Guyana Times - Monday, February 18, 2019 new

Monkey Mountain youths to benefit from lapidary P14 training in Brazil Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3838

THE BEACON OF TRUTH monday, February 18, 2019

Guyana could face serious consequences for having illegal Govt – Ramkarran

Page 3

...says Govt stands to lose int’l credibility and support

US$100,000 contract Page awarded to Local 7 Content consultant ...Harmon says ball in Energy Dept’s court to amend principal Act/law

Disabled woman burns to death in Mon Repos fire Page 2

Brandon Harding defends Soca Monarch title Page 12

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

PPP promises to adhere P11 to dual citizenship law regarding MPs Labour Dept to mediate between P11 RUSAL, Bauxite Union

– meeting planned for today as Union complains of more violations

Police still P2 probing shooting of Nations’ Director, threats

UG’s new security measures lengthy, flawed – students P8

Guyana aims for expansion in air connectivity The National Park arena was transformed into a carnival like atmosphere on Saturday evening as the Carib Soca Monarch finals were held with some excellent performances by the artistes. In photo, 2019 Monarch Brandon Harding and second runner-up Steven Ramphal are all jubilation following the announcement

Gaskin contradicts Patterson on US$4B Lethem airport Page 9

…as it signs air services agreement with 16 States P14

2 news

monday, february 18, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Disabled woman burns to death in Mon Repos fire A

fire of unknown origin has completely gutted a two-storey wooden structure at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Sunday morning leaving one woman dead and several homeless.

The charred remains of 57-year-old Yowani Sasenarine, who occupied the upper flat of the Lot 564 Block 8 Mon Repos, ECD home were removed after the fire was extinguished.

The woman suffered from a stroke and was unable to run to safety.

The top flat of the house was reportedly occupied by the now dead woman and one of her daughters, 25-yearold Caraline Sasenarine, while the bottom flat was occupied by another daughter, Karen Chung, and her husband, Joseph Pereira, along with their three children.

At the scene, the woman’s son-in-law, Joseph Pereira, said he was awoken by the screams from the deceased at around 2:10h and upon checking, he saw the entire upper flat of the

Dead: Yowani Sasenarine

house engulfed in flames.

He reportedly attempted to extinguish the fire and save the deceased but failed.

He, nevertheless, managed to save his wife and three children who were in the lower flat. He was the last to see his mother-in-law since he made sure that she was in bed.

The woman’s younger daughter, Caraline, told Guyana Times that she left her mother sitting in a chair watching television around 1:00h.

She explained that she

The aftermath of the fire

left home and went to a function at her brother’s residence in Better Hope, ECD, and on her way home in a taxi, she saw the flames and as she neared her street, realised it was her house.

“I had my food and was

waiting to come home and eat with my mother,” a tearful Caraline said, explaining that when she arrived, she noticed her sister, brotherin-law and nieces were outside, but not her mother.

When she inquired, she

was told by Pereira that he was not able to save her mother due to the intensity of the fire which had already spread to most parts of the top flat of the house.

Caraline said she burst into tears and started screaming because she could not come to grips with the fact that her mother was burnt alive. “I don’t care about the house, but my mother was in there,” she cried.

While neighbours recalled hearing the screams, most of them said by the time they ran outside, the fire had already swept through the entire house and there was no way it could have been saved.

Nevertheless, they alerted the police and the fire service. However, they complained that the fire service responded too late and could not have done anything to save the house from burn-

ing.

The police did state in its reports that two fire tenders were dispatched to the scene of the fire, one from the Campbellville and another from the Alberttown Fire Station.

Upon their arrival, they managed to extinguish the fire but the entire structure was engulfed in flames. The charred body of Sasenarine was discovered on the southern side of the house in the living area. The fire officials have launched an investigation to determine the cause and origin of the fire.

In the meantime, her daughters and other family members have found temporary homes. They were not able to salvage anything and remain without clothing and food. Anyone interested in making a donation to the family is asked to contact 234-1217.

Police still probing shooting of Nations’ Director, threats

A

School of the Nations Director, Dr Brian O’Toole

s the Guyana Police Force continue to probe the shooting of School of the Nations’ Director, Dr Brian O’Toole, they are yet to make any headway into finding the shooter as well as the person behind the social media posts who goes by the alias “Kira”.

Crime Chief, Lyndon Alves told Guyana Times that the probe is still ongoing.

Initially, the police had questioned four persons – both current and former students – in relation to the January 27 shooting of the school’s principal at his Bel Air Promenade, Greater Georgetown, home and according to Alves, no other person of interest has since been questioned.

However, he noted that they are awaiting the return of Dr O’Toole to further interview him about the incident which followed several threats against the school on Facebook made by “Kira” (meaning killer), which is the alias of the main character in “Death Note” – a Japanese manga series that was later adapted into films.

Last week, there were reports circulating on social media which suggest that

the person behind the alias “Kira” was identified as the son of a prominent lawyer while alleging too that he was part of an eight-member gang which include two sons of Government Ministers.

The post further claimed that the suspect was arrested in the US. However, the GPF Crime Chief told this newspaper that he is unaware of such developments.

“The police are not investigating anything on social media so we are not aware of those claims,” Alves said.

In fact, when asked, he noted that they are still trying to ascertain the identity of the person behind “Kira”.

As Police try to trace “Kira”, Dr O’Toole, who is currently in the US receiving treatment after he was shot two times, once in each arm, has recalled something “bizarre” from the night of the shooting.

In a statement recently posted on the private institution’s Facebook page, the injured principal recounted that when he was shot, the perpetrator “did a bizarre dance” and when he related this to others, Dr O’Toole said he was referred to the dark video game, Fortnite. turn to page 9

news

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monday, february 18, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, February 18 – a night retraction from 04:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Tuesday, February 19 – a night retraction from 04:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, February 18 – 15:15h-16:45h and Tuesday, February 19 – 16:10h-17:40h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals are expected throughout the day, with clear to partly cloudy skies in the evening. Temperatures will range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 15:56h reaching a maximum height of 2.76 metres.

Low Tide: 09:29h and 21:58h reaching minimum heights of 0.61 metre and 0.41 metre respectively.

saturday, FEBRUARY 16, 2019

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Guyana could face serious consequences for having illegal Govt – Ramkarran …says coalition stands to lose int’l credibility and support

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he main consequences of remaining unlawfully in office after March 19, by which time elections are due, is that the coalition Government will lose international credibility and support, much as the then Government did in 2015 after it prorogued the National Assembly.

This is according to former Speaker of the National Assembly and commentator Ralph Ramkarran, who detailed certain consequences that the country could face if Government and the Opposition did not meet and agree on a plan to address this long and ongoing situation.

“Governments with resident diplomatic missions in Guyana, particularly those of Western countries, which have been taking strong positions against the usurpation of power elsewhere, will exert diplomatic pressure on the Government,” Ramkarran predicted based on the acting Chief Justice’s ruling.

He said while Governments may want to remain in communication because the Government would hold de facto power, official bilateral activity may cease. The former House Speaker said too that visas might be withdrawn.

“Overseas assets could be frozen. Economic or other sanctions may be imposed. If measures are imposed, they could be implemented selectively and one at a time, or altogether,” he added.

Ramkarran, a former top-ranking member of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) also believes that the attitude of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) will also be under a high degree of scrutiny. He said that public opinion in the Region is already taking shape against the Government.

As an initial step, Caricom may well decide that from March 22 when the Government becomes illegal, it will not be invited to any meetings of Caricom or of its bodies and agencies, or Heads of Government meetings. He said it might feel that an illegal Government could not represent the people of Guyana.

“It is difficult to speculate what the Government can be called on to do in the face of its illegal existence after the due date for elections. It cannot lawfully exist so that anything that it

Former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran

might do will be illegal. It cannot convene the National Assembly,” Ramkarran wrote in his weekly column Conversation Tree.

He believes that even if it did, anything that the National Assembly may enact would be unlawful.

“When its existence becomes unlawful, then the only lawful way forward, as indicated by Mr Christopher Ram, is for the Chancellor of the Judiciary to take office as President. But what can the Chancellor do in the absence of a lawfully existing National Assembly? We would be in unknown constitutional territory.”

Compromise

Therefore, Ramkarran said the best strategy was for both Guyanese leaders to settle their own problems. He is suggesting that President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo meet and agree to a compromise date

President David Granger

for elections. “As a first step, the life of the Government can be extended to March 31 or thereabouts, by which time the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) would be expected to rule.”

If the Chief Justice’s decision was upheld, then Ramkarran believes that an election date should be fixed for July. But if the Government succeeds, it carries on to the end of its term.

Another suggestion is if the Government could not

be persuaded to act reasonably, as indicated above, the former House Speaker and Attorney is recommending that the Carter Center should intervene to mediate a solution with support from the US State Department.

“President Carter, whose credibility is respected across the political spectrum, may well be able to persuade the parties along the lines outlined above, or some alternative course which prevents a crisis from developing,” he declared.

According to Ramkarran, President Carter may also use the opportunity to persuade the parties to commit to constitutional reform to provide a framework for political parties to share executive responsibility in the governance of Guyana.

He recalled that the US President having led the way to the restoration of democracy in Guyana in 1992 always believed that this was the only long-term solution to the ethnic politics that perpetuated Guyana’s instability. He also noted that both parties have already supported such a process in one form or another. turn to page 7

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MONDAY, february 18, 2019

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

PPP’s Popular Stakeholders’ Forum

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he People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) held its first stakeholders’ consultation over the weekend to solicit the views of business, trade unionists, workers, entrepreneurs, religious leaders, self-employed individuals and ordinary citizens, all drawn equally from both genders towards crafting its Manifesto for the imminent general elections and it certainly lived up to its billing as “historic”.

As the Party’s presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali said, “A manifesto is a serious national document and not an imaginative compilation of unachievable and unrealistic promises. Governments have a moral and ethical responsibility to implement their manifesto … We take seriously this document, hence your participation here today. As we move forward as a country, it is vital that we take ownership and feel part of the development pathway…” In summary, Ali noted that a manifesto must be one that is realistic, achievable, time-bound, implementable and measurable.

If there was ever a time when Guyanese needed a clear roadmap from the political elites on how they plan to develop our country in the next five years, it is now. With the traditional economy – led by sugar – in a tailspin and the incumbent People’s National Congress (PNC)-led coalition Government seemingly accepting that its one bright spot – gold, is also foundering, it has pinned all its hopes on oil revenues which are supposed to start flowing next year.

While refusing to accept the constitutionally mandated date of March 19 for the next elections, it has yet gone into elections mode in which, as the Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo pointed out, it is making all sorts of fantastical promises to the electorate, much as it did in its last manifesto of 2015. Two unfulfilled promises, for instance, are the Code of Conduct for the Ministers and constitutional change to reduce the powers of the President and reallocate them to the Prime Minister.

In this debacle, the PNC must bear total responsibility, for, as the other partners in A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) in the governing coalition have complained, they were used as mere “appendages” in the Government’s initiatives since 2015.

The PNC is, therefore, following in the footsteps of its first iteration between 1964 and 1992 when it plunged a country – equal in all respects to any of its neighbours in the Caribbean – to second only to Haiti at the bottom, after boasting it would “house, feed and clothe” the nation so that the “small man would be the real man”. This time, it promised “the good life”, but only delivered it to its Ministers with a 50 per cent salary increase to “encourage them not to steal”.

The PPP/C, on the other hand, took that devastated economy in 1992, and pragmatically eschewed any ideological dogma to move it within a decade from being “Highly Indebted Poor Country” (HIPC) to an “Upper Middle Income Country” by not only wiping off the albatross of the PNC’s US$2.1 billion debt, but to consistently generate growth rates averaging 4.5 per cent in the second decade – the highest in the Region. The three per cent growth rate the PNC-led Government has been boasting about has come from the spending on the infrastructural projects – such as the modernised Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA); the West and East Coast Demerara Highways – for which the PPP/C had secured funding and were already in the pipeline.

The PNC Government has already dissipated the US$655 million in foreign reserves the PPP/C left it in 2014.

The PPP/C has proffered a presidential candidate in the person of Irfaan Ali, who may be young but played a great part in the PPP’s success as Housing and Water Minister. As he said, “Going forward, we cannot afford to manage the economy on traditional indicators and ratios. Instead, we have to manage our economy to ensure sustainable development which balances economic growth with social development and environmental priorities. The development must be felt by every Guyanese. In this regard, we have to focus on issues of inequality, income distribution, vulnerability of atrisk communities and groups so as the tide of the economy rises, all would be placed in a better position.”

KING AGAIN: Brandon Harding during his mind-blowing and energetic performance on Sunday morning at the National Park Tarmac during the finals of the Carib Soca Monarch competition

Venezuela’s collapse holds lessons for neighbouring Guyana

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enezuela’s slide from top of the heap to a virtual bit player in the oil market is a slow-motion car crash. Production sank progressively from 2.6 million barrels per day (b/d) a decade ago, when it was third in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) behind only Saudi Arabia and Iran, to 2.0 million b/d by Q3 2017. Decline since has been precipitous – today it’s just 1.1 million b/d.

The market has shrugged off the loss, even with the absence of sanctioned Iranian oil. Venezuela’s heavy barrels have been largely displaced by supplies from Canada, Mexico, and elsewhere.

As the US sanctions announced on January 28 bite, worse lies ahead. Two factors will drive production down to 0.7 million b/d over the next six months in our latest forecasts: lack of access to the diluent needed to help the heavy crude flow; and limited availability of finance for workovers and basic maintenance on wells, The intensifying economic squeeze and external political pressure will likely lead to a new government and stabilisation in 2020.

Then, perhaps, recovery can begin.

The collapse of the economy has been one of the most severe (barring wars)

since the fall of the Soviet Union. Six years ago, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person was US$14,500, placing Venezuela just behind Chile as the wealthiest economy in South America and in the top 50 globally. In the past five years, the size of the economy has roughly halved. Besides severe recession, the country is grappling with hyperinflation and a population exodus. The United Nations estimates that some three million of the country’s 31 million people have fled since 2015.

A central factor in the shrivelling of the economy has been over-dependence on oil. Non-oil industries have all but vanished, their share of exports falling from around 25 per cent in the late 1990s to less than three per cent in recent years.

The Government borrowed heavily against rising oil revenues in the previous decade, fuelling social spending. When oil prices fell in 2014, Venezuela had minimal savings and no other buffer. The result has been a shortage of dollars to pay for imports of even basic goods, never mind repaying its international creditors or maintaining oil production.

It’s a window to a dystopian future for Guyana.

Venezuela’s neighbour to the east, Guyana is develop-

ing its first offshore oil and gas finds made in the past four years. There’s a growing number of them; the 11th and 12th announced last week takes the resource to over five billion barrels of oil equivalent, most of it oil and low cost.

Production could exceed 1 million b/d next decade, putting Guyana in non-OPEC’s top ten – from nowhere.

Operator ExxonMobil’s plan for the Liza complex will transform the economy.

Guyana’s GDP was US$3.7 billion in 2017, but will grow by multiples. Our analysis of the upstream project assumes total investment of over US$30 billion; plateauing at US$5 billion annually in the early 2020s as the known discoveries are developed; all perhaps matched by investment down the value chain onshore. Tax revenues kick in from the mid-2020s and build up quickly to more than US$10 billion a year.

For such a small economy, the scale of development is staggering. Assuming oil production of one million b/d by 2030, Guyana’s output per person will be higher than any other major oil producer. A four-fold increase in the size of its economy over a decade is possible, catapulting Guyana into the high-income bracket.

Azerbaijan and Equatorial Guinea are other countries

in recent history that have experienced similar explosive growth, but from a lower base.

What can Guyana do to make the most of its oil and avoid the pitfalls?

Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have consistently invested a portion of revenues in sovereign wealth funds. Each had built up a buffer three to four times the size of their economies to draw on when the oil price collapsed in 2014. Such a strategy helps smooth out the boom and bust, but requires a high degree of discipline. It will be tempting to spend, spend, spend.

Another clear lesson from Venezuela is not to become too dependent on a single source of revenue.

Building infrastructure and raising education standards will facilitate development of other sectors. Local content and employment requirements for the oil industry can support this process.

It will be a delicate balancing act. The role of Government is also central to success in setting clear energy policy, establishing firm and independent regulation, and a stable fiscal policy. These set a framework for close collaboration with international operators. The fate of Venezuela is all the incentive needed to get this right. (Simon Flowers-Forbes)

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, february 18, 2019

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

GECOM must commence preparations now

Dear Editor, The erroneous responses from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) regarding timelines for various aspects of its preparatory mechanism mean that the Government cannot call snap elections if this is strategic or necessary. This situation defies logic and is clearly in conflict with the previous precedence of the dates of announcements in 2006 and 2011. On both occasions, the period GECOM had to achieve full readiness was less than 35 days before the mandatory nominations period and this was achieved.

The constitutional intent of Article 106 is that all actions necessary under any other legislation be modified to realise the elections with convenient speed. The stipulated timeline of 90 days

connotes the immediacy of actions to realise this end.

That fact that the List of Voters is legally valid until the end of April 2019 indicates the necessity for activating the use of such a list being in place at GECOM. There is no doubt that GECOM ought to have had by now, a reliable and fully trained pool of polling officials who would need only minimal refresher training.

Given the recently held Local Government Elections (LGE) a mere two months ago, the training of polling staff should require minimal refresher approaches and this does not require awaiting the close of nominations. It can be completed adequately on the weekends within approximately 35 days from now to March 19, 2019.

If it takes 30 groups of

trainers to address the necessary expediency, this should be done because the Constitution emphasiSes these actions in light of the acceptance that the fallen Government is a stronger threat to the nation than any other matter of priority.

The identification of 105 days for training by the secretariat is woefully abusive, and directly in conflict with the Constitution. The Chairman of GECOM, the Government’s representative Commissioners and the secretariat’s CEO are in effect holding the passports of citizens, as the APNU/AFC plunders and prostitutes.

According to GECOM, Nomination Day has to be at least 32 days before elections. This, therefore, means that it has become very difficult to hold the elections

by March 19, 2019. This

has signalled a constitutional crisis that will have far-reaching consequences.

But it does not mean that a further 116 days should elapse between Nomination Day and Elections Day as announced by the secretariat.

The President’s failure to announce elections, is in effect, international condemnation of the State. There will be no Government after March 21, 2019, and this column, therefore, calls on Mr Granger to act in the interest of all Guyanese and pronounce a date for the General and Regional Elections now.

We call on GECOM to commence the preparations for free and fair elections now!

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Changing policy and Guyana’s ability to support Cuba Dear Editor, This letter seeks to highlight a particular observation of a small area of Cuba’s macroeconomic disposition. In recent years, private individuals were given the opportunity to pursue business endeavors in and out of the country.

This new policy sought to provide a road map to economic freedom that was so desired. This was a great strategic decision by the Cuban leaders. It allowed for the opening and regularization of what could have been considered as a “shadow economy.” There is a need for a number of products in that country.

While businesses there are thriving, it only allows for the conversion of local commodities into goods and services.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of Cubans visiting Guyana. This increase was driven by the new policy and the wonderful relationship between the two countries. In addition to this harmony, there was the decision of the U.S. to only issue visas to the citizens of that country through their Guyana consulate. As a result, this did not only foster the opportunity for business and trade but for the transition to the U.S. This is a great opportunity for Guyana. It stands at the center of helping to develop fragmented industries in Cuba and a path to immigration.

Many Cubans from all walks of life are aware of this opportunity. The ‘bicitaxi’ rider, tour guide, hotel manager, restaurant host, and even the guy hustling cigars in the street.

What does this mean for Guyana?

The opportunity for

trade and business operations should also help to develop local businesses. New policies and standards must be developed.

They should parallel those in Cuba and aim to develop local, nationally operated businesses. There is a very unique opportunity to increase the wealth of Guyanese and Cubans if a strategic economic ecosystem is developed.

Guyana’s leaders must look at this as a very strategic national interest that not only focuses on currency exchange, tax, and visitor metrics but as a functional activity that has greater economic potential for Guyana. Our businesses must understand their interests and cater to operations that are profitable for all involved.

The top inputs into the ecosystem are those basic activities such as transportation, accommodation, food, and wholesale purchases. Guyana does not own the airline that manages the route nor the agencies that cater to its operations. Guyana does not control or limit purchases or regulate the activity. There is a free economy. However, the majority of purchases are at non-national businesses.

In Cuba, there is a policy that states that foreign businesses must enter into a 51/49% profit share. This clearly identifies that national interests are maintained in any business.

While this may be considered differently based on opinion, it shows the interest the country has in developing their local economy. In contrast, businesses operate in Guyana without such conditions.

Therefore, a foreign business in Guyana that sup-

plies goods to Cubans is evading that situation yet benefiting from a scale economy in this new ecosystem.

What are the implications to Guyana? Top management in Guyana should perform a thorough analysis of this business environment. This analysis should not be limited to local activities but the entire supply chain that supports the trade agreement signed between CARICOM and Cuba. In doing so, they should look at cost structures and the profitability of conducting business with Cubans. They should focus on developing policies that not only benefit Guyana but that provide a better return on investment for those individual Cuban entrepreneurs.

The reason why this should be done is because their invested capital is much greater when considering the cost of travel, food, and accommodation.

In Cuba, this cost is calculated as a fraction of the price of the product sold.

This is then transferred to the local Cuban customers who pay much more than us for a particular product. A classic example would be toothpaste. A tube of Colgate toothpaste cost US$ 1 in the Dollar Tree store in the U.S., about $395 in Guyana, and CUC$ 6 in Cuba, in a local individual shop. The Trade and Economic agreement falls short in defining this outcome to their local economy. Their citizens may not have the purchasing power to buy this product. This means that, contrary to the agreement, there is little or slow return on invested capital, little expansion on trade, and slow liberation, in in terms of economic and fi-

nancial freedom of our Cuban family.

The analysis should also parallel one of the considerations of President Donald J. Trump’s four policy objectives for Cuba. In laying the groundwork for the empowerment of the Cuban people, Cuba’s strategic management has evidently created the atmosphere for the development of economic liberty. This is indicative by the new policy mentioned above, the fact that there is trade activities, and the continuous growth of Cuba’s presence in Guyana.

This means that Guyana, by proxy, is creating a favorable relationship between the U.S. and Cuba. However, while political liberty is for citizens in a nation state to decide, we can clearly observe that there is a greater potential for increased economic liberty on the island. Guyana must put resources into ensuring that a very granular economic framework is developed so that Cubans investing in shopping here have a greater return on investment and that the customers in that country can afford these products at favorable prices.

Similarly, Cuba has to ensure that taxation of these products offer both customer and investor satisfaction. In this year 60 of the Revolution, there has been great progress in advancing the macroeconomic disposition of the island.

Currently, there is even greater possibility for obtaining individual financial freedom and the development of fragmented industries that may become consolidated overtime. VIVA! Respectfully, Dustin E Fraser

PPP/C team committed to Guyana’s development Dear Editor, The People’s Progressive Party, under the leadership of General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, has clearly indicated through its membership and supporters that they are prepared to manage Guyana whereby every Guyanese is being respected and has a commitment of hope for a better future.

The recent stakeholder forum was held to input genuine ideas in the PPP/C manifesto in order to craft a framework that would enable national development through this consultative process. This forum was represented by numerous stakeholders who were able to represent their ideas.

The presidential candi-

date, Comrade Irfaan Ali, in his impressive ‘presidential’ presentation, outlined some measures that the PPP/C would be implementing to reduce the burden that was enforced by this failed APNU/AFC Government.

Comrade Irfaan Ali also emphasised the importance of the PPP/C manifesto and his commitment to ensuring implementation for a better Guyana.

This consultative approach by the PPP/C is a definite indication that the party’s intentions on the assumption to Government will be inclusive, approachable, committed, transparent, and progressive.

Regards, Zamal Hussain

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monday, february 18, 2019

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Foundation

By Lexi Walters Wright

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Social rule #4: Think about others before acting

hen there’s a line at the post office, you wait your turn. If you bump someone with your grocery cart, you apologize. And when other people are talking, you let them finish speaking before you respond.

* Don’t touch without asking. * Don’t cut in line. * Wait your turn. * Stand a comfortable distance away when talking.

Many of us do these things because we understand the “unwritten” social rules that guide how we interact with each other. Kids with learning and attention issues, however, often have trouble learning and following basic social rules. Your child may not notice or understand these rules.

Or he may lack the self-control needed to follow them.

* Follow directions when you’re asked to. * Ask for help when you need it. * Apologize when necessary. * Be flexible and open to new ideas.

Helping your child understand social expectations is a good first step toward helping him meet them. Here are five key social rules that can be challenging for kids with learning and attention issues:

Social rule #1: Meet and greet politely

* Say greetings, introductions and goodbyes. * Politely offer and receive compliments. * Be able to start and finish conversations.

Social rule #2: Take turns talking

* Listen when others are speaking and look them in the eye. * Don’t interrupt. * Respond appropriately and at the right time.

Social rule #3: Pay attention to others

* Stop what you’re doing so you can listen. * Read people’s emotions through their body language and facial expressions. * Change your behaviour to match what other people are doing, such as quieting down with the rest of the room.

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guyanatimesgy.com

ost schools are trying hard to upgrade their lunch programmes and offer the best food they can. But not every school cafeteria provides appealing, healthy lunch choices. Educate yourself when it comes to what your cafeteria has to offer.

Even if your school provides healthy options, it can be too easy to give in to temptation and pick a less healthy choice when you’re feeling really hungry. How do you take control?

Take a packed lunch to school!

Social rule #5: Cooperate with others

What can happen when kids don’t follow social rules

When kids don’t follow social rules, others may think they’re self-centred or uncaring. Other kids may find their behaviour annoying and back away. Your child may find himself being left out. Kids with poor social skills may be bullied by other children or viewed by adults as being disrespectful or rude.

Learning and attention issues can affect your child’s social life in different ways. For example, ADHD may cause kids to speak and act impulsively. Nonverbal learning disabilities can affect the ability to read people’s moods and reactions. Language disorders can make conversation difficult.

Parents and teachers can help children with these issues by talking about social skills and practicing them together.

How you can help your child follow social rules

You can start by breaking down social rules in ways your child can understand and practice. Role-playing games can be a good way to model appropriate behaviour and help

him practice responding to different social situations. You can also use your child’s favourite TV shows to focus on reading body language and other social cues.

Explore hundreds of age-specific strategies for helping your child work on interacting, fitting in and other everyday social challenges.

Be sure to praise him for successful social interactions, too. Giving your child positive – and very specific – feedback can reinforce the behaviours you want him to repeat.

If your child’s social difficulties persist, you may want to consider having him join a social skills group at school or in the community. With practice and support, your child can learn to connect with others successfully.

Learn more about why kids may struggle with social skills. Find out what to do if you think your child might have a learning or attention issue. And explore a collection of resources to help your child with social rules and cues.

Key takeaways

* Social rules include cooperating, taking turns and practicing self-control. * You can help your child work on social skills by using role-play and positive feedback. * If your child’s social difficulties persist, you may want to consider having him join a social skills group. (www.understood.org)

Here are the top five reasons to pack your lunch – and snacks – at least twice a week:

Control

Do you ever wait in the lunch line only to find when you get to the front that you don’t like what they’re serving? So you reach for pizza again. A healthy packed lunch lets you avoid the lunch line (and any temptations). Bringing your own lunch also lets you control exactly what goes into the food you eat.

Variety

It doesn’t hurt to cave in and enjoy the occasional serving of pizza and hot dogs. But if you’re eating these foods all the time, your body probably feels ready for a change. A packed lunch a couple of times a week means you can enjoy some favourites that you might not find at every school – like a piping hot thermos of your mom’s chicken soup; or some crisp apples.

Energy

If you have a big game or activity after school, plan a lunch and snacks that combine lean proteins with carbohydrates to give you lasting energy and keep you going through the late afternoon. Some ideas: your own “trail” mix of dried fruit and nuts or sunflower seeds, whole-grain bread and low-fat cheese, or a bagful of carrots and yogurt dip.

Cold hard cash

Pack healthy snacks so you don’t feel tempted to step off campus for a fast-food lunch, or hit the corner store for chocolate and a soda! Put the money you save on such snacks aside.

That warm and fuzzy feeling

Remember when your mom or dad used to pack your lunch? Pack yourself a retro lunch featuring healthy versions of your old faves — such as PB&J on whole-wheat bread.

Whether you pack or eat in the cafeteria, what’s important is that you make healthy choices. If you’re concerned that your cafeteria doesn’t offer enough healthy options, get involved in trying to make changes. Ask a teacher or someone in food service for advice on how to get started. (kidshealth.org)

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US$100,000 contract awarded to Local Content consultant – Harmon says ball in Energy Dept’s court to amend principal Act/law

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contract to the tune of over US$100,000 was awarded to British local content specialist, Dr Michael Warner for individual consultancy services to the State pertaining to the oil and gas sector.

This is one of several contracts that have recently been approved by the Government.

Warner is presently the Director for Local Content reporting, Sustainable Business Group of the DAI Global.

It was DAI Global that helped to launch and then manage ExxonMobil’s Centre for Local Business Development (CLBD) based in Guyana. Warner has also presented on Guyana’s own draft Local Content policy, where he gave it positive reviews.

“For individual consultancy for local content in the oil and gas sector in Guyana, Ministry of Natural Resources, the sum of US$104,500 has been awarded to Dr Michael Warner,” Harmon announced.

When it comes to the Department of Energy’s re-

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon

Local content specialist, Dr Michael Warner

cent statements that it wants the principal act reviewed before the start of a new licensing round, Harmon explained that in such a scenario the ball was actually in the Department’s court.

“Legislative drafting does not start in the National Assembly. It starts with the entities that have to deal with that particular matter.

So if you’re talking about amendments to the principal legislation, these are matters which have to be dealt with

by the Department. Then it goes to the AG Chambers.

And normally we put it out for public comment.”

“Also, it is not correct to say these things are stalled… because unless it is ready to be dealt with in the National Assembly, there’s still work to be done at a level that doesn’t require (politicians).”

According to Harmon, there is actually action taking place in terms of Guyana’s preparations for

Police still probing shooting...

“The dance on that evening looked as if it had been rehearsed from the very same video,” the principal stated.

Fortnite is a ‘battle royale’ style game in which up to 100 people compete at a single time in online matches to the death.

The Director posited that the key issue surely is that in such games, children and youth lose track of reality.

As such, he noted parents should check to see if children are part of this dangerous cyber-world.

“At school, we can do our best to educate children about the terrible power of

this nether-world but only parents can police their children’s phones, computers and other devices. The challenge is for us all but the urgency is very, very clear. We are creating a cyber-world that youth have never had to face in the past. If we learn no other lesson we, at least, need to consider the dangerous world that our children are entering in the name of entertainment,” Dr O’Toole asserted.

Bringing the issue closer to home, the injured principal noted that it is sad that one youth or a small group can hold a sizeable percentage of the country at ransom, in fear

from page 2

and apprehension.

Since Nations’ incident, there have been threats made to other institutions and as such, the Education Ministry along with the Police Force have beefed up security around the city.

Despite this, however, there was a bomb scare at the University of Guyana’s (UG) Turkeyen campus, Greater Georgetown. But a 25-year-old student, Sheneza Jafarally, has since been charged for the bomb threat that forced a shut down at the institution. She was remanded to prison.

the oil and gas sector. He cited the announcement that President David Granger had assented to the Natural Resources Fund Bill.

“From the beginning of the year, we started passing bills,” Harmon said. “There are several other bills … which are being dealt with and will go to the National Assembly as part of the Government’s legislative agenda.”

“So, there is a legislative agenda, but certainly if the Parliament does not meet, that agenda will in fact be affected. But with respect to the functioning of the Department of Energy, any other bills which come up will be dealt with in the normal procedure.”

After its 10th discovery of oil in the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil has estimated the recoverable resource in the block to be five billion oil equivalent barrels. At US$50 a barrel, that equates to well over US$200 billion. In addition, an independent assessment, or competent persons report, had found that 2.9 billion barrels of oil existed in the Orinduik

Block.

All of this represents a monetary windfall for Guyana, which will be saved and invested through the Natural Resources Fund.

Previously, a green paper on the Fund was laid in the National Assembly.

Government had released the draft Natural Resources Fund Bill of 2018, which had proposed, among other things, a 22-member Public Accountability and Oversight Committee that would oversee the management of the Fund and provide checks and balances.

Local content

Local content and what it will do for Guyana has been a burning question since the announcement of the first oil discovery in the Stabroek block in 2015. After Exxon first tempered expectations by saying that few job opportunities would be created by oil, it has since said that it would help with local content delivery.

A draft local content policy created by the Government has meanwhile been criticised in recent

months for lacking provisions which would safeguard against exploitation by companies, especially since there have been intensified reports of local companies being bypassed for contracts and services, with foreign companies being favoured.

The document does not cater for issues such as how to avoid procurement fraud, conflict of interest and favouritism, among others.

According to the draft local content framework document, the policy seeks to address the suite of opportunities that may arise.

It also addresses the approaches to be taken in selecting and developing opportunities related to enhancing the capabilities of Guyanese nationals and businesses through training and well-tailored social contributions for greater impact and benefits, among other issues.

Business Minister Dominic Gaskin had announced last year that the second review of the local content policy was expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2019.

Guyana could face serious...

Only last week, the Bar Council of the Guyana Bar Association said it welcomed the recent ruling of acting Chief Justice Roxane George on the legal challenge arising out of the December 21, 2018 no-confidence resolution and called for the announcement of the date for constitutionally mandated General and Regional Elections.

Chief Justice George, on January 31, issued rulings in three cases arising out of the no-confidence resolution that toppled the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government.

On Monday, the released written judgments prompted the statement from the Bar Association.

The CJ ruled that

from page 3

the President and the Ministers could not remain in Government beyond the three months within which elections are required to be held in accordance with Article 106 (7), unless that time is enlarged by the National Assembly in accordance with the requirements of the said Article 106(7) of the Constitution.

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UG’s new security measures lengthy, flawed – students

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everal students of the University of Guyana (UG) have voiced their opinions into the latest security measures implemented by the institution in light of the recent bomb threats.

While there has been an increase in security officers to man the gates, the students believe that instead of outsiders, they are being monitored heavily.

This is evident since they were told to produce the institution’s identification card in order to gain entry. In contrary, strangers who are visiting the institution are showing up and in most cases, are not required to provide any form of identification. Upon entry, they are provided with a visitor’s badge and can access almost any facility on campus.

A student from the Health Sciences Faculty

who requested anonymity, stated “I feel as though there is still a threat to us because persons are coming in and we don’t know who they are and they’re just granted access without an ID card. This is allowing anybody to come in and we don’t know what their intention is”.

Meanwhile, another lobbied for the tertiary institution to adopt a better approach, especially during this period when threats are being sent to a number of organisations.

“If they can provide like a better way of scanning who comes here, it’s going to be a relief for us. As of now, we’re still scared that something might happen and we’re not prepared,” the student related.

Concerns were also raised about the lengthy time it takes before persons are issued with the visitor’s

passes.

During a recent visit to the campus, security officers were conducting checks and Police presence was visible. A meeting on Monday last with the ViceChancellor of UG, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, assured that increased security measures have been put in place at the educational facility.

All persons and vehicles entering the campus will now require some form of identification, which began on Wednesday last. The new protocol will be conducted for a two-week span which will be trailed by an evaluation to produce required modifications.

Additionally, all vehicles entering will be checked for the University’s sticker.

He said the University will be restricting access through the south gate unless an identification badge

or sticker is provided.

Additionally, random vehicles will be searched.

In relation to the threats made against the institution, Sheliza Dianne Jafarally was charged and remanded to prison until February 18.

The threats emerged two weeks ago on two consecutive days, causing much chaos on campus as hundreds of students ran towards the fields. Law enforcement ranks later assessed the situation and no explosives were found.

These threats came after other schools were similarity terrorised.

Deputy Commissioner, Linden Alves clarified that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is not working in isolation on this case and is, in fact, seeking the aid of regional and international expertise.

Tourism body signs MoU to attract Diaspora

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he Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the United Guyanese Diaspora Global Network Corp (UGDGN) have entered into a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to engage the Guyanese Diaspora in various forms of tourism.

The collaboration agreement is the first of its kind between the GTA and a Diaspora organisation, and promises attractive travel packages for the Diaspora community and information regarding travel opportunities.

According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the signatory for the UGDGN, Wayne Forde,

One of Guyana’s tourism destinations – the Kaieteur Falls

“Signing this MoU with the Guyana Tourism Authority

gives the United Guyanese Diaspora Global Network

Corp a focused vision on how we can infuse fresh energies and aspiration for the greater good of Guyana. The ingredients to ignite the prosperity engines of Guyana will take a united effort from all of our affinity groups signing up as evangelists for our homeland and coming together using technologies to crystallise a shared vision coupled with an execution game plan along with an innovative edge.”

Forde further enthusiastically stated that UGDGN would be upgrading its web presence (www.ugdgn.org) to transform it into a central opportunity and information hub for happenings within the Diaspora and the homeland.

Currently, he noted that the database consists of 400+ Guyanese Diaspora Organisations in New York, Atlanta, Toronto, London and beyond, thereby giving Guyanese a critical tool to consolidate their virtual community and grow it into an engaged powerhouse.

GTA Director Brian Mullis explained that such partnerships were vital to the success of Guyana’s overall tourism strategy.

“The alliance with the UGDGN will ensure that the GTA is positioned to more effectively and efficiently reach the Guyanese Diaspora, raise awareness of the growing variety of tourism attractions and experiences, and strengthen Diaspora engagement and visitation to Guyana in the process,” he noted.

North America and the United Kingdom are Guyana’s core markets with a growing number of Diaspora and leisure travellers seeking out authentic and meaningful cultural heritage, nature and adventure experiences in unspoilt destinations.

The free market…

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…and labour

as a time when the world was a very simple place to live in: that time when “Jagan and Burnham” were together for a brief moment in the fifties. In politics, it was us against the “imperialists” and in the economy it was labour, represented by trade unions, against those dastardly (running dog) “capitalists”. In politics, however, the apple of power to run an independent Guyana was introduced into our little Eden and our “land of six races” was torn asunder as we were cast into the hell of perpetual conflict that still consumes us. Our strength of diversity had been turned into our great weakness.

In the economy, we lost also our innocence, but the process was much more drawn out and insidious – since the rupture was not confined to our little mudland – but was a world-system phenomenon. The Marxist critique that had divided the world into “proletariats against capitalists” was much starker in the colonies, where politics and economics were pretty much coincident.

‘Capitalists riding roughshod over workers’ was farmed out to the State that deployed the Police to mow down workers who dared question the “roughshodding”.

In fact, yesterday was the 80th anniversary of the Guyana Police killing four sugar workers at Leonora because they dared to ask that their workday be reduced from 12 hours!! Such impertinence!! Our trade unions fought long and hard for workers’ “betterment” and in fact, with the help of the politicians who’d emerged from their struggle, were able to enact laws that defined workers’ rights. Those same politicians, Jagan and Burnham, in fact decided to go the whole hog by the 1970s and nationalised all businesses – now supposedly “owned” by the workers. Over in the Mother country, Britain (and the US), unions had also seized much power over the economy, in which businesses were heavily regulated.

That didn’t last long and by the end of the decade, Guyana’s economy was on the rocks – as was Britain’s!!

Thatcher came into power and Reagan in the US and together they swore to break the power of unions and roll back regulations over businesses. They succeeded so well, that by the time Desmond Hoyte decided to reverse gear on the economy in 1989, there was a blueprint he was forced to follow. That blueprint gave short shrift to trade unions since wages, like all prices, were to be set by the market.

And we arrive at the decision by Rusal to shut down its operations when workers balked at their unilateral one per cent wage increase offer and struck. The workers are demanding “governmental intervention”.

Do they expect the Government to go against “the free market”??

Another “Declaration of Sophia”?

…and the WPA threat

The WPA “Overseas Associates” (WPAOA) just shot off a very stern letter to APNU that they’re not going to put up any longer with being taken for granted as “appendages of the PNC”!! Seems the straw that broke their (overseas) back was their local members (presumably) being handed the agenda for a hastily summoned meeting with no consultation and then foisted with an “elections committee”. Either they get respect, or they walk!!

Your Eyewitness is intrigued about whether the locals in the WPA also agree with this ultimatum, since they didn’t sign the missive. Frankly, he doesn’t think the locals agreed. After all, decisions in politics are now made by the free market. And in the “race” politics of Guyana (see above) it’s all about what numbers can the WPA bring to the party. The PNC line that African Guyanese can’t “allow” that nasty PPP to get back into power has already solidified that constituency.

The WPA already cashed the one cheque they had in 2011. The morality of Walter Rodney.

…and the fraud business

From the revelations now oozing out from the fallout of Sillington’s setting up his private company and the fraud expert James not evidently being so expert, SOCU’s clearly a business.

And here your Eyewitness thought it was about “justice”!!

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

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Gaskin contradicts Patterson New asphalt plant for shipment soon on US$4B Lethem airport P

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

Business Minister Dominic Gaskin

igures that were thrown around when Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson reportedly announced a US$4 billion airport to be built in Lethem during a recent Ministerial outreach are being debunked by his counterpart, Minister Dominic Gaskin.

Gaskin, who has responsibility for the business sector, was at the time appearing on a panel discussing “The State of Economy and Business in Guyana”, which also featured former Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill.

Gaskin appeared surprised at the announcement.

“US$4 billion? No, I think that has to be a mistake. That is obviously an error, US$4 billion for an airport in Lethem. No disrespect to the community of Lethem, but I don’t think any responsible Government would spend US$4 billion on an airport in Lethem. It is probably $4 billion Guyana dollars, which is closer to US$20 million.

Gaskin was asked by the host whether the headline and article, which appeared in sections of the State media, were being used to boost the coalition party’s chances at General and

Regional Elections, constitutionally due by March 19.

“The Chronicle is an organ of the State media and it reports on whatever the Government does. That’s just one of the many headlines that would have appeared in the Chronicles over the years.”

“I don’t know that The Chronicle is part of the campaign, but as a member of the Government, we’re always promoting what we do,” the Minister added.

Since the passage of a no-confidence vote against the Government in December 2018 which should have triggered the resignation of Cabinet and the calling of early General and Regional Elections, Ministers have ramped up their outreaches to various communities.

It was during one such outreach to Lethem that Patterson reportedly announced the construction of the airport, as well as upgrades to the existing Linden-Lethem road and a 1.5-megawatt solar farm.

The announcement of such a large-scale capital project was reported in Caribbean news outlets.

Local political analysts and commentators have also taken note of the frequent travel of Government Ministers to various parts

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of the country, including the hinterland region.

Outspoken attorney and chartered accountant, Christopher Ram told Guyana Times on Monday that it is clear that the current Administration is utilising State resources to fund their political campaign.

“That is a misuse of public State funds and there is a law on campaign financing – the Representation of the People’s Act has provisions on it. The Government is abusing the law and State resources,” he added.

In Chapter 1:03 Part XIII of the Act titled “Election Expenses”, a limit is placed on personal campaign expenses to GY$25,000 per candidate and a maximum sum of GY$50,000 multiplied by a maximum number of 53 from a total number of 65 candidates for each contesting political party. The Guyana exchange rate in 1990 was GY$45: US$1. It is presently GY$200: US$1.

And according to Section 120 (1) of the amended Act, following elections, political parties’ election agents have 35 days in which to submit financial returns to the Chief Elections Officer, disclosing on behalf of candidates and their parties, all payments made by the party’s election agent, amounts of personal expenses paid by each candidate, all disputed and unpaid claims, all monies, securities, and those received for the conduct of the elections, the names of donors and contributors, among others.

However, since the enactment of these regulations (Act 24 of 1990) they have neither been observed by contesting political parties nor enforced by the Chief Elections Officer.

Ram said, therefore, this could lead to social, political and economic instabilities in society.

lans to have the highly-anticipated new asphalt plant commissioned in April are progressing well as the Public Infrastructure Ministry awaits the shipment of the plant later this month.

The plant is scheduled for shipment on February 25, 2019 from Germany, according to the Ministry and the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC). Officials from these two entities recently inspected the plant in Germany to verify its state of readiness and preparatory arrangements for shipment to Guyana.

The new asphalt plant was procured through public tender during 2018 by the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, signalling an increase in operations and growth in demand.

As reported, it is anticipated that the new asphalt plant will have the power and capability to produce approximately 160

Representatives from Guyana inspecting the new asphalt plant in Germany before shipment

tonnes of asphalt per hour – almost four times faster than the current asphalt plant. Presently, the Special Projects Unit under the Public Infrastructure Ministry utilises almost 60 per cent of the asphalt produced by the DHBC. As an infrastructural investment, this plant is expected to provide efficiency in the continuity of supply of materials to the Ministry in the execution of road construction and rehabilita-

tion, without compromising quality or price, as the DHBC remains the cheapest asphalt concrete producing company in Guyana.

Further, as the product of a top brand worldwide, the new plant is expected to meet all required environmental standards regarding air and noise emissions.

The Ministry said the installation will equip Guyana with the most modern plant within the Caribbean.

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E Division headquarters receives US$8000 in office supplies President of the Linden Branch of the church, Ryan Ramdeholl also expressed gratitude to the couple for the donation. Other donors included Bernard’s Variety, Celina Ramdeholl and Singh’s, among others.

Elder and Sister Bohne, who have been attached to Guyana for several months also provide assistance to countries such as Trinidad, Suriname and the ABC islands and conduct a number of projects annually.

Through the humanitarian aid initiative, they also support the Ptolemy Reid Centre by supplying wheelchairs. They noted that Guyana is the recipient of the majority of projects.

Region 10 elects new Toshaos’ Council

Elder and Sister Bohne with Divisional Commander Linden Lord standing in front of some of the items donated

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he new E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) Police Headquarters in Linden has received a quantity of office supplies to the tune of US$8000 from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and other entities.

The items, which consist of supplies including chairs, tables, water dispensers and other articles, were donated as part of the church’s humanitarian aid initiative.

Additionally, over $300,000 in items were donated on behalf of the Mackenzie Police Station’s Management Committee to assist with the furnishing of the newly-constructed facil-

ity.

Speaking at the ceremony, representatives of the church’s welfare services, Sister and Elder Bohne of New Orleans noted that they were pleased to make the contribution and praised the collaborative effort.

“Part of our plan is to always partner with other people so that there’s many of us working together for the betterment...” she said, as she noted the church’s mandate of also assisting women and children as well as the poor and needy. In his remarks, Elder Bohne recalled visiting the headquarters last October when construction was just completed

and deciding to provide assistance based on information he received.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Station Management Committee, Avery Trim said he was happy that the church came on board and that the Committee was happy to make its presentation. In thanking the other donors, he said the items will not only serve the police but the general public.

Trim urged the recipients to take good care of the items, noting that it was not the last donation and that the Committee will ensure that the facility and outposts are adequately furnished.

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Toshaos during the election process

new Toshaos’ Council has been elected in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), following the recent hosting of the Regional Toshaos’ Conference at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) in Linden.

Following a secret ballot, Toshao of Kimbia, Rickey Boyle was elected to serve in the capacity of Chairman of the Regional Toshaos’ Council. Additionally, Toshao of Sand Hill, Andre Lindee was elected Vice Chairman.

Others who were elected to serve in various capacities include Secretary Kenneth Edwards of Riversview, Treasurer Flagon Charter and Assistant Secretary/ Treasurer Wayvon King.

During the conference, members of the Toshaos’ Council also discussed nu-

merous issues with Regional Chairman Renis Morian and highlighted various developments which have been made so far in several indigenous communities.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Commander of E Division (LindenKwakwani) Jermain Harper encouraged the leaders to be more vigilant in their respective communities.

He also appealed to the participants to work with law enforcement to ensure that their communities are crimefree and are conducive for youths, citing the incidence of abuse and domestic violence.

“If there are wrong things happening in your villages and it needs to be addressed by the police, you need to come forward, you need to stand firm in those

villages that you control.

Talk to your people because it makes no sense you allow abuse and domestic violence, sexual abuse all these things are on the rise happening in your village and then nobody is coming forward,” Harper said.

The Toshaos also received information on the procedure for an application of a firearm licence since this was highlighted as a major concern.

Harper noted that steps will be taken to ensure they all have proper identification as rural constables, which is an automatic position, as Toshaos. It was stated too that the region presently has the highest rate of marijuana cultivation. The Toshaos all committed to better relations with the police.

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PPP promises to adhere to dual citizenship law regarding MPs

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eople’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has committed to ensure that the laws regarding dual citizenship for Members of Parliament (MPs) are upheld.

While Jagdeo said the PPP has no intentions of returning to the National Assembly, when asked how he hopes to deal with the situation if they had to return, he said, “We will uphold the law.”

At present, the PPP has three MPs who have dual citizenship. They are Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, who is a Canadian citizen; and Adrian Anamayah and Odinga Lumumba who are both US

citizens.

However, he said that if there was need to return for the handling of issues relating to the holding of elections, those who want to hold on to their dual citizenship would be recalled and replaced.

He told the press that his Party has not yet decided on who would be the three replacements, but said that such matters could be discussed quickly and decisions could be made in no time.

Jagdeo said that the executive would first have to discuss the matter and if it led to replacements, then they would have to refer to the electoral list.

It is not clear if any of the PPP/C MPs plan to give

Labour Dept to mediate between RUSAL, Bauxite Union

– meeting planned for today as Union complains of more violations

GBGWU General Secretary Lincoln Lewis and Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle

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o v e r n m e n t ’ s Department of Labour will be mediating talks today at its office in Georgetown between the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) and Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GBGWU) to iron out an industrial dispute.

According to GBGWU General Secretary Lincoln Lewis in a statement on Sunday, the 10:00h meeting was arranged after Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle intervened and extended invitations to both sides.

“GB&GWU shall attend, not only confident the laws are on the workers’ side, but in quickened steps to bring about resolution, conscious that the soil we walk on is drenched with the blood, sweat and tears of our forebears and made more enriched for the workers of today to first reap of its bounty,” Lewis made it clear in the statement.

This comes, however, even as the union complains that the company has ratcheted up its actions against striking workers. Lewis revealed that BCGI, which is owned by Russian firm RUSAL, even hired transportation to enforce their orders that striking employees leave their

premises.

“The Russian management of BCGI must not be allowed to exploit our resources and in the process violate Guyanese and disrespect our laws. Not here in Guyana!

120 bauxite workers, including their families, who permanently reside in the residential location at Aroaima, owned by BCGI, were issued a circular last Friday to immediately vacate the community.”

“The company hired buses to facilitate the move to enforce its edict. The children of these workers attend the nursery and primary schools in the area. The surrounding communities are dependent on the workers.”

In addition, Lewis noted that other workers who live part-time on site have had kitchen services taken away from them. He explained that these workers spend two weeks on site and take their days off offsite.

“It is evident in the management thinking that workers can be brought to their knees by depriving them of food. This tactic will not break the indomitable spirit and will of those who are committed to struggle for their freedoms. turn to page 12

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

up their dual citizenship, except for Teixeira who is a long-standing member of the Party and has served in high-level positions such as presidential advisor.

In the meantime, the lone Alliance For Change (AFC) MP who holds dual

citizenship is Business Minister Dominic Gaskin.

He was born in the United Kingdom, but is a citizen of Guyana by descent.

The AFC has argued that the issue of renouncing citizenship does not apply to Guyanese who were born in another country. It believes that Gaskin could remain an MP because of this.

On the other hand, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) members including Minister of State, Joseph Harmon holds American citizenship and so does Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence. Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge and Minister of Public Service, Rupert Roopnaraine are also dual citizens. They are citizens of the United Kingdom.

However, none of the APNU members have indicated a willingness to give up their citizenship.

The controversy concerning persons with dual

citizenship in the National Assembly surfaced after former Government MP Charrandas Persaud voted in favour of a no-confidence motion, which was tabled by the Opposition and validly passed in the National Assembly.

A private citizen, Compton Reid, challenged the validity of the vote cast

by Persaud in the National Assembly on the basis that he breached Article 155 of the Constitution which bars MPs from having dual citizenship.

This argument also formed part of the opinions presented to Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland in the hopes that he would reverse the ruling – something the Speaker ultimately refused to do.

According to the acting Chief Justice Roxane George, by swearing allegiance to another State, a dual citizen is not qualified

to be elected to serve in the National Assembly.

She noted that while Persaud should not have been a sitting parliamentarian because of his dual citizenship, at the time of his vote on the motion, he was a valid MP; hence, his vote was valid.

This issue is not peculiar to Guyana, because most recently the world was made aware of a similar situation in Australia.

That country was pitched into a political crisis in 2018 after a court ruled that a senator was ineligible to sit in Parliament because she had failed to renounce her British citizenship, triggering a spate of MP resignations.

Some 14 parliamentarians have resigned or been ruled ineligible since mid2017 when renewed scrutiny on a constitutional clause set politicians scrambling to prove they only had Australian citizenship.

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monday, february 18, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Brandon Harding defends Soca Monarch title T

he 2018 Carib Soca Monarch, Brandon Harding, has managed to edge newcomer Steven Ramphal by a mere point to retain the title when the competition was held at the National Park Tarmac on Saturday evening.

Harding performed “Alone” with a full complement of backup dancers and props while Steven Ramphal performed “Soca in meh vein”. Ramphal bagged $750,000 for copping the second spot while he will receive another $100,000 for the best newcomer. Harding walked away with a whopping $1.5 million.

Coming in third was the lone police officer in the competition, “Vintage” who performed “Soca King” and in the fourth position was the three-time monarch, Jumo “Rubber Waist” Primo.

The top performers have definitely set a high bar for those who have aspirations coming into the competition in 2020.

Speaking with Guyana Times, Harding noted that he was confident in retaining the title. He posited that a lot of work has been put into his performance which, without a doubt, was enough to win the judges’ hearts.

He explained that going into the competition, Jumo Primo was his biggest competition but after seeing the performance by Steven Ramphal, he knew that it

cals, he shifted the foundation of the National Park.

Dressed in red and gold as Ramphal, Harding and his backup dancers set the park on fire.

Meanwhile, following

the announcement, Jumo reportedly left the venue while the Monarch and the first and second runners-up joined hands on the stage as they sang each other’s songs.

Labour Dept to mediate... from page 11

Carib Soca Monarch 2019, Brandon Harding and second runner-up Steven Ramphal onstage in the National Park Arena after the announcement on Sunday morning

would be an uphill task.

He noted that Saturday evening definitely did not go well for Primo, but he is cognisant that the former monarch is still one of the greatest and most energetic Guyanese performers onstage.

Nevertheless, he was ecstatic when he was named the winner in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

He thanked his team for the support and is expected to successfully defend his title in 2020.

Speaking to this newspaper, the second place winner said that he was surprised

to have been awarded the second position and more so, felt accomplished to have only lost by one point.

He explained that on the night of the competition, everything was on point - from dancers to props. “This is definitely an encouragement to stay in the Soca competition… I think I will stick around for a while,” Ramphal said.

He thanked his wife, SAS Designs, and Ramdial Construction for the support they have provided to him during the Soca competition.

He started his perfor-

mance with a video introduction that explained that the birth of Soca was as a result of the sounds of Africa and India coming together.

This was followed by the African and Tassa drummers coming on stage thus creating a fusion of togetherness.

On the other hand, Harding appeared in the centre of the stage on a throne and proclaimed that he came ‘Alone’ to represent his crown after receiving the support of his hometown.

Brandon’s performance was undoubtedly flawless and with his excellent vo-

The many examples of history are on their side.”

According to Lewis, Friday’s strike action was inspired by BCGI’s failure to respect the workers’ rights to a union of their choice and collective bargaining. According to the union representative, the workers have only acted in accordance with Article 147 of the Guyana Constitution.

“The further act of seeking to physically dispossess them is not only lawless, inhumane, vindictive and uncalled for but a violation of their conditions of employment. Workers have ignored the edict and are resolutely standing their ground.

They, along with their families, remain within Maple Town.”

“The Government of Guyana, the Ministry of Public Security now has the responsibility to ensure their safety and well-being in the area and immediate environs since their lives have made untenable by management.”

Lewis made it clear that the Government has joint shareholding interest in the bauxite company. He noted that therefore, the actions of management are also being perpetuated in the Government’s name.

“GB&GWU is on record saying the stalemate is much more than that of an industrial nature; it has elements of ethnic disrespect, political bias, political inaction and disrespect for Guyana’s sovereignty (Laws). Friday’s act by management, in closing down critical areas of operation (mining and maintenance) and ordering workers and their families out of the town, has escalated the contempt.”

“Enough is enough or as one striking worker said, if we don’t stand up now and fight, we won’t be able to fight in the future! That worker echoes the conviction of citizens of the world who believe in the benefit of respecting basic right of freedom of association,” Lewis stated.

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monday, february 18, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Linden-Soesdyke Highway hit-and-run

Family of dead mechanic accuses Police of pussyfooting around on investigations

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t has been more than three weeks since the death of an auto body technician, Brian Basdeo, who lost his life on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway on January 19 and his family members are not pleased with the progress of the police investigations.

Sister of the now dead man, Sherry Basdeo told Guyana Times that she still mourns the death of her young brother whose life was literally dragged from him on that fateful night.

Although she has been making constant contact with the police on the matter, all she is being told is that investigations are ongoing.

The distraught and unsatisfied woman said she has been told by the police that they do not have enough evidence to pursue the main suspect in the case, although his car was found in his Grove, East Bank Demerara, home with changed car parts, coincidentally, the part of the car that matched the one they found on the highway which was believed to have fallen off after hitting the now dead man and friend.

An officer, she said, related to her that the suspect’s brother was “earlier” involved in an accident which resulted in the damages to the car.

Basdeo said she has become very frustrated and would like to know what it takes for poor people to get justice in Guyana.

Last week, when this newspaper spoke with the Traffic Chief, Linden Isles, he explained that the matter remains under investigation and will be sent for advice from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Isles, who confirmed that the main suspect has fled the country, was unable to

Another car then pulled up to render assistance and in doing so, they saw the white Toyota RunX approaching at a fast rate.

Guyana Times understands that the man who stopped to help shouted for

Basdeo and the other man to move out of the way as he ran to safety.

Basdeo was reportedly stooping down to conduct checks on the vehicle when he was struck and tossed by the speeding car. He landed

onto the roadway and died almost immediately.

His friend, who attempted to run, was also struck by the speeding car, the driver of which did not stop to render assistance. He was rushed to the Georgetown

Public Hospital where he was examined and it was discovered that his left leg was broken in several places. He was treated while Basdeo was pronounced dead on arrival at the Diamond Hospital.

Berbicians benefit from lecture on emerging oil and gas sector Dead: Brian Basdeo

say whether or not a wanted bulletin would be issued or what turn the investigation would take. He would only say that the policing team is continuing their investigation.

Twenty-one-year-old Brian Basdeo was killed in the accident on January 19, while another was injured.

A source close to the investigation told this publication that the suspect’s father and brother were questioned by the police while a white Toyota RunX, suspected to be the car involved in the accident, was impounded.

It was reported that the suspect left Guyana the Monday after the accident.

Basdeo, an auto body technician of Grass Field, Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, had travelled to the Linden-Soesdyke Highway to tow another car to his home to have it repaired.

The car with the mechanical issue was being towed by another car driven by a friend of the now deceased man. As they moved off, the car that was being towed and steered by Basdeo started to make a loud noise.

At that time, Basdeo shouted to his friend, ordering him to stop. They both exited their vehicles to make checks.

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esidents of New Amsterdam, Berbice, on Friday last benefitted from an interactive session on Guyana’s emerging oil and gas sector hosted by Head of the Department of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe.

It was the fifth interactive session organised by the Department of Energy within the Ministry of the Presidency aimed at raising awareness among all Guyanese on the oil and gas sector as well as to sensitise them on the multiplier effects.

The session, which was held at the Berbice High School, also aimed at providing an opportunity for stakeholders to actively participate in discussions.

However, scores of persons turned up claiming that they were promised jobs if they attended the session, and as such, walked with their relevant documents for interviews.

Region Six Chairman David Armogan was quick to dispel those rumours claiming that the exercise is not about job opportunities.

Meanwhile, Head of the Department of Energy, Dr Mark Bynoe encouraged the youths to plan for careers, not only in oil and gas but rather for the transformation of the economy.

Guyana is expected to begin commercial oil production

by March 2020 and is expected to rake in an initial annu-

A section of the large gathering at the Berbice High School on Friday

al revenue of US$300 million.

Guyana is now home to the world’s biggest new deep-water oil discovery. Principle explorer ExxonMobil has been keen to push development of the oil reserves and is expected to begin commercial production next year. So far, there have been twelve discoveries in the Stabroek Black alone.

Currently, there are several operators in the sector besides ExxonMobil. At least four will be carrying out ex-

ploratory works this year with four wells planned to be dug. According to Bynoe, CGX Energy Inc is among the four companies which are expected to drill later this year.

“While we speak about a sector, the sector only had one success and that success is ExxonMobil, so as the Chairman said, we are sitting not just on a gold mine but we have the lottery ticket and it is up to us when we wish to cash it in,” Bynoe told the gathering.

Head of the Department of Energy Dr Mark Bynoe

So far, a total of an estimated five billion barrels of oil has been discovered in territories which belong to Guyana.

According to Bynoe, the sector will be managed through recruitment and instructional strengthening, the revision of the legal framework and partnering with other agencies.

He added that the right policies will be established to assist with managing the sector.

14 news

monday, february 18, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Monkey Mountain youths to benefit Suicide rate has significantly decreased – Public Health official from lapidary training in Brazil

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lthough Guyana has been labelled as one of the Region’s most suicide-plagued countries, statistics over the past few years have proven differently.

This was according to Clinical Psychologist attached to the Public Health Ministry, Balogun Osunbiyi who explained that the suicide death rates in Guyana stood at 44.2 per cent in 2012.

Over the years, this high percentage has decreased with 2016 figures standing at 29 per cent and in 2017, 24.67 per cent. Although the figures for 2018 have not been officially released, this newspaper was told that suicide-related deaths were down by at least 50.

While these numbers may be good for the country, The Caribbean Voice had a different view on the matter.

In fact, the Managing Director of the agency, Bibi Ahamad, believes that the numbers have not decreased significantly and that the Health Ministry might be trying to paint this picture.

She said that the numbers suggested that the figures may have been reduced but many suicidal attempts are smeared when victims are rushed to the hospital

Clinical Psychologist Balogun Osunbiyi

and are treated.

Ahamad said that those persons die from heart failure a few days later and this does not record as a suicide case.

According to her, “The rate has not dropped significantly, but I know a lot of cases would not have been reported. Someone drinks gramoxone, they go to the hospital, the doctor gives them some saline and that person feels a little better and goes home and about two or three days after they pass away (so) that death certificate does not put the cause of death as poison but by fail-

ure of heart or something”.

Admitting that The Caribbean Voice does not have access to statistics, the Director complained that for some reason, the Government is quiet on figures relating to social ills, as many analyses are sometimes not even conducted or shared so that those ills can be addressed.

Osunbiyi, who spoke with the National Public Radio (NPR) in the United States, told the agency that there are many reasons for the country’s alarming rates of suicide.

Among the reasons he listed were a pervasive stigma about mental illness, access to lethal chemicals, alcohol misuse, interpersonal violence, family dysfunction and insufficient mental health resources.

The Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) conducted a study in 2017 which found that the leading cause of death was suicide among persons between the ages of 15 to 24 years old. Even more surprising was that those figures accounted for more than half of the deaths in persons between the ages of 20 and 24.

That study also found that most victims of suicide were males.

Guyana aims for expansion in air connectivity …as it signs Air Services Agreements with 16 States

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The youths who are expected to benefit from the program

en youths from Monkey Mountain, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) have embarked on a one-month training in Boa Vista, Brazil, for the Lapidary project, the first of its kind in Guyana.

The youths, five males and five females made the journey to the neighbouring State of Roraima, Brazil, to commence the final stage of preparation at SENAI, a highly recognised technical institution in Brazil, before putting on their white robes in their state-of-the-art laboratory on home soil.

Minister within the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry, Valerie GarridoLowe, who is the brain behind this sustainable economic livelihood project, said the Government has full confidence in the indigenous youths and is not afraid to invest in them.

The Minister said since ascension to office in 2015, the Government began to place special emphasis on hinterland development, particularly the youths, in an effort to ensure they become less dependent on handouts as was the custom.

Minister GarridoLowe thanked SENAI for its partnership with the Government of Guyana on this life-changing initiative and is confident that this initiative will benefit the Guyanese youths.

Consul General for Guyana in Roraima and other Northern States of Brazil, Shirley Melville noted that in 2018, Guyana and Brazil celebrated 50 years of bilat-

eral relations and remains confident this will continue for many more decades to come.

In thanking SENAI for making the course a reality, Melville stated that “We appreciate this very much and with this very big project in front of you, it has to be successful. It must be all about teamwork, and you have to realise also that it reflects very well on behalf of SENAI. So together we will make this a very successful project”.

Speaking through an interpreter, Director of Professional Education CFP, SENAI Jamili Vasconselos, encouraged the youths to capitalise on acquiring all the knowledge possible over the duration of the course, while also taking the opportunity to learn more about what the institution has to offer. She said SENAI’s doors remain open for future pursuits.

Following the first day of training, one of the beneficiaries, Joanase Stanislaus, said “It was real good, the impossible became possible.

When we started classes it was like how do we begin our work and by listening to the teacher we were able to know what to do with the equipment and how to use it”.

Another student, Samuel King, said “When we started the training we see something we didn’t expect to see when we had the tour. The lesson was really good, we learnt a lot of things yesterday like how there are plenty precious stones, and dia-

mond that we think was the highest one was at number seven and two or three of the precious stones are found in Guyana and in my region”.

Meanwhile, the stateof-the-art lapidary facility, once operable, will produce jewellery, ornaments and exotic pieces of furniture using semi-precious stones which can be found in abundance on the plains of the Pakaraimas.

This project is also intended to promote the village’s tourism prospects with an additional component added where tourists will be afforded the opportunity of participating in a “semi-precious stone hunting expedition”. This will allow them the opportunity of choosing their own piece of semi-precious stone and their own designs which will be produced to order back at the lab.

Kato, Kurukabaru, Maikwak and Tuseneng are on board with the project and will be supplying semi-precious stones to the Monkey Mountain Lapidary, among them are crystals, amethyst, volcanic jasper and agate gemstones, adding value to the product.

Monkey Mountain, or the village’s traditional name, “Wandike” is home to more than one thousand residents and is nestled beautifully in the North Pakaraima Mountain Range and lies seventeen hundred feet above sea level. Its main economic activity is subsistence farming, hunting and fishing.

Pupils spread love by releasing balloons

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The Guyanese delegation at the signing of the Air Services Agreement with the sixteen States

he Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) between December 1014, 2018, attended the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation (ICAN) event, which was hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.

The annual ICAN event, in which seventy-one ICAO contracting States participated, specifically provides a gathering of these member States so as to conduct multiple bilateral and plurilateral air services negotiations, consultations and networking opportunities.

The Guyanese group comprised of Director General of the Guyana Civil

Aviation Authority, Col (Ret’d) Egbert Field, and Director for Air Transport Management, Saheed Sulaman. They would have conducted twenty-six meetings at ICAN. As a result of these meetings, Guyana signed sixteen Air Services Agreements (ASAs) with states including Luxembourg, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, United Kingdom and Mozambique, among others.

Additionally, Guyana also signed a Code Sharing Agreement with Australia and a Technical Cooperation Agreement with Ghana for the exchange of knowledge and technical expertise in the area of civil aviation.

These negotiations are aimed at setting the frame-

work for expansion in air connectivity of Guyana with the rest of the world and aid to Guyana’s efforts in becoming a strong international air traffic hub.

While these agreements were initialled and memoranda of understanding were signed with these countries, signatures at the Ministerial level are still pending. Moreover, airlines from other countries can commence flights to Guyana at any time provided that the airlines are operating by the conditions outlined in the ASAs. Negotiation of these agreements is complementary to the work started at the ICAO Air Transport Meeting which was held in Guyana in 2018.

I

The police ranks along with teachers and pupils

n light of the Valentine season, Police ranks attached to the E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) headquarters on Friday met with pupils of the Wisroc Nursery School in Linden for a symbolic gesture of love by releasing red and white balloons into the air.

The initiative was conducted under the theme

and hashtag #releasingthelove.

Divisional Commander and Senior Superintendent, Linden Lord along with Inspector Colette Evans, Sergeant Barkoye and other ranks, visited the school where they met and interacted with the teachers and students.

Lord noted that it was

a pleasure interacting with the students and teachers, adding that it was part of the Force’s mandate to continue to enhance community relations.

“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence,” he noted.

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news

monday, february 18, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

VOX POPULI

I SAY...

What the people say

What security measures could schools put in place to monitor items entering their doors?

Sanjiv Nandalal “Ideally, it shouldn't reach this stage but if faced with the problem then, unfortunately, a solution or solutions are needed. The methods of

detection used have often differed based on the level/ type of school (secondary, primary, nursery, etc). For primary schools, systems have often been put in place for monitoring. Security cameras and mandatory badges for students and staff. Also, strict dress codes. For secondary schools, implementing metal detectors at all main doors for all schools will be extremely expensive. Instead, security cameras, mandatory badges for staff and students, strict access-control for visitors, random dog sniffs and random metal detector tests could be used. Pat down on entry will firstly be seen as a definite violation, hence, will not be popular but will probably be the least expensive.”

Calixte Williams “Well, I would say surveillance cameras should be installed at various points in schools and have it all linked to one operating room which could be situated at the Ministry or wherever.

So, additionally to their regular security guards, events could be monitored by a transmission operator or whoever have access to the link. I see people monitor their house from foreign. Or they can even use brain games and put up notices of surveillance being around so people would be afraid to make any wrong move knowing they are being watched.”

Aquon Chester “I think schools can improve security measures by having security guards check and screen persons entering at the gate. They can also have detectors that can pick up inappropriate items that students and others may have.”

Simy Ramjattan-Boodram “I think they should get some really good guards to search every individual that is entering the gate.”

Vinesha Narine “I believe parents should do more in terms of religion. Being a Christian, I believe Jesus is the answer to everything so having more Bible classes in schools these days may very well help. It's just that if places like prison and the airport and all them places have so much security and stuff still get in and then imagine schools.

The only remedy that will be effective is Jesus.”

Leanna Bobbsemple “Well, every school supposed to have a security guard hut, so persons entering the school should first meet with the guard and let them check their bags. Guards should ask visitors what is their reason for visiting the school before letting them enter too.”

Dalon Chapman “In my opinion, more attention needs to be paid on monitoring what enters into schools. These days we hear of students taking weapons and all these things. More discussions need to take place and systems implemented to monitor these things.”

Leanna Parris “I think security guards could be one of the measures they can use and as persons enter the gates of the schools, security can do thorough checks on them just to make sure there are no extremely harmful objects.”

Sheik Asweem “Scanners and undercover agents/security officers to monitor. It’s not conducive to have firearms brandished in front of students, this will cause a boot camp outlook and distractions to the learning environment.”

UG launches new centre to boost lecturer-student relationships

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Shabazza Douglas “Extensive security checks with scanners and pat-down method.”

he University of Guyana on Wednesday launched its Centre of Excellence for Teaching and Learning at its Turkeyen Campus with the aim of providing an atmosphere for students and lecturers to work together.

Education Minister, Nicolette Henry stated that the University has evolved into a tertiary institution that is more competitive as well as respected. She added that the University plays a pivotal role in being responsible for qualifying the country’s human resources.

“This University has, over the years, been evolving into a more competitive and respected tertiary institution in the region and is certainly responsible for a lot that is required for this country’s human resource development. I believe that this achievement is no small

Education Minister Nicolette Henry and other officials and lecturers at the launch

part due to the emphasis that the University places and providing a dynamic highly student centred learning environment” she remarked.

Additionally, the Education Minister noted that there is a greater need for diversification in higher educational levels as the country is becoming a petroleum-based economy.

“On the eve of a petro-

leum-supported economy, there’s an unprecedented demand for a great diversification in higher education as well as increased awareness of its vital importance for sociocultural and economic development.”

Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Guyana, Professor Ivelaw Griffith in his remarks positively stated that project renaissance completion is the

finished product of building partnerships.

“So many things we have begun to do on project renaissance could not be done just by UG resources, Government of Guyana resources and so we’ve been building partnerships with academic institutions within and beyond Guyana” Professor Griffith stated.

The launching of the centre together with the inau-

gural teaching and learning symposium was held under the theme “New era, new strategies to enhance teaching and learning as we journey along the renaissance road”.

The Centre will fall under the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus.

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONday, february 18, 2019

Regional

Haiti vows to trim expenses and investigate Nicaraguan Government meets with business PetroCaribe amid protests

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he Haitian Government vowed to deepen the investigation into alleged corruption in the PetroCaribe oil programme and to reduce its expenses, seeking to meet some of protesters’ demands as demonstrations roil the country.

During a televised address on Saturday night, Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant announced nine measures aimed at alleviating the country’s economic crisis. Ceant said the Government would reduce its expenses by 30 per cent, meet with the Private Sector to try to raise the minimum wage and appoint a new director to intensify the investigation into alleged corruption by PetroCaribe.

“I and the members of the Government listen to (the Opposition’s) voice, we

hear his cry, we understand his anger and indignation,” Ceant said.

Since February 7, thousands of demonstrators have called for President Jovenel Moise and Ceant to resign and for an independent probe into the whereabouts of funds from the PetroCaribe agreement, an alliance between Caribbean countries and Venezuela.

The agreement’s preferential terms for energy purchases were meant to help free up funds to aid development in Haiti, which has been hammered by natural disasters and is ranked as the poorest in the Americas, according to the World Bank.

Ceant warned that the protests risked touching off a humanitarian crisis.

“The population suf-

leaders in bid to end crisis

T

A man holds a weapon next to burning barricades during antiGovernment protests in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 17, 2019

fers a lot, because blocked roads cannot deliver water to drink, food, gasoline. It is almost impossible to have electricity,” said Ceant, who

had previously kept silent during the protests, which have reportedly killed several people and injured many more. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Venezuela crisis: Guaidó sets up possible confrontation over US aid

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enezuela’s self-declared interim leader has set up a confrontation over US aid by calling for Venez-uelans to cross borders and bring it into the country next week.

Juan Guaidó wants a “humanitarian avalanche” and “caravans” to go to the borders to get the aid next Saturday.

President Nicolás Maduro says the aid is part of a US plot to disguise an invasion into Venezuela.

The US says Guaidó requested aid because the country was in crisis.

USAID administrator Mark Green said children were going hungry, that nearly every hospital in Venezuela was experiencing medicine shortages and that three million people had left

the country.

It remains unclear if the aid will be allowed to enter Venezuela.

US military planes have already delivered aid to the Colombian border town of Cucuta. Guaidó said more aid distribution centres would be opened in the Brazilian border town of Roraima and in the Caribbean.

Outlining his plans for February 23, Guaidó, who is leader of the Opposition-controlled National Assembly, urged Venezuelans to mobilise en masse in all of the country’s states.

He said aid would enter Venezuela by land and sea, and also urged Venezuelans living abroad to demonstrate and for those in Colombia

he Nicaraguan Government said it has initiated talks with the country’s Private Sector in what observers see as a bid to repair the relationship between embattled President Daniel Ortega and business leaders and ease a political crisis that has engulfed the country since last spring.

The dialogue between the Government and businessmen “has confirmed the need for an agreement to begin negotiations through an inclusive, serious, and frank meeting”, the Government said in a statement Saturday evening.

José Adán Aguerri, the President of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise, told local media that the meeting was an “important effort to open a door that has been closed for a long time”.

Next week, Nicaragua’s national assembly, which is dominated by legislators loyal to the Government, is expected to discuss tax reform that would increase taxes on business and eliminate some exemptions.

Protests first erupted in April when Ortega’s leftist Government moved to reduce welfare benefits, but have escalated into broader opposition against Ortega, who has been in office since 2007.

More than 320 people have been killed and more than 600 detained since protests began, according to figures from human rights groups.

Roman Catholic Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes and Archbishop Waldemar Stanislaw also participated in the talks. The Catholic Church of Nicaragua organised previous talks between Ortega and the Opposition.

US Ambassador to Nicaragua Kevin Sullivan applauded the meeting.

“The US Government welcomes this effort to re-establish negotiations between Nicaraguan Government and civil society representatives,” he wrote in a post on Twitter on Saturday evening. “The negotiations will require good faith efforts to achieve real solutions in real time for the Nicaraguan people.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

4 die in early-morning Trinidad car crash

T Aid has been unloaded from US planes in Colombia and driven towards the Venezuela border

and Brazil to accompany the aid into Venezuela.

In an earlier tweet, he said 600,000 people had signed up as volunteers to help bring in the aid and

appealed to the military – which has so far remained loyal to Maduro – to “put itself on the side of the people” and let the aid in. (Excerpt from BBC News)

hey have identified two of those killed as fireman Kerwin Duncan and 28-year-old disc jockey Dwayne Dick.

Police said the four men were returning from a party on Sunday, when the driver lost control and crashed into a utility pole in Longdenville, near Chaguanas.

Two of them were thrown out of the vehicle and died instantly, while the other two men who have not yet

been identified died at the Chaguanas Health Facility.

Relatives said that Dick had played at a party in Caparo and his three friends also attended the event to support him.

“I am still in shock. I still can’t believe he is gone. This is so hard for me. I am just out of it right now,” Dick’s girlfriend, Shenell Sealey, told reporters, adding “I just wish this was a dream and I would wake up and see him”. (CMC)

Assess all children at the primary level Bahamas temporarily halts – retired Barbadian Principal deportations to Haiti

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R

etired Principal Jeff Broomes insists that if the nation wants to put an end to the vast number of students leaving secondary school without any certification, every child needs to be assessed at the primary level and proper remediation given.

Lamenting the fact that over 60 per cent of the students graduating from secondary schools were doing so without attaining one single certificate, the outspoken educator said long-term solutions have to be implemented to stop this from happening and these must start at the beginning.“Too many children leave the primary level with too many gaps in their knowledge base and character tracks. It cannot be about teaching a syllabus; it must be about addressing the developmental and educational needs of all. Our elitist focus of specific schools over all else is unfair, destructive and anti-good citizenship. If we believe that we pro-

Some of those at the lunchtime lecture

vide good facilities, we provide good teachers and we provide appropriate learning experiences at all schools, why is it so difficult to eliminate the mass daily movement of children from one part of the country to another,” he argued.Delivering Saturday’s Astor B Watts lecture at the Democratic Labour Party headquarters, he disagreed with the practice of students having to travel over several

parishes to attend school, insisting that this was wasting time that could be used more lucratively.

“Of course, this also adds to the destructive van stand culture.

This is time that could be used for studying; this is time that could be used for sporting endeavours and this is time that could be used for creative exploration in culture and service,” he added. (Excerpt from Barbados Advocate)

he Bahamas Government says it has temporarily ceased all deportations to Haiti as a result of the political unrest in that French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

“The decision follows the temporary closure of The Bahamas Embassy in Port-au-Prince and the recall of all diplomatic and consular staff,” the Government said in a statement.

It said in anticipation of a potential increase of illegal migration from Haiti, Bahamian security forces have been placed on high alert.

“As a protective measure, the Government is also preparing a temporary detention centre in Matthew Town, Inagua, which will be staffed with personnel from relevant Ministries and Government agencies, as to deal with any resultant eventualities.”

Bahamian officials have in the past called on Haitians not to undertake the dangerous voyage by sea to

enter the country illegally. Earlier this month, 31 Haitians drowned when their vessel ran aground in waters off Abaco. The authorities said 18 others who had been rescued would be deported.

“The department’s policy in reference to the handling of the illegal migrants remains the same. There has been no change in regard to this policy,” the Department of Immigration said.

Opposition political parties in Haiti have been staging street demonstrations in support of their calls for President Moise to step down, after accusing him of not investigating allegations of corruption in the previous Government over PetroCaribe, an oil alliance of many Caribbean States with Venezuela to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment. At least seven people have been killed in the protests so far. Several others have been injured in clashes with Police. (CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONday, february 18, 2019

17

Around the World

Kashmiris complain of evictions after Trump tells European countries deadly attack on Indian forces, authorities to take back IS fighters promise safety P

I

ndia has warned against rising communal tensions across the country as some Kashmiris living outside their State said they faced property evictions while others were attacked on social media after a suicide bomber killed 44 policemen in the region.

The car bomb attack on a security convoy on Thursday, claimed by Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Jaishe-Mohammad and carried out by a 20-year-old Kashmiri

man, was the worst in decades of insurgency in the disputed area, which is claimed in full by both the nuclear-armed neighbours.

As the bodies of the paramilitary policemen who died in the attack were returned to families across India this weekend, passionate crowds waving the Indian flag gathered in the streets to honour them and shouted demands for revenge.

Pakistan has denied any

role in the killings.

Kashmiri Muslims, meanwhile, say they are facing a backlash in Hindu-majority India, mainly in the northern States of Haryana and Uttarakhand, forcing the Federal Interior Ministry to issue an advisory to all States.

“The Ministry has taken a stringent view and has issued an advisory to all States and union territories to ensure safety and security of Kashmiris, and to maintain

communal harmony,” A Bharat Bhushan Babu, a spokesman for the Ministry, told Reuters on Sunday.

Fear has engulfed Kashmiri students in Ambala after a video on social media showed a village headman asking people to evict Kashmiri students in the area.

Police said they were investigating the matter. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

Poland PM cancels Israel trip after Netanyahu’s Holocaust comment

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki (L) met PM Netanyahu this month

P

M Mateusz Mora-wiecki has cancelled a trip to Israel following comments on the Holo-caust by Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mr Netanyahu was quot-

ed in Israeli media as saying “Poles co-operated with the Germans” during the Holocaust.

He later issued a clarification saying he was not referring to the Polish nation or all

Polish people.

Poland summoned the Israeli ambassador and on Sunday said Mr Morawiecki would not attend a summit on Tuesday.

The meeting, hosted by Israel, is of the Visegrad Group that represents the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Polish Government spokesperson Joanna Kopcinska said: “Prime Minister Morawiecki told Prime Minister Netanyahu in a telephone call that Poland will be represented at the summit by Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz”.

Mr Netanyahu was on a state visit to Poland on Thursday when his comments were reported in Israeli media, including Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post.

The Jerusalem Post said

its version used the term “Polish nation”, which it said it quickly amended.

Mr Netanyahu’s office issued a clarification, saying: “In a briefing, PM Netanyahu spoke of Poles and not the Polish people or the country of Poland”.

Mr Morawiecki took to Twitter to say there was “no Polish regime” during the Nazi occupation of Poland.

Israel’s ambassador to Warsaw was summoned by the Foreign Ministry on Friday.

President Andrzej Duda said that if Mr Netanyahu had said what was first reported “Israel would not be a good place to meet”.

On Sunday, Mr Morawiecki announced his trip would be cancelled. (Excerpt

A man walks past campaign posters after Nigeria’s presidential election was postponed in Maiduguri, Nigeria

W

hile most Nigerians took the delay in a presidential election in their stride on Sunday, after similar postponements in 2011 and 2015,

one presidential candidate and civil society groups expressed concern that the vote could now be compromised.

Authorities postponed Saturday’s election by a week

Donald Trump: “Put them on trial”

detained fighters would put European countries at risk unless they are brought to justice.

Trump’s remarks echo those made by the UK’s Foreign Intelligence Chief on Friday, who warned that the Islamic State group is reorganising for more attacks despite its military defeat in Syria. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives in Pakistan

from BBC News)

Nigerian candidate says delayed presidential vote could be compromised just hours before polls had been due to open. The vote pits President Muhammadu Buhari, in power since 2015, against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Previous elections in Africa’s biggest democracy and top oil producer have been marred by vote rigging, voter intimidation and post-election violence.

Kingsley Moghalu - one of the best-known candidates aside from Buhari and Atiku - and civil society groups said there was uncertainty over the extent to which ballot papers and result sheets may have been exposed.

“There is the risk of manipulation,” said Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the central bank, whose campaign has focused on re-

resident Trump has told the UK and other European allies to take back and put on trial more than 800 Islamic State (IS) group fighters captured in the final battle against the group.

His tweet comes as USbacked Kurdish forces continue an assault on the last pocket of IS territory on the Syrian side of the Iraqi border.The IS fighters are being held by the Kurdish-led forces. Trump added that the IS caliphate was “ready to fall”.

The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go.

We do so much, and spend so much - Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing,” he said in a tweet.Otherwise, he said, the US would be forced to release them.

Trump Administration officials have also told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper that they fear some of the

viving the economy.

Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu said the postponement was due to logistical factors. He denied political pressure had played any part.

Convener of the Situation Room, Clement Nwankwo, which represents more than 70 civil society groups, said there had been a few reports from some of the organisation’s 9000 observers of “instances in which the ballots have been exposed”, although he said the scale of the problem was not clear.

He said civil society groups were due to hold a meeting with Yakubu today to address this and other issues over the delay. (Excerpt from Reuters)

In addition to holding talks with PM Khan, MbS is expected to meet army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and President Arif Alvi

S

audi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Pakistan for a two-day state visit and $20 billion in investment deals were signed to shore up the South Asian nation’s ailing economy.

Prince Mohammed, also known as MBS, arrived in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on Sunday, a day after he was originally scheduled to land.

He was greeted by Prime Minister Imran Khan and given a red-carpet welcome with a 21-gun salute.

The Prince was accompanied by a high-powered delegation, including leading businessmen and Cabinet Ministers, who shortly after their arrival in Pakistan signed a spate of agreements totalling more than $20 billion, according to Prince Mohammed who spoke at a joint press conference later with Khan.

“It’s going to grow every month, every year,” he said of economic cooperation between the two countries. “We believe Pakistan is going to be a very important country in the coming future and we want to be sure we are a part of that.”

The Crown Prince also announced his vision to make Saudi Arabia a top destination for tourism. The kingdom aims to diversify its oil-reliant economy in a plan described as Vision 2030.

Major roads in Islamabad were blocked off for Prince Mohammed’s arrival with more than 1000 police checkpoints set up. Entry into the fortified diplomatic zone was banned, and the airspace over the city was shut down.

Mobile phone and internet services were blocked in parts of the city. Today has been declared a public holiday and schools and offices will be closed. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Macron condemns anti-Semitic abuse at ‘yellow vest’ protest

F

rench President Emmanuel Macron has condemned anti-Semitic abuse directed towards a prominent intellectual by “yellow vest” protesters on Saturday.

“These abuses are the absolute negation of what makes France a great na-

tion. We won’t tolerate them”, Macron said on Twitter.

Alain Finkielkraut was walking on the fringes of a demonstration in central Paris on Saturday when a group of “yellow vests” insulted him with offensive remarks such as “dirty Zionist” and “France is ours”, according to a video

broadcast by Yahoo News.

Finkielkraut has expressed his solidarity and sympathy with the “yellow vest” protesters from the outset but in an interview published Saturday in Le Figaro, he criticised the leaders of the movement, saying “arrogance has changed sides”.

Ian Brossat, French Communist Party candidate for the European Parliament, said, “We can hate Finkielkraut’s ideas”, but “nothing can justify attacking him as a Jew”.

But the rise in anti-Semitic acts in France predates the “yellow vest” demonstrations.

A recent spate of anti-Semitic vandalism and graffiti in and around Paris has stoked fresh concerns about an increase in hate crimes against Jews.

Fourteen political parties on Thursday launched a call for action against anti-Semitism after the Interior Ministry reported a 74 per

cent increase in anti-Jewish acts last year.

During the latest episodes, the memorial for Ilan Halimi, a young Jewish man who was kidnapped and killed in 2006, was desecrated when a tree planted in his memory was chopped down. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

MONday, february 18, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

dilbert

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

Don’t feel down over something you have no control over. Concentrate on the changes you want to make to boost your current skills and qualifications.

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

An opportunity will not be as good as someone leads you to believe. Check the reviews before you purchase something you don’t need.

Choose your associates for their integrity and honesty.

CANCER

If you take a different approach to the way you do things, your insight and experience will impress someone. A partnership looks promising. Share plans with a loved one.

(June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD -- CADAVERS (CADAVERS: kuh-DAV-ers: Dead bodies, especially intended for dissection.)

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SUDOKU

SATURDAY’S WORD -- CISLUNAR

slain slur snail snarl laic lain lair liar lira lunar ulna

uncial urinal uric nail naris auric rail rain rani ruin

Take whatever change comes your way and turn it into something you can use to parlay into your next project or endeavor. A social encounter will lead to valuable information.

A little will go a long way.

Your thriftiness will be impressive. Someone will offer you something unusual that will help you bring about positive personal change.

A change may tempt you, but put everything in its place before you jump into something new. Call in favors if it will help you take care of unfinished business.

You’ll have a host of ideas and will receive interesting feedback from people you respect. Follow through with your plans and spend time with people who have something to contribute. Romance is highlighted.

Think big, but be responSAGITTARIUS sible. Know what is and isn’t (Nov. 23- possible, and make choices Dec. 21) that will help you earn, not lose, money. Don’t believe everything you hear.

Average mark 23 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 31 or more words in CADAVERS? The list will be published tomorrow.

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Take better care of your health. Start a fitness routine, improve your diet or make lifestyle changes that will leave you feeling and looking better. Protect your reputation and status.

solution for SATURDAY’S puzzle

Put more energy into CAPRICORN self-improvement. A person(Dec. 22- al change that updates your Jan. 19) look and broadens your appeal will pay off. A personal relationship will improve if you plan something romantic.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Get involved in your community, or volunteer for a cause you believe in if you want to make a difference.

Your input will be valuable and will lead to new opportunities.

You can manipulate a situation by getting involved.

The time spent massaging relationships with valuable people will bring you closer together. Romance is highlighted.

monday, february 18, 2019

19

Ramos sent off as Real suffer shock home defeat R

eal Madrid missed the chance to go second in La Liga as Girona came from behind to record a surprise away win.

Casemiro powerfully headed in from Toni Kroos' deep cross from the right wing to give the hosts a first-half lead.

Cristhian Stuani's penalty made it 1-1 after Sergio Ramos' handball and Girona's Portu then hit the crossbar.

Portu netted the winner with a diving header after Anthony Lozano's shot had been parried, before Ramos was sent off in injury time for two yellow cards.

The defender had been booked when he conceded the penalty, and received a second caution when he attempted an overhead kick but caught Girona's Pedro Alcala.

The red card was the 19th of Ramos' career in La Liga, more than any other player in the Spanish top flight.

It was another contro-

Sergio Ramos gets his marching orders against Girona

versial moment for the Real captain, who faces a Uefa investigation into whether he deliberately got booked late on in Wednesday's 2-1 win at Ajax in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie - to receive a suspension now and not later on in the competition.

Ramos had been quoted as telling reporters he would "be lying if I said I

didn't force [the booking]", but later posted on social media that he had "not forced the card".

Real, who started the weekend in second place in the table, are now third, nine points behind leaders Barcelona, who won 1-0 against Real Valladolid on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid are now second, two points clear of

city rivals Real, following their 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano.

Real boss Santiago Solari made six changes to face Girona, with Wales forward Gareth Bale among the substitutes and midfielder Luka Modric missing through suspension.

Away keeper Yassine Bounou denied Lucas Vasquez before Casemiro's

header gave the hosts the lead. Karim Benzema and Marcelo had further chances saved, and Benzema also headed into the side netting as Real pushed for a second.

However, the visitors - who had not won in their previous 13 matches - fought back. Aleix Garcia wastefully shot over from six yards out and Stuani headed against the post before Ramos charged down the follow-up shot with his hands and Stuani equalised from the spot.

Bale came on in the 67th minute, but was unable to prevent his side losing their grip on the match. Portu hit the crossbar and then scored a 74th-minute winner to severely dent Real's hopes of becoming Spanish champions this season. Real Madrid boss Santiago Solari said: "Girona were better in the second half, they caused us a lot of problems. We've been on a good run and today we did not do the same things.

"We tried to increase

our energy levels with our changes but we did not achieve it - we have a big squad and a lot of good players.

"We did not take our chances when we had them and it was really difficult for us in the first 25 minutes."

Asked if they still had a chance of winning the league, Solari added: "Always. We are always in it. We need to get good results as soon as possible, but we're still in three competitions."

Girona manager Eusebio Sacristan said: "It's really important for us to win at the Bernabeu - for our fans, for our team.

"Maybe they were thinking they would get a second goal, but we were slowly getting back into it and getting more confident. At the end of the game it is a fair result.

"We had not won for a few games and had a tough few weeks. But we showed our attitude, and what better ground to do it in." (BBC Sport)

Osaka says she was unwilling to sacrifice Gayle to retire after her happiness after split from coach 2019 World Cup W W

orld number one Naomi Osaka says she was not willing to "sacrifice" her happiness following her surprise split from coach Sascha Bajin last week.

Osaka split with Bajin 16 days after winning the Australian Open, which sealed back-to-back major titles after she won her first at the 2018 US Open.

"If I'm not waking up happy to practise and happy to be around the people I'm around, this is my life," Osaka said.

"I'm not going to sacrifice that just to keep a person around."

J a p a n ' s Osaka, 21, had worked with Bajin for just over a year w h e n she announced t h e split on

Twitter.

Bajin, the 2018 WTA coach of the year, is a former hitting partner of Grand Slam champions Serena Williams, Victoria Azarenka and Caroline Wozniacki.

Under him, Osaka rose from world number 72 at the start of 2018 to the summit of the rankings little over a year later.

No reason was given for the split at the time, but Osaka says issues with the German had been "brewing" at January's Australian Open.

"I think some people could see that if they saw how we interacted," she told report-

Naomi Osaka’s split with coach Sascha Bajin seems like a needless risk – did a rift open up at the Australian Open?

ers at the WTA event in Dubai.

"I'm not going to say anything bad about him because, of course, I'm really grateful for all the things he's done.

"During the Australian Open, I was just trying to tell myself to get through it.

I'm not sure, but I think you guys noticed."

Osaka said she hopes to have a new coach in place by the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, which starts on 4 March. "[The most important thing for me is] just to have a positive mindset," Osaka said. "I don't want someone that's in the box saying negative stuff. That would be the worst.

"Yeah, someone that's kind of direct, not afraid to say things to my face.

I'd rather someone say it directly to me than go around my back.

That's one of the biggest things."

(BBC Sport)

est Indies batsman Chris Gayle will retire from one-day international cricket after this summer's World Cup. The left-hander, 39, has scored 9,727 ODI runs - second only to the legendary Brian Lara among West Indians - in 284 matches since his debut in 1999.

Gayle said: "I'm looking to draw the line - or

Chris Gayle

should I say cut the string let the youngsters have some fun and I can sit back in the party stand."

The World Cup will be held in England and Wales from 30 May to 14 July.

Gayle is in the West Indies squad to face England in a five-match oneday series starting on Wednesday in Barbados.

Asked if he might also end his ODI career as a World Cup winner, he said: "Absolutely, the youngsters owe it to me.

"They have to do that for me and try and get me the trophy. But I'll be looking to put my input in as well."

"It is a big year for me. I hope 2019 can finish for me on a great note."

Gayle has made 23 ODI centuries, and his 215 against Zimbabwe in 2015 is the fourth-highest score

in history. He is one of only six men to have scored an ODI double hundred.

A part-time off-spinner, he has also taken 165 ODI wickets at 35.33 apiece.

He was part of the West Indies team that won the Champions Trophy in England in 2004.

Gayle has played 103 Tests for West Indies, but in recent years has focused on limited-overs matches, both internationally and in domestic Twenty20 competitions.

He will continue to be available for T20s, and he said is is keen to play in the England and Wales Cricket Board's inaugural 100-ball competition in 2020.

"I guess England should invite me over. Then I'll explode the tour-

nament and say 'thank you guys; bring in a youngster now'," he said.

"I'll set the trend for you like I did in all tournaments around the world. Fingers crossed, we'll see what happens. (BBC Sport)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monday, february 18, 2019

Bounty Farm Ltd Handicap Tournament…

Arjoon tops the charts T

he Bounty Farm Ltd Handicap Tournament concluded on Sunday with Alex Arjoon being crowned King.

Nicholas Verwey came out on top in Category A, Samuel Ince-Carvalhal took the Open Plate title, and Mohryan Baksh was the Category A Plate winner.

Nail-biting matches wowed the crowd that were treated to outstanding play from the finalists. Top player Arjoon (-22) showed why he was number one, as he defeated Regan Pollard (-14), in an exciting final match at the Georgetown Club.

Using a variety of the shots in his repertoire, Arjoon moved easily around the court and worked the talented Pollard through two games. Moving quickly to level out his negative points, Arjoon calmly returned the hard-hitting Pollard’s shots.

His superior play proved too much for Pollard, who could only earn six points in each game, as Arjoon reigned supreme in a 15-6, 15-6 victory.

The showstopper of the day was the Category A match between Verwey (-8) and Michael Alphonso (-10).

The level of play between

Alex Arjoon

these two youngsters was incredible as they rallied to every corner of the court in a display of precision play.

Verwey, who has improved at an incredible rate over the last few months, hunted every ball the skilful Alphonso played. Alphonso, on form, quickly closed the two-point deficit of his handicap and dominated early in the game. Verwey pulled himself back up to even out, but Alphonso’s experience and expertise carried him through to take the first game 15-13. In the sec-

ond game, the battle continued as Verwey pulled out in front to a 14-11 advantage.

Alphonso refused to give up and fought his way to 1414 before Verwey closed the second game down.

Emotions were high as the third game had spectators on the edge of their seats. A determined Verwey came out strong and secured an early lead. After some of the longest rallies of the tournament, Verwey was ahead 6-2 and earned another string of six points. Both players were visibly ex-

hausted, but refused to back off as Alphonso pushed to catch up with three points of his own. At 14-6, it seemed Alphonso couldn’t hold on any longer, but he made a final bid and worked for another four points to reach 10-14. Verwey held his patience before finishing the match in sheer style with a perfectly executed nick for a 13-15, 15-14, 15-10 triumph.

In the Open Plate, junior player Ince-Carvalhal (3) secured his win against Ian Mekdeci (5) with precision drops, good lengths

Williams pull out of opening day in Barcelona

W

Williams have claimed a combined 16 driver and team titles, but have not won a grand prix since 2012

illiams have claimed a combined 16 driver and team titles, but have not won a grand prix since 2012 Williams have pulled out of the first day of pre-season testing on Monday as their new FW42 car is not ready.

Deputy team principal Claire Williams says the car will run on Tuesday - the second of four days of testing at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.

Last week, the British team cancelled a planned shakedown run of the car because of delays in building it.

"It's clearly not ideal, but equally it's not the end of the

world," Williams said.

"Our absolute priority is to always ensure we bring a car to the track that is the best that it can be and sometimes that takes longer than you'd anticipate or like."

Williams finished bottom of the constructors' championship in 2018 after picking up only seven points, with their drivers finishing in the top 10 in just two of the 21 races.

They have a new line-up this year with Robert Kubica returning to F1 after a nineyear absence alongside 21-year-old British Formula 2 champion George Russell.

"We have had an incredibly busy winter at Grove

getting the FW42 prepared for the season ahead and, despite everyone's best efforts, we need some more time before it will be ready to run," Williams said.

"We will obviously have our work cut out to recover the time lost but we still have seven days of testing left and we will be maximising that time to prepare the car for the first race."

Next week is the first of two four-day pre-season tests, with the second on 26 February.

The new season begins on 15 March with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. (BBC Sport)

O

klahoma City Thunder's Hamidou Diallo leaped over an NBA Hall of Famer en route to a memorable victory in the Slam Dunk contest on Saturday.

Diallo stunned the Charlotte crowd on AllStar weekend after flying over Los Angeles Lakers great O'Neal, who stands at 2.16metres tall.

With Thunder teammates Russell Westbrook and Paul George watching from the sidelines – and wearing a Superman t-shirt underneath his Thunder jersey – Diallo got the arena on its feet as he finished with his elbow inside the basket.

That gave Diallo a score of 50 and a 98-point total in the first round as he progressed to the final along with New York Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr. After channelling Vince

and deception. He closed his point deficit early and dominated the two games despite Mekdeci getting some great balls past him to die in the back of the court. InceCarvalhal earned the plate title with a 15-11, 15-11 win.

Mohryan Baksh (-3) took the Category A title after defeating Louis Dasilva (7) in another entertaining game with long rallies and good placement. Baksh is also coming up in the ranks as he overcame a 10-point disadvantage to claim his spot in the winners’ line-up.

The longstanding support of Bounty Farm Ltd is instrumental in the development of the sport in Guyana and the Association would like to express its gratitude for the sponsorship of this tournament and all of its other contributions.

Open Category Winner – Alex Arjoon 2nd – Regan Pollard 3rd – Deje Dias Open Category Plate Winner –Samuel InceCarvalhal 2nd – Ian Mekdeci 3rd – Jonathan Antczak

Category A Winner – Nicholas Verwey 2nd – Michael Alphonso 3rd – Abosaide Cadogan Category A Plate Winner – Mohryan Baksh 2nd – Louis Dasilva 3rd – Ethan Jonas Open Alex Arjoon (-22) defeated Regan Pollard (-14) 15-6, 15-6 Open Plate Samuel Ince-Carvalhal (3) defeated Ian Mekdeci (5) 15-11, 15-11 Jonathan Antczak (6) defeated Medhi Ramdhani (8) 10-15, 15-9, 15-13 Category A Nicholas Verwey (-8) defeated Michael Alphonso (-10) 13-15, 15-14. 15-10 Abosaide Cadogan (-4) defeated Kirsten Gomes (-4) 15-12, 15-14 Category A Plate Mohryan Baksh (-3) defeated Louis Dasilva (7) 1513, 15-13 Ethan Jonas (-4) defeated Aishani Persaud (11) 1511, 15-12

Diallo soars over Shaq to win Slam Dunk contest Carter's iconic 2000 dunk attempt, Diallo was not to be denied as the 20-year-old soared over American artist Quavo en route to an overall score of 88, three points more than Smith.

Harris wins Three-Point contest ahead of Curry

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry put on a show but Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Harris won the NBA All-Star Three-Point contest.

Curry claimed the shooting event in 2014-15 and the two-time MVP looked on track for another victory in Charlotte on Saturday.

One of the best shooters in the NBA, Curry made his final 10 shots to post a first-round score of 27, while Harris managed 25.

Featuring in his first AllStar weekend, Harris scored 26 points in the champion-

ship round – two more than Curry.

Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings finished third with 19 points at the Spectrum Center.

"I'm just fortunate to be here," Harris told TNT. "We were talking about it coming in, obviously the field is stacked … It's just an honor to be here, an honor to compete with everybody."

Last year's winner Devin Booker, Danny Green, Dirk Nowitzki, Seth Curry, Kemba Walker, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton all featured in the event.

Harris, who went first in the contest, added: "I actually thought it would be an advantage because I was able to warm up beforehand.

"Instead of coming down and sitting and getting cold, I was able to get warm and get myself in a rhythm."

(Sportsmax)

sports

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21

Leopold dismantle Agricola L

eopold Street recorded one of the largest victories on Friday night at the National Gymnasium as the Magnum Mash Cup continued.

Agricola suffered a 0-6 thrashing at the hands of Leopold Street, who were led by a hat-trick by Okeeny Fraser, who scored in the 4th, 10th and 13th minutes. He was supported by a double from Darren Benjamin (3rd, 11th) and a follow-up strike from Mark Jhalu, who found the back of the net in the 12th minute.

Ol Skool Ballers defeated Broad Street 2-0 with goals from Rocky Gravesande and Ray Smith in the sixth and 13th minute respectively.

Bent Street also prevailed in their battle against Kingston by the same scoreline, compliments of Pernell Schultz and Sheldon Profit, who scored in the fourth and ninth minutes.

and Stabroek Ballerz were awarded walkover victories after their opponents BV B and California Square did not meet all the requirements to begin play.

The other match between Rhythm Ballers and Silver Bullets was adjudged a no-contest.

The tournament continues on Tuesday at the same venue with the round-of-16 from 19:00h.

Melanie sliced through Avocado Ballers to win 2-1. Rondel Assanah’s and Anil Hernandes’ goals in the fifth and 13th minutes were enough to overshadow Dexter Marshall’s eighth minute goal for the opposi-

tion.

Sparta Boss were the other team to register a victory on the eventful night as they needled North Ruimveldt 1-0. Ryan Hackett scored the decider in the fifth minute.

Ansa McAl and Albouystown battled to a 1-1 draw in their encounter. That was also the scoreline at the end of the match between Future Stars and Buxton Diamond.

North East La Penitence

Round of 16 fixtures – February 19 1. Ansa McAl v Buxton Diamond 2. Showstoppers v Tiger Bay 3. Sophia v Broad Street 4. Gold is Money v Melanie 5. Bent Street v Stabroek Ballerz 6. Back Circle v North Ruimveldt 7. Leopold Street v Future Stars 8. Sparta Boss v North East La Penitence

Messi scores one penalty and misses one in Barca win

L

ionel Messi scored one penalty and missed another as Barcelona beat Real Valladolid to move seven points clear at the top of La Liga.

Messi scored his 30th goal of 2018-19 when he converted his first spot-kick after Michel had fouled Gerard Pique.

Barcelona were awarded a second penalty when substitute Philippe Coutinho was brought down by Kiko Olivas, but this time Jordi Masip saved Messi's strike.

Masip also made a number of saves to repeatedly deny Luis Suarez and Messi.

The result leaves Barcelona seven points clear of Atletico Madrid, who won 1-0 at Rayo Vallecano earlier on Saturday.

Boateng had a low shot saved by Masip, who was with Barcelona from 2008 to

2017, but the visitors themselves wasted a glorious chance when they failed to convert a four-on-two counter-attack with Nacho overhitting the cross.

Within a minute of that Valladolid chance, Barcelona were ahead. Pique, playing his 300th La Liga match for the club, burst into the penalty area, Michel had his arms on his shoulders and Messi stepped up to convert the resulting penalty.

Sergi Guardiola, a player sacked by Barcelona in 2015 within a day of joining them after historical tweets critical of the team and the region were discovered, was part of the Valladolid side and had a chance early in the second half, but shot narrowly wide from 25 yards out.

But the hosts continued to produce good chanc-

Lionel Messi has scored at least 30 goals for Barcelona in all competitions in each of his past 11 seasons

es as Masip made a brilliant save to keep out Messi's volley and then denied substitute Suarez and Ousmane Dembele.

A quick passing move involving Suarez and Coutinho saw the latter brought down

for Barcelona's second penalty, but Masip pushed away Messi's effort, which had been placed in the same position as the first.

Masip kept his side in it with another excellent save to deny Suarez, with Messi

also shooting narrowly off target. However, despite a good performance from the visitors, they could not force an equaliser and they are now 15th, three points above the relegation zone. (BBC Sport)

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Kylian Mbappe’s 19th Ligue 1 goal of the season helped Paris St-Germain beat St-Etienne

K

ylian Mbappe scored the only goal of the game as Paris St-Germain beat Saint-Etienne at the Stade GeoffroyGuichard to move 12 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.

Mbappe finished superbly from Dani Alves' pass to take his league tally to 19 for the season.

Julian Draxler had gone close to an opener early in the second half, but Stephane Ruffier was equal to the shot.

Kevin Monnet-Paquet fired over the bar in the dying stages as PSG held on.

Second-placed Lille lost further ground on the league leaders earlier on Sunday after being held to a 0-0 draw at home to Montpellier.

Thomas Tuchel's side, who beat Manchester United 2-0 at Old Trafford in the Champions League on Tuesday, still have two games in hand on their closest rivals.

(BBC Sport)

22

monday, february 18, 2019

Cherry-Ann Fraser, a new dawn in female cricket – hails GCB for exposing U-19s to Senior Inter-County

By Brandon Corlette

T

he Guyana Under-19 female cricketer who played for the Guyana senior team in 2018, CherryAnn Fraser is among the bright prospects in female cricket in Guyana.

Born on July 21, 1999, Fraser was privileged to play in the recently-conc l u d e d Senior Female Inter-County Tournament for the Select U-19

Cherry-Ann Fraser bowls during the Senior Female Inter-County Tournament (Brandon Corlette photos)

team, where she played that at some point in her an integral role. career, more Speaking exclusively precisely in five to Guyana Times Sport, years’ time, Fraser disclosed that the she is Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) took good initiative to have the U-19s play with the senior females. “This allows the junior females to gain exposure as to what a higher level of cricket looks like,” Fraser explained.

Cherry-Ann Fraser The all-round cricketer, had her best batting performance against Essequibo this season when she smashed a scintillating 93 at Everest, in the recently-concluded Interaiming to play for West County.

Fraser, who resides in Indies Women. The multitalGreat Diamond Housing ented Fraser also plays volScheme on the East Bank leyball, using her height to of Demerara, began playing good effect. Reflecting on the female cricket at the tender age of recently-concluded eight. In her community, it Inter-County Tournament, was either cricket or foot- the cricketer believes that ball; she followed the path of there is room for improvecricket and developed a pas- ment in her personal game. sion for the game. At age 10, With the regional tournashe started playing wind ball ments swiftly approaching, cricket, but it was not until Fraser is seeking improve2018 she committed herself ment in all three departto the game, when she gained ments of the game –batting, bowling and fielding. She selection to the senior team.

Additionally, Fraser added that there was work to plays for ECO CHAMPS, a be done on her fitness, physThe developmental team where ically and mentally. she is exposed to competi- Select U-19 team showed tive cricket around males. much promise in the recentInter-County The tall and lively fast bowl- ly-concluded er recalled her best perfor- contest, having won two mance with the ball: “it was matches in the T20 format, in the 2018 Regional tour- including a victory against nament where I took 3-9 Demerara. Players such as against Windwards Islands.” Fraser, Mandy Mangru and She admires legendary New Shabika Gajnabi represent Zealand batter Suzie Bates the talent of the next genand the “Universe Boss”, eration of Windies Women’s cricket.

Chris Gayle.

Fraser told this reporter

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Hard Knocks crowned Kings of Studies Champions

T

he action took to the field over the weekend as the Kings of Studies Tournament 2019, organised

by University of Guyana student Jafar Gibbons, was contested at the University’s Turkeyen Campus.

Top Strikers and Hard Knocks battled in the finale with either side not finding it easy to gain the upper hand.

However, Jamaine Samuels scored two goals in the last two minutes to give Hard Knocks the inaugural tournament title.

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament was Samuels, the Hard Knocks’ Captain, who claimed the gold ring and a trophy and also walked away with brand new shoes from local company Signature Moov as he scored the most goals in the tournament, ending with eight.

Meanwhile, Five-O defeated Kanaima FC in the third-place encounter 1-0 thanks to the efforts of Nathaniel King.

In the semis, Kanaima FC had battled Top Striker in a fierce encounter, but the latter prevailed 3-0.

Scoring for Top Strikers were Oprah Benjamin (2) and Sherwin Caesar (1) to lead the Strikers into the final. Semi-final two featured Hard Knocks winning by the same margin against Five-O in a gritty encounter.

Earlier in the day, the quarter-finals saw Kanaima take on Hot Topic, Goonz duking it out with Top Strikers and Hard Knocks and Hardball thrashing it out while Five-0 were given a bye as they topped Group C.

Hard Knocks Captain Jamaine Samuels posing with his prizes

Kanaima FC tied 2-2 with Hot Topic which resulted in a penalty shootout. The shootout saw Kanaima winning 3-1.

In the other quarter-final match-up, Goonz FC took on Top Strikers which resulted in Top Strikers winning 2-0.

Hard Knocks and Five-0 took to the field as the teams were desperate for a win, but Hard Knocks won 6-0 after scoring multiple goals in the last two minutes. Exploiting the tournament rules which states, ‘a goal in the final two minutes of play is worth two’.

Much earlier, the preliminary 10 matches kicked off with Hardball and Goonz FC battling to a goalless stale-

mate.

The next match featured Top Strikers FC and Roaring Underdogs which saw the victory going to Top Strikers 6-1; Kanaima FC defeated Hard Knocks 2-0 and Hardball battled Juventus, but that match ended in a goalless draw.

The next encounter saw Hot Topic FC and Five-0 battle with the latter winning 5-1.

The other matches in the preliminary stages saw notable victories coming from Kanaima FC, 5-0; Goonz FC; Hot Topic FC; and Top Strikers to round off the qualifying matches.

American Nelly Korda wins Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide

A

merican Nelly Korda continued her family's remarkable success in Australia by winning the Women's Australian Open in Adelaide. Korda finished on 17 under par, two clear of South Korea's Ko Jin-young.

Korda is the daughter of former tennis player Petr Korda who won the 1998 Australian Open men's singles title.

Her sister Jessica also won the golf Australian Open in 2012 while her brother

Sebastian won the tennis junior singles title last year.

The 20-year-old took a three-shot lead into the final round at The Grange and shot a five-under-par 67 to win.

England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff finished in a tie for eighth on nine under.

Korda was born six months after her father won the Australian Open in Melbourne, the Czech's only Grand Slam title. At the start of the week she said she felt "so left out" when her family

Nelly and Jessica Korda are the first pair of sisters to win the Women’s Australian Open

discussed their Australian titles and when she completed her own victory she celebrated with her father's trademark scissor kick.

"I'm finally a part of the club," Korda said."I mean this win was really special for my family. "I think there's something in the air here, we love coming down under.

"I just got off the phone with my dad and he said, 'Well, congratulations, you're part of the Korda Slam now'."

(BBC Sport)

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, february 18, 2019

23

2019 England tour of the West Indies

Will England use Jofra Archer as surprise weapon in Windies T20I series?

– owing to new rules and regulations, he is eligible from March 2019

By Brandon Corlette

T

he Barbados-born 23-year-old fast bowler, Jofra Archer now enjoys the luxury of being eligible to play for England in March 2019. If the selectors immediately gave Archer the nod, he may make his international debut for England against a familiar West Indies team.

According to the revised rules and regulations from the England Cricket Board (ECB), for a player to be eligible for England selection, he must have British citizenship; either have been born in England/Wales or have three years’ residence (a total of 210 days/year April-March). Additionally, the player must not have played as a local player in professional international or domestic cricket in a full member country within the past three years.

The rules outlined were made on January 1, 2019; the ECB changes stand closer to the International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations. Therefore, England’s luxury player and

Barbadian native will play international cricket soon enough.

Originally, Archer would have attained qualification to play for England until 20222023, but the ECB recognised his importance, so it facilitated him ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Since Archer is eligible to play for England at some point in 2019, will England announce him in the T20I squad to play Windies from March 5, 2019?

Jofra Chioke Archer, who was born in Barbados, has an English father and Bajan mother. Archer is likely to follow or even go beyond his Sussex teammate, Chris Jordan who played for England and was born in Barbados. Jordan aided in his countryman’s development when Jordan alerted Sussex about Archer’s gifts as a cricketer after they were engaged in a net session.

In the year 2013, Archer played for West Indies U-19, but suffered a back injury. In that batch of U-19 players were Shimron Hetmyer, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Ramaal Lewis, Alzarri Joseph, Fabian Allen and Gudakesh Motie.

He then went to England and was secured with a contract from Sussex; when he made his FirstClass debut in 2016 against Pakistan, he took four wickets at the inception. On his limited overs debut, he struck 72 batting at number eight against Essex, announcing himself as a complete player.

Archer has been recognised globally, hav-

ing played in numerous T20 leagues.

He played for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Quetta Gladiators and Hobart Hurricanes in Australia’s Big Bash League. At 23 years old, time is not of the essence in Archer’s case and without a doubt, he will play all three formats for England.

Archer has played 28 FirstClass matches scoring 1003 runs with the bat at an average of 31.34. He has six half-centuries with a high score of 81 and he is no bluff with ball in hand.

The fast-bowler, who can exceed speeds of 90mph, has 131 wickets in 28 matches at a bowling average of 23.44. With a best bowling figure of 7-67, he has 10 four-wicket hauls, 5 five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket match haul in a blooming career. England will announce their T20I squad to play West Indies soon, and it will be no surprise if Archer gets the nod to play. How did West Indies let a talent as Archer slip away?

England are not replicating West Indies’ mistakes; they are securing the luxurious player for the biggest event in world cricket, the ICC 50-over Cricket World Cup that will be played in England from May 2019.

England ODI series v Windies

Peeking into the future, Shai Hope previews ODI series W

est Indies wicket-keeper Shai Hope spoke to members of the media ahead of the start of the OneDay International Series against England. The first two matches will be played at the historic Kensington Oval in Barbados.

The 25-year-old, who as last year named as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year – was one of the leading batsmen in the world for 2018 in this format. He is hoping to continue his impressive form leading up to the ICC Cricket World Cup – to be played in England and Wales from May 30 to July 14.

A classy stroke-maker with reliable glove work, he has been impressive in front and behind the stumps. He has 1,662 runs with bat in hand at an average 47.42 – including four centuries – three of which came in his last seven innings. His career-best score was a match-winning 146 not out in Bangladesh last December.

He also has 38 catches and eight stumpings behind the stumps.

“It’s a lot to look forward to very exciting times especially leading

up to the World Cup so I’m sure the guys are ready and raring to

go. We are just coming off a Test series win and that was fantastic

for everyone involved and the fans.

So, it is important for us to continue in that vein and try to get the series win as well,” Hope said.

“We can use this as a good gauge for us going into the World Cup. We are still looking at some plans, in terms of what is the best fit and combination but it’s a good challenge for us and we’ve got some work to do,” he continued.

Hope said the Windies will enter the five-match rubber as underdogs being ranked lower than their opponents in the ICC OneDay International Rankings, but will use that as a motivator, as they did to win the Wisden Trophy Test Series.

“We will use it as a motivator.

We knew what people were saying about us and we’ve got to do the same as we did to win the Test series – make sure that we know we’re coming here to play cricket and put up a fight. And it’s just not to put up a fight either but to win so we’ve got to make sure we do that,” he finished. (CWI)

monday, february 18, 2019

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

For a good cause! guyanatimesgy.com

Action from Fitness 53 Gym; every calories burnt went towards charity. In the event that took place on Sunday at Fitness 53 Gym, Providence, East Bank Demerara, every 100 calories lost was worth GYD$100. The person that burnt the most calories was awarded two months’ free gym membership

Bounty Farm Ltd Handicap Tournament…

Page 20

Arjoon tops the charts

Magnum Mash Cup 2019…

Leopold dismantle Agricola

Page 21

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