Guyana Times, Saturday October 26, 2019.

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Issue No. 4088

THE BEACON OF TRUTH SATURday, OCTOber 26, 2019

Missing 14-year-old found buried in shallow grave See story on page 7

GECOM Chair should be more assertive, vigilant – Jagdeo

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

AmCham, GTA sign MoU to promote sustainable P11 tourism

WCD fatal stabbing

Fisherman slapped P8 with murder charge

Page 3

Sailor stabbed by labourer at Parika Stelling

See story on page 2

Over $7M Page 10 missing from Essequibo Coast primary school thrift society

CCJ throws out exP2 soldier’s application to overturn manslaughter sentence 6 arrested during Police operation in Bagotstown P10

Cummingsburg Accord revision

PNC “unaware” of impasse in Page 9 APNU-AFC talks

To usher in the Festival of Lights – Diwali – a diya was lit at the Ethnic Relations Commission, Queenstown, Georgetown office on Friday as the Commission spread the message of harmony and good relations among all Guyanese

…surprised at AFC’s split threat

Water quality testing lab P15 commissioned

2 news

saturday, october 26, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Sailor stabbed by labourer at Parika Stelling

A

sailor attached to the Transport and Harbours Department was stabbed to death at the Parika Ferry Stelling, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).

Dead is Shurlon Errol Cutting of Lot 2529 Layou Street, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Reports are the 48-yearold sailor was stabbed to death with a pair of scissors following an argument with a labourer.

This newspaper was told that the suspect is a 28-year-old labourer of Ithaca Village, West Bank

Dead: Shurlon Errol Cutting

Berbice (WBB).

According to Police, on Thursday evening at about 18:30h, Cutting was at the Parika Ferry Stelling when he noticed the suspect lingering and told him to vacate the area.

Reports are the suspect did not comply and an argument ensued between the two men. As the row escalated, Cutting reportedly picked up a piece of wood and lashed the labourer.

In response, the suspect whipped out a pair of scissors from his left side pants pocket and stabbed Cutting once near his left armpit.

The sailor fell to the ground and was picked up by a public-spirited person and rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was admitted but subsequently died.

The murder suspect was arrested at the Parika Stelling, with the scissors in his possession. According to the police, visible bruises were seen on the perpetrator’s left knee and the left side of his abdomen.

He too was taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital where he was treated and handed over to Police.

Meanwhile, at Cutting’s

Parika Ferry Stelling

home, his older brother was at a loss for words when this publication visited on Friday. He stated that he

was “not in the frame of mind” to speak about his brother’s death but noted that Cutting has a son.

CCJ throws out ex-soldier’s application to overturn manslaughter sentence

T

he Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Friday threw out an application for special leave filed by former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldier Mark Fraser to appeal a decision by the Court of Appeal in Guyana, which had upheld his four-year conviction for manslaughter.

In a decision read by Justice Peter Jamadar, the Trinidad-based regional court found no potentially serious miscarriage of justice had occurred.

Fraser was convicted for the killing of fellow soldier Oneal Rollins, on October 26, 2006. It was reported that he was heading out on patrol when he stopped to uplift an AK-47 from the army base at Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and subse-

quently shot Rollins dead.

On November 14, 2007, Fraser was found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter by a 10-2 majority verdict in the Demerara High Court and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. After filing an appeal against his conviction on December 14, 2007, and obtaining bail three days later, Fraser never returned to

prison. His appeal was then fixed for hearing almost 10 years later, but that hearing was further delayed as the record of appeal was not made available to his Attorneys until October 4, 2017.

While Fraser’s appeal against his conviction was dismissed by the Guyana Court of Appeal, the Court did, however, agreed that the

delay in proceedings breached his Article 144 (1) right to a fair hearing within reasonable time and stayed any further imprisonment.

The former GDF member then applied to the CCJ for special leave to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal in refusing to set aside his conviction.

In dismissing his application for special leave on Friday morning, the CCJ found the approach of the Court of Appeal in hearing the constitutional delay challenge and the substantive appeal together to be wise and prudent. This, according to Justice Jamadar, allows the Court of Appeal to properly consider what might be a just and effective remedy for the breach of the applicant’s Article 144 (1) right.

“The court found that despite the raising of a constitutional issue, this remains a criminal appeal… Having found merit in the constitutional delay point, the Court of Appeal then granted what it considered to be just and effective relief. No prejudice has thus been demonstrated and no serious miscarriage of justice can, therefore, realistically be argued to have occurred,”

the CCJ Judge stated.

Referring to Fraser’s claim that his four-year sentence should be set aside because of the delay in the hearing of the appeal, Justice Jamadar pointed to a previous case in which the Court made it abundantly clear that while a conviction may be vacated for violation of the constitutional right to a fair trial within a reasonable time, only in special circumstances or exceptional circumstances will post-conviction delay result in the sitting aside of a conviction properly arrived at.

“This is partly because Courts, in such cases, must balance the principle that persons properly convicted of crime should serve legitimate sentences against a fashionable remedy that is just, effective and proportionate, where a fundamental right has been breached,” he contended.

The CCJ Judge further indicated that it did not find any flaws in the Court of Appeal’s conclusion that the conviction was sound, and that there were no special or exceptional circumstances established to justify cancelling the conviction.

“The jury as primary finders of fact decided that Fraser was guilty of gross negligence manslaughter [and] the trial Judge, after considering a social services report, imposed a four-year custodial sentence.

The Court of Appeal agreed with the soundness of these conclusions. This Court is not to lightly interfere.

“Likewise, the Court of Appeal’s decision to not set aside the conviction and to

stay further imprisonment was well within the legitimate range of options open to the Court of Appeal, and there was no flaw in their reasoning and no fundamental unfairness, unreasonableness, or injustice in the outcome. In all of these circumstances, no realistic possibility exists that a potentially serious miscarriage of justice can be said to have occurred,” Justice Jamadar asserted.

On this note, the CCJ found that there was no proper basis upon which to grant special leave to Fraser and as such, his application was dismissed.

Also presiding in Court during Friday’s ruling was: CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders along with Justices Jacob Wit and Winston Anderson. The unanimous decision was also concurred by Justice Denys Barrow.

Meanwhile, Fraser was represented by Attorneyat-Law Kamal Ramkarran while the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack appeared on behalf of the State. They witnessed the ruling via video conference from the Court of Appeal in Kingston, Georgetown.

Fraser was also present in court on Friday. However, his lawyer explained that while the CCJ did not allow leave to challenge his client’s conviction, Fraser will not be serving the four-year sentence since the Court of Appeal had stayed his imprisonment and this was not challenged by the State.

news

3

saturday, october 26, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Saturday, October 26 – 14:30h-16:00h and Sunday, October 27 – 04:00h-05:30h and 14:30 – 16:00.

GECOM Chair should be more assertive, vigilant – Jagdeo He highlighted the fact that at the end of every weekly statutory meeting, the GECOM Commissioners are the ones updating the Guyanese public on happenings at GECOM and there are serious concerns about the confusion that initiates. That said, he stressed that the sole source of “credible information” has to be the GECOM Chairperson.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, October 26 – 15:10h – 16:40h and Sunday, October 27 – 15:50h-17:20h.

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

WEATHER TODAY

Clarity needed

Sunny conditions and sunny intervals are expected during the day. Clear skies are expected during the night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 15:18h reaching a maximum height of 2.79 metres.

Low Tide: 08:51h and 21:15h reaching minimum heights of 0.48 metre and 0.40 metre.

wednesday, october 23, 2019

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Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

O

pposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo believes that Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), ret’d Justice Claudette Singh has to be more assertive and vigilant when it comes to affairs of the body.

“If you ask me if she should be a bit more affirmative and strong, I’ll say yes,” Jagdeo told reporters at his weekly press conference on Thursday where he lamented on issues at the Elections Commission and the lack of assertiveness on the part of the Chair.

According to the Opposition Leader, there is a heightened sense of worry among Guyanese about rigged elections, given Guyana’s history and the fact that several of the key players of the past under the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government now hold prominent positions in the current APNU/AFC coalition Administration.

To this end, Jagdeo contended that the GECOM Chair has to play a more assertive role in quelling these concerns.

“I think the Chairperson of the Commission, who came into office with enormous goodwill on the part of all Guyanese, has a special role to play in ensuring that Guyanese are not in this state of disquiet and she needs to allay their concerns about: one, about there being a process in GECOM itself that could lead to their disenfranchisement; two, about concerns about rigged elections and actions that could lead to an elections petition,” he stated.

Jagdeo stressed that these assurances have to come from the Chair herself, either through regular press statements issued by her or through regular press conferences, as Guyana moves closer to the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The Governmentnominated GECOM Commissioners have been pushing to have some 28,000 Guyanese voters removed from the voters’ list once it is compiled, on the ground that they were registered as voters in 2008 but have not uplifted their national identification (ID) cards since then.

However, the Opposition Leader pointed to the fact that it was the current GECOM Chair who ruled that the requirement for voters to have a voter ID card in 1997 was ultra vires Articles 59 and 159 of the Constitution (despite a parliamentary agreement to use the cards) when Esther Pereira, a PNC supporter, petitioned the High Court to set aside the results of the 1997 elections.

More recently, he added, Chief Justice Roxane George ruled that removing persons from the voters’ list, using capricious reasoning, is illegal.

“As soon as this proposal came up, she should have shut it down, because it is illegal based on her own ruling, as well as the recent ruling from the Chief Justice…still it is a matter for discussion and continued to gain currency in the media,” Jagdeo said.

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

The second proposal, pushed by the Governmentnominated GECOM Commissioners, is to highlight the names of eligible Guyanese voters who did not participate in the now-scrapped Houseto-House Registration on the Official List of Electors (OLE).

According to the Opposition Leader, “It should have been shut down immediately and not given oxygen – creating worrying that voters could be subjected to the caprices of Presiding Officers come Election Day…this is illegal and discriminatory.”

He went on to point out that it was GECOM that scrapped the House-to-House Registration – preventing all Guyanese from registering – and therefore it cannot now force Guyanese voters who did not participate in the Houseto-House Registration to be singled out for ‘special’ treatment.

Furthermore, Jagdeo spoke about comments made

by Government Commissioner Charles Corbin, who told re-

porters after Tuesday’s statutory meeting that there was a decision to publish the list of over 300,000 persons registered during the now-scrapped House-to-House Registration on Thursday’s date.

“First off there was no such decision...this is another hurdle to cross….we are not even clear on what they are going to publish,” he contended.

It must be explained, the Opposition Leader outlined, how this publication – a list of 300,000-plus, additional names to the Preliminary List of Electors – will be situated within Guyana’s legal architecture. He argued that the only known statutory process to conduct Claims and Objections is through the publication of a Preliminary List of Electors (PLE). He further explained that the list of 300,000plus from House-to-House Registration cannot be considered a supplementary PLE since there will be duplications – that is persons who are on the PLE will also be on the list of 300,000-plus since many persons re-registered during House-to-House Registration.

The Opposition Leader underscored the absence of clarity from the GECOM Chairperson as to how the 300,000-plus registrations will be treated. He also noted that the gathered data was unscrutinised, unverified and was only partially gathered.

That said, he stated that the question of merging unverified data from the scrapped House-to-House Registration with the National Register of Registrants Database is still a matter of concern.

Turn to page 7

4

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, october 26, 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

Rehabilitating drug offenders

W

ith the support of various stakeholders, Guyana has finally set up a drug treatment court to cater for rehabilitation of drug offenders, providing them with an opportunity to fix their lives and return to the state where they can again be valuable members of their communities.

The new court, commissioned a few days ago, will feature a drug treatment team that includes magistrates, state counsels, a legal aid attorney, and a probation officer.

In explaining how it works, Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, related that offenders would get to choose to either do community service or enter a drug rehabilitation programme. She noted that participants first have to sign an agreement which binds them to follow certain rules, including regular attendance at the programme and submitting to random drug testing etc.

Once an offender goes to the court, and the offender pleads guilty or is found guilty by the magistrate, that offender is provided with the option to accept a custodial sentence or to enter a treatment programme which the drug court provides, as an alternative to incarceration.

It was also explained that the programme would provide treatment tailored to the needs of the participants, who would work alongside key organisations to ensure the success of the programme. Some of the key interventions would be educational sessions, one-to-one counselling, group counselling, treatment recovery plan, reintegration, post-graduation plans.

Court-supervised treatment of certain types of drugdependent offenders as an alternative to incarceration is a concept that has proven its value across different cultures as a means of reducing crime, reducing repeat offences, reducing relapse into drug use, and reducing the prison population. Jamaica recognised this in 1999 with the passage of the Drug Court (Treatment and Rehabilitation of Offenders) Act and the establishment of two drug treatment courts in the country, measures which have proven to be effective.

Drug dependence is partly regarded as a disease, and should be treated as such. Treatment of the disease is important, since leaving it untreated almost guarantees that the drug-dependent person would relapse into drug use. Further, not only would it result in the drug-dependent offenders re-offending, but it would certainly lead them to commit other crimes in order to feed their drug habits.

In many Caribbean territories, especially Guyana, there is a high proportion of prisoners who have been incarcerated for drug-related crimes. While it is still difficult to quantify the drugs/crime relationship, there is sufficient evidence to connect drug users to crime and lack of citizen security.

It is well known that the cost of drug abuse and related problems to our society is very significant. These costs lie in law enforcement actions against drug traffickers and street dealers. The costs to the health and welfare systems are also believed to be very high, as various studies on the subject show that drug abuse places significant additional strains on already overburdened health care systems.

Many experts have concluded that jailing offenders does not help them in any way, but rather pushes them to graduate into “bigger things”.

It should be mentioned that the heart of success of drug treatment courts is the combination of treatment with judicial supervision and oversight. Without treatment, there is no drug treatment court. And without the power of the bench, the offender’s adherence to an often lengthy course of drug treatment would probably be much harder.

Drug treatment and the justice system therefore go hand in hand.

We are not saying that drug treatment courts are the magic bullet that would help all drug-dependent offenders, but that this approach certainly offers a way out of the cycle of drugs and crime. It is one sure way of addressing drug addiction and crime in our communities, as this new system would provide rehabilitative services to offenders rather than have them incarcerated, which does not help in any way.

This is certainly a step in the right direction, and we are sure that, with time, Guyana would begin to see positive results.

These students making their rangoli design as part of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s Georgetown Schools Rangoli Competition on Friday at the Dharmic Kendra, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown. Rangoli, also known as kolam, is a folk art from India (Shaconeil Burnette photo)

Sugar production still lagging Dear Editor, The GAWU has continued to follow very closely and with great anxiety, the second sugar crop production.

The Union learnt that as of October 24, production for the crop stood at 35,397 tonnes of sugar. Thus, the industry is required to produce 40,446

While, in all likelihood, the Corporation will extend its crop as far as practicable, our analysis, at this time, indicates that the extension will still result in a shortfall of the crop target.

Information reaching the Union indicates that contrary to previous statements

Uitvlugt 146 hours While we expect the Corporation to tell us and the public that lack of investment is the main culprit, we, at the same time, must ask again what happened to the monies secured to re-capitalise the industry and to address the very issues that are popping

the issue was first noticed, it would have taken a few hours at most to fix the issue and at far less cost and downtime.

At Albion, too, we have learnt that one issue regarding the boilers had to be fixed twice in a short time. Workers shared with us that, on the first occasion, appropriate

Estate

Target

Actual production -24/10/19

Variance

Albion

39,543

17,123

22,420

17

10

7

Blairmont

23,284

9,821

13,463

18

10

8

Uitvlugt

13,016

8,453

4,563

12

9

3

Total

75,843

35,397

40,446

tonnes of sugar if it is to realise its target of 75,843 tonnes.

Production at the individual estates was as follows:With half of the scheduled crop weeks already completed, production at Albion, Blairmont and Uitvlugt estates stood at 43.3 per cent, 42.2 per cent and 64.9 per cent respectively of their crop target. Taking into account the remaining scheduled weeks, it appears to us that the industry will not be able to realise its set target. The GAWU, taking an average of the weekly production over the last five (5) weeks, when the estates operated normalEstate

by the Corporation, the factories continue to experience difficulties. In fact, some officials in GuySuCo have shared with us that they cannot understand what is really taking place. The GAWU has learnt that the factories suffer breakdowns many times not too long after they would have undergone their weekly maintenance. It brings into question what is taking place at the level of the management of the industry’s factories.

What’s even more disheartening is that the Corporation, in recent times, has bolstered its factory operations department, it appears, this unac-

Actual Production – 24/10/19

Scheduled Weeks completed Crop weeks week-ending 19/10/19

up with too much regularity.

If our information is correct, we also must be concerned about the approach of the management in addressing factory issues.

We learnt that the workers of the Uitvlugt factory during the daytime hours on October 20 informed the management about a developing issue at the factory. The workers urged that production be stopped and the issue remedied. This suggestion was not considered. During the evening of October 20, with the issue becoming more pronounced, the workers again urged the management to stop the factory

Estimated production in remaining crop weeks

T

o t a l Production

as

at

Weeks remaining

time was not allowed for the curing process that was required. As a result, the issue re-appeared in a week’s time and the factory had to be out of operation for nearly one (1) day. This is simply unacceptable and brings into obvious question the competence of some of the Corporation’s staffers.

At the end of the day, the workers are the biggest victims. The Corporation, we understand, has generally been satisfied with worker turnout this crop. We also learnt that punt weights have generally been acceptable, except at Uitvlugt where some

Target

Variance

Albion

17,123

13,272

30,395

39,543

(9,148)

Blairmont

9,821

9,448

19,269

23,284

(4,015)

Uitvlugt

8,453

3,162

11,615

13,016

(1,401)

Total

35,397

25,882

61,279

75,843

(14,564)

ly, has determined production would be as follows:We have also considered an extension of the crop until the third week of December 2019, assuming there is fair weather for production, and estimated production to reach Estate

ceptable situation persists.

It may well be the case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

The GAWU has been informed that factory breakdowns during the ongoing second crop totalled 495 hours as follows:-

and allow the problem to be rectified. This request again was turned down. When the factory was finally stopped on October 21, it took nearly 24 hours for the problem to be remedied, at some cost to the Corporation. The workers

Actual Production – Estimated production T o t a l 24/10/19 if crop ends 3rd week Production of Dec, 2019

Target

Variance

Albion

17,123

17,064

34,187

39,543

(5,356)

Blairmont

9,821

10,629

20,450

23,284

(2,834)

Uitvlugt

8,453

4,563

13,016

13,016

0

Total

35,397

32,256

67,653

75,843

(8,190)

as follows:-

Albion Blairmont

-

253 hours 96 hours

shared with us that had the factory been stopped when

further checks are necessary.

It, therefore, seems to indicate that the workers are fulfilling their obligations, yet the estates cannot achieve their weekly targets and are thus, denying workers their incentives. In some instances, estates have operated beyond their budgeted weekly production hours and yet the weekly targets are not realised. Definitely, and undoubtedly, something is wrong and is serving to daunt workers’ spirits who, at this time, are giving their best efforts. continued on PAGE 5

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, october 26, 2019

5

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

Guyana’s reputation is already tarnished Dear Editor, I have just started reading the book “Blowout” written by Ms Rachel Maddow, the Emmy Award-winning host of MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show”.

The book has topped the New York Times Best Seller list since its launch a few weeks ago.

The book deals with the greed and corruption of the oil industry and includes Ms Maddow’s comments on the contracts signed with Governments around the globe which have, among other things, propped up authoritarian regimes.

I checked the index and sure enough, Guyana is part of that story. On pages 353-354, Ms Maddow writes about the now-former head of ExxonMobil, Rex Tillerson, refusing “to explain, exactly, how it was that [ExxonMobil]

managed to secure twenty years’ worth of oil rights in Nigeria despite reportedly being outbid by a Chinese-led consortium by more than double – by more than $2.25 billion. Is it possible that there was a little sweetener there for someone in a decision-making capacity over that contract? Maybe?

Anyone want to check the books? Did every Nigerian official who looked at that potential deal just independently – and for the good of his or her country – decide to give away $2.25 billion?

How about the details of the production agreement ExxonMobil had negotiated with Guyana, which included an $18 million ‘signing bonus’ to the Guyanese Government?

ExxonMobil would not be disclosing the amazing footwork that must have led to those improb-

able deals. “We are a commercial enterprise and we have competitors,” Exxon’s Man in Guyana explained. “And learning bits of information about how other negotiations have worked or how our negotiations work – the things we value – provide kind of intellectual property to competitors.”

“KFC has its secret herbs and spices, fracking companies have their proprietary slickwater goo, and apparently Exxon has its secret special menu of exactly which Government officials or proxies an American oil company must pay off – and how well – in order to secure the right to profit from a country’s natural resources. Without hassle from said Government.”

First oil is still to flow here but Guyana’s reputation is already tarnished and the corruption of the

Granger Government is on the New York Times Best Seller list for everyone to see.

I also agree with Mr Alexander Ramessar’s opinion that future gains from the oil industry here and elsewhere will be short-lived. (SN letters, October 24, 2019) Every progressive and forward-thinking political leader in the developed world – the major gas guzzler – supports energy policies that will lead to a much lesser dependence on fossil fuels in favour of green energy sources.

The dizzying glee and greed here over the coming of oil might well have a brief shelf life and Mr Ramessar is right to advise and caution that our economic policies should take this into account.

Sincerely, Ryhaan Shah

IAC congratulates Dr Irfaan Ali on UWI doctorate Dear Editor, The Indian Action Committee (IAC) wishes to express its congratulations to Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, PhD, on his noteworthy achievement of having been awarded a doctorate in urban and regional planning by the University of the West Indies at its recent convocation.

The IAC hopes that

this degree, the highest that can be awarded by the foremost university of the region, will dispel the negative aspersions that have been cast upon the reputation of this prominent politician, who has served in the previous Administration with responsibility for several Ministries at the same time including housing, water, trade and tour-

ism; and, in Opposition, is currently serving as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee in the National Assembly which has not been dissolved as yet.

The IAC recognises that Dr Ali’s previous endeavours led to massive housing developments on the coast of Guyana including Diamond-Grove, Providence, Herstelling,

New Perseverance, Eccles, La Parfaite Harmonie, Tuschen and Bush Lot. The IAC wishes Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali the best in his future endeavours and hopes that his higher learning can benefit all the people of Guyana in the near future.

Yours sincerely, Indian Action Committee

Trucks on the road Dear Editor Allow me express my serious concern. A few years ago, there was a rule that trucks could not be on the road during between 07:00 to 09:00 hrs.

What has happened to that rule now? It is terribly wrong for trucks to be rushing during that hour of the day while school children and people rushing to work. Number of times, I have observed unruly truck taking up whole road or speeding

on the road. It seems like they are in more hurry than everyone else. It is a nightmare to watch children waiting to cross the road and a monster truck speeds. Could the minister in charge take immediate action and stop the trucks within the wee hours. This is my humble plead to ministers and police department.

Sincerely, Kevin Ram

Sugar production...

We urge the Corporation, to critically examine the situation obtaining in the factories. As President David Granger did say, during his recent visit to Albion Estate, “[w]e are not here to merely survive; we are here to thrive! We are here to guarantee employees’ livelihoods. We are here to guarantee sugar’s position in the national economy. We are here to safeguard the rural economy”. The GAWU believes, also at this time, that the Corporation needs to actively follow up

FROM PAGE 4

the assurance given by Mr Granger as President since June, this year, that “…the $30 billion syndicated bond that has been secured by the Special Projects Unit (SPU) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) is transferred to GuySuCo within a short space of time so that urgent needs can be met”.

Sincerely, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU)

6

saturday, OCTOber 26, 2019

Page

M

ost parents are aware of the “terrible twos”, a developmental period during which children undergo changes in milestones that involve cognitive, behavioural, social, and emotional changes. This period is often referred to as the “terrible twos”, because children strive to be more independent, and this can lead to behaviour problems such as temper tantrums.

Research by psychologists has noted that some two-year-old children begin to exhibit increasing externalising behaviours, such as disruptive, defiant, or aggressive behaviours. These problems may be short-term or continue as the child gets older.

Recently, a study published in the Journal of Family Psychology collected data to better understand how disruptive behaviour in children can lead to intrusive or overcontrolling parenting (Yan, Ansari, & Wang, 2019). According to the researchers, “when children are defiant, aggressive, and disruptive, parents are likely to engage in a series of intrusive parenting practices to manage these behaviours, such as limiting children’s autonomous wishes, offer-

Foundation ing excessive directions, or disrupting children’s opportunities to practice efficient skills to regulate their externalizing behaviours.”

Most parents are able to manage disruptive behaviour in a calm, firm manner. However, this can become more difficult depending on the temperament or personality of the child.

The data from the study

by Yan, Ansari, and Wang (2019) report that “when children consistently exhibit non-compliance, aggressive behaviours toward peers, unregulated emotion outbursts, or aversive misbehaviours, parents are cognitively and emotionally challenged.” In other words, some parents may become more frustrated and angry when children maintain disruptive or non-complaint behaviour.

Due to increased negative emotions, such as frustration and anger, parents may fail to display adequate cognitive resources to generate more efficient socialisation practices, such as the use of reasoning and supportive behaviours (Yan, Ansari, & Wang, 2019). This may result in less optimal parenting techniques, such

to call CPS.” Although most parents will not give in to threats, they can lead to escalated behaviours by children.

Martyr tactics According to Phelan, the child may indicate that their life is totally unfair or that “no one loves me”. Children often use this technique to make parents feel guilty about being firm or placing limits on them. Parents naturally want their children to feel loved. Therefore, this may be a great way for children to shape their parents’ behaviour.

Physical tactics Some children will become violent toward adults, throw objects, or break their toys.

These techniques may be used more by younger chilas yelling or punishment.

This research has been generally supported for decades.

Child behaviour and parenting techniques often influence each other. The researchers also concluded that “when parents react to these behaviours (eg, aggression or disruption) with more autonomy support and less disruptive and controlling behaviours, children’s externalizing behaviours may be reduced in the long-term.”

Understanding techniques used by children to challenge parents

As discussed above, both children and their parents behave in a way that influences each other’s responses. Below are five types of behaviours described by Thomas Phelan that some children exhibit that may lead to increased frustration by parents.

Badgering or nagging

The child attempts to wear you down into giving in to them by repeatedly nagging or requesting something.

According to Phelan, badgering may involve the “please, please, please” tactic and may be more problematic in public, or when the child is loud and disruptive.

Temper tantrums Tantrums and intimidation are often used by younger children to get what they want or to avoid doing something requested by a parent.

Phelan notes that tantrums are more difficult to manage when the child has an audience, or when parents continue talking, arguing, or pleading with the child to stop the tantrum.

Use of threats Some kids will use threats when they are upset as one method to get their way. Examples may include “I’m going to run away”, “I’ll never speak to you again”, or “I’m going

dren with limited language or vocabulary. This may occur in retaliation against the parent implementing a consequence for disruptive behaviour, such as a time-out.

Seeking treatment

Addressing behaviour problems in children is possible with professional help.

Mental health therapists or child psychologists work with children and their parents to understand antecedents and identify appropriate consequences to improve the child’s behaviour and the parent-child relationship. For more information on behaviour problems and treatment options, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. (psychologytoday.com)

Homework tips for parents

H

omework is important, but helping children with homework isn’t always easy. Here are some ways you can make homework easier for everyone!

Study the same things in different ways and places

Help your child learn about new words or content in a variety of ways. Talk about new vocabulary words several times over the course of the week, in different settings. This will help enrich your child’s understanding of the word.

Mix up the study time

If your child prefers to do a little math, a little reading, a little word study and then back to Maths, that’s okay!

Mixing up the practice time may leave a greater impression on your learner.

Space out the learning

If your child has a big test coming up next week, help her study a little bit each day rather than cramming it in the night before. An hour or so every other day, spacing out the learning, is a better way to really learn the material.

Help your child get organised

Help your child pick out a special homework notebook or folder, and make sure your child has homework supplies, such as: • pencils • pens • writing paper • a dictionary

Show your child that you think homework is important

Ask your child about her homework each day, and check to see that it is completed. Tell your child that you are proud of the work she is doing.

Help your child without doing the homework

It’s important to answer questions if you can – but remember that homework is supposed to help children learn and that doing your child’s homework does not help in the long run.

Talk with your child’s teacher

Find out what the teacher’s homework rules are. If your child has a problem completing or understanding homework, call or e-mail the teacher to talk about the issue. (readingrockets.org)

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Missing 14-year-old found buried in shallow grave

…rice farmer confesses

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42-year-old rice farmer has confessed to murdering 14-yearold Christopher Basdeo of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD), whose body was found buried in a shallow grave on Friday.

The teen had been missing for over a week after leaving his home on October 17, 2019, to visit a friend in his neighbourhood.

On Friday, after intense grilling by investigators, the

rice farmer admitted that he and Basdeo were consuming alcohol in their village when an argument over money ensued.

He told the police that he and the teen ended up in a physical altercation. He admitted that he picked up a piece of wood and used it to deal a blow to Basdeo’s head.

In his confession statement, the rice farmer stated that the impact from the hit resulted in the teenager falling to the ground. He said he left him on

the ground and returned to his home.

However, the man said that later on that night, he returned to the location, picked up Basdeo’s body, and dug a 7ft 2” shallow grave where he buried the body.

Crime scene

The body of Christopher Basdeo was found on Friday in a shallow grave

In the company of several policemen, the rice farmer returned to the crime scene and, after digging the spot which the man claimed he had buried

GECOM Chair should be more...

According to Jagdeo, there are also questions as to whether or not this is even possible and how it can be done without compromising the law, without compromising people’s rights, and without impacting on the integrity of the voters’ list.

“If the database is contaminated it will have implications for the timeline of elections…. what we are fighting against is inclusion of unverified data before it gets on the Official List of Electors,” Jagdeo said.

The Opposition Leader made clear that these issues should not be matters that are allowed to confuse the Guyanese people. He stressed that “Without decisions from the GECOM Chairperson, what we will continue to have distortions…GECOM has an obligation to keep Guyanese informed”.

Assertive

In addition to ensuring that confusion is not the order of the day, Jagdeo stressed that there are also other areas where the GECOM Chairperson must act decisively and be assertive.

These include a decision on having an international

presence within the GECOM Secretariat to ensure that the voters’ list is not compromised and to ensure that no Guyanese voter is compromised, among other things. He said, “At the end of the day, she is overall in charge [of GECOM] and I thought by now, she would want to have second opinions, more people looking out to see if everything is done properly if they want free and fair elections”.

The international community has pledged to provide support to GECOM in carrying out its mandate. This was communicated in a joint statement that featured British High Commissioner Gregory Quinn, United States (US) Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch and Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Canto.

Jagdeo also underscored the need for a decision on an engagement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in terms of oversight of GECOM’s Information Technology (IT) department.

He said, “Critical going forward is oversight over IT too and the early acceptance and

installation of international oversight mechanism. Why we have had these delays on simple decisions so far, I can’t explain. It defies logic that if you want free and fair elections and you want them to be helpful in the discharge of your duties, you should embrace all international support readily… there should be a sense of urgency to get people here now particularly in the IT section, because that’s where the preliminary list and all the other lists are being generated and, therefore, you need oversight now and in this period.

I suspect they’re trying to delay oversight until the OLE (Official List of Electors) is created, which could have flaws.

But even then, we will ask for an international testing of the list.”

The Opposition Leader stressed that the GECOM Chairperson “has an obligation to act” to ensure free and fair elections. “We are constantly watching out for any attempt to tamper with the voters’ list and the elections results,” he assured, adding that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is working assiduously with Guyana’s interna-

from page 3

tional partners to make sure this does not happen.

When pressed by the media on his confidence in the GECOM Chairperson and whether he made a wrong decision in nominating her for the post, Jagdeo made clear that her integrity is not in question.

the boy, the decomposed body of Basdeo was found. His skull also appeared to have been fractured.

Basdeo’s family was subsequently contacted and the body was positively identified by his father, Chitranauth Basdeo.

The teen’s mother, Debbie Basdeo, told Guyana Times that she was contacted by Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) Commander, Senior Superintendent Linden Lord after the body was found.

She said she immediately went over to the location at Lot 317 Lust-en-Rust, Parfaite Harmonie, and positively identified the decomposed remains as her son.

According to Basdeo, the body was found some distance away from their residence, buried between foundation materials at an ongoing construction site.

“It was somebody house

foundation that they already had sand and posts and they dig and put my son there,” the woman said.

The aggrieved woman stated that Police formalities are yet to be completed as they await a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.

This publication had initially reported that the teen’s relatives were desperately on the hunt after he disappeared without a trace two Wednesdays ago.

Basdeo had related that her son went home from the Goed Fortuin Secondary School on the said day and indicated that he was visiting a friend’s house.

According to her, he would never stay away from home for long periods and after he did not return home, she suspected something was amiss. He was the youngest child and had four other siblings.

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WCD fatal stabbing

Fisherman slapped with murder charge

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Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD) fisherman who allegedly stabbed a fellow fisherman to death was on Friday slapped with a murder charge and taken to the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

Twenty-year-old fisherman, Ramesh Ramdeen appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul.

The charge stated that on October 20, he stabbed Noel Singh to death.

On Friday Prosecutor Thowan Carol informed the court that the murder suspect, of Meten-MeerZorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was arrested on Tuesday at Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), some two days after the crime was committed.

Charged: Ramesh Ramdeen

A post-mortem examination (PME) revealed that he died as a result of perforation of the heart due to stab wounds.

The unrepresented man was remanded to prison and the case will continue on December 16.

Reports are on October 20, at about 20:00h, the suspect allegedly stabbed Singh in front of his residence as he (Singh) was returning home from a local bar where he and his friends had been consuming alcoholic beverages.

Singh was reportedly in front of his yard when the assailant confronted him.

The argument is said to have been a “continuation” of a verbal row the duo had some six days prior to the stabbing incident. The row on Sunday night escalated and the suspect reportedly whipped out a knife from the waist of his pants and stabbed Singh twice to the left side of his chest and once to his back. He then allegedly cut the fisherman along his left wrist.

Singh then collapsed and fell into the drain in front of his yard. He managed to climb out, covered in mud, and was picked up by one of his friends who had been in the street en route to a shop in close proximity of his home.

Singh was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Teens charged, remanded for phone robbery

Remanded: Daniel McArthur

Shawn Inniss

Hurrcarlaus Harris

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losed-circuit television (CCTV) footage circulated on social media about a week ago, showing a group of young men making their way along a street in the city, when two of the teens suddenly walked up to another young man, quickly snatched the phone he was using and took off running.

The footage obtained from the building under which the Virtual Complainant was standing made it possible for the victim to positively identify the perpetrators, who were on Friday hurled before the court of law to answer to a robbery charge. continued on page 9

Lies, damned lies…

N

…and Granger agamootoo isn’t leaving anything to chance in his drive to have an encore as PM. Even though it’s clear the PNC’s been looking for someone from the Amerindian camp to bring in that constituency – which is more up in the air than the AFC’s, which have landed right back into their traditional parties. Not to mention a bakers’ dozen of new parties fighting to catch the few who haven’t reached ground yet!!

In the opening presented by the breakdown in talks between the AFC and PNC, Nagamootoo used his control of the Chronic to insert an Editorial so simperingly obsequious in buttering up Granger and panning the PPP that even Granger must’ve winced. It ain’t easy maintaining your composure with someone’s nose so far up your nether regions!! The editorial was captioned “Honesty in politics” and for those who would’ve snickered into their morning coffee, it sanctimoniously quoted the French 18th Century philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau on the subject.

“Those who desire to treat politics and morals separately will never understand anything of either.”

And “The practice of politics not only can, but must be reconciled with the imperatives of honesty.” Nagamootoo, in his thrust to brownnose Granger, disingenuously ignored the philosopher who guided Granger’s self-confessed mentor – Burnham – who boasted gleefully that he harked to the philosophy of Machiavelli.

And what does Machiavelli say about “honesty”? “A wise leader cannot, nor ought he to, keep his promises when such observance would place him at a disadvantage, and when the reasons for which he gave his word no longer exist.” But he doesn’t run around announcing his dishonesty: “Occasionally words must serve to veil the facts. But let this happen in such a way that no one become aware of it; or, if it should be noticed, excuses must be at hand to be produced immediately.”

Take, for example, Granger’s WRITTEN Cummingsburg promises to boost Nagamootoo’s PM position: to chair Cabinet or to accept constitutional change to reduce his powers and pass some off to Nagamootoo. As soon as he was elected, he didn’t just tell Nagamootoo that he lied; he said the Constitution didn’t permit the first arrangement and folks needed to be consulted on the second!! Machiavelli to the bone!!

But just as pertinently, Granger relied on Machiavelli’s advice to know in advance how Nagamootoo would react. “Men are so simple, and so subject to prone to be won over by necessities, that a deceiver will always find someone who is willing to be deceived.” Nagamootoo’s “necessities” are those outriders, the salary, and the upcoming pension!

The man is so avaricious he stabbed Ramjattan, who brought him into the AFC, in the back!! …marriage Explaining the rift between the AFC and PNC, Chairwoman Volda Lawrence pointed out: “We are no longer at the embryonic stage of the relationship, rather one would term us as duly married.” Anyone reading the daily newspapers would have no doubt about that!! Who could fail to see the parallels between the epidemic-level domestic abuse and the abuse the PNC has inflicted on the AFC??

The PNC had promised the AFC the moon and the stars just before the marriage. Look how they held hands and danced on stage during the courtship campaign!! But as soon as the marriage was consummated at the polls, the pre-nup agreement was thrown overboard!! The AFC had to cook and clean in the Ministries, but were never consulted on what was to be done!! Sounds familiar?

So now comes the clichéd ending: the PNC’s eyeing up a new, younger “thing”. And the AFC threatens “divorce”.

But they’re worrying, will they be able to live in the style they’ve become accustomed to?

They’ll stay in a ménage à trois!! …and the odd man out From the start of the above-mentioned marriage, the PNC had noted, “Yon Khemraj doth have a mean and hungry look”!! It didn’t help that his “cooking and cleaning” at Public Security sucked!

Off with his head!!

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

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saturday, october 26, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Cummingsburg Accord revision

PNC “unaware” of impasse in APNU-AFC talks

…surprise at AFC’s split threat

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ust one day after the Alliance For Change (AFC) announced that talks regarding the coalition’s prime ministerial candidate have reached a stalemate, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) executive said that it is unaware of an impasse but said that negotiations will continue soon.

On Thursday executives from the AFC said that negotiations were stalled after the parties failed to reach a consensus on the candidacy.

However, at the PNCR’s weekly press conference on Friday, Chair of the party, Volda Lawrence claimed that the meetings were halted because the AFC’s representative is not in the country.

Lawrence, who has represented the APNU during the current revision of the Cummingsburg Accord was tightlipped about issues discussed between the two coalition partners on aspects of the next elections.

The PNCR Chair asserted that they received no word from the AFC which informed that the negotiations have ended.

However, she expressed surprise at the AFC for their recent position on the deliberations. She added that the PNCR is hoping for a compro-

mise so that both parties remain in the coalition.

“The fact that we’re still in negotiations, I’m not allowed to discuss that in public. The negotiations continue…After these talks, we will find compromise. We will come out with an accord that is acceptable on both sides. In terms whether I was surprised at the AFC, yes.

Because this is not the only matter that has been parked and remains parked to date.

Yes, there was some element of surprise.”

While she has shared this position, the AFC has hinted at possibly splitting from the coalition if their choice for the candidacy, Khemraj Ramjattan, is not accepted. Treasurer of the AFC, Dominic Gaskin stated at a press conference on Thursday that their selection of the prime ministerial candidate is their condition for remaining in the coalition ahead of the approaching General and Regional Elections.

“This was a decision taken by the highest decision-making forum of our party and it is not up for debate so it is almost a prerequisite for us entering into a coalition…

We don’t accept that any other entity or any other party shall tell us or dictate to us who we should choose as our

prime ministerial candidate,” Gaskin was quoted as saying.

He added, “There were a number of reasons given why this matter needed to be deferred, none of which we accept or agree with…It wasn’t very clear with us on what basis they matter kept being deferred.”

No evaluation

When questioned about the performance of Ramjattan in his capacity as Public Security Minister and the reasons why he was not accepted, Lawrence opined, “Let me say that I’ve never done an evaluation of my colleague, Mr Ramjattan”.

Both parties have preached their support for coalition politics. But executives of the AFC are open to forming alliances with new parties, other than the APNU. Vice Chair, Cathy Hughes also revealed, “The Alliance For Change is willing to work with anyone committed to the principles of constitutional reform and the creation of a more equitable Guyana where everyone has an equal opportunity.”

However, in an interview with news podcast INSIDE Sources, Granger on Thursday said that the AFC is not the only party in the co-

PNCR Chairperson Volda Lawrence

alition Government. Granger also said during the podcast that he is open to recommendations from other parties within the coalition.

President David Granger

“The President is the Chief Executive of the country and I am open to recommendations from all of my parties and it is my duty to give the country the best

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

team of Ministers in order to accomplish the strategic objectives of the coalition,” Granger is quoted by podcast INSIDE Sources as saying.

Teens charged, remanded...

Daniel McArthur, Shawn Inniss and Hurrcarlaus Harris, all 18 years old, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly and denied that on October 17, 2019, at Camp Street, Georgetown, while being in the company of each other, they robbed Ethan Mookho of two cellphones valued $298,000.

Another charge against McArthur alleged that on October 11, 2019, at

Georgetown, he stole one handbag valued $5000, a phone valued $65,000 and $2000 from Juliette Wills.

To this charge, the teen also pled not guilty.

After the charges were read, Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh objected to bail being granted to the three teenagers on the grounds that Mookho was stabbed to the back with an ice-pick whilst giving chase to the defen-

From page 8

dants when the robbery occurred.

The court further heard that the teenagers were positively identified by the victims as the persons who robbed them, as it was captured on CCTV. As such, Magistrate Daly upheld the prosecution’s submission and remanded the trio to prison until November 29, 2019.

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saturday, october 26, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

6 arrested during Police operation in Bagotstown

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s part of the ongoing campaign to weed out criminal elements in villages along the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor, another Police operation was conducted in Bagotstown, where six persons were arrested and taken into custody.

This is according to Region Four EBD sub-division Police Commander Kurleigh Simon, who told Guyana Times that based on complaints from residents in that village, the raid was executed by ranks from various stations on the EBD. The individuals arrested are alleged to have been involved in criminal activity; however, they will not remain in the lock-ups unless residents come forward with information pertaining to the crimes they may have committed.

Commander Simon stat-

ed that in relation to the 19 persons arrested last week in the Diamond, Grove and Craig villages, 18 of the men were released from Police custody while one was further detained.

A resident visited the Police Station and pointed out in an identification (ID) parade the one suspect involved in the armed robbery committed on him. The suspect was then charged for the crime.

According to the Police Commander, more of the men from that arrest could have been charged for the crimes they were alleged to have committed if victims had come forward and assisted the Police.

“If they had come forward to cooperate, more could have been sent to the courts.

But because we didn’t get the victims to come forward and do such in terms of iden-

ous police stations along the EBD corridor raided a number of homes in the Diamond, Grove, and Craig villages on the day in question.

He explained that this was done after receiving nu-

Region Four EBD sub-division Police Commander Kurleigh Simon

tifying the suspects, we had to let them go. Several persons were contacted who would have suffered from various crimes, but they did not come forward,” he added.

Last Saturday, 19 persons were arrested during a Police operation that commenced at 04:30h and lasted until 08:30h.

Commander Simon when contacted had stated that several ranks from vari-

merous reports from residents in those villages about criminal activities occurring in those areas and persons of interest were also pointed out to the Police.

The Commander added

that as the Christmas season approached, there would be more Police present in villages on the EBD, especially around the main business areas and public roads.

Over $7M missing from Essequibo Coast primary school thrift society

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arents of children attending the Sparta Primary School, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) are calling for a police investigation into the disappearance of over $7 million from the school’s Cooperative Thrift Society Ltd. According to one parent, the situation needs to be addressed as complaints were previously raised but the issue was not addressed.

“This thing is going on for too long now and no one seems to care including the Department of Education,” another parent said.

Several parents, who met with this publication, said that their children’s savings at the school were not going into the account at the bank.

According to the parents, when they initially realised that something was amiss, they requested information but none was forthcoming.

Some parents said that their children left the school over three years ago but they only received a small amount

Sparta Primary School, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam)

of their savings. This newspaper reached out to the school for a comment but was directed to the Regional Education Department. When contact was made, the staff who answered the phone directed this publication to the Education Ministry.

Meanwhile, a source at the school told this publication that the cash disappeared over a period of time and not in one lump sum. According to the source, the person at the centre of the controversy was transferred to another school in the region and is presently repaying the money. The source added that the money

is being repaid in very small sums and in an ad hoc manner. It is for this reason, the source added, that payments to parents whose children have already left the school, is minimum.

However, the concerned parents are calling on both the Education Department and the police to intervene. A parent stated that if the matter is probed by the police then the extent of the fraud will be uncovered. The parent added that the school’s Cooperative Thrift Society Ltd is a means of teaching children to save and should have been properly managed.

NEws

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saturday, october 26, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Man jailed for stealing taxi AmCham, GTA sign MoU to promote sustainable tourism driver’s phone

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AmCham Guyana President Zulfikar Ally with GTA Director Brian Mullis during the signing ceremony

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he American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana (AmCham Guyana) on Friday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), combining their efforts to increase the preservation, protection and promotion of sustainable tourism.

This partnership was initiated to maximise socio-economic and conservation benefits for citizens, while fostering investment opportunities for American businesses and collaboration with Guyanese-owned and operated tourism entities.

At the signing ceremony, President of AmCham Guyana, Zulfikar Ally noted that the purpose of the MoU is to help AmCham Guyana and GTA to improve the enabling environment for tourism enterprise development.

“AmCham welcomes this partnership. Not only are we welcoming the Guyana Tourism Authority, but also the potential to work with the entire tourism industry

and its supporting sectors,” said Zulfikar. “This MoU is just the first step in helping to expand our network to maximise our positive impact as a community to our members and Guyana as a whole.”

Adding to that, Director of the GTA, Brian Mullis remarked, “We are extremely excited to be signing the MoU with AmCham Guyana.

At the GTA, we know that multi-stakeholder partnerships play a key role in continuing to develop sustainable tourism in Guyana.”

This document will further assist in the creation of other frameworks to protect aspects of Guyana’s tourism features.

Mullis said that AmCham Guyana and GTA will work together to identify and prioritise policy recommendations and secure input and support from key stakeholders. “The CSR commitments made by these companies collectively have the potential to generate a substantive and positive impact on Guyana and also align with

our goals for tourism in the country,” Mullis added.

For AmCham Guyana, tourism opportunities will be promoted to its audience through the use of marketing collateral and messaging provided by the GTA, while both parties will seek to identify opportunities for the GTA to secure support for sustainable development projects.

AmCham Guyana is a voluntary, non-profit, membership organisation committed to promoting and enhancing commercial relations between the United States and Guyana. The GTA is a semi-autonomous governmental organisation responsible for developing and promoting sustainable tourism in Guyana through collaboration with sister agencies and the tourism Private Sector.

Last March Guyana was named number one “Best of Ecotourism” destination in the world. The award was presented to Guyana at the ITB global travel trade fair in Berlin, Germany.

epeat offender, 27-year-old Fizal Mohammed who was recently convicted of stealing another man’s phone has once again been taken before the court of law facing a similar charge.

Mohammed appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts after he was slapped with two charges.

The first charge stated that on October 11, 2019, at Regent Street, Georgetown, he stole one phone valued $67,000 and $60,000 cash, property of Dindiall Abrahim.

In the second instance, the charge stated that on September 18, 2019, at the said location, he stole a cel-

Jailed: Fizal Mohammed

lular phone valued $250,000 from Davenand Rampan.

The unrepresented man denied the first charge but admitted to the second charge.

According to facts pre-

sented by Prosecutor Christopher Morris, the Virtual Compliant, who is a taxi driver, was hired by the defendant to take him to a city bar.

However, upon arrival at the bar, Mohammed asked to use the VC’s phone to make a call and as such, the favour was granted.

Mohamed then exited the car and made good his escape with Rampan’s phone.

The matter reported to the police and Mohammed was later arrested and charged.

Magistrate Daly sentenced Mohammed to four months in prison while he was remanded to prison for the other charge. The case will continue on November 8, 2019.

Former manslaughter convict jailed on wounding charge

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aul Johnson, who is accused of chopping his co-worker several times about his body, was on Friday hurled before the courts to answer to a wounding charge.

The 39-year-old man appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and admitted to the charge which stated that on September 20, 2019, at D’Urban Backlands, Georgetown, he inflicted grievous bodily harm on Chandrika Vickram.

Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh informed the court that the Virtual Complainant and Johnson are known to each other and were working at a construc-

Jailed: Paul Johnson

tion site when there was a misunderstanding.

Johnson reportedly left the scene after being an-

noyed, but moments later returned with a cutlass and dealt the victim several chops about his body then fled the scene.

Vickram was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

A report was later made to the police and Johnson was arrested and charged.

Prosecutor Singh further informed the court that Johnson previously spent 15 years behind bars on a manslaughter conviction. He was charged for murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

Johnson was jailed for three years for chopping Vickram.

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saturday, october 26, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Marian Academy wins GHDS annual rangoli competition

Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr KJ Srinivasa poses with the Cacique Accounting College team

Marian Academy’s winning rangoli

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he Dharmic Kendra at Prashad Nagar in Georgetown came alive with intricate rangolis all depicting a different theme. The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha’s annual rangoli competition is a time when students display their creative side and compete for the top prize and bragging rights.

This year, along with bragging rights also came a brand new computer for the winning school. That coveted prize went to Marian Academy, whose rangoli resonated well with the judges.

Rangoli is an art form, originating in the Indian subcontinent, in which patterns are created on the floor or the ground using materials such as coloured rice, dry flour, coloured sand or flower petals. It is usually made during Diwali or Tihar, Onam, Pongal and other Hindu festivals in India.

Designs are passed from one generation to the next, keeping both the art form and the tradition alive.

The word rangoli is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘rangavalli’ which means colour. The purpose of rangoli is decoration, and it is thought to bring good luck.

Gracing the occasion was Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr KJ Srinivasa, who used the opportunity to extend his Diwali wishes as well as commit to further collaboration between the Sabha and his country.

“This has been a mini-exhibition of Indian culture. A

them. We initiated this event with the aim of propagating and sustaining our art and our culture. We have been doing this for a number of years but it is not only the second year that we have introduced it to primary schools,” Seepersaud said.

Students completing their rangoli

mini exposition of the interest of Guyana and its youth in this amazing tradition of rangoli. Diwali is the festival of lights as you know and I was simply amazed when I was passing through one of this rangoli. A boy was explaining to the judges the significance of his team’s rangoli and especially Maha Lakshmi,” he noted.

It was all good luck for Marian Academy when their team of creatives was adjudged the winners of the competition. Rounding off the top five schools were Mae’s School, St Roses High, Bishops’ High and Cacique Accounting College.

Region Six

Over in the ancient county, Cumberland Primary dethroned Gangarram Primary in the Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) rangoli competition for primary schools held on Thursday. The event was or-

ganised by the Department of Education and saw defending champions Gangarram, as well as Betsy Ground, Sheet Anchor, Bohemia, Cumberland and Edinburg Primary participating.

Among the things focused on was the ability to describe the rangoli and to interrupt it, the use of colours and aesthetics skills.

Secretary of the East Berbice Pranit of the Guyana Dharmic Sabha, Omesh Seepersaud explained that even though the event is not on the Department of Education’s calendar of activities, it was initiated by the Guyana Dharmic Sabha.

It is the second year that the event has included primary schools in the region.

“Because Gangarram Primary won last year they are the hosts this year. We are happy that Gangarram Primary would have taken the initiative to ask the Gangarram Vishnu Mandir to host the competition got

Precious Angels Charity raises awareness on Rett syndrome …donates $2M to 5 special needs schools

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fter successfully raising some $2 million for awareness on Rett syndrome, the Precious Angels Charity on Friday donated all of its proceeds to five special needs schools.

Founder of the organisation, Hadiyyah Mohamed explained that their first fundraising activity was recently organised, and companies and other stakeholders would have supported.

Through this initiative, they were able to give back to those in need.

“Our event, Amani’s Awareness Walk has been a very great success. We are thankful for all of our sponsors, our donators and every-

Recipients of the fundraising with the Precious Angels team

one involved. All the money that was earned on that day is what we’re distributing,” she indicated.

Recipients included the

MET Pride Academy, St Barnabas, Ptolemy Reid Centre, Diamond Special Needs School and Gifted Hands.

Turn to page 14

The winning team receiving their prize from Attorney-at-Law Ganesh Hira

In the end, Cumberland Primary emerged as the winner with Gangarram Primary in second and Bohemia Primary, third.

According to the Times of India, Rangoli may have originated in India even before the origin of the Hindu epics, because rangoli is mentioned in the epics.

Today, rangolis are made on floors and walls for decorating houses during festivals and other joyous occasions like marriages.

The religious significance is that gods are attracted to rangoli and hence while inviting a god into a house, the house should be decorated with rangoli.

14 news

saturday, october 26, 2019| guyanatimesgy.com

Known character jailed for Traffic advisory for assault, threatening language Diwali motorcade

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24-year-old Norton and Chapel Streets, Georgetown resident, who is no stranger to the court since he was charged for murder, attempted murder and a series of armed robberies in 2018 and early in 2019, was once again charged, this time for assault and threatening language when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday.

Carlton Bourne, who is currently on remand for robbery charges and discharging a loaded firearm, stood before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly and pleaded guilty to the charges which read that on October 15, 2019, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, he unlawfully assaulted Sherryann Persaud. Another stated that on the same day and location, he made use of threatening language towards the said Virtual Complainant.

In his address to the court, Prosecutor Christopher Morris highlighted that Persaud is also a victim in a robbery matter which Bourne is on trial for, before Senior Magistrate Dylon Bess.

According to the facts

Jailed: Carlton Bourne

presented, on the day in question, the VC was present at a trial hearing during which she was called. But whilst standing close to the prisoner’s dock, in which Bourne seated, the defendant suddenly stood up and spat on Persaud then proceeded to threaten to take her life.

After listening to the facts, Magistrate Daly, without hesitation, sentenced Bourne to six months on each charge, which are expected to run concurrently.

In August of this year, the said defendant was slapped with four armed robbery charges and discharging a firearm at one

of the robbery victims.

The first charge stated that on July 26, 2019, at Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, while being in the company of others and armed with a knife, he robbed John Nedd of two phones and other items valued at $314,000.

Another stated that on July 23, 2019, at Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Nicholas Jones of a phone valued at $55,000, a ring valued at $100,000, and other items valued at $189,000.

It is further alleged that on August 13, 2019, at Middle Road, La Penitence, he discharged a firearm at Sherryann Persaud with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or cause her grievous bodily harm.

The fourth charge stated that on August 13, 2019, at Middle Road, La Penitence, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Sherryann Persaud of two phones valued at $343,000.

The final allegation read that on August 2, at Lodge, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, he robbed Jomo Paul of a chain valued at $250,000 and $220,000 in cash.

T

he Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha will be hosting its Diwali motorcade this evening from 18:00h.

The motorcade will leave Shri Krishna Mandir at Campbellville to the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Ground; hence the following roads will be closed to facilitate this activity:

1. JB Singh Public Road and Lamaha Street – No entry to vehicular traffic proceeding North.

2. Carifesta Avenue at the roundabout – No entry East to vehicular traffic.

3. Sheriff and David Streets – No entry to vehicular traffic proceeding North.

4. Carifesta Avenue

and Camp Street – No entry to vehicular traffic proceeding East.

5. Seawall Road and Camp Street – No entry to vehicular traffic proceeding East.

6. East Coast Highway and Beterverwagting Public Road – No entry to vehicular traffic proceeding West.

Precious Angels Charity...

From page 13

According to Mohamed, the organisation was set up after her niece was diagnosed with Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that affects mostly girls.

The idea is to help the public to gain familiarity with the disorder since it is not known to many Guyanese.

“It’s called Precious Angels. It was inspired by niece, Amani Mohamed, who was diagnosed with Rett syndrome, which is a very rare neurological disorder that affects little girls.

Our intention is to raise awareness about this disability and to shine the light on our Guyanese.”

It was highlighted that

this disease is present in other children here in Guyana, who do not get the treatment and other services they deserve.

“There are other children in Guyana with the disability but because of a lack of equipment and trained personnel, they are not able to be diagnosed,” Mohamed informed.

The syndrome is a rare non-inherited disorder that affects 1 in 10,000 females and begins to display itself between six to 18 months after birth. Rett syndrome leads to severe impairments, affecting nearly every aspect of life: ability to speak, walk, eat and breathe easily.

According to WebMD, a

child with Rett may have uncoordinated breathing and seizures, including hyperventilation.

“Symptoms of Rett syndrome usually don’t improve over time. It’s a lifelong condition. Often, the symptoms worsen very slowly, or don’t change. It’s rare for people with Rett syndrome to be able to live independently,” the website detailed.

Although there’s no cure, potential treatments are being explored. The areas under observation focuses on improving movement and communication, treating seizures, and providing care and support for both children and adults.

news

15

saturday, october 26, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Mainstreaming, beneficial Water quality testing ownership key areas in lab commissioned oil industry – Trotman A capacity-building workshop by the International Secretariat of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) commenced on Friday and will see various stakeholders benefiting from in-depth training to prepare them for the upcoming oil and gas sector.

This workshop focused heavily on mainstreaming and beneficial ownership, which are deemed two key areas which all stakeholders need to be prepared for in relation to the country’s oil industry.

According to GYEITI National Coordinator, Dr Rudy Jadoopat, a lot has been done but there is still more to do in this regard.

“Guyana has been moving forward in implementing the EITI…We are asking the co-operation and support of representatives of the extractive sector, civil society and Government agencies especially. As you know, the EITI is founded on the principle that a multi-stakeholder approach will be taken in

GYEITI National Coordinator, Dr Rudy Jadoopat

its decision making.”

Meanwhile, Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman in his opening remarks at the capacity-building workshop on Friday told participants that Guyana has been EITI compliant since 2017 and its first report was submitted in April this year, ahead of the deadline that was set.

He stated that Guyana has seen improvements in many areas but that the most successful feat was

having the 2019 report completed, submitted, and building upon this report. The second report for Guyana is in the making, Minister Trotman said.

“Further, the multi-stakeholder group has drafted an action plan to implement the recommendations outlined in the first report and we are in the process of hiring an administrator to prepare the country’s second EITI report.

Today’s (Friday’s) workshop is, therefore, another step in our journey to compliance and transparency since it focuses on two key, in fact, I would say critical areas, those being beneficial ownership and mainstreaming.”

He added that beneficial ownership and mainstreaming are important tenets of the EITI process, both of which are imperative towards ensuring that the country continues to accrue the benefits that are available while achieving the highest standards of integrity.

The water quality testing laboratory building (DPI photo)

A

n $83 million facility was officially opened by Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder at the Hydrometeorological Service office on Brickdam.

According to the Department of Public Information, the laboratory will monitor, examine and compile data on the use of the country’s surface and groundwater resources.

The Water and Sewerage

Act of 2002 states that the Hydrometeorological Department is responsible for managing the country’s water resources.

In his address, the Agriculture Minister noted that the event marks an important milestone for the Hydrometeorological Department in fulfilling its mandate.

“This marks the beginning of the thrust towards

establishing a national water quality monitoring network and the establishment of a central repository for all information on the quality of the country’s resources,” the Minister remarked.

According to DPI, Holder also noted that the commissioning of the water quality lab falls under the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 as it acknowledges the importance of water quality.

While the Hydromet Service will be the primary user of the facility for regulatory sampling and analysis of water, the lab is open to all to test water quality, DPI reported.

ChiefHydrometeorological Officer, Dr Garvin Cummings reflected on the period when testing was done in what he described as a small and very unattractive room. He further noted that while a lot of time and energy was put into the testing process, the results could not have withstood scrutiny or be used in any solid analysis. This, he said, was the catalyst for the establishment of the new facility.The lab also has a separate room for chemical analysis, biological analysis and the weighing of samples.

Body in drain

Neighbour slapped with manslaughter charge T

he Patentia, West Bank Demerara (WBD) resident, who allegedly killed his neighbour, tied the man’s head with a black plastic bag, and then dumped the body in a nearby drain was slapped with the charge for manslaughter.

Sundar Singh appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court, West Coast Demerara (WCD).

Prosecutor Thowan Carol told the court that on October 18, Singh’s 57-year-old neigh-

bour, Abdool Ghannie, called “Dennis” or “Fulla”, of Patentia, WBD, was at his residence when the two men had a “misunderstanding”.

As a result of the argument, the suspect claimed that he dealt several cuffs to Ghannie’s face, which resulted in the now dead man receiving injuries.

Reports are that the dead man fell to the ground but Singh did not realise he was dead until the following afternoon. Singh then allegedly took Ghannie’s body to a

nearby drain and dumped it.

The dead man was discovered by passersby on October 20.

Singh, after intense grilling by the police, reportedly confessed to killing Ghannie.

Magistrate Ally-Seepaul released Singh on $600,000 bail and the case will continue on December 5, 2019.

Prior to the court hearing, when contacted by this newspaper, Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara) Police Commander, Senior Superintendent Linden Lord

had explained that after being punched by the neighbour, the man became motionless. The neighbour, he added, thought that the man was asleep.

On Sunday morning, the neighbour noticed the man was in the same position and thought he was still sleeping.

As such, the neighbour went

to work.

However, upon his return home, Ghannie was still in the same motionless position.

This was when the neighbour realised something was amiss.

He lifted the man’s head up and saw blood. It was then that the neighbour put the man’s head in a plastic bag to

prevent the blood from dripping as he dumped the body in a nearby drain.

A post-mortem examination conducted on the body gave the cause of death as brain haemorrhage, blunt trauma to the head compounded by aspiration of blood.

16

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, october 26, 2019

Regional

Bolivia election: Protests as Evo Argentine central bank bleeds reserves Morales officially declared winner ahead of election, peso crumbles anyway

B

olivian President Evo Morales has been declared the winner of Sunday’s election, despite disputed results that have sparked riots and claims of fraud.

Officials said Morales had won 47.1 per cent of the vote and beaten his closest rival by more than 10 percentage points, thereby avoiding a run-off.

Claims of vote-rigging were made after the count was interrupted for 24 hours.

Second-placed candidate Carlos Mesa has called for a second-round vote as have the US, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia.

But Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous President and already Latin America’s longest-serving leader, is now set to govern the country until 2025.

Police fired tear gas at

A

Angry protesters chant in La Paz: “This isn’t Cuba, neither Venezuela”

crowds who protested by the thousands in the capital, La Paz. Clashes also broke out in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, the country’s largest city and an Opposition stronghold.

Many Bolivians say they no longer have confidence in the electoral authorities, and more protests are expected.

According to the electoral tribunal, which said 99.9 per cent of ballots had been counted, Mesa has won 36.51 per cent of the vote. This gives

Morales a winning margin of more than 10 percentage points, meaning that a second round of voting is not required under the election law.

The remaining 0.01 per cent of votes were voided in the region of Beni, with new voting there scheduled for November. These votes would not be enough to change the outcome of the election, a spokeswoman for the electoral tribunal said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

El Chapo’s son led dramatic rescue of his half-brother in Mexico battle

I

van Archivaldo Guzman, the leader of Los Chapitos wing of the Sinaloa Cartel, was behind the assault on security forces that prompted the release of his half-brother from a house in the city of Culiacan last week, a top Mexican official said.

The men’s father is Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Mexico’s most infamous drug kingpin, who himself slipped away from authorities on multiple occasions before being sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States this year.

Younger brother Ovidio Guzman was briefly captured by Mexican securi-

ty forces on October 17 in an upscale neighbourhood of Culiacan, until hundreds of heavily-armed Sinaloa Cartel gunmen forced his release.

The botched raid has called into question Mexico’s security strategy and put pressure on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has insisted that the release was necessary to protect the lives of civilians and security personnel.

Questions have circulated about the role of the older Guzman brother in launching the fierce counterattack led by gunmen in armoured vehicles armed with mount-

ed weapons that left parts of the city smouldering.

Late on Thursday, Security Minister Alfonso Durazo said Ivan Archivaldo had played a key part.

“He was one of those leading the mobilisation of various criminal elements in Culiacan,” Durazo said, while denying reports that the elder brother had also been briefly captured.

A senior security official told Reuters that Ovidio was found in the house with his partner, their two daughters, and two guards. The official asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

International media get 1st taste of Barbados’ Food and Rum Festival

A

s Barbados geared up to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, international media representatives were invited to get a first-hand view and taste of the mouth-watering cuisine that has made the island the culinary capital of the Caribbean and the historic rum, for which the island has become renowned.

This was all facilitated by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI), which hosted a media reception at the Mount Gay Visitors’ Centre located on the Mighty Grynner Highway Thursday.

The international press experienced a tour and tasting session, at that facility.

Aprille Thomas, Communications and Public Relations (PR) Manager with the BTMI, explained that this aspect of the event, which has been rebranded from the prior “Food, Wine and Rum Festival”, is designed to give

rgentina’s central bank kept selling dollars in defence of the crumbling peso on Friday, as concern increased over the bank’s falling reserves ahead of Sunday’s presidential election dreaded by the financial markets.

With the upcoming vote increasing jitters about the recession- and inflation-racked economy, money changers on the streets of Buenos Aires squeezed the currency 7.6 per cent lower to 75.5 per US dollar on the black market, extending losses for the week to 13.6 per cent.

The formal peso, sup-

media from the country’s various source markets, a chance to experience what is on offer, so they in turn can spread the word abroad.

“Each year, we have the Food and Rum Festival and a big part of that is bringing Journalists here from our top source markets, to experience that and to take it back. We are doing a mix of Journalists and digital influ-

encers this year, so we have our social media influencers in from across our source markets. This year, we have all of our source markets represented, so we have media here from the US, UK, Canada, Caribbean and Latin America and Europe.

We have over thirty here on the island with us,” Thomas remarked.

(Barbados Advocate)

ry, when Macri was dealt a surprisingly severe beating by his Peronist challenger Alberto Fernandez.

Reserves were at US$45.26 billion on Friday as markets worried about a resurgence of Government intervention in the economy under a Fernandez Administration.

“My sense is that he will announce more strict capital controls from day one, because the reserve level is very low,” said Alberto Bernal, chief emerging markets strategist at XP Investments in New York.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Jamaica: PM wrong on Bernard Lodge, insists PNP

P

eople’s National Party (PNP) spokesman on agriculture and rural development, Victor Wright says the recent pronouncement by Prime Minister Andrew Holness that 1300 additional acres of land will be dedicated for agricultural use on Bernard Lodge lands does not address the fundamental issue of displacement of over 200 actively producing farmers.

Wright said the current approach taken by the Government was wrong, misguided and did not serve the country’s long-term survivability or food security objectives.

“The PM said there was to be a review of the plans; to date we have heard nothing of the outcome of this secret review. The Jamaican people, especially the affected farmers, must be given information about this public asset, the divestment cannot be between the Prime Minister and a chosen few,” Wright said in a statement

A section of the Lakes Pen area of the Bernard Lodge land in St Catherine, where illegal sand mining had been taking place (file photo)

today.

He argued that the threat to demolish over J$1 billion of irrigation infrastructure on the best contiguous land most suited for farming and preventing the current farmers from resuming production to honour their existing contracts is an assault on the livelihood of families and communities that depend on agriculture for their

existence.

“This section of land has in recent times proven to be suitable for onion production to which the country now imports 80-90 per cent and has seen production increased from 8000 lbs/acre to 30,000 lbs/acre simply through capacity building of farmers and provision of technical service.” (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Trinidad: ‘Bikini’ fete blocked by HDC

T Aprille Thomas (right), Communications and PR Manager with the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI), speaks about the Barbados Food and Rum Festival, accompanied by Tenisha Holder, BTMI’s Marketing Manager

ported by the central bank, fell 0.3 per cent to 59.99 versus the greenback, having weakened 24.4 per cent over 11 weeks since the shock result of the country’s presidential primary dumped cold water on the markets.

The bank spent US$220 million on interventions on Friday, traders said, as the peso continued its fouryear swoon under President Mauricio Macri, a free-markets advocate and Wall Street darling expected to lose his re-election bid on Sunday.

The bank has shed US$21 billion in reserves since the August prima-

he Housing D e v e l o p m e n t Corporation (HDC) has moved to shut down a bikini party advertised to be held in an HDC compound in Arouca on Sunday.

Party officials of this weekend’s “Hula Cooler Bikini Splash” are now forced to have the party moved to another venue as a cease notice has been served on the one believed to be behind the La Vie venue.

The HDC, in a release issued Thursday morning, disclosed that the “unauthorised event”, is being planned on illegal structures at HDC’s reserve land, near Bon Air Gardens in Arouca.

It also stated that the

Police Service has been notified of a highly-advertised event carded to take place this Sunday on a parcel of land owned by the HDC. Guardian Media was told that after noon Thursday, officials from HDC’s security department served the notice at the venue.

The advertised event, which is scheduled to take place on October 27, has not been sanctioned by the HDC “and every effort will be made to ensure that this illegal event does not occur as advertised”, according to the HDC’s corporate communications manager, Dike Noel.

However, a party official, who could not be named, said that a contract was signed to hold

the event at that particular venue and added that they did not know that there was an issue with the HDC. The party official added that they were left confused as to why their party was singled out while many others went ahead successfully in the past at the same venue.

The official also noted that while they will be relocating the party to another venue they are currently in discussions with their attorneys.

According to Noel, over the last two years, the HDC has adopted a firm approach concerning illegal occupancy, trespassing and the construction of illegal structures. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

SATURDAY, october 26, 2019

17

Around the World

US, China “close to finalising” Iraq protests: 24 dead as mass parts of Phase 1 trade pact – USTR unrest descends into violence

U

S and Chinese trade officials are “close to finalising” some parts of an agreement after high-level telephone discussions on Friday, the US Trade Representative’s office said, adding that deputy-level talks would proceed “continuously.”

In a statement issued after the call, the USTR provided no details on the areas of progress.

The call came as Washington and Beijing are working to agree on the text for a “Phase 1” trade agreement announced by US President Donald Trump on Oct 11.

Trump has said he hopes to sign the deal with China’s President Xi Jinping next month at a summit in Chile.

Beijing was expected to request cancellation of some planned and existing US tariffs on Chinese imports during the phone call, people briefed on the negotia-

A

US President Donald Trump poses for a photo with China’s President Xi Jinping before their bilateral meeting during the G20 leaders’ summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019

tions told Reuters.

In return, China was expected to pledge to step up its purchases of US agricultural products.

So far, Trump has agreed only to cancel an Oct 15 increase in tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods as part of understandings reached on agricultural purchases, increased access to China’s financial services markets, improved protections for intellectual property rights and a currency pact.

But to seal the deal,

Beijing is expected to ask Washington to drop its plan to impose tariffs on $156 billion worth of Chinese goods, including cell phones, laptop computers and toys, on Dec 15, two US-based sources told Reuters.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin last week said no decisions were made about the Dec 15 tariffs, but added: “We’ll address that as we continue to have conversations.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

t least 24 people have been killed in Iraq during a fresh wave of anti-Government protests that have descended into violence.

Two of the dead were reportedly hit by tear gas canisters fired by security forces in the capital Baghdad.

Reports say half of the victims were killed while trying to storm a militia group’s offices in two southern cities.

Hundreds of people have been injured in nationwide protests that erupted on Friday, reports say.

Protesters are demanding more jobs, better public services and an end to corruption.

Similar protests earlier this month were brutally put down by security forces, leaving nearly 150 people dead.

A Government report has acknowledged that authorities used excessive force in

Anti-Government protesters march through floodwaters in the city of Najaf

quelling that unrest.

Ahead of the latest protests, Iraq’s leading clerics and the United Nations issued calls for restraint.

A day earlier Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who took office a year ago on Friday, warned protesters that violence would not be tolerated.

He has promised a Cabinet reshuffle and a package of reforms to address protesters’ demands but many remain unconvinced.

The Iraqi Interior Ministry said 68 members of the se-

curity forces were injured across the country.

The Government’s handling of the protests this month has fuelled discontent across Iraq, with political leaders facing calls to resign. The protests started in Baghdad on October 1. Most of those taking part were young and unemployed.

After security forces used live ammunition against demonstrators, the unrest escalated and spread to other cities and towns. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Thousands in Zimbabwe denounce India’s Reliance to create ‘evil’ Western sanctions US$15B digital unit

T

housands of Zimbabweans have rallied in support of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call on the United States and the European Union to lift sanctions imposed against him and dozens of other officials over alleged human rights abuses and electoral fraud.

Friday’s rally in Harare, was part of a Governmentorganised day of action to denounce Western sanctions, which Mnangagwa says have “crippled” Zimbabwe’s development.

He declared Friday a public holiday, and Government supporters from across the country were bussed into the capital early in the morning for a day-long festival, including a march, a football match between Zimbabwe’s most popular clubs and a concert.

Members of Zimbabwe’s Opposition dismissed the protests as a propaganda exercise designed to distract from the

I

Zimbabweans protest over sanctions that the Government blames for the country’s worsening economic problems

Government’s handling of the crisis-ridden economy.

The demonstrators, who were given fried chicken, potato chips and carbonated drinks for attending, carried placards describing the Western measures as “evil” and “weapon of mass destruction to mankind”.

In 2001, the US imposed financial and travel sanctions against 85 people including Mnangagwa and other ruling ZANU-PF party members, as well as the late former President Robert Mugabe. The measures were in response to

the Mugabe Government’s crackdown on political opponents as well as election-related violence. Entities owned by targeted individuals were also sanctioned.

Those measures remain in place despite Mugabe’s resignation in 2017 and Mnangagwa’s election the following year. Officials in Washington cited Zimbabwe’s failure to change laws curbing protests and media freedom. EU sanctions include targeted asset freezes and travel bans. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

ndia’s Reliance Industries Ltd on Friday said it would invest nearly US$15 billion to create a digital services company as it seeks to cut debt at its telecom venture, potentially making way for the entry of a strategic investor.

Controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, Reliance’s debt burden has risen significantly since its telecoms unit Jio Infocomm entered India’s crowded mobile market in late 2016 offering free voice calls and cut-price data to build a massive consumer base.

The price war unleashed by Jio forced rivals to consolidate, driving companies such as Reliance Communications, controlled by Ambani’s younger brother, and Aircel out of business.

Reliance Industries will have rights to convert its 1.08 trillion rupee (US$15.26 billion)

A woman walks past the logos of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group during the company’s Annual General Meeting in Mumbai, India, September 30, 2019

investment in the new digital company into equity, the oilto-retail conglomerate said in a statement.

The new unit will, in turn, invest the funds in Jio, making the telecoms venture almost net debt free by the end of March 2020.

The new digital services company – which also includes Jio’s news, movie and music apps – will also acquire

Reliance’s equity investment of 650 billion rupees in Jio. “Given the reach and scale of our digital ecosystem, we have received strong interest from potential strategic partners,” Reliance Chairman Ambani said in the statement.

“We will induct the right partners in our platform company, creating and unlocking meaningful value for RIL shareholders.” (Reuters)

“All of them”: Lebanon protesters Brexit: EU agrees to Brexit dig in after Nasrallah’s speech delay, but no date yet

E

U ambassadors have agreed to delay Brexit, but will not make a decision on a new deadline date until next week.

The European Commission said work on this would “continue in the coming days”.

The talks came after Chancellor Sajid Javid admitted the Government’s deadline to deliver Brexit next Thursday “can’t be met”.

Boris Johnson said he was waiting for the EU to decide “what they want to do”.

MPs are expected on Monday to consider the Prime Minister’s call for an early

general election.

Johnson said he wants to hold one on December 12, if the EU offers a Brexit delay until January 31.

But the chances of enough MPs backing the motion which requires the support of two-thirds of the House of Commons - appear uncertain, with Labour not committing to how it plans to vote.

On Thursday, the Government had appeared to threaten a halt to all but essential Commons business if Parliament refused to vote for an election.

However, on Friday a

Downing Street spokesperson said that this would only apply to Brexit legislation, and that otherwise the Prime Minister would continue pursuing his “dynamic and ambitious” domestic agenda “with full vigour” even if MPs do not vote for an election.

Johnson was compelled by a law passed by MPs - known as the Benn Act - to send a letter to the bloc requesting a delay until January 31, 2020.

Before sending the letter on Saturday, he had repeatedly promised the UK would leave the EU on Halloween.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

D

emonstrators in the Lebanese capital say their demands are “clear” and they will keep protesting until the Government falls, disregarding a speech by Hezbollah’s leader who warned that the protest movement risked pushing Lebanon into “chaos” and “God forbid” civil war.

In a televised address on Friday, Hassan Nasrallah said a Government resignation would create a power vacuum which could lead the country into civil unrest “similar to what’s happening in the region”.

For nine days, Lebanese from across the country’s sectari-

an and political divides have been taking to the streets and blocking major roads to call for the resignation of the country’s sectarian power-sharing Government.

Angry at official corruption, a stagnant economy and poor services, they demand an overhaul of Lebanon’s political system and an end to austerity measures.

In a bid to appease the protesters, Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday unveiled a series of economic reforms, including no new taxes for the 2020 budget, a 50 per cent reduction in the salaries of current and former politicians, the abolition of obsolete State institutions and

the drafting of a law that seeks to restore public funds.

The leaderless protesters, however, rejected the announcement as insufficient and continued pouring onto the streets of the capital, Beirut, and elsewhere.

In his speech, Nasrallah hailed the reforms package, which he called “unprecedented”, and reassured the protesters that they will be implemented.

He also repeated President Michel Aoun’s call on Thursday for a dialogue and welcomed representatives of the movement to deliver a “clear set of demands”.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, OCTOber 26, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES

(March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

dilbert

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

Calvin and Hobbes

Thrive on change. If you share your plans with a loved one, you’ll come up with a plan that will ensure a better future.

Think big, but implement only what’s within your means. Sticking to a budget and following the rules will make your life easier. Tidy up loose ends.

Don’t get angry when you can get moving. Use your intelligence, charm and imaginative mind to carve out a path that takes you where you want to go.

Romance is featured.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Think big, but be reasonable. Indulgence of any kind will work against you.

Quality control, a precise plan and sticking to a tight budget will be necessary.

VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Use your voice to make a difference and bring about change that will improve your life. A reunion will reunite you with someone special. Romance is in the stars.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

Spending time with people who challenge you will push you in a positive direction. Don’t give up on what you want for fear of losing what you have.

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

solution for LAST PUBLISHED puzzle AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Emotions will surface.

Channel your energy into something concrete, even if someone tries to taunt you into an argument. Stand tall and let your achievements speak for you.

An unexpected change at home will spark your imagination and help you make long-overdue decisions.

Happiness is within reach if you follow your heart and start living your dream.

Put greater emphasis on getting things done properly. If you don’t prepare, you will fall short and face criticism. Trust in facts, not in hearsay. Exercise can be a stress-release.

Discipline is admirable, but if you push too hard, injury will result. Pace yourself and take time to rest and rejuvenate. Downtime with a loved one is encouraged.

Check personal papers, documents and your financial options, and do your best to lower your overhead and redirect your cash where it’s needed most. Don’t let a loved one spend your money.

A minimalist attitude will help you save money.

You can be loving and kind without overspending. A romantic gesture will change the dynamics of an important relationship.

saturday, october 26, 2019

19

roundup: Antetokounmpo posts triple-double as Bucks trip Rockets G

iannis Antetokounmpo posted a triple-double before fouling out, and the Milwaukee Bucks erased a 16-point deficit to rally past the host Houston Rockets 117-111 on Thursday.

Antetokounmpo finished with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists before picking up his sixth foul with 5:18 remaining. The Bucks led 10195 at that point, but they did not collapse with the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player watching from the bench.

A collective effort carried Milwaukee to victory in the regular-season opener for both teams, as seven Bucks scored in double figures.

W e s l e y Matthews had 14 points while Ersan Ilyasova, who gave Milwaukee its first lead at 91-90 on a second-chance basket with 8:34 remaining in the contest, added 13 for the

Bucks. Eric Bledsoe, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez scored 11 points apiece, and Pat Connaughton added 10.

Russell Westbrook produced 24 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in his Houston debut while James Harden added 19 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds. Clint Capela finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Hawks 117, Pistons 100

One night after Detroit made a surprise first impression with a season-opening win on the road, visiting Atlanta did the same to the Pistons.

Trae Young scored 25 of his gamehigh 38 points in the first half and added nine assists and seven rebounds to lead the Hawks to a win in their season opener at Detroit.

Young w e n t 11 of 21 from the floor, including 6 of 10 from 3-point range.

Derrick Rose came off of the bench to score 27 points in 25 minutes, and Andre Drummond had 21 points and 12 rebounds in defeat Giannis Antetokounmpo

for the Pistons.

Clippers 141, Warriors 122

Los Angeles scored the first 14 points in the regular-season history of Golden State’s new home, the Chase Center in San Francisco, and rode balanced scoring to a front-running romp over the five-time defending Western Conference champions.

Lou Williams had 22 points to lead five Clippers with 16 or more as the visitors built upon a season-opening victory over the Lakers with a blowout win in which they never trailed.

Playing a regular-season game in San Francisco for the first time since 1971, the Warriors watched as Clippers center Ivica Zubac scored the first five points in Chase Center regular-season history and Patrick Patterson added a pair of 3-pointers in the game-opening, 14-0 flurry.

2018 No. 1 overall pick banned

The NBA suspended second-year Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton 25 games for on Thursday violating the league’s anti-drug policy.

According to a statement from the league, Ayton tested positive for a diuretic. The statement said the 2018 No. 1 overall pick will begin serving the suspension Friday night, when the Suns visit the Nuggets in Denver.

ESPN reported that the NBA Players

Association, however, will file arbitration papers on Ayton’s behalf and seek to have the suspension shortened or rescinded entirely based on the collective bargaining agreement’s “unintentional ingestion” provision.

“I want to apologize to my family, the entire Suns organization, my teammates, partners, our fans and the Phoenix community,” Ayton said in part through a statement.

“This was an unintentional mistake and unfortunately I put something in my body that I was completely unaware of.”

Suns general manager James Jones said in a statement, “On behalf of the Phoenix Suns organization, (coach) Monty Williams and I are disappointed in the actions by Deandre Ayton that led to his testing positive for a banned diuretic and subsequent suspension by the NBA. This does not uphold the standards and principles we have set for the team.

Diuretics are banned as they can serve as masking agents. According to the ESPN report, sources with knowledge of Ayton’s tests said a follow-up test showed no traces of any other banned substances.

Ayton, who finished third in NBA Rookie of the Year voting last season, averaged 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in his first season.

The 21-year-old scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked four shots in the Suns’ season-opening 124-95 win over Sacramento on Wednesday. (Reuters)

BCB/NBS 40 Overs Second Division Tournament…

Several teams advance to play-offs ꟷ player dies from suspected heart attack during match

T

he New Building Society (NBS) 40-over second division cricket tournament continued last weekend under administration of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) with several teams advancing to the playoff stage.

Sadly, however, the cricketing community in Berbice was thrown into shock and was silenced by the death of 48-year-old Parmeshwar Badri Narrain, which occurred during the 3rd round match between the #48 Challengers, for which he had played, and the #68 Turn Team. Narrain apparently suffered a heart attack while sitting in the pavilion after his dismissal.

BCB officials, President Hilbert Foster and Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu, have visited Narrain’s widow and family, to whom they offered words of comfort and handed over a quantity of items to assist the family to hold a nightly wake.

The teams that have advanced to the playoff stage are Rose Hall Tigers, Fyrish, Skeldon, Cut and Load, Bomb Squad and #64 Marines. Numerous matches have been affected by heavy rainfall and franchise cricket, and would be rescheduled for play next weekend as the BCB strives to complete the payoff matches by the middle of November.

Scores from the matches played are as follows: 1: Crabwood Creek Sports Club (CCSC) defeated #52 Survival by 195 runs at the Crabwood Creek Ground.

CCSC made 314 for 5 from 35 overs, with Lionel Seegobin contributing 119 not out, Naresh Deo contributing 68, and Darshan Challitar 55. R. Rampertab took 2 for 25 from 4 overs.

#52 Survival rfeplied with 167 for 9 from 35 overs. M. Kendall contributed 28 and N. Toolsie 24. D. Challitar took 3 for 23 from 7 overs.

2: #68 Darkender Superstars beat #66 Giants by 4 wickets at the #66 Cricket Ground. #66 Giants made 45 all out from 16 overs, of which Andrew Tahal contributed 11. Dolaram Persaud took 2 for 12 from 4 overs, and Govin Harrisingh took 2 for 2 from one over. #68 Darkender replied with 46 for 6 from 10 overs. Andel Jones contributed 17 and Rayan Parag 15. Jason Boodram took 3 for 17 from 5 overs, and Rickey Roopram took 3 for 21 from 5 overs.

3: #64 Fighting Marines beat Scottsburg United by 8 wickets at Scottsburg. Scottsburg United scored 84 all out from 19.3 overs, with Shahab Rasheed contributing 34 and Bahresh Sahadeo 13. Shiraz Khan took 5 for 16 from 7 overs. #64 Marines replied with 88 for 4 from 20.1 overs. Leonard Sandy contributed 24 and Steve Embrack 20. Saif Kamal took 2 for 14 from 4 overs.

4: #43 Scorpions defeated Yakusari Horizons by 191 runs at the #43 Cricket Ground. #43 Scorpions made 249 for 8 from 25 overs, with Orvin Baldeo contributing 53, Melvin Baldeo 41, and Ramesh Sooknauth 38. Toney Ramsundar took 4 for 50 from 5 overs.

Yakusari Horizons replied with 58 all out in 16 overs, with K. Amin contributing 16. Farook Drepaul took 5 for 7 from 5 overs, and M. Harvey took 3 for 10 from 3 overs.

5: Dukestown defeated Radha Krishna Academy by 57 runs at the #72 Cut and Load

Cricket Ground. Dukestown scored 102 all out in 17.1 overs, with Kevin Clarke contributing 27. Khemraj Dhup took 4 for 14 from 6.1 overs, and Sanjay Deochand took 3 for 18 from 4 overs.

Radha Krishna Academy replied with 57 all out in 18.1 overs. Kevin Heraj scored 16 of those runs, while Wayne Garnette took 3 for 10 from 5 overs.

6: #72 Cut and Load beat #73 Young Warriors by 5 wickets at the #73 Ground. #73 Young Warriors scored 112 all out in 38 overs, with V. Latchman contributing 36. Rishi Persaud took 3 for 15 from 8 overs. #72 Cut and Load replied with 113 for 5 from 15.2 overs, with Rishi Persaud contributing 26 and Devanand Chatterpaul 20. Lakeram Latchman took 3 for 25 from 8 overs.

7: #71 Cricket Club defeated All Family Cricket Club by 30 runs at the #71 Ground. #71 scored 235 all out in 36 overs, with K. Roopraj contributing 51, L. Ramsud 50, and R. Persaud 24. Riza Hakim took 5 for 41 from 8 overs.

All Family CC replied with 205 all out in 33 overs, with Ashraf Kayum contributing 50, and Boojnarine Rampersaud 30.

L. Paresar took 3 for 47 from 7 overs, and L. Ramsud took 3 for 42 from 8 overs.

8: Skeldon Titans beat #70 MYO by 7 wickets at #70 MYO Ground. #70 MYO scored 191 all out in 38 overs, with J. Rasheed contributing 50, Jameel Asad 35, and Areef Khan 25. Claude Felix took 4 for 35 from 8 overs that included two maidens.

Skeldon Titans responded with 192 for 3 from 22 overs. Gajendra Ramnarine made 60 not-out, Sherwin Murray 37, and Anthony Seeraj 35. Salim Khan took 2 for 42 from 6 overs.

9: Skeldon Titans beat #52 Cricket Club by 9 wickets at the #52 Cricket Ground. #52 scored 101 all out in 38 overs, with Michael Kendall contributing 36 and Devendra Rohoman 33.

Sherwin Murray took 3 for 19 from 8 overs, and Amzan Appalsammy took 3 for 15 from 5 overs.

Skeldon Titans responded with 102 for one from 11 overs, with Gajendra Ramnarine contributing 30 not-out, Anthony Seeraj 32, and Jerry Moore 27 not-out. Ravindra Matadin took one for 15 from 3 overs.

10: Fyrish defeated Kildonan by 4 runs at Fyrish. Fyrish scored 136 all out in 16.3 overs, with Youvindra Chinapen contributing 32 and Sayaad Bacchus 24. A. Williams took 2 for 24 from 3.3 overs. Kildonan responded with 132 all out from 20 overs. S. Seelall contributed 50 and A. Emanuel 30. Youvindra Chinapen took 4 for 27 from 4 overs.

11: Kendall’s Union defeated Edinburgh by 3 wickets at the Edinburgh Cricket Ground.

Edinburgh scored 175 all out in 37.2 overs, with G. De Jesus contributing 64 and L. Sachara 30. D. Garnett took 3 for 18 from 6 overs, and E. Baker took 3 for 23 from 8 overs.

Kendall’s Union responded with 176 for 7 from 31 overs, with E. Garnett contributing 63, and G. Hitnarine 21.

B. Ragbeer took four for 47 from 7 overs.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturday, october 26, 2019

ExxonMobil U-14 Football Tournament…

Cummings Lodge Secondary receive gear and training equipment C

ummings Lodge Secondary pulled off an emphatic victory over Carmel Secondary to clinch the ExxonMobil Under-14 Football championship back in August, and were yesterday rewarded for this win in a simple ceremony held at the school.

As is the norm with school football tournaments, instead of receiving cash, the victorious team is given opportunity to identify a school project it wishes to complete.

In the case of Cummings Lodge, that school chose to solidify its football department with uniforms, bibs, balls, training nets and other training gear, in order to keep its football team active and well outfitted.

Coach of the Cummings Lodge team, Keron Fontanelle, in receiving the donation on the school’s behalf, expressed immense gratitude to the sponsor and organizer of the tournament.

“First of all, we’d like to thank the Petra organization and the ExxonMobil Company.

We’d like to thank you for the chance to be in the U14 tournament.

“We’re proud to know that, as a result of winning, we can up our game to a next level; so we want to truly thank you guys once again,” Fontanelle declared.

ExxonMobil’s Community Relations and Communications Manager Nicholas Yearwood explained that it is always a great feeling to be able to present a school with the prizes it has won. He alluded to the company’s continued partnership with the Petra organization, and said the following; “At ExxonMobil, we are happy to make investments like these. This is our second year running, and we’re quite happy with the way it has progressed from last year to now. It is always good to be here at these events, it’s good to be able to hand over the winning; and we look forward to more partnerships with ExxonMobil and Petra.”

Also speaking at the ceremony was Petra

ExxonMobil’s Nicholas Yearwood

Co-Director Troy Mendonca, who spoke of the value of ExxonMobil’s investment while thanking the company for the continued support.

“We’re very happy for the company’s investment in the youths, and today is a representation of your commitment towards your social responsibility as a company. It’s not just the equipment that your investment will go into, but to help develop these youngsters, and other youngsters who come through will have equipment to practice.”

Following an exemplary run in the preliminary round of the ExxonMobil U14 tournament this year, Cummings Lodge came against Carmel Secondary in the final. The encounter went all the way to arrive at a winner, after regulation time ended with the scores on 1-1.

Extra time was also thrilling, as Cummings Lodge took the lead, only for Carmel to equalize once again.

Some of the training equipment that the school received

However, in the penalty shootout, Cummings Lodge outplayed Carmel Secondary to win by a margin of 4-3.

The winner of the female version of the ExxonMobil U14 tournament was East Ruimveldt Secondary.

Sherfane Rutherford delighted at 2nd T20 call-up for West Indies ꟷ “application was key in my 154”

Everest Masters throw out challenge to Pakuri Warriors cricket team

This T10 flashback shows Rutherford on the go

By Brandon Corlette

F

Everest Masters are ready to take on the Pakuri Warriors in a cricket match

S

t Cuthbert’s Mission, one of three Indigenous settlements in Region Four, has accepted the challenge to engage in a cricket match against the much fancied, Georgetown-based Everest Masters cricket team.

Currently having what can be described as a turbulent year, the Everest Masters would be gunning for a morale-boosting victory against their more youthful opponents.

The 25-overs-a-side battle is set for Monday October 28 at the Everest Cricket Club ground from 11:00h, but will be preceded by an Everest intra-club contest among the young brigade of that historic club from 09:00h.

The side from St Cuthbert’s, known as the Pakuri Warriors, will come from Avinash Poonsammy (captain), Julio Ferreira, Timothy Andrews, Gideon Osalmo, Denzil Shuman, David France, Wendell Williams, Aldin and Anil Kattow, Burton and Loranzo Clenkian;

and Ronnie, Elon, Stallon and Sakanchi Simon.

Everest Masters team reads as follows: Rajesh Singh (captain), Sahadeo Hardaiow, Saheed Mohamed, Hemraj Garbarran, Bisham Singh, Ijaz Mohamed, Anand Persaud, Ronald Jaisingh, Robin Bharat, Imtiaz Sadik, Anwar Rahaman, Satyendra Khemraj, Ucil Armstrong, Ravi Narayan, Basil Persaud, Safraz Sherfiffudeen and Johnny Azeez.

Players of both sides will wear coloured clothing while playing with the pink ball in observance of Cancer Awareness Month.

The winning team will walk away with the Essential Supplies Incorporated Trophy, while the man-of-the-match will collect the Trophy Stall Trophy.

On the Easter weekend earlier in the year, Everest Masters had hosted a team from Laluni, another Indigenous settlement in Region Four, but lost the high-scoring encounter.

resh from recording the highest individual score in the recently concluded SBF Petroleum Cricket Guyana Inc. (CGI) one-day franchise league, Sherfane Rutherford has told Guyana Times Sport that application was key during that top knock.

“First of all, I want to thank God. Coming into this tournament, I was expected to make some runs, and I think application was key, because Essequibo was one of the better bowling lineups, and it was exceptional of me to play a role in the team’s win”, Rutherford explained.

Rutherford’s stunning innings of 154, which included 13 towering sixes and 11 fours, comes at a time when the West Indies are resuming their international schedule against Afghanistan from November 5. Three T20

International matches will be followed by three ODIs and a single test in that schedule.

Having played one T20 International for the West Indies back in December 2018, Rutherford has returned to the T20 squad that will oppose Afghanistan in India. Speaking on his second homecoming in the West Indies team, Rutherford had this to say: “Well, it’s always good, you know, to play for West Indies. After playing one game and (being) out, I think it’s a pleasure for me, and I’m just looking to make the opportunity count.” He is currently in preparation mode for that T20 series.

Rutherford also reflected on his Hero Caribbean Premier League stint with the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW). “I think for me personally it was good; (I have) no complaints.

Batting six times out of 12 and getting some runs…but

not how I wanted to end”, Rutherford explained.

This Enmore resident made his T20 debut for the GAW in 2018, and has since played 28 T20 matches around the globe. He is recognised as one of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball, and has earned recognition in the Indian Premier League (IPL) playing for the Delhi Capitals. He was snapped up by the Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2019 tournament.

In his 28 T20 matches, this white-ball specialist has a strike rate of 137.87.

His most memorable T20 knock was in the Global T20 League, wherein he slammed an unbeaten 134 against Vancouver Knights.

Rutherford will turn out for the Delhi Bulls in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, which is slated for play from November 15-24 in the United Arab Emirates.

Rutherford has had a decent stint with the Guyana Amazon Warriors

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, october 26, 2019

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Windies announce home series against NZ, SA and Australia over next 3 years T

he West Indies men's team is set to play 11 Test matches all part of the World Test Championship - 20 ODIs and 36 T20Is at home over the next three years. It all begins with Ireland's arriv-

al in January 2020, and continues with tours by New Zealand and South Africa.

The women's team, meanwhile, will focus on one-day cricket next year, playing 15 matches at home and away to prepare for the

West Indies Men's schedule for 2020

Ireland in West Indies January 4: 50-over warm-up match - Three Ws Oval, Barbados January 7: 1st ODI - Kensington Oval, Barbados January 9: 2nd ODI - Kensington Oval, Barbados January 12: 3rd ODI - Grenada National Stadium, Grenada January 15: 1st T20I - Grenada National Stadium, Grenada January 18: 2nd T20I - Warner Park, St Kitts January 19: 3rd T20I - Warner Park, St Kitts West Indies in England (Wisden Trophy) June 4-8: 1st Test - The Oval, London June 12-16: 2nd Test - Edgbaston, Birmingham June 25-29: 3rd Test - Lords, London New Zealand in West Indies July 8: 1st ODI - Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua July 10: 2nd ODI - Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua July 13: 3rd ODI - Windsor Park, Dominica July 15: 1st T20I - Windsor Park, Dominica July 18: 2nd T20I - Guyana National Stadium, Guyana July 19: 3rd T20I - Guyana National Stadium, Guyana South Africa in West Indies July 15-19: Warm-up match - Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad July 23-27: 1st Test - Queen's Park Oval, Trinidad July 31 to August 4: 2nd Test - Daren Sammy Stadium, St Lucia August 8: 1st T20I - Broward County Stadium, USA August 9: 2nd T20I - Broward County Stadium, USA August 12: 3rd T20I - Sabina Park, Jamaica August 15: 4th T20I - Sabina Park, Jamaica August 16: 5th T20I - Sabina Park, Jamaica

Jason Holder will lead West Indies in 11 home Tests over the next three years

next 50-over World Cup in 2021.

On Friday, Cricket West Indies announced their home fixtures for the next three years, starting from January 2020 to August 2022. That period will feature the return of Windsor Park, the ground in Dominica that was damaged during Hurricane Maria - New Zealand are scheduled to play an ODI and a T20I there in July.

Pending ICC approval, the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad is set to become the region's newest international ven-

ue having hosted several Caribbean Premier League matches including the final earlier this month. Sri Lanka are set to play a T20I there in March 2021.

Arnos Vale in St Vincent also gets a look in having last hosted West Indies in 2014. Australia are penciled in to play back-to-back T20Is in June 2021 while the Trelawney multi-purpose facility in Jamaica is set to welcome Pakistan in July 2021.

The South Africa series next July features five T20Is in the lead up to the World Cup in Australia

in October. Two of those matches will take place in Florida.

CWI said a more comprehensive schedule would be released at a later date but that their focus was on taking cricket to as many places as possible. "Not only does this provide a full calendar of international fixtures which allows us to better plan and schedule our cricket, but it allows everyone who supports and loves cricket to know when the next big game or tournament is coming," said Johnny Grave, the board's CEO. (cricinfo)

Focus on youth as Afghanistan revamp squads for West Indies series

A

fghanistan have announced a raft of changes to both their ODI side, which flattered to deceive at the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales, and the T20I team, which shared the honours after a washed-out tri-series final in Bangladesh in September.

For the upcoming matches against West Indies in Lucknow (a city in Northern India), top-order batsman Ibrahim Zadran and fast bowler Yamin Ahmadzai, among others, were brought in, even as veteran paceman Dawlat Zadran was left out.

Afghanistan lost all their nine matches at the World Cup under Gulbadin Naib, who was subsequently replaced by Rashid Khan for all three formats.

The trip to Bangladesh was a successful one for Rashid, and the team, as they beat Bangladesh in the one-off Test and then beat the home side and Zimbabwe once apiece - and lost once to each side too - on their way to the final, where rain forced an abandonment without a ball bowled.

Most of the players from that trip retained their spots in the T20I squad - trimmed from 17 to 16. However, Dawlat, who was expensive in his only outing, batsmen Fazal Niazai, Najeeb Tarakai and Shafiqullah, who also failed to impress in

Afghanistan lost to the West Indies in the 2019 ICC 50-over World Cup

the limited chances they got, and uncapped 20-year-old left-arm-spinning allrounder Shahidullah were left out.

In their place were Ibrahim and Ahmadzai, as well as senior batsman Javed Ahmadi and leftarm medium pacer Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, who in July was called in to their World Cup squad as late replacement following disciplinary action against Aftab Alam.

In the ODIs, which will precede the T20Is, there

was no place for Dawlat or his fast-bowling partner Hamid Hassan, and familiar faces like Hashmatullah Shahidi, Noor Ali Zadran and Samiullah Shinwari, who also missed out from the party that did duty at the World Cup. Filling those gaps, as well as the ones following suspensions to Mohammad Shahzad and Aftab , were Ahmadi, Afsar Zazai, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Ibrahim, Ahmadzai and

Naveen-ul-Haq. The series against West Indies will start with three ODIs (November 6, 9 and 11), followed by three T20Is (November 14, 16 and 17), and a one-off Test, beginning November 27.

ODI squad: Rashid Khan (c), Asghar Afghan, Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Javed Ahmadi, Afsar Zazai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf,

Ibrahim Zadran, Yamin Ahmadzai, Naveen-ul-Haq, Ikram Alikhil, Mujeeb ur Rahman.T20I squad: Rashid Khan (c), Asghar Afghan, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Yamin Ahmadzai, Naveen-ul-Haq, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Mujeeb ur Rahman

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saturday, october 26, 2019

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

4th EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League…

Brusches Basketball Foundation 7th U-18 Club Classic starts tonight

Semi-finals on today T EBFA Ralph Green action at the GFF National Training Centre

T

he two places in the final of the 4th edition of the East Bank Football Association (EBFA) Under-11 League sponsored by USAbased Guyanese Ralph Green will be filled after today’s semifinal matches are played at the Guyana Football Federation’s National Training Centre at Providence, EBD. The first match would involve the unbeaten Vurlon Mills Academy, which topped Group ‘A’ of the playoff stage, opposing the second-placed team from Group ‘B’, Kuru Kururu Warriors. This match starts at 09:30hrs.

Mills Academy have accumulated the most points (13), coming from four wins and one draw, and are so far the only team not to have conceded a goal in the tournament -- which has seen a total of 28 matches and two

walkovers.

While Mills Academy will start as favourites to advance to the championship match, the young Kuru Kururu Warriors, from the LindenSoesdyke Highway, will also fancy their chances of advancing by way of defeating their opponents.

They have racked up three wins, one draw and a loss in securing 10 points, and have all to play for tomorrow.

The second semifinal match, which begins at 10:00hrs, will feature defending champions Timehri Panthers, which ended second in Group ‘A’, and Group ‘B’ winners Riddim Squad.Like Mills Academy, Riddim Squad have also played undefeated to date, winning three matches and drawing two for their 11 points.

Panthers’ lone defeat came

at the hands of the Vurlon Mills Academy in their first match of the competition, but they have since clawed their way back into contention.

Both these teams have a +4 goal difference, Timehri scoring eight and letting in four, and Riddim Squad scoring six but conceding twice.

Whatever happens tomorrow, only two teams would be advancing to the final, with the respective losers battling to determine the third and fourth-placed teams in a match on Saturday November 2.Prizes in the form of replica trophies will go to the top two teams, while medals will be presented to the third and fourth-placed teams. There would also be six individual awards (plaques) being presented to players and the best coach.

he stage is set for this year’s 7th biennial Brusches Basketball Foundation Classic invitational nationwide tournament, which bounces off tonight (Saturday) at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court in Linden.

This tournament is played every year, and is planned by the United States-based Brusches Basketball Foundation, which has three brothers who had represented Guyana at the senior level internationally: Mike, Clifton and James.

They have decided to give back to basketball in Guyana, and this is the seventh tournament.

At the launching of this tournament at the MSC Pavilion on Tuesday last, the organisers announced the fixture for the four-day tournament.

As was stated earlier, this year will be different, because the Brusches Basketball Foundation has shifted its focus to the under-18 players attending schools around Guyana.

The tournament gets underway this evening featuring Victory Valley Royals, stationed at Wismar in Linden, facing Georgetown club Pacesetters in the nightcap game from 21:00hrs, while the opening game is between Kwakwani Ballers and Rose Hall Jammers out of Berbice at 19:00hrs.

Another two matches are being played on Sunday. The first is between Pepsi Sonics

out of Georgetown and Plaisance Guardians from the East Coast of Demerara. The second game will bring Wrangulars, representing Bartica, to face Junior Kings of Mackenzie, Linden at 21:00hrs.

Those preliminary rounds will allow the winners to advance to the semifinals, which are set for Friday November 1, and then the final is set for Saturday November 2 at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court.

At the launch of this tournament, the Brusche made it clear that the prize monies for the top finishers are not for the players, but are to be used for any project the club sees fit to embark on, as the prizes for the players are the various individual trophies, replicas and medals only.

More than $600,000 has been dedicated to the staging of this tournament, which has Guyconstruct as its main sponsor.

The first placed team collects the winners’ trophy and replicas, with the $30,000 being for a project for the club; while the second-placed club will get medals and $20,000, also for a project for the club; and third-placed finishers would likewise receive medals plus $10,000, for a project for the club.

There will be giveaways for the spectators on the playing nights of the matches, the Brusches have said.

Rajiv Gandhi University on board PM T20 Cup

MMZ Masters pip Everest Masters in 25-over fixture GSCL Treasurer Russell Jubeer (second from left) is flanked by staff of RGUST: Shabana Singh (left); Sheneeza Mohammed, and Arifa Alli (right)

I

t is no secret that sport and medicine go hand in hand; and for that reason, the Rajiv Gandhi University of Science and Technology (RGUST) has decided to support the sport of softball cricket through sponsorship of the upcoming Prime Minister’s

November 1 to 3 in Guyana.

Organized by the Georgetown Softball Cricket League Inc (GSCL), this tournament has attracted 26 local and international teams across three categories: AllStars, Masters and Legends.

In addition to the male

Meten-Meer-Zorg Masters after the win

M

eten-Meer-Zorg Masters managed to squeeze past Everest Masters by a mere two runs when they hosted their rivals for a 25-over cricket match just under a week ago.

Everest won the toss and asked their hosts to take first strike, resulting in MMZ Masters posting a total of 129 runs all out. Openers Muneshwar Balgobin and Mohan Chaitram had put on 35 before Ronald Jaisingh had Balgobin lbw for 17.

The hosts then slipped to 35 for 3 before skipper Troy Khan and Chabiraj Ramcharran put together a 28-run partnership. Ramcharran top scored with 28, Avinash Shardanandan contributed 20, Vinod Rajkumar and Mohan Chaitram each scored 15 runs, and Troy Khan was left unbeaten on 12 as the wickets expired in 24.4 overs.

Jaisingh bagged 2 for 14, Basil Persaud claimed 2 for 16, Shaheed Mohamed had 2 for 22 and Ucil Armstrong finished with 2 for 25.

Everest were well on their way to overhauling this small score when, at 70 without loss in 9 overs, Abid Haniff had Sahadeo Hardaiow caught for a well-played 33, which included 3 sixes and 3 fours.

His partner Shaheed Mohamed (43) departed shortly after; then wicket began to tumble, with only Bisham Singh (13) and Armstrong (14) passing double figures as Everest fell short at 127.

Man-of-the-match, left-arm spinner Lalta Suknanand, grabbed 4 for 10 from 4.2 overs.

He was well supported by Haniff, who claimed 3 for 20, and Vinod Rajkumar, who had 2 for 16.

The Winners Trophy, Runners- up Trophy, and Man-of-the Match Trophy were sponsored

by Odyssey Sightseeing Tours Guyana Inc. Meten-Meer-Zorg Masters will come up against Meten-Meer-Zorg Future Youths today at the Meten-Meer-Zorg West Community Centre Ground from 12:30pm.

Russell Jubeer (left) receives the sponsorship from Anupa Lall, Customer Service Representative of P and P Insurance Brokers

T20 Softball Cup 2019.

RGUST has joined a prestigious list of sponsors for the marque softball tournament, which in in its third season and runs from

categories, there will be four female teams taking part in two exhibition semifinals on Saturday November 2. The winners will go on to play on ‘finals day’ on Sunday

November 3 at Everest Cricket Club, where the finals of all categories will be played.

On the same day that RGUST pledged support for the tournament, Chung’s Global and P and P Insurance Brokers also handed over their sponsorship. They join Ink Plus, KFC, Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, Banks Beer, I-Bet Supreme, Crown Mining Supplies, Bedessee Sporting Goods, Star Party Rentals, Cyber Sports and USA Cricket Zone as official sponsors.

Overall, more than G$2 million is up for grabs, with the winning team in each category being guaranteed $500,000.

Various venues in Georgetown will be used, as the male teams will play a round robin format before semifinalists are determined.

On Sunday at Everest CC, flood lights will be used, as matches are expected to finish in the night.

The Legends category (Over 50 years old) is new to PM T20 Cup, while Speed Boat and Regal Masters are both two-time defending champions in the respective All-Star and Masters (over 45 years old) categories.

guyanatimesgy.com

saturday, october 26, 2019

23

St Agnes ready to clinch Pee Wee title

Story and Photos by Jemima Holmes

H

aving been booted from the tournament in the semifinal stage last year, St. Agnes Primary have returned to the Courts 11-and-Under Pee Wee Football Tournament this year with victory and vengeance on their minds.

Last weekend, this school created one of the biggest upsets of the 2019 tournament by eliminating last year’s runners-up and former Champions, West Ruimveldt Primary.

St. Agnes’ 1-0 victory was a sensational one, and came second only to Tucville Primary’s brushing aside of 2018 champions St. Pius Primary.

their dedicated Coach Troy Wright was hard at work with “the boys”, whom he was taking through their drills.

Team Captain Darius Chester highlighted the areas his team needs to work on in order to win on Saturday.

“We need to finish. Stop dribbling, work on our defense; stop mis-kicking and work on our finishing,” Chester shared.

The star of last week’s show was goalkeeper Shemar Stewart, who held

The St Agnes team hard at work in preparation for today’s semi-final match

Coach Troy Wright supervising his team’s training session

This fresh-faced team from a primary school in Georgetown is now focused on bringing home the championship trophy.

The title has, however, been elusive; they were knocked out in the final in 2016, and in the quarterfinal in 2018.

Guyana Times Sport caught up with the St Agnes team on Thursday afternoon, and

on to every one of West Ruimveldt’s attempts at the goal in order to ensure that his team’s lone goal would be enough for a win.

The young man spoke on his thoughts

during those crucial moments, and his expectations for Saturday’s (today’s) semifinal. “That was good for me. Everything went good for me, I just had to hold the ball and keep good.

“I have to keep good (and) save good, so we could win the competition and bring home the trophy,” the youngster explained.

Speaking with this newscast, St. Agnes’ Coach Troy Wright expressed all confidence in his team, most of whom are new to the competition.

“Last year we had a better team.

This is a young team, now knitting together, and I said once they followed instructions we can move from strength to strength.

“A lot of people didn’t think this team would be in the semifinal.

There were a lot of doubts, but I said this is a new generation and today we’re

in the semis after 2016,” the coach disclosed.

When probed about their encounter with West Ruimveldt last Saturday, Wright explained that he had given the team a game plan, which included focus, and they had stuck to it.

“I beat West Ruimveldt in 2016 to go to a final by the same margin: 1-0. I told these youngsters, ‘We beat them already, and we can beat them again. Just stick to our game plan, don’t look in the crowd, keep your eyes on the ball and follow instructions’.

“They followed those instructions, and they’ve done it again. We’re in the semifinal,” Wright explained.

Looking ahead to today’s semifinal, the coach is looking to exact a bit of revenge against their opponent. While he was tight lipped about their technical preparations, Wright declared that his team is ready to battle.

“This year we are facing Tucville again, so it will be a great opportunity to get our redemption, our revenge. These youngsters are up to it. They said they really want it, so we’re working hard every day after school.

We’re working on our game plan,” he stated.

Super50 squad announced

Smith and Savory earn maiden call-up

ꟷ Foo & Beaton return

T

he Guyana Jaguars team that will compete in the 2019 Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup has been announced.

Essequibo’s Kemol Savory and Lower Corentyne’s Nial Smith have each earned a maiden call-up, while Ronsford Beaton and Jonathan Foo have returned to the Jaguars fold.

The Jaguars will be playing in the Group ‘B’ matches, with the first match beginning on November 7th at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.

The Full Squad reads: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Leon Johnson (Captain), Christopher Barnwell, Raymon Reifer, Anthony Bramble, Gudakesh Motie, Veerasammy Permaul, Clinton Pestano, Ronsford Beaton, Nial Smith, Jonathan Foo, Kemol Savory and Ramaal Lewis.

Esaun Crandon is the Head Coach, while Shivnarine Chanderpaul is the Assistant Coach, and Neil Barry is the Physiotherapist/Strength & Conditioner.

Romario Shepherd may return to the squad after completing duty with the Jonathan Foo West Indies ODI team.

West Berbice, Georgetown record consolation wins

West Berbice have defeated West Demerara by 55 runs.

B a t t i n g first, West Demerara scored 206-9 in their allotted o v e r s , with Kevin Sinclair falling one run short of his third half-century, after being bowled by leftarm seamer Raymon Reifer.

Sinclair’s patient innings saw him hitting two sixes and one four.

W e s t Demerara took consistent wickets despite cameos from Marvan Prashad (29),

Andrew Dutchin (21), and Steffan Harris (21). Mahendra Dhanpaul (3-56) and Reifer (3-41) were the most efficient bowlers.

West Demerara were restricted to 151, scored in 39.5 overs. Tagenarine Chanderpaul followed up his century in the previous round with a top score of 56, but only Reifer provided support, with 46.

Left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie (3-29) and Nigel Deodat (3-27) were the principal wicket-takers.

Meanwhile, in the other match, Georgetown won the toss and decided to bat. They ended their 50 overs at 271-9, with Skipper Leon Johnson leading the scoring with 68 runs before falling to East Coast’s most dominant bowler, Damuka Ngqondo, who took 4 for 59.

Jeremiah Scott contributed 58 runs, but again fell to Ngqondo, Nial Smith

while Joshua Persaud and Raymond Perez each contributed 44 runs.

Chandrapaul Ramraj collected 2 wickets.

East Coast remained winless after they were bundled out for 90 in 30.3 overs. Steven Sankar led the rout with 3-26, and was well supported by Leon Johnson with 2-4. Extras accounted for 22 runs, and Alphius Bookie made 18.

Ronsford Beaton

saturday, october 26, 2019

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Super50 squad announced

Page 23

Smith and Savory earn maiden call-up

ꟷ Foo & Beaton return

ExxonMobil U-14 Football Tournament…

Cummings Lodge Secondary receive gear and training equipment Page 20

Nicholas Yearwood of ExxonMobil, Troy Mendonca of the Petra Organisation, and Keron Fontanelle of Cummings Lodge Secondary are flanked by members of the Cummings Lodge Football Team

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