Guyana Times Daily July 25 2017

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

Issue No. 3282

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

13 escape from Lusignan Prison See stories on pages 3,11,12&13

...7 recaptured

...ECD residents uneasy

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Corentyne P2 family jumps from verandah as bandits invade home

Television personality's P8 home burglarised

…millions in cash, jewellery stolen

The hole which was dug by the prisoners to escape

Clive Forde

Paul Goriah

‘Red eye’ P10 outbreak in Linden – CMO Rotary Club elects new Board of P14 Directors Pascal Smith

Kerry Cromwell

Kendall Skeete

Shawn Harris

…Ramjattan takes responsibility, admits escapees outsmarted Joint Services

…PPP/C expresses concern over latest disaster Diaspora Engagement Conference

UG must drive intellectual processes of ‘green’ development – Granger Page 7

Oil and gas development

“We have more experts than we can handle” – Trotman Page 10

Assassination claim

CoI hears Top Cop ordered release P9 of alleged mastermind …“did not see reason for bail" – Detective

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tuesDAY, july 25, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Corentyne family jumps from Prison break threatens business verandah as bandits invade home community – Boyer F orty-one-year-old businessman Rakish Harold, also called Anil, his wife Nadia, 41, and their 21-year-old son Andrew were, in the wee hours of Monday, forced to vacate their home at Lot 41 Number 73 Village, Corentyne Berbice, jumping 10 feet from their verandah into a neighbour’s yard, where they sought refuge as a group of heavily-armed bandits invaded their home with intentions to plunder and pillage.

Despite going to such lengths to

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rivate Sector Commission (PSC) Chairman Eddie Boyer said the entity had warned Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan about the possibility of another jailbreak, noting that the business community would now have to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their operations.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Monday, Boyer said the situation was a “sad” one, as it has now thrown more fear into the business community. He said it was obvious businesses would be affected, since there would not be much shopping taking place.

“Businesses will have to take the necessary measures for security. It will affect people coming to and going from Georgetown,” he told this publication.

Dwelling on the seriousness of the state of affairs, the PSC Chairman said the business organisation had questioned the Public Security Minister about Government’s ability to keep the situation stable following the fire and escape of other prisoners some two weeks ago. The Minister reassured the PSC that the

The window which the men used to gain entry to the building

PSC Chairman Eddie Boyer

situation was under control.

“If you had a second escape, then you can have a third,” Boyer chided.

Added to the four prisoners who escaped during the massive Camp Street Prison fire two Sundays ago, 13 more inmates who were being housed in makeshift camps at the Lusignan Prison escaped from their holding quarters. Investigators and prison officials believe that they escaped between Sunday evening and early Monday morning.

The escapees have been described as hardened criminals, many of whom have been incarcerated for murder.

Rakish Harold suffered injuries to his foot

evade the invaders, however, their efforts to escape injury were in vain, as the businessman and his wife received injuries to their feet as a result of them jumping off the shed; and, upon seeing

them fleeing, the bandits discharged several rounds at the victims, hitting Rakesh in the right region of his body as he attempted to climb down a post to lessen the distance he had to jump.

They are now patients at a regional hospital, being treated for the injuries they had sustained in the ordeal.

At the time of the invasion, the three family members were asleep in the lower flat of their two-storey building. The businessman told this publication he could not say how many men had entered his home, but there were at least six men, all armed with guns.

He noted that none of the men was masked, and all were armed with guns.

According to the businessman, a steel door had thwarted the bandits’ attempt to gain access into the house, hence they entered the home by way of a window in the kitchen. The bandits reportedly used a ‘wallaba post’ to smash the glass window and grill to the bottom flat of the building; and when they realised that they were go-

ing to enter the home, the family fled to the upper flat, securing a metal door on the way. However, upon entering the home, the men discharged several rounds on the door to break it open.

“When I see that, we decide to go in the bedroom and lock up; and then I said, ‘No, they gon come in here and kill us’. So we run out before they reach upstairs, and open the veranda grill, and my wife and son, they jump straight in the neighbour yard.”

Nursing a permanent injury, Rakish Harold could not do likewise, and as he was climbing down a post, he sustained gunshot injury. Nevertheless, he headed for the fence, and scaled it as shots rang out behind him. He made it to a neighbour’s house, where he sought refuge and was taken to the Police Station.

The businessman explained that he was taken to the Springlands Police Station drenched in blood, leaving the bandits ransacking his house. turn to page 9

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tuesDAY, july 25, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, July 25 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, July 26 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, July 25 – 05:15h-06:45h and Wednesday, July 26 – 06:00h-07:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Weather: Thundery showers up to the mid-morning hours followed by heavy rain showers can be expected during the day, with thundery showers returning in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging between Easterly and South-easterly from 2.68 metres to 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 05:43h and 18:09h reaching maximum heights of 2.78 metres and 2.66 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:43h and 23:59h reaching minimum heights of 0.45 metre and 0.56 metre.

SATURDAY, July 22, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS O

02

05 08

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11

26

16 Bonus Ball

FREE TICKET

MONDAY, JULY 24, 2017

DAILY MILLIONS 16 17 18 22 23 LUCKY 3 1 8 7 Afternoon Draw

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

13 escape from Lusignan Prison ... 7 recaptured …PPP/C expresses concern over latest disaster

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oining the four criminals that are already on the run, another 13 prisoners escaped from the Lusignan penitentiary between Sunday evening and Monday morning, literally slipping out from under the nose of a Joint Services operation.

Among these 13 men, 10 were charged for murder, while one was charged for attempted murder and two for armed robbery. The murder accused are Clive Forde, Pascal Smith, Kerry Cromwell, Odel Roberts, Kendell Skeet, Rayon Jones, Jason Howard, Shawn Harris, Paul Goriah and Jamal Forde.

The armed robbery accused are Teshawn McKenzie and Winston Long, while the attempted murder accused is Jamal Joseph.

By late Monday evening, Roberts, Jamal Forde, Jones, Long, Howard, McKenzie and Jamal Joseph were recaptured. Three were caught at Agriculture Road, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, including Forde; and two others were caught in Georgetown.

Howard was later recaptured in North East La Penitence, Georgetown while Joseph was caught in South Ruimveldt.

It is believed that the men escaped from the swampy pasture of the Lusignan Prison by digging a hole under the perimeter fence. The hole is about five feet in length and another five feet in depth.

While there are three layers of security at the penitentiary, the men were able to escape presumably

during the downpour in the wee hours of Sunday.

The first layer of security, Guyana Times understands, is the actual prison security. Then there are the Police ranks who are overlooking the criminals, and outside the parameter are members of the Guyana Defence Force.

The Guyana Prison

tensified to recapture the fugitives, as well as the four who are still on the run following the fire at the Camp Street Prison.

Nevertheless, the Minister explained that there were 99 inmates in total in the swampy holding area, 13 of whom have escaped; but he said the remaining 86 will be trans-

nity of Lusignan has been beefed up; but the residents are still in fear. And in success, ECD, members of the joint services have been urging residents not to go into the backdam.

The escapees have now joined the Camp Street escapees: Royden Durant, aka Smallie; Uree Varswyck, aka “Malcolm Gordon”; Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander and Corbena Stephens.

Disaster

The hole which the men dug to escape

Service has come in for harsh criticism after it was revealed that the exterior of the prison had thick vegetation, which the men used to their advantage.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who appeared on the state owned National Communications Network (NCN) to speak to the nation, said a joint services’ operation codenamed ‘Clean Sweep’ has been in-

ferred to the brick prison at Camp Street which has been sufficiently completed to securely hold them.

However, since the escape of the prisoners, Police have been combing the backlands along the East Coast of Demerara, and army and Police ranks have been stopping and searching vehicles along the East Coast Highway. In addition, security presence in the commu-

Meanwhile, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic has, in a statement, expressed its deepest concerns over the latest “disaster to have befallen this nation.” The release stated that most dangerous prisoners escaped the pasture in which they were corralled at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, and this is the latest tragedy that has catapulted the nation into even greater fear.

The matter, the opposition highlighted, is compounded by the fact that the present Government is manifestly incapable of saying or doing anything to allay the fear and trauma that have gripped Guyana.

“Will they still ludicrously contend that they inherited this situation from the PPP/C Government?” the PPP asked.

As such, the PPP/C reiterates its continued support for the members of the Disciplined Forces, and has urged them to expend their best efforts in seeking to capture all the escapees, so that Guyana can return to some degree of normalcy.

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

The Business of Sport

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n today’s world, sport management is a multibillion-dollar industry because of society's growing public interest in health, fitness and spectators’ sport. It also provides job opportunities for qualified and experienced professionals.

The Caribbean, within recent times, can boast of being home to some of the most prestigious sporting events. For example, Football: 2001 FIFA Under-17 Men’s World Cup & 2010 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup; Cricket: 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup and Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 Cricket Tournament; and Car Racing: Barbados Festival of Speed. These examples are used to show diversity and continuous hosting within the past decade. Yet still, sports in the Caribbean is defined as leisure and recreation, rather, than a business which developing countries can use to diversify their economies. But according to Parkhouse (2005), “the most recent research on the economic impact of sport identifies it as a US$213 billion-a-year industry, making it the sixth largest industry in the United States.” (“The answer is,” Sports Business Journal, p23, December 1999).

Let’s examine the terms Sport Management, Sport Event Management and Total Quality Management. Sport management is a broad industrious field which incorporates skills from corporate companies, such as business, marketing and accounting, whilst developing strategies pertaining to sport. Sports Events Management on the other hand, focuses on the delivery and execution of events via the use of sports. Whereas, Total Quality Management (TQM), is defined as a vague framework, which focuses on mutual co-operation with both internal and external stakeholders, to satisfy or exceed customers’ expectations by providing quality products and/or services.

Sporting and event organisations, whether in developed or developing countries, are faced with many unprecedented changes. These unprecedented or rapid changes, such as globalisation, increased competition, high technological cost and open international markets have created many challenges for sporting organisations. Due to high competition and the globalisation ‘age’, Total Quality Management (TQM) has rapidly become a top priority for many organisations to improve products and services and, therefore, the need for standards, such as event quality, customers’ experience and delivery, have become critical to the success of these events. TQM and it principles have potential to become the standards, setting framework for bench-marking performances against industry standards, in order to satisfy both internal and external stakeholders.

Total quality management can either be implemented or steps should be taken towards its implementation for all organisations, private and public, in the manufacturing and service sectors. The success TQM was having in the manufacturing sector encouraged many service organisations, including sporting organisations and the hotel industry to adopt TQM in order to achieve competitive advantage whilst improving output through quality and setting standards.

When its principles are applied to sport management, they encompass performance, reliability, availability and durability of service all for customer satisfaction and the implementation of TQM is critical to improving organisational performance and efficiency. There are many challenges, such as funding, legacy and workforce which are associated with the delivery of a major event.

Having taken it all into consideration, if serious then the business of sport may be the way to a healthy, happy and lucrative future.

A family poses for a picture with cartoon characters Sponge Bob and Patrick at Comic-Con (Reuters/Mike Blake)

Urgent need for law enforcement assessment Dear Editor, There is an urgent need for a law enforcement assessment in the Police F Division (Lethem and Interior Locations) by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Administration. Residents of Region One (BarimaWaini) have made the following allegations about the professional conduct of law enforcement officers attached to the GPF: 1) The Port Kaituma, Matthews Ridge, Mabaruma and Moruca Police Stations do not respond to community residents for law enforcement in their communities. In the Bamboo Landing community located in the Barama River, gold miners are threatening the lives of

their employees when they do not want to pay them for their services. Quite recently, a female cook’s life was threatened when she asked a gold miner for her five months of payments.

Reports were made to the Port Kaituma, Matthews Ridge and Moruca Police Stations, but to date the Police have not responded. The F Division Commander was also contacted on the matter, but still no action was taken to date.

2) A building was built seven years ago to be used as a Police Station in the Santa Cruz Amerindian community (not far from the Barama River mouth). The Police Station could have served

communities along the Waini and Barama Rivers.

The building which the GPF knows about is currently a white elephant.

3) E u s t a c e Marcellino, an Amerindian pensioner, was reported missing since March 31, 2017 and to date has not being found. Barimanobo community residents and close relatives have alleged that Marcellino may have been murdered and buried in the backyard where he was living. The Crime Chief needs to urgently dispatch the Police Major Crimes Unit to the Mabaruma sub-region to conduct investigations and arrest Marcellino’s killers.

4) Basil Da Silva

and his family on August 25, 2016 were travelling in their boat not far from Morawhanna in the Mabaruma sub-region when a speeding boat collided with theirs which resulted in the capsizing of Da Silva’s boat, causing the death of his two little children and injuries to himself and wife. The speeding boat with two persons sped away without offering any assistance to Da Silva and his family. The two persons who caused the boat accident and death of two children are free as a result of improper Police investigation at Mabaruma.

Yours sincerely, Peter Persaud

Incompetence of public security sector Dear Editor, It was indeed shocking to learn that more than a dozen prisoners escaped from the Lusignan Prison on Monday, July 24, 2017. This new breakout has occurred a little over two weeks after the inferno which destroyed the Camp Street Prison and reportedly resulted in a shifting number between 7 and 10 prisoners having escaped.

These prisoners on the run are not petty criminals, but are very dangerous men who have been charged for horrendous crimes, like murder and armed robbery.

These men running around unfettered in our COUNTRY have taken lives before. Why then they were still held at the Lusignan Prison remains a mystery. However, now that they have escaped,

Guyanese must remain very vigilant about their surroundings and their safety.

The glaring incompetence of the public security sector, on display ever since the Camp Street fire, is appalling! It is very clear, even to the less perceptive mind, that the authorities have no idea how to handle this dreadful situation with prisoners in a sensible, pro-

fessional, and secure manner. And now the Guyanese people must fear for their lives as a result of this profound incompetence. There has, within the last decade, been talk of prison and police reform. Actually, the Guyana Prison Service had a Strategic Management Department that is responsible for all sorts of prison reforms. continued on page 5

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

What a shame, M&CC Dear Editor, The insensitivity and crudity of the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown become evident the moment one enters our capital city.

A major private sector entity has constructed, imported, and installed a beautiful arch at the Agricola entrance of our city, to welcome visitors entering our city from the East Bank of Demerara.

This arch, which is just over a year old, was in-

stalled with much pomp and fanfare in the presence of many persons, including personnel from the Georgetown Municipality.

Regrettably, however, since the installation of this arch on the occasion of Guyana’s Golden Jubilee, the municipality has done nothing to maintain the surrounding area. What a shame! How could a municipality, after receiving such a gift at no cost, not have the decency to send a brush cutter operator or

their favourite contractor to just manicure the area at the two bases of the arch on a fortnightly basis? Instead, the base area is perennially overgrown with thick bushes and tall wild grass, and is littered with debris. Surely, the members of the Fantastic Four, on their frequent trips to and from the CBJ International Airport, must notice this neglect; or is it that they don’t care?

Have they not observed the scrupulous maintenance

given to arches and monuments overseas, as they jaunt around the world aimlessly?

Why do we have a municipality with nearly a thousand workers -- one that spends hundreds of millions of dollars each month on salaries, contractors, overseas trips and on fuel, among other things -- simply unable to even maintain a gift to the city?

Sincerely, Sean Levius

Questions and more questions Dear Editor, Guyana has been rocked by another prison fire and yet another jailbreak. The circumstances surrounding both events are very controversial. Information is flying everywhere, "official" and unofficial", and persons are wondering what or whom to believe. I have deliberately placed the two words official and unofficial in lifted commas to establish the pertinent point: is it official that should take precedence, or is it the un-

official?

And this is the problem with this whole scenario of a place called Guyana, where nothing is fool-proof and nothing, absolutely nothing, is guaranteed.

So let us look at what can be considered legitimate, and what should take precedence. In the first place, the prison fire and subsequent jail-breakout was something well planned and meticulously executed. President Granger confirmed this when he said,

"The Camp Street fire was an accident waiting to happen." Well, if they knew that it was a potentially dangerous situation, why didn't they act on it in time?

Why didn't they implement the recommendations of the Commission? Why did they sleep, on it and allow the situation to deteriorate to catastrophic proportions?

An entire prison is razed to the ground whilst we have notorious criminals roaming free.

Question number two:

Incompetence of public...

from page 4

At the time of writing, I am not sure whether that department is still in existence, but it is quite clear that the rhetoric of prison reform has not translated into sensible and meaningful action.

The struggle to bring the situation at the prison under control after the fire has highlighted a security administration that is severely weak. The crisis management strategies being employed by the public security sector have been abysmal, to say the least. The argument has gone long past the stage of whether or not a prison belongs in the heart of the city. The issue of overcrowding is also a sore point which has been ventilated ad nauseam by various commentators.

What can be done to better accommodate and secure the guests of our society must be discussed at a multi-stakeholder forum, to arrive at decisions that are geared to bring about meaningful prison reform.

The President needs to act decisively to bring immediate solutions to the problem of the escaped prisoners. His decisions must ensure that those in charge of our public security are held accountable for this national debacle.

Whatever are the measures to be put in place to ensure the prison escapees are recaptured must be done with alacrity. It is unacceptable to have a Public Security Ministry that cannot deliver basic pub-

lic security. Meanwhile, the President has a former commissioner of Police in his cabinet addressing immigration issues.

Yours faithfully, Richard Francois

Where did all those guns and ammunition come from? So this rightfully is a high-security area, but how come all that weaponry got into the hands of criminals?

We were told that a prison officer was relieved of his guard weapon, but that is only one firearm. What a security mess to befall a Government that promised us full security if ever it got into power. Further to the argument, with such "top" legal and military personnel in the Government, why can't we get to the bottom of this? Questions and more questions.

Sincerely, Neil Adams

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Foundation

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on-Governmental Organisation, The Guyana Empowered People Action Network (GEPAN) has kicked off the 2017 edition of its Support Education Campaign (SEC), which is aiming to assist families in several communities with school supplies and other back-toschool expenses. Among the communities to benefit are Lima, Dartmouth, Adventure, Albouystown, Annandale, Hope Estate and Moruca.

SEC, which was launched in 2016, has helped over 100 families so far in Linden, Red Village and other communities. GEPAN is seeking the assistance of the public to help as many families as possible. So far, they have collected donations to assist two villages. The deadline for donations is August 12.

Continued

By Lee Jussim, PhD

T Young children from Red Village on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) receive stationery packages

GEPAN member hosts a face-painting activity for Linden in Linden last year

Since the call for donations was launched, the NGO has been able to gather enough funds and materials to cover back-to-school packages for two villages.

The organisers said they were counting on the public’s participation to make this possible for another seven villages.

Call 675-4979 or check their website at http://hrpguyana.org or GEPAN on Facebook for more information. For donations in cash or kind, kindly contact gepan.org@gmail.com or 675-4979, 667-5848, 645-2693 or 600-5799.

Gender differences in interests hings versus people. Su et al (2009) performed a metaanalysis of studies including a total of over 500,000 people examining gender differences in interests. Despite claims that gender differences are typically “small” (Hyde, 2005), Su et al found a gigantic gender difference in interests. Women preferred working with people, whereas men preferred working with things, a preference is detectable within the first two days of birth and among our close species relatives, rhesus monkeys!

To be sure, these differences were not absolute. Not every man prefers working with things, and not every woman prefers working with people. But the effect size was d= .93, and even if you are not familiar with effect sizes, this would make it one of the largest effects in social psychology; it is gigantic.

JUST Maths skills versus Maths and verbal skills. This same issue of differing interests was approached in a different way

by Wang, Eccles, and Kenny (2013). Disclosure: Eccles was my dissertation advisor and long-term collaborator; I am pretty sure she identifies as a feminist, has long been committed to combating barriers to women, and is one of the most objective, balanced social scientists I have ever had the pleasure to know.

In a national study of over 1000 high school students, they found that: 1. 70 per cent more girls than boys had strong Maths and verbal skills;

Schoolchildren from Hope Estate inspect stationery packages during SEC 2016

2. Boys were more than twice as likely as girls to have strong Maths skills but not strong verbal skills; 3. People (regardless of whether they were male or female) who had only strong Maths skills as students were more likely to be working in STEM fields at age 33 than were other students; 4. People (regardless of whether they were male or female) with strong Maths and verbal skills as students were less likely to be working in STEM fields at age 33 than were those with only strong math skills.

Here are their conclusions, in their own words (p 5): “Results revealed that mathematically capable individuals who also had high verbal skills were less likely to pursue STEM careers than were individuals who had high Maths skills but moderate verbal skills. One notable finding was that the group with high Maths and high verbal ability included more females than males…

Our study provides evidence that it is not lack of ability that causes females to pursue non-STEM careers, but rather the greater likelihood that females with high Maths ability also have high verbal ability and thus can consider a wider range of occupations than their male peers with high Maths ability, who are more likely to have moderate verbal ability.” To be clear, neither Wang et al, nor I am arguing this is the only reason for the gap in STEM; and neither Wang et al, nor I have argued that there are no biases against girls and women. Nonetheless, it is also worth noting that the words “bias”, “discrimination”, and “obstacle(s)” do not appear anywhere in their article. “Sexism” also appears nowhere in their text, though it does appear in one of their references. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

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tuesDAY, july 25, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Diaspora Engagement Conference

UG must drive intellectual processes of ‘green’ development – Granger …power outage occurs during President’s speech

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he University of Guyana’s key role in Government’s green development strategy was highlighted during the opening of the first Diaspora Engagement Conference organised and spearheaded by the University, which opened on Monday at Ramada International Hotel.

In presenting the keynote address, President David Granger said that UG was central to fulfilling the scientific and technological objectives of a ‘green’

of renewable energy.

He, therefore, stressed the need for more biologists, botanists and zoologists to document and study Guyana’s unique and rich biodiversity. Granger said too that the country needed engineers to erect infrastructure in its hinterland and to install hydroelectric, wind, solar and biomass energy plants, as part of that overall strategy of making Guyana a green state.

In order to provide services for the sustainable management of the coun-

A section of the gathering at the Diaspora Engagement Conference

state, which aims at advancing climate adaptation so as to protect Guyana’s fragile coastline and reduce environmental hazards.

“The University must drive the intellectual processes of ‘green’ development by becoming the incubator of technology and nurturer of skills and talents. It must establish institutions to educate students to advance ‘green’ development,” the President told the large gathering on Monday.

He reminded that Guyana’s ‘green’ development agenda will promote increased investment in biodiversity management, coastal zone management, solid waste management, ecological and environmental services, eco-education and eco-tourism, information and communications technology, extended protected areas and generation

try’s extractive sectors, Granger said that geologists and gemologists are also needed, as well as agriculturists and veterinarians to promote food security, and information and communication specialists to extend ICT services.

“If it is to survive and thrive, University of Guyana must fulfil these needs by becoming a university for Guyana. The national university must be responsive to national needs. How could it be otherwise?”

In acknowledging that Guyana could suffer tremendously from the adverse effects of climate change such as rising sea levels, flooding, drought and extreme weather patterns, the President said coastal and riverine defences, conservancies, and drainage and irrigation systems must repaired and maintained to protect hu-

man habitation.

Guyana, he however admitted, is deficient in the physical infrastructure essential for economic development such as aerodromes, bridges, highways, housing, deep-water ports and stellings.

Meanwhile, Granger also reflected on his experience as a student, lecturer, member of the Council and president of the Guild of Graduates at UG and said despite the challenges both past and present, UG still has a lot to offer to the Guyanese populace, both young and old.

“The University, in spite of its financial and material constraints, thereby provided opportunities for thousands of Guyanese who never before dreamt of acquiring a tertiary education,” he recalled.

During the President’s speech, there was a power outage and a sudden switch to generator power reminded the overseas delegates that Guyana still faced several major issues, especially in relation to providing reliable electricity services to the local populace and those in the commercial sector.

Speaking with Vice Chancellor and Principal of UG, Professor Ivelaw Griffith on the sidelines of the conference, Guyana Times was told that attendance at the Conference was beyond UG’s expectation. The delegates for the Conference come from several countries among them Liberia, Mexico, Ghana, and Nigeria.

Professor Griffith said while some of the delegates would take part in the cultural aspect of the programme, many had already signed up to take part in the investment dinner sponsored by GO-Invest that was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, which would see a businessman who operated between Russia and

Guyana addressing the gathering about investment opportunities.

“I don’t expect you will see people coming to say I have $10 million, I expect

Vice Chancellor of UG, Professor Ivelaw Griffith has said that the Conference would be used to bring social and financial investment to Guyana

people to see what ideas of how they might bring their millions. And some of the investment I am looking for is not only financial. We’ve got a lot of talent of people who can open doors for the University, so I am looking for social investment as well as financial investment,” he explained.

The Conference is organised around two overarching pillars: human, social and entrepreneurship development, and Diaspora philanthropy and diplomacy. It would provide the platform for developing a Diaspora engagement strategy that would inform the work of the first Caribbean Diaspora Engagement Centre.

The Conference has three components, namely; an academic symposium, a business forum, and com-

munity engagement. The symposium will receive academic presentations on key issues such as international and regional migration policies, cultural identities and the Diasporas, financial transfers and remittances, social remittances, tourism, diaspora trade and investments, among other areas.

The inaugural Conference started on July 23, 2017 and will end on July 28, 2017.

It is being held under the theme: “Dreaming Diaspora Engagement, Doing Diaspora Engagement.”

President David Granger delivering the keynote address at the Conference opening

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tuesDAY, july 25, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Television personality’s home burglarised …millions in cash, jewellery stolen

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he Happy Acres, East Coast Demerara home of popular television personality Joel Gansham was burglarised at sometime between 20:00h on Saturday and 00:30h on Sunday, the perpetrators escaping with more than $7.5M in cash and jewellery.

Gansham had reportedly left home on Saturday evening to attend a social function, and upon his return there, saw his dogs roaming outside of his yard. He did not immediately think that something was amiss, but as he drove into the yard, he opened his front access door and realised that the lights in his house were left on, al-

though he had turned them all off before leaving home.

This prompted him to head straight to his master bedroom, only to discover it in a ransacked state. A closer inspection led him to discover that more than $2.5 million in cash and in excess of $5M in jewellery had gone missing.

A traumatized Gansham told Guyana Times he immediately ran out of the house and raised an alarm. “I ran straight to my neighbour’s (home), who has armed guards, and found out if he (had seen) or heard anything, while relating what had occurred.”

The neighbour told him

Joel Gansham

he had heard noise emanating from the back of Gansham’s house, but had

thought Gansham was making the noise.

Contacted, the Police arrived promptly, and launched an investigation.

“When the Police arrived, I went in (to the home) with them, and upon checking, (discovered) all my diamond, ruby and other expensive rings, necklaces and chains (were) gone… All my brand name sunglasses and colognes (were) missing…,” he noted. He also discovered several high-end phones had also been stolen.

The police have dusted the property for fingerprints as they continue their investigations, but no arrest has as yet been made.

Ruby Backdam murder trial

Gunshot injuries to head killed victim – Pathologist confirms

A

s the murder trial of former Policeman Ruel Brandon continued on Monday, Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh took the stand before the 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown.

The veteran Pathologist confirmed that the deceased man, Davonan Sookram, died from gunshot injuries to the head.

Dr Singh, who per-

formed the Post Mortem Examination (PME) on the deceased, highlighted that the bullets entered the front of the head and exited through the back of the head. The prosecution’s witness also confirmed that wounds were circular in nature. He said too that there was bleeding inside the brain and observed that the body was bloated at the time of his examination.

Based on the body’s de-

composition, Dr Singh estimated that Sookram would have died between 36 and 48 hours before the examination.

Sookram’s decomposed body was found on July 31, 2015 in an area along Ruby Backdam, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), with two bullet wounds to the head.

Reports back then stated that Brandon collected Sookram from his home and the man was not seen again. However, the former law enforcement rank has pleaded not guilty to the capital offence.

On Thursday last, a 12-member jury was empan-

Accused: Former Policeman Ruel Brandon

elled before a High Court judge to hear the case. The former Policeman is represented by defence counsel Nigel Hughes while State Counsels Siand Dhurjon, Shawnette Austin and Lisa Cave are presenting the prosecution’s case.

Old wine…

Y

…in new prisons

our Eyewitness was intrigued by a piece of news coming out of Trinidad. Evidently shaken up by our latest prison uprising and razing of Lot 12 Camp Street, the Trinidadians claimed their own State Prison in Port of Spain -- which is even older than ours! -- is being “improved”. One “improvement”, they pointed out, is already in place: CCTV cameras in every cell and corridor.

This is supposed to keep the prisoners constantly jumpy, since they can only assume they’re being watched at all times.

Well, this Eyewitness isn’t sure exactly what’s being “improved,” since the Americans have had these cameras in place for decades and both their overall incarceration rates and recidivism have continued heading skywards.

But maybe -- as yesterday’s editorial in this newspaper suggested -- we ARE adopting the American position: that all this talk about prisons as “reformatories” is so much balderdash; and we just have to lock away the bad guys, throw away the keys, and keep an eye on them at all times, so that they don’t destroy the joint like they did at Camp Street.

But this “keep an eye” on prisoners penal technique goes way back to the 19th century - when they first started to put some serious thoughts into prisons and incarceration. Before that, it was “off with their heads!!”

This fella Jeremy Bentham’s come down the ages as one of the seminal thinkers -- with his standard of morality being “the greatest good for the greatest number”.

This, of course, means he also introduced the notion of “collateral damage”, since some would’ve HAD to be sacrificed for the ‘greater good”!

So, it’s not coincidental that Bentham spend most of his last decades designing the “perfect prison” -- which he figured had the least number of “wardens” keeping an eye on the prisoners, without them ever knowing when they weren’t being watched. Bentham called his design a “Panopticon” - pan (all) opticon - ‘seeing”!! And he had a central hub housing the wardens, and cells radiating like spokes, which could be viewed by the wardens through louvres.

George Orwell, of course, satirised this arrangement with the entire society under constant surveillance by “Big Brother” -- which the recent disclosures about the NSA being able to interact with our “smart” devices have confirmed is now our reality. So once they’ve mastered the techniques, dear readers, expect the “improvement” in the surveillance of prisoners to shift to the surveillance of the rest of Trinidad!

And, of course, we’ll have to follow suit, don’t we? If we could copy carnival and Soca, why not the creation of the “brave new world” of the “surveillance state”?

…needed now

Your Eyewitness had to dab away a tear from his eye when he saw that pic of Dr Wazir Mohamed in attendance at “PAN-AFRICAN INTELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL”. Ah…Walter would’ve been so proud!! We quote Dr Mohamed’s description of the Burnhamite regime that murdered Walter: “...a government which had seized power through rigged elections.

“A government which, while masquerading as ‘socialist,’ had begun to trample on the rights of workers to organise, on free speech, on the right to assemble and mobilise, etc. A minority government engaged in the process of consolidating its power. A minority government which had begun, and was in the process of laying, the foundation for dictatorial rule and state sponsored corruption. A minority government which had begun to lay the basis for state-sponsored terrorism against its political opponents and the people through the reorganisation of the police force and the army to include special security apparatuses, the most notorious of these was the ‘death squad,’ as it was known at the time.”

Speak truth to power here also, Dr Mohamed!!

…loose again

A question for the follow up CoI on the “Camp St; one in the works. Was there “surveillance” of the 90 hard core separated convicts that could’ve prevented the 13 latest escapees from leaving??!!

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

News

9

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Assassination claim

CoI hears Top Cop ordered release of alleged mastermind …“did not see reason for bail” – Detective

T

he Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the alleged plot to assassinate President David Granger was told on Monday that Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud ordered the release of businessman Nizam Khan – the accused plotter; his brother, Imran Khan, and the complainant – Andrif Gillard on the night of March 29, 2017.

Earlier this year, Gillard had alleged that Nizam Khan asked him to kill President Granger sometime in 2015, an allegation Khan has denied. According to Gillard, he had approached Khan to loan him $6 million, but Khan instead offered him $7 million, noting that he would not have to repay the money if he killed the President.

Inspector Prem Narine, attached to the Criminal Investigation Department’s Major Crimes Unit, told the Commission that on March 29, he received a call around 19:00h from Detective Sergeant Komal Petamber informing him of a situation at the CID Headquarters, Eve Leary.

Petamber was investigating the allegations made by Gillard and had brought both Gillard and Nizam Khan to CID Headquarters for a confrontation. During the confrontation, Nizam’s brother, Imran Khan, arrived and alleged that Gillard threatened to kill him at the station. He was adamant that a report be made, but was informed that the CID was not equipped to take the report, but a message would be sent to the Brickdam Police Station and they would do the necessary. This incensed the man and he became aggressive towards the Police Officers, and he was subsequently taken into custody. Imran Khan was processed and he had a licensed firearm in his possession, which was confiscated and lodged.

Inspector Narine related that after he received the call about the incident, he made his way to Eve Leary and

Not my responsibility

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum

upon arrival, he cautioned Imran Khan who calmed down. “Later, I can’t recall the exact time, I received a call from Commissioner of Police, Mr Seelall Persaud; he asked me what was happening in relation to the matter and I told him there was Imran Khan at the station behaving in a certain manner. I told him that we have his brother, Nizam Khan in custody in relation to the allegation of Mr Gillard,” he related.

“I told him also that there were allegations by Imran Khan, Nizam Khan and Mr Gillard they were threatened by each other and as a result, everyone was in custody at that time because of the report of the threats. He then instructed that I send Mr Imran Khan on his own recognisance and place the other persons on bail,” Narine added.

The Inspector told the CoI that following the Top Cop’s instructions he released Imran Khan and placed Gillard and Nizam Khan on bail, which they subsequently posted. He further revealed that Police Commissioner Persaud had also instructed him to return the Khan brothers’ licensed firearms to them and he complied.

CoI Commissioner Paul Slowe asked Narine if he felt the Police Commissioner’s instructions were inappropriate, to which he admitted they were “a little” inappropriate.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum also appeared before the Commissioners and he said that on March 29, he received a call from the Public Security Ministry informing him of the alleged plot. The caller, a female, told him that Gillard was at the Ministry making the accusations. He related that he immediately made contact with Divisional Commander Clifton Hicken.

“I explained to him (Hicken) the story that was being told to me and I also requested, based on the serious nature of the allegation, I requested none other than the Divisional Detective Officer in charge of crime, A Division Superintendent Michael Kingston,” he explained.

He further stated that he summoned head of the Major Crimes Unit, Mitchell Caesar, and the interviewee, Gillard who related the alleged plot and an investigation was subsequently launched. A 17page statement was taken from Gillard and investigations progressed.

Blanhum related that because of the nature of the allegation, a decision was taken to have the Major Crimes Unit investigate the matter, and he added that he received several reports of Gillard frustrating the investigation.

He said the Police’s Legal Adviser, retired Justice Claudette Singh, SC, did not recommend any charges be made in the matter because the evidence was tenuous and there was simply nothing to charge anyone with.

As his testimony continued, the Crime Chief clashed with Commissioner Slowe when he was asked whether he checked to ensure that a record was made of the incident in the A Division log.

Blanhum said that he was not responsible for finding out whether proper records were documented, explaining that he functioned at the executive level of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and there were supervisors and other ranks

Corentyne family jumps...

“When I reach the station I see about six Police, all of them with long guns, and they want me to give them my name and address and to tell them what happen, and the men still in my house. I tell them we got transportation to take them...”

He said his neighbour then took him to the Skeldon Hospital and ensured that he was being attended to before returning to the Police station by which time the officers were ready to go.

However, by the time the Police arrived on the scene the men had escaped.

Meanwhile, his wife

Nadira Harold sustained a fractured leg when she jumped off the veranda. She was taken to the Skeldon Hospital, from whence they both were transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Rakish Harold was later discharge while his wife was admitted. Andrew Harold, who was also injured when he jumped from the ten feet of the veranda, was treated at the Skeldon Hospital and sent away.

This publication understands that the couple returned from the US three weeks ago with plans to expand their business.

FROM PAGE 2

Police in a release have said that three shotgun-toting bandits early Monday morning entered the home of a Corentyne family and carted off an undisclosed amount of cash and gold jewellery, during which the family of three fled their home by jumping off a shed.

According to the police release, among the items removed from the home was the surveillance footage from sixteen cameras which are strategically placed around the house.

Police are investigating this incident.

Inspector Prem Narine

below him who were tasked with those responsibilities.

He also related that he did not find it strange that the men were released less than 24 hours following the commencement of the investigation. Slowe and Blanhum clashed once more when the CoI Commissioner asked the Crime Chief why the matter was not being treated as treason, but he explained that the offence was treated as incitement to commit murder although the President was involved, citing that he relied on facts and not feelings.

In June, President Granger decided to launch a CoI into the alleged plot to assassinate him and named former Police Commissioner Paul Slowe as Chairman of the Commission.

10 news

tuesdAY, july 25, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Oil and gas development

“We have more experts than we can handle” – Trotman

N

atural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has said that Guyana is getting the help in needs to welcome the oil and gas sector when it expectedly takes full steam in 2020, but Government has recently been criticised for its unpreparedness in dealing with this sector.

Trotman told Guyana Times that while he does not have the specific details of the arguments made by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, Guyana has partnered with several upright international agencies to assist with building capacity in the new sector, and these exercises will continue.

The minister listed a number of agencies which are currently lending support to Guyana. These include: Chatham House, Metric and Petroleum Institute, Commonwealth Secretariat, U.S. Government Energy Governance and Capacity Initiative (EGCI), International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank, among several others.

“We have experts of ev-

ery kind in-country. The IMF team is advising on the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Last week the IDB had a team here. We have more experts than we can handle,” he added.

Trotman has additionally reminded that the Government has hired Dr Jan Mangal, an expert in offshore and civil engineering, as Petroleum Advisor in the Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP), and he made it clear that there is no rush to pass the Petroleum Commission Bill.

Jagdeo told a recent press conference that the Government has made little to no attempt to acquire the necessary skills in preparation for the oil sector. He also expressed fear that, because of its lack of capacity, Government could be outmanoeuvred by US oil giant ExxonMobil.

The Opposition Leader has said that Trinidad and Tobago had received a raw deal from this US company, but if Guyana prepares itself well before oil drilling begins, it stands to benefit substantially. He reminded that Government has the

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

responsibility to protect the country’s national interest, and declared that his lack of confidence in the current administration lies in its inability to lead technical negotiations with the US oil giant and/or other major oil companies.

While information in regard to the oil and gas sector has not been forthcoming, Jagdeo has said that, in the name of transparency, Government should reveal to the Opposition who Guyana’s lead negotiators are, and what the negotia-

tion briefs are about, so that the opposition can share its views.

Although Guyana is set to begin producing commercial quantities of oil in 2020, the Opposition believes Government is placing too much focus on that emerging sector, and forgetting about the other productive sectors in the local economy that continue to provide hundreds of jobs to Guyanese.

Jagdeo is of the firm belief that if this trend continues, Guyana’s future will be squandered. He said this is the main reason why he has referred to Government as having a “banana republic” mentality -- where heavy focus is placed on one single sector to the neglect of all other industries, similar to what happened in Central America, where the term was coined.

ExxonMobil had, earlier this year, discovered a massive oil field measuring about 6.6 million acres, with reserves estimated at up to two billion barrels. When production begins in 2020, some 100,000 barrels of oil will be produce per day.

‘Red eye’ outbreak in Linden – CMO

V

iral conjunctivitis (red eye) infection is reportedly prevalent in parts of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), including the Linden community, and Chief Medical Officer

(CMO) of the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), Dr Steve Mark, is urging members of the public to utilise preventative measures in combating the disease.

Viral conjunctivitis is an

infection of the eye caused by inflammation of the conjunctiva. There have reportedly been a number of cases of this disease noted across the country. Affected persons in the Linden community had

Region 10 CMO Dr Steve Mark

begun to voice concerns over the availability of suitable drugs at hospitals and health centres to treat the symptoms of the infection as it spreads throughout the town; however, the CMO has explained that the ailment does not require a specific treatment, and can clear up within 3-5 days. He advises members of the community to practise preventative measures to stop the virus from spreading. According to Dr Mark, there was an increase in the number of cases over approximately a month ago, but he said the numbers have since declined.

“Initially we had a high influx -- sometimes as much as between 50- 90 patients per day. We were giving prophylactic treatment (preventative) and we would have given preventative antibiotics in some cases, because sometimes there is a mix of infections -- you have the virus and the bacteria in the eye.

But although we can’t treat the virus, we can definitely treat the bacteria preventatively,” the CMO explained. turn to page 14

I rather be on a hunger strike in the sugar belt than to attend the Diaspora Conference

I

was asked on numerous occasions to attend and present a paper at the Diaspora Conference hosted by administrators and supporters of the Community College of Guyana (CCG). My re-labelling of this institution is not meant to be derogative; and actually, the re-labelling speaks to progression, albeit limited in some academic circles.

I appreciate the label ‘Community College of Guyana’, as opposed to ‘Guyana Community College’. My reason is simple: I rather put the community first and the nation second, although technically both are really world communities, one larger than the other.

History has taught me that the entire notion of a Guyanese nation has been rather challenging to govern. Guyana is the most difficult country in the Caribbean to govern. Guyana is ungovernable around the time of Dr Lomarsh Roopnarine general elections. May I suggest that sound leadership, which the Diaspora Conference is aiming to achieve, starts from the bottom up, in an attempt to at least move away from nepotism and embrace the trove of subalternism?

That being said, on every occasion I was asked to present a paper at this Diaspora Conference, I humbly declined. I would have presented a paper if certain questions were answered and if certain things were to happen. The questions are: (1) how much money was spent on the inauguration of Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith? I believe 17 million Guyanese dollars is an inaccurate figure. It is more than that, perhaps double when perks and other niceties are factored in.

Griffith has to come clean on this, because right now thousands of sugar workers, vendors, shopkeepers, unemployed youths and the like are experiencing a difficult time trying to make ends meet.

(2) How much money did the current regime give to this conference, and where exactly was this money spent? Some of this money could have been used to curb the prison problems. One person called me and said, “Man, the escapees are in Berbice now, perhaps looking to go over to Suriname backtrack.”

Now, if certain things were to happen: (1) If the conference were to be held somewhere else, preferably in a sans-culotte neighbourhood, I would have attended it; not to present, but to listen how these fakes are talking about how they have Guyana at heart. (2) I would have also attended the conference if it were held in a working class neighbourhood, to see how these presenters handle the idea of what it is like to live and invest in Guyana. I am sure they would realize that Guyana is a far cry from what the ministers and supporters of this conference are spewing in their keynote addresses, and a far cry from the Renaissance (rebirth, revival) pamphlet emanating from CCG. Oh no, we are not in France, but Guyana. Why in the world would anyone in the developing world want to title a magazine from a so-called academic institution ‘Renaissance’? Rebirth of what? American trends, because the head honcho has spent most of the past three decades in academic institutions in the Colossus North, with a rather questionable record. You see, when you want your own to be in the position of leadership, background checks are a waste of time. Just Google the man’s name and you will find reports readily available on him, which in any normal situation and institution would have stopped the hiring process.

This Renaissance title might have been a rebirth of himself, but certainly it is exactly what the developing world has tried to avoid.

This is not only mimicking, Naipaul’s labelling, but is plagiarism.

If you think the title ‘Renaissance’ is absurd, check out this list of presenters: Hinds, Phillips, Granger, Bristol, and the list goes on from the current regime. On the programme is also about 30 percent of the presenters from the University of Guyana, their label. I am sure the tenor committee, the promotion committee, and the perks committee would recognize these presenters from the UG when they submit their package for this and that.

Is this academic inbreeding? I am forced to ask: What is the true purpose of this conference? Somehow, Kissoon is not on the programme. He believes the institution owes him his back pay.

Please pay the man his money, otherwise I will have to read about this for a long time to come.

Is it too late to have a panel from Kissoon by Kissoon and about Kissoon’s back pay and so on?

What is so unsettling about this conference is that it shows a preference for one particular ethnic group, aligned more with the Granger PNC-led coalition. Please do not tell me that you could not find more tokens from one ethnic group. I commend Dr. Kumar Mahabir for being there, but I doubt the President, Vice-Chancellor, Phillips, Hinds and so on would be present during his presentation.

Finally, while I wait to read the President’s keynote address, my heart is with the disadvantaged across this country: sugar workers, vendors, the unemployed, the risk groups, etc. Nothing meaningful would be said about them, other than how they would be mobilized into supporting this diaspora initiative. (lomarsh. roopnarine@jsums.edu)

news

11

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Residents uneasy over prison break ‌ as Joint Services conduct manhunt for escapees

I

n light of yet another prison break, which saw the escape of 13 inmates, who were detained at the Lusignan Prison on Monday, citizens residing within the vicinity of the East Coast Demerara backlands are troubled by a series of alarming activities which continue to unfold within the area.

This is since the massive fire that razed the Camp Street Prison, leaving hundreds of inmates displaced while a number of high-profile criminals remain on the run.

Such a state of national crisis has forced the Joint Services to heighten secu-

rity measures, especially along the coast, often resulting in ranks now being seen patrolling certain areas at odd hours of the day. This is paired with a number of spontaneous search operations, leaving residents questioning the severity of matters which have drawn the manhunt to their communities.

One such situation manifested on Monday, when hours after the news broke of the Lusignan Prison break, ranks were seen conducting search operations in the backlands of Success on the East Coast of Demerara.

When Guyana Times visited the area, residents were

seen frantically overlooking the activities, awaiting news as to whether or not the officers were successful in the search to capture the escapees.

Speaking to this publication were two women of the community, who had chained their gates and were seeking refuge behind their fences. The concerned residents told this newspaper that the Police showed up enquiring about the spotting of four strange individuals within the area.

Moments later, a helicopter was seen hovering over the backlands beyond the community, which was followed by an army of rein-

Joint Services ranks in the backlands during the operation at Success

GDF ranks heading into the backlands during the search operation

forcement who quickly progressed into the sugarcane fields. At the time of the search operations, a group of youngsters were swimming in the trenches adjoining the fields and they were rushed out of the backlands by the ranks carrying highpowered weapons.

Subsequently, a small crowd accumulated at the entrance to the backlands, during which the residents expressed their concern regarding their safety. One resident revisited a recent incident which took place as her family member was

heading into the backlands on his regular fishing trips.

She relayed that the man was greeted by an individual wearing a disguise, with only his eyes visible. The woman noted that her relative did not hesitate to flee the area. Meanwhile, a member of the Community Policing Group (CPG) indicated that he received a report that ranks were acting on the suspicion that prison escapees were seeking refuge in the backlands within the environs of Success.

However, the search operations conducted in the area

on Monday were to no avail.

The manhunt continues as Police officials on Monday indicated that security measures would be beefed up along the coast.

On that note, the Guyana Police Force is calling on residents to desist from venturing into the backland areas while urging farmers to reduce the amount of time they spend in the backlands.

At the same time, they are advising that the public remains calm but alert as the search intensifies and to report cases of any suspicious activities.

12 news Ramjattan takes responsibility for prison break, but refuses to resign tuesDAY, july 25, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

…admits prisoners outsmarted Joint Services

H

ours after the brazen escape of 13 prisoners from the Lusignan Prison, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan told a media briefing that as minister, he must ultimately be held responsible.

At the same time, he noted that he would not vacate the post, having suggested that “resignation” was not a word with which he associates himself. He further claimed that it was too early to be casting blame as to which law enforcement agency was at fault for the daring prison break which occurred some time between late Sunday night and early Monday morning.

“I don’t want to start identifying who ought to take the blame, [but] I am ultimately

responsible,” he noted.

The Minister later explained that those directly responsible for the breakout were the security personnel that were stationed in and around the perimeter of the Lusignan correctional facility.

“There have been huge setbacks and lapses and things that could be blaming (sic) a lot of number of people here, but I would prefer as minister in charge, not to go in that direction now. We have a literal war fighting and if I’m to go start dealing with all kinds of dereliction of duty, it might not help in the process. I am urging at this point that we not go there, but there will be a time for that,” the Public Security Minister disclosed.

This latest escape is the

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan

second prison break within the month and questions over the subject Minister’s competence along with that

of his associated stakeholders have once again surfaced.

In this vein, media operatives probed the Minister if he would consider resigning from his present public security post, but Minister Ramjattan is adamant that he should remain to the end.

“I am a fighter and I am here, because I indeed wanted to help in the security sector. It is unfortunate that this thing has happened under my stewardship and it is a bad thing, but resignation is not a word that I am normally associated with…I am still standing and I believe I will still be here when all is over,” the Minister stressed.

He also admitted that the situation was an embarrassing one and highlighted that prisoners outsmarted law enforcement ranks.

Minister Ramjattan has called on the public to assist law enforcement ranks in recapturing the prison escapees and wanted bulletins for all of the men on the run

“I believe I will still be here when all is over” – Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan were issued late Monday.

Five of the men have since been recaptured.

Ramjattan also revealed that the transfer of several prisoners to the renovated brick prison at Camp Street

was fast-tracked owing to the recent breakout and continued “behaviour” of several prisoners. He later expressed the fear that the incarcerated men at Lusignan may undertake further means to gain their freedom.

“We feel that there will be other attempts,” the Minister revealed.

He further noted that stakeholders were assessing measures to gravitate towards alternative sentencing initiatives and pre-detention trials. Meanwhile, acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine has called on members of the public to be extra vigilant when going about their business. He also urged persons to provide Police with any information they have on sightings of the escaped prisoners.

Prisoners escape through hole …despite 3 layers of security

T

hirteen inmates who were incarcerated at the Lusignan Prison on the Demerara East Coast were able to escape from the facility through a hole dug under the fence despite there being three layers of security at the penitentiary -- Police ranks, Guyana Defence Force personnel, and officers from the Guyana Prison Service.

It is believed that the inmates crawled to freedom during a period of heavy rainfall late Sunday night into early Monday morning.

Director of Prisons Gladwin Samuels told the media on Monday at a press conference that the hole was five feet in depth and some five feet in length. He added that the heavy rains aided the prisoners in digging their path to freedom.

The director claimed that the section through which the men escaped is in a swamp,

That area did not remain open for long, Samuels explained, because prisoners used zinc sheets to prevent others from seeing the activities which were taking place in the hole - a hole which the men deepened and crawled through.

He said that although there was a tower near the escape route, ranks stationed there would have had reduced visibility because of the heavy

rainfall. Probed on whether any action was taken against those ranks, Samuels said no rank was placed under close arrest for the escape.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan confirmed that no member of the joint services had been detained.

The Prison Director also admitted that the usage of cellphones remains a problem and a “business” within the

Acting Prisons Director Gladwin Samuels

Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine

and was blocked off from the view of some of the law enforcement ranks. It was explained that some of the prisoners in the swamp were refusing to use the portable toilets deployed at the facility and had opted instead to ease their bowels in the vicinity of an open area near the fence.

The hole the prisoners use to escape

correctional facility. He highlighted that, given the nature of the ongoing tensions, it would be dangerous to attempt extracting those instruments from the inmates at the Lusignan prison.

He further told media personnel that there was a locking down tally on Sunday afternoon at Lusignan, where

99 prisoners in the swampy area, 104 in the new holding area, and 136 within the actual prison at Lusignan were recorded. But at Monday morning’s tally, the swampy area reflected a difference to Sunday’s locking down tally.

The Prison Director and Public Security Minister both brushed aside calls for an independent review into the prison numbers. Meanwhile, acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine disclosed that security has been beefed up along several sections of the Demerara East Coast, and noted that patrols will continue along that corridor.

“We have enhanced and we’re going to maintain the confidence-building patrols with police and soldiers,” Ramnarine noted.

He stressed too that road blocks and stops-and-searches will all be ramped up to recapture the wanted men.

news

13

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

WANTED Clive Forde, 29, of Lot 83 Adelaide Street, Charlestown & Lot 123 Street, Alberttown, was charged with the murder of 22-year-old Senasie Lewis, who was gunned down outside the Ghetto Flex night spot in Albouystown on September 4, 2016. He was jointly charged with Keiron Taylor for the heinous crime.

Clive Forde

Pascal Smith, 25, of Lot 123 Barr Street, Kitty was charged with the stabbing death of John Houston at Alexander Street, Georgetown on May 27, 2017.

Pascal Smith

Kerry Cromwell

Paul Goriah, 28, of Grove Squatting Area, East Bank Demerara was charged with the murder of remigrant Agriculturist Anthony Breedy, committed between March 12 and March 14, 2016 at Lot 67 Hill Foot, Soesdyke/Linden Highway during a course of a robbery.

Shawn Harris, 30, of Lot 131 Pike Street, Kitty was charged for the fatal stabbing of Sunil Singh, called ‘Grey,’ on February 4, 2017 at Owen Street, Kitty.

Kendall Skeete, 25, of Lot 115 Wismar, Linden was accused of stabbing to death Kenneth Allen of Goed Fortuin in October, 2008 as Allen was rescuing another man from being robbed.

Kendall Skeete

Paul Goriah

Shawn Harris

Kerry Cromwell, 25, of Lot 130 King Edward Street Albouystown was charged with the murder of Linden bus driver Alvin Lorrimer, committed on March, 21, 2017. Lorrimer was shot while standing outside his bus, seeking passengers at the Linden bus park in Georgetown.

RECAPTURED

STILL AT LARGE

Jamal Joseph

Mark Royden Durant Odel Roberts

Jamal Forde

Jason Howard

Odel Roberts, 22, of Lot 124 ‘C’ Field, Sophia was charged with the murder of businessman Shawn Anys, which occurred on May 1, 2015 during a home invasion in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

Jamal Forde, 22, of Car Wash, Bel Air, Georgetown was charged with the murder of businessman Shawn Anys, which occurred on May 1, 2015 during a home invasion in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

20-year-old Jason Howard, also known as ‘Smelly’, of Lot 260 East La Penitence, Georgetown was charged for the murders of Mohamed Munir and his wife Bibi Jamila Munir, the rice farming couple who were burnt to death in their Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo home on April 17, 2016.

Rayon Jones

Winston Long

Rayon Jones, 20, formerly of Fourth Avenue, Bartica and Timehri, EBD, was charged for the murder of Puranand Andrew Baljit, who was stabbed to death in his Timehri, East Bank Demerara home on June 9.

Winston Long, 20, of Base Road, Timehri EBD and James Street, Albouystown was on remand for armed robbery committed on Vishal Doodnauth on December 1, 2015.

Stafrei Hopkinson Alexander

Teshawn McKenzie Teshawn McKenzie, 25 of Lot 68 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt

Cobena Stephens

Uree Varswyck

14

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017

News

NCD strategy appears to have been abandoned – former Minister …says policy environment weaker

By Samuel Sukhnandan

I

n light of Guyana being named as one of two countries that have the highest mortality for premature cardiovascular disease and diabetes in the Americas, former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy has said that this may be as a result of Government abandoning the Non-Communicable Diseases (NDC) Strategy, which was formulated and implemented during his time as Minister.

The former Minister believes that Guyana is not doing enough to fight against the NCDs, although there was an NCD strategy in the years 2003-2008 and again in the 2008-2015 period.

“The NCD strategy appears to have been abandoned.

The NCDs are largely lifestyle diseases. Physical activity, nutrition, abuse of alcohol and tobacco, etc, are all important factors that contribute to the NCDs,” he added.

Former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

The aggressive education and awareness programmes that were developed from these two strategies appeared to have been reduced or totally abandoned, according to Dr Ramsammy, who said that the community health fairs and school programmes and other initiatives, which were used to address issues such as positive lifestyles have also become sporadic.

However, what is more damaging, according to

him, is the fact that the once aggressive diagnostic and treatment programmes have somewhat become weak. “We had increased the opportunistic testing for the NCDs by improving the diagnostic capacities in hospital and health centres.

Piggybacking on the aggressive HIV testing Programme, we had encouraged every Guyanese, not just the elderly, but everyone to get their sugar tested and also blood pressure testing,” he recalled.

In this regard, the Health Advocate Programme was initiated and in this programme, community persons were trained and provided with blood pressure kits and glucose testing machines. These persons went house to house in certain communities and tested people. The purpose of the programme was to ensure that it reached all communities. “Instead of expanding the programme, it appears to have been ended,”

the former Minister said.

However, Dr Ramsammy pointed out to Guyana Times that the Diabetes Foot Care Programme continued and this was a positive sign. But he said when the Programme was started at the Georgetown Public Hospital and expanded to the New Amsterdam Hospital, the intention was to expand it across the country, but this has not happened.

While acknowledging that there were some positive improvements, he said the policy environment was weaker than it was before.

“There are some posi-

tives. The move to enact the Tobacco Control Bill is a positive move. The effort to reintegrate mental health started under my tenure as Minister. Intensive training had been started. I see some mention that this is being continued. But there is need to intensify it,” he explained.

The Caribbean has the highest rate of mortality in the Americas from NCDs, with more than 40 per cent of related deaths occurring prematurely in people under 70 years old.

Health experts say NCD epidemics, such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer,

kidney disease, stroke and heart disease, worsened across some Caribbean countries.

The Chronic Disease Research Centre said Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago had the highest mortality for premature cardiovascular disease and diabetes in the Americas.

Out of 54 countries evaluated, Guyana is ranked number one and Trinidad is number two.

The Commission has reported that deaths from NCDs of persons between the ages of 30 and 69 in the Caribbean are double these deaths in North America.

Rotary Club elects new Board of Directors

T

The new Board of Directors

he Rotary Club of Georgetown has officially bid farewell to its old Board and has elected a new Board of Directors.

At a ceremony held at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown, the Club inaugurated its 59th President.

Elected as President is Clyde De Haas and serving alongside him is Harrinand Persaud.

Peter Peroune was elected to serve as Vice President and elected as Immediate Past President is Lisa Foster.

The Club’s new serving Secretary is Alvina Rambarran, and Treasurer, George Edwards.

The Committee Directors are Amanda Persaud

(Administration); Roger Harper (Foundation); Ariane Mangar (Public Relations); Pearson Burch Smith (Service Projects); Ramona Singh (Membership); Natasha Backer (New Generations) and Sergeant-at-Arms Harryram Parmesar.

After being elected, President De Haas expressed that the new Board would “make a difference through the expanse of youth and the wealth of experience”.

He gave reassurance that the new board will fulfil its mandate that is to strengthen communities through their various projects.

The Rotary Club of Georgetown will also be in-

volved in projects in new and underserved areas, including the drilling of a new water well in the community of Old England in Linden.

Additionally, the Club will be distributing maternity care packages, as well as undertaking a community outreach programme in the Yarrowkabra area, the refurbishment of a toy library at the Linden Branch of the National Library, and the construction of a walkway for the children at the Bal Nivas Children’s Shelter in Berbice.

The Club is calling for continued support from its supporters and thanked those that have made contributions throughout the years.

‘Red eye’ outbreak...

T

he Sanskratik Kala Samiti Indian folk dance troupe arrived in Guyana on Monday and was set to take the stage at the Monument Gardens, Camp and Church Streets, today. With the group emanating from the District of Mathura in India, famous for the enactment of religious skits, dances, and songs, the event will feature festive performances, most of which will be linked to a spiritual background. The event is being hosted by the Indian Commemoration Trust and is open to the public. Admission is free.

He added that in rare cases, patients had complained of severe itching and runny eyes, and those so complaining were given serum.

“Initially, eye drops were not available, but now we have some. It’s not an ailment that needs antibiotics, it’s viral.

In cases of mixed and complicated infections, antibiotics and painkillers are given. We’re not giv-

ing specific medication,” he said.

Dr Mark has indicated that the situation requires education on what should be done to prevent its spread. He has adding that many staff members at the hospital were also affected.

The LHC has since done its part in posting written protocols of prevention around its building. Those include advice on washing hands often to support elimination

from page 10

of the spread, not sharing eye drops, eye makeup and towels, among other precautionary measures. The CMO said he was aware of complaints made by affected persons, who stressed the lack of medication at the hospital. While he was unable to provide information on the total number of patients treated for the infection, the CMO noted that the numbers have since declined slightly.

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

15

News

Minister Scott scolds GPSCU CET, Rules of Origin over refusal to hold AGM review opens today … takes Union to task over non-payment of dividends

D

espite several attempts to meet with the Committee of Management of the Guyana Public Service Credit Union (GPSCU), the Union has refused to meet with the Social Protection Ministry to discuss several important issues concerning the non-payment of dividends to its over 14,000 members and its refusal to balance its books and hold a long overdue Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Minister Keith Scott has expressed disappointment with the conduct and behaviour of the Committee of Management of the GPSCU, which he said in a missive on Monday, was acting against the interest of its members and against the principles of prudent management.

The Minister said the Union was guilty of not paying dividends for several years now as a result of its inability and in some respects, blatant refusal to hold an AGM, which – according to him – was usually held upon the completion of the audit of the accounts of the society in conformity with the provisions and regulations contained in the Co-operative Societies Act of Guyana.

“For more than one year now, the Social Protection Ministry, under whose supervision cooperative societies fall, has been ad-

Minister within the Social Protection Ministry, Keith Scott

vising the GPSCU on the necessary legal steps to be followed to ensure that the audit of its accounts were completed so that the AGM could be held, to facilitate, among other things, the payment of well-deserved dividends to the members,” he explained.

Contrary to this repeated advice, the Committee of Management demanded that the Ministry permit the society to continue enjoying what the Minister described as an “unfair advantage”, which had been developed under “suspicious circumstances”.

In spite of several meetings and exchange of correspondence, which outlined the Ministry’s position of discontinuance of the un-

fair advantage to the GPSCU, its Committee of Management continued to defy the Ministry’s advice and even threatened to institute legal proceedings if the unfair advantage, which, for all intents and purposes was discriminatory, was not allowed to continue.

The Minister said the Union also refused to attend a meeting scheduled for July 25, 2017. Scott claimed that the Committee responded offensively to the invitation and suggested that it would attend only when it was convenient for them to do so. “That position adopted by the Committee is not only disrespectful but reflective of a desire to enjoy preferential treatment, which borders on corruption,” the Minister argued.

Scott added that the Ministry was not to be held responsible for the AGM not being held at this time or any other time earlier. He also advised all cooperative societies and credit unions that the current dispensation did not allow for preferential treatment to anyone.

“The law will be applied fairly, and equitably to all and sundry. At this time, we have no interest in divulging the parameters of the unfair advantage which the GPSCU enjoy, but if we are forced to do so, then, by all means, that will be done,” he added.

2018 Budget drafting

T

he Caribbean C o m m u n i t y (Caricom) Secretariat will today commence consultations with regional stakeholders as it moves to undertake a comprehensive review of the Community’s main trade instruments – the Common External Tariff (CET) and the Rules of Origin.

The consultation is in keeping with Caricom’s policy of encouraging the inclusion of key stakeholders in the policy-making processes. It is supported by funding under the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).

It targets regional organisations interested in or likely to be affected by changes to the CET and the Rules of Origin, including academia, sector organisations, industry associations, regional policy advocacy organisations, and institutions of the Community.

Vice President and Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge last month held a briefing session with private and public stakeholders prior to the holding of a local review of the CET and Rules of Origin, with a view to ensuring an effective outcome of the consultancy.

Participants had expressed concerns about unfair trading practices by Caricom Member States, the preference of regional manufacturers for extra-regional inputs, use of technical specifications as a barrier to trade, and cases of alleged dumping of goods into the Guyanese market.

The attendees included representatives from the Guyana Revenue

Flashback: A meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in Georgetown, Guyana

Authority, the New Guyana Marketing Corporation, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Private Sector Commission, the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association, and individual manufacturing entities, who underscored their commitment to a successful outcome of the consultancy.

Since 2001, Guyana had called for a review of the Caricom trading arrangements, particularly as it relates to rules and procedures governing suspensions of the CET and derogations from the Rules of Origin relative to new trading arrangements, as well as developments in the global trading regime and the dynamics of supply and demand trends.

The CET and the Rules of Origin were approved by the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and the Conference of Heads of Government in 1990. Since then, the global and regional trading environments have changed significantly.

Among those changes were the establishment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO); the revision of the Treaty of Chaguaramas; the establishment of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the negotiation of several free trade agreements, including the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU).

In the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, Article 82 provides for the Community to establish and maintain a CET for goods which do not qualify for Community treatment in accordance with the plans and schedules of COTED. Article 83 (5) provides for COTED’s continuous review of the CET in whole or in part, to assess its impact on production and trade, as well as to secure its uniform implementation throughout the Community.

It is against this background that the COTED mandated the comprehensive review.

Agencies urged to consider Govt’s policies F

inance Minister Winston Jordan has urged budget agencies to consider Government’s policies when putting together their respective financial plans for the new year.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a budget 2018 training sensitisation workshop held at the Marriott International Hotel in Georgetown, Minister Jordan said: “We are once again at that time of year of the budget cycle, when agencies are required to revise and update their plans for the next four years. In the process of doing so, you will need to be cognisant of the vision of the Government in the context of the specific agency, and articulate your strategic goals and objec-

tives as your contribution to achieving this,” Jordan told the representatives of state agencies.

He expressed the need for them to examine the progress of their work and ensure that their request for allocation of resources will directly and measurably contribute to the achievement and delivery of programmes.

Quoting remarks from budget 2016, Jordan said the policy, programmes, reforms and measures envisage in the budget were designed to achieve higher growth rates is an economy that has been growing higher rates with benefits.

This, he said, will make the good life closer to reality.

“We cannot continue to have the sea-saw growth

Finance Minister Winston Jordan speaking at the Budget 2018 training sensitisation workshop held at the Marriott Hotel on Monday

that has been witnessed over the past three decades and hope to be able to solve the economic challenges like unemployment and

poverty. We have to be innovative in our approach, and bold in our measures if we are to build an economy that will stand on a foundation of granite,” Jordan said In budget 2017, the finance minister had said Government has emphasised the importance of achieving a strong growth and accelerated development to the benefit of the people. In particular, he said, “We have resolved to pursue a growth strategy.

We have to match the expectation of our people for a better life, but we will not be able to deliver if we stay in a foreign course”.

To do so, he said, would allow the confluence of adversity and challenge to continue to constrain the country from “seizing the

opportunity to chart a new direction”.

Achieving the “good life is neither a mantra, slogan, nor abstract concept,” Jordan continued.

It is rather a fixation; a constant reminder that

Government was elected to improve the quality of life for the Guyanese people through the improvement in the quality and quantity of goods and services that must be delivered.”

16

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017

Regional

Venezuela crisis enters pivotal week, Maduro foes protest V

enezuela’s Opposition plastered election centres with slogans and planned to rally in honour of dead protesters on Monday in a final weeklong push to force President Nicolás Maduro into aborting a controversial congress.

The unpopular leftist leader is pressing ahead with the vote for a Constitutional Assembly on Sunday despite the opposition of most Venezuelans, a crescendo of international criticism, and some dissent within his ruling Socialist Party. Critics say the Assembly, whose election rules appear designed to ensure a majority for Maduro, is intended to institutionalise dictatorship in the South American nation.

But Maduro, 54, whose term

runs until early 2019, insists it is the only way to empower the people and bring peace after four months of anti-government unrest that has killed more than 100 people and further hammered an imploding economy. Knots of Opposition supporters gathered at various centres where Venezuelans will vote on the assembly to leave messages, chant slogans and wave banners. “It’s preferable to die standing than to live on our knees!” said one poster at a Caracas school. “They want to install a communist state in Venezuela, but we’re tired of getting poorer and will stay in the street because we do not want the Constituent Assembly,” said lawyer Jeny Caraballo, 41. “The people are saying ‘No’!” The Opposition,

F An Opposition supporter holds a flyer as she attends a rally against the National Constituent Assembly, outside a school where a polling centre will be established for a Constitutional Assembly election next Sunday, in Caracas, Venezuela, July 24, 2017

which has now won majority backing after years in the doldrums during the rule of Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chávez, also planned nationwide rallies in the afternoon

in honour of protesters slain during the crisis. Fatalities have included Opposition and Government supporters, bystanders and security officials. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Brazil: Buttock surgeon killed in suspected revenge attack

A

Brazilian woman accused of carrying out illegal silicone implant procedures has been killed in a suspected revenge attack.

Marcilene Soares Gama, 49, had been accused by clients of using industrial silicone for buttock enlargement.

At the time of her death she faced court action over charges she pretended to be a doctor.

Police in Rio de Janeiro are

looking for a man caught on a surveillance camera entering her flat on Saturday. Her body was found hours later on a nearby road. The man tied her hands behind her back, made her get in his car and shot her in the face before disposing of the body. The killing has the hallmarks of a revenge attack, Police said.“Forensic experts concluded that she was shot in the face at close range, which is

New head of Bermuda’s Opposition party chosen after former Premier resigns

usually a sign of anger and hatred,” chief investigator Fabio Cardoso told O Globo newspaper. At least 10 women have come forward saying their bodies were ruined in botched implant procedures carried out by Gama. She was arrested twice for pretending to be a doctor in Rio and in Sao Paulo, but was released and continued to practise despite facing a court case.

Her family denied the

charges and said she always warned clients of the risks associated with silicone implant procedures. “She never said she was a surgeon. People knew the risks but they went ahead anyway,” said her brother-inlaw, Daniel Mofacto. Buttock enhancement is one of several cosmetic procedures popular in Brazil, which has developed one of the world’s largest plastic surgery industries. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

ormer Attorney General Patricia Gordon-Pamplin has been chosen as interim leader of the One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) which was soundly defeated in last week’s general election.

She replaces former Premier Michael Dunkley who stepped down almost immediately after leading his party to a 1224 loss to the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) in last Tuesday’s vote. His deputy Bob Richards had also quit politics after losing his seat, and Sylvan Richards will fill his place for now.

“I look forward to working with our MPs, party members and the Bermudian community to be a strong Opposition.

Our team will hold the new Government to account and ensure they are working in the best interests of all Bermudians,” GordonPamplin said in a statement.

Senators and a Shadow

Cabinet will be announced “in due course”, the statement added.

Premier David Burt, who was sworn in the day after the general election, has already announced his Cabinet.

Burt, who was Shadow Minister of Finance while in Opposition, has taken the responsibility of that ministry now that he leads the government The others in his Cabinet are: PLP’s deputy leader Walter Roban, Minister of Transport; Kathy Simmons, Attorney General; Walton Brown, Minister of Home Affairs; Kim Wilson, Minister of Health; David Burch, Minister of Public Works; Wayne Caines, Minister of National Security; Zane DeSilva, Minister of Sport; Diallo Rabain, Minister of Education; Jamahl Simmons, Minister of Tourism; and Lovitta Foggo, Minister of Government Reform. (Caribbean360)

St Lucian teen tortured in Venezuelan drug deal gone bad

Arrest over a Facebook rant brings Trinidad and Tobago’s cybercrime legislation into focus

A

gruesome double murder took place on June 28 in Trinidad, in which a 13-year-old boy and his babysitter were found with their throats slit. Police initially treated the incident as a robbery gone bad, but subsequent-

ly charged the sitter’s brother and an accomplice for the murders. The time in between the discovery of the bodies and the arrests was a distressing one, with many social media users lamenting the escalation of violent crime in the country

and venting their frustration at the apparent impotence of the government and protective services to make a dent in it.

But one Facebook user, Rayad Mohammed, took things to another level when he suggested that someone should rape and

slit the throats of the family of Prime Minister Keith Rowley.

His original status update was deleted, but blogger Rhoda Bharath made a screenshot of it and shared the post via Instagram. (Excerpt from Caribbean

News Now)

March but you can’t blackmail my Government, Barbados PM tells unions, Private Sector

A

s trade unions and the Private Sector unite for a protest march Monday morning, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart made it clear that it would not force his Government to reverse the controversial increase in the National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL).

In fact, Stuart said on Sunday that he would do nothing to stop the march from going ahead.

“A few people got on to me, begging me to meet quickly to head it off. I do not want to head it off, I want it to happen.

The people of Barbados have to see what is possible around here, and how far people will go in the pursuit of their perverse objectives,” the Prime Minister said, adding that no Government in the world

could be run on the basis of “undisguised blackmail”.

The march led by the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU); the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW); the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT); the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) and the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) is to show dissatisfaction with Government’s refusal to return to the negotiating table with the social partners in response to their calls to review the hike of the tax from two per cent to ten per cent from July 1.

“If the Government comes to the conclusion that the tax is not achieving the objectives which the Government intended it to achieve, the Government will have to re-

Prime Minister Freundel Stuart says no march will force his Government to reverse the tax hike

visit it,” Stuart said. “But the idea of any business entity in Bridgetown deciding that when the Government is going to impose taxation of any kind you have to get their permis-

sion before you impose it, that is not on. And I don’t believe quite honestly that the trade unions believe that is the way it should be done either.” (Excerpt

from Caribbean360)

S

St Lucian National Security Minister Hermangild Francis

everal videos have surfaced on social media showing a young St Lucian man being held hostage and tortured overseas in an apparent drug move gone bad.

In the videos released over the weekend, the handcuffed youth is wearing what appears to be a bloodstained shirt and is pleading for his life.

“Mommy, tell Shawn pay the people for me – mommy, mommy, the people go kill me! The people go cut my head!” The victim said as automatic weapons were pointed at his head.

In another video the victim is seen lying on the ground while two men, one with an automatic weapon and another with a chain saw, stand over him.

Reliable sources have confirmed that the young man in the videos is 18-yearold Scott Atkins, who is orig-

inally from the East coast village of Micoud.

It has also been revealed that the ‘Shawn’ he mentioned in his video is his cousin.

In the video, Atkins begs ‘Shawn’ to pay his captors because if he doesn’t they will kill him. Sources say Atkins was kidnapped in February from Trinidad and Tobago and taken to Venezuela where he has been held by his captors ever since. The gang holding Atkins claims it is owed over US$130,000 by a relative of Atkins.

St Lucia’s National Security Minister, Hermangild Francis, has described as “unfortunate” videos that surfaced on social media over the weekend, showing a young St Lucian man being held hostage and tortured overseas in an apparent drug move gone bad.

(CMC)

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Trump's son-in-law details contact 9th person dies after being found in lorry outside Walmart with Russians, denies collusion

E

P

resident Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner and a senior White House adviser, detailed four meetings he held last year with Russian officials in a statement on Monday in which he also said he "did not collude" with Moscow during the 2016 U.S. election campaign.

Kushner, who met behind closed doors with Senate Intelligence Committee staff, issued a written statement before that session that gave the fullest account to date of his contacts with Russian officials during the campaign and the presidential transition.

Kushner, like Trump a businessman, portrayed himself as someone who was new to politics when he became a top adviser to his father-in-law's campaign and

President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner

was often so frantic fielding phone calls and emails that his recollections of some meetings was somewhat hazy. "I did not collude, nor know of anyone else in the campaign who colluded, with any foreign government," he said. "I had no improper contacts. I have not relied on Russian funds to finance my business activities in the private sector."

The Senate Intelligence Committee is one of several congressional panels investigating the Russia matter, along with a federal criminal probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

Speaking at the White House after the meeting, Kushner said all of his actions were proper and occurred within a "very unique campaign." (Reuters)

ight suspected illegal immigrants have been found dead inside a truck parked behind a Walmart store in Texas, authorities say.

A ninth victim died later in hospital after being rescued alongside around 30 others. Many were suffering from heat stroke and exhaustion in the trailer, which lacked air conditioning or a water supply, San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said.

The discoveries were made after a Walmart employee was approached for water by one of the travellers who had managed to escape from the vehicle in the early hours of Sunday.

Twenty people were airlifted to seven hospitals and their conditions were "critical to very critical", Mr Hood said. Eight others were admitted to hospital in a less

A hearse sits in the car park of a Walmart supermarket in San Antonio, where eight people were found dead in a tractor-trailer

serious condition. The people range from school-age children to adults in their twenties and thirties, he said.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said many of the those who sur-

vived would suffer severe permanent brain damage.

Firefighters and paramedics arrived on the scene shortly after midnight, Mr Hood said. Officials determined that the truck had reached over 100F. (Excerpt from

The Independent)

Charlie Gard's parents end legal fight Chinese jets intercept US surveill-

T

Charlie Gard

he parents of terminally ill baby Charlie Gard have ended their legal challenge to take him to the US for experimental treatment.

A lawyer representing Chris Gard and Connie

Yates told the High Court "time had run out" for the baby.

Gard said it meant his "sweet, gorgeous, innocent little boy" will not reach his first birthday on 4 August.

"To let our beautiful lit-

tle Charlie go" is "the hardest thing we'll ever have to do", his mother said.

Charlie's parents said they made the decision because a US doctor had told them it was now too late to give Charlie nucleoside therapy.

"We only wanted to give him a chance of life," Ms Yates told the court in a statement. "A whole lot of time has been wasted," she added. "We are sorry we could not save you." Their lawyer Grant Armstrong said the parents' worst fears had been confirmed. Charlie has encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. He has brain damage and cannot move his arms or legs. (Excerpted from BBC News)

Sea level warning as Greenland darkens

S

cientists are "very worried" that the melting of the Greenland ice sheet could accelerate and raise sea levels more than expected.

They say warmer conditions are encouraging algae to grow and darken the surface.

Dark ice absorbs more solar radiation than clean white ice so warms up and melts more rapidly.

Currently the Greenland ice sheet is adding up to 1mm a year to the rise in the global average level of the oceans.

It is the largest mass of ice in the northern hemisphere covering an area about seven times the size of the United Kingdom and reaching up to 3km (2 miles) in thickness.

This means that the average sea level would rise around the world by about seven metres, more than

The Greenland ice sheet covers an area about seven times the size of the UK

20ft, if it all melted.

That is why Greenland, though remote, is a focus of research which has direct relevance to major coastal cities as far apart as Miami, London and Shanghai and low-lying areas in Bangladesh and parts of Britain.

Algae were first observed on the Greenland ice sheet more than a century ago but until recently its potential impact was ignored. Only in the last few years have researchers have started to explore how the microscopically small plants could affect future melting. Excerpted

from BBC News)

ance plane

T

wo Chinese fighter jets intercepted a US Navy surveillance plane over the East China Sea at the weekend, with one jet coming within about 300 feet (91 meters) of the American aircraft, US officials said on Monday.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said initial reports showed one of the Chinese J-10 aircraft came close to the US EP-3 plane on Sunday, causing the American aircraft to change direction.

One of the officials said the Chinese jet was armed and that the interception happened 80 nautical miles (148 km) from the Chinese

FILE PHOTO: A US Navy EP-3E Aries signals reconnaissance aircraft, escorted by an EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, in the Arabian Gulf April 24, 2016

city of Qingdao.

The Pentagon said that the encounter between the

aircraft was unsafe, but added that the vast majority of interactions were safe. (Excerpt

from Reuters)

Taliban bike bomb kills 26 in Lahore

A

Police collected evidence from the scene after the blast

t least 26 people have been killed in a car bombing in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, officials say.

More than 50 others were injured in the explosion on the busy Ferozepur Road close to a vegetable market in the south of the city.

The Pakistani Taliban

said it was behind the explosion.

Reports suggest it was a suicide bomber on a motorbike, and the target may have been police working in the area. Police officers are among the dead.

Windows were blown out in nearby buildings by the force of the blast.

Eyewitness Sher Dil, who

works at an office near the site, said he heard a "deafening blast".

The market was full of police at the time because officers had been sent to clear stalls that had illegally spilled into the road.

"We suspect that he (the suicide bomber) came on a motorcycle and he rammed it into a police checkpoint," Lahore police operations chief Haider Ashraf told Reuters.

Rescue workers have transferred the wounded to hospital, and police and army troops were sent to contain the scene.

Pakistan's president, prime minister and army chief have all expressed their sorrow and condolences for the loss of life.

It is the latest in a series of explosions in Lahore in recent months. (Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017

ARCHIE

You’ll face secretive opposition. Be careful whom you trust (March 21- with your ideas, personal inforApril 19) mation and passwords. Refuse to overreact or show excessive or impulsive tendencies.

Personal growth is encouraged.

ARIES

Avoid emotional situaTAURUS tions that have the potential (April 20- to put you in an awkward poMay 20) sition. Social or networking events are best handled responsibly. Practical applications are your best bet.

dilbert

Changes at home will be GEMINI (May 21- beneficial. Take care of perJune 20) sonal, financial, medical or legal matters. You stand to gain ground if you are detailed and energetic in your pursuits.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

WORD GAME

You may not like change, but accepting the inevitable will allow you to move forward even if you don’t like the prospects you are offered. The benefits will unfold in time.

Don’t put up with nonsense or situations that are dragging you down. It’s up to you to take a stand and make the changes that will bring greater joy to your life.

Take note of what’s hapVIRGO (Aug. 23- pening around you and work Sept. 22) to take advantage of an opportunity to make a positive change. Taking a business trip or attending a seminar or retreat is encouraged.

Get involved and in touch LIBRA with others. Attend a con(Sept. 23ference, seminar or retreat Oct. 23) to gain greater awareness and knowledge. Taking short trips or updating your look is favored.

SUDOKU

Consider your vocational SCORPIO options. A deal you are offered (Oct. 24will not be as good as you are Nov. 22) led to believe. Question its terms and negotiate on your own behalf.

Emotional distress will SAGITTARIUS occur if someone is not being (Nov. 23- honest about his or her feelDec. 21) ings. Say what’s on your mind and move forward.

You are best off doing your CAPRICORN own legwork when dealing (Dec. 22- with personal financial matJan. 19) ters. Someone will offer you an inflated picture of what you can expect.

solution for Last Published Puzzle Self-deception or emotionAQUARIUS al manipulation is possible if (Jan. 20you don’t look at the big picFeb. 19) ture and ask relevant questions. Get the facts before you make a move.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Work in unison with somePISCES one you respect or who has (Feb. 20March 20) the same values and concerns as you. What you offer will make a difference. Changes are heading your way.

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017

19

Gold Cup

Late Lawrence stunner sinks defending champions

‒ Mexico 0 Jamaica 1

J

amaica went some way to avenging their 2015 Gold Cup final defeat to Mexico by stunning the defending champions 1-0.

Jamaica gained some revenge for their loss to Mexico in the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup final by claiming a stunning 1-0 win over the defending champions.

The Jamaicans advanced all the way to the final two years ago but were outclassed 3-1 by Mexico in the decider.

However, Jamaica went some way to avenging that defeat thanks to Kemar Lawrence’s outstanding 88th-minute free-kick on Sunday.

After Jamaica goalkeeper Andre Blake produced a masterclass to thwart Mexico throughout in Pasadena, California, Lawrence stepped up and curled a set-piece past Jose Corona.

Jamaica will now meet

hosts and five-time champions the United States in the tournament final in Santa Clara on Wednesday.

Mexico – with suspended head coach Juan Carlos Osorio watching in the stands – have rotated throughout the tournament but they only made two changes to the team that beat Honduras 1-0 in the quarter-finals. Erick Torres and Erick Gutierrez came into the starting XI as Angel Sepulveda and Jesus Gallardo dropped out.

There was just one change for Jamaica, who overcame Canada 2-1 in the last eight. Ladale Richie replaced Kevon Lambert.

Mexico and Jamaica played out a dour goalless draw in the group stage but this was a far more eventful clash as Blake produced a stellar first half to keep the scores level.

After a cagey opening, Blake pulled off a stunning double save to deny Jesus

Duenas and Torres in the 12th minute.

A low shot from Duenas, which took a wicked deflection, forced Blake into a fine block with his legs before stepping up to thwart Torres.

As Jamaica struggled to create anything in attack, Blake was kept busy as the Philadelphia Union goalkeeper somehow stopped a Torres header from pointblank range.

Mexico continued to dominate but Jamaica almost snatched the lead seven minutes before halftime. Jermaine Taylor’s audacious long-range freekick almost found the back of the net but Corona fisted the ball away for a corner.

Jamaica were much more threatening in the second half as Darren Mattocks almost weaved past three defenders en route to goal.

The counter-attacking system that proved so ef-

Kemar Lawrence (left)

fective against Canada almost put Jamaica ahead but Ricardo Morris’ effort was too tame and straight at Corona approaching the hour-mark.

Blake made another

Benjamin Mendy: Man City sign Monaco defender for £52M B enjamin Mendy has completed his £52m transfer from Monaco to Manchester City to become the world’s most expensive defender.

The 23-year-old France left-back has signed a fiveyear deal.

Mendy is City’s fifth major signing of the summer, taking their spending to more than £200m.

“He is undoubtedly one of the world’s best full-backs, our number one target in this position,” said director of football Txiki Begiristain.

Mendy played 34 times for Monaco last season and helped them to their first Ligue 1 title in 17 years after joining them from Marseille last summer.

City have already signed England right-back Kyle Walker for £45m, plus a potential £5m of addons, Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva (£43m), Brazilian keeper Ederson Moraes (£35m) and defender Danilo from Real Madrid (£26.5m).

They have sold left-back Aleksandar Kolarov, 31, to Roma for £4.5m.

save in the 65th minute, albeit routine to push away Gallardo’s free-kick.

Jamaica had another opportunity to take the lead but Corona scrambled to palm away Damion Lowe’s

goal-bound header with 13 minutes remaining.

But Jamaica were not to be denied at the death as Lawrence fired his team into a second successive Gold Cup final.(SPORTSMAX)

Adam Peaty retains world 100m breaststroke title

‒ Ben Proud wins butterfly gold Adam Peaty

Benjamin Mendy is now the world’s most expensive defender

The arrival of Mendy leaves Manchester City with the most expensive defensive line-up in world football.

When Ederson moved to the club from Benfica earlier this summer, his move was a world record for a keeper in sterling, although not in euros.

Mendy and Walker have been added to a backline which also includes cen-

tre-back John Stones, who was bought for £47.5m from Everton last summer, with the trio making up three of the world’s five most expensive defenders.

Central defenders Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala, who spent last season on loan at Valencia, also joined City for fees believed to be in the region of £32M.(BBCSPORT)

G

reat Britain’s Adam Peaty set a World Championship record as he successfully defended his men’s 100m breaststroke title in Budapest.

The 22-year-old Olympic champion, who had lowered the World Championship mark in qualifying, clocked 57.47 seconds - 0.34secs outside his own world record.

Peaty told BBC Sport: “You aim for world records, but they are world records for a reason.”

Fellow Briton Ben Proud, 22, took the 50m butterfly title, clocking 22.75.

Peaty, who now holds the top 10 times in the world for the 100m breaststroke, finished more than a second ahead of his nearest rival.

That was American Kevin Cordes (58.79), with Russia’s Kirill Prigoda (59.05) third. Peaty’s fellow Briton Ross Murdoch was eighth. “I felt like a little boy again going out to the crowd,” said Peaty.

“I was a bit long into the wall, but I’m very happy with that. I’m more than happy to come here and attack my title.”

Peaty is attempting to become the first swimmer to break the 57-second mark in the event, a challenge he refers to as ‘Project 56’.

The Briton, who in 2015 became the first man to complete the world 50m and 100m breaststroke double, will begin the defence of his 50m title on Tuesday.

(BBCSPORT)

20

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tuesdAY, july 25, 2017

T&T’s Stewart wins another gold in world-record fashion

A

keem Stewart of Trinidad and Tobago shattered the world record while winning his second gold medal of the World Para Athletics Championships in London on Sunday.

Stewart, who previously won gold in the javelin during these championships, threw 19.08m to win the shot put F44 final, shattering the previous record of 14.21m set by Germany’s Jorg Frischmann 20 years ago.

The silver medal went to Slovakia’s Adrian Matusik (15.99 m), while Egypt’s Ibrahim Ahmed Abdelwareth was third with a throw of 15.65, a new African record.

Last Tuesday, Stewart earned his first gold medal of the Championship, in the men’s javelin F44 with a winning throw of 57.61 metres, a new world record as well.

T&T’s other medial in London came via sprinter, 22-year-old Nyoshia Cain who won T&T’s first medal, a bronze in the women’s T44 100m (13.25 seconds) on Monday.

Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017

End of England XVs contracts "a backwards step"

T

England won the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time in 20 years in 2014

he decision not to renew contracts for world champions England’s 15-a-side women’s team is a backward step, says former international Vicky MacQueen.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) says its focus will switch to the sevens game after this year’s World Cup in Ireland, which starts next month.

“I feel a little bit gutted

Akeem Stewart

Duminy released from squad for rest of series J

P Duminy has been released from South Africa’s squad for the last two Tests in England.

Duminy had been dropped for the second Test at Trent Bridge, which South Africa won by 340 runs to square the series, after managing only 17 runs across two innings in the first at Lord’s.

South Africa have opted to keep Aiden Markram as batting cover instead.

Markram, the 2014 Under-19 World Cup winning captain and Titans opener, was part of the South Africa A squad that toured England earlier in the summer and initially included in the squad to cover for the absence of Faf du Plessis, who missed the first Test following the birth of his daughter. Markram was expected to leave the group and begin preparations for the new season once du Plessis returned but he was asked to stay on for the second Test and will now remain with the squad even longer after Duminy’s departure.

Though Markram is unlikely to play, with South Africa opting for six specialist batsmen and Theunis de Bruyn ahead of him, the selectors are hopeful he will gain valuable experience from spending time with the national side. As a result, Markram will miss South Africa A’s 50-over triangular competition against India A and Afghanistan A, which starts on Wednesday, and has been replaced by Jon-Jon Smuts in the squad.

Even if Markram stays for the entire duration of the tour, he will return home in time for the two fourday matches against India, which will give him more

JP Duminy has been released from the South African Test Squad

long-format experience.

The investments being made into Markram and de Bruyn suggest that the end of Duminy’s nine-year Test career is nigh. Duminy last scored a century in January, against Sri Lanka but has only made 121 runs in eight innings since then and his inconsistency has cost him his place. Quinton de Kock has replaced Duminy at No. 4 in the line-up with South Africa adjusting their team balance to accommodate for two allrounders, Vernon Philander and Chris Morris, in the lower middle-order.

Philander and Morris form half of a four-pronged pace pack, which will welcome back Kagiso Rabada for the third Test. Rabada sat out Trent Bridge after being suspended for an accumulation of demerit points and spent his time on the sidelines working on his craft. Despite being one of South Africa’s busiest players, Rabada did not put his

feet up but bowled before play every morning to maintain the same workload as he would have had if he’d played the march.

“He bowled his overs, he got his workload up so he will be raring to go,” Charl Langeveldt, South Africa’s bowling coach, said. “He was disappointed with what happened but he learned a lot from that. You need to learn from it so it doesn’t happen again. He said come Thursday I want to be ready for the next Test. KG is one for stepping up, taking his game to the next level. He is a youngster with lots of energy. I’ve got no doubt he will step up.”

Langeveldt is not a selector but indicated Rabada would be a straight swap for Duanne Olivier, who struggled in seamer-friendly conditions at Trent Bridge. He was expensive in both innings and could not find the right line but that did not dim an otherwise excep-

tional South Africa performance. Vernon Philander nagged with subtle movement, Morne Morkel was difficult to get away and Morris was quick but it was the improvement in their discipline that was most notable.

After bowling 10 noballs, two of which resulted in wickets at Lord’s, South Africa die not overstep at all at Trent Bridge and Langeveldt admitted they put special emphasis on getting that right.

“It’s a mentality. When you come to the nets, you need to stay behind the line,” he said. “We spoke before the Test series as well.

I said to the guys: you’ve been doing this for years, you are professional, it’s a basic thing, you need to stay behind the line. Sure, there will be days when you overstride, when you got for the effort ball. But we’ve always been strict. The more you bowl, the better you get at it.”

South Africa have taken the more-is-more approach in preparation for the third Test. While England opted not to train until Tuesday, South Africa had a full session at The Oval on Monday.

It was the first session they have had in two weeks with their coach Russell Domingo, who has returned to the camp following the death of his mother after the Lord’s Test.

There is still no certainty over Domingo’s future, after the panel appointed by CSA to recommend a candidate for the position of head coach was delayed in its work. Domingo’s contract expires at the end of the ongoing Test series and he has reapplied for the post.

for the girls and the sport as a whole,” former full-back MacQueen told BBC Sport It is understood several current squad members will move to sevens contracts.

New XVs contracts will then be awarded in preparation for the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup. “It’s a shame for the sport that it’s not going to be moving forward. Why can’t the focus be on both disciplines?

They are two totally different games,” said MacQueen, who was capped 34 times for England between 2004 and 2009.

“It’s a bit of a backward step. Those contracted girls have been focused fully on rugby - they are now going to have to balance it with their job again.”

The RFU, which last year announced record revenues of more than £400m, says its priorities are cyclical and shift between the XVs and sevens programmes, with the

Rugby World Cup Sevens and Commonwealth Games taking place next year.

It says the XVs side will continue to take part in competitions including the Women’s Six Nations, and stresses it has invested millions of pounds in the women’s game, including £800,000 annually on a new domestic club competition aimed at increasing and improving the talent pool available for selection for England.

“The women’s squad were always aware that contracts would end in September, after the World Cup,” said RFU director of professional rugby Nigel Melville.

“The current XVs squad was informed in April that the next contracts will be focused on sevens, reflecting the cyclical nature of the women’s game. The squad fully understands the position and are focused on the World Cup in Ireland next month.”(BBCSPORT)

Chelsea’s Pedro suffered multiple fractures in collision ‒ Antonio Conte

Chelsea winger Pedro has suffered multiple fractures after a collision with Arsenal’s David Ospina

C

helsea coach Antonio Conte has said the injury suffered by Pedro during the preseason friendly victory over Arsenal is more serious than he thought.

Pedro, 29, was taken off in the first half of the 3-0 win in Beijing after a heavy collision with goalkeeper David Ospina, with the club later announcing that he had spent the night in hospital having sustained a concussion and facial injuries.

Conte, speaking at a news conference ahead of Chelsea’s clash with German champions Bayern Munich in Singapore, said the Spain international had suffered multiple fractures.

But he added that Pedro, who returned home after

sustaining the injury, is expected to be back in training with a mask in 10 days.

“The situation was more serious than I thought because I hoped it would only be concussion and instead he had multiple fractures,” Conte said.

“With a mask, and in around 10 days, he can come back to work with us.”

He stressed that he did not blame Ospina for the incident, adding: “No, absolutely not. I was a player and I know these type of accidents can happen. Ospina tried to take the ball.”

Conte also said he planned to bring new signing Alvaro Morata on at some stage of the game against Bayern on Tuesday.(ESPNFC)

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sports EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League

Players, coaches presented with jerseys

‒ competition to kick off shortly

S

ponsor of the East Bank Football Association’s (EBFA) U-11 League, USA based Guyanese Ralph Green recently presented branded jerseys to the association that will be handed over to the players and coaches of the 10 partcipating teams.

Green, who was on a short visit to Guyana was hoping to see the kick-off of the tournament but the current prolonged rainy season put paid to his wish as grounds on the East Bank have been rendered unplayable for the past two months and counting.

In handing over the jerseys to EBFA President Franklin Wilson, Green said that he was eager to see the players in action but is hoping to be back during the competition or for the conclusion to enjoy the youngsters in action.

He noted his pleasure in continuing to support grassroots development of the game on the East Bank and

has promised to continue to work closely with the association to make the tournament a continued success where players will look forward to being a part of, annually.

Apart from the players and coaches jerseys, a set of polo jerseys, also branded were presented to the EBFA Executive. The competition when it gets started will see association branded balls being used.

Thirty-four numbered playing vests, one first aid kit, two captains arm bands, five back-packs and 74 medals (first to fourth placed teams) were also donated by Green.

Only Players born on or after January 1st, 2006 will be eligible to participate in the tournament.

Agricola Red Triangle are the inaugural champions and will be going all out to retain the crown but will have to contend with nine other teams. Craig Primary placed

opening remarks said while he is aware that the inclement weather has affected football matches in the U17 tournament, he is hoping for an early start to the national U15 tournament: “We would like to have the Frank Watson Intra-Association

Ext 50

U15 tournament kicked off. If there’s any challenge beyond the weather you have been experiencing, by all means, be sure to let us know. The Federation is clearly doing its part to ensure that each Association plays football, especially at the

W

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez

223-7230

top goal scorer with Grove’s Tyrese Jones. Agricola also won the best goalkeeper trophy which went to Adam Wilson. The Most Improved Player award was pre-

GFF President Wayne Forde (centre) and the various Association representatives

on Phone: 223-7230 EXT: 35

Call:

second last year with Grove Hi Tech third and Friendship All Stars, fourth.

Agricola’s Floyd Boyce was the MVP of the League, he also finished as the joint

T

he President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde, presented footballs to Regional Member Associations (RMAs) in preparation for the commencement of the Frank Watson National IntraAssociation U15 Tournament.

The presentation was made to officials of seven (7) of the nine (9) RMAs in the Boardroom of the Guyana Football Federation on Friday, 21st July. Those receiving were: Frank Parris of the Georgetown FA, Noel Harry of East Bank FA, Kelon Josiah of Upper Demerara FA, Keith Ojeer of Berbice FA, Carmel Williams of Bartica FA, Albert Tucker of Essequibo FA, and Adrian Giddings of West Demerara FA. President Wayne Forde in

Circulation Department

$5+VAT per word

Ralph Green hands over one of the branded jersey to EBFA President Franklin Wilson along with the finals ball in the presence of Association Secretary Wayne Francois and Exco member Clive Matthews. The players jerseys’ are being worn by Grove players

sented to Joshua Moore of Craig Primary while Shavi Atkinson of Friendship All Stars was adjudged the Most Promising Player.

GFF presents footballs to Associations ahead of U-15 Tournament

Contact our

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Striker Hernandez completes £16M West Ham switch

youth level, which is one of our most important development areas.” The new intra-association tournament will involve U15 club sides from all nine GFF member associations playing regular competitive football, creating another layer for youth football

est Ham have made their fourth signing of the transfer window, completing a move for Mexico striker Javier Hernandez.

Javier Hernandez has completed his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen to West Ham in a deal worth £16million The 29-year-old joins the Premier League club on a three-year deal after completing a medical and agreeing personal terms.

Mexico striker Hernandez scored 39 goals in two seasons with Leverkusen and becomes West Ham’s fourth signing of the transfer window.

“For me, the Premier League is the best league in the world and when the opportunity came, I was desperate to sign for this club,” said the forward.

“It was not a difficult decision. West Ham is an historic club, and very ambitious – this summer you can see with the players signed that they are looking to have a very good season.

“I’ve had three fantastic years playing in Spain and Germany, but England was really the first big chapter in my career and I am

development. It is planned to roll out across the country from next month. The league will feed directly into the new nationwide network of GFF-Scotiabank Academy Training Centres where young players receive professional, weekly coaching and mentorship in line with the GFF’s new national football philosophy, under the guidance of GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood.

In a related matter, Forde announced that the GFF is exploring some additional youthoriented initiatives for activation in the various RMAs, the details of which will be announced at a later time. Further, the GFF, in support of youth football development, has donated six (6) balls to the Fruta Conquerors FC’s summer camp.

so happy to be back.

“I am desperate for the season to start and to help the team achieve all their objectives.”

Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart and Marko Arnautovic have also joined Slaven Bilic’s side in the close-season.

Hernandez moved to Leverkusen from Manchester United in 2015 following a loan spell with Real Madrid.

He won the Premier League twice at United and helped them to the 2011 Champions League final, where they were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona.

Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan hailed Hernandez’s prowess in front of goal, as he said: “He has a proven goalscoring record in the Premier League, La Liga and the Bundesliga, as well in the UEFA Champions League and at international level with Mexico.

“We now have some fantastic options in attacking positions and, like all West Ham fans, I am looking forward to seeing Javier score goals in a claret and blue shirt next season.”(SPORTSMAX)

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tuesdAY, july 25, 2017

Digicel Schools Football Championships

Hosororo dismiss Charity to set up clash against defending champs T

he Hosororo Secondary School team, led by goals from Shawn Hercules and Shem Ramacindo in the 23rd and 63rd minutes respectively, sent hosts Charity crashing out of this year’s Digicel Schools Football Championships.

Playing in the national playoffs on Sunday at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground, the visitors controlled the game from the start, used their physical and technical superiority to their advantage of the Charity boys and coast to a comfortable 2-0 win that would land them a quarter-final matchup against defending champions Chase’s Academy, today at the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue.

After a balanced start, which saw both teams

sharing possession of the ball, Charity was the first to adjust to the atmosphere and looked the more likely to score.

However, as the game went on, the visitors grew in confidence, and utilized their physicality to dispossess the smaller Charity players.

The skilful Terry Mendonca, one of the smaller size Hosororo players, was a continual threat to the Charity defenders, often thrilling fans with his skill and speed; while the duo of Hercules and Ramacindo added efficiency to the attack and made things det-

rimental for the opposition.

Hercules entered the score sheet first when he finished an attack that started on the left flank, his effort beating the goalkeeper at the near post. Despite their dominance in the air, and in spite of several threatening incursions, Charity, who had beaten Hosororo in a previous encounter on their home soil a few years ago, managed to contain the score to 1-0 going into the halftime break.

Hosororo, led by Mendonca, continued their relentless attack on their opponents, displaying pace

Hosororo goalscorers Shem Ramacindo (left) and Shawn Hercules pose for a photo following their win over Charity

and skill; and it took a combination of brilliant goalkeeping and luck to keep the visitors from adding to their lead.

It seemed certain that, in just a matter of time,

Hosororo would increase their advantage; and it came following a thunderous right-foot screamer that flew off the crossbar.

Ramacindo leaped high in the air to meet the rebound,

and send it back with a fierce header over the keeper’s extended hands into the goal.

Even after making several changes, Charity could not get a goal -- a weak shot from the pint-sized Stephon Clarke and another feeble effort from Ariel Chester being the closest they got at threatening the opposing goalkeeper.

The Championship continues today with matches at various venues.

At Burnham Park in New Amsterdam, Vryman’s Erven Secondary hosts Annai, while at the Beterverwagting ground, Region 10 champs Christianburg /Wismar tackles Buxton Youth Developers. At Leonora, Waramadong battles Sir Leon’s Lessons.

All matches will commence at 15:30hrs.

Engineering Green Dozens protest against Kares Economy Softball Cricket launched unconstitutional GCB ‒Tournament bowls off on Saturday

A section of the protest

T

he area in front of the Attorney General’s office on Carmichael Street in Georgetown yesterday morning became the venue where disgusted former cricketers, administrators of the game and cricket enthusiasts from various parts of the country chose to protest the unacceptable operation of an unconstitutional Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).

There, dozens of protesters peacefully, albeit loudly and bitterly, denounced events unfolding at the Regent Road Office of the Guyana Cricket Board, as they expressed the urgent need for that body to hold an election, since it is approaching a decade when one was last held. Situations were expected to improve with the passage in Parliament of the Cricket Administration Act in May 2014, but that law was never enforced although a Cricket Ombudsman, Dr. Winston McGowan, was appointed to overlook a procedure that should have allowed a return to normalcy.

Local cricket has since been on decline, but has most recently hit a new low with the unprecedented move by the GCB to allow national squads to depart these shores without the public’s knowledge of either the composition of the squad or its departure date.

While information on some of the squads is being released mere hours before they leave these shores, as obtained in the Under-17 team’s departure earlier in July, the Under-19 squad departed without being named; and as at this moment, no one is aware who the players are in that squad.

Most regrettably, the media was informed about the imminent departure of the Under-15 squad when they were at the airport preparing to wing out to Barbados at 14:52h yesterday.

Because of this kind of behaviour -- com-

pounded by the rapid decline in the sport; elections not being held for more than six years; players, coaches and clubs among those being discriminated against; and a myriad of issues affecting former players, administrators and enthusiasts -- no course of action was available to the disaffected to air their grievances other than a peaceful protest.

According to former GCB executive and West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) operative, Claude Raphael, this is just the start of grievances being aired; plans are in place to step up the calls for free and fair election.

Raphael noted that it matters not who goes on to win the election, stakeholders would willing work with whomever is elected subsequent to an election.

The businessman says he is disappointed with the Government’s slothful approach to this matter after two years of being in office.

Meanwhile, West Berbice Cricket Association (WBCA) official Rabindranauth Saywack raised concerns in regard to the GCB playing an integral part in the destruction of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB). He opined that this was done so the GCB could have in the BCB people who would support the GCB. Longstanding cricket devotee Cyril King was among the protesters. He questioned how a fraternity could be operating for so long without an election.

He also took the opportunity to rant about the AG needing to deliver on the numerous promises he had made to cricket in Guyana when he was in opposition.

The group of protestors is expected to again air their grievances in a public forum on Wednesday at the Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) Pavilion at Thomas Lands.

Some of the team captains pose with trophies up for grabs. Major Smith of the Ministry of the Presidency and Radesh Rameshwar of Kares Engineering Inc share the moment

T

he Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club last Friday launched its first ever Kares Engineering Patron’s Green Economy Softball Cricket Tournament at its parent body, St. Francis Community Developers Training Centre.

The Tournament is organised by the Cricket Development Committee of the Club in honour of the 72nd birthday of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club’s Patron.

Club Secretary/CEO Hilbert Foster disclosed that the tournament will involve nineteen teams drawn from across the ancient county, and is slated to bowl off on Saturday, 29th July, at the Hampshire Cricket Ground. The teams are: Set Up, Rising Star, Canje Pathfinders, Force, Grill Master, Fyrish, Shamie Grocery, Topoo Rising Star, Letter Kenny, Hustler II, Tain, Chaser, Maida, Hard Knock, Under Dogs, Guru Eleven, Hustler XI and No. 64 Marines.

The winning team will take home $500,000 and a trophy, while the Runner-up pockets $300,000 and a trophy, 3rd Place $100,000 and trophy, and 4th Place team and Man of the Finals grabbing $50,000 each.

Kares Engineering Inc is the sponsor of the prizes, while among the other sponsors are the Ministry of the President, S. Jagmohan Hardware Supplies, B.K. International, Bakewell, and KSM Investment.

The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club will

be using the opportunity during the tournament to educate the Berbice public on Climate Change and Guyana’s push for a Green Economy.

Messages on Say No to Drugs, Suicide, Alcohol, Crime, and Yes to Life; Education; Sports and Religion will also be promoted to the teams and the general public.

The first round of matches would be played on an eight-over basis while the 3rd Place Playoff and Finals would be 20-Overs. Only round, hard bowling would be allowed, while only one nonBerbician would be permitted per team. The four semifinalists would be uniformed in polo shirts provided by Mr. Mahadeo Panchu of KSM Investment.

The fixture for the first round was drawn by representatives of the teams, and the matches to be played are:

1) Set Up vs Rising Star 2) Canje Pathfinders vs Force 3) Grill Master vs Fyrish 4) Shamie Grocery vs Topoo 5) Letter Kenny vs Hustlers II 6) Tain vs Chaser 7) Maida vs Hard Knock 8) Under Dogs vs Guru Eleven 9) Hustlers I vs No. 64 Marines.

10) Rising Star Cricket Club vs (West Berbice) BYE

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, july 25, 2017

“I expect Jamaica Tallawahs to repeat as champions & thrill the world” – Persaud

Krishna Persaud

H

ero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise the Jamaica Tallawahs has been sold to the Worldwide Sports Management Group, whose founder and president, Krishna “Kris” Persaud, is of the opinion that the Tallawahs will repeat as champions in 2017.

Persaud, who spoke ex-

clusively to Guyana Times Sport, said: “I expect the Jamaica Tallawahs to repeat as champions and thrill the world… and I want to be part of that.”

The Tallawahs, current Hero CPL champions, will begin the defence of their title on August 5th in Lauderhill, Florida, at the Central Broward Regional Stadium, a facility at which Worldwide Sports Management Group have also signed a long-term agreement to host and market international cricket.

This agreement will require Worldwide Sports to provide all necessary capital improvements and technology enhancements to make the stadium a world class plug and play facility. To this end, Persaud stated, “I want to bring more cricket to the USA, and the acquisition of the Jamaica Tallawahs

plays into that strategy.”

Persaud, who was born in Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara in Guyana, also runs KPC Properties LLC, a real estate investment firm that has, in South Florida, an extensive portfolio that includes approximately 2,500 multi-family units in the region. Besides his property business Mr Persaud sits on the Board of Directors of Oxbridge Reinsurance Limited.

Speaking about the acquisition of the Jamaica Tallawahs franchise, Persaud said: “I would like to especially thank the previous owners and the Hero CPL Team for all of their assistance in making the Tallawahs’ acquisition a reality. And I wish our Mighty Strong Tallawah Team all the best in the upcoming 2017 competition.”

Additionally, the success-

National U-17 team depart for Dominican Republic today ‒ to compete in Centro-basket Championships

By Michelangelo Jacobus

G

uyana’s National U-17 Basketball team left home soil today as they travel to the Dominican Republic where they will be competing in the Central American and Caribbean Confederation’s ( C O N C E N C A B A ) Centrobasket U-17 tournament from July 26-30.

The team which was encamped for two weeks at

has a good chance of medalling at the tournament.

In an interview prior to the team’s departure, Kenny Avent noted that the team “it’s a different team from last year (CBC U16 Championships), I think that we have improved defensively, we will be looking to press more (offensively) this year, we weren’t that aggressive last year, the biggest improvement though is on the defensive

Other countries participating in the CentroBasket U17 Championships are Jamaica, Bahamas, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and US Virgin Islands.

Guyana has been drawn in Group A, with Mexico, Bahamas, and Puerto Rico and will play their opening game on Wednesday (July 26) against the Bahamas.

The team will return on August 1, 2017. The

The U-17 players going through training drills prior to the team’s departure

the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) prior to their departure was under stringent training sessions led

by Head Coach Lugard Mohan, Assistant Coach Willon Cameron and Player Development Specialist Kenny Avent.

While the team’s core is made up of players from last year’s CBC U-16 squad there are some new faces, despite missing the talismanic Jordan Alphonso who is in the USA, Coach Mohan feels that Guyana

end.”

“The kids all have talent, they all have potential; really it’s about them believing in themselves, my job and the coaches job is to help them believe in themselves, build their confidence. Their confidence grows through practicing hard, working on their skill set and since I have been here the level of intensity has inproved greatly and our goal every day is to just get better” Avent pointed out.

Guyana delegation will consist of the following players: Nigel Bowen, Tramine Brown, Kelmar Carmichael, Akeem Crandon, Shamar France, Roydon Glasgow, Jether Harris, Andrew Johnson, Jermaine King, Kevon Wiggins, Anthony Yanson and Jahleel Young.

The coaching staff will be led by Lugard Mohan, Head Coach, Kenneth Avent, Assistant Coach, Andrew Hercules, Assistant Coach/Manager, and Jonas Anestal, Physical Trainer.

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Banks DIH sponsoring 1st prize at Guyana Cup Horse Racing Meet ful businessman stated, “Jamaica has a deep and rich culture in cricket. I love the people and the beaches, and I want cricket to keep prospering in Jamaica, and by extension the West Indies…

Jamaica represent s almost half of the cricketing base in the Caribbean, so to support cricket in the country with the largest fan base is the smart thing to do.”

Persaud is an engineer by profession, and has been living in the United States of America for more than 35 years.

Damien O’Donohoe, the Chief Executive Officer of the Hero CPL, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kris Persaud and Worldwide Sports Management Group to the Hero CPL family, and look forward to a long and fruitful working relationship with them in both Jamaica and the USA.”

B

everage giant Banks DIH Limited will sponsor the feature race of this year’s 11th Annual Guyana Cup Horse Race Meet, billed for August 13th at Rising Sun Turf Club in West Berbice.

The race will be sponsored under the Banks Beer brand, and the company has presented the prestigious first place trophy and cash prize for the winner of the feature ‘B’ Class and Lower Open, which will feature all Guyanese bred and imported horses three years and over.

Rawle Nedd, Banks Beer Brand Manager (trainee) made the presentation to Nasrudeen Junior Mohamed, promoter of the event, during a simple ceremony at Thirst Park.

Mohamed thanked Banks DIH Limited for its continued sponsorship of the Guyana Cup, now in its elev-

enth year.

“Banks DIH Limited has been one of our major sponsors for the past 11 years, and we look forward to continuing this partnership in the years ahead,” Mohamed said.

Communications Manager Troy Peters said the Guyana Cup is the premier horse racing event on the local racing calendar, and Banks DIH Limited is honoured to once again sponsor the feature race on the programme.

Also present at the ceremony were Banks DIH Limited Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart, and Roy Jafarally, one of the race organisers.

Over $11 million in cash prizes will be at stake in the eight-race programme, scheduled to start at 11:00 hours at the West Berbice Turf Club.

Tough Test series for West Indies in England, says Ricardo Powell

By Ravi Madholall in Toronto

F

ormer West Indies batsman Ricardo Powell is vehemently saying that the Caribbean boys will encounter a tough test series against hosts England where the two countries will engage in three five-day matches before they subsequently compete in five one-days and a T20.

The first test is scheduled to bowl off on August 18 at Edgbaston with the second and penultimate fixture set for Headingley from August 25 and the final game at Lord’s commencing September 7.

West Indies are currently ranked 8 while the English side is at number 4 and that is big psychological difference, according to the USA-based Jamaican Powell.

“To be confident West Indies will do well in England is an overstatement now based on what we have seen over the years, playing England in their own backyard will be tough; the series is expected to be hard for the visitors because they are lowly ranked and the English boys do play competitive cricket consistently,” Powell, who was known for his powerhitting during his 109 one-day internationals for West Indies, commented.

The Chairman of West Indies selectors Courtney Browne and his fellow colleagues only announced the test squad but stated publicly the limited-over and T20 sides will be named during the test series.

Powell, who is the head of the USA selection panel, was in Toronto recently with the USA under-19 team as assistant coach. USA was vying for a spot at the forthcoming

Ricardo Powell

International Cricket Council (ICC) under-19 50-over World Cup slated to be played in New Zealand.

But their quest was crushed by host-nation Canada who will be in New Zealand early January while Bermuda was other participating but they failed to win a game in their four matches here in Toronto.

Quizzed on the combination of the West Indies team for this series against a much-vaunted England lineup, Powell replied without hesitation mentioning the guys are young and inexperienced and with few seasoned campaigners selected, he doesn’t have strong optimism of them creating an impression on the European soil.

“We have got to play competitive cricket and work on our consistency which is very important; the senior players have to be consistent in their capacity and that might help but again it will be a tough test series against England who have shown great consistency with their game,” said Powell, who also represented Trinidad and Tobago at the highest level.

Barbadian-born Raymond Reifer, who featured for defending champions Guyana Jaguars for the past three years in the annual Cricket West Indies Professional Cricket League four-day tournament and his compatriot batsman Kyle Hope are the two uncapped players in the team.

However, good news for the regional fans is that another Barbadian quickie Kemar Roach has returned to test cricket after he had been out with injuries.

In terms of the abbreviated version, Powell has more positive things to reveal about West Indies alluding to the fact that they would have won the T20 World Cup trophies on two separate occasions since it was inaugurated in 2007.

“I think the one-day format is good for them; it is their natural game and once the senior guys would be available, I think they have a better chance to beat England, but let’s wait and see out things go and hopefully they do well,” Powell exclusively related.

For the past five successive years, the West Indian Board and some of the successful players have been at indifference owing to contractual dispute but an amnesty was out and Powell sees a brighter future for West Indies team.

The test squad reads: Jason Holder (Captain), Kraigg Braithwaite (Vice Captain), Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Kyle and Shai Hope (brothers) , Alzarri Joseph, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer and Kemar Roach.

TUESDAY, JULY 25, 2017

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

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Digicel Schools Football Championships

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Hosororo dismiss Charity to set up clash against defending champs The victorious Hosororo Secondary School team and representatives pose for a photo after defeating Charity on Sunday at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground

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Banks DIH sponsoring 1st prize at Guyana Cup Horse Racing Meet Banks Beer Trainee Manager Rawle Nedd (second left) presents the sponsorship package to Guyana Cup Promoter Nasrudeen Junior Mohamed while Communications Manager Troy Peters, Race Organiser Roy Jafarally and Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart look on

“I expect Jamaica Tallawahs to repeat as champions & thrill the world” – Persaud Jamaica Tallawahs are the only team with two titles in the short history of the Caribbean Premier League (Gettyimages/Randy Brooks)

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