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

Issue No. 3128

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Saturday, February 18, 2017

PRICE

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Parking meter scandal

GNBA gets new Chairman

City Hall violates court order:

Paid parking to resume on Monday ... issues new regulations Page 9 ... JFAP finally sees the light: condemns unjust contract

Headmistress collapses, dies in school

$80 vat included

GECOM sub-plot

CEO Lowenfield gets another 3 years – as $100M radio set scandal swept under the carpet

P16

Seafood dealers P10 protest importation of shrimp from Suriname

Nightclub shooting

Page 3

New $77M Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts commissioned Page 7

Hotel Tower staff charged for deleting CCTV footage P8

Terrified mother begs for son to P8 be jailed Corentyne execution

Alleged P10 mastermind turns self in

Chief Justice (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards cutting the ribbon at the commissioning of the new $77 million Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts on Friday in the presence of Chancellor Carl Singh and Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan

Charles Ramson Sr sues Nagamootoo for withholding salary

Page 7

Govt to fast track housing project P16

2 NEWS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Parking meter scandal

JFAP finally sees light: condemns unjust contract O

nce a hitherto silent partner of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Justice for All Party (JFAP) has come out in condemnation of the Parking Meter Project. According to the Party, the contract must be scrapped with immediate effect.

According to the JFAP, which is led by Junior Finance Minister Jaipaul Sharma, the Party has reached the conclusion that the contract was entered into without the due consent of the entire Council.

It also noted that the Town Clerk had no authority, under Chapter 28:01 Section VII of the Municipal and District Councils Act, to sign the contract.

“The Town Clerk derives his powers from affirmative motions tabled at the Council. Having been sworn in on April 1 2016, the current Council never passed any motion, prior to May 13 2016, giving the Town Clerk the authority to enter any contract for the establishing parking meters. Thus, the contract is out of place ab initio.”

“The JFAP is also of the view that the contract violates Section 274 of

JFAP Leader Jaipaul Sharma

Chapter 28:01, regarding contracts. Neither has the JFAP seen and knows of

any waivers signed by the Communities Minister regarding this contract.”

Speaking specifically about the terms of the contract, the party expressed concerns. It referred to these terms as constituting “a complete give away of the city and private persons parking rights.”

It also expressed support for Alliance For Change (AFC) Deputy Mayor Sherod Duncan.

The party called on the Mayor and those APNU Councillors who “abused” the Deputy Mayor to apologise to Duncan.

“The JFAP also condemns the unwarrant-

The protests against the parking meters

ed attack of the Deputy Mayor. The Deputy Mayor, who is also Chairman of the Legal Committee of City Council, must be commended for bringing the covert actions of the Town Clerk and the Mayor to light.”

“This contract and the action of some APNU Councillors have clearly brought disrepute to the good name of the APNU/ AFC coalition. The JFAP reaffirms its support for good Government, transparency and accountability.” Failure to support Opposition’s motion While JAPM has now expressed its opposition to

Mayor Patricia Chase Green

the project, it is the second coalition party to reverse its position on the issue after refusing the support the Opposition when it brought a motion to debate the project in the National Assembly.

The motion, which had been tabled by People’s

Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament Irfaan Ali, had called for a debate on the transparency of the project, method of procurement involved, terms and conditions of the contract, and the overall lack of consultancy with stakeholders.

At the time, the motion had not been supported by the coalition APNU/AFC. This had led to Ali accusing the AFC of hypocrisy when that party had also reversed its position recently.

Ali, who had tabled the motion, contended that the AFC cannot claim to be an innocent party, nor can it divorce itself from the collective decision by its Government when APNU aligned Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan signed the By-laws for the project to be implemented.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, February 18 – 10:00h-11:30h and Sunday, February 19 – 11:30h-01:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, February 18 – 09:05h-10:35h and Sunday, February 19 – 10:30h-12:00h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected throughout the day, with clear to partly cloudy skies in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

GECOM sub-plot

CEO Lowenfield gets another 3 years – as $100M radio set scandal swept under carpet

T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) have declared a complete loss of confidence in Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield’s ability to carry out the duties of his office.

During a press conference held at Freedom House on Friday, Commissioners

the Commissioners expected that affirmative action on his part would be taken.

However, Commissioner Gunraj reported that during a special meeting where the CEO’s contract was a substantive matter to be discussed, the subject of the forensic audits was raised. He explained that it came up as the audit was at the time featured prominently on the front page of local newspa-

ask that audit, we should not let that be a factor in our (deliberations).”

When asked what had been the GECOM Chairman Dr Steve Surujbally’s position on the matter, Shadick said that he voted with them. And according to Commissioner Benn, this does not inspire confidence in the CEO. “Given the nature of the charges of the issues raised GECOM CEO Keith Lowenfield

High Tide: 09:14h and 21:46h reaching maximum heights of 2.30 metres and 2.19 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 02:46h and 15:16h reaching a minimum height of 0.94 metre at each scheduled low tide.

PPP Commissioners Sase Gunraj, Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick

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Sase Gunraj, Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick detailed a litany of complaints at the way GECOM is being run.

Their appraisal of the CEO also comes against the backdrop of Lowenfield’s contract being renewed for another three years.

The Commissioners reported that there was a distinct disinterest within the GECOM hierarchy regarding the results of an audit conducted by the Auditor General into issues of procurement around the time of the May 2015 General and Regional Elections. Specifically, the Commissioners looked at GECOM’s purchase of $100 million in radio equipment.

The Auditor General’s office had found discrepancies in the purchase of 50 VHF communication radios by the body. Concerns had been raised about the high price tag. As Lowenfield has been the CEO since 2014,

pers. He claimed that the matter was brushed aside.

“At the meeting, we were told that GECOM did not request an audit, so we ought not to pay heed to such an audit. Now, if ever there is an (example) of burying your head in the sand, then there couldn’t be a better one.”

“This thing was on the front page of the newspapers for three weeks and we ought not to pay heed to it?

Then tell me what we ought to pay heed to. As the Chief Elections Officer, the incumbent is the accounting officer. In the face of all those allegations, there was no desire to even await the outcome or report of that audit before we had this matter for consideration.”

According to Commissioner Shadick, “one of the commissioners on the other side specifically said we did not request the audit. And since we did not

in the press, the CEO should have stepped down, stepped aside, until the audit was finished,” Benn said.

Lowenfield, a former

as well as the 2016 Local Government Elections.

O p p o s i t i o n Parliamentarian Ganga Persaud had filed a petition against the elections result. Lowenfield, through his attorney, had submitted a challenge against this petition. This challenge was overruled by then Chief Justice Ian Chang.

However, the three Commissioners also believe that Lowenfield, due to his particular position, should not be a combatant in the proceedings, but rather strictly a respondent.

“There is no confidence in a CEO who undertakes

Some of the radios which auditors had zeroed in on

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Officer, was appointed the Chief Elections Officer in 2014. He got the nod ahead of former acting CEO Carlton Benn and two foreign applicants.

Since then, he has overseen the May 2015 General and Regional Elections of 2015,

an action which fundamentally undercuts the integrity and transparency of the Agency. This is specifically in reference to his application to the courts. It cannot stand.”

TURN TO PAGE 7

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017

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

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

Guyanese contribution to Canada’s cricket

G

uyanese cricketers who continue to ply their trade in Canada have made significant contributions to Cricket Canada over the years.

History shows that Canada’s participation at various tournaments organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) is periodical, but the impact the boys from the land of many waters have created has been admirable.

In the Toronto and District Cricket Association limited overs tournament, Guyanese have had great performances and have impressed the national selectors, thus gaining selection to the Canada National Team.

Additionally, several Guyanese cricketers use their exposure in Canada to enhance their skills when vying for selection to, not only the Guyana side, but the West Indies as well. The general feeling is that the exposure on foreign soil gives the cricketers immense confidence upon their return home to do well further afield.

The exposure occurs when some Guyanese play professionally in Canada before migrating, while others engage in the domestic tournament on an annual basis.

Their performances have been resounding in their competitions from third to first division.

North America and to a large extent Canada’s cricket is still on the back-burner because of what is perceived as poor administration or just lack of commitment to make the game gain prominence.

This maybe so since from the administration level, the love isn’t that strong for the game.

However, Guyanese businessmen in Canada have been putting their money where their mouths are. Their input at the administrative level can be counted as well because they have pushed hard to make dreams turn into reality.

While some other players who have excelled earlier in their careers are now coaches, and features high in authority are passing on the knowledge to mainly school and aspiring cricketers on a consistent basis who in turn welcome the efforts with open arms.

It can be said that the game of cricket is now in the hands of immigrants in Canada, but the passion and zeal can’t be found.

However, their willingness has been phenomenal and their consistent representation in different formats locally is certainly incredible.

Notably, a lot of new formations to cricket leagues and organisations must be attributed to the dedication and determination that the game can be played in a systematic fashion. They have enjoyed cricket and that degree of enthusiasm is abundant.

Guyanese cricketers show their talent with bat and ball and simultaneously show ambition to take part in umpiring, coaching and match-refereeing. This is a demonstration of the finest talents that would have come out from Guyana. They excelled in every facet when it comes to cricket and Cricket Canada must be thankful for their steady generosity to make the sunshine game in North America a growing sport.

As we all know Basketball and Ice Hockey have gained tremendous popularity and they continue to take precedence, but one thing that must not go unnoticed is that the riveting Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has made many attempts to take matches to Canada and because of improper seating accommodation, which may be one of the main reasons, that idea is now on hold. Fans in Canada are asking with a feverish tone of voice, when will the Caribbean T20 fever hit Canada and this may be because what Guyanese in Canada are doing or what they are seeing on television from the Guyana-based franchise.Many businesses, inclusive of Guyanese natives in Canada have tried to implement T20 cricket owing its excitement and entertainment, but lack of cooperation financially has put a road block on it, even though is quite viable for the game’s development. With softball cricket taking a different channel, Guyanese cricketers have shown a gigantic love to be part of it. They also would have initiated most of the tournaments and some cricketing leagues hosted huge events to mark variable occasions.

One was big enough to capture the attention of cricket lovers in 2016 when Guyana of course celebrated its 50th Anniversary Independence. Teams gathered in their number to ensure that those matches are symbolic with a 50-over competition.

Immigrants from other cricketing nations like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka turned up to witness some scintillating display from Guyanese cricketers young and old.

Potentially, Cricket Canada can reach as far back as World Cup assignment, but again the onus is now on the people responsible. Their last global event in 2003 limited overs tournament in South Africa was abysmal, but at least few Guyanese got the opportunity to be seen on the global stage in the beautiful game doing what they love.

With all those influences the Guyanese have, Cricket Canada must continue to utilise their input and cricketing skills for the betterment of the country’s cricket. Additionally, once a greater partnership is brokered with the government to take Cricket Canada to new heights, Canada as an ICC associate member will turn out better results on the international scene. This will only mean more competitive cricket across the globe including the West Indies, whose parent board has the responsibility to develop cricket in North America. This will be another window for Guyanese and other Caribbean cricketers to have a shot on the world stage.

Nations University hosted an educational fair at their school in Georgetown on Friday, which brought together some 15 universities and colleges from the USA, Canada and the Caribbean. The universities showcased their operations to schools and interested Guyanese seeking to further their education at the respective universities or colleges. In this photo, students are educated about human anatomy

SARA: An Albatross on growth of Guyana’s economy, democracy Dear Editor, Dr Clive Thomas has been writing for decades about the phantom/underground/parallel economy in Guyana. Enumerating some fantastical numbers, such as those penned in another section of the media on February 16, 2017, and captioned “SARU Defends Assets Recovery Bill – says country was bleeding $313 billion per annum” and captioned in Kaieteur News on the same date as “Guyana was losing over $300B annually through corruption under PPP”. Not to be exceeded, another headline article on the same date states: “$306B stolen per year under PPP …SARU says uncovered massive scale of corruption.”

The $313 billion the country is supposedly losing per annum is sourced from undefined metrics, with numbers that are unverifiable.

The substance of the reporting from the newspapers relate with varying numbers that reference: “The nation was losing $28-$35 billion each year through procurement fraud. In relation to capital flight, the nation was losing $90 billion every year. Furthermore, the underground economy caused the nation to lose $188 billion per year… adding up to a grand total of $313 billion per year, which is a conservative figure.”

It is unfortunate that the emergence of SARU has adversely affected the efforts by our Honourable Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who is trying mightily to set our economic ship on course for improved economic growth. Instead, the imminence of SARA, among other factors, has our com-

mercial banks unable to provide on demand, United States Dollars (US) to its clients, who have US accounts.

Basic wire transfers, from as little as US$500, have to go into bank trays for processing that can take over a week to process. During the “wait” period, if the exchange rate weakens, the customer has to pay more for the US, if the transfer is ever made.

The general thrust of the post-May 2015 Government is to spend an extraordinary amount of time and money to set up a so called “apparatus of anti-corruption” units, led by the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU). Hopefully, common sense will prevail and the Bill never becomes an Act. If it does, it will, in my opinion, reduce the GDP per capita and the growth of the Guyanese economy and permit inhumane acts. We are creating a monster with powers that no politician of any party ought not to have as their creature to obey the bidding of the party in power.

The folly of the “underground economy” analysis (it is reasonable to assume that a thorough analysis was done) is the complete lack of a comparative analysis as to what obtains in other countries, be it Trinidad, Jamaica or the USA, with regards to procurement fraud, capital flight and the underground economy. One cannot justify the numbers supplied by Professor Thomas without context.

If the USA Empire cannot keep drugs to any discernable degree from entering the country since the “war on drugs started’, it is foolhardy to think that Guyana, with its wide-open

and unprotected borders and airways, can impact drug smuggling and the use of Guyana as a drug transhipment country in any significant way.

Another black polar bear argument by Dr Thomas or SARU (the two seem undistinguishable) is that “The Guyana population is eager to see the country’s assets recovered”. My question for those on the SARU bandwagon is: where is the starting point for the recovery of assets? Is it from the first rigged election in 1968 that sustained through to 1991 in post-independent Guyana?

It should be easy to make a case for property transfers, whether by deed, gift, sale or discounted sale, to be recovered that took place over the rigged election period. Of course, leases could also be revoked for reasons of lack of legality, during the 1968 to 1991 period.

The unfree and unfair elections that Dr Thomas struggled to expose, whether as leader of the University of Guyana, Ratoon group and/or as a co-leader of the Working People’s Alliance, when he protested vehemently against the authors of the rigged elections. Be it the rigged elections in 1968, 1973, 1980, 1985 or the 1978 referendum that birthed us with the infamous 1980 Constitution of Guyana.

The words of Dr Walter Rodney, the Guyanese born and world renowned historian, activist intellectual, politician and brother of the working class, who embraced multiracialism, and with whom Professor Thomas struggled alongside for free and fair elections are notable here.

Dr Rodney, when refer-

ring to the 1978 referendum in a speech, stated: “the people are usually asked to vote on whether they would like to vote in the future and they invariably reply no… it’s an amazing trend in the world, however, after the Guyanese people voted no, according to the Government, 90 per cent of us said no, although only 10 per cent of us went to the polls”.

Dr Thomas and several others in the leadership of the WPA seem to have abandoned the working class of Guyana, some openly, others by hiding or writing in the margins on flippant matters or shadow boxing around the substantive and controversial issues of the day; by always attempting to reference something worse that happened under the previous government, and never referencing the awesome and inspiring struggles of Rodney at the height of illegality, brutality and disenfranchisement in Guyana. These “colleagues” of Dr Rodney seem to have disavowed the doctrine of Walter Rodney, which is very relevant and much needed in Guyana today.

All Guyanese need to fully embrace the writings, pronouncements and sacrifice made by Walter Rodney and resist the formation of oppressive institutions, division of our people and harsher living conditions, before it is too late.

The positions Dr Clive Thomas has been assigned post-May 2015 Elections are multiple: 1) Presidential Advisor, 2) Head of SARU, 3) Chairman of GuySuCo and 4) Commissioner on the GuySuCo Commission of Inquiry.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017

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

Mr Bulkan needs to educate himself on GuySuCo’s financial history Dear Editor, I wish to respond to a letter by Mr Ronald Bulkan, Communities Minister, in which he accused me of making baseless statements in relation to the Government’s payment to BK International of more than $1 billion on a mere letter threatening litigation.

Let me say that my statement was based on an article published in the media on August 23, 2016.

The front page headline read “Government pays BK US$5.7M on a simple threat”.

The article quotes Mr Bulkan as the source for the headline. It was an interview done with Mr Bulkan

by the reporter. The article also carried Mr Bulkan’s photograph.

Mr Bulkan never denied the story, nor ever asked for it to be retracted. Naturally, one must presume that the article was accurate. After Mr Bulkan’s letter, I raised the matter with the editor of Kaieteur News and he assured me that the newspaper will hold steadfast to their story.

It is, therefore, clear that it is the Minister who is uttering untruths in foolishly denying what he said, when the same can be so easily confirmed or proven.

I hope that the new Code of Conduct, which was promised for Ministers, will ad-

dress the issue of Ministers, publically, peddling halftruths and even downright lies.

Mr Bulkan went on to point out what was the basis for the huge payment to BK International.That is not the issue at hand Mr Bulkan is attempting to obfuscate. While in Government, I was aware of those figures. The issue is that BK International breached the agreement several times.

The PPP/C terminated the contract and requested BK International to vacate the site. The PPP/C Government felt that it was BK International that was liable and should pay the Government instead. We

were ready to sue BK for compensation.

It was this APNU regime that quickly rolled over and gave BK International a huge payment. This settlement and many others which this Government has concluded are believed by many to be tainted with rampant corruption. Mr Bulkan took the opportunity to castigate me about GuySuCo’s difficulties. Here again, he is displaying a huge gap in his knowledge of what is happening at GuySuCo, or if he knows, he has chosen to be dishonest on the issue.

I mentioned before that GuySuCo’s problems began when the price of sugar received from the EU fell by 36

per cent in 2010. The PPP/C government was investing in the industry to deal with the new reality. Our plan was working as could be seen in the 2015 production.

Had the PPP/C not been cheated out of Office, Wales would not have been closed and Rose Hall would not be threatened with closure.The industry has huge potentials in value added products. This regime refuses to go in that direction and is closing the industry instead. This is a decision that will haunt this country for generations to come.

Mr Bulkan should be one of the last persons to speak or refer to anyone’s ability to manage. After all, he ran his

own business into bankruptcy.His pique with the PPP/C administration was because the government did not accede to their request for a bail out of some $300 million. The PPP/C government felt it could not use taxpayers’ money in that fashionHe is with the APNU now maybe because they don’t care how taxpayers’ dollars are squandered and used to give the elite huge salaries and allowances. As a gentleman, I expect Mr Bulkan to own up to his words and not seek to hide from them.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former President

An attempt at deception of Wärtsilä contract SARA: An Albatross...

Dear Editor, We refer to the articles, “Edghill’s figures on Wärtsilä are grossly inaccurate”; “Minister David Patterson responds to Juan Edghill”; and “Patterson slams Edghill’s statements on Wärtsilä’s operation in Guyana”, in sections of the local media.

Regrettably, this response penned under the name of Minister Patterson is nothing but a public relations exercise, a sleight of hand, and an attempt at deception. We, the PPP/C, were astonished when the Minister proclaimed that Wärtsilä received its contract payment for just “checking-off” from time to time what the skilled Guyanese workers had done. The question was not the contract figure, but what were the goods and services being provided by the Wärtsilä contract. A question the Minister studiously avoided. To conform with the public, a figure for a sense of what was

at stake, we the PPP/C, put the Wärtsilä contract figure at approximately US$7.5 million per year.

The Minister’s response lists figures of US$6.2 million from 2008 to US$9.6 million for 2015, averaging US$7.9million per year over the period, close enough for purpose – neither of the charges against MP Edghill of gross inaccuracy or that of “slamming Edghill” is justified.

Recall that the Honourable Minister Patterson had claimed in Parliament that Wartsila received US$25,000/day for just “checking-off” the work done by the 194 skilled Guyanese. We, the PPP/C, have maintained that the Wärtsilä Contract paid the wages and all benefits, including the training of the 194 skilled Guyanese, as well as all additional expert services and paid for the running spares. The Minister has totally bypassed this issue and we are now even more fearful

of a scam being perpetrated on the people of Guyana.

To claim, maintain and justify the savings of switching from Wärtsilä to PPDI, the Minister must tell us forthrightly: I. Who are PPDI and whom might they have retained (we need to know the names), and whether they can and would provide a similar level of skill, experience oversight and continually interactive management, and that they are all being paid from the contract? So far, we have only been told that there are two Directors, the Permanent Secretary of the Public Infrastructure Ministry Mr Balram Balraj, and Attorney-at-Law Mr Ronald Burch-Smith.

This, thus, appears to be a Government-owned company. Are we to see it being transitioned to a public-private partnership or a totally private company? One would need to keep an eye on any transition to see the movement of risks, obliga-

tions and responsibilities.

II. Whether the 194 skilled Guyanese and all additional expert services, as required from time to time, are to be paid by PPDI from the contract, as was with Wärtsilä?

III. Whether the “running spares” and expert services are being provided (paid for) by PPDI from the contract, as was with Wartsila?

IV. Whether the attainment of similar efficiencies (conversion of fuel to kWh), lube oil consumption and availability are included and whether the penalties for shortfall are the same as in the Wärtsilä contract?

If the answers to questions II, III and IV are not all affirmative we have a scam: and if any is affirmative, the Honourable Minister must retract what he said in Parliament.

Yours faithfully, Juan Edghill, PPP/C MP

Inaccurate figures presented by Edghill Dear Editor, On behalf of the Government of Guyana, I wish to strongly denounce and deem erroneous the statements made by Mr Edghill on Wartsila’s operations in Guyana in sections of the media.

According to Mr Edghill, he was informed by the former Chairman of the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc Board, Mr Winston Brassington, and former CEO, Mr Bharrat Dindyal, that the contract between the Government of Guyana and Wartsila was to the tune of approximately US$7.5 million per year, or about US$20,500 per day. He further intimated that the new contract with the Power Producer and Distribution Inc (PPDI) made less financial sense than that that of Wartsila’s.

However, the figures stated by Mr Edghill are grossly inaccurate. Below is an accurate breakdown of the amounts paid to Wartsila

from 2008 to 2016:

Year contract sum (USD)

2008 $6.2 million 2009 $6.8 million 2010 $6.7 million 2011 $7.8 million 2012 $7.8 million 2013 $8.5 million 2014 $9.5 million 2015 $9.6 million 2016 $10 million

Furthermore, it must be noted that, going forward, Wartsila was proposing an average cost of US$20.51 per megawatt hour. This would have equated to approximately US$13.3 million per annum, based upon a consumption of 650,000 megawatts per year. Compare this figure to the proposed fee of US$16.78 megawatts per hour from PPDI. This would equate to savings of US$2.4 million, based on the same consumption rate for an enhanced service.

With savings of this magnitude, it would be possible to buy a brand new 5.5MW

Wartsila engine every three years.

Additionally, when it came to the price of spare parts, the agreement was that GPL would be charged at a discounted price. However, the records show that GPL was paying global list prices up until the contract’s termination with Wartsila. PPDI will be purchasing spares for all parts at equal or better prices.

It is certainly an indictment on the previous administration tha t they were clearly in the dark for years on the amount of monies that was being paid out to Wartsila; Mr Brassington served as Chairman of the Board from 2010-2015 while Mr Dindyal was CEO in 2015. Yet, neither of them, it would appear, was aware of what was transpiring in regards to Wartsila’s operations.

The shift from Wartsila to PDDI is a needed move.

Upon its entry into Guyana, Wartsila had no prior suc-

cessful operations and maintenance of power plants and its management was unwilling to offer any guarantees of its services.

It must be emphasised at all times that Wartsila was managed wholly and solely

by Guyanese and PPDI intends to maintain this model, coupled with drastic financial savings. In fact, PPDI’s top management comprises of Guyanese with more than 60 years of combined experienced with Wartsila, both locally and regionally.

Furthermore, I must once again urge that the Opposition takes up its seat on the Board of GPL so that they can be properly informed.

The other equally inaccurate matters raised by Mr Edghill in his letter will be addressed at a later stage in a more appropriate forum.

Yours sincerely, David Patterson Public Infrastructure Minister

Dr Thomas is now deeply and comfortably entrenched in the bosom of the APNU/ AFC Government. No conflicts there that the blind can see.

It seems to me that the powers that be in the Coalition have an unhealthy fixation on Pradoville 2, particularly the property occupied by former Executive President of Guyana, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, the obsession goes beyond reason and logic and is divisive, counterproductive and to a large extent, has brought the beast known as SARU into existence. It is inevitable that over time, if SARU ever becomes SARA, it will be an extremely powerful apparatus for witch-hunting, persecution and be answerable to the beck and call of the politicians’ in power. We have already taken the ex-President to court on some wispy charge, considering all that obtains in Guyana during the pre-election period. Now to make him

FROM PAGE 4

homeless! What an admixture of wasted energy, focus and resources; all with very bad intentions that will result in long-term negative repercussions for Guyanese.

In concluding, here is a nugget on the current wrecking of Guyana’s Sugar Industry: I would not go as far as the German Philosopher - Arthur Schopenhauer, who claimed the writings of another German Philosopher, Georg Hegel, was written in a manner to deliberately obfuscate. Instead, I note that for decades Dr Thomas has written about Guyana’s sugar industry and how it could be revitalised and made viable. Now with Dr Thomas as Chairman of GuySuCo, the crisis in the sugar industry has accelerated – it does cause one to wonder as to the usefulness of his research and lengthy writings.

Sincerely, Nigel Hinds

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Foundation

ways to teach children the value of money

BY PAM MYERS, BSED

M

BY PAM MYERS, BSED

A

s a parent, you try to teach your children to use money wisely. When children become teenagers, they seem to forget everything you’ve taught them. This may be partly due to peer pressure and trying to find their place in the world.

However, no matter how much they think they need the newest namebrand things, sometimes it’s simply not within the family budget.

Despite what some teenagers think, parents aren’t made of money. You may be struggling with how to address your teenager’s spending behaviour.

The following ideas may give you the help you need to do exactly that.

want.

Give them an allowance

Show them the importance of setting up a budget to ensure they have money when they need it rather than spending it as soon as they get it.

Help them make wise decisions about the money they have access to but don’t let them think you’re there with your pocketbook open whenever they blow their budget and run

Include your teen in discussions about family finances

Let them see how much income the family brings in, how much monthly expenses are, the amount put into saving, and how much is left as discretionary funds. Once they understand where the money goes, it may help them realize that you’re not trying to make their life difficult; you simply don’t have the extra to buy them everything they

out of money.

Suggest they get a part-time job

Have them earn the money they want by doing extra chores. Help

them learn that you have to work to bring in money to your household and they will have to do the same thing in the future. The sooner they learn the way the world works in relation to finances the better off they’ll be.

Ask your teenager to help you make a menu plan & grocery list

Encourage them to go with you to the store. Show them how to use coupons or comparison shop so they get the best price for the items on your list.

This will teach them how to do the same thing when they’re responsible for buying their own things.

Don’t forget to teach your teen to save.

They’ll thank you for teaching them about how to handle money after they’re out on their own. Of course, until that happens, you can expect then to ask you to help fund whatever they want. Being proactive by expecting your teen to use their own money may be your best bet on how to address your teenager’s big spending behaviour. (childdevelopmentinfo.com)

oney is an essential part of life, and it’s never too early to teach your children its value and the importance of saving, so they will be equipped to spend sensibly when they grow up. Learning the principles of responsible handling of money should give them many opportunities for advancement when they are older, which is why it is important that, even at a young age, children cultivate a respect for money.

1. Expand on the basics of Maths

Once your children start school and learn the basics of Maths, begin to educate them about money and give them some practice. Play money games at home, or download them to your computer and/ or tablet. This way, your child will learn how cash is actually used.

2. Get them a piggy bank

This simple action will teach your

children the importance of saving, and engender a sense of responsibility towards handling money.

Encourage your children to save a certain amount in a particular time frame, or suggest they save coins of a particular denomination. Make it a game as well as an aim, to keep it interesting. On your chosen date, open the piggy banks and count the savings. Make some sort of visual record, to encourage your children to save more, and teach them the basics of simple record keeping.

3. Familiarise them with the bank

Take your children to the bank and open savings accounts in their names. Let them talk to the teller and conduct their business themselves. Make sure they understand the terms and conditions of the account, and suggest they commit to depositing regular amounts on a weekly or monthly basis.

For more convenient banking, ask if the accounts can be serviced online. Having their own bank account will give your children a feeling

of achievement which could even motivate them to save more.

4. Encourage them to plan how to spend their savings

Planning for future spending motivates your children to achieve their savings goals.

It reminds them that with enough money, they can buy whatever they want. Allow them to dream big, and encourage them to save more, so they can achieve their goals more quickly.

5. Let them do their own shopping

Give your children their own allowances when you go shopping. Then you can observe their attitudes towards spending money. If your children want to spend more than their allowance, advise them to be more frugal and more patient. Educate them on sensible spending and explain the priorities when shopping. Also, remind them that at the end the day, the most important thing is that they can

buy what they want, because they were able to save money in the piggy banks.

6. Pay in cash

Credit cards are a great temptation to spend money you don’t have, then pay more for the privilege later. Show your children that the best way to buy things is with the money in their pockets. Keep it real at all times – handing over cash is the best way to learn how to use money responsibly.

The best way to teach your children the value of money and the importance of saving is to lead by example, and allow them some responsibility. Give them an allowance for the things they might want to buy, and encourage them to save in various ways.

Familiarise them with simple record keeping and the way savings accounts work, and leave the credit cards at home when you shop with the children. These simple but effective measures will help them to learn how to handle money responsibly, and equip them for adult life. (childdevelopmentinfo.com)

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Charles Ramson sues Nagamootoo for withholding salary C ommissioner of Information, Charles Ramson Sr, has filed legal action against his boss, Prime Minister and Information Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Attorney General Basil Williams.

Among the former Attorney General’s contentions are that his salary for last month was withheld.

Ramson Sr, whose suit was filed for him by his Attorneys Ashton and Pauline Chase on Thursday, is seeking a declaration that his fundamental right to work was violated by the respondents. He is also seeking an order for the respondents to continue to pay his salary, emoluments and allowances “until such time as his appointment is revoked lawfully.”

In addition, he is seeking an order for the Prime Minister, the second named respondent, to provide “such accommodation, resources and officers and employees for the efficient functioning of the office of the Commissioner of Information pursuant to Section 5 of the Access to Information Act 2011.”

Ramson’s writ also includes a request for “exemplary damages against the second named respondent for his unlawful acts and/or the violation of his constitutional right to work”; “any

Former Justice of Appeal and Attorney General, Charles Ramson Sr

other order as may be just” and finally, cost.

Contending that his right to work has been violated, Ramson quoted Article 149A of the Constitution of Guyana in the writ, which states that; “No person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her right to work, that is to say, the right to free choice of employment.”

While Attorney General Basil Williams was named a respondent as a representative of the State, Nagamootoo was sued under the State Liability and Proceedings Act 1988. He noted that Nagamootoo is required by law to make provisions for his office to function efficiently.

He stated that post 2015, his accommodation and staff was “degutted in stages”, both unilaterally and by mutual arrangement. He claimed to have relocated to his property for an agreed period of three months which came to an end on December 31, 2015.

“In that event, I continued to report to work routinely, commencing at 07:00h and have always been ready, willing and able to meet the legal responsibilities of my office. Notwithstanding several notices to (Nagamootoo) his statutory obligations were not given effect, refused and neglected and I have since filed proceedings for compensation for use and occupation of my property for January 1st to 31st December, 2016.”

He went on to note that “payment of my salary was made for December 2016, but my gratuity payable half-yearly was unlawfully and without notice, withheld upon the instructions (of Nagamootoo).”

But that’s not all. Ramson is also contending that for January 2017, his salary was also withheld despite “(Nagamootoo) announcing in the National Assembly at the Committee of Supply stage that $36 million was allocated to my office for the period 1st January to 31st December 2017.”

PPP commissioners declare...

FROM PAGE 3

Commissioner Gunraj stressed that while, as a citizen, anyone is entitled to redress in the courts, Lowenfield’s particular position as GECOM’s CEO made it necessary for him to not be a combatant in the proceedings.

Accountable to Parliament

When contacted on Friday, CEO Lowenfield refuted assertions that he had to address the Auditor

General’s audit at the Commission’s level. He stated that the law stipulates that he is accountable to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament and that it would have been addressed at that level.

“The CEO, as accounting officer, was accountable in 2015 to the Ministry of Finance. An audit was done, an audit report was presented. It is a public document.

And I have to go to the (PAC)

with that.”

“So the Audit General’s office, which completed and submitted their report to Parliament and the PAC, will be addressing that.

That is not a matter for the Commission. In 2015 GECOM was a budget agency, which fell directly under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance and the Audit General’s office. They’re the ones who the law prescribed to treat with that.”

New $77M Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts commissioned

Chancellor Carl Singh and Chief Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards commissioning of the new Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

All of these acts, according to Ramson Sr, have affected his fundamental right to work. He also alleged that Nagamootoo has a “lack of comprehension of the Act aforementioned and/ or prompted by malice and/ or improper legal advice by person’s with whom he associates and/or is politically aligned resulting in loss and damage to me.”

The matter is scheduled to be heard on February 24 at the High Court. It also warned in the action filed that failure by the respondents to appear may see judgment being given in absentia and without further notice.

A

fter almost 12 months since construction works commenced, the newly-built Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts was on Friday commissioned by the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Carl Singh and Chief Justice (ag) Yonette CummingsEdwards.

The $77 million building located next door to the Sparendaam Police Station consists of two courtrooms, where two Magistrates will be presiding.

At the simple commissioning ceremony, the Chancellor used the opportunity to announce that Night Court, which had commenced at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts in October 2016 to reduce the quantum of backlogged cases, will conclude

this month end.

According to Chancellor Singh, the Night Court has met its purpose and so will not be extended.

He further related that the sum of money approved for the operations at the Night Court is also nearly exhausted.

The Night Court was a special measure, which was aimed at reducing the overcrowding at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The Night Court was amplified following the unrest at the Georgetown Prison at Camp and D’Urban Streets on March 3, 2016 where 17 inmates lost their lives while being on remand.

TURN TO PAGE 13

8 NEWS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Nightclub shooting

Hotel Tower staff charged for deleting CCTV footage

T

hree senior employees of Hotel Tower were on Friday slapped with the charge of attempting to obstruct the course of justice in relation to a shooting incident which occurred at Club Privilege last month.

Those charged are Club Privilege Manager Andre Rochford, General Manager of Hotel Tower Keisha Phillips and Technical Manager Ronald O’Brien, who all appeared before City Magistrate Judy Latchman.

The trio, who were all represented by Attorney Mark Waldron, denied

the charge which stated that on January 8, 2017 at Hotel Tower Main Street, Georgetown, they attempted to obstruct the course of justice by deleting a CCTV footage that captured the shooting incident, which took place at the entity on the same date.

The Prosecution contended that the club was shut down after a shootout and thoroughly cleaned by the staff, who denied the occurrence of any such incident, but the issue came to light when a Police report was made by one of the vic-

Andre Rochford

tims, who was grazed by a bullet. Upon investigations, the Police reportedly found bullet holes in the club.

Rochford, 43, of Trinidad and Tobago is no stranger to the courts, he was previously charged with an immigration offence last month for overstaying when he pleaded guilty to a charge, which stated that he failed to comply with the conditions of a Guyana work permit.

Magistrate Latchman released the trio on $700,000 each. The case will continue on March 7, 2017.

Terrified mother begs Alleged phone thief remanded for son to be jailed

P

rakash Balgobin of Sophia, Georgetown was on Wednesday sentenced to two months imprisonment for damage to property when he appeared before City Magistrate Annette Singh. According to the Prosecution’s case, on February 12 at North Sophia Georgetown, Balgobin allegedly damaged the windows of his mother’s house.

The windows valued $34,000 and are the property of his mother, Sattie Balgobin.

The Court was told that Prakash Balgobin used threatening behaviour during the commission of the offence, thereby breaking the bond to keep the peace, additionally using threatening

language towards his mother.

Police Prosecutor Simmons, explained that the virtual complainant (VC) is a member of the Salvation Army and the house was sold to the non-profit organisation prior to the incident, to be used as a home for those in need.

Balgobin was previously ordered by Magistrate Annette Singh to have a psychic evaluation and has been evading the Police ever since.

In court on Friday, the VC informed the court that she is terrified of her son and requested that he be “put away”. As such, Balgobin was jailed for two months for the offence.

A

Sophia, Georgetown man who allegedly robbed a woman of her cellphone was on Friday remanded to prison when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for robbery.

Deshawn Britton denied the charge which alleged that on February 13, 2017, at Water Street, Georgetown, he robbed Ashley Norton of a

cellular phone value $38,000.

In court on Friday, the prosecution contended that the 23-year-old man was arrested and the phone was found in his possession.

The prosecution objected to bail when the matter was called before Magistrate Annette Singh. Britton was remanded to prison and the case will continue on March 8.

Show cause…

T

…Caricom must not be scrapped he latest HoG’s meeting of Caricom set your Eyewitness thinking, like Alfie, on what’s it all about. There ought to be a law on public institutions demanding every five years they justify their existence. If they can’t - then they ought to be disbanded. In effect, they have to show cause why the public should keep shelling out funds to keep them around. Not like how our Government peremptorily shut down Wales, but giving the bureaucrats one year’s notice.

One leader said that Caricom shouldn’t “procrastinate.

Caricom not procrastinate? Isn’t that like squaring the circle? To bureaucracies in general, and Caricom in particular, it’s all about showing pushing paper from one tray to another, then one desk to another. As Harvard sociologist Thomas Sowell said, “You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats, procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing.” He obviously knows Caricom!

The question for Caricom’s bureaucracy is “what have they done for us, the people of Guyana in that time?” Let’s not get carried away with positions Caricom took at the UN or Brussels or the WTO or all the other junkets these bureaucrats jet off to all year round. In the grand scheme of things, Caricom diplomatic clout isn’t worth a bucket of warm spit. There’s another human liquid effluent that comes to mind - but this is a family newspaper!

What did we get from the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Caricom signed with the EU? What about that sugar protocol with the EU? Your Eyewitness knows the bureaucrats will whine about how poor and small we are. But that’s the whole point about coming together and having this mega bureaucratic albatross around our necks, isn’t it? Strength in numbers and all that?

But we don’t have to look outside at Caricom’s relations with the outside world to see its ineffectualness.

Just look what they’ve done - or more to the point NOT done - on a problem that’s long identified as solvable with our own resources. Every year, starting in 1973 when the organisation was launched, the HoG’s would gather and whinge about us importing US$3 billion worth of foodstuffs. Excepting at the recent meetings - including the present one - the number had grown to US$4 billion!

Back in 2002, then President Jagdeo offered a concrete suggestion - eponymously dubbed the “Jagdeo Initiative on Agriculture” - to solve the problem. There were eight challenges identified that were divvied up between the members. Ours was agricultural land, which we immediately offered for a pittance.

So the Caricom talked and talked - adding to global warming - but, as usual, nothing was done!!

So Caricom - gwan da side!! …for being in limbo With the head of GECOM hanging up his abacus and heading to the deep Sargasso Sea - Prezzie asked the Opposition to submit their list to choose the successor.

Then, as we know, all hell broke out over - yes! - the meaning of the phrase “fit and proper”. The Trojan War was blamed on Helen; WWI on the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand - but “fit and proper”?? Oi vey!!

So, we had the interminable back and forthing between the President and the Opposition Leader and then their representatives the former and incumbent Attorney Generals. Now, suddenly, we’re informed the process is “limbo”. Your Eyewitness was intrigued. How did things sink to this level? Having being force-fed on Dante in high school, he knew Limbo was the first circle of hell. So, was this a hint that the process was deep-sixed?

Or, is it our “Caribbean Limbo”, where Basil Williams is showing how low he can go? …for bootstrapping Your Eyewitness gets it that “self-referentiality” is post-modern and all that. But in asking for powers exceeding that of the judge, jury and executioner, surely Clive Thomas should refer to some other source than himself for his outrageous “$306 billion stolen annually

by PPP” claim.

At his age, is he imagining it all?

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

NEWS

9

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Parking meter scandal

City Hall violates court order: Paid parking to resume on Monday ...issues new regulations ... JFAP finally sees the light: condemns unjust contract

D

espite a High Court order on Thursday putting the controversial Parking Meter Project on hold, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) will be restarting paid parking in the city come Monday with a plethora of new concessions for motorists.

This was announced by Mayor Patricia Chase Green at a joint press conference held on Friday by the M&CC and Smart City Solutions (SCS), the company contracted to carry out the project.

Mayor Chase Green, in her statement to reporters, said “As of Monday next, we will resume implementation of the Parking Meter Project.”

When questioned about this decision to restart the project in light of the pending court action, the Mayor explained that legal advice was sought on the matter. “My understanding of the matter before the court is one that doesn’t stop us; there’s not an injunction that stops us from operating,” she posited.

At that point, Town Clerk Royston King interjected and blocked further questioning on the issue.

Court order

On Thursday, acting Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards handed down a court order calling on the Mayor and City Council, and the Town Clerk, the named respondents, to show cause why the project should not be quashed. The order was granted after an application for judicial review was made by Attorney Kamal Ramkarran, on behalf

of Mohendra Arjune.

The respondents will have to present their case on February 27, before Justice Brassington Reynolds.

Also on that date, a second court action on the Parking Meter Project against the City Council filed by the New Building Society (NBS) will also come up for hearing, where the Town Clerk and Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan were ordered to present arguments on why the Parking Meter Project should not be quashed.

Minister Bulkan had signed off on the By-laws to green-light paid parking in the city last month.

However, among the orders granted by the Chief Justice on Thursday was the revocation of “the decision of the Mayor and Councillors and anyone acting by or through them or under their directions or instructions or on their behalf to exempt persons or categories of persons from paying fees for parking in the City of Georgetown and being subject to penalties for parking in Georgetown.”

Penalties

In this regard, when asked whether as of Monday clamping of vehicles will recommence as well, King told reporters “we will resume our operations on Monday and that will include the tools that are available to us for non-compliance of our Bylaws.”

Further pressed whether those “tools” was were referring to clamping, the Town Clerk responded in the negative, however, Director of

Business Development attached to SCS, Amir Oren, said “Yes”.

But, Mayor Chase Green immediately interrupted saying, “Don’t let them (media) confuse you Amir!” She went on to point out that there will be immobilisation to give persons permission to pay for the parking space they would have occupied without a parking meter ticket, as oppose to a fine that previously obtained.

This is one of the new changes made to the paid parking model, whereby they are moving from a ‘pay for space’ method to ‘pay for plate’, which can be used at more than one parking zone.

This will allow for motorists to pay for parking time for their vehicles, as oppose to pay for parking space for a particular amount of time.

“This effectively means that motorists will be able to purchase any amount of time for their cars, even if it’s on a discounted basis, and they’ll be able to put those parking tickets within cars and then use that time anywhere within any Meter Parking Zones in the city (until the time on the parking ticket expires),” Oren explained.

Fee structure

The other changes include a 50 per cent reduction of meter rates for those parking eight hours or more.

This means motorists buying parking time for eight hours or more will pay $25 dollars for 15 minutes plus Value Added Tax (TAX).

Meanwhile, the $50 per 15 minutes plus VAT metered parking fee will remain the

Mayor Patricia Chase Green and Town Clerk Royston King, along with Director of SCS Amir Oren and Kit Nascimento at a joint press conference on Friday

same and be applied to all motorists parking for periods of 15 minutes to four hours.

“The idea really is to cement the market for those persons who would come to town and look for parking on a short-term basis, so that you’re enhancing many of the benefits of mobility and parking space turn-over that you would have with such a structure, but at the same time take into account that you need to make available discounted parking for the working class or those parking for long-term hours in the city,” the SCS official stated.

However according to Oren, those motorists purchasing four hours of parking at $50 per 15 minutes plus VAT, which effectively costs the same as eight hours with the 50 per cent reduction as mentioned, will automatically be credited with four more bonus hours of metered park-

ing. This, Oren noted, was done to ensure that the new payment structure makes sense in that motorist buying less time pay more and those buying more time pay less.

Furthermore, the SCS Business Director disclosed that a 15 minutes grace period before clamping has also been introduced, as well as one month free from paying the immobilisation fee so that motorists can become familiarised with the new changes. However, vehicles will still be immobilised but instead of paying the immobilisation penalty fee, motorists will be required to pay the parking fees ($50 for every 15 minutes) spent on the Parking Zones.

These changes, however, will be enforced until the Bylaws are amended. The draft documents are currently being prepared and this process will take some seven to

10 days.

According to Mayor Chase Green, these changes were as a result of further talks recently held with various stakeholders. Minister of State Joseph Harmon had disclosed last week that the penalty aspect of metered parking in the city was relaxed to facilitate further consultants after widespread consultations against the project continued.

It was noted that these new rates were initially designed for the working class, but given the practice of businesses to secure parking in front of their buildings, a decision was taken to have the concessions be applicable to all motorists.

The Parking Meter Project has caused widespread criticism with various stakeholders calling for it to be cancelled. It has also attracted mass protest actions.

10 news

saturDAY, February 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Headmistress Seafood dealers protest importation of collapses, dies shrimp from Suriname in school M

oments after school assembled on Friday morning, the Headmistress of Selman Fraser Nursery School, in Albouystown, Georgetown collapsed and died.

Details of the incident are sketchy but Guyana Times was told that that the head teacher was known as Teacher Geeta, with no other information provided.

When this publication visited the school, the teachers at the school said they were instructed by officials at the Education Ministry not to speak with the media.

However, this newspaper understands that the now dead woman was chat-

S

Shrimp dealers protesting on Friday

Selman Fraser Nursery School

ting with several of her colleagues when she collapsed. This publication was told that the teacher suffered from hypertension (high blood pressure).

After her collapse, she

was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead. An investigation has been launched into the incident.

eafood dealers on the Corentyne, Berbice, on Friday protested the importation of shrimp from neighbouring Suriname.

The concerned aquaculture famers took their protest action to the office of the Prime Minister at Port Mourant.

Carrying placards that read, “Smuggling of shrimp has severely affected our lives”; “We demand a positive solution to smuggling”; “Down with market officials for facilitating the smugglers/retailers”; “Down with Public Health officials in Region Six”; “Amend the Act on smuggling of shrimp/ fish.”

More than 40 dealers braved the rain and held placards and chanted slogans as they took the Corentyne Highway.

The protestors are rearing shrimp and tilapia for a living, and are finding it difficult to compete with the shrimp and fish coming in from Suriname.

According to the farmers, the shrimp and fish are brought into the country and sold at cheaper prices than they can produce.

For over 20 years the aquaculture dealers have been trying to have systems put in place to allow them to operate without unfair competition.

Secretary of the East Berbice Aquaculture Association Sewdat Persaud, on Friday said that the situation with the unfair competition has gotten from “bad to worse”.

“When the shrimp come from Suriname it floods the market and cause the price to go down. We normally sell for $8000 to $10,000 per bucket and they sell it for between $3000 and $4000 a bucket. So we can’t compete with them because our cost of production is higher,” Persaud said.

He noted that about eight known smugglers make about four trips daily to Suriname to trade shrimp and a further 10 does the same for tilapia.

He explained that the local aquaculture farmers are burdened with high cost for spare parts to dig ponds and construct dams, all of which attract VAT. The protesters claim that

with the frequency of which the shrimp and fish arrive in Guyana, without a certificate of wholesomeness, suggest that some in authority might be benefiting from the illegal trade.

Regional Environmental Officer Marvin Dindyal met with the protestors, but during a heated argument referred to them as animals.

Meanwhile, Chetram Samaroo, another affected businessman, said that they have received numerous promises that the matter would be addressed.

He claims that Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan, while on the campaign trail during the 2015 elections, urged the shrimp dealers to vote for the Coalition as they will address the issue.

Some of the concerned operators claim that rental for ponds are very high.

Premwattie Deonaught of Number 50 Village says she pays $100,000 in rental monthly. In addition, she has to pay workers to weed, harvest and for fish feed and cannot make a profit at the lower cost.

Corentyne execution

Alleged mastermind turns self into Police T

he alleged mastermind in the Tain, Corentyne, Berbice, execution of a domestic worker turned herself into Police on Friday afternoon.

Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Ian Amsterdam told Guyana Times that the wanted woman went to the Criminal Investigations Department at the Whim Police Station in the company of Attorney Chandra Sohan.

Indira Outar was wanted for questioning for the February 7 killing of Lilawatie Muhammed, 45, at her lot 198 Sixth Street, Tain Settlement, Corentyne home.

It is alleged that Outar paid $400,000 to have Muhammed executed.

Muhammed was reportedly involved in an extramarital relationship with Outar’s husband.

Dead: Lilawatie Muhammed

On the evening of February 7, two masked men broke into Muhammed’s home and demanded money under the pretext that it was a robbery. When she said she did not have money, one of the men put a gun to her head and discharged two bullets.

On Wednesday, Oliver Permaul, 36, of lot 100 Tain; the wife of Nazeema

Permaul, 42, a businesswoman of Rose Hall Town of the same address; Andre James, also called “Andy”, 26, a tattoo artist of lot 46 ‘A’ George Street, Rose Hall; Rohan Johnson, also called “Jamakie”, 38, a carpenter of Clardon, Jamaica and of lot 107 Second Street, Rose Hall; and his reputed wife Shabikie Albert, also called “Shabikie Thompson”, all appeared at the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court and were charged with murder.

Amsterdam said the woman did not provide any significant information in relation as to the reason Police wanted her for questioning.

He however noted that the Police have 72 hours during which to detain her.

Guyana Times understands that Outar was out of the country at the time of the shooting but subsequently returned.

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saturDAY, february 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Caricom confabs end on high note

T

he 28th Intercessional meeting of Caribbean Community (Caricom) Heads of Government ended on Friday with Heads of State committing to the upward movement of the community.

Current chair and President of Guyana, David Granger, along with incoming Chair, Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell, along with Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque met with the media moments after wrapping up the agenda for the final day.

President Granger said the two-day meeting saw “successful” discussions and decisions on issues that are important to moving the Community towards its objectives.

“During the course of our discussions, the Conference of Heads of Government reflected on the importance of the Caricom ‘Brand’, and the pride that we have in our citizenship, citizenry and membership. Every citizen of this Community must count; every citizen of this Community has rights, and, wherever our citizens are, they have the right to be treated as Caribbean citizens,” Granger told the media corps.

He stated there is no such thing as a ‘stateless person’ in the Community, and such there should be no occurrence as a citizen of a

ARICOM Ends

Caribbean state being treated as inferior in any jurisdiction in the Community.

“In our discussions on the Caricom Single Market and Economy, for which we received a review, the matter of free movement of skilled persons was ventilated. We agreed on priority areas to be addressed, including the completion of the protocol on procedures relating to facilitation of travel.”

He said Caricom continues to be concerned that some of its previous decisions have not been fully complied with and agreed that the necessary action will be taken to effect compliance. In that regard, the meeting also addressed the need for the relevant ministerial councils and committees to meet.

Crime

The Caricom Chairman said the unacceptable levels of crime in the Community engaged the attention of leaders.

“We have resolved to do more to curb the scourge, including placing greater focus on the social determinants of crime, especially among the youth. Our Attorney Generals will take action to finalise agreements which are essential to the implementation of the Regional Crime and Security Agenda.”

Correspondent banking

President Granger said Caricom has recognised the

International relations

President David Granger is flanked by Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque and Incoming Chairman of the Caricom, Dr Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister Grenada

need for a regional approach and continued concerted, urgent action to address effectively the challenge posed by the de-risking strategies of the global banks which result in the withdrawal of correspondent banking services; to strengthen the integrity of the financial system in Caricom Member States; and to attenuate the perception of the Caribbean as a high-risk region.

“We considered the Strategy and Action Plan submitted by the Committee of Central Bank Governors and we have asked the Committee of Ministers of Finance with responsibility for Correspondent Financing to assume the oversight of its roll-out.”

Tourism

Heads of Government have also recognised that tourism is a vital sector in the economies of Member States and welcomed proposals from the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) for Advancing a Regional Tourism Agenda particularly through Public /Private Sector Partnerships.

“With regard to travel, Heads of Government called for an urgent meeting of the Council for Trade and Development (COTED) Transportation to address air transport issues in particular, including those related to the tourism sector”, Guyana’s President said.

Single ICT Space

The Heads also approved the Draft Road map for a Single ICT Space and commended the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and the officials who had prepared the document.

The Single ICT Space would be one of the driving forces for social and economic development of the Community. It would enhance the environment for investment and production, provide an opportunity for innovation to flourish, support a sustainable increase in growth and jobs and enhance efficiency and increase access to public services.

Meanwhile, Heads also emphasised the importance of the long-standing relationships between the Community and the United States of America, noting that they look forward to continuing the fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship with the new USA Administration.

“We also recognised the importance of the recently adopted bipartisan, US-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act of 2016 that seeks to increase US engagement with the governments and civil society of the Region,” President Granger said.

“We considered the future of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of Countries (ACP) including the renewal of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement (CPA) which governs relations between the Group and the European Union (EU) and which comes to an end in 2020.

That Agreement is a unique and valued instrument from which Caricom has benefited with regard to trade, development cooperation and political dialogue with Europe and should be renewed.”

To that regard, the ACP Group remains a valuable construct which has facilitated relations with Africa and the Pacific and that the Group should be strengthened, he said.

12news

saturDAY, february 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

No confidence

PSC does not represent entire business community Harmon

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inister of State Joseph Harmon on Friday took a jab at the Private Sector Commission (PSC), noting that while the entity may have concerns about Guyana’s state of affairs, it really does not represent the interest of all persons doing business within the country.

Harmon’s comment came as he responded to questions posed to him at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing about the concerns raised recently by the PSC, which expressed that it had lost confidence in Government.

The PSC on Thursday said the continued growth

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

and improvement in Guyana cannot continue if investors’ confidence continues to be eroded, noting that the trajectory in which the country is heading at the moment does not in-

spire such confidence.

But Harmon in response on Friday said it was the people of Guyana who voted in Government and at the appropriate time when there is to be a referendum on performance, the people will again make their statement. He said he wished not to respond expansively on the concerns raised by the commission, since it does not represent all and sundry in the private sector.

“I will not comment more on the private sector as such because it is a name, but does not represent all of the persons who are doing business in the private sector so some-

times, when you hear these statements you have to be able to disaggregate. I do not believe that it is a referendum on our performance”, Harmon told journalists.

The Commission’s statement was reporting on a meeting that was held on Monday where participants also noted the decline of the economy. Among the concerns were the crippling new taxes for the mining sector and the institution of Value Added Tax (VAT) on necessities. The members of the business community present expressed a lack of confidence in the manner the Government is managing the economy.

employment opportunities, ensure wage growth and “measures to increase the wealth of all Guyanese”.

Govt’s position

PSC Chairman Edward Boyer

The body called for the Government to “create an enabling environment and to increase its engagements with the business community.” This, it noted, was to facilitate the creation of

M e a n w h i l e , Government in a statement on Friday also lashed out at the PSC for what it was a “mischievous, politically motivated statement” Government said the PSC’s statement was obviously timed to coincide with the hosting of the 28th Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of Caricom and is a thinly veiled attempt to embarrass and discredit the coalition Government.

Lethem residents call for Mayor’s removal

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number of Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) residents on Friday called for the removal of the town’s Mayor, Carlton Beckles.

Reports coming out of the region stated that the protest action was triggered following the suspension of Regional Executive Officer (REO) Carl Parker, who is embroiled in a sexual assault allegation and was re-

cently charged.

In early 2016, a petition signed by 1200 persons was sent to President David Granger, calling for the REO to be dismissed after he reportedly sexually assaulted a senior regional official.

However, Guyana Times understands that Friday’s protest was orchestrated by disgruntled residents who claimed that the allegations were instigated by the Mayor of Lethem.

Residents protesting in Region Nine on Friday

This reportedly angered

residents, who claim that the Mayor is fuelling division in the town.

One resident said the town of Lethem is in need of “a Mayor with a vision, not a man who is the author of confusion and division”.

These apparent supporters of the REO took to the streets with plaque cards.

One of the card insinuated that Beckles deliberately petitioned to have the REO removed to have full control of the region’s affairs.

However, when contracted, the Mayor said he knows nothing of the issue or the allegation that is being brought against him.

“I don’t deal with propaganda, I deal with facts,” he told this publication.

Beckles said he is not responsible for what happened to the REO as he was not even aware of the issue of his misgivings.

He added that on no oc-

casion did he ever have discussions regards the sexual assault matter.

It is alleged that Parker, 53, of Cenotaph Boulevard, Lethem, Region Nine, sexually assaulted a young lady on June 13, 2016, at Yupukari, Central Rupununi, during a village outreach he had hosted. The REO pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman who read the charge in-camera before granting him bail in the sum of $200,000.

Following the arraignment, Parker left the courtroom all smiles as media operatives flocked to take his picture.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Flamboyance displayed at Region 10 Children’s Float Parade

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Digicel to give customers costumes for Mash

Students from Linden during the road march on Friday

he spotlight was on nursery and primary schools across Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) on Friday, with the hosting of the annual Children’s Costume and Float Parade in Linden, in keeping with Mashramani celebrations.

The streets were lined with revellers from the var-

year’s activity, inclusive of the Coomacka Nursery, which presented a flamboyant display entitled “Fairies Invasion”; Children’s Garden Nursery with “Arrowhead Revellers” and Republic Avenue Nursery with “Tropical Fusion”, among others.

A few other schools which participated in the

A child pulling a float during the Mash parade in Linden

ious schools, who were all decked out in colourful and creative costumes, reflective of the spirit of Mashramani, as they gyrated to the sounds of music. The procession of nursery and primary school students as well as numerous teachers, moved off from the Five Corner area in Mackenzie, along Republic Avenue, thence to Greenheart Street, where the activities culminated at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground. A total of 13 nursery schools across the region participated in this

primary category include Watooka Day Primary, with a costume entitled “Green Economy”; Wismar Hill Primary with “Celebrating with Unity”; Coomacka Primary with “Celebrating in Unity”; the One Mile Primary with “Rivoe Colistica; and the Amelia’s Ward Primary with “Unity”. Also forming part of the road march was the Linden Centre for Special Needs Children and the regional band entitled “Ecomathunification”, which placed third in the

Children’s Road March in Georgetown last Saturday.

Scores of onlookers lined the streets of Mackenzie to get a glimpse of the spectacle, as the revellers put on quite a show. The competition got underway at the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, where the costumes were judged according to display. In the Nursery Category, South Amelia’s Ward Nursery won first place with their costume entitled “For a Greener Guyana, Save our Trees”. This was followed

by Retrieve Nursery in second place, with their angelic display entitled “Angels in Unity”; while the One Mile and Blueberry Hill Nursery Schools tied with third place. Meanwhile, Wisroc Nursery copped the Best Banner prize. The banner was entitled “Working Together For Progress, Together We Strive For Excellence”.

In the Primary Category, Watooka Day Primary school copped first place, followed by Regma Primary in the second spot and Coomacka Primary in third. One Mile Primary secured the prize for Best Banner. The successful schools were each awarded trophies. Prizes were also awarded for punctuality. This year’s Mashramani celebrations are being held under the theme “Celebrate with Liberty, Dignity and Greater Unity”.

New $77M Sparendaam...

Meanwhile, following the commissioning, Chancellor Singh, Justice Cummings-Edwards, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, along with a number of other magistrates had a tour of the building.

The new court is fully air conditioned and installed is a mechanism to have loud outdoor noises blocked out when inside of the courtrooms.

The Magistrates’ Courts is expected to begin working on Monday.

Previously, and while the new building was be-

ing constructed, matters brought before the court were being heard at the Better Hope Community Centre Ground which had housed the court.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul, who had presided at the old Sparendaam Court, told media operatives following the commissioning of the building that she is very pleased that two Magistrates will be at Sparendaam. She said that previously she was solely entrusted with presiding over all matters that went

A

Some of the costumes that are up for grabs

lthough, the Bigger Better Network will be absent from the gyration on Mash Day 2017, the telephone company will make several costumes available to its customers for them to go and have a relocking time.

Since Digicel would not be a part of Mashramani 2017, having recently celebrated their 10th anniversary, the company is seeking to give some of its dedicated customers a chance to hit the streets well decked out.

The telecommunications giant has made provi-

sions for a number of customers to win costumes, giving them an opportunity to be a part of a band on Mash Day. Those desirous of winning a costume would be required to download the “My Digicel App” which would give them a chance to win.

The company’s Communications Manager Vidya Sanichara told the media on Friday that Mashramani is an event that everyone would want to be a part of and as such Digicel is still contributing.

Customers can either

win costumes from the Palm Court’s ‘Trinity’, as well as ‘Zeal’ by Maxi Williams.

This year, Digicel is aiming to focus its attention on families and communities and as such will not be participating in Mashramani come February 23.

However, the company promises to restock and to come again next year even bigger and better. On Thursday, several persons would have won costumes at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) Ground.

Anna Regina children’s road show attracts hundreds

FROM PAGE 7

to the court in that jurisdiction.

She said that the population in that magisterial district has grown significantly and as such the number of matters appearing before the court has increased greatly.

“There is so much that was being demanded from one individual on a daily basis that there isn’t much that you can actually get done. This is what contributed to the backlog as a number of matters were always being put off for a later date” she explained.

Some of the nursery students during the road march

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olourful and creative are some of the words that can be used to described the costumes that were designed by various schools along the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam), as they set the stage for Mashramani celebrations on February 23.

Hundreds of students from primary and secondary schools across the Region dressed in dazzling

and colourful costumes that lit up the commercial centre during the annual Mash Road Show on Friday.

Accompanied by teachers and officers from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), the students gyrated to tantalising music, doing their own Mash jump up in an atmosphere filled with celebration.

The road show was organised by the Education

Ministry in collaboration with the Region Two Administration.

The Region Two Department of Education led the parade with scores of nursery, primary and secondary children.

The road show started off from Coffee Grove and moved along the public road to the commercial centre of Anna Regina, and then to the community centre ground.

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guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017

Regional

T&T Govt requests report on Leopoldo Lopez: Venezuela court upholds 14-year lead contaminated water

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he Trinidad and Tobago Government has requested a report amid concerns that lead contaminated water from a landfill has been entering a water treatment plant owned by the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) since 2014.

“As a Cabinet, we have asked for a report…an urgent report on this,” Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young told reporters.

But WASA has issued a statement informing consumers that the water is safe to drink. “The authority wishes to assure customers and the general public that water it produces meets and exceeds guidelines set by the World Health Organization

Guanapo landfill

(WHO) for potable or drinking water quality,” it said in a statement.

Young, speaking at the end of the weekly Cabinet meeting on Thursday, said that the government would not be issuing any premature directives to the popu-

lation regarding water consumption, until it knows the facts.

“We don’t want to overreact or under react,” he said, adding that to date, there has been no evidence of any lead contamination of the country’s potable wa-

ter supply.

Officials of the Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL) told a Public Accounts Enterprises Committee (PAEC) of Parliament earlier this week that lead contaminated water from the Guanapo Landfill, had entered WASA’s Caroni Water Treatment Plant since 2014.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, who was also at the news conference, described the disclosure by SWMCOL as, “historical information”, adding “the report has to come carefully but it’s much more than Ministry of Health and (Ministry of) Public Utilities”. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Jamaica looking to strengthen trade relations with EU

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he Government of Jamaica is examining ways to utilise more effectively the CARIFORUM-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to strengthen Jamaica’s trade relations with the 27-member EU. This is against the background of significant developments, notably the pending departure of the United Kingdom, Jamaica’s larg-

est trading partner in that bloc, said foreign affairs and foreign trade minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.

She was speaking during the Third Jamaica/ EU Political Dialogue held recently at the ministry’s New Kingston offices.

The EPA, between the EU and the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM), which is the African, Caribbean and Pacific

Group of States, took effect in 2009. It replaces the trade provisions of the Cotonou Agreement signed in 2000 and is intended to provide improved long-term market access for CARIFORUM countries into the EU on a reciprocal basis. It also has provisions for cooperation and development support for the Caribbean.

Johnson Smith noted that Jamaica has estab-

lished a Commission to review and examine relationships within Caricom and the CARIFORUM structure, and the report is expected to be presented shortly. She said Jamaica is also reviewing an EU communiqué issued late last year, focusing on the development consensus and future relations with the ACP group of countries.

prison sentence

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enezuela’s Supreme Court has upheld the 14-year jail sentence of Opposition Leader Leopoldo Lopez, a day after Donald Trump called for his release.

Mr Lopez was found guilty of inciting violence during protests in 2014 in which 43 people - from both sides of the political divide were killed.

He has repeatedly said that his sentence was politically motivated.

Thursday’s ruling on an appeal by Mr Lopez’s defence makes the conviction final, officials said.

“Under this dictatorship, every sentence is null,” said Lopez’s wife, Lilian Tintori, as she arrived in Caracas following a meeting in Washington with Mr Trump.

“Trump is with the people of Venezuela,” she added.

On Wednesday, Trump posted a photo of himself

at the White House standing alongside Ms Tintori, writing on the social media site Twitter that Mr Lopez should be allowed “out of prison immediately”.

Before the tweet, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had said that he did not want “problems with Trump”.

However Trump’s remarks raised tensions and Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez accused the US president of interfering in her country’s affairs.

Ms Rodriguez wrote on Twitter that she rejected “the meddling and aggression of US President @realDonaldTrump who tries to give orders in our fatherland”.

She also tweeted that Mr Trump had “sided with the boss behind violent acts” while Maduro had proposed “initiating a new era of respectful relations” between the two. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Ecuador’s paraplegic presidential candidate stirs hope for disabled

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Barbados Central Bank Governor willing to go as far as CCJ to fight efforts to remove him

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t’s back to the law courts for embattled Barbados Central Bank Governor, Dr Delisle Worrell after receiving a 48hour reprieve from the High Court on Wednesday to prevent his removal by Finance Minister Chris Sinckler.

An upbeat Worrell and his legal team emerged from the near three-hour hearing at the High Court confident of the merit of their case, even as they served notice that they were ready to head to the Caribbean Court of Justice if necessary.

Lead attorney Gregory Nicholls told journalists outside the courtroom that the case was not an “exercise in theatrics”, insisting that Minister Sinckler did not have the power to remove the Governor.

Last week, Sinckler had reportedly ordered Worrell to resign by Monday, February 13, or be fired, at the insistence of other senior Central Bank executives who have been critical of Governor’s management

Laura Vasquez waits in her bed as workers of the Electoral National Council prepare a polling station during a programme for people with disabilities to vote in advance in the Sunday’s presidential election, in Quito, Ecuador, February 17, 2017

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A smiling Governor of the Central Bank, Dr Delisle Worrell (centre, in hat), at the court with lead Attorney Gregory Nicholls (left)

style.

Relations between the Minister and the Governor also deteriorated on the heels of public warning by Worrell that the Government had to live within its mean and

stop the practice of printing money. But Nicholls insisted that the Finance Minister misused his executive powers and this must not be allowed.

“He [Sinckler] did not have the power to get

around the provisions of the [Central Bank] Act. The Act sets out how a director, including the Governor of the Central Bank, can be removed,” the Governor’s legal spokesman said. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

n aide wheels out Ecuador’s presidential candidate Lenin Moreno, who lost the use of his legs two decades ago, to a stage in a working-class area of the mountainous capital Quito.

Behind him, a woman rapidly translates into sign language his promises of benefits for single mothers and retirees. Rows of wheelchair-bound supporters around the podium cheer on the leftist politician.

Moreno, 63, became paraplegic after being shot in the back during a robbery in 1998. He has put disability at the center of his campaign to be elected president of the poor Andean country on Sunday.

The former Vice President and United Nations envoy on disability has vowed to further boost jobs and social benefits for

disabled Ecuadoreans.

If he wins, he would be a rare wheelchair-bound head of state and one of the highest-profile disabled leaders since former US President Franklin Roosevelt, who had to use a wheelchair because of polio and died in 1945.

During Moreno’s 20072013 tenure as vice president, he helped build a database of disabled people so that they could receive medical treatment tailored to their needs, provided a monthly stipend of US$240 for families who take care of a disabled relative, and created a loan program for disabled entrepreneurs in the country of 16 million.

For Ecuador’s estimated 400,000 people with physical, mental, auditive, or visual disabilities, Moreno is nothing short of a hero.(Excerpt from Reuters)

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

Around the World

Pakistan ‘kills 100 militants’ Robert Mugabe could contest after Sufi shrine attack election as corpse, says wife

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akistan says it has killed more than 100 militants in a security crackdown following Thursday’s attack on a shrine that left at least 80 people dead.

A suicide bomber blew himself up among devotees at the Sufi shrine in the town of Sehwan. Pakistan has reacted with raids across the country and by lashing out at Afghanistan which it accuses of tolerating militant sanctuaries.

So-called Islamic State said it had carried out the attack. It was the latest in a string of bombings by the jihadist group. In response, some 18 militants were killed in southern Sindh province, where the Sufi shrine is located, and another 13 in the North-West, officials said. It is unclear where the other alleged terrorists were killed.

Border crossings with Afghanistan have been closed and rockets have been fired into two Afghan provinces.

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The shrine attack was the most deadly in a series of militant attacks since Sunday that have killed more than 100 people across Pakistan, including civilians, Police and soldiers

Funerals for victims have been taking place on Friday and the Sindh provincial government has announced three days of mourning.

Some 250 people were also wounded in the attack.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the bombing and immediately vowed to track down those behind it. Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, said in a statement: “Each drop of the nation’s blood shall be avenged and avenged

immediately. No more restraint for anyone.”

Armed forces spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said more than “100 terrorists” were killed and many others arrested in 24 hours as part of operations across the country, including Punjab province. He said more details would be shared later.

Correspondents say crackdowns of this type are a regular response from the state following a major militant attack. (Excerpt from BBC News)

China sees chance of sixparty talks with North Korea

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hina has not given up hope for a new round of diplomacy with North Korea to prevent Pyongyang making further advances in its weapons program in violation of UN resolutions, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

North Korea said this week it had successfully test-fired a new type of medium- to long-range ballistic missile. State-run KCNA news agency said leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test of the weapon capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

“There are still oppor-

tunities for the resumption of six-part talks,” Wang told the Munich Security Conference, referring to talks with the United States, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. “We should work to bring the parties back to the table.”

In 2005, North Korea reached an agreement with those six countries to suspend its nuclear programme in return for diplomatic rewards and energy assistance.

Negotiations collapsed after the last round of talks in 2008, with North Korea

declaring the deal void after refusing inspections to verify compliance and leading to a series of new sanctions on Pyongyang, as well as international condemnation.

“We hope for all parties concerned will refrain from taking further actions that may lead to escalations of the tensions,” Wang said.

North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, including two last year, although its claims to be able to miniaturize a nuclear weapon to be mounted on a missile have never been verified independently. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Scott Pruitt, Trump’s environment pick, gets Senate approval

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resident Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency has been confirmed by the Senate.

Scott Pruitt has been a fierce critic of the agency he will now be running.

A Judge in Oklahoma on Thursday ordered him to release, by Tuesday, emails he exchanged with oil and gas executives while Oklahoma Attorney General.

In a contentious confirmation process, Democrats boycotted an earlier vote over his email refusal and claimed he was too close to energy companies. They held the Senate floor through the night to put pressure on the chamber to delay the confirmation vote until the emails were handed over.

But the Republicancontrolled Senate voted in favour of his confirmation by

imbabwe’s 92-yearold president, Robert Mugabe, should run “as a corpse” in next year’s election if he dies before the vote, his wife has said. Grace Mugabe accused some ruling Zanu-PF party officials of plotting to take over from her husband and said that if he dies supporters should put his name on the ballot to show their love for him.

“If God decides to take him, then we would rather field him as a corpse,” she told thousands of support-

Scott Pruitt

has previously cast doubt on the overwhelming evidence that changes in the earth’s temperature are down to humans.

Pruitt’s confirmation means that Trump has filled 14 of his 22 Cabinet posts.

He has blamed Democratic obstructionism for not filling more of his key jobs by now. (Excerpt from BBC News)

from the era of the guerrilla war against white rule that they were also too old to take power.

Grace Mugabe has professed fierce loyalty to her husband, previously saying she would get him a wheelchair and push it for him so that he can continue to rule.

Mugabe has declared he wants to live until he is 100 and rule for life, and has complained about ruling party factions jostling for influence as a succession battle looms. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

German parents told to destroy doll that can spy on children

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ermany’s telecommunications watchdog has ordered parents to destroy or disable a “smart doll” because the toy can be used to illegally spy on children.

The My Friend Cayla doll, which is manufactured by the US company Genesis Toys and distributed in Europe by Guildfordbased Vivid Toy Group, allows children to access the internet via speech recognition software, and to control the toy via an app.

But Germany’s Federal Network Agency announced this week that it classified Cayla as an “illegal espionage apparatus”. As a result, retailers and owners could face fines if they continue to stock it or fail to permanently disable the doll’s wireless connection.

Under German law it is illegal to manufacture, sell

Jayla, aged four, plays with a My Friend Cayla doll in the Hamleys toy shop in London

or possess surveillance devices disguised as another object. According to some media reports, breaching that law can result in a jail term of up to two years.

The ruling comes after Stefan Hessel, a student at Saarbrücken University, raised concerns about the device, which was voted one of the top 10 toys of the year in 2014 by the German toy trade association.

“Access to the doll is

completely unsecured,” Hessel told Saarbrücker Zeitung. “There is no password to protect the connection.” The student said hackers could access the doll via its bluetooth connection from a distance of up to 15 meters, listening in on conversations as well as speaking directly to the child playing with it.(Excerpt from The Guardian)

Delhi rape victim’s parents call for her real name to be used to end stigma

T 52 to 46. Pruitt had refused to hand over the emails, at the request of a liberal watchdog, for more than two years.

Environmental groups said they feared he will loosen the regulations on energy companies.

During his confirmation hearing he said he disagreed with Trump saying climate change was a hoax, but he

ers at a rally in Buhera, eastern Zimbabwe. She spoke in the local Shona language. The President, who will be 93 on Tuesday, has scaled back his public engagements, while his wife, who is 51, has become increasingly visible in politics.

Mugabe has been in power since white minority rule ended in Zimbabwe in 1980 after years of war. A big celebration is planned for him on 25 February.

Grace Mugabe warned associates of her husband

he parents of a woman whose 2012 gangrape and murder in Delhi triggered national outrage have asked that a museum established in her honour uses her real name in its title, to dispel the stigma around sexual assault victims.

Jyoti Singh and a companion were attacked by six men aboard a moving bus in December 2012 and left to die by the roadside. The brutality of the 23-yearold’s murder provoked intense anger and weeks of

protests across Indian cities, and led to legal reforms including the introduction of fast-track courts for sexual assault victims.

Among the tributes to the physiotherapy student, who was named “Nirbhaya” – meaning fearless – because of Indian laws against naming rape victims, was a science museum established the following year in the city’s south.

The museum’s title still carries the pseudonym, but Singh’s parents, Badri Nath Singh and Asha Devi,

have asked local authorities for their daughter’s real name be used instead.

“Why should we hide our daughter’s name?” Singh said. “My daughter was not at fault. And, by hiding crimes, we only allow more crimes to take place.

“Has the society become safer for women after the gory incident that shook the conscience of the nation? It is perpetrators who should hide their names. We are proud of our daughter,” he said. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

16 NEWS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

re-tooling to GNBA gets new Board GFS provide better

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ormer Magistrate and Attorney-atLaw, Leslie Sobers, has been named Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) as Government announces the new Board of Directors.

This was disclosed by Minister of State Joseph Harmon on Friday at the post-Cabinet briefing.

A part from Sobers, the other Board Members that Cabinet gave its no-objection to are; Shaharazad Khan, Dr Rovin Deodat, Jocelyn Josiah, Aretha Campbell, Joel Edmonds and a representative from the Opposition, who is yet to be named.

Harmon noted that while in the past, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Opposition stayed away from naming their nominees to the various State boards, he is hope that this situation does not continue given the important role of the Broadcasting Authority.

“I trust that (Opposition Leader Bharrat) Jagdeo would recognised that this is an important matter for the Opposition and that they send a nominee for that board,” he stated.

According to the

New Chairman, Leslie Sobers

Minister of State, this new board became operational from February 1 and will serve for two years.

The previous board of directors comprised Leonard Craig, Anthony Vieira, Vic Insanally, Abiola WongInniss, Jocelyn Josiah and Ameena Gafoor.

Back in September, that board appointed Dr Prudence Lewis-Bhola as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

According to a statement from the GNBA, Dr Lewis-Bhola possesses a wealth of experience in broadcasting for over a decade and an extensive

background in private sector management. She also “exemplifies all the requisite skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to successfully execute the mandate of the GNBA.” At the time, however, Craig, Vieira and Insanally were involved in a squabble which led to the two Directors threatening the former Chairman through their lawyers for allegedly disseminating information they said was untrue.

The allegations made public by Craig was that the men had approached an Essequibo businessman in an attempt to ostensibly force him out of business.

Craig was being accused of intentionally and maliciously circulating in the media, an unwarranted allegation which imputes that they were guilty of corruption in public office.

The duo - through their lawyers - had also claimed that the allegations by the Craig was in fact made public without either of them being given a chance at a fair hearing with an opportunity to respond to the claims made.

This prompted Government to set up an Inquiry, which was conducted by Major General

(Retired) Joseph Singh, to probe is issue. Based on the findings and recommendations by Singh, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo was given the go ahead by Cabinet to sack Craig back in December. However, the former GNBA Chairman handed in his resignation on December 16 just as the Prime Minister was about to inform him of Cabinet’s decision.

During that meeting, the Prime Minister communicated to board members that Insanally and Vieira were impugned by public statements attributed to Craig. Nagamootoo had stated that based on the inquiry’s finding, neither of the two members were found to be “dishonest or corrupt”.

Furthermore, the release stated that the Prime Minister also felt that Craig, also an Alliance For Change (AFC) member, is an invaluable intellectual asset who had accepted nomination to the GNBA with enthusiasm and commitment, but has unfortunately mishandled inter-personal relations with other colleagues.

Govt to fast track multibilliondollar housing project – Harmon

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he Communities Ministry has been given the green-light to immediately start the construction of over 700 housing units across the country for low-income and State employees, a project that will see the Guyana Government expending billions of dollars.

This was announced

by Cabinet Secretary and Minister of State Joseph Harmon on Friday. He told reporters at a post-Cabinet press briefing that approval was given for some 758 units to be constructed in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

“These Units are going to be at the cost of $5 billion and is the first phase of a programme to develop low-cost housing, particularly targeting public sector employees, the youths and low-income earners,” Harmon explained.

Some of these units will be duplexes and some town houses. This initial phase of the project, the Minister

of State added, is expected to start almost immediately and is anticipated to be completed within the space of 12 months.

“The important distinction which we want to make is that we are not just distributing house lots, we are building homes within communities for the citizens of this country,” he asserted.

According to the Cabinet Secretary, over the next two years, Government will be rolling out more housing developments in several other communities within the country.

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan is on record saying that over the next five years, Government intends to build approximately 4000 houses in cohesive communities to benefit more than 4000 families and approximately 16,000 persons.

This move comes as Government attempts to expedite the processing of applications for house lots. In fact, Minister with responsibility for Housing, Valerie Sharpe-Patterson late last year explained that there was an issue with the availability of land in the country and that Government would be moving to begin the construction of apart-

Some 700 housing units are expected to be constructed across the country within the next 12 months

ment complexes by the first quarter of 2017.

However, former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali had pointed out to this newspaper that Guyana has enough land across the country, but one of the problems was that persons did not want to relocate from places they grew up or live other locations where the lands are available.

Moreover, Ali criticised the project, underscoring the importance of a needs assessment before implementing such a plan. “I don’t think that a proper study has been done in relation to the project, and the idea that we don’t have enough land is because the thinking of Government is concentrated in one area. If you put infrastructure and

investment, you are going to open up new opportunities to develop new land. That is a lazy excuse for not continuing to expand the housing sector,” he had related to this publication.

According to Ali, if such decisions are going to be made, then some study or analysis of the markets must be carried out.

“First of all you need to ensure that people are inclined to go in this direction,” he argued. According to Ali, this new project will most definitely move away from what has been in existence for some time, including the Young Professional Scheme, which had allowed persons to even move to the construction of their own homes.

service, save lives pect of persons deliberately setting fires to these buildings, maliciously, which is a criminal offence, we would support law enforcement agencies in ensuring that these persons are brought to justice.”

Firefighting challenges

Fire Chief Marlon Gentle

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he Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has been working overtime by modernising its facilities and providing a better quality service in order to preserve lives.

In 2015, the GFS received 2997 fire calls compared to 2441 in 2016, which represents a 19 per cent decrease in fire calls overall.

In 2015 also, 145 buildings were destroyed by fire compared to 116 for 2016. Fortyfour buildings were severely damaged by fire in 2015 and 32 in 2016. Overall, there was a five per cent decrease of buildings being destroyed by fire in 2016.

The Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle, in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), said that the overall reduction can only be attributed to the prompt response of the GFS when called upon and the expansion of the GFS in a number of regions.

The GFS in 2017, for the period January 1 to February 14, received a total of 152 fire calls as opposed to 389 for the corresponding period last year. This represents a 61 percent decrease in the number of calls the Fire Service received for fires.

However, there were 39 buildings involved in fires in 2017 over the period January 1, to February 14, when compared to only 32 involved in 2016 over the corresponding period.

Stamping out arson

One of the problems the GFS has faced over the years is dealing with arsonists.

Arson accounted for most of the fires that occurred in 2015 and 2016, according to Gentle, and the trend is continuing.

Of the 39 buildings involved in fires thus far for this year, 12 were set by arsonists. Gentle noted that it is becoming a trend for persons to use fire to settle disputes, but stated that the GFS, in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will ensure the law is brought to bear on arsonists.

The Fire Chief stressed that, “We would like to send a strong message that, so long as our investigations lead to that aspect or the as-

The lack of adequate and most importantly working fire hydrants have posed a number of challenges to the GFS and have been the causes for the loss of numerous lives. In 2016 however, the Guyana Fire Service in collaboration with the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), rehabilitated over 400 fire hydrants in Georgetown to create greater access to adequate water supply for the Fire Service during emergencies.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GWI, Dr Richard Van West-Charles said that the rehabilitation process will continue throughout the year, as there are approximately 800 fire hydrants in the city.

Some areas where the GWI has rehabilitated fire hydrants include Church, Lamaha, Hadfield and Water Streets.

The GFS has been able to use some to the rehabilitated fire hydrants which worked at an acceptable level in terms of the pressure of the water, the Fire Chief explained.

Modernising

In November 2016, the GFS initiated a five-year Emergency Medical Service (EMS). This was established before the end of the year however, the Chief Fire Officer noted that the service is expected to be established throughout Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).

“It envisions that eight ambulances will be used to cover this area with staffing with the right complement of about 80 EMTs.” The GFS will also be expanding its firefighting capacity as it will be establishing permanent structures in several hinterland communities. These include Lethem, Mahdia and Mabaruma.

Rehabilitation and modernisation works will also be carried out on a number of Fire Stations. The aim according to the Fire Chief, is to equip the Stations to be capable of handling both firefighting and EMS. Additionally, the GFS conducted over 800 building inspections and fire safety outreaches. Over 35,000 people have since benefitted from the latter.

Gentle stated, “We believe that the message of fire safety has to go out there and that message has to also be absorbed by the persons who should now practice them.”

Training of fire officers is also ongoing in every region.

NEWS

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017| GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Mental Health programme for Education Ministry hosts annual Literary Street Fair Mabaruma weekend roll-out

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Minister Nicolette Henry observing one of the displays during the Literacy Street Fair on Main Street

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he Education Ministry, Department of Culture Youth and Sport, on Friday held its fifth Literary Street Fair on Main Street as part of Guyana’s 47th Republic activities. The fair is aimed at enhancing literacy in Guyana.

This is a part of the Ministry’s agenda to promote literacy and to create public awareness of what is available to help develop literacy skills of children, and the general public at large.

Minister within the Education Ministry Nicolette Henry, before declaring the fair open, said it is imperative that Guyanese make reading a practice.

According to the Minister, books are cultural tools for development and a reading nation is indeed a winning nation.

Minister Henry called on writers and stakeholders in the creative industry to play their roles in promoting children’s literature. She said no human society can develop if it does not produce literature for children and young readers.

“The Education Ministry is particularly supportive of any effort of our writers at creating the awareness for quality book production… implanting the habit of reading in children will ensure that it becomes a

skill that would put them in good sense throughout their lives,” the Minister said.

She also encouraged persons to purchase the various kinds of literature on sale and to take advantage of the ones that are for free distribution.

The fair saw the participation of over 22 stakeholders, which included the National Library, the African Heritage Museum, Austin Book Store, the National Archives of Guyana and the Guyana Learning Channel.

It also attracted scores of students from both public and private schools, as well as Guyanese of all ages.

Global heat melts Arctic, Antarctic sea ice to record lows – UN agency

A polar bear in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago located between mainland Norway and the North Pole

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t should be winter on the Arctic pole – the northern most point in the world – but the equivalent of heat waves have passed over the region this season melting the sea ice volume to a record low in January, the United Nations meteorological agency said.

“Temperatures in the Arctic are quite remarkable and very alarming,” said David Carlson, Director of the World Climate Research Programme which is co-sponsored by the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the International Council for

Science.

Sea ice extent was the lowest on the 38-yearold satellite record for the month of January, both at the Arctic and Antarctic, according to data cited WMO from both the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and Germany's Sea ice Portal operated by the AlfredWegener-Institut.

The Arctic sea ice extent averaged 13.38 million square kilometres in January, according to NSIDC. This is 260,000 square kilometers below the level in January 2016 – an area bigger than the size of the United Kingdom.

“The recovery period for

Arctic sea ice is normally in the winter, when it gains both in volume and extent.

The recovery this winter has been fragile, at best, and there were some days in January when temperatures were actually above melting point,” said Mr Carlson.

“This will have serious implications for Arctic sea ice extent in summer as well as for the global climate system. What happens at the Poles does not stay at the Poles.”

In addition, the ice levels at the Antarctic are also at record lows, even thinner than expected for the summer season there. (UN News Centre)

he national mental health programme will be launched in Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini) this weekend.

The newly-formed Mental Health Unit, headed by Dr Util RichmondThomas, will set in motion at Mabaruma the national vision to help de-stigmatise mental illness in Guyana and re-emphasise that the ailment “is very treatable”.

Dr Richmond-Thomas said the current five-year mental health strategy foresees the time when Guyanese wouldn’t have to be institutionalised for mental health disorder because the unit has been training professionals to diagnose and treat the malady.

At this weekend’s launch, residents will be treated for multiple ailments including schizophrenia, attention deficit, attention meme, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder and suicide.

The interventions will be more “clinical than psychological” specialist at the

unit, psychologist Balogun Osunbiyi said. Osunbiyi said mental health services will now be integrated into the country’s primary healthcare.

Consequently, more than 70 local physicians will be trained next month to offer mental health support to patients around the country.

“This will make a major difference if all doctors are watchdogs in the mental health sector,” Dr Richmond-Thomas said.

She said nurses will also be trained to help in the quest, noting that exposing health sector workers to insights into mental health “will help reduce the stigma” in the country.

“Mental health (challenges) in the past were undetected because we hadn’t had trained personnel,” Richmond-Thomas explained.

As part of the twoday medical outreach, Mabaruma residents will also benefit from a range of specialised services from general surgeons, anaesthesiologists, obstetrician/gy-

naecologists, paediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons and internal medicine specialists, drawn from the country’s private and public sectors.

Many of the medical specialists also include some representing the 160-strong Cuban medical brigade currently in Guyana to boost the health sector programmes.

It is anticipated that over the two days, some 40 surgeries will be done between Saturday and the wee-hours of Monday morning, Michael Gouveia, Coordinator, Indigenous Peoples’ Communities Regional Health Services, said.

Gouveia said the operating theatre at the Mabaruma medical facility will run 24/7 between Saturday and early Monday to handle patients.

He assured that “patients will be hospitalised until the medical officials deem them fit to be released. Usually, most patients are ready for discharge within 48 hours… we’ve been doing this for the last seven years.”

Dominica wants quick access to climate change funding

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s the Region battles more intense and frequent climatic events, Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is hoping global funding initiatives for adaptation and mitigation do not take on the usual sluggish disbursement practices of other global initiatives.

Prime Minister Skerrit, the outgoing Caricom Chairman, made the point in his address to the Opening Ceremony for the 28th Inter-Sessional Meeting of Cariom Heads in Guyana, during which he recounted devastating climatic events during his chairmanship, including the destructive passage of hurricane Mathew across The Bahamas and Haiti in October last year.

Haiti reported 500 deaths, 120,000 people with houses destroyed or severely damaged, 1.5 million people in

Dominica’s Prime Roosevelt Skerrit

Minister

urgent need of humanitarian assistance and devastation to the agricultural sector which affected the country’s food supply. The Bahamas suffered about US$500 million worth of damage, especially to agriculture, fishing and infrastructure. Dominica also has its taste of widespread devastation earlier in the year when Tropical storm

Erika wiped out millions of dollars’ worth of houses, agriculture and infrastructure. St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia also had to grapple with unusual weather phenomena.

Prime Minister Skerrit says the widespread devastation across the Region emphasises the need to implement the measures in the Paris Climate Change Agreement, particularly the Green Climate Fund, established to assist in adapting to and mitigating the effects of climate change.

“It is critical that there must be relatively quick access to this Fund by those it is intended to assist,” Skerrit told the Meeting. “Äs laudable as it is, it will be of minimal impact, if disbursement is as sluggish as has been the experience with other institutions and agencies,” he added.

Bosnia to appeal UN court ruling clearing Serbia of genocide

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osnia will appeal a United Nations (UN) court ruling that cleared Serbia of blame for genocide, the Bosniak (Muslim Bosnian) member of the country's presidency said on Friday, a move likely to widen rifts between the ethnic groups which fought the 1992-95 war.

The 2007 judgment by the International Court of

Justice exonerated Serbia of direct responsibility for killings, rapes and "ethnic cleansing" in Bosnia during the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, though it said Serbia had failed to prevent genocide.

And while the ICJ ruling concluded that genocide had occurred at Srebrenica, where about 8000 Muslims were slaughtered by Bosnian Serb forc-

es, it did not say genocide had happened in other parts of Bosnia.

Bakir Izetbegovic, the Bosniak member of the three-man presidency alongside Serbian and Croatian peers, has engaged a lawyer without his colleagues' consent to prepare the lawsuit ahead of a 10-year deadline on February 26.

(Excerpt from The Telegraph)

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, February 18, 2017

ARCHIE

Put your ideas on display, and collaborate with people (March 21- you feel have something to ofApril 19) fer. Compromise and brainstorming will be what lead you to victory.

ARIES

An unusual partnership TAURUS will interest you. Consider (April 20- how well each complements May 20) the other, as well as the likelihood of you both achieving your goals.

dilbert

Being a part of something GEMINI big will give you a sense of (May 21June 20) belonging and the ability to move forward in life without reservations. Personal improvements are favored.

Check out a place in your community that you have nev(June 21- er visited before. The people July 22) you encounter will spark your imagination and inspire you to do something unique and life-altering.

CANCER

Peanuts

Step into the limelight and LEO show off your attributes. You’ll (July 23attract people who can contribAug. 22) ute to your life and help improve it. Personal relationships look promising.

Stay grounded and work VIRGO (Aug. 23- to improve your relationships.

Sept. 22) Choose to encourage others rather than criticize them.

Look inward and make simple but effective changes that will add to your popularity.

Calvin and Hobbes

Domestic improvements, LIBRA family trips or get-togeth(Sept. 23ers and romantic interactions Oct. 23) should be your priorities. If you play the instigator, the incentives you put in place will get others to pitch in and help.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — HAUBERK

SUDOKU

Share little with people SAGITTARIUS trying to pry into your life.

(Nov. 23- Stick to familiar territory Dec. 21) and focus on bringing about positive personal changes.

Romance is highlighted.

(HAUBERK: HAW-berk: A long tunic made of chain mail.)

Average mark 14 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 18 or more words in HAUBERK? The list will be published Monday.

THURSDAY’S WORD — BANISHED bade band bandies bane banish base bash basin bead bean behind bend bias

bide bind bine abed abide aide anise ashen aside idea ides sabin sahib

said sand sane sedan send shad shade shed shied shin shine side sine

snide hand head hide hied hind dais dash dean dine dish

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Make your home your casSCORPIO tle. Alter your living space to (Oct. 24suit your needs and help you Nov. 22) develop the projects you want to pursue. Someone unique and creative will inspire you.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Avoid unnecessary travCAPRICORN el, and be careful when deal(Dec. 22- ing with institutions or govJan. 19) ernment agencies. Protect against insult, injury and loss. Stick close to home, and focus on self-awareness and personal progress.

Confusion will set in while AQUARIUS traveling or discussing im(Jan. 20portant matters if you let your Feb. 19) emotions intervene. Recognize the facts and be honest with your assessments. Personal growth should be your goal.

PISCES Learn from your expe(Feb. 20- rience. Talk to people who March 20) can offer facts that will help you make better choices.

Collaborate with someone, but don’t feel obliged to take part in a joint financial venture.

saturDAY, february 18, 2017

Tahir, Amla headline South Africa’s clinical win

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t won’t come close to making up for losing that World Cup semi-final but South Africa emerged the victors at Eden Park this time, and in convincing style. In turn it ended New Zealand’s unbeaten home season as they slumped to 107 in the chase, set back by two early wickets for Chris Morris and finished off by Imran Tahir’s career-best 5 for 24.

Dane Paterson, who played ahead of the rested Kagiso Rabada, helped set the tone with just seven runs coming off his first 11 deliveries - like Morris, hitting a back-of-alength area and getting a bit of zip under the lights - before Tom Bruce took him for six.

But New Zealand couldn’t break free and Phehlukwayo strengthened South Africa’s position when he had Kane Williamson taken at deep square-leg. It was soon a fullfledged collapse as Corey Anderson and Bruce fell swinging and Luke Ronchi nicked his first ball from Tahir who became the third South Africa bowler to take five wickets in a T20I. It was a little remarkable that there was a match at all given the volume of rain which had fallen in two days.

There was some early swing but Amla, one of the South Africa players rested from the T20 series against Sri Lanka, batted serenely. He took a liking to Ben Wheeler’s first two overs, collecting six boundaries in all including four in a row at the start of the fifth over. He zipped to his half-centu-

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ry off 32 balls, was given a life on 61 when Ronchi missed a stumping but fell shortly afterwards when he hoicked into the deep.

Faf du Plessis, who enjoyed a productive home season, added 87 off 51 balls Imran Tahir’s party tricks for the second wicket with sank New Zealand Amla and he twice deposited Mitchell Santner into the stands straight down the ground. He was given a life on 34, when Santner made a mess of a skier at point, but fell the next over. By then, however, the platform had been set for South Africa to press for 200.

After Amla fell, AB de Villiers was just threatening to go through the gears when he lofted Colin de Grandhomme to mid-off midway through the 16th over and South Africa couldn’t quite summon the finish that had been on the cards despite JP Duminy’s best efforts.

The final five overs brought 46 runs and included the completion of an outstanding four overs from Trent Boult.

Earlier he had removed Quinton de Kock for a duck, during an opening two-over spell which cost two runs, then returned to bowl the 11th for just four (and was the bowler to suffer from Santner’s drop) then finished his quota with a

South Africa innings (20 overs maximum) HM Amla c Bruce b Wheeler 62 Q de Kock† c Santner b Boult 0 F du Plessis* lbw b de Grandhomme 36 AB de Villiers c Wheeler b de Grandhomme 26 JP Duminy run out (†Ronchi) 29 F Behardien c Anderson b Boult 8 CH Morris not out 9 WD Parnell not out 4 Extras (b-4, lb-4, w-3) 11

Total (6 wickets; 20 overs; 88 mins) 185 Did not bat: AL Phehlukwayo, Imran Tahir, D Paterson Fall of wickets 1-15 (de Kock, 2.4 ov), 2-102 (du Plessis, 11.1 ov), 3-123 (Amla, 13.4 ov), 4-145 (de Villiers, 15.3 ov), 5-171 (Behardien, 18.1 ov), 6-181 (Duminy, 19.5 ov) Bowling: TA Boult 4-0-8-2, BM Wheeler 4-0-49-1, TG Southee 4-0-47-0 (w-1), MJ Santner 4-040-0, C de Grandhomme 3-022-0 (w-1), C Munro 1-0-11-0

New Zealand innings (target: 186 runs from 20 overs) GD Phillips c †de Kock b Morris 5 KS Williamson* c Parnell b Phehlukwayo 13 C Munro b Morris 0 TC Bruce b Imran Tahir 33 CJ Anderson c †de Kock b Phehlukwayo 6 C de Grandhomme c Duminy b Imran Tahir 15 L Ronchi† c †de Kock b Imran Tahir 0 MJ Santner c Amla b Phehlukwayo 5 BM Wheeler b Imran Tahir 6 TG Southee b Imran Tahir 20 TA Boult not out 1 Extras (lb-1, w-2) 3

Total (all out; 14.5 overs; 72 mins) 107 Fall of wickets 1-10 (Phillips, 2.1 ov), 2-10 (Munro, 2.2 ov), 3-38 (Williamson, 6.3 ov), 4-55 (Anderson, 9.3 ov), 5-60 (Bruce, 10.3 ov), 6-60 (Ronchi, 10.4 ov), 7-68 (Santner, 11.6 ov), 8-80 (de Grandhomme, 12.4 ov), 9-106 (Wheeler, 14.3 ov), 10-107 (Southee, 14.5 ov) Bowling:CH Morris 3-1-10-2, D Paterson 2-0-13-0, WD Parnell 3-040-0 (w-1), AL Phehlukwayo 3-019-3 (w-1), Imran Tahir 3.5-0-24-5

two-run 19th over. It gave him the second-most economical return by a New Zealand paceman in T20Is. But that was the only bright spot for them.

(Cricinfo)

Sri Lanka sneak through after Gunaratne 50 A

ustralia’s “best of the Big Bash League” took Sri Lanka to the final ball. The hosts and their three debutants fought to the finish against the visitors in front of a raucous crowd at the MCG, but a win offered Sri Lanka the chance to wrap up the series at Kardinia Park on Sunday.

The Perth Scorchers’ Andrew Tye was left with six runs to defend from the final over, and one from the final ball. Chamara Kapugedara surveyed the ring field then punched the winning boundary through the covers to secure the result. His composure ensured Sri Lanka finished in the ascendant after looking the more likely victors throughout their chase, largely due to a boundary count

that outstripped the hosts, 21 to 13.

None of Australia’s batsmen were able to go on to substantial scores after Upul Tharanga sent them in to bat, as a spongy pitch and disciplined Sri Lankan bowling denied them the ability to find a domineering rhythm. Sri Lanka’s pursuit was then given the desired fast start by Dilshan Munaweera after Tharanga was dismissed in the first over, and Asela Gunaratne’s nimble half-century guided the tourists to within sight of victory in front of 42,511 spectators, many of them barracking for Sri Lanka.

Gunaratne also made a brief but notable contribution with the ball, goading the captain Aaron Finch into a skier after he had appeared the man most likely to produce a truly damaging tally for Australia. The dismissal came two balls after Finch Sri Lanka innings (target: Australia innings had hammered the biggest six 169 runs from 20 overs) (20 overs maximum) of the night, and 10 runs afN Dickwella† c Klinger b Zampa 30 AJ Finch* c Malinga b ter Michael Klinger’s long deGunaratne 43 WU Tharanga* c †Paine b layed international debut was Cummins 0 M Klinger c Malinga b Sandakan 38 ended.

EMDY Munaweera c Finch b TM Head c Prasanna b Malinga 31 Lasith Malinga, making Zampa 44 MC Henriques c Kapugedera b his own return from a long DAS Gunaratne st †Paine b Bandara 17 Turner 52 absence, bowled tidily and AJ Turner c Prasanna b Malinga 18 TAM Siriwardana lbw b Turner 15 scooped a couple of late wickJP Faulkner not out 14 CK Kapugedera not out 10 ets, while Seekkuge Prasanna View dismissal TD Paine† S Prasanna not out 8 run out (Kapugedera/Kulasekara) 0 gave up a mere 23 runs from Extras (b-1, lb-3, w-9) 13 PJ Cummins not out 0 four overs that featured 10

Extras (b-1, lb-1, w-4, nb-1) 7 dot balls and should have Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 172

been rewarded with the wickTotal (6 wickets; 20 overs) 168 Did not bat: et of Travis Head - dropped Did not bat: JRMWS Bandara, SL badly by Tharanga at point.

Malinga, KMDN Kulasekara, A Zampa, B Stanlake, AJ Tye Tharanga’s night did not PADLR Sandakan Fall of wickets 1-76 (Klinger, 10.3 improve when he opened the Fall of wickets 1-5 (Tharanga, ov), 2-86 (Finch, 11.3 ov), 3-116 batting, as he received a per(Henriques, 15.1 ov), 4-153 0.6 ov), 2-79 (Dickwella, 8.5 ov), (Head, 18.4 ov), 5-153 (Turner, 3-91 (Munaweera, 10.4 ov), fectly pitched ball going across 18.5 ov), 6-162 (Paine, 19.4 ov) 4-151 (Gunaratne, 17.1 ov), him from Pat Cummins in the 5-152 (Siriwardana, 17.3 ov) Bowling: first over and offered a thin Bowling: SL Malinga 4-0-29-2 (w-1),KMDN edge through to Tim Paine beKulasekara 4-0-38-0 (nb-1, PJ Cummins 4-0-29-1, B Stanlake hind the stumps. While the w-1), JRMWS Bandara 3-0-353-0-42-0 (w-4), JP Faulkner 4-0-27Australians celebrated this 1 (w-1, S Prasanna 4-0-23-0 0 (w-1), AJ Tye 3-0-32-0, A Zampa wicket with some gusto, they (w-1), PADLR Sandakan 4—304-0-26-2, AJ Turner 2-0-12-2 1, DAS Gunaratne 1-0-11-1 were soon haring about the MCG outfield as Munaweera

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and Niroshan Dickwella went to work.

Their partnership ensured the run rate was not going to be much of an issue, compelling Finch and his bowlers to chase wickets and consequentially offer more scoring opportunities. Adam Zampa delivered his usual handy spell and deserved his two wickets, but oddly Finch did not try his other spin options until introducing Ashton Turner with only a modest equation required.

Turner’s offbreaks were rewarded by a smart Paine stumping to end Gunaratne’s innings just when he appeared to be coasting home, before a debatable lbw verdict against Milinda Siriwardana closed the gap between the teams. In the end, Kapugedara was left needing a single from the final delivery, an assignment he made light work of with a steely drive for four.

Klinger, Turner and Billy Stanlake were all named for their first T20 appearances for Australia but there was no room for Ben Dunk and only three specialist batsmen selected - Finch, Head and Klinger. The visitors included the left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan, who was so effective against Australia in the Test series in Sri Lanka last year.

Malinga kicked off the evening with his first ball in a full international since February

last

year, and also bowled the first ball Dilshan faced by Klinger Munaweera’s six fours in his in an international match no quick innings fewer than 19 rallied Sri Lanka till the years after his halfway mark state debut. The pitch was a little on the sluggish side, but Klinger and the acting captain Finch made a decent start with a smattering of boundaries and hustling between the wickets.

They had 76 on the board by the time Klinger tried to tug a Sandakan googly to the leg side and was pouched by Malinga via the resultant top edge. Finch had his eye on a big score as leader, but after depositing Gunaratne’s first ball well into the Great Southern Stand he tried to repeat the trick two balls later against an offcutter and popped another high catch.

From there the innings was a sequence of fits and starts, as Head, Moises Henriques, Turner and James Faulkner all offered cameo contributions. However, Prasanna’s spell was particularly tidy, Sri Lanka did well to keep the boundary count down - only seven fours and four sixes in total - and two wickets in successive balls for Malinga in his final over also served to aid the tourists’ ultimately winning cause. (Cricinfo)

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n Thursday for the 18th time Scotiabank have collaborated with the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) for the Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Programme.

The launch occurred at the GCB’s board room at Regent Street, Bourda in the presence of Lorna Muhammad, the administrator to the Acting Chief Education Officer (Primary) of the Ministry of Education, Nicholas Fraser, the Head of the Physical Education Department of the Unit of Allied Arts (Ministry of Education), Hazel PyleLewis, representative of the Guyana Teachers’ Union, Gervy C. Harry, Sports Administrator of the National Sports Commission (Ministry of Education), Taaliba Speede, Child Care And Protection Officer of the Child Care And Protection Agency, Drubahadur, President of the Guyana Cricket Board, Colin Stuart, the Territorial Development Officer of the Guyana Cricket Board and Coordinator of the 2017 WICB/GCB/ Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Program, and Jennifer Cipriani of the WICB’s/GCB’s Kiddy Cricket proud sponsor “Scotiabank.”

The 2017 GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Program bowls off on February 21, 2017 with the Coaching Education aspect which incorporates three main elements, namely, the coaching of actual cricket related skills, the component of “Cricket Is My Game – Learn It,” which involves, coaches, umpires, Match Referees, national and academy players imparting different aspect of the game to the students, such as on leadership, fielding placing, laws of cricket etc , and the element of “Meet The Emerging Player,” which captures the intervention of national, academy and promising youth players in schools, in an effort

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SATURDAY, february 18, 2017

The head table at the Scotiabank/ GCB Kiddy’s Cricket Launch along with jubilant prospective participants

to motivate students to become goal achievers – heroes of tomorrow.

The 2017 GCB/ Scotiabank Kiddy Cricket Program will commence its Festival or Competition phase from February 28, 2017 in the Pomeroon district of Essequibo and would then shift its attention to the Essequibo Coast, Bartica, Wakenaam, Leguan and East Bank Essequibo, while almost simultaneously placing similar interest in the areas of East Bank Demerara and New Amsterdam/ Canje.

The programme will then continue during the third school term from May 3, 2017 and conclude

by June 2017, targeting primary schools in the Berbice River, Corentyne, West Berice, Mahaica/ Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, Georgetown, West Demerara and the Upper Demerara/ Highway District.

All members of the head table gave high commendations of the programme, which started in 1999/2000. They praised the structure of the program which aims to develop rounded individuals (the participating students) by both focusing on empowering participants in the areas of cricket associated skills and attributes related to cricket activities such as team work ethics, the importance of discipline and commitment, value of communication (inclusive of body language and feedback), value of winning and losing, the worth of setting goals with objectives (pathways towards achieving such goals), the importance of rules, principles, ethics, and guidelines, inclusive of Child Care And Protection policies.

Over the years the programme have seen the emergence of many talented cricketer that elevated to play for Guyana at the junior level.

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he first edition of the Guyana ed to opposing teams if a team fails to Water Inc Under-17 Cricket show up 30 minutes after the schedTournament organised by the uled start time of 11:00h.

Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Cricket Development Committee bowls Club would also like to inform all teams off on Saturday with matches scat- that no form of indiscipline would be tered across the ancient county. The tolerated and that all decisions of the tournament involves 17 teams - Bush Umpires are final. The Winning Team Lot, Bush Lot United, Blairmont A, of the Knock-out Competition would reBlairmont B, Tucber Park, Young ceive $40,000 and a trophy while the Warriors A, Young Warriors B, No. 19 Runner-up would carry home $20,000 Kendall Union, Toopoo, Tamarind Root, and a trophy. The Man of the finals Rose Hall Town Bakewell, Big Star, along with the tournament’s best batsRose Hall Town Metro Females, No. 72 man and bowler would receive special Cut and Load, No. 73, Scottsburg and prizes.

Skeldon.

The Tournament will The fixtures for the be played on a knock-out basis and 40-Overs per opening round, as follows: side, starting at 11:00h sharp. Club Secretary/ Bush Lot “Chris vs Blairmont A at Blairmont.

CEO, Hilbert Foster stated that the tournament Bush Lot United vs Blairmont B at Bush Lot. forms part of the Rose Hall Tucber Park vs Young Warriors Town Youth & Sports Club B at Tucber Park. plans for junior cricketers in Berbice to get them inYoung Warriors A vs Kendall’s volved in playing the game Union at Cumberland. at the competitive level.

Rose Hall Town Bakewell vs With the Berbice Cricket Board not able to Tamarind Root at Area “H”. fully operate due to a Court Toopoo vs Big Star at Toopoo.

Injunction, clubs have No. 73 vs Skeldon at No. 73. been starved of competiNo. 72 Cut and Load vs tive matches. Clubs are reminded that players have Scottsburg at Scottsburg. to be born on or after the Rose Hall Town Metro Females “BYE” September 1, 2000 and that walk over would be grant-

he iconic race, the Forbes Burnham Memorial three Stage cycling race, which has become a traditional event for the past six years will once again take to the roads of Guyana on Sunday February 19.

The event which is one of the first set of cycling races for the year is organized by the Forbes Burnham Foundation and will see riders in the juniors, open, veterans and female categories being contested.

The first stage is expected to pedal off in the ancient county of Berbice as riders take to the starting line at New Amsterdam from 07:00h. The cyclists will proceed all the way Rose Hall and return to the point of origin for the finish.

Meanwhile, the second stage will take place next Sunday (February 26) and will see riders resuming action at 07:00h pedaling at top speeds from the mining town, Linden to Georgetown.

The final stage will also be held the same day (February 26) from 14:00h when the wheelsmen will proceed from Georgetown to Belfield and return.

When the race began six years ago it was Flashback! The Team Gillette Evolution (TGE) trio of Raul Leal, Orville Hinds and Marlon Williams done in the form of only one stage before ex- (partially hidden) strolling to the finish line

panding to two stages four years later and it finally expanded to the stage it is now.

Free Transportation will be available for participants at National Sports Commission, Homestretch Avenue to travel to the start from 05:00h.

The race has always been held in the month of February, the birth month of the late President Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham and has always attracted a large field of cyclists from Georgetown, Linden and Berbice.

The winners will be rewarded with cash prizes for the 94th birth anniversary of the former president.

Last year it was Team Gillette Evolution who dominated the race with Raul Leal clocking in five hours, 54 minutes and five seconds for the top podium spot. He lead his club mates, Marlon ‘Fishy’ Williams and Orville Hinds on the podium to underline their dominance.

He won the first stage in Berbice, placed fourth in the second stage (Linden to Homestretch Avenue) and pedaled in second the final stage from the National Cultural Centre to Belfield and back to win.

YELLOW PAGES

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he 2016 Busta Champion of Champions 20/20 Cricket Tournament organised by the Cricket Development Committee of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS, is set to restart tomorrow Sunday February 19, 2017 at the Albion Community Centre Cricket Ground. The tournament which started in late November last year with the playing o f one round of matches was put on hold due to the continuous rainy season which started in early December.

Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster who also heads the Cricket Development Committee stated that with an improvement in the weather over the last week, efforts would be made to play off the tournament by the middle of March, 2017. The Club, he stated is eager to complete all 2016 tournaments, so that it can fully concentrate on the 20 (twenty) tournaments it would be hosting in 2017 at the Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, Under-19, Female, Second Division, Schools and First Division levels.

Tucber Park is slated to clash with Police at 09:00h while Blairmont and Albion would meet at 13:00h. Tucber Park should feature the likes of Eugene La Fleur, Nial Smith, Steve Deonarine, Romario Shepherd and Hakeem Hinds while Police would depend heavily on Kevin Sinclair, Andel Doris, Brentnol Woolford, Leon Andrews and Martin Singh.

Blairmont, despite starting as under dogs have proven over time that they have the capacity to create upsets and with players like Kevon Hawahir, Javed Karim, Shabeer Baksh, Seon Glasgow and Waqar Hussain, they cannot be underestimated. Power house Albion would include Jonathan Foo, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul, Anthony Bramble, Gudakesh Motie and Kandasammy Surujnarine.

In the first round Young Warriors defeated West Berbice by 16 runs while Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets defeated Upper Corentyne by 78 runs. Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets would face Young Warriors in the semifinals while the winners of the two matches this weekend would be involved in the second semifinals, which would be played on the same day at the Area “H” Ground in early March. The Winning Championship team would receive $100 000.00 and the Busta Cup while the Runner-up would receive $50 000.00.

‘Clash of Champions’ will be decided tonight

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Futsal action returns to Linden tonight with a big match-up at the MSC hard court

By Romario Samaroo

The inaugural New Era Entertainment/ Eyefull Entertainment’s Stag ‘Clash of Champions’ winners will be decided tonight when Dave and Celena’s Hustlers host Sparta Boss at the McKenzie Sports Club Hard Court tarmac, Linden in the final showdown.

The Georgetown champions Sparta Boss have already drawn first blood when the first leg was played in Georgetown at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue last Sunday.

Nevertheless, the fighting spirit of the Linden Champions will look to bounce back from the 11-7 defeat and will be helped with the home court advantage and crowd support.

In the spot light will be Devon Millington and Gregory “Jackie Chan” Richardson who both scored hat tricks the last time these two teams met and will be the center of the action as Sparta Boss look to them for guidance.

On the other hand, Hustlers have the style and flamboyance of Deon “Crab” Charter and the power and skill of Jermaine “Brown Boy” Scotland who has impressed

throughout the various competitions as well as on the opening night where he scored twice alongside Anthony “Kang” Sancho.

Both teams are having some extraordinary runs in the sport over the last few months and will have a lot on their mind as they look to take the $200,000 prize in the winner take all tournament.

Both teams have gathered an enormous fan base as they continue to produce some breath taking skills and entertainment for the large crowds night after night. It will be particularly interesting to see who will take it as it provides a home and away scenario for both teams.

But before the main event, fans will witness the immense competition as the championship will also be featuring Silver bullets facing Good Fellas and Town Cars (Georgetown taxi drivers) taking on Linden bus (Linden bus drivers).

All four teams made impressive showings in the Mohamed’s enterprise Futsal Tournament and definitely will renew their rivalries.

The matches will be played on a six a side basis inclusive on 5 players and a goal keeper, using the large goal and run under the rules of the Guyana Futsal Association.

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

FIFA Director completes 2-day visit saturDAY, february 18, 2017

F

IFA Director of Members Association and Development for Africa and the Caribbean Veron Mosengo-Omba completed a two-day visit to Guyana on Friday after meeting the President and Vice-President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) at the local football headquarters.

Mosengo-Omba who also met with Minister within the Ministry of EducationDepartment of Sports Nicolette Henry on Thursday, stated that the FIFA Forward Project is of utmost importance and is confident the GFF will work in collaboration with the government to complete this project.

He further stated that the FIFA Forward Project is moving ahead and he encouraged the Government to see importance of youth development.

“I want to encourage the government of Guyana to work hand-in-hand with the GFF to have the Stadium at Providence completed; I am confident it will happen and the GFF is making steady progress to have that playing field a reality,” Mosengo-Omba declared.

He continued, “It was a very productive meeting with the Minister too.” “There was a lot of good will to work together for the youths of this country. It’s important for us to strengthen the relationships between governments, our Member Associations and FIFA.” President of the GFF Wayne Forde also weighed in declaring the Project doesn’t have a deadline as yet but he is very optimistic the job will be completed.

“Firstly I must thank Mosengo-Omba for being in Guyana and to encourage the government to work in collaboration with GFF; we really appreciated his visit and we looking to fulfill all our plans in 2017,” Forde related.

According to the GFF boss, their aim is to have a great partnership with FIFA and the government of Guyana and he is very confident it can be achieved very soon for the betterment of football in Guyana.

Meanwhile, the Project will be situated in Providence, East Bank Demerara, following the acquisition of a 30-year lease of 8.5 acres of land from the Eccles/Ramsburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

FIFA Director Veron Mosengo-Omba (second right) is flanked by GFF President Wayne Forde, (second left) while first vice-president off GFF Retired Brigadier General Bruce Lovell (extreme left) and second vice-president Rawlston Adams at Media briefing on Friday

This will provide a FIFA-approved home for the Federation, which will, among others, facilitate the national team’s training session and host international matches. It will be named the Providence Technical Centre and Mini Stadium.

First Vice-President of the GFF Retired Brigadier General Jullian (Bruce) Lovell and second vice-president Rawlston Adams were also in attendance as the FIFA director interacted with the local media in an o p e n forum.

CWI/ Regional Super50 2017 finals

New champs will becrowned

- toss will be crucial Shai Hope

A

fter

some resounding batting performances in their respective semi-finals, finalists Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions are now evenly-matched to contest the 2017 Super50 final at Coolidge Cricket ground in Antigua and Barbuda in today’s day/night encounter.

With a new champion to be crowned alluding to the fact that reigning champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force were dethroned at the first semi-final to the Scorpions in clinical fashion and Barbados Pride inflicted a thrashing on Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the second semis, this showpiece promises to be electrifying.

Jamaica Scorpions made a mess of Red Force tallying up a record 434-4 to which the former champs responded with a measly 142 leaving the Scorpions with a fabulous winning momentum with their sixth win on the trot.

Barbados Pride probably inspired by the Scorpions also showed relentless form racking up a formidable 314-7 off the maximum 50-overs.

Both finalists emerged from group B and in the preliminary rounds they shared the two matches with a win each. The Pride drew first blood with a narrow one wicket victory while the Scorpions bounced back beautifully to win the second head to head clash.

The Scorpions openers Chadwick Walton, who fashioned a brilliant century against Red Force and Franchise player Steven Taylor who scored 88, in the onslaught will no doubt want to start off nicely again. Walton is their leading run scorer with 324 runs. In the strong batting line up, much is expected from the inform Jermaine Blackwood (306 runs), who also capitalized on the innocuous from Red Force bowling by

compiling a maiden List A hundred of his own.

Another game changer is Rovman Powell (291 runs), the hard hitting all-rounder who is also in scintillating form after striking nine towering sixes and six fours on his way to 95 in the semis.

The bowling definitely will centre around the experienced Jerome Taylor (16 wickets) and the lively Reynard Leveridge, both of whom delivered their thunderbolts with precision and control in the last match.

Left-arm spinner and captain Nikita Miller along with leg-spinner Damion Jacobs will be asked to take up the responsibility when the ball gets older and will get assistance from John Campbell (13 wickets) and Powell. Taylor and Jacobs are the Scorpions’ leading wicket takers with 16 scalps each.

Jacobs has was very impressive throughout the tournament with career best figures of 6-34 against ICC Americas.

Barbados on the other hand, will be seeking their eight titles in the history of the competition and will start off as title favourite, at least on paper. They have lost just one game this year when they went down to the Scorpions by 74 runs.

Tournament’s leading wicket-taker Ashley Nurse is known to be very penetrative on huge occasion of this nature.

Twenty-five wickets from nine matches so far demonstrated his consistency and success. Barbados Pride unquestionably will be banking heavily on him to do the trick again. He can expect solid support from leftarm orthodox spinner Sulieman Benn who showed great control and variation too by claiming 15 victims from six outings.

Captain Jason Holder (16 wickets) and his fellow paceman Kemar Roach are the men likely to be entrusted with the new cheery.

Their batting will certainly hinge on the inform top two run-getters; prolific opener Kraigg Brathwaite who has 462 runs including two centuries and Shai Hope (381 runs) who cracked a brilliant hundred (125) against Leeward Islands Hurricanes.

Jonathan Carter should lend support as well because of his fluency and responsibility in this abbreviated version and expectation is extremely high that the dangerous Carlos Brathwaite can come to the fore with his flamboyant temperament.

With Barbados Pride and Jamaica Scorpions piled on massive totals batting first in the semis, the toss will be of utmost

attention. The team that calls correctly is antici- pated to take first strike on a pitch that is offering appreciative bounce for both batsmen and bowlers.

Both sides’ wicketkeepers are having fantastic time behind the stumps as well. Chadwick Walton (Scorpions) and Shai Hope have 20 dismissals each and they are likely to create another contest within the contest.

Pride: Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite (vice captain), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope (wicket-keeper), Ashley Nurse, Kemar Roach, Kevin Stoute, Jomel Warrican; Emmerson Trotman (head coach) Scorpions: Nikita Miller (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Gavon Brown, John Campbell, Andre McCarthy, Damion Jacobs, Reynard Leveridge, Paul Palmer, Rovman Powell, Damani Sewell, Jerome Taylor, Steven Taylor, Devon Thomas, Chadwick Walton (vice captain/wicket-keeper); Robert Samuels (head coach) The infield umpires are Peter Nero, Nigel Duguid while Carl Tuckett is the TV umpire. Jamaican Patrick Gustard is the fourth official and Carlyle Felix is the match referee.

B

lairmont Cricket Club continues with preparation for the Berbice Cricket Board inter-association competition with three matches. They first took on the rest of West Berbice then Young Warriors and Albion under 15 teams.

Over the three matches there were outstanding performances from Farook Subhan who chalked up another century, Guyana under 15 selectee Marvan Prashad who hit 86 not out while Akash Heeralall, Gourav Nowrangilall, Z. Ramsammy turned out descent feats with the ball.

Against the Rest of West Berbice (RWB), Blairmont won by 200 runs after putting up 274/2. Farook Subhan struck 100 not out and Marvan Prashad 86 not out before they were called in to give the selectors a

look at the other batsmen.

In reply, RWB were blown away for 74 all out with L Dhanna making 17 and Anthony Sukra 13 while Gourav Nowrangilall took 4 wickets for eight runs, Tavis Jawahir 3-11 and Marvan Prashad had 2-9.

In the second match, they came up against Young Warriors and once again they were the victors with a 67 runs victory. Batting first, they made 157 all out with Farook Subhan again among the runs, this time with 32, Marvan Prashad and Keith Milne scored 25 each. Z Ramsammy 3-13 and A Ramsammy 3-25 were the main wicket takers for Young Warriors. In the run chase, Young Warriors stumbled to 90 all out with R Lottupersaud 21 not out and R. Ramdeol 11 being the only batsmen to double fig-

Chadwick Walton

ures. Akash Heeralall 4-13, Marvan Prashad 4-8 and Shahid Baksh 2-11 did the damage with the ball.

Rain the final say in Blairmont U-15’s final match against Albion. Early morning showers made it difficult for play but the Albion Cricket Club’s ground staff worked feverishly to give youngsters a chance to have a play. In the abbreviated game, Blairmont CC made 55 all out with F Amoi taking 3-13, S Chatnonne 2-9 and I Shajan 2-4 as no batsman made it to double figures.

Albion reached 38/6 with K Kirrum making 16 and Akash Heeralall picking up 4-13 and K. Milne 1-2 when the game was called off due to more rain. The result was an abandoned match.

guyanatimesgy.com

friDAY, febRuary 17, 2017

23

Marks vs Bess

for GABBFF Presidency today By Romario Samaroo

T

h e Guyana A m a t e u r Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GABBFF) will hold its Annual General Meeting today with the main activity on the agenda being the elections for office bearers for the next two-year term.

All eyes will be on the election of a president as the incumbent President, Attorney at Law Keavon Bess will be challenged for the post by businessman, athlete and trainer, Coel Marks.

The GABBFF is ran on a democratic basis whereby members of the Federation come out a vote in the administrative body Guyana Times Sport caught up with both contenders who outlined their plans if elected into office as well as to why they should be elected.

Bess related that it is good to have someone running against him for the post as he ran unopposed at the last election, noting that it is all good for the sake of the development of sport in Guyana.

Who are the candidates?

Bess has been the President of the GABBFF for two terms, having assumed office back in 2012 and was re-elected in 2015 for a second term. The Attorney at Law boosts the luxury of be-

ing i n charge at a time when Guyanese athletes excelled at the regional level and became a force to reckon with, claiming the best performances in the Darcy Beckles Classic and the Caribbean and Central America Championships in 2016.

Marks, is an active bodybuilder since 2014 where he entered the Novice Competition for the first time and copped second place and then transitioned to the Men’s physique in 2015 where placed third. In 2016 he represented Guyana at the Darcy Beckles Classic in Barbados.

Funding

Funding for overseas participation has always posed a problem for the GABBFF and it is expected that the two candidates would have a sound plan to facilitate the improvement on this issue when the time comes for their administration to potentially take office.

The businessman related that he “has observed that the Federation does not currently engage in any fundraising activity, it just survives in the auspices of a few business entities only when competition comes.” Thus, he believes that his slate is a vibrant group and has some positive ideas to garner funds.

Meanwhile, Bess point-

ed out that the “funding remains an issue but with Government's intention to subsidize some of our expenses and with the growing contributions of Corporate Guyana, eventually the GABBFF can attain financial independence.”

The incumbent president refuted claims that there are no fund raising activates highlighting in March 2016 there was an event which helped to fund the Novice Competition.

Federation financially viable and the athletes internationally competitive.”

Teamwork

The current president, speaking on this issue accepted that he is willing to work with any team elected as the “team is depended on the votes but the past Executive has done a wonderful job for the development of Bodybuilding in Guyana.”

Bess highlighted that

fill the position of Treasurer is Economist Roger Rogers and running for the General Secretary post will be ABE lecturer Lisa Ahmad.

Marks said he “believes with the amalgamation of skills, we will be formidable. Our team is committed to building and enhancing upon the foundation created by the incumbent president created to achieve the betterment of the sport for all stakeholders.”

er been achieved before, the medal returns are incredible as he says “Bodybuilding has come a far way over the past five years, from the solid structuring of the Federation as a registered legal entity to the certification of IFBB International Judges and the attainment of 12 CAC medals and two Darcy Beckles medals, the most by any other president in a period of only five years.” Under his administration, Bess believes the Federation has re-

Moving the Sport forward

Marks indicated that under his governance, “building better relationships with the business community then translating those benefits directly to the athletes” is a priority as he is of the point of view that “athletes need to feel incentivized more, granted there are stipulations as to how much an amateur athlete can get, our focus is on elevating the level of athletes through providing more support and information. We plan on keeping contact with all the gyms and encourage them to identify athletes regularly with potential. We will do our part and support and nurture our talents when identified.”

Bess on the other hand said “Some of our plans need adjusting but nothing is broken and with the complete contribution of the members of the Federation we can attain heights that have never been seen before.”

The lawyer added that it is his intention to “make the

Guyana’s most successful CAC team paid a visit to Director of Sport Christopher Jones (centre).

From left; Franklin Brisport, CAC silver medallist Emmerson Campbell, Keavon Bess, gold medallist Kerwin Clarke, bronze medal winner, Devon Davis and Alisha Fortune

the track record of the present administration is undisputable, probably the most successful team but not taking anything away from the strides by the past executives lead by the likes of Donald Sinclair and Frank Tucker, to name a few.

While running under the team headed by Marks, his deputy is expected to be Seon Satrohan who is also a fellow businessman while aiming to

Current State of bodybuilding

According to the man who aims to take up the mantle from Bess, Marks believes that there have been great strides made under the Bessled administration, but “it has plateaued” and therefore it is in need of “a fresher approach” which would be beneficial to everyone involved.

Bess highlighted that what the group has been able to achieve so far has nev-

gained the glory and shine of bodybuilding in the country.

The current administration is Keavon Bess as President, Hugh Ross as Vice-President, Stacy McKinnon as General Secretary, Videsh Sookram as Organising Secretary and Moressa Oscar as Treasurer.

The Meeting is expected to begin at 10:00h at the Guyana Olympic House, High Street, Kingston.

Demerara U-15 Inter-Association Competition

East Coast emerge as champions - Tournament deemed as ‘disorganized’

Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Territorial Development Officer (TDO), Colin Stuart, presents East Coast captain, Davenand Khemraj with the winning trophy with the rest of the team in the foreground

A

disorganized Demerara Under 15 Inter-association cricket tournament concluded with East Coast emerging champions after playing just two matches.

In those matches, East Coast defeated West Demerara and Georgetown while on Friday their last game was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain which left the outfield at

Ogle Ground waterlogged.

In the other contest on Friday, Georgetown defeated West Demerara by 46 runs in a low scoring affair at the Everest Cricket Club Ground.

Batting first the host were restricted to 79 all out in 19.3 overs with only three batsmen reaching double figures while Devindra Seenarine and Mohan Bradford bowled well for the visitors sharing five wickets between them.

Joel Gilks (16), Udashave Balgobin (12) and Brandon Jaigobin (10) were the only batsmen to reach double figures in the match.

In reply, West Demerara were routed for 33 in 18 overs, reminiscent of their dubious record on March 12 2014 when they were bowled out for 13 as none of their batsmen got off the mark and 13 extras were bowled. Only difference this time around

there were more extras, 20, and five of their batsmen came off the mark with the top score being four.

For Georgetown medium pacers Negusa Walters and Aryan Persaud along with left arm orthodox spinner Raynaldo Mohamed, who looked a cut above the other players applying his skill, captured two wickets apiece.

It was no surprise that these young men look apart from their peers because they are from three clubs-Malteenoes Sports Club, Everest Cricket Club and Georgetown Cricket Club-that have programmes that are well organized.

There were several positives apart from the many negatives. Several fifties were scored and the interest of cricket is imminent among the young players who seem to want to aspire above this level.

However, it was chaos prior to and during the tournament. On the eve of the event, a local coach directed by a representative of the GCB, held a meeting to select Georgetown team. How can a team be selected from a meeting? I would love the guidance of the GCB on this matter.

On the day of the first match, East Bank failed to turn up to play Georgetown, prompting officials to use reserves from East Coast, West Demerara and Georgetown to form a Combined XI. According to a source close to GCB, East Bank team failed to show up at the venue due to no funding from the Board for transportation.

On day two of the tournament East Bank was at Everest early and ready to play, as a result, the Combined XI was dismantle

and some of Georgetown and East Coast players were left stranded in the City while those two teams were preparing to clash at Ogle.

A Journalist took some of the players to Ogle Ground while an official from East Bank team took one of the players into his team since he resides in that area. That player scored an unbeaten half century and shared in an unbroken 170 run opening partnership that secured victory by 10 wickets for East Bank.

This perilous approach to cricket by the administrators’ need to be corrected immediately or else cricket would be driven deeper into the ground.

Inter-County is next I wonder how the GCB is going to arrive at selecting the best 14 for Demerara.

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

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 22

CWI Regional Super50 2017

- Toss will be crucial

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Coel Marks

Keavon Bess

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