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Caricom’s work on crime, security most urgent – SG Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3048

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Govt snubs critics, introduces Hamilton Green pension package Page 3

West Ruimveldt man gunned down Page 7

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Miner busted with ganja in pipe P10 Eccles triangle love affair

Teenager, P12 dead man’s ex-girlfriend shared intimate relationship

Misleading Parliament

Norton sent to Privileges Committee Page 2

Beautifying our environs

Rohee flays Govt over P7 delayed placement of Cuba-trained doctors

P11 Local democratic organs commence elections

Region 2 urgently needs street lights, patrol vehicles – Police P17 Authorities have embarked on a beautification programme along the East Bank Demerara Highway, with the planting of these palms

Pension Bill 2016

“Nothing extravagant, lavish or out of kilter with my request” – Green Page 9

PPP pushes for wider P11 online university education

2 news

tuesDAY, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Misleading Parliament

Norton sent to Privileges Committee P

ublic Health Minister Dr George Norton has been committed to the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges for misleading the National Assembly in August last when he was grilled by Opposition members over a contract that had been inked with Linden Holding Inc for the storage of drugs and medical supplies.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland, informed the House that he believes that a prima facie case has been made out against the Minister and as a result, ordered that the matter be dealt with at the Committee of Privileges.

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

The matter was presented to the House in a motion submitted by Opposition Parliamentarian Dr Frank Anthony and seconded by Chief Whip Gail Teixeira.

In presenting the motion to the House, Dr Anthony recalled that during the August 8, 2016, sitting of the National Assembly during consideration of Financial Papers, Dr Norton deliberately misled the House with regards to the rental of a Sussex Street property.

Dr Anthony told the House that the Public Health Minister misinformed the House when he said the

reason no procurement process was followed in acquiring the facility was because it was required on an emergency basis.

Dr Anthony charged too that the minister also misled the House when he said that the Sussex Street property did in fact meet with International Standards and that drugs and medical supplies were already being stored there.

The minister has already issued a public apology conceding that he had in fact erred in his responses to the House at the time.

The minister, according to Dr Anthony, had charged

Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland

that the rental of the Sussex Street property was in fact a cheaper option over a bond owned by New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Dr Anthony reminded the House that the NEW GPC facility was in fact provided free of cost during the tenure of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic administration.

The Opposition member recalled too that Dr Norton had misinformed the House when he said that the cost of renting the NEW GPC facility was for $19 million.

According to Dr Anthony, “The Minister in doing so deliberately attempted to justify the cost of the rental for the Sussex Street property owned by the Linden Holding Company at $12.5 million per month and in doing so misinformed the House.”

The Opposition MP recalled too that the contents of the multi-year contract with Linden Holding Inc have in fact contradicted the statements made by the minister in the National Assembly.

He used the occasion to remind that the contract was in fact for a professional office and not a bond.

The contract, according to Dr Anthony, “does not stipulate anything about the provision of facilities to meet the requirements for the storage of pharmaceutical and medical supplies.”

The brouhaha that erupted following the

disclosure had led to President David Granger establishing a Cabinet Subcommittee to investigate the matter.

That committee had concluded that the contract should be terminated or renegotiated since a similar facility could have been found at a cheaper rate.

Guyana Times had managed to garner more indepth information – from a reliable source – of the Confidential Cabinet Report that was handed to President Granger in August 2016, for his Executive Action.

In the report, the Cabinet Subcommittee found that—contrary to earlier pronouncements by Government spokespersons—the value of the lease with Linden Holding Inc should be reassessed, as it is likely that a similar facility could be obtained at a lower rate.

Dr Norton at the time told Parliament that the building was in fact already being used by the Ministry of Public Health to store drugs and medical supplies.

This publication was told that under examination by the Cabinet Subcommittee, Minister Norton said his statement was based on the reliance of the information provided to him by the ministry officials “to the effect that the bond was ready and in use.”

In mid-October, more than two months after he was found to have misled the National Assembly, Dr Norton apologised to the House over his misleading remarks.

Norton used the occasion of ‘Statements by a Minister’ to offer the apology to the President, Prime Minister, Speaker and other members of the National Assembly when the House came out of its annual recess.

The apology was however informally rejected by sections of the political Opposition.

news

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tuesDAY, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, November 22 – 12:30h-14:00h and Wednesday, November 23 – 13:30h-15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Berbice – Tuesday, November 22 – 11:35h-13:05h and Wednesday, November 23 – 12:45h-14:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Light to heavy rain showers will prevail throughout the day, while partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-easterly to East Northeasterly between 2.23 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 11:03h and 23:31h reaching maximum heights of 2.15 metres and 2.16 metres respectively.

Govt snubs critics, introduces Hamilton Green pension package

D

espite mounting criticism, Government officially introduced a legislative package aimed at giving former Prime Minister Hamilton Green a pension package in keeping with that office which he held from 1985 to 1992.

The Bill was introduced by Finance Minister Winston Jordan and read for the first time by Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs. According to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the Hamilton Green Pension Bill, it seeks to provide a pension, benefits and other facilities to enable him to live in keeping with the high office he occupied.

The Bill will pave the

Former Prime Minister Hamilton Green

Hamilton Green shall be paid a pension in accordance with Section 4 of the said Act based on the salary paid to the Prime Minister, as though he actually earned

T r a n s p a r e n c y International Guyana Inc (TIGI) is the latest to have come out in condemnation, saying the country is simply too poor to bankroll politicians, party stalwarts.

TIGI in a strongly worded missive, contends that the Bill is “vulgar, politically partisan and reeks of cronyism” and has no basis for justification.

TIGI maintains that the sheer extravagance of the provisions of the Bill specifically for Green who is a longstanding PNC politician is an insult to all hardworking nurses, teachers, Police, and public servants who are denied a substantial increase in their salaries.

The transparency body

Low Tide: 04:24h and 17:01h reaching minimum heights of 1.01 metres and 1.10 metres respectively.

The sitting of the National Assembly on Monday, November 21

saturday, november 19, 2016

LOTTERY NUMBERS M 02 05 06 09 17 18 19 Bonus Ball

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Daily Millions

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way for an Act “to provide a pension, benefits and other facilities to Hamilton Green, Prime Minister from 1985 to 1992, to enable him to live in keeping with the high office he occupied”.

The proposed legislation outlines that the Prime Minister Hamilton Green Pension Act 2016 shall come into operation on December 1, 2016.

The Bill inherently and explicitly states that the pension that Green is receiving since retirement shall be discontinued with effect November 30, 2016, in order to facilitate the larger package being catered for in the Bill.

According to the proposed provisions in the Bill, “Notwithstanding anything in the Pensions (President, Parliamentary and Special Offices) Act, Prime Minister

the said salary, taking into consideration his record of service as a legislator.”

Another of the provisions in the Bill is that the former President (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act 2015 shall, subject to such modifications as may be necessary, apply to Prime Minster Hamilton Green and for that purpose wherever the word “President” occurs it shall be substituted by the words “Prime Minister.”

According to the proposed legislative package, “Prime Minister Hamilton Green shall continue to receive any other benefits and facilities provided for in any other law.”

There has been a mounting and steady stream of criticism with regards the package for Green which some have labelled as a vulgar rape of the treasury.

said since the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition assumed office, it has been “unashamed and apologetic about lining the pockets of politicians and friends of the party.”

During a recent press conference, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had also criticised the Government’s move to intro-

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

duce the Bill. He had pointed out that Government must show the special contributions Green made to the nation to authenticate a Prime Minister’s pension.

Jagdeo had also argued that it was extremely duplicitous that the very politicians who previously cried about the “raping of the Treasury” to fund pensions, salaries and benefits of past Government officials are now moving to Parliament to grant Green a special package.

Additionally, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has also labelled the Bill “obnoxious” and expounded that the only justification for the Bill is cronyism.

The GHRA also outlined that to date, Green, a former Mayor of Georgetown, never apologised for the humiliation, hardship and violence to which Guyanese were subjected to during his harrowing term of office, adding that had Dr Jagan in 1992 not ‘drawn a veil’ over the past in the interests of social peace, Green would have found himself facing the courts.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, november 22, 2016

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

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

Editorial

Preserving Peace

N

ovember 21, 2016, was commemorated as the 44th annual World Hello Day. The objective of the occasion was to say hello to at least ten people during the day. The message is for world leaders to use communication rather than force to settle conflicts.

World Hello Day may sound extremely basic, as it encourages us to take the opportunity to simply greet people, and to recognise how important simple communication is in our daily lives. The story of how it came to be, however, is a long and interesting one.

World Hello Day was founded in 1973 by Brian McCormack, a PhD graduate of Arizona State University, and Michael McCormack, a graduate of Harvard University, in response to the Yom Kippur War. The McCormack brothers mailed 1360 letters, in seven languages, to government leaders worldwide to encourage participation in the first World Hello Day. Since that time, World Hello Day has been observed by people in 180 countries.

Any person can participate in World Hello Day simply by greeting ten people or more. This demonstrates the importance of personal communication for preserving peace. The observance began in response to the conflict between Egypt and Israel in the fall of 1973. People around the world use the occasion as an opportunity to express their concern for world peace. Beginning with a simple greeting on World Hello Day, their activities send a message to leaders, encouraging them to use communication rather than force to settle conflicts. In its first year, World Hello Day gained the support of 15 countries. As a global event World Hello Day joins local participation in a global expression of peace.

Thirty-one winners of the Nobel Peace Prize are among the people who have noted World Hello Day’s value as an instrument for preserving peace and as an occasion that makes it possible for anyone in the world to contribute to the process of creating peace. Among other supporters include almost 100 authors, entertainers, and world leaders.

Participating in World Hello Day is quite simple: say hello to at least 10 people during that one day. This is supposed to send a message of openness and goodwill to others, and the creators of the holiday hoped this small gesture alone would demonstrate how communication can be instrumental in resolving disputes and preventing conflicts.

Many take it a step further; they use it as a time to reflect on someone important they have lost touch with, for one reason or another. This may be an important person in their lives they have fallen out with over something that is perhaps not quite worth it. Time tends to be a great healer, so if enough time has passed from the conflict, they would be able to analyse the situation and all of its aspects, seeing their own faults and wrongdoings as well as those of the other party, and maybe it’s time to put the conflict to rest?

Many people do not know how good it actually feels to admit that they were in the wrong and say sorry—instead, they see such behaviour as a display of weakness, when it is actually a display of strength and confidence. People also often make the mistake of thinking that the other person will lose respect if they apologise to them, and this too is incorrect. Most people tend to give more respect for being able to admit the wrong, than if you decide to stubbornly hold onto your convictions after being proven incorrect.

It may seem a bit daunting at first, but if the person or situation is important enough, it will always be worth the struggle to make the first move and extend a hand in a gesture of peace.

Given the existing tensions in our own country, it would be remiss of the citizens not to see the significance of this day, even if it appears trivial. The message is universal.

Why not use this day and those that follow as a catalyst for improving national communication as well?

Members of the "Skipper" yacht club dressed as Ded Moroz, the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus, and his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) sail a yacht along the Yenisei River while marking the end of the sailboat season, with the air temperature about minus 21 degrees Celsius (minus 5.8 degrees Fahrenheit), outside the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia (Reuters)

Effective crime control and prevention Dear Editor, Professionals in the Criminal Justice field have long recognised the value of community based efforts in crime prevention and control.

Widespread application of this concept to the streets and neighbourhoods of local communities throughout the nation represents a new thirst in the search for approaches to combat illegal activities.

Implicit in this trend is the idea that Guyanese can no longer rest on the comfortable assumption that the establishment of institutional machinery to deal with crime constitutes an adequate response to the problem.

The continuing evidence of increasing criminal activities has made it clear that our Courts, Police and Correctional Institutions cannot solve the problem

alone. We cannot ask those in the Criminal Justice System to take full responsibility for a task demanding the concerted action of every individual, community, and institution in the country.

Just as the causes of crime lie imbedded in the structure of the community, so does its solutions. The successes of a variety of local crime prevention programmes suggest that the necessary elements for effective programmes are available in most communities. What is most commonly lacking is the will to act and the knowledge of how to organise effective programmes.

Citizens’ concerns about crime must be translated into action.

Crime prevention must be given the same priority that environmental

problems have received in recent years. It is incumbent upon professionals in the Criminal Justice System to align themselves with the community to develop the level of awareness necessary to spark widespread involvement in crime prevention activities.

Responsibility for initiating action must also be accepted by leaders representing all segments of the Public and Private Sectors. Without energetic, local involvement, of the total community, the Criminal Justice System will inevitably fall even further behind in its crime control prevention and rehabilitation efforts.

Ample opportunities exist for private sector participation. They begin in the home and extend through the entire social structure of

the community. There is an abundance of evidence that delinquency and crime occurs with greater frequency where there is also poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and inadequate medical and recreational resources.

Efforts to alleviate these and other conditions that contribute to criminal activities are necessary if a community is to have a significant impact on the total group of crime-related problems.

These activities must be coordinated with programmes more directly concerned with the Criminal Justice System.

Most desirable as a foundation for development of programmes and activities is an overall evaluation of our Criminal Justice System to identify priority needs. continues on page 5

AFC leadership at crossroads

Dear Editor, Now that the Alliance For Change (AFC) has announced the party’s National Conference will be in January 2017, it leaves many to ponder as to its truthfulness. A few months back, the party’s General Secretary said that the National Conference will be held before the year is out.

The AFC knows that they have lost around 60 per cent of their support nationally and here in Berbice they have lost almost 50 per cent of their supporters. Those that hold on to the AFC are the ones that have no support or have nowhere to go.

In Berbice, since Ramayya’s exit, we hardly hear of the AFC and its works. They have betrayed the Indians and people

that voted for them in Berbice. Look at the recent appointment of the REO, it’s a conflict of interest. She is related to one of PNC’s top brass that sits on the RDC and holds a very senior position within the health administration.

The AFC, during their elections campaign TV programmes, said that 60 per cent of the positions will belongs to the AFC in Region 6. Well, maybe they missed to include the zero at the back of the 60 per cent, because all the AFC has is 6 per cent of RDC Councillors. The AFC has no one representing the people in Region Six. The MP they put there is non-supportive to the residents of Berbice.

He is never available to listen and assist with the

issues of the people. The PM Rep only represents those in high positions and has big businesses.

How much jobs have the AFC created for its party fighters in Regions Five and Six? Where is the voice of Mr Abel Seetaram, who highlights things when it goes wrong in the region? I am challenging Mr Seetaram to come out and speak up against the injustices being done by the AFC to its supporters. As a young man, he knows he has lots of followers. Mr Seetaram maybe a bit controversial, but he is always standing up for the people. I call on him to run at the upcoming conference of the party for a senior position.

The AFC is a party that is

now facing lots of challenges, be it to regain confidence in the hearts of the people and its lost supporters, be it maintaining its grounds, be it getting more support in having an energetic and dynamic leadership structure.

The AFC leadership has miserably failed its supporters and members.

They are at the cross roads and that is why they have decided to have the national conference out of the constitutional timeframe which is every two years.

In a next letter I will surely outlined some of the positions and who should be the holder of those positions.

Sincerely, James Fraser AFC Member

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, november 22, 2016

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

Who is responsible for GuySuCo’s M&CC installing current sordid state of affairs? parking meters, Dear Editor, Within recent days there have been quite a bit of tit for tat between the current and immediate past governments, intermingled with a plethora of press statements and commentaries

by GuySuCo and the sugar union GAWU, as to who is responsible for the current sordid state of affairs of the sugar company.

These arguments, mud-slinging and vitriolic statements and commentaries will not help to rescue an ailing industry or assuage the growing concerns of the sugar workers on the future of their livelihood; they only add to their woes, confusion and distress.

What seems not to matter most to the government, opposition and GuySuCo senior officials is the fate of 18,000 sugar workers and their families. When employment opportunities diminish by the day, where will these displaced workers go?

The current exchanges focus, among others, on whether Booker Tate is responsible for the run-down state of the sugar industry.

To determine whether this British-based management consultancy is responsible, let’s look at some statistics

and be the impartial judge.

I hold no brief for Booker Tate or any political party; it is just to put this seemingly contentious matter into a proper and sensible perspective, and use it to advise those who are willing to listen on the progressive way forward.

Booker Tate’s services were solicited by the Desmond Hoyte government to manage the sugar industry after the most dismal performance was recorded in 1990, when 130,000 tonnes sugar was produced. They assumed responsibility for the management of GuySuCo in 1991 until their contract was terminated by the previous government in 2008.

In between 1991-2008 the average annual sugar production was 267,400 tonnes.

The cane yield measured in tonnes cane per hectare (TCH) was 69, and the average cost of production was about US$0.24 per lb.

Local management took over the management of the company from 2009 to-date.

The average annual sugar production from 2009-2015 was 220,400 tonnes, cane yield 59 TCH and cost of production almost US$0.40 per lb; an annual decline from the Booker Tate period by 47,000 tonnes sugar

or 18% per year, cane yield by 10 TCH or 15% and cost of production increased by US$0.16 per lb. Herein lies the core of the issue. The increase in the cost of production is just what the approximate price of sugar is on the world market; about US$320 per tonne.

If the volume of sugar production and the cost of producing it are used to determine the success or failure of the sugar industry, the decline of the sugar industry, therefore, cannot be attributed to Booker Tate, but to local management.

The ownership of the decline has to be attributed to the three Chief Executive Officers who held the helm of the company from 2009 to date: vis-à-vis Errol Hanoman, Paul Bhim and Rajendra Singh.

During Bhim’s tenure the company recorded its lowest production since 1990 when 186,000 tonnes was produced in 2013, and from media reports it seems that 2016 will be lower than 2013 production under Hanoman.

It must also be borne in mind that in 2014 the company reported to the Economic Services Commission that it had incurred an overall debt of $58 billion. A built-up of the current $90 billion debt

started then.

The common denominator from the time Booker Tate demitted office to-date is agriculture management.

The head of this department was responsible for agriculture management from 2009 to date, and overlooked the perpetual decline in cane yield over the years; with the worst being 53 TCH in 2013.

Editor, unless cane yield could be improved to an average of 70 TCH, there is no way this company has any hope of a turnaround where sugar production is concerned. Its fixed operating expense is way too high; as such the only avenue of lowering its high cost of production to competitive levels is to improve on land productivity and cane yield but it appears the company is not focusing on the right and core priority.

Lastly, if media reports are accurate that Booker Tate was the designer and project manager of the Skeldon Factory, then it befuddles any logic as to why they were legally exonerated from a US$200 million bungling-up.

Dear Editor, I have neither the power nor the authority to claim to know what was the mental process at work when Ian McDonald penned his recent piece; “Confronting Power”.

But as someone who has laboured in the political vineyard for years and have met with thousands of people during that period, I have discerned the message Ian is urging his readers to take note of.

He has left room in his article for the reader to bring out something from their own life.

Many, including myself, would have experienced a frisson of recognition in reading McDonald’s master-

ful interpretation of the depravity of human morality, manifestations of cowardice and man’s predisposition towards philistinism as well as the vengeful side of human nature.

This fine irony which runs throughout “Confronting Power” evokes a sense of gladness but at the same time sadness. This particular oeuvre de plume clearly warns us of coming events that are now casting their shadows over our country. A slow but malignant process is currently unfolding before our very eyes, but only the discernable eye can spot it. McDonald has seen it and has chosen to write, warning us about it and, by the way,

it is no fantastical fiction.

Though we are all Guyanese and our fates may be divergent, we are at the same time engulfed in a sea of individualism, selfishness and narcissism. Vengeful politics seems to be the flavour of the day.

Martin Carter referred to this as “all are involved all are consumed”. McDonald has succeeded in laying bare the human frailties, the foibles of man and above all, the disturbed and disintegration of the human personality, all of which are applicable in the present day Guyana context.

The irresistible urge to commit evil acts, transgress Constitutional rights and

worse yet, the predisposition to accommodate and absolve ourselves of wrong-doings as if they are standards by which we must live and survive.

The gloomy political landscape is populated with escalating signs of authoritarianism. And the efforts to establish a Police State is fraught with horrendous consequences that awaits the nation.

The only way out is struggle; to stand up and be counted. It is better to stand for something than to stand for nothing. Too much is at stake.

Yours faithfully, Selwyn R Narinedatt Sugar Worker

Too much is at stake

Effective crime control...

What also must be recognised and used to its advantage is the vast reservoir of skill and expertise that exists within the private sector of the community, labour, business, industry, churches, schools, private foundations, social agencies, clubs, organisations and private citizens can be called upon to supply manpower, funds and other resources.

To begin with the Police can establish or actively assist Volunteer Neighbourhood Security

Programmes that involves the public in neighbourhood crime prevention and reduction. Such programmes can include for example: 1) The marking and identification of personal property.

2) Instructing neighbourhood volunteers to telephone the Police concerning suspicious situations and to identify themselves as volunteers and provide necessary information. 3) Insuring that participating volunteers do not take enforcement action them-

Sincerely, Clement Rohee

from page 4

selves. 4) When an arrest result from the volunteer’s information, the Police notifies him/her by telephone; and, 5) Acknowledgement through personal contact, telephone call or letter, of every person who provides information.

Further the police can establish or assist in programmes that involve trade, business, industry and community participation in preventing and reducing commercial crimes. Next the police can seek the enact-

ment ordinances that establish minimum security standards for all new construction and for existing commercial structures.

Finally the Police can create a specialised unit to provide support services to a jurisdiction wide coordination of the agency’s crime prevention programmes.

Such programmes are usually best operationally decentralised.

Yours respectfully, Allan R Gates

despite public outcry Dear Editor, In spite of the rumpus caused throughout the capital and country by the proposed installation and implementation of paid parking systems in Georgetown, regardless of the concerns expressed by civil society, the business community, non-governmental organisations, the media, Guyana’s academia, private citizens, some governmental officials and organisations, the mayor and some councillors seem hell bent on rolling out this albatross around the necks of the citizens and visitors to Georgetown This is a most unjust, iniquitous and unreasonable imposition. This is a situation where a foreign company with comparatively little investment, shall be able to milk Guyanese mercilessly for at least another 20 years.

Why was Multi-level Parking systems not considered as an option to provide relief for our parking systems since it has a number of advantages – such as optimal utilisation of space, and a secure environment?

Multiple Level Car Parking Systems are much more in vogue in other progressive countries as a method of automatically parking and retrieving cars, which provides ad-

vantages like safety, saving of space, time and fuel, but this of course would require a much greater investment by the parking meter company than what Smart City Solutions is doing, and that is putting down multi-space meters that control multiple spaces per block whereby parkers will have to walk several car lengths to the meter.

A question to be asked is whether the municipality will rehabilitate the streets on which persons will be required to pay to park, or whether they will just put down these meters on these potholed decrepit roads that constantly damage persons vehicles?

It is such a shame that our roads which our ancestors built often with their bare hands and for which this present council is failing to maintain shall be used to make a fortune for a foreign company and a few corrupt municipal officials who could not care less about what happens to Georgetown’s commercial sector as a consequence of the further economic hardship this burden will heap on the citizens of and visitors to Georgetown.

With thanks Riley Matthews

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Foundation

The human need for attention – a powerful need we ignore at great cost

By Robert J Maurer, PhD

M

ommy, Daddy, look at me!” We have all heard this plea from children on the playground or in our own homes, and we don't consider it inappropriate or unhealthy.

Yet, if an adult spoke the same words, our response would likely be very different.

We take for granted that children require attention. Many a weary parent comes home at night, digging deep inside to find energy they aren’t sure they have in order to give their little ones the affection they require. But what happens to this need as we grow and become adults? The answer: Nothing changes. The basic human need for attention remains, although sadly, most adults ignore this in both themselves and others.

As humans, we have pain receptors to remind us to attend to nearly every biological need. In response, we have developed rituals to assure that our needs are met. We have rituals for eating and sleeping, and even a special room for elimination. We tend to become uncomfortable when our routines are broken, causing us to question whether or not our needs will be met.

For example, have you ever been stuck in a traffic jam needing to pee? Your body becomes very conversational.

So, if pain receptors cue us to consistently meet our most fundamental needs, then where is our receptor for attention? There isn’t one. The best guess as to why this is missing is that

guyanatimesgy.com

we probably didn’t need one throughout our long history as hunter-gathers. Most tribes that crossed the savannah were likely small enough to ensure that everybody knew everyone else.

By being in the constant presence of one another, people could easi l y discern when others required attention, s o

help and support were o f fered naturally. In today’s world, we are much more separate from one another, even in our own homes. Our human bodies were not designed to live in walled-off rooms, where even an unexpected knock on the door can be perceived as an intrusion. What, then, is the definition of attention?

George Bernard Shaw stated, “The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference.”

In other words, it takes love to give and receive energy from another human being. Research on the human need for attention is plentiful and quite compelling.

People who feel well-connected to others experience lower rates of cardiac dis-

ease and are more likely to survive after a heart attack; employees who feel appreciated by their supervisors are more productive and healthier.

Attention is not only an essential component for our physical health, it is crucial to all of our closest relationships.

John Gottman has investigated predictors of romantic success for over 20 years.

What makes his work so extraordinary is that he can predict with over 90 per cent accuracy the likelihood that a marriage will last beyond the fourth y e a r based on two key predictors he discovered. The first is how couples deal with conflict and the second is how they meet the need for attention. It makes sense that attention and conflict show up in the same paradigm.

Challenging issues naturally come up at times between two people in any close relationship. However, if a lot of positive attention is bandied back and forth as well, both parties will be more eager to resolve the issue to get back to the good stuff. On the other hand, for those who don’t experience ease in giving or receiving positive attention, conflict may take on an unnecessary intensity, with the body wanting to take advantage of the only opportunity to get its need for attention met. This can occur no matter how painful and tox-

ic the attention it may be.

The second predictor of relationship success is the amount and type of attention partners share with one another. In successful couples, the daily ratio of positive to negative attention is 5:1 on days when the relationship isn’t going well, and 20:1 on the days it's thriving. Couples heading for divorce demonstrated a ratio of 1:1. So, how does one accomplish the 20:1 ratio in a relationship? It does not require a multitude of candlelight dinners, vacations, gifts, or a series of frequent, hefty raises. This would be physically and financially impossible.

Instead, in achieving a high ratio of positive to negative attention, it is the small moments that count. When your mate calls you during the day, does your voice light up when you realise who called, or does your tone of voice imply that they are interrupting more important tasks?

When an employee or colleague walks through the door, do you put down the phone or close the computer to give them your full attention? If your child had a dentist appointment or was facing a challenge with a friend, do you remember to ask how things went? It is these small, non-trivial moments of attention – these positive rituals and routines we establish – that turn out to be the most powerful predictors of relationship success. During this month of gratitude, you may enjoy purposefully observing what attention you pay others on a daily basis, as well as the attention you receive in return. (psychologytoday.com)

When your child has problems at school: tips for parents Part 2

By Janet Lehman

Tip #4: Your child is responsible for his own work

It’s vital that he knows that he’s being held accountable by you and his teachers. If your child has an issue with the work he’s doing, and you believe he is sincerely struggling with the work, talk to the teacher. If the struggle persists even with teacher help and parental support, have him tested professionally immediately to determine whether or not he has a learning disability.

For the most part, we found our son’s teachers to be dedicated and receptive, but through the years, he did have some experiences with teachers he wasn’t particularly crazy about. We thought that was an important life lesson for our son: he wasn’t going to like everyone and not everyone was going to treat him as fairly as everybody should be treated. I think dealing with these teachers helped prepare him for the real world, where he’d have to work with folks who might not be as understanding of his needs as others. We made sure to never criticize his teachers when our son was complaining about one he didn’t get along with. Openly complaining only encourages your child to blame the teacher for his problems, and to stop being accountable for his schoolwork.

Tip #5: When your child complains about school, don’t join with him in criticising his teacher

By being in that teacher’s classroom, your child is learning an important lesson.

Don’t badmouth the teacher along with your child.

There’s the potential that you could make the situation much worse by doing so. Remember, you’re only going to hear the story from your child’s perspective. If he doesn’t like the teacher and you fuel that dislike, it’s only going to make it worse for your child who is in that classroom so many hours every day. Again, the most important thing is to try to join with the teacher if possible so that your child becomes responsible and can’t deflect that responsibility to a “bad” or a “mean” teacher.

Also, I believe it’s important to recognise that teachers have a really h a r d job. They generally respect p a r ents who are aiding them by helping their child learn. The fact that James and I would take the time to write notes to the teacher and sit with our son and do homework was time well spent, from the teacher’s point of view.

That’s an investment, and teachers respect parental investments in their child’s learning.

Teachers also want to feel support from parents for what happens in the classroom. I’ve seen parents immediately take their child’s side and not take the time to get the full picture from the school staff or teachers. I believe it’s important to see the full picture. You may not like it when you get it, but at least you’ve taken the time to get the other side of the story. James used to say, “Sometimes it’s easier to fight with the school than fight with your kid.”

After all, you can walk away from the school and go home.

It’s a lot harder to hold your child accountable and sit and do the work with him – especially if he is defiant or has other behavioural issues. But in the long run, holding him responsible is the best thing for his future.

Tip #6: Recognise that your child’s teacher has a difficult job

Get the full picture when there is a situation at school – don’t simply rely on your child’s retelling of the story, because he will only see things from his point of view.

It’s often really intimidating to get that initial call from your child’s school. Sometimes it brings up feelings you had when you were a child. Maybe you acted out a bit or had some struggles with learning yourself; perhaps you didn’t feel smart enough or good enough. Often, a parent’s first response, given their own experience, is to fight the system. And believe me, I had some of those feelings.

Thank goodness for James. He was able to turn my thinking around and really take it off me and focus it on our son.

It was a turning point for me as a parent and in the way I viewed myself as a social worker.I believe that one of the keys to helping your child succeed in school is really a lot more parental involvement in general. They may never realise how helpful some of the school folks have been. They may never appreciate the fact that you’ve sat there every night and helped them do their homework. But if you can see their success, you know you’ve done the right thing. (empoweringparents.com)

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tuesday, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

West Ruimveldt Rohee flays Govt over delayed man gunned down placement of Cuba-trained doctors

A

s crime continues to spiral out of control, a West Ruimveldt, Georgetown man was in the wee hours of Monday gunned down following an altercation with a group of men at a function in East La Penitence.

Paul Rodney, also called “Shirts”, of Lot 530 West Ruimveldt, was found lying in a pool of blood at Avocado Avenue, West Ruimveldt with at least seven gunshot wounds about his body.

Preliminary investigations by the Police revealed that about 02:55h, a mobile patrol on Mandela Avenue heard several loud explosions and went to investigate. Upon arrival, a group of men was observed running as they discharged several rounds into the air.

Upon checking the area, the Police noticed the 31-year-old man lying motionlessly and he was covered in blood. Without hesitation, he was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The Police have since confirmed that the man’s

Dead: Paul “Shirts” Rodney

body bore seven gunshot wounds.

When Guyana Times visited the dead man’s home on Monday morning, his uncle, Derick Rodney, explained that he was at home and received the news about 04:35h. He said that he passed by the scene where the shooting took place, but left the Police to continue their investigation.

He noted that upon enquiring, the family was told that his nephew was at a function during which an argument ensured followed by an altercation. He also not-

ed that after the altercation, his nephew attempted to escape, but his attackers went after him and opened fire.

The shooting incident took place a short distance from where the party was held.

The uncle stated that he was not aware if his nephew was involved in any criminal activities since he was dedicated to his ill father, who he took care of.

“He provides for his father, his father is unable to move and as a result of that, he is with his father…his father has to be receiving care on a 24-hour basis, so he is with him,” the uncle stated.

On the other hand, the Police are claiming that Rodney is a known character and has been engaged in several brushes with the law. Meanwhile, detectives have recovered several spent shells at the scene that belonged to a small-calibre weapon.

The Police are yet to make an arrest in the matter, as they continue to question several key persons who were present at the function.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

3 hospitalised at Suddie Hospital for poisoning

T

hree men are hospitalised and battling for their lives at the Suddie Public Hospital in Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), after coming into contact with various poisonous substances.

A man in his midfifties was admitted after he ingested a quantity of poisonous substance on Sunday night. He was taken to the hospital by relatives.

Meanwhile a 29-yearold from Huis t'Dieren

is also hospitalised after he inhaled a poisonous substance while spraying his rice field. The man has however denied consuming the substance.

A 21-year-old from Pomona Housing Scheme is a patient after he ingested poison. According to reports, the young man, who was having some relationship troubles, consumed the substance.

P

eople’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee is concerned that the medical sector is being neglected by the current administration in wake of its silence against attacks on Cubantrained practitioners by controversial columnist Freddie Kissoon and the delay in the placement of 92 trained Guyanese doctors who have been waiting since last year for their post to the public service.

Rohee said the situation is unpleasant and reflects the incompetence of the coalition Administration in the management of the country.

Regarding the attacks on the Cuban-trained doctors, the General Secretary has condemned the Government for not stepping up to the practitioners’ defence.

“The silence by the Granger Administration on this matter, and worse yet, its failure to support the young professionals and to condemn the Kaieteur News for this travesty is merely further evidence of the uncaring nature of the regime,” he stated.

Rohee added that “Kissoon and the Kaieteur News have no doubt taken a cue from the APNU/AFC coalition Administration who has demonstrated a noticeable level of disdain for Cuban scholarship returnees, whether in the field of medicine or other disciplines.”

In the column, titled “Guyanese messengers of death from Cuba have returned”, Kissoon wrote – among several other things - that “many of the Cubantrained Guyanese doctors are hopelessly incompetent. They have killed countless of poor patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital, (the mid-

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

dle classes and wealthy folks do not even drive past the Georgetown Public Hospital, do not even visit it, much less to become patients there), the West Demerara Hospital, New Amsterdam Hospital among others.”

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has already denounced the columnist’s attacks and called on him to issue an immediate apology.

Moreover, on the matter of the placement of the Guyanese doctors, Rohee posited that the onus is on government to ensure their welfare is protected.

The Guyana Medical Council (GMC), since last November, has not initiated the process of registering and dispatching these doctors to the public service, as per their contract with the government.

“In spite of a contractual agreement which binds the Cuban-trained doctors to five years of public service, and in light of the prevailing shortages of medical staff countrywide, some 92 trained doctors are still awaiting placement, having graduated and completed their compulsory one-

year internship,” Rohee expressed.

He said the doctors have been complaining that they were being pushed around by the Public Health Ministry and that they have received vague responses to their queries as regards registration and placement.

Rohee made it clear that though it is the duty of the Guyana Medical Council to spearhead their placement, it is the responsibility of the Government to ensure the process is facilitated.

“It is the Government, it is for them, I am not suggesting that the Government must go and interfere and direct the Medical Council or give instructions to the Medical Council… I said that the government must take the initiative to seek to advance the interests of the medical doctors… because who will they turn to, they have to turn to the subject Ministry,” he emphasised.

The General Secretary explained that whatever method the ministry takes, it must obviously be in keeping with existing protocols.

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News

tuesday, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Ex-cop, accomplices charged E

loy Livan, 28, of Lot 47 Richards Town, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara; Devon Chase, 30, an ex-Police Officer of Hill Street, Albouystown; and Fredrick Boyce, who were all arrested following a highspeed chase by Police Officers, all appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

They were made to answer to multiple charges which were read to them.

The first charge alleged that the three men on November 3, 2016, at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD), while in the company of each other and armed with a dangerous weapon, robbed Alvin Ramnarine of $1 million.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charge.

However, Chase pleaded guilty to the charge of

One of the accused being escorted by Police following a highspeed chase

being in possession of one .38 revolver and matching rounds of ammunition, without being the holder of a firearm licence.

He was fined $30,000 each for being in possession of the gun and ammunition and sentenced to two years

in prison for each count; the sentences will run concurrently.

Boyce pleaded not guilty to another charge which stated that on June 25, 2015 at Cotton Street Village, West Coast Berbice and while being in the company

of others and being armed, he robbed Susankar Narine of $1.5 million.

Boyce was also implicated in the shooting and robbery of businessman Rameez Mohammed of BM Soat Auto Sales.

The men were remanded to prison until December 13, 2016, the date of their next court appearance.

According to information, on the day of their arrest, the three men were all seen in a tinted vehicle bearing fake registration plates.

Reports are that Police ranks observed the car on Regent Street, Georgetown and approached it, but the occupants drove away and the ranks gave chase.

After driving through several streets in Georgetown, the driver of the tinted vehicle lost control and ended up in a ditch.he men were all caught and taken into custody.

Stroke victim remanded on gun possession charges

A

Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo stroke victim had to be assisted into the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, to answer to charges of illegal firearm possession.

Leroy Marshall, 45, pleaded not guilty to having a .38 revolver and matching rounds of ammunition, as well as one gram of cannabis in his possession

on November 16, 2016.

In a calm state, the man feebly stood and had the charges read to him.

The prosecution said that the items were all found in the defendant’s car.

According to information, the father of two was parked with two passengers in his vehicle when it was surrounded by Police Officers, who had received a tip-off about illegal

activities.

Marshall was taken to the Brickdam Police Station, and the items were discovered with the aid of Police dogs.

The defendant denied the allegations and his Attorney, George Thomas made an unsuccessful bail application.

He was remanded to prison until December 15, 2016.

Accused: Leroy Marshall

West Dem man faces jury on rape charge

A

12-member jury was on Monday empanelled to hear the case against Royden Rankin, who is standing trial at the Demerara High Court accused of ‘sexual activity with a child abusing a position of trust’. The victim was said to have been 15 years old at the time of the incident.

The trial, which commenced moments after the jury’s empanelment on Monday morning, is being heard before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow. Three witnesses took to the stand and testified.

In April 2013, Rankin was charged for the offence and has spent several years incarcerated awaiting trial.

The State Prosecutors are Shawnette Austin and Siand Dhurjon. The trial continues at the High Court today.

Amnesia...

Y

...on Green

our Eyewitness reproduces his piece (unaltered) issued after Hamilton Green was awarded the Order of Roraima by the PNC-led APNU/AFC coalition last

May. “To say that some (older) eyes popped after Hamilton Green was awarded this nation’s second highest award – the Order of Roraima – would be the understatement of the year. But with the “youth cohort” demographic looming so large nowadays, they need to be informed as to who’s Hamilton Green. Besides converting Georgetown from the “Garden City of the Caribbean” to the “Garbage City of the Caribbean”.

Hamilton Green first came to attention during the 1960s’ CIA-fostered ethnic riots. In the (in)famous September 11, 1963 report by the Supt of Police Paul Britton, Assistant Commissioner of Crime, on the PNC, he stated: “I have investigated 19 reports of crimes which occurred between the 8th June, 1963 and 21st July, 1963 which include placing explosives to building, destroying building with explosives and arson. “I am of the opinion that there is evidence to support a charge of conspiracy, contrary to Section 34 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Ordinance, Chapter 10.

“The following persons are involved in the crime” (Hamilton Green was among those named). One detail of the report states: “May 1963: … and Green decide at meeting to use explosives on all government buildings; viz Georgetown Ferry Stelling, Government Produce Depot (GMC), and Rice Marketing Board.”

We know there was an attempt to bomb the RMB but the sticks of dynamite under the wharf were discovered.

Fast forward through the next two decades when Green became the official “enforcer” even while he was heading several Ministries and even became Prime Minister. He was the hatchet man who blocked Dr Walter Rodney’s appointment at UG and who later tried to explain away Fr Darke’s murder by an operative of the House of Israel.

But even Burnham became worried about his ambitious “strongman” who began to strut around and act as if he were the Kabaka’s successor. In August 1984, Burnham removed him as First Vice President and Prime Minister – and replaced him with Desmond Hoyte.

The latter, of course, became President after Burnham passed away the following year. He made Green PM but peripheralised him as he brought in new faces in an attempt to change the PNC’s thuggish image.

Green violently opposed Hoyte relinquishing power after the 1992 elections and was expelled from the PNC. Whereupon he formed the GGG party, won the elections as Mayor of Georgetown – and proceeded to run down the City as he’s done to everything else he headed. And for all the foregoing, he received the Order of Roraima.

Your Eyewitness understands several recipients of the award are planning on returning their medals.”

And now they want to give him a pension of over $20 million annually!

...and Nagamootoo on subsidies

Nagamootoo claims the government subsidies to GuySuCo - which he insists on calling “handouts” - is “like raiding the Treasury”. Ahhhh....how quickly they forget!

The $20 million annual pension to Hamilton Green in the Bill that he piloted in the National Assembly yesterday wasn’t “raiding the treasury”!! Maybe because it’s based on his PM’s salary after his $2 million raise which also wasn’t “raiding the treasury”? Ditto for the obscene 50% raise in the salaries of all Ministers.

Governments do offer subsidies - even the US the bastion of Capitalism and the free market. They intervened with “capital injections” to private companies like General Motors when they got into trouble after the crash of 2008. The US government decided some industries were “too big to fail” (TBTF)...because of the catastrophic social and economic effects that would otherwise follow.

So isn’t the sugar industry “Too big to fail”? Or are sugar workers just expendable capital?

...on rice

The colossal 26,000 acres at Skeldon will join Wales in growing rice. Is your Eyewitness missing something?

Wasn’t it the lack of markets - at our cost of production - that got us into trouble in sugar?

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

news

9

tuesday, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Caricom’s work on crime, security most urgent – SG

Pension Bill 2016

“Nothing extravagant, lavish or out of kilter with my request” – Green C

F

ormer Prime Minister Hamilton Green on Monday took a stand against criticisms that he did not deserve the annual $20 million former Prime Minister’s pension he has requested, saying that it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Green, a former Mayor of Georgetown and Prime Minister under the People’s National Congress (PNC) 1985-1992 regime, said that his claims and request for his pension was enshrined in the law.

He told Journalists that the issue, which has already been condemned by the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI), needed to be put into its correct perspective, since it has been misconceived.

“In every civilised country, there are provisions made for pension and special benefits for former Presidents and Prime Ministers, however styled.

This is universal application and there is nothing unique about it.”

Green said prior to the 2011 legislation, Government, since independence, had provided pensions and benefits, sometimes informally to former Presidents and Prime Ministers.

He mentioned the provisions that were made to former President Arthur Chung, which included security, transportation and housing. He said the principles were accepted by the then new People’s

Former Prime Minister Hamilton Green

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration and so it was confusing that the now Opposition was trying to shoot down his request.

He said the problem started because when the then Government took the matter to Parliament, it only catered for pensions and benefits for former Presidents.

He had portions of that Bill read to members of the media. The Bill stated that “every person who has held the office of President and Prime Minister having held office on or after 16 December 1966 and 22 December 1965 respectively, and ceases after such date to be President or Prime Minister, shall be paid a pension under this act with effect from the date on which he ceases to be President or Prime Minister as the case may be and subject to subsection 2 shall continue to be paid during

the lifetime of that person.”

Green said he had the Bill read because there were some “soothsayers” who claimed that the pension was a special provision for “someone named Hamilton Green”.

“I don’t think that what is happening now can be considered extravagant, or lavish or out of kilter with the rest of the world,” Green told the media.

The TIGI on Sunday contended that the Hamilton Green Pension Bill was vulgar and politically partisan, reeked of cronyism and lacked basis for justification.

The Bill, which was read for the first time on Monday, provides for Green to be paid a pension “based on the salary paid to the Prime Minister, as though he actually earned the said salary, taking into consideration his record of service as a legislator”.

It also provides for Green to receive all benefits provided for by the Former President (Benefits and Other Facilities) Act 2015.

The value of these benefits are an annual pension of $20,580,000, other benefits to the value of $3.1 million annually, including two vehicles provided for and maintained by the State and two first-class annual airfares Additionally, the former Prime Minister, who served in the position from 1985 to 1992, also qualifies for an ex-parliamentarian pension together with whatever benefits accrued from his period as Mayor of Georgetown.

aricom Secretary General Irwin LaRoque has sent a strong message to Ministers who hold responsibility for security within the Region, that there is an urgent need for more work to be done on crime fighting.

The Secretary General was speaking to Regional Security Ministers gathered at the opening ceremony of the 17th Meeting of the Council for National Security and Law Enforcement on Monday at the Caricom Secretariat in Georgetown.

Laroque said given the current environment in many of the member states, the Community’s work in the area of crime and security has become more urgent.

He said the issues to be dealt with were countless, from the upward trend in the incidence of crime and violence taking toll on valuable human resources, to the external threats which challenge peace and security.

“In light of these threats, we must deepen our resolve and remain committed to the task of further strengthening our regional security architecture, through our individual and collective action,” the SG told Security

long. I urge the Members of this Council to brief their Attorneys General on the policy imperatives of concluding these outstanding items, so critical to supporting our security architecture. The need for those instruments has been recognised at the highest levels of our Community.”

Supporting initiatives

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRoque

Ministers.

He reminded that at the 37th Meeting held in Guyana last July, Heads of Government had devoted much of their time to deliberations pertaining to the security of the Region.

The representatives had also agreed that member states should move to accede to and implement the key agreements, as most of the regional security agenda is linked significantly to the application of these legal instruments.

He stated, “However, there are other legal instruments related to Mutual Legal Assistance, Airspace and Maritime Security as well as the Advanced Passenger Information System, which have been languishing for far too

LaRoque said too that it was noteworthy that the meeting was taking place in the wake of the adoption of the Protocol to incorporate CONSLE as an Organ of the Community and the Caricom Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), as an institution of the Community.

This was supported by Heads of Government at their InterSessional Meeting in Belize last February.

“There are other initiatives being pursued to strengthen our cooperation in this vital area. I look forward to the planned review of the Caricom Crime and Security Strategy, which could lead to a reconfiguration and amplification of initiatives designed to address the emerging threats which loom larger by the day,” the Secretary General added. turn to page 16

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, november 22, 2016

News

Miner busted with ganja in pipe A

38-year-old miner of 111 Miles, Mahdia, Potaro River, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) was busted with 227 grams of compressed marijuana.

Police arrested the man after the illicit substance was found in a pipe he was carrying. The arrest was made at the Mahdia Arcade Market about 18:00h.

Reports are that Police

ranks observed the miner acting in a suspicious manner, so the lawmen approached him to conduct a search of his person. At the time, he was carrying a six-inch length of pipe.

After the search on his person yielded no results, the pipe was searched during which a black plastic bag containing the illegal substance was

found hidden within.

The substance was taken out and weighed in his presence and amounted to 227g.

The suspect is expected to be charged shortly. Only on Saturday evening, a man and his reputed wife were arrested following the discovery of a ganja field at Hotoquai Village, North West District, Region One

(Barima-Waini).

Based on reports received, the Police conducted a search on a plot of land owned by the couple during which at least 400 cannabis plants ranging from one foot to three feet in height were found.

The plants were destroyed by the Police ranks.

PPP sees no reason for resitting of nurses’ exams

Some of the nursing students protesting the situation

T

he People’s Progressive Party sees no justifiable

reason for the 250 student nurses to have their careers put on the

line on the basis of a mere suspicion of leaked examination papers.

Party General Secretary Clement Rohee told a news conference on Monday that there was no evidence of an incontrovertible nature that would require the student nurses to resit the exams.

“We should not convert suspicions into fact and that is what I believe the problem is,” he stated.

Rohee said the situation was disastrous and expressed empathy with those students who are disinclined to sit another set of examinations.

In this regard, he called upon the Public Health Ministry and the Guyana Nursing Council (GNC) to resolve the matter speedily in the interest of the student nurses, whose professionalism is on the line.

Nursing students were recently protesting over the Nursing Council’s decision for them to retake the final exams after it was discovered that the papers were compromised.

Following the intervention by the Public Health Ministry, Police launched an investigation into the matter to determine the extent of the breach.

Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton explained that based on the results of the probe, it would be determined if the situation warranted the retaking of the examinations or the need to pursue alternatives to decide whether or not the student nurses were successful in their studies.

However, if it comes down to having to retake the examinations, the Minister said a decision would have to be made regarding which organisation would spearhead the initiative.

He explained if the Nursing Council was found to be greatly corrupt, then an independent body would have to set the papers while efforts were made to revamp the GNC. Asked about possible penalties for those found culpable, the Minister said that was up to the courts to decide.

Fayez Narinedatt: the grieving continues…

I

dedicate this column to Fayez Narinedatt whose lifeless body was discovered on the parapet of No 70 Village, Upper Corentyne, Berbice. I understand that this young man used to visit and stay at our home not too far from the aforesaid village when one of my brothers and his family visited Guyana.

I was not in Guyana when this happened. I do remember, however, this young man on my visit to Guyana in 2009 through his father, Jaffer, whom I know fairly well. Jaffer picked us up at the airport and drove us to our Corentyne home on many occasions. Two years ago he stopped in at our home and from our conversation I gathered that he is now employed with the government. Jaffer is a decent and hard-working father, husband and a communityoriented person. My sincere condolence to him and his family in these difficult times.

Like so many, when I read in the dailies about the discovery of a dead young man in a village not too far from where I was Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine born and raised, I was sceptical.

I have never heard of anyone being hit by a vehicle and left to die on the roadside especially at night when traffic generally slows down after nine o’clock at night. This is not the spirit of village life.

Whenever an accident happens, villagers from near and afar will rush to the scene, irrespective to what time it is, be it 10:00 or 22:00h. It seems strange therefore that no one was at the scene when the supposed accident occurred, causing the death of the young carpenter.

Personally speaking, when I read the news about Narinedatt, I thought of writing a letter to the dailies asking Minister Khemraj Ramjattan to look into this matter since he is very familiar with the village through his good friend “Feather” from the same village now living in Canada. I understand that did actually happen which led to more intensive investigation and interrogation and the subsequent arrest/charge of a number of individuals.

Had not been for a deeper investigation from Georgetown this crime would have been chalked up as a cold case like so many others.

It is common knowledge that Corriverton Police Station and the Court House are the most corrupt government institutions at Corriverton. Bribery is common culture there and I am moved by some reports that the investigation is probing deeper into the role of some Police in Narinedatt’s demise. This is a step in the right direction.

The central question here is why did a young man die at what appeared to be a celebratory occasion sponsored by a celebratory individual. Murders do happen in these rural villages which are now intermixed with and influenced by US mores and mediocrity. I have seen overseas Guyanese having a field day in these villages, including paying for sexual intercourse and paying off the Police.

The ongoing crime wave sweeping through the country does not contradict but complement the notion that murders are no longer surprising events in these once peaceful villages. Some crimes are not necessarily home-grown and foreign induced elements in crime cannot be blamed solely on drugs and deportees.

My conversations with a few individuals in and out of Guyana parallel the reports in the dailies that Narinedatt died because he resisted sexual advances allegedly from a well-known overseasbased Guyanese who visits the village regularly. I understand this individual has enormous influence and power in the village as well as over some ranks at the Corriverton Police Station. His parties are extravagant and his financial promises regarding development are irresistible. These “philanthropic” behaviours have now become irascible, certainly from Narinedatt’s family who is pressing for justice.

One is forced to ask these questions: Where do we go from here? Where are the activists? Have they suddenly gone with the wind, whistling elsewhere? Are they too distant from the crime that they have become geographically centric? Does it really take a team from Georgetown to solve a crime in rural areas?

Where is the crime solving vision from this new regime? What happened to the billions of dollars poured into fighting crime?

When will uncontrolled alcohol consumption cease to be central to parties?

My purpose here is not to be the mouthpiece for the jury and judge but to say something for the powerless and those arrested should face the courts so that their fate can be determined accordingly, including the mastermind behind this murder.

The news from Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum that efforts are under way to at least speak with the suspect is most welcoming.

If anything at all, this case will reveal the nature and journey of jurisprudence in Guyana. Will Narinedatt’s family have their day in court? Will the perpetrators of this heinous crime be punished to the fullest extent of the law, including the alleged mastermind?

Thousands are watching and waiting, including myself, as to what will become of the senseless murder of Fayez Narinedatt.

May God bless his soul. (Send comments to: lomarsh. roopnarine@jsums.edu).

news

PPP pushes for wider online university education

Government urged to create job opportunities for newly-graduated UG students

G

overnment is being encouraged to improve the quality of education at its university campuses and capitalise on the advent of technology to offer online courses to those in remote areas and to create job opportunities for the recently graduated university students.

The encouragement was made by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee during a news conference on Monday as he was extending congratulations to the 1628 graduates from the University of Guyana (Turkeyen Campus) and the 250 who graduated last weekend at the University of Guyana (Tain Campus).

“This is another remarkable achievement for our country and marks another milestone in our nation’s efforts aimed at national capacity building and institutional strengthening,” he remarked.

Rohee said Government

must move to introduce scholarship support for online university education for students from Amerindian communities and implement teleconferencing facilities between the University of Guyana Turkeyen and Tain campuses, allowing for remote access to lectures for students in Berbice as well as Georgetown. He also posited that government must move to provide university level education to the residents on Essequibo Coast with the ultimate view of establishing a university campus there or the provision of online facilities.

The General Secretary added that new and modern libraries for both of the campuses must be placed high on the government’s agenda.

Rohee also noted that with the arrival of another batch of young persons armed with university education, government must ensure it fulfils its campaign promise to create job

opportunities.

But he expressed some concerns, given government’s recent posture on the matter of unemployment in the country, that the administration might not fulfil its promise.

“It is the task of government to do as they promised; ‘Create jobs, jobs and more jobs in the shortest time possible’. However, the Granger Administration has failed to do so, and, as if to add insult to injury, has admonished job seekers, telling them that; ‘Employment is not something to be provided by government’ and that they ‘must find their own jobs’,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the General Secretary used the opportunity to denounce the imposition of a graduation fee for potential graduands.

According to him, the fees will result in greater hardship for students who can ill afford it. (Devina Samaroo)

Local democratic organs commence elections T

he annual internal elections for the nine municipalities and 62 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) will be held by December 16 this year, according to the Communities Ministry.

Some councils have already begun their elections, with Best/Klien NDC taking the lead, holding their elections on Friday, November 18.

The Good Hope/ Hydronie NDC was scheduled to hold elections on Monday, November 21, while La Grange/Nismes is slated for November 23.

The NDC at Vergenoegen/Greenwich Park, on the East Bank Essequibo has announced that elections will be held

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

on Thursday, November 24.

There are still some councils that have not yet finalised a date for elections.

The internal elections are for electing the mayors and deputy mayors of the various municipalities, as well as the chairs and vice chairs.

The annual elections are in keeping with Section 28 (2) of the Local Government Act Chapter 28:02 and Chapter 28:01 of the Municipal and District Council Act. The Communities Ministry reminded all councils that their budgets and work programmes for 2017 are to be completed and submitted to the Ministry of Communities

by November 15, for purposes of notification. The work programmes are also to be prominently displayed by the councils for public perusal.

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tuesday, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

12 news

tuesDay, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Eccles triangle love affair

Teenager, dead man’s ex-girlfriend shared intimate relationship

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lthough 26-year-old Nicola Indal is holding out that she and the teenage suspect in her exboyfriend’s murder were “just friends”, the lad’s mother confirmed that the two shared an intimate relationship which started a few months ago even as Indal was seeing the now dead Intiaz Ally.

Ally, 23, was stabbed to death by the 16-year-old during an altercation on Saturday evening which stemmed from jealousy.

Speaking with reporters on Sunday, the teen’s mother explained that after seeing marks on her son’s neck, she knew he was seeing someone and thought it wise to enquire.

She was told that he was seeing Indal and that he was madly in love with her.

Upon finding out Indal’s age, the distressed mother said that she urged her son to end the relationship and find someone his age, but he refused. Guyana Times understands that the teenager would allegedly spend nights at the woman’s house when Ally was in the interior where he worked as an excavator operator.

The grieving mother explained that her son was riding his bicycle alongside Indal with her shoulder bag slung around his shoulder, but that happy moment turned tragic.

“He was following her home after work and this boy

Dead: Intiaz Ally

(Ally) came up with a car and two other boys and they jam his bicycle to run him over and he get up and start running, but when he start running, they run behind he and the boy scramble him and vise him and he had the girl knife in the bag which he take out and stabbed the boy,” she related.

In tears, she noted that her son, who is expected to be charged with murder, acted in self-defence.

Although her son and Indal have allegedly been going out for quite some time, she recounted seeing Indal, the owner of an Internet café, on one occasion, but would have seen her photos in her son’s phone from time to time.

The suspect’s eldest sister, Michelle told media operatives that after she found out about the relationship, she sat

her brother down and spoke with him, but he held out that they were in love. In tears, the sister said that from all indications, her brother was defending himself. “He doesn’t trouble anyone and if anyone comes after him, he will definitely defend himself,” she added.

The family has solicited the services of an attorney to defend the teenager. According to both his mother and sister, he is a hardworking young man who loves to “look good”.

He is presently being grilled by detectives and is expected to make his court appearance before the week is out.

Ally was stabbed once to his neck during a scuffle with the suspect. Ally and Indal shared a rocky relationship, and they both would have decided to spend some time apart to explore the possibility of them getting back together.

The woman claimed that she was on several occasions beaten by Ally and was accused of being unfaithful on several occasions. Although, she requested that he stay away from her, he would harass her via mobile phone and even visit her business. In fact, it was after he found out that the teenager was at the business place on Saturday evening, he got angry and vowed to deal with “both of them”.

Police are examining all circumstances leading up to the fatal stabbing.

Policeman hospitalised after crashing into cows

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2 9 - y e a r - o l d Policeman has been admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital after he crashed into two stray cows on the Susannah Public Road, Number 19 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. Reports are about 02:00h on Monday, Police Corporal Satesh Narine, the Subordinate Officerin-Charge of Albion Police Station, was proceeding west along the southern side of the road, in motor car PSS 4799 when he collided with the animals.

According to a Police

Police Corporal Satesh Narine

statement, Narine, of Cumberland Village, East Canje, lost control of his vehicle, which ended up in a southern shallow trench.

He was rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital in a conscious state by residents of the community where he was treated and transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. He sustained a fractured right shoulder, fractured hands and injuries to his back. The owner of the animals – which died – was arrested.

Duo jailed, fined for possession of 130lbs ganja

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awad Hamid, called “Not Nice”, of Blairmont Estate, Berbice and Mark Douglas of Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice, who were intercepted by Police with 130 pounds of cannabis, were on Monday sentenced to 60 months in prison each and fined $80.7 million by Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Both men appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to hear their fate.

They were found guilty of the charge after a trial, which commenced earlier this month.

On the day of the incident, Police, acting on information,

travelled to Sheriff Street, Georgetown, where two vehicles were seen lurking.

Hamid was the driver of one of the vehicles, while Douglas was the driver of the other.

After noticing the ranks, Hamid drove away and turned into David Street, Georgetown, but his vehicle was intercepted after an exchange of gunfire and a search was conducted.

The marijuana was found compressed in five bags in the trunk of the vehicle.

Hamid later told Police that the bags were given to him by Douglas, who told him that coconuts were in the

bags.

He further relayed that he was told to take the bags to Berbice by Douglas, who followed in his car.

Upon arriving there, Douglas’ vehicle was approached by officers in plain clothes and he was arrested.

After seeing this, Hamid told the court that he sped away out of fear. He was eventually arrested and charged.

Earlier this month, Magistrate Latchman had stated that the evidence presented by the prosecution against the defendants was sufficient for them to stand trial.

Drunk driver on multiple charges − licence suspended, fined $57,500

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driver had his licence suspended on Monday and was fined $57,500 after he pleaded guilty to three charges at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.

Tintirendra Toteram, 20, of Grant 1805 Crabwood Creek (CWC), Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) appeared before Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer and pleaded guilty to driving car PNN 7746 on Friday, November 18, at CWC while his breath alcohol content was above 125 micrograms above the accepted 35 micrograms.

He was fined $7,500 for that offence.

Toteram also pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to stop after an accident.

For that offence, he was fined $25,000. The driver also pleaded guilty to failing to report the accident and was fined a further $25,000.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Phillip Sherriff, told the court that it was the third time that Toteram was being fined for drunk driving.

His driver’s licence was also suspended, as stipulated by law for persons found guilty of

20-year-old Tintirendra Toteram

driving above the prescribed limit on three occasions.

Sherriff told the court that on the day in question the defendant drove the car in a dangerous manner, causing injuries to three persons.

The victims are George Beramsingh, 66, also called ‘Quarter’, Harrinarine Lakhan, 60, also called ‘Ranal’, and Vidyawattie Adhari, 60, also called ‘Granny’, all of CWC. The three were sitting on a bridge rail, about 20-feet off the public road at Deen’s Sawmill Access Road, when the car, proceeding north

along the CWC Public Road at fast rate, attempted to turn onto the Access Road and in the process crashed into the senior citizens.

The man then locked his car and fled.

However, the driver was arrested shortly afterwards and a Breathalyser test conducted. His blood alcohol level was above the legal limit.

Sheriff added that all three victims were taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where Adhari was treated and sent away.

The other two were transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital. According to the Police Prosecutor, Beramsingh’s left foot has since been amputated, while both patients are still in a critical condition.

The Prosecutor asked the court to refuse bail, however, the Magistrate explained that the man had already pleaded guilty and was fined.

She said the court no longer had jurisdiction over him.

Toteram was rearrested as he exited the court as Police continue their investigations into the accident.

news

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tuesday, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

UNAIDS warns ages 15-24 a Corentyne carpenter’s murder vulnerable time for women 5 for court A today P

new report by UNAIDS shows that countries are getting on the fast track in the HIV/ AIDS fight , with an additional one million people accessing HIV treatment in just six months (January to June 2016).

By June 2016, around 18.2 million (16.1 million–19.0 million) people had access to the life-saving medicines, including 910,000 children, double the number five years earlier.

UNAIDS said if these efforts were sustained and increased, the world would be on track to achieve the target of 30 million people on treatment by 2020.

The report, “Get on the Fast-Track: the lifecycle approach to HIV”, was launched on Monday in Windhoek, Namibia by Namibian President Hage Geingob and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé.

“Just under two years ago, 15 million people were accessing antiretroviral treatment – today more than 18 million are on treatment and new HIV infections among children continue to fall,” said President Geingob. “Now, we must en-

sure that the world stays on the fast-track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 in Namibia, in Africa and across the world.”

The report contains detailed data on the complexities of HIV and reveals that girls’ transition into womanhood is a very dangerous time, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

“Young women are facing a triple threat,” Executive Director Sidibé said. “They are at high risk of HIV infection, have low rates of HIV testing, and have poor adherence to treatment.

The world is failing young women and we urgently need to do more.” Executive Director HIV prevention is key to ending the AIDS epidemic among young women and the cycle of HIV infection needs to be broken.

Recent data from South Africa shows that young women are acquiring HIV

from adult men, while men acquire HIV much later in life after they transition into adulthood and continue the cycle of new infections.

The report also shows that the life-extending impact of treatment is working. In 2015, there were more people over the age of 50 living with HIV than ever before –5.8 million. The report highlights that if treatment targets are reached, that number is expected to soar to 8.5 million by 2020.

Older people living with HIV, however, have up to five times the risk of chronic disease and a comprehensive strategy is needed to respond to increasing longterm healthcare costs. The report also warns of the risk of drug resistance and the need to reduce the costs of second and third-line treatments. It also highlights the need for more synergies with tuberculosis (TB), human papillomavirus (HPV)

Human capacity key to boosting oil, gas sector – Ugandan delegation

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embers of a Uganda delegation are in Guyana collaborating with officials of the Natural Resources Sector on drafting this country’s oil and gas legislation.

Acting Assistant Commissioner, Directorate of Petroleum, Uganda, Dozith Abinomugisha, told the media on Monday that human capacity is very important and is something that the sector needs.

Abinomugisha, speaking to the media at the Natural Resources Ministry, noted that when Uganda discovered petroleum, the country quickly moved to establish the institutional framework before it ventured forward. He added that since 2006, the country has put in place national oil and gas policy after which legal roles were implemented. This year, the legislation will be completed. “So we have the policies, the law and now we have the institutional framework.”

According to the Acting Assistant Commissioner, Uganda has not yet started commercial production: “We are working on our institutional and legal framework and when we are finished we will go into commercial production.”

However, the country has issued production licences to companies to commence preparation for production.

Abinomugisha also expressed appreciation for the partnership since the country can use it as a learning

Acting Assistant Commissioner, Directorate of Petroleum in Uganda, Dozith Abinomugisha (centre); Senior Petroleum Geophysicist, Directorate of Petroleum in Uganda, Alex Nyambi and local Natural Resources Ministry Legal Officer, Joanna Homer

experience.

Meanwhile, Senior Petroleum Geophysicist, Directorate of Petroleum, Alex Nyambi noted that discovery of commercial petroleum is an exciting, yet challenging time. However, “we are proud to be in this partnership with Guyana, and we hope to share a lot, but also learn from each other,” he said.

Legal Officer at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Joanna Homer, said that Guyana is a member of the New Petroleum Producers Group led by the Chatham House: Royal Institute of International Affairs, and is also supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Natural Resources Government Institutions.

Homer added that the New Petroleum Producers Group is developed for countries exploring or emerging in producing petroleum.

“Arrangements were made in Kenya to have a particular partnering men-

toring relationship with the country which is ahead of Guyana in that they spent time in the development regulatory framework,” Homer is quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying.

Guyana is the beneficiary of a mentoring exchange programme with Uganda, facilitated by the Chatham House’s New Petroleum Producers Group.

Earlier in the year, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman and Finance Minister Winston Jordan were in discussions with Uganda to set up a Sovereign Wealth Fund employed for the health of its oil and gas sector.

Minister Trotman had said that the collaboration is necessary, since the Natural Resources Ministry is tasked with developing policies to govern the incoming oil and gas sector, but the responsibility of actually setting up the fund is with the Finance Ministry.

and cervical cancer, and hepatitis C programmes in order to reduce the major causes of illness and death among people living with HIV. Locally, the National AIDS Programme Secretariat, in its relaunching of its national days of testing for HIV/AIDS, said particular focus would be placed on youths and young adults.

National Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) Coordinator Debra Success-Hall explained that the Secretariat’s programmatic data has revealed that persons between the ages of 15 and 19 and 20 and 25 were being diagnosed on a daily basis with HIV. This, she noted, calls for urgent action to be taken.

“We need to ensure that we do something urgently to ensure that we are able to decrease that. We have our ‘in and out’ of school youths, and we have to probably go back to the drawing board and develop a new strategy to deal with these (young) people,” she stated.

olice have confirmed that after detaining suspects in the murder of 24-year-old Faiyaz Narinedatt, five persons are expected to be charged today, while five others remain in custody.

On Monday, Police arrested a tenth person in connection with the murder. The man, called ‘Rasta Man’, is said to be a bodyguard of the alleged mastermind behind the murder.

Two of the seven persons, who were initially arrested when members of the Major Crime Unit (MCU) went to the Corentyne last week, have since confessed to playing a role in the man’s murder.

The two teenagers along with the bodyguard will face the capital offence, while the mother of the alleged mastermind and another woman, who allegedly tried to bribe the Police with $4M, are also expected to appear in court today.

The women are to be charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The body of Narindatt, was discovered at about 3:45h on November 1, along the Corentyne Highway at Number 70 Village at a scene which appeared to be that of a hit and run accident.

Police had initially treated the incident as a hit and run but reopened the investigations after relatives of the dead man kept calling for the Police further investigate circumstances surrounding the man’s death. Relatives in a bid to get the Police’s attention produced and distributed flyers which detailed the events leading up to Narinedatt’s death , and the subsequent staging of the accident scene.

Two weeks after murder, the Major Crime Unit (MCU) took over the investigation and immediately arrested seven suspects.

‘Rasta Man’ is said to be the person who inflicted the first blow, however, he was not arrested during the MCU’s first visit to Berbice. As more evidence was discovered, he was arrested on Monday.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, NOVEMber 22, 2016

Regional Haiti starts counting votes in long-delayed election O

fficials in Haiti have begun counting the votes cast in Sunday’s much-delayed elections.

The process is expected to take at least a week as officials tally the paper ballots by hand.

The election was delayed for more than a year after the results of the October 2015 vote were thrown out following allegations of widespread fraud.

After President Michel Martelly’s mandate expired in February, Jocelerme Privert was named interim leader.

The Caribbean nation was choosing a new president and lawmakers.

The presidential election will probably go to a second round on January 29 as none of the 27 candidates is expected to gain the 50 per cent of the votes necessary to win outright in the first round.

Exit polls suggested

Electoral workers were counting votes by the light of a lantern in the capital, Port-au-Prince

Jovenel Moise, 47, had an early lead, although the supporters of Maryse Narcisse said their candidate was ahead.

Moise enjoys the backing of former President Martelly and belongs to his Parti Haitien Tet Kale (Haitian Bald Head Party).

A banana exporter, Moise won the first round of presidential election held in October 2015 but following

allegations of fraud, those elections were annulled.

Narcisse, a doctor, has the backing of Haiti’s first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and is one of two women running for the top office.

Whoever wins the election will face the challenge of reconstructing a country which has been ravaged by natural disasters.

The most recent, Hurricane Matthew, destroyed 90 per cent of some of Haiti’s southern areas.

One voter in that region told Reuters news agency that what people there needed was “aid after the hurricane, because everything was lost”.

An appeal for donations by the UN has so far failed to raise even half the sum it set out to reach.

In the areas worst hit by Matthew last month, turnout was low, according to reports.

But the president of the electoral council, Leopold Berlanger, said he was satisfied overall with how voting had progressed.

In the capital, Port-auPrince, voters queued from early in the morning to cast their ballots.

“This is my responsibility as a citizen,” Alain Joseph, a motorcycle taxi driver in the city, told the Associated Press news agency.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Colombian Police arrest 22 ‘gang members’

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olice in Colombia have arrested 22 men they suspect of being members of the Urabenos criminal gang.

They accuse the gang of trying to expand from its power base in the Gulf of Uraba to the eastern plains.

President Juan Manuel Santos has declared the gang, which is led by a man known as Otoniel, as one of the main enemies of the Colombian state.

The Urabenos control many of the routes used to smuggle drugs from Colombia as far away as Russia and the US. Police said two of the men arrested were influential figures in the Urabeno’s criminal structure.

They allege that John Alexander Pinto Diaz, also known as JJ, had been sent to Meta province to extend the gang’s drug smuggling routes there and in the neighbouring provinces of Cundinamarca and

Casanare.

Willar Duarte Arango is suspected of having been in charge of the logistical and financial support for the criminal gang in the region.

They were captured in the city of Villavicencio, south-east of the capital, Bogota.

Colombian Police Chief General Jorge Hernando Nieto Rojas said the capture of the two and the 20 others suspected of working with them would make the region safer.

“They were responsible for extortions, murders and the forced recruitment of minors,” he alleged.

Analysts have warned that, as the Colombian Government reaches a peace agreement with the largest rebel group, the FARC, criminal gangs are likely to try to expand into areas formerly controlled by the guerrilla group.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Mexican President’s rating hits new low Caricom states losing

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exican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s approval rating has slumped to a new low since Donald Trump won the US presidency last week, in part due to his invitation of the real estate tycoon to Mexico during the campaign, a poll showed on Sunday.

The survey by polling firm Buendia & Laredo for newspaper El Universal said approval of Pena Nieto’s performance had fallen to 25

per cent from 29 per cent in July, hurt by discontent about the economy, rising violence and failure to battle corruption.

Pena Nieto’s six-year term concludes at the end of November 2018, and opinion polls show his centrist Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) faces an uphill battle to retain power after the next presidential election, scheduled for July 2018.

Mexican law bars the

President from seeking reelection.

The Government is scrambling to head off the risk of an economic shock from the election of Trump, who has pledged to isolate Mexico behind a border wall, and threatened to impose steep tariffs on Mexican goods and tear up a joint trade deal.

To try and create some leverage, Pena Nieto’s Government hosted Trump for talks on August 31.

However, the hastily-arranged visit was staged with scant input from the Cabinet and created the impression it was realised on Trump’s terms.

Some 66 per cent of respondents said Pena Nieto had made a mistake in inviting Trump because he had offended Mexicans in the election campaign. Only 30 per cent believed it was a wise move that furthered Mexico’s interests, the survey showed. (Excerpt from Reuters)

millions due to bad agricultural practices

Bolivia declares national emergency amid drought T

Losses can range between 25 per cent and 55 per cent in commodities such as cassava and tomatoes

Water shortages are affecting more than 300,000 people in La Paz

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[Aizar RALDES/AFP]

olivian President Evo Morales has declared a national emergency over a lack of water caused by a severe and prolonged drought.

Morales said on Monday

that national and local governments are authorised to use State resources to attack the problem.

Much of the high-altitude capital already receives water for just three hours

every three days because reservoirs serving the city are nearly dry.

Morales said Bolivians “have to be prepared for the worst”.

The El Niño weather phenomenon in the Pacific has caused or exacerbated the drought, which has battered farms and cattle ranches.

The country’s weather service says no rains are expected before early December.

On Sunday, authorities declared water rationing in La Paz to be a permanent measure as the drought in Bolivia worsens.

The three main dams that supply water to the city are almost dry.

The main Ajuan Khota dam is at one per cent of capacity, while the other two dams are averaging eight

per cent capacity.

This has led to water cuts in some neighbourhoods for the first time. The Corque municipality has been particularly hard hit, according to a report from the Pan American Health Organisation, and 70 per cent of the population lacks drinking water.

Across La Paz, residents have seen their taps dry up for 60 hours at a time, followed by 12-hour periods to replenish their supplies.

Morales sacked his top state water authorities and apologised for extended water rationing in the capital.

The neighbouring city of El Alto is also concerned about the lack of water. A week of protests by frustrated residents has escalated tensions. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

he Food and A g r i c u l t u r e Organisation (FAO) says Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states are losing millions through poor pre and post agricultural practices.

Addressing the second regional dialogue on Prevention and Reduction of losses and waste in Latin America and the Caribbean, on Thursday, Katherine Baldwin, of the FAO’s Statistics Division, said although limited, data on post-harvest food losses from some Caricom member states indicate that losses can range between 25 per cent and 55 per cent in commodities such as cassava and tomatoes at times up to 100 per cent for pumpkin exports.

Majeed Mohammed, one of the consultants, told the participants from the Caribbean and Latin America that based on research, the five critical loss points were identified as Agricultural

Production; Post-harvest handling and storage; Processing; Distribution and Consumption.

FAO consultant, Catalina Giraldo said in Latin America and the Caribbean, the single largest proportion of the food loss occurs in the production and consumer segments of the food supply chain.

According to the FAO, food waste refers to the discarding or non-use of food that was fit for human consumption by choice or neglect.

The first regional dialogue was held in the Dominican Republic in 2015 with this dialogue being the second, held in collaboration with the island National Authority for the Zero Hunger Challenge Initiative. This is an initiative, which aims to achieve goal number 12 of the Sustainable Development Goal that is to reduce hunger and reduce food waste by half by the year 2030. (CMC)

tuesday, November 22, 2016

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

Pope Francis allows UN says nearly 1 million Syrians besieged; US names, shames commanders priests to forgive abortion

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T

he number of besieged Syrians has more than doubled over the past year to nearly one million, the United Nations aid chief told the Security Council on Monday, as the United States named 13 Syrian military commanders it accused of killing civilians.

Some 850,000 of those people are besieged by Government forces, the United Nations said, while the rest are trapped by Islamic State militants and other armed groups.

“There is nothing subtle or complicated about the practice of besiegement.

Civilians are being isolated, starved, bombed and denied medical attention and humanitarian assistance in order to force them to submit or flee,” UN aid chief Stephen O’Brien told the 15-member council during a monthly briefing.

O’Brien again urged strong action from the

The UN Security Council has been divided on how to end the nearly 6 year war

Security Council to back its resolutions calling for an end to attacks on civilians, humanitarian aid access and a lifting of sieges.

“Without strong backing from each of you, red lines will be crossed again and again; international humanitarian law will be trampled on; war crimes will be committed. And until there is

action by you, there will be no accountability,” O’Brien said.

The council has been divided over how to end the nearly six-year war, with Syrian ally Russia, backed by China, protecting President Bashar alAssad from council action by vetoing several resolutions, including a bid to re-

fer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, named 13 Syrian military commanders she said had been involved in killing and injuring civilians since 2011 through air and ground assaults, and detaining and torturing civilians.

ope Francis has declared that priests have the permanent right from now on to forgive abortions.

His remarks come at the end of the Catholic Church’s jubilee year during which he had temporarily granted priests this power.

In an Apostolic letter the pontiff also restated that abortion was a “grave sin” which ended “innocent life”.

Catholics who have or perform an abortion can be immediately excommunicated from the Church.

A Vatican spokesman confirmed that “there is no type of laxness here” regarding the Church’s position on the morality of abortion, but that the power given to priests meant God’s mercy could cover all sin.

“There is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking

to be reconciled [with God],” Pope Francis wrote in his letter.

“Mercy cannot become a mere parenthesis in the life of the church; it constitutes her very existence.

“May every priest, therefore, be a guide, support and comfort to penitents on this journey of special reconciliation.”

Previously only bishops or special confessors could hear confessions for abortions and lift excommunication.

Priests in Britain and the US were already able to hear and forgive abortion confessions, but in most of the world they did not have this authority.

Experts say that although the declaration may not have a practical impact, it is a shift in the Church’s traditional approach to abortion. (Excerpt from BBC News)

7.3-magnitude earthquake India train crash: Rescuers end strikes off Japan search for survivors at site A

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escue workers have called off the search for survivors in the wreckage of the train that derailed in India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state, according to police.

At least 142 people died when the Indore-Patna Express came off the rails at 03:00h local time on Sunday near the city of Kanpur.

The railway ministry has listed 180 of the more than 200 people injured.

The cause of the crash is unknown, but some reports point to a fractured rail.

Not all of the victims have been identified yet, leaving relatives to search

Rescuers have been pulling out debris with machines and crowbars

for missing family members at nearby hospitals and at the crash site. At least 58 people are said to be in criti-

cal condition.

Train accidents are fairly common in India, where much of the rail infrastruc-

(Excerpt from Reuters)

ture and rolling stock is out of date, but Sunday’s crash was the deadliest in 14 years.

Late on Monday, rescue crews lifted the last of 14 wrecked cars from the tracks. No other bodies were found underneath the wreckage.

Zaki Ahmed, the Police Inspector General in Kanpur, confirmed the rescue operations were over.

A spokesman for the railway added: “The rail line has been cleared and some restoration work is on. The line will be fit for traffic in few hours from now.” (Excerpt from

n earthquake of magnitude 7.3 has struck off the east coast of Japan and a tsunami warning has been issued.

The temblor was located 67 kilometres northeast of Iwaki, in Fukushima prefecture, the US Geological Survey said.

USGS reported the depth of the quake at 10km.

A tsunami warning for waves of up to three me-

ters has been issued. Japan Meteorological Agency issued tsunami advisories for much of the nation’s northern Pacific coast.

Fukushima prefecture is north of Tokyo and home to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, site of one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters after a March 2011 earthquake-driven tsunami struck. (Al Jazeera)

South Africa’s ‘Prophet of Doom’ condemned

BBC News)

US Police Officers shot in 4 attacks in 1 day

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our Policemen have been shot in 24 hours across the US in the latest in a series of attacks on law enforcement.

One officer was shot dead in San Antonio, Texas, and another was shot in the face in St Louis, Missouri, though he is expected to survive.

At least two of Sunday’s attacks were ambushes.

Two other officers were shot elsewhere in Missouri and Florida.

The attacks revived memories of deadly ambushes against police in Texas and Louisiana in July.

Fifty-seven US law enforcement officers have been fatally shot this year, a 68 per cent increase from the same period in 2015.

San Antonio

Detective Benjamin Marconi, 50, had been with the force for two decades.

He was writing out a traffic ticket when he was fatally shot in his car on Sunday morning.

The brazen attack, by another driver who pulled up from behind, happened outside police headquarters, authorities said.

Police are searching for a male suspect, whose motive was unclear.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said he does not suspect the gunman knew the original motorist who was pulled over.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott called the killing a “horrific act of violence”.

The attacks came less than five months after a

Lethebo Rabalago claims insecticide Doom can heal people with cancer and HIV

A

San Antonio Officer Benjamin Marconi (inset) and a possible suspect in his killing

gunman killed five officers in Dallas, Texas, in the deadliest day for US law enforcement since the 9/11 attacks.

A few days after the Dallas attack, three Police Officers were ambushed

and killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Earlier this month, two officers in the Des Moines, Iowa, area were shot dead in ambushes as they sat in their patrol cars. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

South Africa pastor who sprays his congregation with insecticide has been widely condemned.

In a Facebook post, selfproclaimed prophet Lethebo Rabalago claims a pesticide called Doom can heal people.

The company that produces Doom warned of the risks of spraying the substance, while a government commission urged anyone affected to lodge complaints.

But the pastor has defended his actions, telling the BBC he is using unconventional methods to heal people. The country has seen a wave of practices where church members have been

subjected to unorthodox rituals to receive healing. In photos circulating on Facebook and Twitter, Rabalago, who runs the Mount Zion General Assembly in the Limpopo province, is seen spraying the insecticide directly into the eyes and various body parts of his congregants.

He told the BBC’s Nomsa Maseko in Johannesburg that he had sprayed the face of one woman because she had an eye infection and claimed the woman was “just fine because she believed in the power of God”. He also claims the spray can heal cancer and HIV.(Excerpt from BBC News)

16 news

tuesDay, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

Prison overcrowding

10 months later

RDC still awaiting Reform project position advertised findings of fraud investigations Inquiry (CoI) into the deadly Camp Street Prison riot which left 17 inmates dead after a March 3 fire at the penitentiary.

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lmost a year after the discovery of alleged fraudulent activities within the Region 10 (Upper Demerara/Berbice) Democratic Council (RDC), the regional body is still to receive a report on the findings of the investigations.

Back in September, Regional Chairman Renis Morian had revealed that the administration was still awaiting word on the way forward to determine the fate of a number of its employees, who were charged by Police, in connection with the offence.

The report was also sent to the Office of the President (OP) and to the Public Service Ministry, the Chairman added.

During an interview with Guyana Times on Monday, Morian outlined that, to date, the Council continues to await word on the report to determine the way forward. He noted that all the paperwork had been submitted, but that there appeared to be a delay somewhere along the line.

Those employees who were initially found to be in the alleged fraudulence have remained off the job since January, to facilitate investigations. However, Morian pointed out that those employees continue to be paid their basic salaries.

The revelation of alleged fraud involving employees of the RDC as

Overcrowding

well as contract employees was made public by Regional Executive Officer (REO) Gavin Clarke in January of this year, when he outlined several discrepancies involving the council's money, during a statutory meeting.

Auditors were then summoned to investigate the issue, which had also engaged the attention of Police. Officers of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU), State Audit Department as well as Office of the President (OP) were summoned to conduct investigations and had interviewed a number of internal and external RDC staff.

Three employees were initially charged and released on station bail over the allegations.

Several other employees were also questioned and sent on leave to allow for a thorough investigation.

While the investigations were expected to wrapup in January, Morian revealed that even more disturbing discrepancies surfaced in February.

Former E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) Commander Calvin Brutus had also confirmed that investigations were being conducted through Police Headquarters, Georgetown, into missing monies and impropriety in terms of records.

There was also the case where false payment vouchers were prepared and monies paid.

The myriad problems at the Camp Street Prison gained widespread attention earlier this year

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onths after the overcrowding issue in the country’s prisons, more specifically the Camp Street Prison, was widely highlighted, plans are afoot to establish support to the Criminal Justice System consultancy services project.

This project has a mandate that seeks to address institutional issues that affect the prison population in Guyana. The Government, through its Legal Affairs

Ministry on Sunday advertised the position of Project Manager who will oversee the execution and management of project-related activities.

The Criminal Justice System project also has the undertaking to reduce judicial system backlogs, while there will also be evidence gathering, training for judges, magistrates and prosecutors, in addition to sentencing guidelines and writing of decisions.

Additionally, ten recording systems for the Georgetown High Court and Magistrates Courts, Essequibo High Court and Berbice High Court will be procured while there will also be requisite training for use of the equipment.

This justice system project, supported by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), comes against the backdrop of the recommendations presented in the report of the Commission of

The CoI Report which was compiled by Commission Chairman, retired Justice James Patterson and Commissioners Dale Erskine and Merle Mendonca, was handed over to President David Granger on June 1 and highlighted that the Camp Street Prison housed an estimated 84 per cent over its maximum accommodation capacity.

The report had also pointed out that reducing numbers in prisons to manageable levels is the single most important priority for establishing safe, humane and purposeful prisons.

The myriad of problems associated with the Camp Street Prison gained wide attention when a three-day riot (March 2-4, 2016) resulted in mass casualties.

Road traffic victims remembered

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s people across the globe united for World Day for the Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims on Sunday, hundreds of representatives from various local bodies and organisations joined the founder of the Alicea Foundation, Denise Dias in a march to end the country’s road carnage.

Dias, who is also the founder of Mothers in Black, spoke with Guyana Times at the end of the event, which was held at the National Park. She explained that stakeholders, including the Guyana National Road Safety Council, West Demerara Safety Association, and Guyana Police Force were all involved in the march to end fatal road accidents. She, however, stressed that more still needs to be done to end the scourge.

“All of us are involved; we just want to stop the carnage on our roads. Every third Sunday in November, every year, this is what we do, but we will be coming out here again soon because we

Mothers in Black founder Denise Dias addressing a gathering remembering road traffic victims on Sunday

want to build a monument in memory of our loved ones that [have] been killed on our roads,” Dias explained.

She also commended the efforts of the Guyana Police Force to curb drunkdriving, adding that to lose a loved one is a devastating occurrence.

Dias has long been an advocate

against road carnage after her daughter Alicea Gouveia died 20 years ago as a result of a vehicular accident.

The Alicea Foundation was formed in 1997, after which the Mothers in Black Organisation was started.

The annual march has been staged for the past 10 years.

Caricom’s work on crime...

He said a commitment has also been given to establishing a stronger partnership for the future between the Caribbean and the United States of America, at the Sixth Security Cooperation Dialogue held in Washington, DC last October.

He said while the Caribbean appreciated the financial and other assis-

tance provided by Third States, the onus was on member states to collectively demonstrate their seriousness about security.

He underscored the important role of the Implementing Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), hub of the regional crime and security framework, along with its sub-agencies – the Joint

Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) and the Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre (RIFC).

LaRoque explained, “Every effort ought to be made to ensure that the agency continues to carry out its crucial role. Even in the face of the financial challenges, which beset our Governments, we must strive to support our security architecture while we seek to finalise a financial plan that redounds to the benefit of ALL regional institutions”.

Meanwhile, Guyana’s Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan said the matters of the 17th meeting are many, but such must be its work in the context of a Caricom and a Caribbean racked by a powerful aftermath of

from page 9

a world economic decline and a woefully neglected global crisis of violence.

He said regional countries suffer from a paralysing myth, which officials seem unable to dispel – that effective security in law enforcement measures to help citizens are impossible to be successfully realised .

Ramjattan said, “It does seem that no matter what we do, our people see our security and law enforcement sector as populated purely for predatory purposes and irredeemably committed to the ways of venality and violence. (Counsellor) in our individual territories must halt this erroneous perception of our people concerning this important security sector.”

news

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tuesday, november 22, 2016 | guyanatimesgy.com

AGNAP pledges continued support Deputy Town Clerk to Guyana’s health sector to focus on Linden's

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he Association of Guyana Nurses and Allied Professionals (AGNAP) on Friday recommitted to providing continuous support to the local health sector when members paid a courtesy call on Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton.

Members of the visiting team included Gem Wason, Gloria Percival Omotoso, Joy McCalman and Betty Why, all of the United Kingdom. The team expressed a special interest in the areas of diabetes (wound care), sickle cell and mental health, and vowed to lend support to Guyana in providing and facilitating specialised training and fellowships in order to strengthen capacity at the referral and district hospitals.

Members also visited and consulted with health officials, including Dr William Adu-Krow, Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Country Representative; Dr Max Hanoman of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation Board; Jevaughn Stephens, Director of Health Services, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne); Nurse Tarmattie Barker and other officials from the Georgetown

development

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The visiting team with Public Health Minister, Dr George Norton

School of Nursing, Charles Roza School of Nursing, Guyana Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Association, Wakenaam Cottage Hospital and other public health institutions.

The AGNAP aims to contribute towards the relief of sicknesses in Guyana; to help in the advancement of education, primarily among health professionals; to help in the preservation and protection of public health by providing information and advice; to contribute towards

the relief of hardship in Guyana, particularly among those whose economic circumstances disadvantage them, and to affiliate with institutions and other charitable bodies in Guyana.

Dr Norton expressed gratitude to the team for its generous and continuous contributions over the years. He noted that the Health Ministry welcomed new initiatives, offering his blessings to the team as it prepared to give support in the areas of interest.

Just this year, AGNAP donated a quantity of zimmer frames and walking aids to the Georgetown Public Hospital. The Association was inaugurated in the UK in June 1988 by nurses and allied professionals.

In 1991, it was awarded the Guyana Medal of Service and in June 1998, became a UK Registered Charity. It is governed by its constitution and the executive members who are selected by members of the Association, while others are co-opted by executive members.

Region 2 urgently needs street lights, patrol vehicles – Police

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n an effort to combat accidents along the narrow roadways on the Essequibo Coast, Officer in Charge of Traffic, G Division, Arunanauth Ramnauth is requesting that more street lights be placed in strategic areas along the coast.

According to Ramnauth when compared to last year, there has been a 40 per cent increase in road fatalities and a 37 per cent increase in serious accidents within the division.

He also revealed that there was a 58 per cent

assiduously to reduce traffic congestion and road accidents as the year comes to a close.

He therefore urged drivers to especially observe the 5 Cs when using the road during the festive season and reminded of the ongoing “White Knight” campaign.

Officer in C harge of Traffic in G Division, Arunanauth Ramnauth

ne week after being appointed Deputy Town Clerk of the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC), Orleena Obermuller, 25, has already set her eyes on assisting the community’s youths via job creation.

In addition, Obermuller intends to focus on the branding and promotion of the community in an effort to attract people from all walks of life.

She made her intentions known during an interview with Guyana Times on Monday, where she also announced her plans to foster a better relationship between the Mayor’s office and the staff within the municipality.

The Deputy Town Clerk explained: “We want to look at creating employment for youths, because that’s a challenge. We’re trying to collaborate with youth groups whereby we can promote programmes where we can make youths entrepreneurs instead of just waiting on a job opportunity.

To give them some sort of knowledge whereby they can see and believe that they can become job creators and not job seekers.”

While she acknowledged that there is much to learn, she assured of her commitment to fostering development and to boosting the municipality’s economic standing: “We have to look at ways whereby we can bring in income into the Council and not just focusing on rates and taxes but other avenues that we could bring income to Linden as a whole.

We can never get back the Linden that we had before, but we can collaborate and bring what we had and

Deputy Town Clerk Orleena Obermuller

where we want to go and get somewhere.”

She also expressed the hope that much would be improved over the next five years, particularly with an improved system for rates and taxes.

“I would try my utmost best, put my best foot forward so that we could develop Linden on behalf of the Council,” Obermuller said.

The newly appointed Deputy Town Clerk holds a Degree in Economics. She is a former student of the Linden Foundation and the Christiansburg Wismar Secondary Schools.

O b e r m u l l e r ’ s appointment as Deputy Town Clerk comes a month after Town Clerk Jonellor Bowen was sent on administrative leave pending investigations into alleged misconduct within the Council.

Meanwhile, Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland reminded that Bowen remains the substantive Town Clerk, while Municipal Treasurer Audrey Nelson performs duties as Acting Town Clerk.

Essequibo youths urged to stay away from criminal activities

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Inspector Ramnauth’s presentation on traffic statistics

He made this request during his presentation at the unveiling of the Division’s Christmas plans, held recently at the Richard Faikal Police Training College at Suddie.

Ramnauth further explained that the lack of street lights, the narrow roadways, lack of vehicles in the division, stray cattle, drunk driving and rice farmers’ machinery being left on the roadways are all contributing to road accidents in the Division.

increase in the number of drivers charged and punished for drunk driving as opposed to last year. There has also been a 47 per cent increase in cases for speeding on the roadways; 915 drivers were issued speeding tickets.

Ramnauth stressed that the increase in road accidents, both minor and serious, could be attributed to drunk driving and speeding. He however assured that the Division intends to work

ommander of G Division (Essequibo Coast/Islands) Khali Parashram has urged youths on the Essequibo Coast and Islands to get involved in meaningful activities in order to stay away criminal activities.

Parashram was at the time addressing scores of youths of various youth groups, at the Affiance Community ground.

The Commander explained that the police are working effortlessly to educate youth groups across and to encourage them to become actively involved in positive initiatives. Young people are encouraged to join various groups that will positively influence them, empower their minds and impart the necessary skills for a bright future.

Alluding to the successes of the drive thus far, Parashram disclosed that 36 youths from various

Commander of G Division, Khali Parashram handing over a sewing machine to boost the groups' technical and vocational skills

groups are currently enrolled at the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI) where they will acquire technical and vocational skills. At the end of their courses the young people will be equipped to earn a livelihood and support their families.

Youth groups across the Region including Charity, Henrietta, Lima Sands, Queenstown, Zorg, Wakenaam, Onderneeming and Good Hope, attended the event. Each group marched under different banners portraying positive messages against drug

abuse, domestic violence, suicide, and crime.

The youths participated in fun games and trophies were presented to winners at the end of the activity.

The activity was part of the Police Force’s crime prevention activities.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, november 22, 2016

ARCHIE

An unusual situation will leave you feeling uneasy.

(March 21- When in doubt, take a closer April 19) look and make a move based on your extensive experience.

Don’t give in to bullying or persuasive tactics.

ARIES

Business trips, conference TAURUS calls and personal gains are (April 20- all within reach. Don’t feel the May 20) need to be first when being the best is what will count in the end. Learn from others’ mistakes.

dilbert

Spend time formulatGEMINI ing and developing what you (May 21June 20) want to do next. The less interference you get from outsiders, the better things will turn out for you. Forge ahead with optimism.

It’s a good day to make alterations at home that will (June 21- encourage family gatherings.

July 22) Spending a little on entertainment and personal comforts are favored, as long as you don’t go over budget.

CANCER

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

A change of scenery will give you a new outlook on life and what you want to pursue.

Don’t let the opinions of someone less adventurous slow you down.

Honesty will be a must, VIRGO no matter what -- or whom -(Aug. 23Sept. 22) you are dealing with. Don’t be afraid to question anyone you feel isn’t being up-front with you. Choose peace over discord.

Calvin and Hobbes

Don’t trust anyone with LIBRA your personal interests or in(Sept. 23formation.

Moderation coupled Oct. 23) with discipline will help you avoid a costly domestic mistake. Focus on children, networking and personal change.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

You have more options than SCORPIO you realize. Follow the path (Oct. 24that will offer the greatest exNov. 22) perience, even if it’s a tougher road. A challenge will help you excel and highlight your strengths and weaknesses.

Self-improvement projects SAGITTARIUS will help you the most. Assess (Nov. 23- your current status and conDec. 21) sider what you can do to get ahead personally and professionally. Avoid disputes with friends and family.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Keep your emotions out of CAPRICORN decisions that involve medi(Dec. 22cal, financial or legal issues.

Jan. 19) A clear head and positive action will be in your best interest. A romantic agreement looks promising.

An aggressive approach to AQUARIUS your professional goals will (Jan. 20bring about positive change.

Feb. 19) Don’t let a negative situation get you down. Consider it a blessing in disguise and forge ahead.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

PISCES Pay more attention to de(Feb. 20- tail when dealing with relaMarch 20) tionships or when asked to help others. Your commitment to a cause will speak volumes about who you are.

guyanatimesgy.com

I

ndia’s bowlers required just 38.1 overs to wrap up a 246-run victory on the final day of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, as England’s resolve - fatally weakened by the loss of two wickets late on the fourth evening - was finally cracked with nothing but pride left to play for. The damage had been done in a frantic morning session in which they slumped from 87 for 2 to 142 for 7, and the tail succumbed meekly after lunch, with only Jonny Bairstow showing any real resistance with 34 not out.

The margin of victory perhaps overstated the gulf be-

England, with the third Test in Mohali looming large next week.

Contrary to all pre-match predictions, the pitch still wasn’t spinning dramatically by the final day, but it was skidding through at a hustling pace to match India’s turbo-charged over-rate they bowled 33.4 in the morning session, including an extraordinary ten in the first half-hour alone as Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin tied England in knots at a rate of knots.

The devastating dismissal of Alastair Cook, in the last over of the fourth day, had left England fearing the

worst when play resumed, and there was an inevitability about the identity of the first victim of the morning.

Ben Duckett’s rich strokeplay and inventive attitude will doubtless serve him well as his England career progresses, but in this situation - and particularly against his nemesis, Ashwin - those attributes had roughly the

SCOREBOARD India 1st Innings 455 England 1st Innings 255 India 2nd Innings 204 England 2nd innings (target: 405 runs, overnight 87/2) AN Cook* lbw b Jadeja 54 H Hameed lbw b Ashwin 25 JE Root lbw b Mohammed Shami 25 BM Duckett c †Saha b Ashwin 0 MM Ali c Kohli b Jadeja 2 BA Stokes b J Yadav 6 JM Bairstow† not out 34 AU Rashid c †Saha b Mohammed Shami 4 ZS Ansari b Ashwin 0 SCJ Broad lbw b J Yadav 5

JM Anderson lbw b J Yadav 0 Extras (lb-3) 3 Total (all out; 97.3 overs) 158 Fall of wickets 1-75 (Hameed, 50.2 ov), 2-87 (Cook, 59.2 ov), 3-92 (Duckett, 64.5 ov), 4-101 (Ali, 73.6 ov), 5-115 (Stokes, 85.4 ov), 6-115 (Root, 86.6 ov), 7-129 (Rashid, 90.4 ov), 8-143 (Ansari, 94.3 ov), 9-158 (Broad, 97.2 ov), 10158 (Anderson, 97.3 ov) Bowling: Mohammed Shami 14-3-30-2, UT Yadav 8-3-80, R Ashwin 30-11-52-3, RA Jadeja 34-14-35-2, J Yadav 11.3-4-30-3 Player of the Match: Virat Kohli (India)

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Faf Du Plessis with ICC Match Referee Andy Pycroft

India Captain Virat Kohli celebrates winning the second Test

same value as an INR 500 note.

Sure enough, having withstood 15 deliveries without opening his account, Duckett dropped to one knee in a bid to hit his way out of a corner, but succeeded only in gloving a sweep onto his thigh

Joe Root leans forward to defend as India fielders close in

tween the sides - the key difference, in every sense, was India’s captain and Man of the Match Virat Kohli, whose aggregate of 248 runs singlehandedly accounted for the deficit in England’s balance.

But, having fought so hard for so long, especially in the second half of the contest, the speed of their final-day demise was dispiriting for

tuesday, november 22, 2016

pad and into the gloves of the wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. As he trooped disconsolately off the pitch, Duckett might as well have walked straight onto the England bench. His record against Ashwin alone in this series made grim reading - 40 balls, 15 runs, three wickets. He’ll be back, but perhaps not in Mohali next week.

Moeen Ali was the next to go, his technique against the spinners looking solid right up until the moment Jadeja got one to grip in the rough outside off, and accelerate onto his inside edge for Kohli to complete a lobbed catch at leg gully. From 75 for 0 after 50 overs, England were now in freefall at 101 for 4 after 74 - the flip-side of their siege mentality being that India were now camping as many as five close catchers under every new batsman’s nose.

Such close attention didn’t bother Ben Stokes at first. He had been so solid in defence in the first innings, and continued his tried-andtrusted methods in a 33-ball stay. But, when India turned

to the second new ball - and in the process, gave Jadeja’s fingers a rest after 25 overs on the trot had left him with the outstanding figures of 3414-35-2 - the lankier offspin of Jayant Yadav conjured the ball of the match.

A faster, flatter offbreak from around the wicket drifted as Stokes played back, then spat past his edge to clip the outside of his off stump. Stokes nodded his appreciation as the bowler hurtled past in celebration, and when Root was nailed

by Mohammed Shami nine balls later, the teams might as well have shaken hands there and then.

Root had once again been England’s most accomplished technician on the day. But, having survived an early reprieve when Kohli spilled a sharp chance at leg slip, he was pinned on the crease by a zippy nipbacker from Shami and sent on his way for 25 from 107 balls.

There was time for one more breakthrough before lunch, as Adil Rashid topedged an attempted ramp over the slips, to give Shami his second wicket of the innings, and the denouement came in a resigned procession after the resumption.

Zafar Ansari completed a match every bit as ignominious as Duckett’s when Ashwin skidded a flat offbreak into his off stump for a duck, before Jayant produced a carbon copy of England’s demise in the first innings, trapping Stuart Broad and James Anderson with consecutive lbws. Anderson completed his comeback Test with a king pair, remarkably the first by an England batsman for 110 years.

That wasn’t the sort of history that Cook’s men had targeted at the start of the tour, but with three matches to come and some clear signs of life amid the ruins of today’s effort, there will be chances to atone in the coming weeks. But a few correct calls at the toss would be a start. (ESPNcricinfo)

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ndy Pycroft of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees held a preliminary hearing on Monday and heard the submissions of the parties as regards when the hearing in relation to the charge laid against South Africa captain Faf du Plessis should take place.

Following the preliminary hearing, Pycroft has determined that, in the interests of expediency and in order to protect the in-

tegrity of the Adelaide Test, the hearing will take place on Tuesday, 22 November 2016, at 15:30h (Adelaide time) at the Adelaide Oval.

Du Plessis has been charged for breaching Article 2.2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct after television footage appeared to show him applying an artificial substance to the ball during the fourth day’s play in the second Test against Australia in Hobart. (ESPNcricinfo)

Misbah handed 1-match suspension

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akistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been given a onematch suspension by the ICC for his side’s slow over rate during the first Test against New Zealand last week, meaning he has to miss the second Test in Hamilton. Misbah, however, was set to miss the Hamilton Test anyway, after returning home on Sunday evening following the death of his father-inlaw.

While the Pakistan captain was fined 40% of his match fee, the rest of the team was fined 20% after the side was ruled to have been two overs short of its target of 103 overs after time allowances were taken into consideration. Misbah was previously found guilty of a minor over-rate offence during the Oval Test against England in August; this was his second minor over-rate offence in the same format in a period of 12 months, and as per the rules two offences in 12 months equate to fines and a suspension from the immediately subsequent match in the same format.

The charge was laid by on-field umpires Ian

Misbah-ul-Haq had previously missed only one Test after being appointed captain in 2010

Gould and S Ravi, third umpire Simon Fry, and fourth official Shaun Haig.

He had only briefly taken the field during New Zealand’s chase on the fourth day and was scheduled to leave the country on Sunday evening. He had made scores of 31 and 13 in the Christchurch Test.

Misbah had previously missed only one Test since he was appointed captain in 2010: he was unavailable for a 2012 Test in Galle, due to a suspension for slow over-rates.

Pakistan are currently trailing 0-1 in the two-Test series after an eight-wicket loss in Christchurch.

(ESPNcricinfo)

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesday, november 22, 2016

Amazing Andy determined to add to Grand Slam collection

MoE/GTU 56th National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships…

Districts 5, 6 take 10K

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ndy Murray set his sights on adding to his three Grand Slam titles after securing the year-end number one ranking with victory at the ATP World Tour Finals.

The Briton, 29, beat Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-4 in London to ensure he will stay ahead of the Serb heading into 2017.

“Now that I’ve got there, I obviously would be motivated to try and stay in that position,” said Murray.

“But the majors get me working hard - they really, really motivate me.”

Murray, 29, won his third major title at Wimbledon in July, and ended the year on a 24-match winning streak that culminated with victory over Djokovic at the O2 Arena.

He will now take a break, including attending his father Willie’s stag do, before turning his attention to the new season and the Australian Open.

Djokovic is a six-time champion in Melbourne and has beaten Murray in four of the five finals the Scot has lost there.

“When I go away in December to train, I’m training with the Australian Open in mind,” said Murray.

“Because of the best-offive-set matches, they’re the ones you have to real-

And they’re off! Nationals got off to a flying start with a 10K road race after early morning showers in Georgetown

Andy Murray poses with his ATP Finals trophy and the trophy for finishing the year as the top men’s player

ly put in the extra work for and the extra training for.

That’s what motivates me.”

With the year-end number one ranking on the line, and having a 24-10 losing record against Djokovic, Sunday’s victory at the O2 Arena was especially significant.

“It was obviously a big, big match against someone who I’ve played so many big matches against in my career, that would be my main rival really throughout my career,” said Murray.

“We’ve played in all of the Slam finals, Olympics,

obviously here now, and a match to finish the year number one. It was a very important win for me.”

The win over Djokovic - just his third since Wimbledon 2013 - will allow him to start 2017 on the front foot in their long term rivalry, and as he chases that elusive first Australian Open title.

Murray’s lead in the rankings may be small for now, but it could be significantly bigger by the spring as he has relatively few points to defend until then.

(BBC Sport)

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he 56th Ministry of Education, Guyana Teachers’ Union National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships opened in emphatic fashion with a surprising finish in the 10K road race which saw District 6’s Delroy Leitch giving Corentyne an early victory in the first event of the championships on Monday.

Seventeen athletes took to the starting line with 12 males and five females running along the course which began outside of the GTT earth station on CARIFESTA Avenue, heading up to Turkeyen and returning to finish inside of the National Park.

Leitch finished the

Defending cycling champs hold 1-point lead

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ollowing the conclusion of the first day of cycling, defending champions District six (Corentyne) are currently the holder of a one point lead ahead of District 10 (Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani) in the 56th Ministry of Education, Guyana Teachers’ Union National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships held on Monday.

The races which were competed on the inner circuit of the National Park, Thomas Lands welcomed stern competition from a wide array of talented youngsters from across the country with one goal in mind, helping their team win.

At the conclusion of the day, District Six, who boost a number of familiar names in the cycling arena held a paper-thin margin lead with 269 points.

District 6 brought out their big guns in the likes of the Hicks brothers, Whitney Poyer, Balram Narine, Ralph Seenarine, Shenika Teixeira, Cortis Dey, Deancae Welch and Delicia Sarmento while District 10’s powerhouses,

race in a time of 35 minutes and four seconds (35m04s), edging out favourite to win, District 1’s Ricky Williams by two seconds while District 5’s Daniel Gaskin copped third, running a time of 38m35s. Ronaldo Wishart of District 11 (39m22s) and Samuel France of District 10 (39m24s) completed the top five for the males.

Leitch, speaking with Guyana Times Sport, said that the race was challenging having face a little difficulty on the home stretch but still managed to finish strong.

Meanwhile, the female category saw District 5’s Vaneia Hemerding beating out her competitor for first place in 49m10s.

Alicia Marks of District 1 took home second in a time of 49m38s and District 10’s Niocy Anthony raced to third in 52m32s District 6’s Sarswattie Matading finished in fourth (65m19s) as the females earned 10, eight, six and five points respectively.

Monday also featured the schools cycling championship in the National Park and will contin-

Delroy Leitch won the males 10K

ue today at the National Stadium, Providence with the opening ceremony set to commence at 10:00H which will immediately be followed by the highly anticipated clash of the Districts in the Track and Field events at the same venue

Royal Match The competition was high on the cycling track from start to end on Monday in the National Park

Jornel Yearwood, B’Yonka Barker and Denzil Huntley were all up to the task.

Results of the day were as follows: Jerome Stephen of District 13 (Boys Under-16 800m), Poyer (800m Girls U-16) Esau Lowden of District 10 (800m Boys U-14) Thersea Spencer District 10 (800m Girls U-14) Balram Narine District Six (800m Boys Open), Ralph Seenarine of District Six (3000m Boys U-16), David Hicks of District Six (3000m Boys U-14), Jornel Yearwood of

District 10 (3000m Boys Open) Cyanna Retemiah of District Three (1000m Girls U-14), Kevin Reddy of District Seven (1000m Boys U-14), Jerome Stephen of District 13 (1000m Boys U-16), Kendra Dunn of District Six (1000m Girls U-16 and 2000m Girls U-16), Nyanza Poyer of District Six (1000m Girls U-14 and 2000m Girls U-14), Omari Walcott of District Four (1000m Boys U-14), Kevin Monah of District 10 (1500m Boys U-16), Shenika Teixeira of

District Six (1500m Girls Open, 2000m Girls Open and 3000m Girls Open), Andrew Hicks of District Six (1500m Boys Open and 2000m Boys Open), Deancae Welch of District Six (400m Girls Open and 1000m Girls Open), David Hicks of District Six (2000m Boys U-14), Denzil Huntley of District 10 (2000m Boys U-16) and Delicia Sarmento of District Six (800m Girls Open). The deciding factor will be an intense road race; a 40KM Boys open and 25KM girls Open on Friday.

P

rince Harry of the United Kingdom got the chance to play with West Indies cricket royalty Sirs Andy Roberts, Viv Richards and Curtly Ambrose at a youth sports festival in Antigua, as part of his current tour of the Caribbean

21

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"Stage of Champions"

T

he inaugural "Stage of Champions", sanctioned by the Guyana Amateur Bodybuilding Federation and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) came to an end on Saturday evening with a packed Theatre Guild, Parade Street, Kingston, being treated to an entertaining night of muscle flexing as competitors from across the region vied for the top spoils.

In the end, Surinamese Koese Soepe was crowned the Champion of Champions in the Invitational Category, clearly one of the most defined individuals on stage.

Soepe, who was overall Flex Night winner last year and fourth place winner in the Arnold Amateur Classic Brazil, sent the crowd in awe upon entering the stage, immediately nuzzling the competition.

The Surinamese also

won second place in the form of Wendel Setro, who proved to be a more tough opponent than expected while Shaquille Levine (Barbados), coming over from the open category was judged third.

In the Physique Class, 2016 Caribbean and Central American Championship (CAC) Silver medallist in the Men’s Physique, Emmerson Campbell copped the top prize facing some serious competition from the other seven contestants, but in the end, Guyanese Yannick Grimes copped second, while Faizel Pinas of Suriname completed the podium.

Prior to the start of the event, Campbell said “he was in a whole different category and his only competition was the man in the mirror,” proving his words to come to past.

In the open catego-

ry, Levine was adjudged the winner while Anthony Nekrui (Suriname), Melvin Tolud (Suriname) finished second and third respectively, each earning a spot in the Invitational division.

Meanwhile in the Miss Bikini Category, Suriname’s Militia Galimo unsettled favourite, CAC Gold Medallist Shakira Doughlin of Barbados, to win the category, sending Doughlin into second while Suelle Shepperd copped third.

Organiser of the event, Videsh Sookram indicated that this was a very successful display and a modest turnout was a pleasing sight.

Sookram said that it is his dream to expand the event as the years go by, at the same time thanking all the sponsors for their trusted support in making the event possible.

Nero wants to return to South American 10K annually

F

ollowing her commanding win in the final leg of the South American 10K Classic held in Guyana on Sunday, Trinidad and Tobago’s national distance runner, Tonya Nero aims to return to this event in the following seasons to represent her country and defend her crown.

“One of my goals on my calendar is to come here every year and see how well I can do and represent my country and the Caribbean, so it is a big race for me every year,” Nero Said.

The talented 27 year old distance runner added that there was no competition for her as she would have clocked in her fastest timings for the year.

Nero dominated the competition on Sunday, romping to the finish line in a time of 36 minutes and 14 seconds; nearly seven minutes faster than her main competition, second placed Ashanti Scott of Guyana.

Running in her only leg of this year’s 10k, Nero found the conditions a bit challenging but was nevertheless good.

“I started of wanting to run a six minute a mile pace race and that is what I kept going through with but the hardest thing for me was the heat and with only around three water stops along the route, it was hard and I had to try to maintain my breathing to try not get overheated.” Nero stated.

The Trinidadian went on to say that this is a stepping stone for her as she has the aim of making it to the world championships next year August where she would like to represent her country and hopefully return with a prize.

The national runner was on course to make the 2016 Rio Olympics but fell short of her qualifying time in Dubai.

Fellow Trinidadian, Curtis Cox also dominated his competition in the men’s category during the Guyana leg of the South American 10K taking the top position Trinidad and Tobago’s Tonya Nero on the podium.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesday, november 22, 2016

WICB/PCL Digicel Regional 4-Day

Jaguars blown away ― Hodge, Bonner set up highest successful run chase

M

ontcin Hodge and Nkrumah Bonner put on 145 runs for the fourth wicket to help hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes complete the highest successful run chase in Regional First Class cricket when their second round clash in the Digicel Regional Four Day ended on Monday at Warner Park.

After being set an imposing 369 to win, the Hurricanes began the final day on 47 without loss still needing 322 runs to win with all 10 second innings wickets in hand against defending champions Guyana Jaguars who felt they have done enough to pull off their 20th consecutive victory since the Professional Cricket League began in 2015.

The Hurricanes batted with purpose in partnerships to complete the four wicket victory within the final hour of the match which ended with the artificial lights at Warner Park switched on. Wicketkeeper, Jahmar Hamilton crashed Gudakesh Motie for a towering six over long on to end the match when three runs were needed to create history and seven needed for his 15th First Class half century.

The powerfully built right hander was in a crucial unbeaten 63-run partnership

with fast bowler Jeremiah Louis for the seventh wicket after joining forces at 309 for 6 when Rakheem Cornwall was run out brilliantly by Rajendra Chandrika to add some twist to the run chase.

At that point the game was still wide open as the Jaguars were on the hunt for wickets and the Hurricanes were on a mission to stop the attack.

The victory was set up nicely when Captain Kieran Powell and Montcin Hodge laid the foundation with 93.

However, after dismissing Powell when he passed his second half century of the match, the Jaguars began to peg away at the Hurricanes’ batting with wickets at intervals not soon enough, the writing was on the wall.

Akeem Saunders 14 and Chesney Hughes followed but Hodge found another useful partner in franchise player, Jamaican Nkrumah Bonner and together they took the game away from the visitors.

Jaguars’ captain Leon Johnson rang the changes searching for wickets but at 286 for 3 the home fans were anticipating. When Hodge’s resistance finally ended after 287 balls (10x4; 1x6) he had passed his second First Class century and have done enough for Hamilton and Louis to fin-

ish off much to the delight of the home team’s supporters.

For the win the Hurricanes collected 15.4 points while the Jaguars bagged 6.2.

The Jaguars will now travel to St. Lucia where they will meet the winless Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium from Friday in a day/night fixture while the Hurricanes will travel to Port of Spain to take

on the hot and cold Trinidad and Tobago Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval also from Friday. In other results, Jamaica Scorpions rebounded from their opening round defeat to sting the Volcanoes by 41 runs in a low scoring thriller at Sabina Park while the Barbados Pride stun home team the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by a mammoth 292 runs early on the final day.

b Permaul 82 J Hamilton+ not out 49 R Cornwall run out (Chandrika) 0 J Louis not out 26 Extras (b-1, lb-5, w-10) 16 TOTAL (For 6 wickets, 111.3 overs) 372 FOW: 1-93, 2-109, 3-141, 4-268, 5-309, 6-309 Bowling: K Joseph 16-1-56-0, R Reifer 15-1-65-1 (nb-1; w-4), C Barnwell 15-1-47-0 (w-6), G Motie 24.3 -3 - 89-0, V Permaul 40-7-109-4, L Johnson 1-0-1-0

SCOREBOARD Barbados Pride 1st Innings 242 all out T&T Red Force 1st Innings 168 all out Barbados Pride 2nd Innings 317 for 2 dec T&T Red Force 2nd Innings Target: 392 K Hope b K Stoute 26 I Khan c M Rampersaud b K Roach 0 Y Cariah b K Williams 25 M Richards c O Phillips b J Warrican 7 Y Ottley* c M Rampersaud b K Roach 2 J Goolie b K Stoute 9

TOTALS

S Katwaroo+ c J Warrican b J Greaves R Primus c M Rampersaud b K Stoute S Cottrell not out J Jagessar b K Roach J Solozano retired out Extras: b-1 lb-5 nb-3 wd-9 Total 99 all out Bowler: K Roach 12-4-333 0(nb-2), J Greaves 11-523-1, R Chase 4-2-8-0, K Stoute 12-6-14-3, J Warrican 8-4-10-1, K Williams 5-25-1, N Charles 1-1-0-0

WINNER

TARGET

8 2 8 3 0

Rain forces abandonment

It was a ‘cat and mouse’ battle but in the end, rain had the final say

A

SCOREBOARD Jaguars 1st Innings 293 Hurricanes 1st Innings 158 Jaguars 2nd Innings 233 Hurricanes 2nd Innings (Target 369 runs; Overnight 47/0) K Powell c Barnwell b Permaul 54 M Hodge stp wkpr Bramble b Permaul 114 A Saunders stp wkpr Bramble b Permaul 21 C Hughes c S Chanderpaul b Reifer 23 N Bonner stp wkpr Bramble

Achilleion Tri-nation Series, Zimbabwe

Kevin Stoute appeals for a LBW decision against Roshon Primus at the Queen’s Park Oval

SCOREBOARD Jamaica Scorpions 1st Innings 151 Windward Islands Volcanoes 205 Jamaica Scorpions 2nd Innings (Overnight 92/3) J Campbell lbw b Edwards 67 T Griffith lbw b Mayers 22 D Thomas b Mayers 9 J Blackwood c Johnson b Edward 27 A McCarthy c Sebastien b Edward 1 †C Walton c Johnson b Edward 14 D Green c wkpr Robinson b Matthew 2 D Jacobs c Johnson b Edward 3 *N Miller c Johnson b Edward 4 O Thomas c Smith b Johnson 0 R Leveridge not out 2 Extras (b-4, lb-2, nb-2) 8 Total (All out, 61.1 Overs) 158 FOW: 1-53, 2-75, 3-121, 4-126, 5-138, 6-144, 7-149, 8-153, 9-157, 10-158 Bowling: Shane Shillingford 11-0-52-0 (nb-1), Delorn Johnson 6.1-2-14-1, Mervin Matthew 13-5-22-1 (nb-

OPPONENT

1), Kyle Mayers 16-2-45-2, Larry Edwards 15-3-20-6 Windward Islands Volcanoes 2nd Innings (Target 106) D Smith c Griffith b Miller 19 T Theophile c D. Thomas b Leveridge 9 †J Robinson c Griffith b Miller 5 K Hodge lbw b Jacobs 9 *L Sebastien lbw b Miller 0 K Mayers not out 15 S Shillingford c Leveridge b Miller 0 M Matthew lbw b Miller 8 D Johnson st Walton b Jacobs 5 L Edward c Griffith b Jacobs 1 S Ambris Did Not Bat (Injured) 0 Extras (w-2) 2 Total (All out, 27 overs) 64 FOW: 1-4, 2-21, 3-31, 4-35, 5-35, 6-36, 7-51, 8-58, 9-64, 10-64 Bowling: O Thomas 5-2-9-0, R Leveridge 4-1-11-1 (w-1), N Miller 9-2-22-5, D Green 1-05-0 (w-1), D Jacobs 8-2-17-3

VENUE

Guyana Jaguars Warner Park

YEAR

372-6

Leeward Islands Hurricanes

369

371-8

Windward Islands

368

Trinidad & Tobago

Queen’s Park Oval

335-6

Guyana

333

Barbados

Kensington Oval

314-4

Guyana

314

Combined Islands

Albion Sports Complex

1972

303-3

Jamaica

301

Leeward Islands

Antigua Recreation Ground

1967

301-7

Trinidad & Tobago

301

Barbados

Guaracara Park

1993

17

20161983

15

2014-

heavy thunderstorm and a damp outfield forced the abandonment of the fourth game of the tri-series after just 13.3 overs in Bulawayo. Despite overnight rain and overcast conditions, Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer chose to bat again. A few minutes after the toss, a drizzle turned heavier to delay the start by seven minutes.

The Zimbabwe openers had begun in sprightly fashion despite substantial lateral movement for Sri Lanka’s seamers. Chamu Chibhabha, in particular, looked positive from the outset, punching his drives on the up through the covers before he missed an inducker from Nuwan Kulasekara in the fifth over that pinned him plumb in front.

Brian Chari was involved in another run-out when he clipped a ball towards midwicket in the 11th over and set off for a non-existent run. Ervine sent him back, but Kusal Mendis’ throw to the keeper was swift and caught Chari more than a foot short. Craig Ervine, who

has struck three fifties in his last four innings, began fluently. He struck three fours - all through extra cover - in his unbeaten 30-ball 23.

A steady build-up of threatening clouds and lightning on the horizon forced the umpires to take the players off even before the deluge began. After a spell of heavy rain, the outfield had endured enough damage for the game to be called off after two inspections.

“We tried to give three hours for the outfield to improve with certain areas quite wet,” umpire Michael Gough explained. “The guys would have been in danger of slipping if we had played a shortened game.”

The result meant Zimbabwe had to win their final game of the round-robin stage, against West Indies on November 25, in order to stand a chance of qualifying for the final.

The next match is a top of the table clash between West Indies and Sri Lanka on Wednesday. (ESPNcricinfo)

Suranga Lakmal prepares to collect the ball

SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe innings (50 overs maximum) BB Chari run out 11 (Mendis/†Dickwella) CJ Chibhabha lbw b Kulasekara 8 23 CR Ervine not out Sikandar Raza not out 4 Extras (lb-5, w-4) 9 Total (2 wickets; 13.3 overs) 55 Did not bat: SC Williams, E Chigumbura, PJ Moor†, AG Cremer*, DT Tiripano, CB Mpofu, TS Chisoro Fall of wickets 1-20 (Chibhabha,

4.5 ov), 2-41 (Chari, 10.2 ov) Bowling : KMDN Kulasekara 5-0-17-1 (w-3), RAS Lakmal 4-1-14-0, MD Shanaka 2-0-5-0 (w-1), DM de Silva 1-0-4-0, SS Pathirana 1.3-0-10-0 Sri Lanka team DM de Silva, MDKJ Perera, N Dickwella†, BKG Mendis, WU Tharanga*, MD Shanaka, DAS Gunaratne, SS Pathirana, KMDN Kulasekara, RAS Lakmal, JDF Vandersay

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, november 22, 2016

MoE/GTU 56th National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships....

23

Berbice inter-ward 8-a-side

crush Rose Hall Town 8-0 North Georgetown’s reign –Stanleytown Vrymens Erven 4-2 East Bank in the pool continues

N

orth Georgetown (District 11) continued to show who is boss in the pool as yet again they were crowned champions of the swimming events at the 56th Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships.

Staged at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal, and North Georgetown amassed 401 points after 54 events were completed while their nearest competitor being Upper Demerara- Kwakwani ended with 273 points. North West took third with 207 points, South

On the individual side, South Georgetown’s Aleka Persaud won the girls 11 and under 50M Free-style and Backstroke events while North Georgetown’s Raekwon Noel achieved the same feat in the boy’s category.

National swimmers, Amy Grant, Jamaal Skeete, Nikita Fiedtkou and Anna Isaacs were also some of the standout performers.

The action packed race of the day was certainly the boys 200M freestyle which came down to a tie between North Georgetown and East Georgetown as both teams recorded a time of

Part of the intense action at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal on Monday

Georgetown (196) and Essequibo Coast Pomeroon (182) were the other districts in the top five.

The points table was completed by East Georgetown (179), Cuyuni- Mazaruni (172), Rupununi (126), East Bank Demerara (53), West Demerara (27), Potaro- Supenaam (15), West Berbice (14), East Coast Demerara (10), New Amsterdam – Canje (10) and Corentyne (1).

1:54.66; the female event was easily won by North Georgetown, clocking a time of 2:06.57 ahead of Rupununi.

Today championships turn to the tracks where the action will get underway at the National Stadium, Providence. At 10:00h there will be the opening ceremony with the symbolic March Past of athletes and the lighting of the torch followed by track and field events.

Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival…

F

ollowing their surprise win over Tucber Park in the final of the recent New Amsterdam Town Day football tournament, Stanleytown made a statement in the opening game of the Christmas 8-a-side interward tournament on Friday evening beating Rose Hall 8-0.

In the opening game of the knockout tournament at the All Saints Ground on Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Stanleytown, led by a hattrick from Devon Jones, dominated the game, as Rose Hall squandered several chances.

Jones scored in the 10th, 19th and 47th minutes of play and received excellent support from Horace Roach, who scored in the 49th minute.

The others to register their names on the lopsided scorecard were Sherwin Ali, Rodger Crandon Winston Benjamin and Goalkeeper Edmar Semple, who scored from the penalty spot in the 49th minute.

The game was refereed by FIFA referee Colin Bowery, who had a miraculous recovery after an accident in July on his way home after officiating in a Digicel school football match left him in a coma for close to two weeks.

The Stanleytown-Rose Hall game was the first for the young referee since the accident.

Meanwhile, Vrymens Erven made light work of

The winning Stanleytown team

Part of the action between Vrymens Erven and East Bank Gunners

East Bank Gunners in match two of the double header.

Jamal Joseph opened the scoring in the 11th minute and made it 2-nil four minutes later. Devon Boucher then found the back of the net in the 26th minute to give the Gunners their first goal.

Ten minutes later, Boucher registered his second goal as the tempo of the game picked up, forcing Joseph to rely on the shooting of some of his teammates.

Sherwin McKenzie (40th minute) and Stephan Hinds

(48th minute) sealed the issue to send Vrymens Erven into the second round.

The other teams in the competition are Manchester and East Canje.

The tournament will be played on Friday evenings.

However, there will be no play this Friday, because several officials are expected to be with school teams for the Guyana Teachers Union National Schools Track and Field Championships. (Andrew Carmichael)

Top teams to take centre stage

T

he 13th edition of the Diamond Mineral Water Indoor Hockey Festival which is billed for November 24-27 at the home of local indoor hockey, the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue will see an influx of top teams from North America and the Caribbean coming to Guyana to vie for an attractive purse.

The tournament, which features three divisions, i.e. Male and Female, as well as veterans, has already registered teams from the United States of America, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana in more than two categories each.

Canada has been the standout foreign team in the competition’s history with The 6ix winning in the male category last year, however, they will not be returning to defend their title but a number of key players have transitioned themselves into a new look Toronto Lions team, including last year’s Most Valuable P l a y e r , Canada’s most capped international player Jeewan Bath. The Toronto

Lions boast a formidable line-up, which includes four Canadian nationals, including goalkeeper Premakanthan Shankar who will also be conducting a goalkeeping clinic here in Guyana leading up to the tournament.

Trinidad and Tobago will be well represented by 2013’s runners-up, Queens Park and will send a team in both the men’s division and the Carib Over-35 veterans’ class. The ream will

be led by former Guyanese international Jerazeno ‘Skillaxe’ Bell. National and under-21 captains, Daren Cowie and Jordan Reynos, who will both add quality to a skilful side that is a strong contender for gold.

Perennial attendees, Carib Hockey Club, visit for the 5th straight year and have reached as close as second place in the Carib over35 division. Last year’s over35 MVP, Kern Ramsammy, one of several Ramsammy relatives on the team, will lead their

Canadian international Jeewan Bath on the attack in last year’s festival

Queens Park midfielder Jerazeno “Skillaxe” Bell on the attack in last year’s festival

charge for gold this year.

Malvern Hockey Club, who has been the overseas club with the highest attendance record, appearing in all but one year, round out the Trinidad contingent with their over-35 side led by former Trinidad internationals, Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Gordon.

Debutants, The Bal Wash Ers, will compete in both the men’s and over-35 divisions. As their name suggests, these players originate from the Baltimore and Washington areas of the USA and are many will be first-time visitors to Guyana. Returning with this team however, is

former Guyanese national, Jeremy Roberts, who makes his third appearance in the festival this year. This side is not short on experience and features several players from the USA master’s national team including former player/coach Peter Jones.

The Toronto Academy visits this year for the second time and this time around, boasts a stronger line-up after being the losing finalists in 2013. Captain of the Canadian Indoor Team that went to the World Cup in Germany in 2015, Kaelan Watson, will lead the Academy. Watson has played for the Canadian National outdoor team from

2011 to 2015. She is known as a strong defender with quick stick skills and powerful shot on net. Supporting Watson will be international teammate Angela Lancaster who has represented Canada since 2010. Canadian-based Guyanese international Leigh Sandison adds to the powerful line-up which will prove quite a challenge for defending champions Pizza Hut GCC. Top local sides Hikers, GCC and Old Fort are each represented in all three divisions with the Pepsi Hikers men and Pizza Hut GCC ladies being the defending champions. The games begin at 17:30h each day.

tuesday, november 22, 2016

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

guyanatimesgy.com

WICB/PCL Digicel Regional 4-Day

Jaguars blown away ― Hodge, Bonner set up highest successful run chase

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Montcin Hodge celebrates his match-winning century against the Jaguars at Warner Park

MoE/GTU 56th National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships....

North Georgetown’s reign in the pool continues

The victorious North Georgetown team are all smiles after securing the championship yet again

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