Guyana Times Daily - March 24, 2016

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2806

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Crabwood Creek farmer murdered at home Page 6

Govt predicts economic boom in jubilee year

Phagwah Day fire guts former Sheriff Restaurant and Bar Colour, excitement fill the air as Guyanese celebrate Phagwah

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: GEA forensic audit report

P5

Stricter fuel marking system, monitoring recommended

Region 10 to explore “cold asphalt” for minor road P10 repairs

Page 18

Page 6

Centre and Page 14

Central counselling body

Minister fails to keep promise of implementation P10

El Niño conditions

Mabaruma P10 potable water supply dwindling – Chairman

Thousands of Guyanese converge at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence with their water, powder and perfume as they enthusiastically participated in the colourful Holi celebrations. The Stadium was packed to capacity, with an explosion of colours as persons of all walks of life enjoyed the festivities

Govt’s housing, land transactions above board – former Housing Page 3 Minister

... says Kaieteur News' lies, manufactured “muck” will be exposed

Silence abounds as Opposition sweeps LGE Page 15

Fire Chief issues P17 warning about starting illegal fires

Seeta’s Bar stabbing

Accused freed

P8

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BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, March 24 – 05:00h-06:30h; Friday, March 25 – 05:30h-07:00h and Saturday, March 26 – 05:30h-07:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, March 24 – 05:00h-06:30h; Friday, March 25 – 05:20h-06:50h and Saturday, March 26 – 05:45h-07:15h.

… says Kaieteur News’ lies, manufactured “muck” will be exposed

By Michael Younge

F

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, with partly cloudy skies in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North easterly between 5.36 metres and 6.70 metres per second.

High Tide: 05:00h and 17:18h reaching a maximum height of 2.70 metres at each scheduled high tide.

Low Tide: 10:58h and 23:08h reaching minimum heights of 0.47 metre and 0.55 metre respectively.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

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Govt’s housing, land transactions above board – former Housing Minister

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

ormer Housing Minister Irfaan Ali on Wednesday exposed a series of lies, misinformation and manufactured controversies published in a series of tabloid-like articles in the Kaieteur News aimed at discrediting the progress and development made by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) in the housing sector over the past two decades.

Ali, speaking during an interview with Guyana Times, made it clear that while he had “no intention of responding to the lies” published in the tabloid, he was compelled to do as the articles seemed to be attacking the hardworking professionals and public servants in the housing sector, particularly in the Communities Ministry, in an attempt to link them to some “imagined wrongdoing” or “political conspiracy”.

He described the attacks on the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) as “calculated” and “deliberate” before calling on the current A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change Government to release all of the requisite information on the various land developments and private developers’ projects that would expose the wickedness of the articles.

“The senior staff of CH&PA are not political tools or agents, so I would appreciate if these calculated attacks can respect the professionalism and dignity of these highly qualified and technically competent technicians,” Ali stated.

The former Housing Minister said that the 1000 homes project was the signature project of the Ministry and followed all the relevant procurement rules and guidelines as he responded in general to the misinformation that was being published daily by the Glenn Lall-owned publication.

“There is no secrecy or mischief in the way the programme was operated,” he

maintained as he explained in detail that all of the procurement was done within the prescribed rules and guidelines.

Ali, when questioned further, advised that each of the homes carry a defect liability period in which corrective works are carried out.

Private developers

He also said that on numerous occasions the lists of companies and individuals approved as private developers were made public and even laid in the National Assembly.

“Kaieteur News also carried the entire list. I am, therefore, shocked at the misrepresentation of who are private developers. I would ask the CH&PA to once again make public the complete list of private developers approved and also release the numerous advertisements for procurement and expression of interest for contractors in relation to the 1000 homes project,” the now Opposition parliamentarian said.

He also responded to the most recent article published by the tabloid which contained an allegation that a former Finance Minister had benefited from 25 acres of land.

“This is a blatant, obnoxious and devious piece of journalism,” Ali stated before advising the Guyana Times that “no EX Finance Minister benefited or was allocated any such land”.

“How can this nastiness and blatant lies be even considered journalism,” Ali ques-

Former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali

tioned during the interview.

He called out the Kaieteur News on the matter, opining that “this is not just irresponsibility but total disregard for ethics, honesty, integrity and any minimal principle that forms the core of journalism”.

The former Government Minister said that while he had come to expect this sort

of reporting from the tabloid, as of late “the rottenness is beyond reason”.

Ali is not the only former Government Minister that has had to upbraid the Kaieteur News for its continued publication of a series of spurious articles on various issues.

In addition, the newspaper has been attacking several professionals who would have played a significant role in delivering affordable homes to Guyanese by assisting Government in developing private lands by interjecting private capital and substantial financial resources into various initiatives.

Under the previous Government’s stewardship, thousands of poor, middle income and upper-middle income Guyanese were afforded the opportunity for the first time to own their homes and private property as a result of prudent policy formulation and implementation on the part of the then Housing Ministry.

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Views General Editor: Michael Younge 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

Holi, Easter and Unity

I

n his remarks to the "Hindus for Selfless Service" (Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh) Chowtal group on the lawns of State House the night of the burning of the Holika, President David Granger pointed out like Holi/Phagwah, Easter is also a Spring festival and both insist on stressing the regenerative symbolism of Spring. This is a fact that is often overlooked – that Easter, like Christmas, predated the advent of Jesus and the festivities that surround the commemoration in the present hark back to the original impetus acknowledging the significance of the seasonal changes on society.

While Holi is also associated with "religious" personages from Hinduism, the original primal, unbridled joy at the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring still predominates.

While Guyanese might not have a personal annual experience of the grimness of Winter, the ubiquity of television, movies and magazines from the temperate zones ensure the symbolism of Spring versus Winter reverberates in all. Rebirth, regeneration, renewal are themes that are inspirationally universal and events that commemorate or celebrate them never fail to garner mass participation.

Yesterday, we witnessed Guyanese from all backgrounds enjoying the dousing of water on each other in the morning and the smearing of coloured powders and spraying of red "abeer" in the afternoon. Then it was all wrapped up with the sharing of sweetmeats between friends and neighbours.

On Easter Monday, Guyanese in the thousands will prepare their kites and snacks and retire to parks and open spaces to send their kites into the sky. The kites may get intertwined, but the togetherness of families will inevitably be intertwined.

Festivals such as Holi and Easter, as they are celebrated in Guyana, can and do play a major role in fostering national unity: people that play together will have a greater chance to stay together. In his remarks, President Granger took time to reminisce on colonial times when he was young and it would have been unthinkable for a Chowtal group to perform on the lawns of what was then the Governor's mansion. Easter events would have been common. He noted now, after Independence, when the mansion was renamed "State House", local Presidents had opened up the previously forbidden space to all Guyanese, including Hindus.

This occupation of the public space is an important factor in the creation of national unity as much of the direct common participation of Guyanese from different backgrounds. When some cultural practices are hidden away in private ethnic enclaves, there is always the possibility of fears of the unknown aroused in other groups. These fears can be dissipated when the practices are not only out in the open but the "others" are invited to participate. Citizens can move from "them" and "us" to "we".

But public spaces are not all equivalent. "State House" to a large extent imparts the imprimatur of the authority of the Executive Head of the State on activities held within its space. And when this authority is bestowed on cultural practices that were formerly excluded from the mainstream –- especially by a President not from within the tradition – this can go a long way in making the activity "national". If the President can acknowledge Chowtal as "his" tradition, it becomes so much more difficult for the average to reject.

Easter has already become a festival for all Guyanese because of the Christian nature of the colonial state. But this does not in any way mar Easter's value towards national unity. While the colonial impositions must be interrogated, they should not be rejected in toto. As mentioned above, like Holi, Easter has several "non-religious" elements that can be appreciated by all sections of the society as "cultural". In addition to the kite flying mentioned above, Guyana has its Bartica Regatta and Easter Hat Shows.

President Granger also mentioned the Easter Bunnies that became associated with the festival because of their legendary reputation to procreate.

Employees of Guyana Times/TVG celebrating the Festival of Colours on Wednesday

City Hall’s action is plain criminal

Dear Editor, The attempt by the Georgetown Mayor and City Council to charge men, women and children to fly kites in Georgetown is just plain criminal.

Kite flying is taken as a symbol of having high aspirations and elevated vision.

Man always had an inherent wish to fly high in the sky and reach the horizon. This would have surely made him

to invent the kite that can touch the sky on his behalf and there can be satisfaction for man that he touched the sky as high as he likes.

So apparently does the Town Clerk of Georgetown who would stop at nothing to rake in money into the City Council so that he would have more to spend on his bulging wage bill, to pay his super contractor to clean parts of the city, to purchase

spanking new vehicles for the Council, to hire private guards, and the list goes on and on.

Why is no other town or village considering such punitive action? Are the property rates no longer adequate to provide municipal services?

The Council needs to quit coming up with unintelligent ideas such as setting up petting zoos and presi-

dential parks, charging vendors on Meriman Mall exorbitant rent for little cubby holes, etc, and begin to provide proper services for the citizenry.

Everything must not be seen as a money-making venture, for them to get their hands on.

Sincerely, Riley Matthews

Not enough being done to combat suicide or address mental illness

Dear Editor, People from around the nation – from all walks of life, including across political affiliation and ethnicity – feel the Government is not doing enough to combat suicide or to address mental illness. These are findings of an opinion poll conducted by the North American Caribbean

Teachers Association earlier this month.

The poll, conducted by Dr Vishnu Bisram, interviewed some 1235 adults reflecting the demographics of the population.

Queried whether Government is doing enough to combat suicide, almost everyone said “no” – 93 per

cent said no, with only two per cent saying “yes” and five per cent not offering a response. Similar findings are obtained about how people view Government’s role in addressing mental illness.

Asked if they think they will seek help for someone with mental illness, 88 per cent said yes, four per cent

said no and eight per cent responded not sure. Some 78 per cent of respondents felt mentally ill persons can live normal lives with assistance, while seven per cent said no and 15 per cent responded not sure.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

What next will the City Council try to charge for?

Dear Editor, Well, finally someone and not just anyone, but rather a senior and well respected journalist has called the Town Clerk of Georgetown for who he really is, after he was found to be backpedalling on a decision and announcement to charge persons flying kites on Easter Monday.

By the way, was it not the former Mayor and Deputy Mayor along with King who last year, campaigned against and encouraged vendors not to pay a cent to the City Council? But now that he is Town Clerk, he not only wants to charge the vendors but every kite

flyer.

Mind you, the Town Clerk professes to be a devout Christian, even performing pastoral duties in the past at a Christian church.

Clearly the decision to charge kite flyers was taken

by King and company and broadcast to the press by his faithful Public Relations Officer. It is consistent with their tax and spend policy and would have allowed them to hire their favourite multimillionaire contractor to clean up the city, paying him more millions from the proceeds they would have obtained from charging the kite fliers.

It is public knowledge that the Council’s coffers are empty after their extravagant spending spree and I have no doubt the Town Clerk saw this as an opportunity to raise some funds to continue this profligacy.

No doubt his political superiors realised that taking this course of action would be met with a tsunami of resistance and criticism from persons from every walk of life, and put paid to his avaricious plans.

But rather than do the decent and honest thing by telling the citizenry that they realised it was a bad idea and that they were no longer going to pursue it, he

opted to pursue the ignominious route by pretending that they had never made such a decision and had never even made such a press release.

It is shameful for a public servant to be so deceitful, but then again, what can we expect from the Georgetown municipality, an entity that is eminent for fraud, corruption and graft.

If King wanted to raise funds to continue financing his lavish and imprudent spending, maybe he should have his bloated workforce make and sell kites of Easter Monday.

Sincerely, Amber Valentine

news

GEA forensic audit report

Stricter fuel marking system, monitoring recommended

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ore stringent fuel marking and monitoring systems have been recommended for the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) in its Forensic Audit Report, which was compiled

by Nigel Hinds Financial Services for the period November 1, 2011 to May 31, 2015.

The document, which is posted on the Finance Ministry’s website, detailed that GEA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mahendra Sharma had “lax” oversight for the fuel marking system which resulted in rampant fuel smuggling.

Consequently, it recommended more rigid measures in order to clamp down on the illegal practice.

The document noted that the invoicing process of the Licensing Division needs to be computerised in such a way that it is integrated with the accounting system of GEA. “The integration will allow for improved recognition of revenue, accounting of receivables and the monitoring of licence holders,” it suggested.

The report also stated that all GEA invoicing should be a component of the financial accounting system and that customers should not have the option of determining whether they want an invoice or otherwise; instead invoices should be issued to all customers as a standard policy.

A recommendation was also made for an aging report for accounts receivable should be integrated within the accounting system of the agency for better management of revenue, budgeting and enforcement.

Some other recommendations include: for an internal audit charter to be aligned with the strategic objectives of the GEA; monthly,

bi-annually and yearly audit summary reports should be prepared by the Internal Auditor for presentation to the Board or the appropriate Sub-Committee; all components of GEA risk management practices should be incorporated into a documented Enterprise Risk Management Policy and be reviewed on an annual basis by the Board of Directors.

Moreover, it also noted that risk assessments should be performed on areas prone to error and fraud, with a focus on segregation of duties to prevent and detect errors and fraud.

“This is clearly needed in the receipt, storage, distribution and reconciliation of fuel marking concentrates,” the report highlighted.

It also proposed that checks and balances for documents reporting on fuel received at the terminal should be signed by representatives from GEA, the shipper and the terminal manager and that the documents should be accompanied by the approved GRA form.

Moreover, the report also disclosed that Sharma had an integral role in unlegislated and unauthorised polygraph testing of GEA employees from the Fuel Marking Services Division that resulted in the services of over 30 employees being terminated.

As such, the report recommended that strong disciplinary action should be taken against Sharma.

In this regard, the report said the use of the polygraph testing on employees should be discontinued until Guyana has the applicable laws to govern polygraph testing and that immediate action be taken to compensate employees who were terminated as a result of the Polygraph Testing Programme conducted by the GEA over the period 2009 to 2014.

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Phagwah Day fire guts former Sheriff Restaurant and Bar

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hagwah Day celebrations turned tragic for the owner of a Sheriff Street building after it went up in flames on Wednesday afternoon.

Reports are that at about 15:00h, fire of unknown origin ravished the former Sheriff Restaurant and Bar, which operated at Lot 10 Sheriff Street, Campbellville.

Information reaching Guyana Times indicated

that the two-storied building was unoccupied for the past two years and has been without electricity.

When this newspaper arrived at the scene, firefighters were seen battling to contain the blaze as other nearby businesses were threatened.

Deputy Fire Chief Compton Sparman informed the media that initially, firefighter struggled to contain the blaze because of limited

home, the firefighters had already contained the blaze.

Guyana Times was told that that several attempts were made to contact the current owner of the building but to no avail.

David Bacchus Jr, whose family sold the business a

Heavy smoke emanating from the building on Wednesday

Firefighters battling to contain the blaze

water source.

“When we got there was a burst-out, the entire top floor was engulfed in flames.

Firefighters went into operation but they could not contain the fire because of the limited amount of water,” he pointed out.

He attributed the lack of access to water on the current dry season, adding also that the building’s grill work hampered the firemen’s op-

number of years ago, was present at the scene and estimated the losses at over $100 million. The 37-yearold who said he grew up at the property, expressed his sadness over the loss, noting that the building held a lot of “sentimental feelings.”

Crabwood Creek farmer murdered at home

erations.

However, firefighters managed to tap into nearby fire hydrants and canals in their efforts to douse the blaze.

A worried neighbour who spoke with this publication said his family was not at home but received a telephone call informing them that their properties were threatened due the fire.

When they returned

T

The house where the man’s body was found

he blood stained and beaten body of a Carbwood Creek farmer was discovered in a hammock at his home on Tuesday evening.

Dead is 78-year-old Khublall Gomes. He was found covered in blood with marks of violence on his body.

According to the Police, the discovery was made at about 21:30h in a hammock under his home at Grant Backlands, Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, with wounds to the head and a plastic cuff around his throat.

The Police said his licensed shotgun is missing.

Gomes lived at the above mentioned location for the past 15 years with his reputed wife “Pooa”. Three weeks ago, she left for vacation in Suriname.

Neighbours reportedly heard no suspicious sounds coming from the house, which is surrounded by thick vegetation.

However, at about 21:30h, “Pooa’s” neph-

Dead: Khublall Gomes

ew, called “Turbo” reported that he saw Gomes’ gate open and called out to him but received no response.

According to Saseram Bajhan, one of the dead man’s neighbours, “Turbo” and his wife were passing Gomes’ home when they noticed that the gate was open and no lights were on in the building.

Bajhan added that “Turbo” came to him seeking assistance. He said he picked up a flashlight and accompanied the couple to Gomes’ yard.

“When me reach deh, the torchlight nah light, but the girl get one phone, so we walk in the yard and me say watch ah man lay down dea in the hammock… when we walk she put on she light and when we look, the man whole skin is blood, so me say the man die, so we just rush out the yard and call neighbour an call Police.”

When the Police arrived, they searched the farmer’s house and discovered that his shotgun was missing.

Gomes is the second person to have been murdered in Corriverton this year and the 13th to be murdered in Berbice for 2016.

The body is at the Skeldon Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Investigations are continuing.

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Quartet on robbery under arms charge get bail

Eyew tness

Cuba...

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F

Kevon Bunyon

Quincy Goodheart

Rudolph McCurdy

Kurt Edwards

our men charged with robbery under arms were granted bail on Tuesday after they appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court.

Kevon Bunyon, 24, also called “Bunny” of Stanleytown, Berbice; Quincy Goodheart, 24, a mason of Lot 540 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Rudolph McCurdy, 27, of Fort Ordinance Housing Scheme, Berbice, also called “Rudy”; and Kurt

Edwards, 23, a taxi driver of Forth Ordinance Housing Scheme, appeared before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus to answer to the robbery under arms charge.

The charge read that on March 15, they robbed Nanda Bissoon Sankar of $636,350, a quantity of cellphone cards valued $90,000 and one gold chain valued $420,000; all property of Danny Sankar.

Police reports stated that the four are implicated in

the robbery by their caution statements.

Edwards, who was reportedly the driver of the getaway vehicle, allegedly had knowledge that a robbery would have been committed, yet he transported men to the area.

Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Phillip Sheriff

made no objections to bail and they were each placed on $100,000 bail. The men were previously charged on Monday for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

They will return to court on March 31 to face both charges.

Seeta’s Bar stabbing

Accused freed A woman who was on trial before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow and a mixed jury at the Georgetown High Court, was on Tuesday acquitted of an attempted murder charge after the jury found her not guilty of trying to stab her ex-coworker to death during a brawl.

Shonette Gonsalves, 22, of Lot 73 Dowding Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was on trial for a charge which read that on August 19, 2015, at Seeta’s Bar, Station Street, Kitty, she attempted to murder Alana Duncan. She was also on trial for a charge which stated that on the same occasion, she inflict-

ed grievous bodily harm on Duncan with the intent to maim, disfigure of disable her.

According to the Police report, on the day of the incident, the two women were both at Seeta’s Bar but seated at different tables. An argument allegedly ensued between the two which soon became physical. During the altercation, Duncan reportedly drew a knife and stabbed Duncan several times about her body.

After deliberating for some time, the jury delivered not guilty verdicts on both charges and the case against Gonsalves was dismissed.

...and “prior claims”

bama evidently intends to ensure that whoever enters the White House next January – especially if it’s the Republicans with Trump at its helm – won’t be able to reverse the normalisation of relations with Cuba. If you look at that relationship, you have to wonder why the US would allow such a bit player – and that’s all Cuba is compared to it – to get so much under its skin. But then again an American President (Reagan) invaded 132sq mile Grenada with its less than 100,000 population for being a threat! Go figure!

But back to the “normalisation”. The biggest fly in the ointment to complete normalisation will be the “prior claims” made subsequent to Castro’s nationalisation and expropriation of American property back in 1960.

American companies owned sugar plantations, oil refineries, shipping companies, hotels (including a Hilton), casinos, houses, cars, land, etc, etc. In fact, the American justification for the embargo it slapped on Cuba rests mainly on these claims. For years there have been several initiatives – some launched by get-rich shysters, but others like Exxon’s and Hilton’s – legit.

Back in 1964, the US created a “Foreign Claims Settlement Commission” within its Justice Department and evaluated, recorded and vowed to collect on the various claims (5913 of them) which it valued at US$1.9B. Factoring for inflation, these claims would be worth about US$8B today. Now Cuba’s never denied it owes compensation on the claims – even though it could’ve questioned the deals through which most of the assets were acquired.

The then Cuban dictatorships were supported by the US Government, which turned a blind eye to the economic and physical raping of Cuba – especially by the Mafia.

The Cuban retort to the “prior claims” question has been to issue a counter claim for the more than US$100B it calculated it’s lost since 1960 because of the American embargo – which even US allies at the UN have demanded for years be removed. Since the State Department has jurisdiction over the settlement of the claims, if Obama doesn’t want to saddle Cuba with the ball-and-chain of “prior claims”, it should proceed to work out a settlement that’s favourable to both sides.

For Cuba’s economic development – which is heading ineluctably in a capitalist direction – the Government wouldn’t want to have liens hanging over so many assets.

They will definitely stifle investment. On the other hand, there is no way Cuba can fork out US$8B. Maybe as the IMF does with ‘bad loans’, a steep discount could be worked out – like 4 cents to the dollar?

And Cuba floats bonds to pay it off?

...and the Caribbean

Of recent, Foreign Minister Greenidge – who’d rather be leader of the PNC and consequently President – has been rather quiet. What with all the brouhaha over the economy (who’s steering the ship?) and salaries and suchlike, you’d think he’d be weighing in more often. But anyhow he just broke his (vow of?) silence...to claim the US-Cuban thaw will be good for us in the Caribbean? It might’ve been better if he’d stayed quiet.

First of all, because of the romanticisation of the American presence in Cuba – for the elite, think Hemmingway; for the rest, think the Mafia of the “Godfather II”, casinos and Meyer Lansky – the island looms large in their collective imagination. If for nothing else there will be another (more benign) landing of tourists at the Bay of Pigs who’ll move on to ogle all those “finned” cars from the fifties. Say goodbye to a rebirth of US tourism to “our” Caribbean.

Then there are the business investments – where Cuba’s certain to become the next “emerging market”.

Say goodbye to a resurgence of a Caribbean Basin Initiative.

...and Fidel

Even though Obama genuflected to the American right-wing yahoos by not meeting Fidel, the latter’s 1953 prediction that “history will absolve me” was reinforced by the visit.

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

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News

Central counselling body

Minister fails to keep promise of implementation

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t has been two months since Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine announced that a Central counselling body will be established in all public schools. At the time of the announcement in January, Dr Roopnaraine had said that counsellors will be placed in schools across the country in two weeks’ time. However, when Guyana Times sought an update on Tuesday, it was noted that counsellors are yet to be placed in schools.

When the announcement was made, Dr Roopnaraine had stated that the need for counsellors in each school will assist in efforts of curbing the high level of school dropouts.

In addition, he stated that counsellors in schools will also play a significant role in tackling domestic violence, along with other emotional and psychological issues which students may be thwarted with.

Most essentially, however, the Minister had noted that with the recent spate of suicides plaguing Guyana’s youth, the body would be most effective in dealing with the root causes of sui-

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

cidal thoughts in youths.

Essential for the execution of Government’s plans for the young generation of Guyana, the central counselling body was explained as one which would act as a grass root solution to most issues concerning students.

Nonetheless, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change reported that though Government would be unable to place trained counsellors in every school due to financial barriers, they would ensure that no school is deprived.

This had led to the de-

cision that teachers within the school would be trained with the necessities of executing more than their teaching job.

During one of the interviews Minister Roopnaraine had with Guyana Times, he had disclosed that the central counselling body had been finalised.

He further added that due to minor issues, the implementation would take about two weeks.

It would seem however, that even though the current Administration had placed the interests of the Guyanese youngsters at heart, they lack in keeping with their promises.

When this publication spoke with students shortly after the announcement was made by the Education Minister, many applauded the notion, stating that it would create a forum for them to open up about what was bothering them.

Teachers as well cited the need for such a person within schools to work with children, since many a time, teachers do not have the experience and/or capabilities to effectively handle their issues.

El Niño conditions

Mabaruma potable water supply dwindling – Chairman

A

s dry weather patterns continue in vast locations across the country, water levels in some reservoirs in the community of Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini) have significantly reduced. Regional Chairman of Region One, Brentnol Ashley told Guyana Times on Tuesday that many residents have complained of water not being available through their taps.

“The potable water level at some reservoirs has decreased significantly; right now the central Mabaruma area is affected by this current situation where in the communities, water is not meeting them in the taps,” Ashley explained.

The Regional Chairman further stated that the Guyana Water Incorporated has tried to provide some assistance in alleviating the situation but to no avail.

“It’s really affecting the people right now,” he noted.

Ashley also informed this publication that the severity of this prolonged drought situation is also affecting the livelihoods of farmers in the region.

“The farming communities we have visited are severely affected in some areas where they have ponds and so forth, the water has

Region One Chairman Brentnol Ashley

become salted over the last few months,” the Regional Chairman stated.

Many farmers have explained that heavy salt content in water is unsuitable for plants and livestock.

Following a period of heavy rainfall early last year, dry weather conditions persisted onward since August and have the continued to threaten the livelihoods of many farmers in various regions.

The prolonged dry weather condition which the country is facing has led to drought conditions, especially in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

This has brought numerous hardships to farmers and residents in the

region. Other affected regions include Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

The Civil Defence Commission has been integrally involved with various Ministries to assess and tackle the ongoing situation.

Guyana Times had reported on Region Nine cattle farmers having to transport their animals over vast distances to locate water.

“Cattle have to move very far distances to get water… [to get to] the swamp areas,” Terrence Boston, a farmer in the Rupununi stated. The farmer had also stressed that this constant movement was “not commercial”.

In the Government Information Agency release, it was noted that Government intends to acquire the “appropriate equipment” to dig deep wells in South Rupununi and plans for “short- and medium-term operations”.

The Ministries of Agriculture, Public Health and Communities are said to be in collaboration to offer support to the affected communities.

The drought has been attributed to the El Niño weather phenomenon.

Region 10 to explore "cold asphalt" for minor road repairs

N

ew technology may soon be added to minor road repairs in Linden and other parts of Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), as the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) explores the use of ‘cold asphalt’.

During a recent meeting of the administrative arm of the region, Regional Chairman Renis Morian and Regional Executive Officer (REO) Gavin Clarke discussed and explored the possible use of the material in tackling minor road repairs.

It was outlined by Clarke, who is also an Engineer, that the idea was birthed following a visit from officials of the Infrastructure Ministry. He explained that cold asphalt is derived from asphalt taken from a lake in Trinidad and Tobago and does not require the use of heat energy as in the case of the traditional asphalt.

“We had a visit from a team from the Ministry of Infrastructure and more or less they came to us, to enlighten us concerning what is referred to as the new technology with respect to minor road repairs… with what is referred to as ‘cold asphalt’ that does not require all the

Demonstration on the application of cold asphalt in the patching of holes in the road

heat and energy that is required for the usual asphalt projects,” Clark said.

He added that the cold asphalt is very expensive and will be used only for small potholes. “As soon as you identify the hole in the road, that is, preferably bituminous road, as soon as you see that you can apply that (cold asphalt). It does not require a lot, it can be transported in bags, stored easily,” Clarke said.

A sample, he noted, was also made available, while he established that it was just as useful as the “hot mix” but is not recommended to facilitate general road

rehabilitation. He added that it is generally recommended for a “quick fix” and major road patches.

Regardless of the numerous benefits, Clarke re-emphasised that the use of cold asphalt is an expensive alternative.

Having witnessed the use of the cold asphalt elsewhere, Councillor Sandra Adams opined that it appears to have done a good job and recommended its use in the region.

Morian said the administration has embraced the idea, and as such, would have to secure a portable compactor for use.

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thursDay, march 24, 2016

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11

News

President Granger claims poverty high in Region 10

Unpaid Region 2 trench cleaners

REO, Chairman spar over issue at RDC meeting P

By Indrawattie Natram

F

ollowing reports about several trench cleaners and contractors vouchers’ piling up in the Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) Regional Executive Officer Rupert Hopkinson’s office, he has since said that he needed time to examine them keenly before signing off.

The issue of unpaid vouchers was raised at the last statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) as Councillors contended that numerous contractors and trench cleaners were owed.

At a special meeting, which was convened on Tuesday to deal with key issues affecting the RDC, Hopkinson said that on a daily basis, his office was flocked with members of the public hence he has less time to invest in signing off on vouchers. He is, therefore, suggesting public officers have two public days weekly so as to lessen the number of persons visiting his office.

Region Two Chairman Devanand Ramdatt noted

REO Rupert Hopkinson

at the meeting that in the interest of accountability, timely and proper verification was needed. Ramdatt said the slow signing of vouchers could affect the budgeting and finance system as the longer vouchers were held up, the more difficult the verification process would be.

At that point, Hopkinson stated, “I am new and, therefore, I need to spend time in looking carefully at these vouchers. I have signed vouchers for $30 million for supplies in two months; the Region is buying $20 million in lumber to repair bridges. I need to

examine; I need to review. I am liable at the end of the day; I can’t rush.”

Hopkinson further told the meeting comprising Heads of Department from various sectors that he has not signed trench cleaners’ vouchers in three months.

He said after some months he visited the sub- treasury department where he discovered that the vouchers were already signed and they did not reach his desk.

“I have not signed a single trench cleaner voucher in three months. I am not sure who signed them, but my concern is how they have passed and are the trenches cleaned according to specification,” Hopkinson argued.

He said it was time to look for mistakes and misdeeds that have happened and to look for those who were frauds in the system.

The REO, who is the accounting officer, said he perused keenly page by page all vouchers before inking his signature.

Coalition Councillor Naithram stated that there needed to be proper monitoring and a verification system before trench clean-

Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt

ers’ vouchers are signed.

At the last RDC meeting, People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Councillors reported that trench cleaners were owed. The Deputy REO, who was filling in as clerk for Hopkinson, who was on vacation leave, said that indeed stockpiles of vouchers were lying on the REO’s desk waiting to be signed.

resident David Granger has stated that there was a high level of poverty in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) as he continued to urge the community to become an enterprising one.

He was at the time addressing residents at the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)/ Alliance For Change (AFC) rally in Linden on Monday.

The President also related that the issue of poverty to a countrywide surge in teenage pregnancies, noting that girls should instead seek to be given the opportunity to gain an education and to qualify themselves.

“There is too much poverty in this Region and poor people cannot play their part in the economy if they remain poor.

And sometimes when you see a poor child, who cannot go to school because he or she doesn’t have breakfast, look at that child’s mother, that child’s mother is poor. What we have here in Guyana is what we call ‘hereditary poverty’. Poor mothers producing poor children...,” President

President David Granger Granger noted.

He then sought to illustrate how the alarming number of teenage pregnancies across the country has contributed to teenage mothers also becoming poor and as such, producing poor children.

“There’s a part of this country, people tell me they become grandmothers at 32.

How you could be a grandmother at 32? Let the girls grow up. Let them go to school, let them qualify...let them graduate. Not from the maternity ward, but from the University of Guyana,” the Head of State said.

12 NEWS

thursDAY, march 24, 2016 | guya

A

kaleidoscope of colours filled the air as G turned out in their numbers to celebrate t Celebrations began at the break of where eager and youthful souls rushed out of th buckets of water onto their friends, yelling exub No sooner were they joined by their parents moving door to door to greet their neighbou Phagwah.

Over the years, the festivity has evolved. “O used to come out early in the mornings and mov buckets of water. I don’t see much of that happ that more and more people are coming out, cultural divides and everyone is celebrating,” ex “We need to unite and put aside our diffe doesn’t matter, I still celebrate Phagwah and Diw I think many more people of different races an celebrate. For example, I teach and many of my Russian and Indian and Costa Rican, they’re from are here celebrating Phagwah and they are e Pagwah goer related to Guyana Times.

Indian Cultural Centr The Indian Cultural Centre held onto trad Phagwah Mela which generally attracts prom Government officials and parliamentarians, w auspicious occasion to spread the message o country.

Delivering his Phagwah message to the nati urged Guyanese to live in the same harmony celebrate the festival of colours.

He also highlighted the similarities between point that we are all not so different after all.

“The coming together of those two festival really one people, we are really one world... be triumph of good over evil,” he stated.

Former President Donald Ramotar in hi acknowledged that many families are facing di the message of Phagwah would help them over are facing in their lives.

Former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds define the Phagwah celebrations. “It’s a season of putti and let’s hope that we can mark a new path for G Indian High Commissioner Venkatachalam Phagwah is the Indian festival of love that has signification of the ushering of the spring season everyone to come together and celebrate in lov Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, on behalf wished Guyanese a happy Holi.

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, in his that there are still many problems affecting the that the message of Phagwah will contribute to “We still have so many wrongs that are takin and it is my sincere hope that the message eradicate the evil that still permeates our societ Other notable and distinguished guests inc Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, Prime M former Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Greene, am

National Stadium The Guyana National Stadium, at Provid Demerara, was another prime venue, featuring jubilant patrons splashed around in glee.

Thousands turned up with their gear, enthu Holi with friends and family.

The stadium was packed to capacity, with persons from all walks of life enjoyed the Guyan Not only was the Guyanese population eag there were evident visitors from internationa as fervent. Persons began to flow into the sta as the hours passed, they quickly crowded wit water guns. The annual event which is organis of Inspired Inc, Yog Mahadeo, has been blossom years ago.

Speaking with Guyana Times, Mahadeo fi behalf of the company to the Government of embraced this year’s event fully, even allowing no cost.

He said the family-oriented event over th positive responses from the public, as the figure average 25,000 persons.

As the turnout escalated throughout the da this year’s event will be one of the biggest in the Despite the holiday being a Hindu observan the years, it has been attracting more and more ethnicity and social status.

As the event fosters national unity, Mahadeo the aim of the initiative which will hopefully live events.

The live entertainment segment of the even dance groups as well as performances from Terry artistes.

Phagwah signifies the triumph of good ove Vishnu over the demon King Hiranyakashipu w to kill his own son Prahalad, who demonstrated humility and the ideals of his faith.

h 24, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

s filled the air as Guyanese from all walks of life bers to celebrate the joyous festival of Phagwah. at the break of dawn in some communities, uls rushed out of their homes and began pouring iends, yelling exuberantly “Happy Holi!” d by their parents who also paraded the streets, eet their neighbours, wishing them a blessed

ty has evolved. “Oh yes, it has evolved! People mornings and move around on horse carts with much of that happening now but now I realise are coming out, it’s cutting across racial and is celebrating,” expressed Anara Benjamin. ut aside our differences. I am a Muslim but it e Phagwah and Diwali and Easter and Christmas. different races and cultures are coming out to ch and many of my students are here. They are Rican, they’re from all over the world and they h and they are enjoying it,” Shahiba, another na Times.

dian Cultural Centre re held onto tradition and hosted its annual rally attracts prominent dignitaries, including arliamentarians, who come together on this ad the message of love and unity across the

message to the nation, President David Granger he same harmony in which they came out to rs. milarities between Holi and Easter, to make the fferent after all. those two festivals suggests to us that we are lly one world... because we are celebrating the e stated. d Ramotar in his message to the country milies are facing difficulties and he wished that uld help them overcome whatever burdens they

muel Hinds defined the importance of unity in t’s a season of putting aside all our animosities rk a new path for Guyanese,” he blissfully stated. er Venkatachalam Mahalingam explained that al of love that has many legends, including the f the spring season. He noted that it is a time for nd celebrate in love and unity. c Gaskin, on behalf of the Business Ministry also li.

Anil Nandlall, in his message to Guyanese, noted blems affecting the country but expressed hope will contribute to the solutions. ongs that are taking place in our country today hat the message of Phagwah can be used to rmeates our society,” he stated. guished guests included Attorney General and Williams, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, amilton Greene, among others.

National Stadium adium, at Providence, on the East Bank of e venue, featuring refreshing water parks where und in glee. h their gear, enthusiastic to kick off a colourful

to capacity, with an explosion of colours as enjoyed the Guyanese festivities. ese population eager about the festivities, but from international countries who looked just flow into the stadium as early as 13:00h and uickly crowded with their powder, buckets and t which is organised by Chief Executive Officer has been blossoming since it was initiated four

mes, Mahadeo firstly expressed gratitude on he Government of Guyana, which he said had ully, even allowing them to use the stadium at

ted event over the years has been receiving public, as the figures continue to climb from the

throughout the day, Mahadeo was positive that f the biggest in the years. a Hindu observance, Mahadeo said that over ng more and more persons of different religions,

nal unity, Mahadeo said they have accomplished h will hopefully live on as part of Guyana’s grand

gment of the event featured dances from local rmances from Terry Gajraj, JP, KI and other music

umph of good over evil – the triumph of Lord Hiranyakashipu who had repeatedly schemed who demonstrated a commitment to goodness, faith.

NEWS 13

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thursDAY, march 24, 2016

News

Region 2 residents celebrate Phagwah with energy, unity month of Phalgun – the last day of the Hindu year based on Vikram Samvat.

A huge bonfire is built to represent King Hiranyakashyap’s sister Holika, who was immune to the effects of fire courtesy of a boon, trying to destroy her nephew, Prahlad, at the behest of her brother.

Prince Prahlad had refused to worship his father as God so he was made to sit on his aunt’s lap while she wore a fireproof sari in the midst of a fire. Prahalad, however, escaped unscathed and Holika was reduced to ashes instead.

The day ended with family visiting each other, exchanging sweetmeats, and

Phagwah scenes from Essequibo

By Indrawattie Natram

H

indus and other residents throughout Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) celebrated the festival of colours with much energy and unity as they walked through streets exchanging Holi greetings. The celebration commenced as early as 05:00h with neighbours and mandir members drenching each other with water mixed with Holi ashes and flowers.

Truckloads of persons from various mandirs drove through streets in motorcade fashion drenching each other as they displayed a true sense of unity and to-

getherness. As the day progressed – the first half had been marked by the use of water, persons were seen decked out in beautiful Indian attire with their faces smeared with coloured powders and glitter in the afternoon.

Children had the best of the season as they were seen with water guns filled with “abeer” running through the streets targeting the elders.

During the day, housewives were busy in their kitchens preparing sumptuous Indian dishes for the season. Sweetmeats and seven curry were prepared and exchanged with relatives, friends and well-wish-

ers.

Services were held at various mandirs along the coast, where popular chowtals, ulara, jhumar, lej, baiswara, dhamar, rasiya, kabir, jogira were sung.

At Golden Fleece Vishwa Jhotir Mandir, members had a hawan service after which persons played Phagwah. They later went through the streets singing Phagwah songs and beating drums.

Mandirs had earlier observed Holika Dahan or the burning of Holika on Tuesday at various open spaces. It is burnt on Phagwah night, the full moon day of the Hindu

smearing each other’s faces with coloured powder. The festival of Holi signifies the triumph of good over evil.

Hindus will be seen playing Phagwah until March 29 when the sampuran will be conducted. Holi or Phagwah is a unique and colourful festival that was

described in Sanskrit literature as “Vasant Utsav” or Spring Festival. It is a time when nature smiles in all her grandeur and the trees and plants blossom forth into vivid colours combining the rich hues of the flowers with the pleasant odours of the fruits.

EPA conducting investigative visits following Jaguar attacks

I

n light of the recent reports of Jaguar attacks on livestock in Region Two (Pomeroon- Supenaam), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conducting “investigative visits” to the three affected communities of Lima Sands, Tapakuma and Whyaka-Mainstay.

The Agency explained that these visits comprised detailed discussions with the affected communities to deal with the Jaguar attacks with urgency.

Additionally, the EPA has started to conduct “awareness sessions” in the communities encouraging them to keep livestock in enclosures which it is believed would deter the Jaguars and prevent the farm animals from becoming “easy prey”.

It was noted that traps were built by both community members and the EPA team in “strategic locations” the wild animals were known to frequent.

According to a release issued by the Natural Resources Ministry, two Jaguars, one male and one female, were caught in traps set on February 19 and March 11. The release added that the EPA on receipt of this information from residents of the Mainstay Community, “quickly coordinated with the Wildlife Management Authority, Protected Areas Commission, Transport and Harbour, Anna Regina Police Station and Guyana Livestock Development Authority for the safe transport and relocation of the Jaguars”.

It was also related that officers of the EPA and the Wildlife Management Authority accompanied by a veterinarian travelled to the area on both occasions to secure and transport

It is possible that the encroachment of the Jaguars into the Region Two communities is linked to the long dry season currently being experienced, the Natural Resources Ministry said

the Jaguars to Georgetown where they were relocated to the Guyana Zoological Park and were allowed to “acclimatise for three to four days before patrons were able to view them”.

The EPA cautioned that trapping and relocating the national animal was “the last recourse”, as Jaguars are legally protected in Guyana under the Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations.

The Jaguar is said to be the largest cat of the Americas weighing up to 100 kilograms (220 pounds).

The Ministry’s release noted that these animals “need a lot of food and prey on forest dwellers such as peccaries (bush hogs); deer; tapir (bush cow); turtles; armadillos” to maintain their body mass. It was also noted that Jaguars which are supposedly “shy by nature” have been coming into the villages in search of food.

“It is possible that the encroachment of the Jaguar (s) into the Region Two com-

munities is linked to the long dry season currently being experienced. With the forest being very dry at present, regular prey may have moved closer to water sources. As such, the Jaguar in moving in search of other sources of food or even in following the prey, stumbled upon “easy” food in the communities,” the Ministry said.

“To keep Jaguars away from human dwelling space, it would require keeping domesticated animals in wellconstructed pens or corrals at night. Motion-triggered light or loud sounds near the livestock have also proven to work,” the statement added.

Over the past several weeks, Guyana Times has published a series of reports on the presence of Jaguars in several communities on the Essequibo Coast attacking livestock and small animals.

Any incidents with Jaguars can be reported to EPA’s Wildlife Unit on telephone numbers: 225-5467 and 225-6048 ext: 226.

News

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thursday, march 24, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Silence abounds as Opposition sweeps LGE T

here has been a deafening silence from the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government on its massive loss at the long awaited Local Government Elections (LGE); a democratic process it has been pushing for years to be held.

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) pulled significant votes in the Proportional Representation (PR) component of the historical Local Government Elections. This is according to the official results of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM); however, Government has not yet uttered a single word on this landslide victory by the single parliamentary Opposition.

The results updated on the Election Commission’s website showed the PPP reining in a total 123,564 votes, some 24,894 more than the coalition Government which gained 98,670 votes. The results were made available last evening, some four days after the election.

The results showed Government retaining significant support in municipalities within Georgetown, Linden, New Amsterdam, Bartica, Mabaruma, and Lethem; all communities that recently received township status.

Communities such as Rose Hall and Corriverton in Corentyne, Berbice and Anna Regina in Essequibo went to the Opposition.

Out of the 507,584 eligible voters in LGE, 239,070 persons or 47 per cent voted.

Out of the total votes cast, 2744 were invalid.

The results according to regions show: the PPP/C receiving 1422 votes and the APNU/AFC receiving 1470 in Region One (BarimaWaini).

In Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), the PPP/C secured 11,146 votes while the APNU/AFC secured 3021.

In Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), the PPP/C ran away with 28,983, while the APNU/AFC took 11,896 votes.

In Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), the PPP/C secured 37,692 votes while Government followed with 23,047.

Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), the PPP moved ahead with 9411, while the APNU/AFC secured 8783.

In Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), the

Opposition secured 27,427 votes, while the APNU/AFC received 10,021.

Regions Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) and Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), saw Government leading with 2132 and 662 respectively, while the Opposition followed with 853 and 457 respectively.

In Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), Government took a sweeping victory by securing 7412 votes, while the Opposition PPP secured a meagre 417.

On March 18, Guyanese went to the polls after more than 22 years. While the turnout was not as expected, Government said it was pleased that persons chose to exercise their franchise in this regard. The run up to the election saw a number of individuals and groups, along with the major political parties carrying out some rigorous campaigns, for what each said was a move to restore local communities for those who dwell

there.

Some persons expressed the view that many Guyanese who were eligible to vote were completely unaware of the importance of the elections and consequently decided not to cast

their ballot.

The low voter turnout was compounded by reports indicating that substantial amounts of voters were denied the opportunity to vote.

Reports suggest that residents from certain areas could not locate their correct polling stations; whereas in other cases, there was allegedly no nearby polling place available.

Attempts to contact GECOM officials on the matter proved futile as all calls to their phones went unanswered.

In the lead-up to LGE, the PPP/C parliamentary Opposition raised heaping concerns about the process; the Government’s readiness for the elections and the Election body’s prepared-

ness to host it.

The Party was particularly concerned about a repeat of the General and Regional Elections 2015 where fake Statements of Poll were infiltrated into GECOM’s machinery and where a number of discrepancies plagued the process which was designed to be transparent.

Moreover GECOM’s voter education campaign is another feature of the LGE which received tons of criticism from all sections of society.

Critics contended that the campaigns commenced too late, adding that it failed to spur excitement among Guyanese, especially firsttime voters who were clueless about the process.

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guyanatimesgy.com

Rishma Persaud, custom designer: making you look good

M

aking you look good and feel good that’s the goal of Rishma Persaud of RP Couture which produces custom designer pieces for the fashion savvy.

“My business is a business that focuses on making people happy....

I try my best to make sure my clients leave happy and satisfied.... all of it is one of a kind,” the 36-year-old Good Hope, East Coast Demerara fashionista said.

“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak…

More and more people looking for that unique look and getting into fashion .... Currently, our economy is down, but I know in time Guyana will have a huge market for custom design clothing,” she noted when questioned about the outlook for her business and her fashion philosophy.

A single mom, Persaud said the impetus for her to open a business was her divorce. “After my divorce I had to find a way to provide for my daughter and I was always passionate about designing.... only

Business News Apple Pay coming to mobile websites later this year – Re/code

A

pple Inc will integrate Apple Pay with its Safari browser later this year, allowing users to make purchases from mobile websites, technology website Re/code reported, citing sources.

The mobile payments system will be available to shoppers who use iPhone and iPad models that have the company’s fingerprint technology, Re/code reported.

The iPhone maker is also informing potential part-

ners that Apple Pay’s expansion to mobile websites will be ready before this year’s holiday shopping season, Re/code said.

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on the report. (Reuters)

Rishma Persaud

seemed logical at the time.”

The fashion venture has undergone a metamorphosis after she first launched it as Rishma’s Collection in 2006 at Mon Repos, where she was raised. In 2012, she moved the business to 76 Sheriff Street, Georgetown and started working under the label RP Couture.

The former Annandale Secondary and City College student said while it was challenging juggling family life and business, she loved

Gold sentiment to remain positive despite pullbacks – economist

S

entiment towards precious metals, particularly gold, has been improving since the start of the year, and despite the recent pullback in prices, one economist says positivity will continue.

“We expect positive sentiment towards PMs to continue, underpinned by improving fundamentals,” Simona Gambarini, commodities economist for UKbased Capital Economics, told Kitco News in an email response.

“With regards to gold, we remain positive on the medium-term prospects for the gold price, despite the fact that we expect the Fed to press ahead with a rate hike

Market statistics Cur

Buying

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board Selling

$1244.90

$159.16

Gross

$240,384

$205.98

$208.44

Net

$223,557

$ 231.01

$233.97

$294.00

$297.71

CAN

$157.33

USD EURO

Fixed as at March 21, 2016 Calculated at 94% purity

U.S.

GBP

in June, followed by two further 25bps (basis points) rate hikes in the following two quarters,” she said.

She highlighted two main reasons why gold will remain up despite a tightening rate cycle.

“The first is the recent resilience of gold despite fading safe-haven demand and rising US bond yields,” she said. “The second is growing evidence that gold is benefiting from a revival of demand for inflation hedges,” she added.

“While rising interest rates are generally negative for gold, demand for inflation hedges should keep its price well supported,” she said. (Kitco News)

Top traits of successful entrepreneurs

T

An entrepreneur is self-motivated

his is about more than simply being your own boss. This is about more than simply being able to get up in the morning and get to work.

An entrepreneur is always capable of seeing a tomorrow that’s just a little bit better than today. He’s not satisfied to just sit on his laurels and enjoy the fruits of his success.

He’s constantly looking forward – creating plausible plans to create more opportunities and find his next point of success.

An entrepreneur is also willing to push himself. Last year’s success was fine, but this year’s success should reflect his growth. He’s always coming up with some new project and

looking for ways to make that project succeed.

An entrepreneur is confident

There’s not much room in the business world for selfdoubt. Fear can make you back away from projects that could be the key to your ultimate success.

Furthermore, the entrepreneur has to be in the business of convincing other people that his ideas are good.

Partners, investors, financing, creative structuring – it all depends on the entrepreneur’s ability to convince other people that they’re making a good bet when they team up with him. If the entrepreneur isn’t sure about himself, how can anyone else be sure of him? (Businessdictionary)

Investors' guide

Cambio Rates Bank of Guyana

challenges. Her biggest inspiration, her daughter, no doubt helps to keep her on track and she knows the value of remaining dedicated, which she says is the single most important trait for entrepreneurs.

She advises persons who are thinking about starting their own business to “make sure to have a good idea of what you want to get into. Do lots of research and then remain dedicated.... It’s never easy in the beginning.... But hard work always pays off in the end.”

Persaud, whose dream mentor is Oprah Winfrey, plans to take the Rishma look across the Region and hopes to open showrooms all over the Caribbean. That ties in well with her favourite hobby: travelling. “I love traveling. Love learning about new cultures, food, people, places, etc. It’s my favourite thing to do.”

“The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it,” she says and she certainly seems to be doing that.

Contact: 227 8410 I 621 7707 I facebook.com/RPCouture

Indicators as on March 23, 2016 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$41.45

Price

Change %

-0.17

USD

Change %

Rough Rice

$227.30/ton

London Sugar

$466.60/ton

-0.63 +0.63

Live Spot Gold

USD Per Once

Bid/Ask

$1222.30

$1223.30

Low/High

$1214.50

$1242.80

Change

Business Concept – Stochastic

+2.70

+0.22%

Situations or models containing a random element, hence unpredictable and without a stable pattern or order.

All natural events are stochastic phenomenon. And businesses and open economies are stochastic systems because their internal environments are affected by random events in the external environment. Stochastic is often taken to be synonymous with probabilistic but, strictly speaking, stochastic conveys the idea of (actual or apparent) randomness whereas probabilistic is directly related to probabilities and is therefore only indirectly associated with randomness. (Business Dictionary)

Wall Street rally fizzles out as oil, materials fall

W

all Street closed lower on Wednesday as oil and materials share prices dropped while investors remained cautious a day after deadly bombing attacks in Belgium.

The benchmark S&P 500 index fell back into negative territory for the year after closing positive on Friday for the first time in 2016.

US stocks’ fading fiveweek rally was further diminished by comments over the past two days by Federal Reserve officials, who expressed views that suggested an appetite for more US interest rate hikes than investors had anticipated.

The possibility of more than the two expected rate hikes through December has sent the dollar higher, pushing down commodity

prices.

“That’s basically what’s leaning on the market today,” said Peter Cardillo, Chief Market Economist at First Standard Financial in New York. “It’s all about commodities.”

Gold and metals prices fell as the dollar strengthened.

US oil prices were also damaged after data showing a rise in US stockpiles last week rekindled worries about a global glut.

Eight of the 10 major S&P sectors were lower, led by a 2.1-per cent fall in the energy sector. Chevron and ConocoPhillips were among the biggest decliners. Utilities rose 0.7 per cent and was the best performing sector.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down

79.98 points, or 0.45 per cent, to 17,502.59, the S&P 500 lost 13.09 points, or 0.64 per cent, to 2036.71 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 52.80 points, or 1.1 per cent, to 4768.86.

Adding to the downturn, investors were deterred by the shortened trading week ahead of the Good Friday holiday and uncertainty tied to Tuesday’s bombings in Brussels, Cardillo said.

Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by 2257 to 771, for a 2.93-to-1 ratio on the downside; on the Nasdaq, 2221 issues fell and 579 advanced for a 3.84-to-1 ratio favouring decliners.

The S&P 500 posted 17 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq recorded 21 new highs and 40 new lows. (Reuters)

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news

thursDAY, march 24, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Fire Chief issues warning about starting illegal fires W ith the Easter season here again, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has once again issued a warning to members of the public advising them against intentionally setting fires on lands particularly in residential communities.

Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle said now that the Easter holiday was here, persons would be more prone to light fires to clear off lands. However, these can be detrimental.

“There are cases where some of these areas are used as recreational spaces. This weekend is kite flying and being aware that some persons are clearing these lands so that they could get it to fly kite, we would like to encourage persons to desist from using fires to clear these

lands. The reason being, most of these fires when they are lit, they are left unattended,” Gentle told Guyana Times on Tuesday.

He said the fires burnt continuously, becoming nuisance to people.

“They obscure traffic, they pose threat to infrastructure such as utility poles, whether telecommunication or electricity, as well as people’s fences, bridges and culverts. We are reiterating the call for persons to stop indiscriminately setting fires for those purposes.”

He said fires were also set on pasture lands.

“What I don’t think that persons are now realising that most of these areas are residential areas, and when these fires start, they affect both the environment and people,” the

Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle

Fire Chief said.

“If the fires include garbage like old tyres and those kinds of things, it affects people. I would like to reiterate the call for persons to stop doing these burning because they could get out of control and people’s property could be

Next Generation Foundation launched in Guyana

From left: Founder Keeva Browne; Marlon Chapman, Commander of C Division; Ian Amsterdam, Commander of B Division; Karim Baksh, Commander; Co-founder Shawn Holder and Paulette Charles (right), a Food For The Poor representative

I

n a very humbled attempt to give back to the less fortunate children in Guyana, The Next Generation Foundation was on Tuesday launched in Guyana during a simple ceremony that was held at the Malteenoes Sports Club.

The founders of the organization, Keeva Browne, who is an American-based Guyanese and Shawn Holder, partnered and came up with the idea to launch the foundation.

After visiting Guyana last year, Browne stated that “she felt that youths in today’s society were misguided, especially the underprivileged ones, and felt

she needed to do something to give back to her country in that area”. This venture, according to Browne, came as not much of a challenge, as giving back to the less fortunate “runs” in her family, especially her parents both of whom she said were Police Officers.

In aid of the development and expansion of the Foundation, both Browne and Holder stated that their plan within the next five years will be to build community centers countrywide. This, they stated, will offer educative and interactive programmes for underprivileged children.

Being actively involved in sport, Holder also stated

that the sports club ground will be used from time to time to play sports, such as cricket and table tennis, as a form of encouragement and to keep them focused and occupied.

Also present at the event were Police Commanders Karim Baksh, Ian Amsterdam and Marlon Chapman.

Representatives from the Joshua House Children’s Centre and the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centres were also present.

To show their appreciation, tokens were distributed to the representatives of each centre as well as the Divisional Commanders.

damaged or destroyed.”

According to Gentle, the Fire Service has witnessed an upsurge in bush fires.

Most of these fires, he said, are started deliberately by persons for land clearing or to get rid of rubbish and refuse.

Meanwhile, the prevail-

ing dry weather conditions attributed to the El Niño phenomenon has parched much of the soil and grass in vast swathes of the country.

Gentle said the Fire Service has been battling between 60 and 70 bush fires per week. He noted that most of fires resulted from land-clearing activities and he is calling for a halt to “indiscriminate” burning.

He further observed that the Fire Service has undertaken numerous awareness programmes to curb these activities.

“We’re weary doing programmes, this is a traditional thing… [It’s occurring in] Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six — everywhere,” the Fire Chief noted.

“People have to be

aware that when they are lighting these fires, there’s a cost to it… most times it going into people’s premises or sometimes [it] threatens infrastructure like bridges, culverts, land poles,” Gentle emphasised.

“Ninety per cent of the fires we engage are brush fires,” he pointed out.

He noted that the recent fire at Coverden, East Bank Demerara on Thursday was caused by organic soil being ignited, but observed that not all of the occurrences were “natural” in origin.

On Sunday evening, firemen from Georgetown and Leonora, West Coast Demerara were able to extinguish a brush fire at Versailles, West Bank Demerara which threatened the nearby Aracari Hotel & Resort.

18 NEWS

thursday, march 24, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Govt predicts economic boom in jubilee year W

ith thousands of overseas-based Guyanese and other visitors set to visit Guyana to join in the celebration of the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary, locals have been urged to grab hold of the opportunities, that would see their businesses and by extention, the local economy, seeing a significant boom.

This is according to Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes, who also has responsibility for tourism. She was at the time delivering the feature address at the launch of Guyana’s Golden Jubilee of Independence, held on the lawns of Colgrain House, Camp Street, Georgetown, on Tuesday evening.

“We are celebrating 50 years of independence and despite the opinions being circulated in some quarters; Guyana does indeed have a lot to celebrate,” Hughes told the huge gathering of Private Sector members and other stakeholders. She said the Ministry has been made aware of the soaring number of persons who have indicated their intention to return to Guyana to join in the significant celebration.

While this is good news, she said local businesses can take hold of the numerous economic opportunities that could be had from this.

“This is the time for businesses to advertise, to expose your products and services, since so many eyes and ears are tuned to Guyana.

Think of the benefits new markets in foreign countries would offer. The expansion

A cultural performance at the launch of Guyana’s Golden Jubilee of Independence, held on the lawns of Colgrain House, Georgetown

of your business to include other products and more investments in Guyana. This is a wonderful opportunity to catapult our economy into the stratosphere,” she told the gathering.

Hughes said the Jubilee celebration is undoubtedly Guyana’s “Prime Time”.

Minister Hughes advised those present to “be prepared”, noting that thousands of Guyanese and families from all over the world will be here. That, in her estimation, would mean “Thousands of mouths to feed, with thousands of feet that will walk into your business places. Thousands of people to sell your products to and thousands of people to entertain.

According to the Minister, this is what drives Guyana to get better. She said every single hotel, bread and breakfast inn and other hospitality entities in Guyana have been booked from the end of April to the beginning of June.

“We have been asking homeowners in Georgetown, on

the Essequibo Coast, on the East Coast, East Bank, Berbice and Linden to make their spare rooms available for visitors and the bread and breakfast programme at the Ministry”.

Tuesday evening was just a taste of what Guyana is all about and what the Jubilee festival is going to be like. According to Hughes, “It was an explosion of our country’s fine culture, our art and craft, fashion, cuisine and the absolute highlight, our music”.

The official jubilee celebration commences on the evening of May 19 as a night of spiritual upliftment. It will be a night of full colour and ceremony, a fusion of Guyanese entertainment by the religious groups locally. The second night will be dubbed “everything Guyanese”, where the six races will present some exciting performances across the regions. Guyana’s musical legends will put on a show on the third evening, including percussionists Keith Wade, Terry

Gajraj, Sammy Baksh, and Dave Martins and the Trade Winds. This will be followed by amazing performances from younger artistes. Then there will be a grand fashionista by the greatest fashion gurus in Guyana.

The Minister referred to the celebration as “the best birthday bash the country has ever had”.

According to Minister Hughes, the objective is to “put on show Guyana’s diverse culture, our rich history, manmade products and musical icons, legends, artisans and artists.”

These include the 65 mile long Linden/Soesdyke Highway; the first of its kind in the Caribbean. The highway is set to undergo massive rehabilitation. The first floating bridge in the

Caribbean; the Demerara Harbour Bridge – 6074 feet in length, was designed by Guyanese Captain John Coglan and was supposed to last for only 10 years. She said it has exceeded that time, and 38 years later is still serving its purpose.

According to Hughes, Guyana has also produced some outstanding Guyanese in all fields.

She noted the likes of Sir Shridath Ramphal, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth; the first female Chief Justice, who was later elevated to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the first female Judge, Madam Justice Desiree Bernard; and Mohamed Shahabudeen, a Guyanese Judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and

the former Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, who has now taken on the post at the University of Guyana, Dr Nigel Harris.

She said former West Indies Captain Clive Lloyd was also at the helm of the one of the world’s most watched games at a time when Cricket had become a success story.

“In the field of education, Guyana has always been known to be the country with the most literate people [in the Caribbean].

In the last five years or so, students here have been doing the country proud, having out of a special niche at CXC and CSEC. Said they have been winning regional awards all across and we are proud of them,” the Minister said.

Agriculture Minister defends Jamaica-Guyana rice deal

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder

T

he reportedly “corrupt contract” signed by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) and the Jamaican Rice Milling Company has been defended by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder.

Holder, in an interview with this publication on Wednesday, refuted the claims of RPA Action Committee Co-Chairman, Dr Turhane Doerga, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and senior official of Alesie Rice Company, who posited that the Minister’s “incompetence” warrants his dismissal.

“Everybody’s calling for resignations; what you want me to do, resign?” questioned the Minister.

“He’s asking for the Board to resign; he’s asking for the General Manager to resign; he’s asking for me to resign,” Holder related.

The Agriculture Minister defended the GRDB’s handling of the contract, noting that the deal could be justified when one considered the pricing structure that was achieved.

“What’s basically happening is the millers sell rice…when the miller is going out and making deals – let’s say a miller sells rice for US$420 per tonne, he comes to Rice Board and says he selling it for US$380 a tonne, but the Rice Board is saying that this is not good…If you are selling rice

for US$380 a tonne, the Rice Board is saying we can sell that rice to Jamaica for $400 a tonne that is guaranteed to the farmer.”

When questioned about the supposed US$75 “inbetween mark” per metric tonne that will likely benefit the broker rather than the farmers, Holder said he was unaware of what Doerga is saying.

“I have absolutely no clue what he’s talking about, that makes no sense to me,” the Minister stressed.

GRDB General Manager Nizam Hassan

When Guyana Times contacted GRDB General Manager Nizam Hassan on Wednesday, he said that this publication would have to contact his office at a later date.

The Government, through the GRDB, inked the deal between the Jamaican Rice Milling Company on March 1, 2016, for the purchase of 40,000 metric tonnes per annum.

The deal has a life span of three years and can be reviewed every quarter.

The deal gives the buyer the option to purchase 10,000 metric tonnes per quarter and it was agreed that any unused portion could be taken up by another buyer so designated to work with the GRDB in Jamaica.

Dr Doerga in an interview with this newspaper on Tuesday described the

RPA Action Committee CoChairman, Dr Turhane Doerga

recent rice deal as an example of “the most disgusting corruption going on in the agriculture sector”.

“When you look at the price bracket, you will see that they are selling to Jamaica for US$400 but anybody who wants to sell there has to sell minimum 1500 metric tonnes at US$475… so the US$75 per metric tonne is what the boys will be splitting among each other,” he explained.

He further pointed out that “75x 80,000x3” equates to US$18 million that will be allocated to “the boys” and not rice farmers who have been facing hardships in the deteriorating rice industry.

He noted that there should have been extensive consultations with millers before the deal was inked.

Doerga further alleged that the deal was not authorised by the GRDB Board and, as such, could be deemed “illegal”.

This publication understands that some Board members reportedly questioned the deal since they were not consulted about the contract’s signing.

Additionally, another Board member said they (the Board) were “not going to take responsibility” for the deal being inked.

Doerga is of the opinion that the Government, through the GRDB, is “robbing farmers”.

thursDAY, march 24, 2016

19

ICC T20 World Cup…

Moeen staves off an England calamity T

he final margin of victory might not show it, but England survived a major scare against Afghanistan to sustain their World T20 hopes.

At 85 for 7 in the 15th over of the match, England were teetering on the brink of a defeat that would have reverberated around the cricket world.

But, through the calm head of Moeen Ali and the broad shoulders of David Willey, England cast off their shackles in the final overs to set a target that proved sufficient on a tricky surface on which batting was never completely straightforward.

Perhaps Afghanistan can feel a little unfortunate. Replays suggested that Moeen was fortunate to survive a leg before appeal off the bowling of Shapoor Zadran in the 18th over when England were 102 for 7. Moeen was on 20 at the time and, with Willey, went on to plunder 35 from the final two overs of the innings.

That Moeen-Willey partnership was crucial. The pair added 57 from the final 33 deliveries of the innings thrashing Amir Hamza for 25 from his final over. His first three overs had cost just 20.

Until then, it had been hard to be certain which side contained the pros who are extended every advantage and which was the side that gained Associate status less than three years ago. With England’s panic-stricken

Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid celebrate a wicket, Afghanistan v England (Getty Images)

batsmen struggling to adjust to a surface far removed from the Mumbai pitch where they made their highest T20I score a few days ago, they seemed to have no idea what constituted a par

total. Indeed, it was a surprise they elected to bat first upon winning the toss.

It wasn’t that the ball turned especially far for Afghanistan’s four spinners. It was that it skid-

ded through and sometimes gripped just enough to plant seeds of doubt. Conditions were not dissimilar to the UAE and England supporters will need little reminder how their batsmen have fared in Test series there.

While James Vince, in the side due to Alex Hales’ back injury, had given England a fluent enough start in reaching 42 for 1 in the sixth over, his loss precipitated a collapse that saw them lose five wickets for 15 runs including a spell of three in four balls.

Mohammad Nabi was the unlikely destroyer. After clinging on to a return catch off the leading edge to dismiss Vince, he saw Eoin Morgan - who is in the middle of another fallow patch of form - inexplicably leave a straight one, first ball, which drifted into his off stump.

While Ben Stokes survived a confident leg before appeal from the hattrick ball, Joe Root was run-out from the next delivery after over-committing to an optimistic single.

Nabi, while initially breaking the stumps with his elbow before taking the throw, had the composure to rip a stump from the ground to defeat Root’s despairing attempt to recover his ground.

Suddenly England looked petrified. Ben Stokes, losing his balance and his feet as he tried to pull a longhop out of the ground, was bowled off a bottom edge, Jos Buttler’s drive was brilliant-

ly caught at extra cover and Chris Jordan was caught off the leading edge as he tried to turn one into the leg side.

Had Moeen been adjudged leg before, England would have been in deep trouble.

But he was reprieved and he made the most of it. Hamza was slog-swept over mid-wicket for six then driven back over his head for four, before Shapoor was lofted over extra-cover for four more. Meanwhile Willey, good enough to open in T20 in domestic cricket,

heaved successive sixes over long on off Hamza.

While probably under par, England’s final total of 142 was only 20 under the IPL average on this ground.

If Afghanistan were to get close, they probably required a significant contribution from Mohammad Shahzad in reply. But, in the first over of the chase, his attempted heave into the leg side was beaten by Willey inswing and he was struck on the back leg in front of leg stump. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD England innings JJ Roy b Amir Hamza 5 JM Vince c & b Mohammad Nabi 22 JE Root run out (Rashid Khan/ Mohammad Nabi) 12 EJG Morgan* b Mohammad Nabi 0 BA Stokes b Rashid Khan 7 JC Buttler† c Mohammad Nabi b Samiullah Shenwari 6 MM Ali not out 41 CJ Jordan c & b Rashid Khan 15 DJ Willey not out 20 Extras (lb 6, w 8) 14 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 142 Did not bat: AU Rashid, LE Plunkett Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-42, 3-42, 4-42, 5-50, 6-57, 7-85 Bowling: Amir Hamza 4-0-451, Shapoor Zadran4-0-34-0, Mohammad Nabi 4-017-2, Samiullah Shenwari 4-0-23-1,Rashid Khan4-0-17-2

Afghanistan innings Mohammad Shahzad†lbw b Willey 4 Noor Ali Zadran c & b Rashid 17 Asghar Stanikzai* c Root b Jordan 1 Gulbadin Naib c Stokes b Willey 0 Rashid Khan c Morgan b Ali 15 Mohammad Nabi c Jordan b Rashid 12 Samiullah Shenwari c Root b Stokes 22 Najibullah Zadran run out (Jordan) 14 Shafiqullah not out 35 Amir Hamza run out (Ali/ Jordan) 1 Shapoor Zadran not out 0 Extras (lb 2, w 4) 6 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 127 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-12, 3-13, 4-35, 5-39, 6-64, 7-85, 8-94, 9-108 Bowling: DJ Willey 4-0-232, CJ Jordan 4-0-27-1, LE Plunkett 4-1-12-0, MM Ali 2-0-17-1, AU Rashid 3-018-2, BA Stokes3-0-28-1.

Region 2 RDC makes donation to young Pomeroon cricketer F

ourteen year old Lance Roberts from Kabakaburi Amerindian village in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) can proudly and confidently represent his Region and Guyana at the upcoming Guyana Under-15 tournament in St Lucia.

On Tuesday the Region presented a cheque to the teenager that will assist him in representing the region and his country. The cheque was presented by Region Two’s Chairman Devanand Ramdatt who is part of the region’s Regional Democratic Council

Lance Roberts receives his donation during a simple ceremony on Tuesday

(RDC).

Roberts is presently a student at the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School. He participated recently in under-15 cricket where he did exceedingly well hence qualifying himself for the tournament in St Lucia.

According to Ramdatt, the RDC is pleased to support the youth in his endeavours.

Ramdatt said that the donation will aid in the success of the youngster who has a bright future.

During a simple handing over ceremony conducted in the Chairman's

office, RDC councilours from both the opposition and coalition government wished the teenager well. Present at the handing over was Region Two vice chairman Nandranie Coonjah, PPP\C councilours, Arnold Adams, Beatrice Mittelholzer and Coalition councilour, Julian Cummings.

Roberts expressed gratitude towards the Region Two RDC for the much needed support.

He said he will be entering the tournament confident and his aim is to represent Region Two to the fullest. (INDRAWATTIE NATRAM)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

thursDAY, march 24, 2016

Badree happy to fill the Narine void S

amuel Badree has already seen the best and worst of himself in West Indies’ first two matches in the World T20. In Mumbai, against England, he had the thirdmost expensive figures in his T20I career. In Bangalore, on Sunday, he silenced Sri Lanka with a three-wicket haul to record his second-best bowling figures in T20Is. Despite finishing with figures of 4-0-12-3, Badree was pipped to the Man-ofthe-Match award by Andre Fletcher who, playing his first match of the tournament, surprised Sri Lanka with a strokefull 84. Fletcher ensured West Indies did not feel the absence of Chris Gayle, who was forced to sit out in the dressing room as a precautionary measure, having suffered a mild hammy in his left leg.

Similarly, Badree has made certain that West Indies are secure despite the absence of their premier offspinner Sunil Narine, who

opted out of the tournament to work further on his remodelled action. Narine has not played for West Indies since being banned last year during a tour of Sri Lanka.

“The absence of Sunil is a big blow to the team. You know how dangerous he is especially in these conditions. Yes, we have talked about someone having to step up the fill those huge shoes. I am happy thus far in the tournament I was able to do that quite competently,” Badree said in Nagpur, where West Indies will play South Africa on Friday in their third Super10 match.

Badree, one of the most successful spinners in the Powerplay, said though he was forced to adapt to the new role of bowling in the middle overs, he was enjoying it. “We have seen in the first couple of games that I have started then I am held back for a couple in the middle as well. We have seen how important spin is especially after the Powerplay during the middle overs

Samuel Badree

when the ball is a little bit older.”

According to Badree, it will be a big challenge for West Indies on Friday when they encounter the “very powerful batting line-up” of South Africa. But Badree wanted West Indies to take confidence from their domi-

nant performance agaisnt Sri Lanka, where they applied pressure right from the start.

“It is all about the start.

If a team gets off to a flier it is always difficult. But we were able to pick up early wickets of [Tillakaratne] Dilshan and [Dinesh]

Chandimal, two of their more experienced batters.

So it was a little bit easier to come to bowl at their middle order who were under pressure. Luckily for me I was able to pitch the ball up and pick up wickets as well,” Badree said.

Despite his heroics, Badree acknowledged the contribution from left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.

“He must not go unheralded. His spell of four overs for 13 runs was tremendous especially bowling to a set [Angelo] Mathews and Thisara Perera, who was looking to take the mantle of scoring runs at the end.”

Badree, however, would not venture into talking about South Africa’s weakness against spin, which has been a talking point in the tournament. He would not also be drawn into the slow nature of the Nagpur pitch, which became the biggest talking point in India’s opening match against New Zealand. The one thing Badree did concede, though,

was the importance of striking early.

“If the wicket is turning you obviously want to bowl slow and exploit that and takes wickets early. In T20 cricket sometimes people underestimate how important early wickets are in terms of restricting the opposition,” Badree said.

“It is fair to say we are strong in our batting department. We haven’t been tested in defending a total.

Luckily thus far the captain has been able to win both the tosses. Here in Nagpur it seems as if the pitch is going to turn so we might want to bat first and set a total and defend that.

“You never know. That is the captain’s call. At the end of the day the toss is not guaranteed. Whether we bat first or we bowl first we know that at the end of the day we want to win all our games and send a signal to the other teams we here to compete and we are here to win.” (Cricinfo)

ICC T20 World Cup…

India win after WWW in last 3 balls How did it come to this?

A

fter 39.3 overs of a pulsating contest in Bangalore, Bangladesh seemed to have a first ever T20I victory against India in their grasp. Two runs needed of three balls, with Mushfiqur Rahim on strike. The game should have been done and dusted, and India were staring at an early exit in the World Twenty20 at their own backyard.

However, Bangladesh proceeded to remarkably offer India a way back into the game, with Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah both being caught in the leg-side boundary off Hardik Pandya. Two needed off one, and suddenly, it was Bangladesh feeling the heat.

Pandya ran in for the final delivery, bowled outside Shuvagata Hom’s reach, and MS Dhoni, who had earlier pulled off an outrageous stumping to dismiss the dangerous Sabbir Rahman, ran in 15 yards with one glove and ran out Mustafizur Rahman, who had only just walked into the cauldron.

The one-run win keeps India in their hunt for a place in the last four, with a match against Australia coming up. Bangladesh were heartbroken, having done all the hard work, but falling short by a few inches, quite literally.

Jasprit Bumrah, who bowled a superb third over after a poor start with the

at a time when he was timing the ball very well.

Mashrafe seemed to have risen out of his distress over Taskin Ahmed’s suspension by bowling a superb fourover spell in which he did not concede a single four or a six for the first time in his career. His captaincy, to use sweepers on both sides of the wicket from the start and bowling changes, was also spot-on. He was backed wholeheartedly by Shakib’s four strong overs, while Mustafizur and Al-Amin Hossain took two wickets each.

India could not get off to a good start after their openers were spooked by Shuvagata Hom’s initial turn. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan had to settle for singles before they struck a six each in the sixth over. Mustafizur had Rohit skying a flick which was caught at midwicket, in the same over. Shakib then trapped Dhawan, who was looking to sweep in the next over, meaning India had two new batsmen having to get settled on a tricky surface.

(Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Hardik Pandya celebrates a wicket (AFP)

ball, gave away just six frantic singles in the penultimate over, leaving Pandya to defend the 11 runs, which he did only just.

Mushfiqur blasted the second ball for a boundary through the covers after Mahmudullah took a single off the first ball. Mushfiqur then got a second four off his bat handle while attempting a scoop, but he was caught at midwicket off the next ball, with Bangladesh needing two to win off the last two balls. Mahmudullah, who changed ends, fell in similar fashion, betraying his coolness under pressure, but Ravindra Jadeja still had to do extremely well to hold on to the catch.

The rest of the Bangladesh innings was just as frantic. Bumrah misfielded off the first ball and conceded a four; Tamim Iqbal, the batsman who hit the shot, had his eye on the ball and bumped into Ashish Nehra. Tamim needed medical attention and in the same over, he was dropped

by Nehra off his own bowling.

Mohammad Mithun holed out at long-on in the third over before Tamim got another life in the next, this time seeing Bumrah drop a sitter at short fineleg. Sabbir crashed Ashwin soon after, and Tamim took four boundaries off Bumrah, whose line and lengths went

awry. Tamim eventually was stumped for 35 in the eighth over. Sabbir, who added couple of more boundaries, was smartly stumped

by Dhoni for 26 off 15 balls.

Mashrafe Mortaza promoted himself to No. 5 and started off with a huge six over long-off but the gamble lasted just five balls.

There was more madness to come - Shakib was dropped

by Ashwin in the deep cover boundary on 8, and he made the most of the reprieve, nailing two sixes on the leg-side. Ashwin had the last laugh, though, getting him caught at slip in his last over. Shakib’s 22 off 15 balls was crucial but so too was his dismissal as he got out

India innings RG Sharmac Sabbir Rahman b Mustafizur Rahman 18 S Dhawanlbw b Shakib Al Hasan 23 V Kohlib Shuvagata Hom 24 SK Rainac Sabbir Rahman b AlAmin Hossain 30 HH Pandyac Soumya Sarkar b Al-Amin Hossain 15 MS Dhoni*†not out 13 Yuvraj Singhc Al-Amin Hossain b Mahmudullah 3 RA Jadejab Mustafizur Rahman 12 R Ashwinnot out 5 Extras (lb 2, w 1) 3 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 146 Did not bat: A Nehra, JJ Bumrah Fall of wickets: 1-42, 2-45, 3-95, 4-112, 5-112, 6-117, 7-137 Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 4-0-22-0, Shuvagata Hom 3-024-1, Al-Amin Hossain4-0-37-2, Mustafizur Rahman 4-0-342, Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-231, Mahmudullah 1-0-4-1

Bangladesh innings Tamim Iqbalst †Dhoni b Jadeja 35 Mohammad Mithunc Pandya b Ashwin 1 Sabbir Rahmanst †Dhoni b Raina 26 Shakib Al Hasanc Raina b Ashwin 22 Mashrafe Mortaza*b Jadeja 6 Mahmudullahc Jadeja b Pandya 18 Soumya Sarkarc Kohli b Nehra 21 Mushfiqur Rahim†c Dhawan b Pandya 11 Shuvagata Homnot out 0 Mustafizur Rahmanrun out (†Dhoni) 0 Extras (lb 4, w 1) 5 Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 145 Did not bat: Al-Amin Hossain Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-55, 3-69, 4-87, 5-95, 6-126, 7-145, 8-145, 9-145 Bowling: A Nehra 4-0-291, JJ Bumrah 4-0-32-0, R Ashwin 4-0-20-2, RA Jadeja 4-0-22-2, HH Pandya 3-029-2, SK Raina 1-0-9-1

21

sports

YELLOW PAGES thursDAY, march 24, 2016

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Delhi crowd filling Feroz Shah Kotla

elhi will host the first semi-final of the World T20 on March 30, as originally scheduled.

Strong doubts had surfaced about the venue over the past couple of weeks, with talk of the match being shifted elsewhere after the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) had failed to secure a clearance certificate from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) for one of the Feroz Shah Kotla stands.

Chetan Chauhan, vicepresident of the DDCA, confirmed the situation in an impromptu press announcement in the media lounge at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium during the closing stages of England’s Group 1 match against Afghanistan.

“I am pleased to announce that all necessary permissions have been received, and tickets for the RP Mehra Block will go on sale from 26 March,” he told

reporters.

The issue centred around the RP Mehra Block of the stadium, which houses the old club house. In a previous case pertaining to the venue, the Delhi High Court ruled that the Mehra Block could not be open to the public till SDMC clearance was granted for the structure.

About 2000 seats are housed in the Mehra Block, which is behind the bowler’s arm, which the ICC wanted open to the public for the semifinal. So far in the tournament, the stand had been closed to fans, with Justice (retired) Mukul Mudgal appointed as the observer by the Delhi High Court for the World T20 matches in Delhi - having said he would only allow the media and cameramen to be positioned in the Mehra Block.

However, on a day full of hectic negotiations, the DDCA finally secured the required clearance from the

SDMC in the late afternoon today, thus saving the organisers - both the BCCI and the ICC - the headache of finding an alternate venue. “I am going to give the permission subject to the DDCA signing an undertaking about the conduct of the match. It is now routine,” Justice Mudgal said.

On March 17, the ICC sent a letter to the BCCI, the tournament host, asking for a clarification on whether the Mehra Block was available completely. On Monday, the DDCA approached the court with a petition seeking to open the stand in an attempt to avoid the semi-final being shifted to an alternate venue. On Tuesday, the court told the DDCA that it would not intervene in the matter, and asked the DDCA to deal with the ICC directly.

The ICC, PTI reported, then set a Wednesday noon deadline for DDCA to sort out the issue. (Cricinfo)

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Delhi confirmed as World T20 semi-final venue

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ll-rounder Deandra Dottin says she is not worried by her poor form with the bat thus far and is confident she can deliver big scores for West Indies in crucial remaining Group matches of the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup in India.

The aggressive batter and fast medium bowler has played critical roles for West Indies who are unbeaten after two matches in the tournament.

Dottin scored 24 and picked up two wickets in their victory against Bangladesh but went without scoring while grabbing one for seven in Windies triumph over Pakistan.

“I feel pretty good not minding I have not had a big score as yet,” declared Dottin in a WICB media interview on Tuesday.

“But I still have the confidence and still have other games to play”.

The Caribbean side is preparing to take on England Women in a top-of-

Deandra Dottin

the-table clash in Group B on Thursday at the HPCA Stadium.

On Sunday they come up against the host at Mohali.

“They are two very important games. Me as an allrounder if I don’t perform in one area I can actually perform in the other,” said Dottin.

“I think everybody is really looking forward to the match. I think the girls are looking forward to the game” The Windies Women are now perched at the top of the Group “B” standings with a maximum four points, the

same as the English.

They boast a healthier net run-rate of +1.325, following victories in their first two matches against Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Dottin said confidence has grown in the Windies camp since their two-one lost to South Africa in a T20 series before the World Cup “We have been more confident than earlier having come of a series in South Africa and knowing that we have our goal set for the World Cup,” she said. (Windies

Cricket)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

thursDAY, march 24, 2016

RHTYSC receives all-weather concrete cricket pitch from Republic Bank T

he cricketers of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, can now practise their craft all year long after the Club was presented with an all-weather Concrete pitch, compliments of the staff of the Rose Hall Town Republic Bank Branch.

The pitch worth $150,000.00 was handed over by Branch Manager Harry DassGhaness to RHTYSC Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster after it was constructed by staff members of the Rose Hall Town Republic Bank Branch and cricketers drawn from across the RHT Farfan and Mendes Under-15, Bakewell Under-17 and Pepsi Under-19 cricket teams.

Foster, in accepting the donation stated that the membership of the RHTYSC junior section was expanding at a very rapid rate and m management[TJ1] was seeking ways to get all youths to develop their full potentials. The concrete pitch, Foster stated would be equipped with practise nets to allow Club members to practice as a pair and also for coaches to conduct one on one sessions with junior cricketers.

The long serving Secretary/CEO stated that the RHTYSC, is currently seeking to obtain enough

RHT Bakewell U-17 ‘A’ start 2016 BCB cricket season with 2 victories – Anderson, Sinclair star

T

Republic Bank staff pose near the concrete pitch after its construction

cricket gears for its junior members and expressed gratitude to the management of the Rose Hall Town Republic Bank Branch for the 6 ‘ x 40 ‘ concrete pitch which he described as an investment into the future of Guyana’s leading youth and sports organisation.

Foster described Republic Bank as a true friend of the RHTYSC, and stated that it was the support of corporate entities such as Republic Bank which enabled the Club to receive the historic Medal

of Service Award from the Government of Guyana.

Captain of the RHT Bakewell Under-17 team Kelvon Anderson whole heartily expressed gratitude for construction of the pitch and noted that it would assist young cricketers to improve their batting against fast bowling. He pledged on behalf of his colleagues to take full advantage of the facility to make both the RHTYSC, and Republic Bank proud in the future.

Republic Bank Rose Hall Town Branch Manager

Harry DassGhaness stated that as a corporate entity, the Bank was committed to fulfilling its responsibilities especially in the fields of sports, education and culture.

The Bank, he noted was pleased to be associated with the RHTYSC, an organisation which has an outstanding track record of achievements. He also praised the joint effort of both his staff and Club’s cricketers in constructing the project in the shortest possible time.

he Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘A’ Under-17 team has started the 2016 Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Under-17 season with two comprehensive victories in the Memorex Cricket Tournament.

They easily defeated Tamarind Root of Hamshire by an innings and seventy one runs while they got past their Rose Hall Town Bakewell ‘B’ counterparts by an innings and 20 runs in the second round.

The outstanding performers were all-rounders’ Kelvin Sinclair, Junior Sinclair, Keith Sinclair and Kelvon Anderson.

Playing at the Area ‘H’ Ground Tamarind Root was dismissed for 44 in their first innings with only D. Mahadeo reaching double figures with 11 as West Indies Under-15 selectee Kelvin Sinclair claimed figures of 5-17 and Kelvon Anderson 2-4.

In response RHT Bakewell ‘A’ rattled up 177-6 with national junior cricketer Junior Sinclair top scoring with a classy 70 while Kelvon Anderson 20 supported as well. R. Mahadeo took 2-27 runs for Tamarind Root.

Batting a second time with

Pybus plans to rekindle fast-bowling

Shabazz livid over lack of facilities ... “Maybe it’s time for me to go home”

Jamaal Shabaaz makes a point during a training session

By Treiston Joseph

A

fter a 7-nil drubbing of Anguilla on Tuesday evening at the National Stadium, Providence, one would have thought that any Head Coach would have been happy about such a result especially since it starts Guyana’s Caribbean Cup campaign on the right foot.

However, such was not the case as Head Coach of the Golden Jaguars Jamaal Shabazz labelled Guyana’s football facility-less state

as “crazy” at the post match press conference on Tuesday evening.

“My fear is that we don’t have any facilities to train that is my fear more than any opponent…facilities must be a priority, there is no love lost if I s say this because it is the truth, our athletes if they are to excel the least we must have is somewhere we can prepare properly.

“Anguilla is one tiny nation and they have a field, we are on big nation with lots of land… I’m not satisfied, I’m very disappointed and I

call on everyone, the government, corporate Guyana and the people to recognise the role that sports play in human development,” Shabazz ranted.

Shabazz anger exuded to the point where he suggested playing Guyana’s international home games and even the Stag Elite League in neighbouring countries or islands.

“When you have a major problem you have to address this, maybe we should play our home games or the Elite League in Suriname or

neigbouring islands because they have the fields.

“After a long time I think it’s time for me to go back home, after so long we don’t have a field, it’s crazy,” Shabazz raved.

With Guyana set to fly out for Puerto today, Shabazz noted that it was no use to talk about preparation, “I’m very angry at this moment and with the preparation, we are trying to build a team, the Elite League has minimized the gap between players playing overseas and the players here but it is useless to talk about preparation when we have no field.

“My name is Jamaal not Merlin, if you want to make an omelet you must at least have some eggs,” the Trinidad national quipped.

However, Shabazz did note that Guyana leaving today will mean that the squad will have some time to prepare on a much suited field for football in Puerto Rico.

Guyana will next face Puerto Rico in an away fixture on March 29 where they will need only a draw to secure a berth to the next round of the championship.

a deficit of 133 runs, the visitors were dismissed for 63 in their second innings with only Joshua Naidu and Joshua Mahadeo offering any resistance with 17 each. Sinclair completed a good match with the ball by taking 6-12 and with match figures of 11-20.

In the second match versus RHT Bakewell ‘B’, the ‘B’ team were bowled out for 62 as Sinclair continued his remarkable bowling with 7-5 as only Tejram Dayaram offered resistance with 27 runs.

In response, RHT Bakewell ‘A’ amassed 225-4 with the prolific Kelvon Anderson scoring an unbeaten 105 (13x4) while the talented Keith Sampson supported with an attractive 90 with ten boundaries.

Left arm spinner Simon Naidu took 3 wickets for 51 runs for the ‘B’ Team. The ‘B’ team in their second innings with a deficit of 163 runs were bowled out for 58 to lose by an innings and 104 runs. Haresh Fernandes topscored with 16 while Lucas Arthur was unbeaten on 12. Sinclair 4 for 5, Junior Sinclair 3 for 12 and John Mankarran were the successful bowlers for RHT Bakewell ‘A’.

WICB Director Richard Pybus

T

of

Cricket

he West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) says it wants to stage a series of fast bowling camps as part of a plan to rekindle an area of the game that has been struggling in recent years.

WICB Director of Cricket Richard Pybus made the announcement at the conclusion of the ten-round Professional Cricket League (PCL) Regional four-day Tournament on Monday.

The WICB is pondering the introduction of an off-season training programme targeting fast bowlers after spinners dominated the just ended fourday tournament.

“We are prioritizing and looking at some camps for our fast bowlers possibly some measures off season to prioritize fast bowling in the four-day competition,” said Pybus in an interview with WICB media.

“This is going to be central to us getting that back at the heart of West Indies cricket again”.

Spinners featured prominently during the tournament including the top wicket- taker, Jamaican spinner Nikita Miller who had 65 scalps in nine matches.

“The competition has been still dominated too much by the spin bowlers,”said the WICB Director of cricket.

“That is something that we will have to seriously address during the off season to make sure that we are prioritizing the fast bowlers”.

Guyana’s Leon Johnson with 807 scored the most runs for the season followed by Devon Smith of the Windward Islands who scored 719 – though from two matches less.

Guyana’s Vishal Singh and Barbados’ Royston Chase were other players who scored over 700 runs.

“I think something which is exceptionally positive is the quality of the batting. We are getting a consistency in the scoring,” said Pybus.

“We got a core group of young players who have put their hand up all the way through the competition. We are getting consistent with hundreds being scored. Volume of hundreds and volume of runs which I think is very positive”.

Guyana Jaguars were crowned champions of the R4Day for the second straight year.

They finished with 149 points – seven clear of nearest rivals Barbados Pride – to regain the George Headley/ Everton Weekes Trophy, symbol of regional first-class supremacy.

“The first season of the PCL was very rushed and the systems we wanted to put in place to be able to support it were not where we wanted them to be,” he said.

“So this year is closer to where I would like to see the system in terms of providing support to the players and the structure of the season regarding the off season programmes for the players”. (Windies Cricket)

guyanatimesGY.com

thursDAY, march 24, 2016

BCB/Dalchand Rambharose Inter-School U-15 cricket…

23

STAG/EBFA Senior League…

Canje Secondary secure Grove, Herstelling are latest winners 1st innings against G Vryman’s Erven T

he 2016 Dalchand Rambharose InterSecondary School Under-15, two-innings Cricket Competition in Berbice continued recently with Canje Secondary School taking first innings points from Vryman’s Erven Secondary School in their drawn match.

Playing at Cumberland, Vryman’s Erven, choosing to bat first, soon found themselves five wickets down with only 10 runs on the board courtesy of Canje’s offspinner Anthony Williams who picked up three wickets and two run-outs.

Things did not improve much for Vryman’s with Aditya Budhoo being the only one of them to reach double figures with 10. They managed to post 33 all out in their first innings.

Zeynul Ramsammy

Bowling for Canje Secondary, Williams ended with 4 for 9 from 5-Overs and Zeynul Ramsammy 2 for 6.

When Canje Secondary replied in their first innings,

GLTA strengthens club tennis through interclub competitions

T

he Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) has progressed in strengthening club tennis through this year’s Interclub Competitions, which followed the Rebel Tennis Club successful tournament.

Interclub features competition between five clubs that formed six teams.

Sheltez Tennis Club entered two teams, while the other clubs entered one team which were Rebel, Non Pariel, La Ressouvenir and Roraima Tennis Clubs.

The match format is best of 17 games and a round robin format which means all clubs will face each other to determine the best club.

Sheltez Team A took on Roraima in the first meet of the tournament and etched the first win in a closely con-

tested meet. Each meet has three doubles matches and two singles. One point for a doubles win and two points for a singles win.

Daniel Lopes and Nicolas Glasgow (Sheltez A) defeated Kester Abrams and Bishan Dalip 9/1, Oswin Coggins and Stephen Bailey (Roraima) defeated Kalyca Fraser and Robert Bostwick 9/4, Afruica Gentle and Mark McDonald (Shetez A) defeated Leroy Chapman and Asif Subhan 9/3.

In the singles, Roraima’s team captain, Benjattan Osborne secured a 9/4 win against Nicola Ramdyhan while his fellow team mate, Keimo Benjamin fell at the hands of Keenan Persaud 9/4 to chalk a final score of 4 points for Sheltez A and 3 points to Roraima.

they too lost early wickets to be 8 for 2 before Zeynul Ramsammy joined forces with Carl Gilgeous and together they took the score past the first innings target and added to Vryman’s problems by putting on 32 more before Gilgeous went for 28.

Ramsammy continued and scored 67 which helped take Canje Secondary to 154 allout by the end of the day.

Bowling for Vryman’s Erven Secondary, Lindon Campbell took 3 for 33, Aditya Budhoo 2 for 26, Travis Sinclair and Trevin Schultz 2 for 39 each.

The BCB are extremely grateful to the sponsor Mr Dalchand Rambharose, formerly of Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice but now resides in the USA.

rove staved off a spirited fightback from Soesdyke to win 4-2 while Herstelling took full points when they found the winning goal late in the second half to turn back the challenge of Mocha Champs in the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Stag Senior League.

In a closely contested match, Eric Williams’ 86th minute stunner was the separator between the two sides. Herstelling enjoyed the better run and could have easily won the match by about five goals but kept missing chance after chance.

The opening match saw Grove having to dig deep to pull off a win against the determined Soesdyke Falcons.

Denzil Crawford, who hammered in a brace, had given Grove the lead in the 7th minute but the advantage was short-lived as Soesdyke responded in like manner in

the 14th minute through the first of two goals from Alvin Adams.

The first half ended 1-1 as pressure continued to mount on the defending champions, Grove. The home team finally found the go ahead goal in the 62nd minute that was headed home by Lloyd Matthews.

For a moment it seemed that that second goal was enough to secure full points for Grove but with three

minutes to full time, Adams fired in the equalizer for Soesdyke. With one minute to the full 90 minutes, Soesdyke buckled under pressure and scored against themselves, Delwin Boston the player.

Grove kept on applying the pressure and secured their fourth goal Crawford putting the icing on the cake in the fourth minute of added on time, 90+4.

thursDAY, march 24, 2016

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

Shabazz livid over lack of facilities Pg 22

The Golden Jaguars listen to fitness trainer Anson Ambrose during a training session

... “Maybe it’s time for me to go home”

ICC T20 World Cup…

India win after WWW in last 3 balls Pg 20

India celebrate their thrilling win (AFP Photo)

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