Guyana Times September 18, 2017

"Breastfeeding, a natural and healthy process with P12 benefits" – Minister Lawrence Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3336

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Monday, September 18, 2017

PRICE

Granger’s Petroleum Advisor agrees with Jagdeo

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE: Guyana-Suriname border controversy

Joint P10 commission could be reactivated this year

Page 9

...advocates auctioning off available petroleum blocks

Gangs go on rampage, create havoc in Sophia P11 911 emergency line to be fixed soon

2 detained for robbing ECD contractor at gunpoint P2

…leaving 1 critical, 3 houses burnt to the ground Page 13

GRA employee robbed of loaded firearm in Linden Page 2

Cop dies after crashing motorcycle Page 2

Capital flight for 2017 estimated at US$53M – analyst

Page

…says int’l reserves could drop to 3 US$400M by 2019 if action not taken

In Berbice

Police pounds for animals not safe P8

– several animals die from dehydration, starvation

2 news

monDAY, september 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

GRA employee robbed of loaded firearm in Linden

– security guard nursing gunshot wound in related incident

A

22-year-old security guard of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is now hospitalised after he was shot on Saturday by a lone gunman after a Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) employee was robbed of his firearm.

The man of Kara Kara, Linden, is now in a critical state at the Linden Hospital Complex after he was attacked around 01:15h while he was standing on the Silver City Road.

Reports revealed that just prior to the shooting incident, a GRA employee was attacked and robbed of his loaded firearm.

Guyana Times understands that the GRA employee was at the time standing on the roadway at Linden when he was accosted and relieved of his service weapon, which had five rounds, that was in a holster on his waist.

The perpetrator, in his bid to escape, discharged several rounds in the direction of the GRA staff and relatives, but none of them were injured.

This publication understands that the GRA staff was taken into Police custody and was said to be assisting with investigations since the security guard was shot with a weapon similar to that which was stolen from

him.

However, Police Officers were able to capture the man allegedly responsible for the shooting. He was found to be in possession of a firearm, two spent shells and two live rounds. It was not confirmed whether the weapon and ammunition were those which were stolen from the GRA employee.

Investigations into the incidents are continuing.

Cop dies after crashing motorcycle

A

Police Constable on Saturday morning lost his life after a motorcycle which he was test driving crashed on the Unity Old Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD).

Dead is Elroy Newton, 37, of Lot 70 Voorzig, Mahaicony, ECD, who was stationed at Transport Workshop, Eve Leary.

Reports are that the accident occurred sometime around 19:30h while the officer was test driving motorcycle CE 4555.

Guyana Times was told that at the time of the accident, the Constable was proceeding north along Unity Old Road allegedly at a very fast rate. It was revealed that Newton was not wearing a safety helmet.

In the process of negotiating a sharp turn, the Officer lost control of the motorcycle and fell to the road, sustaining multiple injuries about his body.

He was picked up by public-spirited persons and rushed to the Mahaicony

Dead: Elroy Newton

Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The Guyana Police

Force (GPF) in a statement sent out its condolences to the wife and children of Newton.

2 detained for robbing ECD contractor at gunpoint

T

wo men are now in Police custody and are being questioned in connection with the robbery of a contractor at Agriculture Road, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD) in the wee hours of Sunday.

According to reports, around 01:45h, the two men, aged 26 and 31, robbed the 44-year-old contractor of his gold chain valued $1,680,000.

Guyana Times understands that the men rode up on a motorcycle, held the man at gunpoint and demanded that he hand over his chain, so he complied.

They then got back on the motorcycle and escaped.

The victim reported the matter and a manhunt was launched by ranks of the anti-crime patrol on the East Coast where one of the men was later apprehended.

The motorcycle which was used in the robbery was also recovered. However, the gold chain could not be found. Based on information received from the first perpetrator, several searches by the lawmen led to the arrest of his accomplice.

The men are said to hail from Mon Repos and Beterverwagting, ECD. They are also being questioned in connection with the robbery of an ECD couple some time ago. (Kizzy Coleman)

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monDAY, september 18, 2017 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Monday, September 18 – a night retraction at 03:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Tuesday, September 19 – a night retraction at 04:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, September 18 – 15:25h-16:55h and Tuesday, September 19 – 16:00h-17:30h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions followed by heavy and thundery showers can be expected during the day, with partly cloudy to cloudy skies in the evening. Temperatures are expected to range between 25 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Ranging from South South-easterly to East North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 15:26h reaching a maximum height of 2.58 metres.

Low Tide: 08:58h and 21:18h reaching a minimum height of 0.62 metre respectively.

SATURDAY, September 16, 2017

LOTTERY NUMBERS F

03

11 12

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FREE TICKET

DAILY MILLIONS 07 12 14 16

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LUCKY 3 8 2 2

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

Capital flight for 2017 estimated at US$53M – analyst

…says int’l reserves could drop to US$400M by 2019 if action not taken

By Samuel Sukhnandan

T

he Guyanese economy has been faced with a number of issues over the past two years and the current David Granger-led Administration has been blamed for the economic slowdown in the country, but more than that, the international reserves have declined significantly. The Half-Year Bank of Guyana (BoG) Report clearly supports the position that capital flight is in progress in Guyana.

Guyana-born US-based financial analyst Sasenarine Singh believes that this issue calls for the intervention of President David Granger, as he opines that Finance Minister Winston Jordan is incompetent and is lost on the new ideas to turn around this financial meltdown currently happening under his watch.

“It is very easy to destroy an economy, but difficult to build one and this is exactly what Jordan is doing by his uninspired management of the finance portfolio. Where are the sound plans to stimulate growth and develop the local economy? If this issue is not attended to soon, it could cause greater economic hardship for all the people of Guyana,” the financial analyst opined.

Singh continued, “The situation requires political intervention at the highest level, backed by an advisory presidential economic commission that can charter a new course for the nation.

Jordan has had enough time and his performance clearly illustrates that he does not have the ability to solve this economic crisis. Because of his poor leadership, the current financial climate in 2017 in Guyana is now very disconnected from the reality in the world’s economy.”

The financial ana-

Financial analyst Sasenarine Singh

lyst told Guyana Times on Sunday that new ideas had to be brought to this critical issue and the President needed to know what was going on, and that was why he was recommending such an advisory body. Making reference to the BoG Report, Singh said that using figures coming out of that report and Professor Erbe’s Model, he calculated that capital flight stood at US$26 million for the first six months of 2017. Over the entire year, it will be approximately US$53 million. This, he said, is reminiscent of 1983-1984 under the Forbes Burnham Administration when Guyana was uncreditworthy and could not pay its bills.

Singh also reminded that capital flight was the rapid movement of large sums of money out of a country.

“Capital flight is not a good indicator to international investors about the investment climate in a country. It also gives you a fairly good indication of the confidence the local Private Sector has in their local economy,” the financial analyst explained, noting that the financial figures would not be encouraging to potential investors, both local and overseas.

Further, he expressed

worry over the fact that Guyana may find it difficult to get enough foreign inflow to pay its overseas debt between now and 2019, and because of this situation – as a last resort, there is the need to drain the international reserves. The BoG’s current account balance as of June 2017 was negative US$100 million. “This situation means that merchandise trade is not in Guyana’s favour. “Bottom-line, Guyana is not exporting enough to pay for its imports and the situation will get worse by the end of 2017 because of the politically-induced economic meltdown in the sugar industry. The bottom line is the overall balance deteriorated from an inflow of US$12 million for the first six months of 2016 to a massive outflow of $46 million for the first six months of 2017. Heaven help us when the 2017 figures arrive!”

International reserves

Over the past 12 months, Guyana’s international reserves have been depleted by US$55 million. Singh opined that running down international reserves for one year was not something to be too worried about, but when that becomes a trend, it could have serious implications for the economy.

“The problem is that since 2012 this has been the case. Guyana closed its foreign reserves at a healthy balance of US$825 million in 2012, and since then it has been downhill.” If this

trend continues, Singh foresees that by 2019 reserves are going to drop to below US$400 million. The last time Guyana had such a balance was in 2008, when the economy was much smaller and easier to support.

Singh continued: “If you have a big economy with a small reserve, then you are in a dangerous position and will have an issue in settling your foreign payment which takes you closer to being uncreditworthy. Between 2008 and now, the economy has literally doubled, but the foreign reserves had stagnated. But the principle remains that your foreign reserves should be growing with the economy.”

He argued that apologists of the Government might want to say that at least the capital account improved, but when that boost in the capital account is mainly being driven by new borrowed debts, then such a declaration from these so-called apologists has to be classified as nothing but financial nonsense. “You should only be borrowing based on your ability to repay, based on the performance of your productive sector. But in Guyana, under Jordan, we are borrowing more when the productive sectors are overall in regression – even gold today has flattened out.”

In the last six months alone, the disbursements of new national debt from the international lenders were US$32 million. turn to page 7

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

Rice to Cuba T

he news that Nand Persaud and Co is about to ship some 15,000 tonnes of rice to Cuba is a welcome development for our beleaguered rice farmers, who are mostly eking out a living by cultivating plots less than 10 acres in size. As with all exports, valuable foreign exchange will be earned to permit us to import other necessities that we cannot, or do not, produce. The loss of the Venezuelan market for 200,000+ tonnes of rice and paddy annually was a serious blow, both to our rice industry and the nation for a number of reasons.

There was firstly the size of that market – absorbing fully one-third of our exports. Secondly, there was the price of US$780/tonne that was almost double that of the world market price. Third were the terms of payment which were tied to the PetroCaribe initiative, via which we were receiving oil at extremely concessionary terms. The arrangement became fundamentally a barter arrangement that meant we did not have to pay for oil in foreign currency (US dollars) but to our own farmers in Guyana dollars, which we print but are not convertible on the forex market.

There are some who believe the then new APNU/ AFC Government did not open negotiations with the Maduro Government in Venezuela to save the rice market because of the tough rhetoric from the latter consequent to ExxonMobil’s announcement of a massive oil find off our Essequibo Coast, claimed by Venezuela and a toughening of the rhetoric from the US Government opposed to the socialist adventurism of Venezuela. These observers claim, however, that the Venezuelan reaction was pro-forma and in any case, with all its talk of sanctions against Venezuela, the US was the largest supplier of rice to Venezuela and its market share increased with the exit of Guyana. Last year, the US shipped more than 300,000 tonnes of rice to Venezuela.

But the new market for Guyanese rice in Cuba, coupled with US displeasure with a western hemispheric country’s flirtation with socialism and its nationalisation imperative, evoked echoes of the conditions existing here in the early 1960s. Then, the US had failed in its mission to remove the socialist Castro after the latter steered Cuba’s foreign policy in a pro-Moscow direction during the Cold War that was heating up. Then British Guiana, under the leadership of Cheddi Jagan, was poised to receive independence from Britain, but had opened up a market for rice in Cuba. This was one of the factors that had helped solidify the US’s contention that Jagan and the PPP were “fellow travellers” with Moscow.

To point out that the rice contract with Cuba had not been vetoed by Britain, the colonial power, and that the prices were higher than those obtained from the other West Indian islands, which helped to encourage rice farmers to increase their production, did not cut any ice with the US. During the 1962 CIA-inspired 80-day Public Service strike that was the opening salvo in the ousting of the PPP by 1964, the Cubans were accused of shipping in weapons for the PPP in the ships that collected the rice. A search debunked the charges, but an attempt was made to dynamite the Rice Marketing Board wharf where rice was being loaded onto a Cuban ship.

Jagan had also arranged for oil to be imported from Cuba in exchange for rice, to fire the electricity plant which was about to go down because of the strike-supporting dock workers’ embargo. Even though the US denied it was seeking to cancel the rice contract with Cuba, after the PNC was eased into office, it soon did do just that and was assisted by the US to jump totally into the production of long grained rice, a premium product that limited our markets.

It is our hope that the Cuban market for our rice has not raised any eyebrows in the US, since President Trump’s stance is tougher than Obama’s.

A Rohingya refugee pulls a child as they walk to the shore after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border by boat through the Bay of Bengal in Shah Porir Dwip, Bangladesh (Reuters/Danish Siddiqui)

Coalition needs to address growing corruption, cronyism within its rank-and-file Dear Editor, The Coalition Government promised to wipe out corruption and cronyism, and foster accountability and transparency; but two years have passed and the Coalition is yet to address the growing corruption and cronyism within its rank-and-file.

In May 2017, the Berbice Branch Manager of NCN was sent on administrative leave pending investigation. This type of leave is normally given to facilitate investigations without the person in question trying to compromise the investigation in any way. However, in the case of this NCN Branch

Manager, it can be seen as an effort by those in authority to send her away until the ‘dust is settled’ and the heat of the issue is forgotten.

But what this Manager has done will make the previous Manager, Mr Faizal Jaffarally, look like an altar boy. She has been the Manager for a period of 15 months during which ‘fake’ invoices, receipts and log sheets were used and she was never aware of it. The unfortunate staff members, who were dismissed, made it clear that they were instructed to prepare these ‘fake’ documents. There is overwhelming evidence to support this.

Why were their statements thrown aside? Even if we are to believe that these staff members falsified the documents, did these employees collect the sums of money as well? Are there no checks and balances at NCN? Is this the ‘competence’ of the Branch Manager?

When Jaffarally was dismissed, the then CEO for NCN, Ms Molly Hassan, boasted about hiring ‘competent personnel’; is this the type of competence which is hired? Even if she is not involved in the fake documents, which I don’t for a moment believe, how is it that these frauds were

committed right under her nose without her having any clue about what is going on?

This person is a disgrace to the AFC. But it seems that this person has strong connections, which go to the top of NCN and the AFC, so she can do no wrong. From information received, this Branch Manager will resume duties this month end.

This is grave injustice to those who were dismissed.

Who is protecting her?

We blamed and lambasted the PPP/C, but we are doing worse in just two years.

Dear Editor, Baha’is from every country around the world, including Guyana, are busy making plans for the October celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Baha’u’llah, the prophet founder of the Baha’i faith.

On 21-22 October, Baha’is around the world will commemorate two holy days, which are both unique in the Baha’i calendar and are of immense significance in human history.

These holy days mark respectively the births of the two most important luminaries of the Baha’i Faith, the Birth of the Bab (mean-

ing the Gate) and the Birth of Baha’u’llah (meaning the Glory of God). This year’s celebration observes the bicentennial of the birth of Baha’u’llah; and in 2019, the bicentennial of the birth of the Bab. The significance of these holy days has to do with the Baha’i understanding of the extraordinary lives and teachings of Baha’u’llah and the Bab. Those two Manifestations of God appeared on the horizon of human history in the nineteenth century, bearing a message for humankind, announcing a new era in our collective history on this planet.

To many, their names are as yet unfamiliar, but the writings of Baha’u’llah and the Bab describe a period of transition in our history, which has overtaken humanity these past two centuries, and is currently undergoing rapid acceleration. That transition, however painful and promising by degrees, is leading to an age of collective maturity for the human race. It will be characterised by our essential oneness in a pattern of global unity. To the extent humankind comes together, civilisation will move resolutely forward towards the peace, justice, and prosperity that have

been the dream of seers and poets, prophets and philosophers throughout the past ages, and myriad cultures and communities that comprise our shared history.

Embracing ideals that combine service and worship, Baha’is are engaged in a worldwide effort at community-building that, with no sectarian or congregational aspiration, aims to contribute to a pattern of collective life on earth that is informed by the uplifting teachings of Baha’u’llah and the Bab – teachings that reinforce and amplify the teachings of all the world’s great religions.

Yours sincerely, Muhammad Mustapha

Baha’is to celebrate 200th birth anniversary of Baha’u’llah next month

continues on page 5

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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com

GPC salutes UN Guyanese prefer incumbent "International Day in Aruba election of Democracy 2017"

Dear Editor, The Guyana Peace Council (GPC) salutes United Nations 'International Day of Democracy 2017.'

This year's observation is being held under the theme ‘Democracy and Conflict Prevention’.

International Day of Democracy is being observed by fighters for democracy, peace and social progress all over the world.

In 1997, the InterParliamentary Union (IPU) adopted a Universal Declaration on Democracy.

Subsequently, in 2007, the United Nations General Assembly resolved to observe September 15 as 'International Day of Democracy' - with the purpose of promoting and upholding the principles of democracy.

The preamble of the resolution affirmed that: "... while democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy, and democracy does not belong to any country or region..."

The resolution further states: "...democracy is a universal value based on the freely expressed will of the people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems, and their full participation in all aspects of life..."

Under the leadership of

former President Cheddi Jagan, founder of the GPC, the Council played a supportive role to the Guyanese people's struggle for the restoration of democracy in 1992 through free and fair elections.

Prior to the 1992 elections, the GPC organised several fora on a number of national and international issues, to raise the people's awareness on the importance of democracy, what it involves, the challenges it faces, as well as the opportunities it offers.

As President of the Guyana Peace Council and a member of the Presidium of the World Peace Council (WPC), Cheddi Jagan took the cries of the Guyanese people to the international arena, making leaders and the peoples of many countries aware of the struggle in his country for the restoration of democracy, racial and working class unity, peace and social progress.

His tireless efforts in this endeavour won the admiration and support of many world leaders, including the leadership of the WPC, which endorsed his request that June 15 be declared International Day of Solidarity with the People of Guyana.

As we in the GPC join in lending support to, and solidarity with, our fellow fight-

ers for democracy and peace around the world, we are cognisant of our own struggles that lie ahead against a creeping dictatorship and authoritarian rule in Guyana with the return to government of a disguised and discredited People's National Congress (PNC).

As it has done in the past, and in keeping with this year's theme, 'Democracy and Conflict Prevention', the GPC stands ready to work with all local stakeholders who have declared in favour of working hard to help strengthen our democratic institutions for peace and stability, for effective and inclusive democratic governance, for respect for human rights, and for the rule of law in Guyana.

As we mark this significant occasion, we in the GPC call upon all Guyanese who stand in support of these noble ideals to join with the GPC to collectively and courageously struggle for the realisation of this worthy cause.

Further, we appeal for the support of our brothers and sisters around the world with whom we are joined in a common struggle for democracy, peace and social progress.

Long Live International Day of Democracy!

Guyana Peace Council

Dear Editor, Aruba goes to the polls to choose a national assembly on September 22. Aruba, like Guyana, has a unicameral legislature of 21 seats.

And, like Guyana, the entire island is one constituency, with a proportional representation electoral system. Seats are awarded to parties based on percentage of votes obtained. There are several parties, but only two parties are likely to win seats. Two parties have been dominating the electoral politics – the ruling AVP (green colour), which has governed for the last eight years; and the opposition MEP (yellow), which governed between 2005 and 2009.

The current head of Government, the Prime Minister, is Michiel "Mike" Godfried Eman. He led the AVP to victory in 2009. In an informal survey I conducted last week, he remains very popular among immigrants, and even local Aruban voters. Guyanese of all ethnicities are very grateful to him. He has a high approval rating based on people I surveyed. He was reportedly involved in some issues, drawing the ire of voters who were critical of him. But voters say he has done a lot of positive things for the island, including job creation. Every

There is need for an Alcohol Control Bill

Dear Editor, It is indeed very heartening to read pronouncements and statements by two senior Government Ministers -- Dr George Norton and Khemraj Ramjattan -- of the need for an Alcohol Control Bill to deal with extremely negative and horrendous consequences of alcohol abuse in our dear land of Guyana.

Following the recent assent by President Granger of the Tobacco Control Bill, there can be absolutely no doubt that the Government must proceed to craft legislation to curb, in a draconian manner, the distribution and

consumption of alcohol in this country.

I give my wholehearted support to the most welcome and long overdue pronouncements of abovementioned Ministers, and I hope that persons/organisations across the entire spectrum of life will support this much needed initiative to enact an Alcohol Control Bill in the shortest possible time.

I hereby challenge the Government to do all that is necessary to bring a bill to Parliament no later than 2019.

The Hindu organisation that I am associated with, the Gandhi Youth Organization /Mahatma

Baha’is to...

Baha’u’llah, the Prophet founder of the Baha’i Faith, was born in 1817 in Tehran, Iran. The births of Baha’u’llah, and his predecessor, the Bab, are considered as sacred days in the Baha’i Faith.

More than five million Baha’is will observe the

FROM PAGE 4

bicentennial celebrations this year in about 100,000 localities around the world. They will be open to people from all communities and systems of beliefs.

Yours faithfully, Rooplall Dudhnath

Gandhi Organization (registered in 1953) has long recognised the deleterious effects of alcohol, to the extent that one of the Organisation’s aims and objectives is “to campaign against the excessive consumption of alcohol in the community”, which we have witnessed in this country over the decades.

I would like to make a call, particularly to my Hindu brothers and sisters individually and through their respective

mandirs, to do all that is in their power to keep the pressure on our legislators to bring a proposed Alcohol Control Bill to early fruition.

Minister Ramjattan, please use your good office to continue to enforce our laws, and ensure all bars and night clubs CLOSE at 2:00am, as is on our law books governing the regulation of these entities.

Yours truly, Chris Persaud

adult Guyanese is employed on the island, and enjoying a relatively high standard of living, similar to the US or Canada. Their income is almost ten times that of Guyana, and many of them regularly visit the US or Canada, where they have relatives. They also routinely come to Guyana to visit families and friends.

The Aruban economy has grown under Prime Minister Eman. And tourism, the mainstay of the economy, has been steady.

He has been kind to immigrants, allowing them to obtain working papers, and regularising their status.

And Guyanese have done quite well under his tenure. Their quality of life has gone up. Most Indo and Mixed Guyanese have become home owners. They work very hard, save their money, and purchase land and build a house. They and Filipinos have the highest percentage of home

ownership among all ethnic groups. The Filipinos, Chinese and Guyanese engage in home gardening, a practice they brought from Guyana. Other ethnic groups in Aruba are not into kitchen gardening.

The opposition is not viewed as a credible alternative, although it has an attractive platform on education, health, and jobs.

Voters don’t trust it because of the errors of governance between 2005 and 2009.

Guyanese and other Anglophone immigrants (Jamaicans, Dominicans, Kittitians, etc.) say they like Eman and want him to win. Spanish-speaking immigrants (Dominican Republic, Venezuelans, etc.) like the opposition.

The incumbent Eman has the edge to retain office for an unprecedented third term.

Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram

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Foundation

– no one is perfect, and parents have lots of reasons to lose it

By Laura Markham, PhD

“What I have learned from reading Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids has already improved my relationship with my eightyear-old son. My son thanked me this morning for reading this book.

He said I am turning into the mom he always wanted. ‘Even if it means you don’t always get your way?’

I asked. He replied, ‘It’s easy to learn from my mistakes when you aren’t yelling at me about them.’ I almost burst into tears.” – Shannon Kids like to get their way. But there’s something every child wants even more: Someone who loves you, no matter what. Someone who doesn’t yell when you make mistakes. Who is calm and patient, even when you’re mad or whining. Someone who controls their own emotions so they can listen and empathise, even when you’re wrong, even when you were so upset you were rude, even

when you hit your sister.

Someone who holds a vision of you as your best self, even when you can’t find that self.

Imagine growing up with that parent. That’s what every child wants.

Of course, nobody can be that parent 24/7, because we’re only human.

No one is perfect, and parents have lots of reasons to lose it on a regular basis.

What we CAN do is make the commitment to increase our ratio of good parenting moments, and keep working at it, day after day. When we mess up – which we all do – we can pick ourselves up and try again. Luckily, each step in the right direction makes a big difference.

But if you’re wishing you could be that parent more often, or if you’re feeling stuck in a negative cycle, maybe it’s time to give yourself more support.

Most of us just keep resolving to “do better.” But being hard on yourself doesn’t make you a better parent.

Even resolving to be more

patient doesn’t necessarily help, if you don’t give yourself the support you need to stay calm and regulate your own emotions.

If you have a plant that’s wilting, you don’t yell at it to straighten up and grow right. You figure out what it needs to thrive: More water? More sunshine? More room to grow?

This applies to your child, of course.

But it also applies to you.

So instead of berating yourself, take a moment right now, and consider what one thing you could do today to support yourself to be the parent you want to be.

1. Maybe you need more sleep.

2. Maybe you need to take a vow of ‘Yellibacy’ and let your kids give you a star for each day you don’t yell.

3. Maybe you need to slow down a bit so you aren’t so stressed, and you can enjoy your child more.

4. Maybe you need to read a parenting book

to inspire you, or join a group or course where you can talk with other parents and get support.

5. Maybe you need to shower yourself with more love. You can only be emotionally generous to your child if you’re emotionally generous to yourself.

Any of these ideas (or any other change you need) will take work on your part.

But life is short, and you deserve it. And your child deserves it. The days with your child may feel long, but childhood is short.

Every day, your child is creating memories. He’s shaping his brain. She’s laying the foundation for relationships for the rest of her life.

You don’t have to change all at once. The most lasting changes come one step at a time, from creating new habits. For today, make a clear intention to give yourself the support you need. Write down the first step.

Why not take that first step, today? (psychologytoday.com)

(Continued from Saturday)

By Kathryn Seifert PhD

There are many examples of domestic violence affecting public figures. Domestic violence in the relationship of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown is well known. How that has and will continue to affect their daughter, Bobbi Kristina, will depend on how involved other relatives were and are in helping to give her safe haven and an alternative nurturing environment. Another example is Bill Clinton who spent the first four years of his life with his grandparents in a nurturing environment while his mother was in nursing school. His young life was later marred by domestic violence. The nurturing environment in the first four years of life probably gave him the foundation he needed to develop early skills. This, coupled with success in school, helped him cope with the domestic violence in his middle childhood and adolescence. Despite domestic violence during those years, he became president of the United States. However, President Clinton’s half-brother, Roger, born in 1956 when President Clinton was 10 years old, would have been exposed to domestic violence at a younger age than the age of the President during exposure and he reportedly has had a

chequered past. Research supports exposure to DV at a very young age interferes with the development of basic coping skills. Therefore, it appears that the domestic violence in the Clinton household may have affected the two brothers differently.

Several programmes have promise in helping families torn by domestic violence. The Healthy Families Program supports positive family relationships, healthy child development, and improved problem solving from the time the mother is pregnant until the child is five years old. Programs work to engage fathers in the raising of their children. It is a wellness oriented program that gives support, rather than finding fault. Research indicates the program has a good track record for positive family outcomes. Head Start with family involvement is also a programme known for supporting families and positive outcomes. If you or your children are being harmed by domestic violence, you can: • Seek counselling • Call the police when you or your children have been hurt • Leave your home and go to a DV shelter • Get the support of friends and family • Educate yourself about the cycle of violence and how it harms you and your children • Make a safety plan If your family is experiencing domestic violence, please know that it is harming your children and that there is help for you and your children, but you must reach for it and do so carefully with the support of others. (psychologytoday.com)

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monDay, September 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Guyana’s untouched beauty has tremendous potential for tourism “G uyana’s natural beauty is second to none. It could be touched a little bit more,” joked Michael Moore, tour leader for Zegrahm Expedition, part of a 10-member team that returned for the Guyana FAM Tour 2017.

The group participated in a familiarisation (FAM) tour of Guyana hosted by Wilderness Explorers and The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA). The team comprised members from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States (USA), and spent nine days exploring Guyana’s rich natural habitat.

At a debriefing session on Saturday evening at the Marriott Hotel, Managing Director of Wilderness Explorers, Tony Thorne, told media representatives that the team travelled and stayed at the Caiman House in Yupukari; Karanambu Lodge up the Rupununi River, Surama Eco Lodge, Iwokrama River Lodge, the Rainforest Lodge, Rewa Eco Lodge, Guest House at Kaieteur Falls, Baganara

Island Resort, Arrowpoint Nature Resort, and Cara Lodge Hotel. They also visited Rock View Lodge, Grand Coastal Inn, the Back-Yard Café.

The Euro Cars Company loaned the team two fourwheel drive vehicles to explore the interior.

Throne said the tour has “perhaps been one of the most in-depth tours that we have ever had”. Michael Moore who hails from the USA, explained, “When I took the flight, I said, ‘Oh my God! I have flown over the Amazon, the Andes, Malaysia… No place is there such unbroken rainforest, intact canopy”.

According to the Department of Public Information, Thorne believes that more needs to be done to put the country on the map as a tourist destination, and he plans to bring a team of 10-14 persons next year to experience Guyana.

Also speaking at the briefing, Director General of Tourism, Donald Sinclair, said this trip is of great importance to the tourism in-

The Team that completed the nine-day FAM tour of Guyana, and Director General of Tourism, Donald Sinclair

dustry of Guyana, as it will greatly boost marketing of the nation’s tourism. The Director General also said that, as of 2017, the Guyana Tourism Authority has adopted a strategy of recruiting marketing representatives, “so that more work can be done in the United

Island Style Cafe and Wine Bar taking your taste buds on a journey

M

inister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, officially launched the re-branded Island Style Cafe and Wine Bar at 50 Brickdam, Georgetown on Saturday. Whilst delivering remarks, the minister noted that Guyana’s tourism sector continues to develop.

Minister Gaskin added that while hinterland tourism will be developed, it is imperative that coastland tourism also progresses. He explained that with increased investments in businesses like the Island Style Cafe and Wine Bar, tourists will have a variety to choose from when visiting Guyana.

He jocularly noted, "Tourists tend to eat more while being on vacation".

Valerie Grant, proprietor of the cafe and bar, who has been residing in Guyana for a few years, noted there was a need for good Caribbean food, hence the establishment of the cafe. However,

tion to the business.

According to the Department of Public Information, the Island Style Cafe and Bar will offer a variety of cuisines on dif-

Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin

she soon realised patrons were requesting wine with their meals.

“I like a good glass of wine, and I also like to visit vineyards", she remarked.

Grant said that after much discussion with some of her colleagues, it was decided that the wine bar would be a fantastic addi-

Capital flight for...

Singh said this basically meant that Government was borrowing “on the heads of children of Guyana” to fill the short-term financial need, but that could not be a sustainable financial strategy. Getting adequate economic incentives in place to build the confidence of the Private Sector and to motivate them to invest in the productive sector will permanently change the eco-

nomic dynamics for the better.

He also noted that not only were international investors finding it hard to do business in Guyana, but the local Private Sector has been complaining bitterly about the issues facing the local economy. “Can you imagine over the last 12 months every single day there have been blackouts in Guyana?

We need to fix it,” he assert-

Proprietor of Island Style Cafe & Wine Bar, Valerie Grant

ferent days of the week. The business operates under the motto "Taking your taste buds on a journey around the Caribbean". from page 3

ed.

Also, the Half-Year 2017 Balance of Payment illustrates that short-term capital outflow for Guyana for the first six months of 2017 stood at US$33 million, which indicates that there has been an increase in commercial banks moving their monies abroad. “When banks start to move their monies overseas, we have a major problem.”

Kingdom, United States, Canada” which is currently ongoing. GTA contributed approximately $2.2million to this FAM tour.

Also present at the event was Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, his wife, and officials of GTA. The members that have

completed the FAM tour are Helen Byron of Wildlife WorldWide (UK); Emily Davis of Last Frontiers (UK); Katie Aston of Reveal Travel (UK); Dominique Dunphy of Trufflepig (Canada, UK, US); Gavin Breeze of Chimu Adventure (Australia); Michael Moore

of Zegraham Expeditions (US); Tony Thorne, Managing Director of Wilderness Explorers; Clair Antell of Wilderness Explorers (UK); Shelomi Williams of Wilderness Explorers; and Carlos Allie, Wilderness Explorers (Guyana).

8 NEWS

monday, September 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

In Berbice

Police pounds for animals not safe – several animals die from dehydration, starvation

By Andrew Carmichael

T

here is little doubt that stray animals on the roadways have contributed to some road fatalities, and that stray catchers are fulfiling a much-needed function.

However, even though the Animal Welfare Act passed this year speaks about ‘the protection and well-being of domesticated animals in relation to shel-

pounded animals have seen no reprieve, and their sufferings and death continue unabatedly.

It would seem that the ‘welfare’ of animals has been restricted to the importance of animals in the food chain.

In January 2014, having denied knowledge on the sufferings and death of impounded animals, the Ministry issued a press release which specifically stat-

E

Animals suffering at the Number 51 Police Station Pound

This rope is too short to even allow for this impounded horse to lie down

ter, food supply, and humane treatment’, the im-

ed that ‘the police must ensure the safety, health and

Things fall apart…

well-being of impounded animals’; therefore, there is no doubt about whose responsibility it is.

“Has this changed since then by our Ministry of Public Security?” one Berbice resident questioned.

More recently, a calf was impounded by the Police at Number 51 Police Station Pound on the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne), having allegedly been the cause of an accident involving a vehi-

cle in which, fortunately, no one was hurt and only a glass was broken from the vehicle. This animal has been impounded for more than one week, reportedly with no water or food, and it was only because of the timely intervention of a Government official that it received some water and grass on Thursday last.

Just a few months ago, two goat’s kids had to be rescued by the said Government official at the Number 62 Police Outpost also on the Corentyne. Had this not been so, they would have probably died from dehydration and starvation.

This is in addition to a calf with a broken back leg, which had to be strapped by the said Government official and the station sergeant. The official had, for two weeks, had to cut grass for this animal, since its condition was deteriorating rapidly; until it was given to the car driver involved in the accident.

Not long ago, many animals, including sheep, horses, donkeys and cows, died in pounds at Albion Police Station, Black Bush Polder, and other police stations throughout Berbice.

“What is sad is the fact that these police officers who are supposed to take care of the welfare of these poor animals would sit, eat and drink to their fill, while looking at these suffering animals tied right before their very eyes,” one Berbice resident remarked.

Reports are that a number of impounded animals die as a result of dehydration and starvation. On most occasions, Police officers would say they are keeping these animals for evidence or exhibit. Be it so, with modern technology, it should be possible to take pictures, or even video of the animals, which can be used in a court of law as evidence.

…‘cause the centre leads

very day, you open the paper -- any paper, save the poor Chronic that’s being micro-managed by Nagamootoo’s water boy -- you’re hit by another news about thiefin’ by one Government flunkey or another. Yesterday was some AFC-appointed NCN minion in Berbice raiding the cookie jar; and even though fired once, he keeps popping up like the proverbial bad penny, because of some AFC godfather.

But this last one that was exposed on Sunday -- about officials stealing from the programme that’s supposed to give some victuals (“vittles”) to malnourished kids -- takes the cake; pardon the cruel pun. And they condemn “taking candy from a baby”… this is a million times worse! A candy isn’t a matter of life and stunted growth, like the feeding programme is.

But you’ll never hear anything about this Government being a kleptocracy. No siree Bob! That’s reserved for the PPP, even though up to now it’s been the Govt just “throwing shade”!

But you really can’t blame the boys and girls in the lower echelons for their runnings, can you? ‘Cause they’re just TRYING to imitate their bosses; and their thiefing is but a pale imitation! What do you tell that cop who stops you and extorts a fried rice? Like Audreyanna Thomas, do you promise to start a collections plate to “top them up”? Why do they have to take charity when the Government promised in its Manifesto to give them a “substantial” raise; but not only reneged, but awarded THEMSELVES a 50% raise!!

Why should, say, the small miners declare all their hard-mined gold, when they know a certain Minister in the sector has leased her lands to a big mining company, and is raking in the big bucks PLUS the mega salary PLUS the $500,000 monthly rental PLUS the gardener and maid and cook and driver with the “shine ride”?? Pick a Government department -- any department….use any methodology, including eenie, meenie, miney moe or whatever…and you’ll find the top dog sucking on some real juicy meat. Why shouldn’t the underlings suck some bones, at least?

And the man who was supposed to implement a Code of Conduct with teeth is now the cat who’s overseeing the biggest pitcher of milk…ooops!...oil!! And he won’t reveal the terms of the contract on what Guyana’s supposed to get for that oil. Do you, dear reader, think all those underlings that’ll be hired to “oversee” the oil sector haven’t seen how the breeze’s blowing?

But actually, it’s a storm that ultimately will wash them all away, if we the Guyanese people wake up and smell the stench by 2020.

That’s when your eyes are supposed to be “clean”!

…on the parking meters

Well, looks like MAPM folks know a “cock” when they see one. Now that the PNC-dominated City Council has outvoted (by one!) the valiant efforts of some to clean up the droppings of the Gang of Four and the Smart City parking horses, they see the fix coming up as plain as day. All this talk about “re-negotiating” the contract is conceding that there IS a contract. And once that’s conceded, all is lost!

The Smart City grifters will simply dig their heels in and call the shots. What MAPM has to do is: accept Georgetown needs parking meters, but insist on a NEW contract that’ll observe the LAW. Like having Smart City and WHOEVER’s interested to submit bids. It was this wilful omission by the Gang of Four that made the present contract void, ab initio (as Mustache man is wont to say!).

In the meantime, MAPM should once again convince their upscale members.

It’s their action “in the streets” that earned them their “street cred”!

…on imbibing alcohol

Say it ain’t so!! Not satisfied with his 2am curfew, the Public Service Minister now wants sale of alcohol only to 21-year-olds and up.

He knew he started on bush rRum at 14! But then again, look how he turned out!!

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

News

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monDAY, september 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Granger’s Petroleum Advisor agrees with Jagdeo

...advocates auctioning off available petroleum blocks

P

resident David Granger’s Petroleum Advisor, Dr Jan Mangal, has come out publicly in support of the calls by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, and has since called for the auctioning of the available petroleum blocks.

Dr Mangal was at the time responding to queries raised and published by the Guyana Times and attributed to the Opposition Leader, who this past week raised the matter as a worrying case of cronyism evolving, wherein relatives, friends and associates of Ministers and senior Government functionaries have been incorporated into companies through complex shareholding arrangements, and are applying for exploration and production licences for oil and gas in the blocks still available.

Speaking to the need for the available blocks to instead be auctioned off rather than having preferred companies apply, Jagdeo sought to point out that a premium must be considered.

Jagdeo suggested that the world-class discovery of oil in Guyana could be compared to a ‘gold shout’, and said the moment oil was discovered, “there is a premium now to owning offshore blocks and getting an exploration or production licence”.

The Opposition Leader has since found support in the utterances of Granger’s petroleum advisor, who in a public missive over the weekend said, “The process of one-on-one negotiation, or the open door method, where the Ministry of Natural Resources negotiates directly with the interested party, exposes the country to very real risks of corrupt activities.

“There is a very serious risk of corruption with this method, due to the lack of transparency and accountability... Most countries have abandoned this method, as

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

Petroleum Advisor, Dr Jan Mangal

experts recommend against using it. Guyana should no longer be awarding petroleum acreage via one-on-one negotiations after the Liza discovery in 2015,” said Dr Mangal.

According to the President’s Petroleum Advisor, as he echoed the sentiments of the Opposition Leader, “After the Liza discovery in 2015, Guyana was in a position to use the method of competitive bidding for the award of leases...

The Liza discovery de-risked Guyana, and as a consequence, all the major oil companies recognise that there is oil in the country. Hence all the oil companies will be interested in bidding for leases in a transparent way, which ensures that Guyana incorporates market forces to maximise its share.”

Dr Mangal used the opportunity to reiterate that, “the petroleum adviser’s position has consistently maintained that competitive bidding is indeed the best approach for Guyana.”

He has since called the public’s attention to a direct correspondence from May 2017 with one such oil company attempting to acquire acreage via one-on-one negotiation.

According to Dr Mangal, that company was advised by

him that: “Now that Guyana is on the radar post-Liza, it is my personal view that all future acreage should be leased in a way which maximizes benefit to Guyana, hence in a market-orientated way by an open bid round, to ensure competition. And acreage should not be negotiated one-on-one between the Government and a prospective developer.”

According to Dr Mangal, the risk of Government’s friends and family illegally obtaining leases will be significantly reduced if an independently managed and well audited competitive bidding process is used.

“There is no rush to award more leases, since Guyana is already occupied with the developments in the Stabroek Block,” Dr Mangal said.

Opposition Leader Jagdeo, in similar warnings to that of Dr Mangal of Government friends and family illegally obtaining leases - had stated that several of the local companies applying for petroleum licences “have no means whatsoever.”

According to Jagdeo, those companies he referred to as aligned to Ministers and their families, and some others, cronies, “have no means of finding hundreds of

President David Granger

millions of US dollars to do the exploration work.”

As such, he opined that the companies in question “will get these blocks and, weeks later, they will sell the

blocks without any competitive process being followed”.

Jagdeo suggested, too, that even some of the foreign companies that have been making applications had “unhealthy contacts with some Ministers and their surrogates”.

The Opposition Leader posited that were these companies to secure licences, there is the possibility of them earning tens of millions of US dollars.

He told members of the media that according to industry experts he has been in communication with, “the big companies will just buy these up (licences).”

Jagdeo used the opportunity to suggest that were President Granger serious about transparency in the sector, he would shut down

the application process and instead have the blocks auctioned off.

“The process is not transparent now. They should look at the beneficiaries, the shareholders of these companies; they are very complex now. There are a lot of front people, and they should go to an auction, because now this is a valuable resource.”

Jagdeo also reminded that, given the discovery of oil, the blocks could now be sold at a premium.

“If you go to an auction, money that the middle men will make will come to the State…so if they auction off these blocks, the companies that will buy it, they don’t have to get middle men who will buy it and sell it to them without any tender in a secret process.”

monday, September 18, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

News

911 emergency line to be fixed soon

Tackling gender-based discrimination

Guyana to get Judicial Gender Equality A Protocol Guideline – CCJ President

G

oal number five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) speaks to the achievement of gender equality and empowering women and girls and in light of this, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has developed a robust gender programme, which is expected to be implemented in the judicial systems throughout the Caribbean.

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but also a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world and, according to CCJ President, Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron, the first part of the new gender equality protocol would be implemented in five Caricom countries.

The new guideline comes as part of the Jurors’ Project and would see judicial officers being trained in gender sensitisation, equality, and accountability.

“The protocols are designed to assist Magistrates and Judges to adjudicate without gender bias.

Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana, Belize, and Trinidad and Tobago have been selected for the first part. The protocols for Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago have already been handed over

11

Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron

to them and their respective Chief Justices,” he said.

“The gender sensitisation training aspect of the Project has been designed for judicial officers and court personnel to foster an enabling environment for the protocols to take root.

The training modules place specific emphasis on addressing judicial bias; preconception and the negative impact of stereotypes; addressing specific challenges deriving from multiple and intersectional discrimination; the role of international and regional human rights institutions in examining domestic legislation on gender-based vio-

lence, custody maintenance, human trafficking and the ways they can be applied to promote gender equality,” the CCJ President informed.

He said that the programme would allow them to monitor and assess the implementation of the protocols. He noted that continued monitoring and performance assessment were crucial in instilling confidence concerning the systems.

The CCJ Head said that several rounds of gender sensitisation training have already commenced at the institution, adding that they have developed model sexual offences guidelines, which embody internationally-accepted best practices for the management of sexual offence cases and offer a rights-based approach for complainants and vulnerable witnesses.

“The guidelines which will be formally launched later this month (September) at the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers conference in Curaçao will be distributed throughout the Caribbean. This also carries a training component and will see the piloting of a model Sexual Offences Court.

There will be extensive critical education drives, which

will focus on topics such as consent, given the disparity between what people deem as consent and what the law regards as such,” the CCJ President said.

The PANCAP Justice For All Initiative focuses on creating a facilitating environment to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination within the Caribbean and has led to the development of a comprehensive plan to address that.

Sir Charles is set to leave office in 2018, having attained his seventh year of stewardship at the CCJ. The process of seeking his replacement has already commenced with the post being advertised extensively.

In 2011, he was sworn in as the second President of the CCJ in St Kitts.

His predecessor was the Right Honourable Justice Michael de la Bastide TC, a Trinidadian.

He was appointed by the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) on the recommendation of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC).

fter several months of delay, works on the defunct 911 system have commenced, and could be completed before the end of this year, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan has said.

The Minister said the equipment, sourced through Digicel (Guyana) to have the 911 system back up and running, has already arrived in the country, and GTT will now assist with the installation.

Ramjattan also revealed that training for staff to work in the emergency services centre have commenced in preparation for the relaunch of both the 911 services, which he admitted is extremely important.

Some $250 million have been allocated in budget 2017 for the setting up of the 911 phone lines.

In 2014, GTT’s management and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) pointed fingers at each other over the ineffectiveness of the 911 emergency numbers. At that time, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud felt that the problem was technical and had to do with GTT, removing blame from the GPF.

GTT, on the other hand, had that same year released a statement calling out the GPF for what they described as less than satisfactory responses to 911 calls.

The company had said that year there were handsets which had disappeared at the 911 receiving stations, and in some cases handsets were taken off the hook, or the phones were not answered by those responsible for taking these calls during standard working hours.

Meanwhile, Ramjattan said, too, that expansion works at the Brickdam Police Station lock-up could be completed by the end of this year.

According to him, the Ministry had invited bids for contractors to undertake works to the ventilation system and washroom facilities at the lock-up. The total sum of $164 million has been set aside to assist with these works.

The Minister also revealed that there were issues with the design of the lock-up, which was brought to the attention of a parliamentary select committee that made a site visit several weeks ago.

12 news

monDAY, september 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

“Breastfeeding, a natural and healthy process with benefits” – Minister Lawrence

T

he Ministry of Public Health’s Food Policy Division, along with several mothers and supporters, on Sunday ventured on a breastfeeding walk in Central Georgetown to launch and celebrate 16 years of Breastfeeding Week (2017) in Guyana.

Under the theme “Sustaining Breastfeeding Together”, this year’s

Stressing the importance of togetherness, Minister Lawrence said while the action is also part of the Administration’s Sustainable Development Goals, the country as a whole has a target to meet, and it does not only involve the work of the Government.

“As a nation, by 2030, we have to ensure that we end the preventable deaths

of newborns and children under age five. We should aim to reduce the neonatal mortality to at least 12 of one hundred live births…,” she said.

Directly addressing the mothers, and particularly those breastfeeding, the Minister described breastfeeding as a natural and healthy process which provides a wide range of benefits. “Sometimes, people

Public Health staff and other supporters at the launch of Breastfeeding Week 2017

Public Health Ministry staff and supporters at the Breastfeeding Health Walk

Breastfeeding Week activities aim to reduce poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity by 2030.

In her feature address, Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, emphasised the importance and benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child, noting that breastfeeding should be an ongoing activity, and not only be observed during Breastfeeding Week.

Director of Food Policy Division, Dinte Conway

don’t see the benefit because it does not have a cost to it”.

Despite the myths and challenges of breastfeeding, she is admonishing all health centres throughout Guyana to inform mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding in the most relatable terms.

“There are medical benefits to the mother -- the releasing of hormones; and it helps the reproductive organs to return to the pre-pregnancy size. It also helps with cancer, both ovarian and breast cancer”, said Lawrence.

In relation to breastfeeding in public, Lawrence said her Ministry is pushing the Social Protection Ministry “to champion breastfeeding spaces throughout work environments for mothers”.

Also making remarks,

Director of Food Policy Division at the Ministry of Public Health, Dinte Conway, said the breastfeeding process is one that should be observed not only by mothers, but also as a family, including the

on breastfeeding.

Keziah Skeete: “I believe breastfeeding is essential in every single meaning of the word.

Despite it taking a lot of energy from the mother sometimes, you are left

Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence

support of fathers and other relatives.

Conway also stated that the process serves as food security for infants, and is free food when compared to formulas. “Breastfeeding is a key component of sustainable development, for instance, ending poverty.

Breastfeeding is a low-cost way of feeding babies and children”, said Conway.

The Director commended the Public Health Ministry for achieving the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative status in 2016 despite many challenges faced, and for always observing Breastfeeding Week in Guyana.

Some of the mothers along with their babies, who participated in the Walk, shared their views

with a healthy baby; and it has benefits for you as a mother.”

Shubrena Bell: “This is my second child, and it is a privilege to be a mother again. Breastfeeding I consider as a very important thing, not only for a baby, but me as well.”

Niomi Sampson: “This is my first child, and it feels good to be a mother.

Breastfeeding is the most efficient formula for our babies, it is free of cost; so I encourage all mothers out there to breastfeed their children.”

According to the Department of Public Information (DPI), Guyana is also celebrating 25 years of observing Breastfeeding Week on the international level.

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monDAY, september 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Gangs go on rampage, create havoc in Sophia …leaving 1 critical, 3 houses burnt to the ground

The house of Jermaine Anthony engulfed in flames

By Ashraf Dabie

T

he community of ‘B’ Field Sophia, Georgetown was on Sunday swept in an uproar as an early morning altercation involving two known rivals quickly erupted into total chaos. This was as threats exchanged between the duo became violent, leaving one now nursing severe stab wounds at the Georgetown Public Hospital, while the other is said to be on the run from members of a vicious gang who left behind a trail of houses which were burnt to the ground.

This dilemma was unearthed as the Guyana Times on Sunday launched an investigation into a fire, reports of which were circulating via social media, only to discover that that incident was among a string of catastrophic events which took place within the area, all leading back to the stabbing.

According to information reaching this publication, 29-yearold Alvano Williams, a conductor, was, at around 8:30hrs yesterday, escorting his girlfriend out onto the Dennis Street main roadway in Sophia when he ran into an existing enemy, who was only identified as Troy.

Williams and Troy then allegedly kicked up a storm over an ongoing dispute, rumoured to be revolving around a woman whom they are both claiming as theirs.

The two approached each other with an exchange of threating language, resulting in them wielding weapons at each other.

The conductor was then stabbed

Smoke still emanating from the ashes of the second house to be burnt on the dam

The remains of the first house to be burnt on the dam

in his back and to his shoulder with the use of a long iron object, causing him to fall to the ground.

Troy, in taking advantage of the injured man, further chopped the 29-year-old to his head and about

Injured and homeless: Dexter Forde

his body.

It was then that an angry mob rushed to the aid of Williams, forcing the suspect to flee the scene and go into hiding. However, this was only after the injured man attempted to fire back at Troy with a knife but failed, as it was alleged that another young man (name given) managed to seize the weapon.

Police officers subsequently arrived at the location of the commotion and were forced to fire a shot in an attempt to quell the raging mob. However, this was to no avail, as the mobsters even continued to attack a number of indi-

viduals who were taken away from the scene and detained in the vehicle by the ranks.

Meanwhile, this newspaper understands that in an attempt to seek retribution for the harm done to the conductor, the gang, infamous for the murder of another resident sometime last year, thereafter went on a rampage in search of the missing suspect.

In doing so, the group, which is said to be led by a woman (named) proceeded to the home of the missing man, who was residing in a shack erected on government reserves opposite B Field, Sophia.

After their search proved to be in vain, the gang then set the shack on fire.

As they continued on, while acting on suspicion that Troy may be seeking refuge at the home of a friend, the gang them moved in on another house further up the dam and set that building ablaze as well. In fact, the ring leader was calling for the entire dam to go up in flames, which left residents pleading for their homes to be saved. As if that was not enough, the mobsters then reportedly turned their attention to the young man who took the knife away from Williams, claiming that he was somehow involved and is withholding information regarding the whereabouts of Troy. This young man was then chased up the road by the group, carrying cutlasses, and they eventually made their way to the home of the young man with the intention of burning it down as they had just done to houses.

Alerted to the impending doom

of their home, the young man’s stepfather quickly awakened his spouse, who was at the time asleep in the building, and both managed to escape before their home was set on fire.

the rampage while assisting with investigations at the Turkeyen Police Station. It was they who confirmed the information relayed by the few residents who were willing to speak.

Jermaine Anthony and family at the Police Station after being left homeless

All the while, scores of residents lined the corners of the roadways while the mobsters stormed the streets, carrying weapons and leaving trails of destruction as they go.

When the Guyana Times visited the scene of the incident, those residing within the area were tight-lipped about what had transpired, with most offering a wellthought-out response, saying, “I was not at home.”

However, this newspaper visited the home of the injured conductor, and both Williams’s mother and girlfriend indicated that they were uncertain that there is a link between the stabbing and the fires.

Nevertheless, reporters caught up with some of the victims of

In fact, the young man’s family outlined their plight, given that they are now homeless following the incident. The trio noted that they have no one to rely on, and have lost all possessions, including a hard earned sum of $80,000 in the fire.

Moreover, another victim of the destruction was seen nursing injuries to the eye after allegedly being attacked by the mobsters.

Williams is still hospitalised at the Georgetown medical institution, and is said to be in a critical state. It is still unconfirmed whether he has any direct connections to the gang. However, investigations are ongoing.

In Paramakatoi, Kato

Corruption exposed in Govt’s school feeding programme …millions of dollars unaccounted for

S

tate auditors who embarked on an investigation targeting the National School Feeding Programme have bared major “spending” inconsistencies plaguing the programme in two remote villages in Region Eight during the period 2016/2017.

Millions of dollars continue to be injected into the initiative ($1.3 billion and $1.9 billion in the years

2016 and 2017 respectively) which was implemented in the ten administrative regions following its relaunch in 2010 by former Head of State Bharrat Jagdeo.

Notwithstanding the original aim of the programme, coordinators in the cited region have reportedly been abusing the responsibility and power vested in them.

Particular scrutiny into

the expenditures for each meal revealed outrageous costs attached to same, raising further queries as to whether right procurement procedures were adhered to in the contract-awarding stage, among other issues.

According to media reports, funds allocated to the feeding programme for newly constructed Kato Secondary School was diverted to the other areas

and utilised as such.

The state auditors report was recently handed over to the Administration but it is yet unclear whether auditors have recommended further investigations by po-

lice, and even the preferring of criminal charges.

The present Administration has vowed a zero tolerance for non-performance and corruption against public servants. In

fact, former Region Eight Regional Executive Officer (REO) Rafel Downes was sacked earlier this year following issues surrounding overpayment of salaries and deductions. (Paula Gomes)

14 news

monDAY, september 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

Historian, archaeologist rebuke GCAA close to implementing indigenous history misconceptions advanced plane tracking system – Director Aviation sector

From left: Ovid Williams, Historian Anna Benjamin and Archaeologist Lousia Daggers

By Paula Gomes

A

A diagram showing how the ADSB system works

By Jarryl Bryan

O

ne of the prevailing criticisms of Guyana’s aviation sector has been its lack of high-tech systems like the Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADSB) to keep track of planes. But the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is pushing back against suggestions that it is dragging its feet.

According to GCAA Director General Egbert Field, the authority has in fact had this technology in operation since 2015. Field noted, however, that it was limited to tracking planes flying at a certain altitude.

“I would like to inform individuals that if they check the AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) manual, they would see that the ADSB was in operation since 2015,” Field recently expressed.

“The use of the ADSB was for flights above flight level 24,000 feet. Below, we had to put in the infrastructure.”

Field explained that this infrastructure largely includes four outlying relay stations for the ADSB technology. These stations are located at Kaieteur in Region Eight; Annai in Region Nine; Kamarang in Region Seven, and Port Kaituma in Region One. “Work at them has been completed, and we hope to have testing started by the end of this month. That system would take the place of radar. Provided that the transponder is fitted in the aircraft, Air Traffic Control would be able to identify that aircraft as it flies. And I am told by my air navigation services that with the four stations operational, we should be able to track an aircraft right down to landing,” Field explained.

He said that experts are currently checking the stations to ensure that there is proper transmission of data.

The retired Lieutenant Colonel also observed that

the project would have cost the Government hundreds of millions of dollars.

Blind spot

Issues related to tracking planes came to the national forefront as early as 2014, when an Air Services Limited (ASL) Britten Norman Islander plane pi-

Captain Nicholas Persaud, his cargo handler David Bisnauth, and plane went down in 2014 and were never seen again

loted by Captain Nicholas Persaud went down over the jungles of Region Eight.

To this day, the plane, pilot and crew have not been found.

Since then, however, the aviation sector has faced a flurry of plane crashes. The most recent crash involved Captain Imran Khan, 41, of Essequibo Coast, Region Two, who had been attached to ASL. At the time, he was flying from Chi-Chi to Mahdia (Region Eight) when his Cessna 206 (8R-GFM) aircraft went down late last month, killing the experienced pilot.

On August 8, 2017, a single-engine Cessna aircraft piloted by Captain Dominique Waddell was taking off from the Eteringbang airstrip in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) when it crashed.

The Wings Aviation plane was on a shuttling mission from Eteringbang to Ekereku when the incident occurred.

On July 25, 2017,

Captain Collin Martin, a retired Guyana Defence Force Major, was piloting a Roraima Airways aircraft when it crashed, killing him almost instantly. Martin perished after the BrittenNorman Island aircraft he was operating crashed on landing at Eteringbang.

In a recent letter to the media, one operator had highlighted some of the deficiencies in the sector. CEO of Roraima Airways, Captain Gerry Gouveia, had zeroed in on problems such as the lack of effective search-andrescue operations.

In his recommendations, Gouveia had also encouraged that aircraft be equipped with the Automatic Dependent Broadcast Surveillance (ADBS) tracking systems. He urged that the ADSB systems be fast tracked to completion and is always operational and functioning.

Gouveia recommended that spot trackers be installed on every aircraft operating in Guyana; and that each local airline must have the ability to track and flight follow their aircraft moment by moment.

He also urged that the GCAA mandate the use of high-end moving map Global Positioning System (GPS) in every plane. He also recommended pilots be equipped with a secondary back up GPS. “Mandate that local pilots are trained and competent to use the GPS systems,” Gouveia advised.

“Mandate that pilots are trained, and must understand the safety accuracy checks of the GPS prior to each flight, using the ground based navigational systems at the CJIA. “Establish flight corridors for every route into the hinterland runways using agreed- on GPS waypoints. Establish procedures using GPS waypoints to assist pilots in maintaining stabilized flight and stabilized approaches to all runways,” Gouveia had added.

renown local historian and an archaeologist have rebuked the misconceptions surrounding the history of Guyana’s indigenous peoples during the inaugural indigenous educational lecture series hosted by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs (MoIPA) at the Umana Yana on Thursday evening, as part of the Amerindian heritage month celebrations.

According to Project Manager of the Amerindian Development Fund, Omar Bispat, the ministry decided to embark on such a lecture in light of constant complaints received from visits to various indigenous communities to the effect that “their story is not being told”.

The lecture focused primarily on the origins of in-

er countries during the time of the Dutch (who were the first official settlers of the country), rather it was not until the arrival of the British who infiltrated deep into the interior of the country that the indigenous peoples’ suffered deaths from diseases like measles and small pox.

Contrary to common belief that the indigenous populace relocated to the interior away from the plantations upon the arrival of the Dutch, Benjamin posited that the people in fact did not, as the group came in small numbers and could’ve been rid of by the indigenous, had they wished to do so. Moreover, these Europeans enjoyed extensive trading with the lands’ first peoples and developed a preference to them as opposed to the Spanish and other succeeding groups to

A section of the gathering

digenous culture researched through archaeology and the interactions with early European settlers, through comprehensive presentations by renowned historian, Anna Benjamin and local archaeologist, Louisa Daggers.

Benjamin made her points by highlighting common misconceptions that which is taught in school by teachers of the day bracketing Guyana with the rest of those colonised in the Americas as well, hence distorting indigenous history.

The first presenter took the audience back in time to when it is reported in history that indigenous populace of the Americas and Caribbean suffered mass genocide and exploitation in wake of Columbus’ “discovery” of this side of the globe.

According to the speaker, “there was no genocide here”; Guyana did not suffer like the rest of the oth-

the extent that they even formed alliances against the other groups who attempted to infiltrate the colonies.

The Caribs were specifically involved in geo-political games upon observations of conflict between the Dutch, Spanish and the English, and were extremely adapt with firearm weaponry of the metropole and it was in their best interest to side with the Dutch to defend their lands from those who became to be known to them as threats; to ensure that the Dutch remained where they were for their own welfare and survival.

Referring to the Dutch as “hypocrites”, Benjamin alluded to letters which were sent from the local governor to the mother country of Holland indicating that they felt saddened when the Caribs brought back religious articles evidencing destruction of nearby Spanish

settlements. However they did nothing to stop such invasions as it was in their best interest to maintain a stronghold on the colony.

The second point established by the historian alluded to the fact that the indigenous people had an economic role to play in the colonial days (again contrary to common perception of non-input/contribution) in supplementing the diet of the Dutch and slaves on the plantation including the market abroad through the local production of “anato” which came to be used in food production processes.

In a final point, Benjamin firmly contended that indigenous peoples were not the first to be enslaved by the Dutch, simply owing to the fact that when they first landed in the land now known as Guyana, they brought at least six African slaves, as such it would only be factual to say that African slavery co-existed indigenous slavery.

Second presenter, archaeologist Daggers, used her area of expertise in the study of archaeology as a tool to bring these stories to life, that which is not known to the public. She made a brief address via a slide share presentation on history covering the paleo, meso and neo-indian period, on how the indigenous peoples evolved overtime in adapting to the ever-changing environment and climate for mere survival purposes.

According to the speaker, extensive “indigenous knowledge” allowed these people to survive the harsh conditions of climate change and it is they who hold the keys to issues surrounding the present day issue of climate change and ethno medicine among others. She also spoke on the importance of preserving petroglyphs found in various indigenous communities across Guyana, in preserving that part of history which was the first known primitive means of (written) communication among the aboriginal peoples.

The gathering was entertained by the local indigenous cultural group dubbed the “riverside angels” and the floor was opened to discussions on the subject at hand following the presentations.

15

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2017 | guyanatimesgy.com

VOX POPULI

A

What the people say

I SAY...

Is enough being done for Indigenous communities?

s Guyana celebrates Indigenous Month 2017, a number of activities have been tabled to acknowledge the presence and contributions of the first peoples. Even with a number of events and showcases being staged throughout the country, members of various Indigenous communities have expressed their concerns over the efforts being undertaken to ensure their development while some have indicated that they are satisfied. As such, the Guyana Times have asked persons whether or not enough is being done to improve the lives of Guyana’s first peoples. Here are the views of the public:

Alisha Medas

Edna Felix, Kato

“No, I am not satisfied with what is being done for Amerindians. You know how

Clyde Edwards, Paramakatoi, Region Eight

“Since Guyana gained independence, not much interest was shown by those in authority to develop Indigenous communities in the areas of education, health, public works and many more; hence creating a huge gap between development on the coast and in

Indigenous communities. I believe that this gap is a challenge for the current government. Also, Amerindians should utilise every opportunity to develop their own communities rather than solely relying on the Government in this regard. On the other hand, the Government must ensure suitable persons are employed at the Ministry dealing with Indigenous peoples’ affairs. Over the years I have observed persons being employed due to their qualifications and work experience in Indigenous communities, but do they really have genuine interest in Indigenous peoples? Many non-Indigenous personnel manage the affairs of Indigenous peoples but do they have genuine interest in Guyana's Indigenous peoples? You do not see and feel that genuine interest when one visits their offices. This brings me to encourage Indigenous youths to utilise educational opportunities so that we can be our own leaders.”

“In my opinion I think the Government has done much for the Amerindians. For instance, I recently visited the North West District and I was very impressed to see the development and transformation in communities in this area. So, based on what I’ve seen, I would say ‘yes’.”

“I’d say year after year the nation has done more to improve the lives of Amerindians.

However, I believe more overall exposure is needed for them since at times they fall under our collective radar and more can be done in terms of accessibility, flood/disaster relief, education and communications for them.”

Sasha Wilson “Just like the other races in Guyana, Amerindians even though they are the first people should work just as the other races do to progress and elevate themselves. I think that they are very comfortable with their current position in society and if they are, then we should accept them the way that they are.”

long so many children pass and there is no secondary school for them and they are jobless and here without doing anything.

So, I am not pleased about that and I was made to understand that it isn’t open as yet. So what is the Government doing about it? We, the Amerindians in that area, are really starving for better education. The living standard of the people in that area, that is what needs to be changed and also we are facing water problems when the dry weather comes in. So we need the Government to assist us in digging wells and running it to the homes of the people.

Qurian Spellen

Kester Whyte

“No, enough is not being done. I am of the opinion that much more can be done for the Amerindians. They are our first people and as such they should be given much more than they are currently receiving. More focus should be placed on ensuring that they receive development.

What they are getting here and there by the Government is not enough.”

Farah Hosain

Taneila Croal

“The indigenous people of Guyana are the Amerindians and in my opinion, they are treated and scoped as the least important among the other races.

On the other hand, there is little development in infrastructure in many of their villages. I think much more needs to be done so that our Indigenous people can be elevated more educationally, socially and environmentally. The Amerindians should have more done in their communities and for their people as a whole.”

“Government is always doing much for the first people.

Schools, scholarship, machinery, grant and there is even a Ministry to look out for their interest. So I think that the Amerindians – our first people are well cared for.”

Karran Ramsammy “I think the Government is just doing minor things for ''name sake'' or just because

André Ramaldo

“I would say a lot is being done. However, more can be done.

Indigenous communities need more access to and from the city. Proper roads,

they feel a little obligated. A lot more can be done to develop the lives of Amerindian people especially in health and education and also infrastructure. I think they really need to focus more on the basic need for living. Many Amerindians don't have proper water or electricity in all areas or clothing and food they prepare for themselves. The people living in the interior should be given more attention than others, not only because they are the first people of Guyana but because they are living away from the general society.”

transportation, water, phone and Internet services will greatly improve the livelihood of the people.

They have been neglected for quite some time and maybe it's because they are remote. However, this should not be the case. As an educator, I would like to see more done in the area of education delivery and access and preservation of Indigenous culture, especially the native languages of the various tribes. I do hope that oil revenue will be directed to elevating the standard of living for the Indigenous people.”

Maya Hercules

“Not really. I've noticed some efforts in the media from time to time, but it

Romario Hastings

“I recognise the efforts of the previous and current political regimes to transform the lives of Indigenous peoples through their various initiatives and I must acknowledge their Hinterland Scholarship Programme of which I personally

seems to always come about from recognition of something the Indigenous people have done or highlighted rather than observation

by Government. The questions the Government should address in order to "improve the lives" of Indigenous people are, how often do they visit the Indigenous peoples' villages speak to them apart from Amerindian Heritage Month? Are the efforts given to Indigenous people what they want and need? And do the efforts provide them with the opportunities as any other Guyanese?” benefited. However, education is merely a single strand within a web of complex issues surrounding and pervading Indigenous communities. Firstly, quality of education and access to resources plague hinterland schools manifested, through their meagre performances comparative to students in GT. Secondly, environmental degradation/land exploitation remains prevalent; improving lives should materialise within an environment conducive to cultural and ecological sustainability thereby guaranteeing Indigenous wellbeing and development. Therefore, addressing educational disparity and environmental degradation for IPs would signal an honest interest in improving the lives of Guyana's first peoples.”

16

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, september 18, 2017

Regional

Caribbean islands prepare US considering closing Embassy in Cuba for Hurricane Maria

T

C

The storm is currently following roughly the same path as Irma

aribbean islands still coming to terms with the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma are preparing themselves for a possible second major storm in two weeks.

Tropical Storm Maria was upgraded to a category one hurricane force on Sunday by the US National Hurricane Center.

The storm is currently following roughly the same path as Irma.

As a result, hurricane warnings have been issued for the US and British Virgin Islands, as well as

Puerto Rico.

They were all hit by Hurricane Irma – the category five storm which left at least 37 people dead and caused billions of dollars worth of damage – earlier this month.

France has also issued a hurricane warning for its territory of Guadeloupe.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Maria had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kilometres) at 21:00 GMT on Sunday and is expected to cross the Leeward Islands, that include the Virgin

Islands, on Monday night.

Puerto Rico avoided a direct hit with Hurricane Irma, but in the British Virgin Islands entire neighbourhoods were flattened.

After a visit to the area, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson described the damage as something "you see in images of from the First World War".

Virgin boss Richard Branson, who has a home in the Virgin Islands, has been tweeting ahead of the storm's predicted arrival, warning people to stay safe.

O

sulted in the capture of over 100 escaped criminals from the Balsam Ghut Prison,” said the governor, who did not disclose the exact number captured or those still on the run.

“The Government of the British Virgin Islands is extremely grateful to the Police and military personnel for their tireless efforts, which have today resulted in a thorough and extremely successful operation.”

Jaspert added that the success signalled a huge step

in Government's efforts to rebuild the territory.

He also expressed gratitude to the United Kingdom and Cayman Islands Governments for their provision of contingents of security personnel to bolster security efforts in the territory and restore law and order.

The prisoners escaped from Her Majesty's prison after a section of the facility was damaged during the passage of Hurricane Irma last week.

(CMC)

Democrats plot strategy as TPS deadline for Haitians looms

A

half dozen United States Democratic lawmakers have met with Haiti’s Ambassador to the US in what has been described as an intimate dinner to craft a new strategy aimed at convincing the Trump Administration to extend the Temporary Protected Programme (TPS) set to expire in January 2018 that allows thousands of Haitians to work and live in the US. Democrats said it’s time to tie TPS to recent activism over DACA, an executive order signed by Barack Obama that gave protections to undocumented, young Caribbean and other immigrants brought to the US as minors, according to the

Miami Herald.

“We have to create the atmosphere where the man in the Oval Office says ‘I’m considering it,’” said Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat of Texas.

Democrats argue that repeatedly bringing up TPS during every DACA protest and getting business leaders to realise the disruption to labour markets if 58,000 Haitians are required to leave will increase public pressure on President Donald Trump to grant the TPS extension, the Herald said.

“If all the Haitian workers at Fort Lauderdale International Airport left tomorrow, they would have the messiest bathrooms of

Cuba denies any involvement.

At least two Canadians have also been affected by similar symptoms.

"It's a very serious issue with respect to the harm that certain individuals have suffered," Tillerson told CBS. Despite an investigation involving the FBI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Cuban authorities, there is still no full explanation as to the cause of the incidents since late 2016.

President Raul Castro reportedly gave his personal assurance to the then-US

any airport, even messier than LaGuardia,” said Congressman Alcee Hastings, Democrat of Florida.

Hastings and Jackson Lee said that widespread outrage from Democrats – and business leaders – over President Donald Trump’s decision to end DACA last week created a massive amount of public pressure.

The TPS programme is administered by the US Homeland Security Department and allows foreign nationals already in the United States from 10 countries to stay in the United States for a designated period of time. TPS was granted to Haiti in 2011 after a massive earthquake on January 12, 2010. (Excerpt from CMC)

Charge d'Affaires in Havana that Cuba was not behind the attacks.

The US reopened its Embassy in Havana in 2015 following decades of frozen relations.

In 2016, President Barack Obama became the first sitting US President to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.

In June, President Donald Trump announced a partial roll-back of Obama's Cuba policies, but said he would not close the US Embassy in Havana. (Excerpt from

BBC News)

Rowley very disturbed by “ferry fiasco” report

(BBC News)

Over 100 escaped prisoners recaptured in BVI ver 100 criminals who broke out of Her Majesty's Prison, Balsam Ghut in the British Virgin Islands last week have been captured.

Governor Augustus Jaspert said the escapees were round up during an operation last week.

“On Thursday, September 14, an operation run by the British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands Police Officers, alongside the British Royal Marines and Police, re-

he United States is considering closing its Embassy in Cuba after diplomatic staff reported health problems which Washington blames on a "sonic attack".

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said a decision whether to shut to the mission in Havana was "under evaluation".

More than 20 staff suffered conditions ranging from mild brain trauma and hearing loss to dizziness and nausea.

US officials believe some kind of device was used to undermine their health.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley

T

rinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley on Sunday said he was left "very disturbed" after reading the report into the "ferry fiasco" done

by sole investigator Christian Mouttet.

On Friday, Rowley told the Parliament that Mouttet's report was in his possession and he would read it over the weekend.

Last month, Mouttet was appointed as the sole investigator into the sea bridge fiasco involving the Cabo Star and Ocean Flower 2, which the Port Authority of T&T (PATT) leased from Canadian firm Bridgemans Services Group LP. "Yes, I have read it and I am very disturbed by what I read and I will make it available to the investigation into the Parliament and the Attorney General's office," Rowley told the TV6 News.

Rowley said Mouttet's report has some "matters of concern" in it and when he appears before the Joint Select Committee (JSC) today he will make his comments there. (Trinidad Guardian)

Hurricane-hit St Martin takes 1st steps to rebuild

A

lmost two weeks after Hurricane Irma slammed into St Martin, killing 15 people, the French-Dutch Caribbean island has begun to take small steps toward reconstruction.

Out on the roads, soldiers and volunteers work side by side to clear debris clogging the streets, stocking branches, metal sheets and other rubble in long piles along the embankment.

In the particularly hardhit town of Grand Case, near the island's northern tip, fire-fighters are busy repairing wrecked roofs, while a few miles away, soldiers appraise the damage to a school.

Government officials want the school to open for classes on Tuesday, but whether it will be able to is another matter.

"We are still in an emergency situation but rebuilding is also in the back of our minds," Guadeloupe's Governor Eric Maire said during a visit to the island.

"We are beginning to get some administrative services back online".

Boats and yachts are seen sunk and damaged in a harbour on the French Caribbean territory of Saint Martin on September 17, 2017, after the island was hit by Hurricane Irma (Photo: AFP)

Maire said more public officials would be sent to the island, home to some 35,000 people, to help with administrative and other tasks.

But already, signs that rebuilding is now a primary focus of the French Government are everywhere.

Petrol stations that once held empty tanks are now again open for business.

Utility workers have fanned across the island to get electricity back to every household. By Sunday, a third of homes already had

their power back on, Maire said, and the electricity company said the rest would have it back within a week, either through the main electricity grid or via a generator.

And those residents and tourists who had requested to evacuate have been able to leave, thanks to now-operational air and sea networks.

"Not everything has been restored," Maire cautioned.

"Our main problem is to re-establish access to running water". (Excerpt from AFP)

monDAY, september 18, 2017

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

US Ambassador: UN has exhausted Rohingya villagers in Myanmar beg options on North Korea

U

nited States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Sunday the UN Security Council has run out of options on containing North Korea’s nuclear programme and the United States may have to turn the matter over to the Pentagon.

“We have pretty much exhausted all the things that we can do at the Security Council at this point,” Haley told CNN’s “State of the Union”, adding that she was perfectly happy to hand the North Korea problem over to Defence Secretary James Mattis.

As world leaders head to the UN headquarters in New York for the annual General Assembly meeting

US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, delivering remarks during a United Nations Security Council meeting on North Korea in New York City last week

this week, Haley’s comments indicated the United States was not backing down from its threat of military action against North Korea.

North Korea launched a

missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday in defiance of new UN Security Council sanctions banning its textile exports and capping imports of crude oil.

China has urged the United States to refrain from making threats to North Korea. Asked about President Donald Trump’s warning last month that the North Korean threat to the United States will be met with “fire and fury,” Haley said, “It was not an empty threat.”

“If North Korea keeps on with this reckless behaviour, if the United States has to defend itself or defend its allies in any way, North Korea will be destroyed. And we all know that. And none of us want that. None of us want war,” she said on CNN. “We’re trying every other possibility that we have, but there’s a whole lot of military options on the table,” she said. (Excerpt from Reuters)

American tourists attacked with acid at French train station

A

woman threw acid at four female American tourists at a train station in the French city of Marseille on Sunday, an attack Police

said they did not believe was terrorism-related.

Two of the women, in their early twenties, were treated in hospital for burns to their faces, Police

said. The tourists were on their way from the southern city to Paris.

The attacker, a woman in her 40s, was arrested at the scene. Investigators

have for now ruled out a terrorist motive and said they believe the attacker may be mentally disturbed, a Police official said. (Reuters)

for safe passage

T

housands of Rohingya Muslims in violence-racked northwest Myanmar are pleading with authorities for safe passage from two remote villages that are cut off by hostile Buddhists and running short of food.

“We’re terrified,” Maung Maung, a Rohingya official at Ah Nauk Pyin village, told Reuters by telephone. “We’ll starve soon and they’re threatening to burn down our houses.”

Another Rohingya contacted by Reuters, who asked not to be named, said ethnic Rakhine Buddhists came to the same village and shouted, “Leave, or we will kill you all.”

Fragile relations between Ah Nauk Pyin and its Rakhine neighbours were shattered on August 25, when deadly attacks

by Rohingya militants in Rakhine State prompted a ferocious response from Myanmar’s security forces.

At least 430,000 Rohingya have since fled into neighbouring

Bangladesh to evade what the United Nations has called a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing”.

About a million Rohingya lived in Rakhine State until the recent violence. Most face draconian travel restrictions and are denied citizenship in a country where many Buddhists regard them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

Tin Maung Swe, Secretary of the Rakhine State Government, told Reuters he was working closely with the Rathedaung authorities, and had received no information about the Rohingya villagers’ plea for safe passage.

“There is nothing to be concerned about,” he said when asked about local tensions. “Southern Rathedaung is completely safe.”

National police spokesman Myo Thu Soe said he also had no information about the Rohingya villages, but that he would look into the matter. (Excerpt from

Reuters)

PM Modi inaugurates Wife of ousted PM Sharif wins by-election Sardar Sarovar Dam

in test of support for ruling party

Workers of the PMLN political party guide voters and share voting lists outside a polling station in Lahore, Pakistan September 17, 2017

T

he wife of ousted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday captured his parliamentary seat with a reduced majority in a by-election seen as a test of support for

the Sharif dynasty ahead of the 2018 general election.

Sharif’s daughter Maryam said her mother Kulsoom won despite Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) par-

ty workers being threatened and kidnapped. Although she did not name anyone, PML-N sources said she was referring to alleged intimidation by parts of Pakistan’s powerful military.

The military could not be reached for comment.

“This is not an ordinary victory,” Maryam said in a speech to jubilant PML-N supporters. “You have defeated not only people who were in the field but also those who are invisible.”

The main Opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party made gains, but alleged voter irregularities in the eastern city of Lahore, the electoral heartlands of the Sharif family since 1980s.

Official results are yet to be announced but party officials who also tallied the numbers say Kulsoom, who did not campaign as she is receiving treatment for cancer in London, scooped about 53.5 per cent of the vote, with the party’s majority reduced from about 61 per cent in the 2013 general election. (Excerpt from Reuters)

China’s mood on North Korea is toughening – despite Trump’s bluster

P

resident Donald Trump is unable to claim that his threats have cowed North Korea. Five weeks ago, he warned of “fire and fury”.

Since then, Pyongyang has launched three missiles – two over Japan – and tested another nuclear bomb.

Trump continues to wave his stick, talking on Friday of “effective and overwhelming” options, despite wide-

spread warnings of the immense risk that they would bring catastrophe, not least for US allies and service people.

Allies fear he is genuinely willing to take military action. But the remarks may also be directed at China, with the aim of scaring it into toughening its stance.

Each crisis brings demands for Beijing to turn up the pressure – followed by sanc-

tions watered down until China agrees to sign on.

Yet there are signs that feeling is shifting in China.

When its Foreign Ministry spokesperson described current problems as “complicated, sensitive and grim”, it could have been a Facebook relationship status for Beijing and Pyongyang. An always suspicious alliance took a sharp turn for the worse with Kim’s accession.

Recent events have sharpened Beijing’s antagonism. Calls for stronger action against its neighbour are growing. This week an influential academic suggested that China may have no choice but to hold talks with the US on contingency planning for war – an idea it has rejected repeatedly – even given the likely backlash from Pyongyang. (Excerpt

from The Guardian)

Sardar Sarovar is the second-biggest dam in the world after the Grand Coulee Dam in the US [File: Reuters]

P

rime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated India's biggest dam, ignoring warnings from environmental groups that hundreds of thousands of people will lose their livelihoods.

Modi dedicated the Sardar Sarovar Dam to the people of India on Sunday.

The project was an "engineering miracle" and a "symbol of India's new and emerging power", he said.

The dam's inauguration coincided with Modi's 67th birthday.

The controversial project on the Narmada River, in the country's western state of Gujarat, will provide power and water to three big states – Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

The dam is the sec-

ond-biggest dam in the world after the Grand Coulee Dam in the United States.

The project has been beset by controversy since the laying of the foundation stone by then-Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961.

Ahead of the inauguration Modi said in a tweet, "This project will benefit lakhs of farmers and help fulfil people's aspirations."

The dam is expected to provide water to 9000 villages and the power generated will be shared among the three states.

The Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), led by social activist Medha Patkar, has been protesting the project, raising several environmental concerns. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, september 18, 2017

ARCHIE

ARIES

Look for a way to improve

(March 21- your mental and physical April 19) health. Getting involved in

something that will encourage you to build strength and boost your self-esteem should be a priority.

Interact with people from TAURUS different backgrounds. Travel (April 20- or educational pursuits will May 20) open your mind to new things.

Discussions will inspire you to be romantic. Make love a priority.

dilbert

A change at home will reGEMINI (May 21- flect how you deal with chilJune 20) dren or handle your friendships. Aggressive behaviour will not and should not be tolerated from young or old alike.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Calvin and Hobbes

You can make positive alterations at home without going into debt. Look at what you have to work with and make your surroundings comfortable and conducive to taking care of your responsibilities.

Do whatever it takes to improve your health and appearance. Discipline, fitness and a proper diet will produce a good frame of mind that will help you excel.

Go where the action is VIRGO and put your mark on what(Aug. 23ever you do. Paying attention Sept. 22) to detail and going over and above what’s expected of you will pay off.

Reconnect with someone LIBRA (Sept. 23- you have worked with in the Oct. 23) past to discover an opportunity that will send you in an unexpected but fruitful direction.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

Look inward and considSAGITTARIUS er what you can do to en(Nov. 23- hance your looks, attitude or Dec. 21) lifestyle. Personal changes should be made for your benefit, not to please a certain critic.

TODAY’S WORD — DECLARED (DECLARED: dih-KLARE’D: Made known formally or officially.)

Average mark 31 words Time limit 45 minutes

Smart choices will be CAPRICORN made if you are conservative (Dec. 22- when handling financial matJan. 19) ters. Excessive behaviour will have an impact on your physical and emotional health.

Can you find 48 or more words in DECLARED? The list will be published tomorrow.

SATURDAY’S WORD — NATTIER natter near neat niter ante anti antre attire taint tare

tarn tart tear teat tent tern tetra tier tine tinea

tint tinter tire titan titer train trait treat trine trite

inert inter irate iterant earn rain rani rant rate ratite

rein rent retain retina rite

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

Put more thought into your SCORPIO work or changes you want to (Oct. 24make at home. Let your creNov. 22) ative imagination take charge and see what transpires. Your intuition won’t let you down.

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Relationships will change PISCES (Feb. 20- if you open up about your feelMarch 20) ings and plans. Dealing with a make-or-break situation will lead to less stress.

monDAY, september 18, 2017

19

Golovkin, Alvarez fight ends in controversial draw G

ennady Golovkin’s world middleweight title fight with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez ended in a controversial draw. After a closely fought bout in Las Vegas, one judge scored it 118-110 for Alvarez, another 115113 for Golovkin and the third a 114-114 draw.

There were boos when the decision was announced at the T-Mobile Arena, and both boxers shook their heads.Kazakh Golovkin, 35, retains his WBA, WBC and IBF titles and remains unbeaten in 38 fights.

His Mexican opponent, 27, started and finished an absorbing fight the stronger, and also produced

some of the more eye-catching shots. Golovkin, though, landed more punches and had the better of the middle rounds.

Judge Adalaide Byrd had Alvarez as a clear winner, Dave Moretti scored the bout for Golovkin and Dan Trella had the fighters level.

Alvarez’s record now stands at 49 wins (34 KO), two draws and one defeat from 52 fights. In the buildup to the fight, Golovkin had described it as the “biggest of this era” – and both men later said they were open to a rematch.

Reactions Former heavyweight world champion Lennox Lewis tweeted: “I have GGG as clear winner. Loved that Canelo swung to the very end! Both are winners tonight.”

Former two-weight

Gennady Golovkin (left) landed more punches overall during the 12 rounds

world champion Paulie Malignaggi said: “Canelo was never in it once it passed about round four or so.”

Floyd Mayweather Sr, whose son recently beat

Hamilton takes big step towards 4th title L

ewis Hamilton took a huge stride towards his fourth Formula One title on Sunday by winning an incidentpacked Singapore Grand Prix after Ferrari title rival Sebastian Vettel crashed out at the start.

The Mercedes driver now has a 28-point cushion over the German with six of the 20 races remaining.

Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, who also emerged from the opening lap carnage unscathed, was second for the third year in a row with Finland’s Valtteri Bottas completing the podium for Mercedes.

“God blessed me today for sure,” said Hamilton, who set a lap record on his way to a third win in a row, as he spoke from the podium on a night where everything fell into his lap.

“I came here today really thinking it was about damage limitation, and we’ve come out ahead. So I’m very grateful,” he said later.

“To come to a track that was potentially our weakest circuit, and come away with a win like this and those points, it’s really such a fortunate scenario...so I definitely have a skip in my step.”

The Briton cashed in after Vettel, Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen and Red Bull’s front row contender Max Verstappen smashed into each other as they raced off the wet starting grid and into the first corner.

Raikkonen had made a storming start from fourth, Vettel a less impressive one from pole position while Verstappen went for the middle ground and was caught in a

mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a boxing match, said the 118-110 scorecard was “ridiculous” and he saw the fight as a draw.

“I didn’t think either one

Bitter blow The first race to be hit by rain in the decade that Singapore has hosted Formula One had started in treacherous conditions, puddles gleaming in the floodlights, after a formation lap behind the safety car.

With Hamilton starting fifth, everything looked set for Vettel to retake the overall lead that he had surrendered only two weeks earlier at Monza in Italy.

And then it all went wrong, the collision with Raikkonen punching a hole in the side of Vettel’s car before he spun into the wall at turn three.

“It’s bitter but it’s done,” said the German, a four times Singapore GP winner, whose retirement ended a run of 18 successive points finishes and left him

(BBC Sport)

Colin Kaepernick

Patriots’ Brady hopes free agent Kaepernick ‘gets a shot’

Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the race

Ferrari sandwich as they converged.

The stewards summoned all three and decided no driver was predominantly to blame.

of them fought that good,” he said. “That fight was kind of close, real close.”

Former middleweight champion and co-promoter Bernard Hopkins said: “No-one is saying that

Golovkin got robbed.

“What they are saying is the score of a judge, who has been around for a long time and did a lot of my fights, maybe saw things that we didn’t see and maybe counted things that we should know should have been counted.

“The Nevada State Athletic Commission was asked if anything was going to be done about this. We don’t know, we hope.

“I don’t think anyone, if you take the score away, would say Golovkin would have got robbed if the score was even closer than it should have been, and Canelo would have won.

“The only dispute is that it was a score was so far away from reality that made the fight look the way it did. I’m saying they are two separate situations.”

with a mountain to climb. ”Championship-wise it’s a big step forward,“ recognised Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. ”The quickest car and the quickest driver were out within a minute into the race and that can happen all the time.

“Today we benefited from their misfortune, it happened to us in the past.”

The incident allowed Hamilton into a lead he would keep through two more safety car periods and a perfectly-timed switch to dry weather tyres.

Australian Ricciardo had been confident of victory, despite missing out on pole on Saturday but could not keep up with the Briton’s pace on Sunday.

“I‘m a little bit disappointed to miss out on the win. But I’m still going to be grateful and happy with another podium,” he said.

“I watched the chaos in front of me.

It was probably a good thing I had a poor start as I’d have been caught up in it.” (Reuters)

P

atriots quarterback Tom Brady would like to face Colin Kaepernick on the field again one day in the NFL. Tom Brady is the latest NFL player to make a plea for Colin Kaepernick to find a new team.

While speaking to CBS This Morning on Sunday, the Patriots quarterback said he hopes to face the former 49ers signal-caller on the field again in the future.

“I sure hope so,” Brady said. “I’ve always watched him and admired him, the way that he’s played, he was a great young quarterback. He came to our stadium and beat us and took his team to the Super Bowl.

“He accomplished a lot in the pros as a player. And he’s certainly qualified and I hope he gets a shot.”

Kaepernick, who opted out of his 49ers contract in March, remains a free agent following the backlash last year for kneeling during the national anthem before 49ers games in protest against police brutality and racial injustice, though he said he would not continue the protest this season with a new team.

The NFL Players Association named Kaepernick its “Community MVP” for Week 1 of the NFL season in recognition of his ongoing charitable contributions. (Sportsmax)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monDAY, september 18, 2017

Pandya's all-round heroics down Australia

I

Hardik Pandya thumps one down the ground © AFP

n d i a had the big-hitting and wickets of Hardik Pandya to thank for a series-opening victory over Australia in a rain-interrupted ODI. Hardik Pandya starred with bat and ball as India defeated Australia by 26 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method in a damp Chennai on Sunday.

Pandya hit Adam Zampa for three successive sixes on the way to making a crucial 83 in the first one-day international at MA Chidambaram Stadium, where MS Dhoni weighed in with 79 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar added 32 during a lower-order rescue mission as India recovered from 11-3 to post 281-7.

Dhoni's half-century was the former captain's 100th in all international formats and proved popular in front of his home crowd, but Pandya will be remembered as the match-winner after following up

his exploits at the crease with two early wickets in Australia's shortened run chase.

Persistent rain finally cleared to leave the visitors targeting 164 from 21 overs, but they proved unable to get to grips with the task, Glenn Maxwell top-scoring with 39, as Yuzvendra Chahal (3-30) led the hosts' bowling attack in cleaning up a limp tail as Australia fell well short on 137-9.

It was a disappointing end to a meeting that had provided such a promising opening for the tourists, who reduced India to 87-5 by the 22nd over.

Nathan Coulter-

Nile (3-44) did the early damage, removing Ajinkya Rahane (5), Virat Kohli (0) and Manish Pandey (0) the home captain dismissed courtesy of a stunning overhead catch from Maxwell at backward point.

Rohit Sharma (28) and Kedar Jadhav (40) laid the foundations for India's recovery, the former benefiting from Steve Smith's uncharacteristic missed catch at second slip with the surviving opener on four.

Their 53-run stand for the fourth wicket was interrupted by a short Marcus Stoinis ball, which tempted Rohit into a pull shot that was taken by Coulter-Nile at deep square leg.

Stoinis (2-54) accounted for Jadhav in a similar man-

SCOREBOARD India Innings A Rahane c Wade b Coulter-Nile 5 R Sharma c Coulter-Nile b Stoinis 28 V Kohli c Maxwell b Coulter-Nile 0 M Pandey c Wade b Coulter-Nile 0 K Jadhav c Cartwright b Stoinis 40 M Dhoni c Warner b Faulkner 79 H Pandya c Faulkner b Zampa 83 B Kumar not out 32 K Yadav not out 0 Extras: (b-4 lb-2 nb-3 w-5) 14 Total: (for 7 wickets, 50 overs) 281 Fall of wickets: 1-11 A. Rahane,2-11 V. Kohli,3-11 M. Pandey,4-64 Ro. Sharma,5-87 K. Jadhav,6-205 H. Pandya,7-277 M. Dhoni Did not bat: Y. Chahal, J. Bumrah Bowling: Cummins 10 - 1 - 44 - 0(w-2), Coulter-Nile 10 - 0 - 44 - 3(nb-1 w-1), Faulkner 10 - 1 - 67 - 1(nb-2), Stoinis 10 - 0 - 54 - 2(w-2), Zampa 10 - 0 - 66 - 1

Australia Innings D Warner c Dhoni b K. Yadav 25 H Cartwright b Bumrah 1 S Smith c Bumrah b H. Pandya 1 T Head c Dhoni b H. Pandya 5 G Maxwell c M. Pandey b Chahal 39 M Stoinis c sub b K. Yadav 3 M Wade st Dhoni b Chahal 9 J Faulkner not out 32 P Cummins c Bumrah b Chahal 9 N Coulter-Nile c Jadhav b B. Kumar 2 A Zampa not out 5 Extras (lb-1 w-5) 6 Total (for 9 wickets, 21 overs) 137 Fall of wickets: 1-15 H. Cartwright,2-20 S. Smith,3-29 T. Head,4-35 D. Warner,5-76 G. Maxwell,6-76 M. Stoinis,7-93 M. Wade,8-109 P. Cummins,9-127 N. Coulter-Nile Bowling: B Kumar 4 - 0 - 25 - 1(w2), Bumrah 4 - 0 - 20 - 1(w-1), Pandya 4 - 0 - 28 - 2(w-1), Yadav 4 0 - 33 – 2, Chahal 5 - 0 - 30 - 3(w-1)

Hilton Cartwright is bowled by Jasprit Bumrah © AFP

ner six overs later, this time Hilton Cartwright snaffling an easy catch at midwicket.

Pandya survived a second dropped Smith catch and another near miss at mid-on as he triggered India's revival, which, together with the crucial contributions of Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar, propelled the hosts to a competitive total.

After a lengthy delay, Australia's innings got off to a faltering start when ODI debutant Cartwright misread Jasprit Bumrah (1-20) and was bowled for one off eight deliveries.

A major blow followed in the next over, Bumrah taking an excellent catch when Smith's leading

United thrash Everton with late flurry of goals

Plunkett demands ODI response from England

W

ayne Rooney suffered a miserable return to Old Trafford as his old club Manchester United thrashed Everton 4-0 with a flurry of late goals to go joint top of the Premier League on Sunday.

Rooney, who went back to his boyhood club in July after 13 years with United in which time he scored a club-record 253 goals, wasted two good chances to cancel out Antonio Valencia’s stunning early strike for the hosts.

He was substituted late on and then watched United add three more goals through Henrikh Mkhitaryan, former Everton striker Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial.

A rather flattering victory lifted United level at the top with Manchester City. Both sides have 13 points from five games and have scored and conceded the same amount of goals.

Everton, who had dominated much of the second half despite having little recovery time from Thursday’s Europa League defeat

by Atalanta, dropped into the bottom three with four points. ”I think the performance was very good, especially in the first 30 to 35 minutes,“ United manager Jose Mourinho said. ”It was probably our best performance of the season.

“There was a moment were I felt we did not kill it so we have to make it solid with Ander Herrera. The second goal went in, then game over.”

Everton manager Ronald Koeman said his side’s third heavy defeat in eight days was undeserved.

“Sometimes in football you get more than you deserve but today we deserved more than we got,” he said. “What I saw today of my team made me happy.”

United took the lead after three minutes with a goal of stunning quality.

edge launched a Pandya (2-28) ball high into the night sky, the tourists' skipper also departing for just one.

Travis Head fell for five in more conventional fashion two overs later, edging Pandya to Dhoni.

And worse was to follow for Australia, as David Warner failed to build on a start of 25, the dangerman trying to cut a Kuldeep Yadav (2-33) slider and only managing to nick it behind.

Stoinis (3) and Matthew Wade (9) proved unable to turn the tide, with a battling 32 not out from James Faulkner mattering little, as India took a 1-0 lead in the fivematch series. (Sportsmax)

A

Romelu Lukaku

Nemanja Matic played a crossfield pass and as the ball zipped off a rain-soaked surface, Valencia connected with a right-foot shot that flew past Jordan Pickford into the net.

Rooney was given a warm ovation before kick off from the United fans, some of whom held up banners saying “Red Legend”, but it was not a memorable afternoon for the 31-year-old former England skipper.

After 20 minutes he slid a left-foot shot wide of the post and in the second half he shot straight at United keeper David de Gea from close range, while Gylfi Sigurdsson was also denied by the Spaniard.

Juan Mata struck the post for United with a left-foot free kick before Lukaku, who wasted a good chance in the first half, set up Mkhitaryan after 83 minutes to slide in United’s second -- the move stemming from a mistake by Ashley Williams.

Lukuku joyfully rammed home his fifth league goal of the season as the game moved into stoppage time before former United player Morgan Schneiderlin handled in the area and substitute Martial tucked away the penalty. (Reuters)

fter England fell to a narrow T20 defeat to West Indies, Liam Plunkett expects a response in the five-match ODI series.

Liam Plunkett has demanded a reaction from England in the upcoming one-day international series with West Indies after they were beaten in the sole Twenty20.

England were unable to chase down their target of 177 at Chester-le-Street on Saturday as the T20 world champions claimed a 21-run victory.

It was an 11th loss in 15 T20 meetings against West Indies for England, the tourists winning a third match in a row against Eoin Morgan’s side in the shortest format.

The two sides now embark on a five-match ODI series and Plunkett expects to see a response from England.

“We have to learn from our mistakes and quickly get over it with the one-dayers just around

the corner,” he told reporters.

“In the ODIs we’ve done well, we’re a confident team and we’re looking forward to the ODI series.

“There are lots of stars in that team, you want to play against that and it’s going to be a good series. As they’ve shown, they’ve got some good cricketers.”

The series will be England’s last action before heading to Australia for the Ashes, but Plunkett will test himself in the Bangladesh Premier League with Sylhet Sixers to prepare himself for the white-ball matches Down Under in January.

“I can’t wait [to play in Bangladesh],” he added. “I want to pick up some new skills leading into Australia.

“It’s going to be a good competition but it’s tough, it’ll be hot and the wickets will be flat.

I’m 32, I feel right now is the best time for that.

“I’m playing for England, I’m in the shop window so I think it’s time to play T20.” (Sportsmax)

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“He never slows down”

sports

21

‒ Gayle hails T20 star Lewis as “one for the future”

W

est Indies batting star Chris Gayle has marveled at the ability of T20 opening partner Evin Lewis, labeling him ‘one to look out for’ perhaps even in the games longer

formats.

Lewis and Gayle combined to good effect to devastate England on Saturday, the duo scoring a combined 91 at the top of the order in a comfortable 21-run win for the regional. Gayle hit a respectable 40 from 21, but as has been the case in their recent partnerships it was Lewis who dominated the scoring after getting 51 from 44.

“I’m enjoying batting with Evin,” said Gayle. “He has eased the pressure off me so we can dictate the way we go about it, but he won’t stop! I can slow down a bit but he won’t!”

The two have been a destructive opening partnership, leading the charge for a revamped St Kitts and Nevis Patriots team that made the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for the first time this season. Gayle, who often hears of comparison between himself and the young Trinidadian, also believes the player is capable of becoming a threat in the 50 over format.

“Evin is one to look out for in the future too, especially in ODI (one-day international) cricket.” (Sportsmax)

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Evin Lewis

Kent, Hampshire invited for WI Regional Super50

K

ent and Hampshire have been invited to take part in West Indies’ Regional Super50 competition, the domestic one-day tournament, which is set to take place early next year ahead of the start of the 2018 English season.

If the offer is taken up, it will be the second successive year Kent have been part of the competition. They finished third in Group A during the 2016-17 tournament with three wins from their eight matches.

Last year’s edition started in late January and if either county did take part it would require a month-long stay in the Caribbean which would come with significant associated costs. The region has become a regular feature on the pre-season scene for English counties.

There could be a significant presence for English cricketers in the Caribbean ahead of the 2018 English summer with the Lions touring for four-day and one-day series against West Indies A in February and March.

(Cricinfo)

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espite a game-changing 2-15 from Sunil Narine, the spinner is still maintaining that the Windies’ 21-run victory over England in Durham was a team effort.

“We enjoyed it, it was a total team effort in tough conditions,” said Narine.

The Windies, sent into bat on a cold night in Durham, got off to a fantastic start through openers, Chris Gayle (40) and Evin Lewis (51), however, the side crumbled on the pressure of Liam Plunkett, 3-27, and Adil Rashid, 3-25, to end on 176-9.

The total, though competitive, was clearly 20-30 runs short of where the Windies could have been had they built on the platform set by Gayle and Lewis.

In response, the beaten finalists at the last T20 World Cup, captulated to the team that made them bridesmaids in that famous final, largely due to Narine’s suffocating spell.

The Windies had trouble with a wet ball and cold conditions to bowl under, but produced masterful slow bowling after Alex Hales had taken to pace on the ball early to score 43 from 39 de-

Sunil Narine picked up two wickets and only conceded 15 runs

liveries, inclusive of eight fours and a six over square leg.

“Any cricket that you win, no matter the conditions, I think you enjoy it,” Narine said of the conditions, he admitted were close to the coldest he had ever played in.

“We are from warm islands, so coming here in the cold and when it was drizzling and the ball was wet, I think was a magnificent effort by the West Indies,” he

said.

Narine praised the team for its professionalism under the circumstances, saying that is what international cricketers do.

“It is difficult but at the end of the day you are an international cricketer, you have to cope with it,” Narine said.

As for the future of Windies cricket, Narine said the excitement of the way the region plays the game, will come through in the

end.

You mightn’t cope with it every single game but if the day is gonna go well for you, you have to give almighty credit for just being able to go out there and perform.

“I think West Indians play exciting cricket so no matter what format it is, we’re going to play exciting cricket. It hasn’t been coming off, but lately it’s been doing good so hopefully we can continue it.” (Sportsmax)

Coutinho speaks out on failed Barcelona switch

A

Classified

Narine thanks Windies for magnificent team performance D

fter making his first Liverpool start of the season Philippe Coutinho has admitted he wanted to join Barcelona during the transfer window.

Philippe Coutinho admitted that he was interested in moving to Barcelona, but vowed to give his all for Liverpool after a move to Camp Nou failed to materialise.

Barca had a heavy war chest at their disposal following the sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record move and the Liga giants eyed Coutinho as a target to help fill his Brazilian compatriot’s void.

The Reds rejected a series of bids

from Barca, though, with Coutinho reportedly handing in a transfer request to try and force through a move to Camp Nou. Barca suggested the Reds wanted €200m for the 25-year-old, a figure they were unwilling to meet – instead opting to purchase Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for an initial €105m.

Coutinho finally made his first Liverpool appearance of the season as a substitute in the Champions League 2-2 draw with Sevilla on Wednesday and started against Burnley in the Premier League three days later.

And, although he remains fo-

cused on life at Anfield, the playmaker has opened up about his failed switch.

“What happened was a job offer and, in life, sometimes you get interested, sometimes you don’t, and in my case, as everybody knows, I got interested, my family too,” he told ESPN Brazil after Saturday’s 1-1 draw.

“But as I’ve always said, it’s a great honour to receive an offer from such a great club like that, but it’s also a great honour being here, Liverpool is great club worldwide.

“Now I’m here and I’ll give my best, as always.” (Sportsmax)

Philippe Coutinho

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GUYANATIMESgy.COM

monDAY, september 18, 2017

Ambrose captures gruelling Wiltshire GCF Points Road Race impresses at US aquash tournaments

G

uyana Defence Force’s Alanzo Ambrose emerged victorious in the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) Points Road Race after a gruelling ride through overcast conditions and intermittent rain.

The race began from the National Sports Commission (NSC) on Homestretch Avenue and progressed to Timehri just before the Cheddi Jagan International Airport before turning back to the Linden-Soesdyke junction and going up to the turn back point at Camp Seweyo.

It was at this point that Ambrose, along with Christopher “Chicken Legs” Griffith, made a surge to the front of the pack; from there it was no looking back as he rode the return

leg to Homestretch Avenue.

The duo kept pace and were breathing down each other’s neck as they came down the final 200 metres, but Ambrose made his move and sprinted away from Griffith to win in four hours 25 minutes and 52 seconds.

Junior Niles was third overall and first in the Veterans’ category with a time of four hours and 30 minutes while Paul DeNobrega was fourth ahead of Silvio Innis.

The entire race covered an astounding 99 miles and was a true test of strength and endurance; the riders will no doubt be grateful for the much-needed practice ahead of the Kadir Mohamed Memorial road race slated for October.

Junior Niles won the Veterans’ category Shomari Wiltshire defeated Rana Thakkar (right) to win the Finger Lakes Gold Tournament in the US

Pan American indoor hockey tournament

Experience, home advantage in men’s favour

Part of the Men’s National Team at a recent training session

T

he fact that the core of the national men’s team that represented Guyana in Uruguay at the 2014 Pan American tournament will be back in action plus home field advantage are key factors that should help push Guyana towards winning gold in this year’s tournament.

This is according to Coach of the national team, Robert Fernandes. In an interview with Guyana Times Sports, Fernandes revealed that he was “fortunate with the men’s team that quite a few of them were at the last Pan American Indoor Tournament in Uruguay when we had our best results to date at the tournament: we actually beat Argentina twice and placed third in the tournament.

That was a very big result for us, the team at the time. We had a mixture of veterans and youngsters in the team. This time around now, those youngsters are

a lot more mentally and physically matured, so I think the team has definitely improved.”

Coach Fernandes in an effort to whip his charges into “impeccable shape” for the fast approaching tournament in October has divided the team’s training into specific sessions aimed at targeting different areas of their game.

“The progress has been good; we have split up the training into different sections, the first was making sure everyone’s individual skills are up to scratch, and then we moved into small group play; right now we are focused on the full systems – full offensive, full defensive structure and also situation-specific plays.”

He also declared that while Guyana have always matched and in some cases outmatched other countries’ fitness and athletic ability, his team are working on their patience and

finishing ability.

“Comparing us to the other countries, I think we have always matched them athletically. Actually, I think we’re better than them athletically, fitness-wise, we are always there as well. For me, it’s been the ability to be patient and look for the right opportunities instead of jumping for the first opportunity. We like the excitement of the game, but sometimes it takes long bouts of possession, playing what some people might call ‘boring’ hockey, but just to frustrate the other team, get them to be more aggressive than they want to be and then making them pay for getting out of position.

That’s what my main focus will be for the next three to five weeks.”The unit has been training together for six months and is currently practising on the newly-imported “plastic-tile” surface at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

According to Fernandes, the surface suits his team’s style of play and it is a “key factor” that for the first time Guyana’s team will play on the same surface that they have been training on. This, as well as home crowd support and home conditions that his players are already accustomed to, are the main reasons that he thinks his team will go further than the third-place finish they had in Uruguay. On October 14, 2017, Guyana will embark on hosting its first-ever Pan American-level hockey championships. The tournament, called the Indoor Pan American Cup, will feature two simultaneous competitions for men and women and serves as the Pan American Continental Qualifier for FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, scheduled for February 2018 in Berlin, Germany.

The venue for the tournament will be the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

C

a r i b b e a n Under-15 and National Junior Squash Champion Shomari Wiltshire recently ventured to the USA and played in two tournaments.

Tournaments in the USA are ranked as follow: Junior Championships (JCT), followed by Gold, Silver and finally Bronze. Points are gained from participating in each of the tournaments with the highest points being received from playing in the JCT, then the Gold, the Silver and finally the Bronze tournaments.

The first weekend he participated in the Berwyn Summer Silver in Pennsylvania. This tournament was used as a warm-up for the following weekend and as it was a silver tournament, he was entered into the Boys’ Under-17 category and not the Boys’ Under 15. He won his first match, beating Atreyus Bhavsar 11-9, 11-7, 11-1, but then lost to Nolan Gelinas 10-12, 3-11, 13-11, 6-11 in the second round.

This loss resulted in him going into the consolation tournament where he then beat Sean Roundtree in his first match 11-2, 11-4, 11-6.

In the next round, he defeated John Gunton 11-1, 11-4, 11- 3 and then in the semi-finals, he defeated Matthew Wang 11- 6, 11- 2, 112. However, in the final of the consolation draw, he lost to Neil Bam in straight games 9-11, 4-11, 8-11.

The Finger Lakes Gold was held in Clinton, New York at the Hamilton College. This was a gold tournament,

but because Wiltshire has no US ranking, he was unseeded in the Under-15 division. Only the top 32 ranked players who have signed up for the tournament are automatically placed in the draw, so Wiltshire was initially waitlisted but eventually four players withdrew and he was placed in the draw.

In the first round, he defeated John Zhang 117, 11- 4, 11-4, then beat Erik Wang 4- 11, 11-2, 11- 9, 11-5 in the second round to set up a clash with the 3/4 seed Nathan Feinstein in the quarter-finals. In that match, he beat Feinstein in straight games 11-8, 11-8, 11-3 and then took care of the No 2 seed Winston Park 11-8, 113, 11-5 in the semi-finals.

In the final, he came up against No 3/4 seed Rana Thakkar, who had upset the No 1 seed in his semi-final match.

Thakkar won a close first game 11-8, but Wiltshire bounced back to take the second game 11-6. In the third game, Thakkar came out like a boy possessed and completely destroyed Wiltshire winning 11-2.

The fourth game went back and forth, with Thakkar having three match balls, but he just could not close out the match, with Wiltshire really digging deep to eventually prevail in the fourth game 16- 14.

The fifth game was also a see-saw battle which was close throughout, but eventually Wiltshire would prevail on his first match ball to take the game 11-9 and the match three games to two to win his first US tournament.

guyanatimesgy.com

monDAY, september 18, 2017

23

Guinness Cage/Three Peat Promotions Indoor Futsal

Ol Skool scold the new breeds!

A

hat-trick of goals from Most Valuable Player Quason McAulay laid the foundation for giant killers Ol Skool Ballers convincing 3-1 win over pre-match favourites Future Stars as the curtains came down on the inaugural Guinness Cage / Three Peat Promotions Indoor Championship Saturday night, at the National Gymnasium.

Played before a large and vociferous crowd that included Banks DIH Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart and supporters from the respective communities, the highly anticipated clash lived up to all expectations as the teams traded attacks after attacks in the opening minutes, before McAulay broke the

‒ Ballers crush Future Stars 3-1 in exciting final

Banks DIH Outdoor Events Manager Mortimer Stewart hands over the first prize monies and winning trophy to Ol Skool ballers Captain Roy Cassou in the presence of teammates and Three Peat Promotions Co-Director Rawle Welch on Saturday

Three Peat Promotions Co-Director Rawle Welch hands over the second place prize to Future Stars

deadlock with a clinical finish in the 9th minute.

Future Stars squandered a few opportunities

of their own, but were given a reprieve when a defensive error in the 12th minute allowed them back in the

game.

However, they paid the ultimate price for their defensive blunders and

McAulay returned to inflict another wound in the 15th minute with a cracking shot.

Urged on by their fans stationed in the southern stand, Ol Skool Ballers took a 2-1 lead to the break and when many felt they would have activated their stifling defence to protect their slim advantage, instead it was their offensive efficiency that left the Stars stunned.

The Ballers led by the experienced Julian Masdammer played at a tempo that suited them and it created some amount of frustration for the usually fluent Future Stars side.

McAulay’s third goal was the dagger that pierced the hearts of the Future Stars band of supporters and also dashed the hopes of any comeback when he

in the 18th and 30th minutes.

Fraser, who ended on 8 goals, won a gold chain compliment of YK Investments, while they received $100,000 and a trophy.

Back Circle got $50,000 and a trophy.

Meanwhile, the Organisers extended special thanks to Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste for his overwhelming support and all the other sponsors including: Star Party Rentals, Faye Joseph, Claude Geddes Recreational Sports Club, National Sports Commission, Windjammer International Hotel & Cuisine, E-Networks, Woodpecker Trophies & Sport, Y.K Investments & Pawn Shop, Henry Chase, Jai Signs, Trophy Stall, the Bike Shop and John Fernandes Ltd. The Guyana Police Force also came in for special mention for their splendid work during the championship as well as all the media outlets.

cracked the defence in the 35th minute to seal victory, the $400,000 first prize, the championship trophy and their name inscribed in the history books of being crowned inaugural champions.

Future Stars Final walked away Ol Skool Ballers-3 vs Future Stars-1 with $200,000 Ol Skool Scorer and a trophy for Quason McAulay-9th, 15th and 35th their efforts.

Future Stars Scorer In the third Own Goal-12th place playoff, Leopold Street cruised to a 2-0 3rd Place win over Back Back Circle-0 vs Leopold Street-2 Circle with Okanie Fraser-18th Championship Omallo Williams-30th H i g h e s t Goalscorer Individual Awards Okanie Fraser MVP-Quason McAulay-Ol Skool Ballers and Omallo Highest Goal Scorer-Okanie Fraser-8 goals Williams, the players of target

Morgan defends decision to leave out Stokes

E

ngland captain Eoin Morgan insists the decision to leave Ben Stokes out of Saturday’s Twenty20 versus West Indies is the right one.

Eoin Morgan believes England were right to leave Ben Stokes out of the Twenty20 international against West Indies with the Ashes on the horizon.

England face the tourists in a one-off T20 at Stokes’ home ground in Durham on Saturday, before a five-match one-day international series.

Those white-ball contests represent England’s last cricket before they head Down Under to take on old foes Australia, with the first Test set to get under way on November 23 at the Gabba.

Although Morgan acknowledged it was a shame to deprive the watching public a chance to see local hero Stokes renew his rivalry with the likes of Carlos Brathwaite and Marlon Samuels, the skipper feels the correct call has been taken.

England and in India.

“It isn’t something that will be forgotten for a little while but I know it probably will never happen

again so it’s about me being as consistent as I can now.

“I just want to move on in my career. It was a fan-

tastic achievement and I’m privileged I was the one to make it possible but your career goes on long after that.” (Sportsmax)

Spectators injured during Windies-England match Ben Stokes

“I can see both sides of it, of course guys want to see him play,” said Morgan.

“And if there wasn’t an injury risk down the line or a huge Ashes tour coming up potentially he might be able to play.

“It’s unfortunate it has to be a game at his home ground but we have to stay strong with the decisions and the plans we have so down the line we don’t regret playing him in a oneoff game.”

Brathwaite famously smashed Stokes for four

successive sixes to clinch World T20 glory for his country in the most sensational fashion last year, but the visiting captain says it is time to move on from that achievement.

“It’s something I can’t get away from... they even have us playing at his home ground,” he said.

“Social media won’t let me forget it, there’s been a few videos going around of late. It wasn’t just a boundary or a six, it was four in a row. It was on the stage it was, it was against

T

hree spectators were injured when a section of the stand at Emirates Riverside collapsed during a T20 international between the West Indies and England on Saturday.

The West Indies won the rain-soaked encounter by 21-runs but the spectators had bigger issues as reports indicate that a section of the north-east terrace collapsed during the match. One woman was confirmed to have a broken leg after being taken from the ground to the hospital by ambulance. Fans were subsequently removed from the section by stewards and relocated to other parts

of the ground to watch the remainder of the game.

“During the course of the second innings between England v West Indies at Emirates Riverside, three spectators were injured when a small section of the north-east terrace flooring became unstable causing them to fall. Stewards took precautionary action and evacuated that area of the stand efficiently. The stand is a permanent fixture at the venue and had passed inspections in the week prior to the match,” a statement from the club following the game read.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2017

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Guinness Cage/Three Peat Promotions Indoor Futsal

Ol Skool scold the new breeds!

Pg 23

‒ Ballers crush Future Stars 3-1 in exciting final Even though the game ended 3-1, it was action-packed until the end

Ambrose captures gruelling GCF Points Road Race Pg 22

Alanzo Ambrose crossing the finish line ahead of Christopher Griffith

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