Guyana Times 2017-03-09

Guyana to get P modernised electronic visa system 17

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

Issue No. 3147

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, March 9, 2017

GPHC creates “emergency” to sole source $605M drugs from Trini firm

... local companies with cheaper supply snubbed

Page 7

…could have saved over $100M taxpayers’ dollars

Round 2: Opposition Leader meets Granger …discusses Judiciary, GECOM

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Rice farmers protest P13 land rental increases

Non-payment of severance

Sugar workers to protest P11 President’s office today

Page 3

Bus conductor jailed for Mash Day theft P8

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and PPP/C MP Anil Nandlall in discussion with President David Granger, Minister of State Joseph Harmon Attorney General Basil Williams at State House on Wednesday

Political directive

PPP has “evidence” to prove case of political vindictiveness – Nandlall …as more former officials questioned by SOCU

Jennifer Westford

Priya Manickchand

Nanda Gopaul

Overseas-based Guyanese robbed by gun-toting nephews Page 10

…as bandits pounce on EBD family after arriving from airport

Clement Rohee

Fire guts section of UG’s Health Sciences building Page 13

Sheik Baksh

Page 2

More consultations needed on Animal Welfare Bill – P12 ABKC country rep

Capoey Village Council P11 upgrades community access road Guy Gas robbery

Dead bandit identified as Covent Garden resident P10

2 News

thursDAY, march 9, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Political directives

PPP has “evidence” to prove case of political vindictiveness – Nandlall … as more former officials questioned by SOCU

BY DEVINA SAMAROO

T

he drama continued on Wednesday, though not as ostentatious as before, as more former prominent Government officials trickled into the headquarters of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) in connection with several investigations into ostensible criminal activities regarding the misappropriation of State assets.

Former Prime Minister and President Samuel Hinds; former Education Minister Priya Manickchand; former Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee; former Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford; former Labour Minister, Dr Nanda Gopaul; and former Housing Ministers Irfaan Ali and

Former Public Service Minister Jennifer Westford

Former Education Minister Priya Manickchand speaking with media following her interview with SOCU

Sheik Baksh were drilled

by SOCU agents in relation to findings which stemmed from several forensic audit reports.

Unlike what transpired the previous day where some officials includ-

ing former President and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon were arrested, the officials who visited SOCU’s Headquarters on Wednesday were not

Nanda Gopaul as he exited Clement Rohee on completion Sheik Baksh walking away SOCU on Wednesday of his interview at SOCU from media operatives outside of SOCU headquarters headquarters

placed under arrest.

British Advisor to SOCU, Dr Sam Sittlington, explained to media operatives that the persons were only arrested because they demonstrated some level of unwillingness to cooperate.

But contrary to what he said, former Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud and daughter of former President Donald Ramotar and General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board, Lisa Ramotar, had freely visited SOCU’s Office but were detained.

Dr Sittlington presumed they were only detained because of their ‘attitudes’ towards the SOCU agents.

“That had to do with the investigators and how they were talking to the investigators,” he stated.

an interview with media operatives outside of SOCU’s Headquarters.

Nandlall said the evidence would be compiled in an affidavit that will demonstrate with clarity the case of political vindictiveness and vendetta if charges are laid.

Criminal act

Moreover, the former Attorney General argued that the alleged acquisition of house lots at prices below market value is not a criminal act, as is being peddling by the Government.

The majority of the persons being currently questioned by SOCU are persons who purchased properties at the Sparendaam seawall area commonly known as “Pradoville 2”.

The current Administration contends the transactions are a criminal act because of the belief that the properties were acquired below market value.

But Nandlall remarked that subsidised housing has always been a part of the legacy of the People’s Progressive Party and that countless Guyanese have benefited from lands sold below market value.

Political vindictiveness

Attorney Anil Nandlall, who has provided legal representation for a number of the past Government officials, announced that he has enough evidence to prove a case of political vindictiveness and witch-hunting against the Government.

“It is clear that they are taking directions from the Office of the President…

If charges germinate from these investigations, these charges are going to be challenged vigorously on that very ground. The criminal justice system must never be used as an instrument for political vendetta, vindictiveness and to oppress people,” he declared during

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thursDAY, march 9, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, March 9 – a night retraction at 03:00h and a day retraction at 14:30h-16:00h and Friday, March 10 – a night retraction at 04:00h and a day retraction at 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, March 9 – 14:05h-15:35h and Friday, March 10 – 14:55h-16:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day, while partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 27 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-easterly to East North-easterly between 4.02 metres and 6.25 metres.

High Tide: 02:16h and 14:36h reaching maximum heights of 2.32 metres and 2.43 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 08:08h and 20:38h reaching minimum heights of 0.90 metre and 0.73 metre respectively.

Round 2: Opposition Leader meets Granger …discusses Judiciary, GECOM

T

he second round of ongoing consultations between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo got underway on Wednesday afternoon, during which the appointment of the new Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the judicial appointments were discussed.

The meeting was held at State House during which Jagdeo was accompanied by parliamentarian and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall; while the President’s team included Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Attorney General Basil Williams.

According to a statement from the Office of the Opposition Leader on Wednesday evening, during the meeting, the President admitted that a collaborative exercise between himself and the Opposition Leader would assist in arriving at a consensual candidate, which was the intention of the framers of Article 161 (2) of the Constitution. To this end, the Head of State promised to present Jagdeo with the necessary clarifications requested within 10 days.

The Opposition Leader had, on numerous occasions, sought clarifications from President Granger with regards to the qualities of the persons to be nominated for the position. Nevertheless, upon receipt of these clarifications, the statement said, the Leader of the Opposition shall submit to the President a new list of six more names for the appointment of the GECOM chairmanship in accordance with Article 161 (2) of the Constitution, as soon as is reasonably possible.

Meanwhile, in a separate public missive from the Ministry of the Presidency on Wednesday evening as well, Minister Harmon noted that the Attorney General sought to give a clear explanation as to what, according to the Constitution, was “fit and proper”.

“His Excellency did elaborate a little more on that and he identified the three ‘Is’ which is to say that the person must be a person of integrity, the person must be a person who is independent and the person must be someone who is impartial,” Harmon said.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and PPP/C MP Anil Nandlall in discussion with President David Granger, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Attorney General Basil Williams at State House on Wednesday

He added that while a date for the next engagement with the Opposition Leader has not been fixed, there is not going to be much delay in concluding this particular issue.

On the other hand, the two leaders also discussed pending issues relating to judicial appointments including the recommendations of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for the appointment of two Judges to both the High Court and Appeal Court – an issue which Jagdeo had raised during the first consultation meeting last week.

In February 2016, the JSC had recommended that High Court Judges, Justice Rishi Persaud and Justice Dawn Gregory, be elevated to the Court of Appeal and that Attorneys Sandil Kissoon and Damone Younge, be appointed as Puisne Judges.

According to Harmon in the MotP release, the Head of State indicated to the Leader of the Opposition during the

meeting that he sent a letter to the acting Chancellor and the Chairman of the JSC asking them to provide some additional information, that is, information relating to performance of the two Judges and certain particulars of the two lawyers. The Minister of State noted that based upon this information, the President will exercise his judgement.

However, during the meeting, the Opposition Leader referred to the constitutional mandate of the JSC to conduct the requisite inquires and to determine the suitability of candidates who eventually would become the subject of recommendations to the President for appointment.

Jagdeo outlined that once those recommendations are made, the President’s power is very limited under the Constitution, obliging him to make the appointments in spite of reservations which he may have regarding the candidates who have been recom-

mended.

Furthermore, the former President pointed out that any request for a performance related report ought not to be confined to the two Judges, who have been recommended for elevation, but must apply to all Judges so that they can be a basis for comparison.

Additionally, he noted that since this initiative would be a comparatively new one, it should be applied in the future whenever judges are recommended for promotion.

Wednesday’s meeting was a follow-up to initial consultation held on March 1 between the two leaders. While last week’s meeting was premised on the appointment of Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards as acting Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire as acting Chief Justice, the Opposition Leader took the opportunity to raise several issues within and beyond the Judiciary.

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thursDAY, march 9, 2017

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

The Pradoville II politics

T

he Government has spent almost the entire first two years of its term to bring charges of one sort or another against the members of past PPP administrations and their associates. Towards this end they ordered a score of “forensic audits” into the operations of several agencies so as to identify specific transgressions for the said charges to be filed. They even assigned a Minister to coordinate this task. However, in several instances where there were even more pronounced calls for such audits - such as at City Hall or GECOM in the wake of well publicised revelations of financial improprieties, there were no audits ordered. And of course, no prosecutions.

But as the audits were completed and six handed over to the police for further investigations and possible criminal prosecutions, it became clear the government was honing in on transactions in what has been dubbed the “Pradoville II” housing development. The investigation into this project, which was conducted by the accounting firm of Ram & McRae, was purportedly part of a larger probe of the financial operations of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA).

And it also became clear that even though lots were allocated to former president Bharat Jagdeo, six Cabinet members and others such as Compton Bourne, former Head of the Caribbean Development Bank and UG Chancellor, the inquiry was honing in on Jagdeo, even though he is constitutionally immune from prosecutions for actions taken while he filled the office of the President of Guyana.

The gist of the allegations by the audit was that the allocation of the lots was not done in a transparent manner, the values of the lots were “grossly: undervalued, and that the procedures followed by the Housing Minister in making the allocations varied from the norm. But what made the inquiry into the Pradoville II scheme suspicious was its handing over to the Police “Special Organised Crime Unit” ( SOCU). It would appear the police was assuming that the Pradoville II scheme was an undertaking of organised crime.

Over a year ago, there were widespread concerns about SOCU exceeding its mandate which was to investigate crimes emanating from the AML/CFT legislation, when it was involved in a high speed chase in which two persons perished.

Reacting to these concerns, the Minister of Public Security introduced an amendment to the GPF’s Standing Order No. 62, which concretised the expansion of SOCU’s mandate.

The criminal activities outside of terrorism and money laundering which were outlined in the amendment were: participation in an organised criminal group and racketeering; trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling; sexual exploitation, including the sexual exploitation of children; illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; illicit arms and ammunition trafficking; corruption and bribery; fraud; counterfeiting and piracy of products; environmental crimes; murder; grievous bodily harm; kidnapping, illegal restraint and hostage taking; robbery or theft; smuggling; extortion; forgery; piracy; insider trading and market manipulation; tax evasion; and gold smuggling.

But there was no indication that it was authorised to investigate the “misfeasance” which the forensic audit claimed had been committed by the allotees of Pradoville II. And yet SOCU was given the job even though it was aided by a supposed British “expert” who was brought in. The suspicion that SOCU was a special unit to intimidate the PPP in general and Jagdeo in particular was brought out when SOCU claimed it was gathering evidence to lay charges.

Experts asked at that point why were the Cabinet members and other individuals not being questioned. Today we have the answer: in very dramatic fashion they were arrested in a manner designed to make it a public spectacle and to humiliate them.

Another significant revelation was made when Asst Commissioner David Ramnarine, who is supposed to be overseeing SOCU, admitted he did not know the arrests were being made, even though last week Minister of Public Security revealed that arrests were imminent.

Why is SOCU still exceeding its mandate under political direction?

Social Protection Ministry’s International Women’s Day 2017 Symposium was held under the theme ‘Planet 50:50 by 2030 – Be bold for Change: Progress for women, Progress for all’ on Wednesday, in the auditorium of the Guyana Police Force Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Street and Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown (Carl Croker photo)

Surujbally undermining Constitution, GECOM (Pt 2) Dear Editor, Dr Steve Surujbally’s casting of his determining vote on the question of the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Lowenfield’s application to the courts to pursue the blocking of a hearing of Ganga Persaud’s Election Petition does not meet nor allows for the standard of transparency and integrity required of an elections commission in any democracy and brings the electoral body to a new historically low point. Why should the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM), through its CEO, stand in the way of the constitutionally mandated resort, which is intended to bring comfort on judicial scrutiny and determination, on the questioning of electoral integrity?

It is Guyana’s democratic process, and GECOM, who would be winners, one way or the other when this matter is fully ventilated and determined in the courts and no one should stand in its way…..unless there is something to hide or an attempt is underway to obfuscate what really transpired in 2015 and to delay the 2020 elections!

Dr Surujbally goes further into bringing his tenure at GECOM into question and disrepute. He, perhaps too readily, accords with the Government’s position that a Judge or a person who can be appointed as a Judge is, a priori, according to his interpretation, suited for appointment as GECOM

Chairman, if he is “fit and proper.” This construct of Dr Surujbally would appear to rule his appointment out from the very beginning and appears to be an admission of his ‘squatting’ on the position all these years.

Surujbally tries to adopt an enigmatic posture with respect to the mysterious appearance of fake Statements of Poll (SOPs) into the count during 2015 elections. He adverts to existing “empirical” data which could point in a certain direction. He noted that Police investigations led nowhere and called on the media to exercise more vigilance and to pursue the issue.

The question which naturally arises is why is Surujbally sitting on data, empirical or otherwise, which could help solve this deeply troubling puzzle?

Why should anyone, most of all the Chairman of an elections commission, fuel speculations and allow these to run rife with respect to the penetration of the GECOM system by fake Statements of Poll? Is it not required of Dr Surujbally to reveal publically his empirical data to help solve this mystery as an aspect of his stewardship and legacy at GECOM? Is it not within the remit of the Chairman of the Elections Commission to investigate and report fully on this matter? We should all be prepared to let the chips fall where they may in resolution of this crucial issue.

Guyana is still awaiting reports from GECOM

on the 2015 General and Regional Elections and on the 2016 Local Government Elections.

Elections Commissions in jurisdictions with which Dr Surujbally is familiar have published the reports on their elections, petitions or no petitions, shortly after their elections were concluded. Dr Surujbally has balked at allowing for the 2015 elections report to be done and provided to the Commission, the public, and the national stakeholders.

Monthly and annual reports of GECOM are infrequent and generally of poor usability… as are meetings of the Commission.

Oversight of the Commission is poor with complaints of some Commissioners being “embedded” there while others do not have the same access… this against a backdrop of Surujbally refusing to provide common space and facilitation to Commissioners to do research or to meet members of the public.

Surujbally has also refused to provide documented information to the Commissioners on allegations in the media on financial mismanagement and other irregularities at the institution but has studiedly made assertions in the media and in an appraisal on the very good performance of the executive in the face of an ongoing audit by the State Auditors of GECOM. Dr Surujbally’s insistence on not adopting any

course of action to have GECOM’s employment practices result in an environment and appearance which satisfactorily reflect Guyana’s ethnicities and multicultural character is a signal failure towards GECOM avoiding charges and perceptions of ethnic bias. The blinkered approach to this problem allows for the continuing shutting out of representative sections of the electorate from participating fully in democratic action and oversight and this in itself impairs our, admittedly, evolving democracy at all levels and in all spheres.

And, lastly, the lack of any perceived urgency in modernising electoral systems by allowing for the adoption of enhanced biometrics, e-registration and e-tabulation as adjunct to the current system speaks volumes on the ultimate failure of GECOM under Dr Surujbally.

A failure in stewardship and accountability, due to elitist, obdurate, and opportunistic leadership, has resulted in a corrosive atmosphere and the undermining of tried and proven administrative and professional practice, which has continuing negative impacts and portend a future of enormous risk.

We at GECOM cannot continue to fail our country.

Sincerely, Robeson BENN PPP/C GECOM Commissioner

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, march 9, 2017

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

Prime Minister lacks credibility to speak at East Indian cultural events Dear Editor, Two news stories emerged out of Guyana recently that are related and equally disturbing. The first is the murder of another East Indian for his jewelry. The second is Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo speaking at an event organized to celebrate 100 years since the end of Indenture Servitude of East Indians.

In the first story, the East Indian who was followed, robbed, and murdered is the brother of the crime chief of the Guyana Police Force. Brother of a police crime chief, he is just another name on a long list of thousands of East Indians who have been beaten, raped, or murdered over the past 30 years during a robbery or burglary.

In the second, the prime minister should not have been asked by organizers to speak at any function regarding the legacy of East Indians. He willfully suppressed his East Indian heritage during the 2015 elections in his enthusiasm to proclaim his Guyanese citizenship.

He has every right to be a proud Guyanese. He has sacrificed more than anyone else for this coalition regime to assume office. However,

democracy does not require politicians to suppress any ethnic heritage in order to garner votes. Moses Nagamootoo has no credibility to speak on East Indian heritage, which is significantly more important than his political ambition.

It is this tendency to disrespect East Indian heritage during elections, whether East Indian-owned property is burnt down or East Indian voters are beaten or their votes rigged, that encourages the culture of disrespect to rob, rape, and kill East Indians long after elections are over. It is one and the same culture.

Today, much of the news about crimes being committed against Guyanese is filled with the sound of East Indians being violated. Many robberies and beatings are not reported.

Reported or not, little is documented for posterity.

Guns continue to be inserted into the mouths and against the heads of East Indian children while the executive, legislative, and judiciary remain unaffected.

East Indians like the late brother of the crime chief are prohibited from wearing jewelry in the public without being stalked and murdered just as wild animals

are tracked and executed.

The prime minister knows, having seen many iconic photographs of East Indian Indenture laborers wearing jewelry, that the use of jewelry is an integral part of East Indian culture, attire, and folklore. However, stalking and stripping the East Indians of their jewelry is now an integral part of Guyanese culture, attire, and folklore.

Indeed, the prime minister knows that East Indians are hunted for their gold jewelry. They wear jewelry freely in other countries but not in their native Guyana. If they do, some in Guyana reads that to mean not merely a license but an automatic right to strangle, beat, or kill East Indians.

It is so because the disrespect of East Indian heritage is being taught and encouraged some 100 years after Indenture Servitude ended in 1917. Perhaps, they may have been more secured in their properties and persons on the plantations and boats than they have been in an independent Guyana.

Sincerely, Rakesh Rampertab

M&CC, Smart City profit-sharing is iniquitous by any standards Dear Editor, Though there has been a plethora of comments on the parking meter scheme, many of our members have insisted that we make a public comment on the issue: (1) Iniquitous profit-sharing The profit-sharing between M&CC and Smart City Solutions is iniquitous by any standards. Smart City’s main input to the Scheme is a number of used parking meters and a few ancillary things which they have costed at US$10.million but which many knowledgeable persons, including Deputy Mayor Duncan have said is a bloated figure. The Guyana side would be providing the Georgetown road system worth billions of dollars and the main enforcers in the person of 50 City Constables or one-third of the force. The Guyana side would be inputting 99 per cent of the assets while Smart City would be supplying one per cent but receiving 80 per cent of the profits. The more equitable arrangement is for the Guyana side to receive 85 per cent of the profits and Smart City 15 per cent which is the norm companies receive. Except this is done, the Scheme must be scrapped.

(2) Parking meter scheme a drain on Guyana’s foreign exchange Parking Meters are not producing or generating any wealth for the country but would be exporting Guyana’s foreign exchange on a daily basis. The Scheme should have been brought to the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Guyana for

The contrived diversion Dear Editor, When the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) took office in 1992 they could have prosecuted many People’s National Congress (PNC) Ministers for the massive fraud, embezzlement and numerous acts of corruption they have committed on this nation. They bankrupted an entire country after robbing it dry. They then borrowed billions of dollars from various international loan agencies so that they could continue penchant stealing.

However, upon assuming office, Dr Jagan took the right course of action to initiate national healing by not resorting to political witch-hunting – he forgave them their trespasses!

The PPP/C immediately began to rebuild the socio-economic fabric which the PNC destroyed by implementing sound economic policies.

They were able to transform Guyana into an upper middle-class country from a poor and highly indebted one. It took 23 years of nation building.

But alas! What we are

now seeing is the reverse.

After nearly two years in office, the PNC dominated coalition Government has once again succeeded in plunging the country in a regressive mode, over-taxing the people, eroding their standard of living and making crimes a daily feature. Once again, they have emptied the Treasury and fill their own pockets with humongous tax free salaries and massive squandermania and corruption.

But what is more repulsive is the fact that immediately upon taking office the coalition Government has launched an unrelenting and unconscionable witchhunt against the very people whose economic gains they are now enjoying. The PNC dominated coalition has now embarked on a contrived ploy not only to embarrass former President Bharrat Jagdeo but other PPP members as well, since they have failed in their quest to uncover the massive corruption which was their campaign mantra. Instead they have now unleashed SOCU to arrest these people knowing fully well that those

charges will never stand up in a court of law. This contrived diversion is also aimed at getting away from the very serious social and economic problems that they have generated and for which they have no solution. But they cannot fool the people anymore. The masses have now come face to face with the real corruptors!

However, if the coalition feels that this ploy will tarnish the image of these PPP stalwarts and derail the efforts of the PPP, they are dead wrong. The PPP is a party which is built on struggle and it thrives and grows strong under oppressive conditions, therefore this latest act of political witch-hunting

will only serve to ignite the revolutionary fire within the hearts of the PPP members and supporters and unite them in the fight against this growing and shameless dictatorship.

Lastly, destroying the sugar industry will not destroy the PPP, it will make them stronger. This Government needs to stop and think well on this self-destructive course it has been charting. They have already grossly decimated their chances at the 2020 General Elections unless they are confident of resurrecting their infamous rigging machinery.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

their imprimatur and except this is done immediately, the Scheme must be scrapped.

(3) Scheme condones corruption The Government of Guyana worked very hard over the last two years to re-establish the culture of transparency and non-corruption in Guyana. Smart City’s parking meter scheme is quickly negating all of Government’s anti-corruption efforts. The Scheme must be scrapped before more damage is done.

(4) Parking meters are a regulatory mechanism and never a tax or profit-making activitySmart City is intent on making a profit-kill and M&CC to get revenue out of the meters. Both activities are turning the raison d’etre of parking meters on its head and will cause untold damage. Scrap the Scheme before the disaster it will bring to the City and all Guyana strikes.

(5) Parking meters have started destroying businesses in Georgetown A large portion of people who come to the City to buy will not do so any longer; they will use Internet shopping and avoid the City. Loss of customers and business has started.

Scrap the meters before business dies.

(6) M&CC should cease to be in terror of scrapping this unequal contract.

The contract is illegal and could be legally scrapped.

M&CC must act before more damage is caused.

(7) M&CC could easily earn more than enough revenue by collecting the monies owed to it and could easily control whatever traffic congestion may be in the City: i)M&CC are owed billions of dollars in

uncollected taxes. If they do their work and collect even a fraction of this money, they will have more than enough money. ii)M&CC still have the numerous high-rise buildings in the City paying the old rates; they should begin to collect the proper rates. iii)Numerous businesses have sprung up all over the City and they still pay domestic rates. M&CC should ensure that they pay the business rates. iv)Control of traffic. The traffic congestion in the City is concentrated in Water and High Streets from Church Street to Hadfield Street and in the older parts of Regent Street. Once these streets are controlled, Camp Street and King street will fall into line. The area to be controlled is small and the 50 Constables who are deployed as Smart City enforcers, could easily control the traffic.

The Scheme is a burden and hated by the overwhelming majority of citizens; is negating Central Government’s efforts in ending corruption and bringing transparency; is saddling M&CC with an unequal contract and unfair profit-sharing; is a drain on Guyana’s foreign exchange; is killing business in Georgetown; and except for the profit harvest, it doesn’t do Smart City much good since the past of so many of its management and operatives are being uncovered disturbing their privacy. The Scheme does no one any good and should forthwith be scrapped since the longer it lingers, the more damage will be caused.

Yours sincerely, J Deonauth Secretary, Guyana Consumers Association

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Foundation

By Vanessa LoBue, PhD

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guyanatimesgy.com

hen my son Edwin was 18 months old, we had been enjoying a brief stint of time where life with a child started to feel significantly easier than it was in the first year.

Ever since he mastered the art of walking, the innocuous coffee table was no longer a death trap, and we didn’t have to follow his every wobbly move. Similarly, since he started saying his first words, he had begun to communicate some of his needs, and we didn’t have to guess the meaning of every cry. Yes, things were starting to feel easier. That is, until we reached the 18-month mark: All of sudden, we found ourselves in a brave new world filled with temper tantrums, incessant whining, and the occasional (and surprisingly aerodynamic) sippy cup flying at my head. A friend of mine playfully said that Edwin was clearly advanced for his age. What she meant was, the terrible twos had come early.

Why are the twos so terrible, and why are toddlers so difficult in general? It turns out that there are many, many, (many, many, many) reasons that all come together to form the perfect storm that is a terrible toddler. First, let’s talk about what toddlers can do.

Toddlers can feel a vast array of emotions, including happiness, anger, sadness, and fear. They can also have very specific goals and desires, and they can understand when you are preventing them from achieving one of those goals, even if it’s for their own safety. What makes the twos so terrible is the combination of what they can do, with what they can’t: Namely, they can’t control their thoughts and feelings very well, and they can’t al-

ways communicate what those thoughts and feelings are.

Self-control and emotion regulation are related to the ability (or lack thereof, in a toddler’s case) to control one’s own thoughts and feelings, and ultimately, one’s own behavior. Let’s take the example of emotion regulation. Picture being in a situation at work or perhaps when you’re watching a really sad movie and you feel like crying, but you are able to control the urge and keep yourself composed. At first, infants rely completely on their caregivers (namely, you) to soothe them when they are experiencing a negative emotion. Over the course of the first

year of life, they start to soothe themselves when they wake up at night, sometimes by patting themselves or by stroking toys in their cribs, or by using a pacifier. Eventually they will develop control over their emotional responses, but this is a skill that develops very slowly throughout childhood and adolescence, and it is one that many of us continue to struggle with as adults.

There’s no beating around the bush about this: Toddlers stink at both emotion regulation and self-control. When

they want to do something, they usually just do it, or at least they try. When they are prevented from doing something (by you), the result is usually anger or frustration, and they have no other recourse than to show you exactly how they feel.

Not having a solid means to communicate with language makes the problem even worse since they can’t express verbally the source of their frustration. So they scream, they cry, they throw temper tantrums and they may even throw their sippy cups at your head. That’s the bad news. The good news is that it will get better with time. At first, toddlers are going to show you poor self-control and emotion regulation skills, and the result of these poor skills are tantrums or even aggressive behaviors. As your toddlers get older, they will develop strategies to help them with self-control and with managing their emotions.

Strategies like looking for help from an adult, or distracting themselves from the source of distress can be effective in reducing negative emotional reactions. Helping them develop their own strategies like these can also be helpful once your toddlers are verbal enough to understand how to implement these strategies. In the end, developing self-control and emotion regulation abilities are important for positive social interactions, as self-control has been linked to academic competence, attentiveness, and verbal ability in school. Most importantly, once your toddlers start getting better with these skills, the temper tantrums will taper off, the whining will wane, the sippy cups will stay safely on the kitchen table, and finally the terrible twos won’t feel so terrible anymore.(Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

Y

suit. Getting a screaming baby into one of these things is the hardest thing ever.

13. Never check a nappy by sticking your finger in the seam.

14. Never take a child out in the car between 4pm – 6pm. They will fall asleep and never go to bed.

15. Never take a hungry toddler to the supermarket – especially during witching hour 4pm – 6pm.

16. Never leave a toddler next to a packet of baby wipes.

17. If you spend hours cooking a delicious healthy home-cooked meal, do not expect your kids to eat it.

18. If your baby sleeps through the night do NOT speak of it. Do not even

3. Never lift a baby above your head and smile.

Especially when they have a tummy full of milk. Not unless you want a mouthful of milk.

26 parenting lessons you learn the hard way 4. When a toddler says ‘I want to do it myself’ about anything, be prepared for a six-hour wait for them to do it.

5. Never play with a baby after a feed.

6. Always assume it is urine.

7. Do not let your children know that In The Night Garden exists.

8. Weetabix is not just for breakfast. It is for life.

9. Glitter is not just for Christmas. It is for life.

10. You will never be as good a parent as the one you were before you actually had children. Lower your expectations.

11. Unsubscribe to the baby milestone emails. For every one your baby hits, there will be five he won’t which will result in a major Parent Panic.

12. Do not buy a pram

think about it. If you do your baby will find out and make you pay by NEVER doing it again.

19. Do not try to put your baby down drowsy-butawake.

20. Always ensure your phone is fully charged before you sit down to feed your baby.

21. Do not wake a sleeping baby. It is never ever worth it.

22. The more you spend on a product that ‘guarantees to get your baby to sleep’ the less likely it is to work.

23. Never in the history of parenting has an infant ever gone to sleep after being told to go to sleep.

24. Nine times out of ten, cranial osteopathy is not going to make your baby sleep.

25. Whenever you make ‘plans’, the children will get sick.

26. Do not compare yourself to other parents. Every baby is different. There is no right way, just the right way for you and your family. (Metro.

By Emily-Jane Clark

ou could read the advice books, subscribe to Babycentre and join every single Mumsnet forum but nothing can truly prepare you for the joys and disasters of parenthood.

Whatever you’re imagining parenthood to be like, you’re probably wrong.

When it comes to taking care of our children, we learn most of it as we go along. It is all down to trial and error.

Here are a few lessons I learnt the hard way.

1. When you have toddler silence is rarely a good thing.

2. Never assume it’s chocolate…

co.uk)

news

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thursDAY, march 9, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

GPHC creates “emergency” to sole source $605M drugs from Trini firm ... local companies with cheaper supply snubbed ... could have saved over $100M taxpayers’ dollars

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nother major corruption scandal appears to be in the making as the management of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation moves to sideline local companies for the procurement of emergency pharmaceuticals worth in excess of $605 million from a Trinidadian firm, ANSA McAL. Georgetown Public Hospital had delayed and cancelled four out of its five public tenders within the last four months, creating

of the shortage, from ANSA McAL to the tune of $605,962,200.

This request to bypass the procurement process to sole source drugs from a foreign firm speaks loudly of some public official’s intent to sideline local companies which could have supplied the same pharmaceuticals at cheaper prices.

It raises the issue of motive and possible corruption, which is reminiscent of the ear-

tion of the price. In any case, what reason could be there for an emergency purchase from ANSA McAL if NEW GPC was offering stock on hand at a better price? And what about other local suppliers?” NEW GPC questioned.

NEW GPC also noted that in recent meetings with suppliers, Georgetown Public Hospital’s senior management insisted that they will seek out the lowest price to deterCountry Head of ANSA McAL in Guyana, Beverly Harper

manufactured products from its tender documents which is contrary to the Government of Guyana’s position to support local industries and increase manufacturing at home.

Moreover, NEW GPC questioned the logic of the Georgetown Public Hospital choosing a foreign company over local firms.

“Which Guyanese company could realistically secure a contract from the Trinidadian Government for US$3 million in pharmaceuticals and moreover do this outside of public tender? And for the supply of products from extra regional sources since ANSA McAL is not a manufacturer?” the local manufacturer inquired.

Risks

A copy of the letter written by Georgetown Hospital CEO (ag) Allan Johnson and addressed to NPTAB Chairman Berkley Wickham

a situation where there is a massive shortage of pharmaceuticals, which was initially denied by the authorities, and which would have caused deaths and aggravated illnesses in patients lacking medication. One of

“Which Guyanese company could realistically secure a contract from the Trinidadian Government for US$3 million in pharmaceuticals and moreover do this outside of public tender? And for the supply of products from extra regional sources since ANSA McAL is not a manufacturer?”

– NEW GPC Guyana’s leading local pharmaceutical manufacturers, the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (NEW GPC INC), is questioning the Georgetown Hospital’s decision to ignore local companies, which could have supplied the same quantity and quality of drugs at better prices.

Georgetown Hospital has delayed and cancelled four out of its five public tenders within the last four months, creating a situation where there is a massive shortage of pharmaceuticals.

Subsequently, the Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Allan Johnson, on February 28, wrote a letter to the Chairman of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Berkley Wickham, requesting approval for the procurement of these “emergency drugs” in light

lier decision to rent a non-existent pharma warehouse.

NEW GPC noted that the transaction between Georgetown Public Hospital and Ansa McAl, should it see fruition, would be a breach in the public procurement rules.

Cheaper prices

New NEW GPC further pointed out that it could have supplied many of the items instantaneously since there is usually inventory on hand. In the worst case scenario, NEW GPC said the delay would be less than a few days to get the products manufactured right here in Guyana.

“NEW GPC has surveyed some of the items it manufactures locally and some imported against ANSA McAL and the company’s prices are significantly cheaper. NEW GPC’s prices could be independently confirmed by reviewing recent bid submissions to the Tender Board in 2016 and 2017,” the firm stated.

Additionally, NEW GPC said it could have supplied even the items to be imported quicker by utilising its established and reliable supply chain; for instance, a Clindamycin injection, ANSA McAL’s price is 12 times NEW GPC’s. For Diclofenac tablets, it is 15 times and for Clotrimazole cream, which is made locally, as much as 23 times. For the mere 16 out of 118 items surveyed, the Georgetown Hospital would have saved over one hundred million dollars of taxpayers’ money (G$100 milion) had it purchased them from NEW GPC. The local manufacturing giant strongly believes its quotations are being deliberately excluded or timed in such as manner to facilitate ANSA McAL. “Case in point is the Georgetown Hospital’s recent purchase of Oxytocin (Item# 114) from ANSA McAL when NEW GPC had inventory on hand and offered it at what is now confirmed at a frac-

mine tender awards.

“Choosing to do business with ANSA McAL with these exorbitant prices is contrary to that publicly stated position and it is tantamount to misleading the other bidders who were present,” NEW GPC said.

Local supplies

The company also highlighted that the Georgetown Public Hospital’s previous preference for cheapest prices created the opportunity for some importers to supply inferior products at the exclusion of locally manufactured items and this most certainly had adverse consequences on patients.

NEW GPC also noted with concern, the Georgetown Hospital’s recent removal of the 10 per cent preferential treatment for locally

NEW GPC also lambasted the Georgetown Hospital for putting the lives and health of patients at risk by creating a situation which paved the way for the shortages of drugs.

“They had several opportunities to buy these so called emergency items over the last six months,” NEW GPC highlighted.

It noted that the Georgetown Hospital is also “callous” in inviting and accepting tenders/bids and then cancelling same with no consideration to the time, effort and money invested by the large number of bidders.

“Each bid submission requires a bid security and the cost of obtaining that financial instrument is a percentage of the overall tax inclusive bid total. Bid security is considered credit utilised under current banking regulations,” the company explained.

Furthermore, NEW GPC reminded that it employs hundreds of Guyanese, uses materials from Guyana which in itself supports other Guyanese businesses and pays taxes and dividends in Guyana.

Questions are now being raised regarding why the Georgetown Hospital would cancel and delay its tenders and why would it prefers to source the drugs from a company that is charging exorbitant fees in comparison to its local competitors.

8 news

thursDAY, march 9, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS 2012 fatal stabbing

Accused denies killing teen T he accused on trial for the 2012 murder of Rayaad Khan, who was fatally stabbed to his chest with a broken glass bottle after an altercation, has denied responsibility for the crime. The defendant, Christopher DaSilva, appeared before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown on Wednesday where he entered a not guilty plea when the allegation was put to him. Moments before, a 12-member mixed jury was selected. This group will sit throughout the trial and will later determine whether or not the accused is guilty or innocent.

The prosecution’s team will be contending that the stabbing occurred at about 20:00h on June 28, 2012, at 17th Avenue, Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

According to the post-mortem examination, Khan died from shock and hemorrhage due to a single stab wound to the chest.

Murder accused Christopher DaSilva told the court that he is not guilty of the alleged crime

Khan, formerly of Section C, Golden Grove, EBD, was 17 years old at the time of his demise, while the alleged perpetrator, DaSilva was 18.

At the time of the incident, reports were the two young men argued over the attention DaSilva’s girlfriend had paid to Khan.

Detective Lance Corporal of Police Desmond Johnny was the first witness to testify at Wednesday morning’s tri-

Deceased: Rayaad Khan

al. The Policeman was one of the investigative officers at the murder scene. At that time, he was attached to the Brickdam Police Station. Detective Johnny recalled that he went to the crime scene after he received instructions around 21:30h that night.

The witness testified to witnessing what appeared to be blood at several spots on the road, near the murder scene. The jury heard that Johnny retrieved a right side pink slipper and a “New York” cap in the

grass on the western side of 17th Avenue. Questioned by the State prosecutor, the Policeman admitted that lighting conditions were “poor” when he conducted the investigation at Diamond, EBD almost five years ago. He however clarified that despite these conditions, he was able to recognise the faces of the Police ranks that accompanied him.

As his investigations continued, the Police rank said he found a “bunch of keys” the next day. Later on in his testimony, the witness positively identified 13 pictures from the murder scene which he had initialled. Eleven other witnesses are expected to testify in the trial, which is being presented by State Prosecutors Siand Dhurjon and Tuanna Hardy.

Da Silva is represented by Attorneys Maxwell McKay and Mark Waldron.

The trial continues today before Justice Singh at the High Court.

Bus conductor jailed for Mash Day theft

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minibus conductor from Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara, was on Wednesday jailed for 12 months when appeared before City Magistrate Fabayo Azore and admitted to two counts of larceny.

Dwayne Barker admitted that on February 23, at Brickdam Road, Georgetown he stole from Caroline Isaac a purse, one cellular phone and a quantity of cash; a total value of $84,000.

In addition, the 35-yearold admitted that he stole from Jessica Puran, a purse,

Dwayne Barker

one camera and a quantity of cash; a total sum of $23,000.

The prosecution disclosed that on the day of the incident, both of the VCs were on a float at the Mash 2017 parade with their belongings in the tray of a motor vehicle. Barker was reportedly seen removing the said purses and placing them into a black plastic bag.

Checks made by the two individuals led to the discovery of the missing articles, upon which the accused was

arrested and charged with the offence.

Barker related that he was under the influence of alcohol when he committed the offence. He apologised to the court for his actions and begged the Magistrate for leniency.

Magistrate Azore, declaring that intoxication is no excuse, handed down a six month sentence for each of the offences.

These sentences will run consecutively. A smiling Barker was escorted out of the courtroom

Vindictive…

T

…and spiteful political vendetta he action by SOCU to arrest and take Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to their Headquarters is nothing more than a mean and bitter move by the Government to embarrass the former President.

Just look at the headline of the State-owned Chronic’s headline – “Jagdeo hauled in”. They may think they’re scoring points to counter the gains Jagdeo and the PPP have reaped as their ineptitude continues to pile up worse than the Mandela Avenue garbage dump site.

But not only are they staining our reputation in the international community – from a purely political standpoint, they’re bringing down the curtains on any hope they may have of neutralising the PPP’s constituency. Wankers!! The news that Jagdeo and several other PPP officials and others had been “arrested” spread like wildfire across the coast in their demographic – and the reaction was one of anger. After the Government’s hysterical claims of Jagdeo and the PPP siphoning off “billions and billions” from the public Treasury, this was the best charge they could bring?

Buying land at below market value? That’s what every one of those supporters drool about!! They know the value of land or property’s always a subjective thing.

The devious political nature of the operation was revealed when a week ago Khemraj Ramjattan – unable to contain his spite and envy towards his erstwhile PPP colleagues – opened his big mouth and story jump out!!

As a Minister, he shouldn’t be playing an operational role in Police actions – yet he announced gleefully that “some PPP big ones would be hauled in”. He could barely keep from rubbing his hands together!

Why else but political connivance, direction and interference would he know about a SOCU operation when Asst David Ramnarine – to whom SOCU should be reporting operationally – was only told about it AFTERWARDS?? But what else is new when it comes to SOCU – or SARA for that matter? Their existence is now all about “Get PPP!!!” Who can forget the first SOCU operation when they tried to pull a James Bond stunt which resulted in the tragic deaths of two young people??

It is this Eyewitness’ conviction that this SOCU caper will end even more tragically – but this time for the mean and petty political players pulling the strings from behind their transparent curtains. Just as all their gambits have backfired and even their own supporters are pi55ed at them, when they come out of this big hullabaloo with nothing more than their empty hands, they’ll be exposed for the nasty, petty and hollow men they are.

“Vengeance is mine!” the people will say at the voting booth. …and spiteful greed When in Opposition, APNU and AFC never made its hostility to the owner of the NEW GPC INC a secret – just because the fella supported the previous Administration. But a rational person would think, when they got into power, they wouldn’t spite the largest supplier of pharmaceuticals to the public health sector, would they? That’d be cutting Guyanese sickpeople’s noses to spite its political face.

But that’s exactly what they did!! We all know of the infamous Albuoystown bottom-house rented at SIX TIMES the state-of-the-art NEW GPC warehouse!!

But the spite didn’t stop there. They scrapped the World-Bank designed pre-qualification system where local firms had to match the international giants – just because NEW GPC came out ahead. But even in the free-for-all bidding, when NEW GPC came out ahead the Govt then scrapped 4 out of 5 bids!! Never mind poor people couldn’t get aspirins in hospitals across the country.

But now it’s all revealed. In the “emergency” THEY created, they gave a $600 million pharma contract to Trini ANSA McAL !!

No bids…just plain thiefin! …consequences Is there any surprise the US Human Rights Report 2016 found corruption and discrimination the biggest transgressions of the Government? “There remained a widespread public perception of corruption involving officials at all levels,” it said.

You can’t fool all the people all the time.

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

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thursDAY, march 9, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Former Health Minister lashes out at “inflated” $605M sole source request

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ormer Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, has slammed the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s (GPHC) attempts to sole source drugs to the tune of $605.9 million from private supplier ANSA McAL Trading Limited, due to an “emergency”.

According to Ramsammy, the fact is that the Georgetown Public Hospital has actually been delaying, then publishing and finally cancelling tenders for the supply of crucial drugs for the past few months.

He said that the emergency Georgetown Public Hospital is citing is therefore an artificially created one, in order to sole source.

“The emergency that they claimed is wholly an inside engineered creation.

Former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Wednesday.

“GPHC had advertised for tender to supply medical supplies on October 2, 2016.

This was followed by an advertisement for medicines on November 6, 2016. Both of these were delayed and

Georgetown Public Hospital

Since October (2016), GPHC has, in fact, delayed and then cancelled four tenders which included all these medicines and medical supplies,” Ramsammy said in a statement to the press on

then cancelled.”

He went on to recount that on February 2, 2017, two advertisements for medical supplies and medicines were placed. According to Ramsammy, these were

also delayed and then cancelled. He observed that all of the items in the solesourced procurement from ANSA McAL were included in those advertised tenders.

Ramsammy also pointed out that this all happened at a time when the Georgetown Public Hospital and other parts of the country were experiencing a medicine and medical supply shortage.

“It is clear that the emergency that GPHC now claims and that the Minister has approved was an engineered one.”

Inflated prices

Ramsammy noted that ANSA McAL’s prices are “way beyond” the prices usually offered by suppliers to Georgetown Public Hospital or the drugs sold at private pharmacies.

“As an example, Aciclovir which is used to treat certain viral infections, including herpes simplex, 250mg, 2ml injection is being procured from ANSA McAL at a price of $6880. Usually, offered bid price is $730.

At private pharmacies, patients can buy this medicine for about $1000.”

He noted that the Georgetown Public Hospital with the approval of the Public Health Minister and Cabinet is allowing this medicine to be procured for almost 10 times the price.

The former Health Minister also pointed to oth-

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

er examples of the inflated prices.

Clotrimoxazole cream 2g is being procured at a price of $1750.

According to Ramsammy, however, the usual bid price is approximately $95. In addition, he said, one can purchase this medicine privately at approximately $150.

“Anti-haemorrhoidal ointment 30g which is usually available at about $200 is being purchased by GPHC from ANSA McAL at a price of $2150.”

According to Ramsammy, an analysis will reveal that almost all the prices are inflated. He said that international reference prices for the items

in the list from ANSA McAL showed that the same list at the International Reference Price would be about $200 million.

The list which Georgetown Public Hospital attached to its request to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) contained a total of 118 products. These products amounted to a whopping $605.9 million.

In the correspondence dated February 28, 2017, and addressed to NPTAB Chairman Berkley Wickham, Georgetown Public Hospital’s acting Chief Executive Officer Allan Johnson wrote that Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence had approved procurement of “emergency” medicines and medical supplies.

Johnson then requested approval from Wickham to sole-source the items from ANSA McAL, claiming that “the pharmaceuticals supplied by this company was at the time of request available only from this supplier.”

It was only in January 2017 that Minister Lawrence was placed to head the Public Health Ministry by President

GPHC CEO Allan Johnson

David Granger in a Cabinet reshuffle. The former Social Protection Minster replaced Dr George Norton, who had been embroiled in the drug bond fiasco. GPHC also got a new Board of Directors last month.

Sources at the hospital have previously revealed to this publication that despite experiencing pressing and critical shortages of drugs and medicines, the Ministry and hospital were often pressured to cancel bids and re-tender them so as to facilitate favoured companies.

In other instances, the closing dates for tenders are extended to accommodate the preferred bidder(s).

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guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, march 9, 2017

News

Bandits pounce on overseasDead bandit identified as based couple, relatives Guy Gas robbery

Covent Garden resident

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The entrance to Guy Gas main office at Land of Canaan

he suspected bandit who was shot and killed while attempting to commit a felony on the Guy Gas main office at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was identified as Troy Simmons of Covent Garden, EBD. Guyana Times understands that the dead man’s reputed wife positively identified the body at the Lyken Funeral Home on Wednesday.

A Police source told this publication that the woman claimed that after her reputed husband did not return home, she decided to check at the mortuary since she saw the news about an unidentified man being shot and killed.

It was reported that an armed security guard attached to the gas company observed the suspicious movements of the three men at about 01:30h on Monday

morning, who at the time were making their way into the complex via a fence.

The men were armed with a cutlass and a knife and approached the security guard who in response discharged several rounds at them.

One of the men fell to the ground a short distance away, while the two others ran towards a nearby creek which leads to the Demerara River.

The Police were summoned and a knife and cutlass were discovered at the scene. The dead bandit’s body was discovered with two gunshots wounds and was found in the vicinity of the western fence. The Police however, are still hunting the two other suspects.

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n East Bank Demerara (EBD) family is now terrified after three armed men invaded their property and executed a brazen daylight robbery on Wednesday afternoon.

Their intended target, however, was two overseas-based Guyanese who arrived in the country hours prior to the robbery, leaving investigators to believe that the robbery was set up by the taxi driver, who transported the couple to the Lot 1 Brickery, EBD house from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Edwin Persaud and his wife Nazeema Persaud were relieved of their jewellery they were wearing at the time but not before being gun butted and beaten. Persaud’s elderly father, Anand Persaud, was also beaten and relieved of his jewellery and so was the housekeeper, who was in the house at the time of the ordeal.

Daughter of the overseas couple, Simone Lall told Guyana Times that her brother travelled to the airport to collect her parents but as he was waiting on them to clear immigration, he went to purchase a cup of coffee.

Whilst there, her par-

ents, she explained, came through the arrival section and did not see her brother and thought that he did not show up to collect them.

They were, however, approached by a “tall slim guy” who enquired if they needed a taxi.

They started to converse with the guy and after waited for some time and not

seeing her brother, they boarded the taxi. The taxi, she recalled, dropped off her parents at her grand parents’ home and receiving his payments, he left. It was a white car, the terrified couple told investigators.

At about 15:30h, the daughter explained that her father and grandfather were sitting in the veranda when they saw a dark brown Toyota Primo motorcar pull up in front of the house and three armed men exited.

Upon exiting, the men, all who were armed with handguns rushed to the veranda and held the elderly

man at gunpoint while instructing the occupants of the house not to raise an alarm. Nevertheless, one of the bandits whose face was covered with a handkerchief discharged a round shattering a glass table.

“They then took my father into the house, put him to kneel on the ground and demanded money... as they were asking for money, they were relieving him of the jewellery he was wearing... they then turned to my mother and asked her for the money and again they took off her jewellery,” Lall noted.

After relieving the couple of their gold jewellery, they demanded money. Lall further explained that the men ransacked the bedrooms with the intention of getting the suitcases but came up empty handed. The suitecases, she said, were kept in another room that was not easily accessible.

After the 10-minute ordeal, the men jumped into the car they arrived in and fled the scene. Her father, grandfather and mother were taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where they were treated and later sent away.

The Police were contacted and an investigation was launched. No arrests have been made.

Overseas-based Guyanese robbed by gun-toting nephews

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he Police are on the hunt for three East Coast Demerara residents, who carried out a brazen robbery on an overseas-based Guyanese, mere hours after arriving in the country on Tuesday evening last.

Two of the wanted men are nephews of the victim, while the third in a known bandit in the area.

The robbery was commit-

ted on Ganesh Looknauth of Lancaster Housing Scheme, Unity, East Coast Demerara.

Reports reaching Guyana Times indicate that as the man drove his motor vehicle into the garage, he was confronted by the three men; one of whom was armed with a handgun.

They reportedly held him at gunpoint and relieved him of the suitcases he was

carrying. The trio then demanded cash and jewellery among other valuables. The man was relieved of a large quantity of cash he had in his possession.

This publication understands the money was proceeds from a property he sold recently. Looknauth was also relieved of close to US$3500, a wedding band, a quantity of clothing and several pairs of footwear. The

clothing and footwear were reportedly emptied from the suitcases.

After committing the robbery, the men made good their escape after which the victim raised an alarm. The neighbours ran to the scene and after realising that the man was robbed, they immediately contacted the Police.

Police are continuing their investigations.

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thursDAY, march 9, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Capoey Village Council upgrades community access road … regional administration failed to help – Toshao

Can you be bold P for change?

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he month of March focuses on women’s history and celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) which champions gender equality.

Although there are thousands of women and men fighting each Lorraine Ince-Carvalhal day around the world for change, this month is an opportunity for them to celebrate together the great progress that has been made and to also highlight the great inequalities that remain. Unfortunately, we all know that inequality is still very much a reality; socially, economically and politically. Globally, women’s education, health and incidence of violence are still worse than that of men and changes are not coming fast enough for the millions of women who are suffering from the inequities.

The Human Rights Act determines that women should have the right to live free from violence, slavery, and discrimination; to be educated; to own property; to vote; and to earn a fair and equal wage. Yet almost everywhere around the world, women and girls are still being denied these rights, often simply because of their gender. In many countries, including those that appear to uphold gender laws, some women are still forced into marriages, have little choice but to be subservient to the men in their families, have no rights within the home, have little say in their rights to their own body and are denied access to what are considered basic human liberties.

These circumstances necessitate the continued efforts of what began over a century and a half ago when women came together to improve the social, civil and religious conditions and rights of women. Over generations, women have continued to come together to affect staggering changes; changes in mostly democratic ways through meetings, petition drives, lobbying, public speaking and nonviolent resistance.

There have also been movements, albeit in the minority, that have been violent and self-sacrificing to the point of starvation and martyrdom. Women who felt they had to use desperate measures in order to be heard. These tactics, depending on your perspective, have hindered or helped the cause along the way; some say it closed doors while others believe the opposite.

Nevertheless, women have not been the passive beneficiaries of miraculous changes in laws and human nature, they have worked very deliberately to create a better world; succeeding globally in varying degrees in family life, Government, education and employment. Regrettably, there is a need for so much more.

From the 19th century into the 21st, the cause continues relentlessly to ensure women and girls gain full access to their rights; from equal pay to land ownership rights, freedom from violence, to access to education, from maternal health rights to sexual rights. This year, the theme for IWD 2017 is “Be Bold for Change”; encouraging people to step up and take ground-breaking action to help drive gender equality forward by challenging bias and inequality, campaigning against violence, forging women’s advancement, celebrating women’s achievements and championing women’s education. While our rights and conditions vary starkly depending on where we live, even within the same country, the message is that if we are as progressive and as bold as our predecessors (without the violence!), we can be instrumental in the movement for gender equality on many levels.

There are other, fundamental ways in which we can support the movement, most obviously by the way we raise the next generation. What we teach our daughters to aspire to, to accept and to fight for and how we teach our sons to act, what to accept and fight for is instrumental in closing the equality gap.

Attitudes are not automatic aligned to laws and it is imperative that the ensuing generations attitudes are changed; that they understand and embrace equality.

Sadly, it is predicted that it will take another century and half before the gender gap closes completely. Of course that prediction can be redirected if more of us passionately push for change and commit to making unwavering, concerted efforts.

So many of us are reaping the benefits of the hard work of the women who came before us, but so many more are living in conditions we can only imagine; the gap between the equality among women is also huge. It is our responsibility to pave the way now for our daughters and ensure each subsequent generation gets closer to the goal. Perhaps when women take more leadership and peace-making roles and have an equal political voice, countries will be transformed and women and girls will have their entitlement of self-determination.

ersons visiting as well as residents living in the Amerindian community of Capoey in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) can now access the community’s tourist sites with much more ease, now that the main access road was upgraded by the Village Council.

The Council members in collaboration with the business community conducted rehabilitative works on the main access road which was almost impassable due to huge pot holes.

According to the community’s Toshao, Melrose Henry, the upgrading of the main access road to her area was done through private works. Henry said that maintenance works were needed, and as such, resources had to be sought privately since the regional administration failed to provide necessary help.

“I visited the region several times, often I am told the region’s grader is down, the holes were getting huge

The Capoey access road being upgraded

daily, my people was suffering, I knew I had to do something, roads are key to development in any community,” Henry said.

She said it was the Council’s decision to take up the venture since the regional administration had not given the kind of support that

was expected. Henry therefore extended gratitude towards the seven Councillors from her village in ensuring that the rehabilitation works were conducted.

Henry, however, said that the works were done temporarily to alleviate the burdens faced by residents in

accessing the area and therefore called on the Region Two administration for their input.

“It’s a Government road… what we are doing is contributing towards the development, we need the development to continue and the Village Council has taken the step, now the region has to give support to do permanent works,” Henry further explained.

Attaching a cost to the upgrading, Henry said the Council had to spend over $600,000 to get the access road rehabilitated and there were no engineers or anyone around to get expert advice.

She is therefore calling on regional officials to give her community priority for permanent works to be conducted on the road.

Currently many persons access the area to visit the beautiful black water resort as well as conduct works on their farmlands.

(Indrawattie Natram)

Non-payment of severance

Sugar workers to protest President’s office today

W

ith the aim of gaining more consideration towards their cause, sugar workers attached to the Wales Estate, on the West Bank of Demerara, will lead a protest in front of the Ministry of the Presidency today.

This action is based on the employees’ long held frustrations over the non-payment of severance packages, which were promised since December 2016. Guyana Times understands that the workers will also protest Parliament Buildings during this afternoon’s sitting of the National Assembly.

The workers’ contention is that they cannot be compelled to travel to the Uitvlugt Estate on the

all workers who requested severance were already paid.

Guyana Times was however recently informed otherwise as reports reaching this newspaper indicate that some workers who requested severance from the onset are still owed. A welder, who had over five years of service before he left his employment at Wales, told this publication on Sunday that he is yet to be paid. He related that he was never part of the protest action.

At Monday’s protest at Wales, the workers explained that they are finding it difficult to get consistent employment and as such, are struggling to make ends meet. They also said that their finances are

Sugar operations at Wales officially ceased last year

school who are aged 15, 13 and nine years respectively.

The workers have repeatedly called on the Head of State and the Prime Minister to look into their concerns.

“Not even to de Prime Minister, not one of them

Over the last two months, the Wales sugar workers have been protesting for their severance packages

West Coast of Demerara, which is some 22 miles from Wales. The employees have been protesting for over two months but the Agriculture Ministry is contending that

reducing since they are unable to garner five-day work week jobs. Michael Chotoo told this publication that he is finding great difficulty with sending his children to

come to solve our problems.

Leh dem come look into our matter, we need them here because this is our President and he has to show us that he cares for us,” sugar work-

er, Rahim (only name) expressed earlier this week.

This publication was told that at last Thursday’s meeting with workers, Estate Manager Dave Kumar had reportedly reiterated the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s stance that employees must go to Uitvlugt but sugar workers claimed that they had received threats to the effect that their names would be taken of the payroll at Wales. The sugar workers have been protesting over the last two months. At one of their many demonstrations, the workers reminded that President Granger and Prime Minister Nagamootoo had committed their support to the sugar industry in the run-up to the 2015 General and Regional Elections.

However, when Government had confirmed the end of sugar operations at Wales Estate last year, it was explained that cost was the main factor for the entity’s closure. Government has since expressed that only three sugar estates will remain operational in Guyana.

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thursDAY, march 9, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Red House challenge set for March 15

A

fter a brief appearance by lawyers involved in the Red House lease challenge at the High Court on Wednesday, the case was adjourned.

The matter is now set for March 15 where a ruling on a preliminary application will be determined after which the court will hear arguments on whether or not the court has jurisdiction over the case. The challenge is being heard before recently appointed acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonnette CummingsEdwards, who had begun presiding over the matter when she was in the post of acting Chief Justice.

Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams is representing Government while his predecessor Anil Nandlall is representing the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Inc, which is challenging the State’s decision to revoke the Red House lease.

In February, AG Williams presented arguments, which supported his claim that the court has no jurisdiction over the case since the lease was revoked by President David Granger.

Williams had noted that no civil action could be brought against the Head of State if he executes the functions of his office, under Article 182

Red House

of the Constitution.

However, Attorney Nandlall, among his many disputations of the Minister’s arguments had noted that the Minister’s contentions were without merit, deeply flawed and frivolous.

Nevertheless, Williams had also expressed that the Red House lease is invalid and therefore could not be pleaded in any court of justice, further arguing that the case should be thrown out because the applicants failed to make full and frank disclosures before the court.

But Nandlall in refuting the AG’s contentions, noting that the Minister’s arguments were premature at that stage. Nandlall had also accused the AG of pressuring the Chief Justice by signifying on several occasions that the President has

a special interest in the Red House proceedings.

“The Attorney General continues to use the name of the President in his presentation to the court in a manner that is clearly intended to place pressure on the Judge. He said to the Judge on more than two occasions, that the President is anxiously awaiting a determination of this case because the President wants to house the National Trust in that building,” the former Legal Affairs Minister had explained.

Last year President David Granger gave the occupants of the CJRC 48 hours to clear the premises. In response, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had labelled the President’s decision as “unconscionable and vindictive”.

More consultation needed on Animal Welfare Bill – ABKC country rep

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he Guyana branch of the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) is concerned that local dog owners have not been sensitised adequately on the Animal Welfare Bill No 21 of 2016.

Country representative of the ABKC, Kabisa Rogers, during a photo shoot and fundraiser on Sunday at the 1823 Monument on the Kitty Seawall, who played an integral part in getting the dog enthusiasts together, said there have not been enough consultations on the Bill. He noted that the public is still unaware of the particulars of this Bill; there has been a lack of complaints or feedback.

According to Rogers, the primary concern regarding the Bill for dog breeders would be whether there is any direct or indirect effect on

Country representative of the ABKC, Kabisa Rogers

Progressive Party’s main contention with the Bill was its penalties, which they described as ‘draconian’.

Among the provisos of the Bill is Clause 28, which mandates breeders of three or more companion animals

He has personally been involved with breeding the dogs for the past eight years and is of the firm belief that these dogs are not necessarily dangerous. He believes that pit bulls are subjected to an unfair, negative stereotype.

“I got involved with the initiatives which saw countries promoting Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) to eradicate the pit bull. All dogs can be aggressive. To avert public attacks, persons need to have any aggressive dog secured properly, whether while walking them or having them in a yard. I also strongly recommend that they socialise their animals at a young age.”

The club is the official registry for the bully breed, which was created in 1980 and officially recognised as a breed in 2004. It was also

Dog owners with their Pit Bulls turned out to the photo shoot on Sunday

hosting dog shows. To emphasise the importance of these shows, he pointed out its tourism potential.

He also admitted that ABKC’s local registry is still growing. Hence, this has contributed to the lack of feedback from dog owners about the Bill.

A motion was moved for the Bill to be read for the second time in the National Assembly on February 9, but after extensive debates, it was sent to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee.

The Opposition People’s

(pets) wishing to sell their animals, to apply for permission from the requisite authority before they can breed them.

There is a fine of $60,000 and imprisonment of four months for those found guilty of breaching this stipulation.

In addition, the Government sponsored Bill will seek to prevent the sale of these animals to anyone below the age of 18.

Rogers, who is a national judo competitor, revealed that he has always had a passion for Pit bull terriers and Pit bull type dogs.

formed in 2004, is considered the governing registry for the American Bully Breed.

The Bully Breed is the formal name for what is, in effect, a Pit Bull type dog. The breed of dog is also common worldwide.

Despite its specialisation in the Bully Breed, the organisation is also a multibreed registry. It also hosts competitions, events and shows in an effort to promote the dog in a positive way and to educate the public, while also bringing dog owners together.

PPP has “evidence” to prove...

“Every single house lot in this country was distributed way below the market price; $50,000 for a land in Mon Repos, $200,000 in Eccles, is that the value of the house lot?

So let us not get carried away and become victims of the propaganda,” he pointed out.

Distraction

Meanwhile, Priya Manickchand expressed her strong belief that these events are orchestrated by the coalition administration to distract the populace from its bad governance and the fact that the promise of a ‘good life’ is yet to be fulfilled and is nowhere on the horizon.

“I would like to say this to the Granger-government, bringing in a Priya Manickchand for questioning, arresting a Roger Luncheon, bringing in the former cabinet members here and parading them in and out of SOCU will not distract the parents who have to pay 14 per cent VAT on children’s education, ordinary public servants who sacrificed and bought themselves a car and now repaying that loan on the car and are now being asked to pay parking meter

fees on very opaque contract that majority of the country is asking to be withdrawn and the over 200 new taxes which have been introduced…,” she affirmed.

Manickchand told reporters while leaving SOCU’s office that Government should make better use of its time and try to stimulate the economy.

“Move our economy so that money is circulating. Recycling an envelope or two is not going to help us in that regard,” she stated.

Questions

Manickchand, Rohee, Westford and Ali were questioned in relation to their acquisition of lands at the Pradoville housing scheme.

Manickchand disclosed to the media that she applied for a house lot under the national housing programme and was subsequently designated a one in the Pradoville Scheme.

“I bought the property, I built on the property and I took mortgages to do that…,” she stated.

On the other hand, Gopaul was questioned about his role as former Permanent Secretary of the Office of

from page 2

the President and as former Chairman of the Board of the National Communications Network (NCN).

“I was a public servant. I never in my working career had any query with respect to my job, my work has always been transparent and I followed the rules of the public service, I am perhaps the only public servant who has never had a query in my career,” he told the media as he exited SOCU’s Headquarters.

Gopaul is not a holder or any land in Pradoville but his son, Dr Ghansham Singh was called in for questioning in relation on the matter.

“My son acquired his land on his own right and in his own behalf, I have never intervened on behalf of anyone, I have never begged favours, as a public servant I have always been very professional,” Gopaul commented on the matter.

Hinds was also questioned about his role in the development of the Pradoville 2 Housing Scheme. He denied claims that the State’s transmission mast was removed as part of a plan to clear the land for distribution.

news

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thursDAY, march 9, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Fire guts section of UG’s Health Sciences building S

everal morning classes at the University of Guyana (UG) were disrupted on Wednesday after a fire broke out in the Faculty of Health Sciences, damaging a section of the recently renovated building.

The fire started sometime around 10:00h and according to information reaching Guyana Times, it was caused after a generator exploded. A subsequent release from the University revealed that the generator belonged to telecommunications company, Digicel.

“The fire is reported to have originated at the Digicel-owned generator located on the southern side of the recently refurbished Faculty of Health Sciences building on the Turkeyen campus,” the UG statement said.

According to the University, the fire affected only the back stairwell of the building and caused some water and smoke damage in the vicinity. Luckily, however, there were no reports of injuries to neither students nor faculty staff.

This newspaper was told that a student in one of the classes raised the alarm after she looked out the window and saw the fire, resulting in immediate evacuation of the building. At the time, examinations, which were ongoing, had to be abandoned.

The faculty staffers as well as a few students were seen removing equipment, including computers and important documents from various classrooms in the

The fire raging at UG’s Faculty of Health Sciences on Wednesday morning

building. Meanwhile, other students from the Health Sciences Faculty, along with others gathered on the lawns watching on as thick dark smoke emanated from the roof of the building.

Moments later, the fire tenders arrived on the scene and rushed into action, dousing the blaze and containing it within minutes.

Dean of the Health Sciences Faculty, Dr Emanuel Cummings speaking with this publication, commended the Guyana Fire Service for its efficiency and effectiveness.

“I must complement the fire service for their quick response that they were able to mobilise the fire in one particular area and save the building, even though we’ve lost a stairway and parts of that section,” Cummings noted.

The Dean noted that as customary, the Fire Service together with the University’s maintenance department will further probe the fire. He further

described the incident as a major but minor one – major in that a section of the building was destroyed but minor because it would affect classes.

Meanwhile, classes for students of the Health Sciences Faculty were suspended for the remainder

The destroyed stair tower at the Health Science Faculty following Wednesday’s blaze

building was recently renovated. Last August, a small fire erupted on some wiring in the same building.

However, faculty staffers used extinguishers to put out the blaze.

Guyana Times was told on Wednesday by several students that the building

place.

“This classroom was renovated just last year and so we are hoping fire safety, precaution measures and other safety measures are put in place to prevent this from reoccurring,” one student said.

Nevertheless, according

Health Sciences Dean Emanuel Cummings updating the displaced students

of Wednesday and arrangements going forward will be indicated.

The Health Sciences

has faulty wiring. Moreover, the students called for better fire prevention and safety measures to be put in

to Vice Chancellor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, who is travelling on official business, said he received a call from

the CEO of Digicel Guyana, Kevin Kelly, who apologised for the damage and the inconvenience caused to the University community by the fire.

The Vice Chancellor further lauded the professionalism of the Guyana Fire Service and is grateful that there were no injuries. He also thanked UG’s Security and Estates Management teams, and members of his Cabinet for their swift and effective action, and looks forward to having Digicel repair all damages quickly.

On the other hand, Deputy Vice Chancellor Michael Scott, who is the Officer-in-Charge of the University in the absence of the Vice Chancellor, said that “the University stands committed to ensuring the safety and security of students and staff and following the advice of Fire Prevention Officer of the Guyana Fire Service, Mr Andrew Holder, the university would undertake a fire audit of all its facilities.”

Rice farmers protest land rental increases R

ice farmers from Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) have once again ex-

per cent increase and land rates from $1000 to $7000.

MMA had stated that the fee is implemented so that

lil child dem gone do when they grow, crime escalate high and higher,” a protester noted. He further vent-

de MMA scheme you cannot get more than 25-30 bags of paddy,” the WCB farmer expressed.The farmers

Rice farmers protested the MMA increases in land rental rates at the Agriculture Ministry on Wednesday

pressed their disapproval over the increases in land rental rates by the Mahaica, Mahaicony Abary/ Agriculture Development Authority (MMA/ADA), which were announced earlier this year.

On Wednesday, a group of irate farmers gathered outside the Agriculture Ministry where they vented frustrations over the 2017 hikes. The Agriculture Ministry announced the increase of land rent from $3500 to $15,000 per acre, which represented a 600

it can take care of drainage and irrigation.

The farmers however clearly stated that they cannot afford the increases, highlighting that the future of their offspring is in jeopardy.

“From $1000 an acre we ah pay to over $7000 an acre, is better de Government take back de land and plant um heself; if you can’t plant to survive, you got to make de jail lil bit mo big and abbe ah get mine in de jail… wha de

ed that these increases are coupled with a rising cost of living.

Meanwhile, a farmer from Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice (WCB), expressed similar concerns. He, along with other farmers, noted Agriculture Minister Noel Holder has repeatedly ignored their calls for dialogue. The WCB farmer also decried the reduced earnings farmers have been receiving for their paddy. “We [are] getting a very hard time with the MMA and Minister for Agriculture. In

told the press that while they are receiving $1300 for a bag of paddy, it was noted that manure amounts to $1000 per bag.

“They recommend that you got to throw three doses [but] where you gone find this money from,” the WCB farmer pondered.

“This Minister not realise what going on with the farmers,” he added.

Moments after their demonstration wrapped up, the protesters took their cries to Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo

A rice farmer on the picket line on Wednesday

at his Church Street office. It was explained that the farmers condemned the “huge increases” in land rent, drainage and irrigation rates, lease fees and Value Added Tax (VAT) on agricultural inputs, equipment and machinery.

In a press statement from the Office of the Opposition Leader on Wednesday, it was noted that during the meeting with the farmers and input suppliers, Jagdeo outlined a clear vision “to

off-set the challenges confronting farmers and the agricultural sector”.

The statement noted that Gvernment has to curtail its high-handed approach in dealing with farmers whose concerns are genuine and legitimate. The Opposition Leader has committed to reversing all the hardship measures imposed by the coalition Government once the PPP/C returns to office in the near future,” the statement said.

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guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, march 9, 2017

Regional

Guatemala children’s home Jamaica must become a society blaze kills 19 teenage girls of meritocracy – Holness

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N

ineteen teenage girls have died in a blaze at a children’s care home in Guatemala, officials say. About 25 other people were injured in the fire at the Virgen de Asuncion shelter in San Jose Pinula, about 25km (15 miles) South-East of the capital, Guatemala City.

Police said the blaze may have been started by some of the residents. On Tuesday, Police Officers intervened after a riot broke out at the home. About 60 children escaped.

Some alleged they had been mistreated or sexually abused. Oscar Franco, a spokesman for the volunteer firefighters, told local media: “At least 25 people were injured and transferred to hospitals and we have confirmed 19 bodies.”

All those who died were aged between 14 and 17.

A victim of the fire is brought to a hospital in San Jose Pinula

The fire ripped through the facility in minutes.

Nery Ramos, the head of Guatemala’s National Police, said the fire was started by a group of young people at the shelter.

Firefighters battled to contain the flames as desperate family members arrived at the scene to try to find their loved ones.

After the blaze, images

showed burned bodies covered by blankets lying in one of the blackened rooms.

The children who fled on the eve of the fire said it was due to poor conditions and mistreatment following the riot, which left the facility damaged. The shelter takes in children up to the age of 18 who have suffered abuse or trafficking, or have been abandoned. (Excerpt from BBC

rime Minister Andrew Holness on Wednesday pinned eight people who are part of the first cohorts of young Jamaican professionals to serve in the Government of Jamaica for a two-year period.

Speaking at the ceremony, Holness said that, “the Jamaica House Fellowship programme is just one idea in a series of things that we are going to do to ensure that the Jamaican state is seen in the best way, in the best light, held in the high-

est regard; to create a society of merit.

He added that the Jamaican state has to become a meritocracy, so the man who plays by the rule will be rewarded. The eight individuals, six men and two women, will be placed in a fast paced collaborative environment within ministries, departments and agencies based on Government priorities, skillsets, experience and areas of interest. Each fellow will work on, provide support to and implement high priority

Government initiatives.

“We have to be a society of excellence. Too often we are willing to compromise on standards especially in Government and that has to change. It is because it is Government that we should give the best service because you are building your society and your country, and you will ultimately benefit. We will have to get this culture (of excellence) back in Government. It’s part of the transformation of Government,” declared Holness. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Bahamas landfill fire under control but residents told not to go back home just yet

News)

Bolivia’s Morales boosts legal coca production

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olivian President Evo Morales has signed into law a controversial bill that nearly doubles the area that can be legally planted with coca crops.

A total of 22,000 hectares (55,000 acres) can be planted with coca nationwide, compared with 12,000 hectares under previous legislation. Morales is himself a former coca farmer and dismissed warnings that the move would fuel the illegal drug trade.

The coca plant, used to make cocaine, also has traditional uses in the Andes.

Its leaves are used to make tea to fight altitude sickness. When chewed they provide mild stimulation and suppress hunger, thirst and pain.

Morales, Bolivia’s first indigenous President, has

The smoke from the landfill has not cleared up as yet

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Morales has long supported the global legalisation of coca leaf chewing

long supported the legalisation of coca leaf chewing globally, urging the UN to declare it legal. He still heads a ederations of coca farmers’ unions in the Chapare region. “We want to guarantee coca supplies for life” for people who use the leaves legally, the leftist leader said in a speech.

Despite the previous restrictions, in 2014, 20,400

hectares of land in Bolivia was “under coca bush cultivation”, according to UN figures, representing 15 per cent of the world total.

The country is the world’s third-biggest producer of cocaine, after Colombia and Peru. In 2013 the European Union estimated that demand for legal coca in Bolivia was 14,700 hectares.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

esidents of a community near the burning landfill in The Bahamas’ capital are not expected to get the all-clear to return to their homes for another few days.

While the massive fire at the New Providence Landfill in Nassau has been contained, Environment and Housing Minister Ken Dorsett said there will still be smoke in the Jubilee Gardens area and it was best for residents to stay away for now.

He said the firefighters were battling not only the fire at the landfill but also a

forest fire in the surrounding areas. Residents were forced to evacuate their homes when the fire, which began on Sunday, sent thick, black hazardous smoke into their neighbourhood.

“We will probably be experiencing smoke for the next five to seven days. That is how long it will take to put this out. It will not be an easy fix,” Dorsett said at a press conference on Monday.

“We are still not recommending people return to their homes in Jubilee Gardens. The wind changes direction throughout the course of the day, but

from what I have seen I do not think the police have changed their advice thus far in terms in returning to their homes.”

Despite an evacuation order being in place for the rest of the week, some residents have returned to their area to assess whether their homes sustained any damage.

Prime Minister Perry Christie said government was considering providing financial assistance to residents who have been adversely affected. (Excerpt from

Caribbean360)

Appeal Court reinstates election Antiguan victim in throat-slashing petitions in St Vincent incident released from hospital

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lection petitions filed by the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) have been reinstated by the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal sitting in Saint Lucia on Tuesday, citing apparent bias of the trial judge, Justice Brian Cottle.

The NDP has challenged the results of the December 9, 2015, general elections in the Central Leeward and North Windward constituencies, asking the court to declare the opposition party as the winner of the elections in the contested districts or to order fresh by-elections there.

Cottle, who is no strang-

Justice Brian Cottle

er to allegations of bias, had initially thrown out the petitions as improperly filed, but the NDP appealed that

decision.

The Court of Appeal has now ruled that the order to strike out petitions be set aside, that the hearing of petitions and motions to strike be remitted to High Court to be heard expeditiously by a different judge.

The court also awarded costs to appellants in the lower court and in the court of appeal. The ruling Unity Labour Party (UDP) won eight of the 15 parliamentary seats while the remaining seven went to the NDP -- in a repeat of the 2010 election results. Should just one seat change hands, the current UDP government would fall, after 16 years in office.

(Caribbean News Now)

J

owayne Haughton has been discharged from Mount St John’s Medical Centre, just over a week after two men allegedly slit his throat in an incident at the Cactus Bar on Prince Charles Street, Ottos.

The Police confirmed the Jamaican national was sent home on Tuesday. He had spent several days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) since, according to the report the hospital gave the Police, a main artery was damaged and he had suffered significant blood loss.

A Police source said Haughton has to continue outpatient treatment for some time since the injury

has not fully healed. Since the incident, the Police have charged 37-year-old Casey McKenzie of DeSouza Road and Kenroy “Spani Man” James, 29, of Paige Road, Ottos.

They were both denied bail by Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh who remanded them to prison on the

joint charge of attempted murder. The Magistrate set May 11 as their committal date, therefore it is expected they will return to court that day to find out if there’s enough evidence to send the matter to the High Court for trial. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

thursDAY, march 9, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

African man Isis militants disguised as doctors South and fiancée detained kill 38 in Kabul hospital attack in UAE for sex outside marriage I slamic State has claimed responsibility for an attack on a Kabul military hospital by gunmen disguised as doctors who entered the facility and battled security forces for hours.

At least 38 people died and dozens more were injured, the hospital said.

The attack began with a suicide bombing at the rear of the hospital complex in the Afghan capital. Officials said at least three gunmen dressed as medical staff then entered the 400-bed Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan facility and took up positions on the upper floors.

A second explosion was heard as Afghan special forc-

Gunmen dressed as medics fought security forces for hours in assault on military hospital in Afghan capital

es engaged the gunmen and “heavy fighting” ensued, a defence ministry spokesman said. An earlier death toll of three was revised upwards after security forces carried out checks in the aftermath of the

fighting.

Isis’s Afghan wing has claimed responsibility, according to a report by the Isisaffiliated Amaq news agency.

A November suicide attack on a crowded mosque, claimed by

the same group, killed more than 30 people and wounded dozens.

Isis was also accused by local officials of killing six Red Cross employees in an ambush on a convoy in northern Afghanistan last month. It has claimed at least two other attacks on minority Shias in Kabul since last July.

Afghanistan’s president, Ashraf Ghani, said the latest attack “trampled on all human values”. “In all religions, a hospital is regarded as an immune site and attacking it is attacking the whole of Afghanistan,” he said, during an address in Kabul for International Women’s Day.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Disabled Indian professor sentenced to life for ‘Maoist links’

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court in western India has handed life prison sentences to a disabled academic and four other people for having links to Maoist rebels waging an insurgency against the state.

Professor GN Saibaba of Delhi University, who is paralysed from the waist down, was arrested three years ago but was released on bail. Maoist rebels say

they are fighting for communist rule and rights for tribal people and rural poor.

His family plans to appeal the verdict.

A local court in Maharashtra state found Prof Saibaba and four others guilty of “criminal conspiracy and waging war against the nation” on Tuesday.

In his verdict the judge said of him, “though he is physically handicapped, he

is mentally fit”, adding that “the imprisonment for life is not a sufficient punishment to the accused”.

Professor Saibaba had travelled to tribal areas and prominently campaigned against the activities of the Indian military and a pro-Government, anti-Maoist militia.

He was first arrested in 2014 and accused of being a member of the outlawed

Communist Party of India (Maoist), but denied any involvement with the outfit.

“This judgment is a clear way of state impression and violation of human rights. It looks like the state is using the judgement as a landmark to silence those voices who speak against them,” AS Vasantha Kumari, Saibaba’s wife told Hindustan Times newspaper. (BBC News)

Hong Kong Police to stage riot drills to prepare for Xi Jinping visit

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olice in Hong Kong have reportedly launched a security crackdown as the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, prepares to make a rare and potentially tempestuous trip to the former British colony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its return to China.

The territory, which reverted to Chinese control in 1997, will mark two decades of Chinese rule on 1 July, a highly sensitive occasion likely to spark both celebration and street protest.

Local security forces are gearing up for a busy few months. A cross-border team spread across Hong Kong,

Macau and Guangdong province in mainland China this week launched the region’s largest anti-crime drive since 2000, the South China Morning Post reported.

The newspaper said Operation Thunderbolt was aimed at organised crime and potential terrorist “hideouts”.

It said a 29,000-strong force would stage Hong Kong’s biggest ever “anti-terror” drill in May to ensure police were ready for “any scenario”.

Police will stage another big exercise the following month to practise “riot-control measures” and test new equipment, including pepper-spray projectile and an-

T

the largest haul ever in Singapore. A petition was launched calling the sentence “absolutely intolerable”.For each charge of having sex with a minor, Robinson could have been jailed in Singapore for up to 10 years and fined. But on Wednesday, Singapore’s Public Prosecutor said it would not be appealing for a harsher sentence. It said the two 15-year-old victims

A

South African man and his Ukrainian fiancée have been detained in the United Arab Emirates for unlawful sex, a relative says.

Emlyn Culverwell‚ 29, and Iryna Nohai, 27, were reportedly arrested after a doctor discovered Ms Nohai, who had stomach cramps, was pregnant. They were arrested for sex outside of marriage, which is illegal in the UAE. Culverwell’s mother has pleaded for their release, saying “the only thing they did wrong was fall in love”.

South Africa’s Foreign Ministry has said that it is not able to help the couple as this is a matter of domestic UAE law, News24 reports.

The South African Government has advised

Protests such as this one in November are expected during Xi Jinping’s visit to Hong Kong

ti-riot rubber bullets.

Beijing has yet to officially confirm Xi’s visit, but it is an open secret among Hong

Kong delegates to China’s national people’s congress, which started on Sunday.(Excerpt

from The Guardian)

had “consented to the sexual acts”, meaning the sentence was appropriate.

Specialising in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Robinson had been living in Singapore for about six years. He was well-known in the MMA community, and had previously been chosen to appear in a state campaign for Contact Singapore, a local employment body promoting expat talent.

The court heard that he had met one of the teenagers on a dating app in early 2015. After months of exchanging messages, they met up in person and he brought her back to his apartment where he filmed them having intercourse.

Unaware of the video, the girl then informed her parents about the assault and they lodged a Police report. (Excerpt from BBC News)

the couple to get legal assistance, the BBC’s Pumza Fihlani in Johannesburg says.

There was no immediate comment from the UAE Government.

Culverwell and Nohai have reportedly been held since January, but news of their detention has only emerged now.

Culverwell has been working in the UAE for the past five years.

His mother Linda told News24 that the family is “trying to get messages to the two to say we love them and that they shouldn’t be worried”.

The couple have not yet been charged as the authorities are still carrying out tests, Mrs Culverwell added.

If found guilty, they could face a long jail sentence. (BBC

News)

US weighs deploying up to 1000 ‘reserve’ troops for IS fight

U

Singapore anger at ‘too lenient’ child sex sentence here is public anger in Singapore over what is seen as a too lenient sentence for a US child sex offender. US Mixed Martial Arts instructor Joshua Robinson, 39, was jailed for four years last week for having sex with two teenage girls and filming the acts.

Officers also seized thousands of illegal pornographic films from his flat, including 321 featuring children,

Emlyn Culverwell and his fiancee Iryna Nohai met while working in the UAE

S President Donald Trump’s Administration is weighing a deployment of up to 1000 American soldiers to Kuwait to serve as a reserve force in the fight against Islamic State as US-backed fighters accelerate the offensive in Syria and Iraq, US officials told Reuters.

Proponents of the option, which has not been previously reported, said it would provide US commanders on the ground greater flexibility to quickly respond to unforeseen opportunities and challenges on the battlefield.

It would also represent a step away from standard practices under President Barack Obama’s administration by leaving the ultimate decision on whether to deploy some of those Kuwait-based reserve forces in Syria or Iraq to local commanders.

“This is about providing options,” said one US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The officials said the deployment

would differ from the existing US troop presence in Kuwait.

It was unclear whether the proposal had the support of US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, who could opt to use other tools to give commanders more agility.

Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis declined to comment on options being weighed by the Trump administration.

Obama’s administration was often accused of micromanaging even the smallest tactical details about the fight against Islamic State, weighing in on the use of helicopters or movement of small numbers of US forces.

It also set limits on US deployments that would be adjusted incrementally, a strategy meant to avoid mission creep by the military and prevent military moves that might seem good on the battlefield but which could have inadvertent diplomatic or political consequences. Such limits are now under scrutiny.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

16

thursday, march 9, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

“Culture should always be alive” – Chandini Rambalak C

ulture is the wellspring of Chandini Rambalak’s life and she uses it to enrich the lives of others as it has enriched her, through dance. The guiding force behind Apsara, which encompasses a popular stage show, shown for its fusion of dances; a dance troupe; a multicultural magazine and a dance school, Rambalak has taken the joy and unquenchable excitement she feels while dancing to revolutionise cultural entertainment in Guyana, while helping to bring the country its first international pageant crown.

Though her accomplishments are many, dance, first and foremost, has been the vehicle through which she has expressed the culture she loves, with her registered company bearing the name of the celestial singers and dancers in Indian and Buddhist traditions. “I am thankful to my parents for allowing me to grow up in the culture and I embrace it.

I embrace it a lot. I love the culture. I love it,” she says.

“I think culture should always be alive and I have a daughter and I want her to grow up in that culture; I would love her kids to grow up in the culture and embrace it... It is one of the best things our foreparents came (with)...and it evolved and evolved. There are different types of culture. The young and the old are involved.

It’s good to keep your culture alive...It should always be there. It’s part of your life. It should be part of your life. It is one of the beautiful things...,”the talented dancer said.

Culture is not about reli-

gion nor is it static, Rambalak – who was raised in an artistic, talented Hindu family – said, as she highlighted the evolution of Indo-Guyanese culture and the religious diversity of people of Indian descent and of India itself.

Apsara, in 2008, was born out of Rambalak’s desire to push the envelope dance-wise after two years of dance training at the Indian Cultural Centre and a subsequent two at the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Kendra. With help from her sisters and close friends, she launched the new dance experience, functioning as the director, producer and part-choreographer.

“I travelled so much that my eyes opened to different cultures in the world and I realised that, at that time, we Guyanese who aren’t exposed live in a box. I wanted to do something liberal, add something new and see if it would work… different styles from the world I saw and experienced,” the St Joseph High School graduate, who stressed that she was careful to maintain certain boundaries of decency, said.

When Apsara first burst onto the scene, its exciting yet tasteful fusion of Indian classical dances, with belly dancing, Hip-hop and other diverse cultural influences drew wide acclaim and wide audiences. The stage show was so popular that the Kitty resident was inspired to take it to overseas audiences, including in the US. That first success led to Rambalak publishing the Apsara Magazine and later becoming National Director of the Miss India Guyana Pageant, sending seven delegates, including 2012 winner Alana Seebarran, to the international pageant before her stint ended.

“Whatever I wanted to do, I was always successful. I always knew I could have done it (directing the pageant).” I gave women a platform to do something, whatever level of success they had at the pageant, she said, later adding that empowering women and seeing that glow of positivity and success was satisfying.

“And they were all successful.”

The shy 11-year-old who first stepped through the doors of the Indian Cultural Centre has grown into a confident woman – kind; hard to get a hold of, but a delight to talk to once found; insightful; philosophical and effervescent yet careful – her brief flickers of caution signs of wary experience surfacing.

Laughter permeates her voice for most of the interview, giving greater depth to the moments she pauses and grows serious – like when asked about the most important quality of an entrepreneur.

“Be open,” she finally says. “Open-minded. Open

Market statistics Cambio Rates

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Bank of Guyana Cur

Buying

Calculated at 94% purity, March 8, 2016

Selling

USD

$1213.30

GBP

$250.25

$253.29

Gross

$235,229

CAN

$153.25

$155.03

$218,063

$205.98

$208.44

Net

USD EURO

$ 217.37

$220.17

Indicators as on March 8, 2017 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$53.11

Price

USD

London Sugar

$520.30/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change %

-5.29 Change %

0 USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1206.80

$1207.80

Low/High

$1218.80

$1205.60

Change

Business Concept – Liquidity

-1.20

-0.10%

1. A measure of the extent to which a person or organisation has cash to meet immediate and short-term obligations, or assets that can be quickly converted to do this.

2. Accounting: The ability of current assets to meet current liabilities.

3. Investing: The ability to quickly convert an investment portfolio to cash with little or no loss in value. (Business Concept)

to advice, to other people’s ideas. I was going to say be nice to people….because you cannot be screaming at people, but sometimes people take advantage of nice. I can tell you from personal experience, but I cannot not be nice to people. I cannot shout at people…sometimes they need that, but….”She trails off, noticeably perturbed by the idea of being unpleasant, but recognising the importance of being assertive to get goals accomplished.

“Be approachable,” she adds

ness owners do the research – about the sector, the customer, the risks involved, etc, and be passionate and knowledge about their field, is carefully weighing her options. She revealed that her young dance students’ dedication and joy keep her going. She has temporarily halted classes to facilitate construction to expand the studio. The risky and less than lucrative nature of cultural entrepreneurship which Rambalak, who is also involved in her family’s prop-

parsingly, before deciding that ‘nice but firm’ was the ideal attitude.

Her own openness about her life – the triumphs and the troubles, was very much evident.

With the terrible downturn in the economy severely limiting the formerly generous sponsorship of the business community on which much of the stage show and magazine depended, the entrepreneur, who says it is essential that would-be busi-

erties and rental business, highlighted is a reality she is living. “For me, it’s going along and seeing how far it takes you. Life can change.

For me, it’s just go with the flow and see how far it takes me.”

However, she is happy with what she has accomplished and hopeful for the future. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I am happy and content that I have done, and am doing my part....Success is measured

in many ways...sold-out shows, popular in and out of Guyana, making people happy, (achieving excellence)...”

Her goal is “to continue to put a smile on children and young people’s faces (keeping them occupied and out of trouble). It satisfies and completes me, passing on my talent and culture.”

Unlike most entrepreneurs of her generation technology does not matter much to Rambalak, who confessed that she can leave the house without her phone or purse, comfortably. “In my personal experience in life, love can replace so many things and what I feel sad about, because I have been there – I live a different life now... I don’t need to walk around with my phone and I feel so good. I think technology is overtaking people.... love can replace, so many things only a few people are so blessed,” she says thoughtfully.

And she is raising another generation of savvy, bold and talented womanhood, her six-year-old daughter. The Kitty resident, who shares custody of the other great joy of her life with her ex-husband, said passion, planning and having help are the key to juggling multiple roles and projects while acknowledging that there are fewer balls to juggle these days.

Rambalak, who took two years off from dancing after the birth of the daughter she so carefully planned for, is clearly amazed by her bright and bubbly child’s self-assurance and confidence at such a young age: “This child cried and said ‘I wanted to dance. Dance alone (at a close friend’s wedding)… and she went up alone and performed – never missed a step.”

“I don’t know where she gets it from,” she laughs. We do.

Contact: 55 Sandy Babb Street, Kitty/640-2085/ apsara_guyana@yahoo. com

Investors’ Guide

Energy stocks drag US markets lower

W

all Street markets closed broadly lower after a sharp fall in the price of oil hit energy stocks. The Dow Jones lost 0.33 per cent to 20,855.73 while the S&P 500 shed 0.23 per cent to 2362.98.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 0.06 per cent, however to 5837.55.

The price of Brent Crude oil slipped five per cent to US$53.13 on fears that rising US production would offset Opec efforts to curb supply, thereby suppressing prices.

Among the biggest fall-

ers were Devon Energy Corp, down 6.52 per cent, Chevron Corp, down 1.97 per cent, and Exxon Mobil, down 1.81 per cent.

Real estate stocks also fell after the ADP National Employment report showed the US private sector added 298,000 jobs last month – well above expectations.

The report portrays the US economy in robust health, lending weight to expectations the Fed will raise interest rates next week.

The S&P 500 Real Estate Sector index – which is typically sensitive to rate rise

fears - shed 1.5 per cent.

Heavy-equipment maker Caterpillar also performed badly, slipping 2.81 per cent.

The drop came after the New York Times said a report commissioned by the US Government had accused the heavy equipment maker of carrying out tax and accounting fraud.

Caterpillar refused to comment on the report.

Spokeswoman Corrie Scott told the BBC: “We were not provided a copy of the report. We will not comment on a report we have not seen.” (BBC News)

news

17

THURsDAY, march 9, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Change attitude towards gender equality, Granger implores A

s Guyana joins the world in observing International Women’s Day, President David Granger is calling for Guyanese to change their attitudes as it relates to gender equality.

He was at the time addressing a packed gathering of mostly females, at the Police Training Centre on Wednesday morning, where the Social Protection Ministry hosted a symposium in commemoration of International Women’s Day. According to the Head of State, over the years, Guyana has made strides in terms of women empowerment. However, in the same breath, he noted that efforts can be taken to move the process much further, much faster in order to dismantle the structural impediments to gender equality so that Guyana can fulfil its commitment under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Some of the distinguished Guyanese women on the panel during Wednesday’s IWD symposium

nities for women’s employment by developing small and micro industries in villages and communities and by encouraging corporations to promote qualified women to executive positions,” the President stated.

Granger assured that Guyana will honour its com-

asserted.

Moreover, the Guyanese leader believes gender equality and women empowerment is the answer to poverty, the burden of which he said falls heavily on women.

“The vicious cycle of poverty has to be broken in order to create a virtuous cycle of gen-

President David Granger addressing the gathering at the opening of the International Women’s Day Symposium, where several Government Ministers were present

#5, which states “gender equality and empower all women and girls.”

“We have to change our attitude to gender equality…

We can move much further by removing the barriers to gender equality by ensuring that geographic, occupational, political and racial differences are diminished.

We can do so by empowering women by ensuring that our communities, committees, commissions and our councils at all levels are more representative. We can do so by providing more opportu-

mitment to empower women and educate and protect girls, particularly in four key areas: empowerment, education, employment and gender equality.

“Gender parity cannot be achieved in the absence of a more equal society.

Enforcement of legislation to protect women, to prevent abuse and to promote greater equality must be more robust. The disparities between hinterland and coastland and between rural and urban communities, for example, must be reduced,” he

der equality. Jobs are necessary to enable poor women to enjoy sustainable incomes and to have a chance at exiting poverty,” the President explained.

The Head of State is of the firm belief that all women, whether they work in or out of the home, must be empowered to take on leadership roles and become involved in political decision-making.

Following the opening ceremony of the symposium, a panel discussion was held featuring First Lady Sandra Granger, Fashion Designer

Sonia Noel, Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali-Hack and Programme Manager of the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association, Chelauna Providence.

During that engagement, First Lady Sandra Granger urged women not to accept parameters that seek to dictate and control their lives.

“Throughout history, women have proven that they can adapt and develop skills to suit their needs and their environment. Our history shows that our female ancestors – enslaved and indentured – confronted the challenge of living in a hostile environment and overcame adversity to help build the society we know today. We have proven that we are not squeamish when it comes to making tough decisions and jumping into action,” she said.

The First Lady also encourage women to demand equal pay for equal work and pointed that through equality, women, who comprise 50.2 per cent of the population, can move towards greater gender parity.

International Women’s Day is observed on March 8 annually, commemorating the movement for women’s rights. This year it is being observed under the United Nations theme: “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”.

Additionally, the theme for this year’s IWD campaign is “Be Bold For Change”

Sex worker on $25,000 bail for robbery charge

A

commercial sex worker was placed on $25,000 bail

by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he pleaded not guilty to a robbery charge.

William Samuels, 23, of Enmore, East Coast Demerara, on March 5, 2017, at South Road, Georgetown, allegedly robbed Sherwayne Jackson of a wristwatch valued $250,000, one LG cell-

William Samuels

phone worth $85,000 and $7000 in cash; a total sum of $342,000.

Samuels vehemently denied any involvement in the act in court on Tuesday.

Bail was objected to by the Prosecution based on the prevalence of the offence.

Samuel related to the court that on the day in question, he and a fellow worker was approached about a business transac-

tion when the VC was accosted by two men on a bicycle, who relieved him of the valuables and made good their escape on the said cycle.

Bail was fixed to the sum of $70,000 but the defendant plead for a reduction, telling the court that the “streets are tough.”

Bail was reduced to $25,000. The case will continue on March 22.

Guyana to get modernised electronic visa system

I

n an effort to clamp down on fraudulent migration, the European Union (EU) will be collaborating with the Citizenship Ministry to set up an electronic visa system for travellers entering Guyana.

Citizenship Ministry, Winston Felix, received the policy recommendations and guidelines for establishing an Electronic Visa (E-Visa) and work visa system. This is expected to aid in the implementation and development of a modernised visa issuance system.

It comes almost two years

European Union’s commitment to improving the visa system which is slated to reduce fraudulent practices in the migration process.

“Guyana’s economy will benefit from a system which makes tourism more attractive and provides more transparency for foreign investment and a genuine need for foreign labour. Safety and security will be enhanced through a well-managed, easily traceable system, which prevents the unregulated inflow of non-citizens.

It will also bring social, educational and cultural bene-

Citizenship Minister Winston Felix

EU Ambassador to Guyana, Jernej Videtič

after seeking assistance for policy guidelines on its establishment. Minister Felix explained that Guyana’s visa application process saw immigration officers using a rubber stamp.

This process, he noted, was the same since independence. He pointed to cases being reported by immigration officers of foreigners presenting their passports with bogus Guyana stamps.

“How long must we contend with a situation in which our immigration system is easily defrauded?

And once we recognise fraud in a legitimate system it is our duty to ensure that we protect it.”

“I am happy to receive it because it would be the source for correcting many issues associated with our visa system currently in operation. The world is changing, but the migration policy in Guyana has not changed.”

“We have had our immigration laws and visa facilities available since we became independent, with very little change to it. But in this changing world, which sees human trafficking, transnational crime, irregular migration patterns, we in Guyana are now seeking to harden the soft parts of our immigration system.”

EU Ambassador to Guyana, Jernej Videtič, personally handed over the report to Citizen Minister Felix.

He noted the

fits and meet humanitarian objectives,” Videtič said.

The report was compiled by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The work on it began after a request from Guyana to the African, Caribbean-European Union (ACP-EU) Migration Action Programme in June 2015 for technical assistance, in order to improve the local visa processing and issuance system, as well as immigration services.

Meanwhile, IOM’s Regional Coordination Officer for the Caribbean, Robert Natiello reiterated the organisation’s commitment to regular and orderly migration and the need to coalesce efforts to improve the process for migrants.

“The process of emitting visas is an important part of ensuring the regular and orderly migration process.

When we have irregular migration processes, we have seen that this opens up migrants to many vulnerable situations and they can fall into situations of human rights violations, Trafficking In Persons and smuggling of migrants. So we are pleased to be able to provide technical assistance for this type of work,” Natiello said.

Also present at the event were Minister within the Public Health Ministry, Karen Cummings and Business Minister Dominic Gaskin.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, march 9, 2017

ARCHIE

Attend a function that is geared toward education and (March 21- you will discover a way to exApril 19) pand your expertise and diversify your professional options.

ARIES

Focus on what you can get TAURUS done without the help of oth(April 20- ers. Physical labor or exercise May 20) will ease your stress and help you put emotional matters in perspective.

dilbert

Beautify your surroundGEMINI ings and pay more attention (May 21to the way you present yourJune 20) self. A trendy new look will lift your spirits and encourage you to participate more in community events.

Question what others ask of you. Don’t feel sorry for (June 21- someone trying to take advanJuly 22) tage of you. Stay focused on your responsibilities and doing the best you can.

CANCER

Peanuts

Taking a trip, signing up for LEO a course or spending time with (July 23someone you love is favored.

Aug. 22) Making a physical change will boost your confidence and result in compliments.

You can spin things in VIRGO your favor if you offer practi(Aug. 23Sept. 22) cal solutions to financial, legal or medical issues that develop when dealing with a partner, institutions or government agencies.

Calvin and Hobbes

Form an alliance with LIBRA someone who supports your (Sept. 23ideas, solutions and efforts. A Oct. 23) romantic encounter will tempt you. Don’t make an impulsive decision that could affect your living arrangements or plans.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Display your skills, experSAGITTARIUS tise and physical ability to (Nov. 23- get things done. Your excelDec. 21) lent work ethic will promote advancement. Be prepared to counterattack a jealous competitor trying to undermine you.

TODAY’S WORD — JEROBOAM (JEROBOAM: jer-uh-BO-em: A wine bottle holding four-fifths of a gallon.)

Average mark 18 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 25 or more words in JEROBOAM? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — ANGULAR

solution for Last Published Puzzle agar alar alga aura aural gala gaur

gnarl guan guar gular ulna lagan langur

lunar lung raglan rang rung

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Check out your options, SCORPIO but don’t walk away from one (Oct. 24situation until you have a seNov. 22) cure hold on where you are heading next. Impulse will lead to uncertainty. Follow your intuition.

You’ll be tempted to follow CAPRICORN someone else’s lead. Before (Dec. 22you jump in, consider what’s Jan. 19) being offered and what’s expected of you in return. If uncertainty prevails, don’t get involved.

Take time to pamper yourAQUARIUS self or update your appear(Jan. 20ance. Nurture an important Feb. 19) relationship by sharing your plans and feelings. Romance is encouraged.

PISCES Once you set a goal, it’s a (Feb. 20- matter of putting your plan March 20) in motion. Your vision will be spot-on, and your ability to follow through unprecedented. Romance is highlighted.

thursDAY, march 9, 2017

19

Barcelona complete stunning

6-goal comeback B

arcelona needed to become the first team in European history to overcome a 4-0 firstleg Champions League deficit and did so against Paris Saint-Germain as they scored six goals to knock out PSG despite Edinson Cavani’s away goal, ending the tie 6-5 on aggregate.

With the win Wednesday, Barcelona reached the quarterfinals.

Inside two minutes, they had one back. Luis Suarez took advantage of mayhem in the PSG backline as they failed to deal with a bouncing ball and the Uruguayan headed over the line in front of goalkeeper Kevin Trapp before Thomas Meunier could try and clear it from underneath the bar.

The referee rightly gave the goal and Barcelona continued to press in their 3-13-3 system. Blaise Matuidi went into the book for a late challenge on Samuel Umtiti and Neymar called for a penalty inside the box when his cross was blocked from close range. Minutes later, Julian Draxler’s cross hit Javier Mascherano’s arm but no penalty was given, much to the German’s disgust.

Draxler then fouled Messi outside the box and the Argentine No. 10 got up

4

to fizz a free kick just over the bar. Then Neymar went even closer as he cut inside to curl a glorious right-footed effort just past the post from 30 yards out.

PSG sat back and absorbed the Barcelona pressure without doing any of the pressing that won them the first leg in such incredible circumstances. The Catalan side continued to pass the ball around elegantly and PSG had no attacking outlet, with Cavani miles from goal whenever he got the ball on the counter.

But the PSG game plan was working. Andres Iniesta was restricted to a wild shot from 35 yards and the tight space and men behind the ball proved hard to break through. A Messi free kick cannoned off the head of Gerard Pique, before a rare spell of possession for PSG in an attacking area brought about a shot from Lucas Moura that was easily saved

by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

On 30 minutes, Rafinha found some space down the right but his cross was weak and found only Trapp’s waiting arms. And Suarez got on the end of a break away after good work from Ivan Rakitic, but he was unable to trouble the goalkeeper from a tight angle under pressure.

against PSG

Then the breakthrough for 2-0 came in the 40th minute. Neat interplay between Iniesta and Suarez saw the ball looped over the top and Marquinhos failed to clear.

Iniesta got goalside of his man, backheeled the ball across the six-yard box and Layvin Kurzawa mistimed his clearance to put the ball into his own net.

It was what both sides deserved: Barcelona just reward for their attacking intent; PSG punished for failing to press and just putting men behind the ball to invite pressure.

Shortly after half-time, Barcelona were 3-0 ahead and within one goal of completing the comeback.

Iniesta flicked a ball through to Neymar was tripped by the falling Meunier in the box. Initially the referee did not give the penalty but his goal-line assistant did after some delay and Messi struck the penalty home with ease.

A PSG goal would have turned the tie back in the French champions’ favour and Cavani almost provided as he slid in at the near post but his effort flicked off the outside of the woodwork.

Neymar went down again

Neymar was undoubtedly the star of the show against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday

under pressure from Meunier but this time the referee and his assistant did not budge.

PSG then worried Barcelona with two low crosses that needed clearing and Rakitic went into the book for stopped Draxler on a dangerous counter attack. It was a sign of things to come.

Minutes later, they got a hugely important away goal to make it 3-1 on the night and 5-3 on aggregate.

Barcelona failed to clear a set piece and Cavani hammered a volley past Ter Stegen and into the roof of the net to give the Parisiens some breathing space.

The Uruguayan could have put the game beyond doubt as he broke free but Ter Stegen saved well with his leg.

Chasing three more goals, Barcelona made a change as Arda Turan came on for Iniesta and Suarez almost got another before his effort was cleared off the line by Marquinhos. But Suarez was then booked for diving as he tried to win a penalty un-

der a challenge from Marco Verratti.

Messi dragged a shot wide and Arda headed over as Barcelona continued to chase the game, but three more goals was too much to handle. Angel Di Maria came on and should have added another goal but for a wonderful recovery tackle by Javier Mascherano.

Then Neymar kept things interesting with a wonderful curling free kick in the fi-

nal minute that made it 4-1 on the night and Barcelona were awarded a last minute penalty as Suarez was fouled, converted by Neymar to make it 5-1, but still behind 5-5 on aggregate.

And, incredibly, in the final seconds, with Barcelona needing one more goal, Sergi Roberto struck to make it 6-5 and put to bed one of the most incredible games in Champions League history.

(ESPNFC)

Mohamed’s Enterprise supports

“Reaction” Dragz meet

GFF/National Women’s Development League

teams remain in championship hunt

T

match at Victoria ground in the first semi-final at 16:00h on Friday, with the Guyana Defence Force F.C. playing Rupununi-based St. Ignatius F.C. at 17:30h in the second semi-final.

The final will

he top four teams from the inaugural Guyana Football Federation National Women’s Development League will compete for the championship this weekend, with semi-finals scheduled for Friday March 10 and the final taking place on be contestSunday March ed at 17:30h on 12.

Sunday at the GDF Paiwomak F.C. from ground in Georgetown, as the Rupununi take on Fruta part of the double-header Conquerors F.C. in the first

alongside the finals of the Stag Elite League Leaders Tournament.

“This is the first time Guyana has had a national wome n ’ s football league, and it has been a great success with huge potential for growth,” said GFF President

Wayne Forde. “We wish the clubs and players all the best this weekend, as we bring the first season of this groundbreaking league to an exciting close.”

The GFF has prioritised the development of women’s football and women in football, with the establishment of the women’s development league, the new, nationwide network of GFFScotiabank A c a d e m y Training Centres, and training for more female coaches and referees.

Desrie Lee (left) collects the cheque from Mohamed’s Enterprise representative Udoh Kanu at the GMR&SC headquarters

M

o h a m e d ’ s Enterprise have continued their overwhelming support towards the motor racing fraternity on Wednesday when they donated an undisclosed sum of money to the Guyana Motor Racing & Sports Club (GMR&SC) ahead their March 19 “Reaction” Dragz Meet at the South Dakota Circuit.

On hand to receive the donation, GMR&SC official Desrie Lee, thanked the company for their kind gesture ahead of the highly anticipated event since it will go a long way in helping to provide fans with the best possible atmosphere on race-

day. GMR&SC President, Ramez Mohamed has stated that they are expecting a big tournament since the drivers are fascinated with the new system in place and are eager to race.

Over 100 participants inclusive of the Surinamese are set to battle for supremacy in the various categories and this event is just a tip of the iceberg since they are aiming to stage an international drag race meet later this year.

Up to $50,000 will be a stake for the fastest bus with free runs beginning from 09:00h followed by qualifying at 10:00h and the knockout rounds from 11:00h.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursDAY, march 9, 2017

‘Our Own’

seeking top honours at Toronto Cup 2

By Ravi Madholall

F

ormer Canada international skipper Sunil Dhaniram is very confident of Our Own Cricket Club retaining the Masters Division trophy in the second Toronto Cup ‘Mini World Cup’ softball tournament.

The Canadian-based

Guyanese cited that the team is set to make an announcement of its composition to commence preparations for the softball extravaganza shortly.

Teams from Guyana, New York, Florida and Canada are expected to compete against each others for trophies in both the All-Stars

and Veteran categories.

Our Own and New York Enforcers are the respective defending champions.

With cash incentives and trophies at stakes, the left-handed Dhaniram informed this publication that the action, from August 4-6, should be competitive and that is major reason for the early preparations.

“We want to play competitive cricket from starting; we won the championship the last time but we don’t want to take any team lightly, so we have to start our preparations as early as possible,” Dhaniram related.

In the 2015 final at the University of the Toronto, Scarborough Campus, Our Own Cricket Club defeated Guyana Floodlights Softball

Sunil Dhaniram

Cricket Association ‘A’ team by 29 runs.

Dhaniram, who also represented Guyana at the highest level, reiterated the importance of diligent preparations and acknowledged the efforts that are necessarily needed to be on the triumphant side.

“It is about good preparations and readiness for a huge softball

tournament like this; we have got to be patient and try to be competitive as possible,” the 48-yearold left-arm spinner, who featured in 44 ODIs, mentioned.

Dhaniram, the younger brother of another Guyana first-class batsman Sudesh Dhaniram, also declared that the team is very optimistic that Our Own can be very dangerous on a given day meaning there are a set of high caliber softball players in their lineup who could be outstanding as well.

The side was captained at the inaugural tournament by veteran all-rounder Bobby Parasnauth and is likely to have ex-Guyana under-19 players Troy Gobin, Zaheer Haniff

and Shiv Seeram among others in their lineup.

Desmond Chumney, who would have also represented Canada at international tournaments, has been a seasoned campaigner for Our Own. In addition to Our Own’s Toronto Cup prestigious reputation, they had dominated proceedings in the annual Ontario Masters over-40 League competition emerging victorious on four occasions from 2011-2014 until they were dethroned last year

by Guyana Sports Club.

Meanwhile, Guyana Times Sport also spoke to the president of the Ontario Masters Softball League Azeem Khan who confirmed that everything is in place and promises to run off another successful and exciting tournament.

Shelly-Ann West Indies play for pride & points - England hunt 3-0 white wash FraserT Pryce is ONEINDIG One Day International Series

pregnant

D

ouble Olympic gold medallist, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce on Wednesday morning announced on social media that she is preg-

nant.

“All my focus heading into training for my 2017 season was on getting healthy and putting myself in the best possible fitness to successfully defend my title in London2017.

“But life is filled with many blessings with God. So here I am thinking about being the greatest mother I can be with my biggest blessing and the promise God m a d e

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce me,” she said on her official Facebook fanpage.

She added that moving on to the journey of motherhood “I look forward to seeing you all in 2018 when I return to competition on the tracks and around the World.”

She ended her post by thanking her sponsors NIKE, GraceKennedy and Digicel “for their unwavering support and a loyal fan base that’s willing to join and share in my journey”, adding that “children are a heritage from The Lord, offspring a reward from him”.

Fans of the track star flocked to her page congratulating her and welcoming the announcement.

The athlete who is a member of The MVP Track & Field Club is married to Jason Pryce.

he series is already England’s but that does not mean there is nothing to play for in Barbados. Another defeat would leave West Indies stuck on 84 points in the ODI rankings, five behind Pakistan in eighth place - but a win would lift them up to 86. West Indies’ next opponents? Yes, Pakistan.

With automatic World Cup qualification Stuart Law’s immediate goal, having taken over as coach last month, West Indies’ next four home fixtures could go a long way to determining their fate. Beat England and then keep Pakistan winless and they have a good chance of getting back into the top eight. Holding on to that position until the September cut-off might be trickier but that is a problem Law would welcome.

Their prospects may have been dented before the start of the third ODI, however, with Shannon Gabriel ruled out by the side strain he suffered in Antigua. Gabriel troubled England’s top order with the new ball and his pace will be missed; Miguel Cummins has been called up to the squad as a replacement.

England’s sights are set on a tournament much closer on the horizon: this year’s Champions Trophy. Two battling victories in Antigua, albeit against lower-ranked opposition, have hinted at an increased game intelligence and Joe Root, whose unbeaten 90 anchored a chase of 226 on a tired surface to seal the series on Sunday, lauded the team’s “smart” cricket and ability to find ways to win in tough circumstances.

Paul Farbrace, coaching the side in Trevor Bayliss’ absence, would doubtless like to gloss the tour with an emphatic finish in Bridgetown. To that end, England are likely to recall Alex Hales to open the batting after he was passed fit following a

hand injury. England’s depleted attack has held up well and, while ranking points are less of a priority, they seem to be building up a head of steam before an important white-ball summer.

There is no doubt that Kraigg Brathwaite is the sort of cricketer West Indies should be looking to build around - at 24 years of age, he is already one of their senior Test batsmen.

His suitability for ODIs is more

was England’s second-highest run-scorer behind Ben Stokes - he has entered something of a dry spell, with white-ball scores of 46, 0, 31, 10, 11, 15, 0, 1, 8, 14 and 0 in India and the West Indies (including warm-up matches). As deputy leader, first-choice keeper and the scorer of England’s three fastest ODI hundreds, it will take a dip in form both prolonged and severe to put his place under pressure, but

for Tom Curran or Jake Ball, who is fit again after hurting his knee in a warm-up game, being recalled. Hales is set to replace Sam Billings after officially joining the squad.

England are expected to wear black armbands in tribute to John Hampshire, who died last week.

The Kensington Oval surface is expected to be quicker than the one played on (twice) in Antigua, while heavy rainfall

There will be lots of expectation for local boy Ashley Nurse at the Kensington Oval

open to question, however. In nine innings, he has one fifty and potters along at a strike rate of 57.96, slower than anyone else in the world since his debut in September (with a qualification of 100 runs).

Most teams have abandoned the use of such drop-anchor openers and Brathwaite must either add a few shots to his repertoire or prove that he can build the substantial innings that are required of a top-order accumulator.

It is only a few months since Jos Buttler was leading England to victory in Bangladesh, standing in for the absent Eoin Morgan as ODI captain.

Since that tour - on which he

he could nevertheless do with a few runs. Jonny Bairstow will not need asking twice if an opportunity arises.

West Indies will have to make at least one change, thanks to Gabriel’s injury, with Alzarri Joseph perhaps the logical replacement. Bajan Cummins has also been called in and could feature on his home ground, while Rovman Powell is putting pressure on Carlos Brathwaite, who continues to play in the shadow of his World T20 final heroics.

England have stressed that they will play their strongest team in the final match although Liam Plunkett’s upset stomach* could lead to a debut

in the preceding 24 hours may be of help to the seamers. The forecast is for a warm day with the possibility of showers later on.

Teams; West Indies - Kraigg Brathwaite, Evin Lewis, Kieran Powell, Shai Hope (wk), Jason Mohammed, Jonathan Carter, Jason Holder (capt), Rovman Powell, Carlos Brathwaite, Devendra Bishoo, Ashley Nurse, Alzarri Joseph, Miguel Cummins England - Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (capt), Jos Buttler (wk), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Steven Finn, Jake Ball, Tom Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Liam Dawson. (ESPNcricinfo)

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Kenisha Prescott takes control of the Guadeloupe versus Martinique match

Guyanese national youth squad, under the Guyana Football Federation’s new technical development plan.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Department’s new policy involves giving as much international exposure as possible to both its young players and referees, in order to accelerate their development and to increase their potential for career advancement in football. Prescott, who is studying for a degree in social work at the University of Guyana, took charge of the Guadeloupe versus Martinique match on March 3 at the Tournoi Paul Chillan, which brought together under-17 boys’ teams from Guyana and

experience was wonderful. It was a very intense game.” “It’s the first time I have actually been in a big stadium in front of a big crowd, so I was nervous at first, but it was good because I had the exposure, so I know now how to referee when I go to do international games.” Linden-born Prescott’s achievements coincide with International Women’s Day (8th March) and underline the GFF’s commitment to increasing female participation in football at all levels of the game, from playing and coaching to refereeing and governance.

The GFF currently has about 30 registered female referees who are active in the game, but is working to increase this number significantly this year.

21

“We want to bring more young women into football and to give them as many opportunities as possible with a clear development pathway,” said GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood. “Under our new approach and through developing links across the Caribbean, we are also giving young players and referees like Kenisha the exposure they need at a high level to learn and to progress.” The young Lindener is hoping to follow in the footsteps of internationallyrenowned female Guyanese referees such as Dianne Ferreira-James and 2016 CONCACAF Female Referee of the Year nominee Maurees Skeete “I see myself becoming a FIFA referee,” she said. “That would mean that I would go to international matches like the World Cup and the Olympics.” With International Women’s Day in mind, Prescott encouraged other young women to get involved in all areas of football, especially refereeing. “We’re looking for a lot more females to come on, because there is only one FIFA referee we have in the country and it would be nice for others to come on board to make Guyana proud,” Prescott said. GFF Executive Committee member and President of the Guyana Football Referees Council Dion Inniss praised Kenisha’s achievements.

“Kenisha is one of the budding stars in refereeing, and we are extremely happy that Martinique experience has open up her eyes to the possibilities that exists once she continues on this path,” former FIFA match official Inniss said.

Bangladesh replying strong to Sri Lanka’s 494

O

n another batting day at Galle, Sri Lanka swelled their score to a 494, before Bangladesh cruised to 133 for 2 by stumps. The bowlers were relentless in their attempts to shake this Test awake - Mehedi Hasan bowled aggressively to make dents in the Sri Lanka lower order, and Lakshan Sandakan delivered some ripping left-arm wristspin in the evening - but the pitch remained somnolent, and the teams more-or-less evenly placed. n the batting front, Kusal Mendis squandered his chance to complete a maiden double-hundred, Niroshan Dickwella cracked his way to 75, Tamim Iqbal hit a half-century before running himself out, and a charmed Soumya Sarkar saw out the day on 66 not out. Among the cricket’s redeeming features, meanwhile, has been Sri Lanka’s positive outlook at the crease (they scored their runs at 3.82 an over), and the emergence of first hints of big turn. If the Galle pitch continues to descend into

O

its familiar cantankerous mood through the back end of this

match, Bangladesh will have to bat very well. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka 1st innings (Overnight 321/4) FDM Karunaratne b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 30 WU Tharanga b Subashis Roy 4 BKG Mendis c Tamim Iqbal b M Hasan Miraz 194 LD Chandimalc M Hasan Miraz b Mustafizur Rahman 5 DAS Gunaratne b Taskin Ahmed85 N Dickwella†c Mahmudullah b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 75 MDK Perera lbw b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 51 HMRKB Herath* c Soumya Sarkar b Mustafizur Rahman 14 RAS Lakmal run out (Mustafizur Rahman/†Liton Das) 8 PADLR Sandakan c M Hasan Miraz b Shakib Al Hasan 5 CBRLS Kumara not out 0 Extras(b 4, lb 10, w 4, nb 5) 23 Total (all out; 129.1 overs)494 (3.82 runs per over) Fall of wickets 1-15 (Tharanga, 5.4 ov), 2-60 (Karunaratne, 22.3 ov), 3-92 (Chandimal, 39.5 ov), 4-288 (Gunaratne, 82.5 ov), 5-398 (Mendis, 103.3 ov), 6-432 (Dickwella, 109.6 ov), 7-457 (Herath, 116.2 ov), 8-480 (Lakmal,

125.3 ov), 9-494 (Perera, 128.5 ov), 10-494 (Sandakan, 129.1 ov) Bowling Mustafizur Rahman 255-68-2 (nb-1), Taskin Ahmed 213-77-1 (nb-2, w-2), Subashis Roy 24-4-103-1 (nb-2, w-1), Mehedi Hasan Miraz 22-1-1134, Shakib Al Hasan 32.1-5-1001, Soumya Sarkar 3-0-9-0 (w-1), Mahmudullah 2-0-10-0 Bangladesh 1st innings Tamim Iqbal run out (†Dickwella) 57 Soumya Sarkar not out 66 Mominul Haque lbw b Perera7 Mushfiqur Rahim* not out 1 Extras (lb-1, w-1) 2 Total (2 wickets; 46 overs) 133 To batMahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das†, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Subashis Roy Fall of wickets 1-118 (Tamim Iqbal, 35.6 ov), 2-127 (Mominul Haque, 40.3 ov) Bowling RAS Lakmal 5-0-150, CBRLS Kumara 7-0-38-0 (w-1), MDK Perera 13-3-321, HMRKB Herath 11-1-30-0, PADLR Sandakan 10-5-17-0

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

THURSdAY, march 9, 2017

Smalta U14 Indoor Hockey League

St Joseph, SHC

Scalpels undefeated

St Joseph’s Erik Yasim takes the attack to GCC Thunderbolts

I

n a major upset last Friday at St Stanislaus College, GCC Warriors overpowered Marian Academy in one of the hottest girls Under-14 games of the night. Despite leading the game 3-1 at one point Marian Academy failed to defend their lead ending the game 4-6. The GCC Warriors’ dynamic duo Kirsten Gomes and Alana Cheung both scored hat-tricks during the match guaranteeing them a tie for this week’s Smalta’s female top scorers of the day. SHC Sensations was able to secure 3 additional points after thrashing Hikers 7-0 which now ties them with Marian Academy for second place in the current standings.

SHC Silencers continue to lead the group undefeated and will meet Marian Academy this Friday at St. Joseph High School.

In the Boy’s Division, St Joseph and SHC Scalpels maintain their lead on the points table as they continued to be undefeated af-

ter Friday night’s games.

SHC Samurai was able to defend an early lead against SHC Scorchers to defeat them 2-1 removing the Scorchers from a threeway tie with St Joseph and SHC Scalpels in points.

HHC Garnett Street’s Baraka Garnett, one of the brothers who gave this

in his team’s defeat of GCC War Dogs 8-1.

The league has already seen some significant improvement in players’ skills since its start earlier last month. It is a very promising endeavour for the future of hockey in schools and for future national teams. Games will contin-

Vladimir Woodroffe of the GCC Thunderbolts controls the ball against St. Josephs

team their name, is the Smalta’s male top scorer of the day scoring 3 goals

ue this Friday March 10 at St Joseph High School from 16:00 to 19:00h.

Khan calls Sammy ‘third-class,’ angers fans

P

akistan cricket legend Imran Khan angered fans Tuesday after a leaked video emerged of him describing international stars who agreed to play in the country despite security threats as “third-class” and anonymous.

The remarks by the 64-year-old who now leads a major political party were captured by a local journalist on a mobile phone and uploaded online, where it sparked a furious backlash including from many of his own supporters.

Khan, a vocal critic of the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had opposed staging Sunday’s final of the Pakistan Super League in Lahore instead of the UAE where earlier matches were played, citing security grounds.

He later appeared to soften his position, using Twitter to congratulate the public on their participation and enthusiasm in a match widely hailed by observers for unifying the country, which has not hosted a major national team since 2009 when Islamist gunmen attacked a touring Sri Lanka side.

But speaking to party aides on Tuesday, he criticised the tournament and poked fun at the nine foreign players who agreed to play despite a recent resurgence in violence.

“I didn’t even know the names of the ‘phateechar’ players,” he said, using a derogatory term that roughly translates as “third-class”, while others around him laughed.

“I think they grabbed some people from Africa and others from elsewhere to claim that they were foreign players,” he added.

The video went viral online where many rushed to defend the foreign stars,

particularly two-time World T20 winner Darren Sammy of the West Indies, who led Peshawar Zalmi to victory and whose dancing celebrations and effusive praise of Pakistan had made him a major hit with fans.

“These #Phateechar players have put in more effort in restoring the international cricket than the so called selfless leader,” wrote Twitter user Rabiya Naveed.

Another user, @Dr_sheffield123, wrote “I am ur diehard fan but u made me upset like millions & am thinking whthr u r in ur senses or have lost ur mind?”

Some suggested Khan was motivated by petty jealousy because the government which he opposes had taken credit for the success of the match.

He later appeared on the local TV network Geo News, doubling down on his position.

“Sammy was captain but he is not a big player,” he said.

“Had Chris Gayle come, had Kevin Pietersen come, I would have said they were big international stars.”

Gayle featured for Karachi Kings in the matches held in Dubai and Sharjah but his team failed to qualify for the final.

Pietersen withdrew from the final over security fears along with other Quetta players Rilee Rossouw from South Africa, Luke Wright and Tymal Mills, who are both from England.

The row also reached parliament with defence minister Khawaja Asif condemning Khan on a point of order.

“I can’t even repeat those derogatory remarks because they are so insulting to the players,” he said.

West Indies open campaign against champions Australia

T

he International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, International Women’s Day, revealed the full match schedule for this summer’s ICC Women’s World Cup in England and Wales. Tickets for all matches also went on sale on the same day via: www.icccricket.com/tickets.

The tournament will get underway on Saturday, June 24 as 28 matches will be held over 21 days, including four weekends, meaning more opportunities for fans to attend. A round-robin between the world’s eight best teams will conclude with the semi-finals at Bristol and Derby before the final at Lord’s on 23 July. Tickets for group stage matches start at £10 for adults, £5 for students (aged between 17 and 23-years-old) and £2 for under-16s.

As tickets go on sale, David Richardson, the ICC Chief Executive, said: “I can’t think of a better moment than International Women’s Day to unveil the schedule of one of the leading global events in women’s sport.

“We are anticipating an exciting tournament and I know the players are looking forward to competing here in front of unprecedented levels of support. We’ve already sold 9000 tickets for the final at Lord’s which bodes well for the rest of the event going on sale today. I know we can always count on the British sport loving public to support big events.

“After the extremely successful qualifying tournament in Sri Lanka last month, we can already see

West Indies Women are the defending World T20 champions and will be looking to add the 50-Over title to their cupboard

that there will be some fiercely contested fixtures as the standard and competitiveness of women’s cricket continues to rise.”

Steve Elworthy, the Managing Director of the ICC Women’s World Cup, said: “We are extremely excited about the ICC Women’s World Cup being staged at four outstanding county grounds which I am sure will provide the best possible showcase for the top players in the women’s game.

“Today, the tickets for all the matches will go on sale

and I am sure they will be in high demand as each of the competing countries have large support in England and Wales. This promises to be the best ICC Women’s World Cup tournament and I am sure everyone will want to be a part of the event.”

Host England faces India on the opening day – a team it defeated in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 – in a highly anticipated fixture in Derby while powerhouse New Zealand faces qualifier Sri Lanka in Bristol on the same

day – 24 June.

India will feature in four games in Derby, including the much anticipated clash with its arch rival Pakistan onSunday, 2 July. India will also take on the West Indies in Taunton, Australia in Bristol and South Africa in Leicester.

England will take on the sixtime and reigning champion Australia in Bristol on Sunday, 9 July and the highly fancied New Zealand in Derby on 12 July. The big-hitting West Indies team, runner-up in the 2013 ICC Women’s World Cup, will

play three matches in Taunton including the repeat of the Mumbai final against Australia in the opening match at the County Ground on 26 June.

Leicester will be the home venue for Pakistan with five of its seven matches being staged at Grace Road including matches against England on 27 June and Australia on 5 July.

The two semi -finals will be in Derby and Bristol on 18 and 20, culminating with a Lord’s final on 23 July, for which tickets are already selling quickly.

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

CPL finals to remain in Caribbean

By Akeem Greene

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he Caribbean Premier League continues to grow exponentially and heading into its fifth year, there have been talks about the possibility of the gala final being played outside the Caribbean namely Florida and as far as Singapore.

The previous four finals has been split between Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of CPL Pete Russell in an interview with Guyana Times Sport stated that the idea is to keep the Caribbean Premier League finals in the Caribbean.

“There is interest in Florida to host the finals and we will look at very single offer on its merit, but us the idea the idea is to keep the games in the Caribbean,” Russell disclosed.

He added, “I would doubt it, for us we would hope to always host the finals in the Caribbean, it is possible if anyone comes up with a good enough reason why we should not host it in the Caribbean we will always look at it.”

Interestingly, the COO revealed that it is not only the finals that were up for a new venue but rather team owners looking to have their franchise play in foreign territories.

“There are certain team owners who are looking whether they would like to host some of their games outside the Caribbean and that may very well happen this season, we just have to wait and see,” the official revealed.

Last year, Guyanese fans were tantalized over the prospects of hosting the finals after some sections of reported that the event would be held here which proved opposite.

In giving clarity to the how venue for the finals is done, Russell explained, “there is a tender process for the finals,

we are in position where now we know who or which governments are willing to host and obviously we then have conversations with them all to see whether it fits in with the strategy for the year.”

More so the COO stated the time will come when Guyana gets its it opportunity to host the finals, stating “we had very fruitful discussions Chief Operating Officer with the Guyana government Pete Russell He added, “ We very much last year and I know it was reported more acrimonious see the heartbeat of CPL than that and there is no doubt being brought out in Guyana that is interest to host the , they have been very unlucky finals at some point in Guyana, in three finals, we feel they that time will come but it is not deserve to win one but the support CPL gets in Guyana is necessarily now.” second to none.”

The player draft for the Heart Beat of CPL August 1 to September 9 Throughout the CPL, Guyana has produced massive tournament is slated for Friday in Barbados.

The Caribbean Premier League has held four finals with two being in Trinidad and Tobago and the others in St Kitts and Nevis

and festive crowds for the Amazon Warriors home matches. It is such attributes that makes the National Stadium at Providence a perfect host for the “Biggest Party in Sport.”

The COO opinioned that “Guyana is such a special place for cricket you walk up to that ground and everyone is excited about CPL and seeing games, the crowd comes out in there thousands, and I think anyone who has not been to a game to a game in Guyana there are missing a threat.”

Blyden hits match winning 71 for UWI

Travis Blyden

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uyanese all-rounder Travis Blyden hit 71 to lead University of West Indies (UWI) St. Augustine Campus past El Socorro Youth Movement (EYM) in the Trinidad and Tobago 50 overs Championship League at the Boundary Road Recreation

Ground, San Juan.

In overcast conditions and a heavy outfield, UWI won the toss and decided to take first strike making 243 in 43.1 overs. Blyden struck nine boundaries in his top score while Barbadian Rachad Forde made a quick-fire 51 with five sixes and three fours. Kevon Thomas chipped in with 36.

EYM best bowlers were Selvin Jacobs and Shahid Mohammed with 3-32 and 2-31 respectively.

In reply, EYM folded for 156 in 32 overs with Deepak Kumar top scoring with 40 runs while Kewsi Alfred supported with 35. UWI triumphed by 87 runs.

Ryan Churaman led UWI’s bowling with 4-59 from 10 overs and Jameel Lashley claimed 3-13.

It was UWI’s second victory from three matches with one loss to Curepe Sports.

GCB/DMLAS/MOE/NSCCL/Combined Phase 2016-17

West Coast turns back West Bank

W

hen the action continued in the 2016-17 Guyana Cricket Board/ Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society/ Ministry Of Education/ National Secondary Schools’ Cricket League/ Combined School Phase, West Coast Demerara, got the better of West Bank Demerara in a low scoring encounter at the Meten-MeerZorg ground, West Coast Demerara.

Batting first, West Bank Demerara made a paltry 83 all out, in 28 of their allotted 50 overs. Aaron Seepersaud was the only batsman to show any resistance with 18. Bowling for West Coast Demerara, Ajita Persaud 4 for 13 from 6 overs and Andrew Seepersaud 3 for 15

Victoria Kings tackle Fruta Conquerors for final spot

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Ajita Persaud (left) and Andrew Seepersaud combined for seven wickets for the victors

Kevin Christian after his match winning innings

Stag Elite League Leaders Tournament

he Stag Elite League Leaders Tournament resumes on Friday March 10 and not Thursday, as was initially announced, and will be held at the Victoria Ground with Victoria Kings F.C. taking on Fruta Conquerors F.C. for a place in Sunday’s final.

The tie kicks off at 19:00h following the semi-finals of the GFF National Women’s Development League.

The winner of Friday’s play-off will face the Guyana Defence Force F.C. at the GDF ground in Georgetown on Sunday at

23

from 6 overs.

In reply, West Coast Demerara Combine reached their target with 7 wickets to spare, ending on 84 for 3 in just 21.3 overs. Kevin Christian made 41 not out. Aaron Seepersaud took 2 for 21 off 6 overs.

The West Demerara Combine will now meet, Upper Demerara-East Bank Combine on Monday March 20, at the Meten-Meer-Zorg Ground. However, Upper Demerara-Highway will first play East Bank Demerara today at the Bayroc ground in Linden before selecting the Upper Demerara-East Bank combine team.

Barnwell supports Tapeball Cricket Bash

19:00h. The GDF team, currently top of the

Christopher Barnwell (left) hands over the winning trophy to Dexter George

Stag E l i t e League table, booked their place in the tournament decider with a 2-1 victory over second-placed Fruta Conquerors on March 5 at the Tucville ground.

The second half of season two of the Stag Elite League is scheduled to start on March 19.

O

n Monday national player Christopher Barnwell presented the winning trophy for the inaugural tape ball Cricket Bash Tournament at a simple presentation ceremony at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) Pavilion.

Once it regards the progression of youths at DCC, Barnwell has continue to make significant contributions. This time he decided to contribute the winning trophy for a tournament that promises to be very competitive and exciting.

DCC players, Dexter George and Tevin Imlach are the coordinators for this event and the former national junior players have scheduled the event for two days, March 11 and 12 at D’urban Park. Imlach is

also a former West Indies under-19 champion wicketkeeper.

Cricket teams from across the country are eligible to participate in the competition. There will be rewards for teams as well as individual performances such as trophies, hampers and cash incentives.

Cricket lovers are urged to support and three lucky females will have the opportunity to compete in a bowl off for credit of their preferred network on the final day.

Registration fee is $10, 000 per team. Interested teams are asked to contact Dexter George on 671-0458 or Tevin Imlach on 6887982 for registration.

Registration closes today.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017

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

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ONEINDIG One Day International Series Pg 20

West Indies play for pride & points - England hunt 3-0 white wash Winning momentum is with England and they will look to finish with another win in Barbados

Pg 19

Barcelona complete stunning 6-goal comeback against PSG Barcelona's Sergi Roberto celebrates after scoring the sixth and winning goal during the Champions League round of 16 match against Paris Saint-Germain

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