Guyana Times Newspaper - Sunday, December 9, 2018

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Countdown to Christmas LOOK INSIDE !

Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 3771 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Tug of war continues over ownership of LBI estate lounge/sports bar Page 11

...official accused of calling female patrons “strippers”

Oil and gas sector

Accelerate preparations for first oil – former US Ambassador

Phase 2 development will double Liza …as PSC bids farewell at Phase 1– ExxonMobil Palm Court reception Page 16

PRICE

$120 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

8-hour power outages expected daily this P2 week Entrusting P3 Finance Minister to remit VAT a “recipe for corruption” – Jagdeo

Page 9

Mahaicony P2 family arrested for illegal gun, ammo

NAREI’s P12 Board rejects Chairman’s attempts to remove CEO

...calls for firing of Chairman

A child’s world: Children enjoying a game of Snakes and Ladders at Santa’s Enchanted Village on Saturday afternoon. The event is hosted by Banks DIH at Demerara Park, Georgetown (Dexter Ceres photo)

2 news 8-hour power outages Mahaicony family expected daily this week arrested for illegal gun, ammo T SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

he Guyana Power and Light (GPL) will be conducting line maintenance from Monday, December 10 to Sunday, December 16, within the perimeters of Georgetown and other sections of communities along the coastline.

The maintenance will commence on Monday at Cummings Lodge and Area H, Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) from 08:00h to 16:00h.

On Tuesday December 11, works will continue at Project Dawn, Demerara Estates, Beterverwagting and Triumph South of the Railway Embankment from 08:00h to 19:00h. During the period of 08:00h to 18:00h, the Mahaicony Branch Road will be facilitated.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, December 12, Parika to Naamryck on the

East Bank of Essequibo, will be covered from 08:00h to 17:00h.

Number 53 Village to Auchlyne, Berbice, will be done from 18:00h to 17:00h while Happy Acres, ECD is scheduled for 08:00h to 16:00h.

On Thursday, December 12, Christiani Street, North Ruimveldt and surrounding environs will commence from 08:30h to 17:30h.

Simultaneously, Oleander Gardens,

Shamrock Gardens, Ogle North and the Lusignan Prison Road, South of the Railway Embankment will be facilitated from 08:00h to 16:00h.

South of Market Street, Beterverwagting, ECD, will see works on Friday, December 14.

Maintenance will continue on Saturday, December 15 at Tucville and Lamaha Park from 08:00h to 17:00h, while Enmore to Annandale and Nabaclis Middle Walk

will be done during that same time.

The last maintenance is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, December 16, in Georgetown at Queenstown, Albert Street, North Road and Woolford Avenue from 08:00h to 17:00h.

Less than one week ago, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had assured Guyanese that there would be full electricity capacity for the entire Christmas season.

According to him, GPL has a supply of 134 megawatts of power and there were efforts to fix any shortcomings before the holidays.

Patterson announced that some $3.6 billion was listed in the 2019 Budget for works on the distribution network which is considered a weak link in the power supply. However, this would materialise until next year.

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The revolver and live rounds discovered at the farmer’s home

Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) family was arrested by Police on Friday after an unlicensed gun and ammunition were found on their premises.

According to information received, the farmer, his wife and daughter were taken into

custody after ranks acting on a tip swooped down on the family home at about 10:30h in the Mahaicony River.

During the search, an illegal revolver and 12 live rounds of ammunition were unearthed.

The family remains in custody as investigations continue.

Illegal immigrant busted with gun, ammo

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The pistol, magazines and live ammo discovered during the bust

2 9 - y e a r - o l d Spanish-speaking man, who entered Guyana illegally, is being processed for court after he was busted with a pistol and live rounds of ammunition by officers on patrol at the Eteringbang Landing, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-

Mazaruni).

Reports are Joint Services ranks swooped down on the area and conducted a search.

During the search, the Venezuelan was found with an unlicensed 9mm pistol, two magazines and 15 rounds of live ammunition.

news

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SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, December 9 – 05:30h-07:00h and Monday, December 10 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Sunday, December 9 – 05:15h-06:45h and Monday, December 10 – 05:50h-07:20h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny intervals can be expected throughout the day, with partly cloudy skies in the evening. Overall temperatures are expected to range between 20 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 4.91 metres.

High Tide: 05:24h and 17:34h reaching maximum heights of 2.54 metres and 2.65 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:09h and 23:45h reaching minimum heights of 0.69 metre and 0.75 metre respectively.

saturDAY, december 8, 2018

LOTTERY NUMBERS E

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FREE TICKET

06 Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

01 02 04 20 22 LUCKY 3

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17 18 21 SUPER PAY DAY

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

Entrusting Finance Minister to remit VAT a “recipe for corruption” – Jagdeo ...as Budget 2019 proposes widening Jordan’s powers

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he proposed measure of empowering the Finance Minister to use his discretion for granting Value Added Tax (VAT) remittance, as contained in the 2019 Budget, has been described by the parliamentary Opposition as a recipe for corruption.

During the final day of the Budget Debates, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo zeroed in on the measure, which was announced by Finance Minister Winston Jordan during his budget speech over a week ago.

The law does allow the Minister to make regulations to remit tax on a personal basis. According to Section 104 of the Income Tax Act, “The Minister may make regulations, subject to negative resolution of the National Assembly, to provide for the remitting wholly or in part of the tax payable by any person or category of persons on such income, in respect of any year of assessment, and in accordance with such conditions as may be specified in the regulations.”

In his budget speech, Jordan had invoked Section 105 of the Income Tax Act and proposed amending the VAT Act “to provide for the Minister of Finance to make regulation to remit, in whole or in part, the VAT and the interest on VAT payable by any person, where good cause

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

is shown.”

According to Jagdeo, however, this policy has always been deliberately avoided. He noted that under the former Administration, this measure was not employed as they wanted this power to remain with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

And now that the law will be changed to allow persons to approach the Minister directly to request tax remittance, Jagdeo expressed worry for the future of transparency and accountability in Government taxation.

When given a chance to rebut the Opposition side and conclude the Budget Debates, Jordan addressed the issue of being allowed to remit VAT. According to the Minister, it

is not a power he wants but rather something provided for under the Income Tax Act. As current remissions stand, Jordan announced that there were billions of dollars in increased tax remissions since 2017.

“In 2017, remissions were $64.3 billion. In 2018, it (has) gone up to $85.9 billion. It’s not because we became more profligate. It’s Exxon, ramping up for 2020. So that is expected. The laws give them complete duty-free and they have ramped up. You’ve got drill ships, food that is what is causing that,” Jordan stated.

Tax collection

While the GRA was remitting all this tax, the statistics show that for the year 2017, tax and non-tax collection rose to $194.7 Billion.

The 2017 end of year outcome report states that out of this, tax revenues accounted for $171.2 billion.

At the heart of this increase in tax revenues, which account for 87.9 per cent of total revenue, is the Government raking in more taxes than ever. For instance, there was a $1 billion or 1.4 per cent rise in the collection of income tax; $600 million or a 3.5 per cent hike in import

Finance Minister Winston Jordan

duty collection and a $300 billion or 0.4 per cent hike in Value Added Tax (VAT) and Excise Tax collection.

“Total non-tax revenues were projected at $23.6 billion; actual non tax revenues for 2017 were, therefore, closely in line with the projections at the time of Budget 2018. The Guyana Revenue Authority remitted $49.2 billion,” the report states.

According to the report, this is equivalent to 28.8 per cent of tax revenue, compared to figures of $42.3 billion or 27.9 per cent in 2016. It is also $2.2 billion more than the sum at the time of Budget 2018’s presentation.

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guyanatimesgy.com

SUnDAY, december 9, 2018

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 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

Editorial

Democracy and power-sharing

“D

emocracy” has become the standard for evaluating the credentials governments across the world in modern times. Never mind we may all be a bit fuzzy on what exactly is “democracy”; we just know that we must have it. But even if we all were on the same page on the details of “democracy”, we have to appreciate that democracy, or any other type of governance structure for that matter, is merely a means to a particular end. To wit, the facilitation of a harmonious society in which each member can live the “good life”.

And this brings us to our “democracy” in Guyana. No one would deny that as opposed to the form of governance we endured under the first People’s National Congress (PNC) regime between 1968 and 1992, Guyana today is more “democratic” by many of the common indicators: freedom of the press, speech, movement, political participation, civic association etc. Much of this is due to the 21 years of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP) rule, during which most of the repressive apparatus of the Burnhamite state were dismantled. But with the return of the PNC as the head of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/ AFC) coalition, which has been in power for over three years, is our society more harmonious, inclusive and prosperous to deliver the promised “good life”?

Even Government supporters have been expressing doubts as was demonstrated by the recently concluded Local Government Elections (LGE) in which large swathes of traditional PNC supporters chose to stay away from the polls. Some of them are once again questioning the form of our political institutions. These supporters and a number of commentators argue that political institutions and structures provide the framework and incentives through which the moral links essential for encouraging the accommodation and cooperation between societal groups. Scrutinising our “democratic” political institutions for their effectiveness in facilitating societal harmony, given our particularities, they find our Westminster-style model unable to address the challenges of our societal cleavages. For many welldocumented historical, psychological and structural reasons, we are the quintessential challenging ethnically plural society, which Mills said could not be “democratic”.

Abjuring “partition” which was tried in Yugoslavia at the beginning of this century, “power sharing” has once again been suggested – including by the departing US Ambassador.

This has been defined by one commentator (Sisk) as, “a system of governance in which all major segments of society are provided a permanent share of power; this system is often contrasted with Government vs Opposition systems in which ruling coalition rotate among various social groups over time.”

In addressing the problematic of institutionalising democracy in plural societies, two broad approaches are sometimes subsumed under the rubric of “power sharing”.

One is “Federalism” while the other views it as sharing the executive offices of a government proportionately among the political representatives of the several groups mobilised in the society. This view, of course, conceptualises “power” as a unitary construct residing in the Executive branch of Government and implicitly contra-poses “sharing” power with a centralisation of power under majoritarian rules.

This conception, of course, is reflective of our historical experiences, which saw the powers of the State always controlled by a tight little oligarchy – first centred on a colonial Governor and then our Executive presidency, especially under the two PNC-led regimes.

The PNC claimed after 2015 that its coalition with the AFC delivered a “power-sharing” regime as described above, inscribed by the Cummingsburg Accord. But with the peripheralisation of all its coalition “partners”, all this mechanism has proved since then is the PPP’s riposte to calls for “power sharing” back in 2003 – that “trust between the major parties” must be developed – was very prescient.

“Power” is a very nuanced concept and even if confined to being a “possession”, rather than inhering in relationships, the power of a state is much more diffuse than an executive possession. Power sharing, in our view, would have to include the wider picture, and would have to encompass a much wider range of institutions – both within and without the Government apparatus. And for this trust is a prerequisite.

Children share a photo moment with Olaf the snowman and Rudolph the reindeer at Santa’s Enchanted Christmas Village which is being hosted at Demerara Park, Banks DIH Limited Parking Facility (Dexter Ceres photo)

Jamal Khashoggi case: All the latest updates

– accused in Khashoggi killing, top aide to Saudi crown prince oversaw the abuse of at least one detained woman activist

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audi Arabia has admitted Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul. Khashoggi – a Saudi writer, United States resident and Washington Post columnist - had entered the building on October 2, 2018, to obtain documentation certifying he had divorced his ex-wife so he could remarry.

After weeks of repeated denials that it had anything to do with his disappearance, the kingdom eventually acknowledged that its officials were behind the gruesome murder.

The whereabouts of his body are still unknown.

Here are the latest related developments Saturday, December 8 The Washington Post: Return of Saudi envoy to US is 'stunningly arrogant The Washington Post has criticised the Saudi ambassador's return to the United States and described it as "stunningly arrogant", accusing him of lying openly about the murder of Khashoggi.

In an editorial, the newspaper said that in the days following Khashoggi's disappearance inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Saudi Ambassador Khalid bin Salman launched "an epic campaign of lies" – as the newspaper put it – and told anyone who would listen to him, from senators to the Washington Post publisher, that reports that Khashoggi had been detained or killed inside the consulate was "absolutely false, and baseless".

The ambassador left Washington, DC, a couple of weeks later as the truth about Khashoggi's murder was revealed.

"Anyone who does not object to the murder of a journalist, the use of a diplomatic facility for such a crime or the wan-

ton lying to cover it up will welcome him back to Washington," the newspaper said. "He should be shunned by everyone else."

Thursday, December 6 Deposed aide to Saudi crown prince accused of role in female activist torture A top aide to Saudi Arabia's crown prince, fired for his role in the killing of Khashoggi, personally oversaw the torture of at least one detained female activist earlier this year, two sources told Reuters news agency.

Saud al-Qahtani was a royal adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman until October, when he was sacked and then sanctioned by the US Treasury over the Washington Post columnist's murder.

Three sources, briefed on the activists' treatment, say a group of men subjected this woman and at least three others to sexual harassment, electrocution, and flogging between May and August at an unofficial holding facility in Jeddah.

They described the group of about six men as distinct from the regular interrogators the women saw and said they belonged to the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, which Qahtani headed at the time, or to state security.

Qahtani was present when at least one of the women was tortured, two of the sources said. A Saudi official said the allegations of mistreatment and torture of the female detainees were "false ... and have no connection to the truth".

"The detainees were detained based on accusations related to harming the security and stability of the kingdom," the official said in response to questions from Reuters.

The women are among

more than a dozen prominent activists arrested since May amid a broader crackdown targeting clerics and intellectuals.

Activists say 11 women are still being held, including the four alleged to have been tortured.

HRW: Turkey should internationalise Khashoggi case to the UN Turkey should submit a formal request to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to conduct an independent international probe into the killing of Khashoggi, Human Rights Watch said.

The investigation, the rights group said, would cut through attempts intended to protect Saudi officials and muddle the truth. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has come under increasing scrutiny with many publicly accusing him of complicity in the assassination.

"A UN investigation has the best chance of pushing Saudi Arabia to provide the needed facts and information about Mohammed bin Salman's precise role in this murder - information that is available only from sources in Saudi Arabia," Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said.

US senators introduce resolution blaming MBS for Khashoggi murder Six top US senators from across party lines have introduced a scathing resolution to hold the Saudi crown prince accountable for the killing of Khashoggi.

The proposal says the Senate "has a high level of confidence" that Mohammed bin Salman "was complicit in the murder".

"This resolution - without equivocation - definitively states that the crown prince of

Saudi Arabia was complicit in the murder of Mr Khashoggi and has been a wrecking ball to the region jeopardising our national security interests on multiple fronts," Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator and close ally of President Donald Trump, said in a statement.

Wednesday, December 5 UN's Bachelet seeks international inquiry into Khashoggi murder United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Wednesday that an international investigation was needed to determine who was responsible for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October.

Bachelet, asked at a news conference in Geneva about the need for an international inquiry, replied: "I do believe it is really needed in terms of ensuring what really happened and who are the (people) responsible for that awful killing."

Senior US senators said on Tuesday, after receiving a CIA briefing on the matter, that they were more certain than ever that Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was responsible for the killing of Khashoggi.

Sean Penn producing 'Khashoggi murder film' in Istanbul Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker Sean Penn has reportedly begun filming a new documentary about Khashoggi's killing. The US actor, accompanied by a crew of around 10 including bodyguards, was spotted shooting in front of the consulate building in Istanbul on Wednesday, Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported. (Excerpt

from Al Jazeera)

guyanatimesgy.com

SunDAY, december 9, 2018

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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

Guyana is in need of a truth and reconciliation commission Dear Editor, Following my November 25 letter in which I asked for an independent investigation of the narrative of the ‘execution of 400 Black men’, I was sent the original document, in which the claim was made by the People’s National Congress (PNC).

After reading the document, I can safely say that no one currently making that claim has read that document, for far from being a list of black men killed extra-judicially, this was a call for inquiry into various cases of alleged Human rights abuse over a 17-year span (1993-2009).

Editor, there are a handful of names on that list that would warrant a Commission of Inquiry, principal among these would be Ronald Waddell, Sash Sawh and Yohance Douglas, the rest of the document is odious bundling of innocents and police officers with the very people who murdered them. How can I describe the revulsion I experienced to see the names of the Lusignan massacre victims–men, women and children brutally murdered in their own homes, included on that list next to notorious murderers such as Shawn Brown, Troy Dick, Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles and Rondell ‘fineman’ Williams - the very men who murdered them!

How do the families of the 35 policemen included on that list feel about them be-

ing named alongside the men who brutally murdered them? I am horrified that someone equated the lives of victims with the perpetrators of their demise without a thought of the additional hurt this would cause their families.

The intellectual authors of that document were strangely silent after there was a change in Administration in 2015. HE Granger referred to ‘troubles’ to describe an era that included massacres, violent warfare between rival criminal gangs commonly referred to as ‘fine man gang’ and ‘phantom squad’.

Leader of the Opposition, Former President Bharrat Jagdeo welcomed an inquiry into the ‘troubles’, “let’s have the mother of all inquiries” he said in 2005 and repeated in 2016, and alluded to political control of the Fine man and other criminal gangs; President Granger named the massacres that occurred in Kitty, Lamaha Gardens, Bourda (2002) Buxton-Friendship, Prashad Nagar (2003) AgricolaEccles, La Bonne Intention, Bagotstown-Eccles, Black Bush Polder(2006) Bartica and Lusignan (2008) as incidents for which there have been no resolution and which require investigation during the ‘troubles’. Interestingly, the only incident of this period that has been subject to an inquiry is the Lindo Creek

massacre; the one atrocity denied by the Fineman gang, this massacre occurred during the period the Fineman gang were on the run in that geographical area and were apportioned the blame. The Lindo Creek CoI was tainted from the outset with the appointment of retired Judge Donald Trotman, father of Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman as lead Commissioner and Patrice Henry, brother of Minister of Education Nicolette Henry as its attorney-at-law; it therefore came as no surprise when the Fineman gang was exonerated and the Joint Services were implicated; this CoI raised more questions than answers. Was vindication of the Fineman gang the objective? Why were none of the other massacres not subject to inquiry? Did HE Granger know the answer before he asked the Lindo Creek question? For that is the logical conclusion for his selective and essentially dishonest approach.

Despite wide circulation to International organisations such as the United Nations, the dossier never compelled any recipient to begin an inquiry, partly because it is a poorly compiled document which does not survive a cursory examination. For example, among those listed are two GDF officers, Lt Colonels Ross and

Narine who died of heart attacks, 26 unidentified males including a ‘gunman’, many who were killed by bandits during robberies and bandits killed in Police/Bandit shootouts such as Chowtee, Eddo, Bully et al. The list contains a significant number of Indo-Guyanese and other ethnicities so as to render the ‘400 black men’ claim meaningless, there are also names repeated so as to bolster the figures.

Editor, in researching the claim of 400, I have come to the conclusion that Guyana is in need of a truth and reconciliation commission as was done in South Africa during the post-apartheid era, The mandate of that commission was to bear witness, record, and in some cases grant amnesty to the perpetrators of crimes relating to human rights violations, as well as offering reparation and rehabilitation to the victims.

Unless Guyana engages in a similar exercise, our nation will forever be vulnerable to those willing to tell big bold lies such as is contained in the dossier of the 400. Let us always seek truth regardless of the consequence “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” John 8:32 (King James Bible) Respectfully, Robin Singh

Throwing our money into a black hole!

Dear Editor, Well once again, Central Government like ‘a gallant knight in shining armour’, has ridden in very chivalrously and saved the fair maidens at City Hall with another huge bailout. And maybe they had no choice, as the garbage was piling up all over the city. The workers have still not been paid for the month of November and Council’s other creditors are shouting for relief.

But this recurring pattern has become all too familiar, the Council rakes in tens upon tens of millions of dollars monthly from shipping containers, ratepayers, stallholders, vendors, hairdressers, barbers, eating houses, slaughterers etc and then fritters it away on expensive overseas trips, on paying for bodyguards, chauffeurs, personal assistants, anniversary celebrations and nineteen different allowances for the fat cats.

They choose not to pay their employees’ salaries, pensions or gratuities; do not pay the contractors, nor the Guyana Revenue Authority, nor the National Insurance Scheme, nor the labour or credit unions. They choose not to pay their water rates nor electricity charges. They take goods from every conceivable source and refuse to pay. Why don’t they give the pink slips to the more than two hundred friends, relatives and church pals that they employed recently which is causing the topheavy payroll?

Why do they do this?

Because they know that the Central Government will rush in and settle their liabilities. It’s like calling in the cavalry, but one would have thought with the recent findings of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) - a most damning report - that Central Government would have, at the very least, waited un-

til the Council’s books were audited and the immoral Councillors and officers had left before giving the city a red cent. It amounts to

throwing our money into a black hole!

Sincerely, Shanta Singh

Minister Lawrence is wrong about procurement department prior to 2015 Dear Editor, On December 5, a section of the media quoted Minister Lawrence as saying there was no procurement department at the Ministry of Public Health prior to 2015.

I can categorically say that Min Lawrence was not being truthful and it lends itself to a recent trend of reckless and irresponsible statements by this Minister.

According to former Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, the procurement department began to take shape since 1997 and evolved from there to a fully functional Materials Management Unit (MMU) consisting of planning & procurement, warehousing & distribution, quality control and a transportation mechanism that partnered with regional authorities and other stakeholders, including the military.

Minister Lawrence stated that her goal now, was to achieve 70 to 75 per cent availability of medicines in the future, but from 2008 to 2012 we were making 85 per cent non-essential medicines and 100 per cent life-saving medicines available to all 10 regions of the country. This is a metric that was corroborated by our external partners at that time. Therefore, it is only fair to conclude that Min Lawrence is slinging political propaganda and slander to make her Government appear competent.

Prior to 2015, the pro-

curement department was fully functional with a Procurement Manager and five supervisors with direct support from our planning department, finance and the National Procurement and Tender Board (NPTAB) guided fully by the Procurement Act and other policies.

In 2010, we successfully rolled out the first national and regional public pre-qualification system to select qualified suppliers of medicines and supplies, a feat that could not been achieved without a procurement department. The late Hon Winston Murray praised the procurement department for that achievement in his capacity as a member of the Public Accounts Committee.

It is important to note that Min Lawrence was the head of the PAC during most of this time and she was briefed on all our accomplishments as a procurement department, therefore it is very surprising to see her making such reckless statements.

It is time this Government understands that they are public servants and not overlords that serve only a part of the country. They have a legal and moral obligation to be transparent to the people.

Sincerely, Malcolm Watkins, MS OL Former Procurement Manager – MOPH & Supply Chain Professional

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SUnDAY, december 9, 2018

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guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

By David J Bredehoft, PhD

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Soft structure vs firm structure?

et me paint you a picture of both soft and firm structure. The opening birthday party scene in the movie “Mrs Doubtfire” comes to mind when I think of soft structure. A petting zoo of barnyard animals running around in and outside of the house as children are bouncing up and down on living room furniture to the tune of “Jump Around”. The scene ends in a huge fight when Sally Field, who plays Miranda Hillard, comes home to find her husband Daniel Hillard, played by Robin Williams, jumping on the living room furniture with the kids. The final image is that of a donkey eating a birthday cake in the living room; a total mess.

Soft structure. No rules. No enforcement of rules. Soft structure is the third type of childhood overindulgence we found in our research.

Child development experts believe that to thrive, children need firm structure. Jean Illsley Clarke describes firm structure this way, “Reasonable rules that are consistently enforced, mastery of skills, and learning family values are all part of firm structure. Firm structure not only makes life more secure and predictable for the child; in the long run it also makes life easier for the parents, as many would-be, could-be misadventures and crises are avoided. Maybe best of all, what the child grows up experiencing, she learns to do for herself. Children learn good boundaries and self-care.”

Daniel Hillard transforms himself into Mrs Doubtfire by disguising himself as an older female housekeeper so he can spend more time with his children. Unlike when he was “dad”, Mrs Doubtfire has rules and expects the children to follow them. She assigns chores and transforms the household by using firm structure. In one of the last scenes in the movie, his children admitted they liked him more when he was firm Mrs Doubtfire than when he was soft pushover dad.

How can I tell if soft structure is my overindulgence pattern?

Read and answer the following questions honestly for each child. The more “Yes” answers, the greater the probability that your overindulgence pattern is soft structure!

The majority of the time…

I do not enforce the rules that I make for my child.

I do not have my child do chores.

I do not hold my child to consistent standards.

My child interrupts my conversations with other adults.

I do things for my child rather than see her/him in distress.

© 2014 by Jean Illsley Clarke, Connie Dawson, and David J. Bredehoft. Used here with permission.

By Regina Yau and Rashad Brathwaite Continued From Saturday

Share stories

Soft structure: What are the risks?

Parents are soft on structure for many reasons.

Sometimes it is just plain easier. Other times we are tired of being the “bad guy” all of the time. Maybe we want our children to be our “best friends”! All reasons coming from a good heart, but not always helpful for our children in the long run. Our research shows that people who are overindulged with soft structure tended: Not to know what is enough To have weak social and personal boundaries To be trained in irresponsibility To have uneven competencies To display a lack of gratitude To have a false sense of entitlement To believe and act as though they are the centre of the universe

I know I’m soft on structure – what do I do?

As a parent, I know you are concerned about soft structure and you would like to know what to do instead. You may not know whom to ask. Here are a few suggestions to help you avoid soft structure and avert the damaging effects of childhood overindulgence: Read a good book on the subject Purchase a hard copy or download a free pdf copy of Good Heart Parenting: A Journey of Love and Strength (2018, University of Minnesota Extension Press).

Read a good article on the subject Take a free online course to learn more about childhood overindulgence. Developmental Parenting Highway Online Course is a free one-hour online course offered by The University of Minnesota Extension. This course explores a variety of topics including why parenting is like driving on a highway with four helpful lanes, the strengths of each, and help if you slip onto the shoulder or into a ditch. (psychologytoday.com)

Share personal stories of difficult encounters and experiences to help drive home points you wish to make about violence against women and related topics such as bullying and sexism. Being minors with limited life experience, many children and teenagers are unable to connect the abstract idea of violence against women with their own lives, and it is the role of the parents, mentor, teacher or coach to help them make the connection. You might not have experienced it in your life, but with 1 in 3 women worldwide experiencing gender-based violence in their lifetimes, whether it is domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, street harassment etc, chances are you may know someone who survived the violence who might be willing to talk to your child or students; Or you may have witnessed the violence yourself.

YouTube is your friend!

When used correctly, the Internet can be a great resource for children and teenagers to learn about violence against women and its related issues. For example, here is a short film made specifically for children on the topic of domestic violence. So when you come across a video public service announcement or a particular clip on YouTube which can help kick off discussions about violence against women either at home or at school, use it. For teachers, mentors, coaches and other educators, it may also be particularly useful to create YouTube playlists of videos that you can use to kickstart the conversation with the children and teenagers in your class, team or counselling sessions.

Watch and discuss

Apart from YouTube videos, another resource for educating kids about violence against women and non-violent behaviour could be watching and discussing a movie, a documentary or an episode of a TV show with domestic violence, rape or other forms of violence against women as a storyline or theme. Get the post-movie discussion and brainstorming going by asking questions that get the kids to think about the issue, why violence against women is wrong, and how they can help to stop the violence. As movies featuring violence against women can be too graphic for younger or more squeamish children, try documentaries such as “Half The Sky” that discuss solutions to violence against women.

Monitor their pop culture intake

In today’s celebrity-driven internet era, it is essential to use incidents in popular culture as teachable moments to address the issue of violence against women with children and teenagers. The media and the celebrities they promote do not always provide positive role models for children.

Therefore, it is the role of parents, guardians, mentors, teachers and coaches to address this issue. If you see the children under your care begin to internalise negative ideals due to the influence of media and celebrities, take action to sit down and engage them in conversations about what they have seen and to help them contextualise it in a healthy way. For example: When Chris Brown beat up Rihanna, it made the headlines and because both artistes have a huge fan base of teenagers and young adults, it was an incident that most kids would know about. So conversations about why domestic or dating violence is unacceptable could be built on discussing that piece of news.

Teachable moments are gold

Be on alert to possible teachable moments that could come any time, anywhere. Teachable moments about violence against women can come in any shape or size. It could be your child coming home from school and telling you about how s/he heard one child call another a violently sexist term such as “bitch”. You can turn that into a teachable moment but transforming it into an opportunity to talk to him/her about how name-calling is not just wrong, but name calling using misogynistic terms is a form of violence against women. (16days.thepixelproject.net) to be continued

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SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Budget 2019

Govt blocks PPP’s attempts to extend scrutiny of Ministries

I

t was a showdown in last Thursday’s meeting of the Business Subcommittee of the Committee of Supply, as the parliamentary Opposition’s attempted to schedule more time to scrutinise the Ministry of the Presidency estimates were defeated by the Government.

The Ministry of the Presidency has 11 programmes; far more programmes than any other Ministry with the exception of the Communities Ministry.

It is understood that in light of this increased ambit, Opposition parliamentarian and committee member,

Irfaan Ali proposed a halfhour extension of time to two and a half hours.

In the minutes for the meeting seen by Guyana Times, this proposal did not find favour with the Government side. When the matter was put to the vote in the committee, it was defeated by the Government majority, leaving the time to examine this critical Ministry at two hours.

The meeting was held in the Speakers’ Chambers of the National Assembly and was chaired by the Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland. Voting for the increased time were

Opposition committee members and parliamentarians Ali, Juan Edghill, Dharamkumar Seeraj and Collin Croal.

Voting against extending the time to scrutinise the Ministry were Government members – Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge; Social Protection Minister Amna Ally; Public Service Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine; Junior Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Valarie GarridoLowe; and parliamentarian John Adams.

The Ministry of Presidency’s programmes in-

You better look out – CANU to drug traffickers

T

he Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) has heightened security checks at both major ports of entry – the Eugene F Correira International Airport (Ogle, East Coast Demerara) and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (Timehri, East Bank Demerara) – to tackle any attempts to smuggle narcotics.

According to head of CANU, Michael Atherly, the Guyana Police Force and Unit are working collectively to clamp down on traffick-

Head of CANU: Michael Atherly

ers.

Atherly noted that during the end of year holiday season, it is compulsory that heightened security operations take full effect since

there is a larger number of travellers.

“We work with the threats and currently we (CANU) are constantly accessing the threats. If we find that the threat is going to increase over the Christmas period, of course we will have to heighten the level of checks that we do at airports”.

However, the CANU head noted that the number of drug trafficking cases have increased. As such, he explained that plans are already in place to tackle this occurrence. turn to page 9

Last year, dispute over the time allotted to the Ministry of the Presidency led to one of the most controversial events in parliamentary history

clude Petroleum and Energy Management, a major programme when the oil and gas sector is considered. In addition, Defence and National Security; Citizenship and Immigration Services; Social Cohesion, Youth and Sport and monies for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) fall under this Ministry, which will be represented by Minister of State Joseph Harmon.

Meanwhile, there was also discussion about Region Six, which was allotted one and a half hours for consideration. Ally requested that this time be shortened by half an hour, to make up for time allotted to Region Seven. According to the minutes, the committee was unable to reach a consensus and the matter was put to a vote, which the Government side once again won.

Scrutiny

In one of the most controversial events to ever

take place in the National Assembly, Police ranks stormed the parliamentary chambers during the consideration of the Budget 2018 estimates last year December; even as Edghill was attempting to scrutinise that very Ministry.

At the time, the Opposition had also argued that the time allotted to scrutinise the Ministry of the Presidency was too short. But when he refused to back down from questioning certain line items of the Ministry, subsequent events resulted in Police being called.

In the chaos that followed, Edghill’s parliamentary colleagues formed a human ring to protect the MP and there were claims of physical assault. Edghill was later barred by the Speaker from entering the chambers.

When he showed up outside Parliament Building, he was subsequently arrested.

At the time, Edghill had said that by ordering his arrest, the Government was seeking to avoid the scrutiny of the flawed 2018 Budget and the Ministry of the Presidency. It is a view the People’s Progressive Party supported, as the Party later expressed concern that slush funds were being hidden in the budget estimates fineprint.

“Scrutiny is what the Government wants to avoid and even though I am being victimised in this manner, I will ask my colleagues, as far as is possible, to continue to scrutinise the Budget and to expose the corruption, slush funds and all the monies they (Government) plan to steal for political purposes stashed in that budget,” he had charged.

“That budget is lumped with sums for political purposes and we will not run away from our task. I would hope that the budget gets the scrutiny it deserves, because the plan of the Government is to pass the budget without scrutiny and we will not give into that game plan,” Edghill had added.

The perusal of Budget 2019’s estimates begins on Monday, December 10. The Ministry of the Presidency is the first Ministry to be examined, followed by the Office of the Prime Minister and the Legal Affairs Ministry.

8 news

SUnDAY, december 9, 2018

| guyanatimesGY.com

2 nabbed with ganja, ammunition T

wo persons are in Police custody after 333 grams of cannabis and 100 live rounds of ammunition were found in their possession at Seven Miles, Potaro Road, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Reports are ranks of the F Division (Interior loca-

tions) conducted a search on Saturday morning at about 06:30h on a lorry which was heading to the interior.

During the search, the items were unearthed in the vehicle.

As such the two men were arrested as investigations continue.

Parliament…

T The ganja and ammunition which was found during the search

Mason charged for stealing friend’s phone

A

21-year-old mason of Second Street, Alberttown, Georgetown, who is accused of stealing his friend’s phone was released on bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Isiah Daniels denied that on December 6, 2018, at King Street, Georgetown, he stole a Samsung cellphone valued

$48,000; property of Jamal Barker.

The prosecution is contending that Daniels asked to Virtual Complainant to borrow his phone to make a call but when he was given the device, he allegedly ran away with it.

After the Chief Magistrate read the charge to the defen-

dant she told him “you’re a young man and you should not be stealing anybody’s phone, I do not want to jail you.”

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield made no objections to bail, adding that although the phone was not recovered, the defendant has until the next court date to either

fully reimburse the Virtual Complainant or pay at least half of the phone’s value; that is, $48,000.

The Chief Magistrate while granting Daniels bail told him “don’t let this happen again”. He was released on $2000 bail. The case will continue later this month.

…and dishonourable PM

he House of Commons, after which our National Assembly is modelled, runs on a host of traditions and conventions. Much of these have to do with regulating the behaviour of the members – who, after all, represent the “commoners” or lower classes, as opposed to the aristocracy. It is the custom, for instance, in Parliamentary democracies, for the members of the House to refer to each other as “the Honourable Member”.

This, it was hoped, would encourage MPs not to descend into gutter language or fistfights, with which the common folks were wont to settle their disagreements.

After listening to the Budget Debate, it became clear to your Eyewitness that a host of MPs insist on acting like the great unwashed masses – especially those from the Government benches.

Take the case of Keith Scott, the Minister in the Ministry of Social Protection, which is in the Ministry of the Presidency; he technically isn’t a “Minister” since he heads the “Labour Portfolio”, which is actually a department. The fella insisted on READING a typewritten speech, which is just not done in Parliaments!! As a presumably educated gentleman, he’s supposed to be speaking spontaneously and (hopefully) eloquently on the topic; and not read a speech obviously written for him, since he couldn’t even pronounce some of the words!!

MPs also aren’t allowed to read newspapers etc during Parliamentary Sessions, but there were some blatant examples of this disrespectful practice throughout the Budget Debate. Two Opposition MPs from the back benches were caught reading some Muckraker gossip from a laptop. This, of course, ipso facto, proved they were card-carrying members of the hoi polloi!!

But most egregious of all were the antics of the Prime Minister, who insisted that the traditions of the Guyanese Parliament during Budget Debates be broken just to offer him a sop in lieu of being shafted from the powers of the Prime Ministership!! The tradition was that the Leader of the Opposition would be the penultimate speaker, with the Finance Minister, who introduced the Budget, finishing up his defence to the preceding critique.

From the first Budget the PNC-led coalition presented in 2015, however, Nagamootoo, stung by the taunts from the Opposition benches about his emasculation, insisted he be the penultimate speaker – following the Opposition Leader!! The Opposition then protested by walking out just before Nagamootoo began to nurse his ego!! This followed for the next three years.

This year, unlike the principled Opposition walkout for a cause, the Government MPs, led by Nagamootoo, simply walked out on the Opposition Leader’s speech simply because they wanted to “diss” the Opposition.

This represents such common/guttersnipe behaviour that it betrays its actual source in the proverbial fisherwoman’s trade!!

…and PM’s Portfolio

The DPI – which is headed by Nagamootoo’s shill and general factotum – took time out to report on one Government Minister’s complaint that Opposition MP Nandlall claimed Nagamootoo is bereft of a portfolio. As you, dear reader, know, your Eyewitness has been making this point ever since PNC leader Granger not only tore up the Cummingsburg Accord -- which promised Nagamootoo chairing of Cabinet meetings right after the 2015 elections -- but refused to allocate any Ministerial portfolio to him!!

All he was given was a column in the Chronic!!

Your Eyewitness was hoping the Government Minister would’ve gone on to spell out Nagamootoo’s portfolio, since he insisted the man from Whim had one!! But obviously it was a whimsical statement, since no elaboration was forthcoming!! But bereft of anything substantive (or substantial!) to do, and insisting that he speak in Parliament, Nagamootoo proceeded to put his foot into his (open) mouth.

He referenced the Booker Tate study (mentioned by your Eyewitness) that recommended the Skeldon Modernisation - including the factory.

Thereby nailing David Patterson’s lie in Parliament!!

…and lies

Another Parliamentary custom is you can’t tell another “Honourable Member” he just told a lie – like Patterson did with the Skeldon Factory.

Winston Churchill got around the restraint by describing it as a “terminological inexactitude”!!

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

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SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Accelerate preparations for first oil – former US Ambassador

…as PSC bids farewell at Palm Court reception

By Vahnu Manikchand

W

ith just over one year remaining before US oil giant ExxonMobil commences oil production, the need for Government to fast track preparations for first oil is much more imperative.

This is according to former United States Ambassador Perry Holloway, during a recent interview with a group of local journalists; his final media engagement in that post as his three-year tenure culminates.

Guyana is now home to the world’s biggest new deep-water oil discovery and with principle explorer ExxonMobil pushing for the development of the oil reserves, production is scheduled to begin in 2020.

Only last week, the US oil giant announced its 10th discovery, reinforcing the country’s potential to be able to produce more than 750,000 barrels of oil daily by 2025.

The US diplomat said Guyana is about to experience something big that is also moving very fast, and while he commended efforts thus far by the coalition Government, he believes more should be done at a much quicker pace.

Former US Ambassador Perry Holloway and his wife; along with members of the PSC – Chairman Desmond Sears; and former Chairman Eddie Boyer at the farewell reception at Palm Court

“This will be the fastest any country would have ever discovered oil, deep water, and produced it basically in less than five years. So this is moving very fast. I do commend the Government, they have taken a lot of steps but this is really fast. So as it accelerates, the Government is going to need to accelerate its activities, if it wants to keep up with the pace of things,” he posited.

According to the former Ambassador, there is no secret of what needs to be done with the plethora of advice and recommendations pouring in from other countries,

including the US, and international stakeholder bodies particularly as it related to the setting up of what the Government has termed as the ‘Natural Resource Fund’ (NRF).

“Guyana’s going to have to get its regulatory environment straight. They are working on it, they have passed some laws, they have the Department of Energy, they need to figure out how they are going to do – whatever it is called whether a Sovereign Wealth Fund or rainy day fund or green fund, but whatever when the money comes in, how do

You better look out...

“Even though there is a small amount of drugs coming in, the most serious threat is drugs going out and that’s what we are going to concentrate on,” Atherly explained.

Only recently, while positing that a lot more work needs to be done, outgoing United States Ambassador to Guyana, Perry Holloway, has lauded efforts by drug enforcement agencies, both local and foreign, for trying to put a dent in the illegal narcotics trade in Guyana.

Being positioned on the South American continent with strong ties to the Caribbean region, Guyana has long been identified as a transshipment point for major drug trafficking activities. It was against this backdrop that the US established

a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) office here.

During a recent interview with a group of local journalists ahead of his formal departure today, after serving his three-year tenure, Ambassador Holloway asserted that it was too early to gage the success of the DEA here but noted that more positive results can be expected in the coming years.

He noted that the DEA has done a great job in Guyana.

“I think in the next two or three years, you are going to see a lot more positive actions coming from your law enforcement entities and them cooperating with international law enforcement,” the US Diplomat stated.

One of those developments the former Ambassador spoke

from page 7

about is the arrest of Guyanese hotelier, Shervington “Big Head” Lovell, who was arrested in Jamaica last month for narcotics trafficking. He was recently extradited to the US where he faced additional charges.

According to reports, Lovell, who is the owner of Hotel Tower on Main Street, Georgetown, was arraigned before a Magistrate in a New York Court and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to violate Maritime Drug Enforcement Law. Nevertheless, Lovell’s arrest, Ambassador Holloway posited, was as a result of collaboration between the DEA office and local law enforcement agencies such as the Guyana Police Force and CANU.

you manage it for the good of the future. There are a lot of models out there… Your politics change but you need to make it as not controlled by one or two individuals but by tight lines and priorities as much as possible,” Holloway stated.

Noting that Government’s priority may very well be the same, the US diplomat suggested that education, health, security, infrastructure and agriculture be the top areas that the ‘oil money’ be injected into.

“Believe me when I say this, this is more money than God has. There is going to be money to spend on 10 priorities if you have 10.

The amount of money will not be Guyana’s problem it is how do you spend it… how you protect it and save it for the future, that is going to be Guyana’s problem,” he

asserted.

In August, Government laid a green paper titled ‘Managing Future Petroleum Revenues and Establishment of Fiscal Rule and a Sovereign Wealth Fund’ in the National Assembly. The green paper on the NRF, had recommended a number of things including that Parliament be responsible for approving the annual withdrawal from the Fund.

Turning his attention to those still skeptical of the anticipated ‘transformation’ that oil will bring the country, Ambassador Holloway contended that while Guyana is expected to see massive development over the next seven to 15 years, there will come a time when oil is not the answer.

“You have countries like Venezuela who had more oil than any other coun-

try in the world and people are starving. They are going through the jungle in Region One to come to Guyana so oil is not an answer for everything if you don’t manage it wisely and know what to do with it… So it is good to be cautious and you should try as much as one can try to hold your Government’s feet to the fire,” he posited.

In this vain, however, the US Diplomat is urging Guyanese to use this time as an opportunity to develop themselves so that they too can benefit from what is to come. He also called on the Government to do more to develop the country’s young people.

“Try to get as smart as you can on the subject and get ready for it. It is going to be a rising tide that I believe will raise all ships no matter what you do. I think there will be more work for journalists, ships, accountant, engineers, carpenters you name it… You have to prepare the youth.

This is a country where 50 per cent of the population is under the age of 26. They are the future leaders, the future everything of Guyana and if you are not providing them the education, the training they need then it’s not going to work out so well,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, the Private Sector Commission hosted a farewell reception for the former Ambassador at Palm Court last week.

Among those at the event were Chairman of the PSC Desmond Sears and other executive members.

10 news

SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

10 foreigners among 36 arrested in ‘Operation Restore Order’

Two motorcycles suspected to be stolen were seized by the officers

The 88 grams of marijuana in question

T

en foreigners were among 36 persons arrested on Saturday morning as the Guyana Police Force continues its ‘Operation Restore Order’.

During the operation, several cordon search exercises and were carried out in the North Cummingsburg and Kingston areas in Georgetown. The 36 persons were detained for various offences, including Trafficking in Persons (TIP).

According to Police Publication

Relations Officer (PRO), Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, a Rosemary Lane, Georgetown resident was found in possession of 88 grams of cannabis packaged in small-sized ziplock bags, while two motorcycles and a flat screen television suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained were found.

Superintendent Ramlakhan said that two senior superintendents spearheaded the more than three-hour long operation that involved a total of 108 ranks.

Budget loose ends?

S

atiricus breathed a sigh of relief as he sauntered into the Back Street bar. The Budget was done and he wouldn’t have to put up with all the nonsense that went on under the cover of “debate”. There would be the last day, when there would be voting on the individual “line items”. But since usually the Speaker didn’t even bother to look up after asking, “Those in favour say, ‘Aye’,” Satiricus didn’t plan on showing up.

“But Sato, dat might be de day wid de bigges’ action!” exclaimed Cappo, after Satiricus had unloaded his opinion to the fellas.

“Trust me, Cappo, listening to the vote on the line items is like looking at grass growing!” exclaimed Satiricus.

“But yuh na rememba if Jagdesh get two a dem guvment MP fuh vote ‘gainst de Budget, de whole guvment gat fuh resign?” asked Bungi.

“That’s right,” confirmed Hari. “If a government can’t pass a “spending bill”, it’s just like a noconfidence vote!”

“I think Jagdesh will wait for the real noconfidence motion afterwards,” said Satiricus, as he downed his beer. “And I just can’t take it anymore with the antics in Parliament.”

“Yuh mean like yuh ole fr’en’ Rum Jhaat who seh w’en PPCEE call fuh save suga’, da jus’ like w’en Volga seh dem guh hiya only Pee’nSee people!?” asked Cappo.

“Abee cane cutta neva get mo’ dan 50% fuh show up,” pointed out Bungi. “De PPCEE sh’u’da seh dem only guh hiya Pee’nSee people too!!”

“To cut cane under the boiling sun?” asked Hari.

“Naah!! Volga was talking about air-conditioned jobs!!”

“Rum Jhaat was just trying to suck up to Volga,” said Satiricus. “I asked him if he had no shame.”

“Shame?” asked Cappo. “’E waan fuh keep ‘e jab.

But fish ah play ah sea, ‘e nah know watah ah boil fuh am!!”

“Yep!” agreed Bungi. “But since ‘e already ah dead meat, e’ na good fuh nobady!!”

“Well, fellas, I have some bad news,” said Hari.

“Not being a friend of Volga or a born Pee’nSee, I was just fired from my job at GRA.” “What?” asked Satiricus. “What are you going to do?”

“Sell plantain chips!” said Hari.

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SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesGY.com

Tug of war continues over ownership of LBI estate lounge/sports bar Solidifying ethnic blocks

V

olda Lawrence, Chairperson of the PNC, was caught in a dilemma when she candidly responded to her (and the PNC’s traditional) constituency’s complaint that the good life they were promised has not been delivered, three years down the road by the Government they put into office. She was recorded as saying, when it comes to jobs, “The only friends I got is PNC so the only people I gon give wuk to is PNC and right now I looking for a doctor who can talk Spanish or Portuguese and ah want one that is PNC!” Such talk, of course, directly raises fears of discrimination along ethnic lines because of the historic alignment of voters along those lines in Guyana. In a country which is still among the poorest in the hemisphere, such reactions are not surprising when the discriminatory intent is so bluntly expressed, and politics still defined “who gets what, when and how”. Even in the absence of explicit Ravi Dev statements, however, the adherents of the major parties read “hiring preferences” into the messages of their leaders.

This has been going on ever since the national movement was split in 1955 and most analysts blame either the leaders or “ethnic identity” for our politics of preference which has helped keep our politics as a zero-sum game. Guyanese elections have been categorised – not unfairly – as ethnic censuses since the one in 1961. The 2015 is certainly not been an exception. Many, if not most, Guyanese ruefully shake their heads when alluding to this reality and wistfully wishing, “If only…”. Elections are seen as reinforcing our “divisions”.

One of the reasons we vote the way we do is because of what one African-American scholar has called the logic of “linked fate” to explain African-American voting behaviour.

If circumstances, whether systemic or planned (like with Ms Lawrence promise to the PNC faithful), affect a set of people specifically and consistently, it is only “reasonable” that it will dawn on them to react similarly to the “stimuli’. In the latter case Lawrence’s statement will help to solidify her base but at the same time, that of the PPP. Historically, our fates were very early on linked to our ethnicity by how the British rulers treated us – Amerindians were allowed to sink back into the “interior”; Africans were slaves and then “ex-slaves”, Indians were indentured sugar workers while the smaller Portuguese and Chinese indentureds could carve a niche in the retail sector to serve the rural folks in a cash economy. It soon didn't matter whether there were nine tribes of Amerindians or dozens of tribes from West Africa or North and South Indians: each of those groups coalesced separately because their fates were separately linked by the British.

In the modern era, with the coming of “democracy” to allow control of the State through the agglomeration of numbers, the politicians merely followed the ethnic logic and organised along group identities that had already been outlined. Jagan’s carefully constructed PPP of 1950 was a self-conscious “ethnic coalition”. The ethnically channelled political struggle however led to its own problematic which we called our “ethnic security dilemmas”. For the longest while, the majority Indian Guyanese felt that even if they won “democratic elections” at the ballot boxes, they faced an existential threat to their physical security.

African Guyanese, on the other hand, felt that because of their minority status, their wellbeing was always going to be at the mercy of the not necessarily benevolent majority.

Following independence, “discrimination” became a fact of life regardless of which ethnic group was in power: whether that discrimination was “political” as Burnham asserted – or Lawrence may claim, or “racial” as Dr Jagan accused was irrelevant. And vice versa when the shoe was on the other foot.

While the demographics have now been reversed to remove the African security dilemma, Indian Guyanese now feeling doubly threatened by both dilemmas. Discrimination, however, is still alive and kicking.

But this is not just an academic exercise. The choices of the new APNU/AFC Administration in staffing their Administration has exacerbated the fears in that community that “it is payback time”. And reinforced ethnic identity, not necessarily in a benign fashion.

The apparent conflict between ethnic and national identity will therefore become exacerbated rather than fade away unless we insist on implementing policies where discrimination in whatever form is fought by all. Wishing away ethnicity will otherwise be a pipe dream.

...official accused of calling female patrons “strippers”

A

s the saga over the ownership and commercialisation of the La Bonne Intention (LBI) Estate’s Staff Club continues, the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) is accusing the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) of breaching a legal document which transfers ownership of the LBI estate to NICIL. The tug of war between GuySyCo and NICIL, started after the refurbishing of the estate staff club into a luxury lounge/sport bar. The lounge/bar was established even though dismissed sugar workers had to wait one year for their severance payment from GuySuCo. However, as they GuySuCo and NICIL seek to determine control and ownership of the facility, it’s Public Relations Officer, Audreyanna Thomas, said the transformation of staff facility into a sports bar does not fall in line with its principles and values which resulted in it blocking the opening. She earlier indicated that the Sugar Corporation had intentions of rehabilitating the facility but was told that SPU

An outside view of the disputed sports bar

would undertake that since their staffers would also utilise the facility. She claimed that the company was blindsided by the move to turn the staff facility to a sports bar.

Ever since that turn of events, the SPU and GuySuCo’s relationship continued to deteriorate.

According to the manager, Thomas continues to terrorise persons accessing the facility, explaining that about a week ago, she referred to the wives of some of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority employees as strippers because they donned bathing suits while using the pool.

He noted that they are at their wits’ end with the Sugar Corporation but are trying to resolve the issue amicably without going to

the courts. He noted that taking legal action against GuySuCo would have to be a last resort. He also indicated that GuySuCo allegedly broke into the Staff Club’s bar and items have gone missing.

According to the December 30, 2017, Vesting Order, “all movable and immovable property owned, used, leased or licensed

by GuySuCo or the State save and except Albion Estate, Blairmont Estate and Uitvlugt Estate... stand transferred to and shall be vested in NICIL absolutely, free and clear from all claims and liabilities.”

In essence, according to NICIL, the Vesting Order transfers all ownership of all property except those stated to them. However, GuySuCo is contending that because

the LBI Estate is not stated as being transferred to NICIL, it therefore means it remains in their possession.

A senior official at NICIL told Guyana Times, during an interview, that when NICIL moved into the LBI Estate, they held a consultation with GuySuCo and since they were now the new owners, they moved ahead with rehabilitating the Staff Club and have it opened as a business venture. The commercialisation body would have expended over $25 million on the project to which GuySuCo was in full agreement with.

“It (the Vesting Order) has a catch; all clause where it states all other property and it did not state expressly LBI. So in legal terminology, although it did not state LBI, the ‘catch all’ phrase covers that because GuySuCo only has control of Blairmont, Albion and Uitvlugt estates and that is where the issue arises. The Vesting Order need not fully describe the property because we have a ‘catch all’ clause and it is not necessary in accordance with the law,” the official stated. turn to page 13

12 news NAREI’s Board rejects Chairman’s attempts to remove CEO SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

…calls for firing of Chairman

T

he Board of Directors of National Agricultural and Research Extension Institute (NAREI) has rejected an attempt by its Chairman, Dr Patrick Chesney to remove Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Oudho Homenauth.

On Saturday, Agriculture Minister, Noel Holder confirmed that he has received a report of the incident and the ministry has since launched an ibestigation.

“I’m aware of the matter and it’s being discussed so we’re looking at it to deliberate on a resolution,” said Holder.

He also confirmed that it was the staff of NAREI who called for an investigation of the chairman’s action.

Sources have revealed that Dr Chesney filed a motion two weeks ago to

Chairman of NAREI Board, Patrick Chesney

NARIE CEO, Dr Oudho Homenauth

have the CEO removed. He then put forward motion to the Board of Directors to have Dr Homenauth dismissed.

“Dr Chesney came on the Board about six months now and almost from the beginning, he writes very insulting things about the CEO and

eventually at one of the Board meetings, he decided to move a motion to have Dr Homenauth dismissed.”

The source, who is an employee at the institute, indicated that the Chairman insisted that the motion be voted upon by members of the Board.

However, Chesney was the only individual who voted in favour of the motion which he brought forward.

“He said let’s vote and when the vote was taken, he was the only person voting in favour of the dismissal. Not everyone was at the meeting, but seven Board members voted against,” the source said.

Guyana Times was told that the Board members have appealed to the Agriculture Minister to

intervene in the matter and have since asked the Government to remove Chesney.

“The members of the Board made an appeal to the minister, saying that we want the Chairman to go.”

Meanwhile, this publication understands that at a Board meeting on Thursday, Chesney attempted again to have the motion heard. However, this was not possible since only three members were

present.

In what is termed a “very serious matter”, employees of NAREI have indicated their concerns about the “adamancy” of the Chairman to have the CEO removed and therefore, are calling for an investigation at the soonest.

Guyana Times was unable to contact Dr Chesney for a comment on the matter.

Dr Homenauth has been working at NAREI for the past 17 years.

Region 2 farmers, GRDB clash over “non-germinating” seed paddy

…loss of money of utmost concern – Chairman

Region Two Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt looks at some of the seed-paddy farmers purchased

F

armers of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) are fuming after the seed paddy which they obtained from the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) did not germinate, causing additional financial burden to replant acres of land.

However, the GRBD is claiming that the farmers are not being truthful.

According to the GRBD, the rice farmers on the Essequibo Coast are telling a different story to the one told in Parliament on Thursday last by Rice Producer Association (RPA), General Secretary Dharamkumar Seeraj in relation to failed-seed paddy.

Head of the Rice Farmers Association of Region Two, Naithram, who is also the agriculture coordinator for the region, said he is currently making representation for several farmers who were sold seed paddy, particularly the GRBD 10 seed paddy, by the RPA. He said that contrary to what was related in the National Assembly, it was not the GRDB 10 seed paddy that failed to germinate, but the paddy sold to farmers by the RPA during the last crop.

However, Regional Chairman Devanand Ramdatt is not entertaining any of the explanations, noting that it is the plight of the farmers he is concerned about, and as such, is calling on the GRDB to assist the affected farmers. The

Regional Chairman maintained that the GRBD 10 seed paddy is indeed the variety mentioned by the farmers as the one they would have purchased, and which is not germinating.

Speaking with Guyana Times on Saturday, Ramdatt said, “The concerns the farmers are raising is that they purchased this variety that is known as GRDB 10… If they’re now having this issue with the seed paddy not germination and an additional expense to sow again, then cost of production is increasing. I think that the GRDB needs to help in whatever way they can.”

Ramdatt indicated that the cost for one bag of seed paddy is just under $5000.

He noted that since the seed paddy did not germinate, a loss is incurred while additional money is spent to buy new seeds and replant.

He added that in many cases, farmers bought over 100 bags of seeds which they had to return.

“A number of farmers would have said that they had to purchase back seed paddy to sow and it is an increased cost we have to incur. The actual cost per bag of paddy to sow is about $5000. If they have to sow for every acre, it will cost them not only a bag and a half per acre but they have to pay to broadcast (plant) the seed which is to sow back again,” the Chairman related.

He noted that the con-

cern lies within the financial constraints which these persons have been faced with, having been owed by millers and increased production costs.

“My concern is that all of this is a burden on the farmers because this now adds to additional existing challenges that they’re facing.

It has to do with the delay in payment by millers, increase in prices for fertiliser and fuel.”

On Wednesday, the Chairman visited some of the affected farmers where complaints surfaced about hundreds of acres of rice fields being affected.

The farmers said those who sowed the GRDB 10 were forced to replant their fields using different varieties of seedlings, which is an additional cost to them.

According to several farmers who were present during the site visit, the entire Region Two rice industry is in trouble since farmers are not being treated equally and millers are taking advantage of their situation.

Farmers also complained that they are losing confidence in the GRDB, noting that that the field officers are not doing their jobs by visiting the farmers and monitoring the industry. According to the farmers, since the new Administration assumed duties, subvention was removed from the RPA and the GRDB is the only body left to give technical support.

13 109 ex-Wales sugar workers still to receive severance pay S news

SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

ome 109 former sugar workers of the Wales Estate will have to wait a little longer to receive their severance pay due to issues relating to the calculation of interest. This was relayed to Guyana Times on Saturday. It was also disclosed that a total of 238 workers received their termination benefits between Friday and Saturday.

According to information obtained, the reported 109 unpaid workers were those who had taken up employment at the Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara Estate.

Many others had refused to do so after contending that it was unlawful for their employer, the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to compel them to travel 22 miles from their point of origin at Wales.

The court agreed with this position and as such the workers were awarded interest at four per cent per

The defunct Wales Sugar Estate

annum. This determination was made by Justice Sandil Kissoon in his ruling last week.

Guyana Times was told that GuySuCo was waiting on the court order to guide the calculation for the workers.

Thousands of dismissed sugar workers are finding

great difficulty in securing alternative jobs following their retrenchment in late 2016. In early November, the National Assembly gave approval for almost $2.5 billion to cater for the remaining severance to 4723 sugar workers and Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln had also ruled in favour of the ex-em-

Tug of war continues over...

“SPU (Special Purposes Unit) moved into the building since last year (2017) and we started to renovate the sports club. The pool was green and the place was termite infested and we went into renovation mode. We were empowered to renovate because we had the ownership and as the renovations were completed, they (GuySuCo) tried to say that they owned the property and they want it back. They waited until we were finished and then said that they wanted their property back,” he added.

The senior manager said prior to the renovation, they commissioned a 10-person committee to manage the club and go forth with plans for its commercialisation. The committee comprised five persons from GuySuCo and five from the SPU. The club renovation was completed, and all was set for launch on September 28, 2018, but one day before the opening day, GuySuCo retaliated by issuing notices

that the event was cancelled, a move that NICIL said completely blindsided them.

“On the 28 (September) they stood at the gate and turned away a number of the delegates we invited from the Ministries and managers from Banks DIH and DDL because we had invited them,” the manager noted.

He said the move was a complete embarrassment.

“Vesting Order out of order”

Meanwhile, Thomas told Guyana Times during a telephone interview that the Vesting Order is out of order since the LBI compound serves as the Corporation’s head office, hence the reason it was not listed. She questioned whether the SPU expects GuySuCo to move its head office into the air.

“Assuming the Vesting Order says save and except Blairmont, Albion and Uitvlugt, everything else is vested. Where else is GuySuCo head office sup-

from page 11

posed to be, in the sky? Are we supposed to be relocated to one of these estates? If the Vesting Order did say that GuySuCo’s LBI is vested then where will the head office… be? Should it be relocated so that a club house be managed in this location? This is a business that earns billions of dollars and has 8000 plus employees,” she said.

“It seems indecent and immoral that the agency that was set up to divest GuySuCo’s assets is now coming and saying that that agency (GuySuCo) does not have a head office location because this agency (SPU) is in charge of it… even if it was by error that the LBI compound was included in the Vesting Order then NICIL must have the decency to unvest it and so that it would appear to be the proper thing to do,” Thomas added.

She sought to remind that the SPU’s role is to divest the four closed estates and not manage staff clubs.

ployees, saying that they should be paid with interest in the range of four to six per

cent.

It took the court over a year to initially hear the Wales severance matter and the workers, their families, union and other supporters have been protesting for their legally entitled benefits.

In fact, when Justice Kissoon ruled last Wednesday, just hours before, there was another protest organised outside Parliament Building where workers called for their severance.

The workers who had opted to work at Uitvlugt will also receive one month’s pay with lieu of notice, coupled with their severance.

It was initially 371 workers that were auguring for severance, but this was reduced after it was found that some former Wales employees had to come off the list as some were not entitled; some were deceased, and others could no longer be found in the country.

Aside from Wales Estate closing in December 2017, the closures of Skeldon, Rose Hall and Enmore were all finalised as part of Government’s cost cutting measures.

The latter three were later reopened under small operations as part of the Administration’s move to garner private investors.

14 news

SUnDAY, december 9, 2018| guyanatimesgy.com

Farmer fined $70,000 for ganja trafficking EPA Launches Television

A

60-year-old farmer of Kairuni, Soesdyke Linden Highway, who found himself before the courts during last week, was fined by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after he was slapped with a charge of narcotics trafficking.

Edward Bacchus admitted to the charge which stat-

ed that on December 5, 2018, at Kairuni, Soesdyke Linden Highway, he had in his possession 35 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

According to facts presented by Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, on December 5, ranks from the Mackenzie Police Station were on patrol in the area

and acting on information received, went to the home of the farmer. Bacchus, on seeing the ranks, started running and dropped a black plastic bag which was later retrieved. He was subsequently apprehended. He later told ranks “officer I does use the weed for my personal use” as he was arrested and

later charged.

The unrepresented Bacchus in a plea of mitigation told the Magistrate, “Ma’am I use the weed to make medicine for cold, I would take a smoke from time to time”.

The Chief Magistrate fined Bacchus $70,000. Failure to pay the fine will result in him serving four months in jail.

Programme“The Environment Matters”

Dr Patrick Williams, Chairman of the EPA Board of Directors

T

Dr Vincent Adams, Executive Director, EPA

his past year has seen the Environmental Protection Agency boosting its efforts and capacity to increase its visibility in both the public and private domains through radio, television, print, social media, and other media publications and outlets.

This week, we are pleased to announce that we will be launching our first ever televised programme “The Environment Matters”. Recognising the need to provide the public with more up-to-date and relevant information, we saw this fitting. Equally, we believe that this will help to engender a Guyanese populace that is environmentally conscious and literate.

What you can expect Don’t think of this as just another TV programme that provides technical and not-so-interesting information to it viewers. The Environment Matters is a programme with a difference. This high quality, viewer centred programme will have something interesting for all who tune in. With pressing environmental issues climbing higher on the country’s national agenda, viewers can expect relevant information relating to:

• • • • • • • • • •

Who we are - Inside the EPA; Our Authorisation Process; The Changing Climate; Managing the Country’s Natural Resources; Fascinating ways to manage your waste; Air Quality –it’s no joke, it can make you choke; Water Quality Management; Noise Management; Guyana’s fascinating Biodiversity; and Preparing for the Oil and Gas Sector.

The Agency’s work enables Guyana to contribute to national and global environmental protection and conservation. In developing this programme and planning its content, we were sure to include content for all ages and groups to enjoy. As you tune in, you will get the opportunity to be alongside us in our journey of protecting the beautiful ecosystems of Guyana.

Inaugural Show Our first show will be aired on Sunday, December 16, and will provide viewers with information on ‘Who we are’: highlighting the key roles and responsibilities of the EPA; programmes and plans to align our work with the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS); and steps to address challenges as we forge ahead. We will feature two special guests, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Agency, Dr. Vincent Adams; and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Patrick Williams. Both of these men possess a wealth of practical experience in areas of environmental protection and management.

Show time Remember to join us on the National Communications Network (NCN) Channel 11 on the first Sunday of every month at 10:00 am, and for re-broadcasts on the second Tuesday at 8:05 pm; the third Saturday at 1:00pm, and the fourth Monday at 09:30 pm.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@ gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

15 Guyana Airways never filed an application to operate – GCAA news

SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

The need for local content policies and practices to be embedded within the legislative framework

R

ecently, ExxonMobil hosted a two-day public relations forum aimed at addressing procurement processes based on lessons learnt thus far in the supply chain. The forum featured the multinational oil company’s tier one contractors and several presentations. Despite this, local media operatives continue to be critical of ExxonMobil’s definition of local content in the absence of a local content policy; and, in fact, some of the attendees sought to charge at the company in regard to its plans or programmes to help local companies get more contracts with its partners and suppliers.

Now, this was covered widely in the press, so this article will not regurgitate the contents thereof. However, this article seeks to address the contentions put forward by some of the local business executives and owners, who need to understand and appreciate that it is not up to ExxonMobil. It is proven worldwide in other oil producing countries that if the local content policy is not enshrined within its legislative framework, then it would not work effectively.

And this is a task and/or responsibility the Government needs to ensure is in place, and not just merely a policy promoting local content.

Having reviewed the draft local content policy document, it appears that it mirrors an academic paper – albeit inadequate rather than a pragmatic policy paper. To this end, while the draft policy recognises, in generic terms, the objective of local content strategies, it does not speak to the specificities with respect to how it intends to execute local content activities and/or strategies. For example, it highlighted that there will be a regulatory mechanism, but it did not address the workings and functionalities of that mechanism. And it does not speak to a strategy of removing barriers (if any) for local firms’ participation, and what strategies will be undertaken for enhancing the contestability of local firms’ and Guyanese nationals’ participation, as against international firms and foreign nationals.

Moreover, it is noted also that the draft Petroleum Commission Bill merely speaks to the promotion of local content and local participation in petroleum activities, which is unarguably inadequate; unless there will be a separate legislation to address local content.

Examples in other countries

Malaysia:

The objective of Malaysia’s LCPs are to: (1) provide affordable petroleum resources to the local market; (2) build the foundation for forward links; and (3) secure local involvement and control of both upstream and downstream segments (Nordas et.al, 2003).

Policy Tools:

A mix of regulations, incentives-based and capability-building programmes is used to achieve the abovementioned objectives.

The main ‘vehicle’ for the Malaysian LCPs was through Petronas (Oil & Gas Company) inter alia – its participation in PSAs and its policies focusing on developing the local work force’s technical skills and efficiency of their supply industry. Under the PSA terms, contractors are required to: * Minimise the employment of foreign workforce. To this end, the recruitment of foreign personnel requires the approval of Petronas. * Train internal Malay personnel. This includes the provision of capability development programmes that enable Malay personnel to replace the expatriate workforce * Commit a minimum monetary amount to be allocated to the training of Petronas personnel, the amount being contract specific * Offer on-the-job training to personnel of the NOC upon the request of Petronas Also, every PS contractor is subject to an annual research contribution equivalent to 0.5 percent of the sum of cost oil and contractor’s share of profit oil, and the research contribution is tax deductible.

Best practices in local content development

With the availability and accessibility of sufficient literature in regard to lessons learned in hindsight on poorly implemented and less effective LCPs in some African oil producing countries, such as Nigeria and Angola, for example, it is now imperative that local content strategies be adjusted to address important questions about definition and measurement of local content, and seeking balance between strong regulation and encouraging investment that secures the best possible outcome. It is the responsibility of host governments to link local content to governance, anticorruption strategies, and substantive transparency by all parties (Ovadia, 2015).

Development strategies that rely solely on productive investment of petroleum revenues have failed Africa in every case; yet, local content offers new potential to make oil and gas work for African development in the 21st century. To this end, Ovadia (2015) argued that, with the right policies and involvement of all stakeholders, natural resources can be developmental.

(For comments, questions and responses on articles featured in this column, readers can reach the author at jbinsights@outlook.com).

By Davina Ramdass

H

ead of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Egbert Field on Saturday said that the new Guyana Airways, which recently won a Court case against the Government for the use of the name, has never filed an application to operate in Guyana.

This was related by the Director of the GCCA, during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times on Saturday.

“The Civil Aviation Authority onto the time of my departure on Tuesday for the Director General’s Conference in Peru, we have not received any information or any documentation from Guyana Airways… we have not received any application from Guyana Airways,” Field said.

Although it has been in the air that the proprietor of the airline had submitted his application for operations, the director noted, “they’ll have to submit an application. They never did submit an application before and I want to make it pretty clear.”

According to him, Guyana Airways filed an ‘intent of operations’ on the work they intended to pursue. “That was not an application. The application process starts when you provide the application for the operation so we are awaiting, now after the court’s deci-

Director of GCAA, Egbert Field

sion, (for) the application from the Guyana Airways,” he explained.

Although the airline was hoping to begin operations in February 2019 as was related to this newspaper by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Airways Corporation (GAC), Colin Abrams, this may not be possible since it takes at least 12 or 13 months before the airline’s application is approved, due to the processing requirements.

“The normal process when an airline is being approved or going through the five step process for an air operators’ certificate which is what the entity would have to go through before an air operator’s certificate is granted, if it’s a large jet operations because of the intricacies which are involved, it could take as much as a year to 13 months. If it’s a small operation like a domestic cara-

Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Airways, Colin Abrams

van or even an islander operation then that process can take between four to six months,” Field explained.

This period, he said, is “absolutely important” as officials would use this phase to ensure that all aspects of the operation are covered such as training for staffers, evaluation of personnel and the documentation of the airline, such as operations manual, flight attendant manual, weight and balance manual, maintenance manual and several others, to outline the procedures for the specific section. He said this phase usually takes up most of time.

Further he outlined that the aircraft’s facilities would require inspections and the aircraft itself would require evaluation.

These processes he mentioned are important as it would ensure passenger

safety among others.

Government had taken the private airline to court this year for using the name which was used by two other companies which no longer exist.

The inconvenienced business man explained during a previous interview, “Two years after we’ve been registered and putting all this together and spending all this money, they just snuffed the life out of us without a hearing, without anything. We just had a marshal show up at our secretary’s home and that’s it, so they kinda murdered us.”

According to him, 110 flight attendants have already been hired for the two airlines which will soon provide flights to Cuba, Barbados and Trinidad for now and will extend its services to the United States of America when Guyana becomes authorized to do so.

Meanwhile, some 150 persons in total will be hired to work on the airline. Training for those employees will be done here in Guyana for four weeks and wind down in Miami, USA. Among the cards expected to be thrown out on the table by the airline is that of low cost flights. The CEO noted that flights with Guyana Airways will be of a reduced cost all year round, which will afford Guyanese the opportunity to fly back and forth from North to South America.

Govt must invest in opening roads for small miners – MP

F

ormer Amerindian Affairs Minister under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration, Pauline Sukhai, has called on the Government to do all that is within its power to facilitate the survival of the mining industry, especially for small operators. When she addressed the National Assembly during the 2019 Budget debates last week, the PPP/C Member of Parliament (MP) imparted that policymakers ensure that small miners have improved access to roadways linked to their mining lands.

“Small miners in Bartica and Mahdia are facing a very difficult time because when they are awarded lands, they have not been assisted with investments to open roads. Investments in roads for small miners needs to be addressed and because I work in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), I will ask the Minister to look into the case of those small miners who are located in the Black Water location where they cannot access the areas that were assigned to them; this is real Mr Speaker,” the MP stressed.

Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock

Finance Minister Winston Jordan’s Budget presentation highlighted that Guyana’s mining and forestry sectors do not exist in isolation but according to Sukhai, an assessment of the proposals shows “little or no incentive” for addressing the mining sector, whether for large or smallscale miners. She opined that the plight of the small miners was being ignored by those in authority even though these small operators are Guyana’s “home grown investors.”

“What the APNU/AFC (A Partnership for National

PP/C MP Pauline Sukhai

Unity/Alliance For Change) Government first sought to do is apply increased taxes; in the next year, they... sought to remove some of the taxes but what they did not do is to remove is to remove the VAT (Value Added Tax) on mining equipment and goods that are used in the mining sector which has affected many small miners and today they are slowly being eroded out of a stable livelihood,” the Opposition representative told the House last week.

What she harped on was that many pockets of small miners, include women, have their livelihoods

“being eroded everyday by the high cost of fuel, good and services by high costs of spares for their mining equipment.” She said that those managing the sector should continue to find solutions to these matters and she called for more investments in training staff at the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) which serves as the regulator for the sector.

“I notice that the allocation has been allocated for them (GGMC) to advance their objectives – this laudable this is necessary, but I have great difficulty agreeing with the current approach that exists and I think that some of the investments should go towards empowering, educating and ensuring that the regulators and monitors understand the complexity of the sector,” she stressed.

Mahdia miners

Speaking on the plight of miners in Mahdia, which lies in Region Eight, Sukhai said these operators want both the Government and the GGMC to see it as a body that wants to help them. turn to page 16

16 news

SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Oil and gas sector

Elections petition

Phase 2 development will double Case languishing in court Liza Phase 1 – ExxonMobil system – Nandlall

By Jarryl Bryan

T

he Liza Phase Two project, the Field Development Plan (FDP) of which is being reviewed by local regulators and a foreign company, is projected to be almost double the size of the preceding Liza Phase One project in the Stabroek Block.

This is according to ExxonMobil’s Senior Director of Public and Government Affairs, Diedre Moe, in an exclusive interview with Guyana Times. The US oil giant has already discovered oil in 10 wells in Liza Phase one alone, resulting in estimates that the block holds more than five billion oil equivalent barrels.

“Liza phase one, those costs were estimated to be over $4 billion. And this project is, you know, nearly twice the size. But as you have more projects, you (get) more efficient. And so that’s part of the review process, the Government is reviewing,” Moe said.

“I know the Government is continuing to get someone on board to be able to get some expertise to continue reviewing the development plans.

Exxon’s Senior Director of Public and Government Affairs, Diedre Moe

prevention, our vessels have many different mechanisms in place. When we look at equipment, this includes using monitors on the drill ship itself in order to prevent it from happening.”

“That’s kind of the first step in making sure that we don’t have an incident. And when you start drilling a well, we actually put a five storey blow out preventer on it.

There are several different valves that can easily close in a well should we see any potential issue, to prevent it from even occurring.”

Moe noted that at the moment, no oil is coming unto the

for Disaster Preparedness), the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and we’ll be doing some training moving into 2019 with the coastal communities and fisheries, to show them preventative measures to minimise any impact.”

Moe referenced Exxon’s experience drilling around the world in an environmentally safe and sustainable way and expressed confidence in her company’s ability to replicate that effort in Guyana.

When Exxon Mobil subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Ltd’s (EEPGL’s) submitted its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its Liza Phase 2 development, an outside consultant was brought in to assist the EPA in reviewing it.

A contract to the tune of $40.3 million was awarded to international firm Ramboll US Corporation in order to undertake the review, though the costs were reportedly borne by the oil company.

Threat of oil spills

The EPA did a study of its own, which had found that while an oil spill in the Stabroek block was possible, factors such as the location of EEPGL operations combined with the region’s water temperature would minimise the effects.

Auditor General Deodat Sharma had previously announced that the Audit Office would be carrying out a number of audits to analyse the capacity of the country’s relevant agencies to protect the environment and endangered species of animals.

Guyana has some experience with man-made natural disasters.

For instance, there was a cyanide spill in Guyana in 1995.

In gold mining, cyanide is used as an extracting agent for A diagram of a blow-out preventor, common in oil wells as a safety precaution the ore. In the case (Photo credit, the New York Times) of Guyana’s cyanide spill, the highly poiAnd we continue to work drill ship. Besides using the sonous material spilled out of closely with the Government right ship and equipment, she a reservoir into the Essequibo as they do their reviews.” explained that ExxonMobil River. would also endeavour to folGuyana does have a draft low the right procedures Oil Spill contingency plan, for Preparations A major consideration to transfer the oil from the which consultations were held Production and earlier this year. Besides the when an oil company begins Floating producing oil is its prepa- Storage Offloading (FPSO) obvious need to protect the environment and the livelirations for oil spills. In fact, vessel for transport.

“All those are prevention hoods of persons residing on many observers have expressed worry over this risk measures. And then you look the coast, there are various conventions in Guyana’s case. Moe not- at preparedness, like getting international ed that ExxonMobil has mea- all the equipment in place that stipulate countries have sures in place for oil spills, should you have an incident. a plan for any oil spill.

The Stabroek Block is ranging from equipment such We have different mechaas booms and monitors to nisms and contracts in place 6.6 million acres. EEPGL safety mechanisms within the to be able to respond quickly is the operator and hold a to prevent it from having any 45 per cent interest in the well itself.

Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana “When we think of man- type of large impact.”

“And then we have prac- Exploration Ltd holds a 30 aging risks, managing potential oil spills, we look at it in tise. We practise when we per cent interest, and CNOOC three phases. We look first drill, so people know what to Nexen Petroleum Guyana as prevention, practise pre- do. We’ve worked very close- Limited holds a 25 per cent paredness. When we look at ly with the CDC (Centre interest.

I

t has been almost four years since the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) filed a petition against the 2015 General and Regional Elections results after coming out of office and the matter is yet to be concluded by the Judicial arm of the State.

This was reiterated by former Attorney General and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall, who told Guyana Times on Saturday that since the filing of his party’s case, rulings in similar matters were determined in other jurisdictions.

“Elections petition law mandates that elections petitions are to be heard with dispatch, yet ours remains languishing in the court system for nearly four years now. Occurrences like these sap public confidence from the judicial system. It simply does not auger well for our democracy,” Nandlall postulated.

Following the results of the May 2015 elections, President David Granger of the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s (APNU/AFC) was elected to post but PPP observed that the elections were not held in conformity with the Constitution of Guyana.

Its petition, which was filed on behalf of the PPP/C parliamentarian Ganga Persaud, seeks to challenge the validity of the outcome of the 2015 General and Regional Elections and essentially requested a recount of all ballot boxes for the last elections and called for fresh elections. Persaud claimed that the elections were “unlawfully conducted” and that the results of the elections were therefore affected.

However, Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield

filed a summons to have the petition struck out, having described it as frivolous and vexatious. He had also outlined that the petition disclosed no reasonable cause of the action.

However former Acting Chief Justice (CJ) Ian Chang had overruled Lowenfield’s summons to have the petition struck out before he demitted office. Justice Chang had ruled that the summons to strike out the petition was premature and therefore the court should proceed in hearing it.

However, Lowenfield’s Attorney, Roysdale Forde, had filed an appeal and further disclosed that Chang erred in law when he failed to direct his mind to the summons and to apply the proper principles applicable to the striking out of the petition.

Forde had said the Judge erred in law when he made a finding and determination with respect to Article 163 (1) of the Constitution of Guyana and its relationship with Section 42 of the National Assembly Validity of Election Act, Chapter 1:04 without affording the Appellant an opportunity of responding to the said finding.

Still waiting

According to Nandlall, however, the elections petition is still awaiting a date for a full court decision which challenges Chief Justice’s Chang order that dismissed Lowenfield’s application to strike out the matter. The former Attorney General told Guyana Times on Saturday that election petitions “all around the world” which were filed subsequent to the 215 elections petition have already been “heard and determined”. Nandlall opined that in theory, the delay could allow a “potentially illegal government” to

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

govern for the entirety of its tenure.

“Let us assume that the elections petition is heard in 2020 and it is determined in favour of the PPP. The absurd results would be that the APNU/AFC was allowed to govern for the entirety of its term although it did win the election or the electoral process to which it gained Government was tainted by some illegality which disqualified it from being the Government – such a situation strike at the heart of democracy,” the PPP/C MP posited.

Guyana Times sought to garner insight by ascertaining a response from Attorney General Basil Williams but efforts to contact the Legal Affairs Minister on Saturday proved futile. When the PPP/C filed its case, it had cited procedural errors and instances of fraudulent and/ or suspicious actions during the elections. Unrest, fake Statement of Polls (SOP) and multiple voting were among the reasons for the petition. Further, the presence of ‘huge mobs’ at several polling stations and other strategic places, particularly in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), were also cited by the Party as another cause for intimidation and fear.

Govt must invest in...

This was in response to when the small miners protested the GGMC seizing their equipment in October of this year. GGMC operatives had raided Mahdia and surrounding communities and seized equipment based on alleged breached of mining protocols. The miners however expressed that the long waiting period for permits and the alleged corruption by GGMC officers had left them non-compliant with regulations. Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had labelled the GGMC’s actions an “unconscionable assault”.

“These small miners were faced with camps being burned, equipment seized sluice boxes being destroyed.

What is hurtful is that then they are charged hefty fees to recover damaged equipment,” the MP stated.

She also called on

Government to foster for business opportunities for Indigenous people as well as calling on Government to amend the Amerindian Act. Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock responding to the Opposition’s concerns told the House that Government was working with Indigenous stakeholders on revising the Act. He also made remarks on the economic development of villages and noted that the Administration is working towards the eradication of poverty, having observed that some $1 billion was injected in 154 communities and villages. He said that the money was allocated towards agriculture production, tourism, manufacturing, village based enterprise, and other programmes.

“In 2019, the Ministry of Indigenous People’s

from page 15

Affairs will continue to provide training in financial accountability, leadership and capacity to overcome challenges some villages faced in these projects while strengthening the positives such as knowledge implementation and business management among the beneficiaries,” he outlined.

He stated that Budget 2019 will see the investment of $375 million to equip hinterland communities via satellites which will benefit over 11,392 residents. “$38.5 billion is to expand and maintain the infrastructure. $101 million allocated to continue to extend the electrification programme. There will also be the drilling of wells in the hinterland communities benefiting residents in over 200 communities,” Allicock explained to his fellow MPs.

news

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SUnDAY, december 9, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

volunteer More contraband Mexican crowned Miss World found in NA prison

The items unearthed at the New Amsterdam Prison

O

ne day after carrying out searches at both Lusignan and Camp Street Prisons, the prison service officials swooped down at the New Amsterdam penitentiary where a number of contraband items were found in prisoners’ possession.

The three hour search started that 06:30h by officers of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Prison Service and unearthed 14 cellphones, five improvised weapons, 22 lighters, wires, 12 chargers, 11 earpieces, two SIM cards, and 12 grams of cannabis.

This most recent find comes on the heels of searches carried out at the Lusignan and Camp Street Prisons on Friday.

At the Lusignan, East Coast Demerara penitentiary, the search commenced at 06:00h and ran until 08:15h.

During the exercise, a num-

ber of prohibited items were found in the possession of inmates.

These include four small plastics containing a quantity of cannabis, 10 lighters, four improvised weapons, 30 razor blades, nine needles, a pair of scissors, a piece of broken glass, two metal nails, three geometry set compasses, one metal spoon, two cellphone batteries, six cellphones, five earphones, seven chargers, five sim cards, two memory cards, and a quantity of wires.

Meanwhile, over at the Georgetown prison, the exercise lasted much longer.

It started around 06:05h and went until 09:13h.

The following illicit items were found in the possession of inmates: 13 cellular phones, three cellular phone chargers, eight packs and 10 loose Bristol cigarettes, 21 cigarette light-

ers, 226 grams of suspected cannabis, small transparent ziplock bags, a quantity of improvised weapons, and three hacksaw blades.

According to the Police Force, there were no incidents during the two exercises.

Contraband smuggling has long been a perennial problem within the prison system and this is compounded by the fact that both prison and Police Officers are facilitating the illegal trade, which is said to be a “big business”.

While the authorities have been struggling to curb the illegal practice, there has been a breakthrough on the apparent network among rogue prison officers.

In fact, only in October, four prison officers were arrested after they smuggled a bottle of rum and a pack of cigarettes into the Lusignan Prison the weekend prior.

These officers were subsequently charged and interdicted from duty.

In addition, another two ranks found themselves in hot water following the discovery of illegal items at two separate prison facilities.

In Berbice, 1032 grams of suspected marijuana and 39 packs of cigarettes were found in the New Amsterdam Prison and a prison officer had admitted to conspiring with inmates to hide the contraband that was thrown over the fence.

Meanwhile, another prison officer at the Timehri penitentiary was taken into custody after he was implicated by an inmate regarding the presence of 584 grams of marijuana in the compound.

Furthermore, five other prison officers were relieved of their duties back in July after they were fingered in an incident whereby a parcel containing cannabis had been thrown into the Lusignan Prison Holding Bay area.

Director of Prisons (ag) Gladwin Samuels had disclosed in September that so far for the year, some 28 prison officers have been dismissed; 11 for facilitating or directly smuggling contrabands into the prisons system.

The Prison Director added that there are 12 ranks currently interdicted from duty; nine of whom have been charged either departmentally or criminally for trafficking-related activities.

New Miss World, Vanessa Ponce de Leon

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Mexican model and volunteer was crowned Miss World at a glitzy event on the tropical Chinese island of Hainan on Saturday.

Miss Mexico Vanessa Ponce de Leon, 26, has a degree in international business, volunteers for “Migrantes en el Camino” and is on the board of directors of a rehab centre for girls, according to the Miss World website. She was crowned as the 68th Miss World by last year’s win-

ner, Manushi Chhillar of India, in the coastal city of Sanya. The colourful ceremony included US group Sister Sledge performing their 1979 disco anthem “We Are Family.” First runner up was Thailand’s Nicolene Pichapa Limsnukan, a 20-year-old studying business administration. Miss Belarus Maria Vasilevich, Miss Jamaica Kadijah Robinson and Miss Uganda Quiin Abenakyo were also among the final five.

It is the eighth time the Miss World final has been held in Sanya, which first hosted the pageant in 2003.

At the finals three years ago, controversy erupted as officials in Hong Kong stopped Miss Canada, Anastasia Lin, from boarding a plane bound for Sanya, telling her she would not receive a visa.

The 25-year old actress claimed the decision was due to her stance on China’s human rights record, including its persecution of Falun Gong, a Chinese spiritual group of which she is a practitioner. (AFP)

Marijuana for recreational use will have to be decided by referendum – Barbados PM

Brazil 'faith healer' accused of sex abuse

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dozen women have come forward in Brazil to accuse a prominent self-styled spiritual healer of sexually abusing them at his clinic.

Joao Teixeira de Faria - known as "Joao of God" - is based in the town of Abadiania but has followers worldwide.

A Dutch photographer, Zahira Leeneke Maus, told Globo TV that he had manipulated her into performing sex acts and then raped her.

In a statement to Globo, Mr Faria's office strongly denied the allegations.

It said the 76-year-old had used his powers to treat thousands of people, and "vehemently rejects (allegations of) any improper practice during his treatments".

Nine Brazilian women, who remained anonymous, also told Globo

Joao Teixeira de Faria

TV that the self-declared healer had abused them on the premise of transferring his "cleansing" energy.

Some said they had been seeking a cure for depression when the alleged abuse took place.

The related O Globo newspaper later said it had spoken to two further women with similar allegations.

Mr Faria who is not a medical doctor, has previously been fined and jailed for operating without a licence.

US TV host Oprah Winfrey travelled to Brazil in 2013 to meet him, and witnessed him performing his "psychic surgery" at his clinic, west of the capital Brasilia.

According to ABC News, Mr Faria claims that the spirits of more than 30 doctors and other entities can enter his body, and that they perform the healings. (BBC)

T&T PM gets threats after number goes viral

P

rime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is reporting he has been subjected to threatening behaviour after his personal number was posted and circulated on social media.

He accused former UNC minister Devant Maharaj of being responsible for releasing his number, adding because of the threats and abuse the Police Commissioner is now involved.

"As of Friday December 7th, 2018, Devant Maharaj of the UNC, obtained my telephone number and has maliciously published it in the widest possible way on social media and further he has encouraged and incited persons to harass and threaten me," the PM said in a statement released at about 6.30 this evening.

He apologised to the public he had to discontinue use of the number. He said

he had used the number for private and public business since he assumed office.

Earlier, Communications Minister Staurt Young issued a statement condemning Maharaj's action as "irresponsible and dangerous" behaviour.

In response, Maharaj told Newsday the bigger question is what does Dr Rowley have to hide, saying his phone bill is paid by taxpayers. (Newsday)

Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley

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Barbados PM, Mia Mottley

he Barbados Government says it will soon develop a framework for medical cannabis, even as it noted that decriminalisation of marijuana for recreational use will have to be decided by a referendum.

“There is no doubt that we will put a framework in place for medical cannabis within the next week or so. In fact, we have more or less taken a decision, we just need some refining and training with practitioners,” Prime Minister Mia Mottley said, adding that the island could no longer afford to miss out on the emerging cannabis industry.

Addressing business leaders here on Friday, Mottley said that Barbados would not be going about the decriminalisation of marijuana carelessly, adding that careful research would guide her administration’s position.

“Barbados cannot do that without anybody else doing it in the region,” Mottley said adding that Bridgetown would have to be strategic

and develop the country as a global leader in the research along with other global leaders in cannabis including Jamaica.

“We need to recognize that we must not make the mistakes of history. With respect to the cannabis, why would we seek to export when we can package and extract maximum value by having clinics as well as recuperative villages for people who want to deal with a certain aspect of pain management?

“So that the whole value added chain is delivered here, and the area in which we do it which is tourism, and that gives you a long-stay tourist,” she said.

“Thirdly, you cannot have your primary market which is Canada, the international business and financial services sector moving rapidly into new areas of investment and you can’t match as a domicile, the ability to accommodate those new areas of investment because if you don’t what are they going to do? Go elsewhere,” she added. (CMC)

18

sunday, December 9, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

France protesters clash with police in Paris Trump Chief-of-Staff to

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nti-government protesters faced off with French riot police in Paris on Saturday, hurling projectiles, torching cars and vandalizing shops and restaurants in a fourth weekend of unrest that has shaken President Emmanuel Macron’s authority.

Police used tear gas, water cannon and horses to charge protesters on roads fanning out from the Champs Elysees boulevard, but encountered less violence than a week ago, when the capital witnessed its worst unrest since the 1968 student riots.

As night fell and many demonstrators started returning home, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said there had been about 10,000 protesters in Paris by early evening and some 125,000 across the country.

Bordeaux, Lyon, Toulouse

A car burns during during clashes with police at a demonstration of the “yellow vests” movement in Marseille, France (Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier)

and other cities also saw major clashes between protesters and police on Saturday.

“The situation is now under control,” Castaner said at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

He said about 120 demonstrators and nearly 20 police officers had been injured na-

tionwide. Nearly 1,000 people had been arrested, 620 of them in Paris, after police found potential weapons such as hammers and baseball bats on them.

Philippe said police would remain vigilant through the night as some protesters continued to roam the city.

Groups of youths, many

of them masked, continued skirmishing with police in the Place de la Republique area as some stores were looted. Named after the fluorescent safety vests that French motorists must carry, the “yellow vest” protests erupted out of nowhere on Nov. 17, when nearly 300,000 demonstrators nationwide took to the streets to denounce high living costs and Macron’s liberal economic reforms.

Demonstrators say the reforms favor the wealthy and do nothing to help the poor and billed Saturday’s protest “Act IV” of their protest after three consecutive Saturdays of rioting.

The government this week canceled a planned rise in taxes on petrol and diesel in a bid to defuse the situation but the protests have morphed into a broader anti-Macron rebellion. (Reuters)

leave White House job

Chief of staff, John Kelly

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resident Donald Trump has announced that his chief of staff John Kelly will leave his job by the end of the year.

There have been persistent reports for several days that Kelly was under pressure to go.

Some reports said that the retired Marine Corps general’s relationship with

Trump had deteriorated.

But Trump described Kelly as a “great guy” and said a replacement would be named “over the next day or two”.

“He’s been with me almost two years now, between two positions,” Trump said. “I appreciate his service very much.” (BBC)

UK PM May expected to delay Huawei arrest: China demands Canada free Meng Wanzhou Brexit vote - Sunday Times

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ritain’s Prime M i n i s t e r Theresa May is expected to delay Tuesday’s key parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal and head to Brussels next week to demand better terms from the European Union, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

The newspaper Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May cited “ministers and next week to make a final apaides” who said they expected her to announce on peal to the European Union Sunday that she was delay- to improve Britain’s exit deal ing the vote. It is widely ex- from the bloc, according to pected she will lose and min- the newspaper, after warnisters are concerned that the ings from ministers that betscale of defeat would be such ter terms were needed to win it could bring down her gov- lawmaker support.

May’s spokesman said ernment.

May will head to Brussels on Friday the vote would go

ahead next week despite calls from some lawmakers for a delay.

With her own future in the balance, May has repeatedly insisted that her deal, which envisages continued close ties with the EU, is the only one on the table and that the alternatives are a painful ‘no-deal’ exit from the EU or possibly no Brexit at all.

But the pressure on May mounted over the weekend after Conservative lawmaker Will Quince quit his government role on Saturday in opposition to her deal, and the Sunday Times said further resignations were expected. (BBC)

C

hina has demanded that Canada release the arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou or face consequences.

Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng had summoned the Canadian ambassador and lodged a “strong protest”, a statement said.

The ministry described Meng’s arrest as “extremely nasty”.

Meng, Huawei’s chief financial officer and Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou daughter of the firm’s China insists that she founder, is accused of breakhas not violated any laws. ing US sanctions on Iran.

On Friday, Meng apShe was held in peared before a Canadian Vancouver last Saturday and court, which adjourned a defaces extradition to the US, cision on whether or not to where she could be jailed for allow bail until Monday. up to 30 years if found guilty.

Meng’s arrest while she

was changing planes in Vancouver last Saturday was a serious breach of her rights, Reuters quoted the foreign ministry as saying.

It “ignored the law” and was “unreasonable”, it said.

“China strongly urges the Canadian side to immediately release the detained person... otherwise Canada must accept full responsibility for the serious consequences caused,” the statement added.

The Supreme Court of British Columbia was told that Meng had used a Huawei subsidiary called Skycom to evade sanctions on Iran between 2009 and 2014. (BBC)

Removing President Hadi will not UN climate negotiators sweat solve Yemen’s problems – official over detail and divides

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emeni officials have said that removing President AbdRabbu Mansour Hadi will “not solve the country’s problems” after their adversaries, the Houthi rebels, proposed the formation of a new transitional government.

Abdulaziz Jabari, a member of the Government’s delegation to peace talks in Sweden and a senior adviser to the president, said the coun- President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi try’s woes stemmed from the Houthi takeover of Sanaa and equation, this is not going to solve other large expanses of the territo- the problem. On the contrary, ry, not from the position Hadi oc- fighting over power will continue,” he said. cupied.

“Our biggest problem is that “The problem is the military there is a group which has hijacked coup that took place in 2014,” the state.”

Jabari told Al Jazeera on Saturday.

Yemen’s warring sides have “The problem is with those, who been meeting in the Swedish town through aggression, took over our of Rimbo since Thursday for talks country.” aimed at discussing ways to end “Let’s say Hadi is out of the

the fighting that has killed an estimated 56,000 people and left a staggering 22 million needing humanitarian assistance.

The UN special envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, is seeking to introduce a set of confidence-building measures at the talks, including large-scale prisoner swaps, negotiations on a ceasefire in Hodeidah and the reopening of Sanaa airport.

The negotiations, which are not face-to-face, are expected to last until December 14, but sources have told Al Jazeera that they could be extended pending any breakthrough. (Aljazeera)

H

alf-way through talks to breathe life into the Paris climate deal negotiators haggled over how to share the cost of curbing global warming and struggled to bridge deep political divides.

The two weeks of talks, which began at the start of the week, are billed as the most important UN conference since the Paris 2015 agreement on climate change.

The challenge is to meet a year-end deadline to agree a rule book to limit global warming, when the unity that underpinned the Paris talks has fragmented.

US President Donald Trump repeated his call to scrap the Paris climate pact.

By the end of Saturday, negotiators aim to have a simplified a draft for high-level ministerial debate starting on Monday.

“We still have a lot to do,” Michal Kurtyka, the Polish president of the UN talks, told a news

conference. “It is very technical, very complex, very difficult.”

Delegates said a major issue was how to reassure developing countries that richer nations would deliver on promises to help finance the cost of shifting to a lower carbon economy.

Environmental campaigners are concerned the Katowice talks will lack ambition, after the United States said this year it was withdrawing from the U.N. process.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, in the talks on Saturday added a further challenge by blocking consensus on a major scientific report.

The U.N. report published in October said it was possible to limit the earth’s temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and prevent damaging levels of global warming provided radical changes in energy consumption and other steps were implemented. (Reuters)

sunDAY, december 9, 2018

19

Chelsea inflict first defeat on Tyson Fury rematch ‘fantastic’ Manchester City with Deontay Wilder sanctioned by WBC

N’Golo Kante’s goal was vital, but that was only a small part of his excellent performance

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anchester City were “fantastic” despite suffering a first Premier League defeat of the season at Chelsea, said manager Pep Guardiola.

Chelsea bounced back from the disappointment of losing at Wolves in midweek to end City’s 21-game unbeaten league run stretching back to April, and a sequence of 14 unbeaten games away from home.

The defending champions paid for a lack of ruthlessness, as they dominated the first half only to be struck by a smash-and-grab right on halftime as N’Golo Kante fired high past Ederson from Eden Hazard’s pass.

Chelsea gained confidence and momentum and improved after the break, securing the win with 12 minutes left when David Luiz’s glancing header following a corner bounced in off the far post.

They closed out the win to give Sarri his first triumph over Guardiola, whose team are replaced at the top of the table by Liverpool.

Despite slipping a point behind the Reds, the Spaniard rejected the notion that his team had an “off day”.

“If you think that, you didn’t see the game,” he told BBC Sport. “In the first half, we were exceptional.

“In general, we were fantastic. I don’t have any regrets. We came and showed we wanted to win.

We created chances. They had one in 44 minutes and we conceded a goal. Sometimes that happens.

“It is emotional for me to see these players do what they do every three days. We were outstanding, except for five to eight minutes.”

City pay for lacking killer touch

City’s multi-talented squad can cover almost all eventualities, but this was a game in which they sorely missed the marksmanship of the in-

jured Sergio Aguero, and also Kevin de Bruyne’s creation.

Guardiola’s side were on another level to Chelsea for the first 44 minutes, but when chances presented themselves, as they did to both Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane, there was either hesitation or an inability to provide the final product that proved crucial.

This is not a criticism of either Sterling or Sane, but there was a lingering feeling that had the same opportunities fallen to the predatory Aguero, the outcome would have been different.

City could not recover from Kante’s sucker punch, and it was Chelsea who were the more dangerous side in the second half.

Guardiola’s men must now regroup after a defeat that will be a major disappointment, but one hardly likely to set them back for too long.

Kante proves Sarri’s point

Kante’s outstanding performance, including the opening goal, was vindication for Sarri’s decision to play him in a new role this season.

Sarri has been questioned for his decision to use Jorginho as the hub of his team while pushing Kante into a more advanced role out on the right.

Why have the player many regard as the finest holding midfield player in world football and not utilise him there?

Sarri has stuck to his guns, and this was a game - and performance by Kante - that added significant weight to his argument.

The World Cup winner was magnificent, typically tireless but also getting into forward positions, most decisively when he arrived on the end of Hazard’s inviting pass to power a finish past Ederson that gave the Brazilian no chance.

It is certainly not the end of the argument, but evidence Sarri can use that he is coming up with the right formula.

Deontay Wilder (left) holds the WBC heavyweight title and could fight Tyson Fury again

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eontay Wilder faced fresh calls to accept a rematch with Tyson Fury after the World Boxing Council sanctioned a second fight between the two heavyweights.

The WBC, the organisation through which Wilder holds the world title he retained after an enthralling draw with the British fighter, said “a direct rematch has been approved” following a vote of its board of governors.

In a statement it said: “The World Boxing Council conducted voting … which resulted in a unanimous agreement to sanction a direct rematch between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

“Wilder and Fury gave boxing one of the best fights in the heavyweight division in a long time, which has created tremendous popular demand for the fans to see a rematch. The WBC is happy to confirm that a direct rematch has been approved and will create in a ruling which will also consider the mandatory status of the di-

vision.”

In last weekend’s fight Fury was knocked down twice but in making the final bell was widely thought to have done enough to outpoint his American opponent. However, although one judge scored the fight 114112 for Fury, another saw it as a 115111 victory for Wilder and the final scorecard declared it a 113-113 draw.

On the flipside some commentators questioned the length of the count surrounding Fury’s second knockdown. The lack of a decisive result meant Wilder retained his belt.

Fury previously held the WBA Super, IBF and WBO world titles after beating Wladimir Klitschko three years ago but he was stripped of the IBF title after failing to face the mandatory challenger and vacated the remainder amid doping controversy and mental health problems.

Frank Warren, Fury’s promoter, said on Monday that he planned to begin talks over a rematch.

Talk of eSports as Olympic event premature – IOC

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ny discussions relating to the addition of eSports as a medal event at the Olympic Games are “premature”, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The rise of eSports has seen growing talk that they could, in some form, work their way on to the Olympic programme. The Asian Games is already due to included eSports as a medal event in 2022.

However, the IOC decided at the seventh Olympic Summit in Lausanne that the introduction of eSports at the Olympics was a long way off.

“Recognising the fact that the sports movement is in competition with the eSports/eGames industry for the leisure time of young people, the Summit agreed that the

Olympic Movement should not ignore its growth, particularly because of its popularity among young generations around the world,” read an IOC statement.

“It was agreed that competitive gaming entails physical activity which can be compared to that required in more traditional sports.

This, on the other hand, cannot necessarily be said to apply to leisure electronic gaming.

“For this reason, the use of the term sport with regard to eSports/ eGames needs further dialogue and study.

“It was agreed that the Olympic Movement should continue to engage

with this community, whilst at the same time acknowledging that uncertainties remain.”

Among the “uncertainties” identified by the IOC were a feeling that some games are “not compatible with the Olympic values” and that the gaming industry is commercially driven, compared to the “values-based” nature of sport.

“For all these reasons, a discussion about the inclusion of eSports/eGames as a medal event on the Olympic programme is premature.”

The IOC encouraged individual sports federations to “explore the potential benefits and applications of the electronic and virtual versions of their sports”.

20 Kevlon Anderson

guyanatimesGY.com

sunDAY, december 9, 2018

BCB applauds Umrao, Anderson on Windies U19 nod P

resident Hilbert Foster and other executives of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) have recently hailed the Windies U19 training camp call-up of national youth players Kevlon Anderson and Kevin Umrao.

Anderson, of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club; and Umrao, of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, will this month wing out to train with the objective of identifying the next West Indies Under 19 Team.

Anderson is one of Guyana’s top youth batsmen, having played for

the West Indies U19 record winning team this year. Umrao is the latest of promising spinners to emerge from the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, and will certainly be one for the future.

The BCB has reassured all players that it would continue to invest heavily in their careers, as well as in the careers of every junior Berbice player. Assurance has been given that with the World Cup a little way off, the Berbice Cricket Board would ensure that players like Junior Sinclair, Alex Algoo,

Kevin Umrao

Nigel Deodat and Seon Glasgow are properly developed to join their predecessors in the training camp.

It has been expressed that “no stone shall be left unturned as we strive to return Berbice Cricket to its rightful place in West Indies Cricket”.

Berbice is no stranger to producing top players, having churned out the likes of Andre Percival, Assad Fudadin, Narsingh Deonarine, Hemnarine Chattergoon, Gajanand Singh, Richard Ramdeen and Mahendra Nagamootoo.

GT BEER 8-a-side Football BCB/RHTYSC/Busta Champion of Champions Defending champions 40-Overs Tournament Police advance

bowls off on Sunday – 28th tournament for 2018

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he Berbice Cricket Season continues Pherson and Steffan Adams. Rose Hall Town to expand as 2018 comes to an end. Gizmos & Gadgets challenge will be led by The BCB has thus far coompleted skipper Shawn Pereira, Kevin Sinclair, Eon twenty two cricket tournaments in the form Hooper, Sylus Tyndall, Junior Sinclair and of the New Building Society 40-Overs, 2019 Keith Simpson against Rose Hall Canje Under-15, Mogu Mogu Region 5, Upper Team which is spearheaded by Ameer Corentyne Under-19, Ivan Madray 100 Rahaman, Mark Sampson, Martin Singh, Balls are currently in process. Today the Sasenarine Sukhu and Isaiah Thorne. board will start its 28th Cricket Tournament On paper the Young Warriors Cricket for the year, with the launching of the BCB/ Club and Port Mourant Cricket Club match RHTYSC Champion of Champions 40-Overs will be a thriller with Young Warriors Tournament.

Cricket Club having players like Alex The fifteen Edition of the Tournament Algoo, Vishal Mohabir, Linden Austin, would be contested by eight teams. The top Trevlon Stanislaus, Suresh Dhanai and eight teams were selected based on their Seon Hetmyer, older brother of Shimron performances in 2018 and they are West Hetmyer. Port Mourant Cricket Club chalBerbice Cricket Association, Blairmont lenge against Young Warriors will be led by Com Centre Cricket Club, Tucber Park Joshua Ramsammy, Loyydel Lewis, Samuel Cricket Club, Rose Hall Canje Cricket Clun, Kistasammy, Dimitri Cameron and Kellon Young Warriors Cricket Club, Rose Hall Carmichael. The final match should also proTown Gizmos & Gadgets Cricket Team, duce good cricket with Garfield Benjamin, Albion Community Centre Cricket Club and Nial Smith, Leon Swammy, Mark Barker, Port Mourant Cricket Club. The Guyana Clifton Lindie and Kewsi Mickle appearing Beverage Company is sponsoring the tour- for Tucber Park against Blairmont which will nament under its feature Javed Karim, Busta brand and has Kevin Jawahir, been doing so since Seon Glasgow, Nigel th 2004. Guyana’s leadDeodat and Fawaz ing youth and sports Gafoor. All of the organisation, the Rose matches are schedAlbion Cricket Club vs Hall Town Youth & uled to commence at West Berbice Cricket Club @ Albion Sports Club, MS has 09:35 hours sharp. organised the tourna- Young Warriors Cricket Club vs The Berbice ment over the years Port Mourant Cicket Club @ Port Mourant Cricket Board and and this year has Tucber Park Cricket Club vs Rose Hall Town Youth joined forces with the Blairmont Community Centre @ Cumberland & Sports Club, MS Berbice Cricket Board Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets vs would like to express to host the prestigious Upper Corentyne Cricket Club @ Area ‘H’ Ground profound gratitude to tournament. the Management and Albion Community Staff of the Guyana Centre will be spearheaded by Jonathan Beverage Company for their continued Foo, Sharaz Ramcharran, Kandasammy support of Berbice Cricket. Special menSurujnarine and Adrian Sukhwa while tion must be made of long serving General West Berbice will heavily depend heavily on Manager Robert Selman.

Arthley Bailey, Keith Fraser, Sherwin Mc

The opening round of matches Sunday 9 December would see:

The winning Number 5 Team

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efending champions Police have advanced further in the Candy Boss and Antics GT BEER 8-a-side Football knock out tournament, having registered a 5-3 win against Hopetown on Friday evening in the tournament’s first game of this year, which was played under wet conditions.

Having thrown away numerous scouring opportunities, Hopetown have regrettably been eliminated from the tournament.

Scoring for Georgetown Police were Rawl Kaleb, in the 9th minute; Deon Rodney, in the 13th and 15th minutes; Dexroy Adams, in the 21st minute; and Travis

James, in the 45th minute.

For Hopetown, Tofa James scored in the 6th minute, Darrel Douglas in the 24th minute and Kevin Garraway in the 57th minute.

Cougars 20s were also sent packing as Number 5 recorded a win against them in game two.

The teams having played to a goalless draw at the end of regulation time, the winner was decided via penalty kicks.

Goalkeeper Elvis Thomas was the Number 5 hero, as he saved the first shot from Cougars in the sudden death penalty shoot-out.

Action continues this

Sunday evening with another double-header being played at the All Saints Ground on Princess Elizabeth Road in New Amsterdam.

Game one will see Golden Stars taking on Rosignol United, while game two will feature Monedderlust and Soccer City.

The final is set for January 5, 2019. At stake in the competition are $600,000 for the winner and $300,000 for the runner-up team. The third placed team would receive $200,000.

Additionally, the MVP, the best goal-keeper, and the person scoring the most goals would each receive $50,000.

Corentyne Inter-Village Football tournament opens on Sunday

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orentyne’s Inter-Village Football Tournament opens today (Sunday) with Liverpool village and Rose Hall Town clashing at the Port Mourant Recreational Centre on the Corentyne.

The tournament is being used as a sensitiser for both the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and the Berbice Football Association (BFA).

Teams along the Corentyne have for years been seeking permission from the BFA

to form their own sub-association.

Back in 2018 they had approached the GFF and were directed to have the issue discussed with the BFA. However, the BFA did not grant approval, sighting the low quality of players on the Corentyne.

Then the BFA had suggested that teams from the Corentyne should be more involved in tournaments in Berbice in which some of the stronger teams in the region are participating. However, shortly after, a lull which

lasted for several years had enveloped football in Berbice.

Teams on the Corentyne have reportedly sighted the high cost to travel to New Amsterdam, where most of the tournaments are played.

Orealla is 150 miles away from New Amsterdam. The community has two excellent teams, but they seldom participate in tournaments because organizers of tournaments do not make arrangements for their

travel and accommodation.

There are also teams at Corriverton, which is 50 miles away from New Amsterdam.

Meanwhile, six teams are participating in this Inter-Village Football tournament: Rose Hall Town, Fyrish and Liverpool are in Group A; while Skeldon, Orealla and Kildonan are in Group B. Games will be played on Sundays and Wednesdays. At stake will be both trophies and cash incentives. (Andrew Carmichael)

CLASSIFIED ADS suNdAY, december 9, 2018

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sports

Davion Mars making a name in chess ...goals on the horizon

BY Timothy Jaikarran

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is looking forward to having more international exposure, which would allow him to build his FIDE rating, which is currently at 1604; and also to possibly earn a FIDE Chess Master title.

Mars currently occupies the Number 10 seat in the entire country’s FIDE chess rankings, which he hopes would soon change via competing and excelling in future tournaments.

In closing, Mars said, “I would like to acknowledge; firstly, I would like to thank my mother, who has and continues to make tremendous sacrifices for me to exist in this world as comfortably as I do. Without her moral support, almost none of my accomplishments would even exist in concept. I would also like to acknowledge my closest friends: Sherlyta Campagne, Sophia Raghunandan, Andrew Hing, Maharanie Jhillu, Stephan Sutherland and Christopher Henery, who continuously celebrate my successes and support my continuous progression both in life, sports and academically. Also, Ron Motilal, who helped to sharpen my chess abilities when it was still in its infancy, and the entire University of Guyana Sports Department, which includes Ms. Lavern Fraser and Renick Alleyne, who made the event a success. And of course, finally, our campus coach, Ronuel Greenidge, who has worked tirelessly over the past year to improve the quality of chess at the University level”.

ational Chess Player and recent winner of the University of Guyana Chess Games, Davion Mars, continues to shine illustriously as he bags experience not only nationally, but internationally.

Currently 22 years old, Mars, a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus, grew up in the ancient county of Berbice, at No. 51 Village, before moving to Plaisance on the East Coast of Demerara, where he spent most of his life.

Speaking with GUYANA TIMES SPORT in an exclusive interview, Mars thus re- Mars participates in the Srefidensi tournament Suriname 2016 against sponded to being asked about four-time Olympiad chess player Veer Willem which ended in a draw the first time he was introly. I credit him for most of my earliest successes. duced to chess: “My 1st chess related experience occurred when I was 14 years The other reason was that I soon discovered that of age, during my proud high school years as a I was born on the same day with Indian chess legstudent of St. Stanislaus College. At the time, my end GM Vishwanathan Anand, who was also the peers and I were all Draughts enthusiasts, play- reigning World Champion at that time, and this ing almost daily. This was, of course, until some- motivated me to try and emulate his successes and one had the bright idea to suggest that we play style of play”.

Mars further went on to state that the chess instead. Quite a few of my peers were pretUniversity of Guyana’s Chess tournament has ty well versed in the basics of the game, to which I encouraged him to continually stay competitive was completely oblivious. Consequently, it was not long after that day that Draughts lost popularity even while in practice, as stemming from this entirely in my class to this peculiar game called tournament opportunity would be provided for Chess, which I knew absolutely nothing about. him, as the University usually participates in the This had me quite provoked, so I took it upon my- Caribbean Inter-Collegiate games and uses these self to learn the game in my spare time at home, tournament’s performances as a criteria for selecteaching myself the rules and basics, which I re- tion.

This would searched online while I observed my friends play grant him the Some of Mars Chess accomplishments are: at school for just over a week, before I finally sat 3rd Place Awardee National Junior Championship 2011 down in front of a chess board with the intention to o p p o r t u n i t y 3rd Place Awardee National Schools Championship 2011 play. I won my very 1st game, and I suppose it was to build ear- Awarded Captaincy and Presidency of the St. Stanislaus Chess Club 2011-2012 this first taste of blood that transposed my enthu- ly momentum rd towards qual- 3 Place Awardee National Schools Championship 2012 siasm for draughts into chess entirely.

2nd place Awardee LFS Burnham Memorial Championship Junior Category 2015 “It took a very short time for me to become ifying for the Chess Arena FIDE Master title 2015 the best chess player in my class, and this got 2020 rd Olympiad in 3 Place Awardee National Senior Chess Championship 2016 the attention of students an academic year above Best Unrated Chess Player, Srefedensi Chess Celebration Suriname 2016 Open Category mine, who would frequently entertain me in a few Russia, which Elected Executive Treasurer of The Guyana Chess Federation 2017 games. One of these individuals was then National is his ultimate University of Guyana Chess Champion 2017/2018 goal for the Jr. Champion Ron Motilall, who invited me to join University of Guyana Chess Champion 2018/2019 next 2 years. the school’s chess club. Ron’s achievements greatAwarded FIDE Instructor License from the Barbados Chess Federation, 2018 He further ly inspired my interest in the sport, and was one nd of the two reasons I decided to take chess serious- stated that he 2 Place awardee Pre-Olympiad Blitz 2018, Senior Category

Budhan Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facility all set for action

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he Budhan Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facility at Branch Road, Mahaica will today be hosting one of the most highly anticipated one day horse race meets at their race track, commencing at 13:00 hrs.

The event will feature six races, and over two million dollars in cash and prizes will be up for grabs.

Trophies will also be given to outstanding performers in their various categories.

More than forty entries have thus far been confirmed for the card. The main event for the race horses will feature in the category classified 2years and L/1 Open.

Competition is expected, as some of the top horses will be racing.

The other races for the day will see horses battling in the Unclassified Division One and

Division Two, the L/2 and Lower, along with the L/3 and Lower.

Providing the weather holds,

horse racing fans will be in for the treat of their lives. The event is particularly important to jockeys who will be looking to cash in ahead of the busy Christmas season.

Introducing for the first time ever in horse racing history, the Turf Club will feature live entertainment as the meet progresses. Chutney competition 2018 runner-up Sase Narine will rock the house, and fans are in for a treat. A wellstocked bar and popular sound system will add to the day’s entertainment.

Persons interested in participating are asked to make contact with Budhan on 338-2283 or 6153336.

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SUnDAY, decEMber 9, 2018

Smalta Girls Pee Wee Football

West Ruimveldt, North Georgetown to clash in Smalta Finals

GFF-Stag Super 16” Year-end Tournament

…defending champions South Ruimveldt bow out

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he Smalta Girls 11-and-Under Football tournament is coming to a close after weeks of riveting competition between primary school girls. With one day of play remaining, two teams will be looking to etch their names in history as they compete for the championship.

The semifinal round played at the Ministry of Education Ground at Carifesta Avenue on Saturday saw West Ruimveldt taking on St. Pius Primary, as defending champions South took a shot at North Georgetown Primary, hoping to go all the way for back-to-back wins.

With the blazing sun presenting favourable conditions for play, St Pius and West Ruimveldt took to the field for the first semi-final. The encounter proved to be very similar to last year’s third-place playoff. With the same two teams facing off, Seona France of West Ruimveldt was the first to strike, in the 5th minute of

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play. However, Christal Archer exhibited heroics for St. Pius to equalise the score in the 21st.

There was much back and forth, but neither side could land the ball in the goal. As such, the match moved to extra time, and when this was not enough for a tie breaker, the game went down to a penalty shootout.

St Pius thus opted for a change in goalkeeper, but this proved futile for the challengers, as that goalie could not stop West Ruimveldt’s accurate striking. The penalties finished 3-2 in West Ruimveldt’s favour.

The second semifinal was even more exhilarating than the first, as South Ruimveldt and North Georgetown Primary met to battle.

From the sound of the whistle, North Nikkia Manning (23) netted the winning goal for North Georgetown Georgetown

showed their intention to prevent the defending champions from going any further in the 2018 tournament.

Martha Chase led the charge for the North Georgetown team, as she often created goal opportunities for her teammates, putting their opponents under pressure.

Nikkia Manning of North Georgetown had the golden boot, as the young lady launched a clean strike into the goal from outside of the box. Try as South’s goalkeeper may, she could not prevent the lone goal of the game. South’s Fayon Harry could not rise to the occasion in the semifinals when her team needed her most, as the opportunities were few and far between owing to North Georgetown’s strong defence.

When the final whistle was sounded, Manning’s lone goal was the winning one, giving North Georgetown a shot at the title The final of the Petra-organized Smalta Girls 11-and-Under tournament will be staged on Sunday, December 16, at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue, where West Ruimveldt will take on North Georgetown for the title.

s the year 2018 draws closer to the end the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in its mandate has promised to further the growth and development of football within its Regional Member Associations (RMA’s) and amongst clubs falling under its purview, has planned for the execution of the 2018 Year-end tournament.

The “GFF-Stag “Super 16” Yearend Tournament” will be played on a knock-out basis involving sixteen (16) Clubs / Teams. The GFF seeks to execute the tournament during the period December 14, 2018 to January 1, 2019 utilizing the top eight (8) Elite League Clubs, two (2) Regional Member Associations Selections (BFA & E/ PFA), and six (6) of the top non-Elite League clubs from across the country. Matches will be played for ninety (90) minutes comprising of two equal periods of forty five (45) minutes each while if at the end of regulation time the score is tied, an additional thirty (30) minutes will be played; two periods of fifteen (15) minutes each; if the score remains tied, kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with FIFA Regulations regarding kicks from the penalty mark, will be implemented, teams will only be allowed five substitutions. The six (6) non-Elite League Clubs will be allowed two (2) guest players each, but only from within their respective Regional Member Associations. The Clubs’ two (2) guest players will remain the same throughout the tournament. A player, upon receiving two (2) cautions (yellow cards) in the same match, will automatically be suspended for the next match in event that the team qualifies to go forward in the tournament while upon receiving a red card the player will automatically be suspended for the next match in event that the team qualifies to go forward, and he will be subject to further disciplinary action if necessary.

As the tournament will now come to an end the winning team will receive $2,000,000 plus trophy and equipment while the second placed team will receive $1,000,000 plus trophy and equipment and the third placed team will receive $500,000 and the same as the previous teams, the fourth place team will receive no cash prize but trophy and equipment.

This tournament hosted by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), with ANSA Mcal Trading Ltd as the “Title Sponsor”.

Dr Adams preaches value of education at DCC Awards Ceremony

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s part of his feature address at the Demerara Cricket Club’s (DCC’s) Awards Ceremony, held on Wednesday at the club’s premises in Queenstown, Georgetown, former national cricketer Dr. Vincent Adams urged recipients and attendees alike to attach to education an importance equal to what they would attach to sports.

Now head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Adams’s feature address placed much emphasis on professional athletes being educated. He spoke about his life as a cricketer, sighting the importance of remaining positive when faced with challenges on and off the field, and admonished the players to keep abreast with their education as well as keep focusing on their games.

National table tennis player Jonathan Van Lange, national U19 batsman Sachin Singh, U19 pacer Nkosi Beaton, Windies U19 spinner Ashmead Nedd, and Guyana Jaguars all-rounder Christopher Barnwell were each conferred with the prestigious Clive Lloyd

Dr Vincent Adams

Player-of-the-Year Award.

Currently on duty with the Jaguars, who recently commenced their title defence in the 4-Dayers, Barnwell also copped numerous awards, including in the first division; the Andrew Lyght Sr. Award for the Most Centuries Scored, and the Keith Semple Award for Centuries Scored in 2018. Dionne Cush-Barnwell, wife of the all-rounder, accepted the trophies on her husband’s behalf.

Young sensation Jonathan Van Lange, who is away on international duty, won awards in both U13 and U15 divisions for his work in table tennis.

U19 pacer Nkosi Beaton was conferred with numerous awards. He copped awards in the U19 division, the Garvin Nedd Most Improved Youth Player Award, the Cricketerof-the-Year Award, as well as the special award

Awardees pose with members, executives and other players of the DCC Club from SOS bagged the Linden Joseph Award for Most – the Justice Aubrey Bishop Award -- for being the Outstanding Senior Player for Guyana in 2018; while he, Nedd, and West Indies playclub’s top student at CXC in 2018.

Windies U19 speedster Qumar Torrington er Keemo Paul were further conferred with copped the Frederick Wills Award for his the Berkeley Gaskin Award for Five-Wicket Hauls for Guyana.

Outstanding Achievements at CAPE. Veteran national youth coach Garvin Spinner Totaram Bishun was among those presented with the Lance Gibbs Award “Tibsy” Nedd was bestowed the Colin Wiltshire Award for his Continued Success for Outstanding Bowling Performances.

Guyana Jaguars opener Trevon Griffith, as Club Coach in 2018.

A number of other cricketers were given currently on duty, received the Roger Harper Best Fielder Award in the Senior Category; awards for their achievements in the calenwhile Windies U19 batsman Raymond dar year; with DCC President Roger Harper, Perez, Alphius Bookie, Nkosi Beaton, Trevon Executive Mark Harper and other special Griffith and Joshua Persaud joined Barnwell guests lauding the recipients for their brilas the other recipients copping the Keith liance, while urging those who fell short this Semple Award for Centuries Scored in 2018. year to continue striving for excellence.

The annual event saw the century-old Sachin Singh, who has been outstanding in both the U19 and U17 divisions, was given club, which has produced some of the best and the Mark Harper Award for being the Most legendary Windies players, hail its cricketers Outstanding DCC Youth Player for Guyana. and coaches for their strides made during the Hard-hitting Windies and Guyana year with numerous awards; and awardees Jaguars all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford flocking the DCC pavilion. (Clifton Ross)

guyanatimesgy.com

sunDAY, december 9, 2018

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Annandale, Lodge, Christianburg-Wismar: Who will it be? ...As Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers Tournament comes to a close

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fter eleven weeks of competition, the curtains will finally come down on the Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers Under 18 Schools Football Tournament today.

Coordinated by the Petra Organization, The tournament involved 12 schools from Georgetown, East and West Coast Demerara, and Linden battling every other team in the competition to end up on top of the points table, winning a project of their choice that will benefit their school.

The eleven weeks of competition had seen a lot of riveting action and had even given a glimpse into the level of skill possessed by the next generation of national players.

When the teams gather today at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue for the final four matches in the tournament, the adrenaline would expectedly flow, as the three top teams, who all have a shot at the title, vie for supremacy.

The first game of the day will see current second place team

Annandale Secondary taking on Queen’s College. The two teams can be seen as polar opposites, as Queen’s College sits just above the bottom two teams. Annandale will go into the game with heaps of confidence after defeating the front runners Lodge Secondary last weekend.

Additionally, a win is imperative for Annandale should they

wish to advance to the upcoming Goodwill tournament.

The second encounter of the day will see Marian Academy being pitted against Uitvlugt Secondary.

Undeniably, this encounter would be one in which the teams fight to show who is best, as neither can make it into the top tier.

However, Uitvlugt will look to maintain their 5th position, as

fourth place is far out of reach.

The penultimate game of the day will feature Dolphin Secondary and Vergenoegen.

Although the Georgetown team have shown their have potential, they have not been consistent, contributing to their lagging position on the points table. On the other hand, East Bank Essequibo’s Vergenoegen have been on the rise, suffering losses only to the big guns in the tournament. Their final battle will no doubt be an exciting one.

It is as though the best was saved for last, as the tournament’s decider is the final game scheduled between Christianburg Wismar Secondary School and Lodge Secondary, who currently sit at third and first respectively.

Both have a chance to clinch the top spot.

Christiansburg, who have been dominant over these many weeks,

2018/19 CWI Regional 4-Day Championships…

Jaguars in driver’s seat after batsmen redemption – Chanderpaul, Pestano, Barnwell among runs

By Brandon Corlette

trouncing teams by large margins, will not only need to defeat Lodge, but would need Annandale to register a loss, should they win. Goal difference would be no hassle, as Christianburg have the best goal difference in the league, 51.

On the other hand, it will be as easy as pie for the front running team Lodge, as they will only need a win to cop the inaugural title. Should they win, Annandale whom they are currently tied with, will have to settle for the second position.

The action will begin at 11:30hrs with the first game, and the final game of the day is expected to kick off at 16:45hrs.

Aside from first prize of a school projected being funded by sponsors Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers, the teams are vying for a shot at being a part of the KFC Goodwill Tournament which will kick-off next Saturday, December 15.

The top two teams will join Annai Secondary and Shiva Boys Hindu College out of Trinidad and Tobago for three days of enthralling football action.

Region 10 education officer gushes praise over National Championship victory – urges improvement in Teacher’s category

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t will be an intriguing day of play today in the Cricket West Indies Regional 4-Day tournament being played at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia. The Guyana Jaguars require eight wickets to complete victory in the first round of this tournament, while the Volcanoes batters will face the uphill task of achieving 294 runs with eight wickets in hand.

After an ordinary first innings outing for the Jaguars batsmen, they were up to the task the second time around, scoring 310-4 declared.

They ended day two on 115-3 with night watchman Clinton Pestano and opening batsman Tagenarine Chanderpaul carrying the mantle.

The Berbician Pestano in particular was admirable in his stroke play, being selective although aggressive in his batting, hitting five sixes and two boundaries in his career best 69 from 127 balls; in contrast with Chanderpaul’s defensive batting, which was rock solid.

Chanderpaul and Pestano added 111 runs together, with the latter being dismissed in the 80th over by the lively left arm fast bowler Deleon Johnson when the score was 225-4. Christopher Barnwell partnered Tagenarine Chanderpaul and continued the scoring for the Jaguars.

Volcanoes bowlers were not as effective, as Barnwell, in his approach, counterattacked the ordinary Volcanoes bowling attack. Enjoying a healthy lead in the match, the captain Leon Johnson declared, giving his bowlers some time to bowl. Tagenarine Chanderpaul was left unbeaten, scoring a gritty 84 runs from 334 balls, while Barnwell was unbeaten on 61 off 80 balls. They had created an unbroken 85- run partnership.

The Guyana Jaguars batted 108.1 overs, ending on 310-4. Deleon Johnson, Shane Shillingford and Ray Jordan picked up one wicket each in a poor outing.

Windward Islands Volcanoes, with a daunting target of 348 runs, were winded in the first over. Jaguars’ talismanic bowl-

Rabindra Singh on Thursday addressing officials of the RDC on the winnings

er Keon Joseph was hit for a boundary in sured no further hiccups for the Volcanoes the first over, but was rewarded with a as they finished with 54-2 at stumps in 20 wicket that same over. The eventful over overs. Kaveem Hodge is the other not out started off with Volcanoes opener Tyrone batsman with 9. Pestano and Joseph are Theophille hitting a four off the third ball, the wicket takers for the Jaguars, thus but being removed the very next ball. far. The final day will commence today at At 7-1 Kirk Edwards partnered Taryk 14:00h Eastern Caribbean Time.

Gabriel, and the pair batted with a SCOREBOARD survival mentality 37-16-56-1 for quite some time. Guyana Jaguars 1st Innings 224-10 S Sjillingford 4-1-15-0 The pair batted for (69.1Ov) A Athanaze Windward Islands Volcanoes 1st D Johnson

14-1-44-1 over 14 overs and innings 187-10 (59.1Ov) T Theophille 3-0-17-0 scored 24 runs as Guyana Jaguars 2nd Innings 310-4 K Hodge 9.1-2-25-0 the Jaguars bowl- dec (108.1Ov) ers maintained T Chanderpaul 84 not out Windward Islands Volacones 2nd a consistent line T Griffith 23 run out Innings and length. Kirk L Johnson 51 c Smith b Jordan T Theophile 6 c Pestano b Joseph Edwards was ad- V Singh 3 lbw Shillingford T Gabriel 33 not out 69 b Johnson K Edwards 4 lbw Pestano judged leg be- C Pestano 61 not out Kaveem Hodge 9 not out fore wicket off the C Barnwell 19 Extras 2 bowling of Clinton Extras 310-4 108.1 overs Total 54-2 (20 ov) Pestano. Pestano Total continued his imFall of Wickets Fall of Wickets pressive match 1 - 42 (Trevon Griffith, 11.2 Ov), 1 - 6 (Tyrone Theophile, 0.4 Ov), with bat and ball 2 - 105 (Leon Johnson, 36.3 Ov), 2 - 30 (Kirk Edwards, 14.4 Ov) with his fifth wick- 3 - 114 (Vishaul Singh, 39.2 Ov), et of the match, in 4 - 225 (Clinton Pestano, 79.2 Ov) Bowling K Joseph 7-2-19-1 which he scored an Bowling R Shepherd 4-2-7-0 attractive 69.

18-1-58-0 C Pestano 5-2-16-1 Taryk Gabriel J Thomas R Jordan 23-1-89-1 V Permaul 4-1-10-0 batting 55 balls and scoring 33 runs, en-

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he newly appointed Regional Education Officer of Region 10 (Upper Demerara- Berbice), Rabindra Singh, has been effusive in expressing his happiness at the victory secured by District 10 (Upper Demerara/ Kwakwani) in this year’s National Schools Championships.

Proudly displaying the District’s winning trophies at the Office of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) on Thursday, Singh urged that there be improvements in other categories of the Championships next year. He disclosed how relieved he was that the victory continued under his leadership.

“This success is nothing new to Linden,” Singh declared. “It is just a continuation which I was glad for, (because) I didn’t want to lose it; because for years you have been receiving this trophy,” Singh said.

District 10 has this year secured the Champion of Champions Trophy for the fourth successive year in a row.

The District secured 66 points to successfully defend its National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships which recently concluded at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora, West Coast Demerara.

This is also the seventeenth year that the District has succeeded in the championships’ 58 year history. It has again won the track and field segment of the championships, and Singh has urged improved performances in other categories next year.

“We really have to work hard next year, because we cannot afford (to win) just one segment of the championship; we need to at least secure a spot at the Cycling next year and/or the Swimming, because we did well in the Athletics, and I don’t think anybody will beat us in the near future,” Singh continued.

The Regional Education Officer has said he is also looking for improvement in the Teacher’s category of the championships.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Annandale, Lodge, Christianburg-Wismar: Who will it be? ...As Guyoil/Tradewind Tankers Tournament comes to a close

Pg 23

2018/19 CWI Regional 4-Day Championships…

Smalta Girls Pee Wee Football

Jaguars in driver’s seat after batsmen redemption

West Ruimveldt, North Georgetown to clash in Smalta Finals

Pg 23

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Pg 22

…defending champions South Ruimveldt bow out

-Chanderpaul, Pestano, Barnwell among runs

Christopher Barnwell

Even with broken fingers, Martha Chase was instrumental in North Georgetown’s win

GUYANA TIMES - www.guyanatimesgy.com, email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, NEWS HOTLINE: 231-8063 EDITORIAL: 223-7230, 223-7231, 231-0544, 225-7761 SPORT: sport@guyanatimesgy.com SALES AND MARKETING: 231-8064 - lezas@guyanatimesgy.com - PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GUYANA TIMES INC.

December 9, 2018

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2 Sunday Times Magazine

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Feature

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lanning for Christmas begins months before December 25 and as one would know the star of the show is the literal breakdown and reconstitution of our homes – it involves repainting, redecorating and elaborate spending. It is the hallmark of the Guyanese Christmas and for many homemakers, the Christmas spirit only comes after the house undergoes a complete makeover.

It is an age-old tradition to ensure that the windows sport new curtains, the bedspreads are changed, and walls painted; new furniture and appliances along with extension to homes all form a part of getting into the Christmas spending. It is a wellknown fact that businesses thrive during the Christmas season as they should, since spending is massive. “For me, it is not Christmas until I see the house remodel. I am happy when I have new curtains and the house is looking all nice. It is the best feeling,� Janel Smith said.

Like Janel, many persons feel this way about Christmas and the remodelling of

their homes, since it is a time to show off and indulge.

Christmas time is a busy time because there are presents to be bought, food to be planned and cooked, and homes to be cleaned. The cleaning is maybe the most tedious aspect and since the spirit of the holiday season revolves around the family unit and togetherness, it is in this spirit that the entire family is forced to be involved. The children have to turn their rooms upside down while mommy directs the work. Daddy goes at it hard in the yard.

Carpenters move in as the extensions seeks to move full fledge ahead. Therefore, it is recommended that all homemakers spread out their Christmas cleaning over several days so that it will not feel like a burden. Or, if you are going to have a house full of guests at Christmas and a mess will be inevitable, it might be wiser to leave the more thorough cleaning for January and now only clean as much as it takes you to get into the Christmas spirit.

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

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Feature

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By Lakhram Bhagirat

hristmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and it is a time we use to reflect on the year we have had, along with focusing on family and giving to charity. It is a season that brings together people across boundaries as they all part take in the festivities. It is also a time where children are at their happiest and filled with anticipation as they wait to see what presents they find under the tree on Christmas morning.

Every part of the world has their unique spin on Christmas and how they celebrate the season. But the common factor is that the season focuses on family and charity. In Guyana, you know Christmas is around the corner when you hear the boom-boom boxes blasting “A rich man for Christmas” and grapes and apples being sold at giveaway prices.

You know it is Christmas when the pavements, particularly along Regent Street, Georgetown, are lined with new appliances as well as roadside vendors galore. The Christmas season is the busiest season for businesses, research has proved.

Every country has their own Christmas tradition, but I say, without bias, a truly Guyanese is the best Christmas. Nowhere else in the world will you wake up on a Christmas morning to the intense aroma of the pepperpot reheating on the

stove, with freshly baked bread to accompany the succulent meaty dish, and don’t forget the ginger beer. That tall glass of beige goodness with ice cubes floating brings together the entire dish.

In Guyana, Christmas is our version of Thanksgiving since it is food centred. Some people start their Christmas cooking weeks before December 25.

However, the traditional Guyanese Christmas does not start without the remodelling of the house and extravagant spending.

“We are breaking away more from the traditional Christmas, because I remember as a little girl what it was like. We had very little, but we always made it the best. We used to make Christmas trees by going in the back and cutting one of the bush and decorate it

with paper decorations. It was a time where friends came together and the KoolAid was enough for many of us,” Patricia Ramdass remembers.

She tells me that they would anticipate Christmas because it was the time when they would don their best pieces of clothing and eat lavishly. It was a time where they would dance past their bedtime and be merry with their friends. For her, that is what Christmas really is. It is a time for friends and family to come together and have the best time of their lives.

Speaking to the more traditional aspects of Christmas, Susanna King tells me Christmas is a time to go to church and commit to being a better person. The 69-year-old said that now people were more focused

on decorating their houses and overspending, adding that takes away from the true meaning of Christmas. “ I n Guyana, Christmas means that you get to eat pepperpot and bread, and garlic pork.

It is when we get a black cake and nice time. But it is a time where we have to remember the true meaning of the holiday and go to church and pray. We have to pray that God takes care of our sins and guides us to the path of success.

We have to embrace family and charity. We need that and that is what the traditional Guyanese Christmas is,” she said.

So however you celebrate Christmas, make time out for your family and ensure that you give something to charity.

4

Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

I

n every part of the world, there is a unique tradition or thing associated with Christmas.

It is something that makes Christmas indigenous to that particular region and in the Caribbean, there is the ever-popular black cake that makes our Christmas uniquely ours. Every country puts its own spin on the Christmas staple. Be it the ingredients or the decoration, there are never two same-tasting black cakes, and over here in Guyana, the black cake has been a Christmas tradition at our celebrations.

It simply isn’t Christmas without a slice of perfectly moist black cake accompanied by a tall glass of perfectly chilled ginger beer.

These are two staples that make Christmas uniquely Guyanese and there are no signs of that changing despite the generational shift.

Now more than ever, young people are looking forward to that Christmas black cake and the seasonal ginger beer.

I can never decipher

whether it is the spirit of the season or just the amount of love that goes into making the black cake that makes it taste absolutely different during the holidays.

I mean, I have had black cake several times during the year, but the taste is not the same as the ones I have had during Christmas time.

Now let us delve into what really black cake is and how it is made.

For me, black cake is unique for its rich and fullbodied taste coupled with its chocolatey colour and dense texture. Despite being a dense cake, if prepared correctly, black cake is one of the moistest cakes you will ever eat. As we have established before, it is not Christmas without a slice of black cake, and the black cake is also one of the most sought-after cakes for weddings locally,

because of the fact that it can be kept for years on end.

My family is not really a black cake-loving family since they prefer its toneddown cousin – the fruitcake so the black cake was not an integral part of my childhood, but my adulthood sings a different tune. I vividly remember I was about 10 when my grandmother gave me my first piece of black cake and since then I was hooked. But I would not have another piece until I was about 16 and ever since I have been on a quest to eat

as much as possible.

If you’ve never had this cake, at first glance it may resemble a chocolate cake, but the deep dark colour comes from the main ingredient – dried macerated fruits. Trust me when I say that some people really take the fruit business seriously.

But what really do we mean when we say “fruits”? If you are a Guyanese, you already know what I am talking about, but for those who may not know what ‘fruits’ are, let me break it down for you. Carambola or five fingers, as it is commonly known, is picked, washed, cut into pieces and then u s u a l l y cooked with sugar and spices until all the liquid evaporates.

After that, it is dried and then blended into a paste which is used for baking cakes.

It is the star of the black cake, but has a supporting cast. People, like myself, would soak their fruits in port wine or dark rum for months or even years. I have had about five pounds of fruits soaking in rum and port wine for the past 16 months and I intend to use them in my black cake this year. However, some people would have fruits soaking for longer than that time.

The five- finger fruit preserve would be soaked with

raisins, prunes, maraschino cherries and a variety of nuts. Some people prefer blending the nuts and other dried fruits while others prefer them chopped.

The alcohol-soaked fruits coupled with the spices and citrus makes this cake a delight. So, I am going to share my version of a recipe I found a few years back.

If you have not soaked your fruits already, then have no fear you can begin the process today and by the time you are ready to bake on Christmas Eve, the fruits would be ready.

So roll your sleeves up and let’s get baking.

You will need: • 1 lb butter • 1 lb brown sugar (the high molasses content enriches cake colour) • 10 eggs • 4 lbs fruit mixture • 2 tsp high-quality vanilla extract • 1 1/2 lb all-purpose flour • 2 tsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp salt • Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice and mace • One orange zest • 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries* • Nuts* • Cake colouring • Brown rum or port wine (cherry brandy works too) Now that we have all the ingredients, let us make the batter and bake. The first step is preheating your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

Then in a large mixing bowl, you will need to cream your

butter and sugar until the sugar granules are practically dissolved. Add in eggs one at a time, properly incorporating them because if not done properly the fat breaks and may curdle. After we have incorporated all the eggs, we will then add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix until combined.

We do not want to overwork the batter or gluten will develop resulting in a chewy cake as opposed to a soft melt-in-your-mouth cake.

With your mixer on low speed, incorporate the fruit mixture, spices, vanilla extract and orange zest. The colour of the batter will change from a pale cream to brown. To enrich that colour add 1/4 cup of cake colouring (be careful with the amount of cake colouring since too much will give the cake a bitter taste). At this point, you may add your additional maraschino cherries and nuts. Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

After you have taken out the cakes from the oven, while still hot, douse with approximately 3/4 cup of rum or port wine and allow to soak.

Black cake tastes best after it has aged for about two days, but you have to ensure you add some alcohol to it daily since it would preserve it longer.

So this Christmas, be sure to try this recipe and enjoy your slice of Christmas goodness. (Photos are taken from Alicia’s Pepperpot blog)

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 5

Feature

By Lakhram Bhagirat

“Silent night, holy night All is calm and all is bright Round yon virgin, mother and child Holy infant, so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace.”

T

hat is how it always started. I remember it like it was just yesterday. The first time the carollers visited our small home. They were from the church my father attended and it was Christmas Eve night, mommy was in the kitchen hurriedly trying to finish baking a cake so the carollers would be able to indulge. It is one of my fondest memories of Christmas as a child, because I remember being immensely in awe of this group of people just singing at our doorstep.

My sisters and I crouched in front of the doorway with our father as we listened to the La Grange Fellowship Church’s choir, led by Uncle Aker (only name I

can remember), belting out Christmas carols like “Jingle Bells” and “Oh Holy Night”.

Looking forward to the carollers became a tradition for the next few years. It in-

volved my mother working herself in the kitchen earlier than normal so that she could have cake on the table when the carollers come around 17:00h. She would work harder earlier so that she could join us as a family unit to get into the spirit.

It was the one time for the

holiday season where we all felt at peace with ourselves as well as our surroundings.

I was too young to understand what I was feeling, but now looking back at the experience, I am grateful to have witnessed and experienced that peace. But that peace was short-lived as the

carollers stopped coming.

They stopped visiting after my father left our home and after a few years, Uncle Aker migrated from Guyana and carolling in Independence Street, La Grange on the West Bank of Demerara stopped altogether.

After a few years, the church would attempt to resurrect carolling, but that only lasted a short while.

Generally, throughout the country and further afield, the tradition of carolling is dying or has died altogether. I would have had the opportunity to spend a few Christmases in Trinidad where they have their unique form of carolling in the form of Soca Parang.

Because of their rich musical culture instead of the traditional Christmas carols, they come up with unique songs speaking to the culture of the Trinidadian spirit.

However, they also have the traditional carolling since it is a major focus of the Presbyterian Church.

Back in Guyana, the art of carolling is rapidly dying out, since most of the younger generation prefer the party scene as opposed to houseto-house carolling.

6 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Feature

C

hristmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature.

Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive.

The traditional Christmas narrative, the Nativity of Jesus, delineated in the New Testament says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in accordance with messianic prophecies.

When Joseph and Mary arrived in the city, the inn had no room and so they were offered a stable where the

Christ Child was soon born, with angels proclaiming this news to shepherds who then further disseminated the information.

Although the month and date of Jesus' birth are unknown, by the early-to-mid fourth century the Western Christian Church had placed Christmas on December 25, a date that was later adopted in the East. Today, most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar, which has been adopted almost universally in the civil calendars used in countries throughout the world.

However, some Eastern Christian Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25 of the older Julian calendar, which currently corresponds to January 7 in the Gregorian calendar, the day after the Western Christian Church celebrates the Epiphany.

This is not a disagreement over the date of Christmas

as such, but rather a preference of which calendar should be used to determine the day that is December 25.

Moreover, for Christians, the belief that God came into the world in the form of man to atone for the sins of humanity, rather than the exact birth date, is considered to be the primary purpose in celebrating Christmas.

The celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian, and secular themes and origins.

Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving, completing an Advent calendar or Advent wreath, Christmas music and carolling, lighting a Christingle, viewing a Nativity play, an exchange of Christmas cards, church services, a special meal, pulling Christmas crackers and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, na-

tivity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly.

In addition, several closely related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, and Christkind, are associated with bringing gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore. Because gift-giving and many other aspects

of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

In Guyana, Christmas is the busiest time of the year for all businesses since people would do remodel and redecorate their entire homes.

It is a time when the furniture stores are buzzing with activities and the pavements are filled to capacity with roadside vendors as well as shoppers looking for a quick bargain.

Christmas in Guyana means new everything for most people. It means lavish spending. It means food for days but most importantly it means a time where value is placed on family and helping those in need.

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 7

Health

Overview

An ear infection (acute otitis media) is most often a bacterial or viral infection that affects the middle ear, the air-filled space behind the eardrum that contains the tiny vibrating bones of the ear. Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections.

Ear infections frequently are painful because of inflammation and buildup of fluids in the middle ear.

Because ear infections often clear up on their own, treatment may begin with managing pain and monitoring the problem. Ear infection in infants and severe cases in general often require antibiotic medications. Long-term problems related to ear infections — persistent fluids in the middle ear, persistent infections or frequent infections — can cause hearing problems and other serious complications.

Symptoms

The onset of signs and symptoms of ear infection is usually rapid.

Children Signs and symptoms common in children include: • Ear pain, especially when lying down • Tugging or pulling at an ear • Difficulty sleeping • Crying more than usual • Acting more irritable than usual

• Difficulty hearing or responding to sounds • Loss of balance • Fever of 100 F (38 C) or higher • Drainage of fluid from the ear • Headache • Loss of appetite

Adults

Common signs and symptoms in adults include: • Ear pain • Drainage of fluid from the ear • Diminished hearing When to see a doctor Signs and symptoms of an ear infection can indicate a number of conditions. It's important to get an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment. Call your child's doctor if: • Symptoms last for more than a day • Symptoms are present in a child less than 6 months of age • Ear pain is severe • Your infant or toddler is sleepless or irritable after a cold or other upper respiratory infection • You observe a discharge of fluid, pus or bloody discharge from the ear An adult with ear pain or discharge should see a doctor as soon as possible.

Causes

Middle ear An ear infection is caused by a bacterium or virus in the middle ear. This infec-

tion often results from another illness — cold, flu or allergy — that causes congestion and swelling of the nasal passages, throat and eustachian tubes.

Role of eustachian tubes The eustachian tubes are a pair of narrow tubes that run from each middle ear to high in the back of the throat, behind the nasal passages. The throat end of the tubes open and close to: • Regulate air pressure in the middle ear • Refresh air in the ear • Drain normal secretions from the middle ear Swelling, inflammation and mucus in the eustachian tubes from an upper respiratory infection or allergy can block them, causing the accumulation of fluids in the middle ear. A bacterial or viral infection of this fluid is usually what produces the symptoms of an ear infection.

Ear infections are more common in children, in part, because their eustachian tubes are narrower and more horizontal — factors that make them more difficult to drain and more likely to get clogged.

Related conditions

Conditions of the middle ear that may be related to an ear infection or result in similar middle ear problems include the following: • Otitis media with effusion is inflammation and fluid buildup (effusion) in the middle ear without

who are breast-fed.

• Seasonal factors.

Ear infections are most common during the fall and winter when colds and flu are prevalent. People with seasonal allergies may have a greater risk of ear infections during seasonal high pollen counts.

• Poor air quality.

infections spread to other tissues in the skull, including the brain or the membranes surrounding the brain (meningitis).

• Tearing of the eardrum. Most eardrum tears heal within 72 hours. In some cases, surgical repair is needed.

Role of adenoids

Adenoids are two small pads of tissues high in the back of the nose believed to play a role in immune system activity. This function may make them particularly vulnerable to infection, inflammation and swelling.

Because adenoids are near the opening of the eustachian tubes, inflammation or enlargement of the adenoids may block the tubes, thereby contributing to middle ear infection.

Inflammation of adenoids is more likely to play a role in ear infections in children because children have relatively larger adenoids.

bacterial or viral infection.

This may occur because the fluid buildup persists after an ear infection has resolved. It may also occur because of some dysfunction or noninfectious blockage of the eustachian tubes.

• Chronic otitis media with effusion occurs when fluid remains in the middle ear and continues to return without bacterial or viral infection. This makes children susceptible to new ear infections, and may affect hearing.

• Chronic suppurative otitis media is a persistent ear infection that often results in tearing or perforation of the eardrum.

Risk factors

Risk factors for ear infections include: • Age. Children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years are more susceptible to ear infections because of the size and shape of their eustachian tubes and because of their poorly developed immune systems.

• Group child care.

Children cared for in group settings are more likely to get colds and ear infections than are children who stay home because they're exposed to more infections, such as the common cold.

• Infant feeding.

Babies who drink from a bottle, especially while lying down, tend to have more ear infections than do babies

Exposure to tobacco smoke or high levels of air pollution can increase the risk of ear infection.

Complications

Most ear infections don't cause long-term complications. Frequent or persistent infections and persistent fluid buildup can result in some serious complications: • Impaired hearing.

Mild hearing loss that comes and goes is fairly common with an ear infection, but it usually returns to what it was before the infection after the infection clears.

Persistent infection or persistent fluids in the middle ear may result in more significant hearing loss. If there is some permanent damage to the eardrum or other middle ear structures, permanent hearing loss may occur.

• Speech or developmental delays. If hearing is temporarily or permanently impaired in infants and toddlers, they may experience delays in speech, social and developmental skills.

• Spread of infection.

Untreated infections or infections that don't respond well to treatment can spread to nearby tissues. Infection of the mastoid, the bony protrusion behind the ear, is called mastoiditis. This infection can result in damage to the bone and the formation of pus-filled cysts.

Rarely, serious middle ear

Prevention

The following tips may reduce the risk of developing ear infections: • Prevent common colds and other illnesses.

Teach your children to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly and to not share eating and drinking utensils. Teach your children to cough or sneeze into their arm crook. If possible, limit the time your child spends in group child care. A child care setting with fewer children may help. Try to keep your child home from child care or school when ill.

• Avoid secondhand smoke. Make sure that no one smokes in your home.

Away from home, stay in smoke-free environments.

• Breast-feed your baby. If possible, breast-feed your baby for at least six months. Breast milk contains antibodies that may offer protection from ear infections.

• If you bottle-feed, hold your baby in an upright position. Avoid propping a bottle in your baby's mouth while he or she is lying down. Don't put bottles in the crib with your baby.

• Talk to your doctor about vaccinations. Ask your doctor about what vaccinations are appropriate for your child. Seasonal flu shots, pneumococcal and other bacterial vaccines may help prevent ear infections.

8

Sunday Times Magazine

DECEMBER 9, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine

9

10 Sunday Times Magazine

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Feature

D

ecember brings with it a lot of parties. From your office Christmas party to numerous other shindigs that requires you to look your absolute best. We have combined a number of looks to make you stand out and be the centre of attraction while feeling comfortable enough to dance the night away. These looks are easy to achieve, extremely high fashioned and some pieces may already be in your closet. So don’t be afraid to mix colours, textures and fabrics to create that unique look.

guyanatimesgy.com

guyanatimesgy.com

NOVEMBER 18 , 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 11

Home & Cooking

Ingredients

1 lb or about 3 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1 lb or 2 cups sugar 1 lb or 4 sticks butter, room temperature 10 eggs 1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cloves 1 tbsp orange zest 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp almond extract 4 cups fruit mixture

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease

Ingredients

6 eggs (hardboiled) 2 tbsp cream cheese, room temperature ¼ tsp Dijon mustard 3 tbsp mayonnaise ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/8 of tsp black pepper Salt to taste Parsley and paprika to garnish

Instructions

Slice eggs in half cross ways. Using a small spoon, carefully remove the yolk.

Set the whites aside. Place yolks in a bowl with cream cheese, Dijon mustard,

Ingredients

3 cups evaporated milk 1/2 can condensed milk (14 oz can) 4 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat milk,

and flour two 9-inch cake pans.

Set aside. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves; set aside.

Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix until fluffy and light in color.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to make sure egg is incorporated. Please don’t rush this step, adding the eggs too soon or too many at one time can cause the mixture to curdle or separate.

Next add fruits mixture, orange zest, vanilla extract and almond extract to mixture, mix until incorporated.

Add flour to wet ingredients, mix until smooth. Divide equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, b l a c k pepper and salt.

Using a mixer whip for 2-3 minutes, this will make the filling light and airy.

You can also use a fork but the filling will not be as smooth and creamy.

Place yolk mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe mixture into egg whites. If you do not have a pastry bag, you can use a small spoon to fill the eggs. Garnish with a parsley and a sprinkle of paprika.

do not allow to boil. Beat eggs and add warm milk gradually to eggs.

This is called tempering and prevents the eggs from scrambling when added to the warm milk. Add egg mixture to remaining milk and add vanilla. Pour into greased baking dish and sprinkle grated nutmeg over top. Place the pan in a larger pan filled with water and bake for 40 minutes.

T

he Christmas season signals the beginning of turning the house upside down and redecorating. The task is quite often hectic but the result is one of complete satisfaction.

Everyone loves decorating for Christmas so grab your garland and get ready because

these decorating ideas will surely fill you with Christmas cheer.

However lavish or simple your Christmas decorating may be, these ideas will help you bring the beauty of the holiday to every corner of your home.

Our favorite way to light up any season is a brilliant array of paper luminaries. Line them up along your front walkway, along your driveway, or scatter them around the yard for a bright, twinkling Christmas display that’s so simple and affordable to pull off. You can buy premade luminaries in bulk online, or make your own using white paper bags, pebbles, and batterypowered LED candle lights.

Pile on the plaid Plaid is not just for school uniforms and collared shirts. Use plaid as a theme for your Christmas decorations for a classic, old-school take on holiday cheer.

To avoid overloading on one pattern, don’t be afraid to mix and match plaids of varying sizes and scales. Start with a transparent plaid garland, and decorate with metallic, solid-colored ornaments.

The easiest and most budget-friendly way to incorporate plaid into your Christmas is by using the gifts under your tree as decorations themselves.

Choose 2-3 plaid patterned rolls of giftwrap, and 1-2 solid patterns in complimentary colors. Mix and match ribbons on each gift for a layered presentation of presents.

Create a formal and elegant Christmas centerpiece with romantic red roses surrounded by white tallow berries displayed silver vases made to resemble birch bark. Choose metallic silver vases, because they reflect the warm, glowing light from candles, the rich reds from flowers, and the patterns on table settings in an elegant, prismatic way. Add texture and dimension by tucking pieces of boxwood garland and sprigs of berries around the base of the vases.

12 Sunday Times Magazine

DECEMBER 9, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Puzzles

ACROSS

1 Grain husks

6 Ibsen’s -- Gabler 11 Bandleader Count -16 Sr. Iglesias

21 Flat

22 UFO passenger 23 Leaving breathless 24 Fridge maker

25 Ms. Massey of film 26 Mountain range 27 Cocoon dweller 28 Fur pieces

29 1051, to Terence 30 Ornamented

32 Aviator -- Post

34 Cost, informally 36 Foreshadow

38 Veld prowlers

40 Consumed

42 Followed the trail 43 “Night Moves” singer Bob 45 Is the chair

-47 Colorado’s Mount Blues” 49 Hoarder (2 wds.)

52 Runs into

53 Diet guru Jenny 54 Famous numero 57 Panelist -- Francis 58 Belly-dance props 59 Not our 60 Handy swab (hyph.)

61 Draws close

62 Salad bowl woods 63 Canary’s cousin 64 Subarctic forest 65 Motel of old

66 Hurtful remarks 68 Fat, to a chemist 69 Scrub, to NASA 70 Hamster’s digs 72 Rap music fan

73 Long skirts

74 Tenants’ payments 75 Girder (2 wds.)

77 Bailed out

78 Russian export 79 Wild felines

82 Leered

83 Hindu melody

84 Farm females

88 Ritchie of “La Bamba”

89 Mares’ offspring 90 Office supplies 92 Retainer

93 Decided on

94 Jostles

95 More hobbled

96 Ancient Rome’s port

98 Heavy metal

99 Quebec peninsula 100 Oui and ja

101 “Tijuana Taxi” trumpeter 102 Racket 103 Impudent 104 Intend (2 wds.)

105 Chums 106 “-- Street Blues” 107 Slip-up 108 Woman in white 109 Grads 111 Slug’s trail 113 Excises, as text 115 Slam -Destructive insect 119 121 Pastis flavor 123 Spiked the punch 125 Coq au -126 Twitches 127 Slanting edge 129 Ring up sales 131 Ill treatment 133 “Thereby hangs -- --” 134 Prow opposite 135 Veronica of “Hill Street 136 Martinique volcano 137 Ebbed 138 Search party 139 Water or rust 140 Escargot DOWN 1 Shinny 2 Phone response 3 Circumvent 4 Bog 5 Stop a train 6 Peter Wimsey’s lady 7 Novelist -- Glyn 8 Finished off (2 wds.)

9 Ph.D., for example 10 Over again 11 Sentimental songs 12 Holds off for

13 “No --!”

14 Packing slip

15 “Yow!”

16 Shoving together

17 Kayaks’ kin

18 Hope or Jessica

19 Signed

20 W. Hemisphere alliance

31 Pool problem

33 Dublin-born poet

35 Win by -- - 37 Glacial formation

39 Harem owners

41 Sea nymph

44 -- & Young

46 Lampreys

48 Like a peacock

49 Sudden terror

50 Coliseum

KATHLEEN SAXE

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD -- ADJUNCTS (ADJUNCTS: AD-junkts: Additional and supplementary parts.)

Average mark 18 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 23 or more words in ADJUNCTS? TODAY’S WORD -- ADJUNCTS

adjust aunt daunt ducat duct dust jaunt judas

junta just cant cast tuna sand scad scan

scant scat scud scut stand stud stun

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of "s," such as "bats" or "dies," are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a "d" or an "s" may not be used. For example, if "bake" is used, "baked" or "bakes" are not allowed, but "bake" and "baking" are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

51 How trolleys go

78 Windmill blades

52 Substantial 79 Egg-shaped

53 Evert of tennis 80 Blue Grotto isle

54 Mohawk Valley city

81 Rocker -- John

55 Dr. Watson portrayer -- Bruce 82 Get-up-and-go

56 Fiery gems

83 Tybalt’s slayer

58 Cobra toxin

85 Over and over

59 Barely warm 86 Bizarre

60 Airline to Australia

87 Ushers’ quests 62 Helicons

89 Minor arguments

63 Deep- -- (discarded)

90 Tried a mouthful

64 Cistern 91 Firm

67 Helps with a heist

94 Phoenician deity

68 Does dock work

95 Moon landers

69 Fragrant wood

97 Earn a citation

71 Diva -- Farrell

99 Meadow feature

73 Pepper grinders

100 Cry of dismay

74 Toon rabbit

101 Crop up 76 007

103 Perplexed 77 Yawning

104 Eeyore’s creator (2 wds.)

105 Speck 106 Warp 107 Ocean crossers 108 Made like a boombox 109 Queen of the Misty Isles 110 Updated sextant 112 Rinses 114 Tropical resin 116 Palate part 117 American-born Japanese 118 Bow down 120 Recipe amt.

122 Canyon reply 124 Skips stones 126 Mandible 128 DDE milieu 130 Not stringent 132 London’s Big -See Solution on Pg 14

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 13

Tech

G

A

pple’s iOS 12.1.1 update is now available to download, and it comes with some new improvements and fixes for some controversial iOS 12 changes. Most notably, FaceTime — which faced a lot of criticism from users for removing features like the ability to take Live Photos during calls, and making the ‘flip camera’ button harder to find behind a menu — has been tweaked. The button has returned to the main screen, on the bottom menu row along-

G

oogle has announced that Chrome 71 has left beta and is publicly rolling out for Windows, Mac, and Linux, as spotted by 9to5Google. The latest version of Google’s browser was in the works over the past few months, touting features to help fight against abusive ad experiences by blocking manipulative ad designs and showing billing warning screens.

With Chrome 71, Chrome will filter expe-

side the Mute, Effects, and End Call button.

Other big features include dual SIM with eSIM support for additional carriers on iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max, and a notification preview using haptic touch on iPhone XR. Bugs like issues with visual voicemail downloading, Face ID being temporarily unavailable, and broken predictive text suggestions on Chinese and Japanese keyboards have also been fixed.

(The Verge)

oogle has officially announced that it is shutting down Allo, ending the run of yet another failed Google chat app experiment. The news is not entirely unsurprising, given that Google had already paused investment in Allo back in April.

Back then, the head of the communications group at Google, Anil Sabharwal, noted that “[Allo] as a whole has not achieved the level of traction we’d hoped for.”

Allo will “continue to work through March 2019,” Google says, and users will be able to export their conversation history until then.

The timing for Allo’s pending shutdown is particularly apt, given that Verizon is set to officially launch RCS Chat on the Pixel 3 and 3 XL on December 6th. Unlike Allo,

full-screen rollover ads.

Users will have the option to turn Chrome 71’s filtering for abusive experiences on or off, but the likelihood is that most will not opt out. Google hopes that the more users upgrade and use Chrome 71, sites will be subject to better ad practices or risk losing a significant portion of revenue. Additionally, this means that Google, the company with the largest online ad network, is now the

T

riences on websites that fall under Google’s definition of abusive. These include web experiences that aren’t just limited to ads, such as auto-redirects that happen without any action from a user or trick-to-click experiences like a warning notification that actually leads to an ad or another website’s landing page. Sites that are reported to have abusive experiences will be given a 30day grace period to clean up their behavior before every ad on the site is blocked.

Google has been expanding the way it tackles bad ad practices for some time. Back in 2017, it announced that Chrome 64 would prevent websites from opening pop-up ads, tabs, and automatic redirects to new pages.

Separately, in 2017, Google said it planned to support the guidelines set by Better Ads Standards for what constituted a bad ad, which includes flashing, animated ads and

RCS Chat will be carrier-based in its implementation, and could finally give Google the sort of iMessage competitor it’s been looking for on Android for all these years, albeit through a service that won’t actually be run

by Google at all.

It’s also important to point out that RCS Chat is not the same thing as Google’s Hangouts Chat, the re-branded version of Google Hangouts designed for enterprise users that will eventually replace the classic Hangouts experience with something that looks similar to services like Slack. Google says Hangouts Chat and Meet, the video solution, will both be available to existing users “at some point”.

(The Verge)

same entity making decisions about what ads to block on the most-used browser.

Though Google says it anticipates this new policy will only affect a “small number of sites with persistent abusive experiences,” Google Ads is Google’s main source of revenue, which presents a potential conflict.

Along with abusive experience blocking, Chrome 71 will also present a warning about sites that try to bill you without your full consent or obfuscate a billing structure.

Additionally, Chrome 71 will mute sites that play sound automatically, a change that will be welcome for most that hate auto-playing videos, but unfortunately, it has the side effect of breaking older web games.

The desktop version of Chrome 71 is available now, and versions for Android and Chrome OS will be coming in the next few weeks. (The Verge)

he next chapter for Niantic’s Pokémon Go involves borrowing another popular element from the game series’s main installments: battling. The new trainer battles feature has been a long time coming. It was first teased with the game’s announcement more than three years ago, and it’s taken the company quite a while to get it in working shape. Niantic released some new details about the feature last week on Twitter, but at a recent press event in San Francisco, the developer broke down exactly how the new battle system will work when it launches globally later this month.

Essentially, trainer battles will be quick, roughly four-minute bouts between you and another player using three pokémon each, with the opportunity to switch between the three mid-battle. A short timer determines how often you can rotate those fighters. The other big factor will be the new leagues, with the choice between the great, ultra, or master leagues that determine how powerful the creatures you use can be, which are measured by the combat power (CP) rating.

Niantic says you’ll be able to earn up to three rewards per day by battling other human trainers, and you can also use battles to progress toward in-game medals and train your pokémon to become stronger. One of the rarest rewards from battling will be the elu-

sive Sinnoh Stone item, which can be used to evolve certain monsters into more powerful versions from the fourth generation of Pokémon games, support for which was added back in October. There will also be a training mode you can use freely throughout the day to practice and continue powering up your pokémon with no restrictions.

The battles will involve similar mechanics to raid battles, in which a series of taps initiates your basic attack and fills up your charge attack meter. Niantic is adding a new element here where you can unlock a second charge attack and choose between them, with energy being drained from a shared meter.

Niantic says that when the feature launches sometime before the end of the year, it will start with players who are at the max level of 40. But as it brings more server infrastructure online to handle the load, battles will be brought to lower-level players incrementally, and Niantic doesn’t expect the rollout to take too long unless it hits some serious snags. Like with trading, Niantic is restricting the battling feature to users 13 years of age and older, which is in line with restrictions for nearly every game, social network, and similar online product due to the US’s online child privacy protections.(The Verge)

14 Sunday Times Magazine

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DECEMBER 9, 2018

Bollywood/Hollywood

P

riyanka Chopra has changed her name on Instagram to Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The actor married singer/actor Nick Jonas in a lavish five-day event in Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace.

While her handle remains the same - @ PriyankaChopra - her name above the bio appears to have been changed.

Priyanka, who has over 30 million followers on Instagram, debuted her new name on Thursday. Unlike Sonam Kapoor’s husband, Anand Ahuja, however, Nick’s name remains unchanged.

The actor also shared a post on Thursday celebrating her inclusion in Forbes magazine’s list of the 100 most powerful women of 2018. “Thank you Forbes! Honoured to be a part of such an exclusive and illustrious

list of Power Women in the world for the second time.

It’s a reminder to stay hungry, keep pushing the status quo and continuing to do what I love. And on that note... back to work.”

Priyanka was ranked number 94 on the list, which is topped by German chancellor Angela Merkel and has four Indians.

Priyanka and Nick tied the knot in accordance with Christian and Hindu traditions on December 1 and 2. They also held a wedding reception in New Delhi on December 4, which was attended by PM Narendra Modi, among others. “Congratulations, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. Wishing you a happy married life,” the PM’s official Twitter account posted.

The couple was also involved in their first post-wedding controversy when an opinion piece published by The Cut called her a ‘global scam artist’ who’d conned Jonas into marrying her. The piece was met with vitriol online, led by Sonam Kapoor and Nick’s brother Joe, and Joe’s fiance, Sophie Turner.

The Cut apologised and took the piece down.

Priyanka also responded to the article, saying she did not want to react to such “random things”. Speaking to Hindustan Times, she said, “I don’t even want to react or comment. It’s not even in my stratosphere. I’m in a happy place at this moment. These kind of random things can’t disturb it.”

C

ardi B has announced her split from husband Offset in an Instagram post Wednesday morning. The post, which included the caption “There you go...peace and love,” detailed the couple’s decision to call it quits.

“So everybody been bugging me and everything,” Cardi said in the video.

“And you know, I been trying to work things out with my baby father for a hot minute now. And we’re really good friends and you know we’re really good business partners and you know, he’s always somebody that I run to, to talk to and we got a lot of love for each other, but things just haven’t been working out between us for a long time.”

S

ridevi’s shocking death left an entire nation and millions of her fans bereaving world over. Every reference to the late actor, sees a range of emotions. In the past one year, her family members — daughter Janhvi Kapoor, husband Boney Kapoor and step-son Arjun Kapoor — have all spoken evocatively about her. Now, her brother-in-law and co-star in many hit films Anil Kapoor has spoken about the later actor.

Anil recently shot for an episode on Star Plus’ Dance Plus 4 called Sridevi Tribute. Speaking about Sridevi, Anil mentioned how every time he would

D

She also confirmed that the split is amicable and was mutually agreed upon.

“It’s nobody’s fault,” the rapper continued. “It’s just like, I guess we grew out of love.

But we’re not together anymore. I don’t know, it might

Crossword Solution

take time to get a divorce.

And I’m going to always have a lot of love for him because he is my daughter’s father and yeah.”

The couple, parents to daughter Kulture Kiari Cephus, secretly married last September in Atlanta.

The relationship has been public since early 2017, but the marriage wasn’t confirmed by the pair until this past summer. Offset responded to the rapper’s Instagram post with the comment: “Y’all won.”

Cardi B and Offset’s whirlwind romance was documented in a Rolling Stone cover story this summer as Cardi B was planning her baby shower. “People want to make fun of me, saying I’m the fourth baby mom,” Cardi said. “[But] I know I’m not having a baby with a shitty-ass man.”

“We really love each other,” Offset added. “She’s real. I wanted real. I also wanted successful.” (Rolling Stone)

meet her, he would always touch her feet. He did so out of respect for her as an artist irrespective of the place and occasion, a fact that embarrassed the late actor immensely and would feel awkward and would always ask him not to do so.

An article in Spotboye, quoting Anil, said how he would sit and watch her perform a scene even when he was not in the said scene only because she would enact each and every scene beautifully.

Recalling Sridevi, Anil was quoted as saying: “As an artist I feel blessed to have worked with Sridevi ji and she had a huge contribution to my career. She

eepika Padukone has made it to the top five of Forbes India’s 2018 list of richest Indians, becoming the first woman to do so. The newlywed actor, whose Padmaavat went on to break many records, raked in a phenomenal Rs 112.8 crore this year to become the highest-earning woman celebrity. Her husband Ranveer Singh is number eight with Rs 84.67 crores and Ajay Devgn ranks tenth on the list with Rs 74.5 crores.

According to the publication, there are 18 women on the list (which first came out in 2012) - down from 21 in 2017. Actors Alia Bhatt, Anushka Sharma, Katrina Kaif and shuttlers PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal are part of the 100.

Maintaining his position on the top for the third time is superstar Salman Khan.

With earnings amounting to Rs 253.25 crore, the 52-yearold became India’s highestpaid celebrity on the list.

Priyanka Chopra lost her last year’s seventh rank (Rs 68 crore) and settled for No 49 with Rs 18 crore as earnings in 2018.

Apart from them, while India cricket captain Virat Kohli bagged the second spot (Rs 228.09 crore). He is the first sportsperson to make it to the spot, regularly dominated by a showbiz personality. Akshay Kumar held the third place with a total gross of Rs 185 crore.

With no release during the period under review, Shah Rukh Khan slipped from his number two position to No

was an actor with immeasurable talent who could fill the screen with her magic.

We shouldn’t remember her with sadness and rather celebrate her brilliance as a performer with love, affection and joy.”

Sridevi’s untimely death on February 24 this year at a Dubai hotel shocked the world. The late actor had been to Dubai to attend the wedding of Boney’s nephew, actor Mohit Marwah.

While the rest of the family had flown back to Mumbai, Sridevi chose to stay back for some shopping. On the fateful day, her husband Boney arrived from India and together that night they were to go for dinner. She was staying at Dubai’s Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel. She reportedly went to the washroom to get ready for the dinner but 15 minutes passed and she did not come out. Boney knocked on the door to check on her. When he got no response, he forced open the door to find the legendary actor lying motionless in the bathtub full of water.

(Hindustan Times)

13 after raking in Rs 56 crore this year.

Aamir Khan ranks sixth with Rs 97.5 crore, closely followed by his “Thugs of Hindostan” co-star Amitabh Bachchan at No 7 with Rs 96.17 as earnings. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who raked in Rs 101.77 crore, was at fifth position.

Forbes noted that the period under its consideration was October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018. The cumulative earnings figure for 2018 amounted to Rs 3,140.25 crore, which is 17 per cent higher than last year’s Rs 2,683 crore. (Hindustan Times)

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Sunday Times Magazine 15

16 Sunday Times Magazine

guyanatimesgy.com

DECEMBER 9, 2018

Fun Times

Archie

ARIES

Think outside the box (March 21- when it comes to saving and April 19) spending. You can cut corners if you are clever in how you shop and handle your investments.

Embrace change and give TAURUS it your all. Work hard to im(April 20- prove your relationships with May 20) those who count and to offer something special to the person who always has your back.

Don’t let someone put craGEMINI zy ideas in your head. Stick to (MAY 28- the basics and what’s realistic June 20) and doable. Avoid a challenge that will make you fall short in more ways than one.

Make relationships your priority. Do something spe(June 21- cial for a loved one. Love and July 22) laughter will bring you closer together and lead to greater security. Romance is highlighted.

CANCER

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Dilbert

VIRGO A change of scenery will do (Aug. 23- you good. Make plans with a Sept. 22) loved one to bring out the best in each other and accomplish a lot on your to-do list.

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Peanuts

Being the life of the party can have its disadvantages. Don’t neglect someone who loves you in order to entertain acquaintances you are never likely to see again.

Someone from your past will reach out or come to mind. A reunion will give you greater insight into your current situation and how to best improve your life.

Getting together with relSCORPIO atives to make plans for up(Oct. 24- coming family events will give Nov. 22) you a sense of belonging and pride. Your unique suggestions will make an impression. Romance is encouraged.

Disregard anyone spoutSAGITTARIUS ing untruths or meddling.

(Nov. 23Help those deserving of your Dec. 21) time and effort. How you react will make a difference and will affect your reputation.

Calvin and Hobbes

Don’t lose sight of what CAPRICORN loved ones want. Compromise (Dec. 22- will be what makes this a day Jan. 19) to remember. A surprise you plan for someone will secure your relationship.

Share your joy and make AQUARIUS changes that will help you (Jan. 20- bring what’s old and what’s Feb. 19) new together. Harmony should be your intent, and peace and good will should be the results.

Volunteer to do your part.

PISCES Whether you plan a function (Feb. 20- for youngsters or those less Mar. 20) fortunate or you help out at a soup kitchen, the people you meet will inspire you.