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Police trainees P11 treated to luncheon by senior officers Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3065

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Govt pays AFC financier $170M annually to store condoms – Jagdeo …spends less than half on healthcare delivery for entire region

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Pedestrian killed, teen injured in Buxton accident

P10

Page 3

Motorcycle School boy dies in Berbice bandits rob Police, accident businessman …driver’s license was suspended

Page 13

Ex-Police Officer held for Sterling murder, abduction

Page 12

P7 New DHB

P2

Contract signed for design, feasibility study

Mazaruni Prison expansion P12 to “ease” overcrowding at GT facility – Granger

Scores of children and adults flocked the Rahaman’s Park on Friday evening to usher in the holiday season with the 60-foot Christmas tree light up (Marceano Narine photo)

Jordan announces $25,000 bonus for lowest paid public servants only Page 9

Berbice man wanted for fraud P10

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

New DHB

Contract signed for design, feasibility study T

he Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) on Friday signed the contract for the feasibility study and design for the new Demerara River crossing with Dutch company, Lievense CSO. Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry Annette Ferguson overlooked the signing on behalf of the Government and thanked the company for its interest in the project and for the experience and knowledge it will bring.

General Manager of the

Harmon had said that the final step before the construction of what will be a “high level fixed bridge� will begin in early January of 2017 by a Dutch company identified as the Lievense CSO consul-

pre-feasibility study. That study concluded that a fixed high level bridge was the best option to pursue.

The study will consider the model, the tender documents and the sites pro-

The Demerara Harbour Bridge

DHBC, Rawlston Adams, expressed similar sentiments.

Also present at the signing ceremony was Arie Mol, advisor to the CEO of Lievense CSO, who thanked the DHBC and Government for the opportunity, noting that his company looks forward to working with the DHBC. He assured that Lievense CSO will ensure

all schedules are met and completed on time.

The feasibility study will commence on January 15, 2017.

Government late last month announced that it had procured the Dutch company to conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a new bridge across the Demerara River.

Minister of State Joseph

DHBC General Manager Rawlston Adams (right) and Arie Mol of LievenseCSO (left) shake hands following the signing of the contract

tancy firm.

In 2013, the Bridge Corporation in collaboration with the then Public Works Ministry had carried out a

posed and it will also make the final pronouncement on whether or not the construction is something that the country can go forward with.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, December 10 – 14:00h-15:30h with a night retraction at 01:30h (Sunday morning) and Sunday, December 11 – 14:30h-16:00h with a night retraction at 02:30h (Monday morning).

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, December 10 – 13:05h-14:35h and Sunday, December 11 – 13:55h-15:25h.

Govt pays AFC financier $170M annually to store condoms – Jagdeo … spends less than half on healthcare delivery for entire region ated.

The Opposition Leader noted too that, “We are spending almost as much on this bond as the entire Capital Budget for Region Eight [Potaro-Siparuni],” which he outlined is budgeted at $206 million. “Is that not shameful.”

Jagdeo said the same scenario also obtains in the allocations of monies across other regions such

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thundery to heavy rain showers with chances of sunny intervals can be expected during the day, while light cloud cover is expected in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 29 degrees Celsius.

as Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) where the entire capital projects are budgeted at $228 million.

“The fiscal space was all eaten up on greed and falsehood and lack of transparency in procurement,” according to Jagdeo, as he responded to Government’s claims that finances are scare.

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo as he addressed the National Assembly

T

he controversial contract between the Public Health Ministry and Alliance For Change financier, Larry Singh’s Linden Holding Inc, on Friday for the second day running, attracted the attention of the National Assembly and the nation heard that Government is in fact spending more on that contract in one year than it spends for the entire budget for healthcare services in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica).

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo dropped the bombshell announcement – an announcement that was not formally challenged by Government speakers – that while Government has inked a contract to pay Linden Holdings Inc, the 2017 Budget has in its allocations $88 million for healthcare delivery services for Region Four.

According to Jagdeo, Government has in fact opted to spend twice as much to store condoms in the Sussex Street, Georgetown facility owned by Singh.

He told the House that a perusal of the estimates revealed too that the entire Budget for education delivery in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is set at a meagre $97 million

as against the $170 million Government has earmarked to pay Singh for the storage of materials at the substandard Sussex Street property.

Jagdeo recalled that Government had defended the decision to secure the bond by handpicking Singh through the sole sourcing method by pointing to the emergency demands at the time, saying it was urgently needed.

According to Jagdeo, in one year, Government is paying close to $170 million for effectively a bottom house, saying, “remember they say we could not wait, had to get it done immediately because the drugs spoiling, the condoms spoiling.”

“We are spending $170 million to this individual,” Jagdeo said as he juxtaposed that with the healthcare delivery service Capital Budget for Region Four being only $88.8 million.

“You are spending twice as much on a bond to store condoms than that of entire health services budget for Region Four,” he reiter-

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton along with other parliamentarians inspecting contents at the Sussex Street Bond

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 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

Christmas and Budget

D

ecember, by Guyanese tradition, is a time when everyone thinks of Christmas and an atmosphere of expectancy envelops the society. This was so even in the troublous years of the 1960s and 1970s.

But this December a strange phenomenon has occurred.

People are thinking more about the Budget than about Christmas and this is manifested among the business community which has always treated December and the holidays as the best time of the year for business.

This year, as if to express the business community’s budgetary worries, the stores are not as decorated as in former years. The ubiquitous Christmas trees, holly, images of Father Christmas or Santa Claus, and the colourful hangings are absent in many shops, and they are rather thin in others.

Business folks are hoping for a surge of bustling activity within the next few days; even though many believe that this would not compensate for the many months of downturn in business.

But why this worry about the Budget? Our leaders, meaning the President and members of his Cabinet, have all said that the 2017 Budget is a good one and is good for Guyana, present and future. And the State media have wasted no time in pointing out all the good things in the Budget. These good things are of the nature of promises and imagination as many citizens are not too optimistic that they would actually happen. The two best practical budgetary measures are the income tax threshold being increased by $5000 to $60,000 and the Old Age Pension being increased by $800 to $19,000 per month.

But there are unfortunately many more negatives than positives. There are many proposals in the Budget which militate against society. For example, putting on VAT on electricity and water supplies may indeed not affect very small families directly; but will certainly affect them indirectly since the small shops from which they buy will have to increase their prices to cover the increased electricity bill. And as to water, one has to be afraid that small restaurants and food shops will be forced to economise on consumption which in turn can affect the hygiene of the service they offer.

Another very important negative of the Budget is that it has done nothing to stimulate the positive generation of wealth. Areas of wealth–generation have been completely neglected or forgotten. For example, agriculture, both smallscale garden farmers and producers of cash crops as well the nationally important economic sugar and rice industries have been literally ignored. This is a serious deficiency in national budgetary considerations.

To diminish or not to stimulate these industries would cause unemployment, less money in circulation and the lessening of a source of foreign exchange. The makers of governmental policies in respect of agriculture are literally shooting themselves in the foot.

In other areas of wealth generation for society, especially mining and commerce, the same trend has occurred.

One of the greatest disincentives to wealth generation is massive taxation. This is a fact well-known in all societies, irrespective of the political doctrine they follow. In the 2017 Budget there are dozens of new taxes imposed and many are fearful of the heavy burden this will add to both citizens and businesses.

Against this background, the main stakeholders - the business community, trade unions, political opposition; who in parliament are equal to the government except for one parliamentary vote, and the international community – must step up pressure on the Administration to have a serious rethink about the Budget.

The Budget Debates have ended and the consideration of the Estimates are about to begin. At this late hour it may be in the nation’s interest for the Government and the Opposition to agree to suspend Parliament for a short while.

The Government should then take the initiative of calling a meeting of the Opposition and other stakeholders and try to have agreed positions on the various controversial issues, including the many new taxes being imposed on citizens.

From the way it looks, citizens are expected to face extremely tough times. Will the Government compromise in the nation’s interest?

Three wise men bearing gifts! Students of the Green Acres Play school took to the streets of Georgetown as part of their annual Christmas parade to celebrate the holiday season (Carl Croker photo)

Increased crime rate in Region 2 disturbing Dear Editor, The crime rate in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) is always far lower than in most other administrative regions but recently one of the Station Districts, Aurora Police Station, that runs from Supenaam to Pomona and including the Supenaam Creek, there has been a significant increase in crime although not indictable in nature, but still very much disturbing, and it is interesting to note that most of the reports are from the Good HopeSupenaam area, an area that is terms of distance and population amounts to about one/

fifth the length and population respectively.

The residents are concerned about the response time by the Police and also the action taken. Of late there are several instances where the victims have to go to the Police Station repeatedly to get the Police to visit the crime scene, and by which time the suspect would in many instances leave the area.

Of concern also to the people is that at times, especially after 20:00h, visiting the Station to make a report, you would be told to come back in the morning – when the Sergeant comes. The rank

would also tell you that is he alone at the Station and he cannot leave.

I don’t know the authorised or actual strength of that Station, but I rather suspect that they are woefully short.

Being an ex-Policeman, I can remember when the thickness of the wall used to separate where the Subordinate in Charge of that Station used to live and where the other rank used to live, the Barrack Room, and unmarried ranks had to live at the Station, and although your turn of duty may be eight hours, you are on call 24 hours per day, seven days a week unless the doctor

recommend otherwise.

Gone are the days where a Constable use to be given a bicycle allowance for him to respond promptly to crime scenes, serve summons to defendants and witnesses, and execute warrants, among other things.

Now-a-days the ranks don’t leave the station, unless the victim or the person making the report provide transportation for them whether by road or river.

Yes, time has changed. Is it for the better of the worse?

Regards, Archie Cordis

Consultation, inclusivity and accountability PT 2 Dear Editor, The City Council’s indifference to accountability: When the PPP/C Government brought the above anomalies and others to the attention of the Council, we were often accused of wanting to deny the illegal vendors an opportunity to earn a living. These very vendors were often used by then Mayor Hamilton Green and his deputy to take to the streets in protest, in return for being allowed to vend illegally.

Furthermore, the vendors were enticed/duped into committing to vote for the APNU+AFC political alliance at the May 2015 General and Regional Elections in return for the Council’s turning a blind eye to their illegal vending.

Sadly when the APNU/ AFC Government took office, it reneged on the unwritten understanding the Mayor/ Deputy Mayor had with the vendors and the City Council’s triumvirate of Mayor, Head of its Finance Committee and Town Clerk spearheaded the demolition of their structures.

The PPP/C Government financial and other support

to the Council: The PPP/C Government was of times forced to pump millions of dollars into the City Council’s coffers annually to bail them out of their financial woes and for the purpose of addressing the health and environmental concerns arising out of the City Council’s failure to provide sanitation and other health related services the legislation requires of the Council.

For the years 2007 to 2014 financial support to the extent of $357 million was provided to the City Council; and this excludes the cost of a number of Compactor Trucks, Pick Ups and Garbage Bins given to the Council and the several Cleanup Campaigns which the PPP/C Government initiated and supported, including the $500 million Cleanup Georgetown which activity the City Council had agreed to maintain.

But the issue of increasing revenue base and so making more resources available to the Council cannot be considered independent of the present performance of the Council where issues of accountability

are concerned. Access to more resources must be based, inter alia, on service delivery and overall performance including transparency and accountability for resources already at the disposal of Council.

The latter’s present operations are shrouded in corruption, incompetence and arrogance. Furthermore, one must be mindful about supporting any measure that introduces increased costs and bring more hardship to the citizens of the municipality eg the proposed Parking Meter Project.

Following the Local Government Elections of March 18, 2016, and the election of a new Council at City Hall, the latter resolved, inter alia, to: a) put new revenue collecting mechanism in place with an expected significant jump in revenues; (b) have a revaluation of property; change of status of some from residential to commercial; (c) have better car and bus park management; (d) issue of land leases, etc.

These measures are yet to be put in place.

Albeit, the APNU/AFC

Government has made available to City Hall over $300 million and has committed to provide a further $180 million to help the inefficient Council to meet expenditures to which the latter committed without resources. Nine months later, the Council is still struggling to keep its head above water.

Improving the way things are done at City Hall can only be done by: a) Not allowing yourselves to be used as political tools to impose the will of Government, namely, to award contracts to supporters, bypassing the procurement procedures and denying resources to those perceived not to be supporters of the Government. (b)Interference in the work of the City Council that goes beyond providing guidance/ overview viz: Instructions to settle cases of rates owing on properties and exemption of certain properties that do not meet the requirements for waiver from payment of rates as set out in the Municipal Legislation.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016

5

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

The deception continues Dear Editor, The 2017 Budget, which was recently laid before the National Assembly, is another example of great deception.

The budgets laid by this regime thus far have gotten progressively worse. They have reneged on almost every one of their promises. Where it appears that they have been honouring their pledges, it turns out to be a sleight-of-hand.

Take for instance, their promise to reduce the VAT to 10 per cent as soon as they took Office. In their first two budgets, no reduction was forthcoming. In this budget, they reduced it from 16 per cent to 14 per cent.

However, what they also did was to remove almost all the items which the PPP/C Administration had zero-rated and applied the tax on them.

This is a big burden on the people.

In the 2016 Budget, they had removed machinery and equipment used by farmers and miners from the zero-rated list. So VAT has now been applied to essential food items, pharmaceuticals and alarmingly, on electricity and water.

These measures will certainly reduce the standard of living for the vast majority of people in Guyana.

Real income of our people will fall; that is, their wages/ salaries will buy less goods and services than two years ago.

Cost of living will rise due to the introduction of those measures. Pensioners who already had subsidies removed from electricity and water a year ago will now be taxed on these two essential services. Most pensioners will see a reduction in

real terms.

Manufacturers will have to pay more (14 per cent) for electricity and water. This will subsequently increase production costs, and they will be forced to increase the prices for their goods and services.

This trend will make them uncompetitive with other competitors in the region and they may be forced to close their businesses.

It will also have a negative impact on tourism as hotel owners are bound to increase the prices for accommodation and other services. This will certainly reduce the flow of tourists to Guyana as they will choose more affordable destinations in the Caribbean and elsewhere. This is a great blow to this fledging industry.

Another major con that this PNC-led APNU/AFC regime

is perpetuating on the people of this country is that this is a bigger budget for the people. In actual fact, they will be spending less on important social services to the people.

By introducing VAT charges on ministries, they are cutting the resources available to the people. As former Education Minister Priya Manickchand pointed out, at least $1 billion in taxes will have to be paid by the Education Ministry. Other ministries, too, will be soaked in the same fashion.

The net result – drastically reduced services to the people of Guyana. So we see that the size of the announced Budget is not real. It is much smaller than they said. This is a massive sleight-of-hand by the masters of deception.

It is also important to understand where the regime

Frequency of suicide frightening Dear Editor, The frequency of suicide in Guyana, and mainly among the fairly young, is as frightening as it is painful. What a waste of lives and what a burden on survivors!

I do not think that interventions are lacking from agencies, whether they be Churches, probation offices, Government Ministries, etc. I am of the view that the environment at home provides the basis for denial that a member of the household is suicidal.

It is in the home that most, if not all, traits of members of the household are played out. But household members are either embarrassed or unwilling to consult with family members, friends or agencies. To do so would advertise a weakness within the family.

I am old enough to have heard of several utterances of “it is better I kill myself” by older folks in my area, particularly housewives, who had to “feed” large families with

their husbands behaving as if bringing in part of their weekly pay-packet puts an end to their familial responsibility.

But those same housewives also ask of themselves the follow-up question: What will happen to my children?

That pause in their frequent temptations strengthens them to work and hope for better days, better days when their children will grow up and things will be easier. Our Parents and foreparents were tough people: they toughed it out. And they also were clued in to the behaviour of the members of the household, notwithstanding the travails of their “existence”. There was a togetherness, not only within the family, but also within the community. The suicide ratio could not have been what it is today.

There was another element: Parents ensured that their children, particularly their sons, go to the Church or Mandir or Masjid on Sunday

mornings. The place of worship was an essential part of “existence”. It provided spiritual/religious grounding.

Today is a far cry from those days. We no longer “exist”; we “live”. We have much more “trappings” than our parents. But very few parents have a clue of what is happening under their noses. And if a neighbour dares to tell a parent what they would have noticed about his/her child that would be the crime of the year.

Very few parents will take such hint as genuine concern for the defaulting youngster.

I have had several unpleasant retorts when I would have told some parents in my community that their sons were “smoking”. The denial syndrome is ever so noticeable - until the youngster is in the hands of the Police. I have parents telling me that their children are too tired from school and lessons to go to Mandir on Sunday mornings. That they need their sleep.

I have meandered because I needed to relate two perspectives: Tough times, but assuaged by community togetherness and respect for the place of worship versus relative affluence adulterated by individualism and indifference for the place of worship. In essence, somewhere between the home, the community and the Church (and place of work) suicidal tendencies are detectable. But there has to be some form of accommodation and willingness to consider these signals. And also some form of “belief base”, whether the family, the Church or workplace, which can provide that mirror for our people, young and old, to be encouraged to evaluate their lives and to value life.

In my book, the home and the place of worship take precedence.

Sincerely, Taajnauth Jadunauth

would spend all the money they are extracting from the people in taxes.

After all, no new major developmental project was announced. Most of the infrastructural works being done are projects started by the PPP/C. The funding for those was also acquired by the PPP/C through grants and soft loans.

The money is going to pay for the massive increase in the bureaucracy. Christopher Ram pointed out that the budgeted sum for contract workers has been increased by almost $2 billion. The 27 ministries and increased staff will also gobble up huge amounts of the financial resources.

Allowances and travel costs, both local and international, will balloon. Added to this, the regime is paying huge sums to PNC pensioners.

The recent Ministry of Health drug bond scandal, which will cost some $14 million per month, is one such deal. Another is the pet project at D’Urban Park in which more millions will be spent in one guise or another.

Clearly, we have a bureaucratic capitalist elite in power in our country that sees the State apparatus as a means of enriching themselves. Services to the people are secondary.

This is a very aggressive class and clearly in a hurry to get rich as quickly.

In the process, deception becomes an important tool in their effort to hoodwink the people into believing that they are ruling in their interests.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former President

Consultation, inclusivity...

FROM PAGE 4

This represents revenue loss that denies the Council and the residents’ financial resources that could be used to provide more goods and services to satisfy their needs. It encourages corruption and kickbacks. (c) Building and strengthening capacity at the level of the human resource. (d) Improving revenue collection and expenditure controls to guard against misuse of assets. (e) Addressing issues of governance.

Good governance is essential for sustainable development and the Council must take measures to improve good governance practise by, inter alia, involving the citizens in policy making, public education and awareness with some frequency; and by providing opportunity for citizens to have a greater involvement in decision making with respect to their own development and that of the Communities in which they live.

Some of the very citizens could be part of the monitor-

ing and evaluation of projects to ensure citizens get value for money. It’s one way you improve rates collection: when citizens are involved in the process of getting things done to benefit themselves.

Then and only then would the excesses and mismanagement at City Hall be arrested and replaced with reliable, timely and quality services to citizens and so restore the confidence, credibility and the trust of citizens in the work of City Hall. We must not allow our own selfish agenda to frustrate the work of Council.

Citizens’ participation helps to build trust. This involvement must go beyond mere one-toone exchanges, phone calls, street corner and rum shop engagements. With Annual Internal Elections for Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the City Council due shortly, we could make a start in effecting the required changes and concomitant improvements.

Is this asking too much?

Norman Whittaker

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

Tools to stop the hitting

- odd as it may seem, children who hit are children who are afraid

BY PATTY WIPFLER

T

he fears that cause trouble for a child who hits usually have their roots in some frightening experience earlier in her life, even though she may not seem frightened at all. To manage her fear, the frightened child develops aggressive behaviour that flares any time she feels tense. Instead of crying or saying she feels scared when her fears are triggered, she tightens up, can’t ask for help, and lashes out.

You don’t need to know why a child is fearful, in order to help her. What’s needed are measures to increase her sense of safety and connection with you, whether you are her parent, her caregiver, or a loving relative or friend. And you also need to take proactive steps to prevent her from landing any impulsive swats.

As you connect and protect, a child will begin to share with you the passionate feelings that drive her impulse to hit. Listening to a child’s feelings, while preventing her from hurting anyone, allows a child to release the underlying fear, so she can relax and see others as her friends, rather than as a threat. If you are feeling overwhelmed by your child’s aggression, you might want to begin with our detailed online video class, Helping Your Child with Aggression.

On a play date, for instance, you might...

Set up some roughhousing or hide and seek games to involve the children who will be playing together. Add yourself to the mix, get down on the floor, and play with affection. See if you can get laughter going by taking the less powerful role. Get the children working together to “get” you with pillows or balloons or by jumping out of nowhere to “scare” you during hide and seek. When there’s laughter (without tickling) and they are “winning,” you’re Playlistening.

The laughter and

Second, when she cries, stay listen

First, build a stronger connection

Set up opportunities to connect more often, and more fully. Special Time is a tool that’s ideal for building connection. If it’s your own child, try to do a short Special Time very early in the day, perhaps upon waking, s o that your child begins the day with your offer to do whatever they she wants to do for the first five minutes or 10 minutes of the day. Pay warm, affectionate attention.

This helps a child see that she is important to you, even if there are other siblings, a morning schedule and early phone calls you have to attend to. It puts first things first in the family.

If the child is someone you know outside your family, try Special Time or Playlistening when you first see her.

you play. Be bamboozled by them, but keep bouncing back to try again. This kind of play is sheer heaven for children.

The child who tends to hit may, during such a playtime, find a chance to unpack her upsets in a more workable way. She might bang an elbow, or find a defect in the cracker you offer her, or look you in the eye and then start to use a crayon on your wall.

When you approach her gently to bring a limit, she has a reason to cry and perspire or tantrum. This expression of emotion is the beginning of the healing process for the feelings that she carries, most likely, the same feelings that sometimes cause her to hit.

sense of safety and power in Playlistening helps children bond with each other and releases tension.

It helps them get a sense that they are safe, treasured, and secure in your presence.

At a family gathering...

You might organise a tag game or an “I want to give you a hug” game that the children can win. You might, for instance, open your arms to try to give them big bear hugs. But stumble, fall, and fail. They will love getting the best of you. Nuzzle them now and then, but be sure not to be a very competent hugger. Make eye contact while

This means staying close, not taking the ensuing emotional storm personally, and letting the child know that you’re there for her. You pour in support; she pours out her fear and upset. Often, a child goes quickly from “My cracker is broken, I need a new cracker!” to “I need my mommy!” and from complaint to sheer panic. Listen. No need to try to fix anything. You are just the right person to listen to her. Let her feel that panic about having bumped her elbow, about needing a whole cracker, or about any other urgent need of the moment. There will be time later for a band-aid, or to consider the cracker again.

For now, let her show you how upset she is. If she’s missing mommy or daddy, let her know that they will always come back.

Reassure her that you’ll watch over her and keep her safe.

Feelings will pour out with great passion and force. Although it looks like dire things are happening, this outpouring is actually a deep relief for a child’s emotional mind.

The passion you see is what drives her impulsive behaviour. A genuine internal healing is occurring. All the child needs is your warmth, eye contact and a few words about the fact that she’s safe with you.

When the storm has passed, the child will feel a thousand percent safer with you than ever before, whether she’s your own child or a child in your care for some other reason. (Hand in Hand Parenting)

When one sibling is harsh toward another

BY PATTY WIPFLER

C

hildren who touch too roughly, or hug too tightly, or hit or poke or hurt their siblings are sending clear signals that they have some upsets that need to be listened to. Even very young children can be gentle with younger ones, as long as they are feeling “filled up” with attention, and relaxed.

So any sign of harshness from one sibling to another can be taken as a sign that the child is not feeling connected or relaxed enough to function thoughtfully. When you notice that a child has been rough, scolding him or ord e r i n g

him to do

him want to go away.

Gently stay with him and keep him close, continuing to let him feel your attention and your support.

Usually, the child will move rather quickly into a tantrum or a big cry about wanting you or not wanting you, or about wanting to touch the baby, or not wanting the baby. All those feelings are important facets of the nugget of upset he’s trying to offload. If you stay with him, without criticism, he’ll be able to cry or tantrum it through.

It’s also very common for feelings of frustration and competition for attention and for toys disturb siblings’ good intentions s o o n - er or later. When there’s a tugof-war over you, or over a desired thing, y o u can help your

TO BE CONTINUED

chil-

things correctly won’t help. This only frightens your child more, and makes it less likely that he’ll be able to act thoughtfully.

What does help is to move in quickly and gently. Very gently but firmly stop the tense child from touching the younger child, but don’t remove him. Say, “I’ll help you be next to Sammy,” and guide his hands or his kisses so that they land softly, Move so that you can make eye contact with the older child, and invite him kindly to take a look at you.

Usually, because the child is tense with upset, he can’t look at you for long, and when he tries, the upset begins to make

d r e n by listening t h e

feelings through.

Children can tolerate necessary unfairness (daddy isn’t going to give Sally the hammer because she could easily hurt herself, but Kenny can handle it) as long as the feelings of frustration or insult are heard. Feelings that are listened to all the way through are feelings that evaporate afterward.

When you listen to crying or frustration, the child lets the awful feeling out, and your attention and caring then flow in. So siblings can get back to loving each other, even when you can’t give them the same experiences, or the same amounts, or the same time, or the same toys. (Hand in Hand Parenting)

NEWS

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

2017 Budget

PPP/C to repeal offensive measures when back in office …as Jagdeo vows to remove VAT from electricity, water, pharmaceuticals

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he People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) will repeal all of the draconian and offensive measures being foisted on the nation by the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) Administration when it regains the reins of executive power and is back in Office.

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo gave the commitment on Friday as he wrapped up the PPP/C’s contribution to the debates on the 2017 National Estimates presented to the nation on November 28 last by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

Jagdeo vowed to remove the Value Added Tax (VAT) that has be imposed on electricity, water, educational and medical supplies and services.

He wrapped up his presentation which lasted just under two hours said too when the PPP/C is back in power it will immediately reinstate the subsidy on lights and electricity that were removed from pensioners.

Jagdeo told the House that the PPP/C has opted for this course of action given the intransigence of the Government to heed the calls of the political Opposition and withdraw the budget and use the remaining time permitted

by the Constitution of Guyana to craft another one.

He lamented the fact that the debaters of the Government instead of defending the $250 billion Budget presented by Minister Jordan, instead opted to launch character assassinations of individuals in the hierarchy of the PPP/C. Scrutiny According to former President Jagdeo, even if the Government were to believe that the PPP/C Administration was flawed during its tenure of Office, it is the APNU/AFC Government which is now under scrutiny.

Jagdeo told the House the Administration cannot, “Set what we did in the past as the standard for their behaviour… they have to be judged on the basis of what they promised the people.” He said anything short of that will prove to the populace, “that they were just fooling them into voting for them but they had no intention of fulfilling the promises The former President said anything in the budget as proposed by the Minister of Finance that will enhance growth and development of Guyana and the welfare of its people will be supported: “We cannot do otherwise because

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo in Parliament on Friday as he addresses the issue of VAT on electricity, water, pharmaceuticals

the majority of the things we see reflected in their programmes are things that we left…it would be hypocritical of us not to support our own plans.”

The taxation and other measures, according to Jagdeo, cannot be supported since it will inherently bring about burdens.

The Opposition Leader said what the APNU/AFC Administration has put forward is no investments and more taxes that will increase the cost of living for all Guyanese.

Speaking to some of the contentious measures in the Budget such as the adjustments in the VAT regime, Jagdeo took a swipe at Government speakers who

Ex-Police Officer held for Sterling murder, abduction

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wo years after gunmen shot and killed Wilfred Stewart, a security guard at Sterling Products, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), the Police have arrested an ex-Policeman whose name was called in the invasion.

The ex-law enforcement officer was arrested on Thursday evening in the vicinity of Merriman Mall after a group of Police ranks swooped down on his location.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times that the ex-Police officer’s name was also called in the abduction of 31-year-old Norien Lopez, a Cuban-born United States citizen. He was reportedly abducted after arriving in Guyana on September 29 last.

Slain security guard, Wilfred Stewart

During the Sterling Product’s incident on December 8, 2014, 45-year-old Stewart of Graham’s Hall was shot and killed by the bandits while on duty at the establishment. It was reported that the

gunmen forced their way into the compound, shot Stewart and went straight to the accounts department.

They were said to be after money they felt was kept there. However, after they realised that the safe which they were targeting was locked; they assaulted a female employee before making good their escape in an awaiting car.

However, a Police source confirmed that despite efforts to locate the man, they came up empty handed. Now that the man is in custody, the Crime Chief related that the suspect will be grilled and once they gather enough evidence, the file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

suggested that the changes had come about because of studies undertaken in part by international consultants.

The former President was adamant that, “this slavish mentality to studies done by foreigners is unbelievable.”

Jagdeo said neither of the two studies referred to by the finance minister as having informed the decisions to adjust the VAT regime has in fact been presented to the nation or the National Assembly.

He told the House that there are literally hundreds of international studies done on a range of matters, sometimes by persons just out of University and they “come a tell a whole country what to do.”

He told the debate that when international studies are submitted judgement has to be exercise in Cabinet since studies can recommend anything under the sun.

According to the Opposition Leader, “any President worth his salt would never allow any CARTAC study or any other study to come here and tell us what to do in a sovereign country and use that as a justification for passing on a burden.”

Jagdeo recalled that during the negotiations for the implementation of VAT in

2007 he was told that the 16 per cent rate would have to be applied across the board and, “I said not while I am President.”

Disguised Expanding on the VAT provision as outlined by Minister Jordan, the former Head of State said that the figures are in fact being disguised since the actual collections would in fact surpass the projections envisioned.

According to Jagdeo, even with the reduction in the VAT rate from 16 to 14 per cent the total collections will surpass what had been collected in the past since the 14 per cent will now be applicable to commodities and services that had not previously attracted the tax.

He told the House that Government should have been losing out on just over $4.4 billion with the reduction of the VAT rate but with the application of the tax on previously nontaxable or zero-rated items the windfall on VAT now skyrockets by 38 per cent.

Rejecting what he termed measures against the local productive sector he drew reference to the Environmental Tax. According to Jagdeo, the APNU/AFC Administration had objected when the PPP/C

attempted to reduce the tax on imports down from $10 per bottle to $5.

At the time the tax had only been applied to imports but was found to be in violation of the Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Government has since decided to apply the tax across the board and according to Jagdeo, this will result in one local company having to fork out in excess of $1 billion annually.

Jagdeo used the Budget discussion to dissect some of the measures outlined by Minister Jordan, which he said will in fact add costs, thereby negating all of the supposed benefits.

Dismissing the proposals outlined in the Budget as ‘Kakanomic’ on the part of Minister Jordan, the Opposition Leader said his figures as outlined and projected are suspect, to say the least.

He used the occasion to contribute to a third debate as Opposition Leader to rehash criticism he would have previously levelled over the APNU/AFC disregard for the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

Among the flagship projects under the LCDS is the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project which Jagdeo predicted will be resuscitated in the near future by the current Administration but will be renamed, given APNU/AFC’s penchant for renaming PPP/C projects and initiatives.

At the end of his nearly two-hour presentation, Jagdeo used the opportunity to inform the House that the Opposition would not in fact be staying for the conclusion of debate, namely the presentation by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and the rebuttal from Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

(Gary Eleazar)

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NEWS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Phone thief jailed for 3 years A

man of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was on Friday sentenced to 36 months in prison after admitting to a charge of robbery with violence before Magistrate Faith Mcgusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Joseph James, 18, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on December 7 last, at Soesdyke he robbed a 14-year-old of one Samsung cellular phone, while at the same time making use of personal violence towards the teen.

The Prosecution’s case revealed that on the day in question, the virtual complainant (VC) was walking along the Soesdyke road dressed in his school uniform when he was choked from behind by the accused demanding that he

Joseph James

hand over his cellular phone from his shirt pocket.

It was stated that the 14-year-old raised an alarm which caught the at-

tention of public spirited citizens, who gave chase to the accused. He was apprehended and taken to the Timehri Police Station where he admitted to the crime.

Addressing the court on the issue before his sentencing, the defendant boldly told the Magistrate that the VC was walking home from school when he stopped him and ordered him to hand over his cellular phone. He took the phone and gave it to one of his friends called “Son Son”.

However, the Prosecution added that the cellular phone was not recovered.

Magistrate Mcgusty applauded the accused for being bold and honest in telling the truth at the earliest moment.

Teenagers remanded on robbery charge

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wo 18-year-olds of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, were on Friday remanded to prison after denying a charge of robbery under arms when they appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Ceon Wright and Stephon Dazzle pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on December 7 at Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown,

and while being armed with a knife, they robbed Gary Matterson of two cellular phones and cash amounting to $90,000.

The Prosecution objected to bail, stating that the matter is very serious and it attracts a high penalty. In addition, the Prosecution contended that these types of crimes are prevalent during the holiday season.

As such, the duo was placed on remand.

The defendants are scheduled to make their next court appearance

on December 14 before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Excavator operator remanded

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excavator operator appeared before Magistrate Faith Mcgusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to an-

swer to a charge of fraudulent conversion.

It was alleged that on September 14 at Lot 298 Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown, Ronald Pharrel, 36, being solely entrusted with an all-terrain vehicle valued $2.2 million and a 17 plate battery valued $32,000 to work in the interior, converted the items to his own use and benefit, property of Henry Alphonso.

Pharrel initially pleaded guilty to the charge with explanation, however in his explanation he stated that he was robbed of the ATV and battery. As such, the magistrate entered a not guilty plea upon his behalf.

The unrepresented defendant told the court that he did report the matter but no investigations were carried out. He further added that he is willing to compensate Alphonso.

Pharrel was refused bail with the case set to continue before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on December 21.

A bitter pill…

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…at Sussex St

ack in the day there was a popular calypso, "Gi'e me de pill de Doctor order me!" But the other night, even when the Doctor from the House rushed to the (bottom) house warehouse, there wasn't a pill in sight to be shown to the bevy of MP's and the mob of reporters in tow! By now, we probably all know about the sordid and sleazy genealogy of the "Case of the Missing Pill". But it bears repetition since its clear the truth is a bitter pill that the Government benches and the Speaker don't want to swallow.

Let's start with the fact that the brouhaha isn't just about the fact that a sitting Minister sole sourced a "warehouse" for pharma that was just a "house", but that he LIED about it to Parliament and was forced to apologise. In every other jurisdiction he would've been forced to resign. After all, just funding the purchase of a facility by a government campaign contributor and paying an exorbitant rental for months of nonexistent services is tantamount to criminal fraud. But the Minister was allowed to get away with the slap on the wrist of the "public apology". After all he said he's "learnt a lesson".

And this is what has to be asked now, "Exactly WHAT lesson did Dr Norton learn? That he can get away with murder once his PNC-led Government stands behind him? This Eyewitness wants to know why should there be recourse to the Hansard to find out whether MP Nandlall's charge that four months AFTER the Minister's apology, there still wasn't "a pill" stored at the Sussex Street facility?

The Speaker and everyone in that National Assembly knows the context in which Nandlall's charge was made. What the delegation that was sent over to Sussex Street was looking into was whether the space that the Government was shelling out big time Government money ($12.5 million/ monthly ain't Chicken feed!) was storing government pharmaceuticals. This was the very raison d'etre for the rental that was offered to the nation by no other than that paragon of public probity, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. That just the case there was a fire at the Government warehouse at Diamond, or a traffic jam on the East Bank Highway, DRUGS could be rushed from Sussex Street to Georgetown Hospital to save lives.

What was found? Condoms and lubricants? Was this "the pill" the doctor ordered? What MEDICAL emergency could possibly exist that would demand condoms and lubricant be available on call at the cost of millions and millions? Priapism? How widespread is this?

Or will we be now told since "condoms" help in birth control, it can be called "THE pill"??!!

…on Jubilee Park

It wasn't only Dr Norton who didn't learn the real lesson from "Pharmagate". Another doctor in the House also seemed to be suffering from moral aporia - Dr Roopnaraine. What's at issue on the revelations that he was a Director of the Homestretch Corporation that collected public funds isn't that he pilfered those funds. He very well might or mightn't have… and this will be revealed in the Inquiry the Government should launch.

No. What's at issue is - as with Dr Norton - Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson lied to the House when he omitted the name of Dr Roopnaraine as one of the Directors of the Company. And Roopnaraine, in remaining quiet and deferring to Paterson to offer the "explanation" was part and parcel of a conspiracy to mislead the House. And this should not be allowed to pass.

US President Nixon resigned not because he participated in the Watergate breaking. But, like Roopnaraine, he covered up his involvement in Homestretch.

The House should demand no less this time.

…on Budget

Resource Minister Raphael Trotman wasn't very resourceful when he compared the Budget to "bitter medicine" Guyanese must drink "for their own good".

Wasn't that what Jim Jones told his flock about the Kool-Aid? Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

NEWS

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Jordan announces $25,000 bonus for lowest paid public servants only …berates Private Sector, Chris Ram, Jagdeo over 2017 Budget criticism

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

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ublic servants earning less than $41,667 per month will be receiving a tax free $25,000 — the equivalent of US$117 (using current exchange rates) — this December as their Christmas bonus.

This announcement was made by Finance Minister Winston Jordan as he closed his rebuttal arguments to the debates on the 2017 National Estimates in the National Assembly on Friday.

According to Minister Jordan, the $25,000 is meant to ease the transition into the good life to be had, as a result of the way being paved in part through the Budget for 2017.

This means that the lowest paid category of Government workers alone will benefit from the bonus being paid out by Government for 2017, less than half of what was demanded by the political Opposition in keeping with the annual tradition.

Jordan wrapped up his debate following presentations by the penultimate speaker, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who was followed by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

Nagamootoo in his presentation also launched an attack against the Opposition Leader, saying Jagdeo’s contribution was simply a ‘cuss out’ and ‘buse down’ before he ‘cut and run’ after preaching gloom and doom.

Berates Private Sector

In his two-hour rebuttal to the one week of debates in the National Assembly, the Finance Minister launched in an almost vitriolic tirade against those levelling criticisms against the 2017 Budget.

He singled out the Private Sector Commission (PSC) — the umbrella body for businesses in Guyana — the political Opposition and its leader, former President Bharrat Jagdeo, and eminent Chartered Accountant and member of the Government’s Tax Reform Committee, Christopher Ram, among

others.

The PSC had been vociferous in its public outcries against many of the budgetary measures announced

by Minster Jordan.

Signalling to his colleagues ahead of his rebuttal in the House that the proverbial ‘gloves are coming off’, Minister Jordan firstly lashed out at those who had criticised the early presentation of the 2017 Budget and the Private Sector, which he accused of picking up the mantle to criticise what was termed the haste in presenting the estimates.

On the matter of consultations ahead of the Budget, the Minister insisted that his policy is that of an open door, and that interested parties did not have to wait until budget time to present a wish list.

Don’t come to me

He referred to the Budget demands as a wish list, since according to Jordan many of the stakeholders will not present their proposals with accompanying analysis.

According to Jordan, all and sundry are seemingly only interested in what concessions can be had, something he is not in favour of.

“Everybody wants concession but they never tell

“I told the Private Sector since last year don’t come to me for concessions…

Don’t come to me for concessions, I don’t believe in concessions.” you how much more jobs will be created,” or taxes to be paid, according to Jordan, saying the process is “not a numbers game, this is serious business and everybody knows like prices, concessions are sticky, once you give them it is difficult to take it back.”

It was at this point during his presentation to the Government members in the House — since the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) members had left the proceedings — the Finance Minister recalled, “I told the Private Sector since last year don’t come to me for concessions…

Don’t come to me for concessions, I don’t believe in concessions.”

According to Jordan, concessions are sought by

those only with sectional interest. Instead, he insisted on a “tax code that is uniformed and uniformly applied.”

Repeatedly singling out the PSC for criticism, the Minister said there were already provisions in the laws for concessions and still there are demands so “how can you take such people seriously?”

TURN TO PAGE 13

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo during his presentation on Friday

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016

News

Linden Councillor to resign Pedestrian killed, teen over re-election of Mayor injured in Buxton accident Discrepancies

Councillor Lennox Gasper

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n a move to follow through with plans to resign as Councillor within the municipality of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) should Mayor Carwyn Holland be re-elected, Councillor Lennox Gasper has stated his intentions to resign. Gasper, who served as Administrative and Legal Affairs Committee Chairman of the Council, has for months spoken out against what he deemed as “unlawful acts” of the Holland-led municipality. He has also publicly criticised countless decisions made by the re-elected Mayor and his manner of governance, which he deemed “egotistical.”

“I will be resigning from the Council,” Gasper stated following the Mayoral Elections in the township on Thursday.

Gasper also alluded to several discrepancies which he pointed out during Thursday’s elections.

He went on to express shock that Deputy Town Clerk Orleena Obermuller, who was employed only a few weeks ago and who has not yet received her official appointment letter, was allowed to carry on the proceedings.

“Now she did not even finish her probationary period. All of that is unlawful.

A Town Clerk has to convene that meeting according to 28:01. Miss Obermuller hasn’t even received an appointment letter as an employee of the Council. She is still in assessment period.”

Gasper also alleged that the Mayor had set the agenda for the elections and deemed the move as not acting within the confines of the law. Gasper said in the case of the elections, the law states clearly what is to be done in 28:01.

“I objected vehemently about it and it was overturned… These are the things that Councillor Gasper stands for, that they would from time to time want to do – railroad and override the law blatantly and they want to tell you when you stand up against it you are opposing.”

Gasper reaffirmed his passion for his community

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The toppled car at the accident scene

Mayor Carwyn Holland

but opined that the Mayor seems “more consumed with the span of his shadow.”

He said he trusts that the eight months serving in the position of Mayor would have thought Holland that it makes no sense dictating people in which their support is needed, adding that he needs to tone down his ego and settle down to get work done.

“This town needs forward movement… we have Councillors in position but they have no power, they have no authority. The law gives them power and authority but they use it based on the instruction and orders of those that give it to them and that’s the plight that we’re in… The Councillors are not comfortable, the intimidation, the threats, the fear of victimisation is so heavy,” he stated.

n another accident, this time at Buxton, East Coast Demerara, an unidentified pedestrian was in the wee hours of Friday killed while a 17-year-old girl is hospitalised after a car driven by an alleged drunk driver turned turtle at Buxton.

Reports are the car bearing registration plates PVV 4355 was proceeding along the East Coast Highway

when two other vehicle, travelling in the opposite direction, drove into its lane.

As a result, the 21-yearold driver of Annandale, ECD, swerved and collided with the pedestrian who was walking on the parapet. The car then crashed through a wooden fence and toppled several times before landing with its wheels in the air.

The injured pedestrian along with the girl who was

a passenger of the car were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where the pedestrian was pronounced dead and the teenager admitted in a stable condition.

Meanwhile the driver was tested and found to be over the legal alcohol limit.

He is presently at the medical facility seeking medical attention under Police guard.

Berbice man wanted for fraud

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he Police on Friday issued a wanted bulletin for 42-year-old Ravi Maniram for questioning in relation to fraud committed on the Guyana Police Force which occurred between January 11 and February 1, 2016.

The last known addresses for the wanted man were given as

Overwinning, East Bank Berbice, and Islington Front, East Bank Berbice.

The Police are asking anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of Maniram to contact them on telephone numbers 333-3876, 3332151-3, 225-2227, 911 or the nearest Police Station.

Wanted: Ravi Maniram

Community service for Lindener on narco possession charge

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resident of Third Alley, Wismar, was sentenced to 120 hours of community service when he was found guilty of having narcotics in his possession. Clayton Lewis, 18, of 33 Third Alley, appeared before

Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer to the charge.

Facts of the case presented to the court indicated that the man was caught with two grammes of cannabis sativa in his possession

on Saturday, December 3, at Third Alley Public Road.

The community service sentence commenced this week. Failure to attend will result in an alternative sentence of three months’ imprisonment.

11 Police trainees treated to luncheon by senior officers R NEWS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

ecruits of the Guyana Police Force who are currently undergoing training were treated to a special luncheon by senior ranks on Friday.

The annual luncheon saw trainees being served and waited on by high ranking officers within the Police Force at the Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary, on

the Force soon.

“Throughout their stint as recruits, you find most of the times they would be carrying out instructions so this is a moment where they are treated special with senior persons serving them,” he stated.

According to Williams, the luncheon is also fun for the trainees as they enjoy

Training Officer outlined.

This batch of 235 trainees, that will pass out next week, has taken the number of recruits for 2016 up to some 637.

According to Williams, over the years, the strength of the Police Force has been given a significant boost with more successful batches of recruits being brought

A section of the trainee ranks at the Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary

Deputy Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine treats trainee ranks at the Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary

Senior Officers serving lunch on Friday

Friday.

Speaking during the event, Force Training Officer Paul Williams noted that this event has been hosted for a number of years and has become a culture of the organisation. He explained that this initiative serves as an appreciative act to the recruits, who will be entering

being served by the hierarchy of the Force.

“The trainees do have fun with it… It is something we see as part of leadership.

We are not always there on the driving side, the pushing side; we must show them that softer side so that they will know we can interact on one level,” the Force

into the fold. The current capacity of the Guyana Police Force is close to 4000.

He pointed out that following the passing out of this current batch, another set of some 235 recruits are ready to undergo training. Williams noted that the attrition rate at the level of the training college is rela-

Missing EBD woman

Police hunt suspect, reputed wife

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rime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Friday confirmed that Police are hunting a man and his reputed wife believed to be involved in the disappearance of Shonette Savory of Prospect, East Bank Demerara (EBD) who disappeared on August 26 last.

The head of the Criminal Investigations Department told Guyana Times that members of the Major Crime Unit received information that the suspect did some construction work and the possibility existed that the woman’s remains were buried under the structure.

Missing: Shonette Savory

It was on that basis that several ranks visited the home of the suspect at Belle West, West Bank Demerara on Friday, where they excavated the area but came up empty handed. He also noted that special sniffer dogs were also used to comb the area, but again nothing was detected.

Nevertheless, he noted that the Police will continue to work on leads provided to them in an attempt to locate the missing woman. The 37-year-old woman of Lot 222 Last Street Prospect, EBD, was last seen visiting the suspects on August 29.

tively low.

“Out of a batch of 235, our attrition rate may be the loss of 12 the most. Those who leave – some might have gotten better opportunities while some leave because they cannot withstand the training, probably because of medical reasons, and very few leave/are dismissed on indiscipline behaviours,” he explained.

Nevertheless, the Force’s Training Officer outlined that most of the recruits who are successful during the training have gone out in the field and are doing excellent work. In fact, he disclosed that the Force has seen more qualified recruits joining its

team.

“We have seen maybe for the past four years, lots of persons with qualifications that are coming on board.

Persons who are interested in joining the Force, I would encourage them to come on board because once we have qualified persons, it simply means that the quality of service from the Force will definitely step up,” he remarked.

However, in this vain, Williams urges qualified persons joining the Police Force to do so with an open mind and be prepared to go through the necessary training and ranking structure.

“Some persons when they come on board, immediately

they want to go into middle managers’ position and that is one of the particular reasons that qualified persons are deterred from joining. But not because you are qualified, it means you know Police; you have to come, go through the training and from there you are going to progress,” Williams posited.

Among the top officials serving the recruits at the luncheon on Friday were Assistant Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine, Divisional Commanders, the Crime and Traffic Chiefs as well as heads of the various administrative departments within the Police Force.

(Vahnu Manikchand)

12 NEWS School boy dies in Berbice accident SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

… driver’s licence was suspended

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n 11-year-old student of Tagore Memorial Secondary School in Berbice was on Thursday afternoon struck down in front of his home at Number 46 Village, Corentyne, by a car driven by a driver whose licence was suspended.

Dead is Simon Kendall, of Lot 1 Number 46 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. He was hit by a car, which fled from the scene after the accident.

Reports are that the Grade Seven student was with his 17-year-old brother Sheldon Kendall when the accident occurred. Guyana Times was told that the boys were on their way to their family’s farm to water plants. According to Sheldon Kendall, his younger brother was about 10 feet behind him when the sound of a speeding car was heard. The young man explained that he pulled the bicycle he was pushing at the time onto the parapet and looked around when he heard the sound of the impact and saw his brother being flung into the air and landing on his head.

One lot away, 17-yearold Armani Sookchand related to this publication that he saw the car coming to a halt and the school boy cartwheeling above the car. He said the young man landed about 20 feet away.

According to Sookchand, the driver brought his ve-

The car involved in the accident

Dead: Simon Kendall

hicle to a halt momentarily but then sped off. The younger Kendall was picked up and rushed to the Skeldon Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

This newspaper was told that the car later returned to the scene but on that occasion, it was driven by the father of the errant driver.

Police in a release said enquiries disclosed that motorcar PVV 7617 was travelling South along the eastern carriageway of the road when the driver lost control of the vehicle and struck the pedestrian. The driver was taken into custody and a breathalyser test was conducted, but no blood alcohol was recorded in his breath.

The driver, Darichan Babulall, 21, of Number 46

Accused driver, Darichan Babulall

Village was taken to the scene. He told investigators that there was a minibus parked on the road and Kendell attempted to cross the road when the car collided with him.

The driver claimed that the child made a sudden dash and got to the middle of the road where he was fatally struck.

However all the eyewitnesses reported that there was no minibus parked on the road, adding that the child was not attempting to cross the road.

Simon Kendall leaves to mourn his parents and three siblings.

Meanwhile, Babulall appeared before Magistrate Charlyn Artiga at the

Number 51 Magistrate’s Court on Thursday afternoon and was refused bail.

The rice mill operator and father of one was slapped with four charges. The charge read that he drove motorcar PVV 7617 in a dangerous manner, thereby causing the death of Kendall. Babulall is also charged with driving a motorcar while his licence is suspended, failing to stop after an accident and failing to render assistance after an accident.

He pleaded not guilty

to those three charges. The court was told that the accused is a businessman and had served a one-year sentence for a similar offence.

However, Magistrate Artiga stated that the accused did not serve the sentence but had appealed the decision.

She said that she was the person who handed down the sentenced on Babulall.

The Magistrate noted that she had suspected his licence for two years.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Phillip Sherriff, asked the court to deny bail,

noting that the accused had committed the offence while waiting on an appeal for a similar matter.

The Magistrate refused bail on the grounds that Babulall is a flight risk, he was driving while an appeal for a matter of a similar nature is pending and that he provided inaccurate information to the court in relation to the suspension of his licence. He will return to court on December 28.

In August 2014, Babulall appeared before the same Magistrate at the Whim Magistrate’s Court on a charge of causing the death of another teenager at Alness Village, Corentyne.

He was convicted in May of this year and sentenced to one-year imprisonment and two years suspension of his driver’s licence.

However, he appealed the decision and was released on bail by the High Court pending the determination of the matter.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Mazaruni Prison expansion to “ease” overcrowding at GT facility – Granger

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overnment has injected over $350 million into expansion works at the Mazaruni Prisons located in Region Seven, to accommodate more inmates as part of efforts to address the overcrowding at the Camp Street, Georgetown, facility.

Following the March 2016 riots at the Georgetown penitentiary during which some 17 inmates were killed and several others along with prison staff were injured in a fire, a probe was launched and found, among various issues, significant overcrowding at the facility.

While one of the recommendations made was to build another prison, Government has maintained that such a move is unfeasible.

Nevertheless, the coalition Administration has been devising means of addressing the situation at the city jail and during the 2017 Budget presentation, Finance Minister Winston Jordan announced that in order to offset the overcrowding at Georgetown Prison, the complex at the Mazaruni Prisons will be expanded at a cost of a whopping $2.2 billion, of which $369 million has been catered for in 2017.

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

Meanwhile, President David Granger during this week’s televised programme – The Public Interest – stated that while there are limited things that can be done with a limited budget, Government has injected a

President David Granger

significant amount of money into the security sector, particularly the expansion of the Mazaruni Prisons, in order to prevent a recurrence of the March 2016 riots.

“We are going to have more secured facilities so that the likelihood of riots in the future will not be a big concern. We had big problems in 2002 and in 2016 and we are currently working to solve the overcrowding problem,” said the Guyanese leader.

According to Head of State, while the expansion of Region Seven jail house may not fully alleviate the overcrowding situation at the Georgetown facility, it definitely will reduce the amount of inmates held there. Already, immediately following the March riots, some of the hardcore and long-term prisoners held in the City were transferred to Mazaruni and now with additional space to be created, more inmates will be transferred.

“I can assure you (overcrowding at Georgetown Prisons) will be eased…the long-term, hardcore prisoners will go to Mazaruni, which will remove some of the pressure (at Georgetown)…

The Georgetown and New Amsterdam Prisons are built in urban areas and expansions are not possible but we know Georgetown is overcrowded so the major sight at which expansion will take place is Mazaruni,” he explained.

Furthermore, the President believes that the Georgetown penitentiary ought not to have more than 500 prisoners, even though it currently houses sometimes in excess of 800 and/or 900 prisoners.

“So it is incumbent on the Administration to provide accommodation for anything around like 400 to 500 prisoners at Mazaruni; we are not catering to increase the prison population but at the same time we want to make sure that persons who commit serious offences are not let loose into the public – Mazaruni is the place they will be going to,” he asserted.

Moreover, the Head of State went on to outline that another area that Government is looking at to reduce overcrowding at the Georgetown Prisons is examining the sentencing policies so that persons who commit minor offences, which do not necessarily warrant custodial sentences, do not have to go there.

He added too that efforts are apace to speeding up the rate at which persons who commit offences are taken to court so that they are not incarcerated for long periods, waiting for bail or trial.

President Granger is of the view that these measures, along with many others, in the 2017 Budget will ensure that the country will be more secured.

NEWS

13

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Motorcycle bandits rob Doctor dies in motorcycle crash Police, businessman A

F

ollowing a robbery committed on two Police Officers and a city businessman, a male suspect has been arrested after he was found with a number of the stolen items.

According to Police reports, sometime around 11:55h on Friday, two ranks of the Guyana Police Force went at a Georgetown business location to retrieve surveillance footage in an ongo-

ing investigation of a recent crime.

However during that process, two identifiable males approached and relieved the two unarmed ranks and the proprietor of a number of valuables, inclusive of their cellular phones and a wallet, after which they escaped on a motorcycle.

Shortly after the incident, other Police officers acting on information appre-

hended a suspect on Middle Dam, East La Penitence, with a haversack. Upon examining the bag, the ranks found two cell phones belonging to the proprietor as well as a bank card, an identification card and a wallet belonging to one of the officers who were robbed.

The suspect was arrested and taken into custody where he is assisting with investigations.

Jordan announces $25,000...

The Minister continued his tirade against the Private Sector Commission and recalled that during a recent function hosted by the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GMSA), he was forced to use as example a foreign investor.

Concessions

He drew reference to Barbadian… Simpson, and his investment in the Rupununi on the Santa Fe Mega Farm.

Jordan said to the House that the Barbadian investor is not a member of the PSC and “he don’t come bother us for concession, he want more land.”

He told the House that the investor was actively engaged in the planting of rice and is looking to move into large-scale cattle rearing. He suggested the PSC should take a proverbial page from the book of the Barbadian investor.

According to the Minister, while those on the local front are complaining, there are many overseas interest actively lining up to sink investments in Guyana, before bellowing “What is wrong with our local Private Sector… Every day you open the (news) paper is something about Jordan, something about the Government.”

Other people are interested in Guyana, Jordan signalled to the private sector, warning that persons could very well come to wake up “five years from now, (and) other people would have taken over the country, while the private sector would be complaining to Government.”

The Minister told the House that the reality is that Government is in fact trying to tell the private sector, “We want to work with you.”

Jordan acknowledged the private sector as an important partner in the development of Guyana but cautioned that the partnership can’t be one-sided, “show me your card and I will show you mine… it can’t be sleight-of-hand.”

The Finance Minister, in what can be perceived as a direct plea to the Guyanese populace listening to the presentations and debates said: “These aren’t people to be trusted, just as how you didn’t trust them in May 2015, they still up to their own ways, they are not to be trusted.”

According to Jordan, the arguments were in fact just a litany of feeble attempts.

Dismissing as ‘cult-like manner,’ Jordan recalled the persistent calls by the Opposition to withdraw the

Budget.

He dismissed the pleas as “nonsense” and accused the Opposition of seeking to wield power through the backdoor, in their calls to have the executive withdraw its budget.

Isolation

The Finance Minister in defending the budgetary measures proposed, said that they cannot be taken into isolation. Jordan in fact insisted that Government is projecting losses in the vicinity of $10 billion as a result of the measures.

According to Jordan, the tax measures are an important sacrifice to make in the paradigm shift contemplated by Government.

He pointed to measures such as the further empowering of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to go after tax cheats and ensure laws of the country are enforced According to Jordan, Government would have been able to do more to alleviate the plight of Guyanese, such as further decreasing in the income tax rates: “We would have loved to do more,” Jordan said, but lamented the state of the world economy along with that of Guyana’s and told the House, “at least we show intent.” (Gary Eleazar)

Govt pays AFC financier ...

The contract had on the previous night of debate saw Government and Opposition speakers trading barbs over whether the facility was in fact being used at all to store drugs and medical supplies for the Public Health Ministry, leading to an unprecedented intervention on the part of Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland.

The issue arose on Thursday evening during the debates when former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, during his contribution exclaimed that no medications are being stored at the facility, which Government is expending millions of dollars on.

The Public Health Minister immediately objected to the statement, saying that the bond was in fact being used.

However, the Opposition MP maintained his position since he would have re-

ceived reports that the bond was not in use and only last week the bridge in front of the building was completed.

The exchange between the MPs prompted the Speaker to identify a team, led by Deputy Clerk Hermina Gilgeours to visit the facility and verify whether drugs are being stored there. Government Chief Whip Amna Ally nominated Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence, while Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira nominated PPP/C parliamentarian Irfaan Ali. Also accompanying the delegation were Minister Norton and Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings along with Opposition second bencher Juan Edghill.

Opposition MP Ali later told media operatives that there was no sign of any pharmaceuticals being stored there. Furthermore, he pointed out that the facil-

FROM PAGE 9

FROM PAGE 3

ity does not seem to be in operation.

The Opposition MP had cause to complain to the Speaker of the National Assembly requesting security for any future excursions since a hostile crowd had engaged the delegation as they were leaving the Sussex Street property.

Scores of persons had descending at the location during the site visit and could be heard hurling expletive laden threats against the Opposition MPs. Meanwhile, Lawrence in her report to the House indicated that there were several boxes at the facility and some of them were opened and examined by the Deputy Clerk.

The House heard that the facility had in its storage condoms, lubricants and umbilical clamps, among other miscellaneous medical equipment including a CT Scanner System.

Dead: Haimant Haimraj

doctor attached to the Suddie Public Hospital, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) lost his life on the Vilvoorden Public Road.

Dead is Haimant Haimraj, 25. Reports are that the doctor was riding when he apparently lost control and rode off the road resulting in the crash. Up to press time, Police in G Division (Essequibo Coast) were on the scene investigating the accident.

More details in Sunday’s edition.

Linden man remanded for larceny

M

agistrate Clive Nurse on Wednesday remanded a Lindener to prison after he pleaded guilty to the offence of break and enter and larceny.

Michael Samuels, 18, appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court where the charge was read to him.

According to prosecution’s case, on Monday 5 December he broke and entered the home of Ron Inniss at West Watooka, Wismar, Linden, and stole an Xbox

360 CD valued $20,000, a screw driver set valued $15,000 and $21,000 in cash.

The court heard that Innis returned home to discover the articles missing; Samuels was later discovered with the items in his possession. Innis told the court that while the articles were found, the cash was still missing.

When asked by Magistrate Nurse whether he wished to have the matter tried at the Linden Magistrates Court or the

High Court, Samuels chose the former.

He further told Magistrate Nurse that he had no parents since they died when he was younger.

In a string of conflicting reports, he said that he has been living by himself since he was 12, then changed his story and said that he is presently living with his sister.

A probation report has been ordered by Magistrate Nurse. Samuels will return to court on December 21.

Community service for Lindener on narcotics possession

A

resident of Third Alley, Wismar, was sentenced to 120 hours of community service after he was found guilty of having narcotics in his possession. Clayton Lewis, 18, of 33 Third Alley, appeared before

Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer to the charge.

Facts of the case presented to the court indicated that the man was caught with 2 grammes of cannabis sativa in his possession on Saturday,

December 3, at Third Alley Public Road.

The community service sentence will commence on Thursday, December 8.

Failure to attend will result in an alternative sentence of three months’ imprisonment.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016

Regional

Santos: Nobel prize ‘a gift’ Antigua-Barbuda PM condemns to Colombia peace process Opposition terrorism video

C

olombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said his Nobel Peace Prize came “like a gift from heaven” in his bid to forge an agreement with FARC rebels.

An initial accord ending more than 50 years of conflict was struck in late September, but rejected by Colombians in a vote. Days later, Santos was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, which he said gave a “tremendous push” for a new deal.

He is in the Norwegian capital Oslo and will collect the prize today. None of his co-signatories from the FARC are attending, with

Santos says his Nobel Peace Prize was a “tremendous push” to a new deal with FARC rebels

the group still designated as a terrorist organisation in many countries.

Santos said, however, that they “will be here in heart and spirit”.

On his award, he said: “It came like a gift from heaven, because it gave us a tremendous push.

“People in Colombia interpreted it as a mandate from the international community to persevere, to continue striving to achieve a new peace agreement.”

The Colombian Government and the FARC signed a revised deal in November. The conflict has killed more than 260,000 people and left millions internally displaced. (BBC News)

Antigua extends its public health agreement with Cuba

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ntigua and Barbuda has extended its public health agreement with Cuba with the signing of an agreement on the occasion of Cuba-Caricom Day, Thursday.

Medical services are currently given to Antigua & Barbuda by 47 members from a Cuban Medical Brigade, which includes medical specialists in different areas such as oncology, epidemiology and endocrinology, among others.

The contributors most-

ly provide their services to the Mount St John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC).

Speaking after a brief signing ceremony, Health Minister Molwyn Joseph said without the assistance from Cuba, Antigua would not be able to deliver the quality and expansiveness of health services it does today.

“Cuba is therefore an integral part of how we service our people, in terms of health care, and an integral part in terms of how we de-

T

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, T u r k m e n i s t a n , Azerbaijan, Oman and Brunei.

Altogether, the 14 nations pumped about 18.8 million barrels a day of oil last year, equivalent to 20 per cent of global supply. With local production around 66,000 barrels per day, it’s unclear how much T&T will be asked to cut, if at all, at today’s talks in Vienna, Austria.

Russia has already committed to reduce its output by 300,000 barrels a day following OPEC’s

of Parliament on the Government side, as well as the Speaker of the House, as targets for execution.

At the end of the video, a male voice is heard to identify himself as George Whenner, who calls on his audience to keep their heads down and to keep their eyes on the target.

“Mr Speaker, never in the history of our country have we witnessed such a naked threat of terrorism.

Never in the conduct of political rivalry in this nation have we seen such a wan-

ton call to commit murder,” Browne said in Parliament.

He noted that the video has all the overtones of similar videos produced by ISIS, the most notorious terrorist organisation in the world.

In 2010 the Commander of the Antigua Barbuda Defence Force recommended to the Defence Board, headed by the former Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer, that he be retired from the Antigua Barbuda Defence Force in the interest of national security. (Excerpt from Antigua

Observer)

Indigenous group in Peru vows to block oil drilling on Amazon ancestral land

velop specialties in the area of health care,” Joseph said.

The Minister said in recent times Antigua had requested specialists from Cuba, and on every occasion, they had delivered.

Cuban Ambassador Gustavo Veliz Olivares said the signing signals Cuba’s continued support for Antigua and the other 60 plus countries which the Spanish-speaking country has extended its hands to.

(Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

OPEC asks T&T to cut back oil

rinidad and Tobago (T&T) is among 14 countries that the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has invited to discuss cutting back on oil production.

The non-OPEC countries are being asked to follow, by a lesser amount, the cuts agreed to by OPEC last week that has already resulted in an 18 per cent rise in the price of oil.

The invitees are Russia, Mexico, Bahrain, Colombia, Congo, Egypt, T&T, Bolivia,

O

n Thursday, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne moved a resolution in Parliament condemning what he described as Opposition incitement to assassinate Members of Parliament in the form of a video circulating on social media that brings terrorism and incitement to commit murder directly into the country and at the very heart of Government.

The video, which has a strong military focus, portrays several Members

agreement last week to a production cut of 1.2 million.

The new 32.5 million barrel-a-day production target is only slightly below the OPEC’s estimate for demand for its crude next year, meaning wider co-operation is needed to make a significant dent in the record stockpile surplus that has built up during three years of oversupply.

After Russia, Mexico is the largest producer invited to Vienna. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

A

A woman shows crude oil from a well in Amazonian Peru

n indigenous federation opposed to a recently approved plan for oil drilling in the Peruvian Amazon has said that native communities will physically block any attempt by oil companies to operate on their lands.

Last week the Peruvian Government gave the green light for Santiago-based GeoPark Ltd to produce oil in Block 64 with State-owned energy company Petroperu as its junior partner. The move is part of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski’s bid to “untangle” stalled investments from red tape.

But Jeremias Petsein, President of the indigenous federation FENAP, said the chiefs of 45 Achuar communities that live in Block 64 are all opposed to oil drilling and plan to block the companies from setting foot on their lands.

Block 64 has about 40m barrels of oil in proven and probable reserves. GeoPark and Petroperu struck a partnership to develop it two years ago, but the previous Government did not issue approval amid concerns about Petroperu returning to oil production after more than two decades.

The Achuar’s ancestral lands cover about two-thirds of oil Block 64, though most communities lack formal land titles, said Petsein.

The Achuar are asking local courts to annul the 1995 creation of Block 64, as well as last week’s approval of GeoPark’s plans for operating there.

FENAP attorney Raquel Yrigoyen said both measures were illegal because the government did not consult the Achuar as required by laws protecting indigenous rights. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Chapecoense crash: Bolivia official accuses bosses of cover-up

A

Bolivian aviation official says she was pressured by her bosses into changing a flight report she made for the plane that crashed last week with Brazilian team Chapocoense on board.

Celia Castedo told Bolivian media said she had warned that the plane had barely enough fuel to reach the destination in Colombia.

Castedo is in Brazil where she is seeking asylum. The crash killed 71 people, including most of the

Chapecoense football team.

The plane was taking the team to Colombia for the final of a regional tournament when it ran out of fuel, plunging into a mountainside near the city of Medellin.

In a leaked tape, the pilot, Miguel Quiroga, can be heard warning of a “total electric failure” and “lack of fuel”. In her letter (in Spanish) published in the Bolivian media, Castedo, who worked in air traffic control, said she had no au-

thority to stop the doomed flight, saying that was with Bolivia’s civil aviation agency.

She said that instead of authorising the flight, she had tried to stop it, accusing unnamed superiors of a cover-up. “I was subjected to harassment and pressure from my superiors... who ordered me to change the content of the report which hours earlier [before the flight] I had presented,” she wrote. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Obama orders review into ‘Russian India cash hacking’ before US election crisis: 100,000

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resident Barack Obama has ordered an investigation into a series of cyber-attacks, blamed on Russia that shook the US election season. The hacks targeted emails at the Democratic Party and a key aide to presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

In October, US government officials pointed the finger at Russia, accusing it of meddling in the US vote.

Republican Donald Trump, who will succeed Mr Obama in the White House, has consistently disputed that.

This week he told Time Magazine: “I don’t believe it. I don’t believe they [Russians] interfered.” He added that he thought the accusation against Russia was politically driven.

The “full review”, as Lisa

villages promised electronic payment machines

T

Voter data in Illinois was breached

Monaco, Obama’s top counterterrorism adviser, described it during a breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor, sounds impressive. It’ll look at Russian efforts to sway the US presidential election. In fact, the

report is likely to rely largely on work that FBI investigators and others have already done on the subject. he report on Russian hacking - like the recent one on counterterrorism - is likely to act more as a way

to showcase the Obama administration’s efforts, sending a message to the incoming administration about what they believe is important, rather than as a way to provide new information to the public.(Excerpt from BBC News)

Schoolgirl suicide bombers kill 56 in Nigerian market: official

T

wo schoolgirl suicide bombers killed 56 people and wounded dozens more in a coordinated attack on a crowded market in the northeastern Nigerian town of Madagali on Friday, a local official said.

The bombings bore the hallmark of Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has been waging an insurgency to set up a state

adhering to a strict interpretation of Muslim laws in the northeast. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Yusuf Mohammed, chairman of the local district government, said the bombings left 56 people dead and wounded 57.

Major Badare Akintoye, a spokesman for an army unit in the nearby town of

Mubi, said the attacks had been carried out simultaneously by two schoolgirls.

Boko Haram has frequently targeted crowded areas – such as markets, places of worship and refugee camps – in suicide bomb attacks across northeast Nigeria and in neighboring Cameroon and Niger.

The jihadist group has killed some 15,000 people

and forced more than two million people to flee their homes. Nigeria’s army has pushed the militant group back to its stronghold in the vast Sambisa forest in the past few months. While Friday’s market attack highlighted Boko Haram’s ability to mount strike civilians in urban areas, the frequency at which the group does so has fallen. (Excerpt from Reuters)

ens of thousands of Indian villages will soon be equipped with card-swiping machines to boost cashless payments, the finance minister promised on Thursday, a month after the government banned high-value banknotes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked chaos with his shock announcement last month that all 500- and 1,000-rupee notes – which make up 85 per cent of bills in circulation – would cease to be legal tender.

The move triggered a chronic shortage of cash with people queuing for hours outside banks across the country to get rid of their old notes. Cash accounts for 90% of transactions in India where millions rely heavily on notes for their daily purchases. People living in rural areas and individuals without bank accounts have

been particularly hard hit.

To ease frustrations and speed up the switch to cashless spending, finance minister Arun Jaitley announced measures to promote the socalled demonetisation drive, including card-swiping machines for villages.

The sweeping abolition was meant to bring billions in so-called “black”, or undeclared, money back into the formal system.

Many have been left without enough cash to buy food or daily essentials, while farmers have been unable to buy seeds and small traders say business has fallen off a cliff.

Nonetheless, Modi has repeatedly defended the scheme, accusing its detractors of being tax evaders and repeatedly urging all Indians to switch to noncash payment methods. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Japan tests innovative magnetic tether for slowing space junk

Park Geun-hye: South Korean MPs vote to impeach President

T

he South Korean President, Park Geunhye, is fighting for her political life after MPs on Friday voted by a huge margin to impeach her over a corruption and cronyism scandal that has made her the country’s most unpopular leader since it became a democracy in the late 1980s.

Park, the daughter of a former South Korean dictator, who became the country’s first female President in late 2012, apologised to

South Korean President Park Geun-hye

Ministers for her “carelessness” and said she hoped for an early resolution to a political crisis that has engulfed everyone from senior aides in the presidential Blue House to leaders of some of the country’s biggest companies.

“I solemnly accept the voice of the Parliament and the people and sincerely hope this confusion is soundly resolved,” Park said, according to the presidential office. “I wholeheartedly of-

fer words of apology to the people as my lack of virtue and carelessness have caused great confusion at a time when the nation faces challenges over national security and the economy.”

As expected, Park said she would prepare for a court review of the impeachment motion, and asked ministers to cooperate with South Korea’s acting leader, the prime minister, Hwang Kyo-ahn. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

China universities must become Communist party ‘strongholds’, says Xi Jinping

C

hinese authorities must intensify ideological controls on academia and turn universities into Communist party “strongholds”, President Xi Jinping has declared in a major address.

“Higher education... must adhere to correct political orientation,” Xi said in a high-profile speech to top party leaders and university chiefs that was delivered at a two-day congress on “ideo-

logical and political work” in Beijing.

Universities must be transformed into “strongholds that adhere to party leadership” and political education should be made “more appealing”, the president ordered, according to Xinhua, China’s official news agency. Experts have described it as the latest phase of Beijing’s bid to rein in opposition to its rule.

Xi, a populist strongman

who recently reaffirmed his political authority by being declared the party’s “core leader”, said teachers needed to be both “disseminators of advanced ideology” and “staunch supporters of [party] governance”.

Echoing a 1932 speech by Joseph Stalin, the Chinese President told his audience teachers were “engineers of the human soul” whose “sacred mission” was to help students “improve in ide-

ological quality, political awareness, moral characteristics and humanistic quality”.

Carl Minzner, an expert in Chinese law and politics from Fordham University in New York, said Xi’s speech appeared to signal the next phase of a decade-long campaign to wrest back control of areas it feared were “getting out of control” such as the media, public interest law and academia. (Excerpt from

The Guardian)

The automated cargo ship – called Stork or Kounotori in Japanese. A 106-year-old Japanese fishing net maker, Nitto Seimo Co, collaborated with Japan’s space agency to develop the mesh material, Bloomberg reported last month

J

apan has launched a cargo ship which will use a half mile (700m)long tether to remove some of the vast amount of debris from Earth’s orbit.

The tether, made of aluminium strands and steel wire, is designed to slow the debris, pulling it out of orbit.

The innovative device was made with the help of a fishing net company.

There is estimated to be more than 100 million pieces of space junk in orbit, including discarded equipment from old satellites, tools and bits of rocket.

Many of these objects are moving at high velocity around the Earth at speeds of up to 28,000km/h (17,500mph) and could cause catastrophic accidents and damage to the

world’s orbital telecommunications network.

The junk has accumulated in the more than 50 years of human space exploration since the Sovietlaunched Sputnik satellite in 1957. Collisions between satellites and the testing of anti-satellite weapons have made the problem worse.

The automated cargo ship – called Stork or Kounotori in Japanese – which is carrying the junk collector is bound for the International Space Station and blasted off from Tanegashima Space Centre in the North Pacific.

Researchers say the lubricated, electro-dynamic tether will generate enough energy to change an object’s orbit, pushing it towards the atmosphere where it will burn up. (Excerpt from BBC News)

16 NEWS

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana maintains Govt aiming for EITI compliance – Trotman a healthy economy N – Dr Ganga

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midst the fears and concerns of decline in business activities here, Central Bank Governor Dr Gobind Ganga has maintained that Guyana’s economy is healthy.

Ganga was speaking to Journalists on Monday at the Bank of Guyana in Georgetown. He said currently Guyana stands way above many of its Caribbean Counterparts.

“The financial system is extremely sound. We have done better than any one of the Caribbean Countries.

If you look at our soundness indicators and Foreign Exchange rate; compare us with Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. Barbados has a fixed exchange rate, but they have an informal market”.

He said Guyana does have the wherewithal, to ensure that its financial system continues to be sound.

“Our foreign exchange market will continue to be effective and efficient AND provide the necessary legitimate demands in the system.”

Meanwhile, Dr Ganga reported on the successes and contributions of various sectors to the economy: “If you look at our balance of payment, it has improved significantly. It is not just rice and sugar; you also have to look at what you’ll get from Gold, from the local miners, what you will get from fisheries, rum and timber and Royalties. They are all contributing.”

At the same time there has been a significant decline in import cost particularly for fuel, Ganga said.

Back in August, Finance Minister Winston Jordan said the growth in the country’s economy, by 2 per cent, in the first half of 2016, had been largely attributed to

Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga

developments in the mining and quarrying sectors.

For the first half of 2016, the mining and quarrying sectors grew by 65.7 per cent when compared to a similar period in 2015. Gold increased 94.3 per cent and bauxite by 2.9 per cent for the similar period in 2015.

Other areas of the economy which revealed positive growth were other crops, which grew by 2 per cent, livestock by 0.8 per cent and fisheries by 2.1 per cent.

Minister Jordan said that there had been a review of the country’s projected economic growth.

This evaluation has seen projected growth being revised downwards to 4 per cent from a previous 4.4 per cent.

The revised projected growth was necessitated by contractions in the agricultural sector which shrunk by 10 per cent as a result of huge shortfalls in sugar, the Minister explained. “Sugar was down 30 per cent, rice down 26.2 per cent, forestry 13.1 per cent,” Jordan stated.

As a result of the decline in rice and sugar production, the manufacturing sector contracted by 14.1 per cent, he said.

atural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman said on Thursday that Government is on the quest to become compliant with the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI). The EITI is a global standard to promote the open and accountable management of extractive resources and seeks to address the key governance issues in the oil, gas and mining sectors.

Trotman was at the time making his contribution to the 2017 National Budget debate in the National Assembly.

He emphasised that becoming an EITI candidate will signal to both the local and international community Guyana’s commitment to responsible governance of its resource flows, including compliance with principles of transparency and anticorruption.

In this regard, he said the Natural Resources Ministry has recommitted to this process.

“The Government has conducted several workshops with the assistance of the Inter-Development

Bank and the Trinidadian EITI Secretariat for the establishment of Guyana’s Multistakeholder Group. I am pleased to report that we have been able to achieve consensus on the formation and nominations of the MSG,” Trotman told members of the National Assembly.

He said that within its first programme area, the Ministry has begun planning and budgeting for the new institutional arrangements – G-EITI Secretariat –which will be required to move the candidacy process forward in 2017.

Further, the Minister informed that his Ministry has established a Compliance Division to assist in addressing the low compliance and adherence to the relevant mining and forestry laws and regulations.

“Mr Speaker, we admit that there is room for improvement in the mining sector and that must be changed. Clear rules and practices must be applied and enforced which will require additional resources.

As a result, the Ministry has budgeted within its

P

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

find out why Guyanese are so violent,” he said.

He pointed out that the Ministry had designed the programmes this year and will roll them out in 2017.

programme area through the Compliance Division to roll-out a Corps of Warden Programme in the first quarter of 2017.” Under the operational command of the division, 20 to 30 Corps of Wardens will be introduced into the natural resources sector to strengthen compliance and enforcement of the governing acts of Parliament, regulations and acceptable codes of practice governing the various industries within the sector, the Minister informed.

Meanwhile, speaking on the area of environmental management, Trotman

Coast Guard joint training concludes

The US Embassy’s Security Cooperation Office concluded the first in a two-part military training team event involving members of US Coast Guard and officers and ranks of the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard. The group (in photo) trained on the water for 40 hours before the graduation ceremony was held at the Coast Guard Training Centre, Kingston last week

Govt to target youths in crime-fighting strategy ublic Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has stated that his Ministry will be carrying out scientific studies to get an understanding as to why Guyanese are so violent.

Ramjattan told the National Assembly that the aim of the Ministry in 2017 is to rebuild community relations, and therefore they will be initiating a number of social programmes geared at tackling crime and the at risk community of youths.

He said he has come to the realisation that law enforcement alone will not change the “high crime situation” that has developed.

“It will take social programmes… programmes that targets at risk youths… evidence based studies to

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

said the commitment to Guyana’s green economy guides the Ministry.

He related that there are a number of environmental measures and projects that are being supported in the mining sector.

He said a mainstreaming Biodiversity Project with support from the Global Environmental Fund (GEF) and United NationsDevelopment Project (UNDP) is being implemented with the objective of strengthening monitoring and implementation of biodiversity-friendly practices in Guyana’s gold mining sector to reduce biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystems’ functionality for the benefit of all Guyanese.

He said the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has begun mainstreaming land reclamation efforts in their work programme and plans in 2016.

The Minister said too that greater focus will be placed on areas that have been previously mined out, along with areas that were illegally mined out, most commonly known as the buffer zones.

He explained that they will initiate a parenting educating programme, a training programme for violence against women and suicide.

Most of these, he said, materialised out of the community Crime and Violence Prevention Programme under Component One of the Citizens Strengthening Programme.

According to Minister Ramjattan, the aim is to get scientific in their approach to solving crime. “We have gotten assistance from the USAID, over US$4 million will come our way… whereby we are going to do studies to find out because we need these studies to be done. I don’t know why Guyanese are so violent… look at the man in New York sawing off his wife’s head. What has

gone wrong with us in this society?” he asked.

Ramjattan argued that while some people might be rambling that the Government is not creating jobs, the Guyana Police Force is short of 1000 Policemen.

“I have been pleading with members across the floor, if they have friends and family want to join up, because they say we are not creating employment, well I am short a thousand Policemen, send some over so that they could be employed,” he jibed.

Additionally, the Ministry is perched to target some 4400 at risk youths in 20 communities. He added that the Government will pay these youths to go to school in order to take their minds off delinquent activities.

T

he United States Embassy’s Security Cooperation Office (SCO) concluded the first of a two-part military training team event involving members of United States Coast Guard and officers and ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard.

The US Embassy in a release explained that the six-man team arrived in Guyana on November 5, 2016 and instructed on a range of topics – from basic seamanship to queries, approaches and visits-boarding-search-and-seizure.

The group trained on the water for 40 hours before the graduation ceremony was held at the Coast Guard Training Centre, Kingston last week.

As part of the SCO's capacity-building efforts in

Guyana, the second phase of the event will occur in July 2017. The recently trained GDF officers and ranks will be the instructors with the US Coast Guard team as observers, as well as conducting training the trainer exercises.

These events will identify and qualify instructors who can return to their units with increased knowledge and ability, serving the goal of greater general readiness in Guyana's inland and littoral maritime environment.

This training reaffirms the United States Government’s commitment to working closely with the Government of Guyana on issues of security and professionalisation.

The Embassy hopes to continue these activities in the future, the release affirmed.

NEWS

17

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

First Lady spreads Christmas cheer

First Lady Sandra Granger (third from left) is flanked by Pamela and Kella Ramsaroop at the Dharm Shala’s Christmas party for children. Executive of the Board of the Dharm Shala, Edward Boyer and Ruta Drizyte-Videtič, wife of the European Union Ambassador to Guyana, are pictured first and second from right

F

irst Lady Sandra Granger on Thursday joined with Kella and Pamela Ramsaroop, donours and well-wishers of the Dharm Shala Home of Benevolence for all races to help spread cheer at a Christmas party for children of the Albouystown community.

The Ministry of Presidency in a release stated that the First Lady was warmly welcomed by about 100 children at the Home which was decorated in festive colours. “I am

very happy to be here today and to see all of you anticipating Christmas and food and toys and school holidays,” The First Lady told the children.

Executive of the board of the Dharm Shala, Pamela Ramsaroop, said every year the Home hosts a Christmas party for children of the community, in keeping with the tradition started by the founder, her late grandfather, Pandit Ramsaroop Maraj and maintained by her late father, Harry Ramsaroop.

This year she said, they are pleased that the First Lady could join in the celebrations since the aim is to ensure that the children have a joyous Christmas and that they delight in all the provisions that have been made for them: “We feel very privileged that she is here today to extend Christmas greetings to [the children]. And I’m sure that [they] are equally pleased to see her.”

Also present was Ruta Drizyte-Videtič, wife of the European Union

Ambassador to Guyana, Jernej Videtič, who said she is pleased to be included in the celebrations: “I have to tell you that I am very honoured to be here…

Christmas is a very nice time. What does it mean for me? Christmas is not only about shiny things and only gifts. It’s also about… smiles, about giving a hand at the right time.”

Both Ramsaroop sisters spoke highly of Chairman and CEO of National Hardware Group of Companies, Edward Boyer’s commitment to the Home. Boyer, who is also an executive board, said while it is nice to be complimented, he is impressed by the perseverance demonstrated by the Ramsaroop sisters in keeping the Home functioning.

“These two ladies here are remarkable in their own right. I had the pleasure of serving on the board with their dad and

First Lady Sandra Granger shares sandwiches and other goodies to these youngsters at the Dharm Shala’s children’s Christmas party

looking from that transition to this transition. I tell you, it’s like working with the same… thinking, the same objectives… they don’t tell you everything but the funding of the Dharm Shala is from private people,” he said.

The children at the party squealed with delight when Santa Claus and Mrs Claus showed up to deliv-

er their Christmas presents. The First Lady joined the Ramsaroop sisters and other helpers to serve food and share gifts to the gleeful children.

The festive spirit of the party was maintained throughout by the lively sounds of Christmas music played on the steel pan by Ras Camo Williams.

Suriname authorities detain 45 Corentyne fishers

YLAI Connect to host first ever youth entrepreneur networking event

T

he Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Connect, a local non-profit youth private enterprise organisation in Guyana, will be hosting a youth networking event to expose young businessmen/businesswomen to mentoring opportunities that will help to expand their entities.

According to Abbigale Loncke, the networking event was initiated to encourage young leaders in Guyana to press on in their business ventures and to network with other seasoned entrepreneurs to share new ideas.

The event will be held at the Tower Suites on Monday, where Business Minister Dominic Gaskin and Motivational Leader on entrepreneurship Rosh Khan will make presentations.

The organisation was established by Loncke, along with Dason Anthony (Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Five92 Dresses), Shaunda Yarde, Judason Dess and Tristan Thompson, and was endorsed by the US Embassy.

Alluding to the importance of the event, Loncke said,“This event will help these entrepreneurs to raise awareness about their companies and to learn from seasoned entrepreneurs how to run their businesses.”

She noted that in Guyana, there is a lot of red

Abbigale Loncke

tape pertaining to funding for start-up businesses and so the organisation is also exploring the idea of offering small start-up funds for these young leaders.

She added that this is just the first step for the YLAI Connect, since in 2017 they will be organising an award ceremony to celebrate young leaders, in their different capacities.

“What we want to do is basically youth honouring youths. This is what is motivating us and what is driving us,” she said, adding that this will be the first networking event in a long line of others.

Loncke was one of four Guyanese chosen by the US Embassy in Georgetown to participate in the Young Leaders of the Americas

Initiative in the United States, which began in October.

Approximately 250 young leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean participated in the fiveweek programme, but Loncke was one of the YLAI finalists from 21 city hub competitions around the US who competed in the final pitch competition in Washington, DC. Following that final pitch competition, Loncke travelled to Peru for the US President’s town hall meeting.

It was there President Barrack Obama commended her openly for her commitment to her country and drive to provide specialised home care services to people.“We need leaders like Abbigale!” President Obama declared during his final international speech and town hall meeting in Lima, Peru.

“After struggling to find her own grandfather home care, she realised that this is a problem for other families, so she started Community Healthcare, a home care agency. She started out as a service to help families take care of their loved ones,” President Obama stated, adding that Loncke created a social movement that provides training and job opportunities for young women in the healthcare industry.

“Thank you, Abbigale, for the great work you are doing!” the US President said.

The Suriname Coast Guard on patrol

F

orty-five fishers from Corentyne were between Sunday and Wednesday, detained by Suriname Marine Patrol for entering the Corentyne River without having their passports stamped. The fishers are crew members of nine fishing boats.

Suriname soldiers from the country’s capital Paramaribo spearheaded the operation.

The fishers were arrested and later fined the equivalent of US$100. Failure to pay the fine will mean deportation sometime next year.

When the first set of fishers were held, two boat owners went to investigate and attempted to cross the Corentyne River. They too were taken into custody for being in the waters illegally.

This move by Suriname is having a negative impact on fishing on the Upper Corentyne.

Surinamese authorities are claiming that the fishers were in Surinamese waters illegally.

Chairman of the Upper Corentyne Fishermen Co-op Pamishwar Jainarine told this publication that the Surinamese intensified the campaign early this year.

“Traditionally, we have fished in these waters for

about 50 years and we don’t normally take out passports to go and fishing. You just go in the fishing boat and go out into the water,” Jainarine related.

In June, a campaign by the Surinamese Border Patrol resulted in the arrest of scores of Guyanese who attempted to cross the Corentyne River via the ‘backtrack’.

Meanwhile, between Sunday and Wednesday, the military patrol was not checking to determine whether the fishers were licenced to fish in the Corentyne River, but rather only to find out if the Guyanese had passports with a stamp of entry to Suriname.

Suriname’s immigration policy grants six months stay to Guyanese seeking to enter the country legally.

Jainarine maintains that the action by the Surinamese amounts to harassment. He said the only way the fishers will be ‘legal’ in the waters is if they go to the Canawima crossing at Moleson Creek and leave through the port, then use the ‘Backtrack’ to get back to Guyana after having their passports stamped. He said the fishers will then have to take their boats and go into

the waters to fish.

This process, the Chairman noted, is almost impossible for the fishers.

Currently, the patrol boats are waiting on other vessels which are out at sea. This publication understands that sixty other boats with a combined crew of 300 are still out at sea.

According to Jainarine, under the licences which the fishers were granted to operate in the Suriname waters, they are required to take their catch first to a port in the neighbouring state. In fact, some of the boats taken on Sunday were on their way to the town of Nickerie in Suriname to purchase ice which is what must be done under the licences.

The fishers go to Suriname, purchase ice and then return before going on the fishing expedition.

Jainarine further explained that many of the members of the Number 66 Fishermen Co-op Complex do not have birth certificates and hence cannot acquire passports.

“Most of the fishermen are poor people; their parents did not register them at birth. When we make attempts to get them registered they don’t have birth certificates.”

18

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2016

ARCHIE

Don’t be too quick to take a position that may alienate (March 21- you from your peers. Think April 19) twice before you reveal your position or plans. Secrecy will be in your best interest.

ARIES

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Resolve a personal or health issue privately.

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CANCER

PEANUTS

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Don’t let anyone offend you or hurt your feelings.

Look past discord and move on to people, activities and situations that encourage you to follow your heart and ambition.

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Don’t get caught off guard.

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WORD GAME

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Share your differencSCORPIO es. Look for ways to incor(Oct. 24porate change that will apNov. 22) pease everyone, including you.

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You’ll make a good impresSAGITTARIUS sion if you take the initiative (Nov. 23- without being asked. Doors Dec. 21) will open, and advancement will be yours. Celebrate your good fortune with a loved one.

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If you trust in yourself CAPRICORN and your plans, you will find (Dec. 22it much easier to reach your Jan. 19) goals without interference.

Let others do as they may while you do what you can.

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Clear the air and move forward.

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.

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PISCES Refuse to let an emotion(Feb. 20- al incident disrupt your plans March 20) to help people. Recognize the benefits you can bring to others and what they mean for you in the long term. Avoid unnecessary travel.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, DECember 10, 2016

India replying strongly to England’s 400

M

Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara led India’s bid towards parity in the fourth Test. They are a long way off though - 254 runs to be precise - but the start was promising. They got through 52 overs of play for the loss of only one wicket.

England had fun at the Wankhede stadium, too.

The total they put up - 400 - was exactly the same as in 2006. A left-handed, South African-born opening bats-

Jake Ball faced his most deliveries in a first-class innings

tration rarely blipped, his drives were invariably elegant and his sixes were stunning and sudden. Alongside him, as has become custom in recent times, was Pujara, hurtling down the pitch at the spinners and punching England’s fast bowlers for fours through point and cover. The second wicket added 107 runs mitigating some of the scoreboard pressure that was on India.

The pitch offered plenty of turn and bounce to

pulled the fielder out of that region. KL Rahul couldn’t resist the temptation. He went for the shot, the ball dipped on him, burst through the gap between bat and pad and bowled him.

Moments like these would likely happen often in this Test for the surface has pace. Spinners willing to be slow through the air and give the ball enough flight could expect wickets. But England have only two of them in their ranks and India would

KL Rahul was bowled through the gate by Moeen Ali

man had made a century then, too, and set up a famous victory. Despite the solid start, India have a task on their hands to prevent this Test from reaching a similar conclusion.

They would have gone to stumps feeling relatively comfortable though. Vijay did as he does in Test cricket, making an unbeaten 70 off 169 balls. His concen-

the spinners. The question, though, was whether Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid had the quality and consistency to exploit that. At first, it did not seem so. They tended to push the ball through quickly, which works well on slow pitches, but was unnecessary here. Then, in the 14th over, Moeen looped one up for the cover drive. A little bit before that, Alastair Cook

still back themselves to upset them. Vijay did so when he tonked Rashid for a four and a six in the third over after England had made the breakthrough. Pujara was dancing down the track for his second ball. The match was superbly set up.

It could have swayed in England’s favour in the 32nd over had Jonny Bairstow converted a stumping

chance. Vijay, on 45, seemed to have picked the googly from Rashid, but he was a bit lazy on the flick. The wicketkeeper was perhaps blinded because he did not react until the ball hit his left thigh and wandered off to fine leg. More such chances could have been created had England’s spinners been able to hold their line and lengths better.

The visitors remain ahead of the game, though, and pivotal to that was Jos Buttler’s 76. Early on, he looked unsure against spin and was springing out of his crease without minding the length of the ball. However, he was able to put the times he was beaten behind him quickly. His one-day style nudging through midwicket, dabbing behind point and reverse-sweeping, too came in handy as he batted with the tail. Eventually, he grew assured enough to pick Ashwin’s carrom balls and even manipulate the field to marshall the strike.

Jake Ball, in at No. 10, became more confident the longer he stayed, so much so that he thumped Bhuvneshwar Kumar to the cover boundary immediately after India took the second new ball in the 122nd over. He stole 54 runs in partnership with Buttler and pushed England’s total above 350. No team has ever lost at Wankhede going past that mark in the first innings.

That’s because of the danger that lurked in the pitch. Rashid faced a ball that was speared into middle and leg by Ravindra Jadeja, and beat his outside edge.

Another one, also meant to dart away, held its line and knocked the off stump over as the batsman shouldered arms. India would, therefore, be disappointed that their spinners could string only 12 maidens despite bowling 106.1 overs. They did, however, take all the wickets.

R Ashwin picked up his 23rd five-for. He had Ben Stokes caught behind in the third over of the day, stirring up a DRS debate for, at the time the ball seemed to deviate off the edge, the bat had been touching the ground as well. It was because of this doubt that umpire Bruce Oxenford ruled against the appeal.

Shamshuddin - who continued as stand-in third umpire because Marais

Erasmus was required on the field again with Paul Reiffel sidelined after suffering a concussion - overturned the decision. It appeared to be the correct call, though, for there was a visible deflection as ball passed the bat. The only reason it became a talking point was because the evidence that swayed Shamshuddin came from Ultra Edge, which may have picked up the sound of bat hitting ground.

Amid the drama, Ashwin had his 47th wicket in 2016, the most by a spinner in India in a calendar year, going past Erapalli Prasanna’s record that had stood since 1969. He bowled 44 overs for his 6 for 112 and led India off the field. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

England 1st innings (Overnight 388/5) AN Cook* st †Patel b Jadeja 46 KK Jennings c Pujara b Ashwin 112 JE Root c Kohli b Ashwin 21 MM Ali c Nair b Ashwin 50 JM Bairstow† c UT Yadav b Ashwin 14 BA Stokes c Kohli b Ashwin 31 JC Buttler b Jadeja 76 CR Woakes c †Patel b Jadeja 11 AU Rashid b Jadeja 4 JT Ball c †Patel b Ashwin 31 JM Anderson not out 0 Extras: (b-1, lb-2, nb-1) 4 Total: (all out; 130.1 overs) 400 Fall of wickets: 1-99 (Cook, 25.3 ov), 2-136 (Root, 38.2 ov), 3-230 (Ali, 70.2 ov), 4-230 (Jennings, 70.4 ov), 5-249 (Bairstow, 80.2 ov), 6-297 (Stokes, 96.6 ov), 7-320 (Woakes, 107.3 ov),

8-334 (Rashid, 111.6 ov), 9-388 (Ball, 127.2 ov), 10400 (Buttler, 130.1 ov) Bowling: B Kumar 13-0-49-0, UT Yadav 11-2-38-0, R Ashwin 44-4-112-6, J Yadav 25-3-89-0 (nb-1), RA Jadeja 37.1-5-109-4

India 1st innings KL Rahul b Ali 24 M Vijay not out 70 CA Pujara not out 47 Extras:(b-1, lb-4) 5 Total: (1 wicket; 52 overs) 146 To bat: V Kohli*, KK Nair, R Ashwin, PA Patel†, RA Jadeja, J Yadav, B Kumar, UT Yadav Fall of wickets: 1-39 (Rahul, 13.6 ov) Bowling: JM Anderson 8-4-220, CR Woakes 5-2-15-0, MM Ali 15-2-44-1, AU Rashid 13-149-0, JT Ball 4-2-4-0, BA Stokes 4-2-4-0, JE Root 3-1-3-0

Smalta Girls’ Pee-Wee Football Championships...

T

19

he Smalta Girls Pee-Wee Football Championships has reached its quarter-final stage and the top eight teams will take the field today at the Ministry of Education, Ground, Carifesta in bid to secure their semi-final spots.

The competition to date has been nothing short of a goal rush and defending Champions St. Stephen’s will be looking to continue their dominance when they face St. Angela’s from 11:30 hrs.

The other quarter-final matches on show will be St. Margret’s against

Enterprise, North Georgetown clashing with St. Pius and West Ruimveldt up against St. Agnes.

In the matches for places 9 to 16, South Ruimveldt will play Smith Memorial followed by St. Gabriel’s against Winfer Gardens then Tucville Primary and Stella Maris.

Trophies will be awarded to all 16 teams, while medals will be awarded to the top two finishers. On the individual side, accolades will be awarded to the Most Valuable Player, the Highest Goal Scorer and the Best Goalkeeper.

Action commences at 10:00 hrs

Part of the action during the tournament at the Ministry of Education Ground

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturday, DECember 10, 2016

Digicel Regional Four Day League

Volcanoes wobble on first day W

indward Volcanoes kept their heads above water with two late revivals but it was another dismal batting display on the rain affected first day of their clash against Leeward Hurricanes in Dominica.

The host closed on 186-8 after a horrible start of 7-48 saw them almost collapse

Alzarri Joseph

T

he fifth edition of the HERO Caribbean Primer League (CPL) is gaining momentum and the possibility of expansion is endless.

Last year the CPL ventured into the only stadium in the United States of America to be built with cricket in mind, the Central Broward Regional Park, Fort Lauderdale Florida and that was a success while this time there is the possibility of a new venue being added to the bank of venues across the territories.

Pete Russell, Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the CPL, speaking on the impact of the venture said it was a very successful move and it will be heading back to the USA. “Definitely, it was hugely successful for us; over 30,000 fans went through the turn stalls which was a record in terms of the gates there. They never had that at the Broward County before so it was exciting for us.”

Russell stated.

However, Russell explained that it was unique to point out that the matches at Central Broward attracted more than 70% of non-community based viewers.

“What I think was brilliant for us and the people of Broward County, Florida were that over 70% of the people that went to the games came from outside of Broward County so it just showed that people want cricket there and will travel from around both the Americas and Caribbean to watch good cricket.” The COO said.

Meanwhile, like the addition of the USA stadium in 2016 it is a possibility that there could be a new addition in the form of another Trinidad and Tobago venue, the Brian Lara Stadium in South Florida.

Russell also spoke highly of the possibility of this being a reality noting that “I think it is great for Trinidad as well to have another first class international cricket center so we are excited about that and obviously Brian Lara wouldn’t put his name to it if it wasn’t of the highest quality so we are excited about looking at that facility and seeing if we can play games there as well.”

In 2016 with the world’s fastest growing T20 tournament contributing a significant economic boost of over USD $102,670,565 across each of the seven host territories; Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago and Lauderhill, Florida.

Each of the host countries benefited to a sizable financial windfall which is broken down as follows; Barbados ($15,878,628), Guyana ($15,447,309), Jamaica ($11,151,017), St. Kitts & Nevis ($22,722,350), St. Lucia ($10,853,052), Trinidad & Tobago ($14,034,964) and Lauderhill, Florida ($12,583,246). For a full breakdown by country please see below.

With the addition of Central Broward Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida, the staging of the final round of pool matches, which were held between July 28 and 31, helped generate a $12,583,246 boost into the wider Fort Lauderdale economy. The Florida swing of matches marked professional cricket’s first official entry into the United States of America, and saw in the region of 30,000 fans descend on Lauderhill which indicates that playing a select number of games outside the Caribbean has proven to be a success. Tourists who attended these matches also spent $4,751,872 in the local economy.

Digicel Regional four day League

Scorpions leads by 256 runs heading into the third day J

Jason Mohamed on the go during his top score of 91 not out for the Red Force

amaica Scorpions will resume the third day of their fourth round clash against Trinidad and Tobago’s Red Force with a 256 run lead and six wicket intact in their second innings after Jermaine Blackwood’s unbeaten half century coupled with Damion Jacobs and skipper Nikita Miller exploits with ball inspired them on the second day at Sabina Park.

Blackwood closed the day on 80 not out in Jamaica second innings score of 148-4 while Jacobs (4-61) and Miller (3-53) combined for seven wickets as Red Force folded for 206 in their first innings.

The visitors resumed the day on 35-2 and compliments of Kyle Hope 65 and Jason Mohamed 91 not out they were able to reach a score of just over 200. Only Yannick Cariah (15) of the other batsmen reached double figures.

In the host’s second innings so far, West Indies player, Blackwood, has done the bulk opf the work to push the lead over 200. Devon Thomas, who is not out on five will start the day with Blackwood as the Scorpions look to push further ahead.

Back in the hut are John Campbell (09), Shacaya Thomas (04), Andre McCarthy (28) and Brandon King (14).

Gavin Tongue

under 100 after some excellent fast bowling from West Indies fast bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Gavin Tongue.

However, thanks to a 78 run seventh wicket partnership between skipper Liam Sebastien and Shane Shillingford (22) and an unbroken eight wicket part-

nership worth 60 runs between Sebastien (59) and Delorn Johnson, who has so far scored a cameo of 46 from 24 balls, the host manage to add a further 146 runs for the loss of two more wickets.

Joseph ended the day on 3-52 while Tognue claimed 4-24. Rahkeem Cornwall captured the other wicket.

Tongue moved to 200 Regional four day when he dismissed Kyle Mayers, his fourth wicket in the Volcanoes first innings.

Bad light stopped play at 17:30h, half-hour earlier than rescheduled.

Chanderpaul’s ton... from page 23

All-rounder Christopher Barnwell (04) was next to arrive at the crease, immediately found it difficult with Stoute moving the ball both ways. Barnwell got off the mark with a cheeky edge through third slip but the next delivery, the batsmen played across the line and was adjudged leg before wicket.

Raymon Reifer, would have had his heart in mouth when he edged his first delivery which fortunately fell just in front of second slip.

Reifer and Chanderpaul survived the tough period and settle the nerves of the Jaguars’ camp with sensible batting which the veteran batsman reaching his 136th First-class century with an iconic steer to third-man.

The former Test player caressed eight balls to the boundary as Guyana reached 194-5 at tea with Reifer on 11.

The final session began with the Barbadian-born drilling the off-spin of Chase down the ground then playing a lofted straight drive for another boundary as the team passed the 200-mark and brought up the 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

The resolute pair began growing in confidence as scoring became easier with Refier in particular playing some powerful drives but the resistance came to an end when the Bajan top-edged a short ball from Carter to mid-wicket.

The dismal brought the end of a gusty 85-run part-

nership and the left-hander stroking 35 and hitting seven fours in his 106 minute stay at the crease.

Three wickets then fell for just one run as Roach who returned to the attack broke the edges of Anthony Bramble (01) and Veerasammy Permaul (00) as Jaguars slipped to 234-8.

Young Motie, who is more known for his left-arm spin gave “Tiger” ample support with some compact batting as pair helped their team surpass the 250-run mark.

Motie who had to endure a procession of shorts from Roach, soon began freeing his arms when the slow bowlers came into the attack by hitting Warrican for six over deep mid-wicket which brought up the 50-run partnership and the Jaguars were slowly beginning to regain control of the day’s play.

While the men from the Island were frustrated over Motie’s stellar display, at the other end, the former Test player was nearing yet another triple figure score.

Chanderpaul reached his 18th century at regional level with a scampering single to short mid-wicket but when he regain strike he had his stumps uprooted by Roach.

Motie continued to play his shots hitting five fours and one six in his mature innings but Warrican brought the innings to a close when he trapped Joseph leg before.

The second day’s play begins today at 15:00 hrs with the visitors taking strike at middle.

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21 $210M allocated for synthetic tracks sports

T

he A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government came into office in May 2015, 19 months on the government has rolled out three budgets to date, the latest, a whopping $250 Billion presented for the year 2017 by Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan.

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Minister Henry stressed that “Synthetic Tracks will be laid in Administrative Regions two (Pomeroon-Supernaam), four (Demerara-Mahaica), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) a n d 1 0 ( U p p e r Demerara-

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David Warner is ecstatic after raising his seventh ODI century of the year

D

ifferent c rowd , different context, similar result.

Australia returned to the scene of their 2015 World Cup final hiding of New Zealand and duly inflicted another enormous defeat on the visitors, completing the first clean sweep of a ChappellHadlee series in a decade, in front of a far smaller gathering than last time.

Only 20,591 spectators were on hand to see the heavy lifting done by the vice-captain David Warner, who soared to his second ODI hundred in as many innings and seventh of the year, in conditions far more challenging than those prepared for either of the first two matches of the series.

Warner’s innings was all the more laudable for the fact that most batsmen found scoring difficult on a slow and capricious pitch. After his 156, the next best score on either side was a doughty supporting hand of 37 by Travis Head, part of the only century stand of

regarded as the tool for human development and sport is a great way to bring diverse communities together,” Communicating that it is the aim of “the Ministry of Education, through the National Sports Commission [NSC] to move to strengthen sports related services, guided by a policy to be adopted in 2017.”

The Member of Parliament related the historical accomplishment of the administration, taking Minister with responsibility credit for the establishment for Sport Nicollete Henry of the first ever National Athlete’s Database which was Berbice) to which 210 million established in 2016. is allocated.”

She stated that “this tool The Minister broadened will aid the department [NSC] the aspect of training and in its work, as we know sports development by saying that play an important role in the athletes will benefit nurturing national athletes and from the provision of the pride and we [administration] five tracks as “there is also a will work acidulously and the provision to improve sporting 2020 Olympics should see infrastructure, our community Guyanese not just participating ground enhancement program but rather they will be given the is gone to another level where requisite tools to compete.” it is expected another 10 Guyana currently has million dollars will be used only one Synthetic Track, to enhance and upgrade the National Track and Field identified facilities in every Facility located in Leonora region. “ which was officially opened Minister Henry in her under the People’s Progressive speech indicated the common Party Civic’s regime back in idiom that “sport is highly April 2015.

SCOREBOARD Australia innings (50 overs maximum) DA Warner run out (Boult) 156 AJ Finch c Nicholls b Boult 3 SPD Smith* c Nicholls b Boult 0 GJ Bailey c Santner b de Grandhomme 23 MR Marsh b de Grandhomme 0 37 TM Head b Santner MS Wade† c de Grandhomme b Santner 14 JP Faulkner c Guptill b Boult 13 MA Starc not out 0 18 Extras: (lb-5, w-11, nb-2) Total: (8 wickets; 50 overs) 264 Did not bat: PJ Cummins, JR Hazlewood Fall of wickets 1-6 (Finch, 1.5 ov), 2-11 (Smith, 3.6 ov), 3-73 (Bailey, 18.3 ov), 4-73 (Marsh, 18.5 ov), 5-178 (Head, 39.1 ov), 6-226 (Wade, 45.2 ov), 7-262 (Faulkner, 49.3 ov), 8-264 (Warner, 49.6 ov) Bowling: TG Southee 10-2-450 (w-3), TA Boult 10-1-49-3 (w2), LH Ferguson 8-0-50-0 (nb-2, w-3), MJ Santner 9-0-43-2 (w1), C de Grandhomme 10-050-2 (w-2), KS Williamson 1-03-0, C Munro 2-0-19-0 New Zealand innings (target: 265 runs from 50 overs)

the match.

On a chilly December day in Melbourne, the visitors had bowled with accuracy to some nifty plans devised by the captain Kane Williamson, notably catching out Aaron Finch and Steven Smith with a fielder placed at a shortish

MJ Guptill c Bailey b Head 34 TWM Latham c Faulkner b Cummins 28 KS Williamson* lbw b Faulkner 13 HM Nicholls b Starc 3 20 C Munro b Starc BJ Watling† lbw b Head 8 C de Grandhomme c Head b Hazlewood 11 MJ Santner lbw b Starc 15 TG Southee c Warner b Faulkner 4 LH Ferguson not out 4 TA Boult c Smith b Cummins 1 Extras: (lb-2, w-4) 6 Total: (all out; 36.1 overs) 147 Fall of wickets 1-44 (Latham, 8.6 ov), 2-74 (Williamson, 13.6 ov), 3-79 (Guptill, 15.1 ov), 4-83 (Nicholls, 16.6 ov), 5-98 (Watling, 21.5 ov), 6-113 (de Grandhomme, 24.4 ov), 7-126 (Munro, 28.2 ov), 8-139 (Santner, 30.6 ov), 9-143 (Southee, 33.4 ov), 10-147 (Boult, 36.1 ov) Bowling: MA Starc 10-3-34-3 (w-2), JR Hazlewood 7-1-22-1 (w-1), PJ Cummins 5.1-0-262 (w-1), JP Faulkner 7-0-262, TM Head 7-0-37-2

square leg. However Warner endured through the difficult passages and accelerated during a rearguard stand with Head, reaching his century, then going on to guide the Australians to a total that proved well beyond New turn to page 22 Zealand.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturday, december 10, 2016

Greenwood enthused about under-15 prospects

G

uyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Ian Greenwood is extremely pleased with the level of intensity shown by players in the National Under-15 camp. Twenty-six players are currently undergoing training at the Ministry of Education ground in an effort to be fully prepared for a French Guiana Football Association tournament from December 17 -22.

Greenwood, who had the players undergoing various technical drills said, “The level of intensity is new to a lot of players and everything we do is on the clock, we are working at high intensity to get the players

ready for the tournament”.

The sessions occur in the mornings and afternoon whereby the morning session usually have more “hard work” and the afternoon session focuses on technical work.

The Englishman added that “A lot of practices are very new to them with just two of the players having been exposed to a structured programme, since a lot of them just play football”.

In addition to on-field work, the players will have sessions aimed at developing their psychology and tactical understanding of the game.

The GFF is seeking to

use this event in preparation for its participation in the scheduled August 2017 CONCACAF U-15 tournament. It will be used to provide the necessary player experience/exposure, enable the assessment of players’ ability/performance level and as part of the developmental process for both players and staff.

The Tournament will feature participation from French Departments and neighbouring countries including Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Suriname and Olympique de Marseille.

The Squad reads: Tyrel Khan , Joshua Braithwaite, Wayne Da

GCA/ Noble House Seafoods

GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood

Silva , Cyrus Nicholson, Shannon Samnauth, Okifi Patoir , Marcus Wilson, Nicholas Andrews, Derron Niles, Orville Daniels, Maliki Grannum, Daniel Lowe, Omari Glasgow, Ken Salvador, Richard Roberts, Oswin Fredericks, Usher Jones, Leston Smith, Jermaine Padmore, Jermaine Garrett, Rickford Emmanuel, Miguel Stoll, Kevin Reddy, Lindon Morris, Troni Semple, Jerimiah Douglas

Guinness Greatest of the Streets...

Bent Street’s Anthony Abrams is floored in his attempt for possession of the ball against the Camp Street All star team

Camp Street All-Stars book quarter-final spot C

amp Street All-Stars sealed their berth to the knockout round despite losing to Bent Street 2-0 on penalty kicks, after normal time ended 0-0 when the group stage in the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Football Championship concluded on Thursday at Demerara Park.

The Lot 12 based unit needed to ensure that defeat did not occur during the regulation time.

North East La Penitence made light work of Up Like7 by a 3-0 margin; Shaquille Browne opened the scoring in the second minute while Jermaine Junior made it 2-0 in the eighth minute. The score line was sealed in the 30th minute as Kelvin Moore placed his shot down the centre of the net.

More so, Leopold Street overcame Festival City Warriors 3-1 on penalty kicks after normal time ended 1-1. Omallo Williams gave Leopold the lead in the sixth minute but Daniel Favourite equalised in the 28th minute.

Meanwhile, Broad Street made light work of Stevedore by a 3-0 margin. Darren Benjamin, Kevin Cummings

and Quacey Weeks scored in the eight, 26th and 28th minute respectively.

Back Circle eliminated North Ruimveldt 3-1 on penalty kicks following a scoreless regulation time interval.

Tucville sealed their place in the final eight after edging West Back Road 3-2 on sudden death kicks after regulation time produced a goalless match.

Similarly, Albouystown-A defeated Channel-9 Warriors 2-0 on sudden death kicks after normal time ended 0-0.

Defending champ Sparta Boss defeated 2013 holder Queen Street Tigerbay 2-0. With both teams already assured a place in the quarterfinal round, Dennis Edwards and Solomon Austin scored in the 28th and 30th minute apiece.

The event resumes today at the same venue where from 20:00hrs, Leopold Street will oppose Tucville while Sparta Boss will engage Camp Street All-Stars from 20:30h. In the third contest, Back Circle tackles North East La Penitence at 21:00h while Broad Street will tackle Queen Street Tigerbay at 21:30h.

Everest, GNIC seek final berth T

oday host Everest Cricket Club will clash with the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) in the first semis of the Georgetown Cricket Association / Noble House Seafoods second division two day competition.

The host will be led by in-form batsman Khemraj Ramdeen in a lineup that will feature several technically sound batsmen like Ashkaya Persaud, Dwayne Adams and others.

However, they will miss the duties of their leading bowler in the tournament, Javed Rasheed, who is out with an injury to his right hand and Bhaskar Yadram who left today to participate in a West Indies U-19 training camp.

The host defeated powerhouse Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) by first innings points in the quarterfinals to get to this stage after an outstanding batting display. They piled up a mammoth total of 387 all out, with Ramdeen striking 97, Yadram 63 and Dwayne Adams 58, before restricting DCC to 214-9, compliments of all-rounder Saheed Mohamed and Adams, who claimed four wickets apiece.

GNIC scored 325-9 declared and 223-8 declared in their quarterfinal match

Ovid Richardson

Khemraj Ramdeen

against Guyana Defence Force (GDF), who folded for a paltry 71 in their only innings.

The Woolford Avenue side batting will feature former youth player Ovid Richardson, who blasted successive centuries (121 and 100*) in the quarterfinal and experience player David Dick.

Like Everest, GNIC will miss one of its marquee players, Joshua Persaud, who will be a part of the said camp as Yadram.

The winner of this match will play against the winner of semifinal two between Transport Sports Club (TSC) and Police Sports Club.

The match is scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m

Warner scores...

from page 21

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood both proved fiendishly difficult to counter in the evening, while Head made a further contribution to the match with the wickets of Martin Guptill and BJ Watling.

James Faulkner chimed in with the vital dismissal of Williamson. The failure of New Zealand’s batsmen to make any impression on the scoreboard undermined some decent work earlier in the day by their bowlers, Warner’s excellence excepted.

Trent Boult performed nicely for New Zealand, while the recalled Lockie Ferguson again demonstrated the high pace he is able to generate from a fast-arm action. It was Ferguson who came closest to dismissing Warner early on, but Henry Nicholls was unable to cling onto a difficult, diving outfield chance when the

opener was on 18.

The hosts had gone in with an unchanged team for the third match, retaining their fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins while also continuing to ignore the all-round skills of Glenn Maxwell.

New Zealand had to leave out Jimmy Neesham due to continued pain in the arm that was struck by Starc in Canberra, while also recalling Ferguson at the expense of Matt Henry.

Smith ended the match with another ripping catch, this time diving to his right at slip. While a vast match and series victory over a New Zealand side lacking both confidence and sharpness, this was no World Cup final. By their restrained celebrations it was clear that both Australian players and spectators alike were well aware of this fact.

(ESPNcricinfo)

23

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, december 10, 2016

WICB/PCL Digicel Regional 4-day…

Chanderpaul’s ton leads Jaguars to 311

By Akeem Greene

S

h i v n a r Chanderpaul his 72nd Class century to

i n e struck Firstpropel

the Guyana Jaguars to 311 all out on the first day of their day/ night match against Barbados Pride in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional

Roach and Justin Greaves .

Hetmyer was the more aggressive of the duo, playing some exquisite cuts and drives to put some early pressure on the visitors.

Chandrika, who played a sumptuous cover-drive off the bowling of Kevin Stoute, surprisingly pushed tentatively in the first over of spin by Roston Chase and

was bowled for 11, with the score now 49-1.

Captain Leon Johnson who has not been in the best of form to his liking, gave a hint that he meant business

fore the interval and induced Hetmyer into a pull shot which he hit down the throat of Jomel Warrican at deep square-leg.

The left-hander fell for

Roston Chase tries despeartely to remove the Jaguars’ backbone Shiv Chanderpaul

Pride celebrate the dismissal of Shimron Hetmyer early on the opening day

SCOREBOARD Guyana Jaguars 1st innings R Chandrika b Chase 11 S Hetymer c Warrican b Carter 60 L Johnson lbw b Chase 4 V Singh lbw b Stoute 40 S Chanderpaul b Roach 100 C Barnwell lbw Stoute 4 R Reifer c Stoute b Carter 35 A Bramble c Brooks b Roach 1 V Permaul c hope b Roach 0 G Motie not out 36 K Joseph lbw b Warrican 2 Extras: (nb-16, lb-2) 18 Total: (all out; 88.2 overs) 311 Fall of Wickets: 1-41, 2-61, 3-99, 4-138, 5-148, 6-233, 7-234, 8-234, 9-304, 10-311 Bowlers: K. Roach 16-2-473, J. Greaves 12-3-42-0, K. Stoute 16-3-52-2, R. Chase 18-4-74-2, K. Brattwaite 4-0-14-0, J. Carter 11-0-502, J. Warrician 11.2-4-30-1 Barbados Pride: K Brathwaite*, A Alleyne, S Hope, R Chase, J Carter, S Dowrich+, K Stoute, J Greaves, J Warrican, K Roach

F

ive of Guyana’s football Associations with the support of ANSA McAL under its Stag Beer brand have combined efforts to produce the Stag Nations Cup which will kick-off on December 16 at the Golden Grove, Ground, East Coast Demerara and culminate with a grand final on January 1, 2017.

The competition which features teams from the Berbice, East Demerara, East Bank, West Demerara and Georgetown Football Associations will attract 20 teams who will be battling for supremacy and the top prize of $2M; second place will secure $1M while third and fourth will receive $500,000 and $300,000 respectively.

Speaking at the launching on Friday at ANSA McAL headquarters, Beterverwagting, Beverage Manager Robert Hiscock ex-

Cricket (PCL) Digicel Regional four-day competition at the National Stadium, Providence on Friday.

The former Test player once again came to the rescue of the home team after wickets fell at regular intervals, striking 13 boundaries in an even century as the iconic batsman bolstered the home side’s first innings total on a typical slow Providence pitch.

Keon Joseph (02) dismissal in the 89th over ended the day’s play with Gudakesh Motie on 36 not out. Kemar Roach (3-47), Kevin Stoute (2-52) and Roston Chase (2-74) were the most successful bowlers for Pride.

Earlier, Jaguars won the toss and opted to bat in bright sunshine and got off to a positive start with Shimron Hetmyer and Test player Rajendra Chandrika dispatching any loose balls to the ropes delivered by new ball bowlers Kemar

plained that the corporate entity sees sports as integral aspect for the development of communities and that “we are proud to be a

Shimron Hetmyer hits out in his aggressive innings

Similarly, third VicePresident of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Thandi McCallister expressed kind sentiments for

tant thing.

McCallister, added that “I’m heartened by the collaborative effort and the expansion; I was present at games

with a classical drive off the bowling of Chase but two balls later, he offered no shot and was dismissed leg before wicket for four, leaving the Jaguars at 61-2.

Hetmyer, was then joined by his West Indies A teammate Vishaul Singh, and both immediately looked intent on leading their team to an imposing first innings total by keeping the score ticking with sensible batting.

The 19 year-old Hetymer in particular was extremely severe on the spinners, waltzing down the track and hitting them over longoff.

The Berbician reached his third First-class halfcentury and second of the season with a cut behind point; his landmark took 55 balls and included six fours and three sixes.

Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite made a change in bowling, as medium pacer Jonathon Carter had the duties of the final over be-

an attractive 60, failing to convert the rapid start into a triple figure score and dinner was taken with the home side at 99-3 and Singh on 16.

After the interval, Chanderpaul joined Singh in the middle but it was not smooth sailing for either of the two batsmen as Roach had a pacey spell from the Pavilion End where he got some amount of away movement under lights.

The two left-handers weathered the storm, only playing deliveries pitched on the stumps but with the introduction of left-arm spinner Warrican the rate of scoring improved.

The pair moved the total to 138, where Singh was dismissed leg before wicket when Stoute, who was getting some shape on the ball, got a delivery to seam into the pads; Singh spent 93 minutes at the crease in a workman-like innings where hit six fours.

of the East Bank Football Association Franklyn Wilson was quizzed on whether the four elite league teams (Slingerz,

plained that “those elite teams indicated interest but two didn’t respond, however the associations’ clubs felt it was unfair for them to compete and we took it upon ourselves not to allow them to participate”.

Wilson felt with the current batch of teams, no definite winner is certain which in itself allows the league to hold several surprise.

The EBFA President also revealed that plans are afoot to get the New Years finale to be played at the National Stadium, Providence.

Among the teams set to participate are: Western Tigers, Santos FC, Police Football Club, Uitvlugt Warriors, Pouderoyen FC, Grove Hi Tech, Cougars United, Herstelling Raiders, Mahaica Determinators, Rosignal United, New Amsertdam United, Ann’s Grove, Golden Stars and Mahaicony Thunders.

Bevrage Manager Robert Hiscock does the ceremonial sponsorship handover to EBFA President Franklyn Wilson, while GFF Vice-President Thandi McCallister (blue top) along with representatives from various associations look on

part of the Nations Cup as it gives so many teams time on the field to play and develop which necessary for the sport going forward.”

the support of ANSA McAL and more so over the fact that football is continuously being played, which in her opinion is the most impor-

before and I can testify to the enthusiasm of the teams involved, I urge all teams to play fair and do their best”.

Meanwhile President

Alpha United, Pele and Georgetown Football Club) were considered to be a part of the tournament.

In response Wilson ex-

turn to page 20

saturday, december 10, 2016

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

guyanatimesgy.com

WICB/PCL Digicel Regional 4-day…

Chanderpaul’s ton leads Jaguars to 311 Pg 23

Shivnarine Chanderpaul reaches his 72nd First-Class century

$210M allocated for synthetic tracks Pg 21

Greenwood enthused about under-15 prospects Pg 22

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