Guyana Times Thursday August 29, 2019

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

Issue No. 4030

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURsday, august 29, 2019

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WHAT'S INSIDE:

Victoria murder

Wanted bulletin issued for janitor P11

Court action filed to compel President, Cabinet to resign

P10 Local pharmacies caught selling substandard, falsified drugs

Guyanese music legend Johnny Braff dies P12

Residents of Kwakwani, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) at a meeting with People’s Progressive Party Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali, where issues affecting the community were discussed

House-to-House data cannot be used in NRR – former AG

…GECOM doubles up working hours for field staff ...as sun sets on final days of H2H Registration

Region 6 could lose $600M to paddy bugs – RPA Page 13

21 years later

Man confesses to killing reputed P12 wife

See stories on Page pages 7 and7 9

Page 12

False fire alarm triggers evacuation at Finance Ministry

P2 GTM Fire Insurance records $324M taxed profit

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

GTM Fire Insurance records $324M taxed profit

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he Guyana & Trinidad Mutual (GTM) Fire Insurance Company Limited has recorded a $324.8 million profit after tax for the 2018 financial year. This represents an increase of $73.8 million or 29.45 per cent over 2017’s $250.9 million.

This was revealed by Chairman Ram L Singh at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday at the Georgetown Club.

He noted that during 2018, GTM Fire Insurance wrote new business amounting to $46 billion with annualised premiums of $175 million, representing an increase of 39% and 13 per cent respectively when compared to 2017. At the end of the year, the total business in force amounted to $397 billion, insured with annualised premium income of $1.8 billion.

As it related to motor insurance, gross revenue totalled $1.026 billion at the end of last year, reflecting an increase of 12 million over 2017.

“Given the price-sensitive and highly competitive markets in which your company operates, even a marginal increase is noteworthy.

Targeting of niche markets has over the years continued to have positive impact on the motor claims ratio which stood at 34% as at December 31, 2018, when compared to 41 per cent at the end of

GTM Chairman R L Singh

2017,” the Chairman told shareholders.

He further revealed that at the end of the 2018 financial year, claims amounted to $637 million. This was a reduction of $29 million or four per cent compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, GTM’s total comprehensive income for the year net of tax went up from $976.8 million in 2017 to $2.36 billion at the end of December last year. “This is a direct result of increased share prices for the companies in which your company invests, such as Banks DIH Limited and Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited,” the Chairman noted.

The company’s asset base grew by $2.17 billion to a whopping $9.96 billion by the end of last year. Further, the company will be making a declaration of a cash profit return of 50% of premiums on profit policies.

Moreover, GTM Fire Insurance also declared a fi-

Shareholders at GTM Fire Insurance AGM on Wednesday

nal dividend of 4.50 per cent for the period to Ordinary Scrip, Preference Scrip and First Preferred Stock Holders.

With regards to the company’s overall performance, the Chairman revealed that in spite of ongoing challenges from strong competition, rate selling and sluggish economic conditions in the Eastern Caribbean, GTM Fire has recorded a growth in insurance premiums of $63.5 million and $75.8 million net of reinsurance premiums.

It was noted that of the $2.57 billion in gross insurance premiums, the Guyana Operations contributed $166 billion or 64.5 per cent; followed by Grenada with $456 million or 17.6 per cent; St. Lucia with $317 million or

14.5 million and St. Vincent and the Grenadines with $86 million or 3.4 per cent.

“The reinsurance market remains ‘soft’, that is, there is excess capacity available when compared to demand.

As a result, your company has been able to secure a lower reinsurance premium rate as is reflected in the lower reinsurance premiums paid in 2018 when compared to 2017,” Singh said.

Nevertheless, the Chairman went on to highlight that the availability of viable medium to long term investments remains elusive in Guyana and over subscriptions to bonds and treasury bills in the Eastern Caribbean owing to the excess liquidity in the financial systems which have driven down returns on these types

of investments.

“These are key facts limiting your company’s ability to increase its investment portfolio… Your Board is cognisant of the need to seek out lucrative investments, and will do so once we are assured that there are in the best interest of your company,” he stated.

According to Ram, GTM Fire Insurance holds millions of shares in a number of ‘blue chip’ companies in Guyana and has benefited substantially from recent increases in share values.

“The company has every intention of holding these shares into the foreseeable future and will seek to acquire more when they become available,” he added.

However, the Chairman pointed out that the myri-

ad of new requirements under Guyana’s Insurance Act 2016 has had and will continue to have significant and profound implications for the company operationally and financially well into the future.

Among these new regulations is a limited equity pledge of 20 per cent of the statutory fund. This means companies with more than 20 per cent, will have to dispose of millions of shares in companies. With the unavailability of alternative sources of viable secure long term investments, GTM has previously said liquidating these shares means the company would now have billions of dollars in deposits earning far lower rates of return.

Also at Wednesday’s AGM, the Chairman recognised the contributions of R Errol Cheong, who will complete 60 years of service to the Guyana and Trinidad Mutual Group of Insurance Companies in September.

In addition, Ram announced the appointment of Gregory Dean to the Board of GTM Fire Insurance with effect from December 1, 2019. Dean is a certified accountant and Chief Executive Officer of Digicel Guyana.

As customary to AGM, GTM also recognised its staff for their contributions and achievements over the past year.

news

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

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

Thursday, August 29 – 03:30h – 05:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h and Friday, August 30 – 04:30h – 06:00h and 14:30h – 16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, August 29 –15:55h – 17:25h and Friday, August 30 – 16:40h – 18:10h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunny conditions are expected throughout the day. There will be clear skies at night.

Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 16:01h reaching a maximum height of 2.68 metres.

Low Tide: 09:32h and 21:52h reaching minimum heights of 0.47 metre and 0.52 metre.

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Court action filed to compel President, Cabinet to resign

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ormer Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall has approached the court to compel the David Granger-led coalition Cabinet to stop meeting and resign.

The proceedings were filed on Monday. However, a date is yet to be fixed for hearing of the Fixed Date Application.

In the court documents seen by Guyana Times, Nandlall is asking for an order compelling the Cabinet, including the President, to resign consequent of the Government being defeated by the vote of a no-confidence on December 21, 2018— which is in accordance with Article 106 (6) of the Guyana Constitution. He is also seeking a Mandatory Order compelling the Cabinet, including the President, to give effect to the resignation of the Cabinet, including the President, which occurred by operation of law following the successful passage of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM).

The former AG is also seeking a Conservatory Order, or an order restraining the Cabinet, inclusive of the President, from meeting, making decisions, or performing the functions of Cabinet, consequent of the successful passage of the motion as outlined in the Constitution.

Article 106 (6) states: “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by a vote of majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly”.

In his affidavit, Nandlall posited that as a politician and elected representative of Guyanese, he has a public, parliamentary, political and constitutional duty to ensure that the laws of Guyana are obeyed and complied with, especially by the Executive.

“I file these proceedings in the discharge of those duties and am clothed with the requisite locus standi to do so,” the Opposition Member of Parliament stated.

Nandlall pointed out that provisions of Article 106 (6) clearly mandates and compels the Cabinet, inclusive of the President, to resign once it is defeated by a vote of no-confidence.

However, nine months after the passage of the motion, Cabinet has failed and neglected to resign in accordance with the unambiguous prescription and mandate of Constitution, and continues to function in contravention of Article 106 (6).

He noted that in January 2019, multiple legal challenges were launched against the validity, legality and constitutionality of the said No-Confidence Motion, and despite the courts— including the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)— ruling that “upon the passage of this motion of no confidence in the Government, the clear provisions of Article 106 immediately became engaged” as well as a recent letter

from Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who requested the President and his Cabinet to resign and dissolve Parliament, the Head of State did not accede to the request.

“It must be emphasised that the Leader of the Opposition did not request the President to resign from the Office of the President but to simply resign as a Member and the Chairman of Cabinet. Since then, numerous Members of the Government, inclusive of the Attorney General (Basil Williams), have publicly stated that the Cabinet, inclusive of the President, will not resign, thereby continuing to perpetuate a breach of Article 106(6) of the Constitution,” he outlined To this end, Nandlall reminded the Court that it is the guardian of the Constitution, and has an inherent duty to grant appropriate remedies whenever the Constitution is likely to be, is being or has been contravened.

The People’s Progressive Party Opposition, of which Nandlall is an Executive Member, has been contending that Guyana is in a constitutional crisis as the government continues to delay the hosting of early elections which was triggered by the passage of the NCM. According to Article 106 (7), “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election”.

President David Granger

This meant elections were to be held since March 21, 2019. However, with the legal challenges, that timeline was on pause but was subsequently reinstated after the July 18, 2019 CCJ ruling, which validated the passage of the motion.

Against this backdrop, the Opposition was pushing for a September 18, 2019 polling day. But President Granger had insisted that he cannot set a date without first being advised by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on its preparedness to host General and Regional Elections.

GECOM had come under heavy criticism for deliberately delaying the elections by going ahead with the controversial House-to-House Registration. The constitutionality of this exercise was

then challenged in court.

In fact, Chief Justice Roxane George earlier this month ruled that the conduct of House-to-House is not unconstitutional or illegal. However, she noted that GECOM cannot operate as it would in a normal elections cycle. Given that the NCM triggered early elections, the Chief Justice had stated that there are other methods that can be used to sanitise the voters’ list in a timely manner, such as Claims and Objections.

She had also ruled that it would be unconstitutional for GECOM to remove qualified persons already on the voters’ list. The Opposition had said this was a signification victory since the Houseto-House exercise was aimed at creating a new National Register of Registrants (NRR) Database.

Nevertheless, the Justice Claudette Singh-led Elections Commission on Tuesday announced that the registration exercise would be scrapped at the end of this month, and the information gathered thus far will be merged with the existing database It was noted that GECOM would then move to an extensive Claims and Objections exercise before a Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) is extracted.

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guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, august 29, 2019

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

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Ensuring final voters’ list is credible

he Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has ordered that the ongoing House-to-House (HtH) Registration be halted as of August 31. This decision seems favourable to those who cited constitutional provisions, through Claims and Objections, to add names of new eligible voters and remove those deceased. They would have preferred the decision be taken a few weeks earlier in the belief that the HtH process was a deliberate ploy encouraged by the Government to continually delay the elections which should have been held as of March 21 this year.

The APNU/AFC Government has not relented on its position that the HtH Registration is the only way to derive a credible voters’ list.

Likewise, the President has been consistent with his call on the need to have credible elections, but in doing so, he is adamant that only GECOM decides when elections can be held. That is, inconsistent with the Constitution that governs a valid No-Confidence Motion (NCM) which mandates elections within ninety days. That process has been reiterated by both the Chief Justice and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

The President has therefore been consistently peddling an inconsistency which leaves no ambiguity as to his government’s perceived position of not wanting the elections at this time. With over eight months after the passage of the NCM, the Government, through its actions, leaves no doubt of its desire to have the elections delayed as long as possible.

The latest effort in that regard is the Attorney General’s signal of appealing the most recent ruling of the Chief Justice, in which she stated that residency is not a requirement for registration and persons already on the voters’ list cannot be removed as a result of the current HtH exercise.

That ruling is extremely significant. Many raised concerns over the fact that the HtH— which was ordered by the immediate past Chairman of GECOM and whose appointment was ruled as unconstitutional by the CCJ— was being conducted at a time when many would have proceeded on vacation. Absence from the home, for any other reason, could have resulted in the removal of the name of a voter from the current list of electors. Also, there are concerns that person not eligible to vote, including some immigrants, are being registered.

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) called for a boycott of the HtH process and for it to be halted on the grounds that the Constitution provides for a credible list to be derived and the registration exercise was a deliberate delaying tactic by the Government. The HtH process is therefore unverified since Opposition scrutineers had been absent. The GECOM Chair’s decision to halt the process, albeit late in the eyes of many, is a much-needed step to hold the long overdue elections.

The CCJ’s final ruling and consequential orders mandated the elections

by September 18.

While that date seems unrealistic as a result of the delay, the elections must be held within the shortest possible time thereafter. The GECOM Chair stated that the data gathered from the ongoing HtH Registration would be merged with the current National Register of Registrants (NRR) and the final list derived through a Claims and Objections period. With the process to be halted and a vast number not registered, it becomes clear that the constitutional process through Claims and Objections is sufficient to create a credible voters’ list.

That, in many ways, vindicates the PPP’s position and validates that precious time could have been saved to meet the September 18 deadline had GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO) not ordered the HtH Registration. Many have accused the CEO of pandering to the Government’s believed position of continual delay in defiance of the Constitution and the democratic process.

With this latest decision of the GECOM Chairperson, a light is possibly flickering somewhere in the tunnel for the overdue elections.

The major task would be the merging of the HtH data to derive a credible voters’ list. Duplications would pose a serious challenge as the alleged registration of immigrants. The Government has been accused of aiding the facilitation of the latter to bolster its chances of reelection. The deliberate delaying of the process since the passage of the NCM may have been designed to improve its chances to stay in government at the expense of democracy.

With much said about the Government’s trampling upon the Constitution, the safeguarding of our democracy will have to be a foremost endeavor of all. Credible elections, as touted by the President, cannot be compromised. Therefore, the Claims and Objections period will necessitate the efforts of all to ensure that there are no duplications, the names of deceased persons are removed and that immigrants are not reflected as eligible voters.

The Opposition would undoubtedly be vigorous and meticulous in its approach to ensure that the final list is indeed credible. In the interest of democracy, it would be useful if the Government, with its seemingly unambiguous desire to not have the elections now, instructs its operatives to work in a bipartisan way to have the list truly reflect those eligible to vote. Afterall, it’s a critical aspect in the path towards credible elections as touted by the President, unless there was always a ploy to remove eligible voters under the guise of the HtH process.

Indigenous people from the Mura tribe show a deforested area in unmarked Indigenous lands inside the Amazon rainforest near Humaita, Amazonas State, Brazil (Reuters/Ueslei Marcelino)

Amazon fires: South American countries to meet to discuss response

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outh American countries will meet to discuss a coordinated response to the fires ravaging the Amazon basin next week, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has announced.

It comes after he refused a G7 offer of $22m (£18m) following a spat with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Governors of the nine worst affected regions have urged him to reconsider.

Mr Bolsonaro has now accepted Chile's offer of four planes to fight the fires, the most in Brazil since 2010.

He revealed all countries in the Amazon region, apart from Venezuela, will meet on 6 September to further discuss a common policy.

However, speaking after meeting his Chilean counterpart Sebastian Pinera, Mr Bolsonaro said he was not yet prepared to accept the G7 offer.

"The French government called me a liar," he said, according to Reuters news agency. "Only after it has recanted what it said about me ... and the Brazilian people, who do not accept this diminution of the Amazon's sovereignty ... then we can talk again."

The Amazon is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming.

President Bolsonaro said last week that his government lacked the resources to fight the fires.

As international concern over the fires spread, leaders of the seven leading industrial nations meeting in France offered $22m to help fight the fires.

President Macron, who was hosting the summit, said the funds would be made available immediately - primarily to pay for more firefighting planes.

But President Bolsonaro rejected the offer arguing that the G7 countries were

Altamira is one of the areas most devastated by the fires (AFP)

treating Brazil like "a colony or a no-man's land".

That is not entirely clear yet. There has been a lot of back and forth on this.

After ruling out accepting the aid, President Bolsonaro softened his stance a little on Tuesday saying he would consider doing so, if President Macron apologised for insulting him by calling him a liar - words he echoed on Wednesday.

And following President Bolsonaro's meeting with the governors late on Tuesday, presidential spokesman Rego Barros said the Brazilian government "is open to receiving fi-

nancial support from organisations and countries".

However, Mr Barros stipulated that the aid would have to have the "total governance of the Brazilian people". There has been no response yet from the French government or the G7 countries.

The governor of Maranhão state, Flávio Dino, said he and his counterparts from other affected states had told Mr Bolsonaro that "it's not the moment to turn down money".

Apart from the $22m the G7 countries offered, Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio also pledged $5m

to help fight the fires.

Apple CEO Tim Cook also tweeted that the company would be "donating to help preserve the Amazon rainforest's biodiversity" but he did not name a figure.

US President Donald Trump tweeted that Mr Bolsonaro and Brazil "have the full and complete support of the USA".

Reuters news agency says it has been told by a diplomatic source in Brasilia that the Brazilian government has accepted $12.2m from the UK government.

The government says it has deployed 44,000 soldiers to seven states to combat the fires. Prosecutors are also investigating allegations that some of the fires were trigged by the illegal clearing of land.

The justice ministry says that federal police officers would be sent to the fire zones to assist other state agencies in combating "illegal deforestation". (BBC)

Amazon tribe warns future of the rainforest

could be in jeopardy as fires burn

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n a major reversal, Brazil's president said his country is open to accepting millions of dollars in international wildfire aid.

He initially demanded an apology for criticism of his handling of the fires in the Amazon.

While humans are largely to blame for the destruction of the rainforest, it's humans who have managed to maintain the healthiest parts, too. People like the Yawanawa, whose Chief Tashka Yawanawa spoke with CBS News. He said the dry season has been particularly bad, a result of the kind of deforestation that has threatened the centuries-old Yawanawa way of life.

"Each one of us needs to

be responsible economically, environmentally, culturally because otherwise the humanity is just gonna disappear like dinosaurs," he said.

But Brazil is at a crossroads. After working to curb deforestation, it is again on the rise. Not a coincidence, say critics of President Jair Bolsonaro, who promotes open development.

Scientists Foster Brown, who has worked in northwest Brazil for 30 years, said regeneration of parts of the Amazon that have been eaten away over the decades is possible. But so is losing the Amazon altogether.

"If we continue in a certain trend we're doing, it wouldn't take very long," he said, adding that it could be within "decades." (CBS News)

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, august 29, 2019

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

The state of refereeing in Guyana GECOM’s reckless use of taxpayers’ money and by extension football Dear Editor, Congratulations are in order regarding the performance of our overseas Guyana Women’s team. I am still concerned that there is no evidence of football development in Guyana. Again, we have no clubs except for rubber stamping associations.

UDFA was again in the spotlight with the head of referees in Linden bringing the game into disrepute after being missed directed by Mr Wayne Forde and team of the GFF. If the Referees’ Association, which should form the referees’ committee of the GFF, is not allowed to function, then the game will continue to go further into a state of irreversible damage.

Mr Forde, please save our football and the future of our youths by leaving, since you are clueless as to what is required to effect growth into Guyana’s football. Your adviser, Mr Richard Gordon, is being paid to do what after all these years? He was hopeless as the General Secretary of the TTFF, therefore, what help could he bring to the table in Guyana.

Jack Austin Warner was the defector President and General Secretary of the TTFF. Never in the history of Guyana did we have to import any administrator at any level. This is disrespectful and disgraceful to all of Guyana.

What continues to amuse me is that former Head of the GDF, Mr Lovell, and Head of our Demerara Harbour Bridge, Rawltson Adams, sits idly and allows Forde to make a fool of them or are

you both clueless and hopeless as he? Are you comfortable collecting monies under false pretence while the football ship continues to drift without a sail?

In my last letter some weeks ago, I had asked President Forde and by extension, the two VPs, regarding the monies (US$50, 000) received from FIFA for development of referees in Guyana. To date, neither the Associations nor the Custodians of Football in Guyana have been informed regarding these funds. It begs the question if the two Vice Presidents or General Secretary have any knowledge of the use and or misuse of these funds. Take note (VPs) of what has happened to your peers in the Cayman and other parts of the world.

You are accountable.

Additionally, upon review of the GFF financial statements, this item is not adequately disclosed, which again begs the question as to the competence of the financial officer and the auditors. The police and FIFA need to be called in to investigate the financial mismanagement and possible misappropriation of funds. The silence of the executives and the Associations are deafening.

To this date of writing, referees attached to the GFF remain unpaid while those attached to Banks DIH, a new footballing body, were already paid. Additionally, I am reliably informed that this is just the tip of the iceberg since your creditor’s listing keeps growing each day. Some creditors have

already taken court action for none payments. Mr President, where are the funds from FIFA? Sir, in conclusion, let me remind you, since you seem very ignorant of the fact, that the referees are the custodians of the laws of the game with the mandate to execute same – not the administrator, including you.

Without the effective, unbiased interpretation of these laws and its execution, our matches are nothing more than scrubby, not football.

Mr Forde, please pay the referees their outstanding funds and stop interfering with its functioning by suspending our referees without fair play and blocking their appointment.

What kind of a President are you? The President who promotes crime, corruption and indiscipline. What about the player from Linden who you rushed for training in Brazil? After he had thrown water into the referee’s face during a match without the matter even gracing the presence of the disciplinary committee. Take a page from the Boxing Association regarding discipline of players.

At the end of the day, Sir, you would lose, football will always be the winner.

The game is bigger than you, FIFA and CONCACAF. The Caribbean is in a far worse state than ever in its history after Jack Warner because of lack of or no leadership at all.

Regards, Thomas Bowen Businessman and former footballer

Dear Editor, GECOM has recently announced that it plans to halt the House-to-House (H-t-H) registration, effective August 31, 2019, and then merge the data collected from this exercise with an existing database.

In other words, GECOM is telling us that it will move ahead with the next phase of the H-t-H Registration process which is data processing. Editor, data processing takes a lot of time.

And this means that GECOM will continue to ignore the constitutional requirements triggered by the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) and that the elec-

tions will be further pushed way past 2020. This is unreasonable and unacceptable in a democracy.

Also, the data collected under the current H-t-H exercise is obviously compromised, contaminated and biased because they have not been collected under the right conditions.

Editor, Guyanese can clearly remember how GECOM recklessly omitted the PPP/C scrutineers from the H-t-H Registration exercise and how this exercise was given the green light from the unconstitutionally and unilaterally appointed GECOM Chairman, Mr Patterson. Mr James

Patterson should have never been given a chance to function at GECOM, much less to be the one to activate the H-t-H Registration exercise. Editor, remember this man came to GECOM via a corrupt appointment by Mr Granger. These issues are fundamental considerations in avoiding an uncontaminated and unbiased database.

Editor, there is no way that this database can be used for fair elections.

Only a fraudster or a mad man will use it. The database needs to be trashed and GECOM needs to be sued by our taxpayers for such recklessness.

Sincerely, Annie Baliram (PhD)

H2H is a virtual sham and should be dumped Dear Editor, The long-awaited decision presented on August 27 by GECOM Chairman, Justice Claudette Singh, is fraught with a myriad of problems. Christopher Ram, in his letter, “Justice Singh is probably unaware of complexity and difficulties of merging two lists”, lists some legitimate reasons about the merging of the lists. The credibility of the latest dubious registration process is particularly worrisome since this exercise was conducted under questionable circumstances. One blogger, Tarron Khemraj, pointed out, “the merging of the list could see the backdoor removal of thousands of names, disproportionately.”

It is puzzling that the

Chairman has allowed the continuation of the Houseto-House (H2H) Registration until August 31. A whole lot of manipulation and forgery could materialise within the 4-5 days – especially considering that the registration process from its inception has been suspect.

The Guyanese people must come together and fight tooth and nail

against this latest faux pas

by GECOM, and resist the merging of the two lists.

Utilising this faulty list defeats the purpose of seeking a fair and free election.

House-to-House is a virtual sham and should be dumped.

Dear Editor, A much-awaited and anticipated action/decision by the “Iron Lady” has been handed down. However, one cannot help thinking that the unilateral decision and attendant order derived therefrom was to appease both sides of the

divide. At least some movement on this front has been taken, even though belatedly.

We look forward to more firm and decisive actions in the coming days.

Yours truly, Dr Devanand Bhagwan

Some movement, though belatedly

Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed

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thursday, august 29, 2019

Page Foundation 10 ways to help your child succeed in primary school S

upport from parents is key to helping children do well academically.

Here are 10 ways parents can put their children on track to be successful students.

Attend parent-teacher conferences

Children do better in school when parents are involved in their academic lives.

Attending parent-teacher conferences is one way to stay informed. These are usually held once or twice a year at progress reporting periods.

The conferences are a chance to start or continue conversations with your child’s teacher, and discuss strategies to help your child do his or her best in class. Meeting with the teacher also lets your child know that what goes on in school will be shared at home.

If your child has special learning needs, additional meetings can be scheduled with teachers and other school staff.

Keep in mind that parents or guardians can request meetings with teachers, principals, school counsellors, or other school staff any time during the school year.

Visit the school

Knowing the physical layout of the school building and grounds can help you connect with your child when you talk about the school day. It’s good to know the location of the main office, cafeteria, athletic fields, playground, auditorium, and special classes.

Support homework expectations

Homework in grade school reinforces and extends classroom learning and helps children practise important study skills. It also helps them develop a sense of responsibility and a work ethic that will benefit them beyond the classroom.

In addition to making sure your child knows that you see homework as a prior-

ity, you can help by creating an effective study environment. Any well-lit, comfortable, and quiet workspace with the necessary supplies will do. Avoiding distractions (like a TV in the background) and setting up a start and end time can also help.

A good rule of thumb for an effective homework and/ or study period is roughly 10 minutes per elementary grade level. Fourth-graders, for example, should expect to have about 40 minutes of homework or studying each school night. If you find that it’s often taking significantly longer than this guideline, talk with your child’s teacher.

While your child does homework, be available to interpret assignment instructions, offer guidance, answer questions, and review the completed work. But resist the urge to provide the correct answers or complete the assignments yourself.

Learning from mistakes is part of the process and you don’t want to take this away from your child.

Send your child to school ready to learn

A nutritious breakfast fuels up children and gets them ready for the day. In general, children who eat breakfast have more energy and do better in school. Children who eat breakfast also are less likely to be absent, and make fewer trips to the school nurse with stomach complaints related to hunger.

You can help boost your child’s attention span, concentration, and memory by providing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fibre, and protein, as well as low in added sugar. If your child is running late some mornings, send along fresh fruit, nuts, yogurt, or half a sandwich.

Children also need the right amount of sleep to be alert and ready to learn all

night before. You also might need to remind your child to bring home the right study materials, such as notes, study guides, or books.

Teach your child how to break down overall tasks into smaller, manageable chunks so preparing for a test isn’t overwhelming. You also can introduce your child to tricks like mnemonic devices to help with recalling information. Remember that taking a break after a 45-minute study period is an important way to help children process and remember information.

Know the disciplinary policies

day. Most school-age children need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night. Bedtime difficulties can arise at this age for a variety of reasons.

Lack of sleep can cause irritable or hyperactive behaviour and might make it hard for children to pay attention in class. It’s important to have a consistent bedtime routine, especially on school nights. Be sure to leave enough time before bed to allow your child to unwind before lights out and limit stimulating diversions like TV, video games, and Internet access.

Teach organisational skills

When children are organised, they can stay focused instead of spending time hunting things down and getting side-tracked.

What does it mean to be organised at the elementary level? For schoolwork, it means having an assignment book and homework folder (many schools supply these) to keep track of homework and projects.

Check your child’s assignment book and homework folder every school night so you’re familiar with assignments and your child doesn’t fall behind. Set up a bin for papers that you need to check or sign. Also, keep a special

box or bin for completed and graded projects and toss papers that you don’t need to keep.

Talk to your child about keeping his or her school desk orderly so papers that need to come home don’t get lost.

Teach your child how to use a calendar or personal planner to help stay organised.

It’s also helpful to teach your child how to make a todo list to help prioritise and get things done. It can be as simple as: homework soccer put clothes away No one is born with great organisational skills – they need to be learnt and practised.

Teach study skills

Studying for a test can be scary for young children, and many educators assume parents will help their children during the grade-school years. Introducing your child to study skills now will pay off with good learning habits throughout life.

In elementary school, children usually take end-ofunit tests in Maths, spelling, science, and Social Studies.

Be sure to know when a test is scheduled so you can help your child study ahead of time rather than just the

Schools usually cite their disciplinary policies (sometimes called the student code of conduct) in student handbooks. The rules cover expectations, and consequences for not meeting the expectations, for things like student behaviour, dress codes, use of electronic devices, and acceptable language.

The policies may include details about attendance, vandalism, cheating, fighting, and weapons.

It’s important for your child to know what’s expected at school and that you’ll support the school’s consequences when expectations aren’t met. It’s easiest for students when school expectations match the ones at home, so children see both environments as safe and caring places that work together as a team.

Get involved

Whether children are just starting kindergarten or entering their last year of elementary school, there are many good reasons for parents to volunteer at school.

It’s a great way for parents to show they’re interested in

their children’ education.

Take attendance seriously

Sick children should stay home from school if they have a fever, are nauseated, vomiting, or have diarrhoea.

Otherwise, it’s important that children arrive at school on time every day, because having to catch up with class work and homework can be stressful and interfere with learning.

If your child is missing a lot of school due to illness, make sure to check with the teacher about any work that needs to be completed. It’s also a good idea to know the school’s attendance policy.

Also try to avoid late bedtimes, which can result in tardy and tired students. A consistent sleep schedule also can help students.

Make time to talk about school

It’s usually easy to talk with elementary students about what’s going on in class and the latest news at school.

You probably know what books your child is reading and are familiar with the math being worked on. But parents can get busy and forget to ask the simple questions, which can have an effect on children’s success at school.

Make time to talk with your child every day, so he or she knows that what goes on at school is important to you.

When children know parents are interested in their academic lives, they’ll take school seriously as well.

These early years of schooling are an important time for parents to be informed and supportive about their child’s education and to set the stage for children to develop and grow as young learners. (Excerpt from kidshealth.org)

Bee builders Honeybees build their hives using wax from their bodies, shaped into six-sided rooms or “cells”. In these cells, bees can store their honey and protect the hive’s growing eggs. Make your own “hive” out of paper.

What you will need •A large, brown paper shopping bag • A cardboard egg carton (or two) • Yellow, dark brown, and white construction paper • Wax paper • Glue • Scissors What to do Cut an arch-shaped “doorway” in one side of your brown bag. This bag will be the hive.

Use the bottom of a cardboard egg carton, or two, to make the “cells” that will go in the hive.

Glue small, cutout pieces of wax paper – “wax scales” – into all the egg-carton cells.

Glue bits of yellow paper for pollen and dark brown paper for honey into the cells.

(Honey mixed with pollen makes “bee bread”, the food for growing bees.)

Glue one small white paper “egg” into each cell.

Put the cells into the hive. (If your bee eggs were real, they would develop into larvae, then pupae, then adult bees.)

(Adapted from the Buzzing a Hive Teacher’s Guide published by LHS Great Explorations in Math and Science (GEMS).

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

GECOM doubles up working hours for field staff

...as sun sets on final days of H2H Registration

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n the heels of a decision by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh, to halt House-to-House Registration by Saturday, the Secretariat has decided to increase working hours for its staff in the fields.

According to a statement from the Commission, staff will now have to work from 10:00h to 19:30h.

Previously, enumerators worked varying hours based on which geographical region they were based and whether they worked on weekdays or weekends and holidays.

For instance, enumerators working in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) were scheduled to work between 15:30h and 18:30h on weekdays.

Enumerators in Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) were, meanwhile, supposed to work between 09:00h and 16:00h on weekdays. Meanwhile, these workers were also scheduled to work the same hours for weekends and holidays.

Over the past few weeks, GECOM undertook Houseto-House Registration, which was last conducted in 2008. The exercise saw enumerators going in teams of two to three, from door to door in various communities across Guyana.

The enumerators then present forms to registrants

tired Justice Claudette “Iron lady” Singh, ordered an end to the ongoing House-toHouse Registration exercise, bringing an end to a controversial chapter of GECOM’s recent history.

The decision was taken at a statutory meeting, where she decided that the exercise will be concluded as of August 31, 2019, and that GECOM will afterwards embark on more concrete steps towards the hosting of General and Regional Elections.

A decision has also been

GECOM enumerators

to fill up, as well as take fingerprints and pictures.

The exercise is intended to produce a new National Register of Registrants (NRR) Database and Official List of Electors (OLE).

This had meant that everyone, regardless of whether they were registered before or not, must register anew at their place of residence between July 20 and October of this year.

However, a No-Confidence Motion was passed against the Government since December 21 of last year, necessitating elections in three months.

Problems

In addition, the requirement for proof of residency had produced alarm for overseas-based Guyanese, to the point where a court case was filed earlier this year by an overseas-based Guyanese against Houseto-House Registration, on the basis that it would disenfranchise her. That case was later withdrawn out of the belief that GECOM would adhere to the recent Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) rulings which reiter-

ated the need for elections in three months.

It is because of this that attorney and advocate Christopher Ram brought a case against GECOM. Ram sought an order compelling the Commission to stop their House-to-House exercise. Previously, the court had denied Ram’s application for an interim conservatory order to block GECOM from continuing its Houseto-House exercise that began on July 20.

Subsequently, GECOM Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, through Trinidadian lawyer Stanley Marcus, had sought the Chief Justice’s recusal, on the grounds of a statement she caused her office to send out which they contended was biased.

GECOM had been waiting on that ruling and when it arrived on August 14, acting Chief Justice Roxane George ruled that while the exercise was not illegal, GECOM must be cognisant of the need for elections as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), re-

Guyana Elections Commission

taken that the data gathered so far by the House-to-House exercise will be merged with the existing database.

Further, a statement from GECOM explained that the

Chairperson has decided that the Commission will move to an extensive Claims and Objections exercise to extract the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE).

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Lance Corporal charged for inflicting wounds

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lance corporal was charged for inflicting grievous bodily harm on a man and appeared on Wednesday at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Colwin Major, 32, of La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly and

denied the charge which stated that on May 4, 2019, at Le Repentir Cemetery, he unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm on Warren Duke.

Police Prosecutor Richard Harris did not object to bail, however, he requested that the court order that Major stay away from

Colwin Major

the victim until the completion of the matter.

The prosecutor further added that the defendant is a member of the Guyana Police Force.

Magistrate Daly granted bail in the sum of $40,000 and the matter was adjourned until September 26, 2019.

Trying…

T

…another t’ing? he new Chair of GECOM finally spoke. But unfortunately, while she didn’t speak in the cryptic language of the Oracle at Delphi which the CCJ seemed to favour, we’re still no closer to knowing when the next elections will be scheduled. So is there any progress from the political crisis into which we have been thrown by the manoeuvres of the PNC following the successful NCM? No really.

Firstly, we should remember that we’re still putting the cart before the horse. It’s the constitutional duty of the PRESIDENT to proclaim an elections date…and only then can GECOM inform him of what’s the best they can do about meeting that date. More specifically, they’d have to explain what “danger” or “hardship” would follow if the date proposed by the President would be used. But let’s overlook that for the moment – since the Government gives short shrift to the Constitution in any case! Let’s consider what’s ahead as a consequence of her decision.

Before we get to Claudette Singh’s order that the H2H exercise be stopped on Saturday, let’s remind ourselves that the PNC’s claim that the old list is “bloated” with PPP “sleepers” in and out of Guyana is plain ridiculous to begin with. If the PPP did have that option, how come they lost the 2015 elections?? They rigged themselves out of office??

Anyhow, more than 350,000 names would’ve been registered by Saturday and these will have to be MERGED into the old NRR. So what do we have here?? Does Claudette Singh have the slightest clue of what it is to “merge” those names? This isn’t merging lists of precisely coded electrical parts. The PNC will demand that even if there is one data point different on a clearly duplicate name, it’ll have to be added to the list. So what if the PNC’s “bloated” list will now be exponentially expanded?!! GECOM and the scrutineers will have a whale of a time cleaning up that whale of a list!! But it’ll buy more time for the PNC, no?? Even as they kvetch about the decision to truncate the H2H! But let’s say the merging takes a couple of weeks and we have a Preliminary List of Electors (PLE) in four.

We can now see why Singh specified an openended “extended” Claims and Objections (C&O) period to sanitise that OLE? With the certainty that the PNC literally had a field day during the H2H Registration, we can be sure the PPP’s scrutineers will need more than the normal six weeks to be satisfied.

The question, of course, is when will GECOM – really Singh – give her suggested date to Granger?? And we return to the issue we had from the onset: When will Granger dissolve Parliament and call elections?? …to square the circle But the merging and creation of the OLE will alone take us past Sept 18 – the expiry date for the PNC government. Will the PPP return to Parliament to authorise an extension for elections without even knowing what that extension will be?? Will they sign a blank cheque and hand it to the PNC?? Your Eyewitness doubts this.

Then there’s the other arrow in the PNC’s quiver: Basil Williams’ challenge to the CJ’s decision that the removal of any name from the present List – which will remain – is unconstitutional since it would implicitly place a residency requirement for voting. We are pretty certain this will not be dropped and Granger will use this to delay dissolving Parliament and setting that elections date. Sadly, we aren’t dealing with people with integrity and they will use all the tricks hones in 28 years of rigging, to game the system.

We’re back at square one, folks. No elections ‘till the PNC says so!! …and succeeding After the GECOM Chair’s announcement, PNC Commissioner Vincent Alexander said, “What is important in the first instance is that the Houseto-House information will not be discarded… [this] information is integral to the process”.

Because of the Guyanised Haitian names?

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

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

House-to-House data cannot be used in NRR— former AG …says data unscrutinised

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he Guyana Elections C o m m i s s i o n (GECOM) decision to end House-to-House Registration by Saturday but to merge the data from the House-to-House Registration is not going down well with some legal minds.

According to former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, GECOM should have stuck with constitutional principles instead of trying to walk a middle road. Nandlall pointed out that when constitutional compliance is at stake, placating both sides will only make matters worse.

“The decision says House-to-House will be terminated. And the second component of the decision is more disturbing. It is that the data will be merged into the database. So we are rewarding those who acted in defiance of the Constitution.

The data generated by this exercise is deeply flawed,” Nandlall said.

“It was un-scrutinised by any political party other than the government party. Secondly, the form used to accumulate the data is the wrong statutory form.

Thirdly, the data accumulated will take approximately three or more months to be

GECOM Chairperson Retired Justice Claudette Singh

inputted or cross referenced with the existing data,” he added, during his ‘Issues in the News’ programme.

Nandlall noted that the data is presently in its raw

City Hall finally provides documents for financial audit

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ess than one month after Acting Town Clerk Sharon HarryMunroe was sent on administrative leave owing to the alleged failure to submit pertinent information for a forensic audit, these documents were finally submitted.

Guyana Times was informed that the new acting Town Clerk, Sherry Jerrick, handed over these documents after being provided with a one-week timeframe to do so. This is after the Audit Office of Guyana had written the Commission, ordering that the documents be provided.

At Monday’s statutory meeting, the full Council was briefed by Jerrick about the submission to the Audit Office.

Since June, Auditor General Deodat Sharma told this publication that the audit was delayed as a result of the Council’s shortcomings to provide requisite data. He insisted that once it was provided, the forensic assessment could be completed.

The decision to conduct an audit stemmed from the alarming findings of the Commission of Inquiry, which exposed financial irregularities and mismanagement at the Council.

Lone Commissioner, retired Justice Cecil Kennard had called for the Audit Office of Guyana to conduct a forensic audit into the entity’s management even as officers are being disciplined.

Earlier this year, there were reports that City Hall had failed to submit a large percentage of the required documents for the Audit Office to continue the inspection.

During the CoI hearings, finance records from the Audit Office were presented by the Audit Manager, Dhanraj Persaud, which showed unaccountability for millions of dollars.

As he delved into the matter, Persaud showed that Central Government through the Communities Ministry had supplied funds for city restoration projects at a sum of $300 million in 2015 and in 2016, another

form; sheets of paper filled out by scrutineers bearing the information of hundreds of thousands of electors. He explained that this data now has to be converted and entered into a computer database.

On Tuesday, Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), retired Justice Claudette ‘Iron lady’ Singh, ordered an end to the ongoing House-toHouse Registration exercise, bringing an end to a controversial chapter of GECOM’s recent history.

The decision was taken at a statutory meeting where she decided that the exercise will be concluded as of August 31, 2019 and that GECOM will afterwards embark on more concrete steps towards the hosting of General and Regional Elections.

A decision was also taken that the data gathered so far by the House-to-House exercise will be merged with the existing database.

Further, a statement from GECOM explained that the Chairperson has decided that the Commission will move to an extensive Claims and Objections exercise to extract the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE).

Opposed

$200 million was injected into the initiative which totalled to an overall balance of $500 million.

However, when checks were made into the pieces of evidence presented for the expenditure of these projects, $70.489 million was unaccounted for.

“For 2016, Council did not produce evidence to account for amount totalling $70.489 million,” he said.

It was related that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has a history of failing to source records. In the course of six years which dates back to the period from 2006 to 2011, there have been no financial records for the disbursement of monies at City Hall. Additionally, for the year 2005, documents were submitted but

an audit could not be completed because the files were “damaged”.

Persaud said, “A few documents were submitted [in 2005] but those are the ones that were damaged”.

The Audit Manager stood before the Commission, stating that his agency inquired about the absence of the report but no explanation was provided. In 2012, records were damaged but from 2013 to 2015, some amount of files was presented for auditing, from which they were able to inspect and extract information.

According to the Auditor General’s 2015 Report, there were several “discrepancies” in the way the sums of money allotted to the City Council had been spent during that year.

Immediately after the decision was taken, however, the People’s Progressive Party -nominated GECOM

Former AG Anil Nandlall

Commissioners were less than happy about the decision to merge the Houseto-House Registration data with the National Register of Registrants (NRR).

According to Commissioner Robeson Benn, this was not a product of their proposals.

“The difficulty we have is merging and verification of the data. It was not our proposal. We have said that any merging or verification of the data is wrong. It will take a long time and it will contaminate the NRR. It will result in duplicates.

And having appeared as duplicates, each one of those will have to be investigated”.

“The resort to use the House-to-House Registration information is only another ploy to delay the holding of elections as required by the NoConfidence Motion. We are very unhappy about that,”

Benn had said.

M e a n w h i l e , Commissioner Bibi Shadick noted that a team from GECOM – including Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers and the Information Technology Manager— are presently in Jamaica observing the process of cross matching fingerprints.

She explained that after their return, Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield will prepare a plan proposing the timeframe to merge the data with the Register.

According to Shadick, this plan will be discussed by the Commission and if necessary, further decisions will be taken.

Reports indicate that during the exercise, the only political party that supervised the enumerators was the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). The PPP was not even invited.

The fact that the data was obtained at a time when the PPP played no part in supervising the enumerators was referenced by Oppositionnominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj.

“I maintain that the information contained in the house-to-house process is unverified data and as a consequence should not be used. But it’s left to be seen what the secretariat comes with in terms of the use of that data,” Gunraj had said.

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Local pharmacies caught selling substandard, falsified drugs

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he Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) has made shocking discoveries of substandard and falsified (SF) medicinal drugs stocked on the shelves of nine local pharmacies, which were being retailed to consumers across Georgetown and its environs.

The Department informed that 16 pharmacies were visited within the course of last Thursday and Friday, where the low quality drugs were unearthed.

Among the findings were 17 boxes of ‘Chanca Piedra Phosmovite’, labelled with the manufacturer’s address as Mainland Labs, located in Canada. Its usage intended to treat kidney stones, and cleaning of the liver and urinary tract.

Meanwhile, 28 boxes of ‘Fungabort’ were discovered, claiming to serve as nail fungus treatment and also manufactured

by Mainland Labs; while 23 packages of Phosferine

The inferior medications that were found at local pharmacies

were seized after the manufacturer, Phosferine Health Care Company, could not be verified. For this, all products were removed from the premises.

The GA-FDD positioned that pharmacies found with these questionable products could not provide receipts of purchase to the inspectors. As such, it was clearly a breach of the Consumer Affairs Act. “This is a clear breach of the Consumer Affairs Act section 18: 1-3. It is also a breach of the Food

and Drug’s Act, Part VI, Chapter 21 section (C and D), which speaks to adequate record keeping for traceability purposes particularly for the sale of medication for patient use,” the Food and Drug Department stated.

A strict warning was sent out to all drugstore outlets to desist from purchasing and retailing products from sources who cannot provide valid receipts or invoices. Generally, these acts are committed by ‘suitcase traders’ who walk and

sell their goods.

“The Department is advising all pharmacies to, with immediate effect, desist from the practice of purchasing and retailing medication to be used by patients from walk-insalesmen (suitcase traders) who refuse to provide invoices or adequate receipt or other records for traceability purposes. Inspectors will continue to seize and detain items with inaccurate addresses and where the identity of the wholesaler or distributor is un-

known”.

To prevent such occurrences in the future, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) was called in to investigate the matter. Complaints were filed that persons have been manufacturing or importing low quality medica-

tions, which are later introduced on the local markets.

In 2017, Government had announced that all drug suppliers would be mandated to register their drugs with the GA-FDD, in keeping with the new drug procurement systems.

Coastal residents cautioned of flooding from storm surges

STORM

WARNING

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he Public Infrastructure Ministry has issued a notice to the public, sending advice to take precautionary measures during the current high tide period, since selected areas will be susceptible to flooding.

The high tide period will last until September 4, 2019.

Throughout this time, it is predicted that the tides will rise above normal levels in areas such as the Pomeroon River banks, Sans Souci to Sarah on Wakenaam Island; Canefield/Amsterdam, Endeavour/Blenheim and Cane Garden on Leguan Island; Windsor Forest to De Willem on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD); and Parika Market area to

Salem and Sparta on the East Bank of Essequibo. A section of Fairfield/Danzigt in Mahaicony; Helena in Mahaica and Wellington Park/Tarlogie on the Corentyne are also under threat. Meanwhile, Water Street in Georgetown will see similar outcomes. The Ministry has predicted the highest tides on Saturday, August 31, at 04:15h and Sunday, September 1, at 05:03h at a height of 3.55 metres.

Mariners, especially those who operate fishing and large vessels, are also advised to take precautions. Visiting the beach during this time for a recreational period is not advised.

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Mayor threatens to shut down city businesses over outstanding taxes

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Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine

ity Hall will be exploring the introduction of by-laws to deal with delinquent taxpayers and sanctions being explored range from shutting down of businesses to the auctioning of properties.

This is according to Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine, who told the media on Wednesday that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) continues to be cash strapped as a result of taxpayers refusing to pay taxes despite the amnesty policy that it had introduced for delinquent taxpayers.

He pointed out that the amnesty initiative is still ongoing but more needs to be done by City Hall to obtain the monies owed.

“There are people who owe taxes way 20 and 23 years back, millions of dollars, there are people who owe the city in total of eight point something billion dollars. You know if we get that money we can transform the city…I am not bashing anyone. It is that we have

to work together and if we don’t work together we will continue to blame city hall but don’t blame city hall you have to blame yourself as well,” Narine said.

He further explained that City Hall will have to commence utilising the law and formulate a policy or by-law that will cater for matters involving delinquent taxpayers from all categories.

The Mayor noted that although there is the option to move to the courts, it will prove to be too time-consuming and costly so other alternatives will have to be implemented.

“I believe it is wasting of time when you have to pay a lawyer, maybe a sum of money, and you go to the court and you have to enter into agreement and the agreement break, and it is something a long process.

And the only way I can see a way forward on that without the court’s involvement is to shut the businesses them down, don’t open at all, and even the resi-

dents, we have to start put some place on auctions and so forth. But bear in mind these things cannot happen overnight.”

According to Narine, such initiatives can only be implemented once there is a proper system put in place by the M&CC and this will have to be through the introduction of a by-law in this regard.

“We are elected Directors and Councillors of the city and we have to start making those moves.”

Narine added that although City Hall is willing to work with the public, the delinquent taxpayers must understand the situation they have put City Hall in, and, therefore, to avoid having their businesses shut down or their properties auctioned off, they need to pay their taxes urgently.

In December last, the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the M&CC had recommended, among other things, that the Council review its tax collection method to garner monies to help offset expenses the Council is currently facing.

In the report prepared by retired Justice Cecil Kennard, the city is encouraged to review tax collection methods such as the granting of amnesty to defaulting ratepayers.

In fact, the report said that granting of amnesty opens the floodgates for corruption.

“This CoI is of the view that little or nothing is be-

ing done to reduce the prevalence of defaulting ratepayers. It is my respectful opinion that the officers were not honest, they tried to cover up for each other, and this type of behaviour

begs the question of what is happening. Is it incompetence? Is it corruption or is it a combination of both?” the Chairman had stated in the report.

The Commission of

Inquiry into the affairs of the M&CC was to examine, advise and report on irregularities of the administration, its operations, and the management of its financial affairs.

Victoria murder

Wanted bulletin issued for janitor

Wanted: Clive Frederick Wilson

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he Guyana Police Force (GPF) has issued a wanted bulletin for a 37-year-old man who is wanted in connection to the murder of his reputed wife, Shamaine Frank, which occurred last Sunday at Victoria Village, East Coast Demerara.

Clive Frederick Wilson, whose last address is Lot 37 North Haslington, East Coast Demerara, and B Starlite, is wanted for stabbing the mother of his three children at her home before fleeing the scene.

Frank, who is a 27-yearold janitor, shared a rocky relationship with the suspect. Reports are at about 03:00h on August 25, Wilson was seen entering the wom-

an’s yard and was ordered by her brother to leave the premises, because of the abuse his sister had suffered at the hands of the suspect.

This brother told investigators that shortly thereafter, he heard screams and went to his sister’s aid.

He then discovered her with a stab wound to her left side breast, and upon inspection, he also discovered that three louvre panes had been removed from a window. It is believed that the suspect gained entry into the house by removing the louvre panes. After committing this act, the suspect reportedly departed through a back door, which was discovered open.

“He never used to live here. He used to come and visit the children them. She used to live here and she end up moving and go by him. They had a problem so she decide to move and come back about four months back. I had to ban him from the yard. When I come home the night, I drop to sleep in the chair and I see somebody hovering over me and it was he. We had a little talk and I put him out the yard.

Because it was dark, I didn’t get to see which direction he went. After that, I went in-

Dead: Shamaine Frank

side and bolt the door and went to bed. About half-hour after, I hear she shouting for me,” the younger brother, Junior Frank, told this publication.

It is suspected that the victim and Wilson were engaged in an argument when the victim was attacked and fatally stabbed. The injured woman was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Anyone with information that may result in the arrest of Wilson is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 226-6978, 225-8196, 226-2870, 2267065, 227-1149, 226-7065, 911 or the nearest police station.

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

False fire alarm triggers evacuation at Finance Ministry

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A fire tender at the scene

Staff standing outside of the Finance Ministry

mployees of the Finance Ministry on Wednesday rushed to safety after the fire alarm in the building was triggered.

This publication understands that the Guyana Fire

Service was contacted moments after the alarm was triggered.

When Guyana Times, visited the scene, employees were observed standing outside the building as fire-

fighters assessed the situation inside.

During a brief telephone interview, Fire Chief Marlon Gentle confirmed that an alarm was indeed triggered at the location but there was

no visible fire or possible threats. He explained that the alarm may have been triggered due to an electrical effect or weather change since such incidents are constant.

“I haven’t had a good report as to what may have caused it but there was no fire. These things happen from time to time, it’s nothing unusual that it happens,” Gentle noted.

But even though the main cause of the triggered alarm is still unknown, the Fire Chief disclosed that technicians have been called in to conduct an electrical inspection.

21 years later

Guyanese music legend Man confesses to killing reputed wife Johnny Braff dies The man who was remanded to prison last week for allegedly stabbing his ex-lover to her breast, along with her male companion, at Hururu Mission, Upper Berbice River, will soon be hauled before the courts once again but this time for a murder charge from 21 years ago.

Reports are that in September of 1998, the now 48-year-old Philbert Thomas called “Gilbert Thomas” was at a fun day in the Kwabanna village, Region One (BarimaWaini,) when he allegedly stabbed his reputed wife, Viola Thomas, to death at the community centre ground.

According to a senior police source, the stabbing incident was witnessed by over 100 persons, but as soon as Thomas allegedly stabbed Viola’s body, he ran away from the scene before anyone could apprehend him.

He went into hiding and was not seen by persons in that area.

Guyana Times understands that Thomas and Viola had been involved in a relationship for years prior to the stabbing incident.

The now dead woman had also mothered his children.

The file had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for ad-

Philbert Thomas called, “Gilbert”

vice and investigators were told to arrest and charge Thomas for the murder of the woman but police ranks could not locate the man.

However, on Wednesday last, Thomas had been slapped with two felonious wounding charges committed on his ex-lover, Dally Gobin, and Leaymond Smith, her male companion. It was reported that on the day in question, the victims were imbibing alcohol at Gobin’s house when the suspect showed up without an invitation.

This resulted in a heated argument among them. The argument, however, turned into a scuffle and it was at this time that the suspect whipped out a knife and dealt one blow to Gobin.

He then turned his attention to Smith and stabbed him once before es-

caping the scene.

The couple was taken to the Kwakwani Hospital where they were treated and referred to the Linden Hospital Complex. There, they were admitted but subsequently discharged.

Thomas was arrested while hiding out at a camp in Hururu Backlands and was subsequently charged.

It was after this story had been published in the media that persons who had witnessed the murder 21 years ago contacted the police.

Commander of F Division (Interior locations), Kevin Adonis told this publication on Wednesday that someone contacted ranks of his Division and alleged that Thomas was wanted by the police for murdering his reputed wife.

According to the Police Commander, an investigation was immediately launched, and Thomas was subsequently interviewed about the matter.

He stated that at present, investigations are still ongoing into the murder committed in 1998.

However, another senior police source told Guyana Times that Thomas has admitted to the police that he murdered Viola because she had been “unfaithful” to him.

Johnny Braff

G

uyanese music legend, Johnny Critchlow Braithwaite, M.S., also known as ‘Johnny Braff’ died on Wednesday morning at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Braff, who was a resident at Palms Geriatric Home on Brickdam, Georgetown, died at about 04:00h.

Braff, who was known for the hit song “Stop the music…It Burns Inside”, celebrated his 82nd birthday in July and was feted by the Social Protection Ministry at a special concert held in his honour.

In May, he was giv-

en the national award – Medal of Service – by President David Granger.

The music legend has also received a number of honours over the years, among them is the Guyana Folk Festival 2002 Wordsworth McAndrew Award.

The former Kitty, Georgetown resident began singing at the age of 18. At the time, he was working as a plumber at the then bauxite company Demba in the late 1950s.

Since then, he has played to sold-out crowds

at Madison Square Garden, New York City; Mexico, Canada, London and across Europe. He left Guyana in the 1970s after recording a number of hits in the 1960s. In 2010, Braff had announced that he would be recording his third album called “Jump on My Wings, Let’s Go for a Ride to Heaven”, under his self-titled label, Braff Recording, in Brooklyn.

Meanwhile, President David Granger extended condolences at the death of Braithwaite.

Johnny Braff performing his 1960s hit song “It Burns Inside”

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Region 6 could lose $600M to paddy bugs – RPA …as farmers still awaiting GRBD’s aerial spraying

R

ice farmers in Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) could lose more than half a billion dollars from the current autumn crop. This is according to President of the Guyana Rice Producers Association (RPA) Leeka Rambrich.

On August 16, General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Nezam Hassan told Guyana Times that the exercise of aerial spraying to combat the paddy bugs will commence in Region Six. This was after rice farmers had taken to the streets protesting and demanding that the GRDB conduct aerial spraying for the bugs which cost the region to lose more than a billion dollars last crop.

According to Rambrich, he discussed the issue with the General Manager of the GRDB on Tuesday, who informed him that he has to submit a 13-page document to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order to have permission for aerial spraying in Region Six. Three weeks ago, rice farmers on the Corentyne had intensified their calls for the GRDB to conduct aerial spraying in the region.

It was then that Rambrich disclosed that Hassan was given the green light for ae-

RPA President Leeka Rambrich

rial spraying to be conducted in the rice-producing regions except Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

According to Rambrich, spraying is yet to commence.

“While the General Manager is dragging his feet on this issue, rice farmers are losing money and the country as a whole is losing money. I feel that the General Manager has erred in his job. Because the Board had given him the go-ahead or permission three months ago to do aerial spraying.

The General Manager sat on the directives of the Board and did nothing. “ The RPA President noted that it was only after farmers started demanding aerial spraying that the

GRDB General Manager commenced negotiating and putting systems in place.

“And up to now nothing has been done, he cannot get anything started,” Rambrich said while adding that he is of the opinion that several agencies are not taking into consideration the present situation on the ground.

“The EPA needs to work with the farmers and the General Manager of the Board. They should realise how much money the farmers lose and how much money farmers lost during the last crop. In Region Six alone, farmers lost $1.5 billion dollars due to paddy

bug damage and again we have seen the presence of paddy bugs in the fields.”

“I am projecting by the end of this crop, we will see a ten per cent damage as a result of paddy bug infestation in Region Six.” The region, he noted, is expected to produce two million bags of paddy this crop.

“Ten per cent would be 200,000 bags of paddy. At $3000 per bag, it would be $600,000. So, the region stands to lose a lot of money again. Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) has been given permission to do aerial spraying. I cannot understand why Region Six is being segregated and being

A bug-infested field

treated differently from other regions.”

“I am appealing to all of the responsible agencies to come forward and support

the Board's initiative of aerial spraying to save the rice industry and save farmers’ crop from insects,” the RPA President said.

Freak storm

Several affected Linden residents receive assistance

F

amilies affected by the recent rainstorm in the Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) community are currently benefiting from the continuous donation of zinc sheets as well as cleaning agents and utensils, made possible through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC). Over a hundred families were affected by the storm which ripped through the community last Friday, leaving destruction to homes.

On Tuesday, representatives from the CDC, along with Minister of State Dawn Hastings, Regional Chairman Renis Morian and Councillors visited 16 of the affected families where numerous donations were made. According to Regional Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph, the distribution is slated to continue during this week.

Adolph said that beverage giant Banks DIH also came on board with addition-

al assistance on Wednesday.

The storm which lasted for some two and a half hours resulted in damage to homes in areas such as Blueberry Hill, Silvertown, Burnham Drive, Retrieve, Fair’s Rust and other areas.

Following the storm, several residents complained that their rooftops had blown off and numerous trees were uprooted across the community. It also resulted in intense flooding in several residential areas as well as Central

Mackenzie— which houses the main shopping district in the community. Numerous electrical power lines and posts were also damaged during the ordeal. Regional officials have since indicated that efforts have been made to budget for a relief bond in Linden which will assist in the storage of items in such times. Officials have also appealed to residents to utilise screws instead of nails when securing zinc sheets to the rooftops of their homes.

14 News

THURsday, august 29, 2019| guyanatimesgy.com

Community leaders trained to accept diversity C

ommunity leaders in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) are being trained to work with and have an appreciation for diversity.

A two-day unity and diversity workshop opened at the Chambers of the New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council on Wednesday with the aim of fostering cohesive environments in which diverse people can have healthy and professional interactions in spite of their differences.

The workshop, which was organised by the Social Cohesion Department, targeted community leaders across the region. It aims at promoting better understanding of how an appre-

ciation of diversity can contribute to strong societies.

Persons are being provided with the skills that promote healthy interaction even in the face of ethnic, cultural and other differences. It is hoped that participants will be made aware of how personal bias impacts social interactions.

The lead trainer, Will Campbell, who is a lecturer at the University of Guyana and a psychologist, told this publication that the purpose is to have leaders aware of the fact that “we have inherent biases and prejudices in our community as individuals”.

“We want to look at how we are different but more importantly, how are alike

larities to bridge gaps, work together [in] our communities for improvement.”

According to Campbell, persons are being examined as individuals.

“At the end of this, we want persons to be able to go back to their communities and look past their differences and work with people who they may not have ordinary not have ordinarily worked with before because they were perceived to be different. We want persons to be able to reach across political divides, political differences and ethnic differences. We want persons to be able to have a different mindset towards diversity and at the end of this we are hoping the persons will find strength in diversity rather than continuing to see our differences as a means of dividing us,” Campbell said.

According to the psychologist, in many communities,

leaders separate themselves and deny themselves the opportunities to interact with persons who are different but who can still contribute.

Many, he added, gravitate towards those that are similar to them in ideology and religion, thus, excluding persons that they perceive to be different and, in the process, forgetting that those persons can contribute value to what they are trying to do in our communities.

“If we can bridge those gaps, then we get more people to contribute, more people to work towards community development and we will have a more united community, hence, stronger [a] nation,” Campbell related.

Scholarships will also be given for cultural aspects where interested persons will go to India to learn about their heritage and culture.

Dr Srinivasa also indicated that the Commission will help the city of Georgetown beautify the area around the Mahatma Gandhi stat-

ue since this year will be the 150th year of his birth.

Garbage disposal is another area of interest that will see support offered to the city, with plans to adopt a similar system to one of the cities in India.

Additionally, the Indian High Commissioner said he

intends to strengthen the bilateral ties between India and Guyana and to work with the CaricomSecretariat to strengthen the relationship with the Caribbean community and India. Also present was during the courtesy call was Deputy-Mayor Alfred Mentore.

Some of the participants at the workshop

and how we can use those differences and that diversity as a strength than a weakness. We want to look at how we are similar and how we can use those simi-

India to soon offer full scholarships to young Guyanese

I

ndian High Commissioner to Guyana Dr K.J. Srinivasa on Wednesday paid a courtesy call to Georgetown Mayor, Ubraj Narine.

During that visit, several areas of interest were discussed. Among these was the granting of scholarships to Guyanese. In an invited comment by the Department of Public Information (DPI), Dr Srinivasa said the aim is to build the skills of young people in Guyana.

Indian High Commissioner to Guyana Dr KJ Srinivasa

He explained that as part of the International Cooperation Programme, there is ITEC, the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation programme; through which short course fully-funded scholarships are given to young students and graduates in various fields. “I was just discussing with the mayor that we are ready to extend that cooperation and we are trying to increase the slots for Guyana,” the Indian High Commissioner stated.

reality,” Sands said as he responded to a question as to why it was important to include this information in the survey.

“More than one in 10 of us had sex that was not consensual, have been forced to have sex…for certain that is a very disturbing number,” Sands said, even as he was unable to provide a breakdown of the non-consensual sexual acts, including victims’ ages, their relationships to their perpetrators, among other concerns.

A 2016 report by the National Task Force for Gender-Based Violence revealed that The Bahamas led the Caribbean in the number of recorded rapes.

According to police statistics, there were 55 reported incidents of rape in 2018, a six per cent increase compared to 2017.

Police said there were 113 incidents of unlawful sexu-

al intercourse in 2018, which includes instances where minors are sexually assaulted.

The survey noted that the average Bahamian engages in sex for the first time at 17.

It also noted that 11.4 per cent of Bahamians had sex before the age of 15.

“We are not in the practice of employing protective measures against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections ,” Sands told reporters, adding “in the recent past, national data on STIs released by my ministry have made the social media and newspaper rounds. STEPS 2019 helps to validate or rationalise these numbers.

“STEPS 2019 revealed that 12.1 per cent of the population has had an STI. Equally as important, 65 per cent did not use a condom and 49 per cent were not on the pill or shot during their last intercourse.” (CMC)

1 in 10 Bahamians experienced forced sexual encounter – survey

H

ealth Minister Dr Duane Sands says at least one out of every 10 people in The Bahamas has experienced a forced sexual encounter in their lifetime.

“For the first time also, STEPS shed light on the national prevalence of non-consensual sex acts,” he said as he launched the 2019 STEPS survey, which surveyed 3,840 individuals throughout The Bahamas in order to get “greater insights into our national non-communicable disease (NCD) profile”.

Sands said that at least 13.1 per cent of participants experienced a sex act against his or her will.

“We want to know what is the reality and understand that there is this hidden secret about unwanted sexual advances, harassment, rape, and to have individuals admit that the number is that high is a startling, striking

“Money will not win an election” – T&T Opposition Leader

“M

ONEY will not win an election,” Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar told hopeful candidates for the upcoming local government elections.

She admitted to her supports at the UNC Monday Night Forum at Debe High School that mistakes were made in 2015, when the party relied on the “airwaves” – radio and television advertisements – spending money it did not have, to reach the voters.

She vowed it was a mistake the UNC would never make again.

Instead, she told the 55 candidates introduced for 11 regional corporations on Monday night and the 51 announced a week ago at the party’s congress, “Do not sit in your house, do not sit in rum shops – get out there.”

The former prime minister told candidates they need to get their boots on the ground, meet and greet people and not depend on money to run fete matches or competitions to win votes.

T&T Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar

“Take that out of your thoughts now, because you will lose if you pick up this mentality that you must share money.

“Money will not win an election. I am telling you from the experiences in 2015.

“In 2015 we were on the airwaves, in the air campaign on radio and television, and in 2015, after that defeat – cooked or not cooked – at the polls, I came to you and asked for your support to be your leader again. I came on the ground.”

Persad-Bissessar also used the opportunity to welcome a new member of the party, “the daughter of MP Barry Padarath, Sejal Padarath. We now have a little baby to welcome into our family. Thank you, Barry.”

Persad-Bissessar said the UNC had screened candidates for 11 of the 14 regional corporations and by the end of the month, the process would be completed.

She said the response had been so overwhelming that the party had to ask prospective candidates to come back a second time for screening, “because so many good people, young people, educated people, a diverse crop of candidates are coming forward.

“The decisions are not easy, they hurt sometimes when one has to choose one over another, but it must be done.”

She called on those who were not selected to stay united, promising, “There is a space and place for everyone at the table of the rising sun.” (T&T Newsday)

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THURsday, august 29, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Florida Governor declares state of 6 arrested as cocaine worth £60M emergency ahead of Hurricane Dorian seized in boat from South America

F

lorida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Dorian’s arrival somewhere along the Florida coastline.

The storm, which strengthened into a hurricane on Wednesday, is projected to reach the state Sunday or Monday as a potential major hurricane, with winds topping 110 mph.

By declaring a state of emergency, Governor DeSantis is ensuring that state and local governments have ample time, resources and flexibility to prepare. The State Emergency Operations Center will activate to a Level 2 on Thursday morning, enhancing the coordination between federal, state and local emergency management agencies.

“Today (Wednesday), I am declaring a state of emergency to ensure Florida is fully prepared for Hurricane Dorian,” said Governor

DeSantis. “It’s important for Floridians on the East Coast to monitor this storm closely. Every Florida resident should have seven days of supplies, including food, water and medicine, and should have a plan in case of disaster. I will continue to monitor Hurricane Dorian closely with emergency management officials. The state stands ready to support all counties along the coast as they prepare.”

Dorian’s projected path shifted north of Hispaniola on Wednesday, putting the system away from the island’s mountains and into more open water. Earlier in the week, Dorian had been predicted to remain a tropical storm when it reached Florida.

“Once the cyclone reaches the western Atlantic well east of the Bahamas, it will encounter a favorable environment of low shear and warm waters, result-

ing in a more marked intensification,” the National Hurricane Center posted late Wednesday morning.

“The NHC forecast is more aggressive than the previous one and brings Dorian to category 3 intensity by the end of the period.”

Tropical-storm force winds are expected to reach Florida on Saturday, with the storm expected to make landfall late Sunday or Monday morning. The “cone of probability,” which offers a general idea of where the storm could make landfall, stretched Wednesday from around Miami to Savannah, Georgia, though it was centered on the East Coast of Central Florida.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said Wednesday his city’s Emergency Operations Center is starting to ramp up and would begin full-time operations Thursday morning. (CBSMiami/NSF)

O

The Sy Atrevido had sailed from South America with two crew

ne of the largest hauls of cocaine in UK history has been found on board a boat in Welsh waters.

National Crime Agency officers arrested six people as part of the operation and have recovered 250kg of the drug, with a further 500kg - with a street value of £60m - expected to be found.

The boat was targeted as part of an intelligence-led operation as it sailed into Fishguard harbour, Pembrokeshire.

The search began early on Tuesday and is expected to last another day.

Officers from the NCA

and the Border Force intercepted the boat, the Sy Atrevido, which had sailed from South America, about half a mile off the coast.

Two men aged 53 and 41 - who are British nationals - were arrested on board and remain in custody.

Four others - three men aged 23, 31 and 47, and a woman aged 30 - were arrested in Liverpool and Loughborough and have been released on bail.

Craig Naylor, deputy director of investigations at the NCA, said: “We are still working on the seizure. But so far we have taken 250 kilos off the boat.

“We believe, and what

we can see, there is a further 500 kilos on the boat bringing it to a total of 750 kilos. That’s the same weight as a Mini motorcar.

“It’s a really major haul.

This amount of drugs going into the UK market would saturate the place for a long period of time.

“It would place vulnerable people in county lines situations in even more danger. What we have done is to disrupt that market significantly.

“We are trying to make sure that criminals who are trying to profit from the misery drugs cause don’t have that opportunity.” (BBC)

US Senator Gillibrand quits Democratic presidential race

U

S Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who ran a presidential campaign centered on advocacy for women, ended her bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination on Wednesday after failing to gain traction in opinion polls or qualify for next month’s debate.

The move did not come as a surprise. Gillibrand, 52, languished below 1 percent in polls and struggled to raise money in a packed field.

“After more than eight

months, and with clarity that she will not have access to the September debate stage, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is suspending her campaign for president today,” her campaign manager, Jess Fassler, wrote in a memo distributed to the media on Wednesday.

Gillibrand, a senator from New York since 2009, is the latest in a spate of Democrats to end their campaigns in the past month after failing to make headway. Her departure

leaves 20 Democrats vying to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in the November 2020 election.

“I know this isn’t the result we wanted. We wanted to win this race. But it’s important to know when it’s not your time, and to know how you can best serve your community and country,” Gillibrand said in a video statement on Twitter.

Gillibrand did not make an endorsement with her exit but told the New York

US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Times she would do so at some point. She suggested she would like to see a

woman win the nomination.

“I think that women have a unique ability to bring people together and heal this country,” Gillibrand told the Times, saying: “I think a woman nominee would be inspiring and exciting.”

But she added: “I will support whoever the nominee is, and I will do whatever it takes to beat Trump.”

To earn a spot in the September debate, candidates had to draw at least 2% support in four national

or early voting state polls, and have 130,000 unique donors, including 400 in 20 states. Gillibrand’s failure to qualify for the debate likely would have had a significant impact on her already dire financial position.

“Moving forward, Kirsten will focus on uniting our party and our country to beat Donald Trump, flip the Senate and elect women up and down the ballot,” Fassler wrote in the memo. (Reuters)

16

guyanatimesgy.com

THURsday, august 29, 2019

Regional

Mass child sacrifice discovery Jamaica to begin cannabis may be largest in Peru evaluation next month

T

A

The discovery comes after more than 200 child sacrifices were found last year

rchaeologists in Peru have unearthed what is believed to be the largest single mass child sacrifice in history.

The bodies of 227 victims, aged between five and 14, were found near the coastal town of Huanchaco, north of Peru's capital Lima.

The children were believed to have been sacrificed over 500 years ago.

The discovery comes barely a year after 200 child victims of human sacrifice were found at two other sites in the country.

Archaeologists told AFP news agency that some of

the bodies in this latest collection still had hair and skin when they were dug up.

The children show signs of being killed during wet weather, and were buried facing the sea, meaning they were probably sacrificed to appease the Chimú's gods.

It is unclear in which year the incident took place.

The Chimú resided along Peru's northern coast and were one of the region's most powerful civilisations.

They reached prominence between 1200 and 1400 before being conquered by the

Incas, who were in turn conquered by the Spanish.

They worshipped a moon god called Shi which, unlike the Incas, they believed was more powerful than the sun.

Devotees regularly used sacrifice and other offerings during spiritual rituals.

Excavation work is continuing at the mass burial site, and archaeologists say more bodies may still be discovered.

"It's uncontrollable, this thing with the children," chief archaeologist Feren Castillo told AFP. "Wherever you dig, there's another one". (Excerpt from BBC News)

he Scientific Research Council (SRC) says it will commence medical cannabis-related evaluations in September.

SRC Executive Director, Dr Cliff Riley, says this is among the initiatives being undertaken in support of the industry’s build out through partnerships forged with the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA).

Riley, speaking during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank session, said that the SRC has invested heavily in acquiring the requisite advanced equipment to conduct reliable tests and

evaluations, in order to provide credible information to various stakeholder interests.

They include people adhering to the legally stipulated maximum of five cultivated cannabis plants, cannabis licensees, as well as the regulatory body, to ensure the public is protected.

Riley indicated that the SRC also has the capabilities to test the entire spectrum of terpenes – the taste profiles and aroma of cannabis – which have been linked to the treatment of cancer in a recent university study.

“Public safety is one of the major focuses of the SRC, and we aim to always use advanced technologies to ensure that precise information is provided which can guide policy and can also inform the public in terms of making good decisions”.

Riley assured that the SRC remains “committed to ensuring that the technological advancements and whatever information is required to make good decisions is available and easily accessible by members of the public, to ensure that we grow as a country”.

(Barbados Nation News)

At least 26 killed in 'horrendous' arson attack on bar in Mexico

To shore up peso, Argentina breaks IMF rule

A

rgentina's central bank on Tuesday exceeded for the first time a guideline on reserve sales that was brokered as part of its $57bn standby agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), violating the IMF guideline when it sold $302M in the foreign exchange market, traders said.

Argentina's agreement with the IMF limits the cen-

tral bank to $250M in reserve sales daily – a threshold that was set when the exchange rate was above 51.5 pesos per dollar, and that included the option to intervene further to "counteract episodes of excessive volatility".

The peso closed 1.76 per cent weaker at 56.3 per dollar on Tuesday, traders said.

Argentina's central bank has sold more than $1bn in its own reserves to support

the currency against political uncertainty touched off by the left-wing Opposition's resounding victory in an August primary vote in the lead-up to the country's October presidential election.

Other emerging market currencies fell against the dollar on Tuesday, as concern over the escalation of the China-US trade war drove traders away from riskier assets. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Paraguay battles fires in protected wetland region

W

ildfires have raged over vast swaths of South America in recent weeks, including in Paraguay where blazes have destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of protected wetlands and other areas.

Paraguay, a landlocked nation bordering Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil, has lost roughly 40,000 hectares of forest from the perennial floodplains in the north of its sparsely populated western Chaco region, since mid-August, according to Guyra Paraguay, a non-government organisation. These floodplains form part of the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetlands - an area of enormous ecological importance that also stretches into Brazil and Bolivia.

According to Paraguayan Department for National

A man is comforted at a crime scene following a deadly attack at a bar by unknown assailants in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico [Photo by: REUTERS/ Angel Hernandez]

A

t least 26 people were killed in an arson attack by suspected gang members on a bar in the southern Mexican port of Coatzacoalcos late on Tuesday, authorities said, in a fresh blow to the Government’s efforts to curb violence.

Calling the attack “horrendous,” President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said at a regular news briefing on Wednesday that the deaths occurred after the suspected gangsters closed the emergency exits of the bar in Coatzacoalcos and set fire to it.

The attack was one of

the worst mass killings since the veteran leftist Lopez Obrador took office in December pledging to pacify Mexico by battling corruption and inequality.

So far, however, the number of murders has continued to rise after hitting record levels in 2018.

The Attorney General’s office of the state of Veracruz said in a statement that ten women and 16 men died in the “Caballo Blanco” bar, while another 11 people who were injured were being treated at nearby hospitals.

Meanwhile, Veracruz state Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia suggested in a post

on Twitter that the attack was the result of a dispute between local gangs.

Veracruz, a major transit point for drugs making their way north towards the US border, has long been convulsed by violent turf wars between organised crime groups.

While saying he did not want to blame previous governments, Lopez Obrador nevertheless pointed to past policies for laying the groundwork for the crime.

“This is the rotten fruit of the economic policy that was imposed, the policy of pillage,” the president said.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

Man in Belize jailed for stealing microwave from home of ex-lover

Sixty per cent of the Three Giants Biological Reserve has been affected by the fires [Courtesy of a local volunteer group headed by Felix Ali]

Emergencies (SEN), fires began in parts of the Paraguayan Pantanal on August 16. An area near the remote town of Bahia Negra, which sits on the triple border between Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil, saw 21,000 hectares burn over just two days, SEN said.

This included the loss of an estimated 60 per cent of

the Three Giants Biological Reserve, a 15,000-hectare conservation area that hosts the only research centre in the Paraguayan Pantanal, according to Guyra Paraguay, which manages the reserve. Not far to the northwest, the Cerro Chovoreca Reserve also lost 18,000 hectares of protected forest. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

A

ccording to Caribbean News Agency (CANA), a magistrate has sentenced a 34-year-old man to three years in jail after he pleaded guilty to stealing a microwave from the home of his ex-girlfriend.

Chief Magistrate Sharon Fraser, said that while Allison Cutkelvin, the father of a six-year-old girl, had saved the court time she must take into consideration, his previous

conviction for burglary also at the home of his former lover.

The court heard that Cutkelvin made a hole on the wall and entered the home of Denise Martin and camped out there until she left the house.

But the Police caught up with him following the burglary, which had been committed between January 31 and February 1, last year.

In court, Cutkelvin tried to explain that he deceived

his ex-lover when they were having problems and while she had allowed him to enter her home on other occasions on the day of the incident, she did not.

He had previously pleaded not guilty, but changed it to guilty and threw himself at the mercy of the court. Cutkelvin told the court that he hid in the ceiling because his ex-girlfriend had taken out a restraining order against him. (Antigua Observer)

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, august 29, 2019

Around the World

UK Parliament to be

suspended in September

P

arliament will be suspended just days after MPs return to work in September - and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline.

Boris Johnson said a Queen's Speech would take place after the suspension, on October 14, to outline his "very exciting agenda".

But it means the time MPs have to pass laws to stop a no-deal Brexit on October 31 would be cut.

House of Commons

Speaker John Bercow said it was a "constitutional outrage".

The Speaker, who does not traditionally comment on political announcements, continued: "However it is dressed up, it is blindingly obvious that the purpose of [suspending Parliament] now would be to stop [MPs] debating Brexit and performing its duty in shaping a course for the country."

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Westminster on

Wednesday evening chanting "stop the coup" and carrying anti-Brexit placards and EU flags.

Three Conservative members of the Queen's Privy Council took the request to suspend Parliament to the monarch's Scottish residence in Balmoral on Wednesday morning on behalf of the Prime Minister.

It has now been approved, allowing the Government to suspend Parliament no earlier than Monday, September 9

and no later than Thursday, September 12, until Monday, October 14.

Earlier, Johnson said suggestions the suspension was motivated by a desire to force through a no-deal were "completely untrue".

He said he did not want to wait until after Brexit "before getting on with our plans to take this country forward", and insisted there would still be "ample time" for MPs to debate the UK's departure. (Excerpt from BBC News)

US warship sails in disputed South China Sea amid trade tensions

A US Navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed

by China in the South China Sea on Wednesday, the US military said, a move likely to anger Beijing at a time of rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

The busy waterway is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the US-Chinese relationship, which include an escalating trade war, American sanctions on China’s military and US relations with Taiwan. Reuters reported on Tuesday that China had denied a request for a US Navy warship to visit the Chinese port city of Qingdao.

The operation was conducted “to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law,” Mommsen added.

The US military operation comes amid an increasingly bitter trade war between China and the United States that sharply escalated on Friday, with both sides levelling more tariffs on each other’s exports.

The US military has a long-standing position that its operations are carried out worldwide, including areas claimed by allies, and are separate from political considerations.

The USS Wayne E Meyer (DDG-108) Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer sits docked in San Diego, California, April 12, 2015

China and the United States have traded barbs in the past over what Washington has said is Beijing’s militarisation of the South China Sea by building military installations on artificial islands and reefs.

China has called its construction as necessary for self-defence and has said the United States is responsible for ratcheting up tensions by sending warships and military planes close to islands that Beijing claims. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Air strikes hit rebel-held northwest Syria, nine killed

J

ets believed to be Syrian or Russian on Wednesday struck a main rebel-held city in northwest Syria, killing at least nine civilians, in stepped-up strikes on the last rebel bastion in northwest Syria, residents and rescuers said.

The airstrikes hit Maarat al-Numan, from which tens of thousands of people have fled in the last two weeks fearing an im-

minent assault by advancing Russian-backed Syrian troops.

Earlier air strikes hit rebel positions near a Turkish military post in Sher Maghar village at the edge of Hama and Idlib provinces, where the army has waged a fierce offensive against rebels, according to activists and a senior Turkish security source.

Russian and Turkish forces in northern Syria

- allies of opposing sides in the civil war but partners in a ceasefire agreement - have been brought closer than ever to direct contact on the ground as the Government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad presses a months-long offensive into the last major rebel stronghold.

A senior opposition official in touch with the Turkish military said Russian special forces had

taken up positions around the Morek outpost to prevent any possible flareup in the event the Syrian army attacks.

The Russians would protect the Turkish observation post while preventing the Turkish military from responding to any attack, he added. Turkey has retaliated against previous attacks on some of its 12 posts in Idlib and northern Hama. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Italy crisis: PD and Five Star agree coalition

deal after talks

T

he leaders of Italy's centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and populist Five Star Movement say they have agreed to form a coalition Government.

"We consider it worthwhile to try this experience," the PD's Nicola Zingaretti said after meeting the President on Wednesday the deadline for any deal.

It was agreed that Giuseppe Conte should stay on as Prime Minister.

The planned joint Administration will serve until the next scheduled elections in 2023.

The two parties, traditionally staunch rivals, have been holding tense talks following the collapse of the previous coalition

17

Government last week.

President Sergio Mattarella, who met party leaders in Rome to try to chart a way forward, has summoned Conte to a meeting this morning.

If an agreement had not been reached, he would have named a caretaker Government and called early elections.

The two parties have been in discussions since Conte resigned as Prime Minister in dramatic fashion last week.

His decision came after Matteo Salvini, the leader of the nationalist League party, tabled a No-Confidence Motion against him.

During his August 20 resignation speech, Conte

President Sergio Mattarella (L) shakes hands with League party leader Matteo Salvini

launched a blistering attack on Salvini, accusing him of being "irresponsible".

Salvini's League party had been in power with the anti-establishment Five Star Movement for 14 months when he effectively ended the coalition, saying

he could no longer work with his partners.

The potential new coalition represents a major setback for Salvini as he hoped to win outright power in a snap election, the BBC's James Reynolds said. (Excerpt from BBC News)

India set to outlaw some single-use plastics, say sources

Officials told Reuters that India's Government will ask e-commerce companies to cut back on plastic packaging that makes up nearly 40 per cent of the country's annual plastic consumption [Adnan Abidi/Reuters]

I

ndia is set to impose a nationwide ban on plastic bags, cups and straws, in its most sweeping measure yet to stamp out single-use plastics from cities and villages that rank among the world's most polluted, officials have said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is leading efforts to scrap such plastics by 2022, is set to launch the campaign with a ban on as many as six items starting October 2 - the birth anniversary of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, two officials told Reuters news agency.

Items to be prohibited include plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachets, said the officials, who asked not to be identified, in line with Government policy.

"The ban will be comprehensive and will cover manufacturing, usage and

import of such items," one official said.

Concerns are growing worldwide about plastic pollution, with a particular focus on the oceans, where nearly 50 per cent of single-use plastic products end up, killing marine life and entering the human food chain, studies show.

India lacks an organised system for management of plastic waste, leading to widespread littering across its towns and cities.

The ban on the first six items of single-use plastics will clip five to 10 per cent from India's annual consumption, now totalling about 14 million tonnes of plastic, the first official said.

The Federal Government also plans tougher environmental standards for plastic products, and will insist on the use of recyclable plastic only, the first source said.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Zambian Opposition Leader arrested, accused of defaming President

P

olice in Zambia have arrested the leader of a small Opposition party on charges of defaming President Edgar Lungu after the release of a video in which he allegedly implied that the Head of State was a dog.

Addressing journalists as he was led by officers on Wednesday, Chishimba Kambwili, leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said his comments were misunderstood.

In the video that went viral on social media, Kambwili had said, "Some dogs from Chawama do not get tired of travelling."

Chawama is a township in the capital, Lusaka, where Lungu previously lived and served as a member of Parliament. In recent times, Lungu has been travelling abroad including to India last week, and to Tokyo where Japan is hosting development talks with African leaders this week.

"The allegation is that he made references to dogs from Chawama" in the video, his lawyer Christopher Mundia told Reuters News Agency.

"The police have drawn inference that he was refer-

Chishimba Kambwili's party broke away from President Edgar Lungu's Patriotic Front in 2016

ring to the Head of State as a dog from Chawama and that is why they have decided to charge him with defamation of the president," he added.

The leader was interrogated for nearly two hours before being taken into custody at a police station in the capital, Lusaka, according to the AFP news agency.

Kambwili is expected to appear in court today. If convicted, the former legislator of the ruling Patriotic Front faces three years in prison.

Kambwili and other Opposition politicians have accused Lungu of cracking down on dissent - a charge the Government denies.

(Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

18

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thursday, august 29, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES

Explore new possibili-

(March 21- ties. Consider what you may April 19) need to learn, pick up or

change to take advantage of an opportunity. Take your time, do your due diligence and ease your stress.

TAURUS Set your sights high (April 20- and shoot for the stars. A May 20) disciplined attitude, hard work and a little charm will help take you to the top.

Celebrate with a loved one.

dilbert

Someone you thought GEMINI you could trust will let you (May 21June 20) down. Keep personal information secret, and don’t leave money, passwords or valuable possessions out in the open.

CANCER (June 21July 22)

No pain, no gain.

Snap into action and get fit. A healthy body, mind and soul will be what’s needed to help you reach your goal.

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A day trip will change VIRGO your attitude and broad(Aug. 23- en your outlook. Firsthand Sept. 22) experience is the best way to learn and make positive changes to your life.

Love, romance and personal growth are favored.

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Take care of your reLIBRA (Sept. 23- sponsibilities. Don’t be Oct. 23) afraid to say no to someone who is asking you for too much. Diplomacy and positive suggestions will be sufficient.

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SCORPIO Just because you are (Oct. 24- good at something is no reaNov. 22) son to let others take advantage of your skills and talents. Make your objectives, boundaries and expectations clear.

SAGITTARIUS Don’t believe everything (Nov. 23you hear. Make decisions Dec. 21) based on facts, figures and what’s best for you. Let go of what and who belong in your past.

solution for Last Published puzzle

CAPRICORN Change will come easy. If (Dec. 22you focus on what you want, Jan. 19) you’ll find a way to improve your life. A gift, inheritance or unexpected offer is heading your way.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

Sit tight. Don’t feel that you must make a move just because someone else does.

Rely on your intelligence, connections and belief in who you are and what you can do.

Express your thoughts PISCES and ideas, but listen to rea(Feb. 20son. Too much of anything March 20) will end up setting you back.

A practical approach will help you gain support and respect.

thursday, august 29, 2019

19

‘Consistent winning’ an unfamiliar term for West Indies

By Brandon Corlette

I

t would seem that the West Indies have returned to their old ways of losing miserably with that heavy 318-run defeat by India in the first Test match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. At the buildup of the Test series, West Indies were a confident unit, having won their previous Test series against a highranked England team 2-1.

The West Indies team have seemingly been reminiscing too much on that performance. In the captain’s press conference, Jason Holder disclosed that the team in this first Test was similar to that which had played against England.

Holder and this team management had left out Rahkeem Cornwall and had gone with an extra seamer in the inconsistent Miguel Cummins, who unsurprisingly was wicket-less in this Test match.

Come tomorrow, Friday August 30, 2019, West Indies have an opportunity at Sabina Park to make things right, especially with the bat.

India have thus far had a successful tour to the West Indies, and with their captain Virat Kohli hunting further success, their aim will remain the same: to win the final Test match and clinch the series 2-0.

With this Test series being the opener of the ICC Test championship for both teams, the stakes are higher, as 60 points are on offer. In their last 10 Test matches played, the Windies

have won four, mainly because of the efforts of their fast bowlers Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder. This trio has been up and running high in the Test bowling rankings; while Holder, in particular, has been named leading all-rounder in Test cricket.

Roach is currently ranked eighth in the bowling rankings, Holder is eleventh, while Gabriel in in sixteenth position.

The batting has been a source of major concern, hence one reason why West Indies are not consistent winners. Kraigg Brathwaite’s seemingly negative approach to batting is troubling, and he has not been in the runs consistently. In terms of Test hundreds for current batsmen in these competing teams, he leads that chart with eight centuries, along with Darren Bravo, who has eight of his own.

Bravo has had a difficult return to international cricket, while John Campbell has been getting his bright starts, but has a tendency to throw his wicket away. Shai Hope has lost his way in Test cricket since his miracle match at Headingly in England, where he scored twin centuries. Guyanese Shimron Hetmyer continues to learn the hard way, repeating the mistakes responsible for his getting soft dismissals. Roston Chase has occasionally been in the runs, but seems to be quickly catching up Brathwaite and Bravo in terms of centuries, with five of those alongside his name.

There have been suggestions that Holder

Team West Indies

should bat up the order since his recent exploits with the bat. Given the West Indies’ continuous batting woes, Holder’s promotion would be of great benefit to the West Indies. Having scored a double century, the all-rounder has shown

what he is capable of with bat in hand.

If they are to avoid further humiliation, the West Indies will have to click in all departments; and other than their new-ball bowlers, all hands will have to be on deck in order to carry the load.

58 turn out for GCB/Sports JAAA President Dr Warren Organiser cricket workshop Blake optimistic Williams could be exonerated

D

Rampertab Ramnauth and other under-15 youngsters at the cricket developmental programme at Albion

B

erbice cricketers remain beneficiaries of multiple programmes offered in that Ancient County, the latest of those being the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB’s) cricket workshop (camp) being held in collaboration with Region 6 Sports Organiser Godwin Allicock.

That programme commenced at the Albion Community Centre Ground on Tuesday August 27 and will conclude on Friday August 30. It is thus far being attended by 58 under-15 participants. Today’s proceedings will involve former West Indies Test player Colin Stuart and Cricket West Indies Level Three Coach Julain Moore, who will work along with CWI Level Two coaches Tremayne Smartt and Anthony D’Andrade

and cricket veteran Michael Hyles.

Region 6 Sports Organiser Godwin Allicock has disclosed that this cricket workshop will continue to develop the youngsters’ skills in the game, and ensure they stick to the basics of the game, since this is essential to their development.

Female players in Berbice have not turned out in their numbers, but Allicock disclosed that, in the upcoming month, a separate programme would cater for the female cricketers’ needs.

A notable attendee of this camp is Port Mourant’s very own Rampertab Ramnuath, the West Indies Under-15 batsman who recently returned from duty in the United Kingdom.

r Warren Blake, President of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA), is optimistic that Briana Williams could be exonerated after testing positive for the diuretic at the Jamaican National Championships in June.

Williams, 17, returned a positive test for the diuretic Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) after competing in the 100-metre event, wherein she placed third in a National Junior Record and World U-18 record time of 10.94s.

The Florida-based Williams is said to have taken Pharma cold-andflu tablets that were contaminated by the diuretic. When tested, Williams had reportedly declared the tablets on her anti-doping form.

On receiving news that her ‘A sample’ had turned up an adverse finding, the tablets from the batch were sent to a lab in the United States, and the contami-

nation was confirmed.

Dr Blake, in an interview on Tuesday - when Williams was outed - expressed some amount of optimism about the athlete’s chances of not having any serious sanction imposed on her.

“We expect that a suitable explanation will be given, and that it won’t

translate to a hearing where the athlete will have to make herself present; because the explanation and the tests that have been done seem that they might, in my opinion, exonerate the athlete,” he said.

Up to this point, Williams has had an outstanding year, winning a second Austin Sealy Award at the CARIFTA Games in March, as well as the NACAC U-18 hundred-metre title in Mexico and the Pan-Am U-20 100-metre race in Costa Rica.

(Excerpt from Sportsmax)

Brianna Williams

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

thursday, august 29, 2019

BCB pays tribute to former President D Somwaru – Albion Opener defeated Chesney by six wickets to lift Somwaru Tribute Trophy

“S

ince I was elected president of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB), I have worked very hard to heal wounds, to build bridges of friendship, and to create an atmosphere of unity in Berbice Cricket. Every one of us must sing from the same Hymnal, and there must be (neither) “us” (nor) “them”.

Mr. Somwaru has been an outstanding servant of Berbice Cricket, and today he has been honoured as such”.

Those were the words of BCB President Hilbert Foster at a special presentation ceremony for his predecessor, Mr. D. Somwaru, at the Chesney Cricket Ground. Foster defeated Somwaru on the 18th February, 2018 by two votes at a High Court-ordered election to become President of the Board, but has since reached out to the majority of those who had voted against him. Some of them are now actively involved in his administration, while others are very cooperative in getting the work of the Board done.

Foster said on numerous occasions that his Roman Catholic belief does not allow him to hold ill-will towards anyone, and that he wants to have all hands on deck to develop Berbice Cricket. He described the former BCB President as a close friend for close to three decades, and said that despite a few moments of disagreement, that friendship is still strong today.

The BCB President has organised a four-team tournament at Somwaru’s home

Ground, Chesney, as part of the Board’s Tribute to Heroes Programme. In the first round of matches, Chesney Cricket Club defeated Toopoo Cricket Club, while Albion Open Cricket Club got past the Jai Hind Cricket Club by 3 runs.

The Final was played on Sunday last, with Albion Open Cricket Club defeating the favourites, Chesney Cricket Club, by six wickets to win their first ever BCB Tournament.

With play being watched by a fairly large crowd, Chesney was restricted to 111 all out from their twenty overs. Safraz Khan topscored with 27 not out, and Z. Zakeer was the chief destroyer, with 5 for 10. In response, Albion Open reached 112 for 4 from 17.5 overs, as Chesney Cricket Club bowled and fielded poorly.

P. Baldeo stroked an aggressive 54, which included three sixes and four boundaries, and Andy Naidu supported with 24 as the pair added a crucial 75 runs for the second wicket.

Baldeo was named Man of the Final, and received a special gift and trophy. Albion Open Cricket Club carried home the winner’s trophy, a box of cricket balls; while both teams received large amounts of educational materials to be distributed to students in their villages.

Albion Open also benefited from a donation of a five-gallon water pitcher. The BCB pre-

BCB/Trophy Stall Under-13 Tournament…

Port Mourant knocked out!

– Albion CC, RHT Poonai Pharmacy take 1st innings points

D Somwaru poses with the winning Albion Open Cricket Team

sented two special gifts to its former president, along with a framed Certificate of Excellence.

Foster called on Somwaru to share his vast experience with the younger generation of cricket administrators, and wished him good health in the future.

In an invited comment, Somwaru expressed appreciation to the Berbice Cricket

Board and Foster for the welcome gesture, and wished the Board more successes in the future. He joined Foster in urging all cricket leaders to work together as a collective unit.

All of the trophies and prizes for the tournament were sponsored by the Berbice Cricket Board and the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS.

Kingston 4X4 Streets Knockout Football competition a success

The winning RHT Poonai Pharmacy Under-13 Team

T

he Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB’s) 2019 cricket season was finally restarted on Saturday last at the Port Mourant Ground, after being dormant for four months because of the rainy season. Two matches were played in the BCB/Trophy Stall Under-13 Tournament.

Defending champions Port Mourant Cricket Club were shockingly eliminated from further participation in this particular tournament after losing first innings’ points to Berbice powerhouses Albion Community Centre and the Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy.

This tournament is part of a comprehensive youth development programme being undertaken by the BCB, and 7 teams are participating. The Blairmont Community Centre, Achievers Cricket Club, and the Rose Hall Canje Cricket Club are in Zone ‘A’; while Albion Community Centre, Port Mourant Cricket Club and Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy are in Zone ‘B’. Tucber Park Cricket Club and No. 19 Kendall’s Union Cricket Club have informed the BCB that they are unable to field teams to participate in this tournament.

When Albion Community Centre played their arch-rivals, the Port Mourant Cricket Club batted first and were bowled out for 36, with Afraz Budhoo taking 3 for 12, Retish Nathoor 3 for 5, and Nathaniel Chinapen 2 for 10. They were the destroyers for Albion.

In reply, the Albion side owe their continued participation in the tournament to the healthy contribution of 22 extras, as they were shot out for 48 in 25.4 overs. Yoganand Mohan took 4 wickets for 21 runs, while A. Bharrat took 2 for 4 and G. Seonshanni 2 for 7.

Batting a second time, Port Mourant, with a deficit of 12 runs, were dismissed for 48 from 22 overs. Rampersaud Ramnauth, the younger brother of West Indies Under-15 player Rampertab Ramnauth, top-scored with 24, while R. Bharrat scored 10.

Retish Nathoor, with 3 for 17, and Devin Lalbeharri, with 4 for 13, bowled well for Albion.

Needing to score 37 for an outright victory, Albion Community Centre ended on 11 for 2, as Rampersaud Ramnauth and Vishal Williams each took a wicket for Port Mourant Cricket Club.

On Sunday at the Area ‘H’ Ground, Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy amassed 114 all out in 38.3 overs, with Raphael Fraser on 33, Tyrell Hutson on 16, Deeraj Ramjit on 14 and Tyrone Smartt on 14 being the principal scorers. Basil Ali took 4 for 14 and Yoganand Mohan took 2 for 27. They were Port Mourant Cricket Club’s best bowlers.

The defending champion had to have acquired first innings points to stay in the competition. He was unfortunately kept in check by the disciplined RHT Poonai Pharmacy bowling attack, and ended up being bowled out for 81 in 33.3 overs.

Vishal Williams with 26, Rampersaud Ramnauth with 13 and Ganesh Seosohar with 10 were the batsmen to reach double figures. Deeraj Ramjit with 4 for 16, Khemraj Tika with 2 for 25, and Zakir Mohamed with 2 for 8 were the best bowlers for RHT Poonai Pharmacy.

Batting a second time, the home team recorded 42 for 2 from 18 overs, with Tyrell Hutson, on 12, and Tyrese Smartt, on 18 not out, reaching double figures. Ramnauth took both wickets to fall.

Part of the presentation ceremony

T

he Kingston Community 4X4 Streets Knockout Football Competition, a ‘friendly’ competition organised to build relations between the Georgetown ward of Kingston and contiguous communities, was held on Sunday 25th August at the Digicel Parking Lot at 6 Fort Street Kingston Georgetown.

The very first competition of its kind, it was deemed a success because many teams had participated for the bragging rights. Of the eight participating teams, three originated from Tiger Bay: Queen Street, Hope Street and New Market Street teams; while from the ward of Kingston came the Kingston United, Kingston Warriors, Kingston Masters, Fort St Kingston Warriors, and the Duke Street teams.

In the knockout round, four games were played among the 8 competing teams.

In game 1, Hope Street edged Kingston Warriors 1-0 to move one step further in the competition. Game 2 saw New Market Street dominate Duke Street 3-0; while, in Game 3, Kingston Masters lost to Queen Street 0-3.

The final knockout game went in favour of Kingston United, who won 2-0 over Fort St Kingston Warriors.

In the first semi-final game, Hope Street made light work of New Market Street, winning 1-0 to book their spot in the finale. The other semifinal saw Queen Street convincingly defeating Kingston United 4-1 to set up a clash with the New Market Street team.

In the grand finale, both teams were so evenly matched that, in the back-and-forth encounter, each registered one goal, to which neither could add anything at full time. Hope Street, however, won the finale 3-2 on penalty kicks, and earned bragging rights for the week.

Another such competition will be held on Sunday September 1 2019.

Meanwhile, in the first exhibition match, an under-11 affair, Tiger Bay defeated Kingston 3-2 on penalty kicks after their game had ended 1-1 at full time. In the final exhibition game, Kingston ‘A’ seniors hammered their Kingston ‘B’ counterparts to win 3-1.

Trophies for the event were sponsored by Digicel, Brazo Workshop and Donna Shop.

This competition was organised by Leon Grumble, aka “Buckman”, and was supported by Junior Forrester and the Kingston crew.

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, august 29, 2019

Colonial Medical Insurance ODI Series

Mohammed returns, Gajnabi makes debut

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Anisa Mohammed bowling for the West Indies Women

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nisa Mohammed has been included in the 13-member West Indies Women’s squad selected by Cricket West Indies’ (CWI’s) Interim Selection Panel to play the three-match Colonial Medical Insurance One Day International (ODI) Series against Australia, starting on September 5 in Antigua.

Anisa last played international cricket for the West Indies in the away tour against Pakistan in February. She is the fifth highest ODI wicket-taker in women’s cricket with 146 wickets, and brings a wealth of experience to the Stafanie Taylor-led team.

Currently ranked seventh in the ICC Women’s ODI Championship, the team will rely on its experienced players to fill the void left by Shakera Selman, Chedean

Nation and Shemaine Campbelle, who have all been ruled out due to injury.

Kyshona Knight, also included in the squad, adds to that experience, having been a part of the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup-winning squad of 2016.

Nineteen-year-old Guyanese medium-pacer Shabika Gajnabi has, for the first time, been included in the West Indies Women’s Squad. As three-time captain of the Guyana Under-19 Girls team, Shabika brings a patient composure and strong arm to the squad. With a top score of 77 in the CWI Women’s Championship earlier this year and a handy economy rate, she gives Stafanie a bonus in both the batting and bowling lineups.

CWI’s Interim Chairman of Selectors, Robert Haynes, has offered his comments on the team’s selection. “The panel selected the best available

Foster launches celebration in Upper Corentyne … grateful for Bishoo, Bramble’s commitment to BCB

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players from the camp in Antigua over the last month. As a result of most of our senior players being unavailable due to injury, we have included Anisa Mohammed and Kyshona Knight, who have a lot of experience between them, which is required when playing against Australia, the top-ranked women’s team.”

Haynes added.

“As a result of the injuries to our senior players, it gave us the opportunity to select two of our younger players in Shabika Gajnabi and Karishma Ramharack, to give the captain more options in the bowling department.”

The West Indies Women will bowl off their home series against Australia in a day-night ODI at t h e

Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

The remaining two matches will be played at the Sir Vivian Richard Stadium before the tour moves to the Kensington Oval in Barbados for the three T20 Internationals. Tickets are priced at just US$4/EC$10.00 EC in Antigua or US$5/BD$10 for Barbados, to make it affordable for fans to come out and rally behind the West Indies Women.

Tickets are available to buy online from Saturday 24 August via the Buy Tickets button on www.windiescricket. com.

Shabika Gajnabi

Local box offices at the stadia will be open from September 3 in Antigua and in Barbados from September 12.

FULL SQUAD: Stafanie Taylor (Captain), Hayley Matthews (Vice-Captain), Reniece Boyce, Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry, Shamilia Connell, Stacy Ann King, Natasha McLean, Kycia Knight, Kyshona Knight, Anisa Mohammed, Karishma Ramharack and Shabika Gajnabi.

(Excerpted from CWI)

PK United FC crowned Matarkai Indigenous Heritage Football champions

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21

BCB President Hilbert Foster launched the BCB 80th Anniversary celebration by donating a bicycle to Alina Sinclair

T

he Berbice Cricket Board’s (BCB’s) monthlong celebration of its 80th Anniversary was on Friday last launched in the Upper Corentyne Sub-Association. President Hilbert Foster, on his 49th visit to the area since his election last year, launched the celebration by donating a $20,000 bicycle to eleven-yearold Alina Sinclair, a promising junior Female Cricketer from the Upper Corentyne area.

Foster stated that the celebration would be held under the theme “Reflection of a rich legacy - 80 not out”, and the majority of the activities would focus on educating youths on the history of Berbice Cricket and in making positive differences in the lives of less fortunate cricketers and clubs.

The hardworking President stated that there are many youths who have great cricketing skills but are unable to fulfill them due to extreme poverty, and as such, the BCB would work along with them to make sure that no one is left behind. He advised Ms. Sinclair to take proper care of the bicycle, and to stay in school to complete her educational background.

For 2019, Foster has assisted dozens of junior cricketers with cycles as part of a countywide campaign to assist them to get to school and cricket practice in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, West Indies Players Davendra Bishoo and Anthony Bramble have contributed financially towards the upgrading of the BCB Cheddi Jagan Street, New Amsterdam-based office. The restoration of the office is one of the main projects for the 80th Anniversary, and Foster is personally spearheading it. The office

would be upgraded with the floor tiled, the roof sealed, and new furniture and equipment installed.

The state of the office currently leaves much to be desired, and Foster stated that its restoration, when completed, would result in better services to the general public and cricketers. The BCB is also working to become self-reliant in an effort to reduce operating cost.

Among the items the Board is working on are covers for pitches, computer, printing machine, large water container, television set, sound system, water dispenser among others.

On Friday last, the Berbician Bishoo, leading wicket-taker at the Test level, handed over a 32-inch television set to BCB Public Relations Officer Simon Naidu, while West Indies 20/20 Selectee Anthony Bramble donated a $30,000 water dispenser to the project.

A popular Berbice attorney-at-law also donated a mobile water cart to the BCB. The cart would be used at BCB Finals to provide refreshments for players. The Board has not received any financial subvention/ stipend from the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) for over a decade, and Foster said it has been a miracle that Berbice Cricket has not only survived, but excelled at all levels.

He expressed gratitude to both Bishoo and Bramble for their assistance, and praised the support the Berbice Cricket Board has received from ninety-nine percent of Berbice clubs and players.

Bishoo and Bramble have both stated they were very delighted to assist Berbice Cricket.

O

n Saturday Last, 2017 National Indigenous Heritage Football Champion and double semifinalist PK United FC hammered Matthews Ridge Junior FC 2-1 in the Matarkai Indigenous Heritage Football finals played at Fitzburg Recreational Ground, Port Kaituma.

On a brilliant and windy afternoon, and watched by a sizable crowd, the well united and closely knitted team in blue, who remained unbeaten throughout the Matarkai competition, continued to display high quality of football throughout the 90 minutes of play, as they won the bragging rights to represent Matarkai in the Regional Football competition, which involves Hosororo FC of Mabaruma and Moruca at Mabaruma on September 7-8, 2019.

The regional winner will then head to the National Indigenous Heritage Games scheduled from September 20-22 at Everest Cricket Club ground in Georgetown.

The men in blue from PK were confident, as they had a well-planned and calculated approach towards the young, petit footballers from the manganese mining community.

One of their main strikers, joint leading goal scorer Cordell Mitchell, was rested for the first half of play.

However, for PK’s left winger Leroy Domingo, the Indigenous Heritage Games mean business. He passed a super volley in the 9th minute of play to Striker Keanu Williams, who converted in spectacular fashion to earn him the rights to be called the leading goal scorer with 4 in the entire competition, despite receiving a yellow card in the 18th minute, as the “North West footballers” had a psychological lead heading into half time.

Upon resuming the second half, the Matthews Ridge Jr. FC footballers showed determination and the will to stage a comeback, as Ishmael Glen scored one in the 53rd minute.

However, Jason Ramjohn handed PK their opportunity to the regional competition when he nailed one in the 59th minute to close the game off.

Sebai Invincible Talons FC, who won the female segment, will head to Mabaruma for the regional competition scheduled for September 7 and 8.

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thursday, august 29, 2019

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

Regional Blind Cricket Tournament postponement

Phillips calls for Guyanese Association to address underlying issues

By Jemima Holmes

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visually impaired Leroy Phillips has been involved in ‘blind cricket’ in Guyana for more than a decade now, after dabbling in the sport for the first time back in 2006. Throughout the years, Phillips has represented Guyana, and even the West Indies, regionally and internationally in said sport.

While one might look at Phillips’s track record and assume that he is satisfied with the way the sport is being run in Guyana, it would be shocking to know that this assumption is horribly wrong.

Under different circumstances, in a matter of days, Phillips would have been with the members of the Guyanese Blind Cricket Team, participating in the regional cricket tournament.

However, it was disclosed earlier this week that the tournament will be postponed until early October, owing to a lack of funds on the part of the host nation, Guyana.

It was reported in a different section of the media that while the Blind Cricket Association was able to secure some $800,000 from the National Sports Commission (NSC), an additional $2 million was requested from the Government of Guyana but was not received. For this reason, the organizers were forced to postpone the tournament.

Declaring the lack of funds as rather unfortunate, Phillips was adamant that, for more reasons than one, those who are responsible for the management of the association should not be given any money until the association functions in a proper manner.

“I’m not sure what direction the Blind Cricket Association is headed in, but as a player, I am not going to call on Government to support them financially now or anytime soon, until they get their houses in order,” Phillips declared.

When asked to elaborate on why he would make such a

Visually impaired cricketer Leroy Phillips

call, Phillips explained the current state of the association, noting that it needs to have a proper governing body in order to be run smoothly.

“You must have a board to properly run any sport or organization. You have to have a president, a vice president, a secretary, a treasurer, a PRO etc., so that those persons can function in their respective capacities to help build the organization. Blind cricket has not been benefiting from that; and it’s deliberate, in my estimation,” he disclosed.

To this end, Phillips was probed about whether or not the Blind Cricket Association has a constitution or guidelines according to which they are obligated to operate. His answer was in the negative.

“I have not heard anything about a constitution. They have not had an election to appoint new leaders of its board.

It had before, since they had their first or second election,” he said.

Furthermore, the vastly experienced visually impaired cricketer stressed the need for such a document. “We have

to have it. Anybody who wants to be a part of a sports organization or government, you have to have a system that you follow. It’s not a rum shop that you’re running. The Blind Cricket Organization doesn’t even have proper cricket gear.”

Returning to the topic at hand, Phillips stressed the plight of those countries that have already booked plane tickets to Guyana, or have already arrived here.

“They cannot host a tournament in October like they’re saying when Barbados and Trinidad have already booked tickets, or are in Guyana. Those teams, like Guyana, have struggled to access funds to travel; so you could imagine them taking 6, 8, 9 months to get tickets to come in August.

How fast will they get tickets to come back in October? If Guyana gets 2 million from their government.”

Meanwhile, according to Phillips, this is not the only issue that is facing the Association. The player also claims that there isn’t enough gear for the cricketers, noting that they often have to share during the games.

“You can’t afford to purchase your own items to play cricket. It’s not extremely costly, but it’s still costly to the point where, when you collect you public assistance from the Government, you wouldn’t use that to buy cricket gear and you have yourself to feed or a family to look after,” he lamented.

Phillips is also alleging that the Guyanese team would not even be ready to compete, given that they have not had any formal practice sessions in over a year.

“The Guyana Blind Cricket Team is far from prepared for the tournament. the team hasn’t had any practice sessions in the last 18 months. In fact, since the team participated in the regional tournament in 2017, which we hosted, it was the last time -- some of our players recall -- setting foot on a cricket field,” he stated.

While Phillips would be ecstatic to see the tournament return to Guyana, he is of the opinion that the other issues should be addressed before the Blind Cricket Association ventures into such. Outlining a place to start, he noted that without a legal board, there will be no accountability and transparency in the association.

GFF presents audited report Puran Bros set to clean at Extraordinary Congress up at golf tournament

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A section of the attendees at the Congress on Saturday last

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he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) successfully held their Extraordinary Congress on Saturday last at the National Sports Resource Centre on Woolford Avenue.

At the seemingly auspicious event, attendees saw the circulation and approval of an unqualified or clean audited financial report being presented within the constitutional timeline, which is one of the responsibilities of the Congress.

“The GFF’s Executive Committee is committed to transparency and good governance; and thus, in keeping with the Constitution, each member of the GFF was given the opportunity to honour their constitutional responsibility and obligation to scrutinize the audited financial report and raise their concerns at the Congress”, said GFF President, Wayne Forde, in an invited comment.

The audited financial report for the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) is expected to be published on the GFF’s website and shared with sponsors, partners, Government of Guyana, and other key stakeholders.

The main objectives of the congress were: to present the 2018 Independent Audited Financial Report, to present the investments made in 2018 under the various categories: technical development, competition, capacity building, etc; to present the 2019 Expense Budget, and to present the Forecast for 2020.

According to GFF President Wayne Forde, “The extraordinary congress became necessary after the auditors were unable to complete their fieldwork in time for the Constitutional Ordinary Congress, which was held on May 25, 2019.”

uran Bros Inc’s inaugural Golf tournament is set for Saturday August 31 at 12:30 pm, and promises to be a magnificent event, as all eyes and support of the company will be with new LGC member Satish Puran, Director of the Top Mix Cement division, as he plays in his first ever tournament.

At their newly remodeled headquarters building on the West Coast of Demerara, President of the LGC received the sponsorship cheque from executive Administrative Assistant Sarah Dass and Director of the Top Mix Cement division, Satish Puran.

Hussain expressed his appreciation to the company for their support, and said he was encouraged by the level of development and expansion by the company over past few years, and looked forward to a long-term relationship.

Puran Bros have been supporters of golf and sports in Guyana for many years, and as their personal growth as a company continues, so does their involvement in local activities.

Known for their waste removal services, the company has expanded their operations to include tyre recycling, paper shredding, party supplies, equipment rental, tree trimming, cement supply, road sweeping, and septic tank removal, among many other services.

In operation since 1987, and with more than 300 employees in the company, odds are that almost every household in the city uses one of the services provided by Puran Bros on a regular basis!

This week's tournament will feature players of every category, as trophies will be awarded to the top two players in three categories - 0-10; 11-19 and 20-36, along with prizes for longest drive and nearest to the pin.

Satish Puran described his excitement as a new golfer, stating: "The experience of making a great shot is incomparable to almost any other feeling in the world, and the precision and dedication it takes to succeed

Executive Administrative Assistant Sarah Dass and Director of the Top Mix Cement Division, Satish Puran, presents a sponsorship cheque to President of the LGC, Aleem Hussain

at golf can be transferred to the business environment."

Members of the public and business partners and employees of Puran Bros are all invited to come share in the fun and excitement of the game and the ambience of the Lusignan Golf Course.

guyanatimesgy.com

thursday, august 29, 2019

23

Build-up to 2019 Hero CPL…

GAW players’ pre-tournament camp to commence on Friday

He added that the players will breaking one, since eight Guyanese nationturn out at the GNS on Tuesday als are included. he biggest party in sport, the 2019 September 3, 2019 for their pracRamsingh added that this is also the Hero Caribbean Premier League tice/warm up game under lights. strength of the team’s core; it is the most (CPL), is just around the block, and Ramsingh disclosed that the Guyanese in a CPL squad and the most lothe Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) are combination of the current squad is cal players in the Caribbean. This is also an in full preparation mode. On Friday, August simply a winning combination. opportunity for these local players to further 30, the players will assemble at their home “I think the youthfulness of the squad announced themselves and gain global recogfortress, the Guyana National Stadium (GNS), is a big plus, but the GAW is led by nition. for their training camp. the experienced campaigner Shoaib Tickets for the first three home matches in GAW will open their 2019 CPL campaign at Malik”, he said.

Guyana are currently on sale at their countrywide the GNS on September 5 against the St Lucia Zouks The GAW team is filled offices. GAW will play these three home matches and from 18:00h local time. The training camp aims to with young talents that head on the road for their away matches; then they will test the fitness level of the players, get them acclimaare already recognized return home for two more matches to complete their five tised to Guyanese conditions, and for the entire unit to around the globe. The home matches. get familiar. likes of Shimron Additionally, two play-off matches will be played at Speaking to this daily publication, CPL GAW Hetmyer, Nicholas the GNS. After the three home matches are completed, Public Relations Officer (PRO) and well-known Pooran, Keemo Paul, the tickets for the remaining home matches will also be journalist John Ramsingh disclosed that the GAW Sherfane Rutherford and on sale. training camp has been a traditional one for the Chandrapaul Hemraj are The full 17-member squad reads: Shadab Khan, team, where players globally will assemble for some of those talented playNicholas Pooran, Shoaib Malik, Shimron Hetmyer, the local franchise for the build-up. ers.

Ben Lauglin, Chris Green, Keemo Paul, Sherfane This camp will see players going through T h i s Rutherford, Brandon King, Romario Shepherd, the motion: “fitness drills, batting and bowl2 0 1 9 Odean Smith, Keagan Simmons, Chandrapaul ing simulations, bowling in certain situGAW CPL Hemraj, Veerasammy, Permaul, Anthony Shimron Hetmyer ations in T20 Cricket”, Ramsingh on the go during squad is Bramble, Clinton Pestano, and Saurab Captain Shoaib Malik in sizzling the 2018 CPL highlighted. also a record Netravalkar.

By Brandon Corlette

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form in his 2018 warm-up

warm-up match

Hero MotoCorp extends title sponsorship of Caribbean Premier League for 3 years

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he Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is delighted to announce that Hero MotoCorp Limited have agreed to extend their title sponsorship of the tournament for another three years. The extension of the partnership means Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, will continue their title sponsorship of the Hero Caribbean Premier League until the 2022 season.

Headquartered in New Delhi, India, Hero MotoCorp have, since 2015, been the title sponsor of the Twenty20 cricket league in the Caribbean that is popularly called the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’.

Hero MotoCorp have long been a key partner of marquee sporting events -- including cricket, soccer, field hockey and golf -- in India and across the globe, and the extension of their partnership

with the Hero CPL further cements their association with world-class sport.

It also demonstrates the value that Hero CPL is delivering across the globe for the league’s partners, and is a further endorsement of the international standing of the tournament in commercial as well as cricketing terms.

Announcing this here today, Mr. Richard Bevan, Chairman of Hero CPL, said “Hero & CPL have become synonymous in every cricket fan’s vocabulary, and we are delighted to join hands with the World’s pre-eminent two-wheel automobile company for three more years. It’s true to say that the Hero CPL wouldn’t be the magical event that it is without Hero’s now long and ongoing support. On behalf of the League and our millions of fans, I would like to extend our thanks and gratitude for this continued commitment to the Biggest Party in Sport”.

Guyana Amazon Warriors captain in 2018, Chris Green, and Dwayne Bravo with the Hero MotoCorp CPL Championship Trophy (John Ramsingh photo)

Dr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Hero MotoCorp, said: “Hero is pleased to continue its association with one of the world’s most popular and respected T20 franchise tournaments.

Having been associated with the Hero CPL from its inception, it is immensely satisfying to see how the tournament has grown and revitalized

cricket in the Caribbean. The Hero CPL has been an outstanding launch pad for budding cricketers who are now competing around the world.

“Additionally…,the extension of our title sponsorship of the Hero CPL is yet another example of our long-term commitment to the promotion of sports around the globe.” (CPL)

thursday, august 29, 2019

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Build-up to 2019 Hero CPL…

GAW players’ pre-tournament camp to commence on Friday

Hero MotoCorp extends title sponsorship of Caribbean Premier League for 3 years

Page 23

Regional Blind Cricket Tournament postponement

Phillips calls for Guyanese Association to address underlying issues

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