Guyanatime 12 june 2018

‘Special needs’ education

Govt sets Sept deadline to open regional centre P13

…national database to be implemented Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com

Issue No. 3592

THE BEACON OF TRUTH

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Jagdeo demands answers from Govt on $32B pension liability …calls for tabling of 2016 GuySuCo financials Page 3

Amna Ally hospitalised

…to travel overseas for further medical attention

Parika man charged for inciting terror

Page 8

PRICE

$80 vat included

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Armed bandits rob, shoot wash bay P2 owner

GECOM Chair’s appointment

PPP appeals High Court’s decision P9 – says CJ’s ruling reduces Opposition Leader’s role

…threatened to bomb businesses

Donald Trump meets Kim Jong-un

Man before court for P8 beating wife with pipe Minibus Union submits proposal for fare increase to Govt P10&11 …as Linden “$100” car drivers strike over fuel prices

Canje man gets 18 years for raping teen boy P12

…first sitting US President meets North Korea's leader United States President Donald Trump gives North Korea leader Kim Jong-un a thumbs up at their meeting on Sentosa Island in Singapore on Tuesday. Trump finally met face-to-face with Kim Jong-un shortly after 09:00h local time. Trump and Kim walked along a white colonnade, meeting in front of a bank of 12 alternating US and North Korean flags where they shook hands. The handshake lasted about 12 seconds. After their initial greeting, Trump and Kim walked inside, sat down and spoke briefly to reporters (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

Warning shot fired at Lusignan Prison Page 2

…after man attempted to smuggle ganja into facility

Armed robberies, rape increase – Police Page 7

6 armed bandits P15 attack, rob Corentyne family

2 news Warning shot fired Armed bandits rob, at Lusignan Prison shoot wash bay owner tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

…after man attempted to smuggle ganja into facility

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warning shot was fired at a man who attempted to smuggle ganja and cigarettes among other items into the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara, on Monday morning.

Reports are that about 01:00h, alerted Policemen and prison personnel manning the eastern towers of the Prison heard “crashing sounds” emanating from the bushes.

Shortly after, ranks spotted a male wearing a hoodie emerging from the vegetation in an attempt to evade officers.

A warning shot was fired, and he fled back into the thick vegetation. The area was subsequently combed, but the man was not seen. However, three bags containing the items were found and lodged.

Among some of the items were 141 packets of cigarettes, 1794 grams of can-

The cannabis among other items that were found

nabis, four cellular phones, 11 lighters, one power pack, one ear piece, one phone charger and 15 packets of small ziplock bags.

In the past, many attempts were made to smuggle items into the lockups or the inmates were found with illegal items after they would have been smuggled into the Prison.

Recently, a social media post surfaced which showed inmates at the New Amsterdam Prison hosting a party with alcohol, money, and drugs.

At that time, the Director of the Guyana Prison Service, Gladwin Samuels said that while there was no exact or direct evidence as to how the liquor got into the penitentiary, the prisoner who posted the pictures on Facebook had identified the person who took the items into the facility.

The wash bay where the robbery took place

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wash bay owner, of Lot 17 Broad and Lombard Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown, is nursing a gunshot wound to his left knee after two bandits pounced on him on Monday.

Reports are Leroy Robinson, 38, was with his reputed wife inside the wash bay when the two bandits struck, demanding valuables from the couple.

The men relieved Robinson of a cellular phone and a small sum of cash.

However, in apparent dissatisfaction over the booty,

one of the armed men shot the victim once to his left knee before the two made good their escape.

The Police were alerted shortly after the incident and prompt action by a rank on a motorcycle patrol resulted in the apprehension of an armed suspect a short distance from the scene. A .38 revolver with one spent shell was found in his possession. However, his accomplice managed to escape.

Police have since launched a manhunt for the accomplice.

The victim has been admitted to a city hospital.

Realtor slapped with fraud charge

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realtor, who allegedly defrauded a woman of $350,000 for the sale of a plot of land which was not up for sale was on Monday charged for the related crime.

Twenty-two-year-old Baldeo Persaud denied that he committed the offence when he stood before city Magistrate Judy Latchman.

The charge stated that on April 10, 2018 in Georgetown and with intent to defraud, Persaud obtained by false pretence $100,000 from Anurada Persaud as he claimed to be in a position to obtain for her a plot of land.

Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore had no objections to bail, but told the Court that

the Virtual Complainant (VC) visited the defendant’s office where she voiced her interest in a plot of land.

She was instructed to make a down payment of $100,000 which she did and was later shown a plot of land on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), when she paid another instalment of $250,000.

However, some time later, the woman found out that the land shown to her was not up for sale.

As such, she made a report to the Police, and Persaud was arrested and later charged.

He was granted $100,000 bail. The case will continue on June 25, 2018.

news

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

BRIDGE OPENINGS

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

Tuesday, June 12 – a night retraction at 03:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h and Wednesday, June 13 – a night retraction at 04:00h and a day retraction from 14:30h-16:00h.

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 12 – 15:35h-17:05h and Wednesday, June 13 – 16:35h-18:05h.

FERRY SCHEDULE

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

WEATHER TODAY Thundery showers will prevail in the day and into the evening followed by lightly cloudy skies. Temperatures will range between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius.

Winds: Easterly to North-easterly between 1.78 metres and 5.36 metres.

High Tide: 15:36h reaching a maximum height of 2.66 metres.

Low Tide: 09:08h and 20:25h reaching minimum heights of 0.45 metre and 0.56 metre.

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…calls for tabling of 2016 GuySuCo financials

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overnment is yet to address the billions of dollars in liabilities contained in the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) 2016 audited financial accounts or even table the statements in the National Assembly, a fact that has not gone unnoticed.

On Monday, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo called for the Government to table this statement in the house and give an account for its management of the sugar sector and what is the largest pension plan in the country.

“Since my press conference, we saw a resurgence of concerns about the GuySuCo pension scheme. We now see GuySuCo 2016 audited financial statements disclosing a huge unfunded pension liability of over G$30 billion.

But no one in Government is speaking publicly about this or engaging the Unions and the workers,” the Opposition Leader said.

He added that the “largest pension plan in the country, the largest employer, a major unfunded pension liability, and no one in Government seems willing to talk about it.

GuySuCo audited accounts for 2016 was completed almost one year ago. However, it has not yet been tabled in Parliament. The PPP [People’s Progressive Party] calls on the APNU-AFC [A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change] Government to table the audited accounts and come clean to the Parliament on the many important issues.”

Jagdeo noted that with the rapid pace at which GuySuCo is being stripped of its assets, tens of thousands of people could end up being hurt.

According to the Opposition Leader, the coalition seems oblivious to the need to consult with the people who would be most affected – that is the Corporation’s employees.

Privatisation process

DAILY MILLIONS 04 12 21 23

Afternoon Draw DRAW DE LINE

Jagdeo demands answers from Govt on $32B pension liability

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Evening Draw 17

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The Opposition Leader also raised several questions pertaining to the privatisation process itself, asking for the Government to provide a deadline for resolving the outstanding employee issues, such as their severance payments.

“When will the employee issues be settled, and negotiations concluded with the Unions?” Jagdeo questioned.

“Just look at the pension issue as one of many issues to be resolved. What is the severance pay package? When will all the outstanding NIS, PAYE, and other employee benefits … be paid?”

Jagdeo also questioned how private cane farmers would be paid, “given the existing formula enshrined in legislation”. He noted that the legislation has worked with only one national sugar corporation.

“Cane farmers don’t know how this will change with private ownership of the estates.

In fact, the closure of estates, such as Skeldon, is likely creating considerable dislocation in the private cane farmers

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

industry,” Jagdeo stated.

Financial statement

According to 2016 financial statement, GuySuCo had a defined benefit obligation of $44 billion, contrasted with a value of assets of only $11.2 billion. This means that there is a net deficit of $32.8 billion.

The audit opinion shows that GuySuCo does not have the resources to fund its liabilities, including that of the pension. And since the statement does not quantify this ‘surplus’, questions remain over how this deficit will be funded.

Instead of a deficit, GuySuCo had claimed in a recent statement that based on the last actuarial report done on its Guyana Sugar and Trading Enterprises Pension Scheme (GSTEPS), the fund had reflected a surplus.

The Corporation had noted that the GSTEPS fund is funded by pension contributions from both GuySuCo and the returns on any investments made using the contributions. It was noted that employees are paid a defined amount based on their salaries and years of service.

“The contributions are held in trustee administered funds, which are separate

from the Corporation’s finances and the pensioners are paid from the trustee administered funds,” the statement had read. “Employees who have retired and are not members of the pension scheme, these include employees below junior staff level, are paid ex-gratia pensions.” “(This) used to be partially recoverable from the Sugar Industry Price Stabilisation Fund (SIPSF); this is no longer the case and these pensions are fully funded by the Corporation from its own cash resources. These employees

are not required to make any contributions to a pension fund as in the case of the employees who are members of the GSTEPS scheme.”

It had also noted that current ex-gratia pensioners at the vested estates in Wales, Enmore, Rose Hall and Skeldon, continue to receive their pension from the Corporation.

In addition, it was pointed out that severed employees who are eligible for ex-gratia pensions will be paid by the Corporation.

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, june 12, 2018

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

Sexual violence against women and children

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number of cases involving women and children being sexually assaulted engaged the attention of the High Court in Guyana.

During the hearings, in quite a few of them the nation was shocked to learn of the details which emerged of how the victims were sexually and physically abused. In one of the cases, a logger was found guilty on two counts of sexual activity with a child family member by the jury at the High Court. A relative of the victim read out the girl’s statement in court where the child outlined that she lives in discomfort and harbours difficulty relating to males.

According to the victim, since the sexual abuse, she often has nightmares and bad dreams with constant flashbacks of the harrowing attacks inflicted upon her. She related that she does not play with friends and spends much time selfharming herself. She was quoted in the media saying: “I feel messed up about what happened to me”.

The most recent case in Berbice on Monday, the probation officer reported to the court that the victim admitted that the incident affected him greatly, and he is now unable to think positively.

According to the teen’s parents, since the incident, he has suffered a mental breakdown, and as a result, they took him to the National Psychiatric Hospital to receive treatment.

Then there was another case in which a man appeared in Court for a similar matter. He is currently serving a life sentence after being found guilty last year of raping a male family member, who was seven and eight when he was violated. These are just two of long list of cases of our children being sexually violated. While life would never be the same again for the victims involved, it is good to see that the perpetrators are facing justice for these despicable and cruel acts. However, this might just a tip of the ice-burg as it highly believed that many child sexual abuse cases are deliberately hidden and go unreported due to varying reasons.

Sexual violence against children is considered to be a gross violation of children’s rights. According to UNICEF, sexual violence can take the form of sexual abuse, harassment, rape or sexual exploitation in prostitution or pornography. It can happen in homes, institutions, schools, workplaces, in travel and tourism facilities, within communities. Increasingly, the internet and mobile phones also put children at risk of sexual violence as some adults look to the internet to pursue sexual relationships with children. There is also an increase in the number and circulation of images of child abuse.

The UNICEF study, Hidden in Plain Sight, estimates that worldwide, around 120 million girls under the age of 20 (about 1 in 10) have been subjected to forced sexual intercourse or other forced sexual acts at some point of their lives. Boys also report experiences of sexual violence, but they do so to a lesser extent than girls.

Evidence shows that sexual violence can have serious short- and long-term physical, psychological and social consequences not only for girls or boys, but also for their families and communities. This includes increased risks for illness, unwanted pregnancy, psychological distress, stigma, discrimination and difficulties at school.

In Guyana, stakeholders must seek to obtain empirical data about the incidences of these crimes against children, especially in the geographical areas in which it is known to occur and put systems in place to prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.

The Guyana Police Force is also a key partner in the fight against child sexual violence. The force must continue to provide the necessary training to its officers to properly investigate sexual crimes against children. Our children need to be assured that when violence against them is reported, the law will act quickly to persecute the perpetrators and that our judicial system will function efficiently and equitably to bring such criminals to justice.

Importantly too is that all the necessary support systems must be put in place to ensure victims and their families are provided with the counselling etc to overcome the trauma of sexual violence.

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on June 12, 2018 (Reuters)

Independent human resources audit Dear Editor, Now that a conversation has begun regarding the need for affirmative action to be undertaken at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), I believe that a careful look should also be taken at the Georgetown municipality to see whether there is employment equity there.

Just a casual look at that entity such as in the City Constabulary, Town Clerk’s, City Treasurer’s, City Engineer’s, Markets, Human Resource, Solid Waste and Public Health Departments indicates an urgent need for

the bridging of inequalities in employment and pay and in addressing apparent past wrongs, harm and hindrances.

A good idea would be for the City Council to carry out an independent human resources audit to ascertain whether there was any bias with regard to race, creed or colour in the process of hiring. This audit should check to see whether there is any nepotism, favouritism, or cronyism in the hiring process; to see what is the justification in elevating of some persons on the salary scale, and it should review the ap-

plication process to determine whether the best candidates were selected from those who applied.

The City Council collects property rates from citizens of every class, colour, and religion, why then doesn’t employment spread reflect the same diversity? The laws of Guyana are clear on protecting citizens from all forms of discrimination as fundamental human rights.

Our labour laws, in particular, the Prevention of Discrimination Act, Chapter 99:09 (No 26 of 1997), provides for the elimination of discrimination in employ-

ment, training, recruitment, and membership of professional bodies.

There should also be an examination of the various contracts that are given out by the Council, not just for financial probity but to see whether any persons or groups are marginalised.

Perception is reality.

If you are perceived to be something or to be doing something, you might as well be it or be doing it, because that’s the truth in people’s minds.

Best regards, Deodarie Putulall

Please get the facts

Dear Editor, Recently, on social media, former Government minister Clement Rohee posited some misinformed views on suicide. Those views need to be addressed.

Mr Rohee stated, “It is difficult to detect in advance someone who is prone to suicide. Somehow, prior to committing the act, they manage to elude by means known only to them, their closest relatives and friends who are incapable of spotting any unusual behavior on their part before they take their own life.”

Suicide ideation/suicidal mindset is really not difficult for anyone to be ‘incapable of spotting’ if that person knows what to look for. Actually, there are even clear and obvious warning signs that are easily discernible by anyone, but are usually ignored or passed off as ‘jokes’. The media is replete with cases of loved ones saying they never took seriously the strange behaviour of suicide victims, or language clearly stating that they

would take their lives, especially if such statements were made before. Thus the need for citizens to be sensitised to the seriousness of these warning signs; and the need for immediate action.

Also, the implication that those who attempt suicide ‘elude’ those near and dear to them is an awful attempt to indict people suffering from mental illnesses.

The fact is that 90% of people who die by suicide have a mental illness at the time of their death, so they are not thinking clearly or logically. In effect, a normal person cannot apply his/her thinking process to label suicide victims or survivors. As one person who lived through depression posted on Facebook recently, “it is unquestionably THE most misunderstood illness and the one most judged and misjudged by “normal” people”.

Mr. Rohee wrote, “It’s like assuming a Jekyll and Hyde or split personality just for that particular period prior to committing the act.

Their transformation is

somewhat ‘magical’ if not amazing!”

Like any other illness, there is nothing ‘magical’ or amazing about the suicidal mindset or suicide ideation, and it is certainly not indicative of any transformation.

Thus to describe someone in such a state as assuming a Jekyll-and-Hyde or split personality is to victimise the victim. A suicidal mindset or suicide ideation is not reflective of a personality, but a mental illness, especially depression or anxiety. Mr. Rohee must be aware of the negative connotations of the word commit, but may not be aware that the person attempting or dying by suicide is a victim, not a perpetrator on any sort.

Also this view of suicide as Atmahaty in the Hindu texts is responsible for many suicides in Hindu families going unreported in a nation where there are hundreds of thousands of reported suicides each year –30% of the estimated one million annual suicides globally.

Paradoxically, atmahatya,

which means ‘murdering the soul or Self’, is contradicted in the Gita, which emphasises that the soul cannot be harmed in any way whatever. Ironically, suicide has historically been endorsed in India through ‘sati,’ whereby women were forced to jump into the funeral pyre of their dead husbands or collectively burn themselves during an invasion, as exemplified in the recent Bollywood historical dram Padmavati.

With respect to Mr Rohee’s reference to community involvement in helping to address suicide and abuse, may we point out that, next year, TCV plans to launch a lay-counselor training programme trained to detect and act on suicide warning signs, emphatic communication, and measures to help abuse victims or deal with abusive situations. Lay counselors/gatekeepers in every community can take proactive preventative actions.

Sincerely, The Caribbean Voice

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesdAY, june 12, 2018

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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

38th death anniversary of Walter Rodney (Pt 1) Dear Editor, June 13th, 2018 represents the thirty-eighth year since the assassination of Walter Rodney, which occurred on June 13th, 1980.

Thirty-eight years should be sufficient time for Guyana and its leadership at its highest level to be able to have a dispassionate and objective discussion on the role of this great son of the soil regarding the contribution he made to the political life of this country.

However, thirty-eight years later, in Guyana, we are still not yet positioned to do so, and this in spite of the fact that the party of Rodney, the WPA, is a partner in the APNU and a party in the coalition Government,

which has been in office over the last three years.

I believe that the failure to have this profound discussion in Guyana underscores the extent to which the political process and political leaders have failed the people, and represents a serious indictment of those who claim the right to lead and to make decisions on our behalf.

It should be recalled that Guyana made a major step forward as a nation when the Corbin-led PNCR and the WPA supported an amended motion in Parliament to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the death of Walter Rodney.

It is important to note that the PPPC, which sponsored

the motion, abstained when the vote was taken, because of the amendment which saw the word “death” substituted for “asssassination”.

The PNCR had objected to the use of the word assassination on the grounds that its retention in the motion was prejudging the issue.

WPA agreed, and the motion in its amended form was passed, thereby demonstrating tremendous political maturity on the part of the two historical antagonists. Importantly, their actions created the genesis of a public political detente between the two parties that led to the subsequent birth of the APNU and a decisive shift in the politics of the nation.

Rodney returned to Guyana in 1975, and the role he played in the Civil Rebellion resulted in profound changes in the politics of the country at that time.

WPA and Rodney were able to exploit the existing political contradictions and the legitimacy of the rulers’ right to govern, given rigged elections. Unfolding events shattered the myth that effective unity and collective political actions by the African and Indian working people were unlikely, given the historical political and racial polarisation in the country.

The effectiveness of Rodney/WPA’s activism scared the rulers, who, when faced with massive

multiracial street protests and demonstrations by the masses, resorted to grave acts of oppression, violence, and political murders in an effort to stem the tide of change. While they were able to hold on to political power, they were unable to reverse the new political reality created by the WPA and Rodney, which subsequently led to the PNC being voted out of office in the 1992 General and Regional Elections.

The rejection of the PNCR at those elections was made possible in no small way by the legacy of Rodney, which ushered in a new chapter in the country’s politics.

Ironically, the return to free and fair elections

brought with it a rebirth of the old race-based politics, which profoundly reversed the gains made by Rodney and the WPA. The rebirth of the race/political contradictions resulted in new challenges, which the nation failed to address effectively in its best interest.

Dr Jagan and the PPP, after having come to power, quickly lost their way and returned to the old politics of domination. In doing so, they squandered the democratic dividends produced by the anti-dictatorial struggles. Things got significantly worse after the demise of President Cheddi Jagan.

Sincerely, Tacuma Ogunseye

Enhancing delivery and quality of education Dear Editor, The Teacher Upgrading Programme that was relaunched by the Ministry of Education earlier this year will be one of the most important and meaningful steps taken by the Ministry of Education to reduce the inequalities which exist in the quality of education being delivered in the hinterland communities when compared to what is accessed on the coast.

It is a common feature in Guyana that the necessary facilities, infrastructure and opportunities are easily accessible in the capital city and along the coast, as against what prevails in rural and far-flung areas.

There are several reasons for this, one of which is the terrain. Transporting equipment and supplies can

present a serious hurdle for any Government agency or Ministry wanting to enhance services offered in those remote areas.

Additionally, some might argue that population size may not warrant heavy investment to provide certain services such as post-secondary education, and that it would be better if those interested were to access same on the coast, and then return to their respective communities.

However, any Government worth its salt would want to ensure that sufficient, efficient and quality service, regardless of sector, should be available to every Guyanese citizen, whether it be in healthcare, education, infrastructure, communications or security.

As such, quality teacher

training should be one service that is available throughout Guyana. This is so since, with properly trained teachers, the quality of education delivery will be enhanced in these hinterland and riverine communities.

According to a recent publication by the Ministry of Education, the Teacher Upgrading Programme would be conducted by CPCE through a locally based coordinator for a maximum duration of two years. The Ministry had said that the estimated cost for the current training is a little over $21 million annually. Already, based on reports, four teachers have been registered on the Teachers Upgrading Programme.

These teachers are from the Chenapau Primary School in Region Eight

(Potaro-Siparuni). However, it is expected that 68 teachers from 18 communities would enroll in the programme.

What makes this intervention even more exciting, Editor, is that the Ministry of Education has launched its Smart Classroom. This technology, if used effectively, can further reduce the disparity which existed in the education system for years in terms of what is offered on the coast and in the hinterland communities.

It allows teachers to conduct classes on the coast, and have them beamed to classrooms that have an internet connection anywhere in Guyana. This means that if, in Region Eight, there is no Social Studies teacher for a fourth form class, a social studies teacher on the coast

can be asked to teach lessons within the smart classroom, and have both video and audio transmitted to those students.

It would be as though there was never a void to be filled. By utilising this technology, the Ministry of Education can bypass a number of hurdles which exist that stymie the provision of quality education to certain remote areas. The relaunching of the Teachers’ Upgrading programme and the launch of the Smart Classroom are monumental advancements in the public education system that need to be highlighted and appreciated in Guyana.

The world is undergoing a technological transformation, and day by day, quality services are being demanded by citizens, especially from the public service, as we all

want value for our money.

Despite the availability of these services, they are worth nothing if they are not being taken advantage of and utilised.

Their impact can only be felt if Guyanese get involved. Therefore, Editor, I implore my fellow Guyanese to approach the Ministry of Education and inquire about how the Smart Classroom can be used for the benefit of their children, and I ask those teachers in Region Eight and neighbouring communities that need to be upgraded to enroll in the programme that is being offered, so that, ultimately, further steps can be made to enhance the delivery and quality of education in Guyana.

Sincerely, Mark Thomas

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tuesDAY, JUNE 12, 2018

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By Youki Terada

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s a parent, one of my favourite activities with my toddler is storytime. These days I have plenty of good options: I can tell my son a story, we can read a picture book together, or I can turn on the TV or break out the iPad and watch a cartoon with him. At least that’s what I thought.

A new study suggests that only one these experiences hits the “Goldilocks Zone” – that sweet spot where my son’s brain is highly active, his imagination is fully engaged, and he can spare a few moments to think about the story.

The study sheds light on what happens in a young child’s brain when they’re read a story in different formats. Using fMRI machines to observe neural activity in the brain, researchers discovered that some narratives are “too cold”: Stories without pictures lack critical visual context, forcing kids to think too hard about what’s happening. Others are “too hot”: Animated stories and other fast-moving video formats (like cartoons and movies) lead to sensory overload, pushing children beyond their ability to make sense of the experience. But one format was “just

Foundation

right”: Picture books, which blend simple narratives with still illustrations, met the children at their developmental stage.

In the study, 27 children between 3 and 5 years old were exposed to three kinds of narratives: audio-only stories, illustrated stories, and animated stories that mixed audio and video.

Using fMRI machines, researchers observed networks in areas of the brain associated with visual processing, language, imagination, and self-reflection. Researchers also examined neural activity across different areas of the brain that make meaning – they were looking at whether children were passively absorbing the story, or applying imagination to the narrative to try and make deeper sense of it.

When stories were read aloud, they were “too cold” for young children, requiring “more cognitive strain to process the story”, according to the study.

Adults can easily tell the difference between pear and pair in the context of a sentence, for example, but toddlers need extra time and benefit from visual scaffolding that can help close the comprehension gap.

Animations, on the other hand,

were “too hot”, bombarding children with sensory stimuli. Researchers interpreting the fMRI feedback saw little interaction between different areas of the brain, suggesting that animations were too “fast-moving” – children couldn’t keep up, spending most of their energy trying to process what they were seeing and hearing. The lesson for parents? Pay heed to the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) guidelines on screen time for toddlers – it not only cuts into valuable family and play time, but can also affect their brains in ways that scientists are just beginning to understand.

Picture books represented a kind of happy medium (pardon the pun), and the researchers concluded that they were “just right”. The combination of spoken words and images gave children just enough scaffolding to understand the story, yielding the richest levels of story comprehension, imagination, and self-reflection.

The takeaway: For young children, not all narrative formats are created equal. Stories paired with still illustrations are a better developmental fit than text-only stories or video stories.

(edutopia.org)

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lay with letters, words, and sounds! Having fun with language helps your child learn to crack the code of reading. The tips below offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader. Try a new tip each week. See what works best for your child.

Talk to your child

Ask your child to talk about his day at school.

Encourage him to explain something they did, or a game he played during recess.

Say silly tongue twisters

Sing songs, read rhyming books, and say silly tongue twisters. These help kids become sensitive to the sounds in words.

Read it and experience it

Connect what your child reads with what happens in life. If reading a book about animals, relate it to your last trip to the zoo.

Use your child's name

Point out the link between letters and sounds. Say, "John, the word jump begins with the same sound as your name. John, jump. And they both begin with the same letter, J."

Play with puppets

Play language games with puppets. Have the puppet say, "My name is Mark. I like words that rhyme with my name. Does park rhyme with Mark? Does ball rhyme with Mark?"

Trace and say letters

Have your child use a finger to trace a letter while saying the letter's sound. Do this on paper, in sand, or on a plate of sugar.

Write it down

Have paper and pencils available for your child to use for writing. Working together, write a sentence or two about something special. Encourage her to use the letters and sounds she's learning about in school.

Play sound games

Practice blending sounds into words. Ask "Can you guess what this word is? m - o - p." Hold each sound longer than normal.

Read it again and again

Go ahead and read your child's favourite book for the 100th time! As you read, pause and ask your child about what is going on in the book.

Talk about letters and sounds

Help your child learn the names of the letters and the sounds the letters make. Turn it into a game!

"I'm thinking of a letter and it makes the sound mmmmmm." (readingrockets.org)

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tuesdAY, june 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Armed robberies, rape increase – Police

… serious crime down by 7%

T

he Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Monday disclosed that there has been an increase in robbery under arms and rape cases compared to last year at this time.

The statistics from January to May monthend show a seven per cent increase in robbery under arms, an eight per cent increase in robberies where no instruments were used, and a four per cent increase in rape cases. Robberies were up by three per cent.

According to the GPF, serious crimes have decreased by seven per cent and there was a 23 per cent decrease in murder with a total of 36 murders recorded in 2018.

Of these murders, 17 stemmed from disorderly circumstances, nine were a result of domestic causes, seven were robbery-related and three were labelled as unknown.

In addition, there was a 28 per cent decrease in robbery under arms where instruments other than a firearm was used, a 34 per cent decrease in larceny, and a three per cent increase in burglary.

The Police also recorded a total of 55 firearms being taken off the streets so far for this year as compared to 64 for the corresponding period last year. The majority of guns seized were pistols – 33 in total. Most of them – 27 – were reportedly confiscated by the A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara).

Traffic management In regard to traffic management, there was a 7.3 per cent decrease in fatal accidents recorded. Serious, minor and damage accidents also decreased by nine per cent, 32 per cent and 7.2 per cent respectively.

Speeding accounted for 24 of 38 fatal accidents while driving under the influence of alcohol caused four. Four pedestrians lost their lives

while crossing the roadway in the path of an approaching vehicle while two persons were killed owing to inattentiveness and one fatality resulted from failure to conform to signs.

A total of 16 pedestrians, eight pedal cyclists, 10 occupants in car, five motorcyclists, two minibus passengers, two drivers and one pillion rider were killed as of this year.

Approximately 8301 vehicles were stopped by officers for driving beyond the intended speed limit while 1674 drivers was in breach of condition of road service/music and 673 were driving under the influence of alcohol. A total of 1002 minibuses were counted for cases of minibus overload, 1447 tinted motor vehicles were identified, and 2549 drivers and passengers failed to wear seat belts.

The period of January to May concluded with a total of 37,019 reported offences, accidents and fatalities.

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Parika man charged for inciting terror

…threatened to bomb businesses

T

he Parika, East Bank Essequibo man who had been residing in Venezuela and who had threatened to bomb several stores in Guyana in a Facebook post was on Monday slapped with an inciting public terror charge.

Shaim Wazir Nazir, 23, who at the time of making the post was living at Parika Backdam, stood before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

He denied that between June 1 and June 3, 2018 at Parika Backdam, with in-

Shaim Wazir Nazir being escorted after his court appearance

tent to cause public terror, he wrote in a Facebook post: “Essequibo belongs to Venezuela, I will bomb all of your stores one by one.”

Nazir, who worked as a labourer and who returned to Guyana just six months ago, was remanded to prison. According to Chief Magistrate McLennan, the defendant was remanded in the name of public safety.

The case will continue on June 26, 2018 at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.

Following the post, hundreds of Guyanese called for his arrest.

Technician slapped with attempted murder charge

A

technician of D’Urban Backlands Squatting Area, Georgetown, was on Monday remanded to prison on an attempted murder charge.

Himchan Kenswin was not allowed to plead to the indictable charge which stated that on April 14, 2018 at D’Urban Backlands he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Trevor Smith with intent to murder him.

The prosecution is contending that following the incident the 22-year-old fled to the interior and was only captured on June 7, 2018.

Reports are on the day of the incident, Smith reportedly requested that

Smith was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted with serious head injuries.

Kenswin was remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

The case will continue on June 18, 2018.

Accused: Himchan Kenswin (centre) being escorted by Police

Kenswin move from the stairs of his home. The defendant allegedly refused, which prompted Smith to file a complaint with the Police.

Upon Smith’s return, Kenswin confronted him about the Police report and allegedly dealt him several lashes to his head with a piece of wood.

Man before court for beating wife with pipe

A

s domestic violence continues to be of major concern in Guyana, another husband has been charged for beating his wife with a piece of pipe.

Clarence Barcaoy, of Lamaha Street, Newton, Georgetown, appeared before city Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The 30-year-old denied that on June 7, he dealt his wife several lashes with a pipe.

The prosecution is contending that on the day in question at Lamaha Street, Newton, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Neeto Latchman.

According to the prosecution’s case, the couple share two children and on the day of the incident, there was a misunderstanding which led to Barcaoy beating his wife about her body.

The Court also heard that Barcaoy was in the habit of abusing his wife when angry.

Bail was objected to by Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore, who posited that the Virtual Complainant (VC) might not be as lucky on the next occasion to escape with her life.

However, Barcaoy was granted $107,000 bail. He is scheduled to reappear in court on June 15, 2018.

Finally…

I

…“Dotard” meets “Rocket Man” f you thought it rather juvenile of Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un to be trading schoolyard name-calling, you’ve got to admit they finally ended up meeting in Singapore without actually sticking their tongues out at each other!! Maybe they got their hostilities out of the way with their infantile antics? Jagdeo’s been known for his acerbic assessments of opponents….maybe Granger needs to let his hair down and let ‘er rip over this GECOM business?

Like your Eyewitness said, Kim Jong-Un’s already won the game. As a totalitarian regime of long standing – the last one left standing? – N. Korea craves acceptance by the international community more than anything else.

With American sanctions imposed after 2006, it’s pretty much totally dependent on China, and that’s a sad state of affairs for any self-respecting totalitarian state!! After all, being “totalitarian” means never having to kow-tow to anyone – which is pretty tough to do when the party across the table is your solitary lifeline.

If you want to get an idea of where N Korea’s at, think of Guyana under Burnham, and then multiply the repression and controls a hundredfold. Don’t forget Burnham got his idea of becoming an “Executive President” from Kim Jong-Un’s grandfather, who changed N Korea’s Constitution to give himself absolute power.

As far as the economy’s concerned, N Korea didn’t just nationalise the “commanding heights,” as Burnham did – they took over the entire kit and kaboodle!! Not surprising to anyone who lived through the Burnhamite dictatorship - like your Eyewitness did - the economy’s in shambles, and life is short, nasty and brutish for most citizens.

Burnham allowed Guyanese to emigrate, as we know – mainly because it was a safety valve that prevented an explosion which even his vastly expanded armed forces wouldn’t have been able to control. In N Korea, keeping the natives in place was made easier with the barbed wire and the guarded demilitarised border with S Korea preventing exit south, and the border with China doing the same north.

Apart from the legitimacy conferred by having the American President flying halfway across the globe to meet him, Kim Jong-Un would be hoping the lifting of sanctions would lead to greater development. After all, next door S Korea – literally family – exemplifies the superiority of the capitalist path versus the socialist one.

They have K POP!! And while Kim Jong-Un might be leery about development leading to demands for democracy that would undermine his control, he can be somewhat reassured that S Korea transitioned under a dictatorship!!

So, dear readers, let’s see what tomorrow will bring: a demilitarised N Korea with K POP bands, or just more of the drab conformism that presently prevails? …acknowledging Naipaul’s truth At the CariCom all-expenses paid confab last week at the Princess, the high-flying attendees were informed, among other things, that 70% of West Indians with tertiary education have departed for other shores. And why is this so? Simply because the region cannot offer these skilled persons jobs that are commensurate with their qualification. And why can’t they get such jobs that would pay then good money – apart from those at the CariCom Secretariat?

And why aren’t there such jobs here? Well, as Naipaul said in the sixties -- and pissed off the elite of the WI -simply because we haven’t invented a single thing that adds such value to such an extent that its manufacture and distribution would absorb our skilled workers!

Instead, we pour ALL our energy “wining” and dancing to buttress our “Bongo Man” image that pleases the foreign tourists!!

The mandarins of CariCom didn’t talk about this, however. They focused on CSME’s “free movement of citizens”.

Free movement to Region 11, that is!! …WI wins one!!

Well, as a cricket fanatic, your Eyewitness got a perk from the WI cricket team taking apart the Sri Lankans so comprehensively!! But he’s not talking about any “turnaround”.

This ain’t happening till Caricom installs a new West Indies Cricket Board!

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

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GECOM Chair’s appointment

PPP appeals High Court’s decision – says CJ’s ruling reduces Opposition Leader’s role

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo

PPP MP Zulfikar Mustapha

T

he People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Monday filed an appeal against the High Court’s recent decision to uphold President David Granger’s unilateral appointment of Justice James Patterson as head of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), saying that acting Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane George’s ruling has reduced the Opposition Leader’s role.

In court documents seen by this publication, applicant Zulfikar Mustapha’s attorney, Anil Nandlall, stated that Justice Roxane George erred and misdirected herself on interpreting and ruling on Article 161 (2) of the Constitution. The documents observed further that the Chief Justice omitted to properly examine wheth-

President David Granger

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George

er or not the President had exercised his power and discretion lawfully and reasonably, and not “irrationally, capriciously, whimsically, influenced by irrelevant and extraneous considerations, and not guided by relevant considerations”.

“Her honour’s interpretation or misinterpretation has reduced the role of the Leader of the Opposition to being merely perfunctory,” a section of the appeal further highlighted.

The applicant, in his appeal, noted that the learned judge also erred when she ruled that reasons are required to be provided by the President for the rejection of the Opposition Leader’s lists after having ruled that the President provided no such reasons.

The PPP, via its appli-

Retired Justice James Patterson

cant, pointed out its belief that Justice George acted in error when she ruled that the President had the power to reject a list of six names that the Opposition Leader presented to him. It further maintained that the trial judge failed to make pronouncement on whether the President has the power to request more than one list of six names.

The applicant is also challenging whether or not the President really is empowered to reject the list as unacceptable, although one or more persons on that list was deemed acceptable.

The party feels that Justice George’s ruling was “wrong, misconceived and erroneous in law; having, as it has, destroyed a delicate but fundamental balance of the Constitution, which ensures that the Chairman enjoys the confidence and acceptance of both the Leader of the Opposition and the President”.

The appeal application is calling on the appellate court to reverse the trial judge’s ruling and wholly set it aside.

Mustapha wants judgment to be granted in accordance with the original claim filed on October 23, 2017, which sought to have the court rescind the unilateral appointment of

Justice James Patterson as Chairman of the Elections Commission.

The CJ last week ruled that the Opposition could produce no evidence that Patterson was unqualified for the position, while adding that even if she had agreed with the contention that the appointment was unlawful, it would not have been permissible to direct the President choose a nominee from the third or any list.

The PPP, however, noted that Patterson was a religious leader, which is a clear violation of criteria set out.

It maintained that he is unfit and improper for the job, since he was a pall bear-

er at the funeral of People’s National Congress leader Desmond Hoyte, and that he lied on his CV when he said he was the Chief Justice of Grenada, having served only in an acting capacity.

The PPP last week had observed that the ruling was in violation of the letter and spirit of the Constitution, noting that it sought to legitimise a unilateral appointment of a GECOM Chairman, which “crushed” the crucial balance in the makeup of the Commission.

“A unilateral appointment is contemplated by the Constitution only in the rare and exceptional circumstance where the Leader of the Opposition fails to pro-

vide a list of nominees to the President,” the party noted.

According to the Party, the ruling may, or has, paved the way for more executive unilateral appointments in situations where the Constitution require agreement between the President and Leader of the Opposition.

Patterson was appointed after President Granger rejected three lists of 18 names submitted by Jagdeo for the post of GECOM Chairman.

He has nominated current Chancellor Yonette Cummings Edwards to serve as Chief Justice, and Caribbean-based Justice Kenneth Benjamin to serve in the position of Chancellor.

Amna Ally hospitalised …to travel overseas for further medical attention

S

ocial Protection Minister Amna Ally was admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital after complaining of feeling unwell.

According to reports, the Minister was taken to the medical facility on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Information (DPI), in a release on Monday evening said that the Minister would be travelling overseas for further medical attention.

The DPI noted that the Minister was “in good spirits and resting comfortably at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation”.

According to the DPI, as a precautionary measure, Ally is being kept for observation and is scheduled to travel

Social Protection Minister Amna Ally

overseas on Wednesday.

The DPI also stated that President David Granger visited with Minister Ally at the medical facility.

Only recently, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo

underwent heart bypass surgery in a United States hospital.

The issue of Government officials seeking treatment overseas has been a long-contentious one.

While in Opposition, the now governing coalition parties had heavily criticised members of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for seeking medical treatment overseas, instead of utilising the national facilities.

However, Government Ministers have been flying to Ireland and other overseas territories in a bid to access medical treatment.

It has also been disclosed that a health insurance policy has been prepared for Government officials.

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Fuel price hike

Linden "$100" car drivers strike – signal fare increase from June 14

L

inden’s hire car drivers, referred to as "hundred dollar" short drop car drivers, struck on Monday over the recent hike in fuel prices and Government’s non-intervention.

They have also signalled intent to increase fares in the Linden community.

While some are awaiting 72 hours before facilitating the increases of an additional $40 and $100 to the existing $100 and $200 fares, others have already started implementing them.

The drivers, who ply the Mackenzie to Wismar route, ceased operations for several hours on Monday morning, proposing through their association that the fare be moved from $100 to $140 for short drops and $200 to $300 for off-road jobs.

Persons in the community have since noted that the effects will be significantly felt,

since the cars are one of the main sources of public transportation in the community.

"We, the drivers of the Wisroc/Amelia's Ward short drop cars, are hereby notifying the general public that (there) (sic) will be an increase of cars fares from $100 to $140 for short drops and $300 off road. School children in uniform will pay $100. Out of uniform $140. This is effective from Thursday 14th June 2018,” the circular passed around to drivers with respect to the increases stated.

Speaking with this publication, some drivers vented their frustration over the situation, noting that the gasoline prices have skyrocketed.

"We know that when gasoline rises it affects everybody directly or indirectly. Gasoline would have risen so high that you have to pay extra money for the parts on your vehicle,

the wear and tear and everything; therefore it affects us.

I personally feel if they could drop the gasoline back or, we know they wouldn't want to drop it back; so we're calling for an increase in our fares.

For quite some time, we've been operating at a hundred dollars even though prices have been going up. But in the month of May, the prices made a high jump from like $219 to like $235 a litre,” one of the car operators indicated.

He added that he believes it is only fair that the fares increase to cushion the effects on drivers and vehicle owners. In support of the increase for off-road jobs, the driver pointed to the deplorable condition of the road in the community. "We got some terrible roads to deal with man...When you go to Wisroc (on) these roads, you have to go through trails, because

The Wisroc-Amelia's Ward car park

the potholes are so numerous. Even the taxis are raising (costs) because the rising price of gas does not only affect the hundred-dollar cars, it affects the minibuses and the special hire taxis also,” he said. When asked if car operators will await the go ahead from Government before implementing the increases, the driver noted that the drivers are private operators and are therefore responsible for setting their own tariffs.

Meanwhile, some drivers are not in support of the increases.

Car operators plying the Linden- Georgetown route have so far not opted to increase their fares. "This

what they doing ain't making sense. You can't punish the people by increasing fares, because nothing ain't really going on in this place. Some people could barely afford it," a Linden- Georgetown operator told this publication.

However, another operator shared contrasting sentiments. "Right now I studying to park me car and go in the bush and work, because this here ain't mekin sense.

You got to full up your car with $9000 in the morning, and by time you make a trip you gotta full up again. It real hard!" he stated.

Increase unfair

However,

passengers

have touted that the increase in transportation fares are unfair.

"For me personally, I think it's unfair in Linden, because the distance they does drop these people is already short. Sometimes you going from the park to a short distance, is a hundred dollars. If you going til over the river is the same hundred dollars.

Now they increasing by $40, come on. Everywhere else increasing by $20. Why they want $40 and $100? Is not like people get a raise of pay or anything,” one commuter noted. Another said she fears that the increased prices will remain even if gasoline price dropped.

"When gas prices go up it does go up, and when it go down there is no guarantee that they will drop back the prices,” she said.

No adjustments

Linden Mayor Waneka Arindell on Monday informed the general public that the decision to increase "is not yet legitimate" and advised that "no adjustments be made to the current prices.” She added that her office has been in contact with the relevant authorities and was advised that current discussions are underway as it relates to the cost of fuel. "...Until we receive an official response from the relevant authorities, no increase in transportation costs should be made. Drivers are urged not to increase and commuters are urged not to pay any increases and to report cases where the demand for such increases are made,” she outlined. (Utamu Belle)

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Minibus Union submits proposal for fare increase to Govt

P

resident of the United Minibus Union (UMU), Eon Andrews, has submitted to the Ministry of Business a proposal intended to address the several woes of minibus operators.

Andrews told Guyana Times that the proposal for a fare increase, among other things, was submitted to Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin on Monday.

“We are saying that, ‘Yes, there are increases in many other things’. We are not basing our argument on fuel, because we don’t control that in this country,” he said on Monday. He said the union is engaging the Government so that the costs of several documents

needed by motorists can be decreased.

Along with the proposal for a fare increase, the UMU president noted that a proposal was also made for removal of the ban placed on used tyres among other things, so as to reduce the high maintenance costs of the vehicles.

“We did not really like the idea of the new tyres, because they only lasting like six months, and they’re very expensive. We want to look at the tyres. There were a lot of 100 per cent increases in the last budget, you know, interest tax, licence, everything; (so we want to know) how they’re going to be able to help us. If they could reduce certain things, it would

United Minibus Union President Eon Andrews

ease (the strain on persons), because we are more concerned that the consumer doesn’t have to carry this load,” the UMU head explained.

Bartica trio charged for engine theft

T

hree men of Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) charged for stealing a boat engine and other items on Monday made an appearance at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

Mark Brian Griffith, 25, of Lot 97 Seventh Avenue, Bartica; Dwayne Washington, 27 and Colin Speed, 24, both of Lot 22 Fifth Avenue, Bartica appeared before the Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.

Griffith denied the allegation; however, Washington and Speed admitted to stealing the Chinese engine along with blocks and other items with a total value of $207,000.

According to Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield, the items were left by the Virtual Complainant (VC), Barry Ramcharan, at a friend’s home, but, upon his return, he found the items missing.

Andrews expressed confidence the minister would look into the woes of minibus operators in a timely manner, given that the subject is in the spotlight. He, however, pointed out that if the minister does not give a response in a timely manner, he is certain that minibus operators, and even taxi drivers, would continue to strike.

Fuel increase

The matter was investigated, and the trio were arrested. Washington and Speed admitted that they were unknowingly involved.

According to Washington, he was just a taxi driver hired on the day of the incident while Speed told the Court that he was asked by Griffith to assist him with lifting the engine for transport. He, however, noted that he was unaware of the other items mentioned in the charge.

Washington and Speed were fined $75,000 each.

However, Griffith was placed on bail in the sum of

$75,000.

He also had a second charge read against him which stated that between April 22, 2018 and May 1, 2018, at Bibarabo, Essequibo, he stole a 175-horsepower Yamaha engine foot valued half of a million dollars from Brian Bradford.

He denied the allegation and was granted bail in the sum of $20,000 on that charge.

He is expected to make his second court appearance on May 27, 2018 at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

The cost of gasoline has significantly increased over the past few weeks, and countrywide, minibus drivers are protesting for an increase in fares, and are even demanding the same from

commuters.

Guyana Times understands that some drivers have been pasting notices in their vehicles demanding fare increase by as much as $40, and the NMU president has expressed views against this act.

A much concerned Andrews said he understands that drivers operate in a free-market system, and so persons who are not willing to pay the increase will now have to make the decision to pay the increase or wait for law-abiding drivers.

It was communicated earlier this month that minibus operators are unwilling to lower the proposed fare hike of $20 or $40 even if the price for gasoline is decreased, because they are faced with many burdensome expenditures, which are compounded by the fluctuating gas prices.

Desperate to get the attention they need, drivers blocked the Vryheid’s Lust access road along the East Coast railway embankment.

Several tyres were burnt, and an old car was set on fire to garner the attention needed, with the hope of having the fuel crisis ad-

dressed.

Several protests were also organised by drivers of the various routes subsequent to this incident.

Gas station prices for fuel have increased rapidly, from $215 per litre to prices ranging from $230 to $250 per litre.

That situation continues as the Government remains indifferent and mum on the matter. Nevertheless, the Department of Public Information (DPI) has issued claims of price structures which appeared to be cheaper than what recent reports suggest.

This came after the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) urged Government to act swiftly on the matter. The trade union body has said this sudden hike in fuel prices will burden consumers. In a strongly worded statement to the media, the union said Government must stop “turning a blind eye to what is taking place” and proactively act in the interest of people.

However, Business Minister Dominic Gaskin had disclosed that the matter was still to be addressed

by Cabinet.

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Canje man gets 18 years Mother files report with Police for raping teen boy Death of prisoner

… post-mortem to be done tomorrow

A

n East Canje, Berbice man was on Monday sentenced to 18 years in jail for raping a teenage boy. The act was committed after the labourer had tied the teen’s hands behind his back.

Mahadeo Ramnarine, also called ‘Dougla,’ 48, of East Canje, committed the act on August 14, 2010. The prosecution contended that on that day, the 13-year-old victim was sent by his mother to collect milk, and on his way home, Ramnarine, who was under a tamarind tree, ran towards him and pulled him into the bushes and told him that he has something to give him.

Ramnarine reportedly then drugged and raped the teen. Following the incident, the teen was found by an elderly woman who went to pick tamarind. He was taken to the Police station, and reported that Ramnarine and another man had committed the act on him. The teenager reported that he fell unconscious when the second man raped him.

The teen, in his testimony, told the court that Ramnarine told him that since he was bleeding he could not keep him alive because he was going to report the incident.

He said he felt he was going to die, but the elderly woman who found him saved his life.

Ramnarine was found guilty of the act by a mixed Berbice jury. In a probation report on Ramnarine, which was ordered by the court, Probation and Welfare Officer Judith Vankennie told the court that the accused was previously placed before the Reliance Magistrate’s’ Court on an assault charge and was fined $15,000. He was also previously charged for abusive language and felonious wounding, but those charges were dismissed.

Speaking about the victim, Vankennie said he admitted that the incident affected

E Mahadeo Ramnarine, also called “Dougla”

him greatly, and he is now unable to think positively.

According to the teen’s parents, since the incident, he has suffered a mental breakdown, and as a result, they took him to the National Psychiatric Hospital to receive treatment.

In handing down sentence, Justice Brassington Reynolds said it was a violent and heinous crime.

He noted that the accused showed no remorse, and continued to deny the act; hence the 18-year jail term was imposed.

The State’s case was presented by Attorney at Law Tuanna Hardy.

Ramnarine was unrepresented.

ven as an investigation has been launched into the death of a 23-year-old prisoner, who succumbed to injuries on Sunday at the Georgetown Public Hospital, the family of the young man is hoping for justice and awaits the post-mortem results expected to be ready by Wednesday.

Guyana Times has been reliably informed that the now dead man’s mother made a report to the Alberttown Police Station, where an investigation into his death is to commence.

The prisoner, Shawn Thom, breathed his last at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was being treated for injuries he received while at the Camp Street Prison on May 26, 2018.

His demise was con-

firmed to this newspaper on Sunday by acting Director of Prisons, Kevin Pilgrim. During an interview, Pilgrim stated that he received a telephone call on Sunday morning informing him of the man’s demise.

He reiterated that upon Thom being discovered in a semi-conscious state on May 26, 2018, the prisoners with whom he had shared a cell told prison officers that he had sustained the injury in a fall.

Thom had reportedly stabbed another prisoner with a mop stick during a scuffle on May 25, 2018, and based on that incident, he had been relocated to another cell with three other inmates.

Director of Prisons, Gladwin Samuels had related that investigations were launched into both in-

cidents, and the findings would be sent to the relevant authorities.

Those investigations, according to Pilgrim, had been completed and the findings were sent to the Public Security Ministry. Taking Thom’s demise into consideration, the investigations will be reopened.

Pilgrim has said that prison officials were waiting on the post-mortem results to decide their next step. However, he noted that ever since Thom’s admittance to the Georgetown Public Hospital, his mother has been in constant contact with the Prison Service.

The 23-year-old Thom had been serving two threeyear consecutive sentences for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

He was expected to be released from prison in 2019.

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

‘Special needs’ education

Govt sets Sept deadline to open regional centre …national database to be implemented

By Jarryl Bryan

A

n inaugural Regional Centre for the Diagnosis of Special Needs is expected to open its doors this year, the fruition of a partnership between the governments of Guyana and Cuba; with local authorities announcing plans

to Education Minister Nicolette Henry, the event was a significant one, more so as there were two male educators in the batch of eight.

The minister also stressed the need for more males to step up in the education system. Here she saluted the two male grad-

her Ministry’s strategic special education plan.

“That plan has six broad areas, and among those areas there’s focus for the creation of a national database for students with special education needs. In other words, once a student would have been referred to the centre, subsequent to

The graduating batch pose with Government officials. Front row, (from left): Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson, Permanent Secretary within the Public Health Ministry, Collette Adams; Education Minister Nicolette Henry; Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Narciso Socorro; and Education Ministry Permanent Secretary, Vibert Welch

The Regional Centre for the Diagnosis of Special Needs

to formulate a national database of such students.

On Monday, a pioneering batch of special needs educators graduated with certificates.

According

uates. Henry noted the importance of tailoring education programmes to suit individual needs. To help in this regard, she spoke of a national database as part of

a minimum of three interventions, the student would have a specific classification.”

According to Henry, the national database would

24-hour lab services at New Amsterdam Hospital

A medical technologist at work at the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital

N

ew Amsterdam Regional Hospital is now offering 24-hour operations in its medical laboratory. The round-the-clock service began in February after the labs were relocated to a new building within the hospital compound. Services include microbiology, serology, biochemistry and haematology tests.

Technical Advisor to the Public Health Ministry, Dr Samantha Kennedy, recently had a walk-thru of the

labs.

“I remember when I was working here a couple of years ago…from 2007 to 2009, the problem we had was that there was no place for the lab technician to sleep at night, and so it was an extra cost on the hospital.

Every time somebody comes in and needs the service after 4pm, you would have to get a driver, a vehicle to go for that person, and it takes time, because people are living at various distances. So

for that person to get the care they needed in terms of labs, it took a long time,” she is quoted by the Department of Public Information as saying.

“Our laboratory services have been improved because of the new structure that we have, and we are working on getting the backlog of lab work…and on getting more equipment so that we can move at a faster pace,” Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Colin Bynoe added.

help to formulate special intervention plans for these students, in addition to providing numbers that the Ministry can then use to shape its hiring practices.

“They would have an officially drafted, individualised, education plan. It is with this data that the number of students would inform the Ministry of the numbers of special needs (students).

Therefore, the numbers of teachers and support services would be contingent on that. Our plan is to have the centre open for the next academic year, which starts in September.”

She revealed that an individual education plan officer would be employed with the centre, serving as a liaison with the ministry.

Recommendations would also be made, if so determined, for placements into mainstream education facil-

ities.

The official opening took place at the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) on Battery Road, Kingston.

However, the centre itself will be located adjacent to the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).

The centre is a partnership between the governments of Cuba, Guyana and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Dr Jorge Duvalon of Universidad de Santiago in Cuba is understood to be the project coordinator.

Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Narciso Socorro, also delivered some remarks. He noted that his government remains committed to advancing special education needs in Guyana.

“The idea of creating the regional centre for the stimulation of the develop-

ment of children, adolescents and young people with special needs arose from the heads of state and government who participated in the (summit) between the Caribbean Community and Cuba in Havana. Since then, progress has been made,” he said.

“At present, the diagnostics process is expected to begin in the school, based on the condition created with the opening of the centre.

In my opinion, this graduation is an important step forward in the future.”

The batch of trainers who graduated had been a part of a three-month session undertaken by trainers from the Government of Cuba. They were offered training in psychology, physiology, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Feds weigh proposals to hindu swayamsevak sangh - guyana International Day of YOGA ship wild horses to Guyana

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he Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reviewing a pair of proposals to relocate wild horses from the western United States to Guyana and Russia, part of an ongoing effort to manage the growing population.

British cowboy and philanthropist Stan Brock told HuffPost he has been working with the Governments of the US and Guyana for several years to develop a plan to transport mustangs to Guyana. Brock managed Guyana’s remote Dadanawa Ranch, one of the world’s largest cattle ranches, in the 1950s and ’60s. He later moved to the US and in 1985 founded Remote Area Medical, a nonprofit that provides free medical and veterinary care.

He sees importing the horses into Guyana as a way to revive the country’s once-thriving livestock industry. Indigenous cowboys could use the horses to round up free-roaming cattle on thousands of acres of isolated savannah.

Managing the wild horse population in the US is an expensive and contentious issue. In addition to the approximately 45,000 wild horses and burros currently in BLM holding facilities, there are an estimated 82,000 free-roaming animals across 10 western states, according to the agency’s figures. The BLM spends roughly US$50 million annually on the confined herds and periodically rounds up free-roaming animals, a move it says is necessary to protect rangeland health. Critics, however, accuse the agency of kowtow-

for harmony and peace

W Managing the wild horse population in the US is an expensive and contentious issue

ing to cattle ranchers and overstating the impact horses have on the environment.

Moving horses to Guyana would not only relieve some pressure on the confined horse population, but help “restore the livestock industry for the benefit of the Native American population”, Brock said. The proposal he submitted to BLM calls for an initial transport of 40 to 50 mustang mares, but Brock says he is looking to relocate “a much larger number later on”. He is convinced the animals will adapt well in Guyana.

BLM spokeswoman Amber Cargile said the agency continued to explore options for managing wild horses and was “always interested when someone suggests a way to provide good, permanent homes for excess horses”. She confirmed BLM was “evaluating Brock’s proposal”, but that no final decision has been made.

Brock says he has been in constant contact with the BLM, and stresses that details are still being worked

out.

Internal BLM emails from July 2017, which HuffPost obtained from Wild Horse Freedom Federation, a wild horse advocacy group, indicate federal officials are taking the proposal seriously. Staff met with Brock and his team on at least two occasions.

In one email, Kristin Bail, BLM’s Assistant Director of Resource and Planning, wrote that the agency “continues to work with Dept of State at options for shipment, perhaps developing an agreement with the proponent and others who want to help”.

Asked to comment, the State Department deferred to the BLM. Vice President of the Wild Horse Freedom Federation, Debbie Coffey said that while relocating the horses may seem like a reasonable proposal, “it opens the door for other circumstances in the future that may lead to our wild horses and burros entering a slaughter pipeline in other countries”. (huffingtonpost.com)

Snake found in Linden school

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tudents and teachers of the Christianburg Primary School in Linden, Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) were plunged into a state of panic on Monday morning after a snake was found inside a storeroom of the school, which is shared with the St Aidan’s Primary School at Blueberry Hill, Wismar.

This publication understands that the snake was discovered in a storeroom which houses school feeding supplies and other school related materials, and is located in close proximity to classrooms.

The storeroom was reportedly expected to be cleared by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC). This has reiterated calls for a school to be rebuilt to accommodate students of the Christianburg Primary, who have shared a building with the St Aidan’s Primary for a number of years.

In the past, members of the ParentTeachers Association (PTA) had made numerous calls for the school to be rebuilt owing to numerous “unacceptable” conditions. Former Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland, had noted some time ago that the Christianburg Primary School building was on the list of priorities for the RDC 2018 Budget, with the hope that it was given the nod. He had also indicated that the people of Christianburg were calling for the school to be rebuilt this year, and were ready to rebuild it as a community project if it’s not done by the RDC. Several engineers had visited the site of the former school, which was deemed inhabitable, to examine and start the drawing for the new building.

hat does spirituality mean to you? Like yoga itself, spirituality is personal yet universal.

Many people practice yoga as a means to a toned body and an hour of peace away from the office. But for others looking for their path through life, yoga goes deeper. For many people, spirituality is the answer to the question “what makes yoga special?”

According to Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, “Yoga means to be in perfect tune. Your body, mind, and spirit and the existence are in absolute harmony. When you fine-tune yourself to such a point where everything functions so beautifully within you, naturally the best of your abilities will just flow out of you.” He confirms that while standing on your head, holding your breath and twisting your body is a part of yoga – yoga is actually the science of activating your inner energies in such a way that your body, mind, and emotions function at their highest peak. Sounds complicated? All in good time you will understand what we are talking about here.

Welcome to the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) International Day of Yoga countdown. Here we will bring to you all that is necessary for you to know about YOGA. We trust that you will read, and share the message around to all your friends, relatives, and even write to us.

Before we begin to explore yoga, you probably are wondering “What is HSS?”, “What do they do?” Let us tell you a little about who we are.

The uniqueness of Hindu Dharma and the culture as practised by the Hindu community has a significant contribution to make for the benefit of humanity. It is, therefore, essential for Hindus living in Guyana to develop unity and harmony in their community to effectively promote these salient features. The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) Guyana is a voluntary, non-profit, social and cultural organisation. Sangh, as the organisation is popularly known, aims to organise the Hindu community in order to preserve, practise and promote Hindu ideals and values. We stem from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which in English means “National Volunteer Organisation”, which was founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (18891940). However, outside of India, the organisation is known as the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, but to differentiate among ourselves we place our country’s name behind.

HSS conducts structured programmes of regular athletic and academic activities to develop strong character and leadership skills in its members (known as swayamsevaks for men and sevikas for women), emphasising values such as self-discipline, selfconfidence, and a spirit of selfless service (seva) for humanity. We encourage maintaining Hindu cultural identity in harmony with the larger community.

Yoga happens to be one of the main aspects that we look into in HSS. We believe that in order to promote spiritual growth, a sense of unity with the environment and general well-being, yoga must play a critical role in everyone’s life.

What is the International Day of Yoga (IDOY)?

The snake which was found in the school

However it is unclear what is the current status of the initiative. The school, which was one of the first to be built in Linden, had begun to sink and structurally deteriorate, rendering it dangerous for the growing numbers to continue to be housed there.

Following its closure, students were housed at the St Aidan’s Primary. The move has reportedly had some negative effects on the students and teachers, as outlined by members of the PTA, who stressed that the distance is too far, contributing to high transportation and extra meal costs, coupled with overcrowding among other negative issues.

International Day of Yoga was the result of a call by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his address to the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) not long after he captured the imagination of world leaders after his election to office in May 2014. On September 27, of that year, he declared: “Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise, but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature. “ Following PM Modi’s proposal, on December 11 in 2014, the UN General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. That day – the day of the annual Summer Solstice – was chosen because in the words of Modi, “the date is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and has special significance in many parts of the world.” It is the beginning of summer in this hemisphere. With this, he urged the world community to adopt an International Day of Yoga.

The logo of IDOY is also deeply symbolic. It has two hands in the famous “namaste” pose which represents “the union of individual Consciousness with that of universal Consciousness, a perfect harmony between mind and body, man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being.

Brown leaves symbolise the Earth element, green leaves symbolise Nature, blue symbolises the Water element, brightness symbolises the Fire element and the Sun symbolises the source of energy and inspiration. The logo reflects harmony and peace for humanity, which is the essence of Yoga.”

Today more than 153 countries observe this day, because they recognise the history, the benefits, the importance of and the need for yoga. Guyana is one of those countries that have been participating in this observance for the past three years.

You can be of any faith or have no faith to practise yoga – yoga is not a religious practice, and the spiritual side of yoga is not linked to any organised form of worship. The word yoga means to join or unite, and yogis view this unison in different ways – the unison of body, mind and spirit, uniting all the aspects of yourself, or uniting with a higher power or spiritual force.

You can believe in a God or gods, or nothing at all. Sometimes working through asanas can be like a prayer – moving quietly, reverently, focused on the breath. But equally your prayer could come the next day, when you feel a jolt of recognition and completion and are taken back to how you felt when you were truly in the moment, on the mat.

Think of yoga was a way of cultivating wholeness, remembering wholeness, and recognising this wholeness everywhere – for many yogis, that is the spiritual side of the practice.

Join us tomorrow as we continue to look at Yoga and Spirituality and how it can help you as an individual to be a more aware social being. (HINDUS for SELFLESS SERVICE) E-mail: hssguyana@gmail.com

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tuesDAY, june 12, 2018 | guyanatimesgy.com

Nandlall, Solicitor General at loggerheads over GRDB fraud case

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ormer Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Solicitor General Kym Kyte are at odds over whether or not the High Court has granted a permanent stay on fraud-related charges against former Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) Deputy General Manager (GM) Madanlall Ramraj.

The dispute came after the special prosecutors representing the State had presented a heavily redacted forensic audit report which forms the basis of the charges.

Nandlall told members of the media of Monday that Justice Navindra Singh determined that the magistrate’s court cannot continue hearing fraud charges brought against former GRDB Deputy General Manager Mandanlall Ramraj. The Prosecution was initially ordered to produce a copy of the forensic audit ahead of the continuation of the High Court challenge. However, Nandall indicated that the judge’s view is that the case cannot continue.

“The judge has correctly ruled that this [redacted Forensic Audit] is not a re-

She added that Nandlall was told that he should properly approach the court for an order for directions, and Kyte stressed that the judge made no order on the June 11, 2018 staying of the fraud charges against former GRDB Deputy General Manager.

Kyte further noted that State Counsel Collene Liverpool was present in court for the other matters with Nandlall when

Attorney Anil Nandlall shows the obscured forensic report that was submitted to the court

port, that this does not satisfy his order, and that his order remains that his stay permanently remains in the magistrate’s court against Mandanlall Ramraj,” the attorney told the press on Monday.

Nandlall contends that the Prosecution’s actions have violated his client’s right to a fair trial, adding that the “blocked-out” sections made the document unreadable. He feels that this would be an appropriate case for the Director of Public Prosecutions to look into.

6 armed bandits attack, rob Corentyne family

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Corentyne, Berbice family was on Friday attacked and robbed by six bandits, four of whom were armed with guns. The family was relieved of a number of articles, including cash.

Reports are that Tamiko Barry, also called ‘Shelly’, 29, was at her Lot 64 Number 3 Village Corentyne, Berbice home in the back of the yard with a friend, Niramala Ramjattan, also called ‘Seeta,’ 23, of Lot 185 ‘AA’ Kingston Corriverton Corentyne and some neighbours having a drink when they were attacked.

This newspaper was told that at 20:30h, the bandits entered the yard simultaneously from different directions. One of them went straight to Barry and asked her for the $4 million which

she had withdrawn from the bank earlier in the day. “I tell him I don’t have no $4 million.”

The bandit relieved her of a gold chain valued at $85,000, a cellular phone valued at $120,000, and a purse containing two bank cards and a quantity of keys.

Meanwhile, another bandit took Ramjattan hostage and took away $90,000 she had on her, along with two gold chains and four gold finger rings.

Barry was then taken into the house while the other bandits guarded the visitors. The house was ransacked, and the men found a bag containing $230,000.

The men then made good their escape.

No arrests have been made as Police continue to investigate.

However, Solicitor General Kym Kyte, in a statement, disputed Nandall’s comments on the in-chamber discussion.

She noted late Monday afternoon that published remarks relating to the matter posted online were “false and ludicrous.”

Kyte said Nandlall appeared on two other matters involving the Attorney General, and after one of the matters concluded, Nandlall engaged the Judge on the Ramraj v The Attorney General case which was concluded on June 5, 2018.

Solicitor General Kym Kyte

the Judge “reprimanded” Nandlall that he could not approach him in this manner.

Meanwhile, Nandall, in

a response on Monday evening, deemed the Legal Affairs Ministry’s statement on the matter bizarre”.

While refusing to dignify the “scandalous allegations contained in the said statement with a reply”, Nandall maintained that the charges against Ramraj remain “permanently stayed”.

In his description of the matters, Nandlall said the Forensic Audit Report on the GRDB prepared by Nigel Hinds was served at his office only on June 8, 2018. He explained that the document, which contains 160 pages, has around 98 percent of its contents “blacked out”.

Nandlall said that at his appearance at the High Court on Monday, the Judge “expressed the opinion” that the produced document does not comply with his Order, and “therefore the criminal charges against Ramraj remain permanently stayed.”

“The Judge further indicated that if any further directions are required of him in relation to this matter, he is prepared to give them, provided that the requisite application is made,” Nandlall added.

On May 19, 2017,

Former GRDB Deputy General Manager Madanlall Ramraj

Nandlall’s client Ramraj, along with GRDB Manager Jagnarine Singh; Badrie Persaud; former Agriculture Ministry Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) Prema Roopnarine; PPP Parliamentarian Nigel Dharamlall, and Rice Producers Association head Dharamkumar Seeraj were summoned by SOCU for questioning in relation to the GRDB’s operations from the years 2011 and 2015. They were later that day charged and bailed for fraudulent omission of records with regards to the PetroCaribe Fund.

Rose Hall Town man gets 10 years for killing reputed wife A

Rose Hall Town, Berbice man was on Monday jailed for 10 years for hacking to death his reputed wife.

Desmond Gordon, also called “Tallman”, 52, of Lot 196 Mangrove Street, Reef Section, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne received the sentence from Justice Brassington Reynolds after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.

The cane harvester was charged with killing his wife Bhagmattie Angad, called “Kamini,” following a dispute during a drinking spree on May 16, 2016 at their Rose Hall Town home.

The couple, who had been together for about eight years, reportedly shared a very abusive relationship. They were imbibing during the day when an argument subsequently erupted.

Loud screams were heard coming from the premises following which the 50-year-old woman was seen running from the house with Gordon in hot pursuit. He had in his hand a cutlass with which he reportedly inflicted several incise wounds about her body. The accused was subsequently seen with blood

Desmond Gordon in court on Monday

about his body. The Police were contacted and arrived on the scene and arrested him. Gordon was represented by Attorney at Law Sasha Roberts of the Legal Aid Clinic, while the state’s case was presented by State Prosecutor Tuanna Hardy.

Following the guilty plea, the court ordered a probation report on Gordon.

Probation and Welfare Officer Maisie Sheppard, in her report, told the court that prior to the death of his wife, the early years of their relationship were filled with joy and laughter, but things changed and she became an addictive substance abuser (cocaine and

marijuana).

She told the court that when Gordon would rebuke his wife for her misconduct, it frequently resulted in arguments. Further, it was reported by some residents of Reef Section, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne that while the accused was respectful and loved by many for his general disposition within the community he resided, he and the victim (now deceased) were recognised by residents for their periodic consumption tendencies.

According to the probation officer, residents noted that both the accused and his wife would consume alcoholic beverages and subse-

quently becoming verbally and physically abusive towards each other.

Justice Reynolds, in handing down sentence, said the penalty is between life imprisonment and 18 years.

He said that because Gordon did not waste the court’s time, he would give him the smallest sentence.

Five years were deducted for the plea, and another two years for the time already spent in prison. The trial Judge deducted a further year for the killer’s good behaviour in jail based on the probation report, leaving him with ten years to spend in jail.

Desmond Gordon and his reputed wife, Bhagmattie Angad, in happier times

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guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, june 12, 2018

Regional

Panama Pope accepts Chilean bishops’ Former President extradited resignation over abuse scandal from US P P

ope Francis has accepted the resignation of three Chilean bishops, including the controversial Juan Barros, in the wake of a child sexual abuse scandal.

Bishop Barros was accused of covering up sexual abuse committed by a priest in the 1980s and 1990s.

Pope Francis has said that he made “grave mistakes” by originally defending Bishop Barros.

All of Chile’s 34 Roman Catholic bishops had offered their resignations.

The decision by the Pope to accept the resignation of three of the 34 was announced in a statement issued by the Vatican on Monday.

Apart from Bishop Barros of Osorno, Archbishop

Bishop Juan Barros has been accused of covering up child sexual abuse, which he denies

Cristián Caro Cordero of Puerto Montt and Bishop Gonzalo Duarte García de Cortázar of Valparaíso will now be replaced.

It was not clear if the move meant that the remaining 31 resignations would not be accepted.

T&T man kills self after beating woman to near death

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aving been beaten for almost three minutes with a gun butt to her head, female taxi driver Kemba Olufemi remains in critical condition at the San Fernando General Hospital.

Her assailant, Lloyd Logan, 60, who was captured on footage beating her mercilessly, died after he ingested a poisonous substance.

Police said around 11:40h, Olufemi, 37, was sitting in a parked car at Tropical Plaza in Marabella when she got into an argument with Logan, who was standing next to the car.

Logan was seen dragging

Olufemi out of the car. He then whipped out a gun and fired two shots at Olufemi’s car.

He then proceeded to beat her on the head with the gun butt.

A bleeding Olufemi ran for help and collapsed at the entrance of the Plaza’s door.

Logan then went back to his car and allegedly ingested a green substance from a small bottle.

Witnesses said security guards employed at Tropical Plaza hid in their booths when the gun went off.

They did not offer any immediate assistance to Olufemi. (Excerpt from Trinidad Guardian)

Pope Francis became involved in the scandal surrounding Juan Barros when he defended the bishop during his visit to Chile in January. At the time he said that allegations against the bishop amounted to “slander”.

“The day I see proof against Bishop Barros, then I will talk. There is not a single piece of evidence against him. It is all slander. Is that clear?” the Pope had said at the time.

He later apologised to victims, saying: “I apologise to them if I hurt them without realising it, but it was a wound that I inflicted without meaning to.”

The installation of Juan Barros as bishop of the southern city of Osorno in 2015 was met with stiff resistance.

More than 1000 people wrote to Pope Francis asking him to review the appointment and hundreds showed up at the bishop’s installation ceremony in protest. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Ruling party wins by-election in Bermuda

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he ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP) in Bermuda secured a 25th seat in Bermuda’s 36seat Parliament.

In a by-election held in Constituency 25, Warwick North East, PLP candidate Curtis Dickinson defeated One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) candidate Justin Mathias with a total of 375 votes against 300 votes respectively – a 55 per cent to 45 per cent margin.

The seat was made vacant on April 25, 2018, with the sudden resignation of former OBA MP Jeffrey

Baron.

A total of 679 votes were cast, with four spoiled ballots.

After the results were announced, the Premier and Finance Minister of Bermuda, David Burt stated: “The lessons from the voters is very simple; they have seen the work the Progressive Labour Party has done over the last 10 months and in Constituency 25, there was a reversal.

Meanwhile, the OBA Opposition Leader Jeanne Atherden said, “This is a transition.” (CaribbeanNewsNow)

Puerto Rico morgue overflowing with unclaimed bodies

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uerto Rico’s morgue is overflowing with unclaimed bodies, the result of budget cutbacks in the US territory since last year’s devastating Hurricane Maria.

The bodies of 307 people are now being kept in the morgue and in four refrigerated containers in a nearby lot, the authorities said.

“The situation in light of the high volume of pending cases, lack of space and specialised personnel requires immediate attention,” legislator Juan Oscar Morales Rodriguez said on Twitter after inspecting the morgue on Friday.

The head of Puerto Rico’s office of forensic sciences, Monica Menendez acknowledged that the mortuary has run out of room and 52 unclaimed bodies have had to be stored in refrigerated containers.

She confirmed that because of budget cuts, her office has lacked the specialised personnel to handle the caseload since the hurricane.

“We’ve never been in this kind of situation before and we don’t want to

The territory has lacked the specialised personnel to handle the caseload since the hurricane

reach this point,” she said.

The official death toll from the hurricane is 64, even though a recent study by Harvard University and Puerto Rico’s Carlos Albizu University estimates that there were as many as

4645 hurricane-related deaths, many of them attributable to the collapse of the electric power grid.

Hurricane Maria struck the island September 20 as a devastating Category Four storm. (AFP)

anama’s former President Ricardo Martinelli has been extradited from the United States to his home country to face charges of corruption and illegal wiretapping.

Martinelli, 66, was arrested a year ago in Miami, Florida.

He has been accused of using public funds to monitor the phone calls of more than 150 people, including politicians and Journalists.

Martinelli says he is the victim of a political vendetta.

He governed the Central American nation from 2009 to 2014.

In 2015, Panama’s Supreme Court ordered Martinelli’s arrest over accusations that he used public funds to illegally spy on more than 150 prominent people.

He flew to the US just days before the court launched a corruption investigation against him.

Among the alleged victims of the wiretaps were high-ranking members of the

Opposition Revolutionary Democratic Party, as well as lawmaker Jose Luis Varela, who is the brother of current President Juan Carlos Varela.

They allege that their phones were tapped and the administration of Martinelli prepared dossiers Martinelli was detained and taken into US federal custody near his home in Coral Gables, Florida, in June 2017 after Panama issued an extradition request.

He applied for political asylum, saying the allegations against him were part of a political vendetta, and his legal team launched a series of appeals against the extradition.

The US Deputy Secretary of State, John Sullivan, approved the Panamanian Government’s extradition request on Friday.

Martinelli is being sent to the same prison where Panama’s former military leader, General Manuel Noriega, spent the last years of his life. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Barbadian PM announces new tax measures

Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley

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he Barbados Government says it is prepared to implement “tough decisions” to revitalise an ailing economy as it announced a series of new tax measures as part of new fiscal policies.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley, whose Barbados Labour Party (BLP) came to office following the May 24 General Election, on Monday said she was determined that the island would not be regarded as a “failed State” under her Administration.

In her first financial statement and budgetary proposals for 2018, Mottley said that the new taxes underscored her Government’s desire to ensure “the burden must be shared by all of us” as well as always protecting the most vulnerable in society.

In her lengthy statement, punctuated by criticism of the policies of the

former Freundel Stuart Government, Prime Minister Mottley said the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation plan is carefully balanced and is in keeping with campaign promises to abolish the controversial National Social Responsibility Levy (NSRL) as well as the road tax.

She described the NSRL, which was applied to the production cost of locally produced goods, as ‘distortionary” saying while it “led to a revenue gain of US$7,251,7400 … many prices across Barbados rose by double digits, depressing retail sales and … economic activity generally”.

She said the Government expected the removal of the NSRL “will lead within two months to a reduction in prices for the average Barbadian”, defending also the removal of the road tax and replacing it with a “more efficient fuel tax”.

(Excerpt from CMC)

tuesDAY, june 12, 2018

guyanatimesgy.com

Around the World

Trump tells Kim a 'terrific relationship' beckons as summit begins

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orth Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump shook hands and smiled cautiously as they met at their historic summit in Singapore on Tuesday, in which the two men will look for ways to end a nuclear standoff on the Korean peninsula.

Should they succeed in making a diplomatic breakthrough, it could bring lasting change to the security landscape of Northeast Asia, like the visit of former U.S. President Richard Nixon to China in 1972 led to the transformation of China.

“Nice to meet you Mister President,” Kim said as he sat alongside Trump, against a backdrop of North Korean and U.S. flags, beaming broadly as the U.S. president gave him a thumbs up. Trump said he was sure they would have a “terrific relationship”.

With cameras of the world’s press trained on them, Trump and Kim displayed an initial atmosphere of bonhomie.

“I feel really great,” Trump

17

Just six months after trading threats about their respective “nuclear buttons,” President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are meeting in Singapore

said. “It’s gonna be a great discussion and I think tremendous success. I think it’s gonna be really successful and I think we will have a terrific relationship, I have no doubt.”

Kim replied: “Well, it was not easy to get here. The past has ... placed many obstacles in our way but we overcame all of them and we are here today.”

Both men looked serious as they got out of their limousines for the summit at the

Capella hotel on Singapore’s Sentosa, a resort island with luxury hotels, a casino, manmade beaches and a Universal Studios theme park.

But they were soon smiling and holding each other by the arm, before Trump guided Kim to the library where they held a meeting with only their interpreters. Trump had said on Saturday he would know within a minute of meeting Kim whether he would reach a deal.

After some initial exchanges lasting around halfan-hour, Trump and Kim emerged, walking side-byside through the colonnaded hotel before re-entering the meeting room, where they were joined by their most senior officials.

As the two leaders met, Singapore navy vessels, and air force Apache helicopters patrolled, while fighter jets and an Gulfstream 550 Airborne Early Warning aircraft circled.

Financial markets were largely steady in Asia and did not show any noticeable reaction to the start of the summit. The dollar was at a threeweek high and the MSCI index of Asia-Pacific shares was largely unchanged from Monday.

While Trump and Kim search each other’s eyes and words for signs of trust or deceit, the rest of the world will be watching, hoping that somehow these two unpredictable leaders can find a way to defuse one of the planet’s most dangerous flashpoints. (Reuters)

US sanctions Russians over military, intelligence hacking

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he US Treasury imposed sanctions on three Russian individuals and five companies on Monday, saying they had worked with Moscow’s military and intelligence services on ways to conduct cyberattacks against the United States and its allies.

“The United States is engaged in an ongoing effort to counter malicious actors working at the behest of the Russian Federation and its military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

“The entities designated today have directly contributed to improving Russia’s cyber and underwater capabilities through their work with the FSB and, therefore, jeopardise the safety and security of the United States and our allies,” Mnuchin said, using an acronym for Russia’s Federal Security Service.

The designation blocks all property of those target-

ed that is subject to US jurisdiction and prohibits American citizens from engaging in transactions with them.

Moscow had no immediate comment on the new sanctions.

The Treasury said Russia’s “malign and destabilising cyber activities” included the NotPetya attack last year, which spread across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The White House in February blamed Russia for the attack, saying it caused billions of dollars in damage and was part of the Kremlin’s effort to destabilise Ukraine.

The attacks also included assaults on the US energy grid and on Internet routers and switches, the Treasury said.

“Today’s action also targets the Russian Government’s underwater capabilities,” it said. “Russia has been active in tracking undersea communication cables, which carry the bulk of the world’s telecommunications data.” (Excerpt from Reuters)

4 arrested in Iraq over Spain to accept disputed ballot box storage blaze migrant ship Aquarius

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n Iraqi court has ordered the arrest of four people accused of setting fire to a storage site housing ballot boxes from a May parliamentary election, State media said.

Three of the suspects are Policemen and the fourth is an employee of the Independent High Elections Commission, State television said on Monday.

The storage site hold-

ing half of Baghdad's ballot boxes went up in flames on Sunday in what Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi denounced as a "plot to harm the nation and its democracy".

Last week, Parliament passed a law for a recount of 11 million votes, following allegations of fraud during the May 12 elections.

Iraqi authorities said the ballot boxes were

saved, but the fire has added to fears of violence.

"Burning election warehouses ... is a plot to harm the nation and its democracy," said Abadi, whose coalition faltered in the polls by finishing third, in a statement on Sunday.

In a shock result, the Sairoon coalition of Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr came first in last month's vote, winning 54 out of 328 seats. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

India: WhatsApp 'child kidnap' rumours claim 2 more victims

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ndian Police have arrested 16 people after two men became the latest victims of hysteria over WhatsApp rumours of child kidnappers.

The men had stopped to ask directions in north-eastern Assam state when they were beaten to death by a large mob.

Rumours of child kidnappings are spreading across India over WhatsApp, and have already led to the deaths of seven other people in the past month.

Police say it is proving hard to debunk the messages on social media.

The two latest victims have been identified as Nilotpal Das, an audio engineer, and Abijeet Nath, a digital artist – both res-

S

pain's Prime Minister has said the country will take in a rescue ship stranded in the Mediterranean, to help avoid a humanitarian disaster.

Pedro Sánchez said he would give "safe harbour" to the Aquarius and the 629 people on board, after Italy and Malta both refused to let the ship dock.

The UN refugee agency and the EU had both called for a swift end to the standoff between the two countries.

Sánchez, who took office a week ago, said the ship would dock in Valencia.

The migrants aboard the Aquarius were picked up from inflatable boats

Migrants are rescued by the SOS Méditerranée

off the coast of Libya at the weekend, in six different rescue operations, according to the NGO SOS Méditerranée.

"It is our duty to help avoid a humanitarian catastrophe and offer a safe port to these people, to com-

ply with our human rights obligations," Sanchez's office said.

Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted his gratitude to Spain, saying Italy had broken international rules and caused a standoff. (Excerpt from BBC News)

Catalan village women vote for topless bathing after row at pool

Abijeet Nath (left) and Nilotpal Das (right) stopped to ask for directions when a mob attacked them

idents of Guwahati, the largest city in Assam.

Residents reportedly believed they were "kidnappers" they had been warned about on

WhatsApp. On Sunday, students and activists filled the streets of Guwahati to protest against the killings. (Excerpt from BBC News)

The Catalan local authority organised the vote – whose result is legally binding – for women aged 16 and above, and 379 took part

T

he women in a village near Barcelona have voted to go topless in public swimming pools, scrapping a local ban.

The vote in L'Ametlla del

Vallès went 61 per cent for topless bathing, 39 per cent against.

The Catalan local authority organised the vote – whose result is legally bind-

ing – for women aged 16 and above, and 379 took part.

Women pressed for the vote after Police turned up at one of the pools last summer and ordered two women to put on their bikini tops.

A lifeguard had reported them to the Police.

The case prompted an original protest by villagers supporting the women: bathers – women and men – went to the pool wearing bikini tops on which they had drawn nipples.

The village of 8000 inhabitants is 35 kilometres (22 miles) north of Barcelona.

(BBC News)

18

guyanatimesgy.com

tuesDAY, june 12, 2018

ARCHIE

Share your findings with someone close to you.

(March 21- Together, you will discover April 19) something that will help you get ahead. Don’t limit possibilities by trying to do everything on your own.

ARIES

Line up what you want TAURUS to accomplish and get start(April 20- ed. Refuse to let the actions of May 20) others frustrate you or stand in your way. Stay focused and be alert and ready to take action.

dilbert

Lay your cards on the taGEMINI (May 21- ble and take an optimistic, June 20) aggressive approach to life and what you want to see happen. Work-related situations will be dependent on performance.

Keep personal matters and your opinion secret until (June 21- you know where others stand.

July 22) Opportunity will come your way if you are proactive and productive.

CANCER

Peanuts

Look for a window of opLEO portunity and make your (July 23- move. Keep your eye on what Aug. 22) others do and take precautions when faced with impulsive or indulgent individuals who tend to embellish.

Calvin and Hobbes

Stick to what you know VIRGO and don’t give in to someone (Aug. 23using aggressive tactics to Sept. 22) talk you into something that you feel reluctant to pursue.

Consult a trusted friend before you make a big decision.

Communication, educaLIBRA (Sept. 23- tional pursuits and trips perOct. 23) taining to business or learning will be beneficial. Attending networking events or spending time with children, a friend or relative are favored.

WORD GAME TODAY’S WORD — NOMADIC (NOMADIC: no-MAD-ik: Moving from place to place with no fixed residence.)

SUDOKU

A problem will develop SAGITTARIUS if you discuss personal mat(Nov. 23ters with a peer, friend or Dec. 21) relative. Don’t expect to get the response you want. Your emotions will be tampered with.

Average mark 14 words Time limit 25 minutes Can you find 21 or more words in NOMADIC? The list will be published tomorrow.

YESTERDAY’S WORD — WITHHOLDS whist whit width wild wilt wish with idol this toil told

hilt hoist hold holist host howl oldish owlish list litho lost

loth dhow dish dolt doltish shod shot show silo silt slid

slit slot sloth slow soil sold solid stolid stow

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

A unique approach to SCORPIO how you handle peers or rel(Oct. 24atives will help you bring Nov. 22) about positive change.

Prepare a space at home for a project you want to pursue.

solution

Don’t make a money move CAPRICORN or get involved in a joint ven(Dec. 22- ture. You are best off waiting Jan. 19) until you find an opportunity that doesn’t come with a risk factor. Romance will ease your stress.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20Feb. 19)

PISCES (Feb. 20March 20)

Preparation and organization will help you bring your plans to fruition. Don’t take anything or anyone for granted. Listen carefully, as a talk you have will be revealing.

Keep your story straight.

Someone will question you if you embellish a situation to make it sound more intriguing. Truth should be a priority if you want to be taken seriously.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2018

19

Errani "disgusted" as ban Steyn returns to Test squad increased to 10 months for SL tour I

taly's Sara Errani says she is "disgusted" her ban has been increased from two to 10 months after a cancer drug showed up in a failed test.

The former world number five, runner-up at the 2012 French Open, tested positive for banned drug letrozole.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport accepted medication taken by her mother found its way into a family meal.

But it said Errani, 31, was guilty of a "light degree of fault" which justified a 10-month ban.

She reacted by saying: "I am really disgusted by this matter. I don't think anything similar has ever happened or been managed - in my humble opinion - in such a shameful manner."

The decision followed appeals by the Italian anti-doping agency, which asked for a longer ban, and Errani, who wanted her voided results to be reinstated.

Errani, who reached the final four of last week's Croatia Bol Open but withdrew before her semi-final match, must now serve another eight months of suspension.

The winner of five Grand Slam doubles titles, she was initially banned for two

Sara Errani is now ranked number 72 in the world

months by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in August 2017 and her results from 16 February to 7 June that year were declared void.

Errani said her mother had been using the drug as part of her breast cancer treatment and had dropped some pills on a kitchen worktop where tortellini and

broth were later prepared.

Letrozole increases lean body mass and was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) over concerns it was being abused by bodybuilders.

An independent tribunal, appointed by the ITF, said there was no evidence it would enhance the performance of an elite tennis player.

'A very unfair treatment' Errani's mother and father told a tribunal hearing in July 2017 that after the positive finding, they carried out an experiment which found the drug dissolved in a broth, plus a meat mixture for tortellini, without being detectable.

"I never took any performance-enhancing substance in all my life, I love tennis too much to do something like that," said Errani.

"I find this a very unfair treatment and I want to shout it, holding my head up high, because I am sure I have nothing to reproach myself about."

In 2012, she stopped working with Luis Garcia del Moral, one of the doctors at the centre of cyclist Lance Armstrong's doping scandal.

"I'm not interested in keeping working with a person that is involved in these things," she said at the time.

(BBC Sport)

World Para-athletics Championships…

Dubai to host 9th edition in November 2019 D ubai will host the 2019 World Para-athletics Championships, marking the first time the event has taken place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The ninth edition of the Championships will be staged from 7-15 November.

London considered making a bid following the success of the 2017 event but none was ever submitted.

More than 230,000 people attended the London 2017 championships - more than in all seven of the previous championships combined.

“It is great to have the event back in Asia less than one year before the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games,” said Ryan Montgomery, the International Paralympic Committee’s summer sports director.

Great Britain won 39 medals at the London 2017 Para-athletics Championships - including 18 golds

“Dubai and the UAE have been very important partners of the Paralympic movement for a long time and we have full confidence that

Dubai will exceed our expectations.”

The 2015 Championships took place in Doha, Qatar, but were criticised by ath-

letes for poor attendance.

Doha will host the IAAF World Championships from 28 September to 6 October 2019. (BBC Sport)

D

ale Steyn has been included in South Africa’s Test squad to tour Sri Lanka next month. Steyn, who returned to competitive cricket for Hampshire six months after a heel injury saw him break down in the New Year’s Test against India, is three wickets away from breaking Shaun Pollock’s record as South Africa’s leading Test wicket-taker and will have the chance to do so in the two-Test series.

Kagiso Rabada, who was forced out of the IPL with a stress fracture, will be fit to return to action alongside Vernon Philander, as Lungi Ngidi replaced the retired Morne Morkel. South Africa included three spinners in their squad: regular specialist Keshav Maharaj was joined by left-arm wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who has one Test cap to his name, and legspinner Shaun von Berg, who received his maiden Test call up.

In the batting department, AB de Villiers’ retirement created room for Heinrich Klaasen to remain in the Test squad. Klaasen, who will also act as back-up wicketkeeper, will compete with Theunis de Bruyn for a place in the lineup. Klaasen toured with South Africa to New Zealand in March 2017 and was part of the squad to play Australia in March, but is yet to play a Test.

Klaasen has played four ODIs and three T20Is for South Africa and earned an IPL deal with Rajasthan Royals for the 2018 season.

He was not among the top 25 run-scorers in last season’s first-class competition but played seven matches, scored 426 runs and averaged 38.72 with two centuries and a half-century, and was preferred over the domestic tournament’s top three run-scorers Rassie van der Dussen, Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Pieter Malan.

The rest of the batting line-up takes on a familiar look, with Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram to open the batting and Hashim Amla holding the fort at No. 3. Temba Bavuma may move into de Villiers’ spot at No.4, unless captain Faf du Plessis opts to promote himself with the vacancy for de Bruyn or Klaasen at No. 6, if South Africa choose to play seven specialist batsmen. If they opt for six, Quinton de Kock will bat in the No. 6 position, with the bowlers to follow.

Notably, South Africa opted not to pick an allrounder in the squad, leaving no room for young Wiaan Mulder who was around the Test group last summer, and also limited their selection of quicks to four. That means there is scant cover if Steyn, who has been hampered by injuries for much of the last three years, or any of the other quicks breaks down.

Steyn has only just returned to first-class cricket and could feature in as many as three matches for Hampshire before the Sri Lanka tour. Originally, Steyn was only due to play in the ongoing fixture against Surrey, in which he has already bowled 26 overs and taken 2 for 91, but he will stay on after national team-mate Hashim Amla had to leave the squad with injury. Steyn is now also due to play in matches against Yorkshire and Lancashire, and in an interview with ESPNcricinfo at the weekend, he indicated his interest in playing Test cricket “for as long as I can”.

“It is very welcome news to have Dale back in our pack of world-class seamers particularly in view of the retirement of Morne Morkel,” Linda Zondi, South Africa’s convener of selectors said. “A key factor in our selection process was to cover all our bases and all possible conditions that we may encounter in Sri Lanka. The two additional spinners to back up Keshav Maharaj have both had excellent records in recent times in our domestic cricket.

Von Berg also gives us additional batting strength in the lower order.”

While Shamsi only played four firstclass matches last summer and took 17 wickets at 37 per piece, von Berg finished third on the wicket-takers’ list, with 29 wickets at 41.75. He was well behind the leading wickettaker Simon Harmer, who took 47 wickets at 21.85, who chose to sign a Kolpak deal two years ago, and has since extended it until 2019, and could not be considered for selection.

South Africa will play a two-day practice match at the P Sara Stadium in Colombo on July 7 and 8 before the first Test in Galle from July 12 and the second in Colombo from July 20. They are yet to name their squads for the five ODIs and the lone T20I that will spill into August. (ESPNCricinfo) Dale Steyn

20

R

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2018

obbie Williams is to open the 2018 World Cup in Moscow - just two years after Russian newspapers said he should be banned from performing there.

The pop star, whose hits include Angels and Let Me Entertain You, will headline the tournament’s opening ceremony at the Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday.

He will perform alongside Russian soprano Aida Garifullina, just half an hour before the first match kicks off.

But he will presumably exclude the song Party Like

Robbie Williams to kick off World Cup – despite offending Russia in 2016

A Russian from his setlist.

The track, which portrays Russia’s elite as unsmiling, super-rich autocrats who party on superyachts and hire thugs to settle disputes by putting “the boots in”, was roundly criticised in Russia upon its release in 2016.

A number of Russian media outlets criticised Williams’ “offensive” stereotyping, while others predicted he would never play in the country again.

“This will upset those who previously wanted him to perform, who brought him to Moscow, or wanted him to

about ‘new Russians,’” he added.

But the storm seems to have blown over.

Earlier this year, Williams was booked to perform for Russian billionaire and Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov, at a glitzy after-hours party at Russia’s annual economic forum in St Petersburg.

perform at their events abroad,” said Sergey Knyazev, a member of the National Association of Event Organizers, in an interview with the Pro-Kremlin channel Life News.

“None of these people, big corporations or individuals who want him at their event, want to end up as the butt of this joke. It is a joke

And the 44-year-old will now perform in front of Russian President Vladimir Putin as the World Cup gets under way.

Two-time World Cup winner Ronaldo will also take part in the ceremony, which will be broadcast live around the world immediately before the opening match between Russia and Saudi Arabia commences at 16:00 BST on Thursday.

“I’m so happy and excited to be going back to Russia for such a unique performance,” said Williams in a statement announcing the performance, which will be

shown on ITV in the UK. “I’ve done a lot in my career, and opening the Fifa World Cup to 80,000 football fans in the stadium and many millions all over the world is a boyhood dream.”

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Williams’ team won the annual Soccer Aid tournament at Old Trafford in Manchester.

The charity event, which raises money for Unicef, was co-founded by the star in 2006 and has raised more than £24 million for children in danger around the world.

(BBCSport)

Watford confirm signing 33rd Concacaf of Barcelona winger Ordinary Congress closes in Moscow W

Gerard Deulofeu

atford have confirmed the signing of winger Gerard Deulofeu on a five-year deal from Barcelona.

The Spanish champions say they have agreed a fee of £11.5m for the 24-yearold, plus £3.5m in add-ons.

Deulofeu, who has won four caps for Spain, spent the second half of last season on loan at Watford, scoring once in seven Premier League appearances.

The ex-Barcelona youth player has previously had two spells in the Premier League with Everton.

He spent the 201314 campaign on loan at Goodison Park and returned on a permanent basis in 2015 after an unsuccessful spell at Sevilla.

Following 18 months with the Toffees, Deulofeu finished the 2016-17 season on loan with AC Milan, then went back to Barcelona last summer when the Catalans activated a buy-back clause.

The deal with Barcelona also includes a sell-on clause, according to the Spanish club.

“We are very pleased to welcome Gerard back,” said Watford chairman Scott Duxbury. “Our ambition to succeed and grow in the Premier League remains as strong as ever.”

Deulofeu’s most recent international appearance came in Spain’s World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein in September. (BBCSport)

T

he Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) held on Monday its 33rd Ordinary Congress in Moscow Russia, where delegates celebrated the accomplishments of the Confederation in 2017.

“Following the completion of a successful governance reform effort over the last two years, our Confederation has forged a new era.

Working together as a family we have delivered on our One CONCACAF Vision to continue expanding and producing tangible benefits to our game,” said CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani. “This is an era of resounding commitment to serving our Member Associations and increased investment in development and broader, more inclusive competitions.”

The Congress approved the 2017 CONCACAF Council Report; as well as the 2017 audited financial statements and the 2018 budget. As part of the commitment to continue ensuring the integrity and transparency of the organization, and to comply with governance standards, the Confederation made public its Congress Book, including the financial statements and the 2018 budget.

In other events occurring at the Congress, Randolph Harris from Barbados was elected as Vice President of the CONCACAF Council. Harris ran unopposed for the position.

CONCACAF also presented the General Secretariat Report on the full year achievements as a result of an efficient organizational structure consisting of the Confederation’s functional areas -- Football Operations, Commercial, Member Associations, Finance and Administration, and Legal and Compliance.

The governing body announced the increase of its One CONCACAF Funding Program by more than 35 percent for the 2018 edition of the program, continuing the commitment to invest directly in growing its Member Associations as

enablers of the game’s success.

2017 marked a defining moment on the evolution of CONCACAF’s competitions. On the clubs tournaments front, the Confederation launched the new single elimination Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League and Scotiabank CONCACAF League formats, while redesigning the Caribbean Championships. On the national teams’ front, CONCACAF also announced a newly expanded format for its premier competition, the Gold Cup. From 2019 onwards, the Gold Cup will include 16 teams and a pan-regional footprint with the upcoming selection of additional venues in the Caribbean and Central America.

Earlier this year, the Confederation unveiled the CONCACAF Nations League, an innovative and inclusive national team competition set to kick off this September, bringing meaningful sustainable national team football for all the Member Associations.

The CONCACAF Nations League is an on-the-field extension of CONCACAF’s new image and brand architecture, which was also recently announced, framing the Confederation’s efforts around the core One CONCACAF Vision of developing and stewarding the game on the pillars of Unity, Access, Football and Quality.

In that spirit, the Nations League will provide greatly expanded access for CONCACAF’s Member Associations to international football, enhancing the development of football across the region at all levels.

The annual meeting was attended by CONCACAF Member Associations delegates.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, CONMEBOL President, Alejandro Dominguez, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, members of the Russian Football Union and the Local Organizing Committee for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.

Also present at the event were Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber and Liga MX President Enrique Bonilla, as well as CONCACAF strategic partners.

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21

Russia won’t let hooligans ruin image W

hen Russia played England at the 2016 European Championship in a group game in Marseille, there was more action off the pitch than on it. Almost.

Russian football hooligans, with portable cameras strapped to their heads, attacked English fans ahead of the game, leading to chaos on the streets of Marseille.

Around 150 Russian hooligans charged at them again after the match at the Stade Velodrome, leaving two England fans in a coma.

UEFA, Europe’s apex football body, handed Russia a suspended disqualification from the tournament along with a fine, while 50 perpetrators were deported.

The incidents in Marseille led to widespread fear over the World Cup that begins here on Thursday.

The hooligans’ attack on a far larger group of English fans in Marseille was done with almost military-like precision.

With many of them sporting Mixed Martial Arts gloves, their planned, coordinated attack made it clear that they were well-trained, as was described by Marseille chief prosecutor Brice Robin.

In 2017, the BBC released a documentary titled ‘Russia’s Hooligan Army’.

The documentary, which showed a group of hooligans threatening violence against visiting fans, further deepened the sense of fear among fans in England.

Coverage by other English and American media outlets hasn’t been any kinder.

However, in Russia, the film was met with widespread anger. The BBC was accused by Russian fans and the media of portraying one side of the story and ignoring local efforts to curb hooliganism.

“There is a long-standing tradition among hooligans dating back to pre-Soviet times called ‘wall to

wall’. It involves groups of well-trained young men arranging to meet in a forest or the countryside for handto-hand combat. They have no interest in engaging with outsiders. This is essentially what the BBC documentary focused on when trying to depict how violent football fans over here will be during the World Cup,” said Andrew Flint, a football journalist based in Tyumen, Russia. He added that British media organisations, in particular, ‘picked up on comments made by individuals who want to be heard’.

When this reporter reached out to Andrei Malosolov, former spokesperson of the Russian Football Union (RFU) and a founding member of the country’s national supporters’ club, he said he has had ‘endless questions about scary Russian fans’ since the Marseille incident.

Malosolov accused sections of the English and American media of frightening fans visiting Russia this summer. “A lot of the reports you read in the media from these two countries contain huge exaggerations.

They are not just biased but also include complete untruths,” he said.

Malosolov’s accusations about fears being overblown

may not be completely unfounded given the fact that Russian authorities have come down hard on football hooligans in the aftermath of Marseille.

Last year, the national supporters’ club that Malosolov helped found was forced to close. Its leader Aleksandr Shprygin has been under supervision of local authorities since members of the group publicly offered support to hooligans involved in the 2016 Euros.

According to Flint, law enforcement authorities have blacklisted some of the country’s most notorious hooligans from World Cup venues. Together with the Fan ID system for the tournament, the arrangement is expected to be effective in keeping the most violent elements away from stadia.

“Leaders of prominent fan groups have been hauled in by the Federal Security Service and threatened with imprisonment --- whether or not they actually transgress --- while they are also in regular and direct contact with all prominent fan groups and hooligans,” said Flint.

In an interview to news agency EFE, Alexey Sorokin, chief of local organising committee, had said that data of blacklisted individuals had been shared with various stakeholders of

the World Cup. During the build-up to the tournament, the biggest domestic games in Russia have also seen police take tight security measures to prevent flare-ups.

“When I attended the CSKA vs Spartak Moscow derby last season, armed policemen had lined up outside the nearest metro stations hours before the game and were diverting opposing fans to different routes,” Flint said.

The World Cup will be a different beast but Russia’s recent crackdown on football violence won’t be good news to those wanting to cause trouble this summer.

Moreover, the importance of the World Cup for Russia’s image will not be lost on local fans, according to Malosolov. It should be a big enough motivation to prevent them from getting into trouble with the law.

“This is a very important event for Russians. After all, it’s not just about the football itself. We all understand how much we stand to gain from tourism because of the World Cup. How we host the tournament will be an indicator of our well-being, our openness and hospitality. Which is why this is the most important image event in our history,” he said. (BBC Sport)

Fever-Tree Championships…

Novak Djokovic to make Queen’s return

N

ovak Djokovic will play at The Queen’s Club for the first time in eight years when the Fever-Tree Championships begin next week.

Djokovic said he may skip the grass court season after losing in the French Open quarter-final to Marco Cecchinato.

But the 12-time Grand Slam champion has now accepted a late wildcard for Queen’s, which means 17 of the world’s top 30 players will be in the draw.

He said it “will be great preparation for Wimbledon”, which begins on 2 July.

Djokovic last played at The Queen’s Club in 2010, winning the doubles title alongside Jonathan Erlich.

“The atmosphere is always great and I am looking forward to playing in front of the British crowd again,” added the three-time Wimbledon champion.

“Grass is very special, it is the rarest of surfaces so I’m happy I’ll have the opportunity to compete at this strong tournament, which will also be a great preparation for Wimbledon.”

Djokovic, 31, was beaten 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 7-6 (13-11)

by Italy’s world number 72 Cecchinato in Paris last week.

An elbow injury has limited his playing time this year, while he was treated on his neck during the defeat by Cecchinato.

He has dropped to 22nd in the rankings, while his 20th seeding at Roland Garros was his lowest at a Slam since the 2006 US Open. (BBC Sport)

Novak Djokovic

22

GUYANATIMESgy.COM

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2018

Bramble to lead Windies B Team in Global T20 – Rutherford only other Guyanese in squad

G

Anthony Bramble

uyana Jaguars’ wicket-keeper/batsman Anthony Bramble will lead the West Indies ‘B’ Team for the inaugural Global T20 Canada League, which bowls off from June 28 to July 15.

The international tournament is set to attract other elite T20 players from across the cricketing spectrum, but Windies Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams, thinks “this is a great opportunity for players, and feeds into the organisation’s wider high-performance programme, which looks to develop all-round skills sets of the players and officials.”

Bramble has been Guyana's premier glove-man for the past 4 seasons, and has done well in all formats of cricket for his country. The aggressive right-hander will be accompanied by all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford, who is the only other Guyanese named in the squad, which features talents like attacking

keeper/batsman Nicholas Pooran, spinner Derval Green, former Windies U19 World Cup winning player Shamar Springer, Jamaica's Fabian Allen, and other talents from across the region.

Chairman of Selectors, Courtney Browne, has said, “With our Test and ‘A’ teams currently on tour, t h e Global T 2 0

presents an opportunity for the panel to see some of our developing players in the region. The exposure and added development will assist us with identifying players with the potential to develop

into international T20 cricketers.”

The Global T20 Canada League will see 22 matches being played in a round-robin format, followed by playoffs and the championship match to be held on July 15. All contests will take place at Maple Leaf Cricket Club in Toronto.

Meanwhile, the Windies contingent is set to leave the region on June 14.

This WINDIES B squad is: Anthony Bramble (Captain), Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Roland Cato, Justin Greaves, Derval Green, Kavem Hodge, Brandon King, Jeremiah Louis, Obed McCoy, Khary Pierre, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford and Shamar Springer.

The Team Management Unit includes Stuart Williams (Coach), Roderick Estwick (Coach), Denis Byam (Physiotherapist), Cyril Cox (Strength and Conditioning Trainer) and Trent Sargeant (Analyst).

Sherfane Rutherford

Introductory chess programme YBG Linden regionals off to spreads to Bartica T a rocket start

I

n collaboration with the Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA), the ongoing Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) Regional Schools’ Under 19 tournament made its way into the mining town of Linden over the past weekend.

This development witnessed an exhibition of scintillating matches being played by the youths of Linden. The competition got underway o n Friday

evening with a thrilling encounter between Mackenzie High School and Wismar Christianburg Secondary, and Mackenzie made light work of the clearly inexperienced Wismar team, pummeling them into being 104-21 losers.

Kareem Roberts and Yannick Tappin netted 29 points apiece, whilst Leon Benjamin followed closely with 27 points, to hand the large-margin victory to their

school.

The second game of the tournament followed in similar fashion, with the Harmony side being ‘blown out’ by the boys of Linden Technical Institute (LTI). With a score of 52-3 at half time, the LTI boys went on to carry out a complete onslaught on the Harmony team. Although the Harmony players tried to make a reply, their defence remained weak, allowing Jamal Gilkes of LTI to rack up a whopping 42 points, whilst almost the entire starting five registered double digits.

The final match of the day saw

Wisburg Secondary and New Silvercity Secondary in a bitter battle till the end. However, at the last buzzer, it was New Silvercity which emerged victorious.

With Kobe Tappin producing 23, more than half of their final score, New Silvercity went on to win 40-37.

The action will continue tomorrow at the Mackenzie Sports Club hard court, with the school taking their last shot at making it into the semi-final round.

he drive and desire to expand the popularity and playing of Chess among Guyana’s youth continues, and was, this time around, facilitated by the National Sports Commission (NSC), which opted to send National Chess Coach, player and Candidate master Wendell Meusa to Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) to conduct an introductory chess course in a number of schools in the Bartica area.

Titled “Bartica Chess in School - Introduction to Chess workshop”, the programme ran from June 4 – 8, during which time visits were made to schools such as St. John's the Baptist Primary School, Three Miles Secondary, Two Miles Primary, St. Anthony's Primary (Main Building and Annex) and Bartica Government Secondary School.

Operating on rules and regulations set by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), Meusa brought the gift of chess to some 276 students. They were taught the basics of Chess, the academic benefits of Chess in schools, how to manoeuvre around a chess board, and the plays and functions of every piece.

Additionally, the students were treated to a study of famous games from 1852 & 1842 involving Paul Morphy (former USA Champ) and Adolf Anderssen (former German & World Champion) respectively. These games were used to illustrate the basic tactical and strategic ideas in chess.

In the near future, it is the hope of the parties involved, a similar course can

Wendell Meusa (right) as he is conducting a session at Three Miles Secondary

be conducted in schools that are located on the riverside of the region.

In addition, there will be a teacher’s training programme and an inter schools novice competition to test the basic skills that they have acquired.

“The ultimate aim of these programmes is to promote the development of chess clubs within the schools, where these clubs will be managed by the teachers,”

a statement said. These plans are all geared at having students from the region participate in the National InterSchool Chess Championships, which are usually hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation.

Regional Education Officer (REDO) for Region 7, Mr. Akbar Chindu, was present at the activities, and formally welcomed Mr. Meusa to the town of Bartica. In his remarks, Chindu noted that he is aware of the benefits of the sport, and is receptive of the sport being integrated into the school system.

He said he hopes this is not the beginning and the end of the development of the sport in the region, and that the sport can be spread to “interior” schools in the region so they can have equal chances for their social and mental development.

guyanatimesgy.com

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2018

GRFU commences 2018 15s season

GDF’s Dwayne Schroder receiving the Bounty Farm 15s 2017 Trophy in the presence of his teammates and GRFU representatives on Sunday

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espite the muddy condition of the National Park’s rugby field, the Guyana Rugby Football Union’s (GRFU’s) 2018 season was off to a perfect start.

Pepsi Hornets team held off a strong challenge from the Panthers to win 12 -10 in the season opener of the Bounty Farm 15s tourna-

ment on Sunday.

Hornets’ tries came from National player Leon Greaves, along with a conversion from captain Ryan Gonsalves; while Panthers’ Godfrey Broomes scored both tries for his team.

The GRFU also presented the Panthers Club with its second division trophy for winning the GRFU Tens

Racers Grand Prix…

tournament.

Additionally, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were presented with a trophy for winning the GRFU Bounty Farm 15s 2017 tournament, which ended on Saturday.

The final points standing read: GDF - 36 points, Panthers - 31, Police Falcons - 14, Pepsi Hornets - 11 and Yamaha Caribs - 6.

G

renadian Kirani James a short while ago returned to activate competition with a bang, clocking a new meet record of 44.35 seconds to win the men's 400m at the third staging of the JN Racers Grand Prix at Independence Park, Jamaica’s National Stadium.

James, the 2012 Olympic Champion and the 2016 silver medallist, produced a late burst over the last 10 seconds to pip the fast-starting American Fred Kerley

(44.36s) on the line.

James, who has a personal best of 43.74 set in 2014, was suffering from Graves' disease and has been nursing injury for a while, missing out on the London World Championship in 2017.

He last raced on April 28, 2017 at the Drakes Relay where he finished sixth in 46.21s, which was his slowest time in nine years.

Bralon Taplin, the second Grenadian in the lineup, was third in 45.11s.

National cyclist diagnosed with brain tumour dies

A

mother’s worst dread was realised in the wee hours of Monday when her beloved daughter lost the battle with a terminal illness.

Fifteen-year-old Beyonce Ross, a student of the Lower Corentyne Secondary School in Rose Hall Town, East Berbice, possessed a wealth of potential and had excelled at academics and sports.

Most popularly known for her remarkable performance at last year’s National Schools Cycling competition, where she copped three gold medals, the young athlete had been d e scribed as determined and jovial.

The life of Beyonce Ross took a tragic turn in February of 2018, when she began visiting doctors to determine the cause of the severe headaches that she was experiencing. On the first occasion, the pain and vomiting was said to be the result of a minor illness, and she was treated and sent home. Just a month later, after the pain continued, Ross was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

It was then that Beyonce’s mother, Yonette Clarke, began pleading with anyone who would listen to her cry to help her daughter return

to her state of normalcy.

Meanwhile, Ross’s condition continuously deteriorated over the passing months.

A glimmer of hope arose when doctors determined that the tumour, sitting in the middle of the teen’s brain, was not cancerous and could be removed with surgery done overseas.

The teen’s mother, Yonette Clarke, was very optimistic that her daughter would be able to pull through.

Distraught relatives clung tenaciously to their hope even as Beyonce was admitted to hospital on Thursday last f o r a seizure and fell unconscious. Transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) from Berbice, she was placed on life support.

Most regrettably, she passed away at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where she had been on life support ever since having a seizure and losing unconsciousness on Thursday, June 7, 2018.

Guyana Times Sport would like to tender sincerest condolences to Yonette Clarke, the mother of the late Beyonce Ross, and to all those left bereaved at the passing of this promising star.

Rose’s brilliance takes Guyana to series win over Barbados

Kirani James returns in style G

Kirani James missed the 2017 World Championships

During the next two months, the GRFU will be engaged in three international tournaments for 2018: the CACSO Games Rugby Sevens, Americas Rugby Challenge Championships Fifteens, and RAN Sevens Championships, which will also serve as qualifiers for the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru.

23

uyana defeated Barbados 79-68 in game three on Sunday evening to win their three-game Goodwill Series 2-1 at the Sir Garfield Sobers Gymnasium in Barbados.

The action was viewed by quite an active crowd.

While it was a collective team effort from the Guyanese, 18-year-old Stanton Rose, the captain, was impressive in his 15-points game, shooting 3/5 from behind the arc, and recording nine assists, eight rebounds and three steals.

Ray Victor had 13 points; Felice Hamilton ended the night with 11 points; and Travis Burnett, who might not have had a big scoring night, registered 5. He was, however, Guyana's lockdown defender on the floor.

Anthony Moe (9), Travis Belgrave (8), Shaine Webster (7), Orlan Glasgow (6) and Harold Adams (5) were the other notable performers.

Coach Junior Hercules went back with the start-

ing team that brought him success in game two: Rose, Moe, Glasgow, Adams and Webster.

Victor, who hails from the British V i r g i n Islands

(BVI), boosted the team's defence in the back court.

With Rose playing an un-

selfish game and finding the open man, Barbados had no answer for Guyana, the 'Bajans' being outplayed in almost every aspect, even with the home advantage, as Guyana led for majority of the game, including being up by as many as 19 points.

Having ended the first quarter 24-20, Guyana ended the second 46-34.

Behind Rose's offensive outburst and Burnett's stifling defence, Guyana had their best period in the third. Not only did they stop Barbados from scoring, they outperformed them to close the third on 62-45.

Barbados had their best scoring stanza in the fourth, as Andre DeHart (13), Junior Moore (10) and Deroni Hurly (9) tried valiantly, but the game was way out of reach for Barbados.

It was Guyana's first time back on this beautiful island since Lugard Mohan had captained them to a bronze medal finish at the CBC tournament (formally CARICOM Championship) 18 years ago (2000).

Guyana Men’s Basketball Captain Stanton Rose shot 60% from beyond the arc

While the women would have won the tournament in 1996 (Trinidad and Tobago), the men’s best placing was second, in the 1994 tournament in Guyana.

At the CBC tournament in Suriname, the Guyanese Men are in Group A, with hosts and rivals Suriname, St Lucia, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines; while Group B comprises Barbados, Bermuda, Antigua & Barbuda, Haiti and Montserrat.

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, 2018

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

guyanatimesgy.com

33rd Concacaf Ordinary Congress closes in Moscow

Pg 20

Pg 22

Bramble to lead Windies B team in Global T20 National cyclist diagnosed with brain tumour dies Pg 23

GRFU commences 2018 15s season Pg 23

Beyonce Ross

Pepsi Hornets and Panthers contested the season opener

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