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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 2947 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

August 14, 2016

PRICE

Govt's $12.5M ware "house" deal

$120 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

"Offends public, taxpayers" says – Ramkarran ...President not Page 7

fully briefed

Guyana Times P6 columnist shines at CAPE

…as official results to be released this week – Olato Sam

The biggest victims of domestic violence are the smallest …domestic violence through the eyes of the child P12

Linden Holding Inc's bond at Sussex Street, Georgetown which is rented by the Government for an exorbitant fee of $1250 per sq foot

Essequibo teen drowns during birthday picnic

NA Nurses Hostel P17 goes up in flames

Page 3

Jagdeo stands It wasn’t firm against me; it was GRA – Jordan discrimination Revised steel taxes Page 18

Page 3

NEW GPC clears air on pharmaceutical warehouse Page 5

Govt struggles to spend $230B P10 budget …even as revenue collections increase

Embattled PS denies theft of public funds, owning billions P9

2 NEWS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Role of GMC diminishing – President Granger W ith farmers now finding local markets for their products themselves, President David Granger is of the view that the role of the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) is diminishing.

He explained to reporters on the weekly televised programme - The Public Interest - that when the GMC was first conceived, it was essentially tasked with bridging the gap between market and the producer/ farmer. However, that policy has since changed and farmers are now locating and are in contact with the markets themselves.

“So the intermediate role of the Guyana Marketing Corporation was diminished and now it depends on the farmers as private entrepreneurs to go to the market directly,” the President stated as he expressed disappointment at the insignificance being given the corporation now.

Nevertheless, the Head of State went on to say that

it is encouraging that farmers and producers are making contact with markets directly, especially those going to the outlets, like the fish shops, to sell sweet potato, plantain and cassava chips directly to local enterprises.

He stated that the Administration is willing to help farmers who want to take a step further and export their produce. The President noted that government wants to work with farmers so that they can ac-

cess markets in Trinidad, Barbados, Grenada and other parts of the Eastern Caribbean through the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

“So it is a new area in the sense that the old formula, the old model, had been abandoned and we now have to re-establish ties with our farmers but the farmers have to produce first, we can’t have a market with no production and that’s what we trying to stimulate. We

are trying to stimulate production at village level and once that happens, we will be able to assist them in getting markets in the Eastern Caribbean,” the Head of State noted.

He added that this is a work in progress and that Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder is exploring ways this can be implemented.

However, the President outlined that several bonds were constructed countrywide for farmers to store and packaged their produce for exportation, noting that they are being very underutilised.

He specifically mentioned the agro-packaging and export facility located at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, which he told farmers in the area to make full use of, “we have not abandoned the farmers and I told farmers at Parika to start using the facility there more than it is being used at present,” he disclosed while adding that government is willing

to set up more storage facilities in other regions, particularly in the hinterland where farmers there have problems with getting their produce to markets.

The facility at Parika was commissioned since 2008 as part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s ‘Grow More Food’ campaign under the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic regime. It was said to have the capacity to pre-

pare and package an estimated 40,000 pounds of produce for export in a 24hour period.

It has serviced very few exporters and/or farmers to date.

Furthermore, the pack house is open to exporters only and an export permit from the GMC is required before the facility can be accessed. (Vahnu Manickchand)

Essequibo teen drowns during birthday picnic

A

2nd year student of the Teachers Training College drowned on Saturday, turning a birthday picnic into tragedy.

Dead is Kowsal Persaud, 19, called "Jay" of Airy Hall Sands, Essequibo Coast.

Reports are the future teacher was out with friends at the Aurora seawall for a birthday picnic when they went swimming.

Reports reaching Guyana Times are that his friends missed him and began searching for him. Other persons in the area were notified and the search was joined. However, everyone’s worst fears were realised at about 17:00h when the young adult’s body was seen in the ocean.

Police from the Aurora Police Station were summoned and launched an investigation. This newspaper was reliably informed that two other friends of the dead youth were found unconscious and were rushed to the Suddie Hospital, where they

Kowsal Persaud

remain patients.

While details of the incident remains sketchy, this newspaper was told that the remaining friends were taken into custody as Police probe the incident.

Persaud is the third child of his parents. His body is at the Suddie Mortuary awaiting an autopsy.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, August 14 – 14:30h-16:00h and Monday, August 15 – 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, August 14 – 13:25h-14:55h and Monday, August 15 – 14:20h-15:50h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Heavy rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, while clear skies are expected to give way to light rainfall in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 00:57h and 13:38 reaching maximum heights of 2.23 metres and 2.22 metres respectively

Low Tide: 00:42h and 13:02 reaching minimum heights of 0.63 metre and 0.67 metres respectively.

Jagdeo stands firm against discrimination

I

f all are to be judged by and held to, the same standards, then the entire Government, “is made up of a bunch of racists.”

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo made the bold assertion this past week, as he sought to again defend his stance taken when he recently addressed the Diaspora in New York, pointing out that supporters of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and more specifically, Indo-Guyanese, are essentially being persecuted by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

Jagdeo’s utterances were widely condemned by sections of society including former PPP/Civic stalwart Ralph Ramkarran.

He had suggested that the former President, in fact, exposed the Party’s new agenda and pointed to Jagdeo’s assertion that “we will take back Guyana.”

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But the former President made it clear he has no apologies for his comments and his position should not be seen as racist.

Jagdeo holds firmly the view that it cannot be argued that simply because he speaks out in defence of one section of the population, this means he is racist.

He suggested that persons such as pro-black activists, Professor David Hinds and Eric Phillips – both of whom are currently in the employ of the Administration – should also both be considered racists, given the public pronouncements made in support of the Afro-Guyanese population.

Jagdeo met with members of the media this week at his Party’s Freedom House Headquarters and articulated why he remains steadfast in his declaration that the Indo-Guyanese population is under attack by the David Granger-led Administration.

He was also later joined by the Executive Leadership of the PPP/C including his immediate successor, former President Donald Ramotar;

said he will continue to “Unequivocally stand by every statement I have made so far.”

Anti-Jagdeo campaign

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee; Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali; and former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.

The PPP/C team met with scores of Guyanese during a public talk held at the Sleepin Hotel on Brickdam, Georgetown.

Jagdeo used the occasion to concede that the PPP/C is partly at fault for allowing naysayers to continue to peddle the assertion that his Administration did in fact persecute the AfroGuyanese population at an institutional level while in office.

Jagdeo was hauled before the courts on two occasions over purported racist statements and acts, both of which have since been dismissed by the judiciary.

Fact-based analysis

The former President said the PPP/C is in fact proud of its record and is prepared to have a factbased analysis of its time in office, inclusive of its spending policies.

The PPP/C Executive Members at the time were speaking to the very assertions of victimisation and

discrimination against the Indo-Guyanese population in addition to what they termed ‘mounting concerns’ over the militarisation of the State apparatus in

The former President opined that there may be a campaign against him by the ruling Administration to, “characterise me in a particular fashion helped obviously by some of the friendly media.”

Jagdeo said there have been many, other than him, that would have come out alleging discriminatory practices by Government, “but it seems as though if you are Indo-Guyanese and you speak about discrimination against Indo-Guyanese or Indian people in Guyana then you have to be racist but if you are Afro-Guyanese and you speak about dis-

“I will not stop representing people if I feel they are being discriminated against because of their race, I will speak out against it whether they are Indo-Guyanese or Afro-Guyanese, but not because they are Indo Guyanese I will suddenly cower in a corner and not say anything for fear of being labelled racist.” – Jagdeo Guyana by former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Brigadier, David Granger.

The Opposition Leader also repeated his assertion that Government was in fact discriminating against supporters of the PPP. According to Jagdeo, “I have spoken that if you are black and you support the PPP then you face the brunt of the Government, the Amerindians know that too.”

Qualifying his assertions, when he said, “we will take back this country,” Jagdeo said it is, “from people who discriminate based on your politics and our race.”

Jagdeo this past week

crimination against AfroGuyanese historically or current, then you are a freedom fighter.”

An obstinate Jagdeo posited, “if you were to judge several individuals by the same standards that you want to judge me every time I speak out against an act of discrimination against people based on their race or their politics then you will find that this Government is made up of a bunch of racists.”

TURN TO PAGE 11

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SunDAY, august 14, 2016

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Editorial

Integrity in public life

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he present contretemps over the unfortunate utterances of Minister of Public Health Dr George Norton as he tried to "explain" a $63 million line item on spending for drugs storage to the National Assembly that had been converted to a "Committee of Supply" raises once again, the vexed question of enforcing "integrity in public life".

When they were on the opposition benches, APNU and AFC trenchantly and incessantly criticised the actions of PPP/C Ministers, MP's and officials in the latter's performance of their duties. They argued quite cogently that what was needed was a "Code of Conduct" with "teeth" so that there would be clear guidelines for the actors and enforcers to ensure that the country's business was conducted transparently and ethically.

The Code of Conduct was promised in their Manifesto to be promulgated within their first 100 days of assuming office, which occurred in May 2015: "#16 - A Code of Conduct will be established for Parliamentarians, Ministers and others holding high positions in government public office to abide by, including mechanisms for demitting office if in violation of the Code of Conduct."

Mentioned en passant in July, it was not until September of that year that Minister Raphael Trotman, upon being questioned by reporters, said there was a "draft" code but, "We believe it should be opened up for public comment, criticism, critique and to be distilled and refined. Hopefully, coming out of it we get a stronger document."

The "draft" Code of Conduct was finally released the following month and Trotman asserted it was underpinned by 10 principles: accountability, dignity, diligence, duty, honour, integrity, loyalty, objectivity, responsibility, and transparency."

Since that time, citizens would be forgiven if they thought legs were being dragged and heels dug in when one excuse after another were found to put off the enactment of the Code of Conduct, and launching a programme to enforce its principles on its members of the government, Members of Parliament and government officials.

In the meantime, with some re-assortment of duties between Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Minister Trotman, the "Draft Code" was sent to an ad hoc Committee under the Chairmanship of now Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman.

The latter finally submitted it to the Prime Minister in May of this year, after assuring the latter that the committee had "approached the task with alacrity and interest".

The Prime Minister however, then announced that he was considering subsuming the "Draft Code" into the "Integrity legislation" that had been on the books since 1997.

The PNC, however had then objected to Bishop George being Chairman of the Integrity Commission. Relying on the stipulation in the new Act that the Chairman and members of the Commission must be appointed upon "consultations" with the Opposition Leader, they attempted to deny legitimacy to the body by refusing to engage in such consultations.

This intransigence has continued into the present as the successor to Desmond Hoyte, stuck to his line. In 2005, then Opposition Leader Robert Corbin moved to the courts for a declaration that the Integrity Commission, as constituted, was "unconstitutional" but there has not been a ruling handed down.

It would appear that if Prime Minister Nagamootoo's suggestion is going to be acted upon, the PNC had overcome its objections and the new suggestion might not be another foot-dragging exercise. However three months down the road, the populace are still to be informed about the status of this most crucial piece of legislation.

After all, it might have been resorted to in the present "Pharmagate" under the clause, "Misuse of Office": "Officials...who misuse their office...to benefit their business connections are liable to disciplinary action by the Government or even prosecution by the State. Examples of misuse include an official...responsible for the selection of suppliers giving undue favour (to business connections)...with a view to awarding the contract to the latter, or placing it in an advantageous position ahead of other competitive bidders."

The glory of hard work and perseverance. Elaine Thompson of Jamaica (right) is ecstatic as she wins the gold in the 100 metre sprint ahead of Tori Bowie of the US and defending medal title holder, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica (Reuters)

Conflict of interest

Dear Editor The term conflict of interest (COI) is widely used, yet many people are unaware of its meaning and significance.

The Journal of Business Ethics defines conflict of interest as “a situation in which a person has a private or personal interest sufficient to appear to influence the objective exercise of his or her official duties as, say, a public official, an employee, or a professional.” This private or personal interest is often motivated by money, but can also arise from other factors such as love and ambition.

It is important to take note of the word ‘situation’ from the definition, as a COI can be mistakenly bundled with corruption. For example, a lawyer in need of money is working with a client.

A representative of the

party that the client is in dispute with approaches the lawyer.

The representative proposes to provide the lawyer with a large sum of money if the lawyer agrees to botch his client’s case. In this situation, the bribe offer creates a conflict of interest between official duty to the client and personal duty to self.

The action taken when faced with a COI determines if the lawyer is corrupt. A COI alone is not an improper act, but rather a natural phenomenon. It is how the COI is dealt with that may be improper.

In addition, an unaddressed conflict of interest can raise suspicion about whether the service provider is being impartial, which can place trust, loyalty, and integrity into question.

In the aforementioned example, the lawyer choos-

es not to disclose the bribe offer with his client. The client later finds out that the lawyer was offered a bribe.

As a result, the client can no longer trust the lawyer, even if the lawyer may have rejected the bribe.

To further illustrate the nature of a COI, we will look at another example. A basketball referee has an upcoming game between two high school teams.

He notices that a member of one of the teams is his beloved niece. A conflict of interest is formed even though an improper act has not yet been committed.

His official duty is to make fair calls during the game. However, he also has a personal duty to the happiness of his niece. If he referees the game, he may make unwarranted calls to benefit his niece’s team.

On the other hand, in an overzealous attempt to dis-

play fairness, he may make unwarranted calls to hurt his niece’s team.

Either way, his decisions are at risk of being subjective. Therefore, if the referee’s connection with his niece is well-known and he chooses to ignore the conflict of interest, trust may be lost and his job may be executed poorly.

By looking at these examples, we know that a COI itself is not unethical, but if dealt with incorrectly, a COI can lead to suspicion of objectivity and even an improper act.

When faced with a conflict of interest, one should identify it, disclose it, and remove oneself from the situation. Otherwise, the official duty and trust upheld by the service provider may be jeopardized.

Sincerely, Nicel Mohamed-Hinds

This is about saving lives

Dear Editor, The Caribbean Voice is deeply saddened by the fact that political posturing trumped the need to save lives as “a parliamentary motion expressing concern for Guyana’s alarming suicide rate, quickly descended into a politicised debate marked by blame-throwing” (as one local news media described it).

Indeed a motion calling for urgent action to save lives transformed into an argument as to who’s stealing who’s work, as our smart politicians sought to score political points rather than come together to arrest the suicide epidemic that is stalking the land.

The fact of the matter

is that the PPP/C while in Government, aborted the one mechanism that was beginning to make a difference, the Gatekeepers Programme. And while the Pesticide board had agreed to roll out an adaptation of the Shri Lankan Hazard Reduction Model to tackle pesticide suicide, that went nowhere after the change of government last May. Also we all know that the current Government just completed one year in office but at the beginning of that year the promises rained down while the only mechanism put in place so far is the suicide hotline that has neither been widely publicised nor is used to any significant extent by

the population.

We are still waiting for the roll out of counsellors in schools, which, according to Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, was set to start earlier this year, in February. Ditto for the other measures talked about – Gatekeepers’ Programme, a mechanism to address pesticide suicide, implementation of the Mental Health Plan and so on.

So it befuddles the mind that our politicians are quarrelling about who’s stealing who’s thunder while suicide continues to be a ‘norm’ with at least 15 so far for August, of which at least eight were not reported in the media.

Given that the call for collaboration echoed by both sides of the house, one would have thought that our political leaders would put heads together and come up with a plan whose implementation would reflect the urgency of necessary action.

The process of collaboration can start immediately with the only other thing both sides agreed one – decriminalising attempted suicide. We call upon the relevant ministry to draft the necessary legislation and lay it in Parliament ASAP and we request the opposition to give full support so this archaic law can be taken off the books. continued on page 5

NEWS

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEW GPC clears the air on its pharmaceutical warehouse

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ven after its Press Release of August 9th, there are still some misunderstandings on the facts concerning NEW GPC’s pharmaceutical warehouse in the ongoing controversy over the Ministry of Public Health signing a contract for another facility to store pharmaceuticals. This press release is

Here are the facts:

sq ft each. These were to be used to store pharmaceuticals for the GPHC and the Ministry respectively. The price offered

by NEW GPC was $237/ sq ft. per month. In commercial real estate transactions on rentals charges are quoted in “dollars per square footage” so as to offer prospective clients a basis of compari-

ing NEW GPC’s quote as “punitive”, when it is less than one-quarter that of the new facility rented.

Secondly, in addition to the basic storage expenses, NEW GPC’s proposed charge included the IT, security, certification and sanitation to comply with WHO/PAHO standards. The facility also has three separate tem-

dition to the rental then its effective unit charges will be much higher than $1250/sq ft.

The NEW GPC has no desire to become embroiled into what appears to be a political diversion from parliamentary revelations. It simply wants to have the facts as it relates to its business not be misrepresented. For in-

IAC will not be silenced nor intimidated

Dear Editor, The Indian Action Committee (IAC) has noted the response by Lincoln Lewis in other sections of the media on August 13, 2016 to the organisation's letter to the editor regarding President Granger’s statement and the proposed establishment of the communal Lands Commission which is supposed "to rectify the anomalies and resolve the controversies which, up to now, surround thousands of hectares of communal lands which were purchased in the post-Emancipation village movement."

The IAC will not be intimidated by this type of baseless attack and will not dignify the false assertions made by Lincoln Lewis.

It seems as if the IAC has no right to query and articulate the concerns of its constituents as the organisation attempts to seek clarification on the legality of this proposed communal Lands Commission.

The IAC will not be silenced nor be intimidated.

Yours Sincerely, Saira Alli Secretary, Indian Action Committee

This is about...

FROM PAGE 4

Storage at NEW GPC’s state-of-the-art facility. Cost $237 per sq ft to reiterate and expand on the clarifications offered earlier on the proposed charge for storage made by by NEW GPC to the Ministry of Public Health.

Firstly, it was the Ministry of Public Health that approached the NEW GPC requesting specifically to rent its entire 70,000 sq ft warehouse, which was to be segregated into two equal sections of 35,000

son.

If the MoPH wanted 10,000 sq ft for storage space from NEW GPC and requested that rather than the 70,000 sq ft it did, it would have cost the government just $2.37M/monthly.

However it rented 10,000 sq ft of space from Linden Holdings Inc for $12.5M/ monthly which works out to $1250 per sq ft. It was therefore surprising to read the Govt describ-

Linden Holding Inc bond. Cost $1250 per sq ft perature control zones for the storage of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals in addition to a separate area for the storage of controlled substances.

It also has testing facilities for pharmaceuticals as well as several loading docks to handle the multiple containers that are usual in the government procurement shipment.

If the government has to pay these charges to Linden Holdings in ad-

stance yesterday, one section of the media reported that the corporation had “jacked up” it’s rental charges and thus implying that it had been previously charging the government for storage when in fact there were no charges for over a decade.

The minimal charges were now initiated because government scrapped the pre-qualification process that demands at least 30,000 sq ft storage space.

We sincerely hope that the Government, especially the relevant ministries, will immediately begin to transform rhetoric into action and roll out the various plans and measures that have been propagated over the last year or so.

To protest that resources are not available to do what needs to be done would be so facetious, given the almost one billion dollars spent on a park used for the Jubilee celebration and the additional billions spent on the many faceted, lavish manifestations of this celebration.

Surely our Government cannot argue that partying is more critical than saving lives and empowering people.

The Caribbean Voice and the 25-plus NGO partners welcome the endorsement of Public Security Minister

Khemraj Ramjattan for “Voices Against Violence National Candlelight Vigil” set for World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10.

We hope other ministries and even President Granger will find it possible to also endorse this vigil, which aims to bring communities together to harness efforts for social action, and to urge all communities to get involved.

To date over 25 vigils are confirmed in almost all the regions, and we expect this figure to more than double by the time September 10 comes around.

Meanwhile we also urge communities and all organisations to band together and plan vigils in communities across Guyana.

Sincerely, The Caribbean Voice

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Page

guyana-times.com

Foundation

Power of the

Internet

Guyana Times columnist shines at CAPE

…as official results to be We are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a giant brain. – Stephen Hawking released next week – Olato Sam

I

Anu Dev

n today’s world, to get a message heard half-way across the world you just need to tap at a couple of buttons without ever having to bother your vocal cords. And obviously it’s great - we can now reconnect with people we may not have seen in years.

But with every message we send, every picture we post, every thought we share with the world around us, we’re opening up ourselves to the world.

We’re letting everyone in. We’re putting ourselves out there for the world to applaud us, appreciate us, to critique us, to judge us.

And at every stage of our lives we’re at different stages of maturity. Every day, we grow a little, we learn a little bit more, we gain a bit more experience. So some-

thing I might feel confident about posting on a social media site today, I might cringe with embarrassment about next year. Or some thoughtless comment I might have made for the world to see might offend my future boss, or co-workers.

It’s a delicate balance trying to maintain links with the people

around you without putting too much of yourself out there.

It’s just too easy to share every detail of your life on the Internet. Tons of people are taking pictures of their food and sharing them on Instagram every second of the day. People are also posting insightful status updates such as

“Eating roti”. Food photography seems extremely difficult. It’s definitely harder to get flattering lighting for a plate of curry (duck or otherwise!) than for a person.

All of these apps can be great for letting people know about what we’re doing every day, keeping everyone updated, but it probably should be used in moderation. It

someone’s house and expecting them to entertain you with absolutely no warning.

It’s a new world out there. With every software update, with every launch of some new social media platform, we have to adjust to this new way for us to share what’s going on with our lives.

So before you open yourself to the world and share every detail about your life, think about the amount of people your message might actually be gets to reaching - it’s be a bit probably a lot more much - overthan you originalwhelming even. Do you ly envisioned. Censor yourhave to let everyone see self a little bit - not that you what you’ve eaten ev- shouldn’t have freedom of ery day? Do you have to speech, but you should probtell everyone that you’ve ably be more aware of your ‘time and place’ and what just made a sandwich?

It’s getting so much eas- kind of image you want to ier to infringe on everyone’s project of yourself to the personal space. Maybe you world. should send someone a mesThe Internet is giving sage on Skype before you us great power, and with randomly call them. They great power comes great could still be in their py- responsibility, so use the jamas or in the middle of Internet (and the power it something important. It’s a give us) responsibly. bit like barging right into

G

uyana Times columnist Ashley Anthony has performed outstandingly at this year’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), copping six Grade Ones.

The 17-year-old aspiring biophysicist stated that the news of her performance hit her with a shock, although she did expect to achieve excellence, “I hoped to do well but I wasn’t quite expecting that it would be this well,” she said, highlighting that a Grade One in Pure Mathematics did come as a pleasant surprise.

Anthony secured Grade Ones in Biology, Chemistry, Caribbean Studies, Applied Mathematics, Pure Mathematics and Physics.

She had captured 17 Grade Ones at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) last year.

When asked what her secret was to performing well in national examinations, Anthony stated that she studied and applied herself: “I didn’t really have any particular schedule to study. I guess I was focused.” However, she did indicate that different studying techniques work for different people. “They just have to know which method works for them,” she said.

This year, CAPE saw the region attaining a success rate of 90 per cent. For years Guyana has been struggling to boost its student performance in Mathematics and English, but last year the country saw improved pass rates at both examination levels.

The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) on Friday announced that there is an overall pass rate of 64 per cent of students scoring between Grades One and Three after the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results were analysed.

With CXC 2016 results out, critics are awaiting the breakdown to confirm whether Guyana has registered a decline in the areas of Mathematics, Science and Information Technology compared to last year’s figures.

Meanwhile, when this newspaper contracted Chief Education Officer Olato Sam about the release of the results for CAPE by the

Ashley Anthony

Education Ministry, he indicated that while the ministry already has the results, it is being analysed. He however noted that the ministry will host a press briefing early this week to release the results.

Additionally, he said that he is yet to receive the CXC results.

The performance in the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) for 2016 saw the region attaining a success rate of 90 per cent. This is according to Glenroy Cumberbatch, a Registrar at CXC in Barbados, during the official released on Friday in Anguilla.

The official results for both exams were released on Friday night at 22:00h.

CXC on Friday announced that there is an overall pass rate of 64 per cent of students scoring between Grades One and Three after the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) results were analysed.

It also stated that despite a drop in the number of persons writing the exams, there was an increase in the number of subjects being written by students. The results were officially released on Friday in Anguilla.

During the presentation of the results, it was noted that 55,130 males wrote the exams compared to 77,544 females.

However, there was a decline in the performance in Mathematics when compared to 2015. Overall performance in Mathematics saw a 13 per cent decrease. Candidates recorded a 44 per cent pass rate in Mathematics this year as compared to 57 per cent in 2015.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Govt's $12.5M ware "house" deal

"Offends public, taxpayers" – Ramkarran ... says President not fully briefed

Former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran

T

he deal, conceived and entered into by the Government with Linden Holding Inc, smells. It is offensive to commonsense and to the Guyanese public and taxpayer and violates the Government’s promises of transparency and an end to sole sourcing.

Seasoned politician and former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, delivered this scathing observation as he weighed in on the brouhaha that has erupted over the past week when it was discovered that Government not only fronted $25 million to one of its financial supporters

but also opted to pay $12.5 million monthly for a 10,000 square foot sub-standard facility to store the nation’s drugs and medical supplies.

Ramkarran, writing in his conversationtree.org outlet has since called on the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, to explain why the Guyanese people must lose in excess of $9 million a month on “this sordid deal.”

Opposition members questioning Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton Monday last, on an item seeking approval for $31 million, it was revealed that the sum was intended as expenses for renting a bond for the storage of pharmaceuticals.

The Minister, according to Ramkarran, explained that rent of $19.2 million per month was being paid to New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (NEW GPC INC) and that the Government wanted a cheaper facility in a hurry to avoid paying that ‘exorbitant’ sum. Consequently, there was ‘sole sourcing’ and the contract was given to Linden Holding Inc. The size of the premises in Albouystown is 10,000 square feet and the rent was $12 million per month.

Ramkarran has since reported that it also turns out that, contrary to what the Minister said, NEW GPC had been storing Government owned pharmaceuticals free of charge and had been doing so since it was the Government’s main supplier of drugs under sole sourcing arrangements.

He accurately noted that since sole sourcing of pharmaceuticals came to an end, NEW GPC put forward a proposal for monthly rental from March for its 70,000 square foot facility but Government decided to sole source another facility – Linden Holding Inc, being the beneficiary.

That company, owned by Larry Singh – a financial supporter of the Administration in its campaign – bought the property in which to store the pharmaceuticals in March and is receiving rent, even though the facility is not yet in operation because it is still under preparation.

According to Ramkarran, “This deal, conceived and entered into by the Government, smells… It is offensive to commonsense and to the Guyanese public and taxpayer and violates the Government’s promises of transparency and an end to sole sourcing.”

Ramkarran said he understands the Government’s knee-jerk reaction at anything concerning NEW GPC and its principal, Dr Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop, “but the taxpayers and the nation as a whole cannot be made to pay for the Government’s distaste, and indeed that of many people who may not even be supporters of the Government, over what has happened in the past.”

Ramkarran posits that the ‘arrangement’ fits squarely in the governance methods against which the population revolted in elections in 2011

and 2015 and about which the then Opposition complained bitterly and vowed to end.

“How can rent of $12 million for 10,000 square feet be a saving on rent of $16 million for 70,000 square feet,” asks Ramkarran.

He pointed out that based on his calculations, “$16 million divided by 70,000 square feet gives $228 a square foot and $12 million divided by 10,000 square feet gives $1200 a square foot.”

As such, he points out that “this ‘deal’ therefore requires the taxpayer to fork out $1200 a square foot when other premises are available at $228 a square foot… How can this be right?”

The former Speaker noted too that sensing all of these factors the Cabinet, which had previously approved the contract, acted swiftly and appointed itself,

through a sub-committee, to examine the contract and report, equally swiftly.

According to Ramkarran, no sooner had the sub-committee been appointed, it began to make excuses and set up defences.

Granger clearly not fully briefed

Ramkarran observed too in his writings that President David Granger also weighed in on the issue in a defensive mode, “but the President demonstrated that he was clearly not fully briefed on the matter.”

Granger in defence of the deal entered into by his Administration said the contract was awarded out of necessity, citing the “punitive nature in which NEW GPC increased its fees as a result of the termination of single sourcing.” The President explained “What happened is that the new Administration decided to bring an end to single sourcing.”

TURN TO PAGE 15

8

NEWS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

14-year-old murder

Police secure persons Eyew tness of interest names Cockeyed...

A s Police continue their investigation into the murder of Malika Hamilton, 14, whose body was found in a canal at Hope, East Coast Demerara, they have managed to gather a list with the names of males with whom the young woman was last seen.

A senior Police official in C Division told Guyana Times that over the next few days they are expected to interview those on the list with the intention of getting a breakthrough.

He also stated that Police are in close contact with the relatives of the deceased teenager as they might also gather information that

Murdered: Malika Hamilton

could help in the probe. The official is also calling on the public to assist, since there are persons who saw the teenager after she left home.

To date no one has been arrested.

On Friday the post-mortem proved that the teen was strangled and sustained blunt trauma to the head. It is believed that the teenager might have been strangled and struck to the head before she was thrown into the canal.

Due to the fact that the post-mortem revealed that she drowned, it means she was alive when she was thrown into the canal.

Hamilton of Lot 11 Two Friends Village, ECD, was last seen in the company of two boys; however, the boys reportedly told her family that they dropped her off at

a canal in the village, claiming that she wanted to visit her grandmother.

Hamilton never showed up and after several calls to family enquiring of her whereabouts, the matter was reported to the Police.

The family then launched a search on Monday evening but came up empty handed.

The search resumed on Tuesday and it was then the discovery was made.

Immediately the body was pulled from the canal, relatives suggested that foul play was involved.

They are working closely with the Police to find the perpetrators.

Works ongoing to salvage sunken dredge “Draga”

O

ver a month after dredge “Draga” sank at Pieremap Falls, Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), efforts are now moving apace to salvage the wreckage.

The vessel bearing registration number SD 3398 and owned by Crown Mining is

expected to be removed from its present position in a matter of days.

The operation is being untaken by the Natural Resources Ministry and several agencies including Crown Mining, to have the wreckage removed from the Mazaruni River since it is dangerously positioned.

According to a statement issued by the Natural Resources Ministry, a crew of workers has built a specialised pontoon which will be used to bring to the surface the partly sunken dredge. The pontoon has three hydraulic winches and is 28 feet wide, 68 feet long and four feet deep. It has 18

compartments.

“The plan is to fill the pontoon with water and then secure it to the sunken barge. The water will then be pumped out of the pontoon, which will cause it to rise up, taking the Draga with it. The pontoon when empty will have a lifting capacity of 180 tonnes,” the release stated.

However, while the crew is at the site attempting to execute the plan, several challenges are now being encountered.

The officials explained that the speed of the water at the top of the Pieremap Falls, coupled with a prolonged rainy season, is making the job even more difficult since the works entail underwater cutting.

The works will soon be executed as the water levels drop, making the operation less dangerous.

“The Ministry of Natural Resources will continue to monitor the situation in collaboration with the Maritime Administration Department,” the release added.

A

...on Pharma investment

s an Eyewitness, yours truly knows what an impediment it'd be if he were cockeyed. After all he's been forced to read the cockeyed effusions of those trying to defend the indefensible on this "PharmaStorageGate" over the past week. It took a strong stomach not to barf, when all one Vice President could say, "Bad boy! Don't do it again"!!

But your Eyewitness wants to look at the sordid affair from another angle. The "angle" of what everyone and their uncle's running around screaming it's what Guyana needs - investments. Let's look at the facts. Back in 2000 or thereabouts, the Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation was privatised and renamed NEW GPC INC. Unlike several other privatisations that were run into the ground - literally in the case GAC! - the NEW GPC turned the beleaguered pharmaceutical manufacturer and supplier around within a few years. How? By investing hundreds of millions and bringing in professionalism into the sector. It created the most modern Pharma entity in the region.

It was able to manufacture anti-retrovirals by 2001, and lower the cost by a factor of thousands to treat patients of the dreaded disease that was threatening to overwhelm the health sector. It also replaced many manufacturing lines for its over-the-counter products and pharmaceuticals and expanded the export markets to being in much needed foreign reserves.

Because of the sorry state into which it had fallen, most of the drugs imported into the country to service the run down health sector was done through international agencies like PAHO and IDA. The NEW GPC was able to compete with these institutions because it brought its standards up to WHO/PAHO standards by also investing hundreds of millions also into the ancillary facilities demanded by the Pharma supply chain standards.

Chief among this was constructing a its state of the art Pharmaceutical Warehouse. They did this for the simple reason that in no country of the world can you be a major supplier of Pharma to the Government and not have a certified Pharma warehouse! When the US was bringing in drugs to fight HIV/AIDS under its President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Programme the only warehouse certified by them was the NEW GPC's and this is where they stored their medicines - until they built the Diamond Facility.

So what the government's been doing in altering the pre-qualification criteria - which demands bidders having at least a 30,000 sq ft bond - is to place Guyanese at risk when the supply chain management for Pharma is compromised. The latest scandal in renting a bottom house is only the latest outrage.

Not to mention penalising the NEW GPC for investing and creating jobs!

...on citizens' outrage

Back in the day, the singer/poet Bob Dylan (think of a white Bob Marley!) asked in one of his most famous compositions: "How many times can a man turn his head/ And pretend that he just doesn't see?" He could've been speaking to many in this administration . How many times can they pretend the lapses in integrity are just innocent mistakes? And what was Dylan's answer to his question?

He was quite equivocal: "The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind/ The answer is blowin' in the wind."

Once again, as a Minister of the government's caught with his pants down ( this time in Parliament!) the spin doctors repeat the foundation of the lie that Minister Norton uttered to bring the government into disrepute.

To wit that the decision to rent a warehouse on an "emergency" basis - to justify "sole sourcing - was because the NEW GPC was charging an "exorbitant" rental!

Every day bucket ah guh ah well..One day 'e battam gon fall out!

...Exxon concessions

GT&T's shown when an international company has a contract advantageous to itself it will insist on "sanctity of contract". No changes, thank you! And here Minister Trotman informs us EXXON agreed to "renegotiate" it's contract with us for OUR benefit!

Please excuse your Eyewutness' snort of derision!

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

NEWS

9

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Embattled PS denies theft of public funds, owning billions …claims SOCU agents leaked confidential information to selected media

E

mbattled Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Omar Shariff has broken his silence to deny the allegations being peddled in the public domain that he embezzled, stole or laundered billions of dollars of public funds for personal gain.

Sheriff was sent on leave

by Minister of State Joseph Harmon pending an investigation by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) into his financial affairs.

Shariff has since categorically denied the reports that he has billions of dollars in his bank accounts and further charges that sections of the local media has been abusing its rights afforded to it as the Fourth Estate and is in fact ensnared in a plot against him: “I deny all allegations which seek to link me and my business to money laundering, tax evasion and any corrupt practice that arise as a result of misuse of public funds or the breakage of the law.”

SOCU leaks

He lamented that information disclosed to SOCU which was obtained through a warrant has since found its way into the public domain.

According to Shariff, “The fact that selected media houses continue to publish detailed information which they purport to be true (but which is materially and sub-

stantially false) about my alleged assets, accounts and their contents, is indicative that one or more persons at a high level of the investigation is not only leaking information but is pursuing an obvious agenda against me by seeking to try me in public, impugn my integrity and reduce my standing as a professional.”

Shariff for the first time broke his silence yesterday, after being accused in the public domain of having some $10 billion in personal accounts which led SOCU to launch an investigation into his financial affairs.

The permanent secretary who served under the previous administration and was retained by the current government, on Saturday said: “After consultation with my attorney, I have been advised that it is now appropriate and has become necessary for me to address the false and unsubstantiated allegations and imputations being published by the electronic, broadcast and print media.”

According to Shariff: “I wish to strongly condemn a series of vile, sensationalist, untrue, propagandistic, and, insubstantial and material respects, misleading news reports carried by sections of the electronic, broadcast and print media in Guyana following a decision by the Special Organized Crime Unit to launch an investigation into a personal matter related to tax remittance and

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Omar Shariff

compliance regarding my legitimate business operations over the past few years.”

Shariff has since sought to make it pellucid that the matter of tax remittance and compliance has been an ongoing engagement “between my business and the tax authority from as early as 2007.”

He said the distortion of this personal income tax matter to make it appear to be theft and embezzlement of public funds is without any factual foundation and is in fact mischief by its orchestrators.

In what could be read as a direct remark to SOCU, Shariff said, “I call upon the individuals within the organs of the state to exercise restraint in agenda setting and the divulging of information for sensationalism which compromises not only the state organs themselves

but also the banking system, citizens’ confidence in the rule of law, and Guyana as a maturing democracy.”

Simply not true “I would like it to be known that I have not been involved by myself or in collusion with others in any theft or embezzlement of public funds…I am unable to discern from where the publications have concluded that I was holding billions of dollars in my accounts; this is simply not true,” according to the Permanent Secretary.

He said the continued publication of “these have caused me and my family great concern - security,

hardship and otherwise.”

He used the opportunity to lament and express disappointment that information he provided to SOCU and which SOCU took from his home pursuant to a search warrant has found its way into the public domain and has been “deliberately skewed, distorted, misrepresented and misinterpreted for obvious sensationalism, implying I had stolen billions of dollars of public funds and owned billions of dollars’ worth of property and shares in public companies; none of which have any factual underpinning…This is simply not true.”

The embattled permanent secretary said he has provided all of the information asked for, “while making myself available to answer any and all questions about my business, its revenue and related tax matters.”

Iterating confidence in the Government and “my expectation of the investigating bodies and all concerned with probing this matter that due process and justice will prevail and the rule of law maintained,” Shariff declared “I am confident that I will be vindicated at the end of this matter.”

10

sunDAY, august 14, 2016

guyana-times.com

News

Govt struggles to spend $230B budget …even as revenue collections increase

T

he Guyana Government this year announced its largest budget ever, valued at $230 billion, but it has been unable to effectively spend its allocations on the various programmes for which they have been budgeted.

This information was divulged in the recently released financial mid-year report for 2016, which documents that while government has had a dismal time implementing its public sector spending, it has seen healthy returns on its revenue collections which has increased by almost 10 per cent for the first half of the year.

According to the document seen by Guyana Times, central Government’s capital expenditure reached $13.2 billion during the first half of 2016.

It was noted that while this represents an increase of 89.4 per cent, compared to expenditure during the same period in 2015 - when expenditure was constrained—the expenditure in fact reflects only 25.3 per cent of the budgeted sum for 2016.

According to the finance minister in his report, “the pace of implementation of projects continued to pose challenges.”

He said locally-funded projects were beset by a number of problems including delays in the tender and award process.

As a result, only 31 per cent of the budgeted sum of $30.6 billion was expended at half year while on foreignfunded projects, a mere 18 per cent of the $21.5 billion was spent in the first half of the year.

The finance minister has since blamed a major factor of the dismal performance as being challenges posed by a number of projects inherited from the pre-

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

vious Administration, including the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Modernisation Project, the East Bank and West Demerara Road Projects, the Power Utility Upgrade Programme, the Sheriff Street/Mandela Avenue Road Project and the Water Supply and Sanitation Infrastructure Improvement Programme.

He further blamed the poor performance in the implementation of government spending on weak project execution units, delays in fulfilling conditions precedent to disbursement, and contractors’ capacity and capability constraints.

The finance minister has since had to revise its spending programme for 2016 downwards. According to the finance minister, while revenues for 2016 have been revised up to $180 billion, from a budgeted $173 billion, capital expenditure for the year has been revised down to $49.1 billion from $52.2 billion.

Government’s spending is divided into (re)current and capital expenditure.

Current expenditure refers to recurring spending such as monthly payments on

utilities, salaries and maintenance while capital expenditure relates to new projects such as the construction of a new road, school, hospital or similar pieces of infrastructure.

The finance minister in his report said there was a significant reduction in disbursements of loans to the non-financial public sector, from $11 billion in the first half of 2015 to $2.7 billion in the first half of 2016, reflecting the slow pace of implementation of foreign-funded projects.

Revenue collections up The finance minister did however report that revenue collection for government at the half year was 10 per cent higher than the same period in 2015.

According to the information provided, revenue collected from the payment of taxes increased by 6.1 per cent, reaching $75 billion during the first half of 2016, compared with $71 billion during the same period in 2015. The finance ministry has since reported that internal revenue collection increased by $5 billion reaching $36.5 billion in the first half of 2016, compared to the same period in 2015.

“This half year achievement reflected 57 per cent of the annual target.” It was noted that of this increase, almost $3 billion was related to arrears and advance payments while the remainder was primarily attributed to increased collections from the telecommunications, manufacturing, and construction sectors, and significant payments made by a new company from the architectural and engineering sector.

PAYE

According to the midyear report, Company tax collections grew by $2.6 billion of which $675 million

related to a significant increase by one major company in the oil industry and $921 million attributed to arrears collections.

As of June 2016, a total of 292 companies made payments compared with 276 during the same period in 2015, representing a 5.8 per cent increase.

It was observed too that similarly, a total of 925 individuals, including selfemployed, made payments during the first half of 2016 compared with 887 during the same period in 2015.

Personal income taxes paid grew by $922.3 million during the first half of2016 compared to the same period in 2015.

According to the finance minister, the main drivers of this growth is as a result of a $553 million increase in personal income tax often referred to as PAYE – Pay As You Earn—and a $340 million increase in income tax from the self-employed.

The ministry has since credited the growth in PAYE as mainly due to increases in wages and salaries awarded to public servants in the second half of 2015, while the increase in self-employed taxes was due to increased compliance, from 8,167 to 10,488 individuals, as a result of measures undertaken by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Meanwhile, it was reported that Customs and trade tax collections rose to $6.5 billion in the first half of 2016, $0.6 billion more than for the same period in 2015.

Of note is the fact that while the value of imports declined, import duties grew by $928.6 million or 17.3 per cent above the first half of 2015. This was due in part to a decrease in tax exemptions and a change in the composition of imports.

Jack-up or Jack-ass?

S

atiricus was intrigued. He was trying to follow the debate on this ware”house” business and was surprised at how people didn’t get the point.

“And the point is, like Trottie said, the government had to find some space to store drugs urgently!” said Satiricus to his friend as they settled into their seats at the Back Street Bar. The day was blistering hot and they smiled gratefully at the waitress as she brought over their beers, bathed in “sweat”.

“But if dem bin want fuh store drugs right away,” replied Cappo, as he took a long swig, “wha’ happen to all dem drugs now dat t’ree months pass?”

“They’re probably at the wharves in the containers that brought them in,” said Satiricus knowingly.

“But dem na guh spile in de hat sun?” Cappo wanted to know.

“Nah. They’re in refrigerated containers,” he pointed out with certitude.

“But ah who guh pay fuh all dem refrigerated containa an’ storage pan de w’arf and t’ing?” Cappo said with an innocent look.

“Well, the government didn’t know it would take so long to fix up a new warehouse,” confessed Satiricus.

“But wha mek dem na store de drugs in the GCC warehouse?” asked Cappo.

“Budday! You didn’t read the Stabber?” exclaimed Satiricus. “They said GCC jack-up the rental price from before.”

“Suh wha’ bin a de price befo’?” Cappo asked.

“Well, GCC wasn’t charging the government anything!” Satiricus conceded.

“Lemme see if me undastaan dis, since me na too bright,” said Cappo as he signalled for another beer.

“How yuh does jack-up not’ing?”

“Well they wanted to keep on getting the storage for free,” conceded Satiricus, “Sato me fr’en. Lemme tell yuh somet’ing,” said Cappo as he leaned over confidentially. “If de guvment now a buy drugs fram adda people an’ dem want GCC fuh store am fuh free, da na ‘jack-up’.”

“What is it?” Asked Satiricus.

“Da ah jack-ass!” smiled Cappo as he downed his beer in one long pull.

guyana-times.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

11

News Protected areas for each region achievable in 3 years – Granger T

he goal of creating biodiversity protected areas for each administrative region is achievable within the next three years, President David Granger said.

He made this assertion on his weekly televised programme the “Public Interest”, stating that given Guyana’s geographical and biological diverse position, each region should have protected areas.

President Granger indicated that government has identified that there are endangered species in all ten regions, and so finds it imperative to protect them.

The Head of State added that Guyana has some of the most attractive wildlife in the world and because of this ecotourism will become one of the economic booms of the country’s future.

Thus, he posited that the goal should be achievable within the next three years.

Recently, Guyana was charged with the responsibility to press Brazil for the Amazon Fund to be expended for Guiana Shield biodiversity scientific research when President

President David Granger

David Granger declared the Fourth International Congress on Biodiversity of Guiana Shield open.

The IV International Congress on Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield is a forum organised by several local partners that sees the participation of scientists, policy makers, Private Sector entities and other stakeholders from across the Region and beyond.

President Granger had suggested that since the world was under threat from human activities that decimate the environment and

cause global warming, the Shield’s existence was important. He stated that it was the organisation’s duty to protect and preserve the ecosystem. Currently, the Guiana Shield comprises six nations which have dedicated their forests to conservation.

Granger proposed that it was crucial for the Shield to receive funding to carry out its mandate. He also suggested the establishment of a permanent institution aimed at protecting, conserving and sustaining the Guiana Shield biodiversity.

He said such an institution should be a functioning scientific research institute and be a secretariat to coordinate efforts and combine the works of the Shield.

He also touted that there should be a comprehensive biodiversity policy developed to assist with information sharing.

Speaking on the Public Interest, Granger stated that there are many parts of Guyana’s environment that has been damaged because of logging and mining and so it is necessary to understand the importance of the protec-

tion of the environment.

He said further that the loggers and miners should become more prudent about the effects that their trade has on the environment, calling on them to conduct their works in a more responsible manner.

United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative Khadija Musa had stated that there is no doubt that the Guiana Shield is worth protecting, and added that it was critical for the respective governments to tap into

the resources that the Fund possess.

The main purpose of the Amazon Fund is to provide support for projects to stop, observe and combat deforestation, as well as for the conservation and sustainable use of forests in the Amazon.

Jagdeo stands firm...

He reiterated that persons traditionally on the fringes, now part of Government, such as Professor Thomas, Desmond Trotman, Eric Phillips, Tacuma Ogunseye and David Hinds, have all been vociferous in their pronouncements that blacks in Guyana were being discriminated against based on their race and perceived political affiliations.

Jagdeo went as far as accusing President David Granger of being a racists for “saying some of the things he did.”

The former President said he is resolute that “I will not stop representing people

if I feel they are being discriminated against because of their race, I will speak out against it whether they are Indo-Guyanese or AfroGuyanese, but not because they are Indo-Guyanese I will suddenly cower in a corner and not say anything for fear of being labelled (a) racist.”

Flawed arguments

He also used the opportunity to take to task Professor David Hind’s defence of the APNU/AFC Government saying it was not racist and this is evident in the billions in subsidy transferred to the Guyana Sugar Corporation

FROM PAGE 3

(GuySuCo) which led Jagdeo to ask, “how can we (PPP) be racist?”

He pointed to the per capita spending in Region 10 which is predominately Afro-Guyanese. According to Jagdeo, when looked at on a per capita basis, Region 10 received the largest amount of Government resources.

He pointed to investments such as New Hospital, two new secondary schools, two new housing schemes (Amelia’s Ward & Block 22), a new water treatment and supply system in addition to the subsidies provided for its electricity, among other industries and asked, “how could we be racist then too?”

12 News The biggest victims of domestic violence are the smallest SunDAY, august 14, 2016 | guyana-times.com

... domestic violence through the eyes of the child

By Jeanna Pearson

E

leven-year-old Justin Fields (not real name) looked up at his mother by the side of the road; it was an hour before he was expected to sit his Common Entrance Examination and they had no money to catch a bus. He watched her, his eyes pleading but he dropped his head the second she took his hands and they started the long walk to his school. Half way there, a teacher saw them and offered them a drop.

Hours later, when Justin returned home he found his mother unconscious on her bed, her face swollen and blood on the sheets. His father had beaten her unconscious.

“She looked like she was dead and when I touched her she wasn’t moving…she still had on her working clothes and blood was all over. He (father) lashed her in the face because she took a drop from a man…one drop and he think she cheating on he…he is a stupid man,” he recalled.

Now 19 Justin still carries the memories of the abuse with him. He stated that the abuse was an “every day thing,” something his father would do whenever he was not pleased with someone. “Someone always used to get knock,” he said.

He stated that the abuse started when he was five years-old when his father picked up a mirror and slammed it into his older sister’s face. He stated that

whenever his father was angry, whoever was around would face the brunt of the rage.

According to a United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) report “Behind Closed Doors: the impact of domestic violence on children,” violence in the home shatters a child’s basic right to feel safe and secure in the world.

It stated that every child has the right to grow up safe from harm and should feel that those they love are also protected. And in cases where this right is violated, there should be a comprehensive response, taking into account the range of effects and needs of different children.

It stated that as many as 275 million children worldwide are exposed to violence in the home, indicating that this range is a conservative estimate based on the limitations of available data and the figures may be higher.

“I watched my dad beat my mom for the stupidest things. I don’t know why she stayed with him. It doesn’t matter if you have ten small children with him.

If he is beating you, leave.

This thing has affected me so much, I remember every time he beat her or my siblings,” Justin said on the verge of tears.

In 2014, Justin had moved to the US with his cousins while his other three siblings stayed in Guyana with his parents. He stated that he went there for an opportunity to earn some money so that he could help his mother move out.

“When I called on Christmas Day and I wished her merry Christmas she started to cry and she told me daddy beat her and that they didn’t have anything to eat. They cooked ochro and rice for Christmas and there I was in the States eating big and she was suffering,” he remembered, stating that

this event pushed him to start using drugs and selfharm.

“I started taking ecstasy and other drugs…I was drinking a lot and cutting…till one day I cut my wrist and they sent me to rehab for several months.

I couldn’t come home and all the time I was thinking how stupid I was to cut my wrist and that I didn’t know what was happening with my mother. I spend days worrying about her. I didn’t know if I would return and not find my mother alive,” he cried.

The UNICEF report stated that children who are exposed to violence in the home experience so much added emotional stress that it can harm the development of their brains and impair cognitive and sensory growth. It highlighted that personality and behavioural problems among children exposed to violence in the home can take the forms of psychosomatic illnesses, depression, suicidal tendencies; while later in life it can manifest itself in a greater risk for substance abuse, juvenile pregnancy and criminal behaviour.

Justin’s Child Counsellor Abigale Loncke stated that episodes of violence and abuse between family members may prompt efforts on the part of the child to accommodate to such events and form a hyper-vigilant, insecure approach to relationships, often marked by strong emotions like frustra-

tion, disappointment, hostility, and fear.

She stated that Justin blames himself for what has happened to his mother and sometimes he blames her (mother) for remaining in the relationship. Thus, she indicated that it is important to help children identify their feelings for each parent, talk about their resentment and help them to see that it is not their fault.

“In many cases with children who have witnessed domestic violence depression is present along with a feeling that they can’t do anything

me anymore. I feel sorry for my mom but it is up to her to do something. All I want is for it to be over and done with,” he said.

Loncke indicated that much can be changed if domestic violence is brought into the open. She stated that people need to know that domestic violence is wrong and that the perpetrator should be punished and victim should be protected. She stated that there should be strong policies put in place and enforced to challenge the “norm” of partnership violence and the expo-

to stop it from happening,” Loncke said, adding “On one hand, the father is the parent and the child is just a child. What can he or she do when the father is beating the mother? So many times the child feels incapable and blames himself/herself for everything.”

Justin stated that his biggest fear is becoming just like his father. “I hate that man. I can’t even watch him in the eyes and he knows I hate him but he can’t beat

sure of children to it.

“As long as violence is protected it will continue,” she said.

According to the UNICEF report, legislation and policies must reinforce the message that “domestic violence is a crime that perpetrators will be punished and victims protected.” It further stated that these policies must focus on the protection of children and address the impact of violence in the home on children. turn to page 17

NEWS

13

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Rotary Club, FFTP reach out to chopped victim

Guyana will not forget T

By Ryhaan Shah

A

fter all the accusations levelled at the PPP/C Administration about its alleged corruptions, the David Granger Government has, in no more than a year, racked up an impressive number of shady deals, financial wastage and displays of arrogance.

The National Assembly sitting this past week uncovered a few more. We learned that Government wasted over $406 million from the Contingency Fund on one of President David Ryhaan Shah Granger’s pet projects for which there was no public consultation, namely the D’Urban Park Development Project. This was the centrepiece for what turned out to be a PNC/Afro-Guyanese Golden Jubilee celebration which was completely forgettable for its mediocrity, confusion, and its less-than-gala dinner.

But it was the line item of $25 million also spent from the Contingency Fund in July for a security deposit on a building that caught the Opposition’s eye and started a line of questioning that unravelled a scandalous corruption with Health Minister George Norton at its centre.

It appeared that way until it was disclosed Norton was simply following directives from Cabinet. This only heightens the fiasco and places Government itself at the centre of the sole-sourcing and financial corruptions involving the deal that was made with a company named Linden Holding Inc, a bottom-house outfit in Sussex Street, Charlestown, which is undergoing renovations to make it suitable as a drugs storage unit.

For this unfinished facility, Government is already paying out more than a $1000 per square foot rental which is over three times the New GPC’s rates for its state-of-the-art and fully certified drugs storage facility. Government’s decision to forgo the arrangement with the New GPC appears to be driven more by a refusal to work with anyone affiliated with the previous Administration than by good business sense and a concern for the nation’s welfare, especially since it is essential that medical drugs and supplies are always stored in well monitored and secured facilities.

Also dogging Norton’s heels is his interference in the management of the Georgetown Public Hospital where the board has reinstated CEO Michael Khan after a government audit cleared him of any wrongdoing.

In overturning the board’s decision, Norton contravenes the Public Corporation Act which places the responsibility for the appointment of the hospital’s CEO within the board’s remit.

Staffing and other issues at the GPHC continue to make headlines and, for the sake of the nation’s health, the CEO is needed back at his desk where he will remain with the board’s support. On this issue, Government seems more interested in saving face than in doing what is right and just.

Amidst all the reports of corruption over the past week, the most worrying of all was the ongoing attempt by government’s main coalition partner, the PNC, to rewrite Guyana’s history according to their playbook. Letters writers to the press have started to correct the untruths being peddled about Burnham and show him for the brutal, corrupt and racist dictator that he was.

No progressive nation is ever built on a body of lies and Granger and the PNC should be embarrassed by their revisionist statements about their party’s past. Except that they are not. Their arrogance is well learned from their founder/leader Burnham.

Social cohesion – of which Burnham is now hailed as the author - is being pushed down the public’s throat even as the Granger Government engages in some of the most blatant acts of prejudice. It’s Burnham’s way, that kind of haughtiness.

Those who ignored the clear warning issued by the coalition during its elections campaign to forget the past are beginning to understand why the past matters. It matters because those who forget are bound to repeat it.

Thus far, there seems no danger that Guyana will forget.

Whereas Burnham muzzled the press and dictated everything that was disseminated by his state media, Guyana still has a free press and this past week even the usual sycophants reported fully on Government’s latest crop of corruptions.

One such report was that the project to widen Carifesta Avenue has been abandoned. Granger, in true Burnham style, held no public consultation on fashioning his vision of a widened avenue with a median lined with light poles that were to be hung with the flags of the Caricom nations.

The vision, costing 180 million taxpayers’ dollars, was to be his showpiece for the Caricom Heads of Government conference last month. Well, the project has been abandoned and the renaming of Carifesta Avenue to the grander Avenue of the Caribbean has been abandoned along with it. Abandoned like so many of Burnham’s visions.

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

he Rotary Club of Stabroek in collaboration with Food For The Poor (FFTP) on Saturday donated school and other supplies to the family of the 2014 chopped victim Geeta Boodhoo.

Following pleas from Geeta Boodhoo for assistance for herself and children, the Rotary Club partnered with FFTP and answered that calls.

The mother of five, who was chopped, while her nine-year-old daughter Ashley Boodhoo, her grandmother, Bibi Zalima Khan, and a man, Floyd Drakes were all hacked to death, called for assistance after she was told by the Social Protection Ministry that they can only provide for two of her children.

The mother was left disabled following the incident and as such cannot perform her motherly duties. Her plea met the ears of the two organisations, who sought to lend a helping hand.

President of the Rotary Club Anand Harrilall said that as an organisation, they are obligated to help those who are in need.

The woman thanked the organisations for the supplies, noting that she is grateful, knowing that her children would now be able to attend school.

Geeta Boodhoo in crutches along with her children and members of the Rotary Club and Food For The Poor

Among the stuff that was donated were a mattress, a table, and school supplies including books, bags, uniforms, footwear, etc.

The quietude of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) was interrupted on the morning of December 18, 2014, when Joshua Franklin broke into the home of his reputed wife after seeing her in a compromising position with Drakes.

He took up a cutlass and chopped

the woman who managed to escape, then turned on the man, hacking him to death and then Khan and little Ashley.

The other children after seeing what was taking place retreated to a clump of bush where they hid.

He then went into hiding but was caught some days later in the interior.

He is currently serving time in prison.

14 NEWS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Illegal fuel seized on Essequibo Coast

…local businessman implicated

O

fficers from the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) have seized 300 barrels of illegal fuel suspected to be transported for a popular businessman in Region Two. The illegal fuel was intercepted at Airy Hall at a local wharf suspected to be from Venezuela.

Information revealed that officers from GEA were tipped off about the illegal operations and so journeyed to Region Two and questioned five men who were on the boat which housed the fuel. The men disclosed that they were merely transporting the fuel for an Anna Regina businessman.

Information revealed the boat was seized by offi-

cers and the fuel removed.

The Police were also alerted by the GEA and a joint investigation has commenced.

GEA has been increasing its efforts in the fight against fuel smuggling.

Only recently the entity reported that a multi-

stakeholder approach has greatly aided in curbing the scourge of fuel smuggling.

The agency noted last Monday that the “hard work” of its inspectors, in collaboration with sister agencies, which form the Task Force

on Fuel Smuggling and Contraband, conducted 16 joint operations.

This Task Force comprises the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, Guyana Revenue Authority and the Customs and AntiNarcotics Unit.

It noted that as at June 30, 2016, six prosecutions were engaging the Courts.

However, GEA pointed out that it is in receipt of compensation from offenders.

Fuel smuggling refers to the importation and distribution of petroleum and petroleum products, particularly petrol (gasoline) and dieseline, by both legitimate and illegitimate businesses without paying the necessary taxes.

Younge’s Take

Another apology

B

ehavioural Science Academic and best selling US Author, Steve Maraboli argues that apologies are not important if there is no strong indication that there is going to be a serious change in one’s approach or future actions.

In fact, he is quoted as saying that “Behaviour speaks... I need not listen to someone’s apology; I’ll watch for it. I’ve learned not to let someone’s words blind me from their behaviour.”

Another Indian Author, Amit Kalantri agrees with Maraboli but puts it a bit differently. He said: “If an apology is followed by an excuse or a reason, it means they are going to commit same mistake again they just apologised for.”

Michael Younge This line of thinking can apply to the political culture existing in Guyana where some politicians and high-ranking officials believe that it is okay to distort facts, tell blatant lies, mislead the public; and they offer a blanket apology after public outrage over an issue or they are caught in Charlotte’s web.

Recently, Public Health Minister Dr George Norton and by extension President David Granger’s Cabinet attempted to practise this sort of politics in a desperate bid to hoodwink citizens and hide what was obviously a case of massive corruption and the misuse of public funds so that ulterior business and political motives could be realised.

Dr Norton told the Committee of Supply of the National Assembly that he had to spend some $12.5 million for rental of storage space at a warehouse facility for pharmaceuticals as a result of an emergency while asking for approval for millions more up until December this year.

He also told the Assembly that this would save taxpayers millions of dollars monthly as the NEW GPC INC was charging over $19 million for storage space compared to the other company, Linden Holding Inc which is owned

by Lawrence Singh and headquartered in a building owned by his colleague Minister Catherine Hughes.

Also, the Minister’s posture in the face of basic yet important questions posed by the parliamentary Opposition, People’s Progressive Party demonstrated arrogance and a deliberate attempt at providing halfbaked responses.

Soon after media investigations, the public learnt that the Government had advanced a $25 million deposit to the company which had no experience in the storage of pharmaceuticals. In March this year, the warehouse was incomplete and there were no Government supplies stored there despite the emergency; there was no approval from certifying bodies locally, regionally or internationally; and there appeared to be a deliberate attempt to lock out competitors who could easily provide storage space, especially NEW GPC. In comes President Granger in the midst of public outrage and orders not a CoI but a ministerial sub-committee probe even though common sense would expose the fact that this is a definite conflict of interest and a clear case of the Government probing the Government. Nonetheless, among the recommendations from the ‘probe’ were the need for Dr Norton to apologise and a review by another Minister of the contract blessed by the entire Cabinet and entered into by the Health Minister.

The truth is no apology from Dr Norton will suffice.

An apology from the entire cabinet and the scrapping of the contract is a good start and demonstrative of good governance. There should be competitive bidding or an ad for expression of interest in providing the storage space.

Justice must prevail and sadly, Dr Norton should be hauled before the Privileges Committee so as to deter other government ministers from making a mockery of the parliamentary process and misleading the public. Integrity demands it and ethics yearns for it.

President Granger should also apply his Ministerial Code of Conduct to see if indeed there was a breach as some strongly feel that some Minister or official was going to get a drawback from this contract and it was not Dr Norton.

This incident is particularly embarrassing for the new government and its anti-corruption banter. President Granger cannot allow the ghost of corruption to run free, possessing senior members of his Cabinet. He cannot continue to cover for those who are short-sighted, greedy, bitter, and vengeful and who do not possess the requisite skills to manage public projects and monies.

Soon, I will reveal details about another corruption scandal within government circles involving one of Cabinet’s most controversial figures.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Women Police association hosts cultural evening ising the event, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) avoided including one ethnic group.

“The Guyana Police Force is made up different cultures as such we wanted all cultures to be included and to participate in this event.”

The event saw participation from Youth Groups, Police women from as far as Berbice, As well as participation from all of the divisions.

Also on board lending their support to the event was the Chinese Association that wooed the audience with the Lion’s Dance.

Closing off the evening, the audience were able to partake in games which saw numerous prizes being won.

By: Lorraine Ince-Carvalhal

Is honesty always the best policy?

H

ave you told a lie today?

Most of us are always telling our children to be honest and not to tell lies and yet sometimes we can find ourselves not only failing to practice what we preach but also involving them in our deception.

Is it fair to tell them it is ok to lie sometimes? It will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation as they get older when they realise the lies we may have told them; whether about Father Christmas or a protective lie about a much more serious issue that we feel more than justified in telling.

How can we distinguish between what is an acceptable lie of what degree of lying can be vindicated? It is difficult to righteously argue that it is okay to lie under certain circumstances because who then sets the bar?

I think it is safe to say most of us lie even if only occasionally and even safer to say we have all lied at some point in our lives. Yet most of us also consider ourselves honest because we measure them as only small lies or ones we think don’t really count or matter. Why is that?

Generally we lie to obtain the benefit of protection in various areas of our lives. For ourselves internally, we may lie to avoid suffering painful consequences, shame, conflict and embarrassment.

Externally, we lie for attention and material gain. To keep others perceptions of us favourable and to maintain an image that is respectable. We may lie to hide when we act in less reputable ways; ensuring that we appear more courageous or virtuous than we actually are.

Our time and energy are precious to us and we can lie to avoid the spending of either in ways which we are not going to enjoy, so we will lie to avoid admitting to people how we would rather spend it. Possibly the most common, and one which we may find easy to justify, is lying to save the feelings of others. Simply offering an opinion that will make others feel better about themselves.

Whichever way we look at these reasons, there is gain for the person telling the lie and we should be aware of this when we sometimes fool ourselves we are only doing it for another person’s sake. We do not want to be the person who hurts another especially when we care about them, but the reality is that we also gain in that situation because we avoid doing so by lying.

But what if we lie to protect the physical wellbeing of a person? I cannot imagine many people condemning a lie that protects the safety of another person. What then is the difference between protecting someone emotionally and physically? We will all make those decisions on what is relevant to ourselves and significant others at any given time. Does that give us licence to lie in any situation we feel fit if we are clever enough to find a good enough reason?

When we lie to protect someone from a wrong we ourselves have done them we run a great risk; if a loved one discovers you are lying (which is a very likely outcome) it could turn out a thousand times worse. “I’m sorry” can carry sentiment to an injured party but in some situations it cannot heal rifts or set things back to how they were before the deception. If someone finds out that you have lied to them, they may never be able to fully trust you again.

Is it really worth telling an unnecessary lie to save face and risk being found out and unmasked as a liar? I suppose it depends on how you want to be viewed and how comfortable you are living as it would damage reputation and also affect the trust people will place in us. A small lie can often escalate and become out of control, causing so much more damage than the truth would have in the first place.

Before you tell another lie stop and think who is really benefitting and in the long term is it for the best. Consider how everyone involved will feel when the truth emerges and ask yourself why you feel it necessary to lie.

I am not condemning lying, it is not my place to judge anyone, only asking that you take a good look at the practice many fall into a habit of doing for little reason and that you are at least honest with yourself about the reason.

T

he Guyana Association of Women Police on Saturday evening hosted a grand cultural evening in celebration of Guyana meeting its milestone of 50 years as an Independent Nation at the Police Officers’ Mess Annexe, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

With theme ‘No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive’ the event saw those attending beautifully attired in their respective ethnic clothing.

With songs, music and laughter all celebrated together embracing the culture of each other.

Speaking with Guyana Times event coordinator Superintendent Charmine Stewart said that in organ-

The People’s Progressive Party’s Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) members on Saturday honoured children of Industry, East Coast Demerara who excelled at the 2016 National Grade Six Assessment

"Offends public, taxpayers...

Ramkarran has since questioned, “Where is the necessity when the drugs are now being safely stored and there is no immediate threat to that arrangement? Punitive? Paying $228 a square foot as opposed to paying $1200 a square foot?

Terminating single sourcing?

Does the Administration intend to bring an end to single sourcing by single sourcing to Linden Holdings?”

Ramkarran said he understands the Government’s knee-jerk reaction at anything concerning NEW GPC and its principal, Dr Ranjisinghi “Bobby” Ramroop, “but the taxpayers and the nation as a whole cannot be made to pay for the Government’s distaste, and indeed that of many people who may not even be supporters of the Government, over what has happened in the past.”

The people of Guyana did not inflict NEW GPC on the nation, according to Ramkarran who in turn asks, “Why must we be called upon to bear the huge financial burden of a subjective approach to governance, which lacks good sense, or any sense at all.”

He said Government’s haste to enter into this sole sourced contract and then to

excuse and defend its actions, are very discouraging and raises the question of whether this Government, or any Government, consisting of only one of our main parties, “can be trusted to administer our oil wealth.”

FROM PAGE 7

According to Ramkarran, at $228 per square foot, or $16 million a month, charged by NEW GPC, regarded as ‘exorbitant’ by the Minister and ‘punitive’ by the President, Linden Holdings’ 10,000 square feet would cost

$2.28 million a month, not $12 million.

He has since concluded that “Government needs to explain why the Guyanese people must lose $9 plus million a month on this sordid deal.”

16 NEWS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

Muslim leaders urge everyone to demand service to humanity … promote equal rights of men and women

By Devina Samaroo in London

U

pholding unity in humanity and understanding that morality trumps all are some of the major messages being promoted by Muslim leaders as the 50th Jalsa Salana continued on Saturday in Hampshire, United Kingdom.

Representatives from various countries underscored the need to put differences aside and work together to promote peace and harmony among all mankind.

Head of the Nigerian Jama’at Fashola Mashhud Adenrele explained that everyone needs to unite now more than ever as the world is going through great turmoil.

“The world is going through so many crises ev-

erywhere and we believe that it is with the grace of God Almighty that we can overcome these crises. We can work hard but we also need to pray,” he stated during an interview with Guyana Times at the Jalsa Salana.

In this regard, the Nigerian leader emphasised the significance of the annual gathering of the Ahmadiyya Muslims at the convention in promoting love, peace and unity.

“This event promotes unity in humanity, all across the world from various tribes and various countries people come together and what we are emphasising is not sectoral differences or religion differences but the unity in humanity and the moral values that bond our humanity, we are emphasising the principle of

love for all, hatred for none,” he expressed.

He also remarked that it is time to break to stereotype cast upon the Muslim community, particularly the Ahmadiyya group, and show the world that its sole purpose is to encourage peace among mankind.

“Ahmadiyya is trying to tell all groups that God does not look at what you call yourself, whether you call yourself Christian, Ahmadis or Muslims. That’s not what God’s after, God’s after your heart. Are you sincere, are you patriotic, or are you dutiful. If your words do not agree with your heart, you are just wasting time. Moral values can unite all mankind,” he stated.

The religious leader continued that, “religion should unite us because all religion is teaching the same thing,

righteousness, mercy, and help for the poor. So why are we fighting each other, we should come together to demand service to humanity.”

Also during an interview with this publication, the Head of the Jama’at in Belize reiterated that unity can coexist with the many differences in society.

“You don’t have to become a Muslim to find peace.

Peace is there in all of the prophets, if you look at the teachings, they are all from the same source which is God Almighty… In each of the religious teachings, if you go to the original scriptures, you will find peace there. So, one message you can take from this convention is find peace from your own teaching even if you aren’t inclined to Islam,” he encouraged everyone.

Meanwhile, at day two of the Jalsa Salana, the world leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, his Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad addressed the large gathering of women, who sat separately from the men.

In his charge, His Holiness emphasised that women’s rights are equal to men’s rights, dismissing the popular perception that females are being suppressed under the faith of Islam.

“The blessings being given to men are the same blessings being given to women.

Nowhere is it written that ladies are going to get less

One of the female students receiving an award from His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad

than that… The Holy Quran made it clear that the sentiments of the ladies are as same as the man and the desires of the man are the same as the ladies,” he stated, noting that any effort to inflict harm or deny women their rights should be boldly forbidden.

Moreover, His Holiness explained that the segregation of men and women in relation to their seating arrangements at the grand event is by no way an indication that women are viewed of lesser value than men.

“Their greatest allega-

tion against us is why men and women are seated separately,” he pointed out, noting that Islam establishes the rights of all people, men and women alike.

At the ceremony, a number of female students were presented with awards of excellence for their performances at universities across the world.

His Holiness also delivered another address to the gathering of men, once again spreading the message of love for all and hatred for none.

NEWS

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NA Nurses Hostel Guyana gets regional help to review 16% VAT rate goes up in flames T T

he Nurses Hostel at Charles Place, New Amsterdam, was on Saturday destroyed by fire of unknown origin.

The building opposite the old New Amsterdam Hospital was not occupied at the time of the fire but has been a land-

ter and as such sought help from the Rosehall Estate Fire truck. Firefighters took under fifteen minutes to contain the blaze and were able to prevent it from spreading.

Meanwhile, this newspaper was told that the building is at times occupied by va-

The 50-year-old building on fire

mark for the 270-year-old town.

Reports are that about 13:30h smoke was seem emanating from the upper flat of the two-storied building, which is more than 50 years old, and was previously used as nurses quarters.

An eyewitness told Guyana Times that after smoke was seen in the building the fire service, a mere three minutes away, was summoned.

Firemen initially encountered problems acquiring wa-

grants.

The building, which was used to accommodate nurses who live in remote areas but attached to the NA Hospital, was closed about a decade ago.

Two weeks ago the first step to rehabilitate the building was taken when contractors were asked to submit estimates to rehabilitate the building. On Saturday, one midwife Marilyn Tinnie, who once stayed at the hostel, expressed regret over the destruction of the building.

Investigations are continuing.

The biggest victims...

FROM PAGE 12

“Criminalising domestic violence sends a clear message that violence is not a private matter and is unacceptable. It is essential that protective laws are enforced and offenders held accountable. Courts and government departments must have specialised policies in place to address the safety of adult victims of domestic violence and their children, including in connection with custody and visitation rights,” it said, noting that social services should be enhanced to address the impact of violence in the home.

Government care

However, there is scepticism on whether the government children homes may be the best place to protect children who have been abused. According to a ChildLink 2016 report: “The Nature and Extent of Institutionalisation of Children in Guyana” children living in institutional care, within the age group of 10 to 12 have reportedly been abused by their caregiver and other staff; a practice that has not been denied by the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA).

The report stated that while caregivers have unanimously reported that corporal punishment was not applied to the children in their care, children are saying

“yes” they have been physically abused.

Director of CPA Ann Greene had stated that it is a matter she could not pronounce on and would prefer if it is directed at the Social Protection Minister.

However, she did say that the agency does not promote child beating. Instances of children being beaten were reported by boys, particularly in both State run as well as privately run institutions.

UNICEF indicated that governments should allocate resources to support children who are exposed to violence in the home, within the overall context of prevention and support for adult victims of domestic violence.

“Interventions that support children who are exposed to domestic violence are crucial in minimising the long-term harm,” it stated, adding that providing services and support to adult victims of domestic violence can benefit children, especially when the specific needs of children are considered.

It added that support for locating safe housing, income assistance, access to health care and referrals for psychosocial support services should all be considered as means to assist all victims of domestic violence.

he Guyana Government has reached out to its regional counterparts through its institutional support mechanisms to assist with its review of the Value Added Tax (VAT) imposed on numerous products locally at a rate of 16 per cent.

According to information recently divulged when Finance Minister Winston Jordon revealed the midyear report on the nation’s accounts and spending, Government reached out to the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) to review the efficiency of the application of VAT. A mission from that regional body is due to arrive in Guyana in the third quarter of this year, according to the Ministry.

It was explained that since taking office in 2015, Government established a Tax Reform Committee (TRC) which examined the country’s taxation system and made recommendations for improving its efficiency and in order to inform policy decisions on the way forward with respect to the application of VAT. A systemic review of VAT

was considered necessary by that review panel.

According to the Finance Ministry, a reduction in the VAT without due analytical rigour will possibly cause a significant loss in revenue thereby handicapping the delivery of public services such as health, education, public assistance, and infrastructure.

Guyana currently has 177 items that have been zero rated and 11 that are exempt from VAT and it is anticipated that the review will include both the rate and the base on which VAT is applied to ensure stability of revenue collections, and lowered minimum threshold for VAT. VAT rates across the Region range from 7.5 per cent in The Bahamas to 18 per cent in The Dominican Republic.

Guyana currently has 177 items that have been zero rated and 11 that are exempt from VAT and according to the Finance Ministry, it is anticipated that the review will include both the rate and the base on which VAT is applied to ensure stability of revenue collections, and lowered minimum threshold for VAT.

The Finance Minister in his report documents VAT collections for the first half of the year at $17.3 billion, which is 5.0 per cent more than the same period in 2015.

VAT on imports did decline by $1.4 billion while VAT on domestic supplies increased by $436.4 million.

It was pointed out that the declining VAT revenues on imports was due to a fall in imports by the wholesale and retail sector, while significant collections of VAT arrears, amounting to $125 million and $75 million from the manufacturing and services sectors, respectively, were responsible for the increases in VAT on domestic supplies.

The Finance Minister has also reported that Excise

tax collections reached $15 billion during the first half of 2016, but this represents a decline of $311.5 million compared to the same period in 2015.

The Ministry explained that this has resulted from a decrease in collections on imports for petroleum products of $429 million, tobacco of $71.2 million and alcoholic beverages of $43.5 million which together more than offset increases in domestic collections of which collections on alcoholic beverages rose by $227.7 million.

The reduction in excise taxes collected was also said to be due in part to measures implemented, namely the removal of the tax charged on the importation of vehicles under four years old.

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guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

News

Govt to introduce “rangers” to enforce new wildlife laws

F

ollowing passage of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Bill 2016 last week, Government has announced its intention to introduce a group of rangers to enforce the new laws aimed at curbing the illegal trade of wildlife.

This was revealed by President David Granger on his weekly televised programme the Public Interest which aired on Friday. He noted that in order to back up the new legislations, Government will be employing a core of wardens in the hinterland to protect not only the mining areas but forestry, the areas of wildlife and in the area of tourism.

“So we’ll be developing a core of rangers who will enforce the law. Part of our problem in the past has been legislation but another part is enforcement of that legislation. So by the passage of this (Wildlife Conservation and Management) Bill, we will be able to guarantee the protection of some of the world’s most valuable flora

President David Granger

and funa,” the President stated.

He noted that too often, there are sightings of persons on the streets of Guyana with a string of iguanas or there are stories of people smuggling towatowas in their curlers or photographs of people going into protected areas with huge freezers or fridges catching fishes that are quite rear.

President Granger went

on that the Wildlife Bill is very critical since there has been excessive smuggling and excessive endangerment of some species.

He recalled years ago when someone actually exported dolphins.

The Head of State highlighted that many Guyanese do not know That there are dolphins here much more seen any but noted that there are river dolphins and that person was able to find and export them at great profits.

“So it needs to be brought under control and that’s one of the reasons why we separating it from the extractive industries because these animals are more important to us, they are more profitable to us alive than dead and we need set up the mechanisms for enforcement,” Granger pointed out.

Consequently, the President explained that it was necessary to put the administration and enforcement of the new Wildlife Act under the Department of Environment, which was recently removed from

the Ministry of Natural Resources to avoid over burdening that ministry which has its work cut out particularly with the opening of the petroleum sector and already with the mining and logging industries.

The Wildlife Conservation and Management Bill was

passed in the wee hours of Tuesday last, allowing Guyana to fulfil its requirements as a party to the Convention on International Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), thus guaranteeing the protection of the nation’s flora and fauna.

The CITES membership

process revolves around certain responsibilities, including having appropriate laws and regulations to curb illegal trade of wildlife and to provide for the safe and regulated breeding, movement and trading of wildlife, without and within of state parties.

The lengthy Bill is divided into 85 parts. Its key objectives are to create a supportive mechanism cognisant of the national goals of wildlife protection, conservation management and sustainable use, and to create a national framework and mechanisms governing the local and international trade in all species of Guyana’s wildlife.

It will lead to the implementation of the primary provisions of the CITES convention and also to provide a framework of licensing and decisions which support core principles of transparency, certainty, natural justice and fairness.

The bill also makes provisions for captive breeding and wildlife-ranching.

(Vahnu Manickchand)

Specialty Hospital Project Revised steel taxes It wasn’t me; it was the still shelved GRA – Finance Minister Govt yet to hold talks with India T T he Specialty Hospital Project continues to be placed on hold as the Guyana Government is yet to make contact with its Indian counterparts for clarification on the way forward.

In June, Minister of State Joseph Harmon disclosed that the Government of India, funding the Project via an US$18 million Line of Credit, had indicated that it was ceasing worldwide business with India-based Fedders Lloyd Corporation Limited, after the company was blacklisted by the World Bank until 2020 over fraud and corruption practices.

The donor country had also expressed preference for a fresh tendering process to be conducted to select a new Indian-base contractor to execute the project.

However, at the time, the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government said that it wanted to make certain enquiries of the Indian Government before a definitive course of action is adopted on the Specialty Hospital Project.

This task was given to the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Public Health.

However, a government source told Guyana Times that the project has been “shelved” as no contact has been made with the Indian Government. The source said that Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge was supposed to take the lead since making contact with

a….country falls under his purview.

Meanwhile, in a previous interview with this newspaper Public Health Minister Dr George Norton had explained that the impending discussions with the Indian Government will determine whether Guyana will go ahead with the project using a new contractor or have it scrapped entirely, given all the trouble the project has faced.

“There is a chance it might come off the table because that Hospital Project is not doing well with how it started and what’s supposed to be…

The next step will now be for us to have direct contact with the Indian Government and decide whether it will continue with the loan or not,” Dr Norton had stated.

Last November, the coalition Government came under fire following the announcement that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Fedders Lloyd to complete the controversial project that was left on hold after the Donald Ramotar Administration sacked and sued the first contractor, Surendra Engineering Inc, for failing to honour its obligations.

Guyana is yet to recover close to $1 billion from that company.

The APNU/AFC had justified the handpicking of Fedders Lloyd to complete the project, saying that the company was one of the orig-

An artiste impression of The Specialty Hospital

inal bidders in the 2012 tendering process.

It noted too that after examining the merits of the proposal and in the interest of time, it began searching for a willing partner to complete the Specialty Hospital using the remaining US$14 million.

Hence, it approached Fedders Lloyd without any tendering process and the company accepted to construct and fully equip what is expected to be a state-of-the-art medical facility.

However, this caused much uproar and controversy after it was revealed that the Indian company was never the second best bidder in the tendering process back in 2012, as claimed by the coalition Government.

In fact, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Opposition had stated that the company was disqualified because of certain inconsistencies in its submission to the local tender board; a report which government con-

tended was a lie.

But while in opposition, the APNU/AFC had strongly opposed the US$18 million Specialty Hospital Project and upon its assumption to office last year, decided to scrap the project.

It said that the remaining $13.8 million would be better served if it is used to improve the country’s primary healthcare service by upgrading three hospitals across the country.

However, the Indian Government had indicated that Guyana should go ahead with the Specialty Hospital and it will provide a separate loan for the primary healthcare project. This second loan is expected to be made available to the Guyana Government.

The three hospitals considered for upgrade under the primary healthcare service are the Bartica Hospital, the West Demerara Regional Hospital and the Suddie Public Hospital.

he Finance Ministry, under the hand of Finance Minister Winston Jordan, over the weekend attempted to rubbish an article, which pointed to an increase in the import taxes to be paid for the importation of steel, saying the decision was not initiated by himself, but rather the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) – the Government’s tax collection agency under his Ministry.

Jordan on Saturday – three days after Guyana Times carried a report – issued a public statement which said the Finance Ministry noted with absolute disgust a report in Guyana Times titled, “Govt hikes taxes on steel imports”, August 11, 2016.

According to the article, as published by this newspaper, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Irfaan Ali said, “Finance Minister Winston Jordan circulated on Wednesday a correspondence with [sic] brokers and other relevant stakeholders, indicating that the tariff (taxes) charged for the importation of steel into Guyana would be doubled, since it has been increased from five per cent to 10 per cent.”

Jordan has since said the Finance Ministry “categorically rejects this accusation and wishes to make clear that the Minister of Finance, [Winston] Jordan, has not circulated any correspondence indicating any increase in tariffs for the importation of steel.”

The Ministry said too it, “wishes to make clear that there has been no increase in the tariffs associated with the

importation of steel.”

In seeking to offer clarification, the Ministry has since indicated that it is the Quality Review Section of the GRA, responsible for examining customs declarations for valuation, classification and volume discrepancies, which identified anomalies in relation to the importation of alloy steel by several businesses in Guyana.

According to the Finance Ministry, “After a review of the evidence presented, together with the Chapter Notes of the Common External Tariff (CET) and Explanatory Notes, it was determined that most of the Tariff Headings applicable to the type of steel commonly imported would attract a rate of import duty of 10 per cent, instead of five per cent.”

Minister Jordan still contends however that, it is mindboggling that Ali could engage in such dishonesty which can only be interpreted as an attempt to create unfounded hysteria within the business community to score cheap political points and impugn the integrity of the Finance Minister.

In his attempt to offer clarification, the Minister said he neither circulated nor initiated any correction to the applicable rate of import duty; rather it was the agency responsible for the collection of the country’s taxes – the GRA. He said “importers who wish to contest the alloy content of the imported steel and the duties applied by the Customs Department could use the usual channels, including appeals to the Commissioner General, GRA and the Customs Tribunal.”

SunDAY, august 14, 2016

Usain Bolt wins first-round 100m heat in entertaining fashion

N

o offense to Michael Phelps and Simone Biles , but the Main Event of the Rio Games arrived just after noon on Saturday and he didn’t disappoint.

Usain Bolt is in the house, trying to turn a third Olympic Stadium on a third continent into his house, electrifying Rio like he did London and Beijing before it.

The Jamaican breezed through the first round of the 100 meters, the signature event of the signature competition (athletics) of the Olympics. He rang up a time of 10.07 to easily qualify for the semi-finals, which will be held at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday. The finals are scheduled for 9:25 ET. Bolt essentially jogged through the second half of the race, looking around to see if anyone could even challenge him. When Andrew Fisher of Bahrain began to inch up, Bolt simply sped up a little, essentially toying with a man who would finish in 10.12.

This was classic Bolt, laying down the psychological warfare and letting everyone here know that despite dealing with injury and inactivity he is still in control, still capable of much, much more.

“It wasn’t the best start,” Bolt said. “I felt kind of slow.”

Slow, sure.

Bolt is attempting the unprecedented — a third consecutive Olympic 100-meter gold — to extend his title as

Fastest Man on Earth. That will require speed, for sure, but, with his 30th birthday in just eight days (August 21), this isn’t the same sure thing it was in the past. He is guarding against anyone thinking they have an edge on him. Sometimes races are won in the starting blocks.

As such, Bolt is sporting a clean-shaven head, a new look for him. It is done for a purpose.

“He told me he is trying to look younger,” competitor and friend Akani Simbine of South Africa said.

Will it work?

“Most definitely,” Simbine said. “He’s the King. If he puts it together, he’ll win.”

There are certainly plenty of runners who believe they can defeat him and are purposefully trying to ignore him for that reason.

“I don’t really get excited about racing Bolt,” said American Trayvon Bromell, who qualified for the semifinals with a time of 10.13.

“I’m just here to do my job.”

There are others, however, who are more practical.

“I’m going to beat him,” said Rodman Teltull of the Pacific Island nation of Palau, who qualified for the semis, before breaking into a laugh. “… Ten years from now.”

Bolt already owns the world record of 9.58 and the Olympic record of 9.63.

While he isn’t expected to challenge either of those marks, there really is no telling. He’s run sparingly prior to the Rio Games and no one

is certain what he is capable of, perhaps even Bolt.

The goal now is to win by any measure possible. Gold is the goal.

His mere presence here thrilled what would otherwise have been a rudimentary morning of qualifying, likely in front of a halffilled, at best, grandstands.

Instead, Olympic stadium was packed with a huge throng of fans just to catch a glimpse of him.

When his heat finally arrived at 12:37, stadium workers left their posts to crowd into staircases and concourses, craning their neck to see him run.

In London, he faced the fastest field ever assembled, other athletes boasting that any of the eight men there could win. Instead, Bolt toyed with them all, Jamaicans and Americans, the clean and the dopers.

When it was done, men such as Tyson Gay wept in frustration, knowing they’d given it everything and everything still wasn’t enough.

Some of those guys are back. Some new ones who grew up glued to the television watching him are here.

Everyone will take their shot, but they all know who the star is, who the center of all the attention is. The King is the King until someone takes his crown.

“Hopefully tomorrow I’ll come out and I’ll feel much better,” Bolt said, reminding everyone this was no big thing, but the big thing is coming. (Yahoo Sport)

Puig upsets Kerber to win historic gold

M

Monica Puig

onica Puig beat Angelique Kerber in three sets in the women’s singles final to win Puerto Rico’s first ever Olympic gold medal.

Unseeded Puig, 22, beat the German world number two 6-4 4-6 6-1.

Reigning Australian Open champion Kerber, 28, simply could not match the intensity of her younger opponent in the deciding set.

Earlier, Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic beat USA’s Madison Keys in three sets 7-5 2-6 6-2 to win bronze.

Puig, 22, etches her name into the history books as Puerto Rico’s first Olympic champion, having produced a fantastic display of aggressive tennis against the much-fancied Kerber, the second seed.

Kerber has enjoyed a breakout 2016 in terms of grand slam success, winning the Australian Open and finishing as the runnerup to Serena Williams at Wimbledon.

Yet the German - who required medical treatment after the first set - was unable to find an answer to an inspired opponent.

Puig was broken at the first time of asking, but hit straight back when Kerber put a forehand into the net.

19

Del Potro outlasts Nadal in epic match T

he action was frenetic at the Rio Tennis Centre, but Juan Martin del Potro did just enough to see off Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals.

Juan Martin del Potro came from a set down to beat Rafael Nadal in a pulsating semi-final and book a gold medal match against Andy Murray at Rio 2016.

In a breathtaking contest at the Rio Tennis Centre it was Argentine Del Potro that triumphed 5-7 6-4 7-6 (7-5) after more than three hours of sensational tennis.

Del Potro, bronze medallist in London four years ago, has slumped to 141 in the world after battling injuries for the past two years and he was brought to tears by his victory.

Nadal - who won the men’s singles in Beijing eight years ago – himself was a fitness doubt before Rio and he fought valiantly having won gold in an epic doubles final on Friday, fighting back after losing serve in game nine of the decider.

But ultimately it was Del Potro that came out on top and he celebrated in exuberant style with the Argentina fans watching courtside.

Del Potro came out firing and when Nadal failed to put away a half-volley at the net the Argentine brought up break point with a clever

Juan Martin del Potro

lob and finished the job with a stinging forehand.

Nadal grew into the set and some stern defence coupled with going at Del Potro’s backhand saw him break back for 3-3, and the Spaniard clinched the set when his opponent put a forehand into the net when trailing 6-5.

However, Nadal’s standard dipped early in the second with too many first services failing to land, and a stinging Del Potro forehand down the line gave him a 2-1 break from which Nadal could not recover.

Both players saved break points in the early stages of the decider, but Del Potro earned three break points in game nine when Nadal went long with a lob at-

tempt, and the Argentine took the second of those to earn the chance to serve for the match.

The drama was not done, though, and Nadal whipped the crowd into a frenzy when he brought up 0-40 and levelled the set again with a trademark fizzing forehand.

Nadal once again had to dig deep to fight back from 0-40 on his own serve and when Del Potro held at 6-5 down the match headed to a tie-break.

After taking a minibreak with the first point of the breaker, Del Potro failed to serve out on match point at 6-4 after another epic point, but Nadal put a forehand wide when serving to stay in it to bring an end to an epic tussle. (SportsMax)

Officials drain green pool before synchronised swimming

R

The green pool has sparked a lot of controversy

io’s main Olympic pool will be drained as part of major work to prepare for Sunday’s synchronised swimming.

The larger pool in the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre turned green on Wednesday, a day after the diving pool had also changed colour.

Officials blamed high chemical levels, and divers

were unable to use the as work continued to change the colour.

Rio communications chief Mario Andrada said a “more radical approach” was being taken to prepare the water.

“One of the measures is to replace a big part of the water in the main pool,” he added.

The larger pool is used for water polo as well as synchronised swimming.

Gustavo Nascimento, the director of venue management, said clean water from a practice pool would be transferred to the main pool.

That was necessary, he said, to ensure clear water for synchronised swimming judges and competitors, with the majority of the competition taking place under water.

The diving pool will remain in use as officials say there are no health risks to athletes.

Organisers said adding hydrogen peroxide in an effort to clean the pool had caused algae to grow.

“This is a way of cleaning swimming pools but you’re not supposed to combine it with chlorine,” said Nascimento. (BBC)

20

guyana-times.com

sundAY, august 14, 2016

England v Pakistan, 4th Test, The Oval, 3rd day...

Masterful Younis 218 puts England on the ropes Y

ounis Khan hit a magnificent 218 before Pakistan reduced England to 88-4 to seize firm control of the final Test of the summer at The Oval.

Yasir Shah claimed three wickets in five overs as England, faced with a firstinnings deficit of 214, collapsed on the third evening to trail by 126.

Younis.

Victory would earn Pakistan a 2-2 series draw and maintain their hopes of moving to the top of the International Cricket Council Test rankings.

Yasir’s return to form was timely. Having claimed 10141 at Lord’s but taken only four wickets at an average of 126 in the next two Tests,

slip, Yasir removed Alex Hales, James Vince and Joe Root in a spell of 3-4 in 22 deliveries.

Hales was lbw pushing forward to one that drifted in, and Vince drove his third ball straight to short extracover to end a series in which his highest score was 42.

“It’s the stupidest shot you can imagine, and for me

After struggling in the middle of the series, Yasir was back in form © Getty Images

Younis’ sixth Test double hundred underpinned Pakistan’s total of 542.

Sarfraz Ahmed made 44 and number 10 Mohammad Amir an unbeaten 39, adding 97 for the ninth wicket with

the leg-spinner wrecked the England top order to such an extent a Pakistan innings victory is not unrealistic.

After Wahab Riaz squared up Alastair Cook to have him well taken at first

it’s the end of his Test career,” ex-England batsman Geoffrey Boycott said on BBC Test Match Special.

When Joe Root, who batted with occasional alarm in making 39, was trapped in

front playing back to Yasir, the hosts were reeling on 744.

Root’s failed review reflected England’s desperation rather than any genuine hope of it being overturned. f there were any doubts - given they must bat last over the value of Pakistan’s 12-run lead when they resumed on 240-6, they had been banished long before Younis was lbw to a James Anderson off-cutter shortly before tea.

The standing ovation he received was just reward for a 308-ball innings containing 31 fours, and four leg-side sixes off Moeen Ali, the last of which took him beyond 200.

Unbeaten on 101 overnight, Younis was unhurried in defence and impressive on the drive, rarely troubled by a tiring attack that struggled to extract movement from a true surface under blue skies.

Perhaps the most striking feature of Younis’ innings was the manner in which he expertly marshalled the tail after Sarfraz, drawn forward, was superbly taken one-handed by Jonny Bairstow off Chris Woakes for 44.

Wahab contributed only

Guyana Cup to ignite Port Mourant Turf today T

he 10th annual Jumbo Jet Guyana Cup horserace meet gets underway today at the Port Mourant Turf Club, Berbice and the some riveting action is expected throughout the day.

Co-ordinator Nazurdeen Mohammed Jr said, “If you ever haven’t went to a Guyana cup, you should come out this year, it’s a family event, it’s not just about horse racing”.

The Horserace meeting has attracted record 120 entries, making being touted as the biggest horse meet

from outside [overseas] and that will make it very interesting; I think this year this will be one of the very best Guyana Cup we ever had.”

Nine races are carded for the day and it is understood that in an effort to accommodate the large number of entries the organisers have made a few adjustments to the programme so that all the horses will have an opportunity to participate.

The feature A and lower event has some 16 horses entered to compete for $4M and the Guyana Cup Trophy in the 1800m.

Dennis Deoroop’s “Scores Even” , one of the top horses that will be competing today

thus far on these shores.

Avid Horse racing fan Lakeram Sukdeo giving some of his comments on the meet explained that, “So far I’m hearing good things, I heard the Surinamese are coming, I heard Jumbo Jet are bringing some horses

Defending champion CP Got Even, Score’s Even, Kings Knight, Just Call Me Boss, Princess She Not, Golden Blue Echo, Spit Fire, Plum Plum, Goodwill Boy, Lady Budapest, Climate Change, Blame the Jockey, Jack in My Style, Because I

four to an alliance of 31 for the eighth wicket, yet the partnership that did the greatest damage to England’s mental state was the ninth, which spanned 20 overs.

Younis began by shield-

ing Amir from the strike, but the number 10, who spent 23 balls on nought, hit Moeen for six to get off the mark and struck several flowing cover drives.

SCORE BOARD England 1st Innings 328 Pakistan 1st innings 3 Sami Aslam lbw b Broad Azhar Ali c †Bairstow b Ali 49 Yasir Shah c Root b Finn 26 Asad Shafiq c Broad b Finn 109 Younis Khan lbw b Anderson 218 Misbah-ul-Haq* c Hales b Woak es 15 Iftikhar Ahmed c Ali b Woakes 4 Sarfraz Ahmed† c †Bairstow b Woakes 44 Wahab Riaz st †Bairstow b Ali 4 Mohammad Amir not ou t 39 Sohail Khan c Broad b Finn 2 Extras: (b 18, lb 6, w 3, nb 2) 29 Total: (all out;146 overs) 542 Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Sami Aslam, 1.5 ov), 2-52 (Yasir Shah, 17.3 ov), 3-127 (Azhar Ali, 39.2 ov), 4-277 (Asad Shafiq, 75.3 ov), 5-316 (Misbah-ulHaq, 84.1 ov), 6-320 (Iftikhar Ahmed, 84.5 ov), 7-397 (Sarfraz Ahmed, 110.1 ov), 8-434 (Wahab Riaz, 121.4 ov), 9-531

(Younis Khan, 142.1 ov), 10542 (Sohail Khan, 145.6 ov) Bowling: Anderson 29-10-781, Broad 29-5-99-1, Finn 301-110-3, Woakes 30-8-82-3, Ali 23-1-128-2, Root 5-0-21-0 England 2nd innings A Cook* c Iftikhar Ahmed b Wahab Riaz 7 A Hales lbw b Yasir Shah 12 J Root lbw b Yasir Shah 39 J Vince c Misbah-ul-Haq b Yasir Shah 0 G Ballance not out 4 J Bairstow† not out 14 Extras: (b 4, lb 5, nb 3) 12 To bat: CR Woakes, MM Ali, SCJ Broad, ST Finn, JM Anderson Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Cook, 9.2 ov), 2-49 (Hales, 17.6 ov), 3-55 (Vince, 19.4 ov), 4-74 (Root, 25.3 ov) Bowling: Mohammad Amir 10-3-30-0, Sohail Khan 8-2-18-0, Wahab Riaz 4-015-1, Yasir Shah 7-1-15-3, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-1-1-0

A Ally and Sons 2016 Basketball tournament starts today in New Amsterdam

Defending champion horse “CP Got Even” and Jockey Michael Semple

Say So, Bridal Stone Corner and the newly imported Brave Sky out of the USA are set to vie for the top spot.

Super Cat, Royal Jet, Perfect Gold, King Stanley, Awesome Cash and Flash Again are some of the horses registered for the two-yearolds 1100m event which has a winning prize of $600 000.

The winning jockeys in the three abovementioned events will earn an extra $50 000 reward.

Other events on the day’s programme include a 1300m race for `E’ and Lower horses with the winner carting off $800 000.

Horses classified `H’ and Lower will do battle over 1400m for $500 000.

An 1100m race is also on the day’s programme and is open to horses classified `J & K’ and Lower with the win-

ner earning $350 000.

Horses classified `L’ will contest a 1000m race and the winner will receive $250 000.

Trophies and other incentives will be at stake for the top jockey ($50 000 plus trophy) as well as the runner-up jockey. The top stable and champion trainer will also be rewarded.

Apart from the cash prizes for the winners of each event, trophies and cash prizes are also on offer for the other top finishers of each event.

Race time is 11:00 hrs and admission is $2000 for adults and $1000 for children.

Patrons are reminded that the Berbice River Bridge will close at 13:30 hrs for one and a half hour.

A representative from A. Ally and Sons handing over to the sponsorship cheque to President of the Berbice Basketball Association Vibert Garnett

T

he A. Ally and Sons 2016 Basketball tournament starts today in New Amsterdam the opening game will see Smithfield Rockers coming up against Fyrish Black Sharks at the Vryman’s Ervin Court in New Amsterdam at 16:00h.

Six teams are participating in the tournament which will be run on a round robin basis in two zones.

Zone ‘A’ will consist of Rosehall Jammers, NA

Warriors and the Black Sharks while Zone ‘B’ will have the Rockers, Ithaca hardliners and GHD basketball team.

Games will be played on Sunday with each team playing each twice, [home and away]. The tournament is being organised by newly elected president of the Berbice Basketball Association Vibert Garnett.

(Andrew Carmichael).

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SPORTs

21

WICB Regional U-19…

Guyana slump to 30-run loss against Leewards

G

uyana Under-19 on Saturday lost its first game of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional U-19 limited over tournament to Leeward Islands in St. Vincent by 30 runs.

Batting first Leewards made 222-9, start as the opening pair of Ross Powell (38) and Tyrone Williams added 104 for the first wicket. Kofi James, who batted at number three, got 32 but after his demise Guyana made constant inroads and restricted their opponents scoring rate.

Left arm spinners Akenie Adams and part time spinner Bhaskar Yadram was the leading bowlers for Guyana with two wickets each.

In reply Guyana were bowled out for 192 with four overs remaining, with the two youngest members of the team, Joshua Persaud and Bhaskar Yadram scored 44 runs each to finish as the principal scorers. Opening fast bowlers Kian Pemberton (4-29) and Camron Pennyfeather (329) were the main wreckers picking up seven wickets between them.

In the other matches, Trinidad and Tobago hammered ICC Americas by 151 runs, being spearheaded by Kirstan Kallicharan (75) as they reached 279-

Bhaskar Yadram

Joshua Persaud

9 off 50 overs batting first. Jonathan Bootan chipped in with 32 as Aran Pathmanathan and Romel Shahzad claimed two wickets apiece.

ICC Americas were routed for a paltry 128 in 32.4 overs, with only Abrassh Khan (50)of the batsmen making any significant contribution. Jarlanie Seales led Trinidad’s attack with 4-33 while Negus Smith and Dejour Charles supported with figures of 3-40 and 2-45 respectively.

An all-round special by Windward Island player Ryan John guided his team to a three wicket win over Barbados. John took three wickets as Barbados were

dismissed for 178 all out before returning to hit a responsible unbeaten 49 as Windwards reached 181-7 in 46.3 overs.

West Indies youth allrounder Shemar Springer made 63 for Barbados and was assisted by Joshua Bishop (35) and Dominic Drakes (26). Darron Nedd and John got three wickets each for Windwards, who was led by Emmanuel Stewart (54).

Joshua Bishop got three wickets while Deswin Currency and Tremaine Harris collected two each.

The fourth round will be played on Monday with three matches scheduled for the day.

Rage are champions of Faye Joseph Dominoes title

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aye Joseph domino tournament concluded recently with team Rage being crowned champion. The champions chalked up 81 games to clinch the event which was contested at Gaulding Place, South Ruimveldt.

The champions were closely followed by Thunder, who placed second with 79 games while Gangster finished third on 77.

Ron Callendar was Rag’s top player as he led with 15 games while Mark Welch got 14. Several other play-

ers had good performance, Mark Rodrigues and Kevin Boston made 14 each for the runner up side while Dereck Collymore and Shellon Collymore marked 14 apiece for Gangster who drew the bye to the final.

The winners reached the finals on the back of a dominant performance in the semi final encounter played earlier with 77 games ahead of Thunder on 67 and Amazon Warriors on 50.

Shawn Morgan scored 17 and Welch 15 for Rage

while Faye Joseph got 15 and Kevin Boston 14 for Thunder.

Amazon Warriors top players were Kanhai Samaroo and Trevor Smith with 14 and 13 games respectively.

Meanwhile the Turbo tournament will continue on August 26 and 27 at the National Gymnasium and teams are asked to make contact with Mark Wiltshire on 665 5855, Faye Joseph on 685 1009 or Barbara Marshall on 663 8280.

22

guyana-times.com

sundAY, august 14, 2016

Seagram’s Royal Stag Cup Test Series…

Quicks seal India’s incredible series win O n Thursday, the third day of the St Lucia Test, India saw rain wash a whole day’s play out, with runs having been scored at about 2.5 an over on the first two days, with the bowlers’ last memory of having taken a wicket 79.2 overs ago. By the end of the play on Saturday, the fifth day, India had taken 17 wickets in 63.5 overs to complete an incredible Test and series win, a win borne as much out of belief and intent as out of West Indies’ lack of resistance after what hopefully wasn’t a false down in Jamaica.

India began day five believing they could still win; West Indies did nothing to make India doubt it. After Bhuveneshwar Kumar’s swing masterclass left India 285 in lead at the end of the fourth day, India quickly ran away to 60 runs in nine overs to leave West Indies with no chance of winning and 87 overs to survive.

That was a big difference between Jamaica and St Lucia: there one counterattack put the hosts within sight of parity and gave them direction, here they didn’t know where to go. Feet stopped moving, brains got muddled, plans went absent, and India stayed relentless. The victory, the first time India won two Tests in a series outside Asia since 2005 and the first time ever in the West Indies, arrived before tea.

The gulf in the class and awareness between the teams was glaring on the fifth day. It began with awareness and intent. India knew the outfield was slow, they knew they were short on time, so they came out running runs as if in street cricket. Tip and run, runs to slip, second runs with the ball in the fielder’s hand, thirds because of panicked throws and poor backing-up, India almost literally stole these runs from under West

Miguel Cummins returned figures of 6 for 48 on the fifth morning (WICB Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks Latouche Photography)

Indies’ noses. A six-wicket haul for Miguel Cummins as the batsmen went after the bowling was the only silver lining on a dark day for West Indies cricket. Ajinkya Rahane , not surprisingly, top-scored with an unbeaten 78.

Then came the question of class. West Indies still had only 87 overs to survive on a pretty reliable surface. Except that the batting was not reliable. Coming into this innings having lost their last seven first-innings wickets in 16.2 overs, West Indies needed a solid start.

It wasn’t to be. On a newball pitch, the India quicks were soon going to be all over them. This was going to call for gumption, especially if West Indies lost a wicket early on. Which they duly did, with new opener Leon Johnson fending Mohammed Shami to short leg.

Bhuvneshwar, who had cracked the game open with a quick five-for on day four, then had Kraigg Brathwaite - not the only West Indies batsman who prefers to stay back - with a really full de-

livery. The inswinger held its line a little, Brathwaite played across its line and was caught dead plumb.

With openers gone in the fifth over, there was extra responsibility on the most experienced West Indies batsmen, Marlon Samuels and Darren Bravo. Samuels couldn’t have played a more irresponsible innings.

Samuels went from fasting to sugar rush betraying no sense of plan or direction to his batting. He faced the first 12 balls of his innings responsibly, avoiding the short-pitch barrage nicely. With no run to his name, and no intent to score any until then, out of nowhere he looked for a lofted off drive to the 13th ball he faced.

Having survived that rush of blood, having scored his first run off the 21st ball he faced, Samuels got two half-volleys from R Ashwin, boundaries off which should have settled down nerves.

Samuels, though, went on a hitting spree. He was lucky he mistimed his next big shot, an attempted loft with a long-on in place. This

one fell short, but Samuels, having been dormant for the first half of the innings, struggled to calm himself down. The feet didn’t move, the bat went high, an inswinger from Ishant Sharma burst through the gate and sent the off stump on a cartwheel.

Three wickets had been lost in 13.2 overs, but Roston Chase and Bravo batted more sensibly and saw West Indies through to lunch.

Post lunch Ishant produced the delivery of the innings to remove the centurion from Jamaica, Chase. India had got their act together for Chase, bowling fuller than they did in Jamaica, giving him less time to recover should there be any misbehaviour off the pitch. This one misbehaved massively, seaming back in from a full length to take the off stump out.

Jermaine Blackwood’s attacking ways were less likely to work here; India had anyway cut off his runs by not bowling in his zone. A frustrated big drive - trying to save a Test with parity nowhere in sight - brought an on-the-line stumping, and half the side was gone even before the ball became old and settled down.

After about the 30th over, the pitch settled down a little. The edges began to die, as R Ashwin found out with Bravo who reached his first fifty in eight innings. The seam movement ceased. A main batsman would have found this period easier to negotiate, but Shane Dowrich fell to a disciplined spell from Shami, who followed on from a seven-over interrogation by Bhuvneshwar. Jason Holder ran himself out, and with the tail in the middle it was just a consolation that West Indies managed to cross 100 and didn’t succumb to their lowest total against India.

Darren Bravo made 59 in a losing cause WICB (Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks

Latouche Photography)

SCOREBOARD India 1st innings 353 West Indies 2nd innings 222 India 2nd innings K Rahul c Brathwaite b Cummins 28 S Dhawan lbw b Chase 26 V Kohli* lbw b Cummins 4 AM Rahane not out 78 R Sharma lbw b Cummins 41 W Saha† c †Dowrich b Cummins 14 R Jadeja c Samuels b Cummins 16 R Ashwin c Brathwaite b Cummins 1 Extras: (b 1, lb 2, nb 6)9 Total: (7 wickets dec; 48 overs)217 Did not bat: I Sharma, Mohammed Shami, B Kumar Fall of wickets: 1-49 (Rahul, 7.3 ov), 2-58 (Kohli, 11.6 ov), 3-72 (Dhawan, 16.3 ov), 4-157 (RG Sharma, 39.2 ov), 5-181 (Saha, 43.3 ov), 6-213 (Jadeja, 47.2 ov), 7-217 (Ashwin, 47.6 ov) Bowling: Gabriel 3-0-19-0, Joseph 4-0-23-0, Cummins 111-48-6, Holder 9-1-50-0, Chase 11-1-41-1, Brathwaite 10-1-33-0 West Indies 2nd innings

(target: 346 runs) K Brathwaite lbw b Kumar 4 L Johnson c RG Sharma b Mohammed Shami 0 D Bravo c RG Sharma b Mohammed Shami 59 M Samuels b I Sharma 12 10 R Chase b I Sharma J Blackwood st †Saha b Jadeja 1 S Dowrich† c Kohli b Mohammed Shami 5 J Holder* run out (Ashwin) 1 A Joseph c Mohammed Shami b Ashwin 0 M Cummins not out 2 S Gabriel c Kumar b Jadeja 11 Extras: (lb 2, nb 1) 3 Total: (all out; 108 47.3 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Johnson, 3.5 ov), 2-4 (Brathwaite, 4.2 ov), 3-35 (Samuels, 13.2 ov), 4-64 (Chase, 25.2 ov), 5-68 (Blackwood, 29.1 ov), 6-84 (Dowrich, 37.1 ov), 7-88 (Holder, 39.5 ov), 8-95 (Bravo, 41.4 ov), 9-95 (Joseph, 42.1 ov), 10-108 (Gabriel, 47.3 ov) Bowling: Kumar 12-6-13-1, Mohammed Shami 11-2-153, I Sharma 7-0-30 -2, Ashwin 12-2-28-1, Jadeja 5.3-1-20-2

(Cricinfo)

Resaul, Beaton excel in regional tournament S hortly after competing in the local Guyana’s premier lawn tennis tournament, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Independence Jubilee Open, 19 junior players left Guyana’s shores for Jamaica to participate in the Blue Mountain and subsequent ITF Junior under 14 circuit tournaments.

Eight athletes remained for the Under 14 Tournament. Heimraj Resaul and Jordan Beaton both of Marian Academy Secondary played their best tennis to win the Boys Doubles title in straight sets 6-4, 6-2 against the Jamaica and Antigua’s top seed duo, Damani King and Aron Fields. The match was highly anticipated by spectators who followed the

Guyanese team after both Resaul and Beaton were ousted in the singles semi-finals to King and Fields, respectively. Damani King defeated Heimraj Resaul 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 and Aron Fields defeated Jordan Beaton 6-1, 6-3. In the finals King defeated Fields 7-5, 6-1 to take the title.

The doubles finals commenced with King/Fields opting to receive after winning the toss. Guyana’s Resaul/ Beaton duo forced a quick lead holding and breaking service to command at 2-0.

King/Fields set foot on the score board after breaking service to tread behind at 1-2.

Resaul/Beaton broke their opponents serve to maintain dominance at 3-1. Unshaken

by Guyana’s move, King/

Fields fought to break serve, to trail at 2-3. The atmosphere of the games changed after Resaul/Beaton broke serve to 4-2, with King/Fields positing a two game streak by breaking and holding service to cement the first tie in games at 4-4. Beaton’s command at the baseline matched with Resaul’s volley techniques propelled the Guyana duo to capture the first set at 6-4.

From the onset of the second set, the Resaul/Beaton pair were clearly focused and determined on securing a victory. They proceeded to hold serve in the first game.

King/Fields relentlessly even games to 1-1 by holding serve as well, something that was fairly unfamiliar in the match as it was only seen at 4-4 in

first set. Resaul/Beaton powered through to a two game leap after maintaining a grip on service and breaking serve to lead their rivals at 3-1. The move, which had seemed to stun King/Field, minutely backfired as Resaul/Beaton loss their service game, allowing their opponents to edge closer to score at 2-3.

Nevertheless, the potency of Beaton’s groundstroke, coupled with Resaul’s agility at the net allowed the Guyanese pair to pounce on their opponents’ weaknesses to enjoy a resounding three game gallop to triumph.

Beaton/Resaul were crowned champions at 6-4, 6-2.

After the match, the Guyanese pair lamented that it was a real test of their mental strength to pull through

the first set having been defeated in the singles semis but they played not just for themselves, but to make Guyana proud. The two have been developing a strong partnership for years and it is highly anticipated that they will become national doubles champions in the near future.

For now their focus is on the upcoming IGG for tennis which will be held in French Guiana during October 27-November 1. Since there is no facility where the IGG team can start intensive training for the tournament, they will train within their club schedules with their coach Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan. The countries that will participate in the IGG are Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Martinique.

Results of other local players at the tournament are below: U14 Singles Main Draw Quarterfinals: Aron Fields def Vijay Sharma 6-0, 6-0.

Damani King def Joshua Kalekyezi 6-1, 6-2. Boys U14 Doubles: J. Kalekyezi/ Viraj Sharma (GUY) def R. Fairman/C. McNair (JAM) 6-2, 6-0. D. King/A. Fields (JAM/TRI) def J. Kalekyezi/ Sharma (GUY) 6-2, 6-0 D. Kalekyezi/N. Lowe (GUY) def E. Nwokolo /D. Reeves (JAM/TRI) w/o Boys U14 Doubles Semifinals:. D. King/A. Fields (JAM/TRI) def J. Kalekyezi/ Viraj Sharma (GUY) 6-1, 6-0.

Boys U14 Consolation Singles finals: Viraj Sharma (GUY) def D. Kalekyezi (GUY).

guyana-times.com

sundAY, august 14, 2016

23

Middle order weakness in Warriors team exposed in finals! ... fans must be grateful of team’s effort

By Delvon Mcewan

T

he Guyana Amazon Warriors showing at the recently concluded Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) possessed quality up until the final where they lost by nine wickets to the Jamaica Tallawahs. It was definitely the team’s worst performance of the 11 matches they played in this year’s tournament. Due to this performance, the question is who or what is to be blamed?

It is difficult to solely blame an individual for poor showing by a team in a sport while on the other hand, it is unjust to say an individual is solely responsible for success in a team sport. Although an individual might be the difference between sides in a team sport, that person by no means as an individual could win against an entire team. Therefore, on that note, I will identify some of the errors made by the Warriors team from the player’s draft through to the finals.

Even the Warriors Captain, Rayad Emrit, made mention at the finals post-match presentation of his team’s composition, saying they were not the best unit entering the tournament. At least on paper they were not. But they silenced the doubters and executed well to reach the finals. An area the officials led by coach Roger Harper and the team itself should take praise for.

At the auction, Guyana drafted Martin Guptill of New Zealand, Australians Chris Lynn and Adam Zamba, as well as Pakistani all-rounder Sohail Tanvir and Muhammad Ahsan Ali Khan of the USA as the country’s overseas representatives. Of those selected, the fans and most local pundits of cricket were only satisfied with the return of Guptill to the team. The drafting of all the others were questioned. Little was known about Lynn, Zampa and Khan while Tanvir was deemed as a ‘washed out’ cricketer.

Besides the negatives surrounding four of the overseas players, there were also concerns over the selection of Regional players like Jason Mohamed, Assad Fudadin, Orlando Peters and Steven katwaroo. Like Lynn, Zampa and Khan, little were known of Peters and Katwaroo here, and Fudadin and Mohamed are not known for any T20 attributes. At least it was the case with Mohamed, who showed that he is capable of playing all three formats at the professional level. In general, most of the team – especially

the batting department – seemed very fragile prior to the tournament. the Nevertheless Warriors were off to a great start winning four of their five matches by the half way stage of the first round. But even in the midst of their victories there were signs of a feeble batting lineup particularly in the middle and lower order. This was shown from as early as their first match against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

In that encounter, the Guyanese bowlers restricted the Patriots to 1649 in 20 overs, off to a flying start in their reply as openers Dwayne Smith and Guptill took the score to 62 for the loss of the first wicket at the end of the sixth over, leaving a deficit of 103 runs to get in 14 overs with nine wickets remaining. However, they lost five more wickets and took 13.5 of the remaining 14 overs to reach the target. Thanks to Mohamed, who made 42 not out from 29 deliveries, they were able to cross the line.

As the tournament progressed it was Lynn, who finished as the tournament’s leading scorer, Mohamed along with Dwayne Smith and Guptill, who contributed in most, if not all, of the Warriors victories.

Meanwhile, in the bowling department, the quintet attack of Tanvir, Rayad Emrit, Veerasammy Permaul, Zampa and Steven Jacobs showed its worth. Like Lynn and Mohamed surprised with the bat, it was two of the questionable bowlers, Tanvir and Zampa, who spearheaded the Warriors bowling attack.

Apart from Lynn and Mohamed with the bat and Zampa and Tanvir with the ball along with Smith, Emrit and Jacobs, who chipped in periodically in either the bowling or batting division, no one else made any significant contribution. Neither was the bench strong enough to make changes.

Arguably the best T20 player locally, Christopher Barnwell was the Warriors biggest disappointment in a tournament where everything went wrong for him.

Known for his aggressive approach, Barnwell failed to live up to expectation as he scored a mere 68 runs from nine innings with his highest score being 16 not out.

Wicket-keeper batsman Anthony Bramble looked good at the initial stages but fell away in the latter part. The remainder of the lower order was inconsistent with scoring and strike rates, thus rendering

Roger Harper

Nick Maddinson

Christopher Barnwell

themselves unable to give Guyana big scores.

Another issue was the choice to replace the Warriors’ original skipper Guptill, who had to depart for Test duties. They opted for Australian opener Nic Maddinson. That was an-

other surprising decision by team officials, since it was clear that Barnwell was out of form and the team needed either a big hitting middle or lower order batsman or a big hitting all-rounder.

While either Assad Fudadin, who averag-

es 27.50 from nine T20 matches or emerging talent Shimron Hetmyer could have opened the batting alongside Smith. However, that was not the case and Maddinson failed to impress in five games as he scored one 50 and finished

with just 82 runs.

Some may say the Warriors saved its worst performance for last but in my view, their weakness was exposed in the final match where Jamaica won the toss, opted to bowl, got rid of the top order early then wrecked the middle and lower order. However the fans must appreciate the effort of a team that laboured throughout but unfortunately capitulated in the grand finale.

In addition, there is/ are no specific player/s that can be blamed for Guyana’s failure to win a first title after three appearances in the finals. However, a better balanced team could have probably been a bigger challenge for the Tallawahs.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

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

guyana-times.com

Seagram’s Royal Stag Cup Test Series…

Page 22

Quicks seal India's incredible series win Disciplined bowling by the Indian seams trigger yet another batting collapse which sealed the series win for the visitors (WICB Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks Latouche Photography)

Usain Bolt wins firstGuyana Cup to ignite Port Mourant round 100 heat in entertaining fashion Turf today Page 20

Page 19

Flash Back! “CP Got Even” in the lead as the horses race to the finish line at the Port Mourant Turf Club

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (centre), Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago and James Dasaolu of Great Britain compete in the Men’s 100m Round 1. (Getty)

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