Guyana Times Thursday July 11, 2019

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Better Hope robbery-murder

Businessman, daughter laid to rest Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3981

THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURsday, july 11, 2019

PRICE

CCJ consequential orders

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Opposition calls for elections by September 18 Gunmen rob delivery truck at Agricola

Executive order

Former AG slams Executive's P9 interference in judicial process Page 3

See story on page 15

Councillors accuse Govt of politicising Reg 8 admin office See story on page 10

…MP, PNC affiliates given house, office by RDC Page 16

Harvey Gulf commissions

office in Guyana

Lamaha Springs’ residents

fume over road woes

Page 16

Confusion swirls ahead of meeting to shortlist GECOM Chairman nominees

…as utterances of Govt reps leave more questions than answers …Opposition seeks clarity on Govt's contradictory statements

$80 vat included

Page 7

Son jailed for threatening to kill father P8

Large quantity of ammunition unearthed on Essequibo Coast P15

Berserk church member slits pensioner’s P8 throat

$539M Public Health Ministry bond P16 opens

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thursday, JUly 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

news

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thursday, JUly 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

CCJ consequential orders

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

Opposition calls for

Thursday, July 11 – 12:30h-14:00h and Friday, July 12 – 01:30h-13:00h and 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Thursday, July 11 – 11:40h-13:10h and Friday, July 12 – 12:55h-14:25h.

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery to light rain showers will prevail throughout the day into the evening, followed by partly cloudy skies. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

elections by September 18

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he People’s Progressive Party has released its proposals for consequential orders, in which it submitted that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) order elections to be held by September 18, 2019 and urges the regional Court to protect Guyana from Constitutional abuse.

Winds: South-westerly to East North-easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.12 metres.

High Tide: 12:06h reaching a maximum height of 2.30 metres.

Low Tide: 05:35h and 18:01h reaching minimum heights of 0.86 metre and 0.92 metre.

WEDNESday, JULY 10, 2019

LOTTERY NUMBERS C

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

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

The regional Court is expected to hand down its consequential orders on Friday. On Wednesday, the Opposition released to the media its full submissions on how it believes the country should proceed now that it is confirmed that the Government was defeated by a No-Confidence Motion last year.

In the submission, the Opposition noted that the Court should order that the Cabinet, including the President, should have resigned but remain in office to hold elections within three months of June 18, when the CCJ had ruled that the December 21, 2018 passage of the No-Confidence Motion was valid.

The Opposition also suggested that an order should be given for the President to announce a date for General and Regional Elections, no later than September 18, 2019. This, it was noted, is because the next general election is due in the first half of 2020.

Hence, the effect of the consequential orders which the Attorney General and Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are seeking would render the vote of no-confidence against the coalition entirely “ineffective and otiose”.

“The vote of no-confidence, if given effect to, would have shortened the term of office of the Government by at least one year, the effect of the consequential order which they seek would be to permit the Government to serve out its full five-year term. This Honourable Court is urged not to sanction such a cynical and indeed transparent attempt to subvert the Constitution,” the Opposition argued in its submission.

Furthermore, the Opposition said the regional Court should order that the current list of electors be used for the upcoming elections. The Opposition submitted that had there been elections back in March after the December passage of the motion, then the current list would have been used.

Importantly, the parliamentary Opposition pointed

out that there are no provisions in the law to postpone the hosting of polls to conduct House-to-House registration.

The party detailed exactly why the October 31, 2018 list can still be used. The submissions also asked for liberty to apply.

On the matter of the appointment of a new GECOM Chairman, the Opposition expressed concern that the Government may try to “draw out” the process of appointing a new Chairman. As such, it asked the Court to order the President appoint a Chairman within three days of being given a final list of six nominees not unacceptable to the President, arising out of consultations between the two sides.

And noting that the Court challenges would have caused Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and PPP Executive Secretary Zulficar Mustapha to incur great expenses on their part, the Opposition requested that the Court award costs.

Govt’s submission

The Government had previously released the proposals it submitted for consequential orders to the CCJ, in which it once again raised questions about the Court’s jurisdiction by claiming that the CCJ cannot set an election date.

According to the consequential order proposals, which were released by the Attorney General’s chambers, the opposing parties are seeking consequential orders – like compelling the Government to hold elections in the three months it should have done in the first place— that are “contrary” to legal principles.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)

The Government side claimed that the CCJ “has no jurisdiction to set the date for elections nor to dissolve Parliament”. This is even though President David Granger has failed to do either, in keeping with the constitutional provisions.

The Government also claimed in its proposals that “there is no evidence that the President has failed to comply with his duties.

Consequentially, there is no basis to order that the President act on his constitutional duty to set a date for elections or to dissolve Parliament”.

Thus, the Government is seeking an order that allows the President, Prime Minister, Ministers, and Cabinet to remain in office until a President is sworn in after elections are held.

The Attorney General cited Article 106 (7) to defend this position.

However, Article 106 (6 and 7) says “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence”.

Meanwhile, Article 106 (7) states that “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election”.

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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

Unfavourable

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hose who follow news out of the USA would know that President Donald Trump is very comfortable with Fox News.

That’s because of their very favourable reporting of him and the Republican Party which he represents. Other news outlets with unfavourable reporting are deemed “fake news” entities.

Some political pundits there have gone as far as branding Fox as anti-Democratic Party; Trump’s opposition. From its reporting, especially since he became President, it would be difficult to offer an opposing view on Fox’s political leaning.

That said, President Trump, via Twitter, very recently, surprisingly lashed out at the network. He had done so before, but this time it appears more sarcastic. This time, he was unhappy with some hosts he sees as moderate, and over some Democrats being interviewed on the network. That reportedly led to his latest attack. The Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer, wasted no time in branding the attacks as “what dictators do” as part of shaming and shutting down the press.

Many would find it strange, or even unbelievable, that such developments have been associated with the USA, given that it’s the leader of the free world. What these developments probably demonstrate is the threat democracy faces, even in a place where threats are least expected. Some have asked that, if unfavourable reporting becomes a likely reason for threats in the bastion of democracy, what then can be expected in parts of the world where the label of freedom may just be a façade?

The reality in the face of that question may be more worrisome than thought. In Guyana, for instance, some recent developments would reveal such cause for worry. Leading these would probably be the President’s unilateral and unconstitutional appointment of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). In spite of this unconstitutionality being pointed out repeatedly, the President insisted he was within his rights. It took the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to officially deem the appointment unconstitutional, while reiterating the constitutional procedure in the process: The President must choose one person not unacceptable to him from a list of six submitted by the Leader of the Opposition.

Following that and ensuing efforts to have a Chairman appointed, the Government submitted eight names to be considered for the post. The President interpreted aspects of the CCJ’s ruling as allowing him to submit names. The Opposition Leader stated that he is not indisposed to such, but reaffirmed that the official submission is from him.

The action of the Opposition Leader has been seen as one of good faith, designed to get the process going. That said, concerns were subsequently raised by his office over what it sees as another attempt by the President to once again appoint a Chairman of his choice.

The eight names from the President’s side would have exacerbated related fears of the Opposition, given the known association of most, if not all, with the Government, and in particular the PNC. If a Chairman is once again unilaterally appointed, it would be another telling blow to democracy here, and an act of utter disregard for the CCJ’s ruling.

Over time, the Government has shown its willingness to circumvent the Constitution and disregard the rule of law to satisfy its self-interest through convenient interpretation. Aside from the GECOM Chairman’s unconstitutional appointment, the Government, while in Opposition, refused to accept the court’s ruling on budget cuts for some agencies. Just recently, a Presidential order prevented the Finance Minister from being jailed for failing to honour a decision of the court. It makes one believe that recent statements from a few senior Ministers: that the CCJ cannot rule for Guyana, are not coincidental, but are of a seemingly engrained desire.

Promoting itself above the Constitution and the rule of law is epitomised through the action of the PNC’s flag having been raised in the compound of the Appeal Court, and flown higher than the national one. That particular action, years ago, spoke unambiguously to Party paramountcy’s superiority over the state apparatus.

During that period of totalitarianism, some media outlets were denied permission to import newsprint so as to subvert the publishing of news critical to the then Government.

While the term “fake news” may not have been used at that time, it’s context today could be seen as similar to how some media entities critical of President Trump in the USA are being branded. He threatened closure of some through a suggested challenge of their licences. That’s in the free world, and while there is little or no chance of such actions succeeding there, its promotion can possible give leverage to some administrations in other parts of the world.

Here, the Government has not held back in noting its displeasure when some media entities carry stories it deemed as unfavourable.

While it may have stopped short of labelling any as “fake news”, its broadcasting regulatory arm has been accused by some of implementing censorship mechanisms, and, in the process, curtailing freedom of expression.

Nine frequencies were seized not too long ago. Is that the most ominous of signs which have crept in to what is supposed to be a democracy? The real answer stands the chance of being labelled “fake news”, as it could be seen as unfavourable.

Students of the CV Nunes Primary School in Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) share a light moment with the region’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) top student, Venisha Lall (centre) (Department of Public Information (DPI) photo)

Want to help people in Venezuela?

Your best bet might be bitcoin

...as the Venezuelan Government clamps down on aid coming into the country, donors have turned to cryptocurrencies

I

f any one image helped illustrate the unique nature of the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, it was a photograph taken in February, showing two shipping containers and a fuel tanker blocking a bridge to Colombia. The purpose of the barricade was to keep out a convoy of US-donated aid making its way to Venezuela from Bogota.

The attempted aid initiative took place in a particularly tense political context. Weeks earlier, the United States had officially recognised Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president, but the Government of Nicolás Maduro – which brought about the country’s economic collapse through mismanagement and corruption – clung to power.

For the Maduro regime, squashing what it saw as a politically motivated relief effort was a way to keep US and Opposition influence at bay. It was also a move that tracked with Maduro’s long history of turning down humanitarian help — he often notes his is not a nation of beggars and blames economic woes on US sanctions — even as there were signs of increasingly alarming conditions inside Venezuela.

The immensity of the need in Venezuela meant that the Government, in an about-face, has started allowing some streams of aid in recent months, including shipments of medical supplies and power generators from the Red Cross.

But Maduro’s refusal to formally declare a humanitarian emergency makes it

Venezuelan military officers blocked a bridge on the border with Colombia ahead of an anticipated humanitarian aid shipment on February 6, 2019 (Edinson Estupinan/AFP/Getty Images)

impossible for many other international agencies, including UNICEF and the World Food Programme, to get involved. And the humanitarian supplies that do make it to Venezuela can’t be easily distributed where they need to get to, since basic transportation infrastructure in the country has crumbled, and soldiers often steal provisions at military checkpoints.

Meanwhile, the small local aid groups that do their best to feed the hungry in the absence of significant foreign assistance are accused by officials of anti-government activism.

In that intractable landscape, Venezuelans in need have increasingly turned to a new tool to receive aid, one that facilitates the delivery of both charitable donations and remittances: cryptocurrency. As Venezuela continues sinking into the worst economic crisis in its history, it is also emerging as a unique case study for the potential of digital money to make aid possible and decrease suffering in distressed areas.

Imagine you’re a Venezuelan living in the US. You have family members back home in Caracas, the capital, who you know are hanging in there, but desperately need some help.

But there are very few avenues at your disposal. You could try shipping packages filled with necessities, like shampoo or clothes or canned food, but there’s no guarantee that those would make it to their intended recipients. You could wire your relatives, or local non-profits, some money, but bank transfers can take a long time, and the Venezuelan Government would slap heavy fines. So, you grab your smartphone and turn to a last resort: bitcoin. That allows you to tap into a new and growing ecosystem of aid delivery in Venezuela, one that’s built entirely around direct, intermediary-free cryptocurrency transactions.

Take local charities like the Bitcoin for Venezuela Initiative or EatBCH. They receive cryptocurrency donations from around the world — incurring almost

no cost or fees from intermediaries along the way — to purchase food for the needy in Venezuela. Reaching people at soup kitchens and distribution centres across the country, those two operations serve thousands of meals a day. It’s a model that is now being replicated in places like Nicaragua or South Sudan.

There’s also been experimentation with direct cryptocurrency transfers. Earlier this year, GiveCrypto, a San Francisco charity, provided temporary assistance to hundreds of vulnerable families in Venezuela through weekly crypto deposits worth around US$7. Every week from February to April, families received the deposits through a smartphone app, which they were then able to trade for local currency through online transfers. As CNBC reported, that weekly infusion of digital money — equal to the monthly minimum wage in Venezuela — helped participating families stop having to skip meals.

Another initiative, spearheaded by online currency exchange platform AirTM, will “airdrop” a one-time crypto payment of US$10 to 100,000 individuals in Venezuela this coming August. So far, the company has raised about US$300,000 from donations toward its US$1 million goal.

Cryptocurrency has also paved the way for fast, cost-effective remittances — money transfers from friends and family abroad — that elude Government restrictions. (Excerpt from vox.com) To be continued

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

Cannot be trusted to tell the truth Dear Editor, In full disclosure, whenever I write a letter to the press, I always identify myself as a PPP/C Member of Parliament.

That way, the readers know with which political party I am associated with and can judge whether or not my opinions or criticism of the Government are credible. Full disclosure not only acknowledges possible conflicts of interest, but it is meant to keep the writer honest. Failure to do so compromises one’s integrity and exposes their biasness.

Mark DaCosta is a paid PNC/APNU Campaign Manager whose main task is to discredit the PPP/C using gutter-politics, misinformation, and propaganda. His failure to disclose his association with the PNC/APNU is a deliberate attempt to hide his true identity and to mislead the Guyanese people into believing his lies and deception. But as the campaign manager, writer, and columnist for the PNC/APNU, Mark DaCosta cannot be trusted to tell the truth.

It is ironic that in his letter, “Irfaan Ali and the PPP Cannot Be Trusted”, published in the Guyana Chronicle on July 9, DaCosta accused the PPP/C of doing exactly what the APNU/AFC has done over the past four years they were in office. But as always, this Government blames the PPP/C for everything that goes wrong in the country although the

PPP/C have not been in office since 2015. Let me, therefore, remind the dishonest Mark DaCosta, whose memory is as short as he is, that it was the APNU/AFC who destroyed the sugar industry and put over 7,000 sugar workers on the breadline. It is this Government, under the incompetent Minister of Public Security, that caused crime to increase significantly, despite the blatant lies being parroted by Mark DaCosta that “major crimes have been reduced by 50 per cent”. How can anyone be such a bold-faced liar when Guyanese are murdered almost daily during some senseless robbery that is covered daily in the media, except the Government-propaganda newspaper that carries his letters?

It is the Government he protects, that is wreaking havoc in the education system since they took office. Despite spending over $172 Billion over the last four years in the sector, President Granger, himself, admitted that he was “not happy with the results in English, Science and Social Studies”, while commenting on the recent NGSA results. Based on figures provided by the Ministry of Education, 61 per cent or 8,723 of the candidates were unable to pass Social Studies.

The failure rate for Science and Mathematics stood at 57.6 per cent and 58 per cent respectively. Further, the figures trans-

Dear Editor, Guyana is in a crisis caused by obtuse interpretations of its constitution— an obstinate administration is refusing to accept the consequences of losing a motion of no-confidence in the legislature. All Guyanese know that delay tactics are being employed to postpone mandatory General and Regional Elections. This is not the first time in our short history we have been faced with an obstinate administration. In 2014, when faced with certain defeat (by 33 votes to 32), then President Donald Ramotar prorogued Parliament from November 10, 2014 to February 28, 2015.

Under pressure from civil and diplomatic entities, Ramotar set a date for election seventy one days into prorogation and announced dissolution of Parliament for a later date to allow for a full period of claims and objections in the electoral process. Prorogation is the formal term for the period between the end of one parliamentary session and the start of the next. In contrast to dissolution, prorogation is a personal prerogative power formally in the hands of the President. Crucially, the consent of MPs is not required.

During those seventy one days, the utterances of representatives of various foreign nations make for interesting reading.

Fifty nine days into prorogation (8.1.2015), the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office Minister, Tobias Ellwood, said “The UK Government views with concern the continued prorogation of Parliament

by His Excellency President Ramotar and calls for its earliest possible resumption.

Parliament is required by Guyana’s Constitution and the Commonwealth Charter; it provides the necessary checks and balances and enables citizens’ voices to be heard. The suspension of Parliament therefore means that an essential element of a functioning democracy has been put on hold”.

Sixty seven days into prorogation (16.1.2015), Chargé d’Affaires at the US embassy in Georgetown Bryan Hunt said “…I look forward to the announcement from President (Donald) Ramotar as to when the electoral campaign will begin and as I (said) we’re already discussing very actively with the Government, with the Guyana Elections Commission, with other stakeholders as to how the United States can play a constructive role in making sure that process moves forward and we see a return to a parliamentary democracy, a Parliament that is elected by the Guyanese people to move the country forward,”.

Yesterday (10.7. 2019), marked 200 days since the Granger administration fell to an actual No-Confidence Motion. Many actors have been constrained in response because of respect for the Judicial process. It will be interesting to see how they react after Guyana’s final appellate forum, the Caribbean Court of Justice, delivers its orders on Friday, July 12. In sport, all one can hope is for consistency from any referee to ensure a fair and level playing field.

I look forward to see how the whistle is blown in the coming weeks.

Then and now

Respectfully, Robin Singh

late to 8,294 and 8,236 candidates being unable to pass Mathematics and Science respectively.

It is the APNU/AFC Government that placed a heavy financial burden on UG students by raising tuition by over 35 per cent, and the entire population by raking in $88 Billion more in taxes than what the GRA raked in under the PPP/C by the end of 2014.

And it was this APNU/AFC Government that fired 1,972 young Amerindians enrolled in the CSO Programme, depriving those hinterland communities of over $720 Million per year, which continues to push our Indigenous People to the point

of destitution. By comparison, APNU/AFC ministers and Vice President paid themselves over $245 Million annually, mere weeks after they gained office in 2015.

And now for the mother of all lies. In his letter, Mark DaCosta deliberately misrepresented a recent report published by a Nasdaq Contributor, Prableen Bajpai, stating that, “…under the APNU/AFC coalition, Guyana now has the fastest growing economy in the world.”

The truth is, under the APNU/ AFC, Guyana’s Growth Rate Projection (GDP) grew by 3 per cent in 2015. In 2016, our GDP grew by only 2.6 per cent and by a dismal 2.1 per cent in 2017

(https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2018/04/14/guyanarecords-lowest-growth-rate-indecades/). In 2018, our GDP improved to 4.1 per cent, and it is projected to grow by 4.6 per cent this year. So how is it possible for Guyana to have the “fastest growing economy in the world”? What the Nasdaq Contributor, Prableen Bajpai, actually said in his report, is that the “Guyana’s economy is expected to grow by 33.5 per cent and 22.9 per cent in 2020 and 2021 respectively.” (https:// oilnow.gy/featured/guyana-isthe-fastest-growing-economyin-the-world-says-nasdaq-contributor/) This is, of course, after oil

production would have started next year.

I feel sorry for men like Mark DaCosta and the attorney who represented GECOM at the CCJ hearing. It is a hard sell trying to convince anyone except some PNC hard-core supporters, that this APNU/ AFC Government has any morality and decency left, and so they give baskets to a faithful few to fetch water, knowing fully well that an unscrupulous character would do, say, and write anything for money.

Sincerely, Harry Gill PPP/C Member of Parliament

WPA and its no-membership status Dear Editor, Peeping Tom was quite accurate in his pronouncement that the WPA is a “Paper Tiger”. The facts will show that today they have almost no membership. Today, like political “con artists”, they present themselves as an idea, but this is all a ploy to sell themselves as some political force to be reckoned with, when reality would illustrate that this idea that they continually refer to died with Dr Walter Rodney.

So all this hot air today from people like Dr David Hinds cannot be reconciled with grounded facts.

But Dr Hinds’s utterances expose an agenda that definitely fosters ethnic supremacy. If one dissects carefully his messages, one would find they are hollow and devoid of any bold political solutions that can aid in unleashing the full potential of our people. What Dr. Hinds is prepared to do today is support these “lumpen” bourgeoisie, who are prepared to put forward names like Kads Khan or Stanley Ming as GECOM Chairman, knowing fully well that these people were both key participants of the PNC campaign from 2001 and beyond.

Whatever little principle Dr Hinds has left, it appears he is prepared to consecrate it at the altar of political opportunism, all in the interest of ethnic supremacy of a few, as confirmed in his “Hinds’ Sight” Column on July 7, 2019.

But what Dr. Hinds does not tell this nation is that, since June 2015, the eth-

nic group that he pretends to support did not advance economically under this Granger Government, now JUNTA. If one were to walk in villages like Victoria, Manchester on the Corentyne, and so many other villages, one would see with one’s own eyes evidence of the economic decay over the last four (4) years; yet, the likes of Dr Hinds want these people to bear their economic pain and march with the Granger JUNTA, all in the name of marching with your “kith and kin”.

What Dr Hinds is not telling these people is those pertinent facts on how many millions were lost to the treasury since January 2019 because members of this Granger JUNTA used the sweat and earnings of these very same people in Victoria and their brothers in Enmore to pay for their duty-free items.

What he is not telling these people is that, while 50,000 of their families have to wait for 2 years or more for their “quarter of an acre of land”, some 20 “close men” in the Granger JUNTA have transferred some 23,000 acres of land from the State to their personal assets.

While I have nothing against any Guyanese owning oil blocks, like Eric Phillips, when the process lacks transparency and has resulted in these very same people in Victoria losing millions in potential wealth, I have no choice but to reject such financial skulduggery and plunder.

If you look carefully at Dr Hinds’s message, he has de-

viously attempted to vary the narrative away from the political dishonesty and legal evil that is being practised by this Granger JUNTA today. What Dr. Hinds offers them instead is an illusionary bag of gold that will never become a reality once this Granger JUNTA stays in power.

That is why the question posed by Dr. Hinds is extremely dangerous. The question: “How the politicians plan to manage the expected collective wealth”, while it is a valid question in a stable political environment, it remains dangerous in the current political dispensation, because it attempts to play mind games with the people. There is nothing in this oil revenue for the people of Victoria if this heist on the treasury continues by this Granger JUNTA. Dr Hinds’s latest political deception is that there needs to be a credible voters’ list, and he cautions the CCJ to take care. But let me expose his subterfuge: The evidence will show that, since 1992, Guyana has had credible voters’ lists on every occasion. Since 2008, when the last House-to-House Registration was done, there has not been one attempt at voter fraud (e.g. someone voted twice, or someone fraudulently impersonating a legitimate voter). Not ONE! But

yet Dr. Hinds parrots the usual line that the list is not credible, which is nothing but an untruth.

Since 2008, there have been Continuous Registration and four (4) Claims and Objections processes, which all contributed to a list that is as clean as is practically possible. These updated lists have served four (4) elections excellently. Even an international not-for-profit entity (IDEA) provided a study that reveals that Guyana has one of the cleanest voters’ lists in the Caribbean. Yet Dr. Hinds has the nerve to attempt to lecture this nation on the credibility of the list.

One famous philosopher once said it is the intellectuals who destroy the seeds of good and fertilise the seeds of evil that grow up to ruin mankind.

Dr Hinds’s actions aptly support this prognosis.

We, the people, must never trust the words of Dr David Hinds, since most of his utterances prove that he is unfit and not credible to be an independent commentator. His only game plan is to mislead, and we must not fall victim to this game, which is grounded in the supremacy of one group over another.

Regards, Sasenarine Singh

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Foundation

G

ing patterns. When they are lined up by size and similar striping pattern, the first twenty two of the pairs these are called autosomes; the final pair of chromosomes are called sex chromosomes, X and Y. The sex chromosomes determine whether you’re a boy or a girl: females have two X chromosomes while males have one X and one Y. But not every living thing has 46 chromosomes inside of its cells. For instance, a fruit fly cell only has four chromosomes!

enes (say: jeenz) play an important role in determining physical traits – how we look – and lots of other stuff about us. They carry information that makes you who you are and what you look like: curly or straight hair, long or short legs, even how you might smile or laugh. Many of these things are passed from one generation to the next in a family by genes.

What is a gene?

Genes carry the information that determines your traits (say: trates), which are features or characteristics that are passed on to you – or inherited – from your parents. Each cell in the human body contains about 25,000 to 35,000 genes.

For example, if both of your parents have green eyes, you might inherit the trait for green eyes from them. Or if your mom has freckles, you might have freckles too because you inherited the trait for freck-

les. Genes aren’t just found in humans – all animals and plants have genes, too.

Where are these important genes? Well, they are so small you can’t see them.

Genes are found on tiny spaghetti-like structures called chromosomes (say: KROmoh-somes). And chromo-

How do genes work?

somes are found inside cells. Your body is made of billions of cells. Cells are the very small units that make up all living things. A cell is so tiny that you can only see it using a strong microscope.

Chromosomes come in matching sets of two (or

pairs) and there are hundreds – sometimes thousands – of genes in just one chromosome. The chromosomes and genes are made of DNA, which is short for deoxyribonucleic (say: deeox-see-ri-bo-nyoo-CLAY-ik) acid.

Most cells have one nu-

Each gene has a special job to do. The DNA in a gene spells out specific instructions –much like in a cookcleus (say: NOO-clee-us). book recipe – for making The nucleus is a small egg- proteins (say: PRO-teens) shaped structure inside in the cell. Proteins are the the cell which acts like the building blocks for everybrain of the cell. It tells ev- thing in your body. Bones ery part of the cell what to and teeth, hair and eardo. But, how does the nu- lobes, muscles and blood, cleus know so much? It con- are all made up of proteins. tains our chromosomes and Those proteins help our genes. As tiny as it is, the bodies grow, work properly, nucleus has more informa- and stay healthy. Scientists tion in it than the biggest today estimate that each dictionary you’ve ever seen. gene in the body may make In humans, a cell nu- as many as 10 different cleus contains 46 individu- proteins. That’s more than al chromosomes or 23 pairs 300,000 proteins! of chromoLike chromosomes, s o m e s genes also (chromocome in Genes carry the somes pairs. Each information that come in of your parpairs, reents has determines your member? 23 x two copies of traits (say: trates), 2 = 46). Half of each of their which are features or these chromogenes, and somes come each parent characteristics that from one parpasses along are passed on to you ent and half just one copy come from the – or inherited – from to make up other parent. the genes your parents Under the you have. microscope, Genes that we can see are passed that chromosomes come in on to you determine many different lengths and strip- of your traits, such as your

hair colour and skin colour.

Maybe Emma’s mother has one gene for brown hair and one for red hair, and she passed the red hair gene on to Emma. If her father has two genes for red hair, that could explain her red hair.

Emma ended up with two genes for red hair, one from each of her parents.

You also can see genes at work if you think about all the many different breeds of dogs. They all have the

genes that make them dogs instead of cats, fish, or people. But those same genes that make a dog a dog also make different dog traits.

So some breeds are small and others are big. Some have long fur and others have short fur. Dalmatians have genes for white fur and black spots, and toy poodles have genes that make them small with curly fur. You get the idea! (Excerpt from kidshealth.org)

Astronaut Glove Box

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pollo astronauts have brought back more than 800 pounds of Moon rocks and soil to Earth. We are still studying the rocks and soil to learn more about the origins of the Moon and the Earth. One recent and surprising discovery is that most of the craters on the Moon came from a single, catastrophic event.

A scientist at NASA still remembers handling her first Apollo sample decades ago, wearing three sets of gloves and working in a nitrogen-filled glove box. “Just to pick it up was really exciting,” she says, “because I was picking up a piece of the Moon.”

Supplies (for each glove box)

•Large cardboard box for examining rocks • Utility knife (adults only) • Rubber gloves (small size for small hands) •Duct tape • Small plastic bowls (optional) •Magnifying glass •Small ruler •Rocks of various sizes and shapes •Plastic wrap •Clipboard and paper •Pen or pencil Step one should be done by adults only: First, cut the lid flaps off of the cardboard box. Then cut two round holes on both sides of the box – holes large enough for kids to fit their hands through but small enough that you can tape the gloves to them (see next step).

Place the gloves through the holes you’ve cut, and position them for little hands – and make sure to put the left glove in the left hole and the right glove in the right hole!

Tip: If you point the thumbs inwards and slightly up the hand position will feel more natural.

Use duct tape to form a complete seal on the outside of the box where the gloves went in. Why is a complete seal so important to scientists and astronauts?

Fill the box with rocks, magnifying glass, and the optional small plastic bowls (for sorting rocks into categories by size, colour, roughness, etc).

Cover the top of the box with plastic wrap and seal with duct tape.

Observe the rocks, feel the rocks with hands, measure the rocks, and sort into the bowls.

While two kids are manipulating the rocks, two other kids can be taking notes about what their partners are seeing in the glove box. Then switch places. (startwithabook.org)

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thursday, JUly 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Confusion swirls ahead of meeting to shortlist GECOM Chairman nominees …as utterances of Govt reps leave more questions than answers …Opposition seeks clarity on Govt's contradictory statements

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head of the next meeting on Friday between representatives from the People’s Progressive Party and the ruling coalition, the Opposition has dispatched a letter to the Government seeking clarity on a number of issues.

In the letter, written by PPP member Gail Teixeira and addressed to Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, the Opposition sought clarity on what the Government meant when it said two names from the list submitted by the Opposition Leader were being actively considered.

The Party recalled that at Tuesday’s meeting with the President’s representatives, its representatives were informed that four of the names on Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s list of 11 nominees were labelled as: “no objection”, “tending towards acceptability” and “short listed”.

“You would recall that our specific enquiry of whether these four names are “not unacceptable” to the President was answered in the negative. In the circumstances, we now enquire of the meaning and purport of the terms “no objection”, “tending towards acceptability” and “short-listed”. We further and specifically enquire, hereof, whether these names are “not unacceptable” to the President.”

The letter added that the Party was also informed that another two of the names submitted were singled out as being “pending/under active consideration”. “In the circumstances, we now enquire of the meaning and purport of these terminologies; before whom are these names pending, under whose consideration are they active, the President or his representatives and are these names “not unacceptable” to the President?”

Teixeira also questioned whether the decision to reject five of these names and the reasons that were proffered, originated from President David Granger, or from his representatives – Harmon, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan.

“We must emphasise that if the views expressed at the meetings are those of the President’s representatives and not of the President, and, therefore, names “hammered out” at these engagements are still required to obtain the acceptability of the President, then these engagements would have been, largely, futile, if not, perfunctory.

“We agreed to this engagement to effectuate the “good faith” admonitions enunciated by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which must preponderate engagements be-

tween the President and the Leader of the Opposition.

We, therefore, expect that the President’s representatives will be duly authorised to make commitments at these engagements in their capacity as conduits of the President.”

Teixeira noted that so far, the engagements of her and her team – comprising other PPP parliamentarians Juan Edghill and Anil Nandlall – with the Government side have failed to meet these expectations.

“We are obliged to inform you that this communication and any response received hereto will be disclosed to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) before the 12th July 2019, so we shall appreciate a response by tomorrow, 11th July 2019, at 12 noon.”

The Party also noted that the Government’s response “may determine whether this engagement will continue or whether, we will revert to the Leader of the Opposition and the President engaging, personally, as mandated by Article 161 (2) of the Constitution.”

Since the CCJ ruled that former GECOM Chairman, Retired Justice James Patterson was appointed unconstitutionally, he has resigned. As such, Jagdeo and Granger have been trying to find a replacement to carry out the necessary early elections. In keeping

with this, Jagdeo submitted a list of 11 nominees gleaned from the lists he submitted in 2017, before Patterson’s unilateral appointment.

Jagdeo’s list comprises Retired Major General Joe Singh, who served as GECOM Chairman years ago; environmentalist Annette Arjoon-Martins, Retired Justice of Appeal BS Roy, businessman Captain Gerry Gouveia, Attorney-at-Law Kashir Khan, former Magistrate Krishnadatt Persaud, conflict resolution specialist Lawrence Latchmansingh; Retired Major General Norman McLean, businessman Ramesh Dookhoo, Retired Puisne Judge William Ramlall and Onesi La Fleur.

On the other hand, President Granger’s informal list comprises Retired Justices James Patterson, Claudette La Bennett, and Stanley Moore as well as economist Aubrey Armstrong, Attorney Kesaundra Alves and former Solicitor General Kim Kyte. The President also proposed known People’s National Congress (PNC) affiliates Stanley Ming (a former PNC parliamentarian) and Kads Khan.

The two sides are scheduled to meet again today, one day before the CCJ will hand down consequential orders on this matter and the No-Confidence Motion cases.

The letter that has been dispatched to the Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon

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thursday, JUly 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Berserk church member slits pensioner’s throat

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78-year-old man was attacked on Saturday while at church on Princes Street, Georgetown, by a member of the congregation, who reportedly recently got baptised but went berserk and cut the man's throat.

Guyana Times visited the injured man, Victor Daniels, at his Bent Street, Georgetown home on Wednesday, where he recalled that he and a few other church members, including the suspect, had finished some construction work and were cracking jokes when he was attacked.

Reports are the man was attacked at about 10:00h on Saturday morning.

“We were at the church.

We were fetching in sand because the fence got to be done and so. After we finish fetching in the sand, we were

The injured man, Victor Daniels

making jokes, you know the wuk done so we feel nice.

Suddenly I feel someone vice (choke) me but I feel is somebody making joke with me so I say wah wrong with ai yuh? We just done wuk stop making yourself stupid but then I feel it getting tighter and I feel like a prick so I just carry my arm (back) and I go down to the ground

and that is how it (the cut) come right up here,” the injured man recollected.

He said he was not sure who had hurt him until he heard the Priest and other church folks shouting at the man asking what he had done. By then, Daniels said he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was treated.

The man said he underwent a surgery and received 23 stitches to his neck. But in forgiving the youngster for what he had done, the pensioner said that he does not want the youth to go to jail.

“It’s not a robbery, that’s why I say something wrong.

He tripped out, that why I told the Police he needs psychiatric evaluation because in these things all they study is incarceration but if you incarcerate a man, when

he come out back is the same place he deh. It might even be worse,” the man stated.

According to him, the young man joined their congregation about a year ago and was, in fact, recently baptised.

The man’s wife, 75-yearold Veronica Daniels, told this newspaper that she thought she lost her husband when she got the news.

She said, “I say that’s it. I say my husband die because if you hear somebody slash your husband’s throat you know is not nothing (good)”.

She said she is nonetheless happy that her husband is alive today. Mrs Daniels also expressed that she wants the young man to receive psychiatric treatment as she believes he had a mental breakdown that caused him to operate the way he did.

Moruca man charged for killing sister

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Moruca, Region One (Barima-Waini) man, who launched a cutlass attack on his sisters and a baby during an argument, leaving one dead, was on Wednesday charged for murder and appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Twenty-four-year-old Randy Cozier of Moruca, North West District, Region One, appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan and was not required to plea to the indictable charge.

The charge stated that on July 4, 2019, at Moruca, North West District, he murdered Cynthia Cozier, his sister.

Randy Cozier

Cozier, who was a weeder, was smiling as the charge was being read to him.

Police Prosecutor

Gordon Mansfield, in his submissions to the Court, stated that on the day in question, Randy Cozier and the now deceased had an argument after the woman asked him to desist from threatening his other siblings.

It was reported that during that argument, the accused became annoyed and armed himself with two cutlasses and dealt his sister several chops to her neck and other parts of her body.

Another sister, Beverly Cozier, who saw what was transpiring, ran to push the suspect away from his sister but he turned the weapon on her, chopping her sev-

eral times about the body.

During the altercation, the baby was also wounded.

After committing the act, he made his good escape.

The victims were rushed to Kumaka District Hospital and then to the Suddie Hospital, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), where they were all admitted. However, Cynthia Cozier succumbed while receiving treatment.

The man was remanded to prison and the case will continue on August 5. The Chief Magistrate also ordered that Cozier be placed under the supervision of a probation officer for counselling while on remand.

Son jailed for threatening to kill father

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man, who laughed throughout Court proceedings, was sentenced to six months imprisonment for threatening to kill father over money to purchase cigarettes.

Twenty-five-year-old Pooran Deonarine Jr, of Lot 63 Brutus Street,

Agricola, East Bank Demerara, appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he denied the three charges.

The first charge stated that on July 5, 2019 at Lot 63 Brutus Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara, he

used threatening language towards his father, Pooran Deonarine.

It was further alleged that on the same day and at the same location, he damaged six windowpanes valued $20,000, property of his father.

Deonarine Jr, in his explanation to the Court, stated, “I am unemployed, and yes, I threatened to kill him because I wanted the money to buy cigarettes. The only reason I pelt stones through the window was to get his attention”.

Police Prosecutor Annalisa Brummell told the Court that on the day in question, the victim was at home when Deonarine Jr showed up and demanded $1, 000 from his father to buy cigarettes in which he refused.

The Court heard that Deonarine Jr then became annoyed and began to threaten to kill his father.

The elderly man, who became fearful for his life, locked himself inside his home when his son picked up several stones from the yard and threw them

Pooran Deonarine Jr

through the window causing damages. The matter was then reported and Deonarine Jr was arrested and charged.

The Prosecutor pointed out to the Court that defendant was laughing throughout the Court proceeding and the fact that the charge is a serious one.

The Magistrate, after listening to the facts, sentenced the man to six months for the threatening language and fined him $20,000, or in default, one month imprisonment for the damage to property.

Sinking… …Guyana economically While the PNC’s consumed with clinging on to power -by making a mockery of the Constitution and the Judiciary -- most of us are fixated on the looming political standoff.

But we can’t afford to ignore the impact that standoff’s gonna have on our hopes for raising the standard of living for all Guyanese. In its first iteration, from 1964 to 1992, the PNC’s policies plunged our economy from where it was - on par with the very best of its CariCom neighbours -- to where it was hovering just above Haiti, the poster boy for poverty in the Western Hemisphere.

And why did that happen? Fundamentally, it was because of the same political standoff -- caused then by two decades of PNC rigging elections -- which silenced the major Opposition from influencing the economic development plans for the country. The problem with the PNC - starting with their founder, Forbes Burnham, who suffered from dogmatic subjectivism -- is that while they haven’t the foggiest notion about economic development, they’re yet intensely fanatical about their personal fads on the subject. For Burnham, it was “cooperative socialism”, just because he had to be different from his bete noir, Cheddi Jagan! Burnham once publicly proclaimed that he didn’t care if the entire Guyana perished, his “economic experiment” would continue!!

So, if Granger’s PNC were to be successful in locking out the PPP by rigging the next elections -- which is the only reason Granger stood on his head to hand-pick the next GECOM Chair, and is doing backflips even after the CCJ slapped him down -- what can we expect from them on the economic front? All we’ve got to do is look at what they’ve done over the last four years: to wit, promise the Guyanese people that oil will solve all our economic woes!!

Now, apart from sticking us with the worst oil contract since Standard Oil struck and claimed oil under the Arabian sands, leaving us with (comparative) peanuts, even some PNC diehards’ eyes would pop to learn that large oil reserves don’t necessarily lead to better standards of living for the citizenry. Especially in ‘shithole’ countries!! And it’s not just next-door Venezuela; look at Nigeria, the largest oil producer in Africa, which has overtaken India as the country with the LARGEST NUMBER OF POOR PEOPLE!!

And let’s not even talk about Equatorial Guinea!!

The bottom line is, sadly, drilling and pumping oil doesn’t produce jobs – and whatever money is gleaned from the contract, goes into the national treasury, rather than the people’s pockets.

And from what we’ve seen during the last four years, don’t even ask where the money from the Treasury will go!!

Just like Nigeria!! …into the theatre of the absurd The antics of Granger and other members of his government -- especially his Attorney General, to whom he astonishingly awarded “silk” -- can only be described in the style of the “theatre of the absurd”. After all, with notions like “33 is not the majority of 65”, and “the President must also submit lists”, what else can we conclude, except that we’re all now been thrown into a parallel universe that has no meaning?!!

After Granger tried explaining stuff like “Judicial Review” – his “perception is as good as the “Chief Justice’s”!! and the disjunctive “or” -- the same as “and”!! -- your Eyewitness thought he suffered from that common malady of the unschooled: the “illusion of explanatory depth”. You know, where most folks feel they can explain things that are waaaay above their ken!!

But with Granger so outlandish with his “explanations”, it’s either the “alternate universe” theory or he really thinks Guyanese are fools.

Now, this is an occupational hazard of absurdist exgenerals like Granger.

They don’t have to explain their orders!! …into dystopia Notice the rising unemployment; stagnant economy; violent robberies and murders; looting of the state’s resources; corruption; sinking NGSA results; and so on and so forth in our dear mudland -- while Granger insists we’re living the “good life”??

Dystopia is here!!

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

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thursday, JUly 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Executive order

Former AG slams Executive’s interference in judicial process

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former Attorney General has criticised the way President David Granger – by virtue of the order of respite he issued saving Finance Minister Winston Jordan from prison over an unpaid Court judgement on Monday— interfered in the running of the Judiciary.

According to former Attorney General Anil Nandlall, the President’s actions were unprecedented in this part of the world.

He acknowledged that while the President is empowered under Article 188 of the Constitution to issue an order of respite, common sense, judicial practice and the separation of powers dictate that this power should be used wisely.

“I have never heard anywhere in the Caribbean or the British commonwealth that the head of the Executive intervened in an ongoing judicial process in order to insulate anyone, moreover an Executive officer, from the judicial process,” Nandall said.

“What I do know, is that the Prerogative of Mercy is a power the President has, inherited from the Queen (of England), normally used at the end of the judicial process, in deference to the Doctrine

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

of Separation of Power, which allows each of the arms of the State to function with autonomy”.

As an example, Nandlall explained that when a bill is going through the National Assembly, the Judiciary cannot – unless under highly exceptional circumstances— intervene and stop Parliament from passing that bill.

“Under the Constitution, the Judiciary can strike down any bill or law that is inconsistent with the Constitution.

And the Court will not exercise that power until that bill passes through Parliament and becomes law.

The Judiciary will tell you that they cannot stop the process of Parliament from passing that bill out of deference for the separation of powers”.

He added that similarly, though the Executive may have a power, President Granger should only do so after the judicial process is completed. “Not when it is ongoing. Here you have Jordan before the Court, the Attorney General says he’s going to appeal from the Full Court to the Court of Appeal and if he loses there, can go to the Caribbean Court of Justice”.

Nandlall expressed the view that it is only when all appeals are exhausted that the President’s prerogative should be exercised. He noted that this power “cannot be initiated so that the Executive can step in to the Judiciary and stop the Judiciary from discharging its functions”.

Protection

Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Presidency issued a statement in which it revealed that “Cabinet” had endorsed the actions of the President. This is despite the No-Confidence Motion was passed and Article 106 of the Constitution stipulates that the President and Cabinet stands resign.

“Cabinet calls on the Courts to protect the Executive from vexatious and partisan action,” the statement said.

Finance Minister Winston Jordan and President David Granger

Last month, High Court Judge Justice SewnarineBeharry had ordered Minister Jordan to pay DIPCON the US$2.2 Million award or face jail time. The Trinidad-based construction company had taken the Finance Minister to Court for failing to honour the payment of millions of dollars, which was awarded to DIPCON by Justice Rishi Persaud in 2015.

After DIPCON took the Government to Court back in 2009 to recover monies owed for road works done, Justice Rishi Persaud had ordered Government to pay the company US$665,032.17 as payment for the works done along with US$1,563,368.50 for costs it incurred for those works, together with interest on both amounts, at a rate of six per cent annum from February 10, 2009, to October 21, 2015 and, thereafter, at

the rate of four per cent per annum until fully paid.

However, since none of the payments they were owed were made, DIPCON had successfully approached the High Courts for an administrative order to compel the minister to make the payment.

On Friday last, Justices Diana Insanally and Simone Morris-Ramlall threw out Jordan’s application, filed

by Attorney General Basil Williams, for a stay of the Court order. In their judgement, the judges expressed their view that his application had no merit.

Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy

Article 188 of the Constitution of Guyana empowers the President to grant to convicted persons a State pardon, either conditionally or otherwise, or grant a re-

spite of the execution of the punishment imposed or substitute a less severe punishment.

However, he has to engage the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy under Article 189 before such action is taken. As a matter of fact, in an article published by the Ministry of the Presidency in 2016, it was pointed out that the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, under Article 189, is therefore mandated to advise the President.

In that article, President Granger is quoted as saying, “The exercise of the Prerogative of Mercy is not unfettered and under the Constitution…The powers I exercise under this part will be determined and guided by the advice of the Council. I don’t have the opportunity to behave in an arbitrary or capricious manner…”

The Prerogative of Mercy is usually exercised in response to a petition from a convicted person or someone acting on their behalf and by constitutional convention on advice from the relevant Government minister.

In Jordan’s case, it was not clear if President Granger engaged that council before invoking his executive powers on Monday.

10 news

thurSday, JUly 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Councillors accuse Govt of politicising Reg 8 admin office …MP, PNC affiliates given house, office by RDC

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ouncillors of Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) Regional Democratic Council (RDC) are accusing the Government of micromanaging and politicising the region’s administrative office. Councillors on Wednesday claimed that the Government Member of Parliament and the People’s National Congress (PNC) office are giving instructions on how the office should be managed and sought into the internal affairs of its operations.

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor Davo Ramphal, during an interview with Guyana Times on Wednesday, expressed dissatisfaction with the way in which the RDC is being managed. He alleged that there is gross discrimination, victimisation and political interference ongoing at the RDC. Ramphal disclosed that PNC Member of Parliament, Rajkumarie Bancroft, has an office within the RDC and also was provided with a house within the RDC’s compound, although she resides in Georgetown. This, he said, is unfair since some of the Council’s workers are forced to live at the region’s guest house.

Further, he added that the Assistant Regional Executive Officer (AREO), who is also the PNC Chairperson for Region Eight, also has a permanent office at the council, whereby, his office is supposed to be at Sub-Region One, North Pakaraimas.

the region.

Other business owners had also expressed their dissatisfaction with treatment they have been receiving from officials in the region who continue to encourage supporters to boycott “PPP” businesses.

Meanwhile, days after those reports were highlighted, the council moved to terminate the services of the Mahdia Town Clerk with immediate effect. The Town Clerk, Hakeem Wong, a 21-year-old, in an interview with this publication

had related that he received the termination letter via e-mail.

Wong said he was surprised to receive such a letter since he has never had any issues with the Council and was executing his duties diligently.

Better Hope robbery-murder

Businessman, daughter laid to rest A section of the mining town of Mahdia

“They are using these offices to discriminate workers, to tell the accountants who to pay and who not to pay and who should and should not get contracts.

They are taking instructions from PNC and Bulkan and using the regional office to conduct their vindictive PNC work and this is not right and it’s unfair to the other staff and councillors,” he stated.

Ramphal added that this situation is in blatant disregard for the law, which governs these entities.

Meanwhile, just recently, Communities Minister Ronald Bulkan cautioned those elected to serve on the Regional and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils to remove politics from the management of their respective communities.

He was at the time addressing similar concerns at a community meeting at Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam).

Similar reports have been emanating from the mining town over the recent weeks. Only a few weeks

ago, the PPP Councillor of that region and other party supporters who operate businesses in the mining town of Mahdia accused the regional administration of victimisation and discrimination against them, owing to their party affiliation.

Other party supporters also accused the regional authorities of taking away their contracts and giving same to A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) supporters. This, they say, is unfair as everyone irrespective of which party they support should be allowed to earn their daily bread.

Councillor Ramphal had stated in a previous interview that the PNC controlled RDC regional officials were deliberately stifling PPP/C supporters by encouraging residents to boycott businesses owned

by PPP supporters. He noted that in one case, an AFC Councillor (name withheld) was heard in a recording threatening to pull support if any PPP/C supporters were awarded any contracts or benefited in any way from

…as Police continue probe

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undreds of family members and friends on Wednesday crowded the home of Aaron Latchman as they paid their respects to the businessman and his daughter, Arianna Latchman, who were both killed on June 4 at their Better Hope, East Coast Demerara home.

Latchman, a money changer, had dropped off his younger daughter to her lessons and upon his return home, he was confronted by the two gunmen. He was held at gunpoint and escorted to the upper flat of his home with his 18-year-old daughter.

Reports are that the teen was attacked and shot to her chest when the bandits entered the house through the back door and began demanding cash.

They then escorted Latchman into the yard where they shot him multiple times before escaping with a bag of cash.

On Wednesday, relatives were still trying to come to grips with what occurred on that faithful day. They remembered the two as loving and caring and always fun to be around.

One relative, while sharing a brief tribute at the home, said, “I know Terry (Aaron) from a child growing up and I can tell you today

Arianna Latchman

Aaron Latchman

where hundreds of persons gathered to bid farewell to Latchman and his daughter, their bodies were taken to a nearby church for the

Street, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, and Parika, East Bank Essequibo, where the others were arrested.

Additionally, a motorcar

Family members and friends saying their final goodbyes to Aaron Latchman and his daughter Arianna

A part of the gathering of mourners at the family’s home

this is indeed sad. I want to let the rest of our family know that in this hour, God is still our source”.

Another grieving relative who took the microphone at the brief ceremony said he just thought the family should know that they are being prayed for and all justice will prevail.

Latchman’s wife was inconsolable and Guyana Times was told that she has been having a difficult time accepting the passing of both her husband and daughter.

Following the tributes at the family’s home,

final rites to be conducted before being transported to the burial ground.

Investigation

Meanwhile, Police have arrested four persons, who have since allegedly confessed their involvement in the murders but not before implicating a friend of the now dead man.

Based on information received, one of the gunmen was arrested at Front Road, La Penitence, Georgetown, after Police swooped down on a house there.

After his arrest, he took the Police to Dennis

used by the bandits that belonged to the dead businessman was found at Front Road, La Penitence. During a search of the vehicle, an illegal firearm and several rounds of ammunition were found.

The firearm has been sent for ballistic testing to ascertain whether it was the same firearm that was used to kill the America Street, Georgetown, moneychanger and his daughter.

After intense interrogation, the four men have confessed to the heinous crime while implicating an East Coast Demerara businessman.

They claimed that they were paid a handsome amount of money to kill the businessman and make it look like a robbery.

As such, the Police have since launched a manhunt for the man, who might have had an issue with the now dead businessman over a money deal that went wrong.

All the men who were arrested are well known to the Police since they were all previously charged for armed robbery.

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THURSday, JULY 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

B

ack in the day, including “something old” was a sure way to ward off the Evil Eye and protect a n y

future children the couple m i g h t have (the Evil Eye was thought to cause infertility in the bride –yikes). But more generally, and on a more lighthearted note, “something old” represents continuity, and contemporary couples use this as a chance to wear a sentimental piece of jewellery or item of clothing belonging to an older relative.

“Something new” offers optimism for the future. The couple are about to enter into a new chapter in life, so walking into marriage with “something new” makes total sense.

Incorporating “something

borrowed” brings the couple good luck. By borrowing something from a happily married friend or relative, the bride or couple ensure a little of their good fortune rubs off on them.

The old-fashioned superstition urged the bride to borrow the undergarments of a female friend or relative with a happy marriage and healthy kids (again with the fertility thing).

While wearing

or carrying “something blue” was also meant to deflect that pesky Evil Eye, the colour blue stands for love, purity and fidelity –three key qualities for a solid marriage.

The traditional “something

blue” was often a blue garter worn beneath the bride’s white dress.

(Excerpt from theknot.com)

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THURSday, JULY 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

T

he ancient Egyptians believed in the vena amoris, literally the “vein of love” that runs directly from the heart to the fourth finger on the left hand. Since then, wedding rings have been worn as a sign of the binding pledge between spouses.

The

endless circle shows the eternal nature of the union, with the open centre a portal to the unexplored life ahead as a couple.

This sentiment is recognised in Western cultures and is the main reason the engagement and wedding rings are worn on the fourth finger, now referred to as the “ring finger”.

In other cultures, however, the ring is worn on the right hand, since that is the hand used for oaths and vows.

The Greeks and Romans carried on the tradition, but,

during these eras, betrothal rings were made out of leather, bone, or ivory. In early Rome, the use of metal rings began to surpass other materials, but the metal primarily used was iron.

Gold and silver rings were given on rare occasions, and only by the extremely wealthy.

(Excerpt

from vanityfair.com)

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THURSday, JULY 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

it was considered home for the first bad luck, she the groom would ladylike for the time by the main must not trip or carry her into the new bride to be, door and to avoid fall. To avoid this, house. or at the very least appear to be, unwilling to “give herself” to her new husband.

Whether she was or not was not the issue, it was all about appearances. At the threshold to the bedchamber, the husband would have to carry her over to encourage her to go in.

A n o t h e r tradition dictates that the new wife must enter her (Excerpt from theamericanwedding.com)

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he tradition of carrying the bride over the threshold is not a new tradition; it dates back centuries and has a few different origins.

The first idea for carrying the bride over the threshold stems from the same ancient belief as the idea of an aisle runner

and throwing flower petals on the aisle. This belief is that the newlywed couple is very susceptible to evil spirits.

By carrying the bride over the threshold, the groom is putting a protective space between her and the floor; thus, protecting her.

Generations ago,

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THURSday, JULY 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

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he tradition of having small children ring bearer and flower girl often steal the in a wedding bridal party is one wedding ceremony show before the bride that many of us love to watch. The makes her grand entrance down the aisle.

Where did this wedding tradition of having a small child carry the wedding rings down the aisle begin?

Ring bearers are usually relatives or close

friends of the couple getting married, and typically are under the age of 10. Having a child carry the wedding rings down the aisle symbolises innocence and a new future for the bride and groom. As with most wedding traditions, the roots are not necessarily clear. In Ancient Egypt, many weddings included valuable jewels being carried on a pillow during the wedding. In old world Europe, a bride’s wedding ring was often given to her on the tip of a sword during the ceremony.

In England, ring bearers were originally referred to as Pageboys. They would carry the bride’s dress train, the rings and a prayer book.

(Excerpt from apbentertainment.com)

news

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thurSday, JUly 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Gunmen rob delivery Large quantity of ammunition

truck at Agricola

A

brazen afternoon robbery at Agricola, Greater Georgetown has left a driver and his porter grateful for their lives.

Reports are the incident occurred at 13:30h on Wednesday on the East Bank highway in the vicinity of Agricola.

Reports are that a gas delivery truck contracted to SOL Guyana Incorporated was proceeding to Georgetown when it was stopped by two bandits armed with a handgun and a cutlass on a motorcycle. The gunmen rode alongside the truck and pointed the gun at the driver in an effort to make him stop.

Afraid for his life, the driver, who hails from the East Coast of Demerara, stopped and was robbed of a cellular phone and an undisclosed sum of cash. The two gunmen made good their escape into Agricola.

A passerby told Guyana Times that he was travelling to Eccles, East Bank Demerara(EBD) when he noticed a commotion and slowed down to enquire.

“I saw the congestion and decided to slow down and I notice two guys riding away on a CG motorcycle into

Bandits pounced on a SOL gas distribution truck at Agricola on Wednesday afternoon

Agricola. Then I realise is rob they rob him. The driver just left standing there trembling, thankful for his life because it look like them boys were armed,” the man related.

He added that no one pursued the suspects. “Nobody ain’t chase them or anything, because you done know you can’t survive in there if the boys come for you. At least thank God still, because it could have been worse,” he added.

An alarm was raised and Police were summoned to the scene. Police are investigating.

GCCI calls for Guyanese to reject “disturbances” call by politicians

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ecognising that the Government and Opposition have not yet been able to see eye to eye on a nominee to serve as Chairman for the Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM)—although the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is set to hand down consequential orders on Friday— the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), through its President, Nicholas Boyer, has called on citizens to not allow politicians to control their actions.

Boyer made this appeal at the launch of the Business Guyana Magazine 2019, hosted at Pegasus Hotel.

“What we, as Guyanese, can see clearly is that the brinkmanship here is at play and we are being used as pawns. I implore all seated here…and the population, do not let puppeteers pull strings and talk about war, or disturbances,” Boyer said to the gathering at Pegasus Hotel.

The GCCI President made it clear that while he believes in freedom of speech, he firmly believes that it is not the place of politicians to divide the people.

“We are not at war with each other, nor do we need to be loyal to anyone based on our ethnicity. Going to the polls in Guyana needs to become a routine exercise of our democratic rights without fear, and all political parties need to be held accountable to delivering that type of atmosphere for

us,” he added.

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) is conducting a probe into calls for war and protests made by the Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, and Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

During an outreach in Bartica last month, Finance Minister Winston Jordan called on supporters to go out and protest for Houseto-House registration, noting that if that does not happen, then there would be “war break”.

“Comrades, be on the ready! Because we will be able to call you out to picket for House-to-House registration. No registration, no elections”!

Jordan added, “From today Comrades, war break.

Because we got to go to elections before the end of this year, hopefully. I say hopefully because we can only go to elections when GECOM says it’s ready.

So don’t let anyone tell you anything”.

“And I’m putting the Police on notice. Mischief will be afoot between now and when the elections are called. You have to be on your guard and your lookout.

Your intelligence has to be upgraded. Because already there is talk about bringing people on the street,” he said.

Similar sentiments were also expressed by Prime Minister Nagamootoo, who declared that there would be “trouble” without Houseto-House registration and urged street protests.

unearthed on Essequibo Coast

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anks of G Division of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Tuesday evening discovered a quantity of live ammunition and cartridges at Onderneeming on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) during a search.

Based on information received, ranks acting on information received went to the location and conducted a search. During the search, 44 live cartridges were discovered along with 38 live rounds and a spent shell, all concealed in a plastic container. No arrests were made but an investigation is

The illegal ammunition that was found

continuing.

Last week, a truck owner of Onderneeming was robbed and shot just outside his house by a lone bandit who managed to escape.

According to reports, Omadatt Singh had returned home at approximately 07:45h after transporting coconuts and was standing

outside his house when he heard a loud explosion but later realised that it was a gunshot which injured his leg.

Shortly after, several gunshots were fired and the suspect then approached Singh at gunpoint, demanding a 120-pennyweight gold chain that he was wearing.

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thursday, JUly 11, 2019 | guyanatimesgy.com

Lamaha Springs’ residents fume over road woes

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esidents of Lamaha Springs, Georgetown are calling on City Hall and the Public Infrastructure Ministry to look into their road woes as heavy-duty trucks have been the reason the roads have been deteriorating over the past months.

On Wednesday, residents complained to Guyana Times that the road which links Lamaha Park with Lamaha Springs was being destroyed by trucks. The road, they said, was one which they struggled to get after much waiting.

They said under the previous administration, former President Bharrat Jagdeo had visited the area and promised them to

A truck laden with mud, stuck on the road on Tuesday

construct the road and it was done. Now, however, a private company is now dumping mud and other waste materials nearby and would traverse the road to dump the materials.

One resident, Sharon

Davis explained that on Tuesday a truck laden with mud attempted to pass through the street, but became stuck in a hole.

She said the driver ended up digging another hole beneath the truck in an attempt to help it roll free.

A section of the road destroyed by the trucks recently

This, however, was to no avail until another truck came to the rescue.

The road was left in a terrible, broken state.

Davis said cars could no longer use the road freely owing to the damage done.

“If the people…do-

ing construction and got to bring in sand into the area, they telling the truck to come through here.

Everything they got to do over there (with sand or mud) they telling the truck to come through here,” Davis complained.

She said the road was becoming worse every day.

Davis added that they did not know who to turn to for help, but were hoping the authorities would address the situation in a timely manner.

An elderly resident pointed to a section of the destroyed road, and said the water lines were just beneath the surface and she was afraid that it might be damaged as a result of the deterioration.

She too pointed out that residents in the area struggled before they got a road and they were not willing to sit back and watch it be destroyed, knowing that other communities were still pleading for their roads to be fixed, even after waiting for years.

Harvey Gulf commissions local office in Guyana

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n an effort to demonstrate its extreme confidence in Guyana and its emerging oil and gas sector, one of the world’s leading marine transportation companies, Harvey Gulf International Marine, on Wednesday officially opened its first local office in the country, situated at Kingston, Georgetown.

The event saw a number of officials including People’s Progressive Party Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson, ExxonMobil Country Manager Rod Henson, and President of the American Chamber of Commerce of Guyana (AMCHAM Guyana) Zulfikar Ally, as

well as several key members of the business community.

Delivering brief remarks at the commencement of the ceremony, AMCHAM Guyana President Zulfikar Ally applauded the work undertaken by the overseas marine company, while further underscoring the how it will contribute to both the marine and oil sectors.

“Your presence in Guyana will do more than just create jobs, it will lift industry standards in the oil and marine sectors, improve safety standards and safety culture, and can serve to streamline important aspects of health and safety at the nation-

Harvey Gulf CEO Shane Guidry

al policy level through collaboration with the private sector and national authorities,” he noted.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Harvey Gulf Shane Guidry, in his feature address, asserted that the company is firmly committed to giving Guyanese

the best opportunities and expose them to rigorous training at one of the top-notch facilities of the company. This will in turn prepare them to participate fully in the local operations.

“And the Guyanese people on board are well

trained, no one gets hurt, they operate safe.

Harvey’s commitment is the same commitment we have everywhere else, we will not spill drops in your waters, we do not want to hurt anyone, all of our safety procedures and policies will be followed everyday… we’re hiring as many Guyanese people as we can, and we’d love to see the day where it is a 100 per cent Guyanese. We are here to stay,” Guidry firmly stated.

The investment in its office and operations in Guyana is a significant signal of confidence in the future stability and development of the nation’s oil and gas industry, as the CEO concluded with com-

mitting to financially invest in its employees and Guyana. “We did set up a profit-sharing plan for our employees, so we’re not going to take everything out the country and take it somewhere else, some of the monies made in the region will be put back into the employees pockets to put back into the Guyanese economy,” the CEO said.

Harvey Gulf’s local office named Guyana Offshore Vessel Services Inc. (GOVS), is expected to build quality links and promote the company’s presence in Guyana’s oil and gas sector with the aim of achieving 100 per cent Guyanese recruitment.

$539M Public Health Ministry bond opens

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The new Kingston bond

he Public Health Ministry on Wednesday commissioned a new central supplies unit at Kingston, Georgetown, to provide more space for the storage of medical supplies.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Finance Ministry Glendon Fogenay stated that the unit has moved several times since the early 1980s to facilitate a growing demand for space.

Its previous locations

included Quamina Street, Liliendaal, Kingston and then Camp and Charlotte Streets, Georgetown. The new building is larger in capacity and will host a conference room, staff room, sickbay, storage, and office spaces among other amenities.

“Our new bond was constructed at a cost of $539 million, which in it contains 11,520 square feet of both storage and administrative space. This new and modern facility will operate

with a staff complement of 20 persons, receiving, storing and dispatching more than 200 commodities. In essence, the storage capacity of this facility will alleviate most of the Ministry’s storage difficulties,” the Deputy Permanent Secretary informed.

Auditor General Deodat Sharma acknowledged the fact that the Ministry had been red flagged for lack of accountability of the various bonds. As such, these corrective steps will ensure a sense of responsibility.

“A number of vital and control mechanisms to ensure proper accountability for stock were not in place at the various drug bonds across the country. On this basis, my office issued recommendations that were designed at improving systems, practices and improv-

ing Ministry’s accountability mechanism…I’m happy that the Ministry of Health has taken corrective steps for accountability of stocks by commissioning this Kingston bond,” Sharma highlighted.

He advised that the safe storage of supplies and record keeping are some regulations that should be followed and if not, liable persons could be charged for failure to conduct their duties.

“I continue to urge you to maintain good storage practice, which includes well-trained personnel, proper record keeping, defined storage areas and to ensure security to provide unauthorised access,” Sharma stated.

Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence revealed that

the previous bond was unhealthy and unsafe for employees to work, prompting allocations to establish another facility.

“The atmosphere in the bond was dismal. It was uninspiring. Moreover, the conditions made it impossible for proper accountability. The Ministry could not allow the CSU staff to continue at this facility,” Lawrence stated.

The Ministry had come under criticism for the controversial Sussex Street, Georgetown drug bond, after the State had paid out over $200 million in rental fees in just under two years.

Lawrence stated that from July 2016 to March 2018, the sum of $264.5 million was doled out to pay Linden Holdings Incorporated.

The transaction first came to light in 2016 during consideration of Financial Papers, when it was discovered that Government had in fact entered a contract to pay a VAT- excluded $12.5 million monthly rental for the storage of drugs and medical supplies.

It was also discovered that $25 million was already spent as a security deposit, in addition to $12.5 million, representing monthly rentals from August to December 2016.

The criticism that erupted led President David Granger to set up a Cabinet sub-committee to investigate the matter and make recommendations.

After much criticism and fallout, the Government said that they had stopped renting the facility in December 2018.

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thurSday, JUly 11, 2019

17

Around the World

UK Ambassador to US China urged to end mass Xinjiang resigns in Trump leaks row detentions by countries at UN

Sir Kim Darroch

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ir Kim Darroch has resigned as the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United States, as a row over leaked emails critical of President Donald Trump’s Administration escalates.

Prime Minister Theresa May said Sir Kim’s departure was “a matter of deep re-

gret” after the Ambassador said it was “impossible” for him to continue.

Tory leadership candidate Boris Johnson has faced strong criticism for failing to fully support him.

President Trump said on Monday that the US would not deal with Sir Kim. The US President had branded him “a very stupid guy” after confidential emails emerged where the Ambassador had called his Administration “clumsy and inept”.

In a letter to the Foreign Office, Sir Kim said he wanted to end speculation about his position: “The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like.”

His resignation has prompted widespread support for Sir Kim as well as criticism of Tory frontrun-

ner Johnson.

According to some Whitehall sources, Sir Kim decided to resign after Johnson refused to support him during the Tory leadership debate on Tuesday night, said BBC diplomatic correspondent James Landale.

Johnson was asked repeatedly by fellow leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt whether he would keep Sir Kim in post if he became Prime Minister, but refused to answer.

It is understood that Johnson spoke to Sir Kim on the phone on Wednesday afternoon.

Following Sir Kim’s resignation, Johnson said he was “a superb diplomat” and whoever was responsible for the leak “has done a grave disservice to our civil servants”. (Excerpt from BBC News)

M

ore than 20 countries at the United Nations Human Rights Council have signed a joint letter criticising China’s treatment of ethnic Uighurs in the Xinjiang region.

UN experts and rights groups say China is holding about one million Uighurs and other Muslims in detention camps.

China claims that Uighurs are being educated in “vocational training centres” designed to combat extremism.

The unprecedented statement was signed by the Ambassadors of 22 countries including Britain, Canada and Japan.

The letter cites reports of

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death toll higher.

Prime Minister James Marape called the news “one of the saddest days of my life”, promising to track down the perpetrators.

It is one of the worst outbreaks of tribal violence in PNG for years.

“It’s a very sad story,” Philip Undialu, governor

of Hela told news agency Reuters, explaining the killings were part of a conflict running for years.

“It was retaliation of a previous attack. Both attacks were made in an innocent community where people were not expecting it and all of us are in a state of shock.” (Excerpt from

BBC News)

Brazil’s Vale ordered to pay compensation for dam disaster

At least 248 people were killed as a sea of mud engulfed a staff canteen, offices, and nearby farms.

Twenty-two people are still missing following the collapse of the Feijão dam on January 25.

At least 248 people were killed as a sea of mud engulfed a staff canteen, offices, and nearby farms

A

Judge in Brazil has ordered mining giant Vale to pay compensation for all damages caused by the collapse of the Brumadinho dam in January.

The collapse was Brazil’s worst industrial accident.

The Judge did not set a figure, but said that the company was responsible for fixing all the damages, including the economic effects.

Judge Elton Pupo Nogueira also said that US$2.9 billion of Vale’s assets frozen by courts should remain blocked. He said the funds should be used to make compensation payments to affected families and businesses.

Explaining why he had not specify an amount for Vale to pay out, he argued that technical and scientific criteria were not enough to quantify the effects of the collapse. (Excerpt from BBC News)

P

President Donald Trump

resident Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that US sanctions on Iran would be increased “substantially” soon, as the UN nuclear watchdog held an emergency meeting at Washington’s request to weigh Tehran’s breach of a nuclear deal.

Trump also accused Iran of secretly enriching uranium for a long time, but offered no evidence, and Iran said after the 35-nation meeting in Vienna that

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with more than 20 people aboard, 130 miles northeast of Jacksonville, Florida.

“The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca was diverted to the scene and interdicted 22 Haitian migrants, 17 males, four females and one child, due to safety concerns with the vessel,” the Coast Guard said.

It said that last Saturday another notification was received indicating that a 24-foot wooden rustic vessel was found 27 miles south of Key West, Florida.

The Coast Guard said that 33 Cuban migrants, including 27 males, were detained as a result. (Excerpt from CMC)

it had “nothing to hide”.

UN inspectors have uncovered no covert enrichment

by Iran since long before its 2015 nuclear agreement deal with world powers.

Washington used the session of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors to accuse Iran of extortion after it inched past the deal’s limit on enrichment levels over the past week, while still offering to hold talks with Tehran. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Haiti launches campaign to vaccinate children against measles

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he Haitian Government has announced plans for a major vaccination programme for toddlers against measles, rubella, and poliomyelitis.

The Public Health Ministry said that the vaccination programme would be held between July 15 and July 19 and would be for children between the ages of two and five years in all departments of the

French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country.

It said at least 1.5 million children are expected to be vaccinated during the campaign.

“The Ministry informs that vaccines and vitamin A will be available in health institutions and gathering stations in towns and localities across the country. Mobile teams and health workers will move to reach the most

remote areas wishing to reach at least 95 per cent of children,” the Ministry said in a statement.

It said as a result, it is seeking the collaboration of the entire population in general and in particular parents, guardians of children, community leaders, local elected officials and nuns among others, “so that this campaign succeeds in reaching all the children”. (Excerpt from CMC)

Indian media body asks Govt to withdraw restrictions on Journalists

53 from Caribbean nabbed in immigration sweep

he United States Coast Guard says it has detained more than 50 migrants from Haiti and Cuba during the 4th of July holiday weekend from two separate interdictions in the Caribbean Sea. The US Coast Guard said that on July 4, it had received notification regarding a disabled vessel

Watch, said the statement put pressure on China to stop “its horrific treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang”.

“The joint statement is important not only for Xinjiang’s population, but for people around the world who depend on the UN’s leading rights body to hold even the most powerful countries to account,” he said.

Evidence gathered by the BBC showed that in one Xinjiang township alone more than 400 children had lost both of their parents to some form of internment.

The Chinese Ambassador to the UK has denied that children are being systematically separated from their parents. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Trump threatens to “substantially” increase sanctions on Iran

Papua New Guinea: Women and children killed in tribal massacre hildren and pregnant women are among those murdered in a tribal massacre in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands area.

At least 24 people are confirmed to have died in a brutal flare-up of violence between rival tribes over several days in Hela province. Some reports put the

“large-scale places of detention, as well as widespread surveillance and restrictions, particularly targeting Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang”.

China was urged “to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang” for UN and independent international observers.

However, the joint letter carries less diplomatic weight than a formal statement read out at the council, or a UN resolution submitted for a vote.

The decision was down to fears of political and economic retaliation from Beijing, diplomats told Reuters.

John Fisher, Geneva director at Human Rights

India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives at her office before leaving for Parliament to present the federal budget in New Delhi, India, July 5, 2019

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he Editors Guild of India, which represents the country’s newspapers, urged the Government on Wednesday to withdraw curbs that

have reduced Journalists’ access to officials in the Finance Ministry.

It criticised restrictions imposed by newly-appointed Finance Minister

Nirmala Sitharaman on the entry of Journalists to the Finance Ministry building in New Delhi.

Sitharaman says she is trying to streamline the system and has denied there is any blanket ban.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government has previously been accused of undermining freedom of the press in India.

“This order is a gag on media freedoms and can even result in a further fall in India’s global press freedom rankings, especially as the contagion can easily spread to other ministries as well,” the Editors Guild said in a statement.

(Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

thurSday, JUly 11, 2019

ARCHIE

ARIES (March 21April 19)

You may know what you want, but make sure to think about the people who will be affected by your decision. Change is only useful if the results you get benefit everyone. Slow down and choose wisely.

Let your feelings rise TAURUS to the surface, and find out (April 20May 20) where you stand. You may not like what you hear, but it will give you a place to start if you want to improve.

dilbert

GEMINI (May 21June 20)

Have an open mind, listen to what others have to say and be willing to make reasonable, minor adjustments. Defuse tense situations.

CANCER

If you care and share, you will make a difference.

Personal improvements will diminish insecurities that have been holding you back.

Don’t be hesitant to engage in events and activities. You may meet someone special.

(June 21July 22)

Peanuts

LEO (July 23Aug. 22)

Hold on to a secret or a surprise you are planning.

Prepare to make a big splash when the time is right. A premature gesture won’t render the results you want.

Participation will change VIRGO your life. Become more en(Aug. 23gaged in matters that conSept. 22) cern you, sign up, speak up and make a difference.

Romance is on the rise, and socializing is recommended.

Calvin and Hobbes

LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)

SCORPIO

SUDOKU

(Oct. 24Nov. 22)

A change in the way you make or handle your money or to the way you negotiate will lead to more available cash. Discipline will help you make positive adjustments.

Emotional matters will need to be addressed, but first consider using actions rather than words to get what you want. Show your feelings and make positive adjustments.

Check out your options beSAGITTARIUS fore you approach institutions (Nov. 23or large corporations with Dec. 21) your plans. Preparation will be the deciding factor when it comes to your success.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22Jan. 19)

solution for LAST PUBLISHED puzzle AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Don’t fear doing things your way or taking a different approach. Try updating something to suit the changing times. Romance is highlighted.

Mull over your plans before you share them with others. If someone wants to take a different path, so be it; do what works best for you. Build your own opportunities.

You have plenty to contribute. Don’t hesitate to move forward with your plans or to implement change that will help you reach your goal. Treat opposition with dignity, not with force.

thursday, JUly 11, 2019

19

ICC World Cup Semi-final 2

England’s promise vs Australia’s pedigree A

mosey around Birmingham, a few coffees, perhaps some time in the hotel with their feet up. Aaron Finch will be headed to the cinema with his wife to see the animated picture “The Queen’s Corgi”. The revelation drew laughter at the Australia captain’s press conference. The film might be questionable, but if anyone knows how to prepare for World Cup semi-finals, it’s Australia. Played seven, won seven; five trophies to show for it.

For England, a first semifinal since 1992 means sticking to the habits picked up over the last four years of success. Certainly Eoin Morgan demands it: “If I find anybody is doing anything different, I would be upset,” he said, perhaps tongue in cheek. Right? You never know with Morgan.

But whether under strict instructions to

do as they normally do: X-box, golf, maybe even bumping into Finchy at the popcorn stall, we will find out tomorrow who had the best pre-match routine.

There isn’t much we don’t know about these two sides, in competition and isolation.

The Ashes have given us a rich, bloated tapestry to consult. Even the last fortnight has provided much. England’s bright start and then near-fatal dip brought introspection immediately after their third and final defeat of the group stages, which was inflicted by Australia. And, yet still, much has changed.

England turned it on against India and New Zealand to secure a third spot here at Edgbaston, where they are unbeaten in their last 10 matches in all forms. Australia stuttered, losing to South Africa, and as a result, having to shift from a comfy Manchester

Lusignan Golf Course set for 2 days of action this weekend – Lusignan Open on July 20/21

Action at the Lusignan Golf Course

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n preparation for the grand 2-day Lusignan Open, to be played on July 20 and 21, the LGC will hold two exciting tournaments this weekend: on Saturday July 13 and Sunday July 14.

The LGC Appreciation Day Golf Tournament will tee-off at 12:30h on Saturday in honour of the sterling and noteworthy contributions of various persons, whose actions rescued the Grounds from being waterlogged by the torrential rainfall last week.

Among those persons are grounds staffers Avinash, Barney, Boodhoo and Mahgo; rice producers Padmawattie Joree and her son Sachin; professionals Maurice Solomon, Robert Hanoman, Per Persaud, Dr. Anwar Hussain, Rudy Ramalingum, Mr. A. Persaud, Hardeo ‘Curry’ Ganpat from Global Auto Spares, Ronald Machine Shop, MACORP, and the Lusignan NDC. The Caricom Day tournament, held over due to rain, will tee off at 8:00hrs on Sunday July 14. Up for grabs in both tournaments are 1st and 2nd Net places in each Flight, in addition to the Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin specialty prizes.

This weekend’s two-day experience should prime golfers for the international standard Lusignan Open of July 20/21, 2019. The Lusignan Open -- which was resuscitated in 2018 under President Aleem Hussain’s initiative, after being off the LGC’s annual calendar for several years is one of two premiere tournaments now held annually at the Club. The other is the 2-day Guyana Open, which is normally held in October/ November.

This level of open tournament allows every amateur golfer in the region to compete: LCG members, non-members, visitors, caddies,

overseas golfers, so that the title and honour, as well as the bragging rights for being this 2-day champion, are much more significant than for normal tournaments.

Current and previous Guyana Open champions will be passionately competing, so that Avinash Persaud, Mohanlall Dinanauth and Mike Mangal: male champions; as well as Christine Sukhram, Joaan Deo and Shanella Webster-London: female champions, are in the lineup.

This year’s regular weekend one-day champions, who are certainly expected to seek to stamp their dominance or well-honed skills on the Course for the Lusignan Open, include Aleem Hussain, Aasrodeen Shaw, Carlos Carbo, Clifford Reis, Guillermo Escarraga, Ian Gouveia, Imtiaz Subhan, Kassim Khan, Kevin Dinanauth, Lekhnarine Shivraj, Mahindra Bhagwandin, Mahindranauth Tewari, Maurice Solomon, Maxim Mangra, Parmanand Persaud, Patrick Prashad, Per Persaud, Pope Emanuel London, Rabindranauth Persaud, Richard Haniff, Robert Hanoman, Roy Cummings and Troy Cadogan.

The Ministry of Tourism, under its Director General Donald St Clair, will be among the main sponsors for this year’s Lusignan Open, and some 70 golfers and hundreds of spectators are anticipated to be in attendance. The public is invited to enjoy observing this weekend’s tournaments free of cost.

For more information on the LGC, on how to become a member, how to learn the basics of golfing free of charge, how to contribute to the Club, or how to use the facilities, please visit the LGC’s Facebook page at lusignangolfclub or call 220-5660.

base. On the way, injuries: Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh are out. Marcus Stoinis is touch-and-go. Matthew Wade and Peter Handscomb are officially part of the touring party.

Mitchell Marsh is a “traveller”, as Morgan put it.

There is a possibility that these changes, maybe even two for the defending champions’ XI on Thursday, could discomfort them.

But when have Australia ever been uncomfortable at a World Cup? You have to go back to 2011 for their most unsuccessful campaign, and then to 1996 before that.

You could pull a grim one out of a hat for England. Of course the aim is to change that.

Head-to-head records don’t tend to matter at the business ends of competitions like these, which is annoying for the hosts, be-

cause they’ve had the best of the recent exchanges coming into 2019. For what it’s worth, Australia have not won an ODI here since 1993, and their last Test victory was back in 2001.

The crowd will be predominantly English of course, something under threat only if India had not won the group. With that will come a raucous Hollies stand, of which Finch and his counterparts have consistently been on the wrong end. But the expectation is still with England and a side that represents the best hope England have ever had of winning a World Cup. No one holds fear quite like English fans, and no one has been better at eliciting that fear than Australians. And certainly Morgan, Starc and Cummins will be polishing their bouncers this night, ready to let them loose on the figurehead.

Kaysia Schultz delighted with West Indies Women’s training camp selection

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ricket West Indies (CWI), under the new leadership of Ricky Skerritt, has vowed to invest in Women’s cricket.

And Guyanese Kaysia Schultz has benefited from this investment, having been selected to participate in a training camp in preparation for a tour against Australia.

Schultz spoke with this daily publication in disclosing that the training squad would leave for Antigua on Monday July 15, where they will be encamped until August 10th.

“First of all, I was like, ‘Praise the Almighty!’ I was so happy and excited when I got the news”, Schultz explained.

Schultz is a left-arm spinner who played for the Guyana Under-19s and the Guyana senior female team. Born on April 17, 1997, Schultz has shown great promise over time playing for Guyana. A humble young woman, she expressed gratitude to coaches Orin Bailey, Bharat Mangru and Ryan

Hercules.

“They have helped me in every little area of my game,

and I must thank m y parents f o r being there for me at every m o m e n t ”, S c h u l t z disclosed.

Schultz considers this training camp as a stepping stone to greater achievements, and she is aiming to learn daily.

“Well, every day is a learning process for me. I’m happy for this opportunity to go and learn more, and learn really fast. I’m utmost dedicated naturally from within to go and do my best at the very best of my ability”, Schultz explained.

She added that she is

capable of learning, and will be aiming to share any of her experience with her colleagues.

Schultz has played for Demerara at the inter-county level, and for Guyana at both the senior and junior level of the Women’s team.

The full training squad is yet to be revealed.

It is expected that an announcement in this regard would be made very shortly. (Brandon Corlette)

Kaysia Schultz

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thursday, JUly 11, 2019

Glasgow hungry to break into Regional Under-19 setup

By Brandon Corlette

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he 2019 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Under-19 tournament is slated for play from July 25 to August 18 in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Windward Islands are the latest team to announce their squad, while Guyana has not made their final squad public.

However, this country’s cricket board has informed a group of players about their possible selection. One of those selectees is Seon Samuel Glasgow.

The lad from the Blairmont Community Centre Cricket Club.

Glasgow has come through the junior Regional ranks, having represented Guyana at the Under-15 and Under-17 levels.

Speaking exclusively with this reporter, Glasgow disclosed that he is confident of making the final squad to tour St Vincent in two weeks’ time.

“Playing for Guyana at all three levels and moving into the West Indies Team is always my dream,” Glasgow

related.

The left-handed batsman, who bowls offspin, said he is always working on his fitness to improve every aspect of his game.

Born on February 7, 2002, Glasgow has had the luxury of representing West Berbice at the senior franchise cricket league in Guyana.

Known for muscling the ball with great ease, Glasgow has a high score of 137 against U p p e r

Seon Glasgow bats during his inter-county season

Corentyne, and his best bowling figures are 7-32.

“Gaining a spot in the Guyana U-19 Team will boost me and motivate me to play cricket at the highest level, and even assist others”, Glasgow signalled.

The all-rounder who played for Berbice U-19 in the 2019 Hand-in-Hand Inter-County Tournament explained that the level of his play in that inter-county tournament was not up to his high standard. “I had a lot of starts, scoring in my 40s and 30s in couple of the matches, and I did not kick on”, Glasgow explained.

Currently in preparation mode for this tournament that will be played in only the 50-over format, Glasgow continues to work harder on building on those starts.

Glasgow is a familiar face in junior cricket circles. He was once the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in

inter-county tournaments. In 2018, Glasgow was the MVP in that tournament when he registered some solid performances.

In that dream season of his, he scored 195 runs in three matches, including a century and a half-century.

Glasgow, who is a proud product of the 2018 Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Club of the Year, Blairmont, has expressed gratitude to Shabeer Baksh. He explained that Baksh has acted as a mentor to him, and has taught him the basics of cricket.

Additionally, Glasgow thanked the current Guyana Under-19 coach, Julian Moore, who has also encouraged him throughout his blooming career to stay focused, play good cricket, and train hard.

The Guyana Under-19 team are currently five-time defending champions of the 50-Over title, and these players are hungry to capture yet another title.

Glasgow has recognized the level of intensity of

Glasgow receiving his award during the BCB Awards Ceremony

Regional cricket, and he is currently running a lot, hitting the gym, and working on all aspects of his game.

“When I am selected for Guyana U-19, I will be mentally prepared to make my country proud,” Glasgow disclosed. Every successful cricketer continues to work on their game; Glasgow in-

formed this reporter that he is currently working on batting longer at the crease and score a lot more runs, to benefit his team.

Glasgow is aiming to take his cricket to greater heights. Having the luxury of another year in U-19 cricket, he is one for the future.

Wounded Guyana U-17 suffer 3rd straight defeat

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he wounded Guyana Under-17 team have had a poor showing at the first three matches of their West Indies Rising Stars U-17 tournament, being played in Trinidad and Tobago.

Guyana’s most recent loss came against Windward Islands on July 9th, when they suffered an 84-run defeat.

Windward Islands scored 156-6 in their allotted 25 overs, reduced because of rain in the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago.

Akeem Augeste scored 38 for the Islanders, supported by Diovanne Joseph, who chipped in with 31. The right-arm off-spinner Marvan Prashad, who hails from Blairmont, West Bank Berbice, had 4-20 for Guyana.

In reply, the under-par Guyana team lacked intent in their run-chase, and managed only 65-7 in their 25 overs. Chetram

Balgobin was a standout in scoring 27 not out in another poor batting display from Guyana.

Tyran Theodore grabbed 4-13 for the Islanders in their 84run win.

Guyana remain winless, but have two rounds of matches remaining in this edition of the Under-17 tournament. Guyana will meet Jamaica at Gilbert Park today, July 11, followed by their final round clash on Saturday, July 13, against Leeward Islands at Balmain Couva. All of these matches will commence at 9:30h local time.

Guyana Under-17s are aiming for a maiden win this season

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ome of Guyana’s top football teams will, over the weekend, battle for supremacy in the quest to be crowned 2019 National Champions of the Guinness Greatest of the Streets futsal tournament, which commences tomorrow, Friday July 12, and will be played at three venues: The National Cultural Centre Tarmac, the Burnham Hard Court at Middle & Carmichael Streets, and the Racquet Centre at Woolford Avenue.

At a simple ceremony held to announce commencement of these highly-anticipated National Championships, Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste said, “We have 32 teams in the final leg of the Georgetown Sub-Meet. The prize monies for the tournament will see the winner carting off $500,000; while second, third and fourth (placed teams) will walk away with $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively. Also, the winner of the Plate Finals will pocket $100,000.

“We would like to thank Colours Boutique for coming on board for the third consecutive year, as they provide uniforms for the tournament. This year, we will be playing at three venues, namely: The Cultural Centre Tarmac, Burnham Hard Court,

and our newly added venue, Racquet Centre. I want to urge the players, the team and the supporters to come out and support the tournament in a safe way, and enjoy competitive football.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Colours Boutique representative Trianna Damon disclosed that Colours is pleased to have been supplying clothing to the tournament for the past three years. She urged the players to obey the rules of the tournament, have fun, and drink responsibly.

One of the coordinators of the tournament, Rawle Welch, said Georgetown is the last of the six zones, but is one of the most highly anticipated legs of the tournament.

He reasoned that addition of the new venue would be a great experience for the players and teams, and urged team members to be present at their venue 15 minutes before match time, because, he said the organisers hope to conclude the tournament on time in order to counter negative feedback in regard to the tournament not concluding on time on their respective nights due to teams arriving late.

This tournament will commence on July 12 at the National Cultural

223-7230-1 (Ext 55)

DIH Limited under its Guinness brand, and by Colours Boutique.

To date, Beacons (Bartica champions); Melanie B (East Coast Demerara winners); Brothers United (West Demerara/East Bank Demerara winners); Trafalgar (Berbice champions) and High Rollers (Linden champions) are the teams to have secured automatic berths to the National Championships.

Guinness Brand Manager Lee Baptiste

Centre tarmac. The other playing nights are July 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 and August 3.

Elimination matches will be played on the first two nights.

Then the group stage follows, which will be held over the next three nights. Top two finishers from each group would progress to the quarter-finals and subsequently the semi-finals, which would be held on the penultimate day. The finals will subsequently follow.

The Guinness Plate Championships will feature the eight teams that failed to progress from the group stage.

The overall winners would automatically seal their places in the National Championships set for August.

This event is sponsored by Banks

Elimination fixtures Friday’s fixtures (July 12, National Cultural Centre tarmac): Trap Squad vs LA Ballers Upsetters vs Albouystown A North Ruimveldt vs John Street California Square vs Alexander Village North East La Penitence vs Stabroek Ballers Norton Street vs Back Circle Sparta Boss vs Judgment Yard Gold is Money vs Globe Yard Saturday’s fixtures (July 13, Burnham Court tarmac): Rising Stars vs Good-over-Evil Ol-Skool Ballers vs Sophia Albouystown B vs Berlin Kingston vs Broad Street Bent Street vs Charlotte Street Future Stars vs Sophia United Leopold Street vs Pike Street Queen St Tiger Bay vs Smyth Street

New York Cricket League…

LTTSC Shivpersaud blasts 78 Summer Table on debut, Dhanpaul Tennis Camp off supports with ball to great start

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eeburg Cricket Club’s Yutesh Avi Dhanpaul and Balbinder Shivpersaud, currently engaged abroad in the Commonwealth League (CL) and the New York Cricket League (NYCL), led team Bachan to victory over the weekend with contributions of 2-36 and 78 runs respectively.

This was in a 25-over matchup against the dangerous Phantom Stallions Cricket Club at the Cunningham Park on 73rd Avenue.

Having won the toss, Phantom Stallions elected to bat first, reasoning that the Bachan side have dominated most of the tournaments by batting first.

With Muddassar Madi Wariach being the aggressor while his opening partner Imran Baig provided stability, Wariach launched into the Bachan bowling, only to shortly find himself back in the pavilion, having been dismissed for 24 with the score at 28-1.

Baig followed shortly for 13, but Jaspinder Jesse Singh dug deep into his recesses and pulled out a superb knock of 63 off 44 balls, inclusive of five boundaries and two maximums.

Despite Singh’s efforts, no other batsman could hold his own, and the innings crumbled off the excellent bowling of Bachan to end on 174-8.

Bachan’s incisive bowlers were Javed Karim, with 2-26;

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Balbinder Shivpersaud and Yutesh Avi Dhanpaul

Yutesh Dhanpaul, with 2-36; and Steven Ramoutar, Derrick Ramkelawan, Beejai Somai and Magesh Erundhambattu, who each bagged a wicket.

Needing a simple target of 175 for victory off 25 overs at a net run rate of 7 runs per over, the Bachan opening batsmen Javed Karim and Balbinder Shivpersaud produced a solid partnership of 165 to singlehandedly carry their team over the line. They ended with scores of 80 and 78 respectively as Bachan achieved their target in 21.4 overs to finish on 178-2.

The only Phantom bowler to bag any wicket was Wahab Pervaiz, with 2-19.

he Linden Table Tennis Steering Committee’s (LTTSC’s) fifth annual Summer Table Tennis Training Camp for beginners & intermediate players has got off to a fantastic start, with over 25 young and enthusiastic student athletes from primary schools in Region 10 participating.

The camp commenced on July 8, and will culminate on July19. Sessions start daily at10:00h and conclude at 13:30h.

Aimed at orienting new students to the game and developing the talents of current players, this camp follows on the heels of the just concluded National Sports Commission/ Guyana Table Tennis Association/ Ministry of Education teachers’ 12-hour table tennis training and certification programme.

The camp has now become an incubator for orienting new students in the region to the game of table tennis. It forms part of that holistic approach being taken by the Linden Table Tennis Steering Committee, the Guyana Table Tennis Association, the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Education as they work together to establish table tennis in a structured manner.

The camp has been yielding tremendous success in unearthing and developing new talents; like Ebo Mc Neil, who recently secured a silver medal in the boys’ 11 years and under category at the recently

concluded 2019 National Mini Cadet and Pre-Cadet Table Tennis championships. Young Mc Neil is a product of the camp, and a player who has been coached by Shavin Greene.

This programme, among others, has assisted in reinvigorating the base of older players, resulting in teams and players representing the mining town in localised national competitions; and in players the likes of Shavin Greene, Maurice Cummings, Raynor Anderson and Shaquille John representing Guyana at international competitions, as they had even participated in the US Open Team championships.

The course is being conducted by International Table Tennis Federation level onecertified coach/coordinator and LTTSC General Secretary, Shavin Greene; along with ITTF-certified coach and President of LTTSC, Howard James; and recently certified ITTF level one coach and umpire, Maurice Cummings.

Parents and players who are interested in learning more are invited to contact Shavin Greene on 682-8835, or Maurice Cummings on 602-2082, or Howard James on 660-4028.

22 Gajnabi grateful for maiden West RFA-GBTI Annual U-13 Finals…

Paiwomak Warriors FC Indies Women’s central contract crowned champions G P thursday, JUly 11, 2019

uyana’s Under-19 female captain and senior team player, Shabika Gajnabi, has earned herself a central contract with the West Indies Women’s Team for 2019-20. Speaking with this reporter, Gajnabi expressed how thankful she was for this great opportunity.

“I would like to thank all of the West Indies Women players, they usually encourage all the young players,” Gajnabi disclosed.

Gajnabi, who will be celebrating her 19th birthday on July 14, has been involved in various training camps for the West Indies Women’s senior team. This Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) player is known across the Caribbean as the brightest young female talent.

The right-handed batter, who bowls useful right-arm medium, has been dominating the Regional Under-19 tournaments, where she has led Guyana over recent

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

seasons.

Gajnabi h a s

also made her mark at the senior level for Guyana in the Regional Super 50 and T20 Blaze t o u r n a ments.

Playing with great comfort at the senior

Shabika Gajnabi

Regional level, Gajnabi was amonge those selected for West Indies Women’s training camp ahead of the 2018 stand-alone ICC Women’s World T20 tournament. Her most recent selection was for participation in the training squad to tour England and Ireland in May/June.

Gajnabi, a humble resident of the Kilcoy/ Chesney area on the Corentyne Coast, has continued to make her parents, her county and country proud of all her accomplishments.

She added that she would like to thank all the coaches who have played a role in her successful journey thus far.

In the Regional Under-19 tournament, Gajnabi hit 52 from 48 balls against Trinidad and Tobago; 57 against Jamaica, and had 3-13 and 2-15 against Barbados and

Canada respectively. Those consistent performances earned her a spot in the 2019 Regional Under-19 team.

In the senior category, Gajnabi was one of only two batters to surpass 100 runs for the Guyana senior female team in the Super50 format.

She had 136 runs under her belt, and one ‘player of the match” performance against Leeward Islands when she scored a match-winning half-century.

Given that age is on Gajnabi’s side, she would continue her quest to become a permanent member of the West Indies Women’s team, and this 2019-20 central contract is a stepping stone in her blooming career. Gajnabi is only the second Woman cricketer from Guyana, after Shemaine Campbelle, to have earned a CWI contract. Both these female talents are products of the Hilbert Foster-led RHTY&SC, where they are exposed to competitive cricket. (Brandon Corlette)

Windies A, India A set to battle in today’s opening ODI match – matches to be streamed online

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he opening of the five-match One Day International Series between ‘West Indies A’ and ‘India A’ will commence today, July 11, 2019, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in the Caribbean state of Antigua & Barbuda.

All five of these matches will be played there, and each will bowl off from 9 : 3 0 h local time. These matches will be streamed on Cricket West Indies’ official website and

India A captain for One-Day series, Manish Pandey

aiwomak Warriors FC prevailed over Tabatinga FC by a 3–2 margin, following kicks from the penalty mark, to be crowned champions of the Rupununi Football Association’s (RFA’s) Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) U-13 Championships last Saturday at the St. Ignatius Ground in Lethem.

At the end of the allotted 20 minutes for the match and 10 minutes’ extra-time, the teams were tied one-all, with a goal being scored by Matrim Martin for Tabatinga FC, and one being scored by Glensford Peterson for Paiwomak Warriors.

Penalty kicks were therefore inevitable. Final scorers for Paiwomak Warriors were Peterson, Josh Glasgow and Guy Moses; while Martin and Reyes Williams made their mark for Tabatinga FC. The finals preceded two action packed semi-final matches -- between Tabatinga FC and Basin FC, and Paiwomak Warriors FC and Gladiators FC; with Tabatinga FC and Paiwomak Warriors FC each winning by a 2–0 margin.

Scorers in the first semi-final were Reyes Williams in the 15th minute and Matrim Martin in the 18th minute, while the second semi-final saw Nathan Alcides scoring an own goal in the 12th minute to give Paiwomak the lead, and Glendsford Peterson extending that lead in the 16th minute for the eventual victors.

Prior to the start of the championships, the teams were welcomed

by RFA President Rayan Farias, and Sharon King, GBTI’s Lethem Branch Manager. King, in brief remarks, said football is part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility.

“We chose football because we recognise that football is a popular sport in the Region and the most-played sport in the world. We believe that early exposure will help to instil discipline and inspire the youths to higher levels of performance, while giving them a chance to showcase their skills,” she said.

Farias expressed gratitude to the sponsors, and said the tournament was part of the pathway to national selection.

“This is the start of the process to be considered for national selection, as when you display your talents in football at this level, you give yourself a better opportunity to be part of the national teams and further represent Guyana on the national and international stages,” he explained.

He admonished all parents to see football as a step in the right direction for their child or children's benefit, and stressed that the “beautiful game” can help anyone to have a disciplined life.

Farias also expressed thanks to the match officials, and encouraged more corporate and individual partnerships to ensure football is developed in the region.

The annual tournament saw the participation of 18 clubs from the five sub-districts: Central (5), East Central (5), North (4), Deep South (2) and South Central (2).

Tour De France: Sagan takes "exquisite" stage win as Alaphilippe stays in yellow

P Keemo Paul

YouTube page.

There are three G u y a n e s e players in the West Indies ‘A’ OneDay Squad: Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd.

Barbadian Roston Chase is team captain, and the squad includes such big names as John Campbelle, Raymon Reifer, Sunil Ambris and Shane Dowrich, who have all played Test cricket along with Paul.

The Caribbean’s most consistent off-spinner, Rahkeem Cornwall, is also a member of this team.

The ‘India A’ team contains international stars Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Krunal Pandya, Khaleel Ahmed and Shubman Gill, all of whom have been selected in India teams and have experience

Windies A Captain Roston Chase, and Sunil Ambris

playing One Day Internationals.

This series will be a highly competitive one, and after it has ended, the three unofficial Test matches would be played from July 24 to August 9. The India senior team will also visit the Caribbean to play the West Indies senior team.

The ‘India A’ squad for the 5 ODIs is as follows: Manish Pandey (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Anmolpreet Singh, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Ishan Kishan (WK),

Rahul Chahar, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Krunal Pandya, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Navdeep Saini West Indies ODI squad: Roston Chase (captain), Sunil Ambris, John Campbell, Jonathan Carter, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Akeem Jordan, Kjorn Ottley, Keemo Paul, Khary Pierre, Rovman Powell, Raymon Reifer, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Devon

eter Sagan described his 12th Tour de France stage win in Colmar as “exquisite,” after the first day of racing through the Vosges Massif failed to induce any major attacks from the contenders for overall victory in Paris.

A day that featured four categorised climbs in the “highest Tour in history” produced a stalemate among the major favourites. The 175.5km loop through the Vosges’ easier climbs merely continued the waiting game, with all minds now focused on Thursday’s first summit finish to La Planche des Belles Filles.

As Sagan tightened his hold on yet another green jersey, Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal and Adam Yates, all cited as contenders for victory on the new and steeper finish to a climb that has been used only three times in the Tour, fretted over what lay in wait at the “Bench of the Beautiful Girls”.

Even on Wednesday evening, there was uncertainty over the difficulty of the stage six finish, which includes a new final kilometre that is both murderously steep and on gravel road. Just how rough the gravel is and whether it has been improved by the race organisation remain a mystery even at the 11th hour, with most teams’ sports directors heading straight from the stage five finish in Colmar to La Planche des Belles Filles to see for themselves.

“If you look back at previous stages at Planche des Belles Filles, they’ve always been hard days; but, this time, the riders will be going significantly higher, and the amount of climbing means that this is like a full-on mountain stage,” said Nicolas Portal, Team Ineos’ sports director.

“The final kilometre makes it much more difficult, because it’s very steep on a road that’s far from perfect. There’s gravel, and unless it’s been resurfaced, it’s going to make things a lot more difficult. It’s quite technical as well, because it’s not simply a steep climb at the same gradient. There are easier sections, then very difficult parts,” he explained.

Portal, however, doubted that the climb would prove decisive. “I think it is coming too soon to make a real difference,” the Frenchman said. “The riders know that, but they also know that the first mountain stage can sometimes be hard on the legs, particularly one like this, when the terrain is quite punchy; and if they can’t respond in the way that they want to, they can lose time.

“I think some of the riders will be a little bit nervous, feeling that if the stage doesn’t go well for them, it will be catastrophic,” he predicted.

The defending champion Thomas, who lost five seconds to teammate Bernal at Monday’s finish in Épernay, appreciated entering the first Tour climbs. “It was nice to get a bit of climbing in the legs,” he said. “You can’t really tell a lot from the last few days.

“It is hard,” he said of the stage six finish. “That sort of climb favours the punchy, pure climbers,” he said, before citing Bernal among the favourites. The question now is: whether, after a difficult build-up to the Tour, Thomas has the legs to stay with them. (The Guardian)

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New Zealand in final despite thrilling Jadeja-Dhoni counter-attack

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t was a s e m i f i n a l spread over 28 hours and 24 minutes, and it contained some of the defining features of this World Cup: Rain, enough of it to force the match into a reserve day; terrific new-ball bowling; incredible fielding; a tricky, two-paced surface that kept scoring rates down, but also ensured neither team was ever entirely out of the contest.

At the end of it, it was New Zealand who remained standing, reaching their second successive World Cup final with an 18-run win. India went out at the semi-final stage for the second successive tournament, but not without scripting a dramatic comeback that showed just why they are one of the world’s top ODI teams.

This Old Trafford is just half a mile from the other Old Trafford, and MS Dhoni’s time is just as potent a sporting quantity as Fergie time.

Ravindra Jadeja was in the middle of one of the great does-not-deser ve-to-lose performances at the other end. Chasing 240, India had roused themselves from 5 for 3 and then 92 for 6, and were somehow still in the contest.

They were now 203 for 6, and needed 37 from the last 18 balls.

But it wasn’t to be their day.

Jadeja, who had performed at the peak of his ability in every bit and piece of his cricketing skillset, finally miscued a slower ball from Trent Boult to depart for 77 off 59 balls.

Dhoni, who had nudged and nurdled his way to 43 with only one boundary, carved Lockie Ferguson for six over point at the start of the 49th over to bring the equation down to 25 off 11 balls. But in an attempt to keep the strike, he turned for a desperate second run two balls later, and was beaten to the keeper’s end by an inch, undone by a breathtaking direct hit from Martin Guptill.

They certainly couldn’t think of Lord’s at any point during their innings, which began on Tuesday morning and ended just over 24 hours later, after incessant rain had

pushed the last 3.5 overs into the reserve day.

The skies were overcast throughout, and the pitch twopaced. New Zealand began by playing out successive maidens from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, and ended by hitting just one boundary in their last six overs. Right through the innings - particularly when Kane Williamson shared partnerships of 68 and 65 with Henry Nicholls and Ross Taylor for the second and third wickets - New Zealand’s focus was on keeping wickets in hand. Run-scoring was a grind, particularly against Jadeja’s left-arm spin and the changes of pace from India’s three seamers.

But 239 was a fighting total in these conditions, and by the fourth over of India’s chase, it looked monumental.

The new ball swung and seamed for Boult and Matt Henry just as it had for India’s opening bowlers, but perhaps to a smaller degree. Where Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah had beaten the o u t s i d e edges of

bowler’s favour. miscued slogIt took 6.5 overs before 5 for sweep did f o r 3 became 24 for four. Rishabh Pandya too, and Pant was positive at one the wicket came, end, looking thanks to the compact in pressure defence Santner b u t had applied pouncing by conceding on drives only five runs through the in his first five off-side when overs. they were With the available; while pitch affording Dinesh Karthik him natural variation was static at the of both turn and pace other, taking 21 balls he kept things simple, to get off the mark. angling it into the Soon after he did, stumps from round he spooned a drive the wicket to both squarer than perhaps left- and rightintended, and James handers, bowling at Neesham flew to a pace that made it his left to complete a difficult for the batsman one-handed grab at to use his feet, and on backward point. a length just short of The first signs of drive-able. an Indian recovery India were came via a 47-run 92 for 6, and fifth-wicket stand that might between Pant and have been it Hardik Pandya. in previous Kane Williamson N e i t h e r games, when looks to up the ante they b a t s m a n played as he notches up yet both their wristseemed in much another half-century spinners difficulty in the at middle, but the expense of were having to bat at a lower Jadeja. Now they had a bit of Williamson gear than normal; batting depth, and the man and Nicholls so the end of the providing it had already had numerous times, Henry p a r t n e r s h i p , a fantastic match. Jadeja had moved it just enough to and there was taken 1 for 34 in his 10 overs, kiss that edge. The length a sense and had been electric in the and line were impeccable t h a t field, running out Taylor with on both occasions, and both a flat direct hit from the deep, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul and catching Tom Latham were forced into feeling with a backwards leap at deep uncertainly for the ball. midwicket.

In between, Boult swung something Surely, he wasn’t done yet. one into Virat Kohli and had him would give, He wasn’t! Where most of lbw playing around his front one way or his team-mates had struggled pad. The ball hit the flap of another. for timing, but Jadeja looked his pad, and it was perhaps a H a r d i k fluent as soon as he walked marginal decision. Kohli Pandya played in. When he made a move to reviewed, and ballout a maiden when attack, he made it decisively, tracking suggested Mitchell Santner often through the use of his feet the ball would came into the to get close to the pitch of the h a v e attack, but Pant ball and hit down the ground. clipped was less willing to He hit his first three sixes this the top bide his time, and he method, two off Santner and of the leg slog-swept the left- one off Neesham. Each of his Ravindra bail, and arm spinner to deep hits roused the largely blueJadeja Umpire midwicket in his clad Old Trafford crowd, and by Richard next over. the time he brought up his fifty Illingworth A - off 39 balls - their roar must called it in the have been intimidating for the

team in black.

But India were still chasing nine an over, and New Zealand still had their fast bowlers’ death overs in reserve.

Jadeja kept India in the hunt with another six, this time over long-off off Ferguson, and an edged four off Boult, but only five came off the 47th, a perfect over of short-of-length cutters from Henry. With more than two a ball required now, India would have to start swinging for everything.

It could have gone their way on another day, but this day would be New Zealand’s. (Cricinfo)

MS Dhoni smashed a six late into the chase

3

SCOREBOARD

New Zealand Innings (50 overs maximum) MJ Guptill c Kohli b Bumrah 1 HM Nicholls b Jadeja 28 KS Williamson (c) c Jadeja b Chahal 67 LRPL Taylor run out (Jadeja)

74 JDS Neesham c Karthik b Pandya 12 C de Grandhomme c †Dhoni b Kumar 16 TWM Latham † c Jadeja b Kumar 10 MJ Santner not out 9 MJ Henry c Kohli b Kumar 1 TA Boult not out 3 Extras 18 (lb 5, w 13) TOTAL 239/8 (50 Overs, RR: 4.78) Did not bat: LH Ferguson Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Martin Guptill, 3.3 ov), 2-69 (Henry Nicholls, 18.2 ov), 3-134 (Kane Williamson, 35.2 ov), 4-162 (James Neesham, 40.6 ov), 5-200 (Colin de Grandhomme, 44.4 ov), 6-225 (Ross Taylor, 47.6 ov), 7-225 (Tom Latham, 48.1 ov), 8-232 (Matt Henry, 48.6 ov) BOWLING B Kumar JJ Bumrah HH Pandya RA Jadeja YS Chahal

O 10 10 10 10 10

M 1 1 0 0 0

R 43 39 55 34 63

India Innings (target: 240 runs from 50 overs)

W 3 1 1 1 1

KL Rahul c †Latham b Henry 1 RG Sharma c †Latham b Henry 1 V Kohli (c) lbw b Boult 1 RR Pant c de Grandhomme b Santner 32 KD Karthik c Neesham b Henry 6 HH Pandya c Williamson b Santner 32 MS Dhoni † run out (Guptill)

50 RA Jadeja c Williamson b Bou lt 77 B Kumar b Ferguson 0 YS Chahal c †Latham b Neesham 5 JJ Bumrah not out 0 Extras 16 (lb 3, w 13) TOTAL 221 all out (49.3 Overs, RR: 4.46) Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Rohit Sharma, 1.3 ov), 2-5 (Virat Kohli, 2.4 ov), 3-5 (KL Rahul, 3.1 ov), 4-24 (Dinesh Karthik, 9.6 ov), 5-71 (Rishabh Pant, 22.5 ov), 6-92 (Hardik Pandya, 30.3 ov), 7-208 (Ravindra Jadeja, 47.5 ov), 8-216 (MS Dhoni, 48.3 ov), 9-217 (Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 48.6 ov), 10-221 (Yuzvendra Chahal, 49.3 ov) BOWLING O M R W TA Boult 10 2 42 2 MJ Henry 10 1 37 3 LH Ferguson 10 0 43 1 C de Grandhomme 2 0 13 0 JDS Neesham 7.3 0 49 1 MJ Santner 10 2 34 2

GBI fuels Fruta Conquerors FC once again …Arjoon calls for more Government sponsorship

‘F

ruta’ and ‘Fruta Conquerors’ have long become household names in Guyanese society, and on Wednesday afternoon, the act that made this possible was renewed by the two stakeholders involved.

While the Guyana Beverage Inc renewed their sponsorship of the highly successful Fruta Conquerors football club, General Manager Samuel Arjoon made a bold call to the Government and to corporate Guyana for increased sponsorship of the sport.

“I want to use this opportunity to challenge the Government, any Government, to match 20 years of our spending for Fruta Conquerors for the development of the club that they have planned. We’re talking about facilities, grounds, lighting and other programmes. And if not Fruta Conquerors, some other football club.”

Those were the sentiments expressed by Guyana Beverage Inc’s General Manager, Samuel Arjoon, as he made a bold call to the Government to engage in spending on sport what would include further development for the Fruta Conquerors and other football clubs.

The occasion was the renewing of the GBI’s contract with the Fruta Conquerors Football Club, which results in the club receiving assistance and the company receiving marketing mileage for the Fruta Beverage brand.

Arjoon explained that the company have no issue with continuing their longstanding relationship with the team, but that they alone cannot take the team to the next level. Nevertheless, he shared his elation at the company partnering the team for another year.

“I want to say the sponsorship of Fruta Conquerors, we’re happy to sign a renewed contract for sponsorship this year. Fruta

GBI General Manager Samuel Arjoon as he makes his charge to the Government

Conquerors has done well, and as such, we have no hesitation in putting our money behind them. I would like to thank the management team for allowing us the opportunity to partner with you guys and take football at your club to the next level,” Arjoon stated.

After disclosing some of the team’s plans for the future, which include community-based projects and outreaches, President of the Club, Collin Gittens, spoke to the strength of the partnership, and how much the club values GBI’s continued support.

“Their contribution today speaks of the close affiliation

Fruta Conquerors President Collin Gittens

between the company and the club. It also speaks to the company’s dedication to sports and the development of youth. I wish other companies could come on board and see the benefits of these social causes; it’s about much more than giving money,” Gittens said.

The Fruta Conquerors Club has been in existence since 1982, and their collaboration with the GBI has spanned over 2 decades.

The club has won the Guyana Football Federation’s Elite League for the past two seasons, an accomplishment which has granted them qualification for the CONCACAF Caribbean Club Shield.

(Jemima Holmes)

thursday, JUly 11, 2019

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

guyanatimesgy.com

Page 23

New Zealand in final despite thrilling Jadeja-Dhoni counter-attack Page 23

GBI fuels Fruta Conquerors FC once again …Arjoon calls for more Government sponsorship

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