Guyana Times, Saturday, December 21, 2019

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4144

saturday, december 21, 2019

ExxonMobil begins pumping oil See story on page 5

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Any turnaround plan for sugar must include reopening of estates P5 ę&#x;ˇ GAWU

...December 20 named "National Petroleum Day" One year after NCM vote

Decision prompted by firing of over 7000 sugar workers Page 3

2 female P2 prisoners pardoned by President

Accused purse snatcher to spend Christmas in jail P8 Numerous road violations found during Operation Safe P14 Road

Christmas shopping In this composite photo, Guyanese Troy Henry and Edward Jameson sit with Leo Houlding, an international climber, and his teammates Ann Taylor, Waldo Etherington, Wilson Cutbirth, Dan Howard and Matt Pycroft at Roraima. The Indigenous men of Phillipai village, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) are the first two Guyanese to ever complete the 600m exhilarating yet equally rewarding climb up Mount Roraima (Matt Pycroft/Coldhouse/Berghaus photo)

Govt has no solutions for security sector – Jagdeo

Police torture

Page 7

Page 14

Cops charged for kidnapping, wounding teen

Vendors decry slow business in Georgetown

P12

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saturday, DECEMBER 21, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

2 female prisoners pardoned by President

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Sherryann Marks

wo women convicted of larceny and threatening language have been granted the presidential pardon by President David Granger, effective December 23, 2019.

The women – 19-yearold Sherryann Marks and 33-year-old Simone Williams –were both incarcerated at the New Amsterdam Prison, Berbice.

In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) said that pursuant to powers under Article 188, 189 and 190 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the caretaker Headof-State granted presidential

Simone Williams

pardons to the duo after considering them “fit and proper to receive such pardons”.

Both prisoners served a portion of their respective sentences for offences and in observance of Christmas, they will be released on Monday.

“It is expected that this expression of compassion and humanity by His Excellency will result in families being re-united, and the pardoned offenders leading good and useful lives hereon,” the statement from MoTP said.

Just four months ago, four males convicted of narcotics possession were also

granted early releases from President Granger in commemoration of Emancipation Day (August 1).

The four pardonees were Robert Bhagnauth, 39; Michael Gouveia, 23; Andy Roberts, 38; and Joseph Yaw, 54. They all served a portion of their sentences for possession of cannabis.

The early releases of the four men came at a time when the caretaker coalition Government took steps to remove custodial sentences for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

About a month prior to them being pardoned, the Government had said in a statement that after extensive discussions and reviews, “Cabinet has approved a proposal to remove custodial sentences for persons found to be in possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana”.

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saturday, DECEMBER 21, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Saturday, December 21 – 01:00h -02:30h and 13:30h – 15:00h and Sunday, December 22 – 01:30h – 03:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Saturday, December 21 – 12:40h -14:10h and Sunday, December 22 – 13:40h – 15:10h.

One year after NCM vote

Decision prompted by firing of over 7000 sugar workers

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunshine with partly cloudy skies will prevail throughout the day. There will also be partly cloudy skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: North-Easterly to East South-Easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 24:07h and 12:39h reaching maximum heights of 2.35 metres and 2.43 metres.

Low Tide: 06:05h and 18:42h reaching minimum heights of 0.84 metre and 0.78 metre.

wednesday, DECember 18, 2019

LOTTERY NUMBERS M

07 11 14

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FREE TICKET

06 Bonus Ball

Friday, December 20, 2019 DAILY MILLIONS

07 14 19 24 26 LUCKY 3

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Thursday, December 19, 2019

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

Former AFC MP Charrandass Persaud speaking with the media following the NCM on December 21, 2018

Smiles on the faces of Government MPs just before their Government was toppled

veryone waited with bated breaths as the No-Confidence Motion was put to vote. It was the evening of December 21, 2018.

The coalition government was confident that the Parliamentary Opposition was wasting its time and that it had the full support of all 33 of its parliamentarians.

Then suddenly, from within the Government benches, a resounding “yes” echoed throughout the hollow chambers of Parliament.

There was immediate chatter, and then, all that was heard was “Charrandass, no!”

Charrandass Persaud, an Alliance For Change (AFC) backbencher, had just created history.

For the first time in Guyana’s National Assembly, a Member of Parliament (MP) voted against his own Government, causing it to topple on a motion of no-confidence.

Confusion then permeated throughout the packed the chamber. The voting was paused. Government Leaders tried all that they can to convince their colleague to change his vote.

After more than five minutes of interruption, House Speaker Dr Barton Scotland instructed that Clerk Sherlock Isaacs retake the vote of the Government members.

And the defeat could not have been any clearer, as Charrandass Persaud boldly declared “yes, yes, yes!”

had no say in anything and so we supported all government bills blindly. That was wrong,” Persaud explained.

E

All over again

One year later, and despite the year-long ruckus that followed that fateful night, Persaud said he would do it all over again.

“Frankly, if I had to do it again, I would do it willingly,” Persaud said, in a statement to the media Friday night.

Persaud’s life was threatened and, on that very night, he was forced to flee the country, fearing that he would no longer be safe in Guyana following his vote.

At that time, Persaud explained that the AFC’s subordinate role to the majority A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) was the main reason he made a conscious vote.

As he reflected on that night, Persaud noted that he could no longer stay with a party that “lost its purpose”.

“As the days went by for

me as a Parliamentarian, I became more and more uncomfortable sitting as an AFC MP. It was obvious that the AFC had lost its purpose; lost its direction and had become ‘yes men’. We were mere toys in the hands of the PNC,” he outlined.

For instance, he highlighted the issue with sugar workers, saying that the AFC had no say on the matter.

“When it came to the closure of the sugar estates, even [Moses] Nagamootoo, as Prime Minister, had no say.

It was handed to us, the AFC, and we embraced it…The AFC showed no backbone and so we were dominated by

Cling to power

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which had tabled the motion, reminded of the issues that fuelled its no-confidence in the Government.

“The corruption, incompetence, lack of vision, discrimination, neglect of the productive sectors, mismanagement and squandermania which permeate every sector of Government over the past year, aggregate to vindicate

ing the nation’s democratic credentials and governing by tyranny rather than the Constitution and by virtue of the will of the people”.

“Notwithstanding the fact that they are utterly illegal, they continue in office as if it is business as usual,” the PPP added.

In fact, the Party pointed out that this past year has showcased the Government’s “tenacious attempts to deny the right of the Guyanese electorate to exercise their franchise to vote at the next elections and their aggressive agenda to compromise the electoral process”.

Legal battle

PNC member Volda Lawrence and AFC member Raphael Trotman look at Charrandass Persaud following his vote

the PNC in the name of ‘coalition’,” he explained.

Prior to the no-confidence vote, Persaud recalled that he and other backbenchers had emailed the AFC leadership, requesting a meeting to discuss the matter but the request was denied.

“That email met with a simple response from Nagamootoo…‘vote when we vote’. As backbenchers, we

the passage of the NCM,” the Party said in a statement Friday night.

And, in reflecting on the past 12 months, the PPP pointed out that the Government has shown the entire world the lengths to which it will travel to “cling to political power, including disobeying rulings from the Judiciary, abrogating the rule of law, trampling upon the Constitution, destroy-

Members of the coalition government had evidently accepted defeat.

The House Speaker had concluded that: “Honourable Members, you have heard the result of the vote, 33 in favour and 32 against. It means that the motion is carried”.

Government Chief Whip Amna Ally had earlier, during the debates, declared “the APNU/AFC has a solid 33. You have an indecisive 32”.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan had also posited “they [Opposition] not gonna get anybody [to vote in their favour]. People are very sensible”.

Even President David Granger accepted defeat, committing to having early elections. In a statement, he said, “We will do everything necessary to facilitate the smooth functioning of General and Regional Elections”.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, DECEMBER 21, 2019

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

Being responsible during the holidays

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e are currently in the height of the festive season and, as expected, there would be merry-making at the various workplaces, at people’s homes, or other social gatherings. Due to the numerous parties, it is also a time when some persons would increase their level of alcohol intake. Like in everything else though, it is always wise for one to exercise good judgement when he/ she is indulging since there can be serious consequences for behaving irresponsibly.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), alcohol kills a whopping three million people worldwide each year — more than AIDS, violence and road accidents combined. WHO’s Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018 presents a comprehensive picture of alcohol consumption and the disease burden attributable to alcohol worldwide. According to the WHO, the alcohol death rate for Guyana is 5.95 per 100,000 (globally ranked 70).

Even more worrying is that just recently at an event, Pan American Health Organisation/ World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) Resident Representative in Guyana, Dr William Adu-Krow disclosed startling statistics about the prevalence of children using alcohol on a regular basis here. He pointed to a recent survey which revealed that of the scores of 14-year-old students interviewed, 39.2 per cent of them reported that he/she consumed at least one alcoholic beverage within a 30-day period.

A whopping 79 per cent of the students who participated in the survey stated that they had consumed their first alcoholic beverage before the age of 14.

Additionally, the survey shows that even among adults, the statistics focused on alcohol consumption are soaring 36 per cent.

The negative effects of drinking too much alcohol can be divided into short-term and long-term effects. The short-term effects of drinking too much alcohol are loss of judgement, loss of coordination, blurred vision, slurring of speech, and loss of balance. These negative effects can cause one to make bad decisions while being under the influence. The long-term effects include loss of brain cells, liver failure, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancer, epilepsy, nerve damage, and heart failure. If the abuse of alcohol does not cause immediate problems, then excessive use over a period of time can cause major problems down the line.

Further, alcoholism contributes to a range of social problems, for example, there has been an increase in cases of domestic and other forms of violence in our society.

Official statistics show that one in four Guyanese women have been physically abused in a relationship. In addition, alcoholism contributes to suicide, which has been and continues to be a major social problem in Guyana. Official statistics show that suicide deaths average between 150 and 200 annually.

Also, one cannot ignore the countless number of road deaths in recent months. The newspapers’ pages are splashed almost daily with reports of fatalities and injuries due to reckless and irresponsible behaviour of motorists, some of this is due to driving under the influence of alcohol.

The effects of alcohol abuse are well known. Citizens should, therefore, be encouraged to make a better judgement in every situation in the interest of one’s self, family and community. While it is not our intention to place the blame on all our problems on alcohol, one cannot dispute the fact it is indeed a contributory factor to some of the social ills we face in our country today.

We urge all stakeholders to redouble their efforts and step up the campaign to spread more awareness and education about the dangers of alcohol abuse. While the Government must play a crucial role in designing the relevant programmes and policies and putting in place the necessary legislative framework aimed at addressing the harmful use of alcohol, this burden must also be shared by other stakeholders too, such as religious groups, the private sector and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), etc. The statistics referred to above are very alarming and should be used as a wake-up call for the authorities to take the appropriate action.

Street performer Thomas Liberto from Bel Air, Maryland, who goes by the social media name “Mr Christmas Tree,” sits by Christmas decorations around midtown New York (AFP photo)

Venezuela’s Christmas lights glow after a dark year A fter a tumultuous year in Venezuela with unprecedented blackouts, the country’s Government has put up brilliant displays of Christmas lights, trying to spread a little holiday cheer.

Cars filled with families have choked a Caracas avenue as Christmas approaches to see one of the displays President Nicolas Maduro’s Government has strung over the Guaire River.

Not everybody was impressed. Barrelling through traffic, one driver shouted sarcastically from his car window: “And people say there’s a crisis in Venezuela!”

The lights glow as people still have painful memories from March, when the nation went dark for four days

in the nation’s worst-ever power failure. Millions outside the capital still go without lights — or any electricity — a good part of each day.

Guadalupe Fares, 36, took her two young children with her to gaze up at the millions of lights. She said she wanted to feel a normal life, at least for a few moments, but acknowledged mixed feelings.

“It’s kind of bizarre because you see so many people in need,” she said. “But at the same time, people are enjoying themselves”.

Maduro’s socialist government has staged more than 20 light displays across the capital of Caracas and several others in cities throughout the country.

The most stunning Christmas display is in Las

Mercedes district, famous for upscale restaurants and pulsing nightlife. Strings of lights — reportedly 5 million of them — stretch for a city block over the Guaire River, notoriously polluted with Caracas sewage.

Packed cars cruised past with their windows rolled down, while children poked their heads through sunroofs for a better look. Families on foot strolled a walkway, stopping to squeeze in for selfies.

Residents say they don’t recall such extravagant light displays previously, especially in the last few years as the once-wealthy oil nation has spiralled into political and economic crisis.

In most Caracas neighbourhoods families shun the streets at night for fear

of crime, and drivers keep their windows rolled up while carefully navigating around open manholes hidden in darkness.

Most homes don’t have reliable water and drivers wait for hours, sometimes days, in most of the country to gas up — despite Venezuela having the world’s largest reserves of oil.

Venezuela’s bitter political fight hasn’t taken a Christmas holiday.

Maduro’s Culture Minister Ernesto Villegas shot back at critics of the light decorations on Twitter, saying everybody raved in 2006, when then-popular opposition Gov. Henrique Capriles decorated the same stretch of river. (Excerpt from CityNews)

China-Brazil satellite launched into space to monitor Amazon rainforest

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n Earth observation satellite jointly developed by China and Brazil was launched into space on Friday under a bilateral programme seen as a template for broader cooperation among BRICS nations.

The China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite-4A was launched on a Long March4B rocket in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

The satellite was the sixth developed under the China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS) programme that began in 1988. The satellites are designed for Earth observation from orbit for non-military

An aerial view shows a deforested area in the Amazon rainforest, near the city of Altamira, Para state, Brazil

use.

The CBERS-4A will support the Brazilian Government’s monitoring of the Amazon rainforest and changes in the country’s

environment, according to Xinhua.

Another eight satellites were put into orbit by the same rocket, including a wide-range, multi-spectral,

remote-sensing microsatellite donated to Ethiopia.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – collectively known as BRICS – have been in talks on a framework agreement to create a constellation of satellites for Earth remote-sensing and share data obtained by each other’s satellites.

Each country will provide one to two satellites to the constellation, according to the China National Space Administration in 2018.

The CBERS satellites would be included in the constellation programme.

Currently, only South Africa in the BRICS bloc does not have satellites of its own. (Reuters)

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saturday, december 21, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

ExxonMobil begins pumping oil

…December 20 named “National Petroleum Day”

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nited States oil giant ExxonMobil has commenced production of Guyana’s oil in the Stabroek Block, where 14 discoveries of crude in commercial quantities have been made since 2015.

“ExxonMobil [on Friday] announced that oil production has started from the Liza field offshore Guyana ahead of schedule and less than five years after the first discovery of hydrocarbons, which is well ahead of the industry average for deepwater developments,” a statement from the company revealed.

It was noted that production from the first phase of the Liza field, located in the 6.6 million acres Stabroek Block, is expected to reach full capacity of 120,000 barrels of oil per day in the coming months, and the first cargo is set to be sold within several weeks.

Only in September, the Liza Destiny floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) arrived in Guyana’s waters. The vessel is a significant component of the Liza Phase One Development, which involves four undersea drill centres with 17 production wells. Besides its produc-

tion capacity of 120,000 barrels of oil per day, it also has an overall storage volume of 1.6 million barrels.

During normal operations, there will be at least 80 persons living and working onboard the vessel.

With the 120,000 barrels expected daily from production in the Liza Phase One Development, it is estimated that Guyana will earn some US$300 million annually.

ExxonMobil had previously said there is potential for at least five FPSO vessels in the Stabroek Block, producing more than 750,000 barrels of oil per day by 2025.

Liza Phase Two Development is expected to start-up by mid-

2022. It had been reported that the project would use the Liza Unity FPSO to produce up to 220,000 barrels per day.

With Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holding 30 per cent interest in the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil’s affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) has 45 per cent interest and is also the operator of the 6.6 million acres block while CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China’s state-owned CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.

Meanwhile, President David Granger has issued a proclamation to declare

December 20 as ‘National Petroleum Day‘.

According to the Head of State in a release from the Ministry of the Presidency late Friday evening, the proclamation will remind Guyanese of their duty to protect the country’s patrimony and to ensure the sustainable management of finite hydrocarbon resources. “…three months ahead of the original schedule, Guyana has become a petroleum-producing state,” he declared.

President Granger noted that oil production will be a transformative process in the country’s economic development. The petroleum sector, he added, will stimulate in-

Any turnaround plan for sugar must include reopening of estates — GAWU

The Wales Sugar Estate, West Bank Demerara (WBD), which was the first to be closed by the APNU/AFC coalition government putting thousands of workers and their families on the breadline

W

hile the future of the country’s sugar industry remains uncertain, any turnaround plan must include the reopening of the four sugar estates which the coalition government closed over the past few years.

This is according to General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), Seepaul Narine, who, during his Union’s endof-year press conference on Friday, stated that to date, the rationale behind the Government’s move in having those estates closed remains unknown.

The closure of the four sugar estates at Rose HallCanje, Skeldon, (both in Berbice), East Demerara (Enmore to Ogle) and Wales (West Bank Demerara) threw thousands of persons into a fi-

nancial crisis.

On Friday, GAWU once again questioned whether such an action was to inflict further punishment or to perpetuate impoverishment.

“Or, is there something more sinister afoot? We wish to remind that the estates were more than just producers of sugar and molasses, they were the hive of activities for several villages and represented a beacon of sustenance and hope for very many. Apart from being major employers, the estates’ operation ensured that villages were drained, thus, preventing sickness and diseases and which supported local farming activities and the consumption activities by sugar workers and their families sustained many businesses and vendors.”

According to the workers’ union, the sugar estates

that have been closed possess valuable and fertile landholdings.

“Already, we have learnt that the lands at Wales Estate have been distributed to individuals and organisations though there was not even an invitation to allow ex-workers and other interested Guyanese to apply to utilise the lands for economic ventures. We understand that a similar plan is unfolding along the East Coast. This information coincides with the intention of GuySuCo to dismantle the Enmore packaging plant and to remove certain components of the Enmore factory to be used in one of the operable estates,” Narine stated.

As yet another year begins, the GAWU executive emphasised that although the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) has highlighted a number of undertakings come 2020, any turnaround plan for the industry must include the reopening of the four closed estates.

“From our interaction with GuySuCo, we learnt that the Corporation is intent on improving field productivity, go into further mechanisation and rehabilitate its factories. Apart from those investments, the Corporation aims to construct a white sugar plant and a cogeneration plant at Albion. There is also a plan to establish a co-generation facility at Blairmont and to expand that estate’s pack-

aging plant and at Uitvlugt.

The GuySuCo shared that it will also improve its facilities to produce more bagged sugar and is examining the establishment of a distillery at that location as well.”

Source of financing

However, despite the plethora of plans that the GuySuCo signalled its intent on executing, the Corporation has repeatedly cried out about lack of financing, resulting in the GAWU also questioning the source of financing for the abovementioned ambitious projects.

In the last four years, the coalition government, insisting that the sugar industry is bleeding the treasury, has closed four sugar estates, sending home over 7000 workers.

To date, thousands of those fired workers are still struggling to find a job. Many of them often tell of the hardship they face to feed their families. At Wales, West Bank Demerara, children of some of the fired workers are forced to find part-time jobs to help their parents with school expenses.

In May of this year, the Government was preparing to sell off huge swathes of land owned by the GuySuCo as part of moves to sell off the several loss-making estates.

This was being executed even as the Administration prepared to revive interest in the ‘for sale’ assets by local and foreign investors.

creased employment and expand services.

The Head of State went on to outline that the coalition Government will unveil a “Decade of Development, 2020-2029” aimed at ensuring that petroleum resources will be utilised to provide the “good life” for all.

“The ‘Decade’ is a ten-year plan to intensify development and improve citizens’ quality of life. Every Guyanese will benefit from petroleum production. No one will be left behind,” he asserted.

The President continued that the coalition Government has taken steps to safeguard the national interest.

This includes setting up the Department of Energy to manage the country’s hydrocarbon resources. The Department, he noted, is seeking the best advice, including international best practices as it builds the institutional, legislative and regulatory capability to manage this sector effectively and efficiently.

Another step highlighted by the President is the passage of the Natural Resource Fund Act 2019 in the National Assembly back in January this year. He pointed out that the “Act” provides for ensuring that the country’s resource wealth “…benefits both current and future generations…”, and that it incorporates oversight, accounting, reporting and auditing mechanisms to promote prudent, transparent and accountable management of oil revenues.

“Guyanese, I assure that your Government will manage petroleum revenues prudently to ensure fiscal discipline, financial sector stability, sustainable levels of public debt and low infla-

tion. Withdrawals from the ‘Fund’ will follow a balanced approach, prioritising investment in public education, public health, public infrastructure, public security, social protection and other social services and will support private sector development,” the Head of State posited.

Further, President Granger stated that petroleum production has brought the prospects of a higher quality of life closer to Guyanese households and neighbourhoods. He added that it is a momentous event that should be commemorated for perpetuity.

“Guyana’s future is brighter with the beginning of ‘first oil’. The ‘good life’ for everyone beckons. Let us work together to build a happy and prosperous country for the present and future generations,” the President stressed.

ExxonMobil signed its contract with Guyana in 1999 under the People’s Progressive Party Government.

In 2015, the oil giant announced a significant oil discovery on the Stabroek Block, located approximately 120 miles offshore Guyana.

The well encountered more than 295 feet (90 metres) of high-quality oil-bearing sandstone reservoirs.

On May 8, 2015, days prior to General and Regional Elections, the then Government – PPP/C – had announced that ExxonMobil discovered hydrocarbons offshore Guyana while drilling the Liza-1 exploration well at the Stabroek Block. However, now coalition Government, which was in Opposition at the time, had said that the PPP’s announcement was a mere elections gimmick.

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saturday, DECEMBER 21, 2019

Page

Foundation …give a gift you don’t have to buy

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By Pamela S Willsey

ecember is in full swing which means holiday cheer and stress have arrived! For parents of teens and emerging adults, there may be a new shift in how the holidays will be spent. Perhaps your teen or emerging adult is studying or working abroad, or has a friend or significant other they want to spend the holidays with instead. This topic is very personal to me as my own family is currently experiencing this shift now.

My eldest child is in another country and my youngest is finishing up her senior year at college. Our holidays look different from the celebrations and traditions in the past.

This shift can cause additional emotional stress that may be new to you and your family.

Remember, making them feel guilty about creating new holiday traditions will not make them want to come home.

We can, however, manage our thoughts and set intentions to help guide our families to create the loving and warm experiences we all want to enjoy this holiday season. Here are four tips parents can use to sustain their connections as their kids get older.

that this experience has had on them has, I hope, laid a founda-

Begin with your mindset

We as parents create the blueprint for how our kids will think and feel about the holidays. When you envision the holiday you want, ask yourself: “how do I want to feel? How do I want my kids to feel? What can I do to create that mutual experience?” Think on what values you have shared with your kids and how that has shaped their holiday experiences. It’s also important to note what you should refrain from doing that prohibits creating the kind of holiday you want for yourself and your family. Re-evaluating and changing your expectations will help give you a chance to embrace and enjoy the shift.

For example, if one or more of your children are not able to be home this year, instead of focusing on that change and loss, remind your-

self that this year is an opportunity to create new traditions and memories, even if it is a scaled-down version of years past. Sometimes less is more.

Set your intentions

What is your goal for this

brating in a leisurely manner. Adding a weekend away with friends gives us something special to look forward to. Getting her input helps us all have a part in our new holiday traditions.

Ways to connect with your family

No matter which holidays you and your family choose to celebrate, think of ways to extend the meaning past material items. In what ways can you and your family give to others?

How can you all perform acts of love and service while simultaneously creating memories and experiences together? What traditions can your family participate in that fulfil everyone’s holiday wishes? ◘ Creating a warm and welcoming home ◘ Preparing familiar foods ◘ Reading books, listening to music, or watching movies ◘ Playing games ◘ Looking at old photos ◘ Vacations or events together ◘ Serving a less-fortunate community ◘ Donating time to volunteering ◘ Spending meaningful time together

holiday season?

It is important to be conscious and intentional about the aspects you do have control over. This year will be different. Controlling the controllables will help you manage some of the unwanted thoughts and feelings you’re experiencing, as well as some stress your kids may be feeling, too. As our family celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas, we have always had the tradition of performing service on Christmas Day. My intent for this is to instil a sense of how meaningful volunteering is for all involved. As my children have grown, the impact

making a ence in the world.

tion f o r how they think about differ-

Creating new memories is a choice that we as parents can make just by focusing on what matters most – the connection with our children at every stage of their lives. (psychologytoday.com)

Invest in what’s important

Ask your teens or emerging adults what is most important to them this holiday season. You have created your ideas about the holiday you want, but have you asked your family what part of the holidays matter most to them? What do they wish was different? My daughter just finished an exhausting semester at college. We sat down together to discuss what she wants this holiday season to look like. I want music and relaxation, and she also would prefer a slower pace, along with a change of scenery. We decided together to incorporate lots of comfy home time, decorating the tree and cele-

T

he whole family will want to get in on the fun when it comes time to make these simple tissue paper wreaths! All it takes are a few basic supplies and a little bit of patience to create your own personalised Christmas wreath – add pom poms, sequins or glitter for a festive finishing touch! These wreaths are easy and inexpensive to make, and they make great homemade holiday gifts for the kids to give to Grandma!

You will need:

Circular wreath form – cut from recycled cereal box or a paper plate Lots and LOTS of green tissue paper squares White glue Paint brush Pencil with eraser Embellishments – pom poms, sequins, etc (optional) Ribbon or string for hanging

Making the wreath

Use the paintbrush to spread a small amount of white glue on to a section of the wreath (work on about one-sixth of the wreath at a time). Use the eraser end of the pencil to shape each square of tissue paper as shown.

Use the eraser to help you place your tissue paper squares on to the wreath form, and continue to work section by section until the entire wreath form is full and covered.

Add optional embellishments – pom poms make great holly berries, sequins and glitter add sparkle, and large buttons make nice “ornaments.”

Add a ribbon for hanging, and the wreath is ready to be displayed or gifted! (happinessishomemade.net)

7 Govt has no solutions for security sector – Jagdeo NEWS

saturday, DECEMBER 21, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

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pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo says that the governing APNU/AFC coalition, even after nearly five years in office, has failed to come up with proper solutions to tackle the challenges within the security sector.

Speaking at his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo was at the time commenting on remarks made by President David Granger during a breakfast feast with senior

ranks of the Guyana Police Force on Wednesday.

The Head of State told the senior law enforcement ranks that Guyanese desire a Force that they can trust and as such, charged them to ensure that they understand their roles so that they can fulfil their responsibilities.

However, Jagdeo pointed out that while it is true Guyanese indeed desire a Police Force they can trust, there have been no effective solutions to achieve this.

“You’ve been President for coming up to five years and people want to hear more about how you’re going to solve the crime situation in Guyana and how you’re gonna get the Police Force they can trust. You can’t just declare it that this is what people want. Yes, we agree – all of us want that but how do you get there?” he posited According to the Opposition Leader, finding such solutions starts with first accepting that there is a problem.

“So we’re getting these one-liners all the time

The minibus and truck which left five people dead at Mahaicony on Thursday last

with no solutions. [Public Security Minister Khemraj] Ramjattan has been a huge failure. Saying he’s been an abysmal failure is an understatement.

Ramjattan has been a total failure in this sector and Granger, as the Chief Executive in the Government, he doesn’t address the issue,” Jagdeo contended.

Turning his attention to the tragic traffic situation, the Opposition Leader noted that a national approach is needed to curb the growing number of deaths on the country’s roadways.

“I just want to say we express our sympathies to all those who have lost their lives in these horrific accidents that seem to be plagu-

Decision prompted by...

But then, the Government mounted a legal challenge, claiming that it was not defeated by the No-Confidence Motion, that 33 did not form the majority of the 65-member House.

The legal challenge made it all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which upheld the passage of the motion, with Justice Winston Anderson lamenting the slothfulness in the preparation for elections, which ought to have been held by March 21, 2019 – in keeping with the Guyana Constitution.

Apart from the ruling on the motion, the CCJ also handed down a landmark

ruling on the appointment of Retired Justice James Patterson as the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission.

According to the CCJ, the appointment, which was done unilaterally by the President, was unconstitutional.

Thus, began the long dance between the Headof-State and the Opposition Leader to select a new GECOM Chairman.

Eventually, Retired Justice Claudette Singh was mutually agreed upon and appointed, and the preparations for elections commenced.

Prior to the CCJ rul-

ing on this matter, however, GECOM – on the orders of Justice Patterson – began a lengthy House-to-House Registration process, despite lack of Opposition support – which was eventually halted following a court ruling.

Today, GECOM – under the leadership of Justice Singh – continues to battle with the preparation of the Official List of Electors, with the Government pushing for the inclusion of the data gathered during the nowscrapped House-to-House Registration process, even though evidence shows that a lot of the information is flawed.

From page 3

For example, some of the persons listed as new registrants are either dead or were previously registered.

Elections are expected to be held on March 2, 2020 – more than a year after the Government was defeated by the No-Confidence Motion.

And, according to the PPP, these past four years should demonstrate to all why the APNU/AFC coalition should “never be trusted again with political power”.

ing our roads. Clearly, there has to be some national – not a political, not a partisan – approach to this matter to bring safety on our roads because too many productive Guyanese lives are lost because of these accidents etc,” he asserted.

Jagdeo went on to say that the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will support any such a national approach tackling the existing road carnage.

“So we are willing to be part at any time of any team that will approach this matter in a way that it deserves, and from a national perspective, not a political or partisan perspective,” he stressed.

As of December 8, a total of 115 road deaths were recorded – a figure which surpassed the total number of traffic fatalities in 2018. In fact, Traffic Chief Linden Isles told Guyana Times at the time that these deaths

were recorded from 98 accidents.

However, there have since been many other road accidents which have claimed the lives of Guyanese. Only Wednesday, a horrific crash between a minibus and a beverage delivery truck at Fairfield, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara resulted in the death of six persons.

Police Commissioner Leslie James, at several events this week, repeated the need for road users both drivers and pedestrians to change their attitude on the roadways to ensure the safety of not only themselves but fellow Guyanese as well.

Similar sentiments were echoed by the Georgetown Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) in a statement on Thursday. The Chambers recognised that poor enforcement of traffic laws is among several factors that contribute to the road carnage.

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Accused fraudster back in court for forgery charge

S

ix months after being slapped with fraud charges alongside his mother and fiancée, 26-year-old Dexter Thompson was again hurled before the court for allegedly using forged United States money to a flower merchant.

The clothes vendor, of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD), appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on January 26, 2019, at Alberttown, Georgetown, with intent to defraud, uttered to Marie Sampson US$650 knowing same to be forged.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that on the day in ques-

Alleged fraudster Dexter Thompson

tion, the repeat offender visited Sampson’s shop and purchased flowers. The defendant then paid for the purchase with US$50 while proceeding to exchange some other US notes.

However, upon examining the foreign currency, the victim noticed that it was counterfeit. A report was made and Thompson was later arrested at the city Magistrates’ Courts while attending court for a similar matter.

Prosecutor Mansfield objected to bail on the grounds that the defendant was previously charged for a similar offence.

Chief Magistrate upheld the prosecution’s submission and remanded Thompson to prison until January 17, 2020.

Fisherman remanded on B&E charge

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hirty-two-year-old Kevin McRae, a fisherman, on Friday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts charged for breaking and entering.

McRae pleaded not guilty to the charge which stated that between December 8, 2019, and December 10, 2019, at Orange Walk, Bourda, Georgetown, he broke and entered the dwelling house of Hubert October and stole a number of articles valued at $647,000.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield informed the court that McRae and October are known to each other.

Remanded: Kevin McRae

The prosecution is contending that the Virtual Complainant secured his

property and went out on December 8.

However, upon return,

October noticed that some of his household articles were missing. The court heard that on inquiry, the defendant was questioned by the VC about the missing articles. According to the prosecution’s case, McRae allegedly confessed to the offence and took the VC to the persons to whom he sold the items. However, after failed attempts to retrieve the articles, October reported the matter to the Police.

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan remanded McRae to prison. The case will continue on December 27.

Accused purse snatcher to spend Christmas in jail

C

hief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Friday remanded a 31-yearold miner to prison on a charge of snatching a woman’s purse.

Delroy Boyce of Kingston, Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and denied the offence which read that on December 17, 2019, at Brickdam, Georgetown, he stole one purse valued $3000, a cellular phone valued $55,000 and $25,000 property of Amanda Dunn.

The prosecution contended that the Virtual Complainant was standing on Brickdam when Boyce brazenly approached and snatched her purse. The court heard that the miner, who made good his escape, was later arrested after swift action by Police.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail on the grounds of the prevalence of the offence and the penalty it attracts.

He was remanded and the case will continue on January 3, 2020.

Same ole, same ole...

T

...Police mindset he fact that the Policemen who tortured that youthman over on the West Bank haven’t even been named, tells a lot about why nothing’s going to change in that institution. The torturers’ father, you see, is a high-ranking Police Officer and it’s obvious that his “reputation” is being protected. Contrast that kid-glove treatment with that time a fella wounded his sister-inlaw and every newspaper in the land blared “Ex-PM Sam Hinds’ son charged for wounding sister-in-law”!!

In Guyana, the Police who’re supposed to uphold the law as they “serve and protect” citizens are a law unto themselves. And it’s been so ever since the Police Force was launched back in 1839. It’s not a coincidence that this was just a year after slavery had been abolished. After hundreds of years of brutalising the slaves, the British were, not surprisingly, a tad apprehensive with their reaction after their chains were removed!! So rather than modelling the Police after the own London baton-wielding Bobbies, the Guyana Police were armed with guns to deal more condignly with the newly-created citizenry!!

The Guyana Police have never really moved away from the mindset created then as to their relationship with the people: “brute force and ignorance” was their watchword.

In the beginning, most of the cops were recruited from Bajan immigrants – to ensure they wouldn’t be swayed by any sympathy for folks they might’ve known. Up to independence, they were mostly commanded by white officers brought over from Britain. When it came to their performance, they can be judged by the number of times they were willing to shoot “rioters” over the years.

After independence, Burnham intensified the authoritarian culture of the Police as he used them primarily to quell dissent from those opposed to him.

When the British were ruling, at least the Police were following the law – unfairly drafted as they were – when they shot or arrested civilians. Under the PNC, they were guided by the whims of the PNC big sticks and it is during that period that they were irremediably corrupted. How could a wayward officer be disciplined when he was in cahoots with more senior officers all the way up the line, to do the PNC’s dirty work?

There was little the PPP could do when they acceded to office and the out-of-office PNC called on them as “kit and kin” to turn a blind eye to their shenanigans. This undermined the very existence of the Guyanese state – especially when, eventually, para-military drug-related gangs became involved to mete out “vigilante “justice”!

The GPF needs a root and branch makeover! ...three-card (oil) monte The con in oil continues unabated under the PNC’s caretaker cabal – even though the Opposition Leader has fired a shot across their bow on their barefaced attempt to sell the Guyanese share of first oil without following any proper bidding. To revelations by Bloomberg that spot contracts will be handed out to arbitrarily selected crude oil traders, the Opposition Leader says they won’t recognise those contracts. And rightfully so!!

Imagine Bynoe saying that he just called on the majors – and not the independents – because the former have refining capabilities and would be in a position to assay the quality of the crude so as to get the best price on the market. He just showed how wise Mark Twain was when he advised: “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt”.

If environmentalist Bynoe has asked even the most junior energy flunkey, they would’ve told him there are professional assaying companies like Intertek that perform this role for the spot trade!!

Every day of the week!!! ...hype How low has the reputation of our country been destroyed by the PNC that an “I love Guyana” sign could create so much excitement!!

Yes, we love Guyana...but that love can best be expressed by removing the rascals!!

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

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saturday, DECEMBER 21, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt takeover

Successive Govts have failed to honour agreement – BBCI

Chief Justice Roxane George

T

he Berbice Bridge Company Inc (BBCI) on Friday signalled its intention to appeal the

recent court ruling by acting Chief Justice, Roxane George, who in her judgment said that the Government’s

takeover of the Bridge was lawful.

According to the Berbice Bridge Company Inc, it will, in due course, make its filings to the Court of Appeal seeking to set aside or reverse the ruling of the Chief Justice.

“The Company has, on many occasion pointed out that successive Governments have failed to honour the Agreement for annual adjustments of the toll to cross the Bridge, resulting in accumulated loss of billions of dollars to the Company,” BBCI said in its statement.

It added that it has pointed out that since June 2015, the Public Infrastructure Minister has consistently refused to meet to discuss toll adjustments.

“In the meantime, since the takeover of the Bridge and control over the toll charges, the Company is expected to meet the cost of its operations at continuing loss to the company.”

In November 2018, BBCI disclosed that the Company was facing bankruptcy and as such proposed to increase its tolls to keep the Berbice Bridge afloat. The BBCI, in which the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has majority voting rights on the Board of Directors, was forced to push for the increase in tolls in order to protect its investment, the newspaper was told.

In a shocking move

last November, Public Infrastructure Minister, David Patterson announced that the Government would be taking control of the Berbice Bridge. The Government’s snatch was an apparent effort to nationalise the structure, which

vided which prove that the actions were arbitrary.

The Government’s decision did not go down well with BBCI Vice Chairman Paul Cheong, who in 2018 told Guyana Times that such an arbitrary move was a slap in the face of all pub-

citizen of this land.

In the 1970s and 1980s, numerous private properties were compulsorily acquired by the then PNC Administration. These properties include what is now Citizens Bank, Hope Estate Limited, a huge tract of land

lic-private partnerships.

Several members of the Private Sector were on edge, as, according to a leading businessman, the move by Government did not augur well for investors in Guyana.

Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, in weighing in on the issue, had said that the move by Government to take possession of the Bridge under the guise that it was acting “in the interest of public safety” must have shocked the conscience of every law-abiding

at Liliendaal, Takuba Lodge, Echilibar Villas and dozens more. In many instances, no monies were paid to the owners of these properties and in the cases where there were payments, the price was pegged to a 1939 valuation as was the law during that period.

According to Nandlall, this act of the Government will certainly cause irreversible damage to Guyana’s image as an investment destination.

The Berbice River Bridge

was financed mainly by private investors.

BBCI had denounced the shocking announcement, describing the order as unlawful. The company then challenged the decision in the High Court.

Earlier this week, in her ruling, the CJ said that Government’s temporary takeover of the Berbice River Bridge was lawful and also stated that she saw no reason for the court’s interference with the decision since no evidence was pro-

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Christmas shopping

Vendors decry slow business in Georgetown

Stabroek vendor Granville expressed that business was slow

Harry Ram shared that his expectations were not met

This fruits vendor said last year saw many more customers

s scores of persons scurry through Georgetown to conduct their holiday shopping or pick up last-minute items, small merchants are complaining that business is still moving at a slow pace.

With less than one week left before the much-anticipated Christmas Day, Guyana Times visited some key locations in the capital city amid the busy crowds and persuasive vendors.

During this season, there are many items to be checked on the holiday lists, from clothes, gifts, décor, household items and even seasonal fruits from the markets. However,

vendors have claimed that these crowds do not necessarily mean that their businesses are flourishing.

While the Stabroek Market was buzzing with people, one vendor who identified herself as Granville (only name provided,) decried that this year is quite different from the earlier years. She posited that many persons are window-shopping, and quite a few are actually purchasing the merchandises.

She, nevertheless, anticipated that on Christmas Eve Day, there might be a spike in their sales.

She said, “Business is not

like long time. Long time you used to get good sales but now, it slow. We still thank God for the little that we have and that we getting. But like on Christmas Eve Day, we does get good sales. Right now, it’s slow.”

Meanwhile, one woman told this publication that she was able to make the same amount of money as on a regular day. Her stall featured a variety of fruits and vegetables.

“I make a day pay. I work and it doing lil well,” she commented.

On the other hand, Harry Ram, who owns a grocery

A

Regent Street, Georgetown vendor complains of slow sales

stall, shared his position that business in the area has been “normal” for the past days.

However, it was in contradiction to his expectations. This, he believed, is greatly influenced by the earnings of the common man and their willingness to spend.

“I would say normal. It was not to our expectations.

To me, last year was better. It depends on the circulation of money too at the bottom level because if the poor people at the bottom don’t have the spending power, all is going to be affected. These are the main problems in any shopping. From last year to this year, you have a vast decrease because the people don’t have the spending power,” the man shared.

On the outskirts of the market, another lamented that there were more ven-

the truth. Everybody coming out to sell cause there’s no work.”

Just next door, another vendor said that she is awaiting the final three days of the season, when there will be a thrust in the sales.

“It’s the last three days when the place does get busy and the shopping does get more excited. We have to thank God because when you thank God for the small things, big things will come later,” she stated.

A little walk along Regent Street landed this publication

dors in the market than shoppers. As he watched over his selection of fruits, the man explained, “The other years used to be better.

What I could tell you is that they have more sellers than buyers. More people selling than people buying. That’s

to a popular clothes vendor, who expressed that “nothing going on”.

“What how that stand full full…Nothing ain’t going on.

You understand. This country ain’t got money. Regent Street ain’t got nobody. Watch,” he gestured.

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saturday, DECEMBER 21, 2019| guyanatimesgy.com

Numerous road violations found Cops charged for kidnapping, during Operation Safe Road wounding teen Police torture

Charged: Daniel Bernard (left) and Isaiah Bernard

T

wenty-six-year-old Isaiah Bernard and his brother, 24-yearold Daniel Bernard, both policemen, were on Friday hurled before the Leonora Magistrate’s Court to answer to charges of felonious wounding and kidnapping committed against 17-year-old Ashkay Budhairam.

The brothers appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul and denied the charges.

They were charged under Section 57 (a) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act Chapter 8:01 for felonious wounding

and under Section 4 of the Kidnapping Act Chapter 10:05 for abduction with intent to wrongfully confine a person.

Reports are that earlier this week, the two policemen, who are brothers, reportedly forced the Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD) teen to enter a car at Schoonord, after which he was taken to their La Parfaite Harmonie, WBD home. The two brothers accused Budhairam of breaking into their home and stealing a phone and a video game.

According to reports, the cops assaulted the teen with weapons and poured hot water

Injured teen: Ashkay Budhairam

on his body.

Meanwhile, as they were transporting the teen to another location, Budhairam managed to escape.

In an interview with this newspaper, the teenager recalled the horrific six hours of torture he endured before managing to make a daring escape. Budhairam said that during the ordeal he thought he was going to die.

In court on Friday, the two were released on $200,000 bail each. The case has been transferred to the Wales Magistrate’s Court and will continue on January 30, 2020.

Local businesses benefit from US-sponsored workshops

T

he United States Embassy in partnership with the Centre for Local Business Development in Georgetown along with the technical institutes in New Amsterdam and Linden sponsored a series of workshops on ISO 9001-2015 Certification.

On Friday, in a release from the Embassy, it was noted that the aim of the workshops was to increase trade between the US and Guyana in accordance with US priority.

The workshops were held from December 17 to December 20 and were conducted by Humberto Hernandez from the American Petroleum Institute in Houston, Texas. Speaking to the nearly 200 business representatives on the benefits

of developing quality management systems for their companies, Hernandez said it was interesting that a variety of businesses in Guyana were interested and exciting to see so much interest in quality management systems, in particular, ISO 9001-2015.

“The questions asked were on point with a lot of the requirements that are already being addressed within their businesses. I think it’s just a matter of continuing to educate and make the business community aware of how a quality management system can enhance their organisations and improve the success of their business. I think there are many opportunities for local Guyanese, and they’re very eager to learn

and start implementing these requirements,” Hernandez expressed.

ISO 9001-2015 certification confirms a company’s commitment to quality in their management system, regardless of industry. It demonstrates consistency in products and/or services that meet statutory and regulatory requirements, as well as a focus on customer satisfaction.

Requirements are generic and applicable to any organisation, regardless of size, or the products and services provided. Principles audited for certification include customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, improvement, evidence-based decision-making, and relationship management.

Superbet donates to fire victims

G

uiana Holdings Inc, marketed under the name Superbet, recently made a monetary donation to 53-year-old Dularie Lall, a mother of nine, who lost her home to an early morning fire on December 16.

Reports are that Dularie Lall was asleep in her home with four of her children when the fire started at about 03:00h. The intense flames quickly ripped through the wooden structure, preventing the family from salvaging any of their belongings.

The family has indicated that they are seeking assistance to rebuild their home; and showed much gratitude to the Superbet’s team upon receiving the token at Superbet’s head office located at Lot 72 Barrack Street,

Marketing Assistant, Jameel Haley makes a monetary donation to Dularie Lall

Kingston, Georgetown.

General Manager, Shrikant Kisoensingh reiterated that Superbet is commit-

ted to its social responsibility and is always looking for opportunities to give back to communities.

Vehicles at the Brickdam Police Station which were taken off the road for various violations

T

he Guyana Police Force, throughout this week, executed its “Operation Safe Road” exercise in several high traffic areas, where a number of violations were recorded.

Ranks of the Bartica Police Station in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) would have carried out the exercise on Thursday where there were cases of failure to conform sign, failure to wear seatbelt, failure to wear safety helmet, unlighted motor vehicle, obscured identification mark, breach of fitness, tinted glass, failure to stop as directed by Police, unlicensed driver and breach of insurance.

Meanwhile, on Friday morning, a similar operation followed at Grove on the East Bank of Demerara, where five minibus drivers were found guilty of overloading along with 11 tinted vehicles.

At the Stabroek Market area, officers of the Brickdam Police Station found three untidy drivers, three persons who failed to comply with Police direction, four who failed to conform to signs, three breaches of road service license, one person culpable of dangerous driv-

ing, four cases of obstruction caused by motor vehicles among other infringements.

In Region Five (MahaicaBerbice), persons were found driving under the influence of alcohol. There were also instances of unlighted vehicles, tinted vehicles and failure to wear seat belts.

Owing to the rate at which persons were losing their lives, Police Commissioner Leslie James on Tuesday announced that this exercise would be carried out across the country.

Since last Sunday, the Force employed the new operation to decrease these numbers and make the roads safer, especially during the holiday season. James said more human resources would be put aside for this until there is a positive change.

“We are out there in numbers…We sat and strategised after which we commenced an operation referred to as ‘Operation Safe Roads’…We’ve been doing what we have to do. We’ll continue to do what we have to do. We have increased numbers now following this operation that commenced on Sunday and this will continue until we see a change

in the attitude of those using the road,” the Top Cop had stressed.

But one day after he made this announcement, five persons lost their lives and four were seriously injured following a collision between a minibus and a lorry on the Fairfield Public Road, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, on Wednesday morning.

Those confirmed dead were minibus driver Seechan Chandilall, 48, of Lot 102 Bath, West Coast Berbice; Keon Sealey, 33, of Farm, Mahaicony; Alana Vaughn, 31, of Farm, Mahaicony, Ewart Reynolds, 64, of Calcutta Mahaicony, and Maxwell Disreali Thom, 76.

Several passengers who were also in the minibus, BRR 5478, were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and are in a serious condition. They are Cecil Gordon, 46, of Farm, Mahaicony; David Jacobs, 60, and Angela Jacobs, 15, both of Moraikobai, Mahaicony, and lorry driver Sherlon Wills, 46, of Helena, Mahaica. They were all initially taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital where they were treated and then transferred to GPHC.

3 persons win cars in Ariel promotion

T

hree lucky persons now have their very own brand new Toyota Vitz, after being announced winners in the grand draw of Ariel Detergent Christmas Triple Treat Promotion on Friday at Massy Stores, Providence.

Three Toyota Vitz were up for grabs as the grand prizes while $100,000, four hampers and four pot sets were also in the mix as consolation prizes.

Walking away with cars were Tamera Walcott, Donette Hemroly and Dhanrajie Suknanan while Desmond Woon won the $100,000 cash prize.

Winning the hampers were Barbara Lewis, Stacey O’Donoghue, B Bimraj and Liseanne Jones.

Meanwhile, taking home pot sets were Reiaz Azim, Navendra Persaud, Elisha Adams and Hansmattie Parmessar Mohamed.

The presentation of the prizes will be done on a date

One of the three grand prizes which were up for grabs

to be announced shortly.

All customers were required to do for a chance to win, was submit any packet of Ariel except the 95 gram, with their name, address and contact number into an entry

box at participating outlets countrywide such as DSL, Bounty Supermarket and Matti’s.

The promotion ran from October 5 to December 15, 2019.

news

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$120M Early Childhood Centre of Excellence to be built at UG

The site where the ECCE will be built

T

he sod was turned on Friday morning for the University of Guyana’s Early Childhood Centre of Excellence (ECCE), which will serve as a model institution for research and teaching.

This project is funded jointly by the Guyana Government and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) to the tune of $120 million.

Measuring 7624 square feet, other features of this facility will include classrooms, an observation room, conference room and research spaces.

According to Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, it will serve as a medium for the development of early childhood education. It is critical in ensuring that young children are given adequate resources to thrive in their later years.

“Early childhood is a very important period in life. It is a period when children learn an enormous amount about the everyday world. It is also the time when young children acquire lifelong attitudes towards themselves towards others and towards

learning,” said Jordan.

Along with the equipped spaces, the facility will be able to accommodate 120 toddlers and infants – 50 per cent of whom would be children of students and staff at the University. The remaining 50 per cent would be vulnerable children from ‘underprivileged’ communities such as Sophia, Cummings Lodge, Pattensen, Industry and other areas.

It will serve as a demonstration site for pedagogical practice, examining the impact of early experiences and providing a setting for training to undergraduate and graduate students.

“It’s mission must be to advance knowledge of the development in the communities across Guyana…The centre would be responsible for guiding the directions and standards of early childhood education nationwide.

The centre would be unique, in that it not only will contain a facility for our children to grow and thrive in a safe environment conducive to learning but it will also function as a research facility.”

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has also played a part in

the formation of this centre. According to Country Representative, Sylvie Fouet, a child’s early life influences their development significantly.

“Every year of a child’s life is precious but when it comes to survival and development, in particular communities in the first years, are critical. What a child eats, experience or learn in the first thousand days will influence them for the rest of their lives so quality experiences and interventions, usually from birth to six,” Fouet examined.

Six such centres were established in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

There is a cycle involved for such projects to materialise. When initiatives are suggested, the BNTF would analyse the viability of the project, to which the recommended ones are submitted to the CBD for approval. Once this is completed, communities and beneficiaries work with the Fund for planning and executing all phases of the projects.

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Regional

T&T AG: Process to free 'ganga' Carnival Glory cruise ship crashes into Carnival Legend inmates to begin Monday

T

wo Carnival Corp cruise ships collided on Friday in the port of Mexico's Caribbean resort of Cozumel, the luxury cruise operator said, crushing the stern of a 290-metre-long (951-foot) vessel and leaving passengers stunned at the loud impact.

One person was slightly injured while evacuating a dining room on the massive ship named Carnival Glory, according to Carnival, the world's largest cruise operator. A passenger said the incident occurred during rough sea conditions.

"Carnival Glory was manoeuvring to dock when it made contact with Carnival Legend, which was already alongside," the company said in a statement. "We are assessing the damage, but there are no issues that impact the seaworthiness of either ship."

Carnival added that the ships' itineraries were not affected.

Civil protection authorities in Cozumel said the incident took place at around 8:30 am (14:30 GMT) and that officials were investi-

The Carnival Glory cruise ship crashes into the Carnival Legend at the port of Cozumel, Mexico in this still image taken from a video obtained from social media [Photo by: Matthew Bruin/Reuters]

gating.

Passenger Jordan Moseley said he was eating breakfast on the docked Carnival Legend - a 294-metre-long (965-foot) ship that can hold more than 2000 passengers - when he felt the crash.

"All of a sudden, we felt the ship rock to one side and then back into place," Moseley told Reuters. "A few minutes later, the cruise director announced that the Carnival Glory had crashed into our ship while docking due to the high winds and rough ocean conditions in Cozumel."

A video taken from an upper deck of Carnival Glory, which can carry nearly 3000 passengers, shows pieces of the ship tumble onto the deck of the oncoming vessel, with some splashing into the churning water.

"Oh my God, look at that ship!" an onlooker can be heard saying in the video posted on social media.

Other images of the battered vessel show a railing along the Carnival Glory stern bent downwards at a roughly 45-degree angle, revealing a twisted and mangled ship interior. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

T

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi

he Attorney General has announced that the State will approach the High Court on Monday to begin a process to release the estimated 100 inmates who are behind bars for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Faris Al-Rawi announced during a press conference at his ministry in Port-of-Spain on Friday afternoon.

The move comes as the decriminalisation of mar-

ijuana is set to take effect from midnight on Monday, December 23, the date that has been set for the presidential proclamation of the law passed in parliament earlier this month.

The Attorney General's office has hired Fyard Hosein SC to lead the State's legal team in what Faris AlRawi calls a "proactive" step by the State in the name of social justice.

The inmates who stand

to benefit from the law were either already convicted for possession of marijuana or are on remand; the group includes inmates at the Women's Prison and children who are at rehabilitation centres. The Attorney General did not want to hazard a guess on how long the legal process would take but he said the State is moving quickly and carefully to get the inmates released.

Faris Al-Rawi also spoke about seeking parliamentary approval for use of 'drugalizers' to give police standardised readings that can help determine if someone is breaking the law and driving under the influence of marijuana.

A procurement process would have to begin, and until those devices arrive, police will have to use the traditional 'walk the white line test.' Al-Rawi said fixed penalty tickets are being printed at the government printery so police officers will have the relevant paperwork from Monday. (Excerpt from T&T Guardian)

PAHO urges Caribbean Jamaica: 3 women arrested over cocaine seizure at airport to prepare for heatwave

D

etectives assigned to the Narcotics Police Division arrested three women in relation to the seizure of approximately seven pounds of cocaine at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday.

Police reports are that about 11:45 am, the women

checked in to board a flight destined for Atlanta in the United States of America when a police canine unit alerted its handler to two suitcases.

The suitcases were traced to the three women and they, along with the luggage, were searched.

The cocaine, which has

an estimated street value of $4,225,000, was found concealed in the suitcases, the police said.

The women were subsequently arrested but the police said their identities are being withheld pending formal interviews in the presence of their attorneys.

(Jamaica Observer)

Brazil poll shows rising rejection of Bolsonaro

T

he approval rating of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s government is dropping steadily and its negative rating is climbing, a CNI/Ibope poll showed on Friday, as his combative political style and a weak recession weigh on his popularity.

The number of Brazilians that rate his government as great or good has slipped to 29% from 31% in September, while those that view it as bad or terrible have increased to 38% from 34% in the previous poll, the new survey said.

The right-wing government’s positive rating has declined in Ibope’s four previous polls this year, falling from 35% in April.

Its negative rating has risen from 27% in April.

Public confidence in Bolsonaro’s governing style is also dropping, the poll said. A majori-

T

he Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is warning Caribbean countries to be prepared to deal with the heat waves that have so far affected Australia, Canada, the United States, Europe, India, Pakistan and Japan.

It is predicting that this phenomenon will hit various parts of South America and as a result, countries in the Americas should be prepared due to the impact that this could have on peoples' health, including the risk of death.

PAHO noted that over the past 12 months, at least 24 countries in the Americas have been affected by heatwaves. They include the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

PAHO said it has developed communication materials to enable members of the public to be prepared, as well as a guide to help countries in the Americas formulate contingency plans to address heat waves.

“The guide provides recommendations that the

health sector and meteorological agencies can implement to prepare for and better respond to this threat, prevent the adverse effects of heatwaves, care for affected people, and save lives.”

PAHO said people with a higher risk of experiencing complications or death during a heatwave are children, older adults and those with chronic conditions that require daily medication and that reaction to heat depend on each person's ability to adapt and serious effects can appear suddenly. (CMC)

Aid for Haiti

T

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro looks on as he leaves the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil

ty of those polled, or 53%, do not approve of the way he is governing Brazil, up from 40% in April and 50% in September. Those who approve of his way of governing has fallen to 40% from 51% in April and 44% in September.

The number of Brazilians who said they trusted Bolsonaro has also dropped off, within the margin of error, to 41% from 51% in April and 42%

in September. Those who have no trust in him rose to 56% from 45% in April and 55% in September.

The poll commissioned by industry lobby CNI was carried out Dec. 5-8, before the latest developments in a corruption investigation of Bolsonaro’s son Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.

The survey polled 2,000 people and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1 percentage point. (Reuters)

he United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in response to growing needs in Haiti, is providing US$1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support ongoing humanitarian operations.

This funding will pay for the WFP to provide air, sea, and road transport to help move emergency assistance to vulnerable Haitians amidst considerable insecurity and difficult access. It will also finance the storage of humanitarian supplies, as well as information management and coordination support to keep the WFP’s operations efficient and effective.

USAID is also working with the WFP to distribute

an additional 2 200 metric tons of food, which will reach approximately 100 000 people and arrive in the coming weeks.

The food is in response to the emergency needs in the country, as announced last month.

To date, the WFP has distributed approximately 749-metre tons to highly food insecure Haitian households.

USAID has also invested US$20-million in outgoing emergency food assistance programmes throughout Haiti to support the most vulnerable households with cash transfers and food vouchers, along with activities to strengthen livelihoods and promote key healthy nutrition practices.

In addition to food assistance, USAID supports communities in Haiti through funding for interventions in the shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene that helps ensure that they are prepared for potential disasters.

Shortages of fuel, roadblocks, protests and violent incidents date restricted the movement of USAID staff and partners in recent months.

According to USAID, while the organisation’s humanitarian assistance will help alleviate some urgent needs “it will not, it cannot, address the root causes of the current economic and political gridlock in Haiti”.

(CMC)

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, december 21, 2019

17

Around the World

Brexit: MPs back Boris Johnson’s Ethiopia launches its first plan to leave EU on January 31 satellite with help of China

E

M

Ps have backed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s plan for the UK to leave the EU on January 31.

They voted 358 to 234 - a majority of 124 - in favour of the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, which now goes on to further scrutiny in Parliament.

The bill would also ban an extension of the transition period - during which the UK is out of the EU but follows many of its rules - past 2020.

The PM said the country was now “one step closer to getting Brexit done”.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told his MPs to vote against the bill, saying there was “a better and fairer way” to leave the EU - but six of them backed the Government.

Johnson insists a trade deal with the EU can be in place by the end of the transition period, but critics say this timescale is unrealistic.

MPs approve Brexit deal

The bill had been expected to pass easily after the Conservatives won an 80-seat majority at last week’s general election.

MPs also backed the timetable for further debate on the bill over three days when they return after the Christmas recess - on January 7, 8 and 9.

The Government says it will get the bill into law in time for the January 31 Brexit deadline.

The legislation, which would implement the Brexit agreement the Prime Minister reached with the EU in October, was introduced in Thursday’s Queen’s Speech, setting out the Government’s priorities for the next year.

An earlier withdrawal agreement - reached between previous PM May and the EU - was rejected three times

by MPs. (Excerpt from BBC News)

thiopia has launched its first satellite into space, as more sub-Saharan African nations strive to develop space programmes to advance their development goals and encourage scientific innovation.

Before dawn on Friday, senior officials and citizens gathered at the Entoto Observatory and Research Centre just north of the capital Addis Ababa to watch a live broadcast of the satellite’s launch from a space station in China.

The satellite was designed by Chinese and Ethiopian engineers and the Chinese Government paid about US$6 million of the more than US$7 million manufacturing costs, Solomon Belay, Director General of the Ethiopian Space Science and

Nine satellites were on the China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite-4A rocket launched from China on Friday [Third party via Reuters]

Technology Institute, told Reuters News Agency.

Another eight satellites were put into orbit by the same rocket, including an Earth observation satellite jointly developed

by China and Brazil as part of a bilateral programme, which is seen as a tem-

plate for broader cooperation among both countries as well as Russia, India and South Africa.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa collectively known as BRICS - have been in talks on a framework agreement to create a constellation of satellites for Earth remote-sensing and share data obtained by each others’ satellites.

Each country will provide one to two satellites to the constellation, according to the China National Space Administration in 2018.

The CBERS satellites would be included in the constellation programme.

Ethiopia’s wide-range, multi-spectral, remote-sensing microsatellite will be used for weather forecast and crop monitoring, officials said. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ICC to investigate alleged war In phone call with Trump, China’s Xi crimes in Palestinian territories says US interfering in internal affairs T

U

S President Donald Trump spoke on Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and claimed progress on issues from trade to North Korea and Hong Kong, but China said Xi accused the United States of interfering in its internal affairs.

The two leaders spoke a week after their envoys sealed a “Phase 1” agreement aimed at ending an 18-month trade war that has rattled markets and raised tensions.

Trump announced the phone call in a tweet. A White House official said they spoke on Friday morning. China Central Television said Xi spoke to Trump at the request of the US President.

China’s Xinhua news agency said Xi told Trump that China is deeply concerned about “the negative words and deeds” of the United States on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and

US President Donald Trump meets with China’s President Xi Jinping at the start of their bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders’ summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019

Tibet.

The United States has called for the closure of mass detention camps in China’s western region of Xinjiang and expressed concern about the treatment of demonstrators in Hong Kong.

Xinhua said Xi hoped Trump would implement “the important consensus” reached during their meetings and phone calls and “pay close attention to and attach importance to China’s concerns, and

prevent the interference of bilateral relations and the important agenda.”

Xinhua said that Xi stressed to Trump that all parties need to seek a political settlement on the North Korean issue and that “all parties should meet each other halfway and maintain the momentum of easing dialogue, which serves the common interests of all parties.”

(Excerpt from Reuters)

South Africa initiation schools suspended after circumcision deaths

T

he South African authorities have suspended several initiation schools where boys have died in recent weeks taking part in circumcision ceremonies.

The country’s religious and cultural commission said the schools in different areas of the Eastern Cape would be suspended for a year.

It called for the arrest of those responsible for at least 20 deaths.

The initiation into manhood involves spending weeks in mountainous areas in harsh conditions.

Every year, tens of thou-

sands of initiates aged between 15 and 17 spend time in seclusion in the bush where they are taught about how to be upstanding men in society.

Ukwaluka, or traditional initiation, is seen as a necessary part of the passage from boyhood to manhood by some of the country’s largest ethnic groups, including the Xhosa and Ndebele.

But sometimes things go terribly wrong, with some initiates dying or left disfigured from a botched circumcision.

South Africa’s circumcision season typically falls during two periods, in June

and in December.

This is when most boys are home from school and have time to complete the rituals, which can last up to a month.

The surgeon performs the circumcision, while the traditional nurse looks after treating the wound as well as the initiate’s daily needs, including food.

The practice itself is steeped in secrecy. So secretive in fact that the boys are not allowed to speak about what happens while there.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

he chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has said she will launch a full investigation into alleged war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The announcement by Fatou Bensouda on Friday was welcomed by the Palestinian leadership as a “long-overdue step” but prompted an angry response

by Israel.

“I am satisfied that there is a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation into the situation in Palestine,” Bensouda said in a statement.

“In brief, I am satisfied that war crimes have been or are being committed in the

West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip,” she added, without specifying the perpetrators of the alleged crimes.

Bensouda said before opening a full probe, she would ask The Hague-based tribunal to rule on the territory over which it has jurisdiction, as Israel is not a member of the court.

She urged Judges to rule on the court’s jurisdiction “without undue delay”. The prosecutor added, however, that she did not require any authorisation from Judges to open a probe as there had been a referral from the Palestinians, who joined the court in 2015.

Following Bensouda’s

announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at what he called “a dark day for truth and justice”.

“The international community and all relevant international bodies have determined that there is jurisdiction for international law, for international courts and for human rights law and they are all applicable,” he told Al Jazeera from Ramallah.

Commenting on Netanyahu’s statement, Ammar Hijazi, Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs for the state of Palestine, said the reaction was “Israel’s sole option”.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Trump impeachment: President demands immediate Senate trial

U

S President Donald Trump has demanded an immediate impeachment trial in the Senate, amid an impasse among Democrats and Republicans over when it may start.

On Wednesday, the House impeached Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The Senate’s numbers mean Trump is almost certain to be acquitted.

The impeachment process - only the fourth time it has happened in US history - has been a bitter partisan fight dividing Washington. The House impeachment vote earlier this week split almost totally along party lines.

The two charges passed on Wednesday follow accusations that Trump pressured Ukraine to dig up damaging information on Democratic rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter, and then refused to co-operate with a congressio-

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warns her party not to celebrate

nal inquiry into the matter.

In a series of tweets, the President accused the Democrats of not wanting to go to trial because their “case is so bad”.

To start the next stage, the Democrat-controlled House must send the articles of impeachment to the Senate.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is refusing to do so until the rules of the Senate trial are acceptable to the Democrats.

The Senate’s Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, will determine the terms of the trial and the Democrats want him to provide details on which witnesses and what testimony will be allowed.

He has so far refused to do so. “We remain at an impasse,” he said, after a brief meeting with the Democrats’ Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer. (Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, december 21, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

dilbert

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Peanuts

Treat yourself. Pampering, entertaining, traveling and doing things with a loved one or best friend are favored.

Surround yourself with people and activities that bring you comfort and joy.

Plan a busy day filled with exciting surprises. An original idea will make a loved one happy. Put your money and possessions in a safe place.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Problems at home will be due to you taking on too much. Nothing is more important than love, family and keeping the peace.

VIRGO

What you do will have a more significant impact than what you say. Let your actions, kindness and concern be your ticket to better relationships.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Be careful how you handle the people closest to you.

A kind gesture will encourage far better results than demands would garner. Protect yourself against physical injury. Proceed with caution and avoid emotional distress.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

Don’t overreact; take a wait-and-see approach to any information that’s disclosed.

Choose to take an intellectual point of view and look for solutions instead of adding to an unstable situation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Keep an open mind when dealing with friends and relatives. You don’t have to agree with someone to care about them. Choose your battles wisely. Patience will pay off Be secretive about your personal life until you are sure about your next move. Protect your physical and emotional well-being. Don’t take risks while driving. Establish what’s important to you.

SAGITTARIUS If you offer your best effort when helping someone (Nov. 23in need, favors will be grantDec. 21) ed to you in return. A close relationship will undergo a change. Protect your assets.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SOLUTION FOr LAST PUBLISHED puzzle AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Running around to take care of last-minute details for the upcoming festivities should be coupled with family fun. All work and no play won’t bring you closer to loved ones.

Emotional stress, physical exhaustion and unexpected situations will be stressful. Use common sense, and refuse to get wrapped up in emotional dilemmas. If you avoid meddling, you’ll avoid discord.

Put your time and energy into projects that will please the people you love. A gift, offering or financial gain is heading your way. Keep a level head and be frugal.

saturday, DECember 21, 2019

19

Arsenal manager insists he is ready and calls for new energy A

rsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he must change the "energy" at a club he feels have lost their way since he left after retiring as a player in 2016.

Arteta, 37, has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract to succeed Unai Emery, who was sacked in November.

He has served as an assistant coach at Manchester City but has never managed.

"I have so much respect for this club, if I didn't feel I am ready and prepared for this I wouldn't be sitting in this chair," Arteta told reporters.

"It was always a dream for me. The day I made a decision to leave this football club I said to the people that I am going outside, I am going to learn, get prepared and hopefully one day I can

come back here when I feel I am ready.

"I have been preparing for a few years for this challenge to come.

I know the expectations, level and stature of this club and what it deserves. I am ready for that challenge.

"They were so convinced they wanted me that I said I have to take the challenge."

'Energy' a number-one priority

Arteta served as club captain and won the FA Cup twice in a five-year playing career with the Gunners.

The Spaniard takes charge from Sunday, leaving Freddie Ljungberg in interim charge for the trip to

Everton - another of Arteta's former clubs - on Saturday (12:30 GMT kick-off).

Arsenal sit 10th in the Premier League following a home defeat to Manchester City last Sunday, when Arteta was in the dugout for the visitors.

"The first thing is to change the energy," said Arteta. "Last week I was here and felt a bit down.

I have to get all the staff and everyone with the same mindset.

"We have to build the right culture. It's my job to convince everybody that this is how we are going to live.

"Now we need immediate impact, to win games, raise

the level of confidence and we need the fans. We need to engage them, transmit with our behaviours what we want to give to this club.

We need to plug these two things together as it's so powerful."

City tears and a culture change

Arteta said he "cried" when he said farewell to colleagues at City and stressed he needs a "proper conversation" with Ljungberg over his own future.

When he takes charge for the Boxing Day fixture at Bournemouth, he will become Arsenal's youngest manager since Terry Neill, who was 34 when he led the Gunners in 1976.

Arsenal won the FA Cup in the season after Arteta departed but the 2016-17 campaign saw them finish outside the Premier League's

I feel back home at Arsenal – Arteta

top four for the first time since 1996.

Asked if the club had lost its way in recent seasons Arteta replied: "That's what I am sensing from the outside. I would like to start to understands the reasons why. I have to try to understand quickly why this is to implement certain things that will be quick wins. We have to create the right vibe.

"The ambition of this club is clear - you have to be in Europe and fight for trophies. The rest is not good enough.

"I want people who deliver energy and passion to the club. Anyone who doesn't buy into this, has a negative effect or whatever, is not good enough for this environment and culture." (BBC Sport)

India and West Indies play ODI series decider on Sunday I

ndia bounced back in Visakhapatnam with a thumping 107-run win to level the series 1-1 against the West Indies. The series has now gone into the decider which will take place this Sunday.

India hasn’t lost an ODI series against West Indies at home for more than one and a half decades. The last time they lost it was way back in 2002-03. They have been utterly dominating against the Men in Maroon ever since and they would be keen to continue that dominance as they approach the final game of the series. India, however, will have to make sure they are not complacent ahead of the decider and are relentless with both bat and ball as they were in Vishakhapatnam.

Talking about the West Indies, they have looked a different unit altogether under Kieron Pollard. They have been more mature and more composed than before and more importantly, they seem to have a gameplan when they bat. Even though the second ODI was a one-sided affair, there were parts of the game where West Indies managed to put India under pressure. They have been very competitive in the series and there is no reason why they shouldn’t believe they can get better of India and win the series.

The winter is at its peak in the eastern part of India, but Cuttack has been forecasted to be nice and sunny on the 22nd. The temperature will

be in the range of 24-26 degrees Celsius with a humidity of 63%.

With the humidity being a little on the higher side, it might be energy-sapping for the players in the afternoon.

However, the conditions will overall be pleasant with a slight breeze blowing across the ground. No showers are expected throughout the day.

Pitch Report

The pitch at the Barabati Stadium has generally been low and slow over the years and it might be of the same nature again. The conditions

might get more and more conducive for the spinners as the game progresses, but because of the potential dew factor, the spinners might

would probably like to field first and so would the West Indies.

India went with the 5th bowler Shardul Thakur in

face difficulty in gripping the ball in the second innings.

It will be a tricky decision for the captain winning the toss to make a decision.

Given India’s track record of chasing in recent years, they

the second ODI ahead of the seam bowling all-rounder Shivam Dube and the move paid dividends as Shardul gave India an early breakthrough and didn’t allow

West Indies to get off to a big start in pursuit of a big target.

The hosts are likely to persist with Thakur, but they will have to make a forced change as Deepak Chahar has been ruled out of the game due to injury. Navdeep Saini has been called up as his replacement and he is in line to make his ODI debut.

Meanwhile, West Indies went with a slightly defensive approach in Vishakhapatnam as they dropped the wrist-spinner Hayden Walsh for the leftarm spinner Khary Pierre.

The move backfired as Pierre didn’t provide the control the Windies were looking for.

Hayden Walsh might return for the decider as he will be a wicket-taking option in the middle overs. The rest of the West Indies line-up should remain the same.

West Indies predicted XI: Evin Lewis, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard (C), Roston Chase, Jason Holder India predicted XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (C), Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini (Yahoo) The match starts at 4:30am local time.

20

round-up: Bucks get bounceback win over Lakers Houston Rockets 122 - Los Angeles Clippers 117

G

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturday, DECember 21, 2019

i a n n i s Antetokounmpo scored 34 points with 11 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks bounced back from the end of their winning streak in emphatic fashion with a 111-104 victory Thursday over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.

In a battle of the teams with the best records in the NBA, the Bucks made their statement as George Hill added 21 points and Khris Middleton scored 15. Just one game earlier, the Bucks saw their 18-game winning streak come to an end with a defeat to the Dallas Mavericks.

Anthony Davis scored 36 points with 10 rebounds and LeBron James had a triple-double for the Lakers, who were also returning to the court after the end of their winning streak last time out. James had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists one game after Los Angeles’ run of 14 consecutive road victories ended Tuesday at Indiana.

The James/Davis duo started slow but combined to go 19 of 44 from the field.

James’ first field goal did not come until nearly two minutes into the second quarter.

Davis’ first basket came in the final minute of the first quarter.

Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 40 points and had 10 rebounds, and Houston rallied in the second half to defeat host Los Angeles.

James Harden, who entered the contest as the NBA’s leading scorer at 38.9 points per game, added 28

points and 10 assists for the Rockets, who have won eight of their last 11 games. Clint Capela finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and four steals.

Paul George had 34 points and nine rebounds for the Clippers, who lost for only the second time in 16 games at home. Kawhi Leonard had 25 points and nine rebounds, while Montrezl Harrell scored 19 points.

Utah Jazz 111 - Atlanta Hawks 106

Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, including a reverse layup that put Utah ahead down the stretch en route to beating host Atlanta. The win was the fourth straight for Utah. Atlanta suffered its sixth straight loss.

Mitchell was 12-for 22 from the field, only one of them a 3-pointer, and added five rebounds and five assists. The Jazz also got 20 points and 13 rebounds from Rudy Gobert. Bojan Bogdanovic added 19 points and nine rebounds and Joe Ingles scored 14.

Atlanta got 30 points from Trae Young, who was playing with a right thigh contusion and went 9-for28 from the field, but added

eight assists. Jabari Parker scored 23 points, 11 in the first period, and had nine rebounds.

San Antonio Spurs 118 - Brooklyn Nets 105

Patty Mills scored a season-high 27 points off the bench and led rallies at the end of the third and fourth quarters as host San Antonio roared from behind to beat Brooklyn.

Mills scored 11 points over the final three minutes of the third quarter to shoot the Spurs into the lead and then nailed a pair of 3-pointers and two free throws in the game’s last 4:08 to allow San Antonio to hold on for the win. He was 7 of 10 from beyond the arc in the game.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 20 points and 10 rebounds in the victory for the Spurs, with Derrick White and Dejounte Murray scoring 13 points each, DeMar DeRozan hitting for 12, and Marco Belinelli contributing 11 points for San Antonio.

(Reuters)

The battle between Lakers’ Anthony Davis and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo was the highlight of the match (Getty Images)

Bryant, Duncan, Garnett top list of Hall of Fame nominees

T

he nominees for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2020 class could build a team that’s almost impossible to beat, starting with Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

The list of 50 eligible candidates was announced Thursday, with other first-time nominees including Tamika Catchings, Swin Cash, Chris Bosh, Shawn Marion, Michael Finley, Mark Eaton and Buck Williams.

Former men’s players previously nominated and back on the ballot include Chris Webber, Ben Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Tim Hardaway, Marcus Camby, Mark Jackson and

Chauncey Billups.

The finalists for the honor will be announced on Feb. 14 in Chicago, during NBA All-Star Weekend. The Class of 2020 will be unveiled at the Final Four in Atlanta in early April.

The star-studded class will likely be led

by Bryant, who was a member of five NBA championship teams during his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Duncan was also a player who stayed with one team — the San Antonio Spurs — for this entire career, winning five NBA titles in 19 seasons.

Garnett, who spent his first 12 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, finally became an NBA champion with the Boston Celtics in 2008. He played 21 years in the NBA, including 1 1/2 seasons with the Brooklyn Nets.

Cash and Catchings are first-time nominees among a list of women that includes Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, nominated as both a coach and player, and Becky Hammon, who is currently an assistant coach with the Spurs.

Among the high-profile coaches on the list are NBA notables George Karl, Rick Adelman, Rudy Tomjanovich and Dick Motta, plus Eddie Sutton, Jay Wright, Rollie Massimino and Gene Keady from the college ranks.

Ex-Chicago Bulls forward Toni Kukoc is the biggest name among the international nominees. (Reuters)

Kevin Garnett

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21

Liverpool officially signs Takumi Minamino T

akumi Minamino is officially a Liverpool player. A transfer story that broke suddenly has been wrapped up well before Christmas, let alone the January window opening.

The Reds had barely touched down after playing Salzburg in the Champions League when journalists in the know began reporting a potential deal. Within hours, the Austrian club officially confirmed negotiations were taking place after a reported £7.25million release clause was met.

Liverpool saw what the Japan international can offer during the two games between the teams in Europe.

Indeed, Minamino has already scored at Anfield, finding the net in a 4-3 loss back in October. There is a video on Twitter of Jurgen Klopp nodding his head approvingly at that goal, cheekily suggesting he knew all along what was going to happen in the long run.

Minamino was also lively in the first half of the return fixture in Austria, although he was unable to prevent the hosts slipping to a defeat that resulted in them dropping into the Europa League.

However, the 24-year-old

Takumi Minamino

can look forward to further outings in the Champions League. A rule change by UEFA means any new addition is cleared for the knockout stages, even if they have played for someone else in the competition that same season.

The breakdown

Outside of the player’s abilities – more on those to come – one of the main attractions to the deal for Liverpool has to be the price.

According to reports, the

clause in Minamino's contract means he was available for just £7.25million, a pittance by current prices.

The transfer is a lowrisk, high-reward move.

Klopp did not desperately need a new addition in the January window, but adding to a position of strength is never a bad thing.

Minamino will not be leaned on heavily to provide immediately; Liverpool's first-choice frontline – Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino – is obvi-

Inaugural 4X4 Under-18 Basketball…

Kwakwani, New Amsterdam, Georgetown head to Linden

ous.

However, what their latest recruit offers is something different to the rest of the supporting cast.

Divock Origi is a solid standby who has developed the happy knack of scoring in big games, Alex OxladeChamberlain seems better suited to a central role in midfield and Xherdan Shaqiri provides no little skill but lacks the top-end speed to run in behind.

While often used on the flanks, Minamino has also played through the middle for Salzburg, both as a centre-forward and also a supporting midfielder in behind the leading frontman.

Such versatility, considering the small fee, suggests the English club may have grabbed a bargain ahead of the January sales.

Klopp has added a new dimension to the rotation – and he seemingly likes the way Salzburg develops talent. Mane and Naby Keita both spent time there previously, though they went to Southampton and RB Leipzig respectively be-

fore making it to Merseyside.

This time, Liverpool have cut out the middle man and gone straight to the source.

Minamino in Opta numbers

Signed from Cerezo Osaka at the start of 2015, Minamino hit double figures for league goals in his first two seasons, though his output dried up a little in the following campaigns.

Still, under Jesse Marsch this term, he has scored five goals and registered the same number of assists in 14 appearances in the Austrian Bundesliga, 11 of which were starts. No Salzburg player has created more goals.

He averages a goal or assist every 91 minutes in domestic action in 2019-20, with that number rising slightly to 102 in the Champions League.

It should be remembered, however, that as well as Liverpool, Salzburg were also in contention to qualify from a group that included Serie A runners-up Napoli.

(Sport Star)

Navdeep Saini replaces injured Deepak Chahar for third ODI

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he Kings Basketball Club, in association with the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA), will stage the preliminary round of its first ever Under-18, 4x4 basketball championship today from 18.00hrs at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

The innovation comes from President of the Kings Basketball Club, Gary Stephens, who is based in the United States. He came up with the idea that while there is the FIBA-approved 3 x 3 basketball format, which is one of the fastest formats being undertaken by the world governing body, the Kings’ aim is to include female basketball players in the playing of the game locally, hence the initiative.

That is why this 4 x 4 basketball championship is headed where one female player has to be on the basketball court at all times.

This new format should stir interest among female players, and tonight’s preliminary round play, with the finals set for next Saturday, should spark interest in the game.

The female players are not limited by any age

Emmanuel Larose

Kobe Tappin

range, while the males must be 18 or under to compete.

Among the teams that have been invited to play in this new version of the game are two from Kwakwani, where Coach Ann Gordon and her successful Youth Basketball Guyana players would invade the Mackenzie Sports Club court with the aim of taking top honours, starting tonight.

At the same time, another team from Aroaima, an upper Berbice riverine community, will, for the first time, also be in Linden to compete.

Stephens has said that having the participation of Kwakwani -- which has outstanding female and male players in the youth catego-

ries of basketball in Guyana -- is a welcome sign, but not to be outdone will be the National 3 x 3 Under-18 players, inclusive of Kobe Tappin and Emmanuel LaRose, who won titles representing Victory Valley Royals recently; but the inclusion of a female player would also be of interest.

Not to be outdone will be two teams from Georgetown, who will be hoping to make their mark in this inaugural tournament as well, and there has been interest coming from two other teams who are resident in New Amsterdam, while two home teams will be representing Kings and one will be representing Victory Valley Royals.

N

Deepak Chahar

avdeep Saini is in line to make his ODI debut after replacing the injured Deepak Chahar for the decider of the threematch ODI series in Cuttack on December 22.

Chahar "felt mild pain in his lower back" after the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, according to the BCCI. "The BCCI medical team examined him and has suggested that the fast bowler needs some rest in order to fully recover," a re-

lease said.

Chahar went wicketless for 44 runs in seven overs in the second ODI, which India won by 107 runs to level the series 1-1. In the first ODI, he finished with 1 for 48 from ten overs but West Indies chased down the target of 288 with ease.

Saini has played five T20Is so far and could make his ODI debut on Sunday unless India change their combination and don't field three quicks. (Cricinfo)

22

saturday, DECember 21, 2019

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

GFF Super 16 Cup tournament…

Marics & Co sponsors Super Honda motorcycle as MVP prize M

arketing Manager of Marics and Company, Anji Hackett, has committed that company to supporting the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF’s) annual Super 16 Cup, the 2019 edition of which kicked off on Sunday last at the Police Sports Club Ground at Eve Leary with a double-header.

Hackett has handed over a Super Honda BB motorcycle to GFF President Wayne Forde, to be used as a prize for the ‘most valuable player’ of the tournament.

“Marics and Company would like to congratulate GFF and company for hosting once again (their) Annual Super 16 Tournament. We are excited to be a part of this big fixture. We know they have teams coming from all across Guyana, so we just want to wish everybody well,” Hackett said.

GFF President Wayne

The team that wins this straight knockout tournament would receive a purse of $2 million, while the runners-up team will pocket $1 million and the team placing third would cart off $500,000. The team placing fourth would receive $250,000.

The teams in the tournament are Milerock, Pele FC, Police, Timehri Panthers, Fruta Conquerors, Buxton Stars, GDF, Rivers View, Western Tigers, Santos FC, Eagles, Riddim Squad and

GFF President Wayne Forde and Marketing Manager of Marics and Company, Anji Hackett

Forde, in receiving the prize, said, “Marics has been an enduring partner of the GFF over the many years, and we are very happy to welcome

them on board of this year’s GFF Super 16. As we know, the bike is going towards the MVP, and we are happy to partner with Marics to

present this valuable gift to one of our most gifted players, who will emerge at the end of the tournament in 2020.”

Ian Bhagwandin on board with the BCB Special Projects Fund

Sponsorship for Enmore Community Centre youth cricket teams…

Cricketzone USA outfits ECCCC youth teams with uniforms Ian Bhagwandin

U

Proprietor of Cricketzone USA, Ravi Etwaroo (front right), making the donation to ECCCC U-19 Captain Chaitram Balgobin

C

ricketzone USA has become the new sponsor of the Enmore Community Centre Cricket Club (ECCCC) youth teams’ uniforms.

At a presentation ceremony held at the Enmore Community Centre, proprietor of Cricketzone USA, Ravi Etwaroo, presented the ECCC with more than 26 sets of uniforms, along with other cricket gear.

ECCCC chairman Bheemraj Ramkelawan was loud in praise of Etwaroo, whom he indicated has, without hesitation, consistently supported this club over the years.

Ramkelawan has deemed the uniforms and other cricket equipment provided by the sponsor as timely, since the club has expanded its players’ base with several new youths, who would now be better equipped to play cricket.

In an invited comment, Etwaroo informed the youths of his pleasure at seeing the progress ECCCC is making. He said that as a resident of Enmore and past club member, it gives him great pleasure to contribute to the development of youths. Further, he encouraged the youths to remain in school and, at all times, uphold the club’s motto: “discipline is the pillar of success.”

Den Amstel. The remaining two participating teams would respectively represent the champions of the Berbice and Essequibo qualifiers.

Forde has expressed heartfelt gratitude to the various sponsors of the event, which include Pegasus Hotel, which presented the GFF with a cheque for $1 million to be used on the event; Marics and Company, MACORP, BACIF, THAG, MVP Sports, E.C. Vieira Investments, HJ Entertainment, Impressions and NAMILCO.

SA-based Guyanese Ian Bhagwandin has been providing support for the Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB’s) "Special Projects Fund".

This is the second time the BCB has embarked on such an initiative, following the "Balls for Second Division Teams in Berbice Project" in 2018, which was also supported by Bhagwandin.

Ian Bhagwandin has said he is pleased to be part of this initiative, and will continue to help cricket development in the Ancient County whenever possible.

Son of former long-serving Treasurer of the Berbice Cricket Board Edward Bhagwandin, Ian Bhagwandin had been a consistent performer when he represented one-time cricket powerhouse Bermine Cricket Club at the under-16 level, and Rose Hall Community Centre Cricket Club at the senior level.

The first project, Balls for 2nd Division Teams, was very successful. It raised $830,000, made possible through contributions from Brian Chunilall, Noreen Seubaran-Gaskin, Yasin Mohamed, Two Friends of BCB, Ryan and Ian Bhagwandin, Derick and Renick Beharry, Kalvin

Somrah, Raj "Rebels" Mathura, Faizal Jaffarally, Bobby and Pamela Kewlachand, Mukesh Matai, Danny Somai, Yadram Bhoj, Sharmila Muneshwar, Javed Raffik, Nazim Hussain, Allan Mangru, Owen Humphrey, Sean Devers, Vijai Dass, Bhim George, Surendra Hiralall, Jack Beharry, Latcho Mohabir, Chetram Seooppersaud and Jeffrey Samaroo.

Every cricket club in the county benefited from the receipt of cricket balls, while young and promising cricketers such as West Indies Under-15 pacer Isaiah Thorne and National Under-19 opener Alex Algoo also benefited.

Already, $205,000 has been realized for this Special Projects Fund through donations received from Tyler and Mia, Kalvin Somrah, Renick Beharry, Raj Mathura and Ian Bhagwandin. They had all contributed towards the first project.

Funds from this initiative will assist cricket clubs with balls; young and promising cricketers with assistance; and the BCB to acquire cricket pitch covers so that key matches, including semi-finals and finals, can be played without any rain interruption as the board strives to spread the game across the length and breadth of the Ancient County. In addition, the BCB will consider requests for assistance as it sees fit.

Former Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy has also donated US$2,000 worth of cricket balls to supplement this project.

Persons wishing to contribute to this project are invited to make contact with Angela Haniff on 3332375, or Hilbert Foster on 337-4443 or 337-4562.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, DECember 21, 2019

23

KSM backs Kennard Memorial Turf Club meet for 3rd year K

SM Investments Inc, a giant in the manufacture of concrete products, has continued its support of the Kennard Memorial Turf Club ahead of that club’s Boxing Day horse race meet.

Yesterday at the club’s Bush Lot Farm location on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice, Justice (retd) Cecil Kennard received from KSM Investments Inc a sponsorship cheque and trophy for this much anticipated horse-racing event, which will be held on Thursday, December 26.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KSM Investments,

Mahadeo Panchu, in presenting this company’s sponsorship, remarked that sport is a unifying force in the country and it promotes cohesion.

“I am amazed at the crowds (that) turn out there at the horse racing (meets)… So, we recognize the importance of horse racing, especially in the Corentyne area. We will continue to support the club in a much bigger way, and it all depends on the growth of the economy, Panchu explained.

Panchu declared that Justice (retd) Cecil Kennard has always been a good friend of his family for many years.

“He must be commended for his great efforts at this age he has continued. We would want to do more for Kennard’s Turf Club, and we will continue to support”, Panchu concluded.

Justice (retd) Kennard, in response, expressed satisfaction that KSM has again come on board for the Boxing Day meet for a third year. “Not only in the Boxing Day meeting, but KSM has supported for other horse-racing events,” he said.

“We at Kennard Memorial Turf Club appreciate this great gesture, and as I have been saying regularly, sponsorship is

necessary for hosting successful events”, Justice (retd) Kennard said.

With a little humour, he wished KSM a fruitful year ahead for business, and said he is seeking an additional sum of money.

The Boxing Day Meet will have seven events on the programme, and the penultimate event of the day, “the Metro Million Mile”, which will be open to all horses, will be the main event. This feature event will be run over one mile for a winner’s prize of $1million along with a trophy. (Brandon Corlette)

KSM Inc CEO Mahadeo Panchu and Retired Justice Cecil Kennard

Dragon Stout StreetBall Community Cup BFA confident in Burnette’s leadership ends December 28 S W GFF Super 16 Cup…

hen Rivers View FC take on Western Tigers FC in the GFF Super 16 Cup to be played on Saturday, December 21, at the Bartica Community Centre Ground, one of the most experienced players of the Rivers View FC, Travis Burnette, is expected to be the mainstay of that team.

Commander of the Rivers View defense, the steady and determined Travis Burnette, as that club’s centre back, has been guarding his club's defensive third for a number of years.

Respected for his strength and talent, Burnette has made a name for himself as one of the enduring players of Rivers View FC. Because of the swashbuckling nature of his team, which plays with the instinct to go forward, Burnette and his defenders have become necessary assets at the rear.

Keeping his defense compact and composed has become a fulltime job for the cool and collected Travis Burnette.

Rivers View FC, under the guidance of coach Wayne Dover and team, will be looking to make a mark on this edition of the GFF Super Cup, and with home ground advantage in their opening game and the likes of Travis Burnette in uniform, their chances are certainly above average.

W h e n Burnette and the R i v e r s View boys go into action on December 21st against the Western Tigers FC, the

parta Boss will oppose Leopold Street, while Bent Street tackles Rio All-Stars in the semifinal round of the inaugural Dragon Stout Street-ball ‘Community Cup’, following quarterfinal wins on Thursday at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue.

According to a brief comment from Dragon Stout Brand Manager Jamal Baird, “We have now arrived at the final stage of the competition. The four teams that have progressed to semifinal stage are undoubtedly the best exponents of the format at the moment. Sparta Boss, Bent Street and Leopold Street are traditional heavyweights, while Rio All-Stars are an emerging force, which sets up an exciting narrative for the final night.”

He added, “The fans have witnessed exciting and thrilling action since the incep-

Rondel Bowman scored in the third and 17th minutes respectively.

Their impending opponent, Leopold Street, edged arch rival Gold is Money 3-2

Avocado Ballers 7-1 as Trayon Bobb bagged a hat trick in the 20th, 21st and 27th minutes.

Assisting with a double in the 13th and 25th minutes

on penalty kicks after regulation and extra time ended with the game at 1-1.

Prior to the penalty

was Kelsey Benjamin, while Jermin Junior and Andrew Murray each scored a goal, in the 11th and 29th minutes.

tion, and I expect that trend to continue and be surpassed as we aim to end 2019 on a monumental note by crowning the inaugural Dragon Stout Community Cup champion.”

Sparta Boss bested Future Stars 4-2 in extra time. Ryan Hackett recorded a hat trick in the 19th, 23rd and 36th minutes. Adding a goal in the 37th minute was Deon Alfred.

For the losing Future Stars, Selwyn Williams and

shootout, Stephon McLean handed Gold is Money the lead in the 16th minute, while Okeene Fraser equalized in the 24th minute.

On the other hand, Bent Street overcame Festival City 2-1. Daniel Wilson and Colin Nelson scored in the eighth and ninth minutes respectively. For the losing Festival City side, Simeon Moore scored in the second minute.

Meanwhile, newcomer Rio All-Stars trampled

For the losing Avocado Ballers, Sherwin Caesar netted in the 12th minute.

Winner of the tournament will pocket $300,000 and the championship trophy. On the other hand, the runner-up will collect $150,000.

Meanwhile, the third and fourth place finishers would receive $75,000 and $50,000 respectively, together with the corresponding accolade.

Below are listed the complete fixtures and results for the previous match day.

Burnette leading from the front during team drills

skipper will be a definite boost to the squad, especially since he would be having the services of the experienced Handel Norton, and especially

since both players will be aiming to take the team ‘all the way’.

The teams contesting this Super 16 Cup tournament are Milerock, Pele FC,

Police, Timehri Panthers, Fruta Conquerors, Buxton Stars, GDF, Rivers View, Western Tigers, Santos F C , Eagles, Riddim S q u a d and Den Amstel.

The remaining two teams will come from the Champions of the Berbice and Essequibo qualifiers respectively.

Among the sponsors of this prestigious tournament are: Pegasus Hotel, MACORP, BACIF, THAG, MVP Sports, E.C. Vieira Investments, HJ Entertainment, Impressions and NAMILCO.

saturday, DECember 21, 2019

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Page 19

India and West Indies play ODI series decider on Sunday KFC Goodwill Tournament

Lodge KSM backs Kennard book Shiva Memorial Turf Club Boys’ return ticket! meet for 3rd year Following a pulsating game which saw a stalemate score at the completion of regulation time, Lodge Secondary of Georgetown won from the penalty mark, as they ousted defending champions Shiva Boys Hindu College of Trinidad and Tobago. More details to follow in a subsequent publication

Page 23

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