Guyana Times Epaper - Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Border controversy case

Guyana united P12 in foreign policy since Independence – UG lecture hears Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3753

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

No-confidence motion must take precedence – Jagdeo Page 3

...wants debate before Budget presentation

Govt approves 0.5 – 7% salary increase for public servants

Civil Aviation Bill passed despite protest …Opposition argues against “draconian” penalties

Page 7

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

P2 Farmer busted with cocaine

Woman receives death threats over Police P9 brutality claims

GPF working to make 911 service consistent – P15 Crime Chief

Page 9

Stabroek Market Wharf partially destroyed by fire …arson suspected 3 nabbed with guns, ammo on Essequibo Coast

PRICE

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Charity miner jailed for P8 gun, ammo possession Nurses charged to be “agents of change” P15 PPP to advance measures for more accountability at P11 City Hall

Page 8

2 news

wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Stabroek Market Wharf partially destroyed by fire …arson suspected

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tall holders who were still operating in the Stabroek Market Wharf, although it was cordoned off to facilitate rehabilitation works were forced to evacuate as the facility caught fire.

Although it is suspected that the fire may have been started by a female, who had an argument with another vendor, Mayor Patricia Chase Green, who toured the partially-burnt structure, on Tuesday morning said that City Hall was still assessing the number of stalls that have been destroyed by the blaze.

“I received a report a little before 12am from the City Constabulary informing me of a fire at the Stabroek Market Wharf. I came down here (and) the firefighters were already on the scene trying to contain the fire and it was contained,” she explained.

Chase Green said that despite the fact that the firefighters managed to put out the blaze, she later received another report indicating that another fire had started, this time in a different area at the wharf, after the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) restored electricity to

A burnt section of the Stabroek Market Wharf

the area.

The Mayor noted that that fire too was contained by the prompt firefighters who she commended for their service.

“This here should never have happened, but it has happened and we have got to make sure we put more stringent measures in place to prevent people from getting at the back here, because we would have closed this off many months ago, but as you see people are still actively utilising their stalls in the market,” she related.

Speaking with Guyana Times a vendor said that stall holders who operated at the wharf suffered tremendous losses as refrigerators and other appliances were destroyed, along with their stocks of fish, vegetables, and fruits.

Meanwhile, A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) Commander Marlon Chapman said on Tuesday afternoon that he was unaware of anyone being in custody for the fire.

The scorched back of the Stabroek Market was long overdue for rehabilitation.

The area was cordoned off months ago to allow for repair works in September.

After the area was barricaded off on September 13, Town Clerk Royston King in an engagement with the media said those vendors would have to spend at least two years at the Grove-Diamond bus park.

The drivers there were relocated to Bugle Street to accommodate the vendors.

City Hall later removed several other bus parks with similar intention.

Several vendors who ply their trade in the Stabroek Wharf area were brought to tears when they were confronted by City Hall staffers cordoning off the entrances to their vending area.

This move came approximately two weeks after the M&CC had issued a notice informing the vendors of its plans to remove them from the dilapidated area in order to facilitate rehabilitation works there.

The Public Infrastructure Ministry has reportedly undertaken to rehabilitate the Stabroek Market Wharf, which has been in a deplorable state for many years.

On Monday, several of the displaced vendors were constructing stalls at their relocated spots at the Route 42 Bus Park.

A visit to the area on

Monday showed that vendors were being assisted by construction workers to build wooden structures.

The section allocated for the relocation was cordoned off and each vendor’s space was demarcated.

Many of the stall owners said that they were working assiduously to finish construction before month end, since the busy Christmas shopping season would commence soon.

“Christmas coming so we trying to catch all that we miss for since September time. A lot of money we lose…you couldn’t sell how you used to,” a vendor said.

The wooden stalls are elevated on concrete blocks so that deconstruction would be easy. There is also a concrete structure in progress which is expected to house restroom facilities.

The Council had decided at a previous statutory meeting that the vendors would have to construct their own stalls as one would cost approximately $400,000.

It is mandatory that the eight feet by ten feet structure with a maximum height of 13 feet be constructed with wooden materials and six weeks after completion of the stalls, a sum of $85 per square foot per month will be collected for sanitation and other services.

Farmer busted with cocaine

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The cocaine that was found on the farmer’s premises

anks of the Guyana Police Force’s Narcotics Branch in G Division (Essequibo Islands-Coast) on Tuesday morning arrested a citrus farmer after he was busted with a quantity of cocaine.

The discovery was made after Police received a tip.

According to reports, the Police went to the Upper Pomeroon River area early Tuesday morning where they conducted a search on the farmer’s premises.

During the search, they unearthed 2.22 kilograms of cocaine. The narcotic was wrapped in two parcels.

The farmer was taken into custody and was being processed for court.

Earlier this month, a joint destruction operation saw a total of 477 kilos of cocaine destroyed at Yarrowkabra, LindenSoesdyke Highway.

The exercise was conducted by the Guyana Police Force, which destroyed 132 kg cocaine, and the Customs-Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU), which got rid of 345 kg cocaine.

The two agencies also destroyed a combined total of 994 kilos of cannabis. The cocaine and cannabis destroyed carried a combined street value of $513,310,940.

The narcotics destroyed were tested by members of the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory before being burnt by fire.

news

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wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, November 21 – a night retraction from 03:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Thursday, November 22 – a night retraction from 04:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

No-confidence motion must take precedence – Jagdeo ...wants debate before Budget presentation frontbencher Irfaan Ali follow a pattern by the coalition Government.

“We expected them to continue harassing… I saw that they said they want to file charges on Pradoville again… Pradoville will surface up once again. It’s a pattern, every time they’re in a corner, Pradoville surfaces.”

Wednesday, November 21 –14:50h-16:20h and Thursday, November 22 – 15:25h-16:55h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers are expected during the day, with light rain showers from the mid-afternoon. Partly cloudy skies are expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 22 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 02:59h and 15:15h reaching maximum heights of 2.58 metres and 2.71 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 08:49h and 21:13h reaching minimum heights of 0.62 metre and 0.48 metre respectively.

saturDAY, novemBER 17, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS D

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FREE TICKET

20 Bonus Ball

monDAY, novemBER 19, 2018 DAILY MILLIONS

03 06 09 17 26 LUCKY 3

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DISCLAIMER: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS IN PUBLICATION. PLEASE CALL THE HOTLINE FOR CONFIRMATION - TEL: 225-8902

No confidence

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

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ays after the parliamentary Opposition filed a no-confidence motion against the coalition Government, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has made it clear that the Party wants its motion debated before the reading of the 2019 Budget.

The Opposition has contended that November 26 was already scheduled to be private members day, where their matters take precedence. However, the reading of the National Budget has taken over that day; with the result that another private members day must be scheduled.

Jagdeo expressed fears that attempts would be made by the Government side to get Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland, to schedule the motion to be heard some time after the budget.

“I’ve heard they’ve decided when they want the motion to be debated. Now this is a matter for the Speaker, because the Speaker is head of the legislative branch.

The Speaker has to make that decision. We’re hoping that that decision will be made, and the matter will be debated prior to the budget,” said.

He added that the convention is that once a no confidence motion is filed, it takes precedence over other issues. “We hope this will be done and the Speaker will stand up to any attempt of the executive, because I’ve heard they want (the debate) in December, after the budget. We’re going to be watching carefully to see how the Speaker acts in this matter,” the Opposition Leader added.

Jagdeo pointed to standard practise in democracies around the world, where no confidence motions are given priority. A poignant example of this is in Sri Lanka, where multiple no confidence votes have been held against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“If a no confidence motion is filed in the Government, you can’t proceed to a budget debate while that is hanging. What if it succeeds?”

He questioned. Meanwhile, Jagdeo also noted that the reports of charges being prepared against Opposition

Jagdeo had first announced the no-confidence motion during his press conference last week, on the heels of devastating losses in the Local Government Elections (LGE) for the coalition Government.

The next day, the scheduled sitting of the National Assembly was abruptly cancelled at Government’s request and the Opposition turned up to an empty chamber. At the half empty Parliament Chambers, he reiterated some of his expectations regarding the motion.

In a subsequent advertisement, the PPP went into further details on their reasons for filing the motion, and which were the concrete reasons for the peoples’ rejection of the People’s National Congress-led coalition. It pointed to the thousands of jobs that have been lost as a result of the closure of Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) estates.

In addition, the Party referred to the various scandals that have erupted under the Administration. They include the single sourcing of the feasibility contract for the new Demerara River crossing, the single sourcing

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland

of a drug bond and the single sourcing of drug procurement contracts.

The Party noted the numerous breaches of fiscal laws flagged by the Audit Office of Guyana in its reports, as well as the lack of accountability in the D’Urban Park project; something even the Auditor General had to launch a special probe into.

The depletion of Guyana’s gold and foreign reserves was also highlighted. In fact, a report from the Central Bank earlier this year had indicated that Guyana’s net foreign reserves, held by the Bank in foreign currency notes;

has fallen to its lowest point since 2008.

Tax collection has increased dramatically; a point alluded to by the Party.

This publication had reported findings from the recently released 2017 Auditor General report, which had showed that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) collected more taxes than was even anticipated.

In the End of Year Budget and Reconciliation Report, it noted that the projected revenue for 2017 was $186 billion. Instead, Government actually collected $195 billion in current revenue. This includes duties, levy, personal income and withholding taxes.

Court settlements since the coalition Government took office were also zeroed in on by the Party.

The Attorney General’s Chambers has come under much criticism for not being able to secure success for several cases against the State.

Since taking office, in addition to losing cases, Government has opted to enter into out-of-court settlements. These settlements included sums to the tune of US$5.7 million; $226 million and $3.8 billion.

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wednesdAY, November 21, 2018

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

Brampton snow-woman going viral

After the fact?

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he 2018 Local Government Elections (LGE) are over, but its impact has led to the beginning of other things. For starters, thank you meetings are underway across the country and this is seen as the beginning of the 2020 General Elections campaign. It is useful for various reasons, including keeping momentum for the winner and for introspection on all sides to assess loss and how to strengthen weaknesses.

Naturally, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) – which won two thirds of the Local Authority Areas (LAA) across the country – will want to build upon that for 2020. On the other hand, the coalition main partners would seek reasons for its poor showing, with the intention of implementing mechanisms for improvement in 2020.

From all reports, they have begun that process.

At its thank you meeting in Sophia, Greater Georgetown last week, many senior officials of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), including Ministers, fanned out in the area and interacted with residents to listen to their concerns. Even a clean-up exercise, led by a Minister, was held in an area proposed for a playground.

This was captured in a letter to the press by an official of that party.

Interestingly, Georgetown’s Mayor Patricia Chase Green, was one of the persons reportedly part of the team to listen to the residents there. It should be noted that the PPP gained five seats in the Georgetown municipality at the recent LGE. Before November 12, City residents lamented, among other things, that the Council, was not listening to their concerns and constantly acted in a highhanded manner. That was the sentiment, especially among vendors.

Now, on the heels of the PPP making inroads, time and patience have been found to receive residents’ concerns. While the adage of “better late than never” may offer some comfort, the feeling of “after the fact” cannot be escaped. An assumption is, a review of what led to the coalition losing seats in its stronghold, the City, was done and that a lack meaningful engagement with the residents stood out like a sore thumb.

Also, noteworthy as contained in the letter in question, was the promise of a hospital in the Sophia area. Health facilities are always welcomed and as long the services are available and sustained, residents will be comfortable. However, it would be useful to know if this proposed facility was part of the Public Health Ministry’s plan prior to the 2018 LGE. If it is, then it might have been a well-kept secret since it appears that no announcement was made during the campaign. A project as significant as that in a party’s stronghold is expected to be robustly articulated. If any announcement was made, then it probably missed the glare of the media.

Assuming that no announcement was made, it brings into focus whether the now proposed hospital in Sophia was a knee-jerk reaction to shore up the base following the party’s poor showing the recent LGE. Prioritising its base is not unusual for ruling parties and seemingly becomes “acceptable” when it’s not overly at the expense of supporters of the Opposition.

This brings into question if such facilities are planned for areas believed to be strongholds of the PPP; that is, Better Hope, Enmore, in the context of governing in the interest of all the citizens. This question should be placed to the relevant authorities especially when the Government boasts of having the welfare of all Guyanese at heart.

If the Government is on a quest to boost vital healthcare services, especially in populated areas, then the proposed Sophia hospital must be fully supported. So, must similar facilities in other areas not confined to where its supporters generally reside. If the latter is not taken into consideration and implemented, then the Government’s action, through the Sophia hospital, will be seen as deliberate attempts to only cater for its supporters at the expense of everyone else.

This would be seen as discriminatory in the provision of much needed social services and could probably send a strong message that party’s patronage is needed in order to have easy access. Part of Guyana’s history, during the repressive period before the return to democracy, is replete with such incidents as many were made to feel inferior to others. Is repetition must not be allowed, for it will negatively impacts all efforts for social cohesion.

Ironically, to the Government’s credit, it established the Social Cohesion Ministry having claimed that in the past, under the PPP Administration, its supporters were discriminated against. Coming into Government, it promised an equal hand for all.

While it has time to change this worrying perception with regards to prioritising its support base, in the interest of delivering its own mandate for social cohesion, the Government must immediately address this issue with the intention of dispelling fears of discrimination by any section of society. As in the case of some officials now vigorously engaging residents after the LGE, a delay in addressing the issue in question would be seen as just “after the fact”.

The Desi snow-woman, or “Saddi Juliet” as her creators are calling her, has been making the rounds across social media since last week and has amassed thousands of shares and likes across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Reddit. The person who originally posted the photos, Bramptonian Jassu Kingra says she built the beautiful snow-woman with her friend and sisters (bramptonist.com)

Trump stands by Saudi Prince despite Journalist Khashoggi’s murder

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resident Donald Trump vowed on Tuesday to remain a “steadfast partner” of Saudi Arabia despite saying that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may have known about the plan to murder dissident Journalist Jamal Khashoggi last month.

Defying intense pressure from US lawmakers to impose tougher sanctions on Saudi Arabia, Trump also said he would not cancel military contracts with the Kingdom, claiming it would be a “foolish” move that would only benefit Russia and China.

Trump said US intelligence agencies were still studying the evidence around Khashoggi’s murder inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2 and who planned it.

“It could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!” Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.

His comments contradicted the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which believes Khashoggi’s death was ordered directly by the Crown Prince, who is Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and is widely known by his initials MbS. Trump was quickly accused by Democratic lawmakers of undermining his own intelligence agencies and failing to confront Saudi Arabia over a human rights atrocity.

“Human rights is more than just a phrase, it has to mean something. And that means standing up and condemning a brazen murder by a foreign government. Everyone who played a role in this killing must be held accountable,” Senator Dianne Feinstein said.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers have urged Trump to drop his

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, US, March 20, 2018 (file photo)

support for MbS over the Khashoggi case, but the President has been reluctant.

Trump said on Tuesday that both Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and MbS “vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder”, and that the truth may never be known.

He also stressed that Saudi Arabia, a major oil producer, is an important business partner and a “great ally” in the fight against Iranian power in the Middle East.

“The United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region,” Trump said.

Adam Schiff, who is expected to become leader of the House

of Representatives’ Intelligence Committee in January, said the United States should immediately end support for Saudi Arabia in the Yemen war, suspend arms sales to the Kingdom, and reduce its reliance on Riyadh in the Middle East.

“The President adds to his track record of ignoring his own intelligence agencies, and undermining American values at home and abroad, by giving Saudi Arabia a pass for the brutal and premeditated murder of a US resident and Journalist. Outrageous,” Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said.

Republicans’ criticism

Some of Trump’s fellow Republicans have also vowed to break from him and push for firmer US action against Saudi Arabia. continues on page 5

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wednesdAY, November 21, 2018

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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

Pleased with approach by the Integrity Commission Dear Editor, A section of the media on November 11, 2018 reported that the Integrity Commission named 87 public officials who failed to submit the declaration of their assets to the Integrity Commission in keeping with

the law. The Commission listed Ministers, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Opposition Parliamentarians, and other public officials.

The Chairman, Mr Kumar Deoraisami, and Members of the Integrity

Commission must be commended for calling on these high public officials to obey the law, which they themselves made. The President, David Granger and the Opposition Leader, Bharat Jagdeo must demand public accountability from the

Speaker, Ministers and the Parliamentarians. The public is pleased with this approach by the Integrity Commission. Please keep the general public and the citizen-voters informed of non-compliance, and take promptly, the required legal

Trump stands by Saudi Prince...

Representative Francis Rooney, a Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Washington should apply the so-called Magnitsky Act to those responsible for Khashoggi’s death.

Trump has placed the alliance with Saudi Arabia at the heart of his Middle East policy, and it was the first country he visited after becoming President in 2017.

His son-in-law Jared Kushner has developed a close relationship with MbS, and both he and Trump have tried to maintain the alliance despite an international furore over Khashoggi’s death.

Trump said on Tuesday he would not suspend arms sales to Riyadh. Some of his critics accuse him of exaggerating the importance of weapons sales to the American economy.

“If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries – and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business. It would be a wonderful gift to them directly from the United States!” Trump said.

He also said the alliance with Riyadh has helped keep oil prices under control and boosts the US economy.

“Right now we have oil prices in great shape. I’m

not going to destroy the world economy and I’m not going to destroy the economy for our country by being foolish with Saudi Arabia.”

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended Trump’s support for Saudi Arabia. The United States was obligated to adopt pol-

icies that furthered US national security interests, Pompeo told a news conference following a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Washington.

Cavusoglu said that Turkey was not entirely satisfied with the level

from page 4

of cooperation it is receiving from Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi’s murder and may seek a formal United Nations inquiry. (Reuters)

recourse in keeping with the law.

It may also be appropriate for the Commissioner General of GRA to intervene as may be appropriate without fear or favour.

What of SOCU and SARA? Off you go.

What an example and message being sent to the national community from ministers, the Speaker of the National Assembly, and members of the National Assembly. What a shame!

The people must be informed of non-compliance

by these public officials.

Yours faithfully, Joshua Singh

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wednesdAY, november 21, 2018

Page

Foundation

H

omework is your teachers’ way of evaluating how much you understand of what’s going on in class.

But it can seem overwhelming at times. Luckily, you can do a few things to make homework less work.

Create a homework plan

Understand the assignment. Write it down in your notebook or planner, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about what’s expected. It’s much easier to take a minute to ask the teacher during or after class than to struggle to remember later that night.

If you have a lot of homework or activities, ask how long the particular homework assignment should take. That way you can budget your time.

Start right away. Just because it’s called “homework” doesn’t mean you have to do it at home. Use study periods or other extra time in your school day. The more you get done in school, the less you have to do at night.

Budget your time. If you don’t finish your homework at school, think about how much you have left and what else is going on that day. Most high-school students have between one and three hours of homework a night. If it’s a heavy homework day, you’ll need to devote more time to homework. It’s a good idea to come up with a homework schedule, especially if you’re involved in sports or activities or have an after-school job.

Watch where you work

When you settle down to do homework or to study, where do you do it? Parked in front of the TV? In the kitchen, with the sound of dishes being cleared and your brothers and sisters fighting?

Find a quiet place to focus. The kitchen table was OK when you were younger and homework didn’t require as much concentration. But now you’ll do best if you can find a place to get away from noise and distractions, like a bedroom or study.

Avoid studying on your bed. Sit at a desk or table that you can set your computer on and is comfortable to work at.

Park your devices while you study. Just having your phone where you can see it can be a distraction. That makes homework take longer.

Get to work

Tackle the hardest assignments first. It’s tempting to start with the easy stuff to get it out of the way. But you have the most energy and focus when you begin. Use this mental power on the subjects that are most challenging.

Later, when you’re more tired, you can focus on the simpler things.

Keep moving ahead. If you get stuck, try to figure out the problem as best you can – but don’t spend too much time on it because this can mess up your homework schedule for the rest of the night. If you need to, ask an adult or older sibling for help. Or reach out to a classmate. Just don’t pick someone you’ll be up all night chatting with or you’ll never get it done!

Take breaks. Most people have short attention spans.

Sitting for too long without stretching or relaxing will make you less productive than if you stop every so often. Taking a 15-minute break every hour is a good idea for most people.

(If you’re really concentrating, wait until it’s a good time to stop.)

Get it ready to go

When your homework is done, put it in your backpack.

There’s nothing worse than having a completed assignment that you can’t find the next morning. Now you’re free to hang out – without the guilt of unfinished work hanging over you.

Get help when you need it

Even when you pay attention in class, study for tests, and do your homework, some subjects seem too hard. You may hope that things will get easier, but most of the time that doesn’t happen.

What does happen for many people is that they work harder and harder as they fall further and further behind.

There’s nothing embarrassing about asking for help. No one understands everything.

Start with your teacher or guidance counsellor. Some teachers will work with students before or after school to explain things more clearly. But what if you don’t feel comfortable with your teacher? If your school is big, there may be other teachers who know the same subject.

Sometimes it just helps to have someone new explain something in a different way.

Ask a classmate. If you know someone who is good at a subject, ask if you can study together. This may help, but keep in mind that people who understand a subject aren’t always good at explaining it.

Find a tutor. You’ll need to talk to an adult about this, because it usually costs money to hire a tutor. Tutors come to your home or meet you someplace like the library or a tutoring centre. They work with students to review and explain things taught in the classroom. This gives you the chance to ask questions and work at your own pace. Your teacher or guidance counsellor can help you find a tutor if you’re interested. (kidshealth.org)

How is hearing loss treated?

Continued from Tuesday

The treatment depends on the type of hearing loss, how severe it is, and the child’s other needs. Common treatments include medicine, operations, hearing aids, or other assistive listening devices, which emphasise voices and help kids hear better in noisy settings.

With early treatment, most kids will be able to hear normally again, and most importantly, will be able to develop speech and language.

Hearing aids are kind of like tiny amplifiers. They help make sounds louder and can even pick up the sounds so that what kids hear is clearer. Hearing aids deliver amplified sounds (via sound vibrations) from the eardrum and middle ear

to the inner ear or cochlea.

Hearing aid technology is available that can adjust the volume of sounds automatically.

For some kids who can’t hear or understand words even with the help of hearing aids, there is a device called a cochlear implant (say: ko-klee-ur im-plant).

This is a very tiny piece of electronic equipment that is put into the cochlea during an operation. It takes over the job of the damaged or destroyed hair cells in the cochlea by turning sounds into electrical signals that stimulate the hearing nerve directly.

Learning and communicating

A kid with hearing loss may attend a special school, special classes within a regular school, or be part of a regular classroom.

Depending on how severe their hearing loss is, some kids may work with audiologists or speech-language pathologists to help them

develop their hearing and speaking skills.

Some people with hearing loss may need to use special techniques like these to communicate: speechreading (also called lip-reading), which involves looking closely at a person’s lips, facial expressions, and gestures to help figure out spoken words Sign Language, which is a language of hand movements that allows deaf people to communicate without speaking. Remember: American Sign Language (ASL) is different from sign language used in other countries, even different from British Sign Language!

Cued Speech and Signed Exact English, which use handshapes to translate

what’s being said. They’re meant to be used with spoken language to help people understand anything they can’t comprehend through lip reading.

What about talking on the phone? Thanks to a telecommunication device (also called a TDD), a conversation can be typed out instead of spoken. The messages appear on a special screen or on a printout.

You might wonder how a hearing-impaired person could see a movie or watch TV. Closed-captioned TV shows and movies provide text at the bottom of the screen, so people with hearing loss can read along to follow the action. Technology is changing all the time, and you will probably see newer and better tools to help hearing-impaired kids and their families and friends.

So hearing-impaired kids can go to school, talk on the phone, and watch a movie. If that sounds a lot like a typical kid’s life, you’re right!

(Excerpt from kidshealth.org)

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wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Civil Aviation Bill passed despite protest …Opposition argues against “draconian” penalties

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he Opposition's efforts to have the Civil Aviation Bill 2017 resent to a select committee were defeated by the Government during Monday's sitting of the National Assembly, as it was passed with amendments.

In her address to the chambers, Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira said that based on her research, the bill is deficient.

According to Teixeira, the bill is not on par with what may be expected by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Some of the issues she had with the Bill were its penalties – penalties she described as draconian.

“Aspects of the Bill to do with offences are draconian, like in other bills like Cyber Crime and (Anti Money Laundering/ Countering the Financing of Terrorism bills). For instance, a passenger going on the plane that is inebriated can be fined $1 million and also imprisoned.”

“So the Bill makes very draconian offences for what are regular kinds of passenger problems. In addition to that, there are major issues in the Bill to do with how licensing and registration are done, as well as accident investigation.”

According to Teixeira, the Bill was being rushed because of the upcoming Air Transport Conference to be hosted in Guyana. Guyana will be hosting aviation rep-

was related by Guyana Civil Aviation Authority’s (GCAA) Director of Marketing and, Franklin Vieira during a recent press conference.

It is slated to be held in Guyana at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown from November 21 to 23. The conference is being held under the theme “Promoting connectivity for sustainable air transport development”.

It was pointed out during the meeting on

Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

resentatives from around the world from November 21 to 23. But according to Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, the Bill was perfectly fine in its current state.

“We went through this bill exhaustively. One particular agency objected.

When we went through the bill, every objection by that agency was exhaustively looked at. And members sat there and debated on the merit.”

“One agency that objected, insisted and we agreed that there must be a clearer defined right of appeal.

And we rewrote the entire section of Right of Appeal based on the objection of that one agency. And we sent it to them.”

The Bill was then read

for a third time and passed in the House. The Bill has been in a special select committee since last year. The new Bill will replace the Civil Aviation Act Chapter 53:01.

It contains a number of offences, such as applying for aviation documents when disqualified or displaying false nationality or registration on an aircraft.

On summary conviction, such offences carry a fine of $1 million and two years’ imprisonment in the former and $3 million in the latter.

The conference

The conference in question is expected to have some 192 Member States of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) participate. This

Wednesday that air transport played a vital role in linking many coastal areas and communities in the hinterland and in connecting States to regional and global markets. In facilitating travel, air transport generates economic growth and development and even provides jobs among other benefits.

“The objective of this meeting is to come up with practical solutions to the air transport challenges that we are facing in the sector internationally,” Director of Air Transport Management, Saheed Sulaman told Guyana

Times.

According to him, one of the challenges in the aviation sector is connectivity between states. He, however, noted that this month’s Air Transport Meeting would also address issues such as harmonising the regional air transport regulatory framework as well as the liberalisation of air cargo through regional and global approaches.

Although only 25 countries have confirmed attendance, the GCAA said it was looking forward to having fruitful discussions during the three-day event.

8 news

wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Charity miner jailed for gun, ammo possession

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gold miner of Charity Extension Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast was on Monday jailed for two years after admitting to a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm and matching rounds.

Reinaldo Wills, 23, ap-

peared at the Charity Magistrate’s Court, where he admitted that on November 16, 2018, Police, acting on a report of a shooting incident in the Charity Extension Housing Scheme area, went to investigate and during the course of

their probe, discovered the arms for which he later claimed ownership. A search had been conducted on a house and one 7.62x39 mm spent shell was found.

Two males and one female were arrested.

However, at another

house, the Police found one 9mm pistol along with one magazine and 10 live rounds of ammunition. Wills was arrested and claimed ownership of the firearm and ammunition.

He was also fined $50,000

by Magistrate Ester Sam.

3 nabbed with guns on Essequibo Coast

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t least five persons, including a Venezuelan, were on Monday arrested by Police who conducted several “stop and search” exercises in A and G Divisions.

Among the items found during the exercises were guns, ammunition and narcotics.

Reports are Police ranks intercepted a car with three occupants about 14:30h on Monday along the Charity Public Road, The .38 revolver along with the live round and spent shell Essequibo Coast. A search of the vehicle unearthed two 9mm the minibus was found in possession of pistols, three magazines, and 58 live an unlicensed .38 revolver with one live rounds. round as well as a spent shell.

Meanwhile, Police also intercepted a Meanwhile, another car was also minibus during a roadblock at Linden- stopped along the Linden-Soesdyke Soesdyke Highway Base Outpost about Highway by another Police patrol and an 19:30h on Monday. occupant was found in possession of 63 During the subsequent search carried grams of cannabis. All of the suspects are The two 9mm pistols along with out by the officers, a male passenger of being processed for court. the magazines and live rounds

More...

I

...PNC desperation

f nothing else, PNC founder-leader Burnham appreciated keeping a legal fig leaf over his excesses.

Walking out of Parliament, he’d take time to genuflect to the Speaker. Wanting to become a dictator, he created a Constitution that “authorised” powers far in excess of even Papa Doc of Haiti. It would appear, however, his successors just don’t give a damn about the niceties. Or else they’re so rattled by Jagdeo’s no-confidence motion, they’ve lost it!

Take the Speaker’s signal that in the upcoming Budget debate, the time allocated for the Opposition MP’s to speak would be cut in half to 20 minutes. Burnham would’ve never been so blatant in his muzzling. He would’ve figured, what’s the point? At the end of the night, he had the votes to do whatever he wanted in any case, didn’t he? But this PNC lot want to have their cake and eat it too. Unfortunately for them, to mix a metaphor, they’ll lose corn and husk come 2020.

They already telegraphed what they want to do with this Budget. Use it to flood their supporters with goodies; expecting them to forget the four years of neglect with one year of fat. And this is what they don’t want exposed during the Budget debate by the Opposition speakers.

Hence the muzzling. Pathetic isn’t it? More so for their supporters, who they think must be morons!

What the LGE showed is that nowadays, most of those erstwhile supporters have minds of their own. Your Eyewitness knows LGEs aren’t national elections, where the whole kit and caboodle is at stake. But the LGE is a hint of what’s in the mind of the old “PNC constituency”. And what it shows is while there may be some sentimentality for the PNC since “it’s we own”, they now have a basis of comparison when it comes to putting money into their pockets. Which is what it’s all about, isn’t it? And it’s no contest with the PPP in the picture!

It’s said, with a great deal of truth – “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me!” And the PNC supporters have been fooled once before – for twenty-eight years! They saw the PNC inheriting a country on par with any other in the British Caribbean – and saw them destroy it to become the poorest – just above Haiti, by 1989! They see all the signs once again – arrogance amounting to hubris in refusing to accept advice on running the economy.

They’ve seen Raphael “Nassau” Trotman pissing away US$600 million on our Oil Bonus; placing energy into the hands of an environmentalist. And worse of all, the possibility of Nagamootoo becoming President!!

...race baiting

It’s clear that, like its first iteration in 1974, the latest PNC “Declaration of Sophia” signals the one time “Paramount Party” returning to what “worked” for it back then. Brute force and ignorant bullyism! Opposition Leader Jagdeo has had to take the threats of one PNC Leader to the ERC – mandated to deal with racially divisive threats. And what can be more divisive that threatening to “get back” to those Local Government bodies just elected, who serve their communities?

Now who else are they supposed to serve? Isn’t the whole point about “local government” to get to the grassroots of the “grass” in your community? So if a PPPelected NDC services the supporters that voted for them they’ll be sanctioned by the PNC Central Government with trumped-up charges – like the one against the fella in Grove?

So what should the PPP do with Winston Jordan who promised the faithful at Stabroek Market Square, the Government “knows who voted for them” and all good things will come their way?

...bribes

It didn’t take long for Jordan to keep his promise to the faithful. In announcing the date for presenting the Budget, he slipped in his inclusion of raises for public servants for 2018 and 2019.

Sugar workers, stay back!!

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

News

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wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt approves 0.5 – 7% salary increase for public servants – payments retroactive from January 2018 – Disciplined Services included in increases

The Disciplined Services have not had year-end bonuses since the APNU/AFC Govt took office but will be included in the increases

By Jarryl Bryan

A

s of Monday, Government approved salary increases across a number of pay ranges for public servants; inclusive of retroactive payments from January 2018, one week ahead of the reading of next year’s budget.

This is according to a circular dated November 19, 2018, that was sent out by the Finance Ministry to the heads of all budget agencies and seen by Guyana Times.

According to the document, persons earning less than

$100,000 a month will receive a seven per cent increase.

Those earning between $100,000 and $299,999 will get an increase of 6.5 per cent, while those in the $300,000 to $499,999 range will get a five per cent increase. Those with a paycheque of between $500,000 and $699,999 a month will have their salaries increased by three per cent.

Meanwhile, those in the $700,000 to $799,999 range will be eligible for an increase of two per cent, while those earning $800,000 to $999,999 will get one per

cent in increases and those with a $1 million salary and above will get a 0.5 per cent increase.

The circular makes it clear that the increases do not apply for teachers, University of Guyana employees, Government Ministers and Members of Parliament.

It does, however, apply to the Disciplined Services, including the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force.

Besides the Disciplined Services, it applies to “all traditional public servants, defined to mean those employed in Ministries, departments not under ministerial control, regional administrators and public service related agencies, commission secretariats and those who are engaged on contract positions reflected on the inventory of authorised positions of the traditional public services and persons on contract outside on the inventoried positions.”

Salary increases

The Ministry indicated that teachers received a separate circular regarding their increases. Teachers

Woman receives death threats over Police brutality claims

T

he Corentyne, Berbice woman, who was allegedly beaten by Police at the Number 51 Police Station last week, is now alleging that she was recently threatened by one of the officers involved.

According to Takurdai Jugnanand, who was hit with a baton at the Number 51 Police Station last Tuesday by an officer, who allegedly took $103,000 from her, she received a threatening phone call, which has now made her fearful for her life.

She told Guyana Times that on Sunday she received a telephone call from a number which she shared with this publication. According to Jugnanand, the caller told her that if she were to go to the complaint officer it will be the last day she lives.

She said she disconnected the call and a short while after, used another telephone to call the number that called her. “It was boy who answer and he tell me that is a Policeman just borrow his phone to make the

Takurdai Jugnanand

call and he leave and gone to the station,” she related.

Jugnanand, who lives at Number 52 Village, Corentyne, was in New Amsterdam on Tuesday which was Youman Nabi (a holiday). The woman had gone to the Office of Professional Responsibility which is located at Central Police Station. However, there was a padlock on the door. She said she was instructed to visit the office in New Amsterdam as the

Police have launched an investigation into the alleged beating of her and slapping of her underaged son by officers at the Number 51 Police Station.

“I went upstairs and they told me that the office is not opened today but if I want I could sit on the bench.”

Meanwhile, after not meeting anyone at the Office of Professional Responsibility, she spoke with a senior officer who after making contact with the Number 51 Police Station said the officer who had misinformed her of the day who was expected to report to the New Amsterdam office was willing to refund her the fare to travel.

Jugnanand had reported that she went to the Police station on November 13, after a complaint of theft was made against her. She stated that a Police Officer took the more than $100,000 from her bag claiming that it was the money which she received from the sale of an alleged stolen cellphone.

The circular that was issued on Monday

have for some time been agitating for increases since the end of their previous multi-year agreement. This agitation included strike action early in September of this year.

In October, more than one month after a nationwide teachers’ strike was called off, Government finally agreed to increase the salaries of teachers by 12 per cent for 2016 and eight per cent for 2018.

When it comes to UG

staff, the University’s administration had announced a few days ago that the Finance and General Purposes Committee had approved salary increases for staff, at a rate ranging from three to four per cent.

It has been reported that the increases were sought

by UG’s Vice Chancellor Ivelaw Griffith. And like the Finance Ministry curricular, the increases would have been retroactive to January 1, 2018.

In a joint statement afterwards, however, the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association and the University’s W o r k e r s Union poured cold water on this proposed increase.

According to the unions, the increases were “a violation of good labour relations practises.”

W h i l e Griffith has been quoted saying that he acted because of stalled negotiations with the unions; the unions claimed in their statement that the administration has not been acting in good faith during the negotiations.

Ministers and MPs are not being included in the salary increases because in 2015, months after the Government entered office, they received an increase of their own. Cabinet Ministers had their salaries increased by 50 per cent, while junior Ministers and other parliamentarians received smaller increases. Government has said that this was a one off event.

10 news EPA on national sensitisation campaign wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

T

he Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving to ensure all regulatory entities are authorised under the Act. The Agency is currently working with other regulatory bodies, which include the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Regional Democratic Councils and the Tourism Authority which are all empowered to grant the necessary permits to businesses which have to be renewed.

Some hotels and resort operators may not be able to renew their registrations because these regulatory entities have not been authorised to do so by the EPA. Senior Environmental Officer of the EPA, Candacy Thompson, said those who are reluctant to get their necessary documentations, as stipulated under the EPA Act, will be taken to court.

However, because the judicial system is crowded and the lack of knowledge on the need for authorisation, the EPA is currently on a sensitisation programme countrywide.

“Our goal ultimately is not to take everybody to court. Our goal is to ensure that you do what you’re suppose to do but of course for those who are not compliant we will have to do enforcement,” Thompson said.

The Agency, as it moves in the direction of enforcement is currently trying to ensure that the entities are fully aware of the required regulations.

“We are empowered under the Environmental Protection Act to enforce against defaulters in certain practices. However, we have rec-

Senior Environmental Officer of the EPA, Candacy Thompson

ognised that given the dynamics of Guyana’s environment the work of the Environmental Protection Agency needs to be more visible. In most cases we would have found that some persons do not want to get into an orderly system but we have also found that some persons are genuinely not aware that they need an environmental authorisation to operate,” Thompson explained.

Currently workshops are being held with hotel operators and managers of resorts. This is one of several initiatives being taken by the EPA since its restructuring in 2017.

The EPA seeks to have all entities sync with the Green State Development Strategy. As such, several areas of intervention have been im-

plemented. These include the issuing of environmental authorisations which are required under the Environmental Protection Act. Some of those entities are hotels and resorts.

On Monday, the EPA began its first in a series of engagements in those two entities in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne). The workshop was held at the Regional Democratic Council’s Boardroom at Vrymens Erven, New Amsterdam. A similar engaged is planned for Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni). The EPA has planned similar engagements for all 10 administrative regions so that operators can be aware of the need to be authorised by the EPA. Thompson said the EPA is hoping that those which are not authorised will initiate the process and complete it and those that are authorised are adhering to their permit conditions.

“So that when we move towards enforcement, we don’t have much of the issues whereby persons say that we’re never aware that they required environmental authorisation.”

Meanwhile, focus is also being placed on other sectors based on complaints and levels of environmental risk. Among those sectors are forestry, gas stations, spray painting and mechanical operation facilities.

Thompson says the ultimate goal is to ensure that entities are authorised because with authorisation comes specific permit conditions which will enable them to embrace Guyana’s green developmental past.

Where are the minnows?

S

atiricus hurried over to the Back Street Bar with unusual enthusiasm. Now that he’d left the KFC, he didn’t have the burden of defending the indefensible against the fellas and ending up on the back foot every time. But as he headed towards the back table he admitted to himself he did feel a twinge of sympathy for some of his friends who’d decided to still support Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat.

“Hey Sato, ‘e look like yuh bai dem jine up full wid de Pee’nSee!” said Bungi, as Satiricus took his seat and reached for a beer.

“What did they do now?” asked Satiricus with some interest.

“Yuh na see Nagga Man skin ‘e teet’ w’en dem Pee’nSee hooligan bin cuss dong dem reporta?”asked Cappo heatedly.

“I guess Sato was too ashamed to see how low his old leaders could sink,” said Hari, trying to save Satiricus’ blushes.

“As a matter of fact, I was,” admitted Satiricus. “You never do know people, do you.”

“Budday me bin always know Nagga Man a wan snake,” said Bungi. “Fram de moment ‘e na seh nuttin w’en GrainJa gyam Larwah fuh de Prime Minista jab!”

“But me gat fuh seh Rum Jhaat look like ‘e a duck fuh cova!” laughed Cappo.

“Well, Rum Jhaat can always earn a living, you know,” pointed out Hari. “What can Nagga Man do?”

“Sell Bush Rum!” laughed Bungi. “But den ‘e might drink out de stack!”

“But seriously guys,” said Satiricus, “what happened to the other partners of the Pee’nSee? I don’t see them around.”

“Budday, de LGE show de Pee’nSee dem fellas a jus’ dead weight!” said Cappo. “Suh de Pee’nSee t’row dem aff de ship!”

“Naah! I don’t think so,” said Hari. “The PNC will need some fellas to help water boy, Nagga Man!” “I beg your pardon!” said Satiricus in mock anger. “My old leader is more than a water boy. He’s now the attack poodle in the Chronic!”

“Bow Wow!” barked Bungi, as he raised his bottle.

news

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wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

PPP to advance measures for more accountability at City Hall …Party calls for yearly audited statements

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t the recently concluded Local Government Elections (LGE) of 2018, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) secured seven seats in the capital city of Georgetown, which is an increase of five seats when compared with the last LGE in 2016.

With the addition of its new voices at City Hall, PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo at a recent press conference outlined that the Party will be employing measures to ensure that the Georgetown City Council is fully accountable to its constituents.

With a 2018 LGE voter turnout of just 28.3 per cent in Georgetown, many observers contended that a large part of the electorate in the city withheld votes from the ruling coalition Administration, following many of the startling revelations that came out from the recently ordered probe into City Hall’s management.

Now that the PPP has garnered more seats, Jagdeo committed that the Party’s Councilors will not only hold the new Council accountable but will also put forward proposals to improve services offered by City Hall.

“First of all, accountability in the City Council, we want audited statements every single year; we want every civil work be tendered using the National Procurement Act because you have seen that they have not had audited statements for the last three years [but] they have given out hundreds of millions in contracts without any form of tendering to friends and family. We want to correct that,” Jagdeo told the press.

He added too that PPP Councilors will strive to make the City Council more user-friendly in terms of tax paying. The Party posited that residents and business

The PPP plans to make City Hall more accountable

owners and operators should not have to face the hassle of physically travelling to City Hall to pay their taxes or to find out how much they are in arrears. The PPP has agreed that taxpayers should be able to fully access these services online by entering their name and address in the city in electronic devices to check on their tax liabilities “I should be able to pay it online as how you pay your bills; then you improve services to residents in the city.

We will be talking to our seven councilors to push for these things,” Jagdeo disclosed.

More than that, the former President said the PPP wants the city to accelerate the process of permitting businesses to construct buildings which would lead to more job creation in Georgetown. In addition, he wants the city’s administration to review all of its expenditure now with the aim of assessing the impact on people.

“You can’t have the current City Council funding

Women placed on $30,000 bail each after Patentia showdown

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wo Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD), residents were placed on $30,000 bail each following their appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court on counter charges.

First was 28-year old unemployed Melissa Duncan, who was accused of damaging Deopattie Singh’s gold chain worth $80,000 on September 18, 2018, at Patentia, WBD, where they both reside.

She entered a plea of not guilty after the Police prosecutor applied to have the indictable matter tried in the

Magistrate’s Court. Her alleged opponent, Singh, a seller, was similarly accused of damage to property, with Police stating she damaged Duncan’s mobile phone on the same day in question.

The device was valued at $33,000.

Singh, 36, was also accused of assaulting Duncan but she denied both charges.

The women will both return to court on December 20, 2018, as the matter continues before Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool.

the security for the former Mayor or the current Mayor having more security than

the President,” he noted.

On September 24, 2018, public hearings into the

Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into City Hall’s operations commenced before former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard. It had been revealed that a plot of riverfront land, reportedly not the property of City Hall was leased to a shipping company by King since April 5, 2016, at the cost of $625,000 per year.

It was also heard that the Town Clerk, Royston King, allegedly collected monies from nine specific drivers of the Route 44 (Industry) route and that those drivers paid a rental of $3000 to occupy a stretch of the roadway that spans from the Avenue of the Republic to Hincks Street.

Though much of the blame seemed to be placed on the Town Clerk, outspoken economist and former Presidential Advisor, Ramon Gaskin, had expressed that King should not have been

the only subject to be put in the spotlight. He had argued that there was a culture of mismanagement and unaccountability at City Hall for more than 20 years and that it never stopped. He said it began under the leadership of former Mayor Hamilton Green and continued with Patricia Chase Green.

“These two people should not be forgotten.

Royston King is a product of Hamilton Green and Chase Green too,” he had told this newspaper. King has been sent on leave pending the outcome of this CoI. Aside from the seven seats the PPP/C gained, the smaller coalition partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC), won two while the majority, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) garnered the most with 21.

Back in 2016, the combined APNU/AFC controlled 25 seats. (Shemuel Fanfair)

12news

wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Border controversy case

Guyana united in foreign policy since independence – UG lecture hears

By Shemuel Fanfair

A

fter the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced that Guyana submitted its memorial on jurisdiction to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the continuing border controversy case with Venezuela; several Ambassadors who represented this country have praised Guyana for being united in its stance on the issue. This was underscored at the University of Guyana’s (UG) Vice Chancellor’s 10th Renaissance Lecture held in the Education Lecture Theatre (ELT) on Monday evening.

The University has been hosting a series of lectures that have covered wide-ranging issues, including strengthening the core pillars of academic advancement; engaging policy leaders to strengthen UG and the enhancing of the university’s educational entrepreneurship. Monday’s lecture dealt with Guyana on the International Stage with special focus on engagement at the 2018 United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

Director of Guyana’s

Director of the Foreign Service Institute, Ambassador Ronald Austin speaking at the University of Guyana (DPI photo)

Foreign Service Institute, Ambassador Ronald Austin was one of several speakers who addressed the gathering which included peers, students from UG and teacher-training institution, Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and other invited guests, including members from the diplomatic community. Ambassador Austin in his presentation highlighted that there has been “unity” in Guyana’s foreign policy, noting that there has been minimal change since the country

gained independence from the United Kingdom in May 1966.

“If you look at Guyana’s foreign policy since 1966 and as different Governments took over like in 1992 for example, there has been very little variation in the foreign policy perused by the different Governments and I think that is mainly because I think that every Guyanese understands that there is a threat,” he told the gathering.

Ambassador Cedric

Joseph also commented that this threat is real as he joined in praising Guyana for filing the memorial with the ICJ on Monday. He noted that the Commonwealth of Nations is another body Guyana can use as an avenue to advance its case as it has done at the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the United Nations (UN).

Speaking on Guyana’s gains at the UN, Joseph praised fellow Ambassadors for their work in pushing this republic on the international stage, noting that Guyana was a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on two occasions, from 19751977 and in the early 1990s.

The UN Security Council has five permanent members, namely; the United Kingdom, China, France, Russia, and the United States. There are also 10 non-permanent members which serve for a term of two years. These are elected by the UN General Assembly.

This Security Council could play a crucial role if Venezuela ever decides to take any military action against this country, should the World Court uphold the

1899 Arbitral Agreement and rule in Guyana’s favour to keep the boundaries in place.

In fact, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge told Guyana Times in January that Government is prepared to call on the UN Security Council if Venezuela ever moved to invade Guyana. He had said that it would mean that the Spanish-speaking country would be breaking the zone of peace based on the same agreement that was brokered and sanctioned by the United States.

Venezuela has opted against participating in the legal proceedings filed by Guyana in the border controversy matter and is claiming that the ICJ lacks jurisdiction to preside over proceedings. However, in a statement that Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge released and later presented to the National Assembly on Monday, it was outlined that Guyana’s submission to the world court aims to have ICJ validate an arbitral award that settled the international boundaries in 1899. This comes five months after Government filed a

Memorial in June 2018 to resolve the border controversy after Venezuela refused to participate in proceedings.

Minister Greenidge said Guyana has no doubt that the ICJ has jurisdiction to resolve the controversy which has undermined Guyana’s ability to develop its natural resources.

As reported, the memorial states that Venezuela is not correct in arguing that the controversy must be resolved exclusively by friendly negotiations, a claim which Guyana says is not justified in the terms of the final 1966 Geneva Agreement to which both parties agreed. It adds that the boundaries were set out between Guyana and Venezuela in 1897 before October 1899 award.

It was in January 2018, that UN Secretary General António Guterres chose adjudication by the Court as the means for finally resolving the controversy with Guyana filing its case in March of this year. In 2015, after US oil giant ExxonMobil announced its first of many oil finds that Venezuela renewed its claim to two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, the Essequibo region.

“Green economy” conversation hits New Amsterdam

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s efforts are being made to advance a green economic development path, the Green Conversations was taken to the country’s oldest town – New Amsterdam.

Prior to Monday’s activity, the Green Conversations was taken to the mining towns of Linden, Bartica and Lethem. Monday’s seminar in New Amsterdam focused on opportunities in sustainable agriculture.

It was held under the theme, “Innovations for better opportunities and sustainable enterprise in agriculture.” The event which was held at the Little Rock Suits, New Amsterdam, catered for schools, persons in the agriculture sec-

tor and other stakeholders including the Berbice Chamber of Commerce.

Green Conversations is an initiative of the environment department within the Ministry of the Presidency and is being executed by Conservation International, with funding from the United Nations.

Addressing the forum at the Little Rock Suits, Country Manager for World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Aiesha Williams, said the strategic goal of the Green Conversations series is to have Guyanese people from a wide cross section of society embrace and advocate for a green economic development path.

A section of the audience at the Little Rock Suits during the Green Conversations in Berbice

“Green Conversations will be open, non-partisan, inclusive spaces (physical and online) where Guyanese team about green economic development and what it

means to their future and engage in discourse around the subject in ways relevant to their unique circumstances. Creating spaces for learning through candid discus-

sions will transform the meaning of green to Guyanese through situating people and their interests at the heart of the conversation,” she told the gathering.

These spaces, she noted, will promote an understanding of green economic development – including the social, economic and environmental aspects – help people to grasp why a green economy is important to their future, and build their capacity on the various themes presented.

In Linden, the Green Conversations focused on the Sovereign Wealth Fund, while in Lethem it focused on good governance. In Bartica, focus was placed on responsible mining. turn to page 14

news

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wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana’s cross-dressing case

Rights activist urges action following CCJ ruling – says it may set precedence for entire Commonwealth

Vidyaratha Kissoon

H

uman rights activist Vidyaratha Kissoon is urging Government to take heed of the recent ruling handed down by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which declared the cross-dressing law unconstitutional in Guyana following a case filed by the transgender community.

Kissoon said the transgender community has wel-

comed the ruling, reminding that one of the applicants in the case, Gulliver (Quincy) McEwan, has always noted that laws alone are not needed to change hearts and minds, and that other things need to be in place.

“Guyana now has to ensure that the duty bearers – public servants, Government, employers, landlords, minibus drives, Police, others recognise what Justice Adrian Saunders wrote, that “difference is as natural as breathing. Infinite varieties exist of everything under the sun.”

The CCJ President also wrote in his ruling that civilised society has a duty to accommodate suitably differences among human beings. He said only in this manner can people give due respect to everyone’s humanity.

“No one should have his or her dignity trampled upon, or human rights denied, merely on account of a difference, especially one

that poses no threat to public safety or public order. It is these simple verities on which this case is premised.”

Kissoon told Guyana Times that this recognition of difference is not only about transgender identities, it is about all other differences which are present in Guyana.

He therefore recommended that Government make moves to strike down the law. He said too that the Police should engage the transgender community about accountability mechanisms to stop the harassment of transgender citizens.

“The Judiciary and the magistracy should take note of the comments made in the ruling about the behaviour of the Magistrate who wanted to use religion as a ground for discrimination,” he said, while calling on the Social Protection Ministry and the Labour Department to ensure that there is no discrimination against transgender persons

NAPS launches “Know Your Status” campaign

T

he “Know Your Status” Guyana campaign, which aims to prevent the spread of HIV/ AIDS, was launched by the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS). The concept serves as part of promoting the World AIDS Day theme ‘Know Your Status’ which is to be observed on December 1.

The campaign is set towards reaching the UNAIDS 90/90/90 target, which is to diagnose 90 per cent of all HIV-positive persons, provide antiretroviral therapy for 90 per cent of those diagnosed, and achieve viral suppression for 90 per cent of those treated by 2020.

Programme Manager at NAPS, Dr Rhonda Moore, said Guyana is on the move towards attaining such an achievement.

“At the end of 2017, Guyana was recorded as having an estimated 8215 persons living with HIV that equated to a prevalence of 1.6 per cent of the population. Of that amount, 7100 were aware that they were HIV positive, 5237 were receiving sustained treatment and 3414 were found to be virally suppressed. This, in essence, left us at 86 per cent for the first 90, 74 per cent for the second 90 and 65 per cent as it relates to the third 90,” Dr Moore is quoted by the Department of Public information (DPI) as saying.

As NAPS puts preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS

infection on top of the agenda, it is appealing to key groups to be tested, especially men since in most cases, they test positive.

Moore also called for certain barriers such as discrimination, marginalisation, and violence to be removed so as to allow greater access to treatment for HIV. NAPS is seeking to take on a more community-based approach in rolling out this campaign, even as the campaign will run for a threemonth period and will take on the form of a number of public sensitisation engagements, where persons will be provided with the opportunity to be tested for HIV/ AIDS. Some of these activities would include school essay competitions, an awareness walk, school sensitisation, temporary testing sites and mobile testing being done in Georgetown.

Additionally, health facilities have been earmarked to initiate counselling and testing and can be accessed

in Kitty, Campbellville, Beterverwagting and Dorothy Bailey Health Centre’s, the Enmore Polyclinic, the Cheddi Jagan Dental School and the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.

UNAIDS Country Director to Guyana and Suriname, Dr Martin Odiit, explained that too many people still die from HIVrelated illnesses in spite of treatment made available.

On this note, he encouraged couples to get tested by indicating that it is in the best interest of both partners.

“Globally new infections are not declining fast enough and too many people still dieing from AIDSrelated illnesses despite the availability of high quality and effective treatment, so I am saying we know what to do when somebody is HIV positive and alas some people are still not getting the treatment because of societal pressures.”

in employment.

Promises

Further, the human rights activist is also advising that the Prevention of Discrimination Act should be updated to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

He reminded that political parties in their 2015 manifestos had said they were committed to ending discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. As such, he is calling on these parties to act on those promises.

While Guyana is the only country in the Caribbean with the laws against cross-dressing, Kissoon feels the judgement will definitely set a precedent for the Caribbean, but not only the Caribbean, the rest of the Commonwealth and any other jurisdiction which has to deal with discrimination against LGBT citizens.

“There are judgements in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago against the sodomy laws, which show that there

are Caribbean courts that are moving to deal with the homophobia left over from the colonial masters,” he added.

The CCJ has ruled in favour of striking down Guyana’s laws against cross-dressing, saying that the colonial-era law was unconstitutional. After gaining independence from Britain in 1966, Guyana adopted many colonial-era laws, including the 1893 Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act that effectively banned men or women from wearing clothing conventionally worn by the opposite gender for “improper purposes”.

This section was never clearly defined, leaving the door open for constitutional challenges which appellants Quincy “Gulliver” McEwan, Seon “Angel” Clarke, Joseph “Peaches” Fraser and Seyon “Isabella” Persaud mounted against their February 9, 2009 arrest, detention and conviction in Georgetown.

After they appealed the law banning their mode of dress, former acting Chief Justice Ian Chang in September 2013 said while

the act of cross-dressing was not a crime in itself, when for an “improper purpose”, it constitutes an offence. That ruling was also appealed at Guyana’s Appeal Court, but their case was similarly dismissed in 2017.

The four persons who were born male and later opted for a transgendered way of life took their case all the way to the CCJ, citing their treatment was discriminatory, based on their position that the law violated their constitutional rights to equality and non-discrimination and freedom of expression.

The Justices of the Trinidad-based authority agreed with the applicants.

They, therefore, declared the 1893 law unconstitutional and ordered that it must be struck from the laws of Guyana, a decision which could unsettle many in religious circles.

The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), which was initially struck out of the case by CCJ, has nevertheless been fully behind the legal change.

14 news

wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Budget debates, Christmas shopping Take control, include will cause traffic challenges – GPF populace, make projects

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ith the festive season approaching rapidly and the 2019 Budget debate planned for the end of November, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has admitted that addressing traffic congestion in the capital city of Georgetown will be a challenge.

This was the confession of the A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) Commander Marlon Chapman during the Force’s annual

Christmas Presentation at the Officers’ Mess Hall, Eve Leary, Georgetown.

According to Chapman, motorists will be encouraged to use alternative routes to allow for a smoother flow of traffic.

“It will be a challenge for us (to monitor the traffic), but together with the Traffic Chief, adequate amounts (of traffic ranks) will be placed on the roads so that we can have the usual free flow, but it will be a challenge because of

the season and Parliament debates and so on … on those occasions there will be some traffic congestion and so on, but there are some routes which we will advise the players to use so as to minimise traffic congestion,” he said.

The 2019 National Budget, which is expected to be presented on November 26, will be debated one week later, a time when Christmas shopping is peaking.

Under the previous People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, the budget was presented during the first half of the year and usually saw less traffic congestion in the city.

After the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)Alliance For Change (AFC) coalition Government took power in 2015, the budget presentation began taking place during the last half of the year for the year ahead.

“Green economy” conversation...

Williams said the proposed series will achieve several key outcome; one being allowing Guyanese to understand that green state/sustainable development concerns are more than just environmental in nature and therefore must involve all sections of society.

She said it also hopes to help in building the capacity for Guyanese to participate effectively in green/sustainable development conversations.

Limited to conversation

However, as talks get underway in Berbice, Regional Chairman David Armogan is of the view that Government’s idea of a green economy is limited to conservation.

He noted that in today’s world, it is important to live in sync with nature and preserve both the environment and eco system. This, he said, is important for our

continued development.

“Even as we develop our country, we have to make sure that we do not destroy our environment, otherwise the wrath of Mother Nature will come on us and that is something that we don’t want in this country.”

The Regional Chairman noted that the effects of climate change are visible.

“This in itself tells us that we have to bring a number of issues to the table.”

Armogan said in the conversations which have been taking place in Guyana as they relate to a Green State will suggest the use of solar power.

He applauded Conservation International for focusing on sustainable enterprise in agriculture.

“This is an area that has never been touched basically in Guyana. We all know agriculture from our grandparents and our parents. We know that our agriculture

from page 12

is based on the use of pesticides, insecticides and fertilisers.”

These methods are being used in cash crop farming, rice and cane.

While Guyana has been heavily dependent on the use of chemicals to grow crops, many other countries have been moving in the direction of Green Agriculture whereby they are utilising biological waste for enhanced agriculture production.

Organically grown agriculture produce is in high demand and carries a higher price. “This is the way we have to go in Guyana and not only to talk about the preservation of our forest and our environment but we also have to look at organic agriculture where we can utilise our environment to produce our crops,” Armogan said, while adding that this form of agriculture will allow farmers to receive better priced for their produce.

bankable – energy experts

Delegates at the forum on Monday

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ake full control of the development of renewable energy (RE) in the Region. Include the general populace in the dialogue and processes that will lead to the further development of the sector.

Make RE projects bankable.

Those were some of the key takeaways from the first full day of discussions of the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Forum (CSEF) VI now underway at the Belize Ocean Club in Placencia, Belize. The Forum is being held under the theme ‘Clean Energy, Good Governance and Regulations.

CSEF formally opened on Sunday and discussions began in earnest on Monday morning. Former Prime Minister of Aruba, Michiel Eman, set the tone with his emphasis on the pursuit of clean energy as part of an obligation to protect the “resources we have been blessed with”, as well as a journey that had profound meaning for the quality of life of citizens of the Caribbean.

Sharing information and opportunities, Eman said, gave the journey a “deeper” meaning to society. It would engender a sense of commitment and shared responsibilities. He pointed out that the future was based on renewables and the Region had to find new financial opportunities towards fruition.

He called on Forum participants to think not only

of lowering energy prices, but about how those savings could benefit society and create the environment for prosperity for everyone.

Take control

Member of the high-level panel, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries of Trinidad and Tobago, Nicole Olivierre, drove home the point that the Region had to take full control of its renewable sources of energy. She called for the “sharing and pooling” of resources to growing the renewable energy capacity of the Region and stressed that the Region had to take full control of its own energy supplies. Countries had to find a way to finance the exploitation of their own energy sources, she added.

Panel discussions and presentations during the day tackled subjects such as geopolitics, climate change and energy governance; the role of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) in envisioning the acceleration of a clean energy marketing development in the Caribbean Community (Caricom); reducing the implementation deficit; island-appropriate clean energy development, making the Caribbean climate-smart and the clean energy transition in Caricom.

On Tuesday, Belize will share its experiences with energy transition. Focus during the day will also continue to be placed on energy governance as well as regulation.

Two concurrent technical workshops will be held on Wednesday. They will address utility business models and innovation in rate-making and implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in the energy and transport sectors.

The CSEF VI is being co-hosted by the Caricom Secretariat and the Government of Belize, in partnership with the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) and the Organisation of Caribbean Utility Regulators (OOCUR). Key sponsorship and technical support for the staging of the CSEF VI will be provided by the Technical Assistance Programme for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean, which is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ); the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency; the Organisation of American States; the Public Utilities Commission; Belize Electricity Limited; and the Caricom Development Fund.

news

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wednesdAY, November 21, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ramsammy’s Ruminations Sugar workers still forgotten – they were fired, now they cannot get their severance

GPF working to make 911 service consistent – Crime Chief

P

E

nough is enough. Pay the sugar workers their severance, without any further delays. Visiting many of the communities with closed sugar estates, workers without jobs and their families asked if there is any news about their severance and when they would be paid. We are justifiably ashamed that firefighters stole people's belongings during a recent crash-landing event. It is equally disgraceful that our country is robbing sugar workers of their severance.

The violation of the labour laws, depriving these sugar workers of all they have, is highway robbery.

I will never tire calling out the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) for ignoring and punishing poor sugar workers. I cannot and no decent Guyanese can Dr Leslie Ramsammy forgive APNU/AFC for ripping away the jobs of poor sugar workers; people whose family depended on these jobs. That brutality is further compounded by the refusal to obey the law and pay the workers who were terminated their severance.

For some of these workers, it has been more than two years, for others it has been a year, since APNU fired them and now, adding salt to the wounds, denying them their severance.

Under pressure and the world watching, President Granger two months ago promised the workers that they would be paid as soon as Parliament reconvened in October.

The workers could have been paid the severance without Parliament’s first meeting, but Parliament was used as a cover.

It has been over a month since Parliament reconvened and passed a supplementary budget to pay the sugar workers. A Judge ordered the immediate payment of the workers with a six per cent interest up to November 2 and four per cent for every additional day after that. But the sugar workers are still waiting. It is unconscionable, uncaring and a total continued violation of the law.

We suspected that the promise to pay sugar workers their severance was a Local Government Election gimmick. There is no earthly reason why these sugar workers are being treated so cruelly. It is not just the thousands of sugar workers who are owed more than $2.5 billion, and another $200 million in interest, it is the almost 30,000 family members that are being assaulted daily by the APNU/AFC's cruelty. The APNU/ AFC knowingly and deliberately are violating national and international laws and are now in contempt of a court order.

Parliament has appropriated the money, but the Finance Ministry is silent. The Agriculture Ministry – the Ministry with responsibility for the Guyana Sugar Corporation and sugar, is missing in action (MIA)/absent without leave (AWOL).

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who once deemed himself the ‘Sugar Workers’ Champion’, the one who these days lives on cloud-nine, with a siren-blazing convoy prancing around the country, is silent. The sugar workers are of no interest to him anymore. He has gotten what he wanted – he is the Prime Minister, even though he has no duty to perform, other than huffing and puffing about Bharrat Jagdeo. He has zero compassion for sugar workers and their families who are struggling and the children who are starving. His colleagues, like Khemraj Ramjattan and Charandass Persaud, people who visited and made wild promises to sugar workers before the 2015 General Elections, have also disappeared and are also silent.

Other than Guyana Times and the Weekend Mirror, the media has been mostly silent, reduced to periodically reporting on the sugar workers brave and persistent fight for their rights.

Not a single editorial has addressed this injustice. Media commentators have largely ignored the plight of the sugar workers. The ABC countries rightfully have advocated for the abolishing of the death penalty and have even authored opeds about copyright laws. But not one of them has mentioned the injustice foisted on the sugar workers. The Private Sector whose businesses have been affected by the closure of estates and the impoverishing of sugar workers have chosen silence.

The non-payment of severance is just one of the cruel assaults on the sugar workers. APNU/AFC had promised these sugar workers a 20 per cent annual wage increase before the 2015 elections. Since then, they have frozen sugar worker wages. There has been zero increases for 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 promises another year of no wage increase.

The five-year zero wage increase is now one of the global antiworkers shame for Guyana. But APNU/AFC also promised sugar workers better production incentives; the workers have not had any annual production incentives. They were promised

by David Granger and Nagamootoo and the whole APNU/AFC that no estate will be closed; four estates have been closed.

The sugar workers have been betrayed and now they are being robbed.

Crime Chief Lyndon Alves

ersons who have an emergency can now rest assured as Crime Chief Lyndon Alves has assured that the 911 emergency line is currently up and running.

He made this declaration at a Police presentation held on Monday.

Alves, while boasting of the service, however, made

it clear that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is still working to ensure that the phone line was consistent.

“We have been trying over the years, along with the service providers, to make that system work and (it’s) working for now,” he explained.

The Crime Chief made the announcement while en-

couraging persons to call the number to report any criminal activities during the Christmas season.

Over the past few months especially, several persons would have vented their frustration on social media as they were unable to get the Police after or even during a break-in or other crimes.

Improved power supply for Mabaruma residents

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esidents of Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini) are expected to benefit very soon from improved power supply after the new solar farm is added to the power generation mix.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) has reported that the $264 million solar farm located at Khan’s Hill, Mabaruma, is now complete as it relates to its construction and installation. Additionally, swift works to finalise automatic switching from the generator to the solar farm are still being undertaken by the contractor.

Meanwhile, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, in a statement, has said that the automatic switching from solar power to the generator during cloudy days or during the rainy season was not yet ready. He noted that there were half-hour storage batteries in place for when it was overcast for more than half an hour, so that the generator will automatically switch on.

“The system is a hybrid

The solar farm in Mabaruma, Region One

system whereby during the day when the sun is up, the whole town would be powered by the solar farm.

Solar is intermittent, so, therefore, you may be having a 100 per cent solar, then a cloud passes over and you drop from 100 to 80 per cent. On a cloudy or overcast day, the difference between what the solar power is producing and

what the town needs will have to be augmented by the generator … it [the solar farm] produces 400 kilowatts, so we have batteries for 400 kilowatts for half an hour if there is no sun,” Minister Patterson said.

The initiative is part of the Government’s plan to move Guyana towards becoming a ‘Green State’, and will act as a medium

to reduce the fossil fuel bill within the country as well as to prevent carbon emissions.

Other solar farms at Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo); Mahdia, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) are also expected to be established.

Nurses charged to be “agents of change”

“W

e must change the perception that persons have about the capability of public health nurses.

You must be the agents of change for the benefit of all … patients must leave satisfied.”

This was the charge delivered by Advisor to the Public Health Minister, John Adams to the 27 nurses graduating from the University of Guyana’s Bachelor of Science Nursing Programme. Adams was speaking at the annual award ceremony hosted at the Pegasus Hotel on Sunday evening.

He told the nurses that as agents of change, they must educate others in order to make a difference within the public health sector.

This, he noted, will involve a willingness on their part to continue to build their own capacity as they strive

UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith

for excellence as health-care professionals.

“That step will not only benefit you, but boost the Ministry of Public Health and the country, as a whole … It will bring you on par with your colleagues in the Caribbean since qualifying yourself in the various health fields will certainly aid Guyana in achieving Goal 3 of SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] – ensuring a healthy life and

well-being for all. The acquisition of these skills will surely benefit you and the country, once it is utilised properly,” he is quoted as saying by the DPI. Chief Nursing Officer at the Ministry, Linda Johnson, said the award ceremony speaks volumes for those who have graduated.

“It is indeed an undeniable fact that the progress of any health-care system is through the development of

nurses via higher education.

Globally, nurses are the centre of almost every healthcare team and they make an enormous contribution to the health of any nation … as graduates that emerge with a degree in nursing, your experience and added knowledge are valued assets,” Johnson said.

The Chief Nursing Officer also charged the nurses to map out and develop new approaches to nursing care, health promotion and disease prevention.

She advised them to secure leadership role opportunities within the sector in order to demonstrate the skills and knowledge they have learnt.

In his remarks, UG Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith encouraged the nurses to embrace the values of respect, integrity and excellence and to be exemplars of all three attributes.

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guyanatimesgy.com

wednesdAY, november 21, 2018

Regional

Bahamas closes Embassy in Haiti as unrest TT$1B lump sum for 1300 Petrotrin retirees continues in French-speaking country

The United States and Canada have also closed their Embassies as a result of the situation

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he Bahamas Government on Tuesday said that its embassy in Haiti would remain closed “until further notice” as it joined other

countries in shutting down their diplomatic buildings as unrest continues in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the decision to close down the Embassy followed consultations with the country's Ambassador and security personnel in Haiti.

“Due to continuing unrest in Haiti, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to advise members of the public that the Embassy of The Bahamas in Port-au-Prince will be closed until further notice,” the Ministry said, adding that “security directives have been issued by the United Nations (UN) Mission in Haiti – MINUJUSTH, implementing a curfew from 22:00 hours to 05:00 hours until further notice.

“It is the policy of The Bahamas in situations such as this to act in conjunction with the diplomatic commu-

nity, and the UN if present in the jurisdiction,” the Ministry said, adding that the national airline, Bahamasair has also suspended its flights into Haiti until further notice.

It urged the public to consult Bahamasair as to when flights were likely to resume.

“All staff of The Bahamas Embassy are safe. The Ministry continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates on new developments as they arise.”

The United States Embassy Tuesday lifted its security measures so that US employees can get to work.

But it said that the Consular Section is open only for emergency services for US citizens.

Canada has also closed its embassy as a result of the situation. (Excerpt from CMC)

St Lucia conducting nationwide survey on crime

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he St Lucia Government is conducting a nationwide Crime Perception Survey, which it says will help formulate solutions to stem criminal activities on the island.

A statement from the Justice, Home Affairs, and National Security Ministry said the survey, which is being conducted in collaboration with the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, will measure the fear of

crime among the public.

“The data gathered from the survey will help the Government formulate solutions that will help stem crime, and ultimately provide the public with an increased sense of safety and security,” the statement said of the online survey that remains open until November 30.

“The Ministry is reaching out to the general public, both St Lucians and non-St Lucians to share

your thoughts and ideas in order to collectively better understand and address the fear of crime in your residential and business areas,” said Ali Abdul Rahman, who is assisting in conducting the survey.

“The public’s participation in the survey is voluntary. Responses are confidential and will only be used by the Government of St Lucia to serve you better in national safety areas.”

The Ministry said that Police Officers will distribute hard copy versions of the survey in areas where there is little online access.

In September, National Security Minister Hermangild Francis met with several stakeholders as a follow-up on the recommendations of the Crime Symposium held on November 24, last year.

(Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

Opposition files motion of no confidence in St Lucia Govt

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he main Opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) on Tuesday filed a motion of no confidence against the Government of Prime Minister Allen Chastanet, calling also for his immediate resignation as the head of the two-and-a-half-yearold administration.

“In my capacity as leader of the Parliamentary Opposition and leader of the St Lucia Labour Party, I delivered this morning to the Clerk of Parliament for onward submission to the Speaker of the House, a copy of a motion of no confidence in the Prime Minister and Minister

of Finance,” SLP leader Phillip J Pierre told a news conference ahead of the start of Tuesday’s sitting of Parliament.

Chastanet led the United Workers Party (UWP) to an 11-6 majority in the Parliament following the June 6 general elections. The SLP won the other six seats.

Pierre said that the motion and the anticipated debate, will articulate the deep concerns, anxieties and the feeling of hopelessness among large sections of the St Lucian society about the uncaring and irresponsible manner in which the business of the country was

SLP leader Phillip J Pierre

currently managed.

He said that since the

appointment and installation of Chastanet as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Growth, Job Creation and External Affairs, St Lucia has been governed in a manner that has undermined the Constitution, its conventions and practices.

“We have witnessed a growing abuse of public office, unreasonable and irrational decision-making, unsustainable fiscal deficits, squandering of the State’s financial resources, and a debilitating decline in the public trust and confidence in the Prime Minister’s ability to govern the country”. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

Jamaica: 2 taxi drivers amass over 1500 outstanding traffic tickets

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he Police's Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) on Tuesday nabbed two Corporate Area taxi drivers who reportedly have amassed over 1500 outstanding traffic tickets between them.

According to the Police, one driver has 772 tickets while the other has 751 outstanding.

Commanding Officer of the recently established PSTEB, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Calvin Allen told

Observer Online that the two public passenger vehicle (PPV) operators were now in Police custody.

The men are to face the court shortly, SSP Allen said.

Allen used the opportunity to warn motorists

with outstanding tickets to make an effort to clear them up, reasoning that the Government facilitated two amnesties for them to get a clean slate and “they failed to take them up and so they will have to face the consequences”. (Jamaica Observer)

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TT Energy Minister Franklin Khan

early 1300 axed Petrotrin employees are expected to retire early next month and receive a pension totalling TT$1 billion, says Energy Minister Franklin Khan.

He was responding to a question Tuesday from Opposition Senator Wade Mark on reports the Petrotrin Employee Pension Plan (PEPP) will run a TT$2.73 billion deficit if wound up and what was being done to address this issue.

Khan said the PEPP being fully funded was only the case when Petrotrin and the plan were ongoing entities.

"The restructuring of PEPP and the termination of all employees changes everything in that benefit payments are accelerated significantly by the early retirement of all qualifying members."

He said it was not possible to wind up the PEPP and secure benefits by buying annuities as suggested

by Republic Bank, because the insurance market "has nowhere near sufficient capacity".

Khan said the TT$2.7 billion deficit quoted by Republic Bank was predicated on annuity buy-out taking place and this was not relevant. He added there was no alternative other than PEPP being run off as a closed fund meeting benefit payments from its assets when they fall due.

He reported nearly 1300 members aged 50 and over are expected to retire on December 1, 2018 with a lump sum payment of TT$1 billion.

"I am pleased to announce that PEPP has comfortably enough assets to cover these payments."

(Trinidad Newsday)

1 in 2 highly-skilled C'bean citizens migrating, says UNESCO report

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ore than one in two highly skilled people in the Caribbean are migrating to other countries, says UNESCO's 2019 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report.

According to the report, which focused on migration and social policies pertaining to education and assimilation, those emigrating are more educated than those staying behind.

GEM Report Director Manos Antoninis said: “Despite common political discourse, the more educated are the more likely to migrate, whether on the prospect of higher returns on their education, or because they are better able to respond to opportunities elsewhere”.

The report calculated the extent of brain drain for var-

ious Caribbean countries, showing that Guyana has lost 78 per cent of its skilled workers to emigration, while Grenada lost 71 per cent.

Specifically, Caribbean countries have experienced high teacher emigration in recent decades, not least due to active UK and US recruitment efforts.

For small-island States, even small numbers of emigrating teachers can create significant shortages, as hard-to-replace Mathematics, Physics, Science and Computer Science teachers are shown to be the most prone to move abroad, the report said.

It further highlighted that the number of migrant and refugee school-age children around the world today could fill half a million classrooms, an increase of 26 per cent since 2000. (Jamaica Observer)

17

wednesdAY, november 21, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Suicide bomber kills over 50 Indian court hands down death sentence at religious event in Kabul over deadly 1984 A anti-Sikh riots suicide bomber blew himself up in a banqueting hall where Islamic religious scholars had gathered in the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday, killing more than 50 people, three government officials said.

Najib Danish, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said more than 80 other people had been injured.

“A suicide bomber detonated his explosives inside a wedding hall where Islamic religious scholars had gathered to commemorate the anniversary of the Prophet Mohammad’s birth,” Danish said.

The banquet room is in the Uranus wedding hall, a complex housing several large reception rooms near

Afghan security forces arrive at the site of a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan, November 20, 2018

Kabul airport.

“Hundreds of Islamic scholars and their followers had gathered to recite verses from the holy Quran to observe the Eid Milad-unNabi festival at the private

banquet hall,” said a spokesman for Kabul Police.

Officials at Kabul’s Emergency Hospital said 30 ambulances had rushed to the scene and over 40 people were critically wounded.

when the Judge scheduled a hearing to consider a more long-lasting injunction.

Trump cited an overwhelmed immigration system for his recent proclamation that officials would only process asylum claims for migrants who present themselves at an official entry point.

Civil rights groups sued this, arguing that Trump's November 9 order violated administrative and immigration law.

In his ruling, Tigar said

Congress clearly mandated that immigrants and refugees can apply for asylum regardless of how they entered the country. The Judge called the latest rules an "extreme departure" from prior practice.

"Whatever the scope of the President's authority, he may not rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden," Tigar wrote.

Tigar was nominated to the court by previous US

Both the Sunni Taliban militant group and a local Islamic State affiliate have in the past attacked religious scholars aligned with the Government — who have decreed that suicide attacks are forbidden by Islam.

But the Taliban said in a statement that “our men were not involved in the Kabul blast and we condemn the loss of human lives”.

The radical Sunni militant group Islamic State has mostly focused its major attacks on Afghan soil on Shi’ite Muslim sites of worship, regarding Shi’ites as heretics.

President Ashraf Ghani called Tuesday’s attack “un-Islamic” and “unforgivable”. He declared today a day of mourning. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

Trump barred from denying asylum to people entering US informally

A

US Judge has put a temporary halt to an order by US President Donald Trump's Administration denying the possibility of asylum to people who enter the US informally.

US District Judge Jon Tigar in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order on Tuesday against the asylum rules to take effect immediately, applying nationwide.

The measure will last until at least December 19

President Barack Obama.

Previous Trump immigration policies, including measures targeting sanctuary cities, have also been blocked by the courts.

The latest asylum ruling came as thousands of Central Americans, including a large number of children, are travelling in caravans towards the US-Mexico border to escape violence and poverty at home. Some have already arrived at Tijuana, a Mexican city on the border with California.

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court in India has sentenced to death a man convicted of murder during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots that left nearly 3000 people dead, following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The 1984 carnage erupted just hours after Prime Minister Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards.

The violence, which occurred mostly in the capital New Delhi, lasted three days when Sikhs were raped, murdered and burned alive, while their homes and businesses were torched.

Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Pandey on Tuesday handed the death sentence to Yashpal Singh and a life sentence to Naresh Sherawat, both for murder, rioting, and other charges.

The pair were convicted last week of killing Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh, two men in their 20s, during the riots.

The verdict was pronounced in the high-security Tihar Jail due to security concerns after the convicts were attacked on a New Delhi court's premises last week.

Singh and Sherawat "took out the victims, who were hiding inside a room, injured them with dangerous weapons with the intention to kill and threw them down from the first floor", causing their deaths, the Judge said while delivering the punishment, according to The Hindu newspaper.

Relatives of victims rejoiced after the Judge announced the ruling, the first since 1996, which follows the setting up of a special probe in 2015.

They said they were relieved that "justice has been finally served" and hoped that next up would be two former Congress Ministers, Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Huge waterspout hits Italy's south-western city

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Markets drop as tech slowdown fears grow

A

sell-off on Wall Street continued on Tuesday, amid steep declines in oil prices and losses among technology shares.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 2.2 per cent, weighed down by Apple, which plunged nearly five per cent.

The broader S&P 500 dropped 1.8 per cent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq index fell 1.7 per cent, to its lowest level since February.

Meanwhile, benchmark oil prices sank nearly seven per cent, close to one-year lows.

Connor Campbell at Spreadex described the sell-off as a "macro-car crash, with Brexit fears, the post-

US stock market traders watch share prices fall

APEC pre-G20 US-China trade war flare-up and the continuation of a nas-

ty US tech sell-off resulting in absolute carnage".

But IHS Markit's chief economist Nariman Behravesh pointed to wider concerns about the strength of the global economy.

"Except for the US, every key economy has seen slower growth in 2018 relative to 2017, and will continue to see weak or even weaker growth during the next two years."

He said US growth was supported by the Trump Administrations tax cuts.

"This stimulus will wear off by late 2019 and early 2020, and the US economy will join the others in seeing a significant loss of speed," he said. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

A waterspout is an intense columnar vortex that occurs over a body of water

A

huge waterspout has been captured on video moving from the sea and hitting Italy's south-western city of Salerno.

Eyewitnesses said the whirling column of air and water lifted containers in the city's port area. There were no reports of any injuries.

The rare phenome-

non was observed at about 15:00h local time (14:00 GMT), officials say.

A waterspout is an intense columnar vortex that occurs over a body of water and quickly dissipates over dry land.

Footage of Tuesday's waterspout has been widely shared on social media, with some users describing the vortex as "incredible".

(BBC News)

UN Environment chief quits Chicago hospital shooting: Doctor, pharmacist and amid expenses row

U

Erik Solheim was the Executive Director of UN Environment

nited Nations environment chief Erik Solheim has resigned amid a row over his travel expenses.

A recent draft internal audit, obtained by Britain's Guardian newspaper and seen by the BBC, said he had incurred costs of US$488,518 while travelling for 529 out of 668 days.

It said this harmed the reputation of UN Environment – a body that highlights green

issues and sustainability.

There was "no oversight or accountability" to monitor this travel.

Solheim, a Norwegian former Environment Minister, says he has paid back the money where "instances of oversight" occurred.

On Tuesday, Solheim himself confirmed his resignation, Norway's NRK broadcaster reported.

A formal UN announcement is expected shortly. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Policeman killed

A

doctor, a newly graduated pharmacist and a police officer were killed after a gunman opened fire at a hospital in Chicago, Police say.

The gunman was seen arguing with the doctor, Tamara O'Neal, who he had been in a relationship with, before shooting her and turning his gun on others.

The shooter, named as

Juan Lopez, 32, also died, but it is not clear if he was killed by Police or took his own life.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the attack "tears at the soul of our city".

"It is the face and a consequence of evil," he said, adding that the three victims were "all going about their day, all doing what they loved".

The shootings began with a row in the Mercy Hospital car park between the gunman and Dr O'Neal at about 15:00h local time (21:00 GMT) on Monday.

When a friend of the doctor's tried to intervene, "the offender lifted up his shirt and displayed a handgun", Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesdAY, November 21, 2018

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

dilbert

Concentrate on the changes you want to make.

Don’t leave anything up to someone else if you want it done to your specifications.

Protect personal secrets and private information.

CANCER

Get your game on. You can wheel and deal with the best of them if you use your experience and intuition to outmaneuver others.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

Take care of concerns that affect older friends or relatives. Your assistance will be rewarded and will make you feel good. An unexpected change will turn out to be beneficial.

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

(June 21July 22)

Peanuts

Take care of money matters. Make an adjustment to investments, contracts and personal documents that are time-sensitive. Do your own negotiating, banking and investigative work.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Don’t let an emotional incident lead you to make a poor choice. Step back and do something that will take your mind off things you cannot change. Personal improvements and romance will alleviate stress.

A business meeting, day trip or educational pursuit will get you back on track and heading in a positive direction. Don’t let what’s going on in your personal life disrupt your plans.

Don’t leave anything to LIBRA (Sept. 23- chance. Make last-minute Oct. 23) changes that will help counter interference from someone critical. Don’t trust a peer or friend to take care of your responsibilities.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — CORNICE (CORNICE: KOR-nis: A horizontal frame used to conceal rods, hooks, etc.)

SUDOKU

The list will be published tomorrow.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

YESTERDAY’S WORD — MOISTER most mote omit osier item semi sire site smite smote some sore sort sortie

stem stir store storm term tier time timer tire tiro tome tore tries trim

trio emir emit remit rest rime riot rise rite rose rote

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Take the plunge and use your imagination when it comes to matters concerning friends or relatives. If someone needs help, offer suggestions, not cash or valuable time.

Trust will be an issue SAGITTARIUS when dealing with a friend or (Nov. 23- relative. Don’t expect someDec. 21) one to keep a secret if you share sensitive information.

Protect what’s important to you.

Average mark 14 words Time limit 25 minutes Can you find 18 or more words in CORNICE?

merit metro mire miser miso mist mister mite miter moire moist more mores mortise

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

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

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Compassion and understanding will help you clear up a situation you face with a friend or relative. Offer solutions, but don’t take charge or take on someone else’s problems.

Emotional situations will escalate quickly. Concentrate on personal improvements that will ease stress and bring results that will leave you feeling good about the way you look and what you’ve accomplished.

Ask direct questions and verify the information you receive. Someone will try to outsmart or manipulate you if you aren’t careful. Problems with a friend or relative should be handled practically.

wednesdAY, november 21, 2018

19

Guyoil /Tradewind Tankers Under-18 tournament

Christianburg pummel Charlestown, Marian shock Rose’s

Ronaldo Macey as he slips yet another goal past the Uitvlugt goalkeeper

T

he Marian Academy football team on Monday afternoon gave their schoolmates a lot to cheer about as they trampled St Rose’s in the eighth round of the Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers Under-18 tournament.

Marian, who had not been able to stand up to the heightened competition, on Monday proved that they have what it took to challenge the best. The Marian boys were on the hunt from the whistle, and controlled

much of the possession, which led to Mickel Placcres netting their first goal in the 21st minute.

The prospects of being in control of the game did well for the private institution as Danil Brazoa volleyed another goal in the 33rd minute, pushing the score to 2-0 by the half.

When the teams returned to the playing field, Shay Britton decided it was his time to come to the party. The young man found the back of the net twice, in the 53rd and 59th minutes, to carry Marian’s

lead to 4. On the other hand, St Rose’s were not having a good day on the pitch as they were unable to hit the target, resulting in a 4-0 loss.

The second game of that afternoon was equally thrilling as Dolphin battled with The Bishops’ High School.

The goalless back and forth did not go on too long as Shamar Welch handed Dolphin Secondary the lead in the 19th minute. However, Dolphin’s lead did not last long after Romeo Bradford equalised for Bishops’ in the

Winners score big at GCB’s 75th raffle W

ith year end soon approaching, the final drawing of the long-awaited Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) 75th Anniversary Raffle took place last Saturday, during Guyana’s final match of the ICC Women’s World Cup hosted at the National Stadium, Providence.

The brief drawing saw eight lucky persons copping prizes ranging from the first-place prize of one motor car all the way down to the last prize, which was a trip for two to the Arrowpoint Resort.

Winners can claim their prizes at the GCB Office, on 221-222 Regent Road, Bourda, Georgetown, upon presentation of their tickets that match the stubs, at any time during working hours.

The GCB also extended special thanks to its sponsors who donated prizes for both the final drawing and the consolation drawings; all those who purchased raffle tickets which will contribute significantly in aid of women and youth cricket development in Guyana.

Among the valued sponsors were: Steve’s Jewellery, Roraima Airways,

A glimpse of the fierce action between Christianburg Wismar and Charlestown Secondary

31st minute. The half ended with the score at 1-1, and the battle was now to see who could finish on a high note.

Both goalkeepers were on their toes, rejecting attempt after attempt but it was one too many for Dolphin’s keeper in the 60th minute, when Malachi Richards slipped the ball in for a goal. The encounter ended 2-1 in Bishops’ favour.

Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers tournament action continued on Tuesday afternoon with two more exhilarating games.

Christianburg Wismar Secondary continued in their winning ways when they met Charlestown on Tuesday afternoon. Felix Inniss got the scoring going for Christianburg Wismar in the 22nd minute. The re-

mainder of the half passed quietly, but Christianburg returned with full vengeance for Charlestown in the second. Andre Meyer netted one just two minutes after the half resumed and then he was joined on the scorecard by George Stephen. Then like lightning, Jermaine Mason capitalised just two minutes after Stephen. When it seemed like the encounter would end 4-0, Kevin Dornick joined the scoring party just a minute before regulation time expired to end on 5-0.

The final match of the evening featured Uitvlugt and Vergenoegen Secondary Schools in a battle of who is the best West Coast Demerara team.

Vergenoegen wasted no time in initiating their scor-

ing, as Troy Skeete netted their first in the 14th minute. Ronaldo Macey, three minutes later, pushed the score to 2-0 and then the young man returned in the 25th minute for his second goal and Vergenoegen’s third. Beginning the second half with the score on 3-0, Vergenoegen sought to stamp their dominance as the young men executed crisp passes and controlled ball possession.

Macey completed his hattrick in the 42nd minute, but Vergenoegen’s parade of goals was briefly interrupted

by Ruben Dainty of Uitvlugt, who netted the team’s lone goal. Brentnol Bobb, however, ended the game on a high note for Vergenoegen with a goal in the 55th minute, securing their 5-1 win.

CONCACAF Nations League Qualifying 2018/2019…

French Guiana ease past Golden Jags

King’s Jewellery owner Looknauth Persaud doing the honours for a lucky customer during the drawing

Arrowpoint Resort, SDN Technology, Jialing, Cell Phone Shack, Ready-Mix Concrete, Carib Foods and Ticketmaster.

The winning numbers are as follow: 8th Prize: Day trip for two at Arrowpoint Resort – #11839 7th Prize: One laptop computer – #0256 6th Prize: Round trip

for two to Kaieteur Falls – #3965 5th Prize: One gold necklace – #2443 4th Prize: One return airfare to New York (VISA NOT INCLUDED) – #0197 3rd Prize: One 60” TV – #2348 2nd Prize: One Jialing motorcycle – #6771 1st Prize: One motor car – #21364

G

uyana's Senior National men's football team, the Golden Jaguars, suffered an obstacle on their road to the Concacaf Gold Cup qualification on Tuesday evening as they suffered a crushing loss to French Guiana.

Playing in Cayene at the Stade Municipal Dr. Edmard Lama, Guyana's 11 featured Kai Mckenzie-Lyle, Terence Vancooten, Walter Moore, Kevin Layne, Colin Nelson, Elliot Bonds, Neil Danns (Captain), Daniel Wilson, Sheldon Holder, Trayon Bobb and Kadell

Daniel.

The Guyanese team looked very agile in the beginning of the game but soon had a damper in their high spirits when French Guiana's Jules Haabo netted a goal in the 18th minute of play.

The South American sides went back and forth but saw to a quiet remainder of the half.

The momentum remained on French Guiana’s side and just moments into the second half, Haabo struck for his second of the night with a fine right-footed finish to

take the tally to 2-0.

However, captain of the Golden Jaguars, Neil Danns was perfectly placed in the 59th, to sink a goal for Guyana. Despite having a handful of other chances, Guyana was unable to capitalize, having to settle for the 2-1 defeat.

This loss means that the Golden Jaguars remain on four points on the Concacaf Nations League qualifiers table and will have to register a win when they meet with Belieze on March 23 at the Leonira Stadium for their final qualifier match.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesdAY, november 21, 2018

Ramdhani takes on Canada …bags number one spot and King’s University Athlete Award N

arayan Ramdhani continues to etch his name into the international records, as the 20-year-old excelled once again this past weekend.

The young man has been participating in a string of tournaments, representing the Kings University in Canada.

For his most recent event, Ramdhani picked up his racquet to participate in the 2018-19 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Inter-College/University Tournament.

There, Ramdhani found himself pitted against competitors from other Universities such as Olds College Broncos, Concordia

University of Edmonton Thunder and Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Ooks, while he donned the colours of The King’s University Eagles.

Although many of the players were seeded above Ramdhani, the Guyanese champion showcased his skills to surge to the top of the Men’s Singles, which afforded him the number one spot in the Edmonton Alberta Canada player rankings. Additionally, Ramdhani has also achieved the King’s University Athlete Award.

Seeded number three, Ramdhani met with the number one seeded player, Tyler Walsh (NAIT) in the quarter-finals. Despite the first

set being close, Ramdhani pushed through to take it 2117 and then made light work of the second set 21-13 for the win. In the semis, he was slated to face off with Ronuelle Mendina (NAIT), in a game that was very similar to the first. Ramdhani won 21-17, 2114. In the final of the Men’s singles, Ramdhani’s opponent was number two seed, Braxton Wong (Concordia).

The Guyanese had a much easier game, defeating Wong 2116, 21-7 for the win and the gold.

Later on, Ramdhani paired up with Joel Simrose, as he did in his previous tournament, for the men’s doubles. The pair enjoyed a two straight-set win over the Olds team of Colton

Grier and Rylan Head, 21-12, 21-14. However, the Guyanese and his teammate could not stand up to the experience of the number one seeded pair of Concordia’s Desmond Wang and Braxton Wong, losing 217, 21-9. This loss resulted in their fourth-place finish.

The ACAC is the governing body for collegiate sports in Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1964, as the Western InterCollege Conference, the ACAC is represented by 17 schools, including one in Saskatchewan that competes in 10 sports.

The ACAC is also a member of the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) and provincial champions compete for national collegiate titles.

Poonai’s Pharmacy GCA Under-17 cricket… renews sponsorship of Ramsammy’s ton leads RHTY&SC Under-13 team MYO past Malteenoes Guyana’s top badminton player, Narayan Ramdhani

F

ormer Guyana Under-15 all-rounder Abdul Ramsammy’s maiden century led the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) past Malteenoes at the MYO Ground last weekend.

G u y a n a Under-15 fast bowler Isai Thorne snatched 6-27 to help MYO c o m -

plete a 388-run victory, after scoring 437.

Batting first on a small outfield, MYO openers played fearless cricket strokes adding 119 for the opening partnership.

Opening batters Tomani Caesar and Anthony Williams stroked 58 runs each to bat the weary Malteenoes bowlers out of the game. National Under-15 Captain Zeynul Ramsammy and his older brother, Abdul Ramsammy joined forces and eventually continued where the openers left off.

Zeynul was unlucky when he was dismissed for 49, but Abdul continued to time the cricket ball exquisitely. Romel Retimiah, a former Guyana Under-15 player, contributed 40 and

Krishna Singh got 48 in the runs fest at MYO. Abdul was the final batsman, dismissed for a majestic 112 as MYO were bowled out for a daunting 437 in 49.1 overs.

Bowling for Malteenoes, Wayne McPherson grabbed three wickets and S Sankar took two wickets in an ordinary bowling effort.

In reply, the rusty Malteenoes team were blown away for an embarrassing 49, with the young Guyana fast bowler, Thorne, being the chief destructor.

Fourteen-year-old Thorne is in a bigger league, bowling at more than a frightening 70 miles per hour (mph) at a tender age. He ripped the heart out of the Malteenoes batting line-up with 6-27 and got support from Marlon Boele 2-4.

P

opular Rose Hall Town businessman Poonai Bhirooj has renewed his sponsorship of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club (RHTY&SC) Under-13 team.

Poonai’s Pharmacy came on board in 2017 as the official sponsor of the year when he handed over a cheque to the Club’s Patron, President David Granger on September 14, 2017.

Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hilbert Foster stated that the RHTY&SC was delighted that the sponsorship was renewed for another year as the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has been organising cricket tournaments for players at the Under-13 level.

Foster, who is also the President of the vibrant BCB, hailed the contribution of Bhirooj, who he described as a role model and friend to every Club member.

Since the formation of the Under-13 team, players like Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall, Jeremy Sandia, Matthew Pottaya went on to play for either Berbice or Guyana.

Additionally, the team have been actively involved in over 60 self-development programmes utilising sponsorship.

The programmes include monthly pensioners projects, feeding of the poor, a cricket academy and hampers for senior citizens.

Poonai’s Under-13 Team serve as a nursery for the Rose Hall Town Farfan & Mendes Under-15 Team and Assistant Secretary/CEO

Poonai’s Pharmacy CEO Poonai Bhirooj hands over the sponsorship cheque to RHTY&SC Under-13 Captain Matthew Pottaya

Simon Naidu noted that the team had already gone through the semi-finals of the BCB Da Silva Under-13 Tournament.

The Matthew Pottayaled team defeated Albion Community Centre outright, obtained first innings points from Kendall’s Union, and held Port Mourant to a draw after losing first innings points. As runners-up in Zone B, they will play Blairmont Community Centre, winner of Zone A in the semi-finals at the D’Edward Ground.

The Poonai’s Under-13 Team is under the management of veteran RHTY&SC Executive Members Keith

Hicks, Ravindra Nauth Kissoonlall and Tyrone Pottaya. Naidu is the team coordinator while National Under-15 players Jonathan Rampersaud, Mahendra Gopilall and Jeremy Sandia serve as mentors. Matthew Pottaya is the Captain while Nelroy Hicks serves as his deputy.

Bhirooj, in brief remarks, stated that he enjoyed a close relationship with the Club and has always admired its outstanding work.

He urged the team to develop a culture of discipline and hard work while praising them for being good ambassadors of his company’s brand. The sponsorship amounted to $150,000.

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21

No 72 All Stars crowned – BCB completes 16th champions tourney for 2018

U

nder glorious sunshine, supporters came out in large numbers to witness high-profile cricket in the finals of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)Upper Corentyne Cricket Association/Ramnaresh Sarwan 40-Over SecondDivision Tournament.

At the No 72 Cut and Load Ground, No 72 All Stars held their nerve to defeat their opponents by 10 runs in a thrilling encounter, which kept the huge crowd on its feet during the final 10 overs.

No 72 All Stars won the toss and opted to bat, managing 156 all out in 35 overs.

Kameshwar Chatterpaul top-scored with 36 and was supported by Anand Singh with 25. Mohindra Bhoj and Trishan Ramdass scored 20 runs each. Ikhram Khan was the best bowler with 3 for 15 while Abdullah Ajib, Rishi Persaud, and Devanand Chatterpaul grabbed two wickets each for the No 72 Cut and Load team.

Requiring 157 in 40 overs to claim their first BCB title, Cut and Load were given a perfect start of 70 runs by openers Ramesh Joseph and Kadil Ajib before Joseph threw his wicket away in the 18th over by being caught on the long-on boundary for 22. Ajib continued to play a responsible innings even as wick-

The winning team pose with UCCA President Dennis De Andrade and Secretary Sydney Jackman

ets fell around him as the result of a brilliant spell of hostile fast bowling by Taleshwar Baichan, who took four quick wickets.

The dismissal of the talented Rishi Persaud, caught at mid-wicket off a miscued pull, was the crucial turning point for the match as No 72 All Stars never gave up hope. Devanand Chatterpaul (15) and Ajib tried to hold the innings together, but when Baichan trapped Ajib LBW for a top score of 50, the match was virtually over for No 72 Cut and Load. Baichan took 4 for 23 and Wayne Garnett 3 for 31 for the champions.

BCB President Hilbert Foster was loud in praise for the friendly atmosphere that the final was played

in, noting that both teams hailed from the same village. Foster, who has visited the Upper Corentyne area 24 times since his election in February, stated that there could be no doubt that cricket in the area was on the move again.

He praised the UCCA for the outstanding work it was doing to promote the game. Special mention was made of former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan for his sponsorship of the Tournament, which was contested by 24 teams.

The Tournament was the 16th completed by the Board in the last four months while eight others are in progress.

With several other tournaments expected to start shortly, the BCB are on

track to create a record by hosting close to 30 tournaments at different levels for clubs across the county.

UCCA Secretary Sydney Jackman was quite appreciative of the outstanding work of the Board and the role it has been playing in the promotion of the game in Upper Corentyne.

He also disclosed that the Board and UCCA were scheduled to host an Under-19 Tournament for six clubs in the area while the New Building Society Second-Division Tournament will restart after a short break.

Trophies and financial incentives were bestowed upon the champions, runners-up and the Man of the Final, Baichan.

Retained regional players get universal healthcare coverage

W

avell Hinds, President and CEO of the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) believes the newly introduced insurance plan for retained players will help players focus on improving themselves as professionals.

WIPA and CWI will pick up the tab of the annual premiums to the tune of US$253,000.

WIPA and Cricket West Indies (CWI) secured a health insurance plan for retained players from all six regional franchises and all CWI contracted international players, handed over the first batch of health insurance cards to players signed to the Jamaica Scorpions franchise at Sabina Park on Friday, November 16.

The comprehensive health insurance plan being offered through Excel Insurance Brokers and VIP Universal Medical Insurance (VUMI) covers health insurance as well as critical-illness coverage.

“We believe that it is important to provide health insurance coverage for our players,” Hinds said. “This gives them the opportunity to go out and perform at an optimum level knowing that they are covered for injuries and illnesses anywhere in the world.”

President of Cricket West Indies, Dave Cameron, backed Hinds’ claim.

“We want to provide the best possible support for our players and this initiative goes with our mandate to ensure that our players are given the best

tools and support so that they can perform at the highest level on the world stage.”

The plan is international, and the health card accepted worldwide.

Players have coverage related to playing injuries as well as illnesses and injuries outside of cricket, dental, optical, prescription, diagnostic, and even emergency non-medical evacuation.

The plan is being offered at no cost to players and can be continued after their playing careers are over. (Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

wednesdAY, november 21, 2018

Stag Super 16 slated to kick off in coming weeks

GFF President Wayne Forde, GFF Director of Competitions Ian Alves and Stag’s Nigel Worrell are flanked by representatives from some of the participating teams

T

he year end is looking bright for football in Guyana as ANSA McAL, under its Stag brand, has entered into a partnership with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to quell the thirst of football enthusiasts around the country.

Sixteen teams from all across the nation will meet next month for what is expected to be a riveting year-end tournament.

With Stag being the primary sponsor, the GFF has found itself a long-standing partner who is shouldering the responsibility of prize monies. In addition to making the disclosure of the prize monies, Stag representative Nigel Worrell emphasised the fact that this tournament was more than just a sponsorship stint.

“Sponsorships are more short-term but partnerships are more about the development of the sport,” Worrell explained.

GFF President Wayne Forde, at the tournament’s launch on Monday evening, noted that the year-end tournament has been a staple in football culture in Guyana.

“Ultimately, we know that the public has been calling for vibrant year-end competition. We stated in the early days of our administration that we’re going to consolidate year-end football, this is one step in doing that. We still have a bit more work to do for 2019, but the goal is to have a competition that conveys the unity and the harmony that the football fraternity needs,” With games scheduled to be played on

December 14, 16, 21, 23, 25 and 26 at a yet-to-be disclosed location, GFF Director of Competitions Ian Alves revealed some of the teams that would be involved in the tournament, and expressed his excitement at such.

“As you would know, the year-end tournament is a culmination of a year of football and this year, it’s going to be big. We have the eight top Elite League teams involved, along with an Indigenous All-Star team, the Rupununi top club Guyana Rush Saints, we have Berbice and Essequibo playing as an association, and we’re finishing it off with the top clubs from East Bank, East Coast and Georgetown. So we expect keen competition and we look for-

ward to a really good tournament.”

A word from the sponsors came from Stag representative Nigel Worrell, who disclosed that the company would be striving to bring a different but exciting twist to the competitions.

“Actually, there’s going to be a lot of different things that we haven’t done in football before. For every single game, we’re going to have the fan of the game; we’re also going to be having a lot of different prizes.”

In the January 1 final, the two top teams will battle for supremacy with each team taking home $1 million, while third place will walk away with $500,000. (Jemima Holmes)

Massy Technologies hosts successful inaugural golf tourney – “Max” Persaud crowned champ

S

easoned local pro Parmanand “Max” Persaud was crowned champion at Saturday’s maiden Microsoft invitational golf tourney sponsored by Massy Technologies.

Golfers continued to endure weekly action following the end of the 2018 Guyana Open as yet another first-time sponsor came on board with the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) in order to host the well-attended event. With no Flights format to play, golfers sought to achieve the best Net scores in order to win.

Veteran female golfer Shanella Webster, playing on the

Ladies Par 5, hit a hole 5 as her second stroke caused her ball to land only about two inches off from the hole, causing her to miss the albatross by two inches and end with an Eagle.

Persaud, meanwhile, outplayed several top golfers as he hit a winning Net of 66, 6 strokes more at 72, as he dominated the 14 other competitors, winning the first- ever tournament hosted by the technology giant.

Following the end of the Open, Massy Technologies General Manager Jason Sahai restated that the company was committed to supporting the development of golf in Guyana.

Massy Technologies through the popular Microsoft brand provides “Microsoft Cloud Services and Solutions” to Guyanese. It is intended to replace services widely used in offices across the country, and Sahai believed that cloud services will be dominating Guyana’s IT sector within the next three to five years.

Meanwhile, golfers were treated to a spectacular prize-giving ceremony as trophies for the top 4 Net scorers, a Latitude laptop for the

Champion and a portable hard drive for the second-place winner, along with consolation prizes given up to the 10th-place performers ,were provided by the sponsors.

Consolation prizes also included tech such as webcams, mini computer mice, card readers, headphones, and more.

Massy’s contribution also included T-shirts for all the golfers who participated, prompting LGC President Aleem Hussain to further extend his Parmanand “Max” Persaud receives gratitude to Sahai his winning trophy following Saturday’s Massy/Microsoft tourney and his team from Microsoft/Massy Technologies for making the inaugural event a major success.

Massy representatives – Massy Technologies General Manager Jason Sahai, Marketing Manager Jihan Bobb-Semple, and Golf Club President Aleem Hussain pose with those who received prizes. From left to right: Jihan Bobb-Semple; Kassim Khan; Mahendra Bhagwandin; Joseph John (a rookie); Mike Mangal, in front of Aleem Hussain; Parmanand Persaud; GM Sahai, in stooping position; Bholawram Deo; Joaan Deo; Regina Haniff – a pre-teen rookie and niece of Dr Joaan Deo; Jaipaul Suknanan and Rabindranath “Ravi” Persaud (Club Secretary)

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wednesdAY, november 21, 2018

23

Stand-alone Women’s World T20 tournament…

Mighty Australians seeking revenge against powerful West Indies in 1st semi

By Brandon Corlette

I

n 2016, Australia and West Indies were involved in one of the most remarkable cricket matches in history, the Women’s World T20 finals.

West Indies won that final by eight wickets with Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor stroking superb half-centuries as the Caribbean side comfortably chased 149. Will West Indies repeat this spectacular performance against the mighty Aussies?

The defending champions, West Indies will take on Australia in the first semi-final at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua on Thursday November 22, from 16:00h local time. West Indies have had an exceptional World T20 campaign thus far, winning group matches against Bangladesh, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and England.

West Indies’ women opened their campaign with an unbelievable 60run victory in Guyana over Bangladesh. It was a record-breaking match for Deandra Dottin, who picked

up five wickets to help bowl Bangladesh out for their lowest total – 46.

In their second match of the tournament against South Africa, the West Indies bowlers continued to dominate, with Stafanie Taylor taking four wickets to restrict South Africa to 76. West Indies batters were due to score runs and the bats of the top three did the talking against Sri Lanka.

Twenty-year-old Hayley Matthews reminded the world that she is amongst the brightest cricketing prospects when she stroked a magnificent 62 and picked up three wickets to lead the Windies to a 83-run win.

However, in the most recent match, West Indies were challenged to play out of their skins against a tough England team. Both Dottin and Shemaine Campbell played responsible knocks to see Windies clinch a four-wicket win.

Meanwhile, Australia won three matches in Group

B, finishing behind India.

Australia kick-started their World T20 campaign with a 60-run win over Pakistan, w i t h A l y s s a Healy being the star performer.

In their second match, Australia and Healy outplayed Ireland to complete a nine-wicket victory.

Australia then met with New Zealand in a trans-Tasmania clash, with Healy leading the Aussies to a 33-run win.

The confident Australia team then met with India

Hayley Matthews has been a key player for Windies (Brandon Corlette photo)

Team Australia will want to upset Windies

where they suffered a 48-run defeat.

Dottin is West Indies’ leading run scorer and the only batter with over 100 runs with 115 runs in four innings averaging 28.75. Dottin has also been the tournament’s leading wicket taker with nine wickets for 54 runs from the 70 balls she bowled in this tournament.

Taylor has also been among the wickets with seven scalps from 70 balls conceding 62 runs in this tournament. Shakera Selman has also been consistent with the new ball, with six wickets to her name.

Veteran Aussie seam bowler Megan Schutt has been Australia’s leading wicket taker with seven wickets while Healy, who suffered a concussion and is doubtful for the semis, has 157 runs at a staggering average of 78.50 with a strike

rate of 160.20. Beth Mooney has crossed 100 runs in this tournament with 107 runs averaging 26.75.

This inspiring Standalone International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World T20 tournament has proved to the world that women’s cricket has greatly evolved; the performances and support showed throughout the preliminary phases have been tremendous and the women have perfected the gentleman’s game.

Windies Captain ready for Bangladesh challenge W

Shadman Islam

shock

151r u n defeat in the opener.

Brathwaite, who is standing in for Jason Holder, acknowledged the threat posed by Bangladesh seamers, who will reap the return of star allrounder and skipper Shakib Al Hasan from injury. "(We are) expecting (a) slower type of pitch. Normal surfaces here, let's see now what happens," said Brathwaite.

The opening batsman was happy with preparations for the tour, despite it following quick on the heels of a thrashing from India.

The world's top test side beat the West Indies 2-0 in the longest form of the game before

dominating the one-day international and Twenty20 international series 3-1 and 3-0 respectively.

"We have come from India, and that I think was very good preparations for us before the first test," Brathwaite said.

"Obviously quite similar conditions, so that will be good. The main thing is that the wicket is quite similar also."

The second test will be held in Dhaka from November 30 to December 4.

West Indies will also play three one-day internationals and Twenty20 internationals during their monthlong series in Bangladesh from November 22 to December 22.

Bangladesh call up uncapped opener Bangladesh selectors on Monday called up uncapped opening batsman Shadman Islam for the first Test squad against the West Indies starting later this week.

The left-hander was rewarded for a strong showing with the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in a two-day match against the visitors that ended in a draw in Chittagong on Monday.

Shadman hit 73 off 169 balls with 10 fours and a six in the match, sharing 126 runs with opening partner Soumya Sarkar.

The 23-year-old has been a prolific run scorer in domestic cricket.

He tallied 648 runs at an average of 64.80 in the domestic first-class National Cricket League and played for the Bangladesh Under-19 team.

Bangladesh were looking for an opener after veteran batsman Tamim Iqbal was injured during a recent

training session, delaying his Test comeback.

Nic Pothas is Windies interim head coach Nic Pothas has been named as the interim head coach of the Windies set-up for the ongoing tour of Bangladesh. He will take over from Stuart Law, who stepped down from his position after the tour of India.

Law decided to leave his position as the head coach of the Windies unit after agreeing to a four-year deal with the English County Middlesex. Under Law's tenure, the Windies won Tests in England and a g a i n s t Pakistan in UAE. Pothas, who also served as Sri Lanka's interim h e a d coach, was appointed as Windies' fielding c o a c h earlier in the year.

The former Tr a n s v a a l a n d H a m ps h i re

wicketkeeper-batsman also was Guernsey Cricket Board's director.

With Pothas at the helm of affairs, the Associate nation reached the World Cricket League Division Six final in 2015.

Jimmy Adams, the director of Windies Cricket, hoped that the side would continue to make steady progress under Pothas's tenure.

"Having Nic lead the team at this juncture is important for continuity and we look forward to strong and positive performances from the squad under his leadership," Adams said. "It is an honour to be asked to be the head coach of the West Indies Cricket team for the immediate future.

The Bangladesh series will be a tough challenge which we look forward to embracing," Pothas noted.

(SuperSport)

Nic Pothas

est Indies Captain Kraigg Brathwaite says he expects Bangladesh to put up a tough fight on home turf when they kick off a two-test series in Chittagong on Thursday.

The visitors start the series as favourites having thumped Bangladesh in back-to-back tests during their tour of the Caribbean in July.

But Brathwaite exercised caution ahead of this week's series opener, saying Bangladesh could exploit their home advantage against the visiting side.

"There will be few challenges, we have to expect that," he told reporters after a twoday warm-up match in Chittagong on Monday ended in a draw.

"It won't be so easy.

Obviously they are very good at home. But we are ready for the challenges."

Bangladesh have upstaged test giants England and Australia on home soil in the past two years, but then struggled against weaker sides Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in 2018.

They managed a series draw against test minnows Zimbabwe last week after their spinners salvaged a 218-run win in the second match after a

wednesdAY, november 21, 2018

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Stand-alone Women’s World T20 tournament…

Mighty Australians seeking revenge against powerful West Indies in 1st semi Page 23

Windies Captain Ramdhani ready for Bangladesh takes on challenge Page 23

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