Guyana Times Daily - January 26, 2016

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 2748

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

PRICE

2015 drugs, medical supplies budget

Over $600M returned to treasury Page 3

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Region 2 Chairman raises concern over supply of fuel to Dawa Pump Station

– rice farmers suffering P12

– as hospitals face drug shortage

17-month-old baby molested in Corentyne Scottish Freemasons call on President

Gunmen cart off $1.7M from Lands and Surveys Commission Page 7

Page 2

GRA taxgate

Sattaur was dismissed based on “other information”, not any probe P16 – Lucas

Page 16

Bank of Baroda robbery

Tint shop owner in custody P7

Controversial NICIL operation

Reveal the P9 name of the second driver – PPP President David Granger conversing with Grand Sovereign, Stewart Wood and Alexander McGregor from the Grand Imperial Council of Scotland

Central Counselling Body will be ready in 10 days Page 11

Wales Sugar Estate closure

As world oil prices plummet

Sugar unions want Reduce fuel, GuySuCo, Govt to electricity Page 12 reveal plans for prices – PSC Page workers, lands 7 – to stimulate the economy

Jaguars hit Lima Sands/ Mainstay and Tapakuma areas

– dogs, livestock killed P11

2 news

tuesday, january 26, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Spiralling crime, suicide rate

“Sad state of affairs” – Public Security Minister A s the incidences of criminal activity continue to remain high, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has confirmed he is worried, noting that crime and violence are great hindrances to development.

Speaking at the launch of Citizen Strengthening Security Programme, the minister pointed out crime and violence have become a legitimate concern for Guyana.

He noted that crime statistics over the years

have climbed significantly, causing citizens to feel less secure. According to Ramjattan, the perception of insecurity had reached 34 per cent in 2006 but increased to almost 53 per cent in 2014 in Region Four and it was from 39 per cent to 50 per cent in Region Six. These statistics, he said, emanated from the Assessment Report of the CSSP Phase One. The components of this phase sought to address “the weak aspects of {Crime & Violence] through differenti-

ated social interventions in target communities.”

Another point mentioned was “the perception of the police not doing a good job.”

This saw 26 per cent in 2005 increase to almost 43 per cent in 2014.

Further, willingness of citizens to get involved and help was said to have decreased from 75 per cent in 2006 to 57 per cent in 2014 in Region Four.

Although 2015 figures were not released, the Public Security Minister surmised the current plight which the

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

country faces.

“We have the highest suicide rate according to the World Health Organisation; the highest migration rate and highest unemployment rate,” Ramjattan quoted from a Caribbean Development Bank report.

“This is indeed a sad state of affairs and so the Citizen Strengthening Security Programme has come at an opportune moment with the purpose of tackling this problem of crime and violence by working to reduce risk factors and drivers of violence and pro-

moting and strengthening protective factors,” Minister Ramjattan remarked.

He further emphasised that relatively low levels of trust in law enforcement agencies are “based on perception reports and low level of effectiveness.” The minister did however mention that there is improvement in terms of crime investigation.

Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud and Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack were both in attendance at the CSSP launch.

17-month-old baby molested in Corentyne

A

father of three has been arrested after he was accused of sexually molesting a 17-month-old baby girl in Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Guyana Times has learnt that an investigation was launched into the matter after a doctor at New Amsterdam Hospital made a report that the child’s hymen was ruptured as a result of some sort of penetration.

The baby’s mother, 18, of Corentyne told this publication that the incident took place on Sunday.

According to the mother, whose identity has been withheld, on Sunday afternoon her daughter was at a neighbour’s home when she heard the infant crying.

Upon investigating, she discovered that the neighbour had just showered the child and when she enquired why that was done she was told that the child fell and as such was given a bath.

The mother told this publication that she took her daughter home but later noticed that she was bleeding from her vagina.

“When me carry she to the hospital and the hospi-

tal take out she pampers, the doctor say this is not a fall because this aint got no black and blue, this is somebody finger went in she vagina.”

The mother was advised by medical personnel to report the matter to the police and consequently the neighbour was arrested.

She explained that it had been a few months since the neighbours seemed to have a special interest in her child. “When she start to walk then they start collect she fuh carry she by the neighbour and all this time that never wrong to she.

This man when he pass an go to the shop yesterday and he buy a lollipop fo she and then he collect she by he house.”

When this publication met with the child, she seemed quite playful and very friendly even wanting to be photographed and willing smiles totally unaware of the issue at hand.

Meanwhile, relatives of the young mother are peeved about the way the matter is being handled by a social worker at the Whim office of the Social Protection Ministry.

The social worker re-

portedly told the mother after meeting with the neighbours, that the child was molested by her uncle, who lives in the same building with the child.

However when another relative in the presence of this publication asked the officer whether she had made those accusations, the officer responded that she does not have to answer that question.

The child has since been placed in the custody of her grandmother.

Information revealed that prior to Sunday’s incident, the mother was taken to the probation department, which advised that the neighbour take an active role in the child’s life and recommended that the child’s biological relatives not be allowed to adopt the infant.

However, the probation officer could not give reasons for such a recommendation.

The mother is accusing the probation officer’s initial actions for the harm which was caused to the 17-monthold baby.

The police sexual offence department at Whim is investigating the incident.

news

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tueday, january 26, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, January 26 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, January 27 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, January 26 – 05:55h-07:25h and Wednesday, January 27 – 06:30h-00:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Sunny intervals can be expected to prevail in the morning with light rain showers expected in the late morning and afternoon hours. Partly cloudy conditions are expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 4.47 metres and 6.71 metres per second.

High Tide: 05:51h and 18:06h reaching maximum heights of 2.60 metres and 2.68 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:40h reaching a minimum height of 0.61 metre.

2015 drugs, medical supplies budget

Over $600M returned to treasury – as hospitals face drug shortage

A

s Guyanese continue to suffer in the face of massive shortages of drugs in public hospitals and other State-run medical facilities, reports are surfacing that at the end of 2015, over $600 million was returned to central government by health authorities in the 10 Administrative Regions, Permanent Secretary (PS) to the Public Health Ministry, Trevor Thomas told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament.

Thomas, appearing before the Irfaan Ali-chaired PAC on Monday, said just a small chunk of the 2015 budgetary allocations for the 10 Administrative Regions to purchase drugs and other medical supplies was spent

by December 31, 2015.

This damning revelation came in the midst of complaints of major shortages in very basic medical supplies like painkillers at Staterun medical facilities in all the Administrative Regions, with Berbice being the hardest hit.

Recently, this publication reported that the shortage of medical supplies at the New Amsterdam Hospital, Berbice, was climbing to a crisis level, as Doctors were lacking essential necessities to properly and efficiently diagnose patients.

Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) Chairman David Armogan had told Guyana Times that the situation at the Hospital was reaching a crisis level.

“They don’t have any reagents to test cholesterol, to test liver functioning, kidney functions, and so Doctors find it very difficult to make proper diagnosis, because they don’t have the backup services. We used

Public Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Trevor Thomas

to get the reagents, but over the last month or so, I don’t know what has been happening. So if you can’t get the reagents, you can’t do the proper testing,” he had stated.

Additionally, during the PAC meeting, officials of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) reported that the medical supplies crisis at the country’s premier State-run health institution was a dire one, with a shortage in aspirin among a list of other basic supplies.

During the Consideration of the 2015 Budget Estimates for the 10 Administrative Regions August last year, the A Partnership for National Unity/ Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government announced that it had adopted a new

procedure for the Regions to acquire their own drugs.

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan at the time had explained that the budget allocations for the procurement of drugs for each region have been diverted from the Public Health Ministry and added to the regional allocations. However, the Minister noted that while the Regions would be given their own monies, the Public Health Ministry was still responsible for procuring the drugs.

At the time, Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira outlined that the new policy would create a logistical nightmare with issues of transportation and storage.

“The big challenge will be not only purchasing and transporting, but also storage under the appropriate conditions so that you don’t lose efficacy of the drugs,” she stated.

There were also questions about the ability of the regional authorities to procure the medical supplies.

Previously, drugs were procured in bulk by the then Health Ministry and proper-

ly stored, and then distributed to the various regions on an-as-needed basis.

Many believe that the decision by the new Government aimed to encourage contract splitting as it relates to the supply of pharmaceuticals.

Opposition Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali at the time highlighted that the new policy of the coalition Government was guaranteeing that resources would be sent back to the Health Ministry. The former Minister under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) regime enquired whether it was a form of “contract splitting”.

Ali pointed out that if you had one supplier for all the regions, there would be economy of scale and better prices, but decentralising purchases was a “backdoor way” of achieving contract splitting. In rebuttal, the Communities Minister explained that the purchases were not decentralised but designed in such a way that the respective needs of each region were.

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tuesday, january 26, 2016

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

Editorial

Cheap oil

O

ur Minister of Business announced that Government has not passed on the billions of dollars that have been “saved” after oil plunged from over US$100/ barrel to below US$30/barrel because he wanted “stability” in our domestic markets. He evidently suspects that the low prices are very short-term. The windfall has, therefore, gone into the Consolidated Fund, oil companies like Guyoil and big users like GPL that presumably can deal better with the “instability” induced by excess funds than the ordinary citizen. Is the Minister justified in his prognosis?

Citizens are also interested in oil prices for another reason. Since the last elections they have been titillated by news snippets implying an oil bonanza is imminent with ExxonMobil about to unleash gushers from the now verified fields off Essequibo. But as with everything in business, it would surprise no one that this new field might not make sense for ExxonMobil to develop if the costs of extraction exceed the present prices. For both reasons, therefore, it would be helpful if we could predict with some degree of certainty in which direction the world price of oil is headed in the near and medium term.

The first thing we need to know is that there are only three countries in the world that can produce oil at less than US$30/barrel – Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. With our oil at this time more than one mile under the sea and another three miles under the crust, our production costs at best might be closer to Brazil’s US$50/barrel. Then there would be the taxes that Exxon would have to pay us as well as dividends to its shareholders – bringing the economic cost to start pumping probably up to US$80/barrel. From a production standpoint, therefore, the present price is not encouraging for us.

But the fall of oil prices in the last year has almost nothing to do with the cost of production and everything to do with the market trying to find a balance between supply and demand. One of the prime factors that militate against rising oil prices any time in the near future has to do with increasing supplies in a period of falling demand. While this is contrary to the law of supply and demand, the factors in play in the supply equation are more political than economic. Saudi Arabia has refused to cut production as it has done in the past when prices fell – and sent a signal to the rest of OPEC – because it is determined to face down the challenge posed by US shale oil that is essentially subsidised by its Government.

At the last meeting of OPEC, it remained obdurate even in the face of pleas by members such as Venezuela that face economic ruin due to the low oil prices.

The Saudis are not likely to change their stance even as Iran will be ramping up its production now that sanctions have been eased. Other producers have already taken the sunken costs on production and are thus forced to keep on producing at the present-day lower costs rather than capping their wells. The supply will continue to be high for another reason – the slowdown of the Chinese behemoth’s growth rate that has had ripple effects in almost every economy in the world, including the US, where the Fed has ended its stimulus regime and increased interest rates, which may have a negative effect on growth. Even if the Chinese growth rate is to pick up steam in a couple of years, its commitment at COP21 will encourage expansion of non-fossil energy – as will the rest of the world.

All in all, it is very likely that low oil prices – for us below US$60/barrel – will continue during the next five years. The Government should stop worrying about domestic price instability effects and pass on savings to consumers.

Devotees offer prayers as they submerge themselves before taking a holy bath at Saali River in Sankhu during the Swasthani Brata Katha festival in Kathmandu, Nepal, January 24, 2016. During the month-long festival, devotees recite one chapter of a Hindu tale daily from the 31-chapter sacred Swasthani Brata Katha book that is dedicated to God Madhavnarayan and Goddess Swasthani, alongside various other gods and goddesses and the miraculous feats performed by them. The devotees also go on pilgrimages to various temples, perform religious rituals, take a holy bath in the rivers and fast for a month, especially among women who believe fasting helps in their family’s well-being or in getting them a good husband (Reuters/Navesh Chitrakar)

Attempts to kidnap Bartica’s development through political mutiny Dear Editor, The residents of Bartica who are sincerely embracing the momentum of its developmental thrust are deeply displeased and are now seeking to set on record authentic clarification on misinformation contained in a missive that was recently published with gimmicks that portrayed wickedly, in downplaying yet again, the ever-rising standards of Bartica’s social and economic sectors.

These gimmicks are intentionally set on misinforming and misleading: the missive initially declared its commendation of the Government of Guyana for ensuring that Local Government Elections (LGE) are held this year without any mention of the Government’s visions and plans relative towards this.

It also made further mention of an Alliance taking “a decision to contest the Local Government Elections (LGE) for the Bartica Municipality, in response to the cries of the people”, without truthfully mentioning who these people are and indeed what were they crying about.

The missive’s other claim “the main demographic which indicated that there is discontent with the current leadership in Bartica” is a glaring irony reeking with envy over what the current Bartica Interim Management Committee (IMC) has achieved and continues to achieve since its inception on only November 13, 2015.

This missive continued

to further express and endorse on its resentment towards the integral factors of dedication and loyalty when it further stated “that Leaders who are chosen on the basis of Proportional Representation have a tendency to be more dedicated to their masters.........but mainly because of loyalty”.

The missive then sought to associate our Regional Chairman relatively with reckless abandon at this junction of its presentation whereas the FACT is: Our Regional Chairman voluntarily declined to have any direct ‘makings’ with Bartica’s LGE, an issue attended to so as to encourage further with them a concerted participation approach towards LGE, a gesture they continue to proudly and selfishly ignore.

It is further stated in the missive “this reality must be quite discomfiting to the Political Parties”. A pompous proclamation expressing their dreamy intentions and selfish political will: to think that without them in the political picture nothing good can happen for Bartica. It is clearly evident from their tone their selfish developmental and political arrogance. However, as we continue to examine this missive, at this junction, the wheels of its parody cart fly off: when it further stated “they felt that nothing was done locally by their Leaders since 2011 to address their legitimate concerns”. This conspicuously was the climax of the missive’s circus of twisted facts, for we all know that the PPP

was in control then, also we can now, therefore, then deduce who really are their true masterminds, and some of these insurgents, bearing in mind too that before that period onto now, had squandered without any remorse their opportunities to effectively lead and represent successfully Bartica and moreover Region Seven.

The missive also highlighted their ineptitude towards comprehension of the Proportional Representation requirements for the TopUp Lists: those also have to have 110 supporting signatures, which the missive puts as “the blessings of the people” – odd jargon.

The missive further claimed that the writers were “offering an alternative to the party-politics that has dominated our local government for years”, but it chooses to conveniently not declare under what renowned, established and recognised political theory they intend to do so, for definitely they cannot say anything about this, because none exists.

Further, the missive declared, “It has recommended an old discourse on what the prerequisites for Community Leaders are.” History cannot be erased and touting old discourse is to reengage the plague of greed for political power that was evidently promoted in our country’s pre-independence period by the Red Force, that was eventually mastered by the Red Force’s previous outgoing President now in Opposition. Barticians must not be consumed to even think of, or start focusing on,

a similar direction like this – one that has proven itself already as valueless, especially now in our time when our country’s politics is flowing successfully under the brand of Coalition Politics, a trend that is enveloping the world all over from Trinidad and Brazil to Norway.

We can, therefore, now also deduce that politically theoretically this said movement is already proving itself as a dangerous virus for Bartica’s developmental thrust. These pointers clearly distinguish also that indeed a political leopard cannot change its spots which now leads us to only realise that the sole focus of these anti-developmental insurgents can only be to have their intentions being realised, to eventually set themselves into positions to put their hands on the touted budgetary allocation that will be set aside for Bartica in 2016 on its quest towards the status of becoming Guyana’s model green town, and towards Guyana’s National Green Economy Plan, through the missive’s mention of “mismanagement of resources”.

Barticians, however, are genuinely determined to put Bartica’s development first instead of self so as not to destroy Bartica’s Image and developmental quest and moreover too our national pride of being Guyana’s model green town.

Yours respectfully, Edward A Persaud Producer Bartica’s TV News Program

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, january 26, 2016

Are we getting the truth from Hanoman, Sangster & Abdool?

Dear Editor, There is much debate about the proposed closure of Wales Estate in December 2016. Government officials and GuySuCo executives have been making a case for closure on the basis of: (1) Economics (2) Neglected Cultivation (3) Old Factory These areas were further clarified during a television programme aired on NCN Channel 11 on the evening of Tuesday 19 January 2016 with panellists being the Chief Executive Officer, Errol Hanoman, General Manager

the last five years, it brought in on average, US$10,287,056 into Guyana’s economy per year.

Looking at the estate’s production, there is certainly room for improvement however, it is almost certain that Wales performed better than other estates in the areas of production and costs over the same period.

Maybe, GuySuCo executives can present the numbers to confirm or dispute this. The question therefore to Messrs Hanoman, Sangster & Abdool is: What sort of economics was used to justify closure of a bet-

in Agriculture to now use it proudly as justification to close an estate?

Like Agriculture, a similar situation exists with factory where Yusoof Abdool has been General Manager - Technical Services for Nine years now with overall responsibility for factories in the Industry. His office is ultimately responsible for all technical decisions on operations and maintenance of factories.

To now state that Wales’s equipment is old and obsolete and too costly to maintain is an indictment on the execution of his duties and lack of

Sugar production for the years 2011-2015 is shown below: 2011

Year

2012

2013

2015

2014

Wales Sugar Production (t)

21,958

19,255

22,745

18,898

20,014

Industry Sugar Production (t)

236,506

218,069

186,754

216,359

231,071

% Contribution to Industry Production

9

9

12

9

9

- Agri Services, Raymond Sangster and General Manager - Technical Services, Yusoof Abdool.

Editor, the utterances from these top executives paint a picture to prove that Wales Estate is the worst performing estate and the level of investment required to rehab it is too great for a Government.

It is true that the estate’s performance is not to its potential but it is totally untrue to state that it is the worst performing estate and I dare say that these GuySuCo executives are compulsive liars and plain hypocrites. They have set out on a journey to mislead the Guyanese public.

Let us examine Wales’s performance over the last five years.

The figures show that production from Wales is significant, averaging at 20,574 t/yr.

Its percentage contribution to the Industry’s overall production is also significant, averaging at 10 per cent per year.

Assuming that Wales got US$500 per tonne sugar over

ter performing estate?

It is also true that the cultivation is in a poor state and lack of adequate financing may be part of the cause.

The General Manager - Agri Services pointed out the state of infrastructure and fields causing cane yields to be tragically low.

The Guyanese public needs s to know that Raymond Sangster has been the General Manager - Agri Services for seven years now with overall responsibility for Agriculture in the Industry.

His office is ultimately responsible for all Agriculture decisions in the company and many poor decisions (eg fertilizer adjustment, chemical adjustment, young cane harvesting, etc) were made under his command causing the state of fields across the Industry.

Sangster presided over the dramatic decline of Agriculture in the industry and Wales Estate is no exception.

Isn’t it ironic for the person responsible for a decline

foresight from the company’s leading technical executive.

Did he not observe this when approving the maintenance programmes for factories each year? While one can agree that there is aged equipment at Wales, this is also the case for other factories.

With the support of cane farmers supplying canes, Wales’s factory is more utilised and more reliable than some factories in existence.

The General Manager Technical Services needs to come out and say this.

I am also advised that equipment from Wales is also used interchangeably at other factories, so how can this factory become obsolete suddenly.

Again, isn’t it ironic for the person responsible for a decline in factory maintenance and efficiency due to poor maintenance to now use it proudly as justification to close a factory?

Sincerely, Frederick Yuvraj

Felix and Patterson erred on violence compensation Dear Editor, Reference is made to Winston Felix’s comment in parliament on the motion to compensate victims of Election Day violence. “… when you administer the State where you cannot protect your citizens and you allow their properties to be destroyed by their (?) negligence, you should not come to parliament and ask for compensation. We cannot reward you for negligence”.

For clarification, the properties of individuals who were thought to be supporters of PPP were set on fire (allegedly by supporters of PNC).

Other supporters of PPP were beaten and robbed. The police stood by and did nothing as the victims were harassed and intimidated and beaten and their properties set on fire. The fire department did not perform their duties to their level best to reach the fire and save the proper-

ties. The mob blocked access to the fire. The arsonists were not pursued and arrested and charged even though they were identified and photos are available to go after them.

There was no investigation into those criminal activities. Is it because the perpetrators were supporters of the PNC (APNU)?

Now Felix blames the victims, telling them they were negligent for their choice of party they supported. What kind of justice is that? How exactly were they negligent?

What should they have done?

These were innocent people who had their rights violated under the laws on political participation. Their homes were invaded by supporters of Felix’s party. By Felix’s comments alone, they should be compensated.

And Minister David Patterson chimed in stating “there is no innocent party”.

Really? What kind of logic is

that? A mob affiliated with the PNC set upon people who were thought to be supporters of the PPP and Patterson concluded there was “no innocent party”. What kind of logic is that?

No sir, the victims were innocent whereas the perpetrators were not. In the name of justice, the attackers should be prosecuted and the victims compensated.

Moses Nagamootoo, Khemraj Ramjattan and Charandass Persaud sat in parliament and were silent as those asinine comments were made. Worse the three voted for a motion denying compensation to innocent victims.

What a shame given that so many people placed their faith in justice in those three gentlemen who are lawyers and who should have supported compensation for victims?

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

5

Response to SN article “No Basis in Constitution, Law for NICIL Holding Billions – Goolsarran’s audit” Dear Editor, Recently, there have been a lot said about the conclusions that are detailed in Anand Goolsarran’s NICIL Audit.

What has been central in Goolsarran’s thesis is his observation which you headlined ie no basis in law for the retention of monies that NICIL earns and not passing through these earnings to the Consolidated Fund. I have two comments.

First, Goolsarran’s recommendations are no different from his pronouncements over the last few years. Prior to the incremental disclosures of his Audit of NICIL, Goolsarran had, for the past few years, been making this claim in his many writings that were made public. Being his opinion he is entitled to it even if it is flawed.

However, when he draws conclusions, as an auditor, on legal

issues I beg to differ.

Thus, secondly, I bring to attention the fact that whenever the matter of a legal issue arises, the Professional Chartered Accountant is bound by the principle that legal issues should be left to those qualified to so do and the courts.

Yours truly, Manzoor Nadir

Wishing Sattaur all the best Dear Editor, I would like to personally thank Khurshid Sattaur the past Commissioner–General of the Guyana Revenue Authority for his invaluable knowledge of taxes which unreservedly he imparted to me especially during my attachment in the Field Audit Division and Communication

Unit.

One of Sattaur’s outstanding virtues is that he is a meticulous and insightful accountant. He has an ‘encyclopaedic state-of-the-art knowledge of taxes’ and has guided me through the depth and complexity of this subject for which I am very grateful.

His ability to master this

skill is founded on a gift of a formidable brain which he cultivated as a former scholar at Queen’s College.

I would like to wish him all the best, and to thank him once again for all the knowledge shared.

Yours faithfully, Peter Fraser

Farmers should desist from tampering with drainage and irrigation structures

Dear Editor, The Ministry of Agriculture is issuing a call to farmers countrywide to desist from tampering with any water related drainage and irrigation structures as this would result in worsening the situation regarding the availability of irrigation water due to the severe El Niño weather condition.

As it stands, water supply levels are low and many farmers are affected. These conditions are expected to continue

throughout the first quarter of the year.

The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) in conjunction with the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) are aware of the effects of this phenomenon and are working vigorously to assist farmers with their drainage and irrigation needs.

The Ministry of Agriculture would, therefore, like to inform the general pub-

lic that persons found tampering with these structures will be prosecuted and will also be responsible for repairing and replacing these structures.

Persons are asked to report any instances of such a nature to the nearest police station or NAREI Extension Officer. Persons can also make contact with the mentiones agencies to report matters relating to this issue.

Sincerely, Ministry of Agriculture

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

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Foundation

Stop the show: putting a lid on your child’s attention-seeking behaviour

By James Lehman, MSW

S

ome children think they’re the centre of the universe, and behave as if everyone should revolve around them like the planets orbit the sun. From the 10-year-old “diva” who demands centre stage at all times to the 17-year-old who takes out his frustrations on his family, this attention-seeking behaviour can be exhausting for everyone. When it starts affecting everyone around your child in a negative way, it’s time for you, as a parent, to act.

Parents often naturally make their children feel like they’re the centre of the universe. Let’s face it, when kids are young, they demand a great deal of care. That level of attention, however, should diminish gradually as children get older. Let me put it this way: it’s great feeding a one-year-old, but nobody wants to feed a seven-year-old. The job I’m describing, of course, is breaking the child away physically. There’s also a powerful emotional connection that many parents have trouble managing, and they sometimes get trapped by emotionally making their child feel like he’s the centre of the universe.

Don’t misunderstand, there’s nothing wrong with making your child feel special, important and loved. The problem is when you do it at the exclusion of other children or family members. Just as you can’t let one of your children have all the computer or TV time, it’s also a mistake to let him have all the emotional focus of the family. Make no mistake, children have to learn how to share and take turns, in all respects.

Problem #1: My child expects our family to revolve around him

If you want to change the way

your child acts because he thinks your family should revolve around him, you have to look at fairness.

There’s nothing wrong with making each child feel important, but if there are multiple children in the family, you have to make sure the other children feel important, too.

So what is fair if you have three children? How do you decide that?

I’m all for structure myself. I be-

lieve that the computer can be shut down at times, it’s okay. It doesn’t have to be on just because it’s there.

The video games don’t have to run constantly, either. And it doesn’t always have to be somebody’s turn.

Everybody can get half-an-hour on the Wii or Nintendo in the evening.

And then you use extra video game time to reward and motivate kids to do extra things. It doesn’t have to be a complex math problem of, “There

are five hours and three kids, so each gets one-and-two-thirds hours on the computer.” It doesn’t have to be that way, and it shouldn’t be, in my opinion. So time on the computer, playing video games, and watching movies should all be structured.

What I recommend parents say to children is something like this: “You can have half-an-hour of computer time to goof around and IM.

But later on, if you’re not working on your schoolwork, the computer is going to be shut off.” You can do this with only children as well.

That way, you combat the idea that they’re the centre of the universe by focusing on fairness.

Problem #2: My child dominates every conversation

If you have a child who takes centre stage in every conversation

and doesn’t give others a chance to have a turn in the spotlight, I think you have to be a little more frank with that child privately. You can say, “Listen, we love it when you tell us about what’s going on in your life, but you’re not giving your brothers and sisters a chance. We want you to give them a turn, too.

Listen to them and let them finish their sentences.” Now, sometimes these talkative children are speaking without any real knowledge that they’re doing anything wrong; sometimes they’re talking because that’s how they manage anxiety. Let’s say they feel “less than” the other children. When they’re anxious like this, they’re competing for attention. And when you feel anxious, that often comes out verbally. So the way to deal with that is by helping them with the anxiety, going to the source of the problem and trying to help them manage that. If you think anxiety might be an issue with your child, I recommend that you schedule an appointment with their paediatrician.

Another thing you can do with your child is develop what’s called a “non-verbal cue”. You can say, “Let’s come up with a sign just between the two of us. If you’re talking too much and not giving other people a chance, I’ll give you a signal and nobody will know but us. When you get that signal, you need to stop talking and listen to other people for awhile.” Don’t be critical of them when you have this conversation. I also recommend that you come up with this sign together – in fact, you can use it as a way to bond with your child. The point is, by coming up with a nonverbal cue, you’re lending your child some of your self-control and some of your internal structure. This can be very helpful for many children who don’t yet have that in place. (Excerpt from

Empoweringparents.com)

Two steps forward, one step back

E

arlier, we wrote about celebrating success with your family.

But what if things suddenly seem to be getting worse?

Don’t panic.

Setbacks are a normal but difficult part of the change process. With a good plan, you’ll get through these tough times and back to celebrating more success.

Here are some tips for when you feel like you’re taking two steps forward and one step back.

Expect setbacks, they’re normal. It would be amazing if change happened smoothly, but that’s just not the case. There will be plenty of bumps in the road.

Know that setbacks happen and try to think of them as opportunities to practise your skills as a parent.

Don’t panic. A setback does NOT mean you’ve slipped back to the beginning. It doesn’t mean your strategy isn’t working. A setback just means you’ve had a bad day, or need to make an adjustment.

Acknowledge what happened today and think about it, but don’t throw in the towel.

It’s okay to feel frustrated or angry. These are normal emotions. Expect those feelings, acknowledge them, and then see if you can become calmer. Recognising your frustration can help you move forward calmly.

Think about the last three weeks, not just today. Try to be objective.

What does the big picture look like? Focusing on the larger view keeps your perspective in check, and can take some of the pressure off of a bad day.

Get support. We know bad days and how discouraging they can be. This is when you need the support of friends, family, or maybe a good coach. (Empoweringparents.com) TO BE CONTINUED

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Tuesday, january 26, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Gunmen cart off $1.7M from Lands and Surveys Commission

Wales Sugar Estate closure

Sugar unions want GuySuCo, Govt to reveal T plans for workers, lands

GAWU General Secretary Seepaul Narine

By Kristen Macklingam

A

s the administration remains firm in its position to have the Wales Sugar Estate, West Bank Demerara, closed by yearend, the sugar unions are demanding that government engage in dialogue to notify them of plans for the affected sugar workers.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the National Association of the Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE) along with the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) in a joint press conference on Monday reminded government that apart from the ‘painful effects on those workers’ directly affected from such a move, the issue also has far-reaching economic and social implications.

NAACIE’s General Secretary Kenneth Joseph stated that a meeting was held with personnel of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) on Wednesday last where representatives from his union and GAWU were informed that the plan was to absorb the workers at Uitvlugt Estate, West Coast Demerara.

“Others to be made redundant and some others to be

given jobs in a business venture they could not tell us about. Again, we formed the view that the hazy ideas were not thought out and, in all likelihood, cannot be realised.

In effect, there is no worthwhile plan at this time but if they have a plan then let GuySuCo and the government make it public,” Joseph said.

He reminded that the lives of many, their future and investments are threatened with the prospect of closure of the estate in a matter of months.

According to Joseph the administration has made a ‘suicidal decision’ to close the Wales Estate in circumstances where apparently there is no ‘considered or clear decision’ to follow in utilisation of the lands and the dislocation of hundreds of employees.

Referring to the meet with GuySuCo last week the NAACIE head explained that the delegation representing the sugar corporation’s management and GuySuCo’s Board of Directors formally informed the unions of the decision to close the estate.

“While we do not want to be disrespectful to the delegation sent to bring the disturbing information to us, nevertheless, we feel constrained to observe that they were unable to provide answers germane to the issue.

This exercise only served to fuel the feeling that we, the Guyanese public, are not getting the full story surrounding this clearly rash decision, uninformed by any credible study,” he added.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of GAWU Seepaul Narine posited that the decision to close the estate is ‘turning on to a wrong path’ since it can most likely affect the progress noted over the last year in terms of production.

“To some extent it will very well affect also the country’s treasury. It has grave

General Secretary of NAACIE Kenneth Joseph

implications for the workers, the residents, several communities, and Region Three.

The government must now act wisely, sensibly and immediately to undo its decision, for the consequences are too dire,” he said.

Additionally, Narine posited that the unions operating in the sugar industry are urging the authorities – the sugar corporation and government – “not to go this way of closure” but instead consider a workable plan geared to make the estate overcome its difficulties, which the unions are sure, can be done.

Early last week the government had announced that plans are afoot to have the Wales Sugar Estate closed within a year but that decision has been met with much criticism from a number of prominent individuals, the Opposition Party, trade unionists, the general public and of course, sugar workers themselves.

They are all contending that this move by the administration ‘goes against promises made’ by the APNU/ AFC coalition and that livelihoods, the region’s economy and the country on the whole will suffer from this hasty and inimical decision. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

wo armed men on Monday morning pulled off a brazen daylight robbery on the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission in Durban Backlands, Georgetown, carting off $1.7 million.

Reports are the men, who were well-dressed, walked past the security at the front gate about 09:50h under the pretext of conducting a transaction at the finance department.

As they entered the building, they reportedly held up three female staff members attached to the finance section and demanded that they hand over the money. This newspaper was told that the gunmen then relieved the three women of $1.7 million in cash and cheques before calmly leaving the building.

It was not until the men left that an alarm was raised and the Police were summoned to the scene.

Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission in Durban Backlands, Georgetown

Following their arrival, the Police conducted a patrol in the surrounding areas, but came up empty-handed.

An investigation is underway, and Police are looking at the possibility that the robbery might have been an inside job. When Guyana Times visited the Commission on Monday, the security related that staff members were on lunch at the time.

The Police had already visited and taken state-

ments from the three females who were accosted by the gunmen. Several calls to the Lands and Surveys Commission for a comment on the robbery proved futile.

Meanwhile, persons who were working in close proximity to the Lands and Surveys Commission said that there were no alarms raised to indicate that there was a robbery nor did they see any unusual movements at the time the incident took place.

Bank of Baroda robbery

Tint shop owner in custody

T

he owner of a popular tint shop in Georgetown was taken into custody as Police continue their investigation into the robbery committed on the Bank of Baroda branch in Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara on Friday.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times that the man was arrested after the Police received information that the bandits changed the number plates of the getaway car at his business place.

Blanhum stated that the man was assisting the Police in their investigations.

Police are still looking for the prime suspect in the robbery, who is a resident of Georgetown. Law enforcement officers had made several visits to the man’s last known address, but came up emptyhanded on all occasions.

It was reported that four masked gunmen stormed the Bank of Baroda branch and carted off an undisclosed amount of cash.

The Bank of Baroda branch in Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara which was robbed

According to information, the four bandits invaded the Bank located on the ground floor of the Mon Repos Mall about 12:50h, and relieved the female security guard of her .32 service revolver.

The men then held two female tellers at gunpoint and relieved them of the money.

No customer was transacting business at the time of the robbery.

After committing the robbery, the four men exited

the building and escaped in a waiting silver-grey Toyota Primo motor car bearing licence plates PNN 8984.

According to the authorities, the plates were false.

Upon receiving the report, the Police swiftly erected road blocks at strategic locations, but the car was not seen. Law enforcement officers are in receipt of the surveillance footage and are reviewing same as they continue the investigation.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Eyew tness

Single-parent mother remanded Playing on narcotics trafficking charge politics...

A T mother of six was on Monday remanded to prison when she appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman, slapped with trafficking in narcotics charge.

The single-parent, Marlene Sharkles, 39, of Lot 2805 Redboor, Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that on January 27,

2016, at Itabali, Mazaruni River, Essequibo, she had in her possession 925 grams of cannabis for purpose of trafficking.

Sharkles was represented by Attorney Latchmie Rahamat, who in bail application told the court that on the day in questioned her client along with nine other persons was in an interior truck when the police stopped the vehicle and con-

ducted a search.

She explained that the narcotics were found in the tray of the truck and not in her client’s possession.

Rahamat noted that her client is a single-parent mother of six with no prior conviction or pending matter against her.

The police persecutor objected to bail, explaining to the court that on the day in question each person in

the truck was requested to stand in a line and to point out their luggage.

He stated that the defendant identified the box the narcotics were found in as hers, and after the search was conducted she admitted to owning the cannabis.

Magistrate Latchman refused bail and remanded the defendant to prison.

The case was adjourned for February 4.

Gun possession ‘Medication’ ganja accused remanded lands man in court

A

Matthews Ridge Region One (Barima Waini), man was on Monday remanded to prison when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for unlawful possession of gun with matching ammunition.

It is alleged that Richard Edwards, 21, was found with the illegal weapon on January 19 last.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge, telling the court that the gun did not belong

to him.

Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves told the court that on the day in question, police officers were acting on information which led them to Edwards but upon seeing the police he threw the gun away and ran away.

The police officers retrieved the weapon and later arrested the defendant.

Magistrate Latchman denied bail and remanded the defendant to prison.

The case will continue on February 4.

A

man, who claimed that the marijuana he had in his possession was for medicinal purposes, was on Monday remanded to prison by Magistrate Judy Latchman when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to charges of narcotics possession.

Ricky Nelson, 56, of Lot 45 Norton Street, Bagostown, East Bank Demerara, pleaded guilty with explanation to the charge, which states that on January 22 at Itabali,

Mazaruni River, Essequibo, he had 18 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

When given the opportunity to explain, the defendant said he works in the interior and suffers from asthma, as such the cannabis he had in his possession is what he uses as his medication.

He was refused bail and remanded to prison.

The case will continue on February 4.

Father of four in court for possession charges

A

father of four found himself before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to a charge of narcotics possession.

Patrick Harris, 38, of Essequibo Coast pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that on January 20 at Essequibo he was found to be in possession of 14.6 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Attorney Charlene Fung-a Fat represented the defendant and in a bail application stated that on the day in questioned the narcotics for which her client is charged was found among a clothes bundle and did not belong to her client.

The prosecution had no objections to bail and the defendant was granted $50,000 bail.

The case will continue on February 9 at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.

...with the rules of engagement

he Government has placed itself on the backfoot from the moment the APNU/AFC coalition took office. Shall we count the ways? Prezzie breaking the pre-nup Cummingsburg Accord with his erstwhile partner Nagamootoo? Traducing the 100-day completion of 21 promises in their Manifesto? Filling their pockets with obscene pay raises? Appointment of ethnically and genderskewed Cabinet and Boards?? Your Eyewitness will stop there...he so hates lists.

Yet we hear – in whinging tones – “the PPP is playing politics” when they point out Government’s innumerable faux pas. So what’s an opposition to do in a parliamentary democracy? Just show up at Parliament and enjoy the $1.7M of food and drinks that’s served every sitting? Hey, the rules of the game evolved over centuries and we’ve now had fifty years to make adjustments.

And we have! Remember when Burnham changed the term “Opposition” to “Minority” – just to gloat in the irony of him getting into Government through electoral fraud?

Well, the return to an “Opposition” was well debated before being reinstated back in 2000. In fact, not long after, newbie PNC MP Raphael Trotman took time out to describe the functions of the Opposition.

“Oppose, Expose, and Depose” the Government – which just happened to be the PPP, he crowed. And lo and behold, his leader Desmond Hoyte launched the “slow fyaah, mo fyaah” strategy to do just that. That he failed is no testament to the deadly serious efforts expended to meet their goals. To march in the streets while sticking pins into white dolls – and muttering “Wuk pon them!!” was just the tip of the iceberg.

So here it is, the Government shuts down an entire sugar estate – Wales – with not even a word from the Minister of Agri or the President uttered. And the PPP wasn’t supposed to say anything? The Government still hasn’t announced what it’ll do with all those drained and irrigated lands, and the PPP’s not supposed to say anything? Like we said earlier, your Eyewitness doesn’t like lists... so he’ll stop here.

Fact of the matter, the PPP hasn’t been nearly as aggressive as it should be when it comes to playing the role of an opposition in a parliamentary democracy. In any other country when the Government of the day throws 1700 persons out onto the street, without any hope of alternative employment, folks would’ve been storming the barricades outside Parliament.

And as the editorial of the newspaper pointed out, to invoke the false equivalencies of Diamond and LBI is just to add salt into an open wound of sugar workers.

Let’s practise some real Opposition politics! Strike then with the rod of correction!

...and strangling democracy

While we’re on the whining of the Government about PPP “playing politics” – could they extract the plank from their eye and explain exactly what they were doing when they prevented a debate in Parliament on the closure of Wales? They made an Executive Decision that’ll affect 20,000+ persons on the West Bank of Demerara...refuse to hear what those people have to say – and also refuse to hear what the representatives of those people have to say – with no debate?

The entire edifice of parliamentary democracy is built on a principle so old it was articulated in Latin: “auditor et alters pars” – the other side MUST be heard. There’s no democracy when this principle is violated. The irony, of course, is that even Burnham, during his rigged dictatorship, used to acknowledge this principle.

Not that the Opposition could do anything but talk... but at least he genuflected. And even that this Government refuses to do.

...with declarations

Guyanese love their gold bling. Was a time when it was an “Indian-Guyanese” thing...but that was “laang time”. Now when flying the rule is you gotta declare more than US$10,000 in cash. And suddenly they’re including jewellery?

What happened to ex-post facto laws being unconstitutional?

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

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9

tuesday, january 26, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Controversial NICIL operation

Reveal the name of the second driver – PPP

PPP/C General Secretary Clement Rohee

P

eople’s Progressive Party General Secretary Clement Rohee wants the identity of the “mysterious” second driver, who reportedly fled the scene of the accident before investigators arrived, to be revealed to the public.

In fact, Rohee is calling for the relevant authorities to break their silence on the entire situation and come forth and address the nation on a matter that rapidly generated immense public disquiet within a matter of days.

During the Party’s weekly media conference Monday, Rohee highlighted that the public is still in the dark with respect to basic information relative to the highrisk operation and blasted the government for condoning the lack of transparency surrounding the issue.

He pointed out that the identity of the second driver remains unknown.

“We haven’t heard anything yet about who is the second driver… the authorities are silent on the matter,” he expressed.

Eyewitnesses and a police statement written by Alana Seebarran, the individually who was wrongfully chased and who incidentally is the wife of PPP/C Member of Parliament Charles Ramson Jr, confirmed that three vehicles were involved in the highspeed chase along Carifesta Avenue: one driven by Seebarran’s brother, one

by Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Robert Pyle who was accompanied by his wife Stacy, and another that disappeared moments after the deadly crash.

According to reports, that vehicle was driven by a po-

Toddler’s hair clipped off at daycare – CC&PA and Police investigating

T

he Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) have launched an investigation into DesNoel Daycare and Playgroup after a toddler’s hair was clipped off by someone at the facility.

Reports are the child’s mother dropped her off at the Playgroup located at Lot 4 Smyth Street, Georgetown about 07:00h last Wednesday and upon her return at 17:00h, she realised that her daughter’s hair had been cut off.

This newspaper was told that the angry mother subsequently demanded an ex-

planation, but none of the employees at the facility could have accounted for the incident.

In an interview with this newspaper on Monday, the principal of the Playgroup, Sandra Straker told this publication that “the matter” was currently under investigation by the Guyana Police Force and she was instructed by her lawyer not to give any comments to any media operatives without his consent.

However, CC&PA Director Ann Greene told this publication that the issue had been reported and was currently engaging the attention of the agency.

GDF Sergeant Robert Pyle

lice officer who escorted the body of the GDF Sergeant to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Pyle was seconded to

the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for a special assignment: an investigation into the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and its Executive Director Winston Brassington.

Pyle was at the time on his annual vacation leave and it remains unclear why he was summoned to take part in a civilian surveillance operation.

It also remains unclear why the army officer’s wife was with him whilst he was on a legitimate operation.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud had told Guyana Times that he was unaware of the nature of the operation, how many other GDF ranks were seconded,

Stacy Pyle

and how many other persons were placed under surveillance.

Meanwhile, according to

Rohee, reports indicate that the GDF Sergeant was driving a private vehicle which he had borrowed from a friend.

On this note, the General Secretary demanded to know whether the GDF will be providing any compensation to the vehicle owner.

“I understand that this vehicle is a privately owned vehicle and he borrowed it from a friend and the GDF is refusing to compensate the owners of the vehicle up to now,” Rohee said.

Furthermore, the General Secretary emphasised that the authorities’ handling of the situation is a clear demonstration of the “lack of transiency”, and “cloudiness” involved in the governance of the country.

10

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESday, january 26, 2016

News

LGE 2016

NGO pushes “women for Local Government Election”

From left, CPIC Director Roslyn Wade, GWR Founder Dr Dawn Stewart, and Secretary Pamela Welch

BY JILLICIA PINDER

A

s groups contesting the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE), submit their List of Candidates to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) today, the Guyanese Women Roundtable (GWR) in collaboration with the Caribbean People International Collective (CPIC) are urging women across the country to step up and take active positions in local government decision-making.

At a press conference Monday at the GWR’s office in Norton and John Streets, CPIC Director Roslyn Wade

stated that the organisation carried out a survey across the country, which showed that women generally lack the confidence needed to join the area of local government elections.

“We as women would like to encourage them of their civic participation and focus on the special role they can play in local government” Wade said.

The CPIC Director stated that women in Guyana make up the majority of voters, yet they fail to exercise their franchise, thus reducing their capacity to leverage their power to change their lives and the lives of their families.

“We as women play a role,

a very important role, in anything that is beneficial to our society. Hence, we are here stating that we, GWR women, will be participating in the Local Government Elections” she added.

The GRW initiative seeks to increase the number of women from diverse communities who are actively informed by and engaged in local government decisionmaking. The theme of this collaborative effort is “Women Navigating a space in local government: If Not, Why Not, Because Not”.

It is also important that women demand a space at the decision-making table and

“not sit idly by as decisions are made that affect their lives and the lives of their children,” she added.

GWR founder Dr Dawn Stewart in her comments said the organisation has been looking at their civic responsibilities to become involved in how they exercise their involvement in this country.

She reiterated that generally, women lack the confidence needed to join in the area of local government and noted that their (GWR) goal is to encourage women to participate in LGE at the community level.

She posited that it is important for the group during this short cycle to develop specific training activities targeting women in all religions aimed at allowing them to strengthen their self-esteem and provide them with the necessary skills to be able to understand local policies, as budget, strategic plans, community development and community analysis.

Stewart mentioned that running a municipality or being placed in the position of RDC are all volunteer jobs: “Women are very good at volunteering, as they have been volunteering for many years.

So therefore it is very important that they get on board within their communities to strengthen that community and strengthen the policies that dictate how the community is run. Participation in the LGE is also a learning ground for younger women also to prepare them for national and regional elections.”

Chiming in on the discussion, secretary of the organisation Pamela Welch stated that most women would rather serve in positions where they have to deal with social activities and services related to care-giving such as childcare, and food preparation.

She noted that it is very difficult to get women to occupy a position in management and/or leadership for example, either because men would not let them or just because they lack not only the confidence but also the skills needed.

GWR believes that women’s involvement in direct elections has been proven to demonstrate a more open society, responsive to changing social realities and determination of women to become part of mainstream politics rather than merely a seat.

The group shared that they understand that effective local government is a crucial component of any strategy to improve security and stability and counter community breakdown. It is essential that cohesive local governments are formed and work towards delivering services and representing the needs of their constituencies while at the same time, providing a platform for citizens to be involved in the planning, execution and monitoring of the of public service delivery.

The APNU/AFC Coalition’s strange delights

T

he announcement that Wales Sugar Estate will be closed year-end and more mining lands will be given to small-scale gold miners continues to punctuate the many strange delights of the current regime since it lurched into power some eight months ago. I use the label strange delights because I have been told that I am too harsh on handing it to regime and that I should allow it time to mature. I acknowledge but do not agree with that since I believe the primary function Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine of any government is not to babysit the nation. Instead, government has to deliver constantly and consistently irrespective of the challenges at hand. If not, step down.

Political parties are voted into power based on campaign pragmatism promises, and in the case of current coalition, a promise for positive not the replication of negative change was promulgated. However, the lengthy soliloquies of the coalition campaign have backfired in the first four months in power, which I have dubbed elsewhere, as an inglorious start.

The regime has been crippled, cradled and cabined by its own unrealistic ambitions, not to mention the 100 days manifesto propaganda. We know now that the manifesto is a rag and rogue circular since the front runners of the regime have turned out to be garrulous storytellers. What a shame and a national disgrace! Does anyone of them feel guilty of bamboozling and hoodwinking the public? In the modern and moral world such an offense is a crime, tantamount to the violation of basic human rights.

The ongoing problem for this regime is that it is too focused on sticking it to the PPP while concealing internal fractures and fragments. Internal reverential feelings take centre stage and the slogan seems to be: What goes on in the coalition stays in the coalition. Meanwhile, they forget about the ordinary people. They forget about better wages for the working class. They forget about the deliverance of quality education and health care. You have to be half-crazy to live in Guyana otherwise you would not make it. Do you wonder why so many thousands of Guyanese, including government officials, get drunk any place, anytime?

Much has already been said about the closure of Wales Estate in the media. The stable of analysts and columnists in one tabloid and in another so-called independent daily newspaper takes the position of the regime saying practically go for it, close down the estate. Other options, however, have not been considered at least at the time of writing. Why not sell the estate to someone or a group of investors in Guyana? I would hold off on making any offer to non-Guyanese foreign buyers since that move might bring back colonialism to Guyana in style as well as in substance.

There are many individuals in Guyana, overseas Guyanese included, who would like to buy Wales Estate.

The private farmers who are supplying the sugar-cane to the estate are arguably in the best position to buy the estate.

They know the ropes and have the finances or the financial connection to do so.

What is puzzling this regime is that putting Wales Estate for sale in Guyana may fall into the hands of one or many rich PPP supporters. What this boils down to is the shifting of power from the coalition into the hands of the opposition.

This may be a mere speculation but what is more certain is that the rational of the closure of Wales Estate runs deeper than what has been paraded and promoted to the public.

The second announcement about granting more lands to small-scale miners last week is absurd. Apart from Raphael Trotman legalising what miners have been doing all along, that is, mining wherever they want in the interior region, the granting of more land to miners would lead to adverse and undesirable effects on the environment. Gold mining and economic growth in Guyana are not environmentally sound or socially just.

The current environmental laws, environmental awareness, ecological standards, and protection have not met the expectations of policy makers. Much of the environmental damage is potentially avoidable, but Guyana’s government lacks the institutional capacity and mechanisms to effectively monitor the environmental practices of miners.

Where we go from here is anyone’s guess but expect more strange delights from the regime.

tuesday, january 26, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News

The "Central Counselling Body" will be ready in 10 days

BY JILLICIA PINDER

I

n efforts to tackle the recent upsurge of suicide in Guyana among youths, Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has announced that counsellors will be placed in schools across Guyana within 10 days’ time.

Just weeks after the May 11 Regional and General Elections, the education minister had announced he plans to have a counsellor attached to every school across Guyana to reduce the dropout rate.

Dr Roopnaraine had indicated at the time that Guyana does not have sufficient trained and motivated social workers, hence the upsurge in school dropouts across the country.

Some two months ago, Roopnaraine reiterated the need for counsellors in schools to tackle violence within these learning insti-

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

tutions.

The minister had stressed that counselling was a vital area in the staffing of schools and had planned to establish a Central Counselling Body to carry out the plans. However, President David Granger had stated that the APNU/AFC Government cannot afford to place a counsellor in every school.

Jaguars hit Lima Sands/Mainstay and Tapakuma areas – dogs, livestock killed

The Lima Sands area where the Jaguars roam

By Indrawattie Natram

R

esidents of the Amerindian communities of Mainstay/ Whyaka, Tapakuma, and of Lima Sands in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), are fearful for their lives as jaguars continue to roam their villages. Several dogs, ducks, goats and scores of chicken were reportedly killed by the vicious animal.

During a visit to the area by this reporter Monday, residents related that they are uncomfortable with the situation. They said they are confined to their homes early in the evening since the wild animals start to roman around 18:00 hours.

“We can’t even go for evening walk; imagine when you hear the dogs barking and you peep out your window you see these animals butchering them,” John Abraham said.

Residents are calling on the Guyana Defence Force, the Police and Zoological Park to assist in capturing the wild animals.

A mother, Jean Williams, said she is most worried for her children when they leave for school. She said they usually have extra lessons and would walk home late.

Recently Moonwattie Butchoon, from Red Lock Village lost ten goats.

Butchoon said she is helpless as she has no firearm to defend herself but stated she has an application pending and is calling for it to be reviewed in light of this situation.

Residents of Mainstay have also lost numerous feather stock. A group of young men have set traps but said traps alone cannot curb the situation and called for help nationally by the relevant ministry.

The President on his weekly programme, “Public Interest” explained that “the number of actual schools is large and the government cannot afford to put counsellors and it means that some teachers might be trained in counselling as well. There is no point having a counsellor that sits in a room all day waiting on a problem to arise. It means that a teacher can have that responsibility.”

Nevertheless, in a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Monday, the education minister stated that most aspects of the Central Counselling Body have been finalised and all is to be implemented within 10 days.

Though not sharing much, the minister added that minor aspects are still

to be put in place but concluded all is well with this initiative.

The recent increase in suicide in Guyana has sent shockwaves throughout the country, and many were eagerly awaiting the move of the government on handling the matters.

For 2016, some 15 persons have committed suicide and there has been several more attempts.

About two weeks ago, a third form student of the Central High School was in critical condition at the public hospital after she mutilated her wrists in her school’s washroom.

Students who spoke with Guyana Times said the girl had been encountering problems with her mother and had threatened to take her life.

However, from reports

reaching this publication, the girl’s family revealed she has been facing problems at school and not home.

Following this incident, several learning institutions began advertising for counsellors, with several sharing with this newspaper that the advertisements were aimed at preventing such instances recurring.

In recent months, there has been an upsurge in suicides in Guyana.

Government, in a frantic attempt to address the issue, announced that the Public Health Ministry would be implementing a National Suicide Prevention Plan to tackle the growing scourge.

During a meeting with Cabinet members and several stakeholders within the sector recently, Public

Health Minister Dr George Norton appealed for the involvement of everyone along with an action plan that would address the most vulnerable groups.

The objective of the meeting was to appraise all key stakeholders of the magnitude and burden of suicide; examine the proposed Suicide Prevention Plan and identify the critical elements for action; define roles, responsibilities and functions of all partners; develop a joint work plan of monitoring and evaluation framework to oversee the implementation of the initiative.

The National Suicide Prevention Plan, as presented to stakeholders, will provide guidance for the development of a joint work plan including a wide cross-section of partners.

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tuesday, january 26, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

Nominations Day today!!!

N ominations Day is today and all parties keen on contesting the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) are required to present their Lists of Candidates to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) at the various stations across the country.

Contestants can include political parties, voluntary organisations and individual candidates who wish to run for leadership of their respective municipalities or Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs).

The newly-elected local leaders will have the power to make decisions that affect citizens living within the respective municipalities and NDCs; therefore, it is critical that each eligible person cast a vote when the time arrives.

Each participating party must submit its List of Candidates to the respective returning officers in the 71 local Government organs.

LGE Nominations Day slightly differs from the Nominations Day activities for a General and Regional Elections.

Each of the local Government organs will

have its returning officer stationed at a prime location where all groups desirous of participating will submit their relevant documents.

The name and office of each returning officer is recorded in the National Gazette and widely published.

Guyana has 585 constituencies within the 71 organs, and as such, this means that there will be 585 ballot papers for each constituency.

In the General and Regional Elections, only 10 ballot papers are required.

PPP/C preparedness

Meanwhile, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic

(PPP/C) will be contesting 550 of the 585 constituencies and will contest all nine municipalities.

The Party will be contesting the LGE as the ‘PPP/C’ with the ‘Cup’ as its symbol.

In a statement, it announced that it has struck the 50/50 balance between Party officials and civic candidates who will be contesting 70 of the 71 NDCs. The Party said it was confident it would emerge as the winner of the majority of the constituencies and municipalities at the upcoming polls.

LGE will be hosted on March 18.

As world oil prices plummet

Reduce fuel, electricity prices – PSC – to stimulate the economy

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ressure is being mounted on the Government to significantly reduce the electricity tariffs and the prices at the pump stations in light of the global trend of prices being extremely low as a result of the drop in oil prices worldwide.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC), in a statement on Monday, expressed concern over the fact that fuel prices and electricity tariffs in Guyana were not reflective of the current world market prices for oil as in other territories.

The Commission also noted that the reductions would provide the muchneeded stimulus for the recovery of the sluggish economy, which was still reeling from the effects of the elections-induced slowdown.

The PSC explained that if urgent action was not taken, imports would eventually be drastically cheaper on the local markets and certain local production would diminish while exports would be more expensive. “... the competitiveness of local manufacturers, farmers and service providers will be lost if urgent action is not taken,” the PSC warned.

It compared the prices at the pump stations in Guyana against those in other countries, concluding that Guyanese were paying almost US$4.50 per gallon of gasoline – almost twice the cost of gas in some developed countries.

Against this backdrop, the PSC called on Government to review the price of fuel, particularly at the State-owned Guyana Oil Company (Guyoil).

Additionally, the PSC called on Government to consider a reduction in electricity rates so that the benefits of the lower oil prices can provide some amount of relief to consumers who are suffering as a result of reduced disposable incomes.

Former acting Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Irfaan Ali had recommended, at minimum, a reduction of 40 per cent in the price of fuel at the pumps and at least a 30 per cent reduction in the electricity tariffs.

However, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin has justified Government’s non-action towards this global trend, noting that stability was better than shortterm benefits.

“I think stability is more important than short-term gains and losses… In other words, rather than us reacting every time there is a drop or rise in fuel prices, I think from a long-term outlook, stability is preferable,” Minister Gaskin stated.

Oil prices have dropped by more than two-thirds on the international market; that equates to billions of dollars in savings for even small countries like Guyana.

Last year’s mid-year economic report shows that

Government has been raking in mega-revenues as a result of the falling international oil prices and by not passing on the savings to consumers and businesses.

The report explained that although less fuel was imported, Guyoil made a profit of $1.7 billion as opposed to a loss of $0.9 billion in the comparable half-year of 2014.

This means Guyoil took in $2.6 billion that could have ended up in the pockets of Guyanese vehicle owners. This would have been pumped into the economy in consumer spending, creating a virtuous cycle as a stimulus for other business activities.

Guyana imports approximately 10,000 barrels of oil daily. Today, with prices as low as US$30 per barrel compared to last year when the country was paying over US$100 per barrel, Guyana is saving around US$700,000 (GY$140,000,000) every day.

Last year, Government had announced two separate reductions in the prices for fuel at the Guyoil stations.

Notably, although the Government had made an obligatory gesture towards reducing gasoline prices, as did the previous Administration, the reduction is nowhere near what is happening in other territories across the world.

Gasoline is currently being sold at $190 per litre at Guyoil stations countrywide.

Region 2 Chairman raises concern over supply of fuel to Dawa Pump Station – rice farmers suffering

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egion Two (PomeroonS u p e n a a m ) Chairman Devanand Ramdatt has raised concerns of supply of fuel to the Dawa Pump Station. According to Ramdatt, rice farmers are suffering irrigation because the Dawa Pump is often out of operation due to late supply of fuel.

In an interview with Guyana Times Ramdatt said he visited the pump station on January 21 and observed there were no regular maintenance, huge fuel spillage, and delay in the supply of fuel.

This is creating a serious water crisis in the region since water is not being released in a timely manner to assist farmers.

The chairman further explained that when he visited, the pump was not in operation and upon inquiry was told that fuel was not available.

He said he was told that fuel was not delivered to the station since January 19.

Having learnt that, he

Region 2 Chairman Devanand Ramdatt

emailed the Regional Executive Officer, Rupert Hopkinson, on his observation.

Ramdatt said there were clear evidence of spillage of fuel; leaking drums, and fuel spilled on the floor in the pump house. In addition two doors were leaking water back into the Pomeroon.

The main canal the water is pumped into is blocked by vegetation.

Ramdatt said he is at a loss as to why a proper system is not put in place by the REO to have timely delivery of fuel. He also noted there is need for the upgrading of the access road to Dawa.

With that in mind, he said conservation and distribution of water is very important at this critical time in the Region. Rice farmers have expressed frustration since their lands are dried and they also fear their rice crop will be late if water is not supplied in an appropriate time and manner.

During a recent visit to the region, Prime Minister Moses Nagamotoo had said that millions of dollars are being spent by the Administration to get water into rice fields. However Guyana Times understand that while money is being released, pumping is not ongoing, thus rice farmers continue to face challenges.

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tuesday, january 26, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

CPIC and GRW ready to address suicide 10,000 H1N1 T vaccines procured – CMO

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud

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s the Public Health Ministry continues to monitor emerging diseases in and around Guyana, 10,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine have been procured.

This was announced Monday last by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Shamdeo Persaud, at the Pan-American Health Organisation’s (PAHO) media brown bag meeting.

According to Dr Persaud, the government is working to stay on top of its game as it relates to the disease. He explained that despite this large procurement, a significant section of the population is already immunised against the disease.

About 120,000 people were vaccinated against the disease in 2009, when the country, like several other Caribbean states, suffered from a massive outbreak of the virus, setting off a global pandemic alert.

However, the vulnerable population, primarily the elderly, is continually monitored for the disease.

Further, Port Health Officers are fully aware of the virus and are prepared for any situation.

In a recent interview with GINA, Public Health Minister Dr George Norton had related that, “They’re (officers) present at the Timehri International Airport, the Ogle International Airport, the Moleson Creek Crossing, the Lethem Bridge, as well as Charity.”

He however, added that, “of course… we’ve got the porous border. The water is low in the Takutu River, in the Ireng River and people are literally walking across those rivers. In all the different parts of the Rupununi… places like Achiwuib and also in Region Eight, in

the Kanapang, Itabak areas, you have persons who cross that river by just walking across.”

Symptoms of the H1N1 virus include coughing, fever, sore throat, body aches and headaches. It can only be transmitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes thus releasing the virus into the air.

Zika Meanwhile, the Vector Control arm of the Public Health Ministry is continuing to fog the City and other parts of the country.

In addition, the unit is also doing ‘house to house’ inspections to ensure citizens are keeping their environment clean, and distributing treated bed nets to all health facilities, with special emphasis on Maternal and Child Health departments.

The Ministry is advising the use of protective clothing along with insect repellents to avoid being bitten by a vector that is carrying the virus.

Pregnant women are also asked to take extra care, since the disease can have permanent afterbirth effects on their babies.

Also recognising that some women may develop neurological paralysis as a result of the disease, the ministry has commenced a surveillance system.

Zika, a vector borne disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. Symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, rash, and sometimes swelling of the limbs.

Some persons may also experience vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

Citizens are urged to abstain from travelling to countries where the H1N1 and Zika viruses are present unless it’s absolutely necessary.

he Guyanese Women’s Roundtable (GWR) and the Caribbean People International Collective (CPIC) have joined the fight against suicide and are working to curtail the rising level of suicide in Guyana.

This disclosure was made during a conference Monday where the organisations were soliciting for more women to be engaged in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).

A part of their campaign is the upsurge of suicide in Guyana over the past few weeks, which has engaged attention of the organisations.

Chief Executive Officer of the Monique’s Caring Hand Support Centre, Dawn Stuart, told the meeting that approach to the situation will take a different turn which will coincide with LGE. She explained that since

CEO of Monique’s Caring Hand Support Centre, Dawn Stuart

the organisation has selected persons to contest the LGE, once elected these leaders will work to develop the broken communities.

“Research shows the implication of broken communities and its role in mental health. We see how the rate of suicide in Guyana is extremely high. Therefore, because our communities are broken our mental health structure is always broken.

Thus there is a correlation.”

In addition, Stuart informed that it is her opinion that LGE will structure the community in such a way that the health clinics, community centres and support groups will be available so that there is a balance in the case where someone may be feeling “hopeless” Questioned about whether GWR have other plans on tackling suicide, apart from through LGE, Stuart informed that there

is a counselling body that already has been dealing with the issue. According to her, these persons correspond with persons from the various regions who have been contemplating taking their lives.

The organisation’s plan to curb the issue will see them targeting the grassroot levels of suicide. This includes alcoholism and drug usage which affect metal health of individuals.

“After the LGE takes effects, stores that sell alcohol to underage children, producers of alcohol and businesses, they’re all going to have to go through a learning stage if we want to make Guyana better. Also there are laws that regulate selling alcohol to underage children; we are going to be enforcing that” Stuart informed.

The organisation will also be partnering with the government in crafting the suicide prevention plan.

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

Regional

El Salvador exZika Virus: Outbreak likely to spread across Americas, says WHO leader Francisco Flores in coma

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he Zika Virus is likely to spread across nearly all of the Americas, the World Health Organisation has warned.

The infection, which causes symptoms including mild fever, conjunctivitis and headache, has already been found in 21 countries in the Caribbean,

North and South America.

It has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains and some countries have advised women not to get pregnant.

No treatment or vaccine is available.

The virus was first detected in 1947

in monkeys in Africa. There have since been small, short-lived outbreaks in people on the continent, parts of Asia and in the Pacific Islands.

But it has spread on a massive scale in the Americas, where transmission was first detected in Brazil in May 2015.

Large numbers of the mosquitoes which carry the virus and a lack of any natural immunity are thought to be helping the infection to spread rapidly.

Zika is transmitted by the bite of Aedes mosquitoes, which are found in all countries in the region except Canada and Chile.

In a statement, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the regional office of the WHO, said: “PAHO anticipates that Zika Virus will continue to spread and will likely reach all countries and territories of the region where Aedes mosquitoes are found.”

PAHO is advising people to protect themselves from the mosquitoes, which also spread Dengue Fever and Chikungunya. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Brazil sees second mass prison breakout

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orty inmates escaped from jail in the eastern Brazilian city of Recife after a bomb was used to blow a hole in an external wall, authorities there say.

Most of the prisoners were recaptured after a manhunt through local streets lasting several hours, but two were killed and one remains at large.

It is the second mass breakout in the area in a week.

On Wednesday, 53 men escaped from another jail on the city outskirts and only 13 of them have since been found.

Social media images broadcast on Brazilian TV captured the moment when

Recife lies on Brazil’s north-eastern coastline

the explosion ripped through the external wall of the Frei Damiao de Bozanno Prison.

Minutes before a man in the street walked up to the prison wall, left a package and moved quickly away.

Seconds after the blast,

dozens of men are seen leaping through the hole in a cloud of dust.

They fanned out into the residential streets, many running into houses.

The prison guard’s union said it had warned the au-

thorities that a breakout was imminent.

It said that at the time of the explosion, only half the observation towers at the prison were manned because of staff shortages.

The union said that the state of Pernambuco in which Recife lies has little more than 1500 prison guards for its penitentiaries when there should be at least 5000.

Prisons in the state are often run by electing inmates to maintain security alongside the guards.

The union also said that like most Brazilian jails, this one was severely overcrowded. (Excerpt from BBC News)

UN concerned about postponement of Haiti polls and violent protests

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oicing concern at the postponement of Sunday’s already delayed presidential elections in Haiti, United Nations Secretary General Ban Kimoon has called on all political actors to refrain from violence and complete the electoral process peacefully without further delay.

“The Secretary General urges all political actors to reject all forms of violence and intimidation and refrain from any action that can further disrupt the democratic process and stability in the country,” a statement issued by his spokesman said, reaffirming the UN’s commitment to continue supporting the consolidation of democracy and stabilisation in Haiti.

“He strongly urges all

Voting in the second round for the senatorial and parliamentary elections and the first round for a new leader in Haiti last October (Photo: UN/MINUSTAH/Igor Rugwiza)

stakeholders to work towards the peaceful completion of the electoral process without delay, through the forging of a consensual solu-

tion that will allow the people of Haiti to exercise their right to vote for the election of a new President and the remaining representatives

of the new Parliament.”

Tensions have been simmering since the first round of the elections in October.

The two candidates with the most votes – Jovenel Moise from the governing party and former Government executive Jude Celestin – were set to face each other in the run-off, originally set for December 27.

However, that was postponed until January 17 and then until yesterday.

But the second round was again postponed amid violent protests and the Opposition’s refusal to participate.

The transfer of power to a new president is constitutionally mandated to take place on February 7. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Francisco Flores surrendered to the judicial authorities in 2014

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he former President of El Salvador, Francisco Flores, is in a coma after he suffered an arterial obstruction.

Flores, 56, governed El Salvador from 1999 to 2004.

He was under house arrest after being accused of misappropriating US$15 million given the country by Taiwan during his term in office, which he denies.

His lawyer said Flores had been found unconscious at his home on Sunday evening.

It is the third time in the past 18 months that Flores has been taken to hospital with serious health problems.

His lawyer described his condition as “very serious and critical”.

She said that an obstruction in one of his arteries had left the right side of his body paralysed.

Flores handed himself in to the authorities in September 2014.

He has been charged with embezzlement and making illicit gains.

Prosecutors say he misappropriated US$5 million and transferred it to his private bank account. Another US$10 million is alleged to have gone into his party’s coffers.

Flores, from the conservative Arena party, said the money was donated by Taiwan to help with reconstruction efforts after two earthquakes and to help tackle crime in the Central American nation.

He said that El Salvador enjoyed “a privileged relationship” with Taiwan because it backed the Asian country’s request for membership of the United Nations. (Excerpt from BBC News)

13 women killed in Caribbean tourist boat accident

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hirteen women drowned on Saturday when a tourist ferry capsized in rough seas just off the coast of south-eastern Nicaragua.

A pair of British newlyweds, along with two American tourists, three Nicaraguans and 12 Costa Ricans, were rescued from the sunken boat.

All 13 women who lost their lives when a giant wave sank the vessel were vacationing Costa Rican nationals.

The Reina del Caribe (Caribbean Queen) got into difficulty in high winds, rain and “mountainous seas” while travelling between the Corn Islands, a popular tourist area.

Local authorities had reportedly suspended boat launches in the area due to high wind speeds that reached 25 to 30 knots (29 to 35 mph) after several days of stormy weather.

“There was a warn-

ing that the weather conditions would be bad, but it appears that was ignored and this tragedy happened,” said Mario Berrios, the Nicaraguan navy’s commander for the southern Caribbean region.

Reina del Caribe’s skipper, Hilario Blandon, 53, was arrested after being rescued from the wreck along with his assistant Eliot Absalon Prats Carter, 30.

General Francisco Diaz, a Military Police Chief, said: “Both are under arrest and will be tried for the crimes of manslaughter and exposing people to danger.”

With special reference to the lives lost, Government Spokeswoman Rosario Murillo told El 19 Digital: “This is a great tragedy, truly painful, because they were our Costa Rican, Central American brothers and sisters who were vacationing in the waters of the Nicaraguan Caribbean.”

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

“Putin is corrupt”, says US Treasury UN seeks Syrian peace talks this week, opposition T threatens boycott he United States Treasury has told a BBC investigation that it considers Russian President Vladimir Putin to be corrupt.

The US Government has already imposed sanctions on Putin’s aides, but it is thought to be the first time it has directly accused him of corruption.

His spokesman told the BBC that “none of these questions or issues needs to be answered, as they are pure fiction”.

Last week a UK public inquiry said Putin had

T

he United Nations said on Monday it would issue invitations for marathon Syrian peace talks to begin this week, but Opposition groups signalled they would stay away unless the Government and its Russian allies halt air strikes and lift sieges on towns.

The first talks in two years to end the Syrian civil war were meant to begin on Monday, but have been held up in part by a dispute over who should represent the Opposition to President Bashar al-Assad. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said he was still working on his list, and expected to issue the invitations today for talks to start on Friday.

The goal would be six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire, later working toward a political settlement to a war that has killed more than 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes and drawn in global powers.

The ceasefire would cover the whole country except

People inspect a site hit by airstrikes carried out in the town of Turmanin, in Idlib Governorate near the Syrian-Turkish border, January 25, 2016

parts held by Islamic State militants and al Qaeda’s Syrian branch, the Nusra Front, de Mistura told a news conference in Geneva.

De Mistura, whose two predecessors quit in apparent frustration after holding failed peace conferences of their own, acknowledged the going would be difficult.

Delegations would meet in separate rooms in “proximity talks”, with diplomats

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nominated last week, demanding a fresh proposal within 10 days.

Since 2014, Libya has had two competing Parliaments and Governments, one based in Tripoli and the other in the east. Both are backed by loose alliances of armed groups and former rebels who helped topple Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Western powers hope a unity government will deliver stability and will be able to tackle a growing threat from Islamic State militants.

from Reuters)

Eastern lawmakers said the proposed 32-member Government had been rejected because it included too many posts. They called on the Tunis-based Presidential Council to put forward a shorter list of Ministers.

Lawmaker Mohamed al-Abani told Reuters that the proposed administration also did not represent the interests of the Libyan people, but had been formed “according to the demands of militia leaders”. (Excerpt from Reuters)

ising those who he doesn’t view as friends using State assets.

Whether that’s Russia’s energy wealth, whether it’s other State contracts, he directs those to whom he believes will serve him and excludes those who don’t. To me, that is a picture of corruption.”

The US Government imposed sanctions against a number of Kremlin insiders in 2014 and stated that Putin had secret investments in the energy sector.

However, the Americans did not directly accuse him of corruption at the time. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Oil prices in reverse amid OPEC call

shuttling between them.

Threats to pull out should be expected.

“Don’t be surprised: there will be a lot of posturing, a lot of walk-outs or walk-ins because a bomb has fallen or someone has done an attack.... You should neither be depressed nor impressed, but it’s likely to happen,” he said. “The important thing is to keep momentum.” (Excerpt

Libya’s recognised Parliament rejects UN-backed unity Govt ibya’s internationally recognised Parliament voted on Monday to reject the unity Government proposed under a United Nations-backed plan to resolve the country’s political crisis and armed conflict.

The rejection was widely expected, but signalled that mediators still face a steep challenge in winning support for a new Government.

Of 104 members attending the session in the eastern city of Tobruk, 89 voted against an administration

“probably” approved the murder of ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Litvinenko, a former Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agent and fierce critic of Putin, was poisoned in London with radioactive polonium in 2006.

Adam Szubin, who oversees US Treasury sanctions, has told BBC Panorama that the Russian President was corrupt and the US Government has known this for “many, many years”.

He said: “We’ve seen him enriching his friends, his close allies, and marginal-

The prospect of OPEC members cutting production remains unlikely

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il prices tumbled again on Monday, eroding last week’s gains, as the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) called for cooperation from oil-producing nations outside the cartel.

Brent crude fell 4.1 per cent to US$30.86 a barrel following a 10 per cent rise on Friday, while US oil shed 4.7 per cent to end up at

US$30.68.

The slide came as the head of OPEC called for all oil-producing nations to work together.

Abdullah al-Badri said both OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers needed to tackle oversupply to help prices rise.

“It is vital the market addresses the issue of the stock overhang. As you can see

from previous cycles, once this overhang starts falling then prices start to rise,” he told a conference in London.

Despite the ongoing refusal of Saudi Arabia, the dominant OPEC member, to cut production, al-Badri nevertheless blamed countries outside the cartel for the huge global oil glut.

“Yes, OPEC provided some of the additional supply last year, but the majority of this has come from nonOPEC countries,” he said.

OPEC accounts for almost 42 per cent of the world’s oil production.

The OPEC Secretary General said all major producers should agree on methods to reduce stockpiles and thus help prices recover.

“The current environment is putting this future at risk. At current price levels, it is clear that not all of the necessary future investment is viable,” al-Badri said.

Prices briefly fell to less than US$28 a barrel earlier this month. (Excerpt from BBC News)

India, France sign Rafale agreement – Modi

I East Asia cold snap ‘kills 85 in Taiwan’

Authorities have warned people, especially senior citizens, to keep warm and stay out of the cold

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cold snap sweeping across East Asia has killed at least 85 people in Taiwan and stranded 60,000 tourists in South Korea.

Taiwanese media reported deaths from hypothermia and cardiac disease following a sudden drop in temperature over the weekend.

Meanwhile, heavy snow forced the closure of the air-

port on the Korean holiday island of Jeju, cancelling flights.

The cold spell has also hit Hong Kong, southern China and Japan.

Many of those who died in Taiwan were elderly people living in northern regions such as Taipei and Taoyuan. Those areas accounted for 66 of the deaths.

Another 16 were con-

firmed dead in the southern city of Kaohsiung.

The temperature in Taipei city fell to a 44-year low of 4C (39F) on Sunday, and many homes in Taiwan lack central heating.

Many victims reportedly had heart trouble and shortness of breath.

“In our experience, it’s not the actual temperature, but the sudden drop that’s too sudden for people’s circulatory systems,’’ said a city official quoted by AP news agency.

A 56-year-old man was found dead on the street Sunday morning, reported Focus Taiwan, but most of the victims in the city and its surrounding region, known as New Taipei City, were found indoors. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

ndia has signed a deal with France to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said.

The announcement followed talks between Modi and French President Francois Hollande in Delhi.

Modi said the two countries would work to sort out financial issues over the defence deal, one of the world’s largest.

Hollande is in India for three days, and will be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations today.

“We have completed an inter-governmental agreement for the purchase of 36 Rafales, with the exception of the financial aspects,” Modi said after meeting Hollande.

India is looking to modernise its ageing Soviet-era military and the deal is the fruition of years of negotia-

President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Narendra Modi

tion, with India intent on buying 126 jets in total for an estimated cost of US$12 billion.

The two sides signed 13 agreements on Monday, including those on space cooperation, science and technology and the renovation of

railway stations in India.

The Reuters news agency quoted Hollande as saying that the two sides also hoped to conclude agreement within a year on a French nuclear company building six nuclear reactors for India. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

16 NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Scottish Freemasons call on President

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resident David Granger was Monday paid a courtesy call by two Scottish dignitaries from the Grand Imperial Council of Scotland, who are here to mark the 10th anniversary of the Guyana Conclave.

The men were accompanied by members of the Guyana Conclave of this masonic organisation, when they met with the President at the Ministry of the Presidency.

In a very brief comment, the organisation’s Grand Sovereign, Stewart Wood, said that the Guyana Conclave is gearing up to celebrate its 10th anniversary and he and his colleague, Alexander McGregor, are here to join in the celebrations.

The Grand Imperial Council of Scotland is grounded on the teachings of Freemasonry,

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From L-R- Charles Quintin, Yule Gooding, John Martin, LevonMoxey, President David Granger, Grand Sovereign Stewart Wood, Alexander McGregor, Clifton Rollox, Leon Rutherford, and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon at the Ministry of the Presidency

which is one of the world’s oldest secular fraternal societies which originated

in Scotland. Freemasonry is open to men of many religions and it expects and

encourages them to continue to follow their own faith.

GRA taxgate

Sattaur was dismissed based on “other information”, not any probe – Lucas

GRA Chairman Rawle Lucas

BY EDWARD LAYNE

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s the controversy surrounding the abrupt dismissal of former Commissioner General, Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) Khurshid Sattaur deepens, questions are now being raised as to whether the Board of Directors of GRA allowed natural justice to prevail with regards to Sattaur’s dismissal last week.

It is important to note that Sattaur was late December sent on 200 days annual leave to facilitate a comprehensive audit of the revenue agency by an international firm.

However, according to Chairman the Board Rawle Lucas, that audit has not yet commenced, but the GRA boss was sent packing based merely on “information which has emerged”.

“As far as I know that audit has not taken place as yet, but the information which has been disclosed to the public with respect to the ending of the work-

PPP slams Government for voting against tax declaration motion

ing relationship between Mr Sattaur and the Guyana Revenue Authority is based on information which came to the attention of the board.

Essentially what I am saying is that while the audit has not taken place as yet, there is other information which has emerged that led the board to take the decision that it took,” Lucas told Guyana Times Monday.

When pressed as to whether that “information which has emerged” was as a result of an internal probe, Lucas declined to say, noting that the board is not ready to divulge that information.

“At this particular point in time, the board is not really prepared to discuss some of the details of its work that led to the decision that it took, but what is important for you to understand is that the board was satisfied with the decision it had and that was the best thing to do in the interest of the public,” he said.

Despite being pressed to confirm or deny whether there was some kind of probe that led to Sattaur’s dismissal, Lucas continued to dodge the questions.

However, sources close to the Board confirmed there was no investigation into the alleged wrongdoings involving Sattaur.

Many believed Sattaur was targeted ever since the coalition government took office back in May 201 and it was “just a matter of time” before he was sent packing.

Sattaur had always been under fire from the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change, even when in opposition.

Last week, the GRA

Former GRA Commissioner General Khurshid Sattaur

Board via a press statement announced that the revenue agency was parting ways with Sattaur effective March 1, 2016.

The statement said the decision was a unanimous one by the board during its 171st meeting held last Thursday.

Sattaur’s sacking comes weeks after he was sent on 200 days leave he had accumulated over a period of time.

The board of directors last month said it took a unanimous decision to send the Commissioner on leave with immediate effect.

During this period, government said it would be contracting an international firm to undertake a forensic audit of GRA. Following his departure he was visited by junior staff of the Revenue Authority, who took away his firearm and other items belonging to the state entity.

This move evoked public outcry, after which the board clarified that it was

only doing what was required by law.

“We felt compelled to protect the data of our taxpayers. The only thing that we were interested in receiving from the Commissioner was anything he had in his possession that related to the work of GRA”, Chairman Rawle Lucas had told journalists.

Meanwhile Sattaur in response to the decision to fire him, said it was obvious, through the many public pronouncements by the Prime Minister that it would be uncomfortable for him to continue as Head of the GRA under the new administration.

Sattaur has since made some bombshell revelations about a tax scandal at the Revenue Authority as he revealed several unscrupulous, illegal undertakings and malpractices taking place at the country’s tax and revenue collection agency.

Sattaur on Friday last also made damning accusations about illegal and suspicious removal of tax information and files which were photocopied after the coalition government took office last year.

Those files, he said, related directly to records pertaining to Vice President and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.

The former Commissioner General shockingly revealed that a “known” individual had photocopied and removed documents and he was forced to turn a “blind eye”.

He also promised to release the names of other individuals whose information would have been accessed.

riticisms continue to be levied against Government over its decision to vote against a motion calling on all parliamentarians to publicly declare their income tax returns and available assets over the last 10 years.

People’s Progressive Party General Secretary Clement Rohee joined others of civil society who have already chastised the government for obdurately refusing to implement mechanisms for all Members of Parliaments to put under public scrutiny their assets and taxes.

During a press conference Monday, the Party’s General Secretary lambasted government over its “slew of bad governance measures” with the most recent being the nonsupport of the PPP-sponsored motion.

“The APNU/AFC’s vote in favour of bad governance is another manifestation of the politics of deception practiced by the Granger administration to fool the populace into believing that they have “clean hands” when in fact what we hear is the voice of Jacob but feel the hands of Esau,” Rohee stated.

Previously, civil soci-

ety groups and political commentators denounced Government’s decision, noting that the rejection goes against the very base of its campaign which was to promote transparency and accountability; and it also weakens their allegations of corruption against the former administration.

Transparency Institute of Guyana President Reverend Compton Meerabux, Vice President and prominent lawyer and accountant Christopher Ram, former Minister and political commentator Dr Henry Jeffrey were among those who criticised Government for its decision.

On Thursday last, the PPP/C presented the motion for debate in the National Assembly, underlining that an endorsement would mean that all parliamentarians were agreeing to implement greater levels of transparency and accountability; and that every “no vote” would mean that individual has something to hide.

The Government MPs, in essence, contended that the motion is a “massive political diversion” from “what is really necessary” to unearth corruption and consequently shot the request down.

National Youth Policy to be implemented soon – Education Minister

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uyana will finally be seeing the implementation of the long-awaited National Youth Policy, which is expected to be released at the end of January or early in February.

This is according to Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, who in an interview with Guyana Times on Monday, informed that the document has reached the Office of the President and was currently under review there.

Dr Roopnaraine is confident that the document will be implemented in the coming weeks.

The Policy, which outlines the Government’s vision for the advancement of youths in Guyana, will also feature plans for curbing suicide which has reached an extreme level over the past weeks.

The Policy, which was proposed by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change governing coalition in its manifesto, had been drafted in August 2015, but was awaiting review by the Education Ministry before its subsequent evaluation and implementation by the President.

Much argument had

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

been raised by youth-related groups and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) who have long anticipated the release of the document, since Guyana was in a phase where youth crimes, teenage pregnancies, unemployment and other issues have been on the increase.

The Policy will seek to help youths to become more productive and functional in society.

Roopnaraine also revealed that there will be a group put in place to work directly with youths in relation to suicide.

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NEWS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Citizen Security Strengthening 25 graduate from Macorp’s Programme launched operator training course

From left: Public Security Ministry Permanent Secretary Daneilla Mc Calmon, CSSP Project Coordinator Clement Henry, IDB Country Representative Sophie Makonnen and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

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he Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), in collaboration with the Government, launched a US$15 million Citizen Security Strengthening Programme (CSSP) aimed at reducing the out-of-control crime rate and violence within the country over the next five years.

The Programme is funded by the IDB, but Government will be contributing additional resources to address challenges such as the rising homicide rates and armed robbery rates that significantly exceed global averages. The Programme will also focus on reducing the cases of domestic violence in the country.

Speaking during the launching ceremony at the Marriott Hotel, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan posited that crime and violence had over the years stymied the development of the country and as a result, its citizens have suffered tremendously.

IDB Country Representative Sophie Makonnen, speaking at the launch, noted that the Programme provided a holistic and interpretive approach to citizen security, rule of law and crime reduction.

“Crime is complex; it is multi-dimensional, and an increase in crime and violence over the last decade can be attributed to major causes – from changes in organisations, increases in inequality, an increasing gap between employment opportunities for youth, lack of appropriate role models,” the IDB official posited.

She also made reference to a 2008 study, which showed that 60 per cent of all citizens in the Caribbean and

the excessive rate of violence.

The CSSP will focus on strengthening the capacity of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Crime Prevention and Crime Investigation Units.

Additionally, the Programme will focus on strengthening the Guyana Prison Service (GPF), particularly its rehabilitation and social integration services.

Also, the Programme will finance the development of a new model to strengthen the forensic and crimi-

A section of the gathering on Monday

Latin American do not feel safe within their countries or homes.

She highlighted too that a recent study revealed that some 13 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product of several countries was lost owing to

nal training tools which will be utilised in the Forensic Laboratory. The requisite training will see testing for toxic substances, narcotic drugs, pharmaceutical drugs, among a myriad of other services.

The graduates along with Macorp officials

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he Machinery Corporation of Guyana Limited (Macorp) on Friday held its Operator Training Graduation for persons who successfully completed the course.

The event saw 25 males being awarded with certificates for the Excavator Operator Training they were engaged in for the past eight weeks.

Macorp Sales Manager Lyndon Bentinck, in his welcoming remarks, explained to the graduates that there was much more that lay ahead of them in the field they were pursuing. He assured them that Macorp was always there whenever they

were in need of help.

“We are here to help you. This is not the end of the road. The road is very long and bumpy.

Sometimes you may even find potholes, but you have to overcome challenges,” he encouraged.

He also encouraged them to cherish the moment and look forward to a successful future in the industry.

Three of the graduates – Rasheed Harrison, Bisram Ramrattan and Kwame Sinclair, were awarded with tokens for their outstanding performance throughout the course.

The best graduating trainee, Harrison, who is a Jamaican national, in his

remarks, expressed how elated he was at being part of the course. He explained that the journey had its ups and downs, but all in all it was a treat.

Throughout the two months of training, trainees were required to be involved in both theoretical and practical activities.

These 25 men join the 739 trainees who have graduated from the programme since it was initiated in 2008. The objective of the programme is to provide the vital skills which are required to service and operate Caterpillar equipment and machinery, while fashioning a future for Guyanese youths.

Linden trio charged with assault

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hree men who appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse Wednesday at the Linden Magistrate’s Court on assault offences were granted bail.

They are Gene Chapman of Lot 99 Republic Avenue, Mackenzie, Linden; Eurvin Forrester of Lot 135 One

Mile, Wismar, Linden and Wayne Beckles of Lot 63 Canvas City, Wismar. It is alleged that Chapman, 23, unlawfully assaulted Beckles on January 2, 2016, in the vicinity of Republic Avenue. He was granted $10,000 bail by Magistrate Nurse.

Meanwhile, Forrester,

63, and Beckles, 27, were also jointly charged with unlawfully assaulting Chapman on the said date at Republic Avenue. They both pleaded not guilty to the charge and were granted $10,000 bail each. They are scheduled to make their next court appearance on March 1.

Enmore North residents want community to be regularised Teenager on $10,000 bail

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he Enmore North community located on the East Coast of Demerara is calling for Government to regularise the area.

Minister within the Communities Ministry, Dawn Hastings-Williams, along with members of the Region Four Administration, recently visited the area and interacted with the residents, who raised several issues.

The residents are also asking for better roads and electricity infrastructure, citing major problems with the housing co-ops in the area, as persons were given land only to find out that someone else was given the lease. They also raised the issue of encumbered parapets and alleyways which result in poor drainage.

During her address to the residents, Minister Hastings-Williams stressed the need for the community to work together to further its development. She

for exhibiting obscene photo

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ighteen-year-old Roderick Alicock, of Lot 122 Wismar Housing Scheme, Linden, was placed on $10,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Clive Nurse at

indicated that Government has the responsibility to listen to the people’s issues and ideas, but it was the people who knew their problems best and how to solve them. The Minister highlighted the need for the residents to participate in the upcoming Local Government Elections and urged them to choose good and responsible leaders “who have their communities at heart”.

In addressing concerns on the regularisation of the community, Minister

Hastings-Williams explained that she would be making representation on the residents’ behalf to the subject Minister, adding that the Chief Co-op Officer will visit the community to assist with their concerns.

She also informed them of some of the projects and services that Government was offering, from which citizens can benefit. Residents were also encouraged to work together and organise projects to commemorate Guyana’s 50th Anniversary on May 26, 2016.

the Linden Magistrate’s Court charged with exhibiting an obscene photograph of a female.

It is alleged that the defendant had in his possession an obscene video of a

female for public circulation on September 12, 2015 while at Silvertown, Wismar. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. The case will continue on February 10.

Man granted bail for unlicensed sale of liquor, assault

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n East Bank Demerara (EBD) resident was granted bail in the total sum of $50,000

by Magistrate Clive Nurse after being charged with the unlicensed sale of spirituous liquor and assaulting a peace officer.

The defendant, Audie Webster, of Lot 51 Somerset Court, EBD, appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court to answer to the charges.

He pleaded not guilty to the

first offence for which he was charged: that on December 23, 2015, while at Burnham Drive, Wismar, Linden, he offered for sale a bottle of Black Label whiskey, along with a bottle of Ivanoff vodka and a bottle of Grey Goose whiskey, without being the holder of a valid intoxicating liquor licence. For this offence, he was granted bail in the sum of $25,000 by Magistrate Nurse.

The second charge

against the defendant states that on the said date, he assaulted Police Constable #20310 Leon George, a peace officer whom at the time was executing his duties. It is alleged that he resisted arrest by the said Police Officer.

Webster again pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of $25,000. The case will be called again before Magistrate Nurse on February 10.

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guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

ARCHIE

Be prepared to give your all and stand behind your be(March 21- liefs and actions. Your confiApril 19) dence and a sympathetic and humble attitude will bring good results.

ARIES

Share your ideas, and TAURUS team up with people you (April 20- know can help you reach your May 20) goals. Put your heart on the line and let that special someone know you care.

DILBERT

Demands will be put on GEMINI (May 21- you if you haven’t lived up to June 20) your promises. Make personal changes that will help alleviate some of the turmoil or discord in your life. Avoid excessive behaviour.

CANCER

PEANUTS

(June 21July 22)

Don’t be afraid to do things differently. It’s your uniqueness that will bring people to your side. Show your true feelings, and make a romantic gesture that will enhance your personal life.

Your serious attitude will LEO help you reach your goals.

(July 23The changes you bring about Aug. 22) will encourage you to turn your back on anyone who is negative or combative.

Don’t hold back when you VIRGO should express your thoughts (Aug. 23and feelings. Include the people Sept. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

you admire the most in whatever you plan to do. A financial gain is present. Celebrate with someone you love.

Don’t let anyone rain on LIBRA (Sept. 23- your parade. Get out with Oct. 23) friends who appreciate you and focus on ways you can free yourself from unwanted criticism and responsibility.

SUDOKU

You’ll make a lasting imSCORPIO (Oct. 24- pression if you show off your Nov. 22) talent, skills and intelligence.

One of your ideas will garner attention from an influential party and lead to an interesting proposal.

Don’t rush to accept a deal SAGITTARIUS that sounds too good to be (Nov. 23- true. Too much of anything Dec. 21) will lead to your demise. Stick to simple pleasures.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE

Your finesse, intelligence CAPRICORN and persuasive charm will (Dec. 22- ensure that you get what you Jan. 19) want. A relationship with someone special will grow stronger if you make romantic plans.

It’s time to clean house.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20- Donate what you don’t need.

Feb. 19) Back away from people who are holding you back, and focus on what and who is really important to you.

Emotional matters will PISCES (Feb. 20- make you think about past March 20) losses. Your intuition will help prevent you from making the same mistake twice.

Romance will improve your personal life.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

19

CSA imposes 20-year ban on Bodi C

ricket South Africa has banned Gulam Bodi for 20 years from participating in any international or domestic match, or any cricket activity other than anti-corruption programmes after he admitted to contriving or attempting to fix matches during the 2015 Ram Slam T20 series.

Five of those years will be suspended on the condition that Bodi commits no further offences under the code and demonstrates to CSA’s reasonable satisfaction that he has actively and constructively participated in corruptionrelated player education programmes when asked to do so.

Following a CSA investigation which they first made public on November 6 last year, when they issued a press release warning players to be vigilant after they had received information that an international syndicate was attempting to corrupt domestic cricket, Bodi was charged on December 31 with several counts of breaching the anticorruption code. The charges go back to September 2015.

Bodi’s confession came 18 days later and CSA issued their sanction a week after that.

CSA would not be drawn on whether other players are under investigation but confirmed that the case is not closed. They could not put a timeframe on when they expect to conclude. They may also be compelled to provide their findings on Bodi to the police, who could launch an investigation of their own.

“Under the circumstances, we are satisfied with the sanction. All we have to do now is comply,” Ayoob Kaka, Bodi’s lawyer told ESPNcricinfo.

Asked whether Bodi was aware of, or concerned, that CSA would lay a complaint with the police, Kaka said: “It will be up to CSA to decide whether they launch a complaint. We’ve co-operated with them so we are not too worried about that.”

Despite the time span over which they charges are spread - which include the Africa Cup, a T20 tournament for provincial amateur teams and African national sides and the Ram Slam - South Africa’s T20 tournament which was broadcast in India for the first time last year - CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the body believed no matches had been fixed.

“The evidence that we’ve

Cricket South Africa has banned Gulam Bodi for 20 years from participating in any international or domestic match, or any cricket activity other than anti-corruption programmes

got and the confessions made

by Bodi suggest we got him in a planning phase and no fixes were active.” Lorgat said at a press briefing during the Centurion Test. “Several players rejected Bodi’s approaches.”

Whether those players will face any action is not known. Under section 2.4.4 of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code, failure to “to disclose to the ACSU (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct,” is an offense. CSA have their own anti-corruption code,

based on a template of the ICC’s code, which contains an equivalent clause.

Like the ICC’s code, CSA’s contains sanctions which range from no ban to a maximum lifetime ban. Without going into the details of what Bodi has admitted to, CSA decided on his punishment based on several factors which they outlined in a proceedings explanation on their website.

Among the factors considered was the extent of corrupt activities, the damage to the integrity of the game, the length of Bodi’s career and his seniority, the fact he had

had education on anti-corruption and public sentiment.

That was weighed up against Bodi’s co-operation and confession at an early stage of proceedings, his clean past history, the stress and anxiety he suffered from personal and financial issues, his experience of public contempt and ridicule and that he showed remorse was willing to issue a public apology. Although Bodi has not issued any statements, those were deemed mitigating enough to hand him a sanction of 20 years rather than a lengthier ban.

“CSA thoroughly considered all the relevant factors and determined that a lengthy ban was appropriate.

Our attitude to corruption will always be one of zero tolerance,” Lorgat said.

CSA’s commitment to anti-corruption also compels them to consider whether to involve other authorities such as the police. “We abide by the law and jurisdiction of this country and whatever action needs to be taken will,” Louis von Zeuner, an independent board member of CSA, who is chair of the audit and risk committee, said.

When news of Bodi’s involvement first broke on January 14, Brigadier

Hangwani Mulaudzi, the spokesperson for the directorate for priority crime investigations, told ESPNcricinfo the police were aware of the investigation but had not received any information which would lead them a case. That may change if CSA provides them with Bodi’s confession. Under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Law which was introduced in 2004, match-fixing is a crime in South Africa.

The Brigadier was unavailable for comment on Monday afternoon.

With the ongoing process still to run its course, Lorgat could not reassure fans that the game is clean, although he did not believe the problem was confined to South Africa. “It is not a categoric statement I can make now.

The investigation is still ongoing,” he said. “I think it’s damaging to the reputation of cricket. The fact that it happened in South Africa just makes it that much more difficult in a South African environment. It happened in England. It happened with a Pakistan Test match at Lord’s. This is not unique to South Africa. We’ve said that for a long time.” (Cricinfo)

Retired Petersen denied MCL Ntini excited to stint after Lions refuse NOC begin ‘dream’

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hree South African players will attempt to play in the inaugural Masters Champions League without signed NOCs from their national body, Cricket South Africa. Richard Levi, Rory Kleinveldt and Robin Peterson have all been denied NOCs because the MCL clashes with South African domestic fixtures. A fourth player, Alviro Petersen, also did not receive an NOC, and will not be traveling to the UAE because he is contractually bound to play for Highveld Lions, his South African franchise.

Petersen tweeted his situation on Monday. “Its with regret that I announce that @HighveldLions CEO & Board denied me an NOC to play in @MCL2020UAE . My team mate Mc Kenzie got his NOC.” Petersen retired from international cricket in January 2015 but remains contracted to the Lions franchise, for whom he scored a double-hundred in the most recent round of first-class

The Lions’ CEO Greg Fredericks said the NOC was denied to Alviro Petersen as the franchise felt he was central to their plans during the upcoming fixtures

matches. For any player to receive an NOC, their franchise has to agree and then apply to CSA for a final signature. The Lions’ CEO Greg Fredericks told ESPNcricinfo that they chose not to do this after discussions with the coach and selectors in which they decided the franchise needs Petersen for upcoming fixtures.

McKenzie has a different

and smaller agreement with Lions, which will expire at the end of the 2015-16 summer. He only played in the List A competition this season after retiring from firstclass cricket at the end of last season. Although that tournament is yet to conclude, the Lions have deemed him surplus to requirements, paving way for his NOC. The situation with the Levi, Kleinveldt and Peterson is different. None of them have publicly announced their retirement from international cricket but an insider told ESPNcricinfo that all of them have written to CSA to state that it is not their intention to play international cricket anymore.

Their franchise, the Cobras, applied to CSA for their NOCs but CSA has refused to grant them because they felt the players are needed in the domestic competition.

Levi is a Kolpak player who has a contract with the Cobras under which he is bound to play for them in

the T20 competition and the play-offs of the one-day cup.

His contract also contains a clause that he will be released for one T20 league, should an opportunity arise.

He chose the MCL ahead of the PSL. While the T20 competition is already over in South Africa, the playoffs for the one-day cup take place at the end of February and do not clash with the MCL. Kleinveldt and Peterson, who last played for South Africa in 2013 and 2014 respectively, are also contracted to the Cobras and have been playing across all formats for the franchise. A source revealed that CSA refused to release them because, “it’s important that the strength of the domestic game is looked after.” While Peterson and Levi are already in the UAE, Kleinveldt is expected to travel on Tuesday.

The MCL may still refuse to allow these players to take part in the tournament without a signed NOC from CSA.

(Cricinfo)

of coaching

F

ive years after completing a very successful career as an international cricketer for South Africa, Makhaya Ntini has a chance to nurture young talent and bring them to the big stage, having signed on as Zimbabwe’s bowling coach.

His two-year run will begin with an important first step - the World T20 in India in March.

Since his retirement in 2011, Ntini has been active on the South African cricket scene as a commentator.

He has long wanted to open a cricket academy in the Eastern Cape, a hotbed of black African talent, but has struggled for funding. While he continues efforts towards that, Ntini hopes he can also put his expertise - the benefit of 101 Tests, 173 ODIs and 10 T20Is - to good use for Zimbabwe.

“I’m looking forward to working with my neighbouring country. I think there is a lot of talent there that we

need to find and nurture.

This is also about following my dreams of coaching and bringing guys through,” he told ESPNcricinfo.

The top eight teams have direct entry into the main draw of the World T20, but Zimbabwe, who are ranked 14th, will have to go through a qualifying round. They have been grouped with Scotland, Afghanistan and Hong Kong and will play one match with each team. Only if they finish on top will they move on to the main tournament.

“The most important thing is that the team qualifies for the main draw,” Ntini said.

Since the end of the last World T20, Zimbabwe have played 17 matches and won only four of them. They go into this year’s edition having leveled a four-match series with Bangladesh, but will be wary of Afghanistan, to whom they have lost backto-back series. (Cricinfo)

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GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

Bagot Memorial Amla, Bavuma assert South Murtland T20 on tonight at DCC Africa’s control T

James Anderson dismissed AB de Villiers for his third duck in a row (Getty Images)

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ashim Amla, four runs short of his second hundred in the match, and Temba Bavuma, playing neatly in his wake to reach an equally levelheaded half-century, guided South Africa with great deliberation to a position of strength by tea of the fourth day in Centurion.

Amla and Bavuma wore down England’s resistance in a wicketless afternoon in which neither player offered a glimmer of a chance. They met England’s three main pace bowlers with great concentration, adjusted calmly when the pitch occasionally misbehaved, and gladly accepted scoring opportunities as Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali were unable to sustain the pressure.

On an indifferent pitch, in normal circumstances a lead of 356 would sound virtually impregnable, a forerunner to a likely South Africa victory, but an injury to Kyle Abbott meant that South Africa could not take anything for granted.

Abbott, with his hamstring heavily strapped, attempted a few deliveries on

the outfield before the start of play but his approach was so tentative and delivery so feeble his future involvement in the Test was cast into doubt; he looked in more danger of getting a late call up for the Masters Champions League.

No side has ever successfully chased more than 251 in the fourth innings at Centurion, a feat achieved

by England in 2000 with two wickets to spare: the infamous match-fixing declaration by Hansie Cronje. Rule out skulduggery and nobody has ever chased down more than 200.

South Africa’s initial caution was understandable, nevertheless, as they made 79 runs in the morning session. It was exemplified by Amla, whose painstaking progress was in sharp contrast to his blissful hundred in the first innings. On each occasion, he has summoned an innings perfectly suited to the situation and has been comfortably South Africa’s leading batsman in the series.

If Amla has given South Africa’s most batting sus-

tenance in the series, AB de Villiers has had a torrid time since assuming the captaincy after Amla’s midseries resignation. He has had three ducks in succession, facing only nine balls in the process, his latest failure coming second ball when James Anderson found a hooping inswinger to have him lbw.

Considering that de Villiers had politely observed before the Test that England had some bowlers - essentially Anderson - who remained highly skilled but were down on pace - the dismissal came with a bit of invective attached. De Villiers

reviewed: the batsman disconsolate, the bowler continuing to fume until he had his reward.

Anderson took the first three wickets to fall. Dean Elgar had been snaffled the previous evening in a challenging session where South Africa did well to close at 42 for 1. Stephen Cook followed in the fifth over of the morning, a drive away from his body, a perceived weak spot throughout his career bringing about his downfall.

England, who won the series in Johannesburg, had belatedly awoken to their task, no more so than Anderson, who began South Africa’s second innings with only four wickets to his name, having missed the first Test in Durban because of injury, but whose pace and movement was greater than at any time in the series.

At 49 for 3, the lead 182, South Africa had a few qualms. JP Duminy, batting high at No. 5, managed to ease them, adding 57 with Amla before Ben Stokes drew him into a loose drive. Stokes, who had also struck Amla painfully on the thumb of his bottom hand the previous evening, was a handful and Amla was grateful to reach lunch unscathed. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD South Africa 1st innings 475 England 1st innings 342 South Africa 2nd innings 248 England 2nd innings (target: 382 runs) AN Cook* c & b Morkel 5 AD Hales lbw b Rabada 1 NRD Compton c †de Kock b Rabada 6 JE Root not out 19

JWA Taylor not out 19 Extras (lb 2) 2 Total (3 wickets; 21 overs) 52 To bat: BA Stokes, JM Bairstow†, MM Ali, CR Woakes, SCJ Broad, JM Anderson Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-8, 3-18 Bowling: M Morkel 6-4-12-1, K Rabada 6-2-15-2, KJ Abbott 1-06-0, DL Piedt 5-2-7-0, D Elgar 2-1-8-0, P Duminy 1-0-2-0

he Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) will be hosting a 20-overs a side cricket match tonight in memory of their past cricketer, Murtland Bagot.

President of the Demerara Cricket Club Alfred Mentore explained that “ Keith Semple, who have would have played for Guyana and the West Indies over the years, will be visiting us and we decided that we should hold a match in his honour; in doing so, we decided that Murtland Bagaot who played around the same time with all of us and passed away a year ago in an accident in Antigua, we saw it fitting that we have a memorial match in his honour where all of the guys who have played cricket around the same time, play in memory of him”.

Bagot, who lost his life in a traffic accident on the Sir Sydney Walwyn Highway (Antigua) on Thursday January 22,

2015 at the age of 51, was a senior Demerara intercounty right-handed batsman.

The teams for the match will be led by Neil Barry and Linden Lyght.

Barry’s XI reads: Neil Barry (Capatin),Galdwin Brandis, Edward Burnette, Travis Dowlin, Clive Gridmond, Shawn Holder, Reon King, Andre Legall, Troy Lewis, Jermaine Neblette, Gavin Need, Winston Semple, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Glen Robinson.

Lyth’s XI: Linden Light (Captain), Alfred Mentore, Lennox Cush, Clyde Butts, Collin Stuart, Troy Halley, Sean Devers, Mark Ferreira, Ron Rammnaught, Bevaun Butts, Ronald Austin, Dexter Mckenzie, Keith Semple, Rodwick Lovell.

Mentore also disclosed that a trophy will be presented to the wining team in honour of Murtland Bagot. Match starts at 19:00h.

Maracheva among four Russians banned for doping E uropean 800m silver medallist Irina Maracheva has been banned for two years by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) for doping.

Race walker Anna Lukyanova has also been given a two-year ban, while there are four-year suspensions for runners Maria Nikolaeva and Yelena Nikulina.

The sanctions were the first handed down by the ROC since Russia was banned from athletics competition in November.

stated if it fulfils strict criteria, including compliance with all World Anti-Doping Agency and IAAF anti-doping rules.

An IAAF inspection team is due to meet Russia’s new athletics chief, Dmitry Shlyakhtin, in Moscow on Monday.

Maracheva, 31, finished third behind Britain’s Lynsey Sharp at the 2012 European Championships in Helsinki but was upgraded to silver when Russia’s Yelena Arzhakova was stripped of her gold medal for doping.

Holding hails determined Chanderpaul

Michael Holding

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est Indies legend Michael Holding has hailed the contribution of recently retired batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul to the regional game.

Chanderpaul announced that he had retired from the international game on Friday, after more than two decades at crease.

With a combined total of 11,867 runs at an average

of 51 the talented Guyanese batsman is second on the alltime West Indies list of runscorers behind Brian Lara who scored 11,953 runs. He struck 30 centuries and 66 half-centuries.

“He was the type of player who always did what was necessary for him to get some runs. You look at his stance over time, how it changed from being orthodox to completely unorthodox -- people thought it would never work at the highest level (but) he made it work for him,” Holding said of the player.

Chanderpaul was somewhat controversially dropped from the regional team last May by West Indies selectors following a run of low scores, however, Holding believes it could have been beneficial to keep the 40-year-old in the team a few Tests longer.

“I know Shiv was dis-

Irina Maracheva was upgraded to silver at the 2012 European Championships when her compatriot Yelena Arzhakova was stripped of her gold medal for doping

Shivnarine Chanderpaul

appointed when he was dropped from the West Indies team but at the same time many cricketers go out of Test cricket that way where they think they can go a bit longer,” Holding said.

“What West Indies per-

haps needed was to find youngsters who needed to come a bit higher in the order with Shiv lower in the order (so) that (he) could bat with both youngsters at the top and the tail below,” he stated. (Digicel Sportsmax)

Further details about the bans have not been made public.

Lukyanova was a silver medallist at the 2010 World Junior Championships.

Russia is dealing with the fallout of a damaging report that made allegations of state-sponsored doping in the country.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which governs world athletics, provisionally suspended Russia from international competition in November.

Russia will only be rein-

Scotland’s Sharp was awarded the gold after Arzhakova was banned in 2013 when tests revealed an “abnormal haemoglobin profile in her biological passport”.

According to the Russian news agency Tass, the decision to ban the four athletes was taken by the interim coordinating committee of the ROC based on the documents received from the IAAF. However, no details were given of the start dates of the bans, the types of doping violation committed, or which results would be cancelled due to ROC’s sanctions. (BBC Sport)

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runs comprising scores of 82, 95, and 97 for a phenomenal average of 91.33.

Also singled out was Red Force debutant Jon Russ Jaggesar, an offspinner who bagged 14 wickets, second in the tournament only to Suliaman Benn of the Barbados Pride, and who was instrumental in keeping the opposing batsmen in check throughout the

the Bangladesh Premier League T20 prior to the Nagico Super50.

Bassarath also had encouraging words for Barbadian opening batsman Kyle Hope, selected by the Red Force as a franchise player and who fitted in perfectly with his adopted team, and never flinched even it was against his island of birth in the final.

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he Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) has praised the performance of the national cricket team following their emphatic victory over Barbados on Saturday night in the final of the 2016 Nagico Super50 regional tournament at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.

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batsman Darren Bravo, and an all-round bowling performance led by Rayad Emrit’s threewicket haul, the Red Force clinched their second consecutive Super50 crown with a 72-run win in front of more than 7,000 home fans.

On Monday, president of the TTCB, Azim Bassarath, said that the cricketers should be complimented for their hard work, focus and commitment during the entire two-week competition during which they did not let their guard down.

He said the Super50 victory was a result of teamwork when everyone pulled together for the greater good of supporting each other and representing their nation with their best effort on the field.

“Words cannot adequately describe how proud the Red Force team has made cricket fans and the entire nation with their show of cricket excellence. The public too has been exceptional in their support during this campaign,” said Bassarath.

Left-hander Bravo was duly named Man-of-theMatch in the final for his superb knock, after joining the team last weekend following the West Indies tour of Australia.

In this three innings for the team he scored 274

series .

Bassarath said that despite the fact that the national squad was depleted because of injury and the unavailability of several key players, the team showed the depth of talent that currently exists in the national setup.

He said Bravo and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin joined the squad in the last week of the tournament, after the Test tour ‘Down Under’, and made an invaluable contribution in every match they played.

“I was impressed by the way the senior players pulled their weight and led by example as they did not disappoint in keeping the momentum going which had been established earlier in the tournament,” said Bassarath.

He said that the leadership qualities shown by Jason Mohammed should also be commended, as he did not shun his responsibilities and did put his best foot forward in the prevailing circumstances.

The cricket chief said the skipper was also given invaluable support by allrounder Rayad Emrit, who was one of the standout fast bowlers of the tournament, who, along with opening batsman Evin Lewis, showed that they had stepped up their game following a stint in

high praise was the technical team comprising senior coach Gus Logie, a former outstanding West Indies player, his assistant Kelvin Williams, and no-nonsense manager Roland Sampath who all ensured that everything was done according to the book and the objectives of the team were realised.

He said not to be forgotten were stand-in wicketkeeper Stephen Katwaroo who also had an exceptional tournament behind the stumps and will be knocking on the doors of the selectors for some time to come, while Marlon Richards shows that he is game when required to play his part at any stage with bat or ball.

Bassarath also mentioned the contribution made by the Ottley brothers, Kjorn and Yannick, while he said spinner Imran Khan was also an integral part of the squad and they all will be counted on in the future to maintain the depth and strength of the resource pool.

“We are now setting our sights on the final phase of the Regional Four-day Tournament and are hoping that this early success can keep us in the hunt for at least a top three finish at the end of the season,” said Bassarath. (windiescricket)

22

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

Anderson leads RHT to Telenec Teams for Unity Cricket announced U-15 trophy of the various squads.

Legacy All Stars: Ramnaresh Sarwan (Captain), Chris Gayle, Rajendra Chandrika, Andre Fletcher, Narsingh Deonarine, Jonathon Foo, Nicholas Pooran, Evin Lewis, Devendra Bishoo, Sulieman Benn, Assad Fudadin, Robin Bacchus, Gajanand Singh and Royston Crandon.

007 Warriors: Chris Barnwell (Captain), Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Anthony Bramble, Shemroy Barrington, Jason Holder, Darren Sammy, Steven

T

Chris Gayle

he moment of truth is less than a week away and big question is who will walk away with the President’s Trophy, $1 million and bragging rights?

The answer will be known on Saturday night at the Providence Stadium when a galaxy of international T20 stars invades the Stadium to play in the feature game under lights from 19:30h.

The Ramnaresh Sarwanled Legacy All Stars face off with the 007 Warriors, which will be led by Christopher Barnwell to climax a day of fun and frolic for the entire family in an attempt to forge national unity through sports.

Chris Gayle has never made a century in Guyana, but he said goodbye to the Big Bash in Australia with the joint fastest ever T20 fifty from just 12 balls and could correct that statistic here on

Christopher Barnwell

Saturday.

Gayle will have to contend with very strong bowling attack, which includes Reyad Emrit, Ronsford Beaton, Jason Holder, Daren Sammy, Veerasammy Permaul and Samuel Badree.

Every fan in the stands who takes a one handed catch will be US$500 richer and if Gayle cuts loose they could have plenty of opportunity to do so.

Softball cricket attracts its own crowd as was seen by large turnout for the Guyana Softball Cup and with today being the last day for the ‘early bird’ tickets, which cost $2,000, an anticipated capac-

The Rose Hall players proudly display their trophies

A

Darren Sammy

ity crowd is anticipated and tickets, which will cost $3,000 after today, are expected to be sold out before weekend.

Children under 12 will be admitted free, providing they do not use a seat in the stands.

Five softball matches will be played from 10:00h, but the semi-finals and final of the Open 10/10 could the most exciting games for the softball fans.

Demerara, Berbice, Regal and Wolf Warriors will compete for $500,000 in the Open10/10.

Berbice Masters and a female Berbice team will compete against their Demerara counterparts.

The winner of female match will get $150,000, while the Masters champions will receive $50,000. The Man-of-theMan in the feature event will collect US$500.

Guyana skipper Leon Johnson was forced to pull out due a shoulder injury, while Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Andre Russell and Krishmar Santokie are unavailable due to their participation in various T20 leagues around the world.

Below is the composition

Samuel Badree

brilliant all-round performance by national Under-15 player Kevlon Anderson spearheaded Rose Hall Town Farfan and Mendes team to an easy 112-run victory over Blairmont in the Berbice Cricket Board Tenelec Under-15 cricket final.

Playing at the Blairmont Community Centre ground, the richly talented Anderson, with support from former Guyana Under-15 captain Bhaskar Yadram, rescued their team after they were bowled out for a mere 67 in the first inning.

Jacobs, Sherfane Rutherford, Batting first after losing Reyad Emrit, Veerasammy the toss, the visitors found Permaul, Ronsford Beaton, life difficult on a wicket full Samuel Badree and of moisture and fell for 67 Gudakesh Motie. off 34 overs, as only Yadram The Essequibo soft(16), Anderson (22) and ball team: Patrick Rooplall, Keith Simpson reached douKhalid Baksh, Eknauth ble figures.

Persaud, Vijay Surujpaul, Bowling for the home Shawz Grosvnor, Brion team, Javid Karim took Mangar, Ramesh Narine, 2-17, Noel Deodat 3-9 and Greg Singh, Deoraj Dindyal, Samuel Glasgow 3-15. In reGovindra Sharma, Ehwaas sponse, Blairmont were bunBaksh, Ricardo Peters and Omesh Gobin.

Demerara Masters: Richard Persaud (Captain) Ramo Malone, Uniss Yusuf, Lloyd Rooplall, David Harper, Eric Thomas, Mahendra Hardyal, Fazil Baksh, Davanand Kannon, Tony oxing promoter Singh, Jagdesh Persaud, Carwyn Holland Wayne Jones and Mohamed has donated a quanRafeek. Manager is Dharam tity of boxing gear to the Persaud.

Pocket Demerara Female softball Berbice-based team: Latoya Smith (Captain), Rocket gym. The gym, Kavita Yadram, Zola Telford, which is being run by forMatanna Cambridge, mer boxer turned coach, Roxanne Demonick, Haseena Orland “Pocket Rocket” Mohamed, Tamika Wilson, Rogers, received a quantiJinelle Nero, Amanda ty of boxing gloves, mitts, Bobsemple, Kaysia Shultz, punching bags, coach pads, Sangetta Sawh, Alicia Allen, towels and shirts.

After collecting the Odessa Oneil. Coach is equipment, Rogers exLinden Wilson. pressed gratitude to Holland, noting that the boxing enthusiast delivered on a promise made some time back to the gym.

According to Rogers, Holland will also be one of the sponsors for the gym’s next competition. At the moment, the gym is in the process of preparing a team to compete at the next tournament.

Rogers added that soon the gym will also host an

dled out for 42 in 18.3 overs, as Yadram successfully attacked them with a series of short pitched bowling.

S. Denal was the only Blairmont batsman to reach double figure as Yadram claimed 7-22 from 9.3 overs, while left-arm spinner Keith Simpson supported with 3-15 from nine overs as the visitors used only two bowlers.

With a vital lead of 25 runs, RHT Farfan and Mendes, led by a superb unbeaten 108 from Anderson, reached 180 all out in their second turn at the crease.

Anderson faced 208 balls for his crucial innings and struck five boundaries. It was the third century in four innings for Anderson.

He received support from Yadram (20), Keith Simpson (15) and Quinton Crandon (16) as left-arm spinner Deodat bagged 7-78. Karim supported with 2-28.

Needing to score 206 for an outright victory,

Blairmont, who defeated Albion and Young Warriors earlier in the tournament, reached 92 all out to lose by 113 runs. Opener Javid Khan offered the only resistance with an aggressive 48, as Anderson returned with the ball to take 5-14 and Keith Simpson 2-13 for the champions.

Anderson was later named Man-of-theFinal, while the Farfan and Mendes team received $50,000 and the Tenelec Trophy, and the runner up took home $25,000. BCB official Vickey Bharosay extended gratitude to the management of Tenelec for their assistance to Berbice cricket and specially mentioned overseas-based Guyanese, Bobby Deonarine.

He congratulated RHT Farfan and Mendes for reclaiming the Berbice Under-15 title and noted that the final was played in a cordial manner.

Holland donates gear to Pocket Rocket gym

B

Gym members watch on as Carwyn Holland (right) presents the equipment to Orland “Pocket Rocket” Rogers

election to decide on a President, Vice-president, Secretary, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, Treasurer and Committee Members, as well as a Manager/Coach.

“We’re looking for pa-

rental involvement, [while we’re also] looking at the Police Force to have their input along with business personnel. We’re also calling on the government for an amateur boxing ring,” Rogers said.

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

Assanah, Branford invited to play in England

Jamarj Assanah

Aroydy Branford

wo of Guyana’s exceptionally talented national hockey players, Jamarj Assanah and Aroydy Branford, have been invited to play for the Bishop’s Stortford Hockey Club in the East Men’s Hockey league in England.

Assanah has performed at a consistently high level for the past few years, winning numerous MVP awards on the local scene. Internationally, Assanah has been equally consistent, at the 2014

Indoor Pan American Cup in Montevideo, Uruguay he was Guyana’s most outstanding player, scoring seven goals in five matches to end the tournament as the number two goal scorer. He was also part of the midfield engine that powered Guyana to a respectable fourth place finish at the Pan American Challenge, in Chicklayo, Peru last year, where their only two losses were penalty shoot-outs.

Branford has also had an exceptional two year run,

T

where he has spearheaded the junior national team to a record of 10 wins and three losses on their last two international tours. He has also added a creative flare to the senior national team and was part of Guyana’s historic bronze medal winning team at the 2014 Indoor Pan American Cup. He lit up last year’s Pan American Challenge, in Peru scoring nine goals in five matches to end the tournament as the number two goal scorer.

The duo’s exploits were noted by Bishop’s Stortford’s Coach and former Trinidad and Tobago International Albert Marcano, who made contact with the players through England based Guyanese International Marvin Dannett.

Once the pair’s visa applications are approved they will join the club for the second half of the 2015/2016 season. Branford is due to represent Guyana at the junior Pan American Championships scheduled for Toronto, Canada from May 20-28 while Assanah will be using the experience to prepare for upcoming senior international engagements.

Essequibo hoping to produce more competitive cricketers

By Akeem Greene

H

onorary Secretary of the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) Aotto Christiani is of the opinion that the county is becoming a stronger cricketing force in Guyana’s domestic circuit.

For a county that has endured a difficult time in domestic cricket over the past years, the ECB is proud to have its junor and senior players making the National teams.

When quizzed about the highlights of the year 2015, for the ECB, Christiani explained that “the youths that continue to make the national team; the Franchise team was able to finish fourth in the Local Franchise league [50-overs competition] and Keemo Paul’s success at the junior level and making it into the West Indies team”.

Against this success, there remain issues that prevent the sport from growing to a more productive level in the Cinderella County.

“Acquisition of sponsors for tournaments, Busta has been the main sponsor; we have not been able to attract, any other major sponsors for tournaments”, the secretary said.

He further added that “bringing players together is very expensive, for example brining players from Bartica to engage in training”.

There have been some worthy accomplishments of

the ECB, as they have seen some of their youth players come through ranks of the youth level to the senior teams, namely Kevon Boodie and Ransford Beaton.

Christiani is of the view that “we play more cricket now and our youngsters are getting more exposure, our youngsters who play at under-15, then come back at under-17 they are getting accustomed and experienced”.

The Secretary was also in high praise of the semi-professional construct of cricket on the domestic scene, especially that of the Local Franchise League.

‘It will give more players an opportunity to show case their skills; we have a lot more players being exposed”, he said.

Goals for 2016 In planning 2016, the Secretary has outlined some goals they are seeking to achieve this year for Essequibo to produce to more national players who hopefully go on to play for West Indies.

“We want more players in the senior national team; we currently have [Kevon] Boodie in the one-day team and [Ransford] Beaton in the four-day. We hope to have couple more players making their way up and getting in to the senior national team and also continue to have our junior players doing well.

Despite Essequibo being the largest County in

Guyana, there seems to be a lack of qualify cricket grounds to host either first division or second division cricket at a high standard.

Christiani was cognizant of this fact and hopes there can more grounds for cricket to be played.

“Apart from the Imam Bacchus Cricket grounds are a major challenged, we are hopeful the new government will pay attention to that and help us in getting a facility to have first class cricket being played in Essequibo”. Christiani disclosed.

The bright light in Keemo Paul If there is one junior player who is destined for West Indies senior team duty in the near future it is Keemo Mandela Angus Paul. The all-rounder has been an outstanding performer at the youth levels he has played for Guyana and is currently the West Indies under-19 Vice-Captain at the ongoing ICC Under-19 50-overs World Cup in Bangladesh; the future certainly looks bright for Paul.

The Secretary of the Essequibo Cricket Board was quizzed about the Paul’s performances in cricket thus far and revealed that “Keemo is not just the stand out payer in terms of performance, but in terms of his attitude towards the game and his discipline; he is one of the standouts in Essequibo hence his success is not a surprise”. (akeemg@guy-

anatimesgy.com)

23

Dwayne Bravo to play in Unity Cricket on Saturday F

ormer West Indies Captain Dwayne Bravo will be in Guyana to take part in the Unity Cricket T20 all star game this Saturday under lights at the Providence National Stadium.

Bravo on Monday had placed and video on Facebook saying he will be in Guyana for this exciting game. When Guyana Times Sport contacted Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the event, Sean Devers he confirmed, stating that “yes Bravo will be taking part in the game”.

The marquee player, Bravo, has played some 277 twenty-over games around

the globe and recently participated in the Australian Big Bash League where he turned out some match winning performances for the Melbourne Renegades.

Bravo joins the likes of Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Sulieman Benn, Samuel Badree, Darren Sammy, Rayed Emrit, Nicholas Pooran, Raymon Refier, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devendra Bishoo, Jason Holder, Veerasammy Permaul, Chris Barnwell, Jonathon Foo, Rajendra Chandrika, Ronsford Beaton and Anthony Bramble among many other top local and regional play-

ers.

The organisers have announced that Ramnaresh Sarwan will lead the Legacy All Stars and Chris Barnwell captain the 007 Warriors.

Ticket locations: GCC Bourda (GT) Tiyo’s Future Store (Anna Catherina & Parika), Shopper’s Pharmacy (Giftland Mall), Lenny’s (Mon Repos East Coast), Debbie’s Bar (E/C), Andrew’s Supermarket (South Ruimveldt), Kester D Music (Charlotte St GT), Big Bs (Rosignol West Berbice), Little Rock Hotel (N/Amsterdam), Poonai’s Pharmacy (Rose Hall Town Corentyne Berbice).

Baldeo leads Albion to Elizabeth Styles U-19 title

N

ational Under-19 all-rounder Balchand Baldeo single-handedly led the mighty Albion Cricket Club to a massive eightwicket win over Port Mourant in the final of the Elizabeth Styles Under-19 cricket competition for teams in Berbice.

The match, which was played last Saturday in hot sunshine at the historic Albion Sports Complex, saw Port Mourant winning the toss

Balchand Baldeo with 2-8.

In reply, Albion lost Adrian Sukhwa without scoring, but that did not cause panic in their camp as Ramcharran joined Baldeo before the former went for a well played 37. Baldeo ended on 71 not out to cap a good all-round performance, earning him the Man-ofthe-Match award. David Latchaya was unbeaten on 17 as the champions ended on 129-2.

At the presentation

Singh for negotiating with Elizabeth Styles USA and for securing the sponsorship.

Bharosay said that this competition played a great role in the continued success of Berbice cricket and even contributed to the success of Guyana Under-19 team in the 2015 regional youth tournament.

Speaking on behalf of the sponsor, one of the distributors in Guyana and proprietor of Bissan’s Trading, Bissoondyal Singh, said

Elizabeth Styles representative, Bissoondyal Singh (standing left), with members of the successful Albion team

and taking first strike.

The decision backfired as they lost early wickets and never recovered.

Only Berbice youth player Dimitri Cameron with 26 offered any resistance against a quality all spin Albion attack, ending on 127 all out. Berbice off-spinner Daniel Lewis was the leading bowler with 3-18.

He received solid support from national youth player Sharaz Ramcharran with 2-4, rising star David Latchaya 2-14 and

ceremony held immediately after the game, Vicky Bharosay, speaking on behalf of the Berbice Cricket Board, thanked Elizabeth Styles for its continued support and for staying the course with the BCB in very difficult times.

He added that without the sponsorship and others, it would have been very difficult for the board to continue to fulfill its mandate and play cricket at all levels.

He thanked Bissoondyal

that the sponsors are very much contented with the way the BCB has managed the tournament. Singh thanked the players for supporting the products manufactured by Elizabeth Styles and urged that they continue to do so. Elizabeth Styles has many distributors across the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, South America and Africa. The USA based company will be renewing this sponsorship for 2016.

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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016

Assanah, Branford invited to play in England Pg 23

Jamarj Assanah makes a move during one of his tournaments

Dwayne Bravo to play in Unity Cricket on Saturday

Pg 23

Aroydy Branford in action

Essequibo hoping to produce more competitive cricketers Pg 23

Flashback! Aotto Christiani (left) makes a donation to Keemo Paul in recognition of his stellar achievements

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