Guyana Times 18 July, 2017

GBTI throws support behind Sickle Cell project with lifelong benefits

P15 Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3275

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

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GECOM Chair impasse

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Court rejects President's interpretation

Govt not interested in Private Sector development

Page 2

– Jagdeo

P10

...plaintiff to appeal ...Opposition Leader feels vindicated, but says ruling constitutes ‘obiter dicta’

Another prison escapee recaptured in Sophia – 4 still on the run

Page 3

Team Guyana emerges on top

New ERC P9 nominees could be approved soon Bagotstown P8 mechanic remanded for bus driver’s murder, McDoom robbery

Jealous lover faces prison for shooting at competitor P9

– during 1st day of Global Robotics Challenge Members of the Guyanese team pose with their robot during the competition being held in Washington, DC

78-yr-old pensioner brutally beaten, robbed Page 7

– during Eccles home invasion

PPP raps Ramjattan over decision to release 90+ prisoners Page 15

Page 11

Lombard Street squatters to get turnkey houses P15 – Govt

2 news

tuesDAY, july 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.co

GECOM Chair impasse

Court rejects President's interpretation ...plaintiff to appeal ...Opposition Leader feels vindicated, but says ruling constitutes ‘obiter dicta’

A

cting Chief Justice Roxane George, SC, on Monday overruled President David Granger’s interpretation of the Constitution regarding the appointment of a chairman for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), finding that there is no particular preference for the appointment of persons within the Judiciary. While this deduction was welcomed by complainant Marcel Gaskin, he felt that the honourable Chief Justice erred in a section of her ruling, where, according to him, she went beyond what was asked of the court.

In her determination, Chief Justice (ag) George found that there was no valid argument to support the idea that the Chairman should be a judge, former judge or person eligible to be a judge, and noted that persons from each category are equally eligible for the post. However, in an issued statement after the ruling, Gaskin highlighted that the acting Chief Justice went to address the proviso to Article 161 (2) which applies to instance of the Opposition Leader failing to submit a list.

“This was never an issue for us since the Leader of the Opposition submitted not one but two lists of persons for nomination as Chairman of GECOM. Unfortunately, by extending herself beyond the requirement of my case, the Madame Chief Justice made a gross error in ruling that the President is not obliged to select a person from the six names on the list unless he has de-

termined positively that the persons thereon are unacceptable (sic) as a fit and proper person for appointment,” Gaskin pointedly stated on Monday.

His statement categorised that subsidiary aspect of the ruling as a non-sequitur (does not follow), which, in his opinion, creates “unnecessary misunderstanding and confusion”. In this light, Gaskin disclosed that he gave his attorneys instructions to “immediately lodge a Notice of Appeal”.

Included in Justice George’s ruling on Monday was that the persons proposed for the post of GECOM Chairman must have judge-like qualities and possess integrity, honesty and impartiality. She also said that the word “any” in the other category , “any other fit and proper person” widens the category and “does not restrict the qualification or profession” from which the nominee should be drawn, and noted that there was no mandatory category and all the categories have equal weight.

In March, Gaskin, a local businessman and brother of Business Minister Dominic Gaskin, had moved to the High Court to challenge the constitutionality of President Granger’s reasoning behind his rejection of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s first list of six nominees for the GECOM chairmanship. Jagdeo had submitted a second list, which the Head of State also rejected. A third list is slated to be presented.

In the court action,

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George, SC

Gaskin sought a declaratory order from the Court as to whether the list of nominees to be submitted by the Opposition Leader must include a judge, a retired judge, or a person qualified to be a judge.

Since the matter was filed, the acting Chief Justice heard submissions from the various parties, which included Gaskin’s lawyer Glen Hanoman.

President Granger, however, held out that Article 161 (2) of the Constitution prescribes for the Chairman of the Elections Commission to be “a person who holds or who has held office as a judge of a court…or who is qualified to be appointed as any such judge, or any other fit and proper person…”

Having interpreted “fit and proper” to mean another group of qualified persons, the Opposition Leader in December submitted his first list and nominated: Attorney and Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram; Conflict

Resolution Specialist Lawrence Lachmansingh; retired Major General Norman McLean; business executive Ramesh Dookhoo; Indian rights activist Rhyaan Shah, and History Professor, Dr James Rose for the post at the helm of GECOM. However, the Head of State rejected that list on his aforementioned grounds.

Following weeks of impasse, Jagdeo finally agreed to return to the drawing board and submitted a new list of nominees. Consultations were held for several weeks with civil society representatives, since there were difficulties in conforming to the criteria outlined by the President.

Nevertheless, Jagdeo had submitted a

second list of six nominees for the post of Chairman of GECOM to the Head of State in April. The nominees were: retired Justice of Appeal BS Roy; retired Justice William Ramlall; former Magistrate Oneidge Walrond-Allicock; Attorneys Kashir Khan and Nadia Sagar; and businessman and pilot, Captain Gerald Gouveia.

Again, President Granger rejected the list, saying that it was “unacceptable” and reiterated his stance that all of the nominees should be a judge, retired judge, or qualified to be a judge.

Meanwhile, at the High Court on Monday, Justice George nullified the arguments made by the Attorney General’s

Chambers, saying that the President needed to give good reasons for rejecting all or any nominees. This, she said, will be in furtherance of democracy and good governance. Should the Head of State present his reasons for rejecting the nominees, it would give an indication of who is acceptable.

She also said if one of the six nominees was acceptable, one would expect that the person would be appointed to the position of GECOM Chairman as there is no need for everyone on the list to be acceptable. She said, however, that the President has the discretion to reject the entire list.

Opposition Leader’s statement on CJ ruling

I

have noted press reports of the ruling of the Honourable Madam Justice Roxane George, SC CCH, Chief Justice (ag), in the matter filed by Marcel Gaskin.

The Leader of the Opposition was named as a party to those proceedings by the Applicant. As a result, my Attorneys-atLaw were invited by the Court to make submissions for the purpose of assisting the Court in determining the important questions posed to the Court by the Applicant in respect of, an interpretation of Article 161(2) of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. In compliance with the Court’s request, my lawyers duly submitted copious legal submissions supported by dozens of case law authorities in respect of each of the questions which were posed to the Honourable Court.

Having read excerpts of the ruling carried in the Press, I am happy that the Honourable Chief Justice has clarified many of the issues which seemed to have caused deep confusion in the minds of the AttorneyGeneral and the President.

The Honourable Chief Justice’s ruling has clarified the following issues: (i) that the list of names which is to be submitted by the Leader of the Opposition to the President for the appointment of a Chairman of GECOM can comprise of judges, former judges, any person qualified to be a judge or any other fit and proper person; (ii) that there is no preference of one category over the other; (iii) that any person from each category can be appointed; (iv) that the list can

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

consist of six judicially or legally qualified persons, or six fit and proper persons; (v) that there is no requirement that a judicially qualified person must be on any list; (vi) that any fit and proper person must have the characteristics of honesty, integrity, impartially and independence from political or other control; (vii) that the President is obliged to provide reasons for deeming each of the six names on the list submitted to him, as unacceptable; (viii) that the Constitution contemplates only one list but that list can be amended with names added and removed from it; (ix) that the President’s actions and decisions are justiciable in a court of law; (x) that the finding by the President that one name is unacceptable does not render the entire list unacceptable; (xi) that so long as a single name is acceptable to the President, he ought to appoint that person.

All of the above vindicate the position we have adopted on this matter from the inception.

However, I am informed that in the course of her ruling, the Honourable Chief Justice is interpreted to have said that if the President deems every name on a list as unacceptable, then the proviso to Article 161 applies. If this report is correct, we respectfully take issue with this aspect of the Chief Justice’s ruling. We maintain most resolutely that the proviso only applies when no list has been submitted.

That once a list has been submitted, the proviso has no applicability.

It is public knowledge that a list had been submitted several months ago.

The first six names on that list have been rejected and a second set of six names has been substituted therefor.

The second set of names has been rejected and a third set of names has been submitted- all upon the invitation of the President.

More significantly, the proviso to Article 162 of the Constitution was not placed before the Court for its interpretation, nor was it part of any of the questions posed to the Court, nor was it the subject of any legal submissions, either from the Applicant’s, nor the Guyana Bar Association’s nor my Attorneys-at-Law. It is therefore rather strange that such a proposition appears to form part of the ruling in the case. In any event, I am advised that if the Honourable Chief Justice made such a statement, it constitutes obiter dicta and is not binding.

I await a copy of the written decision and if that statement is in fact in the written decision, then I will have no alternative but to join Marcel Gaskin in filing an appeal against it.

3 Another prison escapee recaptured in Sophia NEWS

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, July 18 – 12:30h-14:00h and Wednesday, July 19 – 14:00h-15:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

– 4 still on the run

Tuesday, July 18 – 11:35h-13:05h and Wednesday, July 19 – 13:00h-14:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Sunny intervals until the late morning hours followed by heavy rain showers, while thundery showers can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging between Easterly and South Southeasterly between 2.23 metre and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 11:51h reaching a maximum height of 2.36 metres.

Low Tide: 05:18h and 17:46h reaching minimum heights of 0.80 metre and 0.86 metre.

J

ust over a week after escaping from the Camp Street Penitentiary, murder accused Cornelius Thomas was on Monday recaptured while hiding out in “C” Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

His arrest was initiated by information relayed to members of the Guyana Police Force, who swooped down on an area in the community and effected the arrest at about 15:30h. Information remains limited, but Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that the man was arrested and is being interrogated by members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on the whereabouts of the remaining four escapees.

Last Friday evening, escapee Desmond James, 24, was recaptured in an aban-

urged that the families of the escapees do their civic duty.

“If you’ve got any information, please come forward and help the police. It is to ensure the stability and security of our country that we capture them as early as possible. These pieces of information that you have will be held in the highest of confidentiality. Please don’t be afraid to come forward and help,” he admonished.

Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, has issued a stern warning to potentially errant ranks. Noting that strict measures are in place to check all persons entering prohibited areas, he said, “This is a moment for you to reconsider, because if you’re caught, my recommendation will be guided by the Prison Act. More than likely, it will see the

Captured: Cornelius Thomas

Captured: Desmond James

supporting the civil authority.

Ranks on the ground are being commanded by Lt Colonel Ramkarran Doodnauth, who explained that the GDF is also in support of the efforts being made to recapture those on the run from custody. The Guyana Fire Service also has a support unit on standby.

ty were moved to the recently constructed tarmacked area of the compound by 18:00h on Monday. The remainder of prisoners held in the walled open area are expected to be sanitised and moved to the same holding facility by this afternoon, according to Prison Director Gladwin Samuels.

Now that two of the six

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Still at large: Mark Royden Durant, Uree Varswyck, Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander and Cobena Stephens

doned shack at Canal No. 1 Polder, West Bank Demerara.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has called on the remaining prison escapees to turn themselves in to law enforcement authorities. “It’s going to be rough out there. Get out and give yourself up. You’re not going to win against the state. Absolutely not!” he declared.

Minister Ramjattan also

(harshest) punishment being recommended.”

The Guyana Police Force is supporting the efforts of the Guyana Prison Service to sanitize the prison and ensure that all prisoners are safe.

Assistant Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken has said, “We will continue to work with the Joint Services to ensure that normalcy prevails.” The Guyana Defence Force is also

Efforts are continuing to have the Brick Prison at Camp Street prepared to accommodate 250 prisoners, and 100 more will be housed in another section. Prisoners who are within one month of completing their sentences’, and those remanded for bailable offences are being released, as recommended by prison authorities.

Approximately 300 prisoners at the Lusignan facili-

men who are wanted by the police have been recaptured, the hunt continues for the alleged mastermind of the prison breakout: Mark Royden Durant, called “Royden Williams” and “Smallie”; excop Uree Varswyck, Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander, and Cobena Stephens.

These men have all been charged for the capital offence of murder.

4

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TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017

Views Best of IAAF ParaAthletics 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

Universal health coverage

T

he “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Health Price Tag”, published recently in The Lancet Global Health, has provided some useful information in relation to costs and benefits of progressively expanding health services in order to reach 16 SDG health targets in 67 low- and middleincome countries that account for 75 per cent of the world’s population.

The SDGs were adopted by the Member States of the United Nations in 2015 as the world’s to-do list for the next 15 years. They comprise 17 ambitious, interlinked goals and 169 targets for a healthier, safer and fairer world by 2030. While the SDGs are for all countries, the “SDG Health Price Tag” focused on 67 low- and middle-income countries that face the greatest challenges in terms of expanding health services.

According to the report’s summary, the analysis shows that investments to expand services towards universal health coverage and the other SDG health targets could prevent 97 million premature deaths globally between now and 2030, and add as much as 8.4 years of life expectancy in some countries.

The report’s summary explains that the “SDG Health Price Tag” models two scenarios: an “ambitious” scenario in which investments are sufficient for countries to attain the health targets in the SDGs by 2030, and a “progress” scenario in which countries get two thirds or more of the way to the targets.

The report explains that in both scenarios, investing in employing more health workers; building and operating new clinics, hospitals and laboratories; and buying medical equipment account for about 75 per cent of the total. The remaining costs are for medicines, vaccines, syringes and other commodities used to prevent or treat specific diseases, and for activities such as training, health campaigns and outreach to vulnerable communities.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), under the "ambitious" scenario, achieving the SDG health targets would require new investments increasing over time from an initial US$134 billion annually to US$371 billion, or US$58 per person, by 2030. The analysis shows that 85 per cent of these costs can be met with domestic resources, although as many as 32 of the world’s poorest countries will face an annual gap of up to US$54 billion and will continue to need external assistance.

The "progress" scenario would require new investments increasing from an initial US$104 billion a year to US$274 billion, or US$41 per person, by 2030. These investments would prevent about 71 million premature deaths and boost health spending as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to an average of 6.5 per cent. More than 14 million new health workers would be added, and nearly 378,000 new health facilities built, 93 per cent of which would be primary health-care centres, according to the report’s summary.

Delivering adequate health care and providing the key elements of Universal Health Care (UHC) to all has always been a challenge for developing countries with limited resources and underdeveloped systems. The “SDG Health Price Tag” does not prescribe what countries should spend on health, but is intended as a tool to inform further research.

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, at a round-table discussion on sustainable financing of UHC, earlier this year, had recommended that stronger efforts be made by developing countries to revise financing at national levels, so that health could be positioned as a top priority for funding. At the forum, she pressed the need for targeted allocation of resources to address the growing shortage of health workers. She had also noted the need for management of resources in both the public and private health sectors efficiently, as countries move towards achieving the goal of UHC by 2030.

As stated by Lawrence, it is known that creating awareness with regard to social determinants of health, promoting health at all levels of the community; ensuring that healthy public policies are in place; and developing and implementing innovative approaches that work, along with a public/private mix that address the high-end needs can arrest the escalating demands faced by countries.

That said, achieving universal health coverage and the other health targets requires not only funding but political will. We support the view of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, who stated that “UHC is ultimately a political choice. It is the responsibility of every country and national government to pursue it”.

Human potential unbound: Hannah Cockroft of Great Britain celebrates after winning gold in the women's 100m T34 final (Action Images via Reuters/Henry Browne)

New Integrity Commission has its work cut out

Dear Editor, It was extremely encouraging to learn that the President of Guyana is expected to unveil a new Integrity Commission soon, now that nominees have been identified and submitted by the Prime Minister.

One can only hope that the 10 Principles of Public Life – accountability, dignity, diligence, duty, honour, integrity, loyalty, objectivity, responsibility and transparency – and the order to address issues of brib-

ery, discrimination, receiving/giving of gifts, conflict of interest, use of official influence, handling of classified information, use of public property, sexual misconduct and entertainment will be applied especially to the senior Municipal officials at the Georgetown Municipality.

These senior officers of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown (M&CC) should be made to declare their assets and incomes; and their conduct

should be monitored to ensure that they do not benefit from disproportionate wealth, or gain personal advantage and advancement from their offices.

Those who have moved from bankruptcy, the seizure of their cars and attempted foreclosure of their homes just a little over two years ago, to now being in possession of immense wealth and considerable assets, including multiple homes and vehicles, should be made to explain from whence, and with

what rapidity, their enormous fortunes have been accumulated.

Indeed, I believe that if we are to save our capital, then the first order of business for the new Integrity Commission, after it has been set up, should be to focus on the Georgetown Municipality, which is hemorrhaging badly because of a few unscrupulous officers.

Best regards, Sambu Jacobus

14% VAT on private education has not gone away Dear Editor, I had very much hoped to be able to move on and not have to write anything more about the imposition of the 14% VAT on private education, but two recent events have prompted this letter.

A few days ago, I had a very brief meeting with a member of the Cabinet.

That person assured me in front of three other persons that “we are going to re-

move the 14% VAT.” Then I read in the newspaper over the weekend that the President also alluded to a similar position on the part of his government.

I asked the minister when the tax would be removed, as already more than 100 students have left Nations because they are unable to bear this added financial burden. The response was “soon, but not just now, as we need so

much money to rebuild the prison.”

If the decision exists to make the change, then surely that acknowledges that it was a mistake in the first place. I suggested to the minister that the change should be made very soon -- in time for the new school year, as students would simply miss their cut-off dates for enrollment on the various international programmes that we offer.

In normal life, when we make a mistake, we are surely obliged to acknowledge the fact, correct the wrong as soon as possible, and move on. A change in the next budget in no way meets these requirements of honest self-reflection and effective leadership.

Dr Brian O’Toole Director, School Nations

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The Venezuelan military is Town Clerk refusing to take annual leave too fragmented Dear Editor, Beatrice Rangel, a former Chief of Staff to former Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez, has said that a desperate President Nicolas Maduro may well order military intervention into Guyana as a means of trying to divert attention from his internal troubles, but not a single platoon of the armed forces of Venezuela will obey that order.

“It is not going to happen.

The military is too fragmented,” she said in response to questioning by former Guyanese diplomat Wesley Kirton about such a possibility during a forum here on Thursday, titled “Voices from Venezuela”, put on by the Council of the Americas.

Rangel had earlier argued that the Venezuelan president is desperate, and is being “propped up” by a number of international criminal organisations, including the Russian and Chinese Mafia and the Colombian drug cartels, which are believed to be currently directing the Maduro regime’s every move.

She criticised the international community’s lack of action on brokering a solution to the crisis in the once oil rich Latin American republic, saying that the vio-

lence, which is likely to erupt this Sunday, may force it to act.

The Opposition and the Government are scheduled to hold votes this month, the Opposition holding a referendum on Maduro’s leadership this Sunday and Maduro holding a vote for a constituent assembly on July 31.

This could be the bloodiest day in Venezuela’s recent history, Rangel said, pointing out that this may be the occasion for the Organization of American States (OAS) to invoke the Inter-American Democratic Charter and request the United Nations (UN) Security Council to address the crisis in Venezuela.

Rangel said the OAS resolution, which fell short of passage by three votes at the recent General Assembly in Cancun, Mexico, was a result of threats and scare tactics carried out by Venezuela’s mafia connections, which forced countries like neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago to abstain on the resolution out of fear.

She said these groups have been terrorizing Trinidadian fishermen off the coast of Tobago, making life difficult for Tobagonians.

However, a representative of one of Trinidad and

Tobago’s non-governmental organizations participating in the forum later told me that Rangel’s analysis was flawed, and that his country’s abstention had to do with future joint exploitation of oil and gas resources that are to be found in the maritime space of the two neighbouring countries.

Asked about the role of the oil industry, Rangel said that is a complicated architecture of relationships, and accused Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, of helping to finance and facilitate companies and interests whose access to finance and financial institutions has been cut off as a result of US sanctions placed on them. She cited, as an example, a reported recent telephone conversation between Maduro and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which Putin suggested that Maduro may want to ensure he operates within the Constitution, and Maduro responded that such advice could force him to ask Russian oil interests to leave Venezuela.

As for a solution to the crisis in Venezuela, Rangel said the international community has to broker a deal, but in the process of negotiation, has to recognise that it

is not dealing in an environment of traditional negotiations, and therefore has to be tough, offering Maduro the option of peaceful exile or imprisonment.

She also argued that there will have to be the emergence of a new political entity to counter-balance the current Opposition. The new political party would have to be one that would represent the interests of the working and middle classes that supported the late Hugo Chavez.

The forum also heard from a number of other presenters from Venezuela, including Jose Domingo Mujica, National Coordinator of the Electoral Assembly of Education; University Professor Juan Manuel Raffle, and journalists Marianela Balbi and Nathan Crooks, Venezuela Bureau Chief, Bloomberg.

President of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), Mike Mc Cormack, and President of the Transparency Institute of Guyana, Dr. Troy Thomas, were among participants in the forum from CARICOM member states.

Regards, Wesley Kirton

M&CC depriving taxpayers of the right to enjoy what they have paid for Dear Editor, If any citizen of Georgetown was under any delusion that the mouthing by the ‘Big Wigs’ at City Hall -- about ‘greening’ our city -- was anything more than just them being full of hot air, then all they have to do is take a walk along High Street in the vicinity of Leopold Street, Georgetown.

There they will see, from Sunday to Sunday, a string of roadside mechanical workshops illegally operating in this location. They specialize in oil changes, fixing of brakes, and air conditioning repairs, among other things.

Waste crankcase oil (WCO), the oil that they remove from motor engines right there on the street during an oil change, is almost always discarded right there into the gutters, resulting in pollution of both our aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The roads are blackened, the drains are

filled with thick sludge, and the pavements are slippery because of the oil deposits.

Oil spilling onto the road makes for hazardous driving and walking conditions.

The irony is that these roadside workshops are a mere stone’s throw from City Hall, and City Constables -who are well known to harass vendors and business persons for the smallest of transgressions, and sometimes for no good reason -pass along each day in the execution of their duties, but never stop to reprimand these rogue mechanics.

Worse, the Mayor, Town Clerk, City Engineer, Chief Constable, etc all motor along this roadway frequently, but could not at all be bothered by the harmful actions of these roadside mechanics.

This road, like all others in Georgetown, was built with our money -- the tax payers’ money. By allowing auto repair works to be car-

ried out continually on them, the Council is depriving tax payers of the right to enjoy what they have paid for.

Come on, ‘Pat and Roy’, stop just talking the talk; it

is time to walk the walk and let Georgetown play its part in saving the planet.

Sincerely, Anu Bihari

should have raised a ‘red flag’ Dear Editor, There is an old Guyanese proverb that says: All cassava get same skin, but all nah taste same way.

The Minister of State within the Ministry of the Presidency had indicated, some time ago, that the administration had a zero tolerance approach on public officers refusing to take their annual leave and instead opting for payments.

However, it seems as though the Minister of Communities did not get this memo, as he continues to allow the Town Clerk of Georgetown to decline to proceed on his annual leave since taking up the position more than two years now.

The fact that this officer has refused to take his annual leave whilst others are made to take theirs should

raise a red flag. The fact that this officer travels in short spurts abroad, leaving a few trusted and loyal cohorts to keep the show on the road whilst he is gone, but nonetheless directs operations from his roaming cellular telephone, should make them suspicious.

What makes this public servant so indispensible that he is prevented from taking his vacation leave, while other public officials carrying out far more important functions are made to take theirs?

Clearly, this officer could not ignore the regulations with such impunity without the encouragement and fiat of some one or more of his functional superiors encouraging it.

Sincerely, Mark Roopan

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation Make space for family, however you define it.

Be honest Honesty and vulnerability should be present from all sides of these interactions. Parents, loved ones: practise honesty.

Within boundaries that feel safe for you, let your teens see you as a person, not just as a concerned adult. Share your honest concern, giddy excitement, or own understandable sadness about this time of tran-

By Kailey Hockridge

F

or teens who are about to embark on their first year of college (or who are moving away for other reasons in the fall), this summer can be particularly meaningful.

To so many of these young people, this is the summer; the summer where great changes are made, identities are shed and reformed, and the world begins to take on a slightly different shape.

If your teen is experiencing a lot right now, you may be wondering how you can walk beside them as this season comes to a close, while helping them to connect with and express their own feelings.

Mind the gap No two people experience life in the same way, and no two people handle change in the same way, either. Do your best to be mindful of the space that may exist between your teen’s experience during this time, and your own when you were their age. And, try to keep in mind the difference that may exist between one child’s experience and another’s.

Enter this period with openness and curiosity; you may not necessarily know what they’re going through right now. They may be afraid to share their fears and doubts, or may worry that their excitement over moving on could seem insensitive to your own time of transition as a parent or loved one.

The only way to find out is to ask.

This doesn’t have to become a sombre, heavy conversation if you don’t feel it needs to be. Simply asking your teen how they’re doing and how they’re feeling right now can open the door for valuable conversation.

Try to not jump to solutions It’s nice to have an answer to someone’s problems (trust me, I hear you), but that is so rarely the case. Now may be one of those times when there just isn’t a solution; may-

be there’s just feeling.

Especially if your teen is feeling lost, uncertain, or anxious, it can be powerful for you to just sit with them in those moments.

Give them the space to experience those feelings without judgment, and without expectation that they have to do something to make those feelings change. All you need to do is listen.

If and when they’re ready to think of ways to change the situation they’re in or reduce the negative feelings they’re having, let them know that you’ll be there to help.

As your teen enters adulthood, your relationship will inevitably change.

Especially for families with teens going off to college, distance may make it difficult for you to really do anything to help when they’re struggling.

That’s hard to think of, I know.

But you have an opportunity to show and practise a new type of support, one that is grounded solely in feeling. Not everyone’s teenager is going to be comfortable being vulnerable, but even when teens struggle to express themselves, it can be meaningful for them to know that they have someone to turn to if they need to. You may not have any solutions right now, and that’s okay.

Validator supreme This one is short and to the point: validate your teen’s feelings and experiences!

You may not agree with their view of the world right now, or maybe you’re struggling to empathise with how they’re feeling – that’s alright! A huge piece of building supportive relationships with young people is to let them know that their experiences have value. Validate.

Say your teen is heading off to college, but their very best friend is going to a different school. They’re hurting right now, and they’re likely afraid of being alone when they start a new chapter of their lives in a strange place.

In this moment, many parents may instinctively think to say, “It’ll be ok, sweetie! You’re going to make so many new friends!”

To your teen, that could be hurtful, when what you’re really trying to do is be encouraging and supportive.

Remember a few seconds ago when I said to not jump to solutions?

In a situation like this, it may be enough for you, as a loved one, to just say, “I’m so sorry. I know how hard it is for you to think of not having your friend around every day.” And then leave it at that.

Validating statements like this one can help to reaffirm your teen’s experience and create an opportunity for them to be heard.

Make space for family Whether or not every young person shouts their need for family time from the rooftops, or social media, I think that the great majority of them do value those experiences. So make space for family this summer.

Plan small trips or at-home movie nights; if your teen doesn’t know how to do their laundry or make a meal, turn it into a fun family affair; have the conversations you’ve been holding out for, and appreciate the moments you have to connect with your child before big changes come along.

sition. Modelling this type of emotional honesty and vulnerability can help your teen try new ways of connecting, as well.

You know the limits of what you do and do not feel comfortable sharing with your child, and I am not asking you to cross those limits. But as children grow older, they have an opportunity to start to know their parents as people, and this can be a powerful step in that direction. (psychologytoday.com)

Why children with pets are better off – controversial study helps explain the impact of pets on child development

By Hal Herzog, PhD

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he pattern of generally better physical and mental health among pet-owning children was true for children living with cats and with dogs.

So, it would be easy for us to conclude that pets are good for children. However, that conclusion would be wrong.

Pet ownership and social class The problem is that homes with and without pets were different in many ways other than the presence of an animals.

For example, the researchers found that children with pets were: less likely to be on free school lunch programmes less likely to be from households that moved frequently more likely to have parents who spoke English more likely to live in a house rather than an apartment more likely to have parents who were in good health In short, children in homes with dogs or cats were wealthier and had a host of socioeconomic factors on their side. Could these advantages be the real explanation for the apparent relationship between pet ownership and improved health and well-being in children?

To answer this question, the RAND researchers turned to a sophisticated statistical technique called the “double robust regression approach.”

Here is a brief description from their research report.

“We obtained a double robust estimate of exposure effect by adjusting for all covariates used in the propensity score model in our regression model, weighted by the propensity score weights.”

If you don’t understand any of this, don’t worry, I don’t either. You just need to know that this method of analysis enabled the researchers to examine the effects of pet ownership that remained after adjusting for 20 demographic and socioeconomic differences between the households with and without pets.

What they found can be explained in a simple sentence.

Virtually all differences between pet-owning and non-pet owning kids disappeared when factors such as race, home ownership, parental health, and wealth were taken into to account. This includes differences in the rates of ADD/ADHD. In short, the analysis showed that kids with

Part 2

pets are better off – but it is not because they have companion animals. It’s because they are likely to come from more prosperous homes and not be members of minority groups.

When research gets personal When I read their research report, I realized that these findings applied to me. I was raised in a solidly middle class suburb where practically every family in our neighbourhood had a well-kept lawn and a dog.

Unlike many children today, I had a stable home and parents who were amazingly tolerant of my scaly animal friends. Indeed, my father constructed cages for Fred and my other snakes and lizards, and my mother did not complain about my menagerie, even the time she had to get me out of my high school English class to retrieve an escaped king snake she stumbled upon while vacuuming the living room. Sure my siblings and I had pets, as did all our friends. But we also had lots of advantages that less welloff children lacked.

I find the argument that the health and psychological benefits of pet-keeping to children are largely attributable to differences in wealth and social class convincing. But, ironically, the researchers are less sure. In an email to me Dr Layla Parast wrote, "We all were truly surprised by the results, and unlike other work that we do at RAND (on for example, health insurance or hospital performance, etc), we had a very personal and emotional investment in this topic." She pointed out that the data set did not have information on how long pets lived in the households, and thus they could not check for possible long-term effects of pets on kids. And she added, "Perhaps if we could measure that, we would see something different. I feel like I can see the positive effects of interactions with animals on my two-year-old son, it helps him learn kindness and compassion, to the point where he tries to hug and feed every animal we see – including a skunk and raccoon in our backyard."

My wife Mary Jean agrees with her. She correctly pointed out to me that during his years of adolescent angst, our yellow lab Tsali was one of our son’s major sources of comfort and psychological support.

It's hard to argue with that.

(Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

CLICO/Guyana fallout

78-yr-old pensioner brutally beaten, robbed

No proposals for investments – during Eccles home invasion

by CLICO – Jordan clarifies S …says company wanted data on debt owed

F

inance Minister Winston Jordan clarified on Monday that former Executive Chairman of CL Financial (CLF), Trinidadian Lawrence Duprey did not make any proposal to the Guyana Government regarding investment here, but rather made queries about the amount of money the insurance company owed Guyanese.

Duprey and CL Financial could be taken before the court as the Trinidad Government has applied to the High Court to wind up the conglomerate as it is reportedly unable to meet its $15 billion debt in that country. The $15 billion is the balance owed to the Government for its bailout of CLF subsidiary CLICO in 2009.

With this in mind, Guyana Times sought to enquire whether – considering the financial condition of the company – Government here would still go ahead with the “proposals” made when Duprey met with the Finance Minister in late March. But Minister Jordan said that the official did not make any proposals.

“First of all, no proposals have been made. He just said he would like to know what debt he owes to Guyana and he would like to honour that debt and at the same time, he would like to explore opportunities in investment… I don’t

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

know of any proposals that were made. Nothing is on the table as yet until both sides understand what is the debt that he owes…and could come to the agreement on whether that debt attracts interest. I don’t know that he made a proposal; I know he made an approach with regard to the debt CLICO owes, no proposals as yet,” Jordan told this publication.

He said, however, that any queries regarding this would have to be made with the Bank of Guyana, which he said CLF has been in contact with regarding the debt.

In early April, Minister Jordan had told Journalists that Guyana was open for business to anyone and would welcome the insurance company to invest here, if it was able to settle

Former CL Financial Executive Chairman Lawrence Duprey

its local debt.

“It does not mean that we are open to business to rogues and so on, but the guy made some overtures to us and he is willing to repay the money, he’s willing to apologise. He asked for the evidence for what is outstanding and he also said he is interested in doing business in Guyana,” Jordan had said.

Among his interests are re-investments in housing, providing solar energy at

competitive prices, as well as introducing a financial model that would generate savings and alleviate poverty.

Last week, Bank of Guyana Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga had reported that CLF has not yet begun repaying its debt as it was still gathering data on the amount of monies owed.

A statement from the Finance Ministry late March said Duprey wished to apologise to Guyanese for the consequences they bore as a result of CLICO’s collapse.

It also said that CLF would try to make amends for the approximately US$40 million debt owed mainly to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

CLICO had failed across the Region, and many policyholders in other Caribbean States were unable to receive their monies at face value.

CLICO Guyana had approximately $6.9 billion invested in the regional insurance company when it collapsed in 2009. Among the local investments was an investment of $5.2 billion by the NIS.

eventy-eight-year-old Rohnee Mithuram of Lot 357 Eccles, East Bank Demerara was brutally beaten and robbed by two men at her home in Eccles, East Bank Demerara on Sunday just after 03:00h.

Speaking with Guyana Times at her home on Monday, the pensioner recalled that one of the unmasked bandits had even pressed a pillow over her face during the ordeal.

“Me nah know the time that they come,” she explained. “[But it was] two of them, and them cuff up me in my face and say they ask for money and jewels,” the septuagenarian told this publication.

Mithuram’s assailants reportedly kicked her in the abdomen several times, before fleeing the home with a bag containing her passport and Identification Card, three finger rings, $6,000, and her pension book.

The elderly woman disclosed that she had recently acquired her passport, and was scheduled to leave the country soon to reside with her niece in New York.

After the men left, Mithuram said, she immediately ran outside of her home, screaming and crying for assistance. However, her sleeping neighbours did not respond.

78-year-old pensioner Rohnee Mithuram

“Me go out pon the road and holler and cry up and down, but the neighbours them been sleeping,” the elderly woman related.

She added that assistance came when a Hindu priest (pandit) passed by and enquired how she was doing, and she related to him what she had just experienced. She was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where she was treated and discharged.

She is complaining of experiencing pains in her neck, brought on by her being choked and manhandled by the bandits. Her eyes are currently bloodshot and her nose is bruised and visibly swollen.

No one has yet been apprehended for this heinous act, but investigations are ongoing.

8 NEWS

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Bagotstown mechanic remanded for bus driver’s murder, McDoom robbery New designs…

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he prime suspect in last week’s brazen robbery on passengers on board a Route 32 minibus which left the driver, 35-year-old Tedroy James dead after he attempted to save his passengers from several armed attackers at the McDoom, East Bank Demerara Public Road, was on Monday hauled before the court of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan where he was charged with the capital offence of murder.

Orin Peters was not required to plead to the indictable offence, which detailed that on July 11, 2017, he murdered James during the course of a robbery.

The court heard that the unrepresented man was a

Dead: Route 32 minibus driver Tedroy James

24-year-old mechanic by trade, who resided in Norton Street, Bagotstown.

Guyana Times previously reported that James, also called “Six-Head”, of Suddie, Essequibo Coast, was shot in the back by one of three armed bandits around 11:30h on Tuesday last. This publication was also told that the attackers were young males. This newspaper spoke to several eyewitnesses who revealed that one of the passengers picked up along the West Coast Demerara road was a bandit and he was seen in constant communication with someone on his cellular phone during the course of the journey.

According to an eyewitness, the suspicious man then requested to be put off at McDoom and as he

was about to exit the minibus, the man grabbed a bag belonging to another passenger before brandishing a gun. Just moments after this occurrence, two male accomplices pounced and attempted to rob the other passengers. The minibus driver had attempted to drive away with his passengers and was shot once to the back by one of the robbers who then escaped through a street in McDoom.

Nonetheless, swift response by ranks of the Guyana Police Force led to the arrest of a suspect.

James was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital, and he leaves to mourn two children and other relatives.

Miner on bail for 2 pounds of marijuana in haversack

C

hief Magistrate Ann McLennan has granted bail to a 25-yearold gold miner while questioning the grounds of a narcotics possession charge initiated against the accused, even as Prosecutor Arvin Moore contended that instructions were received from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have a second accused charged for the felony after he was implicated in a drug bust for which a woman was already charged prior to Monday’s court hearing.

It is alleged that Seon Nickle on May 31, 2017 at First Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni), was in possession of 1.261 kilograms (approximately two pounds) of cannabis for trafficking pur-

poses.

As the defendant pleaded not guilty to the offence, Prosecutor Moore objected to bail on the basis that no special reasons were offered by the unrepresented defendant and requested that

Nickle be placed on remand.

He further alleged that the accused reportedly gave a caution statement to Police in which he accepted responsibility for the illicit drug.

Police facts further stated that the drug was found in

a haversack on the person of a second party who implicated Nickle as the owner of the bag subsequently leading to his arrest.

Moore disclosed that guidance was sought from the DPP’s office, and it was advised that Nickle also be charged. The female defendant on which the haversack was found is presently out on $100,000 bail and is set to face the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on July 21, 2017. The Chief Magistrate declared that the court found special circumstances under which to grant bail, alluding to the fact that the said haversack was found in the possession of a second party. Bail was set in the sum of $200,000.

The matter continues on August 11, 2017 at the Bartica Magistrate’s Courts.

Kitty man charged for allegedly stealing from Aurora Mines

V

ibert Wishart of Thomas Street, Kitty Georgetown was on Monday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on an allegation that, between June 27 and June 29, 2017 at

Buck Hall Trail, Essequibo (Region Two), he stole from the Aurora Gold Mining Company Incorporated an excavator computer box valued at $632,000.

The 30-year-old father of three denied any knowledge

Vibert Wishart

of the allegation, and a notguilty plea was entered on his behalf.

Wishart’s attorney respectfully requested that he be released on reasonable bail on ground that he is willing to attend court trial to exonerate his name of the allegation.

Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore informed the court that

the defendant was captured just as he was about to sell the item in the Georgetown area. While posing no objection to bail, the prosecutor suggested that same be set in a substantial amount.

Wishart was placed on $150,000 bail, and the matter was transferred before the Bartica Magistrate for continuation on August 10, 2017.

W

…for the “big jail” hile the Camp St Jail was conspicuously said to be “very old” - 132 years - not many have commented as to whether its inevitably old design had contributed to the periodic insurrections by prisoners over that time. Mostly, we heard about the “crowded conditions” and, of course, the planned breakouts. Anyhow, now that “boat gone a watah” and the jail’s been razed by the inmates, the Government has been forced to speed up recommendations for a new facility -- to be built away from the city.

In the meantime, it was with great glee that Public Security Minister Ramjattan announced that, within a week, the prisoners sent temporarily to the Lusignan Prison would be housed in a “structure”. Up to now, as was exposed by the press, the 500 or so prisoners were left in what can only be described as a “cow pasture”.

This wasn’t only because of the verdant vegetation and puddles, but evidently the actual presence of grazing cows -- one of which was unfortunately lassoed and brought to the ground cowboy-style before allegedly being chopped up and barbequed.

Your Eyewitness assumed the restive prisoners became hungry and literally took matters in their own callused hands. Only a couple of days earlier, they had chopped up a number of prison guards, one of whom perished. Not much has been heard of him, save a few desultory expressions of “sorrow” by the Minister.

None of the reports elaborated, however, on what the “prison authorities” were doing at the time to bring some order to the goings-on, even if only to ensure the killing was sanitary. The matter of where the tools to butcher the cowering cow had come from was also unexplained, but your Eyewitness doesn’t believe the prisoners were allowed to bring their “improvised implements” from Lot 12, Camp St. So he wonders whether the culture of allowing contraband isn’t confined to Georgetown, and is now part of the countrywide prison culture.

There’s now talk about a multi-billion-dollar new prison to be built at Mazaruni, but we know that’s going to take years and years to be completed. In the meantime, there’s that “temporary” structure at Lusignan. Maybe -- as is the modern trend -- because the architects were attempting to not make it clash with the surrounding ambience, the structure can best be described as a large “cow-pen”. Of course the term “holding pen” is popularly used in the US to refer to jails -- harking back to the enclosures for keeping cattle before they became dead meat!

What does all of this mean? Simply that the authorities still don’t get the idea that confinement of prisoners IS their punishment.

No need to treat them like animals.

…in Guyana telecommunications What’s going on with both Digicel and GTT cutting back staff? Nothing more than inexorable progress in the workings of our free market economy, dear reader.

Back in 1990, when Desmond Hoyte privatised our moribund and comatose telephone company, a new US company, ATN, saw an opportunity, took a gamble, and bought it. They invested and brought in new technology; made a bundle, and invested elsewhere and became a giant (for us).

The technology improved into mobile phones.

Digicel, a new Irish company, saw an opportunity, made an investment, made a bundle, and expanded further sometimes at the expense of GTT. But that’s the way the free-enterprise cookie crumbles; and like the “moving hand that writes”, technological changes don’t stop.

These cut back on profit margins for companies already in the game as they try to keep up with 2G to 3G to 4G to 5G…and beyond, against new players.

If we believe things are rough here, just take a look at the shakeout in India’s telecommunications sector!

…in tax collections?

The GRA Chief’s satisfied his outfit is capable of collecting taxes -- Exxon’s taxes from our oil. Your Eyewitness agrees.

According to the contract, the Guyana Govt has to pay the taxes!!

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

NEWS

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TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

New ERC nominees could be approved soon

By Samuel Sukhnandan

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wo years later, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is still not functioning, but Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton has given his assurance that this could change soon, as a list of nominees to be appointed to serve on the new ERC Board will be submitted soon for approval.

Dr Norton, who also serves as Chairman of the Committee of Appointments in the National Assembly, told Guyana Times on Monday that he was hoping that before the closing of the current session of

Parliament that the list of nominees would go beyond the level of the Committee of Appointments.

“We’ve reached a stage where we not only have the entities, but the nominees. As a matter of fact, we are about to present to Parliament the final report and hope that we would get the support so that it could be presented to the President (David Granger) to swear in the new ERC,” he stated.

The Minister said while the ERC was supposed to be a commission to function irrespective of the fact that there were 10 clusters of entities coming together to

Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton

Guyana participates in CANTO’s annual conference

Guyana’s Public Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes with other regional Ministers and officials at the CANTO’s 33rd Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition in the Dominican Republic

D

ays after a plan was drafted by Caricom Heads of Government for a single Information Communication and Technology (ICT) space in the Caribbean, regional Ministers and stakeholders in the field are meeting to continue work on the issue.

Guyana’s Public Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes is currently participating in the CANTO’s 33rd Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition taking place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The Conference is the Caribbean's premier telecommunications event for industry professionals, academics and regional Governments and opened on Sunday.

It is being held under the theme "Re-imagining ICT as a Tool for National Growth and Development”.

Groups are required to “produce a superior standard of industry pioneering and policy guiding conversations” over the next three days, according to CANTO. The organisers are confident that the high-profile delegations would produce new perspectives and plans for action that will galvanise the growth of ICT within the Region The Conference will also feature a number of roundtable discussions on promoting the Caribbean as a loca-

tion for new ICT industries; protecting data privacy; stabilising employment rates in the sector in the face of unlicensed services competing with licensed ICT service providers, who are the largest employers in the sector, and related topics.

The delegates include Hughes; Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne; Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of State Information, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Science and Technology, Melford Nicholas; Barbadian Minister of State responsible for Telecommunications, Immigration, Energy and Investments, Darcy Boyce; and Belize’s Minister of the Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities, Frank Mena.

Also present are senior representatives from Huawei Technologies, Cable and Wireless, Digicel and the Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT), in addition to representatives from regulatory agencies in the Caribbean.

CANTO is the leading authority in the Caribbean and the Americas responsible for shaping the trajectory of Information Communication Technologies.

At the recent Heads of Government meeting in Grande Anse, Grenada, Heads of State remained convinced that ICT stood to play a transformative role in

fostering an integrated and inclusive digitally-enabled Caribbean Community.

In that regard, they viewed the successful development of the Single ICT Space as a new dimension for Caricom with regard to addressing and inspiring the growing aspirations of citizens and defining Caricom’s Digital Agenda 2025 and beyond.

The Heads of Government, therefore, welcomed and approved the Draft Workplan for the Single ICT Space, and reiterated that the Single ICT Space is a regional priority.

The implementation of the workplan would provide an enabling environment for innovation to flourish; a larger market for investors; support sustainable increase in growth and jobs; enhance efficiency and increase access to higher value public services.

Heads of Government also noted the synergies between the Single ICT Space and other major regional initiatives and sectors such as the Regional Strategic Plan, the Commission on the Economy, the HRD Strategy 2030, Security, Transport and Tourism.

Heads of Government requested the Caricom Secretariat to engage development partners with urgency to source funds for the environmental assessment to determine the state of the ICT sector.

work as one, experience has shown that some individuals eventually showed specific preferences and allegiance to their respective groups.

In order to avoid this, Dr Norton said, “We have to be very careful of the process and how we go about doing it. And if we want to be above board and be able to present an ERC to the public whose integrity is unquestionable, then it would take time. It makes no sense rushing into it and we end up with something that is flawed.”

The Committee of Appointments, according to him, meet at least twice monthly on average and the records will show that reports have been presented to Parliament. However, he said that the process of getting a suitable nominee from each of the clusters for the ERC was painstaking and lengthy.

“Just imagine we are dealing with a religious cluster. We are supposed to meet every single church in the community for them to arrive at one nominee and that is to avoid them saying that they weren’t consulted or that they weren’t allowed to participate,” he told Guyana Times.

He continued, “Sometimes, we have to search for an individual in the community and practically hand deliver correspondence so that they can be a part of the entire selection process. Sometimes, we hear about organisations which are not really functioning and existing and all of this takes time.”

The Social Cohesion Minister reminded that it was not a straightforward process as society may want to believe and it was not one that could be rushed.

Asked whether the functions of the ERC would, in some ways, come into conflict with those of the Social Cohesion Ministry, Dr Norton was quick to state that the ERC had separate functions from those of the Ministry.

“The Ministry of Social Cohesion in no way overrides or would usurp the function of the ERC. They would function separately from the Ministry. I don’t see any way where one would interfere with the other,” he added.

Nominees for the new ERC Board include: Dr John O Smith for the Christian community; Sister Rajkumarie Singh representing the Hindu bodies; Roshan Khan, the Muslim community, and Norris Witter for the labour movement.

The Private Sector organisations would be represented by Major General (Ret’d) Norman McLean; youth by Deodat Persaud; women, Ruth Howard; for cultural and ethnic bodies – Afro-Guyanese would be represented by Barrington Braithwaite; IndoGuyanese, Neaz Subhan and Indigenous or Amerindian bodies, Ashton Simon.

The aforementioned nominees have been nominated in accordance with Resolution No 17 of 2003 and Article 212 B (1a) of the Constitution to be appointed members of the ERC. Under Article 212 of the Constitution, the ERC advocates equality of opportunity among persons of different ethnic groups; promotes the elimination of all forms of ethnic-based discrimination; and discourages persons, institutions, political parties and associations from in-

dulging in discriminatory practices.

Additionally, the Constitution mandates that the ERC promote educational and training programmes and research projects which provide for and encourage ethnic peace and harmony; encourage and create respect for religious, cultural and other forms of diversity in a plural society; and promote arbitration, conciliation, mediation and like forms of dispute resolution in order to secure ethnic harmony and peace.

The ERC is also required to recommend to the National Assembly criteria to be considered for the purposes of deciding whether any person has committed acts of discrimination on the ground of ethnicity; investigate complaints of racial discrimination and make recommendations on the measures to be taken if such complaints are valid and where there is justification, refer matters to the Human Rights Commission, or other relevant authorities. The Commission also has to monitor and review all legislation and administrative acts or omissions relating to or having implications for ethnic relations and equal opportunities among other areas.

The ERC was derived from recommendations of the Herdmanston Accord, signed on January 17, 1998, between then President Janet Jagan and Opposition Leader Desmond Hoyte.

Brokered by a Caricom mission, the Accord sought to provide a peaceful solution to the political impasse that had gripped the country after the contentious December 1997 Regional and General Elections.

Jealous lover faces prison for shooting at competitor

A

ttorney-at-Law Adrian Thompson managed to secure bail for Jermaine Phillips when he appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly on Monday, for allegedly discharging a loaded firearm with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause grievous bodily harm in the direction of Virtual Complainant (VC) Troy Grant.

A Police Constable swore to the truth of the information which allegedly occurred at Hardina and Norton Streets, Georgetown on June 11, 2017.

The defence lawyer argued that based on his instructions, his client did not know the VC and had no knowledge of the charge which he deemed to be “trumped up” by a vindictive party. Several minutes after bail of $400,000 was granted for the above charge, a shackled Phillips was escorted back to the prisoner’s

dock by Police ranks where two other charges were read to him. Magistrate Daly put over the allegation to the defendant which detailed that on July 11, 2017 at Laing Avenue, Georgetown, he was in possession of seventeen .40 rounds of live ammunition and one .40 Glock pistol, while not being the holder of a firearm licence.

According to the defendant’s lawyer, Phillips was initially arrested by the Police, along with two other persons in relation to the said matter on July 11.

Thompson speculated that “something is amiss” as he questioned the decision of the Police to apprehend three persons if they were sure of his client’s guilt. The gun, according to the lawyer, was found in a bag on the premises in the presence of several persons. “Police did not find the gun on anybody,” he posited.

However, the prosecution

sought to dispute the defence’s case by maintaining that when Police swooped down on the said residence, the defendant was spotted with the bag around his neck and apprehended as he attempted to escape. The Prosecutor also sought to establish that the two parties are known to each other and the alleged shooting had taken place in June.

It is reported that a jealous Phillips fired shots in the direction of Grant, allegedly because he felt threatened that the VC might poach his lover. The court further heard from the prosecution that there was no evidence that anybody else was charged in relation to the last two charges, in response to Thompson’s claim that his client was one of three persons arrested. Bail was denied in relation to the latter charges, and Phillips was ordered to return to court on August 17, 2017.

10 NEWS

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt not interested Fewer Cubans shopping in Guyana in Private Sector – diverted business to Panama, says Gouveia development – Jagdeo

T

he David Granger-led Administration has been repeatedly criticised over what some describe as its inept management of the local economy, which has in several ways led to a slowdown in commercial activities across Guyana. This slowdown is now reportedly threatening activities in interior locations.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo maintains there are several factors that have contributed to this state of affairs, chief of which is because Government is not interested in private sector development. He has thus warned organisations to be “extremely careful” and not be fooled by the promises of this ruling administration.

“When they invite these ministers to give these lofty speeches and nice photo opportunities -- as though they are concerned about private sector development in Guyana, when the reality on the ground in the lives of their constituent members are very different than what these people say -- there is a big disconnect,” Jagdeo said, making reference to the recent Guyana Manufacturing Association event.

Drawing media attention to the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report which pointed out deficiencies in the local financial system, Jagdeo said the report raised significant alarm bells in the Finance Ministry, and highlighted that bad debts continue to grow because of problems in the sector.

“Bad debts could be a problem in the future.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

Government is rapidly accumulating debts, and this could move from 50-60 percent by 2019,” he posited.

Jagdeo had only recently placed Guyanese on notice to prepare for bitter days ahead because of the alleged mismanagement, incompetence, and political hardline positions that the APNU/AFC (A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change) Coalition Government continues to take.

Claiming that the Guyanese economy is slowly shrinking, Jagdeo contends that unemployment is higher, income inequality is rising, and the Guyana middle class is shrinking.

“Every time we were in Government, we always had a positive attitude to the future: we will come to you and talk about our plans for the future. When I come here tonight, the only message I can bring to you is a sad message: that things are going to get significantly worse in your lives and in

the lives of Guyanese, before it gets better when the PPP resumes office,” he told a recent political meeting.

Jagdeo has said that while the coalition Government remains in office, it will continue to generate excuses as to why the Guyanese economy is floundering and why people are losing jobs, rather than tackling the fundamental problems. He said people’s lives will change only for the worse.

Pointing to the 200 new tax measures that were introduced last year, the former Head of State said they have not yet kicked in fully; but when they do, Guyanese will feel the squeeze.

“You will see the cost of living going up; the business community will be unable to survive in the new tax environment,” he predicted. He noted also that with constant harassment from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), businesses will not feel driven to invest and create more jobs in the future.

“So you would see not only deterioration in terms of cost of living going up, but less jobs being produced in the future, because no one wants to invest in this country. And right now people are losing jobs, rather than them (Government) creating jobs that they promised,” he further argued.

As a trained Economist, Jagdeo also highlighted that when the new policy measures taken in the sugar industry take effect this yearend, there will be more chaos in Guyana, more particularly in communities that depend heavily on the sugar industry for their survival.

S

everal months ago, hundreds of Cubans were travelling to Guyana each week to conduct business, but over the past two months there has been a significant decline in these numbers, says businessman and former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Captain Gerry Gouveia.

Gouveia told Guyana Times on Monday that this decline could be more than 50 per cent which, according to him, could play a major role in business activities in Guyana. The businessman acknowledged that Cubans have been helping to keep businesses afloat in the city of Georgetown.

When asked what may have caused this decline, Gouveia said that it may have stemmed from the incident where hundreds of the Cuban nationals were stranded in Guyana for several days during April, as the Honduras-based EasySky airline was only granted temporary permission to fly here.

The flight was due to leave the Cheddi Jagan International Airport at 10:30h on Tuesday, April 25, with 75 passengers and cargo before returning 10 hours later to fly out more persons.

In all, 433 passengers had been stranded in Guyana for close to one week.

EasySky was not allowed to resume flights to Guyana until a complete review of its application and approval process was completed then. The airline is represented locally by Gouveia’s company, Roraima Group of Companies. The airline began flying to Guyana late last year.

“I think when the Cubans were stranded in Guyana the last time, the way that entire event unfolded proba-

Former PSC Chairman, Captain Gerry Gouveia

bly had a lot to do with the way the situation is now,” he stated.

Nevertheless, the businessman said he was currently working on a plan to re-energise the situation.

“So, in a month or so, we would see a re-emergence of the status,” he posited.

However, Gouveia conceded that Cubans might have diverted their business to Panama. While he could not say what might be some of the other reasons with the exception that Spanish was the official language there, he said Guyana would need to work on attracting them back here.

“Investors have lost some steam and I am working for them to get back that steam.

I think the market is there, but I just think that there are some events that affected them badly. We should see some results in the next two to three weeks’ time hopefully,” he added.

Guyana Times spoke with several owners of major retail and wholesale outlets along Regent Street on Monday to get an understanding as to whether in fact there are fewer Cubans shopping in Guyana. While some claimed that there has not been a decline in Cubans shopping here, a majority of the business people said they

have noticed the decline over the past month or two.

A prominent businessman on Regent Street, who sells apparel, told this newspaper that there were still many Cubans who shop at his store. The businessman, who requested anonymity, admitted that Cubans have been helping to boost profits for his company and they have indeed been keeping other businesses afloat, given their heavy influx over the past several months.

According to him, while he does not believe that they have diverted their business to Panama, especially given the fact that many Cubans cannot easily acquire visas to that country and Guyana’s prices may be far cheaper, he thinks that the problem has to do with the chartered airline service.

The businessman believes if that issue is corrected, then it will offer more ease to Cubans travelling here to do business and it will encourage more of them to come to Guyana.

However, he said that this issue would need to be urgently addressed before a significant decline took effect.

Meanwhile, a businesswoman told this newspaper that she was convinced that the declining numbers given by Gouveia might be accurate since the number of flights bringing Cubans to Guyana have been significantly reduced. In addition, she is seeing fewer Cubans on Regent Street and in other shopping areas in the city.

In November 2016, EasySky Airline reported that it was taking 300 Cubans to Guyana each week to conduct business, mainly to shop large quantities of clothing, electronic and other items.

Prisoners to be sanitised, transferred – to newly-constructed Lusignan holding facility

T

he acting Director of Prisons, Mr Gladwin Samuels, on Monday gave the media an update on the new accommodation arrangements for prisoners relocated from the Georgetown Prisons to the Lusignan Prisons following events that transpired at the Georgetown Prisons on July 9 last. He was speaking specifically in relation to the availability of the newly tarmacked holding area at the Lusignan Prison Complex. This new facility will ease the present situation of congestion at that penitentiary, brought on after hundreds of inmates from the Camp Street Prison had been relocated there following a fire -- deliberately set on July 9 – that had reduced the Georgetown facility to rubble.

Those transferees were forced to live under atrocious condi-

tions at the Lusignan penitentiary, and their irate and frustrated relatives had decried the conditions under which they were being held at the Lusignan penitentiary. On Monday, Samuels announced measures which could alleviate the untenable conditions obtaining at the Lusignan Prisons. He explained that most of the prisoners evacuated from Camp Street are still being housed at Lusignan, and that the holding area would house 450 prisoners.

“After many days of hard work, we have finally come to a stage where this new holding area can be occupied. Our intention today (Monday) is to sanitise those prisoners in the walled area, as described by the minister, who will be transferred to this area (tarmac),” Samuels detailed.

He explained that the

Acting Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels, at the new holding facility on Monday

Guyana Prison Service would seek alternative arrange-

ments to house the remaining prisoners; and assured that the tarmacked area, which has three sheds, will offer more security and improved sleeping conditions. “When they’re relocated here, the sleeping arrangements will be much enhanced from what they have right now. We purchased mattresses and other sleeping materials during the period, (and those) will be issued to them,” he highlighted.

He added that the area would allow for a “more controlled environment”, in that it would segregate prisoners and facilitate a smooth process for court appearances, which were disrupted after the inferno.

He also said the Prison Service recognises the concerns of relatives who want to see their incarcerated loved ones, but disclosed that fami-

ly visits would recommence at a later date.

Family members were incensed principally because their relatives were staying in a pasture, an area meant for animals. One day after the fire, work commenced on the holding area, but several angry prisoners, upset at staying in unfavourable conditions in the walled area, had attempted to torch sections of the Lusignan facility.

On Monday also, reports surfaced that teenage inmate Allan Basdeo had been stabbed by two fellow prisoners at Lusignan. Samuels has, however, indicated that the new holding sections would be able to better cater to the needs of prisoners classified as vulnerable.

“It is our hope that this [facility] will provide a better environment, especially

for those prisoners who are deemed to be a bit more vulnerable than those hardcore offenders who have, in various ways, taken advantage of those prisoners,” Samuels pointed out. He, however, clarified that despite the use of the words “taken advantage of”, there were no reports of any sexual assault having been committed in the walled area, which was cramped with hundreds of inmates. Following the transfer of prisoners from Georgetown to Lusignan, the conditions at Lusignan were condemned by both inmates and their family members, who lamented that prisoners had been sleeping under tents, and were exposed to the elements. In March 2016, a fire at the Camp Street Prisons had claimed the lives of 17 inmates. (Shemuel Fanfair)

NEWS

11

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Team Guyana emerges on top

…during 1st day of Global Robotics Challenge

F

ollowing the completion of the first day of the Global Robotics Challenge, Team Guyana has emerged victorious at the international competition currently underway in Washington, DC. Of the 165 participating countries, Guyana, with its delegation of six teenagers and three adult mentors, managed to work its way to the top, with just three rounds of competition under its belt.

Speaking to Guyana Times on Monday was captain of the group of innovators, Ryan Benschop, who expressed delight over his team’s accomplishments thus far.

Benschop noted that in the three matches completed Monday, the Guyanese

I

The Guyanese delegation administering finishing touches before the first round of the competition

second round, their robot was unable to connect with the controller for the first 55 seconds, but despite

other countries' creations and to be performing as well as we have.”

As such, with the fi-

Team Guyana celebrating the number one ranking after the first day of the competition being held in Washington, DC

group has been successful, gaining in excess of 100 points at each of the rounds. The teenager even indicated that this was despite the challenges encountered.

The captain of the Guyanese team explained that at the beginning of the

only being allotted 150 seconds, they still managed to finish at the top with an outstanding 103 points.

After highlighting that the team has put over three months of work into creating their masterpiece, Benschop said, “It's truly amazing to put what we have created up against

nal three rounds set for July 19, the teenager underlined, “We've definitely had a winning performance thus far, and will continue in our final three games tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, commenting on the ingenuity of their robot, the young man indicated that the creation

has the ability to manipulate a series of balls, elevating and sorting them by colour.

With that, the enthusiastic team leader relayed, “It’s largely because of a great design and build that we have such an advantage and we're ranked number one, also because of the players and great ability to handle the pressure and stay focused.”

With that, Team Guyana evidently has all eyes on the prize and intends to bring the championship title home to Guyana.

The international competition, organised by FIRST Global, is an annual robotics challenge to ignite a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) among the more than two billion youths across the world. The not-for-profit public charity provides the framework for an “Olympics”-style robotics challenge, where one team from every nation is invited to participate. This year marks Guyana’s first participation in the competition, one which will certainly leave a lasting impression.

Wakenaam rice farmers finally paid by miller T he more than 35 rice farmers of Wakenaam who were left “in a state of insolvency” because of a miller’s failure to pay them have finally been paid.

This announcement was made by officials of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), who had recently launched an investigation into the farmers’ claims after Guyana Times had published a news article, titled “Wakenaam rice farmers’ woes”, highlighting the issue.

A team from the GRDB was dispatched to the area and the matter was investigated at length, following which GRDB General

Manager Allison Peters had informed that all outstanding sums owed by miller Wazim Hoosein must be paid by July 21.

This miller was reportedly contacted, and following talks, agreed to liquidate his outstanding debts.

The repayment is currently being monitored until the matter is resolved.

This publication had first reported that the Wakenaam farmers were calling for assistance from the authorities because a miller has failed to pay millions of dollars owed to them.

It was disclosed that Hoosein, of Jaichand, Essequibo, had in March

reportedly purchased millions of dollars in paddy from the farmers, but was recalcitrant in paying his debt. This had left farmers in an impecunious state and both uncertain and unable to proceed with the next rice crop, until the money was paid to them.

Speaking with Guyana Times, the farmers had revealed that their lands had been ploughed, but they were awaiting payment to purchase fertilisers, pay bills, and pay their workers. The farmers had lamented the “advantage” being taken of them, as they had contacted Hoosein on numerous occasions but the miller kept ignoring

their calls.

With their livelihoods at stake, the farmers had resorted to this newspaper to call for urgent assistance from the GRDB. This publication had contacted the miller, but upon hearing that farmers had reached out to this newspaper, he had terminated calls made to him and had made himself incommunicado.

A number of farmers who had reached out to this publication for assistance have been contacted, and some have revealed that they have indeed received the money owed to them.

They also indicated that they would now proceed with the next crop.

The University of Guyana: oops, my bad, I meant to say the community college of Guyana

have received two emails that are worth discussing because they provide a starting point to demonstrate how quack UG is. The first email has to do with someone who apparently was impressed with my research and hence a prolonged exchange occurred in that regard. I will not release the person’s name due to respect, but let everything else hang out. The person felt comfortable sending me information on an upcoming Diaspora conference at UG. After receiving and assessing the information from this Diaspora conference over four months, I had had it. I told the person in a nice way not to send me that propaganda anymore. The emails have stopped coming to me from that person. Six months have passed and there has not been any exchange between us. I have obviously upset the person. How dare do I cut down the University of Guyana, the person’s alma mater? That was Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine not my intention. Far from it.

The second email has to do with again this Diaspora conference at UG in which one person asked the organisers of the conference in strong terms to have an ethnic balance in the programme, namely to include and encourage more Indians to participate. After reading the email responses from those who are in charge of the conference, I realise how low and one-dimensional these individuals are.

Instead of addressing the person’s concern, they rushed into overdrive to defend the conference implying that some were trying to sabotage the conference. I am not shy to declare that these individuals are narrow-minded with a ‘big fish in a small pond’ mentality. These emails, as well as other strands attached to them, coupled with my own experience make me feel confident enough to say without any reservations that this UG institution should be relabelled as the Community College of Guyana. My reasons for this relabelling are that it will reflect the true reality of this institution as a community service-oriented and reduce the insult to the entire concept of university, which essentially means universality of ideas. Does this institution have any inkling of the universality of ideas, apart from the head honchos receiving preposterous salaries, perks and praises?

Moreover, look at the people who have served at UG? Do you wonder why some graduates engage in nefarious activities? If Guyana had a functional judicial system, more graduates would have been in prison. After being in existence for over fifty years, not much has come out of this institution to develop Guyana economically, socially or politically. Right now, Guyana badly needs Guyanese in Guyana to help in the area of environmental policy to ensure a firm and fair discussion with multinational corporation Exxon, with regard to oil finds. UG was not even considered in the process. People had to be fetched from the outside. The University does not have a sound environmental policy programme, something I find rather unsettling since Guyana is one of the few countries in the world with large tracts of undisturbed forest land, and yes, oil fields. Right now, if you take a casual walk around Georgetown, or any area in Guyana, you will find so many people with so many social ills that such images would affect even those with the most stoic minds, even those in the tabloids, and even those propagandists-supporters (who believe they are activists) for this brainless regime; a bastion of intolerant policies, growled and greased by old-boy PNC network. There are hundreds of problems, including the recent prison fiasco, that need to be addressed, which in most societies, start with academic institutions, families and communities. This connection is weak in Guyana, exacerbated by the regime’s blot on rural happiness. That is why I propose that UG should be a service-oriented institution rather than a superciliously caged academic house that is largely separated from the community it is supposed to serve. What is the connection between UG and villages from No 52 to 74, other than UG benefiting from the taxpayers of these villages? This is called in the secession world maldistributive justice and the violation of remedial rights. Right now, the focus at UG is on a Diaspora conference to be held at a hotel in Georgetown. I wonder why the conference is not held somewhere else to reveal the true reality of Guyana. Common sense leads me to believe that investment starts with connection to the people, to the local reality, not in posh hotels. The things these presenters will ask are: am I safe, where am I going to stay, above all, and what’s there for me? Then comes the wine and dine. Then they are gone. Look out for these images with the familiar faces on the UG webpage. Looking at the programme, I can only conclude that it looks like the re-colonisation of Guyana, not from the former colonialists, not from the multi-national corporations, not from internal political parties but from Guyana abroaders and the like who have the money, experience and wherewithal to transform Guyana. This is extremely dangerous since these people think they have an entitlement in Guyana, buttered by their connections. Not much will come out of this conference. I will analyse three randomly picked papers, if they are available, to prove my point (lomarsh.roopnarine@jsums. edu).

12 LED Guyana

O

ur LED lights come direct from a Canada-based company of commendable quality. We are a hardworking and very dedicated team, who are also confident that our previous and present achievements will allow us the opportunity to positively extend the same or better performance to successfully complete any given project.

A slight introduction to what we offer are: lighting for indoors and outdoors, solar systems and lights – whether it’s for commercial or residential purposes. We also cater for the range in voltage whereas our lights come dual voltage (80V-277V), attached is a warranty for a maximum of 10 years.

We have been supplying lighting to various large companies and ministries within Guyana

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AC Couriers is the place for ALL of your ONLINE SHOPPING needs this summer. Meet us at our second annual Kids Summer Fest at the National Park on August 5. Come enjoy a cool relaxing afternoon, shopping online for HUGE DEALS AND DISCOUNTS on your children’s back-to-school supplies.

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Seepersaud Maraj & Sons is a local family-owned jewellery establishment, renowned for its quality hand-crafted jewellery, personalised service, and trusted prices.

Since 1935, this establishment has offered a splendid array of jewellery, from the exquisitely unique to contemporary selections, meticulously crafted from gold and diamonds.

This cornerstone of the

Awesome place to hang out S

eepaul’s bar is an awesome place to hang out after a day of running around of work with unlimited alcohol and other beverages, delicious finger foods and not forgetting the pool games. Seepaul’s will be sure to cool you down, what else could you ask for?

Located at 161 Alexander Street, Kitty, Georgetown with a friendly atmosphere, you will love this place.

Contact them at 223-6738 or just drop in after work or when you feel the need to have a cold beer.

Guyanese jewellery industry is centrally located in the centennial heritage site of Stabroek Market, Under the Clock – with its rich history and bold architecture, this is where the true Guyanese spirit dwells, amidst the colourful bustle of genuine bargains and everyday low prices.

Discounts on all items storewide throughout the summer.

“Our Most Treasured Heirlooms”

13

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f you’re thinking about the best place to pamper yourself for the weekend party, why not try Salon J and Spa? Salon J and Spa, located at 83 Lamaha Street, Alberttown, Georgetown, is a full-service beauty salon dedicated to consistently providing high customer satisfaction by rendering excellent service, quality products and furnishing an enjoyable atmosphere at an affordable price.

You can spend a day enjoying a variety of services with them. We have professionals to cater for your every need – be it facials, body wax, manicures, pedicures, blowouts and massages to help you look and feel your best on your wedding day.

Contact Salon J and Spa on tel # 226-9115 or 615-8994.

The Puri Shop

S

hanta's was opened in 1955

by Parbatie "Betty" Persaud.

A small family restaurant, to this day, it's known for its world-famous dhal puri and its exceptional Indian and Creole cuisine served with a smile. Shanta’s without question is the best local food around. It is inexpensive and delicious! Shanta’s always has a variety of curries, from fish to catahar (bread nut). The coconut choka is outstanding! Its puri is paper thin and goes well with its peanut punch.

Conveniently located at 225 Camp and New Market Streets, Georgetown, Shanta’s should be your next stop when looking for delicious local cuisine. Super cheap and super yummy!

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14 NEWS

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Training critical in medical Miners urged to field – Minister Lawrence use best practices …27 graduated Audiology and Rehabilitation Programmes while working D near waterways

uring a joint graduation ceremony hosted in honour of the completion of yet another cycle of the Audiology and Rehabilitation Training Programmes in Guyana, the Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence commended the continuous efforts aimed at increasing the capacity of local medical practitioners while emphasising the importance of training in the health sector.

Lawrence noted that the various training projects aided in the vision of the Public Health Ministry, which includes enhancing patient care and improving the delivery of primary healthcare throughout the 10 Administrative Regions of the country.

This, she continued, will take Guyana one step closer to joining the rest of the world in achieving the international health mission set out by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

While addressing the gathering, the Public Health Minister conveyed, “Training in every component of the medical field is critical to the quality of service and care we provide for our citizens.”

As such, Lawrence pointed out the importance of the individual programmes while underlining the accomplishments of the Ministry as it relates to the

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence joined by facilitators and graduating students of the Audiology and Rehabilitation Training Programmes

respective fields.

The Programmes, which commenced in 2015 and lasted two years, allowed for professional teaching within the areas of audiology and rehabilitation, equipping the new graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills to significantly contribute to the delivery of quality health services.

Graduating from the Audiology Programme were 10 students hailing from Regions One, Two, Five, Six and 10, while an additional 17 made it to the finish line following the completion of the rehabilitation course.

They hailed from Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Six, Nine and 10.

Commenting on the audiology course, Minister Lawrence indicated that

noteworthy progress has been recorded ever since the inception of the Programme 10 years ago. She pointed out that the department began with one central clinic in the Georgetown Public Hospital and two satellite clinics in Regions Six and 10 respectively, but has since embarked on setting up two new satellite clinics in Mahaicony. This is projected to be completed by September 2017 while another project will materialise in Port Mourant by early 2018, providing places of attachment for the graduating students.

“I am extremely delighted that the Ministry of Public Health is receiving another batch of trained and professional public health workers in the

key areas of Audiology and Rehabilitation,” expressed Lawrence.

With that, the Minister urged the graduating students to take advantage of the knowledge gained through the experience and called on them to actively participate in the growth of the medical industry.

“Sustainability in all aspects of the health sector must be supported at all costs, and we are depending on you, our young professionals to make good things happen in health.”

On that note, the Minister thanked both the students and facilitators of the two Training Programmes and encouraged the young professionals to consider service to their country as a part of their professional pursuits.

A mined-out portion of the Arau River. This is at one of the most remote mines up the river

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egion One (BarimaWaini) miners were urged to be cognisant that their mining techniques do affect the Region’s waterways.

Addressing a gathering of residents, including miners, in Mabaruma last week, Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Managing Director,

Private hire taxis, Brazilian operators undercut local drivers – Lethem Taxi Association President says

P

resident of Lethem Taxi Association, Basdeo Ramlall, has cited a number of financial challenges taxi drivers in Lethem have been encountering, reportedly at the hands of foreign operators.

When this publication visited that interior town last week, Ramlall informed that local taxi drivers were not getting passengers to travel with them, because Brazilian drivers were shuttling passengers to and from Lethem.

A transportation service provider for now three years, Ramlall described the situation as going against the extant norms and signed conditions which allow operators from either country to traverse the Takutu Bridge to shuttle passengers from their respective base of operation.

“When the bridge was opened, an agreement was signed between the two governments: Brazilian taxis must bring passengers up to the Immigration Complex, and the Guyana taxis must take passengers to the Brazilian Immigration,”

President of the Lethem Taxi Association, Basdeo Ramlall

Ramlall explained.

He indicated that the arrangement had worked well initially, but, over time, Brazilian operators not only took passengers to Lethem, but commenced working the Lethem to Bon Fim route in Brazil.

“We sometimes park here the whole day without a passenger, because the Brazilian taxis taking passengers

straight into Lethem, and they coming back and picking up the passengers going back into Brazil…Nobody does (anything) about it,” he pointed out.

Guyana Times was also told about a recent engagement between the two countries, to which Ramlall claims Guyanese operators were not invited.

He said this suggested that taxi drivers “have no value” in this country, and he noted that the Lethem Taxi Association had made several attempts to engage the Lethem mayor, town clerk and other officials on the matter, but have, over the last several months, not received any definitive word on when the concerned parties would be able to meet.

“We went and had one meeting with the mayor, and we supposed to have another follow-up meeting, but the town clerk said she is going to call us back for the meeting; [but] it’s been going on to 8 months now and she not calling us, so nobody looks after us,” he lamented.

According to Ramlall, police at the borders are supposed to know all the bilateral agreements signed between the two countries, in order to prevent their violation.

“They are the persons who supposed to see that these agreements are upheld. The police are not checking, they are in a building; so who are we going to run to?” he questioned.

He also decried the utilisation of privately registered motor cars as taxis.

“Private cars run things in Lethem. We have a problem where six (6) Brazilians are owners of cars with Guyanese number plates and they are running taxis. If private cars could run taxi, it’s best we put our cars in private, too, and compete,” Ramlall opined.

Moreover, he decried the condition of the non-asphalted roads, which cause vehicle operators additional expense for maintenance. Earlier this year, Traffic Chief Deon Moore urged citizens not to travel as paying passengers in vehicles operating as private hire cars.

GWI Managing Director, Dr Richard Van West-Charles

Dr Richard Van WestCharles took the opportunity to underscore the importance of protecting the country’s waterways from the risk of pollution caused by mining. This, he noted, is critical to securing the future of the younger generation.

“You don’t want to have a situation whereby people are using all sorts of chemicals and methods to extract the gold and at the end of the day, your young people are going to be left with a number of issues, which are costly to remedy. So, the protection of the environment and the waterways in relation to your lands is very, very critical,” Dr Van West-Charles explained.

Dr Van West-Charles encouraged the miners to seek advice for best prac-

tices for working near water. The Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), he pointed out, is one of the agencies that can lend assistance.

The Managing Director stated, “There are a plethora of examples globally how many people have left land barren and impacted negatively on the environment, on their own waterways, on their own fish life, the flora, the fauna, so you got to begin to think ahead about sustainable development and the generations of your own that are going to come and what is the legacy you leave for them.”

According to Dr Van West-Charles, GWI has also been playing its role by conducting its outreaches and educating persons on safe mining practices.

Mining, though a lucrative industry, has several negative impacts on the environment and can be devastating if not conducted in a safe manner. When mining is done near water sources, the risk of metal contamination and increased sedimentation levels are very high.

To mitigate the effects of mining on the waterways, the GWI has also been distributing jerrycans to hinterland communities that are most affected by this phenomenon. These jerrycans are designed to instantly sterilise untreated water for consumption, without the use of chlorine.

Jerrycans were distributed in Mabaruma and in Kamarang, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

The community of Kamarang recently suffered from a diarrhoeal outbreak. It was suspected that the river water which is used by residents for drinking and domestic purposes was contaminated.

NEWS

15

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

PPP raps Ramjattan over decision to release 90+ prisoners T he Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has lambasted Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan over his decision to release more than 90 prisoners, questioning whether this is a right decision to make in a society where crime is wreaking havoc and citizens live in fear of criminals.

“Did this minister consider the ramifications of releasing 90 prisoners into a depressing economic environment where unemployment and hopelessness are on the increase?” the PPP questioned in a statement last night.

“Worse yet, it is now public knowledge that Minister Ramjattan lied to the nation when he informed us that the prisoners whom he released were convicted of non-violent crimes and were scheduled to be released during this month and the first week in the month of August,” the PPP contended.

That party has noted that information which is now in the public domain has debunked Minister Ramjattan’s assertion made in regard to those who have been released.

The PPP has said it is now public knowledge that, apart from persons convicted of serious sexual offences and other violent crimes be-

ing released by this minister, repeat offenders with as much as 2 years left on their sentences have also been released.

The Party contends that this “deliberate and gross deception alone” should be the basis for Minister Ramjattan’s resignation or dismissal, let alone the other abovementioned aggravating factors.

“We await a response from the President,” the party has added.

“As the dust from the debris of the Camp Street Prison inferno begins to settle, serious constitutional and legal issues are arising, which have grave public safety implications that will affect the lives and livelihoods of the citizens of our country.

“We feel compelled to raise these issues, not only with the hope of eliciting answers and actions, but more importantly to give them public exposure, lest they are swept under the carpet of political propaganda,” the PPP stated.

“Our Constitution is constructed upon the doctrine of Separation of Powers, which dictates that the grant of bail is an exclusively judicial act, which must begin and end within the four corners of the judiciary. Yet we have witnessed Minister Khemraj Ramjattan being reported in the press as saying that he in-

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

structed magistrates to grant bail to nearly two dozen prisoners.

“This blatant violation of our Constitution strikes at the heart of our democracy.

It lays the foundation for the highly dangerous precedent of the Executive instructing the Judiciary on any given matter in the interest of political expediency.”

The PPP has said that if this travesty is not denounced in the strongest possible terms, it means that Guyana is rapidly travelling along the road to perdition.

“Again, it exposes the authoritarianism of this admin-

Lombard Street squatters to get turnkey houses - Govt

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The Ministers meeting with a number of squatters

he Government is now exploring the possibility of building turnkey houses for the squatters of Lombard Street, Georgetown.

This is according to Junior Minister of Communities with responsibility for housing, Valerie Patterson, who met with the residents recently along with Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence.

Speaking during the visit, which was made to help improve the lives of the squatters, Patterson said: “We are looking at the possibility of building core homes so that when we remove the people from here, we’re go-

ing to put them in a house rather than (giving them a piece of) land.”

Minister Patterson said that the squatter settlement “cannot be regularised (so) we have to relocate the persons” living there.

Several issues were raised including the lengthy process when applying for house lots which affects the squatters, but Minister Lawrence told the residents that such issues would be ironed out.

Residents were informed about the Government’s desire to upgrade their living standards by ensuring they have better homes, where they would be able to “en-

joy the good life” promised by the David Granger Administration.

The residents, following the visit, were elated at the news that they were being considered by the Government. Phillip Chase, the organiser of the meeting, said he was ““satisfied that both Ministries are assisting in their situation”.

Anita Dash, another resident who has been living there for some 20 years, lauded the Ministers’ visit as “a good initiative” between the Housing and Public Health Ministries to assist them in acquiring better homes and improving their living conditions.

istration, its natural instinct to subvert the rule of law, and (its) obsession with perverting the independence of our Judiciary”, the PPP has said.

It is in the “face of tragedies that we need our laws, our Constitution and our important national institutions to hold firmest; not be manipulated, compromised and violated at the altar of political expedience and manifest governmental incompetence”, The PPP contends.

According to the party, the discretion to grant bail is governed by established legal principles, such as whether the offence is bailable; the prevalence of the offence; the antecedents of the offender; whether the offender is a flight risk; and whether

the offender, if granted bail, would commit any acts which would prejudice a fair trial, such as interfering with, or intimidating, witnesses.

“It must be presumed that these factors were taken into account when bail was refused in the first place,” the PPP posited.

“Were these the factors which influenced the grant of bail to these remanded prisoners? If so, these magistrates must be called upon to say what were the changed circumstances which allowed the grant of bail in accordance with very legal principles. If another reason was used as the basis for the grant of bail, then it is purely illegal.

“The horrific reality is that anytime a person is re-

fused bail and remanded to prison, there may now be a temptation to use fire as a basis to secure bail. Indeed, it is apparent that fire is already seen by prisoners as an effective vehicle to address their grievances. In fact, this strategy has yielded them great success over the last 2 years.

Merely a few days after the Camp Street fires, fire erupted at Lusignan, as a protestation against garbage and flooding in the facilities where the prisoners were held. Again, it was rewarded with immediate success, as a clean-up campaign (was) started. The Leader of the Opposition has already warned against the dangers of this “moral-hazard” approach”, the PPP said.

GBTI throws support behind Sickle Cell project with lifelong benefits T

he Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) Limited has been making inroads in the health sector in Guyana.

From erecting a billboard and adopting the counselling room in the Guyana Foundation Sunrise Centre in Essequibo, to bringing awareness and sensitising the public on curbing the scourge of suicide to being supportive of ensuring healthy newborn babies of Guyana.

The Bank has seen it fit to partner with two doctors, Dr Pheona MohammedRambaran, Director of Medical Laboratory, and Dr Bibi Alladin-Karan, Paediatric Resident, who are attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). They are currently undertaking a pilot project called “NewBorn Screening”.

According to a statement from GBTI, this pilot project has been running from July 1, 2016 and continues to September 30, 2017 and will see 3200 newborn infants being tested for Sickle Cell Anaemia (SCA) and Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) at the GPHC. To date, some 3000 infants have been tested for these diseases. Dr AlladinKaran noted that because of the efforts by the Bank in this project, they have saved a number of babies’ lives from SCA and CH. Babies born with the Sickle Cell trait are only expected to live to about age 25 to 30 if treatment is not administered. Babies born with the trait of CH could potentially develop mental disorders, limb and joint impairments and other such disabilities that can affect

A sample being taken from a newborn baby

them as they grow and develop. This, she says, is why screening for these two diseases is necessary and should form a part of the routine tests that are carried out on babies when they are born.

Dr Alladin-Karan further noted that if the newborns are tested and if these traits are picked up from that stage, that there are treatments that can be administered which can improve the quality of life for those newborns so that they develop fewer complications later on in life.

Presently, Dr AlladinKaran stated that once the mother’s consent is given, samples are being taken at the GPHC and then sent to the Children’s Health Eastern Ontario laboratory in Canada for the testing to be done. A sample only requires a prick of the baby’s foot as just a small drop of

blood is required.

Dr Alladin-Karan noted that upon approaching GBTI, that she was immediately granted funding as the Bank took cognisance of the fact that a research project such as this one can be beneficial to all Guyanese.

Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and The Bahamas are among the first Caribbean countries to pilot a study of this nature. It is hoped that once the pilot project is completed that comprehensive sensitisation and awareness campaigns will be done along with an advocacy for sustainability of this project, which would then see the implementation of same by the year 2018. GBTI also intends to forge ahead with this partnership so that in due time, the testing can be done locally.

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TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017

Regional

Venezuelan Opposition Disgraced ex-Governor extradited from Guatemala to Mexico turns heat up on Maduro A with strike call V

enezuela’s Opposition called on Monday for a national shutdown against President Nicolàs Maduro in a major escalation of protests against a leftist government it accuses of flouting the people’s will.

“We are not going to allow the destruction of Venezuela. The whole country overwhelmingly rejects the Maduro regime,” said Opposition Leader Freddy Guevara, announcing the first 24-hour strike in nearly four months of anti-government demonstrations that have led to some 100 deaths.

The Opposition – which wants restaurants, shops and transport to come to a standstill on Thursday – said it would also take steps to set up a “national unity” government and name new alternative judges to the pro-Maduro Supreme Court.

That raised the possibility of a parallel state structure to challenge Government-controlled institutions.

The Opposition said it brought 7.6 million people out on Sunday for an unofficial vote intended to de-legitimise a man they call a dictator.

Freddy Guevara, first Vice-President of the National Assembly and lawmaker of the Venezuelan coalition of opposition parties (MUD), talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela on July 17, 2017

Maduro’s foes are demanding a presidential election and want to stop his plan to create a controversial new legislative super-body called a Constituent Assembly in a July 30 vote.

They are also seeking freedom for about 400 jailed activists, independence for the Opposition-controlled legislature, and permission for foreign humanitarian aid to Venezuelans suffering shortages and hunger.

Guevara said the Opposition would only talk with the Government if the constituent plan was withdrawn. The hardball strategy recalls events before

a short-lived coup against Maduro’s predecessor and mentor Hugo Chàvez in 2002.

Venezuela’s leading business group Fedecamaras, which played a major role against Chavez in 2002, said it would be up to each company and its workers to decide whether to heed opposition actions.

On Sunday, Opposition supporters voted overwhelmingly – by 98 per cent – to reject the proposed new assembly, urge the military to defend the existing Constitution, and support elections before Maduro’s term ends. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Bahamian murder suspect deported from US to face law at home

A

Bahamian man who was wanted in his homeland for murder, has been sent back from the United States to his homeland to face the music.

Jamal Redmond Wallace, 33, was handed over by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) last Thursday.

He had been living in the

US illegally for more than three years. According to ICE, he arrived in the country on November 1, 2013 and was granted a stay up to April 30, 2014. However, Wallace overstayed his welcome. He was arrested by US Border Patrol in Tampa, Florida, on March 29 this year, the same day an arrest warrant was issued for him

by Bahamian authorities.

An immigration judge on

May 10 ordered his deportation.

“This removal is evidence that ICE will not allow criminals to hide behind our country’s borders to avoid justice in their home country,” said Marc Moore, field office director for the Miami Field Office of ERO. Wallace was listed as wanted for murder by Bahamian police in August 2013. (Caribbean360)

Antigua: 700 workers to be affected

by Sandals closure

T

ourism Minister Asot Michael has declined comment on the announcement that Sandals Grande Antigua will be closing its doors for up to five months.

OBSERVER media was also unable to reach Prime Minister Gaston Browne for comment.

The Antigua & Barbuda Workers’ Union announced at a press conference Monday that Sandals Grand Antigua will be closed for up to five months to do essential maintenance work. At least 700 workers at the Dickenson

Bay property will be affected when the hotel closes for the first time in 25 years. The closure will take effect from September 20.

The owner of Adventure Antigua Eli Fuller says the decision is catastrophic and he will not only have to lay off workers but may have to sell a boat. General Secretary of the workers union, David Massiah laments the list of properties closing for varying reasons. The announcement comes after Friday’s announcement that Verandah will also be closing, affecting 200 workers. Deputy

General Secretary Chester Hughes says this closure will be devastating. In a letter to Massiah, Chief Operations Officer, Shawn DaCosta says the Prime Minister, Minister of Tourism and the Minister of Legal Affairs were formally advised in a letter that was delivered to their offices on July 13. Tourism Minister, Michael told OBSERVER media moments ago that he has not received the letter and he is not prepared to comment until he speaks to the resort.

The property assures it will honour all obligations to its staff. (Antigua Observer)

former state governor from Mexico’s ruling party wanted for embezzlement and organised crime arrived in the country on Monday after being extradited from Guatemala, the Mexican Government said.

Javier Duarte, who until last year governed the Gulf coast state of Veracruz for President Enrique Pena Nieto’s Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), is suspected of siphoning off millions of dollars during his tenure.

He has denied any wrongdoing.

Wearing handcuffs and a bulletproof vest, Duarte

was transferred on Monday morning from the military prison where he had been held since his arrest to Guatemalan Air Force facilities, where he set off for Mexico.

The 43-year-old landed in Mexico City airport a few hours later. Official video footage showed him disembarking from a Government plane, and being led away by armed guards.

Duarte’s case has become emblematic of Government failure to root out corruption, undermining support for the PRI, which has been Mexico’s dominant party for most of the past century.

Elected governor in 2010, he is alleged to have acquired luxury properties in Mexico and abroad, defrauding taxpayers of sums some estimates put in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and using shell companies to transfer and hide public funds.

Duarte was arrested in Guatemala in April after more than five months on the run.

Corruption is shaping up to be one of the focal points of next year’s presidential election, with opinion polls showing the PRI is seriously at risk of being voted out of office. (Reuters)

Castro slams Trump’s Cuba policy

C

uba’s President has lashed out at US President Donald Trump’s harsher stance on relations with the Caribbean communist country, calling it a setback but promising to continue working to normalise ties on a basis of mutual respect.

President Raúl Castro’s comments to Cuba’s National Assembly on Friday were his first on Trump’s announcement last month of a partial rollback of the Cuba-US detente negotiated by then President Barack Obama.

State-run Cuban media quoted Castro as saying that Trump was using “old and hostile rhetoric” and had returned to “confrontation that roundly failed over 55 years.

“We reject the manipulation of the topic of human rights against Cuba, which can be proud of much in this area and does not need to receive lessons from the United States nor anyone,”

Cuban President Raúl Castro says Trump’s policy is a setback

he said.

“Any strategy that seeks to destroy the revolution either through coercion or pressure or through more subtle methods will fail,” Cuba’s President told legislators.

Trump anchored his policy rollback in human rights concerns raised by political opponents of Cuba’s Government, many of whom fled to Miami where he announced the changes on June 16.

Surrounded by Cuban-

American exiles and Cuban dissidents, Trump announced that the US would impose new limits on US travellers to the island and ban any payments to the military-linked conglomerate that controls much of the island’s tourism industry.

He said the US would consider lifting those and other restrictions only after Cuba returned fugitives and made a series of other internal changes including freeing political prisoners, allowing freedom of assembly and holding free elections.

The US Embassy in Havana, re-opened by former President Barack Obama, is nevertheless still operating.

Earlier in the legislative session, Economy Minister Ricardo Cabrisas announced that Cuba’s economy is growing again after a dip last year. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Suriname expands foreign policy frontier at Ivory Coast meeting

F

oreign Minister Yildiz PollackBeighle of Suriname attended the 44th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting in Côte d’Ivoire from July 10-11, and used the forum to press ahead with her country’s push to expand ties with non-traditional partners outside of the European Union, the United States and Canada.

The Minister had a robust schedule at the Abidjan meeting where she addressed the gathering and held a number of meetings with her counterparts from OIC countries.

Suriname, which is facing economic recession,

recently walked away from harsh International Monetary Fund (IMF) austerity terms. Paramaribo has been able to do so because it has the support of the Islamic Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. The Islamic Bank is an organ of the OIC, which is assisting Suriname’s economy recovery after a drop in commodity exports and has become a new foreign policy frontier that Paramaribo has accelerated ties with.

Pollack-Beighle and her Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Çavu?o?lu, held bilateral talks to discuss areas of cooperation and projects that should be brought to speed.

Turkey, the 17th largest economy, will continue to assist Suriname through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA). Suriname is still interested in a cooperation agreement with Turkish Airlines, and several other agreements and projects that are yet to be fully implemented. A high-level visit from Turkey to Suriname and possibly to Guyana has been an ongoing discussion for the past five years. In 2013, both Turkey and Suriname signed a bilateral agreement on “friendship and cooperation” in the areas of culture, science, trade, tourism and technology.

(Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Russia hacking row: Moscow demands US Grandmas, grandpas from travel ban States return seized mansions now welcome – US cable

R

ussia is pressing demands that the United States give it access to two diplomatic compounds seized in the US last year.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was unacceptable to set preconditions for returning the properties. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described the move as “daylight robbery”.

In December, the US expelled 35 Russian diplomats and shut the compounds over suspicions of meddling in US elections.

Russian and US officials are discussing the issue in high-level talks.

US Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon is hosting Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in Washington.

The meeting was meant to have been held in June in St Petersburg, but was cancelled after the US Government added 38 individuals and organisations

G

US officials say the Maryland complex doubled as a spying outpost

to its list of sanctions over Russian activity in Ukraine.

Peskov suggested that there was nothing to discuss.

“We consider it absolutely unacceptable to place conditions on the return of diplomatic property, we consider that it must be returned without any conditions and talking,” he said.

Lavrov said that this was

not the way decent and wellbrought-up people behaved.

“How can you seize property which is protected by a bilateral, inter-governmental, ratified document and, to return it, act according to the principle ‘what is mine is mine, and what is yours we’ll share’?” he said during a visit to Belarus.

Last week, Russia said it was considering “specific

measures” in retaliation, including the expulsion of 30 US diplomats and seizure of US state property.

Ex-President Barack Obama acted against Russia after US intelligence sources accused Russian state agents of hacking into Democratic Party computers to undermine Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. (Excerpt from BBC News)

randparents of United States citizens from six Muslim-majority countries are now eligible to receive US visas, according to a State Department memo seen by Reuters that reflects the latest court ruling on US President Donald Trump’s travel ban.

The memo, or cable, from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was sent to all US diplomatic posts overseas on Friday after a US district judge in Hawaii issued a ruling late on Thursday limiting the scope of the Administration’s temporary ban on refugees and travellers from the six countries.

US District Judge Derrick Watson in Honolulu found the Government cannot bar grandparents and other relatives of United States citizens from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from getting visas under the ban.

Watson declined to put his ruling on hold pending appeal, meaning it went into effect immediately. The Administration has asked the Supreme Court and San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to block the decision.

The July 14 cable updated the definition of “close family” that are exempt from the temporary travel ban laid down in Trump’s March 6 executive order.

The cable reversed the State Department’s previous, narrow definition of close family and stated that “grandparents, grandchildren, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, aunts and uncles, nephews and nieces, and cousins” are eligible for visas. Consulates and embassies do not need to reopen any visa applications refused under the prior, narrower definition of close family members, the cable said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

China’s economy grows Migrant crisis: EU to curb rubber faster than expected boat sales to Libya

C

hina’s economy grew at an annual rate of 6.9 per cent between April and June according to official figures, slightly higher than forecast.

The growth rate, which compares expansion with the same three months in the previous year, was the same as in the first quarter of 2017.

Beijing is trying to rein in debt and a housing bubble with tough measures on the property sector and lenders.

Many analysts expected China’s economy to slow as those policies kicked in.

But the latest data is

well above Beijing’s 6.5 per cent growth target for 2017.

Despite efforts to slow down the housing market, property investment grew by 8.5 per cent in the first half, which is up from the same period in 2016.

Some analysts are predicting that tighter lending rules may not have the cooling effect that many expected.

China’s economy grew at its weakest pace in 26 years during 2016, but other data released on Monday added to the picture of rebounding growth for the Chinese economy. (Excerpt from BBC News)

E

uropean Union Foreign Ministers have agreed to restrict exports of inflatable boats and outboard motors to Libya in a drive to curb the smuggling of migrants.

The restrictions will not apply to legitimate Libyan businesses, such as fishing crews, an EU statement said.

It is not clear how the EU will check that such exports do not end up in the wrong hands in the lawless country.

Meanwhile, Luxembourg has warned that EU funds may be helping to drive migrants into Libyan “concentration camps”.

Often migrants are found packed on to dangerously unstable dinghies off Libya

Many migrants exploited by people-smuggling gangs in Libya have suffered brutality, including sexual abuse. The country is plagued by violence and lawlessness.

More than 88,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Italy so far this year, and more than a quarter of them arrived in

June alone.

The numbers are higher than in the first half of last year.

Responding to an Italian plea for help, the EU has been helping to train Libyan coastguards.

Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said “we have financed these coastguards and it’s right,”

but that migrants were being brought back to Libya “to these camps we’ve seen pictures of”.

“Those are sometimes concentration camps, camps where people are raped, where there is no law.”

Italy has EU backing for a code of conduct that would regulate Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) involved in rescuing migrants off the Libyan coast. Critics accuse NGOs of encouraging departures of migrants from Libya.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said 5000 migrants had returned home voluntarily from Libya this year under EU-funded schemes, more than double the number in the whole of last year. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Malala urges Nigeria to prioritise education system Egypt vows to maintain sanctions on Qatar

N

igeria should focus on improving its education system, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai said on Monday during a visit to the West African country where nearly half of primary-aged children are not enrolled in school.

Africa’s most populous country has some 10 million children of school age who do not attend, Government figures state. Primary school enrolment is just 54 per cent.

Yousafzai, a Pakistani education activist who came to prominence when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head in 2012, was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace in April

to promote girls’ education.

She has become a regular speaker on the global stage.

Addressing Journalists in the capital Abuja after a meeting with the acting President, Yousafzai said the Government should declare a “state of emergency on education in Nigeria”.

“They are happy to work more on education. We are also happy to hear positive response from the Minister as well in ensuring that education is prioritised,” she said, adding that spending on education at a federal and state level should be made public.

Nigeria’s presidency did not immediately comment

E

Malala Yousafzai attends a ceremony after being selected a United Nations messenger of peace in New York, NY, April 10, 2017

on the suggestions. (Excerpt from Reuters)

gypt has told Kuwait it was committed to keep anti-Qatar sanctions in place until the demands made by Cairo and its three Gulf Arab allies were met.

Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, said during a meeting with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah in Cairo on Monday that the only way to resolve the Gulf crisis was for Qatar to comply.

The insistence comes “in light of what the quartet states see as Qatar’s stalling and procrastination, and lack of concern for the concern of the four countries”, said Ahmed Abu Zeid,

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in a statement.

Egypt’s President AbdelFattah el-Sisi also met Sheikh Sabah on Monday.

Sisi told him he appreciated what Kuwait’s mediation in the dispute, but Egypt would not let anyone interfere in its affairs and would stand strong against policies that support terrorism, his spokesman Alaa Youssef said in a statement, referring to Egypt’s accusations against Qatar that is denied by Doha.

Also on Monday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that Cairo would end visa-free entry for Qatari nationals.

The new move comes six weeks after Egypt, along with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, cut ties with Qatar on June 5 and imposed an air, sea and land blockade on the country.

The quartet accused Doha of supporting “extremists” – an allegation that Qatar denies.

More than two weeks after the Gulf crisis began, the blockading countries issued a list of 13 demands that included the closure of Al Jazeera Media Network.

The move was condemned by various international rights organisations, the United Nations and heads of states. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017

ARCHIE

An interesting idea will give you something to explore (March 21- as a prospect. There is money April 19) to be made if you turn something you enjoy doing into a moneymaking venture.

ARIES

Emotional matters will TAURUS mount. Look for a way to com(April 20- promise in order to avoid an May 20) unexpected change of plans.

A frugal approach to personal and domestic problems is encouraged.

DILBERT

You’ll have a false sense GEMINI (May 21- of your assets and capabiliJune 20) ties. Money matters should be dealt with conservatively.

Don’t spend what you don’t have. Focus on self-awareness and physical improvements.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

PEANUTS

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

CALVIN AND HOBBES

Consider the consequences of your actions before you proceed. A carefully considered plan will serve you far better than an impulsive move. Form an alliance with a trustworthy peer.

Stick to the script. If you exaggerate, you will end up in an emotional situation that will slow down your efforts to get ahead. Personal improvements can be made.

Attend an event that will VIRGO (Aug. 23- be conducive to meeting peoSept. 22) ple in your profession. The more contacts you make, the easier it will be for you to advance.

Refuse to follow the LIBRA crowd.

If something doesn’t (Sept. 23appeal to you or appears to Oct. 23) be too risky, you are best off remaining a spectator and learning from what you see.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

What you do will make a SCORPIO difference, but what you say (Oct. 24will lead to trouble. If you do Nov. 22) something nice for someone you love or trust, you will get something special in return.

You’ll have plenty to say SAGITTARIUS and to offer, but use diploma(Nov. 23- cy to avoid an emotional backDec. 21) lash. Someone will be hurt if you are too blunt about what you think about him or her.

Share your feelings and CAPRICORN make your intentions clear.

(Dec. 22- Stick to the truth and be willJan. 19) ing to compromise to please a friend, family member or co-worker.

SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE You are best off being seAQUARIUS cretive until you have a solid (Jan. 20idea to offer. Emotional disFeb. 19) putes are likely to develop if you disagree with a partner, friend or relative.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Take part in your commuPISCES nity or in things that friends (Feb. 20March 20) and relatives are doing. What you contribute will be rewarded with favors that will help you advance.

tuesDAY, july 18, 2017

West Indies stars offered ‘temporary amnesty’ by board W

ith West Indies in a race to qualify for the 2019 World Cup, their cricket board has offered “temporary amnesty” to the players who do not fit their selection criteria in order to have them avail-

per the ICC will gain automatic qualification to the next World Cup. CWI chief executive Johnny Grave admitted to the possibility that West Indies - ranked ninth, 10 points below their closest rival - might not make the

Hamilton could walk away from F1...or maybe not

games.”

Grave also indicated that the CWI’s cricket committee was due to present their findings on player eligibility criteria by the end of July.

These recommendations will then be put forward at

Lewis Hamilton

L

The top names in West Indies cricket are set to make a return

able to play ODIs. This could pave way for the return of stars such as Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree as soon as next month when the team is scheduled for a tour of England, as had been earlier reported by ESPNcricinfo.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has had a stringent policy of picking only those players who are active in the domestic one-day tournament for 50-over internationals. But, with one eye on putting the best XI on the park, the board and the West Indies Players Association have called a truce.

On September 30, the top-eight ranked teams as

cut. Should that be the case, West Indies will then have to go through a 10-team qualifying tournament and unless they end up in the top two, they won’t make the showpiece event in England in 2019.

“We recognise that it is highly unlikely that we will now automatically qualify for the 2019 World Cup, so whilst the qualifying tournament has yet to be confirmed by ICC, we may only have eight ODIs against England and New Zealand in the next six months to prepare,” Grave said. “It is crucial that we can have our best performing Windies players available for selection in these important

the board of directors meeting in September. But in the meantime, “all CWI registered players will be available for selection” the press release said.

Additionally, CWI is compiling a list of all male and female and age-group players in the system. “This will show commitment on the part of the players to be available for the format/s of the game they wish to play; a commitment to participate in the regional set-up and to honour the system to be in place by then,” board president Dave Cameron said.

“We must be able to identify the full slate and categories of players we have in the West Indies.” (Cricinfo)

ewis Hamilton has hinted he could walk away from Formula One at the end of the season, while also indicating it was highly unlikely.

The triple world champion, so often an enigma shrouded in contradiction, offered little certainty after winning the British Grand Prix for a record-equalling fifth time.

What came across strongly, however, was that the Mercedes driver felt in the form of his life and would always want to be a winner.

“Apart from being with my family, the happiest moment I ever have is when I’ve got the car on a knifeedge and that’s never really changed,” he told reporters after Sunday’s race at Silverstone.

M

Hart has been told he can find another club by City boss Pep Guardiola a f ter spending last season at Torino.

T h e 30-year-old’s City contract is not due

to expire until 2019 and the agreement with the Hammers includes an option to make the move permanent. He is expected to join West Ham’s squad on their pre-season tour of Austria.

It is anticipated City will fund part of Hart’s wages.

(BBC)

Goalkeeper Joe Hart spent last season on loan at Torino, making 36 appearances for the Italian club

“In terms of contracts and stuff, I can’t really say what’s going to happen six months from now.

“But what I do know is I’m loving racing. I really, really do feel within myself that I’m driving better than I’ve ever driven.”

Hamilton has another year and a half to go on his Mercedes contract and is now just one point behind Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in the standings at the midpoint of the season.

While Hamilton has found the life balance that works for him, jetting across the Atlantic in-between races and taking a holiday in Greece just days before Silverstone, questions are regularly asked about his focus.

There has also been spec-

ulation that he could seek to see out his career at Ferrari.

Asked whether he was speaking in terms of not knowing whether he would still be in Formula One in six months’ time, Hamilton sought to clarify.

“No, I just think in life you don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said.

“Right now I love driving and then in six months I might... it’s very unlikely because I think I’m always going to like driving, I’m always going to like doing crazy stuff,” said the 32-yearold.

Earlier, in the post-race news conference, he had said he felt “no current reason to want to have to stop.

“I’m still enjoying it and I still have a contract with the team for at least a year so I plan to see that out at the moment,” he added.

Only Michael Schumacher, with 91 wins, is ahead of Hamilton on victories while only four drivers since the championship started in 1950 have won four titles or more.

“Even in getting another championship, it will never be, ‘OK, now it’s time to hang up the gloves’. I’ll always want to win more,” said Hamilton, whose previous team mate Nico Rosberg quit immediately after winning the 2016 title. “Even when I do stop, something inside me will say I still want to get more.” (Reuters)

Murray

remains number 1 in world rankings

Hart passes West Ham medical before loan move anchester City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart has passed his medical at West Ham and is set to complete a season-long loan deal.

19

– Konta up to 4th Andy Murray

B

ritain’s Johanna Konta has risen to a career-high fourth in the women’s rankings after Wimbledon, while Andy Murray remains men’s world number one.

Konta, 26, is the fourth British woman to break into the top five, following her run to the Wimbledon

semi-finals.

She matches the achievement of Virginia Wade, Sue Barker and Jo Durie, the last British woman in the top five in 1984.

Murray, 30, lost in the Wimbledon quarter-finals but retains top spot ahead of Rafael Nadal.

The Spaniard could over-

take Murray at the pair’s next tournament, the men’s Rogers Cup in Montreal, which begins on 7 August.

However, the Scot’s Wimbledon campaign was hampered by a hip injury and he has yet to confirm whether the recovery process will alter his plans for the rest of 2017. (BBC)

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tuesdAY, july 18, 2017

South Africa surge to series-levelling win S

outh Africa took full advantage of an abject England batting display on Monday to complete a crushing 340-run win in the second test at Trent Bridge which levelled the series 1-1 with two games remaining.

Defeat was Joe Root’s first as captain in his second game in charge, and England’s eighth loss in 13 matches. But it was the manner of their capitulation inside 45 overs and with a day and a half to spare that will trouble Root most.

Instead of mounting the required rearguard action, England collapsed to 133 all out, with the last three wickets falling without the addition of a run.

The wickets were shared among four bowlers with man-ofthe-match Vernon Philander (324), Keshav Maharj (3-42) and Chris Morris (2-7) taking the honours.

South Africa outplayed England in every aspect of the game, with the tourists’ first innings lasting one ball longer, at 96.2 overs, than England’s two combined.

Hopes that England might chase down a world-record 474

Joe Root was dismissed by a superb yorker from Chris Morris © Getty Images

runs for victory were dispelled by the second over when Philander removed Keaton Jennings’ off-

stump, following up soon afterwards by having Gary Ballance for lbw.

Both Jennings (3) and Ballance (4) will find their positions under pressure after contributing just 44 and 85 runs respectively in four innings this series.

With their departure, England looked to Root and former captain Alastair Cook for resistance but the excellent Morris claimed both batsmen before lunch, bowling Root (8) and bouncing out Cook (42) with a vicious lifter.

The hosts fell away alarmingly after the interval when Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali surrendered their wickets to poor shots while Philander removed the dangerous Ben Stokes with the sharpest of return catches.

The final indignity came when Stuart Broad, Mark Wood and Jimmy Anderson all fell on 133, leaving former England captain Michael Vaughan to post on Twitter, “This is absolutely terrible ....... Far too much talent in this team to play like this.”

Root offered a more diplomatic assessment, saying: “It has been

a tough week. We weren’t good enough with the bat for the whole game. We prepared very well and had two good practice days.”

England have delayed selection ahead of the third test, which starts at the Oval on July 27, and could make changes.

By contrast, South Africa’s captain Faf du Plessis was delighted, dedicating the win to absent coach

Russell Domingo, who missed the game following a family bereavement. “It was for Russell,” he said.

Du Plessis added he admired the way his side refused to relinquish their stranglehold once they got on top.

“It was important to get into a position of strength and not lose our momentum,” he said. (Reuters)

SCOREBOARD South Africa 1st innings 335 England 1nd innings 205 South Africa 2nd innings 343/9 dec England 2nd innings (target: 474 runs) A Cook c †de Kock b Morris 42 K Jennings b Philander 3 G Ballance lbw b Philander 4 8 J Root* b Morris J Bairstow† c Morris b Maharaj 16 B Stokes c & b Philander 18 27 M Ali c Kuhn b Maharaj not out 5 LA Dawson S Broad c Morkel b Maharaj 5

M Wood c Morris b Olivier 0 J Andersonc †de Kock b Olivier 0 Extras (lb 5) 5 133 Total (all out; 44.2 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Jennings, 5.5 ov), 2-28 (Ballance, 11.5 ov), 3-55 (Root, 18.1 ov), 4-72 (Cook, 24.2 ov), 5-84 (Bairstow, 29.3 ov), 6-122 (Ali, 39.3 ov), 7-126 (Stokes, 40.3 ov), 8-133 (Broad, 43.5 ov), 9-133 (Wood, 44.1 ov), 10-133 (Anderson, 44.2 ov) Bowling: M Morkel 13-4-300, Philander 10-3-24-3, Olivier 3.2-0-25-2, Morris 6-3-712-2-42-3 2, Maharaj

Zimbabwe 7 wickets away from IAAF Council Member Frankie Fredericks suspended over possible ethics breach maiden Sri Lanka Test win five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Earlier, Sikandar Raza’s first test century helped Zimbabwe to 377 in their second innings after the touring side had resumed the fourth day on 252-6.

Raza scored 127 and added 144 for the seventh wicket with Malcolm Waller, who made 68, to ensure his side set Sri Lanka a steep target to chase.

Sri Lanka spin spearhead Rangana Herath picked up 6-116 - his 31st five-wicket haul in Tests - to total 11 wickets in the match.(Reuters)

Sikandar Raza’s maiden century left Sri Lanka needing to pull off the highest successful chase in the country © NurPhoto/Getty Images

Z

imbabwe were seven wickets away from their maiden Test win over Sri Lanka on Monday after setting the hosts a target of 388 in their one-off match at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Sri Lanka were 170-3 in their second innings at stumps on the fourth day, still needing another 218 to beat Zimbabwe, who also recently won their maiden one-day international series against the hosts.

Kusal Mendis was unbeaten on 60 with Angelo Mathews, who stepped down as captain after the ODI series defeat, on 17 not out.

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer picked up 2-67 in Sri Lanka’s second innings to add to his

SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe 1st innings 356 Sri Lanka 1nd innings 346 Zimbabwe 2nd innings H Masakadza lbw b Herath 7 b Herath 6 R Chakabva† T Musakanda c Karunaratne b Herath 0 C Ervine c Karunaratne b Perera 5 S Williams b Herath 22 127 Sikandar Raza b Herath P Moor c sub (MD Gunathilaka) b Kumara 40 M Waller c Tharanga b Perera 68 G Cremer* c Karunaratne b Herath 48 19 D Tiripano lbw b Perera C Mpofu not out 9 Extras (b 4, lb 14, w 7, nb 1) 26 Total (all out; 107.1 overs) 377 Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Chakabva, 3.1 ov), 2-16 (Musakanda, 5.4 ov), 3-17 (Masakadza, 7.2 ov), 4-23 (Ervine, 8.3 ov), 5-59 (Williams, 17.3 ov), 6-145 (Moor, 41.1 ov), 7-289 (Waller, 76.6 ov), 8-306 (Sikandar Raza, 83.2 ov), 9-361 (Tiripano, 102.2 ov), 10-377 (Cremer, 107.1 ov)

Bowling: Lakmal 14-0-43-0, Herath 39.1-5-133-6, D Perera 30-2-95-3, Kumara 20-372-1 3.60 (1nb, 3w), K Mendis 4-0-16-0 Sri Lanka 2nd innings (target: 388 runs) D Karunaratne b Williams 49 U Tharanga c Moor b Cremer 27 K Mendis not out 60 D Chandimal* c Masakadza b Cremer 15 not out 17 A Mathews Extras (lb 2) 2 Total (3 wickets; 48 overs) 170 To bat: DAS Gunaratne, N Dickwella†, MDK Perera, HMRKB Herath, RAS Lakmal, CBRLS Kumara Fall of wickets: 1-58 (Tharanga, 19.2 ov), 2-108 (Karunaratne, 32.1 ov), 3-133 (Chandimal, 37.1 ov) Bowling: Sikandar Raza 9-1-29-0, Williams 160-62-1, Cremer 19-04-0-10-0 67-2, Waller

T

he IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal has provisionally suspended IAAF Council Member Frankie Fredericks while it launches an investigation into payments his company received on or close to the date of the IOC vote awarding the 2016 Olympic Games to Rio de Janeiro.

Fredericks, the 1996 double Olympic silver medalist, was one of the persons entitled to vote to award the 2016 Olympics. He has indicated that he intends to contest the provisional suspension at a provisional hearing before a panel of the IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal convened to hear his case.

The IAAF said the allegations against Fredericks are considered serious.

“The investigation into Mr. Fredericks, who is also the subject of a parallel IOC Ethics investigation, concerns payments received by Mr. Fredericks’ company, Yemi Limited, from a company owned and controlled by Papa Massata Diack, Pamodzi Sports Consulting, which were made on or close to the date of the IOC vote awarding the 2016 Olympic Games to Rio de Janeiro.

As an IOC member, Mr Fredericks was one of the persons entitled to vote to award the 2016 Olympics,” the IAAF said.

According to the IAAF Fredericks has stated that the sums of money received were proper payments for services rendered which have no connection to the voting process for the award of the 2016 Olympic Games.

“Since assuming responsibility for this investigation, the Athletics Integrity Unit has carefully considered the case, including reviewing the facts and documents leading to the initiation of an IOC Ethics Investigation, as well as certain limited additional information,” said the IAAF statement released Monday.

“Despite Mr. Fredericks’ voluntary resignation from his positions on, inter alia, the IAAF’s Russia Task Force, the Athletics Integrity Unit determined that the interests of the sport required an application to be made for an order to provisionally suspend Mr. Fredericks from all his present roles in the sport, including his important duties as an IAAF Council Member.”

According to the statement from track and field’s governing body the provisional suspension came following an application by

IAAF Council Member Frankie Fredericks

the newly formed Athletics Integrity Unit.

In response, the Chairman of the IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal, Michael Beloff QC, imposed an order for the provisional suspension Fredericks pending investigation of a potential breach of the IAAF Code of Ethics.

“The order for provisional suspension does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation which the Athletics Integrity Unit is carrying out,” the IAAF statement said.

“Mr. Fredericks enjoys the presumption of innocence until the conclusion of that investigative process and any disciplinary process which may follow depending on the results of the investigation. The investigation will be led by Sir Anthony Hooper, a former judge of the English Court of Appeal and an experienced investigator in the context of sports integrity.”

The IAAF also said that the order for provisional suspension is not any early indication of guilt or innocence and orders for provisional suspension may be sought by the Athletics Integrity Unit and imposed by the Disciplinary Tribunal on a precautionary basis in cases where the interests of the sport favour the suspension of an IAAF office holder, employee or participant in the sport pending investigation of potential ethical breaches in the sport. (Sportsmax)

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Fans are sure to witness some thrilling riding at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground

E

ssequibo Coast will be in for a treat when the Stag Beer Grass track Championships has it day/night edition at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground on Saturday.

The event is expected to be the first of its kind in the community and organiser Sheik Yassen in an interview with this Guyana Times Sport on Monday explained that all systems are in place for the hosting of the event and there is much interest brewing within Essequibo populace.

Yassen also assured that the facility in perfect condition and the races will go even if there is rain.

At total of 27 daredevils are ex-

21

pected to compete across there different categories, with the return of 2016 champion Andrew Wong set to challenge currently leader Steven Nobrega.

There were will be five professional races (12 laps per race); three Novices (10 laps per race) and two for newcomers (10 laps per race).

The organiser expressed immense gratitude for the support of main sponsor ANSA McAL under their Stag Beer brand, Roosters Coconut water, R. Ganesh Mining, Kahn AutoZone, Savannah Riders Club and Essequibo Biker Boyz.

The event is set to commence at 16:00 hrs with tickets for Adults $500 and Children $100.

he Guyana B o x i n g Association has organized a Take-away lunch in order to raise funds to send a team of local boxers to Jamaica in October. The lunch is scheduled for Sunday August 6th at the Burnham Court at Middle and Carmichael Streets.

The Guyana Boxing Elton Chase Association was invited to send a team of pugilist to participate in the first ever Jamaica vers u s

Guyana Goodwill competition scheduled for Kingston in early October. President of the Jamaica Boxing Association Stephen ‘Bomber’ Jones, wrote to his Guyanese counterpart Steve Ninvalle, declaring his intention to commence the exchange programme between the two CARICOM states.

GBA president Steve Ninvalle said that a committee made up of himself, Elton Chase and Nicola Yhap have been formalizing arrangements for the activity. He added that the committee is mulling an Under-16 boxing competition, under floodlights to be added to the day’s activities. The GBA is seeking to send a team of five boxers and a manager/coach to Jamaica.

GCB/Scotiabank Kiddy’s cricket opens at Bay-Roc

T

he Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), in collaboration with the Cricket West Indies (CWI) and Scotiabank, commences its Summer Camp activities today in Upper Demerara from 09 00 hours to 15 00 hours at the BayRoc ground.

The camp targets students from grades three to six and is being used primarily to impart cricket knowledge and its requisite discipline and commitment attributes to said participants. The goal of the camp is to identify 30 talented male players and 20 talent-

ed female players from the targeted district locations earmarked for the summer camp.

It seeks to attain their objectives of helping the targeted pupils to develop a greater interest and passion for game, helping students to acquire the skills of batting, bowling, fielding, as well as conceptual skills just to name a few. The program also aims at helping pupils to identify the need for a holistic development.

The Camp will also be conducted at the Albion Community Centre in Berbice, and West Demerara

The focus is on developing the next generation of cricketers

at the Zeeburg ground with both of these activities com-

mencing from the July 25 and at Imam Bacchus

Sri Lanka A for Windies tour in October B

ground in Essequibo on July 27.

Barcelona “relaxed” over Neymar to PSG speculation

S

ri Lanka ‘A’ is to tour the Caribbean in October for three unofficial Tests and a similar number of one-day matches, Cricket West Indies announced on Saturday.

The Sri Lankans will face West Indies “A” during the series to be played between October 11 and November 5 in Jamaica.

Sri Lanka “A” previously visited the Caribbean in June 2013, when the two sides – led by Kirk Edwards and Dimuth Karunaratne respectively – drew a se-

ries of two “Tests” 0-0. The home side then won one of two Twenty20 matches, and then three-match, One-Day series 2-1.

The tour opens from Wednesday, October 11 to Saturday, October 14, with the first unofficial Test at the Trelawny Multiplex.

The second Test is set to run from Thursday, October 19 to Sunday, October 22 at the same venue.

The action then moves east to Sabina Park in Kingston where the teams

will face off in the third Test from Thursday, October 26 to Sunday, October 29.

At the conclusion of that series, the West Indies A team will host Sri Lanka A at Sabina Park for the first One-Day match on November 1. A second match follows at the same venue on Friday, November 3.

The final One-Day match concludes the tour on Sunday, November 5 at the Trelawny Multiplex.

(SportsMax)

arcelona are convinced Neymar will remain at the club as “one of our main symbols” following renewed rumours of an approach from PSG. Neymar is not unsettled at Barcelona amid reports Paris Saint-Germain are ready to meet the Brazil superstar’s €222million release clause, according to club spokesman Josep Vives.

Earlier on Monday, Barca technical director Robert Fernandez insisted the LaLiga giants had received no offers for its players this close-season and maintained no one was in the market to meet the release clause inserted into Neymar’s contract when

he signed fresh terms running until June 2021 last October.

Nevertheless, suggestions that PSG were ready to make a sensational transfer move persisted, with Catalan sports daily Sport claiming Neymar’s advisors believe it is time for the 25-year-old to step out of Lionel Messi’s shadow at Camp Nou. Madrid paper AS reported Neymar’s father will travel to Paris to discuss the blockbusting move with PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi this week, the Ligue 1 club being prepared to use Italy midfielder and Barca target Marco Verratti as bait.

22

tuesdAY, july 18, 2017

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Tanveer out for another successful CPL campaign – buoyed by new surface at Providence

to September 9.

In 2016 he was one of the Warriors’ most consistent players especially with ball in hand which saw him top his team’s bowling charts with 20 wickets from 12 matches while keeping an economy rate of 6.45. (He finished second to Trinbago Knight Riders Dwayne Bravo (21 wickets) overall). With the bat he scored 105 runs, striking at 111.70.

“It was a new challenge for me when I played last year for the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

It was touch and go between me and [Dwayne] Bravo. This time around I’m hoping I can do it again or even better”, the player stated.

Sohail Tanveer

G

By Akeem Greene

uyana Amazon Warriors all-rounder Sohail Tanveer is eager to produce another successful season for his franchise in this year’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) which runs from August 4

Team Guyana arrive in Bahamas

The left-arm seamer, who has built a reputation as one of the best in the business, is most enthused about the re-laid pitches at the National Stadium, Providence.

“I have seen West Indies/ Pakistan ODI series there and I have seen good bounce and carry and I thought that there must be

G

uyana’s boxing team to the Youth Commonwealth Games arrived in Bahamas on Sunday and is resting comfortably. Team head coach Sebert Blake told Guyana Times Sports yesterday that his charges Keevin Allicock and Christopher Moore were able to put in light work ahead of today’s official weigh in which commences this morning at 7 am.

in 2015 against the Barbados Tridents contented the ‘Biggest party in Sport’ is unlike another tournament.

“The most interesting thing about CPL is that party never stops, all over the world you go and when the game is finished they go home but here the party goes on no matter the results and this is one of the best things about

CPL”, the globe-trotting t20 cricketer revealed.

With the Warriors’ opening their campaign on August 5, Tanveer is happy to return to Florida where they won both of their matches last year against the Barbados Tridents.

“Florida was hot last year and should be the same this year but as professionals we have to adapt to various conditions. Playing cricket in Florida, in USA is good. It’s very good to promote cricket in the USA”. Tanveer is expected to be a part of the team’s preparation camp in Guyana which gets underway from July 25. The Warriors will have four home matches from August 17 to 22nd.

On the 17th, they play the Jamaica Tallawahs; after which they play arch-rivals Trinbago Knight Riders two days later. The Warriors then clash with the Barbados Tridents on the 20th, and then have their final home match against the St Lucia Zouks on the 22nd.

Region 1 to become GFF Regional Member Association – Wayne Forde T Christopher Moore

– boxing set for Wednesday

Keevin Allicock

grass on the wicket but it is good to know there is a new pitch all together. Last year (2016) it was slow when I played there and the batmen found it difficult to score as well. I used my experience and with lateral movement I was able to get wickets. As a fast or seam bowler you need good bounce and carry so definitely I am looking forward to bowling there”.

Though National duty always emote a sense of passion and pride, the Pakistani is also most passionate about playing for the Warriors.

“Playing for Guyana [Amazon Warriors] in CPL is amazing.

People in Guyana love cricket so I try my level best to live up to their expectations. The first thing I do as a professional cricketer is to own the team. Once you feel like the team is yours you will do your best for the team so I always give 100%”.

The left-handed power-hitting batsman hold the league’s record for the fastest fifty (50 from 18 balls) playing for the St Lucia Stars

The official draws begin at 11 am. “We will know who is fighting whom and on what day. The guys are in high spirits and ready for the ring,” Blake said.

Team Guyana was welcomed on the island by several Guyanese living in Bahamas.

Guyana’s overall team of 10 includes athletes, swimmers, Judokas and boxers. Blake said competition in boxing commences on Wednesday.

The Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games will be the largest international sporting event ever to be hosted in The Bahamas, and the largest-ever edition of the Youth Games, with up to 1300 athletes aged 14-18 set to make the most of an inspiring and immersive mix of impactful sporting competition and personal development .

Athletes from 70 countries will be competing.

he President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde revealed on Sunday that Region One will become a GFF Regional Member Association (RMA) in the coming months.

This announcement was made at the finals of the Rupununi Football Association (RFA) Champions League 2017 held at the Guyana Rush Saints football ground in Lethem, Region Nine.

In his address to the teams prior to the match while emphasizing the need for the expansion of the GFF-ScotiaBank Academy Training Centres (ATC), Forde said a fact-finding mission is currently being conducted in Region One .

“Today Mr. Dion Inniss, Executive member of the GFF, is in Region 1 on a fact finding mission. He will be meeting with leaders of the communities to initiate the membership process. Region One will become a Member Association in the coming months and we will be establishing an Academy Training Center there as well.”

Forde underscored the human development element of football in the hinterland as well the importance of the talent in the region being part of the growth of the game: “The Football leaders of the past offered excuses; my Executive offers practical solutions to accessing the talent of the hinterland. We have the courage to confront the challenges that for many years have suffocated the development of football within the hinterland communities. This is what football development should look like, we are doing our best to make up for many years of neglect and I promise you that I will not rest until the leadership of this Nation recognizes the human development power of football and its value to the peoples of the hinterland Communities,” Forde said.

The finals of the RFA Champions League 2017, which kicked off at 16:30hrs, saw the Guyana Rush Saints FC male team being crowned champions over Paiwomak Warriors FC by a 4 – 1 margin and Guyana Rush Saints FC female team defeating Titans United FC by 2 – 1. Among the scorers for the Guyana Rush Saints FC were Franklyn Parks (2) and Jude Mc Donald (2) while Shawn Browne was the scorer for Paiwomak Warriors FC. In the action between the female teams, Nara Rocha and Samantha Paulina scored for the Guyana Rush Saints FC while Jannes Marawanarau scored for Titans United FC. Sixteen teams participated in the tournament, which began in March 2017, consisting of males and females.

GFF President Wayne Forde presents the winners cheque to the Guyana Rush Saints Female Team captain

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, july 18, 2017

Park Sunghyun wins US Women's Open by 2 strokes

Tridents’ Shamar Springer is ready for CPL action

H

e delighted the world with his ‘chest roll’ dance move at the ICC U19 World Cup in 2016. So what does Shamar Springer have up his sleeve for the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League?

“You can expect some good performances – once I get the chance to play – and some entertainment as well,” Shamar told Loop News.

“I’m thinking about another dance move, but I’m

with them. I look forward to doing great things,” said Shamar. “My goals are to do well for myself, my team and win the tournament.”

Being a part of the Hero CPL joins the U19 World Cup victory as one of the highlights of Shamar’s cricketing career so far.

“I never thought that I would be able to reach this stage so quickly,” he said of the Hero CPL. “So it’s just a matter of maintaining it and improving.”

He says young cricketers like him are keen to play in the tournament, adding, “I think it brings out the best in the cricketers here to strive to reach that stage.”

He sees it as an amazing opportunity to interact and learn from top-class cricketers from around the world, adding, “Just watching and observing what they do, I can add to my own game and make it better.”

He confessed that he is eager to spend time with fellow Barbados Trident, Kane Williamson of New Zealand.

“He is one of the best batsmen in the world right now and I think I can pick his brain a bit and gain some tips from him,” said Shamar.

And the Hero CPL is more than just cricket – it brings players and fans from around the world together to share cultures, build friendships and make lasting memories.

The fun-loving, friendly Bajan, who goes by the nickname ‘Springz’, is looking forward to welcoming the CPL family to his home turf, saying, “In Barbados, we have some of the best entertainers and, of course, we also play great cricket and the fans love that!” (CPLT20.com)

promoted at 140

Park Sung-hyun poses with the trophy after the final round of the US Women's Open

B

EDMINSTER, New Jersey (Reuters) - The South Korean juggernaut continued as long-hitting Park Sung-hyun broke a three-way tie with two late birdies to win the US Women's Open by two strokes at Trump National on Sunday for her first major championship.

The 23-year-old Park, runaway favorite to win LPGA Rookie of the Year honors, birdied the par-five 15th to forge ahead and, after co-leader amateur Choi Hye-jin double-bogeyed the 16th, added a six-foot birdie at the 17th for some cushion.

Park, who won seven times on the Korean LPGA Tour in 2016, saved par at the par-five 18th with a superb chip from a tight lie behind the green to post a five-under-par 67.

As the poker-faced Park made her way from the 18th green to the scoring tent, she paused to wave and bow towards U.S. President Donald Trump, who looked down from his bullet-proof, glass-enclosed private box.

"To be honest I still cannot believe this is actually happening. It's almost like I'm floating on a cloud in the sky," Park said through an interpreter after signing for 11-under 277.

The precocious, 17-year-old Choi found water off the tee at the par-three 16th to scuttle her chance for an historic win, but birdied the last to complete a 71 for sole second at nine-under.

Choi was beaming with pride with a runner-up medal hanging around her neck.

"This tournament for me, even if I could just come and play, that alone would be an honor, but on top of that ... I get the runner-up and it is unbelievably joyous thing for me," said Choi through an interpreter.

The Korean dominance of women’s golf, providing seven of the last 10 U.S. Women's Open winners, was evident with the nation providing eight of the top 10 finishers, including the two new faces at the top who could further extend that domination.

Shanshan Feng of China, a seven-time LPGA Tour winner who had led since the opening round, hung in with a chance, needing to hole out from the fairway with her third shot for an eagle at the 18th to tie Park.

But after her shot bounded beyond the green, the 27-yearold Feng duffed her first chip and went on to card a triple-bogey for 75, finishing equal fifth at six-under.

World number one Ryu So-yeon of South Korea (70) and compatriot Hur Mi-jung (68) shared third on seven-under.

For Park, it was a sweet bounce-back from last year's U.S. Women's Open at CordeValle in California.

Park, the 36-hole leader, finished 74-74 there, losing a chance at the title when she hit into a water hazard on the 72nd hole and ended up third, two shots out of a playoff.

She timed her run better this time, carding 73 and 70 in the first two rounds and began the final day three strokes back before posting her second successive 67.

Choi narrowly missed becoming the second amateur in 72 years of the event to win and first since 22-year-old Catherine Lacoste of France hoisted the trophy 50 years ago at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia.

not certain of it yet,” he said with a laugh.

The young all-rounder was just 18 when he and his West Indies U19 teammates took the ICC World Cup by storm and Shamar is hoping to have a similarly exhilarating experience as he joins the Barbados Tridents for a second year for the 2017 Hero CPL. “I am motivated by having the ability to perform well on the cricket field, to see people smile and connect

23

ASK-Guyana Examinations

Some of the Graduating Kyu and Dan Karatekas and Instructors

S

ome 140 Karatekas from areas such as Linden, Albion, Blairmont, Land of Canaan, Canal #1 and Georgetown were examined and graded by 9th Dan Shuseki Shihan, Frank Woon-A-Tai, Founder of the International Karate Daigaku, at the YMCA on Thomas Lands on Sunday.

He was assisted by Senseis Amir Khouri 6th Dan, & Roger Peroune 4th Dan. Matthew Alexander Gurahoo of the YMCA was promoted to 2nd Dan while Harikirtan Singh (YMCA), Orlando Giddings (YMCA), Joshua Parasram (Blairmont), Aarti Ramgolam (Canaan), Alex Nandram Benjamin (Canaan) and Sean Paul Wesley also from Land of Canaan were promoted to

1st dan.

Among the outstanding promotions from 10th Kyu (white belt) to 8th kyu (yellow) were Javy Archibald, Daniel Cox, Jelani Jones, Brandon Foo, Alexander Singh, Kenetha Fraser, Cleon Brisport, Javari McKenzie, Rasheed John, Shoaib Majid, Robert Gittens, Emily Ramlochand, Fardeen Thomas, Benjamin Best, Eshan Brij, Ronald Arjune, Paul Albert, Jaden Clarke, Bibi Farook, Immaunel Griffith, Leonardo Totaram and Thamishwar Dyasindoo.

Also earning promotion from 10th Kyu (White) to 7th kyu (orange)were Amara Nandan, David Bissoon, Jasmine West, Ricardo Narine, Meshach Sullivan, Saarah Majid and Maheshwar Dyasindoo.

Graduating from 10th Kyu (white) to 6th kyu (green) were Kejin Wan, Ya Meng Wan and Shaquan Barrow.

Yi Jun Huang, Bohan Cao and Piya Parasram were promoted from 8th kyu to 6th Kyu. Moving from 7th kyu (orange) to 5th kyu (Blue) were Mark McCalman, Brandon Lewis, Joslyn Abraham, Bradley Fenty, Demian Dhanraj, Ramzan Singh, Crystal Itwaru and Krisendat Phagoo while Aldo Melendez, Danielle Persaud and Emily Santana-Leon moved from 6th Kyu (green) to 4th Kyu (purple).

Moving from 5th Kyu (Belt) to 3rd Kyu (Brown) were Cecil Da Silva, Jerry Santana-Bain, Arya Ramessar, Raphael Isaacs and Ava Koosial.

Listed below are the Total Promotions: 133 Kyu Students 24 students to Yellow Belt (8kyu) 38 students to Orange Belt (7kyu) 21 students to Green Belt (6kyu) 12 students to Blue Belt (5kyu) 10 students to Purple Belt (4kyu) 18 students to Brown Belt (3kyu) 4 students to Brown Belt (2kyu) 6 students to Brown Belt (1kyu) 7 Dan students 6 students to 1st DAN (Black Belt) 1 student to 2nd DAN (Black Belt)

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

TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

Region 1 to become GFF Regional Member Association – Wayne Forde Tanveer out for another successful CPL campaign

Pg 22

– buoyed by new surface at Providence His exuberance with the new ball and craftiness at the end of an innings makes him one of Guyana Amazon Warriors’ trump cards

Pg 22 GFF President Wayne Forde poses with the male Guyana Rush Saints FC team

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Team Guyana arrive in Bahamas – boxing set for Wednesday Team Guyana in a festive mood after arriving in The Bahamas for the Youth Commonwealth Games

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