Guyana Times Epaper- Tuesday, October 23, 2018

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 3724

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Govt must be fair to BBCI investors – Ram guyanatimesgy.com

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Taxi driver beaten, P14 robbed of car Mon Repos fatal shooting

Reputed wife identifies gunman during ID P2 parade

CJIA project on schedule for December deadline P7

Coconut vendor robbed by gun-toting bandits

Several hospitalised after gas leak at fishing company Page 7

Page 2

Abuse of public housing continues

Public officers owe Govt rent as far back as 2016

Page 10

P16 More Indigenous residents receive licensed firearms

Parents protest relocation of students in light of P16 discovery of asbestos

2 news

tuesdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Coconut vendor robbed Mon Repos fatal shooting by gun-toting bandits Reputed wife identifies gunman during ID parade F T

orty-nine-year-old John McKenzie, a vendor who operates a coconut stand on a 24h basis at Bourda Market, Georgetown, was on Sunday relieved of two gold chains and a sum of cash when two men armed with handguns robbed him as he was sitting at his stand.

Police preliminary investigations reveal that McKenzie was sitting at his stand at about 01:10h on Sunday when he was approached by the two armed men. One of the men re-

portedly pointed a handgun at McKenzie and relieved him of the items, while his accomplice, who also was armed with a handgun, stood guard.

After committing the act, the men joined a small silver-grey motorcar which was parked several feet away and made good their escape.

Following a Police probe, one of the bandits has been identified as 21-year-old Shane Allison, a miner of Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, who eventual-

ly was on Sunday morning shot by an armed security officer after he reportedly drew a gun at the officer.

On Sunday last, Allison and two other men had been seen acting in a suspicious manner, and when the security officer approached them, Allison pointed a gun in the security guard’s direction. In retaliation, the security officer discharged several rounds, hitting Allision once. His two alleged accomplices were also arrested.

Investigations are ongoing.

Murder accused in cigarette stabbing incident remanded to prison

T

he Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) miner accused of knifing to death 20-year-old Daniel George on October 16th was on Monday arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The charge 35-year-old Parsaram Ramnaught faces alleges that on October 16, 2018, at Barakat Landing, Mazaruni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), he murdered Daniel George.

Police Prosecutor Simone Payne related that the accused and the deceased were imbibing when an argument erupted over cigarettes. This resulted in the deceased being stabbed multiple times to his abdomen and eye by the defendant.

Ramnaught has been remanded to prison, and the matter has been adjourned to October 31.

Murder accused Parsaram Ramnaught

he reputed wife of murdered Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara handyman Christopher Swamy has positively identified a suspect -- arrested on Sunday following the shooting -- as one of the gunmen involved in the shooting death of her husband.

This development has been confirmed by ‘C’ Division Commander Calvin Brutus during a telephone interview with Guyana Times on Monday.

Commander Brutus said the suspect was picked out during an identification parade on Monday, but reportedly gave Police several alibis, which they are probing.

Brutus further informed that the home of the alleged perpetrator has been searched by Police, but nothing evidential was found. He, however, added that the Police would continue their hunt for the second suspect.

Guyana Times understands that the suspect is holding out that he was not at Swamy’s home when Swamy was gunned down.

The father of two was gunned down on Sunday after four armed men in-

Dead: Christopher Swamy

vaded his Lot 161 Mon Repos Pasture, East Coast Demerara (ECD) property.

Based on information received, the late Swamy, his wife, his sister-in-law, and friends: 28-year-old Rawle Williams and his spouse Marcia Williams, 38, were liming and imbibing in front of the home when, at about 01:30h, they were confronted by two masked men, one of whom was brandishing a handgun.

Police say the suspects relieved Marcia Williams of a cellphone and an undisclosed sum of cash, after which they assaulted her husband to the head. It

was during the commotion that Swamy was shot to the chest. The men then fled the scene.

Swamy and Williams were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where Swamy was pronounced dead on arrival and Williams was admitted.

A post mortem performed

by Dr Nehaul Singh on the body of Christopher Swamy gave the cause of Swamy’s death as gunshot wound to the left chest. In addition, a warhead has been recovered from Swamy’s body.

Investigations are ongoing.

news

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tuesdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, October 23 – a night retraction at 04:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Wednesday, October 24 – a night retraction at 04:30h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Tuesday, October 23 – 15:25h-16:55h and Wednesday, October 24 – 15:55h-17:25h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day. Clear skies can be expected in the evening.

Temperatures will range between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East South-easterly to North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 15:46h reaching a maximum height of 2.70 metres.

Low Tide: 09:22h and 21:42h reaching minimum heights of 0.58 metre and 0.48 metre respectively.

In case of buyout

Govt must be fair to BBCI investors – Ram W

ith the recent announcement of increased tolls from the Berbice Bridge Company Incorporated (BBCI), financial analyst Christopher Ram is warning that, in the event of Government buying out private shares, a fair offer must be made to investors.

In a recent interview with this publication, Ram noted the implications that come from the whole situation. According to Ram, Government could risk undermining the confidence of the private sector in future Public/Private Partnerships (PPP). At present, projects such as the new Demerara River Bridge and the Linden/ Lethem road link are being premised on this PPP model.

“Government is not behaving like it’s a public-pri-

Accountant and Attorneyat-Law Christopher Ram

ful planning is needed.

“All they have to do is say, ‘Look, when the bonds mature, they’ll reinvest the bond in new bonds at Treasury bill rates, because you wouldn’t get that anywhere else… The solution is staring them in the face, but they’re playing politics.

“If the Government

The Linden/Lethem road is one major project on which Government would require partnership with the Private Sector

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vate partnership. That’s what it’s supposed to be.

This is a joint effort by the state and the private sector to provide a public asset, financed by the private sector in which the government makes a contribution,” Ram said.

“There are concessions to the private sector, including tax holidays for a defined period, after which the asset goes to the Government… I believe the increase cannot go through without a toll order. The company cannot enforce the increase without a toll order.”

Ram noted that consideration must be given to the toll increase potentially affecting demand for the service, resulting in reduced revenue from the bridge.

Ram acknowledged that the agreement provides for the tolls to be reduced as the debt is paid off.

“As the debts are paid off, the tolls will go down,” Ram noted of the project document. “Tolls will go down. Remember, you have to pay your loans. Then you have the preference dividends. All you have to do is pay the loans. And that’s how this project is conceived.”

One way of resolving the issue, Ram noted, was for the life of the concession period to be extended and guarantees be given to the creditors. When it comes to suggestions being made for a buyout, Ram noted, care-

wants to (buy out shares) it has to be fair. Government paid DDL (Demerara Distillers Limited) a premium for ordinary shares.

Then surely it’s got to do the same thing.”

Government bought DDL’s shares for approximately $40 million in

2016. At the time, Finance Minister Winston Jordan had indicated that he was open to offers from shareholders “for the right price.”

It is an option several have posited could avert fare increases, as Government would be able to determine the tolls directly.

Contacted on Monday, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson was asked whether Government is considering buying out BBCI’s private shares in order to gain control over the tolls.

“No it’s not! It’s not! It’s not on the Government’s position!” he said when asked, declining to give any reasons against it.

Increases

The increases were announced by BBCI Chairman Dr Surendra Persaud during a press conference recently. According to Persaud, BBCI were formally informed by Patterson that Government would not agree to requests for an increase in tolls.

“The Minister instead proposed that the Government undertake the responsibility only for servicing the bridge pontoons, and offered to arrange a meeting with the Minister of Finance for further consultations on the matter,” Persaud, also chairman of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), had said.

“Please note, however, that these options are outside the contractual agreement that exist within the contractual agreement, and thus would be a breach…

The construction of the Berbice Bridge would not have been possible without a partnership between the

Government and private sector. In that partnership, the private sector invested approximately $9 Billion.”

Persaud revealed that maintaining the pontoons is only a small part of the operational cost. Thus he noted that the Minister’s offer would be of little help.

As a consequence, and following legal advice being tendered, increases would be applied to all classes of vehicles from November 12.

Cars and minibuses will now be charged $8,040; pickups, small trucks and four wheel drive vehicles, $14,600; medium trucks, $27,720; large trucks, $49,600; Art trucks, $116,680; freight, $1,680; and boats passing through the bridge will be charged $401,040.

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had called a hasty press conference after the news of the increase broke. There, he had informed the press that all options to stop the increases would be considered.

These options as laid out by the Minister ran the gamut, from amending the Berbice Bridge agreement to an injunction to stating that “if the Minister of Public Security says it’s a vital and important service, and says declare an order to keep it open, we’ll do that.”

The bridge, which was built under the previous Government at a cost of approximately US$40 million, was supposed to generate enough revenue to cover operational and maintenance costs, while providing a return on the Public/Private Partnership investments.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesdAY, october 23, 2018

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

Breast cancer E

ach year, October is designated Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Over the past 22 days in Guyana, many activities have been organised to raise awareness of this dreaded disease.

Just being a woman is the biggest risk factor for developing breast cancer. In a published article, United States-based Oncology Surgeon, Dr Theophilus Lewis pointed out that all women were at risk for breast cancer, since the risks associated with developing the disease were not controllable.

This worrying pronouncement was made during a seminar some time ago at the National Library which was spearheaded by US-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Organisation for Social and Health Advancement in Guyana (OSHAG).

Most notably, it was revealed that age and family history were among the biggest risk factors for developing the disease. According to the Surgeon, while the incidence of a young woman developing the disease in her 30s is very small – 0.4 per cent, he is currently treating five patients, all under 30 years, for the disease.

A rather unusual occurrence, according to the Oncologist.

This grabs the attention, since the focus on breast cancer usually starts when a woman turns 40; it was explained too that after this age, the incidence of developing breast cancer doubles, going from 0.4 to 1.46. With each passing decade, the risk factor increases, hence, age is one of the primary risk factors for breast cancer.

One of the other important points highlighted was that estrogen is a driver for breast cancer and what this means is that once a woman has a long exposure to estrogen, which is not interrupted by pregnancies, then the risk factor for developing breast cancer becomes greater.

Estrogen can be defined as a female steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts, by the adrenal cortex, placenta, and male testes. Estrogen helps control and guide sexual development, including the physical changes associated with puberty.

This risk is especially pronounced in women who have menstruated very early (9 or 10 years old) and who menstruate into their 50s, and would have been exposed to estrogen for many years. If, however, the years of exposure are broken up by pregnancies, this increased risk is considerably reduced, Dr Lewis said, even as he pointed out that a pregnancy is regarded as a protective period.

It was also explained that a woman who conceives and gives birth after the age of 34 or 35 will likely lose the protection from estrogen by that age, and will also be at high risk of developing cancer.

It is not usual for young women to develop breast cancer at a young age; when a woman is young, estrogen is stored in fat cells. The more obese a woman is, the more fat she is likely to be able to store. But although a woman stops making estrogen when she is older and begins menopause, the estrogen already stored in the fat makes them more at risk for developing cancer.

For this reason, Dr Lewis noted that the developing breast cancer is not necessarily impacted by what you eat, but the amount of estrogen you are able to store.

Other risk factors include family history.

Women with close relatives who have been diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease. If you've had one first-degree female relative (sister, mother, daughter) diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk is doubled.

Among the other risk factors, research suggests that women with low levels of vitamin D have a higher risk of breast cancer. Vitamin D may play a role in controlling normal breast cell growth and may be able to stop breast cancer cells from growing.

Every woman wants to know what she can do to lower her risk of breast cancer. Some of the factors associated with breast cancer – being a woman, your age, and your genetics, for example – cannot be changed. Other factors – being overweight, lack of exercise, smoking cigarettes, and eating unhealthy food – can be changed by making choices. By choosing the healthiest lifestyle options possible, you can empower yourself and make sure your breast cancer risk is as low as possible.

An outside view of Caribbean Airlines being boarded using the newly installed bridge at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport

Khashoggi’s murder: US meets Saudi Crown Prince despite criticism

A

senior US official has held talks with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince in Riyadh, despite growing concern over the Saudis’ role in the murder of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met Mohammed bin Salman on Monday.

Turkish officials say Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul after a visit on October 2.

Saudi officials have given a series of conflicting accounts, but now say a “rogue operation” was to blame.

They initially said Khashoggi had left the consulate on the same day he visited it. Last Friday they admitted for the first time he was dead and said he had been killed in a “fist fight”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will reveal the “naked truth” of the matter in Parliament today.

Saudi State media reported that Mnuchin and the Crown Prince had stressed “the importance of the Saudi-US strategic partnership”.

The meeting in the Saudi capital was held behind closed doors, and the US has so far made no public comment on the talks.

They were held despite the fact Mnuchin – like a number of other Western politicians and businessmen – had pulled out of a major investment forum being held in the Saudi capital this week.

President Donald Trump’s latest comment suggests the US is yet to decide on its response.

“I am not satisfied with what I’ve heard,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

But he added: “I don’t want to lose all that investment that’s been made in our country”, referring to the multibillion-dollar arms deals with Saudi Arabia.

He said: “We’re going to get to the bottom of it.”

Trump also said he had discussed the issue with the Saudi Crown Prince, seen as the country’s most powerful figure.

The Saudis say they have arrested 18 people, sacked two aides of Mohammed bin Salman and set up a body, under his leadership, to reform the intelligence agency over the killing.

How has the Saudi version changed and what of the Crown Prince?

Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir provided the latest comments, saying the killing was a “rogue operation”.

“We are determined to find out all the facts and we are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder,” he said.

A Saudi agent dressed as murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, CNN says

Who’s who in the ‘hit squad’?

“The individuals who did this did this outside the scope of their authority,” he added. “There obviously was a tremendous mistake made, and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up.”

He said that Saudi Arabia did not know where the body was.

Jubeir insisted that the action had not been ordered by the Crown Prince.

However, Yeni Safak, a media outlet close to Turkey’s Government, said it had information showing that the office of the Crown Prince received four phone calls from the Consulate after the killing.

Reuters news agency reported on Sunday it had spoken to a Saudi official who said Khashoggi had died in a chokehold after resisting attempts to return him to Saudi Arabia. His body was then rolled in a rug and given to a local “cooperator” to dispose of.

A Saudi operative then reportedly donned Khashoggi’s clothes and left the consulate.

CNN quoted a senior Turkish official as saying a Saudi agent had been captured on surveillance footage dressed as the Journalist.

The video appears to show the man leaving the consulate by the back door on the day the Journalist was killed, wearing Khashoggi’s clothes, a fake beard and glasses, CNN said.

In another development, Turkish Police found a car belonging to the Saudi Consulate left in an underground car park in Istanbul.

Turkish media also posted footage apparently showing Saudi consular staff in Istanbul burning documents a day after Khashoggi’s disappearance.

Turkey’s ‘full account’ vow After weeks of calculated and often lurid

leaks to the Turkish media, this morning’s statement by President Erdogan is eagerly awaited.

Turkey has promised “a full account” of what happened to Khashoggi, with nothing held back.

So that would include the widely reported audio tape from inside the Saudi Consulate then? And evidence of the “bone saw” allegedly brought in by the hit team that killed him?

Because both of these elements are crucial in establishing the facts about what happened and the motives of his murderers. If evidence of the bone saw can be produced, then it would certainly imply murderous intent by the hit team from Riyadh.

The audio tape of his murder – if it does exist – could be excruciating to listen to – but is an essential part of the puzzle of how Khashoggi died. But Turkey, a country that has itself jailed more journalists than any other nation on Earth, may have its own reasons for holding back on what it has.

For the full story, we may have to wait a little longer yet.

How have other world leaders reacted?

Many of them have condemned the murder and demanded a full investigation: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said “it must be cleared up”, otherwise there would be no arms exports to Saudi Arabia UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt condemned the killing “in the strongest possible terms” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the murder was a grave crime Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau threatened to cancel a multibillion-dollar defence contract President Erdogan’s adviser dismissed the Saudi explanations as mockery (BBC News)

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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

Court of Appeal decision GECOM being run like old-time cake shop (Pt 2) an ominous sign Dear Editor, The Guyana Court of Appeal has, on Thursday, October 18, 2018, upheld the decision of the Chief Justice (ag) in regard to the legality of the President’s action in appointing Mr. James Patterson to Chair the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

As a person who had presented the PPP’s position to the Constitutional Reform Commission and was involved in the numerous struggles for democracy, I am extremely disappointed by this ruling. It is, in my view, a giant step backwards. It is another incident pushing our country along the road to social and economic ruination and towards authoritarian governance.

I was very much part of the coinage of Article 161 (2), and therefore I have personal knowledge of the reasons behind its existence; the way it evolved to its current expression, and the way that it was interpreted and applied in the past. It was never ambiguous, and never evoked any controversy over the last 25 years.

The Constitution was amended to remove the unilateral power of appointment from the President; to introduce the Leader of the Opposition into the equation, in order to achieve political consensus; and to widen the pool of persons from which the Chairman is to be chosen. What is so difficult to understand? I am sure that every objective-minded Guyanese knows this.

In the 1999-2001 Constitutional Reform Process, all the political parties unanimously agreed to constitutionalise this Carter/ Price Formula. In fact the PNC were the ones that had led the charge. Their major argument then was that it is important to cement the role of the Leader of the Opposition, and to curtail the President’s power of appointment. Now that they are in Government, they are seeking to exclude the Leader of the Opposition, and increase the power of the President.

Therein lies the ideological authoritarianism which exists in the belly of the PNC. As they did from 1968 to 1992, they seem to be getting the Judiciary’s assistance to so do now. It is the very Judiciary that had allowed itself to be so cowed that Burnham was able to place a party flag in the Court of Appeal compound and against the front wall of the court building, shamelessly demonstrating to the world that the Judiciary is under the control of the PNC. This was allowed to take place by a complicit Judiciary.

It is the same Judiciary that had refused to strike down laws that introduced overseas voting, which had been used to massively rig the first elections of indepen-

dent Guyana in 1968.

It is the very Judiciary that had thrown out legal challenges to every election held under the PNC from 1968 to 1985, when the world knows that each of those elections was massively rigged.

It is the same Judiciary that is now refusing to hear the PPP’s challenge to the 2015 elections, when similar challenges to elections around the world filed after the PPP’s challenge have already been decided by the courts in those countries.

Once again, in highly political matters, we see a judicial posture reminiscent of the past. I will never accept that the Court of Appeal do not know the intent of Article 161 (2). From press reports, they give the impression that they know it well. They upheld Nandlall’s submissions and rejected those of Williams, yet they ruled in favour of Williams! The decision simply cannot be justified on rational grounds.

I recall that during the days of the PNC dictatorship, when it was widely believed that judges were taking orders from the PNC, Mr. Ashton Chase, a distinguished lawyer and freedom fighter, had observed that there came a time when PNC did not have to tell the judges what to do. The judges anticipated what ruling the PNC wanted, and delivered.

Like so many other things that have been reversed since the PNC-led APNU+AFC regime took office, one wonders if we are back on that road.

It is important to note that undermining of the confidence of important institutions leads to disaster. When the Judiciary does not stand up courageously to protect society’s fundamental rights, society descends into some level of anarchy, and social and economic ruination follows.

Cheddi Jagan was always clear on this point. He never failed to point out the link and interaction between the economic base and the superstructure in any society.

They influence and interact with each other.

The ruling may initially appear to be a victory for the regime, but in fact it could very well turn out to be one of the biggest blows to all working people; and to businesses and, indeed, to our country.

Fortunately, the Guyana Court of Appeal is no longer our final court; we now have the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). This is an important case for that court.

I am looking forward to the decision of that court, as I know that the matter is going there.

Sincerely, Donald Ramotar Former President

Dear Editor, In relation to matters of expenditure of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) -- and in particular the queries regarding voters’ education activities, which are woefully inadequate -- a proposal should have been submitted to GECOM for approval.

Further, the CEO, Mr. Lowenfield, MUST be able to provide timely information in respect to the execution of tenders and who were the evaluators. He should also provide copies of the evaluation report, substantiate the position of the National Procurement & Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) or Cabinet, and state whether mobilisation was paid in advance and a performance bond was established.

The Auditor General’s report made reference, and there were serious questions in respect to the millions of dollars that were spent on voters’ education. Some of the questions were related to where, when and how the public relations company receive the contract.

It is more serious that when the issue was raised about vot-

ers’ education, Lowenfield first claimed ignorance and pretended that he was unaware of what is happening. However, he admitted that he “instructed that this be done, especially in the hinterland and farflung areas, but that he had no knowledge if had been done”.

This is indeed a very serious matter!

The fact is that the Commissioners are part of the overall management of GECOM, and the law and procedures of the organisation allow for establishment of a Finance Sub-Committee, approved by the Chairman, which must report at the meetings of the Commission.

Relative, therefore, are the following queries: Who are the Commissioners that currently constitute this SubCommittee? And why is what are required and necessary so difficult to be obtained by Commissioners?

Unequivocally, if the management is not submitting financial information, the Commissioners should not sign off on any request for approval. It is recalled that, only recently, ‘selected’ members of

the Board of Directors of the Guyana Development Board were charged and placed before the courts for issues related to the activities of the organisation. It cannot be that the system is designed to work in one way for a particular set of people, and blatantly discriminate against another.

The fact is that there are serious questions for many Returning Officers and GECOM Commissioners to answer regarding what took place on Nomination Day. It is therefore very worrying that Lowenfield refuses to share the list of duties and responsibilities of the ROs and Presiding Officers. It is imperative that the GECOM Commissioners demand the list of duties of all the GECOM staff members, and a proper account from the public relations firm that is hired to do what is supposed to be done.

While there are serious concerns about how staff members are being employed at GECOM, concerned citizens are more interested in the lavish spending and high life of some GECOM staff members.

It is time the Auditor General

tell the public what is happening at GECOM in respect to the questionable hundreds of millions of dollars of excessive spending.

Further, what is the DPP doing about the matter? Were the documents forwarded to the DPP’s Chambers?

In view of the attitude and behaviour of the Chief Elections Officer and his accommodation by the ‘big four’ in the Secretariat, there absolutely is neither trust nor confidence in what GECOM is doing. The time is most opportune for the nation to rise up against this blatant disregard

by GECOM, and its lack of accountability and transparency in implementing policies.

While this is a constitutional agency, there must be public accountability for taxpayers’ money, and to the people. Every action must be taken to ensure that the rights of citizens are not trampled upon via Lowenfield’s Town Clerk’s approach, and apparent eroding grey matter of the Chairman.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Future rigging of elections is not a creation of overactive imagination Dear Editor, Only last month, the Leader of the Opposition made a reasonable assumption that Guyanese fears of a rigged election are valid and based on some stark realities which have taken place and are currently taking place.

These existing realities that have been affecting our electoral process in recent times have left no doubt in my mind that the People’s National Congress (PNC) has set the stage to attempt to rig the Local Government Elections (LGE) and by extension, the General Election in 2020 and future ones as well.

We have seen that since 2015, in an effort to regain party paramountcy, the PNC has been systematically silencing the voices of its coalition partner the Alliance For Change (AFC), not unlike what it has done with the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) since it joined the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) slate.

Over the years, we have heard and seen increasingly less about the WPA and the same has happened to the AFC in just three years. The AFC is not relevant anymore. The PNC has a game plan which is working well and by the 2020 General Election, the AFC would have been relegated to probably a worse status than the WPA. But a point to ponder is the PNC is aware that it could never win a majority on its own without the AFC, since it had lost in 2011 despite the WPA forming an alliance with that party under the umbrella of the APNU, so is the PNC trying to get rid of the AFC or is it trying to make it more pliant to its political manoeuvrings? There will be no Cummingsburg Accord in 2020 and after this LGE, the AFC will be totally consumed, and the PNC will reign supreme once again!

The game plan of the PNC may appear to be simple, but it has more far-reaching consequences. Not only will it expose the AFC’s already diminishing strength, but the result will also afford an estimate of the numbers needed to rig.

These numbers will be quite revealing.

The PNC is aware that the AFC contesting solo will be beaten badly and the few remaining supporters and members who have not already crossed over to the PPP will jump on the PNC’s gravy train. Many have started to do that. This is the number which will be of great interest to the PNC to reactivate its rigging machinery. Therefore, based on this estimate, the PNC will know exactly what rigging measure is needed and the areas which should be targeted and will structure its rigging machinery accordingly. We have seen in the past that the PNC has used various measures such as padding of the voter’s lists, multiple voting, tampering with the ballot boxes, fake statements of polls, controlling the election machinery by inserting its members and supporters, Police failure to prevent or correct violations of law, PNC supporters who were not accredited were allowed in and out of polling places, fingers of many PNC supporters were not dipped in "electoral" ink to show that they voted, fingers of some PNC supporters were washed after being dipped in ink, and partiality by polling officials to PNC supporters.

All of these are still relevant, and some have been practised in a small way in the last General Election in 2011. It is expected that these will see some sharp honing processes at this LGE. We have also seen that Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) is not averse to

taking sides with APNU and the AFC when it comes to the flawed electoral process leading to the upcoming LGE. We have also seen that the courts have also bluntly refused to give a fair and proper interpretation of our Constitution with regard to Article 161(2) on the unilateral appointment of the GECOM Chairman, despite harsh criticisms from the Transparency International, the Private Sector Commission, the Association of Concerned Guyanese in the USA, the Indian Action Committee and

a host of other local and international organisations. The recent High Court decision to uphold the unilateral appointment of GECOM’s Chairman by the President is an unequivocal indication that our democracy is under threat by the PNC and the PNC’s flag is now flying high over our courts.

Future rigging of elections is not a creation of an overactive imagination.

Yours sincerely, Haseef Yusuf

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Foundation

Effective technology use in Maths class – ensuring that the technology we bring into Maths classes fosters active engagement is key

By Gina Picha

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ncorporating technology in Mathematics classrooms enables educators to craft powerful collaborative learning experiences that support problem solving and flexible thinking.

With strategic integration of both content-specific and contentneutral technology, students and teachers can construct their learning together in authentic ways that elevate Mathematics learning.

Until recently, one of educators’ primary concerns around educational technology was the lack of access.

That gap has decreased, but a new digital divide has emerged: The updated 2017 National Education Technology Plan explains that in today’s classrooms many students are using technology as a tool for passive learning rather than engaging in active learning experiences that promote student agency.

The importance of content-specific pedagogy

In order to create technologyinfused experiences that support active Mathematics learning, educators must of course have pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)—an understanding of best practices specific to Mathematics.

One method a teacher can use to analyse the effectiveness of technology integration is the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. This tool supports careful educator reflection on pedagogy, content, and technology not only as separate entities but as overlapping and intersecting domains.

The TPACK framework

For example, when planning to integrate technology into a lesson, educators can take into account the technology knowledge the students will need, the Mathematics content knowledge they’ll need, and the best practices for teaching both the technology and the Maths. This process is extremely

important, because without it, the technology may be integrated in a way that is pedagogically inappropriate for Mathematics instruction.

drzsTeachers start from their understanding of PCK, or best practices for Mathematics instruction, in choosing effective technology tools for the Mathematics classroom.

We know

that Mathematics should not be focused on speed or quick answer finding.

And timed fact testing is a known trigger of Maths anxiety, which can lead to low Mathematics achievement and Mathematics avoidance. Yet Maths apps and websites that focus on speed and rote memorisation are readily available and widely used.

This use of technology can promote fear and stress, and it also sends inaccurate messages about the purpose of Mathematics.

Maths is about thinking deeply, discovering patterns, and making connections. Automaticity with math facts and math skills is critical, but how we get students to automaticity matters. A focus on memorisation without understanding promotes a joyless, nonsensical form of Mathematics that requires remembering a large amount of seemingly disconnected information.

In addition, technology that simply transfers a gradual release – the “I do, we do, you do”

structure –to an online format is a form of passive learning that strips Maths of student agency and rigor. Although gradually releasing responsibility is an effective model in other content areas, in Mathematics this model is best flipped to give students the agency to decide what strategies they

want to use and how they might solve a problem.

That’s because students should productively struggle with Maths. We need them to problem solve rather than learn to repeat a specific list of procedures given by the teacher. Problem solving skills are more valuable than memorisation, and they’re the true work of mathematicians.

If we’re integrating technology into our classrooms to engage students in real-world experiences, our students must be given opportunities to do real Mathematics.

Technology that fosters deep mathematical thinking When used appropriately, both content-specific and content-neutral technology can be effective in the Math classroom.

Research indicates that contentspecific apps and websites that focus on Maths learning with the use of virtual manipulatives are highly effective, and in some cases more efficient than physical manipulatives.

The Math Learning Centre,

for example, provides several manipulative options, such as rekenreks, geoboards, number lines, and number frames. Apps and websites that provide these types of virtual tools are easy to use, support students with conceptual understanding, and increase student access to math tools.

Content-neutral technology includes tools such as virtual whiteboards, handheld clickers, and student collaboration apps.

Virtual whiteboard and websites, such as Explain Everything, promote self-reflection, enable students to make their learning visible and share and connect ideas, and have been linked with high-level student thinking and teacher questioning.

But content-neutral technology that promotes fast answering, such as handheld clickers, is associated with decreased cognitive demand, most likely due to the likelihood of being used with minimal student discourse.

Being a critical consumer of technology

The educational technology market is flooded with new apps, tech tools, and gadgets, and in some instances, teachers are commended for increased technology use whether it supports healthy Maths learning or not. Technology can have a truly positive impact on student learning, but it should not replace teaching or ignore researchbased best practices for Maths instruction.

If we believe that students of Mathematics need opportunities for discussing Maths, creating and connecting visuals, analysing models, discovering patterns, and making generalisations, the technology that we introduce into our classrooms should match those values.

There was a time when simply getting technology into the hands of our students was a goal, but the time has come to slow down and plan for technology integration that truly supports healthy and productive Mathematics learning. (edutopia.org)

Managing problem behaviour at home ….A guide to more confident, consistent and effective parenting

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ne of the biggest challenges parents face is managing difficult or defiant behaviour on the part of children. Whether they’re refusing to put on their shoes, or throwing full-blown tantrums, you can find yourself at a loss for an effective way to respond.

For parents at their wits end, behavioural therapy techniques can provide a roadmap to calmer, more consistent ways to manage problem behaviours problems and offers a chance to help children develop gain the developmental skills they need to regulate their own behaviours.

ABC’s of behaviour management at home

To understand and respond effectively to problematic behaviour, you have to think about what came before it, as well as what comes after it. There are three important aspects to any given behaviour: Antecedents: Preceding factors that make a behaviour more or less likely to occur.

Another, more familiar term for this is triggers. Learning and anticipating antecedents is an extremely helpful tool in preventing misbehaviour.

Behaviours: The specific actions you are trying to encourage or discourage.

Consequences: The results that naturally or logically follow a behaviour. Consequences — positive or negative — affect the likelihood of a behaviour recurring. And the more immediate the consequence, the more powerful it is.

Define behaviours

The first step in a good behaviour management plan is to identify target behaviours.

These behaviours should be specific (so everyone is clear on what is expected), observable, and measurable (so everyone can agree whether or not the behaviour happened).

An example of poorly defined behaviour is “acting up,” or “being good.” A welldefined behaviour would be running around the room (bad) or starting homework on time (good).

Antecedents, the good and the bad

Antecedents come in many forms. Some prop up bad behaviour, others are helpful tools that help parents manage potentially problematic behaviours before they begin and bolster good behaviour.

Antecedents to AVOID:

Assuming expectations are understood: Don’t assume kids know what is expected of them

— spell it out! Demands change from situation to situation and when children are unsure of what they are supposed to be doing, they’re more likely to misbehave.

Calling things out from a distance: Be sure to tell children important instructions faceto-face. Things yelled from a distance are less likely to be remembered and understood.

Transitioning without warning: Transitions can be hard for kids, especially in the middle of something they are enjoying.

Having warning gives children the chance to find a good stopping place for an activity and makes the transition less fraught.

Asking rapid-fire questions, or giving a series of instructions: Delivering a series of questions or instructions at children limits the likelihood that they will hear, answer questions, remember the tasks, and do what they’ve been instructed to do.

Antecedents to EMBRACE: Here are some antecedents that can bolster good behaviour: Be aware of the situation: Consider and manage environmental and emotional factors – hunger, fatigue, anxiety or distractions can all make it much more difficult for children to reign in their behaviour.

Adjust the environment: When it’s homework time, for instance, remove distractions like video screens and toys, provide a snacks, establish an organised place for kids to work and make sure to schedule some breaks – attention isn’t infinite.

Make expectations clear: You’ll get better cooperation if both you and your child are clear on what’s expected. Sit down with him and present the information verbally. Even if he “should” know what is expected, clarifying expectations at the outset of a task helps head off misunderstandings down the line.

Provide countdowns for transitions: Whenever possible, prepare children for an upcoming transition. Let them know when there are, say, 10 minutes remaining before they must come to dinner or start their homework. Then, remind them, when there are say, two minutes, left. Just as important as issuing the countdown is actually making the transition at the stated time.

Let kids have a choice: As kids grow up, it’s important they have a say in their own scheduling. Giving a structured choice — “Do you want to take a shower after dinner or before?” — can help them feel empowered and encourage them to become more selfregulating. (Excerpt from childmind.org) To be continued

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tuesdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

CJIA project on schedule Several hospitalised after for December deadline gas leak at fishing company

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he Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) expansion project is still on schedule to be completed by December 31, says Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson.

Work on the runway, which began in 2013, resumed in late 2016 after the loan was restructured under the coalition Government.

In a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI), Minister Patterson said the new Arrivals and Departure sections have been opened to passengers. He added that two of the boarding bridges were operational while two others would be operational next month.

“There are other ongoing works at the airport: we’re preparing a new access road, a new roundabout at the airport and some internal works. So, CJIA is up and running. With the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) conference coming up in

One of the signs leading to the boarding gates at the CJIA

of aircraft over-shooting the runway, or over-flying during take-off). The striping can only be done after the laying of asphaltic concrete on the runway has been completed.

Further, when the project is completed, other minor works will be done

to check it up,” Minister Patterson said.

On completion, the $31.2 billion (US$150 million) expansion project is expected to have four air passenger boarding bridges for Arrivals and Departures; a 450-seat Departure area, escalators and elevators

Passengers in the Arrivals section of the CJIA

November and American Airlines starting operations on November 14, we hope to show off the country and attract other carriers as well,” Minister Patterson explained.

The new Arrivals terminal, which became operational in September, has already been commended by passengers. The outstanding work includes placement of hoardings (billboards) and striping of the runway (to reduce the risk

during the one-year defects and liability period, Minister Patterson said. “… even when all the works are completed, there is a one-year defects and liability and commissioning period. Therefore, while the project will be handed over, you would see a workman or two going around to ensure that everything is functioning. We’ve commissioned all the washrooms in the new terminal building, but after three months we have

in addition to an extended runway catering for larger categories of aircraft. The Airport has also incorporated Guyanese craft and pictorial images in keeping with a request made by President David Granger to ensure that the Airport is uniquely Guyanese.

Earlier in the year, the Ministry had sought more than $346 million in supplementary funding to cater for two air bridges and see the project to completion.

ceived, the victim was in the street speaking on his mobile phone when the two suspects approached him.

One of them, according to the Police, whipped out a knife and demanded that the victim hand over the cellular phone, but he refused.

The suspect proceeded to stab the VC twice, thus resulting in him falling to the

ground. It was at this time, he grabbed the mobile phone and fled the scene. The injured man was picked up by public-spirited persons and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted. His condition is listed as stable.

The Police were contacted, and an investigation was launched. No arrests were made.

Cleaner stabbed during robbery in Sophia

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26-year-old cleaner of B Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown was on Sunday stabbed twice during a robbery in the vicinity of the Sophia Health Centre.

Devon Joe was stabbed to his abdomen by two men, one of whom was armed with a knife. They also relieved him of a mobile phone.

Based on reports re-

suspected gas leak, which occurred around 14:00h on Monday at Pritipaul Fishery at Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara, has left at least 12 people hospitalized at the Woodlands Hospital.

At the medical facility, the affected workers were still shaking and while some of them remained tight-lipped, a few told Guyana Times that they recognised a strange scent in the workplace since about 06:00h and immediately reported the matter to their superiors.

The scent is believed to be that of ammonium gas.

However, at the time of the report, the employees’ superiors refused to act in a speedy manner until workers started to faint.

The workers in the de-

An employee being rushed to receive medical attention at the private health institution

partment were evacuated and those who were affected were taken to the private medical institution where they were up to late Monday evening being treated.

This publication understands that although such occurrences were not strange to the Fishery Department, this was the first time such a gas leak affected the employees.

Corentyne rape accused freed

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labourer who had been accused of raping a school teacher at her Corentyne home between November 2 and 3, 2017 was on Monday set free by a mixed Berbice jury.

The 7-5 male majority jury returned the verdict after more than two hours of deliberation.

Sunil Sundar of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder had been accused of raping the teacher.

During the trial State Prosecutor Mondel Moore called seven witnesses, including four Police officers, the victim and her husband.

The victim related the incident to the court, telling that on the night in question she heard the door open and thought it was her husband.

It was shortly after midnight she recounted.

The woman detailed to the court the heinous act, and also told the court that when Sundar had left, she reached for a cellular phone and realised that it was stolen.

She also told the court she was able to inform relatives and also name the perpetrator.

The woman’s husband

Rape accused: Sunil Sundar

told the court that he and Sundar were working in the backdam and were having a drink. He related that Sundar disappeared and never returned.

The prosecution’s case was that Sundar left the woman’s husband in the backdam and went to the house, knowing that the woman was alone at home.

Initially, upon his arrest, Sundar had admitted to the

act, claiming that it was consensual.

In an unsworn statement, he repeated the story to the court, and claimed that as he was leaving the house, the woman saw two of his friends and it was then she claimed that she was raped.

The victim did not go into the courtroom to hear the verdict, but remained outside. Following the notguilty verdict, she broke down in tears.

Her father told this newscast that the judicial system is unfair. “I feel very bad; very, very bad. The decision is not right, if a person gets rape, and you go through all that process to have the accused to go before the court, and then at the end of it he gets off.”

He says the decision means that the lives of other females are in danger, as he pointed out other incidents as he referred to Sundar.

Meanwhile, Sunar was taken back to the New Amsterdam prison, where he is on remand for a breakand-enter charge. That matter is engaging the attention of the Magistrate’s Court.

8 news

tuesdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

“Not my parcel” – man allegedly caught with ganja tells court A Gutless…

25-year-old man who was arrested during a sting operation carried out by ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for possession of narcotics on Monday made his first court appearance to answer to the charge.

Marlon Belle, of Lot 141 Guyhoc Park, Georgetown, is accused of having 46 grams of cannabis in his possession for the purpose of trafficking while he was in the vicinity of Plum Park, Sophia, Greater Georgetown on October 15, 2018.

The father of two denied the charge when it was read to him by Magistrate Judy Latchman. The prosecution is contending that on October 15, 2018, ranks went to the Black and White Bridge in Sophia, where they observed several suspicious males hanging out in the area. As such, they were approached, and a search was carried out of their person.

It was during that search that the ranks unearthed seeds, leaves, and stems suspected to be cannabis, which were concealed in a blue bag

that Belle had in his possession. The construction worker was taken into custody.

During his court appearance on Monday, Belle, in a bail application on his own behalf, told the court that “it was not my parcel”. He further explained that it was after the Police carried out the search, the parcel was found on the ground.

Moreover, he said: “I was the only target among the other men; nobody else ain’t get lock up, so after they put me to lay down on the ground, I get confused and

then they see de bag drop from somebody else on me.”

The court was also informed by the unrepresented man that he was detained for more than 72 hours.

While objecting to bail being granted, Police Prosecutor Quinn Harris informed the court that there were no special reasons for bail to be granted.

Magistrate Latchman upheld the prosecution’s submission and remanded the man to prison. The case will continue on October 30, 2018.

$300,000 bail for club owner found with 19 kg ganja

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hree months after being on remand for allegedly having 19.188 kilograms of cannabis in his possession, popular nightclub owner Clyde Barrett was released on $300,000 bail on Monday after making his second court appearance.

Barrett stood before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, who granted him his pre-trial liberty.

The charge against Barrett stated that on July 17, 2018, he had 19.188 kilos of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking at his nightclub, which is located in Charlestown, Georgetown.

According to the prosecution’s case, Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU)

Clyde Barrett

ranks went to Barrett’s Sussex Street, Charlestown business place on July 17, and carried out a search which resulted in the recovery of the cannabis hidden in a kitchen cupboard, which had to be opened using Barrett’s key.

The prosecution objected to Barrett being placed on bail.

Defence Attorney Mark Conway, in a bail application, told the court that his 40-year-old client has maintained his innocence. The Attorney also informed the court that two other persons were arrested during the raid at the nightclub. The defendant was released on bail, and the case was scheduled to continue on November 15, 2018.

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…AFC leaders alph Ramkarran is a well-meaning fellow…but he’s either incurably optimistic or preternaturally naïve. Pointing to the studied silence of the PNCled Government on the constitutional reform they’d promised – to open up the political space in Guyana – he repeated an earlier suggestion: “The AFC’s Ministers should leave the Government, sit in the back benches, support the Government if they wish, but insist on constitutional reform in return for their continuing support.”

Your Eyewitness choked on his coffee when he read that!! Does Ramkarran really hope the AFC leaders will do that? Which one? Trotman has already returned home to the PNC – even though the old guard hasn’t taken him into its bosom. But that’s grist for another mill. In the meantime, he ain’t going nowhere! A bird in the (PNC) hand – small as it may be, bereft of oil – is worth dozens in the AFC’s “dead meat” bush! Similarly, Patterson, who’s taken to the PNC (venal) ways like a shark smelling blood, is also “home”.

That leaves Nagamootoo and Ramjattan. Now this is what surprised your Eyewitness the most. Ramkarran knew these two fellas for donkey years in the PPP; did he ever see either one of them do anything for “principles”?? Ramjattan jumped ship because he saw no way up the ladder under the much younger Jagdeo, who was picked ahead of him by the Jagans. Egged on by a certain big power that wanted the PPP out (again!!), he really thought he could leverage their support all the way to the presidency.

Now that he (hopefully) realises he was just a pawn in the chess game that ousted the PPP, he now knows there’s no hope for him in any future dispensation. If he quits the PNC for the principle of constitutional reform – as pushed in the APNU/AFC coalition Manifesto cited

by Ramkarran – that ensures them and the PPP getting pieces of the (power) pie. But he’s gonna be anathema to both!! He wouldn’t be just between a rock and a hard place – he’ll be between Limbo and Purgatory!!

As for Nagamootoo, surely Ramkarran knows more than anyone – after he declined to be a Minister in the Jagan’s government – how spineless and self-serving this fella is. He’d rather have his dozen outriders, mega salary, air-conditioned “big house” and write his cringy columns! (Even on his belly, thank you, since he’s incapable of standing up!) And if it’s only for another two years, there’s that mega pension that’ll keep him supplied with “daaru” for the rest of his days!!

So no…there ain’t gonna be no rebellion from the AFC. They’ll go quietly into the night, hoping some crumbs will be thrown their way. …on PNC bullyism In his Chronic column this week, Nagamootoo wrote he saw three groups outside Parliament to greet Granger: “coalition supporters”, sugar workers and marijuana advocates. The sugar workers – mostly from Berbice where 4000 workers were thrown on the breadlines – were there to demand their severance pay which had been delayed for a year.

But by the time Nagamootoo wrote his column at least two days later, he must’ve seen the video of what transpired outside Parliament while he was soaking in Granger’s speech – which he would be reporting on for the Chronic. In the video, the true face of the PNC was bared – belying the platitudes on “sugar workers’ welfare” Granger was spouting to the National Assembly.

The male and female “coalition supporters”, bedecked in green, were taunting the sugar workers, in the most vicious manner possible. One man repeatedly shouted into their faces: “This is Georgetown! Our country!! Did you get visa to come heah??” Well, Nagamootoo is also from Berbice.

But he earned his visa by selling his conscience for a mess of pottage! …or realpolitik?

Your Eyewitness guarantees that nothing will come out of the murder of Khashoggi in the Saudi embassy in Turkey, from the international community.

There, money is the balm that smothers all qualms!!

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

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TUESdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Public Security Ministry seeks help of AG Chambers

– as millions in overpayments to staffers uncovered

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ver at the Public Security Ministry, a situation has arisen wherein some staff members have been overpaid by millions, prompting the Ministry to seek help from the Attorney General to recover the money.

This is according to the Auditor General’s (AG) 2017 report, which was recently made public. According to the AG, ten public servants were overpaid in that fiscal year by $1.3 million.

While some of the money was subsequently recovered, some $1.1 million is still outstanding. Monies were also outstanding from the previous year. According to the report, overpayments

totalling $2.5 million were made.

Some of the money has also been recovered, leaving approximately $1.5 million in limbo. All may not be lost, however, as the Ministry revealed that they have sought the help of the Attorney General Chambers.

But why did the overpayments occur in the first place? According to the AG report, a pay change mix-up with the Central Accounting Unit at the Ministry is responsible for the overpayments.

In their recommendations, the AG urged the Ministry to continue in its efforts to recover the money.

Public Security Ministry

In addition, the office recommended that the interface with the Central Accounting Unit be enhanced to prevent recurrences.

Overpayments of salaries to staff are not isolated incidents. Nor are they lim-

ited to Ministries. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in salaries were overpaid to staff of the Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Administration, and this was flagged by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

earlier this year.

The meeting had revealed that since the Auditor General cited the issue in his 2016 report, not much has changed. In the Auditor General’s 2016 report, overpayment of salaries was flagged as a prior year issue that was partially implemented.

In the Auditor General’s 2015 report, it was recorded that “Fourteen and seventeen employees were overpaid net salaries for the years 2012 and 2014, respectively, with the related deductions also being overpaid to the various agencies.

Although the regional administration made some progress with recovery of these overpayments, this situation recurred in 2015

with nine employees being overpaid. However, to date, there has been no progress with the recovery of the deductions paid over to the various agencies.”

It was also reported that “Unpaid net salaries totalling $9.838 million were refunded to the Consolidated Fund for the years 2012 to 2014. However, the related deductions totalling $2.075 million paid to various agencies were still not recovered.

Similarly, for 2015, amounts totalling $1.471 million were refunded to the Consolidated Fund as unpaid salaries for thirty-six” employees, and the related deductions of $308,946 paid to the various agencies were also not recovered.”

Judicial Review Act fallout

State withdraws motion for early hearing; ordered to pay costs

AG “wasting” resources – Nandlall responds

By Shemuel Fanfair

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he fallout between Attorney General (AG) Basil Williams and his predecessor Anil Nandlall over the functionality of the Judicial Review Act continued before the Appeal Court on Monday when Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Debra Kumar moved to withdraw two motions ahead of substantive challenge to the High Court’s directive to enact the Judicial Review Act (JRA).

In 2017, Nandlall first brought civil proceedings against Williams as Legal Affairs Minister for his non-implementation of the JRA. The Act was passed by the National Assembly and assented to by then President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, in 2010 under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government. Under the JRA, citizens can challenge the actions of public offi-

Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall cials and authorities.

After reviewing the affidavits and legal arguments from both sides, the present acting Chief Justice George, SC on May 28, 2018, made an Order Rule Nisi absolute and directed the Legal Affairs Minister to bring the Judicial Review Act into force. However, the AG’s Chambers, having contended that such an order violated the separation

of powers principle, challenged Justice George’s directive and filed multiple motions connected to the ongoing case. Though the law was eventually enacted under the APNU/AFC Administration in August 2018, the AG’s substantive challenge remains before the Court.

However, as proceedings continued, on August 9, 2018, the AG lost his bid to have the Appeal Court stay the acting Chief Justice’s directive to enforce the Act when then acting Justice of Appeal Rafiq Khan dismissed Williams’s application for a stay of execution until the overall matter was heard. Ahead of the substantive appeal, the AG filed two motions, one applying for an early hearing and the other to set aside the decision of Justice Khan when he overruled the stay of execution.

When proceedings came up relating to the two motions on Monday, DSG

Attorney General Basil Williams

Kumar moved to withdraw both, which were accepted by the Court in a matter heard by Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards, Appellate Justice Dawn Gregory and High Court Justice Brassington Reynolds. However, the Appellate Court ordered the AG’s Chambers to pay $50,000 in costs to the ap-

plicant, Nandlall.

While the AG contends that his case has good prospects for success over the separation of powers argument, former AG Anil Nandall, in his reaction to the withdrawal, stated that his successor is “wasting” judicial time as well as the resources of the State. He in fact told Guyana Times on Monday that the motions should never have been filed, as the JRA was enacted.

“At the minimum, he should have withdrawn at the time when the Act came into force. He is continuing to waste the court’s time by not withdrawing the appeal, since it would be impossible to so do after the Act has come into force; and Justice George’s decision cannot be reserved because litigation has commenced under the Act,” Nandall stressed.

He added, too, that it is only the National Assembly that can move to repeal the said JRA. When the AG had submitted an affidavit

in the matter, it contended that the Chief Justice “committed a specific” illegality when, by her ruling, she “purported to dictate” to Williams to bring the JRA into force via her own timelines.

Additionally, the AG observed that this was a violation of the doctrine of separation of powers. He further noted that Justice George “erred and misdirected herself” in law when she did not find that it was matter for the Legislature to decide what provisions it would make for the commencement of any particular statute, and not the judiciary.

It was after Nandall moved to file contempt proceedings against his successor that Williams enacted the JRA. The Act provides an avenue for relief if anyone considers a decision made by a public official against them to be unfair.

That relief includes the ability to seek to have decisions struck down and compensation paid.

10 news

tuesdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Abuse of public housing continues

Public officers owe Govt rent as far back as 2016 T

he issue of officers benefiting from public housing while owing the state several months of rent continues unabated. It is of particular concern with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, as some officers owe rent to the Ministry from as far back as 2016.

Auditor General Deodat

Sharma flagged the issue in his 2017 report, detailing that over $1 million in rent remained outstanding.

According to the report, the Ministry had a total of forty-two flats available for rental to public officers during that fiscal year.

From a perusal of the rental file, rental register and other supporting doc-

uments, the AG was able to determine that 37 flats were rented and five flats were vacant. Of the thirty-seven flats rented, 14 were rent free.

“In addition, it was noted that, as at December 2017, the sum of $1.444 million remained outstanding by tenants. This include the sum of $669,000

Government living quarters at Main and New Market Streets, Georgetown

for 2016 and $775,000 for 2017. It should be noted that some tenants have rents outstanding since January 2016.”

“This contradicts clause two of their rental agreement, which states that the tenant agrees to pay to the landlord in advance the monthly rental,” the Auditor General reported.

According to Civil Service Law, 2004 public service rules, “Government quarters provided to public servants as a condition of service; eg, in the case of hospital staff where presence on a hospital compound may be required on a continuous basis, shall be free of rent.”

It goes on to state that: “in lieu of quarters, a house allowance may, with the approval of the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Ministry, be granted to a public servant who is entitled to free quarters but for whom quarters are not available.”

It is understood that, for unfurnished quarters, an employee who does pay rent is required to pay 10 per cent of his or her salary, while the requirement

for a furnished apartment is 12 per cent of that employee’s pay.

Ministry’s response

Given a chance to respond, the Head of Budget

Government Georgetown

houses

at

urged the Ministry to ensure this was done.

It wouldn't be the first time that public housing has been abused by public officers. The Auditor General had found, back in 2016, that only 26 out of 132 occupants of buildings owned by the Region Four Administration were actually paying rent.

The matter had come up before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) earlier this year, and Regional Executive Officer Pauline Lucas was asked to account for the matter. It was subsequently disclosed that the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) was called in to assist in the eviction of those not paying rent.

PAC Chairman Irfaan

Echillibar

Agency explained that the public officers owing rent were written to in order to clear their debt. The Ministry did, however, acknowledge that it dropped the ball in collecting the rent it was owed.

In addition, the Head of the Budget Agency assured that measures would be taken to collect the outstanding rent. In its recommendations, the AG Office

Villas,

Campbellville,

Ali had pointed out that if the tables were turned, squatters would have been thrown out. He had therefore expressed dissatisfaction with the situation.

Lucas revealed that in addition to the guidance from the Auditor General’s findings, she asked SARA to get involved in the matter since last year.

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TUESdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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Ally & Sons has in stock a wide variety of musical instruments and home theatre systems for us to detox after a hard day’s work. Whether it’s you or a family member, whether it’s a gift for your family or friends, music

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sn’t it interesting how hearing a particular song can bring back a special memory or make you feel happy or calm or pumped up? People are born with the ability to tell the difference between music and noise. Our brains actually have different pathways for processing different parts of music including pitch, melody, rhythm, and tempo. And, fast music can actually increase your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure, while slower music tends to have the opposite effect.

While the effects of music on people are not fully understood, studies have shown that when you hear music to your liking, the brain actually releases a chemical called dopamine that has positive effects on mood.

Music can make us feel strong emotions, such as joy, sadness, or fear –some will agree that it has the power to move us. According to some researchers, music may even have the power to improve our health and well-being.

Though more studies are needed to confirm the potential health benefits of music, some studies suggest that listening to music can have the following positive effects on health.

1. Improves mood. Studies show that listening to music can benefit overall wellbeing, help regulate emotions, and create happiness and relaxation in everyday life.

2. Reduces stress. Listening to ‘relaxing’ music (generally considered to have slow tempo, low pitch, and no lyrics) has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety in healthy people and in people undergoing medical procedures (eg, surgery, dental, colonoscopy).

3. Lessens anxiety. In studies of people with cancer, listening to music combined with standard care reduced anxiety compared to those who received standard care alone.

4.

Improves exercise. Studies suggest that music can enhance aerobic exercise, boost mental and physical stimulation, and

helps us cope with different situations on so many levels.

If you are looking for a hobby for your kid, then we have numerous musical instruments for them to choose from.

Children develop a love for music at a

increase overall performance.

5.

Improves memory. Research has shown that the repetitive elements of rhythm and melody help our brains form patterns that enhance memory. In a study of stroke survivors, listening to music helped them experience more verbal memory, less confusion, and better focused attention.

6. Eases pain. In studies of patients recovering from surgery, those who listened to music before, during, or after surgery had less pain and more overall

young age while some as teenagers turn to it as a means of taming the havoc in their life at their adolescent stage. So, why not equip them with the tools they need to deal with tension and stress from an early age!

satisfaction compared with patients who did not listen to music as part of their care.

7. Provides comfort. Music therapy has also been used to help enhance communication, coping, and expression of feelings such as fear,

loneliness, and anger in patients who have a serious illness, and who are in end-oflife care.

8.

Improves cognition. Listening to music can also help people with Alzheimer’s recall seemingly lost memories and even help maintain some mental abilities.

9.

Helps children with autism spectrum disorder. Studies of children with autism spectrum disorder who received music therapy showed improvement in social responses, communication skills, and attention skills.

10. Soothes premature babies. Live music and lullabies may impact vital signs, improve feeding behaviours and sucking patterns in premature infants, and may increase prolonged periods of quiet–alert states.

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ame Xpress has in stock everything you need for your birthday, engagement, anniversary & Halloween parties!

We also have helium balloons, candies, kids’ toys, board games, kids’ costumes, masks, make-up kits for Halloween parties and Halloween masks & costumes Novelty cake pans & supplies also available

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t’s October — can you feel it? That’s right: Halloween is just around the corner. We don’t want to put any undue pressure on you, but it’s time to get your creative juices flowing if you want to win the best costume prize at this year’s party. Not feeling inspired?

No need to fret, we’ve got the scary part covered with 95 killer Halloween make-up ideas that require just your cosmetic stash and a little patience. No matter your skill level, we’re sure there’s a

Halloween makeup idea that’s perfect for you. Peep the first to the left.

Scary mani All you’ll need for this blood-inspired mani are your favourite shades of the crimson colour, a make-up sponge and a nail art tool (a toothpick can also work).

Cat Ears using your own hair Seriously, name another time this is an appropriate hairstyle. How cute and simple is this?

Deer make-up Calling all contour queens!

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Why a photo booth is a great addition to any event

aking a picture is one of the best ways to capture a moment. Regardless of the occasion, people love to take pictures to remember a fun-filled day. This is especially the case if there is a photo booth at the event. Photo booths provide your event with an experience that is unlike taking pictures with a smartphone or with a photographer. They will provide your event with more than just photos; a photo booth will provide your event with an experience.

Capturing a moment

Of course, with a photo booth, your guests can take pictures with their friends to capture the fun of your event. Not just any kind of pictures either. Modern photo booths will provide your guests with high-quality physical copies of pictures.

The physical copies of photos are unlike anything that can be captured using a smartphone. A photo booth at your event will make it all the more memorable for your guests. Whether it is a birthday, wedding, or any other type of big event, a photo booth is a guaranteed way to make it a lasting memory. A photo will allow them to keep reliving the event over and over! Your guests will want to make sure everyone hears about it!

Entertainment

We all know taking pictures can be fun, especially in a photo booth. There are a variety

This make-up requires serious bronzer and total precision, perfect for those who have experience contouring and highlighting.

Bright Halloween mani Add a pop of colour to your all-black or scary costume with a brightly-coloured set of skull nails.

Frozen braid We’re willing to bet money that you’ll be seeing a ton of girls dressed up as Elsa this year. Our favourite part about the Disney character is her signature braid. (thefashionspot.com)

of fun backdrops your guests can use to make their pictures more personalised. There are even some fun props that can be used to really make the photo booth come alive. Your guests will feel like kids again as soon as they step into the photo booth. A photo booth at your event will give your guests hours of entertainment.

Great for everyone

One of the best features about photo booths is that they can be used by everyone! Anyone that can work a photo booth is free to use it. Young to old, all your guests can preserve a memory of your event with help of a photo booth.

Everyone can join in on the fun of a photo booth. It is especially a blast for children that are at the event.

All your guests will be able to cut loose and enjoy your event with a photo booth!

Free party favour

With a photo booth at your event, you don’t need to stress as much about party favours.

Guests are free to take as many pictures as they want at the photo booth. You’ll find that renting a photo booth is a lot cheaper than making party favour bags for your guests. Not to mention you don’t have to waste any of your time like you would be making party favours. Unlike other party favours, a photo is not as likely to be forgotten or thrown away. Your guest will want to keep the pictures they took in your photo booth in plain sight. They will want to share stories of that event for years to come!(titustouchmusic.com)

13 TUESdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

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arty Mania has what you need to create the ambience for the perfect themed party. The party store is located at 47 Croal Street & Austin Place (Tel: 226-6836).

Themes can inject a little extra excitement into your parties. Guests build up anticipation by planning outfits or festive dishes to pass, while as the host you get to decorate, and come up with games, foods and specialty cocktails that fit your theme. No matter the reason for the celebration (if you need a reason at all), deciding to throw a theme party is the easy part. The hard part is deciding on a theme.

If you don’t have a specific

theme in mind, follow these tips to come up with a custom party your guests will love.

Think about the food you’ve been If brainstorming this party for a while and you have dishes in mind, but no theme, build your party’s concept around the food. Think about what the foods have in common and how you can relate them with one central theme that lends itself to fun decorations.

For example, if you’ve been planning to tackle ambitious fruit-covered fusion nachos, consider turning the entire party into a Cinco de Mayo theme regardless of the date.

Use the Frozen Concoction

throw a party themed after a television show if you can’t turn the show’s details into specific decorations, food and drinks.

Maker® and your tropical decorations, serve tropical drinks and embrace the southof-the-border vibe even if the calendar says October.

Consider the details Some people decide on

a theme and then go with it before thinking it all the way through. Starting with a large, broad topic is a good beginning, but you want to break it down into small, actionable steps before you start setting up. It won’t be fun, for example, to

Metabolism booster

Vitamin B6 (or B-complex vitamins) encourage enzymes and metabolic cellular reactions (or a process known as methylation), which means eating this bird will keep blood vessels healthy, energy levels high, and metabolism burning calories so you can manage a healthy weight and activity level.

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arbecued chicken, chicken chili, chicken breast on salad…chicken in almost any form is great for your party and your health—unless you’re the chicken of course!

All kidding aside, the health benefits of eating poultry are plentiful. When this fowl comes in a lean breast, it’s low in fat and calories and high in protein, which makes it ideal for weight maintenance. Not to mention that this bird is jam-packed full of essential nutrients and vitamins.

Plus, with so many ways to prepare this plucky protein, you won’t tire of chicken as a frequent menu staple. Here are the top ten healthy benefits of eating chicken:

High in protein

If you’re looking for a great source of lean, low-fat protein, this bird is the word. The protein in chicken lends itself to muscle growth and development, and help support a healthy body weight and aid weight loss.

Natural anti-depressant

Chicken, like its brother fowl the turkey, is high in an amino acid called tryptophan, which gives you that comforting feeling after consuming a big bowl of mom’s

chicken soup. In fact, if you’re feeling depressed, eating some poultry will increase the serotonin levels in your brain, enhance your mood, blasting stress, and lulling you to sleep.

Prevents bone loss

If you’re entering your senior years and you’re concerned about osteoporosis or arthritis, eating chicken will aid in your fight against bone loss thanks to the protein punch it packs!

Poultry for heart health

Homocysteine is an amino acid that can cause cardiovascular disease if levels are high in the

body. Fortunately for us, eating chicken breast suppresses and controls homocysteine levels.

Plenty of phosphorus

Chicken is also rich in phosphorus, an essential mineral that supports your teeth and bones, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system function.

Seeking Selenium?

Chicken also abundant in selenium, an essential mineral involved in metabolic performance—in other words thyroid, hormone, metabolism, and immune function.

Focus on the guests When you’re inviting over a large group of friends, a theme party can be great, but it’s best if it fits your guests’ interests. Artist Eleatta Diver, who frequently throws paint parties, advised hosts to consider the guests and their interests before choosing a theme. For example, if your friends are a bunch of Parrotheads, try a full-on Hawaiian luau. It’ll be familiar enough to be memorable, but different enough to be

Rich in Niacin

Chicken also happens to be rich in niacin, one particular B-vitamin that guards against cancer and other forms of genetic (DNA) damage.

Promotes eye health

Chicken is high in retinol, alpha and beta-carotene, and lycopene, all derived from vitamin A, and all vital for healthy eyesight.

exciting.

Go all out You can make almost anything a party theme with a bit of creativity and a lot of effort. Photographer and party aesthetic expert Kristen Duke once threw a mason jar themed party for her grandparents. You could use these seemingly innocuous storage containers for everything from DIY lighting sources to unique glasses. Duke also had a mason jar cake.

You can make a goodlooking and fun party about just about anything – so don’t be shy about getting creative. (margaritavillecargo.com)

Essential for healthy tissue growth

Many of us are plagued with chapped lips, cracked mouths, tongue sores, or dry skin in winter.

However, a boost in riboflavin (or Vitamin B2), found in chicken livers, will drastically reduce your skin problems and repair dry or damaged skin. (activebeat.com)

14 News

TUESdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Sexual Offences, Child Abuse Parfaite Harmonie residents call for street lights on main access road Registries being tested

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lthough the much-anticipated Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Registries were launched back in September, sources have indicated that they were yet to be officially opened to the public.

An officer attached to the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) said that the software has been set up and was being tested to ensure all aspects were intact.

Back in August, CCPA Director Ann Greene revealed the Agency’s plans to have the Registries launched during Child Protection Week.

The Child Abuse Registry will be helpful in providing information in relation to a person’s biography. Greene pointed out that the perpetrators of sexual abuse would be publicised and exposed to the public, who would be able to access the requisite information on the Internet.

“People were clamouring for that, and so I gave a commitment to launch the Child Abuse Registry. It is real-

CCPA Director Ann Greene

ly to put online the persons who would have committed offences against children.

If anybody wants to employ anybody, you could run the Child Abuse Registry,” she explained.

Greene did not reveal the cost of the programme, but only said it was budgeted for and it was a rather technical database.

“A lot of information will be made available through the Registry; (like) the type of abuse, the person’s age,

their name, where they’re from, and so on. Because when we set up this database, we can do drafts and look and see where the abusers are. We can pull up the map and see where they are,” she revealed.

The perpetrators’ pictures, she said, will also likely be available through the Registry, since the department is cognisant of the fact that some people have identical names.

It was on this note that the Director reiterated the importance of such a database in combating child abuse nationally.

The Social Protection Ministry first announced plans to establish this type of registry back in 2016.

The then Government Information Agency (GINA) had reported that the Ministry would be embarking on a series of community outreaches countrywide to develop a registry to ensure that all vulnerable individuals and families were accounted for.

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he $604 million Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara access road has been crumbling over the years, so frustrated residents are now calling for street lights to be installed with the aim of preventing accidents and robberies which have been occurring frequently.

The access road is quite narrow and straight, which often results in motorists speeding, despite the placement of speed bumps.

Many complain that they fail to even notice the speed humps on the dark road at night, owing to inadequate lighting.

The lack of street lights along this major carriageway has not only resulted in accidents, but also a high incidence of robberies.

Compounding the problem are the potholes that line the roadway, despite efforts to patch same.

Drivers, in trying to dodge these potholes, often end up colliding with other vehicles, or in severe cases even running off the road.

Just recently, a driver almost lost his life on the dark road, after swerving from a cow that he had barely noticed and his vehicle ended up toppling a number of times before coming to a halt.

Back in February, a 13year old was battling for her life at the Georgetown Public Hospital after she was struck down on the Parfaite Harmonie road.

The teen, Nandraine Budram, of Lot 250 Parfaite Harmonie, was struck down by a minibus while riding a pedal cycle.

Budram had sustained severe injuries to the head.

Several other residents have since been involved in accidents, which have gone unreported owing to their nature. Villagers there

have said that vehicles often collide with each other while trying to dodge potholes or animals.

The road was commissioned in September 2014 after BK International and Gaico Construction undertook the project.

Since the commissioning, the road has rapidly deteriorated as a result of the high volume of heavy-duty vehicles that traverse the road transporting building materials, among other things, as the housing scheme rapidly develops.

Just last year, workmen from Gaico Construction Company were fixing potholes along the road, which was later outfitted with several speed humps following a deadly accident early this year.

Residents are now calling for street lights to be placed along the roadway as soon as possible.

Sol Guyana launches Ferrari promotion F ive model Ferraris are up for grabs as Sol Guyana Incorporated launched its seasonal promotion in commemoration of Ferrari’s 70th anniversary on Monday.

To be part of the promotion, motorists are required to purchase $3,000 or more in Shell V-Power or

FuelSave after which they will receive a coupon.

They must collect four coupons to be eligible for one of five different Ferrari model cars. A new model car will be released every Monday.

Sol Fuel Marketing Manager Aisha Lockhart explained during the launching ceremony that those

who were up for the challenge could even collect all five cars.

“Motorists in Guyana can join Shell in the celebration of Ferrari’s 70th anniversary by fuelling up with either Shell V-Power or Shell FuelSave and having the opportunity to collect one or all of these iconic model cars,”

Sol Fuel Marketing Manager Aisha Lockhart

said Lockhart.

She noted that each car was from a different era

since the establishment of the Ferrari brand.

“They’re launched from

different years, starting from 1968, so they’re all Ferrari cars from different decades. This promotion is expected to be an exciting and doubly rewarding time for Shell customers,” she further stated.

The promotion runs from October 22 to December 2, and all are encouraged to participate with the possibility of winning all five of the model cars.

The Sol Group of Companies is a licensee of Shell and uses the trademark to operate. V-Power Fuel is a flagship performance fuel that has benefited from over 100 years of scientific experience.

Taxi driver beaten, robbed of car

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he hunt is on for one black Toyota Juke motor vehicle bearing registration number PWW 6930, which was taken from the owner by three knife-toting bandits pretending to be customers in the wee hours of Monday.

The vehicle is owned by 30-year-old Dustin Greaves of Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, who operates it as a taxi in the evening. Based on reports received, apart from the motor vehicle, the man was relieved of cash and a mobile phone.

Preliminary investigations conducted by Police revealed that on Monday morning, Greaves was operating the vehicle as a taxi

outside Ocean Spring Hotel on Vlissengen Road, Kitty, Georgetown. He was approached by the three men, who asked to be taken to another location at Kitty.

As he was heading to their destination, one of the men informed him that they wanted to go on the East Coast of Demerara instead. Without thinking that something was amiss, the driver made his way to the East Coast of Demerara using the Railway Embankment.

In the vicinity of the Ogle Airport access road, the man, who was sitting behind the driver, started to choke him while the other in the front passenger seat dealt him several

blows to the body as he demanded valuables.

The third suspect, who was also in the back passenger seat, reportedly took out a knife and dealt the VC several cuts to the body. Greaves was then tossed out the vehicle and the men made good their escape.

Meanwhile, the injured man managed to stop a vehicle that was passing and related what took place. He was subsequently taken to the Police Station where he made a report. He was then sent to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was treated and sent away.

No arrests were made and the search for the vehicle continues.

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tuesdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Teen battling for life after Minibus drivers’ code of conduct being hit with wood to be implemented by November ...17-year-old remanded to prison for attempted murder

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a Retraite, West Bank Demerara (WBD) teen Peter Livingstone Junior is presently battling for his life at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) after he was struck to the head with a 2x4 piece of wood allegedly by a 17-year-old fellow villager last week.

Guyana Times understands that the incident occurred near Livingstone’s home in La Retraite village just after 19:30h on Friday.

Reports are that the now injured teen and the suspect, who are known to one another, were teasing each other on the day in question when an irritated Livingstone picked up the piece of wood and hit the suspect to the shoulder. The suspect then allegedly grabbed the same piece of wood and lashed Livingstone to his head, leaving him in an unconscious state on the ground.

Father of the injured teen, Peter Livingston Senior

Realising what he had done, the alleged assailant took Livingstone to the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH), from where he was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital owing to the fractures he reportedly sustained to his skull.

The suspect, a welder who resides at Old Road, La Retraite, has been remanded to prison by the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate

before whom he appeared on Monday. He has been slapped with an attempted murder charge.

Peter Livingstone Sr is hoping that his son would recover from his injuries, as he is waiting to be admitted to the Guyana Police Force, having completed secondary school two years ago.

“We’re trusting God first and foremost for a speeding recovery of our child. As he is my only child, my expectation is greater than if he was one of many,” the man told Guyana Times.

The father further said his son is slowly coming around, and is now able to respond to family members using sign language. This newspaper has been told that the Junior Livingstone is still battling some swelling to his head. The defendant, meanwhile, will return to court on November 8.

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resident of the United Minibus Union (UMU), Eon Andrews, is proceeding in discussions with Business Minister Dominic Gaskin to have a code of conduct for bus drivers implemented before the end of November.

This was on Monday related by Andrews during an interview in which he reiterated the importance of having a standard behavioral pattern set for those operators, since the system is currently “out of control”.

He informed that UMU members would be meeting during the week to sort out this matter, along with other pressing issues. “I expect that the code of conduct should be implemented before the end of November, or sometime before November, because this thing is really necessary,” he stated.

According to him, a few of the things the code of conduct would seek to address are: the “mode of dress; general conduct, such as not overloading buses; the loud (and) lewd music; driving under the influence of alcohol; the way they speak to their passen-

Owed garbage collector to attend M&CC meeting today …says he’s going with “high hopes”

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uran Brothers Disposal Services is owed more than $73 million by the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), and senior officials of that solid waste company have “high hopes” that they would soon receive their monies. Speaking with Guyana Timeson Monday, General Manager of Puran Brothers Disposal Services, Khalesh Puran, disclosed that company officials are planning to attend today a meeting with the City Council which was announced in sections of the media.

“We will be getting an invitation to a meeting on Tuesday (today). I saw in the newspapers that we will be invited for a meeting tomorrow,” said Puran.

Ironically, with less than 24 hours before the meeting is called, Puran Brothers have not yet been formally invited. Nevertheless, company of-

ficials are optimistic that the outstanding sum would be paid off.

“I’m hoping that we can meet with the relevant persons. We’re going in high spirits and see if we get paid.

We’re going with high hopes,” Khalesh Puran has said.

Asked whether the company would withdraw its services if the outstanding payments are not made as was previously announced, the general manager posited that he is counting on the “high hopes” with which company officials would be attending the meeting.

Two weeks ago, both Puran Brothers and Cevon’s Waste Management had claimed to be owed some $150 million by City Hall. This debt was said to have been outstanding since the second quarter of 2018.

Puran Brothers Disposal Service is owed $73 million,

as previously mentioned, while Cevon’s Waste Disposal is owed $75 million. At that time, two weeks ago, the two entities had been contemplating pulling their services, since there was “no positive outcome” to their meetings with City Hall.

It was also indicated that the two entities had been engaged by the Council on several occasions, but there weren’t any discussions on how their payments would be made.

With the holiday season’s increased operational costs impending, there will be a steep escalation in the losses suffered by these entities as well.

“We are contemplating a way forward together, because it’s affecting our working capital.

To work for four months without receiving payment is kinda tough on us, because it’s a lot of costs behind these services that we provide,” Puran had stated.

gers, and that kind of stuff.”

He said that as soon as the Business Ministry, in partnership with the Union, drafts the code of conduct, representatives of the various minibus routes would be summoned to meet with the Business Ministry and the UMU. Drivers of the various routes would later be engaged by the Business Ministry and the UMU. He explained, “We will have to let the Government do a release endorsed by us (the UMU), because I don’t think the bus drivers will have a choice. It’s about time that they up their game.

They have to up the quality of their services being offered for what (they require) people (to) pay (them)”.

Andrews had, in a previous interview, said the code of conduct was extremely vital, especially with the booming oil and gas sector expected to come on stream by 2020.

He explained that the sector would reel in tourists and other important persons, who will at some time be made

to use public transportation, whose operators are presently unprepared to be the ambassadors they ought to be.

The UMU had initially announced plans to establish a code of conduct for bus drivers back in August, when plans were revealed to increase minibus fares by $20 for 10 operating routes.

The announcement to set a standard behavioural pattern for public transportation operators was well received by passengers, as far too many commuters would have vented their anger on social media at the ruthless behaviour of drivers in the different routes.

Although some passengers have welcomed the initiative, others have been more concerned about the drivers living up to what is expected of them. In relation to this concern, Andrews has assured that a hotline would be implemented to facilitate passengers making reports of breaches made by transportation providers in this regard.

Armed bandits rob contractor

General Manager of Puran Brothers, Khalesh Puran

For one of the collectors, the monthly operational expenditure is somewhere in the vicinity of $15 million.

City Hall’s financial crisis dates back to times when, with no other option, both solid waste collectors had been forced to withdraw their services until pending payments had been made. Staffers were also dismissed and later rehired in light of this process.

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he Police are on the hunt for two men who reportedly executed a brazen robbery on a contractor moments after arriving at his Independence Boulevard, La Penitence, Georgetown home on Sunday evening.

In that ordeal, which occurred at about 23:30h, 39-year-old Eon Soloman was relieved of one gold chain worth close to $500,000, and two mobile phones. Two males, who respectively were armed with a knife and a handgun, are said to be the perpetrators.

According to reports re-

ceived, Soloman had parked his motorcar in his yard, and was about to close his gate when the two men confronted him. They held him at gunpoint and instructed him to hand over his valuables.

Without hesitation, and fearing for his life, Soloman handed over the items to the men, who made good their escape on foot.

The Police were subsequently summoned and the area was searched, but no one was arrested. Police investigations are, however, continuing.

16 news

tuesdAY, october 23, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

$40.9M operating theatre for Suddie Hospital

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson and contractor Rakesh Samaroo after the contract signing on Monday

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$40.9 million contract was signed on Monday between the Government of Guyana and Rakesh Samaroo of Builders Hardware for the construction of a state-of-the-art operating theatre at the Suddie Hospital. Signing on behalf of the Government was Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rupert Hopkinson, who

said that he was very happy that Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) would finally get a state-of-the-art operating theatre.

He noted that the Region requested this through its budget a long time ago, but he was, nevertheless, happy that it was approved in 2018.

Hopkinson stated that he had full confidence the con-

tractor would do a good job because of his track records, and hoped that the project would be completed within the fourmonth period estimated.

Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Afarah Khan was supportive of the project, and as such, would seek the advice of the Regional Engineer with respect to monitoring the project.

Minister within the Public Infrastructure Ministry, Annette Ferguson encouraged the contractor to use local skilled persons in the area. She also called for quality work.

Presently, the theatre at Suddie Hospital cannot deal with all of the current cases and as such, patients who have to undergo major surgery are transferred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital or even the Georgetown Public Hospital.

When completed, the operating theatre at Suddie is expected to take care of all relevant patients in Region Two.

Parents protest relocation of students in light of discovery of asbestos

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Some of the parents protesting on Monday

arents of students attending the Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School (CWSS) in Linden on Monday protested the relocation of their children in light of allegations of an asbestos scare at the school.

According to the protesting parents, a decision was taken to relocate the students to the Wisburg Secondary School following an "emergency" meeting between parents and officials attached to the Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) Department of Education last Friday.

The parents, who stood outside the school along with their children, are holding out that they would not comply with the decision since they have not seen any evidence of the suspected asbestos inside the school.

They noted, too, that they are against a decision for their children to attend school from 12:00h to 17:00h.

Over 30 parents stood outside the school's compound to vent their frustration over the issue.

At the scene, some parents were observed trying to prevent a vehicle from transporting school furniture to the Wisburg Secondary as a means of protest.

"Nobody ain't coming to show us no evidence of the as-

bestos…The timing, from 1 to 5 in the afternoon, 5 o'clock does done dark already…

What will happen to these lil girl children? Even the boy children? They claiming the school got asbestos, but nobody ain't coming to show us the evidence", Dinah Skeete, a parent, noted.

The parents are calling for the issue to receive urgent attention from the Education Ministry, as they alleged that even though there was some arrangement for buses to take the students to school, the specifics are unclear and they are uncertain of the arrangement.

According to one of the parents, a lot of parents did not turn up to last Friday's meeting since school sports were being kept, and officials should have called another meeting at the school on Monday to further update parents.

Parents further noted that they were told by officials that the arrangement would be in place until January, 2019.

Municipal Councillor Fern McKoy, who later arrived at the picket line, confirmed there was on Friday a meeting wherein it was noted that asbestos was in the school. However, she said the asbestos had been removed since 2001.

"It cost millions of dol-

lars to remove the asbestos from the school. I am so disappointed with the children (having to wait) out here, because they are being deprived of their education…they need to get an analyst to pinpoint the asbestos, because I'm a hundred percent sure that there is no asbestos in that school”, she noted.

Efforts to contact the Regional Education Officer in relation to the issue on Monday proved futile. Other officials, when contacted, noted that they were not authorised to speak to the media.

Shortly after, the Region 10 Administration declared that asbestos was discovered in the ceiling of the school prior to its reopening in August, but the Education Ministry had refuted the claims.

Regional Chairman Renis Morian related that officials are aware that, in 2001 and 2002, a contract was handed out for the removal of asbestos from inside the school.

However, he noted that it appeared as though some had been hidden, given the way asbestos had been placed.

Nevertheless, the Education Ministry said an inquiry into the matter had revealed that the information was brought to the attention of the Regional Executive Officer of Region 10 on August 15, 2018.

NAREI is a base for Guyana’s agri policy – Minister Holder

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he two-day conference of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) opened on Monday at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA), under the theme “Agriculture: Guyana’s Pathway to a Green Economy”.

Addressing the gathering at the opening of the conference, Agriculture Minister Noel Holder said the agriculture sector was faced with significant challenges that required solutions based on research and innovation.

Research, he said, plays an integral role in providing a sound base for the development and implementation of Guyana’s agricultural policy. “In particular, research can provide the knowledge base for taking decisions and long-term planning that are needed to cope with the challenges. Research by 2030 and beyond will play a key role in improving the sustainability and diversity of our food systems, finding solutions for wastage and reducing the global loss of biodiversity, which is nearly 60 per cent.”

Minister Holder said that Guyana’s future research agenda must give priority to sustainable and inclusive economic development.

Targeted research will help to address the challenges of food production, management of natural resources and a balanced development of coastland and hinterland areas.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) reported that the Minister added that the Ministry must continue to build research and innovation ca-

A section of those who participated in NAREI’s Research Conference at the Guyana School of Agriculture, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara

pacity for lower performing regions. Each region has its own competitive advantage; therefore, he said the Ministry must capitalise on these to expand agriculture in each region. For instance, in Region One (PomeroonSupenaam), the spices – turmeric, nutmeg, black pepper and ginger – have been successful, and in Region Nine (Upper Essequibo), mangoes, peanuts, cattle, small ruminants and orchard crops prosper.

“Don’t limit your research to just fresh produce.

Just as you did by adding value with establishing a spice factory, let us target the high-value, low-volume products…Our researchers and scientists must be futuristic. As Guyana emerges as a major oil and gas producer, we must think transformative in our research,” Minister Holder urged.

NAREI’s Board Chairman, Dr Patrick Chesney reiterated the Institute’s commitment to support research in all of the ten administrative regions of Guyana. “It is my inten-

tion as Chairman of the Board to take to the Board a measure of the installation and wise use of cooperative and collaborative research and extension infrastructural programmes in all of our regions.”

NAREI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Oudho Homenauth noted that while the Institute’s development programmes have been reoriented from time to time on the basis of national and global changes, new challenges confronted today to warrant a renewed concept of agriculture.

The conference focused on topics such as the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS), hinterland agriculture – Guyana’s new agriculture frontier, climate-smart practices, improving production and productivity, green agriculture practices, and agriculture health and food safety issues.

Among those who are participating in the two-day conference are farmers and representatives of farmers’ organisations and agriculture agencies.

More Indigenous residents receive licensed firearms

Residents from communities in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) pose with their newly-licensed firearms

I

ndigenous Peoples’ Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock handed out another batch of licensed firearms to Indigenous residents from communities in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), the distribution was done over the weekend in the Indigenous community of Kamarang, Upper Mazaruni.

“We’re very pleased to be able to deliver on our promise … I think good things come to those who wait, and today you have a good thing

in your hand for your livelihood,” Minister Allicock told residents.

Earlier this month, Minister Allicock and Ministers of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan and Public Affairs, Dawn Hastings-Williams issued firearms and licences to residents from 12 villages in Region Seven.

This weekend’s distribution is a follow-up to the previous one, Minister Allicock noted. He explained the visit was needed to resolve application issues for some residents.

Recipients of the licensed

firearms were also briefed on the safe handling, usage and storage of their weapons, by members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

The newly-licensed firearm holders were also supplied with ammunition.

Back in 2015, residents had turned in their unlicensed firearms during the Public Security Ministry’s amnesty programme. The Ministry’s plan was to regularise the system, conduct safety checks, and allow for firearm holders, including Indigenous people, to be licensed.

17

tuesdAY, october 23, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Trump: US to begin cutting foreign aid over migrant caravan

P

resident Donald Trump has said the US will "begin cutting off" foreign aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador over the unfolding migrant crisis.

Trump criticised the countries on Monday for allowing people to leave the region and come "illegally" to the US. The comments mark the latest attempt by Trump to revive a national conversation about immigration before the US mid-term elections.

The caravan of thousands is now making its way through Mexico towards the US. In 2017, Guatemala received over US$248 million in US aid. The same year, Honduras received US$175 million and El Salvador US$115 million, according to the US Agency for International Development.

Trump accused the migrants of trying to illegally enter the US, but many of the families travelling to-

President Donald Trump accused the migrants of trying to illegally enter the US, but many of the families travelling towards the border are seeking asylum

wards the border are seeking asylum.

The migrants say they are fleeing persecution, poverty and violence in their home countries.

Without offering evidence, Trump has also repeatedly suggested the caravan was politically motivated.

"The Caravans are a disgrace to the Democrat Party. Change the immigration laws NOW!'" he said in an earlier tweet.

On Sunday, the migrant

caravan reached the town of Tapachula, approximately 37 kilometres (23 miles) from Mexico's southern border with Guatemala.

The Mexican authorities had earlier tried to stop them at a border bridge, but some managed to cross into Mexico illegally by boat over the Suchiate River.

"We have sunburn. We have blisters. But we got here. Our strength is greater than Trump's threats," migrant Britany Hernández told AFP news agency. (Excerpt

from BBC News)

2 Koreas, UN forces agree to remove weapons at border

N

orth and South Korea and the United Nations Command agreed on Monday to withdraw firearms and guard posts in the demilitarised zone village of Panmunjom this week, Seoul’s Defence Ministry said, the latest move in a fast-improving relationship.

The three sides held

their second round of talks at Panmunjom to discuss ways to demilitarise the border in line with a recent inter-Korean pact reached at last month’s summit in Pyongyang.

The US-led UNC, which has overseen affairs in the DMZ since the end of hostilities in the 1950-53 Korean War, was not immediately

available for comment, but it said on Friday it supports the two Koreas’ efforts to implement their military deal.

The announcement comes amid US concerns that the inter-Korean military initiative could undermine defence readiness and comes without substantial progress on North Korea’s promised denuclearisation.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Russia warns of arms race if US quits weapons treaty R ussia has warned US President Donald Trump's push to withdraw from a landmark anti-proliferation weapons deal could spark a new arms race between Moscow and Washington and "make the world a more dangerous place".

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russia would be forced to act if the United States pulled out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range

Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty.

"Because what does scrapping the INF treaty mean? It means that the United States is not disguising, but is openly starting to develop these systems in the future," Peskov told reporters at a press conference in the Russian capital, Moscow.

"And if these systems are being developed, then actions are necessary from other countries, in this case Russia, to restore balance in

this sphere," he added.

Peskov's comments came ahead of talks between US National Security Adviser John Bolton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Bolton, who arrived in Moscow on Monday for a twoday summit during which he will also meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, is expected to face intense inquiries from Kremlin officials over Trump's plans for the deal. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Hurricane Willa: Mexico issues warning over 'extremely dangerous' storm

M

exico has issued an alert for parts of its Pacific seaboard as it prepares for the "life-threatening" Hurricane Willa.

Willa is expected to make landfall on Mexico's south-western coast today and is "potentially catastrophic", the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) warned.

Currently a Category Four – out of five – storm, it threatens to bring torrential rains and major flooding.

Earlier this month, areas of the US were devastated by Hurricane Michael, which left at least 27 people dead.

Willa is expected to deliver rainfall of up to 46 centimetres (18in) along parts of south-west Mexico, the NHC said on Monday, as it report-

ed that the storm was carrying winds of 250 kilometres per hour (km/h) (155mph).

"This rainfall will cause

life-threatening flash flooding and landslides," it added. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Cameroon's Paul Biya “easily” CCJ orders convicted murderer in Belize be set free wins 7th term as President heard gunfire in Buea, the capital of the Englishspeaking Southwest region, on Monday.

Political tension has been high in the two weeks since the vote, as Kamto claimed victory based on his own campaign's figures, leading the ruling party to brand him an outlaw. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera) Paul Biya has ruled Cameroon since 1982 [Lintao Zhang/Pool via Reuters]

C

ameroon's President Paul Biya, sub-Saharan Africa's oldest leader, has easily won a seventh term, according to the Constitutional Council.

Biya, 85, won 71.3 per cent of the October 7 vote, far ahead of Opposition candidate Maurice Kamto's 14.2 per cent, Council President Clement Atangana said, announcing the official results in a State television broadcast.

The Council, which was

appointed by Biya, rejected all 18 legal challenges to the election and defended the process.

"The election was free, fair and credible in spite of the security challenges in the English-speaking regions," Atangana said.

Major cities saw heavy troop deployment on Monday as the Government banned all Opposition rallies.

Witnesses told AFP news agency that they

A

convicted murderer, who began serving a life sentence five year ago, is now a free man, after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) overturned his conviction as a result of unreliable identification evidence from a witness during his trial.

The CCJ ordered the release of 25-year-old Japhet Bennett, who was convicted in 2013 of the September 13,

2009 shooting death of Ellis Meighan in Belize City, after hearing his appeal.

Bennett’s lawyer, Audrey Matura, said she was pleasantly surprised by the court’s decision, given that the hearing which Anthony Sylvester led for the defence in her absence, was intended to be a leave for permission to appeal the Belize Court of Appeal decision in her client’s case, and not the actual appeal.

“We had expected that [the] decision would have been whether they gave us the permission, the special leave to appeal. But what they did, the hearing for the special leave to appeal, they treated it as the appeal and they gave a full-blown decision,” she explained.

A five-member CCJ allowed Bennett’s appeal in a 4-1 majority decision. (Excerpt

from Caribbean360)

Haiti President removes top officials linked to corruption scandal

H

aiti's President Jovenel Moise removed two top Government officials Monday as part of a purge of people linked to a corruption scandal that has ignited mass protests.

The Cabinet Chief and the Secretary General of the presidency were removed from office along with 15 Government advis-

Haitian Moise

President

Jovenel

ers, an official announcement said.

"To have a healthy process, the President has decided to rid the environment of people linked to Petrocaribe without admitting they are guilty of anything," Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant said at a news conference.

"The courts will say who is guilty and who is not."

The move came five days after tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Port-au-Prince and other cities to protest corruption.

Investigations by the Haitian Senate in 2016 and 2017 concluded that nearly US$2 billion from the Venezuelan PetroCaribe programme was misused.

(Excerpt from AFP)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesdAY, october 23, 2018

ARCHIE

Don’t make a fuss. You should overlook the little (March 21- things in life that aggravate April 19) you. Enjoy spending time with a loved one. Choose peace over discord.

ARIES

If you don’t like someTAURUS thing, change it. Do what (April 20- must be done. You are in May 20) charge of your fate, so get cracking! Personal changes will please you.

dilbert

If you work under the raGEMINI (May 21- dar, you’ll get more done. As June 20) soon as you share your intentions, you’ll be faced with interference. Be careful and precise before you present something to others.

Monitor the changes going on around you, but don’t (June 21- meddle. You have far more to July 22) gain by keeping your distance and doing your own thing.

Personal improvements, love and romance are favoured.

CANCER

Peanuts

Make plans to do someLEO thing fun and budget-friend(July 23- ly with either a loved one or Aug. 22) co-worker. Moderation and attention to detail will be key to your success.

Calvin and Hobbes

Focus on finishing what VIRGO you start without taking a risk (Aug. 23or overspending. A change Sept. 22) to the way you do things or an update to your skills will broaden your prospects.

Do something nice for LIBRA (Sept. 23- someone you care about.

Oct. 23) Making a kind gesture or reaching out and offering help will make a difference and bring you satisfaction.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — QUAVERED (QUAVERED: KWAY-verd: Quivered; trembled.)

SUDOKU

Invest in yourself, your SAGITTARIUS home and your family, but (Nov. 23- don’t trust anyone to handle Dec. 21) your money or personal matters for you. Work hard for what you want to see happen.

Average mark 15 words Time limit 25 minutes Can you find 19 or more words in QUAVERED? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — CURTAILS cart tail sail cast talc salic cist talus salt citrus trail sari crust trial scar cult tsar scat curia alit scut curl aril silt curst astir sitar curt auric slat cutis ictus slit ultra laic slur uric lair stair racist last star rail liar stir ritual lira stria rust list suit rustic lust

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Take care of your responSCORPIO sibilities to maintain your (Oct. 24reputation.

As long as you Nov. 22) are doing your part, you’ll be praised for your contribution.

solution for LAST PUBLISHED puzzle

Put your emotions aside CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- when dealing with peers or Jan. 19) matters that could affect your status or relationship with someone special. Practicality and common sense are what’s required.

Keep moving, as physiAQUARIUS cal activity will help you blow (Jan. 20- off steam and improve your Feb. 19) core strength. Don’t give in to pressure tactics being used to prompt you to engage in excessive behavior.

A new project, contract or PISCES (Feb. 20- investment will change your March 20) life. There is money to be made if you are innovative and hardworking. An unusual relationship will develop.

TUESdAY, october 23, 2018

19

USA make a mess of weary Scorpions – Monank strokes magnificent triple for USA 42nd over of the innings for a well composed 66 from 101 balls, with 5 boundaries to his name.

Patel batted with maturity to eventually compile a brilliant 109 from 126 balls, which included eight timely fours and two adorable maximums. Former West Indies fast bowler Jerome

managed to score 240-9 in their 50 overs. Derval Green had 2 wickets while Leveridge and Lamont picked up one wicket each.

In reply, Scorpions had the worst start any batting team could encounter while chasing a target. Chadwick Walton was out first ball of the Scorpions innings for a

Jerome Taylor

T

he United States of America (USA) cricket team trashed the Jamaica Scorpions by 74 runs in their Group ‘B’ encounter. Chief architect of this win was Monank Patel, whose brilliant century formed the nucleus of the visitors’ win.

USA entered this match on seven points garnered in a total of seven games, while Scorpions entered with 21 points in their seven games.

The Jamaica Scorpions won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Three Ws Oval at Cave Hill, Barbados.

Jamaica Scorpions were off to a brilliant start, as fast bowler Reynard Leverage struck gold in his first over, picking up the USA captain Jaskaran Malhotram with only one run on the board. Leveridge and Taylor

bowled brill i a n t opening spells until fast bowler Derval G r e e n picked up the second USA wicket in the 13th over with the score on 54.

However, constructive batting by Monank Patel and Aaron Jones moved the USA score forward, with the pair adding 135 runs. Jones was dismissed by left arm spinner Christopher Lamont in the Monank Patel plays an exquisite drive during his century

Jones square cuts

Taylor, who once notched up the ESPNcricinfo best bowling performance in 2009 when he took 5-11 against England, produces shades of his former greatness, as he picked up 4 wickets in conceding 2 fours and 1 six. The pace ace had figures of 4-34 in eight overs.

The last five USA batsmen added 25 runs as they

golden duck to Kyle Phillip.

His opening partner John Campbell struggled to score; significant once again as he was removed for 4 runs in the second over. However, the dangerous Jermaine Blackwood was joined by stroke maker Andre McCarthy, and they added 57 runs for the third wicket partnership.

Scorpions batsmen failed to convert their starts as wickets continued to tumble after Blackwood’s run-a-ball 51.

Nkrumah Bonner scored 30 as he tried to hold the innings together for a while, but failed in his endeavour.

USA spin ace Timil Patel was at his usual best, picking up 3 wickets for 15 runs in 7.4 overs, with one maiden to his name.

Aaron Jones, who had

earlier scored 66, returned to pick up two wickets with the ball, while Netravalkar captured 2 wickets as well.

Captain Nikita Miller was left stranded on 20, as he watched his team crumble to an upsetting defeat administered by the hands of USA. (Brandon Corlette)

SCOREBOARD

United States of America Innings (50 overs maximum) Jaskaran Malhotram c Walton b Leveridge 1 Monank Patel c Leveridge b Taylor 109 A Amsterdam c Walton b Green 21 A Jones c & b Lamont 66 J Khan c Walton b Taylor 7 R Silva b Taylor 4 E Hutchinson run out (Walton) 16 S Netravalkar b Green 4 T Patel c Lamont b Taylor 1 N Kenjige not out 0 Extras: (b 1, lb 3, w 6, nb 1) 11 Total: (50 overs) 240-9 Fall of Wickets 1-1 (Malhotram, 1.2ov) 2-54 (Amsterdam, 12.2) 3-189 (Jones, 41.2ov) 4-208 (Khan, 45.1ov) 5-213 (Patel, 45.6) 6-229 (Silva, 47.5ov) 7-236 (Netravalkar, 48.6ov) 8-239 (T. Patel, 49.4ov) 9-240 (Hutchinson, 49.6) Bowlers: Jerome Taylor (80-34-4), Reynard Leveridge (4-0-25-1),Christopher Lamont (10-0-41-1), Derval Green (80-48-2), Nikita Miller (10-1-400), Nkrumah Bonner (3-0-140), Andre Mccarthy (5-0-25-0), John Campbell (2-0-9-0)

Jamaica Scorpions (50 overs maximum) C Walton c Kenjige b Phillip 0 J Campbell c Hutchinson b Netravalkar 4 J Blackwood c T Patel b Jones 51 A Mccarthy b Hutchinson 22 B King c Hutchinson b Jones 19 N Bonner c Khan b T Patel D Green lbw Kenjige 9 J Taylor c Jones b T Patel 2 N Miller not out 20 R Leveridge b Netravalkar 0 C Lamont lbw T Patel 32 Extras (b 0, lb 3, w 4, nb 0) 7 Total (41.4 overs) 166-10 Fall of Wickets 1-0 (Walton 0.1ov) 2-10 (Campbell 1.4ov) 3-67 (Mccartyhy 10.1ov) 4-99 (King 18.4ov) 5-102 (Blackwood 20.2ov) 6-115 (Green 25.6ov) 7-119 (Taylor 27.2ov) 8-161 (Bonner 39.3ov) 9-162 (Leveridge 40.3ov) 10-166 (Lamont 41.4ov) Bowlers: K Phillip (3-0-221), S Netravalkar (7-0-29-2), E Hutchinson (4-0-19-1), N Kenjige (10-2-32-1), A Jones (100-46-2), T Patel (7.4-1-15-3)

Christianburg continue to dominate Guyoil U-18 tournament W

ismar Christianburg Secondary School continued to show that they are among the best in the Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers-sponsored Under 18 tournament as they registered yet another win by a large margin on Sunday.

The third round of the tournament continued on Sunday morning with the Bishops’ High School and Uitvlugt being pitted against each other in the first match

of the day. Reuben Dainty of Uitvlugt started the scoring in the 19th and then netted another in the 30th, to put Uitvlugt in a comfortable position by the end of the first half.

Anthony Benn later added to Uitvlugt’s tally in the 50th, taking the score to 3-0. Minutes later, Malachi Richards put in the first for Bishops’, but it was a little too late, as the regulated time expired with the score on 3-1.

The second game of the day saw Queen’s College facing off with Vergenoegen. It was truly an intense matchup, as the goals poured in for both teams. Vergenoegen was the first to get a goal on the board, as Rivaldo Smith netted one in the 14th minute; and one minute later, their second came off the boots of Ronaldo Macey. Just a few minutes later, Brentnol Bobb made it three for the East

Bank Essequibo team.

Just minutes before the first half expired, Ronneil Lord gave Queen’s College a sliver of hope with their first goal. Lord’s goal gave the team some momentum going into the second, as Darra Thomas pushed the goal count to two in the 47th.

However, Vergenoegen came back to push an equaliser a little farther from Queen’s College, as Brentnol Bobb scored his second. Queen’s College were quick to reply with a third, but Jomar Levan soon stepped in to put victory out of reach for QC. Vergenoegen won the en-

counter 5-3.

The penultimate game of the day could be adjudged the most exciting one yet, as the dominant Wismar Christianburg Secondary took on Marian Academy.

The usual suspects from their first two wins were out campaigning for an even bigger win this time around.

Marian weren’t even given a chance to score, as Christianburg’s defence made light work of any of Marian’s advances.

However, the Marian goal was a buzz of activity, as Randy Pickering and Tyrese Lewis both netted four, while

Andre Mayers found the back of the net thrice. A lone goal from George Stephens took Christianburg’s victory to 120.

The final match of the day was yet another high scoring one. Lodge Secondary, who are also front runners of the competition, took to the field to face Charlestown Secondary.

Dorwin George had another good game, as he collected a hat trick. Supported by Rickie Stewart with a double, Lodge’s 5 was far out of reach of Charlestown. Isaiah Moore’s goal was the lone reply on Charlestown’s behalf in the 5-1 game.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

TUESdAY, october 23, 2018

3 national players to participate in Major League Soccer

T

hree of Guyana’s national players departed on Monday to participate in the Major League Soccer (MLS) Caribbean Combined scheduled for Bridgetown, Barbados from October 22 – 25.

The three – Ryan Hackett, Kevin Layne and Kevin Dundas -- were shortlisted from a six-member player profile submitted by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF).

In an invited comment, GFF’s Technical Director Ian Greenwood said this is an opportunity for the players to grasp.

“This is great opportunity for the selected players to display their talent at the regional level. It is up to them, as individuals, to grasp this opportunity and show what they are capable of. They will definitely learn from the experience and exposure over the next few days in Barbados. We are always focusing on player exit routes for home-group talent, and to strengthen the national team programme,”

Ryan Hackett

Greenwood said.

Kevin Dundas said he is looking forward for the opportunity to make an impression. “I feel really grateful for this opportunity to showcase my skills and talents at this level. With the help we have been getting from GFF’s technical staff, as well as the technical staff of the senior national team, I hope to go, impress, and make the squad.

“Post the Brazil ‘Train and Play’ encampment, I have been doing a lot of phys-

ical work, including agility.

I have also been doing ball control work, just to improve and get the final touches right. I have also been working on fitness, as that’s really great to have; so I can improve on my game and work hard when I get there,” he said.

Defender Layne said he has put in the necessary work, and will give it his best shot. “I’m very overwhelmed with the opportunity to participate in the MLS Combined in Barbados. For the last few weeks, I have put in a lot of hard work with the senior team, as well as when I’m not active on the field. I have been working to develop my game with guidance provided by the national senior team staff, especially coming out from the Brazil ‘Train and Play’ camp. The experience with the senior team and the work done during the last match against the Turks and Caicos also helped my preparation for this engagement, as I know a high level of performance will be expected of me. So I’ll go and

Ingram, Rondo & Paul banned after punch-up

B

cas that Lakers star LeBron James helped break up.

An NBA statement said all three had thrown punches.

“Ingram has been suspended for aggressively returning to and escalating the altercation and throwing a punch in the direction of Paul, confronting a game official in a hostile manner, and instigating the overall incident by shoving Rockets guard James Harden,” said the statement.

Montserrat, Martinique, Guadeloupe, F r e n c h Guiana, Suriname, St Marten and St Maarten.

According to the MLS, should a player be selected, he would be considered for Adidas Allotment.

To the player’s former club upon the player being selected in the GFF Technical Director Ian Greenwood 2019 Transfer cent sell-on on any fee, $50,000 will go to the transfer fee received by MLS player’s former club if the within the first four years player’s MLS option for 2020 of the player’s employment is exercised; Performance with MLS. fees - $25,000 to the player’s This year, the 2018 MLS former club once the play- Caribbean Combine is beer starts in 15 official MLS ing hosted at two venues – matches; $50,000 to the Jamaica,October 15 – 18, player’s former club once the and Barbados. It is open to player starts in 30 official players 18 – 23 years-old MLS matches; $100,000 to who have a minimum of one the player’s former club once U20 or senior cap since 2017. the player starts in 60 offi- A detailed eligibility profile cial MLS matches; Future was required for considersell-on: the player’s former ation. club shall receive 20 per

WTA Finals 2018…

Stephens beats Osaka in Singapore

Sloane Stephens is world number six, two places below Naomi Osaka

Rajon Rondo caught contributing to the brawl

randon Ingram, Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul have been suspended by the NBA after a punchup during the Los Angeles Lakers’ defeat by the Houston Rockets.

Lakers duo Ingram and Rondo have been banned for four and three games respectively, while the Rockets’ Paul has a two-game ban - all without pay.

Paul said Rondo spat in his face, which led to the fra-

do my best,” he affirmed.

For his part, Hackett said he has what it takes to compete, and will grasp the opportunity with both hands.

“It is a great feeling to be representing Guyana and myself at the MLS Combined. I feel that I just have to be focused, put my best foot forward, and compete with the other players from across the Caribbean.

“I’m currently a part of the National U20 Team, and also did work with the senior team; so that will help me get ready for this experience, and push me to compete at a higher level. I definitely feel I have what it takes to be selected, and it will be a good moment when it happens. I just need to work hard, listen to the coach, and execute,” he confided.

Guyana is among 15 countries whose players will be competing for a chance to play in the MLS. Others include St Kitts & Nevis, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua & Barbuda, St Lucia,

“Rondo has been suspended for instigating a physical altercation with, and spitting and throwing multiple punches at, Paul.

“Paul has been suspended for poking at and making contact with the face of Rondo, and throwing multiple punches at him.”

The game was the home debut of three-time NBA champion James and ended with a 124-115 defeat for the Lakers. (BBC Sport)

A

merican Sloane Stephens produced a dominant final set to beat US Open champion Naomi Osaka at the WTA Finals.

The pair traded several breaks of serve in the first set but Stephens, 25, edged it 7-5 in 52 minutes.

Osaka, 21, rallied and closed out a 55-minute second set 6-4.

Japan’s Osaka had a break point when 1-0 down in the decider but failed

to challenge a call when Stephens appeared to double-fault, and her rival surged to a 7-5 4-6 6-1 win.

Osaka’s serve deserted her in the final set as she was broken three times.

In all she produced 46 unforced errors, compared with 31 from Stephens - Osaka’s immediate predecessor as US Open champion.

Stephens, who later said the surface at the Singapore venue was providing “weird” bounce, joins Czech play-

er Karolína Pliskova and Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina as victors in their opening matches of the WTA Finals.

The event features the leading eight players this year, split into two groups of four.

The top two players from each round-robin group will progress to the semi-finals, with the final on 28 October.

Germany’s Angelique Kerber takes on Dutch player Kiki Bertens later on Monday. (BBC Sport)

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sports

Prime Minister urges softball teams to come together – not to be fragmented

T

he second edition of the Prime Minister’s T20 Softball Cup did not disappoint. Wrapping up on Sunday at the Everest Cricket Ground on Carifesta Avenue, two finals on the card saw Regal Masters and Ariel Speedboat each successfully defend their title.

After the event, members of the crowd were privileged to meet and greet Prime Minister and Acting President, Moses Nagamootoo, when he shared a light moment with the teams.

In brief remarks, the Prime Minister thanked the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Incorporated, the players and the fans for coming out and supporting.

He said the tournament had a wonderful conclusion, and it has added to the rich tradition of the event.

“I am very pleased that my association with this competition has been vindicated. Last year there seemed to be a feud between Georgetown Softball

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Group and Floodlights, and I hope that they will be able to work together to build one powerful softball platform in Guyana, rather than being distracted, particularly since you are having entrants from overseas.

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Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo speaking with the players

each other, or you are fragmented,” he went on to state.

The Prime Minister has said his office would continue to be associated with the competition, which he promises to be more fruitful.

He wished patrons of the

tournament the best, and expressed hope that players would be successful in their future endeavours; and he said he hopes Guyana would produce a national competitive softball team that in turn would participate in bigger tournaments.

(Timothy Jaikarran)

Garcia claims Valderrama Masters hat-trick

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Sergio Garcia was part of the European team that won the Ryder Cup in September

ergio Garcia won his third Valderrama Masters in a row after the event was reduced to 54 holes and completed on the fifth day because of bad weather.

The 2017 Masters champion, 38, was three clear on 10 under with 11 holes remaining going into day five and finished on 12 under after a 69.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry was second after a round of 66 left him on eight under.

Lowry got to within a shot of Garcia with three consecutive birdies after the turn but the Spaniard held on.

While Lowry ran up a double bogey at the 15th, Garcia added birdies at the 14th and 17th to give himself a cushion playing the last.

England’s Lee Westwood made four birdies on Sunday to move up to second but eventually finished in a share of fifth after shooting

a 70.

His compatriot Ashley Chesters was fourth after a closing 72.

Scot Richie Ramsay secured his playing privileges for 2019 after finishing in a share of 11th on two under par to jump up to 115th in the Race to Dubai rankings.

The top 116 players keep their card for next season and England’s David Horsey claimed the final place after sharing 42nd place in Andalucia. (BBC Sport)

Man Utd boss escapes punishment for fracas after Chelsea match

M

anchester United boss Jose Mourinho will not be punished by the Football Association for his part in the injury-time fracas at Chelsea on Saturday.

But Blues coach Marco Ianni has been charged with improper conduct.

The incident occurred when Ianni celebrated Chelsea’s 96th-minute equaliser in front of the United bench, sparking a retaliation from Mourinho.

The FA said the Portuguese manager had been “formally reminded of his responsibilities” after the 2-2 draw.

An FA spokesperson added: “Both clubs have received similar official reminders in terms of the behaviour expected of their staff and players at all times whilst in the technical area.”

Ianni has until 18:00 BST on Thursday to respond to the charge.

On Monday, Mourinho said Ianni had apologised to him and “deserves a second chance”.

“I want to thank Chelsea and [Maurizio Sarri],” Mourinho said.

Jose Mourinho (centre) reacts to Chelsea coach Marco Ianni’s celebration of the stoppage-time equaliser

“The young boy does not deserve more than what he got.

“He apologised to me. He deserves a second chance - he doesn’t deserve to be sacked. He went through a situation where he recognises he was

wrong.

“I hope everybody does the same as I did and do not disturb the career of a great guy. Probably someone with great potential. I’m not happy at all with more than that.” (BBC Sport)

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

TUESdAY, october 23, 2018

Action to continue at Burnham Hard Court A

ction in the 2018 Rainforest Water/ Malta Supreme/ Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association (GABA) Under23 league will continue tomorrow at the Burnham Hard Court with UG Trojans taking on the unstoppable Plaisance Guardians to headline the night’s activities.

In the other scheduled match, Pacesetters will face Eagles in the U23 division.

Trojans and Guardians are the two top teams; they are flying on a high right now because of the successes they’ve been having.

In their last encounter, in September, the Guardians lost to the Trojans 76-75.

Many would have said that victory came by fluke, but, time after time, the Trojans have proven to be a challenging team in the competition.

The Guardians, on the other hand, have been con-

will be the team that makes the least amount of mistakes on the day of reckoning.

While the Trojans’ defence has been flawless in the last game against the Eagles, their past may yet come to haunt them, as they have been known to take the lead, somewhat lose focus, and barely scrape the win.

The Trojans must work on their defence, if they are to take on the Guardians who possess one of the best offensive attacks in the league. Guardians, on the other hand, seem to have the perfect side without spot or blemish, but if they are to be critiqued, they must continue to play in perfect balance as per norm.

Part of the ongoing action in the GABA League

sistent in attaining success, and continue to crush their opponents with commanding victories, all thanks to Jared

Sears and Terrence Daniels who have been their leading scorers.

With the Trojans’ last win

coming off the Eagles and the Guardians’ win coming off the Sonics, it goes without saying that the victor

Pacesetters seek revenge against Eagles

In their last encounter, on September 12, the Eagles fought their way past the

Pacesetters 82-79. Sherland Gillis recorded a game high 29 points in the win, while Shamar Huntley was the next best scorer, with 18 points.

The Eagles had edged past the Pacesetters, and the Pacesetters will be looking for revenge. It all went wrong for Pacesetters, as they could not hold on to the lead they had. If they have any intention of crushing the Eagles, they will need to figure out a strategy to stop Gillis, who has been sensational this season.

In the Eagles’ last encounter, they defeated the Kobras 68-56, with Captain Shamar Huntley leading the way and being aided by Gillis. With a recent win under their belt, they will be looking to carry that form into their match against the Pacesetters. (Timothy Jaikarran)

Rhonda Lewis 20/20 Cricket tournament

Anderson guides Rose Hall Town to victory T

he Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has completed its 12th tournament in 2018 with the Rhonda Lewis 20/20 tournament which concluded last Saturday.

Rose Hall Town (RHT) continued their winning ways in the major tournaments in Berbice with another exciting encounter at Hampshire Ground. Several supporters were present to witness some quality cricket being played between Rose Hall Town Bakewell and Whim Nationals.

The star-studded Rose Hall Town Bakewell team, batting first, racked up a daunting 199-4 in their allotted 20 overs, then dismantled Whim with the ball to win by a huge 130-run margin.

Kevlon Anderson, arguably the best youth batsman in the country, played a sparkling innings of 90, with fellow National youth batsman Kevin Sinclair

scoring a blistering 68. Guyana under-15 player Jonathan Rampersaud, who was left unbeaten, chipped in with a shot filled 26.

In pursuit of the target, Rose Hall Town bowlers made a mess of the Whim batsmen, blowing them away for an embarrassing 69; with V Sookshine top-scoring with 19.

West Indies female pacer Erva Giddings swung the ball brilliantly, but maintained a disciplined line and length to end with 3 – 18; while the aggressive off-spinner Kevin Sinclair captured 2-18 and former Guyana under 19 quick bowler Sylus Tyndall picked up 2-14. Earlier that day, RHT defeated Fyrish by 65 runs in the semifinals.

At the end of the tournament, the BCB expressed gratitude to Lindon Lewis and his family for sponsoring the tournament in memory of his eldest daughter, Rhonda, who died in 2006.

The victorious Rose Hall Town Bakewell team

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESdAY, october 23, 2018

West Indies tour of India…

23

GABA Rainforest Water/ Malta Supreme League…

Maroon boys looking to rebound Hooper wants to after Kohli, Rohit master class push tournament I further n the first One Day International (ODI), West Indies have suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of two modern greats: number one ranked ODI batsman Virat Kohli and number two ranked ODI batsman Rohit Sharma.

The West Indies will lock horns with India in the second One Day International at the Dr Y.S Rajasekhara Reddy, ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, October 24, from 4:00am Eastern Caribbean time.

In the first ODI, West Indies bowlers lacked the wicket-taking ability, and failed to build pressure as five out of the six bowlers used had an economy rate of more than 7 runs per over.

With the Cricket World Cup starting in May 2019, West Indies will be looking to experiment with the players, since they are aiming to build a powerful World Cup team. The likes of Guyanese Keemo Paul, exciting prospects Fabian Allen and Obed McCoy may be examined as wicket taking options to be featured in the second ODI. With the bat, West Indies have scored 300 plus total against a second choice Indian bowling attack, with the likes of Bhuvneshwar

T

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli scored brilliant centuries in the first ODI

Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya.

Marlon Samuels and Guyanese Chanderpaul Hemraj failed to make significant contributions, but will be given numerous opportunities, since the other specialist batsman is Sunil Ambris.

Meanwhile, India may play with an unhanged team in the second ODI, despite Mohammad Shami being very expensive in the death overs and Shikar Dhawan failing to contribute with the bat.

Records stumbled in the first ODI, as Virat Kohli completed 2000 international runs across formats this year. He became the fourth player to aggregate 2000plus runs in three consecutive calendar years, after Tendulkar, Matthew Hayden and Joe Root. He amassed 1063 runs in Tests, 889 runs in ODIs, and 146 runs in T20Is this year thus far.

The batting genius Kohli has achieved 14 ODI hundreds in 50 innings as captain, with Ricky Ponting topping the list with 22 hun-

dreds in his 230 matches as captain.

However, Rohit Sharma is the 10th player overall to score ODI century against nine ODI opponents, with his unbeaten century being the first against West Indies in One Day International cricket.

The dangerous duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been involved in four 200 wicket partnership, with South African duo Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock being involved in 5,200 wicket partnerships.

(Brandon Corlette)

he Georgetown Amateur Basketball Association/ Rainforest Water/Malta Supreme League is ongoing at the Burnham Hardcourt, and President of the Association, Adrian Hooper, expects great things to happen as the tournament continues.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sport, Hooper said the league creates many opportunities for players. He said basically there are three leagues in the competition, and certain players may not qualify for the first division and the U23 division, but this tournament gives those players an opportunity to play in the second division, hence no player would be left out.

Hooper disclosed that in his tenure as president, once GABA has a tournament, these three divisions will always be present.

Asked what sponsorship has done for the league, Hooper replied, “Well, that is a very big question”. He says that because a lot of football is ongoing, most of the sponsors have already invested in other tournaments, such as hockey and table tennis. Therefore, when basketball season comes around, the association has to

GABA President Adrian Hooper

source funds.

“If we do get sponsors, when they come on board, they have their brandings.

They provide trophies, not much incentives, for players; but let’s say a team wins the tournament or the league, they well be offered a memento to show that they participated in the tournament,” Hooper explained.

He also expressed gratitude to Banks DIH Limited for becoming part of the event under their Rainforest Water and Malta brands.

Hooper intends to take the GABA League into the future, and tweaks the idea of it becoming a catalyst for the selection of national teams. In turn, he said, it would reflect well on the association and the tournament. (Timothy Jaikarran)

DIGICEL NBA Jumpstart Elite Camp…

14 boys and girls to attend NBA Experience in NYC

D

igicel and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced on Monday that the top 14 boys and girls from the Digicel NBA Jumpstart Programme will attend an NBA game at the Barclays Center featuring the Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, October 28.

As part of the NBA experience, the boys and girls will also tour NBA facilities, visit local New York City landmarks, receive elite basketball training and participate in life skills sessions.

The young players were selected by New Orleans Pelicans Head Coach Alvin Gentry following their participation in the Digicel NBA Jumpstart Elite Camp held in Trinidad and Tobago, which brought together the best basketball players aged 17 and under from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“We have a lot of young talent in the Caribbean who don’t

often get the chance to showcase their abilities or receive the level of encouragement and support they need to take their game to the next level. Through this NBA partnership, we can provide these players and their coaches with the proper training and inspiration to grow the game across the region,” said Digicel Group Sponsorship Manager, Tari Lovell. “We congratulate these young basketball players for working hard and showing great progress in just six to seven short months.”

“We are proud that the fourth year of the Digicel NBA Jumpstart programme has been successful in showcasing our commitment to growing the game in the Caribbean and all of Latin America,” said NBA Vice President, Latin America, Arnon de Mello.

“Congratulations to these young players who had the unique opportunity to learn directly from NBA and WNBA players and coaches. I know that they will have a fantastic time on their trip to New York City as they en-

Digicel NBA Jumpstart 2018 sees record online registration from youngsters across the Caribbean

joy an authentic NBA experience.”

The 2018 Digicel NBA Jumpstart Camps, which visited Haiti for the first time in addition to Turks and Caicos, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, featured an expanded format and a record 72

youth participants at each camp.

Content from the camps and trip to the U.S. is being shared with fans across Digicel’s social media platforms and on SportsMax. Digicel and the NBA signed a multiyear partnership in 2015 to deliver live games and extensive

NBA programming to more than 25 Caribbean territories through SportsMax and the PlayGo app – making Digicel the Official Communications Partner of the NBA in the region.

The 2018-19 NBA season runs from October 2018 to April 2019.

TUESdAY, october 23, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

3 national players to participate in Major League Soccer Page 20

Rhonda Lewis 20/20 cricket tournament

Anderson guides Rose Hall Town to victory

Page 22

From left: Keven Layne, Ryan Hackett and Kevin Dundas are the National Players participating in MLS Caribbean Combine in Barbados

Kevlon Anderson receiving his Man-of-the-match award

DIGICEL NBA Jumpstart Elite Camp…

14 boys and girls to attend NBA Experience in NYC

Page 23

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