Guyana Times Epaper - Thursday, November 1, 2018

American Airlines set for Nov 15 takeoff P14 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3733

Thursday, November 1, 2018

PRICE

After 2 years

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

$2.4B finally approved for severance to dismissed sugar workers Page 3

Supply Health Centre saga

Contractor ordered P14 to correct inferior works P13 First Children’s Court opens in Guyana

Rehabilitated P10 $9.7B WCD road deteriorating

...Opposition calls for immediate disbursements ...as Govt refuses to give date for payments

Page 14

Woman placed to sleep naked in Police lockups

Thousands affected

by GPL prepaid card system shutdown Page 12

Marcus Bisram loses extradition case in US Page 9 …expected back in Guyana to face murder charge

W&GEC calls for more sensitisation on women’s P10 rights

LGE 2018

P11

“Give us an opportunity to serve” – PPP’s Linden candidates

City Hall’s CoI

Mayor blames Town Clerk, Councillors for excessive spending

Page 7

…$206M owed to NIS

Rose Hall Mayor accuses Communities Ministry of P9 neglect

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news

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, November 1 – 12:00h-13:30h and Friday, November 2 – a night retraction at 01:00h and a day retraction from 13:30h-15:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, November 1 – 11:10h-12:40h and Friday, November 2 – 12:45h-14:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals to light rain showers can be expected throughout the day, with partly cloudy to light rain showers in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging from East North-easterly to Northeasterly North North-easterly and between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 10:58h and 23:26h reaching maximum heights of 2.20 metres and 2.25 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 04:14h and 16:53h reaching minimum heights of 0.91 metre and 1.07 metres respectively.

wednesDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018

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After 2 years

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$2.4B finally approved for severance to dismissed sugar workers ...Opposition calls for immediate disbursements ...as Govt refuses to give date for payments

A

fter two long years of waiting for their monies, some 460 retrenched workers attached to the Wales Estate are to finally receive their severance before the end of this year as the National Assembly on Wednesday evening approved $2.4 billion in severance payments for over 4000, Wales, Berbice and East Demerara sugar workers who were thrown on the breadline when Government closed several sugar factories.

The monies were approved when all 62 Members of the Parliament on Wednesday evening voted in favour of $3 billion in supplementary funds under the Agriculture Ministry’s current expenditures.

Government requested and received approval for a total of $7.5 billion in supplementary funds. This includes $4 billion in current estimates and $3.4 million in capital.

Of the entire supplementary funds, the Agriculture Ministry requested $3,051,000,000 of which $2.451 billion is to meet final severance payments to some 4733 former workers of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

Wales workers

In responding to questions from Opposition Parliamentarian Gillian Burton, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder disclosed that the monies being requested include funds to also pay the retrenched Wales workers.

Wales ended operations in December 2016 and some 375 workers who refused to take up employment at Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, remain without severance payments, putting hundreds of families on the breadline and causing economic crisis to surrounding communities.

The workers have been taking to the streets, protesting for their severance to be paid.

According to Minister Holder, a total of 460 workers from Wales are to get their severance monies. However, despite being asked repeatedly by Opposition MPs, Burton, Komal Chand and Gail Teixeira, about when these payments will be made, the Agriculture Minister could only assure that the payments will be made before the end of the year. “[They] certainly will get it before the end of the year,” Holder posited, while adding that as soon as the money is available after approval by the House, efforts will be made to disburse same to the dismissed sugar workers.

Members of Parliament examining the supplementary funds request in the National Assembly on Wednesday

When the supplementary request was put up for voting, the Opposition members were silent when Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland asked if any oppose the additional monies. However, the Government’s side called for a division, which was allowed, the People’s Progressive Party MPs having to voting “yes”’ to the Government’s requests.

On Wednesday the opposition called for immediate disbursement of payments.

However, despite asking the Government seven times about date for payments non was fothcoming.

Only month, President David Granger assured a gathering at Rose Hall, Corentyne, that those dismissed sugar workers will receive the balance of their severance payment when Parliament comes out of recess. The announcement came after months of protest by the workers, who are facing difficulties as a resulted of the closure of sugar estates.

As part of its plans to bring the heavily indebted and cash strap GuySuCo back into profitability and

efficiency, Government fired thousands of workers in an effort to downsize the sector leaving a mere three-estates – Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt – in operation.

The Skeldon, Rose Hall and East Demerara (Enmore) estates were closed in December 2017 with no severance payments made to the workers.

However, back in January, Government secured $.93 billion from the National Assembly to pay some of the ex-sugar workers from those three estates. Those dismissed workers whose severance packages are $500,000 or less were paid in full by January 31, 2018, while those entitled more than that amount were only paid 50 per cent, with the

remaining half to be paid in the second half of the year.

As such, since July, these workers and their families have been looking forward to the second tranche of the severance money from Government.

Meanwhile, apart from the $3 billion current estimates, the Agriculture Ministry also got approval for another $70,738,198 under its capital estimates for the provision of additional inflows consequent on savings after the completion of original programme activities under the Japanese grant to facilitate the payments for the acquisition of an amphibious excavator, three double cab-vehicles and five desktop computers.

(Vahnu Manikchand)

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thursdAY, november 1, 2018

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

Return the Garden City

T

he City of Georgetown has a rich history of attractiveness through cleanliness and aesthetics among other things.

Those more advanced in age will be able to authenticate that beauty. During that memorable period, when the City was much more pleasing to the eye and with that standard sustained, there was also a profound sense of order that seemed to naturally unfold.

Canals were conspicuously clean, and any semblance of garbage may have nested in one’s own imagination. Trees were well pruned and with the lush grass from the well-kept parapets, they contributed immensely to the deserved branding as the “Garden City”. A rewind of time through the cherished photographs of that period somehow seems to instinctively capture the satisfaction of City dwellers and those who visited and experienced the welcoming ambience.

Many from that period spoke of the pleasantness and ease in traversing the City. The famous and iconic yellow busses that were orderly parked outside the Stabroek Market provided the transportation needed around the City. They ran on schedule regardless of whether filled, half-filled or empty. There were no touts or hassling of passengers and destinations were clearly demarked.

Travelling then was not a frustrating endeavour and operators were dressed in uniforms with their distinctive cap. They were polite and did their utmost to make passengers comfortable.

The City streets were passable allowing for the deserved smooth ride. One example is Sussex Street which was a major route.

Its current state may not remind of the time when it was with canals and parapets then aesthetically pleasing.

There are other contributing factors to the entire make-up of the attractiveness of the then Garden City. Less congestion that facilitated easy movement and low or almost non-existent crime rate which comforted mindsets with regard to possession of cash and valuables are a few. As time progressed, the impact of change manifested. Changes are inevitable and are either positive or negative.

Today, none can dispute that the aesthetics of the City is a far cry from what it once was. Its condition over the recent years has been a continuous source for satire which seems to sum up the evolution from Garden City to Garbage City. That uninspiring title is demonstrative of the neglect the City has been subjected to over time. In examining this, it becomes virtually impossible to avoid referring to the management of affairs at City Hall.

The fact is City’s management over the past few decades was generally in the hands of those who have been and are associated with the People’s National Congress (PNC) which is the major party that comprises the current Government. A look at the 22year period between the two Local Government Elections (LGE) of 1994 and 2016, most of that time former Prime Minister and PNC strongman, Hamilton Green, was the Mayor.

In the earlier part of the immediate post-Independence PNC rule, the City was in a tidy state. It was years later that the downward spiral began. Some may argue that the City’s decline was related to the failing national economy from the mid-seventies to the early nineties. Many lamented the prevalent economic hardships then. The impact was harsh, and Georgetown may have been a casualty.

But even during that time, people paid taxes which were expected to be used for the upkeep of the City. The economy expanded with sustained growth from the late nineties to around 2015; so, did the tax base within the City. The expectation would have therefore been for the City to improve as the country as a whole prospered through positive transformation.

The opposite was the reality as garbage piled up, streets were riddled with potholes, canals were clogged, safety became a concern as crime increased, the historic City Hall building reached a state of disrepair and a national embarrassment, the cemetery was covered in thick vegetation and congestion became routine as dilapidation replaced beauty.

While evolution, including the type of vehicles and amount and personal preferences are to be taken into consideration, the allegations of mismanagement cannot be dismissed. What is seen unfolding from the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), may not be surprising to some and it is clearly not inspiring for the country.

Many believe what is being revealed is what dogged City Hall over the years. On occasions, the previous Government had to bail out the municipality by paying salaries owed to the staff.

That itself speak volumes of the management, or a lack thereof at City Hall.

The PNC, with a history of political dominance in the city is back in Government and some of its associates are believed to have failed in effectively managing City Halls’ affairs. Local elections are to be held soon and wary residents and other citizens carve for the city to return to its glory days. Time will reveal if things will change if that party were to win or if a new dispensation beckons. One way or the other, those residing in the Capital crave improved services and the country a true Garden City.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Statue of Unity, built as a tribute to freedom movement icon Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 143rd birth anniversary on Wednesday. Air Force planes showered flowers on the statue in a grand inaugural event on the banks of the Narmada River in Gujarat as PM Modi dedicated it to the nation. The statue depicts Patel, India’s first Home Minister, wearing a traditional dhoti and shawl (NDTV photo) see story on page 17

Jamal Khashoggi strangled as soon as he entered Consulate, Prosecutor confirms

J

amal Khashoggi was strangled as soon as he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, then his body dismembered and destroyed in a premeditated killing, the city’s chief prosecutor has said in the first official confirmation of how the Saudi journalist died.

Riyadh previously said Khashoggi died in a fight in a rogue extradition operation, and has maintained that his body, intact, was wrapped up in a rug and disposed of by an unidentified “local collaborator”.

“The victim’s body was dismembered and destroyed following his death by suffocation,” Wednesday’s statement said, bolstering Turkish investigators’ line of thought that Khashoggi’s remains could have been disposed of at the nearby consul general’s house, dissolved in acid or dumped in a well on the property.

The fresh revelations from Istanbul came on the heels of the Saudi chief prosecutor’s departure from the city after a two-day visit – underlining how little co-operation there has been so far in what is supposedly a joint Turkish-Saudi investigation.

It also suggests that Turkey has more evidence to table, and the steady drip of information about the crime leaked or released by Turkish officials so far will continue as president Recep

Jamal Khashoggi pictured in December 2004

Tayyip Erdo?an seeks to pile yet more pressure on his rivals in Riyadh.

Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Irfan Fidan, said discussions this week with his Saudi counterpart, Saud al-Mojeb, had yielded “no concrete result”.

Fidan’s office was clearly disappointed in the lack of progress: in two meetings over two consecutive days repeated requests for the extradition of the 18 Saudi suspects for trial in Turkey, details on the “planning stage” of the killing and identity of the local collaborator were not answered.

The Saudi prosecutor had promised “same day” answers, the statement said.

While Saudi Arabia has admitted that the dissident writer’s killing when he visited on 2 October to collect documents for his upcoming wedding was premeditated, it has not explained how.

Searches of the diplomat-

ic mission where Khashoggi died and the consul general’s house, where it is believed his body was taken, have faced several delays from Saudi investigators: surfaces inside the consulate had been freshly painted by the time Turkish investigators were allowed in, and cars of interest to the criminal investigation had been thoroughly cleaned.

On his departure, Mojeb invited the Istanbul investigators to Riyadh to share evidence collected so far with counterparts in the Saudi capital and interrogate the suspects under Saudi supervision.

Turkey has reportedly so far refused to share what is believed to be damning audio and video evidence related to Khashoggi’s death with Riyadh, suggesting it may have been obtained by spying on the diplomatic mission or by hacking Saudi officials’ communications.

Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the prosecutor’s visit.

The Saudi prosecutor also noted that no statement had been made by the kingdom regarding the existence of a “local cooperator”, Fidan’s office said – once again muddying the previous Saudi version of events.

Riyadh has offered several shifting explanations for Khashoggi’s killing and says that the 15-man team who carried out the operation was acting without the knowledge or authorisation of the royal court.

The episode has drawn unwelcome attention to the Saudi crown prince and de facto ruler of the kingdom, Mohammed bin Salman, who has consolidated power to the extent observers believe it is impossible he was not aware of the plan to kill the journalist.

The diplomatic crisis for Riyadh has also created significant problems for Donald Trump’s administration, which has signed arms deals with the kingdom and made the crown prince central to its regional policy of containing Iran.

Turkey’s statement on Wednesday undermined the insistence of Trump and his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo that Turkey was satisfied with Saudi Arabia’s cooperation in the investigation to date. (The Guardian)

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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

What has Nagamootoo, Ramjattan Never a dull moment during delivered to Guyanese?

GECOM’s statutory meeting (Pt 1)

Dear Editor, The massive crowds converging at all the venues where the Leader of the Opposition kept his community and public meetings speak volumes of his growing popularity as the true leader of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Not only members, supporters but a growing number of Guyanese from other political parties are now being converted. They have great confidence that he will deliver this country once again on the path to social and economic development.

They have seen what the People’s National Congressdominated Government can do in just over three years!

What is the secret to this growing popularity of the PPP? Undoubtedly, Jagdeo is not only charismatic but his intellect and acute analysis on micro- and macro-economic realities and his ability to formulate and deliver sound economic policies is unparalleled.

The people of this country wait expectantly on him to deliver his weekly trade mark press conferences which not only brings to the fore the many failed policies of the coalition Government but highlights their inability to run the affairs of this country and their penchant for corruption and squandering. If only the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) can take a page out of his book! But no, their venomous attacks on him and the PPP seek to justify their corruption, incompetence and many failures!

Imagine the PPP leader went to Linden and attract-

ed an unprecedentedly huge crowd at a Local Government Election campaign. The AFC had bragged that they will outperform the APNU in Linden, but it seems that their main contender is the PPP. They should now rethink that conclusion.

Fortunately, this foretells not only the growing support for the PPP, but it is an indication that the APNU/AFC coalition will never be able to regain power at the 2020 General Elections. Their days are numbered. They have desperately failed to deliver to the people to whom they shamelessly promised the ‘good life’ and those people are now doing the delivering!

What have Nagamootoo and Ramjattan delivered to the people, especially those in Berbice? Nagamootoo is so deathly afraid to keep a community meeting in the village of Whim where he was born, although he bribed them with a road and a few streetlights. He had to keep a poorly attended PTA meeting at Auchlyne Primary, the school he attended as a kid. It is a personal insult to him that on that same day, his nemesis Jagdeo kept a bottom house meeting at Whim where more than 300 persons attended. His regular ‘bottom house’ meeting is by his brother’s residence by the roadside next to a rum shop. It was just a few weeks ago that 50 residents from the Whim/Bloomfield LAA signed affidavits to have their names removed from the AFC backers’ form.

Such is his popularity in his village!

Nagamootoo had gone there personally with his

team to ensure that they could at least influence some of his family and friends to support the AFC. He had failed in his quest and called the people ‘namak haram’ (ungrateful), reminding them of the few street lights and the road to the Hindu temple. What a hypocrite!

He had blasted the PPP for using State resources to campaign at elections.

The same happened at Ramjattan’s village. He used the CPG Liaison Officer to fill out backers’ form for the AFC and the same fraudulent exercise occurred.

There were scores of people who swore to affidavits that they did not sign these backers’ forms and a dead person and some persons who have migrated also signed.

Again Ramjattan like his friend Nagamootoo cannot hold a community meeting in the village of his birth.

He held a couple of ‘bottom house’ meetings at his relative’s house which were attended by just a handful of his drinking buddies. Both of these ‘good life sireners’ have been vigorously rejected by their own people! You simply cannot fool all the people all the time!

The AFC and its partner, the APNU should now realise that ‘good life’ and ‘fit and proppa’ have already been transformed into the overused cliché category and the marketing appeal has long been lost. These terms may very well be classified as ‘obscenities’ by the poor and impoverished people, the small man who accounts for 80 per cent of the population.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

Intervention needed at Lethem Town Council Dear Editor, Some urgent intervention is needed to remedy the plight of workers at the Lethem Town Council.

The structure in place at the Lethem Town Council is incapable of processing positive inputs to strengthen the weakened administrative system that was created in recent times.

The Lethem Town Council is operating on a shoe string basis, under financial strains and handicapped in its human resource capacity.

The interests of the workers are seriously neglected and compromised in the area of occupational safety and health, which contributes to counter-productive services to the citizenry of the Lethem municipality.

Inappropriate and random decisions made frequently by the Town Clerk are allowed and puts the workforce in an awkward position to function effectively,

where the fear of expressing one-self is evident.

Not so long ago, I have noticed workers from the Lethem Town Council, working tirelessly in the baking sun; putting in place booths and structures for security, etc, in preparation for the recent Lethem Town Week Celebration 2018.

Editor, I am privy to some information emanating from the labour force, of the Lethem Town Council, where workers are not being paid for their long hours of overtime, despite of many promises made by the Town Clerk.

The Lethem Town Week celebration has now become the biggest and longest event in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), without the input of the labour force from these workers, the Lethem Town Week celebrations could not have materialised.

This unjust treatment meted out to the workers of

the Lethem Town Council is unacceptable and must not be allowed to go un-noticed for the second-time round.

This situation warrants the attention of the relevant authorities, more so, Local Government Elections will be in less than two weeks’ time; as this issue appears to be self-inflicting, for one reason or the other.

If the Lethem Town Council does so jeopardise its workers welfare, then by definition it’s no longer providing a service; thus, losing its legitimacy and defeating its purpose and motto “Working Together Harmoniously To Promote Equality And Transparency For The Benefit And Well Being Of All".

These workers deserve a handsome reward for their hard work.

Sincerely, Concerned citizen of Lethem

Dear Editor, Another statutory meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission(GECOM).

Tuesday starts on time. It is as if the Chairman, having just recently signed his contract has decided that meetings need to start at 13:00h (1:00pm). Imagine, he did not even send his secretary to find out if there was a quorum, as is his usual practice.

Even the CEO and DCEO had to rush to catch up. Fortunately, there is a quorum, and a longer than usual meeting starts on time. Refreshing.

It is election season, so there are many issues to be discussed and the minutes are longer than usual because, at last, the report from the Admin and Finance Subcommittee is included. The minutes are of a meeting held since October 16, 2018, so people’s memories have faded and when, for example, Commissioner Trotman does not like the record of what he is reported to have said, he tries to correct it so that his contribution sounds better.

The CEO is unusually belligerent today (Tuesday), and the DCEO is very much present but speaks only when she is spoken to. I am convinced that she continues to be overwhelmed with the realisation of how much she does not know about elections management. I do hope that she is a fast learner!

One positive note today (Tuesday) was a report by the PR manager who is rolling out the Civic and Voter Education (C&VE) for the LGE. She was able to report on the social media page which seems to be very informative and managed well, but she reported that she pays for infomercials on television. It is my view that LGE education constitutes public service announcements, so by law, they should be broadcast free of cost. I hope Ms Ward follows up with the GNBA, up to today (Tuesday) no one can say what the C&VE budget is, or of there is an identifiable budget for this purpose.

Questions revealed the information that the agencies contracted to prepare the C&VE materials, were taken from a list left on record by the previous officer with no attempt to advertise for the service. Of course, the previous contractors said that the material used in 2016 could not be edited for use this year! What could anyone expect them to say? So completely new material was paid for, and we were assured that from now on, this new material can be reused in future. I, for one, am taking this with a grain of salt. I bet we will hear another excuse for the elections of 2020!

There is no visible activity in the compound. The

chaos of last week is over and purportedly ballots have been enveloped for the voting on November 2, 2018, by the 7918 listed members of the Disciplined Services at 81 ballot stations using 63 ballot boxes countrywide.

The political parties’ representatives/chief scrutineers met with the CEO and his team on Tuesday and were given the D-day logistical details, which were shared with the Commissioners on Wednesday. They look very good on paper. Let us hope they translate into smooth movement on D-day. I asked and was assured that eight aircraft and several buses will accommodate GECOM staff as well as party scrutineers with no one left behind. Let us hope that all goes as well as it looks on paper and no party agent will be told that there is no room on the bus or plane!

There have been too many such instances in past elections.

I seemed to have aroused a hornets’ nest with my inquiry as to who will be allowed to visit any ballot station on Friday November 2, as well as Monday November 12.

You see the law allows

for any listed candidate to do so, but experience has shown that candidates have, in the past been refused entry into ballot and polling stations. The CEO mumbles that persons like the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Scrutineers can visit, but discussions reveal that persons, candidate or otherwise, will only be allowed in of he/she is wearing some form of identification issued by GECOM! All Commissioners have IDs. Commissioner Corbin speaks very knowledgeable about ‘Candidates to the Poll’ so it turns out that the CEO will have to be given a list by the relevant stakeholder of persons who wish to visit ballot/polling stations, so that they can be issued with GECOM accreditation IDs! Equal treatment even for the Leader of the Opposition!

Well I suppose the Ballot Officers/ Presiding Officers can always say that even former Presidents are not exempt from being properly badged and tagged!

Sincerely, Bibi Safora Shadick Commissioner – GECOM

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By Dona Matthews, PhD

LEE: Let’s go there for a second.

You can see that a six-year-old kid who’s highly intelligent would be a bit of a fish out of water. The differences between a four-year-old and a six-yearold and a six-year-old and an eightyear-old are huge. How do you help that highly intelligent child get a cohort going and make friends?

DONA: These kinds of questions can only really be answered case by case.

Every situation is so different.

Every child is so different, so unique in their development across a number of areas. But a basic principle or a rule of thumb around all of that is that a four- or a six- or an eightyear-old is about so much more than their intelligence.

Let’s take an extremely gifted sixyear-old who’s speaking and thinking much more like a nine-year-old than like other six-year-olds. There is so much more happening in that six-yearold’s life than the cognitive dimension.

That little kid is also developing socially, emotionally, and physically. That six-year-old can play baseball with other six-year-olds and do just fine. That kid can learn music and all kinds of other things at that six-year-old level.

They’re going to be reading different things. They’re going to be asking different questions of their teachers.

Foundation But the other domains are really a lot more important at that stage. So it’s important that they have areas where they are going at their own pace intellectually that can be extracurricular or it can be in a school situation.

Some kids who are extremely advanced intellectually really have a hard time socially until they find intellectual peers. For some of

t h o s e kids, they’re going to need a special gifted class environment or they’re going to need extracurricular activities that keep them engaged.

The child as a whole person

LEE: This really brings on the idea of looking at the whole person, seeing a child as a whole person.

DONA: Yes. LEE: How do we define intelligence, particularly when we’re talking about kids?

DONA: There are so many ways to think about intelligence. A lot of people use an IQ or a score on a test as their short form understanding of what intelligence is. But the more that people

who spend their lifetime working in this field think about it, and I would include myself in that (I’m one of those people who has spent decades thinking about what is intelligence), the more we say, “It’s really hard to pin it down.

There are a lot of different well-considered definitions.”

The definition that I’ve come to in my own work is that intelligence is the ability to understand complex ideas; to adapt effectively to changing environments; to overcome obstacles as we encounter them; to engage meaningfully in various forms of reasoning; and to learn from the experiences that we have. So it is not static. It’s something that develops incrementally, step by step a step. Intelligence develops in a whole number of different domains.

It makes better sense to think of a profile of intelligence across a number of different areas. You might have really highly developed mathematical or scientific or linguistic intelligence and have really bad or less developed social and emotional or musical or some other kind of intelligence.

LEE: It’s not all a bunch of horses running and at the same time.

DONA: Yes, that’s right.

LEE: You could have emotional intelligence way out in front, you could have number intelligence way out in front, or anything, right?

DONA: Exactly. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

By Marika Lindholm, PhD

Make sure that everyone in the house is on the same parenting page. I remarried when my children were 5 and 7. In his attempt to be a wonderful stepfather, my spouse became the fun and lenient dad, while I was the cruel disciplinarian. Not only would my children run to him for a favourable outcome, but they also played us off one another. I’d find them watching a movie late at night, and he would admit, “They told me you were OK with it.” As I started to feel like a big ogre in my own home, we had to come together to establish house rules. Ideally, the rules should also apply to babysitters and even grandparents – but good luck with that!

Rights versus privileges.

This lesson took me longer to learn, but it packs a wallop, and favourable results are guaranteed. I now realise that having a playdate, going to the playground, participating in sports, having sleepovers, owning a phone, and borrowing a car are privileges, not basic rights – even though children will see them as such!

As parents, we are required to sustain a basic level of wellbeing for our children, but that doesn’t mean we must cater to their desires. Sure, it’s fun to have sleepovers or get a phone, but those are privileges that come with a certain set of behaviourss. When children behave badly or break house rules, those privileges will not be given. With my two teen daughters, my control over their phones works remarkably well. They lose their phones often and are rewarded with them when they are back on track. I can’t impress enough how this mindset has shifted our discussions and my parenting style.

Give children chores and activities to build confidence and self-esteem. Even though it can be annoying to watch a four-year-old load the dishwasher or a seven-yearold put too much laundry detergent in the washing machine, stick with it. It’s good for their sense of self and will build a foundation

of accomplishment that will serve them well. I’ve run across too many university students who still run home to mom for laundry or have no clue how to cook. These are usually the same children who crumble when they get a C. Build efficacy and resilience early so that your young adult can handle what the world has to offer. And you gain the added bonus of not having to do everything yourself!

When the going gets tough, don’t let children quit or give up randomly. This one sounds harsh, but abiding by it will be the best gift you can give a child. Does your eightyear-old want to quit soccer after a cold day on the field?

Does your teen want to give up piano because it gets in the way of parties? It’s heartbreaking to watch a child struggle or be unhappy, but it’s even more heartbreaking to end up with a child who regrets immature decisions or has quit so many times that they fail to develop grit to persevere later in life.

Our goal as parents is to grow a human who will be a happy and fulfilled adult. One of my family rules is that if you sign up for an activity, you must finish it. So even if your kid isn’t thrilled about art class, keep going until the end of the term, and then don’t sign up next time. I require my teens to fulfil their commitments to teams and coursework as well.

If they want to drop honours next year or quit a travel team after the season, that’s fine.

The act of following through even when it’s no longer rewarding is a great skill to bring to adulthood. And I can’t tell you the number of times my children wanted to quit teams and classes and then changed their minds a week or two later!

My 21-year-old son, who is 6’6”, is still mad at me for letting him drop basketball at age nine, and he never lets me forget it.

Parenting requires quick thinking and courage.

Establishing a stable, consistent household with clear boundaries will go far in making your children feel safe, loved, and capable. It won’t be easy, but you can do it! (Excerpt from

psychologytoday.com)

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City Hall’s CoI

Mayor blames Town Clerk, Councillors for excessive spending …$206M owed to NIS

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n her second appearance to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), Mayor of the Georgetown municipality completely distanced herself from the decision-making process at City Hall and further suggested the fact that she is merely a figurehead.

In her two and a half long witness statement on Wednesday, Mayor Patricia Chase Green stated under oath that she presides over statutory meetings of the Georgetown City Council, but is required to proceed with the decision that is made by the Councillors.

Chase Green also sought to mention that she is guided by the “law” on how she should act.

The majority of the questions that were asked revolved around the NoConfidence Motion that was filed against the Town Clerk, Royston King by Councillor Sherod Duncan and the manner in which it was dealt. This arose after the Mayor allowed King to seek advice from his lawyer, Maxwell Edwards, and this was presented to the Council. King subsequently requested that the motion should be placed for discus-

sions, but it was brought before the Council.

The motion was then dismissed via a vote from Full Council and during that March 12 meeting; Chase Green was presiding as the chair. She is contending that the Town Clerk is required to sit in such proceedings as was done before.

“This is not the first motion coming against any Town Clerk. There were motions brought before former Town Clerks and [they] sat in situations as Town Clerks and dealt with those motion,” she stated.

The Mayor attempted to further diverge herself from the perplexed way in which the matter was addressed by stating in her defence, “I’ve known of no other Mayor that has been held accountable for motions not debated in the Council.”

Despite these retorts, retired Justice Cecil Kennard remained steadfast in his thoughts that independent legal advice should have been sought.

Adding to these factors, the Mayor then divulged that she is of the view that Edwards is an advisor to

Mayor Patricia Chase Green during her first witness statement chaired by Justice Cecil Kennard

the City Hall administration. This is seemingly contradicting to her response to the letter of summon which labels Edwards as the “Town Clerk’s lawyer”.

Representing the CoI, Attorney-at-Law Everton Singh-Lammy highlighted sections of the letter written by Chase Green which states, “The motion came before me with an advice by the Town Clerk’s lawyer.”

Playground saga

While maintaining that she is unaware of most of the ongoing issues at the local organ body, Mae’s Schools faced the brunt when it was admitted that no lease was granted to the institution to occupy part of the Farnum Ground.

Additionally, she confirmed that no permission was given to construct a fence.

Former Mayor Hamilton

Green would have only given consent for the students to utilise the community ground during their break periods.

“I’m not aware of any lease that was given to Mae’s recently or prior to now but I know they were given permission to use the space…I’m not aware through the committees that permission was given to them to erect a fence.”

A 12-feet fence currently blockades one-third of the public ground and is being used privately by the school. She stated that she holds no power over the outcome since the Town Clerk would ask the City Engineer to “do what is necessary”.

Amid outcries by residents of the Subryanville area who are affected by this doing, City Engineer, Colvern Venture told the Commission that attempts are being made to remove the fence.

Unsettled debt NIS

Debt Recovery Manager of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Louise Bryan also presented documents on Wednesday, in respect to City Hall’s indebt-

edness which states that an excess of $206 million is owed to City Hall, dating back since 1994.

Bryan told the Commission, “It is for the period September 1994 to August 2018…part payments would have been made. There are still outstanding monies… [It’s] over $206 million.”

Former employees of the Council appeared before the CoI in the last few weeks, stating that they haven’t been paid NIS or their severances. Some have been on the waiting list for years and no response was given by City Hall.

Demand notices issued to the Council, letters to the Local Government Commission (CoI) and a tally of the outstanding payments were submitted and tendered for evidence.

This will be included in the deliberations that will create recommendations once the investigation is completed.

To complete a thorough investigation, the CoI was extended and the Town Clerk will present himself on Friday for questioning.

(Rupadai Seenaraine)

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Man charged for discharging firearm outside nightclub

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man who was reportedly seen on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) discharging a loaded firearm at a Main Street, Georgetown night spot was on Wednesday hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Thirty-seven-year-old Safraz Khan stood before Magistrate Fabayo Azore and denied that he discharged a loaded firearm on October 28, 2018 while he

was in the vicinity of Main Street, Georgetown.

Attorney Glenn Hanoman informed the court that the offence that was allegedly committed by his client was one that “he cannot be jailed for”, since he is the holder of a firearm licence. He also told the court that his client was held beyond the 72-hour legal detention period pending investigation.

Police Prosecutor

Warren Thornhill did not object to bail, but noted that if the court was inclined to grant bail, then specific conditions should be attached.

The prosecution’s submission was upheld, and Khan was released on $50,000 bail. As a condition for bail he had to surrender his travel documents and report every Friday to the Brickdam Police Station until the case has been completed.

The case will continue on

November 28, 2018.

Khan and his younger brother were arrested by Police after they were implicated in the beating of a differently abled man outside the nightclub on Sunday about 02:00h.

Crime Chief Marlon Chapman had subsequently confirmed that the matter had been reported to the Police and an investigation had been launched into the incident.

Fish vendor remanded on robbery charge

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fish vendor accused of robbing a man of a cellular phone and cash was on Wednesday remanded to prison.

Jonathan Ishmael is accused of robbing Rajendradat Seodat of a Samsung cellular phone, valued $20,000, and $1400, and appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Ishmael denied that on October 14, 2018, at Ramp Road, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, while being in the company of another and armed with a knife, he robbed at Seodat of his Samsung cellular phone and cash.

According to the facts presented to the court, on October 14, Seodat was walking along Ramp Road

when the fisherman and another male rode up alongside him and asked for $200.

While the victim was in the process of taking out the cash, the defendant pulled a knife from his pants waist and pointed it at the victim.

He, along with his accomplice, then relieved the victim of his cellular phone and cash. The matter was reported, and Ishmael was ar-

rested.

In court on Wednesday, Police Prosecutor Quinn Harris opposed bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the offence and the penalty it attracted.

Magistrate Azore upheld the prosecution’s submission, and remanded the fisherman to prison. The case will continue on November 21, 2018.

Keeping us down…

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…in mediocrity our Eyewitness sincerely hopes there’s nothing seriously wrong medically with President David Granger, and wishes him a long life. But his decision to have his medical check-up first done in T&T a few months ago and now his decision to go to Cuba for “follow up checks” on the symptoms highlighted in T&T, betrays his assessment of our medical capacity in Guyana. That frankly, it’s not up to snuff.

It’s now become trite to mock Guyanese politicians who fly abroad for medical interventions but it’s THEIR lives at stake – and because they have the option of seeking better medical care, it’s rational for them to make that decision! Why take chances? But the rest of the ordinary men and women in the street don’t have that option, do they? They have to line up at Georgetown Hospital – at best – or the regional hospitals – at worse – and play Russian Roulette with their lives.

But it didn’t have to be this way. When the PPP was in office, around 2013, they proposed the construction of a “Specialty Hospital” that would offer world-class medical services for the medical procedures that were beyond our medical services’ ken. The Indian Government would fund the project from a line of credit and the hospital, the PPP said, would be the start of a local “medical tourism” industry. This wouldn’t only bring in foreign currency from patients from the developed countries who’d save a bundle – but would allow the Government to subsidise the costs for local patients, on a “needs” basis!

Now who’d oppose such a venture that’s so win-win all around? The PNC and AFC in the Opposition benches, that’s who! Funny enough, one of the top bidders for the project was a client of Ramjattan – Fedders Lloyd - and it was only when the latter lost out to another company, he started his violent opposition. When he slid into Government on the PNC coattails he started lobbying for the project to be retendered but when Fedders Lloyd was eventually disqualified by the World Bank for violations committed on other projects, Ramjattan once again helped nixed the Specialty Hospital Project. Even though $42 million had been spent to prepare the site.

The Government decided to use the Indian Line of Credit to upgrade three regional hospitals – but as of today, nothing’s been done. We have therefore lost “corn and husk” – we have no Specialty Hospital with advanced medical equipment and personnel and the regional hospitals continue to languish in the era when leeched were routinely used for “bloodletting”!

And we return to the President having to fly off to Cuba for medical treatment. “It’s a shad, shad situation”. …and underdeveloped There’s one school of thought that proposed newspapers in developing countries have a duty to support projects and policies that push a development agenda. Now whether you support this or not, (your Eyewitness doesn’t) it’s pretty hard to support – in the name of “freedom of the press” – a newspaper that literally goes out to rip down the country’s development just to satisfy their personal vendettas.

And this is where the Muckraker still hasn’t learnt the lesson from the PNC/AFC’s betrayal of all they’d preached when they were being funded by the tawdry tabloid. Take the lies and exaggerations they repeated from those days when putatively covering the suggested Berbice Bridge’s toll increases. How in the world could ANY of the private common shareholders be accused of “profiteering” from their ownership of the Bridge when they NEVER voted any dividends for themselves?? How could they “profiteer” when they have $300 million tied up, doing anything?

But the Muckraker’s boss wouldn’t recognise sacrifice for one’s country if it snuck up and bit him on his behind!!

It’s all about himself! …in helplessness The Government’s CH&PA just announced they’ll be building 250 homes and extending 2000 shacks of the “poor”. Your Eyewitness knows it’s a boondoggle for its supporters.

But without jobs, they’re just widening their learned helplessness.

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

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Marcus Bisram loses extradition case in US …expected back in Guyana to face murder charge

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uyanese Marcus Bisram is expected in Guyana to face a murder charge after he lost an extradition challenge in a New York court on Tuesday.

Bisram is wanted in Guyana for the murder of a Berbice carpenter.

District Judge, Kiyo A Matsumoto presided over the case on Tuesday, where she upheld that there was sufficient evidence for Bisram to be repatriat-

Rose Hall Mayor accuses Communities Ministry of neglect

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ose Hall Mayor Vijay Kumar Ramoo is accusing Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan of neglecting villages, which did not vote for the current Administration even as Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo criticised Government for its lack of help to municipalities, which were won by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) at the last Local Government Elections.

Addressing residents of the town on Sunday during a public meeting, Mayor Ramoo said in 2017, President David Granger requested that the municipality submit a developmental plan. He said the proposal was passed onto the Communities Ministry.

“The Ministry of Communities replied saying it can’t help us,” the Mayor said.

According to Ramoo, prior to the response from the Ministry, the municipality of Georgetown was bailed out by the Communities

the killing, Bisram's mother and sister were accused of offering bribes to dissolve the case. The Guyana Police Force came in for unprecedented criticism after several Police Officers in Berbice

ed to Guyana. Judge of the Eastern District, Peggy Kuo had similarly ruled that the evidence was enough, and an extradition order was signed.

On October 31, 2016, Faiyaz Narinedatt was beaten and ran over with a motorcar at the alleged orders of Bisram, after the carpenter declined sexual advances that were made by the overseas-based Guyanese.

The body of 27-year-

Ministry.

“I few months after they reply to us they bail out Georgetown again… They could bail out Georgetown for $57 million but they can’t give Rose Hall a cent.

We have run this town without any help from Central Government.”

He added that as Mayor he has given up his stipend and asked the Town Clerk to use it to repair the Council’s tractors which are used for garbage collection.

“Every six months we repair one tractor.”

Ramroo also noted that under his stewardship, property taxes will not be increased.

However, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo noted that in the areas that the PPP won, property taxes will not be increased as it a policy of the party.

Jagdeo noted that the Government spent $10 million to fly into Mahdia for the opening of that township and has refused to assist the town of Rose Hall.

the case’s background as outlined in the judgement, High Court Judge Navindra Singh had dismissed the case on November 24, 2017.

Meanwhile, the murder-accused mother,

denied her application.

The Appellate Court’s decision was read by acting Appellate Justice, Dr Arif Bulkan, who orated that the applicant’s filing repeated litigation amounted to an

Murder accused: Marcus Bisram

old Narinedatt was later found on the Number 70 Village Public Road on the Corentyne.

Evidence had indicated that the carpenter was thrashed, placed in the trunk of a car and then placed on the road.

It is believed that five henchmen – Radesh Motie, Diadatt Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, Orlando Dickie and Niran Yacoob – were instructed by Bisram to dump the body and make his death seem as a result of vehicular accident. While two of the men had confessed to

Murder accused: Radesh Motie, Niram Yacoob, Diodath Datt and Harri Paul

were implicated in a plot to cover up the murder. All of the accused have since been committed to stand trial in the High Court for the murder after a Berbice Magistrate found that a prima facie case has been made out against them.

On March 7 of 2017, a warrant was issued for Bisram by the judicial system in Guyana and since then, he has been fighting his extradition by challenge by all means. According to

Sharmila Inderjalli had petitioned the courts to expedite the judicial process regarding her bid to have the Director of Public Prosecutions withdraw the murder case.

State attorneys, however, contend that Bisram’s lawyers have been abusing the court’s process and in July, Inderjalli had to pay $250,000 to the State when Appeal Court Justice Rishi Persaud and acting Justices, Arif Bulkan and Rafiq Khan

abuse of the court’s process.

Just last August, an appeal was also made to the Caribbean Court of Justice to which it upheld the court’s ruling which stated that Bisram will have to wait at a New York holding facility as long as he is fighting the extradition process.

With this new development in the case, the murder-accused should be deported to Guyana where he will be arraigned for murder.

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thursdAY, november 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Rehabilitated $9.7B WCD road already deteriorating

Bank (CDB).

Some 30.7 kilometers of the West Coast roadway was rehabilitated to include bridges and culverts, new ‘shareduse’ lanes for cyclists and pedestrians at key junctions, the installation of high visibility traffic signs and road markers, the installation of pedestrian footpath bridges, the construction of concrete

The deteriorated section of the road at Vreed-en-Hoop

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ere months after its official completion, a hole has developed on the Vreed-en-Hoop access road, West Coast Demerara, attracting urgent attention by contractors on Wednesday morning.

When Guyana Times visited the area, crew members from Jamaican Company ‘Surrey, Paving and Aggregate Company Limited’, who were responsible for the construction of the road had begun drilling holes to surround the sunken section of road, as they explained that they were conducting an examination to determine the reason for the sunken road.

When contacted, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson said he was unaware of what was going on in the area.

Calls made to the Head

One of the holes drilled by contractors

of the Works Services Group went unanswered.

This newspaper understands that days before the hole formed, the patch was uneven and rough causing motorists to avoid using that section of the roadway.

The $9.7 billion project was completed by the Jamaican company along with BK International earlier this year after several hiccups and setbacks.

Back in July when the road was commissioned by the subject Minister, it was noted that the project was funded by the Caribbean Development

drains at critical locations and the construction of parking lanes along identified sections of the road, the Department of Public Information reported.

The road improvement project was officially launched on March 20, 2014, at the Pegasus Hotel, and was scheduled to be executed over a period of five years.

The expansion entailed the improvement of about 30.7 kilometres of the West Coast Demerara Road from Vreeden-Hoop to Hydronie, East Bank Essequibo just about one mile East of Parika.

W&GEC calls for more sensitisation on women’s rights …as annual report handed over to Parliament

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he Women and Gender Equality Commission (W&GEC) on Wednesday handed over its annual report to the National Assembly while calling for more sensitisation on the code of law on women’s rights as well as the speedy establishment of the Human Rights Commission.

The call was made by W&GEC Chairperson Indranie Chandarpal as she highlighted a few of the recommendations from the annual report.

“We have recommended that they produce a harmonised code of law on women’s rights and this should be one book that contains all the law protecting women but set out as a code and separate laws.

The codes should be harmonised with international law obligations and with other national laws to ensure that there are no gaps in the protection afforded to women,” she added.

The Chairperson explained that the codes should be simplified so persons from various walks of life can understand their rights.

According to her, “Guyana should submit the report to the committee established to monitor compliance under the Convention of Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination.”

She added that the country should ratify the optional protocol of the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms

W&GEC Chairperson Indranie Chandarpal hands over the seventh annual report to Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland

of Discrimination Against Women, which will allow for individual petitions.

In addition, Chandarpal stated, “We are hoping that the Human Rights Commission would be in place very shortly because all of us are aware that the Human Rights Commission has a role to play in all these Rights Commissions, that is the admin arm of these Commissions and because of the slothful nature in having the Commission in place, it is causing some difficulties in terms of getting things done in a very timely way.”

Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland spoke of some of the difficulties faced in moving forward.

“When we had passed the law that enabled the constitutional agencies to enjoy independence, in the financial area, I had said to all the heads of the agencies at that time that there would be some difficulties in moving from (point) A to B, but I did ask the heads of the agencies to let me know whether they are moving at all, given the new dispensation or if they are moving too slowly,” he asserted.

According to him, so far, only one agency would have raised concerns with him in this regard.

In handing the report over to the Speaker, Chandarpal said she hoped the recommendations made in the report will be acted upon after consideration.

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LGE 2018

"Give us an opportunity to serve” – PPP’s Linden candidates

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo with some of the PPP's LGE Linden candidates

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he People's Progressive Party (PPP) on Tuesday rolled out its full list of candidates contesting for the Linden municipality at the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE) on November 12, with party members urging full support for those on the list.

The candidates were introduced on Tuesday evening, as the Party launched its Linden LGE 2018 campaign at its regional office at Mackenzie, Linden.

Party Member and Opposition Member of Parliament, Juan Edghill, who introduced the list of candidates, called on supporters to vote in their numbers, as he pointed out that the Party has candidates contesting in all of the eight constituencies across Linden. The candidates for the various constituencies include constituency one Akahni Blair; constituency two Hazelyn Luther; constit-

uency three Mona Razack, constituency four, Dr Orrin Miller; constituency five Sheri James Fife; constituency six Michael Smart; constituency seven Patricia Hinds and constituency eight Paula Moshette. " Comrades, these persons have offered themselves to be of service to you as constituency candidates...," Edghill told the large gathering in the compound of the local office for the event, as he reiterated support for the party. "...because you know in Local Government Elections you have to vote twice. You have to vote for the Party, and the only place you must put your X is next to the cup for the People's Progressive Party/Civic", he added. Edghill said the Party also has a number of Proportional Representative (PR) candidates whom he referred to as "stalwarts" that have been with the Party for years. He noted that once

elected, these representatives will work solely towards the benefit of the people of Linden.

"Councillors must look after the interest of the people who have elected them.

And it is with that spirit, it is with that confidence, it is with that assurance, within the guidance of the General Secretary, with the leadership of the Party’s executive – they are not specialists, they are not masters but they are people who are willing to serve. That is why we say, 'give us an opportunity to serve,” he reiterated. Edghill went on to state that the representatives will also be guided by Opposition Leader and Party General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo as well as other party members.

"What they don't know we will teach them. The advice that they need we will give it to them. The tutoring that they need, Jagdeo

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo being greeted by Lindeners before the meeting on Tuesday

will give it to them," he emphasised, adding that the Party's campaign has been working with an aim of lifting the hopes of the people of Linden.

Meanwhile, Jagdeo told the gathering that the only way this victory can be achieved is through support, as he also urged full support for candidates contesting in the upcoming LGE. He said while no candidate is perfect, all of the Party's candidates stand for a cause.

Urging full support for the Party, Jagdeo noted that the PPP is on the road to reclaiming Guyana in 2020.

"Our party appreciates the support that you've given us over the many years. And those of you who are new to the People's Progressive Party you are welcome in our family. It is only because of this support that you've given over the years that

despite of many challenges we've been able to transform this country. But we have a long way to go, and that is why tonight (Tuesday) I am here to...speak in support of our candidates who are contesting the Local Government Elections and secondly to give you a perspective as to where our country is going and what future you will have if the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) stays in office", Jagdeo noted.

He then cited Government's "failed campaign promises", noting that thousands of jobs have been lost since the APNU/AFC took office.

Jagdeo said every sector is presently on the decline, with the rice sector in trouble and 7000 workers on the breadline. He added that Government has not come up with a single, new ma-

jor project, while industries and jobs are on the decline.

He also pointed out that Value Added Tax (VAT) has been added to 46 food items and essential items such as pharmaceuticals and machinery. Old age pension, he said, has been increased by a small amount though the APNU/AFC had campaigned for significant increases.

Jagdeo added that despite the promise for massive salary increases, years later there has been no change.

Despite major Government spending, Jagdeo said the health sector and education sectors are deteriorating and crime is on the increase. The Opposition Leader also highlighted Government's ban on used tyres and older model vehicles among other things, noting that Government's policies are leading to the impoverishment of the country.

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thursdAY, november 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Supply Health Centre saga Thousands affected by GPL prepaid card system shutdown Contractor ordered to correct …power company blames GTT Internet for disruption

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housands of customers using the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) prepaid meter service will not be able to access it through external vendors since the service had been temporarily disrupted due to technical difficulties.

The power company on Wednesday said the unplanned disruption rendered prepaid agents unable to generate prepaid JUICE tokens or redeem prepaid JUICE cards.

This is said to affect over 1000 families across Guyana The company noted that GTT and GPL

are working assiduously on the disruption to successfully restore the connection in a timely manner. Only 25 of its vendors countrywide will have tokens available.

Teen charged for robbery under arms

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n 18-year-old mason of Lot 55 Hadfield Street, Georgetown, was taken before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday after he was charged with two counts of robbery.

Deshaun Welcome appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Fabayo Azore and denied the charges after they were read to him.

The first charge stated that on October 27, 2018 at Georgetown, while being in the company of others and armed with an offensive weapon – a knife, he robbed Ishna Narine of one Samsung cellular phone value $90,000 and $20,000 cash.

The other charge stated that Welcome on the same date at the same location robbed Keron Persaud of one

Samsung cellular phone valued $190,000 and $90,000 cash.

The Police Prosecutor objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the charges.

However, Magistrate Azore granted the teen his pre-trial liberty in the sum of $50,000 for each charge.

He is expected to make his next court appearance on November 28, 2018.

inferior works

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temming from several discussions with Councillors, Regional Democratic Council’s Regional Executive Officer (REO), Pauline Lucas, has revealed that the contractor who failed to meet the specifications of the Supply Health Centre project, will have to redo all the inferior works.

The REO sought the intervention of the Public Infrastructure Ministry with regards the testing of the foundation, along with the University of Guyana, whose results differed.

On Wednesday, in a statement to the media, the REO said the Infrastructure Ministry had given the green light for the foundation, however, another test conducted by the University of Guyana showed that the foundation had not met the required PSI mark.

“Ministry of Infrastructure test showed that it was just above the PSI, which is 3500. However, I would have also be engaging the University of Guyana.

It’s not that I don’t have confidence in the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, but I think that we need to have other organisations results so that we can be extremely sure,” she said.

She added that because of the major differences found in the tests conducted, another examination would be necessary so as to be exceptionally sure as to the way forward.

“Testing conducted on the foundation conducted by the University of Guyana was below 1500 PSI and two columns had with one column having about 1700 PSI and the other is just about 2700 PSI so everything failed according to the University of Guyana. The University of Guyana also conducts several tests on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure,” Lucas noted.

This the REO stressed prompted her to have a third test done this time she opted for a joint test involving both the University of Guyana and the Public Infrastructure Ministry along with a representative of the contractor.

Regional Executive Officer Pauline Lucas

“Because we have two varying and it’s not that one has a five here and there difference, I decided to conduct a joint test between the University of Guyana and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and all parties involved including the contractor however the contractor did not send anyone,” she revealed.

“Again that test showed that the Ministry of Public Infrastructure tests, two of them were below the level and the other two while they passed were less that what the first test said, she continued.

Expressing concerns over the financial resources which has to be expended on conducting several tests, the REO told the regional Councillors that the region will not continue down this trend but rather a decision is being taken for the contractor to redo the foundation and column.

Meanwhile, the REO informed Councillors that her immediate course of action would be to write the contractor after which legal action would follow suit. She stressed that she had no intentions of accepting any sloppy or poor quality of work declaring; “I will be writing the contractor shortly indicating that in our view the project has failed, and he would have to redo the foundation and column again at his own expense failing which I would seek other legal actions to be

taken against the contractor.”

Adding their voices to the condemnation of the contractor’s actions, several Councillors expressed their support of the actions taken by the REO. Councillor Ali Majeed told his colleagues that he has visited the site of the project and is concern over the conduct and state of the compound questioning whether the contractors have had any prior experience with similar or such large projects. He said the manner in how they are conducting and were carrying out the project certainly leaves much to be desired.

“I am truly disappointed in how these guys have had the place as this is certainly bothering me because in my view they don’t have a sense of responsibility in executing such projects,” Majeed said.

Back in August, concerns over the quality of the work and the actions of a contractor resulted in a screeching halt. The issue which came up at the Regional Democratic Council’s (RDC) monthly meeting was disclosed by Lucas who revealed several unsavoury details about the project.

According to the region’s Public Relations Department, one of the details she revealed is that the contractor, Navin and Sons, was ordered by the Clerk of Works to cease casting the foundation of the centre.

“However, the contractor ignored the directive and proceeded to cast the foundation while erecting columns within a day of casting the foundation, thus further fuelling grave concerns. He indicated that he was given approval to proceed by the engineer,” an official from the Department revealed.

According to a report that was submitted by the Clerk of Works, the contractor failed to comply with a number of requirements for the project.

Among the requirements ignored by the contractor was one for the complete removal of tree roots and debris from the site.

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Finance Minister justifies rejecting BBCI’s meeting request ...as Govt’s reluctance to resolve issue intensifies

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ne day after the Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) came out declaring that Finance Minister Winston Jordan had denied a request to meet, though the Private Sector Commission (PSC) had sought to set it up, the Minister has since come out to say it is premature.

Jordan told media operatives on Wednesday that he did not receive a letter from the BBCI itself requesting any meeting, but that he in fact received one from the PSC. “I got a letter from the PSC requesting a meeting.

I sent a response indicating that the request was premature and that the matter is being honoured by the Attorney General Chambers,” he indicated.

BBCI’s Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, Paul Cheong who highlighted concerns with what he said were lies being peddled in a section of media with regards to the reason why the company was forced to increase its tolls.

He said, “It would be of interest to the public to know that BBCI asked the PSC to use its good offices to arrange an urgent meeting with the Minister of Finance in the matter of the toll adjustment and that the Minister of Finance has refused to entertain the request.”

Ever since the announcement by the BBCI Chairman, Dr Surendra Persaud, the company hopes to implement an increase, the Government has shown a high level of reluctance to meet with the company, and has made known its intention not to buy out the Bridge.

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson has stated that a Government buyout of the BBCI is not economically feasible and the Government’s proposed annual subsidy is the best option to reduce tolls for travellers. He said Government has

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

a restrictive financial budget.

Questioned further during a recent press conference, the Minister said that no consideration will be given to taking over the Bridge.

However, in the same breath he said Government is committed to a reduction of the tolls and not the other way around.

He further explained that if such consideration is ever given, Government will have to honor payments to shareholders and a number of other issues will have to be ironed out. According to him, the final pay-out for the Bridge would be significantly greater than it appears now.

However, there have been persistent calls for Government to move in that direction to avoid placing a heavy burden on Guyanese living in the Berbice region and others.

Outspoken political activist and former Presidential Advisor Ramon Gaskin, a trained economist is suggesting a total buyout of the bridge by Government so as to resolve the issue.

“You don’t need to make a profit, just cover maintenance and pay the NIS interest on their investment and you could lower the rate to where it was and it could go lower,” he advised.

On the other hand, Gaskin also suggested that

NIS could put in for receivership. This is a remedy available to secured creditors to recover amounts outstanding under a secured loan in the event the company defaults on its loan payments.

Overseas-based economist Professor Tarron Khemraj also feels that Government should buy over the Berbice Bridge in its entirety. He said the Bridge is now financially unsustainable, as compared to when the proposal for its construction was implemented.

He said that once the Government owns the bridge, some decisions would have to be made to address the high operating costs. According to him, decisions would have to be made with the objective of motivating private sector employment in Berbice.

A former advisor to the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj is also opposed to increasing the Bridge tolls, especially because the traffic flow to accommodate the higher tolls is not there.

At this stage, Khemraj said, it is clear the bridge has a dimension of higher public good than the private aspect.

Therefore, he recommended, Government should buy out all of the shares.

As per the increases, cars and minibuses will now be charged $8040; pickups, small trucks and four wheel drive vehicles, $14,600; medium trucks, $27,720; large trucks, $49,600; art trucks, $116,680; freight, $1680 and boats passing through the river will be charged $401,040.

The proposed increases are scheduled to take effect on November 12 and as the time draws closer to the date set for the imposition of fare increases at the Berbice River Bridge, there continues to be great worry over whether this could in fact take effect, or whether the Government would step in and reverse the decision.

First Children’s Court opens in Guyana …more coming in 2019

Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, cuts the ribbon with Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and acting Chief Justice Roxane George

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s the first Children’s Court opened its doors to the public on Wednesday, plans were announced to construct more such facilities outside of the capital city of Georgetown in the coming year by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative to Guyana and Suriname, Sylvie Fouet.

The new court, which is housed at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, will serve to better the lives of juveniles. “We believe the court is very timely and sustainable. It’s an investment, a sustainable investment especially when we look at the principle underlying the Juvenile Justice Act… for UNICEF the investment we believe is needed and we will give dividend to the young people,” Fouet said.

It was on this note that the representative highlighted, “In 2019, the plan is also to support the expansion to the court… so the spirit is also to decentralise; to go outside Georgetown and I understand that we also have plans to have similar sessions taking place in other cities in Guyana and we will support definitely

the way we can”.

Meanwhile, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams said he believes there is no better way for a country to show its respect for human dignity than by “making appropriate provisions for the protection of its children and for securing their best interests”.

According to him, the establishment of a Children’s Court is essential to ensuring that the objectives of the Juvenile Justice Act are advanced and achieved. He added that it is vital to ensuring a more rehabilitative and restorative system of juvenile justice. “It is essential to promoting the best interests of our children,” the Attorney General said.

Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, pointed to the importance of the new court and how juveniles will be sentenced using the new legislation, the Juvenile Justice Act. “In terms of sentencing, we are guided by modern principles of sentencing and again the whole idea is to carry out sentences through the safe, fair and humane

custody and supervision of our young people so the least restrictive measures consistent with the protection of the public and of personnel working with juveniles are to be used,” She explained.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, was also at the opening of the historic event noted how pleased he is to launch the new Court. “The journey that has realised this today commenced since 2004. The then Government of which I was a member, as a parliamentarian had delivered its first report to the committee on the rights of the child.”

He said after the report was submitted a number of recommendations were made by the committee urging that the same be implemented as early as possible which included raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 years, ensuring that persons below the age of 18 are not tried as adults but be given adequate and special protection among others.

Magistrates Annette Singh and Dylon Best have undergone training to deal with juvenile cases.

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Woman placed to sleep American Airlines set for Nov 15 take-off naked in Police lockups A merican Airlines is all set to start direct flights between Georgetown and Miami from November 15.

This will coincide with the Guyana Tourism Authority’s celebration of Tourism Awareness Month, says Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) President Mitra Ramkumar.

He said in pushing local content, 12 local agents were currently undergoing three weeks of intensive training for passenger services representatives at the Duke Lodge

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Berbice, Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) woman is alleging that the Police in the region has abused their power by placing her naked in the lock ups while her teenage daughter is also accusing police officers of assaulting her and placing her in the lock ups with adults.

Alicia Harry, 35, told this publication that she was arrested on Monday and placed in a cell at the Rose Hall Town Police Outpost without any clothing.

The mother of four told this publication that on Monday Police went to arrest her, alleging that she threw at bottle at a Guyana Police Force vehicle on Saturday evening damaging the windscreen. She said that she told officers that she has four daughters ages four, 11, 14 and 16 and if they detained her they will be left on their own at her Lot 44 Williamsburg, Rose Hall Town home. The woman is claiming that the officers said that they had to conduct a search for drugs at the house. She said that she resisted the search and the officers began to assault her and two of her teenage daughters. In the end, herself, one of her daughters, along with her aunt and two cousins were arrested. She claimed that the two officers went to the upper flat saying that they did not need a warrant to search the house.

Neighbours told this publication that during the commotion a gunshot was fired, and they heard screaming.

Alicia Harry

One neighbour Wanita Bhagwandin explained that she heard a police officer telling the teenagers that he was going to shoot them on their feet if they did not walk.

“They start to cuss dem girls about they mother… they behave real nasty and bad. They had a New Amsterdam vehicle; the number for the station was on the door,” the neighbor explained.

Meanwhile, Harry said because of what happened at the house, she felt frustrated and she told the Police that she felt like taking her own life. According to the woman, her statement caused the Police to ask her to take off all her clothes and then she was placed in the lock ups naked.

Attorney-at-Law, Chandra Sohan, having heard of the woman’s situation on Monday attempted to secure station bail

but was unsuccessful. He told this publication that he questioned the Police as why Harry was not handcuffed to a chair or bench in the view of Police Officers at the Outpost if they considered her suicidal. He said he was told that the officer who was responsible for taking her to the station was not there at the time and there was nothing that could have been done to change how she was accommodated.

“We all know how the lockups are and to have someone in there without clothing could lead to other health issues, but it seems as though the Police are not concerned with that,” Sohan told this newspaper.

It was not until Tuesday morning after much persistence that Harry was released on her own recognisance.

According to Harry, she was helpless as several male officers came and looked at her without any clothing while she was in the cell.

“I had to lie down on that cold concrete without any clothes and they did not give me anything to eat. They didn’t even give me some water to drink,” she told this publication.

Efforts by this publication to get a comment on the matter from Police in Berbice proved futile.

THAG President Mitra Ramkumar

Hotel. Following the completion of the training exercise, Ramkumar explained that another batch of locals would be engaged in lead agents and airport coordinator training sessions.

“With this, the tourism industry is making strides and we welcome more airlines to Guyana, because it is a very important part of our tourism product and I believe it will boost tourist arrivals in Guyana,” Ramkumar added.

American Airlines will use an Airbus A319 aircraft, which has eight first-class seats and 120 economy-class seats.

Top Cop tells Essequibo Coast about reformation plans

Commissioner Leslie James, his four Deputies and Divisional Commander Khalil Pareshram along with the five ranks who were promoted

P

olice Commissioner, Leslie James, continued his country-wide Divisional tour, this time heading to the ‘Cinderlla County’ of Essequibo which falls under ‘G’ Division (Essequibo Coast & Islands).

The Top Cop was accompanied by his four Deputy Commissioners on Wednesday as they carried out a Notified Inspection at the Anna Regina Police Station.

The visit to the Division by such high ranking Officers is being viewed as historic, since the last time a Police Commissioner visited on inspection, was in 2013.

C o m m i s s i o n e r James was welcomed by Divisional Commander, Superintendent Khalil Pareshram, at Supenaam

and convoyed to Anna Regina, where the Top Cop inspected a smartly turnedout parade comprised of several units including Scouts, Neighborhood Police and Police Recruits from the Richard Faikal Police College.

Very much impressed with the turnout and bearings, Commissioner James promoted five ranks on-thespot and recognized three very junior ranks on their deportment.

These promoted were: Corporal 21937 Jason McAlmont of the Richard Faikal Police College, who was elevated to Sergeant; Detective Corporal 17221 Benet Felix of Anna Regina Station to Sergeant; Constable 23100 Shemar Doris of Anna Regina Police

Station Traffic Department to Lance Corporal; Woman Special Constable 13649I Indranie Phillips of the Commander ‘s Registry to Lance Corporal, and Constable 23167 Andwell McDonald of Charity Police Station Taffic Department to Lance Corporal.

During his address to a sizable turnout, including representatives of civil society, the Commissioner highlighted among others, the reformation plan for the Police Force as outlined during his previous visits to the other six Policing Divisions.

During the interaction session, issues and concerns raised by those in attendance were assured of being addressed without delay.

news

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thursdAY, november 1, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyanese urged to appreciate Miner remanded on firearm, potential growth for tourism ammo charges …as Tourism Awareness Month launched

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21-year-old resident of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) was on Wednesday remanded to prison by Magistrate Fabayo Azore on two charges relating to possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.

Shaid Allison appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer to the charges which

stated that on October 21, 2018 at Bourda, Georgetown, he had in his possession an unlicensed .32 pistol, along with six matching rounds of ammunition. A third charge stated that on the same date at the same location, the miner attempted to commit an armed robbery on Julian McAlmon.

The defendant denied all three charges.

The Police Prosecutor objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the offences.

Magistrate Azore upheld the prosecution’s submission and remanded Allison to prison on the first two charges, but granted him bail of $100,000 on the third charge. The case was adjourned to November 28, 2018.

T&T flooding

Business Minister with responsibility for tourism Dominic Gaskin, THAG President Mitra Ramkumar, GTA Director Brian Mullis and other tourism stakeholders at the launch of Tourism Awareness Month 2018

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s the annual calendar of tourism awareness activities kicks off, Guyanese are being urged to actively participate in the promotion of the nation’s local products to raise awareness of the country’s unique tourism industry in observation of Tourism Awareness Month (TAM) 2018.

Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) have partnered to increase awareness and produce interest in the country’s cultural experiences and more so to make tourism accessible and affordable to everyone.

The annual hallmark event was launched on Wednesday at the Duke Lodge, Kingston, Georgetown, under the theme: “Promoting Sustainability and Celebrating Diversity”.

According to Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, Guyanese must first learn to appreciate the country and what it has to offer before they can properly sell the destination.

“They say charity begins at home and if we want to sell Guyana as a visitor destina-

tion, I think it is important that we in Guyana, first of all, recognise Guyana as a visitor destination and treat Guyana as a visitor destination.”

Further, Gaskin noted that over the months there has been a significant increase in Guyana’s tourism sector and “there is a lot to celebrate with the growth of this sector“.

GTA Director Brian Mullis expressed similar sentiments, saying that the Authority has its focus on the growing social and economic benefits. “Our focus at the GTA has been on promoting and providing tourism that is designed to increase pride in and the protection of cultural heritage, reduce outmigration from rural communities, and protect biodiversity.”

Moreover, Mullis noted that every day should be geared towards promoting Guyana and everyone should be ambassadors of the country’s rich tourism.

“With the impending adoption of the Green State Development Strategy, we are well poised and positioned to become the leading sustainable destination.”

As usual, the activities

in observation of this month include the Rockstone Fish Festival, Guyana Restaurant Week, the Explore Guyana Magazine launch, the South Rupununi Safari, among numerous training initiatives and talk shows aimed at promoting and celebrating Guyana.

THAG President Mitra Ramkumar urged all Guyanese to participate in these events as they would go a long way in helping the country’s growing tourism sector.

Meanwhile, he also explained that tourism has a tremendous impact on the economy, significantly contributing roughly just under 10 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Among the numerous events and programmes launched on Wednesday were weekend getaways at discounted rates with more affordable options for Guyanese to explore Guyana.

Persons desirous of participating in the activities can look out for promotional information in the media over the next month.

(Yanalla Dalrymple)

Guyanese request repatriation, financial assistance

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Severe flooding in Trinidad and Tobago last week

uyanese living in Trinidad and Tobago, have turned to the Guyana government for assistance in light of the recent mass flooding in the twin-island state.

According to Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge, so far there has been a request for assistance for repatriation as well as three requests for financial assistance.

Greenidge made this disclosure in the National Assembly on Wednesday in response to questions from Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, who had queried about measures put in place to help those affected Guyanese living in Trinidad. Teixeira said that the Opposition Leader’s office has received many calls from Guyanese living in the twin-island republic who are complaining of not being able to obtain any advice or assistance from Guyana’s consulate there.

However, the Foreign Affairs Minister rubbishing this claim, says that the Guyanese High Commission in Trinidad is already helping out a few persons who reached out for assistance.

“Let me say that as far as up to [Wednesday] the High Commission has received one request for assistance in repatriating someone to Guyana and three other requests for financial assistance, and those persons are due to go into the High Commission so as to indicate more clearly what their needs are. So I’m very much surprised

that it should be suggested that Guyanese are having difficulties [in getting help there],” Greenidge stated.

Guyana established a High Commission in Trinidad back in 2016 and according to the Foreign Affairs Minister, there has been a lot of interface between the High Commissioner and the Guyanese community in the twin-island state.

He went on to remind that the coalition Government stood up to the task and provided transportation for Guyanese, from the various Caribbean countries who were affected during the horrific hurricane season, to return home.

With regard to rendering assistance to the Government of Trinidad, Minister Greenidge posited that Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has already contacted the Trinidadian authorities and indicate its willingness to help.

“As I believe what is normal in such circumstances, between our CDC and the Trinidad authorities, we are determining what specific needs they have. But there is a general agreement that we may be requested to provide assistance by the way of food stuff, fresh food and vegetables but that hasn’t yet been specified,” he stated.

The Minister was referring to existing framework agreements between the two countries that cater for cooperate and assistance requests.

Moreover, he posited that President David Granger in a recent engagement with Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Keith Rowley, also indicated and discussed Guyana’s willingness to assist the twin island nation. He added too that there is an accepted framework in the region in cases of emergencies whereby the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) takes over the relief and assistance aspect. He explained that CDEMA determines what is needed, having consulted with the affected country and those offering assistance, and who is in a better position to provide that.

“So this is not a case of abandonment or neglect of our obligations as a member of Caricom (Caribbean Community) or the failure of the Consular Services of Guyana to deliver assistance to Guyanese. Things are in place and we are monitoring the situation… We will do whatever it takes to render assistance,” asserted Minister Greenidge.

As a result of torrential rain over the past few weeks, massive floods hit sections of the twin-island state rendering thousands homeless.

In fact, the weather conditions are worsening and heavy showers on Tuesday night have resulted in a ‘YELLOW alert’ being put in effect from Wednesday through Friday as the conditions are expected to last, according to local reports.

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thursdAY, november 1, 2018

Regional

New migrant caravan departs Salvadoran capital for US

CDB approves over US$8M to improve water supply on Belize’s largest island

bout 2000 migrants began walking north from El Salvador’s capital on Wednesday, the latest of several groups trying to reach the United States, even as President Donald Trump increases pressure to halt the flow of people.

The migrants departed in two groups, including men and women pushing strollers and others with children on their shoulders. On Sunday, a separate group comprising about 300 people set off for the US border from the Salvadoran capital.

A caravan estimated to number at least 3500 people, which left Honduras in mid-October and is now in southern Mexico, has become a major issue in US

he Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved funding of US$8.7 million to the Belize Water Services (BWS), to improve the supply of potable water on Ambergris Caye.

Ambergris Caye is the largest island of Belize, and a popular tourist destination. Water on the island is provided by a reverse osmosis plant, which desalinates sea water. Although the desalination plant is currently producing at its maximum capacity, there are still periodic water shortages on the island, as a result of increased demand since the plant was incorporated in 1996.

BWS will use the approved funding to acquire the reverse osmosis plant on Ambergris Caye, which is currently owned and operated by a private supplier.

The funds will also support the expansion of water and sewerage systems on the is-

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People walk in a caravan of migrants departing from El Salvador en route to the United States, in San Salvador, El Salvador, October 31, 2018

congressional elections on November 6.

The bulk of migrants caught trying to enter

the United States illegally via Mexico come from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Many make the dangerous journey north to escape high levels of poverty and violence in their homelands.

The United States is in the process of sending 5200 troops to its southern border as part of Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. The prospect has so far not discouraged people from leaving El Salvador.

“It scares us a little. But since we’re seeing a ton of people going together, we can help one another to cross,” said Jose Machado, one of the migrants departing San Salvador, carrying a backpack stuffed with clothing and toiletries. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

Brazil: Bolsonaro plans threaten Amazon, say experts

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razil's far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro will merge the Ministries of Agriculture and the Environment, an aide says, in a move which critics say could endanger the Amazon rainforest.

Bolsonaro's future Chiefof-Staff, Onyx Lorenzoni, announced the new "super Ministry" as details of the new Administration began to emerge. The controversial new Brazilian leader is supported by the agribusiness lobby.

A former Environment Minister tweeted that the move was "tragic". "This disastrous decision will bring serious damage to Brazil and will pass on to consumers abroad the idea that all Brazilian agribusiness survives thanks to the destruc-

The Amazon rainforest loses vast areas to deforestation every year

tion of forests," Marina Silva said.

Earlier, Vice Presidentelect Hamilton Mourao dismissed environmentalists' concerns about development in the Amazon, saying the Government would act responsibly by managing the spread of agriculture in

Burgess to join CCJ

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ppeal Court Judge Andrew Burgess is set to become the first Barbadian to be appointed to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). It takes effect in January at the Trinidad and Tobago-headquartered regional institution.

The CCJ is the highest appellate court for Barbados as well as the final authority on disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which regulates how the Caricom Single Market and Economy functions.

Attorney General Dale Marshall on Tuesday offered Burgess congratulations and said he always held him in the highest regard.

“I was fortunate to have had Mr Justice Burgess as a lecturer and a tutor in the Faculty of Law in my student days. As a lecturer, he

the region.

The Amazon region holds the largest tropical rainforest in the world and is home to plant and animal species that are still being discovered by scientists. Most of its millions of square kilometres are inside Brazil, where under laws dating

inspired me and all of his students with his teaching, and with his obvious intellect. He has proved his worth as a legal scholar, as an international jurist and has also distinguished himself with his contribution to our jurisprudence in our own Court of Appeal,” he said. (Nation News)

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Former Swiss bank executive sentenced to prison for billion-dollar Venezuelan money laundering scheme

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Justice of Appeal Andrew Burgess

back to 1965, landowners must keep a percentage of their terrain forested.

That percentage ranges from 20 per cent in some parts of the country to 80% in the Amazon. But a debate has raged in Brazil over the often conflicting needs of environmental protection and economic development.

Earlier this year the Supreme Court upheld major changes to laws which environmentalists say will make illegal deforestation acceptable. Bolsonaro, 63, has previously suggested that Brazil could pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. He says its requirements compromise Brazil's sovereignty over the Amazon region.

he former Managing Director and Vice Chairman of a Swiss bank was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday, after previously pleading guilty for his role in a billion-dollar international scheme to launder funds embezzled from Venezuelan State-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA).

Matthias Krull, 44, a German national and Panamanian resident, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, on August 22, 2018. US District Judge Cecilia Altonaga of the Southern District of Florida sentenced Krull to serve 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Judge Altonaga also ordered Krull to pay a fine in the amount of US$50,000 and a forfei-

ture money judgment of US$600,000.

As part of his plea, Krull admitted that in his position with the Swiss bank, he attracted private clients, particularly clients from Venezuela, to the bank. In this role, Krull’s clients included Francisco Convit Guruceaga, who was indicted on money laundering charges on August 16.

Krull’s clients also included three unnamed conspirators described in the August 16 indictment.

Krull admitted that the conspiracy began in December 2014 with a currency exchange scheme that was designed to embezzle around US$600 million from PDVSA, obtained through bribery and fraud and the conspirators’ efforts to launder a portion of the proceeds of that scheme.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

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land, with consideration to the possible future effects of climate change.

Additional project components include the installation of a solar energy system at the San Pedro water treatment site, which will allow BWS to save approximately 37 per cent of the current electricity cost for this site.

The funding will also support the development of a Gender Policy and Operational Strategy for Human Resource Management at BWS, which will cover areas such as recruitment, retention, and training and development, to improve gender equality in the workplace.

A final component of the project will cover technical assistance to improve communication and public education, and stakeholder education. This will assist BWS in developing methods to improve customer outreach, and engage stakeholders at every project stage. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

New Zealand High Commissioner visits PM Browne

Prime Minister Gaston Browne and the new New Zealand High Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda and the OECS, Anton Ojala, exchanged gifts on Tuesday as the latter presented his credentials to the Prime Minister

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ntigua and Barbuda and New Zealand have enjoyed a strong and cordial relationship, mostly based on a shared Commonwealth heritage, sports and common areas of focus on the international scene.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne made the observation yesterday as he welcomed New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda and the OECS, Anton Ojala.

The Prime Minister lightened the atmosphere of the formal event by reminiscing on the many cricketing encounters between the West Indies and New Zealand. He also pointed to other areas of common interest including collaboration on issues of Climate Change and promoting climate resilience for developing countries.

Ojala is the second New Zealand diplomat to Antigua and Barbuda and the OECS, since the creation of the New

Zealand Embassy in 2014, located in Barbados.

The Prime Minister, in congratulating the High Commissioner on his appointment, thanked him and his Government for supporting Antigua and Barbuda through a highly-valued bilateral relationship, which includes assistance in regional agricultural projects, small community projects, scholarships and most recently, a committed grant of US$500,000 contribution to the United Arab Emirates’ Power Station and Solar Hybrid Plant in Barbuda.

Prime Minister Browne highlighted the timely contribution of the grant towards the government’s commitment to building a more climate-resilient Barbuda. He also affirmed his government’s support for New Zealand’s Candidacy for Interpol and he pledged further support for the Pacific Island State’s Ocean Acidification initiative.

(Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

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guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

India unveils the world’s tallest statue

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ndia has unveiled the world’s tallest statue, which cost 29.9 billion rupees (£330 million; US$430 million) to build.

The 182 metre (600 feet) high structure in the western state of Gujarat is a bronze-clad tribute to independence leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the “statue of unity” would serve as a major tourist attraction. But locals say this is as a waste of public money and that the funds could have been put to better use.

Modi, who unveiled the statue at a grand inaugural event, said it is “a symbol of India’s integrity and resolve.” Air Force planes showered flowers on the statue, which was designed by decorated Indian sculptor

U The “statue of unity” has been billed as a tourist attraction

Ram V Sutar.

According to local reports, thousands of policemen have been deployed across the district, where protests over the effigy have turned violent. Police detained farmers and tribal activists during a protest on Tuesday.

The statue has become a rallying point for local farmers who are demanding com-

pensation for land that they say has been acquired by the Government for various projects, including the construction of the memorial.

The Gujarat government is reported to have paid more than half of the funds for the statue, while the remainder came from the federal government or public donations.

The memorial has been

seen as a pet project of Modi, who like Patel, was born in Gujarat. He commissioned the statue when he was the state’s chief minister in 2010. It is nearly twice as tall as New York’s Statue of Liberty. And it has surpassed the height of the Spring Temple Buddha in China which, at 128m, was previously the tallest in the world. (Excerpt from BBC News)

French Ain babies: Missing limb births prompt national inquiry

F

rance has launched a national investigation into the number of babies being born with missing arms or hands – weeks after an initial inquiry closed. The first investigation began after it emerged more than a dozen children had been born with the condition in clusters in three French regions.

It ended after health authorities failed to identify a common cause. But now another 11 cases have emerged in the eastern region of Ain, prompting officials to open a fresh inquiry.

The condition is a type of agenesis, where the upper limbs of a foetus fail to form correctly during pregnancy.

A cluster of birth defect cases was initially dismissed, but several more have now emerged

It includes entire missing upper limbs, missing forearms and hands, or fingers - but not unrelated medical conditions, such as missing thumbs.

The cases are clustered in the rural Ain area

not far from the Swiss border, as well as in Brittany and Loire-Atlantique, two neighbouring regions on the north-west coast. Health Minister Agnès Buzyn had already pledged a further investigation in the wake of

the initial report’s lack of explanations, amid continued public concern and widespread media coverage.

Speaking on French television on Wednesday morning, she said the first results from the national inquiry would be published in January, with more to follow by summer.

All the cases reported in Ain involve people within a 17km (11 miles) radius of the village of Druillat, leading to speculation about the possible influence of pesticides - which has yet to be proven. The stories of some affected children were widely covered in the French media in the wake of the first report. (Excerpt from BBC News)

South Sudan celebrates new peace Indonesian rescue workers believe accord amid joy – and scepticism fuselage of crashed plane found

S

outh Sudan celebrated a new peace deal on Wednesday as fervent hopes of an end to a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people were tempered by widespread scepticism that the fragile agreement will hold.

The deal, which is meant to end a civil war that began in 2013, commits forces loyal to President Salva Kiir, and the rebel groups fighting them, to sharing power.

Speaking at a ceremony in Juba, the capital, Kiir offered an unprecedented apology for a conflict that “was a complete betrayal to our people and the liberation struggle”.

Riek Machar, the leader of the country’s biggest coalition of rebel fighters, returned to Juba for the first time since 2016 to take part in a ceremony involving singers, flags and drums staged before regional dignitaries.

“We came … for peace and … to end the suffering of people,” Machar said on

Trump hardens stance on Mexico border, says 15,000 troops could be sent

his arrival at Juba’s airport.

He was accompanied by his wife and a small retinue, but none of his troops. Many analysts and aid groups fear the agreement, though backed by regional powers, will not halt ongoing violence.

Peter Martell, a journalist and author of a recently published book on South Sudan, said there was “every reason to expect this to collapse like past agreements” but that the country was “often surprising”.

Machar, who under the terms of the peace deal is to be reinstated as vice president, fled Juba two years ago pursued by helicopter gunships when an earlier peace accord collapsed amid allegations of a coup attempt.

Hundreds died in battles between troops loyal to the two rivals, and tens of thousands more were killed in the offensives that followed.

A vast proportion of the casualties were civilians. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

I

ndonesian search and rescue workers believe they have found the fuselage of a Lion Air passenger jet that crashed with 189 people on board, and are also trying to confirm the origin of an underwater “ping” signal, officials said on Wednesday.

Ground staff lost touch with flight JT610 of Indonesian budget airline Lion Air 13 minutes after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 took off early on Monday from Jakarta, on its way to the tin-mining town of Pangkal Pinang. There were no survivors.

Indonesia’s military chief said he believed the plane had been located, and a transport safety official said divers would be sent to confirm the origin of a “ping” signal picked up by a search and rescue team late on Tuesday.

“We strongly believe that we have found a part of the fuselage,” Armed

Forces Chief Hadi Tjahjanto told broadcaster TV One. Speaking on board the navy ship KRI Rigel, navy official Colonel Haris Djoko Nugroho told broadcaster TVOne that a 22-meter long object had been found in waters about 32 meters deep, and a sonar was being used to identify it.

Divers would also be sent to check, he said. The Rigel has been searching in an area about five nautical miles from the site where the aircraft lost contact.

The accident is the first to be reported involving the widely sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer’s single-aisle jet.

The plane’s blackboxes, as the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder are known, should help explain why the almost-new jet went down minutes after take-off.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

S President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States could send as many as 15,000 troops to the border with Mexico, as he hardens his stance against a caravan of migrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America.

The numbers cited by Trump are significantly higher than defence officials have disclosed. The Pentagon said on Monday it was deploying more than 5200 troops to the border but that the number would rise.

On Wednesday, it said more than 7000 troops would support the Department of Homeland Security along the border.

Several groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have accused Trump of politicising the military ahead of next week’s congressional elections with his plans to use active military personnel to buttress border patrol efforts.

“As far as the cara-

van is concerned, our military is out ... We’ll go up to anywhere between 10 and 15,000 military personnel, on top of Border Patrol, ICE and everybody else at the border,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

Trump did not say how many of those 15,000 would be National Guard.

There are already 2100 US National Guard forces at the border, sent after a previous Trump request in April, and they are authorized to go up to 4000.

If 15,000 troops were drawn into the effort, it would mean there would be more US troops on the border with Mexico than there are in Afghanistan, which has become America’s longest conflict.

Trump has sought to use immigration as an issue to motivate Republican voters ahead of the November 6 elections, where Republicans will seek to maintain control of both congressional chambers. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Jin Yong: The ‘Tolkien of Chinese literature’ dies at 94

H

Louis Cha is a legend in the Chinese literary world

e’s been referred to as the JRR Tolkien of Chinese literature and the grandfather of martial arts novels – but very few people have heard of him outside the Chinesespeaking world.

Novelist Louis Cha, who wrote under the name Jin Yong, died on Tuesday at a hospital in Hong Kong at the age of 94. He had become a household name across many Chinese-speaking parts of Asia, having sold millions of books and inspiring a whole genre of TV shows, comics and even video games.

“I don’t think there’s another writer that’s been read by more people [in the Chinese-speaking world], period,” Eileen Chow, a visiting associate professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Duke University in North Carolina, told the BBC. “Like JRR Tolkien, his writing has really endured.”

Cha was born in China in the eastern city of Haining.

He moved to Hong Kong in 1948 where he worked as a Deputy Editor of a local

newspaper. Between 1955 to 1972 he wrote 15 novels, including his most famous The Legend of the Condor Heroes – the first in a trilogy following two soldiers during a time of war in the Song Dynasty.

But while his books were being published in Hong Kong, China was undergoing a huge period of upheaval. The Cultural Revolution was taking place – a period of time where Chinese leader Mao Zedong gave licence to “destroy” much of the “old Chinese culture”.

In addition to fiction, in 1959 Cha co-founded Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao – now one of Hong Kong’s leading publications. Cha’s fiction novels popularised the Wu Xia genre, fantastical stories of martial-arts heroics and chivalry.

Think Game of Thrones, but with the characters flying through trees and delivering swift punches instead of using knives and swords.

All his novels are also deeply rooted in Chinese history.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursdAY, november 1, 2018

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

dilbert

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Pitch in and help out.

Your loyalty and dedication will be impressive, and when you least expect it, rewards will come your way.

Romance is on the rise.

Keep your life simple and your expenses down.

Learn from the way others react to you and protect yourself against anyone trying to talk you out of something that belongs to you.

Make changes at home that will encourage stress relief. Comfort and convenience should be priorities. A physical improvement will lift your spirits. Fitness and proper diet will lead to better health.

Moodiness and overreaction will lead to isolation.

Before you decide to make a fuss, find out exactly what happened. Acting on an assumption will lead to regret. Offer peace and love, not discord.

Too much of anything will not end well. Mellow out and relax instead of trying to be in control of everything and everyone. It’s your turn to take the back seat.

Silence is golden. Let your actions speak for you to make a difference in a situation involving someone you hold dear.

Spice things up a bit.

LIBRA (Sept. 23- Love is on the rise, and parOct. 23) ticipating in entertaining and mentally stimulating activities will lead to an interesting encounter with someone unique.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — LUXURIANT (LUXURIANT: lug-ZHOOR-ee-ent: Producing or yielding in abundance.)

Average mark 24 words Time limit 40 minutes

YESTERDAY’S WORD — OCCURRING uric rigor ring ruin ruing rung icon incur iron grin groin

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

If you fail to stand by your word, someone will notice. An interesting turn of events will develop if you make a personal change.

Update your look, image or status.

You’ll want to be on the SAGITTARIUS move. Traveling, learning (Nov. 23- and meeting people from difDec. 21) ferent walks of life will be informative and will spark your imagination. It’s time to make a change!

Can you find 34 or more words in LUXURIANT? The list will be published tomorrow.

occur coin coir concur conic corgi coring corn cuing curing curio unrig

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Spend less money, regardless of what other people want you to do. Charity begins at home, and making sure you have your expenses and loved ones covered should be your priority.

Stick to your plans. Lastminute changes will leave you at a loss. Don’t worry about the actions or choices of others; stay on course and don’t go over budget.

People are likely to talk behind your back. Make a point to avoid gossip or people who are fishing for personal information that you shouldn’t share.

thursdAY, november 1, 2018

Paris Masters: Nadal out with injury, Federer through R

afael Nadal has withdrawn from the Paris Masters with an abdominal injury.

It means Novak Djokovic, 31, will replace him as world number one when the rankings are released on Monday.

The Serb will lead the rankings for the first time in two years, with Briton Andy Murray having taken top spot from him in Paris in November 2016.

Earlier on Wednesday, world number three Roger Federer made it through to the last 16 without playing when Milos Raonic pulled out with an elbow injury.

Djokovic, a 14-time Grand Slam champion, was ranked 21st going into this year’s Wimbledon and will become the first player to be outside the world’s top 20 and the world number one in the same season since Russia’s Marat Safin in 2000.

Spaniard Nadal, 32, was due to make his comeback after nearly two months out with a knee injury

that led to him retiring from his US Open semi-final.

“I felt better than I thought I would one week ago but in the last few days I started to feel a bit in my abdominal, especially when I was serving,” the French Open champion said.

“I checked with the doctor and the doctor recommended that I did not play.

“It has been a tough year for me in terms of injury so I want to avoid drastic things.

“I have to think longer term. I want to keep playing tennis for a couple of years, so I have to do the logical thing.”

The Spaniard has not made any decisions yet about whether he will play at the season-ending ATP Finals in London in November.

Nadal’s scheduled Paris opponent, 34-year-old Fernando Verdasco, will play Jack Sock in the next round after the American beat France’s Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-3.

19

The matches which did happen...

Earlier, Kei Nishikori had a straightforward 7-5 6-4 victory over Adrian Mannarino and John Isner served up 33 aces as he beat Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-1).

Japanese 28-year-old Nishikori did not face a single break point as he defeated home crowd favourite Mannarino in one hour and 27 minutes to progress.

He will meet seventh seed Kevin Anderson or Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili in the next round.

On Court One, Isner’s powerful serving ensured he was not broken at all but wasted opportunities meant he struggled to get past Kazakh Kukushkin.

The American’s serve only let him down at the second-set tiebreak, as the world number 54 forced a deciding set.

That went the distance too but this was a different story for Isner, who won early points against the Kazakh’s serve to take the match.

Isner needs to reach the semi-finals in Paris to have any hope of moving up to ninth in the rankings, which would give him a chance of making the ATP Finals.

Later on W e d n e s d a y , Alexander Zverev beat Frenchman Frances Tiafoe 6-4 6-4.

The pair traded missed break points Rafael Nadal has won the French Open 11 times, in first set before the but has never triumphed at the Paris Masters German, 21, won the fimatch in one hour and 44 minutes. nal game on Tiafoe’s Ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov is serve.

In the second set, Zverev broke also through after beating Roberto three times but was broken twice Bautista Agut 7-6 (12-10) 6-4. (BBC as he wrapped up the eventful Sport)

Sri Lanka bowling coach Son scores twice to set charged with match-fixing up Arsenal quarterfinal

Son Heung-min scored his first goals of the season for Spurs Former Sri Lanka bowler Nuwan Zoysa celebrates taking a wicket in a Test against Australia. Nuwan Zoysa took 64 wickets in 30 Tests after making his debut in 1997

S

ri Lanka bowling coach Nuwan Zoysa has been charged with match-fixing by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Zoysa, who played 30 Tests and 95 one-day internationals, is accused of three breaches of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, including being party to an effort to fix an international match.

The 40-year-old former bowler has been suspended and has 14 days from 1 November to respond to the charges.

England's three-Test series against Sri Lanka starts on Tuesday.

Zoysa is also accused of "directly soliciting, inducing, enticing or encouraging a player" to fix or influence the progress of a match and failing to disclose approaches to "engage in corrupt conduct".

Earlier this month, Alex Marshall, general manager of the ICC anti-corruption unit, announced an investigation into "serious allegations of corruption" in Sri Lanka.

Former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya was subsequently charged with corruption and is accused of failing to co-operate with an investigation and "concealing, tampering with or de-

stroying evidence".

Jayasuriya said the charges against him "do not contain allegations pertaining to match-fixing" and that he has always acted with "integrity and transparency".

According to the BBC Sinhala service, the charges by cricket's governing body against Jayasuriya related to his refusal to hand over his mobile phone to ICC authorities for "personal reasons".

Left-arm seamer Zoysa took 172 wickets for Sri Lanka in all formats during his international career between 1997 and 2007. (BBC Sport)

S

on Heung-min celebrated his 150th appearance for Tottenham with two goals as they eased past West Ham in the Carabao

Cup. Fernando Llorente’s left-footed volley confirmed Spurs passage to face north London rivals Arsenal in the quarter-finals, after Lucas Perez had pulled one back for West Ham with a header.

But it was South Korea international Son who stole the show, sweeping Dele Alli’s deft pass into the top corner to open the scoring.

Son then extended Tottenham’s lead in the second-half, rounding West Ham goalkeeper Adrian after capitalising on a mistake from defender Arthur Masuaku.

Colombia defender Davinson Sanchez was the only Tottenham player to start from the side that lost to Manchester City in the Premier League on Monday.

However, manager Mauricio Pochettino will have been encouraged by the performances of Christian Eriksen and in particular, Alli, who

played a prominent role in Tottenham’s opening two goals on his first start since the club’s thirdround win over Watford on 26 September.

While West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini named a strong side after saying he was taking the competition “very seriously”, it proved a difficult evening for the hosts.

At times the purposeful running of wingers Michail Antonio and academy product Grady Diangana threatened to unlock the Spurs defence but West Ham’s end product lacked precision.

Antonio got into good positions but was twice denied a first half equaliser by visiting goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.

And it was only when the Hammers went two goals down, and introduced Marko Arnautovic, that they briefly looked capable of engineering a revival.

But while Perez’s header raised the roof inside the London Stadium, West Ham were unable to repeat last term’s EFL Cup heroics, when they came back from a two-goal deficit to defeat Tottenham. (BBC Sport)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursdAY, november 1, 2018

‘Stand-alone’ ICC Women’s World T20…

Ireland seeking improvements ahead of tournament

Irish players in the process of fielding drills at Providence Stadium

T

he most-anticipated and first stand-alone ICC Women’s World T20 tournament will kick start on Friday, November 9 at the National Stadium, Providence, Guyana.

Earlier this week, the Ireland team arrived in Guyana to begin preparations ahead of their first clash on November 11, 2018 against Australia at the National Stadium.

However, Ireland will play a warm-up match at the National Stadium against Bangladesh.

The warm-up match will be played on Sunday, November 4 and is scheduled for a 4:00 pm

start (Eastern Caribbean Time).

In Ireland’s first practice session at Providence, their uncapped Australia-born leg-spinner Celeste Raack, speaking to the media, highlighted that Ireland have been training intensely ahead of this tournament.

The squad selected is wellequipped to compete against the top teams in world cricket.

The leg-spinner added that she was excited to make her international debut, but she experienced competitive cricket playing for Tasmania and Hobart Hurricanes in the Women’s Big Bash League

(WBBL) in Australia.

In the previous Women’s World T20 tournament played in 2016, Ireland finished at the bottom of Group A as they suffered four heavy defeats without a win. However, Ireland’s leg-spinner noted that the Cricket Board in Ireland has provided the cricketers with a new training facility that has been greatly utilised in their preparation for the standalone ICC Women’s World T20.

Since the pitches in the Caribbean are suited for spin bowling, the Irish team were involved in a training camp in Spain, where they were exposed to similar pitches.

The camp was organised with the main aim of familiarising the players and to improve the team’s performance.

This is the first time for most of the Ireland players in the Caribbean, and the squad consists of a mixture of youth and experience.

The Ireland team will be led by the experienced 25-yearold Laura Delany, who made her international debut eight years ago, and one of their longest-serving cricketers, the 37-year-old Clare Shillington will offer support. The 37-yearold Shillington, who made her international debut in 1997 against South Africa Women, will be an important asset in Ireland’s World T20 campaign.

The Ireland squad reads: Laura Delany (centre); Kim Garth; Cecelia Joyce; Isobel Joyce; Shauna Kavanagh; Amy Kenealy; Gaby Lewis; Lara Maritz; Ciara Metcalfe; Lucy O’Reilly; Celeste Raack; Eimear Richardson; Clare Shillington; Rebecca Stokell and Mary Waldron. (Brandon Corlette)

GFF Kool Kidz Grassroots Programme

Member Associations to benefit from ball presentation

GFF President Wayne Forde presents the balls to Frankie Wilson in the presence of GFF's Bryan Joseph and TDO Devnon Winter

I

n anticipation of the Kool Kidz Grassroots Programme, which is scheduled to kick start on Saturday, November 3, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has presented footballs to three Member Associations as a lead-up to the national event.

The presentation of 25 footballs to each Association was recently made by GFF President Wayne Forde to Technical Development Officers (TDOs) of the East Bank Demerara, East Demerara and

West Demerara Football Associations respectively.

The presentation of the balls to the Member Associations was seen as a way to aid the execution of the national grassroots programme. The programme seeks to expand the player population in the 6-12 years age group across Guyana, among other things. The rest of the nine Member Associations across the country can expect a similar presentation of gear later in the week.

The programme, which

is being conducted in partnership with the Guyana Beverages Inc, is scheduled to be held every Saturday in each of the nine Member Associations, and will feature fun and interactive football activities that will effectively introduce young children to the sport.

The GFF Kool Kidz Grassroots Programme has evolved from the GFF Kool Kidz Sunday, an initiative which was held in Georgetown and attracted a large number of participants.

Can’t stop the rise:

SHANIA THOMAS

Shania Thomas during a volleyball game for Guyana

V

olleyball was invented by men, but it was perfected by women. One young woman, Shania Thomas has perfected her game.

Volleyball flows in her genes as Shania grew up watching her mother and sister play volleyball.

Born in the Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo Region in the lively town of Lethem, the ambitious young woman is a member of Guyana’s female volleyball team.

The talented Region Nine resident was born on February 4, 2001. Her volleyball career reached greater heights at the Pure Masters Academy, where she recently completed her Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations.

In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport, Thomas related that her mother has forever motivated her to play to the best of her ability. She added that in the earlier days of her life, she watched her mother and older sister

play volleyball. “The onus is on me to continue where my mom and sister left off and make them proud,” Thomas informed this reporter. “I’ve always dreamt of playing competitive volleyball for Brazil, and I'm praying one day I get a chance to,” she added.

Although she was not known for too many mind-blowing performances, Thomas, who made her mark in a volleyball tournament played in Cayenne, French Guiana, was recognised at a tender age as a member of the Guyana female volleyball team in the Inter-Guiana Games (IGG).

The young woman is focused on her dreams, and is seeking to make great strides in volleyball in the near future.

On a more personal note, like many locals, Thomas enjoys eating fried rice and chicken. She also enjoys watching and listening to motivational movies and music. The 17-year-old has a passion for accounts, but is still uncertain at this point whether or not she will become an accountant.

“Don’t let people who know what your past was distract or discredit you from what is now,” is her favourite quote.

(Brandon Corlette)

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Etwaroo of Cricket Zone USA sponsors uniforms for Young Warriors Cricket Club

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sports

I

n an effort to return to its former glory, the onetime powerhouse of cricket in Guyana, Young Warriors Cricket Club recently received top-quality coloured clothing from Ravi Etwaroo of Cricket Zone, Bronx, USA. The club was rapidly declining when an appeal was made for assistance on social media and without hesitation, Etwaroo responded.

The uniforms were presented by Alfred Madray on behalf of the sponsor.

Madray stated that the owner of Cricket Zone USA continues to give back to his country of birth and is always generous.

Madray added that Etwaroo continued to support young and talented cricketers in and outside of the USA and was pleased to do so.

Receiving the uniforms on behalf of the Club was their First Division Vice Captain, Suresh Dhanai, who was high in praise for the sponsor. He said that when the Club should have pushed on after producing their first Test cricketer, the opposite happened and he

The team pose after winning their first match against West Berbice

was so pleased when some very responsible citizens in the East Canje area took up the challenge to assist. Dhanai revealed that work was recently done on the outfield, as well as minor repairs to the main pavilion, plumbing and other maintenance that were left undone. He added that the Club would raise funds to purchase covers that were stolen and a land mower.

The First Division Vice Captain said that the Club had a short but rich history, producing several West Indies Under-19 cricketers, including Gajanand Singh, Richard Ramdeen and the player who captained the Under-19 West Indies team to their first-ever World Cup win, Shimron Hetmyer, who has now graduated to the highest level. He said that Hetmyer was only the second player from the East Canje area that played Test cricket for the West Indies and that was after a very long time after Leonard Baichan did so. Dhanai also mentioned the names of former national senior skipper Damodar Daesrath, Kwesi Maltay, Balram

Alfred Madray presenting uniforms on behalf of Ravi Etwaroo of Cricket Zone USA to Suresh Dhanai

Samaroo, Paul Wintz, Darrel Narine, Loaknauth Ramsuchit, Alex Algoo, Farouk Hussain, Gevon Schultz, Imran Jaffarally, Hemnarine Chattergoon and many others that came through the club structure. The First Division Vice Captain also said that since the resuscitation

of the Club, they have won all their matches thus far.

In closing, he once again thanked Ravi Etwaroo of Cricket Zone USA and urged cricketers to support the cricket store so that he could continue to give back to his country of birth and his adopted country.

Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward/Village KO Cup

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Plaisance, Agricola, Crane, Kuru Kururu among teams advancing

I

n commemoration of the 84th birth anniversary of the former Mayor of Georgetown, action in the Hamilton Green 9-a-side Inter-Ward/Village KO Cup is set to resume this Sunday with round of 16 play, at the Den Amstel Community Centre Ground.

In the opening encounter, Plaisance will face Sophia from 17:00h and this clash will be followed by the game between Central McKenzie and Mahaica at 17:30h. Newtown Kitty will then battle the Wolves at 18:00h, before Sara Lodge battle Kuru Kururu at 18:30h. This will then be followed by the clash between Uitvlugt and Stewartville from 19:00h, before Goed Fortuin and Sophia B collide at 19:30h. Crane and Wales will then square off from 20:00h, before Pouderoyen and West Side Masters bring the curtains down at 20:30h.

Meanwhile, last Sunday, Newtown Kitty advanced via a penalty shootout win over Zeelugt as Sophia then defeated Soesdyke 1-0 through a goal from Peter Smith. Wales defeated Vergenoegen 1-0 courtesy of a solitary goal from Randy McFarlane, while Leon Moore netted for Agricola in their 1-0 triumph over Bagotstown.

Kuru Kururu then eased past De Kinderen 2-0 with Joseph Walker and Michael Charles being on target after getting past the defence. Crane beat Den Amstel Back Street 1-0 with Donsford Williams netting the winning goal, while Plaisance squeezed past Jetty 1-0 with Kevin Liverpool being the lone goal-scorer.

Up for grabs is $700,000 in prizes, including the coveted first prize of $400,000, along with the championship trophy, compliments of the Ministry of Citizenship. The runners-up will be awarded $200,000 and a trophy through the goodwill of John Fernandes Ltd, while third and fourthplace finishers will receive $60,000 and $40,000 respectively along with the Techno Mills and Courtney Benn Construction Services trophies in that order.

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) will be awarded a special prize from Techno Mills. The tournament is being coordinated by former national player/Coach Lennox Arthur.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursdAY, november 1, 2018

Windies seek answers to toporder woes in series decider "Y

ou don't just play against India, you learn from them...

India are at the top of their game in all three formats and they will be for a long period of time," said Nic Pothas, Windies' fielding coach.

This is as imaginative a praise as any team is bound to get going into a final match of a series, with multiple outcomes at stake.

While Pothas may not be accurate with his observation, he is surely close to it.

And he believes so because of the culture that has set into the team - where winning has become a habit.

This series may not have been the easiest that India have faced at home in a long time, but after a bit of stutter, in Mumbai they clinically outplayed their opposition. They are close to figuring out their best XI, but at the moment, the issue remains with lack of game time for their reserves.

KL Rahul has had an interesting six months.

From being in the form of his life in the IPL to struggling against the Windies at home; a player who was in such a fine touch at one point that he could throw a proposition of playing at No. 3 and push Virat Kohli a spot below, is simply serving drinks and having a few knocks against net bowlers in the ongoing series against Windies. How it could all transpire in such a short

appointed, none have managed to make a strong impression either. They have shown glimpses of promises and left it at that.

The most ailing of their problems come at the start.

Both Chandrapaul Hemraj and Kieran Powell have taken the attack to the bowlers, but thrown their wickets away before taking a position of dominance. It's a problem that has hurt them for a long time - not having a century stand by the openers for the last four years

Nic Pothas

span is an answer blowing in the English winds.

While he has been sitting out, Ajinkya Rahane - a former contender for the backup opener's spot - is doling out centuries in domestic 50-over cricket. It is unlikely that Rahane will threaten his place in the side, but human mind is a wired weirdly. Maybe Manish Pandey, who has given him company throughout the tour, would know better.

And it is because of the fight that Windies have shown that India find themselves in a position where they can't experiment even in the last match of the series.

While India can still question whether experimenting - in the larger picture - is more crucial than winning

the series, for Windies, the victory matters. Except for South Africa, no team has come to India and not lost an ODI or a Test series in the last six years. For a young team, where majority players have not seen success as much as they have not seen failures, it would be a major boost to their self-esteem.

They have experimented, definitely more than India in this series, and even handed debut caps to four players so far in the series. However, they have problems of their own to deal with.

While the unit as a whole has done well to stretch India till the last game of the series, with context still alive, not all the players have cashed in on the opportunities. Among the new comers, while none may have dis-

and 71 innings.

While Windies clearly lack the firepower in their bowling attack, the bowlers have done a reasonable job in batting-friendly conditions. Their search for the best pacer to give company to Kemar Roach and Jason Holder is still on. Even after four games they are not completely sure as to what their best XI is. Fabian Allen and Rovman Powell haven't made themselves counted as yet, and are running short of time to cement

their places.

However, even as Windies were been outscored by Rohit Sharma in Mumbai, their late defiance after a top order collapse was enough indication that the visitors are in no mood to let India get away easily; they are willing to stretch the fight, even if it's in a losing cause.

Thiruvananthpuram, hosting its maiden ODI, will stand witness as the two teams battle it out in their bid to find answers. (ESPNcricinfo)

Carter, Ottley and Jangoo top Regional Super50 2018-2019 charts

– Reifer and Pestano outstanding for Jaguars

T

he recently-concluded Regional Super50 tournament has produced some high-quality performances: Barbados senior batsman Jonathan Carter emerged as the tournament’s leading runscorer, and CCC Marooners’ Yannick Ottley and Canada’s Romesh Eranga topped the bowling charts. Wicketkeeper Amir Jangoo was adjudged the wicketkeeper with the most catches in the tournament.

Carter compiled 351 runs at a superb average of 50.14. He racked up four half-centuries

Jonathan Carter receives his award from Conde Riley

Amir Jangoo receives his wicketkeeper award from Jeffrey Dujon

the only hat-trick this season which the fast bowler snatched against the star-studded Red Force team. Additionally, Jaguars off-spinner Ramaal Lewis had a great tournament, picking up 13 wickets averaging 20.15.

Former West Indies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin and CCC Marooners’ Jangoo effected the most dismissals behind the stumps. Ramdin took 12 catches and had one stumping while Jangoo pouched 12 catches. Guyana Jaguars wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble effected eight dismissals

with his highest score being 82.

In second position on the batting charts, Andre McCarthy notched up 334 runs in nine innings with an average of 47.71. Raymon Reifer was third on the batting charts as he played numerous responsible innings. The lefthander scored 323 runs for the Jaguars in seven innings at a formidable average of 64.60, including four half-centuries. The axed West Indian Test batsman, Jermaine Blackwood (320) and CCC Marooners’ K Jorn Ottley (306) were the other batsmen having a productive tournament.

In the bowling department, Ottley and Eranga were the tournament’s most successful bowlers with 17 wickets each. Eranga captured the tournament’s best bowling figure (6-21) while Ottley was equally brilliant as he bowled the most maidens (9) in this tournament at an impressive average of 12.17 and a bowling strike rate of 25.1. The leading fast bowler in this Regional Super50 was

inclusive of seven catches and one stumping.

The Regional Super50 Tournament 2018-2019 saw 10 teams participating from two groups, with the non-Caribbean teams being Canada and the United States of America. Young talents were exposed in this tournament, especially from the young victorious CCC Marooners team. (Brandon Corlette)

Yannick Ottley receives the award for best bowler from Sir Curtly Ambrose

Marooners’ young fast bowler Akeem Jordan, who grabbed 16 wickets in the tournament, snaring an impressive 5-18 in the semi-finals against Red Force.

Shamar Springer also grabbed 16 wickets. Guyana Jaguars’ top fast bowler was Clinton Pestano, who captured 15 wickets in the tournament at an impressive average of 18.00 and an economy rate of 4.21. Pestano’s best bowling figure included

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thursdAY, november 1, 2018

23

Forde all Old Fort Mustangs upstage set for local leg of South Vintage on 3rd night American 10K T National Indoor Hockey Championships

he Cliff Anderson Sports Hall was once again treated to a series of thrilling games as the GTT National Indoor Hockey Championships continued on Tuesday Night.

The Old Fort contingent ruled the night with wins in the men’s First and Second Division and female First Division. However, the highlight of the evening came in the over-35 division when Old Fort Mustangs battled with GCC Vintage.

It is not often that an over-35 match takes centre stage in a night of hockey but the performance of Old Fort Mustangs and GCC Vintage brought the crowd to its feet as the score swung back and forth in a match that was decided in the final minutes of play. Old Fort’s Ivor Thompson, a former international player and MVP for Guyana, was first on the score sheet with a low penalty corner shot just two minutes into the game. Prolific marksman Askofu Simon then added to the Old Fort lead one minute later to leave Vintage GCC stunned just three minutes into the game.

GCC, however, found their footing and took control of the match as they drew even through Alan Fernandes and Kevin Spencer by halftime, and Philip Fernandes put them up by one shortly after the resumption. A second goal by hard-working midfielder Alan Fernandes with a little over 10 minutes remaining had surely put the game beyond Old Fort’s

GBTI GCC Spice midfielder Dacia Woodroffe being challenged by Old Fort Goal Chasers’ Carolyn Deen

reach.

With the score at 4-2 in Vintage’s favour, Askofu Simon began showing glimpses of what was to come.

While Simon scored in the 19th minute, GCC’s Devin Hooper kept his team’s twogoal cushion by answering in the 24th. Down 3-5, Old Fort would then produce the most amazing five minutes of hockey in the entire competition. Ivor Thompson scored his second penalty corner in the 25th minute for Old Fort and Simon would blast home three unanswered goals with the final one being in the penultimate minute of play to give Old Fort a convincing 7-5 victory. Simon finished as the leading scorer of the match with five goals to his name.

The Saints men’s First Division team put on a brave performance against the powerful Old Fort Lamborghini, but the match would end predictably in favour of Old Fort 2-0. Theodore Thierens’ penalty corner and Omar Hopkinson’s field goal separated the two teams, giving Old Fort its second win of the competition in as many matches.

Old Fort Team 2.1.2 had a more difficult challenge when they faced off with Saints in the women’s First Division competition. The young Saints girls seemed the more energetic and thrived under the determination and leadership of Team Captain Tekeisha Deleon. Old Fort’s Bhavani Kaladeen put her team

ahead in the sixth minute, but Captain Deleon drew the score level 10 minutes later, leaving a half-time score of 1-1. Deleon would add a second goal four minutes after the break to give Saints a 2-1 lead, but Old Fort’s Captain, Minsodia Culpepper and striker Romichelle Brummell would each score one in the 32nd and 39th minutes respectively to give Old Fort the 3-2 victory.

The Hikers Young Guns defeated Phoenix 4-2 and Old Fort Rogue defeated SHC Sensations by 3-0 in the two men’s Second Division battles. GBTI Spice swept aside Old Fort Goal Chasers by 3-0 in the lone women’s Second Division fixture.

Defending title on home soil will be pressure, claims Windies skipper Taylor

W

Windies Women's team Captain Stafanie Taylor

indies Women’s team captain, Stafanie Taylor, believes the fact that the ICC Women's World Twenty20 is being played on home soil puts added pressure on the team to retain the title.

The regional team lifted the trophy with much fanfare in 2016, as a part of a triumphant year for West Indies cricket that also saw wins for the youth and men’s senior teams. Heading into the tournament as underdogs the women’s team secured a comfortable 8-wicket win over Australia in the final to claim their first title.

With the added pressure of no longer being underdogs and standing in front of their home crowds, however, the Windies Women skipper believes things

will be different this time around.

"Flying under the radar at the last tournament really helped us," Taylor said in a recent interview with SkySports.

"We have had a home World Cup before but it is really special for me to be captaining in a home tournament. I am hoping the team plays well at home and can defend the title, but there is going to be a lot of pressure,” she added.

"We know what is like to win a World Cup but it is all going to be down to nerves to come out on top with that home pressure."

The 27-year-old Taylor was named the tournament’s best player in the last edition, scoring 246 runs and picking up eight wickets in the process. (Sportsmax)

D

istance stalwart Cleveland Forde is said to be well-prepared for the second leg of the South American 10K road race, which is scheduled for this Sunday, November 4.

The “Little Kenyan” currently leads the race, after winning the first leg in Suriname on Sunday ahead of Guyanese counterparts Winston Missigher and Cleveland Thomas, who copped second and third place respectively. The race will now head to the top three’s home turf Guyana, for the second leg, where the local racers are expected to have an advantage. Forde says that he is ready for the competition.

“I’m prepared and ready for Sunday, just like the other athletes. We had a chat about it in Suriname and it’s going to be interesting. I think it’s going to be another tough and close race.

Right now, it’s very

competitive and everyone is motivated,” he stated.

Comparing Guyana’s conditions to Suriname’s, Forde noted that his focus would be key to battling the scorching sun in Guyana.

“There, it was early in the morning, so it was really cool; here, it’s going to be hot. Also, at home, there is going to be some sort of added pressure so the focus has to be on target.”

In the first leg, Forde was closely trailed by long-time rival Missigher.

A d d i t i o n a l l y,

Missigher defeated Forde just a few weeks ago in their previous 10K encounter.

Referencing this, Forde noted that it was key for him to be aware of all his opponents and not focus on Missigher alone.

“Never underestimate your competitor, so it could be while I’m looking at Missigher, someone else could be coming ahead of us, so it’s not just Missigher alone,” Forde stated.

Added to the special measures for the event, inclusive of the closure of the entire route, Athletics Association of Guyana President Aubrey Hutson disclosed that there would be live commentary at the race. “And also there’ll be live commentary, compliments of Banks DIH, being done

by Brijgobin Parasnath and Treiston Joseph. So, even if you’re there, you’ll have live commentary coming in on how the race is progressing and I don’t think anyone is better at painting that picture than Brij himself,” H u t s o n revealed.

He also encouraged patrons to come out, citing that the race was a family-oriented event.

“But the key: come for the start, take a nice leisurely walk over to the National Park and you’ll be able to see a grand finish.”

The second leg of the South American 10K will begin on Carifesta Avenue, with a U-turn at UG, then into JB Latchmansingh Road, a right turn into Thomas Lands and into the National Park before ending at the children’s monument.

The day’s events will also include a 1500 metres race and a 3000 metres race featuring Under-14 and Under-16 boys and girls respectively.

thursdAY, november 1, 2018

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

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‘Stand-alone’ ICC Women’s World T20…

Ireland seeking improvements ahead of tournament Page 20

Team Ireland gathered ahead of their first net session at Providence Stadium on Wednesday

GFF Kool Kidz Grassroots Programme

National Indoor Hockey Championships

Member Associations Old Fort Mustangs upstage to benefit from ball Vintage on 3rd night presentation Page 23

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