Guyana Times March 18 2017

US donates explosive trace detection machines to Guyana

P13 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3156

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, March 18, 2017

PRICE

Wales Estate closure

Sugar workers left ‘out in the cold’

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: Parking meter burden

Contract could be revoked by Govt – Harmon …if suspension call ignored … as protesters challenge SCS on Water Street

Pages 2 & 10

DPP reopens Crum-Ewing murder case … Nigel Hughes retained as special prosecutor

P10

Page 9

…as Govt declares no ‘fiscal space’ for severance payments

Traffic lights proposed for Linden P13

Angry cane harvesters expressed their frustrations with Government Ministers Noel Holder, Joseph Harmon, Khemraj Ramjattan, and Cathy Hughes about not being paid their severance packages and the hardships they are facing as a result of the Wales Estate closure. The meeting was held on Friday at the Wales Community Centre, West Bank Demerara

Pharma scandal

GTUC calls for $605M sole sourcing probe – rule of law must be enforced Page 7

Region 1 businessman Guyana rejects chopped to Venezuelan block on oil development death Venezuela border controversy

See stories on pages 11 & 12

Page 7

Social cohesion workshop

PPP will not support initiative which supports discriminatory actions Page 3

Decomposed body found at Timehri

P11

Bartica miner nabbed with illegal gun, ammo P11

2 news

saturDAY, march 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Parking meter burden

Contract could be revoked by Govt – Harmon … if suspension call ignored

E

ven while Government is seeking to keep itself clear of the work of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), the contract of the controversial parking meter system could see a “force majeure” (unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract) intervention by central government and see either a suspension or total revocation of the legal agreement.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon on Friday reminded that Government has asked that the City Council put a three-month hold on the agreement with Smart City Solutions (SCS), to enable another bout of negotiations between the parties; a move the Council at this

Mayor Patricia Chase Green

time seems to be finding difficult to undertake. Harmon at his weekly post-Cabinet meeting said the contract provides for the intervention of another party, noting that Government expects that the advice given to the

Council be heeded.

“My understanding of the process is that if the parties do not agree with the position, then they go to arbitration. And in the arbitration, these issues are dealt with.

But I think that the signal sent by Government is a strong enough one that the parties to the contract understand that this is something that must be done,” the Minister of State told journalists.

Following Government’s call for suspension on Wednesday, Town Clerk Royston King penned a letter to subject Minister Ronald Bulkan explaining to him that the call by Government would more or less see a “breach of contract” and that the municipality would have to com-

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

pensate the company.

King said too that there was no provision in the contract for suspension and noted that there were dire implications should that be done.

Asked about the compensation for SCS, Harmon said

cause it is a contract between the two entities and Government’s intervention is to ensure that the contract between the parties is renegotiated on different terms”. While he could not say exactly when this will be done, he assured that with the urgings of Government, it would be at the soonest.

“Of course there are two options; of course one is suspension, the other is revocation, and if the intervention of a party under what might be termed “force majeure” exists, then, certainly the parties to the contract can understand what needs to be done and of course the contract spells out in clear terms what force majeure is, and what needs to be done.”.

Minister Harmon maintains the Council is an independent body and noted that the matter will move

the Public Infrastructure Ministry cited the Roads Act, Chapter 51:01 of the Laws of Guyana, reminding several roads are under its remit.

The roads under the Ministry’s purview include: Clive Lloyd Drive, Rupert Craig Highway, University of Guyana access road, Water Street, Battery Road, Sea Wall Road, Young Street, Barrack Street, Camp Road, Fort Street, Vlissengen Road, Irving Street, Station Street, Duncan Street, Thomas Road, Sheriff Street/Kitty Avenue, Ruimveldt Avenue, Houston Bypass and Eastern Highway.

The Public Infrastructure Ministry stated clearly that Smart City Solutions was not given permission to place parking meters in those zones.

Protesters outside City Hall on Thursday

that is a legal issue which will be dealt with. However, he said Government has made its concerns clear and whether there is “compensation or not”, he said that is a matter to be addressed during the process.

“That is the process be-

ahead after the Council meets. The City Council will hold a meeting where the advice from Cabinet will be considered and ratified after which it will meet with Smart City Solutions.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued late Thursday,

Since its rollout in late January, the project has attracted widespread criticism and protests; so much so, that Cabinet reportedly recommended a threemonth suspension pending a review. However, Smart City Solutions, with City Hall’s permission, has continued to implement fees and clamp motor vehicles throughout this week.

At Thursday’s demonstration in front of City Hall, several protesters were mute, as their mouths were clamped, symbolic of the clamps that city operatives place on motor vehicles.

Since the Movement Against Parking Meters started its organised protests, several political parties which form part of the coalition Government have since come out and condemned the project. This was done despite the very parties refusing to support the parliamentary Opposition when it brought a motion to debate the contentious project in the National Assembly.

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saturDAY, march 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, March 18 – 08:30h-10:00h and Sunday, March 19 – 09:00h-10:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, March 18 – 07:30h-09:00h and Sunday, March 19 – 08:00h-09:30h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery to light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, while light to partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly to East North-easterly between 3.12 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tides: 07:47h and 20:14h reaching maximum heights of 2.49 metres and 2.37 metres respectively.

Low Tides: 01:22h and 13:45h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.74 metre respectively.

wednesDAY, MARCH 15, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS K

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FREE TICKET

FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 2017

DAILY MILLIONS 02 06 13 21 26 LUCKY 3 2 7 5 Afternoon Draw

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

Social cohesion workshop

PPP will not support initiative which supports discriminatory actions

T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has said Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo declined an invitation to attend the Government of Guyana/ UNDP Social Cohesion Strategic Plan 2017-2020 Validation Workshop held on Thursday, noting that the Party will not support any initiative that will validate the Government’s discriminatory actions under the guise of a social cohesion policy or strategy.

This communication in a letter was sent to United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, Mikiko Tanaka,

by Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira on behalf of Jagdeo. The letter outlined that none of the actions by the coalition Government in the past 22 months demonstrates a genuine desire and a political will to implement a social cohesion policy or to create a socially cohesive nation.

“The Government has shattered any modicum of trust and confidence, two ingredients critical to the development of a social cohesion policy and to create the basis for a socially cohesive nation,” the Opposition stated.

According to the PPP, since entering the 11th Parliament, it has called for national unity in the best interest of the Guyanese people and the nation, and had even gone on record that it would support any initiative that is in the best interest of our people and nation, as well as shall expose any that will harm the people and nation.

The UN diplomat was told that the PPP/Civic parliamentary Opposition has not played an obstructionist role as the previous combined parliamentary Opposition parties did in the 10th Parliament, but in fact has vigorously fought for greater participation of the PPP/C, civil society, faith-based and community-based groups in all national and region specific policy initiatives of the A Partnership for National

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

Unity/Alliance For Change coalition Government.

To this end, the Opposition said it had even taken matters to the National Assembly of national importance and each one has been “shot down” by the Government with its one-seat majority.

“We have advocated and proposed initiatives to solve the many challenges the country faces and to build greater inclusivity, transparency and accountability in the legislature and other forum.

However, the Government has rejected each and every one at every single forum available to it,” the letter states.

The PPP/C outlined some of the “vindictive and undemocratic” acts of the Government such as its termination of 1972 Amerindian Community Service Officers and hundreds of public servants on the basis of their ethnicity and political affiliation; its reckless and callous treatment of the sugar and rice sectors which will not only impact grievously on 17,000 sugar workers and thousands of rice farmers and their families but the consequences will be irretrievable to the economy and the entire nation for decades to come; and its consistent exclusion in any consultation process, of major national stakeholders and the inclusion of the “handpicked few” who pass their “political correctness”

test.

The Opposition exposed the governing party for its more recent and almost daily onslaught on critical national stakeholders, in particular the Private Sector; its intimidation and interference in the judiciary, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Judicial Service Commission, and the non-appointment of Judges in violation of the Constitution; its interference in the Public Service Commission and the Ethnic Relations Commission; and its violation of constitutional provisions with regard to the appointment of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission.

Moreover, the PPP/C added that Government’s anti-cohesion actions is further evident in its political interference in seven of the 10 Regional Democratic Councils won by the PPP/C in the 2015 General and Regional Elections, and the 48 of the 71 Local Authority Areas also won by the PPP/C in the March 2016 Local Government Elections; its non-appointment of the constitutional Local Government Commission; its exclusion of ethnic groups in the appointment of Government and State Boards, even on the Local Boards of Guardians which are region based; and its use of the Special Organised Crime Unit, an arm of the Guyana Police Force which was created to fight money laundering, and the administrative State Assets Recovery Unit, lo-

cated in the Ministry of the Presidency, to “witch-hunt” political opponents.

Against this backdrop, the parliamentary Opposition concluded, after reviewing the contents of the Draft Social Cohesion Strategy, that it excludes the key foundations of social cohesion – adherence to the constitutional provisions and human rights; equal access to goods and services provided by the State; and equal opportunity to jobs, contracts, education, health, housing.

As well as independence of the judiciary; adherence to parliamentary democracy in the Legislature; an open and enabling environment that allows for difference of views and an attitude of compromise; and, inclusion and representation in the body politic based on the multicultural multiethnic multi-religious composition of Guyanese society. “Without these essential ingredients for trust and confidence building being recognised and upheld by the Government, social cohesion is merely at best an academic veneer to legitimise the Government’s discriminatory and undemocratic governance of the nation,” the PPP/C asserted.

Nevertheless, the parliamentary Opposition insisted that it will not participate in any forum that is used by the Government, despite foreign support, to give credence to a social cohesion policy and strategy while the nation continues to be ripped apart by the undemocratic coalition Government.

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saturDAY, march 18, 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

Positive attention

I

f the President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde, delivers on implementing development programmes over the years and remains in check to do the best for football, then it is possible that the sport could become Guyana’s number one sport.

In addition there must be respect for positive contributions from opposition patterns set aside so football could get to the summit of all sports in Guyana.

However, it is easier said than done but it is not an inconceivable or impossible task. With strict regulations and governance reform then it is imminent.

It was reported in the media, ahead of the launch of the GFF-Pele Alumni Frank Watson Intra-Association U-15 Tournament that the GFF boss said that football will become the most successful and popular sport in Guyana as reform and development programmes bear fruit in coming years.

The reports further stated that with increased funding from world governing body FIFA and a stable administration in place, the GFF is working to lay a sustainable foundation for football across Guyana through grassroots and youth development, as well as strict regulations and governance reform.

Guyana’s Under-15 league is part of the GFF’s strategic plan to have consistent football played at every level. At the local level there are now two commercial partners that will ensure that football is played at the under-15 and under-17 year round for the next five years. In the recent history of Guyana there was no other period in Guyana’s football where there were commercial relationships that ensured that structured age specific football is played all year round in every association.

At Tuesday’s launch of the tournament, the public also heard that in a matter of weeks the GFF will be announcing a similar nationwide Under-13 League and there after a Under-20 league. This is all part of a bigger plan being implemented. Notably, the academy training centre is one of the most important components of football development in Guyana. These Leagues will feed players into those academies; the U13s, U15s, U17s and U20s will feed players into the academy.

According to the President, the GFF is already seeing results from the work that they have been doing at the youth level. One of these successes was a mere weeks ago when the Guyana Golden Jaguars U-17 team did exceptionally well in a tournament in Martinique to the extent that prevailed over the Region’s powerhouse Haiti 3-1.

These fresh implementations and drive to develop the sport here is commendable; however, there must not be an ‘overkill’ of tournaments without proper structure or ‘real development’.

At present football is regarded as the second most popular sport here behind the gentleman’s game; cricket.

However, if the infamous governing Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) continues to hammer cricket into the ground and the public’s interest is shifted, then Forde’s dream will be manifested very soon.

There seems to be a lot of potential development in and around football, one of it being the playing of more tournaments, especially youth competitions.

In contrast to football’s recent strides, the view of every cricket match or tournament organised by the GCB, there is poor structure. The GCB/Dave West Indian Imports InterCounty U-15 tournament is underway and prior to the tournament, the Demerara team only had one practice session at the Ogle Ground.

Preceding the inter-county tournament, the GCB – since there is no functioning Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) – was tasked with organising the Demerara inter-association tourney.

The Georgetown team for the tournament was selected from a meeting the afternoon before the tournament. Locally, cricket has been stagnant and while some other sports; lawn tennis, volleyball and motor-racing have progressed over the years, those sports do not possess the scope like cricket and football.

In addition, football here seems to be gaining positive attention from the world governing body FIFA. There might be several challenges that may prevent football from progressing rapidly but once the intentions are good and have a supportive and industrious team, then brighter days loom for football and the possibility of the sport emerging to the number one spot in Guyana is not impossible.

The St Patrick’s Day parade makes its way through the city of Dublin, Ireland

(The Guardian)

What gives SCS such spunk?

Dear Editor, The APNU/AFC regime is now using kerfuffling as dark art to trick people. The recent request of the M&CC to suspend the parking meter contract is a trick, hoping to buy time for the protests to disappear; but the people cannot be fooled so easily. Rather than immediate revocation, APNU/AFC's timid request for a three-month suspension only heightens the suspicion that there is something unholy about the parking meter contract. The arrogance of SCS, the parking meter company, in its refusal to comply and attempt to disavow a Cabinet decision this week adds to the suspicion of corruption that goes all the way to the belly of the APNU/AFC. What gives SCS such spunk?

Citizens, in their individual capacities and as part of various organisations – political, civil and cultural – have made their feelings clear from the start: the parking meter contract is a corrupt deal, among the most corrupt in our history, and is a "contract from hell". Citizens

are not ambiguous, they are explicit and clear - the contract must be revoked.

This past Thursday, people came out in overwhelming numbers for the 7th straight week to demand the termination of the contract. No one is asking any more for reduced rates and less punitive measures, everyone is demanding the revocation. The solidarity of the citizens had political support from the PPP even before the public protests started. Now the AFC and the WPA, partners in the APNU/AFC coalition, have also come out supporting revocation.

But the Government, a coalition that includes the PNC, WPA and AFC, remains stubborn, twisting like a pretzel in finding ways for the protest to go away.

Having reviewed the contract and allowing it to be implemented, and having provided the empowering platform, the parking meter by-laws, APNU/ AFC first sought to placate people by negotiating with the M&CC and the SCS to reduce the park-

ing rates. They followed by asking for the suspension of the wheel clamping.

As the protests persisted, APNU/AFC – last week, through Joseph Harmon – announced that they are awaiting further inputs from the citizens before taking further action. It was a galling insult to the Guyanese people, whose views have been clear by their public protests, town hall meetings, letters to the Government, letters in the media, social media protests, etc. for several months now.

In the midst of the 7th protest, APNU/AFC announced that Cabinet has requested the M&CC to suspend the contract for three months. But the call for a suspension is another trick, as APNU/AFC twists even more than the most twisted pretzel.

Given that individuals in the Government have expressed their agreement with the people that the contract is indeed a "contract from hell," and given that the AFC and the WPA have now come out and denounced the contract, one has to wonder why APNU/

AFC is sticking with the contract.

APNU/AFC is hoping and betting that after three months the public scorn for this contract would "cool off" and the contract would quietly be resumed. They are completely underestimating the revulsion the people have for the "contract from hell".

Something is rotten in this deal, and the reluctance of APNU/AFC to act decisively exposes the complicity of APNU/AFC. Mark my word: in three months’ time, the protests will still be alive! APNU/ AFC will not be able to trick people. There is nothing more for us to find out in another review of the contract. It is a "contract from hell", as the reviews by the Ministries of Legal Affairs and Finance revealed before. There is nothing new that APNU/ AFC can discover in the next three months.

The only decent thing right now is for the complete and unequivocal revocation of the contract.

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Correcting Allan Fenty’s statements Dear Editor, The intent of this missive is to correct Allan Fenty’s statements made in his SN column of March 17, 2017 under the subhead “Rights, voices be-

yond the bound-yard”.

It is the Indians who subsume their ethnic identity to the African Caribbean culture who exhibit triumphalism, snobbery and superiori-

ty at both being accepted and embraced by the dominant status quo; and it is the very poor rural Indian Guyanese who continue to practise their religion and culture, remembered from

Mother India, who most need to be protected and defended.

Sincerely, Ryhaan Shah

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saturDAY, March 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Finland signals interest in Caricom’s bioenergy Causing death charge

T

he Government of Finland, through its newly accredited envoy to the Caribbean Community (Caricom), has expressed strong interest in exploring the bioenergy potential in mainland territories of Caricom.

Speaking at the ceremony for the presentation of his Letter of Credence to Caricom Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque on Thursday the new Finnish Ambassador, His Excellency Kukka Pietikaine said his country wanted to continue cooperation in renewable energy technologies.

He said forest based bioenergy has a central role in Finland’s economy, with 80 percent of its renewable energy coming from forest biomass. Indicating that Caricom and Finland “should take a closer look” at the region’s bioenergy potential, he informed that Finland was one of the global leaders in waste-to-energy solutions and a forerunner in biofuel technologies.

Another interesting field of cooperation between Caricom and Finland, he said, could be the development of wave energy, with Finland also possessing “first class technologies in

this field,” adding, “a preliminary wave energy assessment would be the first step for the development of the blue energy resources.”

Caricom and Finland formalised diplomatic relations in 2009. Finland became one of the first non-hemispheric donors to the Caricom Development Fund, which was ratified in 2008 to provide financial or technical assistance to the disadvantaged countries, regions and sectors. Its contribution to regional development has also been through support in education, sustainable energy, sea governance, and meteorology.

Secretary-General LaRocque said that the areas of Caricom-Finland cooperation are all critical to the sustainable development of Member States. He noted that the Memorandum of Understanding on Political Dialogue and Technical Cooperation between Caricom and countries of the Nordic Region signed in September 2016, symbolized the importance that both sides place on the relationship. He said he looked forward to advancing the Community’s cooperation with Finland around the priority areas identified in the

Caricom Secretary General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque

MOU, as well as in international fora.

He told the new Finnish Ambassador that an ever-present issue in Caricom’s diplomatic advocacy was adequate access to the necessary development funding to finance development efforts, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As the global landscape became increasingly uncertain, Caricom Member States continued to grapple with challenges to their best efforts to advance socio-economic interests of the Region. Therefore, global agreements which speak to sustainable development

took on a special significance for the Region, largely made up of Small-Island and Low-Lying Coastal Developing States (SIDS), the Secretary-General stated.

He also apprised the new Finnish Ambassador of Caricom’s concerns regarding some Members of the European Union which had categorised some Caricom Member States as non-cooperative tax jurisdictions, despite the fact that those countries were not so designated by the relevant global regulatory authorities.

After the accreditation Secretary-General LaRocque and the Ambassador engaged in wide ranging discussions including on the post-Cotonou Agreement relations between the African Caribbean Pacific Group of States (ACP) and the European Union (EU). The SecretaryGeneral indicated that the ACP was an excellent platform for the EU to interact with a large group of developing countries. Among other topics were renewable energy and the challenges posed by de-risking and the listing of countries as non-cooperative tax jurisdictions.

Need for public order overdue

Dear Editor, The Mayor and City Council had, earlier this year, cited their intent to reintroduce zoning in the City of Georgetown. To me, that is an unenviable task and a valiant effort to restore order within the capital city.

Guyanese at home and abroad like to boast and impress others about their visits to other cities in the world, where public order is evident.

It is obvious that such developments did not occur in those countries by mere wishes; so it is timely that we move beyond admiration of others and seek to realise similar standards at home.

The need for public order is indeed overdue, and is something that zoning can ably correct. It will require massive adjustments, and may not be as easily attainable, unless the citizenry and business community fully comprehend and endorse the M&CC’s ultimate objectives.

What the M&CC should consider, however, is the mood and intellect of citizens as this entity pursues this initiative. We do not need another ‘Parking Meter’ type fiasco.

There is a whole new gen-

eration of citizens who seem out of touch with internationally acceptable norms and modern urban standards.

Some do not even understand what a residential area is. I can say so unreservedly because, in almost any area, one can find people placing large sound systems in their vehicles or on their verandas to blast off melodies at decibels that would literally crack the walls of neighbouring buildings, not to mention the ears and chests of living creatures within proximity of the cacophony.

With a generation that seems to enjoy the free-for-all of living however and wherever, without the basic recognition or regard for such areas as “silent zones” – honking their vehicle horns near hospitals and courts of judicature, or playing music carts near churches and schools – the efficacy of zoning by-laws would be more than welcome.

It will, however, require consistency in its implementation, and effective policing to ensure that there is public adherence to relevant bylaws.

The M&CC would therefore need to embark on mammoth public consultation and

education. They must also ensure that zoning implementation does not create undue contentions or violation of property rights.

The M&CC, through their twinning and collaborative relations with other Cities, can present ‘Best Practices’ as ‘buy-ins’ to posit their initiative for zoning, and create awareness of the benefits associated with such standards.

Zoning will not only restore order and civility within

the capital, but will, by extension, be the catalyst for urban expansion, with the creation of new industrial areas, particularly for those types of businesses that present environmental and safety hazards within traditional residential areas, or those that may need to be relocated for violation of operational regulations within the City.

Sincerely, Orette Cutting

dismissed against teen … as family accepts $3M compensation

A

Dwayne Griffith

n 18-year-old youngster exited the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts a free man on Friday, after Magistrate Fabayo Azore was compelled to dismiss the case against him; a charge of death by dangerous driving after relatives of the deceased agreed to bury the hatchet at the cost of $3 million offered in compensation.

Dwayne Griffith was in May last charged for caus-

ing the death of Nerisa Spenser on Lamaha Street, Georgetown, when he drove a motor car in a manner dangerous to the public.

The 41-year-old woman was reportedly walking along Lamaha Street on the day of the incident, when she was struck by a speeding car. The vehicle also collided with two other cars before coming to a halt some distance away. Griffith was pulled from the wreckage in an unconscious state and taken to the hospital along with Spenser who was pronounced dead on arrival.

Griffith, who was an unlicensed driver at the time of the accident, had reportedly driven the car without permission of the owner, who happened to be a family member.

Relatives of the deceased on Friday disclosed to the court that they would no longer be pursuing the matter as they had made a pact to accept financial compensation after which the matter was dismissed by the presiding Magistrate.

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Foundation Weaning:

Tips for breastfeeding mothers I

f you’re breastfeeding, you might have questions about weaning. When is the right time? Will weaning upset your child?

How can you avoid engorgement? Get the facts about weaning and how you can make the process a more positive one for you and your child.

When’s the best time to start weaning?

The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after birth – and breastfeeding in combination with solids foods until at least age one. Extended breastfeeding is recommended as long as you and your baby wish to continue. Still, when to start weaning your child is a personal decision.

It’s often easiest to begin weaning when your baby starts the process. Changes in breastfeeding patterns leading to eventual weaning often begin naturally at age six months, when solid foods are typically introduced. Some children begin to seek other forms of nutrition and comfort at around age one. By this age, children typically eat a variety of solid foods and might be able to drink from a cup. Other children might not initiate weaning until they become toddlers, when they’re less willing to sit still during breastfeeding.

You might also decide when to start the weaning process yourself. This might be more difficult than following your child’s lead – but can be done with extra care and sensitivity.

Whenever you choose to start weaning your baby from the breast, stay focused on your child’s needs as well as your own.

Resist comparing your situation with that of other families, and consider rethinking any deadlines you might have set for weaning when you were pregnant or when your baby was a newborn.

Are there certain times when it wouldn’t be smart to start weaning?

Consider delaying weaning if: You’re concerned about allergens.

Some research suggests that exclusive breastfeeding for at least six months – instead of using formula made with cow’s milk – might prevent or delay eczema, cow’s milk allergy, and wheezing in early childhood.

Your child isn’t feeling well. If your child is ill, postpone weaning until he or she is feeling better. You might also consider

postponing weaning if you’re not feeling well. You’re both more likely to handle the transition well if you’re in good health.

A major change has occurred at home.

Avoid initiating weaning during a time of major change at home. If your family has recently moved or your child care situation has changed, for example, postpone weaning until a less stressful time.

What’s the best way to begin weaning?

Take it slow. Slowly tapering off how long and how often you breast-feed each day – over the course of weeks or months – will cause your milk supply to gradually

diminish and prevent engorgement. If you experience engorgement during the weaning process, apply cold compresses to your breasts to help decrease swelling and discomfort.

Children tend to be more attached to the first and last feedings of the day, when the need for comfort is greater. These feedings might be the last ones your child drops. As a result, it might be easier to drop a midday breastfeeding session first. If you’re weaning a child age 1 or older, consider not offering this feeding and seeing if he or she requests it. After a lunch of solid food, your child might become interested in an activity and naturally give up this session. Once you’ve

successfully dropped one feeding, you can start working on dropping another.

You might also choose to wean your baby from breastfeeding and offer expressed breast milk in a cup during the day but continue breastfeeding at night. Remember, it’s up to you and your child.

Should I refuse feedings during the weaning process?

Refusing to breastfeed when your child wants to nurse can backfire and increase your child’s focus on the activity. If your child wants to nurse, nurse him or her. Then, continue working to distract him or her with new foods, activities and sources of reassurance – such as a favourite stuffed animal – around the times of your typical breast-feeding sessions. It might help to avoid sitting in your usual breast-feeding spots with your child during these times.

What about nutrition after weaning?

If you wean your child from breastfeeding before age one, use expressed breast milk or iron-fortified formula.

Ask your child’s doctor to recommend a formula. Don’t give your child cow’s milk until after his or her first birthday.

You can wean your child to a bottle and then a cup or, if your child seems ready, directly to a cup. Keep in mind that if you wean your child to a bottle, you’ll eventually have to wean him or her to a cup.

If you’re introducing your child to a bottle for the first time, do so at a time when your child isn’t extremely hungry and might have more patience. Choose a bottle nipple with a slow flow at first. If you use a bottle nipple with a fast flow, your child might become accustomed to that and get frustrated with the pacing and different flow rates of milk during breast-feeding.

How long does weaning take?

Depending on your approach, weaning could take days, weeks or months.

Remember, however, that rushing the weaning process might be upsetting for your child and cause breast engorgement.

Breastfeeding is an intimate activity for you and your child. You might have mixed emotions about letting go. But by taking a gradual approach to weaning – and offering plenty of love and affection – you can help your child make a smooth transition to a bottle or cup. (www.mayoclinic.org)

The risks of not breastfeeding for mothers and infants

BY ALISON STUEBE, MD, MSC

H

ealth outcomes differ substantially for mothers and infants who formula feed compared with those who breastfeed, even in developed countries such as the United States. A recent meta-analysis by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reviewed this evidence in detail: For infants, not being breastfed is associated with an increased incidence of infectious morbidity, including otitis media, gastroenteritis, and pneumonia, as well as elevated risks of childhood obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, leukaemia, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Among premature infants, not receiving breast milk is associated with an increased risk of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC).

For mothers, failure to breastfeed is associated with an increased incidence of premenopausal breast cancer, ovarian cancer, retained gestational weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome.

These findings suggest that infant feeding is an important modifiable risk factor for disease for both mothers and infants. The American

College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) therefore recommends six months of exclusive breastfeeding for all infants.

The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) similarly recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, continuing at least through the infant’s first birthday, and as long thereafter as is mutually desired. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends at least two years of breastfeeding for all infants.

In the United States, breastfeeding durations fall far short of these guidelines. In 2005, 74.2 per cent of US infants were breastfed at least once after delivery, but only 31.5 per cent were exclusively breastfed at age three months, and just 11.9 per cent were exclusively breastfed at age six months.

These rates show considerable regional variation, with the highest rates in the Pacific Northwest and the lowest rates

in the Southeast. Although some of this variation reflects cultural differences, recent data suggest that variations in hospital practices account for a considerable proportion of disparities in breastfeeding duration. This suggests that improvements in the quality of antenatal and perinatal support for breastfeeding could have a substantial impact on the health of mothers and infants.

The risks of formula feeding versus the benefits of breastfeeding Public health campaigns and medical literature have traditionally described the “benefits of breastfeeding,” comparing health outcomes among breastfed infants against a reference group of formula-fed infants. Although mathematically synonymous with reporting the “risk of not breastfeeding,” this approach implicitly defines formula feeding as the norm. As several authors have noted, this subtle distinction impacts public perceptions of infant feeding. If “breast is best,” then formula is implicitly “good” or “normal.” This distinction was underscored by national survey data showing that, in 2003, whereas 74.3 per cent of US residents disagreed with the statement: “Infant formula is as good as breast milk,” just 24.4 per cent agreed with the

statement: “Feeding a baby formula instead of breast milk increases the chance the baby will get sick.”

These distinctions appear to influence parents’ feeding decisions. In 2002, the Ad Council conducted focus groups to develop the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign, targeted at reproductive-aged women who would not normally breastfeed.

They found that women who were advised about the “benefits of breastfeeding” viewed lactation as a “bonus,” like a multivitamin, that was helpful but not essential for infant health. Women responded differently when the same data were presented as the “risk of not breastfeeding,” and they were far more likely to say that they would breastfeed their infants. Given these findings, this review will present differences in health outcomes as risks of formula feeding, using breastfeeding motherinfant dyads as the referent group. (informedparenting.blogspot.com)

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saturDAY, march 18, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Pharma scandal

GTUC calls for $605M sole sourcing probe – rule of law must be enforced G

overnment continues to be criticised over the $605 million sole-sourced contract handed to a foreign company for the acquisition of pharmaceuticals for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) is now calling for action to be taken against those responsible.

In the interest of upholding the rule of law in every aspect of governance, the GTUC has said, there should be an immediate investigation into the action taken by Health Minister Volda Lawrence in authorising this level of spending, which is in breach of both the Tender Board process and Public Procurement Law. “(The Government) is therefore called upon to launch an investigation into this violation committed by the minister, and to ensure (that) a strong signal is sent to others by (applying) the appropri-

Country Head of ANSA McAL in Guyana, Beverly Harper

aspersions of corruption are evident in the recent move by the Public Health Minister, who knew fully well that authorizing such a large expenditure is not within her remit.

“It is noted that Minister Lawrence is also Chairman of the PNC/R Georgetown District, and therefore her

ety. Failure to act indicts this Government,” the GTIC has posited in its public missive.

The trade union body has also reminded that the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission was fought for, and has said that while the former administration was recalcitrant in having it established, the Coalition had insisted on its establishment. However, now a senior Government Minister has arbitrarily determined that she alone, having the best interest of Guyanese at heart, will operate in breach of the law and good practices, on the pretext that there was no other way to meet the immediate demand.

“The minster failed to recognise that such concern could have been channelled to the relevant Tender Board authority for expediting ‘a national need.’ Acts like these, if not nipped in the bud, become pervasive and threaten the welfare of the society,” the GTUC has

Georgetown Public Hospital

ate sanctions,” a statement from the Union detailed on Friday. According to the GTUC, it is trying to improve the governance system in light of the behaviour of some members within the Government, which suggests disregard for embrace of the rule of law. It is also trying to restore financial accountability and prudence to Government. The union noted that acts which cast

position may be seen as significant to the party and Government. However, such consideration should not be allowed to override any act in violation of the laws,” the GTUC has said. “Acts like those, regardless of who committed (them), should not be allowed to jeopardise the common good. It is also unreasonable to expect silence from sections of society amidst glaring cases of irregularity and impropri-

said.

The Union says that it is with such behaviours that the previous regime started, and the few persons who undertook to condemn those actions were told to give the regime a chance, thereby facilitating a series of behaviours which resulted in “full-fledged rape of the economy” and Transparency International ranking the country the most corrupt

Public Health Minister Volda Lawerance

in the English-speaking Caribbean. According to the GTUC, in order to avoid continuing along this path, the ruling administration needs to nip in the bud every er-

rant conduct and hold those responsible to account.

“The coalition government is reminded that, whereas (its) current shortcomings pale in comparison to (those) of the PPP/C, these acts of ministerial impropriety and poor governance mark the beginning of what can well develop into more severe circumstances,” the statement added. Furthermore, the GTUC asserted that if the Coalition is serious about retaining its image of stamping out corruption, it must not appear to condone or ignore the violations in financial accountability.

This GTUC call comes one week after President David Granger said, during ‘The Public Interest’ programme last week, that if procedural irregularity is found in regard to the $605 million sole-sourced contract, disciplinary actions

would follow.

Management of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation has been accused of deliberating creating an emergency situation in order to sole-source drugs from its preferred supplier.

Within the last four months, it has cancelled or delayed four out of its five public tenders, thereby creating a situation wherein there was a massive shortage of pharmaceuticals. In a letter dated February 28, 2017, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of that hospital (GPHC), Allan Johnson, thanked Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence for authorising the procurement of medical supplies from ANSA McAL to the tune of $605,962,200, even though local firms could have supplied the same quantity and quality of drugs at better prices. turn to page 16

Region 1 businessman chopped to death

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Moruca, North West District (NWD) businessman was on Friday morning chopped to death while on his way to meet his son at his farm at Coco, a sub-district of Moruca, Region One (Barima-Waini) by an alleged mentally unstable villager.

Dead is 52-year-old Ganga Persaud Chunga, also called “Krishna” of Moruca Water Front. The chopping incident reportedly occurred at about 09:00h.

The businessman’s right foot and left hand were severed during the attack. His

body also bore several other chop wounds.

Guyana Times understands that the suspect, Daniel Rodrigues had threatened to kill the businessman a few days ago and although the matter was reported to the Police, the officers failed to address the issue.

However, at about 06:30h, the businessman, who operated a grocery store in the area, left his home and was heading to his farm when the mentally unstable man emerged from a clump of bushes and dealt Chunga several blows. Chunga re-

portedly died on the spot but was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The suspect, who is now in Police custody allegedly started walking around the village with a cutlass in his hands about three weeks ago. Meanwhile, residents in the area blame the Police for not taking the mentally ill man’s threat seriously.

The now dead man was described as a very quiet person who was always willing to assist in the development of the community. The Police are continuing their investigations.

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saturDAY, march 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Former GDF soldier slapped Smart flies… with rape charge

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n ex-rank of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was on Friday brought before the court, slapped with a rape charge. The former soldier appeared before city Magistrate Judy Latchman, charged with the rape of a teenage girl at the GDF Timehri base camp.

This incident reportedly occurred in late January of this year, at Camp Stephenson, Timehri, East Bank Demerara. The matter was held in camera due to the nature of the offence. Winston Haynes, also

Winston Haynes

known as “Unruly Boss” was represented by Attorney Dexter Todd and released on $600,000 bail. Haynes was

recently dismissed from the GDF along with two other ranks following the rape allegation.

It is unclear whether the other two others will face any charges in connection with the incident.

A Board of Inquiry which was launched by the Defence Force to ascertain the validity of the allegations, announced on Friday that based on the findings and recommendations of the inquiry, the trio was found to be not only in contravention of the Security Standing Orders, but also a number

of other Standing Operating Procedures of the Force; and as such, will be dismissed.

Reports are the victim was taken to the base camp in one of the organisation’s vehicles where she was sexually assaulted by the men.

Police attached to the investigation later confirmed that a medical examination conducted corroborated the allegations; revealing that the teen was indeed sexually violated.

The accused is set to return to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on March 27.

Janitor jailed for causing death by dangerous driving

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Bourda janitor was on Friday afternoon slapped with a fouryear jail term and ordered to pay a fine of $25,000, for the 2015 New Year’s Day death of an elderly man caused by dangerous driving. The guilty verdict was handed down by Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

Roger Bess, 36, was initially hauled before the court and charged with the offence which alleged that on January 1, 2015, at

Cemetery Road, West La Penitence, Georgetown, he drove his motor vehicle in a manner dangerous to the public, thereby causing the death of George Barker.

The father of two was released on bail when Defence Attorney Khemraj Ramjattan successfully made an application for bail.

Police’s case states Bess was heading South along Cemetery Road on New Year’s morning when he reportedly lost control of the

Robert Bess

vehicle, hitting pedestrians and dismantling several stalls alongside the road.

A number of persons were pitched into a nearby trench during the accident and were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where the Barker died.

The accused reportedly fled the scene but was lat-

er arrested and charged.

Legal representative for the accused had told the court that the vehicle’s two front tires sustained punctures as he was going over a speed bump, causing his client to lose control of the motor car.

The Magistrate in summing up her case declared that based on evidence submitted the court found that the accused’s driving fell way below that of a competent driver, and the victim’s injuries were consistent with those received from the accident, directly resulting in his death. A second charge of wanton driving was dismissed against Bess due to insufficient evidence.

Bess maintained a solemn expression while the sentencing was dispensed; being cuffed shortly after and escorted out of the courtroom and later taken to the Camp Street Prison.

Y

…and meter contracts our Eyewitness had wondered – and doubted whether this day would come. He figured the three-month suspension of the contract Government had requested, was basically to buy time and have the protesters run out of steam. And have no doubt – it’s not Bulkan who made the request, he’s just the conduit seeing as how he’s supposed to be “Communities Ministers” and all. This request came from the top.

So, when Royston King, Town Clerk, says “no can do”, you know “things na regulah”! King pointed out to the “terror clause” in the contract, he, the Mayor, Councillor Garrett and Oscar signed away with Smart City Solutions while on the junket to Panama City the latter paid for. The said clause needs to be stated in full: If the city unilaterally terminates the contract, by Article 14, it would have to “pay the concessionaire a lump sum payment equivalent to (i) the total direct and indirect, hard and soft cost cumulative gross investment of the concessionaire in the project; plus (ii) an amount equal to 25 per cent of the direct and indirect hard and soft cost cumulative gross investment of the concessionaire in the project; multiplied by the number of years (or fraction) remaining under the term…(iii) the reasonable out of pocket and documented costs and expenses incurred by the concessionaire as a direct result of such termination.”

The ‘lump sum”, we’re told is US$10,000,000 – and you can do the Maths for the final sum and you’ll know why it’s a “terror clause”. But this is what your Eyewitness and so many other folks were saying all along, no? Why would the Gang of Four, sign on the dotted line of a contract with this and other clauses that were so egregiously punitive to Georgetown? And we all know the answer, don’t we? And it’s not just the first-class tickets, hotel rooms and per diems!!

When they came back – and were confronted

by Duncan and other members of the City Council – they refused to back down. The Finance Ministry was scathing in its eight-page report calling some of the provisions “ignorant” as well as ultra vires since there was no bidding for the contract as is mandated by the Regs. Even the friendlier Attorney General’s Chambers report said the provision cited by King was intended “to put the city in terror of terminating the agreement.” And so said, so done.

But yet after the above Government reports, Bulkan rubber stamped the deal when he signed the necessary By-laws.

The stinky stuff will now hit the fan…and spatter on a lot of faces! …and rice Turhane Doerga of Alesie Mills revolutionised the rice industry in Guyana after he exploited a loophole in Europe to bypass tariffs when shipping the grain there. Martinique and Guadeloupe, as “departments” of France, are officially part and parcel of Europe and the tariffs don’t apply to rice from those Caribbean Islands. So Doerga established mills there, bought and shipped paddy from Guyanese farmers to be milled and shipped to Europe from the “Departments”! Voila!

A new, lucrative rice market!

The price of paddy in Guyana skyrocketed and that was the beginning of the expansion of the rice industry to its present 600,000 tonne status. Europe, of course, did what they’ll always do when the third world’s making some money – shutdown the arrangement through legislation. In Guyana, Doerga was always regarded as a “sharp operator”.

But in business, your Eyewitness sees that as a necessary trait. Hey!! It’s a dog eat dog world, all right?

But Doerga just announced he’s closing shop here and selling his rice mills. Your Eyewitness is waiting for the other foot to fall! …and Pharma sole sourcing The procurement of pharma attracts more than its fair share of “smart flies”. One Minister’s been transferred – and before the ink’s dry on the new appointee’s contract, she’s in hot water!

Maybe they should have a pre-qualification process for Ministers?

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

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saturDAY, march 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Wales Estate closure

Sugar workers left ‘in the cold’ …as Govt declares no ‘fiscal space’ for severance payments

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community-level meeting held on Friday at the Wales Community Centre between residents of Wales, West Bank Demerara and Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, and Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes erupted in chaos when cane harvesters stormed out after being told by the panel that Government has no money to pay the severance to which they are entitled.

Bluntly asked to explain why cane cutters were not being paid their severance packages, Ramjattan explained that Government could not afford to pay the expected $375 million in severance pay. “As far as I’m aware, those that were

what is now required to pay severance.

Walkout

The frustrated workers as they walked out of the proceedings

Ramjattan explained.

Interrupted at this point by visibly upset workers, he emphasised that there is also a problem of financing, since the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is in an almost bankrupt state.

“Those that got the severance payment at the appropriate time, we had to pay

Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes appealing to the frustrated workers to be calm

given that option during this period of transition – and opted to come out of the industry and not remain as workers to go to Uitvlugt – they were paid their severance. That option having been taken at the time, made those that remain still employees of the company,”

$339 million in severance payment. GuySuCo is practically bankrupt. The figure now for those who would want (severance payment) is going to be $375 million more,” he detailed.

He elaborated that if workers of the redundant Wales Estate were to receive

severance packages and not go to work at the Uitvlugt Estate it would cause Uitvlugt to collapse; but one impassioned resident informed the crowd of his experience at Uitvlugt Estate, and of questions regarding the availability of work there. The resident said he had gone to Uitvlugt, only to be given menial tasks to perform, or alternatively told to clean drains or scrub steps.

Voice breaking with emotion, the man lamented his impoverished state since closure of the Wales Estate.

Ministers Hughes and Ramjattan reminded the crowd of the billions of dollars which have been invested into GuySuCo since this Government took office, but the consensus among the crowd was that these massive investments never reached the ordinary workers. Against the backdrop of claims that there was no fiscal space, sugar workers reminded the Ministers that, in 2015, they had taken a retroactive raise of pay, in some cases by 50 per cent.

In response, Ramjattan retorted that the amount they paid themselves – a figure he put at $28 million – was too small to compare with

Throughout the afternoon’s proceedings, workers were clearly in a belligerent mood, as they remained opposed to the Government’s reluctance to pay the severance packages based on macro-economic reasons.

Emotions boiled over when a member of the crowd called for police intervention if the workers did not calm down. At that point, a section of the gathering got up en masse and exited the proceedings to protest on the road for their severance payments.

Guyana Times was able to speak with a few of those disaffected workers. Many expressed worry for their families and their livelihoods, while most were clearly unwilling to travel the distance from Wales to Uitvlugt.

According to one factory worker, a Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) representative, while factory workers are expected to collect their severance payments, the cane harvesters have been unjustly neglected in this regard. He made it clear that protest actions would continue until all categories of workers entitled to severance are so paid.

“Our biggest concern is that the Minister of Agriculture declared that Wales Estate would be closing on 31 December, so people need to move on with their lives. You close the estate, you giving one set of people severance and you denying the cane harvesters severance. The people have mortgages, families (and) they have things to do,” he contended.

“It’s wrong!” he declared.

“The people are entitled to

erance! We don’t have to be here picketing!” he declared.

Government announced the end of sugar operations at Wales Estate in early 2016, citing costs as the main factor for the estate’s closure. It was later disclosed that rice would be cultivated as part of diversification plans for the Wales Estate.

Already up in arms about not being paid their Annual Percentage Increases (API), Wales’ workers embarked

The panel of Ministers: from left are Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister of State Joseph Harmon

their severance and they’re playing politics with the people’s lives. GuySuCo has had no wage increases in 2015 and 2016. From the time they go into power, they took 50 percent (increase). Since December these people aren’t working, and they’re entitled, so we will continue to protest until they have (it).

Give the people their sev-

on protests that have been consistent for over a year. It was only on March 10, 2017 that Wales cane harvesters, transporters and their families protested outside of the Ministry of the Presidency.

They then moved to outside of the National Assembly, where a sitting of the country’s legislators was in progress.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, march 18, 2017

News

DPP reopens CrumEwing murder case

Parking meter burden

Protesters challenge SCS on Water Street …Nigel Hughes retained as ...as new parking timing increased by 2 hours

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mere day after the weekly scheduled parking meter protest, the Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM) has staged a new form of demonstration against the pay-to-park initiative.

Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, who indicated that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has violated the Roads Act Laws of Guyana. The minister noted that in accordance with Chapter 51:01, Water

protest, Marcel Gaskin, has declared: “We are daring SCS to come and clamp us!” He went on to describe the parking meter system in Guyana as a money-making operation for Smart City Solutions, thus the decision

The Movement Against Parking Meters staged a protest on Water Street, Georgetown on Friday

Joined by business operatives and accompanied

by Acting Mayor Sherod Duncan, who continues to contend that the system lacks merit and should be suspended immediately, group members on Friday deliberately parked their vehicles in the payto-park slots in front of the Muneshwer’s building on Water Street with intent to challenge the Smart City Solutions (SCS) constables.

They carried black flags, symbolising the death of businesses within the area, and recited what are now well known chants calling for the removal of parking meters.

Friday’s act of defiance was prompted by a recent statement made by Public

Street (among other streets) falls under the purview of the Public Infrastructure Ministry, thus permission from that Ministry is required before initiatives such as the parking meter initiative can be implemented.

Patterson indicated that permission was never granted to either the M&CC or the SCS – agencies which have been burdening citizens utilizing these areas with parking fees since introduction of the project. Further, these agencies have been extending harsh repercussions to those who refuse to comply with their demands. These instances of assault were reported, and are currently being tried in the courts.

Organiser of the Friday

to delay the suspension.

The protester alluded to Minister Patterson’s statements as the reason for the MAPM’s additional demonstration and the particular location chosen.

At the frontline of Friday’s MPM rally was the Acting Mayor of Georgetown, Sherod Duncan. The active anti-parking meter protestor told Guyana Times that he came out in support of Government’s calls for a halt to the Parking Meter Project in order to facilitate a comprehensive assessment of the project, because he is confident it would be completely terminated after that assessment.

Duncan informed the media that, according to legislation, authority to revoke

the contract lies in the hands of the Town Clerk. And given that Royston King was the one to enter into the contract with SCS, Duncan stated, “I see no reason why, based on the decision of the cabinet, we have to wait until the Mayor comes back; and why we can’t go ahead and suspend the contract.”

Challenging the integrity and credibility of Smart City Solutions Company, the Acting Mayor has opined that SCS officials are using Guyana as “a Guinea pig”.

Given the many implications since introduction of the project, Duncan questioned whether this is the first parking meter project the company has ever executed, and reiterated that the company should be removed from the project.

Just minutes before the protest was staged, geo-Parking road constables assembled themselves with their clamps at the junction, but as the protestors began to assemble, they left the area. For the duration of the demonstration, none of the ‘parking meter police officials’ were spotted on scene, and accordingly, no vehicle was clamped.

Notice has been placed on the parking meters within the area, advising that hours of paid parking meter operations are from 07:00h to 21:00h (9am to 9pm). This is despite the other public notices which inform that parking meters are in service from 07:00h to 19:00h (7am to 7pm).

special prosecutor

Courtney Crum-Ewing

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ix months after being acquitted of the murder of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing, Regan Rodrigues, called “Grey Boy”, will again be facing the charge, because the Director of Public Prosecutions has ordered that the case be reopened.

It was announced on Friday that the DDP, Shalimar Ali-Hack, has remitted the murder case against Rodrigues to Magistrate Judy Latchman for it to be reopened. The Chambers of the DPP has noted that “the sole purpose of this remit is to take further evidence from police witnesses and to rule on the voluntariness of all oral statements of the accused.”

The DDP has also disclosed that Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes has been retained as special prosecutor, to lead the case.

Crum-Ewing, a 40-yearold ex-soldier, was gunned down execution-style on March 10, 2015 while urg-

ing residents of the Diamond Housing Scheme on the East Bank of Demerara to go out and cast their ballots in the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Elections.

An autopsy performed on Crum-Ewing revealed he was shot five times.

Several months later, Rodrigues, called “Grey Boy”, was arrested and charged after it was alleged that a gun found at his home was the weapon that had discharged the spent shells found at the crime scene where CrumEwing was gunned down.

The murder charge against Rodrigues was, however, dismissed in September 2016, after Magistrate Latchman found that no case has been made against Rodrigues, since the police had failed to prove that he was the one who had pulled the trigger to discharge the bullets that had killed Crum-Ewing.

The magistrate had told the court there was no evidence to suggest that Rodrigues was the trigger man, and that throughout the case, neither the accused nor the supposed evidence against the accused had implicated him in the murder of Crum-Ewing. As such, the case against Rodrigues was discharged.

Rodrigues is currently serving a three-year sentence for escaping from lawful custody, which was handed down in January 2016. At the time of receiving this conviction, he was acquitted of charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, after the prosecution failed to prove its case.

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saturDAY, march 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Bartica miner nabbed Venezuela’s sanctions aimed with illegal gun, ammo Venezuela border controversy

at influencing settlement process – Harmon

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he call made on Thursday by the Energy and Petroleum Commission of the National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela – for Guyana to cease its oil exploration, as it (allegedly) violates the Geneva Agreement between the two countries – is nothing more than an attempt by the Venezuela Government to sway a process that is currently being undertaken by the United Nations’ appointed mediator.

Expressing this view on Friday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon clarified the situation as follows: “We are in a process now where the Secretary General of the UN has appointed a personal representative to look at the issues in the controversy, and he has given him up to December to arrive at a decision; failing which, the matter will go to the ICJ (International Court of Justice).

He continued, “Statements that are made by the parties in Venezuela I suppose are statements to influence the process.”

Harmon said that despite the threats, Guyana has been faithful to its commitment under the arrangement, and would wish nothing would derail the process. “We have always said there is an agreement and it should be dealt with by (the) International Court (of Justice)”.

Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional on Thursday published a report detailing that the Energy and Petroleum Commission of the National Assembly of Venezuela was convinced that the oil exploration ongoing in Guyana violates

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

the Geneva Agreement of 1966 and Article 10 of The Bolivarian Constitution of Venezuela, “which clearly establishes the Venezuelan territory”.

The Commission has rejected the legality of oil operations ongoing in Guyana’s Essequibo region, and according to the report, vice-president of the parliamentary body, Deputy for Zulia, Elías Matta, who tabled the draft agreement, explained that, “As stipulated in Article 5 of the Geneva Agreement, no resource can be exploited if there is no agreement between both nations”.

The El Nacional report detailed that: “Deputy Matta said the Guyana Government carried out the expansion of oil prospecting operations in May 2015, in which ExxonMobil reported a discovery at the Liza-1 well of the Stabroek Block.

“Likewise, on November 17, 2016, the commercialisation of the same was announced, estimating its recoverable resources (at) between 800 million and 1.4 billion barrels of high quality crude oil belonging

to the coastal waters of the Essequibo.”

The gist of the El Nacional report is that the Venezuelan Parliamentary Commission wants the Venezuela Government to send this “agreement” to the new UN Good Officer for the Guyana/Venezuela conflict.

The Commission also wants the UN official “to immediately suspend all operations carried out within the maritime area corresponding to the territory in claim until the dispute is resolved.” The UN Good Officer has no such powers, according to local officials familiar with the process.

According to the report, Matta said the decree was a flagrant violation of international law, and was inconsistent with the principle that all states should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states.

Following this report, The Ministry of the Presidency (MotP), in a statement, maintained that Guyana has always respected the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal’s Award as being the final settlement of the border controversy, and that President Granger views Venezuela’s claims to Guyana’s territory as “expansionist ambition”.

The MotP statement further reveals that the Administration of President David Granger has committed to bringing an end to the decades-old border controversy between Guyana and neighbouring Venezuela through judicial intervention, since Venezuela is bent on seeking to prove that it owns part of Guyana, despite the decision handed down by the Arbitral Tribunal.

A

miner of Mongripper Hill, Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) was arrested by the Police after he was found to be in possession of a firearm and ammunition without being the holder of the

required licence.

Based on reports received, Police acted on information received and went to Honey Camp Backdam, Middle Mazaruni, on Thursday afternoon where they conducted a search

during which the 34-yearold miner was nabbed with a .32 pistol and two live matching rounds of ammunition in his possession.

He was interrogated and placed in custody. He is expected to be charged shortly.

Decomposed body found at Timehri

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he partially decomposed body of an unidentified man was found in the lower flat of a two-storey building at Timehri, East Bank Demerara on Friday at about 06:00h.

The body was discovered by a female teacher who occupies the upper flat of the house after a stench began to emanate from the lower apartment, which is unoccupied. Being hit with the stink stench, she decided to search for its origin, and soon found herself shockingly confronting two feet of a human body. She immediately reported the find at the Timehri Police Station, a stone’s throw away.

The several marks of violence reportedly seen about this body have caused investigators to believe that the man had been beaten. Residents recalled seeing a man of East Indian descent walking around in the village on Wednesday with lacerations about his body; and one woman recalled seeing the par-

Police ranks at the scene on Friday

tially naked man lying on the roadway on Wednesday afternoon. “He de groaning, and when I check his eyes was swollen, his chest was black and blue, and he de asking for something to eat,” the woman stated.

She posited that a woman who operates a small shop in the area had offered the man something to eat and drink, after which he had walked away. Timehri residents be-

lieve that the man might have gone into the unoccupied lower flat of the house to rest.

Three hours after its discovery, undertakers arrived on scene and removed the body to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home to await identification and a post-mortem examination.

Up to late Friday evening the body was not identified, but police investigations have commenced.

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saturDAY, march 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Venezuela border controversy

Guyana rejects Venezuelan block on oil development

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he Government of Guyana (GoG) has officially sounded its strong condemnation of recent statements made by the neighbouring Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) in regard to Guyana exploiting its natural resources located offshore the Essequibo.

In regard to a resolution promulgated on Wednesday by the Energy and Petroleum Commission of Venezuela, calling for Guyana to immediately cease ongoing offshore oil exploration and exploitation activities in the Stabroek concession block well, the Government of Guyana has noted that that Spanishspeaking nation has not even adopted or endorsed the resolution.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry, noting on Friday that as far as Guyana is aware, the Government of Venezuela has neither adopted nor otherwise endorsed the resolution, had this to say: “The inflammatory resolution contains serious factual and legal errors.

First, it suggests erroneously that the offshore activities in Guyanese waters have “recently” commenced, whereas the Stabroek license was awarded in 1999

and exploration commenced the following year, in 2000, 17 years ago.”

The Foreign Affairs Ministry’s release has also said that the resolution suggests, erroneously, that Guyana is prohibited from developing its resources in this area because of Article V of the Geneva Agreement of 1966, but nothing whatsoever in the terms of that provision indicates that the parties cannot exercise jurisdiction over their sovereign territories. “Otherwise, it would mean that for the past fifty years, Guyana had no right to develop 70% of its territory, and the same applies to Venezuela’s development of the Orinoco region and adjacent maritime area which, like the Essequibo, was the subject of the 1899 Arbitral Award.

Needless to say, such an ar-

gument is manifestly absurd”, the release argues.

The release further states that Venezuela’s political posturing comes at an unfortunate time – when the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General has appointed Ambassador Dag Nylander as his Personal Representative to provide Guyana and Venezuela a final opportunity to resort to the Good Offices process, in order to resolve the controversy arising from Venezuela’s contention that the 1899 Arbitral Award delimiting the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela is “null and void”.

The release reminded that the parties have until the end of 2017 to make significant progress in arriving at a final resolution of the controversy; failing which, the Secretary-General

will refer the matter to the International Court of Justice.

The release has said that Guyana is fully committed to the search for a full and final resolution of the controversy under the Good Offices process in the limited time that remains.

“Such deliberate provocations and absurd demands: that Guyana halt all development activities, especially when, for over fifty years, Venezuela has intimidated Guyana and obstructed a resolution of the controversy in accordance with international law, only serve to undermine this final opportunity for the parties to once and for all bring an end to this matter by agreement; failing which, adjudication will be the only remaining means of settlement.”

The release declares that Guyana remains committed to friendly and neighbourly relations with the Government and people of Venezuela, but will categorically refuse to surrender any of the sovereign rights to which it is entitled under international law, “not least in this, the fifty-first anniversary of its independence from colonial rule, as a new period of prosperity awaits its people”.

GDF ranks dismissed amid rape allegations

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he three ranks attached to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), who were implicated in the alleged rape of an 18-year-old girl at Camp Stephenson, Timehri, East Bank Demerara, were dismissed from the force.

The GDF in a release to the media stated that the decision to dismiss the three ranks came in wake of the conclusion of the Board of Inquiry (BoI) which was convened to investigate the allegations.

Based on the findings and recommendations of the Inquiry, the Ranks were found to be, not only in contravention of the Security Standing Orders but also a number of other Standing Operating Procedures of the Force.

However, the matter is still seeking the attention of the Guyana Police Force.

As matter of fact, one of the dismissed ranks was on Friday charged for rape when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Winston Haynes, also known as “Carlos”, 24, was represented by attorney Dexter Todd who was successful in securing bail for his client in the sum of $600,000.

The case was called in-camera, hence the details of the charge are not known. Haynes will return to court on March 27.

Meanwhile, due to their dismissal, the ranks have lost their benefits accumulated while serving in the Guyana Defence Force.

The rape allegation was levelled against the three men in January of this year.

The men reportedly collected the young lady while she was awaiting transportation along the Timehri Public Road and took her to the barracks where they committed the act after which they escorted her out of the compound.

The matter was reported to the Police and the hierarchy of the Guyana Defence Force. A BoI was established to investigate the matter. Guyana Times was told that the men contacted the victim to settle the matter.

2 Georgetown schools benefit from energy saving initiatives

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he Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) recently implemented energy efficiency and energy saving initiatives at St Joseph High School and North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary School in Georgetown.

These initiatives were done in response to findings from an energy assessment conducted at both institutions, where it was identified that significant savings in energy could be achieved through the replacement of inefficient lighting fixtures.

The activities that were conducted included the replacement of inefficient lighting with energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting technology and the replacement of lighting switches with occupancy sensors.

At the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School, 520 LED tubular lights, rated at 15 watts; and 50 occupancy sensors were installed. The lead engineer on the project, Brian Constantine, said that LED lights were chosen because “they are advantageous in that they use 60 per cent less energy than fluorescent lights, do not contain any mercury and are longer lasting.”

This intervention he said, “… will save over 22.9 MWh of energy annually and over $1.54 million in electricity

GEA technicians installing LED Lights at North Ruimveldt Multilateral

costs, with a simple payback period of one year. Further, it is anticipated that there will be a reduction of about 13kW in the demand for power at this school where the previous demand for light load was 20.8kW and the new demand now being about 7.8kW.” Meanwhile, at the St Joseph High School, 146 LED tubular lights rated at 15 watts and 40 occupancy sensors were installed.

Constantine indicated that “… this will incur savings of over 4.4MWh of energy annually and over G$493,528 in electricity costs, with a simple payback period of one year.” From measurements conducted, it is anticipated that there will be a reduction of about 3.65kW in the demand for power at this school where the previous demand

for light load was 5.84kW and the new demand now being about 2.19kW. During a follow up visit to the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School, students noted that the occupancy sensors installed in their classrooms were very convenient and the LED bulbs were brighter than the florescent tubes that they replaced.

Integrated Science teacher, Petal Marks said “… the occupancy sensors are very convenient and will help with energy conservation and efficiency as, often, students and teachers would leave for the day but the lights would be left on in classrooms; this technology (occupancy sensors) helps us solve the problem.”

TURN TO PAGE 16

13 Coconut industry to be regenerated Traffic lights with new agreement proposed for Linden news

saturDAY, march 18, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

An agreement was on Friday signed between the Hope Coconut Industries Limited and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Extension Institute to expand the existing coconut nursery at Hope Estate. Overlooking the signing is Agriculture Minister Noel Holder (standing centre)

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he Agriculture Ministry has embarked on efforts to facilitate the regeneration of the coconut industry in Guyana. An agreement was on Friday signed between the Hope Coconut Industries Limited (HCIL) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (CARDI) to expand the existing coconut nursery at Hope Estate.

The revitalisation of the industry has been of paramount interest to the Government.

As such, this step was taken to ensure availability of quality seedlings for farmers to continue and enhance the coconut industry in Guyana.

The agreement, which was signed in the boardroom of the Agriculture Ministry, will offset the production of 50,000 seedlings within the first year.

Signing the contract were the CARDI'S Representative to Guyana, Dr Cyril Roberts; and Hope Estate's General Manager, Rickey Roopchand.

Dr Roberts in delivering remarks stated that the initiatives form part of CARDI's Coconut Development Project which is being implemented across nine Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries.

"The Hope Estate will be responsible for the management of the nurseries and from our visit there recently, we are pleased thus far, with the progress made and the work being done to ensure farmers have access to high-quality seedlings," Roberts said.

General Manager, Hope Estate, Ricky Roopchand in welcoming the joint venture indicated that when the project is fully implemented, Hope Estate will have the capacity to supply 1000 coconut seedlings to farmers on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder called for continued collaboration to ensure growth and success of the coconut industry.

CARDI, which is a regional institute established by the Caricom Heads of Government, is in the process of resuscitating the Caricom regional coconut industry and launched a further partnership with the International Trade Centre with funding support through the 10th European Development Fund.

US donates explosive trace detection machines to Guyana

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he local aviation sector’s security capacity has been boosted following the receipt of two state-of-the-art portable explosive trace detection (ETDs) machines from the United States Transportation Security Administration (USTSA).

The machinery was handed over to the Public Infrastructure Ministry on Friday during a simple ceremony organised by Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson, during which Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy, Terry SteersGonzalez, presented the equipment.

Also present at the ceremony were Chairman of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Board, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Lawrence London; Manager of the GCAA Aviation Security Department, Abraham Dorris; and Airport Security Manager of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Corporation, Alvin Majeed.

The TSA is the body largely responsible for safeguarding the USA’s air transport sector from terrorism and during the simple ceremony; Minister Ferguson expressed her gratitude for the donation.

She further highlighted the challenges faced by Guyana in the area of aviation security and emphasised that the machines will be used for their intended purpose. She also noted the significant cost of the equipment and lauded the US Government for its continued investment into the improvement of aviation security in Guyana.

Junior Public Infrastructure Minister Annette Ferguson and US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Terry Steers-Gonzalez (second left) shortly after handing over the equipment along with the other officials of the local aviation sector

Similarly, GCAA Aviation Security Department Manager, Abraham Dorris thanked the US-TSA and indicated that security will be significantly improved.

The items received are currently valued at US$90,000 or G$18.9 million and the donation was made possible via the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between the Public Infrastructure Ministry on behalf of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, and the US-TSA on November 16, 2015.

The MoA allows for Guyana to access technical support and other expertise to assist the GCAA in developing and improving security related standards, procedures, policies, and modernising its oversight infrastructure.

Several personnel from the GCAA CJIA will be trained on the use of the equipment which can detect a wide range of substances involved in the creation of explosive materials and devices. Prior to the training, the equipment will be handed over by the GCAA to CJIA, to be placed into operation shortly, as the GCAA and CJIA work collaborative-

ly to improve and maintain the Airport’s security system.

Gonzalez of the US Embassy thanked the Government of Guyana, the GCAA, and CJIA for the cooperation and collaboration shared “across the board and on this specific project.”

He further deemed the equipment as “state-of-theart”, adding that he looked forward to seeing them in use on his next visit to the airports.

The receipt of the two ETD machines from the USTSA comes at a time when the GCAA has committed to developing its aviation security policies and regulations to better regulate the aviation sector, after Guyana underwent a security audit by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), conducted under the Universal Security Audit Programme, Continuing Monitoring Approach framework during June-July of last year.

The CJIA is also taking bold strides to improve and modernise the airport security infrastructure with plans to procure new security equipment to satisfy ICAO’s requirements and to match international best

practice which will essentially improve the effectiveness in passenger and baggage screening and the screening of outgoing cargo and mail passing through the CJIA. The CJIA will also continue to recruit and train new security personnel while improving the standard of performance of the security system. These developments are concomitant to the airport expansion project which has a defined timeline of completion by year-end.

The ceremony marks the continued partnership between the Government of Guyana and the United States, both of which are committed to ensuring that aviation security measures and surveillance activities are continuously improved.

These efforts are in order to ensure the safety of the travelling public by largely safeguarding all civil aviation operation which includes airline operations, airport operations, and air cargo operations from acts of unlawful interferences, other forms of terrorism, and any criminal activities that may pose a threat to the civil aviation sector.

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Regional Chairman Renis Morian

hairperson of the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Local Government Committee, Sandra Adams has put forward recommendations for traffic lights to be placed at at least five main, strategic corners in the Linden community.

During a recent meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Adams said the recommendations were discussed during a Committee meeting, while she urged Regional Chairman Renis Morian for those recommendations to be discussed with members of the Road Safety Council. The areas include strategic points such as the junction of Republic Avenue and Co-op Crescent, leading into Greenheart Street; the Five Corner area and the Amelia’s Ward main junction; all at Mackenzie; while the areas recommended to benefit from traffic lights at Wismar include the junction of Burnham Drive and Winifred Gaskin Highway and the Four Corner area.

Adams said the areas were discussed because they are critical junctions where there is a lot of traffic and “confusion”. Last year, the Regional Chairman had outlined during a meeting that traffic lights for the Five Corner area – one of the main thoroughfares in the Linden community – would be placed in the 2017 Budget. Once this development comes on

Region 10 Local Government Committee Chairperson Sandra Adams

stream, it would be a boost in the infrastructural enhancement of the community, where this feature is lacking. The only traffic lights in the Linden community were situated at the Mackenzie/ Wismar bridge, but those malfunctioned years ago. The areas which were recommended by the Local Government Committee Chairman would usually suffer traffic buildup, especially on weekdays.

A driver told this newspaper that the installation of traffic lights would be a welcomed initiative.

“I think that would be the right step towards development in Linden because any driver can tell you what usually takes place on some of those intersection corners most days. With the traffic lights it would improve the flow of traffic and ease some of the disorder.”

Pedal cyclist hospitalised following collision

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n Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) pedal cyclist is currently hospitalised following a collision on the Zorg public road on Friday morning.

Injured is Roy Lowe, who is nursing a dislocated hip along with other injuries about his body at the Suddie Public Hospital.

Reports are at about 09:30h, motorcar HC 6272 driven by Shiek Mohamed was proceeding North

along the eastern side of the Zorg public road when 63-year-old Lowe reportedly made a right turn, hence colliding with the car.

He was picked up and rushed to hospital where he was admitted.

Following the collision, the driver of Maria Delight, Essequibo Coast, was taken into Police custody and is assisting with investigations.

Both the car and the cycle are impounded at the Suddie Police Station.

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Regional St Lucian-born Nobel Laureate, Sir Derek Walcott dies

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t Lucian poet, playwright, and Nobel Laureate Sir Derek Alton Walcott has died.

Sir Derek passed away at his home in Cap Estate this morning at the age of 87, after a prolonged illness.

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, in a brief address, offered condolences to his family, noting that his death was also a great loss for the entire country and the rest of the world.

“When everyone speaks of excellence, the two names that stand tall in St Lucia’s history are Sir Arthur Lewis, and Sir Derek Walcott. As such, today is a historical day, as

Sir Derek Walcott passed away at his home in St Lucia on Friday morning

it marks the passing of Sir Derek,” he said.

“His is a household

name, as he made himself so available and participated in many nation-

al and local events in St Lucia… There is one thing that Derek truly was – a Caribbean patron. He was always very consistent about being Caribbean, and being original.”

Chastanet added that in recognition of the statesman that Sir Derek was, the flags will be flown at halfmast until next Tuesday.

He said he is also in discussions with the late national icon’s family and the artistic fraternity to discuss what tributes can be paid.

Sir Derek received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992. On February 28, 2016, was invested with the Knight Commander of Saint Lucia. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Commonwealth trade a non-starter for Britain and the Caribbean

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hat was described as an “historic meeting” of Commonwealth trade and investment ministers in London recently, in an attempt to make use of the “Commonwealth advantage” to boost trade within the 52-member bloc, is more likely to prove to be an exercise in practical futility, and more of cynical attempt at political cos-

metics by the British government to allay Brexit fears domestically.

Ministers and representatives from just 35 countries attended the meeting on March 9-10, jointly convened by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

However, Kehinde Andrews, writing in

London’s Guardian newspaper in the context of Britain’s scramble for a Commonwealth free trade area widely viewed as “Empire 2.0”, said, speaking of the African experience, “Nations no longer ruled by force and fear will not supplicate themselves to Britain because of misty memories of empire.”

According to Sir

Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the US, the effort in Britain to talk-up the Commonwealth as a free trade area is an illusionary attempt to allay fears that Britain will have what is described as a ‘hard Brexit’ and, therefore, will be left without favourable terms of trade in the EU or any other market. (Excerpt from Caribbean News)

Bahamas prison officer found hanging in cell

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oroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez, has launched an investigation into the death of a male officer from the Bahamas Department of Corrections, who died while in lawful custody for a domestic incident on Thursday night.

Police Officers are reported to have discovered

the man hanging in a cell at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station at around 23:00h. A Police state-

ment stated that lifesaving procedures was immediately done by healthcare officials from the nearby clinic and EMS personnel responded to the station where lifesaving procedures continued

while the man was transported to the hospital.

The man, who has not been identified, was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The police said an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death and that investigations are continuing.

(Jamaica Observer)

Haiti Senate passes resolution condemning arrest, extradition of colleague

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, march 18, 2017

he Haitian Senate has approved a resolution strongly condemning the arrest and extradition of Guy Philippe to the United States in January on drug trafficking charges.

At least 19 of the 24 senators voted on the resolution during a sitting earlier this week that also demanded the return of Philippe “and all those who are illegally detained

in the United States under the agreement of 17 October, 1997”.

Philippe, 48, who is in a US federal jail in Miami, had been elected as a Senator last November to represent the Grand Anse region, in South-western Haiti.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges of cocaine trafficking and money laundering from 1997 to 2003. If convicted, he could

face up to life in prison.

The US Attorney’s Office said it is also seeking to recover US$1.5 million in drug profits from Philippe, a former member of the now disbanded Haitian Army and a former Police Commissioner.

According to the resolution, the arrest of Philippe constitutes “an attack on democracy, human rights and to the rule of law...”

The senate is also rec-

ommending that the governments of Haiti and the United States correct the errors contained in the 1997 Convention in order to maintain good diplomatic relations and make an injunction to the Haitian Government to undertake without delay “all the necessary diplomatic steps” for an immediate return to Haiti of elected Senator Guy Philippe”. (Excerpt from

Jamaica Observer)

Peru floods kill 67 and spark criticism of country’s climate change preparedness

Peru flooding: Evangelina Chamorro Diaz scrambles out of a vast mudslide

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ixty-seven people have been killed and thousands more forced to evacuate by intense rains which damaged 115,000 homes and destroyed more than 100 bridges in Peru’s worst floods in recent memory.

The disaster – which came after a period of severe drought – has been blamed on abnormally high temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, and fuelled criticism that the country is ill-prepared for the growing challenges of climate change.

Over the past three days, the downpour has burst river banks, created mudslides, collapsed bridges, closed roads and forced school suspensions in swaths of the west and north of the country.

Rains continued to lash the northern Piura region where streets remained flooded in the regional capital and

homes had been washed away in poorer neighbourhoods.

With temperatures still high, the meteorological agency expects the rain front to move inland and south over the coming days and has issued a highest-level weather warning for the Amazon part of the Cusco, Ucayali and Huánuco regions.

In November Peru declared a state of emergency when wildfires tore through drought-stricken areas burning nearly 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) of land.

Scientists accused Peruvian authorities of ignoring a warning to countries in the region that there was a severe risk of drought, and opposition politicians have accused the government of failing to respond adequately to forecasts of increasingly frequent extreme weather events. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Industry Ministry says Jamaica to expand exports to UK

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hief Technical Director in the Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry, Stephen Wedderburn, has reiterated Jamaica’s commitment to expand export of produce and products to the United Kingdom (UK).

Wedderburn was representing Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Karl Samuda, at the opening ceremony of the UK Food and Beverage Exhibition on Thursday.

Describing Jamaica’s trade performance over the last few decades as lacklustre, Wedderburn said the history of Jamaica indicates that the periods of our highest economic growth were periods in which export earnings increased.

In a release from the Ministry Friday, Wedderburn said that Jamaica has been expanding its export platform to facilitate the growth in the export of both traditional and non-traditional produce and products.

He added that Jamaica was committed to satisfy-

Stephen Wedderburn

ing customer demand in the UK and wider EU market for items such as bananas, mangoes, yams and sweet potatoes.

The Chief Technical Director also welcomed the representatives from 30 British companies who were participating in the exhibition and assured them of Jamaica’s commitment to ensuring the implementation and observation of the best practices in both exporting and importing goods and services. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

saturDAY, march 18, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Merkel and Trump begin key talks at White House

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erman Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting the White House for a key summit with President Donald Trump.

Nato, trade and Ukraine are high on the agenda, but the focus is also on how two leaders with hugely contrasting ideas and leadership styles interact.

President Trump has called s Merkel’s migration policy “catastrophic”, while she has criticised his planned travel ban on several mainly Muslim nations. The visit was scheduled for Tuesday but had to be postponed due to a snowstorm.

The leaders are holding more than two hours of talks, followed by a working lunch.

There was a warm reception as Merkel arrived, although it was a little awkward as they posed stiffly for photographs inside the White House.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting the White House for a key summit with President Donald Trump

Mr Trump said they had been discussing a myriad of issues, adding: “Send a good picture back to Germany, please.” The summit has been highly anticipated given that the two leaders have publicly differed on several key issues.

In January, Trump said the German chancellor had made “a catastrophic mistake” by allowing hundreds of thousands of refugees and

migrants into Germany.

And when Time magazine chose her as its person of the year in 2015 instead of him, Trump said she was “ruining Germany”. However, he has also said in the past she is a leader he greatly respects.

For her part Merkel has criticised President Trump’s controversial travel ban that targets the citizens of several mainly Muslim countries.

China, Russia block UN council concern about Myanmar violence

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hina, backed by Russia, blocked a short United Nations (UN) Security Council statement on Myanmar on Friday, diplomats said, after the 15-member body met to discuss the situation in Rakhine state, where the country’s military is conducting a security operation.

The UN human rights office last month accused the military of mass killings and rapes of Rohingya Muslims and burning their villages since October in a campaign that “very likely” amounts to crimes against humanity

and possibly ethnic cleansing.

UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman briefed the council behind closed doors.

Britain requested the meeting. “We did put forward... some proposed press elements but there was not consensus in the room,” British UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft, president of the council for March, told reporters after the briefing.

Such statements have to be agreed by consensus.

Diplomats said Myanmar neighbour China, backed by Russia, blocked the state-

ment. The short draft press statement, seen by Reuters, would have “noted with concern renewed fighting in some parts of the country and stressed the importance of humanitarian access to all affected areas.”

Some 75,000 people have fled Rakhine state to Bangladesh since Myanmar’s military began a security operation last October in response to what it says was an attack by Rohingya insurgents on border posts in which nine police officers were killed. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

Yemen migrant boat attack kills at least 42

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Indian farmer wins train in legal fight with railway

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n Indian farmer’s battle for proper compensation for land seized to build a railway reached an unexpected conclusion this week when a court awarded him a train.

Sampuran Singh has been fighting for the money since 2015, when he went to court to argue that Indian Railways had underpaid him for a piece of land in the northern state of Punjab acquired to build new tracks.

He won his case, but the railway refused to pay and he

filed another plea in January.

On Friday Singh’s lawyer said a court in the state had awarded him an express train in lieu of the 10 million rupees (US$150,000) he was owed.

“We were tired of pleading with the railways to clear the pending dues. The court asked us to identify properties for recovering our money,” Rakesh Gandhi told AFP. Judge Jaspal Verma also granted Singh ownership of the stationmaster’s office in Ludhiana, a city in Punjab that the train passes through.

After the hearing on Wednesday Singh and his lawyer took the court order to Ludhiana station where they waited for the train to arrive before handing the document to the driver.

Singh said he allowed the driver to carry on to its destination as stopping it “would have caused inconvenience to thousands of passengers”.

Railway officials later secured an interim court order giving them control of the train until the case is heard again today.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

UN official resigns over Israel apartheid report

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he head of the United Nations’ West Asia commission, Rima Khalaf, has resigned over what she described as the pressure to withdraw a report that was critical of Israel.

The report accused Israel of imposing an apartheid regime on Palestinians.

Lebanon-based Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which comprises 18 Arab states, published the report on Wednesday and said it was the first time a UN body had clearly made the charge.

“It was expected that Israel and its allies will exercise pressure on the UN secretary general to distance himself from the report and that they will ask him to withdraw it,” Khalaf said at a press conference in Beirut on Friday. “The secretary general issued his or-

The bodies were brought ashore after the incident

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orty-two people have been killed when a boat carrying Somali refugees off the coast of Yemen was fired at from a helicopter, the International Organisation for Migration says.

Women and children were among those killed when the vessel was hit near the Bab al-Mandeb strait, the IOM said.

Images from the scene showed a boat strewn with bodies. In a separate incident on Friday, at least 22

people died in an attack on a mosque inside a military base in Yemen.

Two missiles were fired at the mosque, in the Kofal military camp west of Marib, officials said. Among the dead on the boat were Somali refugees carrying identity documents issued

by UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency.

About 80 survivors were rescued and taken to hospital, according to the IOM. It is also not known where the boat was travelling to and

from. It remains unclear who carried out the attack.

A Yemeni trafficker who survived the attack told the Associated Press that the boat was fired at by a helicopter gunship and a military vessel.

Saudi Arabia, which is leading a US-backed coalition in the war in Yemen, has US-built Apache helicopter gunships. The coalition, which in general controls Yemen’s airspace, has not commented on the incident. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Girl aged 11 set to become Britain’s youngest mother UN Under-Secretary General and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rima Khalaf said she was asked to withdraw a report accusing Israel of imposing an apartheid regime on Palestinians

ders to me yesterday morning to withdraw the report.

I asked him to review his position but he insisted,” she said. “Therefore I submitted to him my resignation from the UN.” At the time of the publication, the report titled “Israeli Practices Toward the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid”

was not on the website of the UN agency, with the link for the report now directing to a web page that consists ESCWA’s prior publications.

A UN spokesman on Friday claimed the issue with Khalaf was not the content of the report but as a result of her failure to follow the necessary procedure before the publication. (Excerpt from

Al Jazeera)

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olice are investigating the case of a pregnant 11-year-old girl who is due to become Britain’s youngest mother. The father of the baby is believed to be another minor just a few years older than the motherto-be, Police have said.

Details of the pregnancy have been withheld due to legal restrictions, but the girl is expected to give birth soon, according to reports.

The local authority, which cannot be identified for legal reasons, is reportedly seeking strict reporting re-

straints in the high court.

The current youngest mother gave birth in 2014 when she was 12 and the father was 13; the lowest combined age of any British parents. Their toddler, a girl, is now reportedly looked after by her 28-year-old grandmother while the teenage mother attends school.

The number of teenagers giving birth has reached its lowest level in almost 70 years, official figures show.

The decline is linked to improvements in contraception advice for young women and

access to abortion services, experts said.

Some 25,977 women aged 19 and under had babies in England and Wales last year – about the same levels last recorded in 1946 when 24,816 children were born, according to the Office for National Statistics.

While teenage pregnancy has dropped, official figures reveal that the average age of mothers giving birth last year had risen to its highest since records began at 30.2-years-old. (Excerpt from The

Guardian)

news

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saturdAY, March 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Deputy CEO for GO-Invest to be hired by April O

ne of the recommendations of the forensic audit carried out on the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) has been for a Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) to be hired. There are plans to hire such an individual by the end of March 2017.

During a recent interview with this publication, Chairperson of GO-Invest, Patricia Bacchus, had stated that numerous applicants had responded to advertisements publicised for the position since last year. “Four candidates were shortlisted, and all four candidates were interviewed. So that process should be wrapped up before the end of the month. But a

Deputy CEO, that is legally required under the Public Corporations Act,” she explained.

She also stated that while the intention is to hire an auditor at some point in time, the organisation is going through a phase wherein prioritizing is necessary.

However, she assured that the agency’s financials are being examined: “The agency’s financials are being brought up-to-date in terms of our annual audit. So we’ve concluded 2014 and 2015, and we are working on finalizing 2016. So it was a bit backdated, but we are bringing them up-to-date.

That Audit Sub-Committee of the board is essentially carrying that governance financial

GO-Invest Chairperson Patricia Bacchus

Kariako receives land title document

oversight in the absence of an internal auditor.”

Speaking during the recently held Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (GCCI’s) Annual General Meeting, Bacchus had stated that several loopholes which were identified in the controversial GO-Invest forensic audit report have been addressed. Bacchus, also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Caribbean Container Inc, had said that among the corrective measures implemented was the creation of a board level Finance Subcommittee; Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) being established between GOInvest and other govern-

ment agencies to promote the ‘One Stop Shop’ ideal; and self-compliance measures being implemented for investors. “I want to give you the assurance that all the non-compliant areas have been remedied. The board now has a Finance and Audit Subcommittee which deals with financial reconciliation and ensures that there is no impropriety; and (there is) a PR (Public Relations),” she had said.

The GO-Invest audit is one of several commissioned

by Government into State entities in 2015. The audit report, which was released on February 3 last, had mentioned a number of findings. According to the report,

Sea, river defence works to begin shortly in Leguan

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Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock handing over the titled document to Toshao Limbert Henry in the presence of Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and other Government officials

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he Amerindian community of Kariako received its land title document, granting it absolute ownership of over 51,000 acres of community land.

According to the Guyana Information Agency (GINA), Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock handed over the document to Toshao Limbert Henry on Friday.

The document was handed over in the presence of Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine; Secretary Wayne Wilson; and Treasurer of the Kariako Village Council, Claude Alleyne.

At the handing over ceremony at the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, Minister Allicock urged the community’s leaders to ensure proper management

of their land. He said, “It is about proper management, I hope the Councillors now will be able to put things in place, to ensure you have health, education and everything in place; your economic development in place.”

Kariako is a small Indigenous community in Region One (Barima-Waini) and has a population of over 600 people. Its main economic activity is mining and small-scale farming. The community has been awaiting its certificate of title since 2004.

Toshao Henry said the title document will allow the community to push its development forward. “It’s a joy to finally see our certificate of title, and today we have received it from the Ministry.

We have been waiting for it for a long time,” he said.

Under the Guyana

2 Georgetown...

An occupancy sensor is a lighting control device that detects occupancy of a space by people and turns the lights on or off automatically, using infrared or ultrasonic technology. Constantine explained that “… Occupancy sensors are typically used to save energy and money as they deliver lighting on demand.” He further explained that the technology was well suited for schools as “… occupancy sensors help prevent the occurrence of lights being left on in vacant rooms when the presence of motion is not detected and at nights when the school is vacant, given that one of the key observances during the energy assess-

FROM PAGE 12

ment was that class room lights were left on day and night.”

While the annual energy savings will be significant at both schools, and thereby the dollar savings through reduced electricity bills, the environment will also benefit as a total of 16,408kg of CO2 emissions will be avoided annually.

As part of the realisation of the vision to provide reliable energy in an environmentally, socially and sustainable framework, GEA intends to conduct similar exercises at other schools in Guyana.

The Agency will also continue to provide technical support in monitoring the use and operation of the systems installed.

REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), Government in 2013 signed a US$10.7 million document for the implementation of the Land Titling and Demarcation Project. The project came to an end in 2016; however the Ministry requested an extension in the 2017 Budget.

This resulted in $165 million being earmarked for the advancing of the remaining identified areas for land titling.

In 2016, almost 1000 square kilometres of lands were demarcated in Regions One, Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

This project, which is being spearheaded by the United Nations Development Programme, seeks to protect Indigenous rights and create livelihood opportunities for residents.

GO-Invest does not have an Internal Audit Department or an Audit Charter. A weak governance structure and the fact that the agency has operated without a Deputy CEO were also cited as liabilities in the report.

The auditors, Nigel Hinds and Associates, had recommended that steps be taken to address the “organizational deficiency,” since it had caused the arbitrary selection of a senior staff member to act as a de facto Deputy CEO. Former GO-Invest CEO Keith Burrowes had stated that the agency was not getting enough funding to accomplish some of the initiatives needed for improved internal governance.

esidents in Leguan, Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) are expected to benefit soon from sea and river defence works under the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)-funded Sea and River Defence Project.

In April 2016, the CDB and the Government of Guyana launched the US$30.9 million Sea and River Defence Project to provide for the reconstruction and improvement of 5.4 kilometers of sea and river defence in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three, Four (DemeraraMahaica) and Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

District Engineer of Region Three, Seenarine Nandram, told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that attention has been paid to critical areas in Leguan. He highlighted that, “under the sea and river defence resilience project, the Success community at the West of Leguan will be benefiting from 500 metres of rip-rap (sea defence) and going back towards the East, the areas there would benefit from 250 meters of rip-rap and these are areas that were prone to

Region Three District Engineer Seenarine Nandram

flooding during spring tides.”

Nandram explained that the works are needed since those areas in Leguan are easily flooded during heavy rainfall. The flooding, he noted, has negatively impacted the livelihood of residents. The District Engineer added that the Public Infrastructure Ministry has been executing works on the Island under capital and maintenance funds to provide immediate relief. At Maryville, 220 meters of rip-

GTUC calls for $605M...

Questions are now being raised regarding why local firms which could have supplied the pharmaceuticals at cheaper prices had been sidelined. It raises the issue of motive and possible corruption, which is reminiscent of the earlier decision to rent a non-existent pharma warehouse.

In fact, local manufacturer NEW GPC had, last week, pointed out that it could have supplied many of the items instantaneously, since there is usually inventory on hand. In a worst-case scenario, the company said, the delay would have been less than a few days to get the products manufactured right here in Guyana. Additionally, NEW GPC has said that by utilising its established and reliable supply chain, it could have quicker supplied even the items to be imported; for instance, a Clindamycin injection, for which ANSA McAL’s price was 12 times that of the NEW GPC’s. For Diclofenac tablets, the NEW GPC has said, ANSA

McAL’s price was 15 times its price; and for Clotrimazole cream, which is made locally, ANSA McAL’s price was as much as 23 times the NEW GPC’s price. From merely 16 of the 118 items surveyed, the Georgetown Hospital would have saved over G$100 million of taxpayers’ money had it purchased those items from the NEW GPC. Further, at least two other local suppliers have since said that the same medications could have been purchased at a cost of $300 million rather than $605 million.

Prequalification

A source from the Public Health Ministry who spoke with this publication on Thursday has said that Guyana should not try to re-invent the wheel. The Government promised to replace the World Bank/World Health Organisation (WHO)-designed prequalification system that Guyana had because officials wanted to create a

rap were carried out under the sea and river defence division.

Nandram pointed out that during 2016, the Ministry accomplished a lot in sea and river defence works. “What we achieved in the Island was in excess of 820 meters of rip-rap works, about 400 meters of timber revetments and maintenance work on the earthen embankment and did approximately 800 meters of works as well,” Nandram noted.

These works were carried out to the tune of $80 million.

Additionally, the District Engineer told GINA that even as the region awaits funding to execute the sea and river defence project, other capital projects will be undertaken in other areas.

This includes rip-rap works in Elizabeth Ann and Cane Garden which have been known as flood prone areas for years. Maintenance works will also be undertaken at Verwana to Phoenix and Elizabeth Ann to Cane Garden.

Leguan benefited recently from other infrastructural works including several roads and sluice rehabilitation.

FROM PAGE 7

“more level and decentralised playing field”.” However, he has emphasized, in so doing, the Government has allowed in “fly-by-night” companies and individuals who just could not handle the internationally prescribed standards and consequent supply chain demands. “This is also why we have the Minister now complaining about ‘fake drugs’ entering the system,” the professional emphasised.

Another doctor with years of experience in the public and private health sectors said, “Whatever their concerns about the old prequalification criteria favouring one company, they have to admit it worked over the decade it was in place.

And it’s a myth that only one company benefited; the others, who received a substantial amount of the business, had the decade to bring their scores up to par. We can see the consequences of that now that they can’t deliver contracts they were handed.”

17

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, march 18, 2017

News

Laptop with Trump Kingston ranks 153rd on Tower plans stolen livability index

A

US Secret Service laptop with Trump Tower floor plans and other sensitive material has been stolen from an agent’s vehicle in New York.

The laptop was protected by encryption and carried no classified information, the Secret Service said.

But the computer does have details on a criminal inquiry into former Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, ABC News said.

Police are looking at surveillance footage to identify a suspect.

The Secret Service released a statement saying “an employee was the victim of a criminal act in which our Agency issued laptop was stolen”.

The agency added that its computers “contain multiple layers of security including

full disk encryption and are not permitted to contain classified information”.

‘Scrambling like mad’ ABC said the female agent’s vehicle was targeted in the Bath Beach area of Brooklyn on Thursday.

CBS News said the computer also carried important files on Pope Francis.

A police source told the New York Daily News: “There’s data on there that’s highly sensitive. They’re

scrambling like mad.”

Secret Service “lapel assignment pins” for President Donald Trump, the Clinton campaign and the United Nations General Assembly were also taken with the laptop, according to US media.

The items were reportedly stolen from a bag inside a car in the agent’s driveway. The bag has since been recovered but the laptop has not, US media reported. (BBC)

Tourists found dead after Canada avalanche

T

he bodies of two US tourists have been located in Alberta, Canada, after they were caught in an avalanche in the Banff National Park.

The bodies were recovered on Friday morning at around 10:30 (16:30 GMT), Parks Canada said.

The two tourists, who came from Boston, were

caught in the avalanche on either Saturday or Sunday.

They had failed to check out of their hotel on Tuesday and their car was found near Lake Louise.

A rescue team discovered snowshoe tracks leading to avalanche debris.

Parks Canada said a helicopter flying over the area had picked up signals from two ra-

dio distress transmitters.

Rescue services were able to retrieve the bodies only when the avalanche risk was deemed to have dropped sufficiently.

“The thoughts of all Parks Canada staff are with the family and friends of those involved,” a Parks Canada spokesperson said. (BBC)

Woman loses house in fire 2 months after grandma’s death in blaze

T

wo months after her mother died in a fire on West Street in downtown Kingston, Carleen Aird’s daughter was Thursday left homeless after fire gutted the premises on which she lives.

Aird is now of the view that her family is plagued by fire.Thursday’s fire, which gutted several dwellings and business places at the intersection of Beeston Street and King Street in downtown Kingston, left 28 people homeless.Mi mother dead in a fire January 19, and mi daughter them weh lose her things, them a stay with she and her things dem burn up again.

What kind of tribulation this on our family,” Aird cried.

“Mi just bury mi mother and a me one bury mi mother.

What am I going to do for my daughter weh nuh save nothing? Mi daughter nuh get to save nothing, nothing at all,” Aird said.

The premises where the fire started is said to be a business place that houses several shops, including a liquor store, hairdressing parlour, restaurant, and a clothes store.

An aeiral view of downtown Kingston, Jamaica

K

ingston ranks low on Mercer list of global cities - Behind Port of Spain but ahead of Havana. From a new list of 231 cities around the world, Kingston ranks at 153, between Ho Chi Ming City in Vietnam and Mumbai, the Indian megapolis at 154.

The ranking comes from Mercer’s 19th annual Quality of Living survey, which was released earlier this week.

The survey considers aspects such as city infrastructure, transportatiion, reliable electricity and water supply. It is used largely by internatioanl firms in helping them to decide where to invest and how to compensate expatriate company workers.

The top-ranked city in the world was Vienna, capital of Austria, followed by Zurich in Switzerland and Auckland in New Zealand.

Bottom-ranked was Baghdad, capital of war-torn

Iraq in the Middle East.

Within the Caribbean region, Kingston performed more poorly than most listed cities, including topranked Pointe-Ã -Pitre, capital of the French island of Guadeloupe and San Juan, capital of the US territory of Puerto Rico.

The highest-ranked city from an independent state within the Caribbean region was Panama City, capital of Panama at 97th position.

San Jose, capital of Costa Rica followed at 110.

The highest-ranked Caricom city was Nassau, capital of the Bahamas at 113. Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, was ranked at 139.

Kingston was also topped

by Port of Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago, which ranked 147th, tying with Chongqing in China and placing just above Qingdao, another Chinese city at 149.

Kingston did beat two other Caribbean cities

though ­– Havana, capital of Cuba at 192 and Port au Prince, captial of Haiti at 228, just above Baghdad.

But when it came to just infrastructure specifically, Port-au-Prince took bottom position at 231, with Baghdad just ahead of it.

Caracas, capital of Venezuela, also performed poorly, placed at 189.

The highest-rated US city was San Francisco at 29 — four spaces below Singapore at 25. London, capital of the United Kingdom, was placed 40th, and New York City at 44. Closer to home, Atlanta was ranked 65th, and Miami — sometimes referred to as ‘Kingston 21’ was placed at 68.

Over in Africa, Accra, capital of Ghana, placed at 166, with Lagos, the largest Nigerian city, placed at 212. The highest-placed African city was Durban in South Africa, ranked at 87, followed by Cape Town, also in South Africa, at 94. (Jamaica Observer)

‘Draw brakes’ …Portia says Govt must roll back tax proposals Firefighters battle the blaze which gutted a premises at the intersection of Beeston and King streets in downtown Kingston

Two units from the York Park Fire Station as well as one each from Trench Town, Rollington Town and HalfWay-Tree fire stations put out the blaze.Aird’s daughter, Latoya Waldron, who rushed to the scene hoping to save her belongings, told the Observer that she was at work when she got a call that her house was on fire. She had to be consoled. Like Waldron, Marion Clarke, who plies her trade in the market district, said she was not at home when the fire started.

“Mi leff out bout 6:00 am with a little bag say mi ago sell

some (things) and then mi see the smoke and come up here.

A shoes polish and rags mi sell. Me only have the clothes on mi back,” Clarke said as she fought to hold back tears.

Susan Wright, who is a client relationship officer at an insurance broker in Kingston and whose mother is the operator of the restaurant, said earnings from the restaurant sent her through school.

Wright, who was seemingly frustrated, claimed that if the fire trucks had arrived earlier, some of the appliances would have been saved. (Excerpts from Jamaica Observer)

P

ortia Simpson Miller on Thursday told the Government to roll back the $13.5 billion worth of taxes proposed to finance the 2017/18 budget.

In a lengthy speech to the House of Representatives yesterday, expected to be her last as leader of the Opposition, Simpson Miller quoted dancehall DJ Bounty Killer, saying that “poor people fed up”.

“The detour onto a rough and uncertain path of ‘tax-perity’ is entirely the fault of this Government,” she said.

“This Government must take blame for the untold hardships that this tax pack-

age will have on the poor and middle classes of this country. It was a wrong move,” Simpson Miller waxed, as dozens of her supporters watched from the public gallery of Gordon House, while a larger group drank, smoked, danced, watched and cheered on her approximately 150-minute attack on the current Government and its policies.

“This Government must do the honourable thing now; draw brakes, pull a reverse on these wicked tax measures,” she said.

“The people are speaking out. This budget is unjust.

The budget is counter-productive. This budget has no

heart. Business people say this budget is going to make their businesses uncompetitive. Trade unions say the measures are nearly criminal. The Government must listen to the people. The Government must roll back the taxes. I know it can be done,” Simpson Miller insisted.

The former prime minister, who lost office on February 25 last year and is expected to end her political career this year, despite continued widespread grassroot support inside the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), gave intermittent signals of her departure during the speech. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, march 18, 2017

ARCHIE

Settle any unfinished business regarding your tax(March 21- es, investments or health isApril 19) sues. Discuss personal plans with a loved one. A commitment can be made.

ARIES

Emotional disillusionment TAURUS will develop if you trust some(April 20- one to take care of your reMay 20) sponsibilities. Do the work yourself and avoid any backlash that might affect your reputation or an important relationship.

dilbert

Emotional matters will esGEMINI calate.

Get a clear picture of (May 21what’s going on around you June 20) before you take action. Time is on your side. Focus on improving important relationships.

Self-deception and disillusionment will set in if you (June 21- choose inconsistency over staJuly 22) bility. Moderation will help you maintain emotional and financial control.

CANCER

Peanuts

Travel, excitement and adLEO venture will call to you. Turn (July 23your day into a celebration Aug. 22) with a loved one or the people who bring you joy. Romance is encouraged.

Problems at home will esVIRGO calate if you make changes (Aug. 23Sept. 22) without the approval of those affected by your decisions.

Consider the best way to get things done without causing a rift.

Calvin and Hobbes

A short trip geared toward LIBRA love and romance will bring (Sept. 23you closer to someone special.

Oct. 23) You’ll learn something valuable from the experience.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Listen to the words and SAGITTARIUS desires of others, but don’t let (Nov. 23- anyone limit or burden you Dec. 21) with problems that shouldn’t concern you. Positive personal or domestic changes are favored.

TODAY’S WORD — GLOBULIN (GLOBULIN: GLOB-yuh-lin: A protein in plant and animal tissue.)

Average mark 17 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 24 or more words in GLOBULIN? The list will be published on Monday.

THURSDAY’S WORD — FLUENTLY fell felly felt flue fluent flute fluty

fuel full fully left lent lune lute

null tell tulle tune yell yule

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

Reconnect with old friends SCORPIO or dig up old plans you’d set (Oct. 24aside but still want to pursue.

Nov. 22) Taking a walk down memory lane will help you move forward.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

You may feel obliged to CAPRICORN help others, but before you (Dec. 22take on a heavy burden, Jan. 19) make sure you know what you are getting into and what you will get for your kindness and generosity.

Stick to the truth and don’t AQUARIUS make assumptions. Personal (Jan. 20change based on the lessons of Feb. 19) experience will turn out well.

Don’t let anyone take you for granted or bully you.

PISCES Don’t think that someone (Feb. 20- else can do a better job than March 20) you. You will lose out if you sell yourself short. You can find a way to excel if you show a little backbone.

saturDAY, march 18, 2017

19

CWI/ Digicel PCL Regional 4-Day

Jaguars in control of Red Force on day 1 – Keemo Paul gets memorable debut

A

collective effort by Guyana Jaguars bowlers helped them dominate day one of their seventh round clash against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force of the Cricket West Indies Digicel Professional Cricket League Regional Four Day Tournament at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on Friday. Red Force were bowled out for 202 while the Jaguars closed the opening day on 38-1.

Rajendra Chandrika, who was brought back in the team to replace the injured Tagenarine Chanderpaul at the top of the order is unbeaten on 12 and with him is night watchman Devendra Bishoo on six.

Shimron Hetmyer was out to a good catch off Bryan Charles for 15.

Earlier, consistent left arm seamer, Raymond Reifer captured three wickets to restrict Red Force, receiving support from medium fast rookie Romario Shepherd and spinners Veerasammy Permaul and Devendra Bishoo, who snared two wickets apiece.

Nineteen year old debutant Keemo Paul also captured a wicket, which was the initial breakthrough for the Jaguars

Six Red Force batsmen got starts of of the table. An interesting second day is more than 20 but none of them made use ahead of us. of those with the top scores being 41 made by Isaiah Rajah and 36 by Imran Khan. Yannick Cariah, who Mohammed, 36.2), 111(Isaiah Red Force 1st innings scored a century in the preRajah, 46.5), 172(I Khan, 63.4), 202 all out vious round played a patient KA Hope c Hetmyer b Reifer 23 177(Y Cariah, 67.2), 192(KP knock with 33.

E Lewis c Fudadin b Paul 22 Pierre, 70.4), 197(S Katwaroo, 73.5), 202(MKA Richards, 75.6), Jaguars are presently Isaiah Rajah c Singh b Bishoo 41 202(Bryan Charles, 76.1) 168 runs adrift of their opJN Mohammed c †Bramble b Bowling: Shepherd 16.2-8-36ponents’ first innings toBishoo 11 2(nb-1), Reifer 15.0-4-48-3(nbY Cariah c Permaul b R tal, they would believe they 1), Permaul 23.1-5-59-2, PaulShepherd 33 5.4-3-7-1, Bishoo 16.0-4-46-2 could surpass that with I Khan c Permaul b Shepherd 36 their strong batting line-up.

S Katwaroo c Johnson b Jaguars 1st innings However, due to the absence Reifer 20 SO Hetmyer c Pierre b Charl of their most senior batsman KP Pierre c Hetmyer b V es 15 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Permaul 1 R Chandrika not out 12 Red Force are probably MKA Richards b RA Reifer 7 D Bishoo not out 6 thinking they have an outB Charles c Moti-Kanhai b Extras (byes 4, no balls 1) 5 Permaul 0 side chance for a lead.

Total (wickets 1, 10.0 A Phillip not out 0 overs) 38 Live 3.80 RPO Jaguars defeated Extras (byes 2, leg byes Scorpions in the previous Fall of Wicket: 27(SO 4, no balls 2) 8 round to move closer to a Hetmyer, 6.3) Total (All out, 76.1 overs) 202 Bowling-Richards 5-2third consecutive title. If Fall of Wicket: 34(E Lewis, 12-0, Phillip 3-0-17-0(nbthey win this match they 15.3), 81(KA Hope, 33.2), 94(JN 1), Charles 2-0-5-1 will extend their lead atop

SCOREBOARD

Keemo Paul

and the wicket of Evin Lewis for 22.

However, what started as a dream debut ended in injury as the teenager Paul damaged one of his finger while trying to field a ball off his own bowling in his sixth over.

I

GCF points race pedals off Sunday Cycling top guns will line the nation’s roadways once again tomorrow for supremacy

n keeping with the Guyana Cycling Federation’s (GCF) mandate to provide adequate cycling events for the country’s wheelsmen, this Sunday will see another of the Federation’s event.

Originally slated for March 26, according to racing official Joseph Britton, the event will now take place this weekend which is called the GCF points road race.

Fittingly, the top riders will not receive any cash incentives at the conclusion of the race but rather see their points tallied for a grand total and reward at the end of the year.

The race will be a 75 mile long journey with the best cyclists coming to the starting line on the East Coast of Demerara in front of the Ocean View Hotel from 8:30h and head east to Mahaicony old bridge where they will turn back to head to the starting point and conclude the race.

President of the GCF, Horrace Burrowes had promised upon the commencement of the 2017 season to have a more integral role into the functioning and organizing of GCF cycling, amongst those six races under the GCF flag.

In the spotlight, there is Team Cocos triplet Hamzah Eastman, Stephano “Sunny” Husbands and Jamaul John, all of whom have some significant performances under their belts as well as Team Evolution’s Paul DeNobrega. Linden Bauxite Flyers’ SHaquel Agard is also amongst those expected to perform well. Andrew Hicks of We Stand United and Team Alanis’ Alanzo Ambrose will be gunning for the title come Sunday.

Petra/Milo U-18 Schools Football

Mae’s Secondary, QC renew football rivalry T he excitement in the Milo Under-18 Secondary Schools football championship continues today and tomorrow with eight more key fixtures.

Sixteen teams will be in action over the weekend in rounds three and four at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta avenue.

The action begins at 11:00h today with Brickdam Secondary opposing Carmel while two marquee teams, Queen’s College (QC) and Mae’s Secondary will take to the field tomorrow in a battle for points and bragging rights. See the full schedule below In the tournament which is organized by the Petra Organization has 32 teams are competing in a round-robin format of eight group of four teams. Upon the conclusion of the group stage, the top two finishers in each group will advance to the elimination round.

Winner of the tourney will receive $500,000 towards a school project and the championship trophy while the second, third and fourth placed sides will pocket $300,000,$200,000 and $100,000 respectively towards a school project.

The event is which is slated to conclude April 23rd is also supported by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Health with an emphasis on Gender Based Violence.

Date

Teams

Time

Saturday March 18

Brickdam Secondary

Carmel

11:00h

Saturday March 18

Christ Church Secondary vs South Ruimveldt Secondary

12:30h

Saturday March 18

Queenstown Secondary vs Cummings Lodge Secondary

14:00h

Saturday March 18

Sir Leon’s Lesson vs Richard Ishmael Secondary

15:30h

Sunday March 19

Central High vs School of the Nations

11:00h

Sunday March 19

St. George’s Secondary vs Tutorial High

12:30h

Sunday March 19 Sunday March 19

Secondary

vs

Queen’s College vs Mae’s Secondary Dolphin Secondary Georgetown Secondary

vs

North

14:00h 15:30h

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, march 18, 2017

RHTYSC P

atron of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, President David Granger would be the Guest Speaker when the leading youth and sports organisation hosts its 27th annual awards ceremony on Sunday April 23. The gala ceremony, the highlight of the Club’s calendar of activities would be held at the St. Francis Community Developers Centre, starting at 12:30h.

Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster along with Vice President Mark Papannah and Assistant Secretary Simon Naidu are spearheading plans for the event which would involve the honouring of 35 RHTY&SC Members.

The RHTY&SC, M.S since 1991 has hosted the award ceremony to honour outstanding members. Foster noted that the first award ceremony was a simple one with prizes like small water bottles and clocks being shared out to eight awardees.

awards ceremony billed for April 23

The event has since grown into Guyana’s largest award ceremony with over $2M worth of trophies, medals, plaque and special prizes being shared out to members of the club and general public under a wide range of awards.

Among the prizes shared out over the last 26 years are television sets, cycles, gold jewellery, airline tickets to the Caribbean and North America, trips to local resorts, electrical appliances, educational scholarships, household equipment and designer clothing. In this year’s award ceremony a total of 35 awards would be shared out including the prestigious Cricketer of the Year, Runner up Cricketer of the Year, Female Cricketer of the Year, Most Disciplined Member of the Year for Male and Female, Most Promising Player, Most Committed Member, Most Improved Cricketer, Benefit Year Awardee, Worker of the Year

RHTY&SC Secretary/ CEO Hilbert Foster

while outstanding performers at the Under 15, Under 17, Under 19, Female, Second Division and First Division levels would also be honoured.

The Cricketer of the Year would take home at least $300,000.00 worth of prizes. Cricketers and the Awards Ceremony Committee has shortlisted four cricketers for

the award – Clinton Pestano, Shemaine Campbelle, Kevlon Anderson and Eon Hooper.

Long serving Club Member Keon Sinclair would also be awarded a Benefit Year this year and among his prizes would be a $100,000.00 West Indies Cricket Medallion with a diamond.

The Club Secretary/CEO would deliver a comprehensive report for 2016 while apart from the feature address by President David Granger, other speakers would be Rose Hall Town Mayor Vijai Ramoo, Regional Chairman David Armogan, Official sponsors of the Club and Director of Sports Christopher Jones.

The Club during the ceremony would also be hosting the tribute to retired teachers, tribute to outstanding teachers, tribute to outstanding law enforcement officers programme, while fifteen Guyanese would be honoured with the Club’s Highest Award – The Dolphin Award of

Boxers ready for “Locked and Loaded”

Excellence.

Four outstanding retired teachers with a combined of 148 years of service would be honoured under the Tribute to Retired Teachers Programme while teachers from the Rose Hall Town Nursery, Rose Hall Town Primary, Port Mourant Primary, Tain Primary, Belvedere Primary, J.C. Chandisingh Secondary, New Amsterdam Secondary and Lower Corentyne Secondary would be honoured as Teachers of the Year.

Four Law Enforcement Officers who played a major role in the reduction of crime would also be honoured while among the awardees for the Dolphin Award of Excellence are journalists Avenash Ramzan and Claude David, Minister Volda Lawerence, Business Executives Rajin Ganga, Anjulie BeharryStrand, Onai-Vasconcellos, Troy Cadogan and Director of Sports Christopher Jones.

Berbice sets up final clash with unbeaten Demerara

By Romario Samaroo

T

he signing of contracts marks the return of professional boxing to the local scene as the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) revealed the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) “Locked and Loaded” card for the Giftland Mall, Liliendaal on Sunday, April 9.

This was made public during the contract signing at Abdool and Abdool Insurance Company, Avenue of the Republic on Friday.

According to President of the GBBC, Peter Abdool, this card marks the return of professional boxing as the local boxing body looks to have a monthly card on Sundays returning to the local scene.

This, he noted is in essence an avenue to provide boxers with more action rather than being out of their prime.

The first of its kind was launched in Trinidad and Tobago about a month ago which was “extremely successful.”

Abdool highlighted that this venture also tries to assist in the amateur sector, pointing out the efforts of Steve Ninvalle in making tremendous strides in that area.

This is why Adbool is of the opinion and opted for this move to have the amateurs exposed more and be in action on a regular basis. This is geared at making the fighters better equipped when it comes to getting into the professional realm.

Looking at the fights carded for the night of action, three amateur bouts are in place with the first match up in the 120 pounds category being Rewinne David vs Akeela Malazon in a four round punch fest.

In the second match up (140lbs) Kelon Isaacs will go toe to toe with Euel Augustin before we see Stephan Gouveia facing Jackford Joseph in the 145lbs class. Both fights will be for three rounds.

Meanwhile, in the Professional fights, Lightweight fighters Imran Khan will match gloves with Keeve Allicock in a six round fury. Both fighters have impressed having fought three fights each with one win a piece. The two close friends will both make their return but it is yet to be proven if the flair of Allicock will be able to match his mouth and also in the spotlight will be to see if Khan has remedied his stamina weakness.

Edmond Declou will go punch for punch with Winston Pompey as the two renew their rivalry in a six round super middleweight event. The first time these two fighters met, the match ended in a draw while the second match up saw Declou marginally winning. Since then, Pompey has been dominating the French Guiana circuit while Declou suffered a broken jaw.

Dexter Marques will then feature in the main event as he makes his comeback to the ring against Luis Alberto Requena Zarraga out of Venezuela for 10 rounds. Marques is touted to be one of the best, if not the best fly weight boxer in the Caribbean and is road mapped to make it to a WBC world title.

Marks has had the luxury of 15 wins compared to eight of Zarraga as both contested in 17 fights, however, Abdool highlighted that Marques’ loss were both out of his natural weight class.

The fight will see patrons able to purchase tickets at a cost of $1000 general admission and $2000 ringside.

President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control Peter Abdool

President’s XI best batsman Shammar Yearwood top scored during his stubborn knock of 32 yesterday against an unbeaten Demerara

U

nbeaten Demerara and Berbice are set to clash in Sunday’s final after recording comprehensive victories against their opponents in the final preliminary round of Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Dave West Indian Imports inter county U15 50-over tournament yesterday.

Defending champions Demerara defeated GCB President’s X1 by eight wickets while Berbice got the better of Essequibo with all 10 wickets intact.

At the Everest Cricket Club Ground, GCB President’s XI slipped to 26-3 after opting to take first strike. From the start it seem as the wrong decision by the combined team and it never got better as their innings progress.

Demerara fast bowler Devanand Khemraj uprooted the stumps of Mahendra Gooplall (00) and had Tamnni Caesar (02) caught before Zeynul Ramsammy was run out for two.

Although there was the constant fall of wickets around him, Shammar Yearwood persevered for a stubborn knock of 32 from 102 deliveries and was the sixth wicket to fall in his team’s innings, when he was trapped lbw by Daniel Mootoo.

Prior to his dismissal, Ken George (04) and Reynaldo Mohamed (01) were dismissed in quick succession. Skipper Elnathan Suknanand was the only other batsman that reached double figures with 13 as the President’s XI were bowled out for a measly 84 in 34.2 overs. Brandon Jaikarran took 2-0 off one over while Chandrapaul Ramraj had 2-17 and Khemraj 2-19.

At the start of their reply, Demerara lost Ushardev Balgobin lbw to J. Barton for three before Shoaib Shaw and Jaikarran took them within sight of victory. Demerara skipper and best batsman to date, Shaw hit four fours to remain unbeaten on 37 while Jaikarran was taken at slip off Mohamed for 10. Andre Seepersaud was unbeaten on 10 as Demerara finished on 85-2 in 20.2 overs. Barton and Mohamed had one wicket each.

Across at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, Berbice humble Essequibo by 10 wickets. Batting first, Essequibo folded for 85 in 41.3 overs. Arguably their best two players, Sheldon Charles led with 28 and Ronald Scouten made 15. Hemraj Heralall grabbed 4-19, Garav Ramesh 4-21 and Abdul Ramsammy 2-14.

Berbice responded with 86 without lost in 24.2 overs.

Anthony Williams scored 35 and Ricardo Ramdeal 34.

Demerara and Berbice will now clash in the final on Sunday at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground (GCC), Bourda.

YELLOW PAGES

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saturdAY, March 18, 2017 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

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21

Local Women’s Development League Shines in

FIFA’s global spotlight

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Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Valerie Garrido-Lowe (centre) hands over the winning trophy to Guyana Defence Force Captain while GFF President Wayne Forde (left) shares the moment

W

orld governing body of football FIFA has promoted the inaugural edition of Guyana’s National Women’s Development League on its internationally popular social media platforms, putting women’s football in Guyana on the global stage.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Facebook page and its Women’s World Cup Twitter account carried a gallery of images and information from last weekend’s finals, involving the Guyana Defence Force, Paiwomak Warriors, St. Ignatius and Fruta Conquerors.

“This league has been a big step forward for the development of women’s football in Guyana, and it is a huge boost for all the players, coaches, referees, clubs and Guyana’s football to see this level of support and encouragement from FIFA,” said Guyana Football Federation President Wayne Forde. “We can’t wait for the start of next season to build on this solid foun-

dation as work together to take women’s football to the next level.”

The National Women’s Development League concluded on Sunday March 12 at the Guyana Defence Force ground in Georgetown with the GDF emerging victorious after a nail-biting 2-1 win over Region Nine’s Paiwomak Warriors.

Another team from the Rupununi – St. Ignatius – came in third with a 3-1 win over Georgetown’s Fruta Conquerors.

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Patron for Women’s Football Valerie Garrido-Lowe was on hand to present the trophies with GFF President Forde on Sunday at the GDF. The league, supported by FIFA and played in an innovative 7-a-side, 50-minute format, is part of the GFF’s plans to develop women’s football across the whole of Guyana, paving the way for a full-format, national women’s league in the future.

Pollard, Narine, Badree, Simmons to play Pak T20s T he Trinidad quartet of Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons and Samuel Badree has been picked by the West Indies selectors to play in the T20 segment of the limited-overs series against Pakistan.

ESPNcricinfo has learned that the four players are part of a squad picked for the first two contests of the four-match series.

The T20 series starts on March 26 in Barbados with the following three matches to be played in Trinidad on March 30, April 1 and 2.

It is understood that all the four players were informed on their selection on Wednesday, by WICB selection committee head Courtney Browne. It is not clear whether the four will feature in the final two games of the T20 series, which will end three days before the IPL begins. All the four players are part of various franchises in the IPL. West Indies' last T20 series was also against Pakistan, in the UAE last September.With the exception of Simmons, the players in question all featured, although West Indies lost the three-match series 3-0.

Simmons has not played for West Indies since featur-

Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine are back in West Indies' colours

ing in the two-match T20 series against India last August in Fort Lauderdale.

Based on the WICB policy to pick only players who featured in the Regional Super50, none of the four players are expected be available for selection for the ODI segment of the Pakistan series which follows the T20 series. Although the senior WICB staff comprising team director Jimmy Adams and chief selector Courtney Browne have indicated that the board is likely to review its selection policy, it is fair to assume that none between Pollard, Narine, Simmons and Badree will be picked for the three-match ODI series.

Despite his lean recent form, Carlos Brathwaite is expected to lead West

Indies in the T20 series against Pakistan. It remains to be seen whether the selectors would bring back former West Indies captain Darren Sammy, whose last assignment was winning the World T20 crown in Kolkata last year.

Sammy was instrumental in Peshawar Zalmi winning the PSL earlier this month and says he has not yet given up hope of making a West Indies comeback in limited-overs cricket.

"I'm only retired from Test cricket," Sammy said after participating in the recently concluded Hong Kong T20 Blitz.

"I'm not retired from limited-overs cricket. I'm available for selection. We have a series coming up against Pakistan, [I'm] available for that and wherever my services are needed." (Cricinfo)

22

Petra Futsal Championships…

Goal! The perfect shot pierced the wall and beat the goalie to spark wild celebrations at the National Gymnasium on Thursday night

D

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturdAY, march 18, 2017

efending champions Bent Street eased to a 6-2 victory over Stevedore Housing Scheme to seal their spot in the group stages of the 2nd Petra Organised Futsal Championships at the National Gymnasium on Thursday evening.

Watched by another massive and vocal crowd, the thumping victory was orchestrated by a Colin Nelson brace (17th and 26th) with supporting goals from Konata Manning (6th), Okeene Fraser (15th), Kelsey Benjamin (23rd) and Sheldon Profitt (24th) while for the losers, Shane Morris (8th) and Dorwin Filter (25th) netted.

In another match that produced a flurry of goals, West Front Road-Gold

is Money hammered Camp Street AllStars 10-2 on the back of hat-tricks from Carl Tudor and Roy Cassou.

Tudor rocked the back of the net in the 7th, 9th and 28th while Cassou had his conversions in the 18th, 26th and 27th. Randolph Wagner added two in the 10th and 25th while Andre Webber (20th) and Jamal Pedro (29th) were the other two scorers; an own goal in the 12th and Ron Lyken in the 13th were the only joy for the All-stars.

Current West Demerara/ East Bank Guinness Greatest of the Streets Champions did not have any joy in the city as they were trounced 4-1 by Back Circle. The complete team effort by Back Circle saw Sylvester Richardson (2nd), Stephan McLean

(14th), Akeemo Anthony (15th) and Keron Joshua (20th) guiding their side into the next round; Dexroy Adams netted for the opposition.

Similarly, Akeem Jaikisson hattrick led Sophia to 5-2 win against Alexander Village.

Jaikissoon breached the defence in the 2nd, 8th and 29th while teammates Desmond Cottam (30th) and Shem Porter (15th). Kevin Gordon (5th) and Ryan October (13th) netted for Alexander Village.

Tiger Bay mauled Hustlers 6-1.

Deon Alfred scored twice in the eighth and 19th minute, while Keoma Gravesande and James Meredith netted in the 15th and 25th minute, respectively.

Own goals in the sixth and 13th minute added to the Hustlers’ misery.

On target in the loss was Anthony Sancho in the ninth minute.

Other teams to confirm their passage to the group stages were Sparta Boss, Broad Street Bullies, Tucville, West Back Road, Agricola and North East La Penitence.

Upon the completion of the round-robin stage, the top two finishers and the best two third-ranked teams from the respective groups, will progress to the quarterfinal phase.

The winner of the tournament is set to pocket $400,000 and the championship trophy; while the second, third and fourth-placed finishers will collect $200,000, $100,000 and $50,000 respectively and the corresponding accolade.

Excitement guaranteed in EBE T20 Series

Sitting from left, Orville Stuart former Vice Chairman of EBE CC, Tamika Johnson Assistant Secretary Treasurer, Alvin Johnson Chairman and selector Faizal Ghani. Standing are representatives from the various teams

T

he excitement associated with T20 cricket is set to hit Essequibo soon, as the East Bank Essequibo Cricket Committee (EBECC), which is in charge of the sport in the Cinderella county recently launched the Dwayne Stephens (Big Yard) Auto Sale T20 tournament at a ceremony held at the entity’s location in Vergenoegen.

The round robin event which is slated to hit off on March 19 and will see matches being played on a weekly basis at Vergenoegen, Tuschen and Zeelugt grounds.

Chairman of the East Bank Essequibo Cricket Committee Alvin Johnson thanked the sponsor and wished the teams well at the launch of the tournament.

He noted the importance of sponsorship adding that players such as Kevon Boodie, Kemol Savory, Hemchand Persaud, Ricardo Adams, Ryan Adams, Ryan Hercules, Trevor Benn and Jason Heyliger have all participated in this tournament over the years.

Defending champions Parika Salem, Hydronie, Tuschen, Zeelugt, Gold Fusion CC, Vergenoegen, Hyde Park, Tuschen A and B and Ruby United SC are the teams that will battle for supremacy.

Forbes Burnham Foundation Schools Cricket

Saints upset Camille’s Institute in the Q. Finals

Makilla Maynard and Shelini Ramcharan of Covent Garden Secondary

S

Some of the participating schools

aints Stanislaus College Girls team will play in their first semifinal since 1993 as play continues in the Forbes Burnham Foundation Sponsored Inter Schools Overhand Windball Cricket Champions Trophy inside the National Gymnasium.

Last Sunday, Saints upset Camille’s Institute in their quarter finals. Batting first, Camille’s scored 107-4 off their allotted five overs with Alicea Davidson 80 (13x6s).

In reply, Stanislaus reached 108/0 off the last ball of their quota of overs to win by 10 wickets. Oumadavi Mando was 80 not out (10x6s).

In another quarter final, Cummings Lodge chalked

up 115/0 playing against Diamond Secondary. Casey Charles led the way with an unbeaten 86 while Sarah Amin was at the other end on 20.

Diamond Secondary replied with 87-2, falling short by 28 runs with Malicia Fraser making 58 while Ruth Henry and Isasha Harry scored 12 each.

President’s College went down to Leonora Secondary by 10 wickets in their quarter final after making 117-1.

Jeniffer Park 54 (9x6s) and Otefa Alfred 40.

Leonora Secondary openers stuck to the task and reached 119/0 with two balls to spare. Stacy Adams 63 not out (10x6s) and Stefan Ramnarine 42 not out.

Meanwhile, powerhouse Covent Garden Secondary continued their dominance and stormed into the seminal with an eight wicket win over Mae’s. Batting first Mae’s 117-1 with Africia Genttle posting an even 100 (16x6).

The defending champions Covent Garden Secondary replied with 121-0 with Makilla Maynard 64 made an undefeated while her opening partner; Shelini Ramcharan made 34. Semifinal action is set for the National Gymnasium on Sunday from 16:00h

23 Local referees face the clock at Leonora guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, MARCH 18, 2017

T

The last Referees Fitness Test was done in june 2016

hirty-eight referees from across Guyana will participate in the first quarterly fitness test of the year on today at the National Track and Field Facility, Leonora beginning at 15:00h.

This will feature three categories of referees – Tier One (Elite referees), some from Tier Two and some from Tier Three. Tier Three referees are those potential referees who are being exposed to the fitness test as part of the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) overall referee’s technical development programme.

Head of the GFF Refereeing Department, Stanley Lancaster explains that the test comprises the Interval, CODA (Change Of Direction, Agility) and RSA (Repeated Sprint Ability) components.

“For the Assistant Referees, the test is in three different parts. The AR test deals strictly with timings. Between each, there is a period of six - eight minutes’ compulsory rest. For the Interval, each AR must cover ten laps minimum for them to pass. For the CODA and RSA, they must reach within the zone by a specified time.”

The Referee test, on the other hand, will be conducted in two parts, the RSA and the Interval. The first will consist of five (5) 40-meter sprints within a specified time with 1 ½ min rest between each sprint followed by a six-eight-minute rest period and the latter will consist of 10 laps of 40-meter sprint and 25 meters recovery period between each interval.

The successful completion of the referees’ fitness test is a compulsory element as required by FIFA for referees to effectively manage the game with their positioning and movement. This test will be complemented by in-class sessions consisting of Laws of the Game knowledge and video analysis.

As part of continuous capacity building, the Referees Department has a comprehensive national programme planned for the year including development of referees in the hinterland regions. The first programme to be conducted will be held in Aishalton, Region Nine and is being planned in partnership with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs.

Sponsors fully endorse 12th YBG NSBF

O

ver the last 11 years, the Youth Basketball Guyana’s (YBG) National School’s Basketball Festival (NSBF) has been the training grounds for young talent and come March 31, once again this Festival will take center stage.

This was revealed as the tournament was officially launched on Thursday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Homestretch Avenue where stakeholders threw in their sentiments on the tournament.

Director of YBG, Chris Bowman extended much thanks to the sponsors who have unequivocally supported the tournament, while highlighting some of whom will not be with the Festival this year because of internal reasons.

“Regrettably because of internal issues, Banks and Digicel are

stakeholders take a photo opt during the launching of the 12th YBG National School’s Basketball Festival

unable to join us for this championship but we would publically like to thank both of them for their significant contribution over the last eight years and without those efforts we would not be able

to reach this far,” Bowman said.

On the other hand, Bowman highlighted Beharry Group of Companies for their exemplification of commitment after being a sponsor for nine years.

Speaking on behalf of the Beharry Group, Brands Manager, Monique Tiwari acknowledged the years of commitment while further indicating the company’s continued support for the tournament. Tiwari added that while the company has been impressed with what the tournament has achieved so far, she pressed the organisers to do “bigger and better” in the future.

Bowman also acknowledged the efforts of the National Sports Commission (NSC) with Director of Sport, Christopher Jones, saying that the Commission is a strong supporter of youth development.

Jones noted that since assuming office, he has been monitoring their activities and recognize that they essentially have a template of which the NSC is trying to implement not only in a few districts

but throughout the length and breadth of the country.

Representing the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation, Vice President Kendrick Thomas commended the efforts made by the organisers for producing a tournament that has reshaped basketball in the country.

He built on what Bowman had stressed on, that being that the tournament has produced some excellent talents that utilized the tournament as a stepping stone and a platform to excel.

The tournament is set to commence with the regional format whereby the teams will be divided into four conferences which are New Amsterdam, Corentyne, Region 10 and Georgetown Combined and the winners from each zone will then converge in Georgetown for the Festival in July.

GABBFF hosts a series of outreach programmes

By Romario Samaroo

I

n an effort to sensitize urban areas on the developments and plans of the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF), the Federation has set out on a series of outreach programmes targeting these areas.

To date, the contingent has embarked on a journey to the ancient county of Berbice where they were welcomed by the Mayor of Corriverton, Ganesh Gangadin as well as the Mayor of the Mining town of Linden Carwyn Holland.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sport, General Secretary of the Federation, Lisa Ahmad indicated that this venture was one which has been in the plans for the GABBFF since coming into office on the basis that information was not being filtered into these

regions as much as they would like.

Ahmad added that on the trip to Berbice, they met with a number of gym owners as well as the Mayor of Corriverton who has indicated their full-fledged support into the plans of the GABBFF, of which includes promotions and even the possibility of Berbice hosting competitions.

Berbice has made its mark on the Body building fraternity, most recently impressing with their influx of competitors in the past three years.

Speaking on the trip to Berbice, President of the GABBFF, Coel Marks tagged the outing as a “fruitful” one, where he acknowledged an agreement with those involved in the sport with “a goal of sharing the responsibility of Bodybuilding and our intent to empower and support the outlying communities.”

He added that it was in these meetings that the topics of communication and information sharing were paramount as well as collaboration between the business community and municipality to promote the awareness of the sport.

Meanwhile in Linden, the Federation has received a notable interest in many of the fitness enthusiasts on becoming cer-

GABBFF executives and body building enthusiasts from Linden share a light moment at a recent outreach

tified judges and trainers, following in the footsteps of their own son of the soil Franklyn Brisport-Luke.

Marks noted that the Linden journey was also a success, pointing out that there was a level of neglect that existed and that is something the federation is immediately looking to curb.

In an effort to revitalize the local com-

petition, the federation intends to sanction all shows and provide athletes with more shows and platforms to showcase their talents.

It is expected that the GABBFF contingent will be in New Amsterdam today before making their way to Bartica on Sunday.

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

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Local referees face the clock at Leonora All eyes will be on the referees today at Leonora

Boxers ready for

“Locked and Loaded”

Pg 20

Locked and Loaded! All eyes will be on the boxers in the squared-circle come April 9. From left; Edmond Declou, Winston Pompey, Dexter Marques, Keeve Allicock and Imran Khan

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