Guyana Times - Friday, September 28, 2018

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Issue No. 3700

P13

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Friday, September 28, 2018

PRICE

23 students rushed to city hospital for smoke inhalation

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Man jailed for forging pension P8 voucher

…after grass fire starts near school Motorcyclist Workers can no dies in longer trust Labour Berbice crash Dept – FITUG Page 7

Handyman jailed for P7 wounding man over $5000 debt

Page 12

Page 10

Youth conference a glaring P9 “election gimmick” – Jagdeo Over $600M in loans granted P10 to small businesses

Beating of teacher sparks protest at Berbice school Page 9

…after abusive student allowed back at facility

PTA members protesting outside the Number 8 Secondary School, West Coast Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) on Thursday after a student who beat a teacher was allowed back at the educational facility

LGE disputed list

PPP warns of “serious legal challenges” Page 3

…if list withdrawal issue not addressed at GECOM

Stabroek Wharf vendors placed on breadline …still awaiting construction of stalls P15

Cuban fined, deported for illegal entry

P8

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

Friday, September 28 – 05:00h-06:30h and Saturday, September 29 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, September 28 – 06:15h-07:45h and Saturday, September 29 – 06:50h-08:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny skies are expected throughout the day, with clear skies in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly and Northeasterly between 2.23 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 06:19h and 18:32h reaching maximum heights of 2.73 metres and 2.75 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 12:08h reaching a minimum height of 0.54 metre.

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

LGE disputed list

PPP warns of “serious legal challenges” …if list withdrawal issue not addressed at GECOM

T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has issued a stern warning that if the list withdrawal rule is not fixed in such a way as to facilitate persons who would like their names removed from various voters’ lists at the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE), serious legal challenges will be mounted This was announced by General Secretary of the PPP, Bharrat Jagdeo, who said on Thursday that an agreement was made but not fulfilled. He said his party will not sit idly by and allow the illegality to take place, but will do all in its power to have it resolved with the help of GECOM. “If GECOM doesn’t address this -- because I suspect the disappearance of the CEO (Chief Elections Officer) has something to do with this, but I don’t want to be unkind or unfair to him. I hope that they will dress this -- but if they don’t address this, then I foresee serious legal challenges,” he said.

Persons whose names appeared on various voters’ lists for the upcoming LGE but had no knowledge of it were given the opportunity to have it corrected before the end of Wednesday, August 26, 2018. This decision was made at the statutory meeting held at GECOM on Tuesday, when all Commissioners, including those nominated by the PPP, were present.

However, on Wednesday, when some of those persons turned up to have the issue rectified at the various GECOM facilities in their communities, they were blocked from doing so.

The PPP said that all assurances were given

by GECOM’s CEO, Keith Lowenfield, that once affidavits for each individual was produced, it would be corrected.

PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo

But when these persons showed up to make the necessary changes,, they were told by the respective Returning Officers (RO) at the various polling stations that this could only be done if the head of a list could visit the polling station with a signed affidavit or the aggrieved person appeared in person, not one individual submitting for a group.

“If they don’t remove these names, then that would be tantamount to allowing that to happen in this country…I can say that I don’t want to support you, but because you fraudulently put my name there and I didn’t get to do it one time -- remove my name -- although I have an affidavit, then I have to back you and make your name valid. How could that be fair or legal?” Jagdeo questioned.

After hours of protestation at Whim Village on Wednesday evening, persons who were disputing that they signed their names on the AFC list were invited to a meeting with the RO at 22:00h.

Also invited to that meeting were the AFC representatives in the area who had taken the signatures.

They failed to show at the meeting. As such, 51 persons who turned up with their sworn affidavits to have their names removed were allowed to have their names removed from the list.

But some 151 persons from Crabwood Creek, Corriverton and Number 63, Berbice were unable to have their names removed from both the AFC and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) lists, since

the ROs claimed that they received no instructions from Lowenfield.

“We are going to be vigilant right across this country, because this is not like in the past, where we were a little bit more trusting, because we have seen how a pattern has emerged. It tells you a lot about the desperation of these parties, and how they can’t find backers to even contest the elections,” Jagdeo argued, while committing to continue challenging this issue.

Jagdeo revealed on Monday that there were already several instances of electoral fraud for the 2018 LGE. According to Jagdeo, as many as 42 out of 80 Local Authority Areas have cases of forged signatures or persons being tricked into signing backers’ lists.

On Nomination Day, dozens of lists of names and signatures purporting to be backers of candidates were profoundly defective because of forgery.

These lists also contained the names of deceased persons, and even persons who never existed, among others.

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Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Policing, standards

P

olicemen and women, the world over, are well respected personnel and role models for young people who aspire to contribute positively to the overall development of their communities and their residents.

They usually earn the admiration of citizens because of their unique display of honesty, integrity, patience, good temperament, politeness and commitment to maintaining law and order, especially in troubling times and turbulent circumstances. For some, these men and women in uniform stand like superheroes between victims and villains, and the oppressed and their oppressors.

In short, policing is a noble profession and is therefore guided by codified laws and practices which dictate exactly how its members are expected to behave in almost every rational circumstance.

It is also governed by high standards and ethics which serve to encourage and motivate its members to become standard bearers as far as morality and public decency are concerned.

In the developed world, there is no changing of the goal-posts or standards whenever breaches that warrant sanctions and criminal prosecutions are concerned if a Policeman breaches the law or acts in a hostile manner towards people seeking the assistance of various law agencies.

In the Caribbean, the culture is different. In some parts, there is a temptation on the part of the middle management of various policing units to conceal the excesses of Policemen and women who are accused and in some instances found guilty of breaching the standards, ethics and laws of the profession.

As a direct result of their actions, if they go undetected by the top brass of these agencies, a new culture is passed down to their subordinates which embolden and encourage junior ranks to get involved in unscrupulous activities, which in the short and long-term damage the reputation of the entire profession.

In Guyana, the situation referred to above obtains, but has become worst over the past few years. In fact, it is nightmarish. Some Policemen and women are openly engaged in crime and criminality within the divisions that they serve. Others are caught breaching the ethics of their profession accepting bribes, victimising citizens, applying their own version of the law and abusing their positions in order to create additional wealth and sources of income.

The situation has reached such a level where the lines between right and wrong are now blurred and there is widespread collusion between ranks at all levels to engage in skulduggery for the right price. Additionally, some lawmen are even in the habit of verbally abusing members of the public, using expletives and other derogatory language in the presence of their seniors. For some reason, some Policemen are always angry, hostile, hoggish and indifferent to the pleas and cries of desperation from the public.

Additionally, persons who are arrested and detained at holding centres or the lock-ups are kept in the most inhumane and insanitary conditions despite the tens of millions of dollars that have been released by the Government over the years to improve the conditions of these facilities. There are faeces; stagnant water accumulated from rainfall that makes its way through the porous roofs of these stations into the cell; an unbearable stench and rodents in the cell; no designated sleeping area or potable water available; and most times no access to calls to seek legal counsel.

Policemen contribute to the dilemma by engaging in extrajudicial acts, such as beating and brutalising detainees in some instances to force confessions. There are also allegations of torture and sexual abuse at the hands of lawmen.

The image of the Force continues to decline because of the indifference and non-action of those in authority. Enough attention is not being paid by the top brass of the Force in disciplining ranks who breach the standards and ethics of the profession. There is no reassessment of the entry requirements for the Force. There is no emphasis on engineering internal programmes to lift the morale of these lawmen to empower them to cope better in the field.

The Public Security Ministry continues to function as a toothless poodle and as of recent is engaged in dealing with all sorts of matters foreign to its original remit. It needs to work with the Force to advance a modern customer service and public relations programme aimed at strengthening the performance of Police Officers and their interpersonal skills. Also, an advance policy that tackles corruption and collusion in the Force must be adumbrated.

Modern crime-fighting tactics can only be successful when the public demonstrates higher levels of trust, confidence and respect for Policemen. The criminals are wining in some respect because the public demonstrates indifference in providing information that could infiltrate the criminal enterprise across the country.

The public’s attitude will not change unless the Policemen and women carry themselves with higher levels of dignity, respect, integrity, honesty and decency. History will not be kind to the current Top Cop unless he distinguishes himself as the one lawman who managed to set the Force on a path to delivering a higher level of service to the Guyanese people. The clock is ticking.

These students of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre enjoying an afternoon of games on their new computers donated by Starr Computer Inc on Thursday

Minister Holder’s outburst an irresponsible demonstration of leadership

Dear Editor, The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) was taken aback after the Union listened to Agriculture Minister Noel Holder’s seeming outburst on a local television newscast of September 26, 2018, regarding the $30 billion aimed at securing and revitalising the operations of the three remaining Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) estates. It was reported that the Minister is clueless about the monies that were borrowed. The Minister said “…so they have now apparently secured some $30 billion bond, which GuySuCo management has not seen, which the Minister of Agriculture has not seen, and frankly speaking don’t really want to see.” Minister Holder went on saying, “… am I don’t understand, I am like you, I can’t understand why you got $30 billion, pay

four per cent interest, sit on it and don’t hand it over to who supposed to use it.”

It seems to us that apparently Minister Holder is out of the loop regarding the monies that have been borrowed which are backed by a sovereign Government guarantee and secured by the assets of National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) – which incidentally belong to the people of Guyana. The Minister’s tirade, as it were, is yet another demonstration of how the affairs of the country are addressed by the Granger Administration. It also, once more, brings into focus the Administration’s more than confused approach to the sugar industry generally.

But apart from that, the Minister’s venting is a serious indictment on him and his performance. GAWU would want to believe that

as a responsible leader of our country, entrusted with overseeing one of the largest sectors of the country, he would have sought to get to the bottom of where the borrowed monies were and seek to channel it to the industry which requires it urgently. We saw the new GuySuCo Chairman, John Dow, in the September 27 Guyana Times, being quoted as saying “…you cannot get increases in production without spending money in getting that infrastructure and equipment up to scratch”. But in contrast to the GuySuCo Chairman, the goodly Minister Holder is saying he doesn’t want to see the monies borrowed. We wonder how more incredulous can the Agriculture Minister get.

Minister Holder’s stewardship of sugar, and some can say of the entire agricultural industry, has been, by

many standards, less than acceptable.

The GAWU recalls the Minister’s quick abrogation of responsibility for the sugar industry when the nation learnt, the Granger Administration, transferred GuySuCo to the auspices of NICIL. It seems that the Minister is least bothered, apparently, by doing the best he can do and has simply resigned himself to escape responsibility as best as he can.

This lethargic approach from a senior Minister who has such weighty responsibilities is a disservice to our country’s people and is, certainly, no encouragement to a main productive sector of our economy.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

See Indians as Indians, rather than a narrow religious or political conclave Dear Editor, I have read Ravi Dev’s recent ruminations on Hindus and Hinduism with great interest. I understand some of Ravi Ji’s quest for a Hindu political stance in Guyana, given the negative perception bestowed on Hindus and Hinduism in the historical context in the country and Region.

However, such a quest is difficult to pursue because

of its inherent challenges – some of it alluded by Dev himself.

The first challenge is the definition of a Hindu: who is a Hindu? How does one define “Hinduism”? This is a difficult question to answer in Guyana as well as it is in the rest of the world.

However, the answer might be given in a statement that is heard often in Guyana: “Hinduism is not a religion;

it is a way of life”. If this is the case, then what is this “way of life”? Is it Sanaatan Dharma where the worship of murtis is important? Is it the reformed Hindu Arya Samaj distinction? Or is it ISKCON or the Sai Baba inclusive expression? In India, there have been attempts to re-convert Muslims and Christians to their “Hindu” origins (ghar wapsi). The challenge for these re-con-

verters is what to re-convert them to! Which caste, for example, should these re-converted be deemed?

Just about a week ago, Mohan Bhagwat, Chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in India made a bold, significant statement regarding his idea of Hindutva; see https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=k1vOfKYrjjk. continued on page 5

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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

GECOM’s mechanism has failed miserably (Pt 1)

Dear Editor, September 21, 2018, was Nomination Day for the submissions of various lists of backers and recommended candidates, who will be contesting the November 12 Local Government Elections (LGE). Leading up to this particular activity, there has been a lot of hype regarding the expected performance of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), given the many seemingly justified public criticisms to which the organisations has been exposed.

The experiences of many of those individuals and groups of persons

with the assigned GECOM’s Returning Officers (RO) on Nomination Day, was in many ways sordid and indeed one to remember. In particular, the encounters in many instances were imbued with disastrous inconsistencies, coupled to a strongly confrontational attitude by many of the RO. At one Local Authority Area (LAA), the RO in the presence of a member of the Elections Commission requested that the backers list be written up in alphabetical order. Now the practicality of this demand by the RO, informs of a very irrational and senseless position that

is very frustrating. There is no supporting legislation to this demand, and it is very vexing that simplification of the process seemingly conflicts with GECOM’s approach.

The fact is that in order to get backers support, individual candidates and groups would have had to engage community residents at different instances. Further, verify the respective particulars of the backers on the list and have the person affix their signature as the recommender. Such engagements in practice, only occur on occasions when it is most for the recommending par-

ty. Is GECOM asking candidates to assemble backers in one location and have the persons wait to have all checks done and placed in a particular order before they could sign?

In another LAA, the RO demanded that the leader of the list deliver to her photocopies of the constituency as well as the Proportional Representation declaration forms.

One could easily rationalise that these uncertified copies have no legal bearing and that the adopted posture was just to make life hard, and frustrate the People’s Progressive Party

(PPP) presenter of the list in this case.

Another stupid, flagrant and conflicting request from one RO was that the deputy leader of the list must be on the constituency list. This demand lacks any legislative authority and conflict with the free option of contesting groups.

The PPP has reported receiving complaints of electoral malpractices in 42 LAAs. It is also very sad that there are serious claims of breaches against representatives of both the A Partner for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC); who ap-

parently duped people into signing backers lists and candidate forms.

There is indeed a lot of evidence in the public domain of these very serious claims. The nation therefore expects a thorough investigation of these issues and some measure of sanctions to be impose by GECOM where the breaches are confirmed.

The situation just cannot be accommodated and there must be strong penalties for the persons who committed these lawless offences.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Urgent interventions needed to address morning DHB traffic woes Dear Editor, There is an urgent need for the management of the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation and the Guyana Police Force to intervene and develop solutions to address the chaotic situations that occur daily at the western approach of the Demerara Harbour Bridge. This situation is gradually getting from bad to worse, as the number of vehicles traversing the bridge on week day mornings now seem to have

multiplied four folds, when compared to eight years ago.

Thousands of citizens, like myself, have moved from other parts of the country and now reside in schemes on the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara, and are afforded the convenience of personal vehicles to commute to work.

Eight years ago, the current system and timing of the double lane had worked very well. However, it is now time for the authori-

ties to go back to the drawing board and find solutions to remedy the surge in traffic every morning. Failure to address this situation will only leave a multitude of committed, public servants, Private Sector workers, students and other road users coming from the West side late, tired and frustrated when they reach their destinations. These road users would also have to spend more money on fuel and inhale their daily dose ex-

haust fumes as they wait bumper-to-bumper for ridiculously extensive periods to get to Georgetown.

While the authorities try to find some solutions until the new bridge is built, I have a few to share for immediate implementation, and they are as follows: 1. Open the double lane traffic from the Western side from 06:45h instead of 07:00h on week days. The double lane could still close at 07:30h. This additional 15

See Indians as Indians, rather...

He has emphasised the inclusiveness of Hindutva to include a place for those who worship differently and stated that if one is not comfortable with calling Muslims, for example, “Hindu”, then these worshippers are certainly “Bharatiya” (Indian).

Commentators have been quick to view Bhagwat’s

statement as cheap political rhetoric.

However, others have perceived this statement as the beginning of the RSS to be more inclusive of what it is to be Hindustani (Indian).

Christians in and out of India have also begun to recognise the importance of respecting Indigenous

cultures when appropriating the truths of the gospel. An increasing number of Christians sing bhajans and geet; they have kirtan music and conduct satsanghs and express themselves in pakka (authentic) Hindustani forms. This is largely the Hindustani “way of life” that Guyanese speak of when attempting

from page 4

to describe the Hindu religious expression.

It is prudent to perceive Indians in Guyana and elsewhere as “Bharatiyas” (the product of Bharat) rather than a narrow conclave of a religious or cultural entity.

Yours truly, Devanand Bhagwan

minutes could significantly ease the congestion.

2. Instead of opening the bridge to marine traffic at 05:00h in the morning, open from 04:30h so that the flow of road traffic can recommence at 06:00h.

3. Equip Police Officers managing the traffic at the bridge with radio sets so they can easily communicate with each other while at the different traffic points.

4. Police Officers at the eastern side of the bridge need to give a little more consideration for traffic coming from the western side by not restricting the flow of traffic, especially at the time of the double lane in the mornings.

As more and more citizens become residents on the west side of the Demerara River, the need for a new bridge is becoming more and more critical. While residents wait for this solution, which will drastically change the lives of thousands of “west siders” for the better, let’s continue to see it necessary to brainstorm and arrive at solutions which will make the lives of many more comfortable. Let us quickly find solutions for the daily traffic congestions at the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

Yours faithfully, Lloyd David

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Foundation

How to more effectively prevent child sexual abuse

– while school programmes may help, new research finds parenting is a key factor

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very day, children experience sexual abuse. It’s difficult to determine how widespread this problem is because child sexual abuse is not uniformly defined and most certainly is under-reported.

The best data available tells us that more than 25 per cent of girls and 5 per cent of boys experience sexual abuse at some point during their formative years.

Any form of sexual abuse during childhood has serious negative consequences. Children who have been abused are more likely to have problems at school, as well as trouble sleeping and eating. They are at a high risk for experiencing anxiety, depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, and insomnia throughout their lives.

Educators are working on addressing the problem.

The most widely-used prevention strategy employs school-based programmes that teach kids what’s okay and where to go for help.

A systematic review published by the Cochrane Collaboration evaluated the effectiveness of these types of programmes.

The review included 24 studies that evaluated intervention programmes delivered in schools in seven countries. More than 5800 students in elementary, middle and high schools participated in the studies. Programmes included the teaching of safety rules, body ownership, pri-

were more likely to tell an adult about abuse compared to those who did not participate in a programme. One problem may be that these types of school programmes often focus on “stranger danger,” when, in reality, most sexual abuse of children is committed by someone the child knows.

Parents have the greatest ability to create safe environments for their children, reducing the likelihood of abuse vate parts of the body, distinguishing types of touches and types of secrets, and who to tell.

Researchers found that these types of programmes helped children to learn behaviours that would help them avoid sexual abuse encounters, and that participants remembered what they learnt up to six months after the programme.

Participants did not feel more anxious or fearful after the programmes. And children who participated

A narrative review published in the journal Child Maltreatment suggests that encouraging good parenting practices may be a more effective way to prevent child abuse for several reasons.

First, parents have the greatest ability to create safe environments for their children, reducing the likelihood of abuse. A child who has experienced abuse is more likely to tell a parent with whom they have a secure, loving relationship, which gives the parents the

opportunity to prevent future abuse. In addition, the research documents that when children have secure relationships with their parents, it improves their self-confidence and overall well-being. Research documents that abusers are less likely to target children with these attributes.

The review suggests that adding a component about sexual abuse to parenting education programs, developing media campaigns about preventing sexual abuse focused on parents, and even requiring schools to send home information packets about the role parents play in preventing sexual abuse could be helpful.

The take-home message: While school-based programmes give children some knowledge about sexual abuse and tools to prevent it, researchers are still looking for more effective ways to prevent child sexual abuse. Teaching parents to build strong relationships with their children and supervise their children carefully may be the key. (psycholo-

gytoday.com)

10 things you can do to prevent child abuse V

olunteer your time. Get involved with other parents in your community. Help vulnerable children and their families. Start a playgroup.

Discipline your children thoughtfully. Never discipline your child when you are upset. Give yourself time to calm down. Remember that discipline is a way to teach your child.

Use privileges to encourage good behaviour and time-outs to help your child regain control.

Examine your behaviour. Abuse is not just physical.

Both words and actions can inflict deep, lasting wounds. Be a nurturing parent. Use your actions to show children and other adults that conflicts can be settled without hitting or yelling.

Educate yourself and others. Simple support for children and parents can be the best way to prevent child abuse.

After-school activities, parent education classes, mentoring programs, and respite care are some of the many ways to keep children safe from harm. Be a voice in support of these efforts in your community.

Teach children their rights. When children are taught they are special and have the right to be safe, they are less likely to think abuse is their fault, and more likely to report an offender.

Support prevention programs. Too often, intervention occurs only after abuse is reported. Greater investments are needed in programs that have been proven to stop the abuse before it occurs - such as family counselling and home visits by nurses who provide assistance for newborns and their parents.

Know what child abuse is. Physical and sexual abuse clearly constitute maltreatment, but so does neglect, or the failure of parents or other caregivers to provide a child with needed food, clothing, and care. Children can also be emotionally abused when they are rejected, berated, or continuously isolated.

Know the signs. Unexplained injuries aren’t the only signs of abuse. Depression, fear of a certain adult, difficulty trusting others or making friends, sudden changes in eating or sleeping patterns, inappropriate sexual behaviour, poor hygiene, secrecy, and hostility are often signs of family problems and may indicate a child is being neglected or physically, sexually, or emotionally abused.

Report abuse. If you witness a child being harmed or see evidence of abuse, make a report to your state’s child protective services department or local police. When talking to a child about abuse, listen carefully, assure the child that he or she did the right thing by telling an adult, and affirm that he or she is not responsible for what happened.

Invest in kids. Encourage leaders in the community to be supportive of children and families. Ask employers to provide family-friendly work environments. Ask your local and national lawmakers to support legislation to better protect our children and to improve their lives. (www.dshs.com)

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23 students rushed Handyman jailed for wounding over $5000 debt to city hospital for man ...already served 3 years for similar attack on mother smoke inhalation F

…after grass fire near school

One of the fire tenders at the GPSU Ground after putting out the fire

S

ome 23 secondary students were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital on Thursday morning after they were affected by smoke originating from grass burning nearby.

The fire started about 11:00h at the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Ground on Thomas Lands, Georgetown. At the time, persons were burning dry grass on the ground which had been previously sprayed with a weedicide.

Guyana Times understands that 22 students from Tutorial High School and one from Richard Ishmael Secondary School, both located on Woolford Avenue, had to seek medical attention.

According to reports reaching this newspaper, the smoke started to affect students at St Joseph High, who were out in the school’s ground for their Inter-House Sport activities. The students had to eventually retreat back to their class-

rooms to escape the smoke.

However over at the neighbouring Tutorial High, students were in their classrooms when the smoke started to affect them. This prompted an evacuation and the students were taken to a nearby field. However, the smoke became heavier and this affected the students’ breathing causing some of them to collapse and others to throw up.

The affected students were then rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where they were given oxygen to regulate their breathing. Most of them were sent away after being stabilised.

However, about seven students are still at the medical institution for further observation. These were mostly asthmatic cases.

When this publication visited the Georgetown Public Hospital, most of the students had been treated and sent away, but concerned parents and teachers flocked outside the Accident

and Emergency section checking up on those who were still being treated.

Guyana Times spoke with one of the students who related what transpired. Third former Shereza Ibrahim related that they had ignored the smoke initially, but it persisted and eventually got thicker.

“The teachers didn’t tell us anything; they just told us to go out to the tarmac but when we got there, it was foggy. The whole school was surrounded by smoke and then we went over to the ground and we heard that the dry grass on the field behind us caught fire,” the teenager related.

Meanwhile, one of the students who were rushed to the hospital, Akela Mckenzie, told this publication that after they were evacuated to the field across the road from the school, some students took ill.

“Some children start falling down, some start coughing, some starting vomiting and so they rushed us to the hospital, where they put us in the emergency room and give us oxygen to breathe,” the young woman, who suffers from asthma, recalled.

Additionally, Guyana Times understands that one of the fire fighters who had responded to put out the grass fire was also rushed to the hospital. Efforts to contact officials from both the Guyana Fire Service and the Education Ministry for comments on the incident were futile.

orty-year-old Toney Marcus was on Thursday sentenced to eight years imprisonment by High Court Judge Brassington Reynolds for feloniously wounding Etwaru Narine on July 6, 2014, at Agricola Public Road, Greater Georgetown.

Marcus, who was said to have had a stable upbringing, has suffered mental health issues linked to the abuse of narcotics.

Earlier this month, the offender pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm or to maim, disfigure or disable Narine. He had been alternatively charged, having also faced the indictment of attempted murder. He however entered a not guilty plea on that charge. During Thursday’s proceedings, he was unrepresented while Attorney Tiffini Lyken prosecuted the case.

According to the facts of the matter, the two men were well known to each other and on the day in question; Narine and another friend were drinking at a shop in the community. Soon afterwards, Marcus walked up to the victim and asked him for the money he was owed and then threatened Narine. After Narine did not give the defendant the money as requested, Marcus left and returned some 30 minutes later and chopped Narine about his body. The

Toney Marcus

injured man was wrapped in a sheet and transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treated and later sent away.

Before the accused was sentenced, a probation report was presented by Probation and Social Services Officer, Aggrey Azore. It was revealed that Marcus served three years in prison for unlawfully wounding his own mother over money. During his time in prison, officers described him as disciplined but noted that he would sometimes speak to himself.

Azore told the court that the defendant expressed remorse for his actions and noted that he was angry when Narine did not return the money owed to him. The probation officer’s investigation further found that Marcus was often teased by

neighbours in the McDoom, Greater Georgetown area where he lived and was even called “Mad Toney”. The court also heard that Marcus is not consistent in taking his medication even though he has been a patient of a psychiatric ward.

Justice Reynolds considered that several chops were inflicted on the Virtual Complainant, telling Marcus that he should “thank his lucky stars” that the victim did not succumb to his injuries. The Judge, contending that Marcus is “treatable”, outlined that the offender needs to be in a controlled environment where he can take his medication.

Having considered the United Nations’ estimation of male life expectancy being 63 years, Justice Reynolds started at a base of 18 years, three months for sentencing. From this number, five years was deducted for his guilty plea; four years, three months was deducted for the time spent on remand while one year was considered for his probation report. This resulted in a period of eight years for which Marcus was ordered to serve.

The offender was earlier this year ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to ascertain his mental state. Dr Bhiro Harry who carried out the assessment determined that Marcus was fit to stand trial. (Shemuel Fanfair)

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fridAY, september 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Women before court for fighting T Beating… wo women on Wednesday appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where they both faced assault charges.

Pauline Simon, 58, a vendor of Lot 241 ‘A’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown; and Julie Lancaster, 40, of Lot 630 La Parfaite Harmonie,

West Bank Demerara, were both charged for assaulting each other on September 19, 2018. Simon initially pleaded guilty to the charge while Lancaster denied the offence.

According to the prosecution’s case, on September 19, at Water Street, Georgetown, both Simon and Lancaster assaulted each other.

Simon told the court

that she did not intend to push Lancaster to cause any altercation. As such, her guilty plea was charged to not guilty.

Magistrate Azore granted the duo bail of $10,000 each.

Additionally, 29-yearold Vanessa Griffith, a cashier at Courts Guyana Inc and 26-year-old Desmond Williams of Lot 738 Cummings Lodge, East

Coast Demerara, were also charged for assaulting each other on September 20, 2018.

Both parties denied the allegation made out against them.

The Police prosecutor made no objection to bail and Magistrate Azore granted Griffith bail in the sum of $10,000 while Williams was placed on $15,000.

Alleged chain snatcher, bike thief on bail

T

wo men accused of larceny found themselves before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday.

Anthony Persaud, 24, of Lot 28 Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown and Travis McKenzie of Lot 10 B Field Sophia,

Greater Georgetown both denied the separate charges.

It was alleged that on September 20, 2018 at South Road, Georgetown, Persaud robbed Avil Covlin of a gold chain valued $38,000.

The Police Prosecutor had no objections to bail.

Magistrate Azore released

Persaud on $35,000 bail.

The case will continue on October 24, 2018.

Meanwhile, it was alleged that 38-year-old McKenzie stole a blue motorcycle valued $175,000, property of Davita Richardson, on July 8, 2018 at the Georgetown seawall.

An unrepresented

McKenzie in an explanation told the court that he was a father of six children and was the sole provider of his family.

The Police Prosecutor made no objections to bail and the Magistrate released him on $25,000 bail. The case will continue on October 25, 2018.

Cuban fined, deported for illegal entry

A

Cuban was fined and deported for illegally entering Guyana.

Ana Ragla Ranirez admitted to the charge when it was read to her by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The 33-year-old woman accepted the charge which stated that she entered

Guyana on March 29, 2018, and was about to depart on September 25, 2018, without presenting herself to the nearest immigration officer.

According to facts presented to the court, on September 25, while the woman was en route to Georgetown from Lethem, she was intercepted by

Police, who asked her to produce her travel documents.

It was revealed that upon checking her passport, Police ranks observed that she left and returned to the country illegally.

Further, the woman spent six months in Brazil where she worked before returning through an ille-

gal port of entry.

She was arrested and taken to the CID headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown and was charged.

She was fined $40,000.

Failure to pay the fine will result in her serving four weeks in prison. She will be deported to Cuba.

Man jailed for forging pension voucher F

orty-year-old David Ali will be spending the next four months in prison after he was jailed and fined $60,000 for forging a pension voucher.

The court heard that Ali, between February 13, 2018 and May 7, 2018 at Georgetown, forged a National Insurance Scheme (NIS) disablement pension voucher dated May 7, 2018 which was allotted for the sum of $9695, to show the sum of $90,695.

The man was also charged for producing the forged voucher to Saskia George, a cashier attached to NIS’s Brickdam, Georgetown office on May 7, 2018.

On Thursday, Magistrate Annett sentenced him to a $30,000 fine and two months’ imprisonment on each charge.

Y

…a Non-Aligned Horse

our Eyewitness was a tad surprised, to say the least, when he read that our Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge had addressed the “Non-Aligned Movement” (NAM) at the UN. “NAM’s still alive?” he reflexively asked himself. NAM, he remembered, was that large grouping of underdeveloped states from back in the day, which tried to steer a course between the two contending superpowers coming out of WWII – the USA and the USSR. Starting out in 1955 with a meeting of Nehru, (India), Sukarno (Indonesia), Nkrumah (Ghana); Tito (Yugoslavia) and a host of African and Asian leaders at Bandung in Indonesia, they giddily vowed to chart a “third way”!! They didn’t appreciate in the realist school of international relations, the guiding principle was “if you aren’t my friend, then you’re my enemy” – until proven otherwise!!

The members of NAM became in fact, the site of a whole number of “hot wars” as they became proxies for the two superpowers. Nkrumah of Ghana was overthrown; Lumumba of the Congo was assassinated and his country plunged into conflicts they still haven’t recovered from, etc. In Guyana, Jagan was ousted because he was adjudged a “fellow traveller” of Moscow. Burnham, represented the dominant reality in NAM by being an active member – even while it was fundamentally aligned with the US. But with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the USSR threw in the towel by vowing not to interfere with its Eastern European “satellites” in what they wanted to do domestically or internationally. In fact, the USSR fell off the Berlin Wall and broke into pieces that was never going to be put back together again!! So with one superpower left standing, what was there to be “nonaligned” between? Even in the Guyana footnote, the leftist Jagan was facilitated back into office.

At the time one Harvard wonk – Francis Fukuyama – even wrote that with the Cold War over, it was now “The End of History”. With no competing ideology to struggle against, Liberalism – whether in its ole or “neo” – variation would now rule the thinking all governments and guide them in their political, economic and cultural endeavours. Happy days were here to stay!!

But since then, several of the card-carrying members of NAM – notably China, India have moved on to “almost superpower status”. So what can the NAM do for us after Greenidge’s speech? Well, bureaucratic institutions almost never go into the night quietly!! Kicking and screaming, it seems NAM is fighting for relevance by pushing “multilateralism” in global affairs. The UN, of course, was founded precisely on that principle.

The US, however, has now shown proclivity for a bilateral approach.

So is Greenidge spitting into the wind?

…a whodunnit

Another news item that intrigued your Eyewitness was the “break-in” at the Finance Ministry. Now your Eyewitness was steeped from an early age on the “whodunnit” genre starting from the Hardy Boys (and, he confesses, quite a few Nancy Drews also!) before graduating to the hard-boiled detective variant like Mike Hammer, etc. So he figures he knows a thing or two about crimes in general and break-ins in particular!

First of all, there’s the questions of “means, motive and opportunity”. Now, since it was stated unequivocally there were no signs of forced entry and the Police could only speculate about a “possible” open window – there can’t be any doubt this was an “inside job”. As to “motive”, we can quickly eliminate all of the “known characters” who’re usually hauled in for quick results. Those fellas wouldn’t take “documents and data drives” if they were dropped in their laps!! Samsung Galaxies and I-phones, yes…but not financial data.

Gotta be some insiders shredding files to cover “misconduct in public office”!

And they certainly had “opportunity”!!

…a dead man

Your Eyewitness saw a pic demonstrating the Guyana Police Force’s technique in dealing with a murder crime scene. One Policeman over the Kitty sea wall, clinging with one hand to a rappelling-like rope and dragging an evidently murdered rapist with the other!!

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

News

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fridAY, september 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Youth conference a glaring Beating of teacher sparks in Berbice “election gimmick” – Jagdeo protest …after abusive student allowed back at facility …maintains neglected, job opportunities less for youths

T

he recently concluded youth conference that was hosted in Georgetown was seen as another plan orchestrated by the coalition Government aimed at misleading the country’s youth.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo said Government has done little to nothing to improve the lives of young people in Guyana but rather, it has made it harder for them to get equal opportunities for advancement and development in their homeland.

“This is very transparent. It is part of an election gimmick. If you imagine they are now soliciting youth perspective on empowerment and development. What about your promises to young people?

Shouldn’t you start with that?” he questioned.

Jagdeo said everything that was promised to young people during the pre-election period have not been delivered. Those promises included free education, among others.

The Opposition Leader said Government has also made it harder for young people to attend university due to the increases in fees.

“You are going after people who have defaulted their student loan, which we didn’t do. You put a tax on education, you are now engaged in a major fight with the teachers of this country,” he observed.

In addition to that, Jagdeo said the coalition Government had promised young people jobs but some 30,000 of them lost their jobs due to Government’s irrational decision.

But more disturbingly, he recalled President David Granger speech at a cultural event at Betervawagting

explained.

Jobs

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

(BV), East Coast Demerara, where he described young people as lazy.

“I wonder if he wanted those same young people to give him a perspective who he lectured to at BV, who he said that they must not have cellphones. But young people need those. It’s part of empowerment. He should see how being able to be connected to the Internet transform lives in rural communities in Africa and India,” he noted.

The Opposition Leader claimed also that he had come across an email that was leaked or released and purportedly belonged to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams, talking about how the current Government could win young people’s votes.

“One of the things he said is that as we get closer to elections, one of the things we will have to do is to get some music sets and bring in some artiste from abroad and we will do couple of big shows…That’s his perspective on young people… that we (Government) will win them back, that they are fickle minded,” he

But the former Head of State said Williams has clearly underestimated young people. “Because we know what’s happening out there now in the job market that it’s tough, tough, tough. It’s tough for grown people, people who had jobs and lost it, much less young people. And there is absolutely no attempt to address this. In fact they have this elitist sort of approach to everything. They are not connected to people’s real desires and concerns on the ground.”

A Guyana Labour Force Survey released in March of this year had calculated that the unemployment rate stood at 12 per cent in the third quarter of last year, with disproportionately high numbers of both women and youth aged 15 to 24.

The survey, said to be the first of its kind in Guyana in recent years, found that the total number of unemployed persons for the period was 37,119, which comprised 15.3 per cent of eligible females, as opposed to 9.9 per cent of eligible males, as well as 21.6 per cent of youth aged 15 to 24 and 28 per cent of young women.

The inaugural Guyana Youth Conference 2018 was hosted under the theme, ‘Youth Perspective for Empowerment and Development for a better Guyana. The conference was held for three days beginning September 24 and ended on September 26 at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. It catered for young people between the ages of 18-35.

By Andrew Carmichael

P

arents of students attending the Number 8 Secondary School on the West Coast of Berbice, Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) on Thursday picketed the school in protest over the return of a violent male student, who was allowed to reenter the school after a mere five-day suspension for beating a teacher. The student had beaten a female teacher last week in the school’s compound.

The teacher was allegedly put in a vice and dragged around the school compound before two male teachers came to her rescue.

The teacher was at the time attempting to protect a second form student from the physical advances of a male Fifth Form boy, whom she had identified as the person who had removed money from the teacher’s bag.

Alexis Melville, who operates a canteen at the school and who also joined the picketers, said she witnessed the entire incident.

According to her, as the female student was being questioned by the teacher, the Fifth Form boy turned his attention on the girl, who is three years his junior.

In an attempt to protect the female student, the teacher stepped between the girl and the advancing fifth former. According to Melville, the teacher was then punched and then put in a vice where she was gagged on the ground.

She explained that it took two male teachers to release the female teacher from the male student’s vice.

“When I look at the teacher she was scared and shaking. You could see the marks on her ear from where she was dragged and the marks on her noise you could see. The two male

PTA members protesting outside the Number 8 Secondary School on Thursday

teachers were trying to get him out of the compound and he went by the gate and picked up two lemonade bottles and pelt one to hit the teacher and it hit another and caused her to bleed.”

The student then broke the second bottle and threatened the teachers by saying, “I gone done you dance.”

Reports are the two male teachers were successful in getting the student out of the compound. However, he later reappeared with a piece of wood in his hand and continued his tirade with obscene language.

Guyana Times understands that shortly after the male student left the school compound, his mother came to the school in a rage accusing the teacher of beating her son.

The matter has since been reported to the Police and the Schools Welfare Department which took disciplinary action against the student and suspended him for five days. The suspension expired on Wednesday and the student showed up at school on Thursday morning. Head of the Number 8 Secondary Parents’ Teachers Association, Shivanie Devi Poone, told this publication that the student walked into the school unaccompa-

nied by his parents as is required for a student returning from suspension.

“He did not even go to the head teacher nor went to apologise to the teacher.”

He was later approached by the school’s headmistress and asked about his parents but responded by saying that the welfare officials were coming to the school.

After the conversation with the head teacher, the boy was seen leaving the school compound. Poone added that stronger disciplinary action is needed in the matter.

Meanwhile, the injured teacher told this publication that she is scared of the student and has asked to be transferred to another school. The school has 35 females and three male teachers, who had threatened to walk out had the student remained in school.

Poone added the parents will continue their protest until the teachers at the Number 8 Secondary feel safe and proper disciplinary action is taken.

Guyana Times was told that when the student returned to school on Thursday, he was bragging that the head teacher could not expel him since he is the great nephew of a senior Education Ministry official.

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Over $600M in loans granted to small businesses need for financing and it also addresses one of the key objectives of our Ministry’s fiveyear strategic plan and that is to intensify the services of the Small Business Bureau,” Gaskin pointed out.

Plans for growth

A section of the gathering during the closing ceremony of the programme on Thursday at Herdmanston Lodge, Georgetown

T

he ‘Micro and Small Enterprise Development and Building Alternative Livelihoods for Vulnerable’ Project on Thursday closed off on a high note at the Herdmanston Lodge, Peter Rose Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, where it was disclosed that some 199 loans and 545 grants were handed out worth over $600 million.

This was related by the Credit Guarantee Fund Manager, Gillian Edwards, during the closing ceremony of the programme. According to her, “We were able to do loans in eight of the 10 regions… so we did a total of 199 loans of a value of $695 million… for grants, our original target was 300 grants and because we shifted funds from the intro-subsidy which was largely unused for that.

We exceeded our target and to date, because we are still disbursing some who just had

part disbursement so far 545 grants to the value of $163 million.”

Among the 100 programmes tied into the fiveyear project were training sessions with small business owners in the areas of business management, cosmetology and others.

Persons from across the 10 administrative regions benefited from the US$5 million project, with aid from the American Development Bank and several banking entities in the country.

A number of trainers, including Action Coach, also participated in giving their services to train persons in different areas.

A few beneficiaries of not only training, but loans expressed how helpful it was to them. One woman who disclosed that she not only benefited from a loan, but the training programme in cosmetology, said, “I will say

that I have benefited greatly from the programme because I got the grant which moved me from baking in a four burner oven to having an oven now that can hold 300 chickens at one time to bake”.

A farmer shared that he now benefits from the loan in that he now produces about 4000 chickens when he used to only be able to grow 300 at a time.

Meanwhile, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin explained how successful the project was although it was initially intended to be a twoyear programme.

“This project has come to define the work of the Small Business Bureau over the last few years and I know that it can boast thousands of beneficiaries within the micro and small business communities. It addresses some of the fundamental needs of those businesses such as the need for training and the

The Business Minister was keen to note that plans are in place to help move small businesses up the scale.

According to him, one of the key initiatives Government is currently working on is the establishment of a system to monitor procurement of projects to these small businesses which will enable them to expand one way or the other.

He said, “We have to have

a system that allows regular reporting so that every quarter we can say to the public (that) this is the level of procurement from small businesses for this quarter so that involves being able to identify small businesses whenever they procure”.

The Member of Parliament explained that the plans are to monitor the procurement of all Government projects at the Regional, National Procurement and Tender Administration Board or the Ministries’ level.

Even as these plans were announced he made it clear that the government is still trying to “find a system” to gather all the data required for this project.

It was explained by him

that this process will be beneficial in that measures will be developed from the statistics gathered to give these said businesses a better chance of getting Government procurement.

Among the principles already identified to govern this initiative will be the implementation of a “scoreboard” which will dictate that a specific percentage of projects will be allotted to small or large-scale businesses to create a level playing field for all.

Although the project has not been given a deadline, Gaskin said he would like it to become a reality by the beginning of next year since it is “very urgent”.

Workers can no longer trust Labour Dept – FITUG

T

he Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) on Thursday expressed its disappointment in the Labour Department, as it noted that workers can no longer count on the entity to address it issues objectively.

The Union’s distrust of the Labour Department comes one day after the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) noted it plans to resume strike action, this time on a larger scale with the support of its sister Unions, after Labour Minister Keith Scott

imposed an arbitrator in the wages between GTU and the Education Ministry.

“From the FITUG’s point of view, the actions of the Ministry, and more particular the Minister, does very little, if anything, to repose workers confidence in the Department of Labour and more so the Administration’s concern for the plight of our country’s working-class. Indeed, it seems, the workers can no longer count on the Labour Department as an ally.” turn to page 13

Labour Minister Keith Scott

news

S RAIGHT David Granger; Me, Myself and I

By Sase Singh; MSc – Finance, ACCA

I

Introduction

t is a danger to have anyone who subscribes to the philosophy of “Me, Myself and I” in charge of anything, much less a nation. Unfortunately, after three years, there is enough evidence to confirm that Guyana has someone in charge that uses his Executive position to unilaterally inject arbitrary and bias interpretation of the rule of the law to the detriment of the entire society.

These actions obviously have unnecessarily imported greater disunity into the Guyanese society. The outcome; a miasma of mediocrity on too many fronts across the nation.

But we cannot blame the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) for this mess. If one is to study the cadre of officers the GDF has produced over the years, overwhelmingly many are solid leaders. But there is a catch. The general (no pun intended) expectation of the Brigadiers is that they operate in a framework that is very familiar with the concept of ruling by fiat. It is expected that in the GDF when Brigadiers issue the orders, the soldiers are expected to comply blindly. But this is not the reality in civilian life; people question their leaders and quite rightly so.

There are two principal kinds of officers in the GDF. Firstly, there are the genuine soldier – leaders who lead from the front and are well respected by their “squaddies and subordinates”. I can think of Bruce Lovell and Joe Singh as two examples of this class of soldiers.

Then there are the political officers who are feared. This second group whom I classify as unfit officers, exhibit a characteristic that engenders a theme of “do as I say and not as I do”. This second type of officers take the bulk of the credit for the good things achieved but always pass the buck for the problems to others when they develop.

When last have you listened to a David Granger speech – "You the Private Sector must do that and you the youths must do this and so on." It is never about the "WE" and this is what I will do to join you in changing the way we think and work to build a better future. Mr Granger never talks about outlining what his Government has done and will do by a certain time to lend support to the national development process.

But when you look carefully at the policy and spending action of team Granger, it is all about "Me, Myself and My Group". Three weeks into the new Government, they offered themselves a 50 per cent increase under the pretext that it will stop corruption in high office in Guyana. Well, it did not and the “Sussex Street Bondgate” and the “Demerara Bridgegate” are just two of the 210 documented cases of abuse of the Treasury over the last three years. You see, "Me, Myself and My Group"!

After the 28 years of the People’s National Congress, 23 years of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and now three years of the Granger presidency, the divide between the "haves" and the 'have nots" is at its widest.

On the shoulders of the working class rest the bulk of the tax burden that is being used to fund this commitment to "Me, Myself and My Group" today. I have also seen many of these situations under the PPP. But the icing on the cake for public abuse of the Treasury must be given to the David Granger Administration. It is under this Government that over GY$500 million was spent on housing for the Cabinet members, where over GY$1 billion was spent on their executive travels, where a Prime Minister, who does less work than clerk in the public service, can have 10 vehicles at his disposal all paid for by the Treasury.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, their Prime Minister is selling out his State vehicles to contribute to meeting the salary bill of teachers. Let us not forget the multimilliondollar medical plan, which the working class of Guyana continues to pay for, but do not have access to; instead, their place is at one of the death zones fronting for a public hospital system.

In conclusion, it is important that the Guyanese people vote hard in the Local Government Election 2018 to send a strong signal to the Granger Government that this “Me, Myself and I” mentality of his has no place in modern Guyana.

Please share your thoughts at sasesin1@yahoo.com.

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Scrap metal trade ban lifted temporarily – Gaskin

T

he export of scrap metal will again resume for yet another limited period, or periods in this case, until legislation to govern the sector is passed.

This was disclosed by Gaskin on Friday when questioned by this newspaper.

According to him, he hopes to have the trade resumed for another limited period before the year ends, should the bill for the sector not be tabled in Parliament before December.

“I know that we will try to do another limited resumption, and I think that will be how we will go ahead with it ‘till such time as the legislation is passed. We will assess the last limited resumption -- I do have a report which I haven’t completely examined as yet -- and once there are no red flags and there are no problems, we can do it again for another three months; and unfortunately, until the legislation is passed, we will have to intermittently do it,” he said.

The Minister clarified that the limited resumption peri-

ods should not be “a big problem”, since they would allow for all of the piled scrap metal to be shifted off.

It was informed by him that during the last period of limited resumption, held earlier this year, the Ministry was able to test-run its software system which was implemented to monitor the sector.

As a result of the new system, he noted, the Ministry was able to pinpoint a few flaws, which can be addressed easily.

Gaskin reported that he was certain that a large quantity of scrap metal was exported during that period, while he was unable to specify how much.

Government had approved a restart of the scrap metal trade in Guyana during February 2017, after closing down the industry one year prior to that.

The main reason for this was to allow exporters to ship out the existing stock for a limited period of three months, and ensure that there was no stockpile of the materials.

However, in April 2018, after several months of delay, Government had decided to reopen the scrap metal trade on a limited basis to facilitate the clearing of some of the scrap metal accumulated across the country.

At a previous meeting, Gaskin had said that re-

sumption of the trade would give the MoB an opportunity to test the system to ensure that it works, and also to help clear some of the accumulated scrap metal that had been legitimately acquired.

The scrap metal trade was suspended in June 15, 2015 after a forensic audit was done by the Scrap Metal Unit (SMU), which monitors the trade.

Government approved a restart of the scrap metal trade during February 2017, after shuttering the industry one year prior. The main reason for this restart was to allow exporters to ship out their existing stock for a limited period of three months, thereby ensuring there was no stockpile of materials.

However, in April 2018, after several months of delays and much criticism, Government was pressured to reopen the scrap metal trade on a limited basis to facilitate the clearing of some of the scrap metal accumulated across the country.

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LLA alteration

AG’s jurisdiction application has no merit – Nandlall tells court

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

A

s the High Court proceedings over the Communities Minister’s changes to several Local Authority Areas (LAAs) continue, the Attorney General’s jurisdiction challenge to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP)-filed case was heard

by Justice Gino Persaud on Thursday. During proceedings, Anil Nandlall, who is the lawyer representing the applicant, Bibi Shaddick, argued that the learned Judge has no jurisdiction to hear the AG’s jurisdiction application.

Attorney General Basil Williams in his application to strike out the action filed

by Bibi Shaddick had observed that it was made on the grounds that the applicant’s contentions amounted to allegations of irregularities and illegalities challenging the validity of the Local Government Elections, which have been gazetted to be held on November 12.

Williams further contended that the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the application by Shaddick, on the premise that once allegations of irregularities and illegalities are raised after the election process has begun (Order made on July 18, 2018), the law requires that any such challenge must come after the elections are held and by way of an elections petition.

Nandlall however posited on Thursday that Williams’s application has no merit for the case to move forward on his position that the AG’s representative, Solicitor General Kym Kyte-Thomas has submitted to jurisdiction of the court by way of being

Attorney Anil Nandlall

part of the substantive case, whereby a timeline was set.

The main case was scheduled to continue October 8 before Justice Persaud.

Nandlall attempted to make oral arguments ahead of the AG’s application being heard which prompted Williams to say that what his predecessor was doing was tantalum to an “ambush”. In response, Nandlall stressed that “time is a valuable resource in this process”.

Justice Persaud set out timelines for both sides to lay over their arguments on the challenge ahead of the main

case. The AG was given until October 5 to file submissions while Nandlall’s response will be based on arguments of legal submissions. The attorney opted against filing an affidavit in answer on the said grounds of the case lacking merit. Both parties will return to court on October 10, where the case will be amplified, according to Justice Persaud.

Just recently, Nandlall spoke out against the Attorney General’s Chambers seeking to strike the PPP’s challenge.

The Party in fact termed Minister Bulkan’s changes ‘the gerrymandering of boundaries and constituencies’. Nandlall’s position is that Shaddick’s legal challenge is geared to correct issues that need to be corrected before the hosting of the Elections and not to block the overall Elections from happening.

Among Shaddick’s sever-

al orders of which she petitioned the court, is to bring the Communities Minister’s alterations into the conformity with Local Democratic Organs Act, Chapter 28:09.

In so doing, the Applicant wants to have Bulkan’s orders declared null and void.

She is also seeking the State to pay her court costs in addition to seeking other orders, directions or writs as the court sees fit. Her grounds are that Bulkan failed to issue an order to identify the said boundaries under the Local Democratic Organs Act, making his actions null and void. She meanwhile said that Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Keith Lowenfield went beyond his exercise of discretion, re-demarcating the existing constituency boundaries as outlined in the orders sought before the court.

The writ also outlines

AG Basil Williams

that the purported establishment of seven NDCs without complying with the provisions of the Local Democratic Organs Act is unlawful, ultra vires, null, void and of no effect. She said too that Lowenfield acted with authorisation in this regard, while adding that Minister Bulkan unilaterally made changes to the number of seats in 14 LAAs.

Motorcyclist dies in Berbice crash A motorcyclist in now dead after he crashed the bike he was riding into a sluice on the West Coast of Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice).

Dead is 30-year-old Waygon Garrett of Lot 1, Section ‘A,’ Cotton Tree Old Road, WCB. The accident took place on the Number 6 Public Road, WCB. According to the dead man’s sister, Desiree, at about 15:30h on Thursday, he visited her at her Number 6 Village home and told her that he loves her. The woman related that Garrett had also asked to tell their other sisters that he loves them.

Desiree further told this publication that before her brother left, he also asked her to prepare funeral clothes for him. She said about five minutes after he left, she received a telephone call that he had met

The bike Waygon Garrett was riding when he crashed into a sluice in WCB

with an accident.

When she got to the scene, the woman said, she was told by the Police that her brother was taken to the

hospital.

Reports reaching Guyana Times indicate that after hitting the uprights of the sluice, Garrett was thrown into the air and landed in the sluice, and had to be fished out of the water. The motorbike was left lying on the road.

Desiree said when she saw her brother’s body at the mortuary, blood was oozing from the back of his head, suggesting that he had sustained head injuries.

His legs also seemed to have been broken, she related to this newspaper.

The father of four had separated from his wife two weeks ago. It is still unclear what the grounds for separation were.

In addition to his children, Garrett leaves to mourn his mother and five brothers and five sisters.

Police are investigating.

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news

fridAY, september 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

GNBA hosts focus group Ptolemy Reid Centre gets session with broadcasters much needed computers

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he Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) on Wednesday hosted a focus group session with representatives of the broadcasting industry.

The session was aimed at obtaining critical insight into the information, communication and training needs of licensed broad-

casters in order to include these in GNBA’s Information and Communication Strategy and Action Plan for 2019.

This session was hosted by Communication Specialist and GNBA Board Member, Dr Rovin Deodat at the GNBA Headquarters on Lamaha Street, Georgetown.

tarr Computer Inc on Thursday donated six desktop computers to the Information Technology (IT) Department of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre to strengthen its capacity.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Starr Computer General Manager, Rehman Majeed recalled that the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre on several occasions requested assistance for its IT Department.

Majeed added that he is impressed with the maintenance of the Rehabilitation Centre’s IT Department.

The six computers donated will greatly impact the implementation of the curriculum, since the children at the Rehabilitation Centre are usually taught through the audio and visual meth-

An employee of Starr Computer teaches a student of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre how to use the Internet

ods in contrast to the chalk and talk method.

Additionally, speech therapy is a huge aspect of learning conducted at the Centre and the computers will expose the students to the use of language through social networks, particularly YouTube.

The members of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre expressed gratitude to the company and highlighted that the donation was a timely one, adding that it will greatly assist the children in their everyday work programmes.

GTT launches Pinktober activities for breast cancer awareness

…3000 persons benefited from 2017 outreaches

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TT on Friday launched its Pinktober campaign to strengthen awareness of breast cancer in Guyana during the month of October.

Joined by personalities of the pageantry and sports worlds, the attendees were given a taste of what is to come for the month-long happenings.

Miss World Guyana 2018 Ambika Ramraj stood as one of the coordinating members alongside the former Miss World Vena Mookram.

GTT Managing Director Davie Sukhdeo explained that “Pinktober” was coined because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and pink is the colour as-

GTT’s CEO, Justin Nedd among the gathering for Pinktober

Traffic signs vandalised

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even out of ten traffic signs and metal posts that were installed by Design Perspectives a few weeks ago were uprooted at Schoonord Road leading to La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.

The discovery was made on Monday by employees of the Public Infrastructure

Ministry who were visiting the area.

In addition, it was discovered that the traffic signs on the Fourth Road Project are being vandalised as well as the signs are bent and political parties’ flyers are being posted on some.

As such, the Ministry is

calling on the perpetrators to refrain from such activities since they ultimately inconvenience the citizenry.

Citizens interested in reporting any instances of vandalism are urged to contact the Public Relations Department on 227-0799 or the nearest police station.

Workers can no longer trust...

The Union added that it is a “disappointing turn of events, especially when we take into account its proud past of standing with workers to ensure that they are respected. The reversal of sorts is yet another clear demonstration of the Administration’s dim regard for the country’s working people.”

According to the Union, Minister Keith Scott would have over stepped his boundary by introducing a Chairman for the arbitration panel to resolve the ongoing issue of salary increase for

teachers. Moreover, FITUG deemed the minister’s action as a manifestation to undermine teachers and the GTU. FITUG argued that the move made by the minister is “dismaying and utterly reprehensible” since the very minister is responsible for upholding workers’ rights.

“The Minister, from our point of view, is far removed from his boundary and has gotten himself in uncharted waters from which he has, in our view, no justification to enter. It seems clearly that he has misunderstood his role and is causing serious dam-

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age in its wake,” the union asserted.

It was on that note that FITUG contended that the Government should urgently engage in damage control and seek to correct the several missteps it has made.

The Administration should in fact give serious consideration as to whether it wants to continue to have Minister Scott as its front man on this issue recognising the serious damage his actions have done to the credibility of the Department of which he is the political head, the trade union added.

sociated with breast cancer awareness. “It only made sense that we did a Pinktober to raise breast cancer awareness in the month of October,” she stated.

Partnering with private and public organisations, the Guyana Cancer Foundation has been one of the key entities to deliv-

er services and assistance to cancer patients or those who may require a medical examination.

Bibi Hassan from the Foundation related, “At the Guyana Cancer Foundation, we have touched the lives of over 3000 people since we got the funds from GTT almost a year ago. We did that through outreach with funds

raised by going into different communities around our country with medical outreach programmes.”

Ambassador for the company and former Miss World Guyana, Poonam Singh was one of the spokespersons throughout the programme as she called for cancer victims and survivors to be supported at all times and not only in October.

“To the healing survivors, you are a walking example of hope and you show us that with hope, the odds don’t matter. To the beautiful souls who are victims of cancer, you are blessed,” said Singh.

In initiatives to further extend the programmes, activities were introduced to areas such as Linden and Lethem to bridge the gap between all breast cancer victims and survivors and more importantly, to educate the public on the issue.

Presently, over $4 million has been collected and that amount is expected to grow as the activities commence.

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fridAY, september 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

15 Stabroek Wharf vendors placed on breadline news

fridAY, september 28, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

…still awaiting construction of stalls

Steel barriers which prevent trading in the area

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ore than 80 vendors have been placed on the breadline after they would have been relocated from the Stabroek Market Wharf by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to facilitate construction work.

However, in light of having to build new stalls to ply their trade, they are left without a place to operate, which is affecting their daily income.

For the rehabilitation of the Wharf, City Hall would have asked the vendors to utilise a section of the Route 42 bus park which has been barricaded for many weeks. But the Council contrarily decid-

ed that the vendors would have to construct their own stalls, which would cost approximately $400,000 each.

Presently, the area remains cordoned off with steel barriers and there is no access to vend. While reaching out to Guyana Times, the vendors remained anonymous as they feared being victimised or having their stalls taken away by the Council.

One of them noted that it has been two weeks since the Wharf was shut down by the Council. Since then operations have ceased, and their livelihoods have been erased until they could obtain cash to build new stalls.

“That was since the Thursday and now is two week. All we see in the papers is that they say we got to build we own stalls. The goods that I had since that day spoil and we never get

to sell again.

“I have three children.

All three going to school and we don’t have work.

When you think we getting $400,000 for a stand that we got to abandon when they finish with the Wharf?” she questioned.

At a recent statutory meeting chaired by Mayor Patricia Chase Greene, the Council presented a budget of $23 million which was used to erect barricades and groundwork. As such, it was determined that the Council could not stand the cost of constructing stalls for some 82 vendors.

It was decided that the vendors would be solely responsible for the construction, which the Council estimated would cost one vendor approximately

$400,000 exclusive of electrical lighting.

The question was raised as to whether the Council could have taken up the mantle of producing the stalls. Town Clerk Royston King responded, “We don’t have the money to do it.”

It is mandatory that the eight feet by ten feet structure with a maximum height of 13 feet be constructed with wood. The Councillors decided that six weeks after completion of the stalls, a sum of $85 per square foot per month would be collected for sanitation services and other facilities which would be provided by the Council.

One of the aggravated vendors who identified himself as Hussain questioned that move as he

stated, “The Council could use that money in the first place to help us with the stalls. Me don’t see what kind of work they do that call for millions of dollar.”

The budget for the complete refurbishment of the Wharf was slated at some $400 million. After the repairs, the section of the market that overlooks the Demerara River would be converted into a mall inclusive of a boardwalk and entertainment area. Of course, this would impose that those vendors pay a larger sum of money to rent the new building. It is estimated that over two years will be spent to complete this project, which dislocates the Route 42 buses and vendors during that time.

$20M in tractors presented to local municipalities

Attempted murder

Accused changes plea after trial commences

– admits to near-fatal wounding

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on Archibald, 43, of East La Penitence, Georgetown whose trial for attempted murder commenced at the High Court changed his plea on Thursday afternoon, admitting that he unlawfully wounded Dwayne “Country” Morris on June 4, 2015.

The incident occurred at Pavement View Restaurant and Bar on D’Urban Street, Georgetown where Archibald viciously chopped Morris, because he believed that the man was having a relationship with the mother of his children.

However, when the matter came up for trial at the Demerara Criminal Assizes earlier this week, Archibald, who now works as a guard with a security company, entered pleas of not guilty on alternative counts. Led by State Counsel Narissa Leander, the prosecution presented the indictment, which contended that Archibald wounded “Country” with intent to murder him. He was also alternatively charged for having wounded Morris, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm or to maim, disable, or disfigure him.

Just before the jury was set to return for the afternoon session, Archibald informed Justice Sandil

Kissoon that he desired to change his plea and admitted that he wounded his rival. During the short trial, the victim took the stand where he told the court that he knew Archibald from going to the Bar and the man’s partner, “Gail”, was a waitress there.

Morris had told the 12-member jury that he was at the back of the bar looking at the monitor when the waitress called out to him and when he got up to see what she wanted, the defendant approached him and accused him of being with “Gail”. The witness recalled the defendant firing several chops at him, putting his hands up to block them and being injured in the process.

Morris added that he then ran while trying to fend Archibald off and was injured to his side.

“I kept asking what going on and he say ‘I gon kill yo; I gon kill yo’,” the victim stated.

Justice Kissoon adjourned the matter to October 11, 2018 for presentation of a probation report and sentencing. Archibald was out on $300,000 bail prior to Thursday’s trial where he was leading his own defence, as he had no lawyer.

He has been remanded to prison.

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan (fifth from left) with recipients of the donation and employees of Genequip during the handing over ceremony

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he Communities Ministry presented three tractors to local municipalities within various regions which were sourced for some $20 million to assist with effective sanitation management.

The tractors, which were procured by General Equipment Guyana Limited

(Genequip), included attachments and standard tool kits. Regional bodies that are expected to benefit include the Linden Town Council, the Lethem Town Council and the Aranaputa Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

Speaking to media operatives during the ceremo-

ny, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan emphasised on the role that the machinery would play in the sanitation management process at the various municipalities.

He noted that on many occasions, local bodies have been faced with difficulties when carrying out their waste disposal duties. As such, the

tractors in addition to the attachments will be able to provide relief.

Additionally, the Managing Director of Genequip Renger Van Dijk highlighted some of the uses of the tractor including land clearing and preparation and transportation of bulk items.

Massy celebrates 50 years in Guyana

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Massy Guyana Country Manager Deo Persaud poses with the recipients of the financial support

s the Massy Group of Companies celebrates its 50th year of operations in Guyana, the company made financial donations to 26 Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) from Demerara, Essequibo, Linden, and Berbice.

In delivering the feature address, Massy Guyana Group Country Manager Deo Persaud lauded the representatives who attended the ceremony for their continued

commitment and dedication to helping the less fortunate in Guyana and he said that the Group took its social responsibility seriously.

“These donations are not the only way in which we serve our communities, we conduct volunteer work in communities in which we operate,” he noted.

The beneficiaries were the Guyana Relief Council, Bernice Mansell Foundation, Canaan Children Home,

Cheshire Home, Deaf Association of Guyana, Guyana Book Foundation, Hauraruni Children's Home For Girls, New Amsterdam Special Needs School, New Opportunity Corps, Prabu Sharan Orphanage, Radio's Needy Children's Fund, Ruimveldt Children's Aid Centre, and Help & Shelter.

Others were Alternative Learning System, Step By Step Foundation, Uncle Eddie's Home, East

Bank Demerara Special Needs School, Bal Nivas Orphanage, St John Bosco Orphanage, Guyana Council of Organisations For Persons With Disability, Guyana Red Cross Society, Children's Convalescent Home, Women Across Differences, Keem Foundation, Stem Guyana, David Rose School For The Handicapped, and East Canje Humanitarian Organisation For Support.

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guyanatimesgy.com

fridAY, september 28, 2018

Around the World

Christine Blasey Ford: Kavanaugh UN asks Venezuela to sex attack changed my life accept humanitarian aid

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woman has testified that the man nominated for a vacant post on the US Supreme Court

by Donald Trump carried out a sexual assault 36 years ago that “drastically” affected her life.

Christine Blasey Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Brett Kavanaugh’s attack on her had left her “afraid and ashamed”.

Kavanaugh has denied allegations by Dr Ford, along with those of a number of other women.

He is also due to testify. The nine-member Supreme Court plays a vital role in US political life, as it has the final say on US law. This includes highly contentious social issues, such as abortion, and challenges to Government policy. President Trump has called the hearing an “important day in the history of our country”.

No-one had heard from 51-year-old Dr Ford publicly previously since the allegations arose. After addresses by the leading Republican and Democrat members, Dr Ford delivered her opening statement, at times close to tears.

She alleged Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge had locked her in a bedroom during a small gathering at a

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Christine Blasey Ford (right) told the Senate Judiciary Committee that Brett Kavanaugh’s attack on her had left her “afraid and ashamed”. Kavanaugh, 53, is due to deliver his statement after a recess and the same round of questioning will follow

house in a Washington, DC, suburb in the summer of 1982.

She said Kavanaugh had tried to remove her clothing, pinned her to a bed and groped her, when she was 15 and he was 17. Both men were “drunkenly laughing”, she said.

The 21 senators on the committee were given five minutes each to

ask her questions. The 10 Democrats posed questions themselves, many paying tribute to Dr Ford’s bravery in coming forward – and supporting her call for an FBI investigation into her allegations. The 11 Republicans, all men, deferred most of their questions to a female lawyer, Phoenix prosecutor Rachel Mitchell. (Excerpt from BBC News)

he UN Human Rights Council on Thursday voted through a resolution urging the Government of crisis-hit Venezuela to "accept humanitarian assistance" to alleviate the country's "scarcity" of food and medicines.

The decision marked the first time in the history of the UN's top rights body that it has adopted a resolution on Venezuela, council spokesman Rolando Gomez told AFP. The text, tabled by a range of Latin American countries along with Canada, passed with 23 of the Council's 47 members voting in favour, 17 abstaining and seven, including China, Cuba and Venezuela voting against.

The resolution asks Caracas to "accept humanitarian assistance in order to address the scarcity of food, medicine and medical sup-

plies, the rise of malnutrition, especially among children, and the outbreak of diseases that had been previously eradicated or kept under control in South America."

It also expressed "its deepest concern at the serious human rights violations in a context of a political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis" in the country, pointing to a damning report by the UN rights office published last June.

That report suggested that officers, who had supposedly been tasked with fighting crime, may have been responsible for more than 500 killings between July 2015 and March 2017, largely carried out in poor neighbourhoods.

The council on Thursday also called on Venezuela to "cooperate" with the rights office, run by former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet.

(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Adultery is not a crime, India's Nigeria floods Supreme Court rules death toll hits 199

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ndia’s top court has ruled that adultery is no longer a crime, declaring that the colonial-era law is unconstitutional and discriminatory against women. A fiveJudge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the criminal offence of having a sexual relationship with a woman without her husband’s consent was archaic and deprived women of agency.

The case, brought by an Indian businessman living in Italy, sought to have section 497 of the Indian penal code and another similar provision made gender neutral.

But the court said the offence, which carried a prison sentence of up to five years, was arbitrary and needed to go.

“It is time to say husband is not the master,” said the chief justice, Dipak Misra.

He quoted John Stuart Mill: “Legal subordination of one sex over another is wrong in itself.”

Indu Malhotra, one of two women among the 25 judges on the court, said: “The time when wives were invisible to the law, and lived in the shadows of their husbands, has long since gone by.”

There is no official data on how frequently men were prosecuted under the law,

but it was often raised in divorce proceedings, lawyers say. The decision is one of several socially progressive rulings by the court this session. This month the justices ruled to decriminalise homosexuality, and on Friday they will decide on a case about whether women in their menstruating years can be restricted from entering Kerala state’s Sabarimala temple. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

…heavy rains and flooding in 12 states deemed a national disaster …hundreds of thousands facing a cholera outbreak

Chile unveils Patagonian Route of Parks hiking trail

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hile has launched a huge hiking route through its Patagonian wilderness to boost tourism and highlight the need for conservation. The Route of Parks covers 2800km (1740 miles) from the city of Puerto Montt down to Cape Horn.

The trail was the idea of Tompkins Conservation, the foundation set up by US billionaire Douglas Tompkins

and his wife Kristine. Last year the foundation donated vast amounts of land to Chile’s government.

The land has helped create a network of 17 national parks and the new route – called the Patagonian Route of Parks – connects all of them.

“We want Chile to be internationally recognised for having the most spectacular scenic route in the world, and thus

become a benchmark for economic development based on conservation,” said Carolina Morgado, Executive Director at Tompkins.

A website for the new trail says it encompasses three existing hiking routes – the Southern Way, the Patagonian channels and the End of the World Route. The sparsely inhabited terrain is known for its lakes, waterways and rich

habitat of flora and fauna.

The website includes advice on transport, accommodation and more than 50 GPStraced paths. Tompkins, a keen conservationist and the founder of North Face clothing, died in a kayaking accident in Chile in 2015. The businessman had bought up huge swathes of land in southern Chile and Argentina to preserve it. (Excerpt from BBC News)

IDB: Waste in Govt spending costs Latin America and Caribbean around 4.4% of GDP

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n analysis of Government spending in Latin America and the Caribbean reveals widespread waste and inefficiencies that could be as large as US$220 billion a year, or 4.4 per cent of the Region’s GDP, showing there is ample room to improve basic services without necessarily spending

more resources.

That amount reflects moderate estimates of inefficiencies in procurement (including losses caused by corruption and delays), excessive civil service payroll and transfers that do not reach the targeted population.

The report, ‘Better Spending for Better Lives:

How Latin America and the Caribbean Can Do More with Less’, a report by the Inter-American Development Bank, was launched as governments across the region struggle to meet their citizens’ rising expectations with limited budgets.

The publication, part of the IDB’s flagship studies

series, ‘Development in the Americas’, argues against across-the-board cuts. It looks at whether countries spend too much or too little on different priorities, whether they invest enough to ensure a better future, and whether those expenditures make inequality better or worse. (Excerpt

from Caribbean360)

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early 200 people have died in flooding caused by heavy seasonal rains across 12 states in Nigeria. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Thursday that 199 people were killed after the main Niger and Benue Rivers burst their banks.

A national disaster was declared in several central and southern states. The United Nations last week said there had been more than 3000 recorded cases of cholera and 97 deaths in the North-eastern Nigerian states of Borno and Yobe in the past two weeks alone.

NEMA said in its latest update that "large-scale flooding" since late last month made more than 286,000 people homeless.

Numbers were expected to rise and more rain is expected in the coming weeks, it added.

Shelter, food, medicine and other items such as

mosquito nets were "priority needs", the report said.

Flooding has not only devastated towns and villages along the rivers but also destroyed crops and killed livestock, said Abubakar Kendehe, Secretary General of the Nigerian Red Cross.

Lack of sanitation, healthcare and clean water "could have deadly consequences" and add to the nearly 28,000 suspected cases of cholera reported across Nigeria since January, he said.

In the wider Lake Chad region – comprising Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon – more than 500 people have died from the water-borne disease since the start of the year. Northeast Nigeria has also been the epicentre of Boko Haram's attacks, which have killed more than 20,000 people since 2009.

Some 1.8 million are still homeless there, many living in makeshift camps as a result of the conflict. (Excerpt from

Al Jazeera)

guyanatimesgy.com

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he Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s annual Diwali motorcades will be held in eight locations across Guyana from November 2-5. Diwali will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 6.

The largest motorcade will be held in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) travelling from Georgetown to the East Coast of Demerara on Monday November 5.

The beautifully decorated floats will assemble at the Shri Krishna Mandir in Campbellville from 17:30h and will leave at

18:30h via its traditional route along Sandy Babb Street to Vlissengen Road and then along the seawall to the Chateau Margot Ground, East Coast Demerara.

The change from the usual ending point at La Bonne Intention to the village before at Chateau Margot, is as a result of the LBI Community Centre Ground being leased recently to the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).

The GCB has informed the Sabha that works will be commencing at the LBI Ground shortly and, as such, the ground is not available

for this year’s motorcade.

The Chateau Margot Ground is located immediately before the LBI Ground and will be the site for a fabulous cultural programme and presentation of prizes starting at 19:00h.

Outstanding singers Neval Chatelal and Nishard Mayroo of Trinidad and Tobago will perform alongside top Guyanese artistes, including the Dharmic Nritya Sangh, Sookrane Boodhoo, Rekha Singh, Mona Gowkarran and others. Admission at the Chateau Margot Ground is free and no alcohol will be allowed,

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he much anticipated circus is set for their debut show this evening at D’Urban Park, Georgetown, with over 50 skilled people on show. The first evening is expected to set the tone for future shows and from all indications, all is set for the event.

The Suarez Brothers Circus out of Mexico – one of the most popular circuses in the world – was in Guyana 13 years ago for a short time. This time, there are here for a longer period and it is an opportunity you cannot miss.

From clowns to high rope riding, the kids will have a blast. The animals are well trained and are ready to perform for their fans. The first show kicks off today.

For the time the circus will be in town, there will be one show between Mondays to Fridays commencing at 19:30h. On Saturdays, there will be two shows – 17:00h and 19:30h and on Sundays, there will be three massive shows – 14:00h, 17:00h and 19:30h.

Tickets will be sold based on preference. The bleachers tickets cost $1500 for children and $2300 for adults, while tickets for the middle section will cost $2000 for children and $3500 for adults and the VIP section will cost $3500 for children and $4700 for adults.

Tickets will be available at D’Urban Park from 10:00h to 22:00h. The circus is expected to be what is seen on television. Be sure to pick up those tickets early.

friday, september 28, 2018

making it an excellent event for families.

Millions of dollars in prizes and trophies will be presented to winning floats. It is anticipated that more than 25 floats will participate in the motorcade. Over the last 44 years, the Diwali motorcade has become a highlight in Guyana’s cultural and tourism calendar and is considered the largest event held in Guyana annually, drawing thousands along the route of the motorcade and at the final venue.

The floats have gotten more

creative and extravagant each year and are truly a treat for the eyes and a reflection of excellent Guyanese creativity and workmanship. The floats will depict various themes associated with the festival of Diwali.

In addition to the Georgetown/ECD motorcade, motorcades will be held at the Anna Regina Ground in Essequibo, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) on Friday, November 2; at the Diamond Market Tarmac, East Bank Demerara, Region

uyana’s upcoming artiste, Kishana Ferguson, also called “Kady Kish” is set to release her newest single titled “Without You” in the new month.

The song was written by the songstress and Marc Amour, also known as “Ilaman”. It was recorded and mixed at DP Studios in Guyana.

The producer for the song was Darrell Pugsley out of DP Records. The song is set for a worldwide release on October 9 which coincides with its launch on popular radio stations in the US and will be available on top music streaming platforms.

It has a Reggaeton/Caribbean feel to the beat and a music video will also be ready for the grand release.

In addition, the talented Guyanese artiste recently collaborated with Courtney Noel along with reggae singer/songrwiter on a single that will be released in a few weeks. She can be followed via her social media handles on Facebook. com/KadyKishMusic or instagram/KadyKish Music.

Kishana “kady Kish” Ferguson is a Guyanese singer songwriter born on February 21, 1999. She first performed for an audience at her nursery school graduation. She continued throughout her school life dancing and singing at school events. In Fourth Form, she entered the school’s Mashramani competition held annually. The songstress placed first at the regional and national levels, impressing Remo Bowen; owner of the Fame Band who would later influence her singing career.

Five months after completing her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate, Bowen contacted the singer and soon after she claimed her position as a vocalist in the band. “Kish” as she is fondly called, was introduced to music producer and CEO of DP Records, Darrell Pugsley whom she collaborated with to produce the song “Pressure Wine” – her very first recording and it was one she wrote. She made her solo career debut on February 21, 2017, at Stag Stage; coincidentally it

Four; at the Oceanview Mandir Compound, West Coast Demerara, Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) on Saturday, November 3; and the final three at the Bath Community Centre Ground, Canje Ground, Port Mourant Community Centre Ground and Tagore High School Ground in Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice Corentyne) on Sunday, November 4.

The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha looks forward to celebrating a fabulous Diwali 2018 with all Guyanese.

was also her birthday.

Her performance created the kind of buzz every artiste hopes for. She left her audience satisfied but thirsty. After that performance, she was asked by the show’s promoter to perform the following night at the international version of the event where she created an even bigger buzz and went on to perform for other audiences and major events throughout Guyana.

“Kish” has released other songs including “How I Do It”, “Be Wise and Rise” and her most recent “Without

You”.

She is currently in the studio recording more music for her fans which she is anxious to release.

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friday, september 28, 2018

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erbice, it’s finally here! One of the most exhilarating chutney shows is set for Saturday evening at the Berbice Family Fun Park (Feroz Service Station) at Number 6 Village, West Coast Berbice. The artistes are arriving this evening and the party will start.

The show titled, “Chutney-Soca Fete” will feature Pritivi Bheem out of Trinidad and Tobago. She is known for one of her most popular hits “Sham Sundar”, which has taken the Caribbean by storm.

The show will also feature some of the best Guyanese in the business. These include reigning Chutney King Bunty Singh; former Guyana Chutney Monarch, Pooran Seeraj; 2018 Chutney Monarch finalist, Steven Ramphal and veteran in the game, Cecilia Samaroo.

Also taking the stage will be Ganesh Kasinath, AW

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Lyrical, Vicardi Singh and Guyana’s number one crossover band, Shakti Strings Orchestra. Adding some flavour to the event will be members of the Berbice Delight Dance Troupe and Diva’s Dance Troupe.

In addition, the fabulous and glittery Joel Ghansham will be in the house as the emcee of the proceedings as well as “Party Boss” WR Reaz and Selector Andy. Advance tickets cost $1000 and more at the gate. VIP tickets will also be available.

For ticket information, please contact the organisers on telephone numbers 648-8247, 227-7065, 327-5534 and 654-3700.

The show is promoted by Shakti Strings Events and it is one that you don’t want to miss. Gates open at 18:00h and show gets underway at 20:00h.

elwyn Anthony Julien Khapabel, also known as “K-Pabull” was born at Port of Spain General Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), to a Trinidadian father and a Guyanese mother on April 20, 1984.

His father was physically abusive to his mother who made a living by a ‘trading’ business. She buys and sells clothing and Curtains among other items.

His parents’ relationship lasted for about six years before they were separated.

He is presently 34 years old. Although they are separated, they never got a divorce.

Khapabel is the only child for his father but he has a young brother and an older sister from his mother. His mother raised the trio singlehandedly in Guyana.

His brother and sister would see their respective fathers from

time to time. However, he longed for his father whom he never saw in person. He would normally be scolded by his mom from time to time and reminded constantly of all the abuse she endured in their short relationship.

He attended the Tunapuna Government School in T&T, where as a youngster he won his first hamper for competing in a school’s calypso competition. Hence, music was in his blood.

His mom had a loved for and was an excellent singer. His father was the same at farming and as such, he believes he inherited his talents from his parents.

The talented young man started to work at the age of 14 since he had no interest in completing his education. However, he still managed to be wise and knowledgeable although he did not achieve passing grades in the only two subjects – Maths and English – that he wrote privately at Kuru Kuru College on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Nevertheless, he wrote his first R&B song titled “I Still Need U” at the age of 14.

He loves soul, R&B, reggae, oldies, calypso and African music, just to name a few.

He has since become a versatile singer/ songwriter in all genres of music. His two main inspirations in music are Bob Marley and Michael Jackson.

Apart from being a singer, he is also a photographer/videographer and has been pursuing this angle for almost 16 years. He used photography to offset his recording expenses. He described himself as a spiritual man who is very loving. He thanked the Almighty for leading him along the right path thus far and hopes one day to be the best on the music industry.

he Guyana Independence Celebration Committee (New York) will host an OGBA Paati (Garden Party in Yoruba) and cultural extravaganza on Saturday, September 29, at 16:00h.

The fundraiser event will be held at the roof garden of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn, NY. Part of the proceeds will benefit homeless children.

Committee Chairman Rickford Burke said the affair will be an explosion of our various cultures. “This concept was inspired by the love and support the Guyana Independence Committee (NYC) has received from other Caribbean nationals as well as our brothers and sisters from Africa,” Burke added. He posited that OGBA Paati will depict unity as well as the unique connectedness of Guyanese and Caribbean heritage to African.

The theme of the event is “Celebrate Our Guyanese, Caribbean and African Culture.” It will feature Guyanese, Caribbean and African artistes who are fluent in authentic Yoruba. Organisers

“D

ay like Dese” Season 2 – from episode two which had its first airing on Friday September, 21 on Atlantic Cable, Fresh Channel 1 – viewers will see Nathaya Whaul playing Susan Rupaul; the wife of David Rupaul, played by Mark Kazim.

Other family members of the Rupaul family include their three children played by Makayah Smith (Josh), Safira Abrahim-Williams (Elise) and Kailey Liverpool (Kalee), Ron Robinson (Grandpa Rue) Lavonne George (Mamma G), Simone Dowding (Mabel – the housekeeper), Rajan Tiwari and Simone Persaud (Ram and Sonita – the neighbours), Kirk Jardine (Uncle Sonny –family friend), Mark Luke-Edwards (Detective Jack) Paul Budnah (Pablo – the exterminator), Olivia Rodrigues (cousin), Michael Ignatius (friend) and a cameo performance by Joel Ghansham.

“Days like Dese” is presented by GEMS Theatre Productions, written by Randolph Critchlow and made possible with support from KFC, the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ANSA McAL, Sankars Auto Works,

are inviting all Guyanese, Caribbean and African nationals to come in large numbers to celebrate their culture with their national colours and flag.

There will be live performances

by DJ Buka and DJ Don from Nigeria; recording artistes Ariel Wins and Tayahna Walcott; Guyanese artistes Trevon Vibes, Brandon Harding and Adrian Dutchin; drummer Akoyaw Rudder; reggae artistes Saine and Linky First, New York panorama champions Desper’s Steelpan Orchestra, as well as top soca artistes Problem Child, Freezy, Mr Kella and Lyrikal.

Admission is US$40 per person.

There is also a VIP/Benefactor page for US$300.

Tickets may be purchased at Eventbrite, www.celebrateguyanainnyc. com; Pam’s Bakery – 4620 Church and Schenectady Avenues, Brooklyn NY 11203; and German’s Restaurant – 793 Utica Ave and Linden Blvd, Brooklyn NY 11023.

For more information, call telephone number +1(929)-263-2556 or visit www. celebrateguyanainnyc.com.

Hand-in-Hand Fire & Life Insurance Co, Nand Persaud and Co Rice Millers, and the Social Protection Ministry.

Viewers can catch Season 2 on Fridays at 20:00h on Atlantic Cable, Fresh Channel 1; Saturdays at 17:00h on CNS 6; 20:00h on NTN69; and 20:30h on TVG28; Sundays at 19:00h on HBTV9 and 19:00h on HGPTV67 and on Mondays at 18:30h on Cable26/Channel 77 (Berbice) and at 19:00h on MTV 65.

Episode 1 was aired from September 7 and each episode will be aired on two weekends on eight channels until November 20. The season will have six episodes.

“Days like Dese” is a 30-minute sitcom that delves deep into the daily lives of a diverse ‘socially responsible’ middle-class Guyanese family – the Rupauls. Viewers will feel connected with this family as they journey with them, traversing terrains that may sometimes be considered controversial but always palatable.

It is family-oriented with a lot of educational information mixed with comedy.

fridAY, september 28, 2018

Indian team for West Indies Tests yet to be named T

he MSK Prasad-led selection panel might delay the announcement of India’s Tests squad for the two-match Test series versus West Indies as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma are scheduled to have fitness tests on Saturday.

The selection panel was supposed to meet on September 26 and announce the squad but it is believed that they want to see the results of the fitness tests of two of India’s key Test players and then take a call.

“Ashwin is already doing his rehabilitation at the NCA for groin injury. Even Ishant is expected to join him there.

As of now, there is a fitness test scheduled on Saturday, September 29. The selectors may announce the team a day earlier if NCA physios and trainers rule the duo out even before fitness tests,” a

senior BCCI official said.

However, Prasad and Devang Gandhi did meet at a Delhi hotel on Wednesday to draw up an initial list of players, who are in line to be selected for the Test series starting on October 4.

Also read - Dhawan, Ashwin in focus ahead of India Test team selection for West Indies series Earlier, BCCI’s acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary issued a notice about the Test squad for

the West Indies being announced on Wednesday but the meeting was later cancelled.

“It was scheduled earlier but the five selectors’ itinerary was clashing as one (Sarandeep Singh) is

in Dubai while two others (Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda) are watching Hazare Trophy at different venues.

So it was decided that this will be an informal meeting where the selectors will take stock of the situation,” the official added.

There are still a few grey areas that selectors are dealing with especially the opening slot and the specialist spinners in the squad of 15.

“The selection committee’s aim is to have a team for the series that will be a mirror image of the squad that will travel to Australia.

May be two more players to the 15 for the Tests will be added when the team travels Down Under,” said the official.

As of now, Shikhar Dhawan despite his poor returns from England Tests, remains team management’s favourite to continue. It will

Murray powers past Goffin into Shenzhen quarters B Andy Murray of Great Britain gives a thumbs-up after a win on day one

riton Andy Murray powered past top seed and defending champion David Goffin 6-3 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the Shenzhen Open on Thursday.

Murray’s victory in 95 minutes was his most impressive performance since returning to the tour after undergoing hip surgery in January.

“I felt like in terms of the way I hit the ball, it was the best I’ve played, and I think I knew that I was going to have to hit the ball very well if I wanted to win,” Murray said.

The 31-year-old former world number one fired 15 aces and converted five out of eight break points to improve his head-to-head record against Goffin to 6-0.

Murray had already announced that he would skip the two Masters series events in Shanghai and Paris next month, opting to end his season in Beijing next week.

But the Scot said he was enjoying playing on Shenzhen’s fast surface in only his 11th match of the season.

“I love the conditions that we play in. Usually it’s humid, and the courts are a little bit faster than what we usually play on the tour,” Murray added.

“The conditions that I like are fast courts with slow balls... I’m able to control the ball well here.”

Up next for Murray is Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, his conqueror in the U.S. Open second round.

Verdasco overcame a determined Taro Daniel of Japan 3-6 6-2 7-5.

(Reuters)

19

be a challenge for the selectors to push Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal’s case.

The second bone of contention where the team management might differ from the selection committee is the choice of spinners.

In case Ashwin is ruled out, team management’s preferred choice is Yuzvendra Chahal. The wiry Haryana leg-spinner is someone who still needs a lot of games to be ready for top flight red ball cricket, India A coach Rahul Dravid had said a few days back.

A source close to the team management said that the West Indies can be a good launch pad in Test cricket for Chahal and a good performance will enhance his case for his selection for Australia tour. However, if Ashwin is declared fit, Chahal might have to wait.

Ramsey poised to leave Arsenal after club withdraw contract offer

A

rsenal have withdrawn the offer of a new contract for Aaron Ramsey, meaning that the Wales midfielder could be sold in January or leave for nothing next summer.

The club had been confident that Ramsey, whose current deal expires in June 2019, was ready to commit to fresh terms. A new four-year contract had been proposed but talks have broken down, alerting rival clubs to his availA new four-year contract had been proposed to Aaron Ramsey

ability.

Ramsey was seeking a large pay rise, his demands influenced by how Mesut Özil had secured a new £350,000-a-week deal. There have been rumours at the club that Ramsey has been the subject of a huge offer from China.

But there is no desire to pay Ramsey the sort of money he might be able to command on the open market while questions remain over whether the 27-year-old is an ideal fit for Unai Emery’s style of play.

Ramsey joined Arsenal from Cardiff in 2008 for £5m and is the club’s longest-serving player. He has won three FA Cups with them, scoring the winning goals in the 2014 and 2017 finals against Hull and Chelsea respectively. (BBC Sport)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

fridAY, september 28, 2018

Vettel says he has a “fair chance” of title win F

errari’s Sebastian Vettel says he still has “a fair chance” of catching Lewis Hamilton in their title battle.

Vettel is 40 points behind Hamilton, who has taken three wins in the past four races, sometimes against the run of form.

Vettel said: “We have had races we should have won but didn’t and others we won and shouldn’t have.

“Anything is possible.

I’m not aiming to win all six races. I’m aiming to win here and then we go to the next one.”

Vettel’s fate is still in his own hands - if the German wins every race before the end of the season, he will win the title, regardless of Hamilton’s results.

He said: “It is very simple from where we are. We are some points behind and we need to catch up to make sure we stay there.

Sebastian Vettel (left) and Lewis Hamilton during one of their many podium finishes

“The best way to do that is to finish ahead and ideally ahead of everybody.

The plan doesn’t change.

Obviously at this point we try to give it everything we have and I still believe we have a chance.”

Ferrari have had the fastest car for much of the season but Vettel admitted

the team had not met their own expectations in recent races and needed to up their game.

“We expect to be competitive,” he said, “but we have to take into account the last couple of races where we struggled to have the race pace and put it together for different reasons, so we

need to not get distracted by the results and focus on the job we have to do.”

Hamilton denied that he already had one hand on the title.

“I don’t think you ever have one hand on it,” he said. “You either have both hands on it or you don’t.

“There is still a long way

to go, a lot of points available, six races is still a lot of races.

“We’re just head down and everyone is working hard to improve the car. The job is still exactly the same and the approach is still exactly the same.”

The race, held on a track that circulates around the Olympic Park in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, is set to be between only Mercedes and Ferrari.

The other top team, Red Bull, will have both cars at the back of the grid as a result of new engines being fitted.

Both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo have already exceeded the permitted number of engine parts this season so taking new engines, which are required to make it to the end of the season, means an automatic drop to the back.

Verstappen said that the

engines fitted for this weekend were the less powerful Renault B-spec units, rather than the C-spec they used at the last race in Singapore.

“Our C-spec cannot run in high altitude at Mexico and Brazil,” the Dutchman said. “We always knew we had to take another B at one point, and this is the best place to do it, also to have some more spare parts in case something breaks.

“The C spec has a bit more power in qualifying but it is the same or maybe a bit slower in the race but it is all about qualifying and you would always go for an extra 0.1-0.15secs if you can.”

The Red Bull junior team, Toro Rosso, will also be at the back as Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley will both have upgraded Honda engines in their cars.

(BBC Sport)

Registration deadline for Euro 2024: Germany beats PM T20 Cup is Sunday Turkey to host tournament

T

he Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc (GSCL), organisers of the second edition of the Prime Ministers T20 Softball Cup, are reminding interested teams that the deadline for registration is Sunday, September 30.

The inaugural tournament in 2017 attracted a staggering 20 teams, with 12 in the Masters’ Over-45 category and the remaining eight in the All-Star category. The overall number of teams in 2018 is expected to increase significantly, with interest being shown by teams from as far away as Canada, New York and Florida, besides the interest being generated by the best local talents from across the country.

The GSCL is also reminding teams that no registration fee is required, but lots are up for grabs, with more than $2 million being at stake. The prize money in each category has increased from 2017, with the All Stars champions set to take home $700,000, while the Masters champions will

Wellman and champions Regal Masters will resume their rivalry in the PM T20 Cup 2

pocket $600,000. What’s more, the Most Valuable Player in each category will win a Hero Motorcycle and a 55-inch smart television set respectively.

Speed Boat All-Stars are the defending Open champions, and Regal Masters are the holders of the Masters’ title. The tournament will run from October 19 to 21, with games scheduled to be played across Georgetown.

The tournament has so far attracted local and international sponsors, including Banks Beer, Hero Motor Cycle, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Encore Consulting Corporation of South Florida, Atlantic Southern Trade, and Rica Juice.

Teams are urged to call the GSCL on 225-4802 or 610-7902 for more information and registration details.

G

Former Germany and Bayern Munich defender Philip Lahm (left) was a bid ambassador for Germany

ermany has beaten Turkey to host Euro 2024 after a vote by the Union of European Football Associations’ (UEFA) executive committee on Thursday.

The two countries made final bid presentations before voting took place in Nyon, Switzerland.

The decision means Germany will stage the

Woods to face Francesco Molinari in opening fourballs

A

mericans Tiger Woods and Patrick Reed will play Europe's Francesco Molinari and Tommy Fleetwood in Friday morning's fourballs at the Ryder Cup in France.

FedEx Cup winner Justin Rose and Jon Rahm face Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau in the first of 28 matches.

Rory McIlroy and Thorbjorn Olesen play Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler before Paul Casey and Tyrrell Hatton take on Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

The US are the defending champions but have not won

The opening ceremony was hosted by former footballer David Ginola and featured the players' partners in a glitzy spectacle

in Europe for 25 years.

Led by captain and former US Open champion Jim Furyk, the US team has 31 major victories between them

compared to Europe's eight and boasts three of this year's major champions - US Open and US PGA Championship winner Koepka, plus Masters champion

Reed.

Europe, meanwhile, have Open champion Molinari among their 12-man team as France hosts the tournament for the first time.

The Italian held off Woods' challenge en route to victory at Carnoustie in July and has been paired with Fleetwood, who is one of four rookies placed with more experienced partners by European captain Thomas Bjorn.

Rahm, Olesen and Hatton are also debutants, while Sweden's Alex Noren is the only European rookie to sit out. (BBC Sport)

European Championship for the first time as a unified country, with West Germany having hosted the 1988 tournament.

Turkey is yet to host a major international football tournament.

It has seen previous attempts to host the Euros in 2008, 2012 and 2016 fail, as well as the 2020 Summer Olympics. Germany staged the 2006 World Cup. ‘The procedure was transparent’ Euro 2024 will return to a single-host format after Euro 2020 is held across Europe, including Germany.

Before announcing the winner, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said Germany and Turkey had made “very strong bids”.

After announcing the winner, he added: “The procedure was transparent.

The voting was democratic. Every democratic decision is the right decision so I can only say I am looking forward to seeing a fantastic Euro in 2024.”

Euro 2024 will feature 24 teams, taking place in June and July, with 51 games

scheduled for up to 32 days.

Berlin will stage the final, while matches will also take place in Cologne, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich and Stuttgart.

Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm, an ambassador for his country’s bid, said: “We have amazing stadiums, fans who love football, first and foremost we have people who love celebrating with other Europeans.

“We will organise a huge football party in Germany.”

Germany and Turkey were the only countries in the running for Euro 2024 and, in the build-up, an evaluation report by UEFA stated Turkey’s bid had risks.

The report added that Turkey’s lack of an action plan in the area of human rights and limited hotel capacity in many cities were matters “of concern”. It also labelled the scale of transport infrastructure work required “a risk”.

However, it did say the Turkish bid was “in line with the long-term objectives of UEFA.” (BBC Sport)

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fridAY, september 28, 2018 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

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sports

GFF investigates inconsistencies T

he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has recently commenced investigating three critical reports which were brought to its attention.

One of the investigations pertains to the suspension of the Berbice Football Association (BFA) President, Keith O’Jeer, for inappropriate conduct; another is an allegation of sexual harassment brought against referees; and the third takes a deeper looking into the Mexico versus Guyana hosting rights.

In the matter concerning O’Jeer, an independent investigator conducted and completed a preliminary inquiry into the allegation, following which a report was submitted to the GFF. That report will be examined by the Disciplinary Committee, which will review and pronounce on the matter.

The Federation has also appointed a Board of Inquiry to conduct interviews in regard to the allegation of sexual harassment being practised by referees. That Board is scheduled to present its report, including recommendations, to the GFF’s Executive Committee by end of September 2018. It is understood that the Committee will then review and pronounce

on the matter.

Meanwhile, an investigation spearheaded by a consultant is ongoing into the hosting rights for the Mexico versus Guyana encounter. This consultant is scheduled to provide a fact-finding dossier which would include recommendations regarding any future action to be taken by the GCC. To date, several persons have been interviewed, and financial documents have been submitted, including GFF’s audit reports, reflecting transactions processed during the period under review. The Committee is facilitating this very methodical process in order to ensure accuracy and finality.

BFA President Keith O’Jeer was suspended in April of this year

Bolt has until Christmas to prove his worth or face the boot Usain Bolt during his debut for the Central Coast Mariners

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21

U

sain Bolt, just as he has in many seasons before a big championship while his illustrious career was still ongoing, is in a race against time.

Bolt, the world record holder over 100 and 200 metres, needs to show the Central Coast Mariners, he has what it takes to earn a professional contract in Australia’s A-League.

Bolt, generally accepted to be one of the greatest sprinters of all time, has

been attempting to achieve his dream of being a professional football player, going on a number of tryouts, the last one an extended stay with Australian top-flight team, the Mariners.

According to Mariners coach, Mike Mulvey, Bolt will have until Christmas, at latest, January, to prove his worth.

Mulvey said, at first, he said he would give Bolt up to a year if necessary, however,

GCA cricket fixtures continue

M

atches organised by the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) will continue this weekend with some crucial fixtures.

On Saturday, the highly anticipated GISE/ Star Party Rentals/Trophy Stall second division 40-over semifinal between University of Guyana (UG) Trojans and the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) will be played at the DCC ground in Queenstown, Georgetown commencing at 10:30 hrs. The final is scheduled for October 6, at the same venue.

Another highly anticipated match in the first division twoday semifinal between Police and GNIC will be played on Saturday at the Police ground

at Eve Leary Ground from 9:30 hrs.

Also, on Saturday, the Friends of Cricket Under-17 Hundred Overs’ Tournament contested between the Guyana Cricket Club (GCC) and Bel Air Rubis will be played at the GCC ground beginning at 9:30 hrs.

And on Sunday, September 30, Everest Cricket Club will clash with Transport Sports Club at the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) Ground, and the DCC will come up against the Malteenoes Cricket Club at the DCC ground. Both matches are scheduled to start at 9:30 hrs.

There will be no V-Net Under-13 matches this weekend.

Jayden Dowlin goes down the ground in scoring for DCC in a recent encounter at the MYO ground

that length of time may not be necessary.

“I think a reasonable assumption would be around about Christmas time, maybe January, when we should be really judging on whether he’s really improved or not,” said Mulvey.

A contract for Bolt would be worth approximately $2.2 million per year and while club owner Mike Charlesworth, likes the increased visibility of the club with Bolt as part of the setup, he doesn’t intend to take on paying Bolt by himself.

Charlesworth, it is said, is asking the government to foot some of the bill, amounting to just under $700, 000.

"The FFA want to look at Bolt closely before investing, and we're the same. Of course the FFA would want to capitalise, but they won’t do that until they know he’s up to the level,” he said.

Bolt doesn’t seem too bothered by the new timelines, focusing instead on his next expected fixture.

Mulvey can't afford to make a mistake either, as the coach was brought in to transform a side that finished last in the A-League a season ago. (Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

fridAY, september 28, 2018

Britton & Edghill: the future of table tennis in Guyana T

he future of table tennis continues to shine brightly, as two of Guyana’s most promising players have now asserted themselves as the Under-21 Caribbean champions.

Chelsea Edghill and Shemar Britton, who were part of the Guyanese male and female teams that copped silver medals just the day before, exceeded all expectations and played an unblemished round of games to continue advancing throughout the competition.

Playing at the National Arena in Kingston, Jamaica, the twenty-year-old Britton overcame Kwanini Willoughby of Jamaica 3-2, Christian Malave of Puerto Rico 3-1, and Arun Roopnarine Trinidad and Tobago in order to move out of the group stage to the quarterfinal.

In the quarterfinals, Britton played even better, defeating Puerto Rico’s Axel Torres 3-2 to book his semifinal place. There he was matched with Adjit Tebas of the Dominican Republic, getting the better of this player by three sets to one.

Being so close to the gold, Britton was resilient and determined to

bring it home. The final saw him coming up against defensive maestro Tyrese Knights of Barbados.

Although the matchup was close at some intervals, Britton proved he was the bett e r

The golden duo just after their respective wins

of the two with a superb showing of skill with the racquet. He won 3-2 to end on top of the podium.

Over in the Women’s Under-21 g a m e s , C h e l s e a Edghill repr e s e n t ed Guyana bravely

with one goal on her mind, gold. From the inception, the young woman showed that she was the competitor to beat, winning all her group matches. She defeated Alondra Rodriguez of Puerto Rico 3-1, Kelsey Davidson of Jamaica 3-0, and Brittany Joseph of Trinidad and Tobago on the trot to advance to the round of 16. In that round, Edghill was given a bye to move on to the quarterfinal.

There, it was a usual day at the office for Edghill, as she staged a 3-0 win over Dominican Republic’s Dahyana Rojas. The semifinal against Yasaris Ortiz of the Dominican Republic was no different for her, as again she won 3-0.

The final saw her being paired with Brittany Joseph of Trinidad and Tobago once again, and in a repeat of her group match, Edghill emerged victorious, this time with the gold.

For both athletes, the

win has been surreal, and ‘a long time coming’.

Edghill, in a heartfelt message to all her supporters, stated, “Seven years ago, I played my first senior championships, and it was always a goal of mine to win yet another singles title. Goal accomplished!”

The young woman went on to express her gratitude to God, her parents, coaches and teammates who have stuck by her side.

“I’m humbled by this accomplishment, and I must thank everyone who supported my efforts throughout the years,” she noted.

In an invited comment to Guyana Times Sport, Britton shared about her journey to the gold. “The preparation for this win really was a continuous process over the years, just putting in the hard work and hours with my coaches Idi Lewis, Sydney Christophe and Christopher Franklin.

“To finally attain the gold, what it means to me I just can’t put that into words as yet. It’s one of the proudest moments of my life to bring back a gold

medal to my homeland Guyana; it means the world to me,” Britton stated.

Looking ahead, the young man is resolute in his desire to compete for Guyana on a much larger stage. “For the more distant future, I’d like to qualify for the Pan American Games next year, and then go on to qualify for the Olympic Games”, he disclosed.

One thing both these winning athletes have in common is their hunger for more medals at the 60th Caribbean Table Tennis Federation (CTTF) Senior Championships. They will join their other Guyanese counterparts in their quest for the Senior Men’s and Women’s Singles titles, competition for which will begin today.

In other medals for the country, both Men’s and Women’s teams copped silver earlier this week, whilst Christopher Franklin and Trenace Lowe have also attained silver in the mixed doubles. Both women’s doubles teams copped bronze.

Golf gets onboard with sport tourism

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n recent times, the growing trend in the Sports arena has been the capitalisation on sport tourism by various disciplines in order to boost their sport, support and the economy.

This has been the going thing, and was first recognised as an important factor during this year’s staging of the Hero Caribbean Premiere League (CPL), which attracted scores of tourists to Guyana in their staging of seven matches.

As such, sport tourism is known to create partnerships between sporting associations and the private sector for the betterment of the sport and those involved.

The latest sport to come on board with this initiative is golf.

Speaking at the launching of their annual Guyana Open Cup, Minister of Social Cohesion, with Responsibility for Sport, Dr George Norton, touched on the importance of sport tourism to Guyana, highlighting the strides that the Golf Association has made in capitalising on such a lucrative sector.

“What is important to note is that the Golf Association has now fully partnered with the Guyana Marriott Hotel and several other hotels to create golf packages which are important to the promotion of this sport in and out of Guyana,” Dr. Norton said, disclosing one of many initiatives.

Following Minister Norton’s announcement of a new golf course that is slated to be built in Guyana, starting as early as 2019, President of the Lusignan Golf Club, Aleem Hussain, shared on the impact that the course would have on the club’s participation in sport tourism.

“Sports tourism in Guyana is going to go to a whole new level. We’re estimating, based on the meetings, we’re going to need another 5 hotels just for golf tourism. That

Lusignan Golf Club President Aleem Hussain

is how impressive and attractive this is going to be for us,” Hussain elatedly noted.

Additionally, on board with the Golf Club for their upcoming Guyana Open is Trans Guyana Airways, which is in a great position to further the sport tourism agenda.

The company has noted its readiness to provide visitors and international players with a great view of Guyana.

“Cause, as people would know, sports is very important to the development of a country, in terms of tourism and travel, and that’s our main area of operation,” a representative of Trans Guyana Airways stated.

The company is willing and ready to entice visitors with travel packages, resorts and tours, aside from people having a good time playing golf.

guyanatimesgy.com

fridAY, september 28, 2018

23

Essequibo crowned Jaguars League 50-Over Champions

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espite losing their final match against a spirited West Berbice side by 115 runs, Essequibo’s near-perfect run this tournament has seen the men from the Cinderella County being crowned champs of the 50Over League.

Their final match, in which Essequibo faced West Berbice, took place at Bush Lot. Essequibo won the toss and decided to field. West Berbice took to the crease and mastered an exceptional 278 for 5 in their 50 overs.

Half centuries came from Gudakesh Motie (84*) and Javid Karim (74). Opening batsman Leon Andrews supported with 33, while Andrew Dutchin was 39 not out. Bowling for Essequibo, Mark Williams and Akini Adams collected 2 wickets for 45 and 31 runs respectively.

Essequibo then set out to bat, but could not withstand the pressures exerted by West Berbice, and fell for 163 all out in 38.4 overs. Anthony Adams was the only player to score a half-century, with 53 not out, while Kemol Savory gave valuable support with 36. Kevon Boodie also added 27 to the total. Bowling for West Berbice, Kevin Jawahir

West Demerara, Malcolm Hubbard and Mavendra Dhanpaul collected 3 wickets for 42 and 48 runs respectively. Raymon Reifer assisted with 2 for 61. West Demerara, in their reply, comfortably achieved the required runs with an over to spare at 283 for 8 in 49 overs.

Raymon Reifer top scored with 68, while Tevin Imlach (51) and Romario Shepherd (51) gave valuable support with their half centuries off the innings. Bowling for East Bank, Alimohamed and Griffith collected 2 wickets each for 55 and 60 runs respectively.

At Enmore, East Coast put up 251 for 7 in 50 overs. Ramnarine Chatura (52), Kamesh Yadram (48) and Chandrapaul Hemraj (44) were the main scorers. Bowling for Upper Corentyne, Eon Hooper picked up 3 for 46 and

Ronaldo Ali-Mohamed collecting his trophy

snared 4 wickets for 40 runs, while Kevin Sinclair and Gudakesh Motie bowled adequately, with 2 wickets for 28 runs each.

In the game in which East Bank came up against West Demerara at Everest,

East Bank posted a massive 279 all out in 49.4 overs.

Ronaldo Alimohamed scored his second consecutive century with an impressive 101 off 55 balls. Trevon Griffith scored 51 and Darshan Persaud 33. Bowling for

Kennard’s Memorial Pre-Diwali Horse Meet set for October 21

Part of the action in last year’s Pre-Emancipation Meet

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he Kennard Memorial Turf Club, at Bush Lot on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice, is scheduled to host its pre-Diwali Horse Race Meet on October 21, and more than 60 entries have already been received for the card, which consists of six categories.

There is the H & Lower race, which carries the most attract top prize -- $250,000; then there is the 2-Year Guyana-Bred (Maiden), which will see the win-

ner carting off a handsome purse of $200,000.

There is also the ‘L NonEarner 2018’ race, which will see the victor receiving a first place prize of $100,000; and there is the L Open, which has a top prize of $140,000.

The winner of the ‘L NonWinner’ race will receive $120,000, while the winner of the J3 & K race will receive $160,000.

Entry charges on the six-race card range from

$12,000 to $30,000, and entry will close on Sunday, October 14. No late entries will be accepted.

For further details, interested persons are kindly asked to contact Club Secretary Niketa Ross on 662-4668. Horses can also be entered via Ivan Dipnarine (331-0361), Justice Kennard (623-7606 or 225-4818), Fazal Habibulla (657-7010), Dennis DeRoop (640-6396) or Campton Sancho (6021567).

Demitri Cameron 2 for 53. Upper Corentyne then fell for 144 all out in 35.3 overs. Anthony Bramble top scored with 72, while Shawn Perreira and Andy Mohan each added 18 runs to the scoreboard.

Bhaskar Yadram was the most instrumental bowler for the East Coast side, collecting 4 for 33, while Amir Khan and Kamesh Yadram snared 2 wickets each, for 24 and 8 runs separately.

Georgetown, finishing second in the tournament, whipped up 290 for 4 in their 50 overs. Skipper, Leon Johnson put up a massive 111 not out, which earned him the award for the player with the most runs in the tournament.

Omesh Daniram and Christopher Barnwell also performed creditably in the innings, with 59 and 43 respectively. Bowling for Lower

Corentyne, Raun Johnson, Nial Smith, Junior Sinclair and Kelvin Umrao collected a wicket each. Lower Corentyne fought fearlessly, but was unable to reach their target, and closed their innings at 264 all out in 49.1 overs. Sesenarine Sukhu top scored with 47, Junior Sinclair scored 26, and Jason Sinclair 22. Qumar Torrington and Christopher Barnwell picked up 3 for 47 and 2 for 43 respectively.

A presentation ceremony followed at Bush Lot, in which Essequibo walked away with the winning trophy and a sum of money.

Gudakesh Motie was awarded Man of the Match; most dismissals in the tournament went to Kemol Savory, who produced 9 dismissals with 176 runs; while most runs went to Leon Johnson, his having attained 336 runs.

Banks DIH supports Persaud ahead of Suriname Golf Open

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Clifford Reis, Chairman/Managing Director of Banks DIH, presents the sponsorship cheque to Avinash Persaud, while Gavin Todd and Troy Peters look on

ight-time Guyana Open men’s Golf champion Avinash Persaud has secured from Banks DIH Limited sponsorship to compete in the Suriname Invitational Golf Tournament billed for October 6-7 (next weekend) at the Paramaribo Golf Club.

Chairman and Managing Director of Banks DIH Limited, Mr. Clifford Reis, presented Persaud with the sponsorship cheque during a simple ceremony at Thirst Park on Wednesday.

Himself an ardent golfer, Reis said Banks DIH

Limited was extremely delighted to be sponsoring the reigning Guyana Open champion, to enable his participation at the Suriname tournament which is expected to attract international competitors.

Persaud will join approximately 19 local golfers who will be competing in the Suriname tournament.

“We wish Avinash every success in Suriname. I am confident that the exposure will assist in his future development,” Reis said.

Persaud, who has held the Guyana Open title for four consecutive years, also

expressed confidence ahead of the tournament.

“My goal is to win the Best Gross at the event. I would like to thank Banks DIH Limited for sponsoring my participation in Suriname,” he declared.

Persaud, who first won the Guyana Open when he was 16 years old in 2006, has said he would be using this Suriname tournament to sharpen his game for the prestigious Guyana Open tournament, billed for November 4-5 at the Lusignan Golf Club, East Coast Demerara.

fridAY, september 28, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Essequibo crowned Jaguars League 50-Over Champions

Pages 23 The new champions celebrate their victory

Britton & Edghill: the future of table tennis in Guyana

Pages 22

Chelsea Edghill

Shemar Britton

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