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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 3095 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

January 15, 2017

PRICE

Drug bond scandal

Norton tells all!

$120 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Executive conference

Ramjattan to seek reelection P10 despite AFC's constitutional ban

Page 7

…major shakeup looms in AFC leadership

...chronicled how entire Cabinet was involved Oil production

Invest for all Guyanese!

Page 2

…former T&T Energy Minister advises Govt … disagrees with Sovereign Wealth Fund idea

Gunmen rob mother, daughter in front of ECD home Page 8

SARU will drive away investors P3

– Jagdeo warns …as agency targets highrise buildings

GECOM chairmanship

President cannot make unilateral P9 appointment – Nandlall

Serious P11 erosion reported at Coomacka ... almost half of community's river rendered impassable – Chairman These youngsters at Ruimveldt Industrial Site, Georgetown turned empty wire spools into rollers along the streets, as an ideal toy for childhood outdoor adventures

Cummings Lodge fire

(Marceano Narine photo)

Jagdeo criticises 600% land rent hike for MMA/ADA farmers Page 13

GPL’s P16 slothfulness led to delays in extinguishing blaze – owner … as official calls for enactment of fire safety codes

2 news

sunDAY, january 15, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Oil production

Invest for all Guyanese! … former T&T Energy Minister advises Govt … disagrees with Sovereign Wealth Fund idea

G

uyana is poised to become the world’s latest oil producing nation. When that happens, it is expected that Guyana will earn revenues that was previously not obtained. However, oil fields do not last forever and according to former Trinidad and Tobago Energy Minister, Kevin Ramnarine, local industries to outlast the oil boom must be created. He also encouraged the Government to invest portions of the oil wealth into social programmes, health care and scholarship opportunities, among other ventures.

Ramnarine was at the time addressing a gathering at Savannah Suites, Pegasus, during the first lecture hosted by the Guyana Oil and Gas Association. He spoke about the ways that the Guyanese people can really benefit from the oil find.

The former Minister noted that there is an infrastructure deficit in Guyana when compared to other countries, which must be fixed.

Ramnarine used comparisons with Norway, a prominent oil and gas producer, in explaining that Guyana had some catching up to do with its standards of living and infrastructure.

Former T&T Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine addressing the gathering in Guyana

“When Norway discovered oil in 1969, Norway was pretty well off. In fact, Norway was marginally less rich than the richest country in Scandinavia, Sweden. And Norway already had pretty well established universities.”

“Norway in 1969 and Guyana in 2017 cannot be compared. Some people believe that all the oil wealth should be saved and put in the (Sovereign Wealth Fund).

I disagree. There is an infrastructure deficit that has to be cured in this country and a portion of the oil wealth should be spent on health care, education and infrastructure, because Guyana is Guyana.”

Ramnarine spoke about the importance of creating a

services sector which will live on for generations. He used the example of Levi’s, a company that started out making rugged jeans for gold miners in California. Decades after the gold rush tapered out, Levi’s is a world renowned company and brand.

“The public in Guyana will only benefit if industries are established downstream of oil and gas.”

He pointed out that Trinidad had developed its skill base, to the extent that it exported skills. Ramnarine advised that some of the monies collected from the production sharing contract between the Government of Guyana and ExxonMobil could go towards funding scholarships in the sphere of geosciences, in-

cluding petroleum engineering, economics and law.

That being said, Ramnarine acknowledged the reality that not everyone could be accommodated in those fields.

“Not everyone can be an engineer or a geologist. The oil industry is not all about (those professionals). There are people who work as welders, technicians and operators and the training for that happens in the companies or in different schools.”

“Some of those people go on to make quite a bit of money, especially our welders, who are in high demand all over the world. Training does not only have to be in degree type areas. There has to be training in technical and vo-

cational areas too.”

As per the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed between Guyana and United States-based ExxonMobil, Guyana stands to gain a percentage from every barrel of oil extracted by Exxon. However, this agreement is currently under review.

Even before the first announcement of an additional oil find in the Payara -1 well, ExxonMobil had pegged oil production at 100,000 barrels a day. Guyana is currently in the drilling phase, with production expected to start by 2020.

ExxonMobil Country Manager, Jeff Simon, addressing the media at a press conference last year, had stressed that ExxonMobil would not be able to provide thousands of jobs to Guyanese. However, Simon had advice similar to Ramnarine’s to impart.

“The greatest benefit is the revenue stream provided to the country,” he had said.

“If job creation is critical, then take some of that money and put it into areas where job creation could be exponential relative to what we are talking about here.”

On Thursday last, ExxonMobil announced that

more oil was found offshore Guyana.

The Texas-based oil and gas company said the well was drilled by ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, and encountered more than 95 feet of high-quality, oilbearing sandstone reservoirs.

It was safely drilled to 18,080 feet in 6660 feet of water.

The Payara field discovery is about 10 miles North-West of the 2015 Liza discovery.

In addition to the Payara discovery, appraisal drilling at Liza-3 has identified an additional high quality, deeper reservoir directly below the Liza field, which is estimated to contain between 100150 million oil equivalent barrels. This additional resource is currently being evaluated for development in conjunction with the world-class Liza discovery.

Drilling on Payara began on November 12, 2016, with initial total depth reached on December 2, 2016.

In May 2015, Exxon confirmed its significant oil discovery at its Liza 1 exploration well, where more than 295 feet of high-quality oilbearing sandstone reservoirs was encountered.

3 SARU will drive away investors – Jagdeo warns NEWS

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, January 15 –05:00h-06:30h and Monday, January 16 – 08:30h-10:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, January 15 – 06:30h-08:00h and Monday, January 16 – 07:30h-09:00h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Light cloud cover with sunny intervals can be expected throughout most of the day, while sunny weather can be expected in the afternoon. Clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Northerly to North-North Easterly between 3.12 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 06:25h and 18:40h reaching maximum heights of 2.62 metres and 2.68 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 12:13h reaching a minimum height of 0.61 metre.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

01 05 08 15 16 17 07 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

Daily Millions

06 09

13 18

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LUCKY 3 8

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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

…as agency targets high-rise buildings

T

he latest decision by Government’s illegitimate anti-corruption body to scrutinise owners of high-rise buildings in the country has great potential to drive away investors, former President and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has warned.

Director of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) Dr Clive Thomas said the agency, which is currently without legal framework, is in the process of mapping all the high-rise buildings with the aim of investigating their owners for tax evasion and money laundering.

According to media reports, Dr Thomas wants to ensure that the money used to construct the buildings was clean, that the building is not a shell company, that the owners are paying their taxes, that the building is not being used as a conduit for corrupt activities, and that even the land was lawfully obtained.

Dr Thomas contended that there is an underground economy in Guyana and Government is hellbent on identifying the individuals involved.

He said once SARU, which will be renamed the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), gets it legal framework, it will spare no time in going after these

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

individuals.

But the Leader of the Opposition warned that such actions will destroy the country’s economy as it will act as a repellent to investors.

“These loose mouthed people are damaging our economy,” he said, referring to Dr Thomas. “The business community and ordinary people operate on government signals. If the entire government speaks as if it hates investment and investors, and if you put up a building, you’ll be subjected to a whole range of scrutiny by the Government, then investors are just going to withdraw, no one will want to invest,” Jagdeo explained.

He also contended that there is absolutely no logic

in targeting high-rise buildings in trying to track down tax evaders and money launderers.

“What’s the logic? Let’s assume you have one fivestory building and another person have 50 one-story building… he’s going to map the one five-story building and you’re subjected to investigation and another person has 50 properties around the city, but you won’t be going after that person. What’s the logic?” he highlighted.

The former President cautioned that businessmen and even the ordinary citizenry act on government signals, and if government gives the impression that it is against investment, then investors and the ordinary man will respond in accordance – by withholding their money.

“Sometimes you can get everything right. but if the signals are wrong about

Director of SARU, Dr Clive Thomas

your intent then people act on signals; investors do so, as well as ordinary citizens and so we. I don’t have much hope that they would listen because of the arrogance,” Jagdeo lamented.

Reports indicate that SARU already did an inventory of over 100 buildings in Guyana.

4

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Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

King’s message and method

T

omorrow the US will be observing “Martin Luther King Day”, the birthday of the great fighter for equality of treatment and opportunity for Americans of African Descent. This year’s commemoration will be especially significant, coming as it does at a time of a re-evaluation of the progress in race relations that was thought to have ensued in the wake of Dr King’s life work. What is clear is that privilege and power always seek to defend itself against the incursions of those that would insist on the inalienable right of all human beings to live in dignity, which is impossible in the face of gross inequalities.

Power and privilege will constantly find ways to reinscribe their insidious relations of domination and submission in the institutions of society and it behoves those seeking a just world and the “good life” to always be vigilant and ready to struggle. Martin Luther King was a student in college, but was already deeply troubled by the unequal treatment meted out to African Americans by the power structure, controlled by White America. Determined to do something about this injustice, he was struck by the message of non-violent struggle or “Satyagraha” utilised

by Mahatma Gandhi in his fight in India against the British between 1915 to 1948.

“Satya” means “truth” and “graha” means “force”, and it proposes an active “truth-force” that is deployed against the forces of oppression. "Non-violent resistance does resist," Dr King wrote. "It is not a method of stagnant passivity.

While the non-violent resister is passive in the sense that he is not physically aggressive toward his opponent, his mind and emotions are always active, constantly seeking to persuade his opponent that he is wrong. The method is passive physically, but strongly active spiritually. It is not passive non-resistance to evil; it is active non-violent resistance to evil."

It is of more than passing interest that Gandhi invented Satyagraha in South Africa, where he spent 20 years until he returned to India in 1915. In South Africa, he was assailed by the institutionalised racism that manifested itself most egregiously in segregation between the races in transportation and housing. As an Indian professional - he was a lawyer by profession - the South African authorities treated him identically to the indentured Indians who had been brought to work on the sugar plantations and coal mines. His “wake-up call” came when he was kicked off a train to make way for a white South African, even though he had purchased a first-class ticket. Dr King and African Americans such as Rosa parks would confront an analogous situation in the American South.

While it might not be explicitly acknowledged, modern struggles against inequality, such as the “Occupy Movements”, all take their inspiration from the example of Dr King, and by extension, Mahatma Gandhi. Satyagraha contra-poses its methodology to the way of violence that is still the dominant reaction to those that defend privilege and power. Satyagraha is very sensitive to means and ends.

"Non-violence does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent but to win friendship and understanding," King said. "The non-violent resister must often express his protest through non-cooperation or boycotts, but he realises that these are not ends themselves; they are merely means to awaken a sense of moral shame in the opponent… The aftermath of non-violence is the creation of the beloved community, while the aftermath of violence is tragic bitterness."

Dr King summarised his methodology of non-violent resistance in six steps. One begins by becoming thoroughly informed about the injustice, and then educating others about it. Teaching is through action rather than words, and in this way, one transforms oneself. Negotiations are then opened up with opponents, using win-win scenarios and only if unsuccessful, direct action such as sit-ins, marches, petitions etc, are launched. Finally, as Nelson Mandela demonstrated in South Africa, one attempts to reconcile with our opponents since ultimately, we have to live together and build our nation together.

A tower from the Golden Gate Bridge is seen over a blanket of fog in San Fransisco. Sunshine and fog returned to some areas of Northern California, USA, after a series of storms which caused flodding in various cities (The Telegraph)

President should give reasons for rejection of list

Dear Editor, Conversations with Guyanese in the Diaspora and in Guyana reveal that the People’s National Congress (PNC) and its leader, President David Granger want a Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) who can guarantee a PNC or coalition victory come next election. The opinion among Guyanese is the PNC feels confident it can "win" the next election without the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and/or the Alliance For Change (AFC), as long as there is a willing partner in GECOM to facilitate a victory as happened between 1966 and 1992.

Apparently, as opinions suggest, the PNC does not feel any of the Opposition’s six nominees will deliver a victory for the incumbent. Thus, all of them awee rejected. All six are qualified to serve as Chair and at least five of the six would have guaranteed a free and fair election. The other one was involved in election rigging on behalf of the PNC, but has become affiliated with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). Thus, his loyalty in the election is questionable. It is suggested that the PNC does not wish to take a chance with him even though he rigged several elections.

With regards to the re-

jection of all the nominees for appointment of a Chair, President Granger has not provided a reason why a very qualified nominee like Christopher Ram, for example, was unacceptable when he campaigned for the coalition in 2015, the AFC in 2011, WPA in previous elections.

It is the view of lawyers and laymen that all six nominees have met the criteria as outlined in the Constitution as well as the convention established in the Carter Formula.

Thus, the President should not have rejected anyone. One of the six should have been selected.

One can understand why one nominee who was a candidate for the PPP in an election was rejected. One can rationalize why the President rejected Ms Rhyaan Shah because of her outspokenness against the perceived misgovernance of the coalition regime. She is not a lawyer.

But she would have delivered a free and fair election that is above reproach; she is not the character who would be bullied by political parties or thugs. She is not tied to any party and has been very critical of the PPP and the coalition. She is politically neutral and wants good governance and has been advocating for a free and fair election.

Lawyers, business peo-

ple, politicians, professionals, and the Georgetown elite I spoke with feel Lawrence Latchmansingh would have been selected as chair as he has virtually no negatives and no baggage.

He has a very clean image and has promoted fair elections through his affiliation with the Electoral Assistance Bureau. He is not publicly tied to any party. He is married to an African and raises a mixed family. His Indian identity, as being suggested by many, should not have disqualified him. He cannot be counted upon to close his eyes to or approve of rigging and that would have disqualified him. He has worked as a volunteer to ensure free and fair elections.

Nevertheless, it is felt he is the ideal choice as Chair although admittedly he is not a lawyer. But he is fit and proper for the position.

Chris Ram, however, is a lawyer and although not a judge, he is most qualified to be a judge. Thus, he has met Granger's criteria of meeting the "legal background".

His negative is he is affiliated with and sympathetic to the WPA and the AFC. But he campaigned for the PNC-led coalition in 2015 and the AFC in 2011. And he was always anti PPP. But he is a democrat and cannot be relied upon

to rig elections. He would not support or condone electoral fraud and no thug would bully him. This disqualifies him to be chair. Since he has been so close to the coalition, I do not think the coalition leadership would have rejected him. So of all the nominees, Ram has met the requirement of experience in law. In addition, like the others, he has met the criteria of being "fit and proper".

The President needs to explain why he considers the six nominees as not meeting the definition of fit and proper. He rejected the list and has asked for a second list of nominees.

Granger needs to explain why he rejected the nominees so that the Opposition Leader can be guided accordingly in providing a second list that will not be rejected.

Separately, I wish to point out that David Hinds is wrong in describing the Opposition list as "partisan". As noted above, only one nominee (who was a candidate for the PPP) has or had affiliation with PPP which is Hinds' primary concern. But it is most unfortunate he sees Ram, Shah and Latchmansingh as partisan PPP when these gentlemen and lady are characters of integrity and rectitude and never have affiliation with PPP. Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram

Honouring those past Presidents

Dear Editor, Recently, President David Granger, along with some senior People’s National Congress (PNC) members and former Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Executives, who have since returned to their PNC fold, have been clamouring for all past Presidents to be recognised.

This is good – even excellent – but why only now? What has it taken them so long to realise that this must be done?

Or, have they now found their

long last love and loyalty for their past Presidents, who once belonged to the PNC party?

Former President LFS Burnham passed away since 1985 and the PNC remained in power until October 1992 under President Desmond Hoyte. It begs the question: why didn’t Hoyte and his PNC party recognise Burnham then?

Then, after the 1992 elections, Hoyte became Leader of the Opposition. However, dur-

ing his lifetime and up to this day, no one did anything for him.

In fact, the only thing the PNC did for those past Presidents was to turn the beautiful Botanical Gardens into a burial ground with all the paraphernalia.

Bear in mind though, the cremations that were done for former Presidents Dr Cheddi Jagan and his wife Janet Jagan were at a burial ground in Babu John – not a violation of any beautiful tourist or his-

torical site or a place where parents would take their children for outings on weekends.

Now that the PNC has awakened and learnt from the People’s Progressive Party how to show respect and recognition to their leaders, they want to play ‘follow pattern’, and in their spiteful, covetous and vindictive ways, they want to get rid of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.

Yours sincerely, Chandra Shekar Azad

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Towards flood resiliency So much discord to our nation in South Ruimveldt

Dear Editor, We must remedy the issue of flooding in South Ruimveldt. A cursory outline will be had here but collective effort is needed towards flood resiliency.

“Georgetown Water and Sewage and Master Plan’ of 1994 is instructive, “The City of Georgetown is drained by an interconnected network of pump and gravity systems. The network of open channels was originally developed to irrigate and drain the sugar plantations which occupied the land on which Georgetown now stands.”

Outlining challenges to the drainage system it reads, “With urbanisation of the area, over the years, the paving of previously pervious surfaces resulted in increased quantities of runoff. In an effort to alleviate flooding the function of the redundant irrigation canals was converted to that of drainage.”

We appreciate as well that infilling of canals also led to the current situation: West Ruimveldt Canal (1972), Merriman’s Promenade (1958); Church Street Canal (1959) are just instances where we have lost tremendous reservoir capacity.

A Guyana Review article, ‘Global Climate Change: Challenges for Guyana’ posed the question, “… should we not re-examine the drainage systems that were operational before facilities like the East Street and Sussex Street canals were filled? Certainly, restoring the drainage system to its optimal level should be an immediate priority for the government.” (2006) As residents we can appreciate, as well, excess water being on the land through circumstances beyond our control like the recent heavy rains and high tide simultaneously, yet we have an expectation with the passage of time that its effects will be mitigated as soon as circumstances

change. Theory and practice differ.

Another article in the Guyana Review, “Flooding: A way of life?” made the point of the economic impact of floods. (2005) It is a point that would later be amplified by Dr Balfour Spence at a lecture in 2013 at the University of Guyana, ‘Private Sector Engagement: An Imperative for Disaster Risk Management in Guyana’. Dr Spence posited, “The 1997 drought affected in excess of 660,000 Guyanese; the flood in 2005 impacted 30,000 persons.”

Professor Spence opined that, “Economically, they have set back the economy. The 2005 floods resulted in damages close to half a billion US dollars which is about 60 per cent of Guyana’s GDP for the previous year. Impacts like these are not sustainable since progress made in a year can be set back in a few hours.”

As such, it was welcomed news when recently the Dutch Risk Reduction (DDR) Team arrived, tasked with assisting with the development of a new pilot system and design model to improve the drainage and irrigation system in the city of Georgetown, and from whose final report, ‘Analysis of Drainage System in Georgetown, Guyana’ (2016), we can significantly benefit.

We seem closer to mitigating floods and their effects from South Ruimveldt since the DRR Team’s work focused primarily on South Ruimveldt as a catchment area.

According to the Team’s Final Report, “Using the input from the local drainage system analysis, measured geometric data and simplified boundary conditions a full model of the SouthRuimveldt catchment was developed. This model can be used to assess and compare the effect of different interventions.”

Among other things the

Report noted that currently operation of the drainage system is based on experience while Government wants to apply knowledgebased decisions on the drainage system.

The report stated that the South-Ruimveldt and Liliendaal channel are connected to each other by a siphon at Lamaha Street.

However, the siphon does not function well and it is unclear what the interaction is between the two catchment areas. Discharge has been observed in both directions in along large parts of the South-Ruimveldt channel. Along the SouthRuimveldt areas several inflow points do not function anymore during high water levels in the primary channels because water levels on both side of the inflow point are equal.

As such, an equally welcoming development is Cabinet’s decision to create an inter-agency task force to manage and improve the drainage in Georgetown, comprised of City Hall; the Ministries of Agriculture, Public Infrastructure and Communities – whose subject Minister Ronald Bulkan leads the Task Force; and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority.

Sincerely, Sherod Avery Duncan, LLB, JP Deputy Mayor Municipality of Georgetown

Dear Editor, President Granger in his Christmas message expressed that “Guyana is our motherland” and reminded Guyanese that they have a collective duty to ensure they keep their homeland free from disaffection and discord. But by his own action, he is the main reason for the disaffection and discord.

How can a President sit in his chair and approve the borrowing of US$10 million from the Caribbean Development Bank and then apply those funds to four Afro-Guyanese villages in a nation that also included Amerindians and East Indians? (see evidence – http://www.stabroeknews.com/2016/ news/stories/12/15/ us10m-cdf-loan-grantpact-revitalise-farmingfour-neglected-villages/).

How can a President sit in his chair and approve 38 national scholarships for scholars but less than 10 of those persons were certified scholars based on their passes at the CSEC exams? The other 28 are from Congress Place – political persons who have no place on the list of Guyana scholars because they did not earn the distinctions required to be on that list.

They should all have been given People’s National Congress (PNC) scholarships, funded by party funds, not national scholarships. All the Granger Government has done is diluted the efforts of these 10 young children who

passed their four and five subjects at the A Levels with distinction. But to add salt to the wound, only one of the 28 persons from Congress Place who got this scholarship was an East Indian and none were Amerindians.

That East Indian girl only earned her spot because of nepotism, she is the daughter of the sitting Education Minister. Isn't this the same thing Donald Ramotar did for his children? If it was wrong then, why is it not wrong now?

Why make sacrifices so the PNC cabal can use all those funds to feed only one set of mouths rather than all mouths.

Shame on Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Vice President Carl Greenidge who have experience in Government and who ought to know better but

did nothing to stop this open abuse of power.

They both served in previous Governments but allowed some G$10 million per year of these funds to be distributed to their Cabinet colleagues, making them into parttime Ministers on a fulltime salary. Shame on you both for failing to guide these novices in the Administration to do the right thing, the just thing, the proper thing. Nobody is against the PNC giving its members scholarship but not at the expense of the State. Going forward, half the time these two Ministers (Furguson and Henry) will be out of the country on fully paid leave away at school learning how to be a Minister.

Regards, Surujdai Lilmohan

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I

Anu Dev

n the interest of full disclosure, let me confess right up front that I just love cheesecake, which I also love to bake, which makes avoiding it rather difficult! But apart from that, I’m not too big on sugar-saturated foods. My thoughts on sugar were wonderfully concentrated by “The Long Read” selection in last week’s Guardian’s: “Is sugar the world’s most popular drug?”

The bottom line, to get to the nub of the question, is there’s no definitive answer provided by science at this time to the question above.

Sugar was investigated mostly as a nutrient, which it is. Because the deleterious effect of sugar consumption is cumulative over the longterm, and not almost instantaneous like the well-known psychotropic drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, until the recent public health concerns raised about those effects such as diabetes and obesity, there was not much research conducted on it as

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

an addiction. All of that is now changing.

I’d known that during the historical colonial empire-building phase in the tropics, sugar was cultivated along with substances known for their psychotropic effects. Most notoriously was poppy for producing opium that was shipped by the British from India to China.

Yep - the British were the first drug dealers! Tobacco, of course, was shipped all over the world and even though it’s package must now announce “Dangerous to your Health”, it’s still one of the largest psychotropic drug sold legally. Then rum and other alcoholic products were produced from molasses - a by-product of sugar production. Coffee provided a rush from its caffeine.

What I didn’t know was that sugar from the same colonial period onwards was mixed with tobacco to give it its “mild” effect - as opposed to cigars - which makes it possible for the tobacco smoke to be drawn into and absorbed into the lungs to “do its thing” - deliver the

temporary high and its longer term lung cancer.

While research hasn’t shown that sugar is addictive, it’s shown to have a calming effect on babies, and not surprisingly is added to most babies’ formula.

And we all become weaned on it. What’s known is sugar triggers the same responses - albeit in a milder form - in the region of the brain known as the “reward centre” as nicotine, cocaine, heroin and alcohol. The effect of sugars and the other “accepted drugs” work by stimulating the release of some neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, and the more we use these substances the less dopamine is produced naturally. From being a rarity in at the time of the discovery of the “New World”: and the introduction of sugar plantations, sugar is now consumed in every meal throughout the day.

Check the foods you purchase in the grocery stores and supermarkets - almost every one of them contains sugar. When from the 1980’s concerns were raised about

the relationship between the consumption of fats and heart disease, fats were removed and sugars added to foods, such as yogurt to make them “healthy’ yet “tasty”.

With the dawning recognition by public health authorities on the deleterious effects of sugar, they are beginning to legislate or recommend “moderation” in the consumption of sugars.

Nowadays you can’t “supersize” your sugar saturated sodas at many of the fast food chains in the US and sodas are now banned in many schools.

But the problem with cutting down on sugar intake is almost all processed foods - such as bread - contain sugars and we consume these worrying, for instance, about its gluten content without thinking about the sugar. What to do. The ideal would be to avoid processed foods, but we know this is unrealistic. The alternative is to cut back on them and use natural foods - which are in abundance in Guyana - as much as possible.

C

hildren love to play hide-and-seek from their earliest days, but it’s not just a silly game.

Playing ‘peekaboo’ with your baby leads to searching for hidden objects and, ultimately, to the excitement of playing hide-and-seek, of being hunter or hunted without the risk of getting hurt. Whether it’s peekaboo, hide-and-seek, or hunt-the-thimble, what are the real benefits and risks of these simple childhood games? Why should we encourage them to play?

There are some clear cognitive benefits to playing hiding games. Peekaboo makes them giggle but also teaches them the concept of object permanence; that things can still exist even though they might not be able to see them. Searching for objects or people encourages children to use their imagination and helps them develop problem-solving skills as they try to work out the best place to hide or find their target.

They can even start to appreciate the concept of volume as they try to find the smallest hiding place they can fit into. It also gives them an opportunity to develop their social skills as they play with others, learn to deal with conflicts between participants, take turns, and practice the other skills that will enable them to work effectively in teams.

Playing hide-and-seek gives a child some valuable physical benefits as well since the exercise helps them build stamina and aids muscle development. The challenge of getting into the perfect hiding place will help improve their balance, agility, and coordination.

Any physical activity involves a risk and hideand-seek is no different. It’s important to have some ground rules such as setting out a safe area children should confine themselves to, banning climbing above a certain height, and pointing out hiding places they should avoid. It’s also a good idea to have an organiSed signal for the end of the game just in case you can’t find the child who has found an ingenious hiding place or if the game has run late and it’s time to go home. There will always be the chance of a child falling over or scratching themselves, so players need to be dressed appropriately. Finally, the best way to keep children safe whilst playing this game is supervision.

Playing hide-and-seek is a traditional part of all of our childhoods and with the benefits it gives growing children, it’s a tradition that should be carried on into the future. So close your eyes, count to ten and, ready or not, here they come! (Childdevelopmentinfo.com)

NEWS

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Drug bond scandal

Norton tells all! … chronicled how entire Cabinet was involved

By Devina Samaroo

A

fter being attacked and humiliated by both the press and his Government over the highly controversial drug bond deal which is believed to reek of corruption, former Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton has finally opened up about the entire ordeal and how he is now being reprimanded for a call which was made by higher authorities.

Dr Norton was hauled before the parliamentary Privileges Committee (akin to a parliamentary court) and scorched by the media after he misled the National Assembly on the Public Health Ministry’s sudden rental of a basic house on Sussex Street, Charlestown, Georgetown owned by a party affiliate to store the country’s pharmaceuticals at an exorbitant rate at $12.5 million per month. Altogether, this arrangement is billing Government in excess of $14 million per month, as there are other expenses involved in the agreement.

As the story gained momentum and the Government began to receive immense public backlash, its members eventually expressed concerns over the matter and forced the then Public Health Minister to apologise to the nation.

Dr Norton was subsequently removed from the Public Health Ministry, which has a budget of $23 billion, and placed to head the Social Cohesion Ministry, which has a $90 million budget.

The fall

Dr Norton, in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times last week, admitted that he is taking the fall for a decision made entirely by all Cabinet members, including President David Granger.

It all started when he received an invoice on his desk for the rental of a state-ofthe-art and internation-

Former Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

ally certified drug bond.

Notably, this bond is 70,000 square feet, while the controversial residential building disguised as a bond is 6000 square feet.

“The reality of the situation is you come to work one morning and you see an invoice on your desk saying you need to pay this company so much money,” Dr Norton said, positing also that Government did not need all of the space which the modern facility boasted.

He said the search began for alternatives and his staff prepared for a paper to be taken to Cabinet regarding options.

“For the Cabinet, every decision that is made

there, a paper is taken by the Minister that is responsible, but it is not necessarily that Minister who makes the decision or who decides whether all the conditions are met, or who is the lowest bidder and those sorts of things. Those are decisions made by the technical officers and the Minister is supposed to defend that at Cabinet. We have Cabinet every Tuesday. It is a fact that many times we go to Cabinet with a paper we see for the first time,” the Minister explained, conceding that he did not get to review the paper his staff prepared beforehand.

At the Cabinet meeting where the matter was deliberated, Dr Norton said the members agreed that Government cannot continue to pay $19 million per month for the rental of a drug bond and needed an alternative urgently. This later tuned out to be untruthful, as at the time the NEW GPC INC never received any rent from the Government of Guyana for the use of its state-of-the-art storage facility for over a decade, but after the request for rental of the facility was made by the Public Health Ministry and the Georgetown Public

The Sussex Street, Charlestown house bond

Hospital, an invoice was computed at $275 per square foot.

According to Dr Norton, the idea was to rent a bond at a lower cost until Government succeeded in rehabilitating its existing drug bond in Kingston.

“A decision was made by Cabinet to seek another facility within a certain time.

A rough calculation was made that if we should rent this, then we should save so much money over so much period,” the Minister explained.

Dr Norton related that Cabinet subsequently unanimously agreed to rent the

Sussex Street facility – an arrangement he emphasised was pulled together by technical staff within the Public Health Ministry.

During the interview, the Minister made it clear that he was unaware of the arrangement prior to that Cabinet sitting and he asserted also that the decision to rent the drug bond was not his, but one taken by the entire Cabinet.

“Signing the contract is not the role of the Minister.

So this Minister signed no contract; that is done by another officer who has duties for that. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even sign it as a wit-

ness,” he expounded.

Dr Norton further explained that the approval of contracts is usually done by the Ministry if the value of the contract falls below a certain amount of dollars.

In the case of the drug bond, the value well exceeded the limit and therefore had to be taken to Cabinet.

Pull the plug

Nonetheless, the Minister explained that because he was receiving the negative press about the matter, the President had no choice but to “pull the plug”.

TURN TO PAGE 11

8 news Gunmen rob mother, daughter in front of ECD home A SunDAY, january 15, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

woman and her daughter were left traumatised after they were robbed at gunpoint, moments after reaching their Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara home on Friday. The entire episode was captured by surveillance cameras that surrounded the family’s house.

Reports are the two women had visited a city bank earlier in the day and may have been trailed by the perpetrators in a silvergrey car. The surveillance footage posted by the women on social media showed that within a minute after arriving at home, the car pulled up alongside them and two men exited.

The men who were carrying handguns and had their

A

…AFC Leader he AFC announced it’ll be holding its National Convention at the end of this month and Khemraj Ramjattan immediately insisted he’ll be seeking re-election to the leadership post. One isn’t surprised - it’s simply the “Iron Law of Institutions” playing out.

This posits that some “people who control institutions care first and foremost about their power within the institution rather than the power of the institution itself. Thus, they’d rather the institution ‘fail’ while THEY remain in power within the institution, than for the institution to ‘succeed’ if that requires THEM to lose power within the institution.”

After all, what is the AFC at this time but the “dead meat” Ramjattan himself foresaw if the party coalesced with the PNC? History first played itself out with the tragedy of the neutering of the UF and now repeats itself as the farce of the AFC’s “eunuching”. Without his cojones, what is Ramjattan - or any man for that matter but “dead meat”? And how much more farcical can it get than Ramjattan praising Jagan, even as he supports the PNC dumping the great man’s papers into the streets!?

But Ramjattan isn’t only disgracing himself by allowing himself to be used as a hand-puppet - and how much more disgraceful can it get when we remember the master’s hand is pushed up the puppet’s behind to operate its mouth!! Ouch!! He seems to have conveniently forgotten that in selecting its leader, the AFC had introduced the convention of alternating between Indian and African executives.

That was the claim to fame of the AFC, wasn’t it? This was the mechanism that would “prove” their multiracial “essence” and all that! Trotman begat Ramjattan and then begat to Trotman and so on. It may sound incestuous - but then this is politics, so what else is new?? So, if Ramjattan was chosen as “leader” at the last conclave, isn’t it the turn of an African leader? Or did he - like his sidekick Moses Nagamootoo - decided he “isn’t Indian”?

Or is Ramjattan bucking the convention - like Prezzie on the GECOM Chairman - by deciding, like Humpty Dumpty - that a word means just what HE says it means??!! Or is it the African leaders - like Trotman and Patterson - who have all gone back home into the bosom of the PNC and aren’t available? Nigel Hughes, who towered over the lot in the AFC in all categories, walked away in principled disgust. But there’s Kathy Hughes who’s already indicated she’s ready, willing and able to serve as the leader. And we know she certainly has more cojones than Ramjattan!!

Remember her nailing him to the wall on the Jaguar skin?!!

T The armed men executing the robbery on Friday

faces covered with handkerchiefs exited and walked towards the parked vehicle belonging to the women. They then relieved the women of an undisclosed sum of cash

and escaped in the motorcar that was driven by an accomplice. Persons in the area were in shock and hardly had time to react.

The Police are in posses-

sion of the surveillance footage as they continue their investigations. Attempts to contact the women proved futile.

Berbice ‘watchman’ found with throat slit succumbs

Corriverton, Corentyne, Berbice, resident who was found with an incised wound to his neck succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital

Eunuched…

on Friday.

Vickram James, 62, a ‘watchman’ of Lot 102 Ramroop Street, Corriverton, Berbice was found with a stab wound to his neck on Tuesday last at a mining operation at Pigeon

Island, upper Corentyne River by his colleague, who went to relieve him of the night shift.

It is believed the man was stabbed with his own knife which was subsequently found with blood stains close to where he was lying.

Upon the discovery, the man was transported to the Skeldon Hospital, but later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

However because of the severity of his wound and the serious nature of his injury, he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted up to the time of his passing.

A nephew of the dead man, who spoke with media operatives, explained that his uncle left home for the interior location owned by a popular Berbice businessman three weeks ago. He said that he received a telephone call on Thursday last informing him of the incident and was asked to visit the Skeldon Hospital.

There, he saw his un-

Dead: Vickram James

cle being prepared to be transported to the New Amsterdam Hospital. He related that one man was detained as Police continue to investigate the incident.

The man’s nephew claimed that since the incident, the family has been receiving conflicting reports as to how the injuries were inflected.

He said Police have travelled into the interior location to investigate the matter.

…Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo’s contortions in the Red House affair has surprised many, but not those who knew him from the PPP days. Always full of bombast, he just wanted to strut on a stage and “bloviate” - as his landsman Ramsammy so aptly puts it. There are those who posit since the PPP knew of his proclivities, they should’ve simply offered him something like the Speakership back in 2011, and he would’ve been happier that a pig in stuff, pontificating from on high!!

But your Eyewitness has his doubts about that manoeuvre. A man who convinced himself Cheddi Jagan anointed him as his successor has delusions of grandeur that would only be satisfied with some title that suggested he was a “big one”!! Prime Minister!!

When he was invited by some private Tamil association to receive a shawl or some such “honour”, he never disabused them of their misapprehension that as “Prime Minister” he was leader of Guyana, like Modi in India!!

This from a fella who didn’t even get to chair Cabinet meetings, for which he sold his soul!

…no more Whatever one may say about Ramayya, he found the testicular fortitude to walk when he realised he was being thrown under the bus by Nagamootoo and Ramjattan.

He should show them where the excised balls are stored!

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

news

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SunDAY, january 15, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

GECOM chairmanship

President cannot make unilateral appointment – Nandlall

C

ontrary to utterances made by Attorney General Basil Williams, his predecessor Anil Nandlall is making it clear that the President of Guyana cannot unilaterally appoint a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Nandlall is also making this assertion in wake of arguments by the Alliance For Change (AFC) that the President cannot be stopped from making a unilateral appointment, even by the courts.

Nandlall argued that the President can only take such course of action if the Opposition Leader fails to participate in the process; that is, failing to submit a list of six nominees.

President David Granger, in an unprecedented move, rejected the first list of nominees submitted by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on the basis that the nominees do not conform to the requirements of the Constitution of Guyana. He declared at a State Function to media operatives that the nominees are “unacceptable”.

But Nandlall asserts that it is incumbent upon the President to disclose the grounds upon which he has found each of the six candidates “unacceptable” – something he has since failed to do.

Inconsistencies

There have been several inconsistencies regarding the President’s position on the appointment of the

tively determined having regard to the context and circumstances which are under consideration,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the AG had further posited that the President can go ahead and appoint a GECOM

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

GECOM Chairman, coupled with different interpretations of the Constitution between Government and the parliamentary Opposition.

President Granger initially communicated the impression that only judges, former judges or persons qualified to be appointed as judges to the High Court or an appellate court, qualify to be appointed as Chairman of the Elections Commission.

He omitted to disclose that in addition to those possessed of legal qualifications, the Constitution also provides for any other “fit and proper person” to be appointed as well.

This led Jagdeo to suspect that the President is referring to the “Burnham Constitution” – the 1980 Constitution which stipulates that the nominees must only be judges or eligible to be judges and that the GECOM Chairman must be appointed by solely the President.

However, the new Constitution, which incor-

Commission.

“Hence, the Commission is composed of three Commissioners nominated by the Opposition parties in Parliament and three Commissioners nominated by the governing party, along with a Chairman who has a casting vote. This Chairman comes from a list

ally appoint a Chairman for GECOM of their choosing.

The Opposition Leader has since invited the President for an urgent meeting to discuss the matter, particularly to clarify the misinterpretations and to propose that both parties approach the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to seek a legal ruling on whose interpretation of the Constitution is correct.

The President is yet to

President David Granger

porates the Carter Formula, expands the criteria for the nominees to be more than just judges or eligible to be judges and introduces a process for the appointment of the GECOM Chairman which involves the participation of the Opposition Leader.

“Fit and proper”

But his Attorney General, Basil Williams, subsequently contended that the President has the discretion to determine who is “fit and proper” and in this case, he deemed the nominees not “fit and proper”.

His assertions were once again debunked by Nandlall who explained that the Constitution does not permit the President the power to make such a determination.

“The Constitution resides in the President a discretionary power to determine whether the persons are unacceptable or not; not whether they are fit and proper person. Whether a person is fit and proper is to be objec-

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Chairman of his choosing after rejecting several lists submitted by the Opposition Leader, but Nandlall highlights that the President has no such power.

“It is only in the event that no list is submitted by the Leader of the Opposition that the President has a power in Article 161(2) to make a unilateral appointment. I am not only fortified in my view by the letter of the Article but also by its spirit and the intendment of its framers,” he stated.

Carter Formula

Nandlall explained that the Carter Formula was intended and designed to create, as far as possible, a politically consensual and balanced Elections

Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

of six which emanates from the Leader of the Opposition but which must find the acceptability of the President and from which he is empowered to choose one. If the Chairman is to be chosen by the President alone, it would destroy the vital equilibrium which the Elections Commission was intended to possess,” he said.

Suspicions are high that the governing A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Administration, with its assertions, is setting the stage to rig the next General Election by misconstruing the Constitution to unilater-

Attorney General Basil Williams

respond, but Jagdeo already signalled his intention to approach the CCJ with or without the President’s participation. However, AFC Leader and Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan contended that the President can continue to reject the lists submitted by the Opposition Leader and then subsequently appoint “whosoever he wants of his own volition.”

Ramjattan also contended that there is no court of law that can compel the President from doing so.

10 news

SunDAY, january 15, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Executive conference

Ramjattan to seek re-election despite AFC's constitutional ban …major shake-up looms in AFC leadership

AFC Leader and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

A

lliance For Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan has indicated his desire to run again for the leadership post in the party, despite a constitutional ban.

Article 19 of the AFC’s Constitution states that, “The various senior positions of the AFC, including those in the National Executive, Regions and Groups ought to be rotated as far as is possible so that no member is allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office, so as to ensure a broader activism in leadership positions by the membership.”

Ramjattan was elected as AFC Leader in 2012, serving already four years which is equivalent to two terms. According to Article 7 of the party’s Constitution, “A national convention shall be held every two years at a place and time decided by the National Executive Committee.”

Ramjattan, though adamant to be re-elected to

serve in the leadership capacity, is expected to face stiff competition for the post at the upcoming elections which will be held at the party’s National Executive Conference (NEC) later this month.

Ramjattan told a news conference on Friday that he will run again for the highest position in the party’s leadership and that he welcomes the nominations of other party members, citing that it represents the democratic nature of the AFC.

ever declined or stepped down from a challenge. The party decides. So, if I am nominated, I will stand and let the delegates decide who shall be the leader for the next two years,” Patterson, who is currently Public Infrastructure Minister, said.

Senior Member of the AFC and Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes also posited that she too will accept a nomination.

“Why would the ladies want to be left out of the

AFC General Secretary and Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes

However, this goes against the AFC’s Constitution which places a limit on persons serving in the leadership position of the party.

AFC’s General Secretary David Patterson, during the news conference, indicated his willingness to accept the nomination for the leadership post.

“If I do have to challenge, I will. From the time I have joined the AFC nobody has

management of the party?

We are a young party and I think that is what is exciting about the AFC. We love a challenge. We play hard, we discuss hard and we work hard. We don’t feel any impediments, that there is a way you must do this or that and that a leader must not be challenged and that kind of thing. It is an open game.

Our members are the ones that will make the nominations and we are up for the challenge,” she stated.

New Year Resolutions

S AFC Vice Chairman, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes

The AFC’s National Executive Conference (NEC) will be hosted on January 28 at the Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary School in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) – the first NEC outside of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

The NEC will include elections for the position of the party’s leader, Chairman, Vice Chairman, General Secretary and 12 National Executive Members. turn to page 13

atiricus wasn’t too big on New Year Resolutions.

His wife Caustic said he had the will of a limp noodle. And maybe this was the reason he shied away from making any. So here it was, already deep into the second week of the year, and he was fumfering when grilled on the subject by the fellas at the Back Street Bar. “Listen fellas, I’ll tell you mine AFTER you tell me yours!” he bluffed to gain some time. But Bungi wouldn’t have any of it.

“Budday! Ev’ry year a de same t’ing!” he grinned, while selecting a piece of fried Banga Mary which was the Cutters du jour. “Yuh friken fuh mek resalushan beca’se yuh guh bruk am right away!”

Before Satiricus could respond, Hari interjected, “No problem, Sato, old friend. Last year I resolved to stop listening to these politicians and their promises. Right after Pee-an-See and KFC gave us Larwah and gave themselves their 50 per cent raise!”

“Yeah… but what’s your resolution THIS year?”

Satiricus insisted.

“Same resolution from last year!” grinned Hari.

“These fellas continue lying so much into last year - I just tuned them out! Wasn’t hard to keep my resolution - no problem!”

“Me ‘gree wid yuh, Hari,” said Bungi, as he took a swig of his beer. “Dem palitishan like Crismuss blowblow!”

“But what’s YOUR resolution, Bungi?” insisted Satiricus. “Surely you plan to do something different to improve your life.”

“Well, since yuh leadah Nagga man dem a close down de suga’ estate, me plan fuh bug Cappo fuh brace me fram New Yark!” confessed Bungi. “Me hear de man done buy cyaar in six mont’!”

“So, what’s your resolution, Sato,” asked Hari. “You now know ours.”

“I’m going to quit drinking,” said Satiricus seriously.

“What??!!” exclaimed Bungi and Hari simultaneously, obviously stunned at losing their cash cow.

“But I know I’ll break it by next week!” grinned Satiricus. “If the Government didn’t keep their 20 resolutions, why should I keep my one?”

And the fellas clinked their bottles and drank to that!

news

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SunDAY, january 15, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

Serious erosion reported at Coomacka ...almost half of community's river rendered impassable – Chairman which were carried out on the Coomacka access bridge, causing intense erosion and flooding in the community. The erosion also caused main pipelines to be exposed. Councillor within the Regional Democratic

Flooding at Coomacka late last year

T

he remote farming community of Coomacka, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) continues to be affected by intense erosion. The community, which has also been prone to serious flooding, is now being affected due to erosion of its river. Regional Chairman Renis Morian asserted that as a result of the erosion which was undoubtedly caused by heavy rains, the situation has become worse, with approximately

half of the river becoming impassable.

"There was always erosion going on in Coomacka, affecting the river. During the rains that we have right now, almost half the river is impassable because of erosion," Morian stated.

He added that officials from the Drainage and Irrigation (D&I) were expected to commence work soon, but noted that during a recent visit, the team could not have ascertained the source

of the erosion. The Regional Chairman said however that egional officials had spoken with local residents as a means of ascertaining the source of the situation.

"I've engaged the D&I, who would intervene. I've met with some folks...," Morian said. A resident disclosed to this publication that presently the river is being desilted.

Last August, severe downpours had led to the collapse of revetment works,

Norton tells...

“You are in a Government and every five years we have an election in this country, and nobody is going to tell me that a Government in power is not looking to do things to remain in power,” Dr Norton said, noting that the negative publicity was embarrassing the Government.

The Minister said he was approached by the President on the matter, and irrespective of his personal desires, he had to do what was in the best interest of his political party.

“I was not as Minister of Public Health making the Government look good in the public, what are you going to do? Keep me there?” he said.

Despite his initial disappointment, the Minister has come to accept the reality of the situation.

“Regardless of what I have said before, I stress the point that it is a collective decision. I am a team player, I have been in the party in a leadership position for years and it’s in the interest in the party that certain decisions are made and I have to accept that,” he explained.

Dr Norton said he is optimistic that his life in politics and as a servant to the public, will take a turn for the better.

“I have been 28 years in the public health system and if there is anything I know, it is that, but it is a political appointment and that’s the nature of the business.

Managerial skills might not be my forte and so I accept my shortcomings, but I still think that while I fell down I am prepared to get up, brush-off and run again,” he

expressed hopefully.

The truth of the secret bond deal came to the public’s purview after Government opted to pay campaign financier Larry Singh more than three times the amount asked by NEW GPC for use of its 70,000 square foot drug storage bond, to instead rent a facility that is less than 10,000 square feet, which is still to be completed and fails to meet minimum standards for pharmaceutical storage.

The Guyana Government in 2015 terminated its prequalification agreement with NEW GPC and forked over a $25 million deposit to Linden Holding Inc. There was no proof that the Sussex Street house bond was compliant to international health and safety requirements and that the landlord would be receiving exceedingly generous benefits.

An unsigned contract (Agreement of Tenancy) between the Public Health Ministry and the controversial warehouse owned

from page 7

by Linden Holdings Inc was subsequently circulated to parliamentarians in the National Assembly after much public outcry on the deal.

Among the number of red flags contained in the document, the most alarming is that the parties involved agreed that the building would be used for a professional office as opposed to a drugs warehouse.

Government was adamant that the building is certified by the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO) for the storage of pharmaceutical supplies; however, the contract bears no such stipulation, despite the criticalness of this bit of information.

Additionally, the released contract shows that the landlord will be benefiting greatly from this deal, particularly with provisions to hold the property for three years along with a 12-month notice of termination.

Council and Chairman of the Coomacka Development Council (CDC) Dexter Harding said it was the third time that the bridge had collapsed and pointed to faulty work by the contractor as the main cause. Another pos-

sible cause highlighted by the CDC Chairman was the suspected over- topping of ponds/reservoirs in the community belonging to bauxite company Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI).

12

news

SunDAY, january 15, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Structural faults detected along Burnham Drive road

S

hortly after repairs were conducted on a collapsed section of the Burnham Drive Road at Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), other structural faults have been detected. Only recently, a contract was handed over to Bella's construction, which carried out repair works to a section of the roadway, which serves as one of the main thoroughfares in the Wismar community. However, according to Regional Chairman Renis Morian, there are issues with other parts of the road. He said sea defence, Government Ministers as well as officials from the Regional Works Committee have already been alerted of the situation.

"Burnham Drive got structural faults. I outlined it to them, based on the increase in vehicular traffic on Burnham Drive, the rise in high tide, we have a sink hole there, we have a depression by the tar road. Nothing has been done. I have also written

Work being carried out to the collapsed section of Burnham Drive road late last year

to other agencies, sent letters to Ministers and (I am) awaiting response," Morian said.

Additionally, he said the culvert situated approximately 25 yards from McNabb corner, Wismar, had also collapsed which led to a backlog of water in areas such as Canvas City, Half Mile, One Mile and Block 22. As a result, Morian said the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) had to be summoned, while he noted that he will conduct a follow-up to the situation on the ground.

"I ain't get a word as to what next, but I'm going to be following up to know what next, what is to be done."

Following the collapse at Burnham Drive, the Regional Chairman had made calls for a study to be conducted of the said road, which is situated a short distance away from the Demerara River. Morian also disclosed that there are even more structural faults along the thoroughfare which also leads to the MackenzieWismar Bridge.

"As soon as you come off

the bridge, about a hundred yards, the road is collapsing there. When you come to about 250 yards where we're working right now, that collapsed. When you come at the cinema (former Palm Tree cinema), there's a huge hole.

There's erosion from the river right through... It's not a case where you have a piecemeal, you have to do a study to know if there will be a disaster. One day the whole road might collapse with people because we don't know what is happening," Morian further stated.

He also pointed out that there is a "drop" and an "indentation" to other sections of the Burnham Drive road.

About five other areas, the Regional Chairman said, also faces the same threat.

He therefore made a call for hydraulics engineers from the Public Infrastructure Ministry to visit the location to provide advice on the way forward. The Ministry, he disclosed, is responsible for servicing the thoroughfare.

Younge’s Take Policing, standards and the lock ups

P

olicemen and women, the world over, are well respected personnel and role models for young people who aspire to contribute positively to the overall development of their communities and its residents.

They usually earn the admiration of citizens because of their unique display of honesty, integrity, patience, good temperament, politeness and commitment to maintaining law and order, especially in troubling times and turbulent circumstances. For some, these men and women in uniform stand like superheroes between victims and villains, and the oppressed and their oppressors.

In short, Policing is a noble profession and is therefore guided by codified laws and practices which dictate exactly Michael Younge how its members are expected to behave in almost every rational circumstance. It is also governed by high standards and ethics which serve to encourage and motivate its members to become standard bearers as far as morality and public decency are concerned.

In the developed world, there is no changing of the goalposts or standards whenever breaches that warrant sanctions and criminal prosecutions are concerned if a Policeman breaches the law or acts in a hostile manner towards people seeking the assistance of various law agencies.

In the Caribbean, the culture is different. In some parts, there is a temptation on the part of the middle management of various Policing units to conceal the excesses of Policemen and women who are accused and in some instances found guilty of breaching the standards, ethics and laws of the profession.

As a direct result of their actions, if they go undetected by the top brass of these agencies, a new culture is passed down to their subordinates which embolden and encourage junior ranks to get involved in unscrupulous activities, which in the short and longterm damage the reputation of the entire profession.

In Guyana, the situation referred to above obtains, but has become worst over the past few years. In fact, it is nightmarish.

Some Policemen and women are openly engaged in crime and criminality within the divisions that they serve. Others are caught breaching the ethics of their profession accepting bribes, victimising citizens, applying their own version of the law and abusing their positions in order to create additional wealth and sources of income.

The situation has reached such a level where the lines between right and wrong are now blurred and there is widespread collusion between ranks at all levels to engage in skulduggery for the right price. Additionally, some law men are even in the habit of verbally abusing members of the public, using expletives and other derogatory language in the presence of their seniors. For some reason, some Policemen are always angry, hostile, hoggish and indifferent to the pleas and cries of desperation from the public.

Additionally, persons who are arrested and detained at holding centres or the lock-ups are kept in the most inhumane and insanitary conditions despite the tens of millions of dollars that have been released by the Government over the years to improve the conditions of these facilities. There are faeces; stagnant water accumulated from rainfall that makes its way through the porous roofs of these stations into the cell; an unbearable stench and rodents in the cell; no designated sleeping area or potable water available; and most times no access to calls to seek legal counsel.

Policemen contribute to the dilemma by engaging in extrajudicial acts, such as beating and brutalising detainees in some instances to force confessions. There are also allegations of torture and sexual abuse at the hands of lawmen.

The image of the force continues to decline because of the indifference and non-action of those in authority. Enough attention is not being paid by the top brass of the force in disciplining ranks who breach the standards and ethics of the profession. There is no reassessment of the entry requirements for the force. There is no emphasis on engineering internal programmes to lift the morale of these lawmen to empower them to cope better in the field.

The Public Security Ministry continues to function as a toothless poodle and as of recent is engaged in dealing with all sorts of matters foreign to its original remit. It needs to work with the force to advance a modern customer service and public relations programme aimed at strengthening the performance of Police officers and their interpersonal skills. Also, an advance policy that tackles corruption and collusion in the force must be adumbrated.

Modern crime fighting tactics can only be successful when the public demonstrates higher levels of trust, confidence and respect for Policemen. The criminals are wining in some respect because the public demonstrates indifference in providing information that could infiltrate the criminal enterprise across the country.

Believe it or not, the public’s attitude will not change unless the Policemen and women carry themselves with higher levels of dignity, respect, integrity, honesty and decency. History will not be kind to the current top cop unless he distinguishes himself as the one lawman who managed to set the force on a path to delivering a higher level of service to the Guyanese people. The clock is ticking.

NEWS

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Actions & Consequences

our African American youths, three teenagers and an adult, face felony charges in Chicago for the alleged kidnapping and assault of an 18-year-old white, mentally challenged man, which they videotaped and uploaded to YouTube.

Added to the charges of aggravated battery, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated unlawful restraint is a hate crime charge.

Following the assault, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said, “Tonight, four individuals have felt the Ryhaan Shah consequences of their actions”, and several US political leaders condemned the attack, including President Barack Obama who called it “despicable”.

Some Americans have been critical of the hate crime charge, but the four suspects were heard clearly on the videotape referring to their victim as “white” while they carried out their assault making it a clear case of hate crime, a crime that involves attacks perpetrated against a group rather than an individual person. In this case, it was African Americans perpetrating an assault on the white community.

This entire incident stands in stark contrast to what obtains in Guyana when such crimes occur. There is no local hate crime legislation, but given the 50 years and counting of ethnic violence, there should be specific laws to deal with these particular types of assaults.

There are laws, however, that covers assaults, arson, rape, robbery and murder yet since the 1960s when the first outbreak of open violence against the Indian Guyanese community surfaced – the motivation being to oust Premier Cheddi Jagan from Office – hardly anyone has ever been brought to justice and suffered any consequences.

The fact that in our racially divided society, the attacks always have both racial and political components, that in no way absolve the perpetrators or make their crimes less heinous. Unlike the condemnation in the US, here attacks on Indian Guyanese – often accompanied by racial pejoratives - are actually justified and approved by most of the African Guyanese community.

From 1998 onwards, following the 1997 general elections, the ethnic attacks escalated then solidified in Buxton Village which became the command centre for the assaults, rapes, kidnappings, robberies and murders that threw a wide net over the Indian Guyanese villages along the East Coast in particular.

In fact, in January 1998, PNC Leader Desmond Hoyte stated publicly at Cuffy Square that the armed forces are the PNC’s “kith and kin”. Keeping Indians cornered and afraid has always been part of their political strategy and, in its 23 years of Government, the PPP/C instituted no reforms.

Very few African Guyanese ever condemn attacks on Indian Guyanese. Some justify them and most are always silent. In essence, they provide tacit approval and permission for the PNC’s strategy which has been in play since the 1960s and was witnessed as recently as post-elections in 2015 when “coolie” taunts and threats were hurled openly from the victorious African Guyanese.

The rule of law in the US and other developed countries has no colour, creed, gender or party affiliation. Justice is indeed blind and this more than anything else is the foundation on which progressive societies build. There is a line in the sand and consequences for crossing the line.

Without a standard to which every citizen adheres and which every citizen respects, whole societies become overrun with indiscipline and lawlessness. That is, they become like Guyana.

No government since our independence has even tried to create a disciplined and lawful society because they have all gleefully taken advantage of our love for lawlessness and, since taking Office, President David Granger has been the standard bearer for such actions. He takes unilateral decisions that flout all democratic principles of consultation, transparency and accountability.

His latest unprincipled act was his elevation of Justice Roxanne George to the position of senior counsel when all legal conventions debar giving silk to a sitting judge. How many think that Justice George could have set a sterling example and shown herself as someone who loves and respects the law by refusing the appointment?

The new Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence perhaps answers that question when she stated, in her reply to queries about her qualifications – or lack of – for the position, that: “I believe that His Excellency in his wisdom knows best.”

It is this surrendering of individual and independent thinking to an authority figure that breeds authoritarianism. Lawrence’s statement is frightening and comes as Granger rejects the nominees for the GECOM chairmanship in what appears to be an attempt to rewrite the rules in his favour. If allowed to select his own candidate for this crucial position, he will set the stage for Guyana’s future and there will be dire consequences.

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

Jagdeo criticises 600% land rent hike for MMA/ADA farmers

T

he Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) has condemned in the strongest possible terms, the over 600 per cent increase in land rent and other charges for farmers by the Mahaica/Mahaicony/AbaryAgriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA).

Rice farmers in the project area are now being commanded to pay $15,000 per acre, a major increase from $3500 just last year for land rent and drainage and irrigation charges.

Cattle and other crop farmers are now forced to pay $3900, a more than 100 per cent increase from the previous fee.

The RPA has described the increases as “draconian”, especially at a time when farmers are getting low prices for their produce.

Compounding the situa-

tion, the representative body highlighted the fact that there were no consultations with the farmers prior to imposing the new fee structure.

“The RPA is calling on all farmers to resist this draconian increase and show solidarity with all as we join in the call for the reversal of this decision which was taken without any consultation with farmers, their association or any other stakeholders,” the RPA urged.

The Association disclosed that Agriculture Minister

Ramjattan to seek...

The party has an Electoral College System comprising of 275 delegates which are allocated: Region One (Barima-Waini),10 delegates; Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), 20 delegates; Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara),15 delegates; Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), 75 delegates; Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), 20 delegates; Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), 40 delegates; Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), 10 delegates; Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), 10 delegates; Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), 10 delegates; and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), 20 delegates.

Additionally, the party’s Women For Change (WFC) will have 10 delegates; Youths For Change (YFC) – 10 delegates; USA Chapter – nine delegates; Canada Chapter – six delegates; Caribbean Chapter – six delegates; and United Kingdom Chapter – four delegates.

To become a delegate, persons must be members of the AFC for a period of no less than one year and one day, and be in good financial standing.

The AFC General Secretary said the deadline for nominations is midday on January 23, noting that nominations from the floor will be not permitted.

He said a list of all nominees will be announced following the nomination deadline.

Voting will be by secret ballot and a Returning Officer, who will be named at a later date, will preside over the elections. The NEC will also allow for motions from any member (providing that it is seconded) and any member can attend, however only the delegates have voting rights.

Just as other political parties, the NEC will provide the opportunity for the AFC to examine its strengths and weaknesses and allow its members to chart a plan for the year ahead and to ensure the party continues to make a positive contribution to the landscape

FROM PAGE 10

of the country and its people.

Political commentators have observed that since coalescing with the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) for the General and Regional Elections in 2015, the AFC has lost its grounding among the populace. Some have asserted that the AFC would be ‘dead meat’ if it ever decided to divorce the APNU and contest independently again.

Currently, the AFC Chairman is Nigel Hughes and the Vice Chairman is Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

Noel Holder had defended the increases by equating them to “three beers” per day. The RPA asserted that the Minister’s sentiment is insulting and demeaning to the farming population and it demanded that the Minister apologise to the farmers for his statement.

Opposition L e a d e r B h a r r a t Jagdeo, during his recent press conference, also condemned the increases imposed on the farming population of Region Five (MahaicaBerbice).

Jagdeo pointed out that farming is the main economic activity in the Region and was at a loss to understand

why Government would want to put additional burdens on a segment of the population that has no alternative for earning a livelihood other than depending on agriculture.

The MMA/ADA and farmers have been at loggerheads since 2015 when Government moved to cancel the leases for several farmers. This resulted in a group of West Coast Berbice rice farmers filing a lawsuit against Government.

After months of hearings, former Chief Justice Ian Chang in February 2016 quashed the cancellation of the leases in favour of the farmers.

However, the farmers said they were subsequently informed by General Manager of MMA/ADA Aubrey Charles that President Granger has cancelled their leases.

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Cummings Lodge fire

GPL’s slothfulness led to delays in extinguishing blaze – owner

… as official calls for enactment of fire safety codes

F

ollowing Friday’s fire which destroyed a two-storey Cummings Lodge, Greater Georgetown, apartment complex, leaving over 40 persons displaced, the owner of the building, Tarachand Balgobin, has stated that if the Guyana Power and Light had acted swiftly the fire would have been contained.

During a visit on Saturday morning to what remains of the ‘University Off-Campus Lodge’ located in Third Street, Cummings Lodge, which had some 27 apartments, several of the persons who had dwelled in the building were seen assessing the damages. Those with apartments on the ground floor saw only the

Meanwhile, displaced occupants are blaming the negligence of the landlord for the late night blaze claiming that on several occasions the landlord was informed about the faulty sockets in the room where the fire began. However, the owner of the premises denied this allegation, noting that no report of the faulty wiring was made.

tion that even if the insurance was valid, it would be for the building and not for the contents inside.

But Divisional Officer of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) Compton Sparman explained that the fire fighters were challenged with the unavailability of water and clogged canals.

“There was no water closeby in the area, the trench

The remains of the Cummings Lodge apartment building which went up in flames on Friday evening

walls standings with nothing but rubble inside, while those whose living quarters were on the top floor were

left with nothing to look at but the front wall of the building.

Reports are the fire

started at about 20:45h in one of the western apartments on the ground floor of the building. It was reported that the fire was suspected to be electrical in nature, since wires were seen sparking in the room before flames burst out rippling through the building.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Saturday, Balgobin recalled that after receiving a call about the fire, he rushed to Cummings Lodge, where the building was already engulfed and fire fighters there trying to put out the blaze. He noted that GPL took about 25 minutes to turn off the power supply to the building. In addition to this, he noted that the water from the fire trucks ran outs and firemen could not source it from anywhere close by, as such efforts to douse the flames were halted.

Investigators from the Guyana Fire Service speaking with some of the now displaced occupants of the apartment complex

Guyana Times understands that there was a small commotion outside of the apartment building on Saturday morning with the displaced occupants demanding to know whether the building was insured in the hopes of getting some sort of compensation.

However, Balgobin pointed out to this publica-

was blocked and there was no fire hydrant. The water that was taken there was used up… When a fire start you can’t stop it but you can prevent it from spread and that what they (fire fighters) did last night. They ensured that the fire was confined to the building of origin,” he explained.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

news

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SunDAY, january 15, 2017 | guyanatimesGY.com

Anna's

Patentia bond fire treated as arson – source

Mediocrity is the A new standard

W

ith the recent Cabinet shake-up that saw the reshuffling of several Ministers, the word “betrayed” probably best defines how Dr George Norton must have felt after being demoted from Public Health Minister to Junior Social Cohesion Minister, under the Minister of State.

His disappointment became palpable when, in his own words, Norton explained to an online newscast that he was unaware of what he was going to do since he knew nothing about the Social Cohesion Ministry, which was new to Anna Correia everyone including himself.

This is a man who spent his life dedicated to the medical field, while pursuing his political career as a senior member and one of the few indigenous representatives of the PNC. But his short-lived mandate as the Public Health Minister was tarnished by the massive drug penury which hit Guyana in 2015, as well as the Sussex Street bond scandal, which suggested that Norton was a mere scapegoat in an act of cronyism now so characteristic of the Coalition regime.

At the same time, Minister Volda Lawrence was moved from the Social Protection Ministry to Norton’s former position, a decision which leaves more than one perplex. In her tenure as Social Protection Minister, Lawrence drew criticism from civil actors for refusing to adequately address the issue of rape and incest. The Minister had even suggested that rape should to be dealt with as a family matter instead of as a legal violation of the human rights of women. A recent press release from the subject Ministry went so far as to term rape as an act of “deflowering”, subsequently diminishing the gravity of the offence itself.

The question is, how can a Minister who failed to reassure rape victims of the Government’s commitment to guaranteeing and protecting their rights, be trusted to deliver the necessary medical attention to them? Besides being a stalwart of the PNC, Minister Lawrence is neither a medical expert nor understands the depth of the plight of Guyanese women exposed to sexual abuse. The leniency of her approach in addressing the scourge of rampant sexual abuse in Guyana is not only unbefitting of a senior member of Government, but increases the vulnerability of potential victims. Is the PNC-led Coalition thus limited within its pool of competent and experienced professionals, that there are no other suitable candidates to head these Ministries?

Additionally, the disregard for the civil rights of Opposition members and supporters, professed by Minister Lawrence two weeks ago when she led a counter protest against the peaceful candle-light vigil held at the CJRC, also questions her aptitude and willingness to use her offices impartially for the benefit of Guyanese across political creed. Too many PNC political appointees have been allowed since May 11 2015, to get away with political discrimination and abuse of power in positions requiring the non-partisan distribution of State and Government services. Regional Executive Carl Parker is one such individual who, until now, remains immune by the grace of President Granger and Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, despite 1200 Amerindian petitioners requesting his removal almost a year ago.

Besides Minister Lawrence’s dubious ability in executing the mandate of her office impartially, the issue of her lack of medical expertise and understanding of the specificities of the health sector might pose a problem in managing the health sector.

For instance, deficient primary healthcare has been a recurrent issue for years now, particularly in the hinterland where medical facilities are underequipped, understaffed and deprived of basic medical supplies to meet the needs of residents. The overcrowding suffered by both patients and staff at regional hospitals is a direct consequence of the lack of resources and negligence where applicable by the Government of Guyana.

How Minister Lawrence intends to address this dilemma without knowledge of regional specificities and medical expertise remains a mystery.

Reshuffling Lawrence and Norton might not be a forthcoming strategic move, and Norton knows this insofar as he’s already acknowledged his own incompetence in undertaking his new mission. Interestingly, the humiliation he suffered is comparable to the treatment doled out to the youth who vigorously supported the PNC during the 2015 presidential campaign, but received little reward from the party after it went on to claim victory.

It is also no different from the attitude of the Coalition towards the Guyanese people, in particular the swing-vote electorate that anticipated a much promised positive change which never dawned on the country.

Instead, mediocrity in governance has become the new standard of performance in Guyana.

s investigations continue into the fire which completely gutted a Patentia Housing Scheme building that was converted into a storage bond, the incident is now being treated as possible arson.

This was according to a source close to investigations who further related that the Police and the officials from the Guyana Fire Service are working on several leads to prove this theory.

He noted that the owners of the bond are expected to be further questioned based on new information reaching the investigative team. However, fire officials have already ruled out that the fire was as a result of an electrical default, since the

The remains on the bond after the fire

building did not have any power supply.

The official also stated that the contents of the building were highly combustible and the possibility exists that the perpetrators used that to their advantage. Another source

told Guyana Times that the building was locked for quite some time, but it was only recently it was converted to a storage bond.

The source close to the investigation said that the team is working on the theory that the fire might have

been purposely set to collect the insurance claims.

Guyana Times understands that after the building was converted to a storage bond it was insured.

It was reported that at about 06:30h on Wednesday last, smoke was seen bellowing from the bond located at Lot 21 East Patentia Housing Scheme, West Bank Demerara, but soon after, the smoke turned to flames.

The bond was reportedly subjected to several robberies in recent times with the latest being two Thursday’s ago when two men were spotted in the yard, but for some unknown reason, the Police were not called in to investigate. The losses are estimated to be close to $30 million.

Berbice teen commits suicide after row with mother

A

teenager took his own life on Wednesday last following a row with his mother at their Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice home.

Dead is Khemraj Rohanlall, 16, of Lot 69 Grant 2229, Crabwood Creek, Corentyne. The teen recently completed training at the Skeldon Sugar Estate and was due to start full-time work at the estate this week.

Reports are on the day in question, the teenager and his mother had an argument after he refused to run some errands. He was

GPL’s slothfulness... from page 16

Asked whether the inferno was indeed caused by sparking wires, Sparman told this newspaper that those reports are all speculation as of now since the Fire Service was still conducting investigations.

On the other hand, Guyana Times understands that there were no smoke detectors or fire extinguishers at the apartment complex. Speaking with the Guyana Times, another senior official from the GFS posited that this situation obtains in many buildings across the country, including similar apartment complexes.

To this end, the official underscored the importance of having the adequate fire safety and occupancy code, or the building code as it is popularly called, established to protect citizens.

According to the official, the relevant authorities need to take actions in ensuring that the necessary fire safety laws are enacted so that persons who are in breached can face punishment.

reportedly told to collect “baby chicks” and to fetch a few bags of saw dust.

During the argument, he reportedly left the house in haste and told his mother to take care of his sister.

After some time elapsed and he did not return, the aggrieved mother explained what transpired to her husband and after realising something was amiss,

he went in search of his son and found him lying at the back of the house panting for breath.

He admitted to consuming a poisonous substance and was rushed to the Skeldon Hospital where he died while receiving medical attention.

The teenager leaves to mourn his parents and two siblings.

Dead: Khemraj Rohanlall

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2016

Around the World

John Lewis: Trump slammed for attack on rights icon P

oliticians, entertainers and others have come to the defence of a US civil rights campaigner, Congressman John Lewis, who has become embroiled in a row with President-elect Donald Trump.

Trump tweeted that Lewis was "all talk" and should focus on his constituents, after he said Trump was not a legitimate president.

But Lewis' supporters reacted with anger, saying he was a hero and icon. Lewis was a leading figure in the 1960s civil rights movement. He is the last surviving speaker from the 1963 March on Washington, led by Martin Luther King.

Congressman Lewis said he did not regard Trump as a legitimate president

The row came as civil rights activists led by Reverend Al Sharpton be-

gan a week of protests ahead of Trump's inauguration on January 20.

Several thousand protesters braved near-freezing temperatures to march to the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial in Washington DC, chanting "No justice, no peace".

In a separate development on Saturday, African American Broadway star Jennifer Holliday pulled out of performing at the inauguration after pressure from followers, many of them from the LGBT community. Holliday, who has sung for both Republican and Democrat Presidents, apologised for her "lapse of judgment" and said she did not realise her participation would be seen as expressing support for Trump. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Nearly 100 refugees missing after boat sinks off Libya

N

early 100 people are missing after a boat packed with refugees and migrants sank off the Libyan coast, killing at least eight, according to the Italian coastguard.

Search operations continued after nightfall in poor weather and sea conditions, officials said on Saturday. "The bodies of

eight people have been recovered. Four people have been saved, and they say 107 migrants were onboard the boat," the coastguard's press office said.

A French warship, patrolling under the European Union's Frontex border operation, picked up the survivors and two merchant ships were heading

for the area, located about 50km north of the Libyan coast.

A Frontex jet and an Italian naval helicopter also joined the search and rescue operation. On Friday, around 550 refugees and migrants were picked up from four inflatable dinghies by Italian coastguard vessels, an

Italian naval ship, an NGO boat and a merchant vessel.

In recent years, Italy has been on the front line of refugees and migrants arriving across the Mediterranean Sea and has been pushing for agreements with governments in North Africa to facilitate returns. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Venezuela's Maduro oversees military drill to guard 'socialist fatherland'

Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro (R) takes part in a military drill in Charallave, Venezuela January 14, 2017

H

is finger on a rifle trigger and wearing an olive green hat, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday oversaw military exercises in crisis-wrought Venezuela, which he says is under threat of imperialist" invasion due to its oil wealth.

More than half a million soldiers and civilians were deployed in the drill.

State television broadcast footage of soldiers camouflaged as bushes shouting "socialist fatherland!" while commanders brandished Russian-made military equipment.

"We're ready to defend our land, inch by inch, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street," said Maduro during a drill in Miranda state.

Opponents of the unpopular Socialist leader scoff he is delusional and say his ad-

ministration should be focused on stocking empty supermarkets and pharmacies amid brutal shortages in the recession-hit OPEC nation.

The Opposition is trying to remove Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader, but authorities have quashed chances of an early presidential vote.

Seen as key powerbrokers in the volatile country, the military's top brass has firmly backed Maduro's "21st century socialism," although most soldiers are also suffering from Venezuela's economic recession.

Many were deployed across the country of 30 million on Saturday, with exercises that included protecting Venezuela's coastal oil refineries or practicing urban defence. State television promoted the hashtag eToDefendTheFatherland. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Silk Road route back in business as China train rolls into London

The East Wind freight train prepares for its journey at Yiwu station in Zhejiang province of China

W

hen the East Wind locomotive rumbles into east London this week, it will be at the head of 34 carriages full of socks, bags and wallets for London’s tourist souvenir shops, as well as the dust and grime accumulated through eight countries and 7456 miles.

The train will be the first to make the 16-day journey from Yiwu in west China to Britain, reviving the ancient trading Silk Road route and shunting in a new era of UK-

China relations.

Due to arrive on Wednesday, the train will have passed through China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France before crossing under the Channel and arriving in the east end of London at Barking rail freight terminal.

Faster than a ship, cheaper than a plane, the East Wind won’t be quite the same train that left Yiwu on January 2. Differing rail gauges in countries along

the route mean a single locomotive cannot travel the whole route. But the journey still marks a new departure in the 21st-century global economy. China Railway has already begun rail services to 14 European cities, including Madrid and Hamburg. As a result, Yiwu’s markets are now loaded with hams, cheese and wine from Spain and German beer is available on every corner. (Excerpt from The

Guardian)

SunDAY, january 15, 2017

S

ixteen wickets, 228 runs, 59.3 overs. South Africa's pace attack delivered a swift and brutal dismemberment to seal victory at the Wanderers inside three days and confirm a 3-0 sweep in the series. Sri Lanka only managed one half-century in the match - although that was an improvement on the second Test - and could not even last long enough for the possibility of a Johannesburg thunderstorm to provide a stay of execution.

Faf du Plessis had hesitated to enforce the follow-on in Cape Town but showed no search mercy as the Bullring bayed for blood.

Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander started the job, Wayne Parnell and the debutant Duanne Olivier took sadistic pleasure in twisting the knife. Parnell finished with six wickets in the match and Olivier five, heartening performances for South African cricket after a week spent in the shadow of Kolpak.

Having capitulated in the morning session to concede a 295-run deficit, Sri Lanka lost a wicket in the

S

i x Barbadians have been included in the Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) Marooners squad for the WICB Super50 Championship in Barbados and Antigua, January 24 to February 18.

The six are captain Jamal Smith, fellow batsmen Kyle Corbin and Aaron Jones, veteran all-rounder and former Barbados captain and West Indies player Ryan Hinds, who is also one of the coaches, fast bowler Keon Harding and off-spinner Raymond Bynoe. Jones, Corbin and Harding also played in the Barbados Pride 50-over trials.

The squad is complet-

second over of their second attempt and needed Dimuth Karunaratne's 50, as well as some lost-cause humpty for the eighth wicket, to prevent total humiliation.

Karunaratne, having avoided a pair, survived being dropped on 16 to record his highest score of the series but there was little resistance forthcoming from elsewhere.

South Africa's bowlers gave an exhibition in how to hunt tentative prey on a fast pitch but some of the catching was just as spectacular.

They saved their best efforts in the field for Sri Lanka's captain, Angelo Mathews, who was dismissed twice in the day. Quinton de Kock had produced a pearler in the first innings but du Plessis surpassed him with another onehanded effort (without the aid of gloves) at second slip, from a fierce, top-edged hack by Mathews, leaping to take the ball high above his head before landing on his knees and roaring like a gladiator over a vanquished opponent.

When Rabada burst through to rattle Karunaratne's stumps shortly before tea - which was put

ed by Amir Jangoo, Mark Deyal, Vikash Mohan (Trinidad & Tobago), Cassius Burton, Christopher Powell, Jermaine Levy (Jamaica), Larry Edward (St. Lucia) and Nino Henry (Antigua).

Two other former Barbados and West Indies players – batsman Floyd Reifer and left-arm fast bowler Pedro Collins – are on the coaching staff. Reifer is the head coach and Collins, an assistant coach.

Full squad: Jamal Smith (captain), Kyle Corbin, Aaron Jones, Ryan Hinds, Keon Harding, Raymond Bynoe (Barbados), Amir Jangoo, Mark Deyal, Vikash Mohan (Trinidad & Tobago), Cassius Burton, Christopher Powell, Jermaine Levy (Jamaica), Larry Edward (St. Lucia), Nino Henry (Antigua).

back to make up for time lost on day two - the end was in sight. Suranga Lakmal proceeded to thrash 31 off 26 during a 43-run frolic with Upul Tharanga to take Sri Lanka past their first-innings 131 but another brilliant running

du Plessis gave the crowd what they wanted. His opening salvo was a beast of a delivery: Kaushal Silva reacted as if bitten by a cobra but could not remove his glove in time as the ball reared at him from a length.

Duanne Olivier who removed Dhananjaya de Silva in the follow-on had an impressive debut

catch from JP Duminy ended the fun as Parnell and Olivier shared the last three wickets without conceding a run to seal a hefty innings win.

Rabada had been held back until second change in the first innings but this time

Kyle Corbin

Management: Floyd Reifer (head coach), Keshava Ramphal (assistant coach), Pedro Collins (assistant coach), Ryan Hinds (player/coach), Marita Marshall (physiotherapist), Avenesh Seetaram (video analyst), Dr. David Scott (sports psychologist), Shane Lewis (manager).

Kusal Mendis almost suffered the same fate to his first ball and also edged short of first slip but Sri Lanka made it to lunch one down. Rabada beat Mendis with the regularity of a sheet-metal worker as the close catchers prowled and supporters on the grass banks hooted encouragement; Mendis responded by shifting his stance on to leg stump and trying to come down the pitch to Philander. It was a high-wire act and, after striking five boundaries, Mendis chopped an inswinging delivery from Parnell into the top of off stump.

Parnell ought to have had the wicket of Karunaratne earlier in the over but Dean Elgar could not hold a low edge going two-handed to his right from third slip. The second-wicket stand did yield 37 runs but Sri Lanka were trying to construct a cardboard fort in a howling Highveld gale, as Dhananjaya de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal both fell providing catching practice to the slips.

During the morning session, South Africa claimed the six wickets they required to make Sri Lanka bat again in just 17 overs. With a lively Wanderers surface at their disposal, Du Plessis judged correctly that his attack had enough left in the tank, having lost some 25 overs on the second evening and with the

possibility of rain returning at some point.

It had threatened to be a carve up from the moment South Africa had the ball in hand and, without the bad weather to delay them, the bowlers were quickly back into their work. In his second over of the morning, Philander moved the ball seductively away from Chandimal to graze the outside edge and provide a catch for de Kock.

Mathews fell to the same manner of dismissal - at least as far as the scorecard was concerned. He had already successfully reviewed Bruce Oxenford's lbw decision off Philander, saved by a thin inside edge with height also in question, when he fended at a rapid delivery from Rabada that held its line outside off.

The edge may have been travelling straight to Hashim Amla at first slip but de Kock got there first, intercepting one-handed at full stretch, a magnificent catch even if it didn't quite stick cleanly in the glove at the first attempt.

19

Sri Lanka had raised three figures by that point but would not get much further. Olivier claimed his first Test wicket with a venomous bouncer that Rangana Herath could only dolly to square leg via an awkward contortion and a brief flurry of blows from Tharanga could not delay the inevitable.

Lakmal chipped Parnell lackadaisically to extra cover and Olivier then achieved some extra bounce from a length to take the shoulder of the bat and extract Tharanga.

Nuwan Pradeep was the last to fall, popping a catch back to the bowler; Parnell adjudged to have taken the ball just above the turf after several replays for the third umpire.

A few hours later he was celebrating finishing off the Sri Lanka innings for a second time. JP Duminy who hit his sixth Test century was named Man of the Match while Dean Elgar who was the leading batsman in the series was Man of the Series. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD South Africa 1st innings 426 Sri Lanka 1st innings (Overnight 80/4) FDM Karunaratne c †de Kock b Philander 0 JK Silva c †de Kock b Rabada 13 BKG Mendis c Duminy b Rabada 41 DM de Silva c Bavuma b Philander 10 AD Mathews* c †de Kock b Rabada 19 LD Chandimal† c †de Kock b Philander 5 WU Tharanga c Elgar b Olivier 24 HMRKB Herath c Cook b Olivier 8 RAS Lakmal c Rabada b Parnell 4 CBRLS Kumara not out 1 N Pradeep c & b Parnell 4 Extras (lb-2)2 Total (all out; 45.4 overs) 131 Fall of wickets 1-0 (Karunaratne, 0.4 ov), 2-47 (Silva, 14.5 ov), 3-62 (Mendis, 20.2 ov), 4-70 (de Silva, 21.4 ov), 5-90 (Chandimal, 31.1 ov), 6-100 (Mathews, 36.6 ov), 7-108 (Herath, 40.2 ov), 8-126 (Lakmal, 43.6 ov), 9-126 (Tharanga, 44.2 ov), 10-131 (Pradeep, 45.4 ov) Bowling VD Philander 14-5-28-3, WD Parnell 10.4-2-38-2, D Olivier 9-3-19-2, K Rabada 12-3-44-3

Sri Lanka 2nd innings (following on) FDM Karunaratne b Rabada 50 JK Silva c †de Kock b Rabada 0 BKG Mendis b Parnell 24 DM de Silva c du Plessis b Olivier 12 AD Mathews* c du Plessis b Olivier 10 LD Chandimal† c Amla b Philander 10 WU Tharanga c Duminy b Parnell 26 HMRKB Herath c Bavuma b Parnell 10 RAS Lakmal c Philander b Parnell 31 CBRLS Kumara c Cook b Olivier 0 N Pradeep not out0 Extras (lb-2, w-1, nb-1) 4 Total (all out; 42.3 overs)177 Fall of wickets 1-2 (Silva, 1.1 ov), 2-39 (Mendis, 12.5 ov), 3-59 (de Silva, 19.2 ov), 4-87 (Mathews, 23.6 ov), 5-108 (Chandimal, 28.6 ov), 6-108 (Karunaratne, 29.3 ov), 7-134 (Herath, 34.6 ov), 8-177 (Tharanga, 40.6 ov), 9-177 (Kumara, 41.2 ov), 10-177 (Lakmal, 42.3 ov) Bowling VD Philander 10-1-351, K Rabada 12-3-50-2 (w-1), WD Parnell 10.3-1-51-4, D Olivier 9-238-3 (nb-1), JP Duminy 1-0-1-0

20

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sundAY, january 15, 2017

Kiwis fight back after Bangladesh declare

− Latham hits gritty ton W inds of change blew over Wellington on the third day as Tom Latham became only the second New Zealand opener to make a century at Basin Reserve since 1931. His 119 slashed the deficit down to 303 and though he spent all but one hour of play today at the batting crease, no one learnt anything new about him. That, in itself, was remarkable.

Latham has always been strong on the cut and the flick - 83 of his runs came be-

ty for the first time. They began the day on 542 for 7, batting through the first hour when they could easily have cracked on and bowled. They had had a taste of the limelight and didn't want to give it up. Then again, considering one of their bowlers picked up a wicket off his first ball of the match and another on Test debut - and playing his first first-class match in four years - dismissed one of the best batsman in the world when he was well set, they earned the right to live

the jackpot as far as maiden Test wickets were concerned and a smile as poignant as the tears he shed upon receiving his Bangladesh cap from bowling coach Courtney Walsh indicated he knew it too.

New Zealand, for their part, made sure the bowlers had to produce moments of brilliance to earn their wickets. The pitch was flat, it had perhaps got a bit quicker as well after two days in the sun, meaning there was little danger in hitting the ball

Taskin Ahmed is surrounded by team-mates after claiming Kane Williamson for his maiden Test wicket

hind the wicket. He succeeds by playing the ball late, and close to the body. Most of all, his ability to bat on and on, without feeling flustered by scoreboard pressure, without allowing his concentration to be upset, was on show again. While wondering how to describe the innings, it was hard not to imagine Latham as a jukebox and one of his fans taking full control of it for the entire day.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, were like that person who becomes the life of the par-

it up a bit.

Taskin Ahmed and longform cricket have been on break since 2013. It was just too demanding and his body just couldn't keep up.

On return to the format, the 21-year-old fast bowler could have picked up a wicket in his first over but he had a catch dropped in the slips. He suffered further, conceding 10 fours in his 15 overs but, eventually, he found the edge again and Kane Williamson, having just got to fifty, was walking back. Taskin had hit

through the line. That fact was best represented by the middle session's numbers: 131 runs in 25 overs at 5.24 per over. Ross Taylor, back in the New Zealand team after eye surgery, was whacking the ball so beautifully that there was no question of his form being affected by the break. One of the few times he mistimed a shot - perhaps it was the first time - he was caught at square leg for 40 off 51. New Zealand's rush for runs was instigated by their captain. It was unclear

whether Williamson was venting against the fact that he had captained the team into giving away their second-biggest total - 595 for 8 after inserting the opposition but he did begin his innings with a flurry of boundaries.

There were three in four balls - a punch through mid-off, a flick through square leg and a glide past gully, all of the back foot.

Confirmation that Williamson was indeed going on a cathartic rant came in the 22nd over. For one, it was set off by a perfectly innocuous thing - a back of a length delivery on fourth stump. For another, he went to a great deal of effort to make his point, leaping up off his toes to get on top of the bounce while still somehow keeping the bat face straight.

That poor red Kookaburra was so scared that it went and hid at the point boundary. Most of his runs came off the back foot, but when he was asked to come forward to a good length delivery just outside off stump in the 34th over, he feathered an edge through to stand-in wicketkeeper Imrul Kayes.

The regular man behind the stumps, the Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, had injured his fingers taking blows to the hand while batting yesterday and did not take the field. Vice-captain Tamim Iqbal led the side in his absence.

Latham's innings was the library to Williamson's theme park. There were neat little glides behind point and deft little flicks through square led and midwicket. He frustrated the opposition with leaves and looked the perfect man for the rest of the lineup to bat around. Jeet Raval, though, couldn't quite pull off that mandate. He was given a life in the 10th over when Shakib Al Hasan shelled a catch at third slip, but the

next time he nicked a ball behind the wicket, courtesy Kamrul Islam Rabbi's extra bounce, he was gone. But not before he had given New Zealand the chance to record fifty-plus stands for all of their first four wickets, for only the second time in Test cricket. Latham was

Tom Latham is a happy man after getting to his ton

SCORE BOARD Stumps - Day 3 Bangladesh 1st innings Tamim Iqbal lbw b Boult 56 Imrul Kayes c Boult b Southee 1 Mominul Haque c †Watling b Southee 64 Mahmudullah c †Watling b Wagner 26 Shakib Al Hasan b Wagner 217 Mushfiqur Rahim*† c †Watling b Boult 159 Sabbir Rahman not out 54 Mehedi Hasan Miraz c Southee b Wagner 0 Taskin Ahmed c Southee b Wagner 3 Kamrul Islam Rabbi not out 6 Extras (b-2, lb-6, nb-1)9 Total (8 wickets dec; 152 overs)595 Did not bat Subashis Roy Fall of wickets 1-16 (Imrul Kayes, 3.4 ov), 2-60 (Tamim Iqbal, 14.2 ov), 3-145 (Mahmudullah, 37.5 ov), 4-160 (Mominul Haque, 43.3 ov), 5-519 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 125.5 ov), 6-536 (Shakib Al Hasan, 131.5 ov), 7-542 (Mehedi Hasan Miraz, 135.6 ov), 8-566

involved in all of four stands.

He was excellent against Mehedi Hasan's offspin, a result of his picking the length early, moving forward or back decisively. The 19-yearold had taken the new ball making it the first instance of a specialist spinner opening the bowling in his team's first innings of a Test in New Zealand - but struggled to

(Taskin Ahmed, 143.2 ov) Bowling TA Boult 34-5-1312, TG Southee 34-5-158-2, C de Grandhomme 20-265-0, N Wagner 44-8-151-4 (nb-1), MJ Santner 17-2-620, KS Williamson 3-0-20-0 New Zealand 1st innings JA Raval c Imrul Kayes b Kamrul Islam Rabbi 27 TWM Latham not out 119 KS Williamson* c Imrul Kayes b Taskin Ahmed 53 LRPL Taylor c Mahmudullah b Kamrul Islam Rabbi 40 HM Nicholls not out 35 Extras (b-1, lb-1, w-15, nb-1)18 Total (3 wickets; 77 overs)292 To bat C de Grandhomme, BJ Watling†, MJ Santner, TG Southee, N Wagner, TA Boult Fall of wickets 1-54 (Raval, 16.1 ov), 2-131 (Williamson, 33.6 ov), 3-205 (Taylor, 47.1 ov) Bowling Mehedi Hasan Miraz 26-4-82-0, Subashis Roy 164-46-0 (nb-1), Taskin Ahmed 15-2-79-1 (w-2), Kamrul Islam Rabbi 13-2-53-2 (w-1), Shakib Al Hasan 7-0-30-0

keep his rhythm in conditions - read: the wind - that he had never faced before.

The other man playing his first Test abroad fared better. Sabbir Rahman completed a half-century before Bangladesh took the opportunity to declare their innings - something they had only done twice on past tours.

(ESPNcricinfo)

Suarez score 2, Barcelona crush Las Palmas 5-0 L

Luis Suarez was in red hot form in scoring a double

uis Suarez scored twice as Barcelona cut Real Madrid's La Liga lead to two points by thrashing Las Palmas.

Suarez turned in an Andre Gomes cut-back for the only goal of the first half, but hosts Barca then scored three quick goals after the break.

Lionel Messi tapped in and Suarez then steered a lovely shot into the corner, before Arda Turan made it 4-0.

Aleix Vidal's first goal for the club, placed into the corner from a Paco Alcacer pass, completed the rout.

Elsewhere in La Liga on Saturday, Nicolas Gaitan's eighth-minute goal strengthened Atletico Madrid's hold on fourth place as they beat Real Betis 1-0, while Athletic Bilbao w e r e held 0-0 at Leganes.

Having dropped two points - and very nearly three - in a 1-1 draw at Villarreal last weekend, Barcelona had to win here to remain in touch with leaders Real Madrid. With Real facing a Sunday trip to Sevilla, who started Saturday above Barca in second place, manager Luis Enrique

knew this was the weekend to potentially make up ground.

Yet he took a risk in his team selection, resting Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Neymar to keep them fresh for a congested schedule, which includes two Copa del Rey matches against Real Sociedad in the next fortnight.

Enrique was bitten badly by rotation in September when, with one eye on the Champions League, he made seven changes for a home league game against promoted Alaves and lost it 2-1. This time, there was no slipup against a Las Palmas side without an away win in La Liga since the season's opening weekend. Turan, called in at Neymar's expense, justified his inclusion by scoring Barcelona's fourth goal, keeping his cool to steer a loose ball into the net after Suarez had sprinted clear and been denied by Varas

Lionel Messi has scored in each of his past seven games for Barcelona

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Lost in the A

s the Region prepares for its premier limited overs tournament, which will be played in Barbados and Antigua from January 24, Guyana Times Sport have decided to review some cricketers that were dominant at the youth level and were earmarked to progress to the senior division but have failed to do so or have not commanded a place in First Class cricket. Such talents have either washed away totally from cricket or have migrated thus ending their bid for higher cricket calling. Lost in the Mix takes you down memory lane with a look at Gajanand Singh, Shemroy Barrington and Amir Khan.

In this edition of Lost in the Mix all the players ascended to the senior level but for various reasons they have been absent from the national setup for an extended period thus playing for Guyana again seem impossible.

Leading this category is Gajanand Singh, who outperformed most of his colleagues at the youth levels.

He often finished as one of the top batsmen at regional youth tournaments thus was afforded opportunities in West Indies youth camps

sports

Mix

m e m ber of the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) T20 team that is participating in the University of the West Indies T20 Tournament. On Friday DCC managed to qualify for the fi-

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Shemroy Barrington

and team. He was a member of the 2006 West Indies U-19 World Cup team. In 2007, his final year at the youth level, he was the leading run scorer in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) U-19 tournament. In 2008 his brief First Class and List A career started at the Regional level. To date he has played 10 First Class matches, scored 376 runs at an average of 25.06 while he have 30 runs from his two List A games, where he was dismissed once.

There are no doubts surrounding his ability but the reason why he is not even in the national set up remains anonymous. He travels often as a professional. Singh is in Trinidad at present as a guest

part 3

tional programmes.

The prolific right handed batsman whose talent is evident even in his defence at the crease is journeying along

Gajanand Singh

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21

nal today after a superb unbeaten knock from Singh worth 88 runs. It was the left handed batsman fourth unbeaten half century from as many matches as he received his third man of the match award.

Singh is an asset most time he plays and it is an unfortunate situation he is not in the national set up. Subsequent to the 2006 youth World Cup, Jimmy Adams, who was one of the West Indies youth team’s official said Singh’s batting, especially his ability to manipulate the ball into the gaps, is mature beyond his age.

Like Gajanand Singh, it is unbelievable that Shemroy Barrington is not in any na-

similar paths like Singh.

They play for the same team in the USA T20 festival and they have one thing in common. They dominate! But for whatever reason Barrington is not getting his fair share. In 2011 he played the last of his seven First Class game from a career that started in 2009.

Against a Pakistanis touring team in 2011, Barrington showed his class at the top of the innings with a solid half century (58) against Umar Gul, Wahab Rehaz, Junaid Khan, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman and Tanvir Ahmed.

In the 2007 U-19 tournament, Barrington finished as the fourth top run scorer.

At 28 Barrington is playing cricket in Trinidad, USA and Canada but is not even being considered for the national system. However, whenever he plays here he stands out like he did in the last national trial he participated in; a century after returning from Trinidad the previous night.

A talented leg spinner and a capable batsman, Amir Khan, played for the West Indies under 15 and 19 while simultaneously playing for Guyana at the youth level.

His effort was constantly rewarded with selection and he improve overtime. He was 18 when he made his First class debut against Trinidad and Tobago and 21 when he played his last match. Ever since he has been plying his trade in Trinidad and elsewhere. He participated in the Jaguars three day league last year for the East Coast Franchise. Like Barrington and Singh he is not contracted by the local board.

22

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sundAY, january 15, 2017

Petra/Limacol Round Robin Knock-out Football...

Team draws hints at exciting group action

Petra Organisation CoDirector Troy Menondca

− Kick-off set for January 23 at GFC

T

he second Petra Organised Limacol Round Robin Knock out Football Tournament completed its team draw on Saturday at the Spice Garden Restaurant, Campbellville and the kick-off date is now set for Monday January 23 at the Georgetown Football Club, (GFC), Bourda.

The draw which was done in the presence of Financial Manager of New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation Incorporated Dwayne Lovell, Petra CoDirector Troy Menondca and team officials was aimed at showing the transparency.

Some of the groups have pitted top first division teams in Guyana who will battling for a top two spot to enter the second phase.

The group of death seems to be the Group A which comprises of defending champions Milerock, top Linden

side, Winners Connection, East Bank Champions, Grove Hi Tech and Northern Rangers.

Group B comprises of: Western Tigers, Uitvulgt, Eagles United and New Amsterdam United; Group C: Santos FC, Pouderoyen, Den Amstel and Ann’s Gove United and Group D: Police Force FC, Riddim Squad, Campton FC and Mahica Determinators.

The long awaited kick off is set for Monday January 23 with Police Football Club taking on Determinators followed by Riddim Squad against Campton FC. Mendonca was quizzed on his viewpoint of having the tournament in the future reach the standard of possible parallel league to the Elite League as a way of being the avenue for relegation and promotion of teams.

He stated, “There are

plans that the Guyana Football Federation [GFF] have in stream but that is for them to d i s -

close, but it is our dream, there is no intention with the powers of the sport, that is just where we want this tournament go and hopefully over the next

UWI T20 Tournament…

Inform Gajanand Singh guides DCC to final G ajanand Singh’s fourth unbeaten half century in the University of the West Indies T20 Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago earned Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) a place in today’s final.

Singh collected his third man of the match award on Friday night when he played a superb unbeaten innings worth 88 runs to help DCC chase a mammoth total of 188 set by defending champions Club Crusoe after they made 187/9 from their allotment of 20 overs.

With that spectacular knock, Singh, who had unbeaten scores of 64, 55, and 56 prior to the semifinal, ensure DCC book a place against either Cane Farm or Merry Boys who played in Saturday night’s semi-final.

The left-handed batsman smashed 11 fours and two sixes in his 46 ball innings and received support from his skipper Derwin Christian, who hit an unbeaten cameo of 42 from 23 deliveries. DCC’s victory came in 19 overs as they finished on 192-3.

In Crusoe’s innings, Navin Stewart made 47 while Leron Lezama - 39 and Christopher Vincent – 34 chipped in with 39 and 34 respectively. Christian 2/21 (4) and Carmichael 2/32 were the main bowlers for DCC with two scalps apiece.

Up to $70,000 worth of prize money will be up for grabs, with the winning team receiving at least $35,000 in cash and a champion’s trophy. Prizes will also be given to the Man of the Match, Big Six and others individual prizes.

The DCC Squad reads: Derwin Christian (captain), Kemol Savory (wicketkeeper), Gajanand Singh, Kellon Carmichael (Guest player), Jahron Byron, Cohen Ismond, Ashmead Nedd, Sachin Singh, Steven Sankar, Kemo Paul, Andrew Lyght Jr, Sagar Hatheramani, Carlton Jacques, Dexter George and Cleon McEwan.

two or three years the standard will raise and the GFF can consider this as such league.”

W i t h matches being set to play a t

GFC, Victoria Ground on the East Coast of Demerara, Leonora Stadium (West Demerara) and McKenzie Sports Club (Linden), Mendonca is pleased with the interest shown by teams thus far and said that he is happy to be part of an activity aimed at enhancing the

sport.

The top teams will complete for a $500,000 first place prize while second to third will receive $250,000, $125,000 and $75,000 respectively. In addition, the top three teams in the groups will be rewarded $100,000, $50,000 and $25,000.

sundAY, january 15 2017

guyana-times.com

Rugby team in need of more funding – Gonsalves from Caribbean tournament, it’s a tough such as Edward B. Beharry and Company tournament and in order to make this ven- Limited, John Fernandes Limited, Fitness xperienced National Rugby play- ture successful, we need the support, the Express, among others and stated, “We er and former “Green Machine” financial support.” are looking for the government’s support Captain Ryan Gonsalves is of the The squad which is undergoes fitness this year, so we can go further and even view that the Guyana Rugby Football work in the National Park, weekly has be- better our 2016 performance.”

Union (GRFU) needs more funding consid- gun their preparations early for the trip In terms of current preparation, the ering the success and exposure the team to Asia but Gonsalves feels that alone will player said, “Basically the year now start, has brought the country in 2016. we have been doing endurance work, most not be enough.

After winning their eighth Caribbean “We have a good blend of youth and ex- of the guys are arriving and we are beSevens title in 2016, Guyana booked a perience and so it would third travel to the prestigious be good to get the fundHong Sevens Tournament ing so we can have a in April but to be propercamp to get the playly prepared for the tourers well organised nament they will need for the tournament adequate financial because the difsupport from both ference between corporate entities Caribbean and inand the Government. ternational levGonsalves statel, is the speed of ed, “2016 was a pretthe game. At the ty good year for us and Caribbean levthis will be our third el one has about trip for Hong Kong and three seconds, at we are looking to go the internationdeeper in the al scene it is about tournament; one second” he exit’s very plained. differHe added, e n t “We need to get more exposure and the only thing Players from North and South in a heated exchange for possession will help us do better, is getting ginning to work hard and get focused for some exposure with teams Hong Kong.”

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the GRFU like the US so we can get used to the speeds at the held its competitive match of the new season, which saw North tacking South, with international level.”

Adamant that there the North side winning 35-31 in the bruisis need for more sup- ing encounter.

Randell McArthur led North’s route port, the player is Ryan Gonsalves grateful for the sup- with 3 tries, Patrick King (2), Avery Corbin port of companies (1) and Godfrey Broomes with four converBy Akeem Greene

E

23

sions.

F o r South, Lancelot Adonis (one try and one conversion), Lloyd Anderson (two tries) Jamal Angus (one try), Blaze Bailey (one try) and Ryan Gonsalves (two conversions) impressed but failed to get their team of the line in the dying moments of the match.

The players currently in training for

the Hong Sevens trip are: Avery Corbin, Blaise Bailey, Claudius Butts, Dwayne Schroeder, Godfrey Brooms, Jamal Angus, Kevin McKenzie, Lancelot Adonis, Osaie McKenzie, Patrick King, Peabo Hamilton, Richard Staglon, Rickford Cummings, Ronald Mayers, Rupert Giles, Ryan Gonsalves, Rondell McArthur and Vallon Adams.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Petra/Limacol Round Robin Knock-out Football...

Page 22

Team draws hints at exciting group action − Kick-off set for January 23 at GFC

Santos FC Frank Paris randomly selects one of the teams in the draw, as Petra’s Troy Mendonca looks on at the Spice Garden Restaurant

Pg 23

Rugby team in need of more funding – Gonsalves Part of the action between North and South on Saturday at the National Park Rugby Field (Akeem Greene Photo)

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