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Issue No. 3208

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Friday, May 12, 2017

PRICE

Independence Arch fiasco

Govt snarls EC traffic for ANSA event Page 2

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Father P8 remanded for son’s murder

…pandemonium for thousands of commuters, students

Children P13 poisoned, stepfather on the run CID seeks 180 new P12 detectives by year-end

Works being done on Thursday morning to install the arch on the East Coast Demerara Highway. The installation works caused heavy traffic congestion

PPP calls for CoI into drug shortages countrywide

Govt to reestablish Central P10 Planning Unit – hires new Chief Planning Officer

Page 3

– chides Govt for awarding contracts without tendering, prequalification

Rose Hall sugar workers intensify protest against closure Page 16

Crabwood Creek stabbing

Husband P9 confesses to killing wife

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news

friDAY, may 12, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Independence Arch fiasco

Govt snarls EC traffic for ANSA event

…pandemonium for thousands of commuters, students

T

The installation works caused heavy congestion on the East Coast Highway

he rush to install the ANSA McALsponsored arch at the head of the UG Access Road, in time for an event the Trinidad-based company is hosting on Saturday, caused commuters travelling along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) on Thursday morning,

and to some extent evening, to be left stuck in heavy traffic for hours.

This sparked widespread public outrage, thus forcing officials from the Public Infrastructure Ministry to cease works during the day and resume in the evening.

A release during the

course of Thursday from the Department of Public Information (DPI) explained that the fabricator of the arch was late in their delivery; hence, the installation was done on Thursday and not last weekend as was originally scheduled.

It was further noted that

the sponsor of the structure, ANSA McAL Limited, wanted the arch to be installed in time for an upcoming event this weekend.

“A local company is funding the arch… The company has an event on Saturday, May 13th, and is keen to have the arch installed for the event,” the release stated.

While the DPI did not name the company, it was publicly known that the Trinidad-based company is the sponsor of the structure, which reportedly cost some $19 million. In fact, the company had even issued a map of alternate routes for motorists to take during the time a section of the ECD Highway was closed off for the structure to be installed.

Moreover, the sponsorship of this arch comes on the heel of Ansa McAl undergo-

ing intense scrutiny after it was revealed back in March that it was given a $605 million contract by Government

stuck in traffic for as long as four hours in some cases. Many took to social media to vent their anger about

Works being done on Thursday morning to install the arch on the East Coast Highway

to supply “emergency” drugs and other medical supplies to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence was heavily criticised for not going to tender with the contract.

Nevertheless, the DPI went on to say in the missive that Government regretted the inconvenience caused to commuters and assured that “…every effort will be made to minimise the disruptions to traffic as the arch is installed”.

Meanwhile, a statement from the Public Infrastructure Ministry on Thursday noted that the installation works resumed at 18:00h – which effectively closed off the area between UG Access Road and the Ogle Access Road.

Furthermore, the Ministry pointed out that it had considered doing the works in the night to avoid a situation such as the one that prevailed on Thursday, but “there was an issue of safety for motorists and the installation contractors during installation”.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had issued an advisory late Wednesday evening, informing the public that the ECD Highway between UG Access Road and Ogle Access Road will be closed to vehicular traffic between 08:00h and 21:00h to facilitate the installation of an arch at the eastern entrance to Georgetown.

However, persons criticised the management of the project, saying that adequate notice was not given to the public, so many did not know of the ongoing works until they ended up in the midst of the congestion.

Guyana Times understands that commuters travelling on the East Coast were

the poor management and ill-conceived execution of the project, opining that it should not have been done during peak hours.

Among the comments posted on Facebook was: “Having been given a solesourced contract for $605 million to supply pharmaceutical drugs to the Ministry of Health, is this $19 million Independence Arch on the East Coast ANSA McAL’s way of saying thanks to the Government of Guyana?”

Other comments about the structure included: “Guyana is still de bess.

Arch and de cost of living going up.”; “How Guyana benefiting from this (arch)”; “Guyana have so much pressing needs and government busy building a senseless arch... People already punishing and can’t reach to work.”; “Ah wonder if these Arch will provide jobs for Guyana?”

Furthermore, this newspaper was made to understand that as a result of the works, a few persons missed their flights at the Eugene F Correia International Airport as well as the ferry to neighbouring Suriname.

There were also reports of students who missed the sitting of Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations as a result of being stuck in traffic.

The arch at the UG Access Road in Turkeyen will demarcate the eastern entrance into Georgetown, and highlighting Greater Georgetown to the northern end. A similar arch was installed on the East Bank Highway at Agricola, Greater Georgetown, last year. It was donated by Banks DIH Limited and was a gift for Guyana’s 50th Independence anniversary.

news

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, May 12 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, May 13 – 05:30h-07:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

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friDAY, may 12, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

PPP calls for CoI into drug shortages countrywide – chides Govt for awarding contracts without tendering, prequalification

Friday, May 12 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, May 13 – 05:30h-07:00h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thunderstorms with light to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day, while light cloud cover can be expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging from Easterly to East Northeasterly between 2.68 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 05:06h and 17:29h reaching maximum heights of 2.70 metres and 2.59 metres respectively.

T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is calling for a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the drug shortages throughout the country and the massive expenditures to companies without public tendering.

The parliamentary Opposition made this call during a press conference on Thursday. It comes in the wake of ques-

been based on emergencies, with no paper trails. This issue demands a Commission of Inquiry. We’re (already) having Commission of Inquiries galore.”

Teixeira said that during the May 8 sitting of the National Assembly, there were a number of questions left unanswered. In addition, Opposition Parliamentarian Juan Edghill noted that 77 per cent of the total allo-

“The answer in all cases was no. Nobody was pre-qualified. So here it is, just in the Public Hospital, without any pre-qualification or any suppliers being called upon to provide their bonafides to show that they have proper cold chain storage to show that they are actually bringing good quality drugs, two million dollars of the nation’s money is spent. The system is being

cent was expended by the close of the year; in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), the figure was $80.6 million or just 52 per cent of the budgeted expenses.

For Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), almost the full $394.5 million was expended, while in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) the figure was $61.3 million.

In Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni), $2.9 million was

Low Tide: 11:04h and 23:15h reaching minimum heights of 0.51 metre and 0.66 metre respectively.

From left: Members of Parliament, Dr Vindhya Persaud; Dr Frank Anthony; Gail Teixeira and Juan Edghill

WEDNESDAY, May 10, 2017

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tions the Party fielded to the Ministers of Public Health and Communities in the National Assembly on Monday last.

When a response came from Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, it was revealed that nine out of the 10 administrative regions in Guyana did no public tendering for drugs and medical supplies between January 2016 and February 2017. In addition, all regions indicated that no prequalification was done. This was all done in the name of emergencies.

At the press conference were Members of Parliament Juan Edghill, Gail Teixeira, Dr Vindhya Persaud and Dr Frank Anthony. According to PPP Chief Whip, Teixeira, the situation demands a CoI. “However, this is a case where, as my colleagues have all spoken, 92 per cent (of drug purchases) have

cations for drugs for the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) have been expended.

“When we asked the question from the Minister of Health, how much money would have been spent on drugs and medical supplies for the Georgetown Public Hospital for January 1, 2016 to February 28, 2017 she gave us some figures.

“And in those figures for 2017, $2 billion has already been expended on drugs and medical supplies for GPHC. That represents almost 77 per cent of the total allocations for the year. Now you may say that that’s great, they already got the drugs.”

He noted that what usually obtains is open bidding or pre-qualification where by a number of companies were pre-qualified. Edghill pointed out that among the questions to the Ministers was whether any of the companies were pre-qualified.

manipulated.”

Edghill noted that the nation has degenerated from a point where pharmaceutical company NEW GPC INC and other companies were prequalified using an international process to a point where officials can now call upon anyone to supply drugs without due process.

The Ministry stated that in Region One (BarimaWaini), $76.2 million or 94 per cent of the Public Health Budget was expended by December 2016. In the case of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), $141.1 million or 80 per cent was expended, while in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), that figure was $127.7 million. This represented just 38 per cent, as $339.6 million was budgeted.

In Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), $553.9 million or 94 per

expended or just 10 per cent was used.

In Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), the figure was $63.8 million, while in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), the full $141.5 million was expended.

There has already been a CoI into the Public Health Ministry. This was, however, billed as a CoI on the unauthorised disclosure of information on the procurement of pharmaceuticals at the Ministry. That CoI resulted in the Ministry parting company with former Permanent Secretary, Trevor Thomas.

Besides the previous CoI into pharmaceuticals, there have been a plethora of other CoIs since the APNU/ AFC’s ascension to office.

These include CoIs into the state of education in Guyana, the land rights CoI and a CoI into a suspicious plane found in the interior.

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friDAY, may 12, 2017

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

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

Loss of control precipitates tragic incidents

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he headline, in various ways citing “Teen dies after being struck to head by father”, dominated Guyana’s media last week.

Just previous to that, a young woman was charged and remanded for stabbing her younger brother to death shortly after wounding her mother.

A few days ago, a woman was reported to have stabbed herself during an altercation with her husband.

There is seemingly no end in sight for these tragic occurrences, which are resultant upon emotional reactions to daily stresses. It is unlikely that these incidents occur as one-off episodes; but, rather an isolated event, may trigger off a fracas generated from cumulative stresses combining many factors.

It is hardly likely that, in the normal course of things, a sister or father may want to kill a brother or a son. It takes great angst for a woman to drum up the courage to stab her own self.

According to news reports, an argument between a father and son escalated to such an acrimonious level that 18-year-old Azeez Khan of Lot 8 Better Hope, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was struck to the head by his father with a piece of wood. He died while receiving medical attention.

Allegedly, Azeez and his father, 40-year-old Omar Khan of the same address, were arguing over Azeez’s remonstrance to his sister because he objected to what the former considered inappropriate attire worn by a female member of his family. Apparently Omar objected to Azeez remonstrating with his daughter, and this ensued in a heated confrontation between father and son, at the height of which Omar is reported to have picked up a wood with which he lashed Azeez to his head, felling him to the ground. The young man subsequently succumbed to this one fatal blow.

This one tragic occurrence has left a sister and daughter mourning a brother and a father, because, in effect, she has just lost both.

Imagine the guilt she would be burdened with all her life, because she most likely would blame herself for the melee that precipitated such a tragic eventuality.

The violent episodes that have led to murder have always devastated lives across the spectrum of relationships, yet these occurrences seem to be escalating in societies across the globe.

When passions have cooled and the consequences of violent reactions to situations impact on the consciousness of perpetrators, the reality of the suffering they have caused to loved ones -- making them also victims -- may be a harsher punishment than whatever punitive measures the law may impose on them.

These disturbances that eventuate into murderous melees are often caused by impaired senses, due to over-the-limit consumption of alcohol or usage of illicit and addictive drugs; or even as a consequence of uncontrollable anger due to a multiplicity of personal and societal stressors.

Life in the olden days was much harder than what obtains today, with housewives having access to no labour-saving devices, children having no gizmos and gadgets, and fathers having no electrical or electronic appliances to make life an easy proposition; yet, the reactions to provocation were hardly ever violent, because -- especially in rural communities -- everyone looked out for his neighbour, and situations were never allowed to escalate to unmanageable proportions, because the entire neighbourhood would intervene and bring an end to the fracas almost immediately.

Sadly today, Guyanese, once known for their caring and sharing within communities, have seemingly become inhuman to the point of enjoying the spectacle of violent confrontations between protagonists, filming rather than parting fights between children, and even creating and propagating the frictions that eventuate in tragic outcomes.

Buddhists carry candles as they pray during Vesak Day, an annual celebration of Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death, at Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Picture taken using long exposure (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha)

White paper on sugar is ‘dogwhistle’ for closing industry Dear Editor, The ‘white paper on sugar’, as presented by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, is a non-paper. It is another cruel and shameless attempt to change the narrative. Like the previous desperate attempts, this white paper is just as futile; the ugly narrative cannot be changed. Far from changing the narrative, the white non-paper confirms that, at the very least, APNU+AFC is maliciously downsizing SUGAR as a prelude for its CLOSURE. This is the narrative they desperately want to change, but the Guyanese people are not buying APNU+AFC’s misinformation and misdirection.

The white paper, a doomsday presentation, provides neither assurances nor plans on how three sugar estates -- Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt -- will stay open.

In fact, reading between the lines, the definite closure of three more sugar estates in 2017, added to Wales which was closed in 2016, represent the beginning of a plan to close sugar.

David Granger, Nagamootoo, Ramjattan, Holder, Trotman, Charandass, Thomas and the whole APNU+AFC machinery, together with the hatchet team of GUYSUCO senior management and Board, must carry this shame with them forever. The scandal, fiasco and shame of SUGAR downsizing; the subsequent closure and the loss of more than 15,000 jobs; and the threat of poverty for between 50,000 and 100,000 people, will be tattooed on their foreheads forever.

More than half of the paper is filled with interesting

but irrelevant historical information, with a hefty dose of inaccuracies. Production data, even if historical, is meaningful only if it is accurate.

For example: between 1976, when SUGAR was nationalised, and 1992, production averaged about 245,000 tons annually, and not 328,000 tons. This average production under the nationalised industry was significantly below the average sugar production between 1946 and 1976, when the industry was operated by Bookers.

GUYSUCO’s records, Bank of Guyana’s Annual Statistics, Bureau of Statistics and National Budget data will confirm my statistics.

In fact, production in the 1980s fell to an average of about 200,000 tons; and, by 1991, had fallen closer to 100,000 tons. Production rose to an average above 250,000 tons in the 1990s, and even surpassed 300,000 tons on several instances in the 1990s, before encountering difficulties beginning in 2010.

These difficulties followed the EU’s arbitrary 37% reduction of the price for sugar, the impact of climate change, and the need for accelerated mechanization -- all difficult but solvable issues, but each of them but unaddressed in the paper.

Interestingly, the white paper omitted relevant information. SUGAR provided to Central Government almost $100B in monetary worth at today’s value through the Sugar Levy imposed between 1976 and 1996. This omitted information is relevant, as it places present-day cash inputs from Central Government in a dif-

ferent perspective: Central Government is repaying, not subsidizing, SUGAR. In addition, the white paper ignored the $30B in EU Budgetary Support as compensation for the arbitrary reduction of sugar prices. This, too, is relevant information for relevant assessment of what is going on in SUGAR. Significantly, diversification of GUYSUCO’s operation was an important part of the 1980s’ SUGAR Story. This was ignored in the white paper. The omitted information does not support a narrative that APNU+AFC wants to disseminate to people.

The so-called white paper ignored the recommendation of APNU+AFC’s own CoI, and further ignored the recommendation of the IMF. While it makes reference to some aspects of the CoI Report, it conveniently ignored the more relevant information, and it simply pretended that the IMF had nothing to say about SUGAR. The historical perspective, with its hefty portion of inaccuracies and its listing of problems, represent more than 75% of the paper. The section dealing with the future of SUGAR is skimpier than the bikinis that are just lines on almost naked women, leaving little for the imagination. In fact, there is little for us to imagine or speculate on, whether it is the skimpy bikinis or the white paper on sugar.

It is clear that SUGAR is being downsized, to begin with; and three estates will continue, but without plans in regard to making them more efficient and profitable, and ready for diversification; thus these will also be thrown

aside.

Diversification has always been a much-touted plan for GUYSUCO. The white paper ignored any discussion of the disastrous 1980s’ diversification schemes. Yet, the elephant in the room is APNU+AFC’s much touted plans, adverted in various public engagements, to resuscitate some of these same failed diversification plans.

Are these still being considered?

The PPP’s approach on diversification in the 1990s to 2015 was diversification of sugar-based products, as opposed to the PNC/ APNU+AFC’s plans, which diversify into non-sugar areas. For example, the PPP sought to add value by reducing bulk sugar production while increasing packaged sugar - Demerara Gold and other branded packaged sugar products and bottled molasses. The white paper completely ignores the Blairmont and Enmore sugar and molasses packaging plants. These are profitable value-added sugar products for CARICOM and other markets around the world. Is it an oversight or deliberate because it does not fit the narrative for closing SUGAR? The PPP’s diversification plan included production of ethanol to meet, first, the demand of the local market, as legislation was being prepared to mandate ethanol-based gasoline for all vehicles, with at least 10% ethanol as a requirement at all gas-stations. A prototype ethanol plant was established at Albion and showed that ethanol production was feasible and could add value to sugar. continues on page 5

guyanatimesgy.com

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

Bleak future for AFC

Dear Editor, The launching of the Alliance For Change (AFC) as a genuine third force in 2005 was, in the politics of Guyana, welcomed to serve as a balance against one party. The party’s rise and initial success defied the established language of political appeal based on ethnicity. The AFC offered a vision of pro-people policies to reduce costs of governance.

So much hope had been rested on the AFC. The party was comprised of people almost all of whom now seem compromised and not different from their predecessors. The party has given up its third-force responsibility, which had given balance to the country’s politics, and instead has seemingly morphed into the PNC (APNU).

Almost every political analyst who has studied Guyana concurs that the AFC’s involvement in coalition governance has been a fiasco. And unless its leadership and/or its con-

cerned membership urgently decides to take an objective assessment of the ground realty and act immediately, the party’s future is bleak and unrecoverable.

Most of its support has vanished because of its inability or unwillingness to rein in the dominant PNC in the ruling coalition in decision-making and policies.

The AFC mounted a serious challenge to the two dominant ethnic-based parties. It did extremely well in 2006 for a newcomer, although it did not garner much support in Indian communities, giving it the appearance of another ethnic party. In 2011, Indians flocked to the party (attracted to Moses Nagamootoo, who had defected from the PPP), but simultaneously Africans returned to its natural based PNC, leaving AFC as still an ethnic party.

It was not until 2015, through the coalition formation, that the AFC was able to

attract genuine multi-ethnic support. But in less than two years, most of the party’s supporters have withdrawn, disappointed at what they perceive to be the opportunistic, self-serving behaviour of the top echelons of that party.

There is a virtual collapse of support for the AFC. And if the leadership does not pay attention to this reality, it is only fooling itself that it is popular with voters, in much the same way that the leadership of the PPP fooled itself into believing it would never lose an election in 2011; even feeling so confident of Indian support that it put up a dour candidate as its presidential nominee. In its seemingly uncertain future as a party, the AFC as a political experiment needs to be studied and lessons taken: why people were drawn towards it, and why they are abandoning it in droves.

The AFC was formed in the context of an anti-corruption

movement, as well as to combat depraved arrogance and to lead a move away from ethnic politics (although in 2011 the party campaigned on ethnicity and won over large swaths of the Indian votes). AFC held many promises of a new politics unimagined (although the voters have gone back to their ethnic base because of the behaviour of the AFC over the last two years). Unlike the other parties, the AFC leadership was very approachable (although the leadership, apart from Nagamootoo, is no longer accessible) – the poor working class and farmers could engage them. The AFC promised that democracy would mean citizen engagement in decision-making. This idea of citizen-dominated politics had the potential of forever changing the nature of leadership-dominated politics in Guyana, in which the professional politicians alone would call the shots. But the

AFC has failed to live up to expectations in implementing this promised new politics of decision making from the bottom. The working class has been shunted aside.

Everywhere, people complain that virtually none of the party’s promises was delivered in two years of coalition governance. The AFC, they complain, has become another runof-the-mill party. And worse, AFC supporters, they say, have been abused and neglected by the very ones who had condemned the PPP and PNC for neglecting their base and for being arrogant. The AFC leadership is behaving no differently from what obtains with the other parties.The AFC started out well as a new party, but it has become intoxicated with the old wine of the old political culture.

Nothing has really changed in its role in government (corruption is rampant; waste is almost everywhere, people par-

ticipation in decision making is out the window, etc). Members complain that, since coming into Government, the AFC has not had much interaction with them. The leadership has neither channelled members’ energies systematically for the benefit of the nation or for the members, nor has it come up with any new model citizen participation whereby people can continue engagement in party work or participate in government decision-making.

And, most notably, its acerbic attacks on bad governance and corruption have become mute once in Government. The party’s future is at stake. It needs to take stock and address the situation urgently if it wants to remain relevant in the politics of Guyana, or if it wants to avoid being a paper party, a shell, like the WPA. Yours faithfully, Vishnu Bisram

Was any feasibility study done on White paper on sugar is... the proposed Crab Island facility?

Dear Editor, We, the undersigned students of the University of Guyana’s Environmental Economics class of 2017, hereby seek space in your newspaper to request clarification on whether a feasibility study was done on the proposed on-shore facility at Crab Island.

Additionally, has ExxonMobil committed to making use of the Crab Island facility by way of an agreement, or will this initiative be another ‘white elephant’?

The proposed shore house will, no doubt, provide a series of services to the emerging oil and gas sector, presumably starting with ExxonMobil’s ongoing exploration activities in the Stabroek Block. According to the Minister of Natural Resources, the Government of Guyana is either investing or facilitating the investment of US$500M in this facility. If a feasibility study was done, we are keen on being apprised of the significant findings of the investment/cost-benefit analysis.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, there are a number of unanswered questions which still linger, to which we respectfully seek answers: Is this venture going to be a purely public investment, or will it be a public-private investment initiative? To what extent has the private sector been engaged in conceptualising this project, given their vast experience in negotiating and handling business transactions?

Our class has some broader concerns: Has Guyana already determined to take royalty payments as profit oil, as opposed to money? Is the profit-sharing agreement going to allow ExxonMobil to recover 75% of its cost? We understand that the 50/50 split of prof-

it oil was negotiated a while back. Has this split been renegotiated since the major discovery? And if not, will it be? Will Exxon pay taxes from their share of profit oil, as is done in other profit sharing agreements (PSAs).

What exactly was granted to ExxonMobil in the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks over the period 2016/2017? Was consideration given to a public auction of the Kaieteur and Canje Blocks prior to Exxon obtaining exclusive rights to explore?

We wish to bring to the fore an existing model of this auctioning scenario, where, not so long ago, the UK conducted auctions in its oil & gas sector and was able to get value for money by extracting top dollar/Sterling pounds for its oil fields. This having been said, is there a plan for a public auction of other blocks in the future?

Our Environmental Economics Instructor, Doctor Thomas Singh, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Economics at University of Guyana, had attempted to engage ExxonMobil (Guyana) to discuss ways in which citizens can be engaged as more than just mere onlookers in the emerging oil and gas sector. Unfortunately, Ms Kim Brassington of ExxonMobil (Guyana) has thus far been non responsive, and this begs the question: why the deafening silence?

In furtherance of transparency, however, we verily do believe that our national patrimony is at stake in this venture, and it behooves us to request that the entire PSA be made public, so its contents can be scrutinised.

A major question of ours is whether all the information regarding this deal has been placed in a central repository available to the general public? And if not, how soon

can we expect such a move?

Finally, while the GGMC website and elsewhere offer valuable information, is this all the information available on the deal? We sincerely doubt it is!

Signed: University of Guyana’s Environmental Economics Class of 2017 Nalini Persaud Mahesh Mahipaul Sean Harmon Arielle Harsingh Ryan Goberdhan Thamesha Watson Audwin Anthony Davarshini Doobay Diquan Lewis Aruna Jainarine Khamini Ramlakhan

Nothing was said about this important venture. Again, the question is asked: “Why?” Is it because there is no plan and a closed SUGAR industry will not allow this?

The white paper conveniently ignored real questions about consolidation of estates.

Already, Uitvlugt has demonstrated that transporting canes from Wales to Uitvlugt is filled with problems - transportation of cane to the factory has increased cost of production. The same will be true for canes from most of the Rose Hall cultivation to Albion. In spite of GUYSUCO’s denial, Providence cane cultivation, which is part of the Rose Hall estate, was closed since the end of 2015. Albion, which presently boasts the lowest cost of sugar production and the most efficient in terms of cane-tosugar ratio, will be transformed

into a less efficient estate. It will be impossible to maintain Enmore/LBI cultivation, since transport cost to any factory will be prohibitive.

Finally, the idea that GUYSUCO will continue to maintain drainage and irrigation in closed estates is a myth.

The cost for maintaining the drainage and irrigation in the closed estate will become a cost that Government must take up.

This is a cost that GUYSUCO has borne, and it is now being recognised that this was included in the cost of production. GUYSUCO has always subsidised central government and local government in Regions 3, 4, 5 and 6 when it comes to maintaining D&I. The same can be said about health.

GUYSUCO has provided primary health care for its workers forever. Now this will become a cost on Government.

from page 4

The white paper confirmed downsizing – setting up SUGAR for closure -- just as APNU+AFC promised in 2014, when at least twice at APNU press conferences they declared that SUGAR should be closed. Terms such as consolidation, diversification, re-engineering, etc, are dog-whistles for CLOSURE of SUGAR. The white paper gives effect to the 2014 position. It makes a mockery of the promises that Granger, Nagamootoo, Ramjattan, Trotman and Charandass made to sugar workers and Guyana during the 2015 election campaign, when they said that SUGAR was “too big to fail”. Sadly, the white paper is merely a political prop to disguise the lies that these men told the workers.

Dr Leslie Ramsammy

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BY DERRICK MEADOR (Continued from Thursday)

Incorporate humour into lessons

Teaching and learning should not be boring. Most people love to laugh. Teachers should incorporate humour into their daily lessons. This may be sharing an appropriate joke related to the content you will be teaching that day. It may be getting into character and donning a silly costume for a lesson. It may be laughing at yourself when you make a silly mistake.

Humour comes in several forms and students will respond to it. They will enjoy coming to your class because they love to laugh and learn.

Foundation

pation, higher involvement, and an overall increase in learning. Students will appreciate the extra effort you have made to include their interest in the learning process.

Incorporate storytelling into lessons

Everyone loves a compelling story.

Stories allow students to make real-life connections to the concepts that you are learning. Telling stories to introduce or reinforce concepts bring those concepts to life. It takes the monotony out of learning rote facts. It keeps students interested in

Make learning fun

Learning should be fun and exciting. Nobody wants to spend time in a classroom where lecturing and note-taking are the norms.

Students love creative, engaging lessons that grab their attention and allow them to take ownership in the learning process. Students enjoy hands-on, kinesthetic learning activities where they can learn by doing. They are enthusiastic about technology-based lessons that are both active and visual.

Students love teachers who incorporate creative, fun, engaging activities into their daily classroom.

Use student interests to your advantage

Every student has a passion for something. Teachers should use these interests and passions to their advantage by incorporating them into their lessons.

Student surveys are a fantastic way to measure these interests. Once you know what your class is interested in, you have to find creative ways to integrate them into your lessons. Teachers who take the time to do this will see increased partici-

guyanatimesgy.com

to show your support. Encourage your students to take their passions and interests and to turn them into a career.

Finally, be considerate when assigning homework. Think about the extra-curricular activities occurring on that particular day and try not to overburden your students.

Treat them with respect

Your students will never respect you if you do not respect them. You should never yell, use sarcasm, single a student out, or attempt to embarrass them.

Those things will lead to a loss of respect from the entire class.

Teachers should handle situations professionally. You should deal with problems individually, in a respectful, yet direct and authoritative manner. Teachers must treat each student the same. You cannot play favourites. The same set of rules must apply to all students.

It is also vital that a teacher is fair and consistent when dealing with students.

Go the extra mile

learning. It is especially powerful when you can tell a personal story related to a concept being taught. A good story will allow students to make connections that they may not have made otherwise.

Show an interest in their lives outside of school

It is necessary to understand that your students have lives away from your classroom. Talk to them about their interests and extracurricular activities that they participate in. Take an interest in their interests even if you do not share the same passion. Attend a few ball games or extracurricular activities

Some students need teachers who will go that extra mile to ensure that they are successful. Some teachers provide extra tutoring on their own time before and/or after school for struggling students. They put together extra work packets, communicate with parents more frequently, and take a genuine interest in the well-being of the student.

Going the extra mile may mean donating clothing, shoes, food, or other household goods that a family needs to survive.

It may be continuing to work with a student even after they are no longer in your classroom. It is about recognizing and assisting in meeting student needs inside and outside of the classroom. (www.thoughtco.com)

(Conclusion)

By Stephanie Dolgoff

B

ecause the truth is, while teaching is the most noble profession, not all teachers are as noble as one would hope. Juliet Goldberg*, a mom of two girls in Vancouver, British Columbia, felt that way about her daughter Sara’s firstgrade teacher a few years ago. “The parents just could not believe this woman was teaching our children ,” she recalls. “I kept saying to Sara, this is not what school is supposed to be about.” The teacher made callous comments, teased children about sensitive issues, and told stories about her personal life in class, says Goldberg, adding, “Sara hated going to school.”

Goldberg spoke with the teacher several times (something the experts advise) and volunteered in class two days a week so she could get a better sense of what was going on. When that didn’t help, she decided to take the next step. Which is...

Step 4: Play Tattletale No one wants to go to the principal’s office, and that includes parents, but if you’ve raised your concerns with the teacher several times and you feel she isn’t doing her best to resolve the problem, you have a choice to make: You can decide to turn the unpleasant situation into a “sometimes life sucks, kiddo” learning opportunity for your child, or you can go over the teacher’s head. The first tactic, while perhaps not as just as the second, might ultimately be what’s best for your kid. “The truth is, most children will do fine” even if they don’t like their teacher, says Etheredge. Ask yourself, is she learning what she needs to be?

This is what happened to Christine Klepacz of Bethesda, MD. Her tween daughter’s teacher was strict and not very nurturing. To help get Alysia through the year, Klepacz told her that even though the teacher had a different personality than

she was used to, she was academically challenging, and Alysia was meeting the challenge. It was a good lesson: Alysia learned she could work with all types of people.

But if, like Goldberg, you feel that what’s going on in the classroom is turning your child off to school, by all means, speak to the principal or whoever is next on the school food chain. Tell the principal the steps you’ve already taken, and “keep bringing it back to the child’s perceptions,” says Etheredge. “Your attitude is still, we all want her to have the best year possible.” Explain how you’ve tried waiting and discussing it with the teacher, but what’s going on is interfering with your child’s education.

Depending on the principal’s style, she either will arrange for you to have another conversation with the teacher or will speak with him herself. In Goldberg’s case, the principal admitted to her privately that the teacher was a poor choice and promised the parents in that class that the following year their children would get an excellent teacher, which they did.When things reach this point, of course, you may not exactly be the teacher’s pet parent, which may cause problems for your child. But if it’s something important, as in Goldberg’s case, advocating for your child is more crucial than being labelled the annoying mom.

Step 5: Play Hardball If you suspect the teacher is taking her frustrations out on your child, especially after you speak to the principal, that’s the time to make it clear to the principal, firmly and calmly, that you’re not going away. As a last resort, request a change of classroom. Schools are very reluctant to do that, says Etheredge, but may if a child is truly suffering and the situation is unlikely to change. After much persistence, Harrison was ultimately moved out of his second-grade class and was much happier (and got better grades) with his new teacher. Still, Black saw a similar pattern developing with her second son, and moved both boys to a new school. “If you do nothing but defend your child and don’t investigate the issues, you are not helping matters,” she says. “But if a problem is repeated year after year and you’ve done what you need to do with your child, you know it’s the school.” At this point, both her sons are thriving at their new school—and that makes all the difference in the world.

There’s no use worrying about a little one headed off for their first day after looking at these preparation tips. (Excerpt from Parenting.com)

news

Guyana taps into US$64M fund to tackle youth crime, violence

– MoU signed with USAID

C

ommunities with a high rate of youth crime and violence in Guyana have been selected to benefit from the new four-year US$64 million Caribbean initiative, Youth Empowerment Services (YES) programme being implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

During the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that formalised the agreement with the Guyana Government on Thursday, Finance Minister Winston Jordan revealed the names of the communities that are to benefit from the initiative.

They include Corriverton, East La Penitence, Sophia, Lodge, and East Ruimveldt.

“These communities were selected based on the findings of studies, which show that they have the highest representations of high-risk behaviours such as incarceration, high levels of youth involvement in crime and violence, teenage pregnancy, youth unemployment, high numbers of dropouts and significant use of drugs, among others,” the Minister explained.

Jordan said the programme would help to prepare youths for employment

by Government and civil society, and help to encourage entrepreneurship among them.

USAID Mission Director for the Youth Empowerment Services (YES) programme, Christopher Cushing hands over a copy of the MoU to Finance Minister Winston Jordan during a signing ceremony on Thursday at the Finance Ministry’s boardroom

“As we develop and roll out these programmes, work will be done simultaneously to guarantee that the stigma associated with self-employment and entrepreneurship is replaced with the need to foster innovation and creativity within our young people,” he said.

The Minister also highlighted that this new initiative would build on the achievements made by the Skills and Knowledge for Youth Employment (SKYE) project, which assisted in creating alternative opportunities for young people who were at risk of becoming involved in a life of crime.

“The YES programme

is expected to increase the institutional and technical capacity of Government agencies, civil society, Non-Governmental Organisations, as well as stakeholders in selected communities to reduce the risk that fuel youth crime, violence and discrimination,” he added.

Jordan also commended the USAID for implementing the programme, describing it as a comprehensive tool, which would provide necessary interventions to correct the incidence of crime and violence.

USAID’s Mission Director for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Chris Cushing also indicated that

the YES programme was being financed because of the successes by the US-funded US$7.5 million SKYE programme, which provided at-risk youths with new opportunities to further their education, become gainfully employed and venture into small businesses which are now poised for long-term success.

Cushing expressed optimism that the YES programme would make the youths resilient to crime and violence and also reduce the chances of them becoming perpetrators.

“The project uses a community-centred and public health model for crime and violence prevention to identify, analyse and support project interventions. The project will collect data to understand where and why crime and violence is happening, and will also support juvenile justice reform.”

The project will target countries in the eastern and southern Caribbean, but will be focusing especially on Guyana, St Vincent, and St Lucia, where it was found that the emerging and existing issues warranted the intervention. It consists of three components: the Community, Family, Youth Resilience Programme; the Juvenile Justice Reform Project; and Strengthening Evidence Based Decision Making.

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friDAY, may 12, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Full, safe, unhindered access to Single Market needed for sustainable growth – COTED Chair

T

he Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry of Suriname, Ferdinand Welzijn, delivering remarks as Chair at the opening of the Forty-fourth Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in Georgetown, Guyana, has said the private sector's full, safe, and unhindered access to the CARICOM Single Market is important for the promotion and sustainability of economic growth.

However, he added that that development depends on public-private partnerships. "After all, it is the private sector that trades and does business," he pointed out.

The minister said his background in the private sector has provided him with a full understanding of the concerns and frustrations of entrepreneurs who are facing trade difficulties within CARICOM. He said the way business was being conducted in the Region had a "big impact" on the achievement of sustainable development and growth. "Abiding by the principles set out by the CSME as well as full implementation shall pave the way for a sustainable growth, as well as establish

Suriname's Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Ferdinand Welzijn

reliability for our business community," he reasoned.

"Therefore, I wish to stress the need for full, safe, and unhindered access for our business society to the Caricom Single Market,” a statement from the Caricom Secretariat quoted him as saying.

Member states, he added, needed to consider what they wanted from the CSME, and how to maintain it. "We must not hinder each other (in our efforts) to trade by using non-tariff barriers", he warned. turn to page 12

8 news

fridAY, may 12, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Father remanded for son’s murder …bribery-implicated cop under close arrest

O

mar Khan, the 40-year-old father who allegedly murdered his 18-year-old son Azeez Khan during an argument at their home at Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, was on Thursday arraigned on a murder charge at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge, and was remanded to prison until June 28.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has also disclosed that the police officer who had allegedly accepted a bribe to assist the Khan family to ‘cover up’ the crime has been placed

Dead: Azeez Khan

under arrest; and if evidence is found to support the allegation that he had

attempted to pervert the course of justice, this officer will have the appropriate charges levied against him.

The family is believed to have offered that police officer $500,000 to provide them with a suitable alibi for the murdered teen’s father.

On May 4, 2017, the 18-year-old Azeez Khan was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital after his father had allegedly hit him in the head with a piece of wood during an argument at their home. The argument had allegedly been caused by the younger Khan reportedly hitting his sister behind her head for leaving the home wearing

unbecoming clothing. It has been alleged that the elder Khan dealt his son a blow to the head with a piece of wood, causing him to collapse. The young man was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, and doctors there were told that he had fallen from a ladder.

But a post-mortem conducted on Monday revealed that the teenager died as a result of haemorrhaging caused by blunt trauma.

Both parents of the now dead teenager were taken into Police custody on Monday, and during interrogation, the father confessed to hitting the teenager, claiming it was unintentional.

Spinning wheels…

T

…in agro-processing here was a news item about Baron Foods shipping its first container of food products to Cuba – after years of cultivating new markets for its goods. Now, Baron Foods is a company owned by a Guyanese family from Berbice named “Ramjattan”.

And yes; they’re related to the Minister of “Dead Meat” fame.

Now, that’s very good news, but not necessarily for Guyana. The Baron Foods’ factory is in St Lucia, and the container is, of course, being shipped out of that island. Good for them! But what about us? Why hadn’t the Ramjattans opened their food factories in Guyana? Truth of the matter is: any investor who wants to process foods in Guyana will have to have a hole in his head!!

Nowadays, factories are mechanized, and you can’t can, flash-freeze, pasteurize, or do any of the myriad processes that fall under ‘agro-processing’ without a stable supply of electricity. And GPL just hasn’t been delivering the “juice” reliably in Guyana. And the price of the wattage it does deliver is at least double that of anywhere else! Why?? As usual, the PNC, during its looong 28 years, hadn’t only run down the physical plant of GPL, but stocked it with party-card holders “fuh so”! “Jobs for the boys”!!

When the PPP took over in 1992, it wasn’t just a matter of replacing and upping the generating capacity; there was the question of importing skills and rationalising the workforce. While the present capacity was boosted, the workforce remains a major problem because of politics. But nobody wants to call a spade a spade. Most of the line loss from GPL’s operations is done with the connivance of GPL’s employees.

Now, none of this is any secret; and, in fact, the APNU and AFC made a big fuss about fixing GPL when they were in the Opposition. Today what’s changed?

Not a darned thing! And that’s why even though Ramjattan’s relatives have announced they’ll be expanding their operations soon, it’ll be to Trinidad, and not Guyana.

All of this should be a reality check on the fancy rhetoric the Government’s spouting about leasing lands to the thousands of workers fired - and will be fired - from GUYSUCO for “diversifying” into new agro crops. You can’t just PRODUCE agro crops, unless you’ll sell it immediately. And we just don’t have the markets locally. This means the crops would have to be processed.

And processing needs ELECTRICITY - which GPL can’t produce reliably. So we’re back to square one. Another reason you have to wonder why the Government is so adamant against Amaila Hydro.

Cutting their nose to spite the PPP support base?? …on pharma supplies If there were any justice in Guyana, somebody - or bodies - ought to be facing a firing squad for what’s happening to our pharma supplies to the public hospitals and clinics -- the places where our ordinary Guyanese HAVE to go to deal with their illnesses and diseases. The more well-off folks can go to private pharmacies.

After more than a year of denial, the Government HAD to admit there are massive shortages of even basic medicines in the system. And why did they have to admit? Sadly, it wasn’t because of the evidence that had piled up like so many dead bodies; it was because they had to explain why a contract for $600M was given to ANSA McAL without following any of the procedures for sourcing drugs!! “Sole sourcing” was the least of the sins exposed. Think of the drugs costing more than TWICE the normal price. But it’s now revealed that the $600M contract was only the tip of the iceberg!

Giving their friends a cut and spiting sick Guyanese?? That’s sickness of the soul!

…on law books Your Eyewitness hopes that when the “Case of the Law Books Subscription” is finished, there will be a forensic audit of the costs incurred -- versus the cost of the books.

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

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friDAY, may 12, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Sussex Street ‘pharma-bond’ owner is now Govt drug supplier

The Sussex Street bond, which caused much controversy

L

awrence “Larry” Singh, owner of the controversial Sussex Street property that has been rented as a ‘Drugs Bond’ by the Ministry of Public Health for in excess of $14M monthly, is now a supplier of drugs to Government.

This is another of the glaring revelations the People’s Progressive Party Civic ((PPP/C) unearthed when it probed the Minister of Public Health over drugs’ purchases in that sector.

On Thursday, when that party fielded a delegation at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, the PPP/C’s shadow representative for the health sector, Dr Frank Anthony, made the following disclosure: “Now we have a new supplier of drugs...”

Citing the Government’s own Integrated Financial Management and Accountability Systems’ report, Dr Anthony queried whether Lawrence Singh the drug supplier could be Lawrence “Larry” Singh, the owner of the Sussex Street bond and a Coalition Administration supporter.

“You have a whole system here where procurement processes are not being followed.

And we feel that because of that, there is corruption that is occurring. An interesting thing when we go through some of the information that was provided. For one particular region, a name comes up, and that name is Lawrence Singh, (he) is now

supplying drugs to regions,” Dr Anthony said.

“And it begs the question whether that Lawrence Singh has any relation to the Larry Singh who is providing bond space to the Government. And so that is something we want clarified, cause it was not very clear.

And we now have a new supplier for drugs and supplies; one we never knew of before, but whose name has come up now as a Lawrence Singh,” he added.

Following on from his colleague Member of Parliament Bishop Juan Edghill, the former Junior Minister of Finance who had earlier lamented that Government appears to now be making drugs’ purchases from sawmills, corner shop pharmacies and computer stores, Dr Anthony revealed that at least one computer store is listed as a supplier of drugs for the Government’s health sector.

Larry Singh fiasco

Has the owner of the infamous Sussex Street drug bond, a known political supporter of the coalition, now branched off into supplying millions of dollars’ worth of drugs and medical supplies to the State?

These is just one of the burning questions raised by the PPPC, and it comes in wake of the Government’s own Integrated Financial Management and Accountability Systems’

(IFMAS) reports.

According to the reports, which were provided to the Opposition to answer questions on drug procurement fielded in Parliament, Lawrence “Larry” Singh is one of the latest in a line of new contractors who supply drugs and medical supplies to Government. According to the ‘free balance’ report, Singh has supplied some $7.2M worth of drugs and medical supplies to the Government.

Speaking to the matter of drug procurement, Edghill had cautioned that because 77 per cent of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation’s (GPHC’s) total allocation for the year had already been spent in the first two months of the year, he expected an imminent raping of the treasury when the Parliament goes into recess.

Edghill recalled that the Coalition Administration had opted to change the rules and allow for a single lumpsum allocation to be made to GPHC, which essentially circumvents parliamentary scrutiny.

Outlining the financial operations at the nation’s premier health institution, Edghill observed that of the total $8.5 billion allocated the entity for the year, employment costs account for $3.1billion; capital expenditure has been budgeted at $527million; dietary and meals at $537 million; and other purchases, such as cleaning supplies and security, have been budgeted at $579 million.

According to Edghill, this “would mean you have about $2.6 billion for the year for the procurement of drugs and medical supplies.”

With $2 billion of that money already spent in the first two months of the year -- representing some 77 per cent of the total allocation for the year -- Government will undoubtedly be heading to the coffers for more money.

He was adamant that “raping of the treasury will take place” during the

August recess, and the full amount would not be made known until October, when Government is made to lay a Supplementary Financial Paper in the National Assembly, detailing the expenditure.

Another matter he raised concerned the hundreds of millions of dollars being allocated to the Regions for drugs and medical supplies, while small amounts are expended for this purpose; thus the bulk is remitted to the Ministry of Public Health, which is then unable to procure the required drugs and medical supplies.

Whatever money is spent by the Public Health Minister is being done with no public tender, he cautioned. Adamant that there are set criteria in the procurement laws, Edghill pointed to the fact that 92% of the drugs’ purchases made this past year was done on an emergency basis.

Lawrence “Larry” Singh

“Are we manufacturing emergencies to avoid proper procurement…this manipulating of the system must stop!” Edghill declared.

Lamenting the purchasing practices of the Government, Edghill recalled the ‘big hullabaloo’ that was raised because drugs’ purchases were being made from the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation

(New GPC) – a company that has been pre-qualified to international standards. He queried whether the State had degenerated to the point where a public official can call anyone to request the supply of drugs and make the purchase on an emergency basis.

According to Edghill, the stench of corruption permeating the Administration has reached to the high heavens.

“This high state of mismanagement that is taking place must come to an end!” he insisted.

His call has been supported by colleague parliamentarians Dr Vindya Persaud and Dr Frank Anthony, both of whom have lamented the state of affairs in the country on the second anniversary of the coalition government’s coming in to office. PPPC Chief Whip Gail Teixeira was also present at this PPP/C press engagement.

Crabwood Creek stabbing

Husband confesses to killing wife

Rishee Lakhraj has confessed to stabbing his wife

D

ays after holding out that his reputed wife died due to a self-inflicted stab wound, a Crabwood Creek, Corentyne man has buckled under pressure during Police interrogation, confessing that he inflicted the injury that lead to the woman’s dead.

The dead woman,

55-year-old Charmoney Charlie, also called “Peelo” of Lot 73 Grant 1803 Crabwood Creek, was forced to tell medical practitioners that she had stabbed herself after her husband had gotten into a rage.

However, on Wednesday, the dead woman’s husband, Rishee Lakhraj, 64, confessed to stabbing the woman.

Police Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam confirmed that the Police are in possession of a confession statement.

Following the woman’s death on Monday, Lakhraj was taken into custody and was subsequently examined by a psychiatrist to determine his mental state – whether he is sane or of unsound mind.

However, when this publication visited the community on Tuesday, neighbours

Dead: Charmoney Charlie, also called “Peelo”

were tight-lipped. Some referred to the now dead woman as being insane while others said she was a frequent consumer of alcohol.

Police in a release on Tuesday said she died after being treated for a stab wound to her lower abdomen. turn to page 13

10 news

friDAY, may 12, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt to re-establish Brazilian specialist to testify Central Planning Unit in Babita Sarjou murder trial

– hires new Chief Planning Officer

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overnment will, with assistance from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), re-establish a Central Planning Unit to revamp its procedures and fast-track the execution of projects.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan made this disclosure on Thursday during a press conference, and said that Government will be looking at models used in the Caribbean.

“With this planning institution, we are hoping that, just like in Jamaica, we can have some kind of central projects’ body, so that it doesn’t impose these undue demands when you go at these little unit levels,” he told media operatives.

Lamenting that there is always a shortage of skills whenever Guyana secures a foreign-funded project, Jordan said this will be corrected through the establishment of the unit.

“With oil coming -- and we are looking at big mega-projects: the bridge across the Demerara River… It’s scary how we would do those projects without the skillset if we were able to get the money,” he explained.

The Minister revealed that Government is now in the process of hiring a Chief Planning Officer, who would

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

commence working at the beginning of July, 2017. While acknowledging the need for a more rigid tendering process, Jordan said steps would be taken to improve this area in the 10 administrative regions of Guyana. He said assistance to improve tendering has been provided by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and it is the Government’s intention to have this addressed soon.

“We would like to broaden the pool of evaluators. We can do some quick training on them, so that they can come and help us evaluate. We have a lot of in-breeding of the evaluation going on right now because the pool is very small, but we would like to broaden this pool,” he said.

He is encouraging retired

teachers and former police officers to apply for these positions.

Jordan has also decried the rate of implementation of Guyana’s Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), which he claimed has seen 20 percent of its work completed. “We would like to see far more done; and for this to happen, it is not so much us (which is the macro ministry) but it is the implementation ministries that we depend on. And there we have put up some recommendations, but I think (that), generally, it’s a combination of many things.”

Another reason for this sloth in implementation is the lack of quality staff.

Given the accountability and transparency objective, it requires a systemic change in the way business is done in the public service, the minister explained.

“As a matter of ensuring proper accountability and transparency, it requires a little bit more time. (This) rather than calling up a friend or two, or you meeting at some particular hideout and giving them the contract,” he explained.

Minister Jordan has admitted that sloth in implementation of the programmes is unfavourably impacting on growth of the economy.

A

Brazilian interpreter was on Thursday deemed competent to translate the results of the DNA analysis (previously sent over to Brazil), by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan following cross-examination by defence counsel as the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Babita Sarjou continued before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The Chief Magistrate ruled that she was satisfied with the competence and training of Carlos Manuel Da Costa with regard to his ability to effectively translate into English the testimony of a Brazilian doctor and specialist, who readily appeared on Skype to report his findings.

This did not go down well with Attorney-at-Law Ronald Trotman, who remained sceptical about the proficiency of Da Costa. The lawyer sought to discredit the interpreter during cross-examination, establishing that the man was ignorant of scientific terms and principles, owing to his lack of expertise in the field.

The Portuguese man initially told the court that even though he could not effectively interpret many terms of complex scientific nature, he is capable of translating the same in English providing that they (the terms) were explained to him by the analyst.

This was sufficient for the Magistrate to rule him as being competent, declaring that

Dead: Babita Sarjou

the main aim of the hearing was to decipher whether Da Costa was able to successfully translate and explain what the witness was saying.

A wary Trotman then requested that the defence have an interpreter as well to corroborate evidence given by the specialist, in order that the parties may find common ground or be placed in an “equal position” as he proposed.

Magistrate McLennan responded by expressing her willingness for the defence to have an interpreter, who would sit at the Bar table for this purpose only, since the court was already satisfied with the competence of its translator.

Another issue arose as Prosecutor Moore disclosed that Da Costa was set to leave the jurisdiction the following day and would return in August. After several minutes of negotiation, the interpreter agreed to return sooner to facilitate the contin-

uation of the PI. The matter is set to resume on June 12, 2017 at 09:30h before the court of the Chief Magistrate.

Murder accused Sharadananda Narine, of Lot 51 Seaforth Street, Campbellville, Georgetown, and his alleged accomplice, Darrel Ponton, called “Yankee” of Lot 54 Broad Street, Charlestown, were jointly charged for the death of Sarjou, Narine’s then estranged wife. They are currently on remand.

It is alleged that on November 4, 2010, the woman left her Timehri, East Bank Demerara home to meet her husband and son at the Kitty Seawall to view the annual Diwali Motorcade. When she did not return home that night, her mother became worried and filed a missing person’s report. After many months of fruitless searching, the case was closed. However in 2016, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum reopened the case as a homicide following the surfacing of new information.

Investigators made a major breakthrough when Sarjou’s estranged husband and ‘Yankee’ were questioned and subsequently cracked under pressure, leading the officials to the shallow grave holding the remains of Sarjou.

Investigations revealed that Narine had allegedly paid Ponton $50,000 and had promised him a trip to Trinidad for his services.

news

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friDAY, may 12, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

S RAIGHT

Police still to crack unsolved, high-profile crime cases – including murders of Monica Reece, Trevor Rose, and Sheema Mangar

President Granger needs a new economic chauffeur

– Govt wants to “drink mauby and belch beer”

W

hen the G7 ministers from the most powerful countries of the world met to discuss the state of the global economy, they celebrated the first quarter 2017 performance. After years of underperformance, the global economy in 2017 has so far registered more impressive growth performance than what many had expected.

In Guyana, one of the few official indicators of economic growth is the “Real GDP”, which can be found in Table 10.2 of the Bank of Guyana 2016 Annual Report. This table considers the quantities of goods and services produced (at 2016) and adjust for inflation to a base year (in the case of Guyana, 2006). So it is like comparing apples to apples, and thus provides a fair indication of the state of things.

The gross domestic product (GDP) is one of the primary indicators used to gauge the health of a country’s economy. It represents the total dollar value of all goods and services produced over a specific time period. The graphs below illustrate how drastically the composition of the GDP in 2016 has changed.

If one observes the sectorial graph (labelled “Key Drivers”), both manufacturing and construction remained flat in regard to their composition of the real GDP in 2016, while agriculture drastically reduced its share. This fact can be corroborated by the adverse performance in the rice, sugar and forestry sectors, all of which contributed to a 12.1% decline in the sector over 2016. At the end of 2016, the agriculture and forestry sectors were just 16.8% of the real GDP. If it were not for the performance in the gold industry, the Guyanese economy would have “gone for channa” by now. But a heavy long-term cost had to be paid for this expansion in the gold industry -- long-term environmental degradation and destruction. Yet, President Granger told the Londoner: “We are passionate about the environment”. Clearly, his words do not match his government’s actions.

This, then, can lead to the obvious questions: Who is calling the shots in the Granger Administration? Thanks to a 58% expansion in the gold declaration in 2016, the mining sector is now 15.4% of the real GDP, compared to 10.9% a year ago. But at what cost?

The performance in the other half of the economy (the services sector), dropped in its composition of the GDP by 2% to 53%. So the year 2016 was all about gold, and nothing else.

A very influential Regent Street businessman told me that Christmas 2016 was his worst trading season experienced in the last decade. But Jordan continues to attack the private sector. Carry on, comrade!

The second graph illustrates the GDP composition of the six sisters (sugar, rice, forestry, gold, seafoods, and bauxite). The bauxite and seafoods sector reflected relatively flat performances over 2016. As confirmed by the sectoral statistics, sugar, rice, and forestry have imploded over 2016.

Compared to a year ago, sugar is now 3.4% of the real GDP vs. 4.5% from a year ago; rice is now 4.8% vs. 6.4% a year ago; forestry is now 1.7% vs. 2.5% a year ago. This is a dismal picture indeed!

While the gold sector continues to constitute a greater share of the real economy -- climbing from 7.9% a year ago to 12.1% at the end of 2016 -- no capable policy maker would ever structure an economy around one industry. What would happen if we have an environmental spill or a major outbreak of some disease in the hinterland? Do we really think it smart to put all our eggs in one basket?

This PNC-led Granger Administration wants to “drink mauby and belch beer”. Growing an economy is about hard work, not making empty speeches. To hide their gross incompetence on the big issues, paid surrogates like Clive Thomas are put out to peddle utter rubbish in an effort to play to the gallery. Only an idiot in Government would make a statement like “G$300 billion (were) lost from the economy” because of the illegal underground economy, and not one person was arrested and charged to prove those words have substance. What Clive Thomas has achieved is to help Jordan drive a huge wedge between the private sector and the Government. Carry on, Jordan!

Who cares about 2011 and 2012 when they cannot even get aspirins at the public hospitals in Guyana today? Jordanomics has failed condignly.

Please share your thoughts at sasesin1@yahoo.com.

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Sheema Mangar

he Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is working assiduously on several unsolved crimes and cold cases, including the high-profile murders of Monica Reece, Trevor Rose, and Sheema Mangar.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said the CID was still working on several cold cases, but owing to the shortage of resources, attention was placed on ‘easier to crack’ cases.

Nevertheless, the Crime Chief stressed that the matters involving Reece, Rose, and Mangar were still open, but declined to comment on the progress on these cases.

“We have three cases that we are working on presently. We would have reopened those cases [and] interviewed witnesses, but we have other matters that we have been dealing with,” he said in an interview with this media house.

“At this point in time, we cannot divulge any further information on those cases.

I won’t even comment about progress… if I go to the information, it might compromise the investigation,” the Crime Chief further pointed out.

On Good Friday back in April 1993, the body of Monica Reece was thrown out of a speeding vehicle on Main Street, Georgetown. A suspect was detained and interrogated by ranks shortly afterwards, but was later released because of the lack of evidence. The suspect’s vehicle, a 4×4 – which was described by witnesses as being the vehicle Reece’s body was dumped from – was also returned to him.

The Monica Reece case remains unsolved, and suspects continue to be released.

The case is among the three unsolved high-profile killings that were re-opened in July last year, some two months after the Police cracked the six-year-old murder case of Babita Sarjou and subsequently charged her husband.

The other two cases are the murders of popular local designer Trevor Rose, who was shot dead in January 2014 when a lone gunman riddled the taxi he was in; and then Demerara Bank employee Sheema Mangar, who was killed during the course of a robbery back in

September 2010. She was waiting for a minibus to head home when a male snatched her cellphone and ran into a waiting motor car. In an attempt to retrieve her phone, Mangar reportedly ran in front of the vehicle and was run down.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud had disclosed, during an interview with this newspaper in 2015, that the Force would be establishing a Cold Cases Unit to investigate high-profile murder cases, which remained largely unprosecuted or unsolved. To date, there

Trevor Rose

has been no news on the establishment of the unit.

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friDAY, may 12, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Unions must be consulted CID seeks 180 in bargaining process new detectives – Lewis tells 53rd NAACIE Delegates’ Conference by year-end

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eneral Secretary of the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), Lincoln Lewis, has articulated his conviction that unions must be consulted in the bargaining process with workers.

Declaring open the 53rd Delegates’ Third Triennial Conference of the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), held at the Umana Yana in Georgetown on Thursday, the veteran trade unionist told delegates that workers

tional health and safety, internal self-government, human rights, equal pay and equal work. We must remain galvanised in protecting and advancing these achievements,” he advised.

Encouraging workers to stand firmly committed to advocating for workers’ rights despite political alliances, Lewis declared that workers must not harbour fear of victimisation by their employers in taking up leadership roles in their respective unions. He suggested that, once elected to office,

A section of the delegates at Thursday’s opening

MUST be galvanised in solidarity if they want to capitalise on gaining the benefits that they deserve.

“The right to freedom of association and collective bargaining did not come without solidarity and struggle; so too, minimum wage, paid leave, occupa-

political groupings change the tune they had when in opposition.

Former Labour Minister Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul said NAACIE is meeting at a time when the industry’s workers are facing challenges, especially in communi-

ties contiguous to the Wales Sugar Estate, which ceased operating in December last year. He said the rule of law and labour regulations are not being considered with estate closures, but insisted that laws covering terminated workers must be upheld. “[For] those who have been denied the opportunities to earn benefits under labour legislation, the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay Act [notes] that if you decide to terminate the employment of workers on certain conditions, you have to pay them their benefits,” he stressed.

President of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Komal Chand, offered that union’s felicitations, and highlighted that the theme for the NAACIE 2017conference: “Galvanizing Solidarity to Advance And Protect Workers’ Rights”, is timely, as agricultural workers are now contending with declining output and economy, several tax increases, and the closures of estates, with Enmore and Rose Hall being the two most recent.

“With the recently closed Wales Estate, some 9,000 workers stand to be affected by the Government's and sugar company’s plans.

That aside, thousands more will be touched and scores of communities will be negatively impacted,” Chand stressed.

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GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis

Other unions present at the opening of that NAACIE conference offered congratulatory messages and reiterated their commitment to standing in solidarity with NAACIE in the fight to advocate for workers’ rights.

Those unions included the Guyana Labour Union (GLU) and the Clerical and Commercial Workers Union (CCWU).

Minutes, financial and other reports relating to the NAACIE operations will be presented during the threeday conference; and elections for the senior positions of senior vice president, assistant general secretary and treasurer within that union will be held.

A minute’s silence was observed for late General Secretary Kenneth Joseph, who passed away earlier this year. The Conference will conclude on Saturday.

ne hundred and eighty new detectives are expected to join the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) by the end of 2017 to ease the constraints of the unit and assist in effectively conducting investigations.

This was disclosed

by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum on Thursday. He told Guyana Times that most of the CID officers have to attend court almost every day to testify in criminal matters.

“We have some constraints with ranks…Most of our detectives have to attend

court almost every single day to testify in criminal matters … so that’s putting a strain on us,” he stated.

Blanhum indicated that the Force has started the training programme with the intention that at the end of the year, the 180 CID ranks will assist in enhancing the effectiveness of the Police Force.

“We have commenced our training programme and we intend that at the end of the year, we have 180 CID ranks and that’s going to assist us a lot in terms of our effectiveness,” he explained.

Full, safe, unhindered ...

His remarks constitute one of the main items for discussion at the meeting – the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

CARICOM SecretaryGeneral, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, in remarking, also referred to the role of the private sector, and the creation of the environment to facilitate its full involvement in the CSME. "The private sector is asking us to do better.

The people of the Region are asking us to do better.

You can send a clear signal of your determination to make that difference

from page 7

by reaching agreement on the Regional Policy for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. It is an opportunity to open the way for the small entrepreneur to benefit from our Single Market", the SecretaryGeneral said, as he rallied the Council Meeting to "do better".

The COTED is responsible for promotion of trade and economic development of the Caricom Community. In particular, it is required to oversee the development, operation and implementation of the CSME. The meeting concludes today (Friday, 12 May).

news

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friDAY, May 12, 2017| guyanatimesgy.com

Inner Wheel Club donates In Berbice Children poisoned, canes to Blind Society

stepfather on the run

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Representatives from the Inner Wheel Club of Georgetown Central making their recent donation to the Guyana Society for the Blind and the Education Ministry’s Unit for the Blind and Visually Impaired

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he Inner Wheel Club of Georgetown Central recently donated 50 white canes worth $406,261 to the Guyana Society for the Blind, and one desktop computer and desk valued $93,000 to the Education Ministry’s Unit for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

The charitable organisation has been serving the society and the less privileged for a number of years. As such, they have recognised 2017 which also marks their 32nd chartered year anniversary, as the year that they

will be providing assistance to the blind community.

The club also raises funds to make an impact on the lives of the less fortunate through scholarships for young adults seeking training in the education field, by participating in community development activities that benefit children and the elderly, as well as by spreading cheer on festive occasions.

The International Inner Wheel has more than 100,000 members in 3895 Inner Wheel Clubs in more than 100 countries worldwide, be-

ing founded in 1924 when the wives of the Rotarians sought to assist their husbands in fundraising efforts towards rotary projects. In 1967, International Inner Wheel was founded, and while Inner Wheel Clubs continue to support Rotary, they also have their own projects.

The blind community has since expressed appreciation for the donation. The Guyana Society for the Blind indicated that the white canes serve as the main tool of mobility for blind and visually impaired persons.

olice in Berbice are on the hunt for a labourer who is believed to have poisoned the children of his girlfriend.

The children have been admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital and are being treated. A hospital source told Guyana Times that the children are being treated. According to the source Thursday night, while the condition of the children was considered stable, it has not been determined what chemical was ingested and in what quantity.

“Sometimes, it could be something that would take effect until tomorrow or the

next day…,” the hospital source commented.

According to reports, the children were at home at Lot 36 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam in the care of a relative when a man who is known by the family of their mother visited. He allegedly gave them a beverage, in a bottle, which is now believed to have been laced with poison.

It was after he left that the children complained of feeling unwell and began frothing at the mouth.

They were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital and the matter was reported to the Police.

This publication understands that the couple had an argument prior to them leaving their Angoy’s Avenue home.

B Division (Berbice) Commander Ian Amsterdam confirmed that the incident was being investigated.

Efforts to contact the children’s mother Thursday night proved futile. However, Guyana Times understands that the children were with their grandmother when the man visited.

The woman refused to provide this publication with details. (Andrew Carmichael)

Husband confesses to...

A neighbour, told Guyana Times that the woman stabbed herself on Friday evening and was treated at the Skeldon Hospital and sent away. She died on Monday.

According to the 49-yearold neighbour, on Friday, Charlie stated that she had stabbed herself after she and her husband had a fight. The fight is said to have occurred after 23:00h.

“And me run over and come. Abe try carry she to the doctor the Saturday morning and she refuse to go. She nah wan go,” she explained.

However, on Saturday night the woman allowed her neighbour to take her to the Skeldon Hospital after the pain intensified. There, she was treated and sent away.

“They give she one injection and some tablet.”

Charlie was told to return to the hospital on Sunday morning and did so where she was again treated with an injection and given more tablets. “They ent stitch up the cut, they just raise the clothes and dress am…,” the neighbour said. She related that the wound was not bleeding

from page 9

when Charlie went to the hospital. She said the woman’s life might have been saved if they (doctors) had referred her to the New Amsterdam Hospital. The woman was at home on Monday and was about to do her chores when she reportedly fell and subsequently died.

The suspect and the now dead woman have been together for the past 15 years but did not have any children. The suspect is expected to make a court appearance shortly. (Andrew Carmichael)

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guyanatimesgy.com

fridAY, may 12, 2017

Regional

Bahamas PM loses seat, party loses Brazil’s ex-President Lula calls corruption power as FNM sweeps election trial a “farce” P B

erry Christie became the first Prime Minister in The Bahamas to lose his parliamentary seat, on a day that Bahamians delivered a crushing blow to his Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and ushered in the Free National Movement (FNM), giving them almost all the seats in Parliament.

Christie conceded defeat Wednesday night, congratulating FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis on his party’s stunning 35-4 victory (based on preliminary results).

Just before 22:00h, before the final count was in, Christie released a statement in which he wished Minnis the best.

“I understand, as perhaps few others, the challenges that await Dr Minnis, and I wish him only success on behalf of our nation. He has my full support for a smooth transition,” said Christie, who preliminary results show losing his Centreville constituency by 25 votes to political newcomer Reece Chipman of the FNM.

Hubert Minnis, seen here in this photo taken at an FNM convention, will be the next Prime Minister of The Bahamas

PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts admitted the party was caught off guard by the result and would now have to consider its next step.

Among the other PLP political casualties in the election were former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell, former Tourism Minister Obediah Wilchcombe, and former Labour Minister Shane Gibson.

And while they and other losing PLP candidates were scratching their heads, trying to figure out what had gone wrong, supporters in the FNM camp were celebrating, singing “so long, bye bye” to 73-year old Christie and his Administration.

In his victory speech before the party faithful, Minnis acknowledged the serious challenges that lie ahead, but said the FNM

was “confident that with God’s help and with hard work, we shall overcome.”

Saying the road to victory was a long-fought battle, he thanked supporters who had rallied behind him and his party.

But Minnis also assured that those who did not, that they would have nothing to fear as the FNM takes over the reins of Government.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Antigua-Barbuda Ambassador warns OAS against “politics of exclusion” posed upon them”.

The statement of the Antigua and Barbuda representative was supported by several delegations from the Caribbean and Latin America. The convenors of the small group meet-

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[Juan Manuel Herrera/OAS photo)

ntigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders, on Wednesday sounded a warning to OAS member countries against “the politics of exclusion” and meetings, headed by powerful nations, which then seek to impose their decisions on the membership as a whole.

Speaking at a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organisation on a proposal to convene a special ministerial meeting to consider the situation in Venezuela, including a proposal to change the rules governing such meetings, the seasoned diplomat declared: “My delegation sounds a warning about a troubling development in

this Organisation. It is one of the politics of exclusion – the creation of a process in which some countries exclude other member states from consultations, resulting in the formation of positions that are then introduced in this Council as a fait accompli.”

He said, “The process becomes one of achieving objectives, even at the cost of creating divisions in our membership and weakening the authority of the Organisation.”

Sanders, who has served as President of the Permanent Council, cautioned against this “emerging practice”, stating that “each member state is entitled to a voice and to be consulted; not to have the self-interest of a few im-

D

ozens of protestors against Venezuela’s socialist President Nicolás Maduro massed outside a cultural centre in Madrid on Thursday evening as the country’s Ambassador to Spain, who was stuck inside, decried what he called a “kidnapping” by demonstrators.

Several hundred people gathered outside the extension of the Venezuelan Embassy at around 1630 GMT. By 2100 GMT, dozens of protestors were still chanting “Venezuela, freedom!” at the site in central Madrid.

Some banged pots and pans, though Spanish riot Police had pushed back much of the thinning crowd behind a line of Police vans.

Mario Isea, the Venezuelan Ambassador in Madrid, earlier told state TV channel VTV that he was holed up inside the cen-

Wash.

It was the first time that both faced each other in court, in the southern city of Curitiba, where security had been stepped up.

Wearing a sober suit and a tie striped with the colours of the Brazilian flag, Lula repeatedly denied the accusations against him.

“I consider this trial illegitimate and the accusation a farce,” he said, according to a video released after the testimony.

He also strongly criticised the media for a coverage that, he claimed, “demonised” and “criminalised” him. The press, he added, wanted him “dead or alive”.

But Judge Moro rejected this: “The press has no role in this case whatsoever,” he said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Mexico investigates video showing soldier ‘killing’ man

ings, including Mexico and Canada, in declaring they were acting in “good faith”, agreed that future consultations should be inclusive and formal. (Excerpt from Caribbean

News Now)

Venezuelan protestors block embassy centre in Madrid

Antigua and Barbuda’s permanent representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS), Sir Ronald Sanders, speaking at a meeting of the Permanent Council on Wednesday

razil’s former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has made a fiery defence against corruption charges he faces in a much-anticipated testimony.

In a five-hour closed session, Lula rejected allegations that he received a flat as a bribe in a scandal linked to the State oil company, Petrobras.

He called the case “illegitimate” and a “farce”.

Lula faces a prison sentence if found guilty. If cleared, he says he will run again for the presidency next year.

The 71-year-old former President, still considered a hero to many in Brazil, was questioned by Judge Sergio Moro, who oversees the corruption investigation into Petrobras, known as Car

tre with embassy staff.

“We are besieged,” Isea told the channel by telephone, adding that Spanish authorities had not moved rapidly enough to defuse the situation sooner. “They refuse to move and they want to set conditions for us to be able to leave. This is a kidnap.”

It was not clear when he would leave.

The Venezuelan embassy could not be reached for comment.

Demonstrations against Maduro’s Government have flared up across Venezuela over the last month, as Opposition supporters pour onto the streets demanding elections and in protest against the economic crisis.

“What we want are elections and for Maduro to step down,” said Salvador Rocafull, a SpanishVenezuelan urological surgeon who had joined the crowd in Madrid. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Mexican soldiers on patrol in Palmarito last week after clashes with alleged oil thieves

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exico has launched an investigation after a video was made public appearing to show one of its soldiers shooting a man dead at point-blank range.

The alleged extrajudicial killing was caught on security cameras in Puebla state.

The footage emerged in local media, a week after a major clash between security forces and suspected oil thieves in the same town, Palmarito.

Four soldiers and six alleged criminals died in that incident.

The new video shows soldiers opening fire on a car carrying suspected oil thieves, before one of them is pulled from the vehicle and seemingly shot while lying on the ground.

Mexican media said both incidents happened on the night of May 3.

The Defence Ministry said in a statement that Federal Prosecutors should “comprehensively clear up”

what happened.

The Ministry also said soldiers had come under fire from the vehicle.

Mexico’s army has been embroiled in a number of scandals in recent years and its work in communities – working against criminal gangs – is hotly debated.

Earlier this week, an international think-tank released a report ranking Mexico as the world’s second deadliest after Syria.

The annual Armed Conflict Survey, by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), based their report on the number of homicides last year.

The IISS report said that Mexico’s drug cartel-fuelled violence had claimed 23,000 lives in 2016, more than the violent deaths in Iraq or Afghanistan during that period.

The Mexican Government rejected the findings. (Excerpt from BBC News)

FRIDAY, may 12, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Korea urges ‘parallel’ talks, Trump insists he’s not South sanctions to rein in North under FBI investigation S U S President Donald Trump has insisted he is not under investigation, while dismissing the FBI Director he fired as a “showboat” and “grandstander”.

Trump also told NBC News it was his decision alone to sack James Comey.

Comey was leading an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US election and possible collusion between Trump campaign officials and Moscow.

Trump has dismissed the probe as a “charade”, a claim directly contradicted

by Comey’s successor.

In his first interview since firing the FBI Director, Trump told NBC News on Thursday he had asked Comey whether he was under investigation.

“I said, if it’s possible would you let me know, ‘Am I under investigation?’ He said: ‘You are not under investigation.’”

“I know I’m not under investigation,” Trump told the interviewer, repeating a claim he made in Tuesday’s letter of dismissal to Mr Comey.

The President also appeared to undercut the initial White House explanation that he fired Comey on the recommendation of top justice officials.

US President Donald Trump has had a love-hate relationship with Comey over a tumultuous year

“He’s a showboat. He’s a grandstander. The FBI has been in turmoil. I was going to fire Comey. My decision,” Mr Trump said.

“I was going to fire regardless of recommendation.” Trump recently tweeted that the Russia-Trump collusion allegations were a “total hoax”.

But on Thursday he denied that he wanted the FBI and congressional inquiries to stop.

“In fact, I want the investigation speeded up,” the President told NBC. Trump said he had just sent a letter via a law firm to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stating that he has no investments in Russia, “none whatsoever”, nor any

property in Russia.

(Excerpt from

BBC News)

outh Korea’s new President launched international efforts to defuse tension over North Korea’s weapons development on Thursday, urging both dialogue and sanctions while also aiming to ease China’s anger about a US anti-missile system. Moon Jae-in, a liberal former human rights lawyer, was sworn in on Wednesday and said in his first speech as President he would immediately address security tensions that have raised fears of war on the Korean Peninsula.

Moon first spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping and later to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The conversations were dominated by how to respond to North Korea’s rapidly developing nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, which are in

violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

“The resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue must be comprehensive and sequential, with pressure and sanctions used in parallel with negotiations,” Moon’s spokesman, Yoon Young-chan, quoted Moon as telling Xi. “Sanctions against North Korea are also a means to bring the North to the negotiating table aimed at eliminating its nuclear weapons,” Yoon told a briefing, adding that Xi indicated his agreement.

Moon has taken a more conciliatory line with North Korea than his conservative predecessors and advocates engagement. He has said he would be prepared to go to Pyongyang “if the conditions are right”.

Moon’s advocacy of en-

South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping by telephone at the Presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea in this handout picture provided by the Presidential Blue House and released by Yonhap on May 11, 2017

gagement with North Korea contrasts with the approach of the United States, South Korea’s main ally, which is seeking to step up pressure on Pyongyang through further isolation and sanctions. (Excerpt from Reuters)

UN experts call for lifting of Kashmir social media ban

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nited Nations human rights experts have urged India’s Government to lift a ban on social media websites and mobile Internet services in Indian-administered Kashmir.

In late April, Indian authorities banned 22 social media sites and messaging apps, including Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp, as well 3G and 4G cellphone data services for one month.

The Government said at the time the ban was necessary, because social media services were “being misused by antinational and antisocial ele-

ments”.

David Kaye, the UN special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, and Michel Forst, the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, said in a statement on Thursday that the ban had “disproportionate impact on the fundamental rights of everyone in Kashmir” and had the “character of collective punishment”.

Such restrictions “fail to meet the standards required under international human rights law to limit freedom of expression,” Kaye wrote.

Forst said such blocking “disrupts the free exchange of ideas and the ability of individuals to connect with one another and associate peacefully on matters of shared concern”.

Others sites and apps covered by the ban include

Wechat; QQ; Qzone; Google Plus; Skype; Line; Pinterest; Snapchat; YouTube; Vine and Flickr. “[The ban] is to control the political space. The Government is trying to control things in a military way which is not going to help,” Gull Mohammad Wani, a professor and political analyst, told Al Jazeera after the ban was imposed. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

16 news Rose Hall sugar workers intensify protest against closure friDAY, may 12, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

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orkers attached to the Rose Hall Sugar Factory in East Canje, Berbice have intensified their protest action against the impending closure of the estate.

On Thursday, factory and field workers, accompanied by their family members and bolstered by sections of the business community and taxi drivers, marched from the Rose Hall factory to the entrance of East Canje -- a distance of four miles -- to signal their frustration at the APNU/AFC Coalition Administration’s decision, as announced on Monday by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, to close the sugar estate by year end.

Following an earlier announcement made by President David Granger that Rose Hall is one of the estates tabled to be closed, workers had staged sever-

al small demonstrations in hope of getting the attention of the Agriculture Ministry before its subject minister presented the promised ‘white paper’ in the National Assembly last Monday.

The realisation of what is likely to happen as a result of Government’s controversial decision has hit home, and the workers have expectedly reacted.

In a release, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) referred to the protesters as being large in number.

“The workers are justifiably concerned over their future, which appears bleak if the Government pursues closure as it says. Regular employment is hard to come by, and closure of the estate will aggravate this problem in the area. It is such concerns that are prompting workers to come together and unitedly call on the APNU/AFC

Government to ensure that Rose Hall Estate remains operable”, a release from GAWU has said.

The release said Government closed Wales Estate last year, leaving many of that estate’s 1,700 workers now jobless and despairing. At the end of this year, Rose Hall and Enmore/ LBI Estates are to be closed, as disclosed in Government’s ‘white paper’ on sugar, presented to the National Assembly on May 8.

“The Berbice protestors were in an angry mood as they visualise hardships that await them, and the real prospects of destitution of them and their families that are expectedly in store if the Estate is allowed to go to the gallows at the end of this year,” GAWU has said.

“The unconscionable anti-working class action by the Government, which failed to conduct a study of

the consequences of its rash and haphazard decision, will impact seriously the victims - workers, pensioners, housewives, children, vendors and others”, the GAWU statement continued.

“The Rose Hall workers recognise the need and importance to continue their united struggle, which they hope to sustain with greater solidarity in their courageous efforts to defend their jobs, their rights, their families, and ensure a secure and dignified future”, the GAWU statement concludes.

GAWU official Seepaul Narine, who was a part of Thursday’s protest, said the workers are now upset following Monday’s announcement. He said they are convinced that what is happening is the perpetuation of a wrong decision.

“So this morning you have more than one thou-

sand workers who have come out to register their protest against the administration. We are asking the Government and GuySuCo to review this decision, because it is a decision that will hurt everyone who is employed and also those who are not employed with GuySuCo, because the Rose Hall Estate is the source of sustenance for many villages around,” he explained.

He said the employees will be directly affected and the spin-off effect will affect businesses and the community as a whole. “There is no study as to what the workers will do when the estate is closed. We need them to go back to the drawing board,” he posited.

Narine said the protest will continue, and is likely to intensify.

Meanwhile, Region Six Chairman David Armogan explained that the decision

Rose Hall sugar workers on Thursday intensified their protest action against the impending closure of the estate

will not only affect those at GuySuCo, but everyone in Region Six. He said the workers are being fooled by Government into thinking that alternative employment will be provided. “They are telling the people that alternative employment will be provided at Albion and Blairmont; but if you are reducing the cultivation to just about 2000 acres from what it is presently at 9000, you are knocking out about 7000 acres. So what will happen to those workers who were involved in the cultivation of the other 7000 acres?” he asked.

Armogan said it is time Government comes straight in informing the sugar workers about the future, and there also is need for consultation, since it is obvious that there is no plan on the way forward if the estate does close. (Andrew Carmichael)

guyanatimesgy.com

friday, May 12, 2017

continuing a tradition that has been relished for over three decades.

This year marked the 38th production of oncluding the celebrations of the Nrityageet which has over the years significantly paid 179th anniversary of Indian Arrival homage to the Indian forefathers who laid the foundation to Guyana this year was the annual for the development of the multicultural society that exists Indian cultural spectacular, titled Nrityageet. in Guyana. The performances reflected the traditions and The National Cultural Centre came to life on heritage of those who came from India over a century ago Saturday and Sunday last as the Nadira and Indranie and passed on through plantation society, making its way Shah Dance Troupe staged their yearly tribute to into 21st Century Guyanese society. arrival and contributions of the Indian ancestors The artistic pieces also accurately highlighted who came as indentured immigrants. the fusion of culture that took place throughout the Through dance, music, poetry and fashion, generations as a result of the diverse multiethnic spirited performers took to the stage over the society that stands throughout the country. weekend to celebrate the arrival and The event this year presented a unique opportunity presence of East Indians in Guyana while for those in attendance to have a connection and showcasing their talents and understanding their roots, especially with the various religious and traditional performances that were delivered.

It also provided a chance to appreciate the hardship of the indentured labourers and celebrates the strides made by Guyanese to rise above the challenges of the trying days of the past.

Apart from the production, the nine delegates vying for the coveted title of Miss Guyana India Worldwide made a special appearance.

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s Guyana works to compile a 60-strong contingent for the upcoming Carifesta XIII slated for August 17-27 in Barbados, the stage is now set for the commencement of auditions.

On Sunday, all persons satisfying the criteria to be possibly included in the Guyana contingent with specific focus on the Performing Arts section are expected to attend the auditions at the Umana Yana, Georgetown, starting at 14:00h.

The three categories include Drama, Music and Dance and are expected to portray the local theme of ‘Guyana an Emerging Green State.’ There will not be any individual auditions, as the auditions are catering for groups.

The performing arts criteria for selection are as follows: Drama: To select the best new Guyanese play from the National Drama Festival 2016.

This has to be in keeping with the themes that reflect the identity, interests and preoccupations of the nation of Guyana.

Cast members of the play should include

persons who can perform in other areas/genres: story-telling; spoken word and include persons who represent the age group category – youth.

Members should also have the ability to conduct workshops and perform individually in the different genres of drama such as spoken word.

Music: These will include the winners of the minor categories in the National Steelband Competition at Mashramani 2017. Members of this group should possess the ability to interpret a musical score.

Dance: A company that can best represent Guyana on an international stage. The group must have at least three different dance styles and must be at least five years in existence, with the ability to conduct workshops.

The duration of each audition should be no more than a 10-minute presentation and registration will be done at the venue. For further information persons can make contact via telephone numbers 604-7712, 641-7364 or 696-1193.

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guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017

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Model search winner Alana Pheonix and her daughter along with other participants

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Tribute to Mothers was held at the New Thriving R e s t a u r a nt , Providence, East Bank Demerara, as the second instalment of the monthly ‘afternoon delight’ feature.

The very sophisticated and entertaining event showcased brilliant steel pan music that serenaded the guests.

Makin’ Style Boutique promised a makeover and Cheryl Noel was the mother selected, so the audience saw her before the makeover.

All the mothers and children were elegantly dressed in the personal style segment that they selected from their very own wardrobe. It was not mom and daughter but mom and son which added a special twist to this segment.

The first fashion segment included Noneika Daniels and her daughter Keyanna Thom, Mandy Isaacs and Son Avi Isaacs, Lorane Sears and daughter Stacia Cameron, Wendy Herdmonstine and daughter Jewel Herdmonstine, Candacy Subrattie and son Conan Subrattie, Veronica Murray and daughter Ongel Hamlet, Simone Beckles and daughter Callesia Rodney, Alexis Noel and son Antwan Dickson and Allana Pheonix and daughter.

Alana Phoenix, winner of Guyana Model a few years ago, said motherhood has changed her; she has become more responsible and a lot more mature, adding that she is completely grateful for God’s wonderful gift and she will do everything in her power to make it worthwhile.At the event, a very touching, spoken word piece was done by the talented Nesia Bamfiled as her tribute to all mothers; and Petal Bourne performed fantastic renditions of “Hallelujah” by Alexandra Bruk and “Mama” by Candi Staton.

The second fashion segment featured Sonia Noel designs with jewellery from Mag Elegance, which featured colourful flowing pieces. The mothers were very energetic as they took their walks and turns with radiant smiles.

One final model made a grand entrance; Cheryl Noel with a complete makeover wearing a black and red exclusive outfit by Sonia Noel, earring by Fiona Graham Northe, make-up by Meleesa Payne and hair by Ann Chance of Exprezz Brows.Lucky mothers won fabulous prizes at the event.

welve mature Guyanese women over the age of 30 will showcase their talent, creativity, and professionalism, and highlight their many roles in and contributions to society when the Miss Renaissance Pageant is held in August 2017.

The delegates were sashed at a simple ceremony earlier this week at the Umana Yana. This will be the eighth year for the pageant, which is organised

by Negla Brandis. The delegates are all professional women and will be going through rigorous competitions leading up to coronation night.

However, on pageant night, the delegates will be judged on the introduction, talent and evening gown segments.

Guyana Times Entertainment caught up with one of the delegates, Jennifer Lall Shiwbalak, a mother of two, who is also a teacher at the Diamond Secondary School.

Born on January 12, 1980, this professional is

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he place to be this Saturday evening is definitely Palm Court for the TBH (Tequila, Body Shots and Hookahs) concept party – one that will be off the hook. Over the years, Pulse Entertainment has been hosting Body Shots but this time around, some Hookahs will add magic to the party.

It’s all about those who love Tequila, Body Shots and Hookahs and from the feedback, all partyholics do. So this Saturday, make sure you don’t miss this exciting party as the promoters tantalise and entice

your mind with Tequila, Body Shots, and Hookahs.

Apart from the excitement, there will be some of the best deejays around to make sure; patrons have fun to the max. These deejays include Shizzle, Ryan and Country Boy. Tickets for the event cost $2000 in advance and more at the door. Early bird tickets are located at Movietown, Pulse Online Shopping, Game Express and Palm Court.

The event is sponsored Pulse Online shopping, 93.1 Real FM, and 94.1 Boom FM.

not a stranger to pageantry, since she won several titles as a young lady growing up. Actually, it all started while she was attending the Covent Garden Secondary and she decided to enter the Miss Covent Garden Secondary Sari Pageant.

She outshone her rivals and copped the title. That was in 1993; in 1994, she went on to win the Miss East Bank Sari Pageant.

In 1995, Shiwbalak was crowned Miss Phagwah.

After a four-year hiatus, she returned in 1999 to pageantry when she competed in the Miss Diwali Pageant and again, she was successful.

Her pageant résumé was boosted with the titles of Miss Queen on Light in 2000 and Miss Music Fantasia Phagwah in 2002.

Mrs Shiwbalak is a trained Class One Grade One teacher and also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education Administration from the University of Guyana. She is confident that she will do well in the pageant and as such, called

Jennifer Lall Shiwbalak

on the public to support the contestants.

The elegant woman believes that the pageant will not only remind her of being in pageantry in her younger days, as she plans to use the opportunity to meet a list of professional women of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

its and Jams Entertainment is gearing up to host some of the most exciting events to mark Guyana’s 51st Independence Anniversary commencing on May 25-27.

On May 25, the first party titled “Flag Party” will be held at the 704 Sky Lounge.

Ladies will be admitted free before midnight, after which patrons will pay $2000 for admission. On May 26, all roads will lead to Hits and Jams Waterworld for a family fun day.

There will be lots of entertainment for the entire family. These include bar-be-que, a children’s fun park, among other things but there will be high-class music by the best deejays from Boom FM. As the sun sets, all will head to the National Park for the Independence J’Ouvert party featuring some of the best soca artistes in the Region and locally. Advance tickets cost $1000 but $2000 at the gate.

The final event is billed for May 27 and will take the form of a boat cruise. The boat will leave the Transport and Harbour Wharf at Kingstown at 18:00h and travel into the Demerara River, where is will anchor for several hours before returning to Kingston.

Performing on the cruise are Stichie One Man Bank, Super Ray One Man Band, Fusion International Sound and Stereo Sonic.

Here again, the Boom Deejays will add some vibes to the event. Tickets for the boat cruise cost $2000.

friDAY, may 12, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

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orn on April 17, 1992, Simeon Joseph Browne, formerly known as “Lil J” is a unique young man who can be referred to as a true ‘go getter’. He is the eldest of his mother’s four children and growing up with his grandmother, he learned the value of hard work.

From a tender age he always had a passion for music; from a regular singer at church to the singing of traditional folk songs his grandfather taught him.

He got so connected to the art that he one day transformed his backyard into a mini band room comprising of instruments made from old pots and tins and a keyboard that was given to him by his uncle. From constantly experimenting with his homemade band, he taught himself to play and write songs.

During his secondary school years at St Mary’s High, Browne became involved with everything musical in the school, including singing in the choir and participating in school concerts which later resulted in him receiving the St’ Mary’s Musical Award for the contributions he made.

After graduating, he was employed at a communication firm and took the same spirit of getting involved with music, which lead him to participating in the company’s “Qualfon’’ Idol competition and emerging as the winner.

Because of his faith and the inspiration he got from listening to songs from his icons, he subsequently got introduced to platinum records where he was exposed to new sounds and equipment.

After recording and releasing his version of the popular folk song “Janey Gal”, Lil J became a household name and began performing with top artistes and bands in and around Guyana. In 2011 he decided to approach

Kross Kolor Records and secured recording, management and producing deals.

To date, he has written songs for some of the most prevalent acts in Guyana and has performed for many diplomatic forums, stamping his name as “One To Watch”. Simeon is a singer/songwriter and one of Guyana’s youngest arrangers/producers.

He co-wrote and performed the song “Thank You” which was made for the President of Guyana; has performed at many concerts locally and regionally, and even shared the stage once with Damion “Junior Gong” Marley.

Browne was the Director of Production at Kross Kolor Records and is an active member and the secretary of the Guyana Music Network. Simeon started his Productions Company Wondamang Productions in 2008 and has been working with seasoned local and regional acts such as Jumo Primo, Adrian Dutchin, Fojo McPherson, Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts, Tennicia De Fraitas, Peter Ram, Jay Anderson, Exile De Brave, Shawn English and Grenada Music award winner, Richie Stanislaus.

The talented young man has composed and produced music for artistes as well as for big companies, ranging from GTT to Digicel Guyana and Guyana Goldfields.

He is responsible for the team song behind GTT’s biggest campaign – “Switch It Up’’. In late 2015, Simeon self-wrote, performed and mixed the winning theme song for Guyana Goldfields Inc, entitled “ A Golden Future’’.

With all the experience and exposure, Browne recently released his newest single, “Without your Love”. The song can he heard on Sound Cloud and he can be followed on Instagram and Twitter.

n 2015, SAS Designs led by a young Guyanese fashion designer Shan Anthony Seecharan launched its first clothing collection “Fresh Blooms” as part of the Fashion Forward Friday fashion show event.

Since then, SAS Designs has become a name synonymous with fashion and the fashion industry in Guyana.

Designing for Tasmin Coats, host of the TCL television show and other clients including the 2016 Miss Emancipation Beauty pageant winner, Delisha Wright, and

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atrons of arts and entertainment in Guyana will be in for a treat later in the year as GEM, the country’s premier lifestyle and entertainment magazine, is planning a big event, GEM Arts and Entertainment Awards (GEM Awards) in celebration of the people who made us laugh, dance, dream, cry, cheer, scream and thoroughly appreciate their creativity over the years.

Miss Guyana India 2017, SAS designs is committed to creating clothing that will boost confidence and self-worth.

Poised and ready, SAS Designs is launching yet another collection called “Golden Treasure” which is set for Sunday, May 21, 2017 at the Millennium Manor Hotel, Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

A release from the magazine stated that a special awards committee, chaired by the publisher of the magazine, Simeon Corbin, had been set up late last year just for the occasion, and they have been working vigorously since then with stakeholders to make this inaugural event a memorable red-carpet experience.

The magazine also stated that after 13 years of unrelenting and unbiased cov-

This collection is said to reflect the designer embracing his career and being true to himself in an ever changing and diverse fashion industry.

The event is also to be used as a platform for other young talents to promote themselves.

There will be a special appearance by Quinton Pearson.

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SAS Designs strives on new challenged as it is fast becoming a household name in the local fashion industry.

Tickets for the event cost $2500 for general admission and $4000 for the VIP experience.

erage of the who’s who in Guyana’s entertainment, it was long overdue for them to say “thank you” in a big way and to share their choices of the standouts at a special public awards ceremony.

What makes this event different is that it recognises artists and their work across the arts and entertainment spectrum, just like the magazine has been doing for over a decade. It is an award gala, but also a true celebra-

tion of the industry, something that has never been done before.

More information will be forthcoming as details for this grand event unfold. In the meantime, the committee is inviting fans to follow the process at facebook.com/ gemawardsguyana; #gemawardsguyana; #GAEA17 where they can offer suggestions for honorees, nominees, and who should be considered as the event hosts.

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friDAY, may 12, 2017

Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab…

Mumbai fall short despite Pollard’s whirlwind

Kieron Pollard

K

i e r o n Pollard's one-man wrecking crew fell just short of guiding Mumbai Indians to a record IPL chase against Kings XI Punjab.

Martin Guptill took one of the all-time great IPL catches before Kings XI Punjab fought off a potential record chase to keep their play-off hopes alive with a stunning seven-run win over Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.

Kings XI needed to win at the iconic venue to stay in the play-off hunt and Wriddhiman Saha's magnificent 93 not out, after being promoted to opener, set the tone.

Guptill (36 off 18 balls) and captain Glenn Maxwell (47 off 21) provided explosive assistance to the wicketkeeper as Kings XI thundered their way to a massive 230-3.

Lendl Simmons looked like mounting a response in kind by smashing five fours and four sixes for 59 runs before he was caught on the long-on boundary one-handed by a flying Guptill to wrest momentum back Kings XI's way.

And though Kieron Pollard (50 not out off 24) and Hardik Pandya (30 off 12) threatened something truly great late on, the visitors clung on to move within a point of fourth-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad with one round of group games to go.

The West Indian almost outshone Saha, but the India international's effort was ultimately a match-winner.

Saha and Guptill brought up the Kings XI fifty in just 22 balls and the glovesman kept the pedal to the floor once Maxwell joined him at the crease.

The Australian took Harbhajan Singh for three sixes in a brutal opening over from the veteran spinner, but was bowled just shy of a half-century, attempting to flick Jasprit Bumrah behind square.

Shaun Marsh (25) and Axar Patel (19 not out) gave Saha able partnership as Kings XI racked up the highest total of the season, but Mumbai returned in kind through Simmons' masterful innings.

Simmons and Parthiv

Patel (38) put on 99 for the opening wicket, but a crucially sticky union between Rohit Sharma (five off seven) and Nitish Rana (12 off 12) that added just 13 runs in 15 deliveries ultimately proved costly.

Pollard did his best to yank the contest back as he and Hardik smashed nine maximums between them, while Karn Sharma's sixball 19 helped take things to the last over.

There was controversy as Pollard appeared to deliberately run short as Maxwell closed in on the ball in the deep, getting back on strike at the cost of a run before belting the next delivery over midwicket for six runs.

But Mohit Sharma (2-57) kept his head to limit the powerful batsman's angles and keep Kings XI alive.

(Sportsmax)

GFF/ STAG Elite League…

Buxton rout hapless Monedderlust 4-0

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second half blitz of four goals helped Buxton into third place as action continued in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Stag Elite League on Wednesday at the Tucville, Ground.

As it has been the trend with Monedderlust, they started out brusquely in a first half that saw both teams playing good counterattacking football with most of the chances falling Buxton’s way. However neither

side could convert those chances, and at half-time the teams went in with the scores level at 0-0.

Buxton was awarded a free kick in the 56th minute some 30 yards from the opposition’s goal. Up stepped Dennis Denver who duly converted the free kick to give Buxton the lead, some would say that it was a gift as the Monedderlust custodian misjudged the free kick and could only watch as the ball sailed into the back

Buxton condemned Monedderlust to their 8th defeat on Wednesday at the Tucville Ground

of the net.

Hence the floodgate was opened as the Monedderlust defence waned, Dillon Wright nicked the ball off a defender who looked as though he was just going through the motions and duly converted in the 63rd minute.

This was the beginning of the end for Monedderlust who simply did not put up a fight as Paul Kingston notched up a goal in the 78th minute to give Buxton a three goal lead.

The last nail in the coffin came in the form of a tremendous strike by William Europe in the 84th minute.

This result meant that the Buxtonians are now in third position just one point above East Coast counterparts Victoria Kings who sit in fourth on 11 points. The league looks all but decided with the Guyana Defence Force on top with 27 points with Fruta Conquerors trailing in second with 22 points.

With the final round slated for Sunday night at the GDF ground, the battle for third place bills to be an interesting run in, with Victoria Kings facing Monedderlust, Top XX coming up against Buxton and league leaders GDF facing Fruta Conquerors, the triple header begins at 16:00hrs.

SCOREBOARD

Kings XI Punjab innings (20 overs maximum) M Guptill c Pandya b KV Sharma 36 W Saha† not out 55 G Maxwell* b Bumrah 47 S Marsh c †Patel b McClenaghan 25 A Patel not out 19 Extras (lb 1, w 6, nb 3)10 Total (3 wickets; 20 overs)230 Did not bat: M Vohra, R Tewatia, MM Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, I Sharma, MJ Henry Fall of wickets: 1-68 (Guptill, 5.3 ov), 2-131 (Maxwell, 10.6 ov), 3-183 (Marsh, 15.2 ov) Bowling: H Pandya 2-0-290 (1w), McClenaghan 4-0-54-1 (2nb, 2w), Bumrah 4-0-24-1, Malinga 4-0-45-0 (1nb, 3w), K Sharma 3-0-321, Harbhajan Singh 3-0-45-0 Mumbai Indians innings (target: 231 runs from 20 overs)

L Simmons c Guptill b Maxwell 59 P Patel† c Vohra b MM Sharma 38 N Rana c Guptill b Patel 12 R Sharma* c Guptill b Tewatia 5 50 K Pollard not out View dismissal HH Pandya c †Saha b Sandeep Sharma K Sharma b MM Sharma 19 Harbhajan Singh not out 2 Extras (lb 2, w 5, nb 1)8 Total (6 wickets; 20 overs)223 Did not bat: MJ McClenaghan, JJ Bumrah, SL Malinga Fall of wickets: 1-99 (Patel, 8.4 ov), 2-106 (Simmons, 9.3 ov), 3-119 (RG Sharma, 11.4 ov), 4-121 (Rana, 12.4 ov), 5-176 (Pandya, 16.1 ov), 6-207 (KV Sharma, 17.5 ov) Bowling: Sandeep Sharma 4-0-42-1 (4w), Henry 2-0-40-0 (1w), I Sharma3-0-29-0 (1nb), M Sharma 4-0-572, Patel 3-0-28-1, Maxwell 2-0-8-1, Tewatia 2-0-17-1

Gayle only West Indian named in greatest Champions Trophy XI

Chris Gayle

C

hris Gayle is the only West Indian player named in a greatest Champions Trophy XI put together by Cricket Australia ahead of the upcoming edition of the tournament in England.

The team captained by Sourav Ganguly also includes Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Damien Martyn, Rahul Dravid (wk), Shane Watson, Daniel Vettori, Kyle Mills, Muttiah Muraltiharan and Glenn McGrath.

Gayle has typically performed well at the tournament.

He was the second highest scorer in 2004 and was at his best in the 2006 edition, with three hundreds for an average of 79 from eight matches.

There will be no West Indians present at the 2017 edition, which will be held in England and Wales from June 1 to 18, as the team failed to qualify for the tournament due to lowly ranking. The West Indies won the 2004 edition of the tournament.

Ganguly always performed brilliantly in this as a powerful opener with Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag.

Out of the 13 matches he played, he hammered centuries in the semi-final and final of the 2000 event. (Sportsmax)

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YELLOW PAGES FRIday, may 12, 2017 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

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fridAY, may 12, 2017

Wong ready to wield his racket under pressure

By Akeem Greene

A

s if the hopes of a nation wresting one’s shoulders to qualify for the 3rd Youth Olympic Games is not enough for a 16 year-old, the added pressure of having to write Caribbean Secondary Examinations should vividly illustrate the current situation of National Table Tennis Player Miguel Wong.

Wong left these shores on Friday afternoon en-route to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to participate in the Latin America Continental championship.

A stellar performance by the player could see him qualify for the 2018 Youth Olympics Games in Buenos Aries, Argentina and though cognisant of the pressure, he is focused on reaming clam. “ It is allot pressure knowing everyone is backing you and saying good things about you, I just have to go and out, put up a good performance and don’t let it bother me as I try to remain cool”, the player revealed.

Wong is attempting to follow in the footsteps of fellow racket wielder Chelsea Edghill who attended the 2nd edi-

tion of the Youth Games held in China.

“This is a big opportunity for me because not allot of table tennis players get an opportunity to compete in such a high level of competition from Guyana”, he expressed.

Adding that “I have been training very intense; I will go and put my best foot forward and try to take Guyana further than many other countries”.

In the highlighting the changes he has made to his technique, the right-hander explained that “I have been trying to improve the mental toughness physical endurance during matches”.

With six years playing experience under his belt, Wong credited the nurturing of his Titans Table Tennis Coach Dwain Dick and the assistance of Idi Lewis for helping him reach this stage.

The Mae’s student is hopefully that this exposure could help attain a scholarship but as soon he returns to these shores his focus will be continuing his CSEC Exams on May 22.

His participation is this event while offering the opportunity to qualify also enhances his chances of gaining a

Universality place given the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) position on Universality allocated provisions.

It also gives possible selection to the ITTF “With the Future in Mind” Road to Buenos Aires program which offers enhanced and rigorous training regime.

Further, he will also be attending the South American Youth games scheduled for September 2017 and the Pan American Junior and Cadet Games qualifier which will help his international ranking.

Miguel Wong

Stag/WDFA Derrick Josiah 3rd knockout Football…

Den Amstel, Achievers book semi-final spots A

T

Some of the jubilant participants after one of the training sessions

he nationwide 2017 Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket Competition has been postponed until the September school term.

According to a release from the GCB on Thursday, “the postponement is due to the current inclement weather, which has been forecasted to persist into the month of July “.

The Cricket Development Committee (CDC) of the GCB has determined that the postponement would facilitate a more effective and smooth conduct of the competition.

As a consequence, all primary schools are asked to note the adjustment. This information is also expected to be channeled to schools through the Ministry of Education’s Regional Education Offices.

To date, the districts of New/ Amsterdam/Canje and East Bank Essequibo are the only two locations to have commenced the competition.

However, primary schools will be encouraged to enjoy the benefits of the coaching education programs which involves the activity aspects of “Meet the Emerging Player” and “Cricket Is My Game – Learn IT.”

Further, School teachers and club coaches will benefit from four (4) Child Protection Programs, which are scheduled to be conducted during the first two weeks in June 2017. The Child Protection programs will target interested individuals from the areas of Berbice, Essequibo, Upper Demerara and specified locations in other parts of Demerara.

Additionally, it should be noted, that the revised fixtures for the 2017 GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Progression One Cricket will be circulated during the current school term.

Rupununi to benefit from referees’ beginners course T

he Rupununi Football Association (RFA) in collaboration with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will host a Referees’ Beginners’ Course at Lethem,Region 9, from today until May 14th.

This event is scheduled to have the participation of forty (40) persons, both male and female, from five villages as well as some from central Lethem and will be held from 10:00hrs – 17:00hrs daily.

This is the second course facilitated by the GFF for the RFA and will cover both classroom and field sessions including the Laws Of The Game, filling match forms, report writing, the role and functions of referees as well as that of the Fourth Official.

It will be facilitated by Stanley Lancaster, Head of the GFF Refereeing Department.

Additionally, Lancaster said that an oversight referees’ body for the region will be installed and a Referee Development Officer appointed. “The initiative is part of the new structure for referee development across the country and aligns well with the new direction of football management as implemented by the Technical Department. This new structure will enable better development and management of referees. The Referee Development Officer (RDO) will be responsible for appointing and training referees as well as reporting to the department.”

A national roll-out of the new structure will be announced with a RDO appointed for each Member Association.

Stanley Lancaster

n evening of good football excitement was seen on Wednesday as home side Den Amstel and Young Achievers were through to the semi-finals of the Stag/West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) Derrick Josiah 3rd knockout Football tournament.

Den Amstel thrashed Stewartville 5-0 with goals from Delon Lanferman who opened the score sheet in the 6th minute. Lanferman added Delon Lanferman his second two minutes later and then saw Kester Jacobs (12th minute) put the score 3-0 at half time.

On resumption, a double by Gideon Payne (60th and 62nd) ended the misery for the opposition.

The next match saw Eagles United receiving an upset with only themselves to be blamed as the lost 2-3 in a close encounter against Young Achievers.

Marius Williams penned his name on the score sheet in the 60th minute giving the Sara Lodge based side the lead after a goalless first half.

It would be just twenty minutes later that the score would be leveled via Achievers’ Lloyd Prince. With confidence the Eagles replied when Chris Macey got the ball past the Achievers goalkeeper to score in the 85th minute taking the score 2-1.

Seconds later Prince leveled the scores and as pressure mounted the Eagles fell to an own goal in the 86th minute.

Tonight at the same venue two more clubs would be looking to secure their places in the semi-finals as Pouderoyen FC will face Golden Warriors at 18:00 hrs and the feature match will see Uitvlugt coming up against Wales United FC. Head coach of Pouderoyen FC, Travis Bess made mentioned of his team coming into this tournament as a fit and ready unit.

He noted that his team’s main focus is to win against golden Warriors, the will move their attention forward to their next opponent. His first team is expected to come from Sherwin Bernard, Kevin Humphrey, Alex Softliegh, Sebastian Edwards, Donford Williams, Morgan Denny, Darrell Abrams, Denzil Boyce and Quessey Alleyne.

Wales United coach\player Alexander Clarke said that come tonight his side will be facing a very strong team in the tournament but will not let up on any surprises since he has the confidence in his players to create an upset once given the opportunity.

With the likes of kelvin Roberts, Lawrence Phillips, onacy Bernard, Dorwayne paul, Tevin John, Rupert Harpresaud and Shaquille Dos Santos the South West Demerara team is out to give an account of themselves.

The semi-finals will be played on Sunday at the aforementioned venue.

guyanatimesgy.com

friDAY, may 12, 2017

23

Brighto Paints presents the Q Mobile Cup Test Series …

W

Chase, Holder restrict Pakistan to 376

est Indies safely negotiated an awkward last half hour to head to stumps without having lost a wicket in response to Pakistan's first innings total of 376. Kraigg Brathwaite and Keiron Powell were circumspect, eager to bat again tomorrow and technically adept enough to deserve it. That only 14 runs came off the 11 overs they faced will bother no one, considering Pakistan had trudged along in much the same way for almost two sessions.

On a day likely to be remembered for the pace, or the lack of it, Azhar Ali got his 14th Test hundred, and was supported

by Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfraz Ahmed as Pakistan looked set to bat through the day. However, West Indies bowlers came back into it in the final session as the last five Pakistan wickets fell for only 65 runs.

All eyes were on Sarfraz after tea, with Pakistan looking to inject some sorely lacking momentum into their innings. However, they were dealt a major setback early on in the session when Jason Holder took two wickets off two balls to send back Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah.

With the score on 322 for 8, West Indies would have hoped to run through the last two batsmen and make Pakistan pay for

their lack of intent earlier on. But Sarfraz maddened them by bringing his street-cricket skills to the fore. The wicketkeeper bats-

Azhar Ali made his 14th hundred

man basically took guard outside leg stump, forcing the bowlers off their lines, and collected 39 of the 45-run partnership between himself and Mohammad Abbas.

Just as Pakistan began to close in on 400, Sarfraz edged one from Devendra Bishoo into first slip's hands. Hasan Ali came in and was good for a pair of lusty boundar-

Banks DIH quenching the thirst at Caribbean Schoolboys boxing championships

President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle receives the sponsorship cheque from Clive Pellew, Brand Manager (Water)

B

anks DIH Limited has teamed up with the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) for this weekend’s 2nd Annual Caribbean Schoolboys and Junior Boxing championships at the National Gymnasium on Mandela Avenue.

The local beverage giants will sponsor the regional championships under its Rain Forest Water brand.

President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle received the sponsorship cheque from Brand manager of Water Clive Pellew during a simple presentation ceremony on Thursday.

Ninvalle expressed gratitude to Banks DIH Limited for the timely sponsorship of the event which is being hosted for the second time

by the GBA. Banks DIH Communications Manager Troy Peters said the tournament continues to support the development of boxing in the Caribbean and his company was very supportive of this initiative.

He extended a warm welcome to the visiting teams and officials and made a call to the Guyana team to “Win the Title”.

Six countries including Guyana will compete in the tournament which opens on Friday evening and runs until Sunday at the National Gymnasium.

The other competing countries are Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Jamaica and St. Lucia.

Fight time each night is 19:00 hours.

ies before Bishoo cleaned him up.

Pakistan's bowlers may still be favourites with a cushion of 376 runs behind them, but a top team should really aspire for more after batting nearly 150 overs.

In the morning, taking aim at all those criticising them for batting too slowly on the opening day, Pakistan had a simple response.

You ain't seen nothing yet.

There were only nine runs in the first 10 overs - and among them were five successive maidens. The run - if you can call not scoring a run - made an early start by half an hour almost needless.

Why bother when the game just struggled to move on?

West Indies formed their second guard of honour of the Test as they welcomed Misbah after dismissing Younis Khan lbw for 18 off 75 balls. Then they outdid their generosity by dropping the Pakistan captain, playing his last Test, on 0. Squared up by a ball that shaped away, Misbah looked back to see his outside edge being dropped by Shane Dowrich. It was the wicketkeeper's second drop of the Test, and it left Holder, the bowler, buckling at the knees.

West Indies, for all their struggle to pick up wickets, did keep things quiet with the old ball.

Eventually, Shannon Gabriel took the new one in the 89th over, which only provided a fresh sig-

nal for Pakistan to retreat further rate. However, he picked out longinto their shell. Misbah had, at on to give off- b spinner Roston that point, uncoupled batting with Chase the third of his four wickets.

A better side than West Indies scoring runs completely, at one stage having one run off 52 balls. would probably have punished Azhar at the other end finished the Pakistan for their approach on morning with 37 runs off 92 balls Thursday, and West Indies themas Pakistan achieved their objec- selves may yet do so. But, Misbah tive of not losing too many wickets. has made an art of being a conAfter lunch, however, Azhar trarian, and as he leaves the Test was undone attempting a rare at- arena, don't bet against him provtacking stroke, a slog sweep over ing everyone wrong one final time. midwicket. He missed the ball by (Cricinfo) some distance it spun back into his stumps, (Misbah-ul-Haq, 126.2 ov), Pakistan 1st innings bringing 127 7-322 (Mohammad Amir, Azhar Ali b Chase to an end Shan Masood c Holder b Chase9 129.2 ov), 8-322 (Yasir Shah, a grinding 129.3 ov), 9-367 (Sarfraz Babar Azam c Powell b Joseph55 Ahmed, 144.5 ov), 10-376 hundred Younis Khan lbw b Holder 18 (Mohammad Abbas, 146.3 ov) that had Misbah-ul-Haq* c †Dowrich b Bowling: Gabriel 32-9-67looked like Chase 59 0 (7nb, 1w), Joseph 27-9hard work.

Asad Shafiq c Singh b Chase 17 64-1 2.37, Chase 32-5-103Flickering 4, Holder 32-9-71-3 (1nb, Sarfraz Ahmed† c Hope b signs of Bishoo 51 2w), Bishoo 23.3-3-61-2 aggression Mohammad Amir b Holder 7 West Indies 1st innings emerged Yasir Shah c Powell b Holder 0 K Brathwaite not out 5 from Asad Mohammad Abbas st †Dowrich K Powell not out9 b Bishoo 4 Extras 0 Shafiq, as Hasan Ali not out 8 Total (0 wickets; 11 overs)14 he looked To bat: SO Hetmyer, SD Extras (b 4, lb 6, w 3, nb 8)21 to go over Hope, RL Chase, VA Singh, Total (all out; 146.3 overs)376 the top in SO Dowrich†, JO Holder*, D Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Shan a bid to Bishoo, AS Joseph, ST Gabriel Masood, 12.4 ov), 2-139 improve Bowling: Mohammad Amir (Babar Azam, 54.2 ov), 3-177 5-2-5-0, Mohammad Abbas his side's (Younis Khan, 77.5 ov), 4-241 3-1-2-0 0, Yasir Shah 2-0(Azhar Ali, 106.3 ov), 5-274 desperate4-0, Hasan Ali 1-0-3-0 (Asad Shafiq, 118.5 ov), 6-311 ly poor run

SCOREBOARD

Caribbean Schoolboys Boxing Championship…

T&T ready to dethrone Guyana – action gets underway today at Gymnasium

T

he Trinidad and Tobago junior boxing contingent arrived in Guyana yesterday ahead of the Caribbean Schoolboys Boxing Championship slated to begin this evening at the National Gymnasium from 19:00 hrs.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sport T&T Coaches Jason Aqui and Merrill Simon exuded confidence in their boxers’ abilities and potential for winning gold in their respective categories.

Guyana who won the inaugural tournament will be looking to defend their title.

“Our intention is to medal in all categories, gold medal in all our categories, we have the ability to medal

with the proper pool of talent that we have” Aqui pointed out. He maintained that the tournament provides an opportunity for coaches to review young talent while keeping an eye on the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.

Meanwhile Head Coach, Merrill Simon noted that the Championship is now a “tremendous” initiative as it helps to nurture the youth in the sport further strengthening the Caribbean’s foundations in boxing.

The T&T team consists of eight boxers; Blessing Waldropt, Nyrell Hosein, Juan Rodriguez, Abdul Taylor, Tyreek Hosein, Edwin Felix, Denzil Massy and Nickell Joseph.

However the St Lucia team, is coached by Conrad Fredericks and led by Nathan Ferrari, who copped the Best Boxer award at the tournament last year.

Light welterweight Ferrari who was named St Lucia’s Best Junior Boxer of 2015, heads the list of St Lucian boxers that will also include Kareem Boyce, Kimlyn Martie and Jwevel Martie.

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Boxing Board has named its three-man team that will represent the country in the tournament designed to help develop talent in the region.

Joshua Forrest Davidson and Daniel Hylton will be doing battle for Jamaica

Coach Jason Aqui

during the two-day tournament while Robert Napier is the coach.

The other teams at the three-day event are Barbados and Suriname.

Ringside tickets cost $1000 while entry to the stands is $500.

Woodpecker Products Junior National Squash…

Wiltshire, Harding take opening day honours

T

he Woodpecker Products Junior National Squash Championships got underway Wednesday evening at the Georgetown Club Squash Court with top ranked players Shomari Wiltshire and Makeda Harding producing dominant performances.

In boys’ u-15, Wiltshire defeated Jason Gomes [11-1, 11-1, and 11-2] while Samuel Ince-Carvalhal produced a similar achievement against Osmond Mack, winning 11-0, 11-1 and 11-2; Gianni Carpenter and Lucas Jonas also secured wins in that category.

In the girls’ u-15, Harding was explosive, thumping Caribbean junior

Makeda Harding

silver medallist Kirsten Gomes 3-11, 4-11 and 9-11 and Teija Edwards in straight sets.

Louis Da Silva, Mohryan Baksh and Nathan Rahaman secured wins in the boys under 11 category while Ethan Jonas, Michael Alphonso, and Demetrius De Abreu in the boys under 13 category.

The championships, which will be used to select Guyana’s junior squash team to compete in the upcoming Junior Caribbean will continue nightly at the aforementioned venue with the final day being Sunday.

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

FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Brighto Paints Presents Q Mobile Cup Test Series…

Chase, Holder restrict Pakistan to 376 Pg 23

Roston Chase celebrates one of his four wickets that caused a lower-order collapse ©AFP

Caribbean Schoolboys Boxing Championship…

T&T ready to dethrone Guyana Pg 23

–action gets underway today at Gymnasium Challengers to the Throne! T&T Boxers with Coach Jason Aqui (far right)

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