Guyana Times September 25, 2018

Palmyra P Monument to be commissioned during India’s PM visit 17

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Issue No. 3697

Over 3000 PPP candidates to contest LGE ...Jagdeo promises no increase in property rates Pages 3&9

General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) Bharrat Jagdeo (centre), with a segment of candidates from across the country. Also in photo are Campaign Manager Zulficar Mustapha (left), and parliamentary Chief Whip Gail Teixeira (right)

Guyana misspending Dead woman’s name public funds in appears on AFC’s health sector – IDB East Berbice list LGE 2018

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Child Care P2 & Protection Agency highly understaffed Companies P11 ID'd to build India-funded US$18M NorthWest ferry

Town Clerk P10 leased lands not owned by M&CC – CoI hears …as current, former employees testify

Page 17

Page 12

Another raid unearths drugs, improvised weapons at Lusignan Prison

Judge grants WCB farmers injunction P17 against Region 5 REO

Security guard killed in WCD P7 accident

One week after a number of prohibited items were discovered in the Lusignan Prison on the East Coast of Demerara, the displayed contraband was unearthed following a raid on Monday in the holding bays

Granger nixes SPU’s choice for GuySuCo Chairman

Page 9

…appoints agriculture specialist

“Consult us – Don’t compel us” – Blairmont workers tell GuySuCo P2

…protest company’s alleged ‘dictatorial attitude’

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tuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

“Consult us – Don’t compel us” – Child Care & Protection Blairmont workers tell GuySuCo Agency highly understaffed …protest company’s alleged ‘dictatorial attitude’

Persons picketing the sugar estate on Monday

W

orkers of the Blairmont Estate in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) on Monday protested against the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) to demonstrate their resolute disagreement regarding the demands that were made before their wages were paid through the bank.

While standing outside the estate, the workers called for GuySuCo to pay them at its offices while indicating that they should be consulted and not dictated to.

The workers called for their rights to be respected, holding placards that stated “Consult us – Don’t compel us”.

During the peaceful protest, many persons indicated that utilising the banking system would result in charges being laid along with transportation costs every week to transact withdrawals from their

bank account.

These costs, they said, are presented against the present wage freeze imposed upon the sugar industry since 2015. They are now made to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) on electricity, water and goods that were previously exempt which contributes to increased expenses.

Added to these, timely payment of wages on a weekly basis is also another factor which they sought to address since their salaries are delayed on a regular basis.

The Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) stated, “The protesting workers shared, at this time, they are being threatened and coerced into agreeing to have their wages sent to the bank. They pointed out that should they request a job letter or seek the estate’s assistance with regard to NIS claims, for instance, they are

told such assistance would be withheld until they agree to have their wages payable through the bank.

This is most disturbing and can be seen as tantamount to blackmail while adding to hardships they today face.”

GAWU indicated that the Corporation’s actions opposed that of the Labour Act which requires that wages be paid in money. This is in relation to Section 19 (1), and the Union further highlighted Section 19 (4), which states that it is mandatory that employers must provide wages at locations which are convenient to the employees.

“The GAWU stands with the workers and the pensioners, and calls on the Corporation to do what is right and decent and to pay the workers at their regular pay offices as they have been doing for a long time now,” the Union said.

T

he understaffed Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA) finds it difficult to conduct its duties as a result of its present shortage of staffers. This was related on Monday during the Agency’s open day by its Director, Ann Greene.

“We don’t have enough, we never get enough, there’s no place that ever get enough Child Protection Officers and all of that, but we are tying our services with the community. Every adult is a child protector,” she explained.

Care Centres Manager Melissa Gentle, who is tasked with the responsibility of caring for children who are in Government’s residential care centres, said that while the centres were equipped with all the supplies they need, they were also plagued by the shortage of staff.

“The area for improvement would be staff. That’s usually a cry for most of our departments.

We need staff to help us with the children; that would be the only need so far,” she underscored.

Gentle noted that the Care Centres usually accepted volunteers, whose numbers were generally high at this time of the year as University students become busy with practicals.

In addition, she noted that at this time of the year too, persons would generally visit the Centres more often to donate clothes and toys among other things as the Christmas season neared.

The Director jumped in on that note and pointed out the importance of not only having a good quantity of staff but quality staff.

According to her, the services being offered by the Agency require ‘special people’ with a genuine love for the job, rather than someone seeking to fill their wallets.

Nonetheless, she noted that owing to understaffing, workers were not always available to investigate every reported case of child abuse immediately.

“We got a lot of complaints and the thing is I tell people with making complaints, people call in the hotline and they say that we ain’t come and I say well keep calling and people actually ask me ‘why we got to keep calling’.

If you (are) serious about calling and you want the call to have an action, well I would stay on it until I get action. That shows your level of commitment,” the Director explained.

According to her, because of its staff complement, the Agency is now left to prioritise the complaints it would have received.

“You might call and tell me that a child ain’t going to school, but then I have to look at all the calls I got here and there’s one that saying children left in a house without food, so it means we got to go to that one.”

She assured that such circumstances did not mean that the other case would not be looked in to – just at a later date.

Heavy rains expected on Wednesday

R

esidents on the Low Coastal Plain of Guyana may experience heavy rains form the remnants of Tropical Storm Kirk and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon on Monday assured that the country was “well-prepared”.

“We are very, very well prepared, I can say that to you that even when these storms do not affect us here in Guyana that the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) prepares for them,” he told media operatives on Monday.

Harmon gave the assurance at a press conference hours after the CDC warned that the storm remnants would be passing close to the coastal region on Wednesday bringing heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and high winds.

The CDC further noted that it, along with the Hydrometeorological Service, would be tracking the storm system and would be providing updates as they became available.

Harmon indicated that additional preparatory measures were being implemented.

The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) as late as Monday evening noted that it has stopped issuing advisories on Kirk, which had been downgraded into a tropical depression. US media entity CBS News reported that the remnants of Kirk dissipated into a tropical wave moving westward over the tropical Atlantic.

The tropical wave is located about 1400 miles east of the Windward Islands. “This

Kirk will be passing close to the Low Coastal Plain of Guyana on Wednesday

system is producing showers and thunderstorms along with winds to gale force over the northern portion of the wave.

Redevelopment of this system is possible over the next few days until it encounters highly unfavourable upper-level winds while it approaches the Caribbean Sea,” the NHC said.

“Environmental conditions are expected to become slightly more conducive for development during the next day or so while the system moves west-northwestward to northwestward. By Tuesday night and Wednesday, upper-level winds are expected to increase, limiting the chances for additional development while the system moves northward near the south-eastern United States coast…a non-tropical low-pressure system is expected to form north of Subtropical Storm Leslie along a cold front over the central Atlantic by Wednesday. Leslie and the non-tropical low are expected to merge over the central Atlantic, where conditions ap-

pear conducive for the low to acquire tropical or subtropical characteristics by the end of the week,” it added.

Kirk had initially developed from a tropical depression to a tropical storm.

A tropical depression forms when a low-pressure area is accompanied by thunderstorms that produce a circular wind flow with maximum sustained winds below 39 miles per hour (mph). An upgrade to a tropical storm occurs when cyclonic circulation becomes more organised and maximum sustained winds gust between 39 mph and 73 mph.

In addition to Guyana, Kirk was also likely to make land fall in Trinidad.

It reported that the NHC dubbed the storm “Kirk” after it developed last Saturday at the recent peak of the 2018 hurricane season.

Kirk, which had developed at a very southerly latitude, was moving west of Cabo Verde island packing winds of 40 miles (65 km) per hour.

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tuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 25 – 05:00h-06:30h and Wednesday, September 26 – 05:00h-06:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, September 25 – 16:30h-18:00h and Wednesday, September 26 – 05:00h-06:30h.

Over 3000 PPP candidates to contest LGE – Jagdeo confident in ethnic, gender balance

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions as well as light rain showers are expected during the day, with thundery and light rain showers expected in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 21 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East to North-westerly between 1.34 metres and 4.47 metres.

High Tide: 04:34h and 16:49h reaching maximum heights of 2.70 metres and 2.72 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 10:26h and 22:42h reaching minimum heights of 0.52 metre and 0.46 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, september 22, 2018

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monDAY, september 24, 2018 DAILY MILLIONS

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PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo (centre) with a segment of candidates from across the country. To his immediate left is Campaign Manager Zulficar Mustapha and to his right, parliamentary Chief Whip Gail Teixeira

N

omination Day is out of the way and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has revealed that over 3000 candidates have been put forward by his party to contest local elections in all 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs).

This was expressed at a press conference held at Freedom House on Monday.

At the press conference, PPP representatives from all across Guyana were present. According to Jagdeo, a special effort was made to have a list that reflected ethnic, class and gender balance. “We said we want the list to reflect a balance between PPP members and members of civil society … retired teachers, Policemen, retired headmasters, other prominent individuals in the community, people who committed to do social work,” he explained.

“We have many who are active in local government bodies but who are not members of our parties.

They may be sympathisers but not members of the Party. And we wanted them included on our list, because they have a great contribution to make in the development of their communities.

That was the first principle we established.”

The second principle, according to Jagdeo, was that the list must reflect Guyana.

The General Secretary noted that everyone from the intellectual to the fisherman has a role to play in developing their communities. Thus, efforts to include them were made.

“So, we insisted on ethnic balance. We wanted youth and experience. And you’ll see that reflected in our candidates. We wanted more women on our lists. We wanted religious and class balance. We didn’t want all intellectuals and no farmers or fishermen, because they have a role too,” the General Secretary expounded.

“Were we perfect in this situation? No. We sought as far as possible to observe these principles. In many areas, after select-

ing 3000 candidates, it’s a very difficult process.

And so many communities, we’ve had multiple names.

And some we accommodated on the PR [Proportional Representation] and constituency component.”

Enormous task

Besides the thousands of candidates, the General Secretary related that there were approximately 20,000 backers – demonstrative of the enormous task before the Party. According to Jagdeo, the Party will contest all Local Authority Area, even the ones whose creation caused PPP to launch court challenges.

Jagdeo noted that 70 of the 71 areas were contested in 2016. According to the General Secretary, this time around some 80 areas were created through gerrymandering. But Jagdeo made it clear that this time around the Party would contest every single area, including

the areas that were newly created.

“You know of our concerns about the creation of new local government bodies…that matter is before the courts now, but you’ll recall APNU said we’re worried about contesting in these areas, that is why we went to the courts. We went to the courts to uphold the Constitution and the laws of Guyana. Because it seems that only the PPP as a political party has the mandate now to do this.”

“No other political party is defending the citi-

zens’ rights. And we’re defending the right of citizens to be consulted when you alter their boundaries.

Notwithstanding that, we are contesting the LGE in all 80 areas, including the areas that were newly created,” Jagdeo said.

Nomination Day was held on September 21 and the three parties, coupled with independents, submitted their list of candidates. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is in receipt of 61 symbols from these entities, all having thrown their hats into the ring.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesdAY, september 25, 2018

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

Alcohol abuse O

ver the past week, the issue of alcohol and the massively damaging effects it is having on individuals and communities has once again been brought to the fore. It was reported in the media a few days ago that, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), alcohol kills a whopping three million people worldwide each year — more than AIDS, violence and road accidents combined.

It was stated that men are particularly at risk.

WHO’s Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018, published recently, presents a comprehensive picture of alcohol consumption and the disease burden attributable to alcohol worldwide. It also describes what countries are doing to reduce this burden. And for those that are lagging, it explains what could be done to discourage the use of alcohol and possibly reduce the huge negative impact it is having on countries.

According to the WHO, alcohol causes more than one in 20 deaths globally each year, including through drunk driving, alcohol-induced violence and abuse, and a multitude of diseases and disorders. Men account for more than three quarters of alcohol-related deaths.

The report explains that alcohol drinking is linked to more than 200 health conditions, including cirrhosis of the liver and some cancers. Alcohol abuse also makes people more susceptible to infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, HIV and pneumonia.

For young people, the numbers are even more alarming, with a full 13.5 per cent of all deaths among 20-to-29-yearolds considered to be alcohol-related, the study found.

In comparison, HIV/AIDS was responsible for 1.8 per cent of global deaths in 2016; road injuries accounted for 2.5 per cent, and violence for 0.8 per cent. Globally, an estimated 237 million men and 46 million women suffer from alcohol use disorders, WHO said.

Here, in Guyana, there are many social ills affecting citizens, and alcohol abuse is seen as one of the contributing factors. According to the WHO, the alcohol death rate for Guyana is 5.95 per 100,000 (globally ranked 70). This is still quite high, and urgent action must be taken to further reduce this figure.

Due to poor lifestyle choices, such as alcohol abuse, tobacco use, unhealthy diets and physical inactivity, NCDs have resulted in large numbers of our young people dying.

Another significant number have also fallen ill, and therefore cannot contribute to their families or the development of their communities in any way.

WHO Chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was quoted in the media as saying that far too many people, their families and communities suffer the consequences of the harmful use of alcohol through violence, injuries, mental health problems, and diseases like cancer and stroke.

According to The Caribbean Voice, an organisation that has been engaged in research etc in this field, alcohol is a trigger for abuse, especially gender-based, child and sexual abuse. It explains that some abusers rely on substance use (and abuse) as an excuse for becoming violent. Alcohol allows the abuser to justify his abusive behaviour as a result of the alcohol. Alcohol affects the user’s ability to perceive, integrate, and process information. Further, the organisation points to other substantial costs to society, including property damage, job loss, and health service costs.

WHO is urging countries to do more to counter harmful drinking, and to reach a goal of cutting global consumption by 10 percent between 2010 and 2025.

It is also urging countries to tax alcohol, and ban advertising of such beverages to reduce consumption.

However, this is not enough, there is need to push for a change in attitude and lifestyle changes in general, especially among the younger segment of our population.

While the Government must play a crucial role in designing the relevant programmes and policies, and putting in place the necessary legislative framework and other support mechanisms aimed at addressing the harmful use of alcohol, this burden must also be shared by other stakeholders; such as religious groups, the private sector, and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) etc.

It is hoped that the Government here, international development partners and other stakeholders would use this most recent WHO Report on Alcohol as a wakeup call to take urgent action aimed at addressing the harmful use of alcohol in this country.

The National Trust of Guyana through the Social Cohesion Ministry on Monday officially began its Indigenous Heritage Week Exhibition with the re-publication and launch of Akawaio Basketry Techniques written by Faye Case. The exhibition is being hosted under the theme “Today’s heritage for tomorrow’s generation: safeguarding and promoting Guyana’s Heritage in a Green Economy.” In photo, a patron views some of the artefacts on display

Young people and crime Dear Editor, The constant rise of crime in Guyana is a perpetual phenomenon, and a very frightening situation among our young women of late and young men. As I watched the news and read the papers, I am flabbergasted at the vast number of young women who are into the drug trafficking business, and are being sentenced and fined heavily by our courts.

These are very young women who are involved in these drug crimes. Also, young men we see daily involved in robbery-under-arms, murder, rape, drug trafficking; and the long dismal list of crime daily goes on. This does not mean that older drug dealers are not involved by using these young people as their ‘’scapegoats’’ to carry out their insidious acts. We also saw on the news that different types of drugs are infiltrating our school system, and we are told the drug pushers are the students. We

will now need more school security, before guns infiltrate our schools.

Most young people who are involved in crime have a desire to ‘’get rich quick,’’ and many of them are very educated but they don’t want to work or seek a job, they have decided to keep the wrong company, thus their being pushed into a life of crime by peer pressure -- to get easy money to wear brand name clothes, drive expensive cars, and wear millions in jewellery.

In poor economies like Guyana’s, where unemployment is on the increase, closing down of the sugar industry is another broad road to crime. Young people are frustrated because they have no jobs to gain even if they are qualified from university, and most seek to migrate on the ten-year visa, never to return.

I read in the papers that we will get US$1 million a day from 2020 as remuner-

ation for oil and gas. Those are words from President Granger. He did not say for how many years we will get the one million US dollars a day, but that is a lot of money. Professor Clive Thomas wanted to give one million Guyana dollars to every family here, which is not a lot of money here.

We will not be extracting oil for the next 23 years in Guyana, so it will be wise if this administration and the incoming administrations have a strategic economic plan to invest this money by opening up more job opportunities for our Guyanese people; by creating more industries, and not more ‘’debts’’.

This money can also be used to modernise the sugar industries, so that workers can get more jobs. If we can invest wisely in modern technology and create more payable jobs, also raise teachers’ pay to three hundred thousand dollars per month, we will have more Guyanese coming back

to live here than the massive migration we have seen for the past fifty years.

A close look at our markets and in Georgetown tells me clearly that we have more sellers than buyers, so if everybody wants to be a businessman or woman, then who will buy? This administration need to invest in our security system, pay the police and soldiers better wages and salaries, so they won’t take bribe, but work for their money. We have to stamp out this drug trade before it gets out of control.

Too many guns are on the streets. Too many young men are getting easy access to guns, to just walk into businesses in broad daylight and rob people; and they can outgun the Police, so they are not caught.

Life is about hard work; that is what God requires of us.

Regards, Rev Gideon Cecil

Regulations governing NGOs need to be simplified Dear Editor, According to a recent letter in the local media, “people of questionable character are forming NGOs and going around the world under false pretence, professing to be doing all kinds of good service in Guyana when in reality no one in Guyana is benefiting from these entities”. In some cases, they have never been heard of here. Many of these institutions are collecting millions of dollars from members, donors, foreign and local governments, but there is no accounting of how this money is being spent.

Many NGOs in Guyana do not comply with either their own constitutions or

the Friendly Societies Act which governs their operations.

The Caribbean Voice is a New York-registered NGO and not-for-profit organisation with almost two decades of experience in activism. And from the very inception, collaboration has been the pivot on which we have been operating.

Thus we have collaborated with the New York City Department of Education to sponsor an essay context for students; with NBC TV and the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry to raise funds for Caribbean hurricane victims; have held highly successful

business and international awards; have published The Caribbean Voice magazine and newspaper for over a decade; have helped other Caribbean NGOs in the diaspora in myriad ways, including mediating internal problems and collaborating with other NGOs on social issues activism, especially abuse and suicide.

Thus when we decided to launch our Suicide Prevention campaign in Guyana, we used the collaborative approach with the National Suicide Prevention and Related Issues Conference held in August 15 in Georgetown, and this was attended by over 75

stakeholders nationally. We have since collaborated with numerous entities, NGOs, faith-based and community-based organisations, local and regional governments, mass-based and special-interest groups, and fellow diaspora NGOs. All NGOs we have worked with are manned by volunteers who are caring, passionate and dedicated; who give so much of their time, effort and resources to make a difference every which way; and who are generally transparent with respect to both their work and the funds generated for such work.

Continued on page 5

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tuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Subryanville shooting

Hotelier slapped with murder charge …after DPP withdraws manslaughter charge

T

he proprietor of Tourist Villa Hotel, who was initially charged with manslaughter for the shooting death of his neighbour, Jason DeFlorimonte, saw the charge being upgraded on Monday to murder.

Erwin Bacchus, of Fifth Avenue, Subryanville, was initially charged with manslaughter when he made his first court appearance last month and was released on $1.5 million bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Remanded: Erwin Bacchus

However, during Monday’s hearing, the manslaughter charge was withdrawn and upgraded to the capital offence of murder.

According to presiding Magistrate Judy Latchman, who read the new charge to Bacchus, the withdrawal was based on the recommendations of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) after an investigation into the incident was completed.

Bacchus’s Attorney, Nigel Hughes argued that the de-

Jason DeFlorimonte

Doctors deserve better

Dear Editor, The public health system has been plagued with a plethora of problems, ranging from shortages of drugs and medical supplies to prolonged waiting time for patients at outpatient and even emergency departments.

Very often, patients’ frustration, disappointment and anger are usually directed at the doctors and nursing staff, many of whom are not responsible for the mismanagement that occurs on a daily basis.

The doctors themselves are frustrated with the system, and have made known their concerns about drug shortages, equipment failure, and inadequate and untimely laboratory results -- all of which have a severe impact on clinical management of patients.

At some departments in the GPHC, it is the norm for doctors to work 96 hours per week. This happens when doctors work “on call” every three days. In extreme instances, some departments require doctors to work from Saturday morning at 8 am to Monday at 4 pm, a total of 56 hours continuously, in addition to the average work week.

It should be noted that GPHC is regarded as the best staffed public hospital; one can only imagine how many more hours doctors at the regional and district hospitals

across Guyana have to work.

Many of the doctors believe they would be able to provide a better quality of service if the public health system adopts the European Standards of Work for Physicians in Guyana.

Inadequate accommodation

When physicians are “on call,” they are required to be physically present in the hospital compound. This is to ensure that, if needed, they would be immediately available. The public hospitals would usually designate an area wherein these “on call” doctors can be found, if needed. The basic requirements are a secure room, with toilet and bath, a cot, table and chair. These basic requirements are not met by most of the institutions, forcing doctors to sleep on the corridors or in their cars.

At the GPHC, for example, both male and female doctors are required to share the same room, with few beds and limited toilet facilities being available.

Salaries and allowances

Many Government Medical Officers are unhappy with their remuneration, especially the younger doctors.

A first-year GMO at GPHC receives a salary of $181,808.

A second year GMO at GPHC gets a salary of $218,169. A third-year GMO at GPHC gets a salary of $261,802.

Many of these doctors have complained that these salaries are wholly inadequate, especially with the increased cost of living.

The allowances that a doctor receives across the public health system vary.

The doctors at GPHC would get a monthly housing allowance of $20,000, but most of them complain that they are unable to rent a house in or around Georgetown for this sum of money. They also receive a meal allowance of $500 per call, which is far less than what an actual meal would cost. If a doctor decides to buy a real meal while “on call”, s/he would often end up spending more than $1000.

Doctors are given a $3000-per-month cell phone allowance, to be used when on call to get in contact with their registrars or consultants. Most young doctors complain that this sum is inadequate, and they are seeking an increase in this allowance.

Doctors are required to work ‘’on call” -- that is, for extended periods after their regular 8-hour shift -- during the work week, from 4 pm to 8 am Monday to Friday, and on weekends from 8 am to 8 pm Saturday, Sunday and holidays. For each on-call session, the doctor is paid $2500 as an “On Call” allowance, which the PPP/C Government had agreed would not be taxed.

Regulations governing NGOs...

So while there may be “People of questionable character professing to be doing all kinds of good service in Guyana when in reality no one in Guyana is benefiting,” TCV has no experience of such. If the letter writer is aware of such, we urge that he reports them so they can be brought to task before creating significant harm.

However, we are aware of entities registered as businesses but are promoting themselves as NGOs, and of a handful of individuals for whom social activism is a fashion statement and an ego-boosting excursion.

Also, we are aware that the cumbersome and bur-

densome Friendly Societies Act has brought a number of NGOs to a standstill, while impeding the work of others. So we believe that the regulations governing NGOs need to be simplified, and the registration process made easier and less demanding. Thus three persons should be sufficient for registration purpose, instead of the stipulated minimum of seven. As well, the process should easily facilitate not-for-profit and tax-exempt status, which is currently not the case.

And there should be a simple procedure to facilitate diaspora-based NGOs to operate in Guyana as well as to set up local branch-

es of their organisations.

Currently, over 100 diaspora-based NGOs operate at some level in Guyana.

TCV also suggests there should be oversight to ensure registered businesses do not project themselves as NGOs, or fundraise as such.

In fact, we also suggest establishing a data base/registry of NGOs, so all NGOs can be easily tracked and monitored and so that stakeholders’ collaboration can easily be built for any aspect of activism, such as suicide or abuse prevention, for example. This database/registry should be available to the public.

All NGOs should also lodge copies of their consti-

The APNU/AFC has now imposed a tax on this “On Call” allowance.

Many doctors in the public health sector are contending that the Granger Administration is rewarding party loyalty over medical competence and meritocracy. Many young doctors are complaining that scholarships for further training have not been properly advertised, panels are not balanced, and results are often skewed. They feel efforts must be made to have an open and transparent system wherein persons are promoted based on their assessed competence, or sent for postgraduate training based on merit.

Our medical doctors deserve better. They should earn better salaries and allowances, have reduced working hours to improve patient outcomes, experience better working conditions in the hospitals, and be subjected to a fair and equitable system that would allow for promotion based on merit, rather than a party card.

As the Government prepares to lay the next budget in Parliament, I hope the many concerns that doctors and other medical staff have raised about their remuneration and conditions of work would be considered.

Sincerely, Dr Frank Anthony, MP From page 4

tutions with the relevant Ministry, and user-friendly mechanism should be set to facilitate complaints and quick and conclusive investigations. While we do absolutely agree that transparency and accountability must be in place, we suggest that monitoring be standardised, so as not to be onerous and breathing- down-the-neck demanding. As well, anyone who supports charitable work and social activism via any NGO should not only have the right to demand accountability, but should be able to access same via the database/registry.

Sincerely, The Caribbean Voice

cision made by the DPP was nothing but an “abuse of power”.

In his arguments, Hughes argued that it was the now deceased man who armed himself with a knife and a rolling pin and attacked a handyman who ran for cover inside the accused’s residence.

The Attorney said it was at that time that the defendant, who is licensed to carry a firearm, fired two warning shots.

Hughes further noted that the now deceased man told his client that he did not care and continued pursuing the handyman.

During the ordeal, it is alleged that DeFlorimonte attempted to stab Bacchus with the knife when he (Bacchus) shot him several times about his body.

Magistrate Latchman re-

manded Bacchus to prison.

The matter will continue today for a report on the post-mortem examination.

Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers informed the court that he was ready for a date for commencement of a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) N in which some 20 witnesses would be called to the witness box. The Magistrate set October 3, 2018 for commencement of the PI. Only recently Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore recused herself from hearing the PI stating that one of the parties involved in the matter approached her concerning the case.

Even though she did not disclose whether it was a relative of the victim or the accused that approached her, she noted that she “doesn’t want anyone to tell her how to do her job”.

Labourer in hot water for threatening mother

A

49-year-old labourer was on Monday granted bail after he denied threatening his mother when he appeared before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Paul Smith made his first appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts for a use of threatening language charge which stated that on September 22, 2018 at Shell Road, Kitty, Georgetown, he used threatening language to his mother, Norma Semple whereby a breach of peace was occasioned.

Smith denied the charge.

According to the facts

presented in court, on the day in question, the defendant went home under the influence of alcohol. He then began to verbally abuse the Virtual Complainant by using profane language after she reprimanded him about his behaviour. He then threatened to kill her and burn down her house. The matter was reported to the Police. Smith was later arrested and charged.

The prosecutor made no objections to bail which resulted in Magistrate Latchman granting Smith his pre-trial liberty for the sum of $30,000. The case will continue today

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tuesdAY, september 25, 2018

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By Laura Markham, PhD

M

ost of the time when children don’t do the right thing, it’s not because they don’t know what the right thing is. It’s because they choose something else.

In other words, they have another priority. So start with modelling, guidance, family habits of compassion and repair. Then, use these five strategies to help your child WANT to do the right thing, even when it’s hard.

Stay connected When children don’t follow our lead and our rules, it’s often because they feel disconnected. So why should they give up what they want, to do what you want?

Because we love our children, we often forget that it’s easy for them to feel disconnected from us after a day apart. Why not turn off your phone, forget about your list, and spend 15 minutes just being fully present and loving with your child? Resist teaching or correcting; just appreciate your child.

Repeat daily. I predict that within a few days, your child will be “choosing” to cooperate with you much more. When children WANT to follow our lead, they’re more likely to make choices in accordance with the values we’ve taught and modelled – whether we’re with them or not.

Make sure your limits are reasonable and age-appropriate If your limits feel too strict, children look for workarounds or give up on pleasing you, and strong-willed children just become rebels.

So help your child succeed in feeling like a good person who

Foundation gets pleasure out of choosing to do the right thing, by setting limits that your child can follow successfully.

Train yourself to set your limits with empathy, which means you hold to your expectations, while offering understanding that your child doesn’t like the limit. The limits teach children what’s right. The empathy makes the limits palatable so your child is more likely to accept them.

That means you’ll be saying some version of this over and over all day long: “You wish

choices.

you could..... I hear you. Right now, you can’t. I know that feels hard. I understand. You can handle this. I’ll help. Let’s work together to make this work.” That may sound like a lot of effort, but it’s more motivating for your child than threats and will feel a lot better for you. And it won’t take long for your child to stop fighting your limits and start looking for win-win solutions.

Giving up what they want in the moment, for something they want more (that warm relationship with you) is what helps children develop selfdiscipline. That’s a key skill when they need to make hard

that the connection has to be positive so the child wants to create the habit?) Over time, you gradually help your child create good habits that she “owns”, for life. She begins to see herself as someone who takes her plate to the kitchen, who’s responsible and considerate, who takes care of herself and her family.

Give support Encourage your child so he knows he has the support to do hard things. If your child isn’t meeting your expectations, ask yourself what support she needs. For instance, you want her to take her plate to the kitchen. You know it takes 30 days to create a new habit. So every single meal you connect warmly with her as you encourage, remind, and motivate her to take her plate to the kitchen. (Notice

Expect your child to “repair” relationships when he’s done damage When children’s mistakes are met with compassion and encouragement instead of shame, they WANT to do better next time. Help him

with his upset and anger first; then he’ll be open to repair. Because it feels good to redeem ourselves, repair is empowering, as long as you’re careful to make it an expectation but never a punishment. (That means he needs to decide what to do to initiate the repair.) Like cleaning up any other mess, the experience of repair makes us more careful about making messes to begin with.

Emotion-coach When children know what’s right but won’t do it, that’s a red flag that they’re in the grip of big emotions.

The only way to “get rid” of emotions is to feel them, but the good news is that once you empathise with your child’s upset and offer understanding, he’ll “show” you those emotions and they’ll begin to evaporate. He learns that emotions aren’t an emergency, which helps him regulate them, so he can regulate his behaviour – and make better choices.

In practice? You empathise instead of teaching when your child is having a hard time.

That calms the drama. Later, your child will be ready to learn, and you can teach.

Is all this more work? Yes. But this work on our part is how children develop selfdiscipline. Why would a child choose, over and over, to do the harder thing? Because on some level there’s a bigger pay-off — initially that warm relationship with the parent, and over time that clear sense of him or herself as a good person who chooses to do the right thing. That identity shapes their choices through life. It’s the foundation of the inner compass. And it raises a child you’ll be proud to parent. (Excerpt from psychologytoday.com)

By Judy Willis, MD, MEd

U

nderstanding the neuroscience of how their brains learn and what influences its most successful acquisition and application of learning is a powerful tool for helping students confront the increasing demands of school.

This knowledge also better equips students, parents, and educators to recognise applications and implications from the rapidly expanding research. Further, these insights can enhance students’ effectiveness, creativity, and enjoyment of learning. They also benefit by recognising conditions, such as stress or frustration, that may have hindered them in reaching their full potentials in the past, but can be overcome by building their own brainpower as they achieve the success they seek.

With my goal of building understanding of the neuroscience of learning with teens in college, I taught a course (total class time 24 hours over four weeks) to students at Williams College. In addition to class, each student conducted their own research investigations of neuroscience topics of their interest.

As you’ll read, the insights they derived from class and their research projects fell into three categories. Some recognised practices used by their best teachers that made their learning particularly successful and correlated with the neuroscience of learning research they were learning about. Others found connections from the research to strategies they believe can be applied to improve their own future studying and learning habits. Most also found implications from the research they believe would be valuable strategies for educators and parents to try.

Their presentations and papers were extensive and supported by evidenced-based, valid research – the criteria of which we defined before they started.

Understanding STRESS AND THE BRAIN

Magdalen York’s interest was related to how stress im-

pacts learning. She felt that the ability to control stress could “not only improve learning but overall quality of life.” She reviewed the response of the amygdala when it blocks input of learning into successful memory.

“Stress is often seen as a threat and, therefore, receives first priority into the brain, blocking off the pathway so other information, such as the equation the learner is attempting to memorise, is not able to be soaked up by the brain...

Once the learner is able to identify that the child in the back of the class tapping their foot on the floor as a distraction and a source of stress, she is more likely to be able to set it aside, providing more room for wanted information to flow through the brain.”

She also supported the use of reflective exercises

by Maths learners with an outcome of reduced Maths stress and improved attitudes toward Maths. In one study she reviewed, Maths learners did a reflective writing exercise, described as an affirmation intervention, in which they periodically wrote personal values that were important and meaningful to them. One interpretation of the positive outcomes was that the reflections helped them focus on long-term goals and potentials and to reduce selfdoubt.

Kirby Gordon’s interest was to evaluate potential positive outcomes from stress. He proposed that “upon experiencing a highly stressful event, a learner can make the best of it by making a note of what can be learned from the stressful event. This learning could get clustered in with the other details of the emotional “flashbulb” memory of the event and provide a positive benefit from what might otherwise be quite an unpleasant experience.”

(Excerpted from psychologytoday.com)

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tuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Granger nixes SPU’s choice for GuySuCo Chairman …appoints agriculture specialist

F

ive months after Special Purpose Unit (SPU) Head Colvin Heath-London was tipped to become the new Chairman of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and subsequent to a notice published in the media naming him and several other persons as members of the new Board, those names have been discarded for an entirely new board.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon announced officially the new members of the Board for the now downsized Corporation. Harmon told the media on Monday at his post-Cabinet press briefing that Cabinet recently granted its approval of a new Board of Directors for GuySuCo which will be chaired by John Dow. Other persons appointed to the new GuySuCo Board include: John Browman, Richard Cumberbatch, Paul Cheong, Fritz McLean, Vishnu Panday, Ramesh Persaud, Nowrang Persaud, Roy Hanoman, Claude Housty and ex-officio member Harold Davis Jr. The Board’s tenure is two years and it will expire on August 31, 2020.

Subsequent to the White Paper on Sugar being laid in the National Assembly, it was announced that Finance Minister Winston Jordan

Newly-appointed GuySuCo Chairman John Dow

and his Ministry would take over responsibility for the sugar industry and the divestment process.

Jordan said in April that contrary to the paid fullpage advertisements about a new board headed by HeathLondon and a Cabinet subcommittee’s decision, there was no new board for GuySuCo and consequently, no new Chairman.

According to the advertisement, which was published on March 14, 2018, the new Board was approved

by Cabinet on February 26, 2018, and the appointments were supposed to take effect on March 1. There had long been rumours of a split at the executive level over the decision, however.

The old Board of

Directors had comprised economist, Dr Clive Thomas as the Chairman and Frederick Singh as the Secretary. The Directors were: Louise Bouyea, Fritz McLean, John Browman, Nigel Cumberbatch, Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, Nazim Ali, and George Jervis.

A list of the next proposed Board was circulated in sections of the media.

On that list were Komal Singh, Verna Adrian, Fritz McLean, Rosh Khan J), George Jervis, Arianne McLean, Vishnu Panday, Annette Arjoon-Martins, and two GuySuCo executives.

Jordan later denied there was a political split between the Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on the issue. He acknowledged, however, that the subcommittee’s decision died a swift death when the full Cabinet overturned the proposed appointments.

Stressing that this was within the Cabinet’s right, Jordan related that the full Cabinet deferred the decision until it could get more information on the nominees and thus rendered the appointments null and void.

President David Granger had said he wanted the new members to be experts, so they could effectively lead

the now downsized industry into profitability. And just last month, Government announced the appointment of Davis Jr as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GuySuCo. Nevertheless, the coalition Administration has taken considerable flak from various stakeholders for its indecisiveness in setting up the new Board and also for the operation of GuySuCo in general.

Last year, Government announced plans to down-

size the local sugar industry and divest the Corporation’s assets. To this end, SPU, which falls under the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), was set up to oversee the divestment plans by way of either selling off or restarting factories with minimal staff to attract investors – both domestic and foreign.

The SPU is currently managing the now closed Skeldon; East Demerara (Enmore); Rose Hall and

Wales estates.

However, there have been reports of an apparent tug-of-war within the coalition of recent over the sugar industry, parts of which are now under the control of the SPU for the divestment process.

In fact, reports had surfaced about disagreements allegedly between Ministers from the two coalition parties regarding the chairmanship and members of the GuySuCo Board. The last GuySuCo Board expired back in February.

Security guard killed in WCD accident

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olice are investigating a fatal accident on the Cornelia Ida Public Road on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) which claimed the life of a 71-year-old pedestrian.

Dead is Realino Santiago. Reports are the accident occurred about 08:45h on Monday as a motor car bearing registration number PVV 982 was proceeding along the northern carriageway of the road.

The security guard was reportedly crossing the road from South to North when he was struck down.

He was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital by the 21-year-old driver and succumbed shortly after while receiving treat-

ment. His body is presently at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

According to Police Public Relations Officer

(PRO) Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, the driver who passed a breathalyser test is in custody assisting with the investigation.

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tuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

IN THE COURTS

Barber charged for assaulting, mocking differently abled man Digging…

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24-year-old barber was on Monday hauled before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on charges of assaulting and making mockery of a man who is differently abled.

Kevin Sugrim stood before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman and denied

that he unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm on Colin SettMayer while in the vicinity of Kitty, Georgetown on April 22, 2018.

Another charge read to Sugrim stated that also on April 22, 2018 at the same location, he also unlawfully wounded Jeremiah Williams

with intention to cause him actual bodily harm.

The prosecution is contending that on the day in question about 11:30h the victims were walking among others when the defendant made fun of his disabilities.

It is alleged that the defendant then dealt the virtual complainant several punch-

es and kicks about the body, which resulted in his receiving three and five centimetre lacerations to the left side of his abdomen.

Sugrim was only recently arrested for the offences.

He was released on $180,000 bail for the offences. The case will continue on October 15, 2018.

W

…the credit hole

hen then President, Jagdeo had visited Kuwait and some other countries in the Middle East, back in 2010, to secure development funding – and this was in the pre-oil era, mind you. The PNC and AFC screamed hysterically that he was being adventurous.

The AFC shrieked, “We warn that the high wire act being performed by Mr Jagdeo could lead to our becoming embroiled in a dangerous game being played out in a larger arena, and one in which we could find ourselves impaled on the horns of an axis of death and destruction”!!

We wonder why they’re deafeningly silent now that Finance Minister Jordan is following in Jagdeo’s tracks and trying to capitalise on the goodwill he and President Ramotar had engendered in the years since, by asking Kuwait that their US$70 million debt be forgiven.

Whatever happened to “the horns of an axis of death and destruction”??? Hypocrites!! The other benefit the PNCled Government’s benefiting from out of the PPP courting of the Islamic world is its membership of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), which led in Dec 2017 to “a resource envelope” of US$900 million being potentially available over the next four years – once suitable projects are identified.

Now, loans from the IsDB are based on “Islamic principles” based on the Sharia, or Muslim law, which include -- as your Eyewitness pointed out at the time -- Mudarabah (Profit sharing and loss bearing), Wadiah (safekeeping), Musharaka (joint venture), Murabahah (cost plus), and Ijara (leasing).. Islamic Banking, for instance, forbids riba, or usury, which would include interest on interest. For instance, we actually borrowed from Kuwait only US$10 million, but since then, the interest on the interest has increased the debt to US$70 million!! This would be forbidden, as riba, if Kuwait applied Islamic banking principles.

Jordan certainly didn’t know about this angle, to raise when he “begged” the Kuwaitis for debt forgiveness. After all, even though he secured the US$900 million resource envelope almost a year ago, it was only AFTER he received the first drawdown of US$20 million to fund GPL’s technical line loss that he confessed sheepishly, “Over the next few days, my team and I will be involved in activities that will bring a greater and deeper appreciation for the principles and practices of Islamic banking.”

Imagine that!! Guyana became a member of IsDB because it has a Muslim population of over 10 percent, yet Jordan didn’t think to consult them about Islamic Banking”!! But he should at least know that Islamic Banking practices don’t encourage theft. And when Jordan uses the IsDB money to reduce only line loss (14 percent) and ignore electricity theft (15 percent), that’s haraam.

Jordan would do well to consult Local Islamic jurists specialising in fiqh al-muamalat -- Islamic commercial jurisprudence.

…into Reverse Linkage

In addition to the LOAN from the IsDB, Guyana received a US$900,000 GRANT from the institution to support the rice sector. Minister Winston Jordan displayed his ignorance of a seminal innovation of the IsDB to Islamic Banking when, in signing for GRANT, he baldly just mentioned it as a “Reverse Linkage” that would assist in updating Guyana’s expertise and technology in rice production.

If he’d taken the time to get a briefing on Reverse Linkage”, he’d know that this is the IsDB’s effort to remove development initiatives away from the Western institutions that have dominated the field for the last sixty years. In so doing, they steered “development” in pathways that benefited THEIR commercial institutions more than the supposed “beneficiaries”.

Take, for instance, their new rice varieties. All of them depend for their success on increasing amounts of fertilisers -- which THEY produce. Or genetically modified crops, where companies like Monsanto control the supply of seeds.

“Reverse linkages” link South-South institutions. That’s revolutionary!!

…for Health answers

We were informed that, at last, the Ministry of Public Health has moved out from the bottom-house “warehouse” it paid for and rented from its campaign contributor for $300 million.

So where’s it storing the free CT scanner received for Bartica Hospital two years ago??

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

News

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tuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Countrywide property valuations

Jagdeo promises no increase in property rates – in areas PPP wins at LGE 2018

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

W

ith countrywide property valuations on the horizon, People’s Progressive Party General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has promised that no increases in rates would be implement-

ed in areas his party wins at the Local Government Elections (LGE).

Jagdeo made this announcement at a press conference he held with PPP candidates from across the country. His commit-

ment would correlate with Government promising that rate hikes would be up to local officials after the valuations are over.

The PPP General Secretary was critical of the exercise and the fact that it would result in more burden on the taxpayer. He pointed out that Central Government has already been collecting increased taxes from the populace.

“We have been in opposition to increasing the rates and taxes across the country. We believe this government has increased too many taxes. So, we are opposed to any new burden on people’s backs. There is a surreptitious move on the part of this government to increase valuations.

“They’ve hired a company from abroad to do this

countrywide evaluation,” Jagdeo observed.

“There can be only one purpose to this. To increase valuation of property means your taxes are going up. Any area the PPP wins, we will not increase rates and taxes, because that’s a local issue. So people who vote APNU will be voting to increase their taxes.”

Romel Roopnarine, representative of the Herstelling, Little Diamond area, noted that there were fears about the impending valuation of properties, particularly on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).

He noted that this fear was especially pervasive in the newly-created housing schemes. In addition, he noted that residents were concerned about overlooked services to their communities.

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation, a Canadian firm, was contracted by the Government for approximately $330 million to assist with the exercise. The project is expected to last until next year.

The initiative was supposed to review existing property rate structures, to raise more money at the regional level. According to Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan in a recent interview with the media, work on the contract will conclude in 2019.

Besides the valuations and revaluations, Bulkan noted that the project would also produce an inventory of properties. Bulkan hailed this as an opportunity for councils to be less dependent on Central Government.

The Municipal Property

Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan

Assessment Corporation does property evaluations for the state of Ontario and other jurisdictions. Its work spans Canada and other countries. It was only last year that City Hall announced that property rates would go up by 10 per cent.

Another raid unearths drugs, improvised weapons at Lusignan Prison

O

ne week after a number of prohibited items were discovered in the Lusignan Prison on the East Coast of Demerara, yet another set of contraband items was unearthed following a raid on Monday.

Reports are prison authorities raided the Lusignan facility between 12:02h and 14:50h on Monday which led to the discovery of 14 cellphones, 15 SIM cards, one tattoo machine, five pairs of scissors, 48 improvised

weapons, 85 grams of cannabis, $3040 in cash, a quantity of chargers, one knife, one chopper, and a quantity of razor blades. These items were found in Holding Bay Two, while three cellphones, nine improvised weapons, one tattoo machine, one pair of scissors, one cable and one earpiece were found in Holding Bay Three.

Meanwhile, in Holding Bay One, three improvised weapons, four lighters, one cellphone and one earpiece

were unearthed.

This find comes exactly seven days after ranks attached to the very prison seized contraband items including 45 improvised weapons, six lighters, one metal foil, 36 razor blades, three cellphone chargers, one white cellphone, a quantity of empty ziplock bags, one tattoo machine, a quantity of nails, two headphones, three broken pieces of metal and a quantity of pallet wood.

That search lasted for a

few hours.

Earlier in the month, a raid was conducted at the Georgetown Prison at Camp Street during which 19 cellular phones, five phone chargers, one flash drive, 15 cigarette lighters, two packs of cigarettes, five pairs of scissors, seven improvised weapons, and 774 grams of cannabis were found.

Prior to that raid, another raid was carried out at Lusignan Prison. There again razor blades, 17 phone

City Mall attempted murder, robbery

Duo admitted to crimes under caution – investigator

A

s the trial of Marisco George and her alleged accomplice, John Caesar, continued at the High Court, Police investigator at the time Cedric Gravesande testified on Monday that both of the accused persons admitted guilt under caution by Police. However, these revelations seemed to ignite an animated Caesar who sprang to his feet as the Policeman continued testifying. This was after he appeared to mouth at least one obscenity to Gravesande.

“This man is very Pythagoras, Judge,” Caesar told presiding Judge Sandil Kissoon in reference to Gravesande.

This comment prompted light laughter, but it was not too clear what he actually meant as Pythagoras was an ancient Greek philosopher. Moreover, Pythagoras Theorem is a principle in Mathematics. The Judge told the defendant to relay his objections through his attorney, Brandon De Santos.

Caesar and George are both accused of attempting to murder businesswoman Dhanmatee Phulchand in the course of a violent robbery committed at Reshma’s Collection Store in the City Mall in Georgetown on July

Accused: Marisco George

4, 2009. Earlier in the trial, Phulchand identified the duo as her attackers, having recognised both of them as they used to hang out at the Mall.

At Monday’s hearing, the Police witness told the 12-member jury that he was present when number one accused George gave her statement to Police at the Brickdam Police Station as well as when Caesar gave his one year later in June 2010 at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters.

According to Gravesande, George willingly gave her statement and elected Corporal Da Silva to write it for her. It was disclosed that she appeared to read it after the questioning was over.

Gravesande added that at no time did they use force or threats on the accused young woman. The witness told the jury that George said to Da Silva: “Officer is me and a boy; me and he all right.”

He further explained that he cautioned Caesar with other ranks present and upheld his rights as a prisoner.

He said the accused man selected him to write his confession for him. Gravesande related Caesar saying in 2010 that it was he and George who carried out the attack.

“Officer about a year ago Marisco friend, a man, tell me fo’ beat a lady in de Mall

‘cause he didn’t like her. I had a piece of wood and I lash she for about three minutes. I see Marisco with money in she hand and I tell she that it robbery. She gave me $60,000 and I hid the material. The lady know me ‘cause I used to go to the Mall,” his caution statement read.

Attorneys De Santos and Damien Da Silva, the latter who is representing George, both cross-examined the Police witness. State Counsels Abigail Gibbs and Narissa Leander appeared for the State. The matter continues before Justice Kissoon at the High Court.

The illegal drug found by Police in the Lusignan Prison

chargers, 24 lighters, a quantity of wires, eight metal spoons, two pairs of scissors, one plastic knife, two nail clips, a quantity of ziplock bags, six bottles of pepper sauce, one pack of cards, three bottles of medicine, four bottles of oil with suspected cannabis seeds, one memory card and three mirrors were found.

The smuggling of contraband items into prisons remains a perennial problem within the system.

Authorities have been working assiduously to curb the practice, and these efforts

have resulted in several prison officers being caught facilitating the illegal trade, which is said to be “big business”.

In fact, back in July, Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels had disclosed during a press conference that several prison officers had been relieved of their duties after they were found to be working in collusion with each other in order to facilitate the movement of suspected contraband into the Lusignan Prison Holding Bay area.

10 news

tuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Town Clerk leased lands not owned by M&CC – CoI hears …as current, former employees testify

By Rupadai Seenaraine

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urrent and former employees of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) appeared in their numbers at the Critchlow Labour College on Monday to testify on the first day of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that was launched into the non-payment of benefits and issues surrounding other financial resources at City Hall.

Headed by Retired Justice Cecil Kennard, the CoI is seeking to investigate the nonpayment of benefits, a rejected no-confidence motion that was filed against Town Clerk Royston King by Councillor Sherod Duncan, contracts that were awarded and the mismanagement of funds among other areas.

At Monday’s session, the issue of King distributing lease documents for a plot of land which is not owned by the Council to a shipping carrier came under scrutiny.

While the matter has not yet been addressed by the Commission, Guyana Times understands that Quick Shipping Inc was given permission to operate on a piece of land at Lot 1 Mudflat, Lombard Street at the cost of $625,000 per year.

Initially, the company had sent a letter to National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) on September 6, 2016 which requested permission to rent the piece of land. It has been insinuated that the Town Clerk did not submit the lease document to the entire Council for deliberations. This is supposed to be done d for all contracts which pass through City Hall.

Prior to the announcement by the Local Government Commission (LGC) to launch a CoI into the operations at City Hall, the Town Clerk was sent on administrative leave and representing the

Commission were Everton Singh-Lammy and Sherwin Benjamin.

Both King and the Mayor, Patricia Chase Green are expected to testify at later hearings, but witnesses on Monday included 59-year-old Kenrick Hamilton, who shared his concerns as it relates to accumulating no benefits after serving for over 20 years.

He was placed to work as an ‘unfixed’ employee which means that he would receive no benefits after the age of 65. Fixed employees are expected to retire at the age of 55, with benefits.

Hamilton told the Commission he would have engaged several Ministries on this matter and a response from the Labour Department of the Social Protection Ministry led to a meeting which the Council did not attend.

“Every time we call Labour, City Council make an excuse. We end up now

An employee of City Hall testifying at the CoI on Monday. Also in photo at far right is retired Justice Cecil Kennard

taking it on our own and write the President of Guyana,” he said.

Also testifying at the CoI was Julian Orjester, who claimed that he served in the position of assistant

On one occasion, the man said that King told him, “Julian, I cannot help you.”

Retired employees also gave their statements, primarily as it relates to monies that were owed to them

Neighbourhood “buse-out” lands woman in court

A

mother of three of East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown was hauled before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman on Monday after she was accused of assault and throwing missiles at another woman during a neighbourhood argument.

Omalita Grant denied all four charges when they were read to her in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

It is alleged that the

41-year-old woman used abusive language towards Abiola Holland on August 24, 2018 while she was in of East La Penitence, Georgetown.

The fruit vendor was also accused of directing threatening language towards Holland on August 28, 2018 on two different occasions.

The fourth charge alleged that on August 29, 2018, Grant threw missiles at Holland.

According to facts pre-

sented to the court, on the days in question, the defendant used a series of profanities towards the woman before arming herself with a cutlass and threatened to “chop up” the Virtual Complainant (VC).

Moreover, the woman then allegedly armed herself with glass bottles and threw them at the VC. Grant was released on $20,000 bail for each charge.

The cases will continue on September 25, 2018.

Town Clerk Royston King

town clerk, but was never paid an increase.

According to Orjester, he was asked to serve as the assistant town clerk in 2013 on two occasions. The man indicated that he summoned King on numerous occasions as it related to his money but would only get to speak with the Town Clerk if he was in “a good mood”.

after various salary increases. Jardine Hope and Allison Collins testified as former employees who did not receive increases that were granted by the Government.

Collins related that she was owed money since 2015 and 2016 and was told, “He (Royston King) said he don’t have money to pay us our back pay nor my gratuity. I

would like to have my money from the Mayor and City Council.”

The Inquiry is expected to conclude on October 31, 2018 when the necessary recommendations will be submitted after all evidence is presented before the Commission. Justice Kennard sought to point out that letters in the media will not be taken into account as testimony. Hence, persons would have to take the stand under oath to submit their evidence.

The CoI comes just months away from the Local Government Elections (LGE) after which a new executive body will be elected to oversee the activities of the Council.

However, it was claimed that this was necessary since numerous complaints were made by staffers of the Council and other agencies regarding the expenditure and decisions which were made by the Council.

On September 21, 2018, the Town Clerk was instructed to proceed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

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TuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Companies ID’d to build India-funded US$18M North-West ferry

F

ollowing much anticipation by residents of Region One (BarimaWaini) for more accessible water-based transport, Government on Monday announced that a company has been identified to construct a ferry to ply the Georgetown-North West route. For the past several months, Government has been engaging in lengthy discussions with two Indiabased companies to finalise details for constructing of an ocean-going vessel that residents would utilise.

The two companies were announced as Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) and SHOFT Shipyard Pvt Ltd. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon updated members of the media, revealing that the vessel’s construction was closer to reality as the company has already been identified.

“It takes a little bit of time from actual conceptualisation of a project to funding for it, so it would have gone through several phases and now a company has been identified to construct the ferry,” Harmon noted.

The new vessel is seen as a vital addition since MV Barima and Lady North Cote which ply the route are aged and in dire need of refurbishment.

These vessels date back to Guyana’s colonial pre-1966 era. The Indian Government has committed US$18 million for the ferry. Of this amount, US$8 million will

Lady North Cote which currently plies the Georgetown-North West route

be a grant, while the remaining $10 million will be a line of credit to be repaid within 20 years, with a fiveyear grace period.

Over the years, residents have been complaining about the negative impact of the ferry service on their lives and livelihoods.

Another one of Guyana’s ferries, the MV Kimbia, was docked for repairs last year. Back in January 2015, former President Donald Ramotar had secured the funding while attending the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Gujrat, India. He had a meeting on the sidelines with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,

during which the commitment was made. Modi will soon visit Guyana.

Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Venkatachalam Mahalingam told reporters in March that Government was working to finalise the specifications of the ferry.

“They have to finalise the specifications of the ferry, and then one of the companies will be given the bid to manufacture the ocean-going vessel,” the Indian diplomat explained.

It was in January 2012 that two Chinese-made vessels were handed over to Guyana to ply various routes in Essequibo.

CCPA investigating rape of minor in Linden after video goes viral on social media

T

he Child Care and Protection Agency is now investigating the rape of a minor, by two adult males, af-ter the videos went viral on social media on Monday.

The victim is said to be a 15 year old student of Linden, Region 10. It is unclear when the incident oc-curred but the videos surfaced and quickly went viral on Monday.

Sources at the CCPA confirmed that the young lady is a minor and will be meeting with the authorities on Tuesday.

She will be accompanied by her parents to the CCPA Broad Street, Georgetown Headquarters.

Preliminary reports indicate that the minor was raped after she refused the advances of one of the men in the video. The main conspirator is said to be a remigrant from the island of Antigua and he now resides at Silver City, Linden.

The remigrant is the one who demanded oral sex from the minor and had the spurned perpetrator video the ordeal. At some point

they both took turns in raping the minor despite her begging them to stop.

More detailed report to follow.

Children should not be vending, begging – CCPA Head

“W

hen you purchase from a child that is vending, you are part of the problem, and you are part of the exploitation of that child and if you throw a dollar in a child’s outstretched hand, you are part of the problem, you are part of his exploitation.”

Those were the sentiments shared by the Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), Ann Greene at the Agency’s head office on Charles and Broad Streets, Georgetown on Monday during one of the initial events being hosted to observe Child Protection Week.

Her statements came after being questioned by Guyana Times about the recent increase in children vending water and other items at traffic lights.

According to the Director, such activities should not be condoned by sympathetic persons, since it will only result in the action being continued rather than being resolved.

She said too that it only supported the exploitation of the child, since many times those monies were taken away from the children by their parents.

“People should not (buy from those children), what people should do is link them

CCPA Director Ann Greene

to the services (CCPA), like talk with them, find out what is happening and tell them where they can come… if you stop (giving or buying from them) you become part of the solution and not problem…but don’t keep giving children money or purchase from children who are vending. We would never get it to stop,” she informed.

Greene reminded that child vending was illegal as was child begging, and they ought not to be on the streets but in school. She explained that children who were on the streets become vulnerable since they endanger their lives while running to a person’s vehicle, in an attempt to help their parents or guardians put food on the table.

According to her, such

matters should be reported to the CCPA, which can result in action being taken against the parents or guardians as have happened before.

She said the purpose of the CCPA was to investigate matters such as these and help children who are in need. Greene added while she understood poverty was a sore issue which often resulted in these activities, it was not a child’s duty to help parents earn an income.

This newspaper was told that on various streets in the city of Georgetown, children have been running to vehicles to sell water and other beverages, especially at stoplights. They have also found themselves at these very stoplights wiping windshields for an extra dollar in their pockets.

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tuesdAY, september 25, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

LGE 2018

Dead woman’s name appears on AFC’s East Berbice list

By Andrew Carmichael

also that they did not sign any documentation to suggest a desire to be on the AFC list.

“We will also follow up that, and take legal action, too, in these matters. Some of these persons whose signatures were forged have indicated that they

R

esidents of Good Hope/Number 51 Neighbourhood Democratic Council on the Corentyne Coast in East Berbice (Region Six) are claiming they did not put their names on forms submitted to the Returning Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by the Alliance For Change (AFC) on Nomination Day. Signatures representing one dead person, six who live overseas, and 18 who claim they did not sign the forms, including a man who cannot read or write, have all appeared on forms submitted to the Returning Officer

by Kumar Bridgelall, who presented the AFC list to GECOM on Friday.

Relatives of Radha Jugroo said she died in the USA on June 26, 2018, but her name and a signature purporting to be hers have appeared on the AFC list which Bridgelall submitted to GECOM on Friday last.

The daughter of Dhanraj Deonat -- Babita Davie -- has told this publication it was impossible for her father to have signed the AFC list, because he can neither read nor write.

She explained that Deonat uses his thumb print whenever he is required to sign something.

The woman also presented her father’s National Identification Card (ID Card) to show that the number corresponds with the number affixed next to Deonat’s name on the AFC list submitted

Number 51 NDC is not the only community in which the party has noticed that type of irregularity.

He said A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) might have also done the same thing in some other areas in the re-

quired signatures to support their candidates, so they forged signatures; and in some areas they misled the persons, telling them that they were signing to have their streets repaired or to have streets lights installed in their communities,” De Roop

Dhanraj Deonat said he can neither read nor write. His ID card has a thumb print representing his signature to GECOM. On the identification card there is a thumb print in place of a signature.

Babita Davie-Deonat further told this publication that her name and identification number also appear on the AFC list with a signature next to it. She is contending that she had never signed a form for the AFC, and that the signature which appeared next to her name is not hers.

Another resident, Bebi Khatija Isahak, said she also has never signed any form, but her name and a signature purporting to be hers appear on the AFC list Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) Campaign Manager for Good Hope/Number 51, Swarswattie Davi-Sherrif, told this publication that the names and ID numbers of several of the persons who have placed their names on the PPP backup list have also appeared on the AFC list.

According to the campaign

manager, following the concerns which were raised, she had gone and checked the list for herself.

“It is true that these people do not support the AFC and their names are on the AFC form,” she declared.

She is questioning the actions of GECOM staffers, noting that the PPP had submitted its list to GECOM first on Friday, and many of the names which the AFC submitted to GECOM had already been submitted by the PPP. PPP campaign supervisor Dennis De Roop told Guyana Times on Sunday the party is very concerned about what has happened, and is referring to it as fraud.

He explained that the party is currently assisting with the preparation of affidavits for those PPP supporters and candidates whose names appear on the AFC list but they have indicated that they have no wish to be a part of the AFC list, and

The AFC list has a signature for Dhanraj Deonat, who cannot read or write

will take private action against the AFC and the AFC candidate who forged their signatures.”

He explained that most of the concerned persons live in Numbers 47 and 48 villages.

He also said the Good Hope/

gion.

He added that the Party has now been forced to check many other communities in the region.

“It appears as though these parties could not get the re-

noted.

The party was expected to take its concerns to GECOM on Monday. However, this newspaper was unable to get an update on the outcome.

Cabinet could discuss possibly releasing all Govt MoUs – Harmon

F

ollowing Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge avoiding questions after signing a multimillion-dollar loan with China, Guyana’s Minister of State, Joseph Harmon said on Monday that Government’s senior ministers could discuss the possibility of disclosing all agreements.

This comes as concerns grow over loans being possible debt traps to Guyana ahead of the realisation of the emergent oil and gas sector.

Speaking at his post-Cabinet press conference on Monday, Harmon also signalled that Government could move towards constructing a paved highway from Linden to Lethem under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

“Yes, this was one of the matters that were raised; the question of the road between Lethem and Linden and going through ... this has actually been on our agenda from the time we came into office,” the Minister of State noted.

However, ahead of any possible signing of this and any future projects, media operatives questioned Harmon on whether or not the Administration would be poised to release the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).

“I don’t know that there’s a call being made for every Memorandum of Understanding signed between a bilateral or multilateral agency for every single MoU to be made public.

If that’s the call you’re making, then certainly Cabinet will have to determine that,

but MoUs are signed by Governments worldwide,” the Government spokesperson identified.

After Guyana signed a MoU on Energy Sector Cooperation with neighbouring Trinidad and Tobago, Government signed a US$52 million concession loan for a broadband project in addition to another ‘economic and technical cooperation’ agreement.

Media operatives highlighted transparency concerns at the post-Cabinet press briefing.

Ahead of today’s scheduled Cabinet discussion, Harmon, however, said that agreements could be revealed once there were no security concerns and they were within the public’s interest. After the signing with Trinidad, details of the MoU were seen in the local press the following day but the same was not done for the Guyana-China deal.

It was in July 2018 that the Foreign Affairs Minister signed another MoU with Chinese Ambassador Cui Jianchun to enhance cooperation in five main areas: policy coordination, facilities connectivity, trade and investment, financial integration, and people-to-people interaction. Public infrastructure was also expected to be a major focus under this agreement.

At that time, Greenidge hinted at the possibility of the currently deplorable LindenLethem road being financed under this initiative. He had said: “We have been speaking to all bilateral and multilateral partners. During our dis-

cussions with the Brazilians, we did discuss and explore the possibility of using funding from the Latin AmericaChina Funds to fund the road. That is something very much on the cards, and something we are working on.”

In July 2017, members of a ministerial team from Guyana visited their counterparts in neighbouring Brazil, during which it was agreed that both countries would provide financial resources for the engineering and design of the Linden-Lethem road.

It was reported that the two countries would be working closely with the People’s Republic of China to access a US$50 billion China Select Fund to complete this critical piece of infrastructure that holds great potential in terms of integrating the two countries and improving trade between the neighbours and the Caribbean.

Minister Greenidge had noted that another major project that can benefit from this MoU with China is the new Demerara River Bridge, which Government was working on constructing to replace the Demerara Harbour Bridge, which has far outlived its 10-year lifespan.

The Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, a significant development strategy launched by the Chinese Government with the intention of promoting economic cooperation among countries along the proposed Belt and Road routes.

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IDB report finds

Guyana misspending public funds in health sector

A

recent report from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has found that Guyana falls into the bracket of countries that misallocate public funds, particularly in the health sector, when smarter budgeting could provide better services for citizens at no extra cost.

The report is titled “Better spending for better lives: How Latin America and the Caribbean can do more with less”. It found that several countries could improve their health sector indicators by making their spending policies more in tune with international efficiency standards.

“Countries on the efficiency frontier are considered the most efficient for their level of health spending… however, 22 of 27 Latin American and Caribbean [LAC] countries are in the bottom half of the average efficiency rankings and 12 are in the bottom 25 per cent,” the report states, adding that Guyana is one such underperformer.

“Among low spenders, efficiency bottlenecks in health outcomes achieved are clearly the main issue in Guyana,” the report adds.

“The analysis suggests that several Latin American and Caribbean countries could substantially improve

A graph showing efficiency scores of some LAC countries including Guyana

health output indicators while keeping their current health budget stable.”

The report notes that life expectancy could be extended by four years for the Region. In several countries, including Guyana, the gain in life expectancy could be more than seven years.

The publication, which is part of the IDB’s flagship studies series Development in the Americas, also argues against across-the-board cuts. It looks at several areas, including whether countries spend too much or too little on different priorities, whether the investments are adequate to ensure a better future, and whether

those expenditures make inequality better or worse.

Last year, Junior Public Health Minister, Dr Karen Cummings had revealed that Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) were laying a heavy burden on the budgetary allocation to the Public Health Ministry.

Dr Cummings had explained that the Chronic Disease Unit (CDU) has been addressing the top four causes of premature death in Guyana: cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases.

According to Minister Cummings, NCDs carry a huge cost for families and

caregivers of those suffering from the diseases as well as Government.

“Currently, about 70 per cent of the Ministry’s budget is being spent on NCDs. Therefore, it is imperative that we develop healthy lifestyle choices and practices early so as to avoid falling prey to NCDs,” she stressed.

The Minister outlined

Judge grants WCB farmers injunction against Region 5 REO ...preventing bulldozing of lands

Palmyra Monument to be commissioned during India’s PM visit

M

inister of State, Joseph Harmon has confirmed that the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is expected to visit Guyana in December, which will also mark the commissioning of the Indian Indentureship Monument in Palmyra on the Corentyne, Berbice.

This announcement was made at Monday morning’s post-Cabinet briefing where it was highlighted that Prime Minister Modi will be embarking on his first-ever visit to Guyana.

“I know he’s coming sometime early in December and that, of course, the Indian Monument at Palmyra, we’re working very seriously to ensure that that monument is completed and not only in the original format in which it came, but we’re doing some extensive work to ensure that it is something that is fitting for the Prime Minister to come and see when he gets here.”

The 12 feet by 12 feet Indian Indentureship Monument is being completed with extended works ongoing.

Minister Harmon indicated that additional works included a visitors’ gallery and security hut which would be constructed to the tune of $38 million.

REO Ovid Morrison

O

Sections of the monument after it came crashing down

“For the construction of a visitors’ gallery and security hut at the Indian Immigration Monument…a contract in the sum of $38,015,000 [was] awarded,” said the Minister of State.

The monument was designed and constructed in India at a cost of US$150,000, and was gifted to Guyana by the Government of India to symbolise the country’s cultural celebration.

However, in April 2017, the base for the structure came crashing down which prompted the Indian Government to request a report. It was later related that it offered to send skilled craftsmen to rebuild it.

Earlier this year, the Public Infrastructure Ministry had also indicated

that over $63 million in contracts was awarded for the construction of a supporting structure which included works on the base.

Information from the Public Infrastructure Ministry indicated that the works commenced on August 14, and are expected to be completed by October 31.

The construction is divided into eight lots and involves the creation of a base and podium for the monument, peripheral structures such as a perimeter walkway and parking area, internal and external landscaping, roadway and drainage, lighting and the visitor’s gallery, fencing and the security hut.

Guyana Country Office, the Unit had completed the first leg of the implementation plan for the years 2016-2018 in sync with the Integrated Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Disease Strategic Plan 2013-2020.

Dr Cummings had said the Unit continued to ensure that capacity building occurred in the regional facilities. In 2016, 10 new providers were trained and placed in the health-care sector to ensure that screening for cervical cancer continued.

The training also produced a new provider in the Charity area, signalling the launching of a new site for VIA screening. that the Unit performed As of early last year, creditably in 2016 when there were 20 sites located compared to previous years. across Guyana with a total She said there was much of 33 VIA certified providoptimism that the new ers. A new cohort of 17 docyear would bring additiontors and nurses from all six al achievements that would regions of the country where further promote the work of there are Regional Diabetic the Unit.

Foot Centres were trained In collaboration with in Diabetic Foot Care and the Pan American Health Management.

Organisation (PAHO)

ne week after Statement of Claim proceedings were filed at the High Court, Justice Navindra Singh has granted three of 30 farmers in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) an injunction against the district’s Regional Executive Officer (REO) Ovid Morrison preventing the bulldozing of their farmlands.

The three claimants – Krishna Sewlall, Kristopher Sewnarine and Kaleel Jameer – are seeking over $10 million in damages for what they contend was the unlawful destruction of their property: cash crops and farm houses.

According to their lawyer, Anil Nandlall, Justice Singh’s injunction which was granted on Monday will remain in force for the duration of the court matter in which the farmers are seeking over $10 million in damages. The farmers are occupying land in Tract 3 ‘X’ of Block ‘1A’ and Tract ‘Y’ portions of Plantation Naarstigheid, part of Bath,

West Coast Berbice (WCB).

The court’s order restrains Morrison, his servants, representatives, officers and or agents from continuing entering upon, remaining, occupying, farming, bulldozing or occupying in any manner whatsoever interfering with the applicants’ quiet and peaceful use, occupation and enjoyment of the portion of land.

Morrison was told that should he violate the Court’s order, he would be in contempt of court and may be liable to imprisonment or his assets could be confiscated.

The Court will soon determine a date for the matter to be heard.

Court documents showed that many of the farmers have been occupying the land since 1989 and were granted a two-year lease for 1.4 acres in March 2000 under the Social Impact Amelioration Project (SIMAP) for largescale farming. They had claimed that since the expiration of their lease they developed the said property, cured the soil and prepared it for farming.

It was in October 2016 that REO Morrison requested that some 50 farmers, including the three claimants, vacate their WCB farmland and even threatened to bulldoze the crops and forcibly eject them from the land.

Though the farmers retained Nandlall and had written to the REO, he was said to have moved ahead with the action to remove the farmers. In April 2018, agents linked to

The farmers’ Attorneyat-Law, Anil Nandlall

Morrison “unilaterally decided” to enter the said farmland the three claimants occupied and cleared a portion of the land, cutting down several cash crops, including sweet peppers, lettuce, eschalot, plantain, calaloo and banana plants. Thereafter on August 6, 2018, two excavators entered the land and flattened another portion.

The claimants allege that on August 7, 2018, the REO’s agents entered again and destroyed Sewlall’s wooden farmhouse valued $300,000. Sewnarine’s farmhouse was also destroyed and that building was valued $800,000. Sewlall is seeking special damages of $3,254,000 for his destroyed crops and farmhouse, while Sewnarine wants Morrison to pay him $950,000 for his losses. Meanwhile, Jameer is seeking $1,170,000 from the REO. The special damages claim amounts to $5,374,000 while the general damages claim requests in excess of $5,000,000 for trespass.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesdAY, september 25, 2018

ARCHIE

Keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself, regard(March 21- less of what transpires. The April 19) less others know about you, the easier it will be to deal with sensitive situations.

ARIES

Keep everyone guessTAURUS ing. Don’t expect everyone to (April 20- agree with you or back you.

May 20) Using an element of surprise will give you the upper hand when dealing with a partnership.

dilbert

A last-minute change of GEMINI (May 21- plans will require you to act June 20) quickly, efficiently and intelligently. Hands-on assessment and application will help you win favours and respect.

Slow down. Take your time, go over every detail and (June 21- go all-out to guarantee you July 22) make the right choice. Let your intuition guide you.

CANCER

Peanuts

Talk to peers, relatives or LEO anyone who can offer insight (July 23- into what’s happened in the Aug. 22) past. Knowing what you are up against will lead to better choices. Poor decisions will be costly.

Someone will be intent on VIRGO finding out more about your (Aug. 23personal assets, medical or Sept. 22) legal records. Protect your passwords and personal documents. Concentrate on personal improvements.

Calvin and Hobbes

You’ll be intent on makLIBRA (Sept. 23- ing changes, but make Oct. 23) them for the right reasons.

Impulsive action will not solve problems, but a calculated adjustment or wellthought-out plan will.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — ZEPPELINS (ZEPPELINS: ZEP-uh-lins: Rigid cylindrical airships with internal gas cells.)

SUDOKU

Discuss your plans with SAGITTARIUS those who will be most affect(Nov. 23- ed by the decisions you make.

Dec. 21) Once you get the go-ahead, don’t hesitate to start the process.

Average mark 24 words Time limit 45 minutes Can you find 38 or more words in ZEPPELINS? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — FORAGING

fair fang faring faro firn forging frog oaring organ raging

rain rang ring roan aging agog agon argon gain gang

going gong goring grain grin groan grog groin iron naif

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

Personal changes will SCORPIO greatly help you. Look in(Oct. 24ward, not to someone else, to Nov. 22) fix any problems you are experiencing.

Improvements begin within, and they will require an effort on your part.

solution for last published puzzle

Mixed emotions will make CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- it difficult for you to discern Jan. 19) the right choice. Too many options or interference will keep you guessing. Don’t let your feelings take charge when practicality is required.

Someone or something AQUARIUS from your past will resonate (Jan. 20- with you when it comes to deFeb. 19) cisions that will affect your personal finances, a contract or a personal change you want to make.

An unexpected change will PISCES (Feb. 20- be a pleasant surprise. The March 20) support and backup you get will help secure your position and encourage future reward and advancement.

tuesdAY, september 25, 2018

19

Windies women bowl their way to 18-run T20 win T

he Windies women have taken the momentum from their final-game win in an ODI series against South Africa in the Caribbean to win the first game of the follow-up T20 series.

The Windies, at the Kensington Oval, chose to bat, scoring 124-6 in their 20 overs before restricting the South Africans to 107-7.

There were no heroics for Hayley Matthew with the bat after her first ODI ton, on Saturday, gave the Windies a share of the series, but the team were good enough to make up for her failure at the top of the order.

Matthews, 8, and skipper Stafanie Taylor did not get the team off to the start they would have wanted.

Shemaine Campbelle, five, also made things difficult with the Windies women, teetering at 79-4 by the time she got out in the 15th over.

By that time, opener Natasha McLean had gone for a well-played 38 from 41 deliveries.

Deandra Dottin, 22 from 19, added some life to the in-

tually completing her four overs for just 16 runs, and perhaps more importantly, bagged three wickets.

Afy Fletcher was also good, ending with figures of 2-17 from her four overs, while Anisa Mohammed

Deandra Dottin smacks a boundary against South Africa

went wicketless, but bowled with control to limit the cost of her four to just 24 runs.

Connell ended with figures of 1-19 as only Kapp, 30 from 22, and Chloe Tryon, 23 from 16, offered any real resistance. (Sportsmax)

SCOREBOARD

nings Chadean Nation, seven from six deliveries, Merissa Aguilleira 14 from 10, and Kycia Knight unbeaten on 14 from 10 as well, all helped in pushing the total toward something defendable.

The group were combatting the bowling of Saarah

Smith, 2-17, Zintle Mali, 2-24, Tumi Sekhukhune, 1-12, and Marizanne Kapp, 1-25.

124 shouldn’t have been enough, except nobody told the Windies bowlers who were purposeful.

Connell started brilliantly for the Windies, removing

Lizelle Lee with the score on just one after four deliveries. Lee’s opening partner, Laura Wolvaardt was next to go, this time with the score on 14 after all of 3.5 overs already gone.

To make matters worse, Taylor was getting into her bowling, the skipper even-

West Indies Women Innings (20 overs maximum) HK Matthews c Wolvaardt b Mali 8 NY McLean b Smith 38 SR Taylor (c) b Smith 9 SA Campbelle b Sekhukhune 6 DJS Dottin c Sekhukhune b Mali 22 CN Nation b Kapp 7 MR Aguilleira † not out 14 Kycia A Knight not out 14 Extras (lb 1, w 5) 6 Total: (6 wickets, 20 Overs, RR: 6.2) 124 Did not bat: A Mohammed, ASS Fletcher, SS Connell Fall of wickets: 1-22 (HK Matthews, 3.6 ov), 2-50 (SR Taylor, 9.2 ov), 3-63 (NY McLean, 11.3 ov), 4-79 (SA Campbelle, 14.4 ov), 5-91 (DJS Dottin, 15.6 ov), 6-98 (CN Nation, 16.6 ov) BOWLING: M Kapp (4-0-251), M Klaas (4-0-28-0), Z Mali (3-0-24-2), TS Sekhukhune (4-0-12-1), M du Preez (2-016-0), S Smith (3-0-18-2)

South Africa Women Innings (target: 125 runs from 20 overs) L Lee † c McLean b Connell 1 L Wolvaardt st †Aguilleira b Taylor 8 R Searle run out (McLean) 14 M du Preez c †Aguilleira b Fletcher 13 CL Tryon (c) st †Aguilleira b Fletcher 23 F Tunnicliffe c & b Taylor 14 M Kapp b Taylor 30 S Smith not out 0 Extras (lb 2, w 2) 4 Total: (20 Overs, RR: 5.35) 107/7 Did not bat: TS Sekhukhune, M Klaas, Z Mali Fall of wickets: 1-2 (L Lee, 0.4 ov), 2-14 (L Wolvaardt, 3.5 ov), 3-31 (R Searle, 7.4 ov), 4-49 (M du Preez, 9.5 ov), 5-66 (CL Tryon, 13.2 ov), 6-106 (M Kapp, 19.4 ov), 7-107 (F Tunnicliffe, 19.6 ov) BOWLING: SS Connell (4-0-191), HK Matthews (2-0-13-0), SR Taylor (4-0-16-3), DJS Dottin (2-0-16-0), A Mohammed (4-024-0), ASS Fletcher (4-0-17-2)

2018 GCB/CGI Jaguars 50-Over League...

Johnson, Barnwell punish West Dem in D/L affected-game

Chris Barnwell

G

CC Skipper Leon Johnson and all-rounder Chris Barnwell struck fifties to lead Georgetown to another win, this time over West Demerara, and by 21 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method at the Georgetown Cricket Club Ground.

Round 5 of the Jaguars 50-Over League continued on Monday, 24th September, with the might of Georgetown’s senior middle-order again reigning supreme.

Barnwell smashed 84 while in-form skipper

Johnson stroked his third consecutive fifty, a fluent 76, as the champs racked up 2787 in their 49 overs, which was reduced from 50.

Left-hand opener Robin Bacchus hit a good-looking 38, while Windies U-19 batsman Raymon Perez chipped in with 20.

Bowling for West Demerara saw Jaguars all-round pacer Romario Shepherd and off-spinner Richie Looknauth bagging 3 for 70 and 13 respectively. Windes left-arm seamer Raymond Reifer ended with 1 for 63, the wicket of Barnwell.

Bad light hampered play, halting West Demerara’s plans after Shepherd returned to hammer 65 in a brilliant chase. National opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul hit 23 while Mahendra Dhanpaul hit 24 in a valiant effort.

Guyana Under-19 Fastbowler Qumar Torrington was in lethal form with the ball for Georgetown, snapping up 4 wickets for 44 runs, while spinner Ramaal Lewis returned 2 for 34.

Over at Enmore, East Coast went up against Lower Corentyne. East Coast won the toss and sent in the Berbicians to bat. Lower Corentyne amalgamated an

acceptable 132 all out in 44.4 overs, with Junior Sinclair 19, Jonathon Foo (24) and Jason Sinclair (23) runs.

Bowling for East Coast, Young Academy players Javier Spencer, Bhaskar Yadram, and Amir Khan collected 3 wickets each for 22, 18 and 28 runs separately.

Chandrapaul Hemraj also collected a wicket for his team.

East Coast, in reply, failed to reach their target, and fell for 130 all out in 43 overs.

Bhaskar Yadram top scored with 30, while Rajendra Chandrika and Kamesh Yadram added 15 runs each to the scorecard.

West Berbice in to have the first strike. West Berbice scored 216 for 6 off their allotted 32 overs. Gudakesh Motie top scored with 58, while the opening batsmen Leon Andrew and Kevin Sinclair scored 20 and 24 runs respectively.

Javid Karim added another 34 to the score, and Trevon Griffith picked up 2 for 42 for the East Bank team.

East Bank then set out to bat, and fell two runs short of their victory, totalling 214 for 7 off 32 overs. Sherfane Rutherford put up a fight, top-scoring with a substantial 98 runs off the innings, which awarded him the Man of the Match title despite his team’s loss. Trevon Griffith added 24 and Ronaldo Alimohamed 27.

Bowling for West Berbice, Ceon Glasgow took 3 for 31.

Lower Corentyne win by 2 runs

In the match between Essequibo and Upper Corentyne, played at Port Mourant Community Centre on the Corentyne Coast, Essequibo set out to bat first, and were the second team of the day to master a double century with 236 for 9 off 50 overs.

Anthony Adams topscored with 52, Parmesh Parsotam 20, Chaitram Persaud 29, Ronsford Beaton 24, and Nealand Codogan 23 runs. Bowling for Upper Corentyne, Demitri Cameron

East Bank win by 2 runs

Leon Johnson

and Gavrav Ramesh collected 3 for 42 and 2 for 63 respectively.

For much of the day, Essequibo were in control of the game, restricting Upper Corentyne to 113 all out in 32.2 overs. Anthony Bramble (35) and Eon Hooper (31) were the only two batmen to attain double figures.

Bowling for Essequibo, Chaitram Persaud collected 3 wickets for 17 runs, while Ronsford Beaton and Antony Adams collected 2 wickets for 20 and 19 runs respectively.

Essequibo won the match by 123 runs

Over at Bush Lot, East Bank won the toss and sent

Round 6 will witness East Coast versus West Berbice at Bush Lot; Georgetown taking on Essequibo at GCC; Lower Corentyne facing East Bank at Everest, and West Demerara going up against Upper Corentyne at Port Mourant on Wednesday 26th September, 2018 from 09:00 hours.

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

tuesdAY, september 25, 2018

Pariuma secure 3-peat at Heritage Games

Laluni new Male Cricket Champions

Mabaruma new Male Volleyball Champions

W

ith the annual Indigenous Heritage Games culminated on Sunday evening, the finals of various sporting disciplines played at the Everest Cricket Club Ground revealed a rich vein of undiscovered talent.

The annual event began on Friday morning with some 600 athletes participating in cricket, football, volleyball, archery and swimming. After two days filled with activities, the way was paved for the highly anticipated finals of several games to take place on Sunday.

Archery

Archery saw a commendable turnout, with enough participants to make the competition interesting. In the Under-12 category, the younger archers, given opportunity to exhibit their skills,

among the 13-17 females Alliyah LeCruz trumped Sereena Clenkian and Rochelle Dondas.

Michael Hing took the accolade in the male 13-17 category, while Elroy Jacobs and Joshua Sandweller occupied second and third positions.

In the 18-and-over category, competition was fierce among these more experienced archers, but Ivor Williams emerged victorious for the males, followed by Daniel Leacock and Ronnie Lewis in second and third positions respectively.

Brenette Gordon dominated the females, with Michelle Schumen and Joanna Samuels in second and third positions respectively.

Football

Sunset brought heightened excitement at the Everest Cricket Ground,

no secret that most persons were backing the Pariuma ladies of Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) to win this tournament.

In the female final, defending champions Pariuma came up against Gladiators FC of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) in a rollercoaster match that saw the defending champs down by a goal at half-time.

Pariuma seemed calm and collected even as they missed good scoring opportunities; and despite equalising, found themselves with a 2-1 deficit near the end of regulation time.

Somehow, they found it in themselves to produce a last minute goal that sent the game into overtime; and within the first three minutes of overtime play, struck again, to which Gladiators soon replied, positioning both teams at 3-3.

At the penalty line,

In the male category, Gold Rush Saints -- one of many teams hailing from Region Nine -- took on 2017 winners, the very best of Region One (Barima Waini): Port Kaituma.

When the starting whistle sounded, the players from both sides were already gunning for the goal; and judging from style and tactics displayed, it was clear that ei-

ally, nationally, and even internationally,” he said.

Volleyball

The day started with the Volleyball competition for males and females, wherein defending champions Morcua (males) and Waramuri (females) set out to retain their titles.

Things did not go as planned this year, as neither

Cricket

The finals of the cricket competition got underway with the female category being played first. Defending champions St Cuthbert’s (Region 4) were playing against young talent, the Kartabo (Region 7) side.

Sent in to bat, Kartabo, with lusty blows of pure power, made a whopping 90-2 off

Port Kaituma and Saints Gold Rush in battle

Pariuma and Gladiators FC fight for ball possession

Ranillo Khanhai excelled in the male category, followed by runners-up Nelon Lucas and Stephon Pearson.

For the females, Athena Stanley emerged victorious over Isabelle Ramjohn, and

with spectators and players alike anticipating action in the biggest event of the night -- the male and female football finals.

The extremely vocal crowd was openly voicing its expectations, and it was

Gladiators seemed flustered, while Pariuma used their experience to register a flurry of 4 penalties to Gladiators’ 2. Thus the now three-time champions were able to lift the trophy once again.

ther side had immense talent.

Spectators were shocked when Gold Rush scored early, moving the score to 1-0.

That goal placed the defending champions Port Kaituma in the awkward position of having to defend their goal while looking for score-levelling opportunities.

Half-time passed quickly, and although Port Kaituma had several opportunities at goal, they were unable to convert those opportunities; thus they were dethroned.

Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, speaking at conclusion of the Games, declared them successful, given the motives.

“Heritage Games is a great component of nation-building. This is what I would call bringing the hinterland to the coast.

And….our capacity and our skills….could make a contribution to the Games gener-

of the two was able to secure a spot in the final, and the way was made for new contenders.

In the male final, Mabaruma (Region 1) and Bartica (Region 7), competed in a round of three, with the former displaying their intentions upfront. The match lasted a mere two rounds, which Mabaruma won 15-13 and 15-8 to claim the title for Region 1, as Vance Harding picked up the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award.

After that electrifying matchup, the females competed, with Moruca (Region 1) and St Cuthbert’s (Region 4) vying for the title and bragging rights. In the end, Moruca prevailed 15-6 and 15-11 to lift the trophy, with Annalisa Vincente at the forefront.

Crowd jubilation could not be contained after Region One had swept both categories of this competition.

their allotted 8 overs.

In the chase, St Cuthbert’s lost two early wickets, but Christina (80 not out) and Melanie (5) led them to a resounding win.

Region 4 supporters swamped the field when the winning runs were hit, ecstatic that St Cuthbert’s had successfully defended their title to become two-time champions in that sport.

The male final between defending champions Mahdia (Region 8) and Laluni saw a new champ being crowned.

Mahdia asserted their dominance early to restrict Laluni to 29-5 in their allotted five overs. With 30 needed to win, it seemed a sure victory for Mahdia, but the Laluni bowlers so handled their business that they were able to defend the total and secure a 10-run win over Mahdia, who folded at 19-7 when their overs expired.

sports

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Sonics face Kobras tomorrow – Trojans gaining momentum

T

Part of the action ongoing in the GABA/Rainforest Water/Malta Supreme League

he Guyana Amateur Basketball Association (GABA)/Rainforest Water/Malta Supreme League continues tomorrow and Thursday evening at the recently refurbished Burnham Basketball Court on Carmichael Street in Georgetown.

The action begins tomorrow at 18:30h with the U-23 showdown between Plaisance Guardians and the Eagles; then the first division ballers wrap up the night with Sonics meeting Kobras at 20:30h.

The game times and format remain the same on the following night, when Kobras meet UG Trojans in the opener, before the Colts and Ravens battle each other in the feature game.

It has not escaped public attention that the UG Trojans seem to be holding their own in the league thus far, and have even averted defeat against the Colts, influenced in no small measure by inclement weather that intervened when the two sides last competed in the first division category. The student side was then on the verge of defeat, lagging behind the two-time defending champions Colts by 15 points (scoreline was 58-43) in the third quarter when the heavens intervened with a deluge as the Colts were in cruise control.

Speaking with Guyana Times Sport, coach of the UG Trojans, Warren Wilson, in an invited comment regarding the performance of his first

division team, said the side lacked fitness, and that was not the first instance when the lack of fitness had influenced the result of the game.

He declared that the lack of fitness could be overcome only by hard work as time progresses; and that his charges must learn to play responsible basketball and take a lot of shots, since they had hitherto not been able to make the correct conversion of points.

The night’s opening match in the U-23 division saw the Trojans making an impressive run against one of the better teams in the tournament, Plaisance Guardians, taking their tally to three wins from four matches by defeating the Guardians 7776, with Kadeem Peterkin (15), Damani Thomas (14) and Darrol Williams leading the student side.

The pressure was too much for the Guardians, especially for Nigel Bowen on whom the weight fell, although he was ably assisted by Daniels.

Trojans Coach Warren Wilson, elated at this remarkable victory over the Guardians, said it showed that his charges constituted a top team that needed only to work on maintaining a lead over its opponents.

He referred to one point in the match when the Trojans were ahead by 12 points, only to have their fortunes dramatically change in an instant when the Guardians took over the lead by four points.

IMC formed for Young Warriors Cricket Club of Berbice

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I

n a move to arrest the rapid decline of the Young Warriors Cricket Club of Berbice, an Interim Management Committee (IMC) has been formed -- last weekend -- to bring the club back to its former glory.

Based in Cumberland, East Canje, the Club has only recently produced its first Test player in Shimron Hetmyer, and current players and concerned members of the community have called on its former players, senior administrators and former Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) President, Anil Beharry, to help this process.

In an invited comment, Beharry said it was bleeding his heart to see how, after over two decades of progress, the club had declined so rapidly within a short period of time. He said he had been closely following the work of the club, and was

Former BCB President Anil Beharry sits front and centre in a photo op with the newly instated Interim Management Committee of the Young Warriors Cricket Club

so disappointed that the club could not even put together a first division team in most cases, thereby missing out on a few junior tournaments run by the Board.

Beharry added that many of the players were also fed-up at the decline of the infrastructure, and were pleading for assistance for the club, which he was acceding to.

He said now is the time for the club to strive further, after producing a star like Hetmyer, only the second cricketer from the Canje area, after Leonard Baichan, to play international cricket for the West Indies.

Beharry promised he would do what it takes to firstly regain the confidence of the club’s supporters, and then produce better resources.

The committee of concerned members includes Suresh Sripal, Roshan Sattaur, Vishal Mohabir,

Suno, Seon Hetmyer, Suresh Dhanai and Linden Austin.

Amir Khan will be the designated Secretary; Kwasi Maltay coach; Gladstone Hetmyer and Satanand Mohabir will share the work of the post of Manager. Austin will head the venue preparation, with Sripal in charge of the finance. Repairs and preparation of the venue have already begun.

There are also plans for renovation and repainting of the buildings, purchasing of covers for the pitch, and procurement of a tractor to cut the outfield.

The club is asking for assistance in any form to fulfill its plans. The members also promised the return of Mash Cup for 2019. Contact can be made with Beharry on 592-6236875 or email abeharry1970@ yahoo.com, or any other club member, if one wishes to support the cause.

22

tuesdAY, september 25, 2018

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Young Guns aftermath…

King finds weight difference disrespectful H

aving made good on his promise to win by knockout by the second of six rounds, Barbadian Boxer Keithland King was undeniably elated at carrying his professional record to three wins from three fights, especially in a foreign country.

The middleweight boxer, who exchanged punches with Guyanese Derick Richmond in the headline fight of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s (GBBC) ‘Young GunsThe proving ground’ card, told Guyana Times Sport he was happy to have achieved the goal he had set himself.

“It feels good to pick up the win, because I came for the win,” ‘The King’ declared.

Describing his mindset throughout the six-minute fight, King said he could have achieved the knockout sooner, but was not focused enough to get there.

“It didn’t happen how I wanted it to happen. I think I was a little too anxious; I just needed to sit

Keithland King (left) battling it out with Derick Richmond

and relax some more, but I think I was rushing it too much,” King disclosed.

Regarding this being his first time fighting at the Cliff Anderson Sport Hall (CASH), and because foreign conditions often pose problems to boxers who are not well adjusted, King noted that Guyana has been favourable. “The conditions were all right at the Sports Hall,” the ‘King’ said. “In terms of fighting, the temperature was good and everything,” he expressed.

Looking to the future, the middleweight boxer has no problem with returning to compete on Guyanese shores. In fact, he is looking forward to doing so.

“There’s a next card here in October. I want to get on it,” he revealed.

On a more controversial note, King was very vocal in expressing his dissatisfaction with his opponent’s weight.

Prior to fight night, King weighed in at 159 pounds, which

is acceptable for the middleweight class, given that it averages at 160 pounds. However, the Guyanese boxer was not as close to the weight limit as King. Much to the concern of the Boxing Board, Richmond weighed in at 174 pounds, some 14 pounds over the class. Nevertheless, the fight was sanctioned with the blessing of both contestants.

To this end, King passionately stated, “I mean, this guy that I just fought, I wish that he was 160 (pounds). Fifteen pounds is a lot, and it’s very disrespectful to the sport. As a professional boxer, coming into the round with 15 pounds (over the weight limit) is total disrespect to your opponent, yourself and your country.”

Despite the hiccup, the boxer is grateful for the opportunity afforded him. “I just want to say, ‘Thank you,’ to the Guyana Boxing Board, the sponsors, the crowd, and everybody for turning out. Thank you for the opportunity to box in your country,” the ‘King’ says.

Limacol KO Football Tournament…

Quarterfinal action on tonight

W

ith four teams having now been knocked out of the competition, the 2018 Limacol KO Football tournament is now shaping up to culminate in what will surely be a scintillating final.

The knockout aspect of the competition will continue tonight, when four teams battle for their spot in the upcoming semis.

In the first matchup, slated for 18:00hrs, Group B’s Riddim Squad will encounter Group C’s

Beacons in a cracking affair.

Although they have not previously met, both teams display similar playing styles, attacking at all cost. And while neither team should have any trouble with scoring, thanks to impressive striking abilities, they will each have to work harder on their defence to ensure the best possible result for themselves.

At 20:00 hrs, Group A’s Police will be coming out to arrest Group B’s Georgetown Football Club (GFC). They have not met

as yet, but both are among the tournament’s front-runners in their respective groups; thus this matchup will definitely be the highlight of the night.

GFC are famous at resisting arrest; they have never been taken without a fight, especially since their strength lies in their method of attack. But although the Police have faltered early on, these lawmen have shown -- in their 6-0 defeat of Pele -- that they can match any striker of the ball. Given this fact,

GFC had better keep their defence tight.

After tonight’s games, Mahaica Determinators will return, on Thursday September 27, to battle Pouderoyen, whilst Santos FC take on Buxton Stars.

The semifinal, which would pit the quarterfinal winners against each other, is expected to be played on Sunday, September 30.

The final night of play will be on October 5, when two teams will go head-tohead for the right to collect $600,000.

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesdAY, september 25, 2018

23

BCB/Fitness 53 Under-17 Tournament…

RHT Bakewell trounce Albion to become champions However, a solid fifth-wicket partnership of 52 between an elegant R. Kassim and the aggressive Inzam Shazam brought Albion back into the game, before the impressive Aaron Beharry had Shazam caught as the score ticked over to 86-5.

At that stage, the asking was for 51 more runs from 19 overs with five wickets in hand.

Then the all-spin Rose Hall Town bowling attack, consisting of Sealey, Pattaya, Rampersaud, Jeremy Sandia, Lucas Arthur and Beharry, retightened their grip on the game.

Kassim top-scored with 41, but was guilty of extremely slow scoring. He was the ninth batsman to fall,

The winning RHT Bakewell Team posing with Anil Beharry and BCB Secretary Robby Saywack after securing the title

R

ose Hall Town (RHT) and Albion Community Centre have, over the last fifteen years, dominated Berbice Cricket, in the process establishing a rivalry that has left cricket fans enthralled with the action.

Two weeks ago, Albion edged their rivals by six runs to win the Mike’s Pharmacy Under-15 Title, but Rose Hall Town Bakewell, on Saturday last, turned the tables on their rivals to beat them by seven runs in the Fitness 53 Under-17 final.

This final was historic, being the first one ever played

at the Hampshire Cricket Ground, and a fair-sized crowd was attracted to witness the proceedings.

Albion won the toss and elected to field after the umpires were forced to reduce the match to 45-Overs per side due to preparation moisture on the pitch.

RHT lost opener Vikash Subramanie for four in the first over, bowled by Sarwan Chaitnarine; but a second wicket partnership of 40 between Jonathan De Viera and Angelino Ramdial stabilised the innings before De Viera ran himself out for 17

with the score on 44 - 2 in the 8th over.

The wicket proved difficult for fast scoring, but the batsmen rotated the strike, until the crucial run out of National Junior Cricketer Jonathan Rampersaud resulted in the lower half of the innings falling apart. Mahendra Gopilall, the Guyana Under-15 player, scored 17, while Rampersaud (15), Chanderpaul Govindan (11), Angelino Ramdial (14), and Aaron Beharry (10) all got start but could not carry on.

Leon Cecil finished with 2-25, while T. Sandanand

supported with 2-38; and Chaitnarine, Gourav Ramesh, Inzam Shazam and P. Ganesh took a wicket each.

Needing to score 127 from 47 overs to win the title, Albion lost Chaitnarine (4) and Hemendra Gurdyal (7) to Tyrese Sealy, then 12-yearold mystery spinner Matthew Pattaya had Leon Cecil caught at short extra cover for 1, to leave Albion at 20 for 3 in the tenth over.

National left-arm spinner Jeremy Sandia then dismissed the dangerous Surendra Ramcharitar for 17, as Albion collapsed to 34 for 4.

Spartans too strong for Trojans

T

UG Trojans, runners-up in the recently concluded 2nd Cyril Bonar Memorial T/20 Cricket Competition

he University of Guyana cricket team (UG Trojans) returned to the shores of Guyana as first runners-up in the recently concluded 2nd Cyril Bonar Memorial T20 Cricket Competition held at the DR Snelle Park in Paramaribo, Suriname over the weekend.

The tournament, which commenced on September 22 and ended on September 23, was graced with the presence of Guyana’s very own Tremayne Smartt, a

member of the Champion West Indian Women’s T20 team, who was present at the event as a special guest.

Playing four T10 matches on Saturday, Trojans breezed through the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinal on Sunday, wherein they secured their maiden slot in the finals against host team Suriname Spartans.

In the finals, the UG side posted a respectable 144 - 9 from their allotted 20 overs, with Ershaad Ali contributing 44 and Godfrey

Matthews assisting with 25; while, for the Surinamese side, the chief tormentor with the ball was S. Ramjohn, who took 2 wickets. He was supported by Carlos La Rose, Xavi Smith and Carlton Jacques, who each had one wicket.

Having to chase 145 from 120 balls, the host side made light work of the total, needing only two runs in the final over. They eventually won the championship through the efforts of Ramjohn (54), who proved

his worth with bat and ball; and K. Hardat, who supported with 31.

Dennis Heywood and Pavindralall Persaud each took 2 wickets for the Trojans, while Nicholas Bollers chipped in with one wicket.

The Guyanese side extends their gratitude to Devcon Construction and Grace Kennedy (Western Union/ Bill Express) for support which ensured their participation in this tournament.

with the score on 114. Five runs later, Albion was dismissed for 119 off 44 overs, as Rampersaud trapped T. Sooknanand lbw for 2, to seal the deal. Sealey ended with 3-25, Rampersaud had 2-24, Jeremy Sandia bagged 2-26 and Beharry claimed 2-22 for the Champions.

Sealey was named manof-the-match for his performance, while RHT pocketed $70,000 for winning and Albion settled for the runner-up prize of $40,000.

President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), Hilbert Foster, praised the Ramnaresh Sarwan/Fitness 53 Under-17 Tournament as another remarkable success of his administration.

Law resigns from Windies Head Coach post – to complete India/ Bangladesh series

T

he Windies’ Senior Men’s Team will be searching for a new coach, because Stuart Law has resigned from his position as Head Coach to take on a new role at Middlesex Cricket Club in January 2019.

Law, who took over as Head Coach in February 2017, vacates his post after guiding the Test team to series wins against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, and the ODI T,eam through the ICC World Cup Qualifiers and into the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The former Australia batsman also oversaw the first Windies Test Match win in England for 17 years, when they beat the hosts by five wickets at Headingly.

Law would however continue in his role for the upcoming away series against India and Bangladesh, but will leave to take up his new responsibilities in the new year.

Law has stated, “I have had to make the difficult decision to leave my role of Head Coach with CWI. It has been very enjoyable, and I believe we have made tremendous strides forward as a team during the past 2 years. I would like to thank the players, staff and the fans for their support over this period, I have appreciated it greatly. I will be taking a role with Middlesex CCC, which will keep me close to my family whilst continuing within Stuart Law the cricket family. I wish the players and staff of CWI every success in the future.”

Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams, said: “While I regret his leaving and the timing of it, I fully understand his reasons; and along with everyone at Cricket West Indies (CWI), I want to thank him for his dedication and commitment whilst in the role, and wish him the very best of luck at Middlesex.”

CWI’s Chief Executive Johnny Grave commented, “I am disappointed that Stuart is leaving, as I believe that we have made real progress under his leadership. I know it was a difficult decision for him, and that ultimately the opportunity to work in England, where his family is now based, was a major factor in his decision. We will start the process to appoint a new Head Coach immediately.” (Clifton Ross)

tuesdAY, september 25, 2018

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

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Pariuma secure 3-peat at Heritage Games Page 20

St Cuthbert’s two-time Female Cricket Champions

Windies women bowl their Law way to 18-run T20 win resigns Page 19

from Windies Head Coach post Page 23

Players celebrate victory in the first Twenty20 International of the Sandals International Home Series between WINDIES Women and South Africa Women on Monday at the Kensington Oval

– to complete India/Bangladesh series

Limacol KO Football Tournament…

Quarterfinal action on tonight Page 22

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