Guyana Times - Saturday, January 19, 2019

Treatment for abused children financed by Govt – Greene P13 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3809

Saturday, January 19, 2019

PRICE

Charrandas probe

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Region 5 P11 Chairman frustrated over non-support

by Govt Councillors

Top Cop admits “no link” between gold inquiries and “bribe” allegations

Page 3

5 nabbed with grenades, weapons, drugs Page 11

Wisroc man jailed for hitting wife with pot P8 Central Govt bails out City Hall again ...pays Puran, Cevons $100M

P2

Govt awards multi-billiondollar contracts Page 10

Page 7

PPP to elect presidential candidate today

Teen killed in Essequibo Coast accident 300 acres rice lost in Region 6 as dry season prevails

Protocol passes controversy

GCAA Director never had discussions with OAI – P12 PRO

Page 7

Page 9

P13 NDCs responsible for community streetlights AG v Speaker, P14 Opposition Leader

Govt makes submission in no-confidence case

…Hydromet office predicts normal rainfall by April

2 news

saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Central Govt bails out City Hall again

...pays Puran, Cevons $100M

C

entral Government has once again bailed out City Hall of their mountainous debts by offering $100 million to its main solid waste collectors – Puran Brothers Disposal and Cevons Waste Management – who have been owed for over six months for services provided.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Friday, Business Development Supervisor of Cevons Waste Management, Morris Archer related that the Communities Ministry paid $100 million, which was divided between the two companies.

“We got paid by the Ministry. We got $50 million. There is still a balance for us for which the Mayor

and City Council was supposed to get in contact with us about. The Ministry released $100 million and they divided the money equally between Cevons and Puran Brothers,” Archer said.

He noted that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) would have engaged both companies on providing limited services within the capital city and its environs. Out of the ten lots, each contractor was providing services for two.

However, this is a temporary arrangement to assist the smaller contractors and does not interfere with their existing contract with the local organ body.

On November 25, 2018, the collectors withdrew

The solid waste collectors are providing limited collection services

their services after months of operating without payments. Immediately after the withdrawal, services were provided by five agencies namely: Granderson,

Trash Tech, Tri Star, C&S Services and Garbage Eaters.

“For the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, we were doing five groups each before pulling our services.

For collection services, it’s divided into 10 groups. We were doing five and Purans were doing the other five.

To assist the Council, they asked us to do two groups.

We’re doing two groups and Puran is doing two also. The small contractors are doing the other groups, but this is a separate arrangement from our existing contract.”

The deadlock between the Council and contractors had many implications on the collection process within the capital city as residential and commercial areas were piled high with

garbage just a few days after this decision was taken.

Additionally, communities within the outskirts of the city were neglected according to concerned citizens who had to wait almost two weeks before their bins were emptied.

Meanwhile, vendors at Bourda also complained about a slow collection process, as they are forced to wait long intervals before the garbage is removed from their surroundings.

As such, both solid waste collectors met with Communities Minister, Ronald Bulkan and officials of the M&CC, where it was promised that payment would be made and therefore, putting an end to the unending saga between collectors and the cashstrapped Council. Over the years, Government has had to bail out the cashstrapped City Hall on several occasions.

news

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, January 19 – 03:30h and 14:30h-16:00h and Sunday, January 20 – 04:30h and 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, January 19 –14:40h-16:10h and Sunday, January 20 – 15:30h-17:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals will prevail throughout the day. Clear to partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening. Overall temperatures will range between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 15:15h at a maximum height of 2.68 metres.

Low Tide: 08:47h and 21:20h reaching minimum heights of 0.71 metre and 0.49 metre.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2019

LOTTERY NUMBERS I

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friDAY, JANUARY 18, 2019 DAILY MILLIONS

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Charrandas probe

Top Cop admits “no link” between gold inquiries and “bribe” allegations

P

olice Commissioner Leslie James on Friday remained tight lipped on several aspects of the investigation against former Alliance For Chance (AFC) Member of Parliament Charrandas Persaud, but did indicate that it centres around allegations of bribery and gold movement out of Guyana.

When asked where the Guyana Police Force’s investigating team has been able to successfully link Persaud to the allegations which are being investigated, James said, “the word ‘link,’ I would not use that; I would say that this matter is a matter of national security. The last time I spoke, I did say it is a former Member of Parliament that is under investigation; but in terms of ‘link,’ I would not use such a phrase, such a word, because what we are doing is gathering evidence at this time.”

In terms of the investigation, the Top Cop was unable to give a progress report, but noted that the Police have made substantial headway, and based on the information they have, it may require them to speak to Persaud.

Persaud created history in Guyana’s Parliament on December 21, 2018 when he voted in favour of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s motion of no-confidence against the Coalition Government, and has since taken up residency in Canada, where he is also a citizen.

In response to that, James told the media on Friday that, if the need arises, the Guyana Police Force, and by extension the Government of Guyana, would seek an extradition order for Persaud to return home to face questions.

While remaining tightlipped on several aspects of the investigation, and even outright refusing to answer questions from the media, the Police Commissioner informed that at this time the investigators have been collecting statements from a number of persons, and that the investigation is a spiral one, meaning that whatever leads come up they will be pursued.

Persaud is being accused of collecting a bribe for his

that is to be determined by the legal person we are submitting our reports to.”

Impartial

Former AFC parliamentarian Charrandas Persaud

yes vote in the National Assembly and of attempting to purchase US$1 million in gold from a dealer. The Police have so far interviewed a number of gold dealers, whom James claimed have given corroborating evidence. However, in the interest of national security, he declined to state whether any Government officials or Members of Parliament have provided the Police with a statement.

“I am saying that this is an allegation, I am not saying that it was actually done. I am saying it is an allegation that something pertaining to gold, plans to move gold out of Guyana…,” James said.

However, when asked whether the plans to purchase gold counts as a criminal offence, the Top Cop would only say, “Well, plans can be part of…well, let me tell you that a criminal offence must have actus rea and mens rea; once both (are) present, it is a complete crime. I am just saying that actus rea must be present together with mens rea, that is when a crime is complete, and that is not to be determined by the Police;

Commissioner James said the investigation they are conducting is completely impartial, despite Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan admitting to directing the Top Cop to start the probe.

“This is an impartial investigation. If it becomes necessary for us to have a request (for Persaud) to come back, we will do that.

I would not say if it is linked to any crime or anything.

We are not seeking to manufacture anything, so whatever is being given to us we will take and (then) go forward with our investigation…. What we have are statements which (embody) certain things which I would not disclose for certain reasons…He is innocent until proven guilty,” the Top Cop stated.

On Wednesday, Ramjattan admitted that he initiated the ongoing probe against Persaud.

When asked about that on Friday, James refused to respond to the question.

Instead, he said, “That is an internal matter between myself and the honourable minister. If he (said) that, he must know what he is say-

Police Commissioner Leslie James

ing. I will not get involved with whether he spoke to me and whatever it is.”

Meanwhile, Jagdeo on Thursday said his Party had not paid any money, and as such called for an independent investigation to be conducted. The December 21, 2018 vote led to effective toppling of Government, since the Cabinet is meant to resign and the President has to call elections in 90 days unless two-thirds of the National Assembly agrees otherwise.

When asked about an ongoing investigation, Jagdeo told reporters he would only consider it if it comes from an independent probe, preferably done by an international body or expert.

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019

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

Youth and life skills

I

t’s a fact that youth today make up the larger part of the population of almost every country in the world. This presents certain challenges for policy makers to develop, implement and maintain programmes and activities which must be economically and socially oriented to satisfy their (youth’s) desires.

It is also well known that the absence of well-thoughtout programmes with respect to youth development impacts negatively on our young people, and sometimes even lead to them resigning themselves to lawlessness and other antisocial behaviours that are damaging to society.

Caricom Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, only a few days ago, stated that the majority of victims as well as perpetrators of crimes reported by the Police are young males 18 to 35 years old. He pointed to the fact that there are a number of socio-economic determinants of crime, the least of which is the high youth unemployment in the Region -- 25 per cent in 2017. That is three times the average, and is the highest. This is surely reason to be concerned, as right away one would begin to worry about the kind of future these persons would have, and the contribution they would make to their societies, if any at all. Certainly, this is enough reason to cause governments and policy makers to take a closer look at what is happening in their individual countries, and take steps to remedy the situation.

Certainly, there is a great need for intervention in order to combat the current challenges facing young people. In order to prepare young people for workplace success, job training programmes need to go beyond technical instruction, and teach “life skills,” such as communication, reliability, and teamwork. This push for teaching youth life skills has been validated by employers, who have consistently reported that, above all, they want to hire employees who possess workplace-ready skills such as communication, teamwork, motivation and responsibility. Technical skills, they say, can be learned on the job.

In addition to teaching youth the life skills employers look for, there is need to introduce complementary life planning activities in this component. These activities help youth in assessing who they are, their aspirations for the future, and define realistic steps toward achieving these goals.

Guyana has a number of programmes geared towards equipping young people with various skills for the world of work etc. This is commendable, but more focus needs to be placed on combining teaching life skills with the various academic or technical subjects. Meaning, these programmes should include assessment and identification of ways to build competency and skills supportive of healthy behaviours, to help young people as they mature into adulthood.

Additionally, institutions such as the family and religious bodies need to take up their roles more seriously, as happened before. Historically, the older generation had managed to transmit their beliefs, values, traditions, customs and institutions to the younger members of their societies.

This was achieved largely because of the impact of agencies of socialisation, such as the family, religion and the schools.

Today, the impact of these institutions has been challenged and undermined by new forces, particularly television and the internet, and the pop culture as a whole.

Further, the role of the private sector should never be underestimated. There is need for funding for many crucial programmes aimed at creating better opportunities for young persons here. Such programmes, once effectively implemented, would see our young people become well equipped with the necessary skills to develop themselves and in turn contribute to the overall development of the country. The private sector is one of the main beneficiaries of an educated and skilled workforce, and it should seek to invest in, and help to build, the pool of talent it wishes to draw from.

It is well accepted that progressive countries in the world have strong systems for engaging youth in policy formation and in creating or altering programmes designed to support youth. We believe that if our young people are to make more mature and responsible judgments and engage in activities that are the hallmark of a socially productive adulthood, certain support systems for development must be present in the environment. Teaching life skills is a good way to start.

Students of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre performing a cultural piece during the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations hosted by the Indian High Commission last Wednesday (Adam Baksh photo)

UN chief: Instruments at hand to probe Khashoggi murder

U

N Secretary General António Guterres said Friday the Human Rights Council has the capacity to probe the murder of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Anadolu Agency reported.

“The Human Rights Council has the possibility to take decisions in relation to launching different forms of interaction,” Guterres said at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York. “There are many instruments Human Rights Council can use, requested

by Member States, and I am not in a position to encourage Member States. I’m saying these instruments are available.”

UN Human Rights Chief Michele Bachelet said last month that the killing of Khashoggi deserves an international investigation; however, the UN does not have the jurisdiction to launch one.

Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

After producing various contradictory explanations, Riyadh acknowledged he was killed inside the Consulate building, blaming the act on a botched rendition operation.

While an investigation and trial are being held in Saudi Arabia, the UN said it found the probe insufficient.

In response to a question

by Anadolu Agency, the UN chief said he himself also did not have power to launch an investigation into the

A demonstrator holds a poster with a picture of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi outside the Saudi Arabia Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey (file photo)

Journalist’s murder.

“I don’t have the right to launch any investigation; there is a huge confusion about what the Secretary General can and can’t do,” Guterres said.

“I do not have the right to launch a criminal investigation myself and no formal criminal investigation was requested to me by any member state,” he added.

Comoros leader stirs anger by questioning outcry over Khashoggi killing

Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Comoros President Azali Assoumani has provoked anger by saying the murder of the Saudi Journalist in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul was an internal Saudi matter that did not warrant the international outrage it had triggered.

“What’s wrong when a Saudi is assassinated in an embassy of Saudi Arabia?”

Assoumani said in refer-

ence to Khashoggi during a speech at a function on Thursday to launch the construction of a Saudi-funded road in the Indian Ocean island nation.

“I request that you transfer this (matter) to (Saudi) King Salman and tell him not to worry. Every day hundreds and hundreds of people die in the world and no one condemns it.”

The Saudi Ambassador to Comoros, Hamad Ben Muhammad Alhajiri, was present at the function and made no comment on Assoumani’s remarks.

However, the Comoros branch of the international francophone press association said it was dismayed by the comments.

“Comorian Journalists solemnly ask the Head of State to retract these remarks, which have shocked not only Journalists but public opinion,” UPF-Comores said in a statement.

“We wonder what awaits

us in our country when our President publicly shows disdain towards the assassination of a Saudi journalist who was critical of the regime of his country.”

In 2018, media freedom group Reporters Without Borders ranked Comoros 49th out of 180 countries on its global press freedom index, but Comorian Journalists complain they have been working under increasing restrictions in recent years.

Saudi Arabia is a significant source of financial support for the impoverished Comoros, which cut ties with the Saudis’ arch-adversary Iran in 2016 and with Riyadh’s other regional rival Qatar in 2017.

Last year, Saudi Arabia signed an accord with Comoros, an archipelago of some 800,000 people, providing US$22 million to help finance water and road infrastructure works there.

Khashoggi, a long-time Saudi royal insider who had become a critic of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed on October 2 in the Kingdom’s Istanbul Consulate. A global outcry ensued and led to US Treasury sanctions on 17 Saudi individuals and a Senate resolution blaming Prince Mohammed.

A CIA assessment blamed the Crown Prince for ordering Khashoggi’s killing, which Saudi officials deny. At least 21 Saudis are under investigation with five facing the death penalty over the murder. (Reuters and Anadolu Agency)

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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

Am I Guyanese? Is this flag design another Dear Editor, There are 750,000+ of us in the diaspora who are proud to call ourselves Guyanese; cherish the unique shared formative experiences that make us so individual in the world; have supported the country and relatives back home for decades, and flock back “Home” whenever we can.

Now the word diaspora is being heard with negative connotations, suspicion and even disdain. Some have found it necessary to vow to give up their second citizenship. And there has been a call by one legal luminary to clean up the house.

Guyana does have a somewhat obscure and fuzzy law dating back to 1980 in its books, which states that any Guyanese who acquires citizenship from another country may be deprived of his/ her Guyanese citizenship by the President. But not only were most Guyanese unaware of this arcane law, it played no part in their life. Nor did it seem to play any part in the thinking of the current Government itself before the no-confidence passage. For example, it is reported that very senior members of the Government: State Minister Joseph Harmon, Public Service Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, all have foreign citizenships, which if the stipulation was acted upon, would relegate them non-Guyanese status and in violation of the Constitution.

Altogether, at least a dozen Members of Parliament, are reported to have foreign citizenships and would therefore also be ineligible to serve in Parliament.

The list of non-Guyanese could also reportedly extend to the daughters of the President and the Prime Minister.

But benign application of the statute has been the practice for 40 years by successive Administrations. I know of no friend or acquaintance who has been denied Guyanese status because they were also a citizen of another country.

Moreover, successive Governments have courted the diaspora for investment capital and for contributions they could make to the country’s development.

They have held outreaches and conferences and partnered with the UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to compile a skills inventory in the diaspora and to promote the return of Guyanese-born residents of countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Now the diaspora would become “collateral damage” to one of the two arguments in an action promoted by the Attorney General in an attempt to invalidate the no-confidence passage. That argument challenges Charrandas Persaud’s eligibility because of his Canadian citizenship (but not that of the other MPs with additional citizenships).

This challenge was brought despite the issues outlined above and despite the fact that paragraph 173 (2) of Guyana’s Constitution clearly states: “…the presence or participation of any person not entitled to be present [Charrandas & some 12 other MPs who have additional citizenships] at or to participate in the proceedings of the Assembly shall not invalidate those proceedings.”

And it was brought despite the doctrine of UncleanHands which bars plaintiffs from invoking their own misconduct to challenge an outcome from their own misconduct. The point being that Charrandas Persaud was a Government selected and appointed member, and if he was ineligible it was done at the Government’s hands.

(The other argument is that 33 does not constitute a majority out of 65) Even if these two arguments fail for obvious reasons – as they should, Charrandas Persaud’s status as a Guyanese has been challenged, and this has huge implications for those of us in the 750,000 strong diaspora who have other citizenships. As I understand it, the Government is not just looking for a ruling on a forward basis. They are looking to retroactively invalidate his past action. By this line of reasoning things that many of us did as a Guyanese in the past are null and void, including athletes who proudly competed for the country, famous personalities we like to call our own, and just plain Guyanese around the world who have been sending back remittances (equivalent to 40 per cent of the country’s GDP) to family for decades.

For years I have been telling people from all over the world that I am Guyanese, and in a small way representing the country as having a great education system, wonderful rivers, pristine rainforests, hospitable people, eclectic cuisine, multi-racial melting pot, birthplace of legendary legal luminaries, Shakira Baksh, E R Braithwaite, Eddie Grant, Rohan Khanai, Sir James Douglas (credited with keeping Canada from sea to sea) and so much more. But according to the challenge who would we still count as Guyanese?

And What about retirees returning to Guyana, are they to renounce their citizenships and give up their pensions?

In August, before this issue arose, eight overseas born “Guyanese by descent” represented Guyana in the 2018 Concacaf Girls’ Under-15 Soccer Championship in Florida. These players were all granted Guyanese citizenship to represent the country. The only foundation documents required from their parents by Guyanese authorities were their Guyanese birth certificates or passports. There were no questions about their Canadian citizenship. At one point, the entire Lady Jaguars soccer

team came from Canada and the USA, where their parents were considered dual citizens.

And in 2014/2015 I spent 7 months volunteering in Guyana on an international programme that allows diaspora members to use the base of commonality in their heritage countries’ culture to more effectively transfer skills and professional experience gained abroad to local communities and organisations. The programme’s efforts were directed at assisting social and economic development. As part of the programme, I raised funds from personal donors for the sponsoring organisation’s “pay forward” funding. And this was matched on a 9 to 1 basis by the Canadian Government.

It was a rewarding experience all around.

Guyana Help The Kids (GHTK) is a registered Canadian charity founded by Guyanese born Dr Narendra Singh with the goal of decreasing the neonatal and infant mortality. They do amazing work at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Burn Care Unit, the only burn and wound care centre in Guyana, was founded by Pamela and Harry Harakh and supported by thousands of Guyanese in Canada. The Doobay Dialysis Centre, located at Annandale, East Coast Demerara, the only low cost dialysis centre in Guyana, was founded by Dr Budhendra Doobay. The list of Canadian charities doing exceptional work in Guyana is long and has one thing in common – Most were founded by and mostly supported

by Guyanese with dual citizenship.

These are just anecdotes

that quickly come to mind, multiply this by the size of the diaspora. Now for political expediency Guyanese with other citizenships stand to be set apart. This could have an irreversible impact on Diaspora relations.

In contrast, the following Caricom countries have dual citizenship and some even solicit and promote it: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago.

And on the South American continent, The Union of South American Nations (UNASAR) which is modelled after the European Union, is discussing a proposed common citizenship for members which include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Clearly there is a disconnect here. Because of narrow political grasping, some are pushing an agenda that implies stripping hundreds of thousands of Guyanese of their birthright by attempting to selectively manipulate a statute which has long been ignored and is ripe to be expunged.

Our major Caricom partners allow dual citizenship.

We don’t. We have less in common, at least culturally with UNASAR countries but are in the talks on common citizenship. And to cap it all, we don’t reciprocate dual citizenship with close allies, benefactors and trading partners: America, Britain and Canada.

Sincerely, Ron Cheong and Danny Doobay

way for APNU/AFC to milk Guyana’s teats?

Dear Editor, The APNU/AFC regime upon taking up the mantle of leadership in Guyana announced the need for regional flags. The idea of regional flags was packaged and sold as a representation of independence. Editor, I believe the Golden Arrowhead serves that very purpose.

In addition, this move was soundly rejected by residents and several of the regional officials who also are against the renaming of the regions.

In spite of this, on Tuesday January 15, the Department of Public Information (DPI) posted an article which stated that the Government is moving forward with the proposed regional flags and renaming of the regions.

This Government has had three and a half years to implement such a trivial project. That it finds the need to focus, at this time, on matters which will have no significant impact on the well-being of a population which has to grapple daily with medication shortages, run-down public infrastructure, higher costs of living and the other effects of the current economic downturn, is testimony to its misplaced priorities.

The resources allocated towards this frivolous project can be redirected

towards job creation, enhanced public security, better roads, improved potable water supply, efficient garbage collection etc.

Editor, on the Communities Ministry’s website is a pdf document with ten well designed flags carrying descriptions and an explanation of the region.

When was the graphic team procured? How was this done? Is this another situation like the seven regional newsletters; where an AFC graphic artist is paid $90,000 per month for each of the seven newsletters?

This AFC graphic artist receives a monthly salary of $630,000 and is also paid to design the Chronicle’s front page. Is this flag design another way for the APNU/ AFC to milk Guyana’s teats?

Readers may recall that this Government fell on December 21, 2018, and rather than using the time remaining to further milk the treasury, the Government should try to bring relief to the long-suffering citizenry. For starters, the roads in Albouystown were destroyed during a pipe laying exercise by the GWI, it has remained in a poor state for almost two years now.

Yours truly, Jason Abdulla

Caricom seems to support unconstitutionality of Guyana’s Govt Dear Editor, On the side of the Caricom Youth conference currently being held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, the Secretary General was asked to comment on the no-confidence situation in Guyana. Instead of addressing the real matter of the legal passage of the no-confidence motion on December 21, 2018, and the subsequent reaffirmation of the Speaker to that ruling and motion, the SG instead choose to hide behind the court case, taking the safe way like the Government.

He indicated that the democratic process of the court is at work. Mr SG, what about the democratic and constitutional process of the no-confidence motion being passed by a majority decision of Guyana’s Parliament. Why not give credence to this rather than taking the tail end of the court which for all intents and purposes is a delaying tactic to stall the legal and constitutional process of lawful elections in 90 days.

This approach is exactly why Caricom, for all wants and purposes has deemed

a failure in many ways and list a few: 1. The Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) has been a talkshop for over three decades and is nowhere close to fruition. Similar is the single currency.

2. Free movement of people and skills is still a big hoax.

3. West Indies cricket in crisis and yet, no action

by Caricom.

4. Travel in the region even by regional carriers is so expensive, it’s cheaper to go north than some Caricom countries.

5. The CCJ is also a failure - only three or four member states have signed on to CCJ. The SG’s own home country has refused to sign on to the CCJ. Caricom is run by a few elites who are privileged to get a job there and contributes very little to any sensible deliverable. It’s a big social organisation with very little impact on economic issues and solving the region’s problem. If Guyana is to do a tally on the number

of monies that go towards supporting the secretariat and the duty-free concessions given to staff, that will be more than enough to give Public Servants a handsome increase.

So again, Caricom needs to take an impartial role

in Guyana’s political situation and call it for what it is. Don’t skirt behind the issue and say it's democracy at work.

Sincerely, Pauline Wong

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Foundation Morin stresses that turning difficult moments into teachable ones, rather than swooping in and smoothing over the issue with the other parent teaches kids that they have to be accountable for their actions, and the way their actions make other people feel.

B

abies don’t accomplish much. Until they develop motor skills, tiny humans drop, smash, cry, and get fed. That’s about it. But as babies grow, the tasks they assign themselves and the directives they receive from their parents become more complicated. They fail. They protest. They overreact. It is up to parents to teach their kids how to bounce back from setbacks. Teaching kids resilience is critical to the longterm wellbeing of children — but it must be done with emotional support and responsive parenting, otherwise their kids might be wracked with debilitating anxiety or struggle to succeed.

“You want children to be able to handle setbacks, and hardship, and failure. So that someday, when they move out of the house, they can handle a problem at work, issues with a roommate at college, failing a test,” says social worker Amy Morin, author of the book <<<10 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do>>>.

“You want them to be able to take those struggles, and those experiences, and learn and grow from them and bounce back and become better.”

Why resilience matters

Resilience, learned through explicit lessons and examples, helps kids to handle stress, cope with rejection, and compartmentalise setbacks as mere bumps in the road. Resilient people tie their sense of self to their hard work, not their success or failure. These are tools that

When teaching resiliency becomes teaching loneliness

kids need to take with them in life to be the type of adult who can survive and thrive.

Fortunately, children come with some resilience baked in.

“Little kids know how to do this inherently,” says Morin. “They fall down and get back up.”

“There are a lot of misconceptions a b o u t

what it means to be a resilient kid,” says Morin. “On the far end of the spectrum of parenting resilient kids are uninvolved parents. Those parents say their kids will learn through their experiences, but then they don’t give them enough guidance.”

Kids with uninvolved parents tend to struggle with emotional attachment issues, lash out during their adolescent years, experience anxiety, and can even later develop substance abuse issues. Teaching resiliency is about acknowledging that kids need emotional support as they grow, Morin says. Parents can’t just back off and hope their kids figure out how to get dressed and ready for school all by themselves by the first grade. It takes a lot of guidance. “Parenting isn’t an exact science,” says Morin. “It’s more of an art.” (yahoo.com)

How to teach resilience

“Parents can start modelling behaviour during the toddler and preschool years,” says Morin. They can do that by reinforcing that by allowing their kid to struggle, creating challenges, and refusing to resolve every problem.

The key to managing failure isn’t avoiding it, but talking through it. With honesty and openness, parents can abolish the victim mentality.

Supporting struggling children is important, but the best way parents can teach resilience is by modelling it.

Acting cool-headed in the face of stress and acknowledging mistakes provides children with a rubric for failure. Failing, they learn, is not the end of the world. It’s just part of being alive. Here are the specific suggestions that Morin gives parents looking to teach by doing….

Don’t intervene all the time

“When your child is struggling — if, say, his blocks keep tipping over and he’s getting angry, don’t swoop in and do it for them,” says Morin. In other words, practice restraint. It’s easy to step in and help soothe your kid.

But letting them struggle helps them learn that they can solve their own problems.

Audit your behaviour

Own up to your mistakes

Parents, per Morin, should actively apologise to their children when they make mistakes, like if they snap at them, or are late to pick them up. “Pointing out what you did wrong – if you didn’t handle your anger very well, or said something that wasn’t very nice – explain what happened, without making an excuse. And then you explain how you will learn from the problem and fix it,” suggests Morin. This, she says, teaches kids that making a mistake is fine, as long as you apologise and learn from them.

Examine their feelings

“You want to acknowledge a child’s feelings and tell them that their feelings matter,” says Morin. “That makes a big difference in whether they perceive if their feelings are okay, that it’s okay to be scared and still do something anyway.” Letting your kid know that their feelings are legitimate – but that they don’t have to inform their behaviour at all times, like, say, when a playground scuffle breaks out – is essential.

Kids are always watching.

Per Morin, it’s essential for parents to think about how they act in moments of daily stress and try to do better.

“When you’re dealing with an annoying situation, like the long line at the grocery store, and you’re tired, and you’re hungry, how do you handle it? Are you complaining? Are you staring at your phone?

Your kids are watching how you cope with your emotions,” says Morin. In other words: by being a resilient adult, you teach your kids how to react to moments of stress. Leading by example and interrogating your actions are effective tools.

What does teaching resilience look like in practice?

Imagine your kid hit another kid on the playground.

If you’re there to witness it, rather than resulting to anger and frustration, talk to your child, sternly, about empathy. Focus on that. Say: How do you think that felt for your friend? Would you like it if someone hit you? How about you apologise – and make up a plan so you don’t make that mistake again?

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urn a coffee can into a DoIt-Yourself (DIY) birdhouse with this simple recycled crafts project!

This DIY birdhouse is simple to build, costs pennies to make and is a great way to recycle coffee cans and scrap wood. As a bonus, it’s a breeze to clean out after nesting season – just slip out the dowel and empty the can.

These are great projects for children’s groups, and they cost about $400 each to make. Have your friends and neighbours save their coffee cans and precut the wood yourself. Then let the kids paint and assemble them. If you plan to decorate your birdhouse, sand and paint the pieces before assembly.

Materials:

Two scraps of 3/4-inchthick board, measuring at least 4-1/2 inches square Two 1/4-inch-thick plywood or panelling scraps, measuring at least 6 inches x 9 inches each 1/4-inch dowel, 8-1/2 inches long 1-1/4-inch finishing nails One 11-ounce coffee can Hooks, wire or a chain for hanging the birdhouse Table saw Power drill

Step-by-step instructions:

Step 1 Have an adult cut the ends of the birdhouse 4-1/2 inches square from scrap boards.

Locate the entrance hole in one board by measuring 3-7/16 inches from one corner.

(When measuring, place your ruler diagonally from corner to corner and draw a light pencil line.) Be sure to mark the corner from which you’re measuring—you’ll need to measure from it again in step 4. Have an adult drill a 1-inch entrance hole for finches or the appropriate-size hole for other small birds you’d like to attract.

Step 2 Hold the front and back pieces together in a vise or clamp them together. Locate the perch by measuring 1-1/4 inches from the same corner used in step 2 and mark this spot on the pencil line. Then have an adult drill a 1/4-inch hole through the front piece (with the entrance hole) and most of the way through the back.

Step 3 Cut the roof pieces from 1/4-inch plywood or panelling scraps. Cut one piece to measure 5-3/4 inches x 9 inches, and the other 6 inches x 9 inches. Nail the roof pieces to the front and back boards with 1-1/4-inch finishing nails.

The large roof piece should overlap the smaller at the peak. (If you’re using panelling, the back side should face out.)

Leave enough room between the front and back pieces so you can easily insert the coffee can.

Step 4 Clean and dry the coffee can (watch out for sharp edges). Have an adult drill two 1/4-inch holes in one side of the can for drainage. Have an adult drill two more 1/4-inch holes on the opposite side of the can for ventilation.

Step 5 Place the coffee can between the front and back boards. Cut a 1/4-inch dowel to 8-1/2 inches long and insert it through the perch holes. If the fit is too snug, lightly sand the dowel, which holds the can in place.

Step 6 Attach a chain, hooks or wire for hanging the birdhouse.

With any luck, you won’t have to wait long for your feathered friends to discover the new home you’ve provided. Just sit back, have another cup of coffee and enjoy the show.

(birdsandblooms.com)

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

PPP to elect presidential candidate today

…detractors will not influence process – Jagdeo

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

Former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali

he Executive of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will today vote to elect its presidential candidate for the upcoming Regional and General Elections.

The five candidates contesting for the position are Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira; former Attorney General Anil Nandlall; former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali; former Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony and Member of Parliament, Dr Vindhya Persaud.

Last week, these candidates made their case in presentations before the Party’s Executive, and their submissions were discussed ahead of this weekend’s voting via secret ballot.

Previously, in the PPP, the presidential candidate was consensually nominated, but this time around there are more than one candidate; as such, the Party resorted to using the secret ballot.

Speaking with reporters at his weekly press briefing on Thursday, PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo believes that a consensus candidate would have been the more desired way forward.

“It’s always better to have a consensus candidate; in any organisation, that’s the ideal thing… [So] which party doesn’t want to have a consensus? Shouldn’t that be what you want to work towards? Is that not the best thing to do?” Jagdeo, who is also the Opposition Leader,

queried.

The Opposition Leader made it clear that outside opinions and detractors such as Freddie Kissoon and sections of the media who are attempting to dictate the Party’s decision will not influence the process in electing the candidate. Last week, a section of the media launched an attack to desecrate the character of Irfaan Ali, who is one of the presidential prospects in the candidacy race.

In 2018, the same was done to Gail Teixeira by Kissoon who attempted to discredit the Chief Whip.

The Opposition Leader assured that whoever is selected from the five would receive the full support and cooperation of the other candidates going forward.

“In the presentation, every single one of the five said, ‘If I do not become the [presidential] candidate, I will work with, and support, the other person’. They all said that explicitly. This was asked of everyone…every single one of the five said, ‘Yes, I will work for the interest of the Party and support [whoever is selected]’… So that is really good for our organisation,” Jagdeo stated.

According to the Leader of the Opposition, this is particularly important since the Party has a specific programme to execute when it returns to office. This includes reversing the draconian measures imposed on the mining sector by the coalition Government; reopening

the three sugar estates that were closed in 2017; bringing in private investors to employ persons and restore benefits to pensioners and the children.

Jagdeo said the PPP was also looking to create a “big tent” when in office to include civil society and other stakeholders who have been approaching the Party,

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Teen killed in Essequibo Coast accident

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ineteen-year-old Rajendra Anauge of Section ‘B’ Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast was killed on Friday evening after he was struck down by an allegedly drunken driver.

According to the Guyana Police Force, the accident occurred at about 18:40h on the Onderneeming Public Road.

Investigations revealed that motor car PSS 7038, driven by a 23-year-old suspect, was proceeding north along the western carriageway of the road reportedly at a fast rate of speed; and as

the driver tried to negotiate a right turn, he lost control of the vehicle and collided with the teenage pedestrian.

Picked up and rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital in an unconscious state, the pedestrian later succumbed to his injuries.

The 23-year-old driver, a resident of Suddie Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast, failed a breathalyzer test and has since been taken into Police custody to assist with the investigation.

A post-mortem examination on the body of 19-yearold Anauge is scheduled for next week.

Former Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony

expressing a desire to work with the Party. This, he added, include youths whom the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) seemed to have abandoned.

In fact, using himself as a prime example, Jagdeo pointed out that the PPP has a track record on young people in poli-

Member of Parliament Dr Vindhya Persaud

tics that is unassailable in this region. The former Head of State reminded too that more than half of his Cabinet was below the age of 40 and were managing some of the country’s critical sectors.

“We are a party that give young people opportunities. I was in my 20s when I became a minister, I was 35 when my party selected me to take the

office of the President,” he said.

Now, he added, this trend continues with one of the presidential candidates being in his 30s, two in their 40s, another in his 50s and one in her 60s.

“So we have a range of people with years of experience as well. They had worked themselves up to the leadership of the Party and they had not just the Government experience, but went to the congress; they got elected; they went to the [Central Committee], and then they got to the Executive … So we have a proven track record with young people,” Jagdeo reaffirmed.

Jagdeo noted that the Party has also started work on its candidacy lists for Nomination Day, which could be early February. To this end, he is calling on persons interested in being on the Party’s regional, national topup and geographical lists to so indicate.

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Repeat offenders remanded on $13M theft charge

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epeat offenders 46-year-old Patrick Smith, of Lot 164 Cortha Street, Albouystown, and 25-year-old Linton Trotman, of Lot 128 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, were on Friday taken to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after they were charged with theft.

The duo stood before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly and denied the charge, which detailed that between January 10 and January 11, 2019 at King Street, Georgetown, they broke and entered Bassant’s Trading and stole $13 mil-

Remanded: Linton Trotman

lion, property of Bissoondyal Deodasingh.

Smith was unrepre-

sented while Trotman was represented by Attorney Euclin Gomes, who, in an unsuccessful bail application, asked that his client be released on reasonable bail.

However, Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh informed the court that both defendants have been previously charged and have pending matters in court.

Prosecutor Singh also objected to bail on the grounds that both defendants were well-known characters to the Police.

The prosecution’s submission was upheld, and the

Rearguard actions…

Remanded: Patrick Smith

duo were remanded to prison. The case will continue on February 11, 2019.

Wisroc man jailed for hitting wife with pot

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Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, Linden man will spend the next two months in prison thinking about his actions after he hit his reputed wife.

Patrick Langhorne was

jailed by Magistrate Wanda Fortune when he appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court.

Langhorne admitted that on January 11, 2019, while at their Lot 581 Phase One B, Wisroc Housing

Scheme Home, he unlawfully assaulted the Virtual Complainant (VC) by hitting her in the head with a pot. The woman had accused him of accosting her before committing the act.

Langhorne admitted

to the offence and told the court that he became upset after he went to the home and discovered the VC sleeping while their baby was on the floor crying in a soiled diaper.

Pedestrian’s death

Lorry driver freed of causing death charge

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eorgetown Magistrate Faith McGusty on Friday dismissed a charge of causing death by dangerous driving which was instituted against Lennox Williams, who allegedly struck down and killed a 71-year-old pedestrian.

The dismissal of the charge came after a lengthy trial concluded and insufficient evidence was found for Williams to be convicted.

In November 2017, Williams made his first court appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who read a charge to him, stating that on August 10, 2017, he drove motor lorry GMM 6594 in a manner dangerous to the public thereby causing the death of Chitraykha Sankar.

Williams of Golden Grove Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara was however,

granted $700,000 bail after his then attorney Savannah Brummel made a successful application for bail.

According to reports, the motor vehicle driven

by Williams was proceeding north along the Houston Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) when he allegedly struck the victim, who was in the process of crossing the highway from the western side. Sankar was report-

edly pitched into the air as a result of the impact and landed a short distance away.

The elderly woman later succumbed to injuries sustained to the head and other parts of the body after being rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The now free man was seen exiting the courtroom in smiles after Magistrate McGusty dismissed the charge.

Cuban fined, to be deported after convicted for overstaying

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39-year-old Cuban on Friday found himself before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly fac-

ing a charge of overstaying in Guyana.

Hunyary Mascuine admitted that between

December 14, 2018 and January 17, 2019, he failed to comply with conditions granted to stay in Guyana from November 14, 2018 to December 3, 2018.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh informed the court that the foreigner, who arrived via the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), was granted a month’s stay in Guyana.

However, on January 17, 2019, the defendant went to the United States of America Embassy in

Georgetown and behaved disorderly. He was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), where he was asked to present his travel documents. Upon checking the travel documents, the ranks at CID observed that the Cuban overstayed his time in Guyana.

The defendant was fined $30,000 with an alternative of six months imprisonment.

Magistrate Daly also ordered that he be deported to his country of birth.

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…to cling to power our Eyewitness isn’t one to say, “I told you so”!

Especially when what he told you was as obvious as the nose on your face!! He’s talking about the Government pulling rabbits out of hats and turning cartwheels -- and God knows what else -- to delay the workings of the Constitution to schedule elections by end March! The latest rabbit was Ramjattan of the AFC demanding that there has to be a new voters’ list before any elections.

Now, since we know the present voters list is valid till the end of March, we can now see the method behind the madness of going to court on the basis of “half persons” etc. Even if the courts take a month to throw the cases out, elections will be pushed back beyond the (valid) line.

Ramjattan’s demand for a new voters’ list is very reminiscent of the ploy by Desmond Hoyte, after he finally acceded to the US demands to allow free and fair elections. In 1990, Hoyte initiated the registration process and, as we all know, elections weren’t conducted till 1992. Lowenfield’s stonewalling requests to meet the Party Whips to discuss GECOM’s readiness is another foot being dragged!

Another prong being pushed is the claim that Charrandas was bribed. Having absolutely no evidence, and being obviously unable to produce any, the Police Commissioner joined the bribe claim with another, wherein Ramjattan has snitched to him about Charrandas seeking to buy gold from a dealer. The COP wouldn’t reveal his source of information, even though Ramjattan had already blabbered to the Press that he’d been given info on the gold inquiry by Sidney Allicock. So we have the COP calling a Press Conference wherein he added absolutely nothing to wild claims made by the political directorate.

What came out from the presser was the COP is willing to further the PNC Government’s foot dragging agenda to influence the Court that there’s some fire behind all the smoke the Govt’s been blowing up everyone’ ass! What happened about all the talk of the Government having the name of the hotel in T&T where some unnamed TT businessman passed over millions of US to Charrandas??

The COP gratuitously (and sensationally) threw into the mix that Charrandas could be extradited from Canada for gold smuggling -- if he gets evidence! Of course he could!

Charrandas could also be charged and extradited for the assassination of JFK – if evidence could be produced!! The truth is: there’s no evidence; just “he seh and dem seh”!

Charrandas had already announced he was inquiring about gold purchases for a Canadian client. Beyond the COP “corroborating” this info, can he show that any gold was bought or shipped?

Expect, dear reader, more of this fake news in the months ahead. …and delusion The AFC’s in a deep funk over the confirmation of their “dead meat” status at the LGE! Party chairman Ramjattan tried to put a brave face on it, but ended up proving he’s severely delusional!! He insisted that all is well in the coalition, with the PNC and the AFC should be getting the same 40% of the Cabinet they received in 2015!! Now if this were to happen, it would certify that the PNC have been given “typee” by the AFC!!

There’s no other explanation!! PNC types were already miffed at the 2015 allocation, since they knew the AFC didn’t deliver their promised 11%. So after the LGE showed they were now 4% and shrinking fast, they expect the status quo? Sheesh!!

Has Ramjattan been smoking some of Nugs from the new party of the same name? …and City stench New Georgetown “Mayor” Ubraj Narine was given a copy of the CoI into the rape of the City by some who’re obviously pulling his strings in the City Council. Not even reading the report, he declared, “There are little mishaps, yes. But I believe every mistake [that was] made we can correct in the future.”

“Little mishaps”?

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

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

300 acres rice lost in Region 6 as dry season prevail …Hydromet office predicts normal rainfall by April

A dried-out section of a rice field

By Davina Ramdass and Andrew Carmichael

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n estimated 300 acres of rice has been lost in Region Six, Berbice as a result of the dry prevailing conditions and lack of water and a further 500 acres are under threat. This is according to Regional Chairman David Armogan.

“If the rice doesn’t have water in time to grow, it burns out.

That has been caused because we had about five days during which the pumps were shut down as a result of not being able to get fuel for these pumps. Since then the problem has resolved itself,” he said.

On the Corentyne, the “front lands” must wait until farmers in the Black Bush Polder would have taken in water into their fields before enough is available in the canals reach the front lands, he said.

While this is not the first time the situation has occurred, Armogan noted that the administration had started pumping water early so that by the time those farmers in the Black Bush Polder would have had had enough water, it will still be able to get to the front lands in time.

However, the fuel shortage affected that plan. Armogan noted that plan “B” has now kicked in.

“We have started to shut down certain areas and we have started

to supply the areas where there is a problem. In the Yakasary South area the water has started to raise there so they should be okay by tomorrow, the 51/Goodhope area as well and the Adventure/Eversham area. That is the most affected area,” Armogan explained.

Compounding the problem is that more rice is not being plant-

The pumps which pump water from the Canje Creek into the Black Bush Polder was not designed to include the front lands.

The Chairman added that the way forward will be to install additional pumps while noting that there are five pumps in the Polders but only four are currently working.

“NDIA which has the responsibility for drainage and irrigation in the cultivation areas will have to do something to make sure that we have adequate pumping capacity so that our irrigation system can be fully equipped to supply all rice farmers,” Armogan told the media.

would be harder on them”.

Although the rainy season is expected for the months of May and June, the meteorologist pointed out that the farmers’ prayer for rainfall is likely to be answered by April.

“We could only forecast and we could only suggest or give some implications of the forecast, which we

situation, but due to the long dry weather period, the water level at the conservancy is very low and farmers have no other choice but to pump water from the irrigation canals to save the present rice crop.

In some areas the trenches are totally dried up and the entire cultivation is under serious threat due to the lack of water. Farmers who

Hydromet

Meanwhile, the Hydromet office has since predicted normal rainfall until April.

This was related to Guyana Times on Friday by a senior meteorologist attached to the Hydromet office, a division within the Agriculture Ministry.

Farmers being forced to pump water out of an already dried-up conservancy, as a last resort did back in November,” the source posited.

Currently the staffers attached to the Hydrometeorological office are working on the forecast for the next three months which should be ready in the new week.

Region 2 situation

A dried-up water conservancy in Region Two ed in the front lands which have surpassed the acreage in the three Polders. 18,000 acres are under rice cultivation in the Black Bush Polder whereas 25,000 are now under cultivation in the front lands.

According to the senior meteorologist, “Because they (farmers) would have received less than normal rainfall over the rainy season and now we are going into the dry season, it would mean that it

Apart from Berbice, reports coming out of Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) have spelled trouble for rice farmers. In fact, the Chairman of the Region, Davanand Ramdatt on Monday visited rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast, accompanied by Regional Vice Chairman, Nandranie Coonjah when they realised that thousands of acres of rice are under threat due to lack of water in the conservancy.

The regional administration is presently pumping water on a 24hour basis at the Dawa Pumping Station to bring some relief to the

can afford pumps are forced to live for days in tents, vehicles and even trailers in the “back dams” just to pump the little water remaining in the trenches into the fields to save the crop.

According to rice farmers there, the last crop was already a disaster due to paddy bugs and blast.

Guyana Times understands that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) has offered some support in the area of providing water.

Efforts made by this newspaper to contact the agency for a comment proved futile.

The warning of a dry season was first sounded during the fifth National Climate Outlook Forum (NCOF), hosted back in November.

The Hydromet Office had warned that less than usual rainfall can be expected over the next three months, owing to climatic conditions affecting the oceans.

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt awards multi-billion-dollar contracts

Fire razed the top flat of the Sophia drop in centre in 2016

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$356 million contract for the construction of the Public Health Ministry’s head office is one of several multi-million-dollar contracts that have been approved by cabinet for the 2019 fiscal year. Combined, these contracts cost $3.8 billion.

On Friday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon read out a litany of new contracts.

Of note is the fact that several of them feature increased costs from the original price tags. In the case of the contract for phase one the Public Health Ministry head office, this was awarded to Chung Global Enterprises.

Other contracts which were awarded included a contract for the Sophia Drop- in Centre, which was almost gutted by a fire in 2016. That contract is worth some $219 million, which turns out to be a revised sum.

“For the construction of a Drop-in Centre at Lot C Sophia, Ministry of Social Protection… this is a variation on the sum based on the additional work to be done on the building. So the original sum was $181 million, and the new sum is $219 million. That contract was awarded to PD Contracting,” Harmon revealed.

“For the construction of a visitor’s gallery and security hut at the Indian Immigration Monument, Palmyra, Region Six, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, this is an increase of the sum originally budgeted for; from $38 million to $47 million. This had to do with an increase in the scope of work provided.

This was awarded to Kascon Engineering Services.”

In addition, there are contracts for constructing living quarters and storage bond for the Guyana Revenue Authority.

In fact the storage bond, to be constructed at Corriverton, Berbice by Andre Vincente Construction Service, is slated to cost $124.8 million.

Then there are the roads.

One such contract was for the construction of a new exit road from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Terminal Building at Timehri.

According to Harmon, this contract will cost $56.5 million and was awarded to Puran Brothers Disposal Incorporated.

Also included in these

contracts is one worth $558 million to construct a roundabout in Mahdia, Region Eight. In fact, this amount is an increase of $170 million from the previous budgeted sum. This contract was awarded to JR Ranch Incorporated.

There was a contract for road work in Pomeroon,

road for the sum of $53.6 million, rehabilitation of the main access road in Number 22 Village for $48.4 million, and rehabilitation of Last Street, Liverpool Village in Region Six, for$48.2 million.

These contracts were awarded to A&A Engineering Services, Bardon Construction Services, and

Bank (IDB) and was signed last year.

“It is related to the strengthening of the energy sector project. Specifically, the loan will finance a policy-based reform programme for development of the oil and gas sector and cleaner energy sources for electricity generation. Cabinet ap-

A visitor’s gallery will be constructed at the Indian Immigration monument in Palmyra

awarded to R&B Investment Incorporated -- that cost $41.1 million; a contract for road works in three lots in Regions Five and Six that has been split into three lots.

These are, Lot one: rehabilitation of Trafalgar access

XL Engineering respectively.

A loan agreement totalling US$11.6 million was even approved by cabinet.

Harmon revealed that the loan comes from the InterAmerican Development

proved the agreement and directed that it be laid in the National Assembly.”

These contracts come at a time when a no confidence motion has already been passed against the Government.

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

5 nabbed with grenades, weapons, drugs

Grenades, ammunition and gun that were found by Police

Police set fire to a camp in which a quantity of ganja was found

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anks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in F Division (Interior Locations) have arrested five

persons following the discovery of grenades, several weapons, and a quantity of narcotics in separate interceptions.

Region 5 Chairman frustrated over non-support by Govt Councillors

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Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal

egion Five (MahaicaBerbice) Chairman Vickchand Ramphal has expressed concerns that he is currently unable to effectively address issues affecting farmers in that Region because he is not getting the support of coalition Councillors and the Clerk of the House.

The Chairman made the comments at Thursday’s Regional Democratic Council (RDC) meeting after the Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison walked out of the meeting.

Morrison controls the $2.5 billion of taxpayers’ money given to the Region.

According to Ramphal, residents across the Region are being affected by many issues which are not being addressed.

He explained that Mahaicony farmers were having difficulties in accessing fresh water for their crop, but no assistance is forthcoming.

“If coalition Councillors were interested, they would have sat around the table, so that they could make solid decisions to bring relief to the farmers that are affected in Region Five,” Ramphal said.

He noted that not only those Mahaicony farmers were being affected, but recently he met some farmers from the Paradise-Belladrum area, who complained that canals in the Rising Sun/ Washington/Belladrum area are clogged preventing them from getting fresh water for their crops.

“We could have brought

solutions to those problems, but since the man that controls the money in the Region – the Clerk, who is the Regional Executive Officer blatantly walked out of the meeting, we cannot make any sound decision for our people,” the Chairman said.

Ramphal has been forced to engage some of the other agencies, which operate within the Region namely the Mahaica Mahaicony Abary (MMA) department and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), which have both been providing some assistance.

However, these agencies do not have adequate resources to undertake work across the Region, he added, while singling out the NDIA’s efforts in the Region to bring relief to farmers who are affected by poor irrigation. The REO has been walking out of all the RDC meetings since February last year. In January 2016, led by Carol Joseph, who was then a councillor, the coalition disrupted every meeting by either singly or banding as one to bang on the tables thus prevented any discussion, demanding that Ramphal apologise to President David Granger for not attending a meeting in the Region at which the President was a guest.

Ramphal had not received an official invitation to that meeting, which was held in December 2015.

Turn to page 13

These exercises were carried out by ranks conducting patrols in the Blackwater Creek, Cuyuni River, Essequibo on Wednesday and Thursday. Among the five persons arrested were three Venezuelans and two Guyanese.

The first exercise was on Wednesday, when the ranks intercepted a boat about 13:30h and conducted a search of its occupants.

During the search, ranks un-

earthed a live 12-gauge cartridge and 271 grams of cannabis in the possession of the 26-year-old Guyanese Captain of Eteringbang Landing.

Meanwhile, about 15:30h on Thursday, the ranks intercepted another boat at Mode Hole, Cuyuni River, and two of the 17 occupants were found in possession of a live grenade each.

Later in the day, a third vessel was intercepted around

17:30h and during a search, one of the two occupants who resides at Enterprise on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) was found in possession of an unlicensed pistol with 11 live matching rounds.

Then, later on Thursday, about 23:30h, the ranks searched a boat at Eteringbang Landing, and found in possession of the 27-year-old Venezuelan Captain, five live rounds of ammunition.

On the other hand, Police ranks in E Division (LindenKwakwani), acting on information received, went to a location at Wismar, Linden, and found two and a half acres of cannabis with about 1100 plants measuring six inches to a foot in height, along with a nursery containing about 500 seedlings and a makeshift camp.

The plants and camp were photographed and destroyed by fire, the Police said.

12 news

saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Protocol passes controversy

GCAA Director never had discussions with OAI – PRO …Airport in talks with Foreign Affairs Ministry over security concerns …maintains no breaches occurred

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mid reports that the Ogle Airport Inc (OAI) breached security protocols and failed to include a protocol pass system in its manual to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the management of the airport has revealed that the Foreign Affairs Ministry has been engaged on the matter.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Friday, OAI Public Relations Officer (PRO) Kit Nascimento explained that there has been no communication between the Airport and the GCAA DirectorGeneral, Egbert Field as it related to authorisation.

However, a representative of the GCAA would have facilitated discussions with the Foreign Affairs

Ministry to have the matter resolved. Nascimento also maintained the company’s previous statements that no security breach occurred at the Airport.

“The Director of Civil Aviation has not been in touch with the Airport about any sanctions whatsoever.

The Airport stands by its original statement that the Airport has not committed any security breach. We are already in discussion with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with a representative of the Civil Aviation Authority on this matter and we’re moving forward together on it,” Nascimento said.

The GCAA ordered that the Eugene F Correia International Airport stop

issuing protocol passes after former parliamentarian Charrandas Persaud was escorted by a Canadian Embassy security officer to a Barbados-bound plane after he sought help from the embassy following his favourable vote during the no-confidence motion on December 21, 2018 which saw the Government of Guyana being defeated.

Persaud was escorted to the Airport and boarded a plane bound for Barbados and later Canada.

Following what the OAI described as “erroneous reports in the State media” that there was a security breach, the administration of the Airport related that it was guided by its Airport Operations Manual, which

The Ogle Airport Inc

was approved by the GCAA. The OAI stated that Persaud was a passenger on LIAT flight #LI 392, which departed the Eugene F Correia International Airport at 06:17h on December 22, 2018.

The Airport authority stated that Persaud’s escorts were Mission Security Officer of the High Commission of Canada,

Richard Beliveau and Peter Ramsaroop.

According to the OAI, Beliveau presented himself and his Foreign Affairs Ministry ID Card to the Airport duty officer and requested a pass to accompany a passenger to the aircraft. The OAI stated that Ramsaroop also requested a pass saying he was part of Beliveau’s team.

The Airport duty officer, in accordance with an established courtesy practice as is requested to be extended to diplomatic personnel by the Foreign Affairs Ministry, granted a protocol pass to both persons.

The passes were duly returned in exchange for their respective ID documents on their departure from the Airport.

Parika NDC finally gets Police help to remove squatter

F

ollowing an article published by Guyana Times of Police lack of support to the Mora-Parika Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) to enforce a High Court order, which sought to have a building demolished, assistance was finally provided to dismantle the illegally constructed structure.

The piece of land, referred to as Parcel 176, is reserved as “Highway to Parika Stelling” but was occupied by an individual by the name of Anita London,

The building on Government reserve which was demolished on Friday

who was operating a business. The building, accord-

ing to a court order is located on Government reserve

which was blocking a legitimate land holder from accessing his land, which is behind the illegal structure.

Speaking with this publication, Chairman of the NDC Jaideo Sookhoo related that Police officers went with the NDC to maintain order during the demolition exercise on Friday.

This was done since previous attempts to enforce the court order was met with resistance.

“This morning (Friday), I got a call from the marshal at the court and they brought Police officers. The entire structure came down and the owner was given until 11:00h to clear out.”

This newspaper had reported on Thursday that the owners of the land behind the illegal structure have been denied access for years as a result of the impasse. The matter begun engaging the court in 2015 but despite the court order the NDC were unable to demolish the structure.

This resulted in the owner taking the NDC to court, where it was ruled that adherence must be made to the law and as such, the Council

must demolish the building.

While the NDC would have sought to peacefully resolve the matter, the squatter obtained a stay of execution, which was also dismissed, and the court upheld its decision that she must remove from the property.

The NDC Chairman had maintained that there was no cooperation from the Police or the squatter in their many attempts to remove the building.

However, on Friday the squatter agreed to comply with the court order and assisted with the demolition.

“When we go to demolish it, the owner decided to comply. They say that they will demolish it themselves and we give them a chance to do so,” the Chairman said.

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Treatment for abused children NDCs responsible for financed by Govt – Greene community street lights Infections (STIs) or Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), explaining, “It damages children and it damages things what we (are) doing”.

A study recently conducted by ChildLink revealed that a number of children have suffered from a ruptured uterus as well as the most dreaded sexually transmitted disease, HIV. In this specific research, 338 victims were screened and at least four were dis-

ChildLink found that victims complained more of being sad, getting angry easily, feeling bad, thinking about the abuse “all the time,” crying a lot, feeling down or depressed, and “spacing out a lot.” Participants described feelings of loss of control over their emotions and their lives. Many reported new or nearly constant anxiety.

Victims even reported that they are affected by nightmares, problems with

covered to have ruptured uteruses, among other health implications.

The report said that many of the children had to be hospitalised as a result of the extent of the abuse, while some even required surgery for their injuries.

On the other hand, some children became pregnant while others contracted HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, or other STIs. According to the report, children were even told that if they spoke out the abusers would tell people they have contracted AIDS. The document said, “Child sexual abuse [CSA] must be seen as an important path for the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis C, and other STIs including the virus that causes cervical cancer. Left untreated, some of these infections will lead to infertility and even death. A person who is abused in childhood and does not receive adequate medical attention, including STI screening, is at risk of suffering irreparable harm and innocently transmitting infections to others”.

When it comes to other effects of child sexual abuse,

sleeping or eating, flashbacks, numbness, irrational fears, incessant crying, and suicidal feelings, including significant suicide attempts.

CCPA Director Ann Greene

T

he Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), Ann Greene on Friday said that medical tests are conducted on all children who are found to be abused, followed by treatment offered by the state.

Her comments came at a time when children have been reported to have contracted the deadly Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), as well as ruptured uteri during sexual abuse.

“Every child that is taken into care that were abused gets a medical done.

That’s part of it so every child has to have a medical examination (and) if there is anything found that child has to be treated,” Greene informed.

She added that this treatment is provided free of cost by the State as a form of assistance.

In addition to this, the Director of the Child Department noted that counselling is done with the affected child to ensure certain measures are not resorted to, including suicide.

Greene was sceptical to divulge any information on the number of children who were treated for the various Sexually Transmitted

T

he Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) shelters a small geographic area within each region, and is tasked with responsibility for the management and administration of the area within its boundaries.

In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson, said the ministry is responsible exclusively for the installation of public roadway streetlights.

“It is not just the installation of a light or a bulb; it comes with a cost,” Minister Ferguson explained.

She reiterated that each NDC is responsible for lighting community spaces, more particularly streets in their respective communities.

Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson

While the collection of rates and taxes functions as the main source of income for each NDC, an annual subvention is also received from the central Government through the Ministry of Communities.

Annual subventions to Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) have increased from $3 million to $5 million.

Government had proposed the increase in the 2019 budget which was approved by the National Assembly.

Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan noted at the time that the increased subventions would serve as tangible support which the councils would use to cater for development in their respective communities.

Region 5 Chairman frustrated...

In August 2016, when the President attended an Emancipation Day programme, he announced that he did not want an apology and urged that RDC meetings be held undisrupted. Again in May 2017, the Government Councillors walked out after Morrison demanded an apology from the Chairman saying that his creditability was at stake when Ramphal called for an investigation into allegations that two Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) officials had used a NDIA machine to carry out personal work.

When the December meeting was called four days before Christmas in 2017, the coalition Councillors said that they were going to give the residents of Region Five a

New Year’s present by sitting to discuss their issues at the monthly meetings.

Subsequently, Morrison returned to the boardroom with the coalition Councillors and convened a meeting during which certain decisions were made.

The coalition since March 2018 has been trying to get the RDC to adopt the minutes for an “illegal” meeting of the Council.

Since then when the meetings are called monthly, coalition members say they

should be looking at the minutes for the February 2018 meeting and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillors say they should be looking at the minutes for the January 2018 meeting.

The impasse continues.

“They are using their bullish tactics and being disrespectful by coming back here and reconvene an illegal meeting.

We will not support such behaviour,” the chairman told his colleagues.

From page 11

He added that the February 2018 minutes needed to come back to the Council for all of the Councillors to go through.

“Let us ratify and confirm and we will proceed.

Why would they illegally call a meeting and expect the Regional Chairman to assent to the minutes that they would have confirmed? That will never happen. This is a democratically constituted body,” the Chairman maintained.

(Andrew Carmichael)

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

AG v Speaker, Opposition Leader

Cessna Caravans safe – GCAA

Govt makes submission T in no-confidence case

…suspension lifted after investigation completed

Attorney General Basil Williams

A

ttorney General Basil Williams has filed in the High Court submissions on behalf of the state, making out the Government’s case in hopes that the court would reverse the no-confidence vote passed in the National Assembly.

In the case of AG vs Speaker of the National Assembly and Opposition Leader, Williams’s submission argues that “there was a miscalculation of the majority of all elected members as required under Article 106 (6) of the Constitution for the Government to be defeated on a vote of no-confidence.”

He is also seeking the court’s decision on “whether 33 votes in favour of the motion of no-confidence amounted to a majority of all elected members in accordance with Article 106 (6) of the Constitution.”

The AG also wants the court to determine “whether Resolution 101 is Constitutional and effective and passed in accor-

dance with Article 106 (6) of the Constitution, (and) whether section 5 of the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2000 (No 17/2000) is constitutional and not inconsistent with article 70 of the Constitution.”

The submission claims that acquiring 33 instead of 34 or more votes breached article 106 (6) of the Constitution and was unlawful. It also claims that the Speaker’s certification of the vote by issuing Resolution 101 is not conclusive.

When it comes to Article 70 of the Constitution, Williams argues that a Government is guaranteed a five-year term and is protected by requiring 2/3 of all elected members to vote in order to reduce that timeframe.

Finally, the submission wants the court to decide “whether the Speaker’s ruling on the vote can be quashed by the Courts.”

On Tuesday, Chief Justice Roxane George gave all sides in the no- confidence cases until January 18 to exchange submissions, January 21 for rebuttal submissions; and in the case of Christopher Ram vs the Attorney General and Speaker of the National Assembly, submissions will be heard on January 23.

Oral submissions for Government supporter Compton Reid vs the Attorney General, former MP Charrandas Persaud and the Speaker of the National Assembly will be heard on January 24.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland

And finally, in the case of the Attorney General vs the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Opposition Leader, oral submissions will be done on January 25.

On December 21, 2018, the no-confidence motion brought by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo brought down the Government by a 33-to-32 vote majority when then Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Charrandas Persaud defected and supported the motion.

Persons have for some time argued that the Cabinet should have resigned by now, pursuant to the laws of Guyana. Article 106 (6) of the Constitution states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

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

Even though less than 90 days remain in which elections must be held, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has made no significant moves towards preparing for holding elections.

he Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Friday announced that an investigation and inspection exercise has been completed on all Cessna Caravans at the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara, and it has shown that the aircraft are safe for operation.

The aircraft would have been grounded on Thursday after a landing gear collapsed on one of the planes destined for a hinterland location on Wednesday.

Guyana Times understands that the left main landing gear of aircraft C208B, belonging to Air Services Limited, collapsed while the craft was being loaded at the Ogle Airport. Some passengers had already boarded the plane when the incident occurred.

The suspension was issued by GCAA Director General Field, who noted

that the grounding would be imposed until all inspections are completed.

Following the investigation and findings, Director General of the GCAA, Egbert Field, lifted the suspension which was instituted earlier in the week.

This gives the operators the green light to continue using this type of aircraft as part of their fleet. However, it was hinted that a more “indepth” inspection would be conducted at a later date.

In November 2018, A Boeing 757 aircraft operated by Fly Jamaica crash-landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, East Bank Demerara.

The aircraft, carrying 118 adults along with two infants and an 8-member crew, took off from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at about 02:10h, but after some time, the aircraft encountered hydraulic problems

and as such returned to the CJIA, where it crash-landed.

The aircraft was destined for Toronto, Canada.

Most of the passengers were subsequently transported to their home or hotels, while arrangements were finalised with Caribbean Airlines to transport some to Canada as soon as possible.

Moments after the aircraft crash-landed, the Control Tower reportedly contacted the Duty Officer and the Guyana Fire Service.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon revealed the report into the emergency landing was presented to Cabinet, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson presented the report, complete with details on the incident, to cabinet.

An 85-year-old woman, Rookhia Kalloo, who was aboard the Canada-bound plane, succumbed to her injuries sustained from the crash.

Year of Indigenous Languages to be launched today

T

he Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry will today launch the International Year of the Indigenous Languages in Aishalton Village, South Rupununi, Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo, Region Nine.

This event will be officially declared open by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo performing the duties of President, who will be delivering the keynote address. He will be joined

by Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Sydney Allicock, and Minister within the Ministry, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, among other officials, the Department of Public Information reported on Friday.

The United Nations has declared 2019 – The International Year of Indigenous Languages, to raise awareness of the consequences of the endangerment of Indigenous languages across the world. It aims to establish a link between language, development, peace, and reconciliation.

On December 19, 2016, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages based on a resolution of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The General Assembly’s resolution requested the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

An Indigenous man and woman of Shulinab Village in the South Rupununi, Region 9

Organization (UNESCO) as the lead UN agency for coordination of the year.

The International Year of Indigenous Languages aims to focus attention on the risks confronting indigenous languages, especially those significant for development, reconciliation, good governance and peacebuilding. It also aims to improve the quality of life, wider international cooperation, and visibility and strengthened intercultural dialogue to reaffirm the continuity of indigenous languages and cultures.

Activities planned for the year will be in three thematic areas: supporting the revitalisation and maintenance of indigenous languages through the creation of more materials and content; preserving indigenous languages, creating access to education, information and knowledge in and about indigenous languages for indigenous children, young people and adults; and mainstreaming the knowledge areas and

values of indigenous peoples and cultures within broader social-cultural economic and political domains, as well as cultural practices such as traditional sports and games.

In Guyana, $36 million was allocated in the 2019 National Budget to promote the nine Indigenous languages through collaboration with the UN’s Indigenous Peoples Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Among activities proposed throughout the year are a Language Revival Programme, Village Welcome Signboards to be erected at the entrance of each village in their respective language, Radio and Television programmes, a Children’s Book, a Tourist Hand Book, a Short Story competition, debates in four languages (Patamona, Akawaio, Wapishana and Makushi) at the Umana Yana, an Indigenous Foo d Festival, a Calendar of Nations 2019, and establishment of an Indigenous Summer School.

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

“Youths involved with law should Illegal use of Caricom SG on be treated differently”- CFYR rep social media being investigated

A

call for youths who are placed before the courts and moreover involved with the law to be treated differently was recently resonated at the opening of the Caribbean Youth Summit on Violence Prevention.

The importance of this was stressed by the Chief of Party for the Community, Family and Youth Resilience (CFYR) Program, Debra Wahlberg.

Youths in Guyana who are taken before the court for petty offences such as wandering have been dragged before the court in shackles.

“We need to acknowledge that youth who are involved with the law are youths, and not adults, and the justice system should treat them with different approaches,” Wahlberg stated.

In the same breath, the representative urged individuals at the conference to aid in the successful reintegration of youths into communities, after they would have found themselves before the Courts.

“We also need to do a better job of supporting their successful reintegration into their communities. The goal is to empower youths to become productive citizens and make positive contributions to society,” she explained.

The CFYR program, which falls under the umbrella ‘Yes Project’, is geared towards strengthening youths, families and community support systems; improving youth skills to decline involvement in crime; expanding access to education and employment opportunities, and providing spe-

Chief of Party for the CFYR Program, Debra Wahlberg

cialized services to youths who are at the highest risk of being engaged in violence.

The program is currently working in Guyana on Juvenile Justice Reforms to ensure that youths already in contact with the law can be successfully rehabilitated and reintegrated into their communities.

In addition to Guyana, the CFYR program has been implemented in Saint Lucia as well as Saint Kitts and Nevis. It targets youths between the ages of 10 and 29.

According to Wahlberg, “Despite our best collective efforts, unemployment, access to drugs, limited opportunities, and weakened families and community support systems continue to affect Caribbean youth, making them more vulnerable to victimization”.

She was keen to note that hope still exists for youths across the Region. She noted that they are innovative and most times can provide advice or even have the solutions to their own issues.

The Juvenile Justice Bill which was passed in

April 2018 would repeal the ancient 1931 Juvenile Offenders Act and the Training Schools Act, abolishing offences like truancy and wandering. The draft bill was conceived in 2004 under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Administration, with the support and input from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

According to the criminal capacity aspect of the Act, “no child shall be capable of, or guilty of, committing an offence unless the presumption is rebutted pursuant to an evaluation done in accordance with subsection.”

In addition to other factors, it was also stated that “where a child is charged, the Director of Public Prosecutions or the prosecutor or the attorney representing the child shall request of the court, and the court shall order, an evaluation of the child by a suitably qualified person to be conducted at the expense of the State.” If a teenager has been found guilty of a crime, it was plainly stated that the Juvenile Justice System will be separate from that for adults, and place emphasis on the rehabilitation, education and reintegration of youths.

As such, it seeks to ensure that a juvenile is subject to meaningful consequences proportionate to the offence and circumstances, recognising his or her greater dependency and reduced level of maturity, while providing procedural protection to ensure that adolescents are treated fairly and humanely and their rights are protected.

T

he Guyanabased Caribbean Community (Caricom) Secretariat Friday said it is investigating reports of the illegal use of the picture of its Secretary General Irwin LaRocque on the social media platform, WhatsApp. The WhatsApp purporting to come from the Secretary General uses the telephone number +15156128117.

But the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) received a message from LaRocque indicating “an imposter” had set up a WhatsApp account “using my name and profile picture.

“The only WhatsApp account I have is on my Guyana cell number. Do not respond to any messages if it is not from the account with my Guyana cell,” LaRocque added.

Meanwhile, the Antigua

Secretary General Irwin LaRocque

and Barbuda Ambassador to Caricom, Dr. Clarence Henry said he too had received an email from the “Office of the Secretary General” last December, indicating that he (Henry) has been “reported to the Secretary General of CARICOM by your former Ambassador for misconduct”.

The email urges Henry to “kindly follow the below Link and sign in to view

Report” adding “the report is accessible only via your government email.

“The Office of the Secretary-General would appreciate receiving an acknowledgement of receipt of this transmission via return e-mail,” the email added.

The Caricom Secretariat said it had never issued such an e-email. (CMC)

US special counsel disputes report Trump told lawyer to lie

S

pecial Counsel Robert Mueller’s office on Friday disputed a report in BuzzFeed News that President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen said Trump directed him to lie to Congress.

BuzzFeed, citing two unnamed law enforcement sources, said Cohen, who is going to prison for lying to Congress, told investigators working for Mueller that Trump had directed him to lie about efforts to build a skyscraper in Moscow while

he was running for president.

“BuzzFeed’s description of specific statements to the Special Counsel’s Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen’s Congressional testimony are not accurate,” Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller’s office, said in a rare statement from the special counsel.

While Mueller’s spokesman stopped short of declaring the article false in its en-

tirety, he disputed portions of the story that appear to go to the heart of the allegations made against Trump.

It was the first time Mueller has commented about a news article concerning his probe of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith said in a statement: “We stand by the reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he’s disputing.”

(Reuters)

Prince Philip's car "careered" across road Passenger jumps off cruise ship, gets

T

he man who helped free the Duke of Edinburgh from his Land Rover after his crash has described how he saw the vehicle "careering" across the road.

Prince Philip, 97, was unhurt but visited hospital on Friday for a check-up following Thursday's crash.

A nine-month-old boy in the other car was uninjured. The driver, a 28-yearold woman, had cuts while a 45-year-old female passenger broke her wrist.

Witness Roy Warne said the duke asked about their welfare after the crash.

A Palace spokesperson said the duke's hospital visit confirmed he had "no injuries of concern".

Warne was driving home when he saw the car roll and end up on the other side of the road.

He said the duke was "obviously shaken" but managed to stand up and ask how the others involved in the crash were, he said.

Warne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I saw it careering, tumbling across the road and ending up on the other side.

"It would take a massive force [to have done that]."

banned for life by Royal Caribbean

A

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth

He said that after seeing the crash, on the A149 near Sandringham: "I went to the other car. There was a baby in the back and, with another man, we got the baby out.

"Then I went to the black car to help and realised it was the Duke of Edinburgh."

Warne said he overheard the duke telling police he had been "dazzled by the sun".

The two people who were first to the scene of the crash say the duke appears to have been travelling alone in the vehicle at the moment of collision. v The two women in the Kia were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn to be treated for the bro-

ken wrist and cuts to the knee, and were later discharged.

A Palace spokesman said contact had been made with the occupants of the Kia - the other car involved in the crash - to exchange "well-wishes".

Norfolk Police said it was standard policy to breath test drivers involved in collisions and both had provided negative readings.

The incident will be investigated "and any appropriate action taken", the force added.

Chris Spinks, who led Norfolk's roads policing team for five years, said officers would likely follow-up on first hand accounts and interview those involved. (BBC News)

Washington man says he “did not think this through” before he jumped off the side of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship docked in Nassau, Bahamas.

Now, Nick Naydev is banned from the cruise line for life and says he had to find his own way home from the island.

Naydev said he jumped from the eleventh floor, which he estimated was about 100 feet up from the ocean.

“I am truly astonished at how this video has spread throughout the internet. I did not think this through before I jumped. My idea was this would be a good laugh for my friends and I would just swim back to shore and continue my vacation and never thought this would be this serious,” Naydev said in a statement to FOX 13.

He said security officers from the cruise ship told him to pack up and prepare to leave the ship immediately.

“Local police in Nassau, Bahamas were called in to pick us up from the ship, but fortunately the police

thought the whole situation was amusing and did not proceed to file any legal actions,” Naydev said.

In the video, Naydev’s friends have gathered around as he climbs up the railing of the balcony. He looks at his friend who is holding the

camera and then leaps.

“I just hope I don’t inspire anyone to try this, because I don’t want to feel responsible for any injuries.”

FOX 13 has reached out to Royal Caribbean for comment. (Fox 13 News)

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturdAY, January 19, 2019

Regional

New caravan of Central American migrants crosses into Mexico

H

undreds of mostly Honduran migrants entered southern Mexico on Friday, joining around 1000 other people from Central America who crossed a day earlier and putting to the test Mexico’s vows to guarantee the safe and orderly flow of people.

The cohort crossed into Chiapas state before dawn without needing the wrist bands that officials on Thursday gave migrants to wear until they could register with authorities, several migrants and an official told Reuters.

“The road today was open,” said Marco Antonio Cortez, 37, a baker from Honduras travelling with his wife and children, ages two and nine. “They didn’t give us bracelets or anything, they just let us pass through Mexico migration.”

A migration official at the entry point, who asked not to be named because she was not authorised to speak to media, said that at least 1000 people crossed from Guatemala into Mexico around 05:00h, without needing wrist bands.

Migration officials did not reply to requests for comment on why the wrist

People belonging to a caravan of migrants from Honduras en route to the United States walk at the border crossing to Mexico in Hidalgo, Mexico, January 18, 2019

bands were not required on Friday.

The migrant group proceeded on foot alongside cars on a highway, accompanied by federal police Officers, arriving at a shelter in the city of Tapachula around midday.

Sitting by the side of the road rub-

bing cream onto his children’s feet, 40-year-old Honduran migrant Santos Pineda said he and his family entered Mexico easily, and without having to provide documents or wear any wrist bands. The family’s plan was to press on to the United States, he said. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

NUPW writes LIAT on pilots’ behalf

T

he National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) of Barbados has written to LIAT on behalf of disgruntled pilots.

Union President Akanni

McDowall said the Union wrote Chief Executive Officer Julie Reifer-Jones to have the pilots’ grievances addressed.

In response, Reifer-Jones

said she had to make checks with the Labour Department in Antigua before they could move ahead.

LIAT pilots have been traditionally represented by

the Leeward Island Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA), but all of that changed after the relationship with the current President, Captain Carl Burke broke down. (nationnews)

Barbados PM to address regional investment forum in Jamaica

B

arbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley will address the three-day 14th Regional Investments and Capital Markets conference to be held in Jamaica from Tuesday next week.

Mottley is expected to make a presentation on “New Approach to Regional Development: The Growth Agenda” at the conference being hosted by the Jamaica Stock Exchange, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The theme for the conference is “Expanding our Borders: Securing our

Future,” which the organisers have described as a premier regional financial forum that attracts some of the most acclaimed and innovative business and state leaders in the world.

They said among the topics to be discussed include transforming the regional economy: achieving robust economic growth and life after the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

A Government statement said that Mottley will also take the opportunity while in Jamaica to meet with members of the country’s Private Sector on Monday.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley

(CMC)

Antigua: Another deficit budget despite claim of unrivalled economic growth

P

rime Minister and Finance Minister Gaston Browne on Thursday presented to the House of Representative his government’s Fiscal Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for 2019.

Commonly referred to simply as ‘The Budget’, Browne unveiled a package comprising expenditure of EC$914.9 million in recurrent spending and capital spending of EC$130 million – making a

total well in excess of EC$1 billion in projected expenditure.

On the revenue side, the budget projects to rake in EC$932.2 million in recurrent intake and EC$34 million in grants, for a total revenue of EC$966.2 million — leaving an overall financing gap or deficit of EC$78.8 million. The Prime Minister, a career banker before entering elective politics about 20 years ago, explained

what this meant and how the financing gap would be bridged.

“Additionally, total principal payments amount to EC$360.1 million. This, along with the EC$78.8 million overall deficit and the EC$10 million allocated to reduce arrears to local contractors and suppliers, bring the financing requirement for 2019 to EC$448.9 million. To satisfy this requirement, our Government

will raise EC$274.8 million from Securities issued on the Regional Government Securities Market, and access loans and advances of EC$174.1 million,” he stated.

Despite presenting a deficit budget, not for the first time, the Prime Minister highlighted what he said was yet another period of robust economic growth for Antigua and Barbuda. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

Bogotá car bomb: Colombia blames ELN rebels for deadly explosion

C

olombia has blamed the left-wing National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group for a car bomb attack that killed 21 people in the capital, Bogotá.

Dozens more were injured in Thursday’s blast after an explosives-laden vehicle broke into the grounds of a Police academy before it detonated.

The driver, who was also killed, has been identified as a 57-year-old man.

President Ivan Duque put peace talks with the ELN on hold when he took power in 2018.

Any restart to the negotiations is unlikely following the attack, the deadliest in the country in many years, correspondents say.

The driver, named earlier as José Aldemar Rojas Rodríguez, was a longtime ELN member and the group’s top explosives expert, Defence Minister Guillermo Botero said.

The suspect, known by his war alias “El Mocho” or

“Kiko”, had lost his right hand in an accident with an explosive and was based in the northern department of Arauca, from where he frequently crossed into Venezuela.

“This was an operation that has been planned for the past 10 months,” Botero said, adding that the guerrillas were the “intellectual authors” behind the driver’s attack.

A second man who had “participated” in the carrying out of the attack was arrested in Bogotá, Attorney General Néstor Humberto Martínez said.

President Duque, who visited the site of the explosion on Thursday, described the attack as a “crazy terrorist act”.

“We won’t rest until we capture and bring to justice the terrorists involved,” he said. “Colombians have never yielded to terrorism, we have always defeated it.

This will not be an exception.” (Excerpt from BBC News)

Trinidad defends decision to abstain on Venezuela vote at OAS

Dr Keith Rowley

T

rinidad Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley has defended his government’s decision to abstain from an Organisation of American States (OAS) vote not to recognise the Nicolás Maduro Government in Venezuela.

He said that while Port of Spain had three options during the vote last Thursday, “we in making these decision, we put the interest of the people of Trinidad and Tobago paramount at all times and in voting nay or yeah as others have done we maintain in the presence of large, small, powerful and weak that Trinidad and Tobago is a sovereign country and we are free to make that decision.

“We make it in our own interest,” Rowley told reporters Thursday during a more-than-three-hour “conversation and an opportunity to engage with him on matters of national interest”.

Jamaica, along with Haiti, The Bahamas, Guyana and St Lucia supported the OAS resolution in not recognising the second five-year term of President Maduro, while Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname voted against the measure.

St Kitts-Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, and Belize abstained during the vote earlier this week, while Grenada was not present when the matter was put to the vote.

In the resolution, the OAS urged all Member States and permanent observers to the hemispheric body to adopt, “in accordance with international law and their national legislation, diplomatic, political, economic and financial measures that they consider appropriate, to contribute to the prompt restoration of the democratic order of Venezuela”. (Excerpt from CMC)

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saturdAY, January 19, 2019

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Trump-Kim summit: 2nd Zimbabwe imposes total “Internet meeting by end of February shutdown” amid crackdown

Z

U

S President Donald Trump is to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a second summit by the end of February, the White House says.

The announcement came after Trump met top North Korean negotiator Kim Yong-chol at the White House.

He had been expected to deliver a letter from Kim Jong-un to Trump.

Little progress has been made on denuclearisation since their historic summit in Singapore last June. No venue has been announced for the new summit.

Speculation is mounting that it could be held in Vietnam.

Kim Yong-chol’s visit to Washington is the first sign of movement in nuclear diplomacy with North Korea for months, BBC State Department correspondent Barbara Plett Usher reports.

It is not clear what the reported letter from Kim Jongun contained. But it was expected to lay the ground-

imbabwe imposed a “total Internet shutdown” for most of Friday in what critics called an attempt to hide growing reports of a violent crackdown on protests against a dramatic fuel price increase.

Gasoline in the economically shattered country is now the world’s most expensive, and Zimbabweans heeded a nationwide stay-at-home call earlier this week in protest.

Others took to the streets.

Since then, graphic reports

Presidents Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un

work for another summit, our correspondent adds.

President Trump said he was looking forward to the talks.

Not very much was agreed on in the Singapore summit, so there is little to measure success by.

Nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled, no detailed account of North Korea’s nuclear facilities has been provided and sanctions are still firmly in place.

Kim, however, has been busy boosting his global image. He’s improved relations with neighbouring South Korea, and both countries have destroyed guard posts along the heavily guarded demilitarised zone – and paid trips to each other’s countries.

Ties between North Korea and China also appear to have improved, with Kim making multiple trips to Beijing to meet President Xi. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Sudan Police fire live rounds outside home of slain protester

S

udanese Police fired live ammunition at mourners outside the home of a protester who died early on Friday from a gunshot wound sustained the night before.

About 2000 mourners gathered in the Burri neighbourhood where the man, Moawia Bashir Khalil, 60, was shot on Thursday.

According to local reports, Khalil was killed inside his home for helping unarmed protesters hide from security forces.

The procession turned into a spontaneous anti-Gov-

ernment demonstration, the latest in a series of protests against the leadership of President Omar al-Bashir.

The capital, Khartoum, has witnessed weeks of pitched battles between Police and demonstrators over the state of the economy and other issues.

“We are not scared, we will not stop” the protesters shouted, as they took to the streets of Khartoum’s eastern district of Burri, the hub of an anti-Government rally late on Thursday.

Video footage showed men and women, many wear-

ing masks, shouting slogans against the Government as a thick plume of smoke – resulting from burning tyres and rubbish – billowed behind them.

A child and a doctor were also killed by gunfire in Burri on Thursday, said the Sudan Doctors’ Committee (SDC), a group linked to the Opposition.

Before Police opened fire on Friday, some mourners pelted officers nearby with rocks and overturned and destroyed a Police truck, witness video showed. (Excerpt

from Al Jazeera)

Detained ex-Interpol chief ’s wife seeks asylum in France

T

he wife of the former Chinese Interpol chief being held in his home country on corruption charges has applied for asylum in France, her lawyer said.

Grace Meng has remained in the French city of Lyon, the site of Interpol’s headquarters, since her husband Meng Hongwei disappeared while visiting China in September. He was later revealed to have been arrested.

She told Franceinfo radio and the Liberation newspaper that she fears for her life and that of their twin sons, despite being under French Police protection.

“I need the French Government to protect me,

have emerged of security forces targeting activists and labour leaders while the Government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa blames the Opposition for the unrest.

Access to the Internet and popular social media apps like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp has been intermittently blocked as the country’s largest telecom company, Econet, sends customers text messages relaying the Government’s orders and call-

ing the situation “beyond our reasonable control”.

Hundreds of Zimbabweans arrested during the protests were detained on Friday on public order charges, as the United Nations urged an end to the brutal security crackdown and the Internet blackout.

The Internet shutdown cuts off crucial access to the mobile money that Zimbabwe’s Government uses to pay teachers and other public workers. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Australia swelters through record-breaking heatwave

A

ustralia has just sweltered through at least five of its 10 warmest days on record, authorities estimate.

An extreme heatwave has afflicted the nation since Saturday, causing wildlife deaths, bushfires and an increase in hospital admissions.

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said preliminary readings showed daily national temperature highs of 40 Celsius.

The town of Noona in New South Wales meanwhile recorded a night-time temperature of 35.9 Celsius.

It was the highest minimum temperature ever recorded anywhere in Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said.

Forecasters have compared conditions to the nation’s worst heatwave in 2013, where the mercury soared to 39 Celsius for seven consecutive days.

The hottest day on record

Australians have flocked to beaches and watering holes to cool off

for Australia is January 7, 2013, when the national average maximum temperature was 40.3 Celsius.

“The current heatwave ranks alongside that of January 2013 as the most extensive and prolonged heatwave on record over Australia,” BOM senior meteorologist Blair Trewin told the BBC earlier this week.

“There have been other notable heatwaves, but none

affecting such a large area of the country.”

A large swathe of New South Wales is bearing the brunt of the heat, with temperatures also soaring in parts of Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, and the Northern Territory.

Temperatures are expected to drop in southern and central areas over the weekend. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Europe’s patience with Iran wears thin, tiptoes toward Trump

I

n Tehran on January 8 during a meeting with European envoys, Iranian officials abruptly stood up, walked out and slammed the door in an extraordinary break with protocol.

The French, British, German, Danish, Dutch, and Belgian diplomats in the Iranian Foreign Ministry room had incensed the officials with a message that Europe could no longer tolerate ballistic missile tests in Iran and assassination plots on European soil, according to four European Union diplomats.

“There was a lot of drama, they didn’t like it, but we felt

we had to convey our serious concerns,” one of the diplomats said. “It shows the relationship is becoming more tense,” a second said.

An Iranian official declined to comment on the meeting.

The next day, the European Union imposed its first sanctions on Iran since world powers agreed the 2015 Vienna nuclear arms control deal with Tehran.

The sanctions were largely symbolic, but the stormy meeting encapsulated the unexpected shift in European diplomacy since the end of last year. Smaller, more dovish EU countries have joined France

and Britain in a harder stance on Tehran, including considering new economic sanctions, diplomats say.

Those could include asset freezes and travel bans on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Iranians developing the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile programme, three diplomats said.

The new approach moves Europe closer to US President Donald Trump’s policy of isolating Iran with tough sanctions even though European Governments still support the 2015 Vienna deal from which he withdrew in May. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

Manmohan Singh: India’s ‘accidental PM’ biopic causes stir Grace Meng has said she lives in fear of being kidnapped [Jeff Pachoud/AFP]

to assist me, to help me and my children,” she said. “I am afraid of being kidnapped.”

Her lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny told Reuters news agency she had recently applied for asylum after being under Police protection soon after her husband disappeared.

French authorities declined to comment to Reuters.

A former Vice Minister for Public Security in China who rose through the ranks of the country’s feared security apparatus, Meng was the first Chinese Head of the international Police organisation. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

M

anmohan Singh was one of India’s longest serving Prime Ministers and widely regarded as the architect of the country’s economic reforms. But critics say a new Bollywood biopic months before a general election reduces him to a caricature.

The film, critics say, could have been an engaging exploration of the career of one of

India’s most enigmatic leaders.

Instead, many see it as a hatchet job on Singh and Congress. One called it a “bad propaganda film”.

According to veteran Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, who plays Singh, the filmmakers “worked hard to make a big epic homage to a man, scholar and politician, who is misunderstood, or rather hardly understood”.

That evaluation of Singh as barely understood is not wide of the mark.

But few agree the film, based on the memoirs of Singh’s media adviser Sanjaya Baru, does him justice.

Singh – who is now 86 – served two terms as PM from 2004-2014. A former academic and bureaucrat, he kept a low profile and rarely gave interviews. (Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

saturdAY, January 19, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

dilbert

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

A discussion will help solve an emotional problem, as long as you don’t let pigheadedness get in the way.

If you are honest and willing to compromise, everything will turn out fine.

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Your optimism will attract attention. If you do all the talking, you won’t find out much about the people you interact with. Much can be accomplished if you listen and observe.

CANCER

Address needed or recent changes regarding your relationships, financial situation and any joint ventures you are involved in.

(June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

WORD GAME

Don’t let emotional issues get you down. Focus on opportunities, self-improvement and getting along with others.

Keeping the peace will encourage better relationships and help solve a pending problem.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Personal goals can be accomplished if you are willing to make a lifestyle or professional change. Leave nothing to chance. Romance is highlighted.

Don’t overreact or allow someone to cause problems.

Know when to walk away from anyone or anything that is not in your best interest. Stick to people who are givers, not takers.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Pay less attention to critical and demanding people, and more attention to becoming the best that you can be. You are responsible for your happiness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Communication, travel and getting together with friends and relatives will do you good. The information you are given will help you with a problem. *

SUDOKU

Put some muscle behind SAGITTARIUS getting things done today.

(Nov. 23- Whether it’s a professional Dec. 21) or domestic target you are trying to reach, less talk and more action is favored.

Thursday’s Word

solution for LAST PUBLISHED puzzle

Face facts, be realistic CAPRICORN and aim to stabilize your sit(Dec. 22- uation and important relaJan. 19) tionships. It’s time to let go of or restructure the things that are standing in your way.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Be careful how much you spend and on what. You’ll be tempted to indulge in a product or service that makes impossible claims.

Save your money for something worthwhile.

Do something nice for a loved one. Starting home improvement projects or hosting an event at your place is favored. Energetic activities will help you blow off steam.

saturdAY, January 19, 2019

19

Australia Open 2019…

Nadal subdues local hope de Minaur in 3rd round clash

R

afa Nadal subdued Alex de Minaur 6-1 6-2 6-4 in their third round clash at the Australian Open on Friday after dominating the home town’s top-ranked male player.

Tennis - Australian Open - Third Round - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, January 18, 2019. Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning the match against Australia's Alex de Minaur. REUTERS/Aly Song The second seed comfortably controlled baseline exchanges, forcing the young Australian to take ever greater risks to compete with the 17 times Grand Slam champion.

Alarm bells started ringing at the packed center court almost as soon as the Friday match started.

Nadal held his service game easily, while de Minaur needed 16 points to hold serve, raising immediate questions over whether the young Australian could keep up with his Spanish opponent.

It was the only game de Minaur won that set.

Nadal, who later described his opponent as probably the quickest play-

Maria Sharapova

er on tour, exerted similar pressure in the first game of the second set. This time he broke de Minaur’s serve after a marathon 20-point game.

With superior firepower on his ground strokes, Nadal could take control of baseline exchanges without taking too many risks.

De Minaur tried to lift his tempo to prevent being bullied around the court - a tactic that naturally carries more risk, and one that he could not successfully sustain.

A packed center court stadium tried desperately to

encourage their charge, but the 19-year-old had his work cut-out trying to hold his own service games, let alone pressure Nadal on his.

De Minaur saved five match points before succumbing in an identical scoreline to the pair’s third round Wimbledon match-up last year.

Although mainly known for his aggressive ground game, Nadal recorded a very high first serve percentage (75), leaving his opponent very few opportunities.

The strong serving display also sounded a timely warning to the rest of the

GCA cricket fixtures continue

M

atches organised by the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) will continue today and tomorrow.

The GCA/Friends of Cricket Under-17 (100-Over) Cricket Competition continues today with a double header in which Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) take on Everest Cricket Club at the Bourda Cricket Ground.

Everest remain at the bottom of the table, and will be faced with an uphill task as they must defeat GCC if they want to add substantive points to their tally.

In the other fixture, Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) will duke it out with Bel Air Rubis CC at Queenstown, Georgetown.

Both matches are scheduled to commence promptly at 09:30h. The New Building Society (NBS) Second Division 40-Over 2018/2019 season will continue today and tomorrow with several matches across Georgetown.

Today will see a double header as the highly anticipated matchup between GDF and Police SC take place at Camp Ayanganna (GDF). The soldiers are cur-

rently ranked third in Zone B, while Police are in fifth.

Both teams will be looking to advance in the league.

In the other fixture, Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) will attempt to make light work of GNIC, who are currently at the bottom of the table. All matches will commence at 10:30h.

The action will then continue on Sunday with five matches across Georgetown.

Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) will do battle with the Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) at the MYO ground. The second-placed GYO will be hoping to defeat table toppers MYO. Meanwhile, Everest CC will take on Malteenoes SC at Camp Road, while the UG Trojans will attempt to break the curse as they face off against the mighty DCC at Queenstown. The last two fixtures will see Third Class CC take on the out of form Sophia CC at GYO, while GCC will trash it out with Police SC at the GCC Ground. All fixtures will commence at 10:30h.

field that Nadal is a bona fide contender for the title despite coming into the tournament under an injury cloud.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are both searching for a record seventh Australian Open title in Melbourne, while a younger generation led

by Germany’s Alexander Zverev are looking to unseat the aging champions.

Aggressive Sharapova eliminates Wozniacki

Maria Sharapova scorched the Rod Laver Arena with her aggressive

tennis to eliminate defending Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki 6-4 4-6 6-3 in the third round on Friday.

Five-times Grand Slam champion Sharapova, who won her last major at the 2014 French Open, hit 37 winners against 10 from her opponent and converted her second matchpoint to set up a fourth round clash against Australia number one Ashleigh Barty.

Sharapova, who won the Australian Open in 2008, headed into the match with a 6-4 lead in their previous meetings and went for her shots from the first point making it difficult for the third-ranked Dane with a game built on defense.

“I thought the level was quite high. She is the defending champion of this event and it’s no secret she loves this arena,” Sharapova said in a courtside interview.

“These are the types of matches I train for so it’s really rewarding to win that last point. I’m definitely not walking around thinking I have experience and think they’re just going to give it to me.”

Wozniacki had the first break but handed the ad-

vantage back with a double fault before the Russian 30th seed, who was suspended for 15 months for taking banned drug meldonium in 2016, won three consecutive games to take the set.

After a trade of breaks, Wozniacki took the match into a deciding set after a double fault from former world number one Sharapova gave her a set point which she converted to level the entertaining encounter on Rod Laver Arena at 1-1.

Sharapova shrieked in delight with her fists clenched after converting her third breakpoint in the seventh game with a scorching forehand and broke Wozniacki again to seal the victory in two hours and 24 minutes.

The 31-year-old Russian said she had decided to be aggressive against Wozniacki and aim for shorter points.

That plan, however, took her unforced errors to 46, more than double than from Wozniacki.

Sharapova will brace for a hostile crowd in the fourth round when she takes on local hope Barty, who beat Greek Maria Sakkari 7-5 6-1. (Reuters)

Cricket West Indies affirms Richard Pybus’ appointment

C

ricket West Indies (CWI) is standing by its decision to appoint Englishman, Richard Pybus interim Head Coach of the WINDIES Men's team.

Following a meeting of the Board of Directors on Thursday, January 17, the organization affirmed that the appointment of Pybus was made with the support of more than two-thirds of its board to ensure the team had strong leadership ahead of the busy cricket season this year.

Pybus, who was the architect of the West Indies trifecta of

2016 World Cup titles (World T20, Women's World T20 and Under-19 World Cup) while serving as WINDIES cricket director, leads the technical team for the upcoming visit of England, the Triangular Series in Ireland, the 2019 Cricket World Cup (CWC), and the visit of India in July and August. During this interim period, Pybus’ tour of duty in the demanding months ahead will be supported by a technical team, which includes some of the game’s leading ex-

Richard Pybus has a chat with Phil Simmons

perts from within the region and around the globe.

CWI advised that the decision to appoint the coach had been further reviewed and approved by the Corporate Governance, and Audit Risk and Compliance Committees.

Recent public charges leveled at the sporting body by an objecting board director have now been referred to the governing body’s Ethics Committee for review. (CWI)

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturdAY, January 19, 2019

MS Dhoni half-century guides tourists to ODI series win M

S Dhoni scored a third successive half century to guide India to a seven-wicket win against Australia and clinch the one-day international series 2-1.

Dhoni, who was dropped

first ball, hit an unbeaten 87 and Kedar Jadhav was 61 not out in a 121run fourth-wicket partnership as the tourists won in Melbourne with four balls remaining.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra

MS Dhoni scored his 70th OneDay half-century to guide India to a 2-1 series win in Australia

SCOREBOARD Australia Innings (50 overs maximum) AT Carey † c Kohli b Kumar 5 AJ Finch (c) lbw b Kumar 14 UT Khawaja c & b Chahal 34 SE Marsh st †Dhoni b Chahal 39 PSP Handscomb lbw b Chahal 58 MP Stoinis c Sharma b Chahal 10 GJ Maxwell c Kumar b Shami 26 JA Richardson c Jadhav b Chahal 16 A Zampa c Shankar b Chahal 8 PM Siddle not out 10 B Stanlake b Shami 0 Extras (lb 2, w 8) 10 TOTAL (48.4 Overs, RR: 4.72) 230 all out Fall of wickets: 1-8 (AT Carey, 2.5 ov), 2-27 (AJ Finch, 8.6 ov), 3-100 (SE Marsh, 23.1 ov), 4-101 (UT Khawaja, 23.4 ov), 5-123 (MP Stoinis, 29.3 ov), 6-161 (GJ Maxwell, 34.5 ov), 7-206 (JA Richardson, 43.3 ov), 8-219 (PSP Handscomb, 45.6 ov), 9-228 (A Zampa, 47.4 ov), 10-230 (B Stanlake, 48.4 ov)

BOWLING: B Kumar (8-128-2), M Shami (9.4-0-472), V Shankar (6-0-23- 0), KM Jadhav (6-0-35-0), RA Jadeja (9-0-53-0), YS Chahal (10-0-42-6) India Innings (target: 231 runs from 50 overs) RG Sharma c Marsh b Siddle 9 S Dhawan c & b Stoinis 23 V Kohli (c) c †Carey b Richardson 46 MS Dhoni † not out 87 KM Jadhav not out 61 Extras (lb 1, w 7) 8 TOTAL (49.2 Overs, RR: 4.74) 234-3 Did not bat: KD Karthik, V Shankar, RA Jadeja, B Kumar, Mohammed Shami, YS Chahal Fall of wickets: 1-15 (RG Sharma, 5.6 ov), 2-59 (S Dhawan, 16.2 ov), 3-113 (V Kohli, 29.6 ov) BOWLING: JA Richardson (10-1-27-1), PM Siddle (9-156-1), B Stanlake (10-0-490), GJ Maxwell (1-0-7-0), A Zampa (10-0-34-0), MP Stoinis (9.2-0-60-1)

Chahal took 6-42 as Australia were all out for 230.

The one-day success follows India's first Test series win in Australia.

However, the Australians wasted several opportunities to avenge that defeat in the longer form of the game.

Captain Virat Kohli, who went on to score 46, was dropped by Peter Handscomb at slip on 10, while Glenn Maxwell dropped a straightforward chance at point to remove Dhoni first ball, while both should have also been run out early in their partnership. Dhoni was also dropped in the 48th over by

captain Aaron Finch with India needing 27 runs from the final 18 deliveries, but the former India skipper never looked flustered as he and Jadhav saw the tourists home.

The 37-year-old middle-order batsman was named player of the series in recognition of his 193 runs over the three matches - a marked improvement to Dhoni's form in 2018, when he managed just 275 runs from 20 ODIs. Kohli welcomed the confidence boost for one of his senior players, who led India to the 2007 World Twenty20, 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy but had been criti-

cised at times for his performances last year.

"As a team we are very happy, but more than anything I think he must be very pleased that he is amongst the runs and feeling confident about his game again, which is very important for a batsman," said Kohli, who replaced Dhoni as one-day skipper in January 2017.

"Many things happen on the outside, people say a lot of things, but as an individual we know no-one has been more committed to Indian cricket than MS Dhoni.

"I think people should let him have his space because he has contributed so

much for the nation.

"They should just let him figure out things on his own about his game and what he needs to do.

"He has been one of the most intelligent cricketers; he is not someone who is not aware about what needs to be done.

"As a team, we are totally in sync and very happy about what he is doing - and we are all very happy for him."

The Indians had exploited the slow-paced pitch in Australia's innings and set the tone early by putting pressure on the Australian openers and restricting their scoring.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar continued to torment Finch, dismissing the Australian skipper for the third time in the series, before also claiming the wicket of Alex Carey to reduce the hosts to 27-2.

Usman Khawaja (34) and Shaun Marsh (39) steadied the innings with a 73-run partnership, but both fell in the same over to Chahal, who made a decisive impact in his first match of the series.

Handscomb top-scored with 58 but became Chahal's fifth wicket, caught in the deep, with the score on 2198 and Australia's innings petered out. (BBC Sport)

2019 England v CWI President’s XI tour matches…

England line-up looking ominous ahead of Tests – batsmen, Anderson/Broad duo hit top gear

E

ngland are seemingly continuing from where they left off last year in Tests, as a number of their big guns and their lethal pace attack fired against the CWI President’s XI during the first of 2 tour matches played at Cave Hill, Barbados.

The first Test match bowls off on January 23, but the English seem to be hungrier than they appear, having played to a draw against the Windies combined side a few days ago. The tourist racked up 317-10 declared in their only innings, with the Windies potential boogeyman, skipper Joe Root, spanking a runa-ball 87 which included 12 fours and 2

Joe Root

maximums.

The Captain breezed to his fifty batting at # 3, a clear signal as to where he plans to bat in the upcoming Tests after successfully experimenting with Jonny Bairstow at number 3 during the Sri Lanka series. Allrounder Ben Stokes gained a push up the order batting at #4 and hitting a sedate 56, as he spent 143 minutes accumulating his runs at a watchful pace.

Stokes’s promotion could mean Root will be looking to have his senior or marquee players more up the order, as seen with Bairstow who was prompted to open but failed.

All-

r o u n d e r Moeen Ali was pushed up to number 5 and made 20-odd, but could cement his spot at the 5th position, given he’s the most successful batsman in the side, along with Root, Bairstow and Stokes.

Jonny Bairstow

With Root and Stokes hitting form with the bat, Windies will be more worried about the reunion of James Anderson and his sidekick Stuart Broad. The pair have been ranked as the best opening duo in contemporary times, and with close to 1000 Test wickets combined (998), their threat was realised by the inexperienced Windies.

Broad harried the young Caribbean batsmen to snatch up figures of 4-19 from 10 overs, including a hat-trick which blew the hosts away from the inception. Anderson, England’s greatest fast-bowlers and one of

the best in the world, managed to pip his younger partner as he produced magical figures of 4-12 from 11 overs with 4 maidens.

The 8 wickets shared between the two magicians subdued the efforts of the other wicket-takers, who managed to sneak in one or two scalps during the Anderson/Broad show, which ensured the Guyanese left-hander Vishaul Singh’s 25 off 46 was the top score for the CWI President’s XI. The second match was much more worrisome for the Windies, who were again forced to chase a big total after

Bairstow missed a century by two runs, as England racked up a whopping 379 in just 87 overs.

Bairstow made up for the failures in the last game when he scored 98 off 112, which was littered with boundaries. Opener Rory Burns also made amends for his poor showing in the opening match by rebounding with a solid 68 off 89 balls, with 9 fours.

The real danger for the Windies was the inability to contain the England lowerorder batsmen, who chipped in with some useful knocks and added 138 runs after the top six

batsmen did their jobs. Bowling all-rounders Chris Woakes and Sam Curran had breezy knocks of 47 and 43 respectively, while the tourists’ likely main spin weapon in Adil Rashid constructed 48 off 50 deliveries to further press his case.

While it is not entirely clear what Root’s plan or his approach to the situation would be, especially with the Windies team being a totally different unit from the side England is currently facing in the warmups; it is certain that the visitors will look to bump most of the top batters up in the top 5, while the battery of fast-bowling and batting all-rounders can float around within the middle-lower order.

England also seems keen on Broad and Anderson as their main offensive weapons, which could make things harder for the Windies. The host’s real concern will be the England lower-order, with Woakes, Curran and others who are pure all-rounders and will not give up their wickets without a fight.

Windies named a decent looking Test side with a few changes from the recent Asian tours, but the home team could contain their opponents should they manage to find the right combination of players of the final XI ahead of the series.

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LEGAL NOTICE

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Hetmyer, Hope, Bravo could worry England

GUYANA, COUNTY OF DEMERARA IN THE WEST DEMERARA MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT MAGISTRATE’S COURT. TO BE HELD AT THE LENORA MAGISTRATE COURT CIVIL JURISDICTION BETWEEN:

IN THE MATTER OF THE MONEY LENDER ACT, CHAPTER est Indies are entering a bat91:05 AND IN THE MATTER OF AN tle against England with the APPLICATION BY RUIWEN HUANG odds far outweighing them, FOR A CERTIFICATE PURSUANT TO SECTION 4 THEREOF MONEY but should a few of their stars -- the LENDERS CERTIFICATE GRANTED likes of Shimron Hetmyer, Darren UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE MONEY Bravo and Shai Hope – fire, the hosts LENDERS ACT, CHAPTER 91.05 could possibly punch above their I, THE UNDERSIGNED DO HEREBY CERTIFY THAT I DO AUTHORIZE weight class.

England have shown in the warmTHE GRANT TO RUIWEN HUANG, OF LOT 194 PARIKA, EAST BANK up matches that their big guns are ESSEQUIBO, IN THE COUNTY OF no-nonsense players; a number of ESSEQUIBO, REPUBLIC OF GUYANA, them -- including Jonny Bairstow OF A MONEY LENDERS LICENCE who hit 98, Joe Root who hit 87, openTO CARRY ON THE BUSINESS OF A er Rory Burns who contributed fifties, MONEY LENDER UNDER THE STYLE AND TITLE OF SUE MONEY LENDER and star all-rounder Ben Stokes -AND CASH PAWN SHOP OF LOT 194 have headlined the tour games.

Although the Caribbean would PARIKA, EAST BANK ESSEQUIBO. THIS CERTIFICATE SHALL COME field an entirely different team INTO FORCE ON THE ……… DAY OF from the Cricket West Indies (CWI) FEBRUARY, 2019 AND SHALL EXPIRE President’s XI unit which faced Root ON THE 31ST DAY OF DECEMBER, and company this past week, the lack 2019.

– Brathwaite, Bravo batting leaders

W

of experience and runs in the top-order is something that England could likely prey upon, come the start of the series; especially with a battery of pacers led by James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have 998 victims between them heading into the Tests.

With no Chris Gayle, Andre Russell or even Shivnarine Chanderpaul to really frustrate the England bowlers, the Windies will have to rely upon their young guns to uphold their reputation. Hope and Hetmyer were by far the Windies best batters in 2018, having scored hundreds while climbing both the Test and One Day International (ODI)

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Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope will be keen on making strong statements against England

Rankings in the process.

The England series should be a great opportunity for the pair to really step up and show their class against a World-Class side that has two of the best fast-bowlers in contemporary cricket at the time -- Broad and Anderson.

Hetmyer will be given more responsibility this tour. Given his form last year across all formats of the game, the Guyanese should be able to easily utilise conditions at home much like he did last year against Bangladesh, where he made a strong impression with the bat. Hetmyer should want to hit that 3 figure score

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Darren Bravo and Kraigg Brathwaite have troubled the England bowlers in times past

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Brathwaite are the leading run-scorers for the Windies, with each having just about the same amount of runs as well as near identical conversion rates.

Bravo has 8 hundreds and 16 fifties, with a best of 218; while Brathwaite has 8 tons and 17 fifties, with 212 as his best.

The stats clearly show that Windies would need a lot from Hope and Hetmyer, as the future and current in-form pair; while Bravo and Brathwaite would need to shoulder most of the batting responsibilities as the two leading run-scorers in the team.

Also, with newbies John Campbell and Shamarh Brooks added to the squad, much will lie on the aforementioned batsmen to shield while guiding the newer players against an England side who are fresh off a 3-0 whitewash Test series win over Sri Lanka.

West Indies FULL SQUAD:Jason Holder (Captain), Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican NOTE: Oshane Thomas has been called up as cover for Alzarri Joseph

Morata “agrees to join Atletico Madrid”

GUYANA C TIMES OF THE

this series and add to his 4 half-centuries.

H o p e should be more inclined to remind England why he wrote his name in the record books a few years ago.

The Barbados batsman was 23 at the time, and was the youngest member of the playing XI when he took his team to a victory over the English in England with knocks of 147 and 118 not out; making him the first player in a stretch of 534 first-class matches to score a hundred in each innings at Headingly Ground.

With both of his tons at the Test level coming against England, the right-hander should be desperate to not only continue his form against the England boys, but to make the time spent playing the matches in his home country of Barbados count.

Bravo’s case is a bit different, as he returns to the Windies Test team after two years’ absence due to a number of issues regarding the CWI Board etc. With a fresh start and a better relationship with the board, it seems Bravo’s role in the Test side will be what it was destined to be -leader of the batting attack.

Apart from opener Kraigg Brathwaite, who will be under the radar after failing against Bangladesh in the last series, no other batsman in the side has more Test runs than Bravo’s 3400. The left-hander and

helsea striker Alvaro Morata has reached a personal agreement to join Atletico Madrid, says Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

Balague said the deal is subject to Chelsea signing a replacement and Atletico selling a striker.

Chelsea are reportedly close to signing Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain, who is on loan at AC Milan.

Morata, 26, joined Chelsea for a then club record £60m in July 2017 but has struggled this season.

The Spain international, who signed a five-year deal when moving to Stamford Bridge, was left out of the squad for five of their past seven Premier League games and has scored nine goals in 24 games in all com-

petitions this season.

Balague said Morata reached an agreement with Sevilla but changed his mind after being contacted

by Atletico, another La Liga side.

Nikola Kalinic or Gelson Martins are the players most likely to be sold by Spanish side Atletico.

"It seems to be a matter of finding a buyer for Kalinic," Balague said.

Speaking on the BBC 5 live Football Daily Podcast, he added: "Everything else seems to be in place for Morata to abandon what feels like a nightmare."

Chelsea in talks with Bayern Munich target

Chelsea are in talks with teenage winger Callum Hudson-Odoi about his fu-

ture.

The 18-year-old, who has made 13 first-team appearances but is yet to start a Premier League game, has been the subject of a £35m bid by Bayern Munich.

He has 18 months left on his contract, and Chelsea want him to stay.

There have been reports he has been offered a new deal worth up to £70,000 a week, but playing time is understood to be the most important issue for him.

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has been critical of Bayern after they went on the record about wanting to sign Hudson-Odoi.

Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic said the German club "really want to sign him".

"It's not professional, be-

cause they are talking about a player under contract with Chelsea," said Sarri.

"So they didn't respect our club, I think."

Sarri, who said he wants to sign two players in January, last week reiterated he wants the teenager to stay at Stamford Bridge - and has played him in their past three matches.

Hudson-Odoi played the full 90 minutes of Chelsea's 2-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup, started their 1-0 defeat at

Alvaro Morata

Tottenham in the first leg of the Carabao C u p semi-fin a l a n d came on as a late sub-

stitute in a 2-1 victory over Newcastle in the P r e m i e r League on 12 January.

(BBC Sport)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturdAY, January 19, 2019

GCB hits out at CWI selection panel Clinton Pestano

T

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) recently aired their disgust with what they termed as a ‘lopsided and illogical’ approach shown by Cricket West Indies (CWI) selectors for their decisions in finalizing the Test team ahead of the First Test versus England.

CWI released the squad on January 15th ahead of the Test series in Barbados which bowls off from January 23, and according to a release from the GCB on Friday, the board is questioning a number of issues,

including the methods of selection used by the Selection Panel headed by Courtney Browne.

“Firstly, we note that the administrators arranged 2 two days’ tour matches to be held on January 15th & 16th and January 17th & 18th prior to the First test. Of note is that the tour matches and practice matches are all being played in Barbados, so there is no issue of travelling being an impediment for logistics. Can the selection panel advise us why the haste in selecting the team 8 days in advance of a very

important series at home?” read the opening of the release.

It further went on to highlight the selection timeline as well as the purpose of the tour games. “The second tour match was slated to conclude on Jan 18th, a clear 5 days before the First Test. Can you explain why the team was not selected at the end of the 2nd tour match? Or were those matches arranged just to facilitate practice for the English team and had no bearing on the minds of the CWI selectors?”

Speaking on the selection criteria, the release further read, “The GCB strongly feels that all teams should be selected on a firm set of criteria, chief among which should be Performance, Fitness, Form, Attitude, Aptitude, Team Balance, Ground Conditions, Commitment, Training and a few other reasonable subjective considerations. Our structure involves a domestic franchise system within the regional franchise system, and the GCB has fully embraced the CWI PCL franchise system ever since its inception in 2014 and have thus reaped rewards for the fruits of our labour by winning the PCL R4D for 4 consecutive years and well on track to make it 5 in a row this year. What do we tell our players, who have displayed year-round commitment and dedication coupled with outstanding performances, when they are constantly being sidelined?’

“Barring Darren Bravo, no other top or middle order batsman in the selected team has an average more than 35.25. A cursory view of the stats on the CWI website would demand that the following players be called up for duty with the CWI President’s XI or the Test team immediately:

Chandrapaul H e m r a j , Vishaul Singh, Anthony Bramble, Keemo Paul and Veerasammy Permaul.

There may be a case to be made for a few others, such as Clinton Pestano and Romario Shepherd.

The release c o n cluded by stating, “The GCB welcomes the decision of the panel to bring back our best test batsman Darren Bravo, and trust that the selectors follow the strict selection criteria outlined above, as only justice and fair play will develop our players to be hungry for success, which will ultimately translate into success for our WI team. We also welcome our captain, Jason Holder,

back into

Keemo Paul

t h e fold after injury”.

The release ended.

Darren Bravo

Taffin Khan WDCA President's Cup semi-finals ready for set for Sunday 2019 – focused on Nationals

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affin David Khan has always been a name on the lips of many chess aficionados, as he has represented Guyana at its highest level and has had the success to prove that he should be one to watch for in 2019.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sport, the 26-year-old was asked about his successes in 2018, and he Taffin David Khan said, “My accomplishment for 2018 is at the Olympiad where Federation restarted back in 2006.”

I finished with the highest perAt a tender age, Khan recalled how his centage for the Guyana team with (5 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses with a 59 percentage. father and fellow chess player David Khan I am currently the best performing chess taught him how to move pieces, which player from Guyana who ever took part in branched him off into playing his first tourthe Olympiads. With a 59 percentage before nament, where he tied for 3rd and copped me, the best performing chess players from the best junior player award.

From there, his father continued to be Guyana were Gordon and Maurice Broomes back in 1980, with 57 for Gordon and 55 instrumental in his training. As the times from Maurice. Now this percentage comes modernize, so has Khan’s form of study tofrom taking part in two Olympiads. Besides wards the game, as his training entails him 2018, in 2008 I was Junior Champion. Then playing against Chess programmes at dif2010, 2011 and 2012 National Champion. ferent levels.

In closing, Khan said his goals for 2019 I am the 2nd youngest person to win the National Chess Championship of all time. are to simply continue to make more acI am the Youngest to win the National complishments, and to continue to raise his Championship since the Guyana Chess game to be the best with his sights set on the National qualifiers.

T

he West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) President's Cup 50-over tournament will resume this Sunday with two semifinal showdowns, commencing at 09:00h.

In semifinal one, Independence Sports Club (A) will attempt to overthrow Zeeburg Sports club at Joe Vieira Park, while in semifinal two, McGill Super Stars will do battle with CI Sports Club at Canal #2.

The competition promises to be exciting as all teams participating have worked extremely hard to get to where they are currently.

In the first matchup, Zeeburg will be expected to walk into the finals as they possess one of the most lethal bowling attacks in the competition. In their last matchup against Independence Sports Club, Zeeburg were bowled out for 134. However, that didn’t stop them, as they returned to clip the wings of Independence by bowling them out for 101, thanks to the efforts of Yutesh Dhanpaul 3-29, Ganesh Narine 3-19 and Andre Seepersaud 3-32.

Semifinal two will

be one of the most highly anticipated matches, as Cornelia Ida will be expected to defeat McGill Super Stars but the inform Richie Looknauth has been consistent throughout the tournament with both bat and ball, as in his last match he chipped in with an aggressive 38 and rounded off the day with 2-38.

Some of the players to watch out for in semifinal one are Yutesh Dhanpaul, Ronaldo Renee, Malcolm Hubbard, Andre Seepersaud and Mark Jeffers, all of Zeeburg; while the One Independence Sports Club will feature the likes of Safraz Esau, Mahendra Dhanpaul, Ewart Samuels, Vivian Beckles, Anand Bharat and Javon Hector.

In semifinal two, Cornelia Ida will feature the likes of Naveed Ali, Richie Looknauth, Avishkar Ramgobin and Shameer Khan as they will attempt to take the team over the line for their fellow team mate Akshaya Persaud, who is represent-

ing the Guyana Jaguars in the West Indies Regional Four Day Tournament.

The McGill Super Stars will also have the services of Suresh Persaud, Travis Persaud, Troy Persaud, Daniel Basdeo, Abdool Razack, Balram Aron and Shafiek Deen.

The finals will be played on January 27 at a venue yet to be announced.

Richie Looknauth of Cornelia Ida will be one to watch

23

guyanatimesgy.com

saturdAY, January 19, 2019

2018-2019 CWI Regional 4-Day Tournament…

Rain plays ‘spoilsport’ after Pestano, Shepherd humble Hurricanes – Hurricanes 175 all out, Jaguars 97 runs ahead

balls while Chanderpaul was 11 from 74, with the score on 44-0 after 20 overs.

Three overs into the final session, Griffith succumbed a f ter a bril-

Rahkeem Cornwall bowls to Tagenarine Chanderpaul (Brandon Corlette photo)

By Brandon Corlette

T

he second day’s play at Providence began with rain and ended in similar fashion.

Hurricanes were bundled out for 175 in their first innings, and Clinton Pestano was the star with the ball, finishing with 4-50 while fellow Berbician Romario Shepherd grabbed 3-29.

In the second innings, Guyana Jaguars were 76-2, with a lead of 97 runs after rain ended the second day’s play. Rahkeem Cornwall was once more among the wickets, removing Griffith and Johnson in the final session.

Leeward Islands Hurricanes began the second day 139 runs behind, at 57-3. Akeem Saunders and Terrance Warde were the Hurricanes batsmen.

Romario Shepherd started proceedings for the Jaguars by bowling a testing maiden to Saunders. The morning session was ideal for the Jaguars to make inroads and take control of the game after a 30-minute rain delay prior to the first ball being bowled.

Keemo Paul, bowling from the media centre end in tandem with Shepherd, made the Hurricanes batsmen play at most of the deliveries. Saunders was the first wicket of the day, when he was out caught behind for a fighting 28 from 88 balls, including four boundaries. Shepherd had, in the previous over, induced a catch off this batsman, but it was dropped at second slip by Griffith.

Shepherd however remained patient, and was rewarded with the wicket of Saunders, with the score on 97-4.

After the 57-run partnership was broken, wickets fell in clusters for the Hurricanes, as the other Berbician fast bowler, Pestano, was introduced from the media centre end, and he trapped Warde in front for 30 off 73 balls, including six fours.

Then came Rahkeem Cornwall and the Guyanese Jaison Peters. The latter was trapped in front first ball by Pestano for a golden duck as Pestano found himself on a hat trick with the Hurricanes’ score on 97-6 after 37.5 overs.

Cornwall watched his partners fall at the non-strikers end; at 1067, Orlando Peters was trapped in front by the consistent Shepherd. Orlando Peters became Shepherd’s second victim after scoring eight, including two fours in his short stay.

The fifth wicket of the morning came, when Shepherd remained on target and trapped Jeremiah

Louis at the wicket for a duck. Hurricanes were going downhill at 116-8 at lunch, Jaguars were on top, taking the opening session on day 2 into their own hands.

Cornwall was still standing strong on 11 at lunch after the wicket of Louis saw the lunch interval being taken on day 2.

Clinton Pestano thereafter returned and removed Cornwall, bowled for 29 from 34 balls. After edging a few balls that went to the boundary, Cornwall became Pestano’s fourth victim, after he had hit six fours.

Hurricanes were 1389 after 45.3 overs. Damion Jacobs showed his ability with the bat as Sheno Berridge partnered the franchise player. After batting for 51 minutes, the final wicket partnership of 37 was broken by Devendra Bishoo. The leg-spinner removed Berridge for 02 from 35 balls.

A happy Hurricanes unit at Providence (Brandon Corlette photo)

Number 10 batsman Jacobs hit six boundaries in his unbeaten 34 from 43 balls, but Hurricanes were bowled out for 175, handing Jaguars a slim lead of 21.

Clinton Pestano was the star with the ball, bagging 4-50 from 13 overs, including three maidens.

Shepherd had 3-29 from 10 tidy overs, including five impressive maidens.

Bishoo, Permaul and Paul had one wicket each in a complete bowling performance.

After the first innings, Shepherd has 17 wickets in the tournament, while Pestano has 14 wickets thus far.

The game was evenly poised after both teams completed their first innings. Trevon Griffith and Tagenarine Chanderpaul started cautiously. Griffith was battling for a score while Chanderpaul was solid. At the tea interval, Griffith was 24 from 53

liant start, falling leg before to Cornwall. He had scored 37 from 64 balls, including six fours and four two shots. After a 57run opening partnership, Leon Johnson entered the batting crease at number 3, and played some delightful strokes early in his innings. He hit the first six of the day by hoisting Cornwall into the sight screen for a magnificent shot, then stoked Cornwall past wide mid-off for four; but in the same over, he was out bowled for 15. The dangerous off-spinner, who is arguably the best of his tradesmen in the Caribbean, bowled an arm ball that knocked Johnson over after the Jaguars captain had hit two fours and one six in his 25-ball 15.

Christopher Barnwell entered at number four with the score on 75-2 after 30 overs. After the end of 33 overs, the rain intervened at Providence, as the players departed the playing area with the score on 76-2. Chanderpaul was on 15 from 104 balls while Barnwell was yet to score after facing

nine balls.

Cornwall ended the day with 2-22 from 12 testing overs of offspin.

T h e day’s play concluded in a deluge which began at 15:52h, and was officially called off at 17:00h. The third day’s play will commence from 9:00h due to the rain affected day 2, when time was lost at Providence.

Devendra Bishoo bowls during his return match (Brandon Corlette photo)

SCOREBOARD Guyana Jaguars 1st Innings: 196 all out Leeward Islands Hurricanes 1st Innings: 175 all out M Hodge c Bishoo b Paul 16 K Powell lbw Pestano 4 K Carty c Griffith b Permaul 12 A Saunders c Bramble b Shepherd 28 T Warde lbw Pestano 30 R Cornwall b Pestano 29 J Peters lbw Pestano 0 O Peters lbw Shepherd 8 J Louis lbw Shepherd 0 D Jacobs c Bramble b Bishoo 35 S Berridge not out 2 Extras 12 Total (58.1 ov) 175 - 10 FOW: 1–18 (Kieran Powell, 5.1 Ov), 2 – 26 (Montcin Hodge, 8.1 Ov), 3 – 40 (Keacy Carty, 13.3 Ov), 4 - 97(Akeem Saunders, 36.4 Ov), 5 - 97(Terance Warde, 37.4 Ov), 6 - 97(Jaison Peters, 37.5 Ov), 7 – 106 (Orlando Peters, 40.6 Ov), 8 – 116 (Jeremiah Louis, 42.5 Ov), 9 -138 (Rahkeem

Cornwall, 45.3 Ov), 10 – 176 (Damion Jacobs, 58.1 Ov) Bowling K Paul (17-4-43-1) C Pestano (13-3-50-4) V Permaul (10-3-19-1) D Bishoo (8.1-1-25-1) R Shepherd (10-5-29-3) Guyana Jaguars 2nd Innings 76-2 T Griffith lbw Cornwall T Chanderpaul not out L Johnson b Cornwall C Barnwell not out Extras 9 Total 76-2 (33ov) FOW: 1 - 57(Trevon Griffith, 23.2 Ov), 2 – 75 (Leon Johnson, 29.6 Ov) Bowling J Louis 8-3-19-0 S Berridge 5-3-16-0 R Cornwall 12-6-22-2 T Warde 1-1-0-0 O Peters 7-3-14-0

37 15 15 0

SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 2019

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

guyanatimesgy.com

2018-2019 CWI Regional 4-Day Tournament…

Clinton Pestano

Rain plays ‘spoilsport’ after Pestano, Shepherd humble Hurricanes

Trevon Griffith looked good for his 37 (Brandon Corlette photos)

Page 23

– Hurricanes 175 all out, Jaguars 97 runs ahead

Cricket West Indies Taffin Khan ready for affirms Richard Pybus’ appointment 2019 Page 22

Page 19

– focused on Nationals

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