2017 based on the repayment from the CLICO Investment,” she added.

he labourer attached to Shameer’s Poultry Farm, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway, who was pinned by a metal silo; succumbed to his injuries while at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The accident occurred at about 15:00h last Wednesday.

Dead is Krishna Surujlall, 50, of Lot 2 Public Road, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD). He took his last breath at about 03:21h

The metal that fell on Surujall on Wednesday

on Friday.

According to reports, the man was working on the farm when the silo gave way, squeezing him in the process.

He suffered a fracture shin bone, a broken leg and severe internal injuries.

His wife, Nanda Surujlall told Guyana Times that her husband left home on Wednesday morning, but later in the day she received the devastating news. “All they tell me is that he was working and the Silo fell on his… he get squeeze in he belly,” she noted.

Her husband she noted, was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, but was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The aggrieved wife noted that upon receiving the news, she immediately went to the

hospital where she saw her husband lying on a stretcher.

She noted that he cried out for severe pains while being admitted to the hospital. She last saw him alive on Thursday afternoon when she visited him, but received the news of his demise sometime at about 04:00h Friday.

The father of four worked with the poultry farm for the past nine months. His body is at the Georgetown Public Hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination scheduled for Monday.

Meanwhile, management of the establishment has met with the family of the dead man and has committed to take care of all the funeral expenses.

Surujlall leaves to mourn his wife, four children and siblings.

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saturDAY, december 17, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

As crime spirals out of control

Police stats accurate – Top Cop O

ver the past months, there has been much public outrage over the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and Government’s posture that the country’s serious crime figures are on the decline, with many commentators and groups saying that the statistics do not truly reflect the crime situation.

However, addressing the matter, Top Cop Seelall Persaud explained that the figures published by the GPF are based on reports made that are computerised for analysis.

“The crime statistics are

what they are. They are genuine, they’re accurate and whenever we receive reports, they are entered into a system – an electronic platform. The ability to change that is only at certain responsible levels and it is what we have. The reason I think for the disbelief is that every day you see on the front pages, high profile crimes being committed like armed robberies, some murder somewhere,” he stated.

Persaud was at the time addressing a gathering of senior and junior Police officers, the business sector and other stakeholders at the A

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud

Hampton Court collision

Motorcyclist succumbs, driver in custody

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ajnauth Samaroo, aka Suresh, 62, of Hampton Court Village, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) has succumbed to injuries he sustained in an accident on the Hampton Court Public Road. The accident occurred on December 15, 2016, at around 18:35h.

According to Police information, the accident involved a car bearing registration plate PJJ 5803, and a motorcycle.

Investigations revealed that the motorcyclist was proceeding north while the driver of the car was proceeding in the said direction behind the motorcycle.

The driver, in attempting to overtake, lost control and collided with Samaroo.

The motorcyclist was allegedly hit from the rear and thrown into a drainage

Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara) Christmas Luncheon and Award Ceremony held on Friday.

According to the Commissioner, crime is a social problem and a law enforcement solution can never work comprehensively.

Hence the Force has started a number of partnership programmes.

“We need public trust… we need partners within the communities that can assist us in dealing with crime.

It is a social problem so we have to find social solutions.

We have to improve on what is happening at the level of family, education, religion and community.”

In this vain, the Top Cop commended the officers in A Division awarded for their outstanding work and urged them to keep up the good work: “It is critical for us to recognise good behaviour by our ranks, recognise good work by our ranks we jump in the same breath to criticise them for bad behaviour.

They look forward to these events,” he remarked.

that effort so that we’re able to pull in the same direction,” Persaud stated.

Furthermore, the Top Cop commended the Division for the work it has done over the years, noting that it has been able to maintain a declining patterning on all three fronts: crime, traffic and social efforts.

Divisional Commander, Clifton Hicken disclosed during his brief remarks that with the exception of burglary, all categories of serious crimes in the Division have reduced. “(In) all other categories of serious crimes we are down… we are currently enjoying a 20 per cent decrease in serious crimes,” he posited, while crediting this

ity with the members of the public and that will continue as long as I’m in the Force,” he stated.

The Commander also expressed appreciation to the corporate sector for their continuous support to the Police Force, particularly in the furtherance of its social crime prevention efforts at the level of communities.

Meanwhile, the business sector displayed the extent of their support with the donation of several prizes for the award ceremony.

CID detective Sergeant Herbert Henry of Brickdam Police Station secured the Best Cop award and received several prizes, including a trip for two to Kaieteur Falls and Arrowpoint Resort on

Good work of ranks

Bajnauth Samaroo’s motorcycle

trench.

The driver Nandram Persaud, also known as Tony of La Belle Alliance, Essequibo Coast, is currently in Police custody assisting with investigations.

The motorcyclist was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to Suddie Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His

body was later taken to the Suddie mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

The man was said to be returning from his sister’s home when he met his demise.

Only recently, in two separate incidents, Doctor Haimant Haimraj and 5-year-old Orissa Williams lost their lives due to accidents.

Moreover, the Police Commissioner outlined that publicly recognising the good work of ranks goes a long way in establishing healthy competitive behaviour, as well as building spirit.

“For us, team spirit is inevitable. We cannot have a one-man hero, we have to have efforts of every being complemented by every other rank that can complement

A Division Best Cop Sergeant Herbert Henry and runner-up Constable Richard Trotz along with Divisional Commander Clifton Hicken following the award ceremony

achievement to the support the Force has been receiving at the level of the communities.

“We are solving crimes faster than we would normally do and that is because we are building capac-

behalf of Roraima Airways.

Additionally, the second Best Cop spot went to traffic rank Constable Richard Trotz, who was presented with a flat screen television from Courts and a bicycle from National Hardware.

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Antiguan nabbed at CJIA with cocaine

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n outgoing passenger destined for Toronto, Canada, was on Friday morning nabbed with a quantity of cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri.

The Antiguan was reportedly seen acting in a suspicious manner by ranks of the Police Narcotics Branch and asked for a search to be conducted on her luggage.

During the search, 2.5 kilograms of cocaine was found

concealed in her carryon suitcase. She was immediately taken into custody and grilled. She is expected to be charged shortly.

Only recently, a resident of West Demerara who has been on the Police radar for some time was nabbed at the CJIA after admitting that he had swallowed a quantity of cocaine pellets.

He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he excreted at least

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Driver granted station bail – file to be sent to DPP for advice

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91 of the pellets with a total of almost one kilogram.

The 46-year-old man was

an outgoing passenger and was destined for the USA.

Bureau of Statistics to be relocated

New home for the Guyana Bureau of Statistics

hief Statistician Lennox Benjamin on Thursday announced that the Guyana Bureau of Statistics (GBS) will be relocated to the former Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs House at Main and Home Streets, Georgetown in the first quarter of 2017, while cit-

Lima Sands accident

ing that it is a relief for the agency.

He stated that the agency has been working under pressure and adverse conditions since it became a semi-autonomous body. He stated that once they are relocated, they will be able to function better and expand their work programmes, particularly along the

lines of conducting a poverty survey in Guyana.

Benjamin explained that the GRA Customs House was allocated in June 2015 as the permanent building for the Bureau and they were expected to move in by the end of 2016. However, he stated that there were additional works that needed to be completed and so the date was pushed back for 2017.

Head of the Human Resource Department of the agency, Jillian Foster, stated that the building was severely vandalised since it was left empty for two years by the GRA and though the project was put at a cost of $123.5 million, another $47.1 million had to be invested since the building was termite infested and dilapidated.

Nevertheless, she indicated that the building is 98 per cent completed and they are prepared to relocate in the first quarter of 2017.

On March 7, 2014, the then Government had advertised the former Customs House for sale through the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

wo drivers were questioned in relation to the death of fiveyear-old Orissa Williams, who lost her life tragically on the Lima Sands Access Road on December 11, 2016.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, the investigation into the matter is still ongoing and the file will be dispatched to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice shortly.

Relatives have expressed their dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Police are handling the matter. However, the Police were quick to assure that they are doing everything to ensure that justice is served. The driver of the vehicle, who was held by Police for the child’s death, has been released on station bail, pending investigations.

The autopsy conducted by Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh, revealed that five-year-old Orissa Williams died as a result of a crushed skull sustained from the accident.

The little girl was killed on the Lima Sands Access Road around 14:30h on Sunday, when a tractor bearing registration plate 21496 and trailer, TBB 4806, owned and driven by Ganga Persaud, a hire car driver of Lot 11 Lima Sands Essequibo Coast, ran over her.

Dead: Five-year-old Orissa Williams

Information revealed that the tractor was proceeding North along the Lima Sands Access Road, while two pedestrians, Ivor Courtman (Junior) and Orissa Williams, were standing on the eastern side of the road facing West.

According to Police information, Orissa was in the process of running across the road when she fell and it was then one of the rear wheels of the tractor reportedly ran over her head. The child was picked up in an unconscious state and rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Police are currently conducting their investigations.

news

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SATURDAY, december 17, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

GNBA head resigns C

hairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) Leonard Craig on Friday resigned from his position moments before he was handed an official dismissal letter by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

Reports are that the Prime Minister was given the go ahead by Cabinet to act upon findings of the Inquiry into the allegations made against some members of the GNBA. The Inquiry, headed by Major General (Rtd) Joseph Singh, suggested Craig, an Alliance for Change (AFC) member be relieved of his position as Chairman.

According to a press statement, the Prime Minister was in the process of notifying Craig of Cabinet’s decision, when he received an email dated 16 December, where Craig tendered his resignation with immediate effect.

Having received the report, the Prime Minister had laid copies in Cabinet for its consideration. He also served copies on the Chairman and members of the GNBA board, and cir-

Former Head of the GNBA Leonard Craig

ination to the GNBA with enthusiasm and commitment, but has unfortunately mishandled interpersonal relations with other colleagues.

Back in September, Craig, Vieira and Insanally were involved in a squabble which led to Vieira and Insanally threatening the former Chairman through their lawyers for allegedly disseminating information they said were untrue.

The allegations made

GNBA members Victor Insanally (left) and Anthony Vieira

culated it to the media.

In the absence of the Chairman and one member, the Prime Minister later met with other members of the board, who expressed their lack of confidence in the Chairman.

Based on the findings of the Singh inquiry, the Prime Minister communicated to board members that Insanally and Vieira were impugned by public statements attributed to GNBA Chairman. He had stated that based on the inquiry’s finding neither of the two members was found to be “dishonest or corrupt.”

According to the release, the Prime Minister also feels that Craig is an invaluable intellectual asset who had accepted nom-

public by Craig was that the men had approached an Essequibo businessman in an attempt to ostensibly force him out of business.

Craig was being accused of intentionally and maliciously circulating in the media, an unwarranted allegation which imputes that they were guilty of corruption in public office.

The duo—through their lawyers—had also claimed that the allegations by the Craig was in fact made public without either of them being given a chance at a fair hearing with an opportunity to respond to the claims made.

In October, Craig had signalled his intentions of stepping down from GNBA.

48 graduate from aeronautical training school

T

he local aviation sector has expanded its numbers as 48 students successfully completed training courses at the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School.

The students received certificates at the institution’s 18th graduation ceremony held at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, Ogle, East Coast Demerara, on Friday.

Forty-eight students completed the three-year programme required for their certification as Aircraft Maintenance Engineers.

Rashleigh Bentick copped best overall graduating student for the 2016 class.

Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Egbert

Students who graduated in aviation training courses

tion industry.”

All students required a minimum pass rate of 75 per cent while the distinction rate is 92-100.

Chairman of the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fly Jamaica Airways, Captain Ronald Reece offered the closing remarks at the ceremony. He GCCA Director General Egbert Field delivering the feature address

Field praised the graduates for their achievement and encouraged that they perform their duties with integrity. Field pointed out that by 2031, Guyana will have over 600 mechanics which is in keeping with his vision for the aviation sector.

Field told the students that now they have attained what they worked for so far, they can take their places in the world. He however cautioned that this is not all there is to life and highlighted certain essentials which they can use to guide them. The life essentials he noted were honesty, integrity, love of neighbours and humility.

Field stressed the five A’s of mechanics as additional essential for the graduates to consider as they embark or their new endeavours. These were noted as: Accurate, Adept, Agile, Alert and Analytic.

Highlighting achievements in the local aviation sector, Field noted that there are over 70 registered aircraft at the airport at Ogle. The GCAA Director General further disclosed that each month he receives applications for new aircraft to operate out of the facility. It was expressed that the Eugene F. Correia International Airport is one of the busiest in the Caribbean: “The country needs you because you are an integral part of the avia-

encouraged the 48 students who became fully certified to commence applications for their aviation licences.

He wished them all success in their pursuits.

Meantime, a rescue helicopter was unveiled after the ceremony and CEO of the Aeronautics School, Malcom Chan-A-Sue announced that the institution will soon offer a helicopter

training course in the operations of the aircraft.

The school has been in existence for the past 23 years and 340 students have completed the 3-year programme so far. It is located in the Caribbean Aviation Maintenance Services Ltd Hangar, at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport at Ogle.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, deceMber 17, 2016

Regional

Turks and Caicos elects Freedom of Information Bill first female premier tabled in Bahamas Parliament

A

ccording to preliminary results from Thursday’s general elections in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), the British territory has elected its first female premier and at the same time continued a regional trend of ousting ruling parties.

Premier-elect Sharlene Cartwright Robinson’s Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) has returned to power after 13 years with at least ten out of the 15 elected seats in the House of Assembly, with one constituency still undeclared after several recounts.

The PDM won four out

Premier-elect Sharlene Cartwright Robinson

of five “at large” all-island seats and at least six out of ten district seats, with one still pending. The former

ruling Progressive National Party (PNP) has retained four seats thus far.

Outgoing premier, Dr Rufus Ewing, failed to win a seat in the at large race, as did controversial former premier Michael Misick, who ran as an independent candidate while currently on trial for various corruptionrelated offences.

None of the other independent candidates or those from the newly formed third party, the Progressive Democratic Alliance (PDA), led by former chief minister and former PDM leader Oswald Skippings, was successful. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

ILO reports sharp increase in unemployment in LatAm, Caribbean

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he unemployment rate in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) reached 8.1 per cent in 2016, the highest level in a decade, amid an economic contraction that has also affected the quality of employment, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said.

In its annual report on the region’s labour market, the ILO noted that the rate is 1.5 percentage points higher than in 2015, when it stood at 6.6 per cent, and it means that an estimated five million people joined the ranks of the unemployed.

It said the unemployment figure now stands at 25 million workers. The report titled “2016 Labour Overview of Latin America and the Caribbean,” notes that the labour scenario in the region worsened in 2016.

“There has been a sharp increase in unemployment, informality is increasing and the quality of employment has deteriorated,” said the ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, José Manuel Salazar.

He said that by the end of the year, there was “a worrisome series of setbacks and

negative impacts in multiple indicators.

“Although there are significant differences between countries and sub-regions, on average for the region this is the worst year in a decade, in terms of both economic growth and the unemployment rate”, the ILO Regional Director warned, adding “the economic contraction reduced job creation”.

He said of particular concern is that if forecasts of slow growth for 2017 hold true, unemployment will increase again next year to 8.4 per cent. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Govt finally announces...

F

ollowing through on a commitment to table the Freedom of Information Bill before the end of the year, Bahamas Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald on Wednesday brought the long-awaited bill to the House of Assembly, but there will be no debate on the bill until the New Year.

The House of Assembly was adjourned to January 9, 2017.

There have been widespread calls for the Government to enact a Freedom of Information Act

(FOIA) to allow the public access to government information and ensure the Government is accountable and transparent.

The FOIA was one of the central issues raised by participants of a recent protest march, which saw hundreds of residents occupy downtown Nassau for over ten hours.

Acknowledging that the bill has been a “long time coming”, Fitzgerald said while there has been a lot said regarding the time it has taken to get the legislation to the House, the FOIA

passed under the former administration was “rushed, did not have public consultation and was woefully short of international best practices”.

The Aact was passed in 2012, but the former Administration never enacted it. “Mr Speaker, I have learned that if you are going to do something, it is worth doing well, and this government was committed to giving Bahamian citizens a well thought out Freedom of Information Bill that could stand up against best practices,” Fitzgerald said. (Excerpt

from Caribbean News Now)

6-year-old Jamaican amputee gets prosthesis for Christmas

C

hristmas has come early for little Rusheka Goodhall, a six-year-old amputee who lost a leg to a rare form of cancer at the age of just three.

Rusheka left Jamaica this week to receive her first prosthesis, which will be donated and fitted by Limb Lab, an American-based prosthetic and orthotics company.

The Jamaica Observer reports that at three-yearsold Rusheka was diagnosed with stage three rhabdomyosarcoma – a rare cancer of the muscle, in which a tumour attaches to the bone, either in the head, neck, urogenital tract, arms or legs.

Her doctor, Michelle Reece-Mills, paediatric oncologist at the University Hospital of the West Indies, explained that when her

At just three-years-old Rusheka Goodhall was diagnosed with a rare cancer of the muscle, in which a tumour attaches to the bone

cancer was discovered, there was evidence that it had spread to the abdomen, hence being categorised stage three.

The little girl subsequently underwent an above-the-knee amputation.

Her mother, Shecker Anderson, expressed gratitude to the local entities that assisted in making the fitting of the prosthesis possible: the Angels of Love Foundation, which purchased their tickets and Sagicor Jamaica, which named Rusheka a beneficiary from the company’s annual SIGMA Run. Limb Lab, in addition to donating the prosthesis, will cover the accommodation cost for both Anderson and Rusheka.

Daniel Tellijohn, founder and certified prosthetist at Limb Lab told the Sunday Observer that he was moved to help Rusheka earlier this year when his company was planning a trip to assist amputees in Jamaica. (Excerpt from

Caribbean360)

FROM PAGE 2

Nevertheless on Friday Minister Ferguson stated that based on current traffic trends, it is projected that the DHB will make $550 million at the end of 2016 with the current toll structure in place while its expenditure – both current and capital – will stand at a projected $600 million.

On the other hand, the projected revenue for 2017 – with the new toll structure in place and based on the same amount of traffic – would lead to an income of $861million.

“The significant increase in income is important for two reasons: not only would DHB have more funds to dedicate towards its operations, but the need for Government subvention would be negated. In other words, the Corporation would be totally self-reliant,” she said.

“Some persons might question why the Corporation should stop receiving Government subvention.

After all, it is the taxpayers’ monies and DHBC provides a service to the taxpayers.

However, we must consider that not every taxpay-

er is a user of the Demerara Harbour Bridge,” she added, highlighting that it is necessary, therefore, to transfer this responsibility from the Government and to allow our taxpayers’ monies to go towards other sectors such as education and health.

DHB General Manager Rawlston Adams on the other hand, stated that as it relates to marine traffic, trawlers are currently charged $15,000 while the larger ocean-going vessels are charged $50,000.

He indicated that there is a restriction of four vessels per day on the number of marine vessels, which is due to the large amount of vehicular traffic and the need to ease congestion on the bridge.

“Over the years, operational costs have significantly increased. Meanwhile, Government subvention covers capital costs. Therefore, operational costs must still be covered by DHBC. The projected increase in income will allow DHBC to better cover these rising costs,” he said.

“While the increases, when described as percent-

ages, sound high, the actual figures must be taken into account,” Adams said, noting that other factors, such as the fact that the tolls have not been increased for many categories for decades and the cost of tolls around the world, must be taken into account.

Meanwhile, the increase were given Cabinet’s no objection since in June of this year but when the media had reported on the increases, Minister Ferguson had said that a “decision” had not yet been made to increase the tolls, rather it was up for discussions.

In January 2009 there were approximately 74,000 trips made by private cars. In January 2010, this number rose to 86,338 and, by August of this year, there were approximately 163,000 trips made by private cars. For minibuses, the figure stood at 39,000 in January 2010.

In July 2016, the figure was 44,000.

Meanwhile, lorries with 2 axles moved from 10,000 trips in January 2010 to 12,000 trips in August 2016.

No more St Lucia Jazz Festival

T

he St Lucia Jazz and Arts Festival will be no more.

Prime Minister Allan Chastanet has announced the festival, which has drawn visitors from all over the world to the Eastern Caribbean island for the

past 25 years, has been scrapped because the $14 million price tag for the two-week event was just too much.

The well-known event is being replaced by a Summer Festival – a series of events that will include

not only music, but food and arts.

It will begin in May with a Jazz Week, include an expanded St Lucia Carnival, and culminate with the Creole and Heritage Festival in November.

(Caribbean360)

Cuba offers rum to pay off US$276M Czech debt

C

uba has come up with an unusual way to repay its multimillion dollar debt to the Czech Republic – bottles of its famous rum, officials in Prague say.

The Czech finance ministry said Havana had raised this possibility during recent negotiations on the issue.

Cuba owes the Czech authorities $276 million (£222 million), and if the

offer is accepted the Czechs would have enough Cuban rum for more than a century.

However, Prague said it preferred to get at least some of the money in cash.

Havana’s debt dates back from the Cold War era – when Cuba and what was at the time Czechoslovakia were part of the communist bloc.

Cuba now does not have much money but it does

have lots of rum – hence this unusual proposal, says the BBC’s Rob Cameron in Prague.

The Czech finance ministry said repayment was possible either with rum or pharmaceutical drugs. But Cuban drugs lack EU certification, so repayment with a more traditional medicine – popular in the Czech Republic – may be easier to arrange, our correspondent adds. (BBC News)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Obama points finger at Putin German-Iraqi boy, for cyber attacks on US election 12, 'tried to bomb

T

he emails contained embarrassing tidbits, including exchanges between top aides to Hillary Clinton who were shocked about the extent of her use of a private server to write emails while secretary of state.

Two senior government officials told Reuters that the FBI backs the CIA's view that Russia indeed intervened to help Trump win the presidential election.

Russia was not the only difficult foreign policy issue Obama addressed before departing on the final vacation of his presidency to Hawaii.

While he said it was fine for Trump to take another look at the United States'

Obama left open the door to US retaliation against Russia to discourage it and other nations from further computer hacking

"one-China policy" toward Taiwan, he warned that a change in US diplomatic stance would lead to consequences from Beijing.

Trump angered China when shortly after his election he took a congratulatory phone call from the leader of Taiwan.

Regarding the civil war in Syria, Obama voiced anguish at the suffering but defended his reluctance to become involved, saying a U.S. military intervention would have required the use of large numbers of American combat troops "without any international law mandate."

Obama left open the door to US retaliation against Russia to discourage it and other nations from further computer hacking. The President also said that he hoped that Trump will be similarly concerned about Russia's actions and that the investigation should not become "a political football" between Republicans and Democrats. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US offers $25M reward for information on Islamic State leader T

he United States on Friday more than doubled its previous reward for information on Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, offering $25 million for information that would help locate, arrest or convict the head of the jihadist group.

The US State Department's Rewards for Justice program previously offered $10 million for information on Baghdadi, announced in October 2011.

The increase was announced in a statement on Friday.

Baghdadi, an Iraqi whose real name is Ibrahim al-Sa-

marrai, declared himself the caliph of a huge swath of Iraq and Syria two years ago.

His exact location is not clear. Reports have said he may be in the Islamic Stateheld city of Mosul, Iraq, or in Islamic State-held territory to the west of the city, close

to the border with Syria.

Kurdish officials believe that growing pressure resulting from a coalition military assault on Mosul is causing Baghdadi and his top lieutenants to move around and try to hide themselves. (Yahoo! News)

cent to four per cent.

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016, for the first time, also includes acid attack and Parkinson's disease in the list of recognised disabilities.

Though the entire opposition supported the bill, Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi members pressed for division on an amendment on the issue of reservation. They wanted an amendment to increase the reservation to five per cent, arguing that the original bill, introduced by the UPA-II government in 2014, had provided for it.

The amendment was, however, defeated by 121

to 43 votes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House during the discussion and division which saw the House run smoothly for over two hours, leading to passage of the bill.

The bonhomie over the politically sensitive issue was similar to the one witnessed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday when the upper House passed the bill.

Replying to the debate, the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot announced that a scheme of "universal identity card for the disabled" was on the anvil and an agency had already been finalised for it.

Govt, Opposition come together briefly to pass disabilities bill

People celebrate the passage of The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2016

T

he Treasury and Opposition benches came together briefly in the Lok Sabha on the last day of the winter session of Parliament on Friday

to clear the disabilities bill that increases the number of officially recognised categories to 21, from seven, besides hiking reservation for the disabled from three per

(Excerpt from Times of India)

Ex-Guantanamo detainee in Uruguay flies to South Africa

A

former Guantanamo prisoner who was resettled in Uruguay but has asked to leave flew to South Africa on Thursday as a tourist, a Uruguayan official said on Friday.

Once in South Africa, Jihad Diyab, a Syrian National, would have to return to Uruguay in 90 days or find another country to give him residency, the offi-

cial said.

"He left the country on his way to Johannesburg with a stopover in Buenos Aires, paying his own way," said Christian Mirza, the government's liaison with former detainees.

Diyab was held for 12 years in the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, without being charged and was released

along with five other prisoners to Uruguay in 2014 to reduce the number of detainees.

Earlier this year, Diyab traveled through Brazil and Venezuela and was held briefly by Venezuela's intelligence agency after arriving in Caracas in July. While there a lawyer said he asked the Uruguayan consulate to help him travel to Turkey,

where he wanted to be reunited with his family.

He was deported back to Uruguay in late August and was on a hunger strike for 68 days in Montevideo, demanding to be resettled.

Uruguay has agreed to extend financial assistance to the detainees remaining in the country for another year. (Reuters)

Christmas market'

A

12-year-old GermanIraqi boy tried to blow up a Christmas market in the town of Ludwigshafen, prosecutors say. He left a rucksack with explosives which failed to detonate in November, and put another explosive device by the town hall a few days later, they say.

But a member of the public alerted the police, and noone was injured.

The 12 year old – who is now in custody – is thought have been recently radicalised and to have links with the so-called Islamic State group.

Focus magazine cited security and judicial sources as saying the boy was "strongly radicalised" and apparently instructed by an unknown IS member.

The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office declined

to comment on a possible IS link, but confirmed officials were investigating the case.

Public Prosecutor Hubert Stroeber said the boy left a backpack containing a home-made nail bomb at the Christmas market in Ludwigshafen, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, on 26 November, but the device did not go off because the detonator apparently failed.

The second device near the city's town hall, placed on December 5, 2016, was discovered by an "informant" and specialists defused it, Stroeber said.

The boy was born in Ludwigshafen to Iraqi parents in 2004.

Prosecutors said no formal proceedings would be launched against him, because he is below the age of criminal responsibility. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

China 'seizes US vessel' in S China Sea

T

The USNS Bowditch was in the region to conduct research

he US has issued a formal request to China to deliver an unmanned underwater drone that was seized in international waters, US officials say.

The Chinese navy seized the US underwater research vessel in the South China Sea on Thursday, the US alleges.

The incident took place just as the USNS Bowditch, an oceanographic survey ship, was about to retrieve it. The device, dubbed an "ocean glider", was used to test water salinity and temperature, officials say.

The data was part of an unclassified programme to map underwater channels, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters.

The encounter occurred in the South China Sea about 50 miles (80km) northwest of Subic Bay, Philippines, the US says. "The Chinese navy ship ASR-510, a Dalang III-class ship, approached within 500 yards of the Bowditch, launched a small boat, and seized the UUV," the Pentagon said in a statement.

The Bowditch made radio contact with the Chinese ship to demand its immediate return but were "ignored". "This is not the sort of conduct we expect from professional navies," Captain Davis added.

The seizure will likely add to US concerns about the growing military posture taken by China in the South China Sea. (Excerpt from BBC News)

16 NEWS

SATURDAY DECEMBER 17, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Brazil, Europe, China among frontrunners to finance Corentyne Bridge …as Bouterse laments slothful cooperation progress

T

he Brazilians, Europeans and Chinese are interested in financing the bridge across the Corentyne River.

This revelation was made

(Caricom) Members continues to meet on areas of mutual cooperation particularly with respect to the economic affairs of the two countries.

linking the two countries, Bouterse told media operatives, that there is already in a Memorandum of Understanding inked with China Railway Construction

President Désiré Delano Bouterse of Suriname inspecting the Guard of Honour mounted by ranks of the Guyana Defence Force

by visiting Head of State Desi Bouterse, following a working retreat with his Guyanese counterpart on Friday at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana.

The visiting Surinamese Head of State told media operatives that the meeting was held in part to create structure for a result based agenda tied to specific time-

and both Suriname and Guyana.

He said there are different financing mechanisms available to the two countries and that oppor-

tries recently and offered support with the construction of the bridge.

Meanwhile, President Granger told media operatives that the meeting centred on the implementation of agreements that were had some time ago.

He reminded that the

solving problems.”

President Granger revealed too that the economic concerns of the two countries will be put before the ‘cooperation Council’ and that economic matters that may arrive from time to time “will be quickly resolved or brought to the at-

two countries particularly as it relates to the transportation sector.

Meanwhile Bouterse reminded that in July last, during a meeting between the two Heads of State, discussions were held on matters concerning the environment, tourism, oil

President David Granger and President Désiré Delano Bouterse being accorded the Guard of Honour Salute at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport

two had met some time back and among the issues discussed were problems being experienced by Guyanese and Surinamese and the ferry system.

Granger said a mechanism has since been created “for expediting the solution to those issues.”

Granger was adamant that the meeting was not in fact a talk shop since agree-

tention of that council.”

President Granger said that the two Heads are concerned with the livelihoods of the persons crossing the Corentyne River and that access to the Surinamese airports and its unimpeded access was also discussed as a matter to be expedited.

According to President Granger, the structure has been agreed on to expedite

exploration and investment among other areas.

He told media operatives that it has been six months since those meetings “and we are not very satisfied with what has been done with these issues.”

He spoke too of the establishment of special envoys between the two countries in order to meet and expedite issues affecting

President David Granger and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge in a meeting with President Désiré Delano Bouterse and his Foreign Minister, Ambassador Niermala Badrising at the Marriott Hotel

The two met with media operatives and spoke of their meeting which was focused in part on mutual areas of economic concerns.

According to Head of State Granger, it is fitting that the two largest Caribbean Community

lines.

He said the two have agreed on some structural mechanisms with regard to the implementation of agreements had between the two countries.

On the matter of the construction of the Bridge

tunities are being explored with China, Brazil and the European Union with regards the financing the bridge.

Bouterse did not make mention of the Islamic Development Bank, which had visited the two coun-

President David Granger addressing media operatives during the joint press conference after the meetings. Seated at the head table are, from left: Suriname's Foreign Minister, Ambassador Niermala Badrising, President Désiré Delano Bouterse and Guyana's Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge

ments were had saying “it’s not a talk shop it’s about

the matters related to the mutual cooperation of the

The Guyanese and Surinamese delegation led by President David Granger and President Désiré Delano Bouterse during a plenary session at the Marriott Hotel

the two counties and their citizens.

17

news

SATURday, december 17, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Repeat offenders should not get bail – Ramjattan

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fter the arrest of the two men who carried out a brazen daylight robbery on an accountant of Hotel Tower, the Police have confirmed that the men had committed similar offences and were granted bail, but Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan is of the belief that persons who commit such offences should not get court bail.

“Fellows like that, the legal principal clearly states very clearly you must not grant bail because of the nature of the offender having been charged before for all these offences and now being caught latterly red-handed,” Ramjattan expressed in his view.

Ramjattan made these comments outside the Police Training Centre on Friday where media operatives raised concerns that career criminals who are released on bail often commit similar and other crimes. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had said on Thursday that the Police would not charge the men anytime soon since

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan suggested that career criminals should not be bailed

they were being investigated for similar crimes committed in the city.

On Friday, the Public Security Minister stated judicial officers must weigh the rights of offenders and the rights of the public when bail privileges are considered.

“It is the collision course of the rights of the accused against the rights of the people; [this] is the judgment

call of a Magistrate [but] if the Magistrates’ hearing the Prosecutor still decides to grant bail, there is nothing a minister should do ,” Ramjattan disclosed.

He continued that the minister should not overstep into matters of judiciary as this would “interfere” with another branch of government.

“We could speak, we have a right to freedom of expression,” he noted. The minister further pointed out that releasing such criminals is contributing to a release of fear on the land.

On Wednesday, the Hotel Tower accountant was relieved of a bag containing $2.5 million cash, but the two men were apprehended

by Police who had responded promptly to the crime.

At the time, a mobile Police patrol acting on information received pursued the suspects on Motorcycle, who tried to escape but they instead ended up in the Sussex Street Canal. The motorcycle and a significant amount of cash were also recovered.

First Lady hosts senior citizens luncheon

5400 households selected for labour force survey H

ead of the survey department of the Guyana Bureau of Statistics (GBS), Ion Manifold, on Thursday announced that 5400 households have been selected for the labour force sample survey in 2017.

Manifold stated that the survey, which is being funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank, is expected to run for four consecutive quarters and thereafter the Government is expected to provide funding so that it can become a continuous exercise.

Highlighting that it is an expensive project to undertake, Manifold stated that there are some prerequisites they would first have to follow. He explained that the Bureau intends to visit some 5400 households spread across Guyana.

“Currently we are doing the listing process from which we are selecting the households for the sample survey,” adding that they envisage it would be finished by January-midFebruary 2017.

He noted that from the sample survey, the Bureau would have critical labour data available: “Everyone

wants to know the true unemployment rate… what is the unemployment rate as it relates to men and women? This survey will tell us that,” he said.

He stated that the information can also help our young people in terms of showing them where the lucrative areas of employment are.

“Hopefully we can get this done continuously,” he said, adding that after the IDB funding is exhausted, it is hoped the Government would commit to seeing it through. Guyana has not conducted a labour survey in over two decades. Before a nationwide Survey is executed, Cabinet’s approval has to be granted and requisite funding approved and disbursed.

Consequently, labour data over the years had to have been drawn from intercensal Household Budget Surveys or Censuses since the Census of 1991.

Every Census and National Survey has therefore carried an economic activity module which has allowed on-going estimates and generation of key indicators on the Labour Force at intermittent periods over the past 25 years.

The last survey was

conducted in 1997 but the report was not published.

According to Manifold, another survey was expected to be executed in 2008 but the Government at that time did not find it necessary.

“The biggest considerations for continuous survey programme are cost and Government’s agreement of funding,” said the Bureau’s Chief Statistician Lennox Benjamin.

Earlier this year, the Bureau released data from its Compendium Three, which detailed the findings of the 2012 Census, putting Guyana’s unemployment rate at 12.5 per cent. When further disaggregated by gender the unemployment rate for males was recorded as 10.6 per cent and females 16.7 per cent.

The focus of this Compendium was the Economic Activity profile of the Census. Economic Activity focuses on the Labour Force component of the population profile, that is, the size and composition of the Labour Force, the level of employment and unemployment, types of economic activities undertaken within the economy, and many other areas of interest.

Lindener fined for DUI, dangerous driving

S F

First Lady Sandra Granger distributing gifts to the seniors at the luncheon

irst Lady, Sandra on Friday honoured over 200 senior citizens across Guyana to a Luncheon and gift distribution on the lawns of State House, the second such event of its kinds since the current Administration took Office.

In her remarks, the First Lady expressed how heartened she was to be hosting the event for the second time around. “I think we could do this as a tradition; bring seniors from homes in and around Georgetown. I am

happy that I could do a little bit to help them to enjoy the Christmas season… I always think we must honour our seniors, who have given so much and have worked so hard. So this is in honour of them and I’m very happy to be able to do something like this. I hope it becomes a State House tradition long after I am gone from here,” Mrs Granger said.

The First Lady further thanked the staff of the Ministry of the Presidency, the Guyana Defence Force and the staff of Office of the

First Lady for their contribution towards the organising of the successful event. The attendees, who all seemed in high spirits, spoke highly of the First Lady and her passion for assisting senior citizens across Guyana.

Senior citizens from Regions Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) braved the weather to attend the luncheon.

atesh Hamid of Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie, Linden, was on Wednesday fined $35,000 for the offence of dangerous driving and $7500 for driving under the influence of alcohol.

He pleaded guilty to the charges which stated that on December 10 he drove along Amelia's Ward Public Road in a manner dangerous to the public and while his breath alcohol level exceeded the prescribed limit.

According to facts of the case, he was intercepted by ranks on the said date where a breathalyzer test was conducted.

Amelia’s Ward man Lindener committed to slapped with B&E charge stand trial in High Court A A Lindener was committed to stand trial in the High Court after a prima facie case was made out against him at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

Leonard Romain is accused of murdering Seibert Moore also called "Cammy"

at Frenchman backdam on January 2, 2015.

The preliminary inquiry was conducted by Magistrate Clive Nurse. During the PI the defendant, who stood in the docks of the court, gave an unsworn statement.

Magistrate Nurse found

that the statement was freely and willingly given and that there was sufficient evidence for the matter to be tried at the next sitting of the High Court.

Romain was remanded to prison pending his trial before a judge and jury.

n Amelia’s Ward man was on Wednesday charged in connection with the offence of breaking and entering a dwelling place with intent to commit a felony after he made his appearance before Magistrate Clive Nurse. Jermaine Roland is accused of breaking into the

home of Shonette Parker on September 5, 2016 with the intention of committing a felony. The court heard that on the said day, the virtual complainant had awakened to discover that her lights were off. It was while sitting upon her bed, she noticed flashing lights in her

living room and upon checking it is alleged that she encountered the defendant inside her home. He was later identified during an identification (ID) parade at the Wismar Police Station. The defendant is scheduled to return to court on December 21.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, december 17, 2016

ARCHIE

Pick up last-minute items or get together with friends (March 21- you won’t see during the holApril 19) iday season. Travel arrangements or plans to further your skills, knowledge or qualifications look promising.

ARIES

Tidy up any loose ends beTAURUS fore the end of the month.

(April 20- Pending contracts, investments, May 20) settlements or even a medical issue should be resolved. This will alleviate pressure and undue stress. Protect your interests.

dilbert

Channel your energy into GEMINI something that will bring high (May 21June 20) returns. Exercise, proper diet and moderation will help you combat upcoming indulgence.

Preparation is everything when you want to be at your very best.

Emotions will escalate when dealing with matters (June 21- concerning children or your July 22) budget. Try to live within your means. Discuss your plans, and ask for approval before you proceed.

CANCER

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

A last-minute change will play in your favor. Take advantage of an opportunity that will give you the time you need to do something special with a loved one.

Channel your emotionVIRGO al energy into constructive (Aug. 23- work. Put in overtime at work Sept. 22) if it will give you more days off during the holidays. Take care of personal paperwork to avoid being penalized.

Calvin and Hobbes

Personal enhancement and LIBRA physical encounters will lead (Sept. 23to positive changes. Shopping Oct. 23) or spending quality time with someone special is favored. An unusual opportunity will lead to travel or an educational pursuit.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Emotional matters will esSCORPIO calate, putting you in a pre(Oct. 24carious position. Avoid getting Nov. 22) into a dispute when backing away and working on something you enjoy doing will benefit you most.

You can boost your reputaSAGITTARIUS tion by bringing about chang(Nov. 23- es that will improve efficiency Dec. 21) at work or create comfortable surroundings at home. An emotional or physical commitment will change your life.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Move money around in orCAPRICORN der to ensure that you get the (Dec. 22highest tax benefits. Take care Jan. 19) of any legal, contractual or medical issues that are pending. Joint ventures or partnerships should be updated.

Partnerships will improve AQUARIUS if you offer help or incentives.

(Jan. 20Negotiations look promising, Feb. 19) and a makeover will lead to compliments. Less talk and more action will encourage better relationships.

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 Work-related events will (Feb. 20- give you the chance to mix March 20) business with pleasure while you boost your reputation and better position yourself for advancement. Don’t miss out.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, DECember 17, 2016

Australia pace leaves Pakistan 97-8 A

ustralia and Pakistan on night two in Brisbane resembled nothing so much as Australia and most of the rest of the world during the great recession of 2008. Having planned and saved soundly in the good times on a slower day one pitch, the hosts were able to absorb the shock of tougher batting conditions, helped by a Peter Handscomb stimulus package.

Pakistan had no such safety net, and when the crash came under the Gabba lights against the wobbling pink ball, they went swiftly into free fall. The visiting batsmen jutted their bats out at the bad real estate offered by Australia’s canny bowlers like so many reckless traders, and were left observing the ruins of their first innings like former employees of Lehman Brothers.

SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st innings (overnight 288/3) MT Renshaw c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Wahab Riaz 71 DA Warner lbw b Mohammad Amir 32 UT Khawaja c Misbah-ul-Haq b Yasir Shah 4 SPD Smith* c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Wahab Riaz 130 PSP Handscomb b Wahab Riaz 105 NJ Maddinson c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Wahab Riaz 1 MS Wade† c Azhar Ali b Mohammad Amir 7 MA Starc c Asad Shafiq b Mohammad Amir 10 JR Hazlewood c Asad Shafiq b Mohammad Amir 8 NM Lyon c Asad Shafiq b Yasir Shah 29 JM Bird not out 19 Extras: (lb-5, w-1, nb-7) 13 Total: (all out; 130.1 overs) 429 Fall of wickets: 1-70 (Warner, 23.1 ov), 2-75 (Khawaja, 24.4 ov), 3-151 (Renshaw, 43.2 ov), 4-323 (Smith, 99.4 ov), 5-334 (Maddinson, 103.3 ov), 6-342 (Wade, 109.4 ov), 7-354 (Starc, 111.5 ov), 8-380 (Hazlewood, 118.6 ov), 9-380 (Handscomb, 119.1

ov), 10-429 (Lyon, 130.1 ov) Bowling: Mohammad Amir 31-7-97-4 (nb-1), Rahat Ali 22-5-74-0, Yasir Shah 43.1-6129-2, Wahab Riaz 26-4-89-4 (nb-6, w-1), Azhar Ali 8-0-35-0 Pakistan 1st innings Sami Aslam c †Wade b Bird 22 Azhar Ali c Khawaja b Starc 5 Babar Azam c Smith b Hazlewood 19 Younis Khan c †Wade b Hazlewood 0 Misbah-ul-Haq* c Renshaw b Bird 4 Asad Shafiq c Khawaja b Starc 2 Sarfraz Ahmed† not out 31 Wahab Riaz c & b Hazlewood 1 Yasir Shah c Khawaja b Starc 1 Mohammad Amir not out 8 Extras: (lb-3, w-1) 4 Total:(8 wickets; 43 overs) 97 To bat: Rahat Ali Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Azhar Ali, 4.1 ov), 2-43 (Babar Azam, 19.4 ov), 3-43 (Younis Khan, 19.5 ov), 4-48 (Misbah-ul-Haq, 26.5 ov), 5-54 (Asad Shafiq, 28.3 ov), 6-56 (Sami Aslam, 29.4 ov), 7-66 (Wahab Riaz, 33.5 ov), 8-67 (Yasir Shah, 34.1 ov) Bowling: MA Starc 15-2-453 (w-1), JR Hazlewood 11-119-3, JM Bird 9-6-7-2, NM Lyon 8-1-23-0

The main reason for the day’s violent swerve from 1 for 43 to 8 for 67 was the quickening of the surface, which clearly did not need a single millimetre more grass than the two the curator Kevin Mitchell Jnr. left on it. One wonders how swiftly the match might have moved with the 6mm preferred by Adelaide’s groundsman Damian Hough.

Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Jackson Bird had far too much speed, accuracy and movement for Pakistan’s batsmen, cowed as they already had been on slower, seamier pitches in New Zealand. Of the tourists only Sami Aslam gave any indication of permanence, and even that was of the painful, white-knuckle kind as he wore two blows on the helmet before glancing Bird into Matthew Wade’s gloves.

Handscomb’s chanceless century, in only his second Test, ensured that the quality spells bowled by Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz did not result in a similar level of mayhem.

Amir’s figures were his best since returning to the Pakistan side, but he was unable to dislodge Handscomb, who showed patience beyond his years and deep trust in his way of batting.

Gleefully, he leapt from 91 to 101 with a powerful six off Yasir Shah then a delectable square drive off Amir. Bird and Nathan Lyon bolstered Australia’s total with a pesky stand of 49 - runs measured in value through the deepening furrow in Misbah-ulHaq’s brow.

Steven Smith and Handscomb had begun intent on a long occupation, but the captain appeared to decide it was time to go on the attack after the fourth wicket stand went beyond 170 runs. First he tried to deposit Yasir into the

Gabba stands only for Amir to drop a swirling chance, then flayed at Wahab to end an equal parts fine and fortunate innings.

Nic Maddinson was not confronted by floodlights and a swinging ball, but the extra pace off the pitch did appear to trouble him against both spin and pace before he was unable to withdraw his bat from Wahab in time - having already been turfed at short leg off Yasir. Wade and Starc both offered up catches to the slips off the persistent

19

Peter Handscomb reaches his maiden Test ton early on day two

more than 15 overs, the resolute Sami and a seemingly composed Babar Azam held the Australians at bay, even as the lights took effect.

It was clear they stuck around longer than the hosts preferred, as evidenced by Starc’s ever more prominent snarling in Sami’s direction.

But it was to be Hazlewood who signalled the start of the downturn by tempting Babar with a delivery just wide enough to drive, and just short enough

now the Gabba had taken on full Colosseum mode, as near enough to 25,000 spectators willed further edges into the Australian cordon.

They got them too, as Asad Shafiq and Yasir offered further catches to Khawaja, either side of a return catch from Wahab and a forlorn touch down the leg side by Sami. His determination to keep his bat from harm had been the closest any Pakistani came to a workable method in such bouncy conditions.

Josh Hazlewood struck twice in two balls during a fiery spell of fast bowling

Amir before Handscomb was able to reach three figures, doing so with an exultant yell and matching fist pump.

Despite the late flurry from Bird and Lyon, Pakistan’s openers did have the advantage of starting in daylight. Starc gained some early swing, but it was a ball angled across with bounce that found the edge of Azhar Ali’s bat - expertly snaffled

by Usman Khawaja. For a little

to make it risky. The resultant edge was well held by Smith, turning his body, and next ball Wade had a far simpler task to collect a thinner edge from a fencing Younis Khan.

Though Misbah survived the hat-trick, he seemed mesmerised by the bouncing, seaming ball, and it was no surprise when his searching bat succeeded only in edging low to Matt Renshaw at first slip. By

Late in the piece, Sarfraz Ahmed and Amir managed to hang around until stumps while inching the total towards three figures - the former was reprieved when Wade failed to glove a stumping chance off Lyon. If Pakistan look about as healthy as numerous major economies did in late 2008 there is one troubling divergence from that tale: the Gabba doesn’t tend to do bail-outs. (ESPNcricinfo)

ICC wants 15-16 teams playing toplevel cricket, says Richardson David Richardson

T

he ICC is keen to increase the number of teams playing cricket at the highest level to “15-16”, and is working towards that under the leadership of Shashank Manohar, according to chief executive David Richardson.

“The ICC has a strategy to have more competitive teams playing at the highest level,” Richardson said in Sri Lanka, where he was at the invitation of SLC and Asian Cricket Council (ACC)

president Thilanga Sumathipala to discuss the global development of the game. “For too long we had 10 Full Members. If we are honest with ourselves, there are eight, probably nine, teams that can play cricket at the highest level.

“We like to increase that number to 15-16 countries [with] the likes of Afghanistan, Nepal, Malaysia and various other countries in the Asian region. It’s very important that we can develop their cricket to a level where they can play against the big boys on an equal basis.”

Richardson said the global governing body was on the verge of

putting forward some proposals “that would do wonders for international cricket”. “Those proposals would cover governance and a new revised financial model, which would hopefully provide all the Full Members with a bigger slice of the cake than what it is currently envisaged,” he said.

In early 2014, a constitutional revamp of the ICC had given the boards of India, England and Australia greater authority and a larger share of the revenue, an episode dubbed the “Big Three” takeover by the media.

Soon after he became ICC chairman in November 2015, Manohar had criticised the imbalance of power

triggered by that revamp, and said he wanted to end the “bullying” in the game’s administration.

Richardson said he was confident the game will not be affected by another such power war under the current administration. “The international game has gone through a period of turbulence, where the governance, the financial model, the playing [of the game] was in turmoil by the resolutions passed by the ICC in 2014. What happened in 2014 took place because unfortunately countries like South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand were not able to stand up to the big boys. I don’t think that will

happen again.”

He said the ICC also wanted the ACC to use its resources to develop the game, and the global governing body would provide it with “guidance” and “strategy”. “Obviously we [the ICC] are responsible for global development, but our resources are limited. It’s important that the ACC, with the resources they have both from a financial and a HR perspective, make best use of those. We want to provide the guidance, principles, overall strategy.

[It is important that] the activities that we can carry out at global level are supplemented by what the ACC can afford to do on a regional basis.”

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

SATURday, DECember 17, 2016

Moeen and Root win the day for England opportunity, hitting Jadeja and Ashwin for sixes in successive overs, and looked in sizzling form b e f o r e Jadeja d i d him i n one short of a halfcentury, pulling his pace back cleverly to invite an uppish drive to short-extra cover.

The dismissal came i n the 81st over, and India waited until the 86th to take the second new ball. By that time, Moeen had moved to his hundred.

He went from 95 to 99 with the shot of his innings, skipping down the track to hit Amit Mishra i n - side-out, against the turn, through the covers, and reached the landmark next ball Moeen Ali (Left) and Joe Root with a nudged single into the off side.

He continued playing his shots against o e e n the new ball, driving Ishant Ali's fifth Test century steered England past a shaky start and Sharma for successive fours on the up, both moved them to a solid 284 for 4 at the end in the air, once to the right of point, once to of day one in Chennai. Moeen added 146 the right of cover.

Those two shots were emblematic of for the third wicket with Joe Root to rescue Moeen's innings, which contained periods England after they had slumped to 21 for 2, and then put on 86 with Jonny Bairstow to of unease and vulnerability, notably at the strengthen their position, before the wicket start, but also some gorgeous strokeplay, of Bairstow brought India their only success particularly through the off side.

He began scratchily, and looked particof the final session. On a pitch that offered ularly insecure before lunch, when Ashwin plenty of turn but only slow turn, Ravindra Jadeja's extra pace brought him three wick- beat his outside edge repeatedly, scrambling ets while the other two spinners went wick- his footwork with his changes of pace, trajectory and angle. Before he got off the mark, etless.

The wicket of Root half an hour before he enjoyed a life when he flicked Jadeja uptea seemed to give India a bit of an opening, pishly and through the hands of KL Rahul, but Bairstow and Moeen disabused them of who mistimed his jump at midwicket. He any such notion, counter-attacking at the survived a couple of reviews as well, when start of the final session. Bairstow led the Jadeja and Mishra beat his inside edge and way, slog-sweeping the spinners at every hit him on the front pad. The on-field um-

M

Bolt assembling powerful team for Nitro Athletics Series U

sain Bolt is assembling a powerful team to contest the Nitro Athletics Series in Melbourne, Australia in February, 2017.

The innovative track series will see Australia take on the Bolt All-Stars, New Zealand, England and China in a brand new competition format in Melbourne on Saturday, February 4 and Saturday 11.

For the battles, Bolt has recruited former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell, Olympic sprint relay gold medalist Michael Frater and Olympic 100m silver medalist Richard Thompson from Trinidad and Tobago.

Olympic sprint hurdles champion Dawn

Harper-Nelson, hurdler Ryan Wilson and Jenna Prandini have also been brought into the Bolt fold.

Prandini, who boasts a personal best of 10.92 seconds for the 100m, starred for Oregon at the NCAA National Championships in 2015, nearly winning a treble of gold medals coming first in the 100m and long jump, while adding a silver medal in the 200m.

The announcement of the Bolt All-Stars team members coincided with the release of the Bolt All-Stars team logo. All teams in the Nitro Athletics series will have individual team brands. (Sportsmax)

pire gave him out both times: first, when series, he batted with a calm fluency in conhe was on 20, replays showed the ball hit- ditions where his team-mates looked uncerting his pad outside the line of off stump; on tain.

Jadeja apart, India's only successful the second occasion, when he was on 83, the ball was shown to strike him in line but ball- bowler was Ishant Sharma, who, returntracking returned an umpire's call verdict. ing to the side for his first Test of the series, On 7 off 44 balls at lunch, Moeen grew in bowled accurately, brought the batsmen forconfidence after the break, using the sweep ward more frequently than he usually does, to hit fours off Ashwin and Jadeja and going and gave India their first breakthrough in after Amit Mishra when he returned for his the sixth over of the morning. Both he and second spell, unafraid to use his feet and hit Umesh had kept Keaton Jennings quiet, him against the turn. giving him nothing to drive, before Ishant Mishra, who came back into the side be- slipped in the sucker ball - wide outside off, cause Jayant Yadav was out with a ham- full, but not quite a half-volley. Jennings, on string niggle, only bowled 13 overs - Jadeja 1 off 16 balls, drove without getting his head bowled 28 and Ashwin 24 - and went for 52, over the ball, and nicked to the keeper.

Virat Kohli brought Jadeja on as early too often straying from a good length. The slowness of the surface, moreover, accentu- as the ninth over, and he produced a loud ated Mishra's lack of zip off the pitch, as a lbw shout with his first ball to Alastair result of which his good balls didn't trouble Cook. Kohli took too long to decide to review Marais Erasmus' not-out decision, England unduly either.

Root fell half an hour from tea, trying which was just as well, because ball-trackto sweep Jadeja and getting a thin inside ing suggested the ball would have missed edge - revealed by Ultra Edge, after India leg stump. That ball - and the three times reviewed the on-field not-out decision - he had been lbw to Jadeja in this series through to the wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel. probably played a part in Cook's dismissThat shot apart, the sweep was a productive al in the left-arm spinner's third over. This stroke for Root, who made his 11th 50-plus time, Jadeja floated it up outside off stump, a little slower than usual. Cook poked unscore in 11 Tests against India.

He was judicious in choosing the right certainly, the ball turned less than he exline to sweep, avoiding it against stump- pected, and Kohli took a sharp, low catch at to-stump deliveries, but showed a dazzling slip. With that, Jadeja had dismissed Cook ability to play the shot against a wide range for the fifth time in the series. of lengths. He paddled a near half-volley from R Ashwin from outside off stump towards fine leg, and held his shape, without getting down fully on his back knee, to stay on top of the bounce and flat-bat a back-of-a-length To bat: JC Buttler, LA Dawson, Stumps Day1 ball from Jadeja through midAU Rashid, SCJ Broad, JT Ball England 1st innings wicket. In all, the sweep and Fall of wickets 1-7 (Jennings, AN Cook* c Kohli b Jadeja 10 the slog-sweep fetched him 29 5.2 ov), 2-21 (Cook, 12.4 KK Jenningsc †Patel b Sharma 1 runs off 13 balls, including five ov), 3-167 (Root, 54.3 ov), JE Root c †Patel b Jadeja 88 4-253 (Bairstow, 80.6 ov) fours.

MM Ali not out 120 Bowling: Umesh Yadav 12-1There were a couple of othJM Bairstow† 44-0, Ishant Sharma 12-5-25er excellent shots too, includc Rahul b Jadeja 49 1, Ravindra Jadeja 28-3-73-3 ing a deft dab to the third man Ravichandran Ashwin 24-1BA Stokes not out 5 boundary off an Umesh Yadav 76-0, Amit Mishra13-1-52-0, Extras: (b 4, lb 1, w 1, pen 5) 11 yorker and a skip down the Karun Nair 1-0-4-0 Total: (4 wickets; 90 overs) 284 pitch to hit Ashwin over the top when he brought mid-on up. Not for the first time in the

SCOREBOARD

Hurricanes bowler Tonge reaches milestone in Regional cricket F

ast bowler, Gavin Tonge, racked up his 200th wicket for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes over the weekend, reaching the milestone after picking up eight for 104 runs in his team’s 94 runs loss to the Windward Islands Volcanoes in the Regional 4 Day competition in Dominica on Monday.

The veteran pacer who represents Bethesda on the local front, bagged five for 56 in the first innings before returning to claim three for 48 in the second innings.

Coach of the Hurricanes, Reginald Benjamin, hailed Tonge’s achievement; also recognising that of Jahmar Hamilton who picked up his third First Class century.

“I have to big up Gavin Tonge for picking up his 200th wicket playing for the Leeward Islands. We’re all happy for him because he is a true trooper and he is very honest and open during discussions; so I would like to congratulate Jahmar Hamilton and Gavin Tonge for reaching such a milestone.

In our meetings we congratulate them and encourage them to push on, not only for the Leeeward Islands but for the West Indies because I know we have a few players who definitely, the selectors would have to give a look,” he said.

Benjamin, himself a former national cricketer, however lamented the team’s poor showing against the Windward Islands who picked up what was only their first victory of the tournament on Monday. (Antigua Observer)

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21

sports

Trophy Stall Doubles Tournament 2016

Downes/ Gentle crowned Mixed Doubles Champions

−Ladies, men’s finals on today

H

eimraj Resaul and Kalyca Fraser dream run in the Trophy Stall Doubles Tennis Tournament ended on Thursday evening as their seniors and favourites Anthony Downes and Afruica Gentle defeated them to win the mixed doubles title at Harry Panday Tennis Court, Bel-Air-Park Georgetown.

Resaul and Fraser, who started the tournament as underdogs but managed to reach the final on the back of some strong performance fought hard but could not get over that final hurdle. They lost the match 6-2, 6-4.

In the other match, Leyland Leycock and Ronald Murray beat A. Ameerally and Godfrey Lowden 6-2, 6-3 to become the men’s over 35 doubles champions. The pair finished unbeaten in the tournament.

Today from 13:00h at the National Racquet Centre the ladies will clash for top honours in the ladies doubles final.

The mother and daughter combination of Shelly and Nicola Ramdyhan will take on strong contenders Afruica Gentle and Cristy Campbell in that encounter. It is expected to be an exciting battle.

The finalists were severe on their opponents in the semis; the duo of Gentle/Cristy Campbell easily defeated Shawna Gentle/ Fiona Bushell 6-1, 6-1 while Alana Chung/ Margaret Subryan suffered the same fate going down to Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan/ Nicola Ramdyhan 6/0, 6/3.

Indeed the tournament has certainly revealed the top doubles partnerships in the tennis arena. Carefully choosing their partners, Guyana’s top three tennis players Heimraj Resaul, Afruica Gentle and Anthony Downes have all reached the finals of their categories in the leading doubles tournament of the year.

Revenge looms for Resaul as he prepare to play against Downes in the final of the Men’s open doubles. After losing to Downes in the mixed doubles final earlier this week, Resaul will have to bring his ‘A’ game to sur-

We are the champions! Anthony Downes and Afruica Gentle are winners of the Trophy Stall Doubles mixed doubles title

pass Downes in this event. Resaul will have Jordan as his play mate while Downes will have Jason Andrews by his side.

In their semifinals Resaul and Beaton dashed the hopes of Oswin Coggins and Stephen Bailey by taking them down 6/0, 6/2 while Downes and Andrews in their toughest encounter in the tournament defeated Mark McDonald and Ronald Murray 6/4, 6/4.

The Closing Ceremony will follow these finals. The public is invited to give these athletes support by coming to witness Guyana’s best doubles players vie for the top championship titles.

Rohan Auto Spares boost KMTC Xmas meet

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Chairman of the KMTC Cecil Kennard (2nd from right) receives the trophy and cheque from Rohan Booj-Raj (2nd from left) in the presence of Zulika Booj-Raj (center) and children of the late Rovin, Sherisa Booj-Raj (right) and Avanindra Booj-Raj

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he traditional Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) Boxing Day horse race meet received a boost from Rohan Auto Spares of 843 Good Hope, Mahaicony and No. 64 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

Proprietor of the business Rohan Booj-Raj presented a trophy and an undisclosed sum of cash for the feature B and Lower event to KMTC

Chairman Cecil Kennard at his office in Brickdam on Friday.

According to Booj-Raj, he presented the trophy in memory of his late son Rovin Booj-Raj who passed away on December 26, 2005. In addition he stated he is elated to support the event and wished the jockeys well.

Chairman of the KMTC Cecil Kennard thanked Booj-

Raj and family for the support and spoke about the importance of sponsorship in sports. Entries will be closed on Sunday and lovers of the sport can expect an action packed day since the track is in good shape.

The event will be held on December 26 at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne. The winner of the B and Lower race which covers a distance of 9 furlongs will take home a trophy and $1, 2, 00,000, the runner up $600,000, third place $300,000 while fourth place $150,000 and fifth $128,000.

The races will be run under the rules of the KMTC and owners of horses must pay at least $5,000 for each horse at the time of entry. Entries can be made with Roopnarine Matadial of Ivan Dipnarine on 331-0316, Kennard on 623-7609, 225 4818, Fazal Habibulla on 657 7010 or Dennis Deroop on 640 6396.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturday, december 17, 2016

Stag Nations Cup KO Football Tournament 2016

D

ay three action of the STAG Nations Cup knock-out football championship which features teams from five associations affiliated to the Guyana Football Federation is set for the #5 ground, West Coast Berbice tonight when roundof-16 actions starts in earnest with quarter final places at stake.

It will be a battle between teams from the City who will be going all out to turn back the challenge of the host teams when they face off from 19:00h with a match between Cougars and Riddim Squad.

The main event brings together Police who will be seeking to arrest their opponents, Rosignol United. Both home teams and the fans will be coming out to ensure that they send their City opponents packing form the competition but the battle has to be won on the field of play.

Police has been turning heads ever since returning to competitive football in Georgetown and will fancy their chances of arresting Rosignol in tonight’s feature match. Rosignol will depend on the likes of Shaimar Arrindell, Darren Charles, Calvin McKenzie, Akeem Rigby, Jason Scott, Mark Wronge, Shane Gangoo, Tevin McKenzie, Desmond Weeks, Keenon Rajgopaul, Keon Rose, Cornel Taylor, Orin Nedd, Lawrence Nedd, Randy Arrindell, Mark Montgommery, Oswin Carmichael, Joshua Fordyce, Curtis Carmichael, Shamar Richmond, Curtis Moore and Odari Chan to deliver a win for them.

The opening match will see the East Bank based city team, Riddim Squad throwing down the gauntlet to Cougars in what is anticipated to be a keen contest. The Hope brothers will lead the charge for Riddim Squad, a side that has been among the best in the GFA. Berbice’ Cougars will have a point to prove and would want to emulate fellow Berbice side, New Amsterdam United which knocked out East Demerara’s Golden Stars on Wednesday night last at the Golden Grove ground, East Coast Demerara.

The home side’s quest for victory will be centered around Akeem Bollars, Dane Johnson, Devon James, Adrian Bess, Alwin Reynolds, Ron Wilson, Edmar Semple, Kevin Dey, Xavier Fraser, Meeshak Lopez, Derrick Taylor, Lamar Reid, Xavier Johnson, Jarrel Rajgopaul, Roger Crandon, Aquel Henry, Avion Kendall, Mustapha Nicholson, Trevon Hazel, Andre Charles, Jason DeJonge and Herman Denny.

Meanwhile, the GFC ground will host tomorrow’s double header which will see Santos opposing Herstelling Raiders from 18:30h to be followed by a clash between Western Tigers and Flamingo.

UDFA/GT Beer Christmas Football Championship

Kwakwani, Botafago register contrasting victories

K

wakwani Strikers joined Silver Shattas in their group to lead on six points when they out hustled Net rockers 3-2 and Botafago won for their second straight time to also be on six points in other group, closing out Amelia’s Ward Panthers 3-0 as the Upper Demerara Football Association’s (UDFA) GT Beer Christmas football championship continued in group play at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground on Wednesday night.

In the first game Kwakwani’s Strikers kept their hopes alive after three games in their group of five and now have six points from three games,

winning two and losing one. Handel Crossman got the Strikers off to a good start after receiving a corner from Dellon Duke for a 1-0 advantage in the 7th minute.

However, the Rockers found the back of the net as DaShawn Young netted in the 30th minute and then took the lead in the 35th minute from a strike by Shane Luckie, as the Linden side were 2-1 ahead and were looking goof when the half time whistled came.

But the Strikers were not to be resisted and their came through to level the scores 2-2 after Norville Adrian was fouled just outside the 18-yard

Botofago marksmen; from left Shawn Haynes, Kellon Primo and Jashawn Moore

box. The shot taken by Shane Adams was through the wall from the right to the ever pressing Dale Sauers who was able to complete the scoring act just around the six-yard box in the 58th minute.

The two teams battled each other for the tie breaker but that would come on the 90th minute of the game through a corner taken by Dellon Clinkett and defender Eon ‘Bully’ Pluck was there to planet a header to score the winning goal and hand his team a 3-2 victory.

The second game was all Botafago who smashed their way past Amelia’s Ward Panthers 3-0 and remain unbeaten like Winners Connection on six points to head that group, as Jashawn Moore opened their scoring in the 19th minute from a through past 1-0. The first half will end with the Botafago looking composed and leading 1-0.

The second goal was achieved from the defenders being unable to clear in the mouth of the goal where Kellon Primo was able to sneak through and score in the 49th minute after the second period began.

Then the scores would read 3-0 as Shawn Haynes was there to register another Botafgao as the defence of the Panthers was in disarray and netted in the 83rd minute for a 3-0 lead which never changed.

Roshon Primus living initial part of his dream

Roshon Primus

By Delvon Mc Ewan

Y

oung and exciting all-rounder Roshon Primus continues to impress in his debut first class season as he fell short of what would have been his second first class fifty in only his seventh innings.

The 21 year old commanding knock was the top score in Trinidad and Tobago Red Force first innings score of 162 in their fifth round clash of the Digicel Four Day League against reigning champions Guyana Jaguars at Providence on Friday.

Primus convincing innings was decorated with seven well timed boundaries and was the lone standout for the ‘struggling’ Red Force on a rain affected day that was dominated by the host. His 42 yesterday adds to some quality performance seen so far from him. In his debut match which is also the only match Red Force won so far this season, he claimed 6-30 in Windward Islands Volcanoes first innings then struck 36 not out in his only innings of the same match.

In the very next match against Barbados Pride he hit his first fifty then against Leeward Hurricanes he was unbeaten on 42 when rain interrupted to hamper play for the remainder of the match. His performance against Jamaica Scorpions was reasonable but not good enough to avoid a heavy defeat.

In his first interview here (Guyana) the all-rounder rates his performance so far as good, based on consistency and he hope to keep it going to help out his team to take them a long way.

For those who ponder what type of all-rounder is this emerging talent, he is a general all-rounder, who bowls medium pace and bats mostly in the lower order and is living the initial part of his dream.

The right arm fast medium bowler who bats right handed as well main aim this season is a very unselfish one, he wants to contribute as much as he can so the Red Force could benefit. Obviously if they benefit from his performance on a consistent basis that mean he is also garnering success for himself.

Coming up against Guyana, Primus who plays for Wanderers in Barbados and Comets in Trinidad said he know it would be a challenge but he is confident of doing well.

The Barbadian who patterns his game to emulate the likes of South African all-round great Jacques Kallis, arguably the greatest all-rounder to ever play the game is aiming for the summit over the next five year of his life in cricket. “I am not competing against anyone but in the next five years I want to be at my best and want to be playing at the highest level.”

Hopefully that be in the West Indies colours because with how things are going with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the regional players, the highest level could be a League somewhere across the world or here in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Nevertheless cricket lovers here in Guyana and those in the territories hosting this season make it a priority to go watch Primus play the gentleman’s game. For the people here he will be bowling today weather permitting at the National Stadium and there is also a possibility of him batting again.

His ability is conspicuous and a place at the summit so far seems imminent.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, december 17, 2016

23

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

Permaul, Reifer shine on gloomy opening day L

eft arm bowlers, Raymon Refier and Veerasammy Permaul shared seven wickets on the opening day to give the Guyana Jaguars complete command of their fifth round clash with Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League Digicel Regional Four Day Tournament at Providence on Friday. Seam bowler Reifer, did the early damage when conditions were favourable for his style of bowling while orthodox spinner, Permaul cleaned up the lower order. Reifer impressive season continues with three wickets either side of lunch while Permaul was patient in grabbing four scalps.

The day began in absolute overcast conditions when the toss was won by the visiting Red Force Captain, Yannic Ottley who opted to bat first. However, as the Umpires were heading to the mid-

dle the clouds opened and the action was delayed by an hour and 20 minutes.

After getting on the way, Red Force openers began in typical opening day fashion with their most established batsman this season, Kyle Hope and the versatile Imran Khan playing cautiously. The Jaguars opening bowlers, Keon Joseph and Reifer were looking to maximize the seam friendly conditions and it was the left arm medium pacer who got the break through.

After getting some away movements to Hope, Reifer got one to shape back into the right handed Barbadian and he was comprehensively bowled at the start of the 10th over at 28/1 and the Jaguars were warming up in cool and overcast conditions.

The old saying of ‘one brings two’ was repeated when Imran Khan drove the first ball of the next over straight to Vishaul Singh at short extra cover off Christopher Barnwell also at the same score. The next over saw the introduction of spin in the form of Permaul and after four testing deliveries the covers were called on as the rains came again at 11:55h.

SCOREBOARD FOW: 1-28, 2-28, 3-37, 4-37, 5-63, Scoreboard Day 1 Stumps 6-96, 7-117, 8-150, 9-158, 10-162 Red Force 1st Innings Bowling: K Joseph 8-3-30-0 (nbK Hope b Reifer 16 2), R Reifer 10-1-34-3 (nb-5; w-1), C I Khan c Singh b Barnwell 7 Barnwell 8-3-20-2 (w-1), V Permaul I Rajah b Barnwell 12 14-5-30-4, G Motie 13.2-2-40-1 J Mohammed c wkpr Bramble b Reifer 7 Jaguars 1st Innings Y Cariah LBW b Reifer 0 R Chandrika Not Out 8 Y Ottley c Motie b Permaul 15 Shimron Hetmyer Not Out 0 R Primus c & b Permaul 42 Extras (nb-1) 1 S Katwaroo LBW b Permaul 24 Total (For no wicket, 2.2 Overs) 9 K Pierre c Chandrika b Motie 17 Did not bat; L Johnson*, V M Richards c Chandrika b Singh, S Chanderpaul, R Reifer, Permaul 4 C Barnwell, A Bramble+, V J Jagessar Not Out 0 Permaul, G Motie, K Joseph Extras (b-2, lb-6,nb-8, w-2) 18 Bowling: M Richards 1.2-0-50, R Primus 1-0-4-0 (nb-1) Total (All Out, 53.2 Overs) 162 Position: Jaguars trail by 153 runs with 10 wickets in hand

It was another cat and mouse situation with the rain which kept the ground staff busy

With the rescheduled lunch interval five minutes away, lunch was immediately taken however play didn’t resume until 13:45h.

Shortly after the resumption, Reifer continued from where he left off with a double strike in his first over, the second of the session. Jason Mohammed who was on naught at lunch nicked behind and Yannic Cariah got the perfect first ball and was sent on his way.

In the middle session, five more Red Force wickets fell while 89 runs were scored in all.

The best partnership of the innings came when Roshon Primus joined forces with captain Ottley at 63/5 when Isiah Rajah went in the 21st over. Primus was very aggressive in scoring 42 from 66 balls with seven fours while Ottley made a patient 15 before he was first of Permaul’s victims ending the 33run partnership. After pushing around for 41 balls, the Red Force captain drove to backward point where Motie took it inches above the ground with the score on 96/6 in the 33rd over and the visitors

were in deep trouble.

Primus then drove Permaul to the long on boundary to bring up the Red Force 100 off the first ball of the 35th over and he seemed well set to give his team a descent first innings total. However, in trying to play for tea, Primus looked out of sorts in defending rather than the modus operandi aggressive shots and in the final over before the interval chipped a slow flighted delivery back to Permaul who took it at 117/7 in the 39th over and the end seemed near.

After the break, Steven Katwaroo and Khary Pierre played some beautiful shots and entertained while adding 33 as well but Permaul will strike again when Katwaroo was hit adjacent to a quicker ball then Marlon Richards hit a boundary before becoming Permaul’s fourth victim.

Richards, the Guyanese born player got height and not distance and was taken at long on while Gudakesh Motie

who was guilty of bowling too flat and fast got Pierre to hit in the air to end the innings in the 54th over.

The lights were switched on for most of the day which was dark for most parts due to the rain and overcast conditions. The Jaguars began their reply and after 2.2 overs the rains came again and the umpires called the covers on and time for the day.

Rajendra Chandrika got off the mark when he pulled the second ball of the innings for four and looked comfortable as was his partner Shimron Hetmyer and they will look to resume today in the same positive mood to keep the Jaguars on top while Primus and Richards will look to utilize the conditions on what is expected another rainy day.

To make up for the approximately two hours and 25 minutes lost on the opening day, play will begin at 09:00h and a gripping second day is predicted.

Better Hope hosts over 50 Independence Jubilee 20/20 B

etter Hope SC is set to host two 20-over softball matches on Sunday December 18 from 13:00h to celebrate Guyana’s 50th independence celebration.

The first of it’s kind over 50 years old softball match will be the main attraction between Better Hope Legion and East Coast All-Stars. The main supporting act will come from Better Hope and Fisherman XI in an Over-40 cracker.

Trophies are being provided by Dereck Auto Spares of Regent Road.

The teams will come from Fisherman; Pooran Singh, Ishwar Persaud, Mukesh Persaud, Jaggernauth Singh, Doodnauth Sookram, Wallack Joseph, Nadir Baksh, Anil Rambarran, Jagdesh Persaud, Hafeez Samad, Ramo Malone, Ramesh Kissoon, David Harper, Halim Majeed, Deodat Hemraj, Omar Seedyal, Robert Comaheo and Barlow Balram.

Better Hope over-40; Seeraj Bhimsain, D. Mohabir, R. Myers, M. Arjune, V. Deebra, R. Persaud, K. Jaikarran, S. Kumar, C. Sahadeo, R. Bhawan, R. Haripaul and C. Boyer.

Better Hope Legion; k. Mangra, C. Mangra, H. Dhanraj, A. Sanichara, B. Singh, S. Ishmael, L. Harper, S. Bishan, R. Dukhu, D. Sukhdeo, John Kissoon and Kennard Luke.

East Coast Allstars; Suresh Dookram, Veno Lall, Balkaran Persaud, Jaikissoon Sukhai, Trevor Watson, Herman Watson, Naiem Chan, Sheik Mohamed, Khemraj Chanderpaul, Basil Bradshaw, Parmanand Singh, Kamal Persaud, Humanichal Ramnarine and Roopnarine Persaud.

Manager of Derick’s Auto Spares, Anand Chintaman (left) hands over the winning trophy to Regional Chairperson of region four Regional Democratic Council, Genevieve Allen bowl the Humanchal Mangra first ball to declare the day’s activities officially open.

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

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

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

Permaul, Reifer shine on gloomy opening day Pg 23

Raymon Reifer celebrates with his Jaguars teammates the dismissal of Kyle Hope early on the opening day at Providence

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