Guyana Times 17 August, 2017

Game Day Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3304

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Thursday, August 17, 2017

PRICE

Controversial Broadcast Bill

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Granger maintains Govt's position despite calls for non-assent Page 3

… says critics need to see both sides of the picture

Unauthorised Page money 9 changers to face the law – BoG warns

$80 vat included

Assassination claim

Alleged plot to assassinate President not treasonous – Justice Singh

… major gaps in evidence responsible for lack of charges

P2

Illegal aircraft

Govt treating discovery as national security threat Page 10

UK warns P12 citizens of “likely” terrorist attacks in T&T Another prison raid

Sim cards, cellphones, lighters, weapons P7 seized

Warriors, A & C Division bring smiles to young children

Taxi driver fined for selling P14 owner’s car Family homeless as fire guts Sophia house P5 A and C Divisions Community Relations Offices of the Guyana Police Force on Wednesday enabled children from communities within the Divisions to have an opportunity of a lifetime to interact with members of the Guyana Amazon Warriors cricket team. In photo, Assistant Commissioner Clifton Hicken poses with the youths and Amazon Warriors players at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, Georgetown on Wednesday

Toshao, Minister clash over developing tourism inPage Bartica 7

Dawn Hastings to head new Ministry

Page 2

Police P13 promotions halted for investigations – President …says Govt not seeking to trample on constitutional rights

2 News

thursDAY, august 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Assassination claim

Alleged plot to assassinate President not treasonous – Justice Singh

… major gaps in evidence responsible for lack of charges

BY LAKHRAM BHAGIRAT

T

he Police Legal Adviser (PLA), retired Justice of Appeal Claudette Singh SC told the Commission of Inquiry (CoI), into the alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger, that it is her understanding that the allegations are not treasonous and on that ground, she advised that the offence of incitement to commit murder be investigated.

Justice Singh, who has been the Police Legal Adviser since September 2014, appeared before the CoI on Wednesday to give evidence as it relates to her role in the investigation into the allegations made against Nizam Khan by Andriff Gillard in which he claims that he was offered $7 million to assassinate the President.

While being questioned by the Commission’s Attorney, James Bond, she was asked when did she first consider the charge of treason but her knowledge and understanding of the term suggested otherwise.

“I understand the definition of treason to mean when a foreign state invades Guyana – that is the definition in the Criminal Law and also if anyone attempts to over throw the government,” she explained.

Police Legal Adviser, retired Justice of Appeal Claudette Singh SC

“In terms of an attempt on the life of the Head of State, would that fall in any of the characterisation you would have stated?” Bond asked.

“Well I was looking at the word treason but I am not of the view that treason would come. It would be treason,” the PLA explained.

Justice Singh said that she first saw the Police file on the investigation on April 12 and gave her first piece of written advice. She said that there was no evidence to suggest that the story was fabricated by Gillard although he reported the incident some 21 months after.

She had some difficulties with the statement of one witness, Leon Baldeo, who

alleges that he was offered $50,000 by Gillard to say that he was present when the plot was revealed. He says that the offer was made on March 26. Gillard reported the matter on March 29.

“From the nature of the allegation I gathered it was just Gillard and Nizam Khan. Now therefore when Mr Baldeo came I paid special attention to his statement because he is saying it was on the 26th (of March) and Gillard went to the Police on the 29th. So why did Gillard not tell the Police someone else was there so that gave me some problems,” she explained. She told that based on the file she was not of the view that the Police investigation was more aimed at discrediting Gillard’s story as opposed to exposing the entire incident. She added that she thinks the Police was looking at the investigation.

Justice Singh said that she only gave advice based on the file provided and as such, she could not pronounce on the quality of investigation rather she feels that her advice was carried out to an extent.

“My advice was I found the evidence tenuous. I could not, on the state of the evidence, say that Gillard was lying or Mr Khan was innocent.

That was why I said the evidence was tenuous in meaning it was unreliable. I could

not in all honesty advise anybody there to be prosecuted,” Justice Singh volunteered.

Justice Singh said the uncertainty about the date of the alleged conversation between Khan and Gillard coupled with the fact that he reported the alleged plot some 21 months after posed challenges since she was unable to give conclusive advice. She

added that it also challenged the investigators since they were unable to corroborate Gillard’s story with witnesses.

She further stated that the offence on which Nizam Khan was held was a bailable one but clarified that she has no jurisdiction over since the Police do not consult her on that and it is not her job to decide that.

The Police Legal Adviser said the investigation remains open, but she gave no specific instructions to the Police adding that they are investigators and they know their functions and roles.

The public hearing aspect of the CoI comes to an end on Friday when the attorneys will present their closing argument.

Dawn Hastings to head new Ministry

S

ome two months after re-designating senior Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine Minister of Public Service, President David Granger announced on Wednesday that Minister within the Communities Ministry, Dawn Hastings-Williams, will now serve as Minister of Public Affairs, a new post created within the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP).

The President said moving Hastings-Williams to a position within the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) is designed to continue rebalancing and evaluating the work and performance of his administration.

He said the MoTP, over the last two years, has had to assume responsibility for various areas of administration, including the environment and national security.

“So she is there to assist me in managing the responsibility. It is a question of my own judgement. I continuously have to evaluate the workload of every ministry,” he said.

The President has expressed confidence in Minister Hastings-W i l liams satisfactorily performing duties she has been assigned, especially given her experience as a thirdterm Parliamentarian. He reminded that the Public Infrastructure Ministry (MPI) was responsible for telecommunication, a sector he later placed in the hands of Minister Cathy Hughes.

He said he had likewise paid visits and had some investigations done at the Ministry of Education, and similarly placed the New Opportunity Corps (NOC) under the wings

Newly designated Minister of Public Affairs, Dawn Hastings-Williams

of the Ministry of Social Protection.

“So there is a continuous process to ensure that Government works well, and we needed to ensure we put our best efforts where those efforts could have an impact on government,” he said.

news

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thursDAY, august 17, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, August 17 – 13:30h-15:00h and Friday, August 18 – a night time retraction at 01:00h and a day retraction at 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, August 17 – 12:50h-14:20h and Friday, August 18 – 13:55h-15:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery to heavy rain showers can be expected in the morning, with sunny weather expected in the afternoon. Clear skies can be expected in the evening, with temperatures ranging between 24 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging from Easterly to East South-easterly and East North-easterly between 2.68 metre to 3.57 metres.

High Tide: 12:42h reaching a maximum height of 2.29.

Low Tide: 06:05h and 18:36h reaching minimum heights of 0.83 metre and 0.94 metre respectively.

wednesDAY, AUGUST 16, 2017

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DAILY MILLIONS 01 08 14 15 19 LUCKY 3 3 3 7 Afternoon Draw

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Controversial Broadcast Bill

Granger maintains Govt's position despite calls for non-assent …says critics need to see both sides of the picture

P

resident David Granger has not shifted his Administration’s stance on the controversial Broadcast Bill, but has instead called on those who criticise the bill to see that its objective is to benefit all Guyanese.

The Head of State has called on critics to fully understand Government’s rationale in moving in the direction it has. According to President, it is Government’s objective to ensure that every Guyanese, whether they live on the coastland or in the interior regions, have access to public information.

“We are prepared to listen to the comments and criticisms, but we must always bear in mind that Guyana is a thinly populated country; the population density is just about a few persons per square kilometre. Most of the media houses are concentrated on the coastland and Georgetown.

There are huge areas of the country that do not have media coverage. We need to correct that,” The Head of State said.

He stressed that most likely there will be an “information deficit” if the media remain central in the capital city and its environs and do not cover certain issues.

President Granger said a lot of thought was put into drafting the bill, and Government is prepared to listen to any comments and criticism, but those must be given with a clear understanding of what Government is seeking to do.

Acknowledging that some elements of the bill have caused some concern, he again asked that critics be more aware of the peculiar nature of Guyana and ensure that all communities are given access to information.

The President said he supports the private media as he supports the freedom of information, but noted that Government also has an obligation to ensure that all corners of the country are well informed about what is happening in the various sectors.

He said Government has begun a programme of establishing broadcasting services, starting from Region One (Barima Waini) to Region Nine (Upper Takutu/ Upper Essequibo).

“This is the way we have to go. We have to think about the function of public information,” he said, ah he declared it is not Government’s intention to prevent any media outfit from fulfilling its constitutional role, but Government has a responsibility to ensure the security of the country.

“We have an obligation, and I would like to ask the critics of the Broadcast Bill to see both sides of the picture,” he appealed.

Government had come

President David Granger

under fire from stakeholders, including the International Press Association, about its mode of operation regarding the bill, which was passed in the National Assembly recently. Part of the bill mandates that all television and radio stations provide one hour for the broadcast of Public Service Announcements (PSA).

The Parliamentary Opposition has recently said it is prepared to challenge the bill in court. Opposition Member of Parliament Anil Nandlall said recently that the PPP would challenge the matter in court, since the bill tramples on the right to press freedom.

He said the matter would be challenged on several grounds, but particularly on ground of the licence having the same spectrum reach.

The other aspect of the legal challenge will be based on the mandatory imposition of one hour of Government service on private broadcasters’ media. parliamentary The Opposition has maintained that the bill in its current form is ‘unconstitutional’, and will have several implications on private broadcasters. Broadcasters have been advised to challenge the bill in court, because it would have far reaching repercussions that could harm their businesses.

Apart from obtaining a conservatory order, Nandlall said, those who file the court action could seek damages

for breach of constitutional rights.

Private broadcast companies have since come out in criticism of the Government over the proposed bill, and have asked for deferral of its debate and passage.

The Guyana Press Association has also criticised the Government over the proposed Broadcast Amendment Bill, and has asked for its deferral.

Additionally, several international organisations, including the International Press Institute (IPI) and Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), called Reporters Without Borders, also urged the President not to assent to this controversial bill without “consultations with broadcasters, in order to take into account their recommendations”.

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

Independence of India I

ndia celebrated the 70th anniversary of its independence from Britain on the 15th instant. Its independence in 1947 was a remarkable event that reverberated in all of the colonies of the British Empire, including then British Guiana - on which “the sun never sat”. Independence for India confirmed that it was only a matter of “when” for the colonies to also be free.

India has since continued to play a key leadership role for the other colonies. Initially, it attempted to chart a middle path between the two competing ideologies of capitalism and communism - represented respectively by the US and the USSR. In 1955, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru organised an Asian-African conference at Bandung, Indonesia, which brought together more than half of the world’s population to declare their opposition to colonialism and neo-colonialism. Later, with the leaders of Ghana, Egypt, Yugoslavia, and Indonesia, he helped launch the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which unfortunately was seen as taking a side by NOT taking a side.

India attempted to steer a middle course, both politically and economically, by combining elements of the two dominant ideologies, but this did not lead to the levels of development needed to pull it out of the morass one hundred and fifty years of British colonialism had mired it in. India inevitably became an exemplar of the consequences of what was called “underdevelopment” in the seventies. This process can be illustrated by the history of the cotton industry of India.

In 1700, India was supplying up to 90% of the cotton fabrics in world trade. By the end of the 18th century, however, after the conquest of India, most of the manufacturing of the fabric was transferred to England, and, within two decades, Britain became the top exporter and India’s share fell to 20%. The British banned the importation of textile looms and other machinery into India, and the latter was stuck with producing cotton and importing fabrics from England. To rub salt into the wound, the cultivation of cotton was encouraged in the US, which soon surpassed India as the top producer of this crop. Those parts of India where the cotton industry was destroyed -- UP and Bihar -- today still remain the most poverty-stricken parts of India.

But the underdevelopment of India was replicated in every tropical colony, where the countries were directed to produce raw materials to be manufactured - and most pertinently - “value added” in the colonial metropole. For instance, Guyana still produces cheap raw sugar that has to be exported to England to be refined into expensive white sugar, which is sold to consumers.

But India still remains a model for the former British colonies - and other underdeveloped countries.

Through all its travails, India has remained a democratic country. Today it is the largest in the world, even though may in the “First World” had predicted this was not possible in the face of the magnitude of challenges presented to the leadership. However, India has now become a beacon in another area: not the simplistic promulgation of a “middle path” consisting of a melange of the competing foreign ideologies, as in the sixties, but in starting to forge its own path based on its own ancient traditions – modified, where appropriate, by new proven advances.

This is what has been signalled by India’s new and dynamic Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and his party, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which has comprehensively replaced the Congress Party across India. The point the former are making is that with the fall of communism and the present ruptures in capitalism, what is needed is a paradigm of development that takes into cognisance the strengths of each polity and nation.

Development cannot ignore the culture of each nation: it must be autochthonous.

This is something that Guyana also needs to do. In the first two decades, it tried socialism. That failed, and in the last two decades it tried neo-liberalism, which also foundered.

Assistant Commissioner Clifton Hicken, in collaboration with Community Relations Offices’ ranks of ‘A’ and ‘C’ Divisions, enabled children from communities within the divisions to have “a chance of a lifetime” opportunity to interact with members of the Guyana Amazon Warriors Cricket Team. The event was held at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, and youths between the ages of 6 and 15 years were given opportunity to meet and greet members of the famous Amazon Warriors, who are scheduled to pay at Guyana today at the National Stadium

Do nothing, fear nothing Dear Editor, A letter which appeared in another section of the media under the title “Will the Auditor General investigate the deputy chief elections officer?” is the second deliberate attempt at besmirching my integrity – obviously with clandestine objectives.

And it brings to mind something that a former boss of mine had continuously repeated; i.e. a lie repeated often enough metamorphoses to become the truth. That is the only reason why I have taken the decision to respond to this piece of mischief, lest the general populace internalize the contents of the letter to conclude that I have been involved in corrupt undertakings, and that somehow I am being shielded and protected.

The motive behind this targeted aggression is anybody’s guess, and it leaves great room for speculation.

The forensic investigations that are currently being conducted by the Auditor General into allegations of fraud have nothing to do with me. Accordingly, I will not comment on this, except to note that reference to this was made at the opening of the letter to create the plat-

form to launch the mischief aimed at me.

I am not at all surprised at this letter, because of reasons I need not mention here.

However, I find it astounding that the author(s) of the letter would attack the Auditor General in an attempt to dare him to launch an investigation into me relative to allegations that were published in the Guyana Chronicle last year. In so doing, the author(s) failed to recall that I had debunked those allegations via the said articles in the Guyana Chronicle. One year later – here we go again.

Specifically, the letter asked: Why was Vishnu Persaud signing contracts and documents as deputy chief election officer and public relations officer”? And “whether I was usurping the functions of the substantive PRO at the time…”

In this regard, please note the following:I have never signed any contract in my capacity as Deputy Chief Election Officer; nor have I signed any as Public Relations Officer.

Documents prepared by me -- in my capacity as Deputy Chief Election Officer and Public Relations Officer -- for submission to GECOM

personnel above me were required to be signed by me for obvious reasons.

There was an instance in which I prepared the evaluation of quotations pertaining to Civic and Voter Education during the high activity period of preparations for the conduct of the 2015 General and Regional Elections. This is an activity that I had been doing over the years, as authorized by the Commission.

In so doing, and in the interest of saving time, I had copied the format from the last evaluation I had done and made the required changes accordingly. The evaluation was submitted to the CEO for approval with my designation unintentionally stated as Public Relations Officer, as had been copied from the earlier evaluation. The CEO brought this to my attention, and I requested that he return the document to me so that I can append the rubber stamp of the Deputy Chief Election Officer, sign accordingly and return it. This was done. In retrospect, I admit that I should have printed a new page and signed thereon, or at the least cancel my signature as PRO. I have never usurped, nor even encroached upon, the

functions of the PRO at reference.

In view of the foregoing, I wish to categorically state that, throughout my tenure at GECOM -- which commenced in November 2001 -- I have never conducted myself in any way, shape, or form that could have brought disrepute to me or the Commission. On the contrary, I stand grounded in my conviction that I have always carried out my responsibilities with loyalty to the organization, and with consistent efficiency, to the satisfaction of my superiors.

I therefore have no reluctance or objection to avail myself for any investigation pertaining to any area of my conduct relative to official activities that were undertaken by me at GECOM. As it relates to the use of quotes, I will close with this simple one that was taught to us by all of our grandparents: “Do nothing, fear nothing”.

This is my only and last public position on this matter.

Kind regards, Vishnu Persaud Deputy Chief Election Officer

Harry Gill’s attempt to belittle my character, integrity Dear Editor I recently wrote a letter to the press supporting the directive of His Excellency President David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, to the Police Service Commission -- to put on hold promotions for Police officers. There have since been diverse reactions in the print and electronic media and elsewhere on the

President's directive, including a letter written by Harry Gill which appeared in sections of the media.

I feel that Harry Gill's letter is a subtle attempt to belittle my character and integrity. His letter is riddled with inaccuracies and irrelevancies, and contains a massive dose of unadulterated piffle.

Instead of dealing with the fact at issue, he backtracked

and referred to my well ventilated exchange of views in the media with the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority and the Police Public Relations and Press Officer. However, he skillfully failed to refer to my responses to both parties. Let me briefly state the issues. I questioned the legality of the investigators of the PCA to investigate alleged breaches of discipline

under the Police (Discipline) Act Chapter 17:01. I argued that the PCA investigators were not members of the Force, they have no rank, they were not appointed/ promoted by the Guyana Police Force or the Police Service Commission; hence they were breaching the Act whenever they investigate matters of a disciplinary nature. continues on page 5

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News

Family homeless as fire guts Sophia house

F

our persons, including a toddler, have been rendered homeless after a fire of unknown origin completely gutted their home at Lot E91 North Sophia, Georgetown on Wednesday.

This house was reportedly occupied by 21-year-old Matthew Gravesande; his one-year-old child; the baby’s mother, Yolanda Persaud; and his sister, a prison warden. The fire reportedly began at the rear of the home, in the room occupied by the prison warden, the owner’s sister.

Gravesande detailed that he and his sister had left for work in the morning, and at about 14:30h, he received a call informing him that the

The rubble created by the fire at North Sophia

one-storey wooden building was on fire.

Guyana Times understand that no one was at home at the time, since mother and baby had left a few

days ago to visit a relative.

However, another wooden house in the yard is occupied by Gravesande’s wife’s sister, Anastasia PersaudSharples, and her four chil-

dren. Neighbours who rushed to the scene recalled seeing smoke emanating from that home and alerting the woman, who was at home with two of her four children.

The Fire Service was then informed. Shortly before the firemen arrived, residents formed themselves into a bucket brigade to battle the blaze. This publication spoke with several eyewitnesses, who related what they had seen.

“The fire was about 2 o’clock time. We see smoke and I just run out because a lil boy thought was a motorbike man revving. But when I run out, I see was fire, and I run back for me phone,” one of the neighbours who called

the Fire Service related.

“My mother live not far from me, and she said that is not fire, but I said was somebody burning tyres. But when I get up, you could not even walk here; the fire black, black and (I) could not even walk there (because of) the heat!” a female resident indicated, adding that the entire situation had made her nervous.

Ms Persaud-Sharples related that she was scared for the safety of her two children who were home at the time. She claimed that someone stole her mobile phone while she was busy taking her household items out of the house.

“From when I call, they

take lil long. I went and start wet me house, and dem boys them start wet the rest,” the woman indicated, referring to the work of the bucket brigade which the residents had formed.

By the time the fire fighters arrived, the woman said, the front house was already gutted. She was thankful that no damage had resulted to her home.

This publication received information that firefighters are puzzled as to how the fire began, since the home had no electricity and no one was present cooking. Two gas bottles were seen at the fire scene; one under the house and the other at the front.

(Shemuel Fanfair)

Harry Gill’s attempt to belittle my character...

from page 4

The chairman had different views, and recommended that I read several sections of the law and the Disciplined Forces Commission Report of 2003; which I did, but did not find anything that amended Section 5.(1) of the Act. Since this section became law in 1975, it has remained pristine.

Out of respect for each other, the Chairman and I rested our cases. Belatedly, Harry Gill has re-opened the case, and has appointed himself judge, jury and executioner for the matter. So be it.

The PRO was given to publish a letter that was crafted by four members of the GPF in relation to some issues and concerns in the Force. I raised those issues and concerns, and they are now manifesting themselves

at the CoI been conducted

by Paul Slowe, retired Asst.

Commissioner of Police. I responded to that letter.

Perhaps Harry Gill did not read it. I still stand with what I wrote about ghosting, and have refuted the baseless accusation that I deliberately attempted to mislead members of the public on activities and issues within the Guyana Police Force. We exchanged different views. End of the matter. In his letter, Harry Gill mentioned my name fifteen times, and sent me on early retirement since October 1st 2008. He took away from me four years of quality service that I gave to the GPF and the citizens of Guyana.

The PPP member of Parliament placed me on a list of unemployed retirees;

questioned whether or not I may be one of the Policemen who may have faced disciplinary actions for violating the very laws we took an oath to uphold; and raised doubt as to whether indeed I had been an upright and outstanding police officer during my long career in the Guyana Police Force.

He posited a hasty assumption that I may be making myself available for many of “the lucrative job opportunities” that this administration has made available to retired members of the security sector, and opined that I may be invited to join SARA. I do not like to blow my own trumpet, but would like to let the PPP Member of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee for Security Sector know that, after 39

years of unbroken service in the GPF, there is not a single entry of disciplinary, corrupt or criminal offence committed by me listed in my personal file at Police Headquarters or anywhere else.

Since my retirement, I am happily and gainfully employed. Harry Gill stated that Conway appears to be always sucking up to the President, and asked if I am privileged to inside information to determine how long the Col will last. Let me be pellucid: I worked under eight Presidents. Some persons may not know this, but I had very close relationships with a few. I NEVER SUCK UP TO ANYONE, moreso President David Granger.

The date when the CoI is expected to end is public knowledge -- August 18, 2017.

No need for me to have inside information. But what if l had?

This will be my only response to Harry Gill. I need to use my time to do better things.

Yours faithfully, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (retired) Clinton Conway

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Foundation

sk someone this question, “What is your first memory?” They are likely to have a response. Many times, it is vivid in recollection, striking in its visual details, and interesting in its emotional valence.

We are hunched beneath a table: my parents, my toddler sister and me. It is night. All the lights are out. There is a blackout in the city. The air raid sounded earlier to warn us: enemy planes are flying overhead. The city’s is swathed in a blanket of darkness. Anxiety rises; my first thoughts are of my tricycle, it is out on the balcony just waiting to be obliterated. I chastise my six-year-old self for not having brought it in. Then I see them – fireflies – the darkness lifted by pinpoints of light.

Like all old memories, this one moves from the recesses of childhood into consciousness, like fog that forms on the horizon over the sea and slowly overtakes the land. It gathers and blows forward whenever in adult life fear, anxiety, and doubt strike their chords in sharp, discordant notes that threaten peace and calm.

Mental time travel, as cognitive neuroscientist, Endel Tulvin, labelled such experiences, is splintered, laden with retrospective emotion, and impacted by the recall of others of the event. It may be more reflective of a mythical family narrative than reality. Freudian theory, or depth psychology, suggests that the early memories laden with negative affect are repressed but not gone – as they lay coiled like a venomous snake in the unconscious, waiting to strike out. Other researchers demonstrated that the negative, abuse memories from childhood may sometimes be false. Current researchers take a neurobiological stance; they debate the accuracy of young children’s ability to encode information, called episodic memory, and how long such memories are retrievable.

Whether one ascribes the authenticity and process of childhood memories to neurobiology or depth psychology, the fact is we all have early memories. Memories are narratives, stories we sometimes need to be reminded about

our resilience. In difficult times, we need to draw on inner strength. And, like the fireflies, they come into our adult consciousness at specific moments. Whether real or not, they are telling us something about ourselves; sounding a warning bell; or giving us guidance.

How do you listen to these memories? How do you cull the hidden lesson?

Let’s look at our example of a childhood memory. It surfaces in adulthood in times of stress and anxiety. What is it telling the person? The fireflies are points of hope in this memory; letting the child know that the darkness will not overtake them. When this memory appears in adulthood, it is a sign directing the person to move toward hope. It punctures the anxiety by letting the oppressive blanket of fear escape.

What is the hidden lesson here? It may not look hopeful.

The real stressor may be genuinely awful: - A work situation that you cannot control, where you are unfairly treated - A relationship gone sour - The illness of a loved one - Defeat and loss in an enterprise Look for the themes in the memory. First comes the fear, next the self-chastisement, and then the pinpricks of hope. The memory is awakened to send this message: don’t give up, it may look dark, but there is light. It may look as if the enemy will destroy you, but you

will survive.

Fireflies come to us when our situation seems the most hopeless; their light comes to lift the despair. Look around you in these moments for the light. The light is the sympathetic ear of a genuine friend; the acts of kindness and unselfishness that come in these moments; the hand that reaches out to help and uplift you.

Like a child who uses a blanket to self-soothe, a memory may be a psychological mechanism awakened at certain moments to protect us from hopelessness. Its purpose is to trigger our recall of times of adversity that we were able to overcome. (psychologytoday.com)

M

ost adults struggle to recall events from their first few years of life and now scientists have identified exactly when these childhood memories fade and are lost forever.

A new study into childhood amnesia – the phenomenon where early memories are forgotten – has found that it tends to take effect around the age of seven.

The researchers found that while most three year olds can recall a lot of what happened to them over a year earlier, these memories can persist while they are five and six, but by the time they are over seven these memories decline rapidly.

Most children by the age of eight or nine can only recall 35 per cent of their experiences from under the age of three, according to the new findings.

The psychologists behind the research say this is because at around this age the way we form memories

have some likelihood of being remembered later in life.”

Professor Bauer and her colleagues studied 83 children over several years for the research, which is published in the scientific journal Memory. The youngsters first visited the laboratory at the age of three years old and discussed six unique events from their past, such as family outings, camping holidays, trips to the zoo, first day of school and birthdays. The children then returned for a second session at the ages between five years old and nine years old to discuss the same events and were asked to recall details they had previously remembered.

The researchers found that between the ages of five and seven, the amount of the memories the children could recall remained between 6372 per cent.

However, the amount of information the children who were 8 and nine years

begins to change. They say that before the age of seven children tend to have an immature form of recall where they do not have a sense of time or place in their memories. In older children, however, the early events they can recall tend to be more adult like in their content and the way they are formed. Children also have a far faster rate of forgetting than adults and so the turnover of memories tends to be higher, meaning early memories are less likely to survive. The findings also help to explain why children can often have vivid memories of events but then have forgotten them just a couple of years later. Professor Patricia Bauer, a psychologist and associate dean for research at Emory college of Arts and Science who led the study, said: “The paradox of children’s memory competence and adults’ seeming “incompetence” at remembering early childhood events is striking.

“Though forgetting is more rapid in the early childhood years, eventually it slows to adult levels.

“Thus memories that “survived” early childhood

old dropped dramatically to 35 and 36 per cent. When the researchers looked closely at the kind of details the children were and were not able to remember, they found marked age differences. The memories of the younger children tended to lack autobiographical narrative such as place and time.

Their memories also had less narrative, which the researchers believe may lead to a process known as “retrieval induced forgetting” – where the action of remembering causes other information to be forgotten.

As they children got older, however, the memories they recalled from early childhood tended to have these features. Professor Bauer said: “The fact that the younger children had less-complete narratives relative to the older children, likely has consequences for the continued accessibility of early memories beyond the first decade of life.

“We may anticipate that memories that survive into the ninth or tenth year of life, when narrative skills are more developed, would continue to be accessible over time.” (The Telegraph)

news

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thursDAY, August 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Another prison raid

Sim cards, cellphones, lighters, weapons seized P

rison officials carried out a raid at the Camp Street Prison in the morning hours of Wednesday, and a quantity of cannabis, three cell phones with SIM cards, four lighters, 20 improvised weapons and three razor blades were unearthed among the inmates.

This raid follows the transfer of high-profile criminals from that penal facility, after which multiple efforts were made to sanitise the facility.

Ever since the July 9 fire that effectively sacked the Camp Street Prison, several hundred prisoners have been relocated to penitentiaries across the country, but after a major incident wherein 13 inmates escaped from the Lusignan facility just 2 weeks after being rehoused there, authorities have opted to

Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels

place those “real bad” prisoners at the Georgetown facility.

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, has noted that before being placed at the

new holding area, the prisoners were sanitised immediately prior to leaving the walled area of the Lusignan Prisons, where they were being held before their return to Camp Street.

“They don’t have cell phones. They don’t have a number of the things that they had. They were sanitised this morning before they went into the prison… so it is important that we understand that. They were sanitised at Lusignan, and then re-sanitised back at the prison [Camp Street].

So they are without all of the instruments and cell phones and other things that they had before,” the Minister had told media operatives on July 25.

Three major raids conducted respectively at Lusignan, Timehri and New Amsterdam prisons on August 4th -- after it had

Toshao, Minister clash over developing tourism in Bartica

T

he benign nature of the launch of the Bartica Regatta 2017 event was eclipsed by Mainstay Whyaka village Toshao Joel Fredericks putting the Government on the spot for failing to adequately invest in the development of the community’s tourism potential.

Both the indigenous leader and a representative of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI) expressed concern that enough was not being done to fuel tourism in Bartica. A direct appeal was made by Fredericks to Social Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton, who was present at the event.

“It is 17 years since you have Regatta here,” Fredericks said. “And I am a bit saddened to see very little (growth). I believe that the Government, (if) the Government made more input, we would have growth.

I am calling on Ministers of the Government to observe and see what is happening.

Let us see how we can attract more people, (and) how we can work together to better this Regatta here at Mainstay. This is an appeal to the Minister of Tourism,” Toshao Fredericks expressed.

Delivering insight into the situation, President of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Deleep Singh, said infrastructural development and training in hospitality services are needed to boost the tourism sector in that county.

Chief among the infrastructural changes, the Chamber of Commerce President remarked, was the need for an overhaul of the Good Hope/Supenaam Ferry Stelling; and there

Mainstay Whyaka village Toshao Joel Fredericks

Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton

also is need for infrastructural improvements to the many tourist destinations located in Essequibo.

“The Essequibo Chamber of Commerce is working this year to develop the tourism sector in this region, [as] there is a lot of potential for tourism,” Singh highlighted.

The hotel owner and businessman further highlighted that there is need for much more training for persons living and working in the area -- on dealing with an influx of tourists and locals to enhance and grow the industry.

“We need to train our boat operators, taxi drivers, and every single one that is involved in handling tourists…because tourists need to be handled with respect,” he added as he referred to advancements made in the Caribbean tourist sector.

Singh added that the ECCI would be working with the relevant authorities on erecting road signs, improving road shoulders, and removing stray animals from the roadway.

One of the upcoming highlights in Region Two is the development of a biodiversity park, which is slated

to attract hikers and birdwatchers.

Cabinet

For his part, Minister Norton promised to intercede with Cabinet to renew its focus on Bartica. He noted that infrastructural works, including works on the roads, would form part of the considerations.

“His (Fredericks’s) appeal was ably answered

by Mr Dalip Singh, the president of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce, who mentioned all that is budgeted for the development of this area. I can assure him his appeal will certainly not end here, but would be taken to the level of Cabinet.

“In the near future, it would do us all good to have better roads to come into Mainstay, so that we could all enjoy ourselves,” Minister Norton declared.

The Bartica Regatta is an annual event which features a number of activities, including pageants and waterfront races.

There are also events such as canoeing, sailing, water polo, and swimming. It is considered a tourist attraction on both a local and foreign front.

The contraband items seized in Wednesday’s raid on the Camp Street Prison

been announced that the prisoners had been sanitized -- had unearthed more than 40 improvised weapons, 20 cellphones, 3 tattoo machines, 28 packs of cigarettes, 33 lighters, and quantities of drugs.

Implicated officer’s file with DPP

Following investigations by prison authorities at the Timehri facility, Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, had reported that an officer was at the centre of the investigation. The officer was arrested after a prisoner claimed that he had paid “big money” to a staff to allow the items to pass through the security check point.

The prohibited items found at Timehri included eight lighters, seven smoking utensils, 16 improvised

weapons, eight packs of cigarettes, two dining forks, two pairs of scissors, five cell phone chargers, one bottle pepper sauce, three cellular phones, one tattoo machine, a quantity of tobacco, and 305 grams of cannabis.

Sources within the prison system and the Police Force confirmed on Wednesday that the relevant file is with the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), and they are awaiting advice. This comes nearly two weeks after the prison officer was first arrested.

During the August 4 major raid, three workers attached to a waste disposal service were arrested, and one, Akeem John, pleaded guilty and is now serving a three-year sentence for attempting to smuggle contraband inside the

Lusignan Prison. A black bag with several packs of cigarettes and other prohibited items suspected to be marijuana -- in black plastic bags and sealed with brown scotch tape - were found in their possession.

The two other employees a male and a female – have both pleaded not guilty to the offence.

After the July 9 fire and prison transfer, videos of prisoners using weapons to slaughter an animal and carve its meat on a pasture at the Lusignan facility had surfaced online. Moreover, prisoners were seen posting on social media, which caught the public’s attention. In 2016, Samuels, then Deputy Director of Prisons, had categorised contraband as a “multi-million-dollar business” from within the prison system.

8 news

thursDAY, august 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

2 charged for killing carpenter A fabian Yankana, 28, of Hadfield Street, Georgetown and Akeem Yamar were on Wednesday arraigned before City Magistrate Judy Latchman for the murder of 43-year-old Raul Rodriguez, who allegedly was stabbed to death in January last.

They were not allowed to plead to the charge, which allege that on January 20, 2017, at Croal Street, Stabroek Georgetown, they murdered Rodriguez, a carpenter, during the course of a robbery.

The men have been remanded to prison until August 22, when they would be arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Reports are that on the day of his demise, Rodriguez, late father of three and res-

Afabian Yankana and Akeem Yamar ident of 64 Leopold Street, Georgetown, reportedly had an altercation with his attack-

ers and was stabbed to his chest.

After being stabbed,

Rodrigues had reportedly run from his attackers, but subsequently collapsed in front of Demico House.

He was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Yankana, a bus conductor, was arrested by Police shortly after and charged with the offence of murder, while Yamar was later arrested and similarly charged. While being escorted to the holding cell at GMC following their arraignment on Wednesday, family members of the deceased, including the sister of Rodriguez, Anastasia, were all heard yelling to the accused, “We will get justice for our brother! Y’all gon punish!”

Cop accused of fabricating claims to overthrow senior rank … as assault trial continues

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olice Constable Leandre Gillis was on Tuesday cross-examined by Defence Dexter Todd, who sought to compromise the credibility of the complainant before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, in the alleged assault case involving Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Frank Thompson.

The 29-year-old ASP of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, became the subject of public controversy and criticism when video footage of him assaulting a junior rank went viral on Facebook a few months ago. He was in mid-March this year arraigned before Magistrate Judy Latchman on charges of verbal assault and threatening language.

The first charge detailed that on February 27 last, at Broad Street, Georgetown, the accused used abusive language

Frank Thompson

to the Virtual Complainant (VC), Harrichand Budhai.

A brief synopsis of the incident, as initially provided to the court by the Prosecution, reports that on the day of the in-

cident, the ASP verbally abused and threatened to kill the VC and other occupants of his vehicle when Budhai approached him because he had crashed his vehicle into the motor car driven by the VC. Budhai had reported the incident to Police Constable Leandre Gillis, who was at the time on duty in the area and according to eye witnesses; Gillis was in turn verbally abused by the senior Police rank. The conduct of the ASP in dealing with Constable Gillis constituted the second charge of abusive language.

At Tuesdays’ court hearing, Gillis was drilled by the trial lawyer who suggested that he (Gillis) had known his client since his training days in the Force and that he had long-standing issues with him (Thompson). Todd also suggested to the plaintiff that he had been spreading word around

the courts that he (Gillis) can get the senior rank out of office.

A visibly unnerved Gillis faltered under cross-examination and denied the above suggestions advanced by Todd, who also questioned the discrepancies which arose between his statements and testimony in court.

Following this episode, Constable Nicholas Ingram took to the witness stand to unveil the events as they transpired on the day in question, in a sworn testimony before the court.

However, to the amusement of the court, Todd’s attempt to poke holes in the evidence offered (by the witness) was met with witty, precise and carefully constructed responses by Ingram who seemed to be well prepared for questioning.

This matter will continue at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on September 21.

None so blind…

Y

…as bigoted racists our Eyewitness was struck by a Reuters’ headline in his Yahoo feed of a Newsweek article: “Seventy Years On, India is Blighted

by Rabid Nationalism and Vigilantism”. Was this magazine for real? Or, for that matter, how was it picked up by Reuters and Yahoo? They were, of course, commenting on India’s celebrating the 70th anniversary of its independence from Britain.

But it’s more than interesting how they saw it. Your Eyewitness immediately wondered how Newsweek covered the sickness of racism that was oozing out of the US body politic at the same time down in Charlottesville. After all, from where your Eyewitness sits, 241 years on (after its independence from Britain), what it not “rabid nationalism and vigilantism” exploding in the US? But those Newsweek headlines were the usual bland reporting, like “CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS REMOVED OVERNIGHT IN BALTIMORE, WITH MORE TO GO ACROSS U.S. AFTER CHARLOTTESVILLE”.

None of the blatant editorializing that the headline on India reeked of. Weren’t the marches for keeping racist monuments against African Americans “rabid”? Wasn’t white nationalism “rabid”?? What about the ploughing down of one counter protester; isn’t that vigilantism? Not to mention all those beatings and killings of black motorists by white policemen. But what we should know is that this is the type of journalism that all of us in the Third World has been subjected to hundreds of years before they called it “fake news”.

The coverage of us natives was always slanted towards “putting us in our place” -- that “place” being down at the bottom of the totem or any other pole they chose. What makes it worse is: by their control of the media and all the means of communication - including what passes as “education” - most of us end up BELIEVING the stuff they feed us.

For quite a while, China, India and Africa (three quarters of humanity) were the poster boys for all sorts of stories about poverty and degradation.

Never mind it was the exploitation by the countries -- now “developed”, and able to control the media -- that made them “degraded,” to begin with. But by dint of its own efforts, China pulled itself up by its own bootstraps, and the brickbats and insults have practically stopped.

India and Africa are still getting it fast and furious.

But even in the Newsweek article, the writers had to concede in the body that India’s the fastest growing economy, and is poised to make quantum leaps in the next two decades.

All that will be left will be “poor” Africa…Never mind that they drained it of tens of millions and sold its natives into slavery. …as those who ignore the signs So, the Finance Minister assures us that “2% growth is nothing to sneeze at”. Maybe so. But why, when the PPP was boasting about their 5% growth being more than all of the other regional economies, were they derided? Shouldn’t this Minister be derided? It’s no use his saying some other economies might be doing worse. Since we’re just above Haiti in this Hemisphere, every one of the latter are waaaay more developed than we. The 2% won’t even enable us to catch up with, say, Trinidad, in the next century!!

If he’s satisfied with 2%, why doesn’t Minister Jordan recommend that the entire Cabinet return to the Treasury all the salary increase they received over 2%? After all, that’s nothing to sneeze about!! As a boy, your Eyewitness was taught that if you reach for the stars -- and even if things go awry -- you might get the moon. Not too bad.

But if you aim for the ground, don’t be surprised when you end up in the gutter!!

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

9 Swedish Ambassador to Guyana accredited A News

thursDAY, august 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Unauthorised money changers to face the law – BOG warns

T

he Bank of Guyana has put unauthorised money changers on notice that if they continue to ply their illicit trade and are caught, they will face the full extent of prosecution under the Dealers in Foreign Currency (Licensing) Act 1989.

According to the bank in a statement on Wednesday, only authorised dealers such as banks and non-bank cambios licensed under the Dealers in Foreign Currency Act are authorised to conduct buying and selling of foreign exchange.

“The Dealers in Foreign Currency Act (Licensing) Act 1989 states that foreign currency can only be bought and sold from a licensed authorised dealer. Section 17 (1) of the Act states that any person who sells to any person other than a licensee or

authorised dealer, any foreign currency shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine and imprisonment for one year.”

The bank reminded that section 17 (2) of the Act states that “any person not being an authorised dealer who buys or sells any foreign currency shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine and imprisonment for three years.”

Bank of Guyana stated it notes with concern that foreign exchange activities are being conducted outside of the official legal system and emphasises that any person caught contravening the Dealers in Foreign Currency

Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga

(Licensing) Act 1989 will be prosecuted.

Money changers, for the most part, are involved in a risky business that has already seen a number of them become targets of bandits. And during those incidents, the attention that

was brought to bear on them was a sympathetic one.

But a not so benign spotlight was recently shone on money changers, after shortages of foreign currency saw them hiking their rates. For instance, money changers around the city had raised their rates for the US dollar to G$220, although the rate was hovering at G$210.

Both Finance Minister Winston Jordan and Governor of the Central Bank of Guyana, Dr Gobind Ganga, had maintained that there is no shortage of foreign currencies in Guyana.

This is despite a number of complaints from customers of being turned away.

Dr Ganga had said that despite stern warnings from authorities, businesses are suspected to be hoarding foreign currencies and commercial banks and cambios are claiming shortages in order to cause customers to resort to paying exorbitant rates for foreign currencies, even purchasing elsewhere in light of the contrived scarcity.

And Jordan had announced that the Central Bank has no record of shortages at commercial banks.

“The Governor has assured me that he doesn’t know anything about that, because the banks haven’t approached him for foreign exchange,” Jordan stated on the radio programme.

Usually, when commercial banks experience a shortage, they turn to the Bank of Guyana to purchase the currency to meet the demands.

Jordan recently announced that the foreign exchange reserves at the Bank of Guyana are in excess of US$600 million, but commercial banks and cambios across the country continue to turn away customers, claiming a shortage of the US dollar; and based on the findings of this newspaper’s investigations, popular cambios are turning away regular patrons who are interested in purchasing foreign currencies.

This had resulted in businesspersons and the average Guyanese being forced to buy foreign currencies at exploitative rates.

s Guyana forges ahead with its ‘Green’ agenda, President David Granger on Wednesday accepted Letters of Credence from Swedish non-resident Ambassador Elizabeth Eklund, and declared that Guyana is looking forward to benefiting from the expertise of the Kingdom of Sweden.

The new Swedish Ambassador was accredited at State House, in the presence of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, Minister Dawn Hastings-Williams, and Director General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ms Audrey Waddell.

President Granger took the ambassador’s accreditation as an opportunity to declare how impressed Guyana was with Sweden’s strides in the fight against Climate Change, and said Guyana looks forward to that European country’s support in domestic efforts.

“Guyana applauds Sweden’s efforts in supporting increased access of finance for climate adaptation in developing countries like ours. Your Excellency, Guyana is part of the Guiana Shield, one of the world’s last remaining zones of pristine rainforest. Guyana’s forest is a global asset, providing climate mitigation services for all humanity…,” Granger noted.

The Head of State went on to point out that Guyana is moving towards the establishment of a ‘Green State’

President David Granger and Swedish Ambassador Elisabeth Eklund at State House following her accreditation ceremony on Wednesday

that will place emphasis on the preservation of its biodiversity, the protection of its environment, the provision of eco-tourism and eco-education services, and the promotion of renewable energy generation.

He noted that Guyana can benefit from the expertise and experience of its European counterpart.

“Guyana is keen to advance cooperation with Sweden, and advancing its green development agenda. Guyana can learn much from Sweden’s experience in promoting green living.

Guyana and Sweden’s common commitment to the protection of the earth’s environment can be the basis for enhancing, enlarging, and extending cooperation between our two states,” the Guyanese Leader said.

The newly accredited

ambassador, noting that the two countries share similar values and face the same challenges, has reassured her government’s continued support to Guyana, not only on national development, but on the international scene as well.

“Sweden believes that free trade is the forceful engine for growth. This is why Sweden has pursued open, simple, and fair conditions for international and private investments… Sweden and the EU (European Union, of which Sweden is a member) appreciate the multi-lateral partnership in Guyana and CARICOM (Caribbean Community), to better meet the global challenges,” Ambassador Eklund said.

Guyana first established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Sweden on June 16, 1975.

10 news

thursdAY, august 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Illegal aircraft

Government treating discovery as national security threat

P

resident David Granger has said Government is treating the discovery of the twin engine Beechcraft aircraft discovered in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) on Sunday as a matter of national security and would be determining the fate of the plane following the investigation.

He said an investigation has been launched to determine whether the twin engine Beechcraft landed at the illegal airstrip as a sign of distress or for illegal reasons.

The aircraft’s registration history

“It is premature for me to what will happen to the plane. We don’t know if it is in distress or if it was involved in illegal activity but soon as that investigation is completed, the Minister of State will communicate that view. Right now, we are treating it as a public security issue rather than a question of distress.

We know that people were running away and we know if they were wounded they would not have been running away, so let’s get to the facts first before we jump to conclusions,” the President

aviation fuel, were also discovered. During the search of the aircraft, several pieces of communication equipment, including cellular

NICIL not “totally” bankrupt – Minister Jordan

The Beechcraft Kingair aircraft

said.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told this publication they are trying to verify the origin of the aircraft and whether any criminal records are associated with the identifying documents found on the aircraft.

A history of the aircraft shows that it was owned by 11 companies in the past 27 years. The Beechcraft Kingair aircraft is currently registered to Banco Brandesco – one of Brazil’s third largest banks.

However, an official from the Bank said that they do not own any planes but it is registered to them since the owner may have acquired a loan to purchase it.

A mining company named Riwa SA Incorporated Investments and participants operate the aircraft. No trace of narcotics were found on the plane but identification cards of Venezuelan and Brazilian origin were discovered on board.

A multi-agency taskforce is still in the area conducting investigations. The aircraft is expected to be flown to the city following minor repairs.

On Sunday, acting on information, a team from F Division (Interior locations) visited the area and discov-

phones, flashlights, a quantity of dried ration, medical supplies and an identification card were discovered.

ered a 5400-foot long, 45foot wide airstrip which appeared to have undergone recent repairs. This strip had been discovered and destroyed by the Guyana Defence Force only a few years ago. The aircraft landed while the ranks were making their way back to the airstrip. They reported that they saw some persons running into the bush.

According the F Division Commander Ravindradat Budhram, having received information from an unnamed source that the airstrip was being used, investigating ranks visited the site and were leaving the area when they observed an aircraft circling some distance away. The aircraft landed while the ranks were making their way back to the airstrip. They reported that they saw some persons running from the aircraft.

Following the discovery of the plane, an extensive search was mounted by a Joint Services team for the men and the search continues.

Budhram noted that a search of the area unearthed three abandoned camps, in which canned food and other items were found.

Additionally, 16 10-gallon containers, which are suspected to have contained

G

overnment has come to the defence of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), stating that although the entity may be performing poorly financially, it is not bankrupt per say, because there are a number of factors influencing its overall performance.

This comment was made

by Finance Minister Winston Jordan after the CEO of NICIL, Horace James, stated that the entity is now owed millions of dollars by various companies and State agencies and that it was too broke to even go after all of its debtors.

“They (NICIL) are not bankrupt, bankrupt but they (NICIL) don’t control the level of resources that allowed them to recklessly invest in places like Marriott and Berbice Bridge,” Jordan said.

In providing a background to NICIL, the Minister said the entity was originally established to manage Government investment and when it first started, it had a very small staff.

Jordan recalled that back in 1994, a bill was tabled in Parliament by former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Member of Parliament, Asgar Alli, paving the way for the establishment of the Privatisation Unit within NICIL. He claimed that the Unit was not legal but a department of the Finance

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Ministry. “And if you check back old estimates, you would see transfers from Ministry of Finance to the Privatisation Unit to cover its cost because privatisation should not be generating anything, if they sold something and privatised it, the net revenues should come to the Consolidated Fund.”

The Minister explained that the Unit’s financial expenses were therefore funded from the treasury but all of that changed post 1992. “And I believe at the time when they had ran out of privatisation, some merger took place between Privatisation Unit and NICL,” he stated. continued on page 12

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thursDAY, august 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

CoI denies Crime Chief’s request to challenge Ramnarine’s testimony

C

rime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, on Wednesday wrote to the Commission of Inquiry, investigating the Police Investigation into the alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger, seeking the opportunity be recalled giving evidence to dispute statements made by acting Police Commissioner, David Ramnarine, while under oath. However, CoI Commissioner Paul Slowe denied that request.

When Assistant Police Commissioner, Ramnarine, took the stand on July 28 he told the Commission of Inquiry that Blanhum indicated he placed Nizam Khan, the man who allegedly offered his neighbour $7M to kill the president, on bail following a briefing on the morning of March 30 at around 05:30hrs.

He also told that in-

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

spite Inspector Prem Narine, ASP Caesar and Commissioner Persaud testifying otherwise, Ramnarine would testify otherwise.

“I would therefore respectfully request that I be given an opportunity to be recalled to give

Guyana Police Force (GPF) to the reports and the extent to which such actions were conducted or executed with due diligence; determine whether any person, and in particular, officers of the GPF had information before and after reports were made of a plan to assassinate the President and whether any such officers communicated that information to a superior authority.

Commissioners will also record and report on what official action was taken on the basis of the information received and whether there was due diligence by the officers of the GPF in the investigation of the plan to assassinate the President and determine whether there was failure, neglect or omission to thoroughly and properly investigate the plan to assassinate the President and determine whether such failure or

The letter Crime Chief sent to the CoI

quiry that he later learnt that Blanhum misled him and that it was substantive Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud, who ordered the release.

In his letter, Blanhum denied briefing Ramnarine on the said date and time.

“I never gave any instructions to grant station bail to Nizam Khan, Imran Khan or Andriff Gillard. Further, at no time did I brief Assistant Commissioner David Ramnarine on the status of this investigation at 05:30 hours on the 30th March and I never told him that I granted bail to Nizam Khan because at 05:30 hours on the said date, I had no knowledge that Nizam Khan was placed on station bail. I maintain that I was only informed that Nizam Khan was placed on station bail at about 08:30 hours when Assistant Superintendent of Police Mitchell Caesar briefed me at my morning meeting,” Blanhum wrote.

He noted that he finds it appalling that de-

sworn evidence before the Commission of Inquiry to address this issue,” Blanhum concluded.

Attorney Glen Hanoman, who represents the interest of Commissioner Persaud in the CoI, said that he is of the view that the Crime Chief is trying to invoke the ‘Salmon Letter’ proceedings. The salmon letters are official letters sent out by a public inquiry to people that will be subject to criticism when that inquiry’s report is released.

The aim of the letter is to give the person a chance to prepare for the resultant exposure and possible legal recourse, which may need to be taken when allegations against them become public.

The CoI seeks to: inquire into persons, places, time and circumstances and events by and through which allegations and reports came to be made of an intention to assassinate the President; investigate the full range of the actions and responses of the

omission was intentional.

The Commissioners will seek to also determine the

CoI Commissioner Paul Slowe and the Commission’s Attorney James Bond

blameworthiness for the failure or neglect of officers or persons involved in the investigation and recommend action to be taken against persons found to

be blameworthy. They will also recommend steps that can be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incident and identify systemic issues, if any, in the GPF’s

competence to investigate matters of this nature.

The very ToRs led the Crime Chief to dispatching the letter.

12 news UK warns citizens of “likely” terrorist attacks in TT thursDAY, august 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

B

ritain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on Friday last updated its travel advisory on Trinidad and Tobago, cautioning of potential terrorist attacks in the Caribbean islands.

According to the advisory, “Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Trinidad & Tobago. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners.”

It went on to note that although there have been no recent attacks in the twin island, more than 100 Trinidad and Tobago nationals have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight along with Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL) and are likely to pose a security threat on return.

“There's also a threat from individuals who may have been inspired by terrorist groups, including Daesh and al Qaeda, to carry out so-called 'lone actor' attacks targeting public events or places,” the advisory detailed.

It further referred back to January 30, 2017, when Trinidad and Tobago’s National Security Ministry confirmed that it is working closely with international partners – especially the United States, Britain and Canada – in strategic

FLASHBACK: fighting for isis: Trinidadian fighters Shane Crawford (centre), Arshad Mohammed (second from left) and three other unidentified Trinidadians pose for a photo, wearing military gear and holding assault weapons, in Syria in 2015

areas such as intelligence and information sharing on people who are found to be associated with any terrorist group, whether locally or internationally.

“There's a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.

Find out more about the global threat from terrorism, how to minimise your risk and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack,” Britain advised.

The August 11 travel advisory update was done against a March 1 update in which the UK said that

“There is a general threat from terrorism.”

Over the recent years, the conversation has been deepening on ISIS turning to the Caribbean region for recruitment. In fact, recent reports have revealed that the twin island of Trinidad and Tobago, with a population of just 1.3 million, is said to be largest recruitment source of ISIS per capita, in the Western Hemisphere.

This is following revelations by the T&T Government back in February that some 130 of its nationals, including women and children, have left for Syria and Iraq over the last four years and are suspected of being involved

in terrorist activities.

Subsequently, a New York Times article had reported that law enforcement in the decorated tourism destination country were “scrambling to close

a pipeline that has sent a steady stream of young Muslims to Syria, where they have taken up arms for the Islamic State...”

This was after the then newly US President elect, Donald Trump, had a phone conversation with Trinidadian Prime Minister, Keith Rowley, about terrorism and other security challenges.

“American officials worry about having a breeding ground for extremists so close to the United States, fearing that Trinidadian fighters could return from the Middle East and attack American diplomatic and oil installations in Trinidad, or even take a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Miami,” said journalist Francis Robles in the February 21, 2017 article titled “Trying to Stanch

Trinidad’s Flow of Young Recruits to ISIS”.

There are propaganda videos released by the Islamic State portraying fighters, speaking with Trinidadian accents, training in the desert with sniper rifles and encouraging their countrymen to join them.

Trinidad has a history of Islamic extremism.

Back in 1990, a radical Muslim group – Jamaat al Muslimeen – held the then-Prime Minister and several Cabinet members hostage during a sixday siege which claimed 24 lives. More recently, in 2012, Trinidadian national Kareem Ibrahim was sentenced to life in prison for joining a failed plot to blow up the John F Kennedy International Airport, New York, in 2007.

NICIL not “totally” bankrupt...

This merger took place through a Cabinet memorandum and under the Company Act, since NICIL had a legal structure and some management agreement was made between NICIL and the Privatisation Unit for which NICIL then took over all the other assets that the Government owned.

Given the fact that the form and structure of NICIL was changed then, Jordan said NICIL is supposedly bankrupt for two broad reasons. “One they had changed the scenario because not too many people giving you dividends these days. In fact, the only major dividends we are getting is from Guyoil and theirs is substantial and they can give anywhere between $2 billion in any one year.”

He said those monies instead of becoming part of NICIL’s revenue, is now part of the Consolidated Fund.

“The second part is they are the guarantors of Marriott and nothing is coming in Berbice Bridge and a range of other places… Look, for

example, we had to take Guyana National Industrial Company Inc (GNIC) and others to court, because nothing is coming in from the other places.”

Earlier this month, the Opposition PPP/Civic criticised Government, saying the agency’s performance is reflective of two years of mismanagement. The PPP/C said under its leadership, the Privatisation Unit of NICIL contributed tens of billions of dollars to the Treasury from dividends and privatisation receipts.

However, under the coalition Government, NICIL’s finances have been allowed to dwindle due to grave mismanagement and neglect.

It was also noted that legal proceedings involving billions of dollars against the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) are not being actively pursued.

The party said given the billions of dollars NICIL contributed to the Treasury, it is still to be known, “How much

from page 10

has been transferred under APNU and where the audited accounts are.”

NICIL produced and laid in Parliament clean audit reports, for both NICIL and its subsidiaries, up to the time that the PPP left Government. As such, the Party is now questioning what APNU/AFC has done.

Under the PPP the party said, NICIL made economic contributions and investments and loss-making entities were restructured, privatised or improved and NICIL found ways to ensure that its assets were properly managed and contributing financial and economic returns.

The Opposition party said if NICIL’s investments in the Berbice Bridge, Marriott or Skeldon Energy have not performed in accordance with its feasibilities, there is a clear connection with how the APNU/AFC policy decisions, incompetence, or action, have directly contributed to any sub-par performance.

news

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thursDAY, august 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Police promotions halted for investigations – President

… says Govt not seeking to trample on constitutional rights

T

he directive given

by President David Granger that the Police Service Commission (PSC) halts the promotion of senior Police Officers was to allow for a thorough investigation to be carried out into a number of complaints.

President Granger made it clear that his Government has no intention of trampling on the constitutional rights of the Police Commission, but wants that whatever is done presents a positive image of the Police Force.

He said his office has re-

ceived a number of complaints from aggrieved senior Police Officers and has asked that those claims be investigated.

“There have been some doubts and we are investigating the complaints that have been made to us and we have asked the PSC simply to delay so that we can answer those queries”. He said as soon as those questions are answered, “we will proceed.”

According to President Granger, with the complaints, there is evidence

that injustices might have been done. “We just need time to have the complaints from aggrieved police Officers thoroughly investigated,” he said.

H e stressed that Government is not seeking to trample on the constitutional rights of the Police Commission, but noted that damage could be done by

GAWU’s head office vandalised

V

andals struck the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) headquarters, destroying a banner that the Union had erected with a message regarding the plight of employees.

The Union stressed that it had not seen such vandalism in the 16 years that it has operated out of its High Street and Wights Lane, Kingston office.

According to GAWU, some two weeks ago it placed a banner with the slogan: “Did you know? Govt sugar plans will see 50,000 people pushed into poverty!”

It was said that this banner

GAWU’s banner that was reportedly ripped out by vandals early Wednesday morning

was removed and replaced with another one stating: “Did you know? Estate clo-

sure and sellout means an uncertain future for thousands of youths!” GAWU

persons who are not “fit and proper “to make decisions and which can be injurious to public security. The Head of State said every effort should be made to prevent damage to the security infrastructure of the country and noted that while Government wants the constitutional commission to function, the Administration is paying at-

tention to the situation.

Last week, a letter dispatched to the Police Service Commission (PSC), instructed the body to put a hold on a list of promotion for senior Police Officers, a move that was readily criticised by the political Opposition.

The President’s decision was made at a time when the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been placed under the microscope during the Commission of Inquiry set up to probe allegations of a plot to assassinate him.

A leaked copy of the pro-

motion list revealed that several senior officers who were hauled before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the assassination plot investigation were on that list. The directive had pushed the Opposition People’s Progressive Party to threaten legal action, if it was not withdrawn. The PSC had said while it was going to adhere with the President’s directive, it was also hoping on some reason for the move. At that point no justification was forthcoming.

claims that this second banner was ripped out by a group of young vandals.

The Union disclosed that it received reports that some six men, “seemingly youths” appeared “suddenly and ripped the banner and took the cloth with them as they walked along the pavement towards the Umana Yana vicinity”.

The GAWU said it is concerned about the motive of the persons, who would have acted “so destructively and/or who directed such an action in a reasonably well-lighted area and not very distant from the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary. A report of the matter has been tendered to the Guyana Police Force at the Brickdam Police Station.”

GAWU reiterated that it has been “waging a sustained campaign” protesting Government’s plans regarding the future of the sugar industry.

“In this time, we have successfully concluded several marches, public meetings, picketing exercises, representations locally and internationally, engaging the courts, among other things, to call attention to the grave and serious consequences that would befall thousands of Guyanese and scores of communities should the plans for the sugar industry be stubbornly and heartlessly pursued,” GAWU stressed.

Despite its apparent attack, the Union maintained that it will persist in defend-

ing the interests of workers, highlighting that it is its duty to “maintain our principled and forthright positions and reiterate our firm Opposition to closure of estates and the sell-out that are being contemplated.”

The Wales Estate Closure was determined as a cost-saving measure due to billions of dollars that was allocated to the declining sugar industry. Since then, the scaling down of other estates across the country has been announced. Many stakeholders have however called for Government to conduct social impact studies to be carried out to assess how communities across the sugar belt would be affected with sure closures.

National Stadium, Providence

14 news

thursDAY, august 17, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Sweepers continue protests over “inhumane treatment”

U

nder the torch of the sun, cleaners swarmed the Education Ministry in Brickdam, Georgetown, as they stood in unison protesting meagre salaries and no payment for over a fortnight’s worth of labour.

“No money, no wuk!” “No one week pay, no two week pay!” “No lil bit money!”

“September month, school gun dutty!” they chanted.

One sweeper lamented that their foremost concern is how they can continue to survive and send their children to school in September while maintaining their families on low salaries.

“We are picketing because of our salary… we want our full salary. We used to work eight hours and before school close they told us that how we gun work six hours, so right now we are at home. We worked for two weeks in July month. This month hay suh we suppose to work one week.

When we push in our card (bank card) some people get

Sweepers protesting on Tuesday

$2000 and some people get $5000. Some people get none at all and that is not fair!” a protester said.

Another janitor, who is stationed at South Ruimveldt Park Primary School, relayed that they were served no notice to the effect that their salaries or time had been cut.

“It is unfair to us that we work full eight hours, now two weeks we work in July, one week in August, and I haven’t received my salary.

I don’t know how I’m gon-

na go back to work and how my child will go to school.

It is hard, so we asking the President to look into this matter. To help us, cause most of us are single parents and it ain’t easy, it very very hard,” she bemoaned.

The janitors in collective action expressed their intention to be resilient in their fight against unfavou APNU rable treatment and will continue to seek redress until justice is served.

“We ain’t giving up until

we get some kind ah justice or something, ‘cause remember, we get we children to send to school,” Vanessa Braithwaite said.

Meanwhile, second Vice President of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Dawn Gardener stood in unison with the protestors at the scene and expressed her disappointment as to why the issue has not yet been addressed.

“Our expectations are that by now it would’ve been addressed, but unfortunately it has not been addressed,

so we’re wondering why,” she said.

Following demonstration exercises held at the Ministry of the Presidency, the Finance Ministry and the Education Ministry’s Department of Culture, Youth and Sport, this publication reported that with no response forthcoming from Government in regard to their plight, schools’ sweeper-cleaners had taken to the streets to protest what they describe as “inhumane treatment” from the authorities, while demanding that their voices be heard. Guyana

Times was told that following the first protest, representatives from the Union and Government met briefly.

However, no major decision has been taken on the issue.

First Vice President of the Guyana Public Service Union, Mortimer Livan, had declared that the demonstrations will continue until they receive favourable response while stressing that the situation is developing further into an economic disaster for the workers and their families, many of whom are sole breadwinners of their households.

Cellphone thief jailed for 12 months

A

fisherman was on Wednesday jailed for 12 months when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged with robbery under arms.

Asid Mohammed, 31, of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, accepted that he robbed Dominic Etwaro and Daniel Gray.

He admitted to the charges which alleged that the he robbed Etwaro of one cellphone and other items; a total value of $64,000 and Gray of items with a total value of $29,000.

Police Prosecutor Simone Payne told the court that the two victims were relaxing at the Kingston seawall when they were approached by the defendant

from behind.

He reportedly accosted the Virtual Complainant’s with a cutlass and proceeded to relieve them of their belongings.

An alarm was raised and the accused was apprehended by ranks as he attempted to escape with the stolen items on his person.

As such, the father of one was jailed for 12 months.

Taxi driver fined for selling owner’s car

A

shton April, a taxi driver, was on Wednesday fined $100,000 when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to answer for selling a motorcar placed in his care.

The 29-year-old of Lot 181 Charlotte Street, Georgetown, appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore and plead guilty to the charge against him.

That charge stated that between April 2016 and

August 2017, while being solely entrusted by Kishaun Garraway with one Toyota motorcar with registration number PKK 5957, and valued $1.7 million in order that he use and return the proceeds to the Virtual Complainant (VC), he fraudulently converted same to his own use and benefits.

According to Prosecutor Simone Payne, on August 14, 2017, the VC called the defendant and was told that his vehicle was at the me-

chanic for repairs.

However, the following day, the VC observed someone else driving his car and when he made attempts to contact the defendant, his efforts proved futile.

The matter was reported to the Police and the defendant was arrested and charged with the offence.

The defendant told the court that he sold the car for $350,000. He was however fined $100,000 or will face six months in prison.

thursDAY, AUGUST 17, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

“Anything is possible”

“D” Grill Kings: A family affair T

he mouth-watering, delicious aroma of barbecue wafts through the air on silver billows of smoke as the grillmaster intently tends to the rows of glistening, juicy honey-brown chicken legs over smouldering coals, and waves of customers, eyes bright with anticipation, inhale blissfully before hurrying off with the distinctive black boxes of barbecued chicken accompanied by tender cheese covered fries (potato/plantain), potato salad, or macaroni and cheese. With hints of smoke and sweetness, the well-seasoned, spicy meat simultaneously makes you want to gulp it down and linger for a very, very long time, savouring each bite, and the sides are just as scrumptious.

But that’s just one aspect of owners Lesley “Two Feet” Howell; Rawle Burkett and Kehinde Griffith’s barbecue business. “D” Grill Bar-B-Que Services provides everything down to bulk orders if needed for you to create your own fabulous experience.

“I never thought I would be here,” Howell confided. He was an in-demand barbecue “cook” when his cousin Rawle suggested that he open his own business rather than continue to travel all over manning the oil-drum grills typical of Guyanese barbeque for other people. But Howell had no funds to start up, so his cousin took all the money he had – some $20,000 – and along with their other cousin Kehinde, they opened the business.

“We couldn’t get a loan. We tried and tried, but we couldn’t get a loan. We started with one frying

pan, one barbecue drum, and must be about three pans (at the roadside)...It’s better that we started small and grow than we just come out big...you know, people keep coming and everybody like it and they tell somebody and somebody tell somebody and that’s how it kept happening.”

And the more customers they got, the more they improved their equipment and location and expanded their business hours. “We started just Friday and Saturday, but then we added Wednesday because of the demand” and so on.

Now the registered business is so busy, it employs more than 20 employees over two shifts and is open seven days a week from 12:00h to 12:00h most days.

Howell, who prides himself on serving freshly prepared food every day and distributing the leftovers to staff and the homeless, is also hoping to expand to another location next year where customers can dine in.

“I was the cook,” he reiterated before revealing with a mischievous smile that he has been a vegetarian for more than 20 years. “People would ask me how I knew it (the barbecue) was done...I would call someone and have

Market statistics Cambio Rates Buying

Griffith patriarch, whose lively sense of humour is shared by the second generation, started the first business at the location in 1992 – a Graham bread outlet, which he expanded into a shop. Love and mutual respect define their family dynamic.

When asked what advice he

ing preparations for another day of making locals and their bellies barbecue happy, and Howell, who manages “D” Grill, was putting out fires. An employee had not shown up, and he was busy finding a replacement; his trip to collect the truck newly purchased by the business on hold for the moment.

In between phone calls to successfully solve his staffing issue, he reflected on his experience, crediting his cousins for providing the impetus for the business. “Anything is possible,” he says before introducing his Uncle Cheddi, Griffith’s father, and acknowledging the example and opportunity he provided for the younger generation.

The fiery

would give would-be entrepreneurs who are hesitant about actually starting up their own businesses, Howell said consistency was key to operating a business. “I had doubts myself before. Be consistent in whatever you do... we put on 30 pieces of chicken and were giving away 20...I was there nine hours....burning coals...but then we started selling 15, 20...”

He also called for financial institutions to reduce the paperwork small businesses must submit to open accounts and get loans, and acknowledged Scotiabank and their chicken suppliers Bounty and Toucan for their assistance as well as the credit the latter two extended. Howell’s cousin, Khamase “Ma$e” Griffith (Kehinde’s brother), completes the quartet of this generation of entrepreneurs in the family, living as he quipped the “rags to riches” story. A barber for the past 17 years, he started by the roadside under a tarp; today Ma$e Barbershop is an air-conditioned structure, right next door to the bar he also owns that shares

Gold Prices – Guyana Gold Board

Bank of Guyana Cur

them taste it.”

11:00 am on the day of our interview at the Mandela Avenue and Joseph Pollydore Street location, the first batch of chicken, which was seasoned at another location, was cooking in the outdoor grilling area framed by coconut trees, employees were busy mak-

Calculated at 94% purity, August 16, 2017

Selling

USD

$205.98

$208.44

CAN

$161.76

$163.64

EURO

$241.04

$244.12

GBP

$264.94

$268.3

USD

$1269.60

Gross

$247,719

Net

$230,379

Indicators as on August 16, 2017 Indicators

US$ per barrel

Crude Oil

$50.80

Price

USD

Rough Rice

$268.79/ton

London Sugar

$363.10/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change %

+0.14 Change %

-2.00 -0.99 USD Per Ounce

Bid/Ask

$1282.80

$1283.80

Low/High

$1267.60

$1284.90

Change

0.00

0.00%

Business Concept – Inflation A sustained, rapid increase in prices, as measured by some broad index (such as Consumer Price Index) over months or years, and mirrored in the correspondingly decreasing purchasing power of the currency. It has its worst effect on the fixed-wage earners, and is a disincentive to save.

There is no one single, universally accepted cause of inflation, and the modern economic theory describes three types of inflation: (1) Cost-push inflation is due to wage increases that cause businesses to raise prices to cover higher labour costs, which leads to demand for still higher wages (the wage-price spiral); (2) Demand-pull inflation results from increasing consumer demand financed by easier availability of credit; and (3) Monetary inflation caused by the expansion in money supply (due to printing of more money by a government to cover its deficits). (Business Dictionary)

a wall with “D” Grill. Beyond the usual assortment of beverages, the bar sells a wide array of bottled local juices.

With an easy manner and ready smile, the friendly businessman is a constant presence in the barbershop that is very much a social hub for customers, from all over Georgetown. “To get here (owning a business) is hard work; to keep on top of your game is even harder....a lot of long hours,” the self-taught barber, who spends up to 18 hours in his shop, explained.

“You have to be here when business isn’t doing, and you have to be here when the customers are here.”

“Owning your own business is more money and more hard work.”

The 33-year-old father of four says he gravitated towards his profession as he himself would visit the barbershop twice a week to get his hair cut and he realised “barbering was a good thing”. The savvy teen was so sure of what he wanted to do that he set up shop besides his father’s business and began working, learning as he went along from both his mistakes and successes. “I never really saw myself as working for someone. I always liked to do my own thing.

I decided to start here where there was no barber rather than go into competition with all the barbers in a barbershop.”

His advice to budding entrepreneurs? “Know what you like and go ahead with it. If you like sweeping, be the best sweeper you could be.”

Contact: 4 Mandela Avenue and Joseph Pollydore Street (Durban Street), Georgetown “D” Grill Kings: 683-7870; facebook @ D Grill Kings; Ma$e Barbershop: 6424621

Investor’s Guide

Oil edges up on decline in crude stocks, but high production caps gains

O

il prices edged up early on Thursday, clawing back some ground after losses in the previous session. Traders said the market was rangebound as falling crude inventories provided price support while high output was capping gains.

Brent crude futures, LCOc1 the international benchmark for oil prices, were at US$50.43 per barrel at 0101 GMT, up 16 cents, or 0.3 per cent, from their last close.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at US$46.88 a barrel, up 10 cents, or 0.2 per cent. The slight gains followed a more than one per cent fall in the previous session.

Data published late on Wednesday by the

Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed that commercial US crude oil stocks C-STKT-EIA have fallen by almost 13 per cent from their peaks in March to 466.5 million barrels, well below this time last year.

“If inventory declines continue at this pace, stocks will fall back below the five-year average in around two months,” said William O’Loughlin, investment analyst at Australia’s Rivkin Securities.

“The pace of the declines indicates that the OPEC production cuts are having an effect, although the current oil price suggests that the market is skeptical about the longer-term prospects for rebalancing of the oil market,” he added.

ANZ bank said the mar-

ket on Wednesday seemed “to focus on the rise in (US) production”, which jumped by 79,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 9.5 million bpd last week, its highest level since July 2015, and 12.75 per cent above the most recent low in mid-2016.

Some traders said that the soaring US output is eroding efforts by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries which, together with non-OPEC producers like Russia, has pledged to restrict output by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) between January this year and March 2018 to tighten the market and prop up prices.

Brent prices are down by almost 12 per cent since the start of the cuts in January. (Reuters)

16

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, august 17, 2017

Regional

Ecuador detains Chinese boat Counterfeit Eastern Caribbean dollars circulating in Grenada with endangered sharks

G

A

uthorities in Ecuador have detained the crew of a Chinese fishing boat suspected to have caught endangered sharks in the Galapagos Islands.

The Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999 was found on Sunday in the archipelago, which is a marine reserve, carrying 300 tonnes of fish. Most of the catch was sharks, including protected species such as hammerheads.

About 20 crew members face up to three years in prison if found guilty of trafficking protected species.

The Galapagos archipelago is an UNESCO world heritage site because of the rich bio-diversity found in the area.

Ecuador's Environment Minister Tarsicio Granizo said on Tuesday that a judge on the island of San Cristobal had ordered the crew to be held in custody

renada police today urged people to be on the lookout for counterfeit East Caribbean dollars.

It said that the counterfeit EC$50 and EC$100 dollar notes were now in circulation here and that they had the serial numbers VM033672 and SR380132 respectively.

“The public is urged to

Ecuadorian officials released this picture showing the fish found on the boat

pending court proceedings.

"Not necessarily all of the catch came from the marine reserve, but the fact that it included young sharks, even baby sharks, indicates that they could have been caught inside the reserve," the Minister was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.

Walter Bustos, the director of the Galapagos National Park, told Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo that the

boat was the largest vessel captured inside the marine reserve.

In 2015 Ecuadorian Police seized about 200,000 shark fins that were set to be exported to Asia. Shark fin is considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, and is usually served as a soup at banquets. Critics say demand for fins is wiping out endangered species and fuelling illegal trafficking.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Venezuela mulls 'law against intolerance,' aimed at dissenters

V

enezuelans who express "hate or intolerance" will be jailed for up to 25 years under a bill pending in the country's newly-formed constituent assembly, a measure the Opposition fears will be used by the Government to further crackdown on dissent.

President Nicolás Maduro has faced a cacophony of international criticism, from the United Nations to Pope Francis, since he installed the 545-member assembly stacked with Socialist Party

allies earlier this month.

The OPEC member nation has been rocked by anti-Government unrest that has left more than 120 people dead while the country sinks further into a recession compounded by triple-digit inflation and acute food shortages.

Maduro defends the new legislative superbody as Venezuela's only hope for peace and prosperity.

"The question is whether this is the peace he's looking for: creating a law that gives him and his obedient supreme court judicia-

ry powers to lock up dissidents for 25 years," Tamara Taraciuk, head Venezuela researcher for Human Rights Watch, said in a Wednesday telephone interview.

"The proposal includes incredibly vague language that would allow them to jail anyone for almost anything," she added. Local rights group Penal Forum estimated the Government was holding 676 political prisoners as of Wednesday, a number that could rise once the hate crimes measure becomes law. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

Child falls 30 feet from Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, hospitalised

A

four-year-old girl was rushed to hospital on Tuesday afternoon with injuries to the head and face after falling approximately 30 feet from a window at the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium where she was attending her brother’s wedding reception.

Sherlock St John who was a guest at the event, said he had just arrived at the Stadium around 17:30h when he heard children “making noise” and dismissed it as usual child’s play.

He said he stopped to adjust his tie when he heard a “thud” and when he looked around he saw the young girl on the concrete pavement below the window.

“I heard a big heavy sound, like a thud from her falling and it shook me a bit. I looked again and I saw her move and I went to see what was wrong and to find out where she fell from and how. When I looked back up there was the boy completely out the window, hanging from both hands. I told him to go back into the building and he let go,” St John said.

The man, who claimed to be a friend of the couple who tied the knot, said he lurched forward and caught the boy who is about six years old.

An outside view, showing the window from which the child fell. It is the fourth from the bottom

Another witness said the girl, whose name has not been disclosed, was playing in the stairwell with the other child and it is believed they both climbed out the window.

Stadium Manager Conliffe Phillip said the window from which the child fell is located in the stairwell between the second and third floors, and it does not open beyond “12 to 14 inches”.

Two ambulances responded to the report of the accident and took the children to the hospital, while the police were also summoned to investigate. Bloodstains remained on the walkway under the window up to late yesterday as the police continued their investigation. (Excerpt from Antigua Observer)

exercise utmost vigilance and caution when doing business. Small business operators such as bus drivers, taxi operators, shop keepers, vendors and the likes are urged to be on their guard.”

The police did not say whether the circulation of the counterfeit currency was linked to the island's Carnival celebrations that

ended on Tuesday but they warned that it is a criminal offence to have counterfeit money in their possession or to pass it on .

Grenada along with six other Caribbean countries, namely Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Montserrat and Anguilla share the same currency. (Jamaica Observer)

Brazil set for landmark Indigenous land rights ruling

B

razil's Supreme Court will decide this week on a landmark Indigenous land rights ruling, against what activists and international bodies say is a backdrop of rising violence and diminishing rights for Indigenous people in the country.

On Wednesday, the court will Judge whether indigenous people will have the right to three territories – two in Mato Grosso state and one in Rio Grande do Sul – which experts say could have far reaching consequences for Indigenous people across Brazil.

Judges will decide whether to apply a time limit on Indigenous demarcations, the process by which Indigenous people have legal protection to their land. The ruling was signed by Brazil's President Michel Temer last month and proposes to halt any demarcations of land on which Indigenous people were not

Judges will decide whether to apply a time limit on Indigenous demarcations

living before October 5, 1988 – when Brazil’s current constitution took effect.

"The fear is that if the Supreme Court applies this ruling in these three cases, it is going to massively set back the clock on indigenous rights," Fiona Watson, campaign director at London based Survival International, told Al Jazeera.

Experts and Indigenous groups have blasted the

proposed ruling, saying that tens of thousands of indigenous people were forced from their lands before 1988, often under threat of violence.

Many were expelled from their land during Brazil's 1964 to 1985 rightwing military dictatorship to make way for infrastructure projects and farmland. Today, hundreds of Indigenous territories are currently awaiting demarcation. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Colombia’s FARC concludes weapons disarmament

T

he last batch of weapons carried by Colombia's former FARC rebels has been removed under UN supervision. Speaking at a camp in the north of country where the arms were loaded onto a lorry, President Juan Manuel Santos said this was the "last breath" of the 52year conflict with the FARC. The UN mission head Jean Arnault said a total of 17 containers of arms had been handed over the past year. About 7000 rebels have demobilised and are to be reintegrated into society.

The weapons were turned over by the rebels as they gathered to demobilize in so-called "transition zones" across Colombia.

The last container left the Pondores "transition zone" in remote La Guajira province. They will be smelted down and made into three monuments to be installed in Bogotá, Havana and New

President Santos (L) and UN officials watched the last container depart from a demobilisation camp

York.

The Farc has also given the United Nations the location of hundreds of their arms caches, some of them in remote jungle locations.

Some have already been emptied by UN monitors but others have proven hard to reach. The United Nations has a mandate until September 1to retrieve the weapons from their caches, after that date, it will be responsibility of the

Colombian security forces to do so.

Santos said the armed forces would be redeployed to areas vacated by the Farc, and the government would provide security, infrastructure, and medical support there.

He said that Colombian state was "committed to the safety of ex-combatants and communities in the zones that endured the armed conflict". (Excerpt from BBC News)

thursDAY, August 17, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Grace Mugabe seeks immunity in S Africa assault case

S

outh African officials are debating whether to grant diplomatic immunity to Zimbabwe's first lady Grace Mugabe, who is accused of assaulting a 20-year-old model in Johannesburg this week.

Mugabe, 52, remains in South Africa after a day of intense speculation over her whereabouts, South African Police said in a Wednesday statement.

The Police said the Zimbabwean Government asked for diplomatic immunity for a suspect involved in the alleged assault. The Police have declined to name Mugabe, a possible successor to her husband President Robert Mugabe, in the case as she has not yet appeared

Police confirmed Grace Mugabe's presence in South Africa. At left is a picture Engels posted on social media showing a bloody gash to her forehead that she claimed was a result of the encounter

in court.

Mugabe's immunity request is currently under consideration, Clayson Monyela, a spokesman for the Department of International Relations

and Cooperation told The Associated Press.

Acting national Police Commissioner Lesetja Mothiba said earlier on Wednesday that Police and national prosecutors want-

ed to charge Mugabe, according to the African News Agency. "Our position was that she must go to court," he said.

Gabriella Engels registered a case with Police on Monday accusing Mugabe of attacking her with an extension cord in a luxury hotel in a Johannesburg suburb late on Sunday evening.

Engels said she had been in a hotel room with mutual friends of Mugabe's two sons, who live in Johannesburg, when the first lady burst into the room and allegedly assaulted her.

Photos of Engels posted on social media show a bloody gash to her forehead that she claimed was a result of the encounter. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Lebanon rape law: Parliament abolishes marriage loophole

L

ebanon's Parliament has scrapped a law under which a rapist could be exempt from punishment if he married his victim, state media report.

Women's rights activists had long demanded that Article 522 of the penal code be repealed. Their campaign was supported by the Minister for Women's Affairs, Jean Oghassabian, who said the law was like

17

something "from the Stone Age".

Similar legislation has recently been swept away in both Tunisia and Jordan.

States retaining a comparable loophole include Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya and Syria.

Members of the Lebanese parliamentary committee for administration and justice agreed last December to submit a proposal to repeal

Article 522. Prime Minister Saad Hariri expressed his support for the measure at the time, but it took until Wednesday for a vote to be held.

Article 522 allowed for halting the prosecution or suspending the conviction of a person who had committed rape, kidnapping, or statutory rape if he married the victim.

One activist said the law

allowed "for a second assault on a rape survivor's rights in the name of 'honour' by trapping her in a marriage with her rapist".

The women's rights group Abaad called the repeal of Article 522 a "triumph for the dignity of women" and thanked MPs for "strengthening the protection of women from all forms of violence". (Excerpt from

Philippine Police kill 32 in bloodiest night of Duterte’s war on drugs

P

olice in the Philippines have killed 32 people in a series of raids near Manila, in the bloodiest night yet of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.

Supt Romeo Caramat said 67 Police operations in various parts of Bulacan, a province north of the capital, had left 32 “drug personalities” dead and more than 100 others in custody.

“We have conducted ‘one-time, big-time’ operations in the past. So far, the number of casualties and deaths, this is the highest,” Caramat said at a news conference to publicise the raids.

“We wanted to shock and awe these drug personalities,” he said. “Other drug personalities will think twice before continuing with their drug trade.”

Human rights groups have repeatedly warned

that Duterte, nicknamed “the Punisher” by his supporters for his approach to policing, may be overseeing crimes against humanity in his brutal anti-drugs campaign, which has left thousands dead.

Duterte praised the operation in Bulacan, which took place from Monday night until Tuesday afternoon, and urged Police to kill dozens of drug suspects every day.

Bulacan has been a major target in the drugs war, with 425 people killed and 4,000 offenders arrested, according to Caramat, making it the second-biggest hotspot in the crackdown outside the Manila area.

Duterte was elected President last year on a quick-fix, populist platform of wiping out crime and pledging to put drug pushers in funeral parlours, not prisons. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

2 Bush Presidents condemn 'racial bigotry' amid Trump backlash

BBC News)

India and China troops clash along Himalayan border

A

confrontation occurred between Indian and Chinese soldiers along a disputed border in the western Himalayas, Indian officials said on Tuesday. The PTI news agency said soldiers threw stones, causing minor injuries to both sides, as Chinese troops tried to enter Indian territory near the Pangong lake.

Beijing maintains that their soldiers were inside Chinese territory.

The two countries are also locked in an impasse in the Doklam area, which borders China, India and Bhutan. PTI quoted army officials as saying that in the latest confrontation, soldiers

Tension escalates again between India and China along disputed border

had to form a human chain to prevent an incursion by Chinese forces into territories claimed by India and located near the country's

Ladakh region. China claims the territories as its own.

An Indian official told the BBC that he could neither confirm nor deny media

reports, but said "such incidents do happen," adding that "this isn't the first time that something like this has happened."

China's foreign ministry said in an official statement that "the Indian side must immediately and unconditionally withdraw all personnel and equipment from the Chinese soil", while reiterating that its troops had been inside Chinese territory when the confrontation took place.

An official statement from India's foreign ministry said that "there is no commonly delineated Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the border areas between India and China." (Excerpt from BBC News)

Afghan Police discover mass graves after village attack

A

fghan Police have discovered mass grave containing the bodies of at least 36 victims of a recent militant attack on a village, officials said on Wednesday.

One grave in the northern province of Sar-e Pul held 28 bodies and another contained eight, said provincial government spokesman Zabihullah Amani.

"Most of the victims were

beheaded," he said, noting that all were men, except for three boys between the ages of eight and 15.

A third mass grave had been located but it was in an area under Taliban control, and security forces were searching for more possible graves, Amani added.

On Wednesday, residents held funerals for several victims of the raid.

At least 62 people have

been confirmed dead in the attack on Mirza Olang village last week, with the number expected to rise, according to the Sar-e Pul governor's office.

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission said a preliminary investigation suggested that militants from the Taliban and Islamic State, who are normally bitter rivals, acted together.

That has been denied by the Taliban, who said they had carried out the attack alone and did not kill any civilians.

Islamic State issued a statement on Monday claiming it had led the attack and killed about 54 Shi'ite Muslims, a minority group in Afghanistan that has often come under attack from Islamic State. (Excerpt from Reuters)

The Bushes said in their statement: ‘America must always reject racial bigotry, antisemitism and hatred in all its forms’

F

ormer US Presidents George HW Bush and George W Bush on Wednesday issued a joint statement that condemned “racial bigotry, antisemitism and hatred” as Donald Trump faced a growing backlash over his defence of those who took part in the far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The father and son did not mention Trump by name, but their rare combined intervention came after Trump’s comments that “there is blame on both sides” for the deadly violence on Saturday.

“America must always reject racial bigotry, antisemitism and hatred in all its forms,” the Bushes said in a statement, going on to cite the one of the nation’s founding fathers, the third president Thomas Jefferson, who lived near Charlottesville.

“As we pray for Charlottesville, we are reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that city’s most prominent cit-

izen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our creator with unalienable rights. We know these truths to be everlasting because we have seen the decency and greatness of our country.”

Supporters are facing intense pressure to denounce Trump, who at a bellicose press conference on Tuesday drew a moral equivalence between white supremacists and a non-existent group that he branded the “alt-left”.

On Wednesday, Trump was forced to disband two White House business councils disintegrating around him after several resignations from chief executives threatened to cascade. The move was a significant blow to Trump, who ran as a business-friendly president.

Unrepentant, he tweeted: “Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council and Strategy and Policy Forum, I am ending both. Thank you all!” (Excerpt from The Guardian)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, august 17, 2017

ARCHIE

Mood swings will step up a notch. Don’t overreact or (March 21- make matters worse by acting April 19) in haste. Offer understanding and be willing to listen to what others have to say.

ARIES

Set up meetings or get TAURUS together with old friends.

(April 20- Interact with people who moMay 20) tivate you to make better choices. Avoid excessive behavior and overspending in order to excel.

dilbert

Your entertaining and enGEMINI (May 21- gaging way of interacting with June 20) people will boost your popularity, as long as you stick to the truth. Exaggeration or false information will be used against you.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

You’ll find it easier to reach your goal if you are clear about what’s expected of you. Back away from anyone who tends to be erratic or a bad influence.

Business trips or meetings will be enlightening.

Share your ideas by offering a passionate presentation to gain momentum and support.

Willingness to compromise will help you advance.

Keep secrets and avoid inVIRGO (Aug. 23- terference. Take care of doSept. 22) mestic responsibilities before someone complains. Avoid excess and anyone who is a poor influence or who tends to be stubborn.

An emotional relationship LIBRA will improve if you are open (Sept. 23Oct. 23) about the way you feel and what your intentions are. Sharing dreams and long-term goals will bring you and an important someone closer together.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Invest in your future. Put SCORPIO more time and effort into (Oct. 24learning something new that Nov. 22) will help you get ahead financially. Clear a designated workspace at home and put in some extra hours.

Don’t close doors. You SAGITTARIUS don’t have to agree with ev(Nov. 23- eryone, but you do have to Dec. 21) work alongside others if you want to get things done. Go with the flow, not against it.

A tactful approach when

CAPRICORN dealing with your peers or han(Dec. 22- dling a legal matter or settleJan. 19) ment will encourage a resolu-

solution for Last Published Puzzle

tion. Avoid excessive behavior.

You are best off staying sober and paying attention.

Hard work will bring reAQUARIUS sults. A project you finish (Jan. 20- will open new opportunities Feb. 19) through unexpected channels.

Present and promote what you have to offer. Don’t take on more than you can handle.

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

The changes you make PISCES at home should be simple, (Feb. 20March 20) cost-efficient and geared toward improving your emotional attitude and relationships with the people you share space with.

thursDAY, august 17, 2017

19

Van Persie and Babel win Netherlands recalls

N

Serena eyes

‘outrageous’

Australian Open return

S

erena Williams aims to defend her Australian Open title next year, the American saying the rapid return to action would only give her around three months to prepare after giving birth to her first child.

The 23-times grand slam winner announced her pregnancy in April and will be on maternity leave for the rest of the year. The 35-yearold is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

“It’s the most outrageous plan,” Williams told Vogue magazine. “I just want to put that out there. That’s, like, three months after I give birth. I’m not walking

anything back, but I’m just saying it’s pretty intense.

“If I lose and I lose again, it’s like, ‘she’s done’.

Especially since I’m not 20 years old. I’ll tell you this much: I won’t win less.

Either I win, or I don’t play.”

The American added

that she could have a few new tricks up her sleeve after analyzing her game on television over the last few months.

“I learn by watching. Or I watch old matches of myself on the Tennis Channel,” she added.

“I hit amazing shots and these girls are running them down and hitting winners, and I’m beginning to see why. It’s because I have patterns.”

Williams is one grand slam shy of Australian Margaret Court’s long-standing record of 24 major titles. (Reuters)

etherlands coach Dick Advocaat has ended international exiles for forwards Robin van Persie and Ryan Babel.

Robin van Persie has been recalled to the Netherlands squad for for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against France and Bulgaria, with Ryan Babel also back in the international fold after a six-year absence.

Van Persie’s last outing for the Oranje came in October 2015, when he scored his 50th international goal in a 3-2 defeat to Czech Republic.

Babel’s time out of the side goes back much further to a 3-0 friendly loss against Germany in November 2011.

The Besiktas winger expressed his frustration at being left out for Netherlands’ end-of-season friendlies against Morocco and Ivory Coast but has won the nod from head coach Dick Advocaat this time around.

There is no place for Virgil van Dijk – the centre-back currently out of first-team action at Southampton after handing in a transfer request.

Netherlands lie third in Group A, three points behind both France and lead-

Robin van Persie

ers Sweden.

They travel to the Stade de France on August 31 before hosting Bulgaria – a point behind them in fourth at present - three days later.

A 2-0 loss in Bulgaria back in March led to Danny Blind being sacked as Netherlands boss.

Netherlands squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Jasper Cillessen (Barcelona), Maarten Stekelenburg (Everton), Jeroen Zoet (PSV) Defenders: Joel Veltman (Ajax), Kenny Tete (Lyon), Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax), Stefan de Vrij (Lazio), Karim Rekik (Hertha Berlin), Wesley Hoedt (Lazio), Bruno Martins Indi (Stoke City), Daley Blind (Manchester

United), Nathan Ake (Bournemouth), Donny Midfielders: van de Beek (Ajax), Davy Propper (Brighton & Hove Albion), Marco van Ginkel (PSV), Davy Klaasen (Everton), Kevin Strootman (Roma) Wesley Sneijder (Nice), Jens Toornstra (Feyenoord), Tonny Vilhena (Feyenoord), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool).

Forwards: Vincent Janssen (Tottenham), Bas Dost (Sporting CP), Jurgen Locadia (PSV), Memphis Depay (Lyon), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Jeremain Lens (Besiktas), Robin van Persie (Fenerbahce), Ryan Babel (Besiktas), Quincy Promes (Spartak Moscow).

(SportsMax)

Real’s Ronaldo Garner backs Windies feels persecuted to surprise Englanda after ban appeal dismissed M

Cristiano Ronaldo

ADRID - Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo accused the Spanish football federation (RFEF) of persecution after his appeal against a five-game ban for pushing a referee was dismissed on Wednesday.

The striker shoved referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea after being sent off during Madrid’s 3-1 win over Barcelona in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.

Madrid appealed but that was rejected a few hours before the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, meaning Ronaldo misses the match as well as his team’s first four La Liga fixtures.

“It’s impossible not to react to this

situation, 5 games! It seems to me exaggerated and ridiculous, this is called persecution!”

Ronaldo wrote in an Instagram post.

The RFEF did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Madrid could still take the case to the Spanish government’s sports court to try to reduce the ban.

Some Madrid fan groups are planning to protest against unfair refereeing, which they say their club has suffered, by waving white handkerchiefs at the second leg of the Super Cup final, according to Spanish media reports.

(Reuters)

W

Joel Garner

est Indies are huge underdogs for the Test series in England, but Joel Garner warned the hosts they will have a fight on their hands.

England are in for a surprise if they expect a walkover in the three-Test showdown with West Indies, according to visiting team manager Joel Garner.

The legendary former Windies bowler was irked by the suggestion that England would have an easy time of things off the back of their 3-1 series win over South Africa.

Thursday sees the start of the first daynight Test in England and Garner is antic-

ipating a keenly fought contest.

When it was put to him that the hosts might cruise to victory, Garner told Omnisport on behalf of Investec: “If you think that you’re going to be surprised because everyone wants to do well because everyone wants a long career in cricket. “ Y o u call it an England victory, but I don’t think it’s going to be a walkover.

“The players are all here ready to play.

Some of the batsmen have been performing and the mindset is good at the moment.

“Both teams start off at the same state, I don’t think it’ll be a walkover, you’ve got to get used to picking the [pink] ball, all the different things.

“All the players here are competent enough to represent the West Indies. It is the same team we’ve been travelling with.”

The Windies have not won a Test series in England since 1988.(SportsMax)

20 England erring on side of caution with Woakes, explains Root C thursdAY, AUGUST 17, 2017

hris Woakes has only recently returned from injury and Joe Root said England is keen not to rush the all-rounder’s international comeback.

Joe Root says England want to make sure Chris Woakes is “absolutely ready” to return to Test cricket after the all-rounder was omitted for the first Test against West Indies.

Woakes has only recently returned to action with Warwickshire, having suffered a side strain in the first game of June’s Champions Trophy.

After missing the entire Test series against South Africa, the all-rounder had hoped to make his international comeback on his home ground this week.

However, England’s only change from the fourth Test against the Proteas sees Mark Stoneman replace Keaton Jennings at the top of the order, with Woakes and uncapped spinner

Chris Woakes

Mason Crane left out from an initial 13-man squad.

“He will definitely have wanted to play here,” said Root of Woakes. “But just with the lack of game time he’s had, we felt that just another week of loading up on overs and making sure he was absolutely ready after coming back from quite a

Joe Root

serious injury was really important.

“That’s where we’re at, at the minute, and I think Toby [Roland-Jones] deserves his opportunity here.”

Root has indicated England will be patient with Surrey opener Stoneman as the left-hander prepares for his Test de-

but on Thursday.

Stoneman will become the 12th opening partner for Alastair Cook since the retirement of Andrew Strauss, with Jennings the latest man to be dropped after failing to convince.

Root told Sky Sports: “He [Stoneman] has obviously got a huge amount of runs under his belt this year, in particular, and in previous seasons as well.

“He’s got a well-rounded game, he’s a bit more experienced having played a lot of county cricket and I’m excited to see him go and hopefully take his opportunity.

“Ideally you want some to come in and set the world alight and their career move forward from there but I’d like to think he’ll get a very good opportunity and some good game time with England.

“This is just a great opportunity for Mark to go out and show everyone how good a player he is.” (SportsMax)

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

No thanks!

– Clough laughs off talk of Bolt trial at Albion Burton

L

ondon , United Kingdom (AFP) — Burton Manager Nigel Clough has laughed off Albion Chairman Ben Robinson’s claim that his Championship club wanted to offer a trial to sprint legend Usain Bolt.

Robinson had suggested Burton would be interested in giving an opportunity to the eight-time Olympic gold medallist following his retirement from the track after the World Championships.

But Clough was quick to rule out that idea following Albion’s 2-0 loss at Middlesbrough yesterday.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it. There is nothing in it as far as I am concerned,” Clough said.

“Would I be interested? No. I’m interested in trying to get a win in Friday night, no distractions.

“It’s a good job he (the chairman) doesn’t pick the players then, isn’t it?”

Only the fittest Mayweather and McGregor will survive will fight in smaller gloves – Shastri makes fielding a top priority for India L

F

Ravi Shastri

itness will be among India’s top priorities as Ravi Shastri seeks to ensure his team are “the best fielding XI” at the 2019 World Cup. Head coach Ravi Shastri is determined to ensure India are the best fielding side at the 2019 World Cup, insisting the team’s fitness is among his top priorities.

World Cup semi-finalists two years ago, India are highly likely to be among the favourites when the next edition of the tournament takes place in England and Wales.

“When the time comes for India to field a side for the 2019 50-over World Cup, we should have the best fielding XI in the world walking out,” said Shastri in an interview with the Times of India.

“Only the fittest of the lot will survive and thrive going forward and that’s right up there in the list of priorities.”

Formerly India’s team director, Shastri succeeded Anil Kumble as India’s head coach last month.

His first series back at the helm proved an undoubted success, India emphatical-

ly winning three Tests out of three in Sri Lanka.

“The World Cup has its own space that needs to be respected. And while that remains the goal, a fact also remains that if India need to show their real might in the game, then achieving results in Test cricket is the pinnacle,” Shastri said.

“World Cups keep coming every four years and, of course, we all understand its importance from a global and fan perspective. But if this team really has to be tested, then it’s Test cricket and we have plenty of it coming up next year.”

Shastri was clearly delighted with India’s performances in their recent Tests and added: “When was the last time that Sri Lanka were beaten like this at home?

“I’d like to wait and see how some other teams cope against this same Sri Lankan team in the near future. But then, this is not about Sri Lanka, this is about the Indian team and the manner in which they have stamped their authority here.” (SportsMax)

AS VEGAS (AP) -Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor got their wish to fight in smaller gloves, but not before being chastised by a Nevada boxing official for using the issue to hype their fight later this month.

Nevada boxing regulators on Wednesday gave the two fighters an exemption to a rule requiring 10-ounce gloves for fights at 154 pounds, approving 8-ounce gloves for the Aug. 26 bout.

Representatives of both fighters appeared before the Nevada State Athletic Commission to request the waiver.

Commissioners also approved veteran referee Robert Byrd as the third man in the ring for the fight.

Commission Chairman Anthony Marnell said he was comfortable with the fighters using smaller gloves, but unhappy that they used the issue to sell the fight on social media. ‘’I do not like the Nevada State Athletic Commission being used as a pawn in a social media battle,’’ Marnell said.

Under Nevada regulations, 10-ounce gloves are required in fights above 147 pounds and the bout is set for 154 pounds. But Mayweather has worn 8-ounce gloves most of his career, and McGregor has worn 4-ounce gloves in his UFC fights.

Mayweather’s promoter, Leonard Ellerbe, said his fighter is more comfortable in smaller gloves and would use them to stop McGregor. ‘’The fight is going to end in a knockout, I’m very confident,’’ Ellerbe said. ‘’And it will probably be early.’’

McGregor will be in a boxing ring for the first time as a pro when he takes on Mayweather, who is coming out of retirement for a fight that will make him tens of millions of dollars.

They will fight under boxing rules, which will be enforced by Byrd, a veteran of many championship fights. ‘’The referee makes a big difference in this fight,

up much of the commission meeting, though in the end all voted in favor of the smaller gloves. There was also discussion about the padding in the gloves, with both sides agreeing to be bound by Nevada boxing inspectors approving the foam padding.

Mayweather has fought 46 of his 49 fights with 8-ounce gloves, includ-

Floyd Mayweather Jr and Conor McGregor got their wish to fight in smaller gloves

which is the specific reason I chose Robert Byrd,’’ said Bob Bennett, the commission’s executive director.

Commissioners also approved Burt Clements and Dave Moretti of the United States and Italy’s Guido Cavalleri as judges for the bout.

McGregor’s camp had asked for an international judge among the three.

Byrd will be paid $25,000 for the bout, while the judges will make $20,000.

The glove issue took

ing his last six. McGregor has never boxed before, but quickly agreed to Mayweather’s challenge on social media to fight in smaller gloves.

Commissioners said they struggled with making an exception to regulations in place since 2006, but decided to approve the waiver because of the unusual nature of the event. ‘’The fight is not normal,’’ said Commissioner Sandra Morgan.

John Hornewer, an at-

torney for Mayweather, said the unbeaten boxer would likely not be at the 154-pound limit at the fight weigh-in anyway. ‘’He’ll be 150 pounds.

That’s his best weight and there’s no reason to put on extra weight,’’ Hornewer said.

A McGregor representative said his fighter has been about 160 pounds in training camp and would likely enter the ring somewhere around that weight after making the 154-pound limit the day before.

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Pakistan players

sports

21

could return to CPL T

he Pakistan players who were asked to return to their country by their board may be back in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recalled the players in preparation for a World XI series in September.

However, the board has to name its squad by August 25, meaning any player not in the team, could perceivably, be invited back to the CPL. Outside of that, the PCB needs to be given security clearance for the games to be played in Pakistan.

The measure became necessary after a 2010 incident where a team bus,

carrying Sri Lanka players, were shot at.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) banned Pakistan as a venue for international cricket and there hasn’t been a game there since.

Trinabgo Knight Riders director, Venky Mysore, speaking specifically about young spinner, Shadab Khan, said his organisation was hoping for the best.

“Shadab is a big blow but we have to abide by the terms and conditions set out in the NOC. “If he is not on the team, then we will bring him back,” he said.

“So it is not all lost yet as far as Shadab is con-

DCC wins GUYSA Kings of the Wicket

cerned. For the moment, the management has been working on a replacement and this will be announced soon. I want to say thank you to Shadab for his wonderful efforts in this tournament and to wish him all the best.” (SportsMax)

Shadab Khan

Dominant Madrid crush Barcelona to win Super Cup

L

ocal powerhouse, Demerara Cricket Club (DCC), on Sunday won the inaugural Guyana Students Association (GUYSA) Kings of the Wicket title at the Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) Ground in Georgetown.

DCC, on an almost perfect day triumphed over Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) in the final that was reduced to three overs per side out of concern for darkness.

Batting first the eventual champs posted 31-2 from 3 overs then returned to restrict GCC to 28-4 to win by three runs.

In the first three matches of the day; Transport Sports Club (TSC) went down to University of Guyana with scores as follow TSC 36 and UG 37-3. GCC 24-3 defeated Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 23 all out. DCC 65-5 defeated GNIC 57-5.

The winning teams went through to a round robin round where they joined MSC and played each other once. Each team was awarded 2 points per win.

GCC and DCC came out first and second respectively at the end of the round robin and latter got revenge against the former, who won the earlier battle. MSC placed third.

M

Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their second goal

Marcus Watkins

MSC’s Marcus Watkins was named tournament MVP for scoring 49 runs in three innings and taking seven wickets including four in one over and a catch.

The Guyanese Students Association (GUYSA) is a non-profit organization established on 1st January, 2016. GUYSA is the official student representative body for all Guyanese students within the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Its aim is to assist in the welfare of Guyanese students, promote Guyanese cultural ethnicity, create opportunities to develop the skills of members, and contribute to the community.

ADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid won the Spanish Super Cup for the 10th time with a 2-0 win over rivals Barcelona at a joyous Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday to complete a 5-1 aggregate victory that underlined their new status as Spain's dominant force.

Marco Asensio followed up his brilliant late goal in Sunday's first leg with a stunning effort from 30 meters in the fourth minute that proved a punishing blow for the Catalans.

Madrid, last season's Spanish and European champions, dominated throughout, toying with Ernesto Valverde’s side and showing no sign that they were missing suspended forward Cristiano Ronaldo, or Gareth Bale who was on the bench.

Karim Benzema struck before halftime to seal their victory and although Lionel Messi and

Luis Suarez both hit the woodwork, Barcelona left the Spanish capital with Madrid supporters' chants of “Champions” ringing in their ears.

It was a bleak Barcelona display, which leaves Valverde with plenty of holes to patch before the start of the league campaign this weekend.

Madrid, meanwhile, have started where they left off last season, by adding more silverware to the trophy cabinet.

Coach Zinedine Zidane has this month added the Spanish and UEFA Super Cups to an already remarkable haul since taking over at the club in January 2016.

With Ronaldo banned having shoved the referee after he was shown a red card in the first leg, Asensio was given a starting spot and made an instant impact.

The 21-year-old curled a brilliant strike into the

top left corner from distance that left Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen bewildered.

Suarez fired over at the other end, while Navas was quick off his line to deny Messi as he tried to cut inside from the right.

There were only a few flashes of inspiration from the usually imperious Argentine, who could not drag a poor Barcelona back into the match as Madrid kept control.

Gerard Pique's acrobatic clearance whisked the ball away from a stooping Benzema as he tried to head home Lucas Vazquez's cross, before the Frenchman eventually found the net.

The second goal had been coming, with Vazquez striking the post minutes earlier, and it eventually arrived when Marcelo sent in a low cross which Benzema finished with aplomb in the 38th minute.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursdAY, AUGUST 17, 2017

Rose Ramdehol partners with Hero Tallawahs’ Head Coach motorcycle for exclusive distribution Nixon full of confidence Hero CPL 2017

– ahead of Warriors clash

Paul Nixon

A

fter a successful run chase on Tuesday evening spearheaded by a resurgent Andre McCarthy, Head Coach of Jamaica Tallawahs Paul Nixon said his team is full of confidence heading to Guyana to take on hosts Guyana Amazon Warriors

today at the National Stadium.

The Tallawahs head to Guyana in third position and fresh off a win over St. Lucia S t a r s w h e r e they successfully chased 174 for victory with five wickets intact and two balls to spare, compliments of a blistering unbeaten 61 from 37 deliveries by McCarthy.

Nixon praised the effort of the former West Indies under-19 player, who has shown maturity in his second half century knock of the League in just four matches.

The coach noted that his unit is improving along the

way because of the commitment behind the cameras.

The Tallawahs have been one of the in-form teams along with Trinbago Knight Riders, leaders of the point standings and second place St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

However, today match is expected to be challenging against the Warriors, who campaign at a 70% win rate at home and have won two out of three completed home matches against the Tallawahs.

Nevertheless, judging from the way in which the Warriors have started their campaign, Tallawahs must be feeling they are in with a big chance.

Bowl off time is 18:00h

Windies players to benefit from altered ODI contracts – Grave

India’s High Commissioner to Guyana V Mahalingam has a feel of one of the motorcycles at the event (Carl Crooker photo)

L

ocal automotive dealers Rose Ramdehol will now be the exclusive distributors of Hero Motorcycles in Guyana and the English speaking Caribbean. This partnership was unveiled on Wednesday at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club.

The Hero brand which is the title sponsor for the Caribbean Premier League is expected to be an economical brand for the Guyanese public. Representative from the company Josh Ramdehol speaking at the ceremony expressed elation of being

able to land the deal which he believes will be beneficial to Guyana given its success in Asia. Ramdehol highlights the green initiative the company has taken, the great fuel consumption which makes the motor cycles affordable.

CPL Commercial Director Jamie Stewart spoke of the history of the partnership which has been a fruitful and the long standing impact they have had on support sports across the spectrum.

Bank of Baroda Managing Director Arun Kumar Gupta disclosed

that they had no issues being in partnership given the success of the motorcycle around Asia especially the appeal it has to customers in India.

The ceremony also had the presence of India’s High Commissioner to Guyana H.E. Mr. V. Mahalingam who also hailed the success the company.

Rose Ramdehol is expected to have Dawn 150 cc, Hunk 150cc, Dash 110cc and Glamour 125 cc at their South Road Bourda location . Display of the machines are set to be on show for the CPL matches in Guyana.

Sri Lanka's Sports Minister calls for report on Test series loss to India S

Johnny Grave

W

est Indies senior players are expected to benefit from altered contracts which will allow One Day International (ODI) specialists to represent the region in future series.

In recent times the team’s top players have been unable to participate in ODIs and Test matches mostly in part due to a West Indies Cricket (CWI) regulation that required them to take part in the regional competition.

The regional tournament often clashed with lucrative T20 League’s around the world and the players choosing to follow the money trail. Recent negotiation between the

board and senior player have been geared towards alleviating the situation.

"At this stage, we're probably a month away from taking the deal to our board of directors for signoff," CWI director of cricket Johnny Grave explained.

"We'll hopefully be able to announce those at the end of September after our September board meeting.

Having more flexible contracts for our players that reflect the different formats of the game and the new opportunities for players from the T20 leagues is important - England were the first to go down that route and it's only natural that we would follow.” (SportsMax)

ports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera has called for a report from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after the hosts were whitewashed 3-0 by India in the recent three-match Test series.

“This teams capability is not a question but we must know the reasons for the defeat,” Jayasekera told reporters, adding that he also had a two-hour meeting discussing the defeat.

“We also have to remember that India is the top team in the world, so the defeat has to be seen from that view point too,” he said.

Sri Lankan fans are lambasting the team for the series loss with most of the criticism levelled at the Thilanga Sumathipala administration at SLC. The Chairman of selectors, Sanath Jayasuriya has also faced stinging criticism in social media.

The former world cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who is also Jayasekera’s Cabinet col-

Sri Lankan cricketers during the presentation ceremony after India's victory on the last day of the third and final Test at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Monday

league, had called for Sumathipala to step down as SLC boss.

“We can’t change an elected body, that can be done only at the next election,” Jayasekera said.

Jayasekera said Ranatunga was someone who had lost the SLC elec-

tions.

“When there were interim committees which ran Sri Lanka Cricket for 8 years, no one complained.

It was only this government which took action to hold elections (for the SLC),” Jayasekera said.

Jayasekera said he

would soon sit down with the players to discuss the way forward.

This is amidst criticism that inconsistent selection policies and politics reigning at the cricket administration had led to the current downfall of Sri Lankas fortunes. (HindustanTimes)

guyanatimesgy.com

thursDAY, august 17, 2017

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Warriors face first home game against Tallawahs today – adapting to conditions key for success says Guptill

By Akeem Greene

G

uyana Amazon Warriors will have their first of four crucial home matches beginning with the Jamaica Tallawahs this evening at the National Stadium, Providence.

Defending champions Tallawahs have been one of the in-form team along with Trinbago Knight Riders, who heads the point standings and second place St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

However, today match is expected to be challenging against the Warriors, who campaign at a 70% win rate at home and have won two out of three completed home matches against the Tallawahs.

History counts but the conditions this evening might be of the unknown and prove to testing.

At a pre-match briefing captain Martin Guptill spoke on the need them to adapt to conditions.

“It is always tough batting in Guyana; the wicket is a bit more slow than many other places. It is about the team that adapts the quickest to what’s thrown at them.

The boys have had two really good days of training so wear are looking forward tomorrow”.

On Tuesday Head cura-

Rayad Emrit (Carl Crooker photo)

tor Wasim Habib said he is expects the pitch to produce scores in the vicinity of 150 to 160 which Guptill thinks will be competitive.

“150-160 is a good total and but at the end of the day you have to go out and try your best. We are looking to continue from our good start in St Lucia and carry it on” he contended.

With just one win from four matches, the team knows the important of getting have registering the four wins to secure a play-

off spot.

“I don’t need to tell them anything to cheer them up, they are excited to play in front of the Guyanese home crowd. what more can you ask for much better than that. we are looking forward to getting out there and doing well”.

The trump card for the team should be the leg spinner Rashid Khan who had tight spell of 2 for 9 against St Lucia Stars.

“From facing him [Rashid Khan] it will not be

Andre McCarthy

easy for the other batsmen.

He has bowled well whole tournament and the other night in St Lucia he got the rewards”.

Though the middle and lower-order has been somewhat feeble, there have some promising signs from Jason Mohammed and Gajanand Singh along with some lower order hitting from Keemo Paul and Roshon Primus.

And for this reason, the captain said that they will stick with the players, showing the necessary sup-

port.

Meanwhile, Tallawahs enter this encounter after a composed fifty from Andre McCarthy guided them to a five wicket victory chasing 174 against St Lucia Stars on Tuesday.

McCarthy was present at the crease from the seventh over onwards and marshalled a steep run-chase with busy running and boundaries all around the ground despite wickets falling regularly.

Head Coach of Jamaica

Tallawahs Paul Nixon said his team is full of confidence. Nixon praised the effort of the former West Indies under-19 player, who has shown maturity in his second half century knock of the League in just four matches, which are also his only two scores over fifty plus in his T20 career.

The coach noted that his unit is improving along the way because of the commitment behind the cameras.

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Martin Guptill (captain) , Rayad Emrit, Sohail Tanveer , Chadwick Walton, Assad Fudadin, Steven Jacobs, Jason Mohammed, Veerasammy Permaul, Babar Azam, Steven Katwaroo, Steven Taylor, Keon Joseph, , Rashid Khan, Keemo Paul, Ali Khan, Roshon Primus, Gajanand Singh Jamaica Tallawahs: Kumar Sangakkara (c & wk), Mohammad Sami, Lendl Simmons, Glen Phillips, Jonathan Foo, Krishmar Santokie, Garey Mathurin, Kennar Lewis, Imad Wasim, Glenn Phillips, Odean Smith, Trevon Griffith , Andre McCarthy, Kesrick Williams, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Rovman Powell.

Match time is 18:00 hrs and the gates will open from 15:45 hrs.

Warriors, A & C Division bring smiles to young children

A

s s i s t a n t Commissioner Clifton Hicken in collaboration with ranks of ‘A’ and ‘C’ Divisions Community Relations Offices on Wednesday enabled children from communities within the Divisions to have an opportunity of a lifetime to interface with members of the Guyana Amazon Warriors Cricket Team.

The event was held at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, Youths between the age of 6-15 years were

Several Amazon Warriors players and Senior Police Officers after the fun times at the Eve Leary Ground

given the opportunity to meet and greet with members of the famous Amazon Warriors who are scheduled to perform in Guyana today at the National Stadium.

Right arm, Off break bowler Steven Jacobs of the Amazon Warriors told the youths that they can be anything they put their minds to it, with much hard work and dedication, while commending the Force for the opportunity to share lifelong lessons with aspiring youths .“I once aspired like you, to be someone who can contrib-

ute positive changes to society, but nothing good can be achieved without hard work’’.

Assistant Commissioner Clifton Hicken alluded that in 2014 the Guyana Police Force fostered relationships with Faith-Based Organizations within the Albouystown Community with the aim of ridding the area of unwanted characters, who sought to mislead the youths within the community. He further said that the crime rate was reduced significantly through this

initiative, hence this posture was mimicked throughout the seven Divisions.

The youths were benefiting from a Vocational School and Skills Training Programme every Saturday

by Police Ranks, members of Corporate Guyana and Technocrats. Members of the Youth Groups are gainfully employed in the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service where their skills such as: Joinery and Carpentry are utilized to the fullest.

Due to the overwhelm-

ing support from Parents, Community Leaders and Members of the Faith-Based Organizations, a structured curriculum of activities was developed and administered, this formed part of the annual lists of events such as: Youth Ambassador, Spelling Bee Competitions, Youths Expo, Career Day, Commander Football and Cricket Competitions and Commander Athletics Championship to name a few, are all part of the community activities.

The Guyana Police Force

and its Auxiliaries are currently enjoying a relationship with members of the public, a relationship build on trust, which was fostered through the introduction of these activities.

Assistant Commissioner Clifton Hicken thanked members of the Amazon Warriors Cricket Team for making themselves available to interact with youths and share life experiences which will enable them to focus on academics as well as sporting discipline.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2017

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

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Warriors face first home game against Tallawahs today

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