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Banks DIH sues Govt for $28B guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3103

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Way cleared by Govt for parking P15 meters …as Deputy Mayor stages one-man protest

High-profile sexual assault

Page 3

…triggered by DDL’s $3.8B tax write-off

Motorcyclist killed in Berbice accident Page 14

Baby, 59-year-old killed in EBD fires (See stories on Pages 9&10)

Dead: Romain Levi Seth

Relatives of baby Romain Levi Seth look at the debris and the charred remains of the child after arsonists set their Kaneville, East Bank Demerara home on fire (Marceano Narine photo)

Jagdeo flays APNU/AFC over attempts to intimidate …warns of return of repressive judiciary conviction Page 7

President accused of covering up case P9

GECOM chairmanship

Second list would be challenging to compile – Jagdeo P11 Region 10 P17 residents want “mines” communities regularised

P17 Medical Superintendents for all Regional Hospitals Bollywood P14 Club owner charged for TIP

Procurement Commission starts filling vacancies P16

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TUESDAY, January 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

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TUESDAY, January 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, January 24 – 14:30h-16:00h and Wednesday, January 25 – 03:30h and 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, January 24 –14:15h-15:45h and Wednesday, January 25—14:50h-16:20h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions are expected in the early morning hours with thundery showers in the late morning and heavy to light rain showers in the afternoon. Partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 14:14h reaching a maximum height of 2.34 metres.

Low Tide: 07:46h and 20:17h reaching minimum heights of 0.99 metre and 0.85 metre respectively.

Banks DIH sues Govt for $28B …triggered by DDL’s $3.8B tax write-off

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s forecasted, the floodgates have opened and one of the country’s leading beverage giants has slapped Government with a multibillion-dollar lawsuit, claiming in excess of $28 billion in repayment, in light of the controversial tax writeoff given by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to its competitor, the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL).

Banks DIH Limited on December 16, 2016 filed legal proceedings against Attorney General Basil Williams and the GRA, seeking a refund of approximately $28 billion.

According to the court documents seen by Guyana Times, the corporate entity paid some $12.8 billion in taxes over the period 2001 to 2006. But since Government granted DDL a whopping $3.8 billion tax write-off from its assessed $5.3 billion owed, Banks DIH calculated that it should have only paid some

resulting in a total of some $28 billion after taking into account the settlement figure payable by DDL of $1.5 billion.

More lawsuits

Given the perceived nature of the DDL tax write-off, it is believed that Banks DIH will file another lawsuit with additional refund claims.

According to People’s Progressive Party (PPP)

tous with the potential to cost the treasury billions of dollars.

He highlighted too that desperate efforts were exhausted, even at the highest discussion forum in the country – the Parliament to seek answers on this clandestine deal, but to no avail.

Jagdeo, a former President, also argued that Government could have used the billions of taxpayers’ mon-

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Government would be “unjustly enriched” if it retained the approximately $9 billion (the difference between the paid amount in taxes and the net figure Banks DIH estimated it should have paid).

In this regard, Banks DIH claims that it is entitled to Banks DIH Limited

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$3 billion instead of $12.8 billion.

The company, therefore, argued that the Guyana

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

some $9 billion plus 10 per cent interest compounded over the period 2001 to 2006

General Secretary and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, the beverage giant might claim up to $30 billion more.

He explained during a news conference on Monday that the DDL tax write-off possibly spans the years 2006 to 2016 and when that figure becomes available, Banks DIH might make more repayment claims accordingly.

Jagdeo reminded that he had warned of the domino effects this secret out-of-court tax write-off arrangement with DDL would have triggered – an outcome so calami-

ies it gave away to the multibillion-dollar corporation to otherwise support the Wales Sugar Estate in the interest of sustaining the livelihoods and economic well-being of hundreds of Guyanese and by extension, the entire country.

The Opposition Leader believes that this secretive deal reeks of corruption and has the potential to dwarf all the previous scandals which occurred thus far under the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition Administration.

TURN TO PAGE 10

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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

Parking meter flurry

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o add to the controversy brewing over the implementation of the parking meter system in the city, the rollout appears to be on hold, at least for several days, after the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) made a late submission of bylaws to Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan for approval, who in turn, announced that the review process would take about two days.

The parking meter by-laws were approved back in December 2016; however, it is clear that the M&CC failed to apply to the Communities Minister for approval. What is worse is that Smart City Solutions Inc (SCSI), in the media, admitted that it, at the eleventh hour, was seeking clarification on the matter. The much-dreaded and controversial project was in fact supposed to be operational from this week, what an embarrassment on the part of the City Hall and Smart City Solutions to have overlooked this very important step, although SCSI was quick to add that the company would do nothing in violation of the law.

For the majority of the population, it was the answer to their prayers. The M&CC was bent on proceeding with the controversial parking meter project despite calls from several stakeholders for the authorities to relook at the situation or possibly scrap the contract altogether. Over the past few months, several commentators, politicians and ordinary citizens alike have expressed concerns regarding the total lack of transparency surrounding the project. More particularly, questions were raised regarding the legitimacy of the company contracted, the fact that no prior public consultations were held with stakeholders, and the overall secrecy surrounding the undertaking.

Even the Deputy Mayor had raised questions in relation to the contractor, cost, and the overall transparency of the project and had signalled his non-support for the initiative, and again, quite recently and publicly, he said that the city was not ready for parking meters. What’s more, he also raised concerns as to why the feasibility study, which was to be carried out by SCSI, was not released to the public. In response, the SCSI spokesman said that the feasibility study was in fact completed and was in the possession of the M&CC. The absence of the feasibility study was a major concern with the Finance Ministry team which reviewed the parking meter contract. One of the concerns was the fact that there was uncertainty about how aspects of the contract, including the fees, were arrived at. The findings of this study would have given the public some insight into critical aspects of the project.

Among the concerns raised about the contract are the division of profits, the exorbitant amount being charged for parking, the development, as well as the terms of the agreement, and the credibility of the company undertaking the initiative.

The parliamentary Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) had strongly criticised the imposition of this extra financial expense on the public, especially in light of the fact that there were absolutely no consultations on the matter beforehand.

Despite the flaws highlighted in the contract, Government discovered nothing illegal and gave the green light for the commencement of the project once certain recommendations were implemented. This included a reduced fee for parking, which was eventually changed in the contract.

The concerns over the project mounted, and the first Vice President of Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI), Christopher Ram, weighed in and said that it was very troubling indeed that for a project of such magnitude, information was hardly available.

Additionally, commentator and transparency advocate Ramon Gaskin had described the entire controversy as “very, very fishy”, stating that the only information available was what was in the press.

Also, former Speaker of the National Assembly and commentator, Ralph Ramkarran had said the undertaking seemed to be nothing but a “get-rich-quick scheme”, given the capricious and tenuous strategies and justifications provided for some aspects of the project.

It is no secret that citizens are already burdened with so many expenses in an already troubled economy; hence, any new initiative which would see them spending more will certainly have to be properly explained and justified. It certainly begs the question, why has this project has been foisted on the populace?

A man rides a horse through flames during the annual "Luminarias" celebration on the eve of Saint Anthony's day, Spain's patron saint of animals, in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares, northwest of Madrid, Spain (Reuters)

The degeneration of Festival City – Is City Council responsible?

Dear Editor, Festival City was established in 1972 under the late President Forbes Burnham as a village where visiting guests and artists for Carifesta ’72 were accommodated in the 250 houses specially constructed in North Ruimveldt. After Carifesta ’72 these houses were acquired by ordinary Guyanese families.

Over time, many families have worked at improving their homes, and the initial community services have been widened as we exude pride and continue to seek to raise our living standards.

However, regardless of our efforts, we are increasingly being inundated by floodwaters and we are experiencing the loss of aesthetics and the total degradation of our environment.

All of this is taking place despite our constant appeals to The Mayor and City Council (M&CC) and the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

These two agencies have, over time, demonstrated a total disregard for us as citizens.

As a case in point, the

Government reserve (northern side of Aubrey Barker Road) is being systematically carved up and handed to a variety of industrial, commercial and other interests, most of which have no connection to the community.

In addition to this, shacks are also springing up at various points on reserves surrounding Festival City/ North Ruimveldt.

The Festival City entrance sign was knocked down by containers thrown on the Aubrey Barker reserve by disrespectful business persons and never restored, despite efforts by one of our corporate citizens.

Recently a shack-shop, which was built at this location, was demolished by The City Council, but now after claims to the land by various persons, Mayor ChaseGreen has apologised to the shack-shop owners and given them permission to rebuild.

How can citizens claim ownership to Council’s reserves?! And why are shacks being allowed to be built on what is the Government reserve? Isn’t the reserve

to be used by Council and the Public Infrastructure Ministry to complete works to improve the community, for example drainage and road repairs? Wasn’t it set aside to ensure the existence of green spaces?

We look on this action of the Mayor as perpetuating the degeneration of Festival City. This and other such structures are reducing Festival City to a shanty town. A most disturbing fact is that the Mayor is the directly elected Councillor for our Constituency.

We have been told by successive Councils that the main reason for the constant in and out of season flooding of Festival City/North Ruimveldt is that they cannot have access to the canals because of the people who live on the dam.

However, everyday more squatters continue to build regardless, to the point of erecting permanent concrete structures. Notably they are never flooded so they must be enjoying the good life.

How long must we continue to endure this situation?! Our properties are be-

coming devalued because of the “shanti-ness” of Festival City/North Ruimveldt, the foundations are being ruined and the roads now becoming a series of potholes.

We, the residents of Festival City, say “No more!!! Enough is enough!!

We deserve the good life too!”

We call on the M&CC and the Public Infrastructure Ministry to immediately activate plans to bring relief to our plight. We call on them to engage and advise us of these plans immediately as we wish to be involved. After all some of our houses were built by self-help and we have a record of community cleaning activities.

Maybe if we pool our rates and taxes and instead pay a private contractor, we will be able to restore this community of Festival City, which has tremendous historic significance and stop this dishonouring of our national heritage.

Regards, Residents of Festival City

6 Guyanese with legal skills who can be GECOM Chair Dear Editor, All this verbal gymnastics whether it “should” or “could” be a judge, or could be any “other” will consume us forever.

Here is my list. Take it or leave it

All are lawyers and fit to be a judge. The Constitution does not say only a judge.

Anyone with the aptitude quality can do the job as long as they are academically qualified and experienced.

• Ralph Ramkarran,

• • •

former Speaker Charles Ramson Snr, former Attorney General Bibi Shadick, former Deputy Speaker Hubert Rodney, Attorney-at-Law

• •

Paul Fung-a-Fat, former Chief Magistrate Peter Hugh, Amerindian and Attorney-at-Law

Sincerely, Sultan Mohamed

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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

No to Ramjattan’s Airport taxi drivers are tourism marketers 3rd term

Dear Editor, The leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan continues to justify that the AFC constitution is silent about a third term and therefore it’s his democratic right that a Third Term “ought” to be bestrode upon him at the National Conference; however, this argument can be extended further because the Alliance For Change falls under the Friendly Society Act under the Constitution of Guyana, where there is no provision for Third Terms.

Ramjattan has done a splendid job as leader for the Alliance For Change, so I remind him that his contribution was outstanding, but it’s time for others to contribute towards the development of the party and the mentality that without Ramjattan, AFC would be dead. That will never happen because there are other leaders who are also capable and who could take the party into the future.

As it relates to the Rotation Principle, most successful governments

with democratic principles remove its leaders after two terms, that is the norm Worldwide except for the countries with dictators who refused to move and misused their countries’ constitution to remain continually and, my friend, you are not Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the Zimbabwean Dictator for life, so let the harmony of the Party continue and brotherhood as we host a successful National Conference.

Dear Editor, The UK Supreme Court will today (Tuesday) deliver judgment in one of the most important cases in history after listening to legal arguments two months ago. I refer to the proceedings brought by Guyanese born Gina Miller - daughter of well-known Guyanese jurist Doodnauth Singh, a famous criminal lawyer and attorney general who died a few years ago - and another woman, Devi Dos Santos a Spanish-born hairdresser in connection with the Brexit case.

It is amazing that the English judges - all 11 of them who heard arguments in the case - will deliver their judgment in such a short time, whereas in Guyana and the Caribbean it takes years. Perhaps I should mention that the appeal against the decision of former Chief Justice Ian Chang, SC, who ruled that Bharat Jagdeo can serve more than two terms as President of Guyana.

The appeal was filed 17 months ago and the Court of Appeal will make a ruling on February 14, despite a

request by Attorney General Basil Williams, SC, for an adjournment. This appeal was pending so long yet the AG wanted a postponement.

Miller’s move to the court raised criticism in certain quarters. She was even threatened. The case raised fundamental constitutional questions about the United Kingdom’s uncodify Constitution, and the doctrine of Parliamentary Sovereignty. The decision is being looked forward by millions, not only in the UK, but the entire European Union (EU) countries. Apart from the rights of the two claimants Miller and Dos Santos as UK and EU citizenship respectively that the Royal Prerogative cannot take away their rights created by the European Community, Act 1972 which brings into force all rights from time to time created by the EU Parliament. This was possible because of the Crown’s Treaty creating power via the Prerogative, The Crown’s case is that the 1972 Act and other subsequent legislation cannot stand on their own. They depend upon the Crown Treaty

Power, hence all rights are contingent upon the Royal Prerogative.

There are other issues in this widely publicised case, including whether the UK Parliament can legislate for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland without their consent. There is a convention, the Sewel Convention to this effect.

The High Court, comprised of three judges, ruled in favour of Miller and Dos Santos on November 3, stating that Parliament must vote, but the government appealed to the Supreme Court - the highest court of the land - and all 11 judges, the entire panel, sat and listened to arguments. Miller told BBC news that she does not want to overturn the referendum decision for Britain to leave the EU, but the rights of Brits must be protected.

Yours truly, Pradeep Bacha

Important decision today

Sincerely, Oscar Ramjeet

Dear Editor, As it relates to certified taxi drivers at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), I must firstly state that there are many decent, pleasant, respectful and elegantly dressed drivers who help to market our country to tourists and visiting Guyanese from abroad.

They are key pioneers of our impression to the world and in many cases, have helped to enhance our reputation.

However, there are those who bring shame to Guyana by indulging in vulgarity and abusing passengers (asking for a small piece) at this prestigious airport. I am extremely disappointed by the following: 1. On Tuesday, January 10, 2017 I was at the airport and I was very dissatisfied, shocked and embarrassed, upon picking up my mother, to observe the behaviour of a taxi driver dressed in his uniform speaking loudly to other taxi drivers in the presence of incoming foreigners. He was clearly trying to make a spectacle of himself but his ignorance may have caused potential investors to be turned away by this simple action.

2. With his mentality for stupidity and the others going along with him, I asked a question to myself: “Don’t they know that they represent our nation?” We must remember that when people visit countries, the first impression that they get is from our peoples.

3. Once I returned from

foreign and I took a taxi with a young man who was passionate to drive me down. As our destination was Light and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown, I realised that he took a route through Albouystown, Charlestown and Princess Street. In my mind, I thought he could have taken the Mandela Avenue into Brickdam route where I could have seen some places of interest (1763 Monument, National Cultural Centre, etc) and also observe the infrastructure of the capital city. I was saddened that a man who should be marketing our country, decided to drive on roads with pot holes, bumps and no traffic signs. After I got to my destination, I paid him his due without a tip. On another occasion, I and my family arrived at the airport and we needed a minibus to carry all of us home with our luggage. As I was asking, one minibus driver said that “you need to pay double”. I simply told him that he could not work in such an institution and take advantage of a customer and I refused to pay him such a price as man of discipline and as a patriot.

4. Following that statement, he refused to take me and my family and all the other taxi drivers said that they would not; I believe there arose a conspiracy which made me believe that they were all working

together for each other to get their way by abusing passengers. I began to imagine the level of disrespect and hustle that other Guyanese and foreigners face at the hands of such deceitful taxi and bus airport drivers. It must be reasonable to mention that after this incident occurred, the management of the CJIA sanctioned and suspended the bus driver. Later, a senior official of the Airport called and apologised sincerely for the ordeal.

I wish to advise the Public Infrastructure Ministry and the management of the CJIA that courses or classes can be given to the drivers on courtesy, respect and hospitality as they are expected to behave with certain decorum and class.

I wish to reiterate that they are many elegant and decent drivers at present, but they are the few who operate with hooliganism that need to be sanctioned.

It would not be a bad decision to bring back the intelligence system, as our nation needs to be proud and shine for the Caribbean and the entire world.

I believe that tourism will play a major role in the development of Guyana. I am calling on the board of the CJIA, the Ministry of the Presidency, the Tourism Ministry, and the Public Infrastructure Tourism to look into this matter urgently.

Yours sincerely, Roshan Khan

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tuesday, January 24, 2017

Page I

n recent years, the idea that educators should be teaching kids qualities like grit and self-control has caught on. Successful strategies, though, are hard to come by.

In recent years, in response to the growing education crisis, a new idea (or perhaps a very old one) has arisen in the education world: Character matters.

Researchers concerned with academic-achievement gaps have begun to study, with increasing interest and enthu-

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

teaching grit and self-control along with addition and subtraction has caught on across the country. Some school systems are embracing this notion institutionally. In California this spring, for example, a coalition of nine major school districts has been trying out a new school-assessment system that relies in part on measurements of students’ noncognitive abilities, such as self-management and social awareness.

But here’s the problem: For all our talk about noncognitive skills, nobody has yet found a reliable way to teach kids to be grittier or The most important more resilient. And become clear, factor in children’s early itat has the same time, that the educators lives, researchers have who are best able to shown, is the way their engender noncogabilities in parents and other adults nitive their students often interact with them do so without really “teaching” these capacities the way one siasm, a set of personal qual- might teach Maths or readities – often referred to as i n g — indeed, they often noncognitive skills, or char- d o so without ever acter strengths – that include saying a word resilience, conscientiousness, about them optimism, self-control, and in the classgrit. These capacities genroom. This erally aren’t captured by paradox has our ubiquitous standardised tests, but they seem to make a big difference in the academic success of children, es- r a i s e d pecially low-income children. a pressMy last book, How ing quesChildren Succeed, explored tion for a this research and profiled ed- new genucators who were attempting eration of to put it into practice in their researchclassrooms. Since the book’s ers: Is the publication, in 2012, the idea teaching that educators should be paradigm

the right one to use when it comes to helping young people develop noncognitive capacities?

What is emerging is a new idea: that qualities like grit and resilience are not formed through the traditional mechanics of “teaching”; instead, a growing number of researchers now believe, they are shaped by several specific environmental forces, both in the classroom and in the home, sometimes in subtle and intricate ways. The process begins in early childhood, when the most important force shaping the development of these skills turns out to be a surprising one: stress. Over the past decade, neuroscientists have demonstrated with increasing clarity how severe and chronic stress in childhood – what doctors sometimes call toxic stress – leads to physiological and neurological adaptations in children that affect the way their minds and bodies develop and, significantly, the way they function in school.

Each of us has within us an intricate stress-re-

sponse network that links together the brain, the immune system, and the endocrine system (the glands that produce and release stress hormones). In childhood, and especially in early childhood, this network is highly sensitive to environmental cues; it is constantly looking for signals from a child’s surroundings that might tell it what to expect in the days and years ahead. When those signals suggest that life is going to be hard, the network reacts by preparing for trouble: raising blood pressure, increasing the production of adrenaline, heightening vigilance. Neuroscientists have shown that children living in poverty experience more toxic stress than middle-class children, and that additional stress expresses itself in higher blood pressure and higher levels of certain stress hormones.

In the short term, these adaptations may have benefits, especially in a dangerous environment. When your threat-detection system – sometimes referred to as your fight-or-flight response – is on high alert, you can react quickly to trouble. But in the longer term, they can cause an array of physiological problems and impede development of the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls our most complex intellectual functions, as well as our ability to regulate ourselves both emotionally and cognitively.

(Excerpt from the Atlantic)

By Kristin Meekhof

R

esilient people tend to be in a category of their own.

Certainly, everyone has setbacks; however, resilient people tend to not only land on their feet after a stressful event, but they seem to thrive. Wondering how they do it? Here are ten things resilient people do: Resilient people talk to share thoughts, not to convince. Certainly there is a place and time to pitch an idea, but during conversations resilient people don’t play defence or offence. Instead, they openly communicate their ideas and concepts. They listen to glean wisdom.

Resilient people ask for guidance. They are aware of their blind spots and where their knowledge base is weak.

Resilient people are not shy about asking for feedback or help when needed.

Resilient people clearly see things. They have proper vision. While they can see obstacles in their path, they don’t stay focused on them. Instead, they quickly lift their eyes above the barriers so they can see far ahead. This allows them to scan the big picture and gain perspective.

Resilient people live in the present. They know the past is frozen and don’t ruminate on yesterday’s events.

While they are more than willing to learn from yesterday, they don’t dwell in it.

Resilient people work very hard. They don’t expect anything to be given to them, and they put long hours rather it is at home or in the office. Chances are many don’t realise just how much effort they put into their projects and goals.

Resilient people practise gratitude. They are well aware that they are not alone in the universe, and others contribute to their happiness and wellbeing. They are appreciative of others and express it.

Resilient people are able to cope with major setbacks in a healthy way. Whether it be a death, divorce, financial or business loss they don’t let the heartbreak become a part of them. In other words, they know that this is just a part of their narrative, and they are already working to make themselves stronger because of it. They know their story doesn’t end with a setback.

Resilient people are able to handle pain. They are able to stay present with the pain and understand that there is a greater lesson to be understood. Instead of trying to avoid a painful moment with denial they can withstand it. They don’t attempt to numb the pain. They aren’t insensitive, but they don’t allow the hurt to become a part of them either.

Resilient people know how to handle rejection. They don’t take it personally and don’t feel like damaged goods.

They are willing to try again and put forth an even greater effort to earn success.

Resilient people practise patience. They understand that many circumstances require them to delay gratification and control their impulses. Sure, they get frustrated, but they won’t send an angry email or get discouraged at rejection. Resilient people know they need to be patient with their goals and with others. (psychologytoday.com)

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TUESDAY, January 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Jagdeo flays APNU/AFC over attempts to intimidate judiciary …warns of return of repressive conviction

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ay heed to the signals, juxtapose the current incidents against the ominous occurrences under the dark dictatorship era under the Burnham regime and one can conclude that the repressive mindset of the old People’s National Congress (PNC) has returned, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo warned.

Jagdeo drew this supposition as he sharply berated the PNC-led A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition for its recent attacks against the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, during a Monday morning news conference, warned that this spate of attacks not only sought to destroy the credibility of current members of the judiciary, but also sent a clear message to incoming members of the wrath they would face if they ruled against the desires of the Government.

“If the Government does not get its way; if it

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

does not get decisions that are not favourable to the Government, then Judges and Magistrates and other members of the judiciary will be subjected to campaigns led by the State media to destroy their credibility and hopefully this will, in the thinking of those who manage the affairs at the national level, intimidate Judges and the oth-

ers to be compliant and give decisions that are favourable to the Government for fear of being publicly ridiculed or chastised by the Government,” Jagdeo explained.

He noted that these attacks were reminiscent of the days when the PNC flag, instead of the national flag, flew over the Court of Appeal.

“It is the same repressive mindset emerging… It is this mindset that drove our economy into the ground, caused Guyana to accumulate one of the highest per capita debts in the world, bankrupt our economy, drew many people away, set back development for many decades,” he outlined, noting that there were countless other incidents which supported his theory.

The APNU/AFC Government is blistering under fire for its attacks against the Chancellor of the Judiciary following his dismissal of a Statesponsored appeal against a High Court decision which

Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh

quashed a racial incitement charge against former President Jagdeo.

Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams was imprudently critical of the decision, labelling the dismissal a “vain attempt” to free the Opposition Leader. He indicated his desire to take the matter to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

Echoing sentiments pre-

viously expressed by his legal adviser Anil Nandlall, Jagdeo pointed out that the AG was never a party in the proceedings, since it was brought by a private citizen – political activist Christopher Ram back in May 2015.

Former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, SC, also took a swing at the Government regarding its attacks on the judiciary.

Ramkarran observed that these alarming developments could not be ignored and were in fact unprecedented in their savagery.

“Even in the 1980s, when the judiciary was under severe pressure, Chancellor Victor Crane could announce that socialist principles would guide him in his decision-making, in the sure knowledge that even if criticised, he would not be subjected to the demeaning insults, as made against Chancellor Carl Singh.”

According to Ramkarran, “This open, blatant and

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams

shameless intimidation is not meant only for this Chancellor… It is a message to the next Chancellor and Chief Justice who will be appointed shortly, and for the entire judiciary, to toe the line.” He also condemned the deafening silence from critical stakeholders like the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) on this worrying development.

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TUESDAY, January 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Shariff, reputed wife charged for failing to submit documents to High Court

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ormer Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, Omar Shariff, 46, and his reputed wife, Savitri Hardio, 32, were before Magistrate Fabayo Azore charged with refusing to provide named documents to the Police.

According to the charge, which the couple separately denied, on or before October 14 at Georgetown, both failed to comply with an order made by acting Chief Justice Yonette Cummings to provide named documents. The documents in question were all requested by Police as part of a probation order.

The prosecution did not

object to bail, but requested that both defendants lodge their passports at the court.

Magistrate Azore placed both parties on self-bail and they were ordered to report every other Monday to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). The matter will continue on February 1, 2017.

Shariff is currently the subject of a probe into alleged financial crimes by SOCU. However, he has denied such allegations, although conceding he has unsettled tax matters with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), in relation to the sale of phone credit. Shariff was a candidate for the People’s

Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) at the last elections, and remained as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Presidency, even after a new government took office.

However, he was sent on leave in June 2016 by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon after SOCU launched a massive probe into several bank accounts which carried his name and the names of persons who worked close to him.

In a letter to Shariff, Minister Harmon stated that he was to proceed on leave in order for him to cooperate fully with SOCU in the matter.

“This is [a] money-laundering and tax-evasion mat-

ter, since … [it concerns] large sums of money that he has in his personal accounts,” Harmon had said.

However, Shariff always maintained his innocence in the matter and stated that he did no wrong.

He chose to remain silent amid all accusations against him, until later, when he issued a statement, which read, “After consultation with my attorney, I have been advised that it is now appropriate and has become necessary for me to address the false and unsubstantiated allegations and imputations being published by the electronic, broadcast and print media.”

Peoples’ power…

H …in US?

ow sweet it is!!” some of the old activists from the Cold War 60s still surviving must be chortling, as they note the ascent and coronation of Donald Trump as President of the US of A - and the consternation of the old elites who were their nemesis back then. The USSR was the enemy, of course, and anyone who could even remotely be a ‘fellow traveller’ was fair game for the CIA. Today, the “Agency” has come in for stinging rebuffs from their new Commander in Chief.

To be fair, the FBI had done the same persecution within the US following the witch hunt of Senator McCarty in the 50s. But while the lives of hundreds of Americans - including several in Hollywood - it could not match the thousands who were actually killed in the Third World, to “roll back the Red menace”. Today, the new President has made the normalisation of relations with Russia his number one priority… and thereby making at least half of the 17 “Intelligence” agencies redundant! Oi vey!!

But there is one anomaly which is the archetypical elephant in the room that is being ignored - the foundation of the democratic order that’s the basis of America’s exceptionalism - each man counts equally with every other man. Especially when it comes to the ballot. How can government by the people stand when the votes of the people don’t have the same weight?

Back in the beginning of the 60s, we had a constituent system for electing governments. This resulted in the popular vote not exactly matching the votes the individual parties collected. Because the supporters of the PPP were more widely dispersed in the constituents, that Party’s seats garnered were far greater than the PNC’s, who were concentrated in urban areas. So the Americans and the British changed the system to the PR we still have so that the PNC could get into office. The CIA funded some riots that persuaded the PPP to go along.

But now in the US we have an analogous result - Hillary Clinton received three million more votes than Donald Trump - but yet she lost the elections! Why? Because the “Electoral College” device rewards dispersion of votes - much as our old constituency system did!! So your Eyewitness has a question: if the Establishment’s teed-off with Trump and they have the CIA on their side… Are they going to insist that America gets one-man-one vote all the way to deciding who’s President?

Power to the people!!! No Dictator!!

…in Guyana

Reading some of the responses to Justice Chang’s ruling on who can make foundational changes to the Constitution, it’s either some lawyers don’t keep up with developments in their field or they just want to protect the status quo.

As your Eyewitness has pointed out, Justice Chang must be complimented for moving away from the old, liberal, procedurally driven perspective on interpreting constitutions - especially in Britain. There, we know, even though democracy was supposed to place sovereignty in the hands of the people, the designed procedure only places a pencil in the hands of the people to select their REPRESENTATIVES to Parliament every five years!

And then makes PARLIAMENT sovereign - not the people! Well, even though Brexit has started the process of re-examining that situation in Britain, our Constitution has always insisted that substantively, we the people are sovereign. And there are certain things, only we the people can decide - not our representatives - who we know to our cost - are invariably self-serving. Remember the 50 per cent raise?

But those in power will always resist this assertion of power by the people. They’d rather be our sovereign rulers!

…in Georgetown

Your Eyewitness is still amazed at how these parking meters have been imposed on the people of, and visitors to, Georgetown - even though no one, excepting the Gang of Four, agrees to them.

We know where sovereignty resides in Georgetown!

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

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tuesday, January 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Baby perishes in EBD fire, 11 others homeless

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seven-month-old baby perished on Monday morning after his home was allegedly set on fire by a suspected arsonist, who had threatened to burn down the house after the owner made a report against him and his cohorts.

The charred remains of seven-month-old Romain Levi Seth were pulled from the ruins hours after the fire was extinguished by firefighters at Lot 462 Third Field, Kaneville, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The remains were found in the same area where the child was left sleeping when he was put to bed by

Dead baby: Romain Levi Seth

the same bedroom after an explosive device was hurled through the window by a young man whose name

A pair of slippers left behind by the suspected arsonist

his grandmother on Sunday evening. The fire reportedly started about 02:00h in

was provided to the Police.

Guyana Times under-

stands that the young man and his friends had threatened to set the house alight after the owner, Michelle Menez, had made a report to the Police Station about their marijuana business close to her home.

The young men were reportedly arrested, but were later released by the Police.

It was upon their release that they threatened to kill each member of the house and accused Menez of being a Police informant. When Guyana Times visited the scene on Monday, a pair of rubber slippers suspected to be that of the arsonist was left behind.

The owner of the house, who is the dead child’s grandmother, and the mother of the dead baby were at the Grove Police Station.

The mother, Holly Seth, who was in tears told Guyana Times that she left her only child with her mother, since she had to run some errands with her brother. When the fire started about 02:00h, she had not returned.

The grieving mother explained that she received a call from her niece who informed her that her house was on fire. At that moment, she was not aware that her son had perished.

High-profile sexual assault

President accused of covering up case P resident David Granger is being accused of covering up a high-profile sexual assault case involving top officials in Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo).

The accusation was levied by former President and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who contended that the Head of State was fully informed about the incident, yet he failed to take any action against those culpable or at least under suspicion of being guilty.

“The President can’t claim lack of knowledge on this matter,” Jagdeo said during a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) news conference on Monday at Freedom House, Robb Street.

Jagdeo highlighted that a petition was signed and presented to the President calling on him to take action on the matter, but yet he did nothing.

The PPP General Secretary condemned this apparent protection of an alleged sexual predator, as he expressed his belief that there was an organised attempt to hide the truth.

A high-ranking female municipal official filed a Police report against a re-

gional official, alleging sexual assault.

F Division (Lethem and other Interior Locations) Commander Ravindradat Budhram said a file was compiled and it has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice on instituting charges against the accused.

According to reports, it was during a work trip when the alleged victim was forced to share a room with the suspect during which the assault took place.

The top local Government official said she wrote to President Granger since November 7,

2016, but, to date, he was yet to respond to her concerns.

Some 1200 persons signed the petition calling for the removal of the top official on several grounds, one being sexual assault. The petition was forwarded to the President, the then Social Cohesion Minister Amna Ally and the Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan. No action was taken.

However, the accused official has since come out, denying the reports against him. According to the regional officer’s lawyer, Jerome Khan, the accusations made against his client are false.

“It was until I reach home and enquire about my son, they tell me that he burn up…” she cried.

At the scene of the fire, an aunt, Yonette Walters, told Guyana Times that she received a telephone call from her daughter who informed her that her house was on fire.

“I was at work, so I called my boss and tell him my house on fire and I rushed home… when I reach I see it was my sister’s house instead… I enquire what happen and all they tell me is that Romain get burn up… My sister was crying bitterly and I comfort her,” the woman stated.

She also confirmed that at the time of the fire, her sister was at home along with eight children.

Walters explained that her sister attempted to save her grandson from the inferno, but the heat was too intense. She, however, managed to save the others.

The ruins of the wooden structure after the blaze

A teenaged relative who resides next door recalled feeling heat and upon looking through the window, she realised that her aunt’s house was on fire and immediately raised an alarm.

By that time, portions of the wooden structure were already engulfed in flames.

Persons in the area and other family members formed a bucket brigade and attempted to control

the blaze until the firefighters arrived on the scene.

The distraught teenager recollected her aunt crying out for Romain and it was then they were told that the baby had burnt to death.

The Police and the Guyana Fire Service have launched an investigation into the fire. Several persons were detained for questioning.

(Bhisham Mohamed)

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, January 24, 2017

News

Man burns to death as fire razes Diamond home

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family is now gripped with the reality of losing a home and a close relative after a fire swept through a Diamond, East Bank Demerara home in the wee hours of Monday.

The fire, which reportedly started in the garage of the Lot 796 Third Avenue, Block X, Diamond, home resulted in the death of 59-year-old Thakur Singh.

His charged remains were discovered about 06:00h on Monday by members of the Guyana Fire Service.

It is believed that the fire originated from an unattended kerosene stove that the man was using in the garage about 03:00h and quickly engulfed the five-bedroom wooden and concrete house.

When Guyana Times visited the area on Monday, Jetendra Singh, owner of the house, recalled that he woke up about 03:00h on Monday and as he opened his bedroom door, he was greeted by thick smoke, so he immediately alerted

The house and minibus after the blaze

his wife to get the children out of the house. In an attempt to see if it was possible to extinguish the blaze, he ran into the lower flat of the house but the heat was too extreme.

He managed to exit the building, along with his son, while his wife and daughter went towards the back verandah. As he checked the garage, it was already engulfed in flames as well as the wooden flooring of the house and at that time, he

knew that there was nothing he could do to save any household items.

“I went back for my wife and daughter…It had a black tank at the back, so I managed to climb on it and asked my daughter to jump and I catch her…I took her to a safe place and went back for my wife also.”

He confirmed that his uncle, who had been living with him for some time, was in the garage when he retired to bed. He could not

Banks DIH sues Govt...

DDL write-off

An extended legal battle between DDL and the GRA grinded to an end after the APNU/AFC Government, upon assumption to office, decided to grant the drinks company a whopping $3.8 billion tax write-off.

The legal proceedings arose out of the Consumption Tax assessment levied against DDL by then Commissioner

General Khurshid Sattaur in January 2009, in the sum of $5,392,020,753. This assessment was challenged in the High Court by DDL. In 2002, DDL had raised a legal challenge against the GRA on the methodology adopted by the latter for the assessment of Consumption Tax. In February 2005, the High Court found in favour of DDL. The GRA subsequently appealed that deci-

sion and on July 31, 2008, the Guyana Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed the GRA’s appeal.

Following the dismissal of the appeal, the GRA commenced a new assessment in August 2008 and, notwithstanding attempts by the parties at resolving the matter on January 16, 2009, the GRA issued a new claim in the crippling amount of $5.392 billion.

But the secretive ar-

say, however, if the man was under the influence of alcohol. “As a matter of fact, I didn’t even hear a scream from him during the blaze,” Singh recalled.

Meanwhile, while he could not estimate his losses, he noted that if the Guyana Fire Service had responded in a timely manner, his house could have been saved. He added that as soon as he realised that the house was on fire, he contacted the Fire Service but was told the firefighters were battling another fire at Kaneville.

“The firemen came here like one and a half hours after the fire started…if they de come in 10-15 minutes, most of the building could have been saved,” Singh related.

Apart from losing his house and his uncle, a minibus was also destroyed by the blaze.

Fire officials are continuing their investigations.

FROM PAGE 3

rangement between the Government and DDL saw the company only being liable to pay $1.5 billion.

This cloudy tax write-off sparked immense controversy causing many, including the business community, to raise eyebrows over the deal.

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

Defence

Finance Minister Winston Jordan had previously declared that any attempts by other businesses seeking similar tax writeoffs would be vigorously challenged.

“Any attempts by other business persons to make claims and so on will also be vigorously opposed based on principles that underline the settlement with DDL,” he had stated.

Jordan explained that Government could not stop other companies from wanting to make similar claims, but they would only have a solid case if they have reasonable grounds.

Defending the DDL tax write-off, Jordan said the GRA engaged in tax settlements all the time and the DDL matter was nothing new.

“The judgment is sound, based on what is told to me,” he stated. (Devina Samaroo)

Our Chinese heritage: we must go beyond Arrival Day recognition

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bout two weeks ago, the embattled new leader Dr George Norton of the beleaguered Social Cohesion Ministry wrote this of Chinese in Guyana: “Guyanese through the length and breadth of the country join today (January 12) to celebrate the 164th Anniversary of the arrival of the Chinese - a day so significant that His Excellency President David Granger saw it fit that it be designated as Chinese Arrival Day.” Such a sentimental declaration is most welcome, especially when considering that anything Chinese has been subsumed in the larger African-Indian ethnic landscape of Guyana. I suspect similar sentiments will be given to the Portuguese.

That said, there is a concern and more so a caveat as to why the regime prefers a separate Chinese Arrival Day when May Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine 5 is designated as Arrival Day for all post-emancipation ethnic groups. Whatever might have been the reasons for doing so, I have drawn a personal sense of satisfaction from the aforesaid declaration. I am currently working on two projects worth sharing, I think, since they resonate with Chinese experience in the region.

Oxford University Press has invited me to compile and explain published studies on Chinese indentured experience in the Caribbean and Latin America for their bibliographies series, which is an innovative online research tool in Atlantic history. Each Oxford Bibliography article provides a skeleton for research that guides readers through the most essential sources on a given topic. This invitation comes on the heels of finishing an extensive bibliography for the same press on indentured Indians in the Caribbean.

In researching published studies of indentured Chinese, I realize that no less than 200,000 Chinese were brought to the Caribbean and Latin America as indentured servants following slave emancipation, except in Cuba where they laboured alongside African slaves. A majority of these Chinese were taken to Cuba, Peru and British Guiana, while a minority of them were taken to the British Caribbean and Dutch Guiana. British Guiana received an estimated 13,541 between 1853 and 1879.

The experience of these indentured souls in British Guiana can be gleaned from Jan Lowe Shinebourne’s novel The Last Ship, which I reviewed and was published in the journal Caribbean Writer. I wrote this: “Lowe Shinebourne has produced a remarkable novel based on three fundamental factors. The first is that the Chinese indentured experience and beyond has rarely been addressed or examined non-fictionally. The second is that Chinese inter-cultural relations are practically unknown in Guyana, especially since a majority of them have migrated… Not all Chinese are the same, nor are they as united as thought by wider Guyanese society. They are divided by class and environment (rural and urban).The third is that the novel shows how Chinese immigrants have struggled with issues of cultural retention and cultural assimilation in a foreign land.”

One glaring disappointment in the literature of indentured Chinese is that there is no founding text or comparative analyses of them in the region. Their history is not only plagued by the cancel of insularity, but also pushed into a shameful margin of the entire regional historical existence. I urge that this existence must be teased out by paying more attention to them so that a new dignity and perspective can be fostered.

Towards that end - which brings me to my second project - I am working on writing a short history of Chinese Field or Hong Kong, known today as No 72 Village. If you do not know, Chinese Field is located about five miles from the town of Corriverton in Upper Corentyne, Berbice. I am not sure when this community was formed, but Dr Comins’ report in 1893 stated there was a wellestablished and striving Chinese community in this agricultural village. This was a rarity in this region, which was comprised mainly of Indians and Africans.

Why they were brought or chose to indenture to this village will require more research. Historians like Cecil Clementi, Walton Look Lai, Brian Moore, and Trev-A-Quan mentioned Chinese Field in their work but I doubt whether they visited the village. Had these authors visited they would have seen and mentioned at the time of their writing that there was one surviving family which is now practically gone. Their departure through death and migration, as well as their abandoned dwellings tells a fascinating story of a fascinating family which deserves further exploration, some of which cannot be revealed here for the sake of family privacy and copyright reasons. What I can say is Chinese Field remains an enigma in the saga of Guyanese heritage history.

I am convinced that if more attention is given to the Chinese we can move, with pride, beyond the fundamentals of their history in Guyana and not be wrapped up merely in nostalgic celebration of the past. I think this will add to the understanding what my colleague and literary scholar Khal Torabully calls the “humanism of diversity,” an evolving experience “through which the original/voyage is engaged in a complex process of retrieval and negotiations with diversities.” Is the Social Cohesion Ministry there? (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu)

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tuesday, january 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

GECOM chairmanship

Second list would be challenging to compile – Jagdeo

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

I

t would be a challenging task to compile a second list of six nominees for the post of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as potential candidates would not want to risk the humiliation of being publicly discredited by the President David Granger.

This is according to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who was at the time defending the qualifications of the six individuals he submitted as the nominees for the vacant position, following widespread consultation with civil society. “Imagine when you look at these six persons that I have submitted, these are people who have distinguished themselves in their field, they are solid professionals. If as qualified as they are, the President does not find them as fit and proper then who will want to put up their names and suffer the public humiliation of being classified as unfit and improper. People don’t want to go through that sort of thing and they would be reluctant to do so,” he explained. Jagdeo will decide whether or not he will embark on creating a second list of nominees following the meeting between Attorney General Basil Williams and his predecessor Anil Nandlall to find a middle ground regarding the different interpretations of the Constitution of Guyana, relative to the appointment of a new GECOM Chairperson.

During a news conference on Monday, Jagdeo expressed hopes that this meeting will actually achieve an amicable solution to the impasse between Government and the Parliamentary Opposition regarding this issue of national importance.

“We may just be going through a perfunctory exercise and at some point in time he will do as Basil Williams is saying he has the authority to do, to install someone of his choice, I hope that we do not get to that because that would lead to major contention in Guyana,” Jagdeo stated.

President Granger, during an engagement with media operatives, announced that he has rejected the list of six nominees submitted by the Opposition Leader for consideration for the appointment of a new GECOM Chairman following the resignation of Dr Steve Surujbally from that post in November last.

Granger argued that the names submitted by the Opposition Leader did not

meet the constitutional requirements. Afterwards, the President officially informed the Opposition Leader of his rejection and requested that a second list be submitted.

Jagdeo subsequently requested a meeting with the Head of State to clarify the interpretations of the Constitution as he believed his nominees were constitutionally suitable for the post – especially in light of the widespread consultations he hosted prior to compiling the list.

After a prolonged period, President Granger finally responded, indicating that he will appoint his Attorney

Christopher Ram

Lawrence Latchmansingh

Ramesh Dookhoo

General to engage with any member of the Opposition on the matter. In his letter, the President did not offer any clarity on his interpretation of

the Constitution nor did he explain why the nominees submitted were “unacceptable” as he claimed.

Already both Attorney General Basil Williams and Vice President Khemraj

Norman Mc Lean

Professor James Rose

Rhyaan Shah

Ramjattan had signalled Government’s intention to activate a clause in the Constitution to allow the President to unilaterally appoint a GECOM Chair.

However, many view such a move as dangerous as it alters

the democratic process regarding the appointment of a person to be tasked with overseeing the elections process in the country. But Jagdeo contends that Government’s interpretation of that clause is also erroneous. If Government moves

ahead to unilaterally appoint a GECOM Chairman, Jagdeo has made it clear his intention to challenge such action.

He already indicated his preparedness to take the issue to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

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TUESDAY, January 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

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TUESDAY, janUARy 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, January 24, 2017

News

Bollywood Club owner Motorcyclist killed charged for TIP in Berbice accident

E

ladio Pereza, 34, of Lot 7 Providence Public Road, East Bank Demerara, was on Wednesday remanded to prison after he faced Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan charged with Trafficking In Persons (TIP).

He denied the charge which read that between March 16, 2016 and January 20, 2017 at Bollywood Club, in Providence, he harboured females for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The defendant has only been living in Guyana for two years and is the owner of the abovementioned club.

Eladio Pereza

According to his Attorney, many Spanishspeaking persons stay at

the club which has a residence section, and the Virtual Complainant was one of those persons.

The prosecution’s facts revealed that eight victims were rescued after ranks of the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Unit, acting upon information, conducted a raid on the club.

The prosecution is ready to present six witnesses, who are willing to testify against the defendant, and as such, objected to bail based on the nature of the offence and the fact the Cuban is a flight risk.

The man was remanded to prison until January 25.

A

West Berbice labourer died on Sunday evening after colliding with a utility pole.

The dead man has been identified as Lenard Jameer 33, of Tempe Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB). Police in a release said that based on the information gathered, Jameer was proceeding west along the public road, on an unregistered Jialing motorcycle, when he lost control and allegedly slammed into the concrete base of a light pole.

The man was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital in an unconscious state, however, he was pronounced dead on arrival.

According to his mother, Joycelyn Jameer, her son left their Lot 303 Tempe Village home and was imbibing at

Dead: Lenard Jameer

Teamo Entertainment Park at Onverwagt, before leaving for Washington Village, where his ex-wife and two children live.

She said during the afternoon, the father of two left

home on his motorbike, but he did not say where he was heading. The grieving mother further explained that about 01:00h on Monday morning, she received information that his body was in the mortuary.

After the collision, Jameer was rendered unconscious and a Police patrol found the injured man and took him to the hospital. Reports are that the now dead man left the bar and rode past his village to visit his seven-year-old daughter.

It is believed Jameer died before he was discovered.

Jameer shared the Tempe home with his mother and a sister. He leaves to mourn his mother, two sisters and three brothers, along with two children.

Bartica Massacre trial

Convicted gang member gives evidence

− claims prosecution’s information inaccurate when he pleaded guilty

A

s the Bartica Massacre trial continues at the High Court, a convicted member of the infamous gang that carried out the February 17, 2008 attack has stated that co-accused Mark Royden Williams, called “Smallie”, was not there on the day of the massacre. This claim was on Monday expressed in the evidence-in-chief of Michael Caesar, called “Capone”, who on December last was sentenced to 1080 years after he pleaded guilty to 20 counts of manslaughter in massacres at Lusignan and Bartica. In a twist of events however, Caesar under cross-examination, told the court that some of the Prosecutor’s facts as stated at the time when he entered his guilty plea, “were not true”.

Led by Mark Williams’ Defence Attorney, Roger Yearwood, the convicted witness told the court that seven gang members travelled to Bartica and another later joined them before they carried out the attack.

These members, according to the Caesar were fellow convict Clebert Reece, who is Caesar’s first cousin; Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins; Dwane Williams; Chung Boy; Mudup; Uncle Willie; and a “high complexion” person.

The jury once again heard an account of the shooting at the Police Station where guns were stolen and of the robbery at “Vulture’s” business place where two safes containing a variety of items, including gold were retrieved.

He further testified that in 2009, he was nabbed by

authorities in Suriname, who handed him over to local Police.

Led further by Attorney Yearwood, Caesar told the court that he did not know Mark Williams before they appeared together at the Magistrates’ Court. The convicted man further claimed that he did not see co-accused Dennis Williams at the time of the Bartica attack, nor had he heard of other accused, Roger Simon, before he was charged.

Prosecutor’s cross-examination

Meanwhile, lead Prosecutor, Diana Kaulesar sought to discredit the entire account of the witness on the grounds that he is a “good friend” of Mark Royden Williams, called “Smallie”, and that the story was an attempt to testify on his friend’s behalf. Caesar, however, denied these suggestions, noting that Williams was a stranger to him.

It was under cross-examination that he noted that he never told the court that the facts surrounding his pleading guilty last year were not true. Prosecutor Kaulesar then grilled the witness as to why he elected to testify now that the defence is calling its witnesses.

The witness responded that it was only Friday that an Officer at the Prison informed him that he was scheduled to testify on Monday. Mark Royden Williams is also a co-accused in the Lusignan massacre in which Caesar had entered guilty pleas for manslaughter. When the co-accused Caesar had plead-

ed guilty for that massacre, Prosecutor Kaulesar had noted on January 26, 2008, the accused, along with other men, had entered Lusignan through Buxton backlands and decided to start raiding a number of houses to get cash, but they came up empty-handed after barging into several houses. Kaulesar had also highlighted Caesar’s claim that he was never in possession of a firearm and that he never killed any of the victims.

Caesar was on December last sentenced to 45 years in each of the eight counts of the Lusignan indictment, while he was sentenced to 60 years in each of the 12 counts of indictment in the Bartica massacre, resulting in a 1080year sentence. He will have to spend at least 40 calendar years in jail before he can attempt to acquire parole.

Co-accused, Clebert Reece who was the boat driver that transported the gang to Bartica was sentenced to 420 years for the Bartica attack.

Reece and another gang member, Dwane Williams, had identified Mark Williams and Dennis Williams as being part of the gang that executed the Bartica attack. It was after the Prosecution rested its case, that witnesses for the defence have testified that the two Williams were not present at Bartica during the attack. All the while, the majority of witnesses have noted that third accused, Roger Simon, was not there during the Bartica massacre. The trial continues today before Justice Roxanne George, SC, at the High Court. (Shemuel Fanfair)

tuesday, January 24, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

News

Way cleared by Govt for parking meters – as Deputy Mayor stages one-man protest

C

entral Government has cleared the way for Smart City Solutions Incorporated (SCSI) to begin charging motorists for using parking spaces in Georgetown.

This was confirmed

by Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, who told Guyana Times on Monday that the parking meter bylaws, which were presented to him on Friday by the company, have been signed.

It had previously been reported that because of the time and location in which the documents were received, the Minister could not give his authorisation until legal experts had perused them.

Hence, paid parking did not commence on Monday, as previously announced by the company.

There have been mounting concerns about the rollout of this project. When questioned about the option Central Government had to put the project on hold by not signing the by-laws, Bulkan noted that the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) had the power to make its own decisions.

15

company was to roll out the project. This comes in the wake of Traffic Chief Dion Moore’s statement that parking meters which are too close to corners will have to be removed.

“The fact that the parking meters are in front of schools and institutions that cater for the differently able is totally disrespectful. Parking meters are on the pavement, a slap in the face of the differently able.”

The manner in which the parking meter contract, signed in November 2015, was arranged with National Parking Solutions/SCSI has attracted heavy scrutiny in the press.

This was not helped when Georgetown Mayor

of consumers as SCSI has the power to change fees arbitrarily and determine zones.”

The fees amount to at least $200 an hour. The minimum time a motorist can purchase is 15 minutes. The meters work by the user inputting the number of their parking space, the time they need and then presenting a prepaid card which they would have purchased, to a card reader on the meters.

Metered hours are Monday to Saturday, from 07:00h to 19:00h.

Penalties

Any vehicle which has either not paid for parking or has exceeded the paid time will have their wheel incapacitated by a tyre boot-

Campbellville cache

Ex-gang member among 3 arrested

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s Police continue their investigations into the gun and ammunition bust at a Campbellville, Georgetown home on Sunday evening, they have confirmed that one of the three arrested was a former gang member, Lloyd Roberts, also called “Robbie”.

Roberts, along with two others, was arrested on Sunday evening after Police swooped down on a house at John Street, Campbellville, where an AK-47, a 9mm handgun, 80 rounds of ammunition and several mobile phones were unearthed. The identities of the two other men were not released.

Roberts and the others were known to the Police since they had previous brushes with the law.

Roberts was listed as the prime suspect in the shooting to death of 19-year-old Ryan “Harry” Sergeant outside the Rio Night Club.

According to Police sources, he has been implicated in several armed robberies as well as murders.

In 2010, Roberts, who was a minibus driver at the time, was charged with the double murder of Romeo

The gun, ammunition and cellphones found during the operation at Campbellville

De Agrella and Clint De Agrella who were killed in 2009 at Iron Punt, North West District. The charges were dismissed; however, soon after he was freed, he was rearrested for the murders of political activist Ronald Waddell and former boxing coach Donald Allison.

Waddell was murdered on January 31, 2006 outside his Subryanville, Georgetown home. Bullets rang out hitting him in his back, face and other parts of his body. Allison was shot dead outside the boxing gym in Agricola, Greater Georgetown.

Charges are expected to be laid against the three men shortly.

On

Sunday evening, a team of Police ranks led by Deputy A Division (GeorgetownEast Bank Demerara) Commander Calvin Brutus acted on information and went to the house at Lot 81 John Street, where they conducted a search. At the time of the operation, the three men were occupants of the rented house. The gun and ammunition, along with the phones, were found in various sections of the house. In addition, two motor cars which were parked under the house were also taken by the Police. Police are expected to conduct ballistic tests on the weapons to determine if they were used in the execution of any high-profile robberies.

Protest

At midday on Monday, outgoing Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan launched a protest against the citywide rollout of the parking meter project. The protest, which took place in front of the Bishops’ High School, was prompted by the Deputy Mayor’s concern about the manner in which the company has been administering the project.

“You want to convince me that this company has experience in rolling out parking meters or has Guyanese at heart? When you see the chaos of the rollout of the parking meter project, it leaves much to be desired. Only Friday, we’re learning now, the parking meter by-laws were submitted to the subject Minister Bulkan. That is disrespectful to the Minister and the entire Government.”

He pointed to the demarcation of some parking meters which are too close to the corners as an indication of just how unprepared the

Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan receives encouragement from a passing motorist, during his protest on Carmichael Street

Patricia Chase Green, Town Clerk Royston King and City Councillors Oscar Clark and Junior Garrett left on a trip to Mexico to inspect the product – seven months after the agreement was inked.

Subsequently, the Finance Ministry and the Attorney General’s Chambers conducted reviews of the contract to determine its practicality and legality.

In its reviews, the glaring absence of any financial analysis or feasibility study by the M&CC had been noted.

One of the observations of the Finance Ministry had been that “the contract has given complete monopoly power to SCSI over parking within Georgetown. This control could lead to exploitation

ing device. This can be done whether the vehicle owner is present or not.

If the owner is not there, they will be greeted by the sight of their incapacitated vehicle and a sticker in the driver’s window upon their return. In cases whereby the parked vehicle may obstruct the flow of traffic, they may return to an empty space as the vehicle will be immediately towed.

A fine of $8000 plus VAT will have to be paid in order to unlock the vehicle. If the fine is not paid within two hours, the vehicle will be towed to an impound lot. The fine would then be $12,000 plus any VAT applicable.

Man remanded for larceny

T

wenty-five-year-old Kurt Lewis, of Lot 81 Middle Street, Georgetown, was on Monday remanded to prison on a larceny charge by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan when he made his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that on January 18, 2017, at Croal

Street, Georgetown, Lewis stole one gold chain valued $100,000, a pair of gold earrings worth $10,000; a ring valued $10,000; a gold band worth $3000; a cellular phone valued $50,000 and a handbag valued $10,000, property of the Virtual Complainant (VC), Kelly Gou. According to the prosecu-

tion, none of the items were recovered with the exception of the ring, which was in Lewis’s possession at the time of the arrest.

Lewis pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded to prison until January 27, 2017, when the matter would continue at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Develop hidden qualities of youths − Commander Hicken

A variety of food and products made by the youths

G

uyana needs to create an atmosphere to help develop the hidden qualities of youths in a positive way, according to Divisional Commander, Clifton Hicken.

“We need to develop the qualities of the youths and focus on them in a positive way and not exploit the youths in a wrong direction,” Commander Hicken was at the time addressing the gathering last Saturday at the Division Youth Group Brand launching, at the Police Officer’s Annexe, Eve Leary, Kingston.

Commander Hicken added that it is the nation’s responsibility to explore

the talents of the youths especially in the fields that they are interested in. He highlighted that the Police Youth Groups focus on the interests of the communities relating to the crime levels and productivity of the youths.

Meanwhile, the Police Youth Groups will be providing training for the youths to shift themselves into entrepreneurship which will also assist in branding communities to bridge a relationship between the Police and communities.

The Commander stressed that that the initiative will help develop young entrepreneurship

skills. He noted that parents are also interested in the initiative.

Commander Hicken noted that stakeholders are drawn to the initiative created to highlight the products made by the youths. He hopes that the products will be marketed within three months.

The youths will be showcasing their products at GuyExpo 2017 as part of the effort to expand their businesses.

The Police Youth Group is designed to develop the young people from various communities economically so that they in turn can positively contribute to their communities.

16 news

tuesDAY, January 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Procurement Commission starts filling vacancies

T

he Public Procurement Commission (PPC) is one step closer to taking up its responsibility of issuing contracts for public projects, as it has begun seeking out the services of some critical personnel.

The Commission, which was finally established in October 2016, has not yet begun its work of issuing

Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government installed the five-member Commission.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, President David Granger said the PPC was an institution mandated

by Guyana’s Constitution, which seeks to ensure the fair, equitable and transparent execution of works and

lection was a demonstration that– however intractable political differences might seem – the bases for political agreement and consensus on matters of national interest should always be sought.

Among the PPC’s key functions are, according to the Procurement Act, to: “monitor and review the functioning of all procure-

Members of the new Public Procurement Commission pose with President David Granger in October, shortly after their appointment

contracts, since according to Government, there still was some “in-house” work that needed to be done. In the meantime, Cabinet continues to give its “no objection” to contracts.

The Commission is now seeking applications from persons to fill the positions of Senior Auditor, Accountant, Engineer and Accounting Assistant.

Earlier this month, Minister of State Joseph Harmon had said that the recently-established PPC was not yet ready to carry out its mandate.

He said the Commission had indicated that it would be ready some time in January to execute its mandate, as there were still some critical appointments to be made.

In October 2016, after months of promises, the A Partnership for National

procurement of goods and services, according to law.

He said the members were now charged with the constitutional duty of the Commission.

The Guyana Constitution stipulates that the Commission shall consist of five members who shall have expertise and experience in procurement, legal, finance and administrative matters, and that the President shall appoint the members of the Commission after such members have been nominated by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and approved by not less than two-thirds of the elected members of the National Assembly.

The President said that the PAC of the National Assembly was responsible for the selection of the members of this Commission and this bipartisan process of se-

ment systems to ensure that they are in accordance with law and such policy guidelines as may be determined by the National Assembly; promote awareness of the rules, procedures and special requirements of the procurement process among suppliers, constructors and public bodies; safeguard the national interest in public procurement matters, having due regard to any international obligations; monitor the performance of procurement bodes with respect to adherence to regulations and efficiency in procuring goods and services and execution of works; approve of procedures for public procurement, disseminate rules and procedures for public procurement; and recommend modifications thereto to the public procurement entities.”

MFK murder

Police Sergeant to stand trial in High Court P olice Sergeant Leon Lindo was committed to stand trial in the High Court for conspiring to commit murder after he was last year accused of conspiring to kill MFK Trading owner, Mohamed F Khan.

He appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman who told him that a prima facie case was made out against him.

She added that the court was satisfied, given the evidence provided, that the accused conspired to commit murder, and as such, he would be tried in the High Court.

However, before the ruling was handed down, Lindo told the court that he was innocent of the allegation, calling prosecution witness and murder accused in the matter, Lennox Wayne a “liar” for accusing him of such actions.

An investigation was launched by the Police after Wayne, called “Two Colours”, provided them with a statement in which he claimed that he and Lindo conspired to murder

Police Sergeant Leon Lindo

Dead: Mohamed F Khan

Khan.

The 54-year-old Khan had earlier escaped another execution when a gunman, who turned out to be Wayne, shot him in his abdomen after he had just returned to Guyana following a brief holiday.

Wayne had claimed that he was contracted by Lindo to kill Khan for a fee of half a million dollars.

However, there was a falling-out between the two after Lindo failed to honour his end of the bargain when

the execution failed.

Following the execution attempt, the businessman went missing; however, a month later his dismembered body was found wrapped in a bag with his skull some distance away.

Lindo, who has been a serving member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for 23 years and a father of three, has always maintained his innocence during the PI at the Magistrates’ Court.

Cuban dentist on conspiracy, other charges

A

Cuban dentist appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with forgery, overstaying and conspiracy.

Eileen Aguilla, 29, currently of Lot 47 Bel Air Park, Georgetown, answered to the first charge which stated that between September 13 and 14,2016, she, with intent to defraud, conspired to forge arrival and departure immigration stamps for Guyana, purporting they were issued by local immigration services.

The second charge stated that she, on January 18, 2017 at Moleson Creek, Berbice, presented the passport with the fake stamps to a Guyanese immigration official when she attempted to leave Guyana for Suriname, knowing same to be false.

The final charge stated that between August 16, 2016 and January 18, 2017 at Georgetown, she failed to comply with conditions under which any permit had been granted – that is, she overstayed in Guyana for the said period.

The woman plead-

Eileen Aguila, (in red) was Monday slapped with three immigration charges

ed guilty to the first two charges; however, she denied the last charge against her. After her explanation to the court and an apology, Magistrate Latchman changed her guilty pleas to not guilty.

The defendant said that she was before the court because of “ignorance” as she had no knowledge that she was being deceived by another Cuban, who inserted the stamps for US$200, informing her that she was granted a three-month extension.

However, Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves objected to bail on the grounds Aguilla

was not Guyanese, so she was a flight risk.

She was placed on $150,000 bail each for the first two charges, and $50,000 for the third charge. The second charge was transferred to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who fined the defendant $75,000.

Magistrate Latchman requested that Aguilla’s passport be lodged at the Cuban Embassy.

The defendant told the court that her documents for employment were currently with the Ministry of the Presidency and as such, no deportation order was issued.

news

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tuesDAY, janUARY 24, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

National discussion on domestic violence needed – W&GEC …calls on Govt to lead the way

W

hile the issue of domestic violence continues to rear its head in society, drastically changing the lives of women and their families, the Women and Gender Equality Commission (W&GEC) said that there was need, now more than ever before, for stringent measures be taken to help save women’s lives.

And while the solution

could not be found in any one entity, Government has been urged to take leadership in this regard.

The Commission is once again calling for a national discussion – something that has already occurred in the past, but produced few tangible results.

The situation seems to have become a normal part of society, while little is being done to address it from

the root. It has raised questions about Government’s plan of action for these cases, which are more often than not swept under the carpet.

W&GEC Head Indra Chandarpaul, speaking to Guyana Times on Monday, said the Commission has made numerous recommendations both to the previous and current Administrations, yet noth-

Region 10 residents want “mines” communities regularised – stress lack of infrastructural development

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esidents of several communities in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) referred to as the “mines” have made calls for the areas to be regularised in an effort to effectively benefit from budgetary allocations allotted to the Region.

The calls were made by residents of Yaribo, Coomacka and Three Friends Mines, during a recent visit to the communities by Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson; Member of Parliament (MP) Jermaine Figueira and regional officials.

The population of the Three Friends Mines area is about 350, while Coomacka has just over 1000 residents.

Residents turned out in their numbers to discuss issues affecting their communities

or included in the extended township of Linden.

“We went to Local Government, they say it falls under Central Government and that’s how we keep going back and forth, back

The deplorable condition of the Three Friends Mines road

During the visit, several dilapidated bridges and deplorable roads were highlighted by residents of the “mines” communities, who indicated that they have been getting the bitter end of the stick for years. In some cases, it was highlighted by residents that there were no proper systems for maintenance of communities’ infrastructure, since the areas did not fall specifically under the purview of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) or the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC). As such, they have been unable to benefit from budgetary allocations.

Coomacka resident David Adams pointed out that the communities lacked development, as well as clarity on whose purview they fell under. As such, he said the time has come for the “mines” communities to be formalised under one body,

and forth… We’re looking at proper infrastructure, because we are striving for development within this community. When you get elections, everybody doing what they got to do, but after elections is development.

The community needs to get together and we need to develop it. If we continue this way, we’re not going to go nowhere,” Adams declared.

No potable water

Apart from infrastructure, Adams further stressed the fact that residents in the community lacked potable water. He noted that under past bauxite mining companies, potable water had been provided for residents, but after nationalisation and the privatisation of the bauxite industry, everything went downhill and the community was left neglected.

Speaking with officials,

a resident of Three Friends Mines also stressed the lack of development in the area.

Responding to complaints made by residents, MP Figueira said that there were discussions with regard to extending the township, but the “mines” area fell under the purview of local government and not the municipality.

While residents agreed that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) indeed budgeted for schools in the communities, they noted that it did not do so with regard to infrastructure. Other aspects of the communities’ development, they noted, are sponsored by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

MP Figueira indicated that with regard to the extension of the township, officials will engage the community in the discussions.

He said what was noted by Adams in terms of budgetary allocation made much sense, since infrastructural works needed to be executed.

Meanwhile, Regional Councillor Gordon Callender added that based on his knowledge, there were provisions in the Region’s budgetary allocation for roads, bridges, schools and health centres within the communities, but noted that the time frame for execution of the projects and the time funding was received was cause for worry.

Minister Ferguson, in her response to the concerned residents, explained that the Ministry was committed to looking after the interest of such communities.

Domestic abuse victim, Shondell Williamson

ing much has been forthcoming.

These recommendations were made to former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, along with the Chancellor and other lawyers.

“We have spoken to then Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence and we have said that the dilemma we are faced in our country is that when things are happening in the relationship, they have no one to turn to and unless Government can provide a medium which when people’s relationships are turning sour, there is somewhere they can go and get some help… Because at the end of the day, relationships will always have problems, but the resolution of these matters is the issue, because there is no institution and entities to facilitate these people who are

faced with these problems,” Chandarpaul said.

“So we only hear when they kill each other; when they do things as you are referring to, which cannot be condone. As we talk about it, we keep hearing that more and more women are violated.”

She said “we have to take a stand as a country”, noting that she has been making this call since the new Government came into power, discussing the need to set up counselling centres where people who are affected by interpersonal relations can have somewhere they can go to seek help.

“Because this is not only the job for the Government, but for everyone – civil society, faith-based organisations, Government, everyone must get involved,” the women’s right activist said.

She noted, however, that Government must be able to bring the population on board, acknowledging that there was a national problem, inviting everyone to come together to find some solutions to domestic violence.

“It can’t be the Government alone; it can’t be civil society alone: it has to be that somebody must take leadership and it must be the Government in this regard.”

According to Chandarpaul, the W&GEC has been doing its best to educate persons, complet-

Head of the W&GEC, Indra Chandarpaul

ing its access to justice programme and lending an ear to the views of the people, particularly those who have been affected. But at the end of the day, she said the Commission was not designed to implement, it could only make recommendations and initiate actions.

Last Thursday, Shondell Williamson, 26, of Peter D’Aguiar Street, New Amsterdam, was doused with acid by the father of her two children, Alfred D’Yonge.

This newspaper was told that the couple shared an abusive relationship for several years, and it was only recently that they separated. D’Yonge and Williamson have two children together, ages three and nine.

Williamson’s case is the latest in a slew that has taken the country by storm.

All Regional Hospitals to have Medical Superintendents

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he Public Health Ministry, through its department of Regional Health Services, in an effort to ensure that quality healthcare is provided in all regions of Guyana, will have a Medical Superintendent (MS) placed in all regional hospitals. This is in keeping with some of the main projections included for the year 2017, according to a release from the Government Information Agency (GINA).

The Medical Superintendent is responsible for the medical aspect of the day-to-day functions of the hospital. The superintendent plans, organises, directs, controls and coordinates medical programmes and clinical services in a hospital, while maintaining standards of medical care, providing leadership to ensure an appropriately skilled medical workforce.

The addition of Medical Superintendents will complement the full suite of specialist doctors who will be placed at every regional hospital in the country. The

Director of Regional Health Services, Public Health Ministry, Dr Kay Shako

Regional Health Services department of the Public Health Ministry saw it fit in 2016 to equip each regional hospital with a General Surgeon, an Obstetrician/ Gynaecologist, an Internal Medicine Specialist and a Paediatrician. This projection for 2017 is set to provide better management of General Medical Officers (GMOs) in varying capacities at regional hospitals.

One of the challenges faced by the Ministry in responding to outbreaks in 2016 was the shortage of

trained health personnel to conduct outbreak investigations, especially in the hinterland. The presence of Medical Superintendents at regional hospitals will contribute to more timely responses to any outbreaks and provide better treatment care for emergency cases.

Other projections on staffing of regional hospitals and medical facilities include, the review of the human resource gaps to have specialists at all regional hospitals, equipping and upgrading of district hospitals with necessary staff to deliver the full suite of mandated services, and the availability of a national biomedical service provider to effect timely repairs and maintenance to equipment.

With the addition of Medical Superintendents at all regional hospitals, each hospital will have one Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Administrative Officer to support the MS in ensuring that the other aspects and needs of the regional hospitals are met.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, janUARY 24, 2017

ARCHIE

Observation and experimentation can be great teach(March 21- ers. Live and learn without April 19) venturing too far from home.

Problems while traveling or dealing with institutions can be expected.

ARIES

Use the information you TAURUS collect to help you make per(April 20- sonal gains. Be cautious when May 20) dealing with institutions and government agencies. Prepare personal documents to ensure everything is in order.

dilbert

Anger is best contained.

GEMINI You may not like what oth(May 21June 20) ers do, but it’s in your best interest to bide your time.

Concentrate on personal growth and positive interaction.

Don’t be tempted to alter

CANCER your lifestyle just because some(June 21- one else does. Do what makes July 22) the most sense and brings you

Peanuts

the most joy. Physical changes are highlighted, and love and romance are encouraged.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Don’t let anger or disappointment take charge. You need to control your temper and focus on taking action instead of wasting time in arguments. Make an impression by choosing a positive route to victory.

Sign up for an event or VIRGO (Aug. 23- network with people in your Sept. 22) industry. It’s important to keep up with the most recent trends. Your charm and knowledge will capture attention. Romance is highlighted.

Calvin and Hobbes

Sudden and unexpected LIBRA changes will take you by sur(Sept. 23prise.

Be careful how you hanOct. 23) dle domestic and partnership situations that can influence your security. Proceed with caution.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Explore your creative SCORPIO ideas and do whatever it takes (Oct. 24to test your strategy and theNov. 22) ories. A physical change will help you distance yourself from someone who has a negative influence on your life.

Don’t take risks that can SAGITTARIUS hurt you emotionally, physi(Nov. 23- cally or financially. Express Dec. 21) your thoughts and gain approval in order to make a transition easier for you and everyone else involved.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Don’t be fooled by what CAPRICORN others do or say. Follow your (Dec. 22heart and your plans. Refuse Jan. 19) to let unexpected changes lead you astray. An unusual offer will lead to good fortune.

You can make a difference AQUARIUS if you bypass negative people (Jan. 20or those trying to bring you Feb. 19) down. Stay focused on bringing about positive change and making new beginnings.

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 Good intentions will not (Feb. 20- be enough if you don’t folMarch 20) low through with your plans.

Money will slip through your fingers. Don’t take on a financial burden you cannot handle. Romance is featured.

TUESDAY, january 24, 2017

Australian Open 2017

Johanna Konta repeated her fourth-round win over Makarova of 12 months ago

B

ritain’s Johanna Konta produced another terrific performance to beat Russian Ekaterina Makarova and set up an Australian Open quarter-final against Serena Williams.

Konta, seeded ninth, saw off 30th seed Makarova 6-1 6-4 to reach the last eight without dropping a set.

The Briton, 25, reached her first Grand Slam semi-final in Melbourne last year.

Second seed Williams overcame stern resistance from Czech 16th seed Barbora Strycova to win 7-5 6-4.

Asked about facing the 22-time Grand Slam champion for the first time, Konta said: “Believe it or not that’s an incredible experience for me.

“She’s one of the few players still playing who I watched growing up. As a young girl wanting to be a professional tennis player, it’s an incredible honour and I can’t wait to play on court with her.

“Once out on court, against anyone, anyone is out there to

19

compete. Hopefully I’ll come off as the winner.

“In terms of enjoying the opportunity and the competition, I will cherish every minute out there.”

Konta extends winning streak

Konta arrived in Melbourne having won her second WTA title in Sydney, the city in which she was born, and Monday’s victory over Makarova made it nine matches and 18 sets in a row.

She had needed three hours to beat Makarova at the same stage of the 2016 tournament, but 12 months on the Briton has established herself as a true Grand Slam contender.

Dominant in every aspect of the game, she raced through the first set in just 24 minutes, winning 78% of points on her serve and, more impressively, 62% on the Makarova serve.

Her constant aggression left the flat-hitting Makarova struggling to get a racquet on the ball much of the time.

Konta’s level dropped in the second set as her first serve deserted her briefly, allowing Makarova to build a 4-1 lead, but the Briton came storming back with five games in a row - closing out the match superbly from 0-40 with two aces along the way.

“I think I came out definitely playing at a higher level than she did but she really put herself back into that match and made it difficult for me,” said Konta.

“The way she pulled away in the second set, I don’t feel like I did much wrong, she started playing some incredible tennis.”

Williams’ coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, picked Konta earlier in the week as a leading threat to his player, and the theory will now be tested when they meet for the first time.

‘Plan B’ works for Williams

Williams was not at her best in the opening match of day eight on Rod Laver Arena but did enough to see off a feisty opponent in Strycova.

T h e American sixtime champion, 35, fell a break of serve down three times i n the first set, but fought back to eventually win 7-5 6-4.

“She’s a really smart player - she can do pretty much everything,” Williams said of Strycova.

“It was a really good match for me and I’m glad I came through it.”

Williams was under pressure on serve more than usual with a first-serve percentage of just 45%.

“It’s good to know I have an plan B or option two,” she added.

“I wasn’t serving my greatest but she was also putting a lot of returns in there.” (BBC

Serena Williams did not have it all her own way against the 16th seed

Sport)

STORM INTO LAST R

afael Nadal reached the Australian Open quarter-finals with a hard-fought four-set victory over Gael Monfils.

The 30-year-old Spaniard, who is seeded ninth and won the tournament in 2009, beat the Frenchman 6-3 6-3 4-6 6-4.

Nadal will face third seed Milos Raonic - who beat Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut - in the last eight on Wednesday.

Canadian Raonic, the highest seed left in the men’s singles, came through 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 6-4 6-1 against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.

Grigor Dimitrov beat injury-hit Denis Istomin to progress, and will face David Goffin, who overcame eighth seed Dominic Thiem.

Nadal made to work by Monfils

Rafael Nadal is seeking his 15th Career Grand Slam after reaching the quarter-final

Nadal, who has struggled with injuries, is seeking his first major since claiming his 14th Grand Slam at the 2014 French Open.

He had difficulty converting break points - six of 17 - but clinched victory over Monfils with his second match point, on the sixth seed’s serve.

The Spaniard had cruised through the first two sets, but lost the third and was a break down in the fourth before sealing victory in two hours and 56 minutes.

Wimbledon finalist Raonic, 26, has reached the

quarter-finals in Melbourne for the third consecutive year.

Playing with a high fever, he rallied from 5-1 down in the first-set tie-breaker to win the opening set, but was then broken twice in the second.

The 13th seed Bautista Agut then began to falter in the third set, when the roof at Hisense Arena was closed because of rain, and he later had to call for a trainer for a leg problem.

Raonic duly took the third set and needed only 26 minutes to see out the fourth to win the match.

Bulgarian 15th seed Dimitrov, 25, came from behind to win 2-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 6-1 as Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Istomin struggled with a leg problem.

Istomin, the bespectacled world number 117 from Uzbekistan, showed the effects of a demanding tournament.

“Denis deserves all the credit for an unbelievable tournament, he has been on fire and he was striking the ball so well early in the match,” said Dimitrov.

Goffin had earlier become the first Belgian man to reach the Melbourne last eight by beating Austrian Thiem.

The 26-year-old 11th seed won 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-2 in soaring temperatures. (BBC Sport)

Milos Raonic was a semifinalist in Melbourne last year

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, january 24, 2017

New Zealand

wrap up 2-0 whitewash

Colin de Grandhomme struck four sixes in his 15-ball stay of 33

S

et a target of 109, New Zealand romped to a ninewicket win in 18.4 overs, with the promotion of Colin de Grandhomme - who struck an unbeaten 33 off 15 balls, with four sixes including two in two balls off Nazmul Hossain Shanto to seal the win - ensuring they completed the job on the fourth day itself, some ten minutes into the half-hour extension.

After a third day lost to rain, the fourth had begun with Henry Nicholls falling two short of a maiden Test hundred and helping New Zealand gain a first-innings lead of 65. It was a useful lead, but only that. Given New Zealand had to bat last, the match was still in the balance when Bangladesh began their second innings towards the tailend of an extended first session.

By tea, however, they were halfway through yet another second-innings meltdown, and were 100 for 5 - effectively 35 for 5 - with only one of their wickets falling to a defensive shot.

Bangladesh lost Tamim Iqbal inside the 10 overs they needed to bat out before lunch, the stand-in captain top-edging a hook off Tim Southee. After the break came a period of calm, with Soumya Sarkar stroking the ball fluently and Mahmudullah defending resolutely during a second-wicket stand of 41. With Bangladesh seven runs short of wiping out their deficit, though, Sarkar attempted to steer Colin de Grandhomme to third man a risky proposition given three fielders in the cordon - and middled the ball to gully.

Shakib Al Hasan edged his first ball between second slip and gully, trying a similar openfaced steer, and reached out a long way from his body to try and cut the next ball. Raval put down a straightforward low chance. If anyone thought that moment would cause Shakib to thank his lucky stars and knuckle down, they were wrong; having only faced four more balls, he tried to cut Southee without making any attempt to keep the ball down, and guided the ball straight to backward point.

Within 7.3 overs of the final session, 100 for 5 had become 115 for 8, with the short ball sending off Nurul Hasan and Mehedi Hasan either side of a scorching Trent Boult yorker that took out Nazmul’s middle stump. Then came Bangladesh’s biggest partnership - 51 in eight overs - as Taskin Ahmed and Kamrul Islam Rabbi backed away from their stumps and swung at New Zealand’s overdone shortball attack, before Boult ended

it with another yorker. Southee ensured each of New Zealand’s three frontline quicks finished with three-fors, Rubel Hossain top-edging a pull to the keeper.

Bangladesh had only lasted 52.5 overs in their final innings of the tour.

How different things had been at the start of the day’s play, with New Zealand 260 for 7 in their first innings, trailing by 29 runs. They turned that deficit into a lead of 65 thanks to Nicholls, who added 30 for the eighth wicket with Tim Southee and 57 for the ninth with Neil Wagner.

Runs flowed freely at the start of the day’s play, with 20 coming off the first four overs, and Mehedi giving New Zealand a helping hand by dropping Southee at second

slip off Kamrul. It didn’t prove too costly, with Southee only adding two runs to his score before driving Shakib Al Hasan uppishly to short extra-cover, where Mehedi made amends with a sharp grab.

Bangladesh’s next fielding lapse, however, was more expensive.

Extra bounce from Taskin Ahmed with the second new ball forced Wagner to fend to gully, where Nazmul put down a regulation chance. Next ball, Taskin had a loud lbw appeal upheld after straightening one into the lefthander from right-arm over, only for a review to earn the batsman the most marginal of reprieves, with the ball falling millimeters foul of the thin line between “pitching outside leg stump” and “umpire’s call”.

Nicholls was already in his groove by then, driving Kamrul for successive fours either side of cover, and Wagner joined in the fun with glances to the fine leg boundary when Taskin and Rubel Hossain strayed onto his legs. Then, with a century in sight, Nicholls came down the track to Mehedi, got too close to the pitch of the ball, and dragged an attempted cover drive back into his stumps off the bottom edge. Trent Boult then lofted Mehedi for a big six over long-on, before the innings ended in unusual circumstances, with Wagner run out when he was past the crease but airborne. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Bangladesh 1st innings 289 New Zealand 1st innings (Overnight Score 260/7) JA Raval b Kamrul Islam Rabbi 16 TWM Latham c †Nurul Hasan b Taskin Ahmed 68 KS Williamson* c †Nurul Hasan b Kamrul Islam Rabbi 2 LRPL Taylor c sub (Taijul Islam) b Mehedi Hasan Miraz 77 HM Nicholls b Mehedi 98 Hasan Miraz MJ Santner lbw b Shakib Al 29 Hasan BJ Watling† b Shakib Al Hasan 1 C de Grandhomme b Shakib Al Hasan 0 TG Southee c Mehedi Hasan Miraz b Shakib Al Hasan 17 N Wagner run out (†Nurul Hasan/Kamrul Islam Rabbi) 26 TA Boult not out 7 13 Extras (lb-6, w-4, nb-3) Total (all out; 92.4 overs; 438 mins) 354 Fall of wickets: 1-45 (Raval, 14.2 ov), 2-47 (Williamson, 14.4 ov), 3-153 (Latham, 38.4 ov), 4-177 (Taylor, 47.3 ov), 5-252 (Santner, 66.4 ov), 6-256 (Watling, 68.3 ov), 7-256 (de Grandhomme, 68.6 ov), 8-286 (Southee, 76.2 ov), 9-343 (Nicholls, 89.5 ov), 10-354 (Wagner, 92.4 ov) Bowling: Taskin Ahmed 22-286-1(w-2), Mehedi Hasan Miraz 19-3-59-2, Rubel Hossain 17-265-0 (nb-2), Kamrul Islam Rabbi 19-4-78-2 (nb-1, w-2), Shakib Al Hasan 12.4-1-50-4, Soumya Sarkar 3-0-10-0 Bangladesh 2nd innings Tamim Iqbal* c Santner b Southee Soumya Sarkar c Raval b de Grandhomme Mahmudullah b Wagner Shakib Al Hasan c de Grandhomme b Southee Nazmul Hossain Shanto b Boult

8 36 38 8 12

Sabbir Rahman c †Watling b Wagner 0 Nurul Hasan† c †Watling b Wagner 0 Mehedi Hasan Miraz c Latham b Boult 4 33 Taskin Ahmed b Boult Kamrul Islam Rabbi not out 25 Rubel Hossain c †Watling b Southee 7 Extras (lb-2) 2 Total (all out; 52.5 overs; 239 mins) 173 (3.27 runs per over) Fall of wickets 1-17 (Tamim Iqbal, 5.4 ov), 2-58 (Soumya Sarkar, 19.4 ov), 3-73 (Shakib Al Hasan, 22.3 ov), 4-92 (Mahmudullah, 32.3 ov), 5-100 (Sabbir Rahman, 36.2 ov), 6-100 (Nurul Hasan, 36.4 ov), 7-106 (Nazmul Hossain Shanto, 39.4 ov), 8-115 (Mehedi Hasan Miraz, 43.5 ov), 9-166 (Taskin Ahmed, 51.5 ov), 10-173 (Rubel Hossain, 52.5 ov) Bowling: TA Boult 17-3-523, TG Southee 12.5-2-48-3, C de Grandhomme 11-3-27-1, N Wagner 12-3-44-3 New Zealand 2nd innings (target: 109 runs) JA Raval b Kamrul Islam Rabbi 33 TWM Latham not out 41 C de Grandhomme not out 33 4 Extras (b-1, w-1, nb-2) Total (1 wicket; 18.4 overs; 70 mins) 111 Did not bat: KS Williamson*, LRPL Taylor, HM Nicholls, BJ Watling†, MJ Santner, TG Southee, N Wagner, TA Boult Fall of wickets: 1-56 (Raval, 12.3 ov) Bowling: Taskin Ahmed 5-2-21-0 (nb-2), Mehedi Hasan Miraz 6-027-0 (w-1), Kamrul Islam Rabbi 3-0-21-1, Shakib Al Hasan 4-028-0, Nazmul Hossain Shanto 0.4-0-13-0

Allan Border Medal

David Warner with the Allan Border Medal

D

avid Warner’s enormous improvement as an ODI batsman has lifted him to a second consecutive Allan Border Medal, on a night when Mitchell Starc’s outstanding spells in Sri Lanka and resilience against South Africa and Pakistan helped him to his first Test Player of the Year award.

Though the medal provides a weighting that favours Test displays over those in other formats, Warner’s success was built upon a prolific voting period in ODIs, long thought to be his weakest format. He coshed no fewer than seven centuries in eligible limitedovers matches, helping Australia to series wins in the Caribbean and Sri Lanka in addition to their consistent success on home soil.

This season Warner also put the capstone on a Test summer that started poorly but ended strongly with a pair of sublime hundreds against Pakistan in Melbourne and Sydney. The first bought time for the hosts to force a result in a rainblighted Boxing Day Test, the second a scorching affair before lunch on day one of the New

centuries. During five Tests on the road in New Zealand and Sri Lanka, Warner polled in only one Test; SSC was coincidentally the only match in which he passed 50.

The need for Warner to do more away from home is something his captain Steven Smith noted in an interview with ESPNcricinfo this week.

Smith’s own displays were more consistent in Test matches, but he was beaten into second place for the Test award by Starc.

This was a tremendous achievement given that he did not take any part in the series in New Zealand that began the year. However a magnificent lone hand in Sri Lanka, where he plucked 28 wickets in three Tests when no other player truly enhanced his reputation, was backed up by sterling efforts against South Africa and Pakistan.

Those arrived despite Starc being heavily inconvenienced by a deep cut to the leg sustained in a training accident, ironically when he had been rested from the ODI series in South Africa. Starc was the first bowler in nine years to win the Test award; it is a fact of the way

Meg Lanning won the Belinda Clarke Award

THE ALLAN BORDER MEDAL

DAVID WARNER BELINDA CLARKE AWARD

MEG LANNING TEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR

MITCHEL STARC ODI PLAYER OF THE YEAR

DAVID WARNER T20I PLAYER OF THE YEAR

SHANE WATSON MEN’S DOMESTIC PLAYER AWARD

CAMERON WHITE WOMEN’S DOMESTIC PLAYER AWARD

MEG LANNING BRADMAN YOUNG CRICKETER OF THE YEAR

HILTON CARTWRIGHT BETTY WILSON YOUNG CRICKETER OF THE YEAR

SOPHIE MOLINEUX

Watson had been conveyed around the SCG for a lap of honour to recognise his international retirement. But his earlier performances in a year when Australia once again disappointed in the World Twenty20 tournament, held in India, allowed Watson to round off his days in Australian colours with the T20 award - his third overall.

The night was also marked

by Hall of Fame inductions for David Boon, Matthew Hayden and the late Betty Wilson.

Boon’s address was perhaps the evening’s emotional high point. Having conflicted a tough-as-teak highlights reel by contending he is actually “soft as butter”, Boon did indeed tear up as he acknowledged his fellow players, the former national team coach Bob Simpson, and his wife Pip. Hayden spoke with equal feeling of his family and teammates, and also exhorted the present players in the room to push themselves on the looming tour of India, the venue where he memorably made a Test spot his own in 2001. “My

Matthew Hayden, Ken Wilson (nephew of Betty Wilson) and David Boon at the announcement of the 2017 inductees

Year’s match.

However, Warner’s away record remains a considerable blindspot, as an overall Test average of 38.53 and four centuries attests, as opposed to 59.21 at home with 14

Cricket Australia’s medical staff feel compelled to manage the workloads of fast bowlers that such garlands will invariably be more common for batsmen like Warner.

Earlier this season Shane

great challenge to this current group of players,” he said, “is to ensure every day you’re trying to get a little bit better because you’re going to have a lot of tough days.” (ESPNcricinfo)

sports

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21

WICB Regional Super50...

Jaguars open campaign against powerful Pride – Johnson calls for greater match awareness

By Akeem Greene

G

uyana Jaguars will begin their campaign in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Super50 today at the Kensington Oval against a powerful Barbados Pride unit which boasts the likes of several current West Indies players.

Jaguars, whose progress was stopped by Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in last year’s semi-finals, will be desperate to end the 12-year drought in 50-over titles considering their dominance in the fourday format over the last three years.

The match has all indications to be a mouthMeanwhile, Johnson in watering encounter, with the speaking to Guyana Times likes of West Indies One Day Sport prior to departure on International (ODI) and Test Saturday felt that one of the Captain Jason Holder leading key areas to the team breaking a Pride squad which has 12 their title jinx is becoming more players who would have played aware of match situations. for the regional side at the “We just have to play highest level. situations smart, there is a On other hand, the visitors period in the game where the on paper cannot be considered team that plays better usually any walkover as they too have wins and we have to recognise powerful artillery in both those important moments in batting and bowling. games and try to seize those Though Shivnarine moments and eventually Chanderpaul, captain Leon win the game” the skipper Johnson, Assad Fudadin and explained.

Christopher Barnwell are all With inconsistent batting season limited over players, the being one of the major game changer could lie in the downfalls over the years, the 29 hands of former West Indies year-old said that the batsmen under-19 captain and opening need to lay foundations. batsman Shimron Hetmyer, “I’m confident in the who has shown the ability to batting, there are couple of decimate opposing bowlers. senior guys around, and there The usually spicy is young Hetmyer and if he gets Kensington Oval pitch and fast going, we will obviously get off outfield should only add to the to good start, so it is important run fest that is expected but the that we lay a foundation, bowlers from both sides cannot you can’t just get big totals, be taken out of the equation by you have to play smart,” the any means.

Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Though the land of the player disclosed.

Flying Fish is known for being He added, “At the team adorned by the faster bowlers, meeting, I called out the Jaguars’ spin twins Veerasammy batsmen, we laid down figures Permaul and Devendra Bishoo from the last couple of seasons will be integral in containing and the batting has been letting the Pride’s firepower. us down a bit.”

The left-arm spin of Permaul The West Indies player who accounted for 14 wickets last led the side last year, knows season (most by a Guyanese) the importance of the wining while the leg-spinner Bishoo, this tittle and hopes that his who did not play in 2016 due to performance can also motivate international assignments, has the team to do well. been in ripping form for West He posited, “This is the Indies recently. best 14-man squad we have Seamers Paul Wintz and and there is a bit of pressure Ronsford Beaton along will all- going into the tournament rounders Barnwell and Raymon considering we have Reifer will have very important been doing so well supporting roles as well. in the four-day For the home side, the cricket, I think fiery Kemar Roach and Miguel a lot is Cummins along with Holder, expected Carlos Braithwaite, spinners of us, Ashely Nurse, Sulieman Benn a n d and Jomel Warrican will lead t h e an experienced side with ball in guys hand. Cummins and Warrican can could be left out as the home team will look to experience for the moral-boosting opening contest.

The day/ night fixture will commence at use the 13:30h and the pressure as toss could be Shimron Hetmyer motivation to crucial. do well.”

Jason Holder

The tournament’s curtain raiser is another Group B match which brings together 2014 champions, Jamaica Scorpions and the ever consistent Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners at the 3W’s Oval in a day game beginning at 09:00h. ICC Americas is the fifth team in Group B while Group A which is being played in Antigua consists of defending champions, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Windward Islands Volcanoes, English County side Kent Spitfire and World Under-19 Champions West Indies.

The Volcanoes and West Indies Under 19 will open Group A action on Wednesday in a day game while Kent Spitfire will take on hosts , the Leewards Islands Hurricanes in a day/ night contest.

After playing Pride today, they then will play Scorpions on January 26, Marooners on January 28, and ICC Americas on January 30.

In the second leg, the Guyana-based franchise takes on the Marooners February 3, Pride on February 5, Scorpions on February 7, and ICC Americas on February 9.

The semi-finals would be on February 15 and 16 while the final would be on February 18 in Antigua.

Guyana Jaguars: Leon Johnson (Captain), Christopher Barnwell, Ronsford Beaton, Devendra Bishoo, Anthony Bramble, Shiv Chanderpaul, Rajendra Chandrika, Jonathan Foo, Assad Fudadin, Shimron Hetmyer, Steven Jacobs, Veerasammy Permaul,

Raymon Reifer, Paul Wintz; Esaun Crandon (Head Coach) Barbados Pride: Jason Holder (Captain), Anthony Alleyne, Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Kevin Stoute, Jomel Warrican; Emmerson Trotman (Head Coach).

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, january 24, 2017

GSA seeking Budding Engineer to spread the game

David Fernandes

T

he Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) recently renovated their Squash courts and President of the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) David Fernandes explained that it is their association’s mandate to spread the game but not having the required number of facilities in the country is an obstacle.

Fernandes, spoke to the members of the media and stated, at the re-opening the GCC Squash court on Saturday stated, “Our mandate is to spread the game and one of limitations is having enough facilities so we made several approaches to clubs to partner with them in trying to get them to refurbish their courts.”

He added, “GCC was the first club to take up the chal-

lenge and refurbish their courts and we are pleased to be associated and it will be one more facility the juniors can train for the Junior Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) tournament.”

In addition, to GCC, Everest Cricket Club, Guyana Defence Force have courts along with a few in and around Linden and Essequibo.

Twelve-time champions, Guyana will host this year’s Junior CASA in July and the three courts at the Georgetown Club and two at the National Racquet centre are under repairs for the event.

The senior event is expected to be held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in August.

elected President of Saints Hockey Club A

number of new faces will now lead the Saints Hockey Club following the results of the elections held during their Annual General Meeting which took place last Friday at St. Stanislaus College, Brickdam.

The Committee is packed with a number of University of Guyana (UG) Students and will be looking to elected president, Engineering Major Taise Seepaul to guide the club to recognition amongst some of the other top clubs. Seepaul will be assisted with the services of medical student, Charlyn Elliot who was sworn in as vice president.

Banking & Finance student and national player, Tekeisha DeLeon is the new treasurer while Pre-Law student Latoya Rogers was elected to the post of secretary. However, outgoing president Joel Hunte will remain on the committee as the assistant secretary/treasure while St. Stanislaus College fourth form students Cherub Autar and Hilmar Chester are the two junior representatives on the committee.

The club was formed in 2012 by past and present students of St. Stanislaus College and has since developed considerably, both in terms of the size of their membership and onfield performances. The club’s improved performance was highlighted in 2016 when they won tournaments for the first time since their existence. The club’s first win came in July when they won the Under 14 boys category at the GCC/Igloo sponsored junior tournament

Committee of Management (seated in front row, from left to right): Cherub Autar, Hilmar Chester, Joel Hunte, Tekeisha DeLeon, Charlyn Elliot, Taise Seepaul and Latoya Rogers

and then followed that up in October by winning the under 13 mixed category at the National Junior Indoor Championships. Also in May of 2016 three members of the club, Ato Greene, Paramanand Dindial and Hilton Chester represented Guyana at the Pan American Junior Championships in Toronto, Canada.

The next year promises to be an exciting year for the club as its young women’s team will be making their debut in local senior competitions. The club also plans to host a tournament for the first time and, with the help of the corporate community, give their junior players a taste of international competition in Trinidad & Tobago later this year.

The club is also expected to be a part of the Bounty/ Antonio’s Grille One Day Tournament on Sunday at the National Stadium, Providence.

m T

he Guyana Hockey Board in Collaboration with Bounty Farm Limited and Antonio’s Grille will kick off proceedings for the year with the Bounty Farm One Day Outdoor Hockey Tournament.

The tournament which will be 7 A-Side (maximum of 11 players on each team) in both Men’s and Women’s categories will be played on Sunday at the National Stadium, Providence beginning from 09:00h and should run until 17:00h.

According to President of the GHB, Philip Fernandes, while indoor hockey had a fantastic year last year, outdoor hockey did not have the same fortunes and it is good to see the year beginning with an outdoor tour-

Philip Fernandes

nament, especially this one which has become a tradition.

All the top clubs are expected to participate and families are encouraged to come out and have a good

time.

With the teams ready and rearing to go, a number of big names in the hockey circle are expected to come out to play. Some of these include, Aroydy Branford, Jamarj Assanah, Eric Hing, Michael Hing, Oliver Rahim, Tony Cole, Gabriella Xavier, Dominique DeGroot, Kenisha Wills, Laticia Chung, Philip Fernandes, Robert Fernandes, Aliyah Gordon, Ato Green, Hilmar Chester, Devin Munroe, Devin Hooper, Dwayne Scott, Jason Hoyte and others.

The clubs that are expected to be participating are Hikers, Old Fort, Saints, GCC and Phoenix.

Captain of Pepsi Hikers, Robert France has already

Robert France

indicated that his team has already begun preparation and will be gunning to start the new year on a good note, having had a successful run in 2016.

Farm double win highlights gloomy day

T

he KPL Fundraiser softball cricket tournament continued last Sunday at the Everest Cricket Club and Carifesta Sports Complex grounds on Carifesta Avenue with five matches.

Farm XI in the Open category recorded a double win from as many matches at the Carifesta Sports Complex ground. They first defeated Superstar XI by 61 runs then Mike’s All-Stars by 26 runs.

In their first game, Farm batted first and totaled 128/6 from their 10 overs with Suraj Boodhoo making 55, Avenash Dhaniram 36 and Lincoln Leander 16. In their turn at the crease, Superstars were all but super and folded for 67 as Vishnu Geewan (3-10) and Ameer Khan (2-14) were virtually unplayable with the ball.

Mike’s All-Stars put up a better show but were also stopped in their run chase due to some superb bowling from Geewan with 3-9 and Khan 3-11. Mike’s fell 26 short after they were bundled out for 90 in reply to 116 all out made

by Farm. For Mike’s, Sheldon Adams top scored with 27 while Khalid Haslim made 18.

In Farm’s innings Khan blasted 38 and was well supported

by Leander with 36 as Karan Persaud, Travis Persaud and Sheldon Adams picked up three wickets for Mike’s All-Stars.

In the Master’s Category which was contested at Everest, Success and Savage Masters completed victories while the game between Ariel Masters and Mike’s Wellman was stopped in the second innings by ranks of the Guyana Police Force. Success defeated ParikaAmazon by eight wickets on the heavy outfield due to rain.

Batting first Parika-Amazon scored 99-4 in 15 overs with B. Singh scoring 53 to which Success positively responded with 101-2 in 12 overs. Vijay Baljit made 36 while Sahadeo Boodhoo and Mark Fung got 19 and 18 not out respectively.

In the other completed game, Savage Masters overcame HS Masters by 25 runs. Left-

Motielall Chumandatt

handed ahrd hitting batsman, Patrick Khan top scored with an attractive and attacking 53 as Savage ended on 124/5 batting first. Troy Ramsaywak anchored the innings nicely with a responsible innings of 25. For HS Masters, Ano Singh picked up 2-6 and Eddie Barlow 2-11 who were restricted to 99-6 in reply. Oslyn “Bread” Batson made 32 not out while Andrew Sukram made 17. Unis Yusuf failed with the bat but was spot on with the ball in picking up 2-16. In the Police interrupted match, Ariel Masters and Mike’s Wellman were in battle when Ariel refused to continue the game after one of their players, Robert Mohan was arrested by the police on the field. Mohan is one of three players who allegedly submitted ID cards bearing different information to that in GECOM’s system to the organisers of the Guyana Softball Cup 6 in order to play in the masters’ category (over 45 years) which was played in 2016.

Before the stoppage, Ariel had scored 94-8, batting first with R. Narine providing the top score of 33 while the consistent Motilall Chumandatt picked up 2-12 and Greg De Franca 2-19.

In reply Mike’s Wellman were on course at 40-3 in seven overs when the police intervened.

Jagdish Persaud and Wayne Jones were on 10 and three respectively.

Latchman Kallicharran had earlier made 16 and Nandram Samall 12.

The tournament is set to continue this weekend.

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, january 24, 2017

Petra/Limacol Round Robin Knock-out Football...

eyeing Desmond Dorsett 5k Classic

...as tournament opens in grand style

By Akeem Greene

T

he second annual Petra Organised Limacol Round Robin Knock-out Football Tournament kicked-off in emphatic style on Monday evening at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC), Bourda, with Mahaica Determinators and Guyana Police Force FC battling to an exciting 2-2 draw in front of a small but appreciative crowd.

A brace by Determinators’ Eion Abel and goals by Police’s Dwayne Charles and Quincy Holder were the highlights of the feisty encounter that could have easily seen a different

scoreline if both sides had taken their chances in the game that was played under the lights.

Police, the stronger team on paper, were the favourites heading into the match were sent in a state of shock in the second minute when Abel latched on to a loose ball just outside the penalty area, powering it into the lower left of the net.

The lawmen eventually began growing in stature, creating some eventful set pieces but striker Kevin Boston failed to seal the many chances created.

Boston induced a corner

with a shot from inside the box which brought a penalty.

The stage was now set for Police to equalise but Charles sent the ball towering over the goal.

Charles then redeemed himself in the 40th when he curled the ball into the top right to end an action-packed and exciting first half.

Like the first half, the East Coast of Demerara based unit began with a positive attitude.

After quelling an assault

by Police, Abel led a solo counter-attack by dribbling two defenders then wrapping his left foot around the ball, to place his team ahead once

Police Force FC Quincy Holder scores the equaliser (Marceano Narine Photo)

U

Eion Abel scored a brace for Mahaica Determinators in the exciting opening encounter against Police FC

more in the 56th.

One minute later, the Eve Leary unit threatened the suspect goal keeper, who deflected the ball into the path of Holder and he made a simple tap-in for the equaliser.

Both sides continued the engrossing battle in search for the winning goal but all efforts proved futile.

Up to press time the second match of the double-header between Riddim Squad and Camptown FC was scoreless.

(See full report in tomorrow’s edition of the Guyana Times)

Stag Nations Cup KO Football

G

Leitch

23

p and coming distance runner, Delroy Leitch has made his position clear that he intends to take home the title when he runs at the 7th Annual Desmond Dorsett Memorial Road Race this Sunday.

Leitch who has become a force to reckon with in the sport, was one of the leading runners in last year’s National School’s athletics Championships where he finished first in the 10k road race and second behind Rickey Williams in the 5000 meter lap race at the National Stadium. Leitch was the only runner not to be lapped by Williams in that race and justified his position by saying he had ran a race prior to that.

The Berbician indicated that Delroy Leitch he has been training through the holidays and is in prime condition for the race and should he win this, it will start his year right as he looks to break into main stream running in the capital city. The event which is organized by the Dorsett family is set to start at 08:00h and will be divided into three categories, Male and Female Open, Under 19 who will run a distance of 5K and Under 15 who will run a shorter distance.

The 5K will begin at Number 43 Village and finish at Number 53 Village while the Under 15 and females will begin at Number 47 Village and end with the Open category.

The champion runners will receive prizes inclusive of Trophies, cash and other tokens as well as certificates of participation, complements of the Dorsett Family.

Apart from the race, there will also be as a family fun day which is expected to commence at the conclusion of the prize giving ceremony. The day of activities will include softball cricket, volleyball, football, Circle Tennis and dominoes as well as novelty games.

Proceeds from the day’s activities will go towards a number of charities including the Police Youth Club, the Union Renaissance Sports Club and the Women in Action group.

For more information contact may be made via telephone numbers 339-4475, 339-4133 and 339-4436. Individuals and teams are asked to register by Friday January 26.

City sides Western Tigers, Santos through to semis

eorgetown Football Association (GFA) teams, Western Tigers and Santos FC have cantered into the semifinals of the Stag Nations Cup knock-out football championship after downing West Demerara powerhouses, Pouderoyen and Uitvlugt Warriors on Sunday last at the Tucville ground in the City.

The Tigers were in aggressive mood once again following their huge 8-0 whipping of Flamingo in their round-of-16 clash. This time around, Western Tigers hammered Pouderoyen 9-1 in the main attraction while Santos romped to a 3-1 triumph over Uitvlugt Warriors.

Western wasted little time in assuming total control of their clash with Pouderoyen and by the half way mark were already 6-0 up. Doubles each from Randolph Wagner and Dwain Mc Lennon set the platform for the Tigers’ commanding display as they have now blasted the nets 17 times in two matches to put their hands up as the top contender for the winning purse of $2M. Both losers ended the match with 10 players, Pouderoyen’s goalkeeper Sherwin Bernard who was miserable in his

judgment during the match was red carded in the 90+4 minute while Uitvlugt’s Ryan Andrews was given marching orders for his second bookable offense in the 56th minute after being booked in the 43rd minute.

Western Tigers who will play the winner of the Police versus Grove Hi Tech quarter final match, set for tomorrow night at the Tucville ground, in their semi final on Sunday mastered the slippery conditions in cantering to victory. Wagner hammered home in the 22nd and 36th minute while Mc Lennon accomplished his brace in the 70th minute following his first in the 38th.

Joshua Britton opened proceedings in the 10th minute; Jorell Tyrell converted in the 20th, Jamal Pedro in the 34th, Darren Benjamin 74th with the sealer in the 90+4th off the boot of Joshua from the penalty mark.

Pouderoyen sneaked in a consolation strike via a Dwain St. Kitts goal in the 87th minute.

Santos dominated West Demerara’s number one club, Uitvlugt who showed signs of fight in spurts but did not turn up to represent on the day. Job Caesar who mesmerized the

Gregory Richardson collects his prize from Junior’s Jewellery and Gift Gallery proprietor Ferdinand Bacchus

Santos’ Job Caesar, who netted a double, beats Uitvlugt’s defender at the Tucville Ground

West Demerara side with his nimble play hammered home a double in the 20thminute from the penalty spot and the 81st minute.

His performance was punctuated by Keith Cains’ 39th minute strike as the City side established a 2-0 cushion by the end of the first half. Uitvlugt came out all guns blazing in the final 45 minutes and were duly rewarded for taking the fight to Santos when Keon Duke’ 52nd minute scorcher settled in

the back of the nets.

While still holding the upper hand as they continued their steady trek in the Uitvlugt final third, Santos did show some signs of panic but were able to rally after the West Dem side faded.

It was during this period that the energetic Caesar sealed the deal on the night and a date with the winner of the Riddim Squad/ Den Amstel clash tomorrow night at Tucville ground with his second goal in the 81st minute.

T

he Highest Goal Scorer of the Ministry of Public Health/ Busta Soft Shoe Football Competition Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson received his prize of one gold chain compliments of Junior’s Jewellery and Gift Gallery yesterday, at the entity’s Robb Street location.

Proprietor Ferdinand Bacchus in his remarks spoke of the support he offers to football, adding that in his estimation the sponsorship that goes to the sport is not enough and he has acceded to assisting in whatever capacity that is requested.

Ferdinand promised future support to the Petra Organisation, organisers of the tournament.

Richardson, who played for Sparta Boss, thanked Ferdinand for the gesture and promised to continue to play to the best of his ability which he hopes will be embraced by the fans.

Regarded as one of the most gifted strikers to hone his skills locally, Richardson scored twelve goals during the competition which was won by Tucville.

Also present was Petra Organisation member Clifford Jones.

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

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Petra/Limacol Round Robin Knock-out Football...

Mahaica hold Police in exciting draw

Pg 23

...as tournament opens in grand stylG Part of the intense action between Mahaica Determinators and Guyana Police Force (red) at the GFC Ground (Marceano Narine Photo)

GSA seeking to

SPREAD THE GAME

Pg 22

The renovated GCC Squash Court is expected to attract younger players

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