Guyana Times Monday December 23, 2019

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Sol wraps up customers’ Christmas promotion Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4146

monday, december 23, 2019

Guyana did not prepare well for first oil – TIGI Head … says many issues still need to be addressed Page 3

GAWU urges Private Sector to increase minimum wage for workers – public servants to now receive $70,000 monthly, private workers still get $44,200

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

P7 Govt introduces new requirements for importation of medical devices

World Bank P15 provides technical assistance for Guyana’s 2nd NRA

See story on page 15

Pres Hoyte P13 remembered for Iwokrama initiative on 17th death anniversary

Nations' Director frustrated with lack of progress in shooting incident

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Santa and his helpers: Staff members of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri in their traditional Christmas attire on Friday as they welcome passengers by distributing black cake and beverages (CJIA photo)

Increase in sensational road fatalities unacceptable – Top Cop Page 7

Guyana’s healthcare deteriorating – Leslie Ramsammy

Linden pensioner killed in early-morning accident

Page 14

Page 2

Georgetown Mayor calls for private, public help to P12 restore City Hall

2 news

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Linden pensioner killed in early-morning accident

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78-year-old woman of West Watooka, Linden was killed early Sunday morning after she was reportedly struck down by a speeding car on her way to church.

Dead is Juliet Cornelius of Lot 55 West Watooka, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice).

The accident occurred at approximately 07:15h on Burnham Drive, Wismar.

The driver of the car involved in the accident, 27-year-old Corwin Cooper, of Powis Crescent, Amelia’s Ward, Linden, has since been taken into Police custody and has been assisting with the investigation.

According to information received, a motor car bearing registration num-

An injured Juliet Cornelius lying on the roadway

ber PVV 2251 which was driven by Cooper, was proceeding South along the eastern side of the road at a fast pace and while negotiating a left turn, the driver suddenly lost con-

trol of the vehicle and ended up on the southern parapet.

There, he reportedly struck Cornelius who was walking. As a result of the collision, the woman

fell onto the roadway and sustained severe injuries about her body.

She was picked up by public-spirited citizens and transported to the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), where she was examined by a doctor on duty who admitted her.

The woman subsequently died while receiving treatment at the medical institution.

Her body is presently at the LHC mortuary awaiting a post-mortem.

A breathalyser test conducted on the driver proved that he was over the prescribed limit of alcohol consumption.

He was later placed into custody and his vehicle impounded.

Investigations are ongoing.

Taxi driver’s murder Defence seeks paper committal

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ollowing numerous delays in the commencement of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the death of Owayne Lynch, a taxi driver who was killed while plying his trade in Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara, Attorney-atLaw Glen Hanoman, who is representing the accused, is seeking to have a paper committal to determine whether adequate evidence exists for his client to stand trial in the High Court.

Forty-eight-year-old Kwayana Fernandes, a mason of 475 Cemetery Road, Mocha, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on August 6 last, at Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara, he murdered Lynch.

The matter was then adjourned to January 8, 2020.

It was reported that on the night in question, Lynch was

plying his trade in a black Toyota IST when the dispatcher sent him to an area in Sophia to pick up a passenger who was reportedly heading for Mocha.

It was reported that the taxi driver and the passenger got into an argument over the payment and it was then that the passenger pulled out an ice pick from his pocket and dealt him several stabs to his body.

Lynch was later seen lying motionless on Cemetery Road, Mocha. His body bore multiple wounds and an ice pick was found near the scene. He was picked up and rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Lynch, of Stevedore Housing Scheme, was employed at Swift Cabs, located on Dennis Street, Sophia.

news

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monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Monday, December 23 – 14:30h – 16:00h and Tuesday, December 24 – 03:30h – 05:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Guyana did not prepare well for first oil – TIGI Head … says many issues still need to be addressed

Monday, December 23 – 14:25h – 15:55h and Tuesday, December 24 – 15:10h – 16:40h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Light rain showers and heavy rain are expected during the day. Thundery showers and light rain showers are expected at night. Temperatures should range between 22 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 12:25h maximum height of

reaching a 2.60 metres.

Low Tide: 07:57h and 20:28h reaching minimum heights of 0.75 metre and 0.60 metre.

saturday, DECember 21, 2019

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TIGI Head, Dr Troy Thomas

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irst oil is here, but what’s next?

According to the Head of Transparency Institute of Guyana Incorporated (TIGI), Dr Troy Thomas, the country, in many ways, was unable to prepare well for this critical sector.

In an interview with Guyana Times, Dr Thomas noted the importance of Guyana putting in place important checks and balances to ensure the country benefits as much as it should from the sector.

But he is of the view that with the rush to production, a lot of important systems were not put in place to protect Guyana’s interests. One of the most important, Dr Thomas noted, was a robust local content policy.

“The move from finding oil to production, the timeframe is short. And I think it did not allow us to prepare very well for many things.

By and large, our feeling is that things feel rushed and that’s something we have to be careful of, because of the importance of the sector going forward.

“I want to be optimistic, because of its importance to Guyana, but there are many things that need to be addressed. So, while I want things to work out well for all of us, I feel sometimes

like we are rushing into things and not making sure all systems are in place,” he said.

Dr Thomas also recalled that there were many unanswered questions regarding Guyana’s oil deals with some companies. He noted that some of the deals Guyana signed had clauses that were not in the country’s favour.

“There are many questions, unanswered questions. So that’s the thing that worries me. In general, I know we want to get oil and start benefiting from the revenue, but at the same time there are all those checks and balances we cannot lose sight of.

“The issue is, there is still a lot could have been sorted out or don’t seem to be in Guyana’s favour. And because they signed these things without people knowing, there wasn’t an opportunity to scrutinise it in general.”

The oil sectors

Earlier this year, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), having concluded its Article IV consultations in Guyana, had forecast that come 2024 oil would dominate Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by as much as 40 per cent.

Underscoring the importance of this sector is the fact that no single sector had more than a 15 per cent share of the GDP as of the middle of this year.

According to the Finance Ministry’s 2019 mid-year report, the highest individual

The Energy Department

segment of the GDP was the wholesale and retail trade, which had a 13.4 per cent share.

Combined, agriculture, fishing, and forestry had just a 15.6 per cent share of the GDP, with major sectors like sugar, rice and forestry having just 0.9 per cent, 3.5 per cent and 1.7 per cent respectively.

First oil was announced on Friday, yet there is no local content policy or Petroleum Commission.

In the case of the former, the Department of Energy, which has been entrusted with such, had previously announced the policy would be ready for first oil.

In the case of the latter, a Petroleum Commission Bill was previously on the parliamentary order paper, but did not get very far. It was subjected to several revisions, with reports emerging last year that the World Bank would redraft the bill.

In the absence of a Petroleum Commission, the Department of Energy has been carrying out much of the functions that would be expected of such a commis-

sion. The difference, however, is that the Department reports directly to the President.

There is also no national oil company, no depletion policy and no oil spill contingency plan. While Government has been almost mum on the first two, it is understood that the contingency plan is a work in progress that is long overdue.

There has also been no completed audit of the billions of US dollars that has been claimed by oil operators in cost oil, although one has recently started. And

by Department of Energy Director, Dr Mark Bynoe’s own admission, there is no penalty for companies who mislead authorities about cost oil claims.

There is also no ring-fencing provision to protect Guyana from costs being transferred from one well to another. There is, in fact, not a single oil-related bill that has been tabled by the Government and made into law, with the exception of the National Resource Fund Act.

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guyanatimesgy.com

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019

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

The Davos Manifesto for Businesses

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s a new oil producing country, Guyana will soon be flooded with new businesses, especially expatriate one. We reprint the “The Universal Purpose of a Company in the Fourth Industrial Revolution”, or the “Davos Manifesto” issued by the World Economic Forum this December, as the standard to which they must be held: “The purpose of a company is to engage all its stakeholders in shared and sustained value creation.

In creating such value, a company serves not only its shareholders, but all its stakeholders – employees, customers, suppliers, local communities and society at large. The best way to understand and harmonize the divergent interests of all stakeholders is through a shared commitment to policies and decisions that strengthen the long-term prosperity of a company.

A company serves its customers by providing a value proposition that best meets their needs. It accepts and supports fair competition and a level playing field. It has zero tolerance for corruption. It keeps the digital ecosystem in which it operates reliable and trustworthy.

It makes customers fully aware of the functionality of its products and services, including adverse implications or negative externalities.

A company treats its people with dignity and respect. It honours diversity and strives for continuous improvements in working conditions and employee well-being. In a world of rapid change, a company fosters continued employability through ongoing upskilling and reskilling.

A company considers its suppliers as true partners in value creation. It provides a fair chance to new market entrants. It integrates respect for human rights into the entire supply chain.

A company serves society at large through its activities, supports the communities in which it works, and pays its fair share of taxes. It ensures the safe, ethical and efficient use of data. It acts as a steward of the environmental and material universe for future generations. It consciously protects our biosphere and champions a circular, shared and regenerative economy.

It continuously expands the frontiers of knowledge, innovation and technology to improve people’s wellbeing.

A company provides its shareholders with a return on investment that takes into account the incurred entrepreneurial risks and the need for continuous innovation and sustained investments. It responsibly manages near-term, medium-term and long-term value creation in pursuit of sustainable shareholder returns that do not sacrifice the future for the present.

A company is more than an economic unit generating wealth. It fulfils human and societal aspirations as part of the broader social system. Performance must be measured not only on the return to shareholders, but also on how it achieves its environmental, social and good governance objectives. Executive remuneration should reflect stakeholder responsibility.

A company that has a multinational scope of activities not only serves all those stakeholders who are directly engaged, but acts itself as a stakeholder – together with governments and civil society – of our global future.

Corporate global citizenship requires a company to harness its core competencies, its entrepreneurship, skills and relevant resources in collaborative efforts with other companies and stakeholders to improve the state of the world.”

Carlos Bahia, dressed as Santa Claus, surfs at Maresias beach in Sao Sebastiao, hometown of WSL World Champion Gabriel Medina, in Sao Paulo state, Brazil last Sunday (Reuters/Amanda Perobelli)

I salute GPF for implementing Operation Safe Roads Dear Editor, Whenever human lives and limbs are in constant peril on our roads, as is the present situation in Guyana, the Guyana Police Force, working in tandem with other stakeholders including Magistrates and Judges, shall take holistic and extraordinary measures to bring the sad state of affairs under control.

However, in doing so their actions must fit nicely within the ambit of the law in order to avoid trampling on the rights of citizens.

Flashback! When New York Mayor Rudy William Luis Giuliani and Chief of Police Robert Larry Bratton conducted their CompStat brand of policing with a zero-tolerance bias, crime was reduced to an unprecedented level. On the flip side of things, the city paid out more money than any other period of time to citizens who filed litigations and lawsuits against the city for infringing their basic human rights.

Fast-forward! In relation to the current unacceptable traffic lawlessness, the police launched Operation Safe Roads in an effort to bring

back sanity to our roadways.

Among other tactics, they recently targeted a minibus driver and a conductor who were seen in a video that went viral committing numerous unbelievable breaches of the traffic laws that endangered their lives and that of other road users.

According to a daily newspaper, the men – Trevor BobbSemple, the minibus driver and his conductor Jermaine Waldron – were charged and appeared before Magistrate Fabaya Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court. The conductor pleaded guilty to the charges of failing to ensure passengers’ safety and being an untidy conductor. He was fined $40,000.

The driver was charged with the following offences: driving a tinted motor vehicle, being an untidy driver, failing to have control of the motor vehicle, breach of conduct of road service licence and dangerous driving. According to the newspaper article, the driver pleaded not guilty to the charges and was placed on $100,000 bail. Believe it or not, the Magistrate suspended the driver’s licence pending

the determination of the cases. Let me be pellucid. I hold no brief for the driver, but I perused the laws of Guyana. I did not find any law that empowered the Magistrate to suspend the driver’s licence.

Please edify me if I missed the law. Is it that the reporter incorrectly posited that the Magistrate suspended the licence of the driver of the motor vehicle? I have not seen or heard any retraction in the media about the suspension of the driver’s licence.

My layman’s knowledge is that a Magistrate has the power to suspend the driver’s licence of a person charged with causing death by dangerous driving pending the determination of the charge but not for dangerous driving or the other charges alluded to.

If the Magistrate had, in fact, suspended the driver’s licence that act was a grave miscarriage of justice.

The charges of causing death by dangerous driving and dangerous driving are miles apart. They are far apart as Imbotero on the northern tip of Guyana is from Aishalton on the deep south and Orealla on the east

is from Kaikan on the west.

I salute the police for implementing Operation Safe Roads to bring back sanity on our roads. I have not yet seen their plan of action, but persons with vast experience in traffic management who l have had conservations with on the plan inform me that it will bear fruits as green shoots are already emerging. I trust their judgement. I, however, hasten to let the law enforcement officers and their stakeholders be aware that as they enforce, enforce, enforce with zero tolerance the rule of law and the rules of engagement must prevail. This will prevent them from taking precipitative and ill-advised actions.

To do otherwise will open the floodgates for law enforcement officers to commit serious breaches of the citizens’ human rights. I trust the police to be professional.

Best wishes to the police for a successful Operation Safe Roads.

Yours respectfully, Clinton Conway Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired)

Why is Ramjattan silent on tortured teen case?

Dear Editor, Where is the voice of Mr Khemraj Ramjattan concerning Mr Ashkay Budhairam, the West Demerara child that was tortured in December 2019? Why all of sudden he (Mr Ramjattan) cannot speak “truth to power” on this Budhairam case as he did on the Tywon Thomas case ten years ago when two rogue cops applied fire to the genital of a child.

But the gross hypocrisy of this “wanna be” Prime Minister (sic) stands exposed as he remains uncooperative in helping to drive the process that can bring justice to young Ashkay. Today we have a situation where two more rogue cops are accused of pouring hot water down the back of young Ashkay as if they wanted to boil him alive.

To add salt to young Ashkay’s wounds, these two rogue cops are walking the streets as free

men today after being granted a low bail as the criminal justice system continues to fail the people of Guyana. How unfair!

International conventions, all of which Guyana is a signatory, prohibits torture and other inhumane treatment of the accused. The State is obligated to take proactive measures to discipline those who conduct torture upon another human being.

Yet Mr Ramjattan and his Commissioner have not taken any serious measure to punish these two rogue cops to date, weeks after they violated another human being on taxpayers’ time; using taxpayers’ resources.

But to certify the immorality of the Granger regime, after 4 years and 5 months ago, these self-defined security specialists promised the people that once they are elected, they shall fix the sys-

tem so that the people can be better protected and served.

With the support of four (4) former Generals, three (3) former Colonels, two (2) former Commissioners, one (1) former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and a clueless Minister of Public Security the results are just scandalous.

What reduces crime in a nation? Empirical evidence proves certainly not Police abuse. It is a known fact that the policing measure that most consistently reduces crime is the pursuance of an increase in the official arrest rate backed up by verifiable evidence that can stand up in court using real science and some “good old” common sense. There is no alternative.

But it seems that for decades now the controllers (I cannot call them leaders) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) operated with indiffer-

ence to such a strategy as if they are unaccountable to the people and with active political support from the politicians at the highest levels. I wonder why?

For years now, the GPF seems to have lost its bearings and has embarked on a path that is grounded in “torture” rather than – science and common sense. This is not a political problem; it is an institutional problem that must be dealt with institutionally; not politically.

First off, the GPF does not represent or reflect Guyana demographically and that is a huge facilitator of criminal activities. Fixing this challenge requires a Commissioner who is qualified, committed and ready to do the job of making the force into a “Guyana Force” rather than having their heads so deep up the dark end of a Minister as they continued on page 5

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019

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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

Elections 2020 are about governance for the people, by the people in accordance with the rule of laws Dear Editor, Yes! Yes! Yes! The triple affirmation made by the APNU/ AFC MP Charrandas Persaud reverberated in Guyana and wherever Guyanese were around the globe one year ago.

David Granger’s Government had fallen on a No-Confidence Motion; what has followed is a chronicle of shameless behaviour that will affect Guyana’s system of parliamentary democracy for generations to come. Granger refused to comply with the clear provision of the Constitution and remains in Office to this day; this obdurate stance has consequences that bear examination.

Granger’s decision to seek clarification of various aspects of the no-confidence vote on spurious grounds such as what number constitutes a majority of the 65 member Parliament were greeted with incredulity by those with a modicum of mathematical ability. Other grounds such as the validity of the vote of a dual-citizen and whether an MP could vote against the list that placed him (Charrandas) in Parliament at least passed the credibility test.

Chief Justice George refused to invalidate the NCM and the matter should have ended there. Granger insisted on an appeal and inexplicably, two of the three members of our Court of Appeal overturned the CJ’s decision that 33 votes constitute a majority and suggested that 34 votes were the required number for a majority vote in a 65 member House. The Court of Appeal decision was handed down 10 hours past the deadline for elections imposed by the Constitution.

On June 18, the Caribbean Court of Justice restored the Chief Justice’s ruling and deemed the NCM validly passed. 179 days had passed since Charrandas broke ranks with APNU/AFC before the judicial system deemed it validly passed. Confidence in the Constitution and our Judiciary have been done grave damage during this

past year; Guyanese pride themselves on being a literate society that upholds the rule of law as a basic tenet of governance. Many cannot countenance a usurper Executive and prefer to ignore the reality for the sake of peace. A future where feigned ignorance by the Executive results in six-month delays in interpreting provisions that “require no gloss” is a very real possible consequence.

The NCM put the Guyana Elections Commission in the spotlight. GECOM used to be a temporary institution, dissolved three months after every election it was brought to life to manage. All of that changed and by virtue of the Constitution (Amendment) Act No 2 of 2000 and GECOM became a permanent body.

It was GECOM that made the recommendation to the constitutional reform committee that a General and Regional Elections could be held within 90 days of notice. But in 2018/19, GECOM was itself under siege from the unconstitutional appointment of James Patterson as its Chairman by President Granger.

Ignoring plain English, Granger ascribed powers onto himself to make a unilateral appointment after refusing to accept 18 names of prominent and respected Guyanese citizens whom he (Granger) deemed unfit for the office.

James Patterson made many changes in the makeup of the staff of the GECOM Secretariat, which resulted in an Ethnic Relations Commission inquiry.

Patterson and staff of the GECOM Secretariat did not appear before the ERC even though that body concluded that in the case of the hiring of the Deputy CEO “By all objective criteria, Mr Persaud was, on the available evidence, the most qualified candidate for appointment to the position of DCEO. By long-established practice, the candidate acquiring the highest score secured the appointment”. Using the existing

process at the Commission, Chairman Patterson used his casting vote on the seven-member Commission, against Persaud’s appointment. On December 27, 2018, GECOM declared itself ready, willing and able to conduct credible elections on or before March 21, 2019, as stipulated by the Constitution. One day later, Nigel Hughes posited that 33 was not the majority of 65 and GECOM’s state of readiness deteriorated.

GECOM then fell into goosestep with Granger as a period the Stabroek newspaper famously labelled as ‘temporising’ began.

In June 2018, arguments in the CCJ indicated that the court would rule the unilateral appointment of Patterson as unlawful, null and void; almost simultaneously there was every indication that the NCM would be ruled validly passed. On the 12th and 18th, both judgments were delivered as expected. The most generous calculation gave a deadline for stipulated elections on September 18; however, an order was signed by James Patterson to begin a House-to-House Registration exercise (H2H) preceded his departure and on July 20, GECOM began this exercise. The Chief Registration Officer, who also serves as Chief Election Officer, explained that he was preparing for elections and conducting the verification exercise simultaneously.

On July 27, one day after being labelled a temporiser for incredulously insisting he had a right to nominate as well as appoint persons for the Chair of GECOM, only weeks after a CCJ decision outlined that this was unlawful. Granger appointed Claudette Singh as Chairman of GECOM upon the submission of her name along with five others by the Leader of the Opposition in accordance with the Constitution. The retired Justice was asked to join the crab dance with mud being slung in wild fashion and faced the unenviable task

of unravelling the confusion caused by the insistence on beginning H2H sixty days before elections were constitutionally due.

Lawyers were like flies on honey in the courtrooms, the nation was reeling under the weight of legalese; On August 27, Chairman Singh ordered a halt to the H2H exercise saying “Cognisant of all that has transpired over the past months, GECOM has an obligation to produce a credible Official List of Electors (OLE) in the first instance and ultimately credible elections within the shortest possible time,” The action did not result in GECOM being able to hold elections on or before September 18 and on the 19th, the hammer of the international community fell heavily on Granger and his Administration.

Joint Statement

The United States of America Ambassador to Guyana, HE Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, United Kingdom High Commissioner to Guyana, HE Greg Quinn and the European Union Ambassador to Guyana, HE Ambassador Fernando Ponz Cantó’s joint statement on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) proposed elections timeframe.

“The United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union thank the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for devising a proposed elections timeframe for conducting General and Regional Elections.

However, we deeply regret that, by surpassing September 18, the Government is currently in breach of the Constitution following its failure to adhere to the decisions of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on 18 June and its subsequent orders.

This situation comes at great cost to the people of Guyana. The prevailing political uncertainty undermines Guyanese institutions, compromises economic oppor-

I have had enough of GFC

Dear Editor, The Guyana Forestry Commission [GFC] is selling logging concessions to the persons who could pay the highest price. I have been a sawmiller and logger for over 20 years now, this year, 2019, GFC had advertised available logging concessions to be allocated to stakeholders.

I decided to make several applications including two (2) for concessions located next to the Muraballi Reserve, Upper Demerara River. After I had made these applications, I received a call from a person at the GFC informing me to make urgent contact with the Deputy Commissioner, Rawl Lewis.

I was told to appear in person as the matter could not be discussed over the phone.

I visited Mr Rawl Lewis, at that time I did not know that this matter was related to my applications for concessions.

However, I met him and his

first question was “Do you really really need a concession?”. I said yes.

He said “well you know times are hard and we will have to make money,” so I asked him what he meant.

He said he would give me 5 days to provide $1 million to him and then the concession would be mine. He also told me that other stakeholders had approached him as well but he would give me “first preference”.

I am a struggling logger with a family to feed so I considered his deal. Three (3) days later I visited Mr Rawl Lewis again, but this time he told me my “foot was too short” and he had received a better deal from the “Hussain” family. Disappointed, I told him there were two concessions next to the Muraballi Reserve, he can give me one and the “Hussain” family one but he told me he already gave both to them.

Over the years, many persons who have invested millions in equipment, have acquired extensive experience and export markets in the logging industry have made applications for new concessions but would not get it because it is given to persons who don’t have any experience in the logging industry, have no export markets or equipments but have paid a hefty bribe for it.

Many of these persons cannot produce and are leading GFC Into financial difficulties but yet it continues.

Last year one stakeholder had found some evidence of fraud committed by one of the GFC Deputies and had written a letter to the Commissioner about it. The Commissioner then called the Deputy Commissioner to join him in the presence of that stakeholder and read his letter out loud.

He told the Deputy that this stakeholder had written a letter alleging that you (the

Deputy Commissioner) have committed fraud. After that day, that stakeholder was constantly victimised by the Deputy Commissioner to the point where he had no choice but to close his sawmill and logging business.

If anyone wants to investigate this matter all they have to do is compare the applications made by stakeholders and the applications made by the persons who received concessions to see who were the people with the most competitive applications as well as whose applications actually met the requirements needed to get concessions. I am asking you to kindly post this in hopes that something will be done.

I am a struggling logger who is trying to make an honest living and I have had enough.

Sincerely, A concerned logger

tunities and delays development across all areas including infrastructure, education, health, and social services.

It also hinders our ability to support Guyana’s development needs.

We, therefore, call upon the President to set an elections date immediately in full compliance with Guyana’s Constitution.”

Guyana now had a usurper Executive, “illegal” was added to the “caretaker’ designation afforded by the CCJ. Not that Granger or his Ministers seemed to notice. Granger paid lip-service to the caretaker concept and pledged that he would abide by the constraints imposed by the designation such as restricted foreign travel by Ministers; thereafter it was ignored and Ministers have travelled freely for meetings in Washington, Spain, Dubai, and George Norton even turned up at a PanAm Sports awards in Florida last week. Unbothered became the theme for Granger and his cohorts. In the meanwhile, the quarterly reports of the Bank of Guyana and other financial data are telling a tale of their own.

Capital expenditure rose over 29 per cent in the first half of 2019 as suddenly dozens of projects were deemed emergency works, this allowed the bypass of the Procurement Act and the drain on foreign reserves began to attract attention almost as much a the startling rise in the overdraft facility of the consolidated fund. After September 19 began a period that can only be described as ‘squandermania’. The reserves were outstripped by the overdraft leaving Guyana dependent on taxes to stay solvent.

External debt has climbed to over 60 per cent of GDP, the

highest in the post-IMF period (2006-present). Accounts of budget agencies such as Forestry, Mining, Lotto Fund have been decimated; billions spent, unaccounted for.

David Granger arranged faceto-face meetings with select international oil companies in a surreptitious attempt to sell three-million barrels of oil to bolster the emptied treasury. The vigilance of the Opposition, international and local media has placed a bright light upon these unusual negotiations. A return to governance by parliamentary democracy would be most welcome by a population assaulted by a never-ending stream of financial scandals committed by the APNU/AFC. 2019 let Guyanese know that constitutional rule of law is only as solid as the persons elected to govern by the provisions and principles therein. Bad actors will result in bad actions. GECOM’s Chair, Claudette Singh, is working through a plethora of issues methodically amidst much deliberate confusion and sabotage. Elections will be on March 2, 2020; three hundred and forty-seven days past due. The future of GECOM as a permanent body with a budget of billions annually and its role as keeper of the National Register of Registrants are in the balance.

The elections in 2020 are not about ‘oil money, ethnicity or youth’; it is about governance for the people, by the people in accordance with the rule of laws outlined in our Constitution; or extending the life of an Administration that has turned willful ignorance into an art form. Those are the choices facing the electorate.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

Why is Ramjattan... try to mirror his political objective as a true “brown-noser” who does not have a strategy or a brain. You think I am wrong, where is the crime-fighting and anti-torture strategy of Commissioner Leslie James today?

Ideas for the next Government that are easy wins: 1. Come June 2020, the lowest salary level of a policeman must be $100,000 per month. The Commissioner has a moral duty to fight to the end for this. It must happen. We have lost tens of billions because of the lack of a functional Police Force, so do not dare tell me that it is unaffordable. We cannot afford to lose billions more! Our nation cannot continue with such a demotivated “constable class” in the GPF. The ranks deserve a living wage and while $100,000 is not a living wage, it is so much closer to $140,000, than the $80,000 per month that they currently earn.

2. Mr Ramjattan did the right thing to establish 10 Regional Commanders. The next Government must institutionalise the powers of these Commanders by establishing

from page 4

10 training schools in the respective regions to ensure that each Commander is supplied with local recruits from their respective regions. All future graduates must be allowed to live and work in their respective region where they trained.

So if a constable trained at Fort Wellington in West Coast Berbice, he will be able to work at a police station from within the catchment area from the Mahaica River to the Berbice River. The vision is to secure the Rupununi region mainly with Rupununians. There is no need for a Lindener to leave his family in Linden to protect Rupununi especially when there is a more qualified constable from the Rupununi who knows the local terrain better.

3. There must be a civil society monitoring mechanism institutionalised in the Police Act that allows for an independent mechanism to monitor the work of the police.

Because of the broadness of this issue, it requires a follow-up letter. Editor, with your permission, I am asking the readers to ponder on this issue. Enough said.

With regards, Sasenarine Singh

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Page

W

e’re about to hit peak Christmas spending. For weeks children have been bombarded with ads for the musthave toys and gadgets, leading to their overly ambitious Christmas lists to the big man being reviewed and revised countless times.

Naturally this makes for a frenzied festive period as parents desperately try to tick off children’s must-wants in a frantic bid to avoid seeing little faces of disappointment on Christmas Day. But while mums and dads might be pulling out all the stops, there’s a real danger we could be setting kids up to expect to get everything they ask Father Christmas for.

“It doesn’t matter what type of shopper you are – a Christmas Eve-r or, a ‘let me book these tickets a year in advance’, shopping Santa for your kids can tip you over the edge of reason, as Bridget would call it,” explains certified child play therapist Amanda Seyderhelm.

So why do parents do it to themselves?

“My theory is we are making up for all the times we short-changed our kids during the year – as if a house size pile of shining wrappers is ever really going to fill that hole,” Seyderhelm suggests.

Thankfully, there are some tricks and tips you can put in place now that will ensure you still have happy little faces on Christmas morn, without maxing out your budget or turning into the Grinch.

Here’s our expert-backed tips on how not spoil your kids this Christmas.

Be realistic!

And manage their expec-

Foundation tations. “As Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier, young children will have been the message that the big day is ‘just around the corner’ for a long time before it actually comes, which means their levels of excitement and expectation are going to be high” explains Alistair Bryce-Clegg, early years specialist from Channel 4’s ‘Old People’s Home for Four Year Olds’.

“As adults it is important that we acknowledge how children are feeling and that a lot of the build-up to Christmas is out of their control.”

He suggests parents can support children by talking to them about how they are feeling.

“Give them some realistic time frames like ‘how many sleeps’ until the big day and remember although it is an exciting time for children it is also the time when their routine and diet change significantly and this has a direct impact on their behaviour,” he adds.

Stagger the gift-giving

We’ve all been there on Christmas morning when your little one disappears under a sea of discarding wrapping paper as they move onto the next gift, but this can be avoided by staggering the giving throughout the day.

“Lots of children are lucky enough to get a number of presents on Christmas Day. If they are given access to all of their gifts at once, they can switch into ‘unwrapping autopilot’, where they just pull off the paper and add the gift to their growing stack,” explains Bryce-Clegg.

“This is not great for the children or the person who selected and wrapped the gifts.

If your child is lucky enough to receive multiple gifts, then try and stagger them throughout the day. That way children have something to look forward to as the day goes on, but also they will pay more time and attention to the gifts they have received.”

Try and keep some routine

One of the special things about Christmas for children is that they get to do lots of special and out-of-the ordinary things. “Their environment looks different, both at home and at school, they will come into contact with people that they might not see as part of their usual social network and they will engage in activities like parties that are both exciting and exhausting,” explains Bryce-Clegg.

But children respond really well to a routine. Research

by Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil has found a daily routine gives kids emotional security, so sticking to their usual routines during the festive period can help keep children grounded.

“When the routine is going to be different, talk it through with your child,” suggests Bryce-Clegg.

“Christmas is absolutely a time for treats and special food, but research has shown that high sugar food can have a detrimental impact on children’s behaviour so try and keep the excess to a minimum,” he adds.

Build in ‘down time’

While planning all of the exciting things that we want our children to experience with us over the festive period, it is also really important that we plan in some ‘nothing time’.

Bryce-Clegg explains that

these are periods of time when everything is not focused on Christmas. “Times when as a family you can ‘catch your breath’,” he says.

“Even if it is just 10 minutes to turn off screens and read or tell a story. These are also good opportunities for adults to talk about how they are feeling and how they are managing those feelings.

“This is a great model for children around how positive it is to talk while also giving them strategies to understand and manage their own feelings and behaviour.”

this festive parenting hack is based on the principles of spending time, energy and motion – the Three Wise Gifts.

W = Wear the matching outfits. Be the family who wears them with pride!

R = Rock the dance floor with your kids – create playlists and have fun.

A = Advent for others – put a handmade craft into a

box every day for other kids.

P = Play charades for kids, they will love acting out their stories.

U = Use up leftovers and get cooking, baking gingerbread muffins with your kids.

P = Perform a family Christmas Carol, make stage sets, costumes, glug kid-friendly eggnog! (Yahoo!)

Focus on the giving not just the receiving

“For most children the anticipation around Christmas is about what they will get,” explains Bryce-Clegg. “We encourage them to write lists of things that they want. TV and social media will bombard them with images of things that they think they need to have.”

But this can generate a high level of expectation in children which can result in feelings of disappointment when they don’t get what they want.

“While adults find it easy to say ‘It is just what I have always wanted’, children don’t and this can result in them expressing their feelings in a way that adults find inappropriate,” BryceClegg says.

“It is really important for us to focus on the giving aspect of Christmas with children and also talk to them about the thought and meaning that goes into the giving of a gift even if the gift is not what they wanted!”

Take the WRAP UP challenge!

According to Seyderhelm,

H

o, ho, ho time for a new fun and easy Christmas project – let’s make a paper ball reindeer craft!

What’s wonderful about these lovely paper balls is that you can turn them into the most adorable Christmas garland ever!

What you need:

light brown construction paper dark brown construction paper scissors optional paper trimmer glue wiggle eye stickers or googly eyes. Alternatively you can also draw your own. red pom pom or red construction paper Glitter glue for some magic is always welcome.

Instructions

Cut four paper strips. We cut outs across the width of a A4/letter sized paper. Ours were about a “finger” wide.

There are no rules as to how long or how wide the paper strips need to be – if your paper strips are longer you might need to use more than four paper strips to make a nice, full ball shape. So, adjust the project as you go.

Younger kids can cut wider paper strips while older can cut thinner paper strips and use more of them.

Gently bend them in half, the fold marking the middle of the paper strips.

Apply a small amount of glue on the middle of the paper strip.

Place another paper strip on top of the first one, centred and at a 90-degree angle.

Glue on the other two, evenly spaced.

If you have more strips, add more trying to have them as evenly spaced as possible.

Next, take one end of one paper strip and apply glue on it.

Take the other end of the same paper strip and glue it together with the first end, making a circle loop.

Continue with all other paper strips, until you have a nice-looking paper ball.

Cut antlers out of darker construction paper.

Fold them at the bottom end (L shape) and apply glue.

Stick them on the top of the paper ball.

Take a pom pom, add glue and press it onto the paper ball.

Add two wiggle eye stickers or googly eyes.

All done! Your paper ball reindeer is complete!

To take this craft even further, why not make a dozen and string them on a thread, making the most wonderful reindeer garland. (easypeasyandfun.com)

NEWS

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monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana records deforestation rate of over 9000 hectares for 2018 – mining dominates as main driver of deforestation

By Jarryl Bryan

A

key report recently released by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) has shown that for last year, mining was the main driver of Guyana’s deforestation rate of 0.051 per cent or 9,227.1 hectares.

This is according to the Monitoring Reporting and Verification System (MRVS) Year Eight interim report, as part of the Guyana Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) programme.

The report covers January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018, with data being collected using satellite imagery of Guyana’s forests. According to the report, last year’s deforestation rate was slightly higher than in 2017, which was 0.049 per cent. According to the report, the data was also independently verified.

“The 2017 rate was the low-

est of all annual periods from 2010 to present. As with previous assessments, the GFC’s deforestation area has been verified by the Durham University (DU) team using a statistically representative independent sample. The area of deforestation reported by DU closely aligns with the values reported by the GFC,” the report states.

“The main deforestation driver for the current forest year reported is mining [sites], which accounts for 75 per cent of the deforestation in this period. The majority, 78 per cent, of the deforestation is observed in the State Forest Area. The temporal analysis of forest changes post-1990 indicates that most of the change is clustered around existing road infrastructure and navigable rivers.”

To give the rate of deforestation some context, Guyana has a total land area of 21.1 million hectares. As of 2009, the year

the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) was launched to help capitalise on the carbon credits Guyana was earning, there were 18.5 million hectares of forest.

Other than mining, other responsible sectors for the deforestation rate include settlements and infrastructure.

Mining’s nearest competitor is also related to the sector, with the instalment of mining infrastructure accounting for 687.6 hectares of lost forest.

Forest fires, according to the report, accounted for 661.2 hectares of damage to Guyana’s forests, while clearing trees for agricultural purposes accounted for 511.8 hectares. Forestry activities, which had just a 1.7 per cent bite of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of the middle of 2019, accounted for 355.9 hectares.

“The findings of this assessment assist to design REDD+ activities that aim to maintain

forest cover while enabling continued sustainable development and improved livelihoods for Guyanese. The purpose of the MRVS is to track at a national-level forest change of deforestation and degradation, by change driver,” the report states.

“Degradation estimates for mining and infrastructure are computed using new methods developed over the years 2018 and 2019, as a part of moving towards a more comprehensive yet sustainable MRVS implementation post-2020,” the report also explained.

Guyana has always had a track record of low deforestation rates, a fact that led to the setting up of a GRIF fund (Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund) under the previous Government. A study done by GFC back in 2011 had found that the deforestation rates were a mere 0.06 per cent from 2009 to 2010.

This increase in road fatalities, he stated, has been caused, mainly, by persons driving at excessive speeds; driving under the influence of alcohol; driving without due care and attention and driving on roads which are congested or unsafe for other road users.

He implored all road users to take all necessary precaution.

The Commissioner related that the errant road users who are responsible for the deaths will face the full force of the law.

“Please do so with moderation. There are smooth and long stretches of road in some part of the country, but it also has speed limits and you are reminded to drive within the speed limit. Those errant drivers you will be dealt with in a condign fashion,” he remarked.

As of December 20, a total

of 120 persons lost their lives as a result of accidents - a figure which surpassed the total number of traffic fatalities in 2018.

Earlier in the month, Traffic Chief Linden Isles told Guyana Times that these deaths were recorded from 98 accidents.

Recently, an accident occurred at Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, where a minibus slammed into a beverage delivery truck, resulting in the death of five persons. The accident reportedly occurred after the speeding minibus suffered a blowout.

With the recent fig-

The state of Guyana’s forests was captured in the MRVS report

While this minuscule deforestation rate was attributed primarily to mining activities, it has always been acknowledged that mining is a crucial part of Guyana’s economy; representing 21 per cent of the GDP in 2012.

As of the middle of 2019, mining accounted for 9.4 per cent of the GDP. Only the wholesale and retail trade, which is a service and not a productive sector, scored higher with a 13.4 per cent share.

For 2018, total gold declarations from all sources amounted

to 613,073 ounces, which was 6.22 per cent lower than the figures from 2017. Additionally, the foreign exchange value of exports processed on behalf of dealers and the GGB came up to US$443,961,666.

It is not just the foreign revenue that mining earns. The mining sector is also a significant source of employment, providing direct and indirect employment for thousands of Guyanese who work as small and medium scale miners or are employed by the large foreign-owned mining companies.

Increase in sensational road fatalities unacceptable – Top Cop

P

olice Commissioner, Leslie James last week stated that he was dissatisfied with the level of road deaths and accidents on Guyana’s roadways daily.

Speaking at an event, which was hosted at the Brickdam Police Station last week, the Top Cop revealed that Guyana is currently experiencing an increase in fatal accidents which have resulted in an uproar by citizens calling for the Guyana Police Force to do everything in its powers to reduce same.

“Recently, we have had an increase in sensational type of accident. Fatal accidents, serious accidents. To [the] extent that there is an outcry,” James added.

He reiterated that there is need for road users, both drivers and pedestrians, to change their attitude on the road-

Police Commissioner James

Leslie

ways to ensure the safety of not only themselves but fellow Guyanese as well.

“The factor of attitude, personal attitude, is a significant attribute to accidents. The way in which persons used the road is a significant contributor to the current [increase] of accidents and I would urge and I am imploring all users of the road, especially motorists [in] that category,” the Commissioner added.

Govt introduces new requirements for importation of medical devices

T

he Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) wishes to inform the general public, particularly importers of medical devices, of new importation requirements.

These requirements are in an effort to ensure that consumers are not exposed to substandard medical devices which may have a negative impact when used in the healthcare delivery system. As customary, importers are required to present a valid business registration, complete a Permit to Import Application form and pay the non-refundable fee.

In a release, the Food and Drug Department announced its new requirements which include that importers must demonstrate that the medical devices being imported are manufactured according to the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 13485 standard; importers must demonstrate that manufac-

turers of the medical devices intended to be imported are in possession of a Medical Devices Single Audit Programme (MDSA) certificate and importers must furnish an original Free Sale Certificate issued by the regulatory authority of the country of origin where the medical device is manufactured. Such a certificate can be valid for a period of no longer than five (5) years.

The Department has recently benefitted from a series of capacity building exercises related to medical devices. The most recent being the MDSAP Forum which was hosted at the headquarters of the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) in Washington, DC, from December 5-6, 2019.

At that Forum were medical devices regulators and auditors from the global community. Issues relating to device regulation and facility auditing were ventilated. In addition, the GA-FDD is now part of the PAHO

working group on medical devices.

The Food and Drug Act, Cap 34:03 of 1971, and the Food and Drug Regulations, 1977, define a medical device as “any instrument, apparatus or contrivance, including components, parts and accessories thereof, manufactured, sold or represented for use in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of a disease, disorder, abnormal state of health or the symptoms thereof, in man or animals, or used or intended to be used for the prevention of uterine conception.”

Importers are reminded that all permits previously issued expire at December 31, 2019. No consignment shall be allowed entry in the absence of a valid Permit.

The Permit to Import Application form can be downloaded from ga-fdd.gy website. Importers are free to contact the Department for any additional information.

Recent accident at Fairfield, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara

ures, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) along with the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) have called for a national approach to curb the growing number of deaths on the country’s roadways.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), some 1.25 million people are killed each year in traffic accidents worldwide. Over the last 16 years, Guyana lost more than 1869 persons to road fatalities and this figure continues to rise.

8 NEWS

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Chartered Accountant testifies in GRDB fraud cases

A

s the trial continued into the matter against former accountant of Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Peter Ramcharran, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan had initially ruled that one of his main witnesses, Leslie Veerasammy, is not competent to give evidence as a Chartered Accountant.

This was owing to the fact that Veerasammy failed to provide proof of his qualifications to the court, despite being given two weeks to do so.

Veerasammy had previously submitted two certificates of his qualifications to the court.

However, SOCU Prosecutor Patrice Henry raised serious objections on the basis that the qualifications produced were not sufficient to prove that he is indeed a Chartered Accountant.

The Chief Magistrate, after examining the documents stated, “I am not satisfied, you brought two pieces of documents and the court is not satisfied based on the documents that you’re a Chartered Accountant”.

The Magistrate asked about the original certificates

but in response, Veerasammy said that they were being kept in his safe deposit box at a city bank.

According to him, he was too busy to visit the bank for the documents.

Defence Attorney Sase Gunraj requested that the court grant an adjournment so as to facilitate Veerasammy uplifting the documents from the banking institution.

The request was, however, declined by the Chief Magistrate who ordered the trial to continue with his testimony. Nevertheless, the witness was allowed to give evidence as it relates to the audits he carried out at the GRDB. Veerasammy told the court that he carried out audits during the period 2011 and 2015. However, there was an objection to him tendering the audit reports.

The prosecutor objected on the grounds that the audit reports were done by Nizam Ali and Company Chartered Accountant. The basis for the objection was that Veerasammy could only be allowed to tender the documents if he was the author.

Peter Ramcharran

Prosecutor Henry added that nowhere in the witness’s police statement did he mention that he was authorised by the Auditor General to conduct audits for Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The prosecution argued, too, that the witness presented audits that he conducted from 2011 to 2014 which were in no way related to the present charges as they date back to 2015.

Gunraj, in replying to the prosecutor’s objections, told the court that the witness is the Managing Director for Nizam

Ali and Company and has established the requisite connection between the firm conducting the audits.

The prosecutor then responded that under the Corporate Act, the Corporate Secretary of the company would normally be the one to testify on behalf of the firm giving evidence or even attending court and not the Managing Director.

However, the Magistrate, after reviewing the audit reports and directing a series of questions to the witness, found that he was the author of the documents. The witness was then allowed to tender the audit report for the year 2015.

The matter was adjourned until December 23, when the witness is expected to continue giving evidence.

Ramcharran is facing five charges for the falsification of accounts for which the Chief Magistrate ruled sufficient evidence was found against him.

In his defence, he is calling forensic auditor, Nigel Hinds and external auditor, Leslie Veerasammy to testify on his behalf.

Hinds, however, has not yet been able to testify due to the fact that his qualifications were sent out of the jurisdiction to be assessed.

Ramcharran was slapped with 39 fraud charges for alleged breaches within GRDB. The Chief Magistrate is dealing with 22 of the matters, while Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus is presiding over the 17 charges of keeping fraudulent accounts.

Ramcharran, 39, was charged in March 2019 after being extradited from Canada where he was fighting extradition to Guyana for more than two years.

Particulars of the first five charges allege that between the years 2011 and 2015, Ramcharran, while being the accountant of GRDB, failed to enter some $414 million in the GRDB ledger.

Ramcharran was slapped with 17 charges which alleged that he, along with former General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Jagnarine Singh and his Deputy, Madanlall Ramraj, omitted entries into the company ledger.

The charges alleged that Ramcharran failed to enter true entries of over $4.2 million into the company’s ledger, knowing that it was contrary to standard operating procedures between 2011 and 2012, at the company’s Lot 16-17 Cowan Street, Kingston head office.

The last 17 charges allege that Ramcharran, along with Singh and Ramraj, fraudulently took $5.1 million or used the sum for their own use and benefit, or any use and purpose other than that of the GRDB. However, in August 2019 Senior Magistrate Leron Daly dismissed a 2011 fraud charge against three former officials of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).

Those freed of the charges were former General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Jagnarine Singh; former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and PPP/C Member of Parliament, Nigel Dharamlall; and the Deputy Permanent Secretary of Finance in the Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine.

Oil as manna…

G

…for the PNC ranger and the PNC insist we jump up and down because Guyana became “an oil-producing nation” on Dec 20. Granger even declared that day, “National Petroleum Day”. Who knows…maybe they hope it’ll surpass Christmas? After all, only the messiah was born then!! Oil, on the other hand, is “manna from heaven” to deliver the promised land!

But from where your Eyewitness sits – yes…he didn’t jump up and down! – that manna will just be for the PNC and its coterie of sycophants! Decades from now, your Eyewitness predicts, if the PNC is allowed to continue in office, folks will echo Dickens as they shake their heads ruefully and murmur, ‘it was the best of times (for the PNC) and the worst of times (for the masses of the Guyanese people).” Why does your Eyewitness think so?

Well, we can do worse than look at the nature of the PNC’s rule in Guyana during its first stint at the wheel (1964-1992) and then again between 2015 and 2019 and extrapolate. Simultaneously, we can look at another society sharing several characteristics with us as an ex colony and which was ruled by a party similar to the PNC – Equatorial Guinea and see what oil did for that country.

The PNC under Burnham created a dictatorship which was heavily influenced by the Ujaama socialism of Tanzania and the overall culture of “Big man” Rule in sub-Saharan Africa. On his return from one of his trips to that continent, he introduced both “the co-operative socialism” as the economic model and the supreme Executive Presidency as the political model. While he didn’t have Equatorial Guinea’s luck with oil – discovered in the 1960s – he did have a windfall with skyrocketing sugar prices. He frittered that away and plunged Guyana to just below Haiti on the global rankings. Meaning, the PNC made us an international basket case.

According to Wiki, “Since the mid-1990s, Equatorial Guinea has become one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest oil producers. It is subsequently the richest country per capita in Africa, and its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita ranks 43rd in the world. However, the wealth is distributed extremely unevenly, with few people benefiting from the oil riches.

The country ranks 135th on the 2016 Human Development Index, with less than half the population having access to clean drinking water and 20% of children dying before the age of five.

Equatorial Guinea’s Government under President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is authoritarian and has one of the worst human rights records in the world.”

And Granger has vowed to fulfil Burnham’s legacy!! …and ideology as destiny Now some may say that your Eyewitness is being unfair.

Why, for instance, can’t the PNC be given the benefit of the doubt that they can replicate the experience of, say, Norway which struck oil around the same time as Equatorial Guinea.

Well, let’s look at the different governance structures these two countries chose to deal with oil and then see where the PNC has been taking us since 2015.

Norway deepened its democratic credentials and placed its independently controlled oil revenues in a Sovereign Wealth Fund from which it only withdrew the INTEREST accrued for development. It focused on diversifying its economy. It also invested heavily in social spending and maintained a high tax rate to fund its spending. Equatorial Guinea, on the other hand, quickly became a dictatorship – not very dissimilar to Granger’s cosmetic variant that has trampled on the Constitution. He’s, not coincidentally seized total control of oil within his all-powerful Ministry of the Presidency.

Like Equatorial Guinea, Granger has bigged up “infrastructural development” – which the former used to siphon oil funds into its cronies’ pockets! …the minnows as a gesture The baby parties (your Eyewitness isn’t throwing shade – they were all born in the last year!) are frantically flailing around for survival in the two-man horserace.

Since they refuse to hang together, they’ll all hang separately!

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

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monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

10 NEWS

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Nations' Director frustrated with lack of progress in shooting incident

I

t has been 11 months since Director of School of the Nations, Dr Brian O’Toole was shot and injured in front of his house but the police are yet to make an arrest in the case. He was shot on the night of January 27, 2019, and though the shoot-

er was identified, he remains at large and is purported to have fled to the United States.

Speaking with Guyana Times last week, O’Toole expressed his frustration in the slothfulness in which the Guyana Police Force is

conducting its investigations.

He explained that after learning that the perpetrator would have fled to the US, he provided that details to the US Embassy in Guyana with the intention of getting some assistance

but this has not been done.

Moreover, Dr O’Toole said he is disappointed with the lack of support he received from the United States Embassy, especially the Deputy Head of Mission and the Head of Security.

“Four times they told me

Nations Director, Dr Brian O’Toole

this is a Guyanese problem.

The first time they told me, I thought it was some misunderstanding. I say, I am not talking about shooter I am talking about the person who started the mayhap. Again they said it is for the Guyanese Police to deal with, so I ask them how that is possible that you can sit there and tell me that a Guyanese Police Force got to go to Florida. That is an unbelievable statement,” the Director said.

O’Toole, whose left hand was left paralysed as a result of the shooting, said to this day, the events of the night in question linger in his mind.

“Eleven months ago, that night, the house was brightly lit up. The boy, whose hands was shaking like a child was about five, six feet away and I can see it now, it is clearly as I saw him on that day,” he explained.

O’Toole added that his

perpetrator did a popular video game, “Fornite”, dance after shooting him.

Fortnite is a video game in which players compete individually or as part of squads of up to four to be the last player standing.

On the day in question, the 64-year-old man arrived at his Bel Air home and as he was about to open the door to his house, a male suspect approached him, pointed a gun and discharged three rounds in his direction. Two bullets caught him in both forearms. During that time, Dr O’Toole’s school had received several death threats.

Meanwhile, as he pursues the matter, O’Toole had met with the acting Crime Chief last week where he was assured that every piece of evidence and information pertaining to the shooting is being looked at.

The investigations continue.

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monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

12 news

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Georgetown Mayor calls for private, public help to restore City Hall

O

ne of Guyana’s most historic and iconic buildings is falling apart and Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine is making a stronger appeal to private and public agencies to help restore the once picturesque structure.

Upon his re-election as Mayor a few days ago, Mayor Narine told the media under leaky roofs within the City Hall building, that the structure which has been neglected over the years is in dire need for repairs, especially since some sections of the structure are labelled unsafe.

A deteriorating external section of the building

A recent study by the European Union has pegged the rehabilitation of the building at over $400 million but as time goes by, the cost increases.

However, since then, no significant work was done towards the restoration of the building.

Nevertheless, at an event last week, the Mayor appealed to both the private and public sector for aid in restoring the building.

“The iconic building, the historic building of this city, it is falling apart which is City Hall. I alone cannot do it as the Mayor,

Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine

my Council alone cannot do it, we need the Private Sector to play a part, we

need private partnership.

We need all Guyanese to play a big part to restore City Hall and the only way we can do that is to put our shoulders to the wheel and move forward” he asserted.

Most recently, the City Council announced plans to establish a Trust Fund whereby persons can make donations towards the rehabilitation of the building.

Speaking to this newspaper on the plans, Mayor Narine conveyed that the fund is currently being established and the City Council is hoping to launch the initiative before February 2020.

ANSA McAL officially opens T WEE Gourmet Shoppe

ANSA McAL’s Country Manager, Beverly Harper cuts the ribbon with Giftland Mall’s proprietor, Roy Beepat to open the T WEE Gourmet Shoppe

A

NSA McAL Trading Limited (AMTL), through its T WEE Brand, opened its Gourmet Shoppe to customers at the Giftland Mall on Saturday during a short but exciting ceremony.

In the midst of rich steel pan music, Country Manager of AMTL, Beverly Harper noted that the occasion was significant as it aligned with the vision of the company.

“First of all, its Mr Beepat’s birthday so this is a gift to him too but we believe that he [Beepat] has turned this small [venture] into something beyond what we envisioned and we are happy to be part of it without T

WEE Shoppe that can serve all customers…You can come down and check us out and be assured that we have the best prices and quality items,” Harper noted.

Meanwhile, Proprietor of the Giftland Mall, Roy Beepat expressed satisfaction of having ANSA McAL onboard as one of the highest names within the business.

Country Manager of T WEE Guyana, Tanya Wilcott noted that this is a proud moment for her and encouraged customers to visit the location at Giftland.

There are also two duty-free T WEE brand locations which can be found at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

news

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monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Pres Hoyte remembered for Iwokrama initiative on 17th death anniversary

President David Granger lays a wreath at Hugh Desmond Hoyte’s grave

T

he 17th death anniversary commemoration service for former President and Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Hugh Desmond Hoyte, was held on Sunday at the Seven Ponds, Botanical Gardens.

Speaking at the com-

er set aside the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conversation and Development to be used as a model for conservation and development. To this end, he positioned Guyana to take advantage of the economic reforms that swept the western hemi-

a scenes from the 17th observance of Hugh Desmond Hoyte’s death anniversary

memoration service, President David Granger noted that the late President Hoyte was a President and a leader who fought for the environment.

“One of the few leaders of the world that identified the vital role which small states could play in protecting the world’s environment,” he remarked.

Granger pointed out that the former leader was a champion of change in ensuring that the economy was developing.

Moreover, the late lead-

sphere in the last decade of the 20th century.

“His policies laid a firm foundation for sustained economic growth and environmental stewardship.

Guyana can learn much from his prudent approach to economic management and political cooperation,” he stated.

The usual commemoration service saw President Granger paying his respects by laying the first wreath followed by family members, friends and colleagues.

Hoyte served as President from 1985 to 1992 and before that he held several Ministerial posts between 1969 and 1984 including Home Affairs, Finance, Works and Communications, and Economic Development.

In 1984, he became First Vice President and Prime Minister. During his presidency, he initiated far-reaching electoral and economic reforms, which strengthened the bases of the democratic culture of Guyana, promoted market-oriented policies and stimulated economic growth.

Furthermore, as a Minister of Government, he held, on several occasions, responsibility for African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) affairs under the Lome Convention and was the ACP spokesman on sugar from 1981 to 1983.

His portfolio also included the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Affairs.

14 NEWS Guyana's healthcare deteriorating – Leslie Ramsammy monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019| guyanatimesgy.com

– no reason for shortcomings

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

Former Minister of Public Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy

ublic Health Minister, Volda Lawrence and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Karen Boyle were heavily criticised by former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy following reports that the Diamond Diagnostic Centre is not operating at its full potential.

There has been an urgent call for nurses and midwives at the medical facility.

During an exclusive interview with Guyana Times, Dr Leslie Ramsammy noted that before the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) left office in 2015, they would have established health centres and hospital nationwide which catered for

the public and which were operating at 100 per cent capacity and as such, there should be no reason for the shortcomings at the hospital and health centres.

“There is no reason why the Diamond [Diagnostic Centre] should be functioning at 25 per cent capacity. There is no reason why the Port Mourant Optometry Centre to virtually be closed. There is no reason why large period of time major hospital like New Amsterdam cannot have X-Rays. There is no reason why the mortuary in many hospitals are still not functioning,” Ramsammy noted.

The former Minister boast-

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Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Boyle

ed about the quality of the health care system under the PPP Administration while pointing out the negligence of the coalition Government to ensure that all Guyanese have access to quality healthcare.

“My belief is that this Government inherited a healthcare system that was made tremendous advancement and suddenly we find ourselves going backwards in terms of access to quality healthcare,” Ramsammy stated.

According to Ramsammy’s analysis, this backfall is unacceptable, since healthcare plays a crucial role in helping

Guyanese, especially low-income families.

“My assessment of the health sector is that they have allowed it to deteriorate and to go backwards and that is unforgivable because healthcare belongs to all the people. We need to improve our health so that every citizen will be able to get help,” Ramsammy added.

He further cited that public health in Guyana has rapidly declined since May 2015 and in some sections of the

media, there have been reports of discourse stories highlighting the many struggles people endure as they try to access public health.

The Diamond Diagnostic

Centre (DDC) was established in 2017 to function as a Level Three health facility, where some services, inclusive of minimum in-patient service, are being offered.

Guyanese-American sign partnership with Concord Music

Guyanese-American music executive Ron André Elvis Telford and Remar

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uyanese-American Music Executive Ron André Elvis Telford and Creative Titans have entered into a multimillion-dollar joint venture partnership with Concord Music Publishing Ron has had various roles across the music industry since 2008. He and his team have put an emphasis on finding and procuring talent from Guyana, the Caribbean, Africa, Latin America and territories outside of North America. Success has come over the last two years via their Creative Titans imprint.

Creative Titans is a hybrid music company that leads with artist management and

The artistes and executives of Concord Music Publishing

music publishing.

Most recently, Ron played a key role in putting together Vybz Kartel’s "Watch Over Us", Koffee’s “Toast”, Jorja Smith’s "Be Honest", Koffee feat Gunna’s "W" and Ludmilla’s "Verdinha". Last summer, he worked with Kim Frankiewicz, Harri Davies, Tom Desavia, and Jeremy Yohai in closing the deal to bring Walshy Fire (of Major Lazer) to Concord Music Publishing.

Colombian songwriter and producer, Bassto, will be the first signing under this new joint venture. After a year of collaborating with established music creatives across the USA and UK, Bassto has become a heavily sought-af-

ter producer and skilfully contributed on several hits this year. Guyanese star, Dominic "Remar" Weekes has been working with Creative Titans while they help to orchestrate a US/UK publishing and record deal for him.

“From the first day of interacting with the team at Concord, both UK and USA staff, I knew we would be able to mesh a fruitful business relationship – I felt at home. We are very excited to lend our A&R insight for music creation and be a champion for the writers that we publish.”

Ron has his eyes set on finding Guyanese singers and songwriters as well as bringing a performing rights organisation to Guyana.

news

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monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

World Bank provides technical assistance for Guyana’s 2nd NRA

Attorney General Basil Williams he World Bank is currently providing Guyana with technical assistance to conduct its second National Risk Assessment (NRA) which commenced this month and will conclude in September 2020.

This is being done as Guyana prepares for its fourth round of mutual evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) in 2023.

Conducting the NRA is in keeping with the FATF recommendation – one which requires jurisdictions to carry out risk assessments on a constant basis which will allow for assessments to be current.

It will also allow for the identification of any new money laundering or terrorist financing threats and vulnerabilities in Guyana.

According to NRA Coordinator, Alicia Williams, the World Bank has recommended a three-phase process be undertaken for the assessment.

She was at the time speaking at a Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (ML/ TF) National Risk Assessment

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Seminar last week at the Pegasus Hotel, Kingston, Georgetown.

“Some quick facts about this process are [that] the NRA exercise will be owned by us; the World Bank’s role will be limited to that of providing technical assistance. It is a capacity-building exercise and that will enable us to undertake future risk assessments without external support. It aims to include all AML safety stakeholders from public and Private Sector to bring in different perspectives and enhance their cooperation.

Clear timetable set at the beginning of the process ensures completion of the NRA within a reasonable timeframe. It will help authorities to identify data and information gaps and to develop a framework for future collection and it is also cost-effective,” Williams explained.

Understanding the ML/ TF risks is an essential part of developing and implementing a national Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) regime.

She further explained that a risk assessment allows countries to identify, assess and understand their ML/TF risks.

Once these risks are properly understood, countries can apply AML/CFT measures that correspond to the level of risk, in other words, The RiskBased Approach (RBA). The

“With our oil regime looming, it’s very important that we ensure we’re not blacklisted because the CFATF and the FATF requirements to protect the international financial economy is brutal and they respect nobody, it’s no respecter of persons. Every country, [even] in Europe …

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he Region Five (MahaicaBerbice) administration has completed its work programme for 2019.

This was according to Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) Sherwin Wellington while addressing the Region Five Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Friday.

He told the gathering that the administration was given $436,160,000 under its current work programme for 2019.

“To date we would have expended those funds. But on the capital side even though we would have expended all of our money, with the savings that we got, we were able to purchase additional things which we had put in the budget and were not approved in all five programme hands. We would have spent all of our allocations on the current budget. We’ve just a few more vouchers to add in, so all the money we would have got-

be put in place in order for the country to meet international standards and be able to continue international trade and business.

The second NRA will be conducted by a working group of 75 persons from over 40 public and Private Sector organisations.

Sol wraps up customers’ Christmas promotion NRA Coordinator Williams

Alicia

RBA, which is central to the FATF recommendations, enables countries to prioritise their resources and allocate them efficiently.

The FATF has developed a guideline which will assist countries in the conduct of risk assessment at the country or national level. The principles described in this guidance are also relevant to more focused risk assessments, for example, of a particular financial sector.

Guyana’s first NRA, which was conducted for a 12-month period from 2016 to 2017, revealed that the country’s overall risk was high. This was informed by Guyana’s overall threat which rated high and overall vulnerability which rated medium-high. The threat level for terrorism was rated medium.

Attorney General Basil Williams, who was present at the seminar, underscored the importance of Guyana meeting the requirements of the FATF and stressed on the importance of Guyana maintaining its good standing with the FATF and CFATF, especially at such a pivotal point in its history with its new oil wealth.

Region 5 completes 2019 work programme

Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO) Sherwin Wellington

they have to come up for assessment and they have to conform [to] the recommendations of the FATF,” he stated.

As Guyana was previously blacklisted in 2015, regulations and laws addressing Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML&CFT) had to

ten from the Parliament, we would have spent.”

Region Five has been plagued with the RDC not being able to have successful meetings ever since January 2016. In fact, over the past year, the Council has not been able to have any fruitful discussion.

Wellington, who was at the time serving as the Clerk of the RDC, acknowledged that the lack of meetings has had a negative impact on the Region.

He took the opportunity to call on Councillors to unite for the betterment of the Region.

“When you sit here, you sit as a council putting aside party affiliation. So, as a council, you will be able to make decisions that will represent all and that would benefit everyone. So, from 2020, let us all work together and we will get progress when we work together,” the DREO told the RDC. Meanwhile, Wellington said that funds from other Ministries which were pumped into the Region have also been exhausted.

Shell employees selecting the winners of the promotion

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ntending to give back to its customers, Sol Guyana offered cash and other prizes totalling over $2 million. This promotion is open to all drivers filling up with Shell fuels including Shell V-Power, Shell FuelSave and Shell Diesel.

Renée Armstrong-Joseph, Sales Executive - Retail of Sol Guyana Inc, the licensed operator of Shell Service Stations, said there was no better time for Sol Guyana to help meet the needs of loyal customers, than around the Christmas season.

Armstrong-Joseph indicated that the Christmas prizes, including a Grand Prize of $1 million, second

prize of $500,000, and third prize of $250,000, would go a long way to meet needs and make Christmas truly merry for deserving customers.

“Our promotion is ‘Win all you need for Christmas’, it started on the 4th of November and it ended yesterday the 20th of December, and basically you are winning all your needs. We had fuel, groceries, cash, we had a gift, of course, and today is our big draw”, she said.

She further said: “We know that Christmas is a time of year when everyone can benefit from a little extra help and we look forward to rewarding deserving customers with prizes that will

do just that, including generous cash prizes to make Christmas 2019 merry and memorable,” ArmstrongJoseph said.

Customers spending $3000 on Shell FuelSave, Shell V-Power or Shell Diesel were eligible for the grand prize or any of the weekly prizes. Additionally, customers who spent $5000 in Shell fuels during the weekly Happy Hours benefited from additional chances to win prizes of free groceries, cash, Sol Gas and Shell Fuel and Shell Christmas gifts.

Armstrong-Joseph said Sol was steadfastly passionate about offering quality, high-performance fuels which have proven reliable to its customers. She encouraged new customers to also try their range of Shell V-Power, Shell FuelSave and Shell Diesel fuels.

Meanwhile after the final draw, Xavier Mann bagged the $1 million prize while Vidawattie Sukhraj secured the $500,000 prize and Clay Flatis walked away with the $250,000.

GAWU urges Private Sector to increase minimum wage for workers - public servants to now receive $70,000 monthly, private workers still get $44,200

Consultant of the Labour Department at the Ministry, Francis Carryl

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n light of the recent increase of minimum wages for those in the public sector, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) is urging the Private Sector to follow suit.

To date, the minimum wage for Private Sector employees stands at 44,200 when compared to 70,000 for those in the public sector.

At its end of year press conference, GAWU stated that as 2019 comes to an end, it is dismal that the Private Sector employees will not enjoy benefits or increases which Government workers can and will benefit from.

“This stark disparity requires urgent atten-

tion. Our Union is aware that the National Tripartite Committee (NTC), which comprises representatives of the labour movement, the Private Sector and the Government, at its meeting in April, this year agreed to up the national minimum wage to $60,000 per month. The increase which, we understand, was supported by all the constituents, at this time, has not been implemented,” the Union stated.

According to the GAWU, since the abovementioned meeting that was held in the month of April, there has been no attempt made to reconvene the NTC meeting which is usually chaired by Social Protection Minister, Amna Ally.

“We are at a loss as to why the NTC is not meeting as such meetings are critical to ensure that the decision to increase the national minimum wage is implemented. Undoubtedly our nation’s workers are more than deserving and the improvement would bring about much-deserved relief to our working-class.”

Some six months ago, Consultant of the Labour Department at the Ministry, Francis Carryl had explained

that the economy is vastly changing and another increase is crucial at this time.

“We’re not sure when the consultations will be completed, but we are working assiduously to raise the Private Sector’s minimum wage, to bring it up to speed with the 2019 economic circumstances. We don’t want to excite anyone, but all the parties including the unions, employers and the Government are interested with what has been brought to the table. As soon as the consultations are completed, we will announce the increase,” Carryl at that time related.

However, to date, there has been no such increase or a date slated for an increase to be implemented for Private Sector employees across the country.

In light of this, many workers attached to the country’s Private Sector have over the year left their jobs and sought employment at Governmentrun agencies or Ministries.

In January 2017, the Private Sector’s minimum wage was increased from an hourly rate of $202 to $255, taking the monthly wage from $35,000 to $44,200.

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guyanatimesgy.com

monday, december 23, 2019

Regional

Bolivia announces entry into Lima Trinidad: Ganja users breathing easy from today Group to resolve Venezuelan crisis C

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olivia on Sunday announced its entry into the Lima Group regional bloc that was set up to find a way out of the Venezuelan crisis.

The Bolivian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it hoped to “contribute to a peaceful, democratic and constitutional solution to the crisis in Venezuela, which must be guided by the Venezuelan people”.

The Lima Group was founded in 2017 by countries including Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, St Lucia, Canada, Colombia, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala, with the support of the United States, the Organisation of American States, and the European Union.

It has called for the release of political prisoners, the holding of free elections, and the entry of humanitarian aid into the stricken country.

Ministers after a meeting of the Lima Group in Brasilia, Brazil, November 8, 2019 (file photo)

Bolivia’s leftist former president, Evo Morales, had kept his country out of the bloc. Morales is a long-time ally of Venezuela’s socialist President Nicolás Maduro.

Morales resigned from office and fled Bolivia in November amid pressure from the country’s armed forces after an international audit detected significant irregularities in an election that had handed him a fresh mandate.

He went first to Mexico

and then to Argentina where the new Peronist Government of Alberto Fernandez has indicated it will give him political asylum.

Bolivia is currently governed by Jeanine Añez, a former Senator and opponent of Morales. Añez stepped in as interim president after Morales resigned.

There was no immediate comment from other members of the Lima Group or Morales. (Reuters)

Mexican church founder “abused 60 minors”

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t least 60 children were abused

by Marcial Maciel, founder of the ultra-conservative Catholic order Legionaries of Christ, an investigation has found.

The report, published by the Roman Catholic group, said 33 priests in the order abused at least 175 minors since it was founded in 1941.

In 2006, Maciel was ordered to retire to a life of penitence after years of allegations of sexual abuse of minors.

He died two years later at the age of 87 without facing his accusers.

“There are probably more cases of abuse than those in the report and the statistics will have to be updated regularly,” the report said.

It added that a process of “reparation and reconciliation” had begun with 45 of the victims.

According to the report, six of the 33 accused priests died without being tried, one was convicted, and one is currently awaiting trial –

and has “already [been] removed from clerical status”.

Another 18 are still part of the organisation, but they have been removed from tasks where they interact with the public or with children.

The report added that 14 of the 33 priests were also victims themselves, which it said highlighted the “chains of abuse”, where “a victim of a Legionnaire, over time, becomes in turn an aggressor”.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

Jamaican Govt to build St Thomas nursery in honour of Miss World

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he Government is expected to build a nursery at the Women’s Centre in Morant Bay, St Thomas, which will be named in honour of Miss World Toni-Ann Singh.

Singh, who won the Miss World crown last Saturday, has made it known that her passion is to help young women, in particular, young mothers.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange on Wednesday described Singh as a talented young woman who is also focused on helping adolescent mothers.

“We have witnessed firsthand her beautiful spirit and her capacity for care through the work that she has been doing with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and at the Women’s Centre location in her home parish of St Thomas. She has been

Miss World Toni-Ann Singh embraces a young woman at the women’s centre in St Thomas (Racquel Porter photo)

helping to improve the facilities and raising funds to ensure that the adolescent mothers are given the tools to become great parents and to continue their education,”

she said.

Singh is currently in St Thomas as part of four days of activity planned for the new Miss World. (Jamaica Observer)

annabis users in Trinidad can breathe easier as the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act is now in effect.

On Friday, President Paula Mae-Weekes proclaimed the legislation which now allows adults to have up to 30 grams of cannabis in their possession and households to have up to four plants without facing criminal charges.

The new law states that anyone found with 30 to 60 grams of cannabis will now be subjected to a TT$2000 ticketable offence.

And anyone caught in possession of 60 to 100 grams of marijuana will now be subjected to up to 50 hours of community service and also a maximum fine of TT$75,000.

Senior Counsel Fyard Hosein will also head to the court today to begin the process of seeking freedom for some 101 persons, including

Adults are, however, not allowed to smoke marijuana in a public place or while operating a vehicle

14 children in rehabilitation centres, who have been incarcerated for possession of marijuana.

But while cannabis users, Rastafarians, and other advocates will be celebrating today, there are several persons and organisations who have expressed concern about the passage of the law.

On Friday, non-profit organisation, RebuildTT wrote to Weekes urging her to postpone proclamation of the law.

Although the Dangerous Drugs Amendment Act was passed in both Houses

of Parliament, “pro-family NGO RebuildTT believes the legislation is flawed and will cause mayhem if implemented immediately, and the President should not be a rubber stamp with instructions to assent to the law by a given date”.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Jason Gordon on Sunday said while marijuana use may no longer be a criminal offence, it is still a “social offence.”

Gordon said marijuana is still a “harmful drug”.

(Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Southern Venezuela military facility raided, 1 soldier dead – officials

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ssailants raided a military facility in southern Venezuela early on Sunday morning, stealing weapons and killing one soldier, authorities said.

Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said Police and the military had detained some suspects and recovered all the stolen weapons. He blamed the attack on “extremist sectors of the opposition”, without

naming any individuals.

Venezuela, whose economy has collapsed under socialist President Nicolás Maduro, is in the midst of a deep political crisis.

In January, Oppositionheld National Assembly President Juan Guaidó invoked the Constitution to declare himself interim President and encouraged the military to side with him.

A spokesman for Guaidó

had no immediate comment. Maduro dismisses Guaidó as a US puppet seeking to oust him in a coup, and has retained control of the territory and the military.

Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said six people had been arrested in connection with the attack by a “group of armed terrorists” on the facility, which he said was near the border with Brazil. (Reuters)

Long-standing UNC Councillor leads calls to probe colleague

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ouncillors at the Siparia Regional Corporation are demanding a forensic investigation into the spending of its former Chairman, Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh.

Guardian Media understands that one United National Congress (UNC) Councillor called on the new chairman, Dinesh Sankersingh to launch an immediate investigation into the spending from the chairman’s fund during Ramadharsingh’s tenure.

The call gained the full support of the People’s National Movement (PNM) Councillors within the Corporation, but in a surprise move, a second UNC Councillor added his support as well.

The PNM alderman, Chris Encinas confirmed that the call for a forensic investigation came from UNC Councillor Doodnath Mayrhoo.

Encinas said that the chairman’s fund was separate from the funding received by the Siparia Regional Corporation.

Former Sangre Grande Regional Corporation Chairman Terry Rondon (left); former Siparia Regional Corporation Chairman, Dr Glenn Ramadharsingh; Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation Chairman Henry Awong, and Arima Regional Corporation Mayor Lisa Morris-Julian, during the Rural Development and Local Government Ministry meeting on projects, plans, and proposals for fiscal 2018/2019 ( Tony Howell photo)

“The money in the chairman’s fund comes from donations from business people, the Siparia fete, it’s almost like a slush fund monitored by the Council,” he said.

“So, the Chairman would come forward and say I had a function and so and so and this function we spent a couple thousand on food and beverages, etc,” he said.

Encinas said in most cases the spending from

the chairman’s fund was brought to Council after the money was already spent.

“Sometimes it’s like that.

The Chairman would come and say we had this function and these are the invoices coming in from the service providers,” he said.

Encinas said the Council usually approved the already spent money “in good faith”. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, december 23, 2019

17

Around the World

Tesco halts production at Chinese factory over alleged 'forced' labour

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esco has suspended production of charity Christmas cards at a factory in China after a sixyear-old girl found a message from workers inside one.

The note, found by Florence Widdicombe, was allegedly written by prisoners in Shanghai claiming they were "forced to work against our will".

"Please help us and notify human rights organisation," the message said.

Tesco said it was "shocked" by the report, adding: "We would never allow prison labour in our supply chain."

The supermarket said it would de-list the supplier of the cards, Zheijiang Yunguang Printing, if it was

Florence Widdicombe, aged six, said finding the message made her feel shocked

found to have used prison labour.

Florence was writing cards to her school friends when she found that one of them - featuring a kitten with a Santa hat - had already been written in.

In block capitals, it said: "We are foreign prisoners

in Shanghai Qingpu prison China. Forced to work against our will. Please help us and notify human rights organisation."

It asked whoever found the message to contact Peter Humphrey, a British journalist who was himself imprisoned there four years

ago.

Florence, from Tooting in south London, told BBC News she was writing "my sixth or eighth card" when she saw "somebody had already written in it".

The supermarket said it has a "comprehensive auditing system" to ensure suppliers are not exploiting forced labour.

Sales of charity Christmas cards at the company's supermarkets raise £300,000 a year for the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK. The retailer has not received any other complaints from customers about messages inside Christmas cards. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Pirates kill 1, kidnap 4 in Gabon capital attack

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Gabonese captain was killed and four Chinese sailors abducted on Saturday in Gabon's capital, Libreville, following an attack by pirates in the city's harbour, the Government has said.

"Pirate attacks were perpetrated ... against four ships," Government spokesman Edgard Anicet Mboumbou Miyakou said on Sunday.

Pirate attacks are un-

usual in the harbour, but extremely frequent in the surrounding Gulf of Guinea.

The West African country's defence and security forces were deployed "to secure the area and track down the perpetrators with the cooperation of Interpol and sub-regional bodies," Miyakou said.

Two of the ships were fishing vessels belonging to Sigapeche, a Sino-Gabonese company which employs the four Chinese sailors.

The third ship belongs to the maritime transport company Satram, based in Port Gentil, Gabon, while the fourth is a cargo vessel flying a Panamanian flag.

The Gulf of Guinea, which stretches some 5700km (3500 miles) from Senegal to Angola, has become the new world epicentre of pirate attacks, lootings and kidnappings for ransom.

From January to September, 82 per cent of

maritime kidnappings in the world occurred in the Gulf of Guinea, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

Early last month two Filipinos, a Greek and a Georgian, crew members on an oil tanker, were abducted off of the Togolese capital Lome and nine Filipino seamen were snatched off of Cotonou, the economic capital of Benin. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

a unity Government.

In a television speech on Sunday, Ghani welcomed the result and said the country was now on the right path towards prosperity and development.

The Head of IEC, Hawa Alam Nuristani, told a news conference in Kabul earlier that the outcome could change after final results and was still subject to a review by the election complaints’ commission.

If a review showed Ghani’s vote falling below 50 per cent and no other candidate with a majority, a second round of voting would be

held, she said.

According to the tally released by the IEC on Sunday, the total turnout was 1,824,401 with Ghani winning 923,868 votes and Abdullah finished second with 39.5 per cent and 720,099 votes.

The United States, Afghanistan’s biggest donor, reacted cautiously to the result.

Abdullah’s office said in a statement that he did not accept the preliminary results and that the commission had failed to tackle election fraud. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Erdogan says Turkey cannot handle new migrant wave from Syria, warns Europe

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urkey cannot handle a fresh wave of migrants from Syria, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, warning that European countries will feel the impact of such an influx if violence in Syria’s northwest is not stopped.

Turkey currently hosts some 3.7 million Syrian refugees, the largest refugee population in the world, and fears another wave from the Idlib region, where up to 3 million Syrians live in the last significant rebel-held swathe of territory.

Syrian and Russian forces have intensified their bombardment of targets in Idlib, which Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to recapture, prompting a wave of refugees toward Turkey.

Speaking at an awards ceremony in Istanbul on Sunday night, Erdogan said more than 80,000 people were currently on the move from Idlib to Turkey.

“If the violence toward the people of Idlib does not stop, this number will increase even more. In that case, Turkey will not carry such a migrant burden on its own,” Erdogan said.

“The negative impact of the pressure we will be subjected to will be something that all European nations,

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan leaves 10 Downing Street after meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other Heads of State, ahead of the NATO summit in London, Britain December 3, 2019

especially Greece, will also feel,” he said, adding that a repeat of the 2015 migrant crisis would become inevitable.

He also said Turkey was doing everything possible to stop Russian bombardments in Idlib, adding that a Turkish delegation would go to Moscow to discuss Syria today.

Erdogan has previously threatened to “open the gates” for migrants to Europe unless Turkey got more support in hosting the refugees. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Afghanistan's Ghani claims narrow win England weather: Towns in preliminary presidential vote results and villages flooded

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fghanistan’s incumbent President Ashraf Ghani won a slim majority of votes in a Sept 28 election, delayed preliminary results showed on Sunday, after a poll that plunged the country into political crisis and was marred by allegations of fraud.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) said the total turnout in the presidential election was more than 1.8 million with Ghani securing 50.64 per cent - enough to win the first round of voting - beating his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, who currently

Afghan Presidential Candidate Ashraf Ghani speaks after casting his vote in the presidential election in Kabul, Afghanistan September 28, 2019

shares power with Ghani in

More than a dozen wounded in southern Philippines explosions

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xplosions have rocked two towns and a city in the southern Philippines, wounding at least 17 people including soldiers, a military official has said.

A hand grenade was thrown into a military truck patrolling Cotabato City in the southern island of Mindanao, with eight soldiers and four civilians sustaining injuries from the bomb's shrapnel.

It was quickly followed by an improvised explosive

device (IED) blast in the nearby town of Libungan, wounding five civilians with one in "serious" condition, regional military spokesperson Major Arvin Encinas said on Sunday.

Another explosion was recorded in the neighbouring town in Maguindanao, although Police were still gathering information on whether there were casualties.

No groups have yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, which happened

as the Government planned this year to lift its military rule in the island over the improving security situation.

"We do not discount the possibility that Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters BIFF and Daesh-inspired groups are behind this," Encinas told AFP news agency, referring to fighters with links to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, or ISIS).

Though a landmark peace deal with the largest

of the rebel groups, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, was sealed in 2019, a number of factions were not included.

Those groups include the ISIL-aligned BIFF and Abu Sayyaf, a kidnap-for-ransom gang that has been behind some of the nation's deadliest attacks.

ISIL has stepped up its strategy of absorbing existing armed groups around the world as its "caliphate" crumbled in the Middle East.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

after further rain

Alfriston, East Sussex, suffered flooding after further heavy rainfall

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ozens of homes have been flooded and villages left under water after parts of England were again deluged by rain.

The Environment Agency has issued 79 flood warnings for the South, Midlands, East and Yorkshire, meaning immediate action is needed.

And rivers including the Medway in Kent, Cuckmere in East Sussex and Loddon in Berkshire burst their banks.

Meanwhile, homes and gardens were damaged when a tornado hit Surrey, earlier on Saturday.

Travellers embarking on the Christmas getaway have been advised to check their routes in advance and drivers have been warned not to move or ignore "road closed" signs.

The Medway has flooded towns and villages including Maidstone, Yalding and Teston. Alfriston, in East Sussex, has been flooded.

Cars in the village were swept away and the Environment Agency warned there is more rain forecast for Tuesday.

The tornado struck a number of houses in the Chertsey area on Saturday, according to firefighters.

Resident Verity Boultwood said it blew the roof off her conservatory.

The tornado struck after roads were flooded and rail lines blocked on Friday.

A tractor was used to carry guests to and from the Hilton Doubletree hotel at Sindlesham near Reading, where the car park has been inundated by overflow from the River Loddon.

Highways England has urged motorists to adapt their driving for wet weather by slowing down, keeping well back from the vehicle in front and easing off the accelerator if steering becomes unresponsive. (Excerpt from BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, december 23, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

dilbert

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Peanuts

A challenge will keep you guessing. Stay focused on love and romance, and spend time with someone who brings out the best in you.

Spread cheer by making a kind gesture. Take time to do something festive with youngsters. A shopping spree will lead to an exceptional gift for a loved one.

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Keep your opinions to yourself and your focus on taking care of business.

What you do will have a more significant influence than what you say.

VIRGO

Your efficiency will pay off and give you a little extra time to relax and enjoy the comfort of home and loved ones. Enjoy the moment and make fond memories.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SUDOKU

Tension will mount, and tempers will be short.

Approach controversial subjects with caution. If you are pushy or stubborn, it could damage an important relationship. Bide your time.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

(Aug. 23Sept. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

elax and try to take it easy. Strive to get along, make romance a priority and spend less time agonizing over impossible tasks.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Don’t get wrapped up in drama or let anyone take advantage of you. Keep a level head and agree to do only what’s reasonable. Choose peace and love over conflict.

A partnership may run off the rails today if you are too curt. Remember the spirit of the season and be kind and considerate. Now is not the time to start a fight.

Don’t believe everything SAGITTARIUS you hear, and leave noth(Nov. 23ing to chance when it comes Dec. 21) time to make a decision.

Consider the facts before you say something you will end up regretting.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

SATURday’s WORD

SOLUTION FOr SATURDAY’S PUBLISHED puzzle AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

If you socialize with peers, you’ll be offered inside information. Don’t share personal data that could be used against you. A change will be more beneficial than anticipated.

Little by little, your day will improve. Give some thought to what’s necessary and what isn’t, and start the process of elimination.

Lighten your load and enrich your life.

It’s the little things that will make a difference in your life. If you are irresponsible or neglectful, it will cost you. Think and act accordingly.

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019

19

Chelsea humble Spurs with 2-0 result – Watford befuddle Man Utd

C

helsea manager Frank Lampard out-manouevred his one-time mentor Jose Mourinho - but a comfortable win at Tottenham was overshadowed by alleged racist behaviour aimed at visiting defender Antonio Rudiger.

Rudiger was involved in the second-half incident that saw Tottenham’s Son Heung-min sent off.

The striker was dismissed, following a video assistant referee review, for raising his boot in a clash with the German centre-back near the touchline.

Shortly afterwards, Rudiger, 26, appeared to gesticulate that he had received racist abuse from Spurs fans.

Chelsea drew the incident to the attention of referee Anthony Taylor and three subsequent announcements were made over the public address system warning

Willian scored two goals in a Premier League match against Tottenham for the second time (Getty Images)

Man Utd’s see-saw ride continues

that racist behaviour among spectators was interfering with the game.

The match was also held up when objects were thrown towards Chelsea keeper

Dubois wins again with brutal knockout

B

ritish heavyweight Daniel Dubois extended his unbeaten record with a stunning knockout win over Kyotaro Fujimoto at London’s Copper Box Arena.

Dubois, 22, has been widely tipped to emerge as a contender for a world title and dominated his Japanese opponent, flooring him with a jab in round two.

Fujimoto got back to his feet but a brutal right hand left him in need of medical attention on the canvas.

“I landed a sweet shot and that was goodnight,” said Dubois.

“I just thought after the first couple of shots I had to pace myself and let him come to me. I knew I had the power and was really confident in what I was going to do.”

Fujimoto had 21 wins from his 22 previous bouts but in his first contest outside of Japan he was visibly weary of the power carried by the taller home

Dubois ended the contest with a brutal right hand in the second round (Reuters)

er Paulo Gazzaniga had flatt e n e d Marcos Alonso.

Chelsea’s v i c t o r y strengthened their grip on fourth place and left them four points above fifth-placed Sheffield United. Spurs remain in seventh place - six points adrift.

fighter. He quickly received oxygen in the ring after being floored when Dubois timed a shot perfectly just as his opponent had moved to throw.

Dubois has now stopped 13 of his 14 opponents and his promoter Frank Warren has spoken about him moving towards a mandatory position for a world-title shot late in 2020.

“We are going to do a big show at the O2 Arena in April which will feature Daniel and I hope it will be a big fight for him,” said Warren.

“We have made offers to a lot of top British guys. We have offered Dereck Chisora. He’d have no problem facing a Dillian Whyte or a Joe Joyce.”

Joyce was ringside and welcomed the challenge but he must first face Germany’s Marco Huck for the European title in Hannover on 11 January. (BBC Sport)

Kepa Arrizabalaga, capping a miserable afternoon for Spurs and Mourinho against his former club.

It marred an outstanding Chelsea display that halted their recent slide, with the game effectively won inside the first 45 minutes courtesy of Willian’s superb curling finish and a penalty from the Brazilian awarded by VAR after Spurs keep-

Nigel Pearson say he is “very confident” that his Watford team can avoid relegation from the Premier League after they collected just their second win of the season against Manchester United at Vicarage Road.

The Hornets moved within six points of safety and level on points with Norwich in 19th after defeating a dismal United side that remain eighth.

“We are in a difficult situation but I believe we can get out of it,” said new Watford boss Pearson.

“We needed that very badly because it would have been difficult to go beyond Christmas without a win.

“I thought we did some

good things, deserved to win the game and there is more to come.

“In the situation we are in, we have do anything we can to win a game. The players committed to the game exceptionally well.

“I’ll be very confident we can get out of this situation.”

Watford were helped on their way courtesy of David de Gea’s error for their opening goal, with the Spanish keeper allowing Ismaila Sarr’s mishit shot to bounce through his arms and strike him in the face as it entered the net.

Troy Deeney compounded a miserable day for United as he registered his first league goal since April with a penalty after Aaron WanBissaka’s foul on Sarr.

Not even the introduction of Paul Pogba - returning after a near three-month absence - as a substitute could raise United, who failed to register a shot on target until the hosts were already two goals ahead.

And while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side did attempt to chase the game, Watford also had chances to add to their tally and deserved only their third league victory ever over United. (BBC Sport)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019

Trophy Stall/Flying Ace Cycling 40-miler…

Narine storms past Padlock in battle of Berbicians

Richard Crandon was the top 12-14 cyclist

Story and Photos by Brandon Corlette

T

op Berbician racing cyclist Balram Narine yesterday “got the better” of his counterpart Andre ‘Padlock’ Green in the 40-mile Trophy Stall/Flying Ace Cycle Club race from the Gas Station at Port Mourant, Corentyne, E a s t Berbice to Number 51 Village and back to the point of origin for the finish of the race.

H e stopped the clock at one hour Juvenile and 45 category winner Jeremiah minutes Joseph w h e n he rode in first, closely followed by Padlock, whom a sizable crowd had widely expected to prevail. Andrew Hicks came in third position, while Jeremiah Joseph came in fourth and Mario Washington came in fifth.

In the 12-14 category, newbie on the block, Richard Crandon, reigned supreme, while Aaron Rajnarine came in second, and Raj Mootoo and Shazam

Some of the outstanding cyclists at the presentation

Yacob came in third and fourth respectively.

This race was held entirely under scorching sunshine, but Flying Ace top cyclist Narine not only took the top spot, but six sprint prizes as well; while fourthplaced

Jeremiah Joseph also emerged as the top juvenile cyclist

of the event.

After the race, Narine disclosed that he was confident of winning. “Before I came into this race, I knew I would have won. I was training during the off season, and guys weren’t”.

Reflecting on this year, Narine said it wasn’t one of his best years, despite him starting the year with a win and ending in similar fashion. As the 2020 cycling sea-

son looms, he has signalled his intention to win more races.

Meanwhile, Flying Ace Cycling Coach and Race Organizer Randolph Roberts hailed this event a success.

He thanked Trophy Stall for coming on board for the final race of 2019, and said he is hoping that this race remains an annual event.

Further, he thanked the Guyana Police Force for

their efforts in conducting an accident-free race, and he thanked the sponsors for coming on board.

However, Roberts expressed disappointment with Regional officials for failing to deliver prizes to the cyclists who had participated in the National Schools Cycling Championships earlier this year.

“Mario Washington broke a record at Nationals,

a n d t h e top female a s well; but the cyclists are not being rewarded,” Roberts lamented.

He noted that champion cyclist Balram Narine has shown great potential, and has predicted that if Narine remains focused, his future as a successful cyclist in the coming years is assured.

Shaw wins Global Auto Christmas Golf Tournament

L

In this photo, top performers of the tournament are seen with Club President Aleem Hussain (left). The winners are: Paton George, Mike Gayadin, Aasrodeen Shaw, Avinash Persaud, Hardeo “Curry” Ganpat, Guy Griffith (in for Shanella London) and Ramesh Dookhoo

GC Treasurer Aasrodeen Shaw has beaten keen competition to emerge champion in an exciting Global Auto Spares Christmas Tournament, as local golfers continue to enjoy a great course and historic good golfing conditions at the end of the year, despite unfavourable weather.

Golf rookie local businessman Hardeo ‘Curry’ Ganpat and his wife were on hand to encourage the golfers. Curry, who played in the tournament, represented himself well to place second, above seasoned golfers.

Considering business as a pleasant service to his customers, Curry, as he is more familiarly known, began playing golf early in 2019 (less than a year ago), and sponsored his inaugural golf tournament in April of this year. He continues to give great support to the

Lusignan Golf Club.

Played as a straight medal-play tournament without flights, prizes were given to the first five net scorers as well as to the best gross winner. The keenness of the tournament’s competition was evidenced in a three-way tie for 2nd place, which was decided by a mere stroke more than the 1st place winner.

Winners were as follows: Aasrodeen Shaw (67/13) – 1st; Curry Ganpat (68/28) – 2nd; Paton George (68/18) – 3rd; Mike Gayadin (68/12) – 4th; Shanella London (70/15) –5th.

Reigning Guyana Open champion Avinash Persaud produced a great 70 gross (parring the course) to win the Best Gross trophy in addition to winning the Longest Drive prize, while Aasrodeen Shaw also won the Nearest the Pin prize.

Global Auto Spares of 19 Annandale Public Road, East Coast Demerara, Tel: 592-621-9058 or 592-664-4515, has been in the Auto Spare Parts business for over a decade, and has rescued many a motorist in need of hardto-get quality spare parts, offering them those at great prices. Global Auto Spares also specialises in towing and removal of vehicles of all types, and can be counted on to provide excellent response time and service.

Visitors are always welcome to the Lusignan Golf Club, and may find more details on the Lusignan Golf Club Facebook page, or by calling 592-2205660 for information.

The Club makes available free coaching sessions and equipment for beginners to learn the game. Golf carts are also available for rental.

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019

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NBA round-up:

Bucks blast Knicks, tie franchise-best start G

i a n n i s Antetokounmpo totaled 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season, and the Milwaukee Bucks never trailed to match the best 30game start in team history

Russell Westbrook added 30 points and 10 assists as the Rockets defeated the Suns for the 13th straight time. Houston shot 58.6 percent from the field, including 19 of 41 from 3-point range.

Harden hit 15 of 27 shots and was 9 of 19 from behind

property for sale

six Los Angeles players in double-figure scoring as the visitors routed San Antonio.

Leonard was traded from the Spurs to Toronto before last season, then signed with the Clippers this past offseason. He added nine assists and seven rebounds.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball as New York Knicks centre Mitchell Robinson (USA Today Sports)

Property for Sale: 2 Huge Land by Street Corner/ Public Road in Grove EBD. 2 Story Building on 1 Land and Bond on the other land, 100 x 99 or 9,940 Square Feet. Ideal for Supermarket/ Hardware Store etc.

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pushing its winning streak to five games.

Utah has won its first two stops of a three-game road trip. The Jazz outscored Charlotte 58-43 in the second half.

Donovan Mitchell added 20 points for Utah, and Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 19 rebounds. Bogdanovic hit four 3-point baskets and went 8-for-8 on free throws.

The Jazz were 19 of 20 as a team from the foul line.

Brooklyn Nets 122 Atlanta Hawks 112

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 39 points as Brooklyn overcame an 18-point deficit and stormed back in the fourth quarter to beat Atlanta in New York.

The Nets improved to 12-6 without Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement) and overcame a 47-point showing from Atlanta star Trae Young, who came within two of his career-high.

Dinwiddie shot 13-of27 in producing his sixth 30-point game of the season and 11th of his career.

He scored 16 points in the fourth quarter when the Nets outscored Atlanta 3714.

VEHICLES FOR SALE Just landed. 2011 Nissan Note. $2,055,000 Call: 623-5752

Philadelphia 76ers 125 Washington Wizards 108

Circulation Department

with a 123-102 victory over the host New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

The Bucks won for the 20th time in 21 games and improved to 26-4, matching the start by the 197172 team that won 63 games with Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.

Listed as probable due to back soreness, Antetokounmpo produced his 17th career triple-double and first in 23 career games against the Knicks.

His latest big game helped the Bucks to their 10th win in the last 11 meetings with New York.

The Knicks took their second straight double-digit loss to an upper-echelon Eastern Conference opponent and dropped to 3-5 under interim coach Mike Miller. Julius Randle led the Knicks with 20 points and Kevin Knox added 19 but New York shot 40.2 percent, missed 21 of 30 3-point attempts.

Phone: 223-7230 EXT: 55

Houston Rockets 139 Phoenix Suns 125

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

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James Harden drained nine 3-pointers while recording 47 points, six rebounds and seven assists to lead Houston over host Phoenix.

the arc.

Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 26 points for the Suns, who lost their sixth in a row and 14th in their past 18. Devin Booker added 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds.

Center Deandre Ayton (ankle) and point guard Ricky Rubio (illness) sat out for the Suns.

Montrezl Harrell had 21 points, with Lou Williams scoring 20 for the Clippers.

DeMar DeRozan led San Antonio with 24 points (20 in the first half), while Marco Belinelli added 17, LaMarcus Aldridge scored 12, and Dejounte Murray and Derrick White contributed 10 apiece.

Los Angeles Clippers 134 - San Antonio Spurs 109

Utah Jazz 114 - Charlotte Hornets 107

Kawhi Leonard was booed loudly every time he touched the ball but still poured in 26 points, leading

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 26 points as Utah used a strong late-game kick to defeat the host Charlotte,

Joel Embiid had 21 points and 13 rebounds for his 20th double-double, and host Philadelphia defeated Washington to snap its season-high three-game losing streak.

Josh Richardson added 21 points, Tobias Harris contributed 16, and Ben Simmons had 14 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and four steals. The Sixers also broke a two-game home losing skid after winning their first 14 at the Wells Fargo Center.

Bradley Beal was stellar from beginning to end with Houston Rockets guard James Harden controls the ball against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (USA Today Sports)

36 points, eight rebounds and six assists, while Isaiah Thomas added 20 points for the Wizards, who lost their third in a row. Thomas was ejected for going into the stands with 2:53 left in the game.

Portland Trail Blazers 113 Minnesota Timberwolves 106

Damian Lillard recorded 29 points and seven assists to help Portland post a victory over visiting Minnesota.

CJ McCollum added 26 points, and Kent Bazemore tallied 19 as the Trail Blazers won their fourth straight game and ninth in their past 13. Hassan Whiteside contributed 16 points, 22 rebounds and seven blocked shots, and Skal Labissiere added 11 points and eight rebounds for the Blazers.

Andrew Wiggins had 33 points and three blocks for the Wolves, who lost their 10th straight game. Jeff Teague added 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds off the bench for Minnesota, which was without Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) for the third straight game.

Chicago Bulls 119 Detroit Pistons 107

Zach LaVine poured in 33 points, and Chicago raced past host Detroit.

Rookie Coby White supplied 19 points off the bench for the Bulls, while Tomas Satoransky had 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Lauri Markkanen tossed 15 points with seven rebounds, and Wendell Carter Jr. added 12 points and 12 rebounds for the victors.

Markieff Morris had a season-high 23 points and six assists for Detroit, which has lost four straight.

Andre Drummond supplied 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Luke Kennard added 16 points, and Tim Frazier chipped in a season-high 13 points and nine assists.

Memphis Grizzlies 119 Sacramento Kings 115

Balanced scoring and a solid defensive effort on Buddy Hield powered host Memphis past Sacramento.

Jaren Jackson Jr. led seven Grizzlies scoring in double figures with 18 points on a night where neither side’s leading scorer could muster much offensively.

While Memphis held Hield to just eight points on 3-of-18 shooting from the floor, Grizzlies rookie sensation Ja Morant finished with 13 points, but was stuck on four until deep in the second half. (Reuters)

22

monday, DECember 23, 2019

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Peerless Kohli, nerveless Jadeja and big-hitting Thakur seal the series for India

India sealed the 3-match series 2 -1 (BCCI Photos)

W

est Indies' tour of India ended the way it began: denied by the bat of Virat Kohli after they had put in a fight despite losing the toss. Only, the master of chases fell with 30 runs still required and it was left to Ravindra Jadeja a n d Shardul Thakur to calm India's nerves and they did that in style.

India were chasing 316 because of a stunning counterattack by Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard that lifted them from 144 for 4 in the 32nd over, but it was still a relatively easy chase on a ground that India had to fight hard to defend 381 in its last ODI. The chase became difficult despite fifties from the openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul because once the partnership broke, West Indies kept finding a way to keep taking wickets, bringing India's dodgy lower order into the picture. Except they couldn't go past Kohli, who didn't make the kind of mistakes his team-mates did.

As it had become apparent towards the end of the first innings, the little grip in the pitch that had tied the West Indies batsmen down had now given way to skiddy evening conditions. Sharma and Rahul had got India off to a fluent start with a 122-run stand in 21.2 overs. The dew had begun to play its part. Then Sharma fell driving Jason Holder on the up, Rahul got surprised by extra bounce from Alzarri Joseph, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant played slightly casual shots to Delhi Capitals team-mate Keemo Paul, and Sheldon Cottrell came back to clean Kedar Jadhav up.

Jadeja seals the chase India were 228 for 5, needed 88 off 67, which should be straightforward on most Indian evenings, but Kohli's mannerisms told a different story. When Iyer and Pant fell, he turned away and put his head down, visibly disappointed with the junior partners. He asked Jadhav to stand in front of the stumps because Cottrell was unlikely to bring a ball back in for the lbw. Cottrell somehow

snuck one back in through the gate. Kohli didn't h a v e West

Kohli and Jadeja calmly steered India towards safety, getting boundaries without taking risks.

Keemo Paul reacts to bowling Virat Kohli on 85 (BCCI Photos)

Pierre’s gamble T h e pivotal moment was the gamble w i t h Khary Pierre, w h o

Kieron Pollard (left) and Nicholas Pooran powered Windies past the 300-run mark with fifties (BCCI Photos)

Indies fielders chirping him this time, but he was pumped up just as he was in the chase in the first T20 international.

Now was the time for Jadeja, back in the limited-overs set-up because of the batting depth he provides, to repay all the faith. This was the beginning of a partnership between India's last recognised pair. Kohli was so excited he was probably taking runs that were not on. One such occasion brought West Indies a freakish opportunity, a chance that perhaps wouldn't even have existed for other teams.

Jadeja defended one just off the pitch, Kohli called him for what has become a regulation single these days, but Cottrell, the bowler, unleashed a right footer that surprised everyone and would have sent Kohli back had it not missed by inches.

Had Kohli been run out then, India would have needed 73 with four bowlers and Jadeja standing. That West Indies needed such extraordinary efforts to even have a chance against Kohli spoke of the mastery of the charged-up batsman. In the next few overs,

didn't need to bowl in the last 10 as the fifth bowler's quota had been exhausted.

Pollard, though, offered him to Jadeja in the 43rd over.

Jadeja refused to take the bait, took just one run off the first two balls, but Kohli dissected Pierre's nonturners with precision.

Boundaries through a latecut and a flick through midwicket brought him the fours to bring the task down to 53 off seven overs.

At the start of the 47th over, India needed 30, and Kohli exactly half of those for a century, but he chased a wide length ball and ended up playing on. This was only the fourth time he had been dismissed after the 45th over of a chase. This was only the first time in the last five years that he had crossed 80 in a chase and not converted it into a hundred. The crowd a t Barabati Stadium didn't know these stats,

but they knew India had left it for their unfancied bowlers to get 30 runs. There was a loud hush around the stadium.

Thakur, though, came out batting in a positive manner.

He drove the first ball he faced on the up and got four through extra cover. With 22 required off the last three overs, West Indies went to Cottrell's last over. He began with a wide, bowled another bouncer too high, and when he got the bouncer right, Thakur obliged with a top edge on the hook. However, he had swung hard enough for the edge to sail over the fence. He followed it up with a flamboyant Ajit Agarkar-like bat swing to a full ball to beat long-on and all but kill the game. Jadeja remained unbeaten on 39 off 31.

Lewis starts slow Having come so close, W e s t Indies might have some

Openers KL Rahul (left) and Rohit Sharma both hit fifties (BCCI Photos)

questions of the approach taken

by Evin Lewis at the start of the innings when they were put in.

They would have known they would need every single run if they were to perform the improbable task of denying India in a home chase with dew around. Lewis, though, faced 50 balls for 21 runs, his first shot in anger bringing his downfall.

In Lewis' defence, this was probably the time when the ball was not coming onto the bat.

Kohli wasn't satisfied with the wicket of Lewis. Even though Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav were keeping the batsmen quiet, he went to his quicks in the middle overs. The return of Mohammed

Shami brought the wicket of West Indies' anchor-man Shai Hope. Debutant Navdeep Saini, who was driven first ball for a four, came back to get rid of Shimron Hetmyer and Roston Chase with pace.

At that time, it seemed India were looking at a facile chase, but Pooran and Pollard had other ideas. Pollard hit seven sixes in his 51-ball 74, and Pooran batted beautifully to end up with 89 off 64. Thanks to them, West Indies added 105 in the last eight overs, leaving India stunned and frustrated. Kohli's displeasure was apparent then, but he ended up with a smile of satisfaction. (ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD West Indies Innings (50 overs maximum)

E Lewis c Saini b Jadeja . . . 21 SD Hope † b Shami . . . . . . 42 RL Chase b Saini . . . . . . . 38 SO Hetmyer c Yadav b Saini . 37 N Pooran c Jadeja b Thakur . 89 KA Pollard (c) not out . . . . 74 JO Holder not out . . . . . . 7 Extras (lb 4, w 3) . . . . . . . 7 TOTAL (50 Overs, RR: 6.3) 315-5 Did not bat: KMA Paul, AS Joseph, K Pierre, SS Cottrell Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Evin Lewis, 14.6 ov), 2-70 (Shai Hope, 19.2 ov), 3-132 (Shimron Hetmyer, 29.2 ov), 4-144 (Roston Chase, 31.3 ov), 5-279 (Nicholas Pooran, 47.5 ov) BOWLING: SN Thakur (10-0-661), M Shami (10-2-66-1), NA Saini (10-0-58-2), K Yadav(10-0-67-0), RA Jadeja (10-0-54-1)

India Innings (target: 316 runs from 50 overs)

RG Sharma c †Hope b Holder 63 KL Rahul c †Hope b Joseph . 77 V Kohli (c) b Paul . . . . . . . 85 SS Iyer c Joseph b Paul . . . . 7 RR Pant † b Paul . . . . . . . 7 KM Jadhav b Cottrell . . . . . 9 RA Jadeja not out . . . . . . 39 SN Thakur not out . . . . . . 17 Extras (lb 2, nb 1, w 9) . . . . 12 TOTAL (48.4 Overs, RR: 6.49) 316-6 Did not bat: Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, NA Saini Fall of wickets: 1-122 (Rohit Sharma, 21.2 ov), 2-167 (KL Rahul, 29.5 ov), 3-188 (Shreyas Iyer, 32.3 ov), 4-201 (Rishabh Pant, 34.6 ov), 5-228 (Kedar Jadhav, 38.5 ov), 6-286 (Virat Kohli, 46.1 ov) BOWLING: SS Cottrell (10-174-1), JO Holder (10-0-63-1), KMA Paul (9.4-0-59-3), RL Chase (4-0-19-0), K Pierre(7-0-46-0), AS Joseph (8-0-53-1)

guyanatimesgy.com

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019

BCB AGM and elections…

23

Foster re-elected BCB President in 31-0 landslide

By Brandon Corlette in Berbice

O

utgoing Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) President Hilbert Foster was unsurprisingly re-elected to serve in that capacity for another term when that august cricketing body held its AGM and general elections yesterday at its Charlotte Street offices in New Amsterdam, Berbice.

Having displayed exceptional leadership of that body in his first two years as its President, Foster was rewarded with a vote of confidence wherein all 31 votes cast in a free and fairly conducted election were in his favour.

Thirteen (13) clubs/ representatives were present at these elections, as were three associations and 31 delegates; and Reporting Officer was the watchful Imran Ally, Head Teacher of the Winifred Gaskin Memorial Secondary School.

Having been re-elected to head one of the most vibrant cricket clubs in the Caribbean, Foster declared that he would continue to work collaboratively with all persons interested in moving Berbice

The appointed BCB personnel stand for a photo after election

Cricket forward.

He thanked all 31 voters for showing faith in him, and declared: “I decided to run for President when the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) banned Berbice players (from playing) in a BCB tournament. It got me really upset, and I decided to continue in office. I urge (BCB) members to work along with me, and I am challenging the executives to be more visible in their work.”

Foster challenged each member elected to office to be dedicated to their task, and work hard without

Bakewell throws support behind GFF Super 16 Cup

Bakewell General Manager Rajin Ganga presenting the sponsorship cheque to GFF President Wayne Forde

A

s a household name throughout Guyana, Bakewell -- one of the leading bakeries in the country -- continued its traditional support of sports’ development in the country when its official handed over a cheque to the Guyana Football Federation in support of the year-end tournament, the Super 16 Cup. At the company’s premises at Triumph, East Coast Demerara, Bakewell General Manager Rajin Ganga handed over a cheque to President of the Guyana Football Federation, Wayne Forde, to cement the company’s commitment to supporting the GFF.

Ganga said the company is pleased to be continuing a good tradition of supporting, in a tangible way, the development of the game and sport in Guyana. He reminded that late Bakewell proprietor Naeem Nasser would have been happy to support a sport which he loved and hugely invested in during his lifetime.

Responding, Forde thanked Ganga for Bakewell’s continued commitment to football and the continued empowerment of players, and said Bakewell has, over the years, displayed a true commitment to sports’ development in Guyana.

looking for personal rewards.

As the driver of the success of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC), Foster made it clear that he would only assist clubs that support him.

Calling for the cricket associations to get their act together and stand as a united front, Foster hinted that if everything goes well in Berbice cricket, players would be paid to play cricket in the ancient county.

Foster also stated that 99% of the sponsors were ready to cease

sponsorship when he was in the process of not running for a second term in office. Under Foster’s administration, over 32 tournaments have been completed.

During his feature address, Foster also called for the GCB issue to correct itself and co-operation can occur. “I once again call (on) the GCB to renew our subvention. The GCB are giving Essequibo money and they have only hosted one completion, while BCB had 32”, Foster explained.

The BCB boss has said he

would continue to work hard to keep cricket at the topmost level in the county.

Albert Smith has been elected First Vice-President of the BCB after an overwhelming margin of victory. Qualis Winter has been elected Second VP by a 30-1 margin of victory, while Robby Saywac is third VP. Angela Hannif is Secretary, while Ameer Rahaman is Assistant Secretary.

Dr Cecil Beharry was again elected Treasurer, and Rovin Bahadur assistant secretary.

monday, DECEMBER 23, 2019

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

guyanatimesgy.com

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