Guyana times 11 july,2017

Slain prison officer was sole P2 breadwinner Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3268

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, July 11, 2017

PRICE

Prison break

Aftermath: Ranks open fire as inmate attempts to escape Lusignan Prison

‌ 22 petty offenders granted bail

Pages 9, 11 & 14

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

ExxonMobil to relocate onshore base from T&T P7 to Guyana

Husband charged for stabbing P8 wife over doctor fees

Relatives of prisoners outside Lusignan Prison on Monday waiting for an update on the situation inside the holding facility

Berbice teen remanded for murder of taxi driver P13 City Hall garbage woes

... President announces emergency plan

Wanted: Armed and dangerous ‌5 more still unaccounted for

Page 3

Contractors demand payment P10 before resumption of service

Opposition blames Govt for prison unrest P2

2 news

tuesDAY, july 11, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Opposition blames Govt for prison unrest B lame was laid solely at the feet of the David Granger-led Government for the events that led to the unrest at the Camp Street Prison on Sunday, which resulted in the death of one prison officer, injuries to several others and inmates, and the escape of five prisoners.

In a strongly worded statement on Monday, the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, said “unbelievable incompetence” and “lack of accountability” were displayed on Sunday by those with political responsibility for security at the city penitentiary and law and order in the country.

It was also highlighted that this was the second such incident that occurred at the Camp Street Prison in just over one year, which according to the Opposition, pointed to a lack of planning

Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo

and eventuality that prevailed under the Granger Government’s watch.

The Opposition also accused the Government of keeping secret the final report and recommendations of the presidential Commission of Inquiry (CoI)

that was commissioned after the first event.

“The nation is yet to learn what recommendation was accepted and implemented. Conducting public policy in secrecy, in spite of public criticism, has now become a defining characteristic feature of this Government,” the statement added.

In recounting the events of July 9, the Opposition used the opportunity to reiterate that the State bore full responsibility for the safety and well-being of all inmates.

The Office of the Leader of the Opposition also called for full disclosure of all aspects of the tragedy at Camp Street Prison and repeated its call for the same full disclosure of all aspects of the identical tragedy, loss of lives and destruction of property that occurred there in March 2016.

Condolences were expressed to the family of the deceased prison officer, Odinga Wickham, who died tragically after the horrific developments of the prison riot.

“The Office of the Leader of the Opposition also extends its best wishes for the full recovery of those officers who were injured during the same incident and are currently hospitalised. Their services at that time again attest to their commitment to law and order under dire situations,” the statement said.

The Opposition is also urging all Guyanese to extend their full support to the security services as they restore law and order, and reiterated that all of those who are responsible for these tragic events, particularly the politicians, must be held accountable.

Slain prison officer was sole breadwinner

T

hirty-three-year-old Odinga Wickham, the prison officer who succumbed after he was shot multiple times during the Camp Street Prison unrest on Sunday, was the sole breadwinner for his family.

This is according to Annette Wickham, the mother of the dead officer, who broke down in tears as she spoke about her son to media operatives on Monday. “…is meh eldest child…

He’s 33, ah mind him without [his] father. It’s hard,

Annette Wickham, the heartbroken mother

it’s hard. I keep asking the guards, I keep asking his colleagues, did he hit the prisoner? [Colleague] said “no ma’am, we gonna get down to the story”…Who’s gonna look after me? Who is gonna look after his daughter?” the grieving mother cried on Monday.

According to the heartbroken mother, at about 16:30h on Sunday, she received information that the Camp Street Prison was on fire and recalled calling her son but those calls went unanswered. She said she immediately prepared to head the Georgetown Public Hospital as news of prison officers being injured spread.

However, shortly before leaving home, a family member, who worked at the Georgetown Public Hospital, called her and informed her that her son was injured.

“When I went down there, I spend a long time outside. The guards wouldn’t allow me to go in.

I seh I have my ID card, do you want me to show my ID card? I’m the mother of Odinga Wickham and then a female guard said ‘come’ and she put me in a corner of the hospital to stand up, and I stood there.

By the time a receptionist came and she took me into the doctor. The doctor seh “Ms Wickham, how are you? What can I say to you?

Your son got four gunshot wounds…two to the chest”…

He said he [Wickham] is doing a surgery straight away

Dead prison officer Odinga Wickham

and I cannot see him now, come back tomorrow morning at eight o’clock,” the distressed woman recalled.

She noted that the doctor sought to comfort her, and she “took his words for granted” and left the hospital with the intention of returning the following morning.

However, as soon as the man’s mother arrived home, she was greeted by neighbours who gave her their sympathies while revealing to her that news entities were reporting that her son had died.

Grieving fiancée Tony Brandon

She added that this information was later confirmed by two nurses.

In tears, the dead man’s mother disclosed that Wickham is the father of a four-year-old and is also engaged.

Tony Brandon, Wickham’s fiancée, was unable to speak with media operatives as she was still in a state of disbelief.

Following the attack by prisoners at the Camp Street Prison, Wickham was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital with gunshot injuries and died while in the emergency theatre.

He was one of several prison officers hospitalised from shots fired from the marauding inmates.

The prison warden was described as a very hard working and friendly man.

The unrest resulted in the Camp Street Prison being burnt to the ground and the escape of four hardcore murderers.

news

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tuesDAY, july 11, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, July 11 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, July 12 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, July 11 – 05:35h-07:05h and Wednesday, July 12 – 06:10h-07:40h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery and heavy rain showers with sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, while light cloudy skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging between Easterly to East Southeasterly and South-easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 05:41h and 18:07h reaching maximum heights of 2.64 metres and 2.53 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:41h and 23:54h reaching minimum heights of 0.58 metre and 0.69 metre.

SATURDAY, July 8, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS B

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FREE TICKET

DAILY MILLIONS 01 16 17 20 21 LUCKY 3 1 2 5 Afternoon Draw

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Prison outbreak

Wanted: armed and dangerous

…5 more still unaccounted for

H

ours after the Guyana Police Force issued wanted bulletins for two fugitives who escaped from the Camp Street penitentiary on Sunday following a devastating fire, the lawmen issued a wanted bulletin for another hard-core murderer.

On Sunday evening, Police released the identities of the first two wanted men, Mark Royden Durant and Uree Varswyck.

Durant, also known as Royden Williams and “Smallie”, 29, of FriendshipBuxton, East Coast Demerara, was charged along with several others for the February 2008 mass killing at Bartica. The notorious killer was sentenced to death in February of this year.

Confirmed reports stated that he was the mastermind behind Sunday’s unrest.

Varswyck, 28, the second wanted man, is also known as Malcolm Gordon. His last known address is given as Lot 30 Church Street, Leskendren, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.

Varswyck was imprisoned for the offences of murder and escaping lawful custody. He was one of the prisoners responsible for causing a ruckus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts earlier in the year.

On Monday, the Police issued the wanted bulletin for the third fugitive, Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander.

Alexander, 32, of Laing Avenue, Georgetown, was imprisoned for allegedly discharging a loaded firearm and the murder of Shivon Gordon, a businesswoman in Linden. He was jailed after he escaped from the Mackenzie Police Station in December of 2015.

The wanted men are regarded as armed and extremely dangerous.

In addition, murder accused Shawn Collins, 20, of Lot 6 Ketley and Drysdale Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown who escaped while being transported with other prisoners to another location on Sunday evening was recaptured along Hadfield Street, Georgetown around 02:00h on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, five other prisoners are still unaccounted for.

It is believed that the prison break was in the making for quite some time and the fire that was set in one section of the prison on Sunday evening was actu-

Mark Royden Durant, also known as Royden Williams and “Smallie”

ally a distraction. It was during the fire that the men made their move.

Four of them reportedly hijacked a red Carina Toyota 212 motor car after breaking out of the prison and fled the scene. The car was reportedly found abandoned in South Ruimveldt on Monday morning minus the driver, a 22-year-old father of one from Kaneville, East Bank Demerara.

Meanwhile, during their escape, Prison Officer Odinga Wickham, 33, of Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara, was shot and killed. Several other prison wardens were injured and are presently hospitalised. At least six other officers were admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital. They are Jason Maltay, Drexel Gonsalves,

Uree Varswyck

Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander

Dominic Mingo, Errol Daphnis, Simeon Sandy and Hubert Trim. In addition, prison inmates 40-year-old Mohamed Pokhan of Chateau Margot, East Coast Demerara and Anthony Marcus were recaptured when they strolled into the Georgetown Public Hospital in a drunken state.

Both men were said to be suffering from gunshot wounds. Guyana Times un-

derstands that one of the men claimed that he warned prison officers on Friday last of plans by a group of inmates to set the place on fire, but his warnings were ignored. Presently, members of the Joint Services are on the hunt for the fugitives. Anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the three men is asked to contact the nearest Police Station or call 911.

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tuesDAY, july 11, 2017

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, sales@guyanatimesgy.com

Last tragedy at Camp Street Prison

I

t was Karl Marx who remarked that history repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce: in the sense of the second iteration being a caricature of the first.

More than a year after 17 inmates of the Camp Street Prison were killed and eight injured when they were trapped when the Capital Offences building was set ablaze, history repeated itself when another fire set by inmates on Sunday just razed the entire complex. While the reports are still incomplete, one prison guard was killed by inmates, six others had to be treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital along with two prisoners. Six prisoners escaped in the confusion.

Following the tragedy of March 3, 2016, a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) had been constituted to enquire into the causes of the fire and more pertinently to make recommendations to rectify identified deficiencies that would have been contributing factors. One primary proximate cause was deep resentment and anger among many inmates at the inordinate length of time they were kept in remand. Structurally, however, the severe overcrowding at the facility combined with an extraordinarily high prisoner to guard ratio created a keg that was always on the brink of exploding.

The 132-year-old prison then incarcerated 979 prisoners, even though it was built for 544 on specifications that made conditions extremely cramped based on modern prison norms. The ratio of prison officers to prisoners last year was 10 prison officers to 1000 prisoners; an extremely untenable ratio. In handing over the report in June 2016, the Chairman of the CoI Justice (rtd) James Patterson emphasised, “We would want it to be considered as urgent the improvement of physical and social facilities. We were concerned with the overcrowding.”

The high number of prisoners on remand – 258 out of the 979 on March 3, 2016 – more than one-quarter – was also highlighted as a major problem since these individuals would have developed deep resentment to being imprisoned for years before their cases were brought to trial.

But the Chairman of the CoI made some pointed remarks when handing over the Report that are most pertinent in the present since some may say, “hindsight is 20/20”. He said presciently, “The major challenge is not only identifying the steps that should be taken to avoid repetition of the tragic events… but also to recommend how to ensure that political support for implementation of recommendations does not wane when the issue disappears from the front page of newspapers.”

The Report pointed out that over the past two decades, a stream of reports had been produced from commissions, committees, inquiries and expert consultants – all making identical recommendations for the upgrade of the prisons – but nothing had been done.

Obviously fearing the same fate awaited his CoI’s Report, Justice Patterson said resignedly, “When we put forward our recommendations, our job is finished. What they do with them is a matter for them… but our concern is that our concerns are urgent, immediate and we want it done like yesterday.”

At the time, the President insisted, “We have a good idea what needs to be done. We are gonna be strengthening Mazaruni and we are going to be continuing the process of redeploying prisoners from Georgetown to Mazaruni but the infrastructure at Mazaruni has to be improved.” However, even though the Government claimed that $2.2 billion would be spent to expand Mazaruni, and $369 million of that was supposed to be spent in 2017, it was not until the end of April 2017 that Cabinet approved the allocation of $58.5 million to “expand and rehabilitate” the Mazuruni Prison and contracts were signed with two contractors. No prisoner has been transferred out of the Camp Street Prison and in fact, the prison population increased since last March to 1018. This lassitude in implementing the recommendations of the CoI has to be seen as the ultimate cause of the last tragedy of Camp Street Prison. It must be rectified.

tragedy of Camp Street Prison. It must be rectified.

A fighting bull jumps into the sea during the traditional running of the bulls “Bous a la man” (Bulls in the sea) on Denia’s harbour near Alicante, Spain (The Telegraph)

Ramjattan continues to disgrace himself

Dear Editor, I believe that Guyana needs our prayers and that we need to unite. That was my first comment last night.

But I will not allow Khemraj Ramjattan to get away with his abominable attack on sugar and sugar workers. He must apologise immediately to the sugar workers.

Ramjattan in his first appearance as the catastrophic event at the Camp Street Prison escalated last night, defended himself by blaming sugar. It was the dumbest, most ludicrous thing I have heard yet from this Government. This Minister, who is the highest paid Public Security Minister, when he did appear hours after the crisis had escalated, took time to blame poor sugar workers and to take a side-swipe at the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). He claimed he needed more money for his Ministry, but the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) could not invest enough money into the Ministry because the money

was diverted to sugar.

Ramjattan's first response was another betrayal of sugar workers. He did not admit that sugar was being repaid for the more than $100 billion taken from sugar in the 1970s and 1980s. He ignored the almost $35 billion (almost $10 billion since 2015) sugar brought into the Consolidated Fund from the European Union as earnings from the sugar protocol. He ignored sugar's expenditure on drainage and irrigation and on recreation, housing, water, street developments and health. Sugar did not get a handout under the PPP or under APNU/AFC. His attack on sugar was reprehensible, repugnant and an absolute betrayal from someone who persuaded sugar workers before 2015 that he was one of their champions. This is a man who promised sugar workers a 20 per cent increase, no sugar estate would be closed and in its time of difficulty he would ensure that his Government provides repayments to Guyana Sugar

Corporation to help it cope with its difficulties.

Now that some of those sugar workers took him at his word and gave him and APNU/AFC a chance to govern, he blames them for his incompetence. The call for Ramjattan's resignation is justifiable. Sugar is innocent and has nothing to do with what happened at Camp Street on Sunday.

Ramjattan disgraced and humiliated himself even as the security forces, including the prison officers, Police and firemen, were heroically saving lives of prisoners and protecting people. Given the magnitude of the fire and the threat of prisoners on the loose, the security forces must be commended for the herculean task of rescuing and gathering the prisoners and at the same time preventing the fire from engulfing civilian buildings in the neighbourhood. Their professionalism and efficiency were in stark contrast to the ineptitude displayed by their political leadership.

Whatever happen in the

aftermath of the July 2017 Camp Street Prison fire, including the inevitable CoI, Ramjattan's leadership was palpably weak, flawed, incompetent and egregious.

He disgraced and humiliated himself, was flailing like a beached whale, desperate, hopeless and clutching at a straw.

There could not be a greater reason for resignation than another deadly fire at the Camp Street Prison so soon. David Granger and his PNC and APNU colleagues when they were in Opposition demanded the resignation of Clement Rohee for a deadly protest that APNU and AFC started and stirred. Worst yet, the most vocal person that called for Rohee's resignation, not just for the deadly Linden protest, but for every road fatality, was Ramjattan.

If the cap fits you, wear it.

The cap fits Ramjattan. If he applies the standards he passionately advocated for Rohee, he will resign now.

Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

Notes on prejudice Dear Editor, I do not think I am alone in feeling that our society is beset and besieged by all sorts of prejudice, and is buttressed by a dangerous arrogance in the belief that anyone of us is right or has the answer to all the vile issuance of pre-conceived notions of what is at the root of our current socio-economic problems.

I certainly do not profess to have any particular solution, but I do believe in the power of open discussion and exchanging of ideas.

In this regard, I was most impressed with the

thoughts of the famous Professor Isiah Berlin, in his essay on ‘PREJUDICE’ as reproduced in his publication on “LIBERTY”. I do not feel qualified to paraphrase Prof. Berlin, but believe that a faithful reproduction of his brilliant thoughts on this crucial subject will be helpful to us Guyanese as we strive to forge ahead as an independent society. I therefore commend the following to my fellow Guyanese: “Few things have done more harm than the belief on the part of individuals or groups (or tribes or nations

or churches) that he or she or they are in sole possession of the truth; especially about how to live, what to be and do….and that those who differ from them are not only mistaken, but wicked or mad: and need restraining or suppressing. It is a terrible and dangerous arrogance to believe that you have a magical eye which sees the truth and that others cannot be right if they disagree.

Compromising with people with whom you don’t sympathize or altogether understand is indispensable to any decent society…. nothing is

more destructive than a happy sense of one’s own or one’s nation’s infallibility.

Another source of avoidable conflict is stereotypes; tribes hate neighbouring tribes by whom they feel threatened, and then rationalise their fears by representing them as wicked or inferior or absurd or despicable in some way.”

I humbly commend these thoughts, as succinctly expressed above, to my fellow Guyanese.

Sincerely, Nowrang Persaud

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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

Commendable work by Prison Service staff and Joint Services Dear Editor, Safely relocating just over 1000 prisoners during the raging inferno that reduced the central prison on Camp Street, in Georgetown, to cinder borders on the miraculous. While a final accounting for all prisoners awaits a search of the cooling compound, the Prison Service staff and the Joint Services who worked with them along with inmates, deserve the highest commendation. This commendation is additionally merited, in light of the provocation of the prison officers club being set alight allegedly by some inmates while being held there as a temporary measure.

Statements from President David Granger and Public Security e Minister Khemraj Ramjattan indicate an intention that these levels of humanitarian concern will carry over to the make-shift accommodation in Lusignan, on the East Coast of Demerara, especially given the current heavy rains.

Judging from their performance last night, lessons have been learnt by the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) and the Joint Services from last year’s fire in which 17 prisoners perished.

The spotlight needs to move fairly quickly to an assessment

of other aspects of this tragedy. Last year’s Commission of Inquiry (CoI) Report, asked three questions: what happened? What happened that should not have happened, and what did not happen that ought to have happened.

The first section dealt with the facts: who did what and to whom and what were the consequences. The second part encompassed Standing Orders, their adequacy and other aspects of the general administration of the prison. The third part: ‘What did not happen that ought to have happened’ looked at the role of supporting agencies – the most vital of which is the Judiciary, which controls how many prisoners are sent to Camp Street prison.

The prison population as of yesterday (Sunday), according to Prison Director (ag) Gladwin Samuels stood at 1018 in a prison built originally to accommodate 300-400 inmates. The prison has to take all who are sent by the courts. The central complaint leading to last year’s fire came from remand prisoners who spend long periods awaiting trial. The Minister of Public Security reported last night that this figure still constitutes half of all inmates – some 500 men who are still to be convict-

ed or released as innocent.

The CoI Report alluded to the following causes of overcrowding which one way or another fall within the purview of the administration of justice.

They include refusal of bail in bailable cases, inability to pay bail, a dearth of Magistrates, slowness of the High Court, lack of alternative sentences and absence of a sentencing policy leading to bizarre discrepancies in sentences.

Following a temporary introduction of night courts and appeals to Magistrates to use their common sense and be even-handed in bail matters, over-crowding has assumed a lower profile. An initiative to develop alternative penalties has reportedly been developed but its effects are not yet evident in the courts.

Equally disturbing is the lack of sustained interest from the legal profession in bringing pressure to keep prison reform front and centre of public concern. Similarly, the other key institution nominally responsible for the welfare and safety of prisoners, namely the Parole Board, has powers to ensure that time spent productively while in prison will result in positive and timely recommendations for parole. It is the

safety valve all prisons require to incentivise good behaviour.

More attention to the role of the Guyana Parole Board is needed to ensure public accountability and greater vitality.

By contrast, the GPS has shown imagination and leadership on over-crowding by rewarding prisoners who work without compensation in the prisons. Acting Prison Director Samuels is reported as stating that “It’s a form of reward for daily contribution to the prisons. They work in the tailor shops, farms, kitchens, clean the yards, transport self-support meals. At the end of the month, we calculate the value of that labour. So, as a form of compensation, they receive Special Remission, which is reduced time on their sentences.

Last year a total of 8743 days were taken off from the sentences. In the past, it was seven to 28 days, but this time we started from 14 to 21, to 28 days. Many of them are well behaved and go beyond the call of duty of what is required. Some 486 prisoners have benefited from this scheme to date.”

Sincerely, Guyana Human Rights Association

IAC urges Camp Street jail must not be rebuilt Dear Editor, The Indian Action Committee (IAC) is shocked and horrified at the deliberate destruction of the Camp Street jail, which was destroyed by fire on Sunday, July 9, 2017; set simultaneously in several buildings in the compound by dangerous prisoners – many of whom are on death row or serving life sentences for murder.

The IAC understands that the now destroyed prison was insanely overcrowded, with at least twice the safe capacity for housing both convicted criminals and those on remand prior to their trials.

The IAC is calling on the Government, which now has an ideal opportunity to construct two new prisons outside of the city of Georgetown: one for the remand detainees in the vicinity of Timehri and a second for dangerous convicted criminals somewhere in the remote interior of the country, such as within the New River Triangle.

The IAC further calls upon the Government to implement speedy trials for those on remand so that their constitutional rights under Article 144 can be protected and this

can be facilitated by the allocation of sufficient funds into the now being prepared 2018 National Budget, given the recent statement made by the Public Security Minister that there is not enough money available for the reduction of this backlog of cases.

The IAC wishes to express its deepest condolences to the family and relatives of the slain Prison Officer, Odinga Wickham, who was brutally murdered by prisoners and the organisation wishes a speedy recovery to the other wounded prison officers.

The IAC also understands that hundreds of prisoners have been taken to Lusignan where the facility there cannot accommodate them and that these prisoners are being kept in the open exposed to the elements in an inhumane manner and, therefore, this unsafe situation presents a clear danger to the inhabitants of the villages nearby.

The IAC calls upon the Guyanese citizens to take all possible safety precautions because several very dangerous criminals have not yet been recaptured and these persons have the ability to create a grave crisis similar

to what occurred after the 2002 Mashramani Day prison break from the same facility which led to the crime wave that lasted from then until 2009.

The IAC recommends that no new prison be rebuilt at Camp Street and that the land be put to other use, whether publicly or privately.

The IAC also recommends that as the economy deteriorates and unemployment rises with a concomitant worsening of the crime situation, that Government take a tough line on crime.

Yours cooperatively, Indian Action Committee

Building a new Guyana for our children Dear Editor, Former Chairman of Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) Solomon Sharma wrote an interesting article about the anniversary of the “Son Chapman.” It’s a sad part of our history when innocent lives were lost due to evil.

Ravi Dev added to this piece by pointing out that Solomon Sharma left out the part of the history of Linden when he either failed to or disregard the casualty of the “Indian” before and after the Son Chapman incident. Very interesting.

Sase Singh wrote a very informative letter in respect to the appointment of Permanent Secretaries in the various Ministries.

His assertion that our current Government (whether deliberately or unconsciously) appointed 17 of the 18 from the “African” community. This is not new in our country. The question is, “where do we go from here?”

I would like to address the ethnic problem in our country. I will repeat what Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo stated in the last election campaign, for which he was roundly condemned by the previous Government. He stated that he is not “Indian”. I responded to his statement with a letter to the press, full supporting the Prime Minister’s statement. None of us who were born in Guyana are “Indians” or “Africans”. To be Indian or African is not an ethnic group.

We are Guyanese of different ethnic groups. People of every ethnic group on the Earth were born in Africa today.

Does this means that they are all “blacks?” No, but they are qualified to be called “African” because they were born on that continent. Similarly, in India, people of different ethnic groups were born there today, and that qualifies them to be called Indian. So the

nationality of someone born in India or in Africa makes those people “Indian” and “African” respectively. But in Africa, their nationality is not only African, but Nigerian, Libyan, Ghanian, and so on.

In Guyana, we are neither “Indian’ nor “African.” We are Guyanese by nationality.

The people in Guyana need to wake up from our slumber.

The country is blessed with the greatest ethnic and cultural groups in the world, and what are we doing? Instead of celebrating our great cultures with pride and joy, we seem bent on destroying each other. How long, how long, will be the cry?

My recommendation is that we carry out a detailed survey in two predominantly “African” villages, two predominantly “Indian” villages, two communities of “both ethnic group”, and two “Amerindian” villages. Let us find out what these communities need to make our country move forward. Our researchers must compile the findings of these surveys and then propose new measures to launch a “New” Guyana. We can use the information from the survey to write a “New” Constitution and begin the process of building our people rather than tearing us apart. The funds for this project should come from our business community, the Government and other interested parties. We can then use some of our students from the University of Guyana to work with our researchers to get this done.

Let us put our hands to the plough and build a “New” Guyana for our children and grandchildren, and let us begin to celebrate our different ethnic groups and their rich cultures with pomp and glory.

Sincerely, Charles Sugrim

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Foundation

Susan Heitler, PhD

A

recent paper presented in Bucharest, Romania (April, 2017) at the 13th International Scientific Conference on eLearning and Software for Education focused on disturbing patterns now occurring worldwide among young folks in their teenage years. The presentation also reported on a particularly clever research method being used in a major study of Romanian and Brazilian teenagers.

This blog-post reports on the researchers’ hypotheses (based on earlier studies), innovative research technique, and initial findings.

The post then asks four questions to an American teenager to begin to explore if the Romania and Brazil findings apply to teenagers here.

Ask these four questions to teenagers in your family.

The responses are likely to open helpful dialogue with regard to what is working and what is not in their lives.

Begin by assessing your initial hunches

Two teenagers are sitting in front of you. Billy is plump with soft rounded features and belly fat hanging over his belt. Zeke is fit, lean, muscular and stands tall.

Think of the two boys described above. Which teenager probably lives a physically healthier lifestyle? Which teenager is likely to feel better about himself? Which teenager will probably be more popular? Which teen is likely to be building habits that will sustain his maintenance of a healthy body, and therefore of physical health in general, throughout his lifetime?

What did the Romanian and Brazilian researchers find about the relationship of physical activity to the growth, development and happiness of teenagers in their countries?

If your hunch was that lean, strong Zeke was the correct answer to all the questions above, the Romanian study confirms that your hunch is totally right. Physical activity turned out to be a key secret sauce to teenagers’ success.

Monica STANESCU, Marius STOICESCU from Bucharest, Romania and Lucian Bogdan Bejan of Brazil started with five hypotheses: 1. One significant component of quality of life for many adults is an active lifestyle.

2. During their high school years teenagers benefit from building up physical competences by participating in physical exercise.

3. Nowadays, one of the most alarming aspects of Romanian teenagers’ lifestyles is their ever-increasing tendency to adopt sedentary habits.

4. As a result, teenagers are showing decreasing cardiovascular fitness and increasing tendencies to become over-

weight.

5. These tendencies are strongest for teenagers who live in urban, as opposed to rural, areas.

The researchers took a clever approach to engage the study’s subjects.

To study the impacts of insufficient exercise and sports on teenagers physical, social and emotional health, the researchers gave each participating teenager a Smart Sport Watch with integrated GPS and a heart rate monitor. The watches measured multiple indicators of physical activity including heart rate, number of steps/day, number of calories, active time, distance.

This innovative research technique enabled the researchers to gather far broader than usual research data, and also to bypass the unreliability of self-reported information.

As you can probably surmise, the research outcomes thus far seem to be confirming all of Stanescu, Stoicescu and Bejan’s hypotheses. Movement matters. Exercise and sports on the whole create happier and healthier teens.

How does less or more exercise impact teenagers in the USA?

To explore whether the findings thus in the Romanian/ Brazil study apply in the USA, I did a mini-research project.

I asked a teenager who is working this summer as my writing intern to jot down his responses to four questions. I was curious to know his personal experience with regard to the issues studied in the Romanian/Brazilian research project.

My intern wrote out his answers and is happy to share them with readers of this post. Here they are:

Question #1: How does exercise you get affect the level of anxiety, stress, and depression in your life?

I have struggled with anxiety since as far back as I can remember. The smallest of challenges would trigger an anxiety attack. Walking a few blocks to school, going on a run around the block with my older brother, taking snowboard lessons, or rallying a tennis ball with my grandpa all gave me butterflies in my stomach.

With all of these activities though, the same fortunate phenomenon occurred. As soon as I got my heart pumping and a small sweat going, I felt like a new person.

Miraculously my anxiety from before doing the activity disappeared.

Last year, my family and I moved abroad. I was constantly stressed out by having to learn a new language and make new friends. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

Continued

By Leon F Seltzer, PhD

I

f you’ve had a chronic problem with anger, and your family has regularly witnessed your losing your temper (even over seemingly petty matters), there’s an excellent chance that one or more of your children will develop anger problems themselves.

And once experiencing how “losing it” actually empowers them – at least for the moment (after all, it’s a guaranteed adrenaline rush!) – as soon as it becomes part of their core emotional repertoire it can be most challenging to extinguish.

If you had a parent, likely of the same sex, that to get along with others—especially your other parent—routinely gave in to them, what you were unwittingly taught was that to maintain a harmonious relationship you needed to take more responsibility for others’ wants and needs than your own. This is the essence of co-dependency. And sadly, adopting such an interpersonal stance generally leads to a life of frustration and (evermounting) discontent. Being thoughtful and nurturing toward others is admirable.

Self-sacrifice, however, is something completely different.

And now here are some examples that relate to “Do as I say . . .”: If your child is a sloth in the making, how active as their parent, are you? Might they be your “sedentary apprentice”?!

Not surprisingly, researchers in the United Kingdom have found that a young child’s activity level directly links to that of their mother’s (as reported by Linda Poom on NPR KPBS radio, 03/24/2014, citing the research of Esther van Sluijs at the University of Cambridge).

Parents frequently tell their kids they should get more exercise, go out and play, substitute physical activity for the nonmobile recreation they’re apt to more “lazily” get indoors.

But too frequently the parents themselves aren’t modelling anything like vigorous bodily movement. And typically, this sluggishness is what the child is imitating. For the parent’s lecturing “shoulds” are at odds with their own predominantly inert behaviour.

Closely aligned with the above, if your child spends huge globs of time on video games, texting, social and other media, and you’re assiduously attempting to limit

such use, how about yourself?

As reported by the British Psychological Society, far too many parents are virtually addicted to various forms of contemporary technology – with their smart phones and tablets practically glued to them (or their eyeballs). Here, too, what the child is explicitly instructed not to do is precisely what the parents are plainly guilty of themselves.

Researchers at Sam Houston State University found that “[if parents] used alcohol, marijuana and other illicit drugs, [they were] significantly more likely to have children who used those same drugs.

How much more likely? Five times more likely with alcohol use and twice as likely [with] marijuana or [other] illicit drugs.” (as cited by G Gilles, 07/31/15) In many of these cases, parents didn’t seem to recognise that their behaviour represented poor modelling, detrimental to their child’s development.

In my own work as therapist, I can’t begin to count the times I saw someone with an alcohol addiction who had grown up with one or both parents similarly afflicted. Although their caretakers typically held a double standard when it came to drinking intoxicating beverages, still what they consistently modelled was far more impactful on their child’s later behaviour than what they verbally forbade them to do. Double standards can reek of hypocrisy. And many adolescents are left eager to assert their own authority and sense of fairness by doing exactly what may have been forbidden – and which, ironically, so bothered them about their parent(s).

Additionally, as Gilles observes: “If our kids see that we turn to alcohol and drugs as a way to “unwind” at the end of the day, cope with stress, avoid problems or calm our anxiety, then we are teaching them that substances are needed to get us through the tough times.” . . . So, what do we need to learn from all of this? Two things—easy enough to state, much harder to follow through on: First, we need to find some way of healing our own past wounds. That way we won’t unintentionally inflict these hurts on our children. Second, we need to become acutely aware that what we tell our kids to do – and not to do – will have less influence on them than what we model for them.

(Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

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tuesDAY, july 11, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

ExxonMobil to relocate onshore base from T&T to Guyana

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he recently appointed Country Manager of ExxonMobil in Guyana, Rod Henson, has announced that that company will be relocating to Guyana its onshore operations -- used for support services -- from neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, where they are currently based.

Henson made the announcement over the weekend during an outreach in Corriverton, Berbice as part of Guyana’s application process to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) based in Oslo, Norway.

Henson was at the time engaging a Berbice businessman who was looking to query what, if any, interest ExxonMobil held in Crab Island in light of word that an onshore base would be established there.

According to the businessman, with sugar facing its demise locally, young people were looking to the emerging oil-and-gas sector in hope of acquiring jobs, but were unclear as to what exactly is being proposed for that island.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has indicated that Government is examining the possibility of establishing on Crab Island an onshore base costing some US$500 million, but Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has repeatedly dis-

missed the claim as a fallacy; and while ExxonMobil had publicly declared its disinterest in building such a facility, Henson had indicated a route the company could use to establish a shore base for support services in Guyana.

Henson had, however, been quick to point out, “Our development is offshore; that’s where we have a lease from the Government, and that’s where we are developing.” Nevertheless, he had also said: “We require shore bases.”

He had explained that some amount of development requires support services onshore, but had also stated that the company’s facilities are currently located in Trinidad and Tobago.

He had told participants it was not a case wherein ExxonMobil would be looking to build a facility for its support services, but would rather put out tenders and anyone interested in providing the shore base services could present a proposal.

In relation to the Crab Island proposals, Henson explained that ExxonMobil would not, in any way, dictate where the base should be located in Guyana; but insisted that the “next shore base has to be in Guyana.”

The ExxonMobil Country Manager indicated, “We will put out our requirements and we will let the Guyanese (people) compete, and if it’s in Berbice, great! We (are)

ExxonMobil Country Manager Rod Henson

not dictating where; that is, it’s an open and transparent tender process.”

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman had, in 2016, announced that Cabinet had given its ‘no objection’ to the establishment of the onshore industrial site in the area of Crab Island, Berbice. He had said it would be forged through the joint efforts of the ministries of Natural Resources, Public Infrastructure and Business.

Construction was announced for early this year, and the investments from the private sector and Government’s infrastructural work and support were to be equivalent to US$500 million, but this has never materialised.

According to information released this March by the Government’s Department

of Information (DPI), the construction of an onshore oil-and-gas facility at Crab Island seeks to cater to the expansion of exploration and subsequent production of oil in Guyana. Crab Island is located in the Berbice River.

That report had said Government would be investing US$500 million to construct the onshore facility during the course of this year, and that the facility would serve as a logistics and supply base to the offshore production.

The Guyana Lands and Surveys Department has been advertising leasehold interest in close proximity to

Crab Island.

The facility touted by Government is said to create some 600 jobs, and could consist of components which include maintenance, fabrication, warehousing, spares, housing, and spares handling among others.

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman had last year said that jobs which would be created through the establishment of the onshore supply base facility would enable and enhance the labour force.

ExxonMobil has, in recent months, been advertising for onshore service providers.

John Fernandes Limited (JFL) and Muneshwer’s Limited were among the shortlisted companies. These companies have port facilities along Water Street.

ExxonMobil and its partners found oil in commercial quantities in the Liza Field back in May 2015, and have since accelerated development activities in preparation for commercial production in 2020.

Additionally, several other companies have been issued licences to explore Guyana’s deep waters. Those companies include Repsol, Tullow Oil, CGX, JHI, Eco Atlantic and Ratio Oil.

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tuesDAY, july 11, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Husband charged for stabbing wife over doctor fees A 52-year old man who allegedly dealt his reputed wife several stabs about her body when she requested $3000 for doctor’s fee, was on Monday brought before the court of Magistrate Judy Latchman where he faced charged of unlawful wounding.

The charge detailed that Myrtlon McKenzie on July 6, 2017, at East La Penitence, Georgetown, unlawfully and maliciously wounded Andrea Brummell.

McKenzie denied the allegation while Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves posed a strong objection to bail, disclosing that the Virtual Complainant (VC)

is still hospitalised as a result of her injuries and is scheduled to undergo surgery shortly.

The woman reportedly received three puncture wounds to her right side rear end and thighs, while McKenzie is claiming that

he was battered with a hammer to the left side temple, in addition, sporting wounds to his palms before Magistrate Latchman.

Reports are the parties were involved in a common-law relationship for seven months. After listen-

ing to the prosecution and the defendant, Latchman released McKenzie on $80,000 along with the mandatory condition that he must stay away from the VC pending the outcome of trial.

McKenzie returns to court on July 24, for report.

According to reports, on the day in question, the VC who suffers from high blood pressure had asked her spouse to loan her $3000 cash until she received her salary the following day.

McKenzie became agitated and an altercation ensued between the parties during which he stabbed her about the body and hit her with a piece of wood.

Cocaine trial to continue ex parte ….mother of 2 still on the run

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ashing Defence Counsel Adrian Thompson’s position that the absence of Odetta Bobb-Semple is delaying the trial process, Magistrate Judy Latchman responded by saying there is no truth in the lawyer’s statement ,as the only delay lies on the

part of the prosecution counsel.

Magistrate Latchman declared that the trial is to continue ex parte (in the interests of one party) in the absence of the mother of the accused parties (Tamika Bob-Semple and Dillon BobSemple), who have been

evading Police since April, when Police swooped down on her premises she shared with her children and unearthed some 115 grams of cocaine under the wooden flooring of the house.

The two siblings were remanded to prison on their first court appearance in April after denying a charge of narcotics possession following a drug bust at their Cross Street, Georgetown home. They were subsequently released on bail.

Odetta Bobb-Semple reportedly fled the scene

during the bust, leaving Temika Bobb-Semple, 23, and her 21-year-old brother, Dillon Bobb-Semple during to take the fall.

A pregnant Temika Bobb-Semple reportedly suffers from epileptic seizures, while her brother had heart surgery in February. An arrest warrant is currently out for the mother and the Police was ordered to return service of the warrant to show to the court as the trial continues ex parte. The case will continue on July 31, 2017.

Déjà vu… …all over again at Camp Street!

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he authorities must be only people in Guyana who’re surprised at the weekend conflagration at the Camp Street jail. Everyone else – from their own bitter experience living in Guyana – knows if you close your eyes and pretend reality will change, you’re living in a fool’s paradise. And so said, so done at Camp Street!

On March 3, 2016, we witnessed the horror of 17 inmates incinerated in the facility. Seventeen human lives snuffed out! The Government’s CoI (obligatory for every misstep) announced two months later that basically the Camp Street explosion was just waiting to happen. What else to expect when 900+ men – including hardened killers on death row – are shoehorned into facilities meant to hold only half that number at best? And that’s overlooking the fact that each person’s space is about one thirds of what’s considered passable internationally!

Combine this with a judicial system that consigned at least a hundred men in the facility who’re only on “remand” – that is, waiting for their trials – for years.

And getting the same treatment like the hardened criminals! That’s what was the spark then – and now!

The only difference is there were less lives lost and more property destroyed now.

The BIG question, of course, is whatever happened to the recommendations of the CoI? The Government’s spin doctors, of course, have already boasted about all the plans they’d crafted. While this may be true, plans should have timelines…and they would’ve told the people of Guyana if the Government was serious.

How is it they were able to refurbish Jubilee park – AFTER the last jail tragedy – but not get the proposed Mazaruni Prison expansion started immediately?? It was more than a year later (April 2017) that Cabinet approved a measly $58 million for the latter project.

And imagine they spent over $1 billion of Jubilee Park!!

What we’re witnessing here is more than the typical lassitude enveloping every venture governments embark on. This is a reflection of the class bias that’s redolent in our society: lumpen elements are the dregs of society and their lives aren’t worth anything.

The problem, of course, is who knows when any one of us could be consigned to Prison? What will we say then?

Way back in 2004, the Disciplined Forces Commission (DFC) had taken proposals not only to reform the Police and Army – but also the Prison Service – and the jails. Everything in last year’s CoI on the Camp Street conflagration was already in that DFC’s Report. But no action.

The only silver lining from this latest tragedy is a new prison will now HAVE TO BE BUILT!

…on the Lisa find

Your Eyewitness noticed the Guyana Oil and Gas Association (GOGA) has joined the line with all those (like your Eyewitness and the WPA) who’ve complaining about the information Black Hole the Government created around the contract their Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has signed with ExxonMobil.

The latter, for what it’s worth, announced out in Berbice they’ll be very open about what they’ll be paying the Government – once the oil starts flowing.

Fat lot of good that’ll do us by then. The boat (with our oil) would have already “gone a watah”! Now you don’t have to be a genius to understand the only reason the Government has clammed up is because they have things to hide from the people of Guyana.

Things like what will be the rate of taxation Exxon will be paying on their profits. Surely the lawyerly Minister, who undertook to negotiate for us against Exxon’s battery of lawyers, didn’t give that mega company a tax break?

Or did he?

…on gas

Still on the Lisa find, some are enquiring about the gas that’ll be pumped out with the oil. But that’s no mystery, is it?

Exxon has already said the Government has accepted the gas will be pumped back into the seabed!!

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

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tuesDAY, july 11, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Camp Street Prison break

I would have resigned if it was my fault – Ramjattan ...blames sugar industry for lack of funds

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ublic Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has dismissed calls for his resignation following the jailbreak and conflagration at the Camp Street Prison on Sunday evening, and cited the state of the sugar industry and its annual bailouts as among the reasons Government is yet to make a heavy capital investment in the penitentiary.

Ramjattan was at the time addressing members of the media at an emergency press conference live at the National Communications Network (NCN) studio after the firew.

Chief Prison Officer, Gladwyn Samuels had earlier in the evening lamented the lack of capital investments in the Georgetown Prison, but when asked by Guyana Times, Ramjattan responded saying, “it’s because there is a lack of monies for these investments, we have to bail out sugar, we have to do so many other things.”

According to the Public Security Minister, “that is what is cramping our style in relation to what we have to do for others sectors.” He told media operatives “it’s $6 billion minimum to construct a new prison and that will take about three years.”

Asked about his resignation in light of the fire last

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

year, which claimed the life of 17 prisoners, coupled with Sunday’s incident, Ramjattan said that decision will have to be made by the President.

According to Ramjattan, “If there is a fault on my part; well , the President can do that... I would have resigned if it was a fault on my part.” However, in dismissing calls for his resignation, Ramjattan questioned how fault can be laid at his feet.

Reminded of the Commission of Inquiry last year, couple with the fact that recommendations – including the need for substantial capital investments were never implemented – the Public Security Minister respond-

ed saying “we understand that indeed all of those little things (recommendations) were done.”

The Public Security Minister was adamant a number of the recommendations were in fact implemented and yielded success.

He drew reference to several prison wardens that were caught attempting to transport illicit materials into the Georgetown Prison.

According to Minister Ramjattan, the small recommendations such as the installation of better close circuit television cameras were in fact installed.

“Most of the recommendations that we could have afforded have been implemented but we still have

problems,” Ramjattan said.

Asked about his representation to Cabinet when it meets in light of the fire, Ramjattan said “I will make my case again just like I did last year.”

He posited however, “because of the crisis situation we will need more monies now for the prison system.”

The Public Security Minister indicated that the Camp Street Prison will have to be rehabilitated in an urgent manner and funds will be required to bring the facility to a level where prisoners can again be housed. According to Ramjattan, the Camp Street location notwithstanding the fire still holds the best base/ foundation in order to rebuild a prison.

The Camp Street Prison on fire on Sunday

Scenes during the Camp Street Prison fire

Superbet gambles on Judiciary to stave off Gaming Authority ...says not a casino, no need for a licence

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y way of an order issued on June 8 last, the Gaming Authority has directed the popular sports betting/ gaming service Superbet -- Surinamese company Pasha Gaming Group operating locally through a subsidiary, Guiana Holdings Inc. -- “to suspend immediately all internet gambling, sports betting and/or lotteries, and any other form of gambling whatsoever and wheresoever (located) in the State of Guyana, until further notice.”

This order purportedly falls under the Gambling Prevention Act, Chapter 9:02 of the Laws of Guyana.

The Gaming Authority had also requested intervention of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Guyana Revenue Authority in this matter.

This publication understands that the Gaming Authority had, for some time now, been looking into the operations of the betting service; and had, last March, requested the company to produce the relevant permission or licence authorizing it to conduct internet gambling, sports betting or lotteries locally.

The Gaming Authority had also demanded to see Superbet’s Articles of Incorporation and other registration information, and had been so facilitated.

The company reportedly never produced a licence, and this has reportedly caused the Gaming Authority to issue the shutdown order. The Gaming Authority of Guyana is a statutory body established under the Gambling Prevention Act of Guyana, and is vested with the power to regulate Casino op-

erations in the country. It is headed by a Chairman, Attorney-at-Law Roysdale Forde, and its board members are Christine King, George Vaughn and former magistrate Geeta ChandanEdmond.

Response

But the company Superbet, gambling on the court to quash the Gaming Authority order as overstepping its reach under the laws, and further contending that the order is null and void and should not be implemented, has contracted the law firm Mohabir Nandlall and Associates to represent its interests. This law firm has since sought, and secured, an Order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari directed to the Gaming Authority and calling on that body to show why its decision to close down the operations

of Superbet should not be quashed. The matter was heard by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George.

Superbet has also since secured an Order or Rule Nisi of Prohibition, retraining the Gaming Authority from taking any steps to interfere with, or close down, its operations.

According to a missive issued by the company’s law firm, “The request which the Gaming Authority has made to the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Special Organized Crime Unit, or any other agency, calling in their aid to implement or give effect to its impugn decision, is in violation of the said Court Order, and Contempt of Court proceedings will certainly be filed in respect of anyone who violates or aids in the violation of the said Court Order”.

The law firm also said,

“Through no fault of the applicant, Guiana Holdings Inc., the Court Order has not yet been issued to us by the Registry of the Supreme Court.” As a result, “We have been unable to serve a copy of same along with the other Court documents upon the Gaming Authority.”

Nevertheless, the law firm has promised that renewed efforts will be made to have the documents served today.

According to court documents filed by Superbet and seen by this publication, the Gaming Authority’s decision to shut down its operations “is ultra vires, capricious, arbitrary, contrary to the rules of natural justice, unreasonable, unlawful, in violation of the applicant’s legitimate expectation, illegal, null, void, and of no effect.”

The betting service is

contending that its operations do not fall under the purview and ambit of the Gambling Prevention Act, and hence it is not licensed under that Act. It argues that the Gaming Authority’s jurisdiction and authority are confined to the four corners of the Gambling Prevention Act and its regulations; more specifically, it is confined to the regulation of casinos.

As such, Superbet contends, the Gaming Authority “has exceeded its authority, and is acting without or outside of its jurisdiction when it purports to regulate and moreover shut down” the operation of Superbet, as outlined in the letter dated 8th June, 2017.

Superbet further insists it does not require a licence under the legislation as currently configured, in order to conduct its operations.

10 news

tuesdAY, july 11, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

City Hall garbage woes

Contractors demand payment before resumption of service

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he Mayor and City Council (M&CC) of Georgetown continues to battle with garbage in the capital city as negotiations with contractors Puran Bros Disposal and Cevon’s Waste Management stall, since the contractors are adamant that they must be paid before they resume providing their services.

The garbage disposal contractors suspended their services on Friday last following City Hall’s inability to pay them over $300 million owed since 2016. Mayor Patricia Chase Green said the municipality was in a crisis and as such, they would be approaching Central Government for assistance.

However, the municipality is yet to approach Central Government, specifically Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan, for a bailout.

City Hall has been unable to make steady payments to the contractors and as such, they entered an agreement, which mandates it to make the $45 million monthly payment by the end of the first week of each new month.

However, they were unable to honour that agreement forcing the contractors to withdraw their services until a solution is agreed upon.

At Monday’s statutory meeting, Georgetown Mayor Chase Green informed the

Georgetown Mayor Patricia Chase Green

Councillors that alternative measures put in place to combat the garbage issue were proving to be effective.

“A team would have met with those contractors and talks broke down somewhere along the line and they have called me and agreed that we should continue the talks, and I hoping that this afternoon (Monday) or tomorrow (today) we can meet with them on the way forward,” she said.

The Mayor informed that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Councillor Ron Persaud had submitted a proposal identifying the way forward in tackling the garbage situation in the city.

“We have to look at owning our own trucks and finding ways and means of dealing with this garbage situation once again,” Chase Green lamented.

In 2010 and 2011, under the Hamilton Green Administration, City Hall procured four compactor trucks to the tune of $20 million in order to address the garbage issue. However, those trucks were defective and barely operated. It is unclear what happened to those trucks, since they were constantly in the repair shop.

In 2013, the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry handed over a brand new garbage truck and two matching compactors to the M&CC. The vehicle and machines were purchased with funds through the 2012 subvention from the Ministry and the total cost was $34 million. It is also unclear what happened to that truck and the compactors.

For quite a while now, the M&CC has been accused of being cash-strapped, and on multiple occasions, works around the city had to be halted, since the municipality was unable to pay workers. The M&CC, at its November 14, 2016 statutory meeting, indicated that the Council would approach Central Government, more so the Communities Minister, for a $600 million bailout be pro-

vided to assist in the payment of outstanding debt and salaries.

However, the Minister refused to help City Hall.

The Council said that it would be putting alternative measures in place for garbage collection and urged residents to ensure they properly dispose of their waste and await the arrival of the garbage collectors. They also said that the Treasurer’s Department would be intensifying its revenue collection drive to recover monies owed to the city.

At a meeting, with stakeholders, in April of 2017, the Mayor had informed that the Council was cash-strapped and requested businesses pay more for commercial waste disposal. Mayor Chase Green had told the business community that City Hall could not afford to keep up with the weekly amount of $1.8 million to clear commercial waste.

Although there have been talk of the implementation of a new fee for commercial waste, City Hall officials have remained mum on just how much they are proposing to charge. Notwithstanding, the Mayor threatened that should businesses refuse to pay the new fee, City Hall will have to resort to using the law to discipline them.

City Hall’s inability to honour its payment obligations has become a norm.

The African-Guyanese Experience (Part 2)

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ast week, I stated that the African-Guyanese historical experience is more complex and multi-faceted than just providing slave labour to European plantation overlords.

I will now examine the process of why and how Africans were uprooted to provide free labour in Guyana.

The shortage of free labour on the British Guianese plantation largely due to the unavailability of Amerindian slave labour led to a frantic scramble and search among the European plantation class to find a new source of slave labour. Africa was eventually singled out as the place to supply free slave labour because Africans were perceived by Europeans to be more suitable for plantation labour. Of course, the suitability explanation was a justification to rationalize slavery.

That being said, when Europeans arrived in Africa, they noticed an internal slave trade from Africa to the slaveholding Islamic states of the Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine Middle East, strong trading relations, extended family networks, numerous languages, dialects, multi-religious beliefs based on animism, political organizations based on chieftain and dynastic characteristics, oral traditions and farming communities. Unfortunately, the European slave traders chose to narrate mostly the negative aspects of Africa such as slavery and ethnic warfare. The idea that Africa has always possessed complex civilizations took a very long time to penetrate into the mainstream textbooks of western civilization. Given this diverse complexity of Africa, slave traders realized that obtaining slaves for the New World would not be easy pickings. Towards that end, African slaves were taken from the ranks of war captives, debtors, and those found guilty of various criminal and social offences. Others were kidnapped through raids and deceitful ways. African males were targeted into slavery since women were considered a burden to the plantation system because of their time spent on child-bearing and caring activities. European slave traders were initially involved in the recruitment of African slaves but overtime when recruitment became difficult, African chiefs or middlemen were targeted to supply slaves and rewarded with material objects.African slaves were drawn mainly from West Africa, from the Senegambian region to the Congo and Angola, as well as from Biafra, the western regions and Mozambique on the East Coast. They comprised of multiple ethnicities such as Accra and Ashanti from Ghana, the Yoruba and the Ibo from South Western Nigeria and the Mandingo from Senegal.

After the Africans were captured and subdued, they were taken to the holding depots along the western coast and then transported to the New World through a system known as the Triangular Slave trade. The system operated like this: In Europe, ships were loaded with traded goods like guns, trinkets, tools, pans and so forth and then departed to the West African coast where these goods were exchanged for slaves. The slave ships would then sail to the Caribbean and the Americas. This voyage was known as the Middle Passage, or the in between sea voyage between Europe and the Caribbean. Suffering on the Middle Passage were unbearable. Africans were packed like sardines in the most inhumane ways. Death and suicide were common occurrence as well as occasional physical resistance. Actually, it is believed that because of the Slave Trade, the feeding migration of sharks changed drastically as they followed the slave ships to feed on dead Africans thrown overboard and those who preferred jumping overboard rather enduring horrors of the Middle Passage. In the Caribbean, the slaves were exchanged for sugar, rum and other tropical commodities needed in Europe. The ships would then leave the Caribbean and sail to the Southern United States where the slaves were exchanged for cotton and tobacco. The additional leg of this trade is called the Quadrangular Slave trade. The ships would then sail back to Europe packed with tropical commodities, least of which was sugar. The Slave Trade lasted for three centuries, starting in 1570 and ending in 1808 but went on illegally until the 1870s, especially to Cuba, Brazil and the Southern United States. Historian Phillip Curtain writes that it is probably unlikely that the ultimate total of African slaves brought to the New World was less than 8,000,000 or more than 10,500,000. He suggested that 480,000 slaves were brought to Suriname and Guyana. Out of this total, about two thirds probably were brought to Guyana. By the 1820s in Berbice, for instance, there were 523 whites, 1,161 free coloured and 20,118 African slaves. In 1838, an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 African slaves were living in Guyana.

The arrival of Africans changed the demographics of Guyana as their numbers made them the largest ethnic group. Nevertheless, Africans remained at the bottom of the hierarchy of Guyanese society during the period of slavery. They were restricted and restrained by harsh labour, inadequate education, nutrition and health care, along with the violation of personal and family dignity through sexual molestation, separation of family members, refusal of marriage, and prohibitions of various cultural, economic and political activities. The Guyanese slave society was one of a vertical polarisation. Europeans occupied the highest social strata while the mixed and enslaved remained at the middle and lower strata respectively. To be continued (lomarsh. roopnarine@jsums.edu)

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tuesDAY, july 11, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Ranks open fire as inmate attempts to escape Lusignan Prison ...22 petty offenders granted bail

BY ASHRAF DABIE & RAMONA LUTHI

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n light of the decision to relocate the inmates previously held at the now gutted Camp Street Prison, ranks attached to the Lusignan penitentiary were on Monday forced to open warning fire as a detainee attempted to escape the East Coast Demerara institution.

This was due to a commotion which continued following the transfer of the hundreds of accused and convicted criminal offenders to the unfavourable detention centre in Lusignan.

When Guyana Times visited the prison around midday on Monday, the incident had just broken out during which one of the inmates attempted to scale the high concrete fence that surrounded the facility. Based on information reaching this publication, his efforts were foiled by the ranks firing

they are still in the dark as it relates to their family members.

Some hours after standing in the blazing sun, several persons began to lash out due to their frustration of not being properly informed.

As such, it was not long after that some were given a chance to send in food for their detained relatives.

However, the aggrieved family members were unable to send in water and clothing and still remained unapprised of the details.

“My brother in there naked.

He ain’t got no clothes… everything bun up.

Why we can’t send in clothes and water?” an irate woman was heard questioning the officers.

Furthermore, another woman relayed that ever since new broke of the fire, she has not been able to eat. Even with the passing of hours since the incident at the Camp Street Prison, she continues to search as-

Justice Roxanne George at the High Court on Monday morning. Guyana Times understands that 22 petty offenders were released on bail.

Additionally, this action was indicated by Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan who pointed out during a press briefing on Sunday, that offenders who would have committed “petty” crime would be granted reduced bail.

“We will have to do a couple of things that might be extraordinary in the circumstances that will see to it at least we make as much space as possible,” relayed the Minister amid the chaos.

Ramjattan went on to say that, “A lot of them are there for possession of narcotics and trafficking of narcotics and they have served some time and they were of good behaviour.” As such, he noted that those detainees will therefore qualify for bail at a reduced amount.

Scores of family members of the prisoners gathered outside the Lusignan penitentiary

warning shots so as to avert his escape.

Meanwhile, as a result of the incident, several measures were subsequently put in place to ensure that there was no reoccurrence. This included efforts to better cater for the detainees such as the setting up of tents, providing water and installing portable disposal systems.

While these reinforcements were being transported to the prison, disgruntled family members of the imprisoned individuals began gathering outside of the facility, appealing for information regarding the wellbeing of their loved ones.

The relatives were calling for information regarding the safety and whereabouts of individual prisoners, highlighting that

siduously for information on her brother, all of which has been to no avail.

Similar sentiments were expressed by the majority of those who were among the gathering with the hostile atmosphere being lifted only with the news of possible bail for some.

Petty offenders granted bail

In an announcement on Monday, C Division (East Coast Demerara) Commander Calvin Brutus confirmed that Magistrates will preside over hearings at the Lusignan penitentiary where many prisoners are being held under tents.

These revelations followed a meeting between the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack and acting Chief

Stemming from that, several Magistrates were on Monday afternoon seen entering the premises, as media operatives and family members of the prisoners were staked out outside the Lusignan Prison.

Among the judicial team was Magistrate Peter Hugh who presided over hearings which allowed for the release of a number of inmates who were convicted of minor, non-violent offences, as well as the granting of selfbail for several on remand for non-violent, minor offences.

This granting of bail to a number of petty offended is in according with measures to reduce prison overcrowding. This was recommended in a $13 million Camp Street prison inquiry following the

Heavy Joint Services presence at the Lusignan Prison

deaths of 17 inmates in a fire last year.

Moreover, of the 1000plus detainees previously held at the Camp Street Prison, about 100 of the inmates were transferred to

the Timehri Prison, while approximately 900 remained in Lusignan. Despite indications, reports are yet to be made of the prisoners being sent to the Mazaruni Prison.

Meanwhile, the Joint

Services is continuing its reinforcement efforts to secure the Lusignan institution, now that the Camp Street Prison was almost entirely destroyed in Sunday’s prison break fire.

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Hijacked driver claims escaped prisoners took him to Buxton backdam – suspected getaway car found

T

he hijacked car that was allegedly used by four fugitives following the Camp Street Prison fire on Sunday was found abandoned by Police in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, on Monday morning, excluding the driver, a father of one from Kaneville, East Bank Demerara.

However, the driver, identified as 22-year-old Mathew Shivtahal, turned up at Annandale Railway Embankment covered in mud and he was escorted to the Vigilance Police Station.

He reportedly told investigators that the four escaped prisoners hijacked him and took him to Buxton backlands and released him.

The driver of the hijacked Toyota Carina 212 motor car bearing registration number PKK 4103 is assisting with the investigations and will be questioned by members of the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Members of the Joint Services are hot on the trail and are making every effort to nab the escapees. Up to late Monday afternoon, Police ranks were searching several areas, including the

Sophia backlands.

Guyana Times understands that Shivtahal was contracted to make a dropoff at Industry, East Coast Demerara when the bandits ambushed him while he was driving along Camp

the men ordered Shivtahal to drive.

The female who was thrown out of the car subsequently contacted the relatives of Shivtahal and related what took place.

Presently, she is being ques-

Rohanna Khaimwattie, said she had engaged Police investigators on Monday morning with the hope of getting information about the whereabouts of her husband. She confirmed that he left home about 16:00h on Sunday.

“He leave home around four o’clock to pick up some people he had to drop off at Industry and I get a call around 5:30 that four men with guns pull out the passengers and put him back in the car and drive away,” the woman related.

She noted that she proceeded to the Grove Police Station and later to Brickdam on Monday, where

Found: Mathew Shivtahal

she was later informed that

a red Toyota motor car was found which was identified as that of Shivtahal.

The distraught woman said the man’s mobile phone had been going to voicemail since Sunday afternoon.

“Right after 5:30 when I receive the call stating that men hijacked his car, I called him from then and I didn’t get any response,” she explained.

Khaimwattie told Guyana Times that her husband, whom she wed only in May of this year, is a loving person who stays out of trouble.

The prisoners who fled the Camp Street Prison are still at large.

Taxi driver on bail for wrecking car

The red Toyota Carina 212 motor car was used as the getaway vehicle

and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown. The two passengers were reportedly thrown out of the car and

tioned by members of the Major Crimes Unit within the Guyana Police Force.

The taxi driver’s wife,

A

taxi driver who reportedly damaged a motorcar was on Monday released on $20,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman to answer to a charge of damage to property.

Gavin Henry denied that between February 17 and February 18, 2017, at Sheriff Street, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously damaged one mo-

tor car windshield and the left side front and back light; property of Virtual Complainant (VC) Selwyn Williams.

The 60-year-old man of Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown, informed the court that he is a father of one and has never had any previous antecedents or pending matters before the court. The case will continue on July 14.

news

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tuesDAY, july 11, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Berbice teen remanded for murder of taxi driver A 15-year-old school drop-out from Corentyne, Berbice has been remanded for stabbing a taxi driver to death.

The teen appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court on Monday to answer to the capital offence.

It is alleged that on July 5, 2017, at Crabwood Creek public road, the teen murdered 37-year-old Deonarine Laljit of Number 72 Village, Corentyne.

The matter has been transferred to the Skeldon Magistrate’s Court and is awaiting a Police report.

The murder accused

Murdered: Deonarine Laljit

The school drop-out was not required to plea when

the charge was read to him.

As he stood in the dock, the teenager seemed scared and unaware of the legal implications during the proceedings. During the hear ing, most of the time he focused on his father who was in the courtroom.

Attorney Chandra Sohan is representing the accused.

It was reported on Wednesday last that the teenager entered Laljit's car in the vicinity of the Number 69 Village, Corentyne and was reportedly heading to Baul Street, Corriverton. He reportedly had the murder weapon, a knife, stashed in a haversack he was carrying at the time. This newspaper was told that the teen waited until he was alone in the car with the driver, after which he stabbed the man unexpectedly in his neck.

Residents of Linepath had stated that they saw Laljit's car stop at Baul Street, Line Path 'E', Corriverton at around 12:30h. However, subsequently, they saw a teen rushing out of the car, after which they saw the driver exiting the said car with blood gushing from his neck.

Laljit was pronounced dead on arrival at the Skeldon Public Hospital.

(Andrew Carmichael)

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Prison break

National Security Committee approves 4-part emergency plan …$18M approved for emergency shelters’ construction

By Lakhram Bhagirat

P

resident David Granger, in a three-minute pre-recorded statement early Monday night, said that following the second meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Monday, approval was given for a four-part emergency plan to be implemented in light of the fire that destroyed the Georgetown Prison. Up to press time, four armed and dangerous prisoners remained on the run.

“The NSC has approved the immediate implementation of a four-part emergency plan, which includes the construction of temporary structures to safely and securely house prisoners in the short term and protect the population; the completion of recovery operation to account for and accommodate every single prisoner; the implementation of legal measures to immediately reduce prison population and importantly, the immediate recapture of those inmates who escaped custody,” the President told the nation.

He informed that the NSC received up-to-date reports on the death, destruction and displacement caused by the fire set by rioting prisoners. He added that the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Prison Service, and Guyana Fire Service were

President David Granger, along with Ministers Joseph Harmon, David Patterson and Basil Williams following the National Security Committee meeting

working together to ensure public safety and that a manhunt was being executed to recapture the escapees.

The President informed that air and ground patrols were being conducted, while vigilance has been heightened on roadways and key points to ensure maximum safety of citizens. He stated that the NSC would be convening another meeting shortly and assured that all measures were being implemented to ensure the situation returned to normalcy.

“I mourn the loss of prison warden Odinga Wickham, who was murdered in the execution of his duties and I extend condolences to his family. We will ensure that the best medical attention will be given to everyone else, who received injuries in the riot,” he said.

“The Government is con-

tinuing to implement measures, particularly the major recommendations which were made by the Commission of Inquiry in the March 2016 prison riot.

These include the expansion of the infrastructure of the Mazaruni prison. The Government is committed to public safety and for the reform of the Guyana Prison Service,” President Granger added.

By the end of Monday, close to 300 inmates are expected to be safely relocated to various detention facilities across the country, including at Mazaruni, New Amsterdam and Timehri.

The remainder will be housed at Lusignan, where temporary facilities are currently being installed by engineers from the Public Infrastructure Ministry.

Tents, in addition to porta-

ble toilets, are being set up to protect inmates from the elements, while construction begins on three holding shelters, washrooms and reinforced gates. A budget of $18 million has been approved to execute these works.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan is appealing to citizens who might have information on the inmates that are on the run to come forward and cooperate with law enforcement officers. The next 72 hours, he said, will be critical in terms of implementing the four-point plan.

“We should reduce the number at Lusignan from 1000 to about 450 by virtue of what we are doing administratively and also by the process of transfers…So, it is a very complex set of arrangements that we are putting in place to ensure the safety of all as well as the recapture of those who have escaped,” he said.

Thus far, the Guyana Police Force has issued wanted bulletins for Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander; Uree Varswyk aka “Malcolm Gordon” and Mark Royden Durant aka Royden Williams and “Smallie”.

Calm and unity

Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton, in a statement, called for calm and unity to prevail during the trying times.

“We condemn all efforts to use this opportunity to polarise and fracture us as a nation. This is not a time for division in our society as every Guyanese must be each other’s keeper given the current circumstances,” the Minister said.

The Ministry is appeal-

couraging citizens to follow important safety precautions communicated by the Public Security Ministry. He also commended the Joint Services for the work, which has been done so far and expressed confidence that ongoing efforts to recapture the prison escapees and all

Members of the National Security Committee meeting on Monday

ing to citizens across the length and breadth of our country to desist from engaging in hate speech, particularly in the areas of politics, race, ethnicity and religion via social media and in their respective communities. Additionally, persons are being urged to desist from spreading rumours and unconfirmed reports, which may incite negative actions and animosity, the statement added.

The Minister is also en-

other approaches to restore normalcy would be successful. “We take this opportunity to offer sincere condolences to the loved ones of prison warden Odinga Wickham, who lost his life in the line of duty. In addition, the Ministry wishes to convey regrets on those injured and otherwise affected by the incident,” the statement concluded.

Around 16:45h on Sunday, the Georgetown Prison went up in flames.

Aftermath at Camp Street Prison

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VOX POPULI

What the people say about

I SAY...

Inspiring smarter choices among youths

I

n light of the attempted robbery at Republic Bank which resulted in the death of one young man and the arrest of two others, we asked persons their thoughts on what can be done to enable youths to make better choices. Here are the views of some members of the public.

Dolly Gomes “It all begins with socialisation in the home and even though this does not always hold true, children who are taught and raised with good values are less likely to make such choices and engage in criminal activities during their youth.

The environment in which we raise our youngsters define who they associate themselves with and determine the kind of persons they will be in the future. If one associates himself with a gang who is known for having no regard for socially acceptable behaviour or values, then more than likely that individual is bound to make rash decisions without considering future consequences.”

Shaquille Ramesh “Youths need to feel like the system is with them and not against them. You can't be with your back against the wall struggling day in and day out with a system that keeps fighting you 24/7. Also, many of these youths have the wrong role models in their lives: they idolised this 'badman' lifestyle and that right there is where they start to go wrong. Young people need proper opportunities and role models. Society also can do a lot better to help them develop better choices, but all they do is criticise rather than try to be the ones to help make a change.”

Ashad Hussain “To begin with, being uneducated is no longer a valid excuse for youth of today’s society to make bad choices.

Bad choices come with how you treated yourself as an individual; how well you view yourself and your self-esteem.

In other words, you are in complete control of choices you make in life. Avoid persons who negatively influence your decisions. You have a mind of your own, think about the consequences if you are to take a particular step that will change your whole life. Think it through! It's cooler to say no. A simple no can make a big difference!

Florence Foo “Well, I think the Government should put more emphasis on families. Promote proper family planning and even have a day set aside as family day once a year. This will educate people how to instil good morals and even religious beliefs into their children so that they can grow to be better citizens. For me, greed had to be the main reason for the actions done by those young men. I don’t think the Government could have done anything to stop them, but maybe, just maybe, if they had a better upbringing in terms of strong morals, they would not have done that. The family usually plays a vital role in influencing one's action.”

Bonicka Gordon “Being embedded with a stronger sense of morals, contentment and the value of hard work will help with, contribute to youths making better choices. They need more opportunities and better role models in society apart from the fly-by-night rags-toriches examples coming out of those in high offices who are put there to serve the people. The system needs to be geared towards showing young people that there is room for them and they're valued as the future of our country.”

Nayan Persaud “Youths of our nation need to see that an education and a good job don't mean you can’t make bad decisions that will ruin your future; these decisions have consequences that in the long run can/may lead you astray from the good lives we've been given. Before making a bad decision and putting yourself in harm's way or leading you to a life of crime where you and your loved ones face the music for what you have done. The dangerous choices we may plan to make in life should be thought over, see what the consequences of our actions might bring or if what you plan on doing is the right thing.”

Rahul David “Crime/violent behaviours, most times, starts at an early age, so it is my opinion that in order to help youths and individuals as a whole in making better choices, it must begin at home. Parents must play a major role in helping their kids make the right choices. Apart from the family, school, the church, NGOs, friends (the environment they dwell in daily) can give that helping hand in moulding a good person. Also youthoriented facilities, activities and programmes must be introduced and if they don’t exist, more efforts must be placed for young people to have access to these things thus having them involved in something constructive. We understand the Government can only do things for us at a certain point, but I think more jobs should be created and youth programmes be implemented. Finally, we all need to look out for each other, help each other and enable others, and more so youths, to make better choices and I'm sure if all of us get involved, we can make a positive impact in at least one person’s life.

Kemraj Malchan “In Guyana, there are no proper social activities for mentoring of a child especially in the young age at schools; physical education is being taught as a runaway subject, whereas in developing nations, they introduced social programmes like karate, soccer, basketball and even doing some range of community service. We can have religious clubs, environmental clubs, etc.

Education is not about school books alone, it should be a well-rounded range of activities to keep a child active, physically and educationally. The time to idle will be the devil’s playing field.”

Caesar McAlmont “Parents can contribute to young people making better choices by crafting the right path for them and making sure that they do not depart from it. It is said that it takes a community to raise a child, so everyone should be involved. Apart from that – Government, teachers, and everyone else can play a role.”

Avinash Odal “A lot of stuff would contribute to youths making better choices. Education is the most important, I believe, followed by friends which is considered peer pressure.

Also, with the incident that happened recently, I believe youths feel they need rich lifestyles to be accepted as a successful person in today's society.”

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Regional

Rio’s Valongo slave wharf becomes Unesco heritage site

A

wharf in Rio de Janeiro where nearly a million African slaves are estimated to have landed has been declared a World Heritage site by the UN cultural organisation, Unesco.

The Valongo wharf operated for three centuries and became the biggest entry point for African slaves in Brazil.

Its remains were discovered during renovation work for the 2016 Olympics.

Brazil was the main destination for African slaves in the Americas.

After the long journey across the Atlantic, emaciated African captives were kept in the wharf area to recover and gain weight, so they could be sold on at slave markets.

The old stone wharf is now inland, after successive land reclamation projects in Rio

Many did not survive and were buried at a nearby cemetery. Unesco says the Valongo wharf should have the same place in history as Hiroshima

and Auschwitz “to make us remember those parts of the history of humanity that must not be forgotten”.

“It is a unique memorial,

containing the last remaining vestiges of the slaves’ arrival,” anthropologist Milton Guran told AFP news agency. Many Brazilians were unaware of the area’s importance until a few years ago.

Remains of the wharf were discovered by chance in 2011, when a couple doing refurbishment in their house come across a mass grave, with bones and skulls.

The wharf and the complex surrounding it were constructed in 1779 as part of an effort to move what was regarded as an unsightly trade to an area far from the city centre, says the BBC’s Julia Carneiro. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Cameras to monitor secondary school students in Jamaica

S

econdary school students in Jamaica will soon be under close watch. Education, Youth and Information Minister, Senator Ruel Reid, says Government will be installing Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems in at secondary schools shortly, as part of a programme aimed at improving safety and security.

“There are resources that

we are going to make available…but one that I am very fascinated about…is a fulsome deployment of the CCTV network across our schools,” he said.

“We are going for the highest grade technology with analytical and artificial intelligence capabilities that will assist (schools) greatly, not only in identifying weapons that are being brought on the

campuses, but even identifying students, who are highrisk. Safety and security is the number one priority for the Ministry.”

Senator Reid said the ministry’s programme to boost school safety and security would also include the fencing of institutions whose premises remain open and are proving difficult to monitor.

He made the disclosure

as he addressed the launch and inaugural conference of the National Association of Deans of Discipline (NADD) under the theme: ‘Enabling Education Through Discipline Safety and Security’.

Reid said the deans must work closely with guidance counsellors in the day-to-day monitoring and management of educational institutions.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Venezuela Opposition Leader moved to house arrest after 3 years in prison

Leopoldo López, seen here in 2014, has been transferred to house arrest, with Venezuela’s Supreme Court citing ‘humanitarian measures’

T

he Venezuelan Opposition Leader, Leopoldo López, was transferred to house arrest Saturday after spending more than three years in a military prison.

The Supreme Court said in a statement that it had granted López the “humanitarian measures” for health reasons and “serious signs of irregularities” in the handling of the case that it did not specify.

Outside López’s house in the capital, Caracas, a few dozen supporters arrived carrying Venezuelan flags to celebrate along with journalists looking for information about whether the transfer may have been part of a larger deal between the opposition and President Nicolás Maduro’s Government.

The opposition has been demanding the release of dozens of activists it considers political

prisoners, the most prominent being López, in order to initiate talks aimed at resolving a political crisis that has left more than 90 people dead and hundreds injured.

“We spoke for like 40 minutes. He’s hugging his children, he’s with his wife ... I’m sure they are celebrating,” López’s father, who shares his son’s name, said from exile in Spain.

He said in recent days López had been isolated in his prison cell without food and attributed his son’s transfer to the considerable international pressure on Maduro’s government.

“He told me himself recently: Dad, it’s always darkest right before the break of dawn,” he added. López, 46, was sentenced in 2015 to nearly 14 years in prison for inciting violence during anti-government protests in which three people died and dozens were wounded.

(Excerpt from The Guardian)

tuesDAY, july 11, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Yemen cholera cases pass 300,000 as outbreak spirals – ICRC

A

cholera outbreak in war-torn Yemen is thought to have infected 300,000 people in the past 10 weeks, the International Committee of the Red Cross says.

The situation has continued to "spiral out of control", with about 7000 new cases every day, the ICRC warned.

More than 1700 associated deaths have been reported, according to the UN. Yemen's health, water and sanitation systems are collapsing after two years of conflict between pro-Government forces and the rebel Houthi movement.

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water

17

The war has left less than half of Yemen's medical facilities functional

contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera.

Most of those infected will have no or mild symptoms but, in severe cases,

the disease can kill within hours if left untreated. On June 24, the World Health Organisation declared that Yemen was facing "the

worst cholera outbreak in the world", with more than 200,000 suspected cases.

In just over two weeks, another 100,000 people have been infected - an increase the ICRC's Middle East regional director Roberto Mardini called "disturbing".

The WHO said on Saturday that 297,438 cases had been recorded, but the agency was still analysing the latest figures from the Yemeni health ministry on Monday.

The outbreak has affected all but one of Yemen's 23 provinces. The four most affected provinces – Sanaa, Hudaydah, Hajja and Amran – have reported almost half of the cases. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

Attack by militants kills at least 7 Hindu pilgrims in Kashmir

S

even Hindu pilgrims have died in a firefight between militants and police in Kashmir during a highly sensitive religious procession.

Six women and one man were killed in Monday evening’s attack in the southern district of Anantnag.

It was the deadliest assault on Hindu pilgrims in the majority-Muslim region since 2000, and comes amid heightened religious tensions across northern India and another summer of violence in Kashmir.

The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, tweeted he was “pained beyond words at the dastardly attack” on Hindus participating in the Amarnath Yatra, an annual pilgrimage to a cave shrine near the hill sta-

tion of Pahalgam.

The pilgrimage, which has grown enormously in popularity since the early 1990s and been a source of tension in the past, went ahead this year despite police intelligence of a planned militant attack.

Unprecedented security measures, including surveillance cameras, bulletproof bunkers and phone jammers, had been implemented to protect the estimated 115,000 pilgrims.

The pilgrimage was suspended on Saturday because of security fears on the oneyear anniversary of the killing of Burhan Wani, an anti-India militant whose death triggered weeks of protests and the longest curfew in the history of Indiancontrolled Kashmir. (Excerpt from

China shipping firm Cosco to buy HK rival OOIL for $6.3B US aims for UN vote on North Korea C sanctions within hinese shipping giant Cosco is set to buy its Hong Kong rival OOIL for US$6.3 billion (£4.9 billion). The deal would make Cosco the world's third biggest shipping company, with more than 400 vessels.

OOIL's majority owner has accepted the bid, though the sale will still need reg-

ulatory approval. It would be the latest in a wave of mergers, which has left the top six shipping lines controlling almost two thirds of the market.

OOIL's subsidiary OOCL is currently the world's seventh largest shipping line, with 3.2 per cent of global market share, according to shipping database

Alphaliner.

Cosco is offering US$10.07 per share, a 38 per cent premium over OOIL's closing price on Friday.

The family of Hong Kong's first Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa founded OOIL, and still holds a 69 per cent stake in the company. They have accepted the offer, but it still needs

the approval of Cosco shareholders, as well as US and Chinese regulators.

Overcapacity and slowing demand is leading to major changes in the shipping industry. Korean shipping giant Hanjin filed for bankruptcy last year, while France's CMA CGM bought Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines. (BBC News)

Palestinian shot 14 injured in Moscow shopping dead in alleged centre blaze car ramming incident A

Several thousand people had to be evacuated from the Rio shopping mall in the North-East of the Russian capital

A

huge fire broke out at a Moscow shopping centre Monday, injuring 14 people, and involving more than 200 firefighters and 60 trucks to put out.

Several thousand people had to be evacuated from the Rio shopping mall in the northeast of the Russian capital, and four people had been trapped inside at one

point before being rescued.

"Fourteen people have been hospitalised, four of them in a critical state," Deputy Mayor Piotr Birioukov told the Interfax news agency, adding the blaze has been completely extinguished.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

(Yahoo! News)

Palestinian man has been shot dead after he allegedly rammed his vehicle into a group of Israeli soldiers, injuring one, near a settlement in the occupied West Bank.

Reports quoting an Israeli army spokesman said the man emerged from his vehicle brandishing a knife after the ramming near Bethlehem intersection on Monday, prompting another soldier to shoot him.

The Palestinian news agency Ma'an identified the Palestinian as 24-year old Muhammad Ibrahim Jibril from the West Bank area of Tuqu. Ma'an said Jibril was treated by the Israeli army at the scene before being declared dead.

Israel's emergency medical service was also quoted by Ma'an as saying that a 20-year-old Israeli soldier was taken to a hospital in

Jerusalem for treatment.

The Haaretz newspaper said the Israeli soldier was "moderately injured", and suffered from wounds to his upper and lower limbs.

A witness told Ma'an he saw the Palestinian, who was wearing a red shirt, lying motionless on the ground. Another witness said that an Israeli ambulance later evacuated the body, after Israeli forces prevented the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances from approaching the scene.

According to Ma’an, Jibril is the 37th Palestinian to be killed by an Israeli in 2017. A total of eight Israelis were killed by Palestinians during the same period last year.

Since 2015, there have been more than 250 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire, and 42 Israelis killed by Palestinian assailants. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

The Guardian)

weeks: diplomats

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley directs comments to the Russian delegation at the conclusion of a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the recent ballistic missile launch by North Korea at UN headquarters in New York. This is the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14. North Korea appeared to have used a Chinese truck, originally sold for hauling timber, but converted for military use, to transport and erect the missile on Tuesday

U

nited States Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Nikki Haley aims to put to a vote within weeks a UN Security Council resolution to impose stronger sanctions on North Korea over its long-range ballistic missile test, said several senior UN diplomats.

Haley told some UN diplomats late last week of the ambitious timeline for a UN response to North Korea's launch on Tuesday of a missile that some experts believe could have the range to reach Alaska, and parts of the US West Coast.

The US mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the timeline for a council vote. Some Security Council diplomats have expressed doubt that a draft resolution could be put to a vote quickly.

Following a nuclear weapons test by North Korea in September, while US President Barack Obama was still in office, it took the UN Security Council three months to agree to strengthened sanctions.

The United States gave China a draft resolution to impose stronger sanctions on Pyongyang after the 15-member Security Council met on Wednesday to discuss the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, diplomats said.

China's UN Ambassador Liu Jieyi told Reuters on Monday that it was important to ensure that any action the Security Council might take should be conducive to achieving the goal of a denuclearized, peaceful and stable Korean peninsula. (Excerpt from Reuters)

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tuesDAY, july 11, 2017

ARCHIE

Rely on your insight and experience to handle situ(March 21- ations that could influence April 19) your personal or professional position. Proceed with caution and listen carefully to others.

ARIES

Use your physical attriTAURUS butes to help get things done (April 20- your way. Emotional tactics May 20) will work wonders when dealing with someone who is trying to get the better of you.

dilbert

Communication will open GEMINI (May 21- a window of opportunity.

June 20) Network, get involved in activities or groups that you find stimulating and explore new possibilities. Make love and romance priorities.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

Anger is a waste of time.

Use your energy to accomplish something meaningful.

Productivity is the key to getting ahead. Use your imagination to find inspiration to make better life choices.

You’ll be surprised by the opportunities that come your way. Don’t hesitate to say yes and do your part if you want to reap substantial rewards.

Romance is highlighted.

Stay focused on what you VIRGO (Aug. 23- need to finish. Being sideSept. 22) tracked by what others are doing will lead to major delays. Call in favors if it will help you fulfill an obligation.

Taking day trips, attending LIBRA business or networking func(Sept. 23- tions or spending the day with Oct. 23) youngsters will help you expand your relationships with others and inspire you to make personal changes. Romance is encouraged.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Get the go-ahead before SCORPIO you make changes that will (Oct. 24affect others. Someone will Nov. 22) overreact if you aren’t upfront. Choose an alternative lifestyle if your current one isn’t working.

Do your best to please othSAGITTARIUS ers, but also work hard to fur(Nov. 23- ther your own cause. Offer Dec. 21) canny suggestions and smart options. Your enthusiasm will help win you approval.

solution for Last Published Puzzle

Make a positive change CAPRICORN that will encourage personal (Dec. 22- growth. Taking care of your Jan. 19) physical and emotional needs will encourage better health, lower your stress and foster an upbeat attitude.

Your charm, inquisitive AQUARIUS nature and witty demeanor (Jan. 20will set the stage for an interFeb. 19) esting day, filled with exciting ideas and plans. Partnerships look promising, and romance is encouraged.

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

An unexpected opportuniPISCES ty will come through a back (Feb. 20March 20) channel. Don’t be too quick to take a leap of faith. Not everything or everyone will be on the up and up.

tuesDAY, juLY 11, 2017

Murray sees off spirited Paire to reach quarters V

ictory over Benoit Paire sends Andy Murray into a 10th consecutive Wimbledon quarter-final.

Andy Murray overcame the spirited Benoit Paire to progress to the Wimbledon quarter-finals with a 7-6 (7-1) 6-4 6-4 victory on Centre Court on Monday.

Despite progressing in straight sets, Murray's victory was far from straightforward, with Paire's tendency to attempt the ambitious occasionally bearing fruit and testing the world number one.

Defending champion Murray - who became just the third man to reach the quarter-finals in 10 successive years at a grand slam event - will face Sam Querrey or Kevin Anderson in the last eight.

Having won his third-round clash in a dramatic fourth set against Fabio Fognini, Murray could have done with getting off to a smooth start.

However, Paire's unpredictable style caused the Scot problems early on and two early drops of serve - either side of a break of his own - had Murray berating himself and shouting to his box.

Murray soon settled and got the match back on an equal footing with a break in the eighth game but he was forced into a tie-break after failing to convert two set points on the Paire serve.

If the set itself was tight, the tie-break was anything but - Paire opened with a double fault on his way to a 7-1 drubbing.

Paire's woes continued into the second set when he was broken to love in the opening game, but he restored pari-

ty at 3-3 after getting that disappointment out of his system.

A stunning backhand and a wonderfully returned drop shot helped Murray to what promised to be the set-clinching break, and the top seed did - at the fifth time of asking - open up a 2-0 advantage in the next game.

To come away from two tight sets against the world number one empty-handed will have been tough for Paire to take, and the world number 46 was made to rue a double fault - one of 10 in the match compared to none from Murray Andy Murray - that took the ninth game to deuce, with Murray eventually making the break.

That left Murray serving for the match and he sealed victory thanks to a long Paire forehand, extending his winning run against French opponents to 26.(SPORTSMAX)

Du Plessis offers no assurances for Duminy after Lord's failure J

JP Duminy

P Duminy's failure in the first Test at Lord's could cost him his place for the second match of the series at Trent Bridge.

Faf du Plessis said the axe could fall on JP Duminy when South Africa attempt to level the Test series against England at Trent Bridge.

Duminy failed twice with the bat in the first Test at Lord's, scoring 15 and 2, as England hammered the tourists by 211 runs inside four days to lead the four-match series.

The left-hander came in for criticism for the manner of his dismissal in the second innings on day four, having pulled a short ball from Mark Wood straight to Moeen Ali at midwicket on the stroke of tea to put the Proteas even deeper in the mire on 25-3.

Returning captain Du Plessis, who missed the opening match of the series following the birth of his first child, was unable to offer Duminy any assurances over his place in the side.

"JP will be the first guy to say he knows he needs to score runs for this team and it's no different for anyone else," the skipper said.

"He is desperate to do as well as anyone in that position. You want to try and score runs every time you go out there. He knows at the end of the day that it's about runs.

"He understands that if it has to come to a position where there is someone else that needs to be looked at. He will be the first to acknowledge [that].

"He is a crucial part of our senior player group and he will always put the team interests above himself so yes, he will be the first to acknowledge that."

Du Plessis said the Proteas will consider their options with Kagiso Rabada unavailable due to suspension in Nottingham.

He added: "With losing KG - do you look at possibly playing a four-seam attack because you are losing quite a high-quality bowler?

"That means there would be a batsman that will miss out.

That's one option.

"You can look at someone like Theunis de Bruyn who has played pretty well this game - standing up at Lord's and it's only his second Test match. He was solid in that first innings.

He played well." (SPORTSMAX)

19

Thompson beats quality field in London running in ‘flats’

Elaine Thompson

A

s if to add insult to the injury she continues to lay on her opponents, 2016 double Olympic champion has revealed she won the 100 metres at Sunday's Diamond League meeting in London running in flats.

The 25-year-old Jamaican unbeaten over the 100m this season came from behind to win in 10.94s running into a headwind of -1.4m/s. Beaten into second was rival Dafne Schippers (10.97), and Blessing Okagbare (10.99) third.

Michelle Lee Ahye of Trinidad and Tobago was fifth in 11.06.

Thompson revealed afterwards that she chose to run in a special pair of shoes. “The spikes I have I’m not confident with and hurt my Achilles so I’m running in flats,” Thompson said in a post-race interview. “They have spikes but they are vert petite. They are built especially for me and made lighter.”

The affable Jamaican who will only compete in the 100m in London at the IAAF World Championships next month, said she is completely focused on the championships and competing in London was all part of her preparation as she tries to win her first 100m world title.

“I have done two rounds of Diamond League but this preparation is all about the World Champs. in a couple of weeks. I have to get used to doing the two rounds because this is how I can prepare best. I am looking forward to being back in the stadium,” she said.

“I just came out here to execute. I didn’t want to watch anyone else. I just stayed in my lane and it doesn’t matter which lane it is I just wanted to focus and get to the line.” (SportsMax)

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Why was Lewis the best option?

tuesDAY, july 11, 2017

Ramaal Lewis

Asks

O

Delvon McEwan

n Friday, Cricket West Indies hosted in Jamaica the players’ draft for the fourth edition of the Regional fourday League, the Professional Cricket League.

At the draft, the six regional first class franchises were allowed to bid for five players to add to the 10 that were retained from the previous season, to make up a squad of 15.

Guyana Jaguars, three-time champions, also had the option of strengthening their unit, which they did with two batsmen (an opener and a middle order batsman), two all-rounders and a wicketkeeper-batsman.

Those players are discarded West Indies Test batsman Rajendra Chandrika and four former West Indies Under-19

players; namely former West Indies Under-19 skipper Ramaal Lewis from Jamaica, who bowls off spin and is a handy batsman; all-rounder Steven Jacobs, middle order batsman Chandrapaul Hemraj, and wicketkeeper-batsman Tevin Imlach.

However, ever since Lewis was drafted, there have been questions regarding his presence in the Jaguars’ line-up for the 2017/2018 season.

But first, here is a look at the 10 retained by the Jaguars: Leon Johnson, Assad Fudadin, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Anthony Bramble, Keon Joseph and Raymond Reifer.

Prior to the draft, there was no hint by the very secretive Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) regarding which department they will be looking to boost, but Lewis’s selection has been a major surprise, especially with the amount of spinners available locally. Eon Hooper and Jacobs are off-spinners

with first class experience; Gajanan Suknanan and Ritchie Looknauth are off-spinners without first class experience but are knocking on the door of the selectors. This leaves only left-arm spinners Veerasammy Permaul, Gudakesh Motie and Anthony Adams, and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

The GCB selectors are probably confident that the local spinners would be engaged in duties for the West Indies ‘A’ and senior teams, so they are providing early cover. Maybe that is the case, otherwise Lewis’s stint here could be irrelevant to the Jaguars but meaningful to his development.

Or do they have precious little, if any, faith in our local spinners? Could the GCB tell the cricketing fraternity the importance of Lewis’s selection?

Nevertheless, Guyana Times Sport would love to wish the young man all the best during his stint with the Guyana Jaguars. Be strong as you look to progress as a professional.

GCB Female U-19 tourney was a substandard event

By Delvon McEwan

A

t the weekend, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) hosted the Female Inter-County Under-19 T20 Tournament, and the event -- which lasted three days -- was as poor as operations at the Regent Road Head Office in recent times.

Putting all bias aside, imagine a tournament being used to select a national team, and in the

process of play, the ball is bouncing several times before it reaches the batter; the percentage of extras is more than 40% of the total runs scored throughout the tournament; players from a certain side (Berbicians) playing on three of the four teams in contention; and two of the four teams in the tournament failing to field 11 players at any time.

Where are we going?

Why host a substandard event, when emphasis could

have gone into development?

I am quite certain that Cricket West Indies ensures finances are available for the GCB to aid in the development of female cricket. What is the GCB doing with that money, which they should be investing into development?

I would like the Territorial Development Officer of the GCB, Colin Stuart, or any executive of the GCB for that matter, to

answer this.

It seems as though a particular club in Berbice is doing more for cricket development than the GCB. I interviewed coaches and managers during the tournament, and even they are ‘unaware’ and ashamed at the standard of the cricket.

Manager of the President’s XI, Jitlall Jowharilall, said he had 10 players in his squad for the opening match on Friday,

Divisions over Windies cricket could destroy Caricom – PM Rowley T&T Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley

D

ivisions between leaders in the Caribbean over the state of West Indies cricket could destroy Caricom. This is the view of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago, who said he was surprised he did not see West Indies cricket on the agenda at the recently concluded heads of government meeting in Grenada.

“The subject has become one that threatens our very unity among us on the table,” Prime Minister Dr. Rowley said revealing that he tried unsuccessfully to have the struggles of the regional Test team put on the agenda.

“Not a single person leading our territories joined and as a result of it there was no comment on West Indies cricket.”

The prime minister, during a radio interview on Saturday night, said the state of the game could destroy Caricom.

“Because when one leader who is hosting, the others could walk away because of something he said about what is going on in cricket and…what is happening with a particular country that is apparently benefitting from the current arrangement, all kinds of issues arise and in that scenario Caricom is losing sight of what really should be happening,” Dr. Rowley said in obvious reference to statements made by Caricom chairman Dr Keith Mitchell at the start of the annual summit last Tuesday night.

The Grenadian Prime Minister told the gathering then that it was disheartening that regional leaders agree to a unified position in private before announcing opposing positions publicly.

“The legacies that have been created by our players on the field, and the voice they have given throughout generations, to expressions of West Indian

identity, have been well-documented and chronicled through the years.

So, when we get together to discuss the current challenges of the regional game, it is not merely a case of politicians dabbling in some useless pastime,” Mitchell said while urging unity behind Caricom decisions against the background that with Cricket West Indies (CWI) not discharging its role, Caricom had a responsibility to act.

But Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne defended his government’s position insisting that it has a policy of not interfering “in the internal affairs of institutions and governments”.

Browne, in a statement to the media said that the governance of West Indies cricket “appears to be an evocative romanticism of a particular Caribbean head”, noting also that the CWI board operates independently of governments (and) now there is a particular head who is of the view “that with my support and other heads that he could achieve his compulsive, obsessive desire to dissolve the board.”

(SPORTSMAX)

Latchman Yadram

Colin Stuart

and all 10 were Berbicians.

Jowharilall has managed and coached East Coast Demerara teams at various levels, but has never played a tournament of this magnitude with 10 players.

Demerara Coach Latchman Yadram noted he had just one session with the squad before competition, while most of the girls are new to him.

Essequibo Cricket Board Secretary Aotto Christiani confirmed that Essequibo imported players, but he was uncertain how many. It is quite amusing for an administrator of the county’s cricket to be in such an em-

barrassing position.

However, a source close to the GCB informed this publication that most of the girls were plucked from secondary schools and had never played a hardball match in their lives.

The source was perturbed by the lack of initiatives in Essequibo as he queried whether administrators there could not have utilized a similar idea as Berbice, to seek girls from the school system.

According to the source, the money spent on a mediocre tournament should have been spent on development.

Demerara bowler Kaysia Shultz was the pick of the bowlers in the opening match

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Mendoncas rule 3rd Georgetown Grand Prix

sports

21

C

arlos and Paige Mendonca emerged as champions of their respective categories on Saturday evening at the Georgetown Grand Prix which was held at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club track on Saturday evening.

The father and daughter who are no strangers to the track each had consistent performances to end the night as champions.

After finishing in a close second in her first race, the younger Mendonca showed grit and steel in her second race, driving expertly to close out her closest challenger Jeremy Ten Pow to finish first and cop the top podium spot in the 60CC category.

Paige’s father Carlos who had two second place finishes and a top podium spot showed skill and experience especially around turns to hold Elliott Vieira, Mathew Phang, Stefan Jeffry and Michael Gonzalves at bay during his three races to win the overall champion trophy in the Shifter Karts category.

Debutant motor racer Jean Claude Jeffrey had a dream start on the track as he won the Easy Cup Light.

Jeffrey got two first place finishes as well as one third place to walk away with the championship trophy.

In the 125CC category Matthew Phang outclassed the field to end with two wins and one third while he also finished second in one of the shifter kart events.

The results of all races are as follows: Race one - Sunburst 60CC Kids cup - Jeremy Ten Pow, Paige Mendonca, Nathan Rahaman Race two - 125CC Juniors Mikhail Persaud, John Phang, Elan Rahaman Race three - Easy Cup Rookies

The respective winners pose with their trophies

- Raymond Baksh, Dhanie Narine, Dharmendra Dharmo Race Four - Easy Cup Heavy - Shan Seejattan, Andrew Allie, Haniff Mohamed Race Five - Sunburst 60CC Kids cup - Paige Mendonca, Nathan Rahaman, Jeremy Ten Pow Race Six - Easy Cup Light - Jean Claude Jeffrey, Haniff Mohamed, Brian Ten Pow Race Seven- Shifter karts Carlos Mendonca, Matthew Phang, Micheal Gonzalves Race eight - Rayden Persaud, John Phang, Mikhail Persaud Race Nine - Easy Cup Rookie - Raymond Baksh, Dharmendra Dharmo, Andrew Allie Race Ten - Sunburst 60CC Paige Mendonca, Jeremy Ten Pow, Justin Ten Pow

Race Eleven - Easy Cup Heavy Shan Seejattan, Rameez Mohamed, Andrew Allie Race Twelve - 125CC JuniorMikhail Persaud, Rayden Persaud, John Phang Race Thirteen - Shifter Kart - Elliot Vieira, Carlos Mendonca, Micheal Gonzalves Race Fourteen - Easy Cup light - Brian Ten Pow, Haniff Mohamed, Jean Claude Jeffrey Race Fifteen - 125CC seniors Matthew Phang, Denzil Hopkinson, Mikhail Persaud Race Sixteen - Easy Cup Rookie - Raymond Baksh, Dharmendra Dharmo, Gavin Gouveia Race Seventeen - 125CC Senior Mikhail Persaud, Denzil Hopkinson, Matthew Phang Race eighteen - Easy Cup Light

- Jean Claude Jeffrey, Haniff Mohamed, Brian Ten Pow Race Nineteen - 125CC senior Matthew Phang, Rayden Persaud, Elan Rahaman Race twenty - Easy Cup Heavy Shan Seejattan, Haniff Mohamed Race Twenty One - Shifter kart - Stefan Jeffrey, Carlos Mendonca, Elliot Vieira

Champion Drivers

60CC - Paige Mendonca 125CC Juniors - Mikhail Persaud 125CC Seniors- Matthew Phang Easy Cup Rookie- Raymond Baksh Easy Cup Light - Jean Claude Jeffrey Easy Cup Heavy - Shan Seejattan Shifter Karts- Carlos Mendonca

Porte counting his blessings after Muller stuns Nadal in marathon horror Tour de France fall Wimbledon classic R R

ichie Porte has expressed his gratitude for the treatment he received following a horror fall on a brutal ninth stage of the Tour de France Richie Porte felt he was lucky to have come away with a fractured collarbone and pelvis in a sickening stage-nine crash which ended his hopes of winning the Tour de France.

Porte was seen as one of the main contenders to prevent Chris Froome from winning the most prestigious of Grand Tour races for a fourth time.

The BMC Racing rider's race came to a dramatic end on Sunday, though, after he lost control on a descent of the hors category Mont du Chat and came off his bike before ploughing into the mountain.

Porte, who collided with Dan Martin after careering into the grass, was treated on the road and remained in hospital overnight after it was revealed that he sus-

Richie Porte

tained a broken right clavicle and also fractured his pelvis.

The Australian was naturally low after such a horrific incident which brought his participation in the Tour to an end, but said it could have been much worse.

Porte said in a video clip posted on his team's website: "Obviously I've felt much better than I do right now. I'm in a fair bit of pain and it's a big disappoint-

ment to be honest.

"I was in great form and the team were really strong around me, so it's a disappointing. But I've just seen the crash and I feel that I'm lucky I've come away with the injuries that I have."

Asked about his recollection of the crash, he said: "I remember I came into the corner and it wasn't like we were going too fast, but I just remember I locked the ball wheel up and that was it really. Next thing I was heading for the grass verge on the corner.

"I stayed conscious the whole time and I remember the whole thing. I must say thank you to the medical staff on the race and in the hospital, they have been absolutely fantastic.

"I don't think I'll be back on my bike for a good while now. The team has been good in saying 'just recover; there is no rush to come back'. Hopefully I will pull the BMC jersey on by the end of the year." (SPORTSMAX)

afael Nadal finally cracked under pressure in the final set as Gilles Muller produced the performance of his life to win an epic contest.

Gilles Muller pulled off a huge Wimbledon shock by dumping Rafael Nadal out in a marathon fourth-round classic 12 years after his sole previous victory against the Spanish great.

Nadal did not drop a set in last month's French Open triumph, or in his first three matches at the All England Club, but he lost the first two against fellow left-hander Muller before fighting back to level an epic contest on No.1 Court.

There were no breaks in a captivating deciding set until 15-time grand slam champion Nadal finally cracked after saving four match points, with world number 26 Muller winning 6-3 6-4 3-6 4-6 15-13 in four hours and 47 minutes.

The 34-year-old from Luxembourg had never won

Rafael Nadal was stunned by Gilles Muller

an ATP title before claiming two this year and can look forward to facing Marin Cilic in his first quarter-final at SW19. Serve-and-volley specialist Muller, who fired down 30 aces to Nadal's 23 in the performance of his career, had not beaten the fourth seed since dumping him out in the second round here in 2005. (Sportsmax)

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesdAY, july 11, 2017

Marian Academy, Kwakwani Secondary are NSBF 2017 National Champions O

n Sunday night the 2017 National Schools Basketball Festival (NSBF) National Finals opened with the Males U-14 title game between Marian Academy, and the 2016 defending champs Mackenzie High School which Marian won by a score of 34 to 30 points.

Jether Harris, MVP and Best scorer, led Marian with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 3 steals while Meshal Allicock supported him with 4 points and 5 steals.

Mackenzie’s best player was Cy Walker who scored 11 points and 4 rebounds while Damascus Adams added 9 points.

In the second game of the evening Kwakwani Secondary easily bagged

the U-16 title by defeating Marian Academy 42 to 20 points.

Kadeem Dover scored a game high 13 points while Best Defender, Nicholoud Lowden had 11 rebounds and 5 steals with Isaiah Hintzen (MVP) contributing with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 5 steals.

Josiah Daniels fought hard for his 8 points and 8rebounds in response for Marian.

The Girls finals saw a replay of the Regional finals between Marian Academy and President's College with Marian on this occasion prevailing by 17 to 11 points.

Jada Mohan who was adjudged the tournament MVP led for Marian Academy with a top score of 14 points,

BCB 1st Division 50-over

Action in the U-19 final between LTI and Marian Academy

Wins for YWCC, West Berbice Y A oung Warriors Cricket Club and West Berbice registered victories when action in the Berbice Cricket Board's 50 Over competition continued last weekend.

At the Rose Hall Canje Welfare Center, under brilliant sunshine, the Young Warriors Cricket Club defeated the Rose Hall Canje Team by 15 runs in their match which was reduced to 36 overs due to overnight moisture.

Winning the toss and electing to bowl, Rose Hall Canje dismissed the Young Warriors Batsmen for 135 in their 36 overs.

Seon Hetemyer top scored with 46 followed by Linden Austin on 30. Kasim Khan and Vishal Mohabir supported with 21 and 11 respectively while all other batsmen failed to reach double figures, including West Indies Test batsman Shimron Hetemyer who scored 8.

Bowling for Rose Hall Canje Sanjay Khan 2-17 and Amir Rahaman 2-22 claimed two wickets apiece while Compton Hope, Andrew Williams and Mark Sampson accounted for one wicket each.

In reply Rose Hall Canje were bowled out for 120 in their allotted overs.

Over at the Bush Lot Ground in West Berbice, the hosts West Berbice had the better of the Bush Lot team who they defeated by 166 runs.

West Berbice scored 253 runs, with Rafael Estriado hammering 73 runs, C. Sookra 44, Artley Bailey 30, A Dutchin 21, Stefon Adams 22 while all the others contributed with single

Seon Hetmyer

figures.

Bowling for the Bush Lot United team, Christopher Bissoon took three wickets, G. Gossai and A. Johnson claimed two each while . J Darsan took one.

The Bush Lot United Batsmen were dismissed for a paltry 87 in their chase. Joel Dilchand was the only batsman to reach double figures before he was bowled for 14.

Bowling for West Berbice, Keith Fraser spearheaded the bowling capturing four wickets in the process and was aided

by A. Bailey who bagged two wickets.

The competition continues on with the following Fixtures; Zone A- Blairmont vs West Berbice at Blairmont, Bushlot vs Young Warriors at Bush Lot, Rose Hall Canje vs Tucber Park at Rose Hall Canje Zone B- Albion vs Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club at Albion, Port Mourant VS Skeldon at Port Mourant, Upper Corentyne vs Police at Upper Corentyne Skeldon Community Center

5 rebounds and 3 steals.

Roeshell Campbell scored 6 points and 6 rebounds in reply for PC. The Linden Technical Institute proved their seniority by defeating Marian Academy 52 to 48 points in the U-19 final.

Tournament, MVP and Best scorer Daniel Lee had a game high 23 points while Akini Wilson supported with 7 points and 12 rebounds.

Timothy Thompson had 22 points and 14 rebounds while Jahleel Young added 12 points for Marian. The Tournament was sponsored

by Edward B Beharry and Companies Ltd, the National Sports Commission, John Fernandes Ltd and Sterling Product Ltd. (Michelangelo Jacobus)

Corona Invitational Football Tournament

Rangers, Santos record victories on opening night

s action in the Corona Beer Invitational football tournament kicked off on Sunday night at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground Northern Rangers and Santos Football Clubs recorded the tournament’s first wins.

In game one on match night, The Northern Rangers needed a goal on both sides of halftime to beat East Ruimveldt 2-0.

In a game largely dominated by midfield possession, the Rangers had a few chances and were rewarded when relentless attacking in the 22nd minute pressured an East Ruimveldt defender into scoring an own goal.

The remainder of the half was fairly tame with both sides failing to penetrate each other’s defences. After half-

time, the Ranger’s Sunil Logan struck one from 15 yards in the 64th minute to give them a 2-0 advantage which they would hold on to for the rest of the game.

In game two between Riddim Squad and Flamingo, it was a goalless affair as good attacking football was thwarted by sound defending for that game to end at 0-0.

In the final game of the night Santos FC played fluid and attacking football to convincingly beat Pele FC 4-0.

Santos’ Robby McClaggon produced a neat piece of skill and technique to beat the Pele custodian in the 9th minute to get the ball rolling for his team, two minutes later Kenroy Deminick was in the right place at the right time as the ball fell into his path for the

midfielder to poke one home to make it 2-0 Santos.

Pele’s defenders composed themselves enough to see out the first half without being breached again, however after the break, in the 65th minute Josh Parvattan slammed one home from just outside the box to cement his side’s approaching victory while Orin Yarde got in the action in the dying moments of the game to make it a 4-0 victory at 90+2 minutes.

Games will continue on Wednesday July 12 at the GFC Ground with the following matches: 17:00 hrs: Western Tigers FC Vs Black Pearl FC 19:00 hrs: GFC Vs Camptown FC 21:00 hrs: Police FC Vs Beacons FC

Jamaica exact revenge on Curaçao, win 2-0 J amaica’s bid for a return to the CONCACAF Gold Cup final got off to a bright start Sunday with a 2-0 win over Curaçao at Qualcomm Stadium.

The same teams met only two weeks earlier in the 2016/17 Scotiabank CFU Men’s Caribbean Cup final, with the Curacaoans prevailing, 2-1.

Two years ago, the Reggae Boyz fell 3-1 to Mexico in the Gold Cup decider. Only two players – defender Kemar Lawrence Jamaica scored a 2-0 win over Curaçao and midfielder Je-Watson – started that game and the to uncork a right-footed shot the crossbar. One of the stars Group C opener as many from an unkind angle in be- of Jamaica’s 2015 campaign European-based stars were tween the near post and netted an insurance goal in the 73rd minute. Kemar not called up for the biennial goalkeeper Eloy Room.

Five minutes later, Lawrence delivered a cross competition.

Jamaica goalkeeper Andre from the left that found After a scoreless first half, the match burst to life Blake showed why he Darren Mattocks, who first in the 58th minute thanks to earned man of the match got a touch on to the ball and a thunderbolt from Jamaica’s honors. Curaçao’s Gevaro then pounded it home with Romario Williams. Courtesy Nepomuceno drilled a ven- his left off the bounce from of a well-measured pass down omous shot from distance, 12-yards out. Mattocks exthe right side by Je-Vaughn but the 2016 MLS goalkeep- tended his Gold Cup scoring Watson, Williams was able er of the year reacted acro- streak to three consecutive. batically to tip the ball over Defender Damion Lowe

made his Gold Cup debut for Jamaica nearly 14 years to the day that his father – Onandi Lowe – scored his only Gold Cup goal against Guatemala (30th min., 2-0 win)..

Next up on July 13: At Sports Authority Field in Denver, Colorado, Curaçao will face El Salvador, while Jamaica and Mexico will square in rematch of their 2015 final. (SportsMax)

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, july 11, 2017

23

Zimbabwe beat Sri Floyd Mayweather seeks delay Lanka by 3 wickets on 2015 tax bill to win series

L

os Angeles (AFP) - Floyd Mayweather has asked US authorities for more time to pay his 2015 tax bill, the year of his money-spinning mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao, filings showed Monday.

Mayweather, who is coming out of retirement to fight UFC star Conor McGregor next month, has requested he be allowed to settle his 2015 taxes after he is paid for his August 26 bout.

The McGregor fight is expected to net Mayweather a ninefigure payday, boosting career earnings that have already topped $700 million according to one estimate in Forbes magazine.

Although the 40-year-old pocketed a mammoth $220 million for his May 2015 bout with Pacquiao, a filing to the Internal Revenue Service posted by the Law360.com said Mayweather’s assets were mostly “illiquid”.

“Although the taxpayer has substantial assets, those assets are restricted and primarily illiquid,” the petition said.

Cash flow would improve after the McGregor bout.

“The taxpayer has a significant liquidity event scheduled in about 60 days from which he intends to pay the balance of the 2015 tax liability due and outstanding,” the filing added.

Mayweather quit boxing after beating Andre Berto in September 2015.

However he was lured out of retirement to face UFC star McGregor, who has never boxed professionally. The match-up, which has been widely ridiculed, is expected to be one of the most lucrative bouts in history.

Z

imbabwe survived a collapse against Sri Lanka to seal their first major overseas one-day series win since 2001.

Graeme Cremer’s side had not beaten a fellow Testplaying nation away from home since getting the better of Bangladesh 16 years ago.

Despite losing six wickets for 38 runs, they managed to overhaul Sri Lanka’s below-par 203-8 in Hambantota.

Hamilton Masakadza was the star, hitting 73

which followed the 111 he made in the third of five ODIs. Defeat was a particular blow to Sri Lanka, who are yet to automatically qualify for the 2019 World Cup in England.

While they would need an unlikely set of results to avoid being pipped by West Indies on the 30 September cut-off, the 1996 champions remain at risk of having to go through a play-off with the likes of Zimbabwe, Ireland, Afghanistan, Netherlands and Papua New Guinea. (BBC)

Pakistan, WI face off in battle for pride W

ith the league stage of the World Cup entering its penultimate phase, two of the three teams that are out of contention for the semi-finals will fight for pride in Leicester. While West Indies will look to build on their 47-run victory against Sri Lanka, Pakistan will be keen on ending their 12-match winless streak in the World Cup. Their last victory in a World Cup fixture came in the 2009 edition - against the same opponents.

West Indies, however, may read little into that loss, considering it’s one of their only five defeats to Pakistan out of 21 ODIs. Besides, that their captain Stafanie Taylor boasts an average of 64 in 13 ODI innings versus Pakistan - the best by any player with eight innings or more against them - can only help them better the 229 they scored against Sri Lanka on Sunday, their highest in this campaign.

Taylor emphasized that even though her team is no longer in the running for a top-four finish, the significance of a victory cannot be undervalued, especially considering Pakistan would be eager to get their first win in the tournament. “We know how important these games are. We definitely want to win and go home on a high,” Taylor said.

“Pakistan has always been a fighting team against anyone, but I think everyone thinks West Indies is a team they want to beat. They all come out hard against us.”

Taylor’s counterpart Sana Mir, who became the first woman from her country to reach the 100-ODIs landmark on Saturday, fought a lone battle with the bat as her

side went down to New Zealand by eight wickets.

The fifth straight loss further exposed Pakistan’s woes in the batting de-

more than 150 in the World Cup.The loss of Bismah Maroof - Pakistan’s leading run-getter in ODIs - to injury robbed their line-up of

that slowed down further in the second innings. West Indies, who were at the receiving end of a similar salvo from Niekerk in their

Zimbabwe are ranked 11th in the world, with Sri Lanka eighth

IOC advised to make US$500M programme more transparent

T

The West Indies Women will look to build on their 47-run victory against Sri Lanka

partment, a fact established by Mir, a bowling allrounder, being the highest run-getter for Pakistan in this tournament so far. Having top scored in the last three games, with 29 against India, 45 against Australia and 50 against New Zealand, Mir hopes the youngsters who “showed promise in the previous tournaments” are able to able to apply themselves better in the remaining matches.

“It’s not acceptable at international level that you’re four down for 30 runs in three-four games”, she said.

Barring the first match, where Pakistan posted 206 against South Africa before falling to a three-wicket defeat, the batsmen haven’t been able to post

the security she provides in the top order, and this was echoed by Mir. “We have to be patient with the team. Not having Bismah Maroof around makes things tougher as a batter. There have been a couple of times where we’ve lost early wickets, where she would have come in and given us a platform to put a good total on the board.

“It’s extremely important for us to finish this tournament on a strong note,” Mir said. “We started off with a strong game, then things started slipping, so it’s extremely important to finish well.”

In the most-recent contest at Grace Road, South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk had run through the Indian line-up with her legbreaks, on a pitch

last outing at the ground, would be mindful of their ten-wicket loss to South Africa.

For Pakistan, though, familiarity with the venue may lend a psychological advantage, given they are the only side in this tournament to have played three games at Grace Road, having restricted defending champions Australia to 18 for 2 in the Powerplay in their last match.

With the Pakistan spin attack having accounted for 18 of the 29 wickets taken by the bowlers so far, Taylor said West Indies need to “counteract” early in the game.

“We know Pakistan’s usual team. They are going to come with their spinners because that’s what they mostly do to all the teams.”

(Cricinfo)

he International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been advised by a prominent business school to give greater transparency to a programme which is handing out more than US$500 million in funding.

The Olympic Solidarity programme distributes money to help national Olympic Committees around the world fund athlete development and the training of coaches.

It has been given $509 million to distribute in the 2017-20 cycle, compared to US$439 for the previous four-year period.

On Monday, the L a u s a n n e - b a s e d International Institute for Management Development (IMD) said the IOC should give“more complete and thorough information on the processes and financial flows from Olympic Solidarity”.

Presenting a report of the IOC’s governance, the institute suggested setting up a fully-owned subsidiary to run the programme.

The review was commissioned in 2015 as part of the IOC’s agenda 2020 reforms which also aimed to make the Olympics more attractive, reduce the cost of hosting them and get the IOC to become more transparent.

The IOC and other sporting federations were also determined to avoid being tarred with the same brush as world soccer’s ruling body FIFA, which was hit by an unprecedented corruption crisis in 2015.

It also proposed that the IOC became “more directly involved in the organization of the Olympic Games” to make sure that promises of a lasting legacy would be fulfilled.

Another suggestion was that the IOC’s ethics commission be given “more independence to investigate cases of ethical misconduct, thus improving its efficiency” and that it be given its own budget.

Currently, the commission can only investigate cases handed to it by the IOC’s administration. (Reuters)

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

TUESDAY, JULY 11, 2017

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