Guyana times november 22 ,2017

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Issue No. 3400

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

PRICE

Appalling school sex scandal

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Protesters call for Bishops’ head teacher to be sacked Page 3

Govt seeking buyers for Guyana P14 Stock Feeds shares – as company slated to become 100% privately owned

Convicted 63-year-old drug trafficker to stand trial P9

…for calling female students “slack and loose” …implicated teacher denies allegations but admits to dating former students

Woman brutally chopped by ex-lover Page 2

AFC to APNU:

Trini kidnapping scammer granted $1M bail Page 8

...accused of faking his own kidnapping in Guyana

SARA Head defends Agency against claims of political bias …Opposition says Agency being run by “political hacks” Page 9

Make Integrity P11 Commission a matter of national urgency US to scrap Haitian immigrants’ protected P16 status

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news

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

At Meten-Meer-Zorg

Woman brutally chopped by ex-lover … suspect arrested

A

23-year-old sales clerk is now said to be in stable con-

dition at the Georgetown Public Hospital after being the victim of a brutal

chopping attack in front of her home in MetenMeer-Zorg, West Coast

Demerara on Sunday night.

The injured wom-

Narainie Gopaul was brutally chopped

an has been identified as Narainie Gopaul, of Lot 74 Railway View, MetenMeer-Zorg.

Based on Police reports, Gopaul was in the process of entering her yard around 23:00h on the day in question when she was suddenly attacked by a 58-year-old man with whom she once shared a relationship.

The suspect, brandishing a cutlass, reportedly dealt the woman several chops about her body, in-

cluding to her arms, right foot and neck.

He subsequently fled the scene on foot, leaving her in a pool of her own blood.

Gopaul was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital in a critical state and was later transferred to the city hospital given the severity of her injuries.

Gruesome pictures circulating via social media showed the woman’s hand was almost completely detached while one of her fingers appeared to be completely severed.

Meanwhile, according to Divisional Commander Leslie James, the suspect, who hails from Ocean Garden, also in Meten-Meer-Zorg, was later detained by Police in D Division (West Demerara).

The man is expected to appear before the Magistrate today when he will be arraigned.

Investigations are currently ongoing to ascertain what led to Sunday’s brutal attack.

news

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wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Appalling school sex scandal

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, November 22 – 05:00h-06:30h and Thursday, November 23 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, November 22 – 06:05h-07:35h and Thursday, November 23 – 06:45h-08:15h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY

Thundery showers will prevail throughout the day and evening, with heavy rain showers in the late afternoon.

Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to East North-easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.02 metres.

High Tide: 05:47h and 17:57h reaching maximum heights of 2.54 metres and 2.63 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 11:33h and 23:57h reaching minimum heights of 0.70 metre and 0.59 metre respectively.

Protesters call for Bishops’ head teacher to be sacked …for calling female students “slack and loose” …implicated teacher denies allegations but admits to dating former students

S

everal activists and members of civil society took to the streets on Tuesday, calling for the sacking of Winifred Ellis, Headmistress of The Bishops’ High School, following her derogatory remarks aimed at female students.

Her remarks came in light of the recent widely-publicised sexual assault allegations against a male teacher of the school, to which she allegedly turned a blind eye.

The Education Ministry has launched a full-fledged investigation into the appalling allegations that Bishops’ High School eco-

Her derogatory utterances were made public after a student used a cellphone to record her rant and then shared it on social media.

Outraged by her actions, several former students, activists and members of civil society picketed the top secondary school on Tuesday.

Organiser of the picketing exercise, activist Akola Thompson related that a resounding call should be made for the termination of Ellis as head of one of Guyana’s most senior high schools.

“After the allegations about Coen Jackson would have broken, one of the first things the Headmistress

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A section of the protesters

nomics teacher Coen Jackson groomed female students and then had sexual relationships with them.

The news first broke on social media with several former students confirming the allegations. It was in light of this that Headmistress Ellis called a general assembly, where she berated students for not defending Jackson.

“I remember once I am coming down the corridor and I had to step back and ask a child to close her legs.

A male teacher is teaching.

How many times I telling y’all, don’t touch the boys.

Don’t touch the boys. How much times I am standing at my office door and when y’all see me y’all running inside ‘cause you hugging and touching the boys? You are very slack. Very loose with youself,” Ellis told the assembly.

“Do you know, Mr Jackson? I want to see the hands...if you felt uncomfortable at any time, step out the line. If he ever touched you and you tell me, step out of the line. Y’all saw it on (Facebook) right? Y’all know what I talking about, right? Can you corroborate that story? I didn’t see any of you going and defend him on this story. Not one. Don’t lie. Tell the truth!” she further declared.

did was call an assembly and basically ‘slut shame’, victim blame and castigate students for not coming to the defence of a predator.

That is a very dangerous message to be sending to

Coen Jackson (second from left) flanked by his attorneys

your students, particularly when it comes to female students, because we already have a high rate of persons not coming forward…,” she said. “…so when we have situations like this now, it just

makes it more difficult, because persons feel like they have nowhere to go. If they have no faith in the system, then we will continue to fail them,” Thompson posited.

Turn to page 15

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wednesDAY, november 22, 2017

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

Taking credit hypocritically

I

t has become almost laughable to see the Government firmly embracing some infrastructural projects which were envisaged and commenced by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration. Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with any government continuing developmental projects and policies started by previous leadership. As a matter of fact, as long as these are sound and beneficial to the populace, very little argument can be made against their continuity. In many cases, the citizenry expects just that. What therefore makes the current situation different?

The answer will gradually unfold, but first the context must be reminded of. During the PPP/C’s minority government of 20112015, many major transformational projects were already on the table with some at different stages of implementation. These include the Amaila Falls Hydro; the expansion and modernisation of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA); expansion of the East Bank and East Coast thoroughfares and the Specialty Hospital.

These visionary endeavours, as the Berbice Bridge, the National Stadium and the Marriott Hotel, were not only designed to further advance the country’s then ongoing unprecedented development, but to better position it to meet new demands faced by every developing nation. Having witnessed Guyana’s transformation from a highly indebted poor country to a developing one within the tenure of the PPP/C Administration, Guyanese, whose lives were positively impacted and many of whom eventually only familiar with modernity, were expectant of further advancement.

Who would not have wanted a state-of-the-art airport with protection from the elements? Who would not have wanted reliable, cheaper and cleaner electricity which would have reduced manufacturing costs redounding in cheaper local products?

Who would not have wanted the services of a modern hospital with treatment in specialised areas? The only set of people who appeared to not have wanted these projects is the current government when in Opposition. It, therefore, begs the question why 33 people would have then not wanted their motherland to further progress?

While the mere thought of asking the question is in itself mindboggling, the reality is that a set of Guyanese lawmakers squashed those transformational projects under the Donald Ramotar Administration. One may objectively not want to deny their concerns of reportedly high costs for obvious reasons. But despite being afforded all the information regarding feasibility studies, recouping revenue and benefits to the nation, even interaction with major players as in the case of the Amaila Hydro, they refused to see the value in these undertakings.

A flabbergasted nation was at pains of trying to come to grips with what played out, then resulting in the scuttling of the Amaila Hydro and the Specialty Hospital. Many analyses were attempted to unearth some rationality in their decision, but none was forthcoming. It may be because the answer lay in politics rather than in objectivity, rationality and concern for Guyanese welfare. Politically, the power of the combined one-seat majority was ruthlessly wielded to demonstrate the belief of who control the seat of power. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just about whom, but about the assumed power itself, and the brandishing of it with scant regard if it compromised the future.

But what has changed since? Why would the same set of people officially in the seat of power now boast of some of these projects which they had previously blanked? How now some of these projects make sense when just a few years ago they did not? Again, politics seem most plausible; a time for noise and a time for silence; don’t support fearful the then Government looks good. If this were to hold true, then the transgression into the realm of hypocrisy cannot be discounted.

Therefore, it is difficult to dismiss the audacity to now take credit and boast of someone else’s idea and vision as an unbridled display of hypocrisy. This obviously is in the context of once killing and burying it and now raising its flag in adoration. One positive is that Guyanese can eventually benefit from what was originally intended if these projects are executed as designed. Is there an echo of a faint hope for the Amaila Hydro? Given the recent seemingly unexpected flip-flopping that has taken place, it may be ill-advised to carve an absolute no in stone.

After all, who would have expected the Alliance For Change (AFC) to now be expressing “deep concern” for sugar workers after vehemently defending its coalition Government’s decision to close a number of estates and with a relative of one of its highranking officials reportedly tasked with finding a buyer for the newest factory? It appears another confirmation of the boundless potential for hypocrisy.

In Salalah, Oman, a chameleon launches its sticky tongue to catch a dragonfly. To catch the impossibly fast action, National Geographic ‘Your Shot’ photographer Abrar Sekhi used a shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second – and sat and waited for the perfect moment for five hours

Hoping against the odds for turnaround in fortunes of Guyana’s economy Dear Editor, I was taken aback as I looked at the front page of the November 20, 2017 edition of the State-owned newspaper which screamed out “Public debt service down 41.2 per cent”. For me this was an amazing statement and I immediately had to read the story on page three. Sadly, my enthusiasm was quickly deflated as I read the article.

Immediately, I was reminded of the old adage “the devil is in the details”.

From what I read, the decline is due in large part to the reduction in payments that accrued to the Petro-Caribe fuel/rice trade agreement with Venezuela.

With the cessation of the arrangement sometime in 2015, we stopped getting fuel on concessionary terms and our rice farmers lost a huge market. In fact, if we go by the figures in the article, our farmers lost more than $9 billion. This, undoubtedly, for the farmers was a steep decline and a very harsh shock. But as bad as that may be, it also means now that demand for foreign exchange has risen as our fuel purchases have to be paid up front. It is no surprise we have been experiencing foreign exchange shortages.

Under the oil-for-rice arrangement, our farmers were paid in Guyana dol-

lars relaxing pressures on the foreign exchange while at the same time providing employment and income for many Guyanese.

Unfortunately, this lucrative arrangement was scrapped and there has been no replacement.

The article goes on making a lot of hullabaloo about the reduction in debt servicing seeming to indicate that it was the doing of the APNU/AFC. This is, however, downright deceitful and misleading. The reality is that the reduction in debt has to do largely with the massive debt write-offs, a call that was initiated by Dr Cheddi Jagan. Concomitant with that call was the ex-

pansion of the economy which improved revenues which in turn were used to develop the country and thus further expand the economy.

Today, however, if we go by the recent borrowing spree the Government has engaged in and the widening fiscal deficit, it seems we are firmly on the road to massive indebtedness once more. I sincerely hope that I am wrong and that the fortunes of the economy will turn around, failing which Guyanese now and tomorrow are in for a rough and harrowing ride.

Yours faithfully, Patricia Persaud

Haitians, other refugees deserve America’s help Dear Editor, The recent attack on immigrants and minorities in the United States by the Donald Trump Administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and send 60,000 Haitians back to suffering and pain in their country – the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere – is the latest in an alarming trend.

Haiti cannot provide for them, and this decision is inhumane and unconscionable.

This status was extended to Haitians, as America has done in the past with several other countries, after a destructive earthquake hit the island nation in 2010. With its poor economy, infrastructure and resources, Haiti is incapable of repatriating tens of thousands of people.

Conscious of, and humbled by, its people’s suffering, the Haitian Government had asked the Trump Administration to extend the

protected status. After all, America has a conscience.

Haitians are the second-largest group of foreigners with temporary status. The protection is extended to people already in the United States who have come from countries severely affected by natural disasters or armed conflict that prevent their citizens from returning or prevent their country from adequately receiving them.

Roughly 40,000 people who lost their homes in the earthquake still live in camps for the displaced, and a cholera epidemic killed thousands of people in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Struggling to recover from the earthquake, they rely heavily on the money expatriates send to them back home to survive, but that lifeline will now be cut from them. Moreover, the decision to end the programme will uproot the lives of Haitians who have been in

the United States for years, most of whom live in Florida, home to roughly two-thirds of Haitian TPS enrollees.

Haitians sent home will face dire conditions, including lack of housing, inadequate health services and unemployment. It will precipitate double hardship.

Indeed, a permanent legislative solution must be found within the 18-month grace period. The move means that the Haitians given temporary protected status, or TPS, may remain until July 22, 2019, but could face deportation after that date. This is unconscionable, and a more humane solution must be found.

El Salvador has the largest group of Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries in the United States; nearly 200,000 people. The Department of Homeland Security is scheduled to announce next month whether it will rescind or renew

protection for that country, which is plagued by gang violence and high unemployment. The protection applies to Salvadorans who were in the United States without permission on February 13, 2001, and was granted after deadly earthquakes destroyed their home country.

Protection for Nicaraguans ended last month, and similar protection for Hondurans loom large. These countries’ citizens living in the US need help and humanitarian consideration also.

Others who now benefit include people from Nepal, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, and the Trump Administration must not continue to err on the side of cruelty and hostility to these nationals. That’s not the America we want, nor is that the America we have been!

Sincerely, Albert Baldeo

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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

Former students condemn recent disclosures of grooming, harassment, and sexual abuse at BHS Dear Editor, As former students, Bishops’ High holds a special place in our hearts. Many of us can look back at our high school journey fondly, with perhaps a dose of embarrassment, but, nevertheless, good memories of classes, school parties, trips, friends, and memorable teachers that all made a lasting positive impact. Unfortunately, for others, those positive memories are marred when persons in authority misuse their position of trust to abuse, harass and shame students.

The recent disclosures of grooming, harassment, and sexual abuse made in various media outlets were met with shock and massive disappointment in the actions taken (and not taken) by the administration of our former school. It is for this reason, we, the undersigned, have joined together to demand an immediate end to the culture of abuse; and to further demonstrate our unwavering support for those who have bravely stepped forward to tell their stories.

To any survivor reading this letter, please know that you have our support. We recognise that this cannot be easy and we applaud your bravery in stepping forward when many may try to hold you back. We commit to doing our part in not letting this slip into the shadows of silence, which the abuse has hidden in

and fed on for so many years.

We are sorry that BHS did not do enough to protect you.

We are sorry that the reputation of an (alleged) abuser was given priority over your safety and welfare. We are sorry that it took so long for someone to really listen to what you were saying. Please know that we are listening now and we are cheering you on as you heal and regain your power.

We are calling for the immediate dismissal of the main perpetrator of these crimes.

Mr Coen Jackson has been accused of engaging, in his 10 years at BHS, in a patterned and systematic cycle whereby he preyed on vulnerable young girls. He used his position as a teacher with a measure of control in the academic fates of his students, in order to coerce students into sexual activity. Even more reprehensible is the fact that the abuse was allowed to continue thanks to the silence, deafness and blind eyes of the school’s leadership.

With this in mind, we call for the immediate resignation of the headteacher, Ms Ellis, whose recent public tirade against the girls under her care, was not only unprofessional and inappropriate, but re-victimised every woman and girl affected by abuse. Ms Ellis, there are no words to describe how saddened and dismayed many of us felt to hear you blame children for the ac-

tions of an adult predator. You have repeatedly failed in your duty to create a safe learning environment for the students under your care.

We support a complete and thorough investigation by the Ministry of Education, the Guyana Police Force, and the Child Care and Protection Agency. According to the Sexual Offences Act (2010), Section 20 (i): In proceedings relating to an offence under this Act, a person commits the offence of obstructing the prosecution if that person prevents a child from (a) ‘giving a statement to the police; giving evidence in any other way which would be admissible for the paper committal; or (b) (i) (ii) Obstructing prosecution.

(2) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one million dollars and to imprisonment for five years. Any school administrator and teacher who may be found to be complicit by not taking action against the abuse and further victimising of students, must be removed and held accountable.

To the Board and administration of BHS, we can no longer say “Bishops’” with the pride we once did until measures are put in place to foster healing of survivors, and to ensure that all forms of abuse and harassment of students never happen again. Step up and do what’s right! Schools

are meant to be safe spaces, to groom boys and girls for success, NOT for exploitation!

Finally, we call on the wider Guyanese society to thoroughly examine the cultural norms that allow abuse of women and children to remain a pervasive and silent crime. We encourage everyone to support survivors of gender-based violence, and to hold perpetrators of violence accountable for their crimes.

Yours in support, Tamara Whalen, Class of 1997; Carlton Allen, Class of 1999; Salima Hinds, Class of 2003; Oswald Alleyne, Class of 1997; Kemol King, Class of 2013; Magna GriffithWills, Class of 1990; Avinash Budhram, Class of 1997; Melissa Allen, Class of 2008; Clarence Garraway, Class of 1992; Indira Dyal-Garib, Class of 1986; Renee Charles, Class of 1982; Amanda Lalita Rameshwar, Class of 1995; Joanne FordBrumell, Class of 2002; Danielle Fleming, Class of 1997; Joseph Brian Singh, Class of 1991; Rebecca Ganesh-Ally, Class of 1999; Donnella Collison, Class of 2003; Christene Delph, Class of 2003; Caroline Daniels, Class of 2000; Jonelle Clement, Class of 2001; Christopher Singh, Class of 2004; Geeta

IAC condemns race hate message posted on Facebook Commissioner of Police and the Guyana Police Force to immediately investigate this serious violation of the Racial Hostility Act of Guyana.

The IAC, regardless of the origin of this post, is call-

Dear Editor, The Indian Action Committee (IAC) is shocked and outraged and condemns a post on Facebook (an online social media site) which contains a message, attributed to someone alleged to be Nigel Austin whose face, allegedly, is portrayed, that is in blatant violation of the Racial Hostility Act, Chapter 23:01 of the Laws of Guyana which is an Act to make provision for preventing conduct, tending to excite hostility or ill-will against persons by reason of their race.

This posted message contains the following: “Coolie people need to take their retarded ass back to the gutter they call India and leave Guyana to the Afro Guyanese.

They are worthless garbage”.

The IAC strongly believes that this vile message is a violation of Section 2 (1) (c) of the Racial Hostility Act of Guyana which states: “A person shall be guilty of an offence if he wilfully excites or attempts to excite hostility or ill-will against any section of

the public or against any person on the grounds of their or his race by means of written (including printed) matter or pictorial matter published by him”.

It has come to the knowledge of the IAC that a person purporting to be Nigel Austin has denied ever posting such a message and has stated that someone else posted it instead, using a fake profile containing his face and photo.

The IAC has noticed an upsurge in social media messages that contain racial slurs against all ethnicities in Guyana, and the organisation strongly believes that such activities are extremely dangerous to the preservation of social cohesion and national unity in Guyana.

The IAC, therefore, is calling on the Government of Guyana to swiftly restore the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), a constitutional body that is mandatory and which was established to deal with the promotion of race hate among others.

The IAC is calling upon the

ing upon the authority of Facebook and the Government regardless of the origin.

Yours sincerely, Indian Action Committee

Prashad, Class of 1975; Marissa Massiah, Class of 1997; Pratima Narine, Class of 1995; Malyka Rahaman, Class of 2004; Annabelle Carter, Class of 1993; Pauline Gardner, Class of 1976; Deborah Rosanwo, Class of 1983; Eve Drayton Hill, Class of 1971; Lyn Morris, Class of 1964; Zahid Hack, Class of 2011; Deandra Walker, Class of 2011; Jason Porte, Class of 1999; Tianna Mohamed, Class of 2015; Allison Boucher, Class of 2005; Marissa Fox,

Class of 2000; Penelope Yearwood, Class of 1977; Kevin Sadhu, Class of 1987; Patricia Robinson, Class of 1958; Rizwan Saffie, Class of 2008; Tiya Peterkin, Class of 2003; Jennifer Fredricks Singh; Tracy Gibson, Class of 1990; Ryan Dos Santos, Class of 1992; Kojo McPherson, Class of 2002; Addevi Persaud, Class of 2005; Jai Narine Singh, Class of 1981; Lauren Selman, Class of 1992; Melanie Yearwood, Class of 1989; Maria van Beek, Class of 1991.

HM of Bishops’ High School should resign, amid scandal Dear Editor, As Chairman of the Caribbean Committee Against Sex Crimes, I am moved to call for the resignation of Headmistress of The Bishops’ High School due to her mishandling of allegations of sexual misconduct and statutory rape.

The Headmistress is quoting as telling her female students, “You are very slack. Very loose with yourself,” in a diatribe that can only be described as victim-blaming and ignorant. I would also go so far as to label this sort of conduct abusive given the fragile psyches of victims of sex crime.

It is this sort of culture that prevents the majority of victims of sex crimes from coming forward and seeking justice against their abusers.

An example must be made of

this Headmistress; either she must offer a public apology and receive sensitivity counselling to prevent further incidents of this behaviour , or her resignation must come forthwith to prevent further damage to the students presently in her care.

The Caribbean Committee Against Sex Crimes (CCSASC) is an initiative of Zandoli International Foundation.

Zandoli International Foundation is a registered 501 (c) 3 NonProfit Organisation based in North Carolina.

Our Mission Statement is: “Saving lives by preventing sex crimes and empowering victims in the Caribbean through advocacy for sex offender registration and victims support policies”.

Yours sincerely, Jonathan Bhagan

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wednesDAY, november 22, 2017

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By Anya Kamenetz

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n a shocking, fascinating, and disturbing recent piece on Medium, James Bridle details the maddening proliferation of YouTube videos aimed at very young children. These include endless variations of nursery rhyme compilations, authorised and unauthorised clips of beloved children’s characters, and low-budget original animation.

The sheer number of these videos is unsettling. Clearly, they are responding to a market desire. As Bridle notes, the fact that the length is a selling point, labelled in the names of these videos, suggests parents and caregivers reach for them to keep children occupied for an hour or more at a time.

According to the most commonly cited national survey, young children’s overall time with media has been relatively flat over the past five years at two hours and 19 minutes.

However, the amount of time that children under eight spend with handheld devices specifically has increased tenfold in just five years. Video streaming apps, unlike traditional TV, have features like autoplay and automated suggestions to encourage binge-watching with little parent intervention. Time on device equals ad revenue.

S o , there are a lot of these kiddie videos. But that’s not the scariest part.

Buried in the pile, Bridle points out, is content that is highly violent, sexual and otherwise disturbing. Some of it seems to be produced more or less accidentally, with some degree of automation involved.

Other videos may be interpolations of parodies created by trolls. Or combinations of all of the above. It’s hard to figure out, but it’s undeniable that a kid or a parent could click on this stuff accidentally while searching for child-friendly material.

I know this for a fact because it happened to me. When my older daughter

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Foundation

was a toddler, I was searching for “potty training” videos on YouTube. I found positive messages from Elmo, Daniel Tiger, and a hyperenthusiastic Japanese panda.

I also accidentally showed her an episode of an unbelievably obnoxious, obscene, and foul cartoon apparently aimed at dimwitted adolescents. She loved it, of course, and demanded to see it again and again.

Here’s the reason to not be too freaked out, yet, by the deep weirdness of kiddie YouTube.

Bridle writes: Someone or something or some combination of people and things is using YouTube to systematically frighten, traumatise, and abuse children, automatically and at scale, and it forces me to question my own beliefs about the Internet, at every level.

Wait wait wait! Frighten? Sure, it could, yes. Traumatise? Abuse?

That’s an overstatement.

Media effects research has its critics.

But many researchers do argue that exposure to graphic media violence can contribute to desensitisation, loss of empathy, attentional problems, and less often, aggression.

Media violence is extremely common.

Young children are most likely to encounter it through “background” television being watched by adults,

including the news, not through short YouTube videos.

If your child does come across a disturbing video, all is not lost. My daughter, who has every advantage in the world, suffered zero negative effects from seeing something inappropriate on YouTube. She loved it, actually. TV is not DDT and parents have far more power as mediators than we may realise. Research

by Eric Rasmussen at Texas Tech and Erica Austin at Washington State University, shows that it is parent-child interaction that determines to what degree children absorb messages from the shows they watch, whether pro-social or anti-social.

The existence of this gross YouTube stuff is not proof that children at scale are being traumatised by it, much less “abused”. Many, maybe most, might come across it with little effect. Others might be upset by something they see, but still, have a trusted adult in their lives who can comfort them and help them process it.

Some children, unfortunately, are not being supervised closely or safely. In the worst-case scenario, they might be watching hours of such videos every day—say in an unlicensed home-based daycare or under the care of an elderly relative. Content is not the only problem here. Even if they were watching PBS all that time, the sheer amount of media exposure with a lack of caregiver engagement would still be a problem in itself.

Do I wish that the creators of these platforms would make it harder for my kids to find so much violent and disturbing junk to watch? Yes, just as our grandparents did when they bought televisions. And we may need similar citizen movements to regulate the algorithms that deliver this mess.

Still, even if every bizarre YouTube video were filtered or erased, we would still face problems such as a lack of quality childcare and support for parents that go beyond troubling media. (psychologytoday.com)

Empowering women

By Ashley Anthony

I

f you have been following international news, you would be aware of the controversy surrounding Harvey Weinstein, a famous producer.

Weinstein has been the centre of a sickening scandal: one concerning sexual harassment and assault.

The story, which broke on October 5, explained that Harvey Weinstein had been paying off ‘sexual harassment accusers’ for decades. Since that publication by The New Ashley Anthony York Times, inspired by the confidence shown by the women who spoke out, numerous actresses have come forward detailing their stories, including multiple accusations of rape.

In the wake of the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, the #metoo began to resurface. The hashtag has its origins in 2006 when activist Tarana Burke used the phrase on MySpace to promote “empowerment through empathy” amongst women of colour who have experienced sexual abuse, particularly within underprivileged communities. She said that the idea spurred from when she was unable to respond to a 13-year-old girl who had told her she’d been abused.

Burke related that in retrospect, she wished she had simply said “me too”. On October 15, 2017, actress Alyssa Milano encouraged women to use the phrase as part of an awareness campaign to demonstrate how widespread the problem was, tweeting: “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too.’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” The hashtag trended in more than 85 countries, with some women even naming their abusers. Within the first 24 hours, on Facebook, the tag had been used more than 12 million times.

Whilst the conversation surrounding the controversy has been largely supportive of the women, there are, of course, those who take this time to blame the victim, and to cast doubt on the accusers. This victim blaming comes in degrees, varying from subtle comments such as those by Mayim Bialik, which implied that making “wise” choices such as the one to dress modestly had spared her from abuse in Hollywood, to ones from Donna Karan, who said, “You look at everything all over the world today and how women are dressing and what they are asking by just presenting themselves the way they do. What are they asking for? Trouble.” These comments seem eerily familiar to sentiments raised by Guyanese in response to the murder of Kescia Branche. The incident occurred some time during a night out, and many Guyanese criticised her for partying. They attacked her saying that as a teacher, she should have had more ‘proper’ behaviour, and numerous comments were cautionary to all women, with one saying that they should “be home with their kids and stop the night life”. It seems as though people don’t understand that women are at risk for sexual and physical abuse even when they are completely sober and dress modestly.

If a person had a gorgeous house, would you blame them if their house was broken into? Is it their fault for owning such lavish things and tempting thieves? Of course not. No one would shame the owner of the house for buying fancy décor, so why do we shame women for dressing a certain way? Victim blaming in these situations makes it seem as though the woman could have prevented or controlled this situation, when in many cases this is not true. If all women dressed modestly, never went out, and never flirted with men, there would still be cases of sexual and physical assault. It should not fall upon the woman to change her behaviour, but upon the perpetrator.

7 94 persons killed in road accidents so far this year news

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

– over 20,000 speeding cases recorded

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espite reports of carnage on the roadways continuing to hit the headlines, Traffic Chief Dion Moore has revealed that, in fact, there was a 19 per cent decrease in fatal accidents compared with the same period last year.

It can, however, be contended that more accident-reducing measures are still required to be implemented as 94 persons were killed so far this year.

The Police statistics for traffic covered the period January-November 10, 2017 and the numbers were compared with figures from last year up to the corresponding period. According to the stats, there were 100 fatal accidents in 2016, but only 81 in 2017 over the comparative period.

Moore specifically highlighted the 78 per cent decrease that was observed in child deaths from fatal accidents as two cases were recorded for the year so far, as against nine in 2016. There

Traffic Chief Deon Moore

were 110 deaths in 2016, but 94 in 2017 which reflected the 19 per cent decrease that the Traffic Chief highlighted.

Of the 94 deaths recorded for this year, the highest number was seen for pedestrians with 30 persons killed while two bus passengers and two pillion riders were also killed. Twelve pedal cyclists and 19 motorcyclists were killed so far. Additionally, 13 drivers died and 16 passengers met the same fate. It

was determined that speeding and Driving Under the Influence of alcohol (DUI) were the principal contributory factors of fatal accidents.

The ages of the drivers involved in fatal accidents up to November 2017 fell within the 25-33 range.

Assessing the overall numbers, Moore pointed out that there were 260 cases of serious accidents which reflected a decrease of nine per cent, given that there were 286 such cases last year. He further highlighted that a decline was recorded in all of the categories. For 2017, there were 20,823 cases of speeding recorded, up from 20, 145 such cases last year. Private hire cases increased from 229 to 455 while unlicensed driver cases increased well over 100 per cent from 230 to 640.

Using cellphone while driving cases numbered 1028, while 1543 DUI cases were recorded. There were 1858 cases of overloaded minibuses and 1378 tinted motor vehicle cas-

Traffic Chief Dion Moore highlighted the ‘success’ of Operation Safeway when he presented the statistics

es for 2017.

Moore opined that despite some criticisms, Operation Safeway has yielded success.

It was launched in September 2016 with the mandate to curb the spiking road fatalities.

The aim was to have more

road safety-conscious drivers and to promote better driving attitudes as well as road safety practices.

8 NEWS

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS A new Trini kidnapping scammer Columbus… granted $1M bail L ...accused of faking his own kidnapping in Guyana

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he 33-year-old Trinidadian who came to Guyana and allegedly attempted to fake his own kidnapping was on Tuesday granted bail in the sum of $1 million when he reappeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Sawak Maraj made his third appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he was previously arraigned for giving false information to the Police and for conspiring with others to commit a felony.

Maraj, who was also ordered to lodge his passport at the Courts, is expected to reappear on December 4, 2017.

The prosecution’s case is that on October 27, 2017, at Madewini Resort, Timehri, East Bank Demerara (EBD), Maraj allegedly gave false information to the Police that he had been kidnapped and US$700,000 was demanded for his release.

The Police, upon investigating, found that the claim was false.

It is also alleged that

Sawak Maraj, the Trinidadian engineer who allegedly faked his kidnapping in Guyana

on the same day at the same location, Maraj conspired with others to commit a felony, that is to say, he knowingly conspired to obtain US$700,000.

However, Maraj maintains his innocence and his lawyer stated that his client is being made a victim twice – by his abductors and the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

Reports indicate that Maraj arrived in Guyana and was scheduled to check in at the Ramada Princess Hotel at Providence, EBD, but never showed up.

Maraj’s parents back

in Trinidad were contacted by an unknown person, who revealed that their son was in unlawful custody in Guyana while demanding a large sum of money for his release.

A photograph of the shirtless man with a cutlass to his neck was sent to his parents as evidence.

However, Police investigators, acting on intelligence received, swooped down on the Madewini Resort and reportedly found the man vacationing with his alleged accomplices.

On November 16, 2017 – when the case was last called – Chief Magistrate McLennan had reprimanded the investigating rank after he failed to show any substantial progress in the matter since it was brought before the courts two weeks prior.

The previous session was scheduled for submission of statements by the prosecution.

However, when the matter was called before the Chief Magistrate, Prosecutor Arvin Moore

indicated to the court that he had no statements and was not ready to proceed to trial, as there were “a few more points to clear up”.

According to Moore, the case had to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for an Early Case Assessment Programme (ECAP) Prosecutor to be assigned. This, he said, has to be done before statements can be filed.

The court also heard that the Prosecution sought advice of the Police Legal Advisor (PLA), who directed that the parents of the accused be contacted. However, the Police were unable to do so.

Responding to the Prosecutor at the time, defence lawyer Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos bashed the prosecution for impeding the process of a fair and timely trial for the accused, who is not only a foreign national but is also incarcerated.

“They (the parents) are not only here; they’ve been here for two weeks now,” De Santos had informed the court.

The lawyer, in a renewed application for bail, informed the court that it was unfair to incarcerate his client in the inhumane conditions that exist at the Lusignan Prison.

In addition, De Santos had argued that Maraj did not pose any flight risk, as the Police were in possession of his travel documents, and his parents have also entered into a contract to rent accommodations pending the outcome of the trial.

Nonetheless, the Prosecutor had maintained a strong objection to bail being granted on the basis that the lodging of a travel document did not provide assurance that the defendant would not flee the jurisdiction.

In strengthening his submission, the Prosecutor informed the court that the defendant had previously been involved in a case of similar nature, in which Interpol had become involved.

…in AFC ike Columbus, who “discovered” the Americas as if the millions of peoples living there for millennia didn’t know they existed, the AFC ‘just’ discovered the horrible wrongs done to sugar workers by the Government of which they’re a part and parcel! But unlike Columbus who literally didn’t know which side was up, and may be forgiven for his claim, the AFC is deviously and cold-bloodedly playing sugar workers to save their own necks.

But their recently expressed “concern” for sugar workers is nothing but blatant “eye-pass” for that people who gave them the bona fides to bargain for their Cummingsburg Accord perks with the PNC/APNU. They think because cane cutters fetch cane on their heads, their brains have gone soft?!!

After Trotman stepped aside and refused the PM candidacy in 2011 because of “physical and spiritual health issues” – Ramjattan made the same conclusion as Jagan when Burnham left and took with him a certain faction of the Guyanese vote. He’d better appeal to sugar workers! He and Nagamootoo strongly opposed PNC/ APNU leader David Granger on closing the sugar industry.

And so they did again before the 2015 election when they hitched up with PNC/APNU on Valentine Day 2015 by signing their pre-nup agreement – the Cummingsburg Accord. They promised to bring in the Indian vote to take the PNC/APNU over the 42% they’d been pulling from their African-Guyanese constituency since 1964 - -and the AFC would get 40% of the Cabinet, a PM office on steroids and perks galore!

But as Burnham used to say, there are many ways to kill a cat – including the obvious one of strangling it, or the more subtle one of giving it mange! The AFC was given mange when the Cabinet was diluted, Trotman had miraculously recovered after a Nassau Accord with Granger, and PM Nagamootoo was reduced to cutting ribbons! To rub salt into the mange, the Government rejected the recommendations of its sugar industry CoI and announced it would shut down half of the industry, throwing 7000 sugar workers into the streets!

Not surprisingly Indian-Guyanese dumped the AFC and returned to the PPP – just like Trotman’s AfricanGuyanese followers had gone home to the PNC/APNU. The AFC had become the “dead meat” Ramjattan had predicted in 2015 if they joined the PNC/APNU! And it’s the stench from this dead meat that the AFC leaders are now trying desperately to staunch by expressing “concern” for sugar workers.

But “too late” shall be the cry. And as prophesised, come 2020 there shall be “weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth” by Ramjattan and Nagamootoo.

All smart fly does land on cow backside!!

…on workers’ benefits As serendipity would have it – or fate, which does have a sense of humour! – on the same day Ramjattan and Nagamootoo (and Trotman, who’s now presumably “spiritually and physically” well enough to have married one of his assistants!!) expressed “concern” for sugar workers, the President of the AFC youth arm wrote a letter about all that the Government has done for Public Servants.

They said “if there is anything on which to judge this (APNU/AFC) government, it would be salaries for Public Servants. Really?!!! As everyone in Guyana knows, “Public Servants” and “Sugar Workers” are simply tropes for describing the two major constituencies in Guyana!

The AFC – as described above – had “poached” some “sugar workers” – and “Public Servants” had departed.

So your Eyewitness is more than a bit confused that the AFC youths didn’t seem to share the “concern” expressed by Ramjattan and Nagamootoo on sugar workers!

With the AFC clutching at any straw for survival, shouldn’t the sugar worker straw have earned a grab! …on “asset recovery” SARA was clearly formed to witch-hunt the PPP. Proof?

Its all-powerful Director just declared those protesting its existence “MUST have something to hide”.

Yup! Just like the test for witches.

Dunk them under water…and if they survive that’s proof!! If they don’t? Ooops!!

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

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wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Convicted 63-yearSARA Head defends Agency against claims of political bias old drug trafficker …Opposition says Agency being run by “political hacks”

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lthough the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) has been accused of being politically biased, the Head of that agency has rejected those claims, stating that there was no evidence to prove that was true.

Professor Dr Clive Thomas said he recognised that there have been some concerns raised regarding that very issue, but asserted: “We have not gone after any political person. There is no evidence of that.”

While recognising that SARA has also been heavily criticised for its work, the Head of the Agency said he did not take those criticisms seriously because they were baseless.

“I don’t take the criticism as anything but a promotional exercise on the part of those who have something to hide,” he asserted, explaining that SARA served a significant purpose.

Professor Thomas said the institution was operating within the confines of the law and everything that it was engaged in were serious matters of alleged misuse of public assets and funds.

While commenting on the cases that SARA has worked on so far, Dr Thomas said these types of cases tend to be slow, mainly because case

SARA Director, Dr Clive Thomas

building is something that takes a lot of time and patience. “…Because you have to make sure that in this environment the first set of cases that we take to the court are successful so that we build on that reputation going forward,” he explained.

However, while time could pose a problem, he said the sums of money involved were mostly huge and the cases were, therefore, worth the patience, explaining reasons for seeking training assistance from the Caribbean.

He said, “Some cases [Special Organised Crime Unit] SOCU investigating, significant numbers have been taken to the point where

they themselves have recommended to the [Director of Public Prosecutions] DPP that these cases be handed over to SARA for pursuit.”

However, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has vigorously opposed the appointment of Dr Thomas; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aubrey HeathRetemyer, Tacuma Ogunseye and Eric Phillips.

The PPP claims that all four men have close ties with the current Administration and should not be entrusted to hold such high offices in Government. The Opposition also claims that all of the senior officials there are tainted political people and none of them are qualified on that ground alone.

Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Anil Nandlall had argued that SARA, by the terms of the legislation that brought it into force, has tremendous law enforcement powers and only persons who are trained in the areas of law enforcement and related matters should be hired.

He said, “This Bill (State Assets Recovery Agency Bill 2017) has no place for politicians. So, if any of the current people, they are tainted political people and none of them are qualified on that ground alone.”

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo had also expressed his disappointment over the appointment of “political hacks” to SARA. Jagdeo had also made known the PPP’s intention to implement several changes to the SARA Bill 2017, if the Party was re-elected to office in 2020.

With the recent passage of the Bill during the last session of Parliament, SARA was created out of the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU). The PPP had expressed concerns about this legislation setting the stage for the creation of a parallel justice system.

While noting that the Bill contained some good elements, Jagdeo, who is also the General Secretary of the PPP, said his Party would remove the ambiguity about private property.

Jagdeo said his Party would also ensure that the head of the unit was accountable to someone else, as opposed to leaving it to him to make his own decisions.

The PPP had argued that the Bill would create an environment that encouraged the violation of individuals’ constitutional rights and undermine the rule of law, since it has conferred on a single individual – the Director of SARA – powers that are 10 times greater than those of the Police Force.

to stand trial

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he South Ruimveldt, Georgetown resident who was previously convicted of trafficking cocaine and who was earlier this year caught attempting to traffic cocaine for a second time was committed to stand trial for the offence by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Sixty-three-year-old Dennis Jones heard from the Chief Magistrate that a prima facie case was made out against him for the offence.

The charges originally instituted against Jones alleged that on January 18, 2017, at the General Post Office Corporation (GPOC), he had 10.618kg of cocaine, which he attempted to post out of Guyana for the purpose of trafficking.

It was also alleged that between September 1, 2016 and September 30, 2016 in Georgetown, with intent to defraud, Jones forged a national identification card in the name of Josiah Jones knowing it to be false.

Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) agents intercepted a box containing a total of nine kilos in baking / custard powder bags and 1.62 kilos of liquid cocaine in two Banko Wine bottles found in a package destined for Canada. The package was due to leave Guyana

Accused: Dennis Jones

on January 20 via a Fly Jamaica flight in the mail consignment.

Jones was later caught by the ranks hiding in the ceiling of his home. He was arrested and charged.

The prosecution in its case pointed out to the court that it was convinced there was overwhelming evidence to convict Jones of the offence when it showed video surveillance footage from the GPOC which showed the defendant in action.

Police reports indicate that Jones was in 2012 charged and convicted for trafficking over 300 kilograms of cocaine in soap powder to Niger, West Africa for which he served time at the Camp Street Prison. Jones was deported from the United States after he was convicted of conspiracy to traffic cocaine.

10 News

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Police file 421 drug-related cases for Jan-Oct 2017

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s law enforcement officers ramp up the fight against the narco-trade, recent Police statistics have revealed that 421 persons were charged with trafficking in narcotics offences.

These numbers, for the period January- October 2017, were revealed by acting Crime Chief Paul Williams. Of the 421, 310 persons were charged with marijuana offences

while 111 individuals were charged for cocaine-related offences.

The statistics showed that the 310 marijuana possession cases reflected a decrease of 171 cases as the corresponding figure during the same period in 2016 was 481. In 2015, 503 persons were charged; in 2014, 454 and in 2013, 593.

For cocaine cases, there was an increase of 44 per cent, as the 111 cases filed

this year reflected a spike up from 49 cases up to October last year. In 2015, there were 132; in 2014, 111 and in 2013, 141 cases.

The acting Crime Chief in his analysis suggested that success in cracking down on the cocaine trade was owed to increased collaborations between the Police Force and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).

“Because of the collaborative effort between the Police and CANU [and] numerous training, this would have made the detection rate very high. The couriers may have run out of style in terms of how they are able to move,” Williams observed.

Self-confessed drug lord Barry Dataram was convicted and sentenced to spend 60 months (five years) in jail and fined $164,268,000 after he was found guilty, in absentia, of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking in September 2016. On April 16, 2015, at 661 Fourth Avenue, Block X Diamond, East Bank Demerara, Police found Dataram and others with 60.840 kilograms of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The others, including his reputed wife, Anjanie Boodnarine, were all freed.

Dataram is also currently

Revision or Erasing?

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Acting Crime Chief Paul Williams

serving time for additional crimes, including illegal ammunition possession, passport forgery, absconding from the law and illegal departure.

CANU agents in recent months have increased patrols on land and on the country’s waterways and ports, in efforts to reduce trafficking. Although Police are basking in their success, many advocacy groups are still calling for decriminalisation of small amounts of marijuana and for Magistrates to impose alternative sentencing, including community service.

It has been observed that such measures could assist in reducing the prison population.

atiricus was in a good mood as he ambled over to the Back Street Bar. It wasn’t only November was coming to an end, Christmas – and ALL its good cheer – was around the corner. “No, siree Bob!” thought Satiricus. It was because his leaders Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat had finally said, “Enough is enough!!” and told the Pee-an’-See all bets were off!

“So, how about them apples!!” Satiricus exclaimed to his friends already gathered at their favourite watering hole.

“Wha’ yuh a ta’k about?” asked Bungi, who was on his second beer. “Yuh t’ink abee can read yuh min’?”

“Didn’t you fellas read about my fearless leaders Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat reading the riot act to Prezzie and the Pee-an-See?” Satiricus said indignantly, as he took the beer the waitress brought.

“Wha’ da?” demanded Cappo. “All me read, dem sapport Prezzie fuh pick de GECOM Chief by ‘e self!”

“Yes, there was that,” admitted Satiricus. “But they also demanded the “Coming-and-Going Accord” be changed!!”

“Budday!!” laughed Hari, who had been focusing on his beer up to now. “NOW they want to change the Accord? Like they thought it was a Honda Accord, or what?!!”

“Better late than never!” exclaimed Satiricus.

“Sato, me fr’en’, dew cyaan full wah raid na full!” said Bungi.

“Fuh three year Nagga Man an’ Rum Jhaat na seh nuttin when dem get larwah,” continued Cappo. “Wha’ mek Peean-See guh lis’en to dem now?”

“Well, they could pull out their support!” insisted Satiricus. “And the government will fall!”

“That’s the point,” said Hari. “Why didn’t they pull out when Nagga Man couldn’t chair Cabinet?”

“Or Rum Jhaat can only close rum shap!” grinned Bungi.

“My leaders are honourable men,” said Satiricus. “They are waiting till the “Coming-and-Going Accord” finish next February, to see if Pee-an’-See will treat them better.”

“Good luck!” said Cappo with a snort. “Like Nagga Man and Rum Jhaat want flambeau fuh see in bright daylight!!’

News

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wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

AFC to APNU:

Make Integrity Commission a matter of national urgency

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s time marches on without a functioning Integrity Commission in place, even the governing coalition’s minority partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC) has grown impatient with the slow pace of change.

At the conclusion of the National Executive Council (NEC) over the weekend, the minority party demanded, in a statement, that the Integrity Commission be treated as a matter of national priority.

Noting that it remained fully committed to its role in the advancement of constitutional reform in Guyana, the AFC called for the establishment of the Integrity Commission by the Government – of which a number of its own members are a part.

Guyana Times made contact with AFC executive and Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes.

However, she declined to comment on the AFC’s role in the process. Calls to other AFC Ministers went unanswered.

The history of the Integrity Commission is a tempestuous one. In 1999, the previous Government had sworn in members to the Commission.

But since the 2006 resignation of the Commission’s Chairman, Bishop Randolph George, the body has been headless.

In January 2016, Government used its oneseat parliamentary majority to turn down a motion tabled by the Opposition that would provide for all Members of Parliament (MPs) making public declarations of taxable income and all assets over the last 10 years to the Integrity Commission which would be released to the public.

For years, the Integrity Commission has been in limbo

The coalition had noted that it was not in favour of the public declaration, and would prefer to make such disclosures to the Integrity Commission instead. It had said that such a move would violate the privacy of members.

In defeating the motion, the Government MPs had proposed amendments to the motion for the National Assembly to support the enforcement of the legal requirement for all MPs to file their Income Tax returns and make declarations to the Integrity Commission.

However, that proposal was protested by the Opposition and eventually resulted in MP Juan Edghill calling for his motion to be withdrawn, arguing that the amendments significantly changed the intent of the original motion. But the coalition MPs declined the withdrawal request and at the end of the debate, succeeded in passing the amended motion.

While there is no functioning Integrity Commission, a ministerial Code of Conduct was gazetted in June of this year. The Code of Conduct is made up of 11 Articles. Article One prohibits public officials

from taking bribes, while Article Two focuses on discrimination.

Article Three prohibits public officials from accept-

ing “any gift, benefit or advantage from anyone, (except) personal gifts from a relative or friend”. This provision, it states, does not apply

to gifts received on behalf of the State.

Article Five states: “No public (official) shall use his or her official influence in support of any scheme or in furtherance of any contract or proposed contract or other matter in regard to which he or she has an interest.”

Article Six has provisions for ensuring confidentiality.

It prohibits public officials from disclosing any information that is classified as privileged or confidential, to any unauthorised person. Article Seven prohibits officials from using public property such as money, equipment, supplies

or services for unapproved purposes.

Article Nine prohibits public officials from accepting “lavish or frequent entertainment” from any person or entity that the Government has or may have dealings with.

This, the Article notes, includes invitations to sporting events and concerts.

Article 10 prohibits officials from using their office in an improper manner for personal gain, while the final article forbids anyone in public life from having outside employment “except with the written consent of the relevant authority”.

12 news

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

2008 armed robbery at Agricola NAREI’s pest control staff benefit from regional training Witness recalls Den Amstel

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s Guyana aims to reclaim the title of “bread basket of the Caribbean”, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) is working to ensure when it reaches that stage, there are no obstacles.

According to Chief Plant Protection Officer of the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO), Brian Sears, Government has already placed much emphasis on assisting farmers in pushing agriculture forward and in diversifying their produce.

Additionally, NAREI has been working with a number of agencies and farmers in its attempt to enhance diversification while the NPPO is looking at methods to contain, control, or eradicate pests.

On Monday, staffers from NPPO participated in a two-day Regional Pest Prioritisation and Pest Risk Analysis Training hosted by the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) at NAREI’s Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara head office.

The staffers were trained in the use of the National Pest Prioritisation Tool and the Principles and Procedures for Pest Risk Analysis. The session will be delivered by Juliet Goldsmith, Plant

woman’s final moments

By Shemuel Fanfair

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A section of participants at the Regional Pest Control Training held at NAREI

Health Specialist of CAHFSA and Dr Govind Seepersad, Agricultural Economist, University of the West Indies.

Sears pointed out, “The workshop will go a long way in enhancing our ability to export and may even assist in speeding up the exportation process, especially when we take into consideration the number of requests that we get for our local produce for export and request for information to conduct pest risk analysis for importation, an area in which I know we are limited.”

These training sessions are also being done in Antigua, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent, Suriname, Trinidad, and Turks and Caicos.

To detect pests in the United States, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPA) developed the New Pest Response Guidelines (NPRG), which were used in the training sessions to enhance Guyana’s pest prioritisation capabilities for early pest detection and for the implementation of rapid response for pest control.

he murder trial of Agricola native Jermaine Savory, who is accused of shooting to death Melissa Payne during the course of a robbery on November 5, 2008, continued before Justice James BovellDrakes at the High Court in Georgetown.

In the company of at least one other person, Savory allegedly murdered Payne after the woman and her reputed husband, John Fraser, had stopped at Agricola on their way to Georgetown in an effort to correct a mechanical fault that occurred on the GHH 5399 Toyota Canter truck in which they were travelling.

The 12-member jury, which was recently empanelled to make a judgment on the case, heard the testimony of Agricola resident Lorraine Isaacs, who was one of the first witnesses on the scene after Payne was shot. On Tuesday, she recalled that on the morning of the robbery and shooting that she was assisting her mother in packing some mangoes when she observed a traffic jam on the Agricola Public Road, which was caused by a broken down canter.

Some time after, she heard two loud explosions which sounded like gunshots just moments apart. Isaacs said she saw a woman fall to the ground and she crossed over the road and saw her in a sitting position bracing and she was bleeding. She later highlighted that she knew the accused, Savory, since he was a young boy growing up in the village in addition to knowing Otto Bagot, a man with whom she had shared a relationship. Bagot was implicated as an accomplice in the murder.

The next witness, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Elston Baird, who had been attached to the Ruimveldt Police Station in 2008, recalled when Savory

On trial: Jermaine Savory

was interviewed. In his testimony, ASP Baird recalled that Savory admitted to being involved in the robbery, but denied pulling the trigger. ‘“Inspector, is me and Otto do de robbery and is he who shoot de woman’,” Savory allegedly told the Police Officer while in custody.

This comes as a departure from the account of Payne’s reputed husband, John Fraser, who positively identified Savory as the assailant during his emotional testimony before the jury on Monday.

Reports back then were that while Fraser was attending to the vehicle around 08:30h that morning, armed bandits approached them.

Fraser had managed to escape, but Payne, from Den Amstel, West Bank Demerara, was eventually shot after refusing to hand over her bag, which reportedly contained some $100,000 cash and other valuables. After she tried to escape with her handbag, the bandits had swiftly pursued her and opened fire; they made off with the bag and her gold chain. Payne subsequently died while being transported to hospital.

Some nine years after the murder was committed, Savory is represented in court by Attorney Maxwell McKay, and Prosecutors Mandell Moore and Orinthia Schmidt are presenting the State’s case. Police Inspector Eon Jackson, a ballistics expert, also took the stand on Tuesday in a trial in which some nine witnesses are expected to testify.

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wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

City Hall taxes can Reduced bail for Region 8 be paid via MMG man slapped with rape charge

M&CC IT Manager Adunni Christian

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esidents of Georgetown can now pay rates and taxes via the Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) app.

This was made possible through a collaboration between the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) and GTT, and the initiative was officially launched on Tuesday.

Information Technology (IT) Manager attached to M&CC, Adunni Christian said the action was taken to enable persons to pay monies owed to the M&CC through MMG. Christian noted that while the M&CC has begun with the payments of rates and taxes, in the near future the Council would move to-

wards other types of payments that could be made via MMG. “All customers need to know or understand is their account number which can be found on a receipt or the demand notice. That account number, when you make payments to Mobile Money from outside, it will allow us at M&CC to see where you are attaching these payments to,” he explained.

According to Christian, one of the main reasons the MMG platform was chosen was the fact it was known to be a safe application for transacting business.

He further explained that “there is no issue in terms of your security or other people accessing your account because as you know, the Mobile Money platform has been proven to be quite secure in the past.”

Christian also pointed out that persons desirous of uplifting their payment receipt after completing their transaction can do so by visiting the M&CC. Specialist-in-Charge of MMG at GTT, Kester Abrams said the company was pleased to be able to further expand its services to the residents of Georgetown. He also disclosed that GTT was looking to develop its services

T

he 20-year-old man accused of having sexual relations with a 13-year-old girl was on Tuesday granted reduced bail for the charge against him when he reappeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Jacob Stanislas of Monkey Mountain, Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) was granted $200,000 bail as opposed to the original $250,000 when his attorney, Tiffany Jeffrey, made the reduced bail application.

GTT MMG Specialist Kester Abrams

to other municipalities across Guyana.

“We have also reached out to the Ministry of Communities and we will be meeting with them in the near future to actually talk about some of the [Neighbourhood Democratic Councils] NDCs; [Regional Democratic Councils] RDCs and municipalities outside of Georgetown so that we can actually have all rates and taxes payment coming Through Mobile Money,” he stated.

The services are currently available, and persons who wish to have more clarity on the new services are being encouraged to visit the M&CC office.

In her application, the lawyer revealed that her client was one of six children for his parents who are farmers. As such, they are limited in their finances and were unable to pay bail for the accused.

Chief Magistrate McLennan granted the request, but ordered that the defendant find another place of abode since the victim in the matter would visit Monkey Mountain.

The charge against Stanislas alleged that be-

tween October 1 and November 1, 2017 at the said Monkey Mountain, the 20-year-old had sexual relations with a 13-year-old.

According to Stanislas’ Attorney, her client was having a consensual relationship with the young woman.

However, her family members gained knowledge of such and reported the matter to the Police, which – the lawyer said – is the only reason Stanislas is being brought before the courts.

14 news

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Govt seeking buyers for Guyana Stock Feeds shares – as company slated to become 100% privately owned

By Jarryl Bryan

I

t seems that the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is not the only commercial enterprise the Government intends to withdraw State involvement from. Next on the agenda for a complete private takeover is the Guyana Stock Feeds

stayed until 1998 when it was put back into private hands.

At the time, the State brought in a strategic partner to reorganise the business, which was losing market share to imported feeds.

Today, after an initial consolidation period under new management, the GSFI is

NICIL CEO Horace James

Incorporated (GSFI).

In a notice originating from the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), bids to purchase the Government’s shares in GSFI were invited from reputable organisations.

It is understood that NICIL holds 6.68 per cent of the total shareholding of the company, with the other shareholders retaining 93.32 per cent. Bidders must first register with NICIL and pay a $10,000 registration fee.

They would then be provided with a Request for

Guyana Stock Feeds principal shareholder Robert Badal

Proposals (RFP) document, a Memorandum with company details, guidelines for bidders and a draft share sales agreement. Adding that it is not “bound to accept any proposal”, NICIL also issued a stipulation that these proposals must be submitted by December 7, 2017.

The GSFI was established in 1960, with the main purpose of supplying animal feed to Guyana’s livestock sector. In 1975, the then Government nationalised the GSFI and thus it

a conglomerate with interest in the livestock, rice, and edible oil sectors. The enterprise itself is located in an industrial park at Farm, East Bank Demerara.

But NICIL’s time as a shareholder in the GSFI has not been a smooth ride, with repeated clashes over the years with principal shareholder and Pegasus owner Robert Badal. In fact, NICIL once took the GSFI to court and obtained an injunction against the enterprise.

Divestment

This is the latest in a series of moves by NICIL to free the Government of involvement in certain enterprises. The most famous example is the divestment taking place at GuySuCo, under the auspices of a Special Purpose Unit (SPU).

The Unit has begun the process of selling the Corporation’s assets, including a number of estates. It has been soliciting proposals from companies or persons, either individually or as part of a joint venture or consortium “with an interest in the privatisation and/ or diversification of Skeldon, Rose Hall, Wales and East Demerara ‘Enmore’ factories.”

The request for letters of interest by the SPU is identified as the first step in the process of finding and shortlisting buyers or investors.

The entity has noted too that in order to increase transparency, it is partnering with a suitably qualified international financial services firm “to provide technical and financial advisory support in the process leading to a successful privatisation and diversification of the sugar industry”.

15 Ramsammy’s Ruminations Social activist calls on Guyanese APNU/AFC’s spectacular to move beyond dialogue News

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

accumulation of lies continues unabated

I

t is undeniable; APNU/AFC is drowning in a grotesque accumulation of lies. Every day, there is at least one major lie. If I had the luxury of space, I can itemise a lie for every day APNU/AFC has been in office. It is not what some will deem “little white lies”, such as “I was not in the rum shop until after 2 am this morning”. Rather, it is lies that impact on people’s lives and on the future of our country. APNU/AFC’s blueprint for governance is a platform of lies, misdirection, misinformation, perversion of truths and facts. Their Dr Leslie Ramsammy only clear policy blueprint is LIE, LIE AGAIN, LIE OFTEN. This past week, a leaked email confirmed that the AFC played a pivotal role in the unilateral, unconstitutional, illegal appointment of James Patterson as the Chair of GECOM. The AFC had insisted they had no role, they were never consulted and that the appointment was made by President David Granger, without any involvement of the AFC. This is in spite of the evidence that their Leader, Raphael Trotman, was present in all the meetings between President Granger and the Leader of the Opposition. Trotman insisted he was present at the meeting which announced the appointment of James Patterson only because of a last-minute summons.

The email confirmed that as Chairman of the AFC, Ramjattan, with Trotman’s acquiescence, advised Granger not to appoint any of the nominees proposed by the Leader of the Opposition.

The AFC is firmly behind the PNC’s hijack of GECOM in the larger effort to rig upcoming elections. The PNC, just as President Granger has promised, is accelerating its blueprint to restore Burnham’s legacy of brutal dictatorship and rigged elections. Their lying ways are not the run-of-the-mill “little white lies”. The APNU/AFC lies have major implications for the survival of democracy in our country, a country that suffered because of spectacular rigged elections in 1968, 1973, 1978, 1980 and 1985. The lies we have heard relating to GECOM and the appointment of its chair are part of the formula for restoring those rigged elections.

The GECOM lies are only a small percentage of the mountain of lies from APNU/AFC. This past week, APNU/AFC railroaded the budget for statutory agencies. These agencies include Parliament; GECOM; the DPP; the Auditor General; the Rights Commissions, such as the Ethnic Relations Commission, the Indigenous People’s Commission, the Rights of the Child Commission, the Women and Gender Relations Commission; the Service Commissions, such as the Police, Public Service and Judicial Service Commissions. APNU/AFC, against the objection of the parliamentary Opposition and the statutory bodies themselves, implemented drastic cuts in the budgets of these agencies.

One of their major objections when the PPP was in office was that all of these agencies, as statutory agencies, should not have their budgets scrutinised by the Minister of Finance and by the Cabinet. They even moved a resolution in the 10th Parliament for a special select committee to draft laws to provide for these bodies to directly propose their budgets to Parliament for appropriations and that the proposed budgets should be put and approved without debate. This was their position, when they were in Opposition, and a promise they made during the election campaign. Now in their fourth budget since assuming office, they want absolute control, effecting the largest cuts that these agencies have experienced in more than two decades or since they have come into being. They lied when they promised absolute autonomy. They want these agencies beholden to them.

They had promised us complete autonomy of statutory agencies; free media; strong trade unions; zero corruption; an economy driven by the Private Sector; Police, Army and judiciary that are free of political interference; an efficient GPL; a vibrant sugar industry, with workers benefiting from an annual 20 per cent pay increase; rice farmers getting more markets and at least $9000 per bag of paddy; pensioners receiving a 100 per cent increase in their first year in office; less taxes; free and fair elections, etc. They lied on all these.

These substantive lies expose the sinister motive –dictatorial rule. Ravi Dev writing in his column this week summarised the seven characteristics of a totalitarian regime, articulated in the Carl Freidrich’s model of totalitarianism. APNU/AFC’s lies are part of implementing these seven characteristics. Burnham took at least a term to begin consolidating a dictatorial regime. Granger and his PNC cohorts, with absolute support from the AFC, is accomplishing Burnham’s formula in about half the time. I echo Ravi Dev’s caution – we are forewarned.

…to address rape, violence

F

rom time immemorial, rape has been a major challenge for countries across the world.

Guyana is no different, and like many nations, it has waged a full-on battle against the scourge, a cancer that threatens the moral and social fabric of our society.

In this vein, social activists are deepening conversations internationally and locally on sexual harassment, rape and violence in all its forms. Several rights activists have spoken publicly on the need to raise more awareness on these human rights violations.

Dr Raquel ThomasCaesar, a tropical forest ecologist by profession, is an avid human rights activist and member of the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Citizens Against Rape and she shared her views on

the rape culture and how it is linked to sexual harassment.

“I find that there is a lot of excuses from men and some women about how women are treated when they walk down the road, even in the office; many women experience sexual harassment, so along with the rape culture, there’s this sexual harassment thing. It’s just not acceptable,” she stressed.

Dr Thomas-Caesar is not discounting the fact that men were also victims to rape and sexual harassment and believes that more needs to be done to protect all victims of these unacceptable behaviours.

Workplaces, she said, need to adequately address the issue of sexual harassment by implementing stringent measures to deal with perpetrators. The social activist said that “many offices

Social activist, Dr Raquel Thomas-Caesar

really need to be aware how to deal with this issue, because rape, it is something that is facing our society, that we have to deal with.”

She stressed the need for a number of measures to be put in place, among them more counsellors at schools, community support groups

Protesters call for Bishops’...

She noted that there was widespread information, in almost every school in Guyana, of some teacher having sexual thoughts of students and in some instances those thoughts are acted upon with no consequences.

At one point during the protest, students held placards out of the windows in counter protest. One of the placards read “Our HM did not fail us.”

“We just had the kids up there saying that their HM did not fail them and I think this says a lot about what will happen with this school and it’s mostly about protecting the reputation of the school rather than protecting the students,” Thompson lamented.

Meanwhile, activist and Commissioner of the Rights of the Child Commission, Nicole Cole, said that no adult has the right to berate children, particularly students, the way Ellis did.

She noted that ever since the recording was shared on Monday, she made the call for Ellis to be removed, adding that what she did was “victimise the victims”.

“What she has done is to make every child who would have gone through the heinous abuse re-victimise them twice. Just like the court system. We wonder why Guyana has a burgeoning rape culture. It’s because of adults like her.

Here she is telling the students how loose they are.

I wanna say to you, Ms Winifred Ellis, you are loose, you are slack, you are running a bloody horror school, not The Bishops’ High School, because if you had this teacher in your midst and information has

come that you have girls who are subjected to abuse, then you have a right to intervene and to ensure that those students are given the best type of care,” Cole declared.

Also among the protesters was former student Kemol King, who said that Ellis failed to create a safe environment for the victims of Coen’s abuse and as such, she should be dismissed with immediate effect.

“She did not try to create a safe environment for these students to air their complaints, so we believe that Ms Ellis, the head mistress, because of the things she said, she should be dismissed and so we’re calling for the administration to dismiss Ms Ellis immediately,” King said.

The picketing exercise continues today at 12 noon.

Teacher admits dating former students

Meanwhile, several calls were made for the Education Ministry and the Child Care and Protection Agency to step up and have the matter taken to the Police so that justice against the alleged sexual predator is served.

Over the course of the latter part of last week, allegations of Jackson’s grooming and sexual molestation of several teenagers while serving in the capacity of an economics teacher took social media by storm.

A formal complaint against the teacher of over 15 years was made to the Education Ministry over the weekend and was addressed to the Education Minister Nicolette Henry; Public Security Minister

Khemraj Ramjattan; Social Protection Minister Amna Ally; Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence; Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams and Social Cohesion Minister, Dr George Norton.

Since then, Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson has informed the media that an investigation has been launched, while the Social Protection Ministry issued a short statement outlining that it was “aware of the allegations levelled against a senior teacher at The Bishops’ High School. The matter is currently under investigation and the Ministry is actively involved in this process. The Ministry takes these complaints seriously and holds paramount the protection of our nation’s children.”

As news of the alleged sexual molestation implicating Jackson broke out on social media, a number of past students reportedly came forward and related similar experiences.

Meanwhile, in the presence of his attorneys (Jerome Khan, Priyanka Sookraj and Siand Dhurjan), Jackson broke his silence on the allegations against him, which claimed that he abused his position of trust as a teacher and groomed female, and some male, students for sexual activity.

At a press conference on Tuesday, in the office of Attorney Khan, Jackson denied the allegations made against him.

He said that the complainant “has created this caricature of me as a beast, as a predator. There are many students that could testify on my behalf. My

and awareness campaigns in all the regions, particularly in far-flung areas.

The call was reiterated for there to be specially trained Police Officers to handle sensitive cases. “They need to have psychology training, as well as counselling training,” she said.

Further, Dr ThomasCaesar called for legislative changes to ensure that victims of rape and other sexual crimes are given swift justice.

With the proliferation of violence and rape in Guyana, the social activist is calling on all Guyanese to do their part and move beyond dialogue.

Dr Thomas-Caesar added: “We can’t just mouth up…we need to translate that into action and we need to get to our children because that is the way to change this culture.” (DPI)

From page 3

professional conduct, my ability in the subjects that I teach, the performance record of me as a teacher is there. I have contributed to the CoI on education…I have a track record of high performance.”

However, Jackson did admit to dating two former students of Bishops’.

He explained that he was currently in a relationship with a 21-year-old former student and has been involved with the young woman for a number of years.

Jackson posited his belief that the matter was only brought to light by a notorious character in society only after he [the complainant] became engaged in an intimate relationship with a former student of The Bishop’s High School, with whom Jackson had been involved.

“In the process, I have been accused, prosecuted and convicted in the court of public opinion...I wish to deny the accusation being peddled by [the complainant] and believe that he is using this as a basis for his self-promotion, disregarding what damage is done to many, many persons’ profession, reputation and character,” he said.

Jackson and his attorneys noted that there have been several libellous statements made on social media and that they were monitoring them and would take further action soon.

The accused also indicated that he was open to any type of scrutiny by any government agency and/ or ministry.

(Lakhram Bhagirat and Ramona Luthi)

16

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017

Regional

Orinoco accident: US to scrap Haitian immigrants’ protected status 10 people missing

T

he United States is to terminate a programme that gives more than 50,000 immigrants from Haiti protection against deportation.

Immigrants from the Caribbean nation received protected status in 2010 after a devastating earthquake.

But the Trump Administration says conditions there have now improved and its nationals can return safely.

It says their protected status will end in July 2019, giving Haitians 18 months to return or otherwise legalise their immigration status in the US. “Those extraordinary but temporary conditions caused by the 2010 earthquake no longer exist,” a statement

Immigrants from the Caribbean nation received protected status in 2010 after a devastating earthquake. The Haiti earthquake left 220,000 dead and 1.5 million people displaced

from the US Department of Homeland Security said.

“Significant steps have been taken to improve the stability and quality of life for Haitian citizens, and Haiti is able to safely receive traditional levels of returned citizens,” the state-

ment added.

But campaigners say the Trump Administration has unfairly singled out small numbers of the most vulnerable people as part of its tougher stance on immigration.

In a statement, House

Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi said: “Deporting tens of thousands of men and women back into the nation will only deepen the suffering in Haiti.”

“I completely disagree with the characterisation that the situation in Haiti has improved,” she added.

The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programme grants temporary visas to more than 435,000 people from 10 countries ravaged by natural disasters or war.

The move to terminate TPS for Haitians comes after a similar step was taken against 5000 Nicaraguans.

Protection for 86,000 Hondurans in the US has been extended.

A decision on El Salvador’s status, which was given TPS after its 2001 earthquake, is due in January. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Investigation launched into plane crash in which Belize’s acting PM escaped injury

after 2 boats capsize

R

escue workers are searching for 10 people who are missing after two boats capsized in the Orinoco River, which divides Colombia from Venezuela.

A total of 18 people were on board the boats. Eight of them have been rescued so far.

Witnesses said one of the boats had a mechanical problem and was being towed by the other one when they hit a rock about 30 metres (100 feet) from the shore.

The accident happened 10 kilometres downstream from Puerto Carreño.

Witnesses said the boat with mechanical problems was transporting fruit while the one that came to its rescue was carrying passengers.

But a Colombian navy official said he did not know what the two vessels were doing navigating the fast-flowing river in the early hours of Tuesday when it was still dark.

General Ricardo Perico Pinto said all of the people on board were Venezuelan citizens and that there were children among the missing.

(BBC News)

Power company halts Puerto Rico work

A

n investigation has been launched in Belize into the crash of a plane on which acting Prime Minister Patrick Faber and Agriculture Minister Godwin Hulse were passengers.

The Tropic Air single-engine propeller plane went down last Friday morning, but Faber, who was acting while Prime Minister Dean Barrow was out of the island; Hulse and the other five people on board escaped serious injury.

According to a Government statement, the plane which was en route to Punta Gorda Town was taking off from the tiny airstrip in the town of Placencia when its left landing wheel clipped a passing car. The impact caused the plane to plunge into the sea right off the coast of Placencia, not far from the airstrip.

“A rescue team was sent out and all passengers on board the plane, including the pilot, were transported safely back to land,” the statement said.

A road passes near the end of the airstrip and two barriers are usually lowered to stop traffic during takeoffs and landings. A key part of the investigation into the crash is why only one barrier was lowered when the Tropic Air plane was taking off. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Two hurricanes all but wiped out Puerto Rico’s power grid

A

n energy firm is halting work restoring power in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico in a dispute over pay.

Whitefish Energy says payments have been delayed from Puerto Rico’s bankrupt power authority.

The power authority, known was Prepa, says it is reviewing invoices and has stopped payments after receiving a complaint from a subcontractor.

Whitefish Energy has been at the centre of a contracting controversy that reached the Trump Administration.

The company said in a statement it had been “promptly” turning over payments to subcontractors, but “outstanding invoices for work performed in October made it impossible to continue in this manner”.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Whitefish official told the BBC that US$83 million was owed by Prepa.

In a statement, Prepa spokesman Carlos Monroig said Whitefish had “paralysed” restoration efforts, and

that the power authority was “in the process of reviewing and auditing invoices submitted by Whitefish”.

The power restoration deal struck with Whitefish quickly after the storms came under scrutiny last month after revelations in the media.

Among other peculiarities, it was revealed that the two-year-old company had little experience with work on this scale and was headquartered in the tiny Montana hometown of US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Zinke denied any involvement in the deal and denied any wrongdoing, while the White House distanced itself from it.

Prepa and the Puerto Rican Government are saddled with massive debts. The power authority declared bankruptcy in July.

The Caribbean island, home to more than three million US citizens, was struck by two massive hurricanes in September. Hurricane Maria, the second storm, all but wiped out the island’s power grid. (Excerpt from BBC News)

wednesdAY, november 22, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

Jubilation in the streets as Mugabe resigns

Z

imbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has submitted his resignation after nearly four decades as the country’s leader.

Mugabe defied demands to step down for almost a week after a military takeover and expulsion from his own ruling ZANU-PF party, but stepped down on Tuesday, hours after Parliament started an impeachment process.

Cheers broke out in the Parliament after Speaker Jacob Mudenda read out Mugabe’s resignation letter.

“I, Robert Gabriel Mugabe, in terms of Section 96 of the

Zimbabweans celebrate outside the Parliament building in Harare [Ben Curtis/The Associated Press]

Constitution of Zimbabwe hereby formally tender my resignation ... with immediate

effect,” said Mudenda, reading the letter.

The news also sparked

scenes of jubilation in the capital, Harare, as large crowds cheered, danced and sang celebrating Mugabe’s departure for hours.

“People are coming out onto the streets, they are calling this day Independence Day,” Al Jazeera’s Haru Mutasa, reporting from Harare, said.

“It’s getting chaotic,” she added. “Some people still can’t believe this has happened.

People say they are really excited and hoping for a better future.”

At Harare’s Rainbow Towers, crowds cheered as a

picture of Mugabe – hung in most public business premises – was taken down.

Celebrations also erupted in central Johannesburg, in neighbouring South Africa, as Zimbabweans there also took to the streets to cheer on the news.

Mugabe’s resignation brought an end to the impeachment process initiated

by ZANU-PF after its Central Committee voted to dismiss him as party leader.

Mugabe, 93, led Zimbabwe’s fight for independence in the 1970s.

He came to power in 1980 and his 37-year rule was criti-

cised for repression of dissent, election rigging, and for causing the country’s economic collapse.

“Ever since I was born, I have never thought that I would see this day,” Anthony Mutambirwa, a Harare resident, told Al Jazeera as news of Mugabe’s resignation spread.

“I’m so glad. For 37 years, we have been suffering.”

Mugabe’s departure capped a historic week which saw the military seizing power, intervening in party politics over his succession. (Excerpt

from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017

ARCHIE

Force may be your first response, but it isn’t likely to (March 21get you very far. If you use April 19) your intelligence, there’s a decent chance that you’ll get your way.

ARIES

TAURUS (April 20May 20)

dilbert

Stay on track if you want to reach your goal. Refuse to let anyone upset you or disrupt your plans. Be kind to yourself and take time to rejuvenate. Personal change is favoured.

If you get along with your GEMINI (May 21- peers, you’ll get the help you June 20) require to take care of business. A positive change will result in a partnership with someone you respect.

A change in the way you take care of your health (June 21- should include proper eating July 22) habits and physical fitness.

Feeling better about your appearance will improve your attitude.

CANCER

Peanuts

Don’t let the changes goLEO ing on around you lead to a (July 23- costly mistake. Change can Aug. 22) be good, but don’t act out of spite or emotional impulse.

Intelligence will lead to victory.

Present what you’ve been VIRGO working on or toward. The (Aug. 23comments you receive will Sept. 22) be helpful and should be considered. An unexpected turn of events will direct you into unknown territory.

Calvin and Hobbes

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S WORD – CHORALE

solution for LAST PUBLISHED Puzzle

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

Problems will mount at home if someone isn’t pulling his or her weight. Use your intelligence and provide incentives to help you get the extra help you need.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)

Keep your end goal in sight. Don’t be distracted by someone trying to interfere in your life and progress.

Follow your heart, beliefs and vision.

Be careful how you hanSAGITTARIUS dle powerful people who (Nov. 23- could influence your future.

Dec. 21) Someone will test your patience by pressuring or bullying you into doing demeaning jobs. Outsmart your adversary.

Funnel your emotions CAPRICORN into something important.

(Dec. 22- You can bring about positive Jan. 19) change to your status or reputation if you are open and honest about your motives and long-term plans.

Listen, observe and gathAQUARIUS er information. Knowing (Jan. 20- what you are up against will Feb. 19) help you get what you want.

Make financial gains and negotiating on your own behalf priorities.

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

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Get involved in ventures PISCES (Feb. 20- that will benefit you and March 20) those in your community or peer group. Joint efforts will bring good results and boost your reputation.

WEDNESDAY, november 22, 2017

Suspended AIBA president Wu to step down from post

T

he International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) suspended president Wu Chingkuo announced on Monday that he would step down from his post to “resolve the management issues” within the Olympic sport’s governing body.

Wu, who will be replaced by interim chief Franco Falcinelli, said in a joint statement with the Swiss-based organization that he would withdraw and terminate related pending procedures before civil courts and the AIBA disciplinary commission.

“I step down in the best interests of both AIBA and boxing but I remain committed to ensure a smooth handover to the new leadership,” the 70-yearold Wu, who has been at the helm for 11 years, said.

The AIBA would convene an extraordinary congress with its national member federations on Jan. 27 in Dubai to consider proposed changes to its governance, the statement added.

Wu was provisionally suspended by a disciplinary commission last month after a complaint from 11 AIBA executive committee members who alleged he had “violated and continues to violate various provisions of AIBA’s Statutes and Codes”.

AIBA has been riven with in-fighting for months, with Taiwan’s Wu pitted against most of the executive committee who failed to remove him through a vote of no confidence in July. (Reuters)

Messi contract saga not swaying Barcelona boss Valverde L

ionel Messi's future at Barcelona is a source of mounting intrigue but Ernesto Valverde only has eyes for Juventus in the Champions League.

Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde refused to draw his gaze too far from Wednesday's Champions League Group D match against Juventus as speculation mounts over Lionel Messi's future.

Barca have gone 12 games unbeaten in LaLiga, sitting four points clear of Valencia at the summit, while a draw in Turin against the side who dumped them out of Europe's top competition last season would be enough to guarantee a spot in the knockout stages.

It amounts to a fine start to life as Barcelona boss for former Athletic Bilbao coach Valverde, but the contract status of talisman Messi continues to loom over the campaign.

The Catalan club announced in July that the 30-year-old had agreed a three-year contract extension until June 2021, which would be signed "in the coming weeks".

At least publicly, that has still not transpired and a palpable unease has gripped the Barcelona fanbase, with the prospect of Messi being able to negotiate a move away from Spain as early as January if he has not penned the extended terms a stark one to contemplate.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu claimed on Monday that Messi had in fact signed three different deals - agreements with his Messi Foundation and one relating to image rights to run alongside the contract of employment - to cement his longterm future at Camp Nou.

It represents a saga that Valverde was unable or unwilling to shed further light on during his pre-match briefing at Juventus Stadium.

"I don't know how important the photo is [of Messi signing his contract]. He is with us, that's what we care about," he said.

"He travelled here with us and we're not going to think too much further beyond that.

"I don't want to start using bad language – we're going to have fun with what we're doing now and forget about all the back stories."

Barcelona have recovered impressively from Neymar's damaging defection to Paris Saint-Germain – a world-record transfer Bartomeu offered guarantees against happening – and midfielder Ivan Rakitic insists losing Messi is not an option.

"He has to be here, in my opinion, and I think he's going to be here for ever," said the Croatia international, speaking to reporters before his boss.

"He's part of the club. He's not just a very important part – it's more than that."

Rakitic is confident he will continue to share a dressing room with Messi but was unwilling to say so with absolute certainty.

"Looking at his career and how much it means for Barca, I can't say 100 per cent [he will stay]," he explained.

"We have to respect what everybody thinks. We

know there are fans who want to see the picture, the handshake – I do too.

"I want to keep on playing with Leo tomorrow and three and five years into the future.

"All we can say as teammates is we want him to stay with us and he has all our support. I think the journey still has a long way to go.

"I know from what people have told me that things are going well. I'm confident in Leo and our president. If we have to wait for a certain moment we have to wait. We are confident it will come."

Rakitic added: "Leo knows what's at stake. He knows we want him on our team. He's unique. I don't think you have to over analyse it, just relax.

"He's the most important player on our team.

Everyone knows this and we have to give him all the support and love he de-

serves so he keeps coming out for us [to perform] every three or four days." (Sportsmax)

19

FIFA panel bans 3 former football officials for life

F

IFA’s ethics watchdogs have banned three former football officials from Guam, Nicaragua and Venezuela for life as part of efforts to address widespread corruption in the sport, the world football governing body said on Tuesday.

The latest officials to be hit by FIFA bans are Richard Lai, the former Guam Football Association president and a former member of the FIFA audit and compliance committee; Julio Rocha, the former Nicaraguan Football Association president and a former FIFA development officer; and Rafael Esquivel, former Venezuelan Football Association president. All three men had pleaded guilty in the United States to separate federal charges ranging from wire fraud to racketeering and money laundering.

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

WEDNESDAY, november 22, 2017

England return to Gabba to face their demons

E

ngland’s Ashes debutants face a baptism of fire in Thursday’s opening test at the Gabba, where four years ago the tourists’ batsmen crumbled under an Australian shortpitched bowling assault. Joe Root’s team spent their final

kling of the challenge that awaits them.

The ‘Gabbatoir’ has proved impregnable to visiting teams for nearly 30 years, with its willing pitch, stifling weather and hostile crowds adding up to one of the world’s tougher intro-

run hiding at the Gabba in 2013/14, when a marauding Mitchell Johnson took nine wickets and set the tone for the series.

The rest of the side, and particularly their inexperienced batsmen, face a big step up after prepar-

Alister Cook tour match in Townsville last week trying to acclimatise to the muggy conditions that will greet them in Brisbane but few of the players will have any in-

ductions to a test series.

Only Root, former skipper Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad and James Anderson remain from the England team that suffered a 381-

ing against weak tour sides on tepid pitches far from Brisbane.

“It’s a tough wicket to come and start a series on, especially when you’re not

in between two Roberto Firmino strikes to put Liverpool three goals up within 30 minutes, but Sevilla came back from the dead after the break.

Wissam Ben Yedder netted twice before Pizarro’s late equaliser, leaving Liverpool top with nine points, Sevilla second with eight and Spartak Moscow third with six, after they drew 1-1 with Maribor in the group’s other game.

Liverpool, who won the

Champions League in 2005 after coming from three goals down against AC Milan in the final, were given a taste of their own medicine at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan and must now avoid defeat against Spartak to qualify in their final group game on Dec. 6.

Juergen Klopp’s side tore into the hosts from the off with Firmino pouncing in the second minute after Georginio Wijnaldum flicked Philippe

Joe Root playing on wickets or having practice wickets like that,” former Australia quick Ryan Harris, one of the victors at the ground four years ago, told Reuters.

“Obviously we don’t let them play anywhere near Brisbane (in the leadup) for that reason.”

Once out on the field, the bear-pit atmosphere of a packed crowd can quickly become foreboding.

The wrap-around terraces at the bowl-like stadium create an impression of being hemmed in and stifle any breeze that might relieve the players as they labour in the soupy heat of a Brisbane summer.

“You get the humidity as well at this time of year, which drains you,” said Harris, who played much of his domestic cricket at the ground for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield.

“Especially out in the middle of the Gabba, it always seems to be a bit hotter.”

Bad things seem to happen to England in Brisbane.

Four years ago, an ailing Jonathan Trott was dismissed cheaply in both innings amid a barrage of bouncers from Johnson and the Australian quicks. He promptly left the tour with a stress-related illness.

In 2006/07, England fast bowler Steve Harmison famously sent the first delivery of the series to his captain Andrew Flintoff at second slip. England lost the match and the series 5-0.

Another England quick, Simon Jones, also had a first day to forget at the Gabba when he ruptured knee ligaments sliding to retrieve a ball in the outfield in the 2002/03 series.

He was abused by spec-

tators as he lay in agony and the injury ended his series. Nasser Hussain’s team lost the match by 384 runs and the series 4-1.

England have not won at the Gabba since Mike Gatting’s team in the 1986/87 series and it may be no coincidence that the last time they held their own at the Gabba in 2010/11, they went on to win the Ashes.

Cook’s brilliant, unbeaten 235 in the second innings, a record, ensured a draw that galvanized Andrew Strauss’s team at the start of their 3-1 series triumph.

The innings also stands as testament that the Gabba can punish the bowlers as much as the batsmen and should provide some inspiration for Root’s team, even with the odds squarely against them. (Reuters)

Sevilla stuns Liverpool in sensational comeback S

evilla’s Guido Pizarro scored a 93rd-minute equaliser to complete an incredible comeback from three goals down to draw 3-3 against Liverpool on Tuesday in a pulsating Champions League Group E clash.

Liverpool were on the verge of sealing qualification to the last 16 for the first time since 2009 but Pizarro stabbed home from a corner deep into stoppage time to deny them.

Sadio Mane headed home

Sevilla’s Guido Pizarro scores their third goal

DVA, BVA host successful weekend of volleyball

V

o l l e y ball action was abundant this past weekend as both the Demerara and Berbice Associations wrapped up their respective Male/ Female tournaments at venues across the country.

Over the National Gymnasium, the Demerara Volleyball Association (DVA) spiked off their Men’s ‘B’ division competition with powerhouse Young Achievers Volleyball club hammering Vanguard Volleyball club three straight sets; 25– 20, 25–15, 25–19; to clinch the title.

Both teams fought valiantly in the preliminaries to reach the finals with Vanguards winning the best of five sets against the Castrol team while Achievers disposed of the Bank of Guyana unit.

Over at the Guysuco Apprentice Hostel Compound in Berbice, the Berbice Volleyball Association (BVA) staged a battle of four of their top male teams, namely- Port Mourant Training Center (PMTC) 1, PMTC 2, Corriverton Jets and GTCPM. After a round robin stages ended it was PMTC 1 and PMTC 2 playing a two best in three finals with former winning 14 -25, 25- 18 and 15-11. In the female category the Port Mourant females romped home by defeating the Corriverton Jets 30-18.

The female category was contested among; the Falcons of Orealla, Corriverton Jets and Port Mourant females.

MVP award for the males was given to PMTC1’s Joshua Jagmohan while Female MVP award went to Candacy Mentore of the Corriverton Jets.

Coutinho’s corner into his path.

Mane doubled the lead in the 22nd minute as Liverpool scored an almost identical goal to their first. This time it was Firmino flicking Coutinho’s corner into the path of Mane, who dived in to head home.

Mane turned provider eight minutes later as Liverpool shredded Sevilla’s defence to score their third, with his shot tipped into Firmino’s path by Sergio Rico, leaving the Brazilian to tap home.

Liverpool’s attacking quartet of Mane, Mohamed Salah, Firmino and Coutinho was proving a nightmare for the Andalusians and they had chances to add to the Reds’ haul before the break.

Yet just as in the first match between these sides which finished 2-2 at Anfield, Liverpool’s defensive frailties

were exposed.

Eduardo Berizzo’s side came out determined to find a way back into the game and two Alberto Moreno errors helped them on their way.

The Spanish left back helped out his former club by conceding a silly foul to the right of the area and Ever Banega’s free kick was headed in by Ben Yedder in the 51st minute.

Moreno then brought down the French striker in the area with a clumsy, badly-timed stamp just before the hour mark and Ben Yedder found the net with the resulting penalty twice, after his first effort was disallowed for encroachment.

Franco Vazquez struck the crossbar as Sevilla frantically searched for the equaliser, which eventually came when Pizarro forced the ball home from close range after a corner was half-cleared. (Reuters)

sports

WEDNESDAY, november 22, 2017 | www.guyanatimesgy.com

21

District 5 sets sights on record-breaking ‘Nationals’

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with both colours. Due to the difficulty for Black in achieving equality, a common nickname for the opening is "The Spanish Torture".

This is an attack for White out of the King's Knight Opening (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6). White goes after the black knight that defends the centre pawn with a swift bishop strike: 3. Bb5.

The move 3. Bb5 is logical in that it attacks black's only defender of the e pawn. A little bit of

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he opening is named after the 16thcentury Spanish bishop Ruy López de Segura. Popular use of the Ruy Lopez opening did not develop until the mid-19th century, when Carl Jaenisch, a Russian theoretician, "rediscovered" its potential. The opening remains the most commonly used amongst the open games in master play; it has been adopted by almost all players during their careers, many of whom have played it

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With a change of the athletic venue to the Synthetic Track, West Berbice are hoping it can also bring a change in fortunes

I

n their debut season as a club, Diamond Upsetters seems destined to upstage many of their more seasoned opponents in their quest to book one of the final four spots in the second edition of the Ralph Green sponsored / East Bank Football Association Under-11 league/knock-out tournament.

Diamond recorded their second win in five matches, a rousing 4-0 triumph over Herstelling Raiders on Saturday last at the Grove Playfield in the lone match that was played. Shawn John opened the scoring in the 8th minute and the advantage was doubled one minute later when Mohamed Amin found the

Jessica Clementson

theory is required here to clear up a common misconception about the opening.

White can't win the e pawn with the simple 4. Bxc6.

The continuation would run: 4... dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qd4.

The queen move forks the pawn and knight, and leaves black with a good position. That being said, the Ruy Lopez Opening is very strong for white.

Several notable games include: Lasker vs Capablanca, 1914 (1-0) Capablanca vs Marshall, 1918 (1-0) Tal vs Hjartarson, 1987 (1-0) Kasparov vs Karpov, 1990 (1-0) The standard, accepted main line of the Ruy Lopez is: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.

Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 and here, where Black picks his strategy to counter the impending d4 push by White in the center, the further course of the game is determined.

back of the nets.

Herstelling in their final match of the round-robin stage was hoping to fire back in the second half of the match but that was not to be as the Diamond Upsetters side consolidated even more as the match progressed.

Abdullah Amin increased the lead to 3-0 in the 23rd minute and in the final minute of play, Herstelling’s Captain Solomon Austin scored an own goal which saw Diamond being gifted their fourth goal, the match ended 4-0.

With the top four teams advancing to the semi finals which would be played using the knock-out format, Grove Hi Tech, Samatta Point Kaneville, Herstelling

otwithstanding a lack in numbers, West Coast Berbice (District 5), will be looking to land records, take titles, and leave their mark come next week when the National Schools’ Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships (Nationals) officially begins at multiple locations across the Demerara county.

Though always facing their share of challenges in competing at the annual event, head of the Region five District, Michelle Archibald, says over the years West Coast Berbice has always still managed to leave a mark at the Championships, and this year will be no different.

“We’re not looking at the overall Championships were going there to bring back some medals and show them what we can do especially in the 400m, 800m, 1500m. Also I’m looking at my relay team,” Archibald noted.

Nationals begins next week Monday (November 27), with competition in the cycling and swimming categories, being held at the National Aquatic Centre and National Park, respectively. On Tuesday the

track and field competition takes over and runs until the following Friday, at the National Track and Field Centre on the West Coast.

The teachers competition will be run concurrently with the student track and field competition.

Many of the 15 Districts will be striving to reach the maximum 110 participants, for maximum participation, however as is the case most years, quite a few of the Districts will struggle to meet the number, particularly in the swimming and cycling competitions.

With just six cyclists and eight swimmers, Archibald knows that her team will struggle against powerhouse teams from Georgetown and Linden.

But with a lack of equipment and facilities in the Region Five district for over a number of years now, this has become a norm that the team has learned to work with.

“Even though we have our weaknesses we would still come back with a lot of medals, even records and I’m proud to say West Coast Berbice still holds one of the 400m open record after several years. And there are some more records we still

have that are not broken as yet,” Archibald boasted, adding that the team is also looking at grabbing a few age group champion titles, having taken three last year.

She also praised the team’s ability to always work well with each other “One thing I can stress is that our team we have a lot of unity and togetherness, the love is there, we look out for each other,” she remarked.

Archibald says steps have been made over the years to try to bring awareness to some of the continuous problems that the district faces, and while there was at least one attempt to address an issue with the cycling, other issues still remain.

The biggest problem for the district is the lack of equipment and facilities, particularly for the cycling and swimming.

Archibald says since the Region is responsible for the district she has appealed to the Regional Democratic Council. She said while over the years she has gotten her fair share of empty promises, recent administrative changes at the RDC is giving her hope.

EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League

Diamond hammer Herstelling 4-0

Herstelling Raiders (white) in action against Diamond Upsetters on Saturday morning last at the Grove Playfield

and Mocha Champs have all completed their round-robin matches and have accumulated 14, 11 and 9 points apiece.

Mocha Champs are ahead of Herstelling on goal

difference with the two on 9 points each.

Meanwhile, Diamond Upsetters, Agricola Red Triangle, Diamond United and Friendship have two matches remaining each

and are all still in with a chance of making the final four. The race just got better.

Matches will continue on Saturday at the same venue.

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

WEDNESDAY, november 22, 2017

2017 GCB/Jaguars 50-over League

Chanderpaul, Shepherd star in West Demerara’s 31-run victory – Crandon hits 1st century

Ground on Tuesday.

Chanderpaul helped West Demerara to 16710 in 41.2 overs as Safraz Esau was the next best scorer with 35. The batting lineup suffered from regular losses of wickets thanks to the East Bank duo of skipper Ronaldo Alimohamed with figures of 3-26 and Trevor France (329) while seasoned all-round spinner Steven Jacobs ended with 2-35.

Chasing 168, East Bank folded for 136 all out in 37.3 overs with Jacobs resisting with 28 while support came from Sachin Singh (23) and Quazim Yusuf (22). However, their innings proved Royston Crandon futile as West Dem pacer Romario Shepherd est Demerara was inripped through the to-order to end debted to the returning Guyana Jaguars open- with 3-23 and off-spinner Richie er Tagenarine Chanderpaul who Looknauth supporting with 3-32. *Imam Bacchus Ground in struck four boundaries in his Essequibo* top-score of 70 which laid the Essequibo opened their acplatform for their 31-run win over East Bank in first round of count with a crushing 79-run win the Jaguars’ 50-over Franchise over West Berbice. Batting first, League at the Everest Cricket Essequibo ended on 189-9 from 30

W

overs compliments of knocks from Kevon Boodie (35), along with 34 apiece from Kemol Savory and Ricardo Adams.

Youth player Kevon Sinclair was the pick of the West Berbice bowlers with 4-30 but his teams never got out the blocks during the chase and were rolled over for

101 off 121 balls.

Jonathon Foo chipped in with 34 while useful hands were played by Devon Clements (35) and Jason Sinclair (38). Bowling for Georgetown, Paul Wintz and Ashmead Nedd snapped up two wickets each while Jamaicanborn Franchise player, Ramaal

Crandon 3-11. *Port Mourant Cricket Ground, Berbice* East Coast won the toss and elected to bat first Brian Sattaur was out lbw by Rajiv Ivan for 29, Steve Ramdass contributed with 28. Young Bhaskar Yadram also contributed with 15 before he was

Romario Shepherd in action for West Demerara

111 in 28.3 overs. Steffon Adams was the top-scorer with an unbeaten 21 as Adams bagged 4-28 to help set up a comfortable win. *Albion Ground, Berbice* Georgetown won the toss and inserted Lower Corentyne to have a first knock, to which they made a whopping 249 for 6 with former Guyana/ West Indies batsman Royston Crandon hitting the first century of the competition with

Lewis and spinner Steven Sankar, claimed a wicket each.

Georgetown were then blown away by 131 runs after folding for a meager 136 with Shemroy Barrington (29), with 22 apiece from Lewis and Wintz. The damage was led by left-arm national spinner Veerasammy Permaul who continued his top form from the Regional 4-Day, ending with 4-26 with support coming from

bowled by Balchand Baldeo, along with Kamesh Yadram who had so far top scored with 41runs. East Coast was at 183 for 5 at lunch after 42 overs. As play continued after lunch Ameer Khan Whipped up an acceptable 52 while Pradesh Balkishun was cheaply ran out by David Latchaya for 3 runs. Upper Corentyne was bowled out for 252 in 48.4 overs.

Georgetown Zone Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Football

Sparta’s chance to signal who is boss Also, if any player intentionally kicks the ball outside of the arena, based on the judgment of the referee, that individual will have to leave the match for three minutes, effectively reducing their team to three players for that period.

Upon the conclusion of the group stage, the top two finishers from each pool, will advance to the round of 16 elimination section.

Winner of the overall event will walk-away with $500,000 and the championship trophy along with

T

h i r ty-two teams begin the hunt to be named the “Guinness Greatest of the Streets” tonight at California Square, East Ruimveldt.

Defending Georgetown Zone champions Sparta Boss will open up the defence of their title with a tough engagement against Albouystown-based Ol Skool Ballers.

The Spartans have been looking like a faded force over the past few futsal tournaments and will be looking to come out of the blocks in a dominant fashion.

The current “Kings” of local futsal, Future Stars, have made their mark on the sport over the past year racking up win after win, title after title and have the remarkable distinction of being present in the final of the last five futsal tournaments.

Their nemesis Goal is Money will also be looking to upstage the “Stars” having suffered defeats in the last two tournament finals.

The Pedro clan that plays for Goal is Money can turn on the heat to devastating effect on any given day

The Georgetown Zone of the Guinness Greatest of the Streets kicks off tonight

and will be looking to hold one over their rivals.

The opening night will see 10 fixtures between the best street futsal teams in Georgetown as the first night of group stage action begins. While sixteen teams secured automatic qualification some 80 odd teams battled it out last week in a bid for the sixteen remaining berths.

With the wolves separated from the sheep, the real clash begins with some teams already established as favourites. However the tournament has been known to be

taken by storm with dark horses making their presence felt on the tarmac in previous editions.

The event will feature new rules. The most important addition will be occur in the final three minutes, as any goal scored during that period, will result in the team being awarded two goals. It is called a ‘Guinness Goal’.

Similarly, each team will only be allowed two fouls per half, with the third infraction and every foul thereafter, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded to the opposition.

automatic qualification for the National Playoffs.

They will also receive champion uniforms for their participation in the National Playoffs. This will be afforded to all zone winners.

Similarly, the event winner will also secure a community based project that will be funded by Banks DIH Limited. On the other hand, the runner-up, third and fourth placed finishers will receive $250,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively.

Day-1-East Ruimveldt-(California Square)-Wednesday 22nd Bad-A-Yard vs GTI-Ballers-19:00hrs Broad Street vs Stabroek Ballers-19:30hrs Albouystown-B vs Rising Stars-20:00hrs North East La Penitence vs Kingston-20:30hrs West Front Road vs Smyth Street-21:00hrs North Ruimveldt vs Judgement Yard-21:30hrs Festival City vs New Market Street-22:00hrs Channel-9 vs Gaza Squad-22:30hrs California Square vs Queen Street Tigerbay-23:00hrs Sparta Boss vs Ol Skool Ballers-23:30hrs

guyanatimesgy.com

wednesDAY, november 22, 2017

23

13th Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival

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teams begin hunt for top honours today

he “lucky” 13th annual Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival will commence from 17:00h today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and now has the distinction of being the longest running indoor hockey competition in the Region.

At a press conference on Tuesday morning at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB) head Philip Fernandes pointed out that the tournament continues to attract top teams from the Caribbean region as well as North America and remains a key feature in Guyana’s annual calendar or sport events.

With the GHB’s recent success of hosting the Indoor Pan American Cup (IPAC), Fernandes

told the gathering that the GHB had the annual staging of the Diamond Mineral Water Festival to thank as the experience of hosting such a tournament contributed largely to the success of the IPAC on Guyanese soil.

He expressed gratitude to platinum sponsor Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) who has stuck with the GHB over the years noting that they have played an integral part in ensuring that the profile of hockey continues to grow as Guyana is now known as a key hockey destination in the region.

He expressed much gratitude to Gold sponsors ANSA McAL who has been with the tournament for 11 years.

This year will not match the number of teams that have participated over the past years but will attract some of the top players who participated at IPAC. Coming out of Trinidad and Tobago will be the Queens Park Hockey Club

L-R: Diamond Mineral Water Brand Manager Larry Wills, GHB President Philip Fernandes

and YMCA. Meanwhile local clubs such as Pepsi Hikers, Old Fort, GCC and Saints will all be present seeking glory on home soil.

In the veterans tournament Queens Park and Malvern from Trinidad and Tobago will clash with the local boys from GCC and Hikers. Woodpeckers, Pizza Hut GCC, Old Fort Shooting Stars and

Bingo Spartans will contest the fe-

male tournament.

Cash prizes and trophies will be up for grabs between the winners and runners-up of the male, female and veteran tournaments.

The winning teams of the male and female competitions will cart off US$ 1000 while the runners-up will pocket US$ 500, the veterans will clash for the top prize of US$ 500 while the runner-up will cart off incentive prizes.

Games continue on Thursday from 16:00h and will run until the final day on Sunday which begins from 10:00h.

(Michelangelo Jacobus)

FIXTURES 5:00 PM 5:50 PM 6:40 PM 7:30 PM 8:20 PM 9:10 PM

W M W V M V

1 2 3 4 5 6

Woodpecker Hikers vs Old Fort Shooting Stars Bounty GCC vs Saints Pizza Hut GCC vs Bingo Spartans Old Old Fort vs GCC Vintage Pepsi Hikers vs Old Fort Antonio's Hickers vs YMCA

Golden Jaguars

GAPLF to close year with Senior arrive in Indonesia for historic clash Nationals on December 3

L-R: Lisa Oudit and Vijai Rahim after winning the RAW Championships

T

Golden Jaguars at the Soekarno–Hatta International Airport in Indonesia

G

uyana Senior Men’s Football Team commonly called Golden Jaguars arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday for their momentous clash against the host on Sunday in Jakarta.

The 19-man squad is expected to begin training to face an opponent they will be meeting for the first time for a debut match in the continent of Asia.

The squad consists two Goalkeepers, five Defenders, seven Midfielders and five Forwards, including locals Dwain Jacobs (Police FC), Trayon Bobb (Uitvulgt FC), Curtez Kellman (Georgetown FC), Denzil Fordyce (Milerock FC) and Anthony Abrams, Jeremy Garrett and Cecil Jackman (Fruta Conquerors FC). Wayne Dover, Interim Head Coach, said the squad is one of youth and experience: “The composition of the squad is a good blend of overseas and locally-based players. Most of the locally-based

players have played over 10 games for Guyana at the senior level while it would be valuable exposure for the likes of Jeremy Garrett, Cecil Jackman, Denzil Fordyce, Kelsey Benjamin and Curtez Kellman. This group of young players has an average age of 20 years and this augurs well for the programme to see them in the senior final 19-man squad.

As the Elite league gets underway, many more opportunities would be given to the players from the league even as Guyana prepares for the 2018/19 Caribbean Cup. “The game against Indonesia is a very interesting fixture given the fact that it is the first time Guyana will be playing against a team from South East Asia,” Dover said.

“The coaching staff, players and administration want to ensure we get a positive result to make history, winning our first game in that side of the world. This effort by all involved will be seen as ‘one team, one dream’

to make it happen,” Dover added.

Charles Pollard as Assistant Coach, Eon De Veira as Goalkeeper Coach and Rawle Adams as Manager.

Full Squad: Goal keppers: Akel Clarke (North East Star FC), Andrew Durant (San Juan Jabloteh FC); Defenders: Christopher Bourne (Islington Admiral United FC) England Jake Newton (Walton & Hersham FC), Jelani Smith ( Sigma FC), Jeremy Garrett (Fruta Conquerors), Cecil Jackman (Fruta Conquerors); Mid-fielders: Dwain Jacobs (Police FC), Brandon Beresford (Rochester Rhinos FC), Anthony Benfield ( S.V. Nishan), Daniel Wilson (S.V. Nishan), Trayon Bobb (Uitvulgt FC), Curtez Kellman (Georgetown FC) Denzil Fordyce ( Milerock FC); Forwards: Shaquille Agard (Durham United FC), Kelsey Benjamin (Caledonia FC), Devonte Small (Reynir FC), Daniel Jodah ( Sigma FC), Anthony Abrams (Fruta Conquerors FC).

he Senior Nationals of the Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) will close off the calendar year on December 3 at the Ramada Princess Hotel.

According to officials of the federation, powerlifting fans can come out expecting an entertaining show since the local lifters will be pushing themselves to qualify for next year’s international competitions.

Moreover, overall winners of the Raw Nationals held in October; Vijai Rahim and Lisa Oudit are returning to showdown with the other top competitors.

Aiming to “lift” away the accolades will be Colin ‘Mr. Clean’ Chesney, Grace and Blossom Babb as well as Jackquelyn Toney, while Joseph Stoll in the Masters 2 (50- 60 years) and Frank Tucker in the Masters 3 (6070 years) will seek to prove that they can still compete with the younger generation

of lifters.

Also being featured at the National Seniors is Romario Gonsalves, who was part of Guyana’s contingent at the 16th North American Powerlifting Federation (NAPF) and 32nd South American Powerlifting Federation (FESUPO) Championships contested in Florida July last.

The competition will begin at 10:00h with the athletes competing in the Raw (Classic/Unequipped) or Equipped categories.

In addition as part of preparations for the final showdown, the GAPLF will host a referees’ clinic on December 2, which is targeting capacity building of local referees and officials functioning as spotters and scorers. The athletes will also be duly informed of the demerits of using performance enhancing drugs and will be able to take their anti-doping tests.

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

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

13th Diamond Mineral Water Hockey Festival

16

teams begin hunt for top honours today

Pg 23

Who will be the best? The answer to that question will be known today at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

2017 GCB/Jaguars 50-over League

Chanderpaul, Shepherd star in West Demerara’s 31-run victory

Pg 23

– Crandon hits 1st century West Demerara celebrate one of Romario Shepherd wickets

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