Guyana Times - Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Security guards, agricultural workers to benefit from Caricom free movement Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

GECOM hit by protests guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3827

P16

wednesday, February 6, 2019

See stories on pages 3&12

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Sophia man killed in P9 Corentyne accident Child rapist P16 gets 21-year prison sentence Threats to schools

Parents offer $1M reward for information

…accuse Police, Education Ministry of inaction P10

Miner dies P16 after mining pit collapses

…as calls for constitutionally mandated elections intensify …Opposition vows to protect Constitution …GECOM meeting fails to reach consensus on election timeline …ignores expediting proposal

Puruni miners decry state of roads Page 9

…say forced to intermittently halt operations

Minister hosts meeting at Berbice house where high-powered illegal weapons, ammunition found Page 14

Classes P11 suspended as bomb threat hits UG

Pensioner P8 jailed for 12 ½ years for killing friend

…after Appeal Court overturned 56-year sentence

Govt refuses to accept CJ’s decision in no-confidence P14 cases ...moves to Court of Appeal

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wednesday, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

news

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wednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, February 6 – 05:00h-06:30h and Thursday, February 7 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, February 6 – 05:15h-06:45h and Thursday, February 7 – 05:40h-07:10h.

GECOM hit by protests …as calls for constitutionally mandated elections intensify …Opposition vows to protect Constitution

supposed to be held.

“He must know. He’s worked with this list. There have been no complaints about the list for Local Government Elections. So this claim that the list is suddenly flawed is a spurious claim,” Jagdeo said.

“We made it clear that house-to-house registration is out of the question.

He presented an option for house-to-house registration that will take us into February, March of next year. That is the implication

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions will prevail throughout the day. Clear to partly cloudy skies can be expected in the evening, with overall temperatures ranging between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 05:29h and 17:42h reaching maximum heights of 2.54 metres and 2.64 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:17h and 23:39h reaching minimum heights of 0.66 metre and 0.59 metre.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on the frontlines of the protest

H

undreds of protesters braved the sun, scattered showers and Police barricades on Tuesday to protest against the Guyana Elections Commission

matter. The legislature has spoken. The judiciary has spoken. The President, over the weekend, seems to believe that none of this matters. And so we have to show him that we are serious

Protesters on High Street, Georgetown on Tuesday

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Protesters outside of GECOM Headquarters

(GECOM), demanding that the Commission hold elections within the constitutionally stipulated timeline.

Police had erected barricades stretching from Lamaha to Parade Streets and blocked off all the cross streets early Tuesday morning in anticipation of protest action. Protesters were not deterred, however, marching along High Street chanting for GECOM to respect the Constitution of Guyana.

Protesters were accompanied by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo and the Party’s presidential candidate along with several high-ranking Party officials.

In an interview with the media, Jagdeo outlined that the objectives of the protest were to demonstrate how serious the people are about constitutional compliance.

“I think the President, GECOM need to understand how seriously we take this

about having him respect our Constitution,” Jagdeo said.

“So today (Tuesday), you see a tiny expression of this and it will grow if the

Government continues to violate the Constitution. I saw the (July) timeline that GECOM gave and that’s out of the question. I noticed the type of activities they have there, that can be done simultaneously to hold elections within the constitutionally due period.”

Jagdeo also noted GECOM Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield acknowledging that the current voters’ list is valid until April 30, 2019 – a month after elections are

if we go to house-to-house registration.”

Ramping up

Meanwhile, PPP/C Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali made it clear that protest action would be ramped up if GECOM did not comply with the Constitution. He noted that everyone has a role to play now in protecting Guyana’s Constitution from being violated.

Turn to page 9

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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

The President must act presidential

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uyana’s current political situation is not escaping the glare of the international community. Recently, the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) made public calls for constitutional adherence and free and fair elections.

Even before those calls, the Government dug its heels in and resorted to the courts, a move many saw as attempts to find solace and delay the constitutional directives.

As a reminder, the Government, through the Prime Minister and the President, did publicly accept the successful passage of the no-confidence motion and stated adherence to the Constitution. They flipped following the insertion of a preposterous mathematical theory and the rest is now history.

Also worthy to note is that both the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chief Justice were unambiguous in their respective rulings in reaffirming the validity of the no-confidence vote and the need for elections to be held within the 90-day period as stipulated in the Constitution. Both rulings can only be seen as a rebuke of the Government’s efforts to disregard the Constitution and to hold on to power.

In doing so, the Government has and continues to expend much effort and taxpayers’ money to try and convince some sections of the Guyanese population against what is stated in the Constitution. This is done under the guise of court actions and a boast to appeal the Chief Justice’s ruling. With less than half of the 90-day period left, there is still no sign of the Government indicating a willingness to comply.

As a matter of fact, the Attorney General proclaimed the Government will go all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) if necessary. That speaks to a protracted period with no finite time frame. Again, this is contradictory to what the Constitution states. In addition, the President at a recent public Party function boldly stated his government is legitimate and has done nothing outside of the law.

If that were to be believed, how then can the Attorney General explain seeking a stay from the Chief Justice to have the status quo remain in the context of the successful passage of the no-confidence vote as upheld on two fronts? His efforts failed and in effect, the constitutional requirements must be adhered to. Had he not been aware of a constitutional breach, would he have made the pitch for a stay? That itself could strongly suggest knowledge of constitutional transgression.

Of concern must, therefore, be the acceptance of not adhering to the Constitution in the quest to hold on to power.

The glaring duplicitousness now is contradictory to what was boasted during the 2015 campaign. Then, in seeking votes, APNU/AFC promised many things, including upholding the Constitution and abiding by the rule of law.

From what currently plays out, it seems those promises were not genuine. In the said context, it appears that the greatest disappointment may not be in coming to grips with some politicians not being believable, but maybe in the public position taken by the President. First, having accepted the impact of the successful passage of the no-confidence motion, he now states that all legal options will be exhausted to possibly disprove it.

While everyone, including the Government, has a right to such options, in this case statesmanship is expected to take precedence in the interest of the welfare of the country, especially when two very credible persons, the Speaker and the Chief Justice, representative of constitutional institutions, pronounce on the matter. With a full understanding of the potential impact on the country and its people, a President is expected to act above the fray even if the decision may not be popular with his/her following.

A leader is made and remembered for hard decisions taken in the best interest of the nation. There is still time for the President. He can rise above his party’s grab to stay in power and call the election. He can demonstrate astute leadership and tell the nation that he will uphold the Constitution, as enshrined in the oath of office he took. He can announce that in the best interest of Guyana and Guyanese, he will not continue to pursue the path through the courts and will consult with the Leader of the Opposition on related matters.

At one point, he said that if the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is ready, he will call the elections. Despite GECOM’s delay, it recently indicated that the voters’ list is clean implying readiness. With that in mind, he can seek the Opposition’s support for whatever extension may be necessary beyond March 19 when the 90-day period expires. In doing so, he will remove any ambiguity over his concern for the welfare of the country in the context of his recent statement of fully exhausting the courts.

In other words, he must act presidential since he is not the President of APNU/AFC but for all of Guyana. That is what he stated when he was sworn in at Parliament Building in May 2015.

The world is looking to see how holistically as a nation, we are constitutionally compliant. The President in one action can still salvage the nation’s image.

French Navy Vessel, “La Resolue” arrived in Port Georgetown for a four-day visit (Guyana Defence Force photo)

Venezuela crisis: Juan Guaidó backed

by Lima Group

A

group of Latin American countries and Canada has urged the Venezuelan military to support Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó as interim president.

In a statement, 11 of the 14 members of the Lima Group called for a change of power without the use of force and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid.

Guaidó has declared himself interim president and won support from major powers, including the United States.

President Nicolás Maduro says he is the legitimate leader of Venezuela.

Maduro, who has the backing of a number of countries, including China and Russia, earlier warned that the country’s deepening political crisis could spark civil war.

Maduro was sworn in last month for a second term after disputed elections which many Opposition Leaders did not contest because they were in jail or boycotting them.

In response, Guaidó, who is head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said the Constitution allowed him to assume power temporarily when the President was deemed illegitimate.

The group issued a 17-point declaration, following a meeting in the Canadian capital, Ottawa.

The document says the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru “reiterate their recognition and support for Juan Guaidó” as interim president of Venezuela.

Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó

The 11 group members also urged the world community “to take measures to prevent the Maduro regime from conducting financial and trade transactions abroad, from having access to Venezuela’s international assets and from doing business in oil, gold and other assets”.

However, three members of the Lima Group – Guyana, Mexico and St Lucia – did not back the declaration.

The Lima Group was set up in 2017 with the aim of helping to find a peaceful solution to the Venezuela crisis.

Could there be war?

Asked on Spanish television if the crisis in Venezuela could lead to civil war, Maduro said on Monday that “no-one could answer that question with certainty”.

“Everything depends on the level of madness and aggressiveness of the northern empire [the US]

and its Western allies.

“We ask that nobody intervenes in our internal affairs... and we prepare ourselves to defend our country.”

The US has said military invention remains an “option”.

But in a speech on Monday, Guaidó said: “There is no possibility of a civil war in Venezuela, it is a Maduro invention.”

He also accused the Maduro Government of trying to move up to US$1.2 billion in public funds to Uruguay, but did not offer any evidence.

At least 17 European Union countries have officially recognised Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela.

It follows the rejection of a deadline set by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and others for President Maduro to call new elections.

Other EU nations, such as Greece and Ireland, have called for fresh elec-

tions, but stopped short of recognising Guaidó.

Maduro retains powerful allies, most notably China and Russia, who has accused EU countries of interfering in Venezuela’s affairs and attempting to “legitimise usurped power”.

The Venezuelan President also retains the crucial support of the army.

Maduro, who took office in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez, has been condemned for alleged human rights abuses and for his handling of the economy.

There are severe shortages of basic items such as medicine and food, and an inflation rate that last year saw prices doubling every 19 days on average.

Many people have been voting with their feet and leaving Venezuela.

According to United Nations figures, three million Venezuelans have left the country since 2014 when the economic crisis started to bite. (BBC News)

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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

Granger does not have the best Hold elections on or before April 30 interest of our people in mind Dear Editor, I read in a media article which quoted President David Granger in his address to PNC’s public meeting at Vreed-en-Hoop on February 03, 2019, saying “This is not about David or Irfaan. It is about the future of our children. It is about whether they can grow up in a democratic State. It is whether they could enjoy the quality of life that we promise them”. For me, this was an interesting statement and says a lot in my mind.

I must say I agree with the President that the elections are not about personalities but what is best for the future of our country. Bearing that in mind, can we really say that our President and his colleagues are guided by such lofty aspirations? In the short but eventful period of the Granger Administration, we greatly declined to the point where we are clinging on to a singular hope of oil which, as several have pointed out, is no panacea.

Can we really be assured of a good future when our Government officials travel off to faraway countries for healthcare and our ordinary people have to pay tax-

es on medical care and medication? What should we expect when our people are incarcerated for the slightest of infractions and a Minister can trample signs in a darkened parking lot with immunity and reportedly have a security officer losing his job? Or how can we have confidence in tomorrow when many of our people have nothing to put on their tables but we read of our Governmental elite dining on King Crab and the fanciest of foods. Is the current crop of personalities best for our future?

The President said our children should grow up in a democratic state. But at the same time His Excellency delivered those remarks, he was openly and nakedly flouting the Constitution and a decision of the Chief Justice regarding the very democracy he wants our children to enjoy. He and his colleagues have cast dark shadows on our democratic foundation when he unilaterally named a Chairman of the Elections Commission, throwing away decades of tradition and precedent which worked. The Granger Government, we should not forget, also engaged in ger-

rymandering when it altered the construct of several Local Authorities just prior to the last Local Government Elections.

Is this the democracy the President is speaking about?

The President spoke about delivering a good quality of life to our children.

But it was his Government that imposed VAT on private education which it had to walk back after it was met with wide condemnation. It is his Government that charges taxes on crayons, pencils, books and other essential school supplies.

It was his Government that took away the State support to school children. It was his Government that ended the one laptop project, essentially denying children access to a computer in their homes. Is this the good quality of life the President talks about?

The President talks a good talk, saying the right things but I have long learnt that actions speak louder than words. It is clear to me that the Granger grouping doesn’t have the best interest of our people in mind.

Yours faithfully, Patricia Persaud

Dear Editor, Responding to reporters’ query regarding the voters’ list, the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield declared, “the list is clean; it has a life until the 30th of April.”

her arm! He beat her mercilessly! He threatened her life; not for the first time!

How does the justice system see this? Imagine being told your life is worth $200,000! Is this some kind of joke? A clear message of zero tolerance to abuse must be sent to abusers.

In fact, while this letter was being written, The Caribbean Voice learnt of a mother of three fighting for her life after being stabbed seven times by her ex-husband. We must not wait until another life is lost before we institutionalise penalties to match the crime in domestic violence cases. Also, we once again call for an urgent national concerted campaign to tackle this scourge. The Caribbean

Voice would be willing to be part of such a campaign. We are in the process of finalising a campaign of our own but we strongly believe that multi-stakeholders' collaboration can get more done for

to the people of Guyana and those elsewhere watching our political imbroglio.

Yours truly, Dr Devanand Bhagwan

The new ASYCUDA system at Customs Dear Editor, Please allow me some space to highlight the frustrations of the new Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) system that was introduced in December by GRA. While the intent of the system is good, its implementation and monitoring are sadly lacking. Importers are facing delays and demurrage while not being able to turn over their merchandise.

First, without sufficient and necessary education, the system was introduced during the height of the peak season as people were clearing goods. There still is a lot of ignorance, among importers about the system and that is equally matched by the level of arrogance by the GRA bosses.

Secondly is the require-

Urgent national concerted campaign needed to tackle domestic violence Dear Editor, In a recent ruling, Magistrate Peter Hugh of the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court levied a fine of $200,000 with an alternative of one year in jail to Troyden Evans called “Tuckey”, 42, who pleaded guilty to a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Rhonda McGarrell with a baton. What message is the justice system sending to abusers by such a slap on the wrist?

The victim in this particular case was subjected to persistent abuse over a period of time at the hands of her abuser. In fact, he was charged in the past with assault, wounding and other offences against the victim.

On this occasion, he broke

I suggest that all stakeholders work assiduously to hold the elections on or before that date. This would be a significant decision landmark in the history of the country and would send positive vibes

less thereby maximising resource usage and expanding the reach of the campaign.

Sincerely, The Caribbean Voice Inc

ment for a manifest number and manifest validation. Before ASYCUDA, an importer could have filed his documents with GRA a week before the ship arrived.

That gave the importer sufficient time to have these documents lodged, processed to deal with any queries and finalise the payment of duty and vat. As soon as the ship arrived that importer could then clear the goods. The new system requires that the importer obtain the manifest number, which is only available a day or two before the ship arrives. Then there is a manifest validation which is only available when the ship actually arrives. Only then can the documents be submitted online. When they are submitted then the flags come up. These flags could

be documentation, assessment or post-audit. Thus the goods are here while the documents are then being processed. Herein lies the frustration.

GRA has not been listening. While the ASYCUDA system allows for online and immediate processing, the issue comes when the flags are raised. What is needed is for the system to allow the ASYCUDA to accept the filing without validation thus, giving the importer a couple of days before the ship arrives so as to clarify queries.

In the interest of an improvement in the doing business, I urge GRA to seriously consider listening to the brokers and importers.

Yours sincerely, Manzoor Nadir

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Foundation wetting the bed, or getting fat.

Morgan wishes she would stop being afraid to ride roller coasters. Why? “Because hey, I’m nine years old, and my whole family loves them.” And not just that, Morgan said. “My best friend Kerri said that I was weird for not liking so many things that are fun.”

What’s fear anyway?

E

verybody is afraid of something.

That’s what more than 1,700 kids told us when we asked them about fears and scary stuff. Some don’t like the dark. Others hate nightmares and scary movies. And then there are those who want to run away from mean dogs, snakes, and creepy crawly spiders.

Tommy, 11, fears the dark because he worries that someone might break into his house.

Madison, 10, is afraid of shots (immunisations) and was once teased because she said she was afraid of thunderstorms.

“I tried to take my words back, but they knew anyway. I was really embarrassed,” she said.

Fear is a feeling that everyone has – it’s programmed into all of us – and that’s a good thing because fear is there to protect us. We’re born with a sense of fear so we can react to something that could be dangerous.

Babies cry when they’re afraid, even if that loud noise that startled them is just an older brother banging pots and pans in the kitchen. The baby cries, and mom comes over to soothe him or her, helping the baby feel safe and OK again. There, that’s better! Now, with the help of mom, the baby

The top fears

We gave kids a list of 14 scary things and asked which one frightened them the most. Here are the top five answers from our survey: scary movies and TV shows nightmares and scary dreams thunderstorms, hurricanes, and other violent weather war and terrorism sounds I hear at night But not everyone is afraid of the same things. And what makes one person scared can be no big deal for someone else. Plenty of kids said their biggest fear wasn’t on our list.

Rachel, 11, was one of them. She’s most afraid of giant jellyfish that live off the coast of Australia. “I would like to get over them because they’re bigger than people and they have huge stingers that can kill someone in 3 seconds,” Rachel said.

Kate, 9, wishes she could get over her “whole back-flip problem. I never do it when I know I can. I am scared I will hurt myself,” she said.

A couple kids said funerals scared them. Fireworks frightened other kids.

Even going alone to a big bathroom – like the kind in school or at the mall – can be scary, according to a few kids.

Health-related matters can be scary, some kids said. In addition to getting shots, they said they were scared of throwing up,

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has just experienced calming down after feeling afraid – something that every person needs to learn as they grow up. (Nice job, baby!) Bigger kids hear that loud clanging and say, “No big deal. It’s just my brother making noise again.”

Real vs pretend

The best way to get over a fear is to get more information about it. As kids get older, they understand more and start seeing the difference between real and pretend.

So when William’s imagination leads him to think of witches and werewolves, he can tell himself, “Wait a minute. They’re only pretend. I don’t need to worry about them.”

The same goes for the dark. A kid’s imagination can start playing tricks when the lights go out. What’s under my bed? Is that a burglar I hear? With the help of a parent, kids can get more comfortable in the dark. Using a nightlight or shining a flashlight under the bed to see that there’s nothing there can help fight that fear.

You might say, but burglars can be real, what then? True, but you can feel saf-

er knowing that the door is locked and a parent is nearby to keep an eye out for any problems. In other words, get snuggled in and get some sleep!

When fears are ok

Other fears that kids have make sense and do not need to be conquered. If you’re afraid to ride your bike on a busy highway, right on! You should be afraid because it’s dangerous. There’s no need to get over a fear like that, not even if someone dares you. Find a safe place to ride instead.

It’s also OK for Rachel to be afraid of that big jellyfish in Australia because it’s truly dangerous. But she doesn’t have to be afraid of it all the time – or even every time she swims. It lives only in certain ocean waters. So when she’s not swimming in one of them, no worries about the big jellyfish.

And it’s OK for Kate to be a little fearful about doing the back-flip, because she could get hurt. But Kate also can create safer conditions for trying her back-flip, like having a parent or coach teach her how to do it and help her do it.

Eventually, she will feel ready to try it alone.

Twelve-year-old Nick knows how taking small steps can lead to success. He used to be afraid to play his trumpet in front of people. But over time, he played in front of larger and larger groups.

“First, I just played in front of my mom, then my family, then my classmates, then the whole school!” he said.

What to do?

Sometimes the worst thing about feeling afraid is that you don’t know what to do. Here are the top 3 ways that kids who answered our survey try to help themselves feel better: Do something, like playing outside, listening to music, or watching TV. Talk to a parent.

Talk to a friend.

Talking to a friend can help, especially if that person is supportive. About half the kids who took our survey said they’d been teased for being afraid. And even more – 75 per cent –— said they’ve sometimes said they weren’t afraid when they really were. So no teasing allowed.

Encourage your friend today and maybe he or she will encourage you tomorrow!

Here’s some very supportive advice kids had for other kids:

If you get scared at night, Monique,

10, suggests listening to the radio when you’re falling asleep. And Naruto, also 10, recommends writing or drawing what you’re afraid of and then ripping it to pieces.

Eight-year-old Jessica finds that it helps to take a deep breath when you’re scared.

Amanda, 10, thinks kids

(Continued from Tuesday)

4 important steps

The real test comes the next time you get so mad you could just explode. But don’t explode.

Put a leash on that puppy with these four steps: 1. Take a break from the situation. If you’re in an argument with someone, go to another part of your house. Your room or the backyard are good choices. Just say, “I want to be alone for a while so I can calm down.”

2. Put yourself in a timeout. If you’re feeling angry and think you need a timeout to calm down, don’t wait for a parent to tell you – go ahead and take a timeout for yourself. Let your family know that when you’re taking a timeout, they need to respect your space and leave you alone to calm yourself down. For kids old enough to do it for themselves, a timeout isn’t a punishment: It’s a cool-down. While you’re sitting in your timeout chair, try this cool-down exercise: Put your hands under the seat of the chair and pull up while you count to 5. Then stretch your arms over your head. Take a nice deep breath and let it out.

One kid who tried these steps said he used this time to think about the consequences – like getting in trouble if he let his temper go wild.

3. Get the anger out. We don’t want you punching walls (or even punching pillows), but why not do a bunch of jumping jacks or dance around your room to your favourite music?

Turn it up a little. If you go outside, run around or do cartwheels across the lawn. You also could pick up your pen and write it all down. What made you so upset? Keep writing until you’ve covered everything. If you don’t like writing, just draw a picture that helps you express your feelings. Use strong colours and strong lines to show your strong feelings. You also can try the “Be a Volcano” exercise.

4. Learn to shift. You’ll have to work hard to do this.

This is where you get that puppy under control. The idea is to shift from a really angry mood to a more in-control mood. After you get some of the angry feelings out, you have to start thinking about other things. Sometimes, when people are angry, they’re not really thinking clearly. They’re just mad, mad, mad. Only

should talk with a parent or school counsellor. “They will invent a way to help you get over it,” she said.

Bethany, 9, wants kids to hang tough, so we’ll let her have the last word: “Try, try again and never give up,” she said. “You’re not alone!” (kidshealth.org)

angry thoughts are flying around their brains. A person might even say mean things to himself or herself, like “I’m such an idiot. I lost my temper again!” But you can replace those thoughts with better ones. For instance, you can say, “I lost my temper, but I’m going to get myself under control now.” Instead of thinking of the person or situation you’re angry with, think of something else. Think of something that will put you in a better mood.

A tough question

What if it’s a problem that can’t be solved? Like being angry about your parents’ divorce, or having to go to summer school, or wanting a later bedtime? Or when you just can’t get your way about something?

Some stuff kids get angry about can’t be changed. For instance, if your mom says it’s time to stop playing your video game and go to bed, what can you do?

She’s not changing her mind and you have to get some sleep.

Man, that really stinks! You were almost to level 4!

But even if you get really angry, she won’t budge. And even if you knock over a chair, you’ll still have to stop playing your game. But now you might have an extra penalty for knocking over the chair.

Maybe she’ll say you aren’t allowed to play your game tomorrow! That would be very bad news — you’d have to wait even longer to get to level 4.

Though it’s one of the toughest things to learn, it might be best just to tell yourself, “OK, stop the game and get to bed.” Some arguments you’ll be able to win, but this probably isn’t one of them.

That doesn’t mean you’ll never get your way. You will be able to get your way sometimes. Bigger kids, like you, can learn to make their points calmly without losing it. This approach usually works better with everyone, especially parents. When you do this, you’re controlling that wild little puppy inside you. You’re in charge instead of that little rascal with the wagging tail.

Have you been wondering why we asked you to think of your temper as a puppy? A puppy is young and loveable – just like you – and wonderful to be around, especially when it keeps its temper under control! (kidshealth.org)

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Pensioner jailed for 12½ years for killing friend

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ixty-nine-year-old Renwick Alexander called “Pompey” who was handed a 56-year prison sentence for unlawfully killing his friend, Carl Thomas in 2014 was on Tuesday given a 12-and-a-half-year sentence after he entered a guilty plea. Thomas was knifed to death on November 3, 2010, in Georgetown and Alexander was sentenced by Justice Navindra Singh after the jury found the accused guilty of murder.

However, when his matter came up for a High Court retrial on Tuesday; he opted to forego those proceedings and pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. Justice Singh, who presided again, sentenced him to 12-and-a-half-years imprisonment, ordering the prison service to deduct the time Alexander spent on remand.

He was represented by

while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

He was said to have sustained a single stab wound which punctured vital organs

at the hand of Alexander.

Alexander and the deceased reportedly grew up together and were said to be fighting over missing clothes on the day of the incident.

Senior cop accused of raping 13-yr-old granted bail Renwick Alexander called “Pompey”

Nigel Hughes while the State’s case was presented by Attorney Teriq Mohammed.

Hughes, in a plea of mitigation told the jury that his client is remorseful for his actions. Alexander looked to the daughter of the deceased and apologised while on the verge of tears.

Thomas, 55, of Lot 35 John Street, Lodge, succumbed

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fter being on remand for almost two weeks on a rape charge, Assistant Superintendent of Police Seecharran Singh as released on $250,000 bail on Tuesday.

Singh is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl between June 17 and 18, 2018, while they were both in the vicinity of the East Bank of Demerara.

On Tuesday, Singh made his second court appearance before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs- Marcus.

He was represented by

Accused: Seecharran Singh

Attorney-at-law DaSilva.

Bernard

Cancer…

F

…in the body politic olks don’t realise it, but cancer’s nothing more than the cells of our own body dividing to form new cells – which is essential to our survival – but doing so in an uncontrollable manner. In the fancy language of medicine, the cancer “metastasises”. Well, our politics in Guyana is something like that. Competition between groups for control of the State to determine “who gets what, when and how” – a common definition of politics – occurs wherever and whenever humans congregate.

But in divided Guyana, the competition is intense and before you know it, can metastasise out of control to explode in violence between the two major contenders for power. Your Eyewitness has a feeling of foreboding that if this insistence by the PNC-led coalition to cling on to power by throwing up one lame excuse after another, something has to give because of the rising tensions.

We’ve seen it before. During the 1997 elections, PNC leader Desmond Hoyte convinced his supporters that, based on the demographics, etc, they were sure to win the elections. In the preceding five years, he’d made one allegation after another of the PPP Government “discriminating” against a section of society – jobs, housing, land, etc, etc. So even though a welter of international observers – including the Carter Center, and the EU – certified it as “free and fair”, Hoyte insisted “we wuz robbed”!!

And his supporters bought it. Protests were initiated, which turned ugly as they were personalised against Janet Jagan to “wuk pon she”. That the Courts eventually ruled that technically ID cards should not have been demanded for persons to vote – but the vote was OK via a “forensic audit” – didn’t stop the agitation. The protests turned into violent riots where hundreds of Guyanese were brutalised.

They eventually segued into generalised violence against a section of society and then the State, after five prisoners broke out of Camp Street Prison and holed up in Buxton.

They carved out a state within the State and killed civilians and Police with impunity. Private militias, dominated by drug elements, used the pervasive violence to carve out turf and hundreds were killed.

In 1997, no one thought that the riots of the 1960s – in which 176 persons were killed – could’ve returned. But return they did – with a vengeance!!

The point is, the cancer of exacerbated tensions in our polity can metastasise rapidly, and before you know it – all is gone! The early detection of this cancer in the body politic is, therefore, very important. And it’s for this reason, your Eyewitness believes the PNC should heed the warning of the UN and EU. Don’t lead your supporters up the garden path!! The NCM is legit. …Venezuela We’re informed that 50% of our voters are under 35 and as such, they missed the meltdown of our society, economy, and all institutions after the Burnhamite “innovations” after 1968. But to see what could happen when the cancer’s spread by the STATE itself, the young’uns should just look at what’s unfolding over in Venezuela.

All States are supposed to ensure that their patrimony is shared equitably among the populace. No one could quarrel with that. The cancer takes off when the STATE decides to pit one group against the other and each dig in their heels and even counterattack. Sure, Venezuela needed the poor to get a better deal – but the solution wasn’t to expropriate businesses willy-nilly and alienate the old guard by placing army cronies in control of everything – including the drug trade!!

Well, starvation stalks the land; one-tenth of the population’s fled; most of the West now don’t recognise the govt: the sh*t has hit the proverbial fan!

Apart from being a cautionary tale; let’s remember Guaidó will also demand our Essequibo! …and socialism On the calls for “working class” rights; didn’t Marx say we’ve got to pass through a period of capitalism (to CREATE that working class!!), before we reach the blessed land of the “dictatorship of the proletariat”?

Just asking!!

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

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wednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Puruni miners decry state of roads Sophia man killed in Corentyne accident

…say forced to intermittently halt operations

M

ining syndicates in Puruni, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) are being forced to suspend their operations at various intervals owing to the nearly impassable roads in the area. They told reporters on Tuesday that the Public Infrastructure Ministry and by extension, the Government must rectify the problem, so they can earn a livelihood without hindrance.

The Body’s President Cheryl Williams told the gathering that she has been incurring losses along with her fellow miners and noted that she too was forced to suspend her operations, saying that others were also forced to suspend mining. It was explained that the road was “neglected” for over one year and that it has deteriorated over the past several months. In some cases, she noted, persons have been

A

Sophia, Greater Georgetown man was on Monday killed after a motor lorry slammed into him along the Number 61 Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice.

Dead is 31-year-old, Godfrey Wayne Gomes of C Field Sophia, Georgetown.

Reports are, Gomes attempted to cross the road but ended up in the path of the

Scenes from the Puruni road in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)

injured.

“The appalling condition of the road affects miners significantly as most miners struggle to transport supplies to keep their operations afloat.

Last December, a miner travelling to Puruni was forced to exit his vehicle to walk a portion of the road as the vehicle was wrecked.

During that process, the miner suffered a broken leg and was transported to Bartica and then to Georgetown for medical attention,” Williams recalled.

She further explained that while individuals would pay $15,000 to travel by road or $20,000 by water, the prices heighten as the roads worsen.

“The trucks that going in would charge $300,000 to $1,000,000 to get in when the road is bad and you take four to five days just to reach Puruni…

we are pleading with the Government, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to fix the Puruni road and rid miners of the trials currently faced to accessing mining areas,” she noted.

Williams met with operatives of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and Natural Resources Ministry, the latter of which promised to address the road. She added that the roads are always being discussed at the level of the GGMC. Another miner, Dana Jones is, however, calling for a full investigation and immediate action into the conditions. “We’re calling for an investigation from the national standpoint because we are miners but human beings as well – we are not dogs,” she stressed.

Another miner observed

that the sector is a significant contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The miners have also highlighted the risks involved in using the river to reach their destinations as opposed to land travel.

In images released in the media, some trucks were virtually buried in muddy lakes within the roads and had to be pulled out by other trucks. This is a very risky and life-threating situation which has resulted in injuries to some, the Body said. The Puruni road runs from Itaballi through Papishpou and is said to be the only entrance and exit to various sections of Region Seven.

motor lorry bearing registration number GVV 5643.

He was picked up and rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was treated and later transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

However, he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

The driver was taken into Police custody and is assisting with the investigation.

GECOM hit by...

“The Parliament and court made it clear that we must have elections. So we are here for democracy and respect for the Constitution. There was a no-confidence vote. The Parliament and the court made it clear that we must have elections. So we are here to uphold the Constitution and the democratic right of citizens.

“GECOM has a moral and ethical responsibility to get elections done before March 19. What is before the Commission now is to come up with actions to ensure this. So I don’t know where this thing about July is coming in. There is only one way that date can be extended. And Opposition and Government have to agree by a two-thirds majority.”

From page 3

Ali noted that the PPP has been meeting with representatives of the international community, including donor agencies and the diplomatic corps.

Now, he pointed out that the people themselves have come out in protest. He made it clear that such activities will be ramped up to ensure the Constitution is followed.

While the protests were being carried out a street away, GECOM officials were locked in meetings as a resolution was sought for holding elections. Work plans for holding elections were given to Commissioners on Monday, to be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting. However, those meetings were not fruitful. The protest action will continue on Thursday.

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wednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Parents offer $1M reward for information

…accuse Police, Education Ministry of inaction

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rustrated parents, who are fearful for their children’s lives after several threats of shootings and bombings were made to schools which they attend, on Tuesday picketed the Public Security Ministry where they told reporters that they are offering a reward of $1 million to anyone who has information that may lead to the arrest of the perpetrator/s.

This comes in light of the shooting of School of the Nations’ Director, Dr Brian O’Toole, who was shot at his home as he was returning from a dinner meeting.

This step to offer a reward was taken by the parents, as they said they believe the police and the Education Ministry are not doing enough to cushion the wounds of their children

caused by these threats and to help with the investigative process.

One parent, Anna Lisa Fraser-Phang, who is also the President of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) of School of the Nations complained that the “PTA has actually spoken to the Assistant Commissioner. We’ve asked and pleaded with him to make a statement since

Friday night and we were chastised (and) told that we had no right to tell them what to do while we were just suggesting what they need to do to appease not only the parents of the children of School of the Nations but to the general public”.

According to her, to date no official from the Public Security Ministry or the Guyana Police Force has spoken officially to the parents.

No help

In addition, the President of the PTA argued that the Education Ministry has been doing nothing to help the situation.

She said a meeting was scheduled with the parents who have children attending School of the Nations where they were merely told “they would do whatever they can”.

Fraser Phang told this newspaper, “When Monday rolled around, and we were expecting and told that we would have the Mobile (Unit) and counsellors available to our children at the School of the Nation, we have not seen any of them.”

The parent said she understands that the counselling service was extended to other schools, although that school needs it just as much as any other school.

“We were offered very little and given even less, we demand more of our authori-

A few of the parents speaking with the media on Tuesday

ties,” the parents cried.

It is because of their belief that little is being done by the police that they have decided to offer a reward of $1 million for any information on the threats.

Jerry Gouveia, a concerned parent said, “At this point in time what we’re looking for is just to get something done to put us in a position where people understand that we are under threat and we are serious about doing something about it”.

Meanwhile, John Ramsingh, another parent explained that the situation is worrisome.

“We would just like the authorities to give us some answers to tell us, you know, it’s safe to send your children back to school because we have ‘A, B, C’ in custody (and) we have questioned ‘X, Y, Z’.

We need to know something,” the concerned parent said.

The parents used the opportunity to appeal to other

parents to pay heed to the affairs of their children’s lives.

“Feel free to check their phones and see what they’re up to. Be aware of who their friends are and see what their friends are up to,” the PTA Head posited.

Persons who have any information on the threats can make contact with the police who will filter to the information to the parents to provide the reward.

Last Friday, Queens College and the Bishops’ High School were on lockdown after social media accounts created on Whatsapp, Facebook and Instagram, issued threats to students there.

These accounts are reportedly the same which issued threats at School of the Nations.

The situation is being taken very seriously by parents since the Director of School of the Nations was shot at his home amid these worrying threats.

Belle West man slapped with 4 counts of rape

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Belle West, Canal Number Two Polder, West Demerara resident was on Tuesday slapped with four counts of rape and appeared at the

Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

Stepheon Phillips, 42, appeared before Magistrate Zamina Ally-Seepaul accused of raping a child under the age of 16.

The particulars of the case were not presented, but Phillips was remanded to prison. The case will continue on February 28, 2019 at the Wales Magistrate’s Court.

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wednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Classes suspended as bomb threat hits UG

By Shemuel Fanfair

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n the heels of security threats at three top high schools, the country’s premier tertiary institution, the University of Guyana has become the latest target of bomb threats with tense moments unfolding at the Turkeyen Campus on Tuesday when students and staff fled to the sports field in a bid to preserve their safety.

The suspected terror threat, which is believed to be domestic in its nature,

forced the suspension of all classes with Police ranks, sniffer dogs, Guyana Fire Service operatives and other security operatives swopping down on the campus.

Guyana Times understands that students received messages on their mobile devices just after 13:00h which purported that there were two bombs planted and which would soon explode. The bombs, the text claimed, were hidden in haversacks that were strategically placed, which caused some to pan-

A desolate University Campus on Tuesday afternoon

City Hall passes motion to establish Audit Committee

Councillors and other staff members of M&CC gathered for the meeting on Tuesday

I

n a bid to build transparency and erase the question marks that still exist as a result of unaccounted-for cash, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown on Tuesday passed a motion which will pave the way for the establishment of an Audit Committee.

The motion was brought to the table during Tuesday’s sitting of an extraordinary statutory meeting. It was moved by Councillor Denroy Tudor and seconded

by Councillor Eon Bollers, who touted the need for the

Committee.

Tudor said he saw the move as the first step in the right direction, which would guarantee that the Council started on a fresh page to ensure transparency in accounting.

The Committee is expected to provide the necessary oversight and focus on providing clarity to auditing practices.

“On January 1, 2019, some of us would have become Councillors for the first time, so we want to ensure that with that same fresh air that we would have brought

to the Council when we were sworn in, that we can truly start afresh, that we can ensure that this Council is one that ensures that transparency and best practices in terms of accounting will be offered,” Tudor posited.

Bollers explained that the auditing committee was intended to be an oversight committee within the M&CC. “This oversight committee would ensure the accuracy of all financial records, regulations and transactions or contracts that they are in perfect order or the best or-

der, comparable to both international and local accounting practices and standards,” Bollers explained.

He said that the present Council has taken note of the past controversies the Council was involved in as a result of lack of transparency and did not want to follow those footprints left in the sand.

The Councillor said he was aware that City Hall was plagued by shortage of funds and this committee would ensure that funds were properly managed.

In debating the motion, Councillor Bishram Kuppen argued that he had an issue with the terms of reference of the motion while highlighting that there were still matters to be ironed out.

Turn to page 12

ic and flee classrooms and buildings with some even leaving belongings behind.

After security agents were summoned to the scene, no explosive device was uncovered up to the time this publication visited the area as the authorities continue investigations into the anonymous text message.

Guyana Times met briefly with the University’s ViceChancellor Professor Ivelaw Griffith, who explained that a building-by-building assessment was being conducted to determine the safety of the staff and students. He said this was geared to ensure that classes would return to normal today as he sought to assure students that the institution will be a safe place.

“The experience at other institutions in recent time has allowed people to appreciate where uncertainty of this kind is part of the reality; we are doing everything that is humanly possible to ensure the safety and security of the buildings and it would be wonderful for us all to return to work and study tomorrow (Wednesday),” the University’s principal told this publication.

He went on to explain that there will be a general review of the protocol procedures that govern the institution. Griffith added that they did not want to take for granted that the threat was not credible.

Just after 14:00h, the Campus became a silent zone which was unlike its usual atmosphere where students can be seen traversing the roads and buildings engaging in debates, intense conversations, laughter or hurrying to attend classes. It was a scene of worry for some who told Guyana Times they will await official word from senior academic staff before they can comment on the situation.

Nevertheless, others took it with less fear, saying they did not panic when they were led to assemble on the field.

This latest incident follows threats carried out to School of the Nations, Queens College and the Bishops’ High. The threats were given added attention after Nations’ Director, Dr Brian O’Toole was shot at his home; the Briton is now recovering. This led to the private institution halting operations for several days.

Meanwhile, Police ranks were placed at Queen’s College and other city schools. However, as this newspaper reported, only 100 out of some 700 students turned up for classes on Monday as parents became hesitant in allowing their children to attend school. Parents at QC had not been allowed to enter the premises but were asked to wait outside until classes were dismissed.

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WednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Court-ordered Art 106 March 19 elections

GECOM meeting fails to reach consensus on election timeline

… ignores expediting proposal

GECOM Commissioner Robeson Benn

PPP/C Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali among protesters on Tuesday

fter hours of deliberation, discussions at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) over various timelines for holding constitutionally due General and Regional Elections reached a dead end, with complaints that suggestions for expediting preparations were ignored and side-lined.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Commissioner Robeson Benn on Tuesday slammed GECOM over the fact that instead of looking for ways to speed up electoral

preparations taking into account the three months constitutional stipulation, efforts continue to be made to delay the process.

“I have said previously that in my view, a sinister and callous plan is afoot to delay the holding of elections on the constitutional mandated date,” Benn said. “I have said both at the GECOM meetings and elsewhere that GECOM is complicit in not achieving these dates.

“For today’s (Tuesday)

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meeting, I expected that GECOM would have taken account of a presentation I made which indicated that training for which they had put 105 days (latest duration) could be achieved in 32 days at the most. They have not taken account of the presentations in relation to that.”

According to Benn, his presentation had demonstrated the overlap in the types of training GECOM would have to do. He said that instead of the nine weekends being proposed by GECOM to do training, only three weekends were needed.

“I have said that I am really not prepared to go to any other discussion on any other option until we look at the first option, and that is to hold elections on March 19, 2019. When we examine that and thoroughly dispense with that, then we can look at the other options.

“This situation could not be arrived at because they did not present the information which they were told they ought to have considered and put in the work plan. I think we are in a sorry state.”

Benn also zeroed in on GECOM Chairman, retired Justice James Patterson, who he revealed has been refusing to brief them on a meeting that was held between representatives from the diplomatic community and the Chairman.

Roadblock

When questioned by the media, GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield declined

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

GECOM’s Chairman, Retired Justice James Patterson

ticular state of readiness… the Commission shall be responsible for the conduct of elections and the conduct of registration. Each of those subsets requires an order from the Commission. The order will be published and gazetted and then we proceed with operations at the Secretariat,” he added.

The parliamentary Opposition and oth-

of Guyana to hold elections within three months of the passage of a no-confidence motion.

In fact, during a previous meeting with the Opposition and Government Chief Whips, the GECOM Chairman abruptly ended a meeting on the Commission’s preparedness after he was pressed for answers.

It was only a few days ago

Pulling strings to stymie elections

Protesters demanding GECOM carries out itsconstitutional mandate

Benn reminded that GECOM has a constitutional mandate and that the collective and individual members of the Commission could be held liable for their failure to hold elections in keeping with the Constitution. He went on to note that a Commission of Inquiry is needed to determine who is pulling strings to stymie the elections.

Hundreds brave the sun and scattered showers outside GECOM

to discuss specifics about the timelines being proposed.

According to Lowenfield, he will defer to the Commission when it makes a decision.

However, he too acknowledged that discussions on these timelines have hit a roadblock.

“The operations subcommittee met this morning and deliberated on the submissions made by the Secretariat relative to the many options that are available. Unfortunately, that subcommittee was unable to arrive at any decision. The subcommittee will be meeting again at some time.

“Ours is to stay at a par-

er observers have accused Government of attempting to delay the holding of the constitutionally mandated elections following the passage of no-confidence motion of December 21, 2018.

The three-month time frame in which the polls should be held was validated by last Thursday’s ruling by acting Chief Justice Roxane George, who declared that the motion was validly passed 33-32.

The complaint has been that GECOM was not forthcoming about its preparedness for the mandatory elections despite being mandated by the Constitution

that United Nations Resident Coordinator Mikiko Tanaka had urged Government to respect the Constitution.

Guyana’s Private Sector Commission had also previously called for GECOM to open up about its readiness for elections.

GECOM successfully ran the Local Government Elections in November 2018, less than three months ago.

It is the President of Guyana, who must give a date for elections and not GECOM as being touted. The President of Guyana, according to the Constitution, has to dissolve Parliament and issue a date for elections.

City Hall passes motion...

Mayor Ubraj Narine chimed in here, saying that should the motion be passed, the committee members would make a determination on those.

Committee members are expected to soon be appointed on the board.

Two other motions were also passed to aid in promoting transparency at the Council on solid waste and tendering which will also allow for two separate committees to be set up to oversee the sectors.

This will be the first time that tender and solid waste committees are established by the Council.

City Hall has been ac-

cused in the past of failing to account for funds and even sole-sourcing contracts to associates. The Tender and Procuring Committee would be responsible for ensuring that the Council gets the best value for money, garnered from residents of the city.

The announcement of these groups comes at a time when City Hall has been accused of lack of transparency.

In fact, it was only late last month that Town Clerk Royston King was fired following a Commission of Inquiry which found that he was guilty of gross misconduct.

From page 11

Retired Justice Cecil Kennard, who presided over the case, said: “I’m convinced that the Town Clerk and the Mayor are not working in the best interest of the city…To sum it all, most of the woes of the City Council have been due to neglect and mismanagement by the top officers of the Council”.

Justice Kennard, in his report, had stated that the former Town Clerk was guilty of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and misappropriation of funds. He also stated that King performed the duties of Treasurer and other officers of the Council, which were not his designated duties.

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wednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

14 NEWS Govt refuses to accept CJ’s decision in no-confidence cases wednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

...moves to Court of Appeal

By Jarryl Bryan

T

he Government has appealed the no-confidence related cases it lost on January 31, asking the Court of Appeal to set aside some of the judgements made by acting Chief Justice Roxane George.

The first case Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams is appealing is the case of AG v Speaker of the National Assembly and Opposition Leader. The second is AG v Christopher Ram. The initial case directly pertains to the passage of the no-confidence vote in the National Assembly by a majority of 33 to 32 on December 21, 2018. In the case of AG v Speaker of the National Assembly and Opposition Leader, Williams’s submis-

sion 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”.

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

In the second case, Ram had argued that Cabinet should have resigned as per the Constitution. Ram had successfully sought to have the High Court validate the no-confidence resolution and have Government comply with constitutional provisions

to demit office and call elections no later than March of this year.

Ram has also argued that Cabinet’s failure to resign with all convenient speed and to fix an election date could lead to uncertainty and a constitutional crisis if neither occurs in keeping with the Constitution.

The Chief Justice had upheld both cases, ruling that the no-confidence vote was validly passed, and that Cabinet should have resigned.

However, Williams in his appeal is claiming that the Chief Justice made an error in both of these rulings.

Appeal

Particularly, the AG expressed that the Chief Justice’s decision was “unreasonable and cannot be sup-

ported having regard to the evidence”. He is seeking an order setting aside both rulings and all consequential orders, adding that more submissions will be made upon receipt of the CJ’s written ruling.

The appeal comes at a time when local and international organisations have been calling for a speedy resolution to these legal matters.

President David Granger and the Government as a whole have said they will not resign while these legal cases are pending. On Monday, the European Union called for the appeals to be expedited in much the same way as the Chief Justice expedited

the initial case.

The EU’s local mission revealed that it was keeping an eye on developments following the vote. The EU urged that democratic procedures and the rule of law be respected and upheld.

The EU also called for free and fair elections to be held and for the Guyana Government to follow all requirements outlined in the Constitution of Guyana following the December 21, 2018 no-confidence vote.

Government has always said it would appeal the rulings if not favourable.

According to the EU, it is best if these appeals are expedited,

hinting that foreign investments into Guyana are being held up by the political uncertainty.

The EU’s urging came shortly after United Nations Resident Coordinator Mikiko Tanaka urged the Government to demonstrate its integrity and respect Guyana’s Constitution.

According to Tanaka, building a peaceful and just society requires respect for the rule of law and confidence in national institutions. “It is hoped that the third arm of the State, the Executive, will demonstrate its integrity and respect for Guyana’s Constitution and the Judiciary that constitute the foundation for the rule of law,” Tanaka added.

She also noted that upcoming General and Regional Elections would be a big test for Guyana, considering the atmosphere of mistrust that permeated previous elections.

She noted that the need for political parties to be responsible was absolutely critical for bringing an end to racial inequality.

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WednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramsammy’s Ruminations The public health sector has fallen apart: people plead for help, Government missing

I

n full election campaign mode, APNU/AFC boasts it has spent $150 billion on healthcare in Guyana. While no one doubts this claim, the people of Guyana know also that public health care in Guyana is in a total mess, falling far below its 2015 standards. The Budget also shows that several billion dollars were spent on corrupt deals, super salaries for handpicked activists, etc. In the meantime, the Ministers in health and the Cabinet are clueless Dr Leslie Ramsammy and, more importantly, disinterested in the sector.

Even as the health sector falls apart, the Ministers are AWOL – everywhere doing everything but their jobs. They did take time to dispute a story of a corrupt arrangement for another “medicine bond” rental in Georgetown, at a cost of $12.5 million per month, which now necessitates the calling in of the Auditor General to verify.

While the Ministers are now everywhere openly campaigning, the latest news from the public health sector is that the New Amsterdam Hospital’s mortuary, where several bodies decomposed last month is now “closed indefinitely”. The announcement did not include reference to any contingency arrangements for mortuary services. Presumably, this will now be a burden on families as they resort to the Private Sector. At no time did anyone connected to the Ministry of Public Health bother to present plans for resuming mortuary services at the main hospital for Regions Five and Six, an area with at least 33 per cent of the population of Guyana. Even as that announcement was made, there is protest because of chaos at the ER of that hospital. There is also a standoff between the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Regional Democratic Council (RDC); the RDC wants cataract surgery resumed at the New Amsterdam Hospital, since the Port Mourant Ophthalmology Centre has essentially closed down, but the CEO has refused the order from the RDC. Meanwhile, Skeldon Hospital is without use of all its equipment because of electricity problems, shortage of medicines and medical supplies continue to plague the sector across Guyana, medical personnel are often missing, important equipment such as x-ray machines are inoperable in various hospitals, dental services are restricted because of lack of supplies, child mortality in our hospitals have become a crisis, with the questionable deaths at the GPHC still “under investigation”. In fact, since then, a number of child deaths have occurred at GPHC which are being questioned. A poor family from Buxton called me last night with just a heart-rending, horror story of a child who died at just six days old. There are questions about a number of maternal deaths that are still under investigation. There are the ongoing corrupt arrangement to procure medicines and supplies that are still unavailable.

As hopeless as the above sounds, it is only the tip of the iceberg. The collapse of the health sector is one of the many reasons why the Guyanese people have lost confidence in the David Granger-led APNU/AFC Government. This is a major reason why the nation is just simply disgusted with the behaviour of David Granger and APNU/AFC as they spend taxpayers’ money to campaign openly for elections due by March 21, while also defiantly insisting they will not resign and schedule elections.

President Granger defiantly declared on Sunday at an APNU/AFC election meeting “I ain’t going nowhere”. Ministers of Public Health, Volda Lawrence and Karen Cummings, have suddenly found lots of time, gustily campaigning with taxpayers money. The European Union and the United Nations have joined civil society and political parties in Guyana urging David Granger and APNU/AFC to hold elections in accordance with the Constitution within 90 days from December 21, as Parliament mandated when it passed the no-confidence motion. The AFC is fighting internally over who should be its Prime Minister nominee, Moses Nagamootoo or Ramjattan. In the midst of this travesty, GECOM with its Granger-handpicked Chairman has allowed itself to become a tentacle of APNU/ AFC dictatorship, like the Bollers-led Elections Commission of Burnham in the late 1960s up to 1992.

Sectors like health and education are falling apart. While the Government insists that it is business as usual, it has become totally absent in managing the various sectors. It still signs huge contracts, contrary to the Constitution, and is now tapping the treasury as they embark on the usual political trickery and lies, while agony and trauma have become the norm of the lives of ordinary people everywhere in Guyana.

The time to speak up is now. Silence will only bring greater crisis for our people.

Fruit vendor busted with 5.8 kg ganja

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37-year-old fruit vendor was in the wee hours of Tuesday morning nabbed

by Police with 5.8 kilograms (13 lbs) of cannabis at his North Ruimveldt, Georgetown home.

Reports are Police acting on information swooped down on the house and conducted a search during which the illegal substance

was unearthed.

According to information reaching Guyana Times, several parcels of the illegal drug was found hidden in a microwave while another quantity was found buried in the backyard. The vendor was taken into Police custody and is being processed for court.

Some of the ganja that was found at a North Ruimveldt, Georgetown home on Tuesday

16 news

wednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Child rapist gets 21- Miner dies after mining pit collapses year prison sentence A

A

man said to be in his 50s will spend the next several years in jail after admitting to raping a 12-year-old nearly three years ago at an East Coast Demerara (ECD) village.

Richard Archer pled guilty to the offence upon his appearance before Justice Jo Ann Barlow at the Sexual

Offences Court on Monday.

The incident occurred on April 10, 2016.

The judge sentenced him to 21 years’ imprisonment following his early plea. He was represented by Attorney Maxwell McKay while State Counsels Lisa Cave, Sarah Martin and Seeta Bishundial appeared for the prosecution.

54-year-old miner died on Monday after the mining pit in which he was working collapsed and he was covered with mud.

Dead is Timothy Hunter of Jawalla Village, Upper Mazaruni River.

According to Police, the incident occurred at about 16:30h on Monday at a mining pit located at Ominaik Village, Upper Mazaruni River.

The initial investigation revealed that Hunter and several other miners were “jetting” inside the pit when a wall collapsed and covered him.

Reports are the other miners attempted to rescue him but by the time they dug through the slush, he was unresponsive.

The body is presently at the Imbaimadai Health Post awaiting post-mortem.

On December 27, 2018, 11-year-old Tairon Terryl De Souza of Big Creek, Port Kaituma, Region One (Barima-Waini), died at Big Creek during a mining pit accident.

A mining pit in Guyana’s interior

In October 2018, Lennox Douglas, 33, of Canvas City, Wismar, Linden, met his demise when a portion of rocks from a mining pit reportedly fell onto his head.

He was, however, quickly picked up and rushed to the Issano Health Centre where he succumbed to his injuries.

In September 2018, two miners lost their lives after they were covered by mud when a pit in which they were working caved in at the Mowasi Backdam, Konawaruk, Potaro, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni).

Dead are Deon Sproston, called “Jersey Joe”, 36, of Lot

Man denies Smyth Street execution killing

133 Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and a miner only known as “Shawn”. The incident occurred at about 20:00h on September 17.

Guyana Times understands that the two men and other persons were working the walls of the pit with metal detectors searching for gold while it was raining heavily.

While working, a large portion of the pit wall suddenly broke off and fell on both men, burying them alive.

In January 2018, 23-yearold Handel Payne, also called “Daggie”, of Kaneville Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD), died after the mining pit in which he was working at 35 Miles, Konawaruk Backdam collapsed.

In April 2018, a miner named Kevin Adams, 25, of Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) died at

Chinese Creek Backdam, Mazaruni River, after a pit caved in and buried him alive.

One month later, in May, Ken Ranny, 20, a resident of Kamarang, Upper Mazaruni River, died after he was covered by mud after the wall of a mining pit in which he was working collapsed at Pepper Camp Backdam, Upper Mazaruni River.

Again, one month later, in June, miner Elmo Adams died after he too was buried alive after the walls of a pit in which he was working caved in at Imbaimadai, Upper Mazaruni.

Back in 2015, ten persons died in a mining pit in the Konawaruk area after it collapsed. The incident saw 17 miners being buried under a pile of dirt and rubble but seven managed to escape alive with various injuries.

The others remained trapped under the dirt, where they perished. The ten miners were Leyland Jones, Jason Trotman, Vick Bernard, Frank Bernard, Desmond Martins, Raymond August, Brian Bank, Trevon Phillips, Nanmore Kurt and another man identified only as “Michael”.

The deaths were blamed on heavy rains in the area, improper mining design and poor safety practices at the mining camp.

Security guards, agricultural workers to benefit from free movement within Caricom Defendant: Morris Prince

Gunned down: O’Riley Small

he High Court trial of Riverview, Georgetown resident Morris Prince is set to commence before Justice Navindra Singh following the empanelment of a 12-member jury on Tuesday.

The accused denied the murder indictment put forward by the State by way of entering a not-guilty plea.

It is alleged that he killed O’Riley Small on March 19, 2016.

According to reports, the deceased was executed on

Smyth Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown when he had reportedly entered his yard after he returned home from a night out at a popular spot. It was claimed that he was approached by a man who discharged several rounds in his direction, thus allegedly causing a multiplicity of injuries about the body.

The accused is being represented by Attorney Mark Waldron while the prosecution’s counsels include Tuanna Hardy, Abigail Gibbs and Teriq Mohammed.

T

S

ecurity guards and agricultural workers are expected to have an easier time moving across the Caribbean for work in the near future.

According to the Caricom Secretariat, Caricom’s Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) on Labour is doing its part to move the process forward by having a special meeting this week to further discuss the matter.

This meeting of Ministers of Labour from across the Region will be held via videoconference, today.

Assistant Secretary General, Directorate for Human and Social Development at the Caricom Secretariat, Dr Douglas Slater, and Chairman of the meeting, Minister of Labour and Small Enterprises and Development, Trinidad and Tobago, Jennifer Baptiste Primus, will give brief remarks at the opening.

According to the Secretariat, this special meeting of the COHSOD will seek to advance efforts towards implementing the mandate from the Caricom Heads of Government for agricultural workers and security guards to move under the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME). The COHSOD is to advise on the avenues that can be used to facilitate the movement of Community nationals in these categories. In particular, the meeting will deter-

mine definitions of these categories and the mechanisms to be used to assess who is an agricultural worker or security guard. A definition of household domestics will also be considered.

The Council will be guided by proposals from consultations with stakeholders in the agriculture and security sectors held on January 15, 2019. Delegates will also be guided by discussions that took place in September and November of 2018 regarding the definition of household domestics at the Twentieth Meeting of Officials on the Free Movement of Skills and the Facilitation of Travel and the Forty-Seventh Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), the release added.

The Caricom Heads of Government, at their Eighteenth Special Meeting on the CSME (December 3 – 4, 2018) agreed to extend the categories of nationals entitled to move across the Region to include agricultural workers and security guards under the CSME. The conference agreed that these additional categories are to be facilitated administratively by the end of February 2019 and implemented into legislation by Member States by the end of July. The conference had agreed previously that household domestics with a Caribbean Vocational Qualification were eligible to move under the CSME.

news

17

wednesdAY, february 6, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Minister hosts meeting at Berbice Sophia man jailed house where high-powered illegal for B&E A weapons, ammunition found

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan

P

ublic Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has raised eyebrows in Berbice, Region Six after he hosted a meeting at the bottom of a house where a quantity of high-powered illegal weapons and ammunition were found.

The issue came to the fore after residents of Corentyne, Bebice questioned the circumstances under which the person who was charged for the illegal guns and ammunition was granted bail.

During a community meeting on Friday last, res-

idents questioned senior Police Officers about the issue and were told that the Police did their part, but it was the court which granted the man his pre-trial liberty.

On December 17, 2018, Police raided the house at Port Mourant and unearthed two rifles and a quantity of ammunition.

According to a Police press release, acting on information received, a search was conducted on the premises of a 51-year-old mechanic which uncovered two rifles – one with a microscopic lens along with 284 rounds of ammunition, nine empty casings, three magazines, and a firearm casing.

One Michael Bascom was later charged for the offence and was released on bail pending his trial.

Meanwhile, on January 27, 2019, Public Security Minister Ramjattan held a public meeting at the said Port Mourant resident’s house where the high-powered weapons and ammunition were found. Efforts by this publication to contact security officials and Minister Ramjattan himself proved futile.

The guns and ammunition found at Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice

North Sophia, Georgetown resident was on Tuesday sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he broke and entered a clothing store located on Garnett Street, Campbellville.

Jose Hamilton of Lot M 41 North Sophia, Georgetown, who is no stranger to the court admitted to the charge which stated that between February 1 and 2, 2019, at Campbellville, he stole a quantity of items valued $625,000; property of David Mitchel.

Reports are at about 18:00h on February 1, the Virtual Complainant, who is the owner of the boutique, secured the building and left the premises. However, on his return on February 2, he noticed that a window was opened and items were missing from the store.

A report was made to the

Kitty Police Station and an investigation was launched.

The prosecution is contending that based on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) footage which was reviewed, the defendant was seen removing the items from the building.

According to the police, the 41-year old man was subsequently arrested and when questioned, he admitted to stealing the items. The police are contending that the defendant led the police to a location where he took the items and called out for a man (name given) whom he is alleging bought the stolen articles.

Further, the court was informed that Hamilton was released from prison recently after serving a six-week sentence for a charge of similar nature.After handing down her sentence, Magistrate McLennan advised the man to stay away from criminal activities.

Miner charged for attempting to kill brother

A

25-year-old miner was on Monday hauled before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and charged with attempting to kill his brother with an arrow and bow after his brother threw alcohol in their mother’s face.

Young Williams was not required to plea to the indictable charge when he

made his appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.

It is alleged that on January 26, 2019, at Waramadong Village, Upper Mazaruni, he wounded Jamal Williams with intent to commit murder.

According to Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, on January 26 the accused

along with his other brothers were at their mother’s home imbibing when the accused threw alcohol in their mother’s face.

Prosecutor Mansfield informed the court that a fight ensued between the brothers and the accused left the Waramadong home. He subsequently returned with an arrow and bow and shot his

brother to his chest.

Further, the prosecution is contending that the victim is in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital.

The prosecutor asked for bail to be refused. The prosecution’s submissions were upheld by the Magistrate. The case will continue on March 19, 2019, at the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court.

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesday, february 6, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

dilbert

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

Make plans with someone special. Taking a trip or helping a cause you believe in will encourage you to make a professional change.

Apply your skills to something you enjoy doing.

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Put more time and effort into professional gains and partnerships. Use your energy to make a change that will give you greater freedom to move about as you please.

CANCER

Use your imagination and creative ability to get things done your way. You’ll impress someone you work with or for. Hard work will lead to new opportunities and higher wages.

(June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

WORD GAME

You’ll be eager to make a change. Think big, but don’t take on more than you can handle. Know your physical and financial limitations.

Update your look or image.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

If you want things to happen, be prepared to put in time and physical labor.

Only take on what will benefit you. Don’t waste time, and make adjustments as needed.

You don’t have to go overboard to impress someone. A heartfelt dialogue that expresses your feelings will be all that’s required when dealing with personal and professional partners.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Gather as much information as possible before you disagree with someone.

Changes can be made, but you have to go about it the right way. Keep the peace and stick to the facts.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Let your actions speak for you. A personal change can be made if you do the necessary legwork. Don’t hesitate to do things your way.

SUDOKU

rust facts and rely on SAGITTARIUS your experience. Someone (Nov. 23- will use manipulative tacDec. 21) tics to talk you into something you shouldn’t do. Don’t overspend or compensate to please others.

YESTERDAY’S WORD

solution for YESTERDAY’s puzzle

Whatever you do, be seCAPRICORN cretive until your plans are (Dec. 22- in place. A change will do Jan. 19) you good and encourage you to delve into something that will expand your knowledge or enhance your appearance.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Check the online job market or sign up for something that will help you expand your interests and friendships. Reconnecting with someone from your past is encouraged.

Share your emotions with an important someone and find out where you stand.

Plans can be made that will bring you closer to your goals. You’ll be given an opportunity if you show enthusiasm.

wednesdAY, february 6, 2019

19

GFF Elite League Season 4 promotion “Blitz chess is like watching play-offs commence Saturday 20/20 cricket,” says Drayton

B

E

ight teams will vie for a chance to participate in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League Season 4 when the footballing body hosts the Elite League Season 4 promotion play-offs this Saturday and Sunday at the GFF National Training Centre, Providence.

The teams include League champions from Regional Member Associations (RMAs) including Riverview FC (Bartica FA); Soesdyke Falcons (East Bank FA); Buxton Stars FC (East Demerara FA); FC Eagles (West Demerara FA); NA United (Berbice FA) and Police FC, Georgetown Football Club (GFC) and Santos FC respectively from the Georgetown FA. In an invited comment, GFF’s Competitions Director Ian Alves explained the inclusion of two additional clubs from the GFA:

Representatives at the official draw of the GFF Elite League Season 4 Promotion Draw

“The Berbice and EssequiboPomeroon FAs could not field a champion club in the year-end tournament, but contested as an Association.

The opportunity was, therefore, utilised to involved two of the GFA clubs that performed creditably during 2018.”

Following the official draw of the play-offs held on Tuesday at the GFF’s Boardroom in the presence of participating clubs’ representatives, the event will see Santos FC battle FC Eagles at 10:00h, GFC face Buxton Stars at 12:00h, Riverview FC oppose Police FC at 14:00h and NA United FC take on Soesdyke Falcons at 16:00h.

On Sunday, the schedule will see the winner of Match 1 versus the winner of Match 2 at 10:00h and the winner of Match 3 versus the winner of Match 4 at 12:00h.

The play-offs became necessary as per the GFF Elite League Rules & Regulations, which speak to relegation and promotion at the end of the League.

According to the rules, “the top eight clubs based on their points standing at the end of the tournament will automatically qualify for the next season. The 10thplaced team will be automatically relegated and the winner of the Association Level Championship (ALC) will be promoted. The 9th -placed team will have a playoff with the runner-up of the ALC to determine promotion and relegation.”

As per the current points standing, Cougars FC have been relegated while NA United will fight for their chance to remain in the Elite League. The GFF Elite League is scheduled to commence in early March.

Mourinho Spain tax fraud settled in multi-million deal

E

x-Manchester United boss José Mourinho has agreed a prison term in Spain for tax fraud but will not go to jail.

A one-year prison sentence will instead be exchanged for a fine of €182,500 (£160,160).

That will be added to a separate fine of €2m.

Spain rarely enforces sentences of less than two years for non-violent or first-time offenders.

He was accused of owing €3.3m to Spanish tax authorities from his time managing Real Madrid in 2011-2012.

Prosecutors said he had created offshore companies to manage his image rights and hide the earnings from tax officials.

Image rights cover the use of a person's likeness, voice, signature and mannerisms - and can be very lucrative for footballers and managers.

Mourinho's move to Manchester United in 2016 was even delayed after it emerged his previous team Chelsea owned the trademark to his name.

Spanish prosecutors said that Mourinho, a Portuguese national, had set up multiple business entities in the British Virgin Islands and elsewhere to manage his image rights.

They argued that was designed to obscure his financial gain from such deals - and he left it undeclared in his tax statements after he moved to Spain.

He is the latest high-profile football personality to strike a deal with Spanish authorities, which are pursuing a crackdown on tax evasion or fraud Jose Mourinho by the country's many resident star players.

(BBC Sport)

litz chess has taken the world by storm, as it is the current craze among chess fanatics in society.

The game can be played online via websites such as Chess.com, ICC, lichess.org, Chesscube, and PlanetChess – which usually have more than 1000 members online at any given time. With time frames of three minutes and even 5-10 minutes, even the best of the best are definitely challenged as their brain is now put into overdrive to figure out which move should be played next within the given time constraints. But the format of the game can be very exciting as FIDE [Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation] Master Anthony Drayton notes.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sport when asked about the benefits of the Blitz format of Chess, Drayton said, “The fast format of the game is very thrilling and exciting. The 5-10 minutes that you would play for is like watching a 20/20 cricket match throughout the game, it keeps your heart racing.

As for the benefits, it helps you to become more creative and cunning when it comes to making decisions at a very fast pace in order to sometimes confuse your opponent. It also forces a player to find the best possible variations or moves in order to get out of trouble or even to win.”

Drayton went on to state that when viewed on a long-term basis, the format of the game helps you to find and analyse the right moves more quickly in the longer format of the game. He also told this publication that while some may say that blitz chess is not real chess, his views on the issue differ as he believes that in the end, even in the long format, you have to be able to think on your feet and if that isn’t done in the end,

you will suffer defeat because the individual would lose the ability to play instinctive chess. In closing, Drayton reflected on the recently-concluded James Bond Birthday Blitz Tournament, “… I was able to score 11-12 rounds winning the tournament; my only loss went to Chino Chung in the fifth round, because I lost a Bishop in the middle game by being greedy by giving back the pawn I won earlier in the opening stages of the game, which caused me to have weaknesses with my back rank. But blitz chess is fun, thrilling and exciting at the same time.”

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesdAY, february 6, 2019

GFF President optimistic about impact of Astroturf on players’ development Under-15 players having their first feel of the astroturf

T

he Frank Watson Under-15 tournament opened a whole new level of possibilities for the way football is being developed in Guyana, covering areas such as grassroots development and exposure.

Over the past weekend, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Pele Alumni Frank Watson tournament moved out of the Regional Member Associations level and graduated to the national level,

where the champions of the respective regions travelled to compete against each other.

Without a doubt, the GFF’s National Training Centre at Providence was alive with activity over the weekend and played an integral role in the hosting of the first two clusters of the national competition.

While the facility is not yet completed, the most important aspect, the astroturf playing surface, is up and

running and served well on Saturday and Sunday when the Under-15 players were exposed to this type of playing surface for the first time.

“It’s a historic day beyond that for Guyana football, l because this is the first officially sanctioned GFF tournament that is being played at the new national training centre. I know it’s a big occasion for these players and it’s also a big occasion for the fraternity and for all of Guyana.”

Those were the sentiments expressed by GFF President Wayne Forde.

Giving an assessment of the talent on show over the weekend, the GFF President noted that the players would need to adjust to the new surface.

“I think they need a lot of adjustment because many of them would have been playing on surfaces where it’s uneven and the ball changes direction on its way to you and all that, so, having to cope with a ball that goes where you pass it and comes straight at you is difficult.

Also judging the bounce, judging the pace, you can see that they’re trying to make that adjustment,” he reflected.

However, Forde is positive that it will be a small task for the cream of Guyana’s young football crop.

“At this stage, a young person adjusts fairly quickly, so we’ll see, because we’re going to do everything possible to have as many players as possible playing on the venue. And I think you’re going to see a lot of adjust-

ments and the quality of the game will certainly improve,” Forde stated.

Looking to the future, he sees the facility as a means of keeping players and coaches on their toes, in order to further enhance the quality of football being played in Guyana.

“Over the next couple of years, we now have an opportunity to really work closely with o u r

players, keep them in contact with the coaching staff and have them develop their skills more on a quality playing surface,” he explained.

“This is just one of many projects of this nature that will be rolled out over the next couple of years across Guyana,” Forde stated, hinting at the possibility of having more astroturf facilities around the country. (Jemima Holmes)

Guyana Football Federation President Wayne Forde

Red Force energised after humbling Jaguars, says Da Silva

A

– Simmons set to return for Pride clash know we have more games to play and our focus is to win as many as possible,” Da Silva said after the victory.

Red Force, who will play the Barbados Pride from Thursday, February 7, will be boosted with the return of Lendl Simmons.

Da Silva, who was the best Trinidad and Tobago youth player in 2018, has played three matches thus far in the 2018-2019 season and has scored 133 runs. With the senior opening batsmen missing the last round, Da Silva was given the opportunity to open the batting against the fiery Jaguars bowlers where he had scores of 0 and 49. The highly talented 20-year old told this publicaLendl Simmons tion that opening the batting for his country was a huge deal –especially at his home ground.

A wicket-keeper by nature, Da Silva told Guyana Times Sport that he was hoping for a better knock in the first innings, but he got a score in the second innings, although he missed out on his maiden half-century. Da Silva will be aiming to improve on leaving balls at the earlier stages in his innings. The victory against the Jaguars may be the opening for greatness for the

fter a 93-run win against Guyana Jaguars in the sixth round, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force team have hit the re-

boot button.

Speaking after the victory against the Jaguars, the Red Force opener Joshua Da Silva, who scored 49 runs in the second innings, told this reporter that the team were overjoyed.

“To beat G u y a n a Jaguars so convincingly, the guys are extremely happy, but w e

Red Force team, with five rounds to play.

The Denesh Ramdin-led team will continue to depend on their senior players in Imran Khan, Jason Mohammed and Ravi Rampaul in their return clash against the Barbados Pride. Red Force departed on Monday for Barbados.

With Lendl Simmons in the squad, they will be looking to continue their winning ways and Simmons is likely to bring experience to the table.

Simmons, who has retired from Test cricket, has played 94 FirstClass matches, scoring 5110 runs at an average of 32.54 with 10 centuries and 23 hundreds to his name. The 34-year-old top-order batsman may replace the struggling Teon Webster at number three to stabilise the batting order. The inform Jeremy Solozano is the Red Force’s leading batsman thus far this season with 338 runs, including one century and one half-century.

Jason Mohammed (191), who scored some invaluable runs against the Jaguars, will be aiming to build on that innings to score runs for his team.

Veteran leg-spinner Imran Khan remains the star with the ball for the Red Force this

season with 25 wickets at a stellar average of 18.60 with his best bowling figures being 7-47. Rightarm fast bowler Anderson Phillip has 12 wickets for the Red Force with best figures of 5-94.

The stunning performance

against the dominant Jaguars unit has given Red Force the confidence to win matches, and they will be eying a move up the points table with five matches to play.

(Brandon Corlette)

Joshua Da Silva

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sports

CWI President urges Windies to stay encouraged – players improve on rankings

P

resident of Cricket West Indies, Dave Cameron is calling on the WINDIES Men to remain encouraged as Captain, Jason Holder will miss the 3rd Test due to a suspension.

The WINDIES men had a clinical 2nd Test match victory versus England in Antigua to win the Wisden Trophy Series, a feat last achieved in the Caribbean 10 years ago.

The WINDIES’ convincing victory which lasted less than three days, thrust West Indies fans into a celebratory mood. However, soon after came the disappointing news that Holder had been suspended for the next Test because of the International Cricket Council’s slow over rate rule.

Cameron said: “We will, of course, abide by the ICC ruling, but we have to wonder if such punitive action at a pivotal stage of the series is good for

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cricket. What a shame if the series is remembered not for the sparkling play of the reinvigorated West Indies players but for a crippling decision made by a rule that ought to be modified,” said Cameron.

Holder now has the opportunity to benefit from resting his body over the per i od of the next

CWI President Dave Cameron

test and be well prepared for the upcoming ODI series which begins on February 20. The team is also expected to be well equipped and motivated to emerge victorious at the Daren Sammy Stadium when the 3rd and final Test match bowls off in St Lucia on Saturday, February 9.

Meanwhile, the Windies captain still remains at the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings for All-rounders and has gained four spots in the Bowlers list to a career-best, sixth. He reached a tally of 778 rating points, the highest by any Windies bowler since the retirement of Courtney Walsh in 2001.

The player of the match in Antigua though was Kemar Roach, who grabbed four wickets in each

innings. He was rewarded with a jump of eight slots to 12th position, just one place behind his compatriot Shannon Gabriel, who advanced one slot. Alzaari Joseph gained 12 places to secure 53rd position.

The Windies batsmen to advance include Kraigg Brathwaite (up one place to 33rd), Shane Dowrich (up two places to 45th), Shai Hope (up five places to 46th) and Darren Bravo (up two places to 55th) after his determined 50 in 342 minutes.

For England, Jonny Bairstow’s first-innings half-century has helped him push up two places to 23rd position while wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has gained eight places to reach 64th in the list. (CWI)

Shane Warne slams ICC over Holder suspension

A

ustralian bowling legend Shane Warne has described as ridiculous the decision by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ban Windies captain Jason Holder for the upcoming Test in St. Lucia.

Holder, who captained the Windies to a 2-0 series victory over England to win the Wisden Trophy for the first time in 10 years, will miss the dead-rubber Test set for St Lucia later this week.

However, it robs the Test of the Windies captain who has been the catalyst for the rare Windies triumph over a topranked cricket nation.

Warne, 49, the Australian leg-spinner who has taken 708 Test

223-7230-1 (Ext 55) Shane Warne

wickets during his illustrious career, believes the rule banning captains for slow over rates makes little sense.

"The test didn't go 3 days - can you please appeal this @JaseHolder98 ! What a ridiculous decision - where's the common sense here? Ps Congrats on a wonderful series win too.

International cricket needs a strong Windies team & hopefully this is just the start @ BrianLara," Warne tweeted.

Warne found support in former England Michael Vaughn.

“246 over Test Match .. that amounts to 2.6 days of Cricket .. A team hammers the opposition & plays great Test cricket yet the Captain gets a ban for Slow over rate .. @ Jaseholder98 can find himself very very unlucky on this occasion

.. !! The game really doesn’t help itself ...”

Holder thanked Warne for his support which prompted the blonde-haired crick-

et turned commentator to tweet” - “Pleasure! The fans at the ground saw some awesome cricket from you & your team. No one at the ground

would have felt short changed whatsoever. What a ridiculous decision & I hope this will be over turned!" (Sportsmax)

22

wednesdAY, february 6, 2019

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Berbice, Select Under-19 steamroll the opposition – Gajnabi, Giddings, Fraser, Mangru outstanding

By Brandon Corlette

T

he women from the Ancient County, Berbice, replicated their performance from the second round, defeating arch-rivals Demerara by eight wickets to lift their sixth Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) InterCounty 50-over title.

It was Erva Giddings' brilliance that restricted Demerara to a below-par total as the left-arm seamer grabbed a five-wicket haul. In the other fixture played at Everest, Select Under-19 defeated Essequibo by 329 runs on the back of Shabika G a n j a n b i ’ s 160, Cherry An Fraser’s 93 and Mandy Mangru’s 7-18.

Mandy Mangru snared 7-18 and Cherry An Fraser smashed 93

Demerara v Berbice

It was sheer dominance at the Georgetown Cricket Club, Bourda when the powerhouse Berbice team defeated their arch-rivals.

Berbice rode on the back of stellar performances from Giddings, who took 5-13, and Sheneta Grimmond with an unbeaten 36.

T h e home team, Demerara, led by second-round centurion Akaze Thompson took first strike under scintillating sunshine in the capital city. The Demerara team were bowled out for 68 in 25.1 overs, with Thompson playing a lone hand with 19.

Opening batters in Lashana Toussaint and Keisha Fraser went out to bat against the fiery Berbice bowling attack that also features Subrina Munroe and Tremyane Smartt.

Fraser was out for five when she was caught and bowled by Giddings after she faced 19 balls in her struggling innings.

Giddings, who is known for swinging the ball with her left-arm medium fast bowling, remained on point and trapped Temica Wilson leg before for a golden duck – the very next ball.

Toussaint was then out, bowled for 16 by Giddings, but Thompson stood firm as she watched wickets tumbled around her. Keisha

The Select Under-19 team thumped Essequibo! (Brandon Corlette photo)

Schultz and Abigael Scott fell without scoring to Giddings and Smartt respectively.

The right-handed Thompson was removed for 19 from 34 balls after batting for 46 minutes and hitting one boundary. Heema Singh scored 12 as she was the third batter for Demerara to reach double figures. Giddings ended with magical figures of 5-13 from six overs, including one maiden. Off-spinner Grimmond had 2-4 from 2.1 overs while Plaffiana Millington, Sherica Campbelle and Smartt had one wicket each in a complete bowling performance.

In reply, Berbice were on the move despite losing Mariam Samaroo for six and Melanie Henry for nine, it was game over when Grimmond led the charge with a belligerent 36 from 31 balls batting 37 minutes, hitting two fours and the shot that caused Bourda to erupt was her

lone six. Campbelle ended on seven from 14 balls as Berbice completed an emphatic eight-wicket win. Thompson and Singh were the wicket-takers for Demerara in a losing effort.

Select Under-19 v Essequibo

In the match at Everest, the Windies selectee and the GCB Select Under-19 Captain Gajnabi’s magnificent 160 and Cherry An Fraser’s 93 led the team to 384-4.

Mandy Mangru returned with the ball and grabbed 7-18 in a complete performance. Earlier, Select Under-19 openers Casey Charles (09) and Mangru (06) went cheaply, but then it was all Gajnabi and Fraser tearing apart the jaded Essequibians.

Gajnabi, a Berbice-born player who hails from Chesney, smoked 20 boundaries in her impressive 160. She was out, caught off the bowling of Vanita Balkishun,

ending her once-in-a-lifetime record-breaking knock. The tall Fraser, a brisk right-arm fast bowler, teed off in her innings, hitting 10 fours and one six. She was out bowled by Balkishun for 93, missing out on a well-deserved century.

Lafona Gilgeous scored 18 while the aggressive Africa Gentle smashed an unbeaten 39 to see the Select Under-19 to a formidable 384 runs for four wickets.

In reply, Essequibo were bowled out for 55 in 18 overs, with only Captain Lisa Charles putting up any resistance, to score 15.

It was the off-spinners’ day.

Mangru, who spun webs around the Essequibo batters, captured 7-18 in eight spectacular overs.

Niveena Ramnauth ended with 3-14 as the two off-spinners shared all 10 wickets. The Select Under-19 dominated the match for a comprehensive 329-run victory.

King of Games 2019 rescheduled for Saturday – measures in place for inclement weather

T

he highly-anticipated King of Studies 2019 small-goal tournament will now be hosted this Saturday at the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus at 12:00h opposite the Behavioural Sciences Building since it was postponed last weekend owing to inclement weather.

The rains which commenced on Friday last threatened the run-off of the one-day tournament; however, things took a turn for the worse when the weather was the same on Saturday morning which left the designated playing area soggy and unfit for play.

Through it all, organiser Jafar Gibbons remained optimistic as even in the torrential downpours he was in constant communication with the University of Guyana administration. Upon agreement, the new date was announced. If bad weather prevails again, the administration has also given Sunday as a failsafe. Gibbons stated that he was ecstatic that the tournament has been given the go-ahead for this week and was encouraging the fans to come out and support as the hype was still in the air as the 10 teams would be hungry for what was at stake.

The tournament was created with the intention of encouraging student interaction and bringing students together at the University of Guyana. Therefore, the competition will feature teams that comprise members from various faculties as op-

posed to the University norm of inter-faculty sports. Ten teams will be vying for top honours including Goons FC, Kanaima FC, Hot Topic FC, and Hot Strikers FC. The matches will be round-robin style, followed by the knockout stage, which will be three games – two semi-finals and the final. The games will be played in two five-minute halves for the one-day event.

Some of the entities on board are C&L Construction Inc, Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, Guyana Football Federation Inc, the Office of the Vice Chancellor at the University o f Guyana, Signature Moov, Robbie Rambarran, Asim Shakur, ASP Antonio Fredericks, Sharma Solomon, and Lavern Fraser.

Jafar Gibbons

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wednesDAY, february 6, 2019

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CPL’s US$20.8 Million boost for Barbados’ economy

H

ero Caribbean P r e m i e r League (CPL) announced that the tournament’s economic impact for Barbados last year was US$20,841,961.

The tournament was staged between August 8 and 16 September 16.

Organisers said that figure represented an increase on the 2017 figure of nearly 40 per cent.

This figure has been calculated using organiser spend, visitor spend and media value and was collated for Hero CPL by world-renowned researchers, SMG Insight.

In addition to that economic impact figure the Hero CPL employed 361 staff in Barbados and filled 4,579 hotel rooms during the

2018 event. The value of media exposure and mentions of Barbados from the coverage was US$10,438,503; almost double that achieved in 2017. This was due in part to the unique sponsorship of the Sky Sports CPL coverage in the United Kingdom by the Visit Barbados campaign.

The Hero CPL spent US$2,644,411 in Barbados during the 2018 event with the tournament hosting five matches in the island.

Speaking about the report from SMG Insight the Hero CPL Chief Operating

Officer, Pete Russell said: “Barbados has been such a large part of CPL since the

tournament started in 2013 and we are delighted to be providing tangible bene-

fits to the economy of the country. We have already started our plans for the

2019 tournament, and we are certain we can improve on these figures.” First started in 2013, the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere.

Combining broadcast and digital viewership, over 200 million fans watched the 2018 season to make it one of the fastest growing leagues in world cricket.

Trinbago Knight Riders are the current Hero CPL champions and the other competing teams are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, St Lucia Stars and Jamaica Tallawahs.

“Greatest of the Streets” quarterfinals to kick off this evening

A shot of the action in the final round of group games last Friday

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he first sub meet of the 2019 Guinness “Greatest of the Streets” tournament will enter the quarter-final stage tomorrow evening with four scintillating matches on the line-up.

The West Coast/East Bank subdivision is the first one to be contested for the 2019 installation of the Guinness tournament and is quickly coming to a close; however, the competition will heat up tomorrow eve-

ning as 16 teams have been weeded down to eight for the quarter-finals.

Defending champions Showstoppers are entering the quarter-final round on a high after an undefeated run so far.

Haniff joins Everest CC as youth coach

Azeemul Haniff (left) taking the young cricketers of Everest Cricket Club through their drills

F

ormer national cricketer Azeemul Haniff has been appointed to the post of Junior Coach of Everest Cricket Club effective February 2019.

Haniff, who represented Guyana for more than a decade, takes over from Latchman Yadram who became unavailable owing to other commitments. The new coach, who took up the post on Monday, February 4, is in charge of the development of the age group members, the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 levels as well as female cricketers of the prestigious club.

With the experience of 51 First-Class matches and 13 List A matches, the former opening left-handed batsman said he was looking forward to the new role. “I was thinking about it for some time and I am glad that the executives of Everest reached out to me,” Haniff said.

The 41-year-old hit the ground running on Monday at the Camp Road-based club and will be busy over the next few months preparing the various youth teams for competitions in April this year. Haniff was a member of the winning Guyana

Under-19 sides from 1995 to 1997, and graduated to the West Indies Under-19 team where he played alongside Ramnaresh Sarwan, Vishaul Nagamootoo, Nicholas DeGroot, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Shirley Clarke and the late Runako Morton. He also represented the West Indies A team before being selected to go to the Champions Trophy in 2000 in Kenya, but did not play a game.

After the 2007 regional season, the Industry Village resident called time on his career at the age of 29 years old.

Their most recent victims were Boom Bang last Friday night. Showstoppers crushed any chance that Boom Bang had of advancing with a 3-0 win.

The other team in Group A to advance are Up Top Bosses, who were gifted with a walkover on the last playing night which saw them being able to advance with six points.

Out of Group B, ESPN and Brothers United will have their shot in the quar-

ter-finals after finishing the group stage on nine and six points respectively.

Meanwhile, Jetty and West Side Ballers will be the Group C representatives, while Bagotstown and Ballers Empire will emerge out of Group D. This evening at the Pouderoyen tarmac, West Coast Demerara, Up Top Bosses will look to overcome Group C’s leader Jetty.

ESPN and Baller’s Empire will battle each other while

Bagotstown Warriors face off with Brothers United for a spot in the semi-finals.

No doubt, the headline game of the night will be the impending encounter between defending champions Showstoppers and West Side Ballers. Group C runner-ups West Side Ballers will have an uphill task ahead of them if they are going to spoil the unblemished run that Showstoppers have had, dating back to last year.

wednesdAY, february 6, 2019

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

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CPL’s US$20.8 Million boost for Barbados’ economy Berbice, Select Under-19 steamroll the opposition

Page 22

– Gajnabi, Giddings, Fraser, Mangru outstanding

Shane Warne slams ICC over Holder suspension Page 21

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