Guyana Times - Friday February 7, 2020

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Issue No. 4189

THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Opposition Leader slams President for silence on Global Witness exposé

PRICE

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WHAT'S INSIDE: Lack of water

Thousands of acres of rice in Black Bush Polder damaged P16

See story on page 3

Dual citizens

Granger boasts of presidential powers to revoke Guyanese citizenship See story on page 7

Govt failed bauxite workers – Jagdeo …as RUSAL removes equipment from Region 10

Page 7

Wife killer jailed for 14 years P16

Tullow to P16 slash jobs, close offices after poor Guyana, Africa results

3 injured in motorcycle collision on EBD P12

Tugs pulling a barge past the Berbice River Bridge as RUSAL moves its equipment out of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice)

EU calls for violence-free elections in Guyana See story on page 9

…as full-fledged mission prepares to observe polling activities

Opposition Leader calls out Govt on $91B increased P13 taxes

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NEWS

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Friday, February 7 – 04:00h – 05:30h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Saturday, February 8 – 04:30h – 06:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

Opposition Leader slams President for silence on Global Witness exposé

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Friday, February 7 – 14:50h – 16:20h and Saturday, February 8 – 15:35h – 17:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunshine is expected throughout the day.

There will be clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 19 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North North-Easterly to East NorthEasterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 03:09h and 15:24h reaching maximum heights of 2.42 metres and 2.60 metres.

Low Tide: 08:57h and 21:28h reaching minimum heights of 0.79 metre and 0.56 metre.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

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COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Change %

Crude Oil $54.93/barrel Rough Rice $243.27/ton London Sugar $414.00/ton

Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask Low/High Change

$1567.30 $1551.90 +0.90

-0.64 -0.06 0.00

USD Per Ounce $1568.30 $1569.90 0.06%

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

President David Granger

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has called out President David Granger for not accepting responsibility and for being silent on the damning revelations in the Global Witness report, which called for a probe into the roles of Government officials in the signing of the 2016 oil contract.

Though the Guyana Government as an entity would have responded to the report by debunking its findings, Jagdeo said the President should take responsibility for the situation.

“Take responsibility. This guy is in charge of this Government, the last time I checked. He’s still the President for Guyana.

He takes responsibility for nothing. Absolutely nothing. And he’s in charge,” the Opposition Leader said at his weekly press conference on Thursday.

International corruption watchdog, Global Witness, found that the 2016 oil contract which was negotiated by the current Administration could cause Guyana to lose billions, that there were conflicts of interest at play, and that the country’s negotiating team ignored expert advice.

Jagdeo, in responding to Government’s claims, argued that the People’s Progressive Party did not influence the Global Witness report.

“They were busy touting this international organisation as being great but when other credible international organisations have this to say like this report that we saw, the damning report, suddenly they’re not to be believed or they’re people from the PPP. Let me say that the People’s Progressive Party did not bring Global Witness here.

We have no such power over Global Witness – which is an international NGO,” Jagdeo affirmed.

“Signed away” was written by Global Witness, a USbased non-governmental organisation, in efforts to bring clarity into the negotiations of Guyana’s oil deal. Among its recommendations was for Guyana’s Government to investigate the role played by Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman in brokering the deal.

The report expressed concern over the lacklustre

out to be one of the world’s largest recent finds. Instead, on June 27, Trotman signed Exxon’s licence”.

Referencing a report allegedly prepared by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) after the negotiations, Global Witness claimed that GGMC officials had at the time thought it unrealistic to press Exxon for a better deal.

According to Global Witness, part of the report stated: “I have the view that there may be a fair chance to model some notional improved royalty to kick in, but I also speculate that in the environment of deep water, deep target development, the price of oil would have to go up significantly [to achieve that].”

In fact, Global Witness claims that Guyana present-

O

negotiations on Guyana’s behalf and blames the Minister for not representing Guyana’s interests. In addition, the report states Trotman was supposed to have had new information on the Stabroek Block that ought to have strengthened his hand during negotiations. Instead, this card was not played.

“Trotman failed to capitalise on Guyana’s strong bargaining position. During negotiations, he knew that the company was analysing a new possible oil find. Even though the company would announce its results on a specific day: June 28, 2016,” the report stated.

“But the Minister did not wait for these results, which would have allowed Guyana to assess Stabroek’s true value and which turned

ed feeble terms to the company and that expert advice that more financial information was needed was ignored

by Guyana’s team. Even the Government’s own advisor on petroleum at the time, Dr Jan Mangal, had criticised Guyana’s two per cent royalty on earnings from oil sales, which he said is low compared to global standards. Mangal’s contract was subsequently not renewed by the Government.

In 2018, President David Granger transferred responsibility for oil from Trotman to the Ministry of the Presidency. A Department of Energy was created, with Dr Mark Bynoe as its head.

Oil production started officially last year December, with Guyana expected to have its first share of the oil in the coming weeks.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

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

Pernicious condition G

uyana appears to have an intractable domestic violence problem, but this should make us work harder to alleviate this pernicious condition. While there have been several initiatives launched, one of the areas that has not received much attention in Guyana has been the dynamics operating between couples. Nowadays, arranged marriages are passé and couples date or otherwise have a relationship for extended periods before actually getting married. An evergrowing phenomenon, of course, is the couples who ‘live home’ even after children are produced in the relationship.

Are there signs of an abuser that can be discerned early on in a budding relationship, which can then be nipped in mandatory pre-counselling before matters proceed too far?

While Guyana has not ‘progressed’ to the stage of having dating services, some interesting warning signals have come out from those studies in the countries that we imitate in our social relations. The concept is the same as where the individual in Guyana reveals his/her personality after a few dates.

A paper published in the journal “Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin” examined the influence of prior experiences on partner preferences. The researchers themselves constructed a believable-looking “online dating service,” and thus were able to track the study participants’ preferences and selection of various partners. Although the study participants didn’t know it, the researchers had carefully chosen the profiles so that they differed in systematic ways.

For their first study, the researchers focused on heterosexual women’s preferences, and the men’s profiles that they looked at differed in how much they signalled the potential for psychological abuse in intimate relationships.

The profiles themselves were actually real, with the profiles of potentially abusive men written by men who scored high on characteristics associated with abusive personality: impulsivity, anger, jealousy, low self-esteem. A separate sample of participants independently confirmed that the profiles gave off warning signals of potential abuse.

The researchers’ results are sobering: Women who had a history of being psychologically maltreated in a prior relationship were three times more likely to choose potentially abusive dating partners than women without this history. In other words, women who are at risk of being abused in their relationships are more likely to be attracted to the very features that others see as clear precursors of abuse. Often, these choices are rationalised: intense jealousy is misinterpreted as caring, and anger is romanticised as “dangerous”.

In a second study, the researchers turned the tables around and focused on heterosexual men’s preferences.

Their question was this: Who do potentially abusive men prefer? The results showed that men who scored high on a measure of inflicting psychological abuse were 1.5 times more likely to choose a partner who is high on attachment anxiety. Attachment anxiety is a disposition associated with victims of abuse and is characterised by intense anxiety over rejection.

As such, people high in attachment anxiety are particularly vulnerable to being “treated like a God” during the courtship phase of a relationship: being flooded with flowers, adulated, constantly called. Fears of rejection overwhelm the ability to detect an unhealthy balance between independence and interdependence in their relationships. What does one do in the face of such data, with people high in attachment anxiety and their potentially abusive partners essentially judging each other as highly compatible?

Simple as it may sound, one powerful answer is to rely on your social networks. Listen to what your friends are saying.

In fact, people in new relationships should actually ask friends their opinions about prospective partners and these friends should be honest in their evaluation. This is critical advice both if you are attracted to a potentially abusive mate, or if someone you care about begins describing abusive relationship patterns.

Sometimes, we need to rely on other people to help us see what we cannot.

Most abuse and violence are committed by “significant others”. We bear much of the responsibility for choosing them.

Let us become educated for the signals sent out by abusers.

Mahaica Primary students display their costumes at the National Cultural Centre on Thursday during the Children’s Calypso and Dramatic Poetry Mashramani competition (Shaconeal Burnette photo)

New-found love for sugar industry around elections time Dear Editor, The GAWU has recognised that, in recent days, President David Granger as he seeks re-election to office has begun to speak a lot about the sugar industry and his visions for the industry’s future. The President’s seeming new-found love for the industry around voting time seems suspect but that is not our problem and it is for him to explain. We recall that the President and his colleagues, during the 2015 election campaign, also made grand promises to the sugar workers and the nation as a whole. In the case of sugar, massive pay hikes were promised to the workers; they and their families were assured that their livelihoods would be maintained, and they were told that they were important pieces of the nation’s economic cogwheel. That, of course, turned out to be a pie in the sky.

Those commitments, as they were, seem now, in hindsight, to be vote-getting propaganda. We reach such conclusions when we measure the promises against the realities that ultimately prevailed. Before the coalition’s first anniversary in office, it began its assault on the sugar industry. By the end of 2015, sugar workers’ pay rates were frozen, an ignominious feature that prevails onto now in 2020.

Of course, we saw too in January 2016 the announcement that Wales would be closed by the end of that year. It may be recalled too that the Administration spokespersons had disclosed that the Wales announcement was premature and it was intent on making known its intentions much lat-

er than when it was made.

Possibly this was intended to continue its charade of caring for the sugar belt.

But the cat was let out of the bag and the Administration was forced to make its intentions known. In 2016, too, the long-standing Annual Production Incentive (API) was ignored as well.

In 2017, the bad situation became worse when Skeldon, Rose Hall and East Demerara Estates joined the ranks of Wales and shuttered their operations. In just two years, the coalition had pushed some 7000 sugar workers out of work, they put the lives of thousands more into a tailspin, and shattered the optimism of a better tomorrow for many Guyanese. In the years that followed, the situation has progressively worsened as sugar production is seemingly in a free fall, the capital investment programme has been stymied and workers, managerial and non-managerial alike, are despondent and demotivated. Today, the sugar industry is a shadow of its former self and though it continues to make meaningful contributions to the wider nation, it is treated as a forgotten stepchild not deserving of any attention or even sympathy.

In defending such actions, the President, according to February 1, Guyana Chronicle, said: “…we had to make a hard decision but we thought hard and long and we said we must protect and preserve the sugar industry”. But where was this seeming studied approach, if we go by Mr Granger’s sentiments? His now-apparent running mate, Mr Ramjattan, had bluntly refused even a suggestion to

conduct any studied examination of the consequences of closure. The Government was told by the Sugar CoI not to close any estate.

Several credible organisations and notable individuals spoke up and out against the Administration’s sugar policy. Of course, too, the workers, their families and their communities practically pleaded with the Government to re-look and re-examine its decision. Yet in spite of this loud chorus and several possible alternatives, the Administration was unmoved and, seemingly, unbothered and shut down the estates. In our view, there is hardly any credence that there was a deep reflection as Mr Granger propagates.

So now in the days leading up to the overdue National and Regional elections, Mr Granger is quoted by the February 1, Guyana Chronicle to say at the coalition’s Leonora rally that “… sugar workers would be able to go onto those lands and those who want to farm, will be able to farm, and those who want housing, will get land for housing.”

But this is an almost 180-degree u-turn by the President. Mr Granger, just a few weeks ago, in an interview disclosed that many of the displaced sugar workers were able to secure jobs. PM Nagamootoo also repeated this sentiment recently too saying that displaced workers had ventured into several other pursuits. Our Union, on both occasions, pointed out that those sentiments are far from reality. Moreover, just a few days ago, some displaced sugar workers at a press engagement rubbished such propa-

ganda.

Coincidentally or not, Mr Granger’s announcement came on the same day that NICIL-SPU disclosed that a few former workers of Wales had been given lands to pursue different ventures.

So now, all of a sudden, without any prior indication, Mr Granger says he wants release lands to displaced sugar workers. This talk was ignited by Mr Nagamootoo two years ago though nothing it seems was done until recently— though it is really less than a drop in the ocean. Nevertheless, the President says if he is re-elected he would establish a State Land Resettlement Commission which would address, among other things, making available lands to sugar workers.

In August 2018, Mr Granger said lands taken out of sugar would fall under the jurisdiction of a State Land Sales Commission. An August 31, 2018, DPI report quoted the President as saying that “… we will make sure that the lands that are being taken out of sugar are placed to the benefit of people of Guyana as a whole.” Of course, after that announcement, we do not recollect ever hearing about that Commission ever again. Whether the Land Resettlement Commission will ever work is another story, though when one considers what has transpired we cannot be too hopeful.

It does seem the President has a thing for commissions though. Just look at the number of Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry he has established. Those commissions’ ability to influence positive, if any, change is also a matter up for debate.

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

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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

Govt has failed in critical responsibility of protecting Guyanese Dear Editor, The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG), which speaks on behalf of thousands of Guyanese working families, could not help but feel deeply disturbed after it considered the examination of our nation’s oil agreement by the overseas-based NGO Global Witness. The report, which is aptly titled “Signing Away”, in our view, puts into perspective what our nation and, more so, current and future genera-

tions of our people have really lost.

Many commentators, analysts, and experts had previously decried the arrangements regarding commercial oil extraction. We recall too that even the IMF had warned that Guyana had gotten lesser than the short end of the stick. Of course, the newly-released report has now provided the context which has bound our nation to such a lopsided arrangement. We saw too that the NGO has expressed

concern regarding the aggressive, and maybe tempting, negotiation tactics by Exxon-Mobil to reach the agreement it ultimately got.

While the actions of the oil company may well be considered improper, we contend that at the end of the day, it was, like all profit-maximising enterprises, seeking to obtain the best deal it could for its shareholders.

In such circumstances, we are of the strong view that the Granger Administration had a bounden, and we dare-

Fear and manipulation Dear Editor, GHK Lall and Moses Nagamootoo seem to be getting their information from the same source, TNN, aka the Taxi News Network; for the ludicrous position that the new petroleum exploration agreement signed by Raphael Trotman for the Government and People of Guyana and by Nigel Hughes, on behalf of ExxonMobil, was done expeditiously for fear of Venezuelan invasion is a version of geo-politics is one that you would expect in a rum shop, not in the hallowed halls of the Prime Ministerial office nor from a reputed ‘Wall Street financial analyst’. If there was fear-mongering in the Granger Administration that was putting pressure on the President to get the new agreement signed, then the actions of those driving that vehicle (fear) should be closely examined.

Those speaking in defence of the Government’s actions seem to be saying the Granger Administration was ignorant and afraid but not corrupt. I believe that a fac-

tion of the Administration, led by Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge, played on the fears and ignorance of Granger and the others to force an agreement that lost the nation US$ 55B or more.

I believe that perspective is key in the examination of the new (2016) petroleum exploration agreement referred to as ‘the bridging deed’. Global Witness is a corruption watchdog organisation and the loss of revenue calculation was made with an eye on royalties and profit-sharing. The lack of ring-fencing provision is equally damning as it allows the operator to commit virtually unlimited funds towards exploration, secure in the knowledge that these would be recovered by Liza 1 and subsequent discoveries. The Operator will drill a further thirty-one wells in 2020 as they rush to do as much risk-free exploration before the agreement comes up for re-negotiation in November 2020. A total of over US$12 billion in additional exploration costs will be recovered from existing wells because of the

poor ‘bridging deed’.

The question of motivation for the fear-mongering by the small cabal needs no gloss and the old school tie is front and centre for those who have eyes to see. It is information I will hold in escrow until circumstances change and real investigations begin; when stocks and shareholdings of ‘the few’ and their family will be examined. This cabal of cunning and experienced operators continues to play ‘puppet master’ as they place GHK Lall and Moses Nagamootoo in the firing line.

GHK and Nagamootoo have been trotted out to parrot lines and ludicrous tales; manipulated and brought low by overestimation of their IQs and an underestimation of their egos, pawns, unwitting and ignorant, filled with fear, not of Venezuela, but of loss of power, perks of living the good life off of the public purse. Patriotism sold for seats in the peanut gallery in the grand petro-theatre.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

New-found love...

FROM PAGE 4

Importantly, giving the displaced workers lands is not the end of the story. More than two years ago, when such talk began, our Union presented to the Government, when we engaged the President and some of his Ministers, a paper regarding our thoughts on the matter. Like in previous experiences, the Government expressed appreciation and that was the end of the story. In our paper, we pointed to several critical elements that required consideration if such a policy would be successful. Given the Administration’s track record, we are doubtful that our paper was ever treated with any seriousness.

Given the recent announcements, it appears to us at least, that the planned divestment of the closed estates may be off the table. Not to say we are suffering from a land deficit, but from all appearanc-

es, the Government, we believe, would not be willing to develop unutilised State lands for distribution to sugar workers, among others, though such feats are not impossible. It seems to us that idle sugar lands would be the main target for distribution. This presents another worrying dimension as to who would be able to secure lands.

Already, we have seen several disclosures regarding sharing out of state lands to officials and apparently party sympathisers. Whether such reported processes would continue is something that should not be discounted. Already, we have heard that plans are underway regarding the distribution of sugar land holdings along the East Coast of Demerara.

The undertaking by the President to give displaced sugar workers land, we believe, has to be considered in the scheme of him and

his Government’s previous commitments, pre and post-elections. Of course, the Administration’s subsequent actions have spoken loudly and clearly and there is very little incentive to give credence to the newest round of promises. More so, that these commitments come on the eve of elections where the President is seeking to entice voters to give him another chance brings his announcement into even greater suspicion.

In our view, the President has had more than adequate time to meaningfully address the plight of those displaced workers. The fact that he has taken this long to make just an announcement speaks volumes and, for us, is a clear indicator of where he really stands on the matter.

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine General Secretary GAWU

say a fiduciary, duty to its shareholders – the Guyanese people. Clearly, from the report, the Administration dropped more than the ball successively regarding the discussions on a new agreement. We recognised that a fair share of finger-pointing has been directed towards Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman who, it appears, was very much in over his head.

While Minister Trotman, we believe, must accept a fair share of responsibility for what has been signed away, at the same time, the buck stops with President David Granger who has an equal, if not greater, responsibility for what we are now bound to. We hold that the Administration had a collective responsibility to ensure that the interest of Guyana and Guyanese were foremost. Upsettingly, they have collectively failed in this critical responsibility and it is our people who must now swallow the painful consequences. No amount of varnishing could erase this

noteworthy stain and seeming sin.

What was disparagingly disturbing for us was that we apparently held all, if not most, of the cards; yet rather than maximising our interest, we choose to squander it away ostensibly for stays in high-priced hotels, dining in fancy restaurants, and limousine travels. What is disheartening about this is that such practices have been documented before and yet we went in, with eyes wide open, and swallowed it all, hook, line and sinker.

The US$55B loss we suffered was described by another section of the media on February 3 editorial as “mind-boggling” and equivalent to “…26 times the highest ever external debt of the country”. It tells us vividly what was at stake and what has been essentially and flippantly signed away. Such a stupendous sum, once properly utilised, could have meaningfully dented the poverty situation, accelerated our development thrust, closed our infrastructure

deficits and advanced our knowledge economy.

At the end of the day, it is clear that the Guyanese nation and people have lost.

Our national wealth has been sold very cheaply and, seemingly, without any consequence to those who have put us in the pit we now find ourselves. This is hardly the characteristic of individuals who would exude patriotism and peoples-first orientations. It should not miss us too that oil, based on current discoveries, has a limited shelf life. Expectedly, it will be with us for only four decades but, of course, our nation and people will have greater needs beyond then.

It was, therefore, important that we received maximum return for our patrimony and rather than the fanfare of first oil, we should seriously begin to focus on life after oil.

Sincerely, Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG)

What students face at UG Dear Editor, In 2020, we are still complaining about issues that were budding problems some 10 years ago and beyond.

Humbly, I boast at not making stories up. If I lie, let the record reflect same. The students, however, will share my sentiments as well. Thank you to those who have submitted their grades for their students.

As I write this letter, I am forced to include a Facebook post which has a student complaining about not receiving their grades from 2014 and as such, is unable to graduate – even after paying over $1 million for an online course.

Today is February 7, 2020, and the students of the University of Guyana, especially those in the Social Sciences Faculty, have not been updated as to what are their standings as it pertains to their grades. Classes have started but persons are unable to ascertain how well or badly they would’ve performed in the previous semester. Some persons were depending on the grades so as to switch their courses or programmes, which require proof of your standing GPA. Slow grades continue to hamper this process and our academic experience at the University of Guyana. May I also add ‘some students’ for the sake of argument?

I draw your attention, Editor, to an email written to the Registrar one day before the first day of class seeking clearance as to when will these grades be published.

The response outlined that based on an academic board meeting held on the 21st January 2020, “all Deans were urged to expedite the consideration and approval of

Grades in respect of the First Semester.” The Registrar even went on to say that he was persuaded that that will be done. Assuming that he was persuaded after the academic board meeting date, it is now 16 days after that and our grades are outstanding.

If we subtract the 2 Sundays, and I am laughing here, it’s 14 days after the Registrar was persuaded and those grades are still outstanding.

Is he still persuaded? Taking out Saturdays also makes it 12 days.

I recall, Editor, the previous Vice-Chancellor stating that in order to be considered for a raise in salaries, he will ensure that how efficiently lecturers release their grades will also be considered. But of course, this is the problem or one of. The lecturers will tell that they would’ve already done their part, it was/ is the board to which the paper is then taken after the first marking. And then that board will refer you to the other person in the chain for clearance as to what has happened that cause your grades to not be released on time. By this time, you’re fed up and just want your grades so you pursue it less and you go to your class, waiting on those slow grades release. These are the attitudes that us, the students, are ‘forced’ to take up as opposed to fighting for our grades. Next year this time, we will revisit this conversation.

I call on our leaders, who at this time, maybe of the opinion that making the University free, as it should be according to the Constitution, is our only concern, nay! We are also concerned about our welfare in classrooms. We are concern

about the lack of experience lecturers for our courses. We are concerned about the way in which persons cancel our classes with little to no notification about same. We are concerned about turning up to classes in the first week, and some lecturers having the audacity to not show up, even without informing said class. Is the first week of school not a school day?

Let me use this opportunity to state clearly, that as students, we have to take up a more active role in campus activity. Do you think the University is willing to risk being disrupted by protest action because of this?

Are you of the opinion that we really hold no true power? Do you really think that the University can risk having a campus-wide protest because of same? They can’t, but we are going to sit and accept this continued mediocrity? Why? Sincerely, Jafar Gibbons

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Puppy proofing uppies love to explore new places, so do your new furry friend and yourself a favour and spend the time on some preventative puppy proofing to keep all your favourite things intact.

Keep electrical cords covered.

Tie up window cords and curtains.

Put toxic cleaning supplies/chemicals in higher cabinets.

Invest in a tall, heavy duty trash can with a lid that is difficult to knock over.

Purchase a crate for crate training or a baby gate to keep the puppy in a small place, such as the kitchen, with easily washable floors.

Don’t give your puppy old shoes and stuffed animals.

Invest in appropriate toys that belong solely to them so your puppy knows the difference between his rubber ball versus your daughter’s favourite stuffed animal and your brand-new sandals.

Don’t let them get away with things because they’re small. If you don’t want to a 60-pound snoring dog in your bed, then don’t allow it to sleep there as a puppy. Establish your routines early, because breaking bad habits is infinitely harder.

Develop a proper feeding schedule While we can often be swayed to buy the less expensive item on the shelf, feeding your puppy high quality food is a key competent to keeping your fur baby healthy. If you are unsure of which brand to pick, speak to your veterinarian to see what they recommend. Choose a brand and stick with it, as oftentimes switching brands can upset your little one’s tummy.

While you want to control the amount of food they receive, be sure to always keep a bowl full of water available. Be mindful that puppies need more food than an adult dog to keep up with their rapid growth spurts.

Feed your puppy multiple times a day

Foundation according to its age: 8-12 weeks: 4 meals per day 3-6 months: 3 meals per day 6-12 months: 2 meals per day Small or toy breed dogs may require more frequent feedings, about every two to three hours to avoid a drop in their blood sugar.

What not to feed a puppy Have you ever heard the phrase “puppy dog eyes” — those sweet

little eyes that beg you to give into their every desire? While they are hard to resist, owners should avoid feeding scraps from the table to encourage proper eating habits and for the dog’s own safety. When it comes to table scraps, the following food items are an absolute no for dogs, as they present a risk to your dog’s health: Chocolate Grapes and raisins Chicken bones Raw fish and raw meat Sugar High-fat foods, such as macadamia nuts and avocados Dairy High-fat meats, such as bacon Onions and garlic Caffeine and alcohol What products does my puppy need The aisles of your nearest pet store are filled to the brim with products you may or may not need. As a vet once told me: Just because a dog food company made

it doesn’t mean it’s good for your dog.

Sadly, some companies put the idea of making money before the wellness of their consumers. Do your research, talk to your veterinarian, and invest in these helpful products: Metal food and water bowls A sturdy leash and nylon collar Identification tags for the collar A crate pillow or snuggle nest Small puppy treats Good quality dog food designed for puppies (know your dog’s weight before shopping) A bristle comb Non-toxic dog shampoo The growing pains of raising a puppy Owning a puppy requires a great deal of patience, flexibility, and more often than not, the loss of at least one pair of your favourite footwear. While most negative behaviours can be eliminated by proper training, the job of pet owner is not with pitfalls.

First and foremost, a puppy requires a lot of training. They must be house trained, crate trained, and even trained to play with others. For the first few months, their every need comes before your own.

Between the hours of training, they must be fed frequently, walked often to burn off that puppy energy, and constantly praised for positive behaviour.

If you live alone, this kind of dependency may be just what you’re looking for, but if you’re busy with kids or work or other life obligations, you may want to push pause on the purchasing of a puppy.

The bills and expense that come along with your newfound love could be surprising. In addition to basic necessities, vet bills quickly pile up in a dog’s first year of life. If all this information is taking you by surprise, there’s an easy solution. Don’t panic. Slowly walk away from that adorable puppy and run to the nearest pet shelter.

There are plenty of older dogs looking to be adopted. Rescue one and give them a forever home! (Excerpt from care.com)

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etween school, homework, sports, your after-school lessons, and hanging out with friends, it may feel like there’s no time for healthy eating. And when you do stop to eat, it’s probably tempting to go the quick and easy route by grabbing a burger and fries, potato chips, or candy.

But it is possible to treat yourself to a healthy snack. In fact, if you have a hectic schedule, it’s even more important to eat healthy foods that give you the fuel you need to keep going.

Even if you take time to eat three meals a day, you may still feel hungry at times. What’s the answer? Healthy snacks.

Snacking on nutritious food can keep your energy level high and your mind alert without taking up a lot of your time.

Why healthy snacking is good for you You may have noticed that you feel hungry a lot. This is natural — during adolescence, the body needs more nutrients to grow as it should. Snacks are a terrific way to satisfy that hunger and get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs.

But you need to pay attention to what you eat. Stuffing your face with a large order of fries after class may give you a temporary boost, but a snack this high in fat and calories will only slow you down in the long run.

To keep energy levels going – and avoid weight gain – steer clear of foods with lots of added sugars like candy bars or soda. Look for foods that contain fibre like whole-grain breads, cereals, fruit, and vegetables and combine them with protein-rich snacks such as peanut butter or low-fat yogurt or cheese.

Judging whether snacks are healthy Choosing healthy snacks means shopping smart. Be cautious of the health claims on food packages. Here are some things to watch out for: Just because something is “all natural” or “pure” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s nutritious. For example, “all natural” juice drinks or sodas can be filled with sugar (which is, after all, a natural ingredient) but all that sugar means they’ll be high in calories and give you little nutrition.

A granola bar is a good example of a snack that seems healthy. Although granola bars can be a good source of certain vitamins and nutrients, many also contain a great deal of fat, including a particularly harmful type of fat called trans fat. And there can be a lot of sugar in granola cereals and bars. Check the Nutrition Facts label on the package to be sure.

Be sceptical of low-fat food claims, too. If the fat has been eliminated or cut back, the amount of sugar in the food might have increased to keep that food tasting good. Many low-fat foods have nearly as many calories as their full-fat versions.

Whatever claims a food’s manufacturer writes on the front of the package, you can judge whether a food is healthy for you by reading the ingredients and the nutrition information on the food label. (Excerpt from kidshealth.org)

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Dual citizens

Granger boasts of presidential powers to revoke Guyanese citizenship

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resident David Granger on Thursday boasted about his presidential powers to revoke the citizenship of Guyanese dual citizens.

This was done at a dedication ceremony of a public building in honour of the late former Indigenous Member of Parliament, Stephen Campbell, on Thursday.

According to Granger, the Constitution of Guyana empowers him to quash the citizenship of any Guyanese who also benefits from citizenship in another country.

“The Constitution empowers the President with the authority to deprive a dual citizen of his or her Guyanese citizenship. It states (at Article 46 (1)): If the President of Guyana is satisfied that any citizen of Guyana has at any time after 25th May 1966, acquired by registration, naturalisation or any other voluntary act (other than by marriage) the citizenship of any other country other than Guyana, the President may by order deprive that person of his or her citizenship.”

According to Granger, while Guyanese citizens enjoy constitutional protections and entitlements, citizenship is not a symbol but rather it is a qualification which ascribes rights, benefits, and entitlements.

“Citizenship entitles every Guyanese to a share in the country’s patrimony, citizenship obligates the State to protect its citizens, both at home and abroad.

to become a member of the National Assembly.

“The Constitution also proscribes certain persons from eligibility as members of the National Assembly. It [at Article 155 (1) (a)] states: No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who a) is, by virtue of his or her act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state…”

He reminded that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in its judge-

President David Granger

The protections offered by citizenship are not limited to the country’s territory, nationals are entitled to protections outside of our borders. The Constitution [at Article 31] states: “It is the duty of the State to protect the just rights and interests of citizens resident abroad.”

He added that citizenship entitles a citizen to have his or her birth registered which, in turn, can be used to register to vote and to apply for a national identification card and a passport.

Proof of nationality allows citizens to access education and to receive social assistance and public pensions and more.

Granger stated that citizenship has become an issue of topical interest, as evident in the ongoing reports and public debates, relating to the presence of foreign nationals in Guyana and the eligibility for qualification

ment of June 18, 2019, in Christopher Ram v The Attorney General, the Leader of the Opposition et al affirmed [at 88]: “…that a person holding Guyanese nationality is not qualified to be elected a member of the National Assembly if that person is also, voluntarily, a citizen of another State. Accordingly, Guyanese nationals with dual citizenship are not qualified to sit as members of the National Assembly.”

But while the President speaks of his powers to re-

voke Guyanese citizenship, he himself had a number of dual citizens representing APNU/AFC in Guyana’s Parliament.

Dual citizens

The issue of dual citizenship came to the fore in 2018, when the Government, having been defeated by a NoConfidence Motion, attempted to nullify the motion on the basis that one of its Member of Parliament was a dual citizen and as such, could not have legally been sitting in Parliament.

The matter reached the Caribbean Court of Justice which threw out Government’s arguments and ruled that the NoConfidence Motion (that toppled it on December 21, 2018) was indeed validly passed.

On Nomination Day, the issue again surfaced when a number of dual citizens enlisted their names on political parties’ list of candidates.

Those persons had to subsequently relinquish their foreign citizenship before they were eligible to contest.

Govt failed bauxite workers – Jagdeo …as RUSAL removes equipment from Region 10

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has lambasted the incumbent coalition administration for failing to protect the interests of hundreds of bauxite workers who are now left jobless as a result of the Russian-owned Bauxite Company of Guyana Incorporated (BCGI) suspending its entire operation here.

This decision was announced earlier this week after negotiations with the Government reached a deadlock. On Monday, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally joined Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle to engage officials of RUSAL – the Russian company which holds some 90 per cent stakes in BCGI. Speaking at his week-

ly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo posited that the meeting was merely a “big show” for bauxite workers to believe that Government was negotiating on their behalf.

“The ministers did a show. Imagine they brought in RUSAL and they televised the whole negotiation just to say ‘Oh we’re strong, we’re looking out for your

interest.’ Amna Ally is useless, almost like begging and pleading. It’s just a show they’re putting on. Now, 900 of our people there will not work,” the Opposition Leader stressed.

He went on to also chide President David Granger for remaining silent over the past weeks as the controversy unfolded and eventually escalated to the company

ceasing operations here.

In fact, RUSAL has already begun removing its equipment from Aroaima in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice).

Guyana Times understands that several tugs and barges came out from the Berbice River carrying heavy-duty vehicles and other equipment on Thursday afternoon.

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Desperation…

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…in PNC camp he PNC is in full retreat with less than 4 weeks to go before the elections. The Global Witness (GW) report on Trotman’s bungling of the negotiation for a new oil contract in 2016 was a blow to their solar plexus that has left them doubled-up and about to keel over. Can they recover?? Well, they’re doing their darndest to kill the messenger, GW, since there’s only so much spin they can put on the message!!

But since GW doesn’t have any skin in the game – and on the other hand, does have the attention of the international media houses – your Eyewitness doesn’t think that tack’s gonna save them. You just can’t ignore the reach and impact of headlines in the NY Times, Bloomberg and every oil-news platform in the business!!

This might have been included in Trump’s morning news briefing!!

And then right here in mud land, there are the telling actions of the Government itself in the post-oil-contract phase. Trotman had been seen as Granger’s fair-haired boy after the former revealed that the two of them had a “Nassau Agreement” on matters political – and the latter unilaterally appointed him to the Natural Resources portfolio. But somewhere along the line after the 2016 contract signing, the relationship soured and oil and gas was taken away from Trotman by Granger and placed in his Ministry of the Presidency under a Department of Energy!!

Why was that done? Couldn’t be that the new Energy Head was a “church boy” unlike Trotman, could it??

Naah! Bureaucratic efficiency? Naah!! It had to be that by the time the move was made in 2016, the criticism of Trotman’s perfidy had percolated into even Granger’s hands-off leadership style. To his credit, Granger’s Energy Advisor had highlighted the ridiculous terms agreed-to

by Trotman but was let go for his candour – just before Trotman’s stripping. An early exercise in killing the bringer of bad news!!

By late last year, the PNC Government took the radical step of hiring a British law firm to compile a report of how the oil deal was done. Word must’ve leaked out that GW was doing their investigation!! The firm submitted its findings on Jan 30, just two days before GW’s report. And focused more on “pressure” from Exxon to seal the deal.

Well, heck!! Nothing new here – GW also stressed this point. But this should’ve been a clue to the hapless Trotman that the oil company wanted a deal!! Lesson for Guyana: never send a (pliable) boy to do a man’s job!!

The PNC’s gonna throw Trotman under the bus!! …contradiction But while the PNC British solicitors are placing the blame for the skewed oil contract on Exxon’s “pressure” to rush the deal, the Government has had to invoke its earlier excuse of the Venezuelan border controversy. At that time, the PNC was defending hiding the paltry US$18 million “bonus” from the Guyanese people by raising “national security”!! To wit, that they needed US$18 million to pay legal fees for our resort to the World Court to settle the Venezuelan Border controversy, once and for all!!

Now they’re seeking a “two for one” by claiming that the World Court case was ALSO the reason for Trotman’s rush to sign on the dotted line!! And for good measure, they’re throwing in the original 1999 generous contract terms signed by then-President Janet Jagan because of the “insurance” provided by the US giant oil company.

But the PNC’s ignoring that in 1999, Guyana was a REAL frontier oil locale…and in 2016 was NOT!!! The 2015 Liza 1 find had de-risked the Stabroek Block!!

Trotman still needs to be investigated!! …from Granger Seems that the caretaker President isn’t just violating the Constitution by authorising billion-dollar contracts: he evidently created two new Ministries – Ministry of Bicycles and Ministry of Boats.

Said so at Diamond rally!! Or is he senile??

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

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EU calls for violence-free elections in Guyana …as full-fledged mission prepares to observe polling activities

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he European Union (EU) has deployed a full-fledged mission of over 50 persons to be part of the Election Observation Mission here in Guyana next month.

Chief Observer Urmas Paet on Thursday outlined some of the activities which will be scrutinised as he reaffirmed that Elections Day should be free of violence, intimidation and interference.

“The understanding in your society is very high that this election process should be free and fair.

Every person with common sense should understand that violence, for example, is no solution. Not in any case.

Free elections is where citizens can express their will

freely without [the] fear of violence is the best solution.”

“The European Union attaches great significance to these elections. We stand ready to deliver an impartial, objective assessment of the electoral process and call on all stakeholders to respect the rules and refrain from inflammatory language and violence,” he urged.

Paet, a European Member of Parliament, while sharing a brief of the mission’s plans, reminded that their mandate is to solely assess whether the elections are in compliance with international and regional commitments.

Last month, a core team of nine analysts would have

EU Chief Observer Urmas Paet

arrived in Guyana where they will mobilise to observe all aspects of the electoral setup, from the political

Govt failed bauxite...

In recent times, BCGI has been facing some difficulties, which the meeting on Monday was called to iron out.

While the company cited that low production and fuel issues triggered the move to make this decision, Minister Ally contended that workers should not be treated this way.

However, when the company had initially announced its decision to terminate 142 workers, it stated that it was experiencing difficulties after Government ended its duty-free arrangement for its fuel.

Following the decision to lay-off employees, workers and residents blocked the section of the Berbice River utilised by the Aroaimabased company. This further compounded the company’s problems.

A letter from the company dated January 29, 2020,

which was seen by Guyana Times, indicated that the company was forced to further reduce operations and to lay-off employees owing to adverse operating circumstances including shipment interruption because of the blockage of the Berbice River.

In fact, other private sector companies operating in the area were also forced to send home their workers as a result of the blockage hindering their operations to move materials up and down the Berbice River. The Police has since moved in to remove the blockade from the river but were faced with resistance from the workers and their families.

Meanwhile, Chief Labour Officer Ogle and others from his Department had discussions with RUSAL officials on the reemployment of the laid-off workers and whether they were paid their severance among other entitle-

to legal issues. Some 19 EU Member States and Norway would’ve committed to sending observers, making the

FROM PAGE 7

ments. These include one month’s notice, all severance wages and annual leave.

“We were advised that all outstanding benefits were paid over to the workers…

They are to submit to us the breakdown so that we can calculate and confirm that the terminal benefits are accurate,” the Department of Public Information quoted senior Labour Officer as saying.

RUSAL Representative Vladimir Permyakov sought to explain the rationale behind these recent events, saying that aluminium prices have dropped on the world market. Added to that, there were claims that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) refused to grant duty-free concessions for fuel, which added to their setbacks.

Another meeting is expected to convene today between RUSAL representatives and the Chief Labour

Officer to further discuss the issue and decide the way forward.

BCGI had dismissed 61 workers in February 2019 after they protested for better working conditions and wages. After weeks of deliberations, they were reinstated.

In January, the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) declared that it had lost all confidence in Junior Social Protection Minister Keith Scott, who has responsibility for labour.

total number surpass 50.

“Before the Election Day, the mission will be reinforced by 20 short-term observers who will observe voting, counting and the tabulation of results. On election day, the mission will be joined by some locally-recruited short-term observers from EU member states, diplomatic missions accredited to Guyana,” he informed.

He explained that throughout this season, they will pay keen attention to the legal framework and its implementation of the legal framework, campaign activities, the role of civil society, the conduct of the media, voting and the tabulation of ballots.

The level of accessibility at polling stations for persons with disabilities would also be scrutinised.

After the process is completed, a report will be issued by the delegation two or three months later, including recommendations for future polls. However, within 48 hours, a preliminary statement will be sent out.

Violence-free

In 24 days, Guyanese will cast their ballots for the appointment of a new Government. According to Paet, it is important for these persons to exercise their democratic right without interference.

“Voters should be able

to cast their vote in secret for political parties of their choice, free from pressure, intimidation or any other kind of interference. We encourage full transparency and accountability of all the stakeholders involved in the elections as this can really enhance public trust and confidence in the electoral process.”

While no one has been embedded at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Secretariat to overlook their operations, he shared that there has been satisfactory communication on both ends. The Elections Observer Mission is mandated to carry out its functions in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, adopted by the United Nations in 2005.

Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon would have met recently with representatives of the Carter Center, where he said that there would be no post-election violence.

“There is too much going for Guyana right now, too much positive developments for us to return to that place. Any post-election violence will take us back decades and we don’t want that. We do not subscribe to it. We have too much to lose as a country if we go back to that abyss,” he said.

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PAHO providing technical assistance to Caribbean on coronavirus

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he Pan American Health Organisation said on Thursday that it is working with health ministries in Latin America and the Caribbean to help them prepare to deal with possible importations of cases of novel coronavirus.

In a series of technical cooperation activities, PAHO experts in laboratories, preparedness, epidemiology, clinical management, infection prevention and control, and other areas are supporting public health officials in various countries.

According to PAHO, in the area of diagnosis, it is providing guidance and reagents to national public health laboratories including National Influenza Centres so they can perform laboratory tests to confirm or discard the presence of novel coronavirus. Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Ecuador and Suriname have already implemented the 2019 novel coronavirus protocol.

PAHO virologists are being deployed to Brazil and Mexico to train country experts together with partners including the Ministry of Health and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil and in Mexico, the Ministry of Health and its Institute for Diagnostic and Epidemiological Reference (InDRE). In the next two weeks, 29 national laboratories in the Americas will have the capacity to run these tests, said Dr Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO’s Assistant Director.

PAHO is also providing guidance for hospitals in the

form of readiness checklists to ensure they are prepared to receive potential patients with coronavirus, including guidance for clinicians, infection prevention and control, isolation measures, and clinical management of severe acute respiratory infection when a novel coronavirus infection is suspected.

Since the novel coronavirus outbreak was first reported by China, there has been more than 28,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV infection and 565 deaths globally, almost all of these in China. Twenty-four other countries have reported confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.

In the Americas, 17 cases have been confirmed from two countries, the US with 12 and Canada with five. In Latin America and the Caribbean, no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus have been reported to date.

Advice has also been developed on key topics including the use of masks during home care and in healthcare settings in the context of the outbreak, clinical management, infection prevention and control in healthcare settings, home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus, risk communication and community engagement.

An essential list of biomedical equipment, medicines and supplies necessary to care for patients with 2019-nCoV has been distributed, and WHO has published updated advice for international traffic in relation to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.

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Execution-style killing

3 suspects allegedly tortured by Police in Berbice …transferred to Police headquarters

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hree suspects who are currently in Police custody for the execution-style killing of suspected cattle rustler Parmanand Lakram, called “Bachan”, of Number 68 Village, Berbice have allegedly been tortured.

A Police source confirmed that the men were transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Police Headquarters, Georgetown.

One of the men was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for medical attention.

The suspects are aged 20, 23, and 60. The source confirmed that the men were beaten at the Springlands Police Station.

Guyana Times understands that the youngest of the three was the first person to be arrested in connection with the crime. He is employed by the 60-year-old suspect, who is a cattle farmer.

This publication was told the men were sprayed with pepper spray and a plastic bag was placed over their heads.

Meanwhile, a male cous-

in of the 60-year-old suspect on Thursday claimed that the cattle farmer was harassed by the Police recently. He said he was arrested in relation to the double murder at the Number 63 Beach of the owner of Sunsplash Beach Resort, Vivekanand Brijbassi, called “Veka”, and his handyman, Harry Prashad.

However, a teen confessed to the murders and implicated an accomplice. This resulted in the 60-year-old being released from custody and less than 24 hours later, Lakram

was killed.

Meanwhile, the father of the 23-year-old in custody claimed that on the night of Lakram’s death, his son was at home and the Police instructed that he come to the station to give a statement to that effect.

“I went there and they had brought him out to sign a book, but they didn’t know it was my son, since I went there by myself and was sitting waiting. He was limping and they kicked him, they told him to sign the book, and he

refused saying that they beat him with a gun,” the man said.

He pointed out that when he submitted his statement that his son was at their home on the night of the murder, the Police accused him of covering for his son, and subsequently arrested him. He was, however, released from custody several hours later.

“But when I was there, they brought out another man – a boy actually – and they had the plastic bag over his head and were hitting him…They tell him to start call names,” the man alleged.

The family of the 20-yearold suspect has procured the services of a well-known attorney in Berbice to address the Police abuse and accusation of murder.

Meanwhile, attempts by this newspaper to contact Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)

Police Commander, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus and Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent Michael Kingston proved futile on Thursday.

The High Court has granted Police permission for the further detention of the suspects.

On January 30, 2020, Lakram and two men were in his vehicle travelling into the backdam when he was shot.

The now dead man instructed his two friends to hide as he approached the oncoming motorbike and after the first shot was fired, he allegedly told his friends to run to safety.

This newspaper was told that the two men informed Lakram’s family what transpired and they rushed to the scene. There, they saw Lakram sitting in a pool of blood next to his vehicle. His body bore about eight gunshot wounds.

3 injured in motorcycle collision on EBD

Injured motorcyclist Mark Ramnauth lying on the EBD Public Road awaiting an ambulance

A

22-year-old motorcyclist along with another male motorcyclist and his female pillion rider are patients at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after they were in an accident at Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Greater Georgetown.

Reports are that the accident occurred shortly after 18:00h when both motorcyclists were heading in the Southern direction on the Eastern side of the East Bank Demerara (EBD) Public Road.

One of the injured motorcyclists, 22-year-old Mark Ramnauth, was at the accident scene lying on the road for some 25 minutes awaiting an ambulance to arrive to transport him to the hospital.

When this publication ar-

rived at the scene, two ambulances were removing the other two injured persons from the roadway but Ramnauth had to wait until one returned to take him for medical attention.

Although he was in a great deal of pain, he told this publication that he was heading home when the incident occurred.

The young man, who lives on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD), stated that he was proceeding along the roadway when the other motorcyclist slammed into him, resulting in them pitching off their motorbikes.

The female pillion rider, who was on the other motorcycle, was also flung off and is said to have suffered the most injuries. Police have since launched an investigation.

NEWS

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Widened tax base

Opposition Leader calls out Govt on $91B increased taxes

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has called out the coalition administration for failing to keep their promise of lowering taxes, as the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) recently announced that some $226 billion was raked in for just last year.

During his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo recalled under the previous Administration when the total taxes collected was $91 billion less.

While Government would have assured citizens that these numbers would be lowered, it has, in fact, risen significantly.

The projected number for 2019 was pegged at $88B but the actual figure was $3 billion more.

“We were using the projected figures for 2019 when we said $88B more per year is collected in taxes. Now

it’s 91 [billion] when you have the final numbers. In 2014, the last budget that the PPP has was 135 billion in total taxes. In five years, this has gone to $226 billion per year. That means this Government is collecting $91 billion more per year in taxes – the Government that came into office on a promise to lower taxes,” he calculated.

The Opposition Leader specifically reflected on the fact that the common man is required to pay these increases, especially on their utilities.

“Poor people are paying these too as well as wealthy people. Everybody is paying more taxes on water, electricity, everything. And they are proud to announce this, how much they’re taking out of people’s pockets.”

According to GRA Commissioner-General

Godfrey Statia during a press conference last Friday, the Commission collected $230 billion in revenue for last year.

“Our revenue collections would have increased to just under $230 billion in 2019, which is 27.4 billion more than 2018. That’s 13.8 per cent more than we would have achieved for 2018. That is a sizeable revenue growth, we have constantly been in double figures growth since 2016…We have actually moved revenue collections from 2016 when it was $145 billion, now 2019 it is $230 billion.”

According to Statia, a number of factors are responsible for the increase.

Among those factors, as cited by Statia, is the widening of the tax base – in other words, GRA collecting more taxes from people.

“You can see that the ef-

forts of GRA, where it was wide-ranging in making changes and the widening of the tax base, would have led to certain increases… there have been significant increases in gold production and declaration.”

“Significant amount in withholding taxes [has been collected]. Significant amount in taxes on motor vehicles and these things… there has been a reduction in excise tax,” the Commissioner-General also said.

Tax collection has been on the rise for a number of years, with GRA collecting $170 billion in revenue for 2017. In 2018, the agency collected $199 billion in rev-

enue, an increase of what had originally been projected.

While increased tax collection amounts to money for the State coffers, the parliamentary Opposition has long argued that from an economic sense, tax collection without corresponding growth in the economy is a bad combination.

Back in 2017, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had pointed out that when the 200 new tax measures he said were introduced in 2016 fully kick in, Guyanese will feel the squeeze. It has since formed an important part of the Opposition’s campaign.

“You will see the cost of living going up, the business

community will be unable to survive in the new tax environment,” he had prophesied, adding that with the pressure from GRA, these businesses will not feel driven to invest and create more jobs in the future.

“So, you would see not only deterioration in terms of cost of living going up, but less jobs being produced in the future because no one wants to invest in this country. And right now, people are losing jobs rather than them creating jobs that they [Government] promised,” Jagdeo had further stated.

Over the past few years, industries like the agriculture sector and mining have shown contractions.

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Tullow to slash jobs, close offices after poor Guyana, Africa results

Lack of water

Thousands of acres of rice in Black Bush Polder damaged T

The dried-up canal that farmers of Black Bush Polder, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) depend on for irrigation

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housands of acres of rice in the Black Bush Polder, Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) have been damaged resulting in millions of dollars in losses as a result of a lack of irrigation water.

Some 22,000 acres of rice depends on the main canal in the front lands for water but that canal has dried up.

Rice land in the backlands of the Black Bush Polder is being irrigated but those in front are in jeopardy.

Between Eversham and Adventure, there are 22,000 acres of rice under cultivation.

Farmers have been trying to pump water using their tractors but after hours of pumping, there has been no water coming.

Some farmers started cultivating in November 2019 and others in December 2019; however, many of the fields are still to receive water and huge cracks are opening, hence the rice is

dying because of lack of water.

Zahir Muhammad, who has rice fields at Friendship, said he planted 50 days ago and the rice started promising but a lack of water has caused trouble for him.

He explained that at this stage, the rice should have been in several inches of water but there is no water.

“If we get water now, we should still be able to save some of the rice,” he told this publication.

Several thousand acres of rice depends on the main canal for water, and if the water is not supplied urgently, those too will die.

Farmers have been trying to pump water tractors but after hours of pumping, there is no water coming and by the end of the day, they have to pack up since it was another unsuccessful day.

Another rice farmer, Steven Bissoondial, who cultivates 120 acres at Adventure, told this publication that he has been wait-

back some of the expenses right now. I just hope I can get back something. But we are not getting any water.”

Since November 2019, the 52-74 Water Users Association and the Black Bush Polder Water Users Association issued appeals to the Regional Administration for the pumps at Manarabisi and Black Bush Polder to be fully operational.

Regional Chairman David Armogan had said back in November that he was trying to assist the farmers and had spoken with Regional Executive Officer Kim WilliamsStevens who was reluctant to have all five pumps in the Black Bush Polder area operational and all two at Manarabisi working, stating that enough fuel was not available. This decision this move has proved to be detrimental to the farmers.”

ullow Oil will reduce its headcount in Kenya by about 40 per cent as part of a companywide restructuring following poor performances at its Africa and Guyana operations.

This is according to an article published by Bloomberg on Thursday. According to the article, about 35 workers will become redundant.

According to Bloomberg, Tullow’s Kenya Managing Director Martin Mbogo made the announcement in an emailed response to questions. The reduced team “will focus” on achieving a final investment decision for the Kenya project this year, Mbogo said.

Tullow’s projects have been delayed in Kenya and Uganda, where the oil explorer is looking to reduce its stake in discoveries. Assets in Ghana performed poorly last year, and a Guyana crude oil deposit turned out to be smaller than expected, the article stated.

Meanwhile, it noted that Tullow said February 5 that it expected its total workforce to shrink by a third and offices in Dublin and Cape Town to close as part of the restructuring. That would result in “considerable savings”, the company said.

Guyana

A section of one of the rice fields

ing for water for more than two months.

He is, however, still being optimistic, saying that if the water comes, he will still be able to save some of his crop.

Bissoondial told this publication that so far, he has invested more than $4 million for this crop.

“I am just trying to get

He added that many of the rice farmers are now waiting and hoping that Government recognises that rice farmers play a significant role in Guyana’s economy. (Andrew Carmichael)

On Tuesday, SP Global reported that Tullow Oil planned to assess the future potential of heavy oil finds off Guyana in the coming days, according to block partner Eco Atlantic on Monday, three months after details of the viscous crude discoveries cast doubt over the commerciality of the asset.

Announcing a 29 per cent increase in the prospective resources of the offshore Orinduik block, Eco said a scheduled meeting with Tullow and France’s Total will evaluate recent drilling

results, define new drilling targets, and consider budgets and dates for future drilling.

Tullow’s shares took a tumble in November after the company said its promising Joe and Jethro oil finds off Guyana were not as valuable as first expected owing to the oil being tough-to-produce heavy crude.

The oil at the finds in the Orinduik block has a specific gravity of 10-15 API and a very high sulphur content.

Heavy crude is typically classified as 10-22 API, making the Guyana finds only slightly better quality than the extra-heavy crude from Venezuela’s Orinoco belt and the tar sands from Canada’s Alberta province.

Tullow operates the Orinduik block with a 60 per cent stake, while Total and Eco Atlantic each hold 15 per cent and Qatar Petroleum has the remaining 10 per cent. It also has a minority stake in the adjacent Repsoloperated Kanuku block where the Carapa prospect is currently being drilled.

On January 2, Britishowned Tullow Oil as made its third oil discovery offshore Guyana, but despite finding high-quality crude this time, the company has decided against commercialising the oil.

In a statement, Tullow had explained that its latest find at the Carapa-1 well on the Repsol-operated Kanuku licence was approximately four metres of net oil pay based on preliminary interpretation, which is below pre-drill estimates.

Labourer accused of killing Wife killer jailed for 14 years vagrants fit to stand trial

A

35-year-old farmer of Shulinab Village, Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu- Upper Essequibo) was on Thursday sentenced to 14 years behind bars for killing his wife in 2017.

Peter Juan pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter when he appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Georgetown High Court. The farmer admitted that on February 18, 2017, at Central Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu – Upper Essequibo) he unlawfully killed his 47-yearold wife, Justil Bernard.

Following the incident in 2017, Juan had initially told Police that he and his wife were consuming alcoholic beverages at their home when she left to go to the

Peter Juan

washroom but slipped and fell, which resulted in her death.

However, a Post-Mortem Examination which was conducted revealed that Bernard died of a fractured

skull and blunt force trauma to her head.

The man was represented by Attorney-at-Law Maxwell McKay while the State was represented by Prosecutor Nafeeza Baig.

Before sentencing, Justice Kissoon considered the aggravating and mitigating factors, which included that Juan rendered assistance to his wife.

Among the aggravating factors the Judge considered, were that alcohol was involved and that the killing stemmed from domestic violence.

As such, the 14-year sentence was handed down and the prison authorities were ordered to deduct the number of years Juan spent on remand.

A

24-year-old labourer, who allegedly killed two vagrants on Regent Street, Georgetown, has been deemed fit to stand trial.

Devon Johnson, also known as “Spongie”, of Cummings Street, Bourda, Georgetown, was charged on December 4, 2019, for the murders and appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that on November 11, 2019, at Regent Street, Georgetown, he murdered Raymond Samaroo, and that same day, at Regent and Light Streets, Georgetown, he murdered Andrew Benjamin.

On Thursday, Prosecutor Neville Jeffers informed

Devon Johnson

the court that a psychiatric evaluation was conducted on Johnson and it concluded that he was fit to stand trial for both murders.

According to reports, at about 21:30h on November

11, 2019, Samaroo was standing on the southern pavement of Regent Street, Georgetown when Johnson, who was armed with a knife, approached him and dealt him several stabs about his body and made good his escape. On the second charge, the Prosecutor stated that about 03:00h, Benjamin and another person were asleep at Regent and Light Streets, Georgetown, when Johnson approached them and dealt Benjamin several chops about his body before making good his escape.

Following an investigation, Police obtained Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage, which allegedly showed the accused stabbing the men.

The case will continue on February 13.

NEWS

17

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Businessman’s murder

2nd accused faces Judge, jury T wenty-two-year-old Kemo Evans, who is accused of the April 15, 2015 murder of Abdul Farouk Ghanie, also called “Brother” and “Hamson”, the owner of Hamson’s General Store, was on Thursday arraigned at the Demerara High Court.

Evans appeared before Justice Sandil Kissoon and pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stated that he murdered the 56-yearold businessman during the course or furtherance of a robbery.

Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd represented the accused while the State was represented by Tuanna Hardy, Tiffini Lyken, and Nafeeza Baig. Twenty-four witnesses are expected to be called during the trial.

Earlier this week, Floyd Rammit, who was jointly charged with Evans for the businessman’s killing, was sentenced to 30 years in

Dead: Abdul Farouk Ghanie, called “Brother” and “Hamson”

prison after he admitted to the crime.

Reports in 2015 were that the man was ambushed while tending to his dogs. His body was found by his wife, who had gone to the property after several calls to his phones went unanswered. An autopsy showed that he died as a result of a single stab wound to the chest.

Coronavirus kills Chinese whistle-blower doctor

A

Chinese doctor who tried to issue the first warnings about the deadly coronavirus outbreak has died, the hospital treating him has said.

Li Wenliang contracted the virus while working at Wuhan Central Hospital.

He had sent out a warning to fellow medics on 30 December but Police told him to stop “making false comments”.

There had been contradictory reports about his death, but the People’s Daily now says he died at 02:58 on Friday (18:58 GMT Thursday).

The virus has killed more than 560 people and infected 28,000 in China.

It causes severe acute respiratory infection and symptoms usually start with a fever, followed by a dry cough.

Most people infected are likely to fully recover – just as they would from a flu.

Global Times, People’s Daily and other Chinese media had reported Dr Li’s death earlier on Thursday.

Dr Li, 34, was initially declared dead at 21:30h local time and the news triggered a huge wave of popular reaction on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter.

The People’s Daily sent out a tweet saying Dr Li’s death had sparked “national

grief”.

However, Global Times then said he had been given a treatment known as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) which keeps a person’s heart pumping and keeps their blood oxygenated without it going through their lungs.

Global Times said he was

in a critical condition.

Journalists and doctors at the scene, who do not want their names used, told the BBC and other media that government officials had intervened.

Official media outlets had been told to change their reports to say the doctor was still being treated.

The media outlets then later reported the new time of Dr Li’s death.

Most of those killed by coronavirus have been over the age of 60 or have suffered from other medical conditions, according to China’s health authorities. Dr Li’s medical history is not known.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

guyanatimesgy.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

19

NBA round-up:

Ibaka hits key shot in Raptors’ record win

S

with a victory at Dallas. Memphis won for the sixth time in its past seven games and now has 12 victories over its past 15 contests.

Brandon Clarke had 18 points as the Grizzlies won the game shortly after the team reportedly agreed to trade Andre Iguodala to the Miami Heat. Iguodala was acquired from the Golden State Warriors in the offseason but declined to report to Memphis.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 32 points for the Mavericks, who were playing without leading scorer, rebounder and assist man Luka Doncic for the fourth consecutive game because of a sprained right ankle.

erge Ibaka made the decisive 3-pointer with 30.4 seconds remaining to finish with 30 points as the Toronto Raptors extended their winning streak to a franchise-best 12 games Wednesday night with a 119-118 victory over the visiting Indiana Pacers.

Kyle Lowry had 32 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Raptors, who have won 12 straight regular-season home games against the Pacers.

Pascal Siakam had 25 points and nine rebounds for Toronto, Terence Davis II had 11 points and Fred VanVleet chipped in 10.

Malcolm Brogdon had 24 points for the Pacers, who have lost three straight. Doug McDermott added 19 points for the Pacers, Domantas Sabonis had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Victor Oladipo scored 13 points.

Detroit Pistons 116-Phoenix Suns 108

Boston Celtics 116-Orlando Magic 100

Jayson Tatum scored 33 points, and host Boston shot a blistering 56.5 percent from behind the 3-point arc to outlast Orlando. Ahead of his first career All-Star Game appearance, Tatum carried the scoring with fellow All-Star selection Kemba Walker sidelined due to a sore left knee.

Tatum shot 5 of 11 from 3-point range and added eight rebounds and five assists. Gordon Hayward finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Boston.

However, Jaylen Brown, who scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds, appeared to turn his ankle in the closing minutes of the win.

Evan Fournier led Orlando with 26 points. Aaron Gordon posted 23 points and 10 rebounds while Nikola Vucevic finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who have dropped six of their past seven games.

Atlanta Hawks 127-Minnesota Timberwolves 120

Trae Young and John Collins each produced a double-double to lead Atlanta to a win in Minneapolis, handing Minnesota its 13th consecutive loss.

Young scored 38 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and had 11 assists for his 19th double-double this season. It was the 26th time Young has scored 30-plus points. Collins had 27 points, making 11 of 19 shots from the floor, and grabbed 12 rebounds. Minnesota had three players score 20-plus points, led by Andrew Wiggins with 25 points and seven rebounds.

Both teams had only 11 players active because of pending trades. Atlanta’s Evan Turner and Minnesota’s Robert Covington, two players rumored to be part of a four-team deal, were not available.

Denver Nuggets 98-Utah Jazz 95

Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists, and short-handed Denver came from behind to beat Utah in Salt Lake City. The Nuggets had just seven players available due to injury and a pending trade.

Jokic tied a career high with his rebound total, and he notched his fourth triple-double in the past nine games.

Jamal Murray added 31 points and Monte Morris scored 15 for the Nuggets, who improved to 9-0 against the Northwest Division and won for the sixth time in eight games overall.

Mike Conley had 21 points, Donovan Mitchell scored 18 and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 14 rebounds for the Jazz, who have dropped five straight. Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson added 16 each for Utah, which blew a nine-point lead in the last seven minutes.

Los Angeles Clippers 128-Miami Heat 111

Paul George and Landry Shamet scored 23 points apiece, and Los Angeles earned a victory over visiting Miami.

Miami forward Jimmy Butler (strained right shoulder) and Los Angeles guard Patrick Beverley (sore right groin) left the game in the third quarter and did not return.

Kawhi Leonard, Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams each scored 14 points for the Clippers, who had eight play-

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant drives to the basket past Dallas Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis (USA TODAY Sports)

ers reach double figures. Derrick Jones Jr. had 25 points and nine rebounds while Bam Adebayo scored 22 points and grabbed 11 boards for the Heat.

Oklahoma City Thunder 109-Cleveland Cavaliers 103

Dennis Schroder scored 30 points off the bench to lift Oklahoma City to a home win over Cleveland.

Schroder shot 10 of 17 from the floor. Shai GilgeousAlexander added 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder.

Collin Sexton had a team-high 23 points and Kevin Love added 20 points as Cleveland’s losing streak stretched to five games. The Cavaliers have dropped 12 of their past 13.

Memphis Grizzlies 121-Dallas Mavericks 107

Ja Morant scored 21 points while Jaren Jackson Jr. and Tyus Jones added 19 each as Memphis capped a busy day

Andre Drummond powered his way to 31 points and 19 rebounds, and host Detroit pulled away to beat Phoenix.

Reggie Jackson had 25 points and nine assists for Detroit while Christian Wood contributed 21 points and eight rebounds. Langston Galloway added 15 points off the bench, and Bruce Brown chipped in nine points and seven assists.

Kelly Oubre Jr.’s 30 points led the Suns, who have lost four straight. Deandre Ayton contributed 26 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks while Devin Booker tossed in 22 points with seven assists. Mikal Bridges added 13 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Brooklyn Nets 129-Golden State Warriors 88

Caris LeVert scored 23 points as Brooklyn started quickly and cruised to a rout of Golden State in New York.

Joe Harris added 17 and tied a season high with nine rebounds while reserve Garrett Temple contributed 16 for the Nets. Rodions Kurucs and Taurean Prince chipped in 12 apiece for Brooklyn, which shot 51 percent on field-goal attempts.

D’Angelo Russell received a tribute video after the first quarter, and the former Brooklyn guard scored 17 on 7-of20 shooting. Russell missed all eight of his 3-point tries as the Warriors shot 36.5 percent from the floor and 12.8 percent (5 of 39) on 3-point tries. (Reuters)

ICC Under-19 World Cup: Joy’s ton books Bangladesh's historic spot in final

B

angladesh Under-19 team created history by qualifying for the final of ICC Under-19 World Cup for the first time when they beat New Zealand by six wickets at Senwes Park, Potchefstroom on Thursday.

Mahmudul Hasan Joy struck a hundred to guide Bangladesh to 215-4 in 44.1 overs after bowlers set up the win with their controlled bowling.

Pacer Shoriful Islam claimed 3-45 while spinner duo Shamim Hossain and Hasan Murad took two wickets each as Bangladesh restricted the Kiwis to 211-8 after electing to bowl first.

Beckham Wheeler-Greenall

made highest unbeaten 75 off 83 balls while Nicholas Lidstone scored 44 runs for the Kiwis.

In reply, Bangladesh were reduced to 32-2 in the ninth over but Mahmudul struck 100 off 127 balls and put up two decent stands of 68 and 101 runs with Towhid Hridoy and Shahadat Hossain respectively to complete an easy win.

Joy struck 13 fours for his fourth hundred in youth one-day internationals while Shahadat and Hridoy made 40 runs each.

Bangladesh will now face India in the final of the tournament at the same venue on Sunday. (New Age)

Team Bangladesh

20

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Windies Women hit the ground running in preparation for World T20 T

he West Indies Women’s team arrived in Noosa Heads, Queensland to start their acclimatization and training for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup which starts for them in just under three weeks. Our girls will be chasing their second title when they bowl off against Thailand at the famous Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) in Perth,

on the afternoon of Sunday, February 22. First ball is 3pm (3am Eastern Caribbean Time/ 2am Jamaica Time).

The team was greeted with stifling humidity at the Tewantin Sports Ground, which is the training base for the West Indies Women.

Despite the unfamiliar conditions they ready and rearing to go. A full training session in the

nets and fielding drills was conducted and at the end of it they were all past the fatigue of the jet lag from the long journey from the West Indies to the east coast of Australia.

Three members of the team with the knowledge and experience of the Aussie pitches, Stafanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews, who all play or played in the Women’s Big Bash League for several seasons, were quick to advise their teammates of the conditions. Head Coach, Gus Logie praised these players for sharing their knowledge and walkthrough of the conditions to the team, as he put it, “help the players to adjust faster and know sooner what to except and how to adapt their techniques”.

During their first week in Tewantin, the players met with a group of children who are part of the Noosa cricket programme. The West Indies Women, had a fun session of cricket with the little boys and girls, after which they signed autographs and posed for photos with them and the Mayor of Noosa, Tony Wellington. The West Indies Women will take on Pakistan Women in three warm-up matches in Tewantin.

These fixtures will be played on Friday,

Sunday and next Tuesday ahead of the official ICC warm-up matches in Brisbane against Australia on Saturday, February 15 and against India in Tuesday, February 18. The team, as indicated by the Head Selector for Women’s and Girls cricket, Ann Browne-John, is an almost perfect balance of experience and youth.

Bowling all-rounders Aaliyah Alleyne, and uncapped Cherry-Ann Fraser along with LeeAnn Kirby who is back in the squad after a 12year absence from the top flight will be making their T20 World Cup debuts.

So far the team has settled and have adjusted relatively quickly to the 14-hour time difference from back home and all are looking forward to the practice matches, but more importantly looking for that first win in the first group stage match against Thailand, then returning to the Caribbean in March with a second ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title.

FULL SQUAD: Stafanie Taylor (Captain) Anisa Mohammed (Vice Captain) Deandra Dottin Hayley Matthews Chedean Nation LeeAnn Kirby Britney Cooper Shemaine Campbelle Chinelle Henry Afy Fletcher Shamilia Connell Shakera Selman Sheneta Grimmond CherryAnn Fraser Aaliyah Alleyne (CWI)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

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Foreign investors committed to aid in sports development A

group of investors representing the Caribbean Marketing Enterprises Inc (CMEI) are visiting Guyana with intention to begin rolling out a number of investment projects, and they have given the assurance that sports would be included in their investment considerations.

They have indicated their commitment to the development of sports as part of their ‘giving back’; and this disclosure was made

by President of CMEI, Edmond Braithwaite, who shared that team members recognise Guyana is an ideal destination for foreign investment, and have already examined a number of ways in which they can give back. He noted that the team is using a formula that was successfully used in several other countries.

The CMEI President revealed that, during a meeting with Finance Minister Winston Jordan, the team pledged to assist in a number of areas through the agencies of sports and community development. He disclosed that one of the investors in the team is an avid tennis player with a great passion for the sport, and that investor is planning to return later this year to aid in developing projects that involve tennis.

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“One of the investors on the team is a major tennis fanatic and follower, and he has already given the commitment that he will return to contribute to tennis in a major way, as he wants to contribute significantly in this area. He said to me that he wants to return to see the level and quality of tennis being played here, so that he can see how he can assist and contribute in a meaningful way, as he is committed to lifting them (local players) to world standards. Further, he wants to help the players here to reach international stage,” Braithwaite said.

He continued, “I would like to add that tennis is not the only area that we would be giving back to, as we would be investing and contributing to sports development in a meaningful way, as we would not be seeking to take from this country only, but rather to give back to the community, as we see it as an excellent public/ private partnership relationship.”

Stressing that he would like to see this approach being taken by returning nationals and Guyanese in the diaspora, Braithwaite said that while some may not be able to bring investments back home, they can contribute to national development

handing V&V All-Stars victory by 42 runs.

In the other game, Rising Stars won the toss and decide to take first strike.

They, however, were bowled out for 83 in 11 overs.

Travis Cato led the scoring with 19, and skipper Elroy Fernandes contributed 16. The CI Western Warriors’ bowling attack was led by one Jerrel, who claimed 3-18 in 3 overs, while D. Hussain bagged 3-27 in 4 overs.

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This small total seemed reachable and enticing for the Warriors, but they were bundled out for a mere 42 runs, scoreboard pressure causing them to lose wickets in quick succession.

The Rising Stars’ bowling was led by Shane Persaud, who returned figures of 4-6 in 4 overs, while Christian Husbands returned figures of 3-9 in 3 overs. Rising Stars won by 42 runs.

Shane Persaud bagged 4-6 in 4 overs

Windies close campaign against Australia

GUYANA TIMES Circulation Department

mitted and dedicated to ensuring, as President of this very powerful investment group, that resources would be set aside to aid in sporting development in several communities within Guyana. He identified Berbice, Linden and West Demerara as some of the initial communities that group members would seek to focus upon while making their investments.

ICC Under-19 World Cup…

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Rising Stars, V&V All-Stars pick up wins

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through their skills and talents. He reminded all that Guyanese at home have raw talent, and if they are given an opportunity to be equipped with the right skills and techniques, they can exploit a number of sporting disciplines both regionally and internationally.

“We have talented sports men and women; however, many of them are forced to abort their dreams because of finances, and that is where a number of returning nationals and Guyanese in the diaspora can play an important role, as they can provide the required funding and finances so that our youths can achieve their set dreams. I therefore urge them to not feel that your (team members’) contribution is insignificant in any way, because irrespective of how small it may appear, you can still play a critical role in advancing the development of someone’s career here.

“Sports is important to many Guyanese, and I would like to see more of our Guyanese living in the diaspora contributing,” he urged.

The President of the Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Inc declared that, as a Guyanese who has spent the last 40 years of his life out of the country, he is determined, com-

Canal #1 Malvern T20 tournament…

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21

Ravi Bharat returned figures of 4-19, and Reaz Esau 3-12

T

he first round of the Canal #1 Malvern T20 tournament commenced with V&V All-Stars battling Malvern Sports Club and Rising Stars taking on CI Western Warriors in matches that were staged at the cricket ground in Canal #1, West Bank Demerara.

Rising Stars and V&V AllStars each picked up a win to commence their campaign with much confidence.

In their match against the Malvern Sports Club, V&V AllStars won the toss and elected to take first strike. They made 154 all out, with Wazir Hussain

top scoring with 44 and Mahendra Dhanpaul chipping in with 27.

Bowling for Malvern Sports Club, Ganesh Hardial returned figures of 2 for 18 in 4 overs, and V. Dass bagged 2 for 11 in two overs.

Needing 155 for victory, Malvern scored 112 all out, with D. Singh top scoring with 39, and no other player on the team offering any kind of support.

Bowling for V&V All-Stars, Ravi Bharat returned figures of 4-19 in 4 overs, and Reaz Esau returned figures of 3-12,

T

he 5th Place Playoff of the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2020 will be played between West Indies U19 and Australia U19 at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni.

West Indies defeated South Africa by 4 wickets in the fifth place playoff semi-final 1 after getting beaten by New Zealand by 2 wickets in the Super League quarter-final 2.

Earlier, West Indies topped Group B in the ICC under 19 World Cup 2020 with wins in all their matches. As a result, the team finished with 6 points and a net run rate of + 2.340.

Nyeem Young, Kimani Melius and Kelvon Anderson are tipped to contribute with the bat. All-rounder Young and

Jayden Seales are expected to be among the wickets.

Meanwhile, their opponents, Australia, beat Afghanistan by 4 wickets in the fifth place playoff semi-final 2 after losing against India by 74 runs in super league quarter-final 1.

Australia finished second in group B. They won two and lost one out of their three group matches. They finished with four points and a net run rate of + 1.255. The first team to defy the Australians were the West Indies side.

Today, West Indies U19s have the opportunity to become the first team to defeat Australia twice in the same Under 19 World Cup. In the absence of Jake Fraser-

McGurk, who has returned home after a monkey scratched him, Sam Fanning is their leading batsman. Leg spinner Tanveer Sangha is their top wicket-taker.

Probable playing XI of both teams: West Indies Nyeem Young, Kimani Melius (c), Ashmead Nedd, Kelvon Anderson, Matthew Forde, Joshua James, Leonardo Julien (wk), Kirk McKenzie, Antonio Morris, Matthew Patrick, Jayden Seales.

Australia Mackenzie Harvey (c), Tanveer Sangha, Patrick Rowe (wk), Sam Fanning, Lachlan Hearne, Liam Scott, Oliver Davies, Todd Murphy, Liam Marshall, Bradley Simpson, Connor Sully. (Cricket World)

22

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CONCACAF U-20 Men’s Championships…

Squad to be announced soon, says Head Coach Wayne Dover H

ead Coach of the National U20 Men’s Team, Wayne Dover, has said -- after four weeks of training -- that Guyana is ready to compete at the CONCACAF U20 Men’s Championships, scheduled for Nicaragua from February 15th to Feb 23, 2020.

Guyana has been placed in ‘Group A’ with St Vincent and the Grenadines, Montserrat, US Virgin Islands, and hosts Nicaragua.

“The National U20 Team has been engaged in intense preparation for the CONCACAF Men's U20 World Cup Qualifiers (to be held) this month, and as such is ready to compete,” Dover said in an invited comment.

“Despite the expected competitive nature of the group, I'm optimistic we could qualify out of this group,” he added.

Guyana has had a total of 25 of these U20 players engaged in weekly sessions at the GFF’s National Training Centre at Providence, EBD. There have been some joint sessions of training with the Senior Men’s National Team.

“The training has been good since we started. There were a couple of sessions that were merged with the Senior National Team, and Coach Maximo took charge of those sessions with assistance from me and other U20 staff members. There was a big effort to

focus on team organisation: how to attack, and how to defend,” Dover explained.

The groups for the first-round qualifying stage are listed below in the order drawn.

Group A: Nicaragua (ranked 20), Guyana (ranked 25), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (ranked 28), Montserrat (ranked 41) and US Virgin Islands (ranked 33rd).

Group B: the Dominican Republic (ranked 17th), Grenada (ranked 24th), Dominica (ranked 26th) and Anguilla (ranked 36th).

Group C: Curacao (ranked 19th), Guadeloupe (ranked 22nd), Belize (ranked 30th) and Saint Martin (ranked 32nd).

Group D: Bermuda (ranked 18th), Puerto Rico (ranked 21st), Cayman Islands (ranked 27th) and Barbados (ranked 31st).

After round-robin play, the top finisher in each of the groups would advance directly to the knockout stage of the competition (third round).

The second round of the competition would also be played in a group format between the top ranked 16 participating teams (according to the CONCACAF Under 20 Ranking as of June 2019). For this round, the teams have been divided into four groups of four.

After round-robin play, the top three

DCB Under-15 Inter Association 2020…

Final round matches set for today

U-20 Head Coach Wayne Dover, briefing players prior to the start of one of the team's training sessions

finishers of each group would advance to the knockout stage of the competition. The knockout stage of the competition (roundof-16, quarterfinal, semifinal and final) will be played in June of 2020 in a host country yet to be announced.

Match schedule: MATCH 1: 15th February at 17:30hrs – Guyana vs Montserrat MATCH 2: 17th February at 17:30hrs – St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs Guyana MATCH 3: 21st February at 20:30hrs – US Virgin Islands vs Guyana MATCH 4: 23rd February at 20:30hrs – Nicaragua vs Guyana

GTTA hosts successful table tennis camp for beginners

Georgetown top-scorer Riyad Latif, sliding in safely at Lusignan (Brandon Corlette photo)

I

n concluding the second-round playoff of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) Under-15 Inter- Association 2020 competition, two matches were played on Wednesday last: Georgetown played East Coast at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground, and West Demerara played East Bank at the Everest Cricket Club ground.

In the match played at Lusignan, Georgetown won the toss and elected to take first strike, scoring 112 all out from 47.3 overs. Middle order batsman Riyad Latif top scored with 15, while lower order batsman Joshua Walcott chipped in with 10. No other batsman could score more than nine runs.

East Coast bowlers Bramanand Robindranauth and Hemraj Harripersaud were the destroyers of the Georgetown innings, respectively harvesting 3 wickets for 9 runs and 3 wickets for 16 runs, while Sahil Gangaram took a wicket for 19 runs.

East Coast put up a grim fight in their reply, falling at 112 in 49.1 overs, just 5 runs short of the Georgetown total.

Nicholas Shiopersaud top scored with 26 before he was run out, and opener Tularam Chintamani contributed 24 while Joshua Alves scored 21.

Riyad Latif returned figures of 4 for 11 as he spun Georgetown to victory, and this was complemented by Stephon Sankar’s 2 for 13.

Over at the Everest Cricket Club ground,

West Demerara, having won the toss and electing to bat, scored a well composed 175 all out from 44.2 overs of their allotted 50 overs.

Number three batsman Nityanadan Matura top scored with a well-constructed 54, while middle order batsman Wazim Khan chipped in with 23, and Nahamine Singh contributed 12.

Bowling for East Bank Demerara, Dhanesh Persaud and Modesh Kalladeen respectively bagged 3 for 24 and 3 for 26, being supported by Yusuf Hack, who took 1 for 19.

Replying, East Bank could manage only 140 all out from 48.3 overs. All-rounder Deonarine Dindyal, who had earlier opened the bowling for West Demerara, top scored with 36, while Dhanesh Persaud and Sajid Yaseen contributed 20 and 21 respectively.

Bowling for West Demerara, Jeremiah Singh and Sachin Balgobin each took two wickets, for 13 and 15 runs respectively; while Nehimie Singh, Rezeikie Reene and Yadesh Sumrita each collected one wicket.

West Demerara won by 35 runs.

The third and final round matches will be played today, Friday February 7, 2020.

East Coast will battle West Demerara at Lusignan, while Georgetown will face off against East Bank at Everest. All matches will start at 9:00 hrs.

The participating students at the end of the camp

T

he Guyana Table Tennis Association (GTTA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the National Sports Commission (NSC), conducted a Beginners’ Table Tennis Coaching Programme for primary school students from Monday, January 13 to Friday, January 31, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on Homestretch Avenue in Georgetown.

Held under the watchful eyes of national table tennis coach Linden Johnson, who was in charge of conducting the proceedings, this programme attracted 125 students from 10 of the 14 schools invited from around central Georgetown. Each school was entitled to two sessions of coaching at two (2) hours per session.

A release from the GTTA has said the students are now well equipped with the basic skills in order that they may take same back to their respective schools, clubs and communities.

At conclusion of this three-week table tennis coaching programme, nation-

al coach Linden Johnson had this to say: “I was pleased with the attendance, and it was a successful programme. Feedback from teachers (was) positive, and (they) requested to continue once or twice a month to keep the game active, and the students could improve on their skills and techniques. Some of the students showed great interest (in) the game, and will register for the beginners’ coaching programme (to be held on) Tuesdays and Thursdays from 04:00pm to 05:30pm, and Saturdays from 11:00am to 1:00pm at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.”

The following aims were among the main objectives of the programme: To develop and improve the level of table tennis in schools; to help students with the basic skills; to help students to be better prepared for tournaments; to increase the number of participants involved in table tennis by 50%; to identify players for future training; to create an integrated coaching programme that incorporates the coaches’ education and players’ development.

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

23

CWI PCL 4-Day Championships…

Bowlers put Jaguars in command after Blackwood's stand

Story and Photos by Brandon Corlette

SCOREBOARD

A

fantastic four-wicket haul by left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, augmented by two wickets each from Christopher Barnwell and Nial Smith, resulted in Guyana Jaguars dismissing the Jamaica Scorpions for 187 all out in 79.5 overs on the opening day of their Cricket West Indies (CWI) Professional Cricket League (PCL) 4-Day championships’ match being played at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.

Extravagant stroke-maker Jermaine Blackwood, in a more cautious approach in this innings, missed out on a century when he fell for a composed 80 in this fourth-round clash. At stumps, the Jaguars are 17-0 from eight overs.

On a day of glorious sunshine at the stadium, and with cricket being watched by less than 50 spectators, Jamaica Scorpions won the toss and elected to bat first. After 7.1 overs of cautious batting, when the score was on eight, the Scorpions lost their first wicket when Kevin Sinclair destroyed the stumps of Assad Fudadin for three.

Barnwell and Johnson appealing!

Seven balls later, West Indies Test opener John Campbell was trapped at the wicket by Raymon Reifer for five, with the score moving to 8-2.

Blackwood and Paul Palmer, in steadying the ship, took the score to 47-2 at the lunch interval; but one run and four balls into the afternoon session, Smith broke a stump in two when he removed the lefthanded Palmer for a scratchy 72-ball 15.

With the score having ticked over to 48-3, the busy Blackwood was joined by Nkrumah Bonner, and the duo settled Scorpions’ nerves with some watchful batting, in

process of which the 28-yearold Blackwood reached his 37th first class half-century in 135 balls and 176 minutes.

Using a different approach, the classy right-handed Blackwood had, at that stage, slammed six fours in his attractive innings as Scorpions reached 117-3 at the tea interval.

Blackwood was on 61 and Bonner was unbeaten on 24 when a brief shower visited the Providence Stadium during the tea interval. And with the first delivery after tea, Bonner hit a crisp boundary to extra cover off Sinclair to get things underway.

Then the man with the

golden arm, Christopher Barnwell, broke a threatening 74-run partnership by producing a ripper that peeled off the edge of the righthanded Bonner to be pocketed by wicket-keeper Anthony Bramble with the score at 1224.

Bonner had made a 77-ball 29, which included five fours.

Battling on, Blackwood was joined by Denis Smith, and the duo quickly added 42 runs to the score. But when he looked set for a century, Blackwood was bowled by Permaul for 80, after facing 181 balls in his 181 minutes at the crease, during which he had stroked 10 fours.

With the Scorpions still

Scorpions 1st Innings J Campbell lbw b Reifer 5 A Fudadin b Sinclair 3 J Blackwood b Permaul 80 P Palmer (LHB) b Smith 15 N Bonner c Bramble b Barnwell 29 D Smith c Bramble b Permaul 18 P Salmon c Singh b Permaul 0 D Green not out 16 J Merchant c Bramble b Smith N Gordon c Bramble b Barnwell 5 P Harty lbw b Permaul 2 Total (10 wickets, 79.5) (13 extras) 187 FOW: 8/1 (7.1) Assad Fudadin 8/2 (8.2) John Campbell 48/3 (28.4) Paul Palmer 122/4 (58.1) Nkruma Bonner 164/5 (67.3) at 164-5, Permaul sparked a collapse that resulted in the Scorpions losing their sixth wicket, Pete Salmon’s, brilliantly caught without scoring by Vishal Singh at gully; then Smith (19) played a loose cut shot at a Permaul delivery and edged one into Bramble's gloves, as

Jermaine Blackwood 164/6 (69.1) Pete Salmon 165/7 (69.5) Denis Smith172/8 (70.4) Jamie Merchant 180/9 (74.3) Nicholson Gordon 187/10 (79.5) Bowling R Reifer (11-5-22-1) N Smith (16-4-50-2) K Sinclair (13-5-33-1) K Joseph (11-3-23-0) V Permaul (21.8-34-4 C Barnwell (7-2-16-2) Guyana Jaguars 1st Innings T Chanderpaul not out 4 C Hemraj not out 13 Total 17-0 Bowling P Salman (4-1-7-0) N Gordon (3-0-5-0 J Merchant (1-0-5-0) the score pushed on to 165-7 in 69.5 overs. Scorpions then lost their last six wickets for 23 runs.

Permaul ended with 4-34 in 21.5 overs that included eight maidens, while Barnwell had 2-16 and Smith had 2-50. Day two will commence today at 9:30h. Admission is free.

Archer to miss Test tour of Sri Lanka with elbow injury J

ofra Archer will miss England's twoTest tour of Sri Lanka next month because of a low-grade stress fracture in his right elbow.

The fast bowler, 24, missed the last three Tests of England's 3-1 series win in South Africa and scans on Wednesday revealed the extent of the damage.

Archer will also miss the 2020 Indian Premier League season.

He will now aim to be fit for the English

summer and the three-match Test series with West Indies in June.

Archer took six wickets in the first-Test defeat at Centurion in December, sat out the matches in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth and pulled up in the warm-up ahead of the final Test in Johannesburg.

He had a scan when the injury was first diagnosed which did not show anything significant, but was sent home for a more sophisticated scan after the Tests, which

showed that he is suffering from a low-grade stress fracture in his right elbow.

Archer faces around three months out and will not tour Sri Lanka or appear for Rajasthan Royals in this season's IPL.

He will now work with the ECB medical team in an effort to be fit for England's home schedule, beginning with the first Test against West Indies at The Oval on 4 June.

(BBC Sport)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

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

guyanatimesgy.com

CWI PCL 4-Day Championships…

Bowlers put Jaguars in command after Blackwood’s stand Page 23

ICC Under-19 World Cup…

CONCACAF U-20 Men’s Championships…

Windies close campaign Squad against Australia to be announced soon, says Head Coach Wayne Dover

Page 22

See story on page 21

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