Guyana times 9 january 2018

CPL makes strong P economic impact in …US$14M Guyana injected in 2017 23

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Issue No. 3445

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

City garbage collection

No approval granted: Town Clerk never received permission to impose fees

Bar manager found dead with gunshot wound to P9 head

Page 3

…ordered to hold public consultation

Security breach at Parliament

Crime spiralling out of control

Gunmen invade Lone gunman robs Hadfield Street home restaurant cashier Page 2

Page 7

…escape with owner’s gun, cash, jewellery

Get fit for Mash 2018

GTT launches Mashramani camp

Clerk mandated to recommend P7 safety proposals Stabroek P2 Market gets solar powered street lights

Decomposed body of NWD man found P8 Advanced ICT training school to P13 open soon

As Guyana prepares to celebrate Mashramani under the theme “Let’s cooperate and celebrate Republic 48” telecommunications giant GTT, in collaboration with the Pulse Band, launched its Mash Camp at the Everest Cricket Ground.

In photo, a trainer conducts an aerobics class as eager participants endorse the physical fitness preparation

Fire Fly Jamaica leases guts 2 aircraft to address delays D'Urban Street homes …to meet with the GCAA today Page 9

Stranded passengers

Page 12

Auto dealer P8 slapped with fraud charge Local law school

AG now blames Council of Legal Education Chairman for delay P10

2 news

tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Gunmen invade Hadfield Street home S

Serious crime down by 42% in G Division – Commander

…escape with owner’s gun, cash, jewellery

M

asked bandits invaded the Hadfield Street, Lodge, Georgetown home of a customs broker and made off with his weapon, ammunition, cash and other valuables.

Reports are customs broker Watson Gray, 65, of Lot

26 Hadfield Street, Lodge, was at home with his wife, Veronica Griffith, 61, when the incident occurred.

Guyana Times understands that about 23:00h on Friday, the couple were asleep with their veranda door open when Gray was awakened by a slap to his

face.

When Gray opened his eyes, he was confronted by two masked men, one of whom shouted, “We come fuh kill, where is the gun!”

The other perpetrator reportedly used a knife to pry open the wardrobe in the bedroom from where he retrieved Gray’s .32 pistol, along with 100 live rounds of ammunition.

Gray was then beaten to his head while his wife was robbed of over $1.1 million in cash and other valuables.

The men then quickly made good their escape.

A report was made to the Police, who are investigating.

erious crime in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) and on the Essequibo islands of Wakenaam and Leguan have decreased by 42 per cent.

This is according to Divisional Commander Khali Pareshram. According Pareshram, this is as a result of preventative policing and advanced training ranks received.

During an interview with Guyana Times, the Divisional Commander said that Police presence in various communities has played an integral role in crime fighting. He said that ranks were tasked with visiting communities and interacting with the populace, and based on the walkabouts and the intelligent gathering then operations are planned and executed.

He noted that in 2017 bicycle patrolling was introduced enabling law enforcement ranks to visit communities.

This anti-crime strategy assisted in the process and fostered stronger relationships

Commander Khali Pareshram

between the Force and residents.

Pareshram said that within the Division there were two major ports of entry namely Supenaam and Charity and as such, high numbers of “stop and searches” were conducted on a regular basis. These operations, the Commander said, have unearthed narcotics and illegal weapons.

According to the Commander, by March 2018, two Police Stations within the district will be equipped with modern ID parade rooms and also rooms for domestic violence cases.

Children will also be accommodated in a different room when dealing with domestic violence cases.

Speaking about the challenges in the Region, the commander said that one of the major concerns remained the fact that often times witnesses of crimes were reluctant to give statements to the Police.

He added that another challenge was the lack of street lights especially in the housing schemes. This poses a huge difficulty for ranks to properly execute their work.

The Commander is hoping that 2018 be a better year for the Region, and has called for the continued cooperation of residents in the fight against illegal activities.

(Indrawattie Natram)

Stabroek Market gets solar powered lights

T

Stabroek Market square

he Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), over the past few weeks, has installed 12 solar powered street lights around the Stabroek Market square area.

The eastern facade of the Market was also outfitted with energy-efficient lights.

According to GEA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Mahender Sharma, the project cost $9,611,000.

“This project is in keeping with the Government of Guyana’s ‘Green Initiative’, which is in keeping with the Agency’s vision to provide reliable energy in an environmentally, socially and sustainable framework,” Dr Sharma noted.

Head of the Project, Kenny Samaroo, explained that LED technology was more efficient than fluorescent (CFL) technology, and the change would result in an almost 50 per cent reduction in energy consumption.

Moreover, Samaroo noted that based on the existing street lights tariff, the 12 solar powered street lights will result in annual energy savings of about 4205 kilowatt hour (kWh), resultant annual cost savings of about $184,170 and 2523 kilogram of avoided CO2. The computed simple payback period, when compared to a similar installation using utility powered 80W LED lamps, is six years.

The second component of the intervention will result

in annual energy savings of about 19,710 kWh, resultant annual cost savings of about $1,321,950 and 11,826 kg of avoided CO2. The computed simple payback period is 1.6 years.

“The initiative was in keeping with the Agency’s mandate to carry out research into all sources of energy, including those sources presently used in Guyana, for the generation of energy and securing more efficient utilisation of energy and sources of energy…,” Samaroo explained.

Another component of the project was the replacement of the 750 compact fluorescent lamps that lined the eastern facade of the Market, with 7-Watt LED bulbs.

The lights are controlled by a light sensitive circuit, which switches the lights on in the evenings and turns them off at dawn. As part of the energy conservation features of the initiative, the technology dims the lights by 50 per cent when motion is not detected and it returns to 100 per cent brightness when motion is detected.

One advantage of the systems, Samaroo added, is that the lights are not powered by the utility, thereby avoiding the use of fossil-based energy from the grid and the associated costs.

The GEA will continue to monitor the installations and provide technical support and maintenance.

news

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

City garbage collection

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

Tuesday, January 9 – 11:30h-13:00h and Wednesday, January 10 – 12:30h-14:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, January 9 – 10:30h-12:00h and Wednesday, January 10 – 11:55h-13:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers and thunderstorms are expected in the morning hours, while heavy rainfall is expected in the afternoon with a return to thundery showers in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 22 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-easterly to East North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 10:19h and 22:49h reaching maximum heights of 2.27 metres and 2.21 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 16:19h reaching a minimum height of 0.98 metre.

No approval granted: Town Clerk never received permission to impose fees …ordered to hold public consultation

N

o approval was granted to Town Clerk Royston King to impose a $200 garbage collection fee in the city of Georgetown.

At the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) statutory meeting on Monday, Mayor Patricia Chase Green noted that the full council was yet to approve that proposal and has since ordered Town Clerk King to hold at least one public consultation exercise and present a firm proposal to the Council for approval.

King admitted to the Mayor and City Councillors, at Monday’s statutory meeting, that the collection fee was discussed at the level of the Finance Committee and was raised at the last statutory meeting, but no decisive action was taken on it.

He claimed that the matter

Mayor Patricia Chase Green

and we would put systems in place to ensure that everyone complies with this,” he had stated.

The intent of the fee implementation is to broaden the Council’s revenue base so that it can meet its expenses. The Council’s two garbage contractors Puran

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was put in the public sphere for feedback and they have received positive feedback ever since.

However, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Councillor Oscar Clarke said that a firm proposal of all the implications must be brought to the Council for agreement and approval before the charge was implemented. This was agreed to by Mayor Green, who ordered that it be done while directing the Town Clerk to ensure that public consultation was done before the implementation phase.

“I would like to have one public consultation where you invite everybody.

Explain to them why you do this, what you’re doing this for,” she instructed.

Garbage collection fee

On Friday, King unveiled a plan to begin charging residents of Georgetown $200 per barrel of garbage monthly despite them paying the requisite rates and taxes.

“It is the principle that we believe that the residents should make a contribution to the collection…We are determining the modalities and they would have to pay at City Hall. We have systems in place to track all our movements at the moment

Brothers Disposal and Cevons Waste Management withdrew their services

on July 30, 2017, as City Hall’s debts had risen to the multimillion-dollar range.

According to the companies, the issue of non-payment has been a long-standing one, with many debts going as far back as 2015.

However, they had resumed collection after the municipality approached Central Government through the Communities Ministry for a bailout of $475,635, 245 to settle the city’s debt to Puran Brothers, Cevons, and another company after they would have pulled their services owing to non-payment.

The bailout was granted, and Central Government decided to pick up the tab until December 31, after which

Town Clerk Royston King

the M&CC would step in.

The Council is expected to procure two new garbage trucks to aid in its collection, by the end of June.

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

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

Tackling Police corruption, misconduct

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cting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine last week issued a stern warning to Policemen and women who were engaged in acts of misconduct, unprofessionalism and corruption, as he declared that there was no place for them in the Guyana Police Force.

Ramnarine refused to accept the popular argument that the salaries of lawmen were “too small,” and therefore it was more than likely they would be tempted to engage in illegalities to secure a few more dollars to survive in these turbulent times.

He also dismissed the suggestion that unless the working conditions and several other issues linked to remuneration of junior ranks are addressed, the culture of corruption would continue within the Force.

The Top Cop is even quoted as saying, “Senior officers believe their salaries are still small. When I joined the Force, it was small, and it is still small; but yet we survived by the grace of God… “Sometimes I can’t believe that, for a few more dollars, ranks will do something so outrageous that tarnishes the reputation of the Force.”

While Ramnarine is on point with his suggestions, and cannot, from any standpoint, be faulted for warning his ranks, he has to insist that his senior officers do not selectively condone corruption. It is a fact that change does not start from the bottom; it starts from the top, and there are many senior officers within Ramnarine’s force who justify, condone, and shield junior ranks who engage in unprofessional acts, corrupt practices and skullduggery.

Ramnarine must spare no effort at the level of his commanders and deputy commanders to insist that they demonstrate a zero tolerance approach within their policing divisions for ranks who believe that their uniforms give them the authority to break the laws of this country even when they are out of uniform. These policing supervisors have to conduct professionalism audits on the junior ranks, investigating every single complaint made by businessmen and members of the public.

They must not wait only for documented complaints, as was suggested by ‘C’ Division Commander Calvin Brutus.

If they wait on that type of report, then the communities in which they operate would not willingly come forward and lodge complaints, because they would feel that they can be victimised and selectively targeted by other ranks because they have exposed corruption and unprofessionalism of their colleagues.

The Top Cop must roll out a clandestine yet systematic campaign that starts by targeting the traffic ranks who are most guilty of accepting bribes and harassing vehicle owners and road users for bribes and other gifts as well as services. These acts sometimes take place in the presence of senior officers and those in charge of the patrols that make community rounds.

The fact that already 4 officers are investigated for corruption and misconduct this year is telling. It means that the Top Cop must do much more than warn ranks; he has to upgrade the quality of training that these Policemen receive when they enter the Force. Efforts must also be made to mandate that ranks be part of refresher courses on etiquette and professionalism. If this is done, then Mr Ramnarine would be creating a new culture where misdemeanor and corruption are tabooed actions that ranks would not dare contemplate.

Also a deliberate effort must be made to revise the Standing Orders of the Police Force, to discourage misconduct. Currently, the sanctions are still too lenient for certain offences. Ramnarine must pave the way for stricter punitive penalties. Ranks at all levels will not learn unless they feel; and feel they must if the aim is to have a modern and professional police service.

The fact that eight lawmen have been charged in 2017 and 180 charged or disciplined departmentally, according to Police statistics, is motivation for a more robust approach to be explored in addressing the core problems. If this is not done, then none of the reforms being implemented by both the Commissioner’s Office and the Government would mean anything, because they would be stymied by officers who have been bitten by the ‘get rich quick syndrome’.

The truth is that the public will not be sympathetic to a Police Force that it believes is intrinsically corrupt and intellectually inept. It will not repose confidence in a policing body which lacks discipline and morals. It is important, from that standpoint alone, for more to be done to dismiss as many rogue ranks as possible, as opposed to keeping them in service.

That is why it is important to make holistic assessments before rewarding ranks with promotion.

The hands-off approach must end, as all are involved and all are consumed.

Hossa National Park, Finland’s newest – having opened last year to mark the country’s 100 years of independence – has gained a reputation as Europe’s last unspoilt wilderness (Telegraph)

Natural gas development in Guyana Dear Editor, In response to a news media letter I wrote on natural gas development in Guyana, Minister of Public Infrastructure (MPI), David Patterson, claimed, in a letter to the media on January 3, 2018, that I had presented a distorted perspective on the vision and use of natural gas for Guyana.

Unfortunately, he responded with no clear MPI policy as to how the resource will be developed.

The natural gas under consideration is held in rock formations with crude oil and impurities off Guyana’s Atlantic Coast. The stated proposal is to pump the

mixture (oil, gas, impurities) from its underground location to the surface, and separate its components after processing, with the crude oil temporarily stored in tankers while some of the gas produced being pumped back under pressure into the oil-bearing rocks to force trapped oil to the surface, and the remainder being flared. No statement has been made as to how ExxonMobil intends to dispose of the impurities and wastes.

There is no clause in the Agreement ExxonMobil has made with the Government of Guyana (GoG) which states that the natural gas

produced from the oil fields it is exploiting cannot be flared. However, Minister Patterson has stated that Guyana will not allow gas flaring, and there is no indication that ExxonMobil intends to get rid of the gas generated otherwise.

The alternative to flaring the gas is liquefying it after processing, for storage and distribution -- which will be capital intensive and technically challenging, and may not be a viable proposition; as, in Yr. 2008, gas was being sold on world markets at US$13/million BTU, while at the end of Yr. 2017, the price was US$3.00/million BTU, and this price is

expected to drop further.

Minister Patterson should note that ExxonMobil has no plan to get into the gas business. Therefore, he should be wary of getting Guyana involved into another “Amalia Falls HydroElectric Project” before the many uncertainties are considered and a feasibility study prepared by reputable consultants (unlike those that did the Demerara River Bridge) as to whether a natural gas project is indeed viable for Guyana to pursue.

Yours faithfully, Charles Sohan

Draconian laws urgently needed for alcohol consumption Dear Editor, I am happy to read of the comments by leading consumer advocate Mr Pat Dial in regard to the promulgation of recently enacted legislation to curb tobacco consumption in Guyana.

He is right on the money, and I hope the public education process would be intensified by Government and other relevant agencies, to bring the desired effect.

However, in my view -- and I am sure there are many others with my perspective -- alcohol consump-

tion is a much bigger public health issue than tobacco; it results in murders, suicides, accidents etc, which are generally not associated with tobacco consumption. I therefore call on Mr Dial and the Consumers Association, and other concerned bodies and persons, to bring pressure to bear on the Government -- and indeed, all Parliamentarians -- to bring urgent legislation in this year to have draconian laws enacted with a view to curbing consumption of alcohol, which has reached worse than ep-

idemic proportion.

These measures should include, but not be limited to, maintaining early closure of night clubs and places that sell alcohol; enforcing laws in relation to who can buy alcohol; increasing taxes on alcohol to make it more costly and prohibitive for persons to buy; enforcing rigidly drink-and-drive laws; giving incentives to companies manufacturing alcoholic beverages to go into alternative endeavours; carrying out massive public education programs on dangers of excessive al-

cohol consumption, and including this in a meaningful way for all schools; placing warning labels on all containers/vessels that alcohol is sold in a manner similar to warnings on cigarette packs; restricting advertisements that can be placed at school events etc, and even on public television, unless the health warning is aired prominently either at the beginning or end of advertisements.

Yours sincerely Ashok Ramnauth

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

Are we all asleep at the wheel?

Dear Editor, Writing in 1968, Gordon K. Lewis, historian and political scientist, described Guyana as "a fascinating complex of strident paradoxes”. The events of the last few months serve as an apt illustration of this diagnosis. First, there was the signature bonus, held in secret for the purpose of underwriting a legal defence in our border dispute with Venezuela. Then the festive season began with the largest retrenchment of workers in living memory, with no coherent plan for their immediate welfare or future employment. Finally came the public release of the revised agreement with ExxonMobil, a revision which shows all the foresight of a blind date (though the timely announcement of another promising new prospect offshore may help to lubricate its reception).

For some, these events merit little more than a collective shrug. For others, they raise multiple alarm bells. It is perhaps no coincidence that, writing a generation ago, Lewis also discerned "the disintegration of national consensus" to the point where "the constituent elements of the national debate...are seen by the opposing sides in completely different ways."

One wonders what Lewis would have made of

the proposed ‘miniaturisation’ of the sugar industry and Guyana's faltering first steps towards a petroleum-based economy. His book, The Growth of the Modern West Indies, depicts a scenario where "the mammoth Bookers organisation penetrates into almost every nook and cranny of the Guyanese economy and the Guyanese communal psychology alike.” Lewis gives multiple examples of this syndrome and its symptoms.

A few will suffice: 1) A weak state, he notes, is no match for a robust multinational: "in the absence of government planning, lines of development were left to the sugar interest.”

2) At its zenith, Bookers claimed to control, directly or indirectly, the lives of some 80% of the population.

It was, Lewis writes, "a veritable state within a state... an almost separate sovereign kingdom, undertaking and controlling an extensive set of essentially public services which the political state, for want of organisational skills and capital revenue, was unable itself to provide for its citizens.”

If some now find the shackles of the sugar industry burdensome, they would at least concede that, after several centuries of cultivating sugar, we have sufficient skills, the infrastructure and the labour in place to

support the industry. What do we know of oil? This is an industry in which we have no experience and precious little homegrown expertise.

Our record, to date, in deliberations with major players like ExxonMobil displays these deficits. We began by awarding them 600 blocks instead of 60 (in contravention of our own laws). The 2016 revision has failed to address this; and as several analysts have shown, is deficient in many other respects.

There has been some talk of ExxonMobil going out on a limb for Guyana, and of the need for us to show some sort of gratitude for this.

ExxonMobil is a business with a current market capitalisation of US$367 billion.

It has over 73,000 employees and about 2.5 million individual shareholders. As its former head, Rex Tillerson, explained about a decade ago: "We spend (US) $1 billion a day just running our business.”

The writer Steve Coll shows how, across time and space, ExxonMobil has carved out a succession of 'private empires’ by being better informed, better resourced, and more organised than the governments it deals with, both in America and abroad. What exactly is going to make Guyana the exception to this pattern?

It will take a lot more than

bluster and rhetoric.

We are willing to mothball substantial chunks of an existing industry that employs a large portion of our rural workforce with only vague plans afoot for alternatives. We have set aside US$18 million to defend our borders in an international court. Yet we entered crucial negotiations with a petroleum giant, with billions of dollars of revenue at stake, in an almost casual manner. We lacked preparation and expertise, missed vital opportunities to correct earlier errors, and accepted terms and conditions that may constrain us for decades.

Was there a lawyer present in the negotiating team?

Was there anyone with expertise in the petroleum industry, geology, economics, accounting? Whose data were we relying on for our assessments? Were any analyses and forecasts produced to guide the negotiators?

Guyana clearly has a tendency to cultivate a certain sort of relationship with large multinationals. Does anyone note the parallels between Bookers and Exxon?

Does anyone see how this story is likely to unfold? Are we all asleep at the wheel?

Yours faithfully, Isabelle de Caires

Accountability at the level of village councils

Dear Editor, Last March, an article appeared in another section of the media under the caption, ‘Orealla residents call for audit of village books’.

This call was an important step taken by the residents of Orealla village, when they claimed that village funds and other resources were being misused by the village council.

It would be an excellent move for our fourth Vice President and Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, to ensure that his Ministry’s commitment towards “good governance” are up-kept to a standard under his watch, to ensure all 515 hinterland villages and communities in our country begin the process of putting their books in order for preparation in the

upcoming March 2018 village council elections of our hinterland regions.

This will aid in facilitating a smooth handing over of all village assets, as the election results may determine.

Should any of the toshaos fail to adhere to such instructions, then full disciplinary measures must follow, or the Police should be called in for any misappropriation of funds.

Accountability must be looked at very seriously at all levels, including our village councils. Misuse of funds from their intended purposes is a known factor that contributes to our poverty level. The government of the day must get serious and put an end to this.

It should also be a wise idea for us to vote for a good toshao, who has multiple

lenses and can lead us in this advanced age of technology in the 21st century.

Sincerely, Mark Anthony Rodrigues

Will people trust third parties?

Dear Editor, In light of their disappointment with the political behaviour of the Alliance for Change (AFC), which seems to have been fused with, or morphed into, the PNC, several individuals of integrity have indicated a willingness -- or are encouraging others -- to start a new political party or movement away from the two dominant parties.

I applaud those who wish to plunge into the troubled waters of Guyana’s politics.

It takes courage to start a new movement to break from the discredited ones of the past. Those thinking of starting or entering into a new political force must be encouraged, as we need a new kind of politics, and a new breed of politicians who seek to provide real representation of people, away from self.

But there are important questions that a new third party would have to confront.

The big question is: Will people trust a new third party in light of the AFC shattering their dreams of a new politics? A related question is: Will a new party be a force to reckon with in light of our legacy of race politics and the betrayal of the polity by the AFC, which claims to be a non-racial movement but has been absorbed by a racebased party.

Other parties tried and failed, until the AFC came to the fore. Another serious question is: Will a new third party or movement be able to cobble together a party apparatus for political mobilization? And can it truly represent the aspirations of those voters who are not racially affiliated. Or will this dream of a non-racial

politics, which people like me have fought for all our lives, simply fade away just like that of the AFC? The latter is an important question, given that any new movement will come up against the jagged edges of the race-based electoral juggernauts, who will accuse it of seeking to sell out their race. The attacks against a new movement will be geared towards denying votes to third parties.

Seeking to win over votes in Guyana is indeed frustrating. Both PNC and PPP have been very successful at populist mobilisation. Both purposefully used the motifs of ethnic identity and adroitly deployed it into a practical political mobilisation has which so far attracted a gullible people who fall for race-baiting on both sides.

But one must not give up hope for a credible third party, or make no effort to change our politics.

To succeed, any new political movement must confront the race issue. A political movement must focus on assuaging the fears of the races by guaranteeing power sharing among the ethnic groups and the parties.

It is important that people feel they will be represented in Government regardless of which party is in control of the institutions of the state. A new politics requires that all parties share in governance in accordance with their percentage share of the votes. Such a concept of power sharing will encourage people to trust a new third party.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

Page Foundation Nurturing intrinsic motivation in students …enabling students to experience accomplishments and improvement builds their feeling of competence – a powerful intrinsic motivator Part 2

By Maurice J Elias

Intrinsic motivation and service learning

Martin Luther King Jr said, “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve” – a thought that recognises the impact and power of doing things for others. Yet service learning is underemphasised by many schools.

Students derive strong intrinsic satisfaction from helping others. Students who are struggling readers feel more confident in their reading when they help others who can learn from them, perhaps because they are younger or have a partic-

Martin Luther King Jr said, “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve” – a thought that recognises the impact and power of doing things for others. Yet service learning is underemphasised by many schools. ular disability.

We can help students feel more engaged and connected to their schools by giving them roles in making

the school a positive environment, such as participating in safety patrols, focusing on recycling, keeping public spaces clean, upstanding in the

face of harassment and bullying, being on school committees to solve problems related to gangs or drugs and alcohol, and so on. Being contributors to their school in a positive way brings intrinsic satisfaction to students and increases their sense of competence.

Tapping into strengths and interests

Competence is propelled by curiosity and interest.

Teachers need to nurture both. But as we know, education is not a solitary activity; it’s a team sport.

So educators must work together to ask questions about where a given child is expressing interest, showing curiosity, and experiencing a sense of accomplishment during every school day.

For example, if a middle school student is most captivated by art class and he or she has this for only one or two quarters, the question that must be asked is: Where will the child’s sense of competence be nurtured during those other quarters?

Maybe that child needs to participate in an art club or otherwise be given opportunities to develop his or her artistic talents.

A quest for competence in any area can be addictive – and it’s an important component of student improvement. Let’s work to ensure that all students have experiences of feeling competent in school every day. (Excerpt from

Aiding reading comprehension with Post-its – a simple, low-stress strategy that helps students engage with, understand, and remember what they read

By Judy Willis, MD

S

tudents frequently complain that they don’t remember what they read. In the past, when I would ask about their reading practices, they often recounted that they would get to the bottom of a page of text and realise they had no clue about what they had just read.

I sought strategies to address this problem: What could students do to stay engaged with the reading, find it more pleasurable, and effectively remember what they read?

Storing memory with patterns

Understanding and remembering texts, as with all new memory construction, involves connecting the new to the known (ie, using existing memory networks). The brain does this linking through its system of storing memory in neural networks based on relational patterns. When exposed to new information, the brain evaluates it using patterns it has developed through time and experience. Optimal brain engagement, understanding, and storage occur when new information is identified as being related to an existing memory pattern such as a category or schema.

Engagement and memory

Successful reading comprehension makes use of pattern linking strategies. These include activating prior knowledge, making predictions, and recognising personal relevance to interests, past positive experiences, or goals.

Discussing purposeful reading goals before assigning a reading task helps students recall prior related memories in long-term memory storage and increases awareness of how the reading may be personally relevant. Making predictions enhances students’ interest

Edutopia.org)

by encouraging curiosity. Making predictions also encourages the brain to stay attentive and engaged as students actively think about what they read, and construct meaning, understanding, and linkages to durable memory circuits.

Talking back to the text with Post-it notes

I developed an interactive reading strategy using Post-It notes and writing prompts to help my students engage with, understand, and remember what they read. The strategy uses the general principles of patterning and linking the new to the known. Because it induces students to activate prior knowledge, make predictions, and relate the book to their lives, it promotes their reading comprehension and memory.

As educators, we know the strategies that make successful readers. However, we also know that even when we suggest strategies such as predicting and making personal connections both before and during independent reading, most students are unlikely to use them. (Excerpt from Edutopia.org)

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Security breach at Parliament

Clerk mandated to recommend safety proposals W

ith the recent upheavals that took place in Parliament, and based on the concerns expressed by some Members of Parliament (MPs) over security, Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, has now been mandated to come up with some security proposals for the Public Buildings.

Isaacs told Guyana Times that when the Parliamentary Management Committee met on Monday, he was given the mandate to come up with these proposals, with the assistance and collaboration of an expert security team drawn from the different law enforcement agencies. He has until month-end to complete this task.

Asked to provide some details as to what was discussed at that meeting, the Clerk said, “I’ve been asked by the Committee to do a number of things. I don’t think I’m at liberty to disclose what exactly I’m required to do. But I have been given two weeks to come up with a proposal to improve the security of the Public Buildings, and that is including Police entering the Chambers and so on.”

Isaac said he has had two previous meetings with the security team, and they themselves have come up with some proposals in regard to security for the building. “I am told that they have worked out a plan,” he explained, adding that he plans to add some of his proposals to that plan before a final submission is made to the Parliamentary Management Committee at the stipulated time.

During the last sitting of the National Assembly, chaos erupted when Opposition People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Members of Parliament (MPs) were accosted by officers of the Guyana Police Force. The incident stemmed from a request by Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland, for PPP/C MP Juan Edghill to take his seat after the allotted time given for scrutiny of the budget estimates for the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP) had expired.

Edghill, whose scrutiny of the MOTP’s estimates was not completed, asked for more time to be given, since according to him four more agencies were added to the

Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs

MoTP, but the time given was the same as last year’s budget.

Edghill’s decision not to vacate his seat saw Police officers being summoned to the Chambers.

Opposition MPs were physically assaulted by the Police officers as the situation got more intense and chaotic. In tears, Opposition MP and former Minister, Priya Manickchand, revealed to the media that Police officers, in their attempt to remove her colleague, had assaulted her.

There was another moment of absolute chaos in

Lone gunman robs restaurant cashier

A

cashier attached to the Kamboat R e s t a u r a n t , Herstelling location was attacked in the wee hours of Sunday and robbed by a lone gunman.

The cashier, Marcia Adams, 34, of Lot 70 School Street, Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD), was attacked while making her way home about 00:15h.

According to reports,

the woman left her place of work and boarded a minibus which she disembarked at School Street and Peters Hall Public Road where her reputed husband, Arif Cornelius, was waiting for her.

The two then proceeded west along the School Street, and were confronted by a gunman, who rode up on a motorcycle.

The bandit stopped,

whipped out his pistol, and pointed it at the victims after which he relieved Adams of cash and valuables amounting to over $55,000 along with documents.

He then mounted his motorcycle and made good his escape east along School Street.

The matter was reported to the Police, and an investigation was launched.

Parliament during the week prior to that incident, during Opposition Leader Bharrat Jadgeo’s 2018 Budget presentation, when a woman invaded the Parliament Chambers dressed in Santa Claus attire and disrupted the proceedings. However, the chaos lasted for less than a minute, as the woman was bodily removed from the chambers and immediately released through the back gate of the Public Buildings. Until now, no one knows who this person was, and how she had managed to pass all the security detail.

The Clerk had indicated that he is unaware of how the woman got there.

However, it was reported that Santa had invaded the chambers through the Government’s entrance a

mere couple of minutes after most of the Government’s MPs and officers had left the chambers.

Isaacs said the person came into Parliament properly dressed, but changed clothes in the MPs’ washroom and then entered the Chambers. He said such a situation has never previously occurred, and he noted that it was a serious breach of security protocol at Parliament.

Some days later, two plainclothes ranks were identified sitting among journalists at the media desk in the Parliament Chambers.

Acting Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine, said Police presence in the Chambers of Parliament ought not to have occurred.

He also claimed that the ac-

tion of the two ranks further aggravated concerns of security breaches at Parliament.

The Parliament was disturbed again by an attendee in the Chamber, who on that same day began singing immediately after the House Speaker announced the lunch break. The woman was permitted to enter the Public Viewing Gallery by security officials of Parliament Office Security.

However, after the Speaker had ended the morning’s session of consideration of the budget estimates, the woman started to sing, “God is watching us”.

She was immediately escorted out of the Chambers by security. The echo of her voice could be heard as she continued singing.

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TUESDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Decomposing body of NWD man found

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olice are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a Moruca, North West District (NWD), Region One (Barima-Waini) man, whose body was found in a sitting position in the community.

Dead is 37-year-old

Ryan Roberts of Hurradiah Village, Moruca, NWD, who went missing on December 30, 2017.

The harrowing discovery was made about 10:00h on Sunday by villagers. A rope was tied around the dead man’s neck and attached to a tree.

Roberts’ facial skin was removed, and his body was bloated. Sources close to the investigation revealed that an acidic-like agent was seen on the bones of his face.

According to the dead man’s mother, her son resided with her and left home on December 30 to go to a shop

in the village, but failed to return.

As a result of the state of decomposition, Roberts was buried. However, his body is expected to be exhumed sometime this week for a post-mortem examination.

Police are investigating.

Kitty man jailed for narco possession

A

40-year-old man was on Monday jailed by Magistrate Judy Latchman after he confessed to having a small quantity of cocaine in his possession.

Jermain Earl of Kitty, Georgetown appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’

Courts and pleaded guilty to the charge of narcotics possession read to him.

The charge stated that on January 6, 2018 at Light Street, Georgetown, he had in his possession half gram of cocaine.

According to the prosecution, Police

were on patrol duty at Light Street, when Earl was observed acting in a suspicious manner.

As such, he was approached and a search was conducted on his person during which the prohibited substance was found in plastic in his pocket.

Auto dealer slapped with Dust on boots fraud charge

A

uto dealer Kamal Maraj appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday to answer to a charge detailing that between December 20 and 22, 2017, at Thomas Street, Kitty, he converted to his own use and benefit one Toyota Tacoma vehicle valued $5 million, property of Kristnauth Ramdin.

The 30-year-old defen-

dant denied the charge, which stated that the virtual complainant (VC) Ramdin had given him the vehicle to keep until a buyer was found, but he had converted the vehicle to his own use and benefit.

Maraj’s defence counsel, in an application for bail, informed the court that his client and the VC were hoping to settle the matter out of court.

This was confirmed by the VC, who revealed to the court that Maraj had already paid him $1.5 million along with a car, in order for the matter to be settled.

As the Police Prosecutor had no objection to Maraj being placed on bail, same was set at the sum of $100,000, and Maraj is expected to return to Court on January 29.

lands warring relatives in court

T

hirty-year-old Alvin Rampersaud and his cousin-in-law, Steve Dandisar, made their last appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts in a case stemming from dust being swept on three pairs of footwear.

The men and their wives live in a family property at D’Andrade Street, Kitty, Georgetown. On July 6, 2017, about 10:00h, the wife of Dandisar, who is Rampersaud’s cousin, was sweeping and some of the dust accidentally landed on Rampersaud’s and his family’s shoes.

After a showdown ensued between the two men, they landed in court.

Rampersaud was charged with making use of abusive language against Dandisar as he used a host of expletives.

“They sweep dust on my wife’s, the child’s, and my shoes,” Rampersaud noted.

Dandisar was counter-charged with threatening behaviour, but he denied the accusation, saying that he never threatened his wife’s cousin. The court heard that the D’Andrade Street property had belonged to Rampersaud’s grandmother and that Dandisar wanted to buy out the other occupants.

After listening to both sides, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan encouraged them to live as family. Both Rampersaud and Dandisar opted against pursuing evidence against each other. As such, both matters were dismissed, and the parties were allowed to go free.

Troubled by…

S

…Gas pains eems there’s no end to the troubles Trotman inflicted, not just on Guyana, but on even his Cabinet colleagues -- with his bumbling venality on the oil and gas contract he “renegotiated” with ExxonMobil in the Stabroek Block. Ever since the cover was blown on the peanuts he accepted as a “bonus” on the 3.5 billion bbl of oil and counting, it’s been nothing but damage control.

After the giveaway on the oil, it’s becoming clearer every day that the situation on the gas is even worse!

First of all, even Trotman couldn’t change the fact that the contract was a “Production Sharing Agreement”.

Meaning Guyana keeps ownership of the oil and gas and SHARES A PERCENTAGE WITH THE OPERATOR - here ExxonMobil.

Now who in their right mind would give the Operator the “right” but not the “obligation” to process the gas after it uses whatever it needs to generate power for its FPSO and inject back into the field to push up more oil and gas? Trotman did; so we know he wasn’t in his right mind. Prospects of engorged bank accounts does have a tendency to make folks bassidy!! As everyone -- even consumers -- knows, ever since the US started exploiting its shale reserves, the market for petroleum gas has collapsed. Ask TT about it!! They were the US’ biggest supplier of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) until the US burst THAT bubble! From being an importer, it became the biggest supplier of LPG to the world -- even as the price fell to less than ONE QUARTER of its old price.

So what Trotman allowed Exxon to do with its “right but not obligation” is to enter the gas market if prices were to rise. In the meantime, it’s off the hook since Trotman gave it five years to submit a development plan for gas - while it pumps oil in two!! And unlike what Patterson’s said, Exxon doesn’t have to bring the excess gas to our shore from the FPSO. And not so incidentally, Exxon isn’t giving gas FREE at that point - we OWN all the oil and gas!!

Now Patterson should know that a pipeline from a hundred+ miles off shore plus a liquification plant don’t come cheap. We’re talking about BILLIONS in US dollars!!

And with our market for LPG being so small, we’ll have to export the excess?

With markets being primarily China and India…how will we ship it?

…unguarded cemeteries Some may say derisively that Town Clerk Royston King is full of “it”, and from the report on his latest initiative, he seems determined to confirm those accusations.

Imagine, the man proposed to have guards placed at the Le Repentir Cemetery. No…he wasn’t daft enough to try to justify that move by claiming he was protecting the good citizens of Georgetown from “jumbies”. For that he’d have to bring in the “Jumbie Busters”- of which Guyana has plenty. They call themselves “obeamen”!

No…King said he was guarding against desecration of the tombs and such like IN the cemetery. Now your Eyewitness doesn’t have anything against the dead; but as someone who has need to be in Georgetown EVERY day, he wishes the Town Clerk would deploy some more Town Constables to guard against the desecration of the living!! And he’s not even talking about things like robberies and holdups.

What else but “desecration” would you call what goes on at the bus park??

…Granger’s judicial pick?

Why is anyone surprised President Granger ignored his expert panel’s recommendation for the Chancellor’s position based on experience, legal knowledge, management skills, etc?

That’s just their perception against the President’s.

And we know whose perception trumps!!

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

News

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Fire guts 2 D’Urban Street homes

The fire quickly engulfed the D’Urban Street house before spreading to the nearby building (Dexter Ceres photo)

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hree persons are now homeless after fire destroyed two D’Urban Street, Wortmanville homes on Monday.

According to reports, the

fire started around 09:30h in the upper flat of the Lot 74 D’Urban Street house, which is located between Haley Street and Cemetery Road, Georgetown.

The two-storey wooden building was owned and occupied by 66-year-old Lennox Smith and his grandson, a clerk attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital

Corporation (GPHC).

According to the elderly man, he left home about 06:00h for a doctor’s appointment, while his grandson left about an hour later.

Smith told Guyana Times that he was later informed about the fire and rushed home.

He related that upon arriving home, he saw the entire house was already engulfed in flames.

In shock, Smith said that his losses amounted to millions.

At the scene, eyewitness complained that they contacted the Guyana Fire Service and it took some time before arriving. Meanwhile, the house next door to Smith also caught fire. The upper flat of the building was destroyed. That house is occu-

Sixty-six-year-old Lennox Smith and his grandson standing in disbelief, attempting to figure out their next move

pied by an elderly woman.

An investigation has since been launched to de-

termine the origin of the fire. (Shemuel Fanfair)

Bar manager found dead with gunshot wound to head P olice in Georgetown are probing the circumstances surrounding the death of Korner Kick Bar and Restaurant Manager Tevin Parris, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head on Monday morning.

His demise has left his family with many unanswered questions after Parris’s lifeless body was discovered in his bed at his Garnett Street, Newtown, Georgetown home.

Guyana Times under-

stands that investigators have retrieved a gun, which was reportedly in his hand when the man was found in the bedroom of the upper flat of the house. Upon learning the news of his demise, his mother broke down in tears and had to be consoled by other relatives who were still coming to grips with the shocking death.

The young man’s uncle, David Parris, made the

Dead: Tevin Parris

gruesome discovery just after 07:30h on Monday. He relayed that his nephew was found in a sleeping position.

“I saw blood on sheet and I saw the body and went back out right away. He was found in a sleeping position in the normal way – in his boxers, shirtless,” the uncle said.

Investigators are trying to discover if any money

was taken from the Garnett Street home as well as trying to clear up the reported discrepancies over the trajectory of the wound to determine whether Parris’s death was a homicide or self-inflicted.

As Police await the post-mortem examination, which is expected to be conducted later this week, this publication was told that the now dead man was not the holder of a firearm licence.

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Local law school

AG now blames Council of Legal Education Chairman for delay

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n an attempt to provide some clarity on what may have led to the delay in Guyana acquiring the permission to set up a local law school, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams has now shifted blame on Chairman of the Council of Legal Education (CLE), Reginald Armour.

While Williams insists that the CLE had in 2017 given Guyana approval to establish this school, he said Armour had principally stated that the Council should defer the establishment of more law schools.

There are presently three laws schools in the Caribbean offering the Legal Education Certificate (LEC).

These are the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Eugene Dupuch Law School in The Bahamas.

The AG told a press con-

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams

ference on Monday that Armour had placed the issue of whether Guyana had received approval for the establishment of a local law school on the CLE’s agenda last year. According to him, a press statement was also issued in this regard without the Council’s approval.

But more than that, Williams is alleging that former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs,

Anil Nandlall, was behind Armour’s move to put the matter on the agenda. This, he argued, was an unprecedented move, since the CLE Chair did not consult with him, but rather with an Opposition member.

Further, Williams asserted that such a move taken by a treaty organisation could have implications for the Chairman. As such, he hinted that Guyana could perhaps take this matter to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to have that body consider Armour’s perceived handling of this issue.

“We don’t know what the motivation of Mr Armour (was), but certainly I don’t believe he is acting in a manner in which a person who is a custodian of a member organisation should; because, as far as I know…the agenda is set by people in the sitting Government, and not people from the Opposition,” he posited.

He continued, “If this

Council of Legal Education (CLE) Chairman Reginald Armour

Chairman continues to act in the manner in which he

is acting -- against the interest of Caricom -- we would have to take the matter to the Heads (Heads of Government) again; but I am not sure Guyana (would) be comfortable with such a person remaining in office to chair this organisation.”

The AG went on to state that the CLE Chairman’s action is unheard of, particularly coming from a person in an international public service organisation “…and we are wondering whether it would be in our interest for the person to continue (serving in that capacity).”

Williams also reiterated that a Review Committee cannot overrule a decision

taken by the Council in 2017 in regard to the issue.

The Attorney General had, in early December 2017, said in a statement that the CLE Chairman was relying on a report of a Review Committee to state that the CLE never gave permission to Guyana to establish its own Law School after decades in the belief of the Guyanese legal fraternity.

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall had queried if graduates of this proposed law school would be eligible to practise anywhere else in the Caribbean or the world, or whether graduates would be qualified to practise only in Guyana. continues on page 11

Over $127M in rates & taxes collected during M&CC amnesty period

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he amnesty period (November 15 to December 2017) provided by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) for defaulters to pay up their arrears in rates and taxes has seen the Council receiving over $127 million in arrears.

This was disclosed

by City Treasurer John Douglas during a press conference held last Friday in the M&CC boardroom.

However, Douglas noted that because the money was paid during the amnesty period, the sum of $335 million was waived.

Nevertheless, speaking on behalf of the Council, Douglas expressed a heartfelt thank you to all those rate-payers who had come into City Council and “honoured their obligation during

M&CC Treasurer John Douglas

the period of amnesty”.

The money received was owed to the council over a period of two decades. The non-receipt of the rates

and taxes had hindered the works of the council for several years. These included sustaining current works in the City, including drainage; road repairs; cleaning and greening of parks, gardens and open spaces; garbage collection and disposal; and enforcement of compliance with the country’s by-laws and building codes, besides public health and environmental services in all local communities.

Prior to the period of amnesty, the M&CC had been owed more than $22 billion in outstanding property rates. The council is urging property owners to visit the M&CC office to pay their taxes, as this would assist in the development and sustainability of the city.

news

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Health Advocates NCD training workshop commences

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A section of the Health Advocates at the opening of the four-day workshop

he Contact Study Project, Congregations Taking Action Against NCDs, commenced the first of two 4-day workshops targeting health advocates in religious institutions in Region Three and equipping them with the relevant knowledge to address the scourge of NonCommunicable Diseases within their respective communities.

Contact Study Project, Congregations Taking Action Against NCDs headed by UK based Guyanese, Professor Seeromanie Harding of the King’s College London is the organiser of the workshop. The Public Health Ministry is funding the four-day workshop, at the Regency Hotel

training 18 religious health advocates to address NCDs. Professor Harding speaking at the launching of the workshop on Monday said that there has been a rise in the prevalence of NonCommunicable Diseases, which presents a major challenge for the developing and under developed nations.

She noted that the aim is to change the system so that it could reach the masses and noted that Guyana is the ideal place for that change.

The professor further stated that they are training the health advocates so that they can go out and empower their communities through their religious institutions.

“What we are doing here is quite unique and novel,

and Guyana is quite facilitating. What we are trying to do is to change a system and empower communities to make sure that the changes are transparent, they are accountable, they are in line with the values and beliefs of the communities. We have a very strong sense of religion and we are delighted to have their participation,” she said.

Meanwhile, country representative of the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation, Dr William Adu-Krow, noted that Guyana have a problem when it comes to NCDs. He noted that there an average of 4,000 deaths per year, in Guyana, due to NCDs with 28 percent counting as pre-

mature deaths.

Additionally, Dr AduKrow stated that despite vast availability of exercise spaces and fresh fruits and vegetables Guyanese often discards that hence contributing to high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in most cases.

Public Health Minister, Volda Lawrence told participants that the workshop is timely since it was just last month that President David Granger charged the Presidential Commission on NCDs to work more aggressively to address the rise.

“It is regrettable to mention this, but I am convinced that our residents in our communities, in fact a significant percentage of our general population is not fully cognizant of the threat to life that non-communicable diseases embody. Their behaviour and lifestyles seem to indicate, despite the startling data, that they have not fully grasped the risks and the extent to which they are exposed with respect to NCDs,” she noted.

“The intervention of the religious institutions, I am convinced, can help us to reach our targeted vulnerable citizens, our youths, and bridge the information gaps helping us to impact

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

on the life span of our nation and to shape a healthy and productive population that will provide the cornerstone for the fulfillment of the Millennium and the Sustainable Development Goals,” Lawrence added.

Additionally, Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings noted that NCDs significantly affect large sections of society and presents a huge cost and burden on the health care system.

“A key element in the fight against NCDs is the establishment of health literacy within the population through robust health promotion. Persons need to know what they can do to

control and possibly prevent the emergence and prevalence of NCDs through simple lifestyle changes,” she noted.

She added that the training of health advocates is opportune as “it will most certainly equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills they need so that they can go into their respective communities and commence meaningful promotions as it relates to NCDs.” The minister also urged the health advocates to ensure that they use their training for the betterment of their communities and understand the roles they now play.

Linden Hospital now Foreign Affairs Ministry yet offering urological services Stranded Indonesians

to receive report of incident

The stranded Indonesians

G

uyana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said that it was yet to receive an official report on the incident involving 26 Indonesian nationals, who have been stranded in Guyana for the past five days. The men were brought to Guyana to work with a popular fishing establishment, but were relieved of their duties after raising objection to their remuneration package.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will like to state that while it has seen references to the issue in the media, the matter hasn’t been brought to the attention of

the Ministry and, therefore, as of now the Ministry has no role in relation to the matter,” the Public Relations Department of the Ministry said in a statement to Guyana Times.

The men reported that they were offered US$400 (5,367,200 Indonesian Rupiah) per month to come and work with the popular fishing establishment, but they were being paid in Guyanese dollars, which did not translate into the promised amount. They objected to this, but got no satisfaction and were ordered out of the fishing establishment’s Providence branch and have

been seeking refuge at the Providence Sunnatul Masjid ever since.

When this publication reached out to the company, via telephone, the representatives refused to given any information relating to the incident and subsequently disconnected the call.

A female member of the Masjid told this newspaper that the brothers at the mosque made contact with the Indonesian Embassy in neighbouring Suriname and a representative was expected in Guyana on Monday to address the men’s situation, but it was unclear if the representative did arrive.

T

he Linden Hospital Complex (LHC) at Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is now offering urological services, which cater for both medical diagnosis and surgical procedures.

The services, which commenced at the Hospital last November, are currently offered in the second week of every month, from Monday to Thursday, targeting both males and females.

Medical services are being provided by Urological Surgeon Dr Brian Niles.

Speaking with Guyana Times, while the clinic was being held on Monday, Dr Niles said one of the most common issues dealt with currently was prostate diseases such as prostate cancer and prostate enlargement.

Others include urinary retention commonly called “stoppage of water” due to enlarged prostate, kidney stones and sexually-related issues including impotence, erectile dysfunction, pelvic pain, total and urinary incontinence.

Dr Brian Niles

According to Dr Niles, the urology clinic has, so far, received great support from members of the community.

“The turnout initially was fairly strong, and it has progressively increased.

Each month, more and more individuals are showing up. This morning (Monday) alone, we had more than a dozen people,” he explained.

Dr Niles continued that so far, he has seen a “credible volume” of urological dis-

AG now blames...

He also questioned the quality-control scrutiny, or steps taken to verify and authenticate the academic integrity and standards of the partners that would be assisting Guyana to set up the school.

Government, in January 2017, announced it would start a project to establish the JOF Haynes Law School

of the Americas. The project comes after some two decades of lobbying for an alternative to the three existing laws schools currently servicing the Caribbean region.

The JOF Haynes Law School is being established through a public-private partnership entered into between the Government of

orders in patients in the Linden community, as he pointed out that the services were still at ‘phase 1’, which entails community awareness. At this stage, he said, the aim is also to achieve relevant attention to better address the urological related issues.

His first surgical operation since the commencement of the clinic was scheduled for Tuesday last.

Dr Niles further pointed out that there were challenges such as the unavailability of prescription drugs and equipment. With regard to the former, he noted, however, that there were pharmacies within Linden where the drugs were available if they were unavailable at the LHC. In relation to the lack of equipment, he said, this is still the discovery stage; therefore; the Hospital’s management is working to have those on board.

“We’re working with the hospital administration now to get the equipment on stream as soon as possible,” he said.

From page 10

Guyana, the Law School of the Americas (LCA) and the University College of the Caribbean (UCC), and will add to the existing options available to holders of a Bachelor of Laws (LLB).

The feasibility study for the establishment of the School here is yet to be conducted.

12 news

tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Region 6 accepts ‘old’ $15M bulldozer

Stranded passengers

Fly Jamaica leases …investigation launched aircraft to address delays R …to meet with the GCAA today P assengers have, for several days, been stranded without word of when they could possibly travel, but Fly Jamaica Airways has -- only now -- devised an operations recovery plan.

The announcement of this plan was made on Monday, and airline officials have said this plan will take effect from today, as they move to lease an aircraft.

It was however noted that this aircraft has a limited schedule, and passengers have been advised to stay at home until they are notified of their flight schedule.

“Passengers will be notified of their flight departure. Fly Jamaica Airways requests that passengers desist from going to their local airport for departure, unless notified by an airline representative,” the airlines said on Monday evening.

In explaining the delays, Fly Jamaica Airways has said that its aircraft are currently undergoing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance checks. It noted that

these checks are required at this time.

“Fly Jamaica Airways will advise as soon as one or both of its aircraft are returned to service. As a result, the airline is engaging third party carriers to support the operation,” it explained.

It further explained, “The sourcing of alternative aircraft from lessors has become increasingly challenging due to the unavailability of suitable aircraft and/or the unavailability of flight crews to operate the flights.”

It was also explained that due to the severe weather conditions in the north-

The notice on Fly Jamaica website

east region of the United States, and specifically in New York, Terminal One at JFK International Airport has been limiting arrivals and departures, due to ramp conges-

tion and several other issues relating to weather conditions.

“Fly Jamaica Airways sincerely regrets the inconvenience our irregular operations have caused. We are utilizing every available resource to recover the operation and return to our regular schedule as soon as possible”, the airline has offered.

Meanwhile, management of Fly Jamaica Airways has been summoned to a meeting with officials at the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) following an increase in flight cancellations and delays. That meeting is scheduled for today.

Passengers travelling on Fly Jamaica flights out of Guyana to Toronto, Canada have been left stranded with no word from the airlines since last Thursday.

This newspaper was told that no agents contacted passengers to inform them not to travel to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, since their flight had been cancelled. Guyana Times has been told that passengers travelling from Toronto to Guyana have also been stranded at the Pearson International Airport.

This is not the first time that Fly Jamaica has experienced major delays. In December 2017, a few days before Christmas, frustrated passengers had complained that flights between Georgetown and New York were cancelled before of technical problems the airline was experiencing. In that instance, passengers had taken to social media and bashed the airline for keeping them in the dark.

In July last year, passengers of the same airline had vented their frustrations, again on social media, as a result of the poor communication from airline employees.

42kg drug bust

No charges yet as Police wait on DPP

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hree persons who were busted with 42 kilograms of cannabis at Golden Fleece Village, Essequibo Coast on January 6 at about 17:30h remain in custody as Police await advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The three were busted when joint services ranks went to Back Street, Golden

Fleece village and intercepted motor car PMM 9059 as its three occupants were proceeding in a northerly direction. The car was searched in their presence, and two white bags containing 70 parcels wrapped with clear tape and brown cardboard were discovered. Each parcel contained leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. When

told of the offence, the trio remained silent.

The suspected cannabis, when weighed, amounted to 42 kilograms. The driver of the car is a known character to the Police, and has matters pending in court.

Police have said that, since their arrest, the men are cooperating with investigators.

egional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Kim Williams-Stephen says the used bulldozer, which was recently purchased is indeed the property of the regional administration.

Her acceptance came days after she denied that the machinery was property of the regional administration at the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) meeting last Thursday.

“It is not a part of our property; we have not signed as receiving it as yet,” she told the RDC and also denied that the Region had paid the supplier for the equipment. However, at a press conference on Monday, the REO told reporters that the bulldozer, which was purchased for $14.8 million, now belonged to the Region.

It was at the RDC meeting that concerns were raised over the bulldozer.

Councillor Zamal Hussain called on the administration to explain the purpose of buying an old machine versus a new one.

Weighing in on the matter, Regional Chairman David Armogan said it appeared to be a D3 Caterpillar bulldozer that was painted over and a D4 sticker was placed on it. He told the RDC that from his observations a further $6 million

The bulldozer

would have to be expended based on the level of deterioration of the machine.

However, the REO told reporters at her press conference that the money was approved by Cabinet for a D3 bulldozer, noting that the proper procurement procedure was followed.

“On Friday last the supplier was called and he promised to come in on Tuesday (yesterday) and if there is any defects, he is going to correct,” she said. She added that the equipment, which is now the property of the Region, came with a oneyear warranty.

“The facts are that the Region is in receipt of the bulldozer. If there are any defects, then it will be communicated to the supplier, who would have given

the administration the oneyear warranty so that in the event that we have any faulty or malfunctioning of the equipment, it will be addressed.”

At the RDC meeting, the REO had said that the administration did not pay for the equipment. However, records at the RDC showed that early last year the supplier was paid $8 million for mobilisation and a further $6.7 million was paid on December 28.

The bulldozer was accepted even though no inspection certificate was signed, and Armogan is calling for an investigation. He said that they should invite engineers to view the equipment and evaluate its cost and also whether it was indeed a Caterpillar D4 bulldozer.

GEITI to undertake sensitisation outreach as it prepares 1st report

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he National Coordinator of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GEITI) is confident Guyana will complete its first reconciliation report within the 18 months deadline.

During an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) today, Dr Rudy Jadoopat said the Secretariat will soon be engaging the general public through outreaches across Guyana.

“We’re going to have all these outreaches and we’re going to discuss, at different levels, what information is there, how the processes are taking place. We’re going to get the public involved (and) we’re going to make them aware of some of the challenges we face,” Dr. Jadoopat said.

The GEITI Secretariat will soon advertise for the hiring of a Communications Consultant. Dr Jadoopat said the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), which is tasked with implementing the EITI standards, will finalise the terms of reference before advertising for the post.

The first EITI report is expected to comprise of information on Guyana’s legal

and fiscal framework, licence allocation, licence registered, contract transparency, beneficial ownership, exploration, accurate assessment of reserves, monitoring production data, development of procedures and systems to compare declared production volumes with government’s measurements, exports of products from the extractive industry among a detailed list required by the global EITI body.

Dr Jadoopat explained that the MSG has established a working group to determine the definition of materiality for the report.

“Materiality is the information that they’re going to use to determine whether the omission or the misstatement of this data is going to affect the comprehensiveness of the EITI report,” he explained.

Additionally, the MSG will also have to determine the reporting period.

“According to the EITI standard it’s supposed to be not later than two years from the date when the report is to be filed,” Dr Jadoopat explained.

The MSG will also have to decide what sectors will be covered in the report. Dr. Jadoopat said the focus will likely be on the oil and gas

sector and large-scale mining with the inclusion of other sectors over time.

Another important step for the GEITI in completing the report is the hiring of an independent administration to compile the report. The administrator is likely to be an international auditing firm, with experience in preparing EITI reports, working with local firms.

“We are currently in the process of preparing the terms of reference for the independent administrator,” Dr Jadoopat explained. The GEITI is receiving assistance from the international EITI Secretariat as it finalises the ToRs and fills the position by mid-2018.

“There’s a lot of other things that have to be done,” to ensure that the EITI report adheres to the EITI standard.

Dr Jadoopat noted the GEITI Secretariat’s work plan for 2018 includes systemising and publishing the information it is collecting on beneficiary ownership, document and discuss government’s policy on disclosure of beneficiary ownership and build capacity on among the GEITI staff. The deadline for the submission of the first EITI report is April 2019.

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Bauxite workers can Advanced ICT training now claim overtime school to open soon

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auxite workers attached to the Russian Bauxite Company RUSAL Guyana can now claim overtime payments following the handing over of some $173 million in refunds to the company by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Minister within the Social Protection Minsitry, with responsibility for Labour, Keith Scott, explained that the refunds for the bauxite workers would require a specific procedure before they can be uplifted.

“The correct procedure is for the workers to make a claim to GRA for overtime payment. That pro-

cess was communicated to the union (Guyana Bauxite and General Workers’ Union) and all parties concerned by the GRA,” Minister Scott said.

He is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying that with the help of the union, and adhering to the required procedure, the bauxite workers were paid in a timely manner.

“It’s for the union to do what the union deductions entitle them to do; that is, to make proper representation on behalf of the workers. What prevents the union from going to the union hall, or building a tent and inviting the con-

Hinterland residents to be trained in aviation

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he Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is expanding its training to include hinterland residents being trained as air traffic controllers.

One of the Authority’s 2018 projections is the training of a minimum of 20 hinterland residents as air traffic controllers.

Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Egbert Field, told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that hinterland residents would benefit from this training exercise.

Field explained that the air traffic control programme will commence by April of this year. “A new course will start, and we will be targeting some of the outlying regions when it comes to applicants for the training course,” he disclosed.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan had, in his 2018 budget speech, announced that Government was negotiating with a multilateral donor to secure a US$15 million loan, to finance a project under which the Lethem airstrip would be upgraded into a regional hub and international aerodrome.

Field has said that with this venture coming on stream, the GCAA would be training new air traffic controllers in order to address the current shortfall and have an adequate number of officers in place.

“At the moment, our capacity doesn’t allow us to do inspections, so this will assist us in not only relieving the shortage which we suffer from right now, but also assist in the movement of aircraft in the Lethem region,” he advanced.

The Director-General

cerned workers and say, ‘We are going to help you fill your forms of reclamation to the GRA?’ That is what a union should be doing,” Minister Scott said.

In 2016, RUSAL workers were asked to pay taxes on their premium and overtime payments. In January 2017, a group of employees representing the workers of RUSAL Guyana met with the central executive of the Guyana Bauxite and General Workers Union (GB&GWU) in Linden, and outlined why it was urgent for the matter concerning their tax-free overtime payment to be addressed.

Following several deliberations with the company in 2017, Minister Scott had issued a letter to RUSAL in November, demanding the effective release of payments to the employees in the company’s employ since October 1, 2016.

T

he Centre of Excellence in Information Technology, an advanced Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training school is expected to be commissioned March 2018 at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen campus.

The Centre will provide training that “bridges the gap between the Public and Private Sector,” Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes explained in a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI).

“We have several individuals in the Public Sector that need retraining and constant upgrading to skills, but also it provides training that the Private Sector needs.”

According to the Minister, the agreement for Technical Cooperation signed between UG and the Ministry involves educational development, which this centre is ideally designed to deliver.

Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes

The sum of $144 million of $4.696 billion of the

State judgements

AG defends losing streak T

GCAA Director General, Lieutenant Colonel (ret'd) Egbert Field

emphasised that as the aviation sector prepares to enter a new phase, the authority is ensuring that hinterland communities are not left out.

Guyana’s Civil Aviation Training School (CATS) received its accreditation last July, enabling it to offer courses approved and recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

With enhanced equipment and the new state-ofthe-art, three-dimensional simulator, it is also the aim of the GCAA to conduct several courses this year.

The Authority is in the process of enhancing and upgrading all the facilities in the school, so that students’ training requirements can be satisfied.

“This course, which will start in April, will be the first for this year; and in the last half of the year, another course will be done. We’re in the process of shortlisting students to undertake the course. At the same time we’re running introductory courses, we’re also upgrading our air traffic controllers in air control and other courses they need to do,” Field said.

here have been several criticisms of the State’s performance in Court as regards several legal matters that were recently lost, causing the Government to have to pay out millions of dollars.

In this regard, Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams, in defending himself and team, has asserted that he has won more cases than he has lost.

Williams noted that many of the cases that he is likely to win have not yet come up for hearing in Court.

He said on Monday that while his predecessor, Anil Nandall, has been critical of his work as Attorney General, Nandlall had himself done a poor job when he had held the Attorney General position for several years.

Making reference to some issues inherited by the now Government, Williams said: “So there is nothing to show that Nandlall accomplished. What did he accomplish? Nothing! Let’s deal with the successes. If he is talking about the successes, that is one narrow aspect of the Ministry of Legal Affairs.

I haven’t done any cases as Minister which Mr Nandlall won,” he explained.

The AG was referring to the Constitutional case challenge wherein a citizen has sought the court's interpretation of the provisions in the Guyana Constitution regarding the two-term limit for Guyana's presidency, among several other top cases which are still pending.

“For example, the Local Government Elections that were held… instead of filing an elections petition, he

filed some other procedure; so there is no way he could win it, but it’s not coming up,” the AG added.

Further, the AG reminded that the heads are not necessarily physically present for every case, but are represented by lawyers within the Chambers. “We have a number of lawyers. We have a Solicitor General and we have provisions for a Deputy, and you have a Principal Legal Advisor...the whole gamut.

And these persons are those that represent the State and the AG Chambers,” he explained.

The AG boasted that his Chambers had won several cases, but he was not able to provide substantiating evidence to support this claim.

The AG also made known to the media that, as a private lawyer, he would have won several top cases. He said, “I’ve won so many cases in the assizes, there’s no other person sitting in this country in this current generation (who) could say that. But the DPP never came to the assizes and dealt with a case I was in…”

Late last year, President David Granger came out in support of Williams, contending that the court cases he had lost were due mainly to inadequate representation by his legal team.

He added that there are other cases which are pending, and the AG, like some other Ministers, has to make internal changes in the Ministry in order to get the best quality legal representation.

“I do not feel that in the past we had the best representation. Some of the cases which we inherited were lost before we started because

the representation was inadequate,” President Granger had said.

However, in 2017, it was reported that $100 million had been included in the Legal Affairs Ministry’s budget for the retention of six attorneys to prosecute a number of high-profile cases.

Government has, since its assumption to office, lost several cases at the level of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and in the local courts, to Opposition members, large companies, and even private citizens.

President Granger had, in 2016, given the occupants of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre (CJRC) 48 hours to vacate the premises of Red House. This directive was described as “unconscionable and vindictive”.

The Opposition later secured two conservatory High Court Orders blocking the State from ejecting the CJRC from the property, once the official residence of the late former President Dr Cheddi Jagan.

Another case involved a number of farmers who were granted 50-year leases for State land located in the rear of Number 40 Village, West Coast Berbice.

In March of 2016, those farmers received letters from the Mahaica/Mahaicony Abary/ Agricultural Development Authority (MMA/ADA) informing them that President David Granger had cancelled their leases, and they must cease occupancy and return the land to the MMA/ADA. A group of the farmers filed a lawsuit, and on the same day as the Red House judgment, the acting Chief Justice, Madam Justice

National Budget will see this project being established, with assistance from the Government of India and the eGovernment Agency.

The National Data Management Authority (NDMA)/eGovernment Unit and UG will share educational resources, especially in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. The University will share its teaching resources while NDMA will provide the necessary expertise when needed. ICT-based research, Operations Research, Ideas

to keep the ICT Legal and Regulatory Framework up to date, ICT Project Management, and Data and Communications Networks and Enterprise Solutions in support of courses on the curricula will be shared.

Minister Hughes disclosed that there would be two trainers from India on one-year contracts who would be instructing the students and sharing their knowledge with local trainers. The Centre, the Minister explained, is one step closer to preparing Guyanese to deal with the training issues.

“It will be from a basic introductory level up to programming, to the development of apps.”

The objective is to “prepare citizens and the Public Sector for training that is relevant to the services that we are talking about providing”, Minister Hughes said.

Roxanne George-Wiltshire, ruled against the President’s revocation of rice farmers’ land leases, deeming it unconstitutional. She also ruled that the farmers were entitled to compensation from the State amounting to the sum of $300,000.

Other cases included a $1.5 billion settlement with Demerara Distillers Limited over taxes, and the Chief Justice’s ruling in the Guyana Elections Commission matter, where a private citizen moved to the High Court to challenge the constitutionality of the President’s reasoning in regard to the chairman’s appointment.

While the Court acknowledged that the President can determine who fits the bill of “fit and proper”, the Chief Justice overruled the President’s interpretation of the Constitution by finding that there was no particular preference for the appointment of persons who had served within the Judiciary.

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Rose Hall Estate field supervisor’s funeral Fire guts luxury apartment building “Brace yourself for difficult times”,

Armogan tells Canje residents

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fire, suspected to be of electrical origin, early Monday night gutted a luxury apartment building at D’Aguiar Park, East Bank Demerara.

Reports are that the fire started some time around 18:45h when one of the tenants noticed thick smoke coming from her ceiling and raised an alarm.

The Barrington Apartment Building contained five units and according to one of the tenants, Managing Director of the GTM Group of Insurance Companies, Roger Yee, the fire started in his neighbour’s apartment.

“My neighbour from next door banged on my door to tell me there is a fire in her room, but there was nothing I could do… I went up to

By Andrew Carmichael

R

egion Six Chairman David Armogan is calling on residents of East Canje and its environs to brace themselves for difficult times ahead.

Speaking at a funeral service for the late Joseph Mohabir on Sunday,

Firefighters conducting their extinguishing of the blaze

investigations

following

building.

Meanwhile, another resident said that she was in her bathroom when she heard someone yelling fire and she quickly evacuated her building.

The building’s owner,

contain the blaze in spite of facing their regular water shortage issues. They were able to access water from the complex’s swimming pool, which aided them tremendously in extinguishing the fire.

Nanus Hussein, related that he got a call informing him of the fire, but was unable to divulge any other information since he was not informed of the possible cause.

He did state that the units were rented to foreign nationals.

At the scene, the firefighters worked swiftly to

Government and GuySuCo to drive them into a state of hopelessness.

Several hundred villagers attended the funeral of Mohabir. Since his death the community had come together in support of the affected families.

Addressing the displaced workers, Armogan

the

Residents and colleague sugar workers bidding farewell to Joseph Mohabir during the funeral service

Armogan urged the community to unite and support each other. He said suicide is not the answer.

Mohabir, 38, was found hanging from a rope by the neck at his Lot 51 Reliance, East Canje, Berbice Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) home on Old Year’s Night.

It is believed that the GuySuCo field supervisors took his life after the estate’s closure made him feel unable to cope with the fact that he would no longer be able to provide for his family.

Workers attached to the estate were given termination letters which stated that their last day of work was Friday, December 29.

Tenant Roger Yee speaking to friends

see if it was possible to save, but it was too late at that time. Smoke was too thick, so I asked if anybody called the fire tender, but nobody seems to have a clue,” he said.

The Fire Service was called and got there within 10 minutes, and was able to contain the blaze to just one

On Old Year’s Day, two days after his service was terminated, Mohabir was found hanging. At his funeral service, Armogan said a difficult two and a half years lie ahead. Committing suicide, turning to drugs, alcohol or violence is not the solution to the problem facing the community. “We

Preliminary reports indicate that there was a fluctuation of power in the area which may have led to the fire. Four of the five units were occupied at the time of the incident while one was vacant. Three of the five units were significantly damaged.

have to brace each other and support each other, and we have to remain strong; because, in two and a half years’ time, most of you will still be alive. Therefore you have to continue to go on with your lives. This period is going to pass.”

He told the mourning family and supporting friends and colleagues of the dead estate worker and their families that at the end of the next two and a half years, the good times will return.

He urged them to take note of what has been happening, saying that they should not allow the

noted that in communities with high levels of unemployment, as is the case of East Canje now, there will be more crime and illiteracy. “Because children cannot go to school, you will have more prostitution, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and all sorts of problems in the home.’”

Armogan is advocating that Government provide some form of social Assistance, so that the affected families could receive needed counselling.

“Because a lot of them have taken it to heart and they can’t deal with it,” he added.

13.8kg ganja bust

Hire car driver on $200,000 bail

“Guyanese must take ownership of Mash” – Coordinator

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uyanese are being called upon by Mashramani Coordinator Andrew Tyndall to take ownership of the country’s National celebration observed on February 23.

Tyndall, during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), said that given the symbolism of Mashramani – a celebration after hard work and the date on which Guyana gained the status of a Republic – it is a festival not only for the participants but for all Guyanese.

“We have worked hard as a people and we have come a long way, (it is) our 48th anniversary. Let us come out and celebrate and let’s take ownership of Mashramani,”

Mashramani Coordinator Andrew Tyndall

Tyndall stated.

According to the Coordinator, Guyana has adopted several cultural aspects from other countries; hence he is advocating

that Guyanese do the same and promote Mashramani to the rest of the world.

Tyndall explained “we need to also develop our own culture so that we could export that culture to the world.

Mashramani is ours, we have to own it! Mashramani is only going to get better when all Guyanese come on board and recognise that it is something that belongs to us and we all have a responsibility for its development.”

Tyndall reiterated his call for Guyanese to come out in their numbers and support Mashramani. He opined, for the festival to be a success, it cannot be left to the Ministry’s planning committee or just the participants to achieve this goal.

Sohil Nabbi at the Weldaad Police Station following his arrest

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ire car driver Sohil Nabbi, also called ‘Safraz’, 23, of Lot 54 Burnt Bush Dam, Cumberland Village, East Canje Berbice was on Monday placed on $200,000 bail when he appeared before Blairmont Magistrate Alex Moore to answer a charge of trafficking in narcotics.

He pleaded not guilty to having on his possession narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The Prosecution is con-

tending that Nabbi was caught with 13.8kg of compressed marijuana on Saturday evening at a Police road block on the West Coast of Berbice.

According to reports, Nabbi, while driving HB 9274, was reportedly noticed turning into a cross street near the Weldaad Police Station, where a roadblock was set up.

Police on mobile patrol then chased after him and placed him under arrest.

A search was conducted on

his car, and two black garbage bags filled with a total of 16 packages of cannabis were reportedly unearthed therein.

Nabbi has reportedly claimed that a boat operator had loaded the bags into his car trunk at the Rosignol stelling. He claimed he was on his way to make a “fromoff” when the Police stopped him.

He will return to the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court on February 22.

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

No visual arts curriculum for CAPE US oil prices hit highest since 2015 S

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S oil prices hit their highest since 2015 again on Tuesday as speculators bet on further price rises amid OPEC-led production cuts and a dip in American drilling activity.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at $62.13 a barrel at 0123 GMT - 40 cents, or 0.65 per cent, above their last settlement. They marked a May-2015 high of $62.56 a barrel in early trading.

Beyond that 2015-high, which was a short intra-day spike, Tuesday’s peak was the highest level for WTI since December, 2014, at the start of the oil market slump.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 were at $68.12 a barrel, 34 cents, or 0.5 percent, above their last close. Brent touched $68.27 last week, its strongest since May 2015.

Traders said prices were mainly being driven by speculative money being poured into crude futures on the notion of a tighter market following a year of production cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and Russia, which are set to last

through 2018.

“Speculators continued to increase their net long in ICE Brent ... According to exchange data, speculators increased their position by 4,175 lots to leave them with a record net long of 565,459 lots,” ING bank said in a note.

A slight dip in the number of rigs in the United States drilling for new oil was supporting WTI, traders said.

The number of rigs drilling for oil fell by 5 to 742 in the week to January 5, ac-

cording to oil services firm Baker Hughes.

Despite the recent bull run, which has lifted crude prices by more than 10 percent since early December, some warn that markets are getting ahead of themselves.

The US rig-count remains significantly above the low of 316 in June, 2016, and US crude production C-OUT-T-EIA is expected to break through 10 million barrels per day (bpd) soon, hitting a level that only Russia and Saudi Arabia have achieved so far. (Reuters)

J’cans in US list high murder toll as major concern for 2018

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amaicans across the United States have identified the country’s astronomical murder statistics as “their most pressing concern” as another new year begins.

“With more than 1,600 homicides in their country last year, and with the numbers for this year already in double digits, the situation is having a debilitating effect on Jamaicans here,” said Dr Robert Clarke, president of the umbrella National Association of Jamaica and Supportive Organisations (NAJASO).

Clarke said that the situation continued to have a “crippling effect on potential investment opportunities from

within the Diaspora”, as while many credit the Government for trying to bring the situation under control, “these efforts are seemingly being stymied by a lack of adequate resources available to the security forces”.

Clarke argued that the matter of resources — including a satisfactory resolution of the salary issue for the security forces and other public servants — should be a priority in Government’s crime-fighting measures.

He also reiterated calls from among the Jamaican community here for a greater, deeper, and more strategic engagement

by Government with the Diaspora, in efforts to re-

duce the murder figures.

But he acknowledged that “there has been improved efforts in this regard”.In a measured response to the concerns and effects the murder figures are having on Jamaicans here, Akelila LawrenceMaitland, Diaspora Advisory Board representative for the north-east US, said “the issue of [crime] hits us in more ways than one”. “While there is no onesize-fit all solution to the complex murder issue, as it is fuelled by many factors, the Diaspora stands in hope and optimism with Jamaica in the new year that the situation will improve,” she said.(Jamaica Observer)

tudents writing CSEC and CAPE examinations in the subject of Visual and Performing Arts could find themselves in jeopardy because there is no curriculum officer in the Education Ministry in Trinidad and Tobago to oversee the theatre arts and drama components.

Former curriculum coordinator Victor Edwards, who made the claim, said all of the qualified officers who have to assess the practical aspect of the exams have either left or retired. Edwards retired from the programme in January 2014, and since then, Andre Mc Eachnie followed in June of that month and dance officer Allison Seepaul retired in March 2015.

He said the last qualified curriculum officer, Iezora Edwards, who had been doing the work of two officers

since February 2015, retired last year. In a letter to the ministry’s chief education officer Harrylal Seecharan, Edwards outlined the struggles he underwent to have these subjects placed on the school’s curriculum. He said that there have been no replacements and requested that vacancies be filled with urgency.

If this does not happen, Edwards said, there is nobody to handle the practical aspect of the CSEC theatre arts, drama at NCSC nor CAPE performing arts.

“When I say nobody, I want you to know that none of the music, the visual arts or dance officers could do the assessment.”

He explained that there is a roster for teachers to go out and monitor the practical aspects of the exams and them submit the results to the examination de-

Kidnap victim escapes A Special Reserve Police (SRP) officer with one-year service, who is assigned to the Aripo detention centre, Trinidad was among four people detained on Saturday night following the abduction of a 21-year-old Diego Martin man. The SRP and his accomplices are expected to be charged today with kidnapping, false imprisonment and robbery with violence.

The drama unfolded at about 22:00h, when Nicholas Juman, 21, of Diego Martin was leaving the Hilton Trinidad car park after spending a few hours with friends at the hotel. Reports revealed that Juman was approached by four men who attempted to bundle him into a white car at the side of the Lady Young Road.

He managed to escape but was chased and recaptured by the men who lifted him bodily and threw him into the trunk before getting into the car and speed-

This freeze frame taken from a video posted to social media shows Nicholas Juman, centre, being forced into the trunk of a car

ing off.

While the abduction was taking place, Juman’s friends observed the drama and used their cellular phones to video record the abduction. As Juman’s friends were making their way to the Belmont Police Station to report the kidnapping, Juman managed to open the trunk of the car and jumped out while it was proceeding around the Queens

D

tions.

Tensions between Mueller, the special counsel appointed to look into alleged Russian interference, and the president have risen since the investigation led to charges against several former members of Trump’s campaign team.

Trump’s administration denies working with Russia on the election, and the president has labelled the investigation “a witch hunt”.

According to The Post, Mueller first raised the possibility of interviewing the

president in a meeting with his lawyers, John Dowd and Jay Sekulow, in late December.

“This is moving faster than anyone really realises,” the newspaper quotes a person within the president’s circle, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump’s lawyers are reluctant to allow him to sit down for open-ended questioning and are discussing whether to allow him to provide written answers to some of the questions, The Washington Post and NBC News report. (BBC)

Park Savannah.

Fortunately for him, at that hour, there was no great amount of vehicles on the road when he jumped or he could have been run over as he landed on the road.

Juman, who suffered several injuries, managed to hide behind some trees in the savannah before making his way to the Belmont Police Station where he lodged a report. (T&T Newsday)

North and South Korea to begin talks on Olympic Games

Russia probe: Trump lawyers ‘in talks over Mueller interview’ onald Trump’s lawyers are in talks with investigators who are seeking to interview the US president as part of a justice department probe, reports say.

The Washington Post, quoting an unnamed person close to Trump, says investigation lead Robert Mueller is likely to interview him within weeks.

Trump’s legal team has not confirmed the reports.

Mueller is investigating possible collusion between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russia in the US elec-

partment for assessment .

However, there is nobody in curriculum to assess the files, he said .

“Without the submission of the marks of the practicals none of the students from Trinidad and Tobago will be able to pass the examinations since the written part carries between 30 to 40 points and the practicals carries the bulk of between 60 to 70 marks. “There are about 70 schools in TT doing CSEC theatre arts right now and about five schools doing performing arts at CAPE. An official from the Ministry assured that students need not fear about not passing the subject as the ministry has hired one of the retirees on a temporary basis to oversee this task.

The official said that soon, advertisements to have vacancies filled, would be place in the media. (T&T Newsday)

The meeting will take place at the Peace House, which sits in the border village of Panmunjom

N

orth and South Korea have begun high-level talks, the first between the countries in two years.

The meeting started at 10:00 local time (01:00 GMT) at the Peace House in the truce village of Panmunjom.

The talks will focus on North Korea’s possible participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, taking place in South Korea in February.

South Korea also said it would raise ways to improve inter-Korean relations.

Relations between the

Koreas deteriorated after Seoul suspended a joint economic project at the Kaesong Industrial complex in North Korea following a rocket launch and nuclear test by the North.

The incident led to North Korea breaking off communications with Seoul, including cutting off telephone contact. The last high-level talks between the two countries were in December 2015.

Tensions have risen in the years since as the North continues to rapidly advance its banned weapons programme. On Monday, Seoul’s unification minister re-iterated that the Olympics would be the “focus” of the talks, but added that other issues would be raised. (BBC)

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

Regional

Salvadorans devastated as 200,000 must leave US within 18 months

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embers of the Salvadoran community in the US have expressed their “devastation” after President Donald Trump’s Government said it would stop providing legal status and the ability to work to some 200,000 immigrants from El Salvador.

The move, announced on Monday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), gave Salvadoran holders of Temporary Protection Status (TPS) until September 9, 2019, to leave or find a legal way to stay in the country.

The US Government had originally granted Salvadorans special protection status after two earthquakes killed nearly 8000 people in 2001.

“Based on careful consid-

Demonstrators outside the White House protest against the termination of Salvadorans’ TPS [Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]

eration of available information, including recommendations received as part of an inter-agency consultation process, the Secretary determined that the original conditions caused by the 2001 earthquakes no longer exist,” the DHS said in a statement.

Rosa Cecilia Martinez, originally from El Congo in El Salvador, said she had no words to describe her feelings upon hearing the news.

“I don’t know how to express how devastating this is,” Martinez, a single mother of two, told Al Jazeera.

“It’s devastating to know

we only have 18 months left in the country.”

In its statement, the DHS also said it had determined that El Salvador could successfully reintegrate its nationals.

However, TPS holders said the Central American country was not ready to receive the thousands of families that would be forced to return.

El Salvador, home to about six million, is often described as one of the world’s deadliest countries with high levels of insecurity. In 2016, it averaged 14.4 murders a day.

High levels of insecurity, coupled with education challenges and limited employment opportunities, lead large numbers of people consider migrating elsewhere.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Jamaican man jailed for killing 3rd partner

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Jamaica-born man who was previously convicted of killing his wife and then strangling a former girlfriend 12 years later in the United Kingdom, has now been sentenced to 26 years in prison for killing a third partner.

Theodore Johnson, 64, pleaded guilty last Thursday to murdering 51-year-old ex-girlfriend Angela Best, by throttling her and beating her over the head at his home. Their relationship had broken down and Best had started seeing another

man.

Johnson beat the mother of four with a claw hammer and strangled her with the belt of her dressing gown on December 15, 2016 at his north London residence, where she had gone to help him prepare for an appointment with the Jamaican Embassy.

“The attack by you on Angela Best was sustained, vicious and utterly brutal.

She suffered an unimaginably terrible death,” Judge Richard Marks said in handing down his sentence.

A post-mortem examination found Best had suffered at least six blows to the head with the hammer.

According to Police, hours after attacking Best, Johnson threw himself in front of a train at a railway station. He survived but lost his right arm and left hand and it was when Police went to his home to find his next of kin after the incident that Best’s body was discovered in the living room.

Johnson had previously been convicted of killing his wife, Yvonne Johnson, by

pushing her off a balcony in 1981. He was jailed for three years for manslaughter by provocation, by a judge who described him as a battered husband who had suffered violence at the hands of his wife.

Then, in 1993, Johnson pleaded guilty to manslaughter, on the grounds of diminished responsibility, after strangling former partner Yvonne Bennett, with whom he had a daughter. He was sent to a secure hospital indefinitely for that crime, but was released in 1997. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

European bloc responds to Barbados on tax haven issue, but country remains on blacklist

Minister of International Business Donville Inniss says he will be signing another letter “to respond to them regarding the question that Barbados be removed from whatever list they have”

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he European Union (EU) has written to the Barbados Government, providing what is believed to

be an explanation of its decision to include the country on a December 5, 2017 list of 17 global tax havens.

However, it appears that the 28-member grouping has kept this country on the blacklist, despite Government’s protests.

Minister of International Business Donville Inniss confirmed to online newspaper Barbados Today that he received correspondence from the political and economic bloc in response to a letter he sent last month.

However, he refused to disclose its contents, and would only say that he would be signing another letter “to respond to them regarding the question that Barbados be removed from whatever list they have”.

Inniss said he was hoping the issue would be settled soon, even while admitting

that similar challenges would pop up from time to time.

“In the international business, we will continue to have challenges with our partners in other jurisdictions, and the European Union matter remains there. I hope that will be settled early in the new year,” he said.

Barbados was among four Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries on the list of 17 blacklisted by the EU as non-cooperative tax havens.

The others were: Grenada, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago.

Those placed on the list were described as not doing enough to crackdown on offshore avoidance schemes.

(Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Grenada: Election date most likely to be announced on January 28

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rime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell has hinted that the date for the general election could be announced before the end of the month.

Mitchell made his greatest hint to date late Sunday, at a rally to endorse Alvin Dabreo as the governing New National Party’s

(NNP) representative in the St John’s constituency.

According to Mitchell, the announcement of a date for the general election could take place at a meeting scheduled to be held in his constituency of St George North West on January 28.

“On the 27th of January

before my endorsement, I am putting a challenge out to Nazim Burke, I want us to go in Queen’s Park for a 100 yards dash,” he said to the thousands of supporters after he called on opponents to stop the rumours stating that his health has been compromised.

He later said a public

meeting will not be held on January 27 – but on the following day, Sunday, January 28.

He told supporters that the first step towards announcing the date is the dissolution of Parliament

by Governor General Dame Cecile LaGrenade. (Excerpt from CMC)

Jamaica’s Prime Minister calls on church to preach against violence

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rime Minister Andrew Holness has called on church leaders to preach against crime and violence, as it is undermining the family structure.

“Bring it to your pulpit.

We cannot allow much of what is happening, particularly the abuse that is happening within families,” he said at the recent 13th annual National Gathering of Heal the Family, Heal the Nation in Kingston.

He also challenged the church to speak out against family members committing sexual abuse against minors.

Holness argued that much of these kinds of abuse result in the perpetuation of greater physical abuse such as beatings from parents, who are supposed to protect their children.

“If you see something like that, it is not right. It cannot

be accepted practice in our culture. We must expose it and preach against it. If you see someone suffering quietly, reach out to them,” he encouraged.

The Prime Minister said the church’s capacity for counselling and outreach must be used to aid those affected by abuse, as this represents a “practical way we can start to address the issue of violence… which has become a part of our social transaction”.

Meanwhile, Holness hailed the chief organisers of the event, Bishop Dr Delford Davis, and his wife, In an address on behalf of the Governor General, Custos of St Andrew, Dr Patricia Dunwell, acknowledged that strong families represent the foundation of a nation worthy of respect from its neighbours and people of the world. (Excerpt from

Caribbean360)

Trinidad & Tobago set to get 1st female Head of State

Paula-Mae Weekes, a Court of Appeal Judge, appears to be heading back home to Trinidad and Tobago to become her country’s first female President

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rinidad and Tobago looks set to get its first female President, with a judge nominated to succeed Anthony Carmona as the next Head of State.

Meantime, another female jurist will today become Barbados’ next Head of State.

Madame Justice PaulaMae Weekes, who currently serves as a Court of Appeal judge in the Turks and Caicos Islands, is the Trinidad and Tobago Government’s choice to fill the position which will be left vacant when Carmona’s five-year term ends in March.

Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Stuart Young, said her name had been put forward during a meeting between Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar last Friday.

He said the Opposition at that stage did not put forward a nominee – although

it had until Monday to make a submission – and PersadBissessar had asked for time to discuss the Government’s choice with Opposition members.

“I can say without fear of contradiction that her reaction to the Government’s nominee was a very positive one and a very buoyant one and then she immediately said she would need to serve the tenants of democracy and go back to the members of her caucus and have a discussion with them,” Young said, adding that the Government was hoping it would be a unanimous and unopposed process.

The Electoral College meets on January 19 to elect the new President.

And whether or not the Opposition puts forward a nominee, Weekes is highly likely to become the country’s next President based on the government’s majority vote in the Electoral College. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Golden Globes 2018: Sexual harassment In jab at rivals, Rouhani says Iran protests about scandal dominates ceremony more than economy

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owerful speeches about Hollywood’s sexual abuse scandal have dominated the 75th Golden Globe Awards.

It was the first major Hollywood awards ceremony since the film industry was hit by sexual harassment scandals, with stars wearing black to honour victims.

Oprah Winfrey summed up the mood, saying “a new day is on the horizon” as she collected an honorary award.

The big film winner of the night was “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”, which took home four awards.

It won the best film drama award, with its star Frances McDormand also picking up a trophy for best actress.

The Oscar-winning actress stars as a grieving mother who challenges Police over the fact her daughter’s killer has not been found.

“Big Little Lies” won the most awards in the television categories, including honours for its stars Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgard. It was also named best limited TV series.

Kidman won the first award of the

I

“Wow, the power of women”. “Big Little Lies” won the most awards in the television categories, including honours for its stars Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern. Kidman won the first award of the night for her role as a victim of domestic violence. She dedicated her win to her castmates, daughters and mother, saying: “Wow, the power of women”

night for her role as a victim of domestic violence.

She dedicated her win to her castmates, daughters and mother, saying: “Wow, the power of women.”

The Golden Globes are organised by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and are seen as an indicator of which films are likely to do well

at the Oscars, which take place on 4 March.

The main focus on the night was on the current atmosphere in Hollywood and campaigns like Me Too and Time’s Up, which are focused on bringing about change for women not only in the entertainment industry but also around the world. (Excerpt from BBC News)

US: Climate disasters set new record at US$306B in 2017

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ajor climate disasters in the United States smashed previous records in 2017 at a cost of US$306 billion while killing hundreds of people.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Monday the destructive climate events came during the third-warmest year on record for the US. At least 362 people died during the climate calamities that included three major hurricanes: Harvey, Maria, and Irma, NOAA said.

“During 2017, the US experienced a historic year of weather and climate disasters,” the weather agency said.

“The cumulative damage of these 16 US events during 2017 is $306.2 billion, which shatters the previous US an-

R

there was a generational element to the unrest, which appears to have been spearheaded by under-25s.

“We cannot pick a lifestyle and tell two generations after us to live like that. It is impossible... The views of the young generation about life and the world is different than ours,” he said.

The Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s security backbone since the 1979 revolution that created the Islamic Republic, said on Sunday the security forces had put an end to a week of unrest fomented by what it called foreign enemies.

The protests, which began over economic hardships suffered by the young and working class, spread to more than 80 cities and towns and has resulted in 22 deaths and more than 1000 arrests, according to Iranian officials. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Bar fire kills 5 employees in Bangalore

A Wildfires in California last year were the largest in the state’s recorded history [Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP]

nual record cost of US$214.8 billion established in 2005.”

Losses from Hurricane Harvey that pounded Texas exceeded US$125 billion.

Harvey ranks second only to Hurricane Katrina, which at US$160 billion is the costliest storm in the 38 years that records have been kept.

Meanwhile, Hurricanes Maria and Irma had total damages of US$90 billion

and US$50 billion, respectively.

NOAA did not link human-induced climate change to the major disasters that struck last year. However, many scientists argue the burning of greenhouse gasses by humans has played a significant role in the increasing frequency and intensity of climate catastrophes. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Rescue crews wrestle to tame China oil tanker fire; body of mariner found escue crews wrestled to bring a blaze on an Iranian oil tanker off China’s east coast under control on Monday as fire raged for a second day following a collision with a grain ship, while the body of one of the 32 missing crew members was found on aboard.

Concerns were growing that the tanker, which hit a freight ship on Saturday night in the East China Sea and burst into flames, may explode and sink, the official

n a swipe at his hardline rivals, President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday young Iranian protesters were unhappy about far more than just the economy and they would no longer defer to the views and lifestyle of an aging revolutionary elite.

The pragmatic cleric, who defeated anti-Western hardliners to win re-election last year, also called for the lifting of curbs on social media used by anti-government protesters in the most sustained challenge to conservative authorities since 2009.

“It would be a misrepresentation (of events) and also an insult to Iranian people to say they only had economic demands,” Rouhani was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

“People had economic, political and social demands.”

Rouhani, 69, suggested

China Central Television (CCTV) said on Monday, citing experts on the rescue team.

Poor weather continued to hamper the rescue work, Lu Kang, a spokesman at China’s Foreign Ministry, told a regular news briefing.

The size of the oil spill from the ship and the extent of the environmental harm were not known, but the disaster has the potential to be the worst since 1991 when 260,000 tonnes of oil leaked

off the Angolan coast.

The remains of one of the 32 mariners on board were found on Monday afternoon, Iranian and Chinese officials confirmed.

Mohammad Rastad, head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation, was quoted by the ISNA news agency as saying that the body had been sent to Shanghai for identification. The fate of the remaining 31 sailors is not known. (Excerpt from Reuters)

t least five employees of a bar in India have died in a fire that broke out at their workplace where they were sleeping overnight.

The fire started at around 02:30 local time (21:00GMT) at Kailash Bar in the southern city of Bangalore.

Authorities told the BBC that an inquiry had been launched to ascertain the cause of the fire.

The incident comes after two different fire accidents killed 19 people in Mumbai in the past two weeks.

MN Anucheth, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Bangalore, said a forensic team and the fire depart-

The bar is located in a busy area

ment were working together to know if there was any lapse in fire safety measures at the bar.

Bangalore is known as India’s IT capital and has

witnessed rapid construction in the past decade.

But safety measures are not always followed, both in commercial and residential buildings. (BBC News)

Ghana bars recruits over stretch marks and bleached skin

Skin-lightening treatments have been popular in Africa, Asia and the Middle East since the 1930s

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he Ghanaian Immigration Service (GIS) has disqualified candidates with bleached skin and stretch marks from a massive recruitment exercise.

A GIS spokesman told the BBC this was because people with such marks might bleed during the “strenuous” training.

Some Ghanaians condemned the bar as sexist and unfair. Those with tat-

toos, dreadlocks and “bow legs” were also disqualified from the exercise.

The GIS received some 84,000 applications for just 500 jobs.

“The kind of work we do, it’s strenuous and the training is such that if you have bleached skin or surgical marks on your body during training exercises, you may incur some bleedings,” Superintendent Michael Amoako-Attah, told BBC Pidgin.

Candidates must undergo a medical and a full body check as part of the GIS recruitment process.

It is the ban on stretch marks which has aroused most anger on social media.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

ARCHIE

Relationship problems will

ARIES erupt if you get into a verbal

(March 21- battle. Choose a thoughtful April 19) and compassionate way to deal with a situation that develops between you and a loved one.

An unusual offer will leave

TAURUS you questioning what to do next.

(April 20- Financial gain is apparent, and May 20) contractual negotiations are fa-

dilbert

vored. A change of location or lifestyle is encouraged.

Look for any opportunity GEMINI to advance at work, and do (May 21your best to take care of overJune 20) due responsibilities so that you can feel free to take advantage of what’s being offered.

Make amends with someone

CANCER you don’t always get along with, (June 21- but love regardless. A unique July 22) concept will encourage you to up-

Peanuts

date your beliefs and opinions.

Romance is in the stars.

Problems will escalate if LEO you let your emotions lead the (July 23- way. It’s best to rely on your Aug. 22) intelligence and bring about positive change based on facts and figures, not on assumptions and hearsay.

Taking business trips, dealVIRGO ing with friends and relatives or (Aug. 23- researching topics that will help Sept. 22) you advance will make your day

Calvin and Hobbes

productive. You’ll discover what really matters to you. Romance is highlighted.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Keep an open mind when dealing with domestic issues and loved ones. It’s best to keep the peace instead of burning bridges. Consider that you may be just as much at fault as others.

Don’t flinch just because SCORPIO someone does something un(Oct. 24expected.

Hold your ground Nov. 22) and don’t give in to peer pressure or outside influences.

Make intelligent choices that suit your needs.

Helping the underdog or SAGITTARIUS standing up for rights being (Nov. 23threatened by bureaucracy Dec. 21) could lead to trouble. Protect against insult and injury. Use your intelligence instead of brawn to overcome difficulties.

Avoid unpredictable situaCAPRICORN tions or people who are trying to (Dec. 22- tempt you to change your mind Jan. 19) or course of action. Stand behind your beliefs and do what’s honorable.

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle Check out all your options

AQUARIUS and call in favors if it will help (Jan. 20- you reach your target. Don’t Feb. 19) offer personal information to

anyone using emotional tactics or displaying insincere gestures of friendliness.

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

Care should be taken PISCES when dealing with people or (Feb. 20an organization asking for March 20)

something. Don’t be too quick to donate money or take on added responsibilities. Save for an unexpected expense.

tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

19

The Ashes 2017-18, Australia

Australia complete A

ustralia romped to an innings and 123-run victory over England after dismissing the tourists for 180 on the final day of the fifth test on Monday to complete a 4-0 Ashes triumph that fell short of a whitewash but was little less emphatic.

England captain Joe Root raced from his hospital bed, where he had been treated overnight for gastroenteritis, to try to rescue a face-saving draw but when he failed to reappear after lunch the die was cast for the tourists.

Australia’s bowling attack - the potency of which has been one of the main points of difference between the two sides - mopped up the last four batsmen at the cost of just 36 runs after the break at Sydney Cricket Ground.

“The cricket we have played has been outstanding,” said Australia captain Steve Smith, whose batting was another major factor in the triumph.

“This team has been magnificent in this series, the cricket we’ve played has been great so I think the more we play together the more we are going to get better as a group. We have just got to keep getting better

4-0 drubbing

Jonny Bairstow's lengthy resistance was ended by a fired-up Pat Cummins (Getty Images)

and improving as a team.”

All four of Australia’s main bowlers took more than 20 wickets over the series, with quick Pat Cummins coming out top with 23 after removing Jonny Bairstow (38), Stuart Broad (4) and Mason Crane (2) on Monday.

Cummins was named man of the match for his total haul of 8-119 while Josh Hazlewood performed the

coup de grace when he had James Anderson caught behind for two.

Nathan Lyon (3-54) had taken the only wicket of the opening session as he continued his dominance of Moeen Ali (13), who has fallen seven times in nine innings to the off spinner in the series.

Australia’s batsmen also played a full part in the return of the coveted urn, with Mitchell Marsh, his brother

Shaun and Usman Khawaja all getting into three figures as the hosts made 649 declared in their reply to England’s first innings 346.

“Everyone’s had an impact and that’s what has been so special about it, it hasn’t just been one or two guys stepping up and doing the job,” Smith added.

Despite Smith’s determination to share the credit, he was the inevitable selec-

tion as player of the series after scoring 687 runs at an average of 137.4, backing up his status as the world’s top batsman.

“I am really proud of the way that I have played in the series and led from the front,” he said.

England managed only three centuries to Australia’s nine over the series, with Smith alone matching their tally.

Anderson, who stood in for the ailing Root in the presentation ceremony, thought that the Ashes had been decided by a few key moments and there was no need for an overhaul of the side.

“We’ve not played well enough and they’ve deserved to win. They’re well within their rights to be over the moon with that win,” he said.

“But I do think it’s been closer than 4-0. We’ve been on top in some games, if not all the games at some stage.

They’ve just played those pressurised moments better than us.”

The tourists will also take pride from refusing to buckle despite being outclassed in four of the five tests and Root’s determination to bat on Monday typified their fighting spirit.

The 27-year-old was 42 not out with England 93 for four at close of play on day four but he experienced diarrhoea and vomiting overnight and was taken to hospital for treatment. (Reuters)

SCOREBOARD England 1st Innings 346 Australia 1st Innings 649-7 decl.

England 2nd Innings (Overnight 93-4) AN Cook b Lyon 10 MD Stoneman lbw b Starc 0 JM Vince c Smith b Cummins 18 JE Root* retired hurt 58 DJ Malan lbw b Lyon 5 JM Bairstow† lbw b Cummins 38 MM Ali lbw b Lyon 13 TK Curran not out 23 SCJ Broad c †Paine b Cummins 4 MS Crane c †Paine b Cummins 2 JM Anderson c †Paine b Hazlewood 2 Extras (lb-2, pen-5) 7 Total (All out; 88.1 Overs) 180 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (MD Stoneman, 2.6 ov), 2-15 (AN Cook, 5.5 ov), 3-43 (JM Vince, 20.6 ov), 4-68 (DJ Malan, 33.4 ov), 4-93 (JE Root,), 5-121 (MM Ali, 61.2 ov), 5-144 (JE Root, ), 6-144 (JM Bairstow, 77.4 ov), 7-148 (SCJ Broad, 77.6 ov), 8-156 (MS Crane, 81.1 ov), 9-180 (JM Anderson, 88.1 ov) Bowling Starc 16-4-38-1, Hazlewood 17.1-6-36-1, Lyon 35-12-54-3, Cummins 17-4-39-4, Smith 2-0-6-0, M Marsh 1-1-0-0

Guyana Rush Saints FC Murray eyes swift blessed with new kits comeback after hip surgery B

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he Guyana Rush Saints Football Club in Rupununi will compete in 2018 decked out in new kits courtesy of Reverend John Rodrigues who donated the items at the turn of the New Year.

In a release to the media, the Club expressed gratitude to Reverend Rodrigues; “The Guyana Rush Saints FC thanks Reverend John Rodrigues and friends for their kind contribution of football uniforms. We can assure you that these uni-

forms will not only have our senior male team looking good, but it will also help bring unity and love among our players and the club in general. We are grateful for these uniforms since we are entering the third edition of the Rupununi Football Association’s Champions League scheduled to begin in February, 2018.”

The Guyana Rush Saints FC male and female senior teams are the reigning champions of the league.

ritain's Andy Murray has had hip surgery in Melbourne and says he hopes to be playing again in time for this summer's grass-court season.

The former world number one, 30, has not played a competitive match since he was knocked out of Wimbledon in July.

The ongoing problem forced the Scot to pull out of the Australian Open, which begins on 15 January.

"I'm not finished playing tennis yet. I'm going to be competing at the highest level again," he said.

"I'm very optimistic about the future - the surgeon is very happy about how it went."

Andy Murray posted a picture of himself in hospital with coach Jamie Delgado at his bedside

Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, believes if he can return to 95% of his best, that will be enough for him to compete again at the top level.

He hopes he will be

hitting balls on court again after seven or eight weeks, and has been given 14 weeks as a guide for a return from this kind of surgery.

But Murray, who has fallen to 19th in the world,

said he is not "interested in coming back for a specific tournament".

"My plan is to be back playing around the grasscourt season - potentially before then - but I'm certainly not going to rush anything," said Murray, speaking from his hospital bed in a telephone conference call to a group of British journalists.

"I want to know when I come back that I'm ready." He was operated on by Dr John O'Donnell at the St Vincent Hospital in Melbourne on Monday.

Murray posted a photo from hospital on Instagram and said: "Feeling really positive and looking forward to starting rehab." (BBC Sport)

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tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

Lynn injured again – will miss England’s ODIs

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lenn Maxwell will soon find out how far he has slipped off the ODI radar of Australia's selectors after Chris Lynn was ruled out of the series against England due to a calf strain suffered in the Big Bash League.

Having only recently returned to cricket and still affected by shoulder problems, Lynn replaced Maxwell in the squad after the Victorian had offered up diminishing returns in recent appearances for the national team. He was also chided by the national captain Steven Smith on the basis that he needs to "train smarter" to more consistently play long innings.

"He could train a little bit

smarter," Smith had said.

"We've all seen the way he can come out and play and do all his funky stuff and be pretty cool with that. But when he puts his head down he's actually a really good batsman, as we've seen in Shield cricket. If he keeps his head switched on and trains really well and focuses on basic things, probably more than the expansive things, then I think that will help him have his consistency."

Numerous figures, including the Brisbane Heat captain Brendon McCullum, expressed surprise that Lynn had been recalled so swiftly in a format he no longer plays for Queensland, but the calf injury has now

made the debate moot, and left open the question of whether Maxwell will be reprieved. He was most recently part of an Australia squad when flown into Brisbane as cover for Shaun Marsh ahead of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba.

"It is annoying and I'm very disappointed to miss an opportunity with the ODI side, but I know it is minor in the scheme of things," Lynn said. "I have been working very hard to get myself right, and the positive thing is that my shoulder is feeling very good. I'll do the work again and I am confident I will give myself a shot at playing some good cricket again soon."

Lynn's recent injury

history has not suggested permanence, and the latest setback is expected to keep him out of action for up to a month. He may still be fit in time to return for Australia's Twenty20 triangular series against England and New Zealand, which takes place in February immediately before a Test tour of South Africa, but will need to play at a lower level beforehand.

"Chris initially left the field against the Scorchers complaining of tightness in his calf," CA's head of sports science Alex Kountouris said. "He reported increasing discomfort over the 24 hours that followed and the Heat's medical staff made

the decision to send him for a scan. That scan confirmed the injury, which is expected to prevent him from playing for three to four weeks.

"When Chris recovers, the expectation is that he will need to prove his fitness in match action before being considered again for international selection." (ESPN Cricinfo)

Chris Lynn

“I didn’t resign” – Ntini was also said to be lacking in tactical acumen.

In Ntini's last match in charge, the inaugural fourday, day-night Test against

Makhaya Ntini spent approximately two years with the Zimbabwe senior team

M

akhaya Ntini has disputed Zimbabwe Cricket's assertion that he resigned from his post as the bowling coach and said he was asked to step down. In an interview with South African radio station Radio 2000, Ntini confirmed ESPNcricinfo's report from September, which revealed that players were unhappy with his coaching methods and that Ntini would likely be released before the World Cup Qualifiers.

"The honest truth is that I didn't resign," Ntini told Radio 2000. "I received a text message from the MD, saying that he would like to talk to me. The first thing that he mentioned, he reminded me that we had a chat about four months ago regarding some of the players' unhappiness. Some of the players and the staff members went to see him and reported that they are not happy with the job I am doing and that the job that I was given was not meant for me."

Ntini claims he was then informed that he was "not going to be part of the tour that's coming up, the Bangladesh tour," and was asked to step down. His contract was up for renewal this month, after he was appointed on a two-year deal in January 2016.

Zimbabwe Cricket had

earlier in the day sent out a release in which they said they "reluctantly" accepted Ntini's resignation and thanked him for his service.

"Charismatic, ever-helpful, hard-working and always full of energy, Makhaya's experience and immense knowledge of the game have helped to bolster the ZC national team into a competitive outfit that went on to record Zimbabwe's first ever away one-day international series win over Sri Lanka in 2017," the release said.

While Ntini was similarly affectionate about his relationship with Zimbabwe and called it "the country that I fell in love with," he admitted to being shocked that there were complaints about him because he "never had an assessment" and "never had a problem with Heath (Streak - head coach) and I never had a problem with Lance (Klusener - batting coach."

ESPNcricinfo has learned that there were problems with Ntini's coaching style. As an extreme disciplinarian, Ntini was particularly strict on fitness and often demanded excessive training for players, even if they were injured. Ntini does not hold a coaching certificate apart from the Level 2 accreditation given to all former internationals and

South Africa, Zimbabwe only took nine South African wickets and lost inside two days. However, the performances of debutant Blessing

Muzarabani and veteran Chris Mpofu were encouraging and Ntini is hopeful they will help Zimbabwe qualify for the World Cup.

Zimbabwe Cricket are expected to provide further comment on this issue in the coming days.

BCA U-15 Inter-county training squad selected

Matthew Pottaya

T

he Selection Panel of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has announced that that a squad has been selected to attend training sessions in preparation for the Guyana Cricket Board's Under 15 Competition scheduled for early February 2018.

Players have gained places in the squad based on their performance in the Berbice Cricket Board's recently concluded Under 15 inter-zone Competition.

Those selected are: Vettorie Latchman, Dwayne Williams, Rampertab Ramnauth, Antoine Alexander, Darius Joseph, Saffie Shaffiek, Lakeram Sookram, Shreedat Roopnarine, Tomani Caesar, Zaynul

Ramsammy, Avishkar Persaud, Niquan Samuels, Isia Thorne, Hemchand Raghubir, Rudra Goberdhan, Pavanand Ganesh, Leon Cecil, Tameshwar Mahadeo, Hemendra Goodial, Jonathon Rampersaud, Jermey Sandia, Vikendra Singh, Mahindra Gopliall, A. Downer, Abdur Munroe, Matthew Pottaya and Latchman Dhanna Chairman of Selectors, Leslie Solomon says that the squad will be encamped shortly, and will be properly

instructed to compete in the inter county competition. He is confident that the players who are eventually selected in the final 14 to represent the county, will be the best of the lot, who will go on to represent the county well.

Cricket in Berbice will continue to flourish, despite the hiccups we now face with the legal actions filed by non-playing Clubs.

The lads, Solomon said, will also benefit from classroom training during their period of encampment.

Tomani Caesar, Civion Arokium, Niquan Samuels and Zaynul Ramsammy

Jonathan Rampersaud

He added that this group of players comprise mainly of newcomers to the inter county scene, and much work will have to be done to ensure they are brought up to the required level. These players were recently engaged in the Berbice Cricket Board's under 15 inter zone competition, and many notable performances were recorded. He is appealing to the parents of the lads selected, to encourage and guide them, since the home he said, plays an integral part in their development.

All players are required to report to the Jai Hind Cricket Club Ground, Albion at 16:00h on Wednesday January 10 for briefing and commencement of training.

sports

tuesDAY, january 9, 2018 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

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21

“Light it up Campaign”

to brighten community grounds nationwide T

he National Sports Commission will continue its’ ‘Light it up Campaign’ in 2018 having acquired a number of lights for community grounds across the country late last year.

The lights which number in the area of 110 are expected to boost the usage in the night-time of various community grounds and multi-purpose centres across Guyana.

The Director of Sport Christopher Jones revealed that the sum of $6.5M was spent to acquire the 110 lights which will be distributed to various grounds across the country.

In the buildup to the purchasing of the lights, Jones pointed out that the National Sports Commission (NSC) had reached out to the various municipalities in an effort to collaborate on the purchase.

However, it was revealed by the Sport Director that the only municipality that responded was the municipality of Lethem in Region Nine.

Jones further noted that of the $6.5M, $2M was contributed by the Lethem Municipality.

The Sport Director noted; “by virtue of their collaboration with us, Lethem will receive a total of 38 of the lamps

and the 38 lamps will facilitate all four work out way into the nights especialor five grounds that are in Lethem. In ly after a full day on their job.

2018, it will see all of those grounds being lit.”

He further added, “The other lights that we have currently in the bond, there are several grounds that we would have identified throughout the year, so in 2018 we will see the distribution of those lights and we are hopeful that in 2018 with another availability of funds, we will purchase another allotment of lights, so that we can continue the light it up campaign.”

The absence of adequate lighting at nights has been one of the foremost challenges faced by athletes who want to train at nights.

Upon recognizing this, the NSC embarked on the “Light it up campaign” in an effort to afford athletes all the necessary support needed to facilitate their development.

Additionally, fitness enthusiasts will also benefit Director of Sport, Christopher Jones from the initiative since they too will

Bolt just wanted to go faster W ith two unbeatable world records and countless medals and accolades under his belt it would seem recently retired track and field legend Usain Bolt could have very few regrets, but there is one.

Bolt, who set astounding times of 9.58 over the 100m and 19.19 over the 200m, wishes he had

been able to go even faster over his favoured halflap event.

The Jamaican, now 31, set the amazing time in 2009 as a 22-yearold at the Berlin World Championships and since then no one, including himself, has managed to come close.

The sprinter, who called time on his career following the London

World Championships, targeted lowering the mark on several occasions but failed to achieve the objective before hanging up his spikes. While insisting it does not keep him up at nights, the former sprint king admits it is something to which he gives thought to. “I have only one unfulfilled ambition and that’s making a return under 19 sec-

onds in the 200m. That’s my unfulfilled ambition and it’s going to stay unfulfilled for me. I couldn’t do it. No one can do it,” Bolt told the Irish Mirror.

“But it’s OK. It doesn’t make me feel dissatisfied... it’s just something that I wanted to do.

It’s not like, ‘Oh my God, I got to do this’,” he added. “So I faced it and I’ve retired now.” (Sportsmax)

Pride-Volcanoes match ends in expected draw T he Barbados Pride and Windward Volcanoes played to an expected draw as the rain-affected Windies Professional Cricket League (WPCL) Regional 4-Day fixture at Kensington Oval came to a close.

At the end of play Shane Moseley and Shamarh Brooks, each stood on half centuries as the Pride reached 135 for 1 for a lead of 164 runs. Anthony Alleyne had been the man to depart earlier in the innings, caught by Roland Cato off the bowling of Delorn Johnson. No play had been possible on day three of the contest with the team’s left to pick up where they left off on Friday.

Resuming the day 241 for 6, still, some 75 runs short of the Barbados first innings total of 316, the Volcanoes were eventually all out for 287. Kyle Myers, who re-

Shamarh Brooks

turned on 30 added another 26 to his total before being dismissed lbw by Kemar Roach. Shane Shillingford added 16 and Delorn Johnson 14. The result ensured that the Jaguars secured a fourth straight title as the team cannot be over-

taken in the standings. The Jaguars are sitting pretty on 135 points while Pride are in second position with 85.8 points. The Windward Islands Volcanoes are at the bottom of the table with 61.4 points.

The Pride’s ninth round

match which begins on Thursday at the Kensington Oval is against the now four-time reigning champs while the Volcanoes will host fourth placed Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in Grenada.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

“I’m trying my best to balance the aggression” – Hetmyer

By Akeem Greene

G

The 21-year-old wants to make the number three position his own in years to come ©Sarah Ansell / Stringer

raced with an overwhelming amount of talent Windies newest batting prodigy Shimron Hetmyer knows a successful future lies ahead but it will not come easy and calls for him to further adapt to the rigours of international cricket.

While there is no question of the arsenal he posses with the willow, his five Tests to date has yielded a high score of 66 against hosts New Zealand in a series late last year.

Batting at number three, the dashing left-hander took a toll on seasoned campaigners Neil Wagner and Trent Boult but just as the picture was being painted for a maiden ton, he lobbed a catch to extra-cover.

With an appreciation for his positive approach, the player is conscious that he needs to find the

equilibrium to his innings.

“Yes I’m trying my best to balance [my aggression] off as much as I can with the head of the batting coach [Toby Radford]. I try as much as possible to focus on my job which is scoring runs,” he posited to Guyana Times Sport on Monday.

Reflecting on his highest Test score, an innings which spanned 89 deliveries, eight of which were fours and two travelling for maximums, he summarised it as “playing his natural game.”

“Well after I got out in the first innings in that way, I went back and had a talk with the coaches and they told me to play my natural game and have a clear mind set as well, so I just executed well.”

Captaining the regional youth team to ICC Word Cup glory in 2016 and playing 24 FirstClass matches (debut in 2014) for Guyana Jaguars would have been the weight of his CV for the intricate number three position but for the 21 year-old, the challenge to succeed is what propels him to never give up.

“Well I don’t really see it as something difficult but rather as a challenge for me and I’m taking as much advice as I can from the rest of the team to conquer the challenge.”

In his first three Tests, a home series against Pakistan, he had a high score of 25 and accumulated 96 runs in six innings. Ultimately,

it was an opposite reflection of the vast talent he possesses and questions become lingering over his readiness for the level of the sport.

Though not flatteringly, he answered any possible critiques with an improved showing in the two Tests against New Zealand, by being the regional team’s second leading run-scorer with 122 at an average of 30.50.

“I didn’t really make that much of a change [from Pakistan] actually because the pitches there [in New Zealand] were really good with the ball coming on and was a bit easier to play my shots”. *Fast growth* On the Blackcaps tour, he made both his One Day International and Twenty20 International debut which a capped the rollercoaster experience for the Guyana Cricket Board player senior male cricketer of the year.

“It was a great experience with my age and everything. Like being 21 and playing for West Indies in all formats. Yes, it was actually surprising.”

Now having a taste in all the formats, battling it out for fivedays remains his most favoured since it carries a nostalgic value from his years of watching the former greats play. His modern idol is Australian pocket-rocket David Warner.

With an action-packed year of cricket scheduled for Windies, the man from Canjie, Berbice plans on filling his appetite with runs to prolong his promising career.

With what looks to be a long road ahead, the young batsman is conscious of areas he needs to improve

“ W e l l I’m going to try to get as much game practice I could get and make some big scores in the process.

I try to focus more on making runs than anything else since I want to play as long as I can and make the West Indies number one again in all formats.”

An improved showing by himself and the Jaguars in the upcoming Super50 is first priority as he hopes to stake a claim for a 2019 50-over World Cup spot should the regional side be successful at the qualifiers in March.

Players have responded well under pressure – Johnson

G

uyana Jaguars captain credited his players handling of various pressure situations to them winning the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Professional Cricket League Digicel regional 4-day championship for four consecutive seasons.

“Players have also responded well when put under pressure. We have won a lot of games over the last four seasons, but it has not always been smooth sailing by any stretch of the imagination – and at those times, when we have come under pressure, players have always found a way to dig us out of the hole,” the Test batsman stated.

Jaguars were confirmed as winners of the 2017-18 championship, after their nearest rivals Barbados Pride settled for a draw with Windward Islands Volcanoes in their rain-affected match on Sunday.

Jaguars completed a nail-biting, two-wicket victory over Jamaica Scorpions inside three days in their eighthround match on Saturday at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, taking them to an unassailable 135 points –

with two rounds of games remean a lot to the people of Guyana – many of maining. whom have supported us It is the fourth straight throughout. We have worked Headley/Weekes Trophy, hard leading up to this toursymbol of Windies First-Class supremacy, for the Jaguars, nament, but it is not just the following in the footsteps of senior team. Our junior teams have been consistently winprevious incarnations of the ning and I think it is just tesPride and Scorpions. tament of the hard work that “As you can imagine, it’s a the players have put in to bevery good feeling for us to win the title for a fourth straight ing successful.” year,” said Jaguars captain The champs will now travel to Barbados where they Leon Johnson. “I am someone that delves into the history of face the Pride beginning on the game – Barbados would Winning has become a perpetual habit for the Guyana Jaguars in Thursday after which they close the season against have achieved this in the late the four-day format 1970s, and Jamaica did it be- generation filled the role suc- nificantly than others, but I do Trinidad & Tobago Red cessfully. tween 2008 and 2012. not think there is a game that Force at home beginning on Leon Johnson has led “It is also testament to we played where someone did January 18 at Providence.

“We are only the third the Jaguars well over the past four seasons “We want to play unbeatteam to have achieved some- the way we have played this not put up their hand up and thing like this in Windies season. As a team, we have played well for the team with en this season. We accomFirst-Class history. It is very played well. I think everyone bat or ball.” plished this two seasons ago pleasing to be part of it and to who has played has made a He further elaborat- (2015-16) and this is our aim be at the helm for the fourth contribution, some more sig- ed, “Winning this title will for those two matches.” consecutive year of us winning this title. It is testament to our hard work. FRANCHISES PTS M W L I T A DP MR BAT BOWL PB We have won it with two matches remaining, which 1. Guyana Jaguars 135 8 6 0 1 1 0 0 0 16 22 16 is a feat in itself.”

2. Barbados Pride 85.8 8 2 2 4 0 0 0 0 19 23 7.8 The unit have kept 3. Leewards Hurricanes 79.4 8 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 8 23 15.4 the core of the squad the 4. T&T Red Force 76.8 8 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 18 17 8.8 throughout the seasons 5. Jamaica Scorpions 75.8 8 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 14 21 7.8 and when the senior play6. Windwards Volcanoes 61.4 8 1 4 2 1 0 0 0 6 19 12.4 ers departed for international duties, the younger

tuesDAY, january 9, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

– over US$14M injected in 2017 T

he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has announced the tournament’s economic impact for Guyana. The 2017 event, which took place between 4 August and 9 September last year, created a total economic impact of US$ 14,183,035 in the country.

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

In addition to that economic impact figure the Hero CPL creat-

ed 492 jobs in Guyana. The tournament also filled 4097 hotel rooms during the event and broadcast matches played in Guyana to a cumulative TV audience of 19.1million.

There was significant value for Guyana in terms of the country being given that coverage through the television broadcast of the event. The total brand exposure for Guyana has been calculated at US$ 3,294,323 with more than 37 hours coverage of the country across the tournament.

The Hero CPL spent just under US$ 1million in Guyana during

the 2017 event with over 40% of that figure going to local staff and suppliers. This organiser spend represents a 17% increase from what Hero CPL invested in 2014.

Speaking about the report from SMG Insight the Hero CPL Chief Operations Officer, Pete Russell said: “Guyana is a hugely important market for Hero CPL and we are delighted to have such a strong set of figures to share with the country. We know that we will continue to see excellent numbers from Guyana, a country that loves its cricket and has been so supportive of Hero CPL over the years.”

23

Chief Operations Officer Pete Russell

First started in 2013, the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere. Combining broadcast and digital viewership over 197 million fans watched the 2017

season to make it one of the fastest growing leagues in world cricket. Trinbago Knight Riders are the current Hero CPL champions and the other competing teams are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, St. Lucia Stars and Jamaica Tallawahs.

Guyanese players impress in GCF season Windies U-19 warm-up match pedals off January 28 W

indies under-19 had a productive start to ICC Youth World Cup being held in New Zealand by defeating Papua New Guinea (PNG) by seven wickets in their first of two warm up matches.

Among the stand out players were three of the five Guyanese on the squad, making valiant contributions with bat and ball.

Windies were aiming to get miles in their players’ legs and so utilised eight bowlers, but slow left-armer Jeavor Royal managed to stand out from the crowd, taking 2 for 4 from his six overs, including the wicket of PNG’s top scorer, Igo Mahuru to bundle out PNG for 105.

Fellow left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd supported with 2-10 from six overs while Bhaskar Yadram had figures of 1-9 from his five overs. Medium pacer Ronaldo Alimohamed went wicket less in his five overs but was economical.

Windies began their reply on a cautious note and at the start of the 17th over the score was 53-2.

Five and a half overs later the game was d o n e courtesy of a

Ashmead Nedd

Yadram’s 23-ball 37 cameo that brought proceedings to a swift conclusion.

The right-hander smashed five fours and two sixes while opener Kegan Simmons (23) and captain Emanuel Stewart (21) produced more tempered innings.

The defending champions will play their final warm-up today from 17:30h (Guyana time) against Zimbabwe at Lincoln Green, Christchurch.

They will play their first match on January 13 against hosts New Zealand. The Caribbean side will then clash with South Africa four days later before their final group match against Kenya on January 20.

Windies U-19 squad reads: Emmanuel Stewart – Captain (Windward Islands- Grenada), Kirstan Kallicharan – Vice Captain (Trinidad & Tobago), Ronaldo Ali Mohammed(Guyana), Alick A t h a n a z e ( W i n d w a r d I s l a n d s Papua New Guinea Dominica), Cephas under-19s innings Cooper- (Trinidad S Atai+ c Stewart*+ b Young 9 & Tobago), Jarion I Mahuru b Royal 22 Hoyte- (Barbados), H Toua c Stewart*+ b Yadram 2 Kimani MeliusO Sam lbw Athanaze 21 ( W i n d w a r d N Rarua b Royal 0 IslandsSt. S Arua c Royal b Athanaze 8 Lucia), Ashmead Nedd(Guyana), K Tau c Stewart*+ b Nedd 4 Kian PembertonD Aiga b Nedd 0 (Leeward IslandsE Eka run out (Raymond Perez) 15 St.Kitts & J Tau* c Kallicharan b Nevis), Raymond Pemberton 12 Perez- (Guyana), B Arua not out 1 Joshua PersaudExtras (nb 1, w 8, lb 2)11 (Guyana), Jeavor Total (all out, 41.1 overs)105 Royal- (Jamaica), FoW: 1-16 (S Atai, 4.6 ov), Keagan Simmons2-27 (H Toua, 10.2 ov), 3-55 (Trinidad & (I Mahuru, 19.1 ov), 4-55 (N Tobago), Bhaskar Rarua, 19.4 ov), 5-59 (O Sam, Y a d r a m 22.6 ov), 6-70 (K Tau, 29.4 ov), (Guyana) and 7-70 (S Arua, 30.5 ov), 8-70 (D Nyeem YoungAiga, 31.1 ov), 9-92 (J Tau, 38.6

Bhaskar Yadram

SCOREBOARD

(Barbados).

ov), 10-105 (E Eka, 41.1 ov)

Bowling: Young 5-0-14-1, Alimohamed 5.1-1-12-0, Yadram 5-1-91, Hoyte 3-0-18-0, Royal 6-3-4-2, Athanaze 7-2-15-2, Nedd 6-2-10-2, Pemberton 4-0-21-1 Windies under-19s (target 106 from 50 overs) K Melius lbw Tau* 0 K Simmons run out (Nou Rarua) 23 E Stewart*+ st Atai+ b Arua 21 B Yadram not out 37 C Cooper not out 11 Extras (nb 2, w 10, b 1, lb 1)14 Total (3 wickets, 22.3 overs)106 FoW: 1-1 (K Melius, 0.5 ov), 2-53 (E Stewart, 15.6 ov), 3-77 (K Simmons, 17.6 ov) Bowling: Tau 5-0-17-1, Aiga 6.3-0-21-0, Eka 4-0-26-0, Arua 5-0-31-1, Arua 2-0-9-0

Jamual John will be looking to start 2018 on the front wheel when he competes in GCF’s first Points race on January 28

T

he Guyana Cycling Federation’s (GCF) 2018 calendar of activities will kick off come January 28 with the staging of its first “points” race.

This will see the top cyclists of the country converging for the first time in the New Year as they each seek to prop up their individual chances of drawing first blood in the sense of racking up points.

Jamual John was last year’s most consistent rider after tallying the most points across all GCF races ahead of Paul DeNobrega; the two had a great rivalry in 2017 and will be sure to provide great entertainment this year as well.

However, DeNobrega will want to push himself further while John has already signaled his intention of crowning 2018 with more success than 2017, the latter has already started a rigorous training regime and will be hoping to carry over his form from last year.

Not to be ignored is the ever evolving Alanzo Ambrose who proved his self to be a formidable opponent last year as he pushed John and company to the limits even winning the last points race of 2017.

This year should make for intriguing contests as all the cyclists will seek to develop and push each other in their quest to reach the pinnacle of success in 2018.

On January 27 the cyclists will get some much needed track time in as National Cycling Coach Hassan Mohamed is organizing a meet at the inner circuit of the National Park; the feature 35-lap Schoolboys Invitational race will be sure to attract the country’s top cyclists and provide top quality entertainment for cycling fans and enthusiasts.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Pg 23

CPL

– over US$14M injected in 2017 Cricket-crazy fans packed in at Providence during the Hero Caribbean Premier League 2017

The Ashes 2017-18, Australia

Australia complete

4-0 drubbing Pg 19

Australia celebrate their triumph in grand style (Getty Images)

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