Guyanatime 10 march 2018

Govt fast-tracking oil production to build border controversy case – Trotman P14

Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Issue No. 3498

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THE BEACON OF TRUTH PRICE

Oil and gas law training

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

AG's Chambers block staff from attending Bar Association conference Page 3

...threaten to cut salary Corentyne poisoning West Ruimveldt Mother succumbs, baby house goes up still hospitalised in flames Page 15

REO prevents Region 5 P14 Chairman from attending NDIA Board meeting

Govt nixes and replaces PSC's UG Council nominee P13 Oil sector

P10

Harmon to control new energy dept

Guyanese sceptical of duplex P2 houses

First oil: Deputy Dean of UWI St Augustine Campus’ Faculty of Law, Alicia Elias-Roberts; and Senior State Counsel of Trinidad’s Energy and Energy Industries Ministry Indranie Rampaul-Cheddi displaying a sample of the high-quality oil found in Liza 1 well offshore Guyana at the opening of the two-day Guyana Oil and Gas Law Training Development Conference being held at the Ramada Princess Hotel (Carl Croker photo)

…CH&PA hosts ‘Open House Expo’ to sell idea

Judicial appointments

Legal fraternity throws support behind acting Chancellor, CJ Page 12

Lindo Creek CoI

Fire destroys West La Penitence P10 home

Page 7

Lack of transparency could lead to concocted stories – Jagdeo

P8 9 more Venezuelans deported

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Guyanese sceptical of duplex houses …CH&PA hosts ‘Open House Expo’ to sell idea

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fter not receiving the desired response to the idea of duplex-

es, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) is trying once

more to sell the shared house concept to Guyanese with the hosting of an

Open House Exposition at Perseverance on the East Bank of Demerara.

One of the duplexes on show at the expo

The idea of Government offering duplexes was first introduced to Guyanese in May of 2017 when the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) hosted its inaugural Housing Solutions Building Expo at the Model Village at Perseverance, EBD. CH&PA’s Public Relations Officer, Iva Wharton, on Friday said persons were skeptical about procuring a duplex following issues in the past with Government housing solutions. She noted that it was against that backdrop the housing authority decided to host the open house expo, which started Friday and will conclude on March 23.

“We felt the need to regain the confidence of the public hence another chance to show them what we have to offer. What we are doing here with our open house event is to show the Guyanese public what it is they can gain with $7.1 million. The house is $6.8 million and land is $300,000,” Wharton said.

The Open House Expo is aimed at providing persons with the experience of the duplex before they decide to purchase.

Wharton explained that they have already sold six units and would have issued over 200 letters to interested persons for them to take to the back to secure loans.

There are currently 80 units at various stages of construction in the model village.

“These units are of the highest quality. I know we have had problems before but you will not see any of those problems repeating itself now. We have and we had our engineers on the ground inspecting the project at every stage so they were always doing quality testing. Additionally, anyone can get one of these houses but first you must have an application in the system and you come in to us and indicate that yes I am interested in one of these units, we tell you to go into the bank,” she said.

She further related that they have collaborated with Jonas Bridal, Comfort Sleep and Oriental Furniture Store to turn the houses into homes for the expo.

Meanwhile, Engineer Randolph Hunt explained that the project commenced in September, but they would have had some setbacks owing to shortage of materials and labour because of the magnitude of the project. He added the project is 80 per cent complete, hence the reason for

the expo.

Additionally, Hunt said the units are 23x30 and they would have modified the initial design to provide prospective owners with additional comfort at a low cost.

“We would have also gone along and modified the building from the initial building expo model in order to put a cap in terms of the cost and make it relatively affordable in terms of the beneficiary. So, the roof design would have been one of the major designs we would have had to change in terms to reduce the cost,” he said.

Hunt explained with the savings from the roof modification they are now able to tile the entire unit and would have added a walkway, bridge and an area to facilitate water tanks.

“So basically, at this point in time, when you would have purchased your house, its to just move in and live. You just have official connection to GPL and GWI, so the houses are livable from the time of purchase,” Hunt added.

However, this newspaper was told by an official close to the ministry that persons are uncomfortable with the duplex idea for a number of reasons. This publication was told that among the reasons persons indicated was the fact they are not interested in sharing a house with complete strangers.

Feedback given to the ministry, this publication understands is also highlighted that communal land and residences have a number of complications when it comes to maintenance.

“Persons have indicated that they are scared to share a house with complete strangers. They are worried about criminal activity… they don’t know who their neighbours are, if they have a criminal past, if they are involved in criminal activity,” an official at the ministry told this publication.

Additionally, persons have indicated that Guyanese are accustomed to having their individual family yard space and the idea of shared space is very new and uncomfortable for many.

Interested persons must have an application in the system before they can become eligible for one of the duplexes. Each unit has two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, dining area and a single bath.

In addition to the duplexes, the CH&PA is constructing two and three bedroom flats and elevated houses in the same area.

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saturDAY, march 10, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

Oil and Gas Law Conference

The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, March 10 – 12:00h-13:30h and Sunday, March 11 – a night time retraction at 01:00h and a day time retraction from 13:00h-14:30h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, March 10 – 11:05h-12:35h and Sunday, March 11 – 12:20h-13:50h.

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

WEATHER TODAY

Weather: Partly cloudy skies with sunny intervals can be expected in the early morning hours, with light cloudy skies expected in the afternoon. Sunny weather is expected in the late afternoon. Partly cloudy skies are expected to return in the evening, with overall temperatures ranging between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.

Winds: East North-easterly to North-easterly between 2.23 metres and 7.15 metres.

High Tide: 10:26h and 23:18h reaching maximum heights of 2.12 metres and 2.02 metres respectively.

Low Tide: 03:54h and 16:39h reaching minimum heights of 1.16 metres and 1.10 metres respectively.

AG Chambers block staff from attending Bar Association Conference …threaten to cut salary

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he local legal fraternity on Friday commenced a two-day Oil and Gas Law Conference, which saw the attendance of Judges, Magistrates and lawyers from across the country. However, legal practitioners attached to the Legal Affairs Ministry and the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers were warned not to attend the event.

The Conference was organised by the Judiciary and the Guyana Bar Association (GBA). It is the brainchild of acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and is aimed at exploring the legal framework in oil and gas law.

Guyana Times was told that a memorandum dated March 8, 2018, was placed in the office, barring staff from attending the Conference

The memo that was placed in the AG’s Chambers barring staffers from attending the Oil and Gas Law Conference

9th March, 2018 without the permission of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister.”

WednesDAY, MARCH 7, 2018

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without the permission of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams.

The notice, which was seen by this newspaper, states “Please be informed that ‘no staff’ is permitted to attend the Guyana Oil and Gas Law Training Development Conference event hosted by the Guyana Bar Association on Friday

However, Williams is currently out of the country on official travel duties.

Nevertheless, the memo, which was in the name of acting Permanent Secretary Tamika Barkoye, further warned staffers that their salaries will be cut if they do not adhere to the order.

“Please note that absence from work will result in salary deduction,” the memo added.

When calls were made to the Legal Affairs Ministry’s Permanent Secretary for a comment and further clarification on the matter, this newspaper was told that she was “unavailable” to speak.

Efforts were also made to contact the Minister, via calls and messages, but all went unanswered.

However, Guyana Times understands that this move by the AG’s Chambers might have been because the organisers of the Conference did not facilitate the Minister’s schedule into the event.

Despite the move by the

AG Williams, several of his Cabinet colleagues, who are also legal practitioners, attended the opening of the Conference. These include Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, acting Prime Minister and Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan and Minister of State Joseph Harmon.

Minister Trotman had even delivered a detailed presentation on the oil and gas sector, touching on the controversial contract with ExxonMobil, oil discoveries and the territorial claim by neighbouring Venezuela.

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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

The Ogle ‘cavity search’

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he case involving a 17-year-old female who allegedly was sexually assaulted during a ‘strip search’ by a female Police Officer at the Eugene F Correia International Airport a few weeks ago has been given much media publicity, and, as expected, many are anxiously waiting to see what would be the outcome of the matter.

It was reported that the teen, who was on her way to visit relatives in Barbados, was subjected to a “strip search” by officers at the airport, before being placed in a room where a female officer reportedly inserted her finger in her vagina. The law enforcement rank had also reportedly asked the teen to “spread out and cough”.

From all indications, ranks who were on duty at the time may have had some suspicions that the teen was being used to traffic drugs. Whatever might have been the case, if indeed the allegations are proven to be true, those involved must face the harshest penalties.

It must be stated though, so far, the officer being accused has denied the allegations against her, and the GPF’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has announced that it has launched a probe. However, this is not enough. Due to the seriousness of the allegations, the agencies involved must carry out a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of the issue. A proper investigation is necessary; not only to ensure the victim receives justice, but also to prevent a recurrence of same (if indeed the incident did occur).

Already some have expressed the view that the search done on the teenager had been improperly carried out.

If there were any suspicions that the teen had concealed illegal drugs on her person, the officers should have escorted her to a hospital and have a certified doctor carry out the necessary search in a professional and humane manner.

Drug and other law enforcement officers have a right to act on suspicions of illegal activities; however, they must always strive to be professional and act within the confines of the law. They must not infringe on the rights of persons in carrying out their functions. Everyone has rights, and those must be respected. As a given, there should be no differentiation, and no biased treatment influenced by a person’s “looks”, age, nationality, religion, or any other consideration.

Just a few days ago, the alleged victim, in an interview with this newspaper, was quoted as saying that she feels very humiliated and hopes that no other teenager would have to endure this kind of “trauma”. She also related that since the incident took place, no official from the Government or the Guyana Police Force has contacted her or any family members to hear her side of the story, or to conduct further investigations.

This most recent incident bears some similarities to the one that occurred some years ago involving Jamaican Shanique Myrie who was denied entry into Barbados., Myrie had similarly claimed that she was subjected to a ‘body cavity’ search, detained overnight in a cell, and deported to Jamaica the following day. She had also accused immigration officials of directing derogatory remarks at her.

It could be recalled that Myrie took the matter to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which made a landmark ruling in her favour. The CCJ had ruled in October 2013 that Barbados had breached Myrie’s rights as a CARICOM national, afforded under Article 5 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, by denying her entry. Considering the facts of the case, the court then ordered that Myrie be paid US$37,500 in non-pecuniary damages and US$1,120 in pecuniary damages.

In the most recent case involving the Guyanese teen, it was reported in the media that the family is seeking legal advice as to how to proceed in the matter. This could indeed turn out to be another court matter similar to the Myrie case.

This member of the Kenyan acrobat group Kibera Messenger breathes fire during a performance in Nairobi, Kenya (BBC)

Hindering of NDC work Dear Editor, The Minister of Communities’ treatment of the established Local Government Commission (LGC) seeks to put asunder the marriage of Local Government Organs and the communities they are elected to serve. Contrary to his advocacy leading up to the passing of, and assent to, the Local Government Act, # 13 of 2012, we are now witnessing a more than opposite turnaround of intent.

Not so long ago, the duplicitous Ronald Bulkan, in his August 2013 speech on the matter to the Tenth Parliament, stated: “The Joint Task Force determined that the commission would monitor the activities of local government organs, some of which included the following: the commission will be empowered to monitor the activities of local government organs, some which include staffing matters, appointment of tribunals, disciplinary matters, hiring of personnel, remuneration matters, vacation and other leave, dismissal of personnel, receiving complaints, making rules and regulations, and regulating the operations of the local authorities. What is envisaged and proposed is a system that leads to, and allows for, greater autono-

my. You can recall article 75 of the Constitution which mandates that as well as the devolution of powers.”

He further advanced that “what we want is for these local democratic organs to breathe freely, and that the oversight that they would be subject to should not be suffocating and subject only to ministerial control. These local democratic organs must be empowered, as is required by our Constitution. They must be able to take decisions in the best interest of their respective communities, not of some political party; it is all about local democracy.”

To date, after eons of delays towards establishment, the LGC is without an office; without any transportation, and the money that was allocated for the LGC by the Parliament is not being accounted for. The Commission is without any money, although appropriations were approved in the Budget for the year 2018. The bigger question is: What is happening to the Commission members’ stipends? Months have gone by and the members are awaiting their salaries/stipends.

It is known that the Commissioners have received scores of complaints, which they cannot act on due to the handed down sup-

pression of the entity by the Bulkan-led Ministry, under which its finances and empowerment fall. From their shameless actions, one could easily see that the APNU/ AFC is deliberately frustrating the members of the Commission to take action against the many delinquent staff.

While it cannot be denied that some NDC’s are doing their best, others are finding it extremely difficult to implement their work programme. The Regional Executive Officers (REOs) and Overseers are hell bent on taking political directives from the APNU/AFC. As a consequence, the NDCs are not getting their work done in the interest of the people.

Recently emerging is that there have been a number of negative activities by some REOs and Overseers, which is outright unacceptable.

In a particular NDC, the Overseer has turned away numerous persons from paying their rates and taxes, and is demanding new property valuations as the new base for the taxes. This column wishes to make public the nasty situation of REOs enquiring as to whether particular rice farmers have PNCR membership cards before supporting works are done in their areas.

It is a travesty that per-

sons in this employ, who have responsibility to provide service to the people, utilize their position to advance partisan political positions. Also, it is an extreme lawless and damning position of the APNU/AFC government to offer protection to the party stooges and political hacks who are placed in these positions to misbehave and stymie the programmes of elected councils.

With the current approach, the impact of the 2016 Local Government Elections has turned out to be farcical.

The gestation period for the empowerment of the LGC, as in the period of the bill referred to by Mr Bulkan in his speech, has gone way beyond that acceptable for humans, elephants and asses. It is stifling the people, has stultified efficiency, and is leading to ultimate failure and decay.

Legitimately elected councillors are not allowed to function in a proper way, and the undermining of the councillors is a detriment to development.

The local democratic organs must be able to breathe freely, and the oversight that they are subject to should not be suffocating, and subject only to ministerial control.

Sincerely, Neil Kumar

Our lives have not improved Dear Editor, During the previous Administration's tenure, many abuses were meted out to the working class of people and because of the scarcity of jobs, lots of the workers were forced to accept these skullduggeries that are being meted out to them. With

much fanfare and promises, this Administration was given the opportunity to help make living here better.

Instead, this nation witnesses mostly pensioners/retirees, mostly friends/associates of the President getting high-paying jobs. Now this is a President who is already

receiving a huge pension and now has a high-paying job that entitles him to free house allowances, transportation etc, the full works but still see the needs to award himself and his Ministers a huge increase in allowances.

Meanwhile, the average working man has to

survive on less than 10 per cent of the President's salary. Visit a particular pharmacy at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and you will hear that the staff there has to work on weekends and from 08:00h to 18:30h for a measly $10,000 a week. turn to page 5

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

Minister Gaskin sang for his supper at the Duke Lodge oil seminar Dear Editor, The Minister of Business said, at a private sector event, that earning US$300 million from Guyana’s oil annually is no chicken feed; and that the 2% royalty is decent, since the royalty earned on gold in the past eight years would amount to just one year of earnings from oil.

I would not want to call the Business Minister disingenuous, as he was when he rightfully criticized the misleading comparisons between the Guyana Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) and the Ghana Oil Contract.

The Business Minister cannot compare the royalty earned on gold with the profit and royalty earned from oil.

For the Minister of Business to ignore the more than $2 billion in cost recovery and profit that ExxonMobil would be walking away with each

year is to assume that the Minister is now singing for his supper.

The Guyana Gold Board saw earnings from the precious metal last year at over of US$0.25 billion (US$250 million).

This versus the projected US$300 million to be earned from the 2 per cent royalty together with profits earned on the 50/50 split—that is, providing oil prices stay at an average US$60 per barrel, and not tank to the US$30 per barrel as it had it recent years.

Lower oil prices could very well mean that Guyana would earn little to nothing on royalty, while ExxonMobil secures all earnings to meet cost recovery.

Industry experts have long concluded that safeguards against seemingly infinite cost recoveries being added by oil companies is also near impossible.

Having decimated the

economy by gobbling up the country’s foreign reserves, increasing national debt to staggering levels, together with the loss of hundreds of millions more in foreign currency from the sugar industry, the David Granger-led Administration has clearly run out of answers, or has been bought off.

Its answer is to now employ the executives in the PSC to do its public relations bidding, and to say that all is well with the ExxonMobil contract.

Why else would a Minister of Business tell business executives platitudes and respond selectively to outlandish media reports, instead of speaking to how the Government intends to safeguard contracts for the private sector out of the billions to be turned over for ‘cost oil’ and ExxonMobil’s daily operations? Gaskin wants you to believe that there is nothing ridiculous or

lop-sided about this contract, and that if the business community buys into the propaganda and becomes distracted by the negativity, they are likely to prepare themselves for the transformation.

From all appearances, the ExxonMobil PSA is a done deal—a song sung

by ExxonMobil’s Kimberly Brasington, Minister Gaskin, and each of the PSC executive members speaking.

There is money still to be made by the local private sector and Guyanese people. Oil exploration companies don’t by themselves do a lot of the actual work; that, instead, is contracted out and paid for using oil revenues, and is deducted as cost recovery.

One would have expected the Business Minister to, for example, speak to the administration’s efforts at assisting private sector companies with support for training and rais-

Our lives have not...

It is compulsory for them to work on Sundays without double pay for that day.

Go to the popular lumber yard at Stewartville and you will hear that the staff there have to work for $2500 a day starting from 07:30h to 17:30h and if they work until 18:30h, they will then receive $3000. One staff I spoke with told me he worked for over seven years there and that is his salary and any new person comes, they working for the same.

The sad part about it is that he never got annual leave for the seven years he working there, neither any payment for not getting his leave. As I said before, these things have been happening for a while and with the promises by this Administration running up to election, everyone was expecting great changes for the better.

Ironically you have to be an associate/close friend or relative to the President or

some of his Ministers to enjoy the betterment.

Editor, during the end of last month, the Regional Democratic Council of Region Six was in the news for a disturbance of a meeting addressing the plight of security guards that are working for Integrated Security Service that gets the contract for providing security to most Government schools, hospitals etc.

Now this firm started during the previous Administration’s term in of-

from page 4

fice and since it’s formation, the media is always publishing the security guards cries for their salaries and the victimisation they are facing.

Under this new Administration, it seems to have gotten worse.

Why is this blatant abuse still taking place under a new Administration?

Is someone getting kickbacks when they ignore these ordinary people?

Sincerely, Sahadeo Bates

ing certification standards to international levels; or support the University of Guyana for specialized O&G training; or perhaps set up a new school altogether in this regard.

One would have expected the Business Minister to speak to the proposed Sovereign Wealth Fund— itself reducing the annual US$300 million available to the country in the year it is earned, since some has to be set aside.

The PSC executives, in February last, would have held several high level forums and meetings with the executives of the top oil exploration companies currently operating, or looking to operate, in Guyana.

One would have expected PSC Chairman Eddie Boyer to present a report of some collaborative effort in conducting some sort of gap analysis in the private sector, or regarding some special consid-

erations for the local business community, given the newness of the sector and the record pace of its development.

What the business community instead heard from its leader was a lamentation that Guyanese couldn’t afford to compete — an area that Gaskin could have shed some light on — and must instead look to partner with those already established in the business.

Then again, it just could be a case of whoever pays the piper…, but no amount of wordplay by the Minister would hide the reality that Guyana has been handed the short end of the stick in a contract that a foreign interest demanded renegotiated.

Peter Ramsaroop, Ph.D., MBA Chairman, Vision Guyana (Political Action Group)

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By Tina Gilbertson LPC, DCC

M

y husband tells me that when he was a young man, whenever he was in a terrible mood he thought his feelings were real. He felt awful, he thought, because things were awful.

He was like a fish, unaware of any boundary between itself and the ocean in which it swims.

Nowadays, Mike easily identifies a bad mood as just that. He doesn’t mistake the way he feels for the way things are. He can be in a foul mood and know at the same time that nothing “out there” in his life is really wrong.

The fancy term for what he’s done is “disembedded from his own subjectivity.”

It's the one thing everyone needs to be able to do if they want to grow.

Lifelong personal growth

As newborns, we’re unaware that the warmth of the blanket; that smiling face, and all those interesting sounds exist outside of us. Our point of view is all we know. The whole universe seems to exist within ourselves.

Soon enough we begin to separate “me” from “not me.” This is my hand (me), and that’s your hand (not me). Understanding that other people and objects are physically separate

guyanatimesgy.com

Foundation

from us is the first step we take in disembedding (separating) from our own subjectivity (point of view).

That’s arguably our first act of personal growth. It makes us more effective to recognize that other people are not us.

It’s a helpful distinction which, if all goes well, we

never lose.

We build on that step throughout life, which is good because there’s much more separating to do if we’re to keep growing.

For example, later in childhood we come to understand that what other people see from their point of view may be different than what we see from ours. Until then, we believe we can hide by sitting in the middle of the room with a blanket over our heads. If

we can’t see others, we think they can’t see us.

Gaining perspective

All psychological growth involves progressively more sophisticated separations from our previous point of view. What used to be an invisible part of ourselves becomes a potential object

of study. We see it clearly for the first time, and that means we can change it.

How can you use this concept to address areas where you feel stuck?

Let’s take the example of addiction. If I reach unthinkingly for a drink every time I feel anxious or upset, drinking is just a part of my state of being. In a practical sense, it’s invisible to me.

Only once I’m able to see drinking as something I’m doing to calm down, can I be-

gin to think about whether I want to use alcohol in that way. As long as drinking is “just who I am,” I’m powerless to change.

Objectifying drinking is one step. I may also need to become aware of my anxiety and/or other triggers. My need for soothing might be hidden in the background – something that’s so much a part of me I don’t even realise it’s there.

Take another problem: Low self-esteem. Early on in my development, other people’s cruelty toward me probably feels like a direct reflection of my worthlessness. Once I understand others' cruelty as an aspect of them instead of me, I’ve achieved a level of objectivity that contributes substantially to my personal growth.

The best thing about objectivity is, once I see something in a new way, I can't un-see it. The change is permanent.

Therapy can help with this wondrous process. In fact, helping you separate from your current subjectivity is arguably the most important benefit that therapy can provide.

One thing is certain: Turning subjective states (who I am) into objects of study (what I see) brings our own processes – including problematic ones – within reach. And that's what makes change possible. (psychologytoday. com)

By Ryan M Niemiec Psy, D

H

ow do you manage your stress at work? When I ask different professionals this question, here are the types of responses I get: “I take a break, put my feet on my desk, and pop in my favourite music” (Jacob, 24, management) “The first thing I do on my lunch break is grab a quick smoke outside. And, I talk to a couple people about my weekend” (Cindy, 48, teacher) “My preference is to go for a walk outside. I get a breath of fresh air and look at the trees” (Mary Beth, 37, healthcare) These are all examples of using relaxation to manage stress. It turns out, these people might not be using an optimal approach to stress.

New research out this month from scientists at the University of Michigan found that learning something new at work served as a stress buffer, whereas relaxation strategies had no effect. In other words, doing something active (engaging yourself with learning) rather than passive (distracting yourself by relaxation) was crucial. The researchers conducted two studies of employees, one involved “experience sampling” which is an approach that studied the employees’ experiences “in the moment” at work.

They also found that learning something new at work was not only a great stress buffer but it also was useful in managing negative emotions at work (e.g., anxiety, disappointment, and frustration). Taking time to relax at work did not serve as a buffer for negative emotions.

Learning new things is a resource-builder. It builds your internal capacity. Relaxation approaches take a different avenue – they attempt to dampen your stress and your negative emotions. Lowering your work demands is useful at times such as when you have “bitten off more than you can chew.” But, lowering your work pressures or demands should not be viewed as your default approach to turn to. The researchers conclude that it is “doing more” (learning) and not “doing less” (relaxing) that is the key.

These findings weave in cleanly with the science of character strengths and its best practices. This study is highlighting the importance of building internal capacity to manage stress. Character strengths are some of our most important internal capacities! Here are some practical ways to make the connection of character strengths with this study.

1.) As this research suggests, build your general capacity of resources by becoming more aware of your signature strengths – those qualities most energising and essential to who you are. Studies show that using character strengths at work builds your coping, manages work stress, and improves work productivity.

Example, Jacob (mentioned earlier), began to use his signature strengths more consciously at work. Jacob is high in creativity, bravery, and gratitude. He decided he would bring each of these strengths more regularly into his team meetings (which he typically led). He used creativity to share a wider range of his ideas for different projects, bravery to challenge other team members when they were taking the discussion in an uninformed or less productive direction, and gratitude by sharing his appreciation for each employee and their unique strengths that he saw them using at work. (psychologytoday.com) TO BE CONTINUED

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Lindo Creek CoI

Lack of transparency could lead to concocted stories – Jagdeo

T

he lack of transparency and openness surrounding the operations of the controversial Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI) could very well result in stories being concocted and falsified to accomplish a particular political outcome which in turn could support the wider and sinister political objectives of the ruling A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition Government.

This is the position of Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo who on Thursday afternoon called for those responsible for overlooking the affairs of the Lindo Creek CoI to take urgent steps to remedy the manner in which hearings are being held and the quality of the entire process.

The presidential CoI has been established to enquire into the circumstances surrounding the killings of Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Lancelot Lee, Compton Speirs, Nigel Torres and Clifton Berry Wong, on or about June 21, 2008 and to report the findings and recommendations to President David Granger.

The CoI was also established to investigate and make findings of facts on all matters in relation to the killings of the eight miners in the Upper DemeraraUpper Berbice region in June 2008. It will also make recommendations on actions to be taken against all persons and/or organisations that are deemed responsible for the deaths of those persons.

“At least be a bit transparent so that we know it is not some concocted thing,”

were facing some transportation and other issues.

“We have been expecting relatives of the deceased, but some of them have not been able to come, and some may arrive late, and the un-

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

the Opposition Leader urged on Thursday as he addressed media operatives. He went on to explain that he is at a loss as to what is really taking place at the CoI and during the in-camera hearings.

Jagdeo expressed even more skepticisms about the entire inquiry and the blackout of information about what is happening there and the amount that is independently reported in the media.

“I thought the whole idea of a CoI was to work in the open. Now I see the Government, having failed on a few attempts to get requisite interest, or the necessary interest, the CoI has now reverted to working behind the scenes. Why do you need a CoI if you’re working behind the scenes…” he had told media operatives.

“Working behind the scenes with witnesses creates a huge cause for worry because they could really be prepping people to come and lie at the CoI. It’s

very, very dangerous,” he explained.

Moreover, Jagdeo maintained that he believes the decision to have a CoI into the Lindo Creek Massacre out of all the others that occurred prior to it, was “ill-advised from the very beginning.”

That inquiry got off to a rocky start after facing massive delays on the day it was originally scheduled to commence hearings as advertised publicly.

In February, Chairman of the Inquiry, retired Justice Donald Trotman informed journalists and special invitees that the Commission was forced to adjourn the hearing because of the lack of witnesses and prerequisites.

Justice Trotman could not share what those prerequisites are, as they are internal matters. However, regarding the lack of witnesses, Justice Trotman related those family members who were expected to appear before the Commission

certainty of their presence is one of the factors that would make the hearing possible,” he related.

Since then, Commissioner Trotman and the Secretariat have been

tight-lipped about both the numbers of witnesses that are expected to testify and the names of those who have already testified in camera. (Michael Younge)

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saturDAY, march 10, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

IN THE COURTS

Accused woman beater remanded

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urtis Edwards, accused of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Desmona Taylor on July 8, 2017 after she refused to rekindle a relationship with him, was on Thursday remanded to prison by Georgetown Magistrate Leron Daly.

The Prosecution is contending that because of his abusive behavior, Taylor refused Edwards’s attempts to rekindle the relation-

ship they once shared, and Edwards allegedly pushed her face into a grill gate before he dealt her several lashes about her body with a metal fan.

In court on Thursday, Edwards pleaded not guilty to the charge, but Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh objected to bail being granted Edwards, telling the court in his submissions that the virtual complainant had decided to end the relationship

with Edwards because of constant abuse.

He added that on July 8, 2017, Taylor went to Edwards’s workplace and told him to leave her alone.

Edwards then replied, “I’m not leaving, because I don’t want the relationship to end.”

Edwards then allegedly became annoyed and began to use a series of obscenities after threatening to burn Taylor with acid. He then

allegedly committed the assault on Taylor.

The matter was reported to the Police, but they were unable to locate Edwards. He had allegedly been dodging Police for over eight months before his apprehension.

Magistrate Daly upheld the prosecution’s submissions and remanded Edwards to prison until April 4, when his case would come before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Sex worker accused of robbing tourist on bail

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wenty-two-yearold Steffon Blades, called “Stefanie”, accused of robbing elderly Jamaican tourist Joseph

Jewels of US$600 and Gy$40,000,was on Friday released on $75,000 bail when he appeared before Georgetown Magistrate

Fabayo Azore.

Jewels told the court that he and Blades had a “business transaction,” but he was instead robbed by

the man.

Police Prosecutor Simone Payne made no objection to bail. The case will continue on March 28.

Footballer remanded for armed robbery

F

ootballer Joseph Osborne, known as “Kat,” appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Friday to answer to a robbery-under-arms charge.

The 26-year-old footballer, of Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, is accused of robbing a Brazilian at Port Kaituma, Region One. Osborne pleaded not guilty to the charge, which

alleges that on September 22, 2017, at Water Front, Port Kaituma, he robbed Francisco Da Santos of a quantity of gold valued at $3 million; and used personal violence in committing the act.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield did not object to Osborne being placed on bail, but this defendant was nonetheless remanded. The case will continue on March 14.

9 more Venezuelans deported

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ine Venezuelan women, charged for illegally entering Guyana, on Friday appeared before Georgetown Magistrate Sherdel IsaacsMarcus and pleaded guilty to the illegal entry charge.

The charge read that on March 8, 2018, Merielys Parra, Macila Guerrero,

Annybel Medori, Sihpibeh Manzaro, Ann Ortiz, Evhory Tenor, Danelia Figueroa, Elleymis Rodrigues and Mariam Torres entered Guyana illegally at Eteringbang without presenting themselves to an immigration officer.

Through an interpreter, the women told the court

that none of them has a passport, and that they came to Guyana because of the crisis back home in Venezuela.

The court heard that on the day in question, Police were on patrol duties on the West Coast of Demerara when they stopped the vehicle in which the women were occupants.

Each of the women, who are between the ages of 18 and 24, was fined $30,000 with an alternative of 60 days in prison, after which they would be deported.

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan had only recently called for Community Policing Groups to play a much greater role in this level of policing Guyana’s border regions, to assist law enforcement agencies.

That Ministry is also considering the option of having outstanding citizens given precepts that would allow them to have some policing powers, especially since there is a limited Police presence in far-flung communities that border Venezuela.

These ‘Police helpers’ would, however, have to come under one of the CPGs.

Shared responsibility…

T

…for family

he hoopla over International Women’s Day is over, and maybe we can continue to look back at some proposals put forward to ensure women don’t revert to the same ole, same ole. We Guyanese, after all, are very advanced on advancing women’s rights – at least on paper. In the slew of amendments to our Constitution at the beginning of the millennium, we even mandated a “Women and Gender Equality Commission.” (WGEC).

Your Eyewitness wonders if they issue annual reports on what they’ve accomplished for women in the years they’ve been around. One Commissioner on the WGEC, a Ms Nicole Cole, acknowledged the theme for the day: “Time is now, rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives,” but chose to wade in on a topic that’s been hot ever since cavemen started bopping women on their heads with their clubs and hauling them in their caves – family planning.

According to one report, she told her audience of Demerara Harbour Bridge female workers, “We must not tell women alone that they are not to become pregnant, we need to also tell our men…tell them to stop demanding sex so often, stop fighting us down for the vagina, and killing us too.” Your Eyewitness thinks Ms Cole, who also sits on the Child Rights Commission and on the Committee that’s organizing the big event on International Decade of People of African Descent, is a tad sexist. To women.

Is she claiming women don’t desire sex as much as men? And if they don’t necessarily demand it, it’s because they’ve been socialized by our patriarchal society to repress their desires and play the “submissive” role so as not to “threaten” that fragile male ego? This being so close to IWD and all that, your Eyewitness isn’t going to get into the corollary that men have also been socialized (brutalised during slavery) into the notion that they have to be “studs” - and if they aren’t, folks feel something’s “wrong” with them.

Naah…what he wants to do is to bring to Ms Cole and the WGEC’s attention the strategy launched by women since the sixties, declaring women shouldn’t hide their sexuality and their sexual needs. The movement succeeded so well that, by 1983, Cyndi Lauper could have her declaration “Girls just wanna have fun!” reach #1 on all the charts!!

Shouldn’t this progressive message reach Guyana three decades later? “I come home in the morning light/ My mother says, ‘when you gonna live your life right?’/ Oh mother dear we’re not the fortunate ones/ And girls they wanna have fun!!”

That’s equality; right, Ms Commissioner?

…for Armageddon

Well, what’d you know!! Trump’s agreed to meet Kim Jong-Un of North Korea!! Now, while N. Korea has bombastically rattled its nuclear threat for decades to get a raise out of the US – which divided the Korean nation -- previous US presidents have usually just stressed the dangers of such a volatile nation having nuclear bombs.

Trump, of course, couldn’t have any other leader sound more bombastic that him!!

So, ever since he entered the Oval Office, he’s conducted a non-stop campaign of trading invectives with Kim Jong-Un. He boasted his nuclear button is “bigger & more powerful than Jong’s”, and “my Button works!” He’s also mocked the strength of Kim’s military, and derisively referred to him as “little Rocket Man.” So what will happen if these two mega-egos get into the same room? A nuclear explosion?

Your Eyewitness doesn’t think the meeting will come off. Trump wouldn’t want to give that much credence to North Korea’s claim to be a “nuclear power”.

Frankly, it was probably done to take the spotlight from his tariff fiasco!!

…for Guyana’s history

Wilson Harris might’ve lived outside of Guyana for almost sixty years, but Guyana lived inside him far more intensely than most who’re here.

His work wasn’t “dense” – it merely reflected the complexity of reality. Like Guyana’s. RIP. Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

News

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saturDAY, march 10, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

West Ruimveldt house goes up in flames …faulty electrical connection blamed

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n elderly couple of Yarrow Dam, West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, is now left without a roof over their heads following a fire suspected to have caused by a faulty electrical connection.

According to reports, the fire broke out at the Lot 6

Company Park, Yarrow Dam house at about 10:30h on Friday.

Guyana Times understands that the owners of the wooden property – 65-year-old Hermon Norton and his wife Geeta Norton, 63 – were at home at the time of the incident.

The couple said they had just returned from the hospital and were in the lower flat of the property when they heard a loud noise emanating from the upper flat of the house. As such, Herman Norton made checks and it was then he saw thick black smoke.

Security reform

President ‘studying’ security reform recommendations – Harmon

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onths after interim and final reports were submitted to the Government by a British security expert, the recommendations contained are still being studied by the President.

During a post-Cabinet press conference on Friday, Minister of State Joseph Harmon revealed that it is before the President and experts, adding that there is necessity of caution when making changes to the security sector.

“There are several recommendations that were made in it. And these are matters that require careful study.

As you know you don’t drastically change your security framework overnight unless you put in place certain processes. The report is getting attention at the level of the President and a team of persons who are studying the report itself,” Harmon explained.

The US$4.7 million security sector pact was initially launched in 2007.

There were major disagreements between the then Administration and the UK Government over some of the conditions of the plan.

The programme was subsequently re-established, and Government is of the view that, once implemented, Guyana’s security sec-

tor would be significantly strengthened.

According to Harmon, the Government is optimistic that this would lend to reducing the crime rate.

President Granger has previously said there is need for a stronger Police Force, one that is better equipped with all tools necessary to function adequately.

An interim report was presented in 2017. UK expert Russell Combe, who was hired to assist with the Security Sector Reform Action Plan (SSRAP), presented the final report to Granger in January.

While the report focused primarily on reforms within the Guyana Police Force, Combe explained there are measures also included to address issues plaguing the prison and the Fire Service, as well as the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard.

The Colonel had also explained that the report does not only contain his views on issues facing the security services, in particular the Police Force, but it’s a compilation of previous reports.

“The report is dynamic; it’s not to represent just the beginning. Activities supported by the United Kingdom have already commenced: the training of (Police’s) Strategic Planning

Unit last year and then in November there was consultancy on the marine capability of the Police Force and indeed engaged with the coast guards as well… So this is not the beginning, nor is it the end,” he had noted.

UK expert further stated that they do not want to see the report sitting on the shelf, gathering dust. In fact, he noted that the report was compiled in such a way that it can be broken up and separated into its parts to be dealt with by different groupings.

As such, Colonel Combe is expected to return in April this year to oversee the implementation of his recommendations. His new tenure will see him in Guyana until March 2019.

The completely destroyed building

Without hesitation, the couple quickly evacuated the property and the fire service was summoned. The couple’s son told Guyana Times that he received a call from his parents informing him of the fire.

“When I come, my mother told me that she was upstairs but subsequently came downstairs. When she come down, she hear a loud noise so my father ran up and see the smoke and the

place catching a fire,” he revealed in disbelief.

The man added that his parents, who occupy the property alone, quickly exited the house and alerted neighbours who called the Fire Service.

The couple reared poultry, specifically chickens, all of which perished in the fire.

“They had like 20 chickens in a pen but with the commotion, nobody ain’t get

time to save them and all of them burn to death” this newspaper was told.

However, an official of the Fire Service was informed that the couple might have been utilising an illegal electrical connection which may have resulted in the fire. He noted that a refrigerator which might have exploded could be the cause of the fire but this is yet to be determined.

“It appears that they were using an illegal connection and it appears that the refrigerator or something in that area started the fire so we will be in contact the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to further investigate the matter,” the official said.

The couple has been living at the said address for over 40 years and was unable to save any household items. However, no one was injured in the blaze.

An investigation has been launched.

(Kizzy Coleman)

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saturDAY, march 10, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Fire destroys West La Penitence home

Oil sector

Harmon to control A new Energy Dept

…Govt downplays yanking energy portfolios from Patterson, Trotman

Minister of State Joseph Harmon

Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman

Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson

abinet has officially approved the creation of an Energy Department that would now oversee Guyana’s oil and gas sector. Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has been designated the holder of ministerial responsibility for this department.

This announcement was made during a post-Cabinet press briefing which Harmon himself hosted on Friday. In that briefing, he disclosed that the matter had engaged Cabinet’s attention, and its deliberations were centred on “organisational structure of the department, legislation to be introduced for the sector, negotiation with potential investors, exploration and production licences, public communication, responsibilities, the engagement of technical experts, the establishment of a Natural Resource Fund, capacity-building measures, (and) review of fiscal contractual terms.”

Responding to questions, Harmon assured that

energy-related responsibilities lying with Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson would remain untouched for now.

Those include responsibility for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL).

“Those responsibilities with the Minister of Public Infrastructure will remain there for the time being. The Department of Energy initially will be dealing with oil and gas. Ultimately, (the) Department of Energy will basically deal with all matters in relation to energy.

“But as it stands right now, those matters which relate to the Minister of Public Infrastructure will remain (with that minister), and this department will deal with oil and gas. This is the specific responsibility of this department right now.”

Harmon noted that ‘a department’ would be less likely to lead to more bureaucracy than creating an Energy Ministry. Asked who would head the department, Harmon noted that

while someone has not yet been identified, he will have ultimate responsibility for the unit before the National Assembly.

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Stripped

Following a proposal he made, Government had announced its intention last month to strip Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman of responsibility for the sector.

The announcement that Trotman was being stripped of his responsibilities for oil was made in a taped interview with the Department of Public Information, in which he said, “Government will, in the coming months, establish the Department of Energy which will be housed in the Ministry of the Presidency.”

Trotman said also that the department will be “focused only on the development of the petroleum sector,” based on a proposal that he had made to President David Granger last year. turn to page 11

family of three is now uncertain of their next move after a fire suspected to be arson completely destroying their one-storey, West La Penitence house.

The fire reportedly started at the Lot 35 West La Penitence, Georgetown house between 14:00h and 15:00h on Thursday, while no one was at home.

The 21-year-old owner of the property, Shelton Jordan told Guyana Times that he shared the home with his girlfriend and their only child.

The distraught man revealed that he was spending sometime at a house in Providence, East Bank Demerara when he received the news that his house was on fire. Jordan explained that soon after receiving the news, he rushed to the scene but by the time he arrived, the house was completely gutted.

According to Jordan, investigations carried out showed that the fire could not have started as a result of an electrical connection.

“When I came, the place was red red. Them saying is the wire but is nah no wire. Like them break the glass and it have a big chair right in front here whatever they throw in go in the chair and

Relatives assisting in the cleaning up of debris

that is where the fire start,” he stated.

He further stated that his suspicions are as a result of the fact that the surrounding houses were unaffected by the blaze.

“I living here all the time, go away, come back and I never see any fire, had no electrical issues, how just suh fire start all of a sudden, watch how much house deh close to this one, how come this one alone burn” Jordan questioned.

However, Jordan’s grandmother who lives close to the gutted house, relayed that she was alerted of the fire when she attempted to use the outhouse. According to the woman, she opened her backdoor and was startled by an intense heat.

“I felt the heat and I ran in the washroom, then I saw the fire so I quickly woke up my other son who was upstairs,” she explained.

The woman then proceeded to alert her neighbours who quickly formed a bucket brigade to assist in extinguishing the fire. She noted that the Fire Service was summoned and within a few, she related that fire fighters came and extinguished the flames. The house, she recalled, was already destroyed.

She further revealed that her family has been occupying the said house for many years and no such incident has ever occurred. An investigation has been launched to ascertain the cause of the blaze. (Kizzy Coleman)

NEWS

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Jagdeo to address Lindo Creek CoI thousands at Reputed wife of dead dredge owner testifies Babu Jaan on way forward for PPP

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eople’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo is expected to deliver a very important keynote address to thousands of Guyanese, party supporters, dismissed sugar workers and deflectors from the ruling A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change coalition Government, when he takes the stage at the memorial service organised to mark the 21st death anniversary of the PPP’s founding father and former President, Dr Cheddi Jagan.

Jagdeo, Guyana’s longest serving former President and the current Opposition Leader, is expected to share his perspectives on a number of matters, including the way forward for the PPP in the current political environment.

Sources close to the Opposition Leader told Guyana Times Jagdeo would also be spreading messages of hope as he will no doubt be urging supporters of the PPP, including dismissed workers, to redouble their efforts to struggle for a better Guyana where their futures are secured.

“I expect that Comrade Jagdeo’s message at that

event will set the tone for the movement forward ahead of the party’s next congress. I know that the entire country is excited and Berbicians are mobilised because of how badly they have been treated by this new coalition Government. Some feel that he is their only hope and the party is the only way that they will be able to get back on their feet,” the source said.

On Friday, the Party’s Central Executive Committee and its entire leadership were locked in discussion about a number of fundamental issues which needed their approval.

“The Programme for Babu Jaan has been set.

The speakers have already been identified. We are united and we are strong. The support for Cheddi Jagan’s party is growing as the PPP continues to expose the wickedness and weaknesses of the coalition,” the source maintained.

Guyana Times understands that the event will mark the 21st death anniversary of Dr Jagan and his 100th birth anniversary.

“Jagdeo will outline how the party continues to keep Jagan’s policy alive,” the source noted. (Michael Younge )

Former AG Anil Nandlall

Freddie Kissoon

Justice Desmond Trotman

Onica Butts

n emotional Onica Butts took to the stand on Friday at the Lindo Creek Commission of Inquiry (CoI), where she recounted the trauma she and her children felt following the death of her reputed husband, Dax Arokium.

Arokium was a third-year student at the University of Guyana (UG) pursuing engineering and the owner of the mining dredge at Lindo Creek, where eight miners were killed on June 21, 2008.

Butts recollected seeing Arokium on June 6, 2008, at her parent’s home, when he was preparing to travel to Lindo Creek. At that time, she was four months pregnant with their son. The couple had a three-year-old

daughter at the time.

Butts said she last communicated with Arokium on the day he arrived at Kwakwani, as he awaited transportation into Lindo Creek and received the news on June 21, 2018, of his and his co-workers’ deaths.

She said she did not believe the reports and further explained that due to the state of her pregnancy, Arokium’s family decided to withhold the details of his death and what transpired at the mining camp, from her.

She said that no one from the Guyana Police Force (GPF) contacted her and following months of receiving very little information regarding her reputed husband’s death, she made the decision to visit the then Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee to seek answers.

The family held a memorial service on June 28, 2008.

It was years later that the Lyken Funeral Parlour provided the family with information as to where Arokium was buried, after which they visited the location, she said.

After the birth of her son, Butts said the family was exposed to counselling.

However, she pointed out the fact that the re-opening of the case has negatively impacted her son’s studies.

Meanwhile, Former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, in an invited comment, told this newspaper

that on Phagwah day, as he was powdering Justice Donald Trotman and exchanging Holi pleasantries, he used the occasion to respectfully caution him not to allow his Inquiry into the Lindo Creek Massacre to become a pantomime.

“My attention was to a news report which suggests that Freddie Kissoon appeared before the Commission. Every intelligent Guyanese is aware of Kissoon’s morbid obsession with the PPP and more particularly, Bharrat Jagdeo. But someone needs to tell Freddie Kissoon that for his own credibility, his rantings on the PPP and Jagdeo, must suffer reasonable restraint.

Unfortunately, on this occasion the burden is mine to bell the cat.”

Kissoon in his testimony on Friday, told the Commission that in “his journalistic investigations revealed that it was geographically impossible for the notorious Fine Man gang to murder the eight miners at Lindo Creek, in June 2008.”

Nandlall said that this testimony raised a few questions for him.

“1) Why Freddie Kissoon never disclosed this to the police when the incident occurred? 2) Why Freddie Kissoon refuses to disclose the details of this “journalistic investigation”? 3) Why does Freddie Kissoon not explain what informa-

tion he received from this “journalistic investigation” and from what source, that made it “geographically impossible for the notorious Fine Man gang to murder the eight miners at Lindo Creek in June 2008”? 4) Why does Freddie Kissoon not explain who his sources are who supplied him information that “the security forces and the then PPP government had great involvement in what transpired at Lindo Creek 10 years ago”? 5)Why does Freddie Kissoon not reveal the identity of the alleged person whom he claims informed President Bharrat Jagdeo of the whereabouts of the gunmen?

He added that unless these questions are answered, this remains another quest by Kissoon in his perennial search for relevance and importance in our society.

“I can appear before that Commission tomorrow with a story that is 10 times more convincing than Freddie Kissoon, replete with a pretension of knowledge of what transpired and prevent any testing of my fabrication by the utilization of concepts such as “lawyer-client” privilege etc. Would the Commission accept my testimony as credible? Freddie must think that he lives in an extraordinarily stupid society, to believe that he can pull off such asinine stunt,” Nandlall declared.

A

Harmon to control new...

Incidentally, both David Patterson and Raphael Trotman belong to the Alliance for Change (AFC) faction of the coalition administration.

Trotman, and indeed the Government, has received much criticism for the way the budding oil sector is being handled.

There have, in the past, even been calls to have Trotman removed from his position as Minister, especially when it was discovered that Government had stashed in a private account in the Central Bank US$18 million it had received from ExxonMobil as a signing bonus.

Though this discov-

ery was made since last year, the Government has made no attempt to have the money placed into the Consolidated Fund.

Many have argued that Article 216 of the Guyana Constitution dictates that all public revenue be placed in the Consolidated Fund, with the exception being where a specific law allows for the money to be placed in a special account.

Trotman was also criticised for his handling of the oil contracts between Government and ExxonMobil.

Even the Government’s own adviser on petroleum, Dr Jan Mangal, has been skeptical of Guyana’s two

from page 10

per cent royalty on earnings from oil sales, which he said is low compared to global standards.

While Dr Mangal has not objected to the 50 per cent profit share Guyana will receive, he does believe that the generous tax concessions and two per cent royalty is nothing to boast about.

Others have also come out criticizing Trotman, including outspoken political commentator and Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram, who believes that Trotman’s handling of the oil sector could lead to future disaster.

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saturDAY, march 10, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Judicial appointments

Legal fraternity throws support behind acting Chancellor, CJ

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he local legal fraternity is calling for the confirmation of acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards, and acting Chief Justice (CJ), Roxane George.

President of the Guyana Bar Association, Kamal Ramkarran, on Friday made this declaration, and it was received with resounding applause from an audience packed with legal luminaries, who gathered for the inaugural Guyana Oil and Gas Law Training Development Conference that was put together jointly by the Judiciary and the Bar Association.

The conference is the brainchild of acting Chancellor, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who along with the acting Chief Justice, Roxane George, worked on putting together the content of the programme.

According to the GBA President, the local judicial sector is on the right path under the leadership of Justices CummingsEdwards and George.

“This is what happens

Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Yonette Cummings-Edwards

when you have two dynamic women heading the Judiciary, who care enough about filling the gaps in our collective knowledge by adding to their heavy work load of hearing cases all day, as well administering the legal systems and improving it by planning something of this magnitude, and seeing it through to reality. I’m sure that you will all agree that this is exactly the sort of energy and capacity we want from the heads of

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George

our Judiciary,” he posited to loud applause from the gathering.

Further re-enforcing the association’s position, Ramkarran told reporters on the side lines of the conference that the legal fraternity as a whole is happy with, and confident in, the abilities of the two distinguished women to head the judiciary.

“We are very confident in their abilities and their hard work… and we hope

that the Government would recognise that the lawyers are happy with the persons we have acting, and we’d like to see them confirmed,” he noted.

The GBA President further that not only are the two female justices doing a tremendous job in regard to reducing the backlog and making improvements in the Judiciary, but it is also evident that their thinking is outside the box, as is evident in the hosting of the oil conference.

President Granger is now seeking legal advice on the way forward in regard to the judicial appointments, after his nominee for the Chancellor position, Justice Kenet Benjamin, was rejected by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, whose approval is needed for a substantive appointment under Article 127 of the Constitution.

The Head of State had subsequently underscored the “necessity” of having substantive appointments.

However, Government has since come under fire for overlooking Justice

Cummings-Edwards for the top judicial post, and for demoting her to the Chief Justice position. Justice Cummings-Edwards was appointed acting Chancellor and Justice George acting Chief Justice in March last year.

The Bar Association last month called on both the Head of State and the Opposition Leader to break the impasse and arrive at a resolution, while warning that the unconstitutional appointments of a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice would have “embarrassing consequences”.

“The current climate surrounding the offices of the Chancellor and Chief Justice is repugnant and shakes the public confidence in the legal system. It further unfairly undermines the dignity of the offices and office holders.

In the circumstances, we urge the parties to work to break the impasse and arrive at a consensual resolution, discharging their duties to the nation and in keeping with the spirit and intent of Article 127

of the Constitution, which was amended from its original form to foster collaboration,” the GBA had said in a missive.

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Friday threw its support behind the position taken by the Association, expressing concern over the fact that the President and Leader of the Opposition were unable to come to an agreement on the appointments after a lengthy process.

“The PSC is calling on the President and the Leader of the Opposition, in the national interest, to again confer in good faith and agree on the persons to be appointed substantively Chancellor and Chief Justice, as required by the Constitution, without further delay,” it said on Friday.

The Commission went on to point out that an independent judiciary is important for a thriving democracy, while adding all actions that may impair the independence of the Judiciary should be avoided at all cost.

Women’s protection highlighted at WGEC celebration

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he Women and Gender Equality C o m m i s s i o n on Friday observed International Women’s Day 2018 under the patronage of the First Lady of Guyana, Mrs Sandra Granger.

The event, held at the National Library, saw the attendance of First Lady Sandra Granger, Human Rights Attorney Melinda Janki, and former Attorney General Anil Nandall, among others.

In her address to the forum, the First Lady noted that women must command respect, establish control, and take responsibility. She noted that violence has become very prevalent, and today’s society has become inured to this issue.

In most cases, women are the victims of gender-based violence.

Crime is also on the rise, she observed, and that more severely in Regions Three, Four and Six. This is mainly because there ar-

From left: Human Rights Attorney Melinda Janki, First Lady Sandra Granger and former Attorney General Anil Nandlall

en’t many reports from remote areas, although there are acts of crime due to the stereotypical household scheme wherein women accept violent behaviours from men.

Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall noted there should be more focus on the awareness of events such as International Women’s Day in the hinterland and rural areas. He said this observance is “organised” in ur-

ban areas.

Human Rights Attorney Melinda Janki‘s discourse demonstrated how Guyana can improve accessibility to justice for women. She said there should be gender quality in today’s generation, and women should be given equal importance and opportunities as men.

“Equality is not just a goal or a principle of international law; it’s a requirement of national law,” Janki said.

The human rights attorney also made a number of recommendations that Guyana can implement to ensure protection of women. One such recommendation is that a harmonised code of law on women’s rights should be produced, and should contain all laws protecting women, but those should be set out as a code, and not separate laws. Legal aid services should also be provided, with priority being given to matters that affect women, such as gender-based violence and other forms of discrimination.

news

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saturDAY, march 10, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

“Otisha” to remain locked up until Monday

Govt sabotage of Region 6 flag raising

Govt nixes and replaces PSC's UG Council nominee T …rejects business representative on UG Council

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he Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Friday condemned the intervention and subsequent seizing of the Golden Arrowhead by ranks of the Guyana Police Force in Corriverton, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), as the Town Council was preparing to hoist it on the eve of Guyana’s 48 Republic Anniversary.

The PSC, in a statement, said that raising of Guyana’s flag is a national event honoured and respected by everyone, irrespective of political association among other things.

On February 22, Police shut down the Corriverton Town Council’s annual flag raising ceremony, claiming that permission was not granted for the hosting of the event. However, Mayor Krishnand Jaichand said permission was never required, and the real reason the event was stopped is because the Council refused to have Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan deliver the feature address.

Jaichand stated that the council had written the Communities Minister requesting his presence, but he never responded; and to ensure the programme went, on the council invited Opposition Parliamentarian Adrian

Anamayah – a resident of the Region -- to deliver the feature address. They also agreed to host Ramjattan, but made it clear that he would not be the feature speaker despite being pressed by Bulkan, the Regional Executive Officer and Social Protection Minister Amna Ally.

Ally would later admit to blocking the event, noting that flag raising ceremonies are national events organized by the Government.

The PSC said that, over the years, Government has always been represented at the ceremonies, and that the incident at Corriverton was an unfortunate one.

“According to the facts at our disposal and reported at some length in all of the media, the Corriverton Town Council quite properly invited Minister of Communities Ronald Bulkan to represent the Government and be the Guest Speaker at the ceremony, but the Minister, quite wrongly, neglected to respond to the invitation,” the PSC noted.

The Private Sector body noted that when the Mayor received a call from Ally, the matter should have ended there, and the Corriverton Council should have accepted the Government’s representative.

“The Corriverton Council preferred to put

politics before accepted national behaviour and convention, and refused to accept the Government’s appointment to speak at the Ceremony. A disgraceful and unacceptable series of events followed, in which -- most unfortunately -- the Police were clearly directed to intervene and prevent the flag raising ceremony from taking place on the specious excuse that prior permission had not been sought from the Police,” the statement read.

The PSC urged the leaders to put aside politics and work towards the nation’s interest.

Dissatisfied

Additionally, the Private Sector representative organisation expressed its dissatisfaction with the business representative on the Council of the University of Guyana.

PSC claims that the Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary wrote to it requesting a nominee, and the head of the Consultative Association of Guyanese Industries, Samuel Goolsarran, was nominated to sit on the new council.

However, the ministry appointed Allison ButtersGrant as the business representative, and the body is calling for this to be rectified forthwith.

Region 4 Education Department assists amputee

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elroy Pyle, a father of four, was working on one of the buildings on the campus of the University of Guyana last December when he came into contact with electrical wires and received electric shocks that resulted in the amputation of both his arms.

The challenges and difficulties the Pyles now face as a result of that incident have forced both Melroy and his wife to halt their studies at UG. Through its Welfare Department, the University of Guyana (UG) has donated to the Pyles some assistance from the Regional Education Department of Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Region 4 Welfare Officer Shevon Vyphuis has said the Region Four Education Department is aware the Pyle family needs whatever assistance they can get at this stage, and has thus presented them some supplies that are necessary.

Representative of the Education Department, Rhonda Monize, presenting the items to Melroy and Tena Pyle

“We at the Department are cognisant and aware that at this stage there are challenges and difficulties confronting you and your family as a result of the accident.

Therefore, we are more than happy at this stage to lend whatever assistance we can give to you,” Vyphuis said.

She added that the de-

partment is committed to granting any further assistance to the family in regard to finances and other areas of need.

Melroy’s wife, Tena Pyle, expressed gratitude to the department for the donation, noting that it would be of significant help, since her husband can no longer provide for them the way he used to.

he freedom of popular cross-dresser Otis “Otisha” Pearson, who is accused of paedophilia, hangs in the proverbial balance as the Guyana Police Force was successful in its bid to seek the High Court’s approval for an extension of the statutory 72-hour detainment period.

Pearson was taken into Police custody on March 6 after the Child Care and Protection Agency (CC&PA) forwarded the findings of its investigation of paedophilia claims against the sex worker. The Police’s investigation is still ongoing and the file is with the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

The Police said that the extension was sought in the High Court on Friday morning at the 72-hour period for his detainment was nearing expiration. They were granted the permission to further detain Pearson until Monday as it is expected that the DPP would pro-

Otis “Otisha” Pearson

nounce on the matter by that time.

The CC&PA’s investigation was launched after Pearson went on national television, after he was released from Police custody for another incident, and claimed that he has “a little boy” for every day of the week. Following that claim, photos of the cross-dresser and a teenaged boy were leaked on social media site, Facebook, sparking outrage.

To pacify the situation, Pearson, in the presence of Joel Simpson – founder of the Society Against

Sexual Orientation and Discrimination (SASOD) explained that the term “little boy” is usually thrown around in the transgender community and denied being involved in sexual relations with any underage boy.

The releasing of the photos and subsequent response led to several persons calling for an investigation into the incident and accused Pearson of being a pervert.

Back in February the investigation into the alleged misconduct by Pearson was closed. It was discovered that the boy was below the legal age of consent, which is 16 and became a victim of bullying after the photos were leaked.

According to CC&PA’s Director, Ann Green, the Agency has gathered statements from a number of persons, including the young man at the centre of the controversy, and as such, it is expected to move ahead with the case.

Govt takes over UNDP Shield Funds …funding to be administered by Environment Department

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uyana has agreed to take on the responsibility of both housing the Guiana Shield facility and administering its funds -- monies that were formerly administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) but which have now been handed over to local officials.

This was disclosed by Minister of State Joseph Harmon, during a post-cabinet press briefing on Friday.

While Harmon could not inform the media how much money is currently being held in the fund, he related that the Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of the Environment will be its new managers.

“Guyana has agreed to be the host for the Guyana Shield facility and Fund...

This initiative started in 2000 under the UNDP, and until December 31st, 2017 (they were) the major entity that dealt with it. Guyana, in actually accepting this position, is now positioning itself as the major global player in this regard,” Harmon explained.

“The Fund basically will be at the Department of the Environment,” he further explained. “It’s basically a small team that manages the Fund…and these are funds that are garnered from international agencies for the purpose of management and operation of the Guyana Shield,” he continued.

He explained that the funds were intended to go to the long-term financing of national and regional activities to conserve the ecosystems, protect bio-diversity,

Guyana is one of several countries which have pledged parts of their forests for conservation

and sustain the livelihood of persons residing within the Guyana Shield.

“The GSF supports the global relevance of the Guyana eco-region, and will facilitate the financial transfers from international communities and international organisations and those responsible for maintaining the ecological and cultural integrity of the Guyana Shield,” the Minister declared.

The Guiana Shield currently comprises six nations which have dedicated their forests to conservation, including Guyana.

The main purpose of the Amazon Fund is to provide support for projects to stop, observe and combat deforestation, as well as for the conservation and sustainable use of forests in the Amazon.

In 2016, Guyana was charged with the responsibility to press Brazil for the

Amazon Fund to be expended for Guiana Shield biodiversity scientific research.

At the Fourth International Congress on Biodiversity of Guiana Shield, UNDP Resident Representative Khadija Musa had stated that the Fund was overloaded with resources that could be utilised for research.

“There is no doubt that the Guiana Shield is worth protecting,” she had said, adding that it was critical for the respective governments to tap into the resources that the Fund possesses.

At the opening ceremony of the congress, President Granger had suggested that since the world was under threat from human activities that decimate the environment and cause global warming, the Shield’s existence was important. He stated that it was the organization’s duty to protect and preserve the ecosystem.

14 news Govt fast-tracking oil production to build border controversy case – Trotman N saturDAY, march 10, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

atural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman on Friday said that Government’s fast tracking of oil production in 2020 is “inextricably linked” with the 55-year-old border controversy with neighbouring Venezuela. He explained that this was neither coincidence nor happenstance.

Delivering a presentation at the inaugural Guyana Oil and Gas Law Training Development Conference, the Natural Resources Minister said pushing for

and Barbadian waters.

But according to Minister Trotman, the intension of the neighbouring country was made clear, and so the Coalition Administration had to take actions that would cement its sovereignty over the territory.

Against this backdrop, the Natural Resources Minister outlined, it was imperative that Government anchor a company to explore and ultimately produce oil, hence it opted only to “tweak” the 1999 Production

well would become a matter for dispute.

“So getting to production was strategic, because it had to do with sovereignty,” he asserted.

After years of mediation, the United Nations Secretary-General in January announced that the border controversy between the two neighbouring States would be sent to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for resolution, a decision which the Bolivarian Republic of

A section of the gathering at the first Oil and Gas Law Conference being held at the Ramada Princess Hotel

first oil in 2020 is a strategic move against the claims by the western neighbour over waters offshore Guyana that are being explored for oil by US oil giant ExxonMobil.

The Nicholas Maduro Government had issued a decree late May 2015, claiming most of Guyana’s territorial waters, including the location where the Liza Field is -- some 120 miles off Clonbrook-Mahaica. This claim was relayed weeks after Exxon had announced the discovery of oil in commercial quantities.

That decree was subsequently withdrawn after its delineation found itself extending into the Surinamese

Sharing Agreement and fast track oil production, instead of having re-negotiated better benefits, which may have driven away the company.

“Because of the withdrawing of the lines by Venezuela, it was important for Guyana to move production as quickly as possible so that we can assert when we got to Court that production was taking place within the territorial waters of Guyana. That would become an indisputable fact before a Court of Law,” said Minister Trotman.

Trotman, a lawyer by profession, went on to argue that if no production is taking place, the location of the

Venezuela has not accepted.

In the meantime, ExxonMobil is continuing to meet success in its exploration, making its seventh discovery of “high quality” commercial oil offshore Guyana last month. According to the company, this will help bring Guyana’s production to more than 500,000 barrels per day.

To this end, the Natural Resources Minister told the gathering of members from the local legal fraternity on Friday that preparations are already underway to commence oil production in 2020.

The two-day conference, organised by the

Judiciary and the Guyana Bar Association, saw the attendance of judges, magistrates and attorneys-at-law from around the country, who will be “Exploring the legal framework in oil and gas law”.

This event has been dubbed as timely, given the emergence of a local oil and gas sector. In fact, President of the Bar Association, Kamal Ramkarran, noted that the hosting of the conference is the first step that the local legal profession is taking to better understand and learn the legal aspect of the emerging oil and gas industry.

“It is our duty to know and understand as much as we can…on what the law is and what it should be.

Enhancing our knowledge of how things have worked or not worked elsewhere can only lead to us ensuring that things do work to bring the greatest benefit possible of our natural resources to Guyana and its citizens,” Ramkarran remarked.

Meanwhile, acting Chancellor, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, in brief remarks, posited that the legal profession must be proactive in embracing the

Natural Resources Raphael Trotman

Minister

oil and gas industry.

“We, the Bar and Bench, have seen that vision; we’ve seen the need to sharpen our legal skills using the powerful weapon of education…

There are various learning theories which provide that conceptual framework to describe how knowledge is absorbed, how it is processed, how it is retained, and how it obtained. But for us, in the legal fraternity, learning is continuous, and we know the benefits of continuing legal education,” she stated.

Among the presenters from around the region during the two-day conference was Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law, UWI St Augustine Campus, Alicia Elias-Roberts. The Guyanaborn legal luminary, who has pioneer legal education in oil and gas in the region, is leading the training, which she said is not only timely but relevant to what is currently obtaining in Guyana.

“I’ll endeavour over the course of the two days to deliver training based upon my experience…to lay the foundation during this conference about lessons learnt from other hydrocarbon economies, so the agenda is truly aligned to many of the issues facing the energy sector in Guyana…

“I cannot overemphasise the long-term implications that our discussions here will have on the future of the energy sector and the economy,” she noted.

Elias-Roberts will be assisted during the conference

by Senior State Counsel of the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries in Trinidad and Tobago, Indranie Rampaul-Cheddi.

REO prevents Region 5 Chairman from attending NDIA Board meeting

Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal

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egional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice), Ovid Morrison, has prevented Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal from attending the monthly meeting of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority Board (NDIA).

Reports reaching this newspaper are that the REO allegedly did not make the vehicle available to take the chairman to the meeting on Wednesday. According to the Regional Chairman, on Tuesday he informed his driver of his schedule for the following day, which included his attendance at the meeting.

“The driver went to Mr Morrison, who is the REO, late Tuesday afternoon for him to authorize the purchase of fuel. Mr Morrison refused to do so, stating that the Regional Chairman has to send him a copy of the invitation that came from National Drainage and Irrigation Authority,” Ramphal told this publication.

The Regional Chairman further stated that he later tried to make contact with the REO, but to no avail. He said that when the REO finally answered, he told him he wanted to see the invitation for the board meeting from the NDIA before he authorises the purchase of fuel.

Ramphal claims it is not a normal practice, since never in the past, working with two previous REOs, had any one of them requested such document, and/or tried to monitor the movements of the regional chairman.

He said he can only see this strange behaviour of the REO as one of retaliation because of him engaging a group of security guards recently who were not paid, and Morrison appeared to be very upset over the fact that the guards were getting the attention of the Chairman, since he himself (Morrison) had refused to address their concerns.

When the meeting was called, Morrison chased the guards out of the Regional

Region Five REO, Ovid Morrison

Boardroom, stating that he wanted to use it.

“Is this the price elected officials have to pay when they make representation on behalf of the people of this dear land?” Ramphal questioned.

He lamented that many of the drainage and irrigation issues that are affecting the residents and farmers of Region Five could have been addressed at the NDIA board meeting. “Now those issues will take another month, or even longer, to be addressed because of the REO’s disrespectfulness and uncaring attitude, the Regional Chairman told Guyana Times.

(Andrew Carmichael)

news

saturDAY, march 10, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Corentyne poisoning

mother succumbs, baby still Hospitalised

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he woman, who ingested a poisonous substance and gave some to her one-year-old baby last Saturday, has died.

Roshanie Ramlakhan, 19, of Number 58 Village Corentyne, succumbed on Friday at the Skeldon Hospital.

The mother of one was picked up in a semi-conscious state next to a bus shed at Number 61 Village and the child was standing next to her when she was found. She claimed that she had ingested a poisonous substance and had also given some to her baby to

drink. While being hospitalised she told relatives that the baby did not drink the poison and that she had just rubbed in on the infant’s mouth.

However, the baby continues to be monitored at the Skeldon Hospital. Two

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inister within the Public Health Ministry, Dr Karen Cummings conducted a site visit at the Leonora Treatment and Diagnostic Centre on Friday, to ensure the facility is ready for reopening on Monday.

The health centre’s compound was submerged under at least 14 inches of water after high tides overtopped the seawall in some areas along the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) on March 2. This caused its temporary closure and relocation of services to the Den Amstel

Health Centre, also known as the Mildred Cox-Younge Health Centre and the Guyana Sugar Company’s (GuySuCo) Dispensary at the Uitvlugt Community Centre.

According to Assistant Administrator of the Leonora Treatment and Diagnostic Centre, Kathleen Armstrong, ongoing works to repair the floors, evaluate the electrical equipment and appliances will be completed in time for the hospital’s staff to return and begin serving the members of the public on Monday.

Halliburton team pays courtesy call on Minister Broomes

days after being hospitalised, the infant displayed symptoms of poisoning.

The teen’s mother, Kaowala Thakurdyal, told Guyana Times that her daughter confirmed that she committed the act but has refused to give a reason.

Leonora Diagnostic Centre to reopen on Monday

The cleaned Leonora Treatment and Diagnostic Centre

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“At the pace that we are going to restore the functionality of the centre, it will surely be soon than later. The staff will be bringing back the equipment and appliances from Den Amstel Centre throughout the weekend and set it up to ensure that things go back normal,” Armstrong said.

It was also highlighted by the assistant administrator that the hospital has limitations providing X-ray services since the machine is due for repairs.

Minister Cummings stressed that the Ministry will be looking into providing the hospital with an X-ray machine as soon as possible.

She also noted that the regional administration needs play its part in assisting to improve the facility’s services.

Responding to the inquiry about safety measures to be taken by the hospital, should there be another occurrence of high tides, Armstrong explained that there will be drainage to provide relief to prevent flooding of the facility.

From left: Business Segment Manager Carlos Casado, Minister Simona Brooms, Performance Development Coordinator Claudia Rodriguez and Recruitment Specialist Daniel Compan

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team from Halliburton, an American oil field service company, met with Minister within the Natural Resources Ministry, Simona Broomes at her Duke Street office. The team included Recruitment Specialist Daniel Compan, Performance Development Coordinator Claudia Rodriguez and Business Segment Manager Carlos Casado.

Halliburton is one of many companies which will be working as a contractor for ExxonMobil. The company has commenced its recruitment process of Guyanese. Compan noted that the company is looking to hire engineers, technicians and persons to fill administrative positions.

“We are looking for local people, Guyanese people, so we want to invite all of the professionals to come and apply to our company because we are looking for the local talent. We know that there is talent in this country. We have already had some interviews, and we are glad to see that

there is potential and we want to develop that potential here in the country,” Compan explained.

The company plans to have more than 20 per cent of its workforce comprised of Guyanese. However, Rodriguez indicated that as time goes by and the sector begins to blossom, that number will significantly increase. “We are willing to train them, to provide them with the knowledge required to perform the job and help them develop their careers,” she stated.

According to Rodriguez, integration of local talent into the company is the main trait Halliburton has followed in the over 70 countries in which they operate. Additionally, it was mentioned by Rodriguez that the company is one that deals with diversity, and as such is encouraging woman to take up the opportunities that are available in the male dominated field. The Development Coordinator also highlighted that the company also met with a number of students from the Faculty

of Technology of the University of Guyana to apprise them of the opportunities available to them upon graduating. She noted that the company will be hosting two meetings with UG faculties.

The company representatives will also be meeting with a number of technical institutes to inform them of possible career paths they could venture into at Halliburton.

Minister Broomes said she welcomed the company’s local content initiative of having Guyanese on its workforce. She observed that the call is not only for those in Georgetown but for Guyanese countrywide.

“We have a lot of engineers in Guyana who might not be engineers in oil and gas but engineers in the extractive mining and there is still an opportunity because the company is providing the more technical training as it relates specifically to the oil sector,” Minister Broomes is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

High-level meeting called to discuss/tackle non-communicable diseases

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overnment Ministers from different sectors will meet today with academicians, Judges from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Caricom Secretariat, organs and institutions and civil society, to discuss the use of laws and regulations to help reduce non-communicable diseases (NCD), which account for three out of four deaths in the Caribbean.

The high-level meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The meeting, is expected to bring members of the CCJ Academy of Law together with representatives of relevant Caricom organs and institutions, sub-regional partners, and international organsations to discuss policies and strategies for using the law as a powerful tool to address NCDs, focusing particularly on tobacco control legislation and laws and regulations that can help prevent obesity.

The meeting is organised by the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), the Caribbean Court of Justice Academy of Law and

the FAO. Representatives of Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago will present their countries’ experiences and lessons learned in using laws and regulations to address

NCDs. Other subjects will include the role of community law in addressing NCDs, how to mobilise political will to advance the use of legal measures, and how to harmonise policy approaches to face this challenge.

PAHO/WHO is encouraging Caribbean authorities to adopt effective laws and regulations that can contribute to reducing the burden of NCDs and their risk factors, as well as their social and economic consequences Although progress remains insufficient, there are examples of best practices in the Caribbean that could to be scaled up. They include taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, bans on the sale of sugary beverages in schools, and progress on tobacco control legislation in several countries. Caribbean heads of government and other Caricom leaders have

repeatedly called for expanding such measures to help reduce NCDs. Non communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases, together with their four shared risk factors – tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity – are the leading causes of death, illness and disability in the Caribbean. High rates of NCDs are the reason people in the Caribbean have a greater probability of dying prematurely (before age 70) than people from any other sub-region of the Americas.

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guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, march 10, 2018

Regional

Cuban vote begins end of Castro era C

uba on Sunday designates the 605 members of its National Assembly, an electoral process without surprise since there are as many candidates as seats.

But one of them will succeed President Raul Castro in April, marking the first generational change of leadership under the island’s communist rule.

For the first time in nearly 60 years, after the era of the Castro brothers, the presidency of Cuba will go to someone who did not fight in the revolution of 1959. His name will be known on April 19, the 57th anniversary of the failed CIA-backed invasion of the Bay of Pigs, known in Cuba as Playa Giron and considered on the island as “the first defeat of Yankee imperialism in Latin America.”

Raul Castro, 86, officially became

President Raul Castro

president in 2008 after two years as interim leader, and following his ailing brother Fidel who had governed since seizing power during the revolution.

Fidel died in 2016.

More than eight million Cubans

are eligible to vote for provincial assembly delegates and the 605 chosen for the National Assembly, a list screened by the country’s only party, the Communists.

Candidates may be either members of the Cuban Communist Party or not, and may also belong to trade unions or be students.

Among the list of future Assembly members are the leaders of the Cuban Communist Party including Raul Castro, his first Secretary General, and historic figures of the revolution.

More than half of the candidates, 322, are women.

Cuba’s President is designated by a 31-member body called the Council of State, whose head is automatically President of the country. But the Council of State first has to be selected by the National Assembly. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

15 Caribbean countries to benefit from partnership for people and biodiversity

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he University of the West Indies (UWI) and IUCN (International Union of Conservation of Nature) Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, have renewed a five-year collaboration supporting Caribbean countries to best manage and utilise important sea and land resources for the benefits of those who depend on them, ultimately contributing to the long term conservation and sustainable use of

biodiversity.

This work is being implemented with support from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union through the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme. In this sense, BIOPAMA, through the Protected Areas Caribbean Gateway information platform provides tools for data and information management, services for improving

the knowledge and capacity for protected area planning and decision making, and funding opportunities for specific site-based actions.

Professor Dale Webber, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Graduate Studies and Research at the UWI at the signing ceremony in Kingston, Jamaica said the BIOPAMA Programme offers “great potential for our Region in the form of technical and financial assistance to build capacity in our citi-

zens who have oversight and management for the protected areas across our lands and shared sea spaces.”

The signing of the IUCN – UWI agreement took place in the first day of the BIOPAMA regional relaunch. This meeting hosted approximately 60 participants from 21 countries in the Caribbean region and beyond who represented the stakeholders and potential beneficiaries of the BIOPAMA actions in this region. (Excerpt from Caribbean360)

Colombia election: FARC's Timochenko pulls out of race

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he Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) former rebel group says its candidate for the presidential election in May is withdrawing from the race because of ill-health. The group’s leader, Rodrigo Londoño, is recovering after undergoing heart surgery in a Bogotá clinic on Wednesday.

Better known by his nom de guerre, “Timochenko”, he had only been polling about one per cent support.

But the group says it will continue to stand in legislative polls this Sunday.

Under the terms of the 2016 deal that brought an end to the FARC’s half-cen-

Ivan Marquez and Carlos Antonio Lozada of the political party of the FARC speak during a news conference in Bogota, Colombia March 8, 2018

tury of armed struggle, it is guaranteed 10 seats in the legislature as long as it campaigns for them.

It is still known by the same acronym as before but the letters now stand for the Alternative

Revolutionary Force for the Common People rather than, as before, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

“The surgery which took place yesterday (Wednesday), combined with... features of the electoral campaign, has led us to decline our presidential aspirations,” said FARC number two and Senate candidate Ivan Marquez.

The party has cancelled campaigning events over protests it says are from right-wing groups. Last month Timochenko’s motorcade was pelted with tomatoes and eggs by angry protesters. (Excerpt from BBC

News)

T&T Govt moving to grant further autonomy to Tobago

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he Trinidad and Tobago Government Friday presented legislation to Parliament seeking to amend the Constitution so as to grant further autonomy to the island of Tobago within the context of the sovereign democratic state of Trinidad and Tobago.

Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley told legislators that the Constitution (Amendment) (Tobago Self

Government) Bill, 2018 would be sent to a Joint Select Committee (JSC), adding that he hopes “it will be received and advanced to the satisfaction of all the people of our beloved Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, particularly our brothers and sisters in Tobago”.

Rowley said that the JSC should report to the Parliament by July 31 this year.

He said the legislation had been developed “after a very long and transparent process of research, extensive public consultations and a genuine desire to advance and improve the process of granting further autonomy to the Island of Tobago within the context of the sovereign democratic state of Trinidad and Tobago”.

Rowley, who gave a historic overview of the rela-

tionship the two islands have shared over a number of years, said that 120 years after the union of Trinidad and Tobago “it is opportune that the basis for advancement of the sovereign democratic state is reformatted.”

Rowley said that the document had been developed as a “policy document for the enactment of legislation to advance the process of self-government and autonomy for Tobago”. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)

Barbados Parliament dissolved but no election date set

Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart

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he Barbados parliament automatically dissolved pursuant to the constitution on Monday without Prime Minister Freundel Stuart announcing a date for general elections, which are due by June. The lack of a firm election date has created a stir and some are calling it folly, while others say it hinders investment opportunities.

Speaking in Barbados Today, Director at Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES), Peter Wickham, called the move “folly” and a gross error in judgement on the part of the Stuart Administration, because not only does it create confusion, but also paints Stuart’s party, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in a very precarious position when campaigning and speaking with prospective voters.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Republic Bank (Barbados) Ltd, Anthony Clerk, said potential investors had pulled back and were in a “wait-andsee” state as they await the call for a specific date for the upcoming general elections.

It expected that, within 90 days, an election date must and will be set, pursuant to Article 62 (1), which states: “After every dissolution of Parliament the Governor General shall issue writs for a general election of members of appointment the House of Assembly returnable within ninety days from that dissolution.”

No timeline in between the 90 days when the election must be called was given, which means that an election date may be called at any time within the next three months. (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

Antigua withdraws from OAS summit preparation meeting over exclusion of Venezuela

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ntigua and Barbuda on Wednesday withdrew from participation in the second preparatory meeting for the Summit of the Americas scheduled to be held in Lima, Peru, in April, following the exclusion of Venezuela from participation.

Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS), which is responsible for the preparation of the meeting, explained that Antigua and Barbuda withdrew from the meeting on a point of fundamental principle.

He noted that, at the meeting, the government of Venezuela was excluded from participation without any prior explanation or discussion by the member states of the OAS at any level.

“Venezuela’s exclusion from the second preparatory meeting was curious because it had been a full and constructive participant in the first meeting a few weeks ago,” Sanders said.

The only reason given for Venezuela’s exclusion was that Peru, the host country for the summit, had decided that Venezuela should not be allowed to participate.

Consequently, Antigua and Barbuda’s deputy head of mission to the OAS, JoyDee Davis, made the following statement before withdrawing from the meeting on Wednesday: “Antigua and Barbuda does not know of, nor has it participated in, any official decision of the Summit of the Americas, the OAS General Assembly, the Meeting of Consultation of Foreign Affairs or of the Permanent Council to disenfranchise any active member state from these meetings. We find this precedent of unilateral exclusion appalling and unacceptable.

“Therefore, on that basis and until this situation is rectified, Antigua and Barbuda regrets that it cannot participate in the meeting.” (Excerpt from Caribbean News Now)

saturDAY, march 10, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

17

Around the World

2 million children In landmark decision, India’s Supreme in Congo at risk of Court allows passive euthanasia, 'living will' starvation, UN warns

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tating that human beings have the right to die with dignity, the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday allowed passive euthanasia, but made sure to set out strict guidelines that will govern when it is permitted.

The top court also allowed an individual to draft a living will specifying that they not be put on life support if they slip into an incurable coma in the future. In a 'living will', a person can make a statement in advance that their life should not be prolonged by

putting them on a ventilator or an artificial support system.

The apex court's order came on a plea by the NGO 'Common Cause'.

Though the judges gave four separate opinions, all of them were unanimous that a 'living will' should be allowed, because an individual should not be allowed to continue suffering in a vegetative state when they don't wish to continue living.

The top court today also set in place strict guidelines for carrying out the

mandate of a 'living will'. The court did this by specifying who is authorised to give effect to it. The court also talked of involving a medical board to determine whether the patient in a vegetative state could be revived or not.

The SC said it was aware of the pitfalls in giving effect to 'living wills', considering the property disputes relatives have. Therefore, the SC said the relatives of a patient who has not written a 'living will' can approach high courts asking for passive euthanasia.

(Excerpt from Times of India)

Kim Jong-un to meet Trump by May after North Korea invitation

A refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo is seen with her children as they prepare a meal near the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees offices in Kiziba refugee camp in Karongi District, Rwanda February 21, 2018

O

ver two million children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are at risk of starvation if they do not receive the aid they need, the UN has warned. The comments come in advance of a meeting between Mark Lowcock, the UN humanitarian chief, and potential donors willing to commit aid money to help the country in its dire situation.

"We have a great responsibility in the DRC... Now is the time to stay the course," Jens Laerke, UN spokesman, said during a briefing in Geneva. Inter-ethnic violence and protests against President Joseph Kabila are the main reasons for the turmoil in the Central African country.

Last weekend at least 79 people were killed when fighting broke out between Hema herders and the Lendu farmers in the northern Ituri province. Ethnic strife between the Hema

and Lendu dates back to the 1970s.

The communities were embroiled in a violent, armed conflict between 1998 and 2003, in which tens of thousands were killed. In recent years, the two groups have maintained a low-level conflict, with occasional flare-ups in violence.

Because of the conflict, farmers have been unable to plant crops for several years, leading to high rates of malnourishment. Other provinces have also seen violence, particularly Kasai and Tanganyika, where hundreds of thousands of people are at risk.

In Tanganyika and the nearby area of Haut Katanga, more than 12,000 reports of human rights violations were recorded in 2017, according to the UN. Ethnic violence between the Bantu and Twa ethnic groups has intensified since mid-2016. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga now 'brothers'

K

enya's President and Opposition Leader have promised to begin a process of reconciliation following last year's bitterly contested election.

Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga called each other "brothers" during a surprise joint TV address.

Odinga has sworn himself in as the "people's President" and refused to recognise Kenyatta as Head of State.

The announcement came shortly before the arrival of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Kenya. Speaking in Nairobi, Tillerson later praised the two men for taking "a very positive step".

However, he also said that Kenya needed to "correct certain actions, like shutting down TV stations and threatening the independence of the courts".

Until now, both Mr Kenyatta and Odinga had dismissed calls for talks, from both Kenyans and foreign diplomats. About 150 people were killed in the aftermath of the election, which Kenyatta won after an opposition boycott.

In their joint address, President Kenyatta said: "We will begin a process of discussing what ails us and what creates division amongst us." Odinga said it was "time to resolve our differences".

President Kenyatta was sworn in for a second term last November. He won an election re-run in October, which Odinga had boycotted. Elections were first held in August but the courts ordered a re-run, saying Mr Kenyatta's victory was marred by irregularities.

(Excerpt from BBC News)

D

onald Trump has accepted an invitation from the North Korean leader, Kim Jongun, to hold an unprecedented summit meeting to discuss the future of the embattled regime’s nuclear and missile programme.

In a stunning development following months of tension and mutual sabre-rattling, senior South Korean officials appeared outside the White House to announce the news, having verbally conveyed Kim’s invitation to Trump. The White House confirmed Trump was ready to meet Kim “by May”, at a time and location yet to be determined.

If the meeting takes place it would be the first ever be-

US President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, to hold an unprecedented summit meeting to discuss the future of the embattled regime’s nuclear and missile programme

tween leaders of the two countries. Pyongyang has long sought a summit with the US to reflect what the regime sees as its status as a

regional military power. Bill Clinton came close to agreeing to a meeting with Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, in 2000, but arrangements had not

been made by the time he left office in January 2001.

Administration officials portrayed the invitation as a victory for Trump’s policy of “maximum pressure” and stressed that the US would not relax its stringent sanctions regime before North Korea began disarming. A senior official said Trump “is not prepared to reward North Korea in exchange for talks”.

The US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, said on Friday Trump had taken the decision to hold talks after the US was surprised at how “forward-leaning” Kim was in his conversations with a visiting South Korean delegation. (Excerpt from The Guardian)

Canada appoints first woman to head scandal-plagued Mounties

C

anadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday appointed the first permanent female head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which has been dogged in recent years by accusations of discrimination and sexual assault.

Brenda Lucki, who has been with the national police force for 31 years, will take over as commissioner in midApril, Trudeau told a televised ceremony at the RCMP’s training academy in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The previous commissioner, Bob Paulson, retired in June after more than five years in the job. During his tenure, Paulson gave a tearful

File photo: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) cadets await badge presentations at a graduation ceremony at the RCMP Academy, Depot Division in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, June 5, 2017

apology as the RCMP settled a series of harassment, discrimination and sexual abuse claims that deeply embar-

rassed the force.

The RCMP is also under fire for not doing enough to protect Canada’s largely mar-

ginalised and impoverished aboriginal population. “We know we have a lot of work to do... to restore the RCMP to the full position of trust that it really should have in the eyes of Canadians,” Trudeau said.

He said the RCMP needed to become better and stronger, adding that Lucki would “play a vital role in advancing reconciliation with indigenous peoples, promoting gender equality ... (and) addressing workplace harassment.” Lucki said she would ask all the right kinds of questions, “including some difficult ones,” and would challenge assumptions about how the RCMP operates. The RCMP has around 20,000 uniformed members. (Excerpt from Reuters)

Convoy delivers food to Syria's besieged Ghouta amid shelling

A

convoy of relief trucks crossed front lines into the rebel-held Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta on Friday and unloaded all its food to the trapped population, despite fighting that the Red Cross said had come “extremely close”.

The Syrian government’s two-week onslaught in eastern Ghouta has killed around 950 civilians, the war monitoring group

the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

For eastern Ghouta’s civilians, mostly trapped underground with little food or water, the choice of whether or not to emerge to seek supplies may be one of life or death.

“People were hopeful after the bombardment decreased and went out onto the streets,” said Moayad al-Hafi, a man in the Ghouta town of Saqba. “But then air

strikes began again, and there are still people under the rubble that we couldn’t get out.”

Syria and its main ally Moscow have both said the assault is needed to stop rebel shelling of nearby Damascus and end the rule of Islamist insurgents over civilians in eastern Ghouta, where some 400,000 people live.

But UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein

has said, in comments criticised by Syria’s Government, that the assault is “legally, and morally, unsustainable”.

There was a pause in the government’s bombardment overnight, but air strikes and shelling quickly resumed after the convoy carrying food parcels crossed into eastern Ghouta, according to residents and the Observatory. (Excerpt from Reuters)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

saturDAY, March 10, 2018

ARCHIE

Search for a new way to put your skills to good use.

(March 21Revising your resume or ofApril 19) fering a service that is needed in your community is a good place to begin.

ARIES

Take care of personal fiTAURUS nances, or medical or legal (April 20- matters. If you depend on May 20) someone else to speak on your behalf, you will not get the outcome you hope for.

dilbert

Anger will mount if you feel GEMINI you are being picked on. Before (May 21you point the finger at someone June 20) else, look inward and consider what's being said and what's being questioned.

Words can hurt. Think before you speak, and don't (June 21- bring emotional or personal July 22) matters into a discussion at work. Your actions will determine how others view you.

CANCER

Peanuts

Personal changes will reLEO sult in added benefits. What (July 23- you do to improve your perforAug. 22) mance or productivity will not go unnoticed. You'll make remarkable advances if you are clear about your motives.

Keep busy, live up to your VIRGO promises and don't disagree (Aug. 23with a partner or someone you Sept. 22) live with. Be positive or put an incentive in place when asking for approval.

Calvin and Hobbes

If you sit on the sidelines, LIBRA (Sept. 23- you will have no one to blame Oct. 23) but yourself if things don't go your way. Make a difference by choosing to speak up.

WORD GAME

SUDOKU

TODAY’S WORD — INQUEST (INQUEST: IN-kwest: A judicial inquiry into a matter to find facts related to an incident.)

Carefully examine SAGITTARIUS what's being said or the (Nov. 23actions someone takes.

Dec. 21) Misrepresentation or manipulative tactics will push you out of your comfort zone.

Don't fret when you can do something about it.

Average mark 19 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 26 or more words in INQUEST? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — SECANTS

sane sanest sans sate scan scant scat scent

seat sect sent seta stance east enact cane

cant case cast caste cent cesta acne ante

ascent assent asset neat ness nest

RULES OF THE GAME: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” is not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed. To contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe, write to Word Game, Kathleen Saxe, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Copyright 2015, Distributed by Universal Uclick for UFS

Avoid an incident that could SCORPIO affect your income by fulfilling (Oct. 24Nov. 22) your promises and finishing what you start. Being responsible will make a difference at the end of the day.

solution for Puzzle

Be careful when dealing CAPRICORN (Dec. 22- with people from your past.

Jan. 19) Someone will take advantage of you. Offer suggestions when asked for help, but don't take control. Take care of your needs first.

An energetic approach AQUARIUS to work, money and getting (Jan. 20ahead will pay off. Your enFeb. 19) thusiasm and ability to get things done quickly will be impressive and will lead to greater prospects.

PISCES The power of persuasion (Feb. 20- is against you today. Don't March 20) give in to someone's enthusiasm for a product or pursuit.

Plan to invest in yourself, not in someone else.

saturDAY, march 10, 2018

19

Rabada knocks over Australia for 243

S

outh Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada produced a sublime spell of bowling to take five wickets as Australia were dismissed for 243 in their first innings on the opening day of the second test on Friday.

Rabada began expensively before lunch, conceding 47 runs, but then returned to claim five wickets for the loss of just 13 runs on either

Rabada completed a fine day’s performance coming in as the nightwatchman and scoring an unbeaten 17 runs off 14 balls. He will resume with Dean Elgar, who is 11 not out, on Saturday.

Rabada finished with bowling figures of 5-96 while the 21-year-old Lungi Ngidi, who was a surprise pick ahead of Morne Morkel, took 3-51. His victims included

The Australian opener had been the focus of much of the build-up to the second test after an ugly spat last Sunday with South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock in the first test in Durban, which the tourists won by 118 runs.

Warner was eventually bowled for 63 on Friday as Australia reached 117-3 but it was only when Rabada David Warner looked assured hitting 63 at the top of the order (Associated Press)

Kagiso Rabada finished with 5 for 96, his eighth five-wicket Test haul (Associated Press)

side of tea and effectively turn the game around.

South Africa were 39 for one wicket in reply at the close, losing Aiden Markram for 11 runs.

the prize wicket of David Warner for 63.

Warner, who was also slow to get going, found some flow late in the morning and reached 50 at lunch.

trapped captain Steve Smith lbw for 25 that the wickets began to tumble.

Five went down for just for 21 runs as Rabada also dismissed the Marsh broth-

ers, Shaun and Mitchell, and then Pat Cummins for a golden duck after tea.

Mitchell Starc (8) was Rabada’s fifth victim, clean bowled to leave Australia reeling on 182-8.

“It was important to stay in the fight and it was just my day. I was just on a roll, things were all going my way,” Rabada told reporters.

Tim Paine, however, frustrated the home side by scoring 36 runs as Australia added 61 runs for the last two wickets. Paine was the last wicket to fall when Ngidi bowled him.

“Coming from 98 without loss at lunch to 243 all out was quite disappointing,” said Warner.

“But if we get the ball in the right areas tomorrow, it is going to be hard to score on because the wicket is doing just a bit for the bowlers.” (Reuters)

SCOREBOARD Australia 1st Innings CT Bancroft c †de Kock b Philander 38 DA Warner b Ngidi 63 UT Khawaja c †de Kock b Philander 4 SPD Smith* lbw b Rabada 25 SE Marsh lbw b Rabada 24 TD Paine† b Ngidi 36 MR Marsh c †de Kock b Rabada 4 PJ Cummins c †de Kock b Rabada 0 MA Starc b Rabada 8 NM Lyon b Ngidi 17 JR Hazlewood not out 10 Extras (lb-14) 14 Total (All out; 71.3 Overs) 243 Fall of wickets: 1-98 (CT Bancroft, 26.4 ov), 2-104 (UT Khawaja, 30.4 ov), 3-117 (DA Warner, 36.2 ov), 4-161 (SPD Smith, 51.6 ov), 5-166 (SE Marsh, 53.2 ov), 6-170 (MR Marsh, 53.5 ov), 7-170 (PJ Cummins, 53.6 ov), 8-182

(MA Starc, 57.5 ov), 9-212 (NM Lyon, 63.5 ov), 10243 (TD Paine, 71.3 ov) Bowling Philander 18-7-252, Rabada 21-2-96-5, Ngidi 13.3-3-51-3, Maharaj 181-51-0, Elgar 1-0-6-0 South Africa 1st Innings D Elgar not out 11 AK Markram lbw b Cummins 11 K Rabada not out 17 Extras 0 Total (For 1 wicket; 12 Overs) 39 Yet to bat: HM Amla, AB de Villiers, F du Plessis (c), TB de Bruyn, Q de Kock †, VD Philander, KA Maharaj, L Ngidi Fall of wickets: 1-22 (AK Markram, 7.4 ov) Bowling Starc 4-0-14-0, Hazlewood 5-1-16-0, Cummins 2-0-9-1, Lyon 1-1-0-0 Position: South Africa trail by 204 runs with 9 wickets remaining in the innings

Jesus offers Neymar rehab advice

Neymar (left) and Gabriel Jesus

N

eymar reached out to Brazil colleague Gabriel Jesus for recovery tips after suffering a broken foot.

The PSG forward fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot in a 3-0 Ligue 1 win over Marseille at the end of last month,

leaving him in a race to reach peak fitness ahead of the Selecao's World Cup campaign in Russia.

Jesus had a flying start to life at Manchester City interrupted in February last year when he also suffered a metatarsal break and the 20-yearold striker confirmed his com-

patriot had been in touch.

"He sent me a message. I did not know what he had [at first] and he asked me about the problem," said Jesus, who was back in action after two-and-a-half months out with the injury – a timeframe Neymar would gladly accept as it would leave him with a month to prepare for Brazil's World Cup opener against Switzerland in Rostov on June 17.

"I explained to him how I felt, how the recovery was. He has already been operated on, is recovering and is starting to walk again."

Jesus made his first start for City since New Year's Eve on Wednesday following an-

other enforced spell on the sidelines, this time with medial knee ligament damage.

He opened the scoring and completed 90 minutes as Pep Guardiola's side went down to a 2-1 Champions League defeat at home to Basel – a last16 result rendered academic by a 4-0 first-leg romp.

Competitive action is likely to be at a premium for Neymar before Russia 2018 and, although he was pleased to get minutes and a goal under his belt, Jesus conceded there are mental scars to address when it comes to finding out whether a freshly healed injury will stand up to the rigours of top-level competition.

"When you are in the game, without wanting to, you end up thinking about the previous game where you got injured. You have a bit of fear," he explained.

"But, as you are playing more and more, you are going to get that fear away and play your football.

"I think [against Basel] I still played with some fear.

There were some movements when I still had some fear about getting injured again.

I know anything can happen but I'm sure that the more you play, the easier it is for that fear to go away."

During his absence, Jesus has seen Sergio Aguero hit a rich vein of scoring form for

City, while his main rival for the number nine spot with Brazil – Roberto Firmino – has continued to win rave reviews at Liverpool.

"This does not impact anything on my football," he added. "More than competing by position, I'm a good friend and supporter.

"So if Firmino is doing a big season, I'm happy. He is a friend I always talk and joke with a lot – just not when he is playing against City!

"With Aguero it is no different. We play in the same position but he's my teammate and I will always pray that he can help the team in any way." (Sportsmax)

20

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, march 10, 2018

Mayor Holland Win or go home moves to resuscitate …round-of-16 gets cracking today cricket in Linden Milo Schools Football Tournament

T

h e

highly anticipated knockout stages for the sixth annual Milo Schools Football Tournament have arrived with some interesting ties which hints at high octane action from today at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue.

Group A runners-up Annandale Secondary will meet Uitivulgt Secondary in the first match of the day from 13:00h followed by Friendship Secondary and Sir Leon’s Lesson from 14:30h and the final match of the day

being Masters Academy against The Bishops’ High School from 16:30h.

Sunday’s play which also commences from 13:00h pits Buxton Youth Developers against Vergenogen Secondary then Christianburg Secondary meeting Pure Masters followed by Morgan’s Learning Centre tackling St Roses High.

On Monday, former champions Lodge Secondary play The Business School from 17:00h where after threetime defending champions Chase Academic Foundation clash with Ann’s Grove Secondary.

The quarter-finals will be held

March in 17 and 18 while the semi-finals are on March 25 and the grand final on March 28. All matches are at the Ministry of Education ground Played under the theme “there is no excuse for violence” due to the tournaments partnership with the Ministry of Public Health, the under-18 boys will be hoping to secure the first place prize of $500,000 which goes towards a school project. Second to fourth placed school teams, will receive $300,000, $200,000 and $100,000 respectively which will also go towards school projects.

– Regal sport assists

Jamaica selects 151 athletes for Commonwealth Games

Capital FC’s Tyric McCallister (3rd from left) receives the equipment from Regal’s Telisha Ousman in the presence of former Linden Mayor Carwyn Holland (left), Seon Barrett (2nd left) and Linden’s Town Counselor Eleze Benjamin

L

G

Jamaica has selected a 151-member team for the 2018 Commonwealth Games

arth Gayle, General Secretary of the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association, has promised a rich bounty of medals from the contingent of athletes selected to represent the country at next month’s Commonwealth Games.

One hundred and fifteen athletes representing 15 disciplines have been selected to compete at the Games being held on Australia’s Gold Coast from April 4-15 and Gayle said he expects them, especially the track and field athletes to do well.

“It is our intent that we will be coming back with a bounty of medals.

Especially in the case of track and field, we are going to correct some of the disappointments from London (2017) as we do look to come back with a harvest of medals.”

Track and field will have the largest contingent comprising of 70 athletes led by veterans Yohan Blake and 2006 200-metre champion Sherone Simpson.

Among the women are Shericka Jackson, Chrisann Gordon, Natasha Morrison, Christania Williams, Yanique Thompson and Stephenie-Ann McPherson.

Tiffany James and Simone Facey complete the female track and field selections.

Blake leads a contingent that includes 2014 200m champion Rasheed Dwyer, Julian Forte, Oshane Bailey, Nigel Ellis, Demish Gaye, Peter Matthews, Hansle Parchment, Jaheel Hyde, Dejour Russell, Federick Dacres, Traves Smikle, and Warren Weir

among others.

In addition to the 70-member track team, Jamaica is also sending a five-member badminton team, 12-member netball and rugby sevens teams, one-member boxing and cycling teams, as well as two-member shooting,

squash, aquatics, table tennis, and triathlon teams.

Jamaica will also for the first time send a wrestling team and a lawn bowls team to the Games.

Thirty-six officials will accompany the respective teams to the Games. (Sportsmax)

inden Mayor Carwyn Holland disclosed that they are in the process of resuscitating the sport of cricket in the Mining Town, during a presentation

by Regal Stationery and Computer Centre to the recently formed club, Capital Football Club.

A quantity of sporting gears including cricket bats, balls, gloves, pads, footballs, badminton racquets, volleyballs and volleyball nets were handed over to the Linden-based club at Regal Stationery and Computer Centre in Seaforth Street, Campbellville on Friday.

Holland extended gratuitous remarks on behalf of Capital FC. He said, “We are very pleased by the presentation by Regal and are also happy to have them onboard as a sponsor.”

Speaking on the club’s footballing future, he said, “We are hoping that with-

in a few months, hopefully, they can be propelled into the number one club status Linden.”

Meanwhile, the Mayor disclosed that Linden recently had a cricket game with a massive turnout of over 200-plus spectators actively enjoying the encounter.

Several players from across Linden: Mckenzie, Wismar; inclusive of Old England and Spike Land came out and had a fun time playing for the Vincent Adams Trophy. Adams was a former national player from Linden.

In closing, he told Guyana Times Sport there are plans for an enticing Twenty20 match scheduled for April or May where national players will be included, which will serve as another catalyst to inspire and push the revival of the sport.

Ogle begin 10-day tour of T&T

O

gle Cricket Club departed Guyana on Friday for Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) where they will spend the next ten days playing Twenty20s and visiting tourist attractions under the hospitality of Paradise Sports Club.

Today they take on their hosts, Paradise SC at Munroe Road from 18:00h followed by a tour to Matura River on Sunday and the Pitch Lake Clifton Hill beach facility on Monday.

Bat and ball action resumes on Tuesday where they play Central Stars at Lange Park ground from 13:00h then a visit to Maracas beach facility on Wednesday.

The Guyanese cricketers will face LTT from 13:00h at Able ground on Friday and their final match is on Saturday against Paradise at the Avidesh Samaroo

Some members of the Ogle Cricket Club at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Friday

Park from 13:00h before departing on Sunday for Guyana.

Ogle CC Squad: Davindra Ramtahal, Bechma Persaud, Rajindra Ketwaru, Alim Mohamed, Nadia Kowlessar, Sahadeo Ramkehellwan, Puran Mangra, Soopaul Sanichar, Roshanie Mahadeo, Michael Deonarine, Mohammed Essack, Valmiki Ramtahal, Andre Gomes, Khemchandra Dindyal and Sheik Yaseen.

Yaseen who is the Manager expressed his gratitude for the invaluable support of WJ Enterprise of Regent Street for helping them make the trip. He also contended though the matches are more friendly oriented they will be still aiming to produce their best performance in the twin island republic.

21 Chanderpaul guides Everest Masters to crushing win sports

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Ramjit Singh (right) presents Rajesh Singh with the winning trophy at the Everest Cricket Club ground

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that helped E v e r e s t Masters secure a 188run victory over Hoboken Cricket Club Man of the Match, Imtiaz Sadik out of New Jersey, USA. ormer West Indies Hosts, Everest Masters captain, Shivnarine won the toss and were out Chanderpaul showed of the blocks in a hurry with his class on Wednesday with a masterful knock openers Basil Persaud and

F

Sahadeo Hardaiow laying a good foundation for the late assault. Persaud made 31 while Hardaiow 68 from 38 balls with four sixes and five fours.

Following their dismissal, Chanderpaul joined Hemraj Garbarran and tore the visitors’ bowling apart with some clean striking.

‘Shiv’ was especially pleasing to the eye during his 36-

ball stay at the crease and hit four sixes and five fours in the top score of 71.

In the end, Garbarran was not out on 67 from 49 balls with three sixes and six fours as Everest posted a mammoth 289 for 3 from their 25 overs.

Bowling for the North Americans, Ramjit Singh (1/32), Prakash Persaud (1/37) and Hardeep Singh

GCB/ U-17 Inter-County Tournament

Demerara whip defending champions

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(1/41) were taken to the cleaners but still managed a wicket each.

In reply, Hoboken CC made 101 all out from 21 overs after they were held up by Man of the Match Imtiaz Sadik who was virtually unplayable with impressive figures of 5-0-63. Sadik was supported by Rakesh Gangaram with 2 for 3, Rahaman Khan 2 for 11 and Rajesh Singh 2 for 18.

Ramchand Singh with 21 and Vicky Singh 10 were the only batters in double figures.

At the presentation ceremony, the visitors presented Everest Masters with cricket caps and a plaque for their kind hospitality.

Additionally, Sadik collected the Man of the Match trophy and Everest Masters the winning trophy while President of Everest Cricket Club, Rajesh Singh presented a plaque to the visitors to mark the occasion.

All trophies and plaques for the game were donated

by Ramesh Sunich of The Trophy Stall on South Road.

H

ome team Demerara and Essequibo claimed second round victories in the latest action in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under 17 Inter- County Tournament on Friday.

At the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Demerara completed a handsome 76-run victory over defending champions, Berbice to remain unbeaten.

Demerara got 23 from captain Sachin Singh at the top of the order after winning the toss and opting to bat. Andre Seepersaud supported with 32 and Navindra Persaud chipped in with 20 before Demerara were bowled out for 160 from their 50 overs.

Bowling for Berbice, Nigel Deodat plucked out four scalps for 33 runs while Marvin Prashad (2-26) and Gourav Ramesh (2-35) supported nicely.

In reply, Berbice who beat the Select U-15 side in round one also at Bourda, failed to reach their target as they fell cheaply for

84 runs off 33.5 overs. The only batsman to offer resistance was the lone centurion in the tournament, Seon Glasgow who top scored with 21.

When a huge effort was needed as Demerara were looking to defend their target, Man-of-the-match Nyron Bissu stepped up and bagged 4 wickets for 11 runs as he continues to have a good season.

In the other match of the day between the teams that lost their opening fixture two days earlier, Essequibo beat the Select U-15 side by 18 runs in another low scoring encounter at the Lusignan Community Centre ground, East Coast Demerara.

Essequibo won the toss and decided to have a bat and after 50 overs they reached 138 for 8. The main contributors were Ameer Singh and Saeed Hakh who each made 41.

Bowling for National Select Under-15, Jeremey Sandia grabbed 4 wickets for 16 runs, while the impressive Jonathan Rampersaud

The main tormentor against defending champions, Berbice was Nyron Bissu who was adjudged Player of the Match for exceptional bowling

took 2 wickets for 25 runs; Thaddeus Lovell and Romel Datterdeen claimed a wick-

et each.

The National Select Under-15 squad failed to

surpass the Essequibo total as they were only able to put up 120 all out in 49.4 overs.

Jonathan Rampersaud came back with the bat to stroke the top score of 26 while Nicholas Rajpat 16, Moahendra Gopilall 14 and Romel Datterdeen 12 got starts but failed to see their team home.

They were held up by steady bowling from Badesh Parsotam who picked up 4 for 11 runs and gained great assistance from team members Manoj Basrath with 3 for 15 while Sylvan Williams, Saeed Hakh and Captain, Lance Roberts collected a wicket each.

Parsotam collected the Man of the Match award for his superb effort of 4 for 11.

The third and final round which is slated for Sunday March 11 will see the unbeaten Demerara taking on the Select U-15 Team at Bourda and defending champions, Berbice meeting Essequibo at Everest.

Both matches begin at 09:30h.

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

saturDAY, march 10, 2018

Corona Futsal Tournament

Sublime Sparta

trounce Plaisance 7-1 T

he group stages are coming to a close but the goals are on an upward flow with defending champions Sparta Boss netting seven in their handsome victory over Plaisance when the Corona Futsal Tournament continued on Thursday evening at the National Gymnasium.

It was a well-organised team effort by Sparta who have rebounded nicely since their opening loss to Tiger Bay. Jermaine Junior continues to be a threat netting a hat-trick with goals in the 1st, 5th and 6th.

Quincy Adams was next in line with a brace, following shots in the 18th and 20th; Denis Edwards (12th) and Cleon Forrester (14th) also etched their names on the score sheet while Keon Kyte scored for the opposition in the 18th.

Old Skool Ballers were also the winning end by hammering Xtreme

Campbellville in a heated clash which ended 6-3.

Roy Caesar did the bulk of the scoring for Old Skool netting in the 8th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 17th while Raushawn Ritch added the other in the 15th. Leon Richardson led the resistance with a hat-trick (8th ,10th and 16th).

New Market Street’s Ryan October with conversions in the 15th, 17th and 19th was not enough to stop Future Stars from inflicting a 3-7 victory. Kareem Knights responded with a hat-trick of his own following strikes in the 11th, 13th & 19th. Support came from William Europe (8th & 12th), Curtez Kellman (6th) and Alex Gills (7th).

More so, Back Circle also got the better of Alexander Village, winning 5-3 as Jermine Beckles (11th 7 12th), Selwin Williams (4th), Josiah Charles (6th) and Cecil Jackman (11th)

Old Skool Ballers and Xtreme Campbellville played an enterinaing fixture on Thursday evening at the National Gymnasium

made it a merry night.

Shem Porter (12th and 16th) and Dwayne Layne (8th) brought the late response.

Alpha Warriors relegated Tucville to their second loss via 7-2 thumping led

by Delroy Fraser (3rd, 17th & 20th), Delwin Fraser (13th & 16th), Lennox Cort

(2nd) and Opara Benjaminn (7th). Only Simeon Moore (8th) and Denis Edward (19th) brought some consolation for Tucville.

Meanwhile, Deon Alfred’s lone hand pulled Tiger Bay from the brink to secure an exciting 5-5 stalemate with Mocha. Alfred rained goals in the 2nd, 6th,

7th and twice in the 17th.

For the opposition, Amos Ramsay (3rd, 12th & 14th), Steffon Ramsey (2nd) and Dellon John (12th) netted.

The tournament which is collaboration with NAMILCO Wheat Gem and Hero Motorcycle will continue tonight with the final round of group match-

es Showstoppers clash Kingston from 19:00h, followed by Channel 9 Warriors and California Square from 19:50h then Leopold Street and Broad Street from 20:40h.

Sophia opposes Albouystown from 21:30h; Bent Street and North East La Penitence from 22:20 and the culmination being West Front Road and YMCA from 23:15h.

The battle will not be just to progress to the knock-out stages but cop the group prizes; $40,000 for first place team, $30,000, $20,000 and $10,000 will be awarded to second to fourth-place group teams.

The winning purse for teams is the $600,000 and the championship trophy while two Hero motor cycles will be awarded to the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the other to a lucky spectator at the finals on Easter Saturday (March 31).

Paul replaces Johnson gunning Cottrell in to dethrone DCC Windies squad GCA/ Carib Beer T20 Competition

A

head of the Carib Beer T20 finals, Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Captain Leon Johnson said he fancies his chances of regaining their title on home turf today when they face nemesis; defending champs Demerara Cricket Club (DCC).

With the finals back at the GCC Bourda Ground after two years, Johnson, the Guyana Jaguars and West Indies batsman said that he was relishing the home field advantage against a good Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) unit.

Johnson said that he was strongly behind his start-studded team which features big guns like; Vishaul Singh, Robin Bacchus, Ronsford Beaton, Anthony Adams, Ronaldo Alimohammed and other top national players.

The left-hander who has been one of the premier faces of the club for a number of years, said leading from the front will be a great way to bring his10-year ten-

ure as club skipper to a suitable end. The former West Indies U19 skipper added he wants to end his decade-long stint as skipper with the title in his possession and believed that there was no better place to get the job done than at home.

Meanwhile, captain of the reigning Queenstownbased DCC club; national all-rounder Chris Barnwell believes that the encounter will be an exciting one and is backing his side to deliver the goods come Saturday.

Barnwell, who made his way back into the national limited overs unit, will also have a strong

team behind him. The hard-hitting batsman said that while he was weary of the GCC team, he was nevertheless confident that his players and himself will come out and successfully defend their title Saturday afternoon.

Among the players in the champions camp are Trevon Griffith, Sherfane Rutherford, Tevin Imlach, Joshua Persaud, Ashmead Nedd, Raymond Perez, Sachin Singh and Barnwell.

The finals of the T20 are set to bowl off at 13:00h at the Bourda Ground.

(Clifton Ross)

A

hamstring injury has ruled West Indies fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell out of the remainder of the ongoing

Keemo Paul

International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.

Cottrell suffered the injury during West Indies' first group game, against United Arab Emirates (UAE), in which he bowled only 4.4 overs; he has been replaced by uncapped Guyana right-arm quick Keemo Paul.

Paul, 20, shot into the limelight during West Indies' Under-19 World Cup victory in 2016, but their run to the title was controversial because of the fast bowler's actions. In their final group match against Zimbabwe - a game West Indies had to win to make the quarter-finals - Paul effected a ‘Mankad’ to claim the last wicket. For good measure; in the final, against India, Paul hit the winning runs.

Paul has 82 wickets across firstclass and List A cricket, with a bowling average of 17.35 and 21.32 in the two formats respectively.

With two wins in two games - the second against Papua New Guinea - West Indies are currently second position in Group A, trailing Ireland by virtue of an inferior net run rate. The two sides will face each other today in Harare.

saturDAY, march 10, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2018…

23

Windies, Ireland

William Porterfield

U

nbeaten West Indies and Ireland will lock horns in a highly-anticipated clash between Group A’s table-leaders when the exciting International Cricket Council’s (ICC) World Cup qualifiers continues today.

With two wins each under their belts and just .63 points separating the Caribbean side from the Irish, today’s match will fetch high stakes for both

teams as a win will put either side in the next phase of the qualifiers and a step closer to the 2019 World Cup in England.

A f t e r disposing of Papa New Guinea (PNG) in the last game, West Indies will have their tails up heading into this game, especially with the form of centurions Chris Gayle, Guyanese Shimron Hetmyer and captain Jason Holder.

Hetmyer blasted a career-best maiden 127 while Gayle flexed his muscles with some 11 sixes in his 123 in the opening game

chase super 6

against UAE. Holder who rescued the Caribbean side in their last match against PNG with an unbeaten 99 along with the aggressive Evin Lewis and a talented middle-order which is due to fire, the Windies could realize their full potential against their more experienced opponents.

From a bowling perspective, West Indies bowlers have been effective with Holder and Carlos Brathwaite each bagging a 5-fer in the two matches so far. Holder’s bowlers have also been supporting his efforts but will need to tighten up against a much stronger, more experienced Irish unit.

West Indies have

Regal teams fine-tuning Orlando Cup preparation Coach Clive Grimmond taking the Open players through their paces under the lights at MYO on Thursday night

R

egal All Stars and Regal Masters will head to Florida, USA to defend the titles they won in 2017 when they swept the South Florida Softball League tournament.

To give themselves every opportunity of a repeat as the tournament heads north to Orlando, the champions have been working hard on and off the field.

Manager, Parmanand Persaud has been very active soliciting corporate support to ensure the trip is a possibility while the players have been putting in the hours on the field under the guidance of Coach Clive Grimmond.

On Thursday night, the Muslim Youth Organization (MYO) hardcourt was the venue for an intense practice session that allowed the management of the teams to access players’ readiness ahead of the March 16 to 18 championships.

It was a hearty turnout and at the end of the session, Manager Parmanand Persaud said he was pleased with the work ethics so far. Persaud said they are due to arrive in Orlando a few days ahead of the official bowl off and the players from both teams will have the opportunity to practice again and very importantly bond in the unfamiliar environment.

Meanwhile, Persaud was high in praises for the corporate entities that have in one way or another assisted in the teams’ journey to North America. The manager told Guyana Times Sport “It’s a lot of work but companies are pleased to be associated with championship teams and that makes it feel good. We are ready and will thank the companies by winning both trophies again.”

Some of the entities on board are Ministry of Social Cohesion, Guyana Revenue Authority, Caribbean Airlines, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, D. Singh and Sons, V-Net Communications, Banks DIH Limited, Prem’s Electrical, Topo Brandz Distributors, Tosoro Resources BK International, Crown Mining, Chung’s Global Enterprise, Elegance Jewellery and Pawn Shop, Ansa McAl Trading, Grey Wolf Resources, Ricks and Sari, Ganesh Parts and Auto Fashions.

Additionally, Regal teams will be hosting a grand fund raising Bar-B-Que today on the lawns of the GNIC Sports Clun on Woolford Avenue from 12:00h. Tickets are $1,000 each with proceeds going towards the trip to Orlando.

also called up Guyanese all-rounder Keemo Paul to their side in replacement of injured pacer Sheldon Cottrell. A former Windies U19 vice-captain Paul, along with his countryman Hetmyer took the Windies to their U19 World Cup title; but will not feature until later in the tourney due to travel arrangements.

Meanwhile, Ireland who sit at the top of the table by virtue of the net run rate, will want to exit Group A on a high. Led by long-time skipper William Porterfield fresh off a century from the last match and veteran Ed Joyce who scored a solid half-century as well in the same game; these two senior players could play crucial roles yet again in Saturday’s game.

Also, Ireland’s vast lot of bowling options which include pacers

spot

Andy Balbrine, Boyd Rankin and spinner George Dockrell among others, have aided their team well in their campaign thus far and should test the Windies batsmen.

In other matches; unbeaten hosts Zimbabwe will play Hong Kong who won their last game against Afghanistan while Nepal will tackle Afghanistan in the battle of the winless teams in Group B’s.

The other group A match will see Netherlands and PNG searching for their first wins as well.

The other team in Group A, Scotland has already qualified for the Super 6 stage after winning all three of their matches to date.

All matches begin at 03:30h Guyana time.

(Clifton Ross)

Shimron Hetmyer

SATURDAY, march 10, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

GCB/ U-17 Inter-County Tournament Pg 21

Demerara whip defending champions

– Essequibo stop Select U-15 Demerara lower order held on to add valuable runs down the order at Bourda on Friday

Milo Schools Football Tournament

GCA/ Carib Beer T20 Competition

Pg 20

Win or go home

…round-of-16 gets cracking today It is win or go for teams now as the round-of 16 commences today at the Ministry of Education ground, Carifesta Avenue

Pg 22

Johnson gunning to dethrone DCC

GCC Captain Leon Johnson (left) and DCC skipper Chris Barnwell (right) pose with the Carib T20 winner’s trophy

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