Guyana Times Thursday February 27, 2020

Politicians discuss sex education, bullying in schools P

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

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Issue No. 4209

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Jagdeo tells supporters not to be intimidated on E-Day Page 3

Press Association calls out GECOM for slow release of information Page 7

…says Secretariat inaccessible, urges int’l observers to take note

Guyana still in dark PPP calls for on price for crude strong penalties for Election sold to Shell See story on page 18

Page 9

Day offences

…urges GECOM’s CEO to issue, publish clear instructions to presiding officers

Contract document missing from PNC-led NA Town Council ...as probe into $30M spending intensifies

See story on page 5

PRICE

$80 VAT INCLUDED

WHAT'S INSIDE: Inducement/bribery

GECOM’s CEO must call P10 in Police to investigate Annette Ferguson ꟷ Nandlall P8 GPL employee hospitalised after electric shock

Pork-knocker killed during fight over stolen raw gold P18 P17 GECOM Commissioner recants "Massa" claims against PSC Chair

Duo remanded over 27kg cocaine P10 hidden in boat

Teen found guilty of raping boy P5

Christians observe Ash Wednesday to mark beginning of Lent Page 5

Coronavirus patient in P18 Brazil marks Latin America's 1st case

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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

Thursday, February 27 – 05:00h – 06:30h and Friday, February 28 – 05:00h – 06:30h.

Jagdeo tells supporters not to be intimidated on E-Day

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, February 27 – 06:10h – 07:40h and Friday, February 28 – 06:30h – 08:00h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Sunshine will prevail during the day. There will be clear skies at night. Temperatures should range between 19 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

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

High Tide: 06:40h and 18:59h reaching maximum heights of 2.62 metres and 2.62 metres.

Low Tide: 00:18h and 12:33h reaching minimum heights of 0.59 metre and 0.57 metre.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

LOTTERY NUMBERS D

02 05 15

17 21 22

28

FREE TICKET

Bonus Ball

DAILY MILLIONS

17 21 22 24 25 LUCKY 3

2

3

4

1

Afternoon Draw

9

1

Evening Draw

DRAW DE LINE

07

11

12

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14 17

PAY DAY

18 SUPER PAY DAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020

02 03 04 10 13

02 11 12 15 18

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

COMMODITIES Indicators

US$

Crude Oil Rough Rice London Sugar

$53.43/barrel $243.36/ton $405.80/ton

Live Spot Gold Bid/Ask Low/High Change

Change % -2.84 -0.07 0.00

USD Per Ounce

$1649.50 $1650.50 $1624.50 $1655.90 +8.70 +0.53

PPP/C General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo

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eneral Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Bharrat Jagdeo told supporters at Success Village, East Coast of Demerara (ECD) that they should not be intimidated by various attempts to disadvantage them at the upcoming General and Regional Elections.

Speaking at a public meeting, Jagdeo noted that traditionally, the PPP/C has

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

gotten huge support from the East Coast corridor – something which the party will be looking forward to at next week’s polls.

“The East Coast has stood strongly with the People’s Progressive Party.

If we get a high turnout here in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), the elections over with. In Region Four alone we can take it. [The coalition

will] have no way of recovering… we can even it out right here in Region Four.

So, Comrades, we have a tall order, don’t let them intimidate you,” he stated.

According to the Opposition Leader, every vote will count next week and as such, he urged persons to ensure they turn up to vote and mobilise as many people as they can in their communities to go out and cast their ballots.

“I’m counting on you to assist, every one of you will have to be a campaigner…

Every single vote counts and you have to ensure that not a single vote is missing in your area. That is what we need. This is your chance to fight back… [against] the assault on our freedom and democracy,” he stated.

Jagdeo further noted that it is the energy and courage of supporters that kept the party intact and motivated to continue to fight for the rights of Guyanese. He noted that the party is paying attention to what is going on leading up to Monday’s polls.

The PPP/C General Secretary went on to say that the party has already overcome hardships and bullyism under the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) – the leading party in the APNU fraction of the incumbent coalition – and

Supporters at the public meeting on Wednesday

with that experience, has been able to expose all of the attempts aim at comprising the elections.

“So they don’t demoralise us and they should not demoralise you. No amount of bullyism should intimidate you on that day… [They will] try to scare you on elections day not to come out but don’t worry about that…

You stay strong! Sun, rain – we not moving from the line until we vote,” he implored.

Meanwhile, former Attorney General Anil Nandlall adding to this, pointed out that one of the recent attempts to disenfranchise PPP/C supporters was the reduction of polling places in the party’s stronghold areas. TURN TO PAGE 9

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guyanatimesgy.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

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

The battle for fairness

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ess than 48 hours ago, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) eventually decided to increase the number of polling stations in areas where concerns were raised over inadequacy and overcrowding. Those areas are traditional strongholds of the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and with the numbers of polling stations initially been reduced, there were genuine fears of persons being disenfranchised.

The PPP/C, having uncovered the reduction, fought relentlessly to have the situation rectified. The issue came to fore after GECOM stated that the traditional use of private residences as polling stations will be reduced. Further, the elections body claimed that its decision was based on advice from the Carter Center.

In reality, the use of private residences was eliminated in two particular areas that are known to supportive of the PPP/C; areas that in the past had multiple polling stations, both with the use of private and public buildings. In doing so, the use of private residences in areas known to be supportive of the APNU/AFC Government was not reduced or eliminated.

That can clearly be interpreted as a deliberate attempt by GECOM, more especially its Secretariat, to give an advantage to the Government at the expense of the PPP/C and its supporters.

This was deemed blatantly unfair by the PPP/C and hence its unrelenting efforts to have the number of polling stations in question increased. The PPP/C’s position was supported by many sections of civil society.

What is even more worrying is that, reportedly, the Carter Center did not offer the advice to reduce as GECOM claimed. Once again, such actions bring into question the intent of GECOM’s Secretariat having, over time, implemented measures that are not only disadvantageous to the PPP/C but in some instances, in contravention of the constitution.

These obviously led to accusations that the Secretariat is carrying out the wishes of the APNU/AFC Government which in itself has disrespected the constitution to avoid holding elections following the December 21, 2018, No-Confidence Motion (NCM).

APNU/AFC’s subsequent actions and stated positions seemed to be mirrored by those of GECOM’s Secretariat.

From court cases to unconstitutionally extended timelines, it became difficult to refute a seeming collaboration between the GECOM Secretariat and APNU/AFC. Much has been said about this and had it not been for the valiant efforts of the PPP/C and its General Secretary, the current situation may have been completely different.

In response to the PPP/C’s claim of support in the areas affected by the reduction in polling stations, the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of GECOM publicly stated that he cannot accept an area being a stronghold of any political party, more so, the PPP/C. Such a statement is worrying especially since Guyana is a small country and in general, the political persuasion of villages is no secret.

Even if the CEO wanted to sound as if he is politically correct, his records of how the areas in question would have voted in the past would have served to better inform his public position. Regardless of his claimed lack of knowledge of political strongholds, the unfairness of lesser polling stations in the areas— two for about seven thousands voters in an area supportive of the PPP/C as against six for about two thousand voters in another area deemed to be supportive of APNU/AFC— clearly should not have escaped him.

The question of why reduce the number of stations only in areas supportive of the PPP/C as against others must be publicly answered by the CEO. What could have been his reasoning? It was reported that polling stations were identified and agreed by the Commission in January this year. However, what was eventually declared publicly differed. GECOM Commissioners appointed by the PPP/C claimed that it was altered without their knowledge.

Again, such actions speak to what seems a sustained effort, reportedly on the part of the GECOM Secretariat, to place the PPP/C at a disadvantage. What is means is that along the process to have elections on March 2, fairness may have been compromised, forcing strong opposition from the PPP/C and sections of society.

Noticeably, it’s the PPP/C that is leading the way to ensure that the upcoming elections are free and fair while many, if not all, of the smaller parties contesting, are silent over these glaring actions. As a matter of fact, they have been silent on the Government’s unconstitutional actions since the NCM. They have, by their own actions, or lack thereof, given GECOM’s Secretariat and the APNU/AFC Government, a free pass.

So with a senior Minister calling on her supporters to stay vigilant and follow the ballot boxes and offering jobs only to party supporters, to President David Granger wearing his Party’s colour on the day the Joint Services voted, to another Minister promising house lots to some members of the Disciplined Services the day before they voted, have not been challenged by the smaller parties. That further confirms the obvious; the PPP/C is leading the fight for fair elections. Some have even opined that the PPP/C main challenger seems to be GECOM. That may not be farfetched given the continual action of the Secretariat.

A member of the clergy at the Brickdam Cathedral, more formally known as the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, marks the sign of the cross with ash on a worshipper’s forehead during midday mass on Ash Wednesday (Shaconeil Burnette photo)

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure Dear Editor, The Cap Philippe did not come at night and leave with Guyana’s profit-oil before dawn, it is, after all, an oil tanker, not a pirate ship, but for all that we know and have gotten for our profit oil, it may as well have been Blackbeard’s Revenge. We know that Dr Mark Bynoe will not tell us what has been paid for our profit oil or indeed, to whom it has been paid.

Shell Western Supply and Trading Limited, however, can and must do so, especially if they want to avoid international criminal charges for its directors

and blacklisting of the company.

In May of 2010, Guyana committed to implementing Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and we became EITI Candidate country in October 2017. The involvement of the EITI is intended as a safeguard of our resources; can EITI (Guyana) tell us who received the payment from Shell Western?

Then there is the Natural Resource Fund Act complete with the New York bank account, has there been a deposit into same?

Can Winston Jordan confirm that a deposit has been

made and if so how much?

And if none has been made, why not? With all the assurances of transparency offered by David Granger and associates before the oil was pumped into the Cap Philippe, it is astounding to see how opaque details surrounding the very first lift has become; it begs the question of what exactly is at play.

The sight of the Tedorin Obiang’s 90-meter yacht moored in Trinidad for carnival celebrations as a conviction and three-year jail term in France for its owner outstanding speaks to the murkiness of interna-

tional law when it comes to recovery of stolen state assets. Pressure from every possible source must be brought to bear for a declaration (before Election Day) of what has been paid by Shell Western and to whom. Failing this, our Commissioner of Police should consider a lengthy no-fly list until clarity on where over thirteen billion dollars from the first lift has gone; when it comes to heists, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Respectfully, Robin Singh

Like it did for BCGI workers, NICIL could help sugar workers Dear Editor, I noticed in the February 26, 2020 section of the media, the disclosure that the State-owned NICIL covered the salaries for the workers who were/ are linked to the Bauxite Company of Guyana Inc (BCGI) for the month of February 2020. From the article, I learnt that the workers received their pay following a request by the workers union to the Government. This,

undoubtedly, was a most helpful gesture by the coalition which obviously recognises the straits the BCGI workers have found themselves in.

Though heartened by this development, I also noticed the media reporting that sugar workers again picketed the President’s Office on February 25, 2020. The workers, I gather, were also calling on the Government for assistance for them to benefit

from retroactive payments for 2019. Those payments I see would amount to some $400M and would be a onetime affair.

I believe given the apparent benefactor role the APNU/AFC has seemingly embraced over the last few days, I would want to think that the Government could also assist the sugar workers who themselves are facing difficulty. Certainly, as it did for the BCGI workers, the NICIL could be the

vehicle for such assistance.

I believe NICIL support can be justified considering I have been reading that hundreds of acres of sugar lands are being soldoff for the touted City of Ogle. Undoubtedly, the sugar workers should also benefit from the windfall NICIL says it’s enjoying for the sugar lands it said it has sold.

Yours faithfully, Liebert Alleyne

NEWS

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Contract document missing from PNC-led NA Town Council ...as probe into $30M spending intensifies

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contract document has reportedly gone missing from the APNU-led New Amsterdam Municipality for work done to rehabilitate the municipality’s wharf.

According to the Town Clerk, Sharon Alexander, the document which was in her keeping went missing while she was on leave.

When the issue was addressed in the Council’s chambers, several councillors questioned the dependency on other departments by the administrator for documents.

Kirk Fraser also questioned the level at which the municipality is operating.

“It is appalling that the Town Clerk would be asking another department for such an important document when she is the Chief Executive Officer of this municipality. It, therefore, tells us at the level at which we are operating,” he said.

When asked for a comment on the matter, Mayor Wainwright McIntosh explained that when the contract for the rehabilitation of the municipal wharf was

awarded, he was not even a councillor. However, Fraser was a councillor in 2016, when it was awarded.

“I know for a fact that throughout the process, the Town Clerk was involved up to when the contract was awarded.”

Fraser questioned the sudden lack of information which would help the Council to determine whether it was getting value for its money.

He noted that the document should have been easily retrieved from other departments of the municipality

The market wharf under construction in 2018

Christians observe Ash Wednesday to mark beginning of Lent preceded by prayers and hymns.

Conveyor of the day’s service, Father John Persaud, spoke with this publication after the proceedings and stressed the importance of Ash Wednesday for

Susana Shaw viewed the period as one for change, and urged fellow Guyanese to make a change especially in the way the environment is cared for.

“For me Ash Wednesday is more than just about

Father John Persaud during the church service on Ash Wednesday

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hristians in Guyana marked the beginning of the sacred 40-day period of Lent on Wednesday – known as Ash Wednesday, with many receiving the symbolic mark of the holy cross in ashes on their foreheads.

“Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

– the ashes for which the day is named serve to remind us that we are mortal and are an outward sign of repentance and our mortality.

Lent is the annual period of fasting, abstinence and reflection to commemorate Jesus Christ, who, according to the Bible, spent 40 days and nights fasting in the Judaean Desert while being tempted by Satan.

Christians use this period which ends with the celebration of Easter to renew their

commitment to the teachings of the Holy Bible. By observing Lent, Christians are replicating the fasting of Jesus Christ. Lent looks back on the events leading up to his crucifixion. It stands in stark contrast to Easter, the celebration of the resurrection of Christ after he was crucified.

Lent is a time for prayer and penance, a time to abstain from desires of the flesh and a time to focus on purifying the spirit.

Guyana Times visited the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, on Brickdam, Georgetown, during midday mass on Wednesday where a large number of persons were gathered. During the service, members of the clergy marked crosses on the foreheads of those present using ashes, to show a sign of repentance. This was

A number of persons who attended mass at the Brickdam Cathedral

Catholics.

“Lent is a call to enter the desert experience, it mirrors two important experiences in the life of the Old Testament people and the New Testament people… this 40 days of Lent offers us truly a time to renew ourselves, a time to find new life and a time to truly challenge our self to conversion,” he explained.

Some of those who attended the service also shared with this newspaper what the sacred period means in their lives.

Nineteen-year-old

fasting, but it’s about trying to do something new or make a change…to my fellow Guyanese let’s make a change in the way we treat our environment,” she said.

Another member shared, “Ash Wednesday is a significant day for all Catholics; it reminds us that we came from ashes and we will one day return to same, it’s also a day where we can come and reflect.”

The period of Lent ends after Good Friday, which marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

itals. The child refused to touch the accused and as a result, he forcefully engaged in sexual activity with the child.

The child later confided in his parents and a Police report was made. Following an investigation, the teen was arrested and charged

for the offence.

Justice Barlow ordered that a probation report be prepared on the offender’s behalf and as such, deferred his sentencing to March 12, 2020.

Prosecutors Teriq Mohamed and Mandel Moore presented the State’s case.

Teen found guilty of raping boy

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12-member High Court jury on Wednesday found a 19-year-old man guilty for raping a seven-year-old boy back in 2015.

The teen, who was 14 years old at the time, was on trial before Justice JoAnn Barlow at the Sexual

Offences Court.

The charge stated that between December 1 and 24, 2015, he engaged in sexual activity with the young boy.

According to reports, the young boy was left alone in the company of the now-convicted teen when he forced the child to touch his gen-

Sri Lankans fined for entering Guyana illegally

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our Sri Lankans were placed before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan to answer the charge of illegally entering Guyana.

They appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Wednesday.

Anthony Jeyaraj, Thambirasa Jan, Siriran Senthusaan and Sebamlall Dias all pleaded guilty to

the charge which stated that between January 18, 2020, and February 22, 2020, at Springlands, they entered Guyana by sea and disembarked without presenting themselves to the nearest Immigration Office.

The Sri Lankan nationals claimed they are tourists who came to Guyana on a Surinamese boat.

According to the facts presented in Court, the defendants boarded a minibus destined for Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), which was later stopped by Police ranks at the Mabura checkpoint. Upon inspecting the passengers, the four defendants were asked present their travel documents where it was discov-

ered that the documents bore no travel stamps.

They were arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, Eve Leary and later charged for the offence.

The Chief Magistrate after listening to the facts fined the men $40,000 each or eight weeks in prison.

which were also involved in the process leading up to the awarding of the contract.

He, however, distanced himself from any situation which might see the municipality haemorrhaging financially.

“It was there when I felt in June and when I came back in July there was no need to go into that file so I did not need to go into that file. When Council would have asked that the lawyer’s letter be sent and the Lawyer requested that information, I asked the girls for the file and we could not have found the file. They said somebody borrowed it and it has not returned,” Alexander explained.

However, she could not say who took the file.

The Town Clerk promised the Council to continue

to search in her office for the document.

Meanwhile, back in June 2018, it was reported that the Council had been flouting the Procurement Act in awarding contracts. The Town Council had not been tendering for contracts and has issued contracts valuing in excess of $16M without a tender.

In fact, the minutes of the Council’s statutory meeting for the month ending June 30, 2018, stated that nine contracts were given out; some of them even stated that the applicant or contractor who was given the contract asked that the bid be eliminated.

One of the contracts was for $9.1M to carry out repairs on the market wharf.

The second contract for repairs to the same wharf was for $4.2M, yet another contract for repairs to the market wharf was issued for the sum of $16.3M. Meanwhile, under the Laws of Guyana Municipal and District Councils Act 28:10 Section 97, it says the Council before entering into any contract for the execution of any work or the supply of any goods to the value of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars or more, give notice of such proposed contract and shall, by such notice, invite any person willing to undertake the same to submit a sealed tender.

ERC’s CEO resigns

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thnic Relations Commission Chief Executive Officer Yvonne Langevine has resigned from her position at the constitutional body.

In a brief interview on Wednesday, Langevine confirmed her resignation but declined to give further details. Guyana Times understands the resignation took effect on February 25.

Chairman of the Commission, Reverend John Smith, in also confirming the resignation indicated that Langevine did give the constitutional body the cus-

tomary three months’ notice.

This means, according to Reverend Smith, that the resignation letter would have been submitted to the body some time ago and only took effect on Tuesday last.

He told Guyana Times that the body will be meeting today, at which point the resignation will be discussed extensively by the Commission.

According to Reverend Smith, the general population will more than likely be provided with an update subsequent to that meeting, by way of a public missive.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

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Foundation

I want to eat healthy but my family’s always in a rush, so we stop at fast-food places a lot. What are some healthier choices from places like Burger King?

– Caitlin*

ast-food places can be confusing health-wise.

You’d think chicken would be a better choice than beef — but at McDonald’s, the chicken sandwich has more fat and calories than a regular hamburger!

Luckily, most fast-food places post nutrition facts on their websites so you can see what’s in their food before you go. Look for foods that are low in fat, calories, sugar, and sodium — and high in fibre, vitamins, calcium, and iron.

If you don’t have the nutrition facts, here’s what to do: Choose smaller grilled items over fried foods. Order a side salad instead of fries (go easy on the dressing). Watch out for extras like bacon, cheese, and mayo. And choose water or low-fat white milk to drink.

Eating well while eating out It’s easy to be tempted when you’re eating away from home — especially if everyone around you is chowing down on unhealthy options.

But eating too much fast food or always choosing highfat, high-calorie menu items can drag a person’s body down.

The most obvious problem is weight gain. But because the food we eat affects how our bodies function, eating the right (or wrong) foods can influence any number of things: mental functioning

emotional well-being energy strength weight future health It’s easier than you think to make good

choices at a fastfood restaurant, the mall, or even the school cafeteria.

Most cafeterias and fastfood places offer healthy choices that are also tasty, like grilled chicken or salads.

Be mindful of portion sizes

and high fat add-ons, like dressings, sauces or cheese.

Here are some pointers to remember that can help you make wise choices when eating out: Go for balance.

Choose meals that contain a balance of lean proteins (like fish, chicken, or beans if you’re a vegetarian), fruits and vegetables (fries and potato chips don’t qualify as veggies!), and whole grains (like whole-wheat bread and brown rice).

That’s why a turkey sandwich on whole wheat with lettuce and tomato is a better choice than a cheeseburger on a white bun.

Watch

portion sizes. The portion sizes of American foods have increased over the past few decades so that we are now eating way more than we need. The average size of a hamburger in the 1950s was just 1.5 ounces, compared with today’s hamburgers, which weigh in at 8 ounces or more.

Drink water or low-fat milk.

Regular sodas, juices, and energy drinks usually contain “empty” calories that you don’t need — not to mention other stuff, like caffeine.

Tips for eating at a restaurant Most restaurant portions are way larger than the average serving of food at home. Ask for half portions, share an entrée with a friend, or take half of your dish home.

Here are some other restaurant survival tips:

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Ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side and use them sparingly.

Use salsa and mustard instead of mayonnaise or oil.

Ask for olive or canola oil instead of butter, margarine, or shortening.

Use non-fat or low-fat milk instead of whole milk or cream.

Order baked, broiled, or grilled (not fried) lean meats including turkey, chicken, seafood, or sirloin steak.

Salads and vegetables make healthier side dishes than french fries. Use a small amount of sour cream instead of butter if you order a baked potato.

Choose fresh fruit instead of sugary, high-fat desserts. *Names have been changed to protect persons’ privacy. (kidshealth.org)

hoose a building you are familiar with. Imagine what it would be like to be that building.

What was it like when you were first built?

How have you changed over the years?

What do you think about the people who have lived in/used/visited you over the years?

What is the expression on your face?

Write a brief story answering these questions and any others you might imagine. (startwithabook.org)

NEWS

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Press Association calls out GECOM for slow release of information …says Secretariat inaccessible, urges int’l observers to take note

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he Guyana Press Association (GPA) criticised the slow manner in which information of public concern pertaining to elections is being released by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to the media.

In a statement on Wednesday, the GPA, which is headed by journalist Nazima Raghubir, noted that GECOM must be held accountable for not clarifying misinformation and accusations made with the urgency it requires.

“The GPA is dissatisfied with the lack of timely information from GECOM, and slow response to matters of national interest relative to the pending General and Regional Elections. To date, key and critical questions have gone unanswered.”

The Association added that even questions for planning and administrative purposes remain unanswered. “The Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, and the Chairman, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, are for the most part inaccessible,” the GPA’s statement added.

According to GPA, the several elections observer missions in the country ought to take notice of this

to all 12 places. She promised, however, to update the media when confirmed.

to facilitate easier access to information and timely responses.”

Soldiers unable to vote

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield

issue. The Association also urged that the concerns raised be addressed in a timely manner by GECOM. “The GPA calls on all election observation missions to take note of the disservice being meted out to the populace by GECOM by allowing claims, accusations and rumours to fester. If not addressed with a sense of urgency and professionalism, GECOM must regard itself as a willing participant in any unfortunate reaction.”

“The GPA has appealed at the highest level of GECOM for these concerns to be addressed and remains hopeful that corrective measures would be put in place

On February 21, 2020, the day the Disciplined Services went out to vote, a number of soldiers from Eteringbang were unable to vote. The incident was alluded to by A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) in a statement on Wednesday in which it urged GECOM to ensure these soldiers are able to vote.

The incident was only confirmed officially by GECOM to the media on Wednesday, several days after. According to Public Relations Officer Yolanda Warde, a total of 43 Disciplined Service members were indeed unable to be transported out of Eteringbang. However, she noted that provisions are being made for them to vote on Election Day, March 2.

“The pilot advised that he could not land there and return to Georgetown,” Warde explained. “35 Police Officers and 8 Soldiers did not vote. GECOM would be transporting those persons from that location to their respective polling stations to vote on E-day.”

Tabulation

GPA President Nazima Raghubir

Perhaps one of the most contentious issues in the run-up to the elections has been GECOM’s drastic reduction of polling places. The parliamentary Opposition had accused GECOM of discrimination since most of the reductions are in People’s Progressive Party (PPP) strongholds.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo consequently met with GECOM on Tuesday and was given assurances that at least 12 additional polling places would be added. Asked for an update on this on Wednesday, Warde said that some adjustments are to be made.

Though she could not say definitively if they would be

Another issue addressed by Warde following the release of the statement is the tabulation process. International observer group Carter Center had called on GECOM to clarify the process, noting that the procedure has not been made clear to stakeholders.

In her comments on the issue, Warde noted that the tabulation process is enshrined in the laws. She explained that tabulation and declarations are done at two levels, the Returning Officers (RO) and the Chief Elections Officer.

She explained that the Statement of Polls (SoP)

GECOM PRO Yolanda Warde

are transmitted from the Presiding Officers at each polling place to the deputy returning officers (DRO).

The DRO then transmits this data to the RO, who keeps one copy of the SoP and transmits the other to the CEO.

8 NEWS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Soldiers injured in Coast Guard explosion recuperating T Wasn’t… he soldiers attached to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Artillery Unit who were injured in last Saturday’s fiery explosion at the Coast Guard Wharf are showing signs of improvement.

According to Regional Commander, Sub-Division A, Edgar Thomas, Staff Sergeant Otto Row and Corporal Isaiah Gordon are no longer in the Burn Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital. “…today another one was released from the Burn Unit or special care.

That is all the information that I have. In terms of the investigations, that is a special aid investigation, after that investigation, the matter will be handed over to the Police,” he said.

Also, it was reported that Corporal Gordon Cornette, one of the two soldiers who were severely burnt in the explosion, is recovering well.

One day after the explosion, Corporal Seon Rose succumbed to his injuries.

The 32-year-old resident of Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD), had sustained third-degree burns about his body.

He reportedly suffered a heart attack and died while receiving medical attention in the Burn Unit on Sunday morning.

The explosion occurred

One of the injured ranks after Saturday’s explosion at the Coast Guard Wharf

at the GDF’s Coast Guard Headquarters, Ruimveldt, Georgetown. It was reported that 21 soldiers were

offloading fireworks from a truck onto a pontoon at the Coast Guard Wharf when the explosives went

off.

They were preparing for Saturday night’s fireworks display to usher in Guyana’s 50th Republic Day anniversary, which was subsequently called off.

The explosion caused some GDF ranks to jump into the Demerara River to avoid the blast.

Seven of the eight ranks hospitalised following the explosion are said to be in stable condition.

Meanwhile, Chief-ofStaff of the GDF, Brigadier Patrick West had indicated on Saturday that a Board of Inquiry (BoI) was ordered into the incident.

He had explained to reporters that the rehearsals for the fireworks display were conducted on Friday evening without any hiccups.

GPL employee hospitalised after receiving electric shock

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contractor attached to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Inc is now hospitalised after the equipment he was using during an operation connected with a live power line.

The injured man has been identified as Michael Ifill.

According to a release from the power company, the incident occurred about 12:31h on Tuesday in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

GPL revealed that work was being done in the vicinity of the L2 transmission line between the Old Sophia Substation and the Golden

Grove Substation, when Ifill’s equipment came into contact with the live transmission line.

The contractor was rushed to Georgetown Public Hospital, for medical treatment.

“The management and staff of GPL are extremely saddened by this unfortunate incident and wish Mr Ifill a speedy recovery,” GPL said in the release.

According to the power company, the L2 Transmission Line was tripped, causing a sudden loss of power transfer from the Garden of Eden (GOE) power station to the Demerara Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).

“During the time of the trip, the parallel 69kV transmission line (L4) which also stretches between our Sophia and Golden Grove Substations was undergoing scheduled maintenance and, therefore, was unable to substitute for the abrupt loss of the L2 transmission line”, the release stated.

Nevertheless, power was restored about 12:50h within Central Georgetown, while other areas in the city were repowered at 14:30h.

Back in March last year, a 21-year-old GPL contract worker was electrocuted while working at Section D Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara. It was reported that the worker was on a GPL utility pole doing ‘wire cleaning’ when he suddenly screamed. His colleagues then saw him dangling by his utility belt from the pole.

The young man suffered burns and was rushed to the Nabaclis Health Centre, where he was pronounced dead.

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…Greenidge?? arl Greenidge – the man who so loves his country he retained his British Citizenship for four decades while he held all sorts of public appointments until he was stripped of the Foreign Ministry – has threatened to sue caretaker President Granger’s former energy advisor for US$1 million!! Yes…US greenbacks, in our Guyanese jurisdiction where our dollar’s still the legal currency. Why? Well…erm…because he’s so used to thinking “foreign”??

But seriously folks…to the extent, you can take self-serving types like Greenidge seriously! – why the threatened lawsuit?? Seems the former energy advisor claimed that Greenidge was one of three governmental officers who were responsible for the Government keeping mum on the now-infamous “oil contract” of Raphael Trotman. And this allegation, Dear Reader, Greenidge insists has so damaged and defamed his once stellar reputation that he’s suffered much “distress”.

Not only from the psychic pain and suffering of mental distress but, he added, if he were to retire from “public service” – he was made “Director-General” in the Foreign Ministry after his dual citizenship disqualified him from being Minister – then his job prospects would be severely impaired!! But why would Greenidge consider job hunting just days before the elections?? Isn’t he telegraphing that he doesn’t believe the PNC coalition ain’t gonna win?? Is he throwing the PNC under the bus in the hope that the new PPP Government might look at him favourably??

But back to Greenidge and the ducking of the terms of the oil contract – which would include the mysterious US$18 million bonus-that-was-not-a-bonus.

The rationale offered publicly by one and all after the yucky stuff finally hit the fan, was that the secrecy was necessary ‘cause those nasty socialist Venezuelans would find out we were going to use the said US$18 million to pay those high prices US lawyers to defeat their border controversy at the World Court!! No one in the Government – from Granger down to the cleaning lady – has backed away from this assertion.

Now let’s ask a simple question. Who was in charge of looking out for our border interests while the oil contract was being negotiated?? Wasn’t it the same Greenidge?? And wouldn’t he have been the one to make the argument about the Venezuelan threats and the need for lawyers’ fees and all that?? So why has he gotten his buckta all in a knot?? Really, wasn’t he just doing his job??

And that raises the further question: why Greenidge’s other two colleagues mentioned by the energy advisor – Trotman and Jordan – haven’t claimed their reputations were sullied? Is it because Greenidge has thin skin?

Or perchance, bereft of a presidential pension, he’s looking for some other security in his dotage?? …just ANY private houses After the Opposition threatened to rise up in arms against GECOM’s unilateral, arbitrary and discriminatory reduction of polling places, the full GECOM Commission – plus the CEO of the Secretariat – met with them. And they seemed to have reached a compromise…sort of.

GECOM will create some twelve new polling places in three locations. But this latest brouhaha just reveals the latest OCCASION for the war on exercising our franchise; not the CAUSE of the war!!

And for identifying that cause, GECOM’s gotta answer the question as to why most of the private houses used in 2015 as polling places were removed from PPP “strongholds”?? That answer would address another previous question as to why Patterson’s clandestine H2H order was initiated without the approval of the full Commission!! Or all the other actions of GECOM which SOMEHOW seem to disadvantage the PPP! And the answer isn’t blowin’ in no wind, my friend. All these actions were undertaken by the SECRETARIAT. No one’s followed up on the latter’s ERC-criticised hiring practices!!

The Commission proposes, but the Secretariat DISPOSES!! …this PNC racism??

Sugar workers are denied a “retro” increase to Jan 2019 by the Government. But when striking RUSAL workers obviously didn’t receive any salaries – NICIL has stepped in to pay them after the union’s request.

Oh, justice!!...

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

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PPP calls for strong penalties for Election Day offences …urges GECOM’s CEO to issue, publish clear instructions to presiding officers

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he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) delegation which met with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Tuesday has called for strong penalties to be instituted against any staff found breaching the law on Election Day. This was revealed by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, during his interaction with the media after the meeting. Jagdeo led a delegation that included People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate Dr Irfaan Ali, former Attorney General Anil

Nandlall and the Party’s Chief Scrutineer, Zulfikar Mustapha.

“A lot of those items dealt with clear instructions to presiding officers and to polling day officials so that there is no room for capricious action. Because we have witnessed this often on the part of GECOM staff,” Jagdeo said.

“So we asked that the CEO will share the written instructions given to the presiding officers and the ROs so that when we have those too, in cases where a staff acts in a partisan manner like refuse to allow a candidate in or not count-

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo outside GECOM on Tuesday

ing a ballot where the clear intention of the voter is expressed, we can whip out the

Jagdeo tells supporters...

He noted that despite the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) agreeing on Tuesday to correct this and add 12 more polling places in those areas such as Mon Repos, this has not been done as yet.

“I spoke to the [Returning Officer] today, I spoke to (Chief Elections Officer Keith) Lowenfield last night and up to now, they have not appointed the new polling places… He has not even signed our candidate badges, he has not signed our supernumerary agent badges as yet. I say

that to you, Comrades, so you understand the nature of the struggle. So you understand the value of your vote,” he stressed.

Nandlall told supporters that the PPP/C has put lots of efforts and hours into ensuring that Guyanese are not denied the opportunity to vote on Monday. He added that it is now up to the people to play their part by ensuring they vote for the party that has consistently fought for their rights.

“The agony they put you through must not go in vain… we have to show

FROM PAGE 3

them that never again they must take the eyes pass the people of the East Coast of Demerara. So on March 2, we are going to teach them a lesson right here,” he stated.

A d d i t i o n a l l y , PPP’s Constituency Representative, Shyam Nokta, rallied residents of Success and surrounding communities to show their solid support of the party, something which they have continuously maintained over the years, by ensuring that the PPP/C returns to office next month.

CEO’s instructions and say, here are the written instructions.”

According to Jagdeo, this will cut out the hassle of trying to make contact with the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, in order to ascertain the way to proceed. Jagdeo reminded that at times, it is hard to find Lowenfield or reach him by phone.

Jagdeo revealed that they also asked for fixed timelines to be set for when the returning officers make their declarations of the results in their respective re-

gions. According to him, this will assist in transparency.

“Some regions, you can’t start early. Because they’re vast,” Jagdeo acknowledged.

“Region four, region three, you can start a bit earlier.

Given the geographic area, it would allow you to bring in all the statements of poll by a particular time. We’ve asked for strong penalties for people and other issues.”

It wouldn’t be the first time the PPP has raised issues about penalties for offences committed by GECOM staff. Following the controversial House-toHouse Registration exercise, the Party had urged strong sanctions against staff found to have registered persons who are ineligible to vote.

With all the contention that has led up to this point, the elections are expected to be watched intently by a number of international observers and technical advisors in the country to oversee the process. For instance, it is the first time that the European Union will be deploying a fully-fledged team of observers on the ground for Guyana’s elections.

The Carter Center is

also involved, with it being announced that former Prime Minister of Senegal, Aminata Touré, and Chairperson of The Carter Center Board of Trustees, Jason J Carter (the grandson of former US President Jimmy Carter) will co-lead the Carter Center’s international election observation mission in Guyana.

Other overseas-based observers expected to participate in overseeing the election include teams from the Organization of American States (OAS) as well as the Caribbean Community (Caricom).

GECOM is also getting assistance from a number of technical advisors who were provided by other countries and international organisations. Canada, for instance, is providing GECOM with Jean-Pierre Kingsley, a Canadian elections expert.

The Commonwealth is also providing the services of its senior technical advisor, Dr Afari Gyan, who arrived in Guyana last month.

In addition, Dr Syed Nasim Zaidi, an elections advisor from India, has also joined the team.

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Inducement/bribery

GECOM’s CEO must call in Police to investigate Annette Ferguson – Nandlall F

ormer Attorney General (AG) and Peoples’ Progressive Party (PPP) Executive Member, Anil Nandlall, believes that Chief Elections Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield, must immediately lodge a complaint with the Guyana Police Force against Minister with responsibility for Housing, Annette Ferguson.

Nandlall made the damning charges on Ferguson and said this must be done with a view for the Police investigating and instituting charges against the sitting Minister for breaches of the Representation of Peoples Act. He was referring to reports that Minister Ferguson in her capacity as Minister had breached the law when she days before, promised house lots to selected members of the Joint Services just days before the servicemen and women cast their ballots for the 2020 General Elections.

Prominent Attorney-atLaw, Sanjeev Datadin had a day earlier accused the Minister of being guilty of the corrupt practice of bribery.

In a clip making the rounds on social media, Minister Ferguson could be

Minister with responsibility for Housing, Annette Ferguson

heard clearly inducing the servicemen and women at a meeting.

The Minister is heard saying if re-elected to office and she is allowed to retain her portfolio as Minister then the ranks could be assured of house lots.

The Minister is being accused of using the occasion to knowingly breach the law.

Under the statute, every person who directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, “gives or agrees to give; or lends or agrees to lend, or offers or promises; or promises to procure or promises to endeavour to procure any money or valuable consideration to or for any elector, or to or for any other person, in order to induce any elector to

vote or to refrain from voting” is guilty of the corrupt act of bribery.

The attorney noted that the issue must be viewed in context and pointed to the Minister’s stated request for the individuals present in the room at the time to turn off their cell phones.

Nandlall—himself a practising Attorney and former Minister of Legal Affairs—said it was Lowenfield who must make a report to the Police for them to investigate and institute charges.

He did express dismay at any progress being made in the matter in the judicial system and pointed to recent cases of litigation brought against Government and Government officials.

Nandlall drew specific reference to the case where Finance Minister Winston Jordan had been found to be in contempt of a Court Order but before any action could have been taken the President intervened.

He pointed out too that incumbent Attorney General Basil Williams is on record publicly interfering in the duties of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) where he called on her to withdraw a case—a case she later decided to Nolle prosequi or terminate pursuit of the litigation.

Nandlall said while private criminal action could also be filed by affected parties again he did not have faith in the system and alluded to the immi-

nent March 2 General and Regional Elections as the ultimate answer in rebalancing the independence and autonomy of constitutional bodies such as the DPP. Datadin is adamant the Minister clearly knew what she was about to do was improper saying, “why would she ask them to turn off their cell phones, clearly she

was well aware that what she was going to do was improper”.

The attorney was adamant that by meeting with a select group of servicemen and demanding that they turn off their cell phones from the inception, the Minister wanted the affair to be kept secret and, in the context, knew that it was

improper and unlawful.

He said in the circumstance of just meeting with a selected few persons in a room, asking them to take off their cell phones, those persons had been identified for special treatment and that the Minister knew what she was doing was not only wrong but unlawful.

Latchman Sankar, aka “Jack”

Muneshwar Dusrajh, aka “Bonny”

Duo remanded over 27kg cocaine hidden in boat

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wo men who were recently intercepted and arrested by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) with some 27 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a boat’s bow were arraigned at the Wales Magistrate’s Court.

Thirty-five-year-old Latchman Sankar, known as “Jack”, and 47-year-old Muneshwar Dusrajh, known as “Bonny”, denied the charge when they appeared before Magistrate Crystal Lambert on Wednesday.

Particulars of the charge stated that on February 22, 2020, at Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), they had in their possession 27.866 kilograms of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

The men’s legal counsel, Attorney Siand Dhurjon, told the court during a bail application that the men had no knowledge of the

narcotics.

CANU Prosecutor Konyo Sandiford objected to bail being granted to the men on the grounds of the quantity of the drug and the penalty the offence attracts.

Based on information, the CANU ranks intercepted a fibre-glass vessel at the Parika Backdam on Saturday.

Upon inspection of the darkly-painted vessel, 25 parcels of cocaine were found stashed inside the bow.

The illegal substance

amounted to a total of 27.866 kg.

Sankar and Dusrajh were immediately arrested following the search of the “Go-fast” vessel.

The men were remanded and were slated to return to court on March 13, 2020.

Meanwhile, CANU is on the hunt for a third suspect, Ryan Pemberton, commonly called “Sancho” of Alberttown, Georgetown. He reportedly threatened to kill the CANU ranks after the bust on Saturday.

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GECOM Commissioner recants “Massa” claims against PSC Chair

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oalition representative on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Desmond Trotman, has recanted racist statements made against Chairman of the Private Sector Commission (PSC), Captain Gerry Gouveia, with a “Massa” tirade that he had publicly made against the PSC member.

The public spat which saw its genesis involving correspondence between Captain Gouveia and GECOM Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield had seen a swift condemnation by Trotman in a public missive, which had caught the attention of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC).

The body, however, on Wednesday reported that it had concluded its investigations and that the two public figures had come to an ami-

PSC Chairman Gerry Gouveia

cable settlement.

The complaints stemmed from a July 24, 2019, letter which was written

by Trotman to Captain Gouveia, in his capacity as Chairman of the PSC. The Commission subsequently appointed a special Sub-Committee to investigate the complaints and that

was spearheaded by Retired Justice Stanley Moore.

As Chairman, the SubCommittee was mandated to “establish the facts of what transpired and why”.

Following the announcement of an amicable settlement, Trotman in a statement on Wednesday said, “I erred in identifying Gouveia’s ancestry as one of Plantocracy and slave-owning class and, therefore, mistakenly attributed their traits to him”.

The coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Commissioner on GECOM said, given that at the time Lowenfield had already responded to the PSC representative over concerns raised at the time, “there was no need for a response from me, inclusive of the mistakenly attribut-

ed reference to him and his forebearers, which references offended him as if they were the Massa and all that is attributable to Massas…I therefore unreservedly withdraw all such assertions”.

Meanwhile, Gouveia in weighing in on the now-concluded racially-charged statements, said he respects the right for all and sundry to make their views known and that he accepts the withdrawal of the remarks by Trotman—“remarks associating me and my Portuguese forebearers with the misdoings of Massa during the period of slavery and indenture in British Guiana”.

The ERC had been called in to probe the matter after a formal complaint was lodged with the constitutional body after the letter surfaced from Trotman responding to one written by Captain Gouveia.

GECOM Commissioner Desmond Trotman

Among other things, the PSC Chair at that time had called for GECOM to suspend the then House-toHouse Registration.

Trotman, in his response letter dated July 24, 2019, to the PSC Chair, argued that he felt that Gouveia’s letter was riddled with inaccu-

racies and moreover aimed at disgracing Lowenfield’s character.

Trotman further charged at the time, “what I found most disconcerting is the tone you adopted— a tone consistent with that of a white slave owner, who, in the presence of his overseers, is penalising a delinquent slave for failing to carry out the instructions of ‘Massa’. When I read that part of your letter I was filled with anger and I imagined the treatment of my forefathers by yours, as they were beaten…”

The PSC later condemned the racist attack of the Government-appointed GECOM Commissioner saying, “…this disgraceful, extremely offensive and defamatory behaviour has no place in GECOM or a democratic society”.

Politicians discuss sex education, bullying in schools

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olitical parties vying for a chance to govern the country for the next five years recently shared their positions on a number of issues relating to rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ (LGBTQ+) community.

LGBTQ+ bullying

Public Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes

Among the issues that took centre stage on Monday were legislative reforms and faults in the education system.

The town hall-style meeting was organised by Guyana’s premier gay rights organisation – the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) — and the Guyana Press Association (GPA) and saw the participation of almost all the political parties contesting the upcoming polls.

Sex education

One of the questions asked concerned the introduction of a sex education programme in schools to which the representative of the incumbent APNU/AFC coalition, Cathy Hughes, said the decision is not one for a political party to make, but rather, for the “experts” to determine.

But representative of the PPP/C, Priya Manickchand disagreed, saying that the political leaders have to make the decision, and then the experts can make the decisions thereafter.

According to her, introducing a sex education programme in schools is “neces-

do…what makes your view righter than their view,” Manickchand pointed out, noting that while she has her own opinion on issues, she is not governing for herself.

When it comes to making concrete legislative changes to support LGBTQ+ rights in Guyana, the former Parliamentarian explained that the PPP/C “is not, at this stage, prepared to say that same-sex marriage will be promoted or allowed…”

However, she said the

sary”; however, it has to be “age-appropriate”.

“It does not necessarily mean that we will be teaching seven-year-old boys that we can be girls, that is so far away from what sex education really encompasses,” Manickchand explained, noting that studies will have to be conducted to determine how to roll out such an initiative here.

She explained that the same programme used in other countries like the United States, may not be suitable for Guyana.

Another question posed to the politicians concerned bullying against LGBTQ+ students, and how their respective parties plan to tackle the social issue.

Hughes, who is currently the Minister of Public Telecommunications, explained that the situation has to be addressed holistically, not just bullying against LGBTQ+ students, but bullying in general.

“Once you have children with problems that are not being addressed, those problems will just be transferred from the home into the school environment,” she explained, noting that, like with many other issues, education can help.

She suggested the implementation of an aggressive educational campaign in the form of animated productions and mobile applications.

Manickchand, a former Education Minister, agreed that educating the nation will help. But she went further to explain that teachers need to be trained at the level of the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and the school curriculums need to be revamped so both students and educators can understand and appreciate the “realities” of the modern world.

According to Manickchand, teachers need to be trained on how to deal with children who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Lamenting that, to this

Priya Manickchand

day, the school system still teaches that ‘daddy goes to work’ while ‘mommy stays home’, Manickchand said there is a dire need for the curriculum to be revised so students can understand modern “realities”.

Principle or popularity

Meanwhile, the politicians were also grilled on whether they make decisions based on principles or popularity, especially in the context of the demands from the LGBTQ+ community.

Both APNU/AFC and the PPP/C admitted that while each individual is entitled to their fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution, political parties are in the business of getting votes from the populace.

“Political parties are in the business of securing votes of as many people as they can get. Very few political parties will tell you that they will do something that is highly unpopular, if they think they have a chance of winning,” Manickchand posited.

However, she noted that what needs to be done by all stakeholders is to ensure that the unpopular position becomes popular.

Moreover, she explained the challenges of moving to support an “unpopular” position.

“We can’t be unrealistic in what we are saying… oh this is the right thing to

Party is insistent that no law will be passed or implemented in a way that discriminates against the LGBTQ+ community.

Similarly, the APNU/ AFC representative explained that political parties are made up of a group of individuals who each have their own views on these issues.

“A part of the challenge is that political parties themselves are made up of individuals…individuals bring to

the table their own personal beliefs, whether it is based on religious norms [or morals],” Hughes said, suggesting that in cases like these, allowing a conscience vote in the National Assembly would be the best solution.

Meanwhile, the other political parties that participated in the forum are A New and United Guyana, The Citizenship Initiative, The New Movement, The Liberty and Justice Party and Change Guyana.

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Guyana still in dark on price for crude sold to Shell

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t has been over two months since the Energy Department signed an agreement with Shell (Barbados) to sell Guyana’s first three lifts of oil. It has been a week since the first lift was shipped. Despite this, however, Guyana is still in the dark on what price this oil was sold to Shell for.

At his first press conference for the year on February 10, Head of the Energy Department, Dr Mark Bynoe had referred the media to the Extractive Industries Transparency Index (EITI), when asked for the price Guyana agreed with Shell on.

EITI itself was scheduled to have a meeting with the Energy Department subsequent to Dr Bynoe’s press conference, where it was expected that the matter was dealt with and the Department would share the pertinent information.

When this publication made contact with EITI National Coordinator, Dr Rudy Jadoopat on Wednesday, he explained that the Energy Department is cooperating. However, he noted that they were not provided with the price.

“That is what the GYEITI is all about, to inform the public, what is happening in oil and gas…all the information about who is operating where, when they applied for concessions, the process, did they satisfy the criteria, what criteria did they satisfy. How much did they pay, who they paid it to…what is the price, how was the price

Energy Department Director, Dr Mark Bynoe

determined?”

“We didn’t (get the info at that meeting). That is a work in progress. Because the oil is just shipped, they have to get all the documentation. When you sell something internationally, you have to get certain details from the buyer. We’re looking forward to receiving that information,” Jadoopat said,

lion barrels of oil from the Stabroek block, part of Exxon’s share, took place last month. Guyana’s first share of crude was lifted by the tanker Cap Philippe, which departed with one million barrels of crude.

It was only recently that the Ministry of Finance compiled and released its first report on the Government’s management of the oil sector since first oil started in December, revealing among other things that no revenues were earned by the Government for that month.

Rather, the report states that all petroleum from December will go towards profit oil, of which the Government will be entitled to half. Moreover, the amount will be credited into a special account called an under-over lift account.

Back in December, the Energy Department had announced that Guyana’s first

oil. But since the oil would be sold on the spot market, there have been questions as to whether Guyana would earn less money for the oil.

This news was immediately criticised by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who has also said that companies participating in this process could be barred from doing business in Guyana should his party be elected next year. In addition, Auditor General Deodat Sharma had said in sections of the media that his department would look into the transaction.

In defending the decision, the Department had said that at the end of the process, Shell had the most competitive yet secure pricing.

The Department had also claimed that Shell’s global trading reach, Latin America interests and willingness to share refinery

The CAP Philippe has come and gone with Guyana’s oil and the country is in the dark as to what price was agreed on

adding that it won’t happen right away. According to him, there is no definitive timeline on the table.

The first lift of a mil-

three lifts of one million barrels of oil each will be sold to Shell. Shell was chosen ahead of companies like Exxon, CNNOC, Hess and BP, all of which bid for the

info were factors in the decision. In addition, they had reported that Shell was ready to support the Energy Department in operating the cargoes.

Pork-knocker killed during fight over stolen raw gold

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fight between two men over a quantity of stolen raw gold has left one dead and the other in Police custody.

Dead is 48-year-old Compton Benjamin, a pork-knocker of Durban Street, Georgetown.

According to Police, the incident occurred at about 06:30h at Lime Tree Road, Black Water Backdam on Wednesday.

Police stated that enquiries disclosed that the sus-

pect and Benjamin had an altercation over a quantity of stolen raw gold which

he (suspect) had earlier stashed in a cupboard they both shared.

Reports are the argument escalated into a fight and it was then that the suspect stabbed the 48-yearold man in the region of his chest.

Police said that he was rushed to the Bartica Regional Hospital where he succumbed to his injury whilst receiving medical attention.

Benjamin’s body is at the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a Post-Mortem Examination.

Lindener jailed for 3 months for felonious wounding

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Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) man was on Tuesday jailed for three months by Magistrate Dylon Bess after he admitted to a charge of felonious wounding.

Randy Joseph of Republic Avenue, Mackenzie, Linden, appeared at the Linden Magistrate’s Court and admitted that in December 2019, he wounded Debra Richmond at Determa Street, Mackenzie.

Magistrate Bess also issued a protection order, which will prevent Joseph from going within 1000ft

of the Virtual Complainant (VC).

The VC had told the court that Joseph was in the habit of being verbally abusive towards her and had assaulted her while she slept.

The protection order, according to the Magistrate, also prevents Joseph from threatening or being verbally abusive to the VC. Joseph is scheduled to be released from prison on March 22 since the time spent on remand will be deducted from his sentence.

Joseph has been on remand in relation to the matter since December 2019.

Coronavirus patient in Brazil marks Latin America's 1st case

Airport employees wear masks as they work at the São Paulo International Airport in São Paulo, Brazil, on Wednesday, February 26 (Andre Penner/AP)

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razil’s Health Minister confirmed on Wednesday that a 61-year-old Brazilian man who arrived in Sao Paulo after travelling to Italy is the first case of novel coronavirus in Brazil.

Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said the man arrived in Brazil on Saturday without any symptoms and spent the weekend with his family before coming down with symptoms and going to a health clinic on Monday.

He was hospitalised and tested positive for the virus in a preliminary test and was isolated. The second test confirmed he had the virus. The Brazilian man spent two weeks in northern Italy’s Lombardy region on a work trip, where he contracted the conta-

gious virus, the Health Ministry said.

Authorities are mapping who the man came into contact with.

Since the virus began to spread throughout the world from China, Brazil and other countries in the Region have registered dozens of suspected cases, all of which previously had been discarded following tests.

According to the Health Ministry, the man began to show symptoms compatible with the illness, such as a dry cough, throat pain and flu symptoms. Lombardy is the epicentre of the outbreak in Italy, and there have been hundreds of confirmed cases there as well as several deaths. (Excerpts from CNN and TIME)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

19

Baig, Khan star as Pakistan beat West Indies to blow Group B wide open

Diana Baig is congratulated by her team-mates

P

akistan opened their T20 World Cup campaign with a comprehensive win against a sloppy West Indies at Manuka Oval in Canberra, only their second win over these opponents in the format.

Diana Baig and Nida Dar did the job first up, rattling the West Indies' line-up to restrict them to 124 for 7. It was then chased down with 10 balls to spare as Javeria Khan and Bismah Maroof hit 30s.

Pakistan got off to a flying start in their chase with Javeria and Muneeba Ali knocking off nearly half the runs within the first eight overs. But a couple of quick wickets and a slowdown in the middle made it seem like

we were in for a close finish, but Captain Bismah and Nida, with the help of some poor West Indies fielding, took Pakistan over the line with enough to spare.

The win also means that four out of the five teams in Group B are now tied at two points with one win each.

Openers Javeria and Muneeba made 48 in the powerplay, scoring at eight an over at that stage, and it looked like it would be a quick and easy finish. Stafanie Taylor introduced herself in the eighth over and immediately made an impact, striking Javeria, who was attempting a sweep, on the pads. The wicket led to Pakistan slowing down a bit, with Bismah

and Muneeba avoiding any risky shots and taking to a more cautious approach, but not quite hitting the panic button.

Maneaba’s wicket saw Nida joining Bismah at the crease, and the two seamlessly rotated the strike from then on, finding boundaries occasionally as they kept a watch on the asking rate. From needing a run a ball at the end of 14 overs, they brought down the equation to six runs needed off three overs, bringing West Indies' hopes to a halt. The 18th over, which saw a dropped catch off Nida at the boundary and a missed run-out chance, further underscored West Indies' woeful day in the field. Bismah ensured the Windies did not get any more of those chances, hitting a boundary the second ball of the 19th over and sealing it for Pakistan.

It was a start to forget for West Indies after they opted to bat first. Hayley Matthews was given lbw first ball and didn't review before the DRS timer expired, and it was later confirmed that the ball indeed was pitching outside leg. Her opening partner, Lee Ann Kirby was able to find the gaps a few times in the next three overs, but then hit one straight to cover point the first ball of the fourth over to give Diana her second wicket. Their powerplay score read 28 for 2, and Deandra

Dottin's entry would not turn it much for them as she departed for one after giving away a simple catch off Nida to Iram Javed at long-on.

It was Captain Taylor and Shemaine Campbelle who ensured the West Indies avoided a below-par total, but the rest of the line-up collapsed around them to a disciplined Pakistan bowling performance.

But Pakistan, too, had a few lapses in the field – Aiman Anwer dropped Kirby and a missed runout chance let Taylor off when she was on 23.

With little to no help from the rest of the batters, Taylor and Campbelle took on the task of putting up a decent total on board after a dim start. The two were cautious most of the time in the middle, even avoiding using their feet against Bismah's slow-tossed legbreaks.

The first big hit of the match came in the 15th over with Campbelle charging down the track to hit Nida over midwicket, and she would go on to hit another six and a four in the next over off Diana. But in the next over, she fell for a 36-ball 43, lbw to Anam Amin trying a reverse sweep. Taylor smote two sixes in the next few overs before holing out on a 47-ball 43. They were the only bright spots on the day when everything seemed to be going wrong for West Indies.

(ESPNcricinfo)

SCOREBOARD

West Indies Women Innings (20 overs maximum) HK Matthews lbw b Diana Baig 0 LAGL Kirby c Muneeba Ali b Diana Baig 16 SR Taylor (c) c Diana Baig b Nida Dar 43 DJS Dottin c Iram Javed b Nida Dar 1 SA Campbelle † lbw b Anam Amin 43 CA Henry lbw b Aiman Anwer 4 CN Nation not out 6 ASS Fletcher b Aiman Anwer 6 SS Connell not out 1 Extras 4 (lb 2, w 2) TOTAL 124/7 (20 Overs, RR: 6.2) Did not bat: A Mohammed, SC Selman Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Hayley Matthews, 0.1 ov), 2-25 (Lee-Ann Kirby, 4.1 ov), 3-28 (Deandra Dottin, 6.2 ov), 4-91 (Shemaine Campbelle, 16.1 ov), 5-97 (Chinelle Henry, 17.3 ov), 6-111 (Stafanie Taylor, 18.4 ov), 7-123 (Afy Fletcher, 19.5 ov) BOWLING O M R W Diana Baig 4 0 19 2 Anam Amin 4 0 19 1 Aiman Anwer 4 0 32 2

Nida Dar 4 Bismah Maroof 2 Aliya Riaz 2

0 30 2 0 11 0 0 11 0

Pakistan Women Innings (target: 125 runs from 20 overs) Muneeba Ali c Mohammed b Fletcher 25 Javeria Khan lbw b Taylor 35 Bismah Maroof (c) not out 38 Nida Dar not out 18 Extras 11 (b 1, lb 2, nb 1, w 7) TOTAL 127/2 (18.2 Overs, RR: 6.92) Did not bat: Umaima Sohail, Iram Javed, Aliya Riaz, Sidra Nawaz †, Aiman Anwer, Diana Baig, Anam Amin Fall of wickets: 1-58 (Javeria Khan, 7.2 ov), 2-77 (Muneeba Ali, 11.5 ov) BOWLING O SS Connell 3 SC Selman 3 CA Henry 1 HK Matthews 3 ASS Fletcher 3 SR Taylor 3.2 A Mohammed 2

M R W 0 26 0 0 16 0 0 14 0 0 18 0 0 21 1 0 20 1 0 9 0

Albion name sub-committees for 2020 Mc Gill continue to dominate

T

he newly-elected executives of the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club, under the presidency of Vemen Walter, met recently and have named the Club's various subcommittees, Captains and Vice Captains among others for the year 2020.

The Club's Selection Committee will be chaired by Walter and will include Vice President Orvin Mangru, a former Guyana Under-19 and Berbice Senior Inter-County offspinner, and Roger Mc Donald, along with the Manager and Captain of the team in question.

Imtiaz Bacchus, the Club’s Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, heads the Disciplinary Committee, with schoolteacher Prem Khanai and Albion Estate’s Production Manager Karamchand Harripersaud being the other members. Mangru will chair the Cricket Development Committee with Khanai and West Indies leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo comprising the rest of the committee.

Treasurer David Brigbhukan, also a schoolteacher, is the chairman of the Fundraising Committee, which also comprises Bacchus, Mangru, Khanai and Harripersaud. This committee will be allowed to incorporate other members.

West Indies left-arm spinner

WDCA T20 Competition

H

Flashback! Vemen Walter and Devendra Bishoo

Veerasammy Permaul was reappointed as Captain of the Club's First-Division team with fellow West Indies spinner Devendra Bishoo as his deputy. In the event both Permaul and Bishoo are unavailable, Gudakesh Motie or Anthony Bramble will lead the team.

Sharaz Ramcharran will captain the Club's SecondDivision team with Adrian Sukhwa as his deputy. Berbice Under-15 wicketkeeper-batsman Rayaad Karim will be the man captaining the Club's Under-21 team with national Under-19 left-arm spinner Kelvin Umroa being his Vice Captain.

Karim and national Under-17 batsman Sarwan Chaitnarine are the Captain and Vice Captain respectively of the Under-19

team while Tameshwar Mahadeo will captain the Under-17 Team with Damien Cecil as the Vice Captain.

Cecil is the Club's Under-15 Captain with Kumar Deopersaud as the Vice Captain while Devin Lalbehari and Ritesh Natoor are the Captain and Vice Captain respectively of the Club’s Under-13 team. The Club's various teams will be managed

by Outar with Khanai and Brigbhukan providing assistance.

Walter and Outar will be representing the Club at the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) level with Outar and Mangru being the Club's two representatives on the Albion Community Centre Council. Brigbhukan was also reappointed as the Club’s Public Relations Officer (PRO).

igh-riding Mc Gill defeated Meten-MeerZorg (MMZ) by 39 runs in the West Demerara Cricket Association (WDCA) T20 Competition 2020 at the West MMZ Community Centre Ground.

Mc Gill won the toss and took first strike.

The visitors got off to a shaky start after losing openers Sudesh Persaud (6) and Travis Persaud (12) with the score on 23 in the fifth over, both removed by left-arm spinner Mahendra Nandkishore. Keshram Seyhodan and Troy Persaud steadied the ship with a 30-run partnership before the latter was adjudged lbw for 14 to Nandkishore at 53-3 in the ninth over.

Seyhodan (15) fell shortly after via the lbw route to Sheldon Alexander at 66-4 in the 12th over.

Azar Deen put together small partnerships with Daniel Basdeo (9) and Prahalad Singh (4), but failed to increase the scoring rate since wickets fell around him. Mc Gill's innings eventually came to an end with the visitors posting 119-6 in 20 overs, Deen finished on 25* and Ganesh Puran 11*. Bowling for MMZ were Sheldon Alexander 3-14 and Mahendra Nandkishore 3-15.

The spin and pace of former national players Daniel Basdeo and Travis Persaud again proved to be a game changer. Basdeo removed opener Sheldon Alexander (7) lbw at 11-1 in the third over. Persaud then joined the party, removing Lalchan Lakeram (2) caught in the covers at 15-2 in the fourth over. Off-spinner Abdul Razack and former national left-arm spinner Kheshram Seyhodan worked hand in hand from the north and south ends respectively, putting a brake on

Abdul Razack bagged 3-25 to take his side over the line

the MMZ scoring. Razack removed Rajendra Dasrath, caught and bowled (3) at 29-3 in the eighth over; he then returned to remove Dexroy George (bowled for 12) and Nandkishore (lbw for a duck) at 50-5 in the 12th over.

Left-arm seamer Basdeo returned and immediately impacted the game removing Jermine Maxwell (22) caught at long-off in the 14th over at 56-6. MMZ eventually finished at 81-8 when their 20 overs expired with only Reaz Khan (20*) showing some resistance in the lower order. Bowling for Mc Gill were Abdul Razack 3-25, Daniel Basdeo 2-12 and Travis Persaud 1-12.

20

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

two young batsmen began to flourish, in lock-step, almost never more than 10 runs apart from each other.

With West Indies’ quicks frequently straying into the pads, unable to contend with the wind that blows across Sooriyawewa, Mendis and Fernando accumulated freely into the ground’s vast, unguarded spaces, on the legside in particular. When they hit boundaries, generally they were punishing short balls, which tended to sit up on the surface. Mendis was particularly prolific with the pull shot, while Fernando heaved across the line to good effect as well. They also ran exceptionally well between the wickets, frequently putting pressure on fielders, who would fumble or send in wayward, harried throws.

When the spinners came on, their progress seemed even more effortless. Neither Fabian Allen nor Roston Chase got a lot of turn off the pitch, and these two batsmen were by now experts at hitting gaps. Fernando may just about have played the better innings in the end, but no two single strokes were more alluring than Mendis’s advancing, inside-out hits over cover against Allen in the 26th over. He had reached fifty off the 55th delivery he faced; Fernando got to his-half century off his 56th ball.

The pair marched almost inevitably to their hundreds – each advancing steadily and surely through the nineties to get to the milestones in successive overs – Mendis in the 37th off his 107th ball, and Fernando in the 38th off his 109th.

Such was the evenness of their progress, that at this stage, they had only hit 15 fours between them, Mendis striking Avishka Fernando (127) and Kusal Mendis (119) launched Sri Lanka to nine of those. With only two wickets down, the score at well 345 over 200, and the death overs now upon them, they started hitting out, Mendis hitting three more fours before eventually usal Mendis and Avishka Fernando dovetailed beautifully top-edging Alzarri Joseph. Fernando hit four more boundaries before through the middle overs, producing an effortless 239-run thirdwicket partnership that became the bedrock of Sri Lanka’s 345 holing out to deep midwicket.

Their partnership was not only the best ever at this venue, it was for 8, and by extension, their series-sealing 161-run victory over West Indies. Mendis hit a run-a-ball 119 and Fernando made 127 off 123 also Sri Lanka’s third-highest in all of one-day cricket. It came at better deliveries, as they punished West Indies’ indiscipline with the ball and than a run-a-ball as well, which meant it had provided an outstanding sloppiness in the field, rescuing Sri Lanka from a scoreline of 9 for 2 in platform for the lower middle order. Thisara Perera did the most to do justice to the base Mendis and Fernando had given, hitting 36 off 25 the third over.

Although the surface clearly suited batting, and a stiff wind across balls. Dhananjaya de Silva, Hasaranga and Isuru Udana also provided the ground made things difficult for bowlers, a target of 346 was cameos, as West Indies’ fielding effort became exceedingly frayed always going to be daunting. And West Indies never really had the through the death overs.

Hope floated through the early overs of the chase, hitting some measure of this chase. There was a mildly positive 64-run opening stand, as well as a customary Shai Hope fifty, but at no stage did they exquisite legside boundaries to set himself on his way, but then he ran Sunil Ambris out, and before long, was out himself for 51 off 65 balls, manage to put Sri Lanka under pressure.

What will especially lift the hosts is that it was their wrist-spinners chipping Angelo Mathews to short midwicket. Then Sri Lanka’s wristthat sewed this game up – Wanindu Hasaranga and Lakshan Sandakan spinners took over.

Bravo didn’t pick Hasaranga’s googly and edged to slip, where taking three wickets apiece through the middle overs to send West de Silva took an excellent catch. Chase then let a beautiful Sandakan Indies into a nosedive. Sandakan claimed the final wicket in the 40th over to finish with figures of 3 for 57. Hasaranga was more impressive, stock ball wriggle between bat and pad and clatter into his stumps. returning 3 for 30 from his 10. Each of his wickets came via the googly, Pollard followed soon after, in similar fashion, but to the bowling of Hasaranga. By the time Holder was out, also bowled by a googly, West which West Indies’ batsmen repeatedly failed to pick.

Coming in at 9 for 2, Mendis had had a nervy first six deliveries – Indies were 130 for 5 in the 31st over, and never really looked like they beaten second ball, dropped on two by Kieron Pollard soon after, then would make much of the chase.

Keemo Paul and Allen had a little bit of fun, but even that didn’t rapped hard on the gloves by a Jason Holder delivery that leapt at him from a length. But he settled quickly after the early chance, working last long, as Nuwan Pradeep came back to take two wickets in an over. his way through the Powerplay with Fernando. Sri Lanka got to 49 for After the first One-Day International (ODI) had been decided in a tight 2 after 10 overs, but really it was in the period that followed that the finish, this was a proper thumping. (ESPNcricinfo)

Shai Hope celebrates his century

K

SCOREBOARD

Lochan Premier League set for February 29

The Rising Stars

T

he Rising Stars Cricket Club will again be competing in a grand T20 knockout competition sponsored by overseas-based Guyanese Lochan, aka Mali, and his family at the Malvern Cricket Club Ground at Canal Number One, under the name Lochan Premier League on February 29, 2020.

Participating teams will be battling for the right to be called the number one T20 team in Canal Number One. The reward for successful teams will be more than US$2000 in cash and prizes, all sponsored by Lochan. Some of the competing teams are Rising Stars, Mc Gill Superstars, Malvern Sports Club, and New York Strikers.

The day of the event will end with a floodlight tape-ball cricket competition in which the teams

The Mc Gill Superstars will be in action

will be battling for a first-place prize of $100,000, while the runners-up will pocket $20,000.

All participating teams are encouraged to walk with their own balls.

In an interview with Guyana Times Sport, Captain of the Rising Stars side, Elroy Fernandes, said, “We are happy that Lochan is giving back to the community.

We are hoping to come out on top and cop both prizes. Winning this would help us to get our ground in order and finish it. This would allow the young people in the village to participate.

Nevertheless, we are looking forward to the challenge, as the competition would feature players such as Devendra Bishoo and other First-Division players, which would make a win against

them even sweeter. I believe this competition will help us to get better, I know that for a team that isn’t recognised in Guyana, we have lots of talent, and I’m confident that we will soon produce players that are worthy to represent Guyana at all levels of cricket.”

Also sharing his views was former national player Travis Persaud of Mc Gill Superstars who said, “Well, basically it’s a Canal Number One premier league sponsored by an overseasbased Guyanese and former Mc Gill player. Friday night will be the drawing to see who will play who. We are the team to beat in this competition, because we have been dominating West Dem cricket for a while now and since this league limits just Canal teams to play, we expect to win.

Sheldon Cottrell bagged 4-67

Canal is a relatively large village and of the three teams, we are the most successful and most, if not everyone, expects us to win this competition. Having three national youth players and a lot of experienced guys in the team, we are most likely the favourites.”

The Rising Stars side will be dependent on their players Marvin Cheong, Shane Persaud, Shaquille Brisport and Captain Elroy Fernandes, who has had a successful 2019 leading the team with the bat. While the Mc Gill Superstars have a plethora of players to choose from such as Travis Persaud, Abdul Razack, and Keshram Seyhodan among others.

The first ball is set to be bowled at 09:00h.

Sri Lanka Innings (50 overs maximum) WIA Fernando c Paul b Joseph 127 FDM Karunaratne (c) c Allen b Cottrell 1 MDKJ Perera † c †Hope b Cottrell 0 BKG Mendis c †Hope b Joseph 119 NLTC Perera b Cottrell 36 AD Mathews b Joseph 1 DM de Silva b Cottrell 12 PWH de Silva run out (†Hope/ Cottrell) 17 I Udana not out 17 Extras 15 (lb 3, nb 2, w 10) TOTAL 345/8 (50 Overs, RR: 6.9) Did not bat: PADLR Sandakan, N Pradeep Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Dimuth Karunaratne, 2.2 ov), 2-9 (Kusal Perera, 2.3 ov), 3-248 (Kusal Mendis, 40.2 ov), 4-271 (Avishka Fernando, 42.2 ov), 5-274 (Angelo Mathews, 42.6 ov), 6-303 (Dhananjaya de Silva, 45.4 ov), 7-316 (Thisara Perera, 47.3 ov), 8-345 (Wanindu Hasaranga, 49.6 ov) BOWLING SS Cottrell JO Holder AS Joseph FA Allen KMA Paul RL Chase KA Pollard

O 10 8 10 6 7 6 3

M R 0 67 0 59 0 57 0 37 0 62 0 31 0 29

W 4 0 3 0 0 0 0

West Indies Innings (target: 346 runs from 50 overs) SD Hope † c Karunaratne b Mathews 51 SW Ambris run out (Mathews /Ud na) 17 DM Bravo c DM de Silva b PWH de Silva 16 RL Chase b Sandakan 20 N Pooran c Mathews b Sandakan 31 KA Pollard (c) b PWH de Silva 0 JO Holder b PWH de Silva 3 KMA Paul b Pradeep 21 FA Allen c NLTC Perera b Sandakan 17 AS Joseph b Pradeep 0 SS Cottrell not out 0 Extras 8 (lb 1, nb 1, w 6) TOTAL 184 all out (39.1 Overs, RR: 4.69) Fall of wickets: 1-64 (Sunil Ambris, 12.2 ov), 2-83 (Shai Hope, 17.1 ov), 3-93 (Darren Bravo, 20.1 ov), 4-130 (Roston Chase, 27.6 ov), 5-131 (Kieron Pollard, 28.2 ov), 6-137 (Jason Holder, 30.5 ov), 7-158 (Nicholas Pooran, 35.1 ov), 8-184 (Keemo Paul, 38.3 ov), 9-184 (Alzarri Joseph, 38.6 ov), 10-184 (Fabian Allen, 39.1 ov) BOWLING O M N Pradeep 6 0 NLTC Perera 5 0 I Udana 4 0 AD Mathews 5 0 PWH de Silva 10 0 PADLR Sandakan9.1 0

R W 37 2 18 0 21 0 20 1 30 3 57 3

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

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W

ith the aim “to inspire the love for our game and provide children with access to more opportunities to play football across our 41 Member Associations”, the CONCACAF Next Play festival was hosted on Wednesday at the Guyana Football Federation’s National Training Centre (NTC), Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

“Through the sport, we are promoting values, leadership and healthy lifestyles. Our aim is to deliver an official Football and Education School Program to be implemented in the public school system by engaging in meaningful and sustainable ways with local communities and using football as a tool for education and positive social change,” the official release added.

After several months of being introduced to the sport, nine teams on Wednesday had the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills as part of the culmination of the CONCACAF Next Play programme.

Described as a fantastic programme by country coordinator Bryan Joseph, the CONCACAF Next Play targeted primary schools in Guyana, in Regions Three, Four, Five, Six and 10.

The programme’s target audience were students under the age of 10 and it sought to introduce them to the sport while linking it to life lessons and challenges they may have experienced in their respective communities.

Linden’s C o o m a c ka Primary and St Aiden’s

Going for the goal! A glimpse of the action at the NTC

Country Coordinator Bryan Joseph instructs some students during Wednesday’s activity

Primary, West Demerara’s Blankenburg Primary, East Bank Demerara’s St Ann’s Primary, East Coast Demerara’s Victoria and Friendship Primary Schools, Berbice’s

New Amsterdam Primary and Georgetown’s Sophia and Tucville Primary Schools were all involved in the Wednesday’s next Play festival.

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One is to introduce new players to the game. Obviously a hundred kids were impacted directly here and part of the selection process in the schools was try to identify kids that are not involved in clubs,” Joseph disclosed.

He further went on to state, “From a social aspect, it’s more of trying to link football practices that they may face at home. It was a fantastic programme that was able to achieve that link, so we have some rounded kids growing up.”

The Next Play initiative began back in September and initially catered to 10 schools, but finished with nine.

While the students received information on the sport and life in general, the teachers were given coaches’ training as a precursor.

In his correspondence with the media, Joseph talked

about the positive feedback the GFF has received.

“The feedback has been good; actually, we’ve had some schools ask if they can now expand the programme.

When CONCACAF started the programme that was the idea; that at the end of the initial phase, that schools will see the need to keep working the programme. So, we’ve gotten that kind of feedback.”

Joseph went on to hint at the possibility of expanding the initiative in the future.

“Also, we’re contemplating trying to include some other schools.

The CONCACAF programme is going to extend beyond the schools that are here initially.”

The schools will also keep their new equipment should they want to continue the activity on their own. (Jemima Holmes)

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21

Hickerson is Open Singles Champion

B

erbice opened their threematch Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter-county U-17 campaign with a comprehensive win over Essequibo. Berbice will now shift their focus to arch-rivals Demerara today, Thursday, February 27 at Everest.

After the match, which was played at Encore on Tuesday last, Berbice U-17 Coach and former Guyana senior player Delbert Hicks noted that his team would be aiming to win the tournament.

“We haven’t won this tournament about three years and I think this is the year we should get the job done,” Hicks posited.

Reflecting on Berbice’s first win, he stated that it was a complete team effort. “We had a plan of posting over 250 batting first, but we got just over 200; and anything over that 200-run mark barrier will be a big target for Essequibo,” Hicks explained.

He lauded the bowlers’ efforts in putting the ball in the right areas, and the fielders for taking the catches and all the chances on offer.

Sharing his sentiments on the team, the veteran batsman disclosed that the team was an all-round group.

“The bowlers could bat a little bit; the batsmen could bowl a bit; I think it is a very balanced side,” Hicks noted.

Berbice’s U-17 team look a formidable unit with the former Guyana U-15 Captain Zeynul Ramsammy leading the troops. He will rely on his star players West Indies U-16 pacer Isai Thorne and all-rounder Jonathan Rampersaud and others.

Coach Delbert Hicks

Meanwhile, Demerara are fresh from a four-wicket win; they were bailed out of trouble when Shemar Yearwood blasted an unbeaten halfcentury. The city boys will be led

by Zachary Jodah while star players Mavindra Dindyal and Chandrapaul Ramraj will want to put the Berbicians to the test.

Berbice squad reads: Zeynul Ramsammy (Captain); Hemchand Gurdyal; Mahendra Ramcharitar; Jonathan Rampersaud; Leon Cecil; Devon Sobhai; Tomani Caesar; Jermey Sandia; Isai Throne; Christopher Deeroop; Naresh Veersammy; Paveshwar Ganesh and Satya France.

Demerara squad reads: Zachary Jodah (Captain); Anthony Khan; Jaden Campbell; Mavindra Dindyal; Ajay Gainda; Shemar Yearwood; Chandrapaul Ramraj; Nicholas Rajpat; Rudranauth Kissoon; Romel Datterdeen; Alvin Mohabir; Krsna Singh; Taddeus Lovell and Jagdesh Dowlatran. (Brandon Corlette)

GTTA President Godfrey Munroe alongside National Coach Linden Johnson, Vincent Alexander and successful participants of the tournament

T

he curtains on the annual Forbes Burnham Table Tennis Championship came down as the final night saw Orin Hickerson emerging victorious in the Open Singles category.

Hickerson was able to defeat Elishaba Johnson 4-1 in the final, while Jonathan Van Lange and Nigel Bryan were joint third-place finishers. Earlier, in semi-final one, Hickerson and Bryan faced off in a one-sided affair that ended 4-1 (11-7, 11-9, -5-11, 11-5 and 11-9) in favour of Hickerson. In the second semi-final, Van Lange faced off against Johnson; once again, there wasn't an underdog story as Johnson whipped Van Lange for the third time in a row. Johnson was able to beat Van Lange 4-2 (-10-12, 11-9, -9-11, 11-7, 11-5 and 11-6).

Johnson and Hickerson displayed a level of tennis unlike any other; this made the final worth watching. But in a twist, Johnson surrendered his game to the more senior Hickerson as the young talent was outdone by pure class. In round one, Johnson emerged victorious 11-6; this gave him a glimmer of hope. But it was in that exact moment that Hickerson went beast mode on his opponent to take the other four games 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 and 11-8 to close out the tournament in grand style.

Also emerging victorious from the tournament were Johnson who won the 21 Years Singles and the B Class Singles, and Narren Persaud of Titans Table Tennis Club who copped the C Class Open Singles.

22

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

Team Jamaica Scorpions

S

corpions have surged into third place in the championship table following two wins, including a seven-wicket victory over the Jaguars on the road in the fourth round. The Jags’ defence of their title hit a further snag, when a strong second-innings batting performance from Volcanoes held them to a draw in the previous round.

This sets up the battleground for an intense contest between the two sides, with the Scorpions eyeing a third successive win to keep their surge on course and the Jaguars seeking to get back on track. The Scorpions’ will to win is enhanced by the reality that they have won their last two matches against the Jags, including the corresponding fixture last season, when they clinched an eight-wicket triumph.

They will be hoping the change of scenery from Sabina Park in the Jamaica capital

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of Kingston does not affect Jaguars have brought spinner the trend and that they can Gudakesh Motie and Akshaya complete a season sweep Persaud in to replace Test legand stop the Jaguars from spinner Devendra Bishoo and returning the favour of a Shimron Hetmyer, who has flown defeat on home soil. Both to Sri Lanka to be part of the West teams have been forced to Indies Twenty20 International squad make changes to their line- for their imminent series against the ups, but the Scorpions appear hosts. to be the harder hit.

This will be a memorable Hardworking pacer match for Jaguars’ left-arm spinner Derval Green has been sidelined with injury; offspinner Peat Salmon, the hero of the previous match between the two sides, has been suspended from bowling by Cricket West Indies (CWI) because of a suspect action; and Guyanese left-hander Assad Fudadin, whose intimate knowledge of the opposition could be useful, has been omitted because of poor form.

The Guyanese in the four matches he played this season has scored only 83 runs in eight innings. This season, he has a poor average of 10.37 with a high score of 34.

The 34-year-old lefthander played a total of 110 First-Class matches, with six centuries and 24 Team Guyana Jaguars half-centuries to his name with an average of 29.42. Veerasammy Permaul, if he plays.

Since his First-Class debut He will be appearing in his 100th in 2004, Fudadin has 5208 match in the championship for the runs. He also played three visitors, becoming only the sixth Test matches for the West player in domestic West Indies FirstIndies. Fudadin’s scores Class matches to have achieved this 4-Day season are: 09, this landmark. A number of other 34, 07, 09, 03, 19, 02 and players stand on the threshold of Assad Fudadin is dropped after poor form (Brandon 00. personal milestones which could be Corlette photos)

Lady Jags win to play another stage

Teamwork between the goalkeeper and Guyana’s defence held off Puerto Rico as they looked to find the equaliser in the dying minutes of the game

T

he Under-20 Lady Jags will go on to play the next round of the CONCACAF Women’s U-20 Championships after a nail-biting victory over Puerto Rico on Tuesday afternoon.

What began as a frustrating encounter to watch for the Lady Jags turned out to be another check in the book and three points added to their tally, as a late surge from the Guyanese ladies resulted in the win over Puerto Rico.

While Guyana were dominant in the first half of the game, their shot selection and finishing were off, as the Under-20 Ladies failed to find the back of the net. In seven clear chances at the goal for

the first 45 minutes, Aubrey Narine found herself in oneon-one battles with the goalkeeper in the 18-yard box at least four times, but could not convert for Guyana’s first goal.

The ice was eventually broken by the most unlikely person in the second half, Puerto Rico’s goalkeeper Cristina Roque. Readying herself to scoop up a corner kick coming in from Jenea Knight, Roque made a grave mistake, allowing the ball to slip from her hands into the nets, for Guyana’s first goal in the 54th minute.

Guyana’s strong defence made sure that Puerto Rico could not even the score in the following minutes as they

sought to hold out for the remainder of the game.

However, Anaya Johnson found herself in the 18-yard box, crossing the ball to Narine in the 81st minute. Narine finally got her redemption after a rocky first half, toeing the ball into the vacant goal for Guyana’s second.

Despite being two down, Puerto Rico refused to give up as Gabrielle Cimino had a one-woman campaign in pursuit of a goal. Initially battling with Johnson within range of the goal, Cimino got past the defence and Guyana’s custodian, Anessa O Brien in the 88th minute for Puerto Rico’s consolation goal.

The Lady Jags will come up against Mexico today, February 27 in their final group encounter. However, with the 2-1 victory over Puerto Rico and a 3-1 win over Nicaragua, Guyana have cemented their place in the next stage of the competition.

This stage will see the top three finishers in each group advancing to the knockout single-match elimination stage. Thereafter, the finalists and third-place winners will qualify to participate in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2020. (Jemima Holmes)

accomplished in the match, if they play: Nkrumah Bonner (Scorpions) has taken 45 championship wickets and needs five more for 50 John Campbell (Scorpions) has scored 2910 championship runs and needs 90 more for 3000 Keon Joseph (Jaguars) has taken 91 championship wickets and needs nine more for 100

Motie has taken 96 championship wickets and needs four more for 100 Raymon Reifer (Jaguars) has taken 142 championship wickets and needs eight more for 150, and Vishaul Singh (Jaguars) has scored 2998 championship runs and needs two more for 3000.

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he Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) in a statement announced the names of the elected National Coaches that will be guiding Guyana’s ruggers, at every participatory regional and international level.

On February 25, 2020, the newly-elected body met, and nominations were opened for Head and Assistant Coaches for the Under-19, Senior Men 15s, Senior Men 7s and the women’s teams.

Below are the names of the elected: Head Adonis

Under 19 Coach: Laurence

U-19 and Senior Men 15s Coach Laurence Adonis

Senior Men 7s Coach Theodore “Theo” Henry

Assistant Coach: Oslen Ollivierre

“Sabby” Gray

Senior Men 15s Head Coach: Laurence Adonis Assistant Coach: Oslen Ollivierre Senior Men 7s Head Coach: Theodore “Theo” Henry Assistant Coach: Kevin “Buck” McKenzie

Women’s Head Coach Kenneth “Shane” Grant-Stuart

Women Head Coach: Kenneth “Shane” Grant-Stuart Assistant Coach: Sabola

The coaches’ tenure will run concurrently with the tenure of the executive – two years. The election of the coaches was done ahead of the Rugby America North (RAN) 15s competition, where the Green Machine will be first taking on rivals Trinidad and Tobago in Guyana, on a date yet to be affixed.

Guyana will then butt heads with the winners of the match between Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2020

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

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Fudadin-less Scorpions set to battle Jaguars today

Page 22 Guyana-based player Shamaya Daniels in action

Team Guyana Jaguars

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The group of students involved in the Next Play programe

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