Guyana Times

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Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 2988 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

September 25, 2016

PRICE

Guyana/Venezuela border controversy

Secretary General’s assessment to be announced in November

Page 10

$120 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyanese contribute to multibilliondollar int'l company P12

1546 cases filed under ‘Operation Safeway’ P12

President David Granger is greeted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon prior to their meeting on Saturday at the UN Headquarters, New York, to discuss the way forward on the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy

Van West-Charles powers subservient to Board …individual decisions not binding on company – Legal Opinion

GuySuCo yet to discuss 2016 benefits for workers – GAWU P16

Page 7

CJIA $150M Expansion Project

Govt ‘powerless’ to terminate CHEC Suriname stone imports Page 3

5 illegal Haitians nabbed in Linden Page 8

GPSU softens stance on ‘deadlocked’ wages talks …now calls for non-legally binding mediation P9

53 dilapidated buildings to be demolished

by City Hall P16

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 | GUYANA-TIMES.COM

NEWS

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SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, September 25 – 13:30h-15:00h and Monday, September 26 – 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, September 25 – 12:35h-14:05h and Monday, September 26 – 13:35h-15:05h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers with changes of sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day while clear skies can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East South-easterly and East North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 12:11h reaching a maximum height of 2.14 metres.

Low Tide: 05:29h and 18:06h reaching minimum heights of 0.99 metre and 1.11 metres respectively.

Saturday, september 24, 2016

LOTTERY NUMBERS H

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Govt ‘powerless’ to terminate CHEC Suriname stone imports

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overnment is ‘powerless’ to stop the stone imports from Suriname by the contractor undertaking the single largest project under its command; it has since opted to blame its predecessors—a position adopted despite the fact it had halted the project and amended the Contract, after taking office in May 2015.

According to Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, “Under the terms of the (amended) contract I don’t think that the Government of Guyana can tell them that they can’t procure stone from outside of Guyana.”

This blunt position was adumbrated on Friday when he was asked to respond to the fact that local suppliers have essentially been sidelined in preference for a Surinamesebased company.

The coalition A Partnership for National Unity, Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government after taking office in May 2015, proceeded to halt, then amend, the US$150 million contract for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion Project, on the grounds that the contract was ‘unfavourable’ to Guyana.

It has now found itself in a position where the contractor—China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC)—decided to bypass local suppliers and inked a US$7.5 million contract with a Surinamese-based company.

Gaskin has since claimed that the arrangement under which CHEC has begun importing stone is a private one and Government cannot reverse or terminate that contract.

He was at the time addressing the media at the AFC’s Kitty Headquarters and was speaking on national issues and the party’s perspective.

Sand v stone

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CJIA $150M Expansion Project

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

According to Minister Gaskin, “The procurer of the stone was the company that got the contract to build the airport—CHEC—it wasn’t the government of Guyana.”

Asked why the local suppliers—two of whom have lodged formal complaints— have been sidelined, Minister

Business Minister Dominic Gaskin

Gaskin referred questions to the previous administration, which had in fact inked the original contract for the airport expansion programme.

He told the media that, “That very contract did spec-

contract, it was still somehow being blamed for an arrangement that had been put in place by the previous administration.

Asked if the current Government would allow the contract to be fulfilled to the end, Gaskin said, “I don’t think that this particular issue warrants the contract being terminated or anything like that…but certainly as Minister of Business I do feel strongly that wherever possible we should promote our local businesses.”

He did suggest that there is nothing to prevent a reexamination of the issue, “to see why a foreign company was contracted to supply the stone…that will certainly help us to understand what are some of the challenges facing local businesses.”

He spoke directly about the lax capacity of some lo-

“I don’t think that this particular issue warrants the contract being terminated or anything like that… but certainly as Minister of Business, I do feel strongly that wherever possible we should promote our local businesses.” ify that the sand to be used must be procured from within a certain radius of the facility, however that was not done for the stone.”

He suggested that the previous administration might not have anticipated CHEC importing stones for the project from overseas, “or they did not think it was a priority.”

APNU/AFC amendment

The Minister’s answers were however challenged by Guyana Times over the fact that the current APNU/AFC administration did in fact amend the contract but he deferred, saying he is unclear as to the scope of the amendments that had been effected.

He opted instead to say, “I don’t want to get into that, I am just saying the main contract was done some time ago and therefore it was clearly not considered and not included in the contract, the effect of that is now taking place.”

He suggested too that despite the current Government having already amended the

cal operations and queried if local suppliers had been sidelined as a result of pricing constraints as well.

The Business Minister said he does not believe that CHEC would have procured from “outside of Guyana unless it was to their benefit to do so.”He said Government will have to ascertain what the reasons were that caused CHEC to source its building material from overseas so that the administration would be able in future seek to address some of the local hurdles, “faced by our businesses that are perhaps making them less competitive, then we need to look at that also.”

GMSA position

At least two local stone suppliers have since lodged formal complaints with the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GMSA).

This was confirmed by GMSA president, Eon Caesar, who also called for greater protection by government

GMSA President Eon Caesar

with respect to local manufacturers and suppliers.

CHEC has inked a US$7.5 million contract with Suriname’s state-owned mining company Grassalco, to supply some 300,000 tons of crushed stone over a 12 month period for the CJIA Expansion project—currently being done by CHEC. Caesar had told Guyana Times that while CHEC is a private company that makes its own decisions with regards to completing its project within its timeframe and specifications, the project is being funded by tax-payers’ dollars and as such it is imperative for Government to do more to protect local content.

Speaking on the complaint lodged by the two local suppliers, Caesar said even if it is a case that one of the companies could not meet the demands with regard to the amount requeired, at least both companies together could have met the quota.

According to International reports, Surinamese Grassalco and Zhong Da International Engineering Company will deliver the material in partnership to the client, China Harbour Engineering Company in Guyana.

The contracts were reportedly signed by Grassalco’s Chief Executive Officer, Sergio Akiemboto; Wu Qiong, General Manager of Zhong Da International Engineering Company; and Sun Wei, project-manager of China Harbour Engineering Company. The Guyana CHECH contract is reportedly the largest contract the state-owned company has signed with a foreign contractor.

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

Editorial

Gender-based violence

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he year 2016 began with a two-day seminar in Georgetown on tackling domestic violence in Guyana, organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat. Mark Guthrie, a Legal Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat reminded the participants that domestic violence was concerned about the rule of law: “It concerned equality before the law and human rights, and the right of victims of domestic abuse to be accorded respect and receive justice in the courts.

It is the obligation of any state to secure the human rights of those who live within its borders.”

Participants ranged from judges to police officers and the discussions were led by a team of experts from a range of Commonwealth jurisdictions including England, Cayman Islands, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, India and Turks and Caicos Islands. Two decades before, following the Second World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in 1993 and the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1994, the Domestic Violence Act (1996) had been enacted against a background of mind-numbing violence against females in Guyana, to provide the legislative framework for handling cases of domestic violence.

Violence against women jeopardises women’s lives, bodies, psychological integrity and freedom, and is known as ‘gender-based’ violence because it partly stems from women’s subordinate status in society. Yet at the January 2016 conclave, a representative of Red Thread had to declare: "Let’s stop talking about causes and effects and let’s see what we can do to help women be independent and escape violence.

Women have the right to safe homes. That’s a line we need to push to our governments.”

A Domestic Violence Policy Unit had been created in Guyana's Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to oversee the implementation of the National Policy on Domestic Violence. The policy calls for the Government to provide temporary shelter services, counselling, social work services, and legal aid for victims, as well as training about domestic violence for healthcare workers, police, judges, magistrates, lawyers, and others.

However, back in 2010 the then minister bemoaned that one of the greatest challenges Guyana faced in countering domestic violence, especially sexual violence, was in changing the attitudes of service providers – such as Police, magistrates, social workers, and healthcare providers – towards domestic violence and gender equality.

She should have also mentioned the "attitude" of those placed at the very top of the Governmental apparatus. This month, her successor Minister in the APNU/AFC coalition Government has continued to defend her use of the euphemism, "deflowering" rather than "rape" for the act that impregnates preteen girls, which she complained had become rampant in certain communities in Guyana.

The laws of Guyana defines intercourse with any person under sixteen as "statutory rape" and the Minister's refusal to use the term, and to mask it as a "deflowering" which is merely the piercing of a female's hymen, ignores rape as the ultimate act of violence against females and illustrates the "attitude" her predecessor complained of.

Last Wednesday, there was another high-level forum to highlight the scourge, this one hosted by the Delegation of the European Union (EU) in Guyana at the Georgetown Marriott Hotel. The "wide cross-section of civil society stakeholders working in areas of human rights and gender rights", according to the EU Delegation, were sensitised via a skit performance on domestic abuse and an excerpt from a documentary film called "Six Days".

The EU's release emphasised that violence against women and children has tremendous costs to communities, nations and societies and can remain with women and children for a lifetime and can pass from one generation to another.

Representing the Ministry of Social Protection, Gender Specialist Adel Lilly pointed out: “Awareness-raising campaigns are critical to prevent gender-based violence, not only by raising awareness of what constitutes violence and its unacceptability, but also to challenge the underlying attitudes and behaviours which support it.”

Maybe she can have a discussion with her Minister about her "attitude".

Guyana is known for its wide species of birds and as Guyana Times photographer Marceano Narine embarked on a tour of Little Baiabu by the Mahaica River Birding Tours on Friday, the bird pictured is one of the many beauties he captured

No justification to fire BoG governor Dear Editor, Craig Sylvester (writing in GT Sep 23) has called for the firing of the Bank of Guyana Governor Dr Gobin Ganga and his replacement by one Terrence Smith who, Sylvester claims, is US based with 12 years experience working for the Federal Reserve.

Sylvester has not advanced any credible economic reasons why the Governor should be replaced by a PNC appointee. But clearly, Dr Gobin has more experience than Terrence Smith in banking. Sylvester makes allegations that are not factual and also penned contradictory statements.

Sylvester claims Dr Gobin is a political appointee of the PPP. The record would show that Dr Gobin joined the bank as a professional; he is a trained economist and does not owe his rise to politics.

In fact, politics has kept back his long overdue rise to the top position. Dr Gobin rose through the rank becoming deputy Governor and then Governor. He served in lower positions in the bank even though he was more academically qualified than his pre-

decessors; ethnic politics stymied his rise.

The position of Governor is based on seniority within the bank. Dr Gobin was the highest ranking officer at the time of the vacancy brought about through mandatory age retirement of his predecessor.

As Deputy Governor, he was directly next in line for the position and as such not a political appointee.

Even Sylvester acknowledges the fact that Dr Gobin "rose through the banking system". Why then attack him as a political appointee when he is not?

Is Dr Gobin a political appointee because of his ethnicity?

Does Sylvester want Dr Gobin out of the BoG because of his ethnicity?

Won't replacing Dr Gobin with Terrence Smith be political - won't Smith be a political appointee since he has no link with BoG or banking in Guyana?

And in light of cries of ethnic cleansing and racial discrimination since the change in ethnic regime, is Sylvester not concerned about replacing another Indian in a high profile position with a non-Indian perceived to be a supporter of

the PNC? Sylvester's proposal is similar to what transpired in Guyana in 1965 when the PPP government was replaced with the PNC regime. Indians, Chinese and Portuguese in high profile positions were replaced by PNC supporters. We know what happened to the country during that period. Are we on course for a repeat?

Sylvester also claims that PPP deliberately underdeveloped the public sector. The record would show otherwise.

More funds were expended in the public sector during the PPP regime than under the PNC dictatorship.

The PPP ended the IMF freeze on hiring in the public sector. Hundreds were hired.

So the PPP grew the public sector that it inherited from the dictatorship.

The record would also show that overall the economy grew positively over two per cent a year during the PPP 23 years. Contrast this with a negative 5 per cent a year under the PNC during the preceding 28 years.

Between 1965 and 1992, under the PNC tenure, the economy contracted 500 per cent.

In general, political appointees should tender their resignations when there is a change in administration. Dr Gobin is not a political hawk like what the PPP found when it came into office in 1992— political hawks were everywhere. Thus, there is no need for him to be replaced.

Besides, under Dr Gobin's tenure as Governor under the PPP regime, the economy grew about 5 per cent a year.

Since the change in regime 16 months ago, the economy has contracted by some 20 per cent. Is Dr Gobin's policy or the regime's politics responsible for the economic decline?

Anyone with basic understanding of economics and politics would know that Dr Gobin has nothing to do with the rapid decline of the economy. Sylvester needs to get his facts right.

Instead of seeking to replace a professional like Dr Gobin with a political appointee, I suggest Sylvester focus his energy on coming up with suggestions on ending what are perceived as racial and political discriminatory policies against non-PNC supporters.

can threaten the existence of larger numbers of persons in wider areas, even beyond their country’s borders.”

Most of us in Guyana today are descendant of migrants who were brought from Africa or India or China and even Portugal in challenging times and

conditions to work for the British who had conquered and colonised this land from our indigenous Amerindians.

Some of us are even third generation migrants.

Guyana currently has less than one million inhabitants in its eighty-three thousand square-mile; could

it not accept an acceptable amount of those suffering humanity and demonstrate its good sense of magnanimity to a suffering humanity and the rest of the world?

I bet we can! So let’s do it!

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

Accepting refugees

Dear Editor, Our benign President David Granger, in his noble address recently to the United Nations Assembly, on the matter of the current migrant crisis, noted that the situation “if left unattended or unresolved, can escalate into regional and even global crises, which

Yours faithfully, Rooplall Dudhnath

guyana-times.com

SunDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

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

Authorities should protect citizens from bandits Dear Editor, The Indian Action Committee (IAC) once again wishes to voice its concerns over the continuous spate of crime perpetrated unabatedly across the country. The IAC is not unmindful of the daily multiple reports in the media of horrendous crime committed on Guyanese.

The IAC is also not unmindful that what is reported in the media may not accurately reflect the true situation regarding the actual number of crimes commit-

ted. Since many go unreported, the figure could be much higher. This alarming trend which appears unstoppable cannot be allowed to continue.

Guyanese will accept nothing less.

The criminals and their gangs responsible for unleashing and sustaining this spate of terror have instilled untold fear into the hearts and minds of Guyanese. The citizenry is now besieged as fear continues to grip the nation.

The public and their fam-

ilies no longer appear to be safe in their homes, day or night, or when traversing the streets. Also businesses continue to be targeted by these armed marauding and merciless bandits who do not hesitate to inflict bodily harm on the unsuspecting victims, some of whom have lost their lives.

The resulting losses, pains and sufferings are incalculable while insurmountable psychological fear permeates throughout.

Given what continues to

transpire, the management of the responses to combat crime cannot escape being questioned. The IAC is adamant that more has to be done.

There must be no ambiguity regarding the safety of the citizens; it is foremost.

The IAC therefore repeats its call for those in authority to immediately implement additional measures and intensify current ones to have this frightening crime situation brought under control.

The devastating impact it has precipitated, is not just

confined to the trauma experienced by the citizens, but also has profoundly negative effects on businesses and continues to be a deterrent to potential investors. By extension, the slothfulness of the economy would be further exacerbated if businesses were forced to be contracted as they continue to be targeted by ruthless bandits.

The IAC has also been made aware that some Guyanese, who possess the means, are fleeing the country in an effort to seek safety

of themselves and families. It appears as a sense of déjà vu alluding to when many were forced to escape during the dark and oppressive period of our history.

The IAC wishes to bring to the attention of the authorities that Guyanese lives matter and every available resource must be expended forthwith to curb this crime wave.

Dear Editor, In response to an article captioned “More money needed for sport development” published in the media by T Pemberton, the Government of Guyana recognises the importance of sports and, therefore, has “pumped” billions of dollars towards the development of sports in all forms.

This includes the upgrading of our sporting facili-

ties, and the training of our sportsmen and sportswomen in their particular disciplines. One of the several facilities that were upgraded is the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall which is now of International standard.

Also three scholarships were awarded to Owen Adonis, Emanuel Archibald and Alque Stanley respectively to the tune of $5M. Two more scholarships

will be awarded during the course of this year.

A lot more will be done during the remainder of the year and will continue during the ensuing years. Our eyes are on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Sports budget for the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for 2015 amounted to $503,244,000 with Current being $291,588,000 and Capital

$211,656,000; for 2016, $726,053,000 with current being $414,099,000 and capital $311,954,000; and for 2017 $1,578,149,000 with current being $548,260,000 and capital $1,029,889,000.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has pledged its continued unstinting support to the development of sports in all its forms and to ensure

that our athletes are properly trained so that they will be able to represent the country at the highest level. It is also anticipated that other sports fraternities will throw in their lot so that we can produce

athletes of calibre.

Nicolette Henry Minister within the Ministry of Education, Department of Culture, Youth and Sport

Sincerely, Indian Action Committee

Billions being spent for sport development

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SunDAY, september 25, 2016

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Foundation

CANCER STICKS:

The 5 R’s of motivation against cigarette smoking

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Anu Dev

ast week I wrote about the 5 R’s of motivation to deal with alcoholism, this week I’d like to apply them to cigarette smoking. It’s an interesting quirk of history that our part of the world, the West Indies, first became important for producing both rum and tobacco, which are both now conceded to present severe health challenges.

As we try to motivate others to quit these two addictive products, we should be aware that the mega corporations that make billions in profits from their sales are spending commensurate sums to motivate the same people to INCREASE their usage.

Especially with cigarettes, as the developed countries became aware of the severe negative effect of cigarette on the human system and their governments began to take countermeasures, such as warning labels, the producers shifted focus to developing countries such as the West Indies. We are at even greater

risk than before.

And just to recap the 5 R’s: in trying to motivate a patient to make a change in their behaviour, it’s important to explain to them how the change is relevant to them personally, to talk about the risks of their current behaviour, to educate the patient about the potential rewards of change, and to address possible roadblocks they might encounter while trying to change. And the final R is repetitiond o c t o r s should try to respectfully repeat the 5 R’s each visit to try to motivate their patients to make the changes to live a healthier life.

In terms of relevancy to the person, there should be a discussion about how quitting smoking would directly impact their life - it could save them money, improve their quality of life, and decrease the chances of heart attack, cancer

or stroke. Quitting smoking would also improve the quality of life of the persons they live with - secondhand smoke can be as dangerous as if you were smoking the cigarettes yourself.

Each person is different, and there will be different issues that are relevant to them and it is important for their doctor to discuss those issues with them in a respectful, nonconfrontational manner.

In terms of risks, there are long-term and short-term risks of smoking. In the shortterm, risks include a reduction in taste a n d smell, a continuous cough and a weakened immune system.

In the long-term, heart disease, lung disease, lung cancer, throat cancer, stomach cancer, bladder cancer and a host of other cancers.

The discussion of risks isn’t meant to be a scare-tactic, it’s supposed to be a frank discussion where the abuser is made aware of the risks and where their perception of those risks is explored.

In terms of rewards, there are all of the health rewards -

add on more than a couple of years to your lifespan, regain your sense of smell and taste.

And of course, there’s all of that money that you can save.

And for each patient, there are specific areas where their smoking is causing a problem, so there should be a discussion about how those problems might be ameliorated by cutting down the drinking.

And of course, change is never easy - if it was, they probably wouldn’t have had to come up with 5 R’s to motivate people. But that brings us to the 4th R: roadblocks. There should be a discussion with the person about possible hurdles they’ll have to face on the road to change and the smoker and doctor should come up with strategies on how to handle those problems when they arise. They may suffer withdrawal symptoms, or they may live in an environment that encourages their smoking.

The final R is repetition. As I mentioned before, doctors should try to respectfully repeat the 5 R’s each visit to try to motivate the smoker to quit.

Concerned friends and family should also do the same.

And doctors should also break the stereotypes of being high abusers of alcohol and cigarettes.

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for teenagers

veryday personal hygiene is basically about washing your hands, covering your mouth when you cough and keeping clean. But there’s also a social side to dealing with personal things like body odour, smelly feet and bad breath.

Helping teenagers build personal hygiene habits When your teenage child was younger, you taught him the basics of good hygiene – washing his hands, covering his mouth when he coughed and having regular baths or showers. You had to help him with things like cleaning and flossing teeth, at least to start with. Adolescence is a time to build on these basics. It’s a time when your child’s changing body means that her personal hygiene will need to change too. And just like when she was younger, you might need to help her at the start. Good hygiene habits in childhood are a great foundation for good hygiene in the teenage years. And if you’ve got open, honest communication with your child, it’ll make it easier to talk about the personal hygiene issues that come up in adolescence.

Fact box 1

Teenagers do need extra time in the bathroom! While teenagers are learning to shave or to handle their periods, these hygiene activities might take a bit longer. You can help by being patient and giving your child a bit more privacy.

Why good personal hygiene matters

Keeping clean is an important part of staying healthy.

For example, the simple act of washing hands before eating and after using the toilet is a proven and effective tool for fighting o f f germs and avoiding sickness.

B e i n g clean and well presented is also an important part of confidence for teenagers. If your child’s body and breath smell OK, his clothes are clean, and he’s on top of his basic personal hygiene, it can help him fit in with other people.

Helping your child with the basics of personal hygiene

You’ve got an important role to play in making sure your child knows about how her body and hygiene needs are going to change, and in getting her ready to manage the changes. The earlier you can start having these conversations, the better – ideally, before your child hits puberty.

You can be a role model for your child by demonstrating good personal hygiene habits. If your child sees you showering, cleaning your teeth and washing your hands regularly, he’ll learn that these habits are important.

You can explain to your child that keeping her body clean – especially her hands – is part of staying healthy. As an example of what germs can do, you could remind her of the last time a bout of ‘gastro’ or flu went through home or school. (raisingchildren.net.au) TO BE CONTINUED

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sunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Van West-Charles powers subservient to Board … individual decisions not binding on company – legal opinion

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anaging Director of the Guyana Water Incorporated Inc (GWI), Dr Richard Van West-Charles, has been informed in no uncertain terms that his powers are subservient to that of the collective Board of Directors led by its Chairman.

The position was made clear in a legal opinion sought by the GWI Managing Director, as he attempted to usurp the powers of the Board of Directors.

He had sought a legal opinion from the Satram and Satram Law Firm, on the powers of the Board as a collective, versus his individual powers as a Director on that Board but was told the decisions of the collective body prevails.

Guyana Times has seen a copy of the legal opinion sought by Van WestCharles, which has effectively informed him that his remit lay only with the day to day operations of the entity and does not supersede the collective decisions of the board of directors led by its Chairman.

The Board members, he was informed, act and take decisions on behalf of the company’s shareholders – the owners of the company

which in this case is the people of Guyana through the State.

The legal opinion sought has since advised that the GWI Board of Directors led by its Chairman “are empowered to direct the management of the business and affairs of the company.”

Van West-Charles is a Manager and as such is subjected to the decisions of the board, according to the legal opinion.

No binding

Directors are generally appointed by the shareholders of the company – once elected they are under a duty to act in the best interest of the company when exercising their powers.

“Decisions made outside of meetings and by individual Directors are not properly decisions of the Board and may not be binding on the company,” the legal opinion supplied by Satram and Satram Law Firm stated.

The GWI by-laws makes both the Chairman and the Managing Director members of the Board of Directors and while “These two Directors may be vested with special powers and duties which the Board may confer upon them… They

GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles

may exercise powers of the Board only to the extent that they are authorised to do so by the board.”

The attorneys have since also informed the GWI’s Managing Director that the powers of the Directors are collectively given to them and that they collectively exercise an independent power of management.

“Their powers are not subject to the dictates of shareholders… This is because the Directors’ power is original and not delegated.”

It was pointed out to Dr Van West-Charles that the Directors exercise their powers for the benefit of the company.

Complaints

The legal opinion sought said too that the powers of

the board are not given to individual Directors but to the Board as a unit since the board acts collectively.

“The Board of Directors operates through meetings and resolutions… decisions of the Directors can only be taken at a properly constituted Board meeting.”

The internal fighting between Dr Van West-Charles and the Board of Directors came about following a litany of complaints related to numerous infractions and changes at the utility entity that had been instituted by him. The entity’s Internal Audit Department (IAD) has launched an investigation into an abuse of authority by the entity’s Managing Director, Van West-Charles in addition to the Board of Directors considering a mo-

tion to have him immediately suspended pending investigations.

The auditors have also recommended that many of the changes instituted by Dr Van West-Charles be reversed.

The investigation was launched into the actions of Van West-Charles after a litany of complaints and allegations had been lodged and those range through questionable employment practices, the suppression of internal audits, and retribution against senior employees, among a host of other infractions.

Reversed decisions

According to internal communications seen by Guyana Times, Van WestCharles in fact relocated the Internal Audit Department (IAD) to a Da Silva Street, Georgetown, location in order to make room for the ‘Debt Recovery Department.’

With regards interference of Van West-Charles into the operations of the Internal Audit Department, this publication has seen internal correspondences which point to allegations that on various occasions, the Managing Director had stated that he was very un-

comfortable about the reporting lines and authority of the audit manager and staff.

The Managing Director reportedly instituted a system for the internal auditors where, “we started to experience lengthy delays to get records timely, limited access to people and information from auditors.”

All requests were made to be channelled through Dr Van West-Charles, who also “requested that he be kept informed on every stage of an audit and would like to screen the Auditees responses before same was disclosed to the IA staff.”

Suppress audits

According to the correspondences seen, “The environment became similar to the one created by the previous Chief Executive (CE)…

Found to be very hostile most of the times but we tried as much as possible to suppress and work around it.”

The IAD has since recommended an urgent review of GWI’s policies and procedures at all operational areas to reflect modern practices and the structural changes recently made.

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news

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

5 illegal Haitians arrested in Linden Eyew tness A

lerted ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in ‘E’ Division (Linden/Kwakwani) have arrested five Haitians, who reportedly entered Guyana illegally.

According to reports, at about 23:00h Friday, ranks intercepted a vehicle at Wisroc junction, Wismar, Linden, in which the five adult male Haitians were found.

The Police said that the men were detained after it was discovered that they had entered the country illegally via Suriname. The men were reportedly enroute to neighbouring Brazil at the time of the interception.

Since the 2010 earthquake, thousands of Haitians began migrating to other countries in hopes of finding a new life. One of the places they found solace in was the Portugese-Speaking South American country, Brazil. In fact, last year the Brazilian government granted residency to almost

44,000 Haitians.

However, Brazil has been experiencing its own economic troubles of recent and this situation has resulted in hundreds of Haitians opting to move north – the United States of America.

But the traffic to the US is overwhelming and it has been reported that the US border officials lack space to temporarily hold hundreds of Haitian immigrants.

Recent reports revealed that more than 900 Haitians are waiting to cross at Tijuana in Mexico, while some 500

illegal migrants arrived last week and are held in the Administrative Detention Center in Tapachula.

Officials from the US Department of Homeland Security were reported as saying that for fiscal year 2016, between October 2015 and July 2016, 3538 Haitian migrants arrived illegally in the United States, over 3000 entered from San Ysidro, San Diego. Meanwhile, for fiscal year 2015, only 712 Haitians had attempted to enter the United States without legal documenta-

tion.

On the other hand, Reuters has reported that acting Haitian President Jocelerme Privert told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that Haiti’s October presidential election will be significant as the United States toughens its stance toward a wave of Haitian immigrants.

“The credibility of the upcoming election is vital to break with the cycle of instability and uncertainty which has beset my country for too long,” Privert said.

He told the UN that the government was aware of the many Haitians leaving to seek a better life elsewhere and that the Caribbean nation would need more international support after the October 9 election.

“The new leaders will urgently need to address the structural problems which persistently undermine Haiti’s effort to move out of underdevelopment,” Privert told the UN Assembly.

Double talk...

E

...on double cross

ven though it was consummated in front of hundreds at Whim, the APNU/AFC's marriage was said to be made in heaven. Even the oh-so-sweet engagement was announced on Valentine's Day!!. Being a modern couple - and chock full of lawyers - they even had a pre-nuptial "Cummingsburg Accord". But right after the elections, it all fell apart at the seams when the linchpin agreement - equality of the partners - was violated.

Nagamootoo of the AFC got the "Prime Ministership" as promised - but the Bard's famous aphorism was turned on its head - it was all in the name! Chairing Cabinet?

Naaah!

A year latter, matters came to a head at an AFC's retreat and some decided "enough was enough". The point, of course, was the AFC hadn't been given enough power - as promised in Cummingsburg. Other leaders, however, believed the retreat (noun) signified "retreat" -the verb and decided to disassociate themselves from the statement of discontentment. It was all too much for the Chairman of the party - who promptly resigned.

He refused to being a "handmaiden". When the handmaidens begged on their knees, he agreed not to dispute the Party's claim that it was just an "extended leave".

But as party supporters across the country followed Hughes' refusal to go along with the AFC leaders' refusal to speak out against governmental abuses, the leaders such as Nagamootoo and Ramjattan had to spasmodically assert, "everything was all right"! The APNU and AFC were so close, breeze couldn't pass between them.! But for some reason the AFC's decided to host their separate press conference!

What's going on? If the APNU and the AFC are like peas in the same pod, aren't Pressie's weekly carefully controlled recorded press outing, definitive enough for the AFC? It does appear there's some schizophrenia in the AFC air! Anyhow, this week's presser, the AFC spokesperson was Dominic Gaskin who was the Minister of Business - to which the "Ministry of Tourism" was added after it was hived off from Cathy Hughes. Nothing to do with her husband taking on APNU for "breach of promise"!!

It has been ordained, after all, "For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them." Anyhow, Gaskin has now cleared up the AFC's role towards APNU. "The AFC is no police of APNU".

Meaning the AFC will see no evil, hear no evil and certainly will not speak of any evil!! Especially on salaries!

...on economics

Seems Gaskin had a lot on his mind - cause he said a mouthful on some burning economics questions of the day. One could understand his bureaucraticallytrained Finance Minister being oblivious to the difference between "growth" and "development". To that fella, it's all numbers. But Gaskin's supposed to be the owner of a business and should be more au fait about how an economy operates, nuh?

But he not only regurgitated Jordan's "economic growth" incantation - due to rising gold production but assures us the growth will "trickle down" to the poor slobs at the bottom of the wage scale. How? Through gravity - like with water? We can understanding some of the growth "trickling down" to Gaskin and his jewellery business - but exactly what mechanism will get it into the pockets of the average Joe when the largest gold producers are foreign?

More disturbingly, Gaskin responded to the Public Servants' demand for a "liveable wage"snorting: "depends on how you want to live"!!!

Well suppose they want to like like Ministers who just doubled their salaries?

...on wage scales

Gaskin also thumbed his nose at the working poor by claiming Guyanese wages are higher than those in many other developing countries!

But did he look at the "purchasing power" of those nominally "lower" wages? Jeez!

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

9 GPSU softens stance on ‘deadlocked’ wages talks news

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

… now calls for non-legally binding mediation

T

he Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has called the wages talks with Government “deadlocked”, rejecting the ‘final offer’ of one to 10 per cent; however, the Union has since softened its stance and has now invited Government to conciliation.

Conciliation is considered a type of mediation which unlike arbitration – an option also open to the Union – does not have any legally binding force.

The public servants bargaining body on Friday held a meeting with its Executive Council at which a unanimous decision was taken to “communicate to the Chief Labour, Occupational Safety and Health Officer of the Social Protection Ministry, Department of Labour, the Union’s wish to enter into conciliation in the matter of what is now a dispute between the Union

and the employer in the matter of wages and salaries increases for public servants for 2016.”

The Union in its statement announcing its decision restated its position that Government’s expressed ‘final offer’ is unreasonable and unacceptable and to state further that it considers the matter deadlocked since the September 14, 2016, between teams representing the Government of Guyana negotiators and the GPSU. According to the statement released by GPSU, it was related that its Executive Council has expressed its “serious concern over the seeming insensitivity and absence of a sense of urgency on the part of the employer in dealing with the various other outstanding associated with public servants’ emoluments including de-bunching, incre-

GPSU President Patrick Yarde

ments and allowances.”

The Union has also adopted a position that “the Government of Guyana appears to be reneging on its commitment to have separate negotiations for wages, salaries and allowance for semi-autonomous agencies.”

Only recently, the GPSU in its bid to have Government return to the bargaining table in order to negotiate a better deal warned that Government be guided by history, inclusive of the 1999 strike which lasted for 57 days and which that led to arbitration over the deadlocked salary talks.

GPSU at the time accused government of horsetrading over its publicly stated position that it will go ahead and make an arbitrary award in face of the Union’s refusal of the differentiated 10 per cent to one per cent salary increases for public servants.

GPSU President Patrick Yarde at the time sought to remind the parties that formed the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government, that it had campaigned on a promise to pay public ser-

Paris Agreement

Benefits to Guyana are indirect but significant – Granger P

resident David Granger has pointed out that signing onto international declarations such as the Paris Agreement has served to prove that Guyana is serious in its quest to become a ‘green economy’.

Speaking with local reporters during a special taping of ‘The Public Interest’ programme in New York, where he is attending the 71st United Nations General Assembly, the Head of State explained that agreements such as the Paris Agreement will enhance Guyana’s economy in a real way.

“It’s not ornamental, it’s not ceremonial, it’s real economic advancement and it’s not just, as what happened in the past, a narrow definition of LCDS (Low Carbon Development Strategy). I think more people are understanding now the complexi-

President David Granger

ty of becoming a green state, not just some abstruse thing about land titling or about reducing climate,” President Granger said while adding that “it’s about the (country) we are living. People are saying hey this is my country, here is the harper eagle – the biggest eagle in the entire world; here is the arapaima – the biggest [fresh water] fish in the entire world.

People are saying this is my country, I’m part of it.”

Last year, more than after 195 countries gathered in Paris, France, to negotiate a new global climate agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and Guyana was among the signatories of the historic and ambitious Paris Agreement.

The agreement is a response to the threat of climate change and seeks to bring nations together into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so.

According to President Granger, the benefits of the Paris Agreement to Guyana are indirect but significant, nonetheless, since the country has committed to certain

objectives. He noted that when people realise that Guyana is serious about those objectives – whether they relate to the land, forestry or human development and other aspects such as the eliminating poverty or literacy – it will encourage new relations and investments.

“There are 21 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and when people realise that we are working to build those goals, it is easier to build partnerships with them. This is what is happening in the environment and what is happening when you becoming a green state,” the Head of State posited.

TURN TO PAGE 11

vants decent wages/salaries.

The GPSU’s announcement that it has called for conciliation instead of arbitration had come on the heels of a pronouncement by Business Minister Dominic Gaskin who suggested that public servants in Guyana were in fact being paid more than their counterparts in many developing countries.

Asked whether he believed that Government’s final offer to public servants was sufficient, Minister Gaskin responded saying, “sufficient is a difficult word.”

He sought to explain saying, “Profits for business are never sufficient, you know, that is the nature of business.” According to Gaskin, “Businesses always need

bigger and bigger profits and I assume that human nature is no different, we want bigger and bigger salaries every year if we can’t get it.”

As such, Minister Gaskin posited that no wage increase would ever be sufficient, “it has to do more with what can be afforded.”

The Minister was at this point asked if the Government’s final offer represented a ‘livable wage’ to which he responded “it depends on how we want to live.”

According to the Minster, “In many countries, compared to a lot of countries, Guyanese earn considerably more than in a lot of developing countries, that doesn’t mean that it’s sufficient.”

10

sunDAY, september 25, 2016

guyana-times.com

News

Guyana/Venezuela border controversy

Secretary General’s assessment to be announced in November

U

nited Nations General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon is set to make an assessment on the Guyana/Venezuela controversy by November, ahead of his demitting office on December 31.

The UN Secretary General made this declaration on Saturday during a meeting with the Guyanese Head of State David Granger at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of the Presidency, President Granger welcomed the schedule and pledged his commitment to provide any additional information, which will be required for the UN Secretary General to complete his assessment.

The President also expressed utmost gratitude to

President David Granger being greeted by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon prior to their meeting on Saturday

the world leader for his devoted interest in ensuring

that the ongoing controversy is peacefully resolved.

“We have been very impressed with the seriousness with which you have approached the problem and your own sincerity...

We have been personally convinced that you want to bring closure to this matter,” he said during the meeting with the UN Head.

In a brief invited comment, following the meeting, President Granger said he supports the process and is confident that it will lead to a conclusion that is satisfactory.

Also attending the meeting on behalf of Guyana were Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, Sir Shridath Ramphal, who was present at the signing of the Geneva Agreement in 1966 between the United Kingdom, on behalf of then British Guiana and Venezuela and Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Audrey

Waddell.

For decades, Venezuela has laid claims to nearly two/thirds of Guyana’s landmass – the Essequibo.

In fact, the border controversy, which was not on Venezuela’s front burner for several years after being first mooted in 1962, was recently reignited by the latter country when US oil giant ExxonMobil began exploratory works earlier this year in the Stabroek Block offshore the Essequibo Coast.

With Guyana on the verge of becoming a lucrative oil producing nation, President Maduro issued a decree claiming that the majority of Guyana waters now belongs to Venezuela.

The decree was seen as a “flagrant violation of international law and is inconsistent with the principle that all states should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states”.

Consequently, in an effort to defend its sovereignty, Guyana made it clear to the Venezuelan Government that the Essequibo and its offshore waters belong to Guyana, and strengthened its push for judicial settlement of the issue, as the Good Officer process had yielded little result.

The border between the countries was set by an international tribunal in 1899, in an award the parties, including Venezuela, had agreed would be the final settlement.

Since the recent belligerence from Venezuela, moves have been made by the international community, including the United Nations Secretary General, to push for a peaceful resolution of the issue.

Cane into rice S

atiricus could barely contain his excitement. For months his friend Cappo the Canecutter had been depressed after he’d heard the government was going to close down Wales Sugar Estate. Cappo was convinced this was only the beginning of a very slippery slope that would eventually overtake his estate also.

“Great news Cappo!” Satiricus said to his friend as they barely took their assigned seats at the Back Street Bar. “Yuh get pay a’ready?” Cappo exclaimed. “Me prappa ready fuh drink some good beer!”

“I’ll buy..don’t worry,” Satiricus assured Cappo. “But it’s not that!”

“Suh wha’ de good news, den?” Cappo said as he started with gusto on his first cold beer, which the waitress had just served.

“Your problem on the sugar estate is solved, old buddy!”

Satiricus was so excited he hadn’t even touched his beer.

“Your job is safe!”

“Dem fyaah de GuySuCo Board and de Ministah?”

Cappo wanted to know. “Only dah can save sugah!”

“Listen Cappo, the same Board and Minister you’re insulting, are the same ones saving sugar,” Satiricus said sternly. “They will be diversifying from sugar into rice and fish!”

Cappo eyes bulged. “Yuh seer-yas?” he finally croaked.

“Yes man! Aren’t you happy?” Satiricus finally took a swig of his beer.

“Happy? Happy?” Cappo voice was rising. “Suh jus like dat, me guh tu’n wan rice farmah fram wan cane-cuttah?”

“What’s the big deal?” said Satiricus who was taken aback at Cappo’s vehemence. “Isn’t one job in the fields just like any other job?”

“Sato, yuh a me good fr’en,” said Cappo quietly. “But yuh soung jus’ like de Ministah and de Board.”

“What do you mean?” said Satiricus with a hurt expression.

“Sato, yuh know anything ‘bout rice?” asked Cappo.

“Well not much...I just eat it,” Satiricus admitted.

“Sato, fuh big lan’ like dem cane fiel’ plane gat fuh shy de rice seed, an de fertiliser an’ insecticide. An’ combine guh cut and bag de paddy.” Cappo explained quietly.

“But that will still need workers, no?” asked Satiricus.

“Na even wan quartah wa wuk in de cane fiel’ Sato,” replied Cappo. “An’ beca’se mos’ rice gat fuh reap de same time, ‘e na gat wuk all year roun’.”

“Geez!” exclaimed Satiricus. “I didn’t know that!”

“Na worry, Sato,” said Cappo. “De Ministah and de Board shoulda know. Somebady shou’d fyaah dem tail!”

guyana-times.com

SunDAY, september 25, 2016

11

News Transparency, accountability have disappeared – Nandlall … calls on Govt to release contract agreements

D

espite President David Granger’s announcement that all contracts and concessions should be in the limelight, these documents are not in the public’s domain and have either been concealed using the red tape of the system or pining it on the interference of national security.

This is according to former Attorney General Anil Nandlall who stated that this is evidence that transparency and accountability have disappeared in Guyana.

“Transparency should be removed from the political vocabulary of this Administration,” he opined, noting that it was Government, when in Opposition had adopted the

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

role of a watchdog for transparency.

Nandlall highlighted that although the Opposition has called on the Government “time and time

again” to disclose contracts which were entered into by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government but they have refused.

“These are the same contracts that they said were corrupt but if they were corrupt show us we want to see,” he said.

He stated that some of those contracts include the Marriott Hotel contract, the Amaila Falls contract, the Specialty Hospital contract and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport contract. “When they were in Opposition, they contended that these contracts were crooked now you are in Government and you have the agreements so demonstrate it,” he charged.

In the National Assembly, he recounted that

Benefits to Guyana...

Moreover, he outlined that because of the measures undertaken by Guyana, other countries are approaching Government to lend assistance in areas such as the protected areas. In fact, he noted that he is currently looking at increasing the number of protected areas in the country. “I am establishing a protected area in every region – every region is going to have a protected area, whether it’s a swamp land because in the swamps and wet lands you have a particularly type of bio diversity (frogs, snake and birds) which you don’t see elsewhere. In the Savannahs, you have a different set of flora and funa, in the forested area different set of flora and funa,” he explained.

Currently, Guyana has four protected areas. These are the Kanuku Mountains in the Rupununi Savannahs, Region Nine (Upper TakatuUpper Essequibo); Iwokrama Forest, Region Eight (Potaro-

Siparuni); Kaieteur National Park, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), and Shell Beach, Region One (Barima-Waini).

On the other hand, while on the topic of agreements, the Guyanese Head of State was asked about the accusations of secrecy by the coalition Government with regards to the Norway Forest Agreement. He responded saying that his Administration is managing the Agreement “quite admirably”.

He explained that the Norway Agreement was linked to the then Natural Resources and the Environment Ministry but he has since separated the extractive industries, which are now formally under the Natural Resources Ministry, from the environmental industries. The President noted that he could not put environment protection under a ministry that is responsible for sectors that destroy the environment, adding that it is like

FROM PAGE 9

putting the rat to watch the cheese.

Nevertheless, the Head of State is optimistic that this separation will not affect the multimillion-dollar forest protection compensation programme with Norway.

“I’m convinced that Norway will be satisfied with the arrangement and Guyana will be able to benefit more by having the (environment) separated from the Ministry of Natural Resources. The Norway Agreement is sound,” he added.

Government had previously announced that the management of the environment will now be a department – Department of the Environment – under the Ministry of the Presidency and will cover areas such as wildlife management and protected areas. However, Granger noted during the programme that the department is yet to be formally established.

clined. Nandlall chided that the same sort of corruption

the Opposition had called on the Government to make public their incomes and assets going back 10 years, but again they had de-

the Government accused the PPP of which he claims that they themselves were engaging in.

Therefore, he stated that it is important for the Government to be held accountable as it relates to the State’s finances.

“Every day there are dozens of contracts being awarded in violation of the Procurement Act without any public tendering,” he said, adding that the Drug Bond scandal is the mother of all hand-picking contracts the Government has embarked on.

“It is a fact that accountability and transparency has disappeared from Government in just 15 months in Office,” he reiterated.

12 news

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

1546 cases filed under Guyanese contribute to multibilliondollar international company ‘Operation Safeway’

N

early two weeks after ‘Operation Safeway’ was launched in efforts to curb the spiking road fatalities, over 1500 cases have been filed against errant road users.

According to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), a notable decrease in all categories of road accidents is evident just eight days after the operation was launched.

It has long been identified that the main causes of accidents are often speeding and drunk driving, and despite several steps undertaken by the GPF to discourage the practice, drivers continue to operate recklessly on the country’s roadways.

Under ‘Operation Safeway’, a total of 1546 cases were made out thus far: 567 were for speeding and 96 for driving under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, the police noted that on Friday night alone, 152 persons were given a breathalyzer test and 28 were found to be above the legal limit.

In light of increasing fatal accidents on the country’s roadways, the Police Force on September 15 launched ‘Operation Safeway’ in another effort to clamp down on the worrying occurrence.

To this end, on Thursday

Traffic Chief Dion Moore

last the Traffic Department received additional equipment for distribution to the various divisions to aid in the exercise.

Traffic Chief, Dion Moore, underscored the need for the ranks to be fully equipped to efficiently carry out their duties.

Among the items distributed are radar guns, breathalyzers, flashing wands, reflector vests and traffic cones.

“In all of the divisions, there will be ongoing operations by day and by night.

At night, you will have more vehicular patrols and within those patrols you will find ranks providing random breathalyzer and speed testing hence the addition-

al equipment,” the Traffic Chief stated.

Moore had disclosed too that since the establishment of ‘Operation Safeway’, there has been one fatal accident at Unity, East Coast Demerara, which claimed the lives of two persons. He also detailed that the Division with the most arrests under this exercise is the ‘A’ Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara) followed by ‘B’ Division (Berbice).

According to Traffic Chief Moore, the Traffic Department is currently utilising more than 200 ranks to execute the operation. Moreover, he disclosed that ranks are working on a 24-hour shift basis, with special emphasis on the night period.

“We find within the nights, we have to take off the foot patrol ranks and utilise vehicles to have more mobile patrols for the exercise,” he remarked.

‘Operation Safeway’ is ongoing and, according to the Traffic Chief, there is no tentative date when it will be relaxed. The aim is to have more road safety-conscious drivers and to promote better driving attitudes as well as road safety practices.

G

uyana has been largely contributing to the fast growing operations of a multibillion-dollar foreign company through Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), with a significant amount of Guyanese falling under its employ.

Wayfair, a Bostonbased online furniture purveyor that generated over US$2.25 billion in revenue in 2015, reported that the company is relying on a BPO provider in Georgetown to support its back-office operations.

BPO is the contracting of the operations and responsibilities of a specific business process to a third-party service provider. BPO services include payroll, human resources (HR), accounting and customer/call centre relations.

The two leading global BPO providers in Guyana are Qualfon and Teleperformance.

Wayfair’s team in Guyana handles merchandising and the back-office type of work.

“We have been very pleased with our team in Guyana. The country offers a strong talent pool of well-educated, native English speakers who are very familiar with American culture,” said the Vice President of the

Merchandising Operations Dave Raymond in a prepared statement published on Nearshore Americas.

In the case of Wayfair, the company is partnering with Emerge BPO, founded by Adrian Collins, who was born in Guyana and educated largely in the United States.

Emerge employs more than 400 employees, the bulk of whom are based in Guyana. The company also employs at-home workers in the US and Canada.

According to the World Bank, the unemployment rate for female youths in Guyana is 32 per cent while for male youths, it is 20 per cent.

If willing to commit to a career in BPO, many Guyanese can find meaningful employment since there appears to be a developing trend to contract smaller countries, particularly in the Englishspeaking Caribbean.

This will in turn put its

populace in a better position to score more lucrative, digital opportunities if they equip themselves to chase after that business.

These jobs, according to reports, bring not just income, but crucially needed stability for the country, which ranked third poorest in South America with a per capita income of US$3700 per annum per household.

The BPO sector is rapidly expanding on the global landscape and is estimated to increase tenfold by 2020.

In neighbouring Jamaica, Cabinet approved several multimillion-dollar contracts for expansion of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector, and for infrastructural work across the island.

Government officials had noted that the transformation will ensure Jamaica’s prime positioning for transition to a digital society.

NEWS

13

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Childcare Agency hosts family fun day for state-care children

Is nativism the new racism?

I

I

s nativism the new face of racism? This particular discrimination is sweeping through Europe and the United States with the Brexit vote and the rise of Trumpism being good examples of the nativist phenomenon, which is defined as discrimination against immigrants.

But this is a narrow or even evasive definition since it is the same mindset of holding one group superior to every other – the textbook definition of racism – that underlies the nativist trend. Many non-whites Ryhaan Shah are unsurprised by the trend and feel that this particular reason for prejudice has only been dormant because it has not had reason to surface before. The Middle Eastern turmoil has, however, resulted in enough refugees and immigrants seeking asylum in Europe to change that.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is losing popularity because of her open-door refugee policy. The Brexit vote was driven by similar sentiments against immigrants and asylum seekers. Even the mild-mannered Danes are now declaring themselves “racist” after more than 36,000 mostly Muslim refugees streamed into their country over the past two years.

The general feeling is that immigrants and refugees not only drain the respective countries’ resources and welfare systems but that they arrive with the intention of preserving their cultural heritage. Nativism both defies and denies ethnic and cultural diversity within a bordered state.

At a national level, Britain and Europe give generous aid to undeveloped countries and, at a personal level, many Britons and Europeans also contribute to charitable organisations such as the Red Cross to help them with their work in war-torn and developing countries.

However, the rise in nativist sentiments does make it appear that their charity has a long arm that is intended to keep the suffering humanity to whom they are so giving away from their own doorstep.

But nativism is not isolated to Britain and Europe. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has tapped into the very same vein in America and his campaign message of making America great again is tied to a policy to keep immigrants – Mexicans and Muslims among others – out.

The irony is not lost on anyone that America and its greatness have been built by immigrant communities, and the nativism phenomenon does beg several questions including the one that asks: how many years or generations does it take to belong anywhere?

The answer would have resonance for us in Guyana where the Indian population – even 100 years after the arrival of the last ship from India bearing indentured labourers - is still viewed by some as “latecomers”, “outsiders” and even “aliens”. From among the African-Guyanese leadership there is the view that the Africans’ earlier arrival gives them certain rights and entitlements.

Indians, having arrived into a supposedly “formed” society, are subjected to the very discriminations being suffered by asylum seekers in Europe. In our case, the fact that we are English speaking and generally conform to Western dress and mannerisms, and to the laws that govern our Western society has not been enough.

The contentious issue is most likely that the Indian “immigrant” population grew to become the largest minority and, given Guyana’s ethnic politics, that the country’s political power resides with the “newcomers” and overrides the perceived entitlements of the African population who came earlier.

This fear of being swamped and overtaken by immigrant communities could be one of the reasons for the rise in nativism which seeks to keep groups of newcomers from even entering another’s territory.

There are Caribbean countries actually facing just such nativist issues. Several Guyanese, Jamaican and small-island Caribbean citizens have complained about the demeaning treatment they receive from immigration officials at airports in Trinidad and Barbados. They are sometimes treated in the most inhumane manner and denied entry.

The Governments of Trinidad and Barbados feel, perhaps, that they are defending their respective territory from regional “visitors” who are often accused of gaining entry then working illegally. Their nativism is forwarded as a defence of their laws and their borders.

The concern for border security and preserving the national status quo has overtaken that of welcoming refugees and respecting diversity, and the rise of nativism could be an immediate and defensive reaction to a newly emergent world with its movement of large groups of people seeking security and a better life outside their homeland either as refugees or as economic migrants.

Nativism challenges our very humanity and our ideas of ourselves both at an individual and national level. Will that common humanity which respects ethnic and cultural diversity and has compassion for human suffering eventually triumph over nativist fears?

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

n observance of Child Protection Week 2016, the Childcare and Protection Agency of the Social Protection Ministry on Saturday hosted a grand family fun day and concert under the theme “Children’s Safety and Security, Our Priority”.

The event saw the children in the care of the state entertaining a wide audience with singing, dancing, poetry and drama.

These children came from as far as Mahaica Centre, the Drop In Centre and also the Sophia Centre.

Child Protection Week commenced in September of

last year and will be celebrated each year for a week beginning on September 20.

Speaking to the media, Social Protection Minster, Volda Lawrence said that the Child Protection Week Programme started with the aim of reuniting children with their families, it has accomplished much since its commencement. Speaking on the success of the programme, the minster revealed that it is one that is now “picking up” under the Social Protection Ministry’s Awareness Programme.

“It is now picking up, more people are getting aware of it now under our awareness pro-

Children from one of the centres performing a cultural dance

gramme that we are doing with the help of the media and more people are coming forward. We are hoping that in 2017 to take it out to the large corporations and companies and so on to get some people in management and so on to fos-

ter a child or two children to help us to reduce the numbers not only in the government care but also in the private institutions, all of our children belong in a home”.

Child Protection Week 2016 concludes tomorrow.

14 news

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

One year later

Family still awaiting justice for Devon Deene

D

evon Deene was riding his motorcycle along the Albion Public Road, Berbice, early on the morning of September 22, 2015, when a minibus collided with him. The driver was allegedly found standing over his near-lifeless body before he was rushed to a nearby hospital. He later died.

A year later there are no answers to what really occurred and a proposed inquest has not yet begun.

Deene’s family is saying that there is some sort of cover-up in the investigations.

His sister Kenisha said that since the accident there has been no justice: “We believe that justice delayed is justice denied and it hurts us every day to know that we have to go on knowing that we lose a brother, son an uncle… Nobody is calling us to say this is the case or it is at this position,” she said.

The woman lamented that “words cannot articulate the way we feel knowing that my brother is gone

Devon Deene

and this young man is living free. Every time he sees us he looks at us so pompously and I think that is really unfair.”

She claimed that the driver of the minibus which struck her brother was seen consuming what appeared to be alcohol at the Berbice Expo and Trade Fair minutes before the accident occurred while Deene, a factory worker at the Albion Sugar Factory, was on his way home from work.

After the accident, she said, her brother’s motor-

bike was found some distance from the minibus. She said his helmet was never found.

According to her, it was because of this that family members believe that there is more to the incident than just the accident.

However, eyewitnesses claimed that the motorcyclist was speeding at the time of the accident and was not wearing a helmet.

Nevertheless, the sister is contending that a proper investigation was not carried out. She recalls that even before her brother was buried, the driver of the minibus was on the “road driving another vehicle and has never been charged for the causing the death.”

“All they tell us is that the file went to the DPP, yes it went to the DPP but nobody is saying anything to us. They had other cases that went to the DPP and they had closure…” Officer-inCharge of Traffic ‘B’ Division (Berbice) Budnarine Persaud said the Director of Public

Prosecutions has advised that an inquest be held to determine whether anyone was responsible for the death of Deene. He explained that based on the outcome of the inquest that it will be determined whether charges will be laid.

However, he did express concern that the inquest had not started as yet but noted that the Police have no control over that aspect of the investigations.

Deene was riding his motorcycle west along the Albion Public Road when he reportedly tried to overtake a minibus bearing registration PHH 3410, which was heading in the same direction but ended up colliding with it.

He was rushed to the Port Mourant Hospital, but was later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

However, given his critical state, Deene was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital and placed on a lifesupport machine. He later succumbed.

Younge’s Take PPP’s yearend Congress

G

uyanese will witness a December to remember this year when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) hosts its first congress in opposition after 23 years of wielding Executive authority and power in Guyana.

For the most part, the Congress will take place as expected with hundreds if not thousands of party supporters, members and well-wishers converging in the Cinderella County to assess the progress made by the party on a series of reforms that were proposed at the party’s last Congress held after it won the 2011 elections but Michael Younge lost parliamentary control.

It is also expected that those who left the party to seek refuge in the then ‘promising’ Alliance for Change would return home after being betrayed by the likes of Khemraj Ramjattan, Moses Nagamootoo, Raphael Trotman and Cathy Hughes, among others.

The Congress therefore will serve as a platform for party members to take the leaders to task for their alleged mismanagement of certain parts of the economy and their shortcomings while in office which eventually forced it into Opposition.

That aside, there will also be an opportunity for members to criticise the stewardship of the current party General Secretary Clement Rohee whose style is still largely unpopular and sometimes objectionable, especially among youths in the party and the new movement demanding sweeping changes as well as the modernisation of the party’s approach to politics.

Rohee no doubt will face an uphill challenge when the Congress commences as far as defending his record is concerned as there are many who still feel that he did not do enough to secure resounding victories at the 2011 and 2015 General and Regional Elections.

Many are also still very aggrieved that over the past six years a lot was not done by the party to punish those who were in Government and were allegedly involved in racketeering, corruption scandals and unethical practices that led to the party loosing favour in the eyes of the electorate.

While many will jump to defend the party’s hierarchy by pointing out that it was the Heads of State and Government who ought to have done more to address the aforementioned issues, it can also be argued that it was the General Secretary and party’s general responsibility to place pressure on its own Government to be mindful of the impact of its non-action or actions on the party’s declining bill of health and appeal as in the future it could suffer massive electoral defeats.

It was the party’s responsibility to ensure that its own government adhered to the time honoured ideology and philosophical principles upon which it was founded by Cheddi Jagan and his comrades.

Sweeping changes are therefore unavoidable if not inescapable when the party’s executives meet the membership and grassroots support base as many remain unhappy with the party’s administrative and structural functionality.

The most important aspects of the Congress therefore will be the elections of office bearers who will wield authority in the PPP until it is successful at wining future elections.

These persons may be the young and ambitious within the PPP. They might not reach the class requirements and may not even have served in government or the party’s hierarchy before their election to party posts.

What is certain though, is that Bharrat Jagdeo is seen as the only person within the PPP who can lead it to success at any future elections (for the time being). He is also believed to be the person whom the masses in and outside the PPP find agreeable because he is still youthful, witty, statesmanlike and competent.

In fact, years of misinformation, scandal and sensationalistic media reports have not diminished his standing in the eyes of the people who still prefer him over many of his equals in the PPP and over at Congress Place.

Also, the new Government’s failure to bring any serious charge related to corruption or mismanagement against Jagdeo has also exposed the lies being peddled by the media specialists within the coalition while it was in opposition.

Other personalities like Irfaan Ali, Priya Manickchand, Anil Nandlall, Yvonne Pearson, Charles Ramson, Jr, Gillian Burton, Dr Roger Luncheon and Gail Teixeira will be highly favoured among those thirsty for change and others who will preach conservatism in the party’s approach going forward.

news

15

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

District Grand Lodge donates to charitable organisations

By: Lorraine Ince-Carvalhal

All work and no play

T

he back to school routine is in full swing now with everyone settled into the weekday school run and the tedious task of homework. The question I have is how much homework is really essential? A child is in school for six hours a day already and then when they come home they are expected to put in on average, another three. If a child needs 9/10 hours sleep and they are allowed time to eat and travel to and from school, where do they have the time for sports and hobbies? The answer is they don’t.

If they want to pursue a sport, play a musical instrument, watch a movie or read a book for pleasure, then something else has to give. The only thing with hours to cut is sleep.

The result is sleep deprivation and along with it a lower energised child. A lower energised child is a child not in their optimum learning state and so the goal of increased learning is undermined and the continuing cycle is one creating the need for more learning.

Those who endure and pursue regular activities after school sacrifice their relaxation and rejuvenation time, which somewhere along the way risks adverse effect.

If a child is being taught properly in school, homework should generally be for revision and consolidation purposes, with the exception of assignments. It needn’t be a three page work of art. For a country striving to be green and eco-friendly the need for abundant amount of printing out pictures of items already available in the very expensive books many of us are required to purchase is incomprehensible. It is time consuming, wasteful and unnecessary.

Also perplexing is the need to write the child’s name and school on every page, every day. Surely the date, subject, topic (and text book details when used) would suffice? How much time is being wasted that could be used for learning or living? While each child has a need for routine, the lesson of hard work and the experience of order, some of these practices fail to exhibit any real logical purpose. There are other ways to teach the basic lessons in life.

These children are losing their childhoods. If it’s not lessons in the morning, then it is lessons after school.

Sometimes both. Yes of course you want your child to have the best education you can provide but there is only so much the human brain can take in and recall; we have an attention span and if you continue to overload it, you waste time and energy. The child most likely would perform the same way with a little more time spent pressure-free and be much happier.

Parents should consider why they are pushing their children so hard. If any kind of parental competition comes to mind then the ethics behind the motives are questionable.

If it is solely to ensure a high standard of education it may be time to take a step back and review the best way to give that. Academics is, of course, of great importance and we all know it is imperative to attain the best grades we are capable of, but there are other considerations in a child’s life. The time that passes pressured with nothing but study can never be regained. The obsession with overloading our children is quite startling.

Children in so many other parts of the world are being perfectly well educated in school without copious amounts of homework and early morning/late night lessons. The systems are in desperate need of an overhaul and until parents ask the burning question of why our children are not getting an adequate education within reasonable study time, nothing will change.

Children will continue to be pushed to breaking point, missing out on so many other enjoyable and worthwhile activities, with the cost being unnecessary and unfair.

If this continues to happen; students spend so much time working and have so much information to consider, then the fun in learning may be lost.

The thirst for knowledge that might have existed will be worked out of them and they will be in danger of becoming vessels of information rather than thought provoked, interested, analysing, creative individuals capable of innovating the future.

Childhoods are for learning, exploring, enjoying and creating wonderful memories, let us be careful we are not pushing away their right to having one.

T

he District Grand Lodge of Guyana under the English Constitution made presentations of $100,000 each to ten charitable organisations.

The ten organisations are the Dharm Shala, Periwinkle Club, RC Bishop-Ladies of Charity(Holy Spirit), Uncle Eddy Home, RC Bishop - St Peter & Paul RC Church, YMCA (Thomas Lands), St Ann’s Orphanage, St John’s Boscoe Orphanage, St Andrews Kirk, and Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanage.

The presentation of

Representatives of the various charitable organisations with Deputy District Grand Master, John Peroune (front left) and District Grand Master, Doodnauth Persaud (front right)

the donations took place at a simple ceremony at Freemasons’ Hall, Company Path, Georgetown on 23

September, 2016.

The donations to charitable organisations are an annual event of the District

Grand Lodge of Guyana. The funds for these donations are realised from the organisation’s fundraising efforts.

16 news

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

53 dilapidated buildings to be demolished by City Hall

F

ifty-three ruinous buildings around the City will soon be demolished.

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) at its last statutory meeting on August 22 passed a resolution for the demolition of these buildings that were left in a derelict state over the years and now pose as both health and safety hazards to passersby and occupants.

This decision was made after an audit conducted by the City Engineer Department revealed that these buildings are at risk of collapsing, putting in danger surrounding buildings as well as persons’ lives.

Town Clerk Royston King also noted that some of these structures serve as a haven for criminal elements and as such, the demolition would be considered a good riddance.

Some of the buildings identified for demolition are situated in South Ruimveldt, South Cummingsburg, La Penitence, Bourda, Kingston, Wortmanville Lodge, Werken-Rust, Charlestown, Alberttown, Campbellville, Bourda, Lacytown, Prashad Nagar, New Town Kitty, Campbellville, Bel Air and Stabroek.

In 2015, the Council

A dilapidated building in Georgetown that was demolished last year

demolished four buildings in: Kingston, South Cummingsburg, Albouystown, and Kitty.

The M&CC has observed that some property owners have migrated, leaving their buildings unattended, resulting in acute disrepairs.

According to ‘The Laws of Guyana Municipal and District Council Act Chapter 28:01’, if any building or anything affixed thereon is deemed by the City Engineer to be in ruinous state and dangerous to persons residing therein, or to passers-by, or to the occupiers of neighbouring buildings, he shall, if he thinks fit, immediately cause a proper board or fence to be put up for the protection of passers-by, and shall cause notice in writing to be served on the owner of

such building, requiring him forthwith to take down, secure, or repair such building or other thing. If such owner do not begin to repair, take down, or secure such building or other thing within three days after such notice has been served and complete such repairs, or take down or secure such premises as speedily as the nature of the case will admit, the City Engineer may make complaint thereof before a magistrate of Georgetown, and it shall be lawful for such magistrate to order the owner or in his default the occupier (if any) of such building or other thing, to take down, rebuild, repair, or otherwise secure to the satisfaction of the City Engineer the same or such part thereof as appears to the magistrate to be

in a dangerous state within a time to be fixed by him.

In case the same be not taken down, repaired, rebuilt, or otherwise secured within the time so limited, or if no owner or occupier can be found on whom to serve such order, the Council shall with all convenient speed, cause all or so much of such buildings, or other thing, as shall be in a ruinous condition and dangerous or aforesaid manner as shall be requisite; and all the expenses of putting up every such board or fence and of taking down, repairing, rebuilding, or securing such building, or other thing, shall be recovered by the Council by summary execution and the said property shall be executable for the expenses and costs.

Reports indicate that the first buildings to be demolished are those that are unoccupied while notices will be served to those that are still occupied.

GuySuCo yet to discuss 2016 benefits for workers – GAWU

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t the first meeting of the General Council, which follows the 21st Delegates’ Congress of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the Union’s wage/ salary and fringe benefits, along with the current state of the sugar industry was addressed.

During the meeting, which was held at the Union’s headquarters on High Street and Wights Lane, Kingston, members stated that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is yet to address the Union’s wage/salary and fringe benefit claims for this year (2016) notwithstanding that all Government employees are to receive a pay rise from January 1, 2016.

“They affirmed their commitment to defend militantly their rights and benefits,” the Union said in a statement on Saturday.

The meeting also extended its full and unstinted solidarity with the workers of Wales Sugar Estate, with members expressing an opinion that the Corporation’s plans for rice are unsuitable and strongly believed that the Estate could overcome its difficulties and challenges.

Last week, the Corporation published an advertisement in the Stateowned Guyana Chronicle inviting bids for clearing of 484 acres of land, out of 3000 acres, on the former sugar plots, to facilitate laser land levelling for rice cultivation.

GAWU questioned whether the rice venture is another other instance of

“GuySuCo being penny wise and pound foolish”. However, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder defended the move to plant rice on the lands, affirming that GuySuCo was approached by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) with the idea and that the Board would be pumping the funds in the venture and not GuySuCo. He stated that while rice prices may be low, sugar prices are lower.

“Members also called on the Government and GuySuCo to rescind their nefarious decision, noting the harsh repercussions that will follow should the closure decision be fully pursued,” the Union added.

The General Council also reflected on the 21st Congress. The meeting condemned GuySuCo’s stance, which it felt was aimed seemingly to undermine the Congress. The Union stated that it was nevertheless able to get full attendance to the Congress thus “defeating GuySuCo’s ploy”.

The Union stated that it had confronted the disbelieving decision of GuySuCo to disapprove the paid release of Union delegates to attend the Congress. Transportation was also denied to delegates from the sugar industry.

At the meeting, GAWU elected several persons to sit on its Central Executive Committee. Komal Chand was re-elected as the President, while Seepaul Narine was also re-elected as the General Secretary.

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17

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Anna's

Recognising ethnic discrimination in Guyanese Public Service

W

hen I saw that the Bertram Collins Public Service College was comprised of a significant majority of AfroGuyanese staff and students, I wasn’t surprised. As far back as we can remember, the Public Service has been dominated by Afro-Guyanese.

History would relate that this is an inheritance from colonial times, when Anna Correia education and public administration were sectors reserved for those who converted to Christianity. And so, while Amerindians were already being transformed by the Christian missionaries, Indians were forced to convert or to develop a second consciousness based on Western Christian values.

For instance, there are many Indians who adopted Christian names just to be able to teach or go to school. A certain Smith from Essequibo still lives to tell this tale. It is ONE reason why rural coastal Guyana has become the home to a majority of Indians, and why, living far from the city, certain cultural particularities developed.

The Burnhamite regime, instead of designing sound policies to break this divisive trend when Guyana was declared an Independent country, reinforced racial inequalities. And so the Public Service became easily accessible to Afro-Guyanese as compared to other segments of the population. The military was no exception.

Education, especially tertiary, still remained a privilege for many. In the 23 years following the 1992 election, the PPP did little to reform the Public Sector and reverse the mentality associated with it.

Then, Granger became President in 2015, by coalescing with an Indian-led party, a tactic which now proves to be nothing more than a vote catcher (an election petition currently disputes the election results). I say this not only because of the discriminatory employment practices of this regime, but also because of the strategic positioning of men - many who were part of Burnham’s military operations - with military training in the highest offices of Government.

Military style leadership in Government never bodes well for any democracy, and incompetency and inexperience in public administration are not the least of threats these figures pose to the governance of Guyana.

Coalition supporters often turn a blind eye to this phenomenon despite the evidence that this Government all but fosters inclusivity with respect to Guyana’s multiracial diversity. It would be difficult however, to justify the recruitment of a staff of 17 at the Bertram Collin’s Public Service College, comprising only of Afro-Guyanese men and women. This not only contradicts the regime’s campaign promises, but denies us the opportunity of mirroring Guyana’s ethnic diversities.

Unsurprisingly, Director of the institution Col Laurence Paul, is a retired military officer who also served the Burnhamite dictatorship. It is no wonder therefore that he addresses the students as “Cadets”, and that one of the four faculties of the college focuses on Military Defence.

The question is, why were no efforts made to recruit personnel of other ethnicities? 23 years of PPP rule widened accessibility to education and Guyana has since made strides with the help of the UN, in improving the quality of its skilled professionals regardless of ethnicity and gender.

So the argument of a deficiency in competent workers of other ethnicities is implausible. If one were to take the example of the former Amerindian Affairs Ministry then headed by Pauline Sukhai and Nigel Dharamlall, the recruitment policy practiced aimed for ethnic diversity, resulting in a trained staff representing Afro- and Indo-Guyanese as well as Amerindians.

The paradigm of ethnic discrimination perpetrated by the Government of the day is something Guyanese must address impartially.

Unfortunately, we are confronted by a situation of dissonance adopted by too many who prefer to turn a blind eye to, or refuse to acknowledge, the ethnic bias of the coalition’s employment policy. Rejecting an unhealthy truth on the basis that if we do not recognise its existence we are promoting “national unity” will only deepen the fissures of the national disunity which has infringed on the development of this country for far too long.

This is a problem that Guyanese can fix today, by acknowledging the issue at hand and holding the Government accountable for its actions. Our current complacent attitude serves only as a shield for the corrupt practices of a Government which has no intention, insofar as its actions demonstrate, to listen to the people it was elected to serve.

Send comments to sundayarrow@gmail.com

Diamond Diagnostic Centre maternal death decision soon – CMO

A

n Expert Committee on the maternal death of Carol Suniram, who died after carrying a dead foetus inside her womb for five days, will make a recommendation on the matter soon, said Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Shamdeo Persaud.

Dr Persaud stated that the matter is still engaging the attention of the committee and they will shortly make their recommendations.

“They had a little delay but they will be convening soon,” he said, adding that the committee has all the reports.

Two months ago, Suniram, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, died at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre after carrying the dead baby for five days.

Suniram had suffered a miscarriage and was prescribed pills by a doctor at the hospital to pass out the foetus, which was 20 weeks old. However, she was sent home and told to return three days later for surgery.

Public Health Minister Dr George Norton had stated that Suniram suffered a cardiac arrest during surgery and died.

Suniram’s death had

marked Guyana’s seventh maternal mortality for the year.

Dr Persaud stated that once the recommendations are given, he would take the report to the Minister for further instructions.

“I will take that up to Minister… if we find that any of our practitioners, nurses or doctors neglected to perform any duties, then we will take it to the Medical Council of Guyana or the Nurses Council. If we find that there was some administrative problem then we will bring it to the attention of the administrator,” he said.

The Diamond Diagnostic Centre’s administration is currently under investigation and will be restructured in light of a series of damning incidents that have occurred there.

Prior to Suniram’s demise, a stray dog had brusquely dragged the body of an already dead premature baby out into the compound and dismembered it, making a meal of it. Also a man succumbed after receiving an incorrect vaccination.

A United Nations report had disclosed that Guyana was among five countries in the region with the highest Maternal Mortality Rate.

18 news

SunDAY, september 25, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Region 10 parents supplying toiletries to schools

Refugees, migrants

“We have to develop a more humane country”– Granger W

…RDC questioned about usage of funds

O

n the heels of signing the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, President David Granger expressed that Guyana needs to become a more humane country, catering for persons in distress.

During a special edition of his weekly telecast “The Public Interest” which was filmed in New York, the Head of State explained that it is in the country’s best interest to craft policies which are less rigid in accepting migrants and refugees.

However, he noted that Guyana must be careful in its approach since the government must maintain its obligation to protect is citizenry.

“Migration has always been problematic because nations feel that their citizens are unique and that they must be protected, their jobs must be protected, their community must be protected from ‘aliens’.”

Granger added: “We don’t want mercenaries and we don’t want terrorists, so certainly we will have to be careful.”

He noted that it would be extremely inhumane to reject persons who are in dire need of help.

“At the same time we don’t want to turn people

The refugee and migrant crises present grave challenges to the international community

back when we know that the countries from which they are coming are in distress…Guyana is a humane country and there are areas in the Caribbean, Haiti as you know, we have the obligation to develop a more humane country,” he expressed.

The President said policymakers will have to craft a policy that is more tolerant to migrants and refugees if the country moves to uphold its end of the New York Declaration.

“We shouldn’t be afraid of migration and we shouldn’t be afraid of creating a more cosmopolitan society,” he stated, noting that Guyana is already a land of six peoples.

President Granger had declared that Guyana fully

supports international efforts to end the refugee and migrant crises in his address at the high-level meeting on Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants at the 71 United Nations General Assembly.

In recent months, Guyana began experiencing a fraction of the world’s refugee crisis as a large number of Venezuelans fled their country to seek refuge locally.

They were subsequently fined and deported when they appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Commenting on this development, State Minister Joseph Harmon had underscored government’s commitment to provide assistance to the Venezuelans,

who are experiencing an economic crisis, given that they comply with the country’s laws.

“We have made it clear that on humanitarian grounds that we will not turn back Venezuelans who come to seek help here in Guyana…so anybody coming from Venezuela for food and things like that, we support people who come to Guyana on those grounds,” the minister noted.

However, he outlined: “We of course have our responsibility to ensure the integrity of our borders and that the immigration procedures which are applied to persons coming to Guyana, that we will apply those procedures.”

Asked whether Government would consider relaxing restrictions on those Venezuelans entering the country illegally, Harmon had shut down the idea and reiterated that Guyana’s laws must be adhered to at all times.

The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants expresses their political will to protect the rights of refugees and migrants, to save lives and share responsibility for large movements on a global scale.

here is the fund?

Is the allowance made for funding for the various supplies to schools? And if so, where the supplies going?"

Those were a few questions posed by Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) Councillor Charles Sampson to Regional officials during this month's statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), as he sought answers to the provision of toiletries made to schools across the Region.

Sampson and Councillor Gordon Callender made their concerns known, pointing out that parents in the Region have complained of being requested to provide toiletries to the schools their children attend. However, Sampson questioned how this is possible, as he noted that the Ministry of Education has one of the largest budgets, which supposedly makes provisions for the supply of toiletries to schools. He added that the RDC in turn is responsible for the supplies reaching the schools.

"I can go at every school in this Region right now, I ain't gonna see no toilet paper in the washrooms", Sampson stressed.

Meanwhile Callender said the contribution of toiletries in schools by parents especially at the Nursery level is not supposed to be occurring. He contended also that the Regions

in their budgets, would have made provision for the purchase of toiletries to be distributed to various schools, moreso for supply to Nursery schools.

However he said there are still many complaints by parents who claim they cannot afford to purchase the items, but are required to do so by the schools. Callender called for strict monitoring to ensure that toiletries are being put to use in schools across the Region.

"I hope that system is being put in place and we have persons monitoring the various schools to see if this practice is still taking place in and around the region...

The single parents are crying out...and the Regional administration is providing these things", he said.

However Regional Chairman Renis Morian said that the situation is a double edged sword, as he pointed out that often times, Parent Teacher Associations (PTA's) opt to supply toiletries for schools.

"While the administration provides these things for the schools, the very PTA's, they go to the meeting and they vote for themselves to bring these things...A lot of times, the people that are complaining are the people that don't go to the PTA meetings...the very Parent Teacher bodies are the ones that institute these things," Morian said.

(Utamu Belle)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Ashwin, Jadeja spun webs around Kiwis

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roughly even contest Sodhi (4.14) told a story. through its first six On a pitch where Ashwin completed sessions, and Jadeja were causing the Green Park Test swung all kinds of probemphatically India's way lems, India's after lunch on day three, batsmen had as Ravindra Jadeja and shone a n Ravichandran Ashwin ran through New Zealand u n to earn India a 56-run first-innings lead. By stumps, they had swelled this to 215 thanks to unbeaten half-centuries from Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara, who put on their second century stand of the match.

India, w e l l Cheteshwar a h e a d Pujara pulls at tea, powerfully on pulled his was to his a w a y 2nd half century r a p of the match i d l y thereafter. With Ish Sodhi and forgiving light on the inadMark Craig serving up a equacies of New Zealand's feast of short balls, Vijay spinners.

New Zealand's only and Pujara hit seven fours in the first three overs of wicket came in the last over the final session. Then, af- before tea, when KL Rahul ter four relatively quiet late-cut Sodhi straight into overs, Vijay played two of slip's hands. As he had the shots of the match, off done in the first innings, Mitchell Santner, an in- Rahul had shown plenty side-out drive to the left of of attacking enterprise - in extra-cover and a late cut this instance using sweeps, with bat meeting ball inch- reverse-sweeps and lofted drives to move along at a es in front of off stump.

By the end of the day, 70-plus strike rate - before India's run-rate had slowed falling in the 30s. to normal Test-match proWickets often fall in portions, but the economy clusters in India. One rates of Craig (4.36) and brings many.

Ravindra Jadeja had Trent Boult in a tangle on day 3 of the opening Test

There were two such clusters in New Zealand's innings. First, they lost three wickets in 23 balls at the start of the morning session. After lunch, even more damagingly, they lost their

last five in the space of 29 balls, for the addition of only seven runs.

In the process, Jadeja picked up his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests, a n d

Ashwin swelled his Test wicket count from 193 to 197.

The two teams' first innings almost mirrored each other. India had gone from 154 for 1 to 318 all out.

New Zealand had lost their second wicket with their score 159.

The magnitude of India's lead was probably down to lower-order contributions: Jadeja had scored an unbeaten 42, and added 41 for the last wicket with Umesh Yadav. Not for the first time in home Tests on turning pitches, he had played a vital role with both ball and bat.

(ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD India 1st innings 318 New Zealand 1st innings MJ Guptill lbw b Yadav 21 58 TWM Latham lbw b Ashwin KS Williamson* b Ashwin 75 LRPL Taylor lbw b Jadeja 0 L Ronchi lbw b Jadeja 38 MJ Santner c †Saha b Ashwin 32 21 BJ Watling† c & b Ashwin MD Craig lbw b Jadeja 2 IS Sodhi lbw b Jadeja 0 TA Boult c Sharma b Jadeja 0 N Wagner not out 0 Extras (b-8, lb-5, nb-2) 15 Total (all out; 95.5 overs) 262 Fall of wickets 1-35 (Guptill, 9.3 ov), 2-159 (Latham, 51.5 ov), 3-160 (Taylor, 52.3 ov), 4-170 (Williamson, 55.4 ov), 5-219 (Ronchi, 79.1 ov), 6-255 (Santner, 91.1 ov), 7-258 (Craig, 94.2 ov), 8-258 (Sodhi, 94.3 ov), 9-258 (Boult, 94.6 ov), 10-262 (Watling, 95.5 ov) Bowling: Mohammed Shami

11-1-35-0, UT Yadav 15-5-331, RA Jadeja 34-7-73-5 (nb-2), R Ashwin 30.5-7-93-4, M Vijay 4-0-10-0, RG Sharma 1-0-5-0

India 2nd innings 38 KL Rahul c Taylor b Sodhi M Vijay not out 64 CA Pujara not out 50 Extras (lb-7) 7 Total (1 wicket; 47 overs) 159 To bat: V Kohli*, AM Rahane, RG Sharma, R Ashwin, WP Saha†, RA Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, UT Yadav Fall of wickets 1-52 (Rahul, 18.1 ov) Bowling: TA Boult 5-0-11-0, MJ Santner 13-5-33-0, MD Craig 111-48-0, N Wagner 8-3-17-0, IS Sodhi 7-2-29-1, MJ Guptill 3-0-14-0 Position: India lead by 215 runs with 9 wickets remaining

19

Spanish court reopens fraud investigation against Neymar

S

Barcelona stay Neymar

pain’s High Court said on Friday it had reopened a fraud and corruption investigation into Brazilian soccer player Neymar over his transfer to Barcelona from Santos, after an appeal by the public prosecutor.

A High Court judge had initially dropped the charges in July against Neymar and his father-cum-agent Neymar Da Silva Santos, as well as against former Barcelona president Sandro Rossell and ex-Santos president Odilio Rodrigues.

Both Brazilian club Santos and Barcelona have come under fire for the way the transfer was handled in 2013, with several investigations carried out in both countries into whether any part of Neymar’s fee had been concealed.

Barcelona agreed in June to pay a 5.5-millioneuro ($6.17 million) fine to

Spanish authorities to settle the case and said it recognized errors in its tax treatment of Neymar’s signing for the fiscal years of 2011 and 2013.

Neymar, who has extended his contract with Barcelona until 2021, has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.

The case emerged after various complaints over the transfer price paid by Barcelona to sign Neymar.

A Brazilian investment group which owned part of the player’s transfer rights said that it had received less money than it was entitled to as Barcelona concealed the fee.

The High Court said in its written ruling on Friday that after reviewing the case and the decision to drop it, it believed there was evidence that possible crimes had been committed.(Reuters)

Hikers ink sponsorship...

Woodpecker has in excess of two decades in the supplying of sporting equipment and has for years thrown their support behind the development of sport, having supported a number of sporting persons and disciplines, most notably the National Squash Team.

Woodpecker Products is known for providing scarce sporting gears for athletes and according to Fernandes, the company intends to have a strong and lengthy relationship with the club.

The Hockey community in Guyana is also grateful to Woodpecker for sponsoring the first and only outdoor women’s League as well as the Under 21 Category for our annual Junior Tournament since it started 6years ago.

Indoor Goals were also sponsored and were initially stationed at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH). Their

FROM PAGE 20

countless contributions has allowed for the development for individual players and hockey in general for Guyana.

After Hikers females had a dominate run in tournaments in the early 2000’s, they have since switched focus on training and developing fresh young players for Hikers vibrant Junior Programme.

Guyana Hockey Board’s marquee tournament, the annual Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival will be hosted at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue from November 24 to 27. This year is the thirteenth edition of the tournament that attracts international attention.

To date, teams from Canada and USA have already indicated their participation and it is likely teams from Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados will come on board soon.

20

guyana-times.com

sundAY, september 25, 2016

Mangal returns to winning ways in ‘Golfing for Charities’ tourney

All smiles after a pleasing effort at Lusignan Golf Course, from left; Kalyan Tewari, Jennifer Cipriani, Rabindranath Persaud, Mike Mangal, Hilbert Shields and Oncar Ramroop

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ormer Guyana open Champion, Mike Mangal (64/9) walked away coolly with the winner’s trophy at Scotiabank’s Golfing for Charities tournament Saturday September 24 at the Lusignan Golf Course.

With the lure of trophies, other prizes and above all a chance - if in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd net winners’ position - to receive cash donations of $150,000, $100,000 and $75,000 towards a children’s charity of their choice under Scotiabank’s Bright Future Programme.

President of Lusignan

Golf Club, Oncar Ramroop expressed thanks to Scotiabank and particularly to representatives of Scotiabank Robb Street Branch – Bank Manager, Brian Hackettt, and Marketing Manager, Jennifer Cipriani.

In response, Ms Cipriani expressed “thank you for having Scotiabank as a partner with Lusignan Golf Club.

Scotiabank is keen on helping people to get better, hence it is involved with Golfing, where it is recognised that golfers do not really receive much for the expensive involvement, as well as being involved in the

Charities component.” In a significant good will gesture, Bank Manager Brian Hackett remembered that golfer Ian Gouviea won a club last year, but being left-handed he did not receive the right-handed club, so he was presented with a left-handed club this year. Several other Robb Street staff and their family members, were on hand at the presentation ceremony for the winners.

What was particularly praiseworthy and amazing about Mike Mangal’s win is that he is only three months off from hospitalization due

Hikers ink sponsorship with Woodpecker Products

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Hikers female team looking sharp in their newly acquired kits pose with CEO of Woodpecker Products Luana Fernandes. From left; Patrice Deveaux, Charlyn Elliot, Tekeisha DeLeon, Maria Munroe, Latacia Chung and La Toya Rogers

oodpecker Products has joined the list of illustrious companies to support to the development of hockey as the company jumped on board to sponsor the Hikers Hockey Club ahead of the Diamond Mineral Water League.

At the official handing over ceremony on Saturday which was held at the store’s lot 40 Fourth Street Alberttown location, Chief Executive Officer Luana Fernandes noted that it was a privilege to come on board with the team and initiative came from her love for sports as well as her children showing an interest in hockey.

“I am happy to be associated with the Hikers Hockey Club, more so the female team of which my daughter and daughter-in-law are members and son, a member of the male team so it gives me great pleasure to present them with these outfit on behalf of the company and I hope it brings them good luck,” the CEO said.

The Trophy and sporting goods store is now sponsoring the Hikers Ladies Team which gives them branding rights. They are being fitted with two sets of kits with the name “Woodpecker Products” boldly displayed.

Speaking on behalf of

Hikers Hockey Club, Maria Munroe welcomed the sponsorship and expressed the team’s obligation to make good of the gesture heading into the Diamond Mineral Water indoor Hockey Festival.

“On behalf of Hikers Hockey Club we want to thank ‘aunty’ Luana and Woodpecker for taking this step to sponsor us because we haven’t had a sponsor for a long time now and we hope it does brings us luck as we look to be competitive heading into the Diamond Mineral Water League as well as the GTT national tournament,” Munroe stated. turn to page 19

to serious head injuries sustained in a robbery incident.

Asked about his outstanding performance he replied, “I just had a good game today.

My short game [chip and putt play] was excellent, and that helped me to win.” The other winners were as follows, 2nd and 3rd place winners were Kalyan Tewari (68/9), and Rabindranath Persaud (68/24), and running a close 4th was last year’s winner Mahendra Bhagwandin. In fact Tewari, Persaud and Bhagwandin tied with overall net 68, but the back 9 scores for Tewari (42) and

Persaud (48) were better than Bhagwandin’s (49).

Nearest to the Pin was won by Dr Philbert London (Pope Emmanuel), Longest Putt by Hilbert Shields, Best Gross (73) by Mike Mangal and Most Honest Golfer by Troy Cadogan.

Other close contenders in the top were Andre Cummings (69/12), Aleem Hussain (69/17), Parmanand Persaud (70/14) and 4 net 72 scorers Bholawram Deo, Fazil Haniff, Gavin Todd and Patrick Prashad.

Charities identified by yesterday’s winners were Bless

he Children Home in Industry

by Mike Mangal, Joshua House by Kalyan Tewari and David Rose School by Rabindranath ‘Pandit Ravi’ Persaud.

Scotiabank’s goodwill was further extended in the form of 2 raffles, one for the Media personnel present, in which each member of the Media received a gift; and another raffle for every member that participated in the tournament, so that each player received a second gift, as at the start of the day’s play each golfer was given a sleeve of balls, compliments of Scotiabank.

I am hungry for gold at CAC Kerwin Clarke

A

indications, Campbell is in ‘tips the four-memtop shape’ and is definitely a ber Guyanese medalist when he competes in bodybuilding the Men’s Physique. team put in their final preparations be“Though the team is a small contingent, we are fore they head off to confident of excelling and the 44th Central we are ready to perform.”

American & Clarke spoke.

Caribbean (CAC) Bodybuilding Speaking on his personal preparations, Championships in Dominican Clarke highlighted that he is confident of Republic, top bodybuilder, Kerwin Clarke medaling in the Dominican Republic and bettering his perforhas stated that he is hungry to win gold in this year’s tournamance from the last time after having ment. made major adjustments to his training and “I know there are a lot of good qualdieting.

However, Clarke is not alone; citity athletes at the CAC and they will be working hard to win but ing the support he is getting from his training teams and gyms are I am remaining focus and I am hungry for it.” Clarke the best there is at the moment. related.

The confident bodybuilder said that his final prepaClarke, who will rations are up to speed and be heading over to the September 29 his progression is on moving event along with along nicely.

“I am nailing all my exDevon Davis, who ercise sessions and I am prohas won gold at CAC three times, Alisha gressing decently. I am tryFortune and Emmerson ing to stick to a stringent diet and remain focus in the gym.”

Campbell, spoke highly of the team, noting Clarke declared. that while he has not Judging on his perforhad much contact with mance from the last outing, judges would have noted that them, he is confident that they are working Clarke would have had minor issues that would have just as hard to get in the top set. lead him to finishing fourth The four time rather than on the podium, Mr. Guyana winner, but Clakre has indicated that he has made a lot of however, noted that he has been in freadjustments to his physique quent contact with and has a better chance of Kerwin Clarke has his copping gold this year.

Campbell and from all eyes set on the top prize

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21

we need to pay more attention to WICB Dr Roopnarine

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SPORTs

By Delvon Mc Ewan

I

n relation to calls for financial audits to the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnarine says he agrees that it is indeed something that needs more attention.

Recently when asked by the a member of the media to give a perspective on the matter from the Government’s behalf through his office on whether there should be some consultation with regards to what is happening with the cricket, Dr. Roopnarine said there should be.

Here is his full response to the question, “There should be, I’m in despair to hear about the absence of audits. Audits are necessary and we (the Caricom heads) need to know what has been happening in these particular organisations. It’s just not financial audits but performance audits, like what programme has been undertaken, what progress has been made, is that kind of audits I’m really interested in. But yes the WICB is something that we need to pay more attention to”, Roopnarine stated.

Presently there have been questions surrounding the operation of the WICB. This has led former WICB officials calling for audits.

Caricom was urged by the former officials to conduct a forensic audit of the board in order to save West Indies cricket from “absolute and total downfall.”

Six former officials Ken Gordon, Pat Rousseau, Anthony Deyal, Charles Wilkin, Bruce Aanensen and Imran Khan - have claimed that the current WICB ad-

Dr Rupert Roopnarine

ministration under Dave Cameron has seemingly become “untouchable,” and not doing anything would lead to the “inevitable demise” of cricket in the Caribbean.

In reply the WICB stated, “The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has taken note of the repeated “calls to conduct a forensic audit of the Board in order to save West Indies cricket from absolute and total downfall” made by former officials of the WICB.” The Board then went on to state that these calls for a forensic audit by the former officials are without any basis in fact, and importantly, notwithstanding, that these former officials are aware that the WICB has for many years retained internal and external auditors.

The WICB is of that view because the Board’s internal and external audits are done and authorised by Price Waterhouse and KPMG respectively, and accounts are published by or available from the WICB on all its platforms, including the website where the reports are available.

However, the WICB notes that these allegations appear triggered not by fact

or evidence but an emotional reaction to the WICB’s response to the CARICOM sub committee’s report and other matters. These officials have completely ignored the written responses of the WICB. Prior to calls for a forensic audit of the Board, there were calls for the Board to be dissolved. In the wake of this Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell resigned as Chairman of Caricom’s sub-committee on cricket governance because he was angered by the behaviour of “a couple of our leaders in the region”.

Meanwhile, in June, Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne “categorically rejected “the call for the dissolution of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), putting him at odds with the Grenadian leader.

The regional team is currently ranked eighth in both Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket and while they are the World T20 champions in the games newest and shortest format Twenty/20 they are ranked number three.

The West Indies are currently in the United Arab Emirates for a series against Pakistan and have surrendered the T20 series losing the first two matches of the three match series. The shortest format seems to be much preferred for the Caribbean side and a much better showing was expected but all that has been happening off the field seemed to have made an impact on the field and just like the remainder of the tour, things will not get better if drastic actions are not taken in a hurry.

FIFA appoint van Basten to technical development role

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IFA named Marco van Basten as their chief officer for technical development on Friday, with President Gianni Infantino tasking the 1992 World Player of the Year to help “protect” the sport.

In his new role, which he will start next week, the Dutchman will head up all technical areas from football technology innovation to refereeing.

“Marco van Basten is football,” said Infantino in a statement. “Discussing with him the last few months and hearing his visions for the game, knowing of course what he has done for the game, for me it was immediately clear that Marco van Basten is a fantastic asset for FIFA, for the whole technical area of FIFA. “We have to cherish football, we have to protect football and develop football. Marco is a great expert, not only a legend. There is a lot he can do for football, for the game and around the pitch in the world.” The 51-year-old former Ajax and AC Milan striker was previously working as Dutch assistant coach.

He had said last month that he had agreed with Marco van Basten is new chief Dutch coach Danny Blind to stay on as assistant officer for technical development until the end of the year. (Reuters)

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guyana-times.com

sundAY, september 25, 2016

Pakistan topple world champions to take series – Tanvir, Sarfraz impressive runs continue

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efore this match, Pakistan had won 24 out of 27 T20Is defending 150-plus. On Saturday, they posted 160, which was 22 more than the average first-innings score at this venue. That meant West Indies had to achieve the highest successful chase to take the series into a decider. On paper, it was advantage Pakistan, but cricket is played out on the field, sometimes on greasy ones because of heavy dew that negates any advantage

teams batting first conjure.

Did it affect them? It didn’t look like, as yet another timid batting show that lacked application and self-belief resulted in West Indies falling 17 short of the target. It meant Sarfraz Ahmed extended his unbeaten run as T20I captain to three matches.

On these outfields, it isn’t unusual to see teams trying to overachieve while batting first in their quest to negate the dew factor. Perhaps the experience of having

SCOREBOARD

Pakistan innings (20 overs maximum) Sharjeel Khan b Badree 2 Khalid Latif run out (Lewis/†Fletcher) 40 Babar Azam c Pollard b Brathwaite 19 Shoaib Malik c Pollard b Bravo 37 46 Sarfraz Ahmed*† not out Umar Akmal not out 1 Extras (lb-10, w-5) 15 Total (4 wickets; 20 overs) 160 Did not bat: Mohammad Nawaz (3), Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Hasan Ali Fall of wickets 1-4 (Sharjeel Khan, 2.2 ov), 2-58 (Babar Azam, 8.1 ov), 3-85 (Khalid Latif, 11.4 ov), 4-154 (Shoaib Malik, 19.2 ov) Bowling: S Badree 4-0-24-1 (w-1), JE Taylor 4-0-28-0 (w-2), SP Narine 4-0-36-0 (w-1), DJ Bravo 4-0-381 (w-1), CR Brathwaite 4-0-24-1

West Indies innings (target: 161 runs from 20 overs) J Charles c Umar Akmal b Imad Wasim 10 E Lewis c Sharjeel Khan b Sohail Tanvir 3

29 ADS Fletcher† b Hasan Ali MN Samuels c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Sohail Tanvir 1 DJ Bravo b Mohammad Nawaz 18 KA Pollard c †Sarfraz Ahmed b Hasan Ali 18 CR Brathwaite* c Umar Akmal b Hasan Ali 8 N Pooran c Mohammad Nawaz b Sohail Tanvir 4 SP Narine c Umar Akmal b Wahab Riaz 30 JE Taylor not out 10 Extras (w-7, nb-6) 13 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 144 Did not bat: S Badree Fall of wickets 1-12 (Charles, 2.3 ov), 2-15 (Lewis, 3.4 ov), 3-19 (Samuels, 5.3 ov), 4-45 (Bravo, 9.6 ov), 5-82 (Fletcher, 14.2 ov), 6-83 (Pollard, 14.5 ov), 7-89 (Pooran, 15.6 ov), 8-119 (Brathwaite, 18.2 ov), 9-144 (Narine, 19.6 ov) Bowling: Imad Wasim 4-018-1, Sohail Tanvir 4-0-133 (w-1), Mohammad Nawaz 3-0-19-1, Shoaib Malik 1-03-0, Hasan Ali 4-0-49-3 (w2), Wahab Riaz 4-0-42-1

played their home matches here since 2009 helped Pakistan set a clear mandate. If Shoaib Malik provided the fire through swift foot work and muscular hits in his 28ball 37, top-scorer Sarfaz proved to be the ice in a 69run stand off just 46 balls t o drive the innings.

West Indies didn’t help their cause with ordinary fielding - chances were dropped and extra runs conceded through misfields - to further give Pakistan breathing space; 60 were scored off the last six overs as they finished with 160 for 4.

Sarfaz then went to his go-to new ball bowlers, and they didn’t disappoint.

Sohail Tanvir stamped his class with an opening burst of 3-0-11-2, in which he troubled the batsmen with late away movement to all but seal the deal even before the halfway mark of the chase.

If ugly hoicks mirrored West Indies’ effort on Friday, across-the-line swipes and ill-advised foot-

work resulted in their downfall here. Johnson Charles holed out to long-on, Evin Lewis nicked to the slips and Marlon Samuels was done in by late movement, partly because he was feeling for the ball from the crease.

At 20 for 3 in six overs, the chase was in tatters.

West Indies’ batsmen also kept playing for turn when there was none. Dot balls added to the pressure - 21 of them in the first six overs alone - as the required rate spiralled over ten runs to the over. When Dwayne Bravo, fresh off a half-century on Friday, was bowled playing all around an indrifter from Mohammad Nawaz, the left-arm spinner, West Indies were tottering at 45 for 4 in 10 overs.

From there on, it was largely a question of damage limitation. Not even Sunil Narine’s entertaining cameo, 30 off 17 balls, a majority of which came against the

inexperienced Hasan Ali, came as a soothing balm to a side that was brutally exposed by the trying conditions.

The start to the clash wasn’t exhilarating like in the first T20I. What was constant, though, was a string of dots forcing the openers to up the pace. For the second time in as many matches, Sharjeel Khan was bowled by Samuel Badree, in the third over, to give West Indies an ideal start.

Khalid Latif and Babar Azam rebuilt through a mix of ones and twos, with the odd boundary laced in between. Latif, made to look ungainly at times, was reprieved on 26 by Nicholas Pooran at long leg. While he managed to add just 14 more, his second successive fifty-plus stand with Azam helped set up a foundation from which Pakistan could tee off in the end-overs.

A z a m threw it away a f t e r bedding in by dragging a pull to wide long-on, while Latif’s cramping legs and tiring body that drained out his reserve energy resulted in him being run-out in the 12th over.

There was a ray of hope for West Indies, but that was quickly extinguished.

Malik was quick on his feet to take second runs that seemed far from the realms of possibility, while Sarfraz, far from being intimidating, managed to pinch cheeky runs through his trademark whips and glides to give Pakistan a formidable total.

That Pakistan consumed just 10 dots in the last eight overs exhibited their control to a certain degree. In the end, the good deeds with the bat meant it was 11th time in 13 T20Is that a side batting first had successfully defended a 150-plus total at this venue. (ESPNcricinfo)

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

23

Jaguars Franchise League

Chanderpaul puts Georgetown to the sword with masterful ton – Essequibo set 243 to win T

he fifth round of the Jaguars Franchise League continued yesterday with gripping action across the four venues. However, it was a commanding century from Tagenarine Chanderpaul that stole the show on day two.

At Lusignan, Chanderpaul began day two on 94 not out and West Demerara in control at 164/2 replying to 170 made

by Georgetown in their first innings. West Dem eventually got to 357 to take a 187run lead on first innings.

Chanderpaul led the way with a magnificent 187 decorated with 18 boundaries (11x4; 7x6) from 347 balls and got admirable support from Captain Akshaya Persaud with 72 (6x4; 1x6; 139 balls). Persaud and Chanderpaul put on 163 for the third wicket to grind Georgetown in sunny conditions. Mahendra Dhanpaul (39) and Safraz Esau (21)

also got among the runs.

Georgetown’s troubles continued in the tournament but Gajanan Suknanan took 3/89 while Andre Stoll had 2/50 and Kellon Carmichael 2/35 to show some fight.

Batting a second time, Georgetown reached 74/3 with Sunil Singh stroking 32 and Andrew Lyght Jnr getting to 23 before throwing his hand away. When stumps were drawn skipper Christopher Barnwell and Jahron Byron were at the crease on seven runs each.

Romario Shepherd, Keyshram Seyhodan and Richie Looknauth have taken a wicket each.

At Port Mourant, Essequibo resuming on their overnight score of 99/4 in reply to Upper Corentyne’s 206/9 declared, were eventually dismissed for 165. Former West Indies Test batsman

GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17

Gordon’s hat-trick powers Paradise to victory

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alented mid-fielddowned the enthusiasm er Keshan Gordon when with his third took the spotlight conversion followed by on Saturday by recordHendricks to seal the comfortable victory. ing a sublime hat-trick to power Bachelor’s In the othAdventure/Paradise er match, BV/ Sports Club to a Triumph United thumping 4-0 win edged Golden over Buxton Stars Stars 3-2 via Football Club in hat-trick by the Guyana Football attacking midFederation (GFF) fielder Omari NAMILCO Thunderbolt Glasgow. Golden Stars had Flour Power National initially taken the lead when Under-17 League.

Shamar Scott netted in the Playing at the 20th but just on brink of the Melanie Ground, half time whistle, Glasgow East Coast Demerara found the back of the net in as part of the East the 43rd to level the scores at Demerara the interval. Five Bachelor’s Adventure/ F o o t b a l l minutes after Paradise Sports Club Association the resumption, Keshan Gordon on the (EDFA) leg Glasgow picked attack against Buxton of matches, up where he leftStars (Akeem Greene Photo) Gordon netoff, with his sected in the 24th, ond conversion 40th and 70th minutes while to put the Golden Starts unit Collin Hendricks scored in the under pressure.

78th. Paradise, who in the earGlasgow worked his magic ly exchanges dominated the once more when he sealed his possession, had a few chanc- hat-trick of goals in the 70th; es went begging but they Scott for his fighting efforts eventually broke the back of scored once more in the 80th Buxton defence when Gordon but by then BV seemed they etched his name on the score had the match under control. sheet with a scorching strike.

Today fixtures will see Though Buxton created some Buxton Stars tackle Buxton chances, they failed to convert Youth Developers from 13:00h and occasional lapses in the followed by Ann’s Grove field allowed Gordon to record United against Mahaica his second goal and end the Determinators from 15:00h. first half 2-0.

Meanwhile, the After first half, the bat- West Demerara Football tle ensued once more with Association (WDFA) home Buxton desperately trying to team Den Amstel will be pitreduce the lead with some can- ted against Stewartville from ny counter attacks but Gordon 12:00h.

Danny Narayan

Kemo Paul

Shivnarine Chanderpaul top scored with 55 while Eon Hooper was impressive in picking up 5/30 bowling for Upper Corentyne.

Batting a second time, Upper Corentyne were dis-

missed for 201 with Clinton Pestano top scoring with 47 while Kevlon Anderson making 40 and Hooper coming back to score 40 as well. Kemo Paul picked up four wickets while Anthony

Adams bagged three and Ricardo Adams two.

Essequibo requiring 243 for victory are 0/1 with Rayon Fredericks the batsman dismissed.

At Enterprise, West Berbice declared on their overnight score of 407/9 with Keyron Fraser on 120 not out and Collis Butts 34 not out. Upper Demerara/ East Bank in their reply, are batting 275/8 with the consistent Danny Narayan scoring 72 and Tevin Imlach making 70. Bowling for West Berbice, Keyron Fraser has so far taken 3/41 while Kevin Jawahir has 3/59.

At Albion, the home team, Lower Corentyne were bowled out for 193.

Seon Hetmyer made

54 while Surujnarine Kandasammy and Jonathan Foo contributed 46 and 37 respectively. Bowling for East Coast Demerara, Amir Khan bagged 5/69 while Paul Wintz had 3/44.

East Coast Demerara were then pegged back by Lower Corentyne as they claimed seven East Coast Demerara wickets for just 97 runs before close of play. Bowling for Lower Corentyne, Kassim Khan has so far taken 3/20 while Royston Crandon has 2/10.

Ramnarine Chatura made 23 and Bhaskar Yadram contributed 21 for the visitors.

Today is the final day and play across all four venues resumes at 9:30h.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

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Page 22

Jaguars Franchise League

Sohail Tanvir celebrates with team mates after sending back Evin Lewis for 3

GFF/NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Power National Under-17

Gordon’s hat-trick powers Paradise to victory

Part of the action between Bachelor’s Adventure/Paradise Sports Club (blue and black) and Buxton Stars Football Club (Akeem Greene Photo)

Chanderpaul puts Georgetown to the sword with masterful ton – Essequibo set 243 to win

Tagenarine Chanderpaul drives elegantly at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground

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