Binder1

100 years for “The Guyana Annual”

P13 THE BEACON OF TRUTH

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

Issue No. 3137

Monday, February 27, 2017

Parking meter protests

Contract must be transparent

PRICE

Page 9

Guyana risks losing US funding, visas if Govt rejects deportees

Resident killed in WBD accident

WHAT'S INSIDE: Burrowes responds to GO-Invest audit

Flawed P7 system allowed for irregularities

– UK High Commissioner

Page 9

$80 vat included

VAT Act challenge

Nandlall P10 v AG case adjourned again

Page 8

Establishment of development bank will ease burden – Region 2 rice farmers

P17

Corentyne execution

Alleged P12 mastermind denies involvement

Mashramani 2017 celebrations in Berbice attracted a large turnout as spectators gathered to view the floats and Police B Division did not disappoint as their float attracted the support of hundreds with their portrayal of how sports, education and culture can make safer communities as they made their way through New Amsterdam

Cabinet’s role should end with PPC in place – PAC Chairman

Page 3

Police shoot, nab wanted man P8

2

monDAY, february 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

news

3

monDAY, february 27, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, February 27 – 05:00h-06:30h and Tuesday, February 28 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, February 27 – 16:45h-18:15h and Tuesday, February 28 – 05:30h-07:00h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Lightly cloudy skies will give way to heavy rain showers in the late morning hours followed by light showers and cloudy skies in the afternoon. Lightly cloudy conditions can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 05:08h and 17:26h reaching maximum heights of 2.76 metres and 2.85 metres respectively.

Low Tides: 11:00h and 23:21h reaching minimum heights of 0.42 metres and 0.38 metre respectively.

Cabinet’s role should end with PPC in place – PAC Chairman

P

ublic Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Irfaan Ali said there was absolutely no space for Cabinet to give its “no objections” to contracts once the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) was in place.

He said the PPC has complete oversight responsibility of the procurement process, something Cabinet should have relinquished once the Commission was established.

“What I know is that once the PPC comes into operation, which is the position right now, there is absolutely no role for the Cabinet. The Cabinet cannot give any “no objection”; it cannot be involved in any aspect of procurement. The

PAC Chairman Irfaan Ali

have within its remit, giving “no objections” to contracts, although Government said that would be one of its major responsibilities.

On Friday, the PPC, in response to reports in the

liminary work, required by the Constitution before it could begin carrying out its mandate, which incidentally does not include the granting of “no objections” to contracts.

They included the election of a chairperson; followed by discussions with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the benefits and conditions of service for the Commissioners; and the determination of a staff structure for the establishment of a Secretariat, including the preparation of the terms and conditions of the proposed staff, of which the three principal officers require the approval of the National Assembly”.

It said in pursuit of this

partments that function in the public procurement system and deal directly with procurement matters.

Earlier this month, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said that PPC was still inactive as it still was in the process of recruiting competent employees, and Cabinet would stop granting its no-objection when the PPC was ready to work.

“Once they say to us ‘we are ready to function’, then Cabinet will cease doing anything, but since these are public infrastructural projects that need to be executed, we cannot just sit and wait,” the Minister of State posited.

“Once the PPC indicates that they are ready, and then Cabinet will pull back,”

saturDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS L

02

03 12

18

20

FREE TICKET

24 21 BONUS BALL

DAILY MILLIONS 03 12 18 24

25

LUCKY 3 6 6 9

9

Afternoon Draw

2

4

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

01 04

13 14

18 20 21

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

President David Granger with the PPC Commissioners shortly after they were sworn in

Commission has complete oversight responsibility of the procurement process,” Ali told Guyana Times on Sunday.

Following an announcement by the recently-established PPC, Government had come in for criticism for “overstepping its grounds”, by being involved in the issuance of public contracts although the Commission was established for this purpose. The Commission, coming out in rebuttal of accusations made against it, laid out on Friday that it did not

media, sought to clear up the “misconceptions” about its real functions as a recently-established procurement body. According to the PPC, recent media reports have contributed to the notion that it had not yet commenced its work, resulting in the continuing role of Cabinet in the national procurement system, whereby it issues its “no objection” to the award of contracts.

However, the body said that since its establishment in October last, it has been carrying out some basic pre-

mandate, Commissioners have been meeting almost daily, and in the absence of a fixed office.

It continued that following a detailed review of the applicable legislative framework, it engaged several stakeholders within the national procurement system to sensitise them to the role and functions of the PPC. In this regard, members of the Commission said it interfaced and held discussions with more than 100 public officials from several agencies and de-

he emphasised. Harmon also admitted that though the PPC has been inactive, the Commissioners have been receiving their salaries.

Reports indicate that PPC Chairperson Carol Corbin is receiving $1.3 million monthly, while the other Commissioners are earning some $900,000 per month.

The other Commissioners are Nanda Gopaul, Emily Dodson, Ivor English, and Sukrishnalall Pasha.

4

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 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

Stoking hate crimes

L

ast Wednesday, a white American, Adam Purinton taunted two immigrants of Indian descent, Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Alok Madasani, in a Kansas bar which showed he thought they were of “Middle Eastern origin”. After his racial taunts, he yelled at them to “get out of my country” and when one of the immigrants complained to management, Purinton was escorted out of the bar. He later returned with a gun, shot and killed Kuchibhotla, wounded Madasani and Ian Grillot, a white patron of the bar who intervened. Yet the Police have not charged Purinton with a “hate crime” but simply with murder and attempted murder.

This is surprising since, “For the purposes of collecting statistics, the FBI has defined a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.” In this murder, the shooter had even confessed to another bartender after his shooting when he went to have a “cooling off drink”. “The murder of Kuchibhotla is the first reported bias-motivated fatality in the United States after the bitter presidential election,” according to the Hindu American Foundation.

Following the election of Donald Trump, there has been a significant spike in hate crimes in the US, especially against Muslims and Jews, and it would appear that the numbers are even higher if this refusal of the Kansas Police to acknowledge this latest incident as one is common.

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the preeminent body that collects statistics on hate crimes in the US, has made an explicit link with the spike and Trump stating that “the radical right was energised by the candidacy of Donald Trump”. While the initial jump in hate crimes has plateaued, it has done so at a higher level than before.

Kansas is a state with one of the higher rates of hate crimes, but which, in line with the rest of America, are not usually directed against “Asians”, who are seen as a model minority. But just as occurred after 9/11, Indians from the subcontinent are frequently confused with Muslim Middle Easterners and targeted. But this latest wave of hate crimes has the potential to explode way beyond the previous hysteria. Donald Trump’s vitriollaced outpourings against immigrants now cast the net of hate far wider in scope.

In this incarnation, Trump’s nativist outbursts have also included those immigrants that are supposedly “taking away jobs from Americans” and bring an economic dimension to the hate. The model minority are now defined not as a group that is fulfilling the American dream in moving from “rags to riches” through dint of hard work, but as “scabs”. The two Indian immigrants who were shot fit that profile perfectly: they were qualified engineers employed by a nearby hi-tech GPS firm. Trump’s recent Executive Order to prevent the reentry of even immigrants with “green cards” has now created a new debate about who are “real Americans” who should remain in the US. In the present climate, one suspects it would not have mattered if Kuchibhotla and Madasani had shown their green cards to Purinton.

The Kansas Police are probably reluctant to classify the murder of Kuchibhotla as a “hate crime” because this would now confirm what many have predicted: the nativism wave has become deadly, with its first hatemurder. African Americans have always felt the brunt of hate crimes and this has only been recently been given publicity thanks to the ubiquity of camera phones. It is not too far-fetched to extrapolate that shootings of “the other” have replaced the old lynchings of blacks.

In Guyana, there are elements that are also fomenting anger and hate against groups because of their supposed economic gains made at the expense of other groups.

Unless such talk is firmly condemned by the top leaders, and equivocated on as with Donald Trump, we may also see an upsurge in hate crimes here.

After the Mashramani excitement over the last few weeks, these young men used the facilities at the D’Urban Park for a rousing game of midafternoon cricket

Being overly patient can be a form of procrastination, Mr President Dear Editor, We, the reading public, are being told a lot as to why there have been non-interference in the affairs of the Municipality, especially in Georgetown, and more precisely when it comes to the parking meter issues.

Among the words used

by His Excellency, our President doesn’t want to micromanage, the City Hall is an autonomous body, and that they should be allowed to function unimpeded.

First of all, it might be good for the analysis to examine the word micromanage so as to determine what really is micromanaging, I am definitely not an expert of the definition of words, but from my layman point

of view, no one in this dear land of ours could honestly accuse His Excellency of ever micromanaging, matter of fact, if one should ask me, he takes too long before he gets involved in matters that eventually affects the masses in a negative way and by then, it might be too late to salvage the ship so to speak, he gives his team members time to sort things out, but more often than not he has to come and clean up the mess.

Micromanaging, to my mind and from the Merriam Webster Dictionary, is to “manage especially with excessive control or attention to details” and “to direct or conduct the activities of a group or an enterprise

by micromanaging them” our President does not fit in here in the least, instead he has allowed things to run its course by insisting that autonomous bodies must be allowed to do their work without interference.

Since His Excellency is not any of the above, then what would stop him from treating with a sense of urgency matters of bread and butter, not just for the affluent, but also for the bottom of the line citizen who might find themselves ignored, neglected or even rejected by autonomous bodies such as the Municipality, and of course we do have the case in question “parking meters”, the city Administrators went ahead hastily and uni-

laterally signed a contract without any survey, consultations or trying to ventilate what would be the reaction of the citizens and the business community in this now very volatile matter, why take so long before intervening in such a crucial matter that is affecting lives of his subjects?

I know patience is virtue and the His Excellency is saturated with patience, but being overly patient can be a form of procrastination, during which things can deteriorate to a point of no return.

Sincerely, Ivan John

A 5-year plan for Constituency 14 (Part 1) Dear Editor, Community development is noble work. After ten months in office as Councillors of Constituency 14 (South Ruimveldt/ Ruimveldt Industrial Estate), yours truly and Noelle Chow-Chee have seen tangible gains. As 2017 commenced we have been meeting with community leaders, aimed at producing our Five-Year Strategic Plan for Constituency 14: ‘A Strong, Resilient Community’. Such a Plan captures the vision for our Constituency while being a tool for continuity; a working document and a measure for the development of our community.

Constituency 14 hopes to be the first in five areas: (1) Producing a strategic plan for the Constituency; (2) Publishing its own news-

letter/newspaper; (3) A sustainable community sanitation programme; (4) A flood resilient Constituency; and (5) Champion of GREEN initiatives.

Security

Constituency 14 has two active Community Policing Groups and another in its embryonic stages. It is our hope to create more such groups, which bolsters the work of our national Police, providing the first line of defence for our residents. We hope to continually provide capacity building by working with the Community Policing Organisation of Guyana, and related agencies. We intend to secure Constituency 14 with the utilisation of CCTV Cameras with links to a Policing Group Command

Center in our Constituency.

Communication

We will improve our engagement with residents at regular intervals, especially engaging our youths towards community work.

Residents’ ideas and feedback are also invaluable.

We intend to fully utilise social media assets (residents can access our Facebook page at, “Constituency 14”) as well and traditional media, as such this ‘Letter to the Editor’. We also believe that a physical newsletter/ newspaper has its place in bridging our information and communication gap.

Additionally, we are in talks with radio station 93.1, which is headquartered in our Constituency, to allow us a 15 to 30-minute programme to bring residents

up to date with community news. We aim for a culture of engagement and empowerment.

Housing regularisation

There are two areas is the Constituency where “squatting” is taking place.

Our vision is to ensure that both areas meet the minimum housing standard.

We have already engaged the Central Housing and Planning Authority for assistance in making sure this becomes a reality.

Additionally, we aim to encourage home builders in our community to ensure as far as is practical that homes are environmentally friendly, and energy efficient, if not totally solar-powered, inclusive of lighting used for open spaces.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017

5

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

Caricom’s failure to foster sustained economic growth, development Dear Editor, At the opening ceremony of the 28th Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom which was held in Guyana on February 16; Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Caricom Secretary General, and Chairman, David Granger, failed once again to present meaningful and concrete policies and programmes for implementation for the social and economic growth and development of Community Members to enable them to service their

heavy debts and provide employment opportunities for their people.

Ambassador LaRocque reported that considerable progress was made towards these objectives through execution of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) Agreement which allows for the free movement of skills (people), goods, services and the establishment of businesses within the Community. Since approval of this agreement, however, the facts suggest otherwise as there has been little compli-

ance with its intent, particularly regarding the free movement of people among states and money transfers from one territory to the other without restrictions as Trinidadians recently found. Further, there has been no pooling of resources to tackle the common problems member states share.

Over the years, there has been little economic development, while production has been declining in various member states. Trinidad’s economy, the Region’s largest, has been declining due to low

Revoke contract, manage own parking Dear Editor, The Parking Meter Contract was executed without widespread consultation with stakeholders – not residents, the business community, workers, motorists, the entire City Council, etc. Parking regulations are needed. The city council says meters are needed to raise revenues for the city. But parking meters are not necessarily the best way for parking enforcement or raising revenues.

The main complaint about the parking meter is affordability. Drivers who wish to park in the so called clamp zone (very busy business area) simply cannot afford the parking rate. But the issue is not only the rate. There is the secrecy in which the Contract was negotiated and executed – it suggests that those who signed the Contract on behalf of the city have something to hide. And there is also the issue of percentage (20 per cent) that the Council will receive from the parking fees. The total estimated amount is not clear.

In most developed countries, local governments (cities) manage their own meters and collect virtually all of the fees and funds obtained from

violations. So 20 per cent is a very low amount given to the city.

In some countries, where there are no parking meters, the local government auctions public parking spaces.

Bidders offer a percentage or a certain amount of proceeds to the government, with the amount substantially higher than 20 per cent of the intake.

Also, contracts are not signed in secrecy. There is an open bidding process and the highest and most reliable bidder in terms of rewards to the city wins and gets the contract to enforce parking regulations.

In Guyana, a foreign firm gets the contract on meters.

This means the foreign company, Smart City Solutions (SCS), will repatriate the huge profits. Guyana already experiences foreign currency scarcity and control. The country’s foreign exchange will be depleted. The SCS contract will result in even tighter control of precious exchanges.

The parking meter proposal should be re-tendered since the Contract lacks integrity and openness.

Meters are not necessarily needed. Parking can be done in government-owned and operated lots or multi-story

buildings. The lots can then be contracted out to bidders.

Private parking facilities should be allowed; under the DCS contract, private lots are outlawed. Tendering to manage the public parking spaces should be an open process.

Local companies should be given priority to manage the lots. In this way, foreign currency will be saved for use in real needs of the country. As almost everyone I spoke with in opposition to the meters, the City Council should scrap or revoke the SCS contract and start over to obtain a contract that will result in almost all of the fees going to the city (like managing the parking space itself or contract it out to a local contractor). The said parking fees should be made affordable to those utilising parking spaces. Otherwise, people will find creative ways to evade the parking fee once it remains high. In the end, the city will not realise its goal of collecting large amounts of revenues. And businesses will lose out on revenues as people will not want to park to patronise shops in the parking zone.

Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram

oil and gas prices and diminishing production, while in Guyana, the sugar industry, the country’s largest employer, is heavily indebted and with continual operating losses, it could go under anytime with devastating effect to its workers. The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) government is clueless as to what should be done as it struggles to find meaningful solutions for the welfare of its displaced sugar workers.

The global/Caribbean Hotel Industry (Tourism Sector) is saturated after a 20-year building boom and therefore it cannot be a primary driver for economic growth and to attract significant investment to create jobs as Ambassador LaRocque depicted.

Ambassador LaRocque continues to be a dreamer.

He postulated at the meeting that Information and Communications Technology, “is critical to the development and advancement of

the Region”. This may well be so, but he failed to state that the Region does not have the infrastructure, nor a pool of trained workforce to support such a sector which will take years to develop. Guyana has no training programme for its best and brightest willing to pursue a career in ICT but as Chairman Granger could have attested, his APNU/ AFC government has been lending support for the training of lawyers hopefully to boost Guyana’s economy.

Crime and security are indeed critical to the development and advancement of the Region, particularly for tourism areas. Many Caribbeanborn criminals living in the United States (US) will soon be returning to the Region in droves as President Trump’s ICE Team rounds them up for deportation to their respective country. The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has no plan to integrate these people back into society so they could once again become useful and

productive citizens. Could the Secretariat offer its members guidance to deal with the impending problems the criminals are likely to pose on return to their Caribbean Communities, or will it be satisfied to just identify them and leave it at that?

Guyanese should be wary and concerned about their continued membership of Caricom, an organisation which has become costly to operate and maintain, while its bureaucrats lack the expertise to advise members solve their political, social and economic problems in meaningful ways. It was therefore not surprising that the Prime Minister of Trinidad, Keith Rowley, had seen the light of day and decided to take ‘the bull by the horn,’ as he recently contacted President Trump to discuss issues of mutual interest and to strengthen relationship with his country.

Yours truly, Charles Sohan

A 5-year plan for Constituency...

We intend to engage the Guyana Energy Agency towards this end, cognizant that home design, and layout impacts energy cost.

Solid waste management

Our Constituency must be a leader in our solid waste management capabilities.

We have been examining the ‘Cleanliness and Citizenship – Community-Led Total Sanitation’ (C&C-CLTS) framework. Such an initiative “presents a programme for communities to progress from clean-up campaigns, to a sustainable environmental programme to motivate, mobilise and organise communities to reduce the practice of ‘Open Garbage Disposal’ and clean-

up communities so they become ‘Open Garbage Disposal Free’ and environmentally friendly; this is done by igniting and sustaining a change in sanitation and environmental behaviour,” according to specialist Audreyanna Thomas.

More broadly, we will continue to engage our National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy, especially focusing on issues like household composting, biogas generation aimed at reducing organic waste, and recycling. Additionally, we intend to engage the Communities Ministry as partners in implementing its public awareness campaign aimed at introducing primary schools students to the concept of waste sepa-

FROM PAGE 4

ration and educating them on the benefits of adopting safe waste disposal habits.

100% rates & taxes collection

We have an appreciation that a large part of expenditures for services provided by City Hall comes from revenues received from rates and taxes. We will continue to encourage residents at every opportunity to do their part in paying their rates and taxes so that they can enjoy all the city services available to them.

Sincerely, Councillors, Sherod Duncan and Noelle ChowChee

6

monDAY, february 27, 2017

Page

Foundation

Finding the “why” of a special-needs child’s behaviour – parents and teachers must shape our reactions according to our children’s intentions

By Barb Cohen

L

guyanatimesgy.com

ast week a student at my daughter Sam’s school put signs above some of the water fountains saying, “Please do not drink from this fountain.

It is contaminated,” and, “No utilice éste fuente, por favor. Está contaminada.” As the story was told to me by Sam’s resource teacher, the principal ripped down the signs and was overheard complaining about the troublemaker who both inconvenienced and frightened people.

It turns out the miscreant was my daughter. A teacher discovered her making new signs in English and Spanish that read, “The water is still contaminated.

Do not drink it.”

Apparently Sam had just that day noticed that the water comes out of the fountain aerated, and she decided the white-ish bubbles were lead. Given the ancient plumbing and rampant corruption in Chicago, her concern is not farfetched; but it is wrong. Lead does not appear in water as white, dissipating bubbles. Furthermore, the school’s water was tested in the fall and found to be safe. Had S a m bothered to ask any employee of the school, she could have learned as much. But Sam is not one to spend time verifying her suspicions. She trusts her instincts, well informed or utterly uninformed as they may be.

What struck me about the incident (besides my frustration with her failure to stop and ask) is how the story’s tone changed when Sam was identified as the culprit. Every adult at this school of 1850 students knows her. They know her outbursts, they know her aide, they know her smiles and tears. They also know her desire to be helpful. When it was Sam who had posted the signs, believing she was performing a service, the incident turned from annoying to amusing. That switch got me thinking about how our children’s

intentions and what we presume to be our children’s intentions impact our responses.

We want to know why people act as they do; we care about the backstory.

This is not a profound insight. Murders committed in self-defence are treated differently than murders committed as premeditated acts of cruelty. Charitable donations pour in to devastated communities struck by a tornado, an “act of God”, but not so much to blighted neighbourhoods for which human agents can be blamed (a subject for public policy debate that I will not explore here). For reasons of survival, I need to know if the person hurrying toward me intends to rob me, to ask for

directions, or to return the wallet I inadvertently dropped while crossing the street. I use context clues including body language, facial expression, and the presence of other pedestrians to make a guess about whether to change my pace or direction. My response, my safety, depends on guessing well.

What happens when we do not know why someone acts as they do? For parents and teachers of children with limited communication skills, impulse control or theory of mind, we spend much time presuming because our kids cannot tell us. Our reactions are guided by these presumptions, and wrong presumptions lead to wrong reactions. For example, if I ask my neurotypical daughter Kelly to put

away the pile of clean laundry I’ve left on her bed, and 15 minutes later I find the pile on her closet floor as she sits on the bed, happily absorbed in a YouTube video, I scold her. She obviously heard me and just as obviously disobeyed me. However, if I make the same request of Sam and 15 minutes later find the laundry right where I left it as she sits on her bed, happily absorbed in a sewing project, my anger is more likely to mystify her than to prompt her to mend her ways. Did she hear me?

Who knows. Does she realise 15 minutes have passed? Who knows. Does she even see the laundry? I have watched her “clean” the kitchen, leaving it littered with spills and dirty bowls even after she proudly proclaims the job complete. If I ask her if she sees anything she has left, she will scan the area and maybe settle on one “last” item that she missed. She simply cannot take in a space larger than a desk. So anger about the laundry would probably be misplaced.

I spend much of my day working with teachers and with parents of children who are struggling in school.

My teacher training did little to prepare me to understand students whose learning style didn’t complement my teaching style, so I recognise the teacher’s instinct to conclude that uncooperative students are disobedient students. Much of my work revolves around reconsidering this assumption. Behaviour is a form of communication, and more often than not, especially in young children, it is not communicating a desire to be noncompliant or troublesome. Challenging behaviour may indicate that a child is feeling overwhelmed, or reading social cues incorrectly, or needing physical movement, or any of a host of messages. It may even be communicating a misplaced desire to help, as with Sam’s sign posting.

Responding appropriately requires that we try to identify the child’s motivation.

Back when Sam was in elementary school I arrived at pick-up time one day to find Anne, the mother of another autistic

child, Joey (names changed), waiting for me. The school had called Anne because Joey whacked Sam with a tennis racquet. Sam was not injured, but the teacher felt obliged to report Joey. When the two kids came out of school Anne made her son apologise. He mumbled, “I’m sorry,” and ran off. Then Anne asked Sam to recount the event. Sam explained that she was holding a ball out to give Joey, because it was his turn. “Oh,” said his mother, “he probably didn’t understand the game and was pretending to play baseball with you.” “No,” replied Sam cheerfully, “he just didn’t want

the ball.”

I’ve always remembered this conversation because Sam understood her friend’s intentions in a way that none of the adults did. The gym teacher’s version of the aggressive child, the mother’s version of either the confused child or possibly the imaginative child, my version of the dysregulated child, none of them were correct.

Certainly he needed to learn to “use his words”. But beyond that, none of our reactions made any more sense to him than his behaviour made to us.

He just didn’t want the ball. (psychologytoday.com)

All problems are betrayals – young people carry the sense of an original, unforgivable betrayal

By Nick Luxmoore

F

ourteen-year-old Carlos is angry. For weeks, his therapist has been gently reminding him that they’re about to finish, but for some reason, Carlos has refused to hear, accusing his therapist now of abandoning him….

Sixteen-year-old Suzanne is about to leave school. No longer protesting that she can’t wait to leave ‘this dump’, she’s become silent, moody, irritable, afraid….

So much of young people’s distress – their despair, panic, rage – stems from

a primitive sense of betrayal.

Why does the world have to be so unfair? Why do good things have to come to an end? Why do people always break their promises?Simon’s girlfriend has just broken up with him and he’s in bits, wondering whether his life will ever again have meaning….

Natasha’s mum is having another child. Natasha tells her mum she’s pleased but, secretly, admits to being furious….

There’s a famous story about a father encouraging his son to climb the stairs, catching him every time the boy jumps from higher and higher until the boy jumps from the topmost stair and his father lets him fall. “Why?” screams the boy, injured and distraught.

“To teach you never to trust anyone!” says his father.The story makes me shudder. I wonder how much the father is actually preparing his son for the brutalities of life or merely reinforcing what the boy knew already, but was hoping might somehow not be the case: that people can’t be trusted, that life always lets you down.

In my experience, even the

most damaged young people – those whose lives seem to have been entirely devoid of love and hope, of any good experiences at all – are able to describe a better world, a world of justice, kindness and love. These young people appear to have had no glimpse whatsoever of any of these things in their lives and yet they can describe exactly what they mean: a peaceful world, a promised land somewhere over the rainbow, a tranquil place to rest….

So where does the image come from? Given the desultory nature of their lives since they were born, my guess is that it comes f r o m before birth, t h e

trace memory of a time when they really were held safely, kept warm and looked after unconditionally: a blissful time in a blissful womb.“So why,” they rage, “can’t my life now be like that now? Why does everything have to be so messed up?”

Shelley’s lost her job….

Steven’s grandfather is dying….

Nancy’s friends have stopped talking to her…. Adam’s failed his exam….

Young people are inclined to see every problem as a betrayal of some sort because their birth was, in effect, a betrayal, a promise broken, a hurt that’s never been healed. It’s as if, once upon a time, the world made a promise to an unborn baby, “This is how it’s going to be!”, and then promptly went and broke its promise.

So young people either spend the rest of their lives trying to re-capture that half-imagined, half-remembered experience, or they find a way of living with life as it is, potentially full of good things but never quite living up to expectations: never perfect but maybe – just maybe sometimes – good enough. (psychologytoday.com)

NEWS

7

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Burrowes responds to GO-Invest audit...

Flawed system allowed for irregularities I

n an effort to clear up misconceptions, former GO-Invest Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Keith Burrowes is responding to the forensic audit into his tenure at the entity. One of the issues he addressed, in an extensive interview with this publication, was over $3 million in loans the audit stated he had received.

The forensic audit, which was carried out by Nigel Hinds and Associates had highlighted these unapproved loans, although the former CEO had repaid them by February 2016.

Burrowes admitted that he received loans, but noted that not adhering to the system at the time was an anomaly.

“Yes indeed there were several staff loans that were advanced to me. And Go-Invest have a system.

We’ve never had a (incident) for all the years I have been there where persons have left without paying back the amount they had borrowed.”

Burrowes stated that in his case, he did not get a lump sum advance but rather, there were several advances. He added that he

that I have to take responsibility for, even though it was repaid.”

Driver

Former GO-Invest CEO Keith Burrowes

was constantly reminded by board members of the need to resolve his outstanding advance, which he eventually did.

“There is a system where the CEO approves staff (advances) and the Chairman approves (for the CEO).

That is an anomaly and I do admit that wasn’t followed because I’ve always felt that that was a temporary arrangement. But I have no issues taking responsibility for that.”

“The bottom line is the Chairman should have signed off on it, even though it was a temporary arrangement. So it’s an anomaly

Burrowes also responded to the audit report’s findings regarding his personal driver. The audit had stated that Burrowes authorised an advance of $242,000 to his personal driver. It even recommended that this amount be recovered.

According to Burrowes, however, the driver was assisting Go-Invest at his behest. Burrowes stated that rather than have Go-invest hire a driver for him, he chose to use his personal driver in an effort to save the entity money.

“I (was) entitled to a driver at GO-Invest. Because Go-Invest had some problems and there was only one driver, I said to them I will use the driver assigned to me by the other organisation I was working with and he will also assist GoInvest, which he did, with their work. So all they gave him was an allowance.”

“Mind you, they were saving the money because they didn’t have to pay a driver for me. So they didn’t have to hire a new driver for

the CEO, as was done in the past.”

Entertainment allowances

The audit report also stated that Burrowes had authorised and received an entertainment allowance for himself, to the tune of $480,000. This, the report stated, was done without the approval of the Board of Directors.

Burrowes explained that the entertainment allowances highlighted in the audit were not being paid on a monthly basis, but rather the amount covered a period of over a year. According to the former Presidential Advisor, these allowances

were to facilitate meetings, including with investors.

“The entertainment allowance was for entertaining investors, which is necessary for (meetings) outside the building. And the entertainment was not only the CEO, but also my senior officers who would go out and meet with investors.”

In the wake of the audits, however, Burrowes expressed optimism that all the reports would serve as a wakeup call and that the administration of semi-autonomous agencies would be revamped.

He stated that the audits could be value added

by determining from trends whether there were systematic problems within these agencies or individuals. He stated that reforms could then be made.

Go-Invest is a statutory body which functions as the facilitator of local and foreign investment in Guyana.

The audit into its operations is one of several audits undertaken in 2015 by the coalition Government.

Some $133 million was expended on 45 of the forensic audits to ascertain what transpired in state entities under the previous administration.

8 NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Police shoot, nab wanted man A

fter a major breakthrough, ranks of the Guyana Police Force captured a man who was wanted in connection with several armed robberies at Bagotville, West Bank Demerara early Sunday morning.

The 24-year-old male was hiding out at a house in David Rose Street, Bagotville, when Police arrested him just before 06:00h.

However, the suspect did not go with law enforce-

ment officers peacefully and allegedly assaulted ranks as he was being escorted to

the waiting Police vehicle.

The Police in a statement, on Sunday, claimed

that the man tried to disarm a rank of his service weapon and in the process, the said rank “discharged a round” and the suspect was shot below his right knee. An investigation was launched into the shooting.

Up to news time, the suspect was said to be under Police guard at West Demerara Regional Hospital, reportedly in a stable condition, nursing a single gunshot wound to his right leg.

Investigations into the matter are continuing.

Resident killed in WBD accident

A

n early evening accident on the Pouderoyen Public Road, West Bank Demerara caused the death of a man who resided in the same area on Saturday.

Sixty-year-old Bhagwandat Roopchand, of Lot 13 Bella Dam, Pouderoyen, lost his life at the hands of an alleged drunk driver around 19:00h.

According to reports, the man was walking along the Pouderoyen Public Road when he was struck by a speeding Toyota IST, bearing registration number PTT 8019. According to Police, the driver was proceeding north along the western side of the road, when he hit the pedestrian, who was crossing the road.

The man was rushed in

an unconscious state to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he was admitted, but died some 30 minutes later.

Reports reaching this publication indicated that the driver was found to be “heavily intoxicated” moments after the impact. An eyewitness relayed that the front windscreen of the silver IST was smashed in.

“The driver could hardly walk; he was standing on the road,” the eyewitness told this newspaper.

Additional reports stated that minutes after the im-

pact was heard, a crowd of persons gathered and reprimanded the driver for causing the accident. At this point, the Police had not yet arrived. When ranks came subsequently, the driver was taken into custody.

Police disclosed on Sunday that the driver was tested and found to be above the legal alcohol limit, which corroborated the account of the eyewitnesses that he could “hardly walk” properly.The driver remains in custody, assisting with the investigation.

Throwing shade…

I

…to create distractions n Guyana, politics isn’t of your usual, garden-type variety: it can get downright nasty and even deadly.

So those who use all those fancy political terms like “deliberative democracy” and “transparency” and such like, more often than not, just elicit snickers from the politicians. And those of the citizenry who take time to think about what’s been going on (and down) over the last half a century.

But this “throwing shade” business (Guyanese in the countryside call it “throwing talk”) is just a spineless tactic to make snide remarks against enemies hoping it sticks. Even though the thrower knows he’s just trying a (nasty) thing. The only good thing about throwing shade is unbiased onlookers know when the stuff’s being shovelled and don’t take it seriously. For folks who have standards however, it’s the thrower of shade who undermines his credibility. So, why do politicians keep on throwing shade?

Take Khemraj Ramjattan (and as Rodney Dangerfield would add: “Please!). He sidles up to the Muckraker and announces that several PPP officials, including Ministers, will be charged criminally by SOCU for their involvement with NICIL-related fraud. But refuses to identify the individuals he claims to have the dope on! This is nothing more than a lowdown (down low?) attempt to smear the PPP leadership when the latter has the APNU/AFC Government on the run.

Not to mention the non-partisan citizenry of Georgetown who’re rebelling against the PNC leadership of their City – and the studied silence on same by Central Government. This outpouring of elements into the streets that would normally remain behind their counters has shocked Ramjattan and company. The mouse has turned and is roaring. And they’ve attracted a host of the APNU/ AFC faithful.

Now because of the nature of the divided politics in Guyana, Ramjattan is playing a more insidious game.

And your Eyewitness will tell you why. It has to do with who Ramjattan knows he’s fooling. Half of those getting his message aren’t “unbiased”. All studies show that – especially in politics – folks hear what they want to hear and the APNU/AFC supporters lap up accusations such as those hurled by Ramjattan. It hardens their already fixed mindset. Ramjattan’s preaching to a choir that’s already opened their hymn book to his page.

He’s signalling Government supporters in the streets to be careful of hanging out with “PPP types” who’ll soon be prosecuted and jailed. He’s also riling up the faithful in case they have to intimidate the Judiciary with some marches of their own.

But lastly, this little man, stripped of all power, wants to pretend he’s “in the know”. It’s sad and pathetic, isn’t it? …at the Government he helped elect In the words of one Guyanese wag, Anand Goolsarran is another “shad, shad situation”. The man invested so much energy towards bringing down the PPP Government – even as one from “the PPP’s constituency” – he fully expected he’d end up with a Minister wuk. Didn’t the AFC types like Nagamootoo and Ramjattan make out like the bandits they were?

Ahhh…but he forgot those fellas had things in writing.

And though that “writing” has been subverted, they still have their Minister wuk – if not the power. So Goolsarran ended up with some not-so-small-change for some audits – including that of NICIL. Still hoping to wrangle a Minister wuk, he wrote the conclusion and recommendations of the audit and THEN looked into the books!! While he mightn’t have cooked the books, he certainly cooked Brassington’s goose! But still No Minister wuk.

So he applied to be CEO of the Procurement Commission – and didn’t even get a reply! Now he throws shade on the entire procurement process. Sour grapes shade?

Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! …on IDB Finance Minister Winston Jordan threw shade at the IDB, implying the Bank’s 60% decline in approving Guyana’s loans, was the IDB’s fault.

And not the economy he’s steered into a tailspin!

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

news

9

monDAY, february 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Parking meter protests

Contract should be transparent - UK High Commissioner

Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan had protested the implementation of the parking meters, outside the Bishops’ High School on January 23

T

he United Kingdom High Commissioner, Gregory Quinn, has emphasised that while he has no fundamental problem with parking meters, the process should always be a fully transparent one.

He further explained, during a recent interview with the Guyana Times, that citizens who peaceful-

process, it has to be something that has gone through the rigors of proper examination,” he stated.

The protests, which were carried out for four successive weeks from February 3, were held outside City Hall on Regent Street. Protesters manifested opposition to the implementation of the contract signed by Mayor

fundamental tenet of any democracy. He noted that civil society has made its views against the parking meters clear and the courts were now involved.

Just weeks after the introduction of parking meters in Guyana, citizens had gathered to protest the move. The crowd consisted of parliamentarians, business owners and members of civil society.

The Movement Against Parking Meters (MAPM), a recently-formed lobby group, was instrumental in organising the protests. They also came after Georgetown’s Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan, who has been vociferous in his opposition to the project, staged a one-man protest outside Bishops’ High School where a parking meter had been installed.

The protesters had listed several concerns with the

A scene from one of the weekly protests outside City Hall

ly protested were exercising their democratic right of dissent, and peaceful protests which greeted the implementation of parking meters in Georgetown were demonstrative of Guyana’s strong sense of democracy.

“But any parking contract has to be open and transparent and debated and agreed by those in the Council. And I think that’s the fundamental thing, if you’re going to put in place a parking meter

and City Council (M&CC) officials with Smart City Solutions Inc. “The fact that the protests have taken place is actually a wonderful example of the nature of democracy in Guyana. People feel able to go out and protest about something that they disagree with. And protest in a peaceful manner,” the UK envoy said.

That, according to High Commissioner Quinn, is a

project. Feasibility, transparency and the cost for parking were some of the foremost concerns surrounding the City Council’s new method of taxation.

Some had agitated for the immediate removal of the parking meters due to the expenses and the slowdown in commerce which businesses experienced.

Others, however, had stated that they were mere-

British High Commissioner Greg Quinn

ly requesting a reduction in the cost, as the current rates did not cater for working class citizens and the poor.

The first protest had been greeted by pro- parking meter activists. Mayor Patricia Chase Green had also responded to the protesters, who she referred to as “high class”. She had claimed that persons failed to engage the Council on matters concerning the parking meters, and chose various forms of demonstration instead.

Supported by the Town Clerk, Royston King, she had highlighted the advantages of the initiative, including the creation of more than 50 jobs. King had labelled the protesters’ actions as “backwards thinking,” stating that the meters would ensure the restoration and development of the country.

He further reported that the system employed citizens as street patrol officers and instances of breaches have been eradicated since the installation.

Despite the stated intentions of a passive demonstration, chaos had followed as supporters of the parking meter initiative accumulated along the front of the City Hall compound. Activists were accused of partisan intentions and fuelling verbal attacks.

Guyana risks losing funding, visas from US if deportees not accepted

Guyanese President David Granger

US President Donald Trump

s US President Donald Trump forcefully pursues his crackdown on illegal immigration, Guyana may be at risk of losing critical funding and access to visas if Government refuses to accept deportees from the United States of America.

An executive order signed

by President Trump last week threatens immigrant and nonimmigrant visas to countries that do not take back deportees promptly.

The executive order states, “The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State shall cooperate to effectively implement the sanctions provided by section 243(d) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1253(d)), as appropriate.”

The only time the law was triggered before against Guyana in 2001, the country cooperated fully in less than two months. Some 23 countries are currently at high risk of being sanctioned.

According to testimo-

ny by a high-ranking State Department official before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in July 2016, “at the top of the current (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement) ICE list of recalcitrant countries” were Cuba, China, Somalia, and India.

At the same hearing, an ICE official also referenced 23 recalcitrant countries, including Afghanistan, Algeria, China, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, and Zimbabwe.

Expanding on this list, ICE Director Sarah Saldaña told the Senate Judiciary Committee that, as of January 2016, the list of recalcitrant countries consisted of Afghanistan, Algeria, Burundi, Cape Verde, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Sierra Leone,

A

continued on page 14

10 NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Grade 6 Maths app launched today

T

he STEM Guyana Project team will be launching its Grade Six mobile maths app at the National Racquet Centre on Woolford Avenue today.

The mobile maths app was created to help the more than 14,000 children of Guyana who will be taking the Grade Six exam each year.

During the summer of 2016, STEM Guyana hosted more than 200 students in four robot building and programming camps held in Georgetown, Buxton and Lusignan.

The Grade Six mobile maths app launch was made possible through the full support of the Office of the First Lady of Guyana and the Ministry of the Presidency.

The STEM Guyana team also met with National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) head Jennifer Cumberbatch, and has gained the full support of the organisation within the Education Ministry responsible for the development of STEM education. STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach.

Co-Founder of the STEM Guyana Project, Karen Abrams said the organisation envisioned working with NCERD to improve the functionality of the app, to test the outcomes,

The mobile Maths app was created to help the more than 14,000 children of Guyana who will be taking the Grade Six exam each year

and to improve the distribution to students and classrooms across Guyana.

Last year, Cabinet approved the sum of $48 million to roll out a nationwide Mathematics programme aimed at enhancing the competency level of students in primary schools.

Officials say Guyana has been performing progressively worse in the subject area.

The programme would focus on training teachers in content and methodology, facilitating fortnightly cluster meetings in all regions, the recruitment of Mathematics coordinators and monitors, the training of officers and school administrators to supervise the teaching of Maths, preparing and administering a diagnosis assessment of pupils in hinterland before training, enhancing public relations and parental involvement in education, and acquisition of support material for students.

VAT Act challenge

Nandlall v AG case adjourned again T

he hearing into the legal challenge against the Value Added Tax Act Chapter 81:05 amendment of 2017 has been adjourned until March 10.

The decision to adjourn was taken by acting Chief Justice Yonnette Cummings-Edwards on Friday.

The challenge, which was filed by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall on Tuesday, February 14, had named current Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams as the respondent. The writ is seeking to have the coalition Government’s amendments to the Act declared null and void.

When contacted, Nandlall confirmed that the case was called, but the State counsel appearing on Williams’ behalf applied for leave.

“The case was called before the Chief Justice, Yonnette CummingsEdwards and a representative for the Attorney General appeared. And they were granted 14 days’ leave to file a defence,” he said.

The amendment being challenged was assented to

by President David Granger on January 16, 2017, and gazetted on the same day. But according to Nandlall’s writ, it “is or is likely to be, contrary to, inconsistent with,

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

and in violation of Articles 40 and 148 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana”.

In particular, Nandlall’s affidavit highlighted the wide powers granted to the Guyana Revenue Authority Commissioner General in Section 45 (amended) of the Act. He noted that the Act empowers the Commissioner to stop someone from leaving Guyana if there are grounds to believe that the person is not paying the requisite taxes.

The Commissioner General can do this by merely making a request to the Chief Immigration Officer, with a certificate containing the details of the tax due.

The person in question is effectively stopped from leaving the country until he or she pays in full or makes a

Attorney General Basil Williams

satisfactory arrangement with the Commissioner.

Pursuant to Article 8 of the Constitution of Guyana, the former AG is also seeking an order striking down Section 45(1) on the grounds of its likely unconstitutional nature. The writ also extends to “such orders, writs and directions as the Court may consider appropriate for the purpose of enforcing or securing the enforcement of any of the provisions of Article 138 to 151 of the Constitution”.

Nandlall’s case is the second recent suit against the Government to be adjourned until March 10 to give the State time to file a defence.

Also scheduled to be heard is former Attorney General Charles Ramson Sr’s case against Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and AG Basil Williams.

NEWS

11

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Social cohesion is not a product but an evolving process – Dr Norton

T

he Social Cohesion Ministry, in collaboration with the Education Ministry, hosted a “Face the Community” meeting at the Cotton Field Secondary School, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) last week.

Residents, parents, teachers and students of the Region gathered to highlight their concerns and were also briefed on social cohesion and what it entailed.

Among the issues highlighted were: the need for counsellors in schools, the re-introduction of the community high programme, better visibility of school welfare officers, the need for security drills to be done in schools and construction work being done during school hours.

This was the first “Face the Community” meeting for the recently-appointed Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton, who assured the residents that he would make representation for them by bringing their issues to the attention of Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine.

He encouraged the stakeholders to hold their regional officials accountable, but to also engage in self-help when necessary.

“As parents and teachers, we have got to do more than just wait for the Region to do something, the money to pass or for budget allocations to be made. We have got to start helping ourselves. These are things that can be solved in the community,” he highlighted.

Minister Norton also used the opportunity to encourage the parents and teachers gathered to play a greater role in the lives of youths.

“I want the adults in the population to look at the situation surrounding them. We want changes in the youth, the way they behave and

Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton addressing the residents of Charity who gathered for the public meeting

their approach to situations.

The problem lies in the man in the mirror and when we recognise that problem, we will change course and move towards putting in a little extra work to get our students to achieve what we set them out to achieve,” he stressed.

He posited that adults have been abandoning youths and there was nothing that could be done in society if they did not use the youths’ strength.

Minister Norton also acknowledged the hard work of teachers, who he said carried the heaviest load.

“I want to publicly congratulate my fellow Guyanese here who have opted not to become the physician, engineer, or the nurse but have decided that they want to be a teacher and I take my hat off to you teachers here among us,” he said.

Golden rule

Dr Norton then turned his attention to the process of social cohesion and encouraged those gathered to live by the golden rule of doing unto others as they would wish to be done unto them.

“If we should obey that rule, if we should live by that rule, then we certainly would achieve social cohesion in our

society,” he added.

He pointed out that social cohesion was not a product but a process, which would evolve over the years.

Meanwhile, the Social Cohesion Minister also met with residents of Charity, including teachers, business owners and members of the Regional and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils to discuss issues affecting that community.

Among the concerns of the residents were truancy, school dropouts, the need for a multi-purpose centre, easy accessibility of drugs, training for small business owners, flooding in the squatting area and repairs to the river dam.

Minister Norton told the residents that the solution to most of the problems lay right in the community. However, he acknowledged that there were some issues which the residents themselves could not solve.

“Let us do what we have to do, and if you cannot do it alone, because you may

Some of the persons who gathered for the public meeting in Charity

lack the necessary skills, go through the right channels,” he stressed.He told the residents that when there was an issue facing the community, they needed to reach out to their regional officials, and if that proved futile, they must seek to raise the issue with those higher in authority.

Dr Norton assured that he would bring their issues to the attention of the relevant ministers within the government, and would also encourage them to visit the Region to

meet with the residents.

The Social Cohesion Minister urged each of the residents to play their role in the development of their country.

“I believe that because we come from different backgrounds, whether it’s geographical, ethnic, religious or cultural, we need everyone on board. We need to know who we are and what our role is in developing Guyana,” he explained. Meanwhile, Regional Executive Officer

(REO) of Region Two, Rupert Hopkinson encouraged the residents of Charity to bring the issues they face to his attention.

“While the REO must accept responsibility and be accountable, the REO can do very little if he does not know.

And so I urge you to let us know when these things are happening,” he stated.He urged the residents to continue being dedicated and concerned about the issues affecting their community.

12NEWS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Dominica’s political impasse

Incoming Caricom Chair calls for peaceful resolution I ncoming Chair of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Dr Keith Mitchell has called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute between Government and Opposition in Member State Dominica.

Mitchell was speaking to Journalists recently at the close of the 28th InterSessional Conference of Heads of Government. He said any issue that occurred within Caricom countries must be settled within the local situation.

“All we would ask at the level of Heads is that whatever disputes exist, the resolution of it must be done peacefully, and both sides, whether Government or Opposition, must adhere to that basic principle,” the Grenadian Prime Minister stated, continuing that whatever problem existed in any country where both sides required the input of Caricom, the Community would be “ready to play that role”.

Meanwhile, current

Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit

Incoming Caricom Chair, Dr Keith Mitchell

Caricom Chair, President David Granger said the Conference received a brief on the situation and regarded it as an internal matter.

“It is quite possible that the Leader of the Opposition may not have been explaining what occurred on the streets of Roseau three weeks ago. It would be unwise to venture into that area; it is an internal matter affecting the security of a member state.

We received a report from the Prime Minister and it is quite likely that what the Leader of the Opposition said was in variance of what the Prime Minister said,” President Granger said.

While Heads of Government of Caricom member states gathered last week for the opening of the 28th Inter-Sessional meeting, Dominica’s Opposition

United Workers Party (UWP) met with Journalists here, calling for the immediate establishment of a Caricom Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Regulatory Commission to “protect the integrity of Caricom citizenship and secure Caricom’s commitment to the global security arrangements for the prevention of money laundering, terrorism and other crimes”. It had also called for the removal of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

Opposition Leader Lennox Linton made the call on the heels of widespread accusations by the Party against the Skerrit Administration. Skerrit has been accused of being involved in the selling of diplomatic passports and diplomatic immunity under the table, said to be in “flagrant violation of the 1961 United Nations Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations”.

This practice, said to have been ongoing since 2004, involves “a band of international rogues and vagabonds, many of whom have been arrested for international crimes while holding Dominica Diplomatic Passports”.

“Since, like the regular passports, these Diplomatic Passports are actually Caricom Diplomatic Passports issued by

Dominica, this reprehensible practice has severe implications for the entire Caricom integration grouping and needs to be addressed urgently,” Linton told Journalists.

According to Linton, Dominica, a member of the United Nations, “is now associated with a scheme to violate United Nations (UN) sanctions against Iran involving the use of Dominican registered vessels transporting sanctioned Iranian oil to China”.

He said one of the operatives, Alireza Monfared, who has been accused of stealing billions of dollars from the scheme, was a diplomat of Dominica and was actually harboured, aided and abetted in Dominica as a fugitive wanted in Iran.

The Dominican Opposition Leader said Caricom Heads were duty-bound to intervene because “the Skerrit Administration cannot be left to bungle its way through these serious issues for which it accepts no responsibility, notwithstanding the grave dangers they pose for the integrity of Caricom citizenship and the security of the grouping in these times of drug trafficking, money laundering, terrorism and other crimes against human civilisation”.

Corentyne execution

Alleged mastermind denies involvement – DPP requests additional information

T

he alleged mastermind behind the execution of Corentyne domestic worker Leelawattie Mohamed continues to deny any involvement in the plot which led to the woman’s execution at her Lot 149 Sixth Tain Settlement, Corentyne home on February 7.

B Division (Berbice) Commander, Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam confirmed that the key suspect, Indera Outar had a confrontation with one of the accused.

The Commander also said that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had requested additional information. Outar turned herself in to Police in the company of an Attorney-atLaw on February 17, after the Police had stated that they needed to question her.

According to Amsterdam, the case file was sent back to the DPP on Friday. He explained that the Police were successful in an applica-

tion for a further extension to keep the suspect in custody. The Police were initially granted an extension, which expired on Thursday.

However, based on the request of the DPP, a further extension was sought.

Divisional Commander Amsterdam said Outar continued to deny any involvement in the crime, and further denied that she hired and paid Oliver Permaul, a barber; Andre James, a tattoo artist; Rohan Johnson, a Jamaican; Nazeema Permaul, wife of the barber, and Shabiki Alert Thompson, girlfriend of the tattoo artist to execute the mother of four. The five accused are already before the courts for the capital offence of murder. As they were being led away from court, one of the accused told the media that it was the 40-yearold woman who hired them and paid $400,000 for the hit job.

Amsterdam said the

Leelawattie Mohamed

Police were not giving up in their quest to prove that the woman ordered and paid for the killing of Mohamed , whom she suspected of having an affair with her husband.

“We held a confrontation between her and one of the females that were charged for the murder. The confrontation was held in an effort to make her crack…,” the Commander confirmed.

NEWS

13

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

100 years for “The Guyana Annual”

A

s Guyana celebrated its 50th anniversary, it was also a milestone year for “The Guyana Annual” magazine, which also celebrated 100 years since it was first published.

The 2017 edition of the magazine, launched at Guyenterprise on Friday, is designed to highlight Guyana’s evolving culture and our national patrimony.

This year’s edition was a collaborative effort between Dr Tulsi Dyal Singh and local literary activist and writer Petamber Persaud.

The publication focuses on the golden anniversary of Guyana’s independence, the centenary of the magazine and the centenary of the founding of the Berbice High School, the school where Dr Singh received his secondary education.

In his remarks, Dr Singh said that he was very grateful to have his input in this year’s magazine because of its significance in Guyana.

He and Persaud, however, explained that sales of the magazine were very poor and called for more support from Guyanese.

Also present at the launch was former Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green, who also contributed to this year’s magazine and called for the younger generation to take up the challenge of getting on board to ensure that the magazine continued to be printed each year.

Copies of the magazine were handed over to the National Library where it will be available for sale.

The magazine was founded in December 1915 and has outlived many similar publications, undergoing numerous modifications to meet the needs of its readership and to carry out its mandate which is to preserve our identity and cultur- Local literary activist and writer Petamber Persaud handing over a copy the magazine to a representative al integrity. The maga- from the National Library

Local musical training programme concludes

A

One of the students receiving his certificate

musical training programme, which was a collaborative effort of the Caribbean Development Bank and Foundation Seven Music School among others, concluded on Friday, after 10 days of training for the Surama Culture Group.

The event featured musical renditions from the Upper Essequibo-Upper Takutu village group.

The trainees showcased their newly-honed talents, playing the piano and flute among other instruments, after which they received certificates.

Media operatives spoke to chairman of the event, Ivan Williams, who expressed satisfaction and pride in the trainees’ achievements.

“These students spent two weeks and we’re fully satisfied that in two weeks, they’ve learnt so much,” Williams said.

In addition, he expressed hope that the musical trainees would return to their village and share what they have learnt from instructors at Foundation Seven Music

School. “We believe that they have something they could now take and show to the rest.”

Williams explained that the three members of the Surama Cultural Group who were trained were specially selected by the funding agency, and Foundation Seven was chosen to facilitate the training process.

He expressed hope that there would be similar programmes in the future.

“We are here to facilitate the funding process… and hopefully they choose us again,” the Chairman said.

One of the trainees, Victor Captain said that he was delighted with what he has learnt and hoped to continue pursuing further certification in the field.

He also expressed his delight at the thought of heading back to Surama to share his talent with the others there.

“As long as I get the opportunity to continue to pursue this, I will, I would not leave what I have learned here,” he said.

zine serves to preserve Guyana’s literary heritage and contains amazing articles and information.

The most noticeable change to “The Guyana Annual” over the years was its name, it started life as the “Chronicle Christmas Annual”, was renamed the “Guyana Christmas Annual” and in the new millennium was labelled “The Guyana Annual” becoming a perennial magazine instead of a year-end, Christmas-oriented publication.

The main rival of The Annual was the “Christmas Tides”, produced by the Argosy newspaper. The Tides went out of publication in 1950. Other rivals – “The Caribia”, produced by BG Lithographic, and “The Pepperpot”, published by Bookers – had short life spans.

14 news

monDAY, february 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana risks losing...

Linden Town Clerk saga

No decision made …even as PS recommends reassignment

A

lmost three weeks after the release of the findings into the issues surrounding the no-confidence motion brought against Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen by the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC), an official decision is yet to be made regarding her position.

While the Town Clerk remains off the job to date, this newspaper has seen a letter which was sent to Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland, by the Permanent Secretary of the Communities Ministry, Emil McGarrel, dated January 26, 2017, where he advised that the Town Clerk be reassigned her position. The letter, which was

Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen

captioned, “Findings of the Investigative Committee on the No Confidence Motion Brought against the Town Clerk”, stated: “Dear Mr Holland, Please be informed that the Investigative Committee appointed to hear the issues surrounding the No Confidence Motion brought against the Town Clerk, Ms Jonellor Bowen, by the Council on July 27, 2016, has completed its hearing observing the rules of natural justice and submitted a report to the Ministry of Communities. Hereto attached is a copy of this report. Please be advised that arising from the findings of this Committee, the Ministry is not in a position to endorse the No Confidence Motion as it currently stands due to its procedural irregularities. You are further advised that the Town Clerk shall be called upon to resume her functions as Town Clerk forthwith.”

The letter further stated that where the Council found that there was a continued lack of confidence in the Town Clerk’s performance thereafter, that it should take the necessary steps to familiarise itself with the proper procedure to be followed for making a no-confidence motion and proceed accordingly.

However, when contacted by this newspa-

Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland

per regarding the issue on Sunday, Holland said the Council had discussed “doing something” in relation to the Town Clerk issue, but has not yet decided on the way forward. He added that a letter would be sent to the Town Clerk some time this week.

Holland, who has been tight-lipped on the issue, did not divulge much information, stating rather that he did not wish to speak on it since he was trying to prevent Councillors from levelling accusations against him.

“I wish not to speak on this issue until due time as I wish not to pre-empt anything. To avoid controversy, which is not needed at this time that we are focused on development and wish not to be distracted,” he stated.

As he has been doing for weeks, the Mayor once again promised to host a press conference regarding the issue

by Tuesday.

Meanwhile, when contacted on Sunday, Town Clerk Bowen said while she was made aware that there was a letter stating that she be reassigned, she was yet to receive official word and correspondence.

“I have not received any correspondence from anyone from the Ministry, I am not aware. I haven’t received any letter from Mr McGarrel.

I would have heard that there was a letter, but I haven’t seen anything. That’s through the grapevine, on the road I heard that. It’s now a little past, maybe 2 (o’clock), today the 26th day of February and I have not received anything from the Ministry, neither have I received anything from the Council. I have nothing in my possession,” she stated.

Bowen noted that she has been ready to resume her position ever since she received the findings of the Investigative Committee.

Former Administrative and Legal Affairs Committee Chairman, Councillor Lennox Gasper confirmed that there was a letter stating that the Town Clerk should be reassigned, which was given to the Councillors.

However, he said there was also a discussion by the Council regarding what was meant by “forthwith”.

“What is there to contend?

Forthwith means immediately,” Gasper noted.

Additionally, he said the letter which urged that the Town Clerk be reassigned was initially removed from the findings of the Investigative Committee which Councillors had only recently received. As such, he accused the Mayor of practising “selective transparency”. Gasper further added that it was the Mayor who was supposed to write the letter to the Town Clerk informing her of her reinstatement.

During a meeting of the Council last week, Gasper said it was decided by the Council that the Town Clerk would resume duties on March 1. Asked by this newspaper who decided that March 1 should be recognised as “forthwith”, Gasper said the date was suggested by Councillor Rawle Friday, to facilitate a smooth transition as it relates documents and information.

“Because he would have suggested that the present Town Clerk Acting need some time to put together whatever Ms Bowen would have missed, to be able to have her properly introduced back into her office, and they all went with it,” he said.

However, when asked by Guyana Times if the Town Clerk would be back to work

by March 1, Holland said he was unsure.

“I’m not sure. I have to check back tomorrow...just to be sure, what the 1st of March decision was about,” he said.

The findings of the Investigative Committee had indicated that the motion brought by the Council “was in contravention with the procedures set out in Section 8 of Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Councils Act of the Laws of Guyana and was also in contravention of the Standing Order rules under Section 9”, On the other hand, the recommendations section of the findings would have stated, “Consequently, the Committee is recommending… despite the procedural irregularity of the NoConfidence Motion, that the Town Clerk be reassigned to another post within the Ministry of Communities, where she can use her many skills and better apply her qualifications.”

After months of being on administrative leave pending a decision, an official decision is yet to be made regarding Bowen’s position and the way forward.

(Utamu Belle)

Somalia, South Sudan, and Zimbabwe.

Only one of these countries, Gambia, has actually seen some visa cut-offs after that country refused to accept some 2000 deportees.

Commenting on his new policy, President Trump declared that “the day is over when they can stay in our country and wreak havoc.

We are going to get them out and we are going to get them out fast”.

Adequate notice

President David Granger already expressed some level of concern about Guyana’s ability and capacity to handle any possible influx of Guyanese being deported from the USA. The Guyanese President explained that a better approach to the situation would be for the US to provide ample time and adequate notice before sending the undocumented criminals back to Guyana.

“We will have to put measures in place to ensure deportees do not try to perpetrate crimes when they get back here, but it is something we must prepare for,” he had stated during his televised programme, “The Public Interest”, in November.

Caribbean Governments have complained bitterly over the years about nationals being deported to their country of birth without much information provided as to their medical and criminal backgrounds and even more importantly, some form of support regarding their smooth integration into their home countries.

In December 2016, almost two dozen Guyanese deportees arrived from the USA having served lengthy jail sentences for various offences.

Head of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Criminal Investigation Department, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum said the

from page 9 deportees were convicted for homicide, narcotics, robbery and other offences.

Blanhum said the deportees would be monitored. “We will be monitoring them. Yes, there is legislative provision for that and we’ll be monitoring them.”

In the previous year, the US deported 104 Guyanese.

Meanwhile, Juncata Juvant, an organisation dedicated to improving the lot of deportees in Guyana, was recently resuscitated here.

The organisation intends to establish a shelter facility, either independently or through collaboration with the Private Sector and/or Government.

At the relaunching ceremony last year, the body’s Vice President, Ruth Howard had promised to deliver a wider range of initiatives to ensure holistic development, support, reintegration and assistance to involuntary remigrants under a five-year plan.

Physician nominated to be Haiti’s next Prime Minister

A

man not known in political circles has been chosen by Haitian President Jovenel Moïse to be the country’s new Prime Minister.

Moïse said he and the heads of both chambers of Parliament have agreed on the nomination of Dr Jack Guy Lafontant, a gastroenterologist, to succeed Enex Jean-Charles who submitted his letter of resignation earlier this month to allow Moïse to choose a new Prime Minister.

Both houses of Parliament will vote on whether to confirm Lafontant after he presents a plan of government.

Lafontant, 55, who is also the president of the Rotary Club in the upscale

Dr Jack Guy Lafontant has no political experience

district of Petionville, must choose a Cabinet and prepare a political programme to convince Parliament to confirm him in the position.

No date has been set for Lafontant to go before Parliament for ratification

of his political programme.

According to the Miami Herald, Moïse has promised to personally handle the negotiations for Lafontant’s confirmation.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Caribbean warned to prepare for more severe storms

T

he Organisation of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) member states have been urged to prepare for more extreme weather conditions and natural disasters as a result of climate change.

The warning came from Crispin d’Auvergne, St Lucia’s chief sustainable development officer as he contributed to a panel discussion at an OECS climate change forum in Dominica, part of the Vini Kozè (Let’s Chat) Series that engages citizens in discussion and debate on development opportunities and challenges facing the Region.

According to d’Au-

vergne, a 2008 environmental study showed that while St Lucia sees an average of one to two Category four or Category five hurricanes per year, it is likely to increase to four or five hurricanes of that magnitude each year.

Citing another study, he said rainfall in the Caribbean is expected to increase by 25 to 50 per cent in the next five decades.

These extreme weather patterns will become “the new normal”, he said, adding that because the frequency and intensity of extreme weather conditions is likely to increase, the Caribbean should plan

accordingly, preparing for more severe natural disasters like droughts, hurricanes and floods.

After Dominica was devastated by Tropical Storm Erica in August 2015, the Health and Environment Minister, Dr Kenneth Darroux, said Dominica had never seen a disaster of such proportions in terms of damage to infrastructure and the loss of life. Infrastructural damage was estimated at $1.4 billion. Minister Darroux said the storm caused the government to revisit its land use, policies, and regulations.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Nokia 3310 mobile phone resurrected Nearly 10 attacks a day on at MWC 2017 Germany hate crimes:

N

migrants in 2016

N

early 10 attacks were made on migrants in Germany every day in 2016, the country’s interior ministry has stated.

A total of 560 people were injured in the violence, including 43 children.

Three-quarters of the attacks targeted migrants outside of their accommodation, while nearly 1,000 attacks were on housing.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to open up Germany to people fleeing conflict and persecution has polarised the country and boosted hate crime.

Germany is struggling with a backlog of asylum applications and there are fears about security following a series of terrorist attacks across Europe.

But the number of asylum seekers arriving in Germany in 2016 was 280,000, a drop of

Arson attacks on shelters used by asylum seekers are common in Germany

more than 600,000 from the previous year, following the closure of the Balkan migrant route and a European Union deal with Turkey.

The issue is expected to feature heavily in parliamentary elections this September.

Sunday’s Interior Ministry figures, which are preliminary, were released in response to a parliamentary

question.

There was no comparison with previous years because attacks against individual migrants only started to be counted as a separate category in 2016.

In its statement, the Interior Ministry said it strongly condemned the violence. (Excerpt from BBC News)

okia’s 3310 phone has been relaunched nearly 17 years after its debut.

Many consider the original handset as iconic because of its popularity and sturdiness. More than 126 million were produced before it was phased out in 2005.

The revamped version will be sold under licence by the Finnish start-up HMD Global, which also unveiled several Nokia-branded Android smartphones.

The announcement was made ahead of the start of the Mobile World Congress tech show in Barcelona. LG, Huawei and Lenovo are among others to have unveiled new devices.

Nokia no longer makes phones itself, but manufactures telecoms equipment, Ozo virtual reality camer-

The new 3310 weighs 79.6g and has a 2.4in display

as, and health kit under the Withings brand.

The new 3310 qualifies as a “feature phone” rather than a smartphone as it only provides limited internet facilities.

It relies on 2.5G connectivity - which has slower data speeds than 3G or 4G and is powered by the S30+ operating system, which allows web browsing but has a

much smaller range of apps than Android or iOS. Its single camera is also restricted to two megapixels.

However, its advantage over more powerful handsets is its battery life. HMD says the colour-screened phone has up to a month’s standby time and delivers more than 22 hours of talk time. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Kim Jong-nam ‘died about 20 minutes after VX poisoning’

Keith Ellison loses to Tom Perez in DNC contest K

D

emocrats have elected a former labour secretary in Barack Obama’s administration as their new leader - a role analysts say would be crucial to helping the Democratic Party regain federal power, which has been lost to a great degree to the rival Republican Party.

Members of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the party’s administrative and fundraising arm, chose Tom

Perez over Keith Ellison, the Minnesota Congress member, following two rounds of voting on Saturday.

Perez will face challenges in trying to unify and rejuvenate a party still reeling from the November 8 loss of Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and anxious to channel the growing grassroots resistance to Republican President Donald Trump into political support for Democrats across the

country.

Perez is the son of Dominican immigrants, while Ellison is the first Muslim elected to the United States Congress.

Perez, Ellison and other Democrats agree on the need to rebuild the party at the state and local levels.

They say that those organisations can then capitalise on the widespread opposition to Trump by getting frustrated voters to elect more Democrats. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

In India, regional rival takes on Modi at his own game

I

ndian Prime Minister Narendra Modi out-campaigned all-comers in the 2014 general election, but as he faces his biggest mid-term test, he is up against a rival determined to beat him at his own game.

In Uttar Pradesh, his opponent, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, has been repackaged as a youthful and media-savvy go-getter who seeks to steal a unique selling point of Modi’s - development.

“I am taking it a bit beyond Modi: I work,” Yadav told Reuters in an interview in Lucknow, capital of the state of 220 million that is holding the biggest democratic election anywhere in the world this year.

Yadav entered the vast election, being held over the course of a month, as a narrow favourite: He had just emerged from a power struggle with his domineer-

im Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, died about 20 minutes after being poisoned by a nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur airport, according to an official post-mortem report by Malaysian authorities.

S Subramaniam, Malaysia’s Health Minister, said an autopsy revealed that Kim Jong-un’s sibling died due to a large amount of VX in his body.

VX is considered to be the most toxic nerve agent ever produced.

It is classified by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction, which paralyses the nervous system and kills by suffocation within a halfhour after exposure, either through direct skin contact or inhalation.

Subramaniam said the

Surveillance cameras captured the moment Kim’s face was allegedly wiped with VX

victim’s relatives had still not travelled to Malaysia to verify Kim’s identity.

He said if no next-of-kin was available, other methods would be used to confirm the identity, such as dental profiling and photo comparisons where identifications can be made via marks such as moles.

Subramaniam also said

the post-mortem, excluding the verification process, was complete and would be handed over to Malaysian Police for further investigation.

Kim died after falling ill on February 13 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport after two women allegedly wiped his face with the nerve agent. (Excerpt from Al

Jazeera)

At 93rd birthday bash, Robert Mugabe says he won’t quit

Z Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh

ing father and struck a prepoll alliance with the Indian National Congress.

He has even climbed on a bicycle - his party’s symbol - for another prime-time interview that gave him a chance to showcase the newly landscaped riverfront in the state capital.

Throughout, Yadav has stayed firmly on message.

Asked about endemic crime, he says he has set up a new police hotline that is ensuring quicker response times.

On developing his poor state where incomes average less than $750 a year, he highlights his achievements in building an expressway to Agra, site of the Taj Mahal, and a new city metro in Lucknow. (Excerpt from Reuters)

i m b a b w e ’ s President Robert Mugabe has marked his 93rd birthday with lavish celebrations, addressing his own mortality in a speech, but showing no signs of quitting politics.

Thousands of government supporters, some wearing clothing adorned with Mugabe’s image in his younger days, converged in Matabeleland for Saturday’s birthday bash and show of strength for the ruling ZANU-PF party.

Also wearing a multi-coloured suit emblazoned with his own image and dark glasses, Mugabe, the world’s

oldest Head of State, told the crowd he had no intention of stepping down.

His hands gripping the podium, Mugabe spoke slowly. He said that at times he felt alone, but that he has a “mission” and “mandate” as Zimbabwe’s leader and appealed for the ruling party to overcome its divisions.

Guests at the birthday party enjoyed pieces of his birthday cake, which weighed 93kg, according to party organiser Kudzai Chipanga.

ZANU-PF officials said hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on the birthday bash at a school

in Matobo, just outside Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, Bulawayo.

But critics said the money should have been used for other priorities amid a deepening economic crisis.

Zimbabwe’s economy is set to contract by 2.5 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

More than 80 percent of the workforce scrape a living in the informal sector, while the government has failed to pay civil servants’ salaries on time since June. Mugabe celebrated his actual birthday on February 21 with a smaller cake-cutting ceremony.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

16 news

MONDAY, february 27, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

VOX POPULI

What the people say about

I SAY...

Low turnout at Mash 2017, recommendations for next year

Romario Hastings, University of Guyana

“There can be many reasons; perhaps the weather was an obstruction.

Avona Dev - Georgetown

“I think that a lot of people weren’t comfortable with the new route selected. Mainly being that Brickdam was too narrow to accommodate the thousands of Guyanese who would have liked to watch the floats as they passed.

Beyond that, why I myself was reluctant to go and maybe others too, is because of the route change. I think the parade on Church Street was ideal, vendor turnouts and a longer stretch for patrons and revellers. Brickdam couldn’t allow for such vending and its distance is incomparable. Return to Church Street for next year and maintain the concept of what Mashramani has always been. Another thing too, the floats and costumes doesn’t demand/captivate the interests of the crowd any longer; the concepts are same and boring ‘no wow’ factor for amazement. It’s like a week of preparation. There should be more time, effort, and creativity invested into the celebration. At least so I think. Finally, please, can the parade begin on time for once? Organisation of the parade and timing is totally poor. That’s a huge disappointing factor.”

Then there was the absence of barricades, which resulted in chaos between spectators and those persons trying to get to and from one point to another.

D’Urban Park is no different. At Guyana’s 50th Jubilee Celebration, there wasn’t an efficient amount of seating; hundreds of Guyanese were crowded on the tarmac and roadways. Crowded environments are the playground for infectious diseases and where personalities clash, which may lead to fights.

Placing people at the same location, for such a massive event leads to chaos. Guyanese are smart; hence they wouldn’t place themselves or their families at risk. This is why I think that the turnout was the way it was.

A better plan would’ve been using a route that could’ve accommodated the crowd and was straight forward.

Sheriff Street to Homestretch Avenue could’ve been a much better path to use in my opinion.

Romario Vishal Singh, Teacher - East Coast Demerara

need to feel more secure. With the rise in crime rate, I feel that persons were afraid to come out in support of the occasion; in fear of scores of pickpockets who traverse the streets of Georgetown on a daily basis. In addition, I believe the low-turnout was largely due to the change of route because persons are accustomed to the large space and the one convenient spot every year, which represents a break in tradition. Finally, I believe that there needs to be improvement in the social cohesion aspect, since many people think that Mashramani is an African celebration, but it really is not since we are a diverse nation; One People One Nation and One Destiny.”

“Well there should be an improvement on security as people

Devin Sears - Linden

“I was privileged to judge the Children’s Costume competition and also be a judge for the national float parade, and also being a promoter, one of the things I’ve observed is that I don’t believe enough sensitisation and promotion was done for both of

Clyde Edwards - Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry

“For me, this year’s Mashramani Celebrations was great although the

the events. Because you know, if you don’t build up that hype and curiosity in people and competitive spirit, especially when it comes to these things, likely you would not have the turnout or support that you’re looking for. Let’s not fool ourselves, we also need corporate support and corporate involvement. The mere fact that Digicel, which is anticipated that every year they be a part of the Mashramani celebrations was not a part of it this year, I think that has affected the turnout as well.

Also, Ansa McAl, GTT, Banks DIH, none of them took part this year.

Even those corporate entities have their specific following. The inclement weather might have affected persons from turning out and maybe the whole political atmosphere, specifically with the Mayor and City Council. What can be done to improve next year, is early planning and preparation. I believe we should start preparing for Mashramani from now.”

Maya Hercules - Georgetown

attendance was not as expected.

I must applaud those who turned out to be part of the floats and those who came out to cheer us, despite of an inclement weather.

You were an example to show Guyana that we have to unite and celebrate despite circumstances.

My expectation for next year is to see more participation from the business community. Mashramani was not only celebrated in Georgetown, but in the hinterland as well. For example, there were celebrations in the remote villages of Aishalton, Micobie, Lethem and Mabaruma. There is a lot to learn from these communities. Nothing must hinder us from celebrating Mash, it is our own. To improve Mashramani celebration next year, we must all unite as Guyanese despite of our differences.”

in the celebrations, apart from the Jubilee Park, thus, they stayed home. Perhaps for next year they can ease the regulations that caused the major companies to boycott this year’s celebrations because I and many persons I know, look forward to those participants and their expressions of Mashramani through their floats and the enthusiasm of the revellers. There should also be more effective communication to the public on the changes in the route so the spectators can have a chance at seeing the parade, I mean after all, it is our celebration after hard work- we should feel we have a right to spectate if we chose not to participate.”

“I think there were numerous reasons for some of the major companies boycotting the celebrations. To the change of Route that was initially short to begin with and the unclear awareness of the extension of the route; in the end left most participants and spectators confused and frustrated as to where to go to see or indulge

Francis Polley - Berbice

“Well there are a few factors; one is that the route that was used is a shorter one and also it does not allow one to park their vehicle on the other street and still have access to it while they get close to the parade, so naturally there will be less people. Also I feel that the parking meter was another issue because a family night decide not to drive and come because of the cost to park and that family would have brought others in their vehicle. I know some of my friends every year they hire a bus and go, but this year nobody went because of that…”

Joel Amihere – Berbice

“Georgetown is Georgetown; with all dem problems that they getting; parking meter, the vendors and now they wan close dem shops early; you expect people whole go out and support them? Today is Berbice mash and already I seeing plenty people.”

Colwyn Abrams - Linden

“I don’t think there was a low turnout this year from what I saw. I think it was the normal crowds we have been having for years.

I am a designer and have been putting my designs on the road for years now so I know the crowd sizes. What I think can be done to improve the celebrations is to barricade the corners of the road so that we, the revellers, can move freely. Also, Government should offer incentives to encourage more band participation, encourage companies to invest in Guyana.”

Lisa Khan - Berbice

“I did not go to the Mash but it did not see plenty people on TV. I don’t know, it could be because of the rain or it could be because they go to a different place.”

NEWS

17

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Establishment of development bank will ease burden – Region 2 rice farmers

A

fter several requests were made by rice farmers and residents of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) Agriculture Minister Noel Holder visited the area on Friday, and met with rice farmers who lobbied for proper representation within the sector.

During the consultation held in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), rice farmers lobbied for the establishment of a development bank, which they posted would greatly assist farmers.

Speaking on behalf of rice farmers, Government Councillor and Chairman of the Essequibo Paddy Farmers Association, Naitram affirmed that the establishment of the bank would indeed ease the burden on rice farmers.

According to Naitram, scores of rice farmers are presently indebted to the commercial banks and are being asked to pay high interest rates. However, he noted that with the estab-

Region Two Councillor Naitram speaking on behalf of rice farmers

lishment of the bank, less interest would be charged which would, in turn, benefit the farmers.

“We really need this bank in this region. Region Two heavily depends on rice and the commercial banks are asking for too much interest; many farmers cannot afford and as such, their collateral were seized,” Naitram said.

In response, Minister Holder said, “The development bank is something the Government is now looking at and the Caribbean Development Bank is do-

ing a survey to see the feasibility of such bank, this was one of the things that were asked by the IMF [International Monetary Fund] that Government should not get involved, but I think the bank is a good decision.”

Other rice farmers who were present at the meeting supported the initiative, and called for enhanced support from the Ministry. Many rice farmers have noted the state of the economy within the region and have called for assistance in the form

Harris Paints introduces new low budget line

The launch of Harris Paints’ Pro Speed Cover line

H

arris Paints Guyana Limited recently released a new line of paints targeting the low-budget market.

The line was designed as a cost-effective alternative in an already competitive marketplace, while maintaining the standards of a professional finish.

The launch, which was held at Herdmanston Lodge, Queenstown, Georgetown, introduced the Pro Speed Cover line of paints to the Guyanese market.

The event was attended by a number of specially invited contractors, maintenance managers and industry professionals who were afforded a firsthand opportunity to witness the induction and performance analysis of the Pro Speed Cover paints.

The line features an exciting range of colours, available in three different finishes – flat, eggshell and gloss, each unique fin-

ish designed to attract buyers based on their different preferences.

Harris Paints Guyana Trade Sales Manager Garfield Manasseh pointed out that while these products are cost-friendly, they offer exceptional quality. He provided statistics from research done on the products, which proves the line’s economic benefits, with the flat and eggshell finishes providing extra spread. With just one gallon, a flat paint can cover up to 40 per cent of 200 square feet while the eggshell paints can cover 20 per cent of 100 square feet.

The water-based Pro Speed Cover gloss paints provide a sheen similar to that of traditional oil paints. The main advantage of the line, however, is that it contains Fast-Fuse Technology that allows the product to dry and a recoat be applied in as little as one hour.

Harris Paints Caribbean

Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Orlando Vazquez explained that the introduction of this line was necessary to cater for budget-conscious buyers. He highlighted that while premium paints such as the company’s Ultra Plus will provide exceptional results in quality and durability, a lower cost alternative was highly sought out. Even with offering this low-cost line, the company promises high performance from the Pro Speed Cover paints. As such, the line is expected to play a vital role in Guyana’s paint market, especially for projects requiring frequent repainting while demanding the highest quality.

Harris Paints is celebrating the launch of the Pro Speed Cover line of paints with a promotion, which offers one free can of paint for every five purchased by a customer. This promotion will last until April 30, 2017.

of a reduction of fertilisers’ prices or a subsidy on fuel.

Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt expressed gratitude towards the Minister for the visit and used the opportunity to highlight concerns over the state of the economy and its negative impact on the residents.

Ramdatt reiterated the need for assistance for those rice farmers and residents who recently suffered from flooding due to extreme rainfall. The Chairman emphasised that there should be no denying that the Region was affected by flooding and rice lands were under threat. He, therefore, pleaded with the Minister and his team for assistance.

Also present at the meeting were Region Two Member of Parliament, Haimraj Rajkumar; Regional Executive Officer Rupert Hopkinson; Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture Ministry,

Agriculture Minister Noel Holder interacting with Region Two farmers

George Jervis; Prime Minister Representative Karan Chand and the heads of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA); Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB); Pesticide Board and Crop and Livestock, Fisheries.Scores of rice farmers in Region Two have vented their frustrations, as well as opinions on Government’s approach towards the rice industry.

Many of them said that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Government, since assuming office, has not plugged in the kind of support that was really needed in the industry for its sustenance. Many of them were disappointed and dissatisfied with Government’s interventions in the industry.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, February 27, 2017

ARCHIE

Consider your options.

Time is on your side, but you (March 21- must avoid impulsive behavApril 19) ior. Reflect on your experience to figure out how to stabilize your current situation.

ARIES

Your generosity and desire TAURUS to do things for others will put (April 20- you in a strong bargaining poMay 20) sition. Don’t be shy; ask and you shall receive.

dilbert

Be careful what you say GEMINI and how you present your ser(May 21June 20) vices. Offering something you cannot complete will make you look bad. Be honest and responsible.

Don’t let anyone use you.

Show some backbone and (June 21- speak up. Present your ideas July 22) and concerns, but don’t offer to do the work all by yourself.

CANCER

Peanuts

Your hard work will bring LEO about unexpected changes that (July 23will turn you into a go-to perAug. 22) son. Accept a challenge and be proud of your accomplishments.

Hold off on any investVIRGO (Aug. 23- ment that isn’t a sure thing.

Sept. 22) Use your intuitive intelligence to guide you to better choices regarding partnerships and money matters. Your integrity may be at risk.

Calvin and Hobbes

Don’t give up something LIBRA good for something unknown.

(Sept. 23Learn all you can before you Oct. 23) venture down a less-than-promising path. Stick to what you know and work on improving what you can.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — ULTERIOR (ULTERIOR: ul-TEER-ee-er: Other than what is obvious or admitted.)

SUDOKU

You’ll be blocked if you are SAGITTARIUS too vocal about what you are (Nov. 23- doing. Don’t share your plans Dec. 21) with others. Go about your business and do your best to bring about positive change.

Average mark 32 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 49 or more words in ULTERIOR? The list will be published tomorrow.

SATURDAY’S WORD — UNWIELDY unwed newly nude weld wend wide widely widen wield wieldy wild wile wily wind

windy wine winy idle idly idyl indue inly lend lewd lied lien lieu lindy

line lune deli deny dewily dewy diel dine duel duly dune dyne yield yule

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

Live your dream. Express SCORPIO your thoughts, feelings and (Oct. 24desires. Don’t let anyone set Nov. 22) boundaries for you. Make your position and options clear, and proceed.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Remembering the past will CAPRICORN help you avoid trouble now.

(Dec. 22Back away from anyone temptJan. 19) ing you to get involved in something that is physically or emotionally damaging. Trust in yourself, not in someone else.

Alter the way you present AQUARIUS yourself and your abilities.

(Jan. 20Take any opportunity to inFeb. 19) vest in your skills. Financial gains are within reach if you do the groundwork.

PISCES Express your feelings (Feb. 20- and plans. Focus on the good March 20) things you have to offer and go out of your way to assist the people you care for and love.

monDAY, febRuary 27, 2017

Ibrahimovic settles thrilling final M

anchester United won their first major trophy under Jose Mourinho thanks to Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s dramatic late winner.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored with three minutes remaining to give Manchester United a thrilling 3-2 victory over Southampton in the EFL Cup final.

A dramatic contest at Wembley was settled when Ibrahimovic headed in Ander Herrera’s cross just as the match appeared destined to move into extra time.

A controversial and thrilling match saw Southampton have Manolo Gabbiadini’s strike wrongly ruled out for offside before Ibrahimovic struck with an impressive free-kick at the other end.

Jesse Lingard got the second, finding the bottom-

right corner after a neat team move to net on his third consecutive Wembley appearance for United, before Gabbiadini got a goal that did count in first-half stoppage time.

Gabbiadini made it five goals in three Saints matches with a magnificent finish

early in the second half, but Ibrahimovic had the last word with his 26th goal of the season.

United have now won the tournament on five occasions, a record bettered only by Liverpool.

Mourinho claims the first major trophy of his United

Zlatan Ibrahimovic heads the winning goal of the match

Pacquiao and Amir Khan to fight in April

In 2015, Khan said he was being lined up to fight Pacquiao but that the veteran did not want to face him

W

BO world welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao will fight Great Britain’s Amir Khan on 23 April.

The bout has been arranged after Pacquiao’s followers on Twitter voted Khan as the opponent they would like to see the Filipino fight next.

“This is what the fans wanted,” Pacquiao, 38, said on social media.

Khan, 30, also confirmed

the fight but, although Pacquiao has said his next fight would be in the United Arab Emirates, no venue has been announced.

Speaking on a social media video, Khan said the UK, Dubai and US were being looked at as possible locations and that they “should find out in the next couple of days”.

The Briton, who won silver as a lightweight at the 2004 Olympics, beat compa-

triot Kell Brook, Australia’s Jeff Horn and American Terence Crawford with 48% of the vote carried out by Pacquiao.

Khan’s last fight was in May 2016 when he was knocked out by Mexican Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

Six-weight world champion Pacquiao retired in April last year but returned to claim his belt by beating Jessie Vargas in November.

19

Manchester United players celebrate the triumphant EFL Cup finals

reign and his fourth overall victory in the competition, tying the record jointly held

by Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson.

Southampton’s wait for a first EFL Cup goes on as their FA Cup success in 1976 – which came against United – remains their only major trophy.

Claude Puel has now lost both of his management appearances in major domestic cup finals, having been beaten as Monaco boss in the 2001 Coupe de la Ligue final.

Paul Pogba had an early long-range drive beaten away

by Fraser Forster, before United survived a moment of major controversy at the other end.

After Cedric Soares got the better of Marcos Rojo down the right, Gabbiadini tapped in his cross from close range but was denied by an offside flag, even though only team-mate Ryan Bertrand - who did not make a move towards the ball – had strayed beyond the last defender.

United took advantage of the reprieve, moving ahead in the 19th minute after Oriol Romeu had been booked for fouling Herrera.

Ibrahimovic did the rest, sending a curling 25-yard free-kick beyond a flat-footed Forster for his sixth goal in as many games.

Southampton continued to make an impression after the goal and David de Gea made an important one-handed save from James Ward-Prowse, before using his legs to keep out Dusan Tadic.

United struck a hammer blow seven minutes before the break when Lingard – selected over Wayne Rooney and Marcus Rashford – justified Mourinho’s decision by picking his spot from just inside the area after a neat move involving Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Rojo.

But Southampton continued to fight, Gabbiadini scoring moments before the half-time whistle with a closerange strike that stood this

time after Ward-Prowse’s low cross.

United brought Michael Carrick on for Mata ahead of the restart, but Saints drew level three minutes into the second half.

A corner was only halfcleared and when Steven Davis headed back into the area, Gabbiadini turned and simultaneously buried a leftfooted volley into the bottomright corner from 12 yards.

Lingard managed to avoid a second yellow for tripping Redmond, before Romeu had the same reprieve despite appearing to elbow Herrera.

Romeu then saw his deflected header bounce off the post from a Ward-Prowse delivery, while Lingard lashed over from a good chance at the other end as a thrilling clash continued. The destination of the trophy was finally decided in the closing stages when Martial fed Herrera, whose floating cross was converted

by Ibrahimovic’s thumping sixyard header.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monDAY, febRuary 27, 2017

Inter-Secondary School Indoor Windball Cricket…

Christ Church

book place in final T

he Christ Church Secondary boys have booked a place in the final of the Forbes Burnham Foundation Inter-Secondary School Indoor Overhand Windball Cricket tournament after getting past Richard Ishmael at the National Gymnasium on Friday.

In their semi-final, Christ Church posted 94-2 off their allotted five overs with Alphius Bookie (34) and Ariel Tilku (24) being the principal scorers.

Richard Ishmael, in reply, were restricted to 56-5 when their overs expired; Ezekiel Wilson top scored with 20.

The tournament is being sponsored by the Forbes B u r n h a m Foundation and is being played on a round-robin basis for both boys and girls.

Meanwhile, in other scores from Friday’s games in the boys’ category; Saint Stanislaus College reached 90-1 with Veeraj Persaud’s 40 and Surendra Moonsanny’s 38 being the top run-getters.

In reply, Annandale Secondary made 732. Daniel Mangru (30), Jonathan Finlay (26) and Daniel Prashad chipped in with 10 in a losing effort.

Christ Church Secondary amassed 1530 against Brickdam Secondary with Alphus Bookie (80) and Ariel Tilku (50) slamming half-centuries.

In reply Brickdam Secondary made 102-1 with Akeem Whitney playing his heart out for an unbeaten 71 and he received good support from Darreen Elias (26).

Mae’s Secondary got the better of Diamond Secondary after making 134-0. Ushandra Balgobin carried his bat for an un-

beaten 68, while Yudister Persaud was 57 not out at the end of their five overs.

In reply, Diamond Secondary could only reach 76-7 at the end of their allotted overs. Obadiah Yearwood (30) and Mario Lim (12).

Similarly, Valmiki Vidyalaya High School chalked up 72- 2 against Richard Ishmael which proved too small. In reply, Richard Ishmael reached 75-2. Juspice Jones (23) and Joshua Rampersaud (21) saw the team home.

L’Aventure Secondary batting first against East Ruimveldt Secondary made 59-2 with Vishal John (25) and Richawn L u m u m b a (21).

In reply East Ruimveldt Secondary reached 62-0.

Dequan Bamfield carried his bat to make 50.

Saint John’s College tallied 76-6 batting first against Carmel Secondary with Odida Douglas 22 and Darren Dickson 11.

Carmel could only reach 49-7 when the overs ran out. Shaquille Baptiste top scored with 16.

Camille’s Institute for Business and Science Studies rallied to 76-5 bating first against Patentia Secondary.

Noel Evelyn 47 and Cameron De Freitas 23 led the way. However, it did not prove to be enough as Patentia Secondary replied with 77-1 off 2.2 overs with

Parmanand Goomhprasad (22) and Denish Singh (16) scoring all their runs in boundaries.

Tucville Secondary amassed 122-2 against East Ruimveldt Secondary with Godfrey Phillips hitting the highest individual score of 91 (14x6s) Julian Bamfield 14.

East Ruimveldt Secondary replied with a challenging 109-2, Dequan Bamfield (29) and Carlos Pollard (27).

The match of the day was, however, the encounter between Covent Garden Secondary and Xenon Academy. Covent Garden lost by one run.

It took Xenon Academy more that 10 years to beat Covent Garden Secondary in a single windball match.

Xenon batted first and scored 106 without loss.

Leonard Thomas 58 a n d Delon George 4 4 .

Covent Garden reached 105-2, Shoaib Roop 52 and Keston Campbell 18.

Saints Stanislaus College reached 98-1 in their five overs with Veeraj Persaud 59 and Stephan Mohan 30.

Replying, Christ Church got to 104-9 to win by one wicket. Alphius Bookie 72 and Ariel Tilku 20.

Yudistir Persaud hit a game-high of 83 for Mae’s Secondary, which made 107-2.

Richard Ishmael replied with 112-1 to win the game.

Juspic Jones top scored with 51 and Brandon Ramnarine made 34.

Tucville Secondary 85-5 which proved to be insufficient for St John’s College 91-4. With Yohan Blair making 41.

Meanwhile, St John’s will play Patentia Secondary in the other semi-final. Director of Sport Christopher Jones and Chairman of The Forbes Burnham Foundation, Vincent Alexander are expected to meet the teams on the final day of play.

In the only girls game played on Friday, Mae’s Secondary won the toss in their first Windball tournament and batted first they made 124 without lost. A. Gentle 78 (13x6s) C Pearson 29.

Brickdam Secondary replied with 68-5. Tyra Atwell 22 and Nyamelye Dogan 18.

(Andrew Carmichael)

Under-17 footballers encamped ahead of Martinique tour

E

Part of the encamped National Under-17 Football team

ncampment for the National Under-17 team has commenced with an eighteen-man squad in preparation for their participation in the “Tournoi Paul Chillan” in Martinique from March1 – 5.

The tournament will feature six countries including Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Martinique.

The eight-day camp, which began on the February 21, consists of nine players from the Georgetown Football Association (GFA), two each from the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) and East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) and one player each from the Berbice Football Association (BFA), Rupununi Football Association (RFA) and

Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA). There is also one overseas-based player from the United States of America (USA).

Among them are two goalkeepers, six defenders and midfielders each and four forwards. They are supervised by a six-man technical squad headed by Technical Director, Ian Greenwood and Head Coach Bryan Joseph.

Among the other technical team members are Team Manager Carlos Bernard, Assistant Coach Gilbert Sampson, GoalKeeping Coach Eon De Veira, Physiotherapist Seulear Hope-Ross and Referee Kenisha Prescott.

Under-17 Squad reads: Goal Keppers - Jonathan Copeland (Milerock FC),

Sesi Norville (Georgetown Football Club); DefendersCecil Jackman (Fruta Conquerors FC), Kevin Padmore (Grove Hi-Tech), Jeremy Garrett (Fruta Conquerors FC), Ackel Forde (Grove Hi-Tech), Raushan Ritch (Fruta Conquerors FC), Cyrus Nicholson (Corriverton Lynx FC); Midfielders - Ryan Dowding (Santos FC), Rondel Peters (Georgetown Football Club), Orville Daniels (Paiomak Warriors), Joshua Ferriera (Progressive Youths), Jermaine Garrett (Fruta Conquerors FC); ForwardsNixon Robertson (Buxton United FC), Nicholas Mc Arthur (Fruta Conquerors FC), Troni Semple (Buxton United), Zion Gray (Eastveldt).

GMR&SC President Mohammed...

continued from page 21

Guyanese racer Kristian Jeffrey was just manifestation of the eagerness of the sports phenomenal manufacturing three consecutive from that tender age. victories in the featured Shifters Pro Cup Mohammed pointed out that occasion was beating his fellow competitors in clinical very encouraging and there was a general sense fashion. Ravi Singh of Trinidad and of gratification from his fellow executives Tobago churned out a good win in who continued to work with a great degree the 4-Stroke Easy Cup (Light) while of commitment. “I just want to say thanks his daughter Bridget sparkled to everyone who would have contributed considerably well in her category of in different ways to make the meet a great the 125cc with two resounding wins. success; we prepared for it and I was happy “It just showed the overseas to see everything went well; thanks racers just had an enjoyable to the fans and the sponsors time on the track which too,” Mohammed commented.

I think was wellThe event, which was prepared; there organised by GT Motorsports, was no complaint received corporate support about it and that from Monster Energy Drink, was satisfying Sun Burst Juices, Stag to learn; we Beer, Ray’s Motor Spares, are planning Secure Innovations and to have Concepts, E-Networks, the Grand Superbet, Ocean Spray Prix on a Hotel, BM Soat, Prem’s monthly basis Electrical Store and Honda as well and I Powersports. am confident racers f r o m Meanwhile, the only outside of Guyana will last Wednesday evening return,” the former Vicethe GMR&SC hosted the president of GMR&SC second and monthly Rental declared. Mohammed spoke Endurance Go-Kart Racing. about Nathan Rahaman’s Mohammed rated it as a courage and fortitude success too. He further declared to compete in the lessthat the next meet for the intense category, the 60cc.

GMR&SC will be the drag-racing Rahaman is just six years event with competitors are old and prospered in one expecting from neighbouring victory from the allotment of Suriname to be held at the three. He reckoned that was a Kristian Jeffrey South Dakota Circuit.

YELLOW PAGES monDAY, febRuary 27, 2017 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

ACCOMMODATIONS

optician

“Conferences & Retreats – Full Service: Hotel, Catering & Facilities. Aracari Resort WBD – 264 2946 Alex Wayne”

Da Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 4446376, Corriverton: 339-3536, MetenMeer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch.

“Weddings & Anniversaries: Rental or Full Service: Banquet Hall & Catering.

Aracari Resort WBD – 264 2946 Alex Wayne” “Aracari Hotel, WBD (Near Harbor Bridge) – All Modern Amenities – Rates from $25. Phone 264 2946-8”

Business Opportunity Businessman interested in restarting a profitable venture. Need approximately $10 Million for 2 years, Lucrative Returns Safe. Email: businessopportunity12@yahoo.com or businessopportunity@yahoo.com. Mobile: 641-7074 Complete package, key cutting machine plus 1000 blank keys:.Price: $450,000.

Vers Realty: To Rent Office Space & Store Front, 17 Brickdam & Smyth Street, Stabroek, Georgetown Guyana. Tel: 2231217 Or 600-5759

CAR RENTALS Need a car to rent? Then call 6111018 for the best cars at great prices.

Progressive Auto Rental: Cars from $4000 and up. Tel: 219-3900, 643-5122

dentistry Dentures provided in 72 hours from as low as $4500. Contact Dr B Stuart, 209B Charlotte St, Lacytown. Tel: 225-5034

Driving School Shalom Enterprise Driving School 2 Croal Street, Stabroek. You can obtain an International Drivers Permit Covering 131 Countries. Tel: 2273869, 644-7052, 659-3381

EDUCATION REGISTER - learn to play drums, guitar, keyboard and train your voice NOW OR in the Summer. Call 225-1151/ 657-8404 Learn to Play Music at Foundation7: Call NOW: 225-1151/6578404

FOR SALE MX 2000, 1500, 1000 AMP, 4 BASS, 4 MID, 4 HORNS, 4 TWEETERS, MIXER, JUGGLER CABLES AND 1 JACCUZZI; ALL FOR SALE. CONTACT:253-3070OR654-2732 WATER PUMP TO PUMP WATER INTO RICE FIELDS WITH DRIVE SHAFT AND TWENTY FOOT CANVAS TO CONVEY WATER; CAGE WHEEL FOR JOHN DEERE TRACTOR 5090; STEERING RACK FOR TUNDRA 2000 SERIES; FUEL PUMP FOR TOYOTA HILUX 1 KD – FTV ENGINE; SET OF 6 INJECTORS FOR DAF 6-CYLINDER DIESEL ENGINE. CONTACT: 220-1630, 638-1829.

health Healthworld Clinic – Providing professional psychological therapy for all mental and behavioral health problems. Call (592)-690-1824 Mondays-Saturdays 9am-3pm.

Email; healthworldhc@gmail.com FOR YOUR HEALTH AND BEAUTY: Natural Choice Chai (Tea) & Moringa Powder, keep yourself healthy and beautiful from the inside out! Add Natural Choice products to your health foods today! Ask for it at your local supermarket. Now available at Flambouyant Supermarkets in Diamond and Eccles, all DSL Cash & Carry branches, The Guyana Shop (GMC) at Robb & Alexander Sts, Bourda, Medi Care Pharmacy in South Ruimveldt, (Royal Castle Building), Ram’s Supermarket at Vreed-En-Hoop and Sangeeta Supermarket in Linden.

LAND for sale Plot of land used to cultivate RICE, Plantation Better Hope, Essequibo Coast. Size 33.14 Acres. Tel: 625-1514

property for sale PROPERTY FOR SALE IN ENTERPRISE SCHEME. 1 LARGE FAMILY HOME, 4 BEDROOM, FULLY GRILLED, 2-CAR GARAGE, RESERVOIR, OVERHEAD TANKS AND WATER FILTRATION, ETC. CALL/WHATSAPP NAVIN: 1-347517-7432 Two buildings on lot at 180 Charlotte Street. L 20 x W 30.

Contact Tel: 624-7341, 227-6817, 226-5183. Price Neg. Eccles: $27M Neg. Enterprise Sec C: $20M Neg. Mon Repos: $30M Neg. South Ruimveldt Park: $20M Neg. Broad Street: $80M Neg. Charlotte Street between Camp & Alexander: $55M Neg. Providence (land): $6.5M Neg. Parfaite Harmonie (land): $4.5M Neg. Contact: 691-1521 GOOD HOPE AND OGLE. CONTACT: 673-5546, 222-3066, 682-7257, 679-0987

Suriname’s Astrology, Palmist and Hindustani Spiritual Healer, solve all purpose problems, 100% confidential guaranteed. Phone: 6028997 HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES 24 hrs Prayer Line 322-5081, 322-5738, 322-5788, 337-4510, 337-4259, 337-3070, 337-5103. For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues call now. Jesus Cares.

Ifa Temple – Are you having serious problems and urgently need spiritual help? Call 621-0552 now.

Email: anew-life@live.com SPIRITUAL HEALING: REMOVE BLOCKAGE , VOODOO, HEXCURSE, BLACK MAGIC, SPELL, BUSINESS, UPLIFTMENT, PREGNANCY, LOVE & MARRIAGE PROBLEMS, CLEARANCE ETC. Contact: 6121975, 683-5228

taxi services GR Taxi, 24 hours. Phone: 2257878, 219-5000 or 227-2100

TO LET THREE STOREY 75 FT’X 30 FT BUILDING/BOND, OPEN FLOORS, 2 OFFICES, 2 WASHROOMS, DRIVEWAY. 25B PRINCESS ST, CHARLESTOWN. TEL: 223-0654, 225-0605 UNFURNISHED BOTTOM FLAT – 2 BEDROOMS, BATHROOM, KITCHENETTE, DINING/LIVING ROOM, PRE-PAID METER. QUIET NEIGHBOURHOOD – KITTY. NO CHILDREN. NO PETS. SUITABLE FOR STUDENTS OR SINGLE WORKING PERSONS. $55,000 PER MONTH. 2 MONTHS SECURITY DEPOSIT. RENT CONTRACT FOR 6 – 12 MONTHS. CONTACT 6930003 (DURING BUSINESS HOURS)

VACANCY FAST GROWING FOOD DISTRIBUTION COMPANY SEEKING A BOOK KEEPER / INVENTORY CLERK, EXPERIENCE AND POLICE CLEARANCE NEEDED CALL FOR INTERVIEW 231-8344, 223-1027 OR 223-103

VEHICLES FOR SALE FOR SALE. TOYOTA HILUX EXTRA CAB PICK UP, GVV 2574, EXCELLENT CONDITION. CONTACT NUMBER: 601-5024

SALON / SPA

FOR SALE! 1 TOYOTA AVENSIS, PRR 825. $2.2M NEGOTIABLE. CALL TROY: 619-2975

Road to Belwasa and A Dip at the Sangam, Indentureship Novels at Austin’s Book Store and Lachmansingh Drug Store. Tel: 226-5053.

“COSMETOLOGY – FULL COURSE $100,000. TECHNICIAN $40,000.

Aracari Salon & Spa, WBD 2643312, 600-3927”

1 TOYOTA IPSUM (7-SEATER) IN EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION WITH MUSIC (5800 W): CONTACT 653-1003

flowers

services

Available: Fresh long-stemmed roses, fresh dried and silk floral arrangements, gift items, bridal boutiques and wreaths. Nesha’s Flowerland. 78 Church Street (opposite St George’s Cathedral). Tel: 227-3553/225-3315

BRAIN’S CONSTRUCTION AND RENTAL SERVICE. WE RENT ALL TYPES OF EQUIPMENT: EXCAVATORS, BOB CATS, TRUCKS, TOOLS. WE DELIVER SAND, MUD AND CONTRACT BUILDINGS. Tel: 219-0904, 601-5024

Clean Garden Earth. Also excavating, grading and leveling done. Call 627-9977

immigration Immigration & Visa Services We handle all Canadian, USA and UK immigration and visa matters. Self sponsorships, holiday/visitor’s visas, work permits, students visas, family, class, immigration forms, embassy enquiries, appeals for refused cases, US green card lottery, business class waivers, pardons, etc.

Get your visa approved. High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates.

Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105. Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca IMMIGRATION SERVICES PROFESSIONALLY PREPARED BY IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT. PASSPORT AND VISA APPLICATIONS (PERMANENT/ VISITOR) FOR USA, CANADA, UK, CHINA, INDIA, ETC. SABITA’S IMMIGRATION SERVICES. TEL: 225-6496/662-6045

KEY CUTTing Professional Key Shop, 125 Carmichael Street, Georgetown. Phone: 225-3923, mobile: 621-3249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks.

Get your extra key today.

Technician – specializes in repairing and servicing to washing machines, pressure pumps, refridgerators, exercising machines, treadmills, stove/ranges, dryers, ovens, pressure washers, solar systems, water heaters. Tel: 673-9283 PRIVATE CUSTOMS BROKERAGE. CERTIFICATE TRAINING COURSE IN JANUARY 2017. REGISTER NOW AND GET 50% DISCOUNTFOR CHRISTMAS UP TO 31ST DECEMBER. CALL: 694-8322 OR 671-9603 Repairs and Spares, Air Conditioning, Car AC, Washers, Stoves. Call Nick: 683-1312, 627-3206

JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA NOAH; TOYOTA VOXY; TOYOTA IST (NEW SHAPE); SUZUKI SWIFT; DAIHATSU MOVE (660CC); MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED 4WD EXTRACAB PICK-UP; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, 3L SOLID DEFFERNTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

spirituality Dutch spiritual healing in removing evil spirit, bad luck, evil sickness, spells, reuniting lovers and prosperity to business. Call: 612-6417, 687-5653 Surinamese spiritualist. Resolving all problems. Money, love, blockage etc. Call 223-6834/600-7719.

Classified Ads $5+VAT per word

Call: 223-7230 Ext 35

21 Johnson, McCoy replace Leveridge, Roach in President’s XI squad T sports

he Selection Panel of the West Indies Cricket Board has announced two changes to the WICB President’s XI squad for the One-day (50 overs-a-side) List “A” tour match against England today at Warner Park here.

Delorn Johnson, and compatriot and fellow left-arm fast bowler Obed McCoy, a member of the West Indies Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, replace fellow fast bowlers, Reynard Leveridge and Kemar Roach in the President’s XI unit.

Leveridge has been sidelined with an injury and Roach has been excused, due to personal reasons.

Jahmar Hamilton (Captain), Kyle Hope (Vice Captain), Sunil Ambris, Ronsford Beaton, Rahkeem Cornwall, Montcin Hodge, Damion Jacobs, Delorn Johnson, Kyle Mayers, Andre McCarthy, Obed McCoy and Raymon Reifer.

Team management unit; Graeme West (Head Coach), Vasbert Drakes (Assistant Coach), Khevyn Williams (Physiotherapist), Zephrinus Nicholas (Trainer) and Denesh Mahabir (Data Analyst).

The match is England’s last before they play West Indies on March 3 at the said venue.

They defeated the UWI Vice Chancellor’s XI by 117 in their opening tour match on Saturday.

Obed McCoy

GLTA’s Tennis Frenzy postponed D

ozens of persons were left disappointed yesterday after rain prevented play in the Guyana Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) Tennis Frenzy event at the National Racquet Centre, Woolford Avenue.

What was supposed to be a pack day of activities was spoiled by constant downfall of rain that left sections of the venue wet and unsuitable for the day’s activities.

However, those who were present were able to relax and converse over tasty foods and drinks.

The GLTA has rescheduled the Tennis Frenzy to Phagwah Day, Sunday, March 12, where there will be three level of competition for beginners, intermediate and advanced players.

Registration will start at 11:30h with action sched-

uled to get underway at 12 noon.

Weather permitting, it is expected to be a day packed with fun with the kids bouncy castles and twister fun to be available throughout the day.

The event is sponsored

by Banks DIH under its brand Malta and Euphoria Fun Parks.

GMR&SC President Mohammed satisfied with inaugural Grand Prix

By Ravi Madholall

T

he prospects are extremely bright for gokart Racing, according to the newly-elected President of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) Rameez Mohammed after expressed total satisfaction with the inaugural GT Motorsports Grand Prix on Friday night at the club’s venue on Thomas and Albert roads. Racers from Canada, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago graced the occasion, as well and their participation certainly

Newly-elected President of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club, Rameez Mohammed

signalled the intention of great things to come in the near future. Mohammed stated that the youngsters also had a great opportunity to show their interest and the involvement was delightfully encouraging.

“I was impressed with the way things were done on the night and it shows that we will see some more fantastic nights of go-karting at the GMR≻ it was totally satisfying to see the crowd support and the racers were very much entertaining,” Mohammed related to Guyana Sports Times. continued on page 20

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monAY, febRuary 27, 2017

Petra/Milo Schools U-18 Football…

Morgan’s obliterate St John’s College 13-0 A

midst the muddy and certainly soggy conditions, Morgan’s Learning Centre found it smooth sailing to hammer 13 goals into a listless St. John’s College unit as the Petra Organised Milo Schools under-18 Football Championships continued on Sunday at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta.

Leon Richardson was on the prowl for goals once more netting a hattrick, scoring in the 7th, 17th, and 50th. His support came from David Coates (46th) and (51st), Allister Frank (68th), Orin Moore (16th) and (61st).

Osafo Matteson (25th), Carl Griffith (28th), David Blake (32nd) and Tariq Nelson (52nd) were the

other marksmen.

Similarly, Pure Masters defeated Tucville Secondary 4-2 after a double by Alton Benn in the 18th and 43rd and supporting goals by Jamain Simon (4th) and Brian Harris (66th). For the defeated, Godfrey Phiilips (25th) and Julian Bamfield (58th) netted.

Former champs, Lodge Secondary were also on the winning side Turston Gordon helped them win against East Ruimveldt with a 60th minute goal.

The other match of the day was a drawn encounter between, Kingston Secondary and St. Mary’s High, with the scores The tussle for ball possession was constant on Sunday (Marceano Narine photo)

locked a 3-3.

Yackym Barker(5th), Ruel Williams (15th) and Odafie Taylor (58th) were scored for Kingston while Tyrese Williams (43rd), Micheal Damon (45th) and Dominc Bottse (67th) netted for the opposition.

The round-robin matches will continue this weekend at the same venue as thirty-two secondary schools compete for the $500,000 first prize, while second, third and fourth place finishers will pocket $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively, that goes towards a school project.

IBF 3x3 Basketball Tournament…

Guyana undefeated on opening day

The undefeated Guyana team

T

he first day of the International Basketball Federation (IBF) 3x3 Lesser Antilles Basketball tournament saw Guyana securing victories in both of their matches.

Playing the Under-18 tournament in St. Lucia the local boys raced to a commanding victory over Barbados 15-3 in their opening match of the competition before returning to humiliate Curacao in their second encounter 15-1.

Stanton Rose has emerged the leading scorer in the tournament so far.

With Guyana needing a minimum of two more victories to qualify for the

semi-finals, they will face Antigua and Barbuda in their first match of day two before facing Saint Vincent in the second fixture and then Aruba for the last contest.

The delegation compromises of Stanton Rose who will lead the side, Jonathan Mangra, Jamal Gilkes, Timothy Thompson and Junior Hercules, who is the National 3×3 Coordinator and Dennis Clarke, the team’s as assistant Coordinator.

These four players enjoyed some preparation ahead of the event with the League of Champions being played, and all of them showing some amount of form.

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, febRuary 27, 2017

LFS Burnham Memorial 3-stage…

23

“Sunny” wins title despite Agard’s heroics

By R omario S amaroo

T

he Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham Memorial 3-stage cycling race ended with Linden Bauxite Flyer’s Shaquel Agard riding solo to win the final leg of the race on Sunday afternoon at Homestretch Avenue.

But despite the victory for Agard and Team Coco’s Hamzah Eastman winning the second leg, his club mate Stephano “Sunny” Husbands was crowned the new overall champion in the event.

Husbands recorded an overall time of five hours, 19 minutes and two seconds (05:19:02), just three

seconds better than Agard (05:19:05) who took the second overall spot while Eastman (05:19:33) secured the third position.

United We Stand rider, Andrew Hicks (05:20:19), Team Evolution’s Orville Hinds (05:20:41) and Team Alanis’ Alanzo Ambrose (05:20:58) rounded off the top six in that order.

M e a n w h i l e Christopher Cornelius (05:32:50), Adealie Hodge (05:22:55) and Marcus Keiler (06:04:20) were the respective 1st-3rd winners in the Juniors division.

Alson, Coco’s Junior Niles in a time of 05:23:32

won the veterans division, ahead of Ian Jackson (05:22:55) in second and Sybourne Fernandes (05:33:19) in third.

In Stage two it was Eastman who notched up the victory, his third consecutive win. Eastman sprinted to the finishing line for the race which began in Linden and ended on Homestretch Avenue ahead of Agard while Husbands closed in on the title with third.

Hinds copped fourth as Evolution’s Michael Anthony and Hicks came in 5th and 6th respectively.

In the final leg, Agrad rode to the finish line with

Stephano “Sunny” Husbands wins the overall title of the Burnham Memorial 3-stage championship

DeNobrega secures 12-month FINA Scholarship

both hands in the air and not another rider within striking distance to comfortably seal his first win of the year.

The race was a journey that saw the wheelsmen ride from the Homestretch Avenue to Belfield and returning to the point of origin. Agard led the pack that saw Hinds in second, Ambrose in 3rd, Hicks (4th), Husbands (5th) and Paul DeNobrega (6th) Recapping to stage one, Hicks won that race that pedaled off in New Amsterdam to Rosehall and back ahead of Husbands and Eastman in second and third respectively.

Grass track racing returns on March 26 at Anna Regina Andy Wong will look to defend his title at the event

Phillip DeNobrega Jr (black and white) is flanked by family members and GASA Executives at the National Aquatic Centre (Dexter Ceres photo)

G

uyanese swimmer Phillip DeNobrega Jnr has managed to gain a 12-month scholarship at the Spire Swimming Academy, Cleveland, Ohio thanked to Federation Internationale de natation (FINA).

DeNobrega who left these shores on Sunday follows in the footsteps of Olympian Hannibal Gaskin, who attend a programme of similar nature last year. The focus of the programme for the 17 year-old will be develop his skills ahead of this year’s FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary from July 25 -30. DeNobrega expressed his excitement over being selected for the programme, stating that he will do his best since he wants qualify for the 2020 Olympics.

President of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA), Ivan Persaud gave well-wishers

to the Sea Otters swimmer and urged him to make the best of the opportunity.

Persaud, in explaining the selection process stated that each club was given notice to select submit names of swimmers to GASA and in tern FINA for consideration, however, DeNobrega’s name was the only one submitted.

Meanwhile, Secretary of GASA Joann Lowe urged DeNobrega to put his mind to the task at hand to do well; Vice-President Elky Rodrigues reminded the young swimmer that he is now an Ambassador for his country and stated success comes only after hard work.

Similarly, Leon Seaton encouraged the Chase Academic Foundation Student to do the best he can do so as to pave the way for other young swimmers in the sport. DeNobrega will return for the Goodwill Games that will be held in Guyana from August 18-

20. The Spire Academy Swimming Program in its portfolio describes itself as dedicated to helping each swimmer reach his or her dreams. The Spire institute provides a unique opportunity to train at the heart of the Olympic Movement. The training facilities are some of the best in the world and the coaching is world class.

The training is based upon the individual needs of each athlete with a high level of focus on technique.

They emphasize range of motion and flexibility and use a wide variety of methods to improve those skills.

With a variety of elite athletes from around the world, the institution cultivates a competitive and positive training atmosphere.

Aquatics Director and Head Coach Thad Schultz is a former national champion and has worked with nine Olympians, four of whom were gold medalists.

A

fter overwhelming success in 2016, Grass track racing organsiers have several events billed for this year, with the first event being held at Anna Regina Community Centre Ground on March 26.

In April at the South Dakota track, there will be another meet with should be inclusive of Suriname riders. On June 25, the daredevilry is slated to move to West Coast Berbice followed by a trip to neighbouring Suriname in July.

On August 27, it returns to the county of Essequibo but this time at Hampton Court, followed by which the Mining Town of Linden will be treated on October 29; the grand finale is slated for November 26 at the Ogle Community Centre Ground.

To date 22 riders from Berbice, Essequibo, East Coast of Demerara have confirmed participation, in

addition to the Surinamese who are hoping to participate in all the legs.

Ten races are carded for the day across three categories (Professional, Novices and Chappy).

The professional riders will have five races at 12 laps while the Novices will have 10 laps and the Chappy will race five laps.

At the last finals, daredevil ‘Andy’ Wong who rode away with the overall title.

It was as early as the second race of the day that Wong began his dominance, beating Junior

Da Silva, who came in second and Stephen Nobrega (3rd) to win the first professional race.

Wong went on to win two more professional races as Jerry Da Silva and Marlon Baksh came in second and third respectively as well as Stephen Nobrega and Andy Rajkaran copped second and third in that order of the third professional race.

However, Jerry Da Silva won the final professional race as Stephen Nobrega copped second once more and Rajkaran, third.

Wong was crowned champion while Ramcoomar trailed as runner up and Stephen Nobrega third.

Up and coming Avo Ramkumar, conquered the circuit in the novice division winning all three of his races while Daniel Hardeen and N. Mohamed shared the podium to round off the top three.

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

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

LFS Burnham Memorial 3-stage...

“Sunny” wins title despite Agard’s heroics

Pg 23

Celebration time! Shaquel Agard crosses the line far ahead of any competition to win the final leg of the Burnham Memorial 3-stage race on Sunday (Marceano Narine photo)

Petra/Milo Schools U-18 Football…

Pg 22

Morgan’s obliterate St John’s College 13-0

Despite the conditions not being favourable, all teams still battled for supremacy on Sunday at the Ministry of Education Ground, Carifesta Avenue (Marceano Narine photo)

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, News Hotliine: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 SALES AND MARKETING - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.