Guyana Times - Monday, September 9, 2019

Guyana signs historic Amazonian pact to protect tropical forest P7 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4040

monday, september 9, 2019

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Legitimacy of Govt on shaky ground after Sept 18 – Ram

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Prospective HWLS scholarship awardees to serve 5 years with State – sources P9

Page 3

ꟷ as no parliamentary extension means time running out for Govt

...despite 2 years of study in T&T-based institution

Assault charges against hotelier dismissed P8

Fly Jamaica yet to file application in Jamaica P10

GPL admits it cannot purchase outside power

Teen crushed to death after vehicle turned turtle ...licence has to be amended Man found hanging hours after girlfriend ended relationship Page 7

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Page 15

Late spurt to "modernise" Police Stations P7 ...Police need to be "comfortable" – Ramjattan

PSC Chairman P14 urges politicians to work together

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monDAY, september 9, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

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monDAY, september 9, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Monday, September 9 – 02:00h 04:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Tuesday, September 10 – 02:30h 03:30h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Legitimacy of Govt on shaky ground after Sept 18 – Ram …as no parliamentary extension means time running out for Govt

Monday, September 9 – 13:35h – 15:05h and Tuesday, September 10 – 14:30h – 16:00h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions are expected to prevail throughout the day interrupted by thundery showers in the mid-morning to noon hours.

Clear skies to thundery showers are expected in the evening. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to South-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 13:26h reaching a maximum height of 2.10 metres.

Low Tide: 06:48h and 19:16h reaching minimum heights of 1.04 metres and 1.13 metres.

saturday, SEPTEMBER 7, 2019

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Activist Christopher Ram

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n the absence of a parliamentary extension of the Government’s time in office as set out by the Constitution when a no-confidence motion is passed, the clock is ticking on the Government’s legitimacy.

In an interview with Guyana Times, prominent activist and lawyer Christopher Ram expressed concern at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) recent pronouncement that it could end up holding elections in March 2020.

“That would be inconsistent, not only with the new Chairperson of GECOM’s commitment to have elections as soon as possible, but also inconsistent with the Constitution and the ruling of the Caribbean court.

It means that what we will have is the defiance by GECOM of the ruling of the highest court of the land and the Constitution.”

“This very act will amount to an abrogation of all the norms of democracy.

That will lead us into really dangerous territory. We’ve had situations in the past when elections weren’t held on time, for example in 1978 and 1990. But never were those elections postponed in defiance of a court order.”

Ram also noted that this period would be a test not only for democracy in Guyana, but the international community, including the Caribbean Community (Caricom). Persons have previously called out the international community for their relative silence on President David Granger’s failure to name an election date after losing the no-confidence motion of 2018.

“This will be a test of the civil society of Guyana.

It will be a test of the Constitution. It will be a test of the international community, Caricom, of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

We (risk) becoming a pariah state,” Ram warned.

March 2020

After a more than fourhour-long meeting on Friday last, both Opposition and Government-aligned Commissioners disclosed to media operatives that March 2020 was one of sev-

eral timelines proposed by the Secretariat.

Government-aligned Commissioner Vincent Alexander confirmed that March 2020 was one of the dates discussed during the meeting. According to the Commissioners, one of the activities proposed to be undertaken by GECOM during that period is the printing of new national identification cards. However, Commissioner Bibi Shadick contended that such an initiative was unnecessary.

She pointed out that ID cards were not needed to vote, as any other form of identification, such as a passport, was accepted. In lieu of any such documents, she said voters could sign an oath at the polling stations.

Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

Meanwhile, Article 106 (7) goes on to say: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

A no-confidence motion was passed against the Government since December 21 of last year. However,

elections were not held and there was no resignation.

Instead, the Government went through several levels of court, unsuccessfully arguing that the no-confidence motion was not validly passed.

At the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the fi-

GECOM comply with the Constitution.

While that process was ultimately stopped by his successor, the decision to merge the new data from House-toHouse Registration and to prioritise the printing of ID, instead of seeking to have elections held as soon as pos-

The Guyana Elections Commission

nal court had thrown out the Government’s case and had handed down judgement, saying that when the no-confidence motion was passed on December 21, 2018, Article 106 of the Constitution had immediately been activated. In addition, the Court had noted that the provisions of the article were clear.

Instead of immediately starting serious preparations to hold elections in the shortest possible time; however, GECOM proceeded to carry out House-to-House Registration based on the orders of unilaterally appointed former Chairman, retired Justice James Patterson. Ram himself filed a court case challenging this process and sought to have

sible, has been criticised by People’s Progressive Party (PPP)-nominated GECOM Commissioners as part of the Government’s delaying tactics.

In the 2000 Esther Perreira election petition case, then Justice Claudette Singh had ordered that elections must be held by March 31, 2001.

Particularly, Justice Singh had ruled that the requirements for voters to have an ID card for the 1997 elections was a breach of Articles 59 and 159 of the Constitution and that the elections were null and void.

The PPP has, therefore, contended that prioritising ID cards over early elections is a case of putting the cart before the horse.

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guyanatimesgy.com

MONday, september 9, 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

Govt courting poverty traps

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year and a half ago, President David Granger invited the eminent English-Oxford economist Sir Paul Collier and others to brief his Cabinet on utilising the revenues from the Exxon oil. They were accompanied by Sir Sridath Ramphal. Coming in the midst of a firestorm of protest on the nature of the contract with Exxon, many felt the President was attempting to calm the waters with the imprimatur of his knighted guests.

Collier advised “the contract not be torn up”, since there were risks undertaken when there was no certainty about the presence of oil. He advised that now that the area was derisked, subsequent contracts should be more favourable to Guyana. But based on what has transpired here since Collier’s visit, it is rather unfortunate that he did not expand to Granger and his Cabinet on insights he had made in his popular book, “Democracy in Difficult Places”, about new-found oil wealth.

As one reviewer summarised: “Nigeria is a case in point. Its immense oil wealth, which should be used to help the country develop, makes politicians particularly anxious to hold onto office. They employ ever fouler means to do so, and elections thus become little more than organised gangsterism. The violent methods the politicians use become the modus operandi of their period in office, and the whole political system is corrupted.”

Collier talks about “the survival of the fattest”. Guyanese are concerned that Government’s high-handed stance on the Natural Resource Fund and Local Content etc. portends a return to the authoritarian form of governance that marked the PNC’s first period of governance between the rigged elections of 1968 and 1985, in which the army was brought out to violently quell protests.

But it was in his earlier (2007) book, “The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries Are Failing and What Can Be Done About It”, that Collier should have been more expansive, since we are in “the Bottom Billion” and desperately need to know what can be done about it.

Collier proposed four structural “traps” in which the ‘Bottom Billion’ may be stuck. First there is the “conflict trap”, such as those that emanate from deep divisions in some countries along lines of race or ethnicity, and where some groups feel alienated from the national patrimony. In such countries, governments have to be very sensitive to violent, fissiparous tendencies, and distribute revenues as fairly as possible, so as not to exacerbate the sources of comparison and conflict. Perhaps if Collier had been briefed about the Government’s precipitate closure of four sugar estates and the firings of 5700 mainly Indian-Guyanese workers outside on their “traditional” base, maybe he would have sounded warning bells. As it is, the Government has intensified its confrontational politics following the NCM. The second “trap” is the “natural resource trap”, now staring us in the face with the oil gushing, and which Collier did address as adumbrated above. But if he had been thoroughly briefed, Collier surely would have been more sympathetic to the need for directed investments in agriculture: to retain workers who were acclimatised to that regimen, and who could then be redeployed, after oil revenues start to flow, into a more diversified agricultural base.

The third trap identified by Collier is the “governance trap”: of poor policies, cronyism and favouritism etc. that fuel the massive corruption characterising the PNC-led coalition from its inception. If Collier knew about the Jubilee Park, the Pharma Warehouse and Contracts etc., he might have offered additional advice.

While the last “trap”, of being “landlocked”, may not appear to be applicable to Guyana, with our lack of a deepwater harbour, we might as well be the Belgian Congo as far as getting our exports out to the world.

In light of our history, however, Collier may have had good reason not to mention one of his chief recommendations for the “bottom billion” countries like us: that G8 countries should intervene - militarily if necessary - to maintain “stability”.

A group of Guyana Amazon Warriors fans strike a pose for our photographer Dexter Ceres at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence East Bank Demerara for the matchup between the GAW and Barbados Tridents

The Amazon rainforest is still burning and we’re all in danger “O n the seventh day,” so says the Old Testament, “God rested.” A major reason the Almighty could afford to relax is that he created plants on the third day, approximately three billion years ago, designed to sustain Earth’s protective atmosphere forevermore. Until quite recently, these plants – trees in particular – have been doing God’s work to near perfection, inhaling carbon dioxide in silent service to nature and mankind, playing their providential role as “the lungs of the planet”.

Over the last weeks, the devastating fires in the Amazon forests have captured the attention of a global audience, making a significant portion of the American public aware of our longstanding dependence on forests, especially tropical forests, that soak up and store the carbon that humans keep sending into the atmosphere.

As the Brazilian forests burn, then, we are witnessing not just another devastating forest fire, but the destruction of nature’s age-old shield against the warming of the planet. It’s happening at the same time that warming’s effects are mounting: ferocious hurricanes, record-high temperatures, dying coral reefs, melting glaciers, increasing floods and droughts. More than Donald Trump’s latest gaffe, or the poll numbers of the Democratic Candidates for president, this is the real breaking news now: “Rainforests go, and so do we.”

Rainforests – from the Tongass in Alaska to the heart of Borneo in Indonesia --- are the most carbon-dense forests in the world, but of these, it is tropical rainforests that are the designated champions of absorbing and storing our carbon emissions now. Taken together, the forests of the Amazon, the Congo Basin and the Indonesian archipelago store half of global forest carbon and absorb an additional three billion metric tons of carbon annually, offsetting a third of our fossil fuel emissions. They do this for free. Their global respiration is evident in images from NASA showing their intake of carbon dioxide exhaled from the world’s industrial centres.

Smoke billows from fires in the Amazon tropical forest, in Altamira, Para State, Brazil, on August 23 (Victor Moriyama/AFP/Getty Images)

Over the last half-century, as carbon emissions have increased dramatically, the earthly trinity of these tropical forests has also increased its rate of carbon sequestration. It is almost as if the trees are talking to each other, urging themselves to try harder to accomplish their preordained mission, sensing they are losing the battle.

Once we recognise that we have such potent natural allies in our quest to save civilisation, it follows that we need to up our effort to protect forests in general, and especially tropical rainforests. Think of the earthly trinity as a global trust fund for our grandchildren, Earth’s built-in natural climate solution. If these forests are protected and expanded, the fund achieves naturally what we are currently spending billions in geoengineering research to achieve technologically, thus far with mixed results and, therefore, ominous implications.

Another way to think of the tropical rainforests is as our global commons. The forest trinity represents the three places on Earth we all have a vested interest in defending – a gift from God entrusted to us as stewards.

All member nations at the G7 meeting in France in August, save one, seem to grasp what is at stake. Financial

support for sustaining tropical forests needs to become an international responsibility and a priority.

Protecting and restoring forests is sometimes framed as too costly, but innovative approaches can and should accommodate both people and nature.

In Madagascar, community mangrove stewardship protects a crucial carbon repository and the villagers who depend on the mangroves for multiple uses. In Mississippi, rural landowners are financially rewarded for restoring bottomland forests, which benefits people, wildlife, and the waterways. And in the tropics, new modes of sustainable forest management are coming online to permit logging with limited impact on carbon storage.

Alone, trees cannot save us. In fact, they are losing the battle against the resurrection of their own ancestors in the form of fossil fuels. Salvation will require us to stop burning long dead trees and make the transition to renewable forms of energy. In the meanwhile, living trees will continue their preordained role of breathing for all of us, if we let them.

Peter W Ellis is a forest ecologist.

Joseph J Ellis is a Pulitzer Prizewinning American historian.

(Los Angeles Times)

guyanatimesgy.com

MONday, september 9, 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

Hurricane Dorian not a “credible” explanation for delay of Roger Khan’s return Dear Editor, Reference is made to the Chronicle article “Hurricane delays Roger Khan’s return” (GC 9/7), which reported that according to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, Hurricane Dorian delayed Roger Khan’s return home on Thursday September 5, 2019.

“His homecoming was adjourned, and he will be treated the same way as all deportees,” the minister said.

However, Hurricane Dorian is not a “credible” explanation for Mr. Khan’s failure to arrive back in Guyana last Thursday.

This is a smokescreen for Government.

Even Stabroek News cartoonist Paul Harris seems to reject the hurricane explanation with his cartoon of September 8. It shows an airborne aeroplane but with the runway being yanked from underneath by a hand (arguably, the Coalition Government’s) which reads: “Elections Promises, 2015.”

The cartoon depicts two voices speaking from within the aircraft, one saying, “Postpone!

Repeat…post pone…over” and the other voice, asking, “Why?” to which there is no response.

It reminds one of the movie “The Wild Geese”, in which a group of English mercenaries (played by

Richard Burton, Richard Harris, etc.) venture into an African country, rescue a deposed president from his enemies’ prison, then wait at an old airstrip to be airlifted before the local army finds them. Their plane lands on the runway, but before anyone can board, its pilot is told to “Pass them by,” and off goes the plane back into the air, leaving the mercenaries to “fight their way out of Africa.”

Well, Mr. Khan has to fight his way out of the United States. The public learned that Mr. Roger Khan was to return to Guyana last week.

On Thursday September 5, 2019, at or about 7:30pm, instead of being accompanied by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) agent on to a plane bound for Guyana, Mr. Khan found himself stranded in Florida, and talking to his attorney in Guyana, Mr. Glen Hanoman.

The media in Guyana, which sent reporters to the airport, said the following day that “associates” of Mr. Khan were at the airport, an indication that they also had anticipated his arrival.

It is public knowledge worldwide that Florida escaped the crippling effects of Hurricane Dorian. Many television stations in the US, including CNN, covered

this hurricane extensively.

By Thursday September 5, 2019, the hurricane had already passed Florida.

The people there returned to normal life. Miami International Airport, from where Mr. Khan was expected to depart, was operating. If I am not mistaken, an American Airlines’ flight departed Miami International Airport for Guyana that very Thursday night.

Even Port Canaveral in Jacksonville, Florida, a busy port for cruise liners, was open for business.

Hurricane Dorian had to first pass Miami before reaching Port Canaveral.

Yet, at Port Canaveral, the US Coast Guard (Sector of Jacksonville) posted a bulletin online which stated: “As of 4 pm, 4 September, 2019, Hurricane Dorian’s severe weather is no longer a threat to the Port of Canaveral.”

This was September 4, an entire day before Mr. Khan’s scheduled departure.

Therefore, the hurricane explanation just does not add up.

Government has a duty to ensure all deportees, including Mr. Khan, have a swift and safe return home from the US. However, the fact that the press and others were at the airport but no Police, as is customary for returning deportees, indi-

cates that Government knew beforehand that Mr. Khan’s flight was aborted, but deliberately did not provide notice to Mr. Khan or the public.

It would be a stretch of the imagination to believe that this is protocol between the US and Guyana regarding the treatment of our citizens who are deportees.

For months, Mr. Khan has been trying to get home.

Apart from filing a lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Prisons for early release, he even waived important rights in the US to foster a swift immigration process.

Moreover, it is no secret that ICE is willingly processing deportees as well as persons deemed undocumented for rapid removal from the US under President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration policy. Yet, it is now this caretaker Government’s position that, despite all that he has done to facilitate his removal from the US, including flight arrangement by ICE, Mr. Roger Khan’s trip was “adjourned” because of a hurricane that had little impact on Florida, and arguably did not stop at least one other flight from leaving Miami that night for Guyana.

Something else is afoot.

Sincerely, Rakesh Rampertab

Let the will of the people be done

Dear Editor, When Mr Charrandas Persaud voted in favour of the no-confidence motion, he was representing most of us; or, otherwise explained, he was expressing the will of the people who elected him to office. Quite contrary to what is being peddled by the PNC, that that “one man” betrayed his party and, as such, toppled the Government.

This is falsehood at its worst, this erroneous theory as propagandised by the PNC: that one man caused confusion in an otherwise “settled” Government, in his quest to cause division in an otherwise “unity” Government.

It is a very sick joke, if anyone should listen to them. In this regard, they are putting up stout resistance against the no-confidence motion, despite several court orders to the contrary. Their stance on this is that no one man should topple a Government, and as such they will stay in office irrespective of the laws governing a successful no-confidence motion.

Well, they are ever so wrong.

Mr Charrandas did not represent a single person, his representa-

‘Guyana for Guyanese’ must continue to be our mantra

Dear Editor, It is clear, from recent news on Venezuela, what position the Venezuelans hold dear in their hearts as it concerns Essequibo.

The recent establishment of a homestead in Essequibo for Venezuelan migrants is completely and totally against the best interest of national security. We must, as a nation, stay on guard against our declared enemy, and we must avoid being deceived into thinking that we have more opportunities to offer immigrants than their richer home countries.

As is said by most, “Charity begins at home”, and it is unwise for us to open our borders, towns and villages to those who dislike us, while not taking care of our own citizens first and foremost. Our unemployment rate is such that we cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the plight of our own Guyanese people.

It should also be noted that any immigration policy should be extremely selective, with a bias to the highly educated, who bring with them skills not found presently within our borders. In

the case of the Haitians, we must keep in mind that their homeland has one of the highest cases of deforestation in the world, primarily due to illegal activities. Is this the type of cultural influence we want within our borders, especially given our

position on sustainability?

One would think the answer would be a resounding, ‘No!’ These are some of the fundamental factors that our leaders need to consider going forward, if we are to ensure the security and development of our nation and

its most important asset, “our people” Best regards, Jamil Changlee

tion is that of the entire nation, which in this instance is significant of the number 33, which is the majority in our Parliament. Mr Charrandas’s vote is a reflection of the pulse and heartbeat of the people of this country: that they do not have any faith in the PNC/ AFC Coalition. This should have triggered an election ever since. That did not take place, due to the obstinacy of the PNC, the main partner in the coalition, because they are terrified at the very thought of facing the electorate at this time.

But this is not a battle against the PPP/C or Dr Jagdeo; it is a battle against the people of Guyana, who are being kicked aside at every court case, as the Government use our own taxpayers’ money to fight against the people; billions of dollars of our money. It is outrageous, to say the least, when a Government can fight against its own people.

The PNC-led Coalition is telling the people of Guyana that they have to abide by their rules, regardless. This is naked aggression against the fundamental rights of a people.

However, I must herald the alarm: that, in the final analysis, the very same people will be triumphant, and they will be very severe with those who were stifling their decision to express themselves in regard to whoever governs them.

Respectfully, Neil Adams

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MONday, september 9, 2019

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Foundation

…pairing older primary students with younger ones for community reading time has benefits for both groups

By Ryan Wheeler

P

eer mentoring is a powerful, underused tool in schools. One study suggests that partnering with higher achieving peers can have a positive influence on a student’s learning, and students who are older, more capable readers can be these peers for young students. With this in mind, I have used a practice called Reading Buddies in primary schools to great effect.

Reading Buddies is a concept that pairs different grade-level classrooms for community reading time—an upper-grade classroom connects with a lower-grade one, and students partner for time with books.

Establishing a reading buddies programme

The structure is simple: Pair upper-grade classes with lower-grade ones It’s best to have students work in pairs, but groups of three are fine as well. Set aside at least one 30-minute session per month for the students to read together.

Gather the students in a classroom, the library, the cafeteria, or even outside on a sunny afternoon. Let the younger students pick the books at first so they get hooked with an interesting read. Later you can have the older students share some of their favourites. As the year progresses and the skills of the younger readers increase, you can have the students take turns reading to each other, giving everyone a chance to show off.

The benefits are profound. Reading Buddies allows younger readers to see what being fluent looks like as they have a peer model demonstrating reading skills; they can also acquire a positive role

model with some intentional pairing. The older students develop social and emotional skills like patience and empathy as they work with their littler buddies.

Additionally, for upper primary students who are struggling with grade-level reading, the opportunity to access easier reading material without stigma or shame while sharing with a novice reader can create a positive experience with an activity that may otherwise be less than enjoyable. And the roots of the school community deepen as classes work and share together.

Social and emotional benefits

You might be worried about the reading level or the behaviour of the older students, for good reason. But this opportunity could be just what they need: When students are given the freedom to be better, to work for something bigger than themselves, and to mentor others, they can thrive.

Those who are not reading on grade level will have a chance to practice with picture books that they wouldn’t otherwise pick up and to increase their confidence as they read to a mesmerised kindergartner.

I’ve seen this success for students with behavioural difficulties. Let me tell you about a student I’ll call Marcus, a fifth grader with attention issues who read at a first-grade level and was often in trouble, but who had an amazing heart. His teacher, who was justifiably worried about his progress, partnered with a kindergarten class for Reading Buddies. Marcus was paired with Tony, a little guy with his own set of difficulties, such as defiance, use of profanity, and physical aggression.

They got on fine, but the relationship didn’t blossom until after a few sessions. While walking to meet the kindergarten class, Marcus saw Tony talking to his teacher outside the classroom and being less than respectful. When Tony belatedly made it to Reading Buddies, Marcus put his arm around him and began to mentor him. Marcus gave him the old “Don’t be like me, kid” speech.

Tony looked at Marcus with an expression of embarrassment and respect for someone who had had similar difficulties through the years.

Over time, the teachers worked out an intervention where Marcus could go spend

time with Tony outside of Reading Buddies both as a reward and as an intervention when Tony’s day started getting hard. As part of a token reward system, Tony could request that Marcus join him for lunch or recess. For the intervention, Marcus would sometimes come down to the kindergarten classroom to give Tony a pep talk. This was a positive relationship for both students as Tony had a role model and Marcus had someone to mentor, which helped him grow.

This programme of cooperative learning is a great way to build community in the school and to promote reading, which are goals for nearly every school. Both sets of students get excited about Reading Buddies time because it’s a chance to get out of class, have fun, and make a friend.

With thoughtfulness, the relationships can extend beyond just one school year and carry over beyond reading books. Powerful moments of connection can happen, and social and emotional lessons are inevitable. These are some wonderful outcomes, all from just sharing a book. (Excerpt from edutopia.org)

Daily reading tip

Let kids choose what they want to read, and don’t turn your nose up at popular fiction.

It will only discourage the reading habit.

B

lackout poetry is like a treasure hunt since you find hidden meanings and secret messages in unlikely places. It also creates a beautiful “night sky” — with words as the twinkling stars of your poem.

Supplies (for each child)

• Old newspapers or magazines • Thin and thick black markers • Highlighters (optional)

Procedure

1. Select a newspaper or magazine page.

2. Look at all of the words on the page.

3. Go back over the page, and with a thin black marker draw a box around the words that you want in your poem.

4. Colour in (black out) the rest of the words on the page with the thick black marker, leaving just the words you selected.

5. Highlight all or some of the words, if you like, to create a more colourful effect. (startwithabook.org)

news

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MONday, september 9, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana signs historic Amazonian Teen crushed to death after vehicle turned turtle pact to protect tropical forest

Colombian President Ivan Duque, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno and Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra, Surinamese Vice President Michael Ashwin Adhin and Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo along with Guyana’s Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman signed onto the pact

G

uyana joined six fellow Amazonian countries on Friday in Letecia, Colombia to sign a pact to protect the world’s largest tropical forest.

The pact, signed at a time when the Amazon is under threat from fires, aims to coordinate disaster response and satellite monitoring.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, who represented President David Granger, signed on behalf of Guyana.

Colombia’s President, Ivan Duque; Bolivia’s President, Evo Morales; Ecuador’s President, Lenin Moreno and Peru’s President Martin Vizcarra were the Heads of State who signed.

Suriname’s Vice President, Michael Ashwin Adhin and Brazil’s Foreign Minister, Ernesto Araujo signed the pact on behalf of their respective countries.

Minister Trotman, in delivering a message on behalf of President Granger, reiter-

ated to the South American leaders that, “our President is the visionary who conceptualised the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) for Guyana – it is our lighted path towards attaining a green and sustainable economy and is open to be shared and improved upon.

“An inferno in the Amazon, two-thirds of which is in Brazil, and the reason for us being here, threatens the rainforest eco-system

Late spurt to "modernise" Police Stations

...Police need to be "comfortable" – Ramjattan building in Georgetown; the Cove and John Police Station in Region Four and the reconstruction of the Anna Regina Police Station headquarters, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam).

The monies would also cater for the construction of the Fort Wellington Police Station, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); the Mabaruma Police Station Headquarters building, Region One (Barima-Waini); Golden Grove Police Station

million, Parika Police Station $59 million, Baramita gets $77 million and Albion Police Station will get $80.9 million.

The Whim Police Station also being the beneficiary of $81.3 million, all to ensure that these facilities are brought to almost brand-new status if not brand-new status,” he stated.

He emphasised that although training of Police ranks was integral in ensuring that quality security services were provided by the

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

O

ver $700 million from Central Government and the Citizen Security Strengthening Programme will be dedicated to the modernisation of several Police Stations across the country.

This is according to Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who made the disclosure recently at the commissioning ceremony of the La Parfaite Harmonie Police Station, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

He stated that Government would be providing $260 million for the rehabilitation of the Brickdam Police Station, Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica); the Leonora Police Station, Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara); the Special Branch Unit

Brickdam Police Station

Divisional Headquarters, Region Four, and the Mahdia Police Station Headquarters in Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni).

“But we also had gotten monies form Citizen Security Strengthening Programme and this year … will see $80 million going towards the Mahdia Police Station, Wismar Police Station a sum in that equivalent about $80

Guyana Police Force (GPF), the ranks should be provided with the necessary assets so that they can execute their functions effectively.

“So that when trained they will utilise these assets for even improved services to the community … we need comfortable and pleasing circumstances in which they operate – their working conditions…”

and also affects the entire globe,” Minister Trotman related.

“The effects of damage to the Amazon go far beyond Brazil and its neighbours.

We are the lungs of the earth; we must all breathe to live. Therefore, our presence here is in recognition of the value and importance of the Amazon, and the Guiana Shield, and our role as custodians, stewards, and guardians of it,” Minister Trotman asserted.

The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest, which produces approximately 20 per cent of Earth’s oxygen and spans eight countries, including Guyana. It covers 40 per cent of South America, is inhabited by 30 million people and is home to vast numbers of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, most of them unique to the region.

New plant or animal species are discovered at a rate of one every two days in the Amazon.

Guyana’s Ambassador to Brazil, George Talbot joined Minister Trotman, who was accompanied by Head of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Project (FCPF), Clayton Hall.

Minister Trotman and Hall travelled with the Surinamese delegation and returned to Guyana Friday evening.

The vehicle after it toppled on Saturday

A

teenager was on Saturday crushed to death along the Coomacka trail in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) after the vehicle he was driving turned turtle.

Dead is 15-year-old John Narine of Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

According to information received, the teenager had been working as a serviceman attached to a company which was conducting rehabilitation work on a stretch of road along the Coomacka trail.

Guyana Times understands that Narine took the keys to a Caterpillar frontend vehicle after it was parked by a vehicle operator and left the worksite.

He was reportedly head-

ing West in the direction of Linden when he drove off of an eroded section of the trail and lost control of the vehicle.

The teen was tossed from the vehicle which turned turtle. He was then pinned beneath it. His head was reportedly crushed by the heavy-duty equipment.

Police responded promptly to the scene, and the teenager was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Narine’s body was later transported to a funeral parlour in the community to await a post-mortem. His body was positively identified by his parents who had travelled to the community after learning about the accident.

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MONday, september 9, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

CANU appeals Magistrate’s decision to dismiss drug charge W eeks after a 26-year-old businessman of Alberttown, Georgetown was freed of an ecstasy possession charge, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) has filed an appeal in the matter, which originally was heard before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly.

Darrel John had been slapped with two charges, and his matters had been tried by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in that Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. The first charge had

alleged that on February 12, 2018, at Alberttown, Georgetown, he had had in his possession two grams of ecstasy. The second charge had alleged that he had sold ecstasy to an underage boy.

On August 8, 2019, Senior Magistrate Daly dismissed the possession of ecstasy charge against John, citing insufficient evidence having been presented to the court after she had read submissions made by both John’s attorney, George Thomas, and the CANU prosecutor.

She had also noted that

Darryl John

ecstasy does not fall under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act. John’s attorney had contended that ecstasy is made up of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, and not an amphetamine which is illegal under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of Guyana.

According to reports, the child was found in possession of the drug, and upon investigation, a search was conducted at John’s home, where the ecstasy was found in his bedroom.

Man sent to jail for 3 months for spitting on woman who insulted him

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Gary Prince

ary Prince has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment by Georgetown Magistrate Dylon Best on Friday after sufficient evidence was presented to prove to the court that this defendant had spat on a woman who had insulted him.

Particulars of the charge brought against Prince are that on April 27, 2019, at Breda Street, Georgetown, he thus unlawfully assaulted Leonie Thornton.

The facts of the matter state that, on the day in question, Prince was riding past Thornton when she uttered, “Gwan, yuh dawg!” As a result, Prince became annoyed and spat on her.

Prince was a no-show at the conclusion of his trial, but had been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment in absentia. He, however, later presented himself to the court, and was arrested and taken to serve his time.

Freeman Fordyce

has since appealed that magisterial decision.

The businessman is currently before the courts on an allegation of trafficking two Venezuelans for sexual exploitation at his club. In relation to this matter, the Police had carried out a raid at his Diamond club, which had led to the arrest of 15 women, all said to be foreign nationals.

This was after a video had circulated on social media showing a woman jumping over a locked gate to get into the compound. The woman was assisted by four of her friends who were on the other side of the fence.

They were holding up the security barbed wire so that the woman could gain entry to the premises.

Hours after the video hit social media, Police raided the premises and detained the 15 women, suspected to be victims of trafficking in persons (TIP).

The woman who was seen climbing the fence, Dailyn Garcia, 25, a Venezuelan, was later charged for overstaying her time in Guyana. She was fined $30,000 for the offence, in default of which a term of six months’ imprisonment becomes applicable.

Upon paying the fine or serving time, Garcia would be escorted to the nearest port of exit and deported to her homeland.

Assault charges against hotelier dismissed

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ine months after Diamond Strip Club owner Freeman Fordyce was charged for assaulting a cop and behaving in a disorderly manner, the cases against him were dismissed because the key witness, a Police Inspector, had failed to attend court on five occasions.

Particulars of the two charges for which 41-year-old Fordyce, of Collingswood Avenue, Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara, had been on trial before Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess were that on November 9, 2018 at George Street, Georgetown, he had assaulted Police Inspector Prem Narine; and that on the same day and at the same location, he had behaved in a disorderly manner.

Before dismissing the charges, Magistrate Bess adverted that the dismissals resulted from insufficient evidence provided by the prosecutor; and given that, after five occasions, the virtual complainant, Inspector Narine, had failed to show up in court.

According to information received, the Inspector and other Policemen had gone to search the strip club after four Venezuelan women had complained that the businessman had seized their passports and had threatened to kill them and their families if they refused to work as sex workers.

This issue had come to light when two of the entertainers had escaped from the club. It was their statements that had prompted Police ranks to carry out the raid. During the search, however, Fordyce is alleged to have punched the Inspector to his neck.

The officer had accordingly pulled out his gun to keep the attacker at bay.

The entire incident had been recorded on surveillance camera.

Fordyce was, in February 2019, given a four-year suspended sentence for being in possession of an illegal firearm after he had been found guilty of that offence.

The Director of Public Prosecutions

Rousing…

T

…integrity he Chairman of the Integrity Commission revealed that, last year, 42% of the public officials who’re required BY LAW to file declarations of their assets failed to do so. 41 of the defaulters were MPs, mostly from the Government, and included President Granger!

Declarations are supposed to be filed by June 30th annually, and this year the record’s worse, even though the deadline was extended to Aug 31. The defaulters now number 65%, almost two-thirds of the cohort of folks who’re supposed to be running this country on our behalf.

With oil money supposed to start flowing next year, the mind boggles and the body shudders at what’s in store for us. After all, if they feel compelled to hide their assets when we’re just another sh*thole country, imagine what’s gonna happen when we become the per capita richest country on the planet. You can be sure what the numbers may say: THAT most of the wealth’s gonna end up in the pockets of these same “public servants” who’re NEVER filing their assets’ declarations!

There’s no other reason for not filing, except that these defaulters have something to hide. It’s just like Trump: doing backflips to avoid revealing his tax returns’ filings.

He knows for sure he’s been doing all sorts of hanky-panky with his finances. But what’s even more egregious about our state of affairs is that, even though these defaulters can be prosecuted according to laws presently on the books, the Commission has been unable to do so, since it hasn’t been given the requisite funding.

As Immanuel Kant pointed out, “ought” implies “can”, and without funds to pay investigators, prosecutors etc, while the Commission OUGHT to prosecute these miscreants, they certainly CAN’T. And, trust this Eyewitness, this Government know this fully well, and have deliberately underfunded the Commission. Scads of skeletons in their closets! IN the decades since the Commission was established by the PPP, the PNC have refused to cooperate, insisting they didn’t trust the first Chair, Bishop George. Imagine that!! But they’ve got no excuse now, since they appointed the present Chair.

The gentleman made an eminently sensible suggestion: that the Commission be made into a constitutional body, so it will automatically receive funding, once Parliament scrutinises and approves the quantum. He also suggested that the Integrity Commission function on a full-time basis. With oil on the horizon, this is even more eminently sensible, and should be complemented with a large team of full-time investigators.

But after this Government’s vile behaviour following the CCJ request that they act with “integrity” in following the commands of Art 106 (6) – to resign and call elections in 3 months – don’t hold your breath. …the fans Well, our Warriors have certainly roused their fans – meaning all Guyana – with their bravura performances in their first two games. Your Eyewitness is writing this before the third game’s played, but you, dear reader, would’ve known the results as you read this. Whatever happens in this game of “glorious uncertainty”, the Warriors have given us a welcome respite from the interminable wrangling and rancour the PNC have introduced into our country in their determination to hold on to power by any means necessary.

The ironic thing is: quite a lot of the politicians were at the game, and you’d think their conscience might prick them for stoking divisiveness in those same folks who were rooting as one for “their boys”. They would’ve seen Guyanese performatively demonstrating they can, as a matter of fact, become “one people; one nation with one destiny”. The secret was right in front of them: give our people incentives to be part of a common endeavour.

But are they gonna do it? Not in this life!!

More wrangling and rancour in store. …rancour The depravity of the Chronic, run by Nagamootoo, knows no bounds. This week, he featured Barrington Braithwaite -- an ERC member!! – blaming only the then PPP Administration for the 1998-2008 violence.

Wasn’t Nagamootoo a leader of the PPP then??

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

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MONday, september 9, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Prospective HWLS scholarship awardees to serve 5 years with State – sources …despite 2 years of study in T&T-based institution

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hen it was announced that the Legal Affairs Ministry would be making full scholarships to the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) available, there was much celebration. It turns out, however, that prospective awardees have been informed that they would have to give five years of service to the State.

Guyana Times has been reliably informed by sources that at an interview with the Ministry, the University of Guyana’s top law students were informed that once they acquired fully-funded scholarships for two years of study in Trinidad, they had to stay in the State’s service for five years.

It is understood that this fiveyear service clause causing some discomfort among the students.

This is particularly so since in other fields of study such as medicine, students only have to serve back their years of study.

Last month, a delegation of law students had met with Attorney General Basil Williams. At the AG’s chambers, Vice President of the Guyanese Jurisdiction Committee,

The Hugh Wooding Law School

Olivia Bess, laid out the conditions under which aspiring lawyers have to study in Trinidad.

According to Bess, these students still have to find money for food; costs she estimates to be close to $100,000 in Guyana currency. In addition, there are also the costs of accommodation.

“We requested a meeting with the Attorney General, because we as Guyanese students in Trinidad suffer a lot of financial difficulties in relation to our tu-

ition fees, living expenses, food, etc. For example, the tuition fee has increased for the first years. It is no longer TT$98,366. It is now TT$101,066. When you exchange that to Guyana dollars, that would be G$3 million.”

“That’s just the first-year tuition fee. Added to that, you also have living expenses. The average Guyana student in Trinidad would pay around TT$3000. When you convert that, that would be around G$90,000 a month. And you still have to send it through the bank

or Western Union and these places will add on their own rates.”

In terms of food, Bess noted that the average student would spend between TT$1500 and TT$2000 on a monthly basis. She explained that this translated to them spending between G$45,000 and G$60,000.

“So when you total all the expenses for one year, it is nothing less than $5 million. That is just per year. It is two years so you have $10 million. So, it’s not easy for the Guyanese students in Trinidad to function properly or study properly, even though we do perform well. But it’s not an easy task.

“We have to think about our parents, our guardians, how are they going to find that money? I know countless students who cried because they could not find that money to pay for Hugh Wooding Law School. It’s not an easy task.”

Bess was accompanied by students holding their Bachelor in Laws from the University of Guyana, as well as students already enrolled at the Hugh Wooding Law School. The Legal Affairs Ministry had announced that full scholarships to study law

for the 2019/2020 year at Hugh Wooding were available.

This came after reports that the Ministry’s Finance Secretary failed to cover expenses for students. AG Williams criticised the staff who was responsible for sending money for the students in Trinidad, but didn’t.

The requirements for eligibility for the limited scholarships being offered by the Department of Public Service include: being the holder of the Bachelor of Laws Degree, with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.3, obtained within the last five years.

Applicants must be 35 years old or under; and must have an offer of acceptance from the Hugh Wooding Law School for the 2019-2020 academic year. Present students at the Hugh Wooding Law School must have passes for the first year of studies, with at least three courses passed with Grade A. Over the years, the need for a local law school has been excessively highlighted and as such, Government has undertaken to set up such an institution here in a joint venture with Jamaican partners.

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MONday, september 9, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

GPL admits it cannot purchase outside power

...licence has to be amended

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he Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated on Sunday said it is unable to purchase power from any private company due to its existing licence, which it plans to amend.

In a notice published in one of the daily newspapers, the company explained that its licence restricts it from purchasing power from any producer other than independent power producers (IPP) which produce electricity from renewable energy sources.

Further, GPL said, “IPP, as defined under the Act, does not include businesses whose main business is not the generation of power, and which supply no more than 10 MW”.

The company added that it is aware that persons are interested in supplying their excess generation capacity to GPL’s grid, and Government is willing to enter an agreement in this regard, but the existing licence remains a barrier.

“The Government and GPL are desirous of facilitating distributed generation in a manner that is consistent with GPL’s generation and expansion plans, and with the country’s Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) which recommends the opportunity for consum-

ers, small and large scale businesses to supply their excess generation to public suppliers,” GPL said in the notice.

Against this backdrop, the power company said, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson has proposed an amendment to Section 15 of GPL’s Licence, which will allow the company to purchase the excess generation capacity of its consumers, self-generators and other businesses, where feasible and consistent with the company’s generation requirements for interconnection to its grid.

The notice added that the public may make “representations and or objections” to the proposal by submitting their views to the Minister no later than October 6, 2019.

This revelation comes

at a time when two major private companies, namely Banks DIH Limited and Giftland Mall, have expressed interest in supplying power to the embattled state agency. The two entities are powering their own operations using heavy fuel oil, and each has substantial capacity in this regard.

In fact, only last month, proprietor of Giftland Mall, Roy Beepat, in a statement to the media, voiced concerns over GPL’s unwillingness to accept the Giftland offer to supply it with electricity. His statement came two months after making his interest known in this regard. At that time, the businessman had pointed out that Giftland had been receiving numerous complaints and questions as to why there are still occasional power outages. He noted

that, a few months ago, persons who thought the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was about to be signed with GPL had also been congratulating Giftland.

Giftland have also insisted that, contrary to reports, they can supply the required power at whatever time slots are required.

“We stand by our statement that a dedicated 3MW is available, and we can supply up to 4.5MW as required.

We are not sure what further justification is required to show why this can withstand any scrutiny. Our prices are competitive and better than power supplied by GPL diesel generators. The sup-

ply is available without any expenditure to GPL (and) without commitment for long-term supplies. We look forward to some response as to why this Agreement cannot be concluded,” the company had said.

The Government’s Department of Public Information (DPI) had reported in June of this year that GPL and Giftland had concluded a Power Purchase Agreement for the supply of five megawatts of power, and that all that was being awaited was ratification of this agreement by the new GPL Board.

Giftland Mall had, since 2016, offered to sell

Government its excess electricity, but this was rejected. At a press conference in June, GPL CEO Albert Gordon had explained that buying power from an independent power producer (IPP) is a complicated issue which includes negotiating pricing and legal matters.

But, more recently, the issue of GPL purchasing power has become more important with two of its submarine cables sustaining damage by vessels.

One of the cables has already been restored, and the subject minister has promised that the second damaged cable would be repaired soon.

Fly Jamaica yet to file application in Jamaica

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he new owner of Fly Jamaica, Glenn Logan, had initially intended for the carrier to recommence operations from September. However, this is very unlikely, as the airline is yet to file application in Jamaica, before the process begins in Guyana.

The Gleaner newspaper in Jamaica on Friday reported that the airline may be “in limbo despite takeover talks”. continued on page 11

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MONday, september 9, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

PAHO issues US$3.5M donor appeal for humanitarian health response in Bahamas

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he Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) is requesting an initial US$3.5 million from donors to cover shortterm health care and other needs for the population in The Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian.

The devastating Category Five Storm made landfall one week ago (last Sunday) in north-west Bahamas, and severely affected the health sector, with significant destruction of equipment and medical supplies and electrical and water supplies in Abacos Islands and Grand Bahama.

Some 73,000 persons were af-

fected by the storm, and there are hundreds of people in shelters in the disaster zone. While 43 deaths have been officially reported thus far, mass casualty numbers are expected to rise significantly as more areas become accessible and search-and-rescue operations continue.

PAHO’s Director of Health Emergencies, Dr Ciro Ugarte, said, “Our priority concerns are to restore access to essential health services and continued medical care delivery, to ensure water quality in affected communities and health facilities, and to restore

proper hygiene and sanitation.”

He said adequate waste management and control of disease-causing vectors such as mosquitoes is key, along with increasing epidemiological surveillance to support early detection and timely management of disease outbreaks.

The US$3.5 million being requested by PAHO is a preliminary estimate to cover short-term health care, water and sanitation, epidemiological surveillance and vector-control needs in the Bahamian islands most affected

by Hurricane Dorian for the next

Fly Jamaica yet to...

Logan has been tightlipped on the transaction, but The Gleaner reported that Head of the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), Nari WilliamsSingh, has said that the application is yet to be received and the review process is yet to commence.

On the other hand, reports are that Fly Jamaica had, after the accident, made an insurance claim, which is yet to be paid to Ronald Reece, the airline’s former owner.

Efforts made by Guyana Times to contact Reece on Sunday were futile, but The Gleaner reported that Reece said the new owner of the airline is yet to “pay over any funds”.

That newspaper also reported that Reece was displeased that Logan had made public statements, which has breached their agreement in regard to “disclosures”.

The operations of Fly Jamaica airline were crippled by a crash that occurred on November 9,

2018. The Boeing 757 flight crash-landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at Timehri, East Bank Demerara after encountering hydraulic issues.

The flight had left the CJIA at about 02:10h for Toronto, but the pilot returned to the CJIA, where the aircraft crash-landed.

The cash-strapped airline has since made all its workers redundant effective from March 1, 2019. Most of the fired former employees are also still awaiting payment of their salaries. Irate passengers are likewise still awaiting refunds from tickets that were booked. Those refunds are pegged at over $16 million.

On July 29, hope surfaced for the airline when it was revealed that a team of investors, led by Yann LeProvost of the Frenchbased company W&Y SAS and including Jamaican aviation veteran Glenn Logan, had taken over the problem-plagued airline.

The new owners took over on July 26 from

From page 10

Guyanese operators Paul and Roxanne Reece. They have since pledged their commitment to addressing the issues affecting the airline, such as salaries owed to workers, and compensation for tickets.

Meanwhile, Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Egbert Field, in an interview back in July, pointed out that the company must refile an application seeking approval to operate locally before it can so do. “…if they are certified and approved by the Jamaica (Civil Aviation Authority); because it is a Jamaican-based airline, not a Guyanese-based. So, providing that Jamaica approved the application, then they will give them the necessary permits. They will have to use that to reapply to the Civil Aviation Authority of Guyana, so they will have to make an entire new application and go through the entire process for approval from Guyana also,” Director General Field had said.

six months, Dr Ugarte said, adding that needs will likely increase as damage assessments are completed.

PAHO/WHO activated its emergency teams for surge capacity and had pre-deployed Rapid Response Team experts to The Bahamas before Hurricane Dorian struck to support health authorities and humanitarian response as needs were identified. So far, 14 PAHO experts are in the disaster

Bahamas Health Ministry in the response, setting up an Incident Management system and co-leading the health cluster with the national health authorities to coordinate health and humanitarian support to the affected population.

The funding requests include US$1.3 million to restore healthcare delivery in affected areas; US$500,000 for surveillance to detect and manage disease outbreaks; US$800,000 for safe ac-

zone to provide surge capacity in logistics, civil, and military coordination, information management, epidemiological surveillance, communications, and coordination.

Dr Ugarte said PAHO was acting quickly to support the

cess to water, emergency sanitation and control of disease vectors, as well as US$671,000 to coordinate humanitarian assistance and manage information to address the most urgent humanitarian needs.

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(Photos by Dexter Ceres)

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MONday, september 9, 2019| guyanatimesgy.com

Region 1 health officials PSC Chairman urges politicians to work together raise concerns with a strong front that is: improve on your business appeal, improve on your packaging, spread your name far and wide, start making a variety of products, acquire international certification, observe good manufacturing practices, and practice guidelines outlined in the Food Safety Act. The Director further cautioned the businesses present to be conscious of the fact that many inves-

Minister during visit

…call on Govt to provide water transport, assist in travelling expenses

A section of the gathering

P

rivate Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Gerry Gouveia on Friday urged Guyanese politicians to stop the fight as Guyana prepares to welcome first oil in 2020.

“Guyana is going to be amazing for every man, woman and child; the only thing we all need to do in this room is to besiege our politicians to stop fighting, work together so that we can improve the economics of our country, reap the benefits of others before us and particularly take advantage of the tourism industry and the issue of what all of the wealth from oil will bring for us,” Gouveia stated.

The PSC Chairman was at the time speaking at a baking seminar held by the National Milling Company of Guyana (NAMILCO) as the company continued its 50th anniversary celebrations.

He noted that Guyana was at a point where every standard needed to be upgraded in order for the country not to be overrun.

Gouveia urged the more than 130 businesses which attended the seminar to strive for international standards and to make Guyana marketable.

“And if we don’t as Guyanese ramp up our skills, our certification, we could talk local content forever, but if we don’t upgrade our certification and upgrade our standards, we are going to be overrun; rightly so if we do not get ourselves up to international standards. We cannot want to demand local content when we ourselves are not upgrading our

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

R

A display of a variety of NAMILCO’s products

services,” Gouveia noted.

As such, the PSC Head applauded NAMILCO for hosting the event which he observed was a move in the right direction to improve Guyana and its tourism value.

“When you guys start to make pastries that really start to meet the standard, a lot more flour would be sold and so I understand the point that NAMILCO is making. Our tourism industry have been struggling for many years and the issue of visibility and of marketing our country is one that we have been very delinquent on … to market the country, you need to have something to market,” Gouveia noted.

In his remarks, NAMILCO’s Managing Director, Roopnarine (Berth) Sukhi shared with the gathering tips that could aid in the improvement of their business standards.

Some of the tips include having

tors were presently eyeing the baking and catering industry.

“Economic activities will increase and you stand to benefit; however, some of these investors may be looking at the baking and catering industry so that your livelihood would also be threatened, you have to try and protect your market, but to do so, you will need to reengineer your business. It will need complete change in the way that you carry on your trade … we are aware of larger bakeries that are looking to enter Guyana, we should all be on guard and be able to find the niche in the market in order to remain in business,” Sukhi cautioned.

Also among the topics of discussion at the event were the proper preparation of pastry dough and how it could be used for various products as well as discussions on general issues and what the future held for the baking sector.

egional health practitioners in Region One (Barima-Waini) are concerned about the lack of transportation in some communities to transport patients, particularly high-risk pregnant women, to and from health facilities in and out of their Region.

Health worker Mark Boyer recently complained to Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence during her recent visit to the Region that although high-risk pregnant women were usually transported to the Suddie Regional Hospital, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) in the Region’s boat, health workers were left to pay the expenses of returning to their villages.

“Normally, the Health [Ministry] does the transporting out, but most of patients have to do their own expenses to come back in. They ask why the health workers take them out there and they have to spend their monies to come back home? I am recommending that arrangements be made to bring them back.”

He stated that in addition to this, the Amerindian Hostel in Suddie was not in good condition to house pregnant women and was unsuitable for mothers who would have to stay there when they were visiting the hospital.

“A proper accommodation [must] be constructed there for the mothers. We need to take care of it,” he noted.

Meanwhile, in the Manawarin Village, there is a high “home delivery rate” coupled with the neonatal death rate being high among other pressing health issues that need to be addressed.

This matter was pointed out by Elene La Rose, a staff nurse and midwife attached to the Kumaka District Hospital, Region One. “The Region has built a nurses’ duplex and a doctor and medex duplex there and there is a health post, but there are over 2000 residents in Manawarin. What we found is the high-risk mothers, it is like a culture that when we go, the husband as long as it is a male (staff to deliver a baby), they refuse for their wives to be examined by a male. We need more resources; we need a permanent doctor with midwife there…,” she stated.

Nurse La Rose further explained that Manawarin village was on the regional border between Region One and Region Two, but health care for residents was left solely in the hands of Region One. “Part of Manawarin is in Region Two …That Region always promises to come on board, they promise to help us … but don’t really … they are more than us, plenty of resources and staff.

Manawarin has no form of transportation too; there is need for a boat and engine in that area as well,” she added.

Several other nurses and health workers in various communities of Region One have also voiced their concern about the lack of boats with engines to shuttle sick persons and/or pregnant women to health facilities where they can obtain quality treatment.

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monDAY, september 9, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

GNBS warns businesses against using name to promote goods

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he Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) on Sunday said as the Christmas season approaches, importers are stocking up but in doing so, it has warned businesses to refrain from using its name to advertise their goods.

The Bureau released listing tips for this season, and also indicated that importers must desist from using the name of the GNBS in any advertisement or promotional material in relation to the sale of any product and to ensure that all products imported were in metric (SI) units.

On the other hand, the GNBS said it was important for businesses to ensure that they acquired products meeting the require-

ments of the relevant Guyana Standards.

On this note, the body reminded that it monitored Christmas trees and decorative lighting, domestic electrical/electronic appliances, weighing and measuring devices, textiles, garments, footwear, safety helmets, safety matches, new and used tyres, gas stoves, cigarettes, PVC pipes, furniture, and cellular phones.

The agency urged businesses to register with the GNBS for the current year by completing and submitting to the Bureau the prescribed application form along with a copy of the business registration form and

registration fee.

In addition, businesses were encouraged to acquire the relevant National Standards from the GNBS for products imported, in order to ensure the importation of standard-compliant goods.

More importantly, the Bureau said samples of new products must be submitted to the GNBS for approval, prior to importation to avoid rejection.

The Bureau also requested of businesses, “To ensure that products imported are for the purpose intended and are safe for use. Importers should purchase from sources that issue warranties

which could be easily passed on to consumers and ensure that any brochure, instruction manual, leaflet, etc, which are associated with products, are in English Language and accompany the product at the time of sale”.

“Ensure, where necessary, that imported products bear a national or international certification mark from a Regulatory Body in the country of origin, or a certificate of quality compliance should be submitted to the GNBS to verify the quality of the product imported. Compliance certificates should be obtained from an independent certification body, a national standards body or the relevant regulatory body,” the GNBS added.

“Lil King” dominating social media with inspirational hip-hop music first release, ‘Be What You Wanna Be’. The single, along with a video, was released in August 2017 and has grasped the attention of many young people.

Although he has since released other singles, the young musician did not hesitate to declare that he enjoyed working on that song the most. In the video, King is seen playing cricket with his friends in his community while sending his message of positivity.

By Davina Ramdass

N

ew musical artiste Orlando Cummings, whose stage name is ‘Lil King’, is presently dominating social media with his songs, which are geared towards raising awareness on social ills.

The 22-year-old singer sat down with Guyana Times on Saturday and explained that he developed a passion for music at just six years old. He recalled drumming and making beats while writing lyrics to accompany them, often defying his teachers’ rules. This often got him into a lot of trouble and resulted in his parents visiting him quite frequently at school.

He admitted that he had not been too attentive to tuition from nursery all the way to primary school, but said he began focusing more on his education after entering secondary school.

An exciting singer, Orlando Cummings was born at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD) but moved to Strathspey, ECD, where he grew up. King said that when he was younger, his friends would pay him to sing, and he sang so that he could raise enough money to buy cricket balls.

“I had my group of guys.

We used to enjoy playing cricket a lot, and in my videos you would see me showcasing cricket, because I always loved cricket, as much as I love music; and when I

The spotlight

“Lil King” performing one of his original pieces

sang, the older kids used to come and pay me to sing, and at the end of the day I was able to purchase a cricket ball or something of the sort, and we’d enjoy our game,” the musician recalled.

Although he tried his best to focus on his studies during his time in secondary school, King explained, he would often perform at school concerts, which would have the crowd quite hyped. Today, the humble young man said, he intends to make a difference with his music. In fact, realising that domestic violence is a major issue in Guyana, he said, he is currently working on a song to raise awareness of this issue.

He advocated his conviction as follows: “Women are someone we are supposed to look up to. Sometimes they

would say harsh things, yes; but you can walk away, you have a choice…they do something wrong (and) we don’t like it or can’t take it, leave”.

Lil King is hoping that his messages can reach persons living across the globe.

“A kid might wake up and he might say, ‘Man, I don’t know if anything is going to ever happen for me.

What’s life gonna be like for me? Everything is going so tough’; but I am basically showing them that, ‘Hey, you can still do this; you don’t have to pick up a gun to earn something, you don’t have to pick up a knife and go and rob someone. You can put your head to it and say “I’m going to work hard”,’” the musician encouraged.

As a matter of fact, these very thoughts have inspired the young man’s

Being in the spotlight has its advantages, King noted. But even more so, it exposes musicians to a lot of negativity. Being a young singer/songwriter, he said, he always has to ensure that he keeps his guard up, and not allow the negative comments to cloud his mind.

Very frequently, he said, young people would message him and send him encouragement, while others would attempt to distract him from doing what he loves best.

“Some people would tell you some really hurtful things, but you have to be strong; cause if you’re not, you’d want to quit, and if you solely love something, I don’t see why you should quit…let the bad comments slide”, he told the aspiring musicians.

Support

Lil King is grateful for

his parents’ support, although he is still too shy to perform for them. The singer said his mother and father have been two of his biggest fans and motivators.

Meanwhile, although he provokes his two elder sisters, he pointed out, they have played major roles in motivating and encouraging

him as well.

King mentioned his fans, without whom he said he would be nothing. His music videos can be viewed on his Facebook page @ Lil King.

More importantly, the young musician thanked Brutal Tracks Recording for work with him and giving him guidance along the way.

Man found hanging hours after girlfriend ended relationship

T

he lifeless body of a farmer was on Sunday discovered hanging from a rafter under his Philippi, Corentyne, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) home.

The dead man has been identified as 29-year-old Dwain Baggot. Guyana Times understands that on Saturday, the cash crop farmer and his girlfriend had a heated argument over a text message in her mobile phone.

According to relatives, Baggot, his father and friends were at a shop in the village imbibing after the argument.

Reports are that Baggot made no mention of the incident or anything to suggest that he was having a hard time dealing with his girlfriend’s decision.

It is unknown wheth-

Dead: Dwain Baggot

er Baggot had any further phone conversations with his now ex-girlfriend.

However, his body was discovered about 02:00h on Sunday and an alarm was raised.

The Police are investigating.

16

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monDAY, september 9, 2019

Regional

Jamaica sends 120 soldiers to Bahamas for hurricane relief

People waiting to be evacuated (Photo: CMC)

A

contingent of 120 Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldiers departed the island on Saturday to provide recovery and humanitarian support to The Bahamas following the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian.

They were accompanied by 11

members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, which provided airlift support.

At least 43 persons in The Bahamas have died and homes and infrastructure destroyed as a result of Hurricane Dorian, which hit the country as a Category Five system.

On Sunday, ships and aircraft were still helping to move thousands of people from Grand Bahama and the Abacos Islands.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who met with the troops at the Norman Manley International Airport ahead of the departure, expressed gratitude to the Canadian Government for facilitating the deployment of the JDF Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to The Bahamas.

“This is now the second time that the Governments of Jamaica and Canada and the defence forces of both countries have worked together to provide airlift for the Disaster Assistance Response Team,” he said.

Now a post-tropical cyclone, Dorian hit Halifax on Saturday with winds of 160 kilometres per hour (100 miles per hour).

On Sunday, Storm Dorian smashed into the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, toppling trees and cutting power to more than 450,000 homes.

The former hurricane has

churned northwards up the US eastern seaboard to Canada. The Canadian Hurricane Centre said it had received reports of rainfall as high as 150mm (six inches) in some

The storm is expected to pass over northern Newfoundland and eastern Labrador on Sunday.

Residents close to the shore have been advised to evacuate as a pre-

Now a post-tropical cyclone, Dorian hit Halifax on Saturday with winds of 160 kilometres per hour (100 miles per hour)

areas.

Video footage from Halifax showed a crane being blown on to a block of partially built flats. There were no reports of injuries.

caution.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been briefed on the storm. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer and BBC

News)

T&T’s ‘most wanted’ killed Brazil’s Bolsonaro recovering from surgery to treat year-old stab wound near Police station

O

ne of the country’s most “Wanted” and “Dangerous” men was gunned down several feet away from the Freeport Police Station seconds after he walked out from the charge room on Saturday night.

It is suspected that the assailants followed Haradath “H” Solomon, 42, of Mission Road, Freeport, to the station, where he had gone to get his book signed by officers as proof that he was still in the country on orders handed down by a magistrate in a court matter he was involved in.

The gunmen waited outside the station along the Mission Road until he

walked out and then they drove past him and the occupants opened fire on their target.

Solomon was hit just outside the Lotto and Play Whe booth just west of the station, less than 100 feet away.

Crime Scene Investigators who processed the scene on Saturday night recovered over 16 spent shells on the scene. The incident occurred at about 21:00h.

According to Police sources, Solomon was put on the Police’s “radar” about five months ago, after they received intelligence that he was planning a high-profile kidnapping. He had many

places of abode, including Morvant and Arima.

At the crime scene, several relatives of Solomon showed up but did not comment on his death. However, a close associate of Solomon told Guardian Media that while he was on the Police watch list, Solomon “in the end, was not ever convicted on any crimes....”

Police said Solomon was a suspect is several kidnappings together with reputed gang leader Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis. Solomon was also a suspect in several robberies, break-ins and suspected to be the head of a car-stealing ring in the Enterprise, Chaguanas area. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

St Lucia pledges US$100,000 to Bahamas Hurricane Dorian relief efforts

T

he Government of St Lucia has pledged US$100,000 to provide immediate relief to The Bahamas following the destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian.

The hurricane battered the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama in the north of the archipelago for two days.

The donation by St Lucia is done in unity with members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) who are expected to make a similar pledge and have come out to express their support to The Bahamas during this difficult time.

Prime Minister Allen M Chastanet, who also serves as Caricom Chairman, is currently in The Bahamas as part of a delegation from Caricom; Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA); Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)

V

ice President Hamilton Mourão will be Brazil’s acting president through Thursday while President Jair Bolsonaro recovers from abdominal surgery resulting from his stabbing at a political rally last year, his spokesman said on Sunday.

Bolsonaro was stable after a successful five-hour surgery, the presidential palace said in a statement.

Sunday’s surgery was to correct an incisional hernia due to a weakening of certain tissues from three previous surgeries in the President’s abdomen after he was stabbed in September 2018.

Presidential spokesman General Otávio Barros told a news conference Mourão, a former army general, would act as President for five days starting on Sunday.

Chief Surgeon Antônio Macedo told reporters he expected Bolsonaro to be able

Then Presidential Candidate Jair Bolsonaro moments after being stabbed during a rally in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, September 6, 2018

to travel from São Paulo to the capital Brasília in a week to 10 days. An incisional hernia is a protrusion of tissue that forms at the site of a healing surgical scar.

Bolsonaro, 64, wrote on Twitter on Saturday night before the surgery: “I remain confident for the next surgery. May God bless us. Good night.” He tweeted after taking part in fes-

tivities to mark Brazil’s 197th Independence Day in Brasília.

Adélio Bispo de Oliveira, the man accused of attacking Bolsonaro, was acquitted after a judge in Minas Gerais ruled he was mentally ill. In a decision handed down in June, the court ordered his detention in a mental illness facility for an undetermined period of time. (Reuters)

Trinidad Judiciary responds to rumblings: Registrar, not CJ, reassigns existing cases

T

St Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and Barbados PM Mia Mottley in The Bahamas to support the relief effort

and the Regional Security System (RSS).

The Prime Minister and the Caricom team, which also includes Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, have met with Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis and other officials for a detailed briefing on the state of the country.

Meanwhile, in St Lucia, the National Emergency Management Organisation

(NEMO) continues to work with CDEMA on the immediate needs. NEMO has informed that the immediate needs of the islands are water and water pumps. However, CDEMA has advised that monetary contributions would be easier logistically as procurement of needed items can be purchased at locations closer to The Bahamas. (Excerpt from stlucianewsonline)

he reassignment of two Judges, at their request, is causing some concern in judicial circles who are now questioning what reasons were given to accede to their requests for transfers.

In a statement on Sunday, the Registrar of the Supreme Court said the reassignment of Justice David Harris from the civil division to the Family Court where Justice Betsy Ann Lambert-Peterson was previously assigned.

Lambert-Peterson will move to the civil division and has taken over Harris’s civil docket.

According to the regis-

trar’s statement, the reassignments were made on the request of both Judges. But, this has bothered some judges who are now raising the question of equality of treatment.

They would also like to know the rationale for the reassignments, pointing to the very publicly playedout disagreement between Justice Carol Gobin who has been transferred to the Family Court in Tobago.

In July, it was revealed that Gobin will be assigned to the Family Court in Tobago, and although she, at first, resisted the move, she eventually agreed to go for one term, until December.

“Against the background of a very publicly played-out disagreement by a civil judge over her unsolicited assignment to the Family Court and the request to the Chief Justice to reconsider the assignment and his refusal to do so is there any reason why these two judges’ requests were facilitated. If Harris wanted to go to Family Court, why not send him to Tobago?” questioned one judge.

“They simply requested it and their requests were granted. But the CJ has not said why he considered it appropriate to accede to these requests?” was another question asked. (Excerpt from newsday)

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, september 9, 2019

17

Around the World

Afghan peace deal: Taliban says US UK PM prepares plan has most to lose from cancelled talks to legally stop Brexit

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the intention to host the Taliban on US soil, days ahead of the September 11 attacks’ anniversary

T

he Taliban says Americans have the most to lose from cancelling peace negotiations that sought to end the 18-year war in Afghanistan.

In a statement, the group claimed all was going well until the last moment.

US President Donald Trump fired

off a series of tweets on Saturday night, calling off the secret meeting at his Camp David retreat the following day.

He said his decision came after the Taliban admitted being behind a recent attack that killed a US soldier.

In an unexpected move, Trump had

arranged to meet with senior Taliban leaders and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Maryland retreat.

The meetings were likely to have been kept separate, as the Taliban refuses to talk directly with the Afghan Government, insisting they are American puppets.

In 2001, the US invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban Government because the militants had given safe haven to the al-Qaeda network to plan the attacks on the US on September 11.

On Fox News on Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the intention to host the Taliban on US soil, days ahead of the attacks’ anniversary.

He said Camp David was chosen, because it has hosted difficult peace negotiations in the past. “It’s almost always the case that you don’t get to negotiate with good guys,” he added.

Nine rounds of talks had already taken place between the US and Taliban representatives in Doha, the capital of the Gulf state of Qatar. (Excerpt

extension – The Telegraph

B

ritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson has prepared plans to legally stop any Brexit extension, the Daily Telegraph reported late on Sunday.

Johnson’s advisers held a meeting on Sunday to counter the strategy to prevent the British Parliament’s attempts at enforcing a three-

month Brexit extension if no new deal is agreed, the newspaper reported.

A plan under consideration would see Johnson sending a letter alongside the request to extend Article 50 setting out that the Government does not want any delay after October 31, according to the report. (Reuters)

Hong Kong Police fire tear gas as clashes erupt after thousands appeal to Trump

from BBC News)

Robert Mugabe: Zimbabwe feud over late leader’s burial site

T

he family of former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe does not want the late liberation war hero buried at the country’s National Heroes Acre, preferring a family shrine in keeping with his last wishes.

According to a Government memo sent to diplomatic missions, Mugabe’s funeral will be in Harare’s National Sports Stadium on Saturday, though it didn’t specify

where the burial would be on Sunday.

Mugabe, who died aged 95 in Singapore on Friday, did not want people behind his political downfall in November 2017 playing a role at his funeral, a relative said on Sunday.

Mugabe was removed from power in a coup after he fired Emmerson Mnangagwa as Vice President at the instigation of his wife, Grace, and a faction of ambitious

and young politicians loyal to the late leader.

Funerals for national heroes are officiated by a sitting president, which would be Mnangagwa, who is now Zimbabwe’s leader.

A close family member told Al Jazeera that discussions between top Government officials and the family to change Mugabe’s final resting place were under way.

The relative, who spoke

on condition of anonymity, said Mugabe’s relationship with his protégé Mnangagwa had soured after the coup.

“He was not happy with the fact that Mnangagwa had not come to see him. He believed in dialogue and people finding each other. This did not happen. I believe this would have turned out differently if this meeting had happened,” the source said.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Typhoon Faxai: Storm India’s ISRO says lander makes landfall in Japan lost on final approach to moon located

Hundreds of thousands in the greater Tokyo area have been advised to evacuate as forecasters warned the rain and wind could break records

T

yphoon Faxai has made landfall near the Japanese capital bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 210 kilometres per hour (130 miles per hour).

Hundreds of thousands in the greater Tokyo area have been advised to evacuate as forecasters warned the rain and wind could break records.

The storm has affected transport with about 100 bullet trains and 100 flights cancelled in the region.

It comes after North Korea was hit by a separate typhoon on Sunday leaving

five people dead.

According to Tokyo Electric Power company, about 290,000 households lost power as Faxai made landfall.

Authorities issued non-compulsory evacuation warnings to more than 390,000 people in Kanagawa, Shizuoka and Tokyo prefectures.

JR East, the main suburban railway operator in greater Tokyo, has cancelled trains in the area until 08:00 today to allow early morning track inspections for possible damage. (Excerpt from BBC News)

ISRO Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan displays a model of Chandrayaan-2 orbiter and rover during a news conference last month [Aijaz Rahi/AP]

T

he lander module from India’s moon mission has been located on the lunar surface, a day after it lost contact with the space station, and efforts are under way to try to establish contact with it, the head of the country’s space agency said.

The Press Trust of India news agency cited Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Kailasavadivoo Sivan as saying that the cameras from the moon mis-

sion’s orbiter had located the lander on Sunday.

“It must have been a hard landing,” PTI quoted Sivan as saying.

ISRO officials could not be reached for a comment, said The Associated Press news agency.

The space agency said it lost touch with the Vikram lunar lander on Saturday as it made its final approach to the moon’s south pole to deploy a rover to search for signs of water. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Riot Police fire tear gas near Causeway Bay station in Hong Kong, China, September 8, 2019

H

ong Kong Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in the upmarket Causeway Bay shopping district on Sunday, after demonstrators had rallied at the US Consulate calling for help in bringing democracy to the Chinese-ruled city.

Police moved on protesters from the Central business district who dispersed to nearby Admiralty, the bar district of Wan Chai and on to Causeway Bay in a now familiar pattern of cat-andmouse clashes over three months of unrest.

Activists set barricades, smashed windows, started street fires and vandalised the MTR metro station in Central, the smartest district of the former British colony.

Central district, home to banks, jewellery shops, and top-brand shopping arcades, was awash in graffiti, broken

glass and bricks torn up from pathways. Protesters set fires from cardboard boxes, building barricades with metal fencing.

“We can’t leave because there are Riot Police,” said protester Oscar, 20, in Causeway Bay. “They fired tear gas from the station. We are heading to North Point.”

North Point is east of Causeway Bay. Thousands of protesters earlier sang the Star Spangled Banner and called on US President Donald Trump to “liberate” the city.

They waved the Stars and Stripes and placards demanding democracy.

“Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong,” they shouted before handing over petitions at the US Consulate.

“Resist Beijing, liberate Hong Kong.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

IAEA found uranium traces at Iran ‘atomic warehouse’ – diplomats

S

amples taken by the United Nations nuclear watchdog at what Israel’s Prime Minister called a “secret atomic warehouse” in Tehran showed traces of uranium that Iran has yet to explain, two diplomats who follow the agency’s inspections work closely say.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is investigating the particles’ origin and has asked Iran to explain the traces. But Tehran has not done so, according to the diplomats, stoking ten-

sions between Washington and Tehran. US sanctions have slashed Iranian oil sales and Iran has responded by breaching its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

In a speech a year ago Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who vehemently opposed the deal, called on the IAEA to visit the site immediately, saying it had housed 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of unspecified radioactive material that had since been removed. (Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, september 9, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

dilbert

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

Look for new beginnings.

Eliminate what isn’t working for you and move on to people and projects that you can adapt to quickly. If you go with the flow, opportunities will manifest.

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Prepare before you make a move. Know with whom you are dealing and what’s expected of you before you decide to sign up for something time-consuming or expensive.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

VIRGO

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Travel far and wide physically, spiritually or intellectually to find answers. Your quest for the truth will be what points you in the right direction.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Step into the spotlight and present what you have to offer. Your words will resonate with people who feel the same way you do. Partnerships can be developed.

Don’t alter your plans just because someone else takes a different path. Stick to what works best for you.

Moderation should be implemented into whatever you decide to do.

Take action. Nothing will happen if you don’t make an effort to direct your energy in a positive direction that will bear fruit. Use your imagination, strength and desire to advance.

Work quietly on your own if you want to get the most done in the shortest amount of time.

If you make a fuss, someone will interfere in your business.

If you get together with someone you’ve worked with in the past, you’ll be offered information that can help you excel.

A change at home will turn out better than anticipated.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

Don’t be fooled by someone’s rhetoric. If you listen carefully, you will realize much of the information offered is cockamamie and won’t deliver concrete results. When in doubt, ask questions.

CAPRICORN

If you concentrate on what you are trying to accomplish, you will be pleased with the results. A change at home will put your mind at ease regarding financial, health or legal issues.

(Dec. 22Jan. 19)

solution for LAST PUBLISHED puzzle AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

An open mind will help you assess a situation from every angle and reduce your chance of risk. When in doubt, go to an expert to obtain up-to-date information.

PISCES You can dream, but when (Feb. 20- it comes down to actually getMarch 20) ting things done, a practical

approach will be in your best interest. A partnership looks promising if equality can be maintained.

monday, september 9, 2019

19

Resilient Australia retain Ashes after Manchester humdinger T

here was a lot of gut and gumption in the way England went about trying to keep the Ashes alive - Joe Denly's patience translated into a 123-ball 53, which was matched by Jos Buttler's grit (34 off 111) and finally a ninth-wicket partnership between Jack Leach, along with Jamie Overton all of which contributed towards testing Australia's resilience.

The final resistance lasted for 14 overs when Leach and Overton kept a raucous Old Trafford on their toes as Australia, two wickets away from victory, started to feel the nerves. But a smart bowling change, when Tim Paine called upon Marnus Labuschagne for some parttime legspin, did the trick for Australia. Leach, who had been comfortably playing the ball turning away from the rough, now had to play every ball. And Labuschagne managed to hit a rough spot, getting the ball to kick up and forcing Leach to pop a catch to short leg.

Australia didn't have to wait as long for the final wicket, which came nine balls later when Hazlewood trapped Overton and ensuring that Australia retained the Ashes in England, for the first time since 2001.

England, who had battled hard right through the day, did not get the miracle they'd so dearly hoped for. An un-

3

Australia 497-8d & 186-6d England 301 &…

England 2nd Innings England 2nd Innings (target: 383 runs) RJ Burns c Head b Cummins 0 JL Denly c Labuschagne b Lyon 53 JE Root (c) b Cummins 0 JJ Roy b Cummins 31 BA Stokes c †Paine b Cummins 1 JM Bairstow † lbw b Starc 25 JC Buttler b Hazlewood 34 C Overton lbw b Hazlewood 21 JC Archer lbw b Lyon 1 MJ Leach c Wade b Labuschagne

12 SCJ Broad not out 0 Extras (b 9, lb 8, nb 2) 19

The Australian team were ecstatic when they took the final wicket to claim the Ashes

der-pressure Roy started the day reaching out to some deliveries and playing away from his body while there were a couple of leg-before appeals when Denly was on strike. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who began the proceedings for the day, kept the England batsmen on their toes and went past the edge a few times.

Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon then came on and they found the edges but the ball landed well clear of the fielders as Roy and Denly rode their luck, grit their teeth and raised a half-cen-

tury stand.

But Australia were persistent and it paid off as Cummins bagged his third wicket of the innings, finding a big gap between Roy's bat and pad. England's hopes rested on the hero of the previous game - Ben Stokes but much to their shock, they saw the all-rounder walking back in what was a soft dismissal as the ball from Cummins brushed the back of the bat when he was attempting to shoulder arms.

Denly, who had put on 66 runs with Roy in the morning session, didn't give up

European Open: Paul Casey wins by a shot in Hamburg

P

SCOREBOARD

aul Casey won his first European Tour title for five years with a one-stroke victory at the Porsche European Open.

Casey shot a six-under 66 in Hamburg to finish ahead of Scotland's Bob MacIntyre, German Bernd Ritthammer and Matthias Schwab of Austria.

It was a second victory of 2019 for the 42-year-old after success at the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour.

It was a third second of the year for MacIntyre, 23, as he seeks his maiden win on tour.

Casey began the final round one shot behind joint leaders MacIntyre and Ritthammer, but he produced a flawless round of six birdies and not a single bogey.

Schwab had finished at 13 under, but was overtaken by Casey's birdies at 16 and 17, although the English golfer left the door open as he could only three-putt for a par five at the last.

Casey's target of 14 under was too much for MacIntyre and Ritthammer, who both left

putts short on the final green to force a playoff.

The Englishman, a four-time Ryder Cup player, celebrated his first win in Europe since the 2014 KLM Open in the Netherlands. (BBC Sport)

Paul Casey poses with his spoils after securing the 2019 European Open

on his fight as he went on to bring up his second fifty of the series in the post-lunch session. But there was nothing much he could do when Lyon bagged his first wicket of the game with a delivery that kicked up after landing on the rough, with the batsman gloving it to short leg. The Day 5 wicket wasn't getting any better but that didn't diminish England's spirit as Australia were made to work hard for the wickets.

Buttler, celebrating his 29th birthday, joined Jonny Bairstow and both batsmen

continued in the same fighting vein that Denly and Roy had managed earlier. With the older ball, they found batting slightly easier compared to the first session but there were still those deliveries that tested them outside off and directed at the stumps. But Buttler and Bairstow were up to the task, extending Australia's wait and even forced Tim Paine to try out different bowling options like Labuschagne and Travis Head.

A partnership worth 45 runs that lasted for nearly 14 overs, finally came to an end when Mitchell Starc, with a change of ends and bowling from around the wicket, caught Bairstow at the crease to dismiss him leg-before. But England continued to test Australia's

TOTAL (91.3 Overs, RR: 2.15) 197 all out Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Rory Burns, 0.3 ov), 2-0 (Joe Root, 0.4 ov), 3-66 (Jason Roy, 24.6 ov), 4-74 (Ben Stokes, 30.2 ov), 5-93 (Joe Denly, 39.2 ov), 6-138 (Jonny Bairstow, 53.1 ov), 7-172 (Jos Buttler, 74.2 ov), 8-173 (Jofra Archer, 75.5 ov), 9-196 (Jack Leach, 89.5 ov), 10-197 (Craig Overton, 91.3 ov) BOWLING PJ Cummins (24-9-43-4) JR Hazlewood (17.3-5-31-2) NM Lyon (29-12-51-2) MA Starc (16-2-46-1) M Labuschagne (4-1-9-1) TM Head (1-1-0-0)

patience as Craig Overton managed to stick around with Buttler in a partnership that lasted for 95 deliveries before Tea, even overturning a leg-before decision during his stay, with both remaining unbeaten at the break.

Buttler's resilience, however, came to an end in the final session and left Old Trafford in silence as the batsman offered no shot to a Hazlewood delivery that came back in and was bowled. Archer followed quickly, trapped in front by a Lyon delivery that kept low.

And despite that late scare, Australia ensured that there wasn't another English miracle this summer. (Cricbuzz)

US Open: Nadal squeezes past Medvedev to win 19th Major

R

afael Nadal won the 2019 US Open in a pain staking match against Daniil Medvedev on Sunday night to secure his 19th Grand Slam Title at Flushing Meadows.

The match which lasted close to 5 hours saw the eventual victor win 7 – 5, 6 – 3, 5 – 7, 4 – 6, 6 – 4 to keep Medvedev in search of his maiden major.

Youth was very tough to go up against but experience prevailed despite three points being lost by the service time expiration from Nadal.

Rafael Nadal

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monday, september 9, 2019

Simmons and Ramdin star as TKR make it 3 wins from 3 D

efending Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions Trinbago Knight Riders made it three wins from three in their season-opening home stint after cruising past St Lucia Zouks’ 167/5 with seven wickets and 13 balls to spare.

Very different yet equally impressive half-centuries from the explosive Lendl Simmons and ice-cool Denesh Ramdin ensured a mid-range target never really posed much of a threat.

Simmons set the tone with a six straight back over Thisara Perera’s head from just the second ball of the innings, with Sunil Narine adding another Hero Maximum as 14 came from the opening over.

With the boundaries coming so regularly, even the loss of Narine and Tion Webster in the space of nine balls – the latter caught at point from Fawad Ahmed’s first ball of the day – did nothing to staunch the flow. Simmons ended that Fawad over with another huge six Kieron Pollard makes it home safely John Campbell over long-on and on to the roof before smoking back-to-back Hero Maximums in the cham- missed out on a Pollard’s first six, smeared high and handsome half century pion leg-spinner’s next over. His half-century over long-on, and a four slapped through cover by came up with his fourth four to go with four Ramdin off Perera’s second over – the 15th of the insixes in just 32 balls, by which time the Knight nings – brought the required rate down to a run a ball and Riders’ overall target was already down to double-figures. made the result a formality.

Ramdin had been understandably content to play sec All that remained to be determined was whether Ramdin ond fiddle to Simmons for the most part but he too cut loose could complete his 50 before Pollard finished the game, and once the partnership reached 50, taking Fawad for 10 in two back-to-back fours through midwicket and point took him to balls as 17 runs came from the 11th over of the innings.

47 and the victory target down to seven at the start of the Simmons continued the boundary spree with his fifth 18th over.

Hero Maximum, powered down the ground off Kavem He duly got to the landmark with a clip for two that Hodge, but the bowler had instant revenge as Simmons brought the scores level, and the Zouks’ day to forget ended ran past a wide to be comprehensively stumped by Andre with a wide outside off to hand TKR the winning run.

Fletcher.

The Zouks innings, just as in their opening match The target was by now down to 62 from 52, though, and against Guyana Amazon Warriors, was given a stunning with Kieron Pollard striding to the middle to join Ramdin start by Rahkeem Cornwall. He followed up a 14-ball 36 in there was little reason for optimism from the Zouks.

that game with 33 from 12 here.

His departure, trapped plumb in front on the sweep by Narine, brought an inevitable slowing of the rate.

Fletcher struggled to cut loose in a frustrating 32-ball stay that brought him 26 runs while Najibullah Zadran’s promising cameo was ended at 26 from 17 balls when he picked out Javon Searles on the long-off boundary from a Mohammad Hasnain slower ball.

Daren Sammy smashed back-to-back sixes in his 16 from 13, while John Campbell did start to find the boundary towards the back end of the innings but once again it felt like the Zouks had failed to take full advantage of the early momentum the innings had been given by their big opener.

3

SCOREBOARD

St Lucia Zouks Innings (20 overs maximum) ADS Fletcher † c Pierre b Pollard 26 RRS Cornwall lbw b Narine 33 JD Campbell lbw b Neesham 43 N Zadran c Searles b Hasnain 26 DJG Sammy (c) c Searles b Neesham 16 NLTC Perera not out 5 AM McCarthy not out 5 Extras (b 1, lb 5, w 7) 13 TOTAL (20 Overs, RR: 8.35) 167-5 Did not bat: KOK Williams, OC McCoy, KAR Hodge, Fawad Ahmed Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Rahkeem Cornwall, 3.4 ov), 2-72 (Andre Fletcher, 9.2 ov), 3-118 (Najibullah Zadran, 15.2 ov), 4-157 (Darren Sammy, 19.1 ov), 5-157 (John Campbell, 19.2 ov) BOWLING K Pierre (3-0-39-0) M Hasnain (4-0-35-1) SP Narine (4-0-23-1) JDS Neesham (4-0-33-2) S Prasanna (2-0-12-0) KA Pollard (2-0-9-1)

A Phillip (1-0-10-0) Trinbago Knight Riders Innings (target: 168 runs from 20 overs) LMP Simmons st †Fletcher b Hodge 63 SP Narine c Hodge b Williams 7 T Webster c Perera b Ahmed 3 D Ramdin † not out 50 KA Pollard (c) not out 26 Extras (lb 10, w 9) 19 TOTAL (17.5 Overs, RR: 9.42) 168-3 Yet to bat: JDS Neesham, JPR Scantlebury-Searles, S Prasanna, K Pierre, Mohammad Hasnain, A Phillip Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Sunil Narine, 2.5 ov), 2-34 (Tion Webster, 4.1 ov), 3-106 (Lendl Simmons, 11.2 ov) BOWLING NLTC Perera (2-0-26-0) RRS Cornwall (1-0-9-0) KOK Williams (4-0-31-1) KAR Hodge (4-0-30-1) Fawad Ahmed (3-0-41-1) OC McCoy (3.5-0-21-0)

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc delights Italian F1 GP crowd with Monza win T

he first win in Formula One is a moment that remains indelibly etched on a driver’s mind. For Charles Leclerc who triumphed at the Italian Grand Prix, it is this, his second victory, that will surely be the one that stays with him throughout his life. The 21-year-old’s joy was writ large across his still boyish face as he stood on the podium confronted by a sea of red as the tifosi erupted in a collective celebration of colour, noise and, it must be said, some relief.

Leclerc, at the centre of this ecstatic maelstrom, absorbed their approval as flags and red flares battled for space in the air beneath him, as an emperor surveys his subjects.

Last week his debut victory at Spa was tempered by the death of his friend Anthoine Hubert in an F2 race in Belgium. There had been pleasure in his maiden win but delivering here for Ferrari in their home race, the joy was unconfined for him, his team and their fans.

It was impossible not to sense that for everyone wearing red at Monza a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Ferrari have not won at home since Fernando Alonso did so here in 2010. This weekend history, always hard to escape here and with this team, had too brought expectation, as it was the 90th edition of the Italian Grand Prix and the 90th anniversary of the foundation of Ferrari in 1929.

It fell to Ferrari’s chairman, John Elkann, to sum up quite what it meant. “It’s the best possible way of celebrating our 90 years,” he said. “Bravissimo Charles and congratulations to Mattia [Binotto, team principal] and everyone in the Scuderia on this unforgettable day.”

Leclerc took the win from pole but had anything but a serene run to the flag. He was pushed by Lewis Hamilton for the first two-thirds

Charles Leclerc holds off Lewis Hamilton (Photograph: Lars Baron/Getty Images)

of the race as the British driver put in everything to try to pass him. He could not quite make it however with the Ferrari having a distinct edge in pace and, having used up his tyres in the attempt, Hamilton finished third behind his teammate Valtteri Bottas.

It was a deserved win although not without controversy as Leclerc very decisively got his elbows out in defence of his lead. The five-time champion and the young pretender put on a fine fight at the front.

Leclerc held his lead through the pit stops after which Hamilton, on softer rubber, charged at him.

They went wheel to wheel approaching the Roggia chicane and as Hamilton went to pass, the pair touched and the championship leader was forced wide. Hamilton claimed Leclerc had not left him a full car’s width as required. The stewards issued only a warning and Leclerc held his own in that he would be no pushover.

It was controversial and clearly the two differed in their interpretation of the incident afterwards,

Hamilton saying the stewards’ decisions lacked consistency.

Hamilton continued to harry him and on lap 36 Leclerc locked up at the first chicane and cut the corner, coming back on having just held his lead. The incident was noted but no action was taken.

It had cost him time, however, and Hamilton took advantage and went at him again when Leclerc moved defensively on the approach to Roggia. Leclerc’s move was robust and fearless but again may have been interpreted differently, Hamilton describing it as “dangerous” over team radio.

Hamilton’s efforts had also cost him. With his tyres gone, he locked up and ceded second to

Bottas who went after Leclerc but could not close the gap.

When the season began, Leclerc was firmly the No 2 driver to his teammate Sebastian Vettel.

He is now in front of him in the championship.

Here he laid down a marker as the top man at the team while Vettel put in another performance he will want to forget.

On lap six the German lost his rear and span at Ascari. He then hit Lance Stroll’s Racing Point as he rejoined. It was exceptionally dangerous and sent Stroll into a spin as well. The incident was immediately investigated by the stewards and Vettel was penalised with a 10-second stopgo penalty, with which he might feel he escaped lightly before finishing in 13th.

Sebastian Vettel (left) comes back on to the track, forcing Lance Stroll of Racing Point to spin. The Ferrari driver was given a 10-second stopg o penalty. Photograph: Charles Coates/Getty Images Fortunately Ferrari still had Leclerc to bring it home and he did so with aplomb. Cheered to the rafters for every lap, Leclerc held his place and with it the lifelong admiration of the tifosi, whose chanting of his name will surely stay with him forever.

The championship nonetheless remains firmly in Hamilton’s hands. The British driver leads Bottas by 63 points with Max Verstappen 99 points back in third. Leclerc is now fourth, three points behind Verstappen.

The two Renaults of Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hülkenberg were in fourth and fifth. Verstappen, starting from 19th after an engine change, was eighth. Alexander Albon was sixth for Red Bull, with Sergio Pérez seventh for Racing Point. Alfa Romeo’s Antonio Giovinazzi was in ninth, in front of the McLaren of Lando Norris. (The Guardian)

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Hero CPL…

21

Hetmyer happy to be back in form I

f attention were being paid to the cricket of Guyanese batting sensation Shimron Hetmyer in recent times, it would have been observed that he was out of form.

He played in all three formats of the recent series involving the West Indies and India, and his showing there could best be described as pedestrian.

However, Hetmyer showed up at “the biggest party in sport”, the 2019 edition of the Hero Caribbean Premier League, and in only his second outing, returned to form with a match winning 70* for the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in a match played last Saturday evening at the National Stadium at Providence, EBD. “Finally! I just tried as much as possible to do my best and correct my wrongs, and

keep working hard in the nets on my batting,” Hetmyer disclosed after his efforts had earned him the ‘player of the match’ award in that game.

The Berbician always gets optimum support at the GAW home fortress -- the Guyana National Stadium at Providence -and he declared it is always great for him when playing at home.

The GAW successfully chased 154 runs for victory in their second match of this tournament, and Hetmyer said that key for the batsmen was application. “I think it’s just applying yourself, and putting away the bad balls while rotating the strike. We just try to hit the ball around and capitalise as much in the ‘power play’, and that came off well for us”, he explained.

Hetmyer, who scored 26 runs from 28 deliveries in Saturday’s game, and hit a consolation boundary in the opening match against the St Lucia Zouks, played with more assurance during his second match of the 2019 Hero CPL. The left-hander Shimron Hetmyer played some elegant shots on the off-side, and

Pollard is Windies white-ball captain!

K

ieron Pollard has been named West Indies 'white ball' captain and will replace Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite respectively.

A source close to the situation who spoke to Guardian Media Sports on the condition anonymity explained that the decision was taken by Cricket West Indies (CWI) Board of Directors.

Guardian Sports understands that the CWI directors made the decision on Saturday, the first day of their two-day regular quarterly meeting at the Hilton Trinidad Hotel in Port-ofSpain. Pollard, 32, who is captaining the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the absence of regular captain Darren Bravo, who is injured and will be out of action for two months, was the player proposed by the selection committee and when the vote was taken, he got the support from six directors while the other six abstained.

Pollard made his ODI debut in April 2006 and played his last match on October 5, 2016, against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates. He was named as a reserve player for the 2019 ICC World Cup. After the West Indies dismal performance where they won just two matches, there were calls for his inclusion against the Indians in the Caribbean but this did not materialize and the West Indies lost the series 2-0.

A f t e r maki n g

his T20 debut in June 2008 against Australia, but was over-looked for several years. He was, however, recalled to the West Indies team for the T20 Internationals against the Indians last month and did well although the Caribbean team lost 3-0.

Pollard, who has led TKR to a 2-0 record so far in the 2019 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), is an aggressive right-hander, and medium-pace bowler shot to the limelight during the 2009 Champions League in 2009.

After this, he never looked back and is one of the most feared strikers of the cricket ball the world over. He is one of two players to play over 100 ODIs and never play a Test match.

His ODI record is 101 one day international matches scoring 2,229 runs at an average of 25.71 with three centuries and nine fifties. For good measure, he has also taken 50 wickets in this format. In T20 internationals he has played 62 matches, scoring 909 runs at an average of 21.50 and h a s snared 23 wickets. CWI continues their meeting today, the second and final day at the same venue. (Trinidad and

Kieron Pollard

Tobago Guardian)

had seven fours to his name. Appointed batting director

by Team Manager Omar Khan, Hetmyer also smashed three sixes in compiling his third CPL half-century.

His most productive three balls in that Saturday innings came against Alzarri Joseph in the 14th over, when he hit two consecutive fours followed by a six, to dent Joseph’s confidence.

Speaking about that battle between ‘these young guns’, who happen to be friends, Hetmyer said rivalry is always sparked whenever he plays against Joseph.

Having recorded an 8-wicket win in their second match, in a GAW effort that was more polished than their opening match, Hetmyer said the team had probably ticked all the boxes heading into the remainder of the tournament, but there always would be room for improvement.

Hetmyer has thus far scored 96 runs in two innings in the 2019 Hero CPL, and is on the verge of achieving more with the campaign ongoing. His 2018 season was a dream one in which he scored 440 runs, including one century and two half-centuries. (Brandon Corlette)

BCB/New York Business Group Under-19…

Ramesh bags 6 wickets as Albion overthrow Blairmont ꟷ Tucber Park defeat RHT B

A

lbion defeated Blairmont by 93 runs in their New York Business Group Under-19 fifty-overs’ quarter-final encounter played at Albion.

Winning the toss and taking first strike, Albion eventually slipped from a position of 168 for 5 to 178 all out in 43.4 of their allotted 50 overs.

Inzam Shazam topped the scoring with 36, while Antanio February made 34, Sarwan Chaitnarine 33, and Rayad Karim 29. Andy Tejraj took 5 for 31 bowling for Blairmont.

Requiring 179 for victory, Blairmont were bundled out for an embarrassing 85 runs scored in 29.5 overs. Marvan Prashad offered resistance with a well-composed 47, while Nigel Deodat made 19 and Seon Glasgow 14. Leftarm spinner Gourav Ramesh grabbed 6-9 from 8.5 overs, while fellow left-arm-spinner Kelvin Umroa, the Guyana U n d e r - 1 9 player, took 3-12 for Albion.

Garfield Benjamin

Tucber Park steamroll Rose Hall Town ‘B’

In another encounter, Tucber Park defeated Rose Hall Town ‘B’ to advance to the semi-final playoffs of this competition.

Batting first, Tucber Park scored 228-8 in 45 overs, while a third-strength Rose Hall Town ‘B’ were bowled out for a mere 26 runs scored in 23 overs.

Tucber Park cashed in on the brilliance of Guyana Under-19 player Garfield Benjamin who scored 80, while his National team mate Leon Swamy smashed 54. Bowling for Rose Hall Town ‘B’, Nicholas Lawson took three wickets.

Berbice Under-19 all-rounder Gevon Schultz scored 34, and returned with the ball to grab 4-5 to bundle out Rose Hall Town ‘B’ for a paltry 26. Schultz received bowling support from Swamy, who grabbed 3-6, while Benjamin and the Ramsammy brothers had one wicket each.

The semifinalists of the BCB Under-19 New York Business Group are Albion, Rose Hall Town Pepsi ‘A’, Tucber Park, and Rose Hall, Canje. Albion will host Tucber Park, while Rose Hall Canje will host RHT Pepsi.

Gourav Ramesh

22

monday, september 9, 2019

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Golden Jags to take on Reggae Boyz today

By Jemima Holmes

T

he Golden Jaguars of Guyana will tonight be looking to utter the predator’s roar against the fleet-footed Reggae Boyz of Jamaica when these two teams clash tonight at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora, WCD in Guyana’s second game of the CONCACAF Nations League tournament.

The Reggae Boyz are an all-too-familiar opponent for the Golden Jaguars. There are those who would remember that the Golden Jaguars -- and by extension Guyanese football fans -- had experienced the worst kind of heartbreak imaginable when the Reggae Boyz had, in 2016, come from behind to prevail over the Jags at the same venue. The Jaguars were leading the Reggae Boyz 2-0 at the half, owing to a brilliant double from Adrian Butters; but the Reggae Boyz had managed to pull off the unimaginable by scoring 4 goals in the second half for a win.

Those painful memories still haunt the recesses of the collective Jaguars’ mind, and this current squad is determined to exact revenge on the Reggae Boyz tonight.

The first whistle of this CONCACAF Nations League match is expected to sound off at 19hrs, and Captain of the Golden Jaguars, Samuel Cox, has noted that the team is now in a better position to defeat the mighty Jamaicans.

“For me personally, I think you always remember the toughest defeat. I look back at that day at Leonora. Yeah, it was heartbreaking being up against one of the Caribbean giants, Jamaica, and losing 4-2 in the end; it was a tough one to take. We were that close back then, but we (have) learned from our mistakes and we (have) come back stronger,” Cox said at the prematch press conference on Sunday at the Pegasus Hotel.

Despite the history between these two teams, Cox is confident that, on any given day, the local team can come up against any opposition and win.

“We know we’re coming up against a really strong side in Jamaica. We’ve brought along some really great players, who have a wealth of talent. On our given day, we know we can beat anybody,” Cox has asserted.

Assistant Coach of the Golden Jaguars,

Jamaica’s Coach, Jerome Waite

Charles Pollard, views the Jags as an underdog outfit.

“Starting as an underdog is a very good challenge, but I think the guys are excited and ready to rear and go for this game,” he declared.

Probed about his preferred result for tonight’s fixture, Pollard disclosed that a win is ideal, but a draw is also acceptable, given that both sides have won their first Nations League encounter.

“I don’t think a draw would be a bad result in this game,” Pollard said.

Guyana’s Captain, Samuel Cox, and Assistant Coach Charles Pollard

The Mighty Jamaicans

Present at yesterday’s press conference, Jamaica’s Head Coach Jerome Waite expressed all confidence in the Reggae Boyz team. Questioned about the number of remaining players who competed in Guyana back in 2016, Waite revealed that a few of them are still with the team, and have gelled well with the new generation of players.

“This time around, it’s a new generation of players. They’re only a few players left who were in that game. So the new players look good. (As for) the chemistry, they are only getting better as they play more games, and we are looking forward to an exciting game,” Waite disclosed.

He declared that, regardless of the opponent, the team is always under some amount of pressure to do well, given its track record.

“Well, Jamaica playing any team from the region, it’s always added pressure, be-

Guyana’s Captain Samuel Cox, Assistant Coach Charles Pollard, and Jamaica’s Coach Jerome Waite

cause it’s always the country’s dream to play against Jamaica, and they will put their best foot forward. So we’re always under a lot of pressure to perform at our utmost best,” he said.

The Golden Jags vs Reggae Boyz encounter will kick off promptly at 19:00hrs at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora. Tickets for the event are priced at $2000, and can be uplifted at the venue.

Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club horse meet set for October 13 T

he Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facility, at Alness Village on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice, will be hosting one of its many horse racing meets on October 13, 2019.

Several entries have already been confirmed for the card, which consists of seven categories of races; thus the day promises to be an exciting one. Feature event of the meet is the Alness Classic race, set to be run over a distance of 1200 metres for a winning purse of $240,000 and trophy.

The race for the H & Lower category of animals will also be run over a distance of 1200 metres and will have a winner’s purse of $240,000 and a trophy.

Other events listed on the card are as follows: The J and Lower horses racing over a distance of 1000 metres for a first prize of $200,000 and trophy.

The race for 2-Year-Old maiden horses, to be run over 900 metres for a winning prize of $150,000 and trophy.

The L1 and Lower race for horses 3 years old and over, to be run over 1000 metres for the winner’s prize of $100,000 and trophy.

The L2 and Lower race for horses 3 years old and older, to be run over 1000 metres for a winner’s prize of $80,000.

And the L3 Unclassified race, wherein animals would be covering a distance of 1200 metres for a winner’s prize of $60,000.

This meet will be run under the rules of the legislative draft of the late Marcel Crawford. All bookings must be done with a deposit of $5000; and if there are less than five horses in a race, the prize will be reduced. All entries close on October 11.

Individual trophies and other incentives will be given to riders who have performed exceptionally well.

For further information, persons are invited to contact Marcel Crawford Jr on 678-5342 or 600-7690.

Part of the action that took place on June 2

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monday, september 9, 2019

Hero CPL 2019…

23

Warriors register hat-trick of wins at home

ꟷ Hemraj, Pooran and Shepherd dismantle Tridents

By Brandon Corlette

Guyana Amazon Warriors Innings (20 overs maximum) BA King c Boucher b Holder 1 C Hemraj c Nurse b Reifer 63 SO Hetmyer c sub (HR Walsh) b Primus 9 Shoaib Malik (c) c †Boucher b Primus 4 N Pooran † not out 61 SE Rutherford not out 32 Extras (lb 4, w 6) 10 TOTAL (20 Overs, RR: 9.0) 180-4 Yet to bat: Shadab Khan, CJ Green, KMA Paul, R Shepherd, OF Smith Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Brandon King, 2.1 ov), 2-43 (Shimron Hetmyer, 7.3 ov), 3-63 (Shoaib Malik, 9.6 ov), 4-102 (Chandrapaul Hemraj, 15.1 ov) BOWLING JO Holder (4-1-31-1) JK Lalor (3-0-21-0) S Lamichhane (1-0-5-0) AR Nurse (4-0-38-0) RS Primus (4-0-35-2) RA Reifer (4-0-46-1)

I

n what has been a dream finish to their first three home matches, the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) registered a comfortable 47run win over the Barbados Tridents on Sunday at the National Stadium at Providence, EBD. Chandrapaul Hemraj, who has been declared ‘player of the match’, together with Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford, lit up the packed Stadium with scintillating performances on Sunday evening.

Hemraj hits hard After Jason Holder had won the toss, he asked GAW to bat first. The home team, which had made one change in replacing Ben Laughlin with Odean Smith, lost Brandon King with the score on 8 in the third over of play -- King top-edging one off Holder after scoring a single -- as the Tridents bowlers kept things tight in the ‘power play’.

Shimron Hetmyer then partnered Chandrapaul Hemraj, and they added 35 runs to the score, with Hemraj dominating the stand. Holder’s second over was a wicketmaiden, but Hemraj spoiled

Barbados Tridents Innings (target: 181 runs from 20 overs) AD Hales b Hemraj 0 J Charles c Paul b Khan 19 LS Boucher † c Smith b Khan 16

JP Duminy b Paul 20 JL Carter b Malik 2 JO Holder (c) run out (Paul/ Green) 4 AR Nurse c †Pooran b Shepherd

40 RS Primus c Hetmyer b Shepherd

14 RA Reifer b Shepherd 0 JK Lalor not out 8 S Lamichhane b Shepherd 0 Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 5) 10 TOTAL (16.4 Overs, RR: 7.98) 133 all out Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Alex Hales, 0.1 ov), 2-26 (Johnson Charles, 3.6 ov), 3-41 (Leniko Boucher, 5.3 ov), 4-44 (Jonathan Carter, 6.1 ov), 5-53 (Jason Holder, 7.4 ov), 6-75 (Jean-Paul Duminy, 9.3 ov), 7-119 (Ashley Nurse, 14.3 ov), 8-119 (Raymon Reifer, 14.4 ov), 9-130 (Roshon Primus, 16.1 ov), 10-133 (Sandeep Lamichhane, 16.4 ov) BOWLING C Hemraj (2-0-10-1) CJ Green (4-0-38-0) S Khan (4-0-39-2) S Malik (1-0-5-1) OF Smith (1-0-12-0) KMA Paul (2-0-11-1) R Shepherd (2.4-0-13-4)

It was a magical night for Chandrapaul Hemraj who removed Alex Hales for a first ball duck on debut

Hemraj, though, continued to plunder the bowling, hitting the ball with finesse. However, he kept losing batting partners in the process. He lost his

JP Duminy dragged one on from Keemo Paul when he was on 20 (Photos by getty images)

Holder’s figures as he dumped him for two sixes in an over that yielded 13 runs.

After six overs, GAW were 31-1, Hetmyer taking nine balls to come off the mark; but his second scoring shot saw him rocking back to deposit Ashely Nurse into the mid-wicket fence for a maximum.

It took some brilliance to remove Hetmyer. Roshon Primus, hitting the off-stump line, encouraged Hetmyer to force one to backward point, where substitute fielder Hayden Walsh took a screamer. An incredulous Hetmyer departed for nine, and the score was adjusted to 43-2 in 7.3 overs.

SCOREBOARD

captain Shoaib Malik (04) at the end of 10 overs, when the score was 63-3.

Dropped by Nurse off a Primus delivery when on 37, Hemraj rode his luck and eventually surpassed his highest T20 score.

With Marquee player Nicholas Pooran as his partner, Hemraj motored along nicely. Anchoring the innings, he reached his maiden T20 fifty with a cracking shot over long-on.

Getting in his groove for the first time in this CPL season, Pooran added 39 runs with Hemraj.

Hemraj’s innings of 63 runs from 55 deliveries, which included six fours and three sixes, came to an end when Raymon Reifer angled one away on off stumps and Nurse took a good running catch.

Pooran and Rutherford short-circuit Tridents The GAW score was then at 102-4, but the Tridents were in for double trouble when Pooran and Rutherford came together. They lit up the night sky in scoring 78 runs from just 29 balls as they visited misery on the Tridents.

Between them, nine sixes were registered as they deposited the ball to all parts of the ground.

P o o r a n reached his fifty in 28 balls, then he and Rutherford took 24 runs off the

penultimate over; while Reifer’s last over -- the final over of the innings -yielded 21 runs.

Pooran ended his innings unbeaten on 61 runs scored from 30 balls, which included five sixes and

three fours; while Rutherford’s innings yielded 32 runs from 14 deliveries, inclusive of four sixes, as the Warriors posted a formidable 180-4 in 20 overs.

Hemraj, Khan and Malik produce gold It took Hemraj only one ball to remove the exiled English opener Alex Hales for a golden duck on his CPL debut.

With spin doing the trick for the Warriors, the ‘power play’ overs saw three Tridents wickets falling for 44 runs.

After Hemraj bowled Hales with a straight ball, Shadab Khan struck twice in removing Johnson Charles for 19 and debutant Leniko Boucher for 16.

Captain Malik came to the party, and removed Jonathan Carter (02) with the first ball bowled after the ‘power play’, to push the score to 44-4.

S o m e

brilliance from Keemo Paul and Chris Green saw Captain H o l d e r heading back to the pavilion after he was

Sherfane Rutherford and Nicholas Pooran entertained in the closing moments of the innings

Shoaib Malik and Shadab Khan celebrate

run-out for four.

Tridents slipped further into the dungeons when they lost JP Duminy for 20. He chopped on a Paul delivery and ended up with his furniture destroyed.

Nurse makes Warriors wait, Shepherd wraps up tail At 75-6 Nurse and Primus joined forces, and the duo took the score to 119-7. Nurse was dominant in his approach, smashing three sixes and three boundaries

in his top-score of 40 from 25 balls.

He was removed by impressive Berbician Romario Shepherd, compliments of Pooran’s stunning glove work.

Finding himself on a hat-trick after bowling Reifer for a duck the next delivery, to take the score to 119-8 in 14.4 overs, Shepherd drew final blood when he grabbed his fourth wicket to end with a career best 4-13, as Tridents were bundled out for 133 in 16.4 overs.

GAW will meet St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on Saturday September 14 in their first away match.

monday, september 9, 2019

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

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Page 23

Hero CPL 2019…

Warriors register hat-trick of wins at home ꟷ Hemraj, Pooran and Shepherd dismantle Tridents Page 22

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