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2 dead, 2 critical after 3-vehicle collision at Coverden, EBD guyana-times.com

Issue No. 2830

Monday, April 18, 2016

Page 7

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Urgent P9 intervention needed to help Berbice economy – Chairman ... business owners downscaling, employees laid off

Education CoI

P11

Ministry to commence public consultations

Lack of potable water frustrates Pomeroon residents P10 – acidity high in river

P10 Suddie Hospital lacks essential medication, services

Constitutional reform Inset: Fifteen-year-old Hansranie Persaud and 22-year-old Rudolph Bess who were killed Sunday following a horrific collision at Coverden Public Road, East Bank Demerara

Pensioner burnt to death in Enmore home Page 8

DDL/GRA settlement

Other companies will use deal as ammunition to get tax refunds – Jagdeo Page 3 …Govt will lose billions

Interim report recommends reduction of presidential P9 powers

– PM says to be implemented before next elections

Corruption, extrajudicial killings leading human rights problems in Guyana – US State Dept

Page 12

... criticises Nagamootoo’s attempts to censor media

Guyana P2 committed to sustainability of rum industry – Granger ... viability of industry threatened by US trade measure

2 news

monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Takeover of BaiShanLin

State-owned Chinese firm to visit Guyana in May C

hinese logging company BaiShanLin will soon be bought over by the Chinese Government, which intends to satisfy and expand on the outstanding obligations of the company to Guyana.

With 55 per cent of shares acquired, Stateowned Chinese firm Long Jiang Forest Industries Group, the takeover is slated to occur sometime this year.

In fact, the corporation’s vice director Wong Dong Xu along with a delegation of company representatives will be in Guyana by May 2016 to complete due diligence for the takeover.

During his recent trip to China, State Minister Joseph Harmon had met with company officials to discuss the undertaking.

Harmon had explained that he used the opportunity to convey all the concerns and expectations of the government and the people

of Guyana with respect to BaiShanLin. BaiShanLin has repeatedly failed to honour several of its obligations to Guyana, including the establishment of a state-of-the-art integrated wood processing value-added facility in Linden which was to be completed by the end of 2013.

The Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) had recommended an immediate termination of the investment agreement with government and to force the company to surrender its control of five local concessionaires.

While in opposition, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) had expressed its intention to hold BaiShanLin accountable for its many failures however, now in government, their posture towards those forensic audit recommendations are currently indeterminate, given the change of

ownership of the Logging Company and its eagerness to maintain a healthy Guyana/China diplomatic relationship.

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is currently conducting an investigation into the company.

BaiShanLin was granted a State Forest Exploratory Permit (SFEP 01/2011) on November 4, 2011 despite the fact that it did not meet the criteria including: (a) the submission of audited financial statements for the last five years; (b) evidence of technical and financial qualifications; and (c) a history of compliance.

However, a key consideration for the grant was the assurance of BaiShanLin to establish the state-of-art integrated wood processing value-added facility in Linden by the end of 2013.

Additionally, as a condition for the grant, the company was required to carry out an Environmental and

Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) before any extraction could begin; prepare a business plan and do a forest inventory.

However according to the forensic audit report, at the time of the expiration of SFEP 01/2011 in November 2014, the company did not honour any of its obligations.

“BaiShanLin contended that it faced a number of constraints, including passing through eight concessions and the need to repair/ upgrade roads; and that it had since been able to access the area,” the report explained.

BaiShanLin was then granted an extension of one year to fulfil its outstanding obligations and to set up the wood processing plant.

But the report pointed out that there is no provision in the Forestry Act 2009 for an extension once the expiry date is reached.

The extended permit ex-

pired on 4 November 2015 but there was no board of directors in place to address the issue.

The company applied for a further extension of two years to fulfil the outstanding obligations but the Ministry of the Presidency is yet to make a decision.

Furthermore, the report revealed that notwithstanding BaiShanLin’s failure to meet the obligations under SFEP 01/2011, the Commission granted the company a second exploratory permit on 26 April 2013 which covers 73,015 acres of State forest.

BaiShanLin was also granted two State Forest Permits (SFPs) covering an additional 8,170 hectares of State forest.

Moreover as stated in the document, during the period 2009-2014, shareholders/directors of BaiShanLin acquired controlling interest in five logging companies through the acquisition of shares; however there was no evidence the specific approval of the Commission was granted in relation to the change of ownership/ control of these companies. These companies hold Timber Sales Agreements (TSAs) covering a total of

441,119 hectares.

As outlined in the report, the Forests Act prohibits the granting a State forest authorisation to two or more persons associated together in a joint venture unless each of them qualifies under the Act for the grant of such an authorization.

In addition, without the written consent of the Commission, the holder of a State forest authorisation cannot engage or be involved in any act that results or likely to result in a change of effective control, including transferring the authorisation or entering into a sub-contracting, subletting arrangement.

If this happens, the holder has to give written notice to the Commission and surrender the authorisation.

Any such transfer, sub-contacting or sub-letting arrangement is void, and the authorisation is deemed revoked.

Therefore, in BaiShanLin’s circumstances, the holders of the TSAs should have surrendered their authorisations to the Commission because now, the Chinese logging company had access to a total of 627,072 hectares of State forest.

Guyana committed to sustainability of rum industry – Granger ... viability of industry threatened

by US trade measure

President David Granger

P

resident David Granger has declared his commitment to providing much needed support to the local rum industry to ensure its survival and sustainability in the face of the major threat to its competitiveness on account of trade-distorting measures taken by the United States federal government.

He made this declaration Monday last while addressing a gathering of industry leaders, the business community and the diplomatic corps who were present during the launch of Demerara Distillers

Limited (DDL) El Dorado Grand Special Reserve 50th Anniversary Special Rum at the El Dorado Rum Heritage Centre.

Caribbean countries stand to lose approximately US$700 million per annum if the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are allowed to continue current arrangements in which the governments of those two United States possessions enjoy a tax rebate from the US Federal Government to provide huge benefits to companies to produce and market rum for the United States market.

Turn to page 10

news

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monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016 | guyana-times.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, April 18 – 14:30h-16:00h and Tuesday, April 19 – 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, April 18 – 14:10h-15:40h and Tuesday, April 19 – 14:45h-16:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

DDL/GRA settlement

Other companies will use deal as ammunition to get tax refunds – Jagdeo …Govt will lose billions

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout most of the day. Clear to partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East to East North-easterly between 3.12 metres and 4.91 metres per second.

High Tide: 14:31h reaching a maximum height of 2:36 metres.

Low Tide: 08:05h and 20:25h reaching minimum heights of 0.90 metre and 0.82 metre respectively.

Saturday, April 16, 2016

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

B

everage giant Demerara Distillers Limited’s (DDL) whopping $3.8 billion Consumption Tax write-off from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) just opened avenues for other companies to seek refunds on taxes paid, thus ultimately depriving the state of billions of dollars.

Condemning in the strongest possible sense the controversial out-of-court settlement, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed that already there are reports in the private sector of other major companies consulting lawyers about this possibility. officials “Management from a major local alcohol and beverage producing company have made it clear, in the past when I was President, that the company would be seeking a refund depending on the outcome of the DDL matter. If this company were to conservatively use DDL’s case to advance a call for a refund of taxes it paid this could result in the treasury balance being further diminished. Extrapolating the refund for one company on consumption tax alone could total some $7.6 billion up to 2006, inclusive of interest,” he pointed out in a statement to the media on Saturday evening.

He added that the total

would represent over $16 billion in revenues loss, in the case of only two companies (adding the refund for one company and the liabilities for DDL [$10.6 billion] and subtracting the $1.5 billion that was paid by DDL in the settlement).

Jagdeo reminded that during his meeting with President David Granger, he had offered to have the Attorney General Basil Williams be briefed by his predecessor Anil Nandlall about five major cases involving billions of dollars in taxes lawfully owed to the State, including the DDL matter; however the offer was rejected.

“The offer was made because the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) believes we must safeguard the State’s revenue sources and this is not a matter that ought to be contaminated by politics,” he stated.

Jagdeo also argued that the DDL settlement, as well as the possibility of other companies seeking refunds, will cost the State billions in revenue dollars – billions that could have been used in areas that the coalition government told the nation they could not afford to fund.

“It would have taken $1.7 billion to keep the Wales Sugar Estate functional, thereby safeguarding 2000 jobs and the welfare of 28,000 residents on the West Bank Demerara.

It would have taken $1.6 billion to continue the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant for 177,000 public school children across the country.

It would have taken a further $500 million in water and electricity subsidies that would have benefited upwards of 40,000 pensioners.

These would have amounted to only $3.8 billion, but were callously not funded. While these social interventions would have cost only $3.8 billion, this single tax deal will cost the treasury upwards of $16 bil-

lion for the period 2001 to 2006,” he stated.

Jagdeo further contended that the settlement sends the wrong message to the business community, “that a company can unilaterally decide to stop paying taxes, while other companies comply with the law, take the matter to court and drag it out until a sympathetic government comes to power and settles its debts to the State.”

He explained that the potential cost of this single settlement and its possible consequences amount to more money than the State received in loans and grants in any single year.

“We call on the international community and in particular the international financial institutions to note this wanton and deliberate haemorrhaging of the National Treasury by the coalition Government,” he urged.

Moreover, he asserted that the lack of transparency and the secrecy with which government continue to manage the affairs of State are increasingly becoming causes for concern and are now being institutionalised.

He therefore demand that government disclose critical information in relation to this tax deal, including whether or not an assessment of DDL’s liabilities in respect of Excise Tax for the period 2006 to 2016 was done and what was the sum of that liability; who negotiated the settlement; if the

settlement was approved by Cabinet or the board of the GRA; on what principles was the sum $1.5 billion arrived at; and whether other deals were concluded or are currently being negotiated.

Furthermore, observers are questioning the secrecy with which this multibillion dollar tax write-off was negotiated which has now given credence to a claim by former Commissioner General of GRA Khurshid Sattaur that he was asked to get involved in unsavoury acts, including massive tax write-offs.

In January 2016, when Sattaur was fired, he made some damning revelations, among them was he being asked on “repeated occasions” since the new government took office to do various things such as settling taxpayer’s cases for meagre sums that would have cost the country billions of dollar in lost revenue.

While Sattaur at the time did not name any individual or company, the DDL case may very well be one such which he had referenced.

4

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monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016

Views General Editor: Michael Younge News Hotliine: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707

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

Editorial

Constitutional Change?

A

ccording to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) government is still committed to its campaign promise to institute constitutional change in Guyana. In its elections Manifesto, the coalition had floated a plethora of constitutional reforms addressing presidential powers, sexual orientation and the electoral system, among others subjects.

“The Constitution, in its current form, does not serve the best interest of Guyana or its people. Within three months of taking up office, APNU/AFC will appoint a Commission to amend the Constitution with the full participation of the people. The new Constitution will put the necessary checks and balances in place to consolidate our ethos of liberal democracy. Freedom of speech, reduction of the power of the President and the Bill of Rights will be enshrined in the document,” read an excerpt from the coalition’s Manifesto.

During the campaign, Nagamootoo had also stressed that too much power was concentrated in the President’s hands Directly upon being sworn-in, Nagamootoo reiterated his commitment to Constitutional change. But it was not until August 2015, long after the promised “three months”, that a “Constitutional Reform Steering Committee” (CRSC), was established by the Subcommittee on Parliamentary Affairs under Nagamootoo, its chairman. The CRSC, under the chair of Attorney Nigel Hughes would take submissions from citizens and civil society organisations, submit a report to the Prime Minister who would then take the report to Cabinet. Thereafter, a Parliamentary Constitutional Reform Commission would come on stream and it is this committee which would effect the changes to the Constitution.

While the CRSC submitted an interim report in January, the promised final one was delayed because of the unfortunate passing of one of its members, Haslyn Parris.

The Chairman, however, has recently reaffirmed that the report should be ready soon.

There are few who would deny that constitutional change is sorely needed in Guyana. In the normal course of events, institutions change or new ones arise in societies as the populace confronts altered circumstances and agree on fresh ways of dealing with the new realities.

In the US, for instance, a furious debate is being waged as some states begin to recognise same-sex marriages. We in Guyana have been grappling with abolishing discrimination against citizens based on sexual orientation – which is a human rights issue that has long been settled in all but the most backward jurisdictions.

But it was not only in the private realm that inappropriate institutions were foisted on us – it was just that these were very glaring against the alternative practices we engaged in from our surviving cultural repertoire. In the public domain, the institutions of official rule that constituted the state – the government, the police, the judiciary, the public service, etc – were all imposed by the British who were maintaining a colonial order meant to keep the populace in submission.

Burnham, in launching a new constitution in 1980, claimed he adapted the institutions of the state to our indigenous “cooperative” ethos. What was more pertinent after, however, was he centralised almost all state power in the Executive and almost all powers of the Executive in himself. He created an Imperial Presidency: more that Louis XIV he could boast if he wanted, “I am the state”.

While the constitutional changes that were inaugurated in 2000 – following the PNC violence-induced Herdmanston Accord – were supposed to address the overly centralised powers of the Presidency both major parties, in working towards a compromise, shied away from the fundamental changes in the state structure that would have really truncated the Imperial Presidency.

Of recent the contradictions immanent in eliding that stumbling block to deeper democracy have surfaced even within the coalition partners. All Guyanese are looking at Nagamootoo to see if he will run with the ball that he especially has declared needs to be taken over the goal line.

History will not absolve Nagamootoo if he falters.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have toured India and Bhutan, taking in visits to a remote monastery in the Himalayas, archery, feeding rhinos, a game of cricket with children and wreath-laying to commemorate victims of attacks by Islamist militants in the city of Mumbai in 2008. The Duke and Duchess visited the Taj Mahal on the final day of their tour, and were photographed on the bench where Princess Diana was pictured in February 1992 (AFP)

Bullyism in education sector Dear Editor, The Minister of Education, in his old age, is designing a new layout for exam papers.

What the Minister of Education does not know is the world of computer programming, its joys, and drawbacks. Because of age, they are wallowing in forgetfulness.

He is not like the President who summons all Cabinet Ministers to argue something he wants to implement within the society.

The Minister of Education, I am sure failed to call his Head of Departments and discuss his Cabinet demand of his colleague’s moves or motives to be implemented

in the Guyanese society.

Such a decision is backward and defies democracy. The MoE is dictatorial or the Minister may have used a few persons to dictate his views on Grade 6 Exams in Guyana.

I want to agree with Priya Manickchand that the view expressed by the Ministry of Education is studded with subjectivity, victimization, profiling and insecurity of students.

Such an explanation released by the MoE should be divulged to parents beforehand.

Incidentally, I can vividly remember when the Minister of Education clamoured for parents to form a PTA in keeping

with consultative democracy to consult with teachers on issues affecting them in order to promulgate the process of democracy.

The real advice would have been to spend money to implement a massive project which requires people consultation to explain the new examination structure.

This empirical research could have been used to get the nation’s views on education and other issues.

But to just come out from the blues and dictate this new feature for students putting their names on test papers is called ‘bullyism in education’. This never happened in Guyana.

This kind of adminis-

tration by the APNU/AFC reflects a more Burnham, a dictator who was the President. I am calling on the nation to vigorously protest and reject the views of the Ministry of Education and stymie government fruitless ideas.

I am of the view that asking students to put their names on the examination papers is disrespecting students by exposing them to a database for further verification and to reveal their secrecy.

Will there be a reverse in this situation, I ask?

Sincerely, Chandradat Deonandan, Canada

Burma Rice Research Station needs review Dear Editor, Please permit me to share my views on malpractices taking place at the Burma Rice Research Station.

It is alleged that the present administration and management of the Burma Rice Research Station are engaged in a lot of undesirable practices which contradict the guideline principles that govern the cultivation of basic and certificated seed paddy.

The allegations are: several seed fields which were heavily logged caused ‘roguing’ not to be done properly; many other fields were not ‘rogued’ at the correct stage and timing dur-

ing the crop resulting in the paddy harvested being contaminated with a high percentage of red rice, offtypes, other varieties. I was told that based on the directives given by the Head (Dr Mahindra Persad) to a highly favoured unqualified seed production officer, all those contaminated paddy were harvested and sent to the processing facility for drying and cleaning for the purpose of being sold to farmers as highquality seed paddy.

A Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) official, who asked to remain unnamed, told me that this was not the first time seed paddy that

did not pass the field inspection and quality standard analysis were harvested, dried, cleaned and sold to farmers as highquality seed paddy under some name called C3.

Paddy that does not pass field inspection and quality analysis must be sent to the mills as commercial and not sold as seed paddy.

The farmers who are the end users are the persons who will stand to suffer the most. If the above is true, the off-types, other varieties and red rice will end up in the farmers’ fields. Farmers are already facing great challenges to manage increasing red-rice weed problem, with very

little or no definitive solution to the problem forthcoming from the Burma Rice Research Station.

This alleged practice largely disregards the guidelines and ethics that should overlook the correct cultivation of seed paddy.

The allegation is a very serious one and the Minister of Agriculture and Rice Board management should pay keen attention to it and investigate. It is time for some structural changes at Burma Rice Research Station to improve the efficiency and deliverables.

Faithfully, Terry Ross

monDAY, april 18, 2016

guyana-times.com

5

News

How to cooperate against terrorism?

– the latest Brussels terror attacks have unfortunately shown the best and the worst of international cooperation

By Olivier Guitta

R

ecent terror attacks in Paris and Brussels have sadly shown the mistakes and sometimes the lack of cooperation of security services.

Indeed, the November attacks in Paris were planned by a Brusselsbased cell that was likely to be piloted by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) leaders in Syria. But Belgium failed to pass information to France about the members of that cell.

Finger-pointing has become the name of the game: while the CIA Director John Brennan implied that French intelligence officials failed to act before the November attacks, the whole world has put the onus of the March Brussels attacks on Belgium. But what is the real state of international cooperation on terrorism?

September 11 clearly revealed the existence of transnational terrorism with worldwide terror networks. Western nations were left with no choice, but to closely cooperate in terms of intelligence, know-how and even, sometimes, procedures.

According to the Washington Post, right after 9/11, French President Jacques Chirac advised his intelligence services to collaborate with the Americans “as if they were [their] own service”.

And so Alliance Base was born in Paris in 2002 for the CIA and French intelligence services to analyse the transnational movement of terrorist suspects and to develop operations to catch or spy on them.

This base – which was

eventually closed in 2009 – was unique in the world because instead of sharing information between countries, it actually planned operations.

But this was an exception rather than the rule; and cooperation between nations on terrorism remains quite difficult because it must be discreet and touching on very sensitive areas such as intelligence and justice.

Most importantly, the cooperation must also focus on operational issues such as preventing a terrorist attack by arresting the members of the cell in question.

The rules cited obviously work much better in a bilateral cooperation rather than a multilateral one. Also some Western countries avoid sharing intelligence with multilateral organisations such as Europol for security reasons and to avoid the risk of leaks.

Therefore, it is much easier and safer for the United States to cooperate with France, for example, than with the European Union.

That, unfortunately, does not mean it is smooth sailing: for instance recently, a Spanish judge bitterly complained of blatant US non-cooperation

on a case of dismantling a jihadi network in Ceuta.

Moreover, a top US counterterrorism official said European countries can do more to screen terrorists because they don’t take full advantage of tools the US has offered in the fight against terrorism.

The latest Brussels terror attacks have unfortunately shown the best and the worst of international cooperation.

Despite repeated inquiries by Belgium, Sweden refused to provide information on Mohamed Belkaid, a key ISIL operative who was allegedly the Brussels coordinator of the November Paris attacks and also a planner of the Brussels attacks.

The Algerian who lived in Sweden for more than 10 years ended up being killed by Belgian security forces just before Salah Abdeslam’s arrest.

One positive example of intelligence sharing was that two countries passed valuable information to Belgium – which was sadly ignored. Turkey said it had detained and

then deported Brahim el-Bakraoui – one of the two suicide bombers at Brussels airport – suggesting Belgian authorities ignored a July 2015 warning that he was a “foreign terrorist fighter”.

Confirming the Turkish intelligence, the FBI warned the Netherlands six days before the Brussels attacks, which then forwarded the information to Belgium.

Also Morocco allegedly informed Belgium of an imminent attack among other targets against nuclear facilities one week before the Brussels triple suicide bombings. It might be one of the countries that the West should closely work with.

Indeed, Morocco provided intelligence to France after the November Paris attacks of the whereabouts of cell leader Abdelhamid Abaaoud, which led to his killing by security forces in St Denis before he could carry out another wave of terror attacks in the French capital.

Also, just before alQaeda in the Islamic

Maghreb’s attack in Grand Bassam, Moroccan services had warned their Ivorian colleagues of a possible imminent attack against beaches in the Ivory Coast.

The country that benefits the most from Morocco’s expertise on counterterrorism is neighbouring Spain. In fact, their cooperation is so fruitful that it should be an example for others to follow, especially inside Europe.

Regular exchange of information between the two countries has resulted in the dismantling of many terror cells linked either to ISIL or al-Qaeda.

Spain now counts among the Western countries that have arrested the highest number of ji-

hadists recently. Trust between the two services is such that Moroccan counterterrorism officers have conducted joint operations in Spain in particular to dismantle a major cell in Barcelona in December 2015 that was reportedly planning Paris-style attacks.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel called for more coordination between countries across Europe: something that is clearly not at the required level to combat jihadists.

At the same time, Belgium has no new plans for domestic reforms that are crucially needed, as was exposed when the country’s various security services failed to speak to each other. (Al Jazeera)

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guyana-times.com

Foundation

Should parents make their children apologise?

– this is what decades of research say about children and apologies Continued from Friday

By Denise Cummins, PhD

S

uppose a child watches as an adult say, “Yuck! I don’t like that!” when she tastes a cracker, and “Yum! I like that!” when she tastes broccoli. Then she asks the child “Would you give me some?”

At 14 months of age, children hand over more of what they like (the crackers), but by 18 months of age, they give the adult what she likes (the broccoli), even if it tastes yucky to them.

By 14 months of age, infants show surprise when an adult reaches for an object that is hidden from the adult’s perspective but is visible to the infant. By 24 months, they are coordinated enough to reliably reach for and hand the hidden object to an adult who asks for help finding the object.

Eighteen-month-olds can figure out the goal of an adult’s efforts to pull apart two attached objects, even though they have not seen the adult accomplish the intended action.

In short, a number of studies using a variety of different methods have shown that by the second year of life, we already appreciate that other people can have preferences, perspectives, and intentions that differ from our own, and we can use that knowledge to engage in prosocial behaviour.

Understanding others’ beliefs

Whether very young children can understand that others’ have false beliefs de-

pends on how their knowledge is tested. If we deliberately and explicitly ask young children about another person’s beliefs, they respond in ways that suggest they don’t.

But if we test their knowledge visually, we find that infants as young as 15 months show false belief understanding.

Fairness and morality

A wealth of developmental research also shows that infants make implicit val-

ue judgments as a matter of course. For example, infants as young as six months of age prefer individuals who help others over those who hinder or harm others.

Empathy

Now what about empathy – when does a true empathetic capacity emerge?

It is well established that babies will cry when they hear another baby cry, and

will become distressed when they see a crying face. But these don’t really count as evidence of true empathy.

Crying in response to other another baby’s crying could simply be a matter of emotion “contagion” and imitation. Becoming distressed at the sight of a sad or crying face could simply mean that such displays upset babies.

But we usually mean much more by the term “empathy”. We usually mean an emotional sharing of experience that often motivates

people to try to alleviate the other person’s distress.

When does this kind of emotional response begin to emerge?

In one study, researchers investigated the emotional responses of six-montholds in a naturalistic situation. Pairs of infants were observed in the same playroom, with their mothers present, and the responses of each infant to the spontaneous crying of the other

infant in the pair were examined. Infants rarely responded by getting upset themselves.

Instead, the majority of infants directed their attention to the crying peer, and about half of them also reached out or touched the crying infant. These responses appear to be otheroriented rather than self-focused, and so they count as the beginning of empathy.

Suppose we raise the bar even higher by insisting on evidence of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural responses consistent with empathy. Emotional responses would include facial expressions, vocalisations, and gestures directed toward the sufferer. Cognitive responses would include inquiry, or hypothesis testing behaviour, as evidenced by active attempts to explore and cognitively comprehend what is happening to the victim. Behavioural responses would include prosocial behaviour, such as the child’s attempts to help or comfort the distressed other.

A large body of developmental studies have shown quite clearly that these very stringent markers of empathy reliably emerge in the second year of life. So toddlers and young children are indeed capable of feeling empathy.

The impact of children’s apologies

Now let’s return to the question of apologies – do

they make children less moral? Adults believe that the purpose of an apology is to publicly accept responsibility for wrong- doing and acknowledge that their behaviour that caused harm.

Apologies reaffirm a shared value system, and communicates the intention to repair a relationship threatened by one’s actions.

Which brings us back to the original question: Should parents insist that children apologise when they cause intentional or unintentional harm to another? The evidence seems to indicate the following practical course of action: 1. Encourage young children to apologise to each other because it will help mend hurt feelings, and very young children don’t seem to distinguish between prompted apologies and spontaneous apologies.

2. As children reach elementary school age, spontaneous apologies have more impact, so parents should think twice about whether and how to prompt apologies. If your child’s apology doesn’t seem sincere, it will have less impact in mending broken relationships.

3. Offers to make restitution not only heal hurt feelings, they also make the repair broken relationships. Parents can be helpful in making suggestions of how children can make up for the damage or hurt they caused either intentionally or unintentionally. (psycholo-

gytoday.com)

ways to talk so your children will listen (Part 3) 10.

Ask open-ended questions. If you want to get your children to think more and open their minds, you need to ask them open-ended questions. That is, questions that are not answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.

They are invitations to say more, and share their ideas and feelings. For example, instead of asking “Did you enjoy Peter’s party today?” you could ask “What was the best part of Peter’s party today?” Respond to their ideas to show them you are interested in what they have to say and that they are important to you eg “Really?”, “I understand.”

“What about…” “That is interesting”.

11.

Check for understanding.

If you find that your child is not responding to your requests or getting confused by your instructions or conversations, remember to check for their understanding before moving on to the next topic. Ask them to repeat what you have said.

If they can’t, you know that it is too long or complicated for them to understand. Try to rephrase your choice of words with shorter and simpler sentences.

12. Explain what you want with “I” messages.

When asking your child to do something, you will receive a greater response by explaining what you want in terms of thoughts and feelings by sending “I messages”. This is far more effective than using orders or sending “you messages”. It lets your child know how their behaviour makes you feel. Children sometimes don’t consider how their behaviour will affect others. By using this strategy, it may help them give more consideration to their actions and it gives them more responsibility to change their behaviour.

For example “I would like you to come over here please” instead of “Come over here” or “I would like you to give Oliver a turn please” instead of “Give Oliver a turn!” It is a softer approach and children who are willing to please will respond to this type of language. Explaining how you feel also helps children to see why they should comply. For example “When you run away from mummy in the store I feel worried because you could get lost”. Use “when you…. I feel….because….” words. to be continued

7 2 dead, 2 critical after 3-vehicle collision at Coverden, EBD news

monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016 | guyana-times.com

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Dead: Rudolph Bess

wo persons, including a 15-year-old girl, was killed in the wee hours of Sunday, while two others are critical following a three-vehicle collision at Coverden Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The dead are Rudolph Bess, 22, of Lot 220 Kaneville, EBD and Hansranie Persaud, 15, of Grove Housing Scheme, EBD. Those injured are Jason Baskarran, 23, of Track “B” Timehri Public Road, EBD and Yolanda FraserPatterson, 42, of Paradise Village, ECD. Both Baskarran and Fraser-Patterson are in critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital. FraserPatterson, according to information received, suffered head injuries and lacerations to the body, while the still-unconscious Baskarran suffered severe head injuries.

Reports are the now dead persons were heading home on a “scrambler” 125 motorcycle bearing registration number PH 378 from a lime in Soesdyke.

Baskarran was reportedly returning home in his jeep bearing registration number PHH 8034 after attending a wedding

Dead: Hansranie Persaud

the jeep.

As a result, both Bess and Persaud received immense injuries and parts of their bodies were torn off.

When this newspaper visited the scene, an eyewitness said the impact of the collision caused the jeep to topple several times before coming to a halt.

Public-spirited citizens summoned the Guyana Fire Service to assist in removing the drivers from the wreckage.

Fraser-Patterson, who was pinned in her vehi-

One of the vehicles turned turtle following the collision

The damaged motorcycle at the scene of the accident

Yolanda Fraser-Patterson pinned in her car

at Versailles, West Bank Demerara, while FraserPatterson was heading home with her husband, Joseph Patterson, after dropping off a relative at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

She was driving motor car PMM 9768.

Information reaching this newspaper stated that the accident occurred about 03:50h in the vicinity of the Kaylee Service Station, Coverden.

Guyana Times understands that the driver of the jeep allegedly swerved from a drop in the road next to a culvert and reportedly collided with the motorcycle and the car which were heading in the opposite direction.

The motorcycle was sandwiched by the car and

the scene, they saw the bodies of Bess and Persaud lying on the roadway.

Marlon said his brother left home to attend a house party and from all indications, he was heading home when he met his demise.

Bess’s brother was not sure how his brother knew the 15-year-old girl. They later learnt that she had been in bed at her mother’s house before she es-

cle, had to be pulled out by Police and fire-fighters.

The eyewitness noted that as they looked around, they saw body parts scattered on the roadway and subsequently found Bess and Persaud some distance away from the motorcycle they were riding. Their bodies were completely mangled.

Fraser-Patterson, her husband and Baskarran were rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, but were referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Marlon Bess, brother of the dead man, told Guyana Times that the family received a phone call about 04:00h informing them of the accident.

When they arrived at

caped and went to a dance in Soesdyke.

Acting Traffic Officer Boodnarine Persaud told Guyana Times that he visited the scene and from all indications, the jeep, which was heading to Timehri, might have attempted to swerve from the drop in the road thus colliding with two other vehicles.

He noted that the motorcyclist and the pillion

rider were not wearing helmets at the time of the accident, and reiterated the call for motorists to adhere to the rules when using the roadways.

He also noted that from reports received, Baskarran, Persaud and Bess might have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, but this would have to be confirmed.

The traffic official was

also concerned about the increase in the number of people being caught driving under the influence of alcohol.

This accident has now taken the road accidents death toll to 10 cyclists and three pillion riders for the year thus far. In addition, 13 pedestrians have lost their lives over the same period.

8 news Pensioner burnt to death in Enmore home monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Eyew tness Different strokes...

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The ruins of John’s home after the fire

70-year-old woman was early Sunday morning burnt to death after fire engulfed her Lot 90 Hope Street, Enmore, East Coast Demerara home.

The dead woman was identified as Banmattie John.

The fire reportedly started around 02:30h Sunday and quickly engulfed the small two-storey wooden structure.

Firefighters were summoned, but by the time they arrived the building was already destroyed.

The woman who lived alone was being cared for by her two daughters who lived a short distance from her.

There was no electricity connected to the building.

Speaking with Guyana

Dead: Banmattie John

Times, one of the daughters, Lilawattie John said in the wee hours of Sunday she was informed by her sister about the tragedy.

“This morning ‘bout 2:30 me sister call me and tell me that my mother house on fire and she inside the house and she a burn in the house.

By time me reach here, the fire done deh big already,” the woman’s daughter recalled.

John said she and her sister had earlier gone over and ensured that the elderly woman retired to bed.

“Last night we carry food and look after she and so, and see she go up in the house and go in she bed and so. But she does light a small (kerosene) lamp. She get a battery lamp, but when the battery charging done, the small lamp does continue, but I don’t know what happen,” the distraught woman told Guyana Times.

The daughter noted that she or her sister would usually light the small lamp and properly secure it before leaving and on Saturday evening that was exactly the case.

“She nah does light the lamp, a me does light and, and sometime she (the other daughter) does light it and left she, I light it last night and make sure everything ok and then me and my sister left,” she recalled.

It is believed that the elderly woman, who had poor eyesight, may have accidentally knocked over the lamp, causing the blaze.

However, this theory has not yet been confirmed as the Fire Service is continuing its investigations.

No leads on missing schoolgirl

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aliyah Bruce, 14, a student from the Anna Regina Multilateral School, who went missing since December 2015, has not been located, even though news about her disappearance is once again being disseminated.

Aaliyah, from the Cinderella county of Essequibo was last seen at her grandmother’s house.

She first went missing on 23 December 2015, but was found two days later in a home in Charity by a fam-

Aaliyah Bruce

ily member. She was taken home, only to go missing again two days later. She has been missing ever since.

Speaking to Guyana Times Roxanne Smith the grandmother, stated that Aaliyah showed no sign of being troubled.

She related however, that there were two issues where it was alleged that she stole some cash sometime back and was summoned to an investigation to recover what had been stolen.

When asked “why

only now has this issue been raised after so many months?” grandma Roxanne replied that the police have always been working on the matter, as such, the family had contacted the Social Protection Ministry who advised them to make it public again.

Anyone who has information that could lead to the whereabouts of Aaliyah Bruce are asked to contact the nearest Police Station or her family on 669-8225 or 625-9686.

...for different marriage partners

o...your Eyewitness’s interest in the marriage of the PNC and its multiple partners isn’t prurient. For POLITICAL marriages, they matter to all of us – if for no other reason than when they’re fussing and fighting, they’re not spending time taking care of the nation’s business. Which is OUR business, if you don’t mind!

So, is the APNU/AFC marriage on the rocks or not? From the very beginning when the pre-nup was announced at the old-line Georgetown Club – rather than, say, the Palm Court – your Eyewitness wondered whether it was a marriage of convenience or a marriage of commitment. With the terms of the marriage explicitly spelt out in an “Accord” and all, it did seem to be a marriage of convenience. Plus they kept their name. After all when the WPA and other smaller parties hitched up with the PNC, they decided to call themselves “APNU”.

That’s commitment, no? One name, One programme, One stance. But even marriages of commitment have rough spots especially if, like theirs, it’s polygamous. Invariably, one of the partners will feel they ought to be “first among equals” and receive more attention. In the marriage of commitment that’s APNU, the WPA has played this role.

That party – apart from its executive, Rupert Roopnaraine who’s in the Cabinet – early on complained it wasn’t consulted enough on decisions by “APNU”. WPA executives outside of the Executive –David Hinds and Clive Thomas notably – brought up the matter of “consultations” with the APNU marriage outside of the Cabinet meetings.

Then Thomas got some official positions and Hinds was left on his own.

Yesterday in his column in the Chronic – which he complained was being censored – Hinds returned to the demand that all the parties to the APNU marriage and its subsequent one with the AFC meet on a structured manner – outside the Cabinet - to decide on nettlesome issues. But if followed up, that would present a scenario where members wouldn’t be bound by the hierarchical and undemocratic rules of “Cabinet Governance”. It would also bring in representatives who would not be muzzled by the trappings of office.

Over in the AFC, after its power play for more democracy fizzled because some leaders were interested in pelf and power more than principles, party leader Khemraj Ramjattan brought up the Accord’s written pre-nup stipulation for a “three-man commission” to arbitrate differences between the marriage partners. Their pre-nup, of course, excludes the WPA et al, as explicit partners. But since when was the AFC its marriage partners’ keepers?

Which path will “the coalition” choose? The well-trod one they’ve gone down since the elections? PNC uber alles!!

...for different liquors?

Or is it different cutters for different liquors? Your Eyewitness’s referring to our Opposition Leader’s point about DDL’s billions and billions excise tax write-off from the Government. DDL had a beef with GRA’s calculation of its alcohol tax – which was the same as for other companies that used alcohol. Like say, Banks. For companies making medicinal products with alcohol, your Eyewitness already pointed out they never should’ve been taxed: they produce a “virtue” rather than a “sin” item.

Anyhow, apart from the windfall to DDL, what Mr Jagdeo pointed out is the other liquor folks will be lining up to the trough to get back the excise taxes they hadn’t protested.

When that happens will your Eyewitness get refunds for all the beer he bought at the higher rate?

...for different contractors?

So when are we going to be told who’s the contractor at D’Urban Park preparing for the grand Jubilee Bash. We know who paid for it ....and he can’t take back the money now!! The contractor has to be special since he’s gotten a free pass on design, materials, inspection and all other standard procurement rules.

While that’s a fait accompli, will there be insurance for occupants of the stands come May 26?

Just asking.

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

news

9

monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Urgent intervention Interim report recommends needed to help Berbice reduction of presidential powers economy – Chairman – PM says to be implemented before next elections Constitutional reform

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he interim report submitted to Cabinet by the Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform (SCCR) has recommended reduction in the powers assigned to the presidency, according to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.

Nagamootoo, who has responsibility for governance matters, told the media recently that the interim report looked at a number of issues including the need to reduce some of the powers allotted to the President, the need for more geographical representation in parliament, among others.

He explained that the report contains a long list of areas that should be considered in the constitutional reform process but it will eventually come down to priorities.

“The interim report is a good document but it goes into some areas that are very detailed in terms of what ought to be changed in the constitution, not what must be changed,” he explained.

In disclosing some of the contents of the report, Nagamootoo said it contained, “what we said during the campaign, that we are going to tame some of the (presidential) powers, we are going to look also at the geographic system and whether you have enough representation in parlia-

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

ment in terms of geographic constituencies.”

He added, “They have gone into some details on how to change the nature of our parliamentary democracy and how to balance the powers, with the power of the judiciary with that of the legislative.”

While not identifying which specific areas should be targeted as a matter of priority, he said it is critical that changes to the constitution occur before General and Regional Elections 2020.

“You want these constitutional reforms to be completed before another elections,” the Prime Minister stated.

In a recent interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Nagamootoo posited that constitutional reform paves

the way for a new consultative, democratic and inclusive political culture in Guyana.

A six-member steering committee on constitutional reform was established by the Prime Minister in August 2015 with prominent attorney Nigel Hughes as the convener who had presented the interim report on January 2.

The final report should have been presented at the end of March, however, as a result of the sudden death of one of the most experienced professionals on the subject, Haslyn Parris, the report has been deferred.

Nonetheless, the Prime Minister advised that he was assured by Hughes that the report will be submitted shortly. “He will be able to deliver the final report on the recommendations on how to proceed with constitutional reform in Guyana.”

When the final report is received, the Prime Minister said he will further advise on the next step.

It is expected that a constitutional reform commission will come on stream and it is this committee which will effect the changes to the Constitution.

Government promised that they will have consultations with civil society and the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) before making any constitutional reforms.

... business owners downscaling, employees laid off

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he Berbice economy is experiencing difficulty as urgent measures are needed to cushion effects of the current economic downturn in Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne).

This is according to Regional Chairman David Armogan who was speaking at the 83rd anniversary of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce and Development Association (BCCDA) where he said there has been a “cash flow” problem over the past year, has worsened, and has left numerous businesses in jeopardy with many opting to downscale.

The chairman in analysing the business situation in the region noted that the Region Six economy is primarily based on two crops; rice and sugar.

“Once these two crops get into trouble; and they are in trouble right now because of low commodity prices in the world, we find that our economy begins to take a downward turn or even get sluggish or stagnated,” the chairman pointed out.

He added that in 2014 the price for a bag of paddy was $3200 per bag to under $2000 per bag pres-

Regional Chairman David Armogan

ently. Acreages under cultivation over the same period has also decreased from 62,000 to 52,000, he noted, adding that apart from gold, rice has been the main foreign exchange earner for Guyana for a number of years.

The sugar industry Armogan noted, has been hard hit by a decision by the European Union to sever ties with Guyana with respect to the preferential market, thus the country is now competing on the world market. This resulted in sugar price being dropped by some 30 per cent.

Additionally several business-owners in the region have expressed concerns about the slow pace of business in the region.

“Many businesspeople that I have spoken to over the last few months have said to me that sales have dropped between twentyfive and 50 per cent.

Many have started to lay-off their labour force as well as decreasing the work days for workers in our region. Unless something is done and done very quickly I think we will be experiencing some difficulty in business,” the Chairman warned.

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guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, april 18, 2016

News

Suddie Hospital lacks Lack of potable water frustrates Pomeroon residents essential medication, services – acidity high in river

Councillor Vilma Da Silva

BY INDRAWATTIE NATRAM

P

eople’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Councillor Vilma Da Silva noted great concerns at the Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) RDC statutory meeting over the lack of potable water in Pomeroon.

According to Da Silva the acidity level in the river is significantly high and persons cannot use it for domestic purposes. This is posing serious challenges as there are no other source of fresh

water available neither do persons have containers to store water if they get any.

Da Silva described the situation as frustrating and requested the RDC to represent the interest of persons living in the Pomeroon River. She disclosed that some persons do not have any option and are often forced to use the high acidic water which is posing serious health issues.

“The people in Pomeroon are forced to bathe with salt water, the crops are dying

due to the salt water, we need help due to the dry weather, persons need fresh water and are requesting black tanks from the government,” Da Silva explained.

She also reported that children have developed health problems such as rashes and skin infections.

Da Silva is of the opinion that the problem could be resolved if the RDC through the REO, Rupert Hopkinson, approve the purchase of black tanks.

She also suggested if filled tanks are placed at certain locations then persons can paddle to have access.

At that point another PPP\C councillor Brian Persaud supported Da Silva’s call for black tanks to be gifted to the people of Pomeroon to ease their burdens.

Persaud said he also received complaints that the water in the Pomeroon has become unsafe for families especially children to consume. The councillors are therefore seeking the RDC’s intervention or Central Government attention into the matter.

Suddie Hospital, Essequibo Coast

R

esidents in Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam) are complaining bitterly about the lack of essential medication and services at the Suddie Public Hospital.

Many persons have vented concerns over the lack of medications and essential tests there. Due to the shortages many patients have to endure additional expenses, and quite a few of them have to deprive themselves due to lack of funds.

According to one patient who had severe chest pains, she was denied an X-ray at the when the technician told her the hospital was out of Chest X-ray films. That pa-

tient travelled from Anna Regina to Suddie to seek medical attention but was told to visit the Charity Oscar Joseph Hospital for the X-ray. Other patients have echoed similar sentiments and vented their frustrations.

At the RDC statutory meeting for April, PPP/C councillor Arnold Adams also reported about the lack of essential medications at public medical facilities.

Present at the meeting was medical superintendent of the Suddie Hospital Sonia Grey who admitted that indeed there is a shortage of Chest X-ray and it is causing great inconvenience to

patients. Same was reported to the Ministry of Public Health but to date no films have been delivered.

Grey said the hospital has many challenges, one being the short supply of X-ray films. She related that of every day of last week there was an accident that required Chest X-ray and the hospital could not have performed same.

Those persons had to be rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital to access that service. Many families have also complained over the additional expenses they incur to travel to GPH to access service.

Most of them do not even have accommodation to stay.

Complaints were also made that X-rays done a Suddie Hospital always differ from that done at Charity Hospital.

Councillors from the Region Two RDC have also questioned the credibility and accuracy of the machines.

The Medical Superintendent however has promised to launch an investigation into the matter of alleged inaccuracy of the X-ray machines.

Kara Kara resident slapped with assault charge

A

man who hails from Kara Kara, Mackenzie, Linden was placed on a bond to keep the peace for a year after he was placed before the courts on an assault charge.

Davion Chattergoon, 31, a self-employed father of four of Lower Kara

Kara, Speightland, was accused of unlawfully assaulting Marietha Sausculotte on April 7, but she told Magistrate Clive Nurse on Tuesday that she did not wish to proceed with any evidence against the defendant. The woman who appeared along with the defen-

dant at the Christianburg Magistrate’s Court said she was not forced into making the decision by anyone.

Chattergoon had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge. Failure to upkeep the bond will result in an alternative sentence of two months imprisonment.

Guyana committed to...

In 2012, Caricom countries had confronted the US on the unfair rum trade in the region and the worrying threat it poses on the competitiveness of Caribbean rum entering the US markets.

Though the engagement proved to be futile, President Granger urged the Caricom nations to sustain its protests against the actions being taken by the US government.

“The Caribbean Community’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) has protested against these discriminatory measures.

They are seen as being inimical to the sale of Caribbean rums in the US market and threaten the “long-term viability of this very important industry on our region,” he expressed.

He noted too that litigation in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is likely to be an extremely expensive and exhausting process and therefore Caricom must use its diplomatic strength to help resolve this problem, which is affecting the health of economies and the wealth of countries.

President Granger went on to underscore the importance of the rum industry to the local economy, acknowledging the country’s only two rum production companies (DDL and Banks DIH Limited) – which are also the two largest local corporations.

He explained that because of the profitability of the rum enterprise, the two corporate giants earned the ability to diversify its operations into banking, fast food

From page 2

and shipping – ultimately creating thousands of jobs.

In this regard, the President noted that Guyana’s rum industry is precious and it is therefore critical that it be protected and preserved in the face of the US government’s actions.

“Workers jobs and the livelihood of those who indirectly depend on the industry are at stake. The loss of foreign exchange and excise earnings by the rum industry can result in severe problems in our economy.

Guyana’s rums are an important economic sub-sector. It is in the national interest to ensure the survival and sustainability of this industry. The government of Guyana is committed to supporting the industry,” he stated.

monDay, APRIL 18, 2016

guyana-times.com

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News

Education CoI Reclaim position as Ministry to commence agricultural powerhouse – President tells Fyrish residents public consultations

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President David Granger addressing the gathering at the Albion Chapel Congregational Church at Fyrish, Corentyne, Berbice

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resident David Granger on Sunday joined the worshippers at the 180-year-old Albion Chapel Congregational Church for a special sunrise service to usher in a week of activities that will culminate next Saturday with the hosting of the community’s inaugural “Village Day”.

The activities are being spearheaded by the Fyrish, Gibraltar, Courtland, No 1 Association Incorporated, which is celebrating its sixth anniversary.

In his address to the congregation, the President said while the planned week of celebrations would allow for reflection on the past, residents must also use it as an opportunity to take stock of where they were as a community and chart the way forward for the future. In this regard, he spoke of the four pillars that drive development in any community: the church, the school, the home and the farm (work).

The President urged the residents to strengthen these pillars to ensure the revival of the fortunes of Fyrish, a village that once stood as an agricultural powerhouse on

the Corentyne Coast.

“When you rock those four pillars, your village will collapse…when this community developed, it was the fruitbowl of the Corentyne, even when Black Bush Polder was opened for the first time, they got their planting materials and their seedlings from Fyrish. But now we have seen that other communities, which have benefited from the beneficence and generosity of Fyrish, seem to be overtaking Fyrish in prosperity,” President Granger pointed out.

Making reference to the recently-concluded Local Government Elections, the Head of State expressed the hope that representation and governance at the level of the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) would be greatly improved and the concerns of citizens would be addressed in a more efficient manner. He also encouraged residents to make the Fyrish, Gibraltar, Courtland, No1 Association the bedrock of a new form of development in their community.

The President holds strongly to the view that

villages are the cradle of Guyanese society. It is for this reason he created the Ministry of Communities to oversee the development of safe, green, clean and economically vibrant villages.

It is also for this reason that the President has declared November 7 the National Day of Villages.

The Head of State’s remarks were followed by an inspiring sermon by Pastor Phillip Campbell, who remarked on President Granger’s spirit of patriotism.

“I believe that there is a burning desire in his heart to see every citizen of this country rise to the occasion; bringing back honour, dignity and pride… we have to begin to change the world that you are in. If change is going to come, you have to begin to work on yourself. It is time for us to get up and begin our work. Do not wait for the President to come and do it for you. Everyone must take up their responsibility,” Pastor Campbell said.

The week of activities is being held under the theme, “Uniting our Community”.

Indigenous group asks Brazil to stop financing mega-projects

A

group representing Amazon indigenous people urged Brazil’s National Development Bank last week to stop financing projects that cause environmental damage.

After meeting with Bank representatives, leaders of the Ecuador-based group known as the Coordinator of Indigenous Organisations of the Amazon Basin said in a statement that they also asked the Bank to adopt policies that safeguard the rights of indigenous to ancestral lands.

The group wants a say in decisions involving largescale projects in the Amazon rain forest, COICA President Edwin Vasquez Campos said.

One such project is the 11,000-megawatt Belo Monte dam under construction on

the Xingu River in Brazil’s jungle state of Para. The dam would be the world’s thirdlargest hydroelectric energy producer behind China’s Three Gorges dam and the Itaipu dam, which straddles the border of Brazil and Paraguay.

The Government has said Belo Monte will be a source of clean, renewable energy and is fundamental for the economic development of the country. It says the dam was designed to minimise envi-

ronmental damage, but environmentalists and indigenous groups say it would devastate wildlife and their livelihoods.

“We have never been consulted,” Campos said in the statement. “Megaprojects like hydroelectric dams and highways affect almost 100 per cent of indigenous lands.”

COICA represents 390 indigenous groups in Guyana, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela and French Guiana. (New York Times)

he Education Ministry will begin a series of public consultations commencing this Friday, as it gears itself for the start of the much-anticipated Commission of Inquiry into the education sector.

According to a public announcement in the local dailies, members of the public have been invited to participate in public consultations between the Education Ministry and teachers, parents, school Boards and unions. This event will take place on April 22 at the St Stanislaus College at 16:00h.

On April 29, the Ministry will meet with the business sector in the auditorium of the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) and members of the public on May 4 at the St Stanislaus College.

In its effort to review the Education Sector Strategic Plan, the Ministry said it would be conducting the CoI. The Inquiry is intended to provide evidential bases for the revision, upgrading and extension of the Plan.

The Ministry has, therefore, extended an invitation to the public to submit memoranda on their perceptions of the state of the system, inclusive of factual illustrations where possible, and recommendations for the en-

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine

hancement of the system.

Memoranda, it said, should be submitted to the CoI Secretariat no later than May 14.

Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine said the CoI was essential since it would analyse the problems encountered within the school system. This, he said, will also allow the Ministry to use the information obtained through consultations with parents, students and teachers to formulate plans to deal with the problems.

According to him, the Ministry has had a number of ideas to reform the sector, but they could not be implemented until data has shown what each region/school recommends to further build

and enhance the manner in which education is delivered to students across Guyana.

Additionally, the Minister disclosed that an audit had commenced since the beginning of his appointment.

This audit had revealed a number of physical and administrative “glitches” within the system.

In October of 2015, Dr Roopnaraine had stated that there had been a delay in the commencement of the Inquiry since the Ministry was still in the process of appointing persons to head the probe.

He had intended to have nine persons be Commissioners, but at that time there had only been five confirmed persons, and he was in the course of contacting and confirming four other persons.

However, these four persons were never confirmed and as such, the setting up of the CoI lagged.

Persons who are desirous of supplementing their memoranda with oral presentations to the Commission may indicate in their submission the desire to do so.

Additionally, persons who are desirous of making oral submissions without submitting memoranda may also write to the Commission, no later than April 30, 2016, expressing the desire to do so.

12 news Corruption, extrajudicial killings leading human rights problems in Guyana – US State Dept monDay, APRIL 18, 2016 | guyana-times.com

... criticises Nagamootoo’s attempts to censor media

BY EDWARD LAYNE

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he United States Department of State says corruption continues to be among the leading human rights problems facing Guyana.

The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015, released by the department recently, also chronicled other human rights violations.

“There remained a widespread public perception of corruption involving officials at all levels, including the police and the judiciary,” the report said.

It noted however that the government responded to these reports, but did not elaborate.

The report also stated that while the law requires public officials to declare their assets to an Integrity Commission, the commission has not been constituted.

It added that the law sets out both criminal and administrative sanctions for nondisclosure to the commission by public officials, but, no such publication or convictions occurred during the year.

Extrajudicial killings

The report cited as another significant human rights violation in Guyana is extrajudicial killings.

“The most significant human rights problems were arbitrary killings by the government or its agents… there were several reports the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings during the year,” it stated.

It added that other hu-

man rights problems included lengthy pretrial detention, an age old problem in Guyana.

According to the Caribbean Development Report commissioned by the UN Development Programme, public confidence in the police force was very low.

It however noted that efforts were being made to address some of these issues.

Police abuse

Addressing the issue of police excesses, the report stated that there was a lack of independent and transparent procedures for handling allegations of abuses by security force members.

“Prosecutions when pursued were extremely lengthy, and convictions rare, leading to a widespread perception that security force members and government officials enjoyed impunity,” it noted The document pointed to the July 2015 shooting to death of alleged smuggler Charles Caesar by a member of the now disbanded Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad (BASS) while attempting to arrest him.

Police reported that Caesar was suspected to have smuggled illegal goods into the country and attempted to run away to avoid arrest.

On the issue of torture, the report stated that while the laws in Guyana continue to prohibit such acts there were reports alleging mistreatment of inmates by prison officials as well as allegations of police abuse of suspects and detainees.

Prison conditions

The report said that prison and jail conditions, particularly in police holding cells, were “harsh and potentially life threatening due to gross overcrowding, physical

Same-sex union

abuse, and inadequate sanitary conditions and medical care.”

The Prison Service reported that, as of October 2015, there were 1944 prisoners in five facilities with a combined design capacity of 1640.

“Overcrowding was in large part due to a backlog of pretrial detainees, who constituted approximately 11.3 per cent of the total prison population,” the report stated.

Police and security apparatus

The report also pointed to the lack of adequate training, poor equipment, and acute budgetary constraints severely limiting the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) effectiveness as well as corruption within the force.

“There were reports of corruption in the police force. Authorities charged and brought to court 23 GPF members for various crimes, including robbery, simple larceny, bribery, and indecent assault.

The report highlighted archaic laws which make consensual same-sex activity between adult men illegal and punishable by up to two years in prison.

It stated that anal intercourse is punishable with a maximum sentence of life in prison, regardless of whether the intercourse is between persons of the same sex.

“Activists reported that it

was more common for police to use the law to intimidate men who were gay or perceived to be gay than to make arrests,” the report cited.

The law also criminalises cross-dressing. In October a male domestic worker was convicted for cross-dressing.

Freedom of speech and press

On the issue of freedom of speech and press, the US State Department said that while the government generally respects the laws which provide for Freedom of Speech in Guyana, there were attempts at state censorship during 2015.

“In August the prime minister issued a directive that all headlines in the stateowned print media (Guyana Chronicle) be first scrutinised and approved by his office before they are published. The

directive was a response to a headline criticising the government,” it noted Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who has oversight responsibility for the state media, was harshly criticised for this action.

He had also attempted to intimidate the young Journalists who wrote the article headlined: “Gov’t blunders on Budget Estimates … violates laws assented to by President Granger” in which the government was criticised.

It meanwhile highlighted that government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content, and there were no credible reports that the government monitored private online communications without appropriate legal authority.

Rodney CoI

WPA calls for report to be laid in Parliament T

he Overseas Associates of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has made a bold call for President David Granger to lay the final report of the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (CoI) in the National Assembly.

The Presidential inquiry, which commenced in February 2014, sought to officially examine the circumstances which led to the death of historian, educator and founding leader of the WPA, Dr Walter Anthony Rodney.

Rodney was killed in a bomb blast on June 13, 1980 in the vicinity of the Georgetown, Camp Street Prison. He was at the time said to be examining a communications device, built by then Guyana Defence Force Sergeant William Gregory Smith.

The 17-month long investigation came to a premature end in July, 2015.

“Now that the parties have spoken and the report has apparently been sent to the family, we expect the President to follow-through with his most recent pronouncement on this matter.

That is to lay the report before parliament and release the report to the public,” the group said Sunday in a statement.

It said it is now for the President to make arrangements immediately for the report to be sent as professional courtesy to all the lawyers who participated in the inquiry; to announce the date when the report will be laid before parliament; and to release it to the public.

The group said it was

Dr Walter Rodney

also pleased that following a call by another major player in the coalition, the Alliance for Change (AFC), the report is reportedly on its way to Dr Rodney’s immediate family.

Earlier last week, the AFC had issued a call to President Granger for the report y to be sent to the family and for it to be released to the public.

“We have been reliably informed that contact was made with the family and the report is apparently on the way to them. We are glad that the government is now doing the morally correct thing by sending the report to the family of Walter Rodney. There can be no reason, nor explanation for the delay in sending the report to the family of Walter Rodney,” the group stated.

It reminded of the “comprehensive statement issued on Friday 15 April by the WPA regarding the report of the Commission of Inquiry.

“We are encouraged that in its statement the WPA recognised the importance of the inquiry to the pro-

cess of national reconciliation which should unfold in the society. The WPA is the second major political party to express opinion on the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry (WRCOI).”

“These are important and necessary steps. As the WPA statement outlined the inquiry fortifies the moral base for intensified investigations, which must be carried out by the new administration into the unexplained and under-investigated killing spree allegedly masterminded by elements of the security forces and in the ruling political directorate in the last two decades,” the statement said.

The Commission, headed by Barbadian Queen’s Counsel Sir Richard Cheltenham, and including Jamaican Queen’s Counsel Jacqueline SamuelsBrown and Trinidad-based Guyanese Senior Counsel Seenath Jairam, was set up to investigate who or what was responsible for the bomb blast that caused the instant death of the WPA co-founder on the evening of June 13, 1980.

At the time, former President Donald Ramotar had said that the establishment of the Inquiry was owing to the persistent requests by Rodney’s widow Patricia, and their three children.

However, the People’s National Congress (PNC), the major partner in the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition, had maintained that the move was a political stunt taken to tarnish its reputation.

News

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monDay, APRIL 18, 2016 | guyana-times.com

Mothers’ Union Anniversary

Climate change effects

Website reveals which homes will Focus placed on high rate of suicide in Guyana be swamped by rising sea levels

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Some of those who attended the 60th St Michael Mothers’ Union anniversary seminar

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uicide, being one of the world’s major public health issues, is one of the reasons it takes priority in the local healthcare system, Government Medical Officer Dr Stephen Cheesoon said.

Dr Cheesoon was at the time delivering the feature address at the St Michael Mothers’ Union 60th anniversary celebrations at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice).

He pointed out that there is no age to suicide but there are signs to look for in persons who have suicidal tendencies: “The main way we can prevent suicide is by recognising the warning signs. Some of these signs are when persons talk about suicide all the time; you may want to pull that person aside and ask them how they are feeling because that is one of the first warning signs of suicide.”

He pointed out too that persons who speak a lot about death and admire

persons in their dead state could have suicidal tendencies: “Those persons you need to look at and talk to; they need to know that someone cares.”

Dr Cheesoon who is attached to the Fort Wellington Hospital, also spoke of those who have a low self-esteem, hate themselves and make utterances which suggest that they do not fit into society: “And you find a lot of self-hatred in those boys and girls who have been abused sexually. They have a lot of self-hatred for themselves because they think, ‘if my parents loved me then why would they do this to me?’ and when you speak to sexually abused persons you cannot be telling everybody about this because our society is not one that caters to accept this.”

Suicidal tendencies could also be found in persons who have reckless behaviour such as reckless driving, unprotected sex and show little value for life: “Also those who have a sudden sense of calm

and happiness and these are the ones we want to look at because they are normally depressed and stressed out and then all of a sudden they are in this state of happiness.

Those persons are the ones that actually kill themselves.

Those are the persons who make peace with themselves and say this is the only way to get out.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Commander of B Division, Senior Superintendent Errol Watts noted that the figures as they relate to suicide in Berbice are alarming. In 2013 there were 39 cases of suicide.

“In 2016 so far we have recorded nine cases of suicide, six of which occurred trough hanging, two by poisoning and a case where a 71-year-old man shot himself with his licence firearm,” Watts related.

In observance of its 60th anniversary the St Michael Mothers’ Union which also has men in its membership, chose suicide as the platform to mark the occasion.

Islamic bloc calls for international conference on slavery reparations

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he 13th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit, which ended on Friday in Istanbul, Turkey, in its communiqué threw its full support behind the Caribbean community and the African Diaspora in their quest to convene an international conference to address the issue of the slave trade, slavery, colonialism, restitution and reparations.

Guyana and Suriname are both members of the OIC and they have each pushed to have this commitment inserted into the final communiqué of the OIC summit.

Surinamese Foreign Minister Niermala Badrising attended the preparatory meeting of OIC Foreign Ministers and the summit as head of delegation representing President Desi Bouterse. She was instrumental in having the

statement inserted into the communiqué.

Guyana, for the first time, did not participate in an OIC Heads of Government summit. The OIC committed itself and its relevant organs and its groups in New York and Geneva to support the convening of an international conference to comprehensively discuss measures and strategies to address the lasting negative impact

of these historic wrongs.

The Islamic bloc urged all stakeholders, including non-represented member states of the United Nations, the Caribbean Community, the African Diaspora and relevant civil society organisations (CSOs) “to advance this agenda from where it was left at the Durban Conference of 2001 and its follow-up review meetings”.

(Caribbean News Now)

or the first time, Australians can see on a map how rising sea levels will affect their house just by typing their address into a website. And they’ll soon be able to get an estimate of how much climate change will affect their property prices and insurance premiums, too.

Launched on Friday, the website Coastal Risk Australia takes Google Maps and combines it with detailed tide and elevation data, as well as future sea level rise projections, allowing users to see whether their house or suburb will be inundated.

Coinciding with that is the launch of a beta version of Climate Valuation, a website that gives users an estimate of how much climate change will impact their property value and insurance premiums over the life of their mortgage.

Coastal Risk Australia uses median sea level rises projected for 2100 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change under low, medium and high greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.

On the high emissions scenario – which is the path the world is currently on – the IPCC says sea levels will likely rise by a median of 0.74m by 2100. But a rise of almost 1m is within the “likely” range of levels that could be reached by 2100.

In every state and territory except the ACT, the website shows that houses and famous landmarks will be underwater by 2100.

Beaches like Manly, Byron and Coogee in New South Wales would lose significant amounts of sand, as will Bell’s Beach in Victoria and Noosa in Queensland.

A visualisation of Melbourne in 2100 under a five-metre sea level rise scenario

Many coastal suburbs and cities are shown to be subject to severe inundation, including Cairns, Ballina and Hindmarsh Island.

James Hansen, a former Nasa scientist who is considered the father of modern climate change awareness, recently produced research suggesting that sea levels could rise “several metres over a timescale of 50 to 150 years.”

The website also lets users see how any sea-level rise will affect an area. If sea levels rose 5m, then large parts of most coastal cities would be inundated, according to the website’s calculations.

“We don’t want to create hysteria but we don’t want people burying their heads in the sand ether,” said Nathan Eaton, one of the creators of the website from the company NGIS Australia.

The tool was adapted from work NGIS did when it created a similar tool for the Pacific Island nations of Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, in collaboration with the Australian Department of Environment and the Collaborative Research Centre for Spatial Information.

Climate Valuation, also launched on Friday, will, for a fee, tell users the probability of a property being flooded by rising sea levels; the projected increases in insurance premium from coastal inundation risk; and the projected percentage reduction in value of the property at the end of a mortgage.

It is being launched for use by researchers initially and will soon be available as part of a Kickstarter campaign, which the developers say will raise money to include more climate change-associated risks like bushfires and river flooding.

People who pledge to contribute will get early access to it.

The developers say the site uses risk engines that are already used to assess billions of dollars of critical infrastructure in Australia and the new site will give the general public access to that data for the first time.

“We’re hoping this helps people make informed decisions about their safety and on what is often the most significant investment they will ever make – their home,” said Karl Mallon, head of the Climate Valuation Project. (The Guardian)

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guyana-times.com

monDay, april 18, 2016

Regional

Ecuador earthquake: Deaths rise to 235 A

t least 235 people have been confirmed dead and over 1500 people injured after Ecuador was hit by one of the most powerful earthquakes in decades.

Some 10,000 troops and 3500 Police are being deployed in the affected areas, as rescue operations got under way.

The magnitude-7.8 quake struck early on Saturday evening.

Coastal areas in the north-west were closest to the epicentre and officials say the death toll is likely to rise as information begins to come in.

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa has cut short a visit to Italy to fly back and deal with the crisis.

He has declared a state of emergency and said the priority is finding survivors.

“Everything can be rebuilt, but lives cannot be recovered, and that’s what hurts the most,” he said.

Ecuador’s Vice-President Jorge Glas, visiting one of the worst hit cities, Manta, met a resident who pleaded for people trapped under rubble.

Jamaican woman caught with cocaine in coffee at New York airport

A Some 10,000 troops and 3500 Police are being deployed in the affected areas, as rescue operations got under way

“We have to be quiet so that rescuers can listen [for survivors],” Glas told him. “We cannot go in with heavy machinery because it can be tragic for the wounded.”

Helicopters and buses are ferrying troops north, but have been hampered by landslides.

In some areas, people are using their bare hands to try to dig out survivors.

Food and other essentials have been handed out and international aid was also beginning to arrive, with the first coming from Venezuela and Mexico.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Jamaican woman is facing drug smuggling charges after being caught at the John F Kennedy International Airport with cocaine hidden inside bags of coffee.

Sherese Lee Ann Drake, 27, was nabbed after arriving in New York from Montego Bay last Wednesday, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in a release issued on Friday.

“During the examination of Ms Drake’s suitcase, CBP officers removed a plastic coffee bag that contained a white powder. Ms Drake was escorted to a private search room where CBP officers probed two bags of cof-

fee, all of which contained a white powder that tested positive for cocaine,” it added.

In total, approximately three pounds of cocaine was seized. The estimated street value is over US$50,000.

“This seizure is another example of our CBP officers being ever vigilant in protecting the United States from the distribution of illicit drugs,” said Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations, Robert Perez.

Drake was turned over to the Port Authority Police Department after her arrest

by CBP officers. She now faces state narcotics smuggling charges. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Brazil MPs set for knife- PM should not be allowed more time to file integrity report – PNP Patriots edge impeachment vote

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Estimates suggest the vote could be extremely close

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razil’s Lower House of Congress is preparing to vote on whether to impeach President Dilma Rousseff over charges of manipulating Government accounts for political gains.

Party leaders are addressing the chamber ahead of the vote.

Some Members of Parliament (MPs) tried to disrupt the session as it got under way. Several thousand rival protesters are gathered outside the Congress building.

Rousseff denies the charge and accuses oppo-

nents of mounting a “coup”.

A two-third majority – 342 out of 513 votes – is needed to send the motion to the upper house, the Senate, where a simple majority would be enough to suspend Rousseff from office for up to 180 days during an impeachment trial.

Voting is due to start after statements from MPs and party leaders – the whole session, which is expected to last several hours, is being broadcast live on television as well as on large screens in city centres.

Defending Rousseff,

Afonso Florence, of her governing Workers’ Party, urged MPs to have a “democratic conscience”, and attacked her opponents who are facing their own charges of corruption.

Pro-impeachment MP Antonio Imbassahy, of the PSDB party, told lawmakers to “choose the country that we want from now on”, and said Brazil needed “moral reconstruction.”

Hundreds of thousands of protesters were gathering in cities across the country as the session got under way. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Trinidad probing “Panama Papers” link

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he Trinidad and Tobago Government Friday said that it was seeking the assistance of “investigative and prosecutorial agencies in and outside” of the country to probe “local issues” arising out of the “Panama Papers”.

The “Panama Papers” are an unprecedented leak of over 11.5 mil-

lion files from the database of the world’s fourth biggest offshore law firm, Mossack Fonseca. The records were obtained from an anonymous source by the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, which shared them with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).

The Trinidad Express newspaper, which said the head of its Investigative Desk, Camani Maharaj, is part of the ICIJ, on April 4 published an exclusive story in which it claimed that Ken Emirth, a member of the main opposition United National Congress (UNC) is linked to a bribery scandal in Brazil. (Excerpt from CMC)

he People’s National Party (PNP) affiliated group of young professionals – the Patriots – has stated that Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ request for additional time to file his annual integrity report should not be allowed.

In a press release on Sunday, the Patriots said that rather than a timely declaration as is required under the law, the Prime Minister is seeking additional time to file his return without a sound basis.

“We would all recall that a commitment was given by the Prime Minister (then leader of the Opposition) in the just-concluded campaign to disclose his financial records in light of questions raised about his association with an off-shore company in St Lucia,” the release said.

According to the release, the stated timeline has passed and the reasons be-

PNP Patriots Chairman Javette Nixon

ing used for delaying the filing of these reports are “unacceptable”.

“We find it troubling that the budget process is being cited as reason for the delay,” the Patriots said, adding that the Prime Minister is capable of attending to the official functioning of his office and “spinning” simultaneously.

In the lead up to the

February 25 General Election, Holness promised to release both his financial and health records for public scrutiny.

“We, therefore, encourage Prime Minister Holness to follow through on his words and follow the example of his overseas peers and release his integrity report as promised,” the Patriots stated. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

T&T: National Security Minister red flags terrorists’ families

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he Trinidad Government is now “red-flagging” as potential threats to national security the families of men and women who went to Syria to fight for the Islamic State (ISIS). This is in addition to T&T fighters in Isis.

T&T Guardian has exclusively obtained documents with more than 100 names of men, women and children who travelled to Syria between 2013 and late 2015.

National Security Minister Edmund Dillon on Saturday authenticated the Guardian’s information.

The number includes

approximately 40 children from 20 families. (C BX) It included children as young as three, who could not have made the decision independently – and up to 16. The report gave the biographical backgrounds and included pictures of all listed.

Dillon is looking at travel to other countries besides those in which ISIS operates, Syria and Iraq.

One group under scrutiny is Muslims who travel to Mecca for the annual pilgrimage, the Hajj.

Recognising the potential for accusations of anti-Muslim discrimination, Dillon said that while there are

genuine pilgrims, they have to monitor all areas and look at all possibilities.

The true number of terrorists is a matter of dispute.

Last Friday in Parliament, Opposition MP Roodal Moonilal claimed that about 400 T&T nationals had been indoctrinated radicalised and trained by ISIS. He described ISIS as the most significant security threat to T&T. Moonilal called on Government to say what it was doing about claims of weapons being stockpiled in T&T and a threat to the State. (Excerpt from

Trinidad Guardian)

monDAY, april 18, 2016

guyana-times.com

15

Around the world

OPEC meeting ends without Obama immigration action deal on oil production freeze goes before Supreme Court

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he world’s biggest oil producers have failed to reach an agreement at a meeting seeking to freeze output and reassure markets that a recent recovery in prices can be sustained.

Sunday’s talks in Qatar’s capital saw the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) – and, unusually, other producers – trying to agree that average daily crude oil production in the coming months would not exceed levels recorded in January.

Nigerian Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said at the end of the meeting that the parties would meet again in June for further talks.

Omani Oil Minister Mohammed al-Rumhy said one reason a deal was not reached was that not all OPEC members were present.

“Until this morning we

Nigeria’s Emmanuel Ibe Kachiwku said further talks would be held in June after no deal was reached [Jon Gambrell/AP]

thought there would be a deal. We didn’t know Iran wasn’t coming,” he told Al Jazeera.

The run-up to the summit saw months of disagreements about the impact any freeze would have on individual OPEC members.

The position of Iran – now ramping up production after Western sanctions were lifted as part of the nuclear deal it signed with world powers – had proven

a sticking point, with diplomats and officials at the talks telling Al Jazeera that Saudi Arabia was insisting Tehran should sign up to any agreement.

Iran, though, did not send a delegation to the meeting, saying it would not accept proposals to cap its production until it recovered a similar market share to that which it held before the sanctions were imposed.

he US Supreme Court will hear a case today that tests the boundaries of presidential powers, confronting the question of whether President Barack Obama exceeded his authority with unilateral action to spare millions of illegal migrants in the country from deportation.

The case, one of the most consequential of the court’s current term that ends in June, pits Obama against 26 states led by Texas that filed suit to block his 2014 immigration plan.

The high court is evenly divided with four liberal justices and four conserva-

tives following the February death of conservative Antonin Scalia. That raises the possibility of a 4-4 split that would leave in place a 2015 lower-court ruling that threw out the President’s executive action that bypassed the Republican-led Congress.

The arguments in the case come at a time when immigration is a divisive issue in the US presidential campaign, with top Republican contenders advocating deporting all of the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally.

Obama took the action after Republicans in the

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said.

“To think about special situations in an even more complex way, to make the enemy situation even more dangerous, to make the battlefield environment even more lifelike, is an important path in order for the navy and air force to stick close to the demands of real combat and accelerate its transformative production model for fighting strength,” division commander Tian Junqing was quoted as saying.

The article did not specifically say where in the South China Sea the drills took place.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

The fleets will further explore 24-hour maritime attack drills, minimum altitude defensive dashes and other military tactics, the article added. They also will work in coordination with early aerial warnings, surface ships and ground antiaircraft defence, among other branches of the military.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which more than US$5 trillion in global trade passes every year. Its Southeast Asian neighbours including Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam also claim part of the sea, as does Taiwan. (Excerpt from Reuters)

from Reuters)

Vaccine switched in push towards ending polio

China launches upgraded drills for South China Sea fleets hina’s South China Sea fleets have conducted training drills with upgraded methods that resemble actual combat conditions to increase the fleets’ combat effectiveness, according to an article published by the PLA Daily on Sunday.

Begun on April 7, the drills include new methods such as training within an electromagnetic environment. Previously, the fleets have also conducted all-weather drills, beyond visibility range training and low-altitude, high-speed exercises to hammer their pilots into shape, the article

House of Representatives killed bipartisan legislation, billed as the biggest overhaul of US immigration laws in decades and providing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, that was passed by the Senate in 2013.

Obama’s plan was tailored to let roughly four million people – those who have lived illegally in the United States at least since 2010, have no criminal record and have children who are US citizens or lawful permanent residents – get into a programme that shields them from deportation and supplies work permits. (Excerpt

A child is given vaccine in an Afghanistan hospital

M

ore than 150 countries have begun switching to a different polio vaccine – an important milestone towards polio eradication, health campaigners say.

The new vaccine will target the two remaining strains of the virus under a switchover 18 months in the planning.

There were just 74 cases

of the paralysing disease in 2015 and there have been 10 so far this year.

All of the cases were in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Africa has been free of polio for more than a year.

Switching the vaccine from one successfully used to fight polio for more than 30 years is a huge logistical exercise.

Thousands of people will

monitor the changeover in 155 countries during the next fortnight.

It is taking effect mainly in developing countries, but also in richer ones such as Russia and Mexico.

The new vaccine will still be given as drops in the mouth, so healthcare workers will not need fresh training.

It will no longer include a weakened version of type 2 polio virus, which was eradicated in 1999.

Dr Stephen Cochi, from the US-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC), said: “The current vaccine contains live weakened virus relating to three types of polio.

“But we don’t need the type 2 component, as it’s not in the world any longer.

“And in very rare cases it can mutate and lead to polio, through what’s called circulating vaccine-derived virus.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Brussels attacks: Thousands take AU mission apologises for to streets in anti-terror march Somali civilian deaths

Those taking part wanted to send a message of peace

A

t least 7000 people took to the streets of Brussels in a march “against terror and hate”.

Heading the processions were some of those caught up in the suicide bomb attacks on Belgium’s airport and metro station that killed 32 people.

Belgian broadcasters described the march as “calm

and silent”.

The march had been due to be held a week after the March 22 attacks, but officials asked for it to be postponed because of the security threat.

Relatives of victims, and paramedics and airport staff affected by the attacks joined people of several re-

ligious faiths on Sunday’s march. Flowers were carried in memory of those who lost their lives.

The procession took them past the Molenbeek neighbourhood – where many of those alleged to have carried out the attacks in both Brussels and Paris had lived – and to the makeshift memorial outside the city’s stock exchange.

One of the organisers of the march, Hassan Bousetta, told the AFP news agency: “When our fellow citizens, defenceless civilians, are cut down in a cowardly attack, all citizens should stand up to express their disgust and solidarity.”

The turnout was less than half of the 15,000 organisers had hoped for. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

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he African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has apologised for accidentally killing four civilians after soldiers mistook them for al-Shabab fighters when they failed to stop at a roadblock.

The apology came on Sunday, a day after the incident happened in the area of Buulo Mareer in the Lower Shebelle region, 80 kilometres south of the capital Mogadishu.

“A speeding vehicle approached the roadblock and failed to adhere to repeated warnings to stop. Assuming the car to be a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED), the troops opened fire resulting in the death of four occupants of the vehicle,” said a statement issued

The Somali Government is defended by the African Union’s 22,000-strong AMISOM mission

by AMISOM. “AMISOM profoundly regrets the loss of civilian lives that occurred during the operation and presents its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” said the statement.

The incident has been referred to the African Union commission and an

AMISOM inquiry has been opened to determine the circumstances of the shooting, the AFP news agency said.

Human Rights Watch called on AMISOM to carry out “thorough and transparent investigation” into the incident before reaching conclusions. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

16 NEWS

monDAY, april 18, 2016 | guyana-times.com

What the people say VOX POPULI I SAY...

Guyanese share their views on the new rule by the Education Ministry which requires National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) students to write their names on their examination paper Sasenarine Seer – Retired Headmaster (Essequibo Coast) “In my personal view I don’t think it’s right, such practice can lead to tampering of the examination and children in the end will suffer, the giving of candidate numbers/ code was the best system, no disclosure of identity, with the writing of name that child can be identified and that won’t be fair.

Lindsey Sharpe (Linden) “I personally don’t like the idea. I believe in fairness; it should just be the candidate number, it eliminates any form of discrimination”.

Joshua Quellow (Georgetown) “I prefer the name because you’re not certain which child is a better student. The other night I was listening to the news where someone was talking about it being confusion with the name and the numbers. You know I prefer the name because if your child does well, you will know right. The numbers now you can never know, because you can take any marks and give any children.”

Denisia Liddell (Linden) “I think it’s a good idea because some of the students sometimes would forget their timetables at home or some do not remember their candidate numbers. I know of such instances where this happened.

The teachers marking the exams now might now have an idea as to whose paper they are marking.”

Calciun Duncan (Georgetown) “That is good, change is good, change is good. I have no problem at all with them putting their name.”

Ulion Leo (Georgetown) “For various reasons, I feel it would cause a little confusion, a little problem because, you have to take every little thing into consideration. For instance is like this: remember now the life now that these youths living here, nobody wouldn’t know this one from that one; remember favouritism could come in. I do feel it will cause a vibes, but they could still put it on the paper.”

Shalene Deochand (Essequibo Coast) “In my view, the move by the Ministry of Education to have students’ name be placed on their paper is wrong; candidate numbers were always given to students in the past and it used to be fair, adding name to the system just confuses it. I think it’s good for candidate number to remain as opposed to inking persons’ names on the paper.”

Salomé McKenzie (Georgetown) “I think it’s fair enough yes.

The children them should write the name on the paper because some parents sometimes say well their children could be doing better and sometime well they would cheat, you know, and I think it’s best, the best idea that they got, writing the kids’ name on the paper.”

Paramand Singh – Former Teacher (Essequibo Coast) “Candidate number serves as a unique identification for an examination paper; putting a child’s name there can always be mistake: More than one child can have the same name, this confuses the marker. A candidate number is better: markers would know what they are about. A child name on a paper increases the risk of favouritism. I strongly feel the Ministry of Education should review this move as we parents think that it won’t be fair from the child side.”

Lionel David (Georgetown) “I heard my wife talking about it at home. I seem to think it might be a good thing because person’s name would be on the papers instead of a number, because number you could always switch numbers. So I think it might be a good thing if the name on the papers than just the number, plus maybe stuff use to happen in the past that probably can’t happen right now with the name on the paper.”

Manickchand scolds Govt over its “inaccessibility”

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overnment has come in for some harsh flogging by People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament (MP) Priya Manickchand who last Thursday criticised it for backpedalling on its promise of inclusive governance and its continued “inaccessibility”.

Her criticism came in light of the recent revelation regarding the change of format of the examination paper for students scheduled to sit the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) this month-end. The former Education Minister has concerns with the students now having to write their names on the exam paper, and also

condemned Government for not reaching out to the people and members of the Opposition.

“This is the same Government which said that it was going to be inclusive in its governance.

Never told, never asked as a parent, as a person who has been in that seat for a couple of years, as a citizen, as a Member of Parliament and the Opposition’s representative to say on particular issues,” she complained, noting that her stint at the Education Ministry was very much different to what is taking place now.

“We were always accessible. We could have been reached. Ask us questions on social media, meet us in

PPP/C MP and former Education Minister Priya Manickchand

the market, call us, etc. This Government is running this country out of their offices and comfort of the homes

of their supporters. This is not happening the way it should be happening. The Government has dozens of Ministers and advisers, but is not touching people. They are going by planes, because they are travelling frequently,” she told Journalists.

According to her, when she was Education Minister, she would meet with the Shadow Ministers of both the then Opposition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) at her invitation.

“We never announced anything big under my watch in the newspapers.

They were told about it first and had an input in it,” she said.

Manickchand reminded that when a decision was made to change the age of entry into nursery school and begin the distribution of the cash grant, Shadow Ministers were first informed.

She said since she left the office, she has never been invited to the Ministry as the now Shadow Minister of Education to have any discussion on any matter.

The former Education Minister said this was among the many reasons the Opposition would not be participating in the education Commission of Inquiry (CoI).

“There is no consistent engagement with the people who have standing in

the country. While we represent the whole country, if you are talking specifically to the number of votes, then that is something different,” Manickchand said, continuing that good governance requires that all be involved and Government makes itself accessible. Changes, she said, should not be made without proper public consultation.

She added that women of the PPP were not even invited to any of the Women Affairs programme.

“It’s like the PPP does not have women or none of the PPP women have never contributed to the development of women in this country,” Manickchand stated.

news

17

MONDay, april 18, 2016 | guyanatimesGY.com

2 homeless after fire Graham expecting prison destroys East Berbice home wardens to return after sick leave Jonas told this publication that she responded to shouts of ‘fire’ and ran out of her yard.

“When I ran out there was smoke, there was no fire visible as yet and everbody started forming a bucket brigade to assist in dousing the fire… It went on for quite a while because when the fire tenders came there was not enough water and they were still using the buckets to out the fire

The burning house

By Andrew Carmichael

A

mid-morning blaze at East Bank Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) has left two persons homeless and more than $15 million in losses.

Those homeless are Clyde Riddle and his wife Abigail Riddle of Glasgow New Housing Scheme, East Bank Berbice Reports are no one was at home when the fire started at about 10:00h on Sunday.

Speaking with this newspaper following the mishap, Clyde Riddle said he left home shortly before 10:00h but received a telephone call fifteen minutes later stating that his house was on fire.

He said by the time he returned home the entire house was engulfed in flames.

“The roof started falling in and the heat prevented the people from getting to the bottom to save some of the equipment and when the fire tender came, the water was not performing as it should. If the wa-

Clyde Riddle

Abigail Riddle

ter was performing the floor wouldn’t have burnt,” the distraught man lamented.

He noted that only a refrigerator was on in the house at the time of the blaze.

The couple has been living at Glasgow for some eight years and were on the last phase of completing their two bedroom home.

Meanwhile, speaking with this publication Abigail Riddle said she and her husband worked hard to build their home; and added that she sells food while her husband is a carpenter.

One eyewitness, Ester

over on the other house because it had already catch,” Jonas related.

She added that two fire tenders responded 45 minutes later and took a long time to source water.

The Riddle’s said their home was completed furnished and estimated their loss at over $12 million.

“Everything that I worked for, if I get a job today I can’t take it,” the hurting man said. “I work and do a little piece, work and do a little piece, the bank came and offered me a loan but I refused it because I don’t want any stress,” Clyde said.

The cause of the blaze is still unknown.

The Guyana Fire Service has launched an investigation.

Camp Street Prison

A

cting Director of Prisons, Carl Graham says he is confident that none of the 13 prison wardens who have submitted seven-day sick leave will quit the job, but will instead return to work when their sick leave period is over.

On April 14, 2016, it was reported 13 out of 15 prison wardens who were expected on duty for the day-shift reported sick, forcing Graham to deploy temporary replacements from Timehri and Lusignan Prisons.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President David Granger also mandated the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force to lend support to the prison officials to secure the penitentiary, including its outer perimeter.

Prison wardens have been expressing fear for their lives as reports of abuse at the hands of prisoners continue to surface almost daily.

It is suspected that the 13 prison officers submitted the seven-day sick leave certificates in fear of being hurt by inmates who have since become intimidating and aggressive at the now chaotic penitentiary.

When asked if he saw a need for permanent mea-

Moody’s downgrades T&T

M

oody’s Investors Service has downgraded Trinidad and Tobago’s Government bond rating to Baa3 from Baa2 and assigned a negative outlook.

Saturday’s announcement follows Moody’s March 4 announcement that the country had been put “on review for downgrade” to allow the international credit rating agency to assess the extent to which T&T’s economic performance and Government’s balance sheet will be impacted “in the coming years (by) the further sharp fall in oil and gas prices”.

The downgrade decision was based on two key drivers 1) despite the authorities’ fiscal consolidation efforts, low oil and gas prices

will negatively and materially undermine the country’s economic and financial strength at least throughout 2018; and 2) there is a high likelihood that the policy response to the commodity price shock will not be as timely and effective as required due to lack of macroeconomic data and weak policy execution capacity.

Moody’s explained that “the negative outlook captures lack of visibility on how effective fiscal consolidation efforts will ultimately be and the extent to which fiscal consolidation will have to rely on one-off measures in the coming one to two years”.

“The negative outlook also captures the possibility that Government support in the form of loan guaran-

tees to Petroleum Company of TT (Petrotrin, Ba3) could be higher than currently assumed. TT’s foreign-currency bond and deposits ceilings were lowered to Baa2/P-3 and Baa3/P-3 from A3/P-2 and Baa2/P-3, respectively.

At the same time, the local-currency bond and deposits country ceilings were lowered to Baa1 from A3, Moody’s said.

The ratings agency also said it would consider moving TT’s outlook from negative to stable if it were to conclude that revenue and expenditure adjustments, in addition to one-off revenue measures, were likely to lead to lower fiscal deficits in the 2016-2017 and 20172018 fiscal years.

On the other hand, Moody’s said the rating

could be further downgraded if it concluded that Government’s planned fiscal efforts for 2016-2017 were unlikely to reverse the deteriorating fiscal performance and the steady rise in Government debt.

“The possibility that Government support in the form of loan guarantees to Petrotrin could be higher than currently assumed would add negative pressure to the rating.

“Early signs of an emerging balance- of-payments crisis, such as a further sustained fall in the price of oil, pressure on the exchange rate regime or a significant fall in international reserves, would also exert downward pressure on the rating,” Moody’s said. (Trinidad

Newsday)

sures to ensure the security of the jailhouse should wardens decide to resign, Graham said that he was confident such drastic action would not be taken by the officials.

He, however, noted that adequate temporary measures were in place to secure the facility.

“There are measures in place to secure the prison; however, they are means of security which cannot be disclosed publicly,” the Prisons Director noted.

The Georgetown Prison descended into a state of chaos on March 3, 2016 after inmates set several fires inside the Capital A block which housed high-profile convicts and some inmates awaiting trial.

The inmates were protesting a raid on the facility

by Joint Services who seized a quantity of contraband items, including marijuana and cellular phones.

The fires prompted the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry which is ongoing.

Reports coming out from inside the jailhouse paint a grim picture of the poor security situation that exists at what should have been a maximum security facility, owing to the fact it is located in the heart of the country’s capital.

There are reports that inmates had taken control of large parts of the prison, including preparing meals of their choice.

However, these reports could not have been independently verified.

Prison wardens are of the view prisoners are now empowered after two top Government Ministers, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan met and negotiated with them following the March 3 unrest.

18

guyana-timesgy.com

monday, April 18, 2016

ARCHIE

Take care of your responsibilities and move on to proj(March 21- ects or activities that you enApril 19) joy doing. A physical update will lead to compliments.

Romance will lead to a lifechanging promise.

ARIES

Socialize with people who TAURUS have experiences to share (April 20- that will encourage you to folMay 20) low through with your own plans. A kind gesture will bring results and an opportunity you cannot refuse.

dilbert

Being helpful is honorable, GEMINI (May 21- but don’t offer too much of June 20) your time or money. Approach each situation with a suggestion or solution. Don’t commit to take on someone else’s responsibilities.

CANCER

Peanuts

(June 21July 22)

Changes at home should make you more comfortable or give you more space to work on a project that excites you. Someone you encounter will reveal interesting information.

Take the initiative and set LEO up plans to take a short trip or (July 23look for an alternative way to Aug. 22) bring in more cash. Romance will improve your life.

Think out loud. Sharing VIRGO your ideas will put you in a (Aug. 23leadership position. Business Sept. 22) trips or networking functions will help secure a better future. A partnership proposal looks promising.

Calvin and Hobbes

Deal with matters conLIBRA (Sept. 23- cerning friends, relatives or Oct. 23) loved ones. You’ll be able to bring peace to a situation that is festering. A change of heart will improve your life.

SUDOKU TODAY’S WORD – TOURED

Stick close to home and SAGITTARIUS take care of your residence (Nov. 23- and the ones you love. Be Dec. 21) careful while operating equipment or machinery. Love is on the rise, and nighttime romance looks promising.

(TOURED: TOORD: Traveled, esp. for pleasure.)

Average mark 16 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 22 or more words in TOURED? The list will be published tomorrow.

SATURDAY’S WORD – DYESTUFF

deft defy dues duet duff dust dusty

duty stud study stuff stuffy stye sued

suet tuff used fetus feud fuse fusty

Start up conversations SCORPIO and get involved in what’s go(Oct. 24ing on around you. If you let Nov. 22) your voice be heard, you will make a difference. The connections you make will offer new and exciting prospects.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

An unexpected turn of CAPRICORN events will leave you reeling.

(Dec. 22- Take one step at a time, while Jan. 19) taking practical steps to ensure you don’t suffer a loss due to someone else’s poor judgment.

You’ll have plenty of great AQUARIUS ideas.

Don’t wait when you (Jan. 20need to put your plans in moFeb. 19) tion before someone beats you at your own game. Romance will lead to a promise from someone special.

You’ll have opportunities PISCES (Feb. 20- galore if you are intent on folMarch 20) lowing through with your creative dreams. Don’t let someone’s negativity stifle your plans. Follow your instincts and forge ahead.

monDAY, aPRIL 18, 2016

Dominant Rosberg extends win streak in China N

ico Rosberg claimed a dominant win in an action-packed Formula One Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday to extend his championship lead over Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton, who battled up to seventh with some feisty driving after starting last.

Rosberg crossed the line a mammoth 37.7 seconds ahead of German compatriot Sebastian Vettel, who recovered after colliding with his Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen at the first corner, to claim his third win from three races this season.

The German now leads Hamilton by 36 points in the

17th of Rosberg’s career and extended his streak of race victories to six, dating back to last November’s Mexican Grand Prix.

Only three other drivers have ever put together a run of six or more wins in a row. Vettel managed nine with Red Bull in 2013 and Michael Schumacher seven with Ferrari in 2004. The other was Italian Alberto Ascari in the 1950s.

ANGRY VETTEL

Daniil Kvyat finished third to score Red Bull their first podium finish since September’s Singapore Grand Prix but the Russian

19

Last-gasp penalty earns Leicester point, Arsenal held

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth.

The Australian rocketed off the line from second on the grid and shot past Rosberg into an early lead.

But an early puncture and subsequent safety car cost him any chance of a podium place.

“As soon as I got on the straight, basically I could feel the car start to wobble and then I looked in the mirror and the tyre went,” Ricciardo said.

“With the safety car, that put us even further back so that was like a double whammy which felt like getting punched in the stomach by

P

Action between Leicester City and West Ham (Reuters photo)

Nico Rosberg

standings and is firmly in control of the championship with 18 rounds of a record 21-race season remaining.

He certainly has history on his side with the winner of the first three races of the season having gone on to win the title each time.

“Well, it’s too early to make any summaries,” Rosberg told reporters.

“It’s three races now and they’ve gone really well for me but it’s the longest season in F1 history with 21 races.

“Of course I’m happy with the way it’s gone and I’m feeling good and the car’s there but I don’t want to say more than that.”

Sunday’s win was the

had to defend himself after the race when an angry Vettel blamed him for the collision between the Ferraris.

Hamilton, who had started from dead last after failing to set a time in Saturday’s qualifying session due to an engine problem, finished seventh, running into further trouble at the start when he lost his front wing in a first-corner collision.

The Briton used some good-old fashioned racing nous to work his way up to third at one stage. But his challenge faded later in the race as he attempted to battle through with a damaged car that he likened to a “four-poster bed”.

a heavyweight.” Raikkonen, who came off worse in the first-corner collision with Vettel, was sixth ahead of Felipe Massa of Williams.

Max Verstappen was eighth ahead of Toro Rosso team mate Carlos Sainz while Valtteri Bottas rounded out the top 10 for Williams.

The early safety car led to a chopping and changing of the order with some drivers choosing to pit even as others stayed out. That put a mix of tyre strategies into play, producing a close battle for position behind the leader with plenty of exciting racing through the field.

(Reuters Sport)

remier League leaders Leicester City salvaged a point from Leonardo Ulloa's penalty with the last kick of the game to draw 2-2 in a thriller with West Ham United and open an eight-point gap over chasing Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Ulloa struck five minutes into added time to earn a draw for the Foxes, who had looked headed for defeat after West Ham scored twice in three minutes through Andy Carroll's 84th minute spot kick and Aaron Cresswell's fine strike to lead 2-1.

Although Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri praised what he called his team's fantastic performance built on "blood, heart and soul", the match proved costly for the hosts as they chase a first top-flight title.

Their first-half scorer Jamie Vardy was sent off early in the second and will be suspended for the match at home to Swansea City next Sunday and they dropped points for the first time after five straight wins.

Leicester lead the standings with 73 points from 34 matches, followed by Spurs, who have 65 from 33 and play their game in hand at Stoke City on Monday.

Arsenal, who drew 1-1 with visiting Crystal Palace on Sunday, remain fourth on 60 points, behind Manchester City, 3-0 winners at last season's champions Chelsea on Saturday, on goal difference.

FANTASTIC ATMOSPHERE

A victory over West Ham and defeat for Spurs on Monday would have left Leicester 10 points clear with four games to play and there was a fantastic atmosphere at the King Power Stadium with thousands of fans arriving in the sunshine hours before kickoff.

West Ham almost scored in the second minute when Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel saved a header from Cheikhou Kouyate, tipping the ball on to his lefthand post before it rolled across the line and hit the other upright.

Leicester took the lead through Vardy after 18 minutes with the striker grabbing his 22nd goal of the season to join Tottenham's Harry Kane as the league's leading scorer.

But Vardy was dismissed for a second yellow by referee Jon Moss and, although Leicester's 10 men coped well with West Ham's constant pressure, they wilted in the 84th minute when Wes Morgan fouled Winston Reid and Carroll equalised from the spot.

Two minutes later the visitors were ahead thanks to a fierce shot from the edge of the penalty area from Cresswell, before Carroll fouled Jeffrey Schlupp and Moss awarded Leicester a penalty which Ulloa calmly converted.

"The sending off changed our match," Ranieri said.

"But I never speak about the referee.

"Our performance was fantastic, this is our soul, we play every match with this blood, heart and soul, it was magnificent. This point is very important psychologically."

West Ham remained sixth on 53 points, three behind Manchester United as the pair chase a European spot.

BAD RESULT

Arsenal's lingering title hopes appeared to all but end after they were held by lowly Palace, who equalised eight minutes from time when Yannick Bolasie sent a low shot from the edge of the box past Petr Cech at the near post.

Alexis Sanchez headed Arsenal ahead just before halftime.

"That was a bad result for us," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "...we had a lot of possession but could not turn that into real clear-cut goal chances.

"We lacked a change of pace today, our passing was slow and maybe we lacked complete confidence to go for it."

Eighth-placed Liverpool, with 10 changes from the side that beat Borussia Dortmund 4-3 to reach the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday, won 2-1 at Bournemouth with goals at the end of the first half from Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge. (Reuters Sport)

20

guyana-times.com

monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016

NBA Roundup…

Warriors rout Rockets in Playoff opener S

tephen Curry dazzled from long range and drove to the hoop with fire and flair, scoring 24 points before tweaking his ankle as the Golden State Warriors beat the Houston Rockets 104-78 on Saturday in their playoff opener.

Draymond Green added 12 points and 10 rebounds as top-seeded Golden State carried momentum from setting the all-time wins record Wednesday night with No. 73 into a testy playoff opener some 60 hours later.

The Warriors topped the Michael Jordan-led Bulls of 1995-96, then immediately made one thing clear: That mark will mean nothing if they don’t bring home backto-back titles to the East Bay. James Harden scored 17 points for cold-shooting Houston, held to six field goals in the first quarter of the rematch from last year’s Western Conference finals, won by Golden State in five.

Game 2 in the best-ofseven series is Monday night at Oracle Arena, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Curry is questionable for that one. He will be reevaluated today.

“Right now I don't see a scenario I would be out,” Curry said, noting that could change if it gets worse or there's risk of further trouble. “Pain tolerance, all that stuff, I kind of know what I can deal with on the court.”

PACERS 100, RAPTORS 90: Paul George scored 33 points, Monta Ellis had 15 and Indiana beat Toronto in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Jonas Valanciunas fouled out after scoring 12 points and setting a Raptors’ playoff record with 19 rebounds.

All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan

both struggled for the second-seeded Raptors. Lowry made 3 of 13 field goal at-

and 11 assists, Kevin Durant added 23 points, and the Thunder opened the

ing from Seattle before the 2008-09 season, and the lowest point total the fran-

Thank you Kobe!

By Treiston Joseph

W

Stephen Curry

tempts while DeRozan made 5 of 19. The pair went 1 for 10 from 3-point range and 8 for 15 at the free-throw line.

DeRozan finished with 14 points and Lowry had 11.

Cory Joseph scored 18.

Toronto dropped to 0-8 in the first game of an openinground playoff series.

THUNDER 108, MAVERICKS 70: Russell Westbrook had 24 points

Western Conference series with their most dominant postseason performance since moving to Oklahoma City.

Serge Ibaka had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Enes Kanter added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder.

It was Oklahoma City’s largest victory margin in a playoff game since mov-

chise has allowed in a postseason game, in Seattle or Oklahoma City.

Dallas scored its fewest points ever in a playoff game, and its .298 field-goal percentage was the worst ever in a postseason game for a franchise that has existed since 1980.

Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 18 points.

Game 2 will be Monday in Oklahoma City.

HAWKS 102, CELTICS 101: Jeff Teague stymied another big Boston comeback, taking matters into his own hands in the closing minutes to lead Atlanta in Game 1 of the opening-round playoff series.

Teague scored 23 points and doled out 12 assists, making sure Atlanta maintained the home-court edge after the gritty Celtics rallied from a 19-point deficit.

With the game tied at 88, Teague worked the pickand-roll to set up a layup for Al Horford.

The Celtics missed and the Hawks again got the ball to Teague, who found Paul Millsap alone under the basket for a dunk that pushed Atlanta to a 92-88 lead with 2:56 remaining.

The Celtics had a chance to tie in the final minute, but Evan Turner missed an open 3-pointer.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Atlanta. (Indiana Gazette)

hat defines greatness?

What defines a competitor? What defines a champion?

Some would say killer instinct, some would say clutch, selfishness, work ethic, natural ability, championships, passion, Treiston Joseph intelligence quotient (IQ), leadership, etc.

Whatever you defined success as, Kobe Bryant was the perfect example of it all.

Number 24, out of Lower Merion High School was nothing short of exceptional on a basketball court and is a once in a generation type of athlete and now that he has retired has left his own mark on the game of basketball as to what greatness, a competitor and a champion is.

But what separates Kobe from any great player? The answer is will power… Bryant took his game to another level simply through his own will to win, reminiscent of Michael Jordan and mirroring, the likes of Usain Bolt, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali, Pele and Tom Brady just to name a few athletes that have transcended their respective sport.

It has been an emotional week for me, watching Kobe don the purple and gold for the last time, but even in the finality of what was a great 20-year career with only the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant thrilled with a 60-point performance in such Kobe-like fashion, all one could do was appreciate greatness for one last time.

Bryant also added to his legacy as the oldest player to score 60 points, not only that but Kobe outscored other great players in his retirement game.

Jordan in his final game with the Washington Wizards dropped 17 points, Larry Bird with the Boston Celtics, 12 points and Allen Iverson with the Philadelphia 76, 13 points; this is not to say that Kobe was greater than any of these men were but it is to show the level of his will power even at the age of 37.

Kobe’s will power has made him not just one of the most revered players in basketball but one of the most revered athletes around the world.

In addition, Kobe’s ability to revel in the sorrows of his opponents and their fans was unlike any other, his ability to push his opponents and even teammates to mental exhaustion was unlike any other, he called it “mamba mentality”.

After all only an athlete of Kobe’s mental psychology would prefer to be hated than loved even uttering the words, “love me when you become greater”.

In essence there will be no other athlete like Bryant that paid attention to detail and dedicated his life to achieving greatness the way he did.

It was an honour to be able to watch a legend and while it will be hard to watch the Lakers without Kobe Bryant, father time waits on no one.

Thank you Kobe for the memories and in classic Kobe fashion “mamba out”.

Kobe Bryant accolades barring Laker records, Career Totals: 33,643 points (third all-time), five NBA Championships, twotime Olympic gold medalist, two NBA Finals MVP Awards, 18 All-Star Selections, four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011), 11-time All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2013), two-time All-NBA Second Team (2000–2001), two-time All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005), nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003–2004, 2006–2011), three-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001–2002, 2012), two-time NBA scoring champion (2006–2007), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1997), NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997), Los Angeles Lakers all-time leading scorer, Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1996).

21

sports

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Telephone: 275-0733

‘Beast’ no more - Back to form Blake claims name was holding him back

A

fter sprinting to a world-leading 9.95s at the MVP Track and Field Meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday night, 2011 World 100-metres champion Yohan Blake said he now feels free to run fast again.

Running in the last of 10 heats, Blake, who has a personal best of 9.69s, the second fastest time in history, pulled away from British Olympic prospect Zharnel Hughes and Jamaica’s Olympic hopeful Rasheed Dwyer to deliver his fastest time in two years.

Both Hughes and Dwyer were given the same time 10.10s, but it was Blake who grabbed the attention as the only sub-10 sprinter on Saturday and the first Jamaican to do so this year.

He revealed that break-

ing the 10-second barrier was a big step as he continues to prepare for what he hopes to be a triumphant return to the Olympics this summer.

“It was a really big step.

I have been struggling for two years and now coming back into 9-second shape it has been really good. I have to give God thanks who has been so magnificent to me.

I’m free,” said Blake who won silver medals in both the 100 and 200 metres behind countryman Usain Bolt in London four years ago.

Blake said over the past two years he has made some changes that have helped with his recovery and his return to form.

“I have included God some more. God has been great to me. I also had to change the name ‘The Beast’

because it has been holding me back; the mark of the beast and all these things.

God has been present in my life and it has been good,” said the man who has also run 19.26 seconds over 200 metres, the second fastest time in history.

Earlier, Blake’s Racer’s Track Club teammates Warren Weir and Michael Frater also made impressive debuts in the 100 metres. In the heat immediately before Blake’s Weir ran an impressive 10.07s second to relegate veteran Michael Frater 10.17s into second.

All three ran on the club’s sprint relay team that clocked 38.45s to win over Kingston College 39.52, Calabar High 39.60 and Jamaica College 39.77 in the second of two sprint relay heats. (Digicel Sportsmax)

Barcelona rocked by 2-1 home defeat to Valencia B arcelona's stuttering title bid suffered another setback when they lost 2-1 at home to Valencia as they registered a third straight La Liga defeat for the first time since 2003.

Luis Enrique’s shellshocked side are level on 76 points with Atletico Madrid, who knocked the holders out of the Champions League in midweek, and re-

nine-point lead, could not find an equaliser.

Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves produced a spectacular save to deny Rakitic late on and Gerard Pique agonisingly missed the target at the near post in stoppage time.

Earlier, Atletico Madrid eased to a 3-0 home win overstruggling Granada to go level with Barcelona on points after Fernando

semi-finals, started brightly with Koke blazing over the bar moments after kick-off.

The midfielder proved more accurate minutes later, pouncing on a loose ball after Torres’s effort was blocked and drilling a shot into the net.

Granada winger Ruben Rochina hit the post later in the half before Torres eased Atletico’s nerves by notching the second, latching onto

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Barcelona’s striking trio in dismay after loss

main top only due to a superior head-to-head record.

An own goal by Ivan Rakitic put Valencia ahead after 27 minutes and Santi Mina added a second just before halftime to stun the Barca supporters at the Nou Camp.

Lionel Messi scored his 500th career goal to reduce the deficit after 64 minutes but the struggling hosts, who have squandered a

Torres grabbed his fourth goal in as many games.

Spain international Koke opened the scoring after 15 minutes and then teed up Torres for the second in the 59th, while substitute Angel Correa rounded off the victory in the 83rd.

Atletico, boosted by a 2-0 win over Barca on Wednesday which put them into the Champions League

a threaded pass by Koke to lift the ball over goalkeeper Andres Fernandez and into the far corner.

Argentine forward Correa came on to replace Atletico’s top scorer Antoine Griezmann and made the most of his cameo appearance by racing onto a pass from Saul Niguez down the left and tucking the ball into the far bottom corner. (Reuters

Sport)

22

GUYANA-TIMES.COM

monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016

GCA's GISE, Trophy Stall, Star Party Rentals 1st Division 2-day cricket....

De Kock hits 1st ton of IPL 2016 to stun RCB

I Barnwell’s allround performance spurs DCC to title

By Akeem Greene

I

t was certainly a Captain’s match as Christopher Barnwell helped the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) add yet another trophy to their collection when they won the final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) First Division Two-day Cricket Competition on Sunday against Guyana Defence Force (GDF) by vir-

gave them a lead of 142.

In GDF's second innings, they ended on 66-3 when play came to an end.

In the Soldiers second innings they slipped to 10-3 as the medium pace of Christopher Barnwell removed Leon Andrews (00), Quacey McPherson (00) and Hakeem Hinds (05) within the space of five overs.

An unbeaten 56-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Kevin

8 with a handy 41-run partnership with Paul Wintz.

Imlach, attempted to use his feet to spinner Kevin Ramdeen and missed the ball to be stumped by wicket kepper Dexter Solomon for a well composed 73 (6x4s;1x6).

Imlach's dismissal brought the pair of Dexter George and Wintz together who frustrated the Soldiers with stubborn 49-run partnership for the eight wicket.

The right-handed Wintz

Paul Wintz defends during his stubborn innings of 49 ( Marceano Narine Photos)

tue of securing first innings honours.

The competition which is sponsored by General Industrial Supplies Enterprise (GISE) Trophy Stall and Star Party Rentals, saw the National all-round-

Ramdeen 29 (5x4s) and Ishwar Singh 26 (4x4s), who played some stylish shots, entertained the small gathering; Barnwell took 3-35.

Earlier, DCC, resuming on 184-5 with Kemol Savory on 02 and Dennis Squires

would be ruing the opportunity to register a fifty, after he was caught behind off the bowling of Nial Smith for 49 (7x4s), spending 200 minutes at the crease.

George and Totoram Bishun took the score pass

t was a run-fest of the highest quality. Virat Kohli, a machine going by his current form, delivered again. His 48-ball 79 powered Royal Challengers Bangalore to 191 for 5, and AB de Villiers and Shane Watson chipped in with 55 and 33. But their efforts were put to shade by Quinton de Kock, who made a bruising 51-ball 108, the first hundred in IPL 2016, to power Delhi Daredevils to a seven-wicket win at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

It was Daredevils' first win over Royal Challengers since 2010.

While De Kock starred in the lead role, Karun Nair, who hails from Bangalore, played the supporting role in 134-run third-wicket stand that came off 76 balls.

Zaheer Khan, the Daredevils captain, was clear that the Kohli factor influenced his decision to bowl first. What he didn't account for was a Chinnaswamy deck that looked biscuit brown and was ripe for a run-fest. On his part, Kohli showed he can be equally dangerous when setting targets. The groundwork was laid during the course of his secondwicket stand of 107 with de Villiers before Daredevils hit back with a tremendous exhibition of late-overs bowling courtesy the returning Mohammed Shami and Chris Morris, who conceded only 27 off the last four overs.

Daredevils were dealt an early blow when Shreyas Iyer was dismissed by Shane Watson and David Wiese, whose tag-team effort resulted in a stunning catch at long-on. But the early loss had little effect on de Kock as he pierced a packed off-side field for three fours off the offspinner Parvez Rasool in the second over.

faced. A nonchalant flick off Harshal Patel in the ninth over soared over deep square leg, and once he was into the 90s he used the pace to scoop the ball over short fine leg. The end result was a wagon wheel with spokes all around the wicket.

runs, Chahal fielding his straight punch but giving away an overthrow with an underarm flick to try and catch Nair out of his crease.

Chris Gayle's dismissal in the first over to Zaheer silenced the crowd, but De Villiers and Kohli were least

SCOREBOARD Royal Challengers Bangalore innings CH Gayle c Duminy b Khan 0 V Kohli* c Iyer b Mohammed Shami 79 AB de Villiers c Mohammed Shami b Brathwaite 55 SR Watson c Morris b Mohammed Shami 33 SN Khan run out (Mohammed Shami) 1 KM Jadhav† not out 9 D Wiese not out 5 Extras: (lb 8, w 1) 9 Total: (5 wickets; 20 overs) 191 Did not bat: Parvez Rasool, HV Patel, YS Chahal, S Aravind Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-107, 3-170, 4-172, 5-177 Bowling: Z Khan 4-0-50-1, CH Morris 4-0-29-0, Mohammed Shami 4-0-34-2, P Negi 3-026-0, A Mishra 3-0-26-0, CR Brathwaite 2-0-18-1.

De Kock's sparkling form helped Daredevils ride a trough when Sanju Samson struggled to play his shots, but his dismissal in the sixth over turned their fortunes. Nair and de Kock got stuck in against Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel and David Wiese, whose combined tally at one point was 78 conceded off seven overs.

Their predictability put immense pressure on Watson to deliver with the ball as the equation came down to 56 off the last six overs.

By then, Nair was in his element. Not a shot was played in desperation or anger, and his sparkling form took the pressure off a tiring de Kock, who brought up his century off his 48th ball.

Once into the home stretch,

Delhi Daredevils innings Q de Kock† c †Jadhav b Watson 108 SS Iyer c Wiese b Aravind 0 SV Samson c Chahal b Watson 9 KK Nair not out 54 JP Duminy not out 7 Extras: (lb 3, w 10, nb 1) 14 Total: (3 wickets; 19.1 overs) 192 Did not bat: CR Brathwaite, CH Morris, P Negi, Z Khan*, A Mishra, Mohammed Shami Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-50, 3-184 Bowling: S Aravind 3-0-321, Parvez Rasool 3-0-28-0, SR Watson 4-0-25-2, YS Chahal 2.1-0-23-0, D Wiese 4-049-0, HV Patel 3-0-32-0.

affected by the early loss, and carried on from where they had left off in the opening game. Ten fours and a six came in the first six overs as Royal Challengers moved to 63 for 1.

The spinners, Pawan Negi and Amit Mishra, fared only marginally better than the quicks in the face of the De Villiers-Kohli onslaught. It needed Carlos Brathwaite, the World T20 hero, to dismiss De Villiers in his first over to rejuvenate Daredevils. But within the bat of an eyelid, they were back under the cosh as Kohli and Watson took over.

With 21 coming off the 16th over, bowled by Zaheer, Royal Challengers were 164 for 2 and looked well set for a second successive 200-plus

Christopher Barnwell collects his man-of-the match trophy from a representative of the competition

er stroking an eye-catching 70 and ending with match figures of 6-71 was one of the main contributors in the Queenstown based team bowling out GDF for 160 on day one and responding with a total 302, which in turn

yet to get off the mark, saw Romario Shepherd removing the duo to reach his fifth wicket of the match and put DCC at 197-7.

Tevin Imlach who resumed his innings after retiring hurt with cramps on day one, took the score 238-

the 300 mark when George was taken at slip for 15 off the bowling of Ramdeen, leaving Bishun not out on nine.

Shepherd was the pick of the GDF bowlers with 5-39 from 20 overs; Ramdeen was next best with 2-12.

Quinton de Kock smashes one straight down the ground (BCCI photo)

De Kock was particularly punishing through the off side, a majority of his runs coming behind square.

Once he was set, the other elements to his game sur-

there was a sense of inevitability to the game. After De Kock walked off to a round of applause from Watson, who had him caught behind, Duminy struck the winning

score. But the wickets of Watson and Sarfaraz Khan in the space of three balls set them back and denied the flourish they were looking for. (Cricinfo)

guyana-times.com

monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016

Rising Stars crowned champions of South Essequibo T20 competition O

n a day blessed with glorious sunshine in the village of Pomona on the Essequibo Coast, Rising Stars were crowned as champions of the South Essequibo T20 Competition that concluded recently.

New Opportunity Core (NOC) Club won the toss and inserted Rising Stars to bat on a good wicket in the final.

The openers had some testing moments from the fast bowler Neland Codogon as the first wicket went down in the third over with the score on 10.

Two overs later, Codogon had Kurty Jones caught at backward short-leg trying to fend off a short lifting delivery.

Codogon, bowling at a lively pace, kept the shackles on Rising Stars, but some very sensible batting

by Kaman Lackhan and the talented Sachin Persaud put together an 84-run partnership for the third wicket before Persaud had to retired hurt on 37 (4x4s).

Soon after, Lackhan went for a well-played 42 (4x4s).

Rising Stars gathered 104 runs in the last 10 overs with Jadesh Dindyal 14 (1x4;1x6) and Anil Lackhan 16 not out (1x4;1x6) gave their team a total of 141 for 8 off their 20 over’s .

Bowling for NOC, Miguel Jones had 4 for 26 runs off 3 overs and Akeene Adams 3 for 19 runs off his 4 overs.

In reply, NOC looked

The victorious Rising Stars team

very positive in their run chase for victory but lost the aggressive opener Mohabeer when he was bowled by Ravindra Narine with the score on 12 in the 3rd over.

They kept loosing wickets regularly until Heresho Paul who made 35 (3x4s; 1x6) and Neland Coodogon 15 (1x6), added 44 runs the 5th wicket.

The pendulum swung and the match seemed in favour of NOC when Paul took 22 runs off Ricardo Peters first over with the score on 71 for 4 in eight overs but Peters had the better of Paul when he had him caught on the long-off boundary.

The only other batmen who looked like they were

trying to go after the target was Orin Heyliger, who made 26 not out (2X4s) as NOC finish with 112 for 9 off their 20 over’s.

Bowling for Rising Stars Ravindra Narine 3-19 off his 4 overs and Anil Lackhan 2-21.

Kayman Lackhan was named man of the match in the finials, with Rising Stars receive the winning trophy and cash while NOC receive the runner ups trophy and cash.

Early on in the day Hibernia Sport Club upset Jaguars in the third place play-off.

Jaguars won the toss and took first strike and were bowled out for 104 with

Norman Fedricks 67 (5x4s; 2x6s) Bowling for Hibernia Mangal Samroo took 5-19 and Suraj Persaud 4-23.

In reply Hibernia got pass the target with three wickets and 3.4 overs to spear Suraj Persaud made 38 (5x4s) and Reaz Mohamed 29(3x4s), Wazim Kamal had 3-20 in his 4 overs , Persaud was later named man-of- the match.

The South Essequibo Cricket Committee awarded trophies to all the players who were adjudged man-of -the match in all the matches that were played in the Round Robin stage and semi-finals.

23

UG aiming high at Boyce/ Jefford Relay Festival

0

The University of Guyana (UG) will be aiming to cause some upsets at the upcoming Boyce/Jefford relay festival set for April 23 at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.

The tertiary intuition have been rising in the track and field ranks lately and their recent outings hint at the club’s ability to cause some upsets.

UG recently returned with five medals from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Invitational Track and Field Competition in Jamaica, one of which was gold in a 1600m Medley relay that featured Owen Adonis, Floyd Phillips, Kadeem Peters and Cleveland Forde.

The 1600m Medley race featured a 400m, 200m, 200m and 800m in that order for which UG finished in 3:37.50s for first place.

In addition, the University won three gold; one silver and one bronze medal at the meet. The other members of the team included Kezia Bess, Vanessa Shelto, Travis Poole, Salim Yussuf, Ameer Yussuf and Kleon Spelling. Mark Scott was appointed Coach of the team for the UWI Invitational.

To further UG’s case, the team competed last Friday at a Golden Jubilee Relay Festival at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora where the team won four gold medals.

Nevertheless, UG will have to compete without star athlete Cleveland Forde who is a member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) club but attends the university.

However, UG will be one of the clubs to look out for at the much anticipated relay festival.

The Events for the relay estival include (male and females): 4x100, 4x200m 4x400, Sprint Medley Females (100m, 100m, 200m, 400m), Sprint Medley Males (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m).

Distance Medley Females (400m, 600m, 600m, 800m), Distance Medley Males (400m, 600m, 600m, 1200m).

In addition, each relay race carries a total prize of $40,000 with $20,000 for the winner; $12,000 for second and $8,000 for third place.

Teams are expected from Linden, Berbice, East Coast and Georgetown-based clubs.

GFA 1st Division League…

Black Pearl, Order and Discipline grab close wins

A

– Demerara 72-0 in response to U-17s’ 243

ction in the Georgetown Football Association First Division League continued on Sunday with three close games.

Black Pearl was the first team to register a win for the day in the second match

69th minute with a goal from Conrad Saul.

The final game of the day saw Order and Discipline topping Eastveldt 2-1 in a thrilling contest to end the day’s play.

Order and Discipline after a shaky start netted the

driver’s seat but when spirited bowlSinclair fell for 48 with ing performance the score on 174 and from left-arm spinner Akini Adams, Bookie later for 58, the in addition to a strokespin of Adams tore in filled unbeaten 57 from to the middle and lower order. opener Mark Williams, Only Ashmead gave Essequibo first day Nedd (18) and Anthony honours in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Antonio (25) reached Hand-in-Hand 3-Day double figures afterwards as Adams spun Inter-county competition on Sunday at the webs around the batsmen to collect his six Demerara Cricket Club. wickets; Chinkoo ended At close of play, with 2-77.

Essequibo were 72-0 with Williams on 57, Over at Everest inclusive of nine fours Cricket Club, Leftarm spinner Keshram and one six and Nathan Seyhodan claimed 5-46 Persaud on 15, still trailing by 171 runs. to lead Demerara’s Earlier in the day, route of Berbice for just the pair of Bhaskar 198 runs.

Yadram and Javid Joel Seitaram who Karim and only added battled for well-composed 76 was the only nine for the first wickbatsman who seemed et as Yadram was removed by medium pacer to have an answer for Bookie drives through the off-side during his 58 at DCC (Marceano Keemo Paul for seven. Alphius Seyhodan Narine photo) An entertaining 69Play will resume bilise the innings but the However, a steely parttoday at 09:30h with run partnership for between Kevin Demerara on 38-0 and openthe second wicket between double strike from spinner nership Joshua Persaud (38) and Looknauth Chinkoo put the Sinclair (48) and Alphius ers Ronaldo Renee and Karim who was run out under-17s in a precarious Bookie worth 102 put the Raymond Perez on 11 and youngsters back in the 18 respectively. for 26, that looked to sta- position at 72-3.

of the day when they topped Blackwater 1-nil.

A close game throughout, Samuel Van Dye 69th minute goal was the decider in the match that could have gone either way.

However, the first match of the day proved a stalemate when Liliendaal Wolves and Houston Stars played to a 1-1 finish.

Houston opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and tried to hold the forth but Wolves responded in the

game’s first goal through a strike from Seon Taylor in the 33rd minute.

Mase Assanah restored the confidence in Eastveldt as she scored just before halftime to put the teams back on level pegging in the 42nd minute.

Five minute into the second half Clive Joan rocked the net for Order and Discipline in the 50th minute as the side held off Eastveldt for the three points.

GCB/Hand-in-Hand Inter-county 3-day...

Adams’ 6-74, Williams’ 57 give Essequibo edge on day 1 A

monDAY, APRIL 18, 2016

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

GCA's, GISE, Trophy Stall, Star Party Rentals 1st division two-day cricket....

Barnwell’s all-round performance spurs DCC to title Pg 22

The victorious DCC team along with the various sponsors

De Kock hits first ton of IPL 2016 to stun RCB

Pg 22

UG aiming high at Boyce/Jefford Relay Festival

Pg 23 Quinton de Kock celebrates his 48-ball century (BCCI photo)

The UG team pose for a photo after participating in the Golden relay festival last Friday

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