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Essequibo schools benefit P16 from Guyoil road safety initiative Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3216

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Hundreds homeless, CDC unable to provide relief

Page 13

... as villages remain flooded in Region 8

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P9 Legal luminaries get meagre salary to advise AG … paid $20,000 monthly … as AG enjoys over $1,500,000 tax-free salary

Policeman dies in Berbice accident P9

Pay your taxes – GGDMA tells P11 miners Police nab 4 en route to commit P7 robbery As residents in villages in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) battle severe floodwaters, several homes and communal buildings in these communities are submerged.

In photo, a building in Chenapou is under water, as large-scale damage has been recorded

MPs, former GRDB members charged by SOCU … released on $500,000 Page 3 bail each ... lawyers argue politically inspired charges, lack of evidence

Municipal conference

No room P17 for political interest – Granger

Mother of 5 brutally stabbed to death by P2 husband

2 news

saturDAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Mother of 5 brutally stabbed to death by husband

The couple’s home

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mother of five is now dead following a stabbing incident at their Amelia's Ward, Mackenzie,

Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) home on Friday.

Dead is 37-year-old

Shenika London of 1206 Second Corner, Central Amelia's Ward. Her husband, Mike London, who

is the prime suspect in the incident was nabbed by Police at Moblissa, Linden Soesdyke Highway on Friday afternoon. London, who eluded authorities for more six hours was reportedly shot to the leg after putting up resistance during his arrest.

While information surrounding the incident is sketchy, Police said at about 10:30h, the woman ran across to the home of a neighbour, drenched in blood seeking assistance, but collapsed outside of the yard. She was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex by neighbours where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

A blood stained knife suspected to be the murder weapon was found at the scene. Her body, which bore multiple stab wounds, is at the hospital's mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

It is unclear what trans-

Shenika London and her husband Mike London in happier times

pired between the couple, who resided at the home they shared with the mother of the deceased. Several neighbours reported that they did not see or hear anything unusual before they saw the woman running outside covered in blood.

London, whose youngest child is two years old, was the sister of popular disc jockey Akelo "DJ Akelo" Elliot.

The woman's mother, June Alicock was not at home at the time of the incident, but her two-yearold was reportedly present at the scene. A neighbour, Steve Simon, stated that he was alerted by the sound of knocking on his door and upon checking, he realised that it was his neighbour drenched in blood.

"She ran out and come to me. I was in my bedroom when I hear a knock-

ing on my door and I come outside to lend assistance," he recalled. Speaking shortly after the incident, Simon, whose clothes were still blood-stained said he then called out to another neighbour who also came to the woman's assistance and together they assisted her in boarding a taxi to the hospital.

"She was alive all the time. The most she was doing was just gasping for breath. She was bleeding a lot though. (The car driver) was driving real fast because we just wanted to reach the hospital,� he noted.

He said however, that it appeared as though the woman passed away after he left the hospital in search of one of her relatives.

Meanwhile, investigations are continuing.

(Utamu Bell)

3 MPs, former GRDB members charged by SOCU news

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, May 20 – 12:30h-14:00h and Sunday, May 21 – 13:30h-15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, May 20 – 11:35h-13:05h and Sunday, May 21 – 12:45h-14:15h.

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers can be expected in the morning, while heavy to light rain showers can be expected in the afternoon. Light to partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to Easterly between 3.57 metres and 5.81 metres.

High Tide: 11:54h reaching a maximum height of 2.28 metres.

Low Tide: 05:24h and 17:58h reaching minimum heights of 1.00 metres and 0.87 metre.

saturDAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

… released on $500,000 bail each ... lawyers argue politically inspired charges, lack of evidence

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ix former members of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) were on Friday charged with fraudulent omission. The charge came one day after they had been summoned by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for questioning in relation to the operations of the GRDB between the years 2011 and 2015.

People’s Progressive Party Members of Parliament Dharamkumar Seeraj and Nigel Dharamlall; former Deputy General Manager of GRDB, Ricky Ramraj; former GRDB General Manager Jagnarine Singh; former GRDB Board member Badrie Persaud; and former Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine, appeared on Friday before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer a string of charges to which they were not required to plead.

Badrie Persaud

The former members of the GRDB were flanked by executive members of the PPP/C, who flooded the courtroom in support of their comrades.

They were represented by a team of attorneys comprising Priya Manickchand, Anil Nandlall, Sase Gunraj and Glenn Hanoman.

The defendants were each placed on $500,000 bail by the

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Former GRDB members leaving the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts

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Nigel Dharamlall

Ricky Ramraj

Prema Roopnarine

persons were selected from a 16-member board and charged.

And Opposition Parliamentarian and Attorneyat-law, Priya Manickchand, deemed the charges “politi-

Bonus Ball

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Dharamkumar Seeraj

The first charge they face allege that, in 2011, the defendants omitted to enter some $52 million in the GRDB ledger; while the second charge stated that the then board members omitted to enter a sum of $77.3 million into the said ledger.Other charges read that between the years 2014 and 2015, the sums of $130 million, $9.7 million and $145 million were respectively omitted from the GRDB register.

Chief Magistrate, who cast a deaf ear to the pleas of the lawyers to have their clients released on their own recognizance.

Politics

Speaking to media operatives following the proceedings, Nandlall contended that the charges should not have been instituted because there allegedly is no evidence to support them.

He questioned why only five

cally inspired” by the APNU/ AFC government in efforts to shut down the Opposition and distract the country from Government’s failed policies and mismanagement.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, may 20, 2017

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

Accountable governance

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he coalition Government has, over the past few months, come under severe fire for the manner in which it is spending tax payers’ money. It seems as if, almost every week, there is a scandal of some sort, with the Government doing very little to assuage the concerns of the populace. In fact, in their attempt to do damage control, minsters, almost on every occasion, further embarrass the Government.

For example, citizens were made aware that two Government ministers were benefitting from full scholarships being paid for by the State only after questions were raised in the Parliament during consideration of 2017 Budget estimates. It was clear that the administration wanted to withhold critical information, such as the cost of the scholarships, who were the beneficiaries, and on what basis they were selected.

Then there was the controversial drug bond deal, which saw then Public Health Minister Dr George Norton coming under severe pressure for advancing some $25 million to Larry Singh for the use of his building – Linden Holding Inc – for the storage of Government medicines. In justifying the request for the ‘emergency’ expenditure and the reasons for choosing the company selected, the minister made a number of statements in the National Assembly which were found to be inaccurate. In fact, many viewed the minister’s action as a deliberate attempt to mislead the National Assembly and the entire nation over a transaction which could at best be described as highly questionable.

After much public outcry, he apologised and was transferred to another ministry.

Mere weeks after, the minister who replaced Dr Norton – Volda Lawrence – was not even properly settled in her new position when she was forced to defend her ministry awarding to a foreign company a $605 million drug contract given under highly questionable circumstances. Again, only after huge public pressure did she attempt to defend what was clearly indefensible.

If that were not enough, it is now being alleged that the ministry is engaging in splitting of contracts to deliberately avoid public tendering.

And, just recently, questions were raised in relation to the President’s use of a chartered plane to travel to the Bahamas for a State Visit. Reports are that the chartered plane and the trip altogether cost Guyanese taxpayers some G$18 million, as the President was accompanied by an entourage which included Ministers and other personnel for whom accommodation was provided.

When this information came to light, a senior Government official was reported in sections of the media to have promised details regarding costs, benefits etc. That was late last month. More than three weeks later, Government is yet to release to the public details of how much taxpayers’ money was expended on the trip.

These are just some of the many cases of Government not being forthcoming in regard to utilising public funds.

While we are in no way accusing Government officials of being corrupt, it is the duty of the Government to show by its actions that it is accountable and transparent. More so, if questions are raised about the spending of taxpayers’ money, the Government has a responsibility to respond to those questions in the fastest possible time.

A president’s trip overseas on behalf of the State is certainly not a private matter. When the President travels, he is representing the State and is being funded by tax payers; and certainly, they must at all times be fully aware of what it is costing the State for the President to represent them.

It is also quite ironic that the then APNU/AFC parties, while in opposition, had accused the PPP Government of some of the same wrongdoings. On the campaign trail, they had promised a lean and clean government and a break away from the past. One would therefore have thought that these parties (APNU/AFC) would have done all they could to avoid facing the same kinds of criticism.

Also, in May last year, President David Granger, during a book launch, was quoted in the media as saying that his government is committed to excising corruption, improving transparency, and instituting greater accountability -- all premised on the pillar of strong institutions.

However, many are of the view that the Administration is doing the opposite of what it promised. The Government must not only talk about being transparent, its actions should also prove that it is serious about ensuring accountability and good governance, which are the hallmarks of service.

Miss India Worldwide 2016, Karina Kholi during her recent visit to Guyana Times, TVG and Radio Guyana. Miss Kholi was the guest of honour at the Miss India Guyana Pageant held on Friday evening at the Guyana Marriott

Good life minus our sugar workers equals catastrophe Dear Editor, The sugar industry provides significant employment, and, in spite of the challenges it faces, accounts for a large amount of our country’s foreign exchange earnings. Right up to May 2015, when the PPP/C Government demitted office, approximately 100,000 Guyanese were directly and indirectly dependent on the industry for their livelihood.

As a concerned Government, the PPP/C considered the significance of the industry from a social and economic perspective; the ultimate effect on the Guyanese populace of the loss of earnings of dismissed sugar workers; and the considerable reduction in spending by these workers on consumer goods and services, provided in large measure by small- and medium-sized businesses that rely on the support of the sugar workers. That is why we worked with GuySuCo, the sugar workers’ unions GAWU and NAACIE, and the workers themselves to address the challenges of high production cost and to revive the fortunes of the sugar industry.

We did provide financial and other forms of support to the sector, for we had determined that sugar was -- and indeed still is -- a sustainable business in Guyana.

We overtly, then and even now, declared our opposition to the closure, privatization, or downsizing of the sugar estates.

Conversely, the APNU/

AFC Government refuses to engage the PPP/C and the unions in any meaningful discussions on the way forward for the sugar industry.

So much for workers’ representation and the APNU/ AFC Government’s respect for trade unions and the workers they represent.

The Government has set up a $52M commission of inquiry into the performance of the sugar industry. The commission’s work and report do not reflect the views or recommendations of the Opposition PPP/C or the sugar workers’ unions. To the contrary, the Commission recommends , inter alia, that GuySuCo be privatized over a period of three years; that some lands be diversified to fish farming; that 4 of the 7 factories, viz: Enmore, Wales, Rose Hall and Skeldon, be closed.

The Report is very much influenced by political considerations and is obviously designed to hasten the end of the sugar industry by privatizing some of the assets.

The Government, major shareholder in GuySuCo, is obviously oblivious to the plight of the sugar workers.

So much for the good life for sugar workers; they were apparently never meant to be beneficiaries.

For decades, sugar supported and kept Guyana alive through the sugar levy. Indeed, there was a time when the payment of salaries of public servants, teachers, nurses, police, army etc. depended on GuySuCo. We must never forget this, or allow those

with their own political axe to grind to cause us to forget this fact. We all benefit from sugar, and any investment in sugar will help the industry to return to viability and will provide more finances for the Treasury.

Officials of GuySuCo have said they have a plan to ensure that workers who are displaced by Government’s announced closure of the sugar estates would be redeployed. The Government is yet to provide details of this plan.

Neither the workers at the estates, nor their unions, nor the People’s Progressive Party have any trust or confidence in these empty promises of the APNU/ AFC Government. There is no clarity with respect to the options the APNU/AFC Government is examining, but political considerations seem to be taking precedence over social and economic considerations.

What does the closure of four of the estates - Wales, Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon - mean for the retrenched workers, their families, their communities, their regions and the country? What is the alternate livelihood of the retrenched/ dismissed workers?

How would loss-of-income impact the lives of the retrenched workers, their families, small businesses such as grocers, hardware stores, furniture stores, hire car owners/drivers who depend primarily on sugar workers to buy their goods and services? How will workers fund payment for

water, electricity, telephone and other utility services?

What about transportation for children to go to school, medical expenses, those who have loans to repay, including mortgages? Or is it that the Government is unconcerned?

The sugar workers of Guyana face an uncertain future, due to the reckless and irresponsible decision of the APNU/AFC Government to close several sugar estates and to privatize the Skeldon Estate.

This will certainly add to our present economic woes, moreso as opportunities for alternative employment in the public and private sectors -- and even for self-employment -- scarcely exist.

One would have thought that the Government would cull from the experience at Wales, where gloom has overtaken once-thriving communities concomitant with the closure of the Wales Sugar Estate. Government obviously has not done any social impact assessment, and consequently has no plan to address the issue of redeployment of workers of closed sugar estates.

Government must not abandon 18,000 workers, but must work with the Opposition and the sugar unions to save the industry.

Government must revisit its decision on the way forward for sugar, moreso in the light of the declining performance of our country’s economy.

Sincerely, Norman Whittaker

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, may 20, 2017

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

Beware the ‘kangaroo committee’ at City Hall Dear Editor, It is quite unmistakable that the folks at the Georgetown City Council are completely antipathetic to the principles of transparency, accountability, and decency.

Here we are again, this time it has to do with the purported review of the parking meter contract by a ‘kangaroo committee’ that they have set up, which consists of council-

lors and officers of the very Georgetown Municipality.

Alas! The assessment exercise is also cloaked in secrecy and mystery.

Clearly, if they were serious about reviewing the shady parking meter contract, an independent committee would have been set up, and not with any member from the same Council that created the problem in the first place, as they could not be objective,

in the first place.

Unbelievably, just like the ‘Fantastic Four’ did in entering into this disgraceful parking meter contract in the first place, this committee has made the review process a top-secret, undercover operation.

But are they reviewing the contract with and by themselves? What about all of the concerned stakeholders, such as ordinary citizens, business persons, taxi

Refinery: Make or buy?

Dear Editor, The recent report by the Mexican consultant on oil refinery capacity shows the need for external oil sales.

The data shared points to a 30-year supply for a local refinery based on the 1.5 billion oil find. With an accelerated or straight-line depreciation model, the payback on the investment can be determined if excess crude oil is sold. The challenge for the investment is long-term projected oil prices.

The 30-year plan for the Green Economy will inform the decision as to whether this investment can overcome the risk. Our ability as a nation to transition away from fossil fuel dependence faster than other nations will aid us to eliminate the risk associated with oil prices.

Given the energy agendas of high consumption countries and oil producing countries, we are exposed to demand reduction and the associated price softness in

the market. This leaves supply countries with increased market competition.

The sensitivity and complexity of the Venezuelan supply being offline has been sustaining market prices during a price-favourable military climate. As the major military engagements end and the Venezuelan situation is resolved, oil prices will experience increased downward price pressure in the market.

Although this risk is built into current prices for the near- to mid-term, the longterm impact is beyond the futures market risk consid-

eration, thus making it difficult to determine the rate of global conversion away from fossil fuels and towards a greener energy economy.

However, if a peaceful global climate is maintained and energy conversion targets are kept as outlined by countries at the climate summit, oil prices can be forecasted with reduced variation and increased accuracy. This is the baseline scenario for determining the payback on the refinery investment.

Best regards, Jamil Changlee

drivers and minibus operators? What about organisations such as Transparency International Guyana, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Private Sector Commission, the Movement against Parking Meters?

What about the religious community? What about

the schools? Will they be invited to be involved at the last minute, if at all?

With more than two months elapsed of the three-month period given by the Minister for the Council to get it right, it is logical for persons to become concerned that the Council would try to foist

the very same company -Smart City Solutions -- on the citizenry, and ramrod this very contract with just a few minor adjustments down everyone’s throats.

Beware!

Sincerely, Amber Valentine

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SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

Page

Foundation Anger management

for children and parents

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guyanatimesgy.com

andling children’s anger can be puzzling, draining, and distressing for adults. In fact, one of the major problems in dealing with anger in children is the angry feelings that are often stirred up in us. It has been said that we as parents, teachers, counsellors, and administrators need to remind ourselves that we were not always taught how to deal with anger as a fact of life during our own childhood. We were led to believe that to be angry was to be bad, and we were often made to feel guilty for expressing anger.

It will be easier to deal with children’s anger if we get rid of this notion. Our goal is not to repress or destroy angry feelings in children – or in ourselves – but rather to accept the feelings and to help channel and direct them to constructive ends.

Parents and teachers must allow children to feel all their feelings. Adult skills can then be directed toward showing children acceptable ways of expressing their feelings.

Strong feelings cannot be denied, and angry outbursts should not always be viewed as a sign of serious problems; they should be recognised and treated with respect.

To respond effectively to overly aggressive behaviour in children we need to have some ideas about what may have triggered an outburst. Anger may be a defence to avoid painful feelings; it may be associated with failure, low self-esteem, and feelings of isolation; or it may be related to anxiety about situations over which the child has no control.

Angry defiance may also be associated with feelings of dependency, and anger may be associated with sadness and depression.

In childhood, anger and sadness are very close to one another, and it is important to remember that much of what an adult

experiences as sadness is expressed by a child as anger.

Before we look at specific ways to manage aggressive and angry outbursts, several points should be highlighted: * We should distinguish between anger and aggression. Anger is a temporary emotional state caused by frustration; aggression is often an attempt to hurt a person or to destroy property. * Anger and aggression do not have to be dirty words. In other words, in looking at aggressive behaviour in children, we must be careful to distinguish between behaviour that indicates emotional problems and behaviour that is normal. * In dealing with angry children, our actions should be motivated by the need to protect and to reach, not by a desire to punish. Parents and teachers should show a child that they accept his or her feelings, while suggesting other ways to express the feelings. An adult might say, for example, “Let me tell you what some children would do in a situation like this…” It is not enough to tell children what behaviours we find unacceptable. We must teach them acceptable ways of coping. Also, ways must be found to communicate what we expect of them. Contrary to popular opinion, punishment is not the most effective way to communicate to children what we expect of them.

Responding to the angry child Some of the following suggestions for dealing with the angry child were taken from The Aggressive Child by Fritz Redl and David Wineman. They should be considered helpful ideas and not be seen as a “bag of tricks.”

Catch the child being good. Tell the child what behaviours please you. Respond to positive efforts and reinforce good behaviour. An observing and sensitive parent will

find countless opportunities during the day to make such comments as “I like the way you come in for dinner without being reminded”; “I appreciate your hanging up your clothes even though you were in a hurry to get out to play”; “You were really patient while I was on the phone”; “I’m glad you shared your snack with your sister”; “I like the way you’re able to think of others”; and “Thank you for telling the truth about what really happened.”

Similarly, teachers can positively reinforce good behaviour with statements like “I know it was difficult for you to wait your turn, and I’m pleased that you could do it”; “Thanks for sitting in your seat quietly”; “You were thoughtful in offering to help Johnny with his spelling”; “You worked hard on that project, and I admire your effort.”

Deliberately ignore inappropriate behaviour that can be tolerated. This doesn’t mean that you should ignore the child, just the behaviour. The “ignoring” has to be planned and consistent. Even though this behaviour may be tolerated, the child must recognize that it is inappropriate.

Provide physical outlets and other alternatives. It is important for children to have opportunities for physical exercise and movement, both at home and at school.

Manipulate the surroundings.

Aggressive behaviour can be encouraged by placing children in tough, tempting situations.

We should try to plan the

surroundings so that certain things are less apt to happen.

Stop a “problem” activity and substitute, temporarily, a more desirable one. Sometimes rules and regulations, as well as physical space, may be too confining.

Use closeness and touching.

Move physically closer to the child to curb his or her angry impulse. Young children are often calmed by having an adult come close by and express interest in the child’s activities.

Children naturally try to involve adults in what they are doing, and the adult is often annoyed

at being bothered. Very young children (and children who are emotionally deprived) seem to need much more adult involvement in their interests. A child about to use a toy or tool in a destructive way is sometimes easily stopped by an adult who expresses interest in having it shown to him. An outburst from an older child struggling with a difficult reading selection can be prevented by a caring adult who moves near the child to say, “Show me which words are giving you trouble.” (childdevelopmentinfo. com)

TO BE CONTINUED

Do you overreact?

How to tell if you do and what to do about it

BY ROBERT MYERS, PHD

E

veryone has a “moment” now and then – we raise our voices, or respond to someone or something more angrily than we’d like. It happens to just about all of us from time to time.But if you find that more often than not, your response to situations is over the top, and friends are frequently telling you that you’re overreacting, maybe it’s time to take a look at your outlook on life and see if you need to make a change. Sometimes, overreacting can even indicate a mental or emotional problem, such as bipolar disorder or depression.

Here are some tips and suggestions to see if you overreact, and what you can do about it.

Are you overreacting?

1. You are consumed with self-negating thoughts

If a difficult situation arises and you are filled with thoughts of self-blame and anger toward yourself, it may a sign of overreacting. Here are what some of these self-berating thoughts may sound like: - “I am so stupid!”

- “Why can’t I ever handle things like this?”

- “I am such an awful person.”

- “I am one messed up individual. It’s hopeless.”

The fact is, you’re just human; give yourself some forgiveness and move forward with a plan to do better next time.

2. Feeling out of control

Overreacting can become a problem if you feel totally out of control. You may hate the way you’re responding to a person or situation, but you just can’t stop yourself. It’s like the angry reaction takes over.

This is a sign that something may be wrong.

3. Panicky feelings

Do you feel panicky and helpless when you are reacting to something difficult? If your overreactions are indicative of a problem, then you may feel desperate to avoid yet another scenario that you just know is going to play out like all the ones before it.

What can you do about it?

Naturally, people who have this issue want to overcome it. Here are some tips:

1. Stop

Just stop. Take a moment and breathe, remove yourself from the situation for a few moments, and look at things from a third-person point of view. Walk away if you need to and say something simple like, “I need to think about this.”

2. Assess

How does your body feel? Tense? Hot? Are you sweating? Is your heart racing? This means you’re reacting strongly – perhaps too strongly – to what’s going on.

3. Cool off

Let your emotions subside a bit. Let it go; think about the big picture.

Remember how destructive it is to have an angry confrontation or raise your voice. Your body will literally cool off, and your blood pressure will probably go down.

4. Take action

Now you can take productive action and talk about the situation more clearly and rationally.

By all means, if you feel like you need help, get it.

Therapy and counselling can be really beneficial. (childdevelopmentinfo.com)

news

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saturDAY, may 20, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Police nab 4 en route to commit robbery beries in D Division (West Bank Demerara-East Bank Essequibo) and another has an arrest warrant issued for his arrest in connection with similar crimes.

In addition, he noted that the other two men are from Berbice but stayed at

The four suspects lying face down on the roadway immediately after their arrest

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our occupants of two motorcars bearing false registration plates were on Friday afternoon intercepted in the vicinity of Sheriff and Duncan Streets, by members of the Guyana Police Force.

Based on information received, Police trailed the men after suspecting that the registration plates on the vehicles were false, and subsequently intercepted them.

A search conducted on the vehicles and the occupants unearthed several

items that are mainly used to commit robbery. The Police also reportedly discovered an illegal gun and several matching rounds of ammunition, as well as number plates in the vehicles.

The men were reportedly travelling in a Toyota Carina 212 and a Toyota Allion. Guyana Times understands that after the occupants of the vehicles realised that they were being trailed, they attempted to evade the lawmen, but the ranks called their counter-

parts, which led to their arrest.

When contacted, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told this publication that the Police received a tip-off that the men were going to a location to commit a robbery. He noted that due to swift action by the Police, the men were intercepted.

He however, confirmed that two of the men who were arrested during the operation are wanted by the Police. He noted that one of the men is wanted for a number of armed rob-

a house at Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Blanhum stated that the Police in B Division (Berbice) have been contacted to verify if the men are wanted in that district.

Meanwhile, the four men will be placed in an identifi-

cation parade to determine if they were involved in any other crimes.

The gun that was found in the possession of one of the men will also be tested to determine if it was used in the commissioning of any other crimes.

8 news

saturDAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Welder jailed, admits ownership of gun, ganja Power means… … mother on $140,000 bail

Kevin Amos

A

welder and his mother found themselves before City Magistrate Leron Daly, days after they were busted with a quantity of narcotics, a gun and ammunition at their Norton Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown residence, during a Police raid.

Kevin Amos and Gill Joe were jointly charged for being in possession of 3.5 grams of cannabis along with one live round of .38 ammunition on May 16, 2017 at Norton Street, Georgetown.

Amos was charged separately for the illegal possession of a .32 Taurus pistol and four matching live rounds, as he is not the holder of a firearm licence.

The welder took the hefty fall; pleading guilty to all charges read to him by the Magistrate, while his mother who was represented by Attorney Stanley Moore denied all charges initiated against her.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh related that on the day in question, Police on patrol duty stopped and searched a gang of men who were observed acting in a suspicious manner. Singh added that a pistol along with for live rounds of matching rounds was discovered in the side pants waist of the defendant.

According to the Prosecutor, Amos was then arrested, subsequently confessing ownership of the weapon in a caution statement.

Reports are it was after this bust that the Norton Street residence of Amos was raided, leading to the cannabis and additional ammunition find.

Attorney Moore told the court that his client is a 50 year-old vendor, contending that Joe was only charged because she happened to be in the house when Police swooped down on the premises. It is further reported that the marijuana and ammunition were found in Amos’ bedroom and not that of Joe. He thereby requested reasonable bail for his client is these circumstances, simultaneously pleading with the Magistrate to be merciful in dispensing her ruling, as Amos had readily and voluntarily taken responsibility

Y

Gill Joe

for everything, having fully cooperated with Police during the course of the investigation.

The accused maintained a composed front during the hearing but when the Magistrate adjourned the court for deliberation, he broke down in tears as he spoke to relatives in the courtroom.

Amos was slapped with a $15,000 fine for each offence, inclusive of the narcotic possession, receiving three two-year jail sentences for the latter charges. These terms are set to run concurrently.

Meanwhile, a sobbing Joe was released on a total of $140,000 bail and she returns to court on June 2.

…never having to say “sorry”

our Eyewitness still can’t get over what’s going down in Guyana: “Cry, our beloved country”. It’s become so overused that it’s become trite, but that doesn’t make Marx’ observation that history – and its players – repeating itself any less true. First as “tragedy” but then as “farce”. Not a “farce” because it’s “ha ha” funny, but because it’s clear that most of us never learn. We keep on doing the same thing over and over again – and think we’ll get a different result.

Between 1964 and 1985, what we had was a constitutional dictatorship. But it wasn’t erected overnight, was it? And it wasn’t erected at night when we were all asleep, was it? So why are we allowing it to be repeated today in bright daylight?? The UF hated the PPP more than anything and decided to team up with the PNC to throw out those “wicked communists”.

They were supposed to keep the PNC on the straight and narrow, but before they knew what hit them, Burnham had bought out several of D’Aguiar’s MP’s and could do as he wanted, when he wanted and how he wanted!! What’s different now with the AFC??

How many of the “AFC MP’s” can Moses Nagamootoo and Ramjattan count on?? We don’t even have to read between the lines??

By the time D’Aguiar decided to walk out on Burnham when he saw the preparations for rigging – “too late!!” was the cry. Your Eyewitness is positive that the two cuckolded AFC big-wigs won’t even walk out like D’Aguiar did. These are fellas who’ve succumbed to the morass of hate and greed and can’t even see straight.

But worse that the political betrayal – which wasn’t in any way unexpected, since that is the nature of THAT beast! – is what’s playing out in the Judicial realm. Your Eyewitness might be going on like a broken record about the need for the Judiciary to stand firm – but trust him, he knows of what he speaks. Man’s long crawl from the jungle where might was right and the strong ruled the weak, was basically the institutions we invented to ensure that no one person would have sole control of power.

In governance, the Americans gave us “separation of powers” which meant that the Legislature and the Judiciary would act as “checks and balances” against the always potentially dictatorial Executive! But in Guyana, the Executive already controls the Legislature and the Judiciary is that last barrier to dictatorship.

So, when the President sides with his AG to disrespect the Judiciary, it means we’re on a very slippery slope. We all have to stand behind our young Judiciary!!

…embarrassing the Opposition at will

OK…A whole lotta people thought the PPP Government played fast and loose with their fiduciary responsibility to the people of Guyana. But this happens with every government, doesn’t it?? We don’t even have to go to other jurisdictions – look what’s happened in only two years of the PNCled APNU/AFC Government!! And they KNEW folks were looking at them!! But that doesn’t excuse the PPP, does it? Even the two former PPP Presidents acknowledged wrongdoing HAD to’ve occurred (it wasn’t a government of “angels”!) and called for justice to be done.

And that’s the point, isn’t it? Justice demands a fella be assumed innocent until PROVEN guilty.

But what we’re seeing is a naked exercise of power where the Government is charging ex-PPP personnel knowing fully well, there will be no conviction! It all about embarrassing the “enemy”. Take the law books charges against the former AG? Was that really necessary?

And now the GRDB Board. Sheesh!!

…taking them for all they got

The Muckraker spilled the beans on some “Pandits” from India who were bilking (and milking) the gullible natives dry.

What about those Pastors over at the old Strand Cinema?? If they’re for real, we don’t need those billion-dollar pharma contracts from ANSA, do we??!!

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

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saturDAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Legal luminaries get meagre Policeman dies in Berbice accident salary to advise AG …paid $20,000 monthly …as AG enjoys over $1,500,000 tax-free salary

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Justice Duke Pollard

Justice James Patterson

Justice Claudette Singh

aking issue to questions from a recent editorial in a section of the media, the Legal Affairs Ministry is firing back in defence of the ministerial council of advisers formed to help Attorney General Basil Williams, a Senior Counsel, to perform his duties.

According to the Ministry in a statement to the media, all the members of the council will merely be receiving a monthly honorary payment of $15,000 monthly (US$75); while the Chairperson will be

receiving $20,000 (US$100) monthly.

The Ministry made no mention of any other benefits and emoluments members of the council might be receiving.

But according to senior legal professionals, this is a slap in the face of the legal minds as they have been integral to the legal system in Guyana.

This amount is indeed miniscule, when compared to the Attorney General’s taxfree package of $1.6 million per month (US$7674), ex-

cluding other benefits. In fact, part of the coalition’s justifications for the unpopular salary increases it took soon after entering Government had been the abnormally high pay of the Attorney General.

The Council of Legal Advisors is made up of former Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Judge, Justice Duke Pollard; former High Court Judge, Justice James Patterson; former Appeal Court Judge, Justice Claudette Singh; Professor Harold Lutchman; and

Minister Norton in stable condition

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ocial Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton’s condition has been listed as stable following a health scare, which led him to be admitted to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) on Thursday.

The Ministry of the Presidency in a statement to the media said the Minister is out of danger and is in a stable condition. Norton was rushed to GPHC after he complained of feeling unwell and went to the hospital with a headache, high

Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton

blood pressure and slightly slurred speech.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, the Social Cohesion Minister reportedly suffered a spike in his blood pressure. However, other sources had also informed that the Minister had suffered a mild heart attack.

The former Public Health Minister is a devoted athlete who prides himself in keeping fit. He was earlier this year taken from his position as the Health Minister and assumed responsibility as the Social Cohesion Minster.

Professor Harold James.

Earlier on Thursday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon told media operatives at a post-Cabinet press briefing that the salaries for these advisers were minimal.

Harmon also noted that the legal advisers volunteered their services.

Around the time the advisers were appointed, there had been heavy criticism of Williams’ performance as Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General. One of his fiercest critics had been his predecessor, Anil Nandlall.

Harmon had disclosed that the functions of the Council would include providing legal analysis and advice on the development of the local justice sector, Government’s legislative agenda and litigation matters; providing input into legal policy design and engaging stakeholders with interest in the justice sector where appropriate.

In addition to this unprecedented assistance which Williams will be getting to perform his duties, Harmon went on to say that the Council would be assisted in the execution of its mandate by support staff from the Legal Affairs Ministry.

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olice Constable Khrystania Yasin, also called Delon, of Lot 3-5 Sookdeo Street, Vryheid, West Canje Berbice, died on Friday after colliding with a bicycle being pushed by a mentally-ill woman along the East Coast Berbice Highway.

Reports are that the 22-year-old Policeman, who had been serving at the Whim Police Station on the Corentyne, had been making his way home from work at about 23:00h on Thursday when he collided with the woman along the Borlam Public Road, ECB. The Police stated that Yasin was driving his motorcycle, CG 7801, proceeding west along the southern carriageway of the Borlam Public Road when he collided with pedestrian Youlander Collins, 27, of Dazelle Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara, a patient at the National Psychiatric Hospital at Fort Canje who had stolen a bicycle which belongs to a nurse and was pushing the machine along the roadway.

Both were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where Yasin died

Dead: Khrystania Yasin

at about 05:30h on Friday.

Collins was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital and admitted in a stable condition. Reports are that she suffered a broken leg.In a release, the Guyana Police Force said it mourns the death of a colleague member who succumbed to accident injuries. According to the release, the rank died hours after the accident.

An employee of the Guyana Police Force for the past five years, Yasin had been selected for promotion to another department, Amsterdam disclosed. turn to page 10

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saturDAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Tax on remittances

There’s nothing Govt can do – Harmon W

ith the newly proposed tax measures on remittances from the United States of America (USA) to foreign countries including Guyana, which economists predict will dry up these funds, the Guyana Government has no solution except to “wait and see.”

According to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, there is little the Government can do at this time. During a post-Cabinet press briefing, the Minister asserted that the measure will have an ef-

fect on the country.

“As the saying goes when certain people sneeze, everyone else catches a cold.

When the American’s make their laws, we have to deal with the consequences of it. What I can say is that it means it will cost you more to send money from the United States to Guyana.”

“As you know, remittances have been a major plank in the sustenance of many families in this country. And I think it is going to have an impact on them,” Harmon said. “But we will have to

look and see what happens.

It may be that instead of getting a hundred dollars, you get ninety.”

But the Minister went on to stress that “there is nothing really we as a State can do about the way another country makes its laws.

All we can say is encourage those who send money to their families here to increase the amount.”

It is expected that the United States congress may make an amendment to the US Electronic Fund Transfer Act to impose a fee for remittance transfers to certain foreign countries, including Guyana.

The bill, which is titled Border Wall Funding Act of 2017 (HR 1813), has already been introduced in the US House of Representatives by Congressman Mike Rogers, of Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District.

In introducing the Bill on March 30, 2017, Rogers claimed that remittances

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

are normally used by illegal immigrants to move money from the US to their home countries.

In order to put a restriction on this, Rogers said the Bill will seek to allow for a two per cent fee charged on individuals sending money to recipients in 42 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

When asked about the measure, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr Henry Jeffrey told this publication that, if successful, the Bill will cause severe problems not only in Guyana, but the wider Caribbean and Latin American region.

“In the case of Guyana, we can lose somewhere between $25-40 million and that’s a lot of money for a small country like ours,”

Dr Jeffrey stated, while explaining that regardless of the circumstances, people will find other means by which to send finances to their home country.

Symbolic of its significance, remittances contributed to 11.2 per cent of Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product in 2016, a decline from 14 per cent in 2015.

This was as a result of net current transfers decreasing by 23.1 per cent or US$95 million over 2016, reflecting

a drastic reduction of workers remittance from abroad into Guyana.

Guyana is just a drop in the global remittance trade which in 2016 was pegged at US$441,000 billion; Guyana received in 2016 only US$320 million of that amount.

The largest destination for remittances from the US is Mexico, which Pew Research estimates was equal to US$24 billion in 2015.

Policeman dies... from page 9

“I just selected him to go on a CID [Criminal Investigation Department] induction course, which is going to start next week.

When I came to the division, he worked in Intel (Intelligence) and then subsequently transferred to Whim. We had a slot for four more ranks, and I selected him to go. He should have gone this morning for the interview to be on that course which starts sometime next week,” Amsterdam related.

Yasin was not the only family member in the force.

Two other brothers are serving members of the GPF. Amsterdam told the me-

dia that the woman was seen pushing the bicycle along the road moments before the accident.

“How she got out I don’t know, but what I know is that she was walking along the road that hour of the night, pushing the bicycle,” he detailed.

When this publication visited the National Psychiatric Hospital, security was strict. Back in January, a prison warden had made his way into the compound and fatally stabbed his wife, a cosmetologist. Director of Regional Health Services, Jevaughn Stephen, had said then that security would be tightened at the institution.

11 PSC chairmanship Pay your taxes No conflict of interest – Harmon – GGDMA M tells miners news

saturDAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

inister of State, Joseph Harmon, speaking at a post-Cabinet press conference on Thursday, has said that the appointment of Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) president, Patrick Yarde, to serve as acting Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) does not create a conflict of interest situation.

Yarde was sworn in as acting Chairman of the PSC in May, following the suspension of Carvil Duncan as PSC Chairman.

Minister Harmon has said that at the time of Duncan’s removal, Yarde was already serving as a member of the Public Service Commission (PSC); and after Duncan had been removed from that position, the other PSC commissioners voted for Yarde to carry out the functions of the chairman, so as to ensure that the business of that body continued.

Harmon explained that Government respected the decision of the commission’s board, and acted on their recommendation to install Yarde as the acting chairman. “…a process of the commissioners themselves electing one from their number to act as the chairperson, and that was the basis upon which the Government took any further steps,” he highlighted.

A tribunal was last September appointed by President David Granger to inquire, investigate, and rec-

GPSU President, Patrick Yarde being sworn in as acting Chairman of the Public Service Commission

ommend whether Duncan ought to be removed from the office of the Chairman of the PSC because of his inability to discharge the functions thereof. That tribunal, headed by Justice Roxane George, and comprises current Ombudsman Justice (ret’d) Winston Patterson, and Attorney Robert Ramcharran.

The tribunal was assembled after Duncan had been charged with larceny in connection with the payment, and his receipt, of almost $1 million in director’s fees from the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc. However, through his attorney, Anil Nandlall, Duncan had secured from the High Court an order suspending the work of the presidential tribunal.

In court documents, Nandlall had said the tribunal had given the preconceived notion that his client

was guilty even before his trial.

Duncan had also denied receiving a letter from Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, asking him to show cause why a tribunal should not be set up to investigate his removal. In his court documents, Duncan contended that he was never afforded the opportunity to be heard.

The Prime Minister has claimed that his office had served Duncan with a letter dated 29, March 2016 — which he claims was received at the Public Service Commission on April 14, 2016 — calling upon Duncan to show cause, within fourteen (14) days, why he should not be removed from the Chairmanship of the Public Service Commission; from being a member of the Police Service Commission; and from serving on the Judicial Service

Commission.

Duncan and his confidential secretary, in their affidavits, had sworn that no such letter had ever been received at the PSC. In order to resolve this conflict in the affidavits, Justice Franklyn Holder has ordered that persons who had sworn to the affidavits be crossed-examined.

It was during the cross-examination of Duncan’s confidential secretary that Attorney General Basil Williams had allegedly behaved disrespectfully towards Justice Holder, causing him to unceremoniously leave the court without adjourning the proceedings.

Justice Holder has since called on the AG to proffer him an apology in open court, but the AG has refused, contending that his behaviour had been within the boundaries of acceptable behaviour, and not in contempt of court.

President Granger has also declared that he had found no reason to instruct the AG to apologize.

Justice Holder has since recused himself from hearing the case, and it is pending reassignment.

Yarde was re-elected president of the GPSU in April, following a highly controversial election, with his main opponent Gregory Gaspar crying foul. Yarde has been at the helm of the GPSU for over three decades.

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he Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) is urging its members who are evading taxes to step up and pay their fair share to avoid sanctions that could affect their businesses.

The GGDMA on Friday commended its members who have been paying their taxes. “The GGDMA believes that all businesses should pay taxes as part of their corporate responsibility to their country,” the statement added.

In a statement to the media, the GGDMA said a meeting between the Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Association on Tuesday last, revealed that some miners have been evading the tax system.

The GGDMA highlighted that the following taxes need to be paid by miners – Tributors Tax – “Tributor” refers to persons engaged

in the gold or diamond mining industry who are rewarded for their labour under the tribute system, and includes divers, cooks, marack men, jet men, sailors, general managers, or persons engaged in site operation. This is a tax that is being deducted, reported and paid by the miner on behalf of a worker.

Property Tax

The term ‘property’ as used in relation to the Property Tax Act refers to all property movable or immovable, situated or having their seat in Guyana or elsewhere and the proceeds of sale thereof, and any money or investment for the time being representing them. These include excavators, trucks, houses, vehicles etc. This is a tax that is being paid by the miner on his properties and assets, if their combined assets amount to G$40 million and in excess.

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Construction Miner remand worker on bail for on B&E charge stealing cellphone H

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sif Narine was placed on $40,000 bail after he was allegedly caught red-handed stealing a cellular phone valued $80,000 at Main Street, Georgetown.

It is alleged that Narine stole the phone on May 8 from Latesha Khadeer.

Narine, who was represented by Attorney Stanley Moore, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Leron Daly.

The Prosecutor objected

to bail on the grounds that the accused was reportedly caught removing the charging phone, reportedly making good his escape thereafter.

He was subsequently apprehended by Police after persons raised an alarm and the cellphone was recovered in his possession.

The court heard that the accused is a 36-yearold construction worker of Eccles, East Bank Demerara. He returns to court on June 2.

emchand Hitlall, a 27-year-old father of two, and a resident of Squatting Dam Stanleytown, West Bank Demerara was hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to larceny charges.

The unrepresented miner denied the charge which stated that on May 11, 2017, at Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni), he broke and entered into the premises of Azeem Baksh, and stole some $311,000 cash, a quantity of raw gold, a pistol and an aluminum boat

among several other items; a total value of $1,726,900.

Bail was objected by Prosecutor Sanj Singh on the grounds that the accused had provided a different address to Police Officers upon his arrest, thereby rendering him a flight risk.

In addition, Singh highlighted the prevalence and gravity of the offence, also taking into consideration the quantity of items which were reportedly carted away.

Hitlall was remanded to the Camp Street Prison. The case will continue on May 2

Unity in diversity, not “One People; One nation; One Destiny”

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he following is a response in 2001 to Mr David de Caires, then publisher of the Stabroek News, who had delivered a lecture in Trinidad on the “Problems of Nation Building” within the context of the “ethnic problems” in Guyana. His premise in unfortunately still held by most politicians.

“Mr de Caires proposed that “nation building” is a process (or an end) which would address the ethnic problems identified. He asserts unequivocally that while Guyana is a “State”, “we are not yet a nation”.

His “yet” joins him with those who conflate or would conflate nation and State. We contend that this is an extremely dangerous Ravi Dev notion since it is this conflation over the past two hundred years, which has been the cause of ethnic conflict to begin with.

Now it is self-evident that groups defined as “different” by their disparate cultures have always existed. And for most of the history of mankind, it was accepted these groups could define themselves by their origin in a particular territory as “citizens” of that territory or state (jus soli) and simultaneously as a “nationality” through their culture and heritage (jus sanguinis). It was accepted that citizens could be of various nationalities and the distinction between citizenship and nationality wasn’t merely academic. While all citizens would have all of the rights and obligations of citizenship, each “nationality”, for instance, was governed by the personal laws of their culture.

Mr de Caires glosses over England’s and France’s “territorial” style of nation formation as “not always a comfortable fit” but the fact of the matter is, it is this insistence that all citizens of a particular territory be practitioners of one particular culture that led to the peculiar modern virulent version of ethnicity and nationalism. For those steeped only in western history, we note that in the polyglot entity of the Ottoman Empire, which accepted the distinction between citizenship and nationality, the struggles between the various “ethnic groups” were quantitatively and qualitatively different. It never had the ethnic cleansing phenomenon of some of its modern day “nation-state” successors such as Yugoslavia.

In the modern world, the norms of “equality” and “selfdetermination of peoples” have become much too pervasive for us to be talking about monochromatic or monocultural “nations”. England, France and other western states thought they had “solved” their ethnic problems by forming more or less homogeneous populations at the time they became states.

But their ethnic conflicts became two “international” world wars as late as this century. Their minorities were dominated but not stifled.

Mr de Caires even alludes to Britain’s attempt to move away from the nation-state equivalence through “devolution” and yet touts the “nation-state” as the ideal. We have to shift our focus of organising our societies away from wiping out differences towards celebrating differences. The question therefore is not one of “nation building” but of organising on the principles of autonomy and differences.

The ideal of a “nation-state” evolved in a Western Europe that had been swept over by a Christianity that insisted that there is only one set of beliefs. It reached its apogee in that Western Europe as a means of defusing class tensions during the rise of capitalism since it appears that in its early stage, their capitalism generated greater irregularities than in the preceding feudal period. However, we can address the tensions arising out of inequalities and differences by other mechanisms than seeking to blend everyone into some melange of what will always be some group’s conception of culture.

As a part of his litany of obstacles to his “nation building” ideal, Mr de Caires claims that in Guyana, “The folk memories of the society begin with slavery and indenture”. This statement is certainly incorrect as it relates to Indians and indentureship.

Indians who chose to remain in Guyana did not fixate or define themselves by the indentureship experience. It was a period that they endured and then moved on to create a life based on their folk memories of village India within the constraints of their present circumstances. There is no research to show that the folk memories of Indians “begin with indenture.”

Seemingly, as a second best compromise, since we cannot seem capable of getting it together as a “nation”, Mr de Caires asks, “Can’t we survive as a multi-national, multi-cultural state by defining acceptable terms on which to co-exist-” We don’t see such a state as a “compromise” but as the only realistic way to build a society where different groups can have a chance of living together harmoniously. “Unity in Diversity”, rather than “One People; One Nation; One Destiny” should be our motto.

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saturDAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Hundreds homeless, CDC unable to provide relief ...as villages remain flooded in Region 8

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our Macushi and Patamona villages in the western areas of Guyana have been severely affected by severe flash-flooding that occurred in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) communities over the last few days.

The villages of Chenapau, Waipa, Kaibarupai and Itabac have suffered extensively, with hundreds being forced to seek refuge in ‘safe’ houses; but the severest damages have occurred in Waipa, where a total of 329 residents who are affected by the flooding are now camped in the village community centre, which represents their lone opportunity to escape the ravages of flooding.

In the neighbouring village of Sand Hills, its 110 residents are confined to a single building, as no home in that village has been

is feared that those villages have also been ravaged by the natural disaster, as they are generally vulnerable to flooding.

Edward Mc Garrell, Toshao of Chenapau, reported that approximately 95 per cent of his village has been affected. All trails in the village have been flooded, 15 houses are almost submerged, and one home has even been washed away.

The primary and nursery schools had been closed, and parents have been asked to keep their children at home.

The foregoing situation has been detailed by the Amerindian Peoples Association as its members continue to gather information from the region and respond to requests for food and other emergency supplies.

This organisation is appealing for public support

Map showing the areas affected by the flood

tion for onward transmission to the affected communities.

The APA has issued a heart-rending appeal for the quick arrival of relief for these affected villages in terms of food and drinking water.

A building submerged in flood waters

spared the devastation of the flooding. Attempts to make contact with other villages have proved futile, suggesting that the means of communication in those villages have been submerged. It

for the beleaguered residents of these Region 8 communities. Donations of cash, or much need food items, or materials, or any other supplies would be gratefully welcomed by the organiza-

CDC unable to access victims The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has been unable to access the villages because the roadways are still under much wa-

ter. Nonetheless, the CDC on Friday began setting up a ‘forward base’ of operation at nearby Orinduik, to rescue those affected.

On Friday providing an update on the flooding in affected communities, CDC Director, Colonel (rtd) Chabilall Ramsarup, described the situation as ‘grim’, especially since the rains continue to fall.

He said, “We couldn’t touch down on any strip because of the water, and the skyvan could not have touched down on the airstrip because of the size.”

Ramsarup said that since the CDC has been unable to directly access the affected communities, the decision has been taken to set up the forward base at Orinduik,

where supplies can be flown in before being taken to the communities by boat.

He said the supplies will be organised by the Regional Chairman, and the entity is looking to secure as least two boatloads for each of the villages by today. “We are hoping to have two boatloads for each location by tomorrow (today),” Ramsarup noted as he indicated an intention of having each of the villages provided with a seven-day supply of food and other rations.

“Apart from rations, we are sending in some tents for those homes washed away. We are sending in blankets…,” the Director detailed.

The CDC is expecting to

have teams in operation on the ground by Saturday.

APA representative Michael Mc Garrell pointed out that following efforts made to gather intelligence on the situation in the region, the APA has been informed that the water has in fact begun receding – by as much as two feet on Friday.

This, in turn, has given rise to fear of water-related diseases affecting these communities. As such, all organizations involved in trying to bring relief to residents of the affected communities have begun urgent works to reach out to those within the flood-affected region, and are appealing to the general public to support the disaster relief efforts.

Food For The Poor makes donation to APA representative Michael Mc Garrell in regard to disaster relief efforts

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturdAY, may 20, 2017

Regional

Brazil’s top court releases testimony linking President to bribes

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razil’s Supreme Court released explosive plea-bargain testimony on Friday accusing President Michel Temer, along with former Presidents Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff, of receiving millions in bribes.

The testimony raises serious doubts about whether Temer, who replaced the impeached Rousseff last year, can maintain his grip on the presidency amid the string of corruption scandals that has engulfed vast swaths of Brazil’s political class and business elites.

Austerity reforms pushed

by Temer, who has denied any wrongdoing, are considered crucial to revive the

Brazil’s President Michel Temer reacts as he speaks at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, May 18, 2017

economy of Latin America’s biggest country, mired in its worst recession on record.

The bombshell revelations came from testimony given by executives at JBS SA, a meatpacking company

that grew quickly through acquisitions funded by lowcost loans from Brazil’s development bank during 13 years of government by Lula and Rousseff’s leftist Workers Party.

The testimony implicates both ruling and opposition parties and indicates that Temer, a conservative, took 15 million reais (US$4.6 million) in bribes from JBS, which ranks as the world’s largest meat processor.

It also alleges that Lula, who is already facing five corruption trials, received US$50 million in bribes in offshore accounts from JBS, while Rousseff took US$30 million in bribes, also in offshore accounts.

Lawyers for Lula said he was innocent. A lawyer for Rousseff could not immediately be located, though the former leader has repeatedly said she has committed no corrupt acts. (Excerpt from Reuters)

US slaps sanctions on Venezuela Supreme Court judges

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he United States has imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s chief judge and seven other members of the country’s Supreme Court as punishment for seizing powers from the Oppositionled congress earlier this year.

Those sanctioned will have their assets frozen within US jurisdiction, and US citizens will be barred from doing business with them, the US Treasury Department said on Thursday.

The new sanctions package was aimed at stepping up pressure on supporters of President Nicolás Maduro amid growing international concern over a crackdown on mass street protests.

“The Venezuelan people are suffering from a collaps-

The Supreme Court’s usurpation of powers from the opposition-led congress has sparked neardaily protests

ing economy brought about by their government’s mismanagement and corruption,” Steven Mnuchin, the US treasury secretary, said in a statement.

“Members of the coun-

- search suspended for missing NY family and pilot

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Trinidadian-born NASA Aerospace Engineer, Dr Camille Wardrop Alleyne

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rinidadian-born NASA Aerospace Engineer, Dr Camille Wardrop Alleyne has an extraordinary story of success, and she’s on a mission to inspire thousands of girls across the organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to greatness.

She had a fascination with space and planes from an early age, and left her homeland at 17 years old determined to study aeronautical engineering.

Years later, the curious and industrious youngster found herself stepping through the doors of NASA’s John F Kennedy Space Centre in Florida as a spacecraft engineer.

And 14 years after that, she came close to actually going into space when she was shortlisted in NASA’s astronaut selection programme.

Now the OECS Commission

has partnered with the NASA space scientist and founder of the Brightest Stars Foundation to motivate girls in the sub-region to achieve against all odds.

Dr Alleyne will tell her story using the film Hidden Figures to motivate, inspire and empower 10,000 girls throughout the region to reach their full potential.

Her message is simple – dream big dreams and know there is no limit to success with hard work, determination, focus and a strong self-esteem.

Hidden Figures tells the true story of the brilliant African-American women mathematicians who NASA hired in the late 1950s.

They were instrumental in calculating the flight trajectories that made the mission of the first American to orbit the Earth – John Glenn – successful. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

CARICOM Cannabis Commission to visit St Lucia

Missing plane near The Bahamas he search for four people who went missing after the plane in which they were travelling disappeared off the coast of the island Eleuthera, has been suspended.

The search, conducted by the United States Coast Guard, Customs and Border Patrol and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force was suspended late Thursday.

Missing are Jennifer Blumin, 40, from New York City; Nathan Ulrich, 52, from Lee, New Hampshire; and Blumin’s three-year-old and four-year-old sons.

The search was conducted for 75 hours covering more than11, 140 square miles.

The New York family and Ulrich went missing when

Girl power: Caribbeanborn space scientist to inspire OECS youth

shortly after 14:10h (local time) Miami Air Traffic Control lost radar and radio contact from of a MU-2B airplane approximately 37 miles East of Eleuthera.

Communication was reported to be lost at 24,000 feet with a speed of 300 knots.

The airplane departed Borinquen, Puerto Rico, at approximately11:00am on Monday en route to Titusville, Florida.

On Tuesday afternoon, Coast Guard helicopter crew located fuel sheen and debris field 15 miles east of Eleuthera.

A National Transportation Safety Board accident investigator has been assigned to this case to determine the probable cause of this accident.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

try’s Supreme Court of Justice have exacerbated the situation by consistently interfering with the legislative branch’s authority,” he said.

Venezuela’s latest wave of anti-government unrest, which has left at least 44 people dead in the last six weeks, began when the Supreme Court assumed the powers of the National

Assembly in March.The de facto annulment of the congress drew widespread international condemnation, and the decision was later partially reversed.

Among those hit with sanctions was Maikel Moreno, a Maduro ally who became President of the 32-judge court in February.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Climate change, flooding, threaten 4.2M people in Caribbean, Pacific islands

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new study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) estimates that 4.2 million people in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean and in the Pacific are living in areas that are prone to flooding due to rising sea levels.

In addition to coastal erosion, rising sea levels are expected to negatively impact economic output and employment and could aggravate inflation and cause an increase in government debt, according to the study, “ A Blue Urban Agenda: Adapting to Climate Change in the Coastal Cities of Caribbean and Pacific Small Island Developing States.”

“Caribbean and Pacific

coastal cities are on the frontlines of climate change,” said Michael G Donovan, Senior Urban Specialist at the IDB, co-author of the study. “It is critical to adapt and improve the resilience of cities in coastal zones, especially those experiencing rapid urbanisation.

The study says one out of five residents of Caribbean and Pacific SIDS live in low-elevation coastal zones, which are defined as areas with elevations less than 10 metres above sea level.

This is most extreme in The Bahamas and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, where over 80 per cent of the population lives at low elevations, the study says. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

T

he Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Cannabis Commission is scheduled to hold meetings St Lucia shortly, to hear the views of St Lucians on the subject of marijuana.

The Commission is preparing to hold a consultation in St Lucia next month with a view to understanding the position of citizens on current marijuana laws.

Spokesman for the local Cannabis Movement, Andre Pancho Decaires says the Commission wants a wide cross-section of views on marijuana use.

Decaires said politicians are avoiding taking a clear position on marijuana out of concern for

their political future.

“A lot of our politicians, and one of them told me that straight, their decisions are based on votes and if they think that a decision would affect them negatively at the polls, they would not make that decision.”

Decaires believes that St Lucia is in a great position to capitalise on the economic benefits of marijuana growth.

The Commission was established to determine whether there should be a change in the current drug classification of marijuana thereby making the drug more accessible for all types of usage including religious, recreational, and medical and research. (Jamaica Observer)

St Lucia signs new development agreement under CBI programme

R

ange Developments, an international developer focusing on luxury hotel projects in the Caribbean, signed definitive agreements with the government of Saint Lucia on Tuesday to continue the development of the Black Bay Master Development.

The heart of the Black Bay Master Development will consist of a luxury branded hotel and villas set on 180 acres on the beautiful southern tip of the island. The site is on the Caribbean southwest coast, within easy reach of the international airport and the Pitons, the world famous heritage site.

The master development will be developed in a number of phases.

The luxury hotel, the anchor of the master development, will

be developed under the country’s citizenship-by-investment programme and will comprise 180 rooms.

Range Developments has received plaudits and awards both for its designs and robust and innovative corporate social responsibility activities.

The Black Bay hotel will be designed and built to the highest standards in keeping with Range Development’s ethos.

Range will imminently be announcing the hotel operator for the development. The project will create about 500 jobs on the island during construction, with a similar amount once the hotel is operational.Saint Lucia’s citizenship-by-investment programme is aimed at encouraging investment in the island. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

saturdAY, may 20, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Times Square crash: Man charged said he wanted to 'kill them all'

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man charged with slamming his speeding car into pedestrians on the sidewalks of Times Square, killing a teenage tourist and injuring nearly two dozen people, said he wanted to “kill them all” and police should have shot him to stop him, a prosecutor revealed Friday.

Richard Rojas, 26, also told responding officers Thursday after he crashed his Honda Accord into protective barriers that he had smoked marijuana laced with PCP, according to a criminal complaint. Officials are awaiting toxicology results, though a police official said Rojas “had glassy eyes, slurred speech, and was unsteady,” during his arrest, the complaint said.

Rojas, wearing the same

15

Richard Rojas, of the Bronx, was charged late on Thursday and was arraigned on Friday

red T-shirt and jeans he was photographed in the day earlier, appeared sub-

dued during a brief court appearance where prosecutors detailed a felony mur-

der charge.

He didn’t enter a plea.

Rojas’ lawyer and weeping supporters had no comment. He’s due back in court next week. Rojas drove his car from the Bronx to Times Square, where he sped into the bustling Crossroads of the World, hitting nearly two dozen people on the sidewalk before steel security barriers finally stopped him, authorities said.

Eighteen-year-old tourist Alyssa Elsman, of Portage, Michigan, was killed in the crash. Her 13-year-old sister was among the 22 injured.

Three people are in critical condition with serious head injuries, and a fourth person is being treated for a collapsed lung and broken pelvis, according to the complaint. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

China says willing to put South Korea ties back on track, urges THAAD resolution

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hina wants to put ties with South Korea back on a “normal track”, President Xi Jinping said on Friday, but Beijing also urged Seoul to respect its concerns and resolve tensions over the deployment of a US anti-missile system that it opposes.

Relations between Beijing and Seoul, strained by disagreement over South Korea’s hosting of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system, have taken on a more conciliatrory tone with the election earlier this month of President Moon Jae-in.

Xi told Moon’s representative Lee Hae-chan on Friday that his visit showed the importance the new South

Korean leader attached to relations with Beijing.

“China, too, pays great attention to the bilateral ties,” Xi said in comments in front of reporters in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

“We’re willing to work with South Korea to preserve the hard-won results, properly handle disputes, put China-South Korea relations back onto a normal track and benefit both peoples on the basis of mutual understanding and mutual respect,” he said.

Lee gave Xi a hand-written letter from the popular, liberal Moon, who easily won election earlier this month to replace Park Geun-hye, who was ousted in a corruption scandal. (Excerpt from Yahoo! News)

WHO: Speed of Yemen cholera Japan to allow Emperor Akihito to abdicate outbreak ‘unprecedented’ but makes no move on female succession

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early 23,500 suspected cases of cholera have been registered in war-ravaged Yemen in the past three weeks, the World Health Organisation said, as the death toll of the outbreak climbed to at least 242.

“The speed of the resurgence of this cholera epidemic is unprecedented,” Nevio Zagaria, WHO country representative for Yemen, told reporters in a conference call on Friday. Zagaria warned that there could be as many as 300,000 cases in the country within six months.

On Sunday, a state of emergency was declared in Yemen’s Opposition-held capital, Sanaa, after the outbreak killed scores of people over a two-week period.

The Health Ministry of the Houthi Government announced the measure, saying that “the number of casualties surpassed the normal rates, exceeding the capacity of the health system, which has become unable to contain this unprecedented health and environmental disaster”.

This is the second outbreak of cholera in less than a year in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest country in the grip of a war between Government forces, which are backed by an Arab coalition, and Houthi fighters.

More than 10,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in more than two years of war, which has also destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure. (Excerpt from Al

Jazeera)

J

apan’s Government has approved a bill that will allow emperor Akihito to become the country’s first monarch in two centuries to abdicate.

The Government rushed to devise new legislation after Akihito, 83, suggested in a rare televised address last summer that he feared his age and declining health would leave him unable to perform official duties. But it has ruled out legal changes that would address the country’s dearth of male heirs.

On Friday, Japanese media quoted officials as saying that Akihito would likely step down in December 2018 at the earliest, paving the way for his eldest

The Japanese Government has approved a bill that would allow Emperor Akihito to abdicate

son, Crown Prince Naruhito, to become the 126th occupant of the Chrysanthemum Throne.

Julian Assange: Sweden drops rape investigation

S

weden has decided to drop the rape investigation into WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Top prosecutor Marianne Ny said his arrest warrant was being revoked as it was impossible to serve him notice.

Assange, 45, has lived in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since 2012. He fears extradition to Sweden would lead to extradition to the US where he is wanted over leaks.

Ecuador has called on the UK to allow him safe passage out of the country.

However, Police in London said they would still be obliged to arrest him if he left.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) said Assange still faced the lesser charge of failing to surrender to a court, an offence punishable by up to a year in prison or a fine.

But the UK has not commented on whether it has received an extradition request from the US, where Assange could face trial over the leaking of hundreds of thousands of secret US mili-

The focus will now be on whether Assange can leave the Ecuadorean embassy in London

tary and diplomatic documents.

Assange's Swedish lawyer, Per Samuelson, said the prosecutor's decision on Friday represented "a total victory" for his client.

The plaintiff in the rape case was "shocked" by the decision, her law-

yer said, and maintained her accusations against Assange, Agence FrancePresse reported.

The decision coincided with the release by WikiLeaks of another tranche of documents about the CIA's technical capabilities. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Akihito’s retirement and the forthcoming engagement of his granddaughter, Princess Mako, have reignit-

ed debate about the shortage of male heirs and a possible succession crisis in an imperial line some claim stretches back 2,600 years.

The Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has also resisted Opposition pressure to include a clause allowing princesses to establish their own branches within the imperial family after they marry commoners – enabling them to take on their share of official duties and their sons to become emperors.

Under pressure from conservative supporters in his ruling Liberal Democratic party, Abe opposed the change, claiming it would create pressure to end the male-only succession law.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Indian immigrant who was detained at Atlanta airport dies in custody

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58-year-old Indian who was detained last week for allegedly not possessing necessary immigration documents while entering the US, died in custody at an Atlanta hospital, officials said.

Atul Kumar Babubhai Patel arrived at the Atlanta airport on Wednesday, May 10, on a flight from Ecuador.

US Customs and Border Protection took Patel into custody at the Atlanta City Detention Centre where he received an initial medical screening and was found to have high blood pressure and diabetes.

On Saturday, two days after being in the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) custody, a nurse checking his blood sugar noticed that Patel had shortness of breath. He was then shifted to a hospital.

Patel was pronounced dead at 13:20h local time on Tuesday, May 16. The preliminary cause of death was reported to be complications from congestive heart failure.

The immigration department said it was strongly committed to the health and welfare of all those in its custody. It is "undertaking a comprehensive agency-wide review of the incident, as it does in all such cases", it said.

Deaths in custody are "exceedingly rare" ICE said in a statement. Patel's death is the second in ICE custody in Georgia this week.

On Monday, Jean JimenezJoseph, who was being held at Stewart Detention Centre, died due to "self-inflicted strangulation". Patel is the eighth individual to have died in ICE custody this year. (Excerpt from Yahoo! News)

16 news

saturdAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Super biker arrested at CJIA Essequibo schools benefit from Guyoil … CANU to receive statement from lawyer road safety initiative S

I

n its bid to promote the safe use of the country’s roadways, the Guyana Oil Company Limited (Guyoil) on Friday donated a number of road safety signs to schools on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

The initiative, which was launched as a result of the growing concerns by the traffic unit, saw the installation of several safety signs in front of 11 schools.

At a simple ceremony hosted at the Anna Regina School, the company handed over the items to G Division (Essequibo coast-Islands) Commander, Stephen Mansell.

Guyoil Sales and Marketing Representative, Eric Whaul noted that the initiative is just one of many in the pipeline. Whaul further noted that much can be expected from the company which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary soon.

The schools along the Essequibo Coast that will benefit from road safety signs are Anna Regina Primary, Sparta Primary, Cotton Field Secondary, Abram Zuil Secondary, J/Cecelia Secondary, Suddie Primary, Pomona Secondary, Charity Secondary, Charity Primary,

G Division Commander, Stephen Mansell (right) and Guyoil Sales and Marketing Representative, Eric Whaul erecting one of the road safety signs as others look on

8 of May Secondary and Fisher Primary.

Guyoil is Guyana’s pre-

mier provider of petroleum products at the lowest prices countrywide.

uperbike racer Stephen Vieira, who was wanted in connection with the $550 million cocaine bust at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), was on Thursday evening arrested moments after stepping off a flight at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

Reports are the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) had on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for the biker, who reportedly left the country immediately following the discovery of the 186 pounds of illegal substance.

However, he was arrested and handed over to the CANU agents, in whose custody he remains. Guyana Times understands that the biker was in Jamaica for the Caribbean Motor Racing Championship, but upon learning of the ongoing investigation, the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club suspended his racing licence, thus making him ineligible to participate in the action.

Meanwhile, the motor racer being held by CANU is being represented by a team of attorneys. As investigations continue into the cocaine bust, race car driver Nazim Gafoor and his father Tazim Gafoor were released on Thursday, but are required to visit CANU Headquarters on a daily basis pending the outcome of the investigations.

Sawmill owner Narine Lall is still out of the jurisdic-

Stephen Vieira

tion. When contacted, acting head of the CANU, Michael Atherly told Guyana Times that up to late Friday evening, the Unit was awaiting a statement from an attorney who is representing the ace biker.

He noted once the statement is collected, CANU will determine the way forward but as of now, the biker will remain in the custody of the Unit. He also confirmed that after time had elapsed, Hakeem Mohamed, Nazim Mohamed and Tazim Mohamed were released on their own recognisance and will report to the headquarters on a daily basis.

On Friday last, members of CANU swooped down on a lumber yard at Lot 227 Zeelugt, EBE, where they conducted a search on a truck that was laden with several pallets of 1x6 dressed lumber that was being prepared for

export to the United States.

During the search, several boards were reportedly drilled randomly and revealed a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine.

However, the truck was escorted to CANU Headquarters where the lumber was further examined and proved that each of the compromised boards had a dugout cavity with vacuum sealed plastic packets containing cocaine pasted therein. A total of 84.986 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $550 million was discovered.

At the time, four workers at the lumber yard were taken into Police custody but were released on Monday last after it was established that they were only contracted to transport the lumber.

Meanwhile, further investigations by the CANU ranks led to the arrest of popular race car driver Nazim Gafoor and Haleem Mohamed.

Gafoor’s father as well as Stephen Vieira were listed by CANU as men of interest.

It was further revealed that Vieira is listed on the shipping documents as the representative of Naraine Lall, who is the shipper of the consignment. With the help of the law enforcement officers, Tazim Gafoors was arrested and handed over to CANU. Agents of CANU are continuing their investigations into the bust.

news

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saturdAY, may 20, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Municipalities’ conference

Caricom members urged to No place for political ‘soften’ position on Venezuela interest – Granger

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resident David Granger has said the nine municipalities in Guyana must demonstrate to the people – whom they have sworn to serve – the values of representativeness, inclusiveness and effectiveness. There is no place for partisan or political interests, and the will of the people must take priority.

Delivering the feature address at the opening ceremony of the two-day inaugural Municipal Conference 2017, which commenced on Friday at the Marriott Hotel under the theme “Positioning Municipalities as critical partners in national development”, the Head of State said municipalities are responsible to their constituents who have elected them to office; and, as such, the will of the people is paramount.

He noted that municipal-

President David Granger

ities must, in a democratic manner, exercise the authority given to them by the people; and they cannot succeed in politics if partisan or personal interests are placed ahead of “popular will.”

He reminded that they have been elected to serve the people, and their performance would determine whether they are re-elected.

Speaking to his vision of having capital towns established in the Essequibo Islands-West Demerara (Region Three); DemeraraMahaica (Region Four), and Mahaica-Berbice (Region Five), the President said a concerted effort is required to make the towns thriving commercial hubs. In this regard, he noted that regional agricultural and commercial exhibitions can play an important role in developing these three regions, along with Bartica, Lethem and Mabaruma.

President Granger said people are looking to their municipalities for leadership and vision, and this must be provided.

The Municipal Conference creates opportunities for networking and discourse on key local government issues affecting Guyana’s nine municipalities.

Missing Perseverance man found floating

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he body of a 52-yearold man, who was reported missing by family members on Wednesday, was found afloat in an Onderneeming canal, during the wee hours of Friday morning. Dead is Mahase Chanderpaul of Perseverance Public Road, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), who is suspected to have drowned.

The father of three, who was attached to the Region Two administration as a sluice attendant, was discovered dead by two hunters who were at the time visiting the area in which his body was retrieved.

Chanderpaul’s body was

Dead: Mahase Chanderpaul

fished out of the canal and subsequently transferred to Suddie Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Prior to this incident, the sluice attendant was reported missing after being admitted to the Suddie Public Hospital.

According to the deceased’s son, Kevin Chanderpaul, his father went missing on Wednesday evening after nurses claimed he took self-discharge from the hospital.

Kevin Chanderpaul indicated that his father visited the hospital on Tuesday morning after feeling unwell.

He went on to say that his father was admitted and placed in the male ward but allegedly took self-discharge and left the medical facility.

Caricom Foreign Ministers at the 20th Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations in Barbados

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hen Caricom Foreign Ministers met for the 20th Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) in Barbados recently, it was decided after deliberations that Caricom states need to soften their firmly established position on Venezuela, in order to facilitate dialogue so that Venezuelans can have a peaceful end to their crisis.

Having deliberated on the changes taking place in the international environment as well as in their wider regional environment, and on their implications for the coordinated foreign policy positioning of their countries, the ministers arrived at this position.

“They reiterated the importance they accord to maintenance of the rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy, as

well as to the fundamental principles of non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of states. These values and principles were viewed as being of paramount importance when addressing international situations of concern,” a statement from the Caricom Secretariat detailed on Friday.

The secretariat noted that the foreign ministers were united in their view that respect for these values and principles would prove valuable and pertinent in addressing concerns over the situation in Venezuela. Persuaded that the solution to the present situation had to be sought internally, supported by a mediated process, the ministers were of the view that the deeply entrenched positions needed to be softened, so that trust could be built on both sides in order to fa-

cilitate dialogue, so that the people of Venezuela could peacefully overcome their crisis.

The drop in oil prices has seen Venezuela’s economy engaged in a downward spiral, with food and essential care products being rationed. Since April 1, daily anti-government protests across Venezuela have frequently developed into clashes with riot police, leaving thousands arrested, hundreds injured, and 43 dead.

Opposition activists are protesting against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, blaming him for a crippling economic crisis that has caused widespread food shortages for years. Venezuelan opposition leaders are demanding immediate presidential elections, accusing Maduro of political repression and trying to cling to power.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, may 20, 2017

ARCHIE

Don’t let your emotions cause you to say or do some(March 21- thing you’ll regret. Channel April 19) your energy into something productive that will lead to personal improvements, not to an unwanted dispute.

ARIES

The need and desire you TAURUS feel to help others will be tak(April 20- en advantage of if you aren’t May 20) careful. Anger won’t change anything, but learning to say “no” will.

dilbert

Taking on too much or letGEMINI (May 21- ting someone take advantage June 20) of you will result in anxiety.

Before you let a situation escalate, offer an alternative that will not infringe on you emotionally.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

A creative project will have its ups and downs if you work in conjunction with someone else. Don’t share personal secrets or your opinions if you want to avoid a dispute.

A day trip or shopping spree will boost your morale.

Taking time to make physical improvements or focus on personal growth will pay off.

A positive lifestyle change is favoured.

Anger will surface if someVIRGO (Aug. 23- one tries to use you. Reject Sept. 22) unrealistic demands. Offer suggestions, but don’t take on something you don’t want to do.

Someone will disappoint LIBRA you if left with responsibili(Sept. 23Oct. 23) ties that properly belong to you. Don’t count on anyone to finish what you start or to do things the way you want them done.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Put more passion into SCORPIO whatever you do. Whether it’s (Oct. 24working on a relationship or Nov. 22) creative endeavour or helping a child, parent or someone in need, your attitude will determine your success.

Emotional turmoil is best SAGITTARIUS shut down before it has a (Nov. 23- chance to escalate. A physDec. 21) ical outlet will help ease stress. Look for solutions that will benefit everyone. Choose truth over fabrication.

THURSDAY’S WORD - JUSTIFIES

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Use your imagination CAPRICORN when dealing with someone (Dec. 22- offering a pie-in-the-sky idea Jan. 19) in order to bring structure and new possibilities that could, in fact, be successful.

Emotional deception or AQUARIUS personal disillusionment will (Jan. 20result in a disgruntled attiFeb. 19) tude that could ruin your day.

Shake it off and do something physical that will ease pentup stress.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Take an honest approach PISCES to any matter that concerns (Feb. 20March 20) a friend, relative or someone you feel responsible for or are dependent upon. Truth will pay off, even if it’s difficult to convey.

saturDAY, May 20, 2017

19

Mumbai eliminates KKR to secure IPL final reunion with Supergiant

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h e 2017 IPL final will be a rep e a t o f Tuesday's first qualifier, with Mumbai Indians facing Rising Pune Supergiant.

Mumbai Indians made the most of a second chance to reach the Indian Premier League final, beating Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets in Friday's qualifier in Bangalore.

The table-toppers at the end of the regular season, Mumbai lost on home soil to Rising Pune Supergiant in Tuesday's opening play-off fixture.

However, Rohit Sharma's side will now get another crack at the Supergiant in Hyderabad on Sunday, thanks largely to Karn Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, who were chiefly responsible for limiting Kolkata to a paltry total of 107.

Spinner Karn returned 4-16 from four overs, while

Bumrah claimed 3-7 from three as the Knight Riders failed to build any momentum.

Ishank Jaggi (28) and Suryakumar Yadav (31) were the only batsmen to make any impact, their sixth-wicket stand of 56 at least giving Kolkata something to defend.

Yet it was no surprise to see Mumbai reach their target with relative ease, in the 15th over, Krunal Pandya (45 not out) and skipper Rohit (26) having done the bulk of the work.

KKR initially slumped to 31-5, Karn doing much of the damage as he followed up dismissing Sunil Narine in his first over by ousting Gautam Gambhir and Colin de Grandhomme with successive balls during his next set of six.

Jaggi and Suryakumar provided a glimmer of hope for their team, but another collapse was triggered when the former holed out to longon off Karn in the 15th over.

A mighty pulled six from Nathan Coulter-Nile off Mitchell Johnson took the score into three figures amid the flurry of wickets - the maximum proving nothing more than minor irritation

Piyush Chawla trapping Lendl Simmons lbw and bowling Ambati Rayudu inside the first six overs, either side of Parthiv Patel edging Umesh Yadav behind.

Rohit and Krunal re-

Karn Sharma sends Sunil Narine off with a flying kiss

for the bowler, who gained his revenge two deliveries later.

Mumbai's initial progress in reply was uncertain,

sponded superbly, though, and the result was inevitable from the moment Chawla was taken for 16 in the 11th over.

Maria Sharapova opts against Wimbledon wildcard request to enter qualifying T

Maria Sharapova

he 30-year-old Russian was denied a wildcard for the French Open, with tournament officials saying her doping suspension counted against her.

Sharapova will have to win through three qualifying rounds to earn a spot in Wimbledon's 128-strong main draw.

Qualifying in Roehampton will be ticketed for the first time this year.

"Because of my improved ranking after the first three tournaments of my return, I will also be playing the qualifying of Wimbledon in Roehampton, and will not be requesting a wildcard into the main draw," said Sharapova in a statement on her website.

Sharapova is ranked 211th in the world - below the status needed for direct entry into the main draw - but her recent form is good enough to earn a place in qualifying.

Had she reached the Italian Open semi-finals last week, Sharapova would have climbed high enough to make the main draw automatically, but she retired in her second-round match.

Had she applied for a wildcard it would have been reviewed by a Wimbledon committee, with a decision to be announced on 20 June.

Wildcards are "usually offered on the basis of past performance at Wimbledon or to increase British interest".

The Women's Tennis Association criticised the basis for the French Open's decision, saying there are "no grounds to penalise any player beyond the sanctions set forth in the final decisions resolving these matters".

Sharapova herself tweeted in apparent response to Roland Garros' decision.

"If this is what it takes to rise up again, then I am in it all the way, everyday," she wrote.

"No words, games, or actions will ever stop me reaching my own dreams."

However, former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash was one of several prominent figures urging the All England Club not offer the 2004 champion a route straight back into the main draw.

Tickets to Wimbledon qualifying will be £5 each, with all funds going to the Wimbledon Foundation.(BBC)

SCOREBOARD Kolkata Knight Riders innings (20 overs maximum) CA Lynn c Pollard b Bumrah 4 SP Narine st †Patel b KV Sharma 10 G Gambhir* c HH Pandya b KV Sharma 12 RV Uthappa† lbw b Bumrah 1 IR Jaggi c Johnson b KV Sharma 28 C de Grandhomme lbw b KV Sharma 0 SA Yadav c Malinga b Bumrah 31 PP Chawla c Rayudu b Johnson 2 NM Coulter-Nile c HH Pandya b Johnson 6 UT Yadav not out 2 AS Rajpoot b Malinga 4 Extras (lb 3, w 4) 7 Total (all out; 18.5 overs) 107 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Lynn, 1.3 ov), 2-24 (Narine, 4.4 ov), 3-25 (Uthappa, 5.2 ov), 4-31 (Gambhir, 6.5 ov), 5-31 (de Grandhomme, 6.6 ov), 6-87 (Jaggi, 14.5 ov), 7-94 (Chawla, 16.1 ov), 8-100 (Coulter-Nile, 16.5 ov), 9-101 (SA Yadav, 17.1 ov), 10-107 (Rajpoot, 18.5 ov)

Bowling: MG Johnson 4-0-282 (2w), JJ Bumrah 3-1-7-3, SL Malinga 3.5-0-24-1, KV Sharma 4-0-16-4 (1w), KH Pandya 3-025-0, HH Pandya 1-0-4-0 Mumbai Indians innings (target: 108 runs from 20 overs) LMP Simmons lbw b Chawla 3 PA Patel† c †Uthappa b UT 14 Yadav AT Rayudu b Chawla 6 RG Sharma* c Rajpoot b CoulterNile 26 KH Pandya not out 45 KA Pollard not out 9 Extras (lb 4, w 4) 8 Total (4 wickets; 14.3 overs) 111 Did not bat: HH Pandya, MG Johnson, KV Sharma, JJ Bumrah, SL Malinga Fall of wickets 1-11 (Simmons, 1.3 ov), 2-24 (Patel, 2.5 ov), 3-34 (Rayudu, 5.4 ov), 4-88 (RG Sharma, 12.2 ov) Bowling: UT Yadav 2.3-0-231 (1w), PP Chawla 4-0-342 (1w), NM Coulter-Nile 3-0-15-1, SP Narine 4-0-210, AS Rajpoot 1-0-14-0 (2w)

Karthik replaces injured Pandey in Champions Trophy squad

I

ndia have included Dinesh Karthik in their squad for the Champions Trophy as a replacement for Manish Pandey, who has been ruled out with a left side strain. Pandey sustained the injury during a Kolkata Knight Riders practice session ahead of their IPL Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Karthik has played 71 ODIs since his debut in 2004 - keeping wicket in 24 of them - scoring 1313 runs at 27.93. He was part of India's victorious 2013 Champions Trophy campaign, and last played international cricket during the 2014 Asia Cup in Bangladesh.

In recalling Karthik, the selectors have rewarded his excellent domestic form across formats. He scored 704 runs in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy at 54.15, with one hundred and five fifties, and was a vital cog in Tamil Nadu's run to a 50-overs title double, scoring a combined 854 runs at 85.40 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Deodhar Trophy. In the IPL, Karthik was Gujarat Lions' second-highest run-getter

Dinesh Karthik

with 361 at a strike rate of 139.38.

India squad for Champions Trophy: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (wk), Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Dinesh Karthik (Cricinfo)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, may 20, 2017

Ireland trounced by clinical Bangladesh

Thiem delights in win over Nadal

R

afael Nadal has been in supreme form on clay, but Dominic Thiem was able to make it third time lucky in recent meetings between the two.

A proud Dominic Thiem reflected on one of the best performances of his career to date after ending Rafael Nadal's lengthy winning streak on clay at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia.

Rising star Thiem, who has displayed impressive form in recent weeks, saw an aggressive approach pay off handsomely as he recorded a hugely impressive 6-4 6-3 victory on Friday.

A seven-time champion in Rome, Nadal came into the contest unbeaten on clay in 2017, but the Spaniard was second-best on this occasion against the player he beat to win titles in Barcelona and Madrid.

"I came in with a very aggressive game style, because I knew that if I wanted to have a chance, then I would have to do something different and be

more aggressive," Thiem was quoted as saying by the ATP World Tour's official website.

"I knew that if it goes in, everything, maybe I have a chance. If not, maybe I also lose easy. But today was one of these days where I really felt the ball great on the racquet, and a lot of risky shots went in.

"It was a very, very good performance and I think probably one of my best matches."

Nadal is a hot favourite to win his 10th French Open at Roland Garros next month and Thiem was understandably wary of a comeback from the 'King of Clay' on Friday.

"It's a great achievement for me. If you're up a set and a break, you never feel safe because he just doesn't give you one easy point," the Austrian added.

"You really have to finish the match off, and that's what I did... with a little bit of trouble in my last service game.

"He's this kind of player who never gives up - probably the best fighter in tennis.

Especially on clay, it's one of the toughest things to beat him."

Thiem will face either Novak Djokovic or Juan Martin Del Potro in the last four.

He has yet to record a victory over either player.

Dominic Thiem

(Sportsmax)

James, Westbrook, Harden headline 2017 All -NBA teams J

ames Harden and Russell Westbrook were in a heated one-two race for MVP throughout the 2016-17 regular season, but they shared the spotlight Thursday when they both nabbed First Team All-NBA honors.

LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis round out the prestigious starting five, while Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant headline the Second Team.

Based on their record-setting regular seasons, it should come as no surprise that Harden and Westbrook waltzed their way into First Team selections.

For Harden—who was also a First Team All-NBA selection in 2014 and '15—the honor comes after he averaged 29.1 points, a league-high 11.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds during a season that saw the Rockets romp their way to 55 wins.

According to BasketballReference.com, Harden joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in league history to average at least 29 points, 11 dimes and eight boards for an entire season.

Westbrook, though, shares a more

notable designation with Robertson after he became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double (31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game). He also set the single-season triple-double record with 42.

Westbrook was also lauded for shouldering an unprecedented workload for an Oklahoma City Thunder team that lost Kevin Durant in free agency and appeared headed for a year trapped in Western Conference purgatory.

The Thunder outscored opponents by 3.3 points per 100 possessions when Westbrook was on the floor. When he sat, they were outscored by 8.9 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com's lineup data.

Not to be overlooked is LeBron, who continued to produce historically significant figures en route to a record-tying 11th First Team selection.

James averaged 26.4 points, 8.7 assists and 8.6 rebounds while shooting 54.8 percent from the field. As a result, he joined Robertson (1962-63) and Michael Jordan (1988-98) as the only players to produce those per-

game averages while knocking down better than 50 percent of his shots over the course of a full campaign.

Finally, it's worth shining a spotlight on Leonard—who has picked up First Team honors two years running and is now in line for a big raise, according to The Vertical's Bobby Marks.

A two-way stud who finished the season with the fourth most win shares (13.6) and a career-best scoring average (25.5 points per game), Leonard was the driving force behind a Spurs team that powered its way to 61 wins and a Southwest Division crown.

As Sports Illustrated's Andrew Sharp wrote, "Leonard isn't just the most complete player in the NBA— he might be the best player, period (and also the MVP)."

And while First Team snubs on the wing like Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler had worthy cases, to be sure, they had to settle for second (and in some cases third) billing in a year defined by historic brilliance and unparalleled individual dominance. (Bleacher Report)

I

Mustafizur Rahman

reland's poor recent form continued on Friday as they were comfortably beaten by Bangladesh with more than 20 overs unused.

Mustafizur Rahman and Soumya Sarkar shone as Bangladesh thumped Ireland by eight wickets in their latest one-day international tri-series fixture at Malahide.

Both teams came into Friday's contest seeking their first victory in a series that also features New Zealand, but Ireland's hopes of getting off the mark were significantly dented as they slumped to 181 all out after being put in to bat.

Seamer Mustafizur was chiefly responsible for the hosts' poor showing, returning 4-23 from nine overs, while there were two wickets apiece for skipper Mashrafe Mortaza and debutant spinner Sunzamul Islam.

Bangladesh then cantered to their target with 22.5 overs to spare, Sarkar underpinning the successful chase with 87 not out from 68 deliveries - an innings featuring 11 fours and two sixes.

Sarkar, who was given a life on 57, shared 95 for the first wicket with Tamim Iqbal (47) and a further 76 with Sabbir Rahman (35) as Bangladesh cruised to victory.

Having been put in to bat, Ireland got off to a poor start as the dangerous Paul Stirling fell to Mustafizur for a duck in the second over.

Bangladesh's young seamer also accounted for Niall O'Brien, Kevin O'Brien and Gary Wilson to leave Ireland reeling on 136-7, despite 46 at the top of the order from Ed Joyce.

It was Sunzamul who brought Joyce's innings to an end and the left-armer went on to dismiss Barry McCarthy for his second scalp before Mashrafe brought the innings to a close with two wickets in the 47th over.

Sarkar and Tamim soon had Bangladesh firmly on course in reply and victory for the visitors never looked in doubt. (Sportsmax)

De Grasse plans to put on a show

C

anadian sprint star AndrÈ De Grasse said he is hoping to put on a good show for fans at tomorrow's staging of the Jamaica International Invitational meet at the National Stadium.

De Grasse, who won silver in the 200 metres and bronze at 100m at last year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, will compete in the longer event tomorrow.

He will face the likes of American LaShawn Merritt and Jamaica's trio of Warren Weir, Nickel Ashmeade and reigning Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Dwyer in the event.

De Grasse, who arrived in the island yesterday, will be competing in his first 200m for the season and he said he is looking forward to tomorrow's competition.

"I am going to just exe-

cute my race. It is my first 200m of the season, and so I am going to try and go out there and execute and bring home a win for the crowd and have some fun," said De Grasse.

"I think it is going to be good competition because a lot of medallists from previous years are in the race and so it is going to be interesting," De Grasse said.

The 22-year-old, who helped Canada to gold in the 4x200m at the World Relay Championships in The Bahamas last month, is yet to go under 10 seconds in the men's 100m this year. He has a season's best of 10.10.

"My season has jumped off a little bit slow, but it's OK. It's early in the season because the plan is to peak at the World Championships in August," De Grasse said.

(Jamaica Gleaner)

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21 Beaton ready to answer ‘the call’ with sustainable pace sports

By Delvon McEwan

W

est Indies’ latest selectee, Ronsford Beaton, is ready to intimidate batsmen at the highest level of the game with sustainable pace when he graces the field in his debut match, which is most likely to be in a matter of weeks against the touring Afghanistan team.

The 24-year-old rightarm seamer says he is as fit as a fiddle and is ready to provide thrills in his usual aggressive approach, as he employs his artistry as a fast bowler. If he does, he would be living up to the expectation of Head Coach of the West Indies, Stuart Law, who has requested someone to add firepower to the attack.

Chairman of Selectors, Courtney Browne, and the rest of the panel feel the Trinbago Knight Rider ideally fits the profile requested

by Law, since he has shown his ability to bowl with sustained pace in T20 cricket, and they are confident he would do very well.

“Well, I haven’t been playing cricket for the past three months, the main reason being I have taken time off to do a lot of physical and strength training to keep me strong. I think my fitness level right now is up to standard, and my pace level should be at that requirement that the West Indies selectors expect, and I should be able to bowl with the ideal pace”, Beaton noted.

The fast bowler who was born to Guyanese parents on the tiny Lesser Antilles island of Montserrat has long been awaiting this opportunity. He praises The Almighty for his selection, and is awaiting his debut to show what he possesses.

Ronsford Beaton

“Well, first of all, I want to give God thanks and praise. I know it’s been a long time (coming), and this moment in my life is a very joyful occasion. I know (that for) many years leading up to this point, people would say, ‘Young Beaton (is) a future prospect coming up; (he is) full of potential,’ but now is the time for me to showcase what I have and what I’ve been doing for the past couple of years.”

The player urges fans to look out for effective results -- some quick bursts with lots of steam along with pace up front; good depth bowling which should provide quality results.

Beaton represented Essequibo at the youth level before ascending to represent and captain Guyana at the youth level. He was later elevated to the Guyana senior team in 2011 when he made his first class debut against England Lions.

He subsequently debuted for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), before moving to Trinbago Knight Riders. He had a stint with Dhaka Dynamites in the Bangladesh Premier League last year.

This publication would like to congratulate Beaton on his call-up to the senior regional unit.

Law continues to see progress, readies for England

W

est Indies coach, Australian Stuart Law, while not pleased with losing 2-1 in a home series to Pakistan, has seen enough improvements in his young charges to be hopeful about the prospects of facing England next month.

“We can continue to work hard. When we get to England, we’ve got a pretty extensive preparation period before the first Test,” said Law, pointing out that preparing properly was key to performing well against the number four Test side in the World.

According to Law, while hard work doesn't guarantee victories, it certainly makes it more likely.

“It’s not going to guar-

antee us victories but it will certainly give us an idea of what we’re faced with.

England are a wonderful team but we’re going there not just to compete but we’re going there to hopefully upset them,” he said.

Law's hopes for the Test series which begins in Egbaston on August 17, is quite lofty, bearing in mind that the West Indies have gone without a win in England for 17 years.

In 13 encounters in England, the West Indies have only managed a draw twice, with all others ending in defeat.

The second Test in the series begins on August 25 at Headingly, with the third Test set for September 7 at Lord's.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturdAY, may 20, 2017

Sheltez/ Homesafe Independence Tennis…

Joshua Kalekyezi, Viraj Sharma match serves in Boys’ U-14 &18 finals – Gentle, Fraser battle for Girls’ U-18 Title

By Delvon McEwan

I

nterestingly today Joshua Kalekyezi and Viraj Sharma will play in the Boys’ Under 14 and 18 categories of the Sheltez/ Homesafe Security Independence Tennis tourney at Harry Panday’s Tennis Court.

To date both of the young players have played unbeaten in the tournament, however, that fortune will change for one of them as they meet in what promises to be two exhilarating finals.

Although Kaekyezi started as the number three seed competing in this tournament, rated above his counterpart Sharma, expectations are in the balance with either player equipped to walk away with both titles or for an even more exciting day, if they take one title apiece.

However, with the biggest upset of the tournament over number two seed, Mark McDonald,

Kalekyezi must be a package of confidence waiting to deliver on the court in his first campaign of the day in the boys’ U-14 followed by the U-18 encounter.

endure for long periods to frustrate the more stylish Kalekyezi.

Withstanding their approach in the two finals, the more patient player, the one who is more con-

Viraj Sharma will play in the Boys’ Under 14 and Under 18 final today

Sharma is not to be underestimated or even taken for granted.

His coolness and his rallies could

sistent with serves and rallies is expected to be the winner of the two matches. However, the first

Joshua Kalekyezi

final, the u-14 match is very important because it could set the platform for what to expect in the other.

Leading up to the finals, Kalekyezi on Saturday last continued his supremacy on the court for a third successive day, winning the semifinals in the boys under 14 and 18 categories.

Not only was the 13 year-old outstanding on the court but he created quite a storm when he upset McDonald in the u-18 semi-final which he won 6-3, 6-0 to get things started on a day that was mostly conducive for tennis at the National Racquet Centre.

Joshua followed up his qualification for the u-18 final with another win, this time, in the u-14 semi-final against Nigel Lowe, who was a much easier competitor to surpass. He won that match 6-0 6-1.

Apart from Joshua it was a good day for the Kalekyezi broth-

ers until Jeremiah the younger of the sibling fell to Sharma 5-4, (7-3), 4-2 in the semifinal of the boys’ u-14 division. With the win Sharma march into the final, setting up a challenge with Joshua, who will be looking to revenge his brother’s loss.

In the other boys u-18 semifinal Sharma triumphed over Tyrese Trim 6-0, 6-0.

Meanwhile in the Girls’ U-18 final today which is scheduled to be played after the Boys’ U14 match at Harry Panday’s Court, Afruica Gentle and Kalyca Fraser will do battle. Gentle, who is favoured to win the title, defeated Sarah Klautky 6-3, 6-0 while Fraser dismissed any threat from Ciara Pooran with a 6-3, 6-1 victory in their respective semifinals.

The Girls U-14 champion will also be decided today after the remaining round robin matches at the National Racquet Centre.

Walter Moore, FF Jaro Head coach begin scouting in Guyana F ormer Golden Jaguars defender Walter Moore, who now plays for FF Jaro in Finland, arrived in Guyana on Friday morning with his Club Manager/Head Coach Kristian Heames, to begin a talent identification initiative during the period May 19-21.

The initiative will target the U-17 level as the duo, accompanied by Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Technical Director Ian Greenwood and former national player Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson, head to Berbice on Friday

evening.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday morning, GFF President, Wayne Forde, said he was “overwhelmed” at the initiative taken by Moore. He maintained that since a lot of emphasis is being placed on the youth development structure of Guyana, it is only fitting that the ‘talent ID trip’ be focused on the U-17 level, as those players will go on to comprise the next generation of Golden Jaguars.

Another initiative of the GFF that Forde noted as important to the development of the youth system is the

inclusion of former national players as coaches/mentors.

There currently are five former national players employed by the GFF. Walter Moore retired from international football in October, after Guyana was knocked out of the CFU Cup in 2016. He revealed that the idea came to him after perusing the GFF’s Facebook page and seeing what Technical Director Greenwood was doing with the youth academies and schools. Moore then asked his coach, Kristian Heames, what he thought about going to Guyana to see the

type of talent on offer in the country.

He noted that the trip also stems from an effort to give back to football in Guyana, as he has already done his best on the field.

“It is time for a new level, a new step, a new adventure, a new beginning,” he declared.

Coach Heames said he was “really excited to be here”. He revealed that after hearing Moore’s proposition, he thought it sounded “interesting; like an exciting opportunity”. He noted that he is looking forward to seeing the players in action

4th Islamic Solidarity Games

Alita Moore

Moore bows out in women’s 400m final, fails to medal

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uyanese sprinter Alita Moore failed to medal in the women’s 400m final on Friday evening at the Baku Olympic Stadium, coming in 6th with a time of 55.81s.

Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser and Oluwakemi Adekoya took gold and silver respectively with times of 51.33s and 51.81s, while Yinka Ajayi of Nigeria closed out the top three with the bronze medal.

Winston George took the bronze medal in his men’s 200m final on Thursday, and won silver in the men’s 400m on Wednesday; while overseas-based athlete Natrena Hooper won Guyana’s third medal in her high jump event. Hooper jumped her way to bronze at 1.77 metres in her favoured event, while she finished sixth on Wednesday in the women’s triple-jump.

Former Golden Jaguars player Walter Moore

at the training sessions and practice games, as he wants the chance to see what their footballing levels are like.

The next step, he pointed out, would be to discuss the possibility of players going to Europe. He deemed Walter Moore a good role model and a good example of Guyanese footballing skills.

Technical Director Ian Greenwood described as excellent the initiative to expose potential players to European club trials later in

the year. He described the ‘talent ID trip’ as an excellent opportunity for the national U-17s to be exposed to a role model in Moore, who has given so much to Guyanese football over the years.

Moore, Heames, Greenwood and Richardson will participate in training sessions, practice games, and the assessment of players at the National U-17 Camp scheduled for May 1921.

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saturDAY, may 20, 2017

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Beaton earns maiden international call up to face Afghanistan stated that the Selection Panel of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has announced a 13-member squad for the upcoming threematch T20 Series against Afghanistan.

Beaton, the tall 24-yearold fast bowler, who has Ronsford Beaton to date, played for Dhaka Dynamites in the Bangladesh wenty four year old excit- Premier League as well as Guyana ing Guyanese fast bowler and Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Trinbago Knight Riders player, Knight Riders in the Caribbean Ronsford Beaton, is the lone new- Premier League (CPL), has capcomer in West Indies squad to face tured 31 wickets including best figAfghanistan in an upcoming three- ures of 4-9 from 36 outings .

All-rounder Jason Holder is bematch T20I home series which gets underway on Friday, June 2 at ing rested for the series.

The Panel also announced Warner Park in St. Kitts.

The media was informed of the 12-man squad for the WICB Beaton’s selection due to a re- President’s XI T20 match against lease yesterday afternoon which the visitors. Ashley Nurse will lead

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that squad.

All matches will be played at Warner Park in St Kitts. Start time is 7:30pm (6:30pm Jamaica time).

The full squad reads: Carlos Brathwaite (Captain), Samuel Badree, Ronsford Beaton, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton and Kesrick Williams, WICB President’s XI: Ashley Nurse (Captain), Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Miguel Cummins, Andre Fletcher, Delorn Johnson, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Nicholas Pooran, Raymond Reifer and Devon Thomas.

According to Chairman of the Selection Panel, Courtney Brown, on the composition of the squad; “After the T20 Series against Pakistan we felt that it was import-

ant to keep the same group together so that the coaches can continue developing the young players. This coupled with the vast T20 experience of some of our senior players can help us to build a very formidable unit.”

He stated that Beaton’s selection was due to a request from West Indies Head Coach, Stuart Law, seeking someone who can add some firepower to the attack.

The Chairman noted that the panel felt that the Trinbago Knight Rider player has shown he can bowl with sustained pace in T20 cricket and they are confident he will do very well.

The former wicketkeeper informed that Holder has been going for a while now and led the team from the front with his performances. He has requested a break and after discussion with the staff we have granted him this peri-

od to refresh himself and prepare for the upcoming ODIs against Afghanistan and India.

“In developing a high performance unit there is never room for complacency and our expectation is to win against a team that is ranked lower than us in the ICC rankings”, Browne noted He also noted that this is an opportunity for the experienced players to restate their desire to represent West Indies again by way of performance and the inexperienced players to show their ability at a higher level with a view to be considered for selection in the future.

Series Schedule: Tuesday, May 30: WICB President’s XI v Afghanistan – Warner Park, Friday, June 2: 1st T20 International – Warner Park, Saturday, June 3: 2nd T20 International – Warner Park, Monday, June 5: 3rd T20 International – Warner Park.

Caribbean Motor Racing Championship…

Persaud looking to put Guyana ahead in Jamaica – Palm Court injects late boost

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uper stock rider Kevin Persaud is aiming to put Guyana ahead when the Caribbean Motor Racing Championships (CMRC) gets underway today at the Jamwest Raceway in Jamaica. Persaud who has had a spectacular start to his season when he dusted all his competitors at April’s National Race of Champions held at the South Dakota Circuit is focus on maintaining his form.

He had clocked a fastest lap time of 36.759s and looked to be well underway for tremendous season. His first test will be leading a depleted team Guyana in Jamaica, a task which he is ready to undertake.

“Feels great winning all my races for the year so far; all the pressure against me since I got sponsors and expectations to up keep this year; I feel I could do it and secure points for team Guyana”, he posited.

In assessing areas where he needs to improve, he highlighted fitness and adapting to new tracks quickly.

“I needed to improve

most importantly on my fitness which I've been putting lots of work on and focus on that; secondly adapting to a newer track is always a hard thing and controlling my nervousness when racing out of your home town”.

The former Queen’s College student felt grateful for the support of his family who has played a pivotal role in him touring along with the likes of his friends who motivates him and sponsors such as Motor trend, R Kissoon contracting services, Miracle optical, R Ramlagan and Sons, Professional key shop and Palm Court.

Meanwhile on Friday, Persaud received a late but timely boost from popular night spot Palm Court ahead of his trip.

Manager of the entity Sasha Lewis in speaking at the simple presentation ceremony held at the Main Street location explained that their support for the rider will be continuous and they hope he helps Guyana secure valuable points.

“We will always support Kevin, everyone is depending on him to bring

home points for Guyana since he has a lot of potential and I see him being successful in races”.

Lewis also made a call for other members of the corporate sector to aid in the development of their local sportsmen and women.

“In other countries big companies support their athletes all around the world and I think in Guyana we need to invest a lot more; these are people with talents and we need to push them more rather than spending money out of the country supporting others when we can support our own”, she posited.

Persaud, in response expressed, “It feels great to be sponsored by one of the biggest night clubs in Guyana, I’m very grateful for the sponsorship and hope to do them proud”.

The rider whose machine of choice is a 2012 Kawasaki zx 6r will be joined by John Bennett, Heemand Boodram along with 2016 Moto America Super stock 600 champion Bryce Prince Byrce who is representing Guyana under the sponsorship of

Manager of Palm Court Sasha Lewis makes the donation to motor biker Kevin Persaud

Mohammed’s Enterprise, will lead the rally in the two-wheel battle.

In this regard, Persaud is aiming secure as much points possible stating, “ I’m working on it, I’m looking to be the favourite to bring home crucial points for Guyana and do ex-

tremely well being an ambassador of Palm Court”.

The young rider also made a call on other members of the private sector to invest in local athletes.

Persaud departed these shores on Friday evening to be engaged in time trials today at the Jamwest

Raceway followed by the competitive racing on Sunday.

The other members of the team are Rameez Mohammed, who will ply his trade in Groups 2, 3 and 4 (two-wheel drive), while Nasrudeen Mohammed who will compete in Group Two. After the leg in Jamaica, the action will move to Trinidad and Tobago on July 30 followed

by Barbados on September 3 then to Guyana for the final leg on November 12.

Last year, Trinidad and Tobago, who lost the title in 2015 by eight points to Guyana, recorded a whopping 1481.5 points, outscoring the second placed Barbados team by 793 points.

Barbados’ tally at the end of the four rounds was 688.5 while Guyana finished in third on 648.5; Jamaica (492) Cayman Islands (60) and CAMS/ USA rounded-off the points standings. However, in the two-wheel category, Guyana soared to the top of the table accumulating 647 points with Trinidad being their closest challenge on 169 points.

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

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

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Caribbean Motor Racing Championship…

Pg 23

Persaud looking to put Guyana ahead in Jamaica Beaton earns maiden international call up ‒ Palm Court injects late boost to face Afghanistan Pg 23

Persaud will be looking to put any nervousness behind him and lead Guyana to some points in the opening leg

Pg 22

Walter Moore, FF Jaro Head coach begin scouting in Guyana From L-R: Walter Moore, FF Jaro Manager Kristian Heames, GFF President Wayne Forde, GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood, and Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson

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