Guyana Times Daily

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 2722

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

2 dead, 3 injured in brawl at Corentyne bar Page 3

T&HD blames sediment for Essequibo ferries mishap

Page 11

Govt clarifies President's statement Page 2

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

PSC, AG at odds over consultation on parliamentary bills P2 Blood Bank appeals for blood P13

Bare Root P11 residents complain of Police neglect Albouystown murder suspect likely for P8 court today Amaila Falls to be on back burner again P12 ...Govt to diversify renewable energy sector – Patterson

BBCI accepts $31M subsidy to lower P12 bridge tolls

Heavy downpours on Monday caused flooding in some sections of the city. In photo, these two women in Fourth Street, Alberttown were prepared for the floodwaters (Marceano Narine photo)

Nephew killed by 64-year-old uncle Page 12

Specialty Hospital controversy

Ramjattan blanks calls for retendering Page 7

– “it will be Fedders Lloyd whether ...disqualified or not”

Fast food vendor commits suicide after beating girlfriend Page 11

Region 10 P10 benefiting from portable bitumen plant

2 NEWS

Tuesday, december 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

PSC, AG at odds over consultation Govt clarifies on parliamentary bills President's

statement

By Kristen Macklingam

T

he Private Sector Commission (PSC) is of the view that consultations should be held between government and stakeholders for all Bills to be tabled in the Parliament since such laws would affect everyone.

This is according to former chairman of the PSC, Captain Gerald Gouveia, who during a consultation on the proposed AntiTerrorism and Terrorist Related Activities Bill 2015 on Monday at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, stated that consultation is “not a choice” and therefore the administration should not be selective about which issues would warrant consultation with the business community.

However Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams is of a different view and posited that while he understands the need for consultations, it is not feasible for such to take place on each Bill.

In addressing those gathered at the consultation, Gouveia said: “I think it is something we must do and must continue to do… I want to say to you that from where the PSC stands that is, and I mean all the Private Sector: the Lethem Chamber of Commerce, the Rupununi, there are no issues in Guyana that are off limits to consultation... we really, really expect in good faith to be consulted on

T

Attorney General Basil Williams addressing stakeholders at the consultation on the Anti-Terrorism and Terrorist Related Activities Bill 2015

every facet of development in our country.”

He acknowledged that while there may be some matters which will be ‘intense’ and ‘in depth’ there would be others which would be deemed ‘cursory’; nevertheless, consultations are necessary.

According to Gouveia, consultations can occur in many forms: over the phone, through emails, teleconferences, and heads of organisations or associations, etc.

“I want to urge you AG, I mean do this in good faith, good trust, that we are on the same wavelength which is for the development of Guyana… I want to urge you that consultation should not be cherry picked, it should be really widespread… But I will want to urge you not to do it in-house, in the corridors of government,” the former PSC head

maintained.

However, Minister Williams in declaring that his administration is an “open government” which believes in accountability and transparency, stated that while he agrees consultations are necessary, such acts would be costly and time consuming.

He urged that stakeholders understand and try to relate to what is being proposed, bearing in mind that government is not trying to “hide anything” from its citizens: “I think consultations are important also to give the population the consciousness and the understanding of why these bills, why this law, etc… the only question I was asking you was… every bill that we put out do we first have to get everybody to come and have a consultation on every bill that we put out as a government? I

mean, how do we proceed in a manner like that? It leads to the question as to what form should consultations take.”

He said persons should feel free to consult with the administration over any issues especially ones of national interest which would affect the country however with regards to consultations this is a decision that Cabinet would have to deliberate on.

“Every bill that we have we should have a consultation, invite the world to come and try to get it done? If that is what you’re suggesting we will take it on board. We are saying to you that we are willing to work with you, so for us to have consultations on everything, that is something we will have to take to Cabinet; I will take your views to Cabinet and see what comes out of that.” the AG added.

he Ministry of the Presidency has clarified on Monday a headline published in the Guyana Times, “No evidence of corruption against PPP/C – President Granger” stating that it was at odds with the actual content of the article.

According to a statement from the Government, nowhere in the content of the article or in the source of the content – which was a recording of “The Public Interest” programme aired on December 25 – does President David Granger say or imply that there is no evidence of corruption against the Opposition Party.

“The Ministry of the Presidency would like to categorically state that the headline has no basis in fact and was clearly designed to mislead the readers of that publication and calls for an immediate retraction.

During the recording of “The Public Interest” – responding to a question posed by Mr Mondale Smith, a Journalist from Kaieteur News: “… will there ever come a time when people will be held accountable in the true sense of accountability for the things or the atrocities of the past, as it relates especially to our finances?” – The President said that there is a need for evidence to be first established before criminal charges and prosecution can follow,” the release

from the Ministry stated.

According to the statement, the verbatim response provided by the Head of State was that the answer to the Journalist’s question was yes and there is a difference between speculation and surmise and actually providing proof.

The President went on to say that sometimes persons would make allegations and when they were requested to provide evidence, there was none which was why there is a court system and a criminal justice system.

“If people were assumed to be guilty, simply because of a newspaper article or a letter to the editor, the country will be in chaos. So, over the months, since the new Administration has been in office, we have been conducting some inquiries, some investigations, some audits and when there is sufficient evidence, which we feel establishes the blame-worthiness of the persons concerned, we will go to the Courts. In some instances, some people have been sent on leave to permit investigations to take place, but you can only go to the Court when you have evidence. We can’t go to the Courts and say, “look there is a letter to the editor alleging that you did so and so.”

We’ve got to get proof,” President Granger had stated.

news

3

tuesday, december 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, December 29 – 08:30h-10:00h and Wednesday, December 30 – 08:30h-10:00h.

The Berbice River Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, December 29 – 06:55h-08:25h and Wednesday, December 30 – 07:35h-09:05h.

2 dead, 3 injured in brawl at Corentyne bar

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day. Cloudy skies and thundery showers are expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East to East North-Easterly between 4.02 metres and 6.70 metres per second.

High Tide: 06:50h and 19:04h reaching maximum heights of 2.50 metres and 2.56 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 12:38h reaching a minimum height of 0.73 metre.

Dead: Kempton Grey

T

he festive season turned bloody on Sunday evening for several families following a brawl that left two dead and three seriously injured at Manchester Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

Dead are Mark Simon, 28, of Liverpool, Corentyne and Kempton Gray, 23, of Alness, Corentyne, while those injured are Bhiron

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times the perpetrator is under police guard at New Amsterdam Hospital.

Reports are that the fight started over an issue surrounding a triangular love affair among the now dead Simon, injured Robertson and a woman.

Eyewitnesses told Guyana Times that during the drinking spree, an argument developed between Simon and Robertson during which both men threatened to kill each other.

Several persons at the scene attempted to intervene including Fraser, who received a stab wound to his leg. He was taken to the Port Mourant Hospital by friends along with Simon who had multiple wounds.

Simon was transferred to New Amsterdam Hospital but died on the way to that institution.

Guyana Times understands that as police investigated the incident, Grey was

Dead: Mark Simon

will pick him up on their way.

At about 03:00h, the aggrieved father received another phone call from his son. “Is going on to 3 O’clock that he call me, and say that he at Port Mourant walking coming home. I say boy, suppose somebody kill you, and I hang up. But about 5 O’clock my nephew call and say that the ambulance bring Kempton to the hospital and he ain’t talking.”

Meanwhile, Tyndall who was also admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital told Guyana Times he was on the scene where the fight took place: “I see them fighting coming to me and I tell them to go so and fight; I ain’t want

my car to get damage so I tell them to move and Kempton slapped me just like that”.

Lying on his hospital bed, Tyndall said he received a stab wound from a knife Grey was carrying: “After he stab me I run away and jump over a drain and he come behind me and I hold on to the hand with the knife but I get cut on this finger and then he go away.”

According to Tyndall he held onto his wound, ran to his car and drove to the Port Mourant Hospital where both wounds were attended to.

“They send me home and tell me to go to New Amsterdam Hospital in the morning (Monday) so I drive home with the pain. This morning I couldn’t make it to drive so my brother took me and they admit me and tell me that I will have to do a surgery.”

Up to press time Tyndall was in a stable condition after undergoing a surgical procedure.

As investigations continue Robertson remains under guard at the New Amsterdam Hospital. He has multiple wounds to his abdomen along with injuries to his left leg, and his face swollen. The bodies of the two dead men are at the New Amsterdam Hospital Mortuary awaiting post mortem examinations.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

LOTTERY NUMBERS Injured, Gary Tyndall

Robertson, 31, and Samuel Fraser, 32, both of Liverpool, Corentyne and Gary Tyndall, 32, of Courtland, Corentyne.

According to information, at about 22:30h on Sunday, a group of men were consuming alcohol at a bar at Manchester, when an argument ensued which quickly escalated into a brawl involving cutlasses and knives.

Simon and Gray both received injuries and were taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where Simon was pronounced dead on arrival and Gray died while receiving attention. Robertson and Fraser were admitted, but Tyndall was treated and sent away.

identified as one of those involved in the fight. He however left before police realised he was involved.

Garfield Grey, father of Kempton Grey, recalled receiving a phone call from his son at about 02:00h informing him of the incident.

“He tell me that people say that is he deh fighting but he don’t like police story… And he say that he at Rose Hall and want me to bring a car and collect him. But I tell he to catch a Market car and come home.”

In addition, the young Grey reportedly contacted some friends at the Port Mourant Hospital who told him they were going to take Fraser to the New Amsterdam Hospital and

F

08 10 20 15 13 24 12 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

Monday, December 28, 2015 Daily Millions

06 09 18 22 24 LUCKY 3 2

7

5

Draw De Line 01 06 10 13 15

16 19

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

4

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, december 29, 2015

Views Editor(ag): Michael Younge Tel: 225-8697, 225-6695, 225-5634, 225-8696, 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Editorial

F

Power sharing

or five decades, social scientists and politicians who have despaired at our intractable political divisions, have proposed one or another form of “power sharing” as a mechanism to alleviate the tensions and inspire a national, as opposed to partisan approaches to governance. Such an approach had been more common in several European countries such as Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, etc, in which there were several linguistic or religious subnationalities that had to be integrated into the body politic.

In our inherited British model of governance, an Opposition in the National Assembly is seen as integral to effective governance since the function of the parties in that Opposition was to interrogate the government and “keep it honest”.

In this view, the government is a “Leviathan” that must be controlled lest it violates the rights of the citizens who have exchanged some of their freedoms for security. While there were instances of a “National Government” in England, these were in exceptional circumstances such as “the Great Wars”.

The question would have to be whether we in Guyana have reached a stage where the benefits of having an opposition are outweighed by the representatives of the people working together for the common weal. There are several challenges to successfully achieving the latter condition, however: first is the question of “trust” which, as a matter of fact was raised more than a decade ago by the PPP toward an offer by the PNC, then in Opposition.

The PNC since then has entered into two series of coalitions that presented the opportunity to convince the PPP that it might be willing to share power if the two of them were to form a “grand coalition”. The PNC first invited several minuscule parties, most of them being paper organisations, to form the “A Partnership for National Unity”, and by and large their working relationship have been smooth, with the occasional complaint by the Working People’s Association (WPA) of not being “consulted”.

In the second coalition, it engaged in formal negotiations with the Alliance for a Change (AFC), which, while comparatively small was larger than the PNC’s other partners in APNU. More significantly, they claimed to have a constituency that was outside APNU’s and which fell along the major line of cleavage that presented the original challenge – ethnicity. In a sense, their union could be seen as a dress rehearsal for a coalition with the PPP. The Cummingsburg Accord summarised their agreement and laid out the forms along which governmental power was to be shared and this is where the PPP could claim their worst fears were realised on the question as to whether they could “trust” the PNC. Moses Nagamootoo had been promised the substantive portfolios of chairing the Cabinet and “governance” but both of these were hived off and he was left in charge of the government media, with which he was expected to deal with a “light touch”.

But proponents of power sharing would counter that the situation that Guyana has found itself – threatened externally

by Venezuela and its border controversy, and internally by the collapse of the major sectors of the economy – demands that the two behemoths of Guyanese politics work out a modus vivendi for the sake of the country. It could be said the PPP is not the small AFC, and the disequilibrium of size between the latter and the PNC/APNU would be more balanced, leading to a more equitable distribution of power. Many supporters of APNU had felt the AFC received concessions beyond what they eventually brought to the table.

Without seeking to take away anything from the present coalition government, it would appear that the lack of institutional memory in Government has left them foundering for a response to the widespread crisis that has widened to include a burgeoning crime wave. A coalition with the PPP might offer some answers and as such we commend the parties to initiate talks in this regard in the New Year.

A visitor holds up her toy bunny to the aquarium glass in front of Aurora the Russian polar bear at the São Paulo Aquarium (Yahoo! News photo)

URP grieves for nation during holiday season Dear Editor, The United Republican Party (URP) grieves at all the broken promises made by the ruling A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition during the election campaign resulting in the perilous state of the economy threatening political instability.

Ever since the coalition was awarded power, the economy has been on a downward slide. During this holiday season, people from all walks of life are grieving having lost confidence in the ability of the coalition to improve their lives. This is the worst holiday season in recent memory. Businesses are complaining of slow sales as compared with previous years. Consumers are also complaining of a dull end-of-year holiday season as they cannot afford many items that go with the holidays. All the while, the APNU/AFC coalition is legislating to provide

themselves with financial security.

While most people cannot afford basic needs, civil servants and pensioners are given a five per cent raise; the Government officials doubled their salary and secured for themselves benefits that ordinary people cannot afford. They are out for their own prosperity.

The coalition calls for shared governance, but fires workers who are supporters or sympathisers of the Opposition parties and it has removed almost everyone who was appointed by the PPP. How could there be shared governance if APNU/AFC is unwilling to work with PPP appointees? Worst, the leading advocates against corruption are now perpetuating the worst forms of corruption. The latest example of blatant corruption by APNU/AFC is the awarding of a contract worth billions of dollars to complete the Specialty Hospital to

a company without any advertising, any tendering. While condemning the PPP for giving contracts to favoured contractors and friends, the APNU/AFC has done worse giving contracts to their friends and favoured business partners. Nothing has really changed. Crime is at an alltime high. Money is wasted on forensic auditing carried out by friends of the regime who are known for their biases. APNU/AFC promised to consult with the nation before undertaking legislation; it is yet to do so despite passing so many bills.

Unless the regime changes course and begins to consult with civic society and all the parties, inclusive of the minor parties like the URP, economic and political conditions will continue to deteriorate and standards of living dwindle.

The coalition promised greater transparency than its predecessor, but in-

stead it was governing behind closed doors refusing to answer public concerns.

Government promised it would guarantee a market for rice and $9000 a bag for paddy, but today farmers are only getting between $600 and $2200 depending on paddy grading. But now it tells farmers they are on their own and it is not Government’s business to secure money or markets for their rice or paddy.

The Government has failed to respond to the concerns of the ordinary person. The Government has disappointed the nation that cried for change last May. The URP joins with the nation in calling for better governance in which people will be consulted on legislation and economically empowered so their standard of living will improve.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bandhu URP Leader

Leguan residents thank the Police for initiatives and good works Dear Editor, I would be very grateful if you could grant me some space in your newspaper to respond to a letter written by Dale Shaka Kalamazad which appeared in the Kaieteur Newspaper

on December 22, 2015. In the said article, he posited three things: (1) Police relationship with the residents on the island would pose a problem for the APNU/ AFC coalition in Leguan; (2) Police are victimising and

criminalising the coalition candidates on the island; and (3) Accountability for donations as it relates to the concert held by the Police.

Commenting on the first point I want to know if the Police do not have a moral

obligation to have a good relationship with the community they are working in. In his article, he stated clearly that the Police were friends with PPP activists on the island.

Continue on page 5

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, december 29, 2015

5

Prayer in school should be mandatory Dear Editor, Being a multi-racial and growing country, Guyana should be allowed to learn to grow with what it has until such time as it can take full control, and then make changes.

Today, society and our lives are changing for the worst. It is called the “End of Time”, according to Hinduism, during which our activities for different cultures and the little place for religion are dwindling away.

In our new way of life, the ethics, values and morals will not be there for our children to live by. Bullyism will be the norm. The strong will prevail over the weak which is taking place right now in front of our eyes.

Prayer is a scientific system to reach the Almighty God. Draw closer to God and He will draw close to you.

God knows what you need before you ask Him. God is

keenly interested in our inner thoughts because He wants us to be close to Him. One of the basics of a secular society is a society without any official images, nor is there any common ideal type of behaviour with uni-

versal application, for the secular system does not set any overall aim. It helps its members to realise their aims. It is not homogeneous, but is pluralistic. They have deep respect for individuals and small groups of which

Leguan residents thank...

they are a part.

Guyana is an Englishspeaking people’s country and we should allow the prayer in school to be conducted in English.

Because of the changing society and the world, chil-

From page 4

Is Mr Kalamazad trying to imply that the Police should not have friends who are PPP activists? The reality is that Leguan is 90 per cent PPP. Should I conclude then that Mr Kalamazad is trying to create a conflict with the Police and the residents and is making a silent threat? Is Mr Kalamazad trying to incite a division between the Police and residents based on political affiliation?

Secondly, he said that coalition candidates are been victimised and criminalised.

Mr Kalamazad needs to understand that a Police Officer is bounded by oath to serve without favour or affection in order to protect the citizens of Guyana. It is a known fact that prospective candidates for the coalition are involved in the use of illegal substances, thus leaving the Police no choice but to do their duty.

Thus, the Police should be commended for trying to make Leguan a more secure environment.

Lastly, he questioned Police collecting donations for the concert and not giv-

ing persons tickets. It is understandable that people will make donations towards worthy causes without expecting anything in return.

In this case, the Police held a concert to raise funds for the Police youth group on the island, which I believe is a worthy cause, bringing young people together in a positive social environment, especially in these current times when alcohol and drugs play major roles in the lives of our younger generation. As such, I would like to use this opportunity

to thank the Police on behalf of myself and the residents for the initiatives and good works that they are doing with our youths on the island.

Sincerely, Sheik Inshan Ayube Vice Chairman Region Three

dren and society do not take up in prayer. This is the biggest problem fathers and mothers are having with their children, family and society; they cannot build around that one thing to help them in having a family built around ethics and morals to give them that value.

If a person does not want to join in prayer at school, he should be free to remain in silence, but allow others to do their prayers. The Minister of Education, the Government and the Opposition should insist that prayer in school be mandatory for the children’s future being, to build a sound family of principles to live by, with ethics, morals and values to build a great society and a great Guyana.

I will suggest an ordinary prayer for all in English. “Oh

God, the omnipotent one of the Universe, I now offer to you all obeisance, in your presence, here, there and everywhere. O Lord God, please lead me on the right path to reach you, and since you know all that I have done in the past, please free me from the reactions to my past sins so that there will be no hindrance to my progress.”

This is a universal prayer for everyone; they can use it loudly or silently. I do hope Minister of Education, Rupert Roopnaraine take this into consideration: “prayer in school should be mandatory” for the benefit for our children.

Yours sincerely, SN Singh Florida, USA

6

tuesday, december 29, 2015

Page

Foundation

By Paul Axtell

And you can start by using my list of the 10 most powerful things you can say to your children:

T

he Pew Research Centre recently showed parents across America a list of 10 skills, asking the question: “Which of these skills is most important for a child to get ahead in the world today?” The winner, by far, was communication. In fact, not only was it chosen as the most important; it beat out traditional favourites, such as reading, writing, teamwork and logic.

Perhaps this is not surprising given our over-connected, always-on world.

Yet parents often don’t realise how large of a role they actually play in developing and nurturing this skill. In my book, Ten Powerful Things to Say to Your Kids: Creating the Relationship You Want with the Most Important People in Your Life., I stress that effective conversation – what you say, how you say it, when you say it – is one of the only tools parents have in creating lasting and meaningful relationships with their children.

As the father of two adult children and a grandfather to 13 in my blended family, I know that parents must be conscious of what they say and how they say it. Negative comments can often shape a conversation in a way we don’t realise and it’s important to be aware. Your words and conversations create your reality, your future and your relationships. What you talk about – or don’t talk about –defines your relationship. The primary conversations that surround your children are your conversations – both with them directly and with others while your children are present. And those are the conversations you have the power to change.

I like you This is a different statement from “I love you.” This statement says, “I like who you are as a person.” Use them both.

starts early.

How about we agree to...

This is about establishing a few basic agreements that set the stage for how you work together within the family. Having agreements in place helps avoid common issues and provides a framework within which to solve problems when they do arise.

guyanatimesgy.com

your relationship and instils a love of learning. And books provide a gateway to the world –people, places and ideas.

We all make mistakes Problems happen. No one is perfect.

Dealing with problems and learning from mistakes are vital life skills. When you have a moment in which you don’t live up to your own standards, it’s an opportunity to show your children how to take responsibility for mistakes and move on. Children can beat themselves up over not meeting your expectations or not being perfect. Giving each other a little room around this is a gift for both of you.

I’m sorry It’s something you can learn to say. Better yet, learn to catch yourself before saying something that might later require an apology.

You’re a fast learner Learning is natural. Young children are amazing at it. Learning is play to them. What you say to them early influences how they relate to learning later in life, when it can be more difficult or frustrating.

Tell me more This is a request for your children to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas with you. It also involves learning to listen, which is always a gift because it signals that you care.

Thank you Simple courtesies are a sign of respect. Social skills are critical in life, and the best training for tact and grace

Let’s read Reading to your children brings so many benefits. It helps them build skills they need for success in life. It enriches

What do you think?

Asking for input and giving children a chance to be part of family conversations lets them learn to exercise their decision-making skills and begin to take responsibility for their choices. Expressing what you think and asking for what you want are fundamental skills that will serve your children throughout their lives.

Yes While I do think “no” is still a viable option at times, too often parents are a ‘no’ waiting to happen. If you create a pattern of “yes” in your family, you’ll find that “no” doesn’t need to be said as often as you think. (parenting.com)

I

t’s much easier to avoid over-negotiating with your child rather than try to fix a situation after you’ve already given an answer. Here are five steps you can take now to be more effective: Take a moment to think before giving an answer.

Parents are busy. Children sometimes have 50 requests in an hour. It’s easy to just say no without really considering the request. It’s quicker and less stressful in the moment.

But in the long run, it can actually increase stress caused by arguing and possibly regretting an answer given in haste. There’s nothing wrong with saying to your child, “Let me think about that for a few minutes,” even if the request seems minor.

Think about the request and give a timely response. If you tell your child you’re going to consider his request for a few minutes, make sure it truly is only for a few minutes. Don’t take an hour to get back with him. Delaying your answer will only frustrate him, leading him to hound you, and increase the likelihood you will snap out a “no,” just to get him to stop.

If you need to wait in order to gather more information before making a decision, tell him up front. “I know you’d like to go to Mario’s for dinner.

I’m not sure what your dad has planned, so I need to wait until he gets home so we can talk it over. I’ll let you know within 15 minutes after he gets home.” That way, your child has a timetable and knows what to expect. You’re also modelling important life skills. It’s respectful to get back to someone in a timely manner, and you are following through on your word. You are showing him that his request is important to you.

Consider why you’re saying no before you give an answer. Negotiating typically happens when a parent says no to something a child wants.

Children have a lot of “wants.”

They want to go places, do things, buy things…it can get overwhelming.

Sometimes we give an automatic no to a request without really considering if the answer could be yes. For example, your sixyear-old asks if she can finger paint. Your instinct is to say no.

It’ll cause a mess and you don’t feel like cleaning it up. But after you’ve said no, you regret your decision. You realise it was a missed opportunity to keep her busy and engage in a creative activity. Changing your mind after she’s repeatedly pleaded with you makes it look like you’ve “given in” even though that’s not the reason you changed your mind. This only encourages her to keep trying to negotiate “around” you in the future. (Excerpt from empoweringparents.com)

news

7

tuesday, december 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Specialty Hospital controversy

Ramjattan blanks calls for retendering – “it will be Fedders Lloyd whether ...disqualified or not”

By Edward Layne

D

espite mounting criticism from anti-corruption bodies and transparency activists over a decision to select disqualified contractor Fedders Lloyd to construct the Specialty Hospital at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has blanked all possibilities of retendering the multimillion-dollar project.

The most recent call for the scrapping of the recently-signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government and Fedders Lloyd came from local anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International Guyana Incorporated (TIGI) President, Father Compton Meerabux on Saturday.

“The fact the Fedders Lloyd deal is worth more than US$14 million, it demands the highest ethical standards compliance… we recommended that there should be a retendering of the whole process, because there are too many issues involved in the process,” the TIGI President said.

However, when asked, in light of the TIGI President’s call whether the Government would consider retendering the project, Public Security Minister

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

Khemraj Ramjattan, a key figure at the centre of the controversy, told Guyana Times that there was no need for a fresh procurement process and Fedders Lloyd would be the company completing the project, despite the fact that it had been disqualified from the initial bidding process.

“Absolutely we do not see the need for retendering. We see, however, the need to give it to Fedders Lloyd in this case … as I quoted that you can give it to any third party and any third party meaning Fedders Lloyd, whether he is disqualified or not,” Ramjattan told Guyana Times.“The Government of the day has a right to take

on any party; it could be a Government contractor or any third party at the behest of the Government.”

Ramjattan sought to justify the Government’s decision on the grounds that retendering would cause a loss of time.

Father Meerabux had also noted that the fact Ramjattan had advocated on behalf of Fedders Lloyd after it was disqualified was enough reason for there to be questions about whether or not the Minister used his influence in Government to ensure that the company was engaged in completion of the project.

“There is a conflict of interest with Mr Khemraj Ramjattan and that rivals transparency and there should be a retendering of the whole process,” Father Meerabux said.

But Ramjattan rubbished the TIGI President’s argument, noting that there was no conflict of interest.

“There is absolutely no conflict of interest; rather it is the remedying of an injustice done,” Ramjattan argued.

The Public Security Minister, who had represented Fedders Lloyd, further sought to justify his argument by accusing the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration of

victimising the company by falsely claiming it was disqualified as he sought to accuse the team of technical officers who evaluated the bid and disqualified Fedders Lloyd of carrying out political instructions.

Ramjattan said the company had the competency to construct the hospital, having a history of constructing over 80 similar projects

APNU/AFC coalition, recently declared that the Government should revisit the entire transaction.

Another transparency advocate, Economist Ramon Gaskin had said that Government should have moved to retender in the first place, pointing out that even before this report was made public, there was already a shadow of corrup-

er people an opportunity…

Ramjattan is a senior member of the Cabinet and he is in a position of kind of a conflict of interest…,” former Government Minister and political commentator, Dr Henry Jeffrey had told Guyana Times.

In 2012, a US$18 million contract was awarded to India-based Company Surendra Engineering,

An artist’s impression of the Specialty Hospital

around the world.

Ever since the coalition Government moved to sign the MoU with Fedders Lloyd in November, there have been heaps of criticism from anti-corruption activists, especially over the fact that Ramjattan, who is also a Vice President, had a very close association with the company.

Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram, a staunch supporter of the

tion hanging over the selection of Fedders Lloyd, since the company’s Attorney, Khemraj Ramjattan, was now a Government Minister.

“Scrap the whole thing and retender… (Because) they (the Government) lied to the public,” Gaskin declared.

“They are supposed to open this matter for tendering process and they are supposed to allow oth-

which was tasked with designing and building the controversial facility. The funding was provided by the Indian Government through a Line of Credit.

In January, the contractor’s services were terminated owing to several contractual breaches. The matter was taken to the High Court and compensation was accordingly awarded to the Government.

8 NEWS

tuesday, december 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Five years later: Water vendor charged for miner’s murder A

fter five years of evading capture, a water vendor accused of murdering gold miner Rawle Peters was on Monday arraigned for the murder.

Seon Edwards, 26, of Diamond, East Bank Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that on September 20, 2010 he murdered Peters at Cuyuni

Murder accused Seon Edwards

Landing, Essequibo River.

Edwards, also known as ‘Rasta Man’, was arrested on Tuesday last in the vicinity of Regent and Hincks Streets, Georgetown.

Police have since reported that the accused, following his arrest, confessed to killing Peters during an argument after the deceased accused him of stealing a sum of money. Peters had reportedly accused Edwards

of stealing $300,000.

During the argument, the accused reportedly chopped the deceased in his abdomen with a chopper (a type of cutlass) after the deceased allegedly hit him with a piece of wood.

The accused was remanded to prison and the case was transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for January 15, 2016.

Break and enter accused to spend New Year in prison

T

wo residents of Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD) were on Monday remanded to prison when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for breaking and entering and larceny.

Denzil Mathias, also known as Benzu, 24, a mason of Lot 1270 Block X, Diamond New Scheme, and Mark Nurse, 18, of Lot 6 Block X Diamond New Scheme, both entered not-guilty pleas.

The charge stated that on December 23 at Lot 1248 Block X Diamond New Scheme, they broke

and entered the dwelling house of the Virtual Complainant (VC), Asheila Persaud and stole two laptop computers valued $215,000, a quantity of gold worth $410,000, clothing valued $60,000 and a Play Station and games valued $60,000 among other articles, valued in total $1,200,000.

Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick objected to bail, stating that some of the articles were recovered and Nurse admitted to the offence. He also cited the seriousness and prevalence of the offence.

The case will continue on January 18 at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.

Denzil Mathias and Mark Nurse

Porter jailed for cocaine possession A porter was on Monday jailed for three years when he appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with trafficking in narcotics.

Ramesh Persaud,

34, pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that on December 26 at Stabroek Market, Georgetown, he had in his possession 4.5 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

Police Prosecutor Kerry Bostwick told the court that

police ranks on patrol at saw the defendant acting in a suspicious manner, approached him and conducted a search.

During the search, a small zip-lock bag was found in his pants pocket and it contained a substance sus-

pected to be cocaine. Persaud was told of the allegation and taken into custody.

In court the defendant chose to remain silent after pleading his guilty. The Magistrate sentenced him to three years and fined him $30,000.

Albouystown murder suspect likely for court today

M

ark Greaves, 54, of Curtis Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, is expected to be charged for the murder of “Fluffie” who was stabbed to death in Albouystown on Christmas Day. He is expected to appear at the Georgetown

Magistrates’ Court today.

It was reported that on Friday last at about 15:00h, two men were involved in a heated argument when one of them whipped out a knife and dealt the other several blows to the neck and chest.

The victim who is yet to

be identified reportedly fell while Greaves attempted to escape but was detained by public spirited citizens.

The injured man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) where he was pronounced dead.

The suspect was handed

over to the police who have since recovered the blood stained knife suspected to be the murder weapon.

This is one of at least five murders committed over the weekend, making it the bloodiest Christmas in recent times.

No arrest yet for Harbour Bridge murder

H

ours after a passenger in a Route 32 minibus was gunned down by another passenger, the police had positively identified the assailant but have not yet made an arrest.

Speaking to Guyana Times Monday evening, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum explained that police ranks were combing the area in which the man resides with the hope of ar-

resting him. He noted that the police are extremely careful since it is believed the suspect is still armed and dangerous.

However, he noted that the victim is still to be identified.

The suspect was identified following a review of the CCTV footage of the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB).

On the day in question, the suspect whipped

out a gun and discharged two rounds in the minibus around 18:00h on December 26. The shooting resulted in the death of the unidentified man while another was seriously injured.

The injured man was identified as Rudolph Williams, 28, an off duty police constable.

The shooting stemmed from the now dead man refusing to close a window on the request of the assailant

who claimed raindrops were catching him.

The resulting argument continued for several minutes which prompted the driver of the minibus to stop and ordered them off.

It was at this point the suspect whipped out the gun and discharged two rounds, hitting the now dead man and the police rank.

He then calmly fled the scene.

Eyew tness Chicken Little W

…on corruption?

e all remember Chicken Little, don't we? He ran around hysterically screaming “The Sky is falling! The Sky is falling!” When, of course, no such thing was happening. Not surprisingly, folks soon paid him no heed. He died a pretty lonely, old hen! In Guyana, we’ve had the MuckrakerKN screaming, “Corruption Unearthed!! Corruption Unearthed!! Hang ‘em high! Hang ‘em high!” since the elections were over.

Looks like Glenn Lall’s gonna eventually die a very lonely and bitter old geezer!

Cause Prezzie just clarified that “if people were assumed to be guilty, simply because of a newspaper article…the country will be in chaos”. Now, neither Prezzie nor this newspaper could say, there was absolutely NO corruption during the PPP’s 23 years in office. Even former Presidents Jagdeo and Ramotar had accepted there had to’ve been corrupt acts committed.

Stands to reason, doesn't it?

There are only human beings on Earth – very few folks walk around with halos floating over their heads and strumming harps. So to be human is to err and to err when human greed kicks in, makes corruption a foregone conclusion in Government. But both former Presidents had said, and the present one has reiterated, that before you string up people you suspect of being corrupt on the nearest mango tree, the Government has to allow “due process” to take its course.

“Due process” means that justice must not only be done or seen to be done – it must be done by following the procedures outlined in the law. No frontier justice here! And ordinary folks should appreciate that, no?

Imagine if your neighbour could just hack away at you with his cutlass just because his fowl-cock is missing and he smelt curried chicken wafting from your yard! The fella has to prove in a court of law that it was HIS chicken simmering in your carahi!

So this Eyewitness believes IF corrupt acts are proven, then the law must be allowed to take its course and those found guilty must be punished accordingly.

Only WHEN this is done will the message go out that the State isN’t there to be looted by incumbents. It’s quite possible because the PPP under Jagan didn't even try to prosecute anyone for wrongdoings during the PNC’s 28 years, that message got lost in the shuffle.

The danger of the Muckraker screaming every day for peoples’ heads to roll is citizens might just become cynical of the possibility that justice will ever be done – in addition to seeing Lall for the envy-racked slimeball he is.

Prezzie is to be complimented for refusing to rise to the provocations of the Muckraker. The wheel of the law might grind slow…but it grinds fine.

…on Styrofoam?

Just as there are Republicans in the US – most of them followers of Donald Trump – who deny the reality of global warming, there are a substantial bloc of Guyanese who don't think Styrofoam is such a big problem! They never thought the powers that be would muster up the testicular fortitude to institute such draconian penalties if folks insist on using the quick and dirty for their food.

Well, this Eyewitness says in this case – let the law take its course come Jan 1st.

Apart from Styrofoam possibly having a half-life greater than the earth itself, the challenge for our dear mudland is the blocking of canals and drains when all those food containers refuse to go under – like unsinkable Molly Browns – at culverts. So we end up with our villages and towns flooding even if we spit in unison.

But we have to ensure there are enough of the biodegradable substitutes around. And we stop dumping our food containers like the slobs most of us are.

…on financial irresponsibility

You’d accept your Eyewitness’ been observing his “kinder, gentler” holiday promise, wouldn't you? But what the heck can he say about the AG’s claim it was the PPP that dragged its feet on anti-terrorism legislation!

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

news

9

tuesday, december 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

PSC gives green light for Anti-Terrorism Bill 2015

2 pump stations commissioned in Berbice

– following consultation between Govt and stakeholders

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams

By Kristen Macklingam

I

n light of the repeated calls made by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and other agencies for the Government to have dialogue on the proposed Anti-Terrorism and Terrorist Related Activities Bill 2015, the Legal Affairs Ministry on Monday hosted a consultation in this regard.

Addressing those gathered at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown where the consultation was held, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams stated that requests for feedback on this proposed Bill had been sent to stakeholders five months ago.

Owing to the “clamour for consultation in relation to this particular Bill”, the Government decided that it would facilitate the consultation, the AG posited.

He stated that the Administration expected all citizenry to cooperate and not “un-necessarily” hinder the process when Bills and other legislation which would require public consultations were being presented in the National Assembly.

PSC Chairman, retired Major General Norman McLean, in his comments, posited that his Commission was not “anti anti-terrorism” and had the PSC received an invitation for dialogue on this Bill earlier, it would have responded accordingly.

However, the PSC, as a stakeholder, had neither received the information about what the Bill contained nor the request for feedback from the AG Chambers prior to the consultation on Monday.

McLean went on to say that this miscommunica-

tion occurred because the Government had sent the information to an incorrect email address which he did not use.

“And I just want to make it clear that we couldn’t address it with you, because we had a meeting with you in November, with money laundering and financial institutions issues and if we knew that this was in the pipeline, we certainly would have raised it. But it never came to us, so I want to make it clear to everyone here that the Private Sector is willing to work with the Government on these issues and to cooperate with them and if you have a deadline, share with us, and we will work with you to make that happen,” the PSC Chairman explained.

According to McLean, there is a legal and regulatory committee in the PSC, along with lawyers and other individuals who can make a meaning contribution to the Bill.

With regard to the question of why there was a rush to lay this Bill in Parliament, the PSC Chairman clarified that after becoming acquainted with what the Bill contained and learning of the position that Guyana was in, it was understandable.

“The question was also asked how meaningful would this be if we don’t get a chance to talk with our members. We now understand that there seems to be some deadline which we are supposed to meet and I want to make it clear that we want to work with you and the Government to satisfy those requirements…A lot of what is in here is really serious issues for people who are involved in terrorism and terrorist related activities,” he added.

PSC Chairman, retired Major General Norman McLean

Guyana Times understands that according to this Bill a terrorist act is described as an action “whether committed in or outside of Guyana which causes or is likely to cause loss of human life or serious bodily harm, damage to property, prejudice to national security or disruption of public safety, including disruption in the provision of emergency services or to any computer or electronic system or to the provision of the services directly related to banking, communications, infrastructure, financial services, public utilities, transportation or other essential infrastructure.”

It should be noted that on Monday afternoon, the PSC, in a statement to the media, said that the concerns which it raised during the consultation process were “satisfactorily addressed” by the AG. “It was explained that the legislation was mandated under several international conventions to which the country is a party. The PSC is satisfied that the necessary protections for law-abiding citizens are in place and is pleased to lend its support to this Bill,” the press release also stated. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

The drainage pump station that was commissioned at Gangaram, Berbice, Region Six

T

wo drainage pump stations were commissioned on Monday in Berbice, one at Gangaram and the other at Joppa, Number 43 Village, Corentyne.

The pump station at Gangaram was constructed to the tune of $310 million, while the one at Joppa cost $277 million. Both projects were completed by contracting firm Roopan Ramotar Investments and were completed ahead of the deadlines in spite of challenges during the embryonic stage.

The commissioning of both stations attracted the attendance of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, along with key regional and Ministry officials.

Both pump stations have the capacity to drain 200 cubic feet of water per second which translates to 90,000 gallons of water per minute.

David Madramootoo of Reliance Settlement said it was a red letter day for the Canefield Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC); however, residents should be mindful of the investment and properly dispose of their solid waste.

“When there is high tide and you have water from the cane fields coming, you do have flood…the residents only depend on the NDC to clear their drains… this pump will be of tremendous help to us, benefitting the entire economy of East Canje, Rose Hall Estate, sugar, rice, cattle farmers, cash crop farmers…it’s a

boost,” Madramootoo said.

Prime Minister Nagamootoo, in delivering the feature address, indicated that the commissioning was linked to a larger dream of draining and irrigating thousands of acres of land countrywide.

Agriculture Minister Holder indicated that agriculture in Guyana accounted for more than 33 per cent of total employment and 20 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.

He added that water management was a critical area of focus for the Agriculture Ministry, since almost all agriculture is practised in the low-lying regions, the Government Information Agency (GINA) reported.

10

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, december 29, 2015

News Region 10 benefiting from portable bitumen plant

Portable bitumen plant at Wisroc, Linden

A

number of existing roads across Region 10 have benefited from the services of a portable bitumen plant set up at Wisroc, Wismar, Linden.

The initiative is collaboration between the Public Infrastructure Ministry and the administration of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

Guyana Times was told the plant began operation earlier this month but had closed for the holidays. It is expected to resume operations on January 4, and continue operating until February.

About 16 roads across

the Region are expected to be completely paved by that time.

A project officer explained to Guyana Times that while the initial aim was to rehabilitate 11 roads, five more were added to the list as a result of residents’ requests.

Areas which have benefited so far include Wisroc New Scheme area, Sunflower Street and Christiansburg, among others.

This newspaper was told the service is also extended to private customers who wish to purchase asphalt Guyana Times

was also told the plant has the ability to load a truck in half an hour, however

a disadvantage lies in the fact that the scale at the Mackenzie-Wismar bridge is presently not in operation.

It therefore means that the material has to be transported to Bosai Minerals Group Guyana Incorporated (BMGGI) to be weighed and from then onward transported to location.

An operable scale would have meant revenue for the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) and a more timely operation.

Bare Root murder suspect arrested

T

he main suspect in the murder of Kevon George, 28, of Bare Root Main Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was arrested late Sunday evening.

The suspect, who re-

Dead: Minibus tout Kevon George

sides in the same village, is in Police custody pending charges.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times that the file with the particulars of the case would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack for legal advice.

According to information received, the deadly argument stemmed from an incident a few weeks ago when it was alleged that the suspect had robbed the now dead man’s sister of several household appliances and other valuables.

On the day of the stabbing incident, the now dead man confronted the neighbour about the robbery and an argument ensued. George reportedly left in the height of the argument, but the assailant followed him, pulled out a knife, and dealt him several blows to his throat.

George reportedly died on the spot, as the suspect fled. Police are continuing their investigations.

T

Guyanese migration

here are some things in life people just do not forget. I still remember the hour, day, month and year I left Guyana on December 30, 1982 for Toronto, Canada. That is almost 33 years ago. I also remember three other things about Guyana when I left. The first is that I left Guyana on a warm tropical day and arrived in Toronto under freezing weather. It felt like I had entered into a freezer. I began Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine to wonder if I would survive.

The second thing I remember is that everyone wanted to leave Guyana to live in the US, and those who were leaving, were the lucky ones ostensibly going to paradise. There was a sense of envy and dismay amongst those who were unable to leave. The third thing I remember is that my mother gave me sixty US dollars and told me not to come back to Guyana until I had become a “man”.

Space does not allow me to share my life since I arrived to Toronto in 1982 other than to say almost everything that I was changed. I was never the same person that left Guyana. The way I dress changed. The way I think changed. The way I speak changed. The way I look changed.

Of wider significance here is that my migration experience is probably no different from the thousands of Guyanese who departed Guyana before and after 1982. Actually, from the 1970s, an estimated 10,000 Guyanese per year have been migrating mainly to North America, Europe and the Caribbean islands. Unofficial statistics suggest that no less than 350,000 Guyanese live outside of Guyana. The national export of Guyana was not rice, sugar or bauxite but people. For a country that has a population size of around 750,000, this is alarming.

If out-migration from Guyana continues, which is likely, then in the next two decades there will be more Guyanese living in the Diaspora than in Guyana.

Why people move has been a central focus to migration analysts. The most straightforward and simplest explanation is that people move because of push and pull factors. In sum, people are pushed out of their place of origin in response to economic, social and political factors/hardships and are pulled by better life opportunities and jobs to specific destinations.

While this theory of migration has some merit, the reality is Guyanese have been on the move primarily because of decades of dirty politics that have transformed Guyana into a cesspool of problems: the breakdown of law and order, inadequate social services, undeveloped infrastructure, polluted environment, rising crime, low economic achievements and educational standards. What is more unsettling is that the aforementioned maladies will continue.

That said, out-migration from Guyana has produced paradoxical effects. On the one hand, out migration has relieved Guyana from population pressure and poverty reduction as well as the loss of vital skills on the other hand. Nonetheless, migration does not only produce brain drain/brain gain but also brain exchange, namely the transfer of remittances and skills from developed countries to Guyana.

Guyanese migration, however, tells us only what it is but not what it ought to be. Certainly, we should not stop migration because it is a fundamental right and a freedom of choice. However, the government is obligated to implement policies that will produce great benefits and less harm. To have about 30 advisors in the Diaspora assisting the current regime is not a stamp of sound governance acting in the interest of promoting public good. Moreover, one is forced to ask: Who are these individuals and what have these people been doing to build a better Guyana? The lack of answers to these questions is not only sealed in a veil of secrecy but also obliterates the faintest notion of transparency. Where is the lean and clean government promised during the campaign?

What ought to be done? First, migration should not be seen as a problem to be solved. Rather, migration should be given the highest priority and be treated as a matter of foreign affairs.

Second, the government should foster family reunification ties through various incentives like cheap airfares. Third, there should be swifter but transparent Diaspora engagements.

Fourth, the government should explore avenues of cooperation on migration issues with countries that have large Guyanese populations.

What ought not to be done is to construe and restrict migration gains to represent Gross National Product. This is a misguided sense of development. Rather, migration gains must be used effectively to bring about more freedom, better education, adequate health care, gender equality and regular employment.

Meanwhile, there are thousands of overseas Guyanese and visitors in Guyana for the holiday season to experience home and hearth and they must not come unhinged by rising crime like those who are locked in Guyana without migration options.

Happy New Year! (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums.edu)

Tuesday, december 29, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

11

News

PPP to intensify Fast food vendor commits suicide after beating girlfriend its call for electoral reforms A in 2016 – Rohee young man took his own life on Boxing Day at the Kitty Seawall after brutally beating his girlfriend claiming that she was disrespectful to him and his family.

The dead man was identified as 21-year-old Lorenzo James of Kitty, Georgetown.

Guyana Times understands that on the day in question, James went to his girlfriend’s home at Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara and assaulted her with a

By Kristen Macklingam

W

ith the new year only a few days away, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has already placed high on its agenda for 2016, preparations for the long overdue Local Government Elections (LGE) in an effort to win a majority vote at those polls.

This is according to Party General Secretary Clement Rohee, who, during a media briefing on Monday, stated that much focus would be placed on winning the majority of the 71 local authority areas, 62 Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and nine municipalities in Guyana.

As such, the PPP will continue to expose the institutional and personnel inadequacies of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and will intensify its call for the removal of the Chairman and Chief Elections Officer of GECOM, Rohee declared.

According to Rohee, the PPP will advance its fight to have necessary electoral reforms in Guyana.

These reforms include enhanced biometrics, electronic voting, the selection of a new Chairman for GECOM, review of the process that allows for voting by the Disciplined Forces and compiling a new voters’ list on the basis of a fresh house-to-house enumeration, Rohee said.

Also, the PPP is moving to have the GECOM Secretariat brought under the purview of the Commission to enable the Commission to give the Secretariat general orders and directions.

According to Rohee, another area where reform is deemed necessary by the PPP is the recruitment of GECOM’s key election officials such as Returning and Presiding Officers as well as poll clerks through improved transparent and impartial practices.

The Opposition Party is also hoping to have relevant sections of the Representation of the People’s Act amended so as to allow for the enactment of appropriate legislation to facilitate implementation of agreed reforms, Rohee stated.

“The PPP will step up its lobbying efforts at the local and international levels to win broad support for these demands. It is hoped that in the same way that good sense prevailed just

Dead, Lorenzo James

knife.

The young woman was rescued by her mother, who made a decision to return home after several calls to her daughter’s phone went unanswered. As she arrived at home, the doors were tightly locked and there was no response to her calls.

However, with the aid of the driver of the taxi in which she arrived, she managed to kick open the door.

Upon entering the house, she recognised the young

man standing over her daughter with a knife. The taxi driver and a neighbour managed to arrest James and he was subsequently handed over to the Police.

After several hours at the police station, he managed to escape and drank a poisonous substance. He reportedly wrote a letter and asked for it to be delivered to the young woman, who remained hospitalised.

Bare Root residents complain of Police neglect

R

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

before the 1992 elections to allow for electoral reforms ... stakeholders, including Government, Opposition and the international community will work together to bring about the muchneeded electoral reforms long before the 2020 elections,” the PPP General Secretary posited.

Meanwhile, Rohee told the media, the Party will continue to monitor and expose “whenever necessary the lavish spending by the current Administration on the non-production sector” at the expense of the productive sector.

This, he said, continues to loosen the country’s fiscal purse strings with hope of injecting confidence in the economy by at the same time, risking budget deficits in the years ahead as the Government push to finance infrastructure and beautification projects.

He added that the PPP will “vigorously oppose, expose and make representation” on behalf of all persons who have had their services terminated as a result of “arbitrary and discriminatory actions by the APNU/AFC [A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change]”. (kristenm@ guyanatimesgy.com)

esidents of the East Coast Demerara community of Bare Root are criticising the Vigilance Police Station for neglecting the community with respect to anti-criminal activities.

On Sunday afternoon on the community’s main road, the residents told Guyana Times that the Police Force showed no interest in the welfare of the persons within the area.

The group stated that there have been many incidents within the community ranging from burglary to critical injuries to which the Force had turned a blind eye.

One resident stated that some two weeks ago, his house was broken into and al-

most completely cleaned out.

He added that he had immediately reported the incident to the Vigilance Police Station and up to Sunday afternoon, ranks were yet to show.

Another shared that other serious incidents that resulted in persons almost losing their lives were ignored by the Police ranks although the ranks were often contacted by several residents of the community.

A few residents admitted that the community did have a reputation of being a centre of serious crimes, but added that this did not give the Police the right to overlook the entire community, because there were a “few bad seeds present”.

One woman who goes by the name of “Patsy” told this newspaper that she did not find the actions of the Police ranks to be fair.

She stated that there were persons in the community that many others were deeply afraid of and tried to avoid on a daily basis. She added that the residents refrain from confronting the perpetrators of the crimes who were well-known in the community. “The Police have a responsibility to make we community feel safe, which cannot get done if they ignore we cries,” Patsy said.

A relative of Kevon George, a minibus tout who was stabbed to death by a neighbour accused of bur-

glarising his sister’s home early Sunday morning, also blamed law officials for their relative’s demise. “The Police ain’t kay bout we. If they de come when we tell them about the robbery and at least let we know that them trying fuh help we, this woulda neva happen,” the distraught relative explained.

The residents of the small East Coast community are pleading with law officials to strive to make their communities and homes feel safe. They said they knew complete change could not be presented overnight, but they would like to see an effort from the ones responsible for maintaining law and order.

T&HD blames sediment for Essequibo ferries’ mishap

T

he Transport and Harbours Department of the Public Infrastructure Ministry on Monday said the heavily laden MV Kanawan coupled with low tide and sediment making its way into ‘water suction’ are the reasons the vessel run aground in the Essequibo River on Sunday.

Hundreds of passengers, including vehicles/ owners were left stranded for hours in the water of the Essequibo River, sparking fear, frustration and even anger among those affected.

The MV Kanawan and the MV Malali, which ply the Region Two-Region Three route both ran aground at the Chalmers (Hog Island) area.

Reports are that MV

The two boats aground at Hog Island areas

Kanawan had departed the Supenaam Stelling with over 250 passengers around midday Sunday heading for Parika, Region Three when it ran aground.

On Monday in a statement the T&HD said: “the Motor Vessel Kanawan departed the Supenaam Stelling for Parika at approximately 12:00h on Sunday, December 27, 2015 with 255 passengers and 42 vehicles on board, thus it

was heavily laden.”

The T&HD said the overboard water suction through which water enters to cool the main engines became blocked with sediment causing the engine to overheat and subsequently automatically shut-down. Efforts to clear the suction pipes and to restart the engines proved futile.

This newspaper was told that upon learning of the situation the relevant au-

thorities dispatched the MV Malali to render assistance but unfortunately, it met the same fate as the other ferry.

T&HD said its personnel at the Parika Stelling were subsequently contacted and they immediately chartered and dispatched six water taxis from Parika to transport the passengers to the Parika Stelling. The vessel with the vehicles on board was later towed to Parika by a tug.

12 news BBCI accepts $31M subsidy Amaila Falls on back burner again ... Govt to diversify renewable energy sector to lower bridge tolls – Patterson tuesday, december 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

– bridge tolls to be reduced from January 1

A

n agreement worth $31 million in subsidy was inked between the Guyana Government and the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) to facilitate the reduction of tolls effective January 1.

This is according to Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry Annette Ferguson who told Guyana Times Monday evening that the agreement was signed between the ministry and the bridge company.

Guyana Times understands that road vehicles will be benefitting from a 10 per cent reduction in tolls from $2200 to $1900, but the fare reduction will not be extended to ocean-going vessels.

This agreement takes effect from January 1 at 00:00h while the subsidy will be disbursed by monthend, Minister Ferguson further explained.

It must be reminded that the APNU/AFC administration had strenuously promised on the election campaign trail to within 100 days reduce the Berbice Bridge tolls once the coalition gained power.

However this promise did not materialise within the promised time of 100 days of the APNU/AFC being in office. Since then the administration and the BBCI had been at loggerheads over the issue of toll reduction and subvention.

As a result of the stalemate government resorted to putting river taxis to ply the route at a subsidized cost.

This publication had reported in November that while BBCI had accepted government’s $40 million subvention towards the reduction of toll, the Cabinet was considering some additional considerations submitted by the Company.

However, with this new fare adjustment, this means Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), which had invested $281 million and would have benefited from $30.9 million annually, with this much lower interest rate it would be receiving an average of $21 million each

The $31 million agreement between the BBCI and Government was signed on Monday

year instead.

Likewise, GAWU’s investment of $81 million that would have been bringing in $8.9 million per annum, would now be getting an average $6 million yearly.

In August, the BBCI had rejected government’s offer of financial subsidies to cover the loss of tolls that would result from the APNU/AFC’s election promise being fulfilled, on the grounds that its shareholders were not consulted on the matter.

During its first Budget presentation, the APNU/ AFC coalition had announced that effective September 1, it was reducing the bridge toll from $2200 to $1900 for passenger cars and minibuses, along with a 10 per cent reduction for other classes of vehicles.

It was explained that the Bridge Company would not lose, as the losses created by the reduction would be borne by government.

However, the BBCI insisted its current financial position was impeding the implementation of the reduction. The company had said it continuously pointed out that the subsidy being offered was insufficient to offset its debt.

Consequently, it requested that government extend the concession period from 21 to 50 years or increase the bridge tolls by 55 per cent before it implemented the new fare structure.

Government refused.

In an attempt to gain

majority control of the Bridge Company in order to fulfil the promise of toll reduction, Prime Minister and First Vice President Moses Nagamootoo had announced that Cabinet had instructed Finance Minister Winston Jordan to buy out the shares Demerara Distillers Limited has in the Bridge Company.

DDL currently holds some 10 per cent of the shares.

Guyana Times was told there was no need for government to go down that route since the two Directors of Queens Atlantic Investments Inc (QAII) and NEW GPC INC had resigned, giving government and the institutions it controlled, such as the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), a majority vote on the Board of Directors. It could have then voted as the government saw fit.

Also, in the year before the last General and Regional Elections, the AFC purporting to speak for commuters specifically from Regions Five and Six had bemoaned what in their view was an exorbitant fare structure. They introduced a motion in the National Assembly in 2014 to slash the tolls which the Opposition then controlled.

Subsequently the tense situation between the BBCI and government came to an end and an agreement was made which resulted in the bridge company accepting the administration’s offer to reduce its tolls from January 1.

Nephew killed by 64-year-old uncle

A

drinking spree at Supply, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara on Sunday has left one man dead and an uncle facing murder charges.

Dead is Sheldon Richards, 43, of Supply Village, ECD while the murder suspect is his uncle, Dennis Hussain, 64, of Sister’s Village, East Bank Berbice.

According to reports, the two men were imbibing when an argument ensued during which Richards armed himself with a rolling pin and dealt his uncle several

blows about his body.

In retaliation, Hussain reportedly got a knife from the kitchen and stabbed his nephew multiple times to his chest.

Richards attempted to run but collapsed on the bridge from where he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) but he died on the way.

The uncle, who was visiting for a family reunion, was taken into police custody and is assisting with investigations.

He is to be charged shortly.

By Akeem Greene

A

midst the controversy surrounding the future of what was once Guyana’s paramount opportunity at renewable energy, the Amaila Hydro Project is no longer deemed a priority by government due to its lack of financial sustainability.

This is according to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, who during an interview with Guyana Times Monday said the future of the project in its current financial model is not sustainable: “It is more than the economy can bear, the numbers that are banding around are not the final numbers and it would be criminal to take it as it is.”

Finance Minister Winston Jordan had posited that the Amaila project is too expensive to pursue. He explained that the Amaila Hydro will cost GPL US$2.6 billion over 20

efits, then why no investor has taken up the project.

Patterson in addressing the need for more studies to be done posited that “Hydro power has a long gestation period, the only report for Amaila that was substantially completed would have been the environment, and the technical studies were not completed”.

The plant, with the proposed location at the confluence of the Amaila and Kuribrong rivers, was expected to deliver electricity to Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, and its second largest town, Linden.

On November 20, Winston Jordon had announced that the APNU/ AFC coalition never abandoned the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project.

Jordon was at the time delivering the feature address at the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) Annual Dinner at the Pegasus Hotel.

“I hope that it is abso-

An artist's impression of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project

years (US$130 million per year) and this was too unreasonable.

However leader of the opposition Bharrat Jagdeo had contended that instead of Amaila Falls costing GPL US$2.6 billion over 20 years, GPL would actually be saving almost US$2 billion, or G$400 billion, at 2012 prices.

Considering the financial burdens of the project, Patterson was quizzed on whether there would be an abandonment of the project but he was quick to assert that “the project has not been abandoned but the government as it is cannot work under the current formation”.

He further added: “If any investor is willing to take the risk on for Amaila they are free to come… but the government will not bare the risks of the project as it currently is.”

Against the backdrop of the need for renewable energy in Guyana and the push by the opposition for the project to be completed due to the vast benefits to be received, the minister is contending that if the project has such enormous ben-

lutely clear that contrary to reports that we have abandoned the project; that the project has always been on the burner,” the minister stated.

Jordan had also asserted, during Budget 2015 presentation, that it would be “criminal” to pursue the Amaila Project as it would be too costly a venture for the government to embark on.

Despite these public statements, Jordan insisted government had never abandoned the project.

He told the gathering that government is currently involved with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) to study the correct “energy matrix and energy mix” for Guyana to meet its hydropower needs for the next 30 years.

He noted that this study is due early next year and will include the analysis for five hydro sites including Amaila. He added that government is in discussion with Norway to procure another review of the project; to pronounce, once again, on the viability.

Then on December 10 on the sidelines of the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) in Paris, France, while signing a US$300,000 agreement with Green Climate Fund, Jordon said that Norwegians were seeking to have an independent study conducted on the Amaila Project so that it could be brought to finality.

The Minister said Guyana was particularly interested in how the US$80 million can be unlocked for the development of the country.

“We welcome that as it would bring some sort of finality. This will ensure that once for all, we will know if it’s viable and how can we find a sponsor and if it is not, how we can get the money to facilitate it.

We got a confirmation in the meeting that this money (US$80 million) was for Amaila, but if the Amaila does not go through, it can be channelled into clean and green energy initiatives,” Minister Jordan said.

Diversity As the country seeks to develop an efficient system of using renewable energy, the minister indicated that government will be exploring other renewable energy avenues that are viable.

“We are proceeding with the wind farm at Hope Beach and other projects,” Patterson stated, adding that the administration is not looking into “one area but seeking all areas possible.”

Currently five out of 67 possible sites are being assessed by the IDB for development of hydropower in Guyana. The five sites are Kamira, Kumu, Tumatumari, Tiger Hill and Amaila. The government will be using $80 million from the Norway funds set aside for renewable energy development.

The aim of having renewable energy implemented is to bring about a major reduction in the country’s importation of oil and other fuels.

Patterson stated: “By 2020, we should have 100 watts of renewable energy, which will reduce our dependency on heavy fuel and oil.”

news

13

tuesday, december 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Ruimzigt accident Blood Bank appeals for blood Victim on the road to recovery G

T

he National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) is once again calling on the generosity of the Guyanese public as it is in dire need of blood.

The Health Ministry in a release stated this the time of year the demand for blood is high and the blood bank is short of all types, especially O Negative and O Positive.

The goal of the NBTS is for all the blood supplied in Guyana to be collected from voluntary, healthy donors.

NBTS stated that the unit of blood donated by individuals is screened and delivered through a network of Blood Banks countrywide and used as needed, as every day, pregnant women, children, youths, adults and the

elderly need blood in both public and private hospitals.

The Bank reiterates that anyone aged 17 and older, in generally good health, free from any blood borne disease and weigh at least 110 pounds, can become a Voluntary Blood Donor.

It must be noted the donation process requires that the donor be registered; to undergo a mini-health check comprising of body weight, pulse, blood pressure, temperature and HB (Iron) level. The donor’s blood type will also be identified at this stage; a brief interview to determine if an individual’s sexual lifestyle and medical history permits them to donate blood. (This session is very private and confiden-

tial); and the actual blood donation stage where a unit (less than a pint) of blood will be taken.

The entire blood donation process takes 20 minutes, and any person who fits the criteria, can donate blood every two months.

NBTS reminds the public that blood donation allows the body to produce new red blood cells which carries oxygen around the body. Once these new cells are replicated, it allows the individual to feel rejuvenated and healthier.

Blood cannot be stored for long periods. One unit can be processed into three component parts each of which has the potential of saving a life when used to treat separate medical conditions.

The institution continued: “We appeal to all our voluntary donors and new donors to visit the NBTS, our blood donation facilities at New Amsterdam, West Demerara, Suddie and Linden hospitals or one of our mobile units and ‘give a pint!’ ”.

The NBTS is opened from 08:00 to 18:00h Monday to Friday and on Saturdays from 09:00 to 15:00h.

FIU to report on its work

T

he Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) will now have to document what had been required of it under the former Administration with regard to what action(s) had been taken to counter money laundering and financing of terrorism.

This is according to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, who stated at a consultation on the Anti-Terrorism and Terrorist Related Activities Bill 2015 on Monday that the FIU will have to put into writing what requirements have been implemented and what are still outstanding.

He explained that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) previously declared that Guyana complied with an action plan, but now it was stating that there are still outstanding areas which urgently needed to be addressed.

“The FIU will have to put on record for us what is it they are supposed to do since 2011, that FATF could be saying that they still have to do this and have to do that,” the AG said.

This consultation on the proposed Anti-Terrorism

and Terrorist Related Activities Bill 2015 saw the attendance of representatives from the Guyana Police Force, Women Lawyers Association, Private Sector Commission (PSC), banking sector, and other sectors.

It should be noted that at the consultation, there was no representation from any trade union, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C).

Concerns were raised about the interpretation of the Anti-Terrorism Bill and it was highlighted that this legislation could possibly be used by a government to seize assets legitimately in one’s possession.

It was also pointed out that were this to happen, the Government could refer to the legislation while using it to its advantage to prevent any dispute under the pretext of terrorism.

However, the AG shared a different opinion on such a matter, stating that such actions would have to be in the context of what the word ‘terrorism’ actually means.

Meanwhile, he noted that there were large

amounts of gold being smuggled out of Guyana into the United States of America where declarations are being made.

He explained that this was a major concern for the international community, since it was unaware as to whether or not these shipments of smuggled gold were being used for money laundering or for financing terrorists.

“That’s one of the things that the international community is concerned about.

They don’t know if it is for money laundering; they don’t know if it is for financing terrorists,” he said.

It should be reminded that earlier in 2015, the previous Administration had confirmed that it was collaborating with the USA on acquiring information about gold smuggling.

As such, an inter-agency task force consisting of members of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA); Guyana Gold Board; Special Organised Crime Unit and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) was established to investigate the issue of gold being smuggled out of Guyana. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

odfrey Mounter, 19, of Crane Village, West Coast Demerara, who was involved in the two-vehicle collision early Saturday morning which led to severe injuries is said to be on the road to recovery.

Speaking with Guyana Times Levi Mounter, the father said his son is being strong despite his injuries.

He added that after the accident Godfrey was not responding well to treatment but that he is now showing signs of response.

“The doctors have him on anaesthetics and he is starting to respond, we know that there is a long road ahead but we are very happy that he is recovering” Levi explained with hope.

Godfrey Mounter along with Dason Bess, Richard Blackette, Courtney Mounter, Daniel Hopkinson all of Crane were all on the way from a Christmas night outing Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo when Bess, the driver, tried to over-

take a Toyota Raum and his brakes failed causing him to collide with another car from the opposite direction.

After the collision, the men were all rushed to the hospital along with Eshwar Deochand and Nayesha Nandlall, 3, who were the occupants of the other vehicle.

Bess who sustained injuries to one side of his lungs and brain succumbed around 09:15 hours on Saturday at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

Deodat was said to have received injuries while little Nandlall suffered a broken foot.

When this newspaper visited GPH on Saturday, Courtney Mounter, Blackette and Hopkinson were being discharged.

Speaking with Guyana Times Courtney Mounter whose face was partially disfigured, painfully explained that he along with the others were on the road and it was proving difficult for them to get transporta-

tion from Vergenoegen to get home.

He stated that Bess who is known to them as they all live in the same village stopped and offered them a lift which they accepted.

“The road was very dark and Dason didn’t see the other car that was also overtaking and he decided to overtake and we crashed together” Mounter explained.

When asked if Dason was intoxicated, Mounter stated that he couldn’t say but that they all were drinking as they were at the Christmas Night party.

He said that after the collision the others were pulled from the dismantled car but Bess was trapped hence contact was made with the Fire Service at Leonora which got him out.

He was rushed to West Demerara Regional Hospital then transferred to the GPH where he later succumbed.

Deodat and Nandlall are said to still be in the Woodlands Hospital.

The rise of 'hundred dollar' cars in Linden – passengers complain of "exploitation"

BY UTAMU BELLE

P

assengers of Wismar, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara/ Berbice) are calling for the return of a fully functional minibus system, following reports of "exploitation" by some 'hundred dollar' car drivers operating the Block 22 and Wisroc routes.

It has been noted that there is a significant decline in the number of minibuses operating within Linden over the years, which has given rise to the evolution of 'hundred dollar' cars.

Initially, a passenger travelling from the Wisroc/ Amelia's Ward bus park over at Mackenzie, were charged $100 by these drivers to get to their destination at Wismar, with the furthest being the Wisroc area.

The price for travelling after 22:00h is increased to $200 by the car operators.

However, countless pas-

sengers have voiced concerns after being told to pay, in some cases, as much as $1000 per person, in the evening, to travel to Wisroc and Block 22.

A passenger explained to this newspaper that she was charged $1000 one evening by a ‘hundred dollar’ car driver after reaching her destination at Wisroc Housing Scheme.

Many more have complained that these drivers are "overdoing it" and believe the situation has worsened since there are "hardly any minibuses" operating the routes, thereby causing passengers to travel with the cars.

Passengers travelling from areas along the One Mile Public Road at Wismar, which is in closer proximity to Block 22 and Wisroc have also complained of being charged exorbitantly.

The cost to travel by minibus to these locations

whether day or night is $100 and many have been noted to state that sometimes, there is less hassle.

According to some passengers, the cars would even have "cut off points", leaving them to sometimes walk significant parts of their journey. As such some passengers using the routes are calling for the return of better transportation services to the Linden community.

Notably, there are currently no minibuses operating the Amelia's Ward route from the Wisroc/Amelia's Ward bus park situated at Republic Avenue.

Meanwhile, speaking to this newspaper, some of the ‘hundred dollar’ car drivers explained that they would usually increase costs to the given areas due to the deplorable conditions of roads and the increased distances.

Presently there are over 100 of these cars plying the Mackenzie- Wismar route.

14

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, december 29, 2015

Regional

Israel warns Brazil in row Earthquake over settler Ambassador shakes parts of

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said a failure to approve Ambassador Dani Dayan’s appointment could hurt relations

I

srael has warned Brazil it will downgrade relations unless it accepts a former head of the Jewish settlement movement as its

Ambassador in Brasilia.

Argentina-born Dani Dayan was appointed four months ago, but his nomination has not yet been ap-

proved by Brazil.

On Sunday, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister said Israel would leave diplomatic relations “at the secondary level” if Dayan was not confirmed.

Brazil has not yet responded to the Deputy Foreign Minister’s remarks.

Dayan was the Chairman of the Yesha Council, an umbrella group representing Jewish settlers in the occupied territories, from 2007 to 2013.

The fate of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem – land claimed by Palestinians for a future state – is one of the most contentious issues between Israel and the Palestinians.

The settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely told Israel’s Channel 10 that Dayan would not be replaced as Israel’s nominee. (Excerpt from BBC News)

F

found for profit, according to the New York Times.

To gain access to the accounts, Knowles allegedly looked at published photos of high-profile celebrities and then hacked into their friends’ email accounts first.

He was then able to access some of the celebrities’ personal information, and to those he found phone numbers for, he sent text

messages suggesting their accounts had been hacked, it was alleged.

Knowles allegedly secured instant access to the accounts of the celebrities who responded with their passwords.

If he was able to gain access to the celebrity’s computer, he would send a virus that gave him access to information stored on the hard drive and he would

R

The shaking occurred around 2:55h Monday

Bahamas man accused of hacking celebrities ederal prosecutors have alleged that a man from The Bahamas hacked the email accounts of 130 celebrities, taking unreleased movie scripts, social security numbers and sexually explicit photos and videos.

The alleged hacking activities of 23-year-old Alonzo Knowles were discovered when he tried to sell some of the material he

Lesser Antilles

also adjust the individual’s email settings in order to maintain ongoing access, prosecutors said.

The alleged cyber criminal appeared at a federal court in Manhattan on Tuesday charged with criminal copyright infringement and identity theft. A judge ruled to detain him without bail. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

esidents of Martinique, St Lucia and Dominica have reported feeling a 5.5 magnitude earthquake which occurred in the early hours of Monday morning.

According to the University of the West Indies’ Seismic Research Centre (SRC), the quake occurred at a depth of 147 kilometres, just nine km northwest of the capital of the French Caribbean island; 69km north northwest of Castries, St Lucia, and 78km south southeast of Roseau, Dominica.

The shaking occurred around 2:55h.

In comments on the SRC’s Facebook page, people living in St Vincent, Grenada and Trinidad said they had also felt the tremor.

Last Tuesday night, a 4.1 magnitude quake occurred 11km west northwest of Point-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe; 96km south southeast of St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda; and 111km north northwest of Roseau, Dominica. The depth of that tremor was 142km. (Caribbean360)

T&T: Search for man missing at sea Dominican Opposition Leader weighs in on ‘suck salt’ controversy K

Dominican Opposition Leader Lennox Linton

D

ominican Opposition Leader Lennox Linton has written to British Baroness Patricia Scotland of Asthal, the Commonwealth Secretary General-Elect, regarding her controversial admonition to Dominicans to “suck salt”.

Linton referred specifically to Scotland’s visit to Dominica on December 14 (at the invitation of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit) to celebrate her election to the post of Commonwealth Secretary General when she made the following statement: “… And for our Prime Minister, ou sav toute

moune vlay baie maypwee…

Mweh ka di yo: Sousay Sel.” According to Linton, the mixed English/Creole statement translates into straight English as follows: “And for our Prime Minister, you know everybody wants to be critical of him. I am telling them: Suck Salt.”

Describing the remark as a completely unprovoked insult, Linton asserted in his letter On December 21, 2015 that Scotland cursed the people of Dominica and elsewhere in the Commonwealth who are critical of Dominica’s Prime Minister to “suck salt”.

“Everyone in Dominica

understands that vile utterance as a damning condemnation to hunger, poverty, suffering, pain and hardship over a sustained period,” he explained.

“We believe that your “Sousay Sel/Suck Salt” statement is in gross violation of the Commonwealth Charter signed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Head of the Commonwealth, on Commonwealth Day 2013…” (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now!)

yle Gonsalves, 33, is feared drowned off the north coast, Blanchisseuse of Trinidad and Tobago. However, his relatives and close friends are hoping and praying for a “miracle” that they would get to see their loved one again.

According to reports, Gonsalves and other relatives were seen walking along the rocks about 4:15h on Boxing Day (Saturday) when Gonsalves jumped into the waters and was instantly submerged and believed to be swept away by the strong currents.

Speaking to the T&T

Guardian on Sunday, his mother, who spoke very briefly urged all citizens of all faiths to say a special fervent prayer for her son.

She said since Gonsalves went missing, family members had been searching frantically for him.

“The weather was very bad and he just jumped into the water and disappeared.

We just need all the prayers that we can get right now,” Gonsalves’ mother said.

She said they had been frequenting their Blanchisseuse beach house for years, but it was not normal for them to go there on Boxing Day.

However, they decided to go this year to accommodate relatives who came to T&T for the holiday vacation.

One of Gonsalves’ close relatives, Danielle Gonsalves, posted on Facebook at 06:22h on Saturday about the incident. She pleaded with anyone who could assist with the T&T Coast Guard, boats, lights or helicopters to help them.

Lieutenant Commander Kirk Jean-Baptiste, the Public Relations Officer for the T&T Coast Guard on Sunday confirmed that Coast Guard officials have been out conducting searches. (Excerpt from

Trinidad Guardian)

First direct China-Cuba air service takes off

T

he first direct flight between China and Cuba took off Sunday from Beijing International Airport, with state-owned carrier Air China said to be aiming to promote Chinese tourism in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Fox News reports that the route is the first direct one linking China, the world’s second-largest economy, and the Caribbean, as well as the first route between the Asian nation and Latin America operated by an Asian airline.

Flights from China to Mexico and Brazil are cur-

The new service is expected to boost tourism between China and Cuba, as well as travel from the Asian nation to all of Latin America

rently operated by foreign carriers.

The Boeing 777 departed at 13:45h Beijing time (0545 GMT) and was scheduled to arrive at 20:15 Havana time Monday.

The trip takes 19.5 hours, with a stopover for refuelling in Montreal, Canada.

The new service is expected to boost tourism between China and Cuba, as well as travel from the Asian nation to all of Latin America, a region that is rarely visited by the growing number of Chinese tourists. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

tuesday, december 29, 2015

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the world

Saudi Arabia hikes petrol Leaders hail WW2 prices by 40% at the pump “comfort women” deal

S

audi Arabia has raised domestic energy prices by as much as 40 per cent after the world’s leading oil producer announced a record US$98 billion budget deficit on Monday, citing rock-bottom global petroleum prices.

The budget deficit is the highest in the history of Saudi Arabia, but was not as big as some expected.

The International Monetary Fund had projected a deficit

T

he leaders of Japan and South Korea have welcomed the agreement between their two countries to settle the issue of “comfort women” forced to work in Japanese brothels during World War Two. Japan has apologised and will pay one billion yen (US$8.3 million) – the amount South Korea asked for – to fund victims.

Estimates suggest up to 200,000 women were sex slaves for Japanese soldiers during WW2, many of them Korean.

Other women came from China, the Philippines, Indonesia and Taiwan.

The issue has been the key cause of strained relations between Japan and South Korea.

Only 46 former “comfort women” are still alive in South Korea.

The agreement came after Japan’s Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met his

Activists for “comfort women” erected a statue of a girl which they call a “peace monument” outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul in 2011

counterpart Yun Byung-se in Seoul, following moves to speed up talks.

Later, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe phoned South Korean President Park Geun-hye to repeat an apology already offered by Kishida.

“Japan and South Korea are now entering a new era,” Abe told reporters afterwards. “We should not drag

this problem into the next generation.”

Park issued a separate statement, saying a deal had been urgently needed – given the advanced age of most of the victims.

“Nine died this year alone,” she said. “I hope the mental pains of the elderly “comfort women” will be eased.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

of US$130 billion.

The kingdom has seen a sharp drop in revenues as oil prices have fallen more than 60 per cent since mid-2014 to below US$40 a barrel.

Public revenues are the lowest since 2009 when oil prices dived as a result of the global financial crisis.

Saudi income for 2015 was 15 per cent lower than projections and 42 per cent less than in 2014.

In order to address the

Hundreds of fighters and civilians escape besieged Syrian areas under UN deal

African economies struggle with dollar crunch

Z

imbabweans may soon be able to shop in yuan, after their Government reiterated that the country will adopt the Chinese currency, following the cancellation of about US$40 million in debt.

Since 2009, Zimbabwe has used the dollar and the rand in lieu of its own currency, which it abandoned after hyperinflation of more than 5000 per cent made it essentially worthless.

This year, several key African currencies have taken a significant hit, as economic growth slows, and falling prices for major export commodities reduce the flow of dollars into the continent.

In Nigeria, the continent’s largest economy, the Central Bank has restricted access to dollars, in an attempt to slow the flight of hard currency out of the country, and to prop up the local currency, the naira.

For countries like Nigeria, which import a lot of their food and refined fuel, this has created serious challenges, as importers buy in dollars and sell in naira, meaning they get less for their money – or they have to charge consumers more. The restrictions on dollars placed on banks and traders mean that some have been unable to pay their suppliers, leading to shipments being held up or diverted. (Excerpt from CNN)

situation, the Gulf kingdom has set the price of 95 octane gasoline at 0.90 riyals (US$0.24) per litre up from 0.60 riyals per litre – a hike of 40 per cent. The price increase takes effect today, the official SPA news agency said on its Twitter account.

The decision came hours after the Finance Ministry said it will slash subsidies for electricity, water, diesel and kerosene over the next five years. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Girls carry banners as they wait at the Masnaa border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, for the arrival of their relatives, who are rebel fighters who left the town of Zabadani on December 28

B

uses and ambulances evacuated about 450 Islamist fighters and civilians from two rebel-held areas besieged by Syrian Government forces and carried them into Turkey and

Lebanon on Monday, sources at the border crossings said.

The evacuations took place under a United Nations-sponsored agreement, part of efforts by the

UN to set up local deals on ceasefires and safe passage as stepping stones toward a wider peace accord in Syria’s civil war.

More than 125 fighters from the besieged rebelheld town of Zabadani near the border with Lebanon were en route to Beirut airport to board a plane to Turkey.

Simultaneously, around 330 civilians and wounded fighters trapped in two proGovernment Shi’ite villages in Idlib, northwest Syria, were heading to the Turkish city of Hatay to take a plane to Beirut, aid workers said.

In return for allowing the rebels to leave, the deal allows the Government of President Bashar al-Assad to restore control over areas that had been in rebel hands for the past four years. (Excerpt from Reuters)

China passes controversial Nigerian suicide bombers attack new anti-terror laws

Maiduguri and Madagali

President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office in May promising to defeat the group, told the BBC last week that the militants could no longer mount “conventional attacks” against security forces or population centres. (Excerpt from BBC News)

The attacks are being blamed on Boko Haram

A

wave of attacks by female suicide bombers in north-eastern Nigeria has killed more than 50 people.

In the latest blasts, two bombers struck a market in the town of Madagali in Adamawa state, an Army official said. More than 25 people were killed.

In neighbouring Borno state, several attacks in Maiduguri killed more than 30 people and injured over

100.

Last week, Nigeria’s leader said the war against Islamist Boko Haram militants had been “technically won”.

The attacks are being blamed on the group.

The BBC’s Abdullahi Kaura Abubakar in the capital, Abuja, says Boko Haram jihadists appear to be trying to prove that they can still inflict widespread destruction.

C

hina has passed controversial new anti-terrorism laws, saying they are needed to combat growing threats.

The new laws, passed on Sunday by China’s legislature, create a new anti-terror agency and security forces with significant powers.

Critics say the laws are too broad and can be used against dissidents and religious minorities.

China has blamed Muslim Uighur separatists from Xinjiang for several public attacks in recent years.

Last week, several Western Governments issued warnings for foreigners in Beijing’s Sanlitun neighbourhood citing intelligence of a possible threat there.

Under the new law, China will have a single counter-terrorism body

which the country’s Public Security Ministry says “will be in charge of identifying terrorist activities and personnel, and coordinate nationwide anti-terrorist work”.

The official Chinese media cited a knife attack which left 29 people dead at a train station in 2014 as giving greater urgency to the legislation. (Excerpt from BBC News)

New Facebook service ignites battle over net neutrality in India

A

mid fierce opposition in one of its most important markets, Facebook has launched an aggressive campaign in India for an app that gives users access to a small number of Internet services for free, arguing it could help lift millions out of poverty.

The social media giant has blanketed Indian cities with billboards and taken out two-page newspaper advertisements to

tout Free Basics, which Indian regulators suspended last week after opponents claimed it violated Internet neutrality, the principle that Internet providers allow equal access to all online content.

In an op-ed piece published Monday in the Times of India, the country’s largest English-language newspaper, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote that critics have mischaracterised Free

Basics, which he said serves as a bridge to the Internet for millions who had never been online before.

“If we accept that everyone deserves access to the Internet, then we must surely support free basic Internet services,” Zuckerberg wrote.

He compared the service to libraries, education and healthcare – basic public goods that everyone expects to be available. (Excerpt from Los Angeles Times)

16 news

tuesday, december 29, 2015| guyanatimesGY.com

KWANZAA

Floating body identified as Mackenzie Police Station lock-ups escapee T A body which was found floating on December 9, 2015 in the Demerara River in the vicinity of the West Watooka shore, Wismar, Linden has been identified as that of 32-year-old Robin Thomas, also known as “Harry”.

According to information from the E (Linden and Kwakwani) Division, the body of Thomas, whose last known address was 120 West Front Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, was positively identified on Monday. Police said he was one of the escapees from the Mackenzie Police Station lock-ups who had escaped on December 7.

He had escaped along

with 32-year-old Stafrai Hopkinson Alexander, also known as Anthony Williams, of 130 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

The two were suspects in the murder and robbery of 45-year-old Linden businesswoman Shevon Gordon on April 4 at her Block 22, Wismar home. Gordon, who operated a beverage stand at the Linden-Georgetown minibus park, was gunned down outside her home, as she was about to enter with her husband and son in their vehicle. She was shot dead after one of two men who demanded cash opened fire after they were met with resistance. Gordon

subsequently died at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC).

The duo had managed to escape from lawful custody where they were being held overnight. According to information reaching this newspaper, both of the accused had arrived at the Mackenzie Police Station the day before and were due to appear before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Linden Magistrates’ Courts for the continuation of their trial.

The two are believed to have made good their escape after drilling a hole inside the concrete walls within the lock-ups.

Part 1

he name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili. Each family celebrates Kwanzaa in its own way, but celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling, poetry reading, and a large traditional meal. On each of the seven nights, the family gathers and a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara (candleholder), then one of the seven principles is discussed. The principles, called the Nguzo Saba (seven principles in Swahili) are values of African culture which contribute to building and reinforcing

mony each evening provides the opportunity to gather and discuss the meaning of Kwanzaa. The first night, the black candle in the centre is lit (and the principle of umoja/unity is discussed).

One candle is lit each evening and the appropriate principle is discussed.

The Seven Principles

Unity: Umoja (oo– MO–jah) Self-determination: Kujichagulia (koo–gee– cha–goo–LEE–yah) Collective Work and Responsibility: Ujima (oo–GEE–mah)

lived by traditions that provided continuity and identity. Tribal laws often determined the value system, laws, and customs encompassing birth, adolescence, marriage, parenthood, maturity, and death. Through personal sacrifice and hard work, the farmers sowed seeds that brought forth new plant life to feed the people and other animals of the earth. To demonstrate their mazao, celebrants of Kwanzaa place nuts, fruit, and vegetables, representing work, on the mkeka.

Mkeka: Place Mat

Guyana’s Golden Jubilee launch set for Old Year’s Night

G

uyana will be “Roaring in the Golden Jubilee” 2016 the year of this country’s 50th Independence Anniversary, with much jubilation and fanfare as the Government of Guyana on the night of December 31, will officially launch the celebrations for Guyana’s Golden Jubilee at the Independence Arch on Brickdam.

This was announced by the government in a press release on Monday.

The official programme will commence at 23:39h with prayers for the nation, followed by the New Year’s Address to the Nation by President David Granger. After the President’s address the sirens at all Police and Military installations across the country will be blared accompanied by the sounding of the horns of ships docked in the harbours at Berbice, Essequibo and Georgetown.

According to the release, the countdown to midnight will be ushered by the pealing of bells, and on the stroke of midnight there will be a grand fireworks display. Thereafter, those gathered will be treated to a cultural presentation that will highlight Guyana’s rich and diverse heritage. Similar activities will be held in the 10 Administrative Regions.

It was noted that Guyana’s Golden Jubilee will aim to highlight three perspectives, including; Reflection - On the past 50

years in context of learning pertinent lessons for the future and celebrating the history: the Heritage — the pioneers and the achievements of the past; Celebration – Rejoicing in the unity of Guyanese culture including the indigenous community and shared experiences and values.

The government noted that these perspectives are the pinnacle for the celebrations that will last the entire year. Further, the general public is invited to the launch of Guyana’s Golden Jubilee Celebrations.

Culture Minister Nicolette Henry had recently announced that there are major plans for Guyana’s 50th Anniversary celebration.

She pointed out that the vision of the administration is to use the occasion of Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary to encourage serious national introspection on our achievements as a nation since 1966: “It is an opportunity to create a national celebration, emphasising our history and culture as a people.”

Minister Henry had also stated that government will fashion events, memorabilia and merchandise so that the spirit of Guyana at 50 can resonate within people’s minds now and for years to come: “We will create public and private sector partnerships critical for uniting the country. We will work together to create legacy projects in education, heritage, infrastructure, culture, academic symposia, literature and the arts that will in themselves act as meaningful economic stimulants and certainly we will energise our youths as the generation responsible for taking Guyana forward.”

The minister urged that the experience is used to commit to a more enlightened path and a greater sense of urgency, as Guyana is shifted in a new direction for those who are now children and those who are not yet born: “In this fresh approach, we are going to be more strategic in our long-term planning, systematic in our actions, and more sensitive in our relationships. The mission to make Guyana great will require these positive responses from all of us. As Guyana prepares for its 50th year as an independent nation, let us all as citizens of this blessed land, as recipients of this rich heritage, before God and all mankind, pledge the positive energy of our collective beings to the attainment of a prosperous and cohesive Guyana.”

The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili

community among AfricanAmericans. Kwanzaa also has seven basic symbols which represent values and concepts reflective of African culture. An African feast, called a Karamu, is held on December 31.

The seven principles, or Nguzo Saba are a set of ideals created by Dr Maulana Karenga, the creator of the celebration which runs from December 26 to January 1. Dr Karenga, professor and chairman of Black Studies at California State University, Long Beach, created Kwanzaa in 1966.

After the Watts riots in Los Angeles, Dr Karenga searched for ways to bring African-Americans together as a community. He founded US, a cultural organisation, and started to research African “first fruit” (harvest) celebrations. Karenga combined aspects of several different harvest celebrations, such as those of the Ashanti and those of the Zulu, to form the basis of Kwanzaa.

Each day of Kwanzaa emphasises a different principle. Each principle corresponds with a candle in a kinara with three red candles, representing struggle, three green candles, representing the future and one black candle in the centre, representing the people.

During the celebration, the unity cup is passed to all of the family members, with the last sip being saved for the ancestors that passed away.

The candle-lighting cere-

Cooperative Economics: Ujamaa (oo–JAH–mah) Purpose: Nia (nee–YAH) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community Creativity: Kuumba (koo–OOM–bah) Faith: Imani (ee– MAH–nee)

Seven symbols

Mazao, the crops (fruits, nuts, and vegetables) Symbolises work and the basis of the holiday. It represents the historical foundation for Kwanzaa, the gathering of the people that is patterned after African harvest festivals in which joy, sharing, unity, and thanksgiving are the fruits of collective planning and work.

Since the family is the basic social and economic centre of every civilization, the celebration bonded family members, reaffirming their commitment and responsibility to each other.

In Africa, the family may have included several generations of two or more nuclear families, as well as distant relatives. Ancient Africans didn’t care how large the family was, but there was only one leader – the oldest male of the strongest group. For this reason, an entire village may have been composed of one family. The family was a limb of a tribe that shared common customs, cultural traditions, and political unity and were supposedly descended from common ancestors. The tribe

The mkeka, made from straw or cloth, comes directly from Africa and expresses history, culture, and tradition. It symbolises the historical and traditional foundation for us to stand on and build our lives because today stands on our yesterdays, just as the other symbols stand on the mkeka. In 1965, James Baldwin wrote: “For history is not merely something to be read. And it does not refer merely, or even principally, to the past. On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the facts that we carry it within us, are consciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do. It could scarcely be otherwise, since it is to history that we owe our frames of reference, our identities, and our aspirations.”

During Kwanzaa, we study, recall, and reflect on our history and the role we are to play as a legacy to the future. Ancient societies made mats from straw, the dried seams of grains, sowed and reaped collectively. The weavers took the stalks and created household baskets and mats. Today, we buy mkeka that are made from Kente cloth, African mud cloth, and other textiles from various areas of the African continent. The mishumaa saba, the vibunzi, the mazao, the zawadi, the kikombe cha umoja, and the kinara are placed directly on the mkeka. (Excerpted from the book: The Complete Kwanzaa Celebrating Our Cultural Harvest via history.com, and huffingtonpost.com)

17

news

tuesday, december 29, 2015 | guyanatimesGY.com

Ranks tipped for promotion should undergo “integrity test” – PPP

I

n light of the impending announcement of the 2016 promotion list for members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the former ruling Party is reminding that the persons who were tipped for promotion earlier this year would require “integrity testing”.

This is according to People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Clement Rohee, who on Monday during a media briefing, sought to pronounce on some areas of concern related to the professionalism and reform process at the GPF. He explained that former President Donald Ramotar, in addressing the opening session of the Annual Officers’ Conference of the GPF in April 2015, had announced “integrity testing” as part of efforts to weed out corrupt persons from the law enforcement agency.

However, according to Rohee, since the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition gained power, there is no indication as to whether or not it has or intends to “take up the mantle” and proceed in this direction.

“Moreover, little or nothing is known about a number of disciplinary matters that have been before the

PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee

Police Service Commission for some time now….several disciplinary matters are before a Disciplinary Authority set up by the then Minister of Home Affairs and headed by former Senior Magistrate Cecil Sullivan. Mr Sullivan’s contract was terminated by Minister [Khemraj] Ramjattan and, as a result, the work of the Authority ended prematurely,” the Party’s General Secretary stated.

As a result of Sullivan’s termination, these disciplinary matters which should

be addressed urgently in the best interest of the GPF have been placed in limbo, Rohee declared.

According to the PPP, concerns have been expressed about persons whose disciplinary matters are yet to be heard and who have not been subjected to integrity tests being promoted in 2016.

The PPP General Secretary also referred to the APNU/AFC Administration’s recent move to relocate the F (Interior Locations) Division

headquarters.

“For years, the Force has resisted relocation of F Division Headquarters to Bartica…It was under the PPP/C that E and F Divisions were split from one to two separate divisions with Linden being the headquarters for E Division, while the proposal was to have F Division headquarters relocated from Force headquarters to Bartica.

The Police hierarchy is aware of their own excuses made time and again to make this recommendation a reality,” he explained.

Rohee, being the former Home Affairs Minister, also alluded to the fact that the National Security Council, not Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, has now directed that F Division headquarters be established at Bartica.

“The haste by which this new headquarters has been established is manifested in the absence of telephone/ landlines and other communication facilities at the building housing the new Divisional Headquarters.

The Administration continues with its haphazard, knee-jerk policies of addressing the public safety and security situation in the country,” he added. (kristenm@ guyanatimesgy.com)

American arrested in Bahamas drug bust

A

The packages of cocaine on the yacht moored in Bimini

major operation by the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) has dealt a huge blow to drug traffickers in The Bahamas.

A stash of about 660 kilograms (1449 pounds) of cocaine was seized during a bust in the Bahamian island of Bimini, two days before Christmas, and a 41-year-old American man was arrested and charged.

Jose Ramon Diaz, of Miami, Florida, was remanded to prison when he appeared in court on Christmas Eve and pleaded not guilty to possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply, importation of dangerous drugs, con-

spiracy to import dangerous drugs and conspiracy to possess dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

Police say that shortly before 15:00h, a team of officers from the DEU assisted by their counterparts from the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) conducted a search of a yacht moored in Bimini – the closest Bahamian island to the US, located just 50 miles off Florida’s coast – and found the huge stash of drugs.

Diaz, who was on the boat, was subsequently arrested.

If convicted, he faces the possibility of a fine and/or seven years in prison.

2015 a most fulfilling year – Sections of Alberttown/ Caricom Secretary General Queenstown under water

U

nity, commitment and innovative ideas are among the features which helped to ensure that 2015 was a fulfilling year in the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

This is according to Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque, who stated that this past year has been a “most fulfilling one” for those in the Region.

“The value of our integration movement proved itself at home and abroad as we continued our efforts to provide an improved standard of living for all our citizens. The progress that we have made on many fronts has been due to our acting in concert to secure the best option for our Community,” he said in his end-of-year message.

According to the Secretary General, he is confident that with initiatives underway, which are being bolstered by the “tangible evidence of what our unity” could achieve, the Caribbean would provide “the safe, secure and viable society that will make us all proud to be citizens of Caricom”.

Guyana Times understands that LaRocque is of the view that the sustained economic growth will create the jobs and employment opportunities which are deemed necessary for maintaining a decent quality of life. It was also noted that the Caricom countries are working towards achieving this.

He explained that a number of Caricom states are presently facing financial and economic challenges inclusive of high debt and being graduated out of access to financing at concessional rated.

“We are making strides in addressing these issues, particularly with respect to changing the criteria for access to concessional financing. Also, interesting and innovative ideas have been put forward to allevi-

Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque

ate the debt burden. The achievement of our goals in those two areas will greatly assist in the efforts to encourage growth,” he said.

While recalling Caricom’s progress over the year, the Secretary General noted the numerous attempts that had been made to influence the international community in supporting positions which advance the Region’s interests.

“For us in the Caribbean Community, the outcome of these global discussions, particularly on the issue of climate change, bore significant relevance as we continued to seek to build our economic and environmental resilience, both of which are priorities in the Community’s Strategic Plan. We did ourselves proud at each of the events with our unified approach resulting in favourable outcomes,” the Secretary General said.

He also posited that in order to fulfil the potential of decisions taken at conferences, it was required that the Region continued to strengthen its coordination of foreign policy. (kristenm@guyanatimesgy.com)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesday, DECember 29, 2015

ARCHIE

Listen carefully before you offer your opinion. You’ll end (March 21- up in an argument if you are April 19) too quick to judge. Put more effort into personal gains than into helping someone else advance.

ARIES

Business meetings, interTAURUS views or updating your re(April 20- sume will pay off. A short May 20) trip will result in knowledge that will help you advance.

Romance is in the stars.

dilbert

Someone’s motives will be GEMINI (May 21- questionable. Don’t do something just because someone else June 20) does. Pick and choose what you want to do based on your skills.

Practicality and reason will help you avoid loss.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

Partnerships, your personal environment and the initiation of unusual but beneficial changes are highlighted. A discussion with someone you love will lead to solid plans. Romance will spice up your life.

Don’t be afraid to ask for LEO help. A new acquaintance (July 23will make a difference to the Aug. 22) way you approach someone or something that can alter your personal or professional future. Embrace change.

Calvin and Hobbes

Socialising, networking VIRGO or checking out an interest(Aug. 23ing project will help you come Sept. 22) to an important decision.

Positive changes at home can be expected if you are up front about what you want.

If you volunteer to help a LIBRA (Sept. 23- cause you believe in, the peoOct. 23) ple you encounter will brighten your day and encourage you to make the changes that you’ve been putting off making.

SUDOKU

An emotional situation SCORPIO will be a telltale sign regard(Oct. 24ing the way someone feels Nov. 22) about you. Listen, but don’t respond until you have a solid suggestion or compromise.

Stick close to home and SAGITTARIUS work toward making your (Nov. 23- surroundings more conDec. 21) venient and comfortable.

Avoid taking on responsibilities that don’t belong to you.

React from the heart.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Don’t waste time arguing CAPRICORN when you should be expand(Dec. 22- ing your interests and looking Jan. 19) for investments and projects that are exciting, challenging and beneficial to your career.

AQUARIUS Partnerships should be (Jan. 20- questioned if you feel appreFeb. 19) hensive. Make a point to go over your options and not only look at the facts, but follow your heart as well.

Keep an open mind, but PISCES (Feb. 20- don’t let anyone talk you into March 20) something that doesn’t feel right. Offer suggestions, but refrain from making cash donations or lending money or possessions.

tuesday, december 29, 2015

19

Australia v West Indies, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 3rd day…

Bravo holds up Australian victory push

A

Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith were again in the runs when Australia batted a second time

ustralia are still highly likely to win this match, but they must now work much harder to do so than had once seemed likely. A muted third day at the MCG was defined by the dead bat of Darren Bravo, and the uncharacteristic generosity of several Australian cricketers who let standards slip in the face of an outmatched opponent.

Helped in large part by the debutant Carlos Brathwaite, maker of a daring and dicey 59, Bravo was able to shepherd the West Indies tail from their overnight 91-6 to an unexpectedly sizeable 271 - in all they added 188, Bravo 81 of these in more than five hours of bloody-minded defiance.

Importantly, he kept the hosts in the field for more than 100 overs, dissuading their captain Steven Smith from sending the visitors in again despite a big lead.

A major factor in the West Indies’ prolonged first innings was a pair of no-balls

by James Pattinson, which twice reprieved Brathwaite before lunch. Nathan Lyon and Pattinson shared eight wickets between them, but the Victorian fast man was undisciplined in landing his foot beyond the crease line, noballed when he burst through Brathwaite on 13, and again when the all-rounder hooked to fine leg to be caught on 50.

Wordlessly, but unmistakably, Smith expressed his disapproval.

There was to be a similar level of profligacy in the evening as David Warner and Usman Khawaja squandered starts with shots too clever by half after Joe Burns had perished to the new ball. Their dismissals did at least allow for the underemployed Mitchell Marsh to walk to the middle and accompany

a typically efficient Smith to stumps.

When the day began, Australia still had thoughts of a quick four wickets, a follow-on and a hat-trick of Test matches over inside three days after Adelaide Oval’s day-nighter and the mismatch at Bellerive. Pattinson commenced with a still reversing ball and was soon celebrating the exit of Brathwaite, who used his height to good effect when not aiming ambitious blows more at home in the BBL. However, replays showed Pattinson had overstepped comfortably, and the good fortune allowed Brathwaite to carry on while Bravo stuck to the crease like a limpet. More expansive in Hobart when cracking a first innings hundred, Bravo had been coaxed to drag a drive onto his stumps in the second, and this time seemed determined simply to

bat for as long as possible.

He allowed himself a few more liberties as Brathwaite became increasingly secure, and another Pattinson no-ball prevented a look at the tail before the end of the session.

It was only on the stroke of lunch that the hosts were able to strike, Lyon teasing out a return catch from Brathwaite while working around the wicket.

Even so, the partnership served to keep the West Indian innings alive for long enough to leave Smith questioning the wisdom of enforcing the follow-on in search of a rapid innings victory. He was to discount the possibility entirely once Bravo kept the remainder of the tail in the field for all but a few minutes of the afternoon session, with Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor and Jomel Warrican all contributing runs and time at the crease.

Lyon and Pattinson bowled well throughout, the spinner rewarded for his flight, loop and spin while the paceman followed up well from his five wicket haul in the second innings of the Hobart Test.

However he will curse the overstepping before lunch that has served primarily to see this match into a fourth day.

Granted the chance to get back out into the field, the West Indians made a bright start. Holder shared the new ball with Taylor and moved it both ways off the seam and in the air. Burns was confounded by the one-two punch of a nip-backer that struck his back thigh and then a tantalising away swinger that he was drawn into edging to second slip.

GFA/Banks Beer Knockout Cup…

Western Tigers, Riddim Squad through to semi-finals

W

estern Tigers lived up to expectations when they thrashed Sun Burst Camptown 4-1 when the action continued in the Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) Banks Beer Knockout Cup on Saturday at the GFC ground, Bourda.

Western Tigers were led by a hat-trick from winger Randolph Wagner, who scored in the 30th, 61st and 92nd minutes. The West Ruimveldt-based side got off to the best of starts

Sheldon Hope

when Daron Benjamin scored in the fifth minute against a surprisingly listless Sun Burst Camptown.

Jahal Greaves netted Sun Burst Camptown’s goal in the 72nd minute.

Meanwhile, Riddim Squad dismantled Beacons by a 5-0 score line to seal their berth in the semi-final round. Sheldon Hope recorded a double in the 22nd and 75th minutes while Teon Jones, Kester Joseph and Sceyon Hope scored in the 30th, 47th and 77th

minutes respectively.

With the win, Riddim Squad will now oppose Santos FC in the semi-final round, while Western Tigers will play New Amsterdam United tonight at the GFC ground, Bourda.

The winner of the competition is set to receive $2 million and the championship trophy, while the second, third and fourth place finishers will pocket $1 million, $500,000 and $250,000 respectively, along with trophies.

SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st innings 551-3 declared West Indies 1st innings KC Brathwaite c Burns b Lyon 17 R Chandrika lbw b Pattinson 25 DM Bravo c Smith b Pattinson 81 MN Samuels lbw b Pattinson 0 J Blackwood c & b Lyon 28 D Ramdin† c Burns b Siddle 0 JO Holder* b Siddle 0 59 CR Brathwaite c & b Lyon KAJ Roach lbw b Pattinson 22 JE Taylor c †Nevill b Lyon 15 JA Warrican not out 11 Extras: (b-5, lb-3, nb-5) 13 Total: (all out; 100.3 overs) 271 Fall of wickets: 1-35 (KC Brathwaite, 15.1 ov), 2-50 (Chandrika, 23.5 ov), 3-50 (Samuels, 25.2 ov), 4-82 (Blackwood, 37.5 ov), 5-83 (Ramdin, 40.1 ov), 6-83 (Holder, 40.2 ov), 7-173 (CR Brathwaite, 71.3 ov), 8-215 (Roach, 83.4 ov), 9-239 (Taylor, 89.5 ov), 10-271 (Bravo, 100.3 ov) Bowling: JR Hazlewood 216-49-0, JL Pattinson 22.3-172-4 (4-nb), NM Lyon 29-866-4, PM Siddle 18-3-40-2 (1-nb), MR Marsh 7-4-150, SPD Smith 3-0-21-0 Australia 2nd innings JA Burns c KC Brathwaite b Holder 4 DA Warner c Holder

Warner, so eager to make a hundred in this match, was on the way to doing so before trying to glide a Brathwaite short ball that merited a little more respect. Holder claimed the catch, and then took a tumble as the debutant’s exuberantly awkward celebration did not quite calculate the angle and height of the catcher cause for laughter all round.

b CR Brathwaite 17 UT Khawaja c †Ramdin b Holder 56 SPD Smith* not out 70 MR Marsh not out 18 Extras: (lb-7, w -2, nb-5) 14 Total: (3 wickets dec; 32 overs) 179 Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Burns, 1.5 ov), 2-46 (Warner, 10.3 ov), 3-123 (Khawaja, 22.4 ov) Bowling: JE Taylor 3-0-24-0, JO Holder 11-1-49-2 (1-nb), CR Brathwaite 6-1-30-1 (1w), KAJ Roach 4-0-22-0 (1w), JA Warrican 8-0-47-0 West Indies 2nd innings (target: 460 runs) KC Brathwaite c Smith b Lyon 31 R Chandrika lbw b Pattinson 37 DM Bravo c †Nevill b Siddle 21 MN Samuels not out 0 J Blackwood not out 0 Extras: (lb 1, nb 2) 3 Total: (3 wickets; 40.1 overs) 92 To bat: D Ramdin†, JO Holder*, CR Brathwaite, KAJ Roach, JE Taylor, JA Warrican Fall of wickets: 1-35 (KC Brathwaite, 11.3 ov), 2-83 (Bravo, 33.4 ov), 3-91 (Chandrika, 38.5 ov) Bowling: JR Hazlewood 12-227-0, JL Pattinson 7.1-1-16-1, NM Lyon 8-4-10-1, PM Siddle 6-2-22-1, MR Marsh 7-2-16-0

Khawaja was silkiness personified in cruising to another half-century, and looked for all the world like no one could contain him. Yet it was this very feeling of security that contributed to an overambitious paddle attempt that drew a touch behind to Denesh Ramdin.

Like Khawaja, Australia still have some work to do. (Cricinfo)

Carlos Brathwaite adds...

“I was just happy that I could contribute to a fighting day’s performance and hope that the fans in the West Indies get to put a smile back on their faces and realise that we’re not just here for being here’s sake, we actually want to compete and do well.

“I know I desperately want to represent the West Indies.

It’s the stuff dreams are made of. It’s something I will hold dear to my heart every second I’m out there representing West Indies with that maroon cap on. I think the team spirit is there ... When performances aren’t going well it’s difficult to see energy, difficult to see how hard guys work. I don’t think the wider public is seeing the effort that we put in, which is unfortunate.”

from page 20

Brathwaite did all of his fighting before lunch with a bat produced by a company that he owns, Trident Sports, its name and logo inspired by the flag of his home country Barbados. The company’s mission statement is to provide quality, affordable sporting equipment easily accessible at all levels of play, and Brathwaite hopes he won a few more followers after his 59 on Test debut.

“Ultimately I want it to stand on its own two feet,” he said. “By that I mean for it to be a noticeable brand worldwide. It’s a Caribbean company so hope to conquer that market first, but eventually I’d like to broaden my horizon and be an internationally respected cricket brand.” (Cricinfo)

20

guyanatimesGY.com

TUESday, december 29, 2015

South Africa v England, 1st Test, Durban, 3rd day…

Root cements England’s control against troubled SA

J

oe Root hit 60 not out as England tightened their grip on the first Test against South Africa in Durban.

The tourists are 172-3 in their second innings - a lead of 261 - and will aim to declare on Tuesday, then set about bowling the hosts out.

Earlier, Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad took four wickets apiece as South Africa’s batting line-up fell apart.

Hashim Amla’s men also dropped three catches on a disastrous third day for the number one ranked Test

Opener Dean Elgar resisted with a superb unbeaten 118, but England remain in an excellent position to push for only a second win in 16 away Tests.

“We probably have to be proactive, while still having a lot of patience with the bat,” said Moeen.

“We’ve got a good foundation and tomorrow is about not doing what both teams have done and lose wickets in the first session in clusters.

“We’re pretty calm. We’re not getting overexcited.”

SCOREBOARD England 1st innings 303 South Africa 1st innings S van Zyl b Broad 0 D Elgar not out 118 HM Amla* c †Bairstow 7 b Broad AB de Villiers† c †Bairstow 49 b Broad F du Plessis b Ali 2 T Bavuma b Broad 10 JP Duminy c Stokes b Ali 2 0 KJ Abbott c Taylor b Ali DW Steyn c Woakes b Ali 17 DL Piedt c †Bairstow b Finn 1 M Morkel c Root b Finn 0 Extras: (b-4, lb-3, w-1) 8 Total: (all out; 81.4 overs) 214 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (van Zyl, 0.2 ov), 2-14 (Amla, 6.3 ov), 3-100 (de Villiers, 32.4 ov), 4-113 (du Plessis, 39.6 ov), 5-137 (Bavuma, 52.2 ov), 6-150 (Duminy, 57.3 ov), 7-156 (Abbott, 59.3 ov), 8-210 (Steyn, 77.6 ov), 9-214 (Piedt, 81.1

side.

The Proteas’ senior fast bowler Dale Steyn was forced off with injury, star batsman AB de Villiers failed to quash rumours of his Test retirement, and the middle order surrendered meekly.

ov), 10-214 (Morkel, 81.4 ov) Bowling: SCJ Broad 15-6-254, CR Woakes 14-1-28-0, MM Ali 25-3-69-4, ST Finn 15.41-49-2, BA Stokes 9-1-250 (1-w), JE Root 3-1-11-0

England 2nd innings AN Cook* lbw b Piedt 7 AD Hales c Abbott b Piedt 26 NRD Compton c †de Villiers 49 b Morkel JE Root not out 60 JWA Taylor not out 24 6 Extras: (b-3, lb-3) Total: (3 wickets; 64 overs) 172 Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Cook, 9.2 ov), 2-48 (Hales, 25.3 ov), 3-119 (Compton, 48.6 ov) Bowling: DW Steyn 3.5-010-0, M Morkel 13.3-4-191, KJ Abbott 13.4-2-36-0, DL Piedt 18-3-65-2, D Elgar 7-0-19-0, S van Zyl 7-2-120, JP Duminy 1-0-5-0

Broad and Moeen impressed as England brushed aside the South Africa lower order in the morning session to earn a first-innings lead of 89.

With South Africa resuming on 137-4, Broad removed Temba Bavuma with

Sydney Thunder v Adelaide Strikers, BBL 2015-16, Sydney…

Sydney Thunder surge to the top with seven-wicket win

Joe Root became England’s highest Test runscorer in 2015

the second delivery of the day, inducing him to a drag on a wide delivery that kept low.

Then it was over to Moeen who, at the end of a year in which he has often struggled in his primary role as spinner, produced perhaps his best performance with the ball since his superb series against India in 2014.

He had JP Duminy caught at slip for two, removed Kyle Abbott for nought via a sharp bat-pad catch from James Taylor, and then enticed Steyn to sky one to Chris Woakes at mid-off.

After Moeen finished with figures of 4-69 - his best in an overseas Test - Steven Finn claimed the final two wickets, having Dane Piedt caught behind and getting Morne Morkel to edge to slip.

With James Anderson looking set to return from injury for the second Test in Cape Town, Finn’s late burst could prove decisive in his likely battle with Chris Woakes for the third seamer’s spot.

Elgar remained unbeaten following a fine innings full of discipline and application, becoming only the

sixth South African to carry his bat.

Root batted with characteristic tempo and fluency to guide England to a strong position after they lost Alastair Cook and Alex Hales in an eventful afternoon session.

Skipper Cook missed a straight delivery from Piedt and was adjudged lbw for 7, while Hales battled for his 26 runs before he was caught at long-on attempting to hit the spinner over the top.

Hales is the eighth opening partner Cook has had since the retirement of Andrew Strauss, but after making only 10 in the first innings, the Nottinghamshire batsman is yet to provide evidence that England’s long search for an opener is over.

That brought Root to the crease to join Nick Compton, who on his comeback appearance made his second substantial score of the match.

The South Africa-born batsman made 49 before he was caught behind off the bowling of the tireless Morne Morkel, but Root remained unbeaten, with Taylor 24 not out alongside him at the close.(BBC Sport)

Jacques Kallis made a polished unbeaten 49 as Sydney Thunder made light work of a modest target to surge to the top of the points table

S

ydney Thunder surged to the top of the BBL standings with a comprehensive defeat of the Adelaide Strikers, built upon a clinical display on the field.

The Strikers never recovered from the loss of their big hitters Tim Ludeman and Craig Simmons in the first two overs of the innings, a target of 118 always well within range of the hosts, who are intent upon overturning four years of underachievement this season.

Andre Russell had set the Thunder on their way by procuring an edge from Ludeman off first ball of the match, delighting another sold out crowd at the Sydney Showground. When Gurinder Sandhu accounted for Simmons next over, the Strikers were left totally off balance, and never quite recovered.

Ben Rohrer was everywhere in the field for the hosts, taking two catches while also bring instrumen-

tal in a pair of run outs. None was more important than his athletic effort to account for Mahela Jayawardene.

All members of the Thunder bowling attack contributed, but Russell, Clint McKay and Fawad Ahmed each had most reason to be happy with returns both stingy and also effective in hunting for wickets.

Only a rush of early dismissals would have allowed the Strikers to wriggle free, and these were averted by Aiden Blizzard and Jacques Kallis. They added 66 in good time, leaving the rest of the batsmen to canter to victory.

For once, the captain Michael Hussey was left with little to do. His brief appearance to aid Kallis collect the winning runs did not include facing a ball, but it was fitting for him to be in the middle for the completion of a win that mirrored his own professionalism to a tee. (Cricinfo)

Carlos Brathwaite adds missing exuberance to WI’s campaign – Carlos Brathwaite, who scored a gritty fifty in his first Test innings, talks about having the last say in his war of words with David Warner, West Indies’ unseen hardwork and his stuff of dreams

C

arlos Brathwaite does things his own way.

There is the chunky G-Shock watch that he wears, even while batting, because he likes to keep track of time himself and not rely on the backroom staff. There is the fact that he owns his own bat company, Trident Sports, which he hopes will one day dominate the market in the Caribbean.

And then there is the way he chose to celebrate his maiden Test wicket, a running slide on his knees after knocking over the captain with a high-five gone wrong.

“I just tried to get the slide,” Brathwaite said. “Jase [Jason Holder] came, I tried to give him a touch, he almost took me out. Fortunately I was the one left standing. Then I went and got my slide in. It was just the energy and the adrenaline was pumping at that point in time. It wasn’t a planned cel-

ebration but in the heat of the moment I just drew something out of the bag.”

What has been most notable about Brathwaite’s Test debut is the exuberance that he has brought, enthusiasm that was not clearly evident in the first Test in Hobart. In scoring 59 in his first Test innings, Brathwaite combined lusty blows and two lucky reprieves off no-balls with solid defence, and he ended up occupying 126 deliveries. And although he is disconcertingly slow for a bowler of near Joel Garner proportions, he is canny, and economical.

That his first Test wicket was David Warner is an achievement given Warner’s remarkable recent run of form, the wicket arriving when Brathwaite angled in a short ball that Warner steered to Holder at gully. Asked after the day’s play whether he had

“It was just the energy and the adrenaline was pumping at that point in time. It wasn’t a planned celebration,” Brathwaite on his jig after dismissing David Warner

engaged in some verbal banter with Warner during the innings, Brathwaite said he did what he had to do in order to get himself and his team into the contest.

“It’s been documented I bowl quite slow, which is true, so if the revs aren’t on the ball from my hand then I need to have something inside to try to get myself up, try to show some aggression,” Brathwaite said. “That’s what I tried to do today, thankfully it worked.

“I don’t know if it was heated. There’s a war between bat and ball, West Indies and Australia. I don’t take anything off the field personally, so if the opportunity presents itself I’ll still have a drink with them after the Test. But out there representing West Indies and the couple of hundred thousand persons back home, I need to do everything to represent this badge and

represent them, because everyone can’t be here to do it for themselves.”

To that end, Brathwaite put on a 90-run partnership with Darren Bravo for the seventh wicket and West Indies nearly made it through the first session of play unscathed.

Brathwaite was lucky that James Pattinson twice was denied his wicket by overstepping - “I’ll probably play lotto tonight,” Brathwaite said - and their stand at least prevented West Indies from having to follow on, with Steven Smith reluctant to make his bowlers work too hard in one day.

“The game is still very, very far out of our hands and it will take a monumental effort to bring ourselves back into the game and even try to draw it or win it, but that’s a challenge we’ll look at tomorrow,” Brathwaite said.

TURN TO PAGE 19

sports

YELLOW PAGES

New Zealand v Sri Lanka, 2nd ODI, Christchurch…

Guptill 93* off 30 annihilates Sri Lanka

tuesday, december 29, 2015

CAR RENTALS Need a car to rent? Then call 6111018 for the best cars at great prices.

Progressive Auto Rental: Cars from $4000 and up. Tel: 219-3900, 6435122

dentistry Dentures provided in 72 hours from as low as $4500. Contact Dr B Stuart, 209B Charlotte St, Lacytown.

Tel: 225-5034

Driving School SHALOM ENTERPRISE 2 CROAL STREET, STABROEK. INQUIRE ABOUT OUR DISCOUNTED DRIVING PACKAGE & INTERNATIONAL DRIVER’S PERMIT (JOIN US ON FACEBOOK. 2273869/622-8162/644-7052

EDUCATION Private Custom’s brokers certificate training course. All importer/ exporters and others who trade is on the increase globally and locally.

Learn how to prepare custom documents. Date :4th August 2015 (for three weeks). Classes from 2:004:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm (optional). For more information call:6948322 or 223-1506. Register early and save$$$

FOR SALE Clean Garden earth. Also excavating, grading and leveling done. Call 6279977 Road to Belwasa and A Dip at the Sangam, Indenture ship Novels at Austin’s Book Store and at Lachmansingh Drug Store. Tel # 226-5053.

For sale by lot: Lot (1): 2 bath tubs, bathroom fittings and fixtures & toilet set; shower fittings - $150,000 and Lot (2): 1 Dell desktop computer & HP scanner - $25,000. Call 225-2676 or 601-5285.

flowers Available: Fresh long-stemmed roses, fresh dried and silk floral arrangements, gift items, bridal boutiques and wreaths. Nesha’s Flowerland. 78 Church Street (opposite St George’s Cathedral). Tel: 2273553/225-3315

immigration Immigration & Visa Services We handle all Canadian, USA and UK immigration and visa matters. Self sponsorships, holiday/visitor’s visas, work permits, students visas, family, class, immigration forms, embassy enquiries, appeals for refused cases, US green card lottery, business class waivers, pardons, etc.

Get your visa approved. High success rate. Balwant Persaud & Associates.

Certified Immigration Consultants, 68 Sixth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown (Between Cummings & Lights Sts) Tel: 225-1540, 622-8308, 655-3105.

Email: balwantpersaud@yahoo.ca

lAND FOR SALE PARFAITE HARMONIE (80FT X 45FT) $1M. EAST COAST (LOWLANDS) $1.8M. PARFAITE HARMONIE (100FT X 50FT FENCED) $3.2M. 6117223, 604-2207

A

Formerly Globe Cinema, Corner lot, Church and Waterloo Street Size 125 ft x 133 ft Tel # 610-2234

services House plans & estimates, weeding of grass and spraying done within 48hrs. Call: 216-0671; 622-0267; 692-8464

spirituality Surinamese spiritualist. Resolving all problems. Money, love, blockage etc. Call 223-6834/600-7719.

Suriname’s Astrology, Palmist and Hindustani Spiritual Healer, solve all purpose problems, 100% confidential guaranteed. Phone: 602-8997 HEPHZIBAH MINISTRIES 24 hrs Prayer Line 322-5081,337-4510,3374259,337-4583,337-3070,337-5103.

For healing, deliverance, financial difficulties, marriage issues call now.

Jesus Cares.

services Repairs and Spares, Air Conditioning Car/ AC, Washers , Stoves. Call: Nick, 683-1312, 627-3206

taxi services GR Taxi, 24 hours. Phone: 225-7878, 219-5000 or 227-2100

VEHICLES FOR SALE 1 TOYOTA IPSUM (7 SEATER) IN EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION WITH MUSIC (5800 W): CONTACT 653-1003 JUST ARRIVED: TOP QUALITY RECONDITIONED VEHICLES; TOYOTA NOAH; TOYOTA VOXY; TOYOTA IST (NEW SHAPE); SUZUKI SWIFT; DAIHATSU MOVE (660CC); MERCEDES BENZ C200 KOMPRESSOR; COROLLA AE100 WAGON; TOYOTA HIACE MINIBUS RZ; PITBULL-STYLE FREEZER VAN; LAND CRUISER (FULLY LOADED); MAZDA PROCEED 4WD EXTRACAB PICK-UP; TOYOTA HILUX 4WD EXTRA CAB PICKUPS - 3RZ, 5L, 3L SOLID DEFFERNTIAL; MITSUBISHI CANTER TRUCKS 4 TONS FREEZER; 3 TONS OPEN TRAY; 2 TONS 4WD; NISSAN ATLAS 2 TONS OPEN TRAY TRUCK. PRE-ORDER YOUR UNITS EARLY AND GET THE BEST PRICES. FULL AFTER SALES SERVICES AND FINANCING AVAILABLE. DEO MARAJ AUTO SALES, 2 CHIMNEY ROAD, CHATEAU MARGOT, ECD. 624-0762, 220-5177. A NAME AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

WANTED SALESGIRLS WITH EXPERIENCE PLEASE BRING WRITTEN APPLICATION AND CV TO TRISTAR ELECTRICAL BRASSONIC Bldg.

(MAIN ENTRANCE 42 WATER st. G/ Town. 231-7101

KEY CUTTing Professional Key Shop, 125 Carmichael Street, Georgetown. Phone: 225-3923, mobile: 621-3249. We cut any type of key, service and repair all types of locks. Get your extra key today. optician

Da Silva’s Optical. For Your Eyes Only, Look Better See Better. Phillip A Da Silva OD, Shannon L Da Silva OD, Natalie Da Silva OD. 248 South Road, Bourda. Phone: 227-3529, Linden: 444-6376, Corriverton: 339-3536, Meten-Meer-Zorg: 275-0322, Grand Cayman Islands: (345) 943-1515 for the perfect trendy touch.

21

Phone: 227-0704,

nother calamitous Sri Lanka collapse gave way to a spectacular 30-ball 93 by Martin Guptill, as New Zealand crushed Sri Lanka by 10 wickets, running down the required 118 in 8.2 overs. Sri Lanka's humiliation was over before scheduled lunch, and the entire game lasted only 36 overs.

With a paltry target to chase, Guptill was brutal from the outset. He collected four first ball after his hook shot burst through leg gully's hands, then clobbered 27 off one Dushmantha Chameera over, and 26 from leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay's first over in ODIs. The innings was almost a blur. He hit eight sixes and nine fours, meaning 60 per cent of the balls he faced disappeared to the boundary. His fifty off 17 balls is a New Zealand record. He might have threatened AB de Villiers' fastest hundred - off 31 balls - had Sri Lanka got a few more runs for him to gun down.

It had been Matt Henry and Mitchell McClenaghan that allowed Guptill to bat so freely, as they took seven cheap wickets between them. New Zealand's attack was probing and welldisciplined, without quite being extraordinary. On this day, that was all that was required. Adam Milne was left out with a bruised heel, meaning three frontline quicks were out of action for the hosts, yet they dismissed the opposition inside 28 overs. Henry was rapid and incisive again, taking 4-33. McClenaghan got good carry and a little movement from a shorter length, to claim 3-32.

The first sign Guptill was about to produce one of his special innings, was the head-down strike high over long-on, to Nuwan Kulasekara's first delivery in the second over of the innings. Guptill continued to launch every kind of bowler Sri Lanka sent at him both down the ground and square of the wicket. In the Chameera over that went for 27, he had first deposited the bowler behind the sightscreen, then carved him over the rope in the arc between third-man and point without remorse.

Guptill missed the world record for fastest fifty, thanks eventually to the use of the yorker by Nuwan Kulasekara. With the score already 71 off five overs, Vandersay came into the attack on debut, and had five deliveries smoked to the fence. Of the three sixes in that over, the 107m behemoth over long-on was particularly stunning.

New Zealand soon had a hundred runs by the seventh over, and the entire match was reminiscent of

Martin Guptill narrowly missed out on the record for the fastest ODI fifty

their demolition of England during the World Cup. On that occasion, Brendon McCullum had been the man launching balls into orbit. Incredibly, he had no part in this breakneck chase, having injured his back making a diving stop at deep square leg earlier on.

Sri Lanka's batting was arguably worse than their bowling. Two days ago, a 98-run seventh-wicket stand had provided brief respite from the tumble of wickets, but the visitors mustered no such mettle on Monday. The most substantial partnership of this innings was 25. Were it not for some clean hitting from Kulasekara, Sri Lanka may not have made triplefigures. He was the topscorer, with 19 runs.

They were tied down

by New Zealand's fielding, which was often sublime to the point of being excessive.

Mitchell Santner took a superb catch at cover, Guptill created a run out with a diving stop in the gully region, and the ground

fielding was exceptional throughout.

McCullum's back injury flaring up was the result of crashing hard into the advertising hoardings, in order to save one run.

Sri Lanka's openers appeared to have embraced a more aggressive approach after the Boxing Day debacle, but soon died by the sword they attempted to slash New Zealand with. Tillakaratne Dilshan was caught at first slip after he charged at Henry and suddenly chose to check his shot. Danushka Gunathilaka was out a few overs later, blasting an overpitched delivery to the right of cover, where Santner completed a spectacular diving catch.

In between, Lahiru Thirimanne had carved a wide McClenaghan ball straight to third man, to collect his second successive score of one. And for the second time in two games, Sri Lanka's top three were dismissed inside the Powerplay. (Cricinfo)

SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka innings (50 overs maximum) MD Gunathilaka c Santner b Henry 17 TM Dilshan c Taylor b Henry 7 HDRL Thirimanne c Henry b McClenaghan 1 LD Chandimal† lbw b Bracewell 9 AD Mathews* c †Ronchi b McClenaghan 17 TAM Siriwardana c Nicholls b McClenaghan 12 CK Kapugedera run out (Guptill/Nicholls/sub [GH Worker]) 12 KMDN Kulasekara c Latham b Henry 19 SMSM Senanayake b Henry 0 PVD Chameera c †Ronchi b Sodhi 9 7 JDF Vandersay not out Extras: (lb-4, w-2, nb-1) 7 Total: (all out; 27.4 overs) 117

Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Dilshan, 3.5 ov), 2-29 (Thirimanne, 6.3 ov), 3-31 (Gunathilaka, 7.2 ov), 4-54 (Chandimal, 13.4 ov), 5-56 (Mathews, 14.6 ov), 6-81 (Siriwardana, 18.2 ov), 7-81 (Kapugedera, 18.6 ov), 8-81 (Senanayake, 19.4 ov), 9-94 (Chameera, 22.6 ov), 10117 (Kulasekara, 27.4 ov) Bowling: DAJ Bracewell 6-231-1, MJ Henry 9.4-2-33-4, MJ McClenaghan 8-0-32-3 (1-nb, 1-w), MJ Santner 1-05-0, IS Sodhi 3-0-12-1 (1-w) New Zealand innings (target: 118 runs from 50 overs) MJ Guptill not out 93 TWM Latham not out 17 Extras:(lb-2, w-6) 8 Total: (0 wickets; 8.2 overs) 118 Bowling: PVD Chameera 2-0-41-0 (4-w), KMDN Kulasekara 2-0-19-0 (2-w), SMSM Senanayake 2.2-0-220, JDF Vandersay 2-0-34-0

22

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, december 29, 2015

“A Professional Cricket League is a must” – Sanasie

By Avenash Ramzan

“A

Professional Cricket League is a must if West Indian players are to be developed for international engagement.”

Those sentiments were expressed by West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Director and Secretary of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), Anand Sanasie, during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport on Monday, as he spoke extensively on the WICB’s Professional Cricket League (PCL) Four-day regional competition and the unprecedented success of the Guyana Jaguars franchise.

In 2014, the WICB introduced the PCL as a means of professionalising the structure of the regional firstclass competition, with the six traditional territories operating under a franchise system. Players are selected through a Draft, and the format is a ‘home and away.’

Reflecting on this new initiative by the WICB, Sanasie reasoned that the

Anand Sanasie: “Strong regional cricket is the only way we can regain the glory days, so by all means the League must be sustained”

the depths that it has descended to over the past two decades.

“Strong regional cricket is the only way we can regain the glory days, so by all means the League must be sustained. Everyone agrees that it is at a tremendous cost, but our regional cricketers can now earn a living doing what they love to do and not have to worry about how they will maintain their

time will tell how successful it is; [but] sustaining this venture is a must and West Indies Players Association should be complimented for coming onboard with the WICB on this most important developmental aspect. I am sure it can be sustained.”

There is the perception in some quarters that the traditional regional firstclass was just rebranded PCL, and that much has not changed in terms of the standard of regional cricket.

It is a notion that Sanasie does not agree with, pointing out that “some level of improvement is already evident.”

“I firmly believe that the PCL is different; being handsomely paid is not a simple thing. Players are now contracted to their franchises and must meet performance requirements, at least in the case of Guyana Jaguars. In time, all West Indian players should be required to play in the PCL when they are not on active international duties,” Sanasie outlined.

He continued, “This will

Vishaul Singh is Guyana Jaguars’ leading runscorer this season with 421 runs

sters to a higher level of cricket through the presence of the senior players. Here again, the PCL is only in its second edition and I personally think that some level of improvement is already evident, so let’s wait and see what difference it has made in about three years. What I can say now is, it had already made a lot of difference to Guyana's cricket.”

Aligning itself with the structure of the WICB, the GCB this year discarded of the Senior Inter-county competition and replaced it with a Local Franchise League 50-over tournament, and this League format will be rolled out at all levels going forward.

Guyana Jaguars success

Newcomer Gudakesh Motie has been a revelation, capturing 34 wickets from five games, the most in the competition

PCL is something that is absolutely necessary if West Indies cricket is to rise from

families or pay a mortgage,” he explained.

Sanasie continued, “Only

enhance the tournaments and make it competitive while exposing our young-

Since the introduction of the PCL, the Guyana Jaguars have been a dominant force, winning the first edition comfortably, and are now seemingly on course to retaining the title.

In the inaugural season in 2014-15, the Guyana Jaguars finished on 148 points from 10 games, including eight victories. It

was Guyana’s first regional first-class title since 1998 when they shared the President’s Cup with the Leeward Islands.

After the first five rounds of the 2015-16 season, the Guyana Jaguars have already surged to the top of the table with 85 points, garnered from five wins in an unbeaten campaign to date. Barbados Pride lie in second position with 63 points, followed by Jamaica Scorpions (53), Trinidad and Tobago Red Force (37), Windward Islands Volcanoes (29) and Leeward Islands Hurricances (13).

Commenting on the success of the Guyana franchise, Sanasie said the accomplishments of the team can be attributed to a combination of factors.

“About four years ago, the GCB decided to ensure that players attain and maintain a certain fitness standardat one point using military trainers. Players started to understand that as professional athletes one’s physical and medical fitness is essential for maximum performance. A combination

of administrative, coaching and local tournament initiatives also contributed to our continued success. We are hoping that the local franchise system can further enhance efforts to capture a wider talent base for our academy, another factor that contributed [to the success],” the cricket administrator highlighted.

While several players have made telling contributions during the current season, newcomer Gudakesh Motie has been the standout performer. The lanky leftarm spinner has emerged as the leading wicket-taker after five rounds, capturing 34 wickets at an average of 11.73 with four five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket maul haul.

Off-spinner Steven Jacobs and the experienced left-armer Veerasammy Permaul have picked up 19 and 17 wickets respectively, while all-rounder Christopher Barnwell has chipped in with a five-wicket haul.

In the batting department, the diminutive lefthanded middle-order batsman, Vishaul Singh, is the Guyana Jaguars leading runscorer and the competition’s second highest rungetter behind Roston Chase of Barbados Pride.

Singh has chalked up 421 runs, 15 less than Chase, at an average of 60.14 with two hundreds. Skipper Leon Johnson is the second highest runscorer for Guyana Jaguars, with 275 runs at 39.28 with two fifties, while openers Assad Fudadin and Rajendra Chandrika have made a century each this season.

Currently, the PCL Four-day competition is on a break to accommodate the NAGICO Super50 regional tournament, which will bowl off on January 7. The Fourday version will resume on February 11.

Zeelandia/Maria’s Pleasure win Badri Prasad Memorial T20 title T

he Badri Prasad Memorial T20 cricket competition concluded on Sunday at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground in Good Success with Zeelandia/ Maria’s Pleasure defeating Sans Souci Jaguars by 39 runs in the final.

Scores in the match: Zeelandia/Maria’s Pleasure 163-7; Sans Souci Jaguars 124-9.

Navishaul Pooran and Ricardo Adams added 87 for the second wicket to guide Zeelandia/Maria’s Pleasure to their eventual total after they were inserted in front of a fair-sized crowd. Pacer Leorayan Ramlakhan then claimed four wickets to restrict the Jaguars.

Zeelandia/Maria’s Pleasure lost opener Ryan Adams, who was caught by wicketkeeper Rashaad Rasheed off fast bowler Siddiq Mohamed for four,

but Pooran and Ricardo Adams anchored the innings with sensible batting on a decent pitch.

Adams played fluently, striking four fours and one six before he was caught on the over boundary off Dellon Osbourne for 32.

Pooran however, continued to time the ball well, smashing Osbourne for a four and a six, but in a attempt to increase the scoring rate he was trapped in front by the said bowler for 43 (1x4, 3x6s).

The Jaguars fought back through some tidy bowling led by Osbourne, who finished with 3-26. Siddiq Mohamed, Zameer Zaman, Imran Mohamed and Nokta Moses had one each.

Ramlakhan, who bowled with pace and aggression, rocked the Jaguars top order early on. The 21-year-old fast bowler had Imran Mohamed (06) caught, before he up-

The successful Zeelandia/Maria’s Pleasure boys pose with their prizes, as well as sponsor Oudit Persaud (second left) and WCC Secretary Nazeer Mohamed (left)

rooted the stumps of Nokta Moses (01), while Bernard Lewis bowled Zaman (06).

Ramlakhan then bowled Kevon Hendricks (00), before Safraz Mohamed and Siddiq Mohamed steadied the chase somewhat with a fifth-wicket stand of 30.

Safraz Mohamed struck Ricardo Adams to the long-

on boundary, but was caught and bowled by the said bowler the very next delivery for 13.

However, Siddiq Mohamed kept his team in the hunt- he clobbered four fours and three maximums before he was leg before to off-spinner Kennard Lewis for 40. The Jaguars then lost

a few quick wickets to be reduced to 98-9, but Derwin Daniels and Beesham Moses shared in a last wicket stand of 26 as their team finished on 124-9.

Daniels hit a little cameo, smashing one four and two maximums to finish on 20, while Moses ended on 12. Man-of-the-match

Ramlakhan claimed 4-9 off four overs, while Bernard Lewis and Kennard Lewis had two each.

Ryan Adams and Imran Khan of Good Success SC pocketed the best batsman and bowler accolades respectively, while both teams received trophies.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Oudit Persaud, who sponsored the competition in memory of his late father and former businessman Badri Prasad, congratulated both teams and lauded the Wakenaam Cricket Committee (WCC) for a well organised tournament.

He pledged his continued support adding that next year’s competition will be bigger and better.

WCC Secretary Nazeer Mohamed thanked the sponsor and called on the business community for their backing.

guyanatimesGY.com

tuesday, december 29, 2015

23

EBFA/Stag Super XVI…

Semi-finals set for tonight at Golden Grove spective 1-0 margins against Stewartville and Uitvlugt, both West Demerara teams.

Alden Lawrence has been their only player on the score sheets and will certainly be a player to watch tonight.

Senior tacticians in Winston Pompey, Calvin De Souza and Aubrey Gibson, along with Akeem Holder and Sherlock Dowdin will be combining efforts with a view of halting the progress of Grove

T

go all the way, having lost in the final last year to Grove Hi Tech 5-0 on New Year’s Night this year at the Number Five ground, West Coast Berbice, with Domini Garnett netting all five goals.

Whilst they edged Eagles of West Demerara in their first game 2-1, Ann’s Grove were in ripping form in dismantling another West Demerara side, Beavers 4-0 in their quarter-final game

one for Mahaica, but they too have displayed a high desire for goals, which was evident in their 3-0 demolition of Kuru Kururu Warriors.

Mahaica Determinators have also shown that they are a patient unit that will pounce when the opportunity presents itself, as was evident in their hard fought 1-0 win over West Demerara’s Den Amstel on Christmas night at the Farm ground.

The boys from Grove Hi Tech are the only remaining team from the EBFA in the competition

he right to be a contender for the top prize of $1.5 million will be decided tonight at Golden Grove ground, East Coast Demerara, when the semi-finals of the second edition of the Stag Super XVI knockout football competition are contested.

Defending champions Grove Hi Tech, the only non East Demerara club standing in the three-association tournament - East Bank and West Demerara being the other two – will come up against Victoria Kings in what is expected to be a dual of sorts.

The first semi-final brings together last year’s beaten finalists, Ann’s Grove, and fellow East Demerara side Mahaica Determinators. This clash too is expected to produce some exciting exchanges

with the respective winners earning a coveted place in the championship match on New Year’s night, January 1, 2016, right at the Golden Grove ground.

The boys from Grove Hi Tech have been gradually improving their play and seem hungry to defend their title, but will have to first get past an equally determined Victoria Kings line-up. The East Bank boys were tested in their first match against Golden Grove, prevailing via penalty kicks 4-2, after a 2-2 regulation and extra time score line.

Their quarter-final match against Pouderoyen saw them being more potent as they brushed aside West Demerara’s Pouderoyen 2-0 whilst missing a plethora of opportunities. They will hope

to be much more potent in the final third, especially coming up against a side like the Kings who will make them pay for mistakes.

Leading the most consistent side on the East Bank will be Lloyd “Badai” Matthews, Orson Francois, Denzil Crawford and Akeem Jones, who have all scored so far in this tournament. This side has displayed the aptitude to score at any point during the match since they create the chances.

Victoria Kings, on the other hand, have stood solid in the defensive third and boast a record of two goals for and none against, which means that Grove will have their work cut out in the attacking third.

The Kings have won both their matches to date via re-

UDFA/GT Beer knockout football...

Netrockers, Winners Connection through to semi-finals

I

n what is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the tournament to date, favourites Milerock received a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Netrockers in the latest action of the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA)/GT Beer year-end football tournament on Sunday night at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground.

Netrockers took an early lead when defender Deshawn Joseph, whose shot on goal came from the penalty spot, after the defence of the Milerock, who were being constantly pressured forced them to foul a player inside the box in the in the 32nd minute.

This 1-0 advantage remained up to half time and going into the second period of regulation play, Milerock folded when there was a ‘handled’ ball, which allowed for another penalty to be awarded to the Netrockers side in the 53rd minute.

Joseph again stepped up and scored his second goal as the scores read 2-0.

Milerock would never recovered, as four minutes later, the former standout player for the four-time Digicel National School

Keon Sears

champions Christiansburg/ Wismar Secondary, Shane Luckie, sent a cross into the six-yard box where forward Denzil Pryce scored in the 57th minute as Netrockers led 3-0.

Luckie continued to be involved in the play and when his team was awarded a free kick in the 65th minute he banged the ball ferociously to score from outside the 18-yard box, making it a 4-0 score line.

Still looking for their complete domination, Netrockers would extend that lead with another goal in the 75th minute after Orande Wills received a squared ball from Joseph and completed the play, scoring as Netrockers went up 5-0. As a consolation,

Milerock would reduce that big deficit when midfield player Ron Fiedtkou scored in the 86th minute.

The reigning champions Winners Connection overcame the challenge of Amelia’s Ward Panthers by a 1-0 score to make it to the ‘final four’ slots.

The first half goal came from the boot of midfield player Keon Sears. He latched on to header that cleared the ball from a dangerous cross in the goal, and volleyed the ball with great power that saw it whisking past the motionless Panthers defenders in the 38th minute.

The game saw both teams being unable to convert clear chances, but this was after Winners Connection had scored within the first five minutes, but the referee Maurice Skeete quite rightly overruled that goal since there was an offside violation. However, the game would be competitive without goals being scored with the chances which came their way.

Winners Connection will now play Topp XX in the first game on Wednesday, while the other will see Netrockers facing Silver Shattas.

Mahaica Determinators are one of three East Coast teams in the tournament

Hi Tech, which makes for mouth-watering action.

The Ann’s Grove ballweavers have been effective in conquering their opponents to date and will be hoping to continue this trend when they take on a determined Mahaica Determinators in the first semi-final at 19:00h.

Ann’s Grove will have a point to prove that they can

to earn tonight’s date with Mahaica.

Shafeer Sanichar has two goals so far for them, while Jamain Rogers, Anil Hernandez, Kevon Barry and Andrew Murray have also scored a goal each and will be hoping to continue that trend for their team tonight.

The task to smother them in their efforts will be a tough

Quincy Holder, who converted twice against the Warriors, Samuel Charles and Eion Abel, who scored a well executed free kick to win the match against Den Amstel, will all be raring to go and prove that Mahaica Determinators are as ambitious as the other teams and will be giving their all as they too eye the big prize.

GFA/Banks Beer Knockout Cup…

NA United, Western Tigers ready to do battle

T

wo of the teams that have been producing a flurry of goals will finally meet in what many perceive will be an extremely competitive game in the Georgetown Football Association’s (GFA) Banks Beer Knockout Cup. When Guyana Times Sport spoke to the officials of both teams, New Amsterdam United and Western Tigers, they disclosed they are raring to go and do battle.

New Amsterdam United FC Coach Lennox Adams said, “We are taking one game at a time, and I think it should be an exciting match-up.”

The only remaining Berbice team in the competition is coming up against a strong Georgetown lineup, which has proven to be a front-runner in the tournament. However, Adams is unfazed by the challenge.

“I see any team as just as a team, normal people; so we intend to approach the game as such,” he said.

The coach was in praise of his striker Jamal Butts, who has had a remarkable run in the tournament thus far. Butts scored a hat-

Randolph Wagner

Jamal Butts

trick in the earlier part of the tournament against Black Pearl.

“He has lots of potential; he learnt the game the hard way, and I think he is even ready for national call-up,” the coach said.

As it regards the game, the coach disclosed that his team will have their strategies, but will need to stick to their game plan if they wish to be victorious.

On the other hand, Western Tigers president Roger Moore is brewing with confidence and expects his team to come out victorious.

“The main of the team is to win the tournament;

football is played on the day and we are hungry for success and will go for the win,” Moore said.

Considering the goal scoring ability of the Berbice side, the Moore revealed that they will need to have a more formidable defence.

“We have to work on tightening up our defence,” he reckoned.

One player who has been a standout thus far in the Western Tigers unit is Randolph Wagner, and the Moore believes “he is one of the best youth players in the country.” The match is expected to be a mouth-watering clash and a barrage of goals is anticipated.

tuesday, december 29, 2015

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

Australia v West Indies, 2nd Test, Melbourne, 3rd day…

Bravo holds up Australian victory push

Pg 19

Debutant Carlos Brathwaite was dismissed on the stroke of lunch for a fine 59

Darren Bravo continued his fine form on tour with another half-century

UDFA/GT Beer knockout football...

Guyana Jaguars players have been a dominant force since the PCL started in 2014-15

Netrockers, Winners Connection through to semi-finals Pg 23

“A Professional Cricket League is a must” – Sanasie Pg 22

Netrockers goalscorers! From right: Deshawn Joseph, Denzil Pryce, Shane Luckie and Orande Wills

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, Tel: 231-8064, 231-0544, 225-8697, 225-6695, 225-5634, 225-8696, 225-6707 - SALES AND MARKETING - sales@guyanatimesgy.com PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.